Broken Thumb Blog

Today I got an email from Diane Tebelius, chair of the Washington State Republican Party. She invited me to a charity event in support of the state GOP.

"...'Rhapsody in Red' is the premier fundraising event for the state GOP until just prior to critical elections in November, when we plan to paint WASHINGTON RED ALL OVER on the political map. We must reclaim our U.S. Senate seat, increase Republican seats in Congress and retake control of the state legislature."

Had this been a personal invitation instead of a generic e-mail sent to a pre-formatted mailing list, I would have sent Diane very personal regrets for my not-so-ostensible absence.

See, I'm bothered (actually very bothered) by the adoption of "Red" as the symbolic color of the Party. Undoubtedly, Dick Nixon is rolling in his grave, and the Gipper -- louder than the choirs of angels surrounding him-- is screaming in agony.

Commies are red. Socialists (commies-lite) are pink. No doubt there is some connection, too, between socialists (a.k.a. pinks) and gays (pink triangles). Although, maybe not.

To call a state a Red State (a.k.a Wyoming) is okay, because everyone knows that place only ever voted Republican. And the context fits the label. However, to call it a state full of Reds sounds a bit odd. Just try to imagine a communist cowpoke and not giggle.

Anyways, I digress. Thanks Diane, but I'm not eager to come to a party for a Party that celebrates my inner "Red".

I filed an extension. I'm not eager to deal with the paperwork this year. Something about government spending on war, Medicare Part D, Gitmo, excessive regulation, and my general repugnance for politicians sapped my motivation to "get around to it." I'll report my income later, with the help of a discounted, day-after copy of Turbo Tax.

My intention was to blog about pollution in China. But that invariably led me to think about U.S. grain exports that may be needed to feed the Chinese (whose remaining arable land is being sucked into megacities). Then, I started thinking more generally about trade with China which meant thinking specifically about the federal deficit and the national debt. It all led back to the fact that today is Tax Day, which just wears me out.

Those who listened to the last Confab podcast heard me advocate open borders as the last and truest expression of globalization. Interestingly, Eduardo Porter of the New York Times has reported on the economics of the argument I made. Here is his article, "Cost of Illegal Immigration May Be Less Than Meets the Eye."