Archive for the 'Domestic Politics' Category
MichaelW on May 15 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Environment, Law, MichaelW's Page, energy, regulation, science
The march of the watermelons towards control of US policy continues apace:
Polar bears will now be listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.
But in announcing the listing, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne said the decision should not be “misused” to regulate global climate change.
“Listing the polar bear as threatened can reduce avoidable [...]
MichaelW on May 09 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, Media, MichaelW's Page
It should be clear by now to anyone who frequently reads blogs that the MSM is not terribly accurate in its reporting, nor does it seem to have any intention of getting better at it. Whether you think the media leans left (as I think it demonstrably does) or right, there is no denying [...]
MichaelW on May 09 2008 | Filed under: Blogs, Domestic Politics, MichaelW's Page
For those on the political right who have bemoaned the lack of any real grassroots, online activism in support of Republican(ish) causes, there is a new project in the works just for you. Political blogging mavens Jon Henke, Patrick Ruffini, and Soren Dayton are getting ready to launch The Next Right. Ruffini describes [...]
Joshua Foust on May 06 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics
Congress is behaving atrociously: cutting assistance to hungry children abroad right when food prices are spiking, and preventing competition amongst our sugar producers. There’s more, of course.
I normally scoff at the talk of “lobbyists” and “special interest groups.” I know several lobbyists, and the only thing that makes them special is they’ve learned how [...]
MichaelW on May 06 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, MichaelW's Page
That’s what I took from Michelle Obama’s stump speech anyway (HT: Jim Lindgren):
She tells the story of a ten-year-old girl she met in Newberry, S.C., before that state’s primary. “It was in a little beauty shop, and we were having a rally — it was me and a bunch of women and a couple of [...]
MichaelW on May 06 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Media, MichaelW's Page, Race, Religion and theology
I haven’t had much time to grace the pages of ASHC lately, but I was skimming through Memeorandum and just couldn’t resist saying something about this little screed:
Wright issue will haunt conservative media elite
By Roland S. Martin
CNN Contributor
Now that Sen. Barack Obama has denounced his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, many of his critics, [...]
Keith_Indy on May 06 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Keith's Page, energy
Hmmm, oil states controlling production to just barely meet 35.6% of supply so they can keep prices high. That’s bad.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0508/Clinton_OPEC_can_no_longer_be_a_cartel.html
“We’re going to go right at OPEC,” she said. “They can no longer be a cartel, a monopoly that get together once every couple of months in some conference room in some plush [...]
Joshua Foust on May 02 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Military Matters, Society
Only in America’s Army:
KHOST, Afghanistan — Pfc. Monica Brown cracked open the door of her Humvee outside a remote village in eastern Afghanistan to the pop of bullets shot by Taliban fighters. But instead of taking cover, the 18-year-old medic grabbed her bag and ran through gunfire toward fellow soldiers in a crippled and burning [...]
Peg on May 01 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Health Care, Peg's Page
John McCain gets my vote.
What exactly is the problem with the American health-care system?
The problem is not that Americans don’t have fine doctors, medical technology, and treatments. American medicine is the envy of the world. The problem is not that most Americans lack adequate health insurance. The vast majority of Americans have private insurance, and [...]
Lance on May 01 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Education, Lance's Page
Thanks to Don Boudreaux, I found this “Inconvenient Truth” about the struggles of the middle class. As readers here know, I have long been a bear on housing, but as always those who want their hands on our wallet can take any crisis or problem as a license to take from us. Todd Zywicki writes [...]
Lance on May 01 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Health Care, Humor, Lance's Page
Yet another reason to read Steve Newton, you discover blogs with stuff like this on it:
But the secret reason why all white people love socialized medicine is that they all love the idea of receiving health care without having a full-time job. This would allow them to work as a freelance designer/consultant/copywriter/photographer/blogger, open their own [...]
Keith_Indy on Apr 30 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Keith's Page
The sin of omission that Hillary is committing with the re-telling of the Indiana plant moving to China (while not mentioning that it was sold to China during her husbands tenure,) is starting to gather some light. The following story was linked by the DrudgeReport today.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/election2008/story/35337.html
It’s a story Hillary Clinton loves to tell, about [...]
Joshua Foust on Apr 29 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Media
A few weeks ago, my friend Megan Carpentier wondered on Glamocracy why there aren’t more prominent female political bloggers out there:
But does it have to be that way? Blogs are supposed to be populist and thus it would seem like women could more easily level the playing field here than in other media. Red State’s [...]
Peg on Apr 25 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Libertarianism, Media
John McCain was one politician I admired greatly. While I still believe that the man is a true hero, and while I still do applaud some of what he does, the veil has been lifted from my eyes for one major reason: McCain-Feingold.
Although I, like so many others, wish that we lived in [...]
Peg on Apr 25 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Law, Media, Peg's Page, regulation
One of my girlfriends is smart as a whip and a talented artist to boot. Cathy is also hard of hearing.
While Cathy can read lips and she also has a device that allows her to converse in very small groups, she is unable to hear in most other settings. Last year, the two of us [...]
Peg on Apr 25 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Education
From a Wall Street Journal reader:
“The courageous thing for Congress to do would be to get rid of student-loan subsidies entirely. Then watch tuitions tumble towards ‘the affordable’ as academe realizes nobody’s throwing money at it any more.”
– John K. Lunde
Why is it so difficult for so many to miss this simple truth? If [...]
Lance on Apr 25 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Environment
Over at Green Tech we get some figures that should be rather sobering for those who wish for alternative energy to be a significant source of energy in the near future:
Put another way, we’d need to equip 250,000 roofs a day with solar panels for the next 50 years to have enough photovoltaic infrastructure to [...]
ChrisB on Apr 24 2008 | Filed under: Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Society
German “Gary” Talis of the 9/11 “Truth” organization “We Are Change” beat up a wheel chair bound girl with cerebral palsy yesterday. His compatriots also got into an argument with Secret Service after trying to verbally assault Laura and Jenna Bush at an event for their children’s book “Read All About It.”.
The assailant and his [...]
Keith_Indy on Apr 24 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Keith's Page, Technology
Here’s an ad some of you may not have seen. But now (wonder of wonders) since Indiana is a battleground state in the Democratic primary, it’s been getting plenty of air play during the local news programs.
Hillary Clinton:
Right here over 200 Hoosiers built parts that guided our military’s smart bombs to their targets.
They were [...]
Peg on Apr 24 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Election 2008, Peg's Page, energy
At least on this topic.
Economists in general oppose a tax holiday because it would encourage consumption of gasoline at a time of soaring demand.
Billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens, a longtime Republican donor, criticized Sen. McCain’s policy in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and other news organizations last week.
Mr. Pickens said suspending the federal [...]
Peg on Apr 24 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Law, Peg's Page, Society
Justice Antonin Scalia will appear on 60 Minutes this coming weekend. A preview of what he has to say is here.
“I say nonsense,” Scalia responds to Stahl’s observation that people say the Supreme Court’s decision in Gore v. Bush was based on politics and not justice. “Get over it. It’s so old by now. [...]
Peg on Apr 23 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Environment, Peg's Page, regulation, science
One of the toughest tasks to master is to keep an open mind. We work hard to discover what we ultimately believe to be the truth. After all that effort, often the last thing we wish to do is have to re-analyse, check - and toss out what we have labored so long to achieve.
Nevertheless, [...]
Peg on Apr 23 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Peg's Page
So shall ye reap.Am I the only one who finds massive government interference in agricultural markets to be insanity? And, surely our own nation’s recent love affair with ethanol is a significant contribution to world wide inflationary food costs - and starvation.
I would say we should vote for politicians that will end government [...]
Joshua Foust on Apr 21 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics
Here’s a quote, but read the whole thing:
Apr 21st, 2008 | JONESVILLE, S.C. — A South Carolina pastor says he wasn’t trying to be political when he posted a sign in front of his church linking Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Pastor Roger Byrd said he just wanted to make [...]
MichaelW on Apr 17 2008 | Filed under: Blogs, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war, Philosophy
There seems to be some confusion on the part of some as to exactly what sort of place ASHC is:
I was rather surprised to read this dubious and scornful appraisal of Michael Yon’s Wallstreet Journal editorial at A Second Hand Conjecture, a heretofore conservative site.
The post Mick Stockinger is referring to was created by Joshua [...]
Synova on Apr 15 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Synova's Page
Thanks Ymar, hat tip to Bookworm Room… I hadn’t seen this.
Barack Obama would let Shoaib Choudhury Die
I doubt that if it came right down to it, but the description of Richard Benkin’s interaction with the man is troubling.
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addthis_title = ‘Obama+at+work%26%238230%3B’;
addthis_pub [...]
Lance on Apr 12 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Election 2008, Firearms, Lance's Page
Given the discussion at this post about Obama’s condescension, I suggest Tom Maguire’s roundup of the coverage of Obama making the mistake of speaking his mind about the rubes who he needs to vote for him:
I can’t believe that in all those Harvard classes they never emphasize that you can’t tell the rubes what you [...]
Synova on Apr 12 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Synova's Page, Uncategorized
As at least one person has said, there’s the type of slip of the tongue where one accidentally says what one really thinks.Has everyone seen by now Obama’s take on why small town Midwestern sorts cling to religion, guns, racism, and anti-illegal immigrant notions? They’re bitter.
“It’s not surprising, then, [...]
MichaelW on Apr 10 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, MichaelW's Page
I have no idea who’s going to win the election this year, but as I attempt to handicap the race I’m drawn to the old saw that the person with whom most people would rather sit down at a local watering hole and knock back a few tall cold ones with will be the eventual [...]
Synova on Apr 09 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Race, Sports, Synova's Page
This is the standard. (h/t Blackfive)
And considering the pins-and-needles environment that is the current political landscape, the comment has the potential of being interpreted as racially divisive.
What comment?
“Rest assured,” he told the crowd, “that men like Senator McCain will be the goal and the men that my two young boys will emulate and admire. [...]
Joshua Foust on Apr 02 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Notes on the war
Well I’m sure you’ve all seen the declassified “torture memos” written by Deputy AAG John Yoo (part 1, part 2, both PDF). They laid the legal foundation for the use of expanded interrogation techniques, the horrid euphemism used by the Bush administration to justify what we once considered wretched torture performed only by our worst [...]
MichaelW on Mar 27 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, MichaelW's Page, regulation
Some people are hoping to hoist John McCain on his own campaign finance petard. As satisfying as it would be to see the Senator receive a healthy dose of his bitter medicine, however, the complaints filed against him with the FEC will almost assuredly fail.
In the blogosphere it is the most recent complaint filed [...]
ChrisB on Mar 27 2008 | Filed under: Blogs, Chris' Page, Domestic Politics
This was sent to me by a guy I know. He’s still a little creeped out and doesn’t want to revel any personal info. I’ll quote what he sent me here. (emphasis and censoring mine)
As some of you may know, I am a law student. Recently, I had applied to an interview for a temporary [...]
Keith_Indy on Mar 21 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Election 2008, Keith's Page
Some interesting parallels with our current situation and the period before the Great Depression. Interestingly, it seems the Democrats are intent on not learning from history, at least not about what led us to the Depression. Or maybe they want a replay of the policies that helped drag us out of the Depression.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_shlaes&sid=alBsmRS72DyM
Schumer [...]
Joshua Foust on Mar 19 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs
John McCain, whose foreign policy genius is his only real selling point this election (given his self-stated discomfort with domestic policy), confused al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Shiite militias Iran has backed at a press conference the other day.
While that in and of itself wouldn’t be too big a deal save exemplifying the sad [...]
MichaelW on Mar 18 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war
The inestimable Oliver Kamm provides a glimpse at the value our British friends find in a potential John McCain presidency:
Two points about McCain stand out. He’s not a conservative and he’s been right all along about Iraq. These are the reasons I favoured him from the outset for the Republican nomination. Indeed McCain has been [...]
MichaelW on Mar 12 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page
But there’s no plea deal regarding the potential federal charges. Is it possible that the feds are going to do to Spitzer what Spitzer paid to do to “Kristen”? (HT: JOM):
Eliot Spitzer’s tumultuous tumble from the zenith of a promising political career to the nadir of a shocking sex scandal came as no surprise [...]
MichaelW on Mar 12 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, MichaelW's Page
Ever since John McCain effectively wrapped up his party’s nomination, I’ve been thinking that it might not be such a great thing for the Republican ticket. Because Obama and Hillary are still battling it out for the Democrat nomination, and will continue to do so all the way to the convention in August, they [...]
MichaelW on Mar 10 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Glenn Greenwald's Carnival of Fisking, MichaelW's Page
I’m sure you are all well informed on the Spitzer chronicles by now. If not, crawl through the Memeorandum links to inform yourself (get a cup of coffee or other preferred beverage, because it will take awhile). I just wanted to point to some highlights.
(1) Radley Balko: Schadenfreude — “May your fall [...]
MichaelW on Mar 07 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Glenn Greenwald's Carnival of Fisking, Media, MichaelW's Page
The inscrutable and vainglorious Boi from Brazil weighs in to explain why Republicans find Obama’s candidacy “scary”:
Conservatives love to claim that Obama supporters have excess reverence for their candidate and see him as some sort of transcendent messiah figure. There is a small minority of Obama supporters — as is true for most candidates and [...]
MichaelW on Mar 06 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, MichaelW's Page
Two Messiahs. One Religion. McQ considers how this might become a problem for the Democratic Party:
There is indeed a faction on the left who want a Gore presidency badly. And for a variety of reasons, one of which, of course, has to do with global warming and their belief that we’re on an [...]
MichaelW on Mar 01 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Media, MichaelW's Page
“Why are the letters ‘NIG’ on the child’s pajamas?”
Asks a commenter — “Tom” — on my post about the new Hillary Clinton commercial, the one that shows several children sleeping and then Clinton taking a national security phone call in the middle of the night. You can see the commercial at the link, and the [...]
MichaelW on Feb 29 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Media, MichaelW's Page
Does it strike anyone else as tragically ironic that, if indeed John McCain were declared not to be a “natural-born citizen” due to the locus of his birth, then an “anchor baby” could be elected President but the child of an Armed Services member born overseas could not?
Think about that. Child of illegal aliens [...]
Peg on Feb 29 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Education, Peg's Page
Competition plays a large role in much of my life. As a tournament bridge player, competition is the name of the game. The better you do, the more you rate to win. The more you do to learn, improve your game and secure superior partners and teammates, the higher you climb.
As a [...]
Peg on Feb 28 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Peg's Page
All that Pejman has to say is correct. Ignore at your own peril.
And the fat lady is already belting out her arias.
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addthis_title = ‘La+La+La+La’;
addthis_pub = ”;
Sphere: Related Content
Peg on Feb 28 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Peg's Page
Multiple times I have lauded the exceptional blog Booker Rising, masterfully managed by my friend Shay Riley. If you are looking for a wealth of information about the black community, a wide variety of viewpoints, articles and comments on related issues, then Booker Rising is a must-stop for you.
Shay has a feature called “Quote [...]
MichaelW on Feb 28 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Media, MichaelW's Page
THE LATEST non-issue hyped by (who else?) the New York Times is that “some” people are questioning whether or not John McCain is eligible to be a sitting President:
The question has nagged at the parents of Americans born outside the continental United States for generations: Dare their children aspire to grow up [...]
Keith_Indy on Feb 28 2008 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Economics, Foreign affairs, Keith's Page
A short portrait of President Bush from Sir Bob Geldof, on the Presidents recent trip around Africa. Really shows what we’ve been accomplishing in Africa the last several years.
In 2003, only 50,000 Africans were on HIV antiretroviral drugs — and they had to pay for their own medicine. Today, 1.3 million are receiving medicines [...]
Keith_Indy on Feb 28 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Firearms, Keith's Page
Maybe, just maybe, guns do serve the purpose of holding back the tyrants boot heel.
The data show that (although exceptions can be found) the nations with the highest rates of gun ownerhsip tend to have greater political and civil freedom, greater economic freedom and prosperity, and much less corruption than other nations. The relationship only [...]
Joshua Foust on Feb 27 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs
Posted first on Registan.net.
Just kidding. But watch her mangle “Medvedev,” like a ninth grader on “Meet the Press”:
Does this mean anything? Not really. But given that both Clinton and Obama admitted to knowing nothing about the man they all recognize Vladimir Putin has hand-picked as his successor, perhaps the routine barbs about George Dubya [...]
