Here’s where I tell you a bit about myself and my blog. I blog about what interests me, and I’m most interested in science and technology. However, politics is oftentimes important enough that I comment on it, especially when some aspect of politics intersects science and technology, which happens increasingly often, particularly as information theory and design theory generalize.
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Monthly archives
Tai-Chi Policy 
I’m a physicist/programmer with an interest in government, science, technology, and most importantly, freedom and the fundamental human rights and necessary conditions that enable it.
I’m not religiously a taoist, but taoism and tai-chi have a concept I increasingly find applicable: by knowing when and where to act, one can exert minimal effort and watch the forces at work align themselves in whatever way you wish. The government all too rarely works this way; our economy is the most tremendous force ever in existence in history; and increasingly technology enables political and social forces to align and act.
Most importantly, free market capitalism combined with a liberal (in the old sense of the word) democracy (in the American sense of the word, that is, republicanism) is the largest example of tai-chi policy achieving major human rights, and aiding life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
The only problem with republicanism is that the representatives all to often vote on their views instead of how the majority who voted for him. Which is why I believe in disassembling big governments in favor of the old polis forrm of government and us edirect democracy: all citizens elect one person to preside over the meetings while we all vote together on the laws of the land.
Direct Democracy has it’s own issues. Our founding fathers had extensive debates on this very argument, with issues such as the tyranny of the majority coming up. While I think that a republic functions better than a democracy for precisely that issue and for the fact that an elected official can spend all of their time working on the government (albeit that’s also more time for corruption to be practiced) rather than the fraction of time that each citizen can spend on government in a true democracy.
However, while I think a Republic functions best, I would be quite happy if many of the non-representative governments of the world switched to Democracy instead.
One thing that I would be quite excited to see attmepted is an open source government: Essentially have a giant wiki of all the laws and regulations, and a process for initiating changes in said wiki that was fair and democratic. One could even adopt our current government to such a system with only minimal changes. I think this sort of republic/democratic government would function far more efficiently than anything currently out there.
Sweet…some more advocates of minimalism…I am a minimalist in my personal life, and I think it would do wonders on a beauracratic level…but then a minimalist beauracracy or government would be a bit of an oxymoron…wouldn’t it?
Very interesting blog site. I look forward to reading on.
I welcome having you here.
Hey Homeslice,
you might dig my blog on Daoism, Taiji and such. I’ve got a strict no politics rule for my blog because it’s part of my commercial face, but I share your pro-commerce values. I would link to you if not for that rule. I got here from Michelle Malkin.
Best
“Weakness with a Twist”
Cool Stuff, will do.
I agree with the taoist. When it comes to the government, I have went from being a Democrat, to an Independent, to a Republican, only to learn that no one can please all the people. I feel that less government would mean more for the people. I feel that our founding had it right when they proclaimed, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I’m afraid that we are governed by career politicians engrossed in their own careers.
Republican policies have been a total disaster for our country. Anyone who supports them has got to be anti-American.
What exactly would you pinpoint are the problems our country faces? Energy? Democrats are the ones who have opposed new refineries, new power plants, new drilling, and new development. Education? Democrats are the ones who are in the pocket of the teachers unions. They adamantly refuse to support school choice, and fight long and hard against charter schools and other educational reforms that make teachers actually have to pay attention to the quality of their teaching. Our economy? The biggest success story of the past eight years has been the Bush tax cuts, which gave our economy an incredible rebound for several years, and actually increased government income. The Democrats are fighting hard to eliminate those, against the advice of nearly all economists. You pick any issue our country faces, and the Democrats are making things worse by standing for whatever is shown in country after country around the world and throughout history as exactly what not to do (such as economics and education), or they stand for what is exactly the opposite of what our best advisers in the subject all claim (such as Iraq).
And for truly anti-Americanism, how about the party that has actually claimed, on more than one occasion, that it would be unfortunate for itself if America won the Iraq war? A party that nominates a candidate who actually makes an issue of not saluting the flag, who’s wife was never proud of her country until this year, who’s pastor and spiritual mentor for 20 years, who he quotes in his book as moving him to tears with his speeches, says black Americans should say “God Damn America”?
On the other hand, lets look at what our country has done well recently. While much in the government is debatable, welfare reform has been the biggest success government has had in quite some time. Implemented, of course, by Republicans. In fact, Clinton vetoed it twice before it was passed by a veto proof majority.
I’m not saying Republicans are perfect: far from it. Ted Stevens is example number one of some of the corrupt Republicans. But even there the Democrats, in every possible measure, are worse. There’s a higher percentage of corrupt Democrats, they misuse more money, and now, because there’s more of them in power, there are more of them corrupt. Heck, try and find a Republican who’s been accused of a scandal who hasn’t been forced to resign. It’s not easy. And yet, Reid, Pelosi, Murtha, and Jefferson, among others all have scandals following them, and they shrug them off. And they lead the party!
Even Barack has quite a few scandals following him around. What exactly are the new politics he represents? Chicago politicians? What’s new about that?
“What exactly are the new politics he represents?”
America just bought a monorail.
If that’s what they want, that’s what they’ll get…sigh.
A fascinating idea: tai-chi policy.
Hi, nice to meet you !
Nice blog, or what I’d call, a “thinking person’s blog” :) lots of interesting thoughts and ideas.
Just like You, I’m positively passionate about humanity’s potential and future, but one of the topics I’d really want to write about, one of these days, is what I see as a blind faith in democracy as a system. I get shivers down my spine seeing how the concept of “democracy” is being “sacratized” almost like “religion” once was. Difference of opinion leads to you instantly being labelled a traitor, commie or even a terrorist. Just like we waged wars in the name of religion a thousand years ago, we’ve started waging wars in the name of “democracy” now. Chilling, isn’t it?
Every system invented by us mere humans will always be, by definition, imprefect. The day we stop questioning our systems and finding ways of improving them, is the beginning of our end.
Well, “Democracy” is a very imprecise term – especially when you consider that we’re really a Republic. What’s important is not the emphasis on voting – almost every tinpot dicatatorship in the world holds highly rigged votes – but processes to ensure that all individuals are equal, fundamental human rights are respected (and no, a “living wage” and “education”, and anything else government is paying for are not fundamental human rights), governing power ultimately lies in the hands of the people, and no one is above the law. Unfortunately, there are infractions against these principles in every country on the planet, even our own – although we’re still better than most.
You sound very interesting! I’m happy to say that I’ll be following you from this point on. Good luck with your posts, my friend!
If you’d like to check out my political blog, please do!
http://simplepolitiks.wordpress.com/
I appreciate your blog.
While we do not agree on everything, I greatly appreciate your attempt to bring the rationality of Chaung Tzu to political discourse. There is much to be learned from the doctrine of wu-wei. From practical matters such as physical skill to the purely impractical such as ascetic discipline.
Please keep up the intentional and thoughtful commentary. We could all stand to reinvestigate our doctrinal positions, and attempt to more closely align them with experience. Thanks!