TV world
By ADAM COHEN
In a modest but real way, the YouTube Democratic presidential debate on Monday night managed to inject real people into arid public policy debates.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The Anti-Reform Farm Bill (NYT)
ethanol based
Incredibly, the House is poised to approve a subsidy-laden farm bill more nearly suited to the Great Depression.
Incredibly, the House is poised to approve a subsidy-laden farm bill more nearly suited to the Great Depression.
Taxes in the Global Economy (NYT)
economics sadly unopposed
Where is the politician who will take an over-my-dead-body approach to future tax holidays and who will broach the need for new corporate taxes?
Where is the politician who will take an over-my-dead-body approach to future tax holidays and who will broach the need for new corporate taxes?
No Exit Strategy (NYT)
the nobody-believes-you effect
With a veto-proof majority, Congress will have to tell President Bush that prolonging the Iraq war for another two years will not bring victory.
With a veto-proof majority, Congress will have to tell President Bush that prolonging the Iraq war for another two years will not bring victory.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Just What the Founders Feared: An Imperial President Goes to War (NYT)
FDR not recalled
By ADAM COHEN
Given how intent President Bush is on expanding his authority, it is startling to recall how the Constitution’s framers viewed presidential power.
By ADAM COHEN
Given how intent President Bush is on expanding his authority, it is startling to recall how the Constitution’s framers viewed presidential power.
Phantom Voters in New York (NYT)
upstate rube menace
New York districts with prisons are wielding undeserved influence in county affairs.
New York districts with prisons are wielding undeserved influence in county affairs.
How the Energy Dice Were Loaded (NYT)
fewer tall buildings
There is a new reminder of how the Bush administration has squandered six years that should have been devoted to finding innovative answers to the big questions of oil dependency and global warming.
There is a new reminder of how the Bush administration has squandered six years that should have been devoted to finding innovative answers to the big questions of oil dependency and global warming.
What Would a Diplomat Do? (NYT)
suicide belts recommended
There is still a perplexing refusal by the Bush administration to do tedious but absolutely essential diplomatic prep work.
There is still a perplexing refusal by the Bush administration to do tedious but absolutely essential diplomatic prep work.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
FEMA Runs for Cover (NYT)
city of losers
How many times can the federal government let down the victims of the hurricanes that ravaged the Gulf Coast two years ago?
How many times can the federal government let down the victims of the hurricanes that ravaged the Gulf Coast two years ago?
Power Without Limits (NYT)
investigation called for
The Bush administration, which has been pushing presidential power to new extremes, is reportedly developing an even more dangerous new theory of executive privilege.
The Bush administration, which has been pushing presidential power to new extremes, is reportedly developing an even more dangerous new theory of executive privilege.
Vetoing Children’s Health (NYT)
medical costs are soaring because of third party payments
third party payments are needed because of soaring medical costs
you can actually figure this out if you're not liberal. side effects never trump good intentions, if you're a liberal.
rely instead on what used to work, namely charitable work by doctors, in the form of fees that are tailored to the ability to pay.
it used to be the standard economic example of variable pricing. all that's needed is that the product be nontransferrable, which is certainly true of medical services.
President Bush’s shortsighted ideological opposition to a highly successful children’s health program would leave millions of children without health insurance at a time when medical costs are soaring.
third party payments are needed because of soaring medical costs
you can actually figure this out if you're not liberal. side effects never trump good intentions, if you're a liberal.
rely instead on what used to work, namely charitable work by doctors, in the form of fees that are tailored to the ability to pay.
it used to be the standard economic example of variable pricing. all that's needed is that the product be nontransferrable, which is certainly true of medical services.
President Bush’s shortsighted ideological opposition to a highly successful children’s health program would leave millions of children without health insurance at a time when medical costs are soaring.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Overhaul in Albany (NYT)
less input from upstate rubes needed
The campaign finance reforms agreed to on Thursday by legislative leaders and Gov. Eliot Spitzer should be the beginning, and not the end, of reform.
The campaign finance reforms agreed to on Thursday by legislative leaders and Gov. Eliot Spitzer should be the beginning, and not the end, of reform.
Long-Delayed Security (NYT)
money recommended
As new warnings stoke the public’s fear of terrorist attacks, Congress is finally moving on some of the most important recommendations of the independent 9/11 commission.
As new warnings stoke the public’s fear of terrorist attacks, Congress is finally moving on some of the most important recommendations of the independent 9/11 commission.
The Iraq War Debate: A Reality Check on Military Spending (NYT)
peace process suggested
Defending Americans from today’s terrorists and other threats will require larger investments in diplomacy, peacemaking and eliminating dangerous nuclear materials.
Defending Americans from today’s terrorists and other threats will require larger investments in diplomacy, peacemaking and eliminating dangerous nuclear materials.
The Iraq War Debate: The Great Denier (NYT)
Americans spoken for
Americans want President Bush to explain how he will extract the troops and contain the bloodletting and chaos the war has unleashed.
Americans want President Bush to explain how he will extract the troops and contain the bloodletting and chaos the war has unleashed.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Trying Times Ahead: The Prospect of 60 Million Californians (NYT)
spay and neuter mexicans
By VERLYN KLINKENBORG
There’s a chance that a mid-21st-century Californian will look back in horror at the enormous consumption footprint of someone living in the state right now.
By VERLYN KLINKENBORG
There’s a chance that a mid-21st-century Californian will look back in horror at the enormous consumption footprint of someone living in the state right now.
Fighting AIDS Behind Bars (NYT)
needles shared
Public health officials now recognize that condom-distribution programs are integral to any meaningful AIDS prevention program.
Public health officials now recognize that condom-distribution programs are integral to any meaningful AIDS prevention program.
Where to Discuss the Nation’s Ills (NYT)
democrat rule showplace suggested
For next year’s final presidential debates, New Orleans should emerge hands down as the site for the debate that will be dedicated to the nation’s domestic problems.
For next year’s final presidential debates, New Orleans should emerge hands down as the site for the debate that will be dedicated to the nation’s domestic problems.
The Politics of Fear (NYT)
when Iraq can suppress organized groups large enough to work serious damage, then we'll exit.
if large groups can work unmolested with state aquiescence, one day US cities will disappear, and then we'll settle the matter directly in a few minutes.
avoiding having to make that choice is what the fight in Iraq is about.
Not doing the Iraqis a favor, but preventing a nuclear settlement in the future.
The Iraqis are fighting for us, as well as themselves.
By now, Congress surely can see through the president’s fear-mongering and show him the exit from Iraq that he refuses to find for himself.
if large groups can work unmolested with state aquiescence, one day US cities will disappear, and then we'll settle the matter directly in a few minutes.
avoiding having to make that choice is what the fight in Iraq is about.
Not doing the Iraqis a favor, but preventing a nuclear settlement in the future.
The Iraqis are fighting for us, as well as themselves.
By now, Congress surely can see through the president’s fear-mongering and show him the exit from Iraq that he refuses to find for himself.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
The Road Home (NYT)
moonbat left doctrine repeated is still moonbat left doctrine
It's a war on terror, not a war on Iraq.
We aren't going to allow organized crime jihadists to take over a state. Instead the state has to harass and pursue them so as to keep their organizational capability below what it takes to inflict serious damage anywhere in the world.
Once the Iraqis are stable enough to do it alone, as they'd prefer by the way, we can leave.
Then it's on to the next failed state, for both Al Qaeda and the US, to repeat it again.
Bush's confidence is the confidence of determination, not some sort of prophecy. It's a commitment of whatever it takes.
Unlike the NYT, which is the faint-heartedness of surrender which becomes self-fulfilling by making it seem that terror works.
The audience for the terrorist stuff you see is the NYT and their womenish readers. No audience, no terrorist strategy.
But soap opera pays in the news biz. It's the target audience. They tune in, news or no news, for the same simple-to-write crap, and their eyes are sold to advertisers. That's the news business model.
Part of the media hype is the serious-thinker posture that this soap is presented with. You are serious readers because you like soap opera, is the message. The women love it.
It's not adults we need so much as men. Unfortunately men won't tune in unless there's actual news, so they don't get any vote in the what's deemed worthy of print.
Every national debate is thus mediated by the tastes of soap opera.
As you see on the pages of the NYT.
Why fight jihadists? Because now modern weapons are too dangerous to fall into the hands of a group large enough to acquire and deploy them, and that size is falling.
The fight consists of keeping the odd organization below that size, not in eliminating every moonbat fanatic.
That requires infiltration, monitoring, encouraging the odd betrayal, and everything that the NYT is against.
The moonbat jihadist fanatic aims at eliminating the war, via media photo ops, and the NYT jumps to their bidding. As here today.
Assholes.
They want to eliminate the war because it's working.
It is time for the United States to leave Iraq, without any more delay than the Pentagon needs to organize an orderly exit.
It's a war on terror, not a war on Iraq.
We aren't going to allow organized crime jihadists to take over a state. Instead the state has to harass and pursue them so as to keep their organizational capability below what it takes to inflict serious damage anywhere in the world.
Once the Iraqis are stable enough to do it alone, as they'd prefer by the way, we can leave.
Then it's on to the next failed state, for both Al Qaeda and the US, to repeat it again.
Bush's confidence is the confidence of determination, not some sort of prophecy. It's a commitment of whatever it takes.
Unlike the NYT, which is the faint-heartedness of surrender which becomes self-fulfilling by making it seem that terror works.
The audience for the terrorist stuff you see is the NYT and their womenish readers. No audience, no terrorist strategy.
But soap opera pays in the news biz. It's the target audience. They tune in, news or no news, for the same simple-to-write crap, and their eyes are sold to advertisers. That's the news business model.
Part of the media hype is the serious-thinker posture that this soap is presented with. You are serious readers because you like soap opera, is the message. The women love it.
It's not adults we need so much as men. Unfortunately men won't tune in unless there's actual news, so they don't get any vote in the what's deemed worthy of print.
Every national debate is thus mediated by the tastes of soap opera.
As you see on the pages of the NYT.
Why fight jihadists? Because now modern weapons are too dangerous to fall into the hands of a group large enough to acquire and deploy them, and that size is falling.
The fight consists of keeping the odd organization below that size, not in eliminating every moonbat fanatic.
That requires infiltration, monitoring, encouraging the odd betrayal, and everything that the NYT is against.
The moonbat jihadist fanatic aims at eliminating the war, via media photo ops, and the NYT jumps to their bidding. As here today.
Assholes.
They want to eliminate the war because it's working.
It is time for the United States to leave Iraq, without any more delay than the Pentagon needs to organize an orderly exit.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Appreciations: Beverly Sills (NYT)
nice things to say thought up
By VERLYN KLINKENBORG
Ms. Sills represented her art as though she had been elected to the task, and she took the job of representing it seriously.
By VERLYN KLINKENBORG
Ms. Sills represented her art as though she had been elected to the task, and she took the job of representing it seriously.
In Politics, Money Is Trump Card (NYT)
unwashed opinions still rampant
If there is to be any hope of reining in the money blitz, the nation must press Congress to resuscitate the matching funds alternative in time for 2012.
If there is to be any hope of reining in the money blitz, the nation must press Congress to resuscitate the matching funds alternative in time for 2012.
Looking Outward on the Fourth (NYT)
God overlooked
Even in these very difficult times, the universal freedom described in the Declaration of Independence remains a fundamental truth.
Even in these very difficult times, the universal freedom described in the Declaration of Independence remains a fundamental truth.
Origins of Our Food (NYT)
moral discovery
There should be no compromise of the basic principle that consumers have a right to know where their food comes from before popping it into their mouths.
There should be no compromise of the basic principle that consumers have a right to know where their food comes from before popping it into their mouths.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Cats Among Us (NYT)
Maureen Dowd overlooked
No creature exemplifies the idea that domesticated animals chose domestication better than cats.
No creature exemplifies the idea that domesticated animals chose domestication better than cats.
The N.R.A.’s Senate (NYT)
unseemly pressure from rural hicks
Given a choice between helping local police combat illegal gun trafficking and helping the National Rifle Association protect rogue gun dealers, the Senate Appropriations Committee made the wrong choice.
Given a choice between helping local police combat illegal gun trafficking and helping the National Rifle Association protect rogue gun dealers, the Senate Appropriations Committee made the wrong choice.
Is Your Doctor Tied to Drug Makers? (NYT)
cynicism as politics
It’s no surprise that the pharmaceutical industry is appalled at proposals to set up a national registry of its gifts and payments to doctors.
It’s no surprise that the pharmaceutical industry is appalled at proposals to set up a national registry of its gifts and payments to doctors.
A Much-Needed Second Chance (NYT)
voters
Congress needs to pass the Second Chance Act, which would provide grants, guidance and assistance to states and localities that are developing programs to reintegrate former inmates into their communities.
Congress needs to pass the Second Chance Act, which would provide grants, guidance and assistance to states and localities that are developing programs to reintegrate former inmates into their communities.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
The City Life: Predatory Newcomers Flit About (NYT)
nature
By FRANCIS X. CLINES
It is a big deal on the West Side of Manhattan to spot a fledgling hawk with a tiny, already pernicious looking beak.
By FRANCIS X. CLINES
It is a big deal on the West Side of Manhattan to spot a fledgling hawk with a tiny, already pernicious looking beak.
Let Blair Be Blair (NYT)
peace process continues
The job of peace envoy is extremely challenging, requiring a leader of Tony Blair’s prominence and skills.
The job of peace envoy is extremely challenging, requiring a leader of Tony Blair’s prominence and skills.
Abuse of Executive Privilege (NYT)
congressional power grab approved
Congress is finally challenging President Bush’s campaign to trample all legal and constitutional restraints on his power.
Congress is finally challenging President Bush’s campaign to trample all legal and constitutional restraints on his power.
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