Today’s Links: November 21, 2011

OPINION

MICHAEL HIRSH: “The Supercommittee and a Never-Ending Cycle of Dysfunction
“If the ’62 Mets were the worst team in major league history, it’s also fair to wonder whether any Congress has ever been more dysfunctional, with less cause, than this one. And whether there is a single politician left in Washington who can behave like a leader, or even play one on TV. Asked about the prospects for seeing some production out of the hitless and shut-out supercommittee–even a late-inning bid to solve part of the problem by delegating its special fast-track powers to regular congressional committees–Steve Bell of the Bipartisan Policy Center harked hopefully back to Senate precedent.”

RAMESH PONNURU: “The Freeloader Myth
“It began as a retort and became a fear. For years, when liberals would accuse conservatives of cutting taxes for the rich, our main argument was that low marginal tax rates on high earners were good for the economy. But we would also respond that rich people actually pay a large share of all income taxes. Over time, many conservatives grew convinced that the true fairness issue raised by the tax code is that this share is too large — and, even more, grew alarmed by how many people were not paying income taxes.”

JOHN TAMNY: “A Gold Standard Would Be Great, But It’s Not a Deficit Cure
“With monetary authorities domestically and internationally having failed the world’s citizenry in stupendous ways, a possible silver lining that’s emerged from this global crack-up is a desire for a return to gold-defined money. If true, particularly in the U.S. we might eventually excuse the Bush/Obama economic disasters for revealing in high resolution the need for true monetary reform.”

NEWS

CENSORSHIP – Here’s Every Single Word You’re Not Allowed to Text in Pakistan
“The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority doesn’t want Pakistanis to be able to text the following words to each other, in fear that they will become rapists and murderers, or something. So it banned them.”

LAW ENFORCEMENT – Tennessee to Start ‘More Cops, More Stops’ Campaign
“Tennessee is one of two states that get to test out a new federal plan to make the roads safer. The Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Tennessee law enforcement agencies for the plan.”