Ace of Spades HQ

January 11, 2013

James Buchanan, Leading Proponent of Public-Choice Theory, RIP
— Ace

From CBD in the sidebar, Buchanan developed a theory which probably strikes you now as common sense but at one time was controversial.

The economic school he founded, known as public-choice theory, casts a skeptical eye on government officials and bureaucrats and points out that their work might serve the public less than a very private enterprise.

Previously economists had not studied the operations of government (at least not using the economic tools and assumptions of each person seeking to maximize his own wealth/power), believing government to be outside the scope of economic analysis. This cleared the field, at least intellectually, for political scientists to consider public policy choices in the same terms that politicians described them, that is, sanctimoniously, romantically, with the assumption that any public policy choice was about "the good."

Buchanan rejected that and applied the assumptions of economics -- political actors are self-concerned and act to maximize their own position -- and thus demystified and demythologized the Great Men of Politics, as conventional academic thought would term them.

I have always wondered whether Buchanan turned to the study of sanctimonious government officials and their interests because he spent time in graduate school on the South Side of Chicago in the late 1940s (the neighborhood where I was later born). Hyde Park was lively, but uneven. Little shops along 55th Street, just north of the university, might thrive, but poor black migrants crowded together in apartments with insufficient heat during the cityÂ’s tough winters.
Buchanan earned his doctorate in 1948, about the time the politicians and other civic leaders promised that bulldozing large swaths of the neighborhood and creating new public-private projects would yield a better Hyde Park, prettier and more racially integrated.
But the result felt wrong, especially to residents. The new apartment buildings, in the minimalist international style, themselves felt as cold as winter. Instead of bringing people together, they separated them: One complex quickly became known as Monoxide Island. With the stores gone, there was less life on the streets. Yet Hyde Park locals lacked the vocabulary to criticize the transformation we had been told was progress or reform. Who wants to be construed as Â“pro-slumÂ”?
Buchanan supplied that vocabulary. Instead of calling urban renewal Â“reform,Â” as the officials did, he called it Â“politics.Â” It was important, he said, that all such projects, whether urban renewal in Chicago or elsewhere, be viewed honestly, that we look at Â“politics without romance.Â”
The housing redevelopment in Hyde Park worked to the advantage of certain interest groups, political or business. Yet the high-and-mighty tone of the anti-slum language masked something. No party involved was any better or any worse than anyone else: They were all pursuing their own interests. Politicians often promoted such ugly ambitious projects not because the projects were good. They did so because the projects enabled politicians to award contracts to important campaign donors.

It seems an obvious point now -- so obvious it doesn't even seem like it needs a full-fledged economic theory to support it -- but in fact he had to depart one university (the University of Virginia) because his heresies bothered the other professors there, who were thralls in the Cult of the Kennedys.

Per Wikipedia, the concept of "rent-seeking" flowed out of the public-choice school (though I don't know if Buchanan himself developed it, or if it was developed by other economists working on the theory):

A field that is closely related to public choice is "rent-seeking". This field combines the study of a market economy with that of government. Thus, one might regard it as a "new political economy." Its basic thesis is that when both a market economy and government are present, government agents provide numerous special market privileges. Both the government agents and self-interested market participants seek these privileges in order to partake in the resulting monopoly rent. When such privileges are granted, they reduce the efficiency of the economic system. In addition, the rent-seekers use resources that could otherwise be used to produce goods that are valued by consumers.

Again, very obvious... in retrospect. But there once was a world in which liberal academics took the claims of liberal politicians at face value.

Um.... I guess it's the same today. So putting it a different way: There once was a world in which liberal academics took the sanctimonious claims of liberal politicians at face value, and wasn't even any minority, contrarian theory to oppose them.

Posted by: Ace at 08:44 AM | Comments (130)
Post contains 756 words, total size 5 kb.

1 I like that word....'thralls'.

Posted by: wheatie at January 11, 2013 08:49 AM (fH4X9)

2 People in the thrall of Kennedys sometimes end up in an air bubble in the back window of a sunken Oldsmobile.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at January 11, 2013 08:52 AM (QKKT0)

3 Public Choice Theory? Never heard of it.

Posted by: Barack Obama at January 11, 2013 08:52 AM (xHJIm)

I thought you were talking about James Buchanan, the 15th President. I was surprised he was still alive.

Yet Abe Vigoda lives.

Posted by: Libtardo at January 11, 2013 08:53 AM (YmPwQ)

5 The economics was settled, dammit!

Posted by: AmishDude at January 11, 2013 08:53 AM (T0NGe)

6 The main idea he conveyed was that hidden taxes served a pernicious purpose: They tricked taxpayers into thinking they were paying less than they did, and therefore also thinking that government could spend more and tax more.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at January 11, 2013 08:53 AM (ZKzrr)

7 Without all the high powered language what it boils down to is just a few things:

Government project always benefit government bureaucrats and their cronies.

The aim is also to get the politicians reelected.

If anything good comes out of a government project it is an accident

As a result all government projects are shit. And it is shit that can't even be used for fertilizer.

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 08:54 AM (53z96)

8 @4 Me too!

Posted by: votermom at January 11, 2013 08:56 AM (S8IQW)

9 I like that word....'thralls'. I'm kinda partial to "sanctamonious twat". I mean sanctamonious government official. Same-same.

Posted by: rickb223 at January 11, 2013 08:58 AM (uWX7W)

10 My reading background is about as solid and sturdy as the rope and plank bridge used in Romancing the Stone but I seem to recall that the writings of one Adam Smith talked about rent-seeking? Lay some knowlege on me, Horde!

Posted by: Count de Monet at January 11, 2013 08:59 AM (BAS5M)

7...If anything good comes out of a government project it is an accident

At least with the CCC projects, we were left with all those cute little stone bridges and rock cabins that are still useful today.

Posted by: wheatie at January 11, 2013 08:59 AM (fH4X9)

12 If anything good comes out of a government project it is an accident

Mmmmm. Tang.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at January 11, 2013 09:00 AM (ZKzrr)

13 I am not interested in this topic. Just thought I would put that out there.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at January 11, 2013 09:02 AM (whARQ)

14 We still get that sanctimonious shit locally, everywhere in the US, from the "affordable housing" lobby, which consists of simply a different clique of developers and financiers from the ones building the hated suburban tracts and shopping centers.

Watch yer back, and keep an eye on local government.

Posted by: jeanne at January 11, 2013 09:03 AM (GdalM)

15 This cleared the field, at least intellectually, for political scientists to consider public policy choices in the same terms that politicians described them, that is, sanctimoniously, romantically, with the assumption that any public policy choice was about "the good." You know my little *my* good is still *a* good joke? This is the underlying basis to that joke. It's ultimately a slap at the concept that people try to externalize selfishness. No, no, no, it's not that I hate looking at fat people. It's that I want to control what people eat so as to prevent death and disease. Aren't I noble? It's not that I don't like living near run down buildings with poor people of other races in them. No, no, no, I am going to bulldoze those down and build these public housing projects to help them. The fact that this also moves them far away from me is irrelevant.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:03 AM (VtjlW)

16 I seem to recall that the writings of one Adam Smith talked about rent-seeking? Lay some knowlege on me, Horde!

Posted by: Count de Monet at January 11, 2013 12:59 PM (BAS5M)

Adam Smith condemned the British policy of Mercantilism. We do not have that. What we have is crony corruption,

FOOB give his campaign money, he directs government loans and grants to them on the order of ten to 100 times more than their "gifts".

The same thing occurs in congress with BOTH parties. Washington is a corrupt cesspool.

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 09:05 AM (53z96)

17 The government is good and pure and is the earthly manifestation of the General Will. Disagreeing with what Obama declares to be the General Will is TREASON.

Posted by: Leviathan at January 11, 2013 09:05 AM (XvHmy)

18 13 I am not interested in this topic. Just thought I would put that out there.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at January 11, 2013 01:02 PM (whARQ)

Nor mostly anybody else.

Posted by: tubal at January 11, 2013 09:06 AM (BoE3Z)

19 so you're saying James Buchanan was aware of government "workers".

Posted by: #6 at January 11, 2013 09:07 AM (KHo8t)

20 Its basic thesis is that when both a market economy and government are present, government agents provide numerous special market privileges. Both the government agents and self-interested market participants seek these privileges in order to partake in the resulting monopoly rent. When such privileges are granted, they reduce the efficiency of the economic system.

I've never heard the formal definition of "rent-seeking".

That's awesome.

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:09 AM (GQ8sn)

21 At least with the CCC projects, we were left with all those cute little stone bridges and rock cabins that are still useful today.

Posted by: wheatie at January 11, 2013 12:59 PM (fH4X9)

What was that; 75 years ago? Notice in our last "stimulus" to lift us out of the latest depression we got none of those projects. What we got was pay offs to the FSA that were gone as soon as the checks could be cashed at the closest liquor store.

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 09:09 AM (53z96)

22 Without all the high powered language what it boils down to is just a few things: Human beings are selfish, fallen creatures whose natural tendency is to beat each other to death with rocks. You want to know why I'm a conservative? At least conservatives recognize this and then try to build elaborate theories around trying to constrain that. Leftists think that's ridiculous and that human beings are perfectible if only the right people are in charge.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:09 AM (VtjlW)

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 01:05 PM (53z96)

Thank you.

Posted by: Count de Monet at January 11, 2013 09:10 AM (BAS5M)

24 Anyone who isn't in agreement with at least the basic assumptions of public-choice theory is a naive dumbass who shouldn't even be allowed to participate in politics.

Posted by: BS Inc. at January 11, 2013 09:10 AM (eP0u9)

25 In the 60s TV series "The Wild Wild West", wasn't James Buchanan the current President?

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 09:11 AM (8sCoq)

26 From the end of the linked article:

I soon found that public-choice theory explained everything: ParkinsonÂ’s Law, the tendency of bureaucracy to create more work for itself. Health officialsÂ’ interests in testing small childrenÂ’s blood for lead made sense when one considered that finding poisoned children validated their jobs.

We needed this last week on the lead thread.

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 09:11 AM (X6akg)

27 Notice in our last "stimulus" to lift us out of the latest depression we got none of those projects. What we got was pay offs to the FSA that were gone as soon as the checks could be cashed at the closest liquor store. Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 01:09 PM (53z96) Now, now, now, this is unfair. We also got those awesome signs. My thread! Mine! *runs around waving arms in air*

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:11 AM (VtjlW)

28 He and uncle Milty were friendly.

Water is in fact wet.

Posted by: sven10077 at January 11, 2013 09:12 AM (LRFds)

Human beings are selfish, fallen creatures whose natural tendency is to beat each other to death with rocks.

Why, that's ridiculous. Of course humans are intrinsically wonderful. That's why the breakdown of police and social structures leads to perfect harmony. Kinda like prisons in that respect. Noble savages, comin' and goin'.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at January 11, 2013 09:12 AM (DXlwL)

30 You want to know why I'm a conservative? At least conservatives recognize this and then try to build elaborate theories around trying to constrain that. Leftists think that's ridiculous and that human beings are perfectible if only the right people are in charge.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 01:09 PM (VtjlW)

Put her in charge, man!

Posted by: Private Hudson at January 11, 2013 09:12 AM (BAS5M)

31 In the 60s TV series "The Wild Wild West", wasn't James Buchanan the current President?

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 01:11 PM (8sCoq)

In that series Grant was the President. And remarkably before Obama came along he had the most corrupt administration in history.

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 09:12 AM (53z96)

32 Put her in charge, man! May I speak to you for a moment about...Alextopia...?

Posted by: Brother Cavil, High Priest of the Gods of the Copybook Headings at January 11, 2013 09:13 AM (GBXon)

33 O/T Fox reporting that several hundred people will be marching into the Everglades this weekend to hunt pythons.

How about all the Obamaphone recipients and EBT card users be employed for this task.

That's a stimulus plan I could get behind.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:13 AM (UOM48)

34 I remember avoiding CabrIni Green like the plague back in college. Never cross North Ave going south.

Posted by: Ends With Prepositions And Fists at January 11, 2013 09:14 AM (I4o0Z)

"human beings are perfectible"

Well, some of us are.

Posted by: jwest at January 11, 2013 09:15 AM (ZDsRL)

36 34 EwP,

Hey that was where Barry made his bones!

Posted by: sven10077 at January 11, 2013 09:15 AM (LRFds)

37 O/T Fox reporting that several hundred people will be marching into the Everglades this weekend to hunt pythons. Is it too late to start a pool for the over/under on casualties?

Posted by: Brother Cavil, High Priest of the Gods of the Copybook Headings at January 11, 2013 09:15 AM (GBXon)

38 This sort of gives new meaning to the phrase {working two jobs} http://tinyurl.com/ax2n3tg {public servants} seem to take care of themselves first and worry about the {public} part of their job when it suits them.

Posted by: Caustic at January 11, 2013 09:15 AM (/b8+5)

39 O/T Fox reporting that several hundred people will be marching into the Everglades this weekend to hunt pythons. My money is on the pythons. Well, some of us are. Posted by: jwest at January 11, 2013 01:15 PM (ZDsRL) Of course you are, sweetie.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:15 AM (VtjlW)

40 35
"human beings are perfectible"

Some of us are already perfect. *buffs nails*

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:16 AM (UOM48)

41 >>>ParkinsonÂ’s Law, the tendency of bureaucracy to create more work for itself.

In fairness, if this work focuses on the effects of high heels, - as it relates to the biomechanics of enhanced female sexuality, - maybe not all is lost.

Posted by: Fritz at January 11, 2013 09:16 AM (w3+gB)

42 My thread! Mine! *runs around waving arms in air*

*turns on sprinklers*

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:16 AM (GQ8sn)

43 >In that series Grant was the President. And remarkably before Obama came along he had the most corrupt administration in history.

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 01:12 PM (53z96)

I was wondering if the series was pre- or post Civil War

and I thought (insert Republican President's name here) was the most corrupt in history

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 09:17 AM (8sCoq)

Health officialsÂ’ interests in testing small childrenÂ’s blood for lead made sense when one
considered that finding poisoned children validated their jobs.

This. I raised this point in debating a liberal about global warming. Suppose researchers investigate this or any other purported threat, and find bupkis. What are they going to say, "Hey, no problem. Everybody back to what you were doing. Everything's under control here. No need for grants or further study."

In essence, we're asking the barber whether we need a haircut.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at January 11, 2013 09:18 AM (DXlwL)

45 :::Um.... I guess it's the same today. So putting it a different way: There once was a world in which liberal academics took the sanctimonious claims of liberal politicians at face value, and wasn't even any minority, contrarian theory to oppose them.::: Economic theory and statistical analysis were still relatively new. Hell, at around the same time, everybody *knew* that the way to combat illness was by slicing your arm open and getting rid of a couple pints of that "excess blood", or by heating up a bunch of glass suction cups and putting hickeys all over your torso. Plus, how could you transmit your findings? Printing press was pretty much your only option. Now we have the benefits of longer history, better data collection and analysis tools, and extremely low barriers to publishing your findings. Progress!

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at January 11, 2013 09:18 AM (whARQ)

46 The Ford "quick lane" has held me captive for 2 hours for an oil change and a couple of tire sensors. I will not make this mistake again. But thank god for the Hq giving me something to look at while being bored out of my brains.

Posted by: Jakeman at January 11, 2013 09:18 AM (0skhb)

47 From Wiki

The series is set during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, 1869Â–77; occasional episodes indicate a more precise date.

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 09:19 AM (53z96)

48 No doubt Former Enron Financial Adviser Paul Krugman danced a little dance of pleasure at Buchanan's passing.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at January 11, 2013 09:20 AM (evdj2)

49 This post about the old guy that wrote some studies about how the government is not efficient and then died is pretty good I especially liked the part whezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at January 11, 2013 09:20 AM (+lsX1)

50 ::;Human beings are selfish, fallen creatures whose natural tendency is to beat each other to death with rocks. ::: An elegant weapon, from a more civilized time.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at January 11, 2013 09:20 AM (whARQ)

51 > The Ford "quick lane" has held me captive for 2 hours for an oil change and a couple of tire sensors.

wtf is a tire sensor

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 09:21 AM (8sCoq)

52 Gotta' rectify your humours Jeff .

Posted by: awkward davies at January 11, 2013 09:21 AM (USjX1)

53 wtf is a tire sensor

Tire pressure sensor.

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:21 AM (GQ8sn)

54 Human beings are selfish, fallen creatures whose natural tendency is to beat each other to death with rocks. You want to know why I'm a conservative? At least conservatives recognize this and then try to build elaborate theories around trying to constrain that. Leftists think that's ridiculous and that human beings are perfectible if only the right people are in charge. Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 01:09 PM (VtjlW) Just thought it worth repeating.

Posted by: AmishDude at January 11, 2013 09:22 AM (T0NGe)

55 wait- the tire tells the driver what the tire's pressure is?

Fancy....

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 09:23 AM (8sCoq)

Now we have the benefits of longer history, better data collection and analysis tools, and extremely low barriers to publishing your findings.

Of course, we also have the Karashians.

So, overall, a wash.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at January 11, 2013 09:23 AM (DXlwL)

57 wtf is a tire sensor

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 01:21 PM (8sCoq)

On my car the light looks like this on the dashboard (!)....with a loud, annoying sound that means, 'get yer ass to an air hose quick, bitch.'

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 09:23 AM (X6akg)

58 53 wtf is a tire sensor An expensive effing gadget that tells you when your pressure is low. And gives you an annoying reminder when the batteries crap out.

Posted by: Jakeman at January 11, 2013 09:24 AM (0skhb)

59 From the sidebar: MJH, "Where are the binders full of women now?"

I will not lie. A long time ago, I watched Clarissa Explains It All and thought to myself, "this chick is going to grow up to be a hawttie".

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:24 AM (GQ8sn)

60 Now, now, now, this is unfair. We also got those awesome signs. My thread! Mine! *runs around waving arms in air* Must stop reading while driving. Sucks having to wipe Mt. Dew off the inside of the windshield.

Posted by: rickb223 at January 11, 2013 09:24 AM (uWX7W)

61 We have term limits for POTUS, why can't we for Congress? I have some issues with it, but it would seem to solve some of the greater ills of such powerful men.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:25 AM (piMMO)

62 wait- the tire tells the driver what the tire's pressure is?

Yes. They can tell you exactly what the PSI in each tire is.

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:25 AM (GQ8sn)

63 Since you bitter clingers are not supporting "Promised Land" I vow to make a sequel: "Frackin' Two Electric Bugaloo" !

Posted by: Matt Damon at January 11, 2013 09:26 AM (msPO3)

59 From the sidebar: MJH, "Where are the binders full of women now?"

And I think that Ace gets extra points for using the word....'Phallocentric'.

Posted by: wheatie at January 11, 2013 09:26 AM (fH4X9)

65 We tried term limits for congress. SCOTUS killed it.

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 09:27 AM (53z96)

66 Yes. They can tell you exactly what the PSI in each tire is.

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 01:25 PM (GQ8sn)

I wish mine would tell me which tire has which pressure. It just list 4 tire pressures....no designation. LF, RF, LR, RR would be helpful.

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 09:27 AM (X6akg)

67 Buchanan, with Gordon Tullock, put the math in it, too, not just the philosophy. (Tullock, btw, is credited with originating the term "rent-seeking.")

They showed that the costs associated with forging agreement go up with the percentage of the nation that is required to agree, but that the costs imposed by the resulting legislation goes down. Costs are measured, in principle, from the standpoint of individuals.

Their seminal book, The Calculus of Consent, is available online at the Library of Economics and Liberty.

Buchanan got the Nobel in econ for his troubles.

Posted by: Enby at January 11, 2013 09:27 AM (ptlfZ)

68 I have a tire pressure sensor. It cost about $4 at Pep Boys.

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 09:27 AM (8sCoq)

So I guess common sense in this nation has been slipping away for a long time. Strange that the populace won't believe anything unless it's said by an "academic". It's being ratcheted up to the elevens in the last ten or so years.

Posted by: Soona at January 11, 2013 09:28 AM (MxYml)

70 When is the regularly scheduled stompening for this thread?

Posted by: Roland THTG at January 11, 2013 09:28 AM (I7O5y)

71 We tried term limits for congress. SCOTUS killed it. **** How about pledges from candidates? My former rep, Tillie Fowler (R.I.P.) made it a platform and honored the pledge after two terms.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:28 AM (piMMO)

72
I wish mine would tell me which tire has which pressure. It just list 4 tire pressures....no designation. LF, RF, LR, RR would be helpful.

Your car's manual should explain which number goes to which tire.

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:28 AM (GQ8sn)

73 65 Vic,

Yup we need an article V convention....

and we need the will to fire EVERY Pol who thwarts it.

The leftoids will never allow it.

Posted by: sven10077 at January 11, 2013 09:28 AM (LRFds)

Guess this is a good place to repost the article about Obama's history as a supporter of slumlord developers:

Grove Parc and several other prominent failures were developed and managed by Obama's close friends and political supporters. Those people profited from the subsidies even as many of Obama's constituents suffered. Tenants lost their homes; surrounding neighborhoods were blighted.

_____

http://tinyurl.com/3npvzo

The article says he intends to establish an Affordable Housing Trust which will distribute $500 million dollars to developers for public housing projects. That initiative must have been shelved, or this particular Globe article would have been disappeared.

Posted by: kallisto at January 11, 2013 09:29 AM (jm/9g)

75 Your car's manual should explain which number goes to which tire.

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 01:28 PM (GQ8sn)

You mean RTFM?! The deuce you say?!

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 09:29 AM (X6akg)

76 I have a tire pressure sensor. It cost about $4 at Pep Boys.

Can you measure while driving at the same time?

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:29 AM (GQ8sn)

77 >We have term limits for POTUS, why can't we for Congress?

because Congress would have to pass it

or it would take a Constitutional amendment

hit me with some knowledge, moron shysters

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 09:29 AM (8sCoq)

Hmm...

Trying to think of a way to use the words...'thrall'...and 'phallocentric'...in the same sentence...

Posted by: wheatie at January 11, 2013 09:29 AM (fH4X9)

79 Woot! Homeowner shoots nekkid intruder trying to strangle his dog:

http://tinyurl.com/a8r6sbp

Guess which state? Correct answer wins a cookie.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:29 AM (UOM48)

80 An elegant weapon, from a more civilized time. >>

The caveman's assault weapon of choice.

http://tinyurl.com/amyb37t

Posted by: Buzzsaw at January 11, 2013 09:30 AM (81UWZ)

81 Yes. They can tell you exactly what the PSI in each tire is. Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 01:25 PM (GQ8sn) I wish mine would tell me which tire has which pressure. It just list 4 tire pressures....no designation. LF, RF, LR, RR would be helpful. **** My car is an antique! It tells me I have low pressure and requires me to look for the affected tire.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:30 AM (piMMO)

82 I wish mine would tell me which tire has which pressure. It just list 4 tire pressures....no designation. LF, RF, LR, RR would be helpful.

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 01:27 PM (X6akg)

------------------------------------------------

My HHR (pre-gov't motors) does. It is pretty cool to have.

Posted by: Soona at January 11, 2013 09:30 AM (MxYml)

83 wtf is a tire sensor Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 01:21 PM (8sCoq)

On my car, I get a message on the dash that says low tire. I look at the dashboard reading of my four tires to see which one is low or skip that step and go to Lexus and tell them I have a low tire and let them figure it out. I switched to nitrogen instead of air in the tires and it has eliminated the sensitivity to air temp issue that these tire sensors can have.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Wily Wrepublican Wench at January 11, 2013 09:30 AM (kXoT0)

84 You mean RTFM?! The deuce you say?!

I know...I know...I mean it's the only place you could theoretically find the answer!

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:30 AM (GQ8sn)

85 This is why I don't respect non-mathematical fields. You do realize that the Laffer curve had to be argued, don't you? People actually didn't believe it. They had to be told. It had to have a whole theory around it. These are not bright people.

Posted by: AmishDude at January 11, 2013 09:30 AM (T0NGe)

86 Woot! Homeowner shoots nekkid intruder trying to strangle his dog: http://tinyurl.com/a8r6sbp Guess which state? Correct answer wins a cookie. **** Damnit. Well, at least we keep you entertained.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:31 AM (piMMO)

87 >I have a tire pressure sensor. It cost about $4 at Pep Boys.

Can you measure while driving at the same time?

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 01:29 PM (GQ8sn)

No, I employ a somewhat more radical method, which I call Looking At The Tires And Checking The Pressure Myself From Time To Time

Posted by: Jones in CO at January 11, 2013 09:31 AM (8sCoq)

88 Guess which state? Correct answer wins a cookie.

Bath salts?

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:31 AM (GQ8sn)

89 My HHR (pre-gov't motors) does. It is pretty cool to have. Posted by: Soona at January 11, 2013 01:30 PM (MxYml)

My sister who lives in Catoosa has an HHR and she was really bummed when they stopped production.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Wily Wrepublican Wench at January 11, 2013 09:31 AM (kXoT0)

90 Woot! Homeowner shoots nekkid intruder trying to strangle his dog:

http://tinyurl.com/a8r6sbp

Guess which state? Correct answer wins a cookie.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 01:29 PM (UOM4

----------------------------------------------------

Florida, of course.

Posted by: Soona at January 11, 2013 09:31 AM (MxYml)

Another short form:

Liberal policies engender the opposite of their stated intent.

Posted by: Bigby's Birchat Kahonim at January 11, 2013 09:31 AM (3ZtZW)

92 Guess which state? Correct answer wins a cookie. Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 01:29 PM (UOM4 Florida. Chompy would like the cookie, please.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:32 AM (VtjlW)

93 Tami, is your car equipped with BlondeStar? http://youtu.be/6Ch1VlmzXMQ

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at January 11, 2013 09:32 AM (whARQ)

94 78
Easy peasy. I keep a phallocentric thrall in a trunk in the basement.

Posted by: Enby at January 11, 2013 09:32 AM (ptlfZ)

95 *nervously hands cookie to Chompy*

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:32 AM (UOM48)

96 How about pledges from candidates? My former rep, Tillie Fowler (R.I.P.) made it a platform and honored the pledge after two terms. Unilateral disarmament. Terrible idea.

Posted by: AmishDude at January 11, 2013 09:33 AM (T0NGe)

97 *nervously hands cookie to Chompy* Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 01:32 PM (UOM4 Chompy says thank you. Also, what are all y'all besides Jane doing in my thread? *goes to fetch hula hoop*

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:34 AM (VtjlW)

98 93 Tami, is your car equipped with BlondeStar?

http://youtu.be/6Ch1VlmzXMQ

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at January 11, 2013 01:32 PM (whARQ)

LOL!

Fuck you....I'm a brunette.

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 09:34 AM (X6akg)

99 *nervously hands cookie to Chompy* **** Hey! Where's my cookie?

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:34 AM (piMMO)

100

55 wait- the tire tells the driver what the tire's pressure is?

------------

Problem is that it also serves as a homing beacon telling The Man where you are at all times. And The Man can correlate readings from your car to determine when and where you were speeding.

Posted by: Citizen Anachronda has a tinfoil hat and is not afraid to use it at January 11, 2013 09:34 AM (IrbU4)

101 Also, what are all y'all besides Jane doing in my thread? *goes to fetch hula hoop*

*cues up Dick Dale and the Del-Tones*

Posted by: EC Works For Dick Jones....DICK JONES!!! at January 11, 2013 09:35 AM (GQ8sn)

102 93 Tami, is your car equipped with BlondeStar?

http://youtu.be/6Ch1VlmzXMQ

BlondeStar my ass. My husband locked his keys in his SUV a couple of years ago and called me in a panic to get back to the house with my set of keys so he wouldn't be late for a meeting.

I calmly reminded him of OnStar.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:35 AM (UOM48)

103 Florida. Chompy would like the cookie, please.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 01:32 PM (VtjlW)

-----------------------------------------------

I was first with the answer. Chompy can eat......well....you know.

Posted by: Soona at January 11, 2013 09:35 AM (MxYml)

104 @13

The fact that you don't find this topic interesting is not surprising as you also believe that the President can order the Secretary of the Mint to mint, assign a monetary value, and hand over to the President a trillion dollar coin to use for his own purposes.

Posted by: General Woundwort at January 11, 2013 09:36 AM (RrD4h)

105 I was first with the answer. Chompy can eat......well....you know. Posted by: Soona at January 11, 2013 01:35 PM (MxYml) Awwww, so kind of you to sacrifice yourself!

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:36 AM (VtjlW)

106 The article left me wanting to read more. She must be working on a book about him.

Posted by: t-bird at January 11, 2013 09:36 AM (FcR7P)

107 Unilateral disarmament. Terrible idea. **** If only we had a national committee who didn't have their head up their asses and required each candidate to seek approval prior to running for office (after fucking up), threatened to primary them, and actually did.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:36 AM (piMMO)

108 Anyone who didn't guess Florida is sentenced to join the python hunt in the Everglades this weekend.

Am I the only one who really, really hopes we get some hilarious video out of the hunt?

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:37 AM (UOM48)

109 I was first with the answer. Chompy can eat......well....you know. *** IIIIIII was first! Albeit more subtle in my answer.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:37 AM (piMMO)

110 108 Jane D'oh,

I think we should have it on two weekends.

Weekend one the part time hunters and the timmy treadwell types.

Week 2 serious folk.

Posted by: sven10077 at January 11, 2013 09:38 AM (LRFds)

111 new one

Posted by: Vic at January 11, 2013 09:38 AM (53z96)

112 Awwww, so kind of you to sacrifice yourself!

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 01:36 PM (VtjlW)

-------------------------------------------

Ain't afraid of no raptor. I has ginzu skillz.

Posted by: Soona at January 11, 2013 09:39 AM (MxYml)

113 ~~~cranks handle on organ box~~~ :::104 @13 The fact that you don't find this topic interesting is not surprising as you also believe that the President can order the Secretary of the Mint to mint, assign a monetary value, and hand over to the President a trillion dollar coin to use for his own purposes. Posted by: General Woundwort at January 11, 2013 01:36 PM (RrD4h)::: Oh, there you are!

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at January 11, 2013 09:39 AM (whARQ)

114 Am I the only one who really, really hopes we get some hilarious video out of the hunt? Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 01:37 PM (UOM4 No, no, you are not.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Seriously, Sheldon/Penny to the end. at January 11, 2013 09:39 AM (VtjlW)

115 Am I the only one who really, really hopes we get some hilarious video out of the hunt? **** A few days ago there was a different type of hunt in the Everglades as rescue organizations went out to save dozens of former pets which had been abandoned there. It made me sick to think of it. There's no telling how many have perished there.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 09:39 AM (piMMO)

116 James Buchanan, James Buchanan...first gay President, right?

Posted by: BlueStateRepub at January 11, 2013 09:42 AM (7ObY1)

117
A few days ago there was a different type of hunt in the Everglades as rescue organizations went out to save dozens of former pets which had been abandoned there.

It made me sick to think of it. There's no telling how many have perished there.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at January 11, 2013 01:39 PM (piMMO

I read about that. Made me sick. Even abandoning horses. These are the same idiots who purchase pet snakes and then release them into the Everglades when they get too big.

Evil bastards.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:43 AM (UOM48)

118 Tami! So I guess you must be feeling better, and that makes me feel better, too. Hope you're back to your regular 110% soon.

Posted by: Enby at January 11, 2013 09:43 AM (ptlfZ)

119 There's no telling how many have perished there.

More Pekinese, less chihuahuas.
*burrrrrrrrp*

Posted by: Everglades Python at January 11, 2013 09:43 AM (ZKzrr)

120 @113

Organ box...

"CLEVER" and "NOVEL"

Malakas

Posted by: General Woundwort at January 11, 2013 09:47 AM (RrD4h)

121 118 Tami! So I guess you must be feeling better, and that makes me feel better, too. Hope you're back to your regular 110% soon.

Posted by: Enby at January 11, 2013 01:43 PM (ptlfZ)

I believe you're look for Tammy, not Tami.

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 09:48 AM (X6akg)

122 Python Wrangling by untrained rednecks is a $50.00 PPV that I would gladly buy. "Here, hold my beer."

Posted by: Mr. Dave at January 11, 2013 09:49 AM (WcIpj)

123 There are only slightly fewer Tam(i)(my)s than there are Jeffs, and Daves.

Posted by: buzzion at January 11, 2013 09:50 AM (GULKT)

124 lookING < here, have a present participle.

buzzion, I thing Daves win, hands down.

Posted by: Tami at January 11, 2013 09:53 AM (X6akg)

125 Too bad this thread is dead. From the Telegraph,

A python hunting competition starting on Saturday is drawing hundreds of amateurs armed with clubs, machetes and guns to the Florida Everglades, where captured Burmese pythons have exceeded the length of minivans and weighed as much as grown men.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at January 11, 2013 09:57 AM (UOM48)

126

Ladeez and gentlemorons, presented for your edification, an aerial view of Monoxide Island:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/a65vtmc

I attended college in Hyde Park. I'd heard it referred to as "Monoxide Towers", but "Monoxide Island" is actually more descriptive.

And on the right side there, where the roads merge, is one of the ugliest damn statues you've ever seen.

At least there was twenty years ago.

I used to have fantasies of buying a cheap old junker car and ramming the damn thing with it. For the good of humanity.

Posted by: Lewis at January 11, 2013 10:04 AM (Y3uPw)

127 Jeebus but does New Comment Thingy ever screw up a moron's text formatting ...

Posted by: Lewis at January 11, 2013 10:06 AM (Y3uPw)

128 Want term limits for congress? Ratify an amendment.

Posted by: Al at January 11, 2013 10:25 AM (V70Uh)

129 I was fortunate to meet and actually shake the hand of the good Professor Buchanan just after he had won his Nobel when he came to my lowly undergrad school to give an Easter Break lecture at the request of one of our Economics Professors, who was one of his former students. It was one of the high points of my college time. He was generous with his time, and patient with a rather agog undergrad. He deserved the prize for his work with Gordon Tullock, and was truly a gentleman of the old school. RIP Sir - You will be missed.

Posted by: Sawbuck at January 11, 2013 03:23 PM (OmfkQ)

130 When the late great James Buchanan won the Nobel Prize for Economics, Boston Glob writer David Warsh claimed his views represented the lunatic fringe "of the John Birch Society."

That's what you get for observing that water is wet, and fire is hot.

Posted by: JewishOdysseus at January 11, 2013 08:34 PM (FWwQD)

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