When the violent win blows the wires away:
— Not enough money to educate the next generation but plenty of funds to try to conquer Afghanistan!
— Krugman: “the Israel-is-always-right crowd has gravitated to people who don’t have any problem with the occupation — which means the American hard right, including the Christian right.”
— Why do Presidents even try to do anything.
— Senators filibuster deficit-reducing jobs bill to be pains in the ass.
Arcade Fire, “Month of May”.
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August 4th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
A big day for government scientists as BP completes static kill. They released an “Oil Budget” and testified on dispersant toxicity before Congress.
There’s more to the reports than hit the wires. Both are worth the read.
http://stateofthedivision.blogspot.com/2010/08/oil-spew-disposition-from-flow-rate.html
http://stateofthedivision.blogspot.com/2010/08/toxic-disperant-oil-mix.html
August 4th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Good heavens, just read this link to the TNR article asking why do presidents do anything….what a silly premise. And, as ever, its from a “political scientist”….oy vey.
How about they pass legislation even if it means they’re less popular because its what they ran for president to do…what an innovative idea! Perhaps Barack Obama wanted to move the ball forward on health care reform in this country, more than being re-elected. Perhaps Bush believed in the need to invade Iraq and cut rich people’s taxes when he announced his candidacy in 1999??
Its funny to me how really smart people can think really stupid things.
August 4th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Count me surprised that Krugman is willing to talk about Israel. He usually sticks to the econ/policy issues where he has the greatest credibility and leverage. The only case where I can recall that he went outside that realm was the Iraq War.
But it’s probably a good thing he did. I recall that Krugman came out in favor of withdrawal from Iraq in mid-2005, when few were willing to make this case. Within a few months, lots of people were saying it. Within a year it had become the consensus liberal position.
Hopefully opinions will change on Israel, too.
August 4th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Agree that the Bernstein article is, let’s count ‘em, 1300 words about nothing. Something David Brooks might pen.
As if a discussion about the quality of HCR passed or the forces that dictated its parameters are irrelevant.
August 4th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Its funny to me how really smart people can think really stupid things.
this is an explicit job requirement for all who write for Marty Peretz over at The New Racist
August 4th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
I wish that the Israel-Palestinian debate in America and Europe involved more real Israelis and Palestinians. Real Israelis and Palestinians appear sometimes but usually tend to be special guests. Both sides tend to pick the weakest and most straw men like opponent on either side when they have to debate the other side. It leds to pathetic conversations that generate a lot of heat and little light.
I want to see Greenwald or Walt on Weiss debate or at least have a blogging heads conversation with Yaakov Lozowick or Michael Oren. Have Chait debate an actual Palestinian nationalist from the West Bank or Gaza.
August 4th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
“And, as ever, its from a “political scientist”….oy vey.”
Paul?
August 4th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Krugman’s piece is spot on.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Matthew, do you listen to any music that’s not some hackneyed derivative of jesus&mary chain/my bloody valentine/pixies/and any one of utterly hundreds of ephebic shoegazing bands?
August 4th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Sorry. That sounded meaner than intended.
There just seems to be a glut of these sorts of bands.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
“I recall that Krugman came out in favor of withdrawal from Iraq in mid-2005, when few were willing to make this case.”
Well bully for Krugman. Some of us said we should never have gone there in the first place. But OK, making the case for withdrawal back in 2005 counts as genius compared to a lot of our asshat political class.
August 5th, 2010 at 7:44 am
My recollection is that Krugman didn’t support going in either, but I could be wrong about that.
Agree with Eduard about the music, I suppose Arcade Fire is the cream of the glut, but still. On the other hand, here’s Green Day Tuesday in Camden, kicking off the next leg of the tour. This is about 2 hours into their set, a fantastic performance and spectacle with the audience in the mix throughout. Zero navel gazing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoVGvj2Kagc
thanks for indulging.
August 5th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Apparently the left thinks kindergartners need remedial education.
August 5th, 2010 at 8:41 am
Ho ho ho, silly leftists! Thinking pre-kindergarten helps kids and achievement.
What will you think of next?
August 5th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
“Some of us said we should never have gone there in the first place.”
Krugman was among the “us” who said that. He was one of the very few high-profile commentators in the U.S. who was willing to take a strong, unambiguous stand against the war. He was able to see through the Bush administration’s con game much earlier than most of the idiot pundits, and that ability served him well.