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October 31, 2007

Milton Friedman. Economist. Intellectual. Badass.

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 09:06 AM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2007

John Edwards

This is an excerpt from www.concordmonitor.com:

John Edwards says if he's elected president, he'll institute a New Deal-like suite of programs to fight poverty and stem growing wealth disparity. To do it, he said, he'll ask many Americans to make sacrifices, like paying higher taxes.

Edwards, a former Democratic senator from North Carolina, says the federal government should underwrite universal pre-kindergarten, create matching savings accounts for low-income people, mandate a minimum wage of $9.50 and provide a million new Section 8 housing vouchers for the poor. He also pledged to start a government-funded public higher education program called "College for Everyone."

"It is central to what I want to do as president to do something about economic inequality. I do not believe it is okay for the United States of America to have 37 million people living in poverty," he said in a meeting with Monitor reporters and editors this week. "And I think we need, desperately need, a president who will say that to America and call on Americans to show their character."

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 05:55 PM | Comments (1)

October 27, 2007

Justin

Call me whatever you like, I think Justin Timberlake is amazing. His entire HBO special is on youtube right now, and it seriously blew me away. He's the real thing. I could do without all the sex, but am completely willing to overlook the relatively small amount of raunch in there, if for no other reason than his band. And dude can just sing. I'd recommend "My Love", "Senorita" and "What Goes Around". It either makes me want to stop playing forever, or work as hard as I possibly can at it. Somehow I don't think i'll get to his level by singing Marc Broussard covers at king eptune's though...

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 01:05 AM | Comments (0)

October 24, 2007

More Blessed

Sometimes I feel like this age we're living is hyper-everything. We here in America have really hit the economic ball over the fence - at least as of now - and are "enjoying" the fruits of our labor. We've sort of figured it out. Most of us agree, democratic capitalism is best. However, there has arisen within me this tension that I'm not sure I can really explain. I certainly cannot ignore it. The tension has to do with our great wealth in this country, juxtaposed with the poverty that exists in the world. In Mexico, there are 100,000 people living on less than $4 per day. I'm not one of these guys who wants to lead trips down there to give what we have. I respect that, and maybe I will do that, but it's generally not how I roll. The tension is not personal, because I feel like I'm a generous enough guy and my wife and I try not to waste money. You know, all that money we have. (Not trying to brag, but we have literally dozens of dollars). The tension I feel is inherent in our situation. Looking at us, and looking at them. I feel frustrated, because no church or socially minded group could really make a big dent in the problem. Because the problem really lies in the governments of these countries. There is an organization called FINCA, which in my estimation, has the potential to make the biggest difference and create sustained results. And so I just feel this tension over the fact that we have so much, and so many have so little, and giving some of what we have to those who don't is complicated. I tend to think big picture. I tend to want to fix things permanently. Tough. I guess I'm basically mad because our depravity has manifested itself in this way. It's really the same thing all the way down the line - I don't understand. I don't understand why God created Lucifer with the potential and ability and will to rebel. I don't understand why God arranged the chemicals in Eve's brain in such a way that she could sin. I just don't get it. However, I do trust God. And some part of me revels in not getting it. As a child is happy just to be held by their father, so am I happy just to trust God.

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 07:55 AM | Comments (1)

October 23, 2007

Barack

Barack
I like Barack Obama. I like him for the same reasons everyone likes him. However, I have had to search and search and search to find what Mr. Obama really stands for. Speech after speech, interview after interview, the guy never really says anything. I've looked at his plans, all of which are available on his website, which are full of the same pie in the sky ambiguous altruism that he delivers in his appearances. He is, however, planning to do some things that scare me. He's all about the government helping out the poor. He's all about requiring businesses to provide health insurance for their employees. It all goes back to the same thing I've been saying for a while now: our friends on the left do not base their paradigm on reality. Their paradigm is based on the idea that everyone is equal, regardless of what they do, everyone is the same, that things would be great, if only. They almost never talk about personal accountability, working hard for a better life, the beauty of the free market or any of the other "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" ideas that this country was founded on. The bottom line is that life is not fair. It never has been fair. Dare I say that some are poor in this country because they are lazy? I dare. Dare I say that some work for low wages in this country because they have chosen to? Oh, I dare! None of the language used by Mr. Obama, or any other democratic candidate for that matter, places any responsibility on the shoulders of Americans. The government holds all the responsibility, and will give you all that you are entitled to! It's the same schtick they've been putting on for over a hundred years. Those migrating to America through Ellis island in the late 19th century were greeted by a man with $20 in his hand, which was given to them if they registered as a democrat. I quite literally feel like I'm taking crazy pills here. Why should the burden of healthcare be placed on the employer? If an employer wants to provide his or her employees with healthcare, great! But why should this be required by the government? Why? I keep asking the same question! WHY?!? Why should anyone be given anything by the government? Don't we as a people have enough decency to help our neighbor out when he is in trouble? Look at our public schools! Look at our V.A. hospitals! The government cannot run anything! Even the post office is a mess!

The bottom line is that people need to feel significant. They need to feel some sense of power. My friend Paul uses a great analogy:
Let's say you need a hole dug, and hire five men to dig it. If you say "i'll pay the man who works the hardest the most money", the whole will be dug in no time. But if you say "i'll pay you each $50", what motivation does one man have to work harder than the next? After all, he's getting paid the same amount no matter how hard he works. And so the hole will be half as deep and take twice the time. Because we as humans need to feel power and significance. It is what has made this country great.

And so, if you don't like your job, QUIT! If you want more money, GO MAKE MORE MONEY! Right? Anyone?

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 03:31 PM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2007

Bill O'Reilly, Bill Maher

I really like both of these guys. I like them because they're honest. I disagree with most of what Maher says, but I like him. There is one thing they have in common, though: they're pissed. And I think they're pissed in a very specific way. It's as if they were the kids who were always beaten up in school, and they're still not over it. I think we're all like that, on some level. I think we're all pissed about things from back in the day, and we're just not over it. Maybe the Bills are the ones who are not so childish as to try and hide it.

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 01:08 AM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2007

Not Gonna Lie

I really can't stand artsy-indie-rock-thrift-shop-clothes-wearing-can't-tell-if-they're-serious type people. For the longest time, especially as a musician, i tried to really "get" these guys and gals. But as of late, it's been confirmed: It's all a bunch of crap. The music is not cool. There's nothing to "get". The clothes aren't cool. There's no real statement being made.

Wow, i feel liberated. All these years, knowing the truth deep down, but lying to myself, if for no other reason than "tolerance". I'm tolerant of these people, and I can't stand them. Can I do that? Can I make a judgement?

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 02:53 PM | Comments (1)

October 08, 2007

Dear Ann Coulter

Please stop. Please. You're really making it hard for the rest of us out here. You have enough money, just quit while you're ahead, and just disappear. And please, put some pants on.

Thank you
Chris

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 11:01 PM | Comments (1)

October 03, 2007

Intellectual So-And-So

I've discovered some great things on iTunes lately, not the least of which are lectures and discussions from Stanford University. They have some great philosophical discussions, in which two people discuss in GREAT detail a certain 20th century philosopher. Their discussion on Heidegger was awesome. But when I started listening to lectures on other subjects, my initial fears were confirmed. Topics like social justice, democracy, the role of government in our lives, all spoken about from a point of view that is, in every sense of the word, ridiculous. A point of view that permeates almost every nook and cranny of academia. Let's call it the "if only" point of view. If only everyone had enough money. If only everyone had healthcare. If only everyone was educated. If only, if only, if only. And, almost every single problem we have in this country is the fault of George Bush. I wish I could say I was exaggerating here, but I'm really not. And so, I, being the judgmental Christian that I am, have come up with two basic categories in which I believe almost everyone falls.

First, there are those who truly believe that life would be great, if only. The extremists in this category believe that a utopia could exist. And then there are those in the second category, who don't. These people look around at the human race and conclude that there is something fundamentally wrong with it. That it is not perfect. And so, these people have a "let's make the best of it" attitude. You can guess which category I fall into.

I think that most young people fall into the first category. Especially those who've been educated. The interesting thing is that there is literally zero evidence on which to base this paradigm. And so I conclude that it is a popular one not because of history or logic, but because of hope. This viewpoint is exciting, popular, and provides people with a sense of purpose and hope. It also places the human in control, which is what we all really want anyway.

I do not place my hope in the future. I certainly do not place my hope in the good of humanity. I place my hope in the love of God. I trust him. I know that he loves me. History repeats itself over and over again, and while I don't understand why God allows things to operate the way they do, I trust that he governs the universe and is somehow working out the realization of His glory.

Some friends of mine hear me talking like this, and call me an asshole. This is because they don't think I want people fed, warm and educated. I do want those things. However, I think that my motivation for such is different than that of many of my friends. Moreover, I think the best way to get there involves little to no government involvement. Which is why Hillary's idea of giving every baby born a $5000 savings account terrifies me. Isn't there a name for that type of thing? Um..., man what is it? Gosh I know I've heard of this type of thing before... oh well.

Posted by chriscoxmusic at 12:10 AM | Comments (0)