Voting Matters

So today I voted for the first time since the election for my High School Student Body President. It wasn't anything earth shaking, but it was interesting reflecting on the ideology of voting while I was waiting in line. It is humbling that wars were started over the right of The People to have representation, and today we take such a cavalier attitude toward the whole process. Somewhere in the history of our great country voting stopped being treated as a civic duty and became almost an afterthought for too many people. I am included in the afterthought group, so I am just as guilty as the next person of neglecting my duty as a citizen. I would be willing to place a wager that the founders of our country had higher expectations of us and our commitment to our country. Makes me wonder how great a country we would have if we lived up to their ideals and principals. If everyone took to heart the words of the late John F. Kennedy and truly asked themselves "not what [our] country can do for [us], but what [we] can do for [our] country," imagine how much stronger of a nation we might become.

Also, on another front, does anyone else hope the Fed allows a recession to happen? I feel like we are delaying the inevitable, and the sooner we start the recession the sooner we can work to get out of one. I also don't like the fact that it appears that the Fed is reacting to movements in the market. Since when was it the Fed's job to stabilize markets? Markets have, do and will fluctuate. If they try and limit the downside exposure to bad events, then they must also be limiting the upside potential. Their job is to provide a stable monetary and financial system, not to ensure the market doesn't react to negative pressure. Maybe I believe to much in the ability of markets to allocate resources where they are most needed. But I think allowing markets to naturally rule is better than providing bailouts. Bailouts have the potential consequences of creating incentives for people to take on more risk than they otherwise would.

I read the other day that a congressman is threatening to block any proposed mergers between major airlines. He is worried that larger airlines will remove smaller routes and charge higher fares. These are legitimate concerns, but don't complain if these same airlines, unable to merge, file bankruptcy again. If such a bankruptcy happens again in the near future and that airline is unable to emerge from bankruptcy protection, then the end result will be the removal of an airline from the landscape - the same result as would happen in a merger.

On a lighter note, Apple upgraded their iPhone and iPod Touch today, with the result being that I now want an iPod Touch more than I should. I am still going to hold out for an iPhone until they release a phone that runs on the 3G data network.

And did anyone else see that move Deron Williams put on Chris Paul last night? What a sweet juke and power dunk to finish it off.