Loose Ends... Vol. XXXVII

Ugh. I'm always disappointed when Loose Ends comes in as back-to-back posts. This week I was really busy catching up from being on vacation and preparing for a fantasy baseball draft. But, that is done and behind me now. So, it is my intent to step it up this week.

There was a decent amount of action this week.

The G-20 provided some interesting fodder. This link provides the communique with the action plan coming out of the summit. Among other actions, the nations have pledged additional support to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in an effort of stabilization and stimulus. I have spent a little bit of time searching, but I have failed to find how Obama can or plans to pledge this support. Last I knew, Congress had the sole authority to appropriate funds.

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Daniel Hannan, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from England, has received a bit of recognition in the U.S. for his speech on March 24. His scathing attack on Gordon Brown is quite entertaining and, more importantly, spot-on. It's worth a watch.

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In keeping with his tradition of "hip" gifts, Barack Obama gave Queen Elizabeth an iPod. Perhaps my wife will discuss this in more detail.

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I'm in the middle of watching an episode of After Words on CSPAN where Ron Paul (R-TX) is interviewing author Ivan Eland. They are discussing "Recarving Rushmore" where Eland ranks the Presidents. His rankings are not too consistent with the commonly accepted rankings. Here is a quick summary of the book from the Independent Institute:

Eland’s top presidents for the PP&L composite rankings—Tyler, followed closely by Cleveland, Van Buren, and Hayes—sound obscure to many today. At the same time, Eland’s low rankings for Reagan, Kennedy, and FDR also put him out of step with most academics, pundits, and the public. However, if we value peace, prosperity, and liberty—and, especially, adherence to Constitutional strictures—then the presidents must be judged according to their enthusiasm for principles which themselves may often run counter to popular prejudice.

“Most of the ‘excellent’ presidents are remembered as bland men with gray personalities, but they largely respected the Constitution’s intention of limiting government and restraining executive power, especially in regard to making war,” writes Eland. “They realized that America is great not because of its government’s activism at home and abroad, but because of the hard work and great ideas of private American citizens living in freedom. In other words, they realized that peace, prosperity, and liberty are best achieved by the framers’ notion of restricting government power.”

I might pick up a copy.

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Is it just me or is the frequency of random mass killings been up lately?

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For my friends who smoke (and those who care about personal freedom and liberty), new taxes on tobacco were implemented this week as a result of HR2 - the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. I want to provide a more detailed analysis of this legislation sometime soon.