One of my favorite anecdotes that exemplifies unintended consequences is one call “Bootleggers and Baptists”. Wikipedia has a decent explanation.

If you want to skip the link and get the summary it goes something like this:

It isn’t often that you find bootleggers and baptists on the same side of the fence. Consider moral laws that prevent merchants from selling booze on Sunday. Now a baptist would wish alcohol not be sold at all, and especially on the day God rests. Afterall, would you really want drunks out on the road while all of the fine church-going folk are spending time with their families?

The problem that most people miss is that the bootleggers are more than happy to sell alcohol when the churchgoers are busy praying and singing. They could charge a markup specifically because the law does not permit alcohol sales on Sundays.

If you’re not too slow, you might see the bit of the paradox arising. If someone were to challenge the law because it is absurd on its face, you end up with the bootleggers and the baptists on the same side of the voting booth. Bootleggers would end up with very little money and the baptists would lose out on forcing their moral superiority on anyone who doesn’t agree.

A bootlegger therefore has to do very little if the baptists pursue keeping alcohol sales illegal on Sunday. In fact, they will throw as much support behind the baptists as possible if they were smart.

Whodathunkit.

the Wonkette has a good write-up on Ron Paul

Dept. Of George Herbert Walker Corleone: If the Bushes Hate Ron Paul, Then America Loves Ron Paul – Wonkette
Yes, you already know the Bushes are despicable and the Republicans and Democrats are just the two main mafia families, but what the hell?

We advise Ron Paul to check his brakes before driving and get somebody expendable to taste his food.

Pauli Cannoli has a good interview with Steve Kubby up. It discusses Kubby’s endorsement for Ron Paul in the Republican primaries and elections, due in part to the number of (l/L)ibertarians who will be crossing lines to vote for Paul. I’ve thought about registering Republican just for the primaries and then switching back to Independent afterwards….

Steve Kubby Endorses Ron Paul « paulie cannoli

Reason Magazine – Hit & Run > Hillary Defeats Ron Paul
What’s that mean? It’s actually something that Rasmussen even bothered to include Paul in a polling round. That might be a bow to the changing dynamics of the race—with his bankroll and continued organizing strength, Paul is going to be fighting primaries long after the rest of the second tier jumps out.

Tim Dickinson of the Rolling Stone blog has a quick blurb on Ron Paul – the highlight being:

    And then…I remember Hurricane Katrina, the darkest metastasis of the ideology those like Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater before him have given such an eloquent voice. New Orleans is where the sink-or-swim doctrine of hyper individualism and personal responsibility allowed many of our most vulnerable to sink — all too literally — beneath the storm surge.

Unfortunately Dickinson has a bit of a misguided view of Goldwater and Paul’s views on individualism. In the face of catastrophe, people will leave. That isn’t individualism – that is reality. Dickinson also does a grandiose disservice to those individuals who did stay to help others. No, it wasn’t the failure of individualism – it was the failure of collectivism at its finest.

The Associated Press’ most recent poll shows that most Republicans are equally split amongst the candidates. However, the more notable point: Ron Paul isn’t among the candidates running for President. Odd – only because Ron Paul has a presidential campaign and is running.

While many may consider Ron Paul a long-shot in the mainstream, it is odd that even mainstream party candidates are ignored. Fred Thompson hasn’t really even stepped into the ring but he does get plenty of coverage.