2007 Economics & Political Vloggery If you care to comment, email me at bradley@wogsland.org with "Political Vloggery" in the Subject line. All links are good on the day of posting, but you know how some tend to die after a while.

It's around 9 o'clock and the sun is just starting to peek over the ridge. Sol Invictus I just finished watching the Republicans debate on YouTube - debate who will rule as the next president. RULE! It is a word increasingly used by the media to describe the duties of the "Commander-in-Chief". I was surprised to hear it come from my daughter's mouth the other day, but it allowed for the opportunity of a discussion of the increases of presidential power over the past two centuries. I was even more surprised to hear Rush Limbaugh lament the use of the word a few days later. Held It should be no surprise that instead of a debate of ideas the event last night was a joint press conference of men trying to prove their worth. 30 second reponses 30 seconds is about how long a joust takes. Coincidence? These men all want to prove their heroic worth to lead men. This was how men once chose their leaders, as tribes, cities and then empires. Principals don't matter because I don't drink and you dress like girl. I can spend all the government money I want because I have a theology degree. How can principals be enunciated in 30 second snippets? Giuliani leads because we all saw his face and shining armor next to the smoldering battlefield no one living had seen before on American soil. mit fliegenden Fahnen Romney is a close second because of his wealth and family. ROMA Historical parallels are tempting to draw. Rome conquered and civilized Italy; the US did the same to North America. Caesar emerged victorious in the Civil War only to be murdered for seeking too much power; in the US we had Lincoln. As Rome transitioned from Republic to Empire a prophet emerged who garnered enough of a following that local government agents murdered him for his deviation from the religion they knew; the same can be said of Joseph Smith in the US. The numbers of this religion were small and its members persecuted by the government - true for both Christianity and Mormonism. Constantine Then everything changed. Will historians remember America as the Mormon Empire?

Moroni Burying the Golden Plates