"Was Rationality Banned From American Politics?"

From Prof. Randy Salzman at Global Politician

Before American lawmakers took to finding cash in their freezers and homosexual dreams in their pages, a 1990 survey found that only 12 percent of governmental votes used rational analysis as a key factor. Not “the” key factor, but “a” key factor. Yet since then, political irrationality has reached for new heights.

Consider that over the past year California sued all Big Six Automakers for selling “public nuisances,” Louisiana decided that raising houses three feet is enough to solve hurricane issues in houses 10 feet below sea level and Virginia excluded higher gasoline taxes – the only proven remedy -- as any potential tool for fighting congestion.

And, now, Florida tops (or bottoms?) us all.

To assure growth continues in hurricane alley, Florida’s legislature voted to lower insurance premiums on coastal properties and promised $32 billion IF a hurricane hits South Florida.

Since the state has less than $1 billion set aside for the next catastrophe and the state insurance agency has twice before run out of money, the plan is, obviously, to bounce the issue to Uncle Sam when the next hurricane arrives.

That fits, of course. Uncle Sam, remember, provided $110 billion to rebuild the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina without demanding that houses are at least built above sea level.

Where is it written that all American policies must be stupid?

... Every single member of all legislative bodies KNOWS that a city or state can’t build its way out of congestion -- it’s been documented for over a decade that building more roads soon worsens all problems. And every single legislator KNOWS that cars produce, not just congestion, but America’s highest-percentage of greenhouse gas and burn the most of the ever-dwindling international supplies of oil.

Yet the debate in Washington (in Tallahassee, in Sacramento, in Richmond) goes on as if there’s no connection between what they do there and the future. It goes on as if there’s some kind of magic pill that some great worldwide dictator can force down somebody else’s throats to solve Peak Oil and Global Warming at the last minute...