Thursday, September 23, 2004

Floggings will continue until morale improves Don't like banging your head against that brick wall? Why not try banging it even harder? The BBC reports that the Metropolitan Police have backed a campaign to have the drinking age in Hampstead raised to 21. Their article (in their slightly frothy magazine section) quotes "psychologist Colin Drummond" in support of a general move in that direction, and reasonable noises from Alcohol Concern and the Portman Group in opposition. The reason - having the limit at 18 isn't preventing people under 18 from drinking. Leave aside for a moment the fact that this ban has absolutely no chance of ever being enacted (18 year olds can vote, after all), and it's a lovely case study of how failing legislation can be pushed into failing harder by people who can't think outside the box. Incidentally, I used to live near Hampstead, and something tells me that any ban is probably related more to the socio-economic group of its inhabitants rather than its non-existent status as party capital of North London. 8:37:47 PM    comment []

Initium sapientiae timor Domini "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" says the proverb, and that may or may not be true. But for sure, the fear of the voter is the beginning of madness in any political system. The New York Times is reporting today that the US Congress has voted to keep the President's tax cuts, while rejecting any surcharges or closure of loopholes that might have helped to fund them. Not surprising in itself, perhaps, but the strange part of this issue is that Democrats abandoned their moderate Republican supporters - with whom they could have blocked the proposal - and allowed the measure through. Why? Here is Charles Rangel (a senior Democrat in the House of Representatives): "I wish we could pay for [the tax cuts], but this is a political problem and we have people up for re-election." Now every politician in every country is reluctant to boost taxes before an election, but what justifies this open terror of the voter that Rep. Rangel expresses? Unfortunately for optimists, it is not a wholesome regard for the thoughts of his constituents, but rather a fear of personal attack as an opponent of tax cuts. [W]ith the election nearing, Congressional Democrats said they would not let themselves be branded as supporters of tax increases, which would occur if the expiring provisions were not renewed. (NYT) It is depressing that political coverage in the US takes votes out of context and implies whole philosophies from them. It is downright frightening if the fiscal barricades are to be surrendered merely because the Democrats are afraid of Republican name-calling. Are there really no votes in behaving responsibly? Politicians are elected to lead. As Margaret Thatcher said, the alternative to leadership is followership - and Rep. Rangel has shown us what an unedifying spectacle that is. 8:24:00 PM    comment []