Random Thoughts 8/29/13

• So the pan-Arab socialists are fighting the radical Islamists in Syria… and we absolutely MUST pick a side and get involved?  And apparently we favor the side affiliated with Al-Qaeda?!  Seriously?  I just can't get over the hypocrisy of the Americans who were against the Iraq war but are now wanting us to bomb Bashar al-Assad, who in every way is only a fraction as evil as Saddam Hussein was.  Did Assad illegally gas hundreds of his own citizens?  Hussein gassed thousands.  In fact, you'd be hard pressed to name any offense or violation of international law in which Hussein was not orders of magnitude worse than Assad.  There's even a chance that the WMD being used in Syria now might have come from Iraq.  So how could you protest war in Iraq and cheer bombing of Syria?
• Worse than that, this particular crisis in Syria feels like it prompted because our own President's vague rhetoric.  Why are we against Syria's regime and for the rebels?  Aren't both sides corrupt and murderous?  Where is the national interest?  Why doesn't our president articulate the goal here?  To me the argument feels non-serious, a bit like amateur hour.  I'm worried Russia, China, and Iran look at it the same way.
• News flash: a job at McDonald's is not supposed to support a family.  They are meant to be low-skill, entry level jobs or second jobs.  If you want $15/hour you need to better yourself and work somewhere else or advance in the company.  Entry-level McDonald's employment should be temporary.  No child's father should work at the bottom rung of a fast food joint as a career.  Raising the minimum wage is the same as paying him to stay there.  If you pay a living wage for entry level work, droves of people will hover at the bottom for a lifetime, unchallenged to better themselves.  How is that good for anybody?
• If we bomb Syria, do we owe starving and imprisoned North Koreans an apology?
• We have our fantasy football league up and running.  My intentions were to draft running back early and often.  So naturally, most of my team consists mainly of wide receivers.  So much for having a plan.