Am I a Right Wing Conservative or Not?

Readers of this blog probably assume I am a Right-Wing Conservative, considering some of the blog’s content. Actually, I am closest to being a Libertarian. To put things in perspective, here are some quick “one liners” that will help you understand me (yeah, I know some are longer than one line).

I will be happy to answer specific questions about other issues.

• I think the best courses of action often seem to make less sense than other courses of action that are much less effective or even harmful.  I am disappointed, not surprised, that “intellectuals” often are unable to tell the difference.
• I try not to confuse eloquence with intelligence.  My experience suggests there is little correlation between them.
• I don’t feel sorry for people who can’t figure out how to vote with a punch card ballot.
• I think that it is not possible in principle or at reasonable cost to have an “accurate” national election.  Nor do I care, as long as the errors are not too big and are random.  Nor should you care.   The problem with caring too much about accuracy in elections is that it results in recounts that are little more than a free option (with respect to the random errors of the counting process) for the apparent loser, which biases the election against the true winner.  This is one of those issues where the “obviously correct” view (that elections should be made accurate and recounts improve accuracy) is incorrect.
• I think we are overregulated.  I am for allowing citizens to make their own decisions unless there is a clearly unacceptable cost in terms of damage to others.
• I think that laws like seatbelt laws should be abolished.  If I want to risk my life, let me.  On the other hand, I don’t expect you to pay the cost of any excess stupidity on my part.
• I think profiling is fair if done intelligently and legitimately.  It is simply smart Bayesian statistics.  Everyone profiles, including you.
• I approve of insurance company profiling by lifestyle.  Smokers should pay more for health insurance than nonsmokers.
• All else equal, I think fairness requires that if women contribute equally to retirement plans, they should receive a lower annual retirement income.
• I think that women should be allowed, without hassle, to have abortions within a reasonable time from conception.  I don’t think a week prior to anticipated birth is reasonable.  I think two months after conception is too short.  Where in between is appropriate strikes me as arguable.  I don’t think there is an obviously “right” answer.
• I don’t think the Government should be in our bedrooms.
• I think relationships should be defined by those engaging in them.  If two people want to marry, fine.  For those wanting to reserve “marriage” for a man and a woman, I suggest providing them with a special marriage certificate with a gold star.
• I think that liberals and conservatives and everyone else should keep their noses out of others’ business.  If I want an SUV and you don’t want me to have one, tough.  To put this in perspective, consider how you would feel if I had the power to tell you how to live.
• I think anyone anxious to tell me how to live and who wants to force me to live their way through laws and taxes doesn’t know the meaning of freedom or tolerance.
• I don’t think people who complain about damage to the environment and want us to restrict our lifestyles as they see fit are credible if they have more than two children.
• I suspect that water-saving toilets increase water usage.
• I don’t plan on saving water until we all agree on a reasonable limit to population and ensure that it is enforced.  I think excessive population is the problem, not individuals’ consumption.
• I don’t think people who complain about how many people are below the poverty level and want others to pay their idea of a suitable amount of extra taxes to help the poor are credible if they wear a Rolex.
• I think that, usually, it is a waste of time to listen to advice once it becomes clear that it conflicts with good theory and empirical results.
• I think that banning books or other publications is wrong.  I think censorship is, too.
• I think that stem cell research is good and the focus, in some quarters, on its morality is misplaced.
• I do not think that controlling drug prices to make prescription drugs affordable will help us.  I think it will reduce the rate at which valuable drugs are developed to the point where we will be worse off.
• I think Canadians should have to pay higher drug prices rather than forcing drug companies to sell us drugs at Canadian drug prices.  If Canadians want the benefits of drug research, they should have to help pay for it.
• I think it is wasteful for multiple companies or organizations to research the same areas (drugs are an example).  It is too bad that a single government research budget and effort, while perhaps theoretically more efficient, actually would be less efficient.
• I think price controls sound good but actually make people worse off.
• I think rationing sounds fair but actually makes people worse off.  Rationing and making the ration coupons tradable is better than rationing alone, but still bad.
• I think that the ultimate effect of raising the minimum wage is, roughly, inflation sufficient to offset it.  If this was not so, we could make all of us rich by raising the minimum wage to about $1 million a year and forbidding firms from firing workers until they found other work.
• I think school vouchers are a good idea.  I think this because it is good microeconomics and is one of the few things that really can improve the lot of students in lousy schools.  I think that the fact that professional educators at the high school and lower levels are largely against vouchers makes vouchers more credible.
• I think international trade, including outsourcing, benefits all the countries involved.  This is another example of the “obvious” conclusion (that outsourcing is bad) being wrong.
• I think farm price supports should be eliminated.
• I’m for equal pay for equal work, but how do you tell if the work is equal?
• I think people should be judged based on their behavior, not their race, color, sexual preferences, etc.
• I think, in the interests of accuracy, “Blacks” should be referred to as “Somewhat Darker” and “Whites” should be referred to as “Motley Pinks”.
• I believe there is a lot of prejudice in the world, but not as much as the people who it is aimed at believe.  I believe this because I am Jewish and my name is not, a combination that has allowed me to hear what prejudiced people had to say about Jews and what Jews had to say about unprejudiced people.
• I characterize myself as Jewish not because I think of myself as Jewish, but because those who ask would. For example, Hitler would have sent me to a concentration camp, ergo I am Jewish.
• I think that both the Democratic and Republican parties leave much to be desired.  I don’t think anything better will come along if each of us continues to act in our immediate self interest.  So, don’t expect anything better.
• I think both Democrats and Republicans are not above coloring the facts.   However, I suspect that the Democrats are more eloquent, hence are more dangerous.
• I believe the “Two-Americas” rhetoric tells you something about the rhetorician, something that does not reflect well on him or her.
• I think campaign finance reform is a disingenuous way to justify violating the First Amendment.
• I don’t think the real reason for guns is hunting or target shooting.  Guns are for personal defense, especially for old people and women.  I don’t mind if you don’t want to defend yourself as long as you don’t insist that I be denied the ability to defend myself.
• I think the Second Amendment confers an individual right.
• I think that laws allowing honest citizens to carry concealed firearms are good.  All the best econometric studies and analyses I have seen suggest that it is a good bet that such laws save lives, mostly innocent lives, and reduce violence against law abiding citizens.
• I think that making schools gun-free zones really only makes them defense-free zones.  Mass killers choose schools to do their killing because they expect to be able to complete their dirty work without interference.
• For years, I was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union.  I stopped after it became evident that the ACLU had been made over into a partisan political organization.  I will consider rejoining when it is not partisan and when it defends the Second Amendment as strongly as it defends the First.
• I think preemptive action against terrorists is ok and I don’t mind if we are not right all the time.  I don’t plan on being the next Chamberlain and will not vote for someone who may be.  I think, roughly, that if there is a 5% chance that intelligence implying a 5% chance of a future terrorist attack that could kill a million Americans is true, we should act as if it is true.
• I am unaware of any evidence suggesting that God’s existence is a good bet.  On the other hand, if religious people leave me alone, I will be happy to leave them alone.
• I do not think life is infinitely valuable.  I think there is ample evidence to conclude that you don’t, either.  For example, why don’t you drive slower?
• I am unaware of any evidence suggesting that religious people make better citizens than atheists.
• I don’t think there is free will.  “Doing” things for a “reason” and “knowing” yourself and others is evidence against free will.  You “know” someone only to the extent they are predictable.  Predictability is inconsistent with any reasonable definition of free will.
• I think B. F. Skinner is right and that the Humanists are wrong.
• I know that turning down the air conditioning when you leave the house and turning it back up when you return saves energy.  Similarly for heat during the Winter.
• I think people should not have children unless they can afford them.  I don’t include welfare in my definition of afford.