Saturday, November 23, 2002
Lou Dobbs has a fun online poll up about the media. I think it should reflect the opinions of my readers...
CalPundit explains why we're all Keynesians now. So, read it so you can stop looking so foolish when you equate "Keynesianism" and "liberalism" or "big government."
And, we're on economics the other thing which has been bugging me lately is the rather misguided arguments about why giving, say, corporate tax breaks would spur new investment. The arugments inevitably go something like this:
Righty: Spurring investment will be good for the economy!
Lefty: Why would firms who are operating below capacity and can't sell enough now want to invest in new capacity?
Righty: Because the money that they spend hiring workers will increase demand for their goods because the workers will have more money to spend!
Here is where Righty confuses microeconomic incentives and more macroeconomic outcomes. It is true that if all the firms in the economy responded to a tax incentive on new investment by actually engaging in new investment this could indeed have a stimulative effect. However, firms aren't going to build that second factory due to their expectations that doing so will have a stimulative impact on the economy as a whole and that therefore business will pick up later
And, we're on economics the other thing which has been bugging me lately is the rather misguided arguments about why giving, say, corporate tax breaks would spur new investment. The arugments inevitably go something like this:
Righty: Spurring investment will be good for the economy!
Lefty: Why would firms who are operating below capacity and can't sell enough now want to invest in new capacity?
Righty: Because the money that they spend hiring workers will increase demand for their goods because the workers will have more money to spend!
Here is where Righty confuses microeconomic incentives and more macroeconomic outcomes. It is true that if all the firms in the economy responded to a tax incentive on new investment by actually engaging in new investment this could indeed have a stimulative effect. However, firms aren't going to build that second factory due to their expectations that doing so will have a stimulative impact on the economy as a whole and that therefore business will pick up later
Note to Ron Rosenbaum:
Clinton hate and conspiracy theories were and are a multimillion dollar industry, financed by deep pockets, and splashed across the pages of the conservative and "liberal media," legitimized by congressional investigations, and promoted on TV news and encouraged by the numerous hate radio jocks that can be heard 24/7 in every radio market.
This is not the same thing as a bunch of angry people sending you nutty emails.
Clinton hate and conspiracy theories were and are a multimillion dollar industry, financed by deep pockets, and splashed across the pages of the conservative and "liberal media," legitimized by congressional investigations, and promoted on TV news and encouraged by the numerous hate radio jocks that can be heard 24/7 in every radio market.
This is not the same thing as a bunch of angry people sending you nutty emails.
What can you even say about the Bush administration's attempts to cover up the Saudi connection?
It's funny that even now, Al Fucking Gore gets more coverage of his every utterance by our media than this stuff does.
It's funny that even now, Al Fucking Gore gets more coverage of his every utterance by our media than this stuff does.
I should be used to this by now, but why is that every time Paul Krugman writes a column people misrepresent his point and then proceed to criticize him based on that? Even TAPPED gets into the act.
Look - Krugman isn't attacking Republican nepotism because it is *necessarily* any worse than Democratic nepotism, he's attacking it because it's rather, um, "ironic", that the party of the meritocracy seems so interested in pursuing policies and appointments that amount to affirmative action for their families.
Look - Krugman isn't attacking Republican nepotism because it is *necessarily* any worse than Democratic nepotism, he's attacking it because it's rather, um, "ironic", that the party of the meritocracy seems so interested in pursuing policies and appointments that amount to affirmative action for their families.
Friday, November 22, 2002
Decent Washington Monthly article on Krugman.
Me too.
And check out this comment by the Mickster:
"The Bush tax cut is based on lies. But it's not enough to criticize a policy to say that it's based on lies. You have to say whether it's good or bad for the country."
"There's been a kind of missionary quality to his writing since then," muses Princeton's Blinder. "He's trying to stop something now, using the power of the pen." But that's not all. The change is deeper: Krugman now takes politics seriously. As Kuttner puts it, "The interesting thing about Krugman is that he was a mainstream neoclassical economist who was moderately liberal as a citizen, but tended to look at politics as an illegitimate distortion of the perfection of the market economy. He viewed the left and the right as symmetrical evils. Krugman has now discovered power."
Krugman seems to agree. "I think we were all living in a fool's paradise in the late 1990s. There probably wasn't as much energy in my criticism of the right. I was wrong, obviously," he says. "If I'd understood where politics would be now, it would have been quite different. I thought that Reich and Magaziner were proposing bad ideas, but that's not the same as being frightened of where they might be taking us. We can have arguments about trade policy later. Now I'm frightened."
Me too.
And check out this comment by the Mickster:
"The Bush tax cut is based on lies. But it's not enough to criticize a policy to say that it's based on lies. You have to say whether it's good or bad for the country."
Neal Pollack has announced the name for his new movement! It is such a perfect name that one feels it couldn't possible be anything else. It is...
Beagles
Beagles
CalPundit says:
The art police ought to stay in their caves, where they belong, and leave the rest of us alone to enjoy our lives.
Agreed. I doubt there is a single person who doesn't have a guilty affection for some unarguable bit of lowbrow crap, and very few who truly have the refined sensibilities they think they do. Peoples' tastes may say something about them, but the tastes themselves aren't an issue.
The art police ought to stay in their caves, where they belong, and leave the rest of us alone to enjoy our lives.
Agreed. I doubt there is a single person who doesn't have a guilty affection for some unarguable bit of lowbrow crap, and very few who truly have the refined sensibilities they think they do. Peoples' tastes may say something about them, but the tastes themselves aren't an issue.
Lisa English is great. Or, at least I think she is. I rarely get to find out because I can never access the site for some reason. But, in any case, you can all go read.
Thursday, November 21, 2002
Feeling the need for a bit of bile, I went over to Little Green Footballs. I wasn't disappointed. Charles gets a twofer - manages to lump all Muslims together AND smears Colin Powell at the same time.
Oh well, let's talk about liberal homophobia some more.
UPDATE: In the comments Charles said what he meant was that Powell wants more educators like Sharabi. This is supposed to make it okay because it isn't that all Muslims are bad, just all Muslim educators?
All cleared up now.
Sharabi's comments were despicable. They should be publicized. I have no problem with that. But to say that Colin Powell wants more educators like this is both labelling him an anti-Semite and saying that all Muslims are anti-Semites. That's quite despicable. In fact, it's as despicable as Sharabi's comments. Particularly as it isn't even clear that Sharabi is a Muslim. Not all Arabs are Muslims. Not all Muslims are Arabs.
Oh well, let's talk about liberal homophobia some more.
UPDATE: In the comments Charles said what he meant was that Powell wants more educators like Sharabi. This is supposed to make it okay because it isn't that all Muslims are bad, just all Muslim educators?
All cleared up now.
Sharabi's comments were despicable. They should be publicized. I have no problem with that. But to say that Colin Powell wants more educators like this is both labelling him an anti-Semite and saying that all Muslims are anti-Semites. That's quite despicable. In fact, it's as despicable as Sharabi's comments. Particularly as it isn't even clear that Sharabi is a Muslim. Not all Arabs are Muslims. Not all Muslims are Arabs.
Don't miss TBogg on Sullivan's Eagles Movement followed by these words by Ben Franklin:
He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the river, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.
"With all this injustice, he is never in good case but like those among men who live by sharping & robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our country .
Roger has written a tell-all book!
Now word arrives that my previously missing beleagured manservant Roger has surfaced in New York City, where, with the help of MY agent, he's circulating the manuscript of a roman a clef titled, "Confessions Of A Beleagured Manservant." I've obtained a copy of this manuscript, and it's full of lies. While I realize that in this space I've often approved of lying, or, as I put it, "a little B.S. now and then," to achieve certain state-policy, military, or domestic-spying objectives, this is different. I believe that "modest fibbing" is sometimes necessary to protect national security, or to promote free-market economics and democracy conducted in the English language. But personal calumny is unacceptable.
Howie Loves Rush.
I can't even comment, except to quote Rush on Nancy Pelosi (courtesy of Digby):
They never called her the hammer. She had the same job DeLay did. She’s the hummer. Whatever she is. Now she’s the top dog. No, I can’t say that.
I can't even comment, except to quote Rush on Nancy Pelosi (courtesy of Digby):
They never called her the hammer. She had the same job DeLay did. She’s the hummer. Whatever she is. Now she’s the top dog. No, I can’t say that.
Hey, Halliburton is getting $900 million in public financing. And we all laughed when that stupid profit maximizing company gave Dick Cheney $20+ million in severance that they weren't legally required to pay him. What were they thinking, just giving away money? That's no way to run a company.
Christians ought to be more offended at the idiotic things their co-religionists do in Christ's name
Wednesday, November 20, 2002
Tom Spencer notes that Reynolds is still hiding behind conservative victimhood because liberal national fraternities don't want their members to dress up in blackface even if it is Halloween. Or something.
Neal Pollack, seamlessly integrating pop culture and politics with skill and wit that Maureen Dowd will never have says this:
I bet Nancy Pelosi thinks Osama would make a perfect Bachelor. Don't you?
Indeed.
I bet Nancy Pelosi thinks Osama would make a perfect Bachelor. Don't you?
Indeed.
Sally Quinn Speaks the Truth
The Republicans have always been seen as the ones who made the trains run on time.
So true Sally. So true.
What can you make of such a reference? Add it to the list of evidence that Republicans are truly irony-unaware.
So true Sally. So true.
What can you make of such a reference? Add it to the list of evidence that Republicans are truly irony-unaware.
Ampersand takes on the factually challenged anti-feminists. And wins. Wonder whatever happened to that twit Katie Roiphe...
Hey - Kaus was wrong. It's right wing violence that's on the rise, not left wing. Or, at least, threats of violence.
"What happens when (radio talk show host) Rush Limbaugh attacks those of us in public life is that people aren't satisfied just to listen," the South Dakota Democrat explained. "They want to act because they get emotionally invested. And so, you know, the threats to those of us in public life go up dramatically, on our families and on us, in a way that's very disconcerting."
Daschle, whose office was a target in last year's anthrax mail attacks, declined to go into detail about the nature of the threats. But he said that when he was accused by Republicans of being an obstructionists the number of threats against him and his family rose.
"If entertainment becomes so much a part of politics and if that entertainment drives an emotional movement in this country among some people who don't know the difference between entertainment and politics, and who are then so energized to go out and hurt somebody, that troubles me about where politics in America is going," Daschle said.
Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott when asked about Daschle's remarks said he did not agree that political discussion had taken on a shrill edge for entertainment purposes and was not aware of any increase in the number of threats. .
"What happens when (radio talk show host) Rush Limbaugh attacks those of us in public life is that people aren't satisfied just to listen," the South Dakota Democrat explained. "They want to act because they get emotionally invested. And so, you know, the threats to those of us in public life go up dramatically, on our families and on us, in a way that's very disconcerting."
Daschle, whose office was a target in last year's anthrax mail attacks, declined to go into detail about the nature of the threats. But he said that when he was accused by Republicans of being an obstructionists the number of threats against him and his family rose.
"If entertainment becomes so much a part of politics and if that entertainment drives an emotional movement in this country among some people who don't know the difference between entertainment and politics, and who are then so energized to go out and hurt somebody, that troubles me about where politics in America is going," Daschle said.
Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott when asked about Daschle's remarks said he did not agree that political discussion had taken on a shrill edge for entertainment purposes and was not aware of any increase in the number of threats. .
It's rather interesting how much press Donahue's low ratings are getting. He's edging out Tweety these days:
CABLE NEWS RACE: FOX TOPS; 'HARDBALL'
HITS RATINGS BASEMENT...
[Tuesday Nite 11/19]
O'REILLY 2.3
HANNITY/COLMES 1.8
LARRY KING 1.7
SHEP SMITH 1.2
BRIT HUME 1.0
GRETA .9
AARON BROWN .8
CHUNG .8
CROSSFIRE .6
DONAHUE .6
HARDBALL .5
CABLE NEWS RACE: FOX TOPS; 'HARDBALL'
HITS RATINGS BASEMENT...
[Tuesday Nite 11/19]
O'REILLY 2.3
HANNITY/COLMES 1.8
LARRY KING 1.7
SHEP SMITH 1.2
BRIT HUME 1.0
GRETA .9
AARON BROWN .8
CHUNG .8
CROSSFIRE .6
DONAHUE .6
HARDBALL .5
Joe Conason has a great piece up on conservative double standards on treason.
War" is a political weapon that Republicans have been using against Democrats since Karl Rove openly declared this strategy last winter. Ideological enforcers like Horowitz are instruments of Rove's strategy, which succeeded brilliantly in the midterm election. Rove's aim is to destroy Democrats, not libertarians, whose support he will be seeking on domestic issues next year.
That's why Novak, Bandow and Cato -- usually allies rather than adversaries of the White House – get a free pass no matter what they say about foreign policy. And that's also why the "patriotic" bullies of the right will angrily assault any liberal or leftist who dares to say exactly the same things.
War" is a political weapon that Republicans have been using against Democrats since Karl Rove openly declared this strategy last winter. Ideological enforcers like Horowitz are instruments of Rove's strategy, which succeeded brilliantly in the midterm election. Rove's aim is to destroy Democrats, not libertarians, whose support he will be seeking on domestic issues next year.
That's why Novak, Bandow and Cato -- usually allies rather than adversaries of the White House – get a free pass no matter what they say about foreign policy. And that's also why the "patriotic" bullies of the right will angrily assault any liberal or leftist who dares to say exactly the same things.
Maybe this will wake up the goddamn libertarians..
Check out today's Pentagon briefing (video - please send me transcript if you find one).
They trotted out Undersecretary of Defense Aldridge to answer questions about John Pointdexter's Big Brother computer system. At 36:50 he's asked what kind of things the system would be looking for, with the reporter suggesting something like McVeigh renting a truck would trigger it.
Aldridge says the kinds of triggers would be:
"buying a lot of chemicals ... buying a gun ..."
Quick! Call the NRA.
UPDATE. here's the transcript:
Q: Can you make it clear, though, and this seems directed more toward foreign nationals coming into the United States and the visa passports that U.S. citizens --
Aldridge: No. No, it's actions, it's transactions that lead to potential terrorist acts; that's what we're trying to get to.
Q: So it could be like a McVeigh renting a truck --
Aldridge: Could be buying a lot of chemicals; if there's somebody buying a lot of chemicals, it looks unusual; buying a gun; all kinds of potential activities that fall --
Q: Buying a gun? Could you flush that out --
(Cross talk.)
Aldridge: I'm just using examples of things that would go along with -- that would be patterns of an individual potentially conducting a terrorist act.
I'm still scratching the noggin here
Q: So what kind of real data are you using that you just mentioned?
Aldridge: I will have to find -- I don't know the answer to that question, exactly what kind of data. I'm not into the details of the thing. But I don't think there is a
problem with it at all.
They trotted out Undersecretary of Defense Aldridge to answer questions about John Pointdexter's Big Brother computer system. At 36:50 he's asked what kind of things the system would be looking for, with the reporter suggesting something like McVeigh renting a truck would trigger it.
Aldridge says the kinds of triggers would be:
"buying a lot of chemicals ... buying a gun ..."
Quick! Call the NRA.
UPDATE. here's the transcript:
Q: Can you make it clear, though, and this seems directed more toward foreign nationals coming into the United States and the visa passports that U.S. citizens --
Aldridge: No. No, it's actions, it's transactions that lead to potential terrorist acts; that's what we're trying to get to.
Q: So it could be like a McVeigh renting a truck --
Aldridge: Could be buying a lot of chemicals; if there's somebody buying a lot of chemicals, it looks unusual; buying a gun; all kinds of potential activities that fall --
Q: Buying a gun? Could you flush that out --
(Cross talk.)
Aldridge: I'm just using examples of things that would go along with -- that would be patterns of an individual potentially conducting a terrorist act.
I'm still scratching the noggin here
Q: So what kind of real data are you using that you just mentioned?
Aldridge: I will have to find -- I don't know the answer to that question, exactly what kind of data. I'm not into the details of the thing. But I don't think there is a
problem with it at all.
This is, of course, real gay bashing
The problem with this is the preponderance of evidence that the old Mom-and-Dad model is the only one that, speaking generally, really works -- in terms of taking care of children, building a constructive society and broadly advancing the happiness of the species.
Not having read Gore's book, though I doubt Kelly has either, I can't be certain. But, it sounds as if the Gores are discussing how the concept of family has changed, not advancing any particular agenda about what the family should be. Unlike Kelly, who thinks homos shouldn't have kids. Because, you know, we wouldn't want the species to be unhappy.
Also, check out some of Judge Moore's poetry. As TBogg says, holy crap.
Not having read Gore's book, though I doubt Kelly has either, I can't be certain. But, it sounds as if the Gores are discussing how the concept of family has changed, not advancing any particular agenda about what the family should be. Unlike Kelly, who thinks homos shouldn't have kids. Because, you know, we wouldn't want the species to be unhappy.
Also, check out some of Judge Moore's poetry. As TBogg says, holy crap.
Ah, the Fifties. Via O Dub, I see there is much rejoicing in conservativeland at their imminent return. There is of course much about the fifties that both sides of the political spectrum can embrace.
Top marginal tax rate - a whopping 91 or 92%! Advantage: Liberals!
Teen birth rates - reached their peak in 1957! Advantage: Mixed! Clearly, pre-marital sex was the thing, but so was the shotgun wedding! On the other hand, the latter likely led to subsequent high divorce rates. Call it a wash.
Poverty rates - percent of families double that of now! Advantage: Conservatives! Miss those good old days...
Film production code - in effect! Advantage: Michael Medved Conservatives. Disadvantage: South Park Republicans. What a big tent it is!
Interstate highway system - just begun! Advantage: liberals! Biggest pork project ever!
Abortion mostly illegal! Advantage: Conservatives!
Segregation! Advantage: Well, you know.
At least us liberals will have our beloved taxes and spending!
Top marginal tax rate - a whopping 91 or 92%! Advantage: Liberals!
Teen birth rates - reached their peak in 1957! Advantage: Mixed! Clearly, pre-marital sex was the thing, but so was the shotgun wedding! On the other hand, the latter likely led to subsequent high divorce rates. Call it a wash.
Poverty rates - percent of families double that of now! Advantage: Conservatives! Miss those good old days...
Film production code - in effect! Advantage: Michael Medved Conservatives. Disadvantage: South Park Republicans. What a big tent it is!
Interstate highway system - just begun! Advantage: liberals! Biggest pork project ever!
Abortion mostly illegal! Advantage: Conservatives!
Segregation! Advantage: Well, you know.
At least us liberals will have our beloved taxes and spending!
Anyone believe this Moonie times article?
According to a senior Senate leadership source, the election results were barely in before Mr. Jeffords' office put out feelers to his former party's leaders. The message? That the Vermonter would be happy to caucus with the GOP — so long as he retained his committee chairmanship. Republican leader rightly rolled their eyes.
me neither.
According to a senior Senate leadership source, the election results were barely in before Mr. Jeffords' office put out feelers to his former party's leaders. The message? That the Vermonter would be happy to caucus with the GOP — so long as he retained his committee chairmanship. Republican leader rightly rolled their eyes.
me neither.
Oh man, check out this old Hardball transcript from the Howler.
Ladies and gentlemen, the American media.
What was the climate on cable TV? Here’s an example of the kind of discourse Chris was cranking out at the time. Also guesting this evening were Carl Cannon of National Journal; Meredith Berkman of the New York Post; and Mary Boyle, a former Dem senate candidate from Ohio:
MATTHEWS: Is Al Gore just incapable of putting, like, one foot in front of the other in this campaign? He’s a professional politician who acts like an amateur.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah. He’s awful.
MATTHEWS: I don’t get it [WATCHING TAPE OF GORE]. Did you ever see the movie “Altered States?” I mean, his face is, like, getting contorted in some of these—
SCARBOROUGH: And there—
MATTHEWS: There’s bubbles coming out of his forehead!
Boyle—seeming to think she was on a news show—tried to discuss Gore’s appearance in Cleveland. She should have stayed home and baked cookies:
BOYLE: Listen, the vice president was in Cleveland today. I want to tell you just very briefly about it, because you probably would like covering the news.
MATTHEWS: What mode was he in? Was he in, was he in the quiet mode, or that sort of Clutch Cargo craziness he gets into, or was he——
SCARBOROUGH: Did he scream?
BOYLE: No—no, but he was—
MATTHEWS: Or was he in the “Altered States” where the head starts to bubble? What state was he in today?
Ladies and gentlemen, the American media.
Do conservative pundits have nothing better to do than defend each other's stupidity...with even more stupidity? God, just admit defeat and go home already.
FoxNews, dumb and dumber. (via tapped)
Read the whole thing to discover that up really is down, white is black, cats are sleeping with dogs...
"The Sperm Stops Here!" was allegedly intended as satire. The tip-off is Burk's lead-in: "A modest proposal ..." This refers to Jonathan Swift's famous 1729 satire "A Modest Proposal" in which he exaggerates British policies in Ireland in order to discredit them. He carries British callousness to its logical conclusion by suggesting that the English farm and eat Irish babies. Swift intends to elicit horror in his readers.
But is "The Sperm Stops Here!" really a hoax?
Kathryn Lopez in National Review and Rush Limbaugh on his radio program took the article at face value -- much to both of their embarrassment. But there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
For example, in contrast to Swift's classic piece, Burk was defending a policy -- abortion -- by ascribing absurd positions to its opponents, which they have never held. She opens by stating that both sides believe "if all babies were planned ... women wouldn't seek abortions." If abortion is outlawed, therefore, men at puberty must be chemically sterilized. Then state tribunals (and women) could plan all babies. Burk is eliciting contempt for those who question abortion.
FoxNews, dumb and dumber. (via tapped)
Read the whole thing to discover that up really is down, white is black, cats are sleeping with dogs...
One step at a time...
Perhaps there's hope.
Appearing on C-SPAN Friday, Jack White, a former Time magazine columnist and now writer in residence at Howard University, pronounced liberal bias dead.
Said White: “Sooner or later I think we’re all going to have to acknowledge that the myth of liberal bias in the press is just that, it’s a myth. May have been true at one time, but it’s been beaten out of them, and I don’t think that they conform to that anymore.” Then singling out a popular target for liberals, he added, “Fox News is about as [blatantly] biased as you possibly could get.”
Time reporter Josh Tyrangiel took it a step further, suggesting in the Nov. 18 issue that conservatives now primarily control the media and influence elections. He wrote: “Even if Democrats pull together on some big issues, they’ll still have to overcome GOP bully pulpits in the White House and Congress — and a new reality: conservative bias in the media.”
Appearing on C-SPAN Friday, Jack White, a former Time magazine columnist and now writer in residence at Howard University, pronounced liberal bias dead.
Said White: “Sooner or later I think we’re all going to have to acknowledge that the myth of liberal bias in the press is just that, it’s a myth. May have been true at one time, but it’s been beaten out of them, and I don’t think that they conform to that anymore.” Then singling out a popular target for liberals, he added, “Fox News is about as [blatantly] biased as you possibly could get.”
Time reporter Josh Tyrangiel took it a step further, suggesting in the Nov. 18 issue that conservatives now primarily control the media and influence elections. He wrote: “Even if Democrats pull together on some big issues, they’ll still have to overcome GOP bully pulpits in the White House and Congress — and a new reality: conservative bias in the media.”
That liberal media...
Gov.-elect Robert Ehrlich was given extensive use of a privately owned helicopter during his gubernatorial campaign but has not yet reported it in campaign finance reports, an aide acknowledged Wednesday.
Ehrlich spokesman Paul Schurick said the helicopter use will be disclosed in a campaign report to be filed next week.
The helicopter was provided by Whirlwind Aviation Inc., run by J. Duncan Smith, the vice president of Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., which owns 62 television stations, including WBFF and WNUV in Baltimore, The (Baltimore) Sun reported Wednesday.
He's got 'em on the list--he's got 'em on the list;
And they'll none of 'em be missed--they'll none of
'em be missed.
Um, Matt, now do you see the problem with this type of thing?
I suppose the answer is obvious - let these people spend years in court trying to get themselves taken off.
Senate Approves Homeland Security Department
I hope it's just unwarranted cynicism that makes me worry that when historians look back on this period they'll see this is a pivotal moment.
A domestic spy agency exempt from FOIA and whistleblower protection, with hires and fires subject entirely to the whim of the president, and relatively immune from any outside scrutiny whatsoever can only be a monumentally bad thing. Anyone think otherwise? If so, just imagine this were Clinton/Reno doing this.
Part of any objections to government power has to do with the fear of the abuse of powers, rather than the powers themselves. This fear derives from distrust of those in power. Recognize these powers are not limited to this administration. So, for those on the other side -- would you be anything less than apoplectic if this were a Clinton initiative?
Glenn Reynold's modest proposal to correct this agency's potential abuse of power seems to involve citizens' rights of redress through civil suits against the agency. How one can sue an agency exempt from FOIA and which can refuse to answer subpoenas based on any national security justification admittedly escapes me. If congress isn't even granting itself oversight powers it's hard to see how it's going to grant them to us commoners.
In any case, there are times when I'm happy to be wrong. This is one of them.
A domestic spy agency exempt from FOIA and whistleblower protection, with hires and fires subject entirely to the whim of the president, and relatively immune from any outside scrutiny whatsoever can only be a monumentally bad thing. Anyone think otherwise? If so, just imagine this were Clinton/Reno doing this.
Part of any objections to government power has to do with the fear of the abuse of powers, rather than the powers themselves. This fear derives from distrust of those in power. Recognize these powers are not limited to this administration. So, for those on the other side -- would you be anything less than apoplectic if this were a Clinton initiative?
Glenn Reynold's modest proposal to correct this agency's potential abuse of power seems to involve citizens' rights of redress through civil suits against the agency. How one can sue an agency exempt from FOIA and which can refuse to answer subpoenas based on any national security justification admittedly escapes me. If congress isn't even granting itself oversight powers it's hard to see how it's going to grant them to us commoners.
In any case, there are times when I'm happy to be wrong. This is one of them.
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Thanks.
Though I *still* blame you Russ Feingold for that whole Ashcroft mess...
Akaka (D-HI)
Byrd (D-WV)
Feingold (D-WI)
Hollings (D-SC)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Levin (D-MI)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Though I *still* blame you Russ Feingold for that whole Ashcroft mess...
BUSH KNEW!
Well, FERC did. Same thing. Bastards.
Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for the governor, said the deal will now be re- evaluated in light of the new revelations. He called the contents of the FERC documents "very serious."
Equally serious is why federal regulators sat on this information for so long. Williams said it made the contents of its tapes available to investigators more than a year ago.
The PUC's Wood, for one, is at a loss to understand why the tapes were kept secret month after month, even as California officials repeatedly charged that power companies were colluding to make off with billions in ratepayer cash.
"It's pretty outrageous that the FERC had this information for such a long time and hasn't released it," Wood said. "It really makes you wonder about the good faith of FERC in pursuing these matters."
The commission came under heavy fire in a Senate report last week that all but accused federal regulators of fiddling while California burned. In response, FERC Chairman Patrick Wood said his people got the message.
"Participants in the energy market know that we are serious now," he told the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.
Better late than never.
Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for the governor, said the deal will now be re- evaluated in light of the new revelations. He called the contents of the FERC documents "very serious."
Equally serious is why federal regulators sat on this information for so long. Williams said it made the contents of its tapes available to investigators more than a year ago.
The PUC's Wood, for one, is at a loss to understand why the tapes were kept secret month after month, even as California officials repeatedly charged that power companies were colluding to make off with billions in ratepayer cash.
"It's pretty outrageous that the FERC had this information for such a long time and hasn't released it," Wood said. "It really makes you wonder about the good faith of FERC in pursuing these matters."
The commission came under heavy fire in a Senate report last week that all but accused federal regulators of fiddling while California burned. In response, FERC Chairman Patrick Wood said his people got the message.
"Participants in the energy market know that we are serious now," he told the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.
Better late than never.
Molly
Howard Kurtz of The Washington Post dismissed bin Laden as "a blast from the past." Well, that was a helluva blast, Howard, and I for one haven't forgotten it. I want that son of a bitch dead or alive, and I want getting him to be this country's top priority in terms of enemies.
Agenda Bender on Dreher, Novak, and Hanssen
He catches this tidbit from Dreher:
He catches this tidbit from Dreher:
BOB HANSSEN & AL GORE [Rod Dreher]
The Media Research Center complains about the following lines spoken by William Hurt, playing Soviet spy Robert Hanssen in the recent CBS movie: “Anybody who ever voted for Gore ought to be shot. The very thought of Gore daring to be President, toitering up to that psychopath and sociopath Bill Clinton for eight years. Makes my blood boil.” I see why the MRC is upset, but I have to tell you, I had a phone conversation with Hanssen that wasn't far in tone and content from that. This was several years ago, before he was exposed. He was a source of mine for a story I was working on about the politicization of the FBI under Bill Clinton. He spoke in this manner about Clinton and Janet Reno, and was particularly outraged over what he called Reno's forcing the FBI to hire lesbians. He told me gruffly that if Gore were elected, he was going to retire, because the lesbian left was going to complete its takeover the Bureau. His vehemence and intensity made it a real Strangelovian moment.
Monday, November 18, 2002
Guest conservative commentator Snotglass returns:
Increasingly desperate liberals, aided by their fellow leftists of the media elite, have recently attempted to perpetuate their disgusting smear campaign against our remarkable elected President, George W. Bush. These unpatriotic so-called "Americans" are questioning the honor and dignity of President Bush by attempting to resurrect the utterly discredited canard that President Bush failed to complete his military service.
However, an exhaustive search of the comprehensive Fawn Hall Archives and Records Repository at The Heritage Foundation has conclusively determined that no documents exist that would substantiate such a scurrilious slander against our elected President and his historic mandate.
Famed military historian and noted author Jonah Goldberg also disputes these unfounded allegations. Goldberg observed that he has read the entire manuscript of the President's celebrated autobiography, "A Charge to Keep" and has found no indication that the President was anything less than a brave, well-trained fighter pilot who was honored for his service to America by receiving promotion from airman basic to Second Lieutenant after less than one day of active duty. "Clearly," said Goldberg, "there is no greater tribute to President Bush's recognized potential as a gifted leader than the accelerated promotion and deferential treatment he received from the Texas Air National Guard."
You liberals should be ashamed of yourselves for slandering a genuine American hero. No conservative would ever sink to such depths.
Perles of Wisdom
Ben Wattenberg: Well, why is it important to an American citizen that we promote democracy in other lands? I mean, the easy argument is, it's not our government, you know, let them do what they want.
Richard Perle: The lesson of history is that democracies don't initiate wars of aggression, and if we want to live in a peaceful world, then there's very little we can do to bring that about more effective than promoting a democracy. People who live in democratic societies don't like to pay for massive military machines. Democratic societies don't empower their executives to make unilateral decisions to plunge countries into war. Wars have been started by tyrants who have complete control and who can squander the resources of their people to build up military machines.
Fascinating.
(Thanks to E.M. for the catch).
Neal Pollack has a bunch of entries in his Name the Movement contest. I think my favorite so far is:
The Army of Onan
The Army of Onan
David Frum hates that Colin Powell is writing Booby Woodward's book, and Conason likes it. They are in agreement on who is writing it however.
I find it a bit odd that Democrats are trying to derail the Shedd nomination in the full Senate after the strange voice vote Leahy pulled in committee the other day. Am I wrong to suspect that this is just a way to let the clock run out on Homeland Security without actually making it look like that's what they're doing?
Washington Post Circulation Declining
There is an obvious solution -- give Michael Kelly a column every day!
Will Rummy get to use his Nukes?
...he said the Defense Department was looking at a range of means -- including perhaps small nuclear bombs called "earth penetrators" -- to destroy or incinerate arms and facilities that have been deeply buried by terrorist networks and countries developing weapons of mass destruction.
"They have tunneled and tunneled and tunneled," he said. "How do you deal with it?"
"The Defense Department is charged with how do we defend our country. So these people ... do exactly what they are supposed to do. They screw their head into these problems and say, 'gee, there are three or four ways we can do that'. And one of them may be something that would be a deeply penetrating capability," Rumsfeld added.
And, if he does, will we find out about it sooner or later?
Regardless of how "small" or "targeted" these things are, and regardless of any justification about how they might "compare favorably" with some more conventional weapons, there is some scary symbolism surrounding letting the nuclear genie out of the bottle again. I don't think these people understand that.
Funny how the Cato Institute was blaming terrorism on U.S. intervention a few years back. Why do they hate America so much?
Ah, double standards.
Yet most attention has been focused on combating terrorism by deterring and disrupting it beforehand and retaliating against it after the fact. Less attention has been paid to what motivates terrorists to launch attacks. According to the Pentagon's Defense Science Board, a strong correlation exists between U.S. involvement in international situations and an increase in terrorist attacks against the United States. President Clinton has also acknowledged that link. The board, however, has provided no empirical data to support its conclusion. This paper fills that gap by citing many examples of terrorist attacks on the United States in retaliation for U.S. intervention overseas. The numerous incidents cataloged suggest that the United States could reduce the chances of such devastating--and potentially catastrophic--terrorist attacks by adopting a policy of military restraint overseas.
Ah, double standards.
Moonie Monday
“I want to salute Reverend Moon who is the founder of the Washington Times and of the new paper here,'' said Bush, who was reported by the Washington Post to have been paid $100,000 for his Buenos Aires appearance.
“A lot of my friends in South America don't know about the Washington Times but it is an independent voice,'' said Bush. ''The editors of the Washington Times tell me that never once has the man with the vision interfered with the running of the paper, a paper that in my view brings sanity to Washington DC.'' (Reuters November 26, 1996...Note: in fact the first editor/publisher on The Washington Times, Mr. James Whelan, quit the paper calling it a "Moonie paper" and saying he had "blood on his hands" for helping it gain respectability)
[...]
All these people should know better. My daughter would tell me over and over how in their recruiting films they would show Moon with Bush to impress young people. They use the films of Moon and Bush and other celebrities to reassure parents that it is okay that their children are on the streets selling flowers 18 hours a day." (Washington Post, July 30, 1996)
[..]
"Since God has been carrying on His dispensation through the Christian church, He and we are responsible to convey this message to the Christians first. Until our mission with the Christian church is over, we must quote the Bible and use it to explain the Divine Principle. After we receive the inheritance of the Christian church, we will be free to teach without the Bible." (Syung Myung Moon, The Master Speaks Chapter 7 1965)
From the invaluable Moonie Primer.
Sunday, November 17, 2002
Can someone please explain to President Little Boots, and while they're at it our media and Congress, that he is not the commander in chief of the American people, and not the commander in chief of his staff, and not the commander in chief of congress, but simply the commander in chief of the military?
His failure to understand that distinction might be cute and funny, except for the fact that it implies he believes our country is a military dictatorship.
Woodward says the president told him that when he chairs a meeting he often tries to be provocative. When Woodward asked him if he tells his staff that he is purposely being provocative, Mr. Bush answered: "Of course not. I am the commander, see?"
No Dan Rather, he isn't your commander-in-chief. Or mine.
His failure to understand that distinction might be cute and funny, except for the fact that it implies he believes our country is a military dictatorship.
Woodward says the president told him that when he chairs a meeting he often tries to be provocative. When Woodward asked him if he tells his staff that he is purposely being provocative, Mr. Bush answered: "Of course not. I am the commander, see?"
No Dan Rather, he isn't your commander-in-chief. Or mine.
More liberal media.
think he would be a very interesting candidate. The question is, whenever you have candidates like that, though, such as like Bob
Kerry in the past and so forth, can they make it through a Democrat primary, and I'm skeptical.
BLITZER: He's a very smart guy.
LIZZA: He's a very smart guy. He's a Rhodes scholar, obviously he's a Vietnam vet. The interesting thing is what I've seen him say
on Iraq is not the hawkish position, he's not taking the hard-line position, he's actually worried that what we're doing in Iraq might
harm the war on terrorism.
BLITZER: He's been dovish. He's been much along the lines of Colin Powell on this whole issue.
LIZZA: But could be a great vice presidential candidate for a Democratic nominee who doesn't have national security bona fides.
BLITZER: He spent a little time in the last few weeks in New Hampshire. I know that because I've had him on my shows and we've
interviewed him from New Hampshire.
MALVEAUX: We've got a president who has not served, and you can't contest a president who has not served with someone
who...
BLITZER: Bush was in the guard.
MALVEAUX: That doesn't count.
BLITZER: What do you mean?
MALVEAUX: Well, he went AWOL.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Let's move on, let's move on
Crosstalk was Wolf desperately trying to shut her up.
"I do not need to explain why I say things. — That's the interesting thing about being the President. — Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation."
Here.
Here.
Stiff yer illegal hires
It's the Republican way! I'd call it stupid, 'cept they'll get away with it. Which means it's called Smart Strategorizing!
Don't you EVER dare leave some stupid-ass comment about "democrats and homeless people."
Dozens of Prince George's County college, high school and even junior high school students say they got an unwelcome civics lesson when they were promised -- but never received -- payments of up to $125 to work the polls for Gov.-elect Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.
Under state election laws, it is illegal for candidates to pay so-called "walking-around money" to Election Day workers distributing materials on their behalf.
The students, numbering between 40 and 50, are the second group to surface with allegations of apparently illegal activities on behalf of
Ehrlich's successful campaign.
Nearly 200 homeless people recruited from a Washington, D.C., shelter said they also were recruited and worked the polls in Prince George's County for Ehrlich.
Don't you EVER dare leave some stupid-ass comment about "democrats and homeless people."
Now we can add collusion...
There didn't actually need to be explicit collusion between energy firms for them to have been able to manipulate the energy market in CA. But, unsurprisingly there was some.
Dick Cheney should resign over this, frankly.
"What's happened in California, I would argue, is they've taken the route of saying, 'well we can conserve our way out of the problem. All we have to do is conserve. we don't have to produce any more power.' So they haven't built any more electric plants in the last ten years in California and today they've got rolling blackouts, because they don't have enough electricity. They've got rising prices. They've got a whole complex of problems that are caused by relying only on conservation and not doing anything about the supply side of the equation."
Wonder if these people ever tire of being wrong. Probably not, as the liberal media never calls them on it.
A report made public Friday by federal regulators reveals in stunning detail how two energy companies appear to have conspired to drive up power prices during California's energy crisis.
The disclosure comes just days after the companies -- Williams Cos. of Tulsa, Okla., and AES Corp. of Arlington, Va. -- received subpoenas from federal prosecutors who are investigating whether they and other firms manipulated energy prices in 2000 and 2001.
According to the report, Williams and AES employees discussed prolonging an outage at one Southern California power plant in spring 2000 to take advantage of higher prices that the California Independent System Operator was paying to replace the missing power.
Dick Cheney should resign over this, frankly.
"What's happened in California, I would argue, is they've taken the route of saying, 'well we can conserve our way out of the problem. All we have to do is conserve. we don't have to produce any more power.' So they haven't built any more electric plants in the last ten years in California and today they've got rolling blackouts, because they don't have enough electricity. They've got rising prices. They've got a whole complex of problems that are caused by relying only on conservation and not doing anything about the supply side of the equation."
Wonder if these people ever tire of being wrong. Probably not, as the liberal media never calls them on it.
David E. alerted me to this lovely letter to the editor:
There are a couple more there, too.
As an English instructor at Cal State Bakersfield, I
regularly read your Commentary page to show my students
how to create a logical, well-crafted, succinct argument. I
also get to read Vincent, whom I would like to personally
thank. One of the hardest concepts for my students to
grasp is the notion of a fallacious claim.
Fortunately, I can regularly turn to Vincent for examples
of ad hominem, poisoning the well and the genetic fallacy.
Rather than presenting her claims or logically critiquing
those of her opponent, Vincent -- choosing to ignore the
argument itself -- consistently attacks a claim's
environment, whether that be the person making the claim,
the present circumstances surrounding the claim or the
history in which the claim was fashioned. Her
commentaries never fail to provide my students with
examples of illogic at work.
Matthew Woodman
Bakersfield
There are a couple more there, too.
Haven't we been here before...
Agencies Monitor Iraqis in the U.S. for Terror Threat
By DAVID JOHNSTON and DON VAN NATTA Jr.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 — The Bush administration has begun to monitor Iraqis in the United States in an effort to identify potential domestic terrorist threats posed by sympathizers of the Baghdad regime, senior government officials said.
The previously undisclosed intelligence program involves tracking thousands of Iraqi citizens and Iraqi-Americans with dual citizenship who are attending American universities or working at private corporations, and who might pose a risk in the event of a United States-led war against Iraq, officials said.
Some of the targets of the operation are being electronically monitored under the authority of national security warrants. Others are being selected for recruitment as informers, the officials said.
In the event of an American invasion of Iraq, officials would intensify the program's mission through arrests and detentions of Iraqis or Iraq sympathizers if they are believed to be planning domestic terrorist operations.
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