Monday, August 22, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Let's Play Our Bastard/Not Our Bastard
McCain 2009:
McCain today:
Late evening with Col. Qadhafi at his "ranch" in Libya - interesting meeting with an interesting man.
McCain today:
Looking ahead to a possible rebel victory in the civil war, John McCain said it will be very difficult to build a united democratic government there, due to the tribal rivalries.
"We've seen the difficulties with other countries who made this transition, but we will be rid of a guy who has the blood of Americans on his hands. We will be rid of a guy who has practised the worst kind of brutalities. And now it's going to be up to us and the Europeans."
McCain said he thinks the opposition forces can ultimately succeed in setting up a new government, aided by revenues from oil. He said he believes it is a "matter of hours, if not days" before Gaddafi falls.
The Impotence Of Jibber Jabber
Floating around out there is the basic idea that the presidential bully pulpit isn't very powerful. I can accept that no amount of presidential jibber jabber can force through policy (might be true, might not, but a reasonable argument). So, then, the entire point of presidential jibber jabber is simply the politics. It isn't the package, it's the advertising. Fair enough.
Has the focus on cutting the deficit for the past 20 months or so really been good politics?
Has the focus on cutting the deficit for the past 20 months or so really been good politics?
Sunday Bobbleheads
Face the Nation is on reruns for August apparently, and gives us an oldie but goodie from the year 2000, with John McCain, Terry McAuliffe, and Ed Gillespie.
This Week has GOP presidential frontrunner Jon Huntsman (only 53 cents on Intrade!) and Axelrod.
Meet the Press has Gibbs and Mitch Daniels.
Document the atrocities!
Just Have Your Assistant Take Care Of That
My post office is always full. People do lots of things there, but one thing they do is pick up packages. Often they aren't home when the postman tries to deliver.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Something Other Than Hippie Punching In Our Future
So in September new product will be rolled out. It will hopefully be more than hippie punching. However, currently all signs point to the administration pre-negotiating a deal (give us money for jobs and we'll take the blame for other future cuts!) instead of making the case that something needs to be done about jobs, and letting the Republicans provide their counteroffer.
No I don't know why they do things this way.
No I don't know why they do things this way.
Fringe Views
It really doesn't matter all that much whether the economy, according to somewhat arbitrary criteria, has another "recession." I think the true fringe view, where fringe means outside the Village, is that unending 9.0%+ unemployment is horrible and requires an appropriate policy response. The point is we never got out of the last recession, and whether GDP growth is barely positive or barely negative doesn't matter all that much.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
