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3.31.00
I've returned from seeing William F. Buckley. A great talk from him with a respectful
audience at Carleton College. Two points of his speech stand out: 1. Conservatives need to
talk about the importance of property rights. They should use the "slippery slope" argument
liberals use to protest any censorship. 2. All people (conservatives and liberals alike) should
appreciate the gifts of the ancients. Ideas like democracy, free speech, religious freedom, and
free markets didn't grow on trees. Smart people had to develop and promote these ideas.
Wise words from a wise man.
metajohn on Census 2000:
Remember to fill out every single intrusive question on those forms, otherwise buildings will burn down, mothers will be forced to bring their kids to work, and school children will be stuffed in closets!
I think he hates those commercials/propaganda as much as I do.
Gene Callahan defends buggy software:
But here in the real world, where resources are scarce, consumption involves choosing A while foregoing B. Software can be made more reliable only by leaving out features, or increasing the cost of developing it, or both. Consumers’ preferences in regard to this trade-off are embodied in their actual purchases.
Do you think this article is floating around Slashdot?
"In Praise of Bugs":
http://www.mises.org/fullstory.asp?control=404&FS=+In+Praise+of+Bugs
I go on vacation for a couple days and all hell breaks lose in Miami. If you're in my predicament, catch up at ElianWatch.
3.29.00
I will be gone for a few days. I'm headed to the Twin Cities to see
William F. Buckley. I should
be back blogging Friday.
3.28.00
We should read economics classics because, as Peter Boettke writes,
There are works in the past from which we can still learn important ideas which are useful for addressing the problems we find pressing today. Intellectual errors are made all the time, knowledge gained in one period can be lost due to the fads and fashion which govern the world of ideas, and as such there are genuine intellectual entrepreneurial profit opportunities for readers to discovery and exploit in the works of a Hume, Smith, Mises, Hayek and Buchanan.
"Why Read the Classics in Economics?":
http://www.econlib.org/library/Features/feature2.html
Edward Hudgins likes the public anger over intrusive census questions.
"Civics Lessons in the Census":
http://www.cato.org/dailys/03-28-00.html
I could handle Bill Kristol's "national greatness conservatism"--some kind of Teddy Roosevelt, activist conservatism. I even put up with his praise of John McCain. But now he's going off on the so-called "corporate interests" running the Republican Party. In commenting on Gary Bauer's feelings toward Pat Robertson, Kristol said, "Seeing Pat Robertson defend unfettered trade with China without mentioning his own interest there, to see Pat totally sell out to the corporate interests of the Republican Party, horrified Bauer and led him to reform instincts." In the same article, Kristol said, "Maybe after November, many religious conservatives will realize getting in bed with George Bush and surrendering to the corporate interests in the party was a mistake."
Kristol's throwing around the term "corporate interests" as much and as well as a Democrat. However, the fact is G.W. Bush wasn't annointed as the Republican Presidential nominee; he earned it by winning primaries and caucuses. Sure, many rich people raised lots and lots of cash for G.W., but as Steve Forbes knows, money alone doesn't win elections. Unless, Kristol knows otherwise, I don't think there's a cabal in some smoke-filled hotel room deciding who gets to be the Republican nominee.
This is just a continuation of Kristol's love affair with TR. TR was a trust buster who feared big business having too much power. To TR (and I assume Kristol), it didn't matter whether coercion was used or not. Big was bad in and of itself. Kristol has been critical of Republicans pushing for expanded trade with China. In light of news that China stole plenty of nuclear tech from us and their threats toward Taiwan, caution should take precedence. But simply attacking those who might gain from trade or some other policy without challenging their arguments is just as intellectually dishonest as Democratic attacks.
"A Political 'Heretic' Is Cast Out":
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16477-2000Mar25.html
To those who thought it was trickery on the part of Microsoft to integrate Internet Explorer into Windows, think again. Some people actually like their web browser more integrated with their other programs. Cheryl Parks-Schmid, LAN coordinator of IS at the University of Wisconsin-Extension, in Madison said, "We're looking at IE 5 because it works well with Web applications and is tied to Office 2000 features." Is Microsoft paying her off, or does she really feel that a browser tied to other programs is a real benefit? That depends on whether you think Microsoft is the "evil empire" or a good company we should respect.
"Little fanfare awaits Netscape 6":
http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/stories/news/0,4153,2473316,00.html
You have got to be really bored to track random flights. So I guess I'm really bored.
Flight Tracker: [via /usr/bin/girl] http://www.thetrip.com/ft/home/0,2096,1-1,00.shtml
Mickey Kaus thinks Robert Wright, author of the book Nonzero, is a Marxist. Not only that, he thinks Marx is a "Wrightist."
"Is Robert Wright a Marxist?":
http://www.kausfiles.com/archive/index.03.20.00.html
3.27.00
Saturday, the Wisconsin Badgers beat Purdue to go to the
Final Four in Indianapolis. Class-act
coach, Dick Bennett leads a team of scrappy, hard-nosed players into a semi-finals game with
Michigan State next Saturday.
"Wisconsin 64, Purdue 60":
http://www.jsonline.com/badger/ap/mar00/ap-bkc-west-wiscon032500.asp
Enter Stage Right has published my reaction to Judge Moore's ruling on the Elian Gonzalez case.
"Coddling Communist Trumps Boy's Freedom":
http://www.enterstageright.com/0400elian.htm
3.26.00
New York is sitting on a powder keg. A riot broke out after the funeral of Patrick Dorismond who
was recently killed by NYPD officers.
"Funeral Held for Shooting Victim in NYC Erupts in Violence": [via
Drudge]
http://www.foxnews.com/national/032500/dorismond.sml
If you have a mustache, you can work for Disney. But just don't have a beard.
"Disney lifts worker ban on facial hair":
http://www.marketwatch.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=ConXh0bebDxmTzgLZBMv5&FQ=v%25upi&Title=Headlines%20for%3A%20v%25upi%20
3.25.00
Cathy Young observes that if all guns were banned the U.S. would still have a higher murder
rate than Canada and Japan. Young writes, "Obviously, something is going on here other than
access to guns. What's more, over three-quarters of violent crimes other than homicide in the
United States are committed without firearms."
"When Liberals Lie About Guns":
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/03/13/guns/print.html
Why should the feds lower the gas tax? "In an era of record surpluses, lower-income Americans and those who must make their living driving want good highways and want Congress and the President to take steps to lower the price of fuel. Maintaining our nation's highways is not dependent on the federal gas tax. Cutting this tax is a good and fair step to help those who are struggling to make ends meet," say Angela Antonelli and D. Mark Wilson of the Heritage Foundation.
"Why Congress Should Cut the Gas Tax":
http://www.heritage.org/library/execmemo/em664.html
3.24.00
A new chaplain to the U.S. House of Representatives was installed yesterday. Daniel Coughlin,
a Catholic priest from Chicago was named to the post. This ends months
of political posturing by Democrats who claimed Republicans were anti-Catholic bigots because
the intitial choice wasn't a Catholic. Speaker Hastert (R-IL) wanted the first choice,
Charles Wright to meet the Democratic caucus, but they refused. Hastert bluntly offered his
concern, "Instead of hearing the positive voice of a Godly and caring man, the only voices we
hear are whispered hints in dark places that his selection is the result of anti-Catholic
bias." Democrats should be ashamed of using the position of House chaplain to attack Republicans
with untrue charges of anti-Catholic bigotry. Republicans and conservatives should be proud of
Hastert's eloquent words and straight-forward talk.
Speaker Appoints First Catholic House Chaplain:
http://www.speaker.gov/000323chaplain.htm
An arms control expert believes all Iraq needs to build a nuclear weapon is enriched uranium. The weapon could be put on a scud missile. Another reason to build a missile defense system.
"Iraq Close to Nuclear Bomb":
http://www.vny.com/cf/News/upidetail.cfm?QID=73466
3.23.00
The law is still an ass...
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public universities can squeeze cash out of students' pockets and spend it on any student group some panel sees fit. That ruling stems from a group of University of Wisconsin students who objected to having their student fees go to gay/lesbian groups and a socialist group. They thought it was a violation of their free speech rights. The court felt otherwise.
In an opinion, Justice Kennedy wrote, "The First Amendment permits a public university to charge its students an activity fee used to fund a program to facilitate extracurricular student speech if the program is viewpoint neutral." One HUGE problem with this statement: campus speech in never "viewpoint neutral." Rarely does cash go to conservative/libertarian student groups, but cash goes to any and all liberal/socialist/environmental/racial/victim-status groups who ask. I've got first-hand knowledge. Back in my college days, I sat on the committee that allocated student fees. Did I hear the sob stories of how everyone needed more money to make the campus "more diverse" and "inclusive." Then they would scream if you decided not to increase their funding or (heaven forbid) decrease it.
Another reason to go to a private school.
"Supreme Court: University student fees may go to controversial groups":
[via hit-or-miss @
Metafilter]
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/03/22/scotus.student.fees.ap/index.html
For the geek who doesn't think they look geeky enough.
E-Holster: [via
CrazyUncleJoe @
Metafilter]
http://www.eholster.com/
Eco-nuts are committing crimes in the name of saving the planet. What hogwash! These are punks who have a totally warped view of man. Their neo-luddite stance flies in the face of the progress Man as made. People are better off because of improvements in agriculture and medicine. If some animals had to be sacrificed, so be it. Better a rabbit or a monkey who can't acknowledge its own existence than you or me. But these people will continue to use telephones, fax machines, computers, the Internet, cars, and a host of modern conviences to continue to fight for their ridiculous and harmful cause.
"Eco-Terrorists Wreak Havoc":
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000323/us/eco_terrorism_1.html
3.22.00
My heart sank when I heard the news on the radio that Judge Michael Moore threw out the
lawsuit asking for an asylum hearing for Elian Gonzalez. I'm sure many of you TAM readers
also read ElianWatch and have been following the story, but I
want to offer some thoughts here too.
Elian's story caught my eye because it was a clear-cut case of good versus evil. Despite all the propaganda and poppycock spewed out by Castro's mouthpieces, Elian's mother brought him to the U.S. so he could live in freedom. No matter what Communist Cubans and their sympathizers say about Cuba's medical and educational systems, Cuba is the most oppressive nation in the Western Hemisphere.
But hope isn't lost. Elian's lawyers will appeal. If anything, it will delay Elian's forced return to Cuba. I don't have much hope in an appeal. The law seems to be on Janet Reno's side; but Dickens said, "The law is an ass." Elian's freedom depends on weak-kneed Congress passing legislation making Elian a U.S. citizen. Sign the petition, write and call your congressman. Let them know Elian deserves to live free from communist oppression. He deserves the freedom his mother gave him by giving up her own life. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but a little boy's life is at stake.
"Despite Ruling, Elian Still in Limbo":
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/03/21/cuba.boy.04/index.html
I didn't pay anybody at Netscape, but TAM is the first site listed in its weblog catagory.
Netscape's weblog list:
http://search.netscape.com/Computers/Internet/WWW/Web_Logs
3.21.00
Must have been a slow news day at
Wired News. Declan McCullagh did a story on T.J. Rodgers,
his love of capitalism, and grapes. T.J.'s great, but he hasn't done anything newsworthy in
a while. But if you have time, read his
reply to a nun who wanted
more women on Cypress Semiconductor's board.
"It's All About Capitalism":
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35051,00.html
schlyer at Neoflux comments on Florida state lawyers worried about tobacco companies going bankrupt:
But I thought these lawsuits were about protecting the population from tobacco's evil products? Wouldn't it be better for the health of the population if tobacco companies did go out of business? Not suprisingly, the governments are guilty of the exact same thing they accuse the tobacco companies of - being all about the money.
Why bother writing when I can rip off common sense from someone else.
Being pro-life is vital to being a libertarian (or classical liberal as I like to call myself). Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) feels we "have a vital task to perform: to persuade the many abortion-supporting libertarians of the contradiction between abortion and individual liberty; and, to sever the mistaken connection in many minds between individual freedom and the "right" to extinguish individual life."
"Being Pro-Life Is Necessary to Defend Liberty":
http://www.l4l.org/library/bepro-rp.html
If G.W. doesn't screw it up, Condoleezza Rice will be the first black Secretary of State. Take that all you sniveling, liberal, racial bean counters.
"Bush's Secret Weapon":
http://www.salon.com/politics2000/feature/2000/03/20/rice/index.html
3.20.00
I've joined Jish's weblogger's webring.
Weblogs.com is offering everyone their very own weblog. There's no excuse to not blog.
I already have theamericanmind.weblogs.com so you can't beat me to the punch. I'm looking over the features there and may move TAM. Of course, I'll let you know when/if that happens.
Paul Weyrich actually has something nice to say about a Republican. He writes:
A coalition works when each faction believes that it has enough at stake in the future to hang with the effort. Speaker Hastert is seeing to it that values groups believe that there is something at stake in Republicans continuing in the majority. What a far cry from two years ago when Jim Dobson was ready to lead everyone out of the Republican Party. As improbable as it seems, Hastert may just be successful.
"The Hastert Philosophy: Under-promise and Over-deliver:
http://www.enterstageright.com/0300hastert.htm
Drudge reports that flashes from gunfire during a re-enactment of the showdown at Waco match those on an infrared tape filmed during the stand off in 1993. Let's see how the FBI spins itself out of this one.
http://www.drudgereport.com/matt.htm
Ward Connerly writes:
Race is a scar in America. I first saw that scar at the beginning of my life, in the segregated South. And now, more than 50 years later, as we enter a new millennium, I know that it is still here -- prominent, disfiguring, often inflamed -- evidence of the terrible injuries of the past. Black people should not deny that the mark exists; it is part of our connection to America.
But we should also resist anyone, black or white, who wants to rip open the scar and make race a raw and angry wound that continues to define and divide us. Left to their own devices, Americans will merge and melt into each other.
"My Fight Against Race Preferences: a Quest Toward 'Creating Equal'":
http://chronicle.com/free/v46/i27/27b00601.htm
3.19.00
China is taking a wait-and-see approach to the election of Chen Shui-bian, leader of a party
that wants to declare independence from China. In relatively mild tones, Bejing said,
"The election of a new leader in Taiwan cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of
Chinese territory," and "'Taiwan independence' in whatever form will never be allowed."
"Taiwan Dumps Nationalists, China Watches":
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000318/ts/taiwan_election_24.html
"China Warns Chen it will Never Accept Taiwan Independence":
http://sg.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/asia/article.html?s=singapore/headlines/000319/asia/afp/China_warns_Chen_it_will_never_accept_Taiwan_independence.html
I'm working on a portal. Tell me what you think.
Wisconsin basketball won their biggest game in over 50 years by defeating #1 seed Arizona in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Mark Vershaw led the Badgers with 15 points, and guard Mike Kelly had 5 steals. Wisconsin will play LSU Thursday in Albuquerque, NM.
"Sweetness: Badgers' Defense Shackles Wildcats":
http://www.jsonline.com/badger/bkb/mar00/uw31800.asp
It's puzzled me why folks like Bill Kristol and David Brooks were so gung-ho over John McCain. Franklin Foer thinks its Straussian patriotism. He writes,
The best explanation for the affection neocons feel for McCain has nothing to do with issues. It stems from the fact that they're Jewish intellectuals, and being a right-wing Jewish intellectual is tricky. Like their forefather Leo Strauss, the political theorist, the neocons consider religious revivals a useful antidote to moral relativism and cultural decadence. But they also share with Strauss, and with many other Jews, a fear of religion (read: Christianity) playing too large a role in government. Strauss solved the dilemma by embracing a secular religion: patriotism. When you read Kristol and Brooks--both Strauss disciples-- writing jointly in the Standard, they seem to be making exactly this point about McCain: "McCain would redirect a religiously based moral conservatism into a patriotically grounded moral appeal. When McCain talks about remoralizing America, he talks in terms of reinvigorating patriotism."
"Arguing the GOP":
http://www.thenewrepublic.com/032000/foer032000.html
3.18.00
Angus Glashier was kind enough to add me to his
bookmarks page. He says I have
an "interesting perspective." In return, I will
officially make Where's My Latte? a part of the American Mind family.
Where's My Latte?:
http://aglashier.editthispage.com/
While the U.S. Presidential race is in a lull, Taiwan is holding an election that may greatly affect the U.S. There is a good chance Taiwan may elect a pro-independence President. If that happens, and Taiwan declares its independence, Communist China may invade. This isn't the first time China has threatened Taiwan during an election. The military staged wargames during elections in 1996. If China invades, the U.S. will and should come to Taiwan's aid. To not help, the U.S. would abandon its leadership position in the Pacific and would sacrifice a capitalist democracy to a communist/corporatist dictatorship.
The Chinese know the biggest threat to keeping Taiwan from formally breaking away is the U.S. That's why they have threatened to nuke the U.S. if comes to Taiwan's aid. While all this is happening, the Congress has been vocal in supporting Taiwan. But from the White House we hear nothing. That's not a surprise since the Clinton administration has no credibility on Chinese issues. The 1996 Clinton/Gore campaign took campaign contributions from communist Chinese, and their lax security at nuclear labs allowed China to have U.S. state-of-the-art nuclear weapons technology.
It's not an understatement to say that events in the next few days may be precursors to war.
"Taiwan Goes to Polls, China's Army Said on Alert":
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000318/ts/taiwan_election_6.html
"Republican Leader Accuses Clinton of Deserting Taiwan":
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000317/2044293s.htm
The Cox Report documenting technology transfers to China: [in pdf format]
http://www.house.gov/coxreport/cont/gncont.html
You've got to hand it to them, but the Clinton administration can get things done. By using bogus lawsuits as an extortion tool, they have gotten Smith and Wesson to agree to add trigger locks to all their guns, develop smart gun technology, and sell their product only to licensed dealers. It's very similar to what the administration wants in new federal gun control legislation.
The administration got what it wanted: more erosion of our second amendment rights; and Smith and Wesson got relief from "the crippling cost of litigation." Other gun makers may come aboard. When you don't have deep pockets (like Microsoft), phony lawsuits can force you to do just about anything.
"Smith & Wesson Agrees to Safety Measures":
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000317/ts/crime_guns_8.html
By now Iridium is no more. Because no one offered to buy the bankrupt satellite telephone provider, they shut down service. They will also begin to de-orbit the 66-satellite network and let the $5 billion investment burn up in the atmosphere. What a waste. At least it wasn't my money.
"Iridium Shutdown Set; No White Knight Emerges":
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000317/tc/telecoms_iridium_13.html
Ryan Oprea interviews Virginia Postrel and talks about her book The Future and Its Enemies. It's now out in paperback. Go get it!
Interview w/ Virginia Postrel:
http://www.restorationmag.com/interviews/oprea-postrel_november_1999.htm
3.17.00
Happy St. Patty's Day! Go find a resturant that serves corned beef or
make it yourself.
Along side your meal, have a pint of
Guiness. Then sit back and savor all things Irish: leprechans,
shamrocks,
Angela's Ashes,
the Titanic, and Riverdance.
Lenora Fulani ally and Reform Party Presidential candidate, Pat Buchanan spoke at Harvard U yesterday. His topic was campaign finance reform. He attacked AlGore for his Buddhist temple flap and G.W. for volunteering "his Pioneers to help raise $175 million for the RNC." He then declared, "The Party of Ronald Reagan is dead; its successor is little more than the bellhop stand of the Business Roundtable."
By moving to the Reform Party, Buchanan abandoned his conservative philosophy and replaced it fully with the populism he only played around with in the past few years. But his declaration that Ronald Reagan's party is dead is wrong. Asleep maybe, but dead no. When John McCain tried to win the Republican nomination by asking for Democatic and moderate votes, G.W. moved to the right by emphasizing tax cuts. The result was swarms of conservatives and republicans who voted for him. The Party of Reagan is alive, it just needs leadership to rally around.
"A PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES":
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/commentbuchanan.html
3.16.00
I've been meaning to link to SevenQuestions for some time. Tom Mangan asks various people seven
questions about their life, their loves, what makes them tick. If you think you're interesting
enough, you can even try to convince Tom that he
should interview you.
SevenQuestions:
http://sevenquestions.com/
X.com is offering a free S&P 500 index fund. Index mutual funds are already have some of the lowest fees around because the managers don't move in and out of stocks like actively managed funds. They're also merging with PayPal. Definitely a 21th century financial company to watch.
X.com:
http://www.x.com
I'm jealous of all the bloggers who got to meet each other at SXSW. I had no ability to travel to Austin, but it would have been neat to bang heads with some interesting people
Optical networking is hot, really hot. Fiber optics and lasers will pump megabites of data across the globe. LightReading.com covers the news and companies. Solid site, great pun.
LightReading.com:
http://www.lightreading.com/
3.15.00
The Washington Post has a story on Lenora Fulani's efforts to take over the Reform
Party. One question to Pat Buchanan and
WorldNetDaily
: why are you allying with a Marxist-
Lenninist? Not enough conservatives around? Maybe she has a nice personality.
"The Leftists in the Center":
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/politics/A10145-2000Mar14.html
3.14.00
Bill Joy, creator of Java and
Sun Microsystem's techo-guru, has seen the end of humanity. We're
doomed by our own creations. Super-intelligent computers plus genetic engineering plus
nanotechnology equals mankind's doom. Joy's fear is that no one is controlling our technological
future. "We are being propelled into this new century with no plan, no control, no brakes,"
writes Joy. He's even sympathetic toward the Unibomber. I haven't read the article yet, but
I already have a problem with his fear of lack of control. The reason the Internet and biotech
have such potential is people are free to experiment and play with new ideas. This will
continue when
nanotechnology becomes a reality. The future is uncertain. No one, not Bill Joy,
nor Bill Gates, nor Bill Clinton knows what the future may bring. Because of that uncertainty,
we should not miss out on potential break throughs and improvements just because we don't
know what the negative effects may be.
"New Technologies Imperil Humanity - U.S. Scientist":
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000313/tc/tech_threat_1.html
Neoflux on Bill Clinton and gun locks:
Good job on the child saftey trigger lock bullshit Bill. Everyone knows that the little 6-year old would not have shot the girl if only her crackdealing uncle would have been responsible with the gun and possibly put on the the child saftey lock. Yes, he may break the law in respect to drugs, but he takes the gun control laws seriously. I am also sure that whenever he sells some crack, he makes sure that the person is not driving.
3.13.00
Enter Stage Right has just published my review
of David Frum's How We Got Here.
"That 70s Book":
http://www.enterstageright.com/0300frumreview.htm
3.12.00
My Geek Quotient is 112.
Geek Quiz: [via /usr/bin/girl]
http://www.geekquiz.com/index.asp
Webloglog deflates those who put way too much in weblogs as new literary genre. I do it because it forces me to write something everyday. It's even fun. But a new genre? I don't think so.
Webloglog:
http://www.stanford.edu/~amathes/webloglog/
The U.S. has a potential quagmire on its hands in Colombia. It involves Marxists, death squads, and our War on Drugs. Definitely not a good combination.
"Waste Deep in the Big Muddy?":
http://www.intellectualcapital.com/issues/issue353/item8683.asp
3.11.00
USA Today has a good interview with G.W. Bush. He isn't going to be suckered into
weekly debates in exchange for a voluntary ban on soft money. But G.W. said "There's going
to be a lot of debates." He's also going to go after Gore for his support of Clinton during
impeachment and his campaign finance abuses. "I think all aspects of what has gone on in
this administration are fair game," said G.W.
"George W. Bush Q&A with USA TODAY":
http://www.usatoday.com/news/e98/e1335.htm
Virginia Postrel comments on some recent articles praising F.A. Hayek.
"We Are Not All Hayekians Now":
http://reason.com/opeds/forbes/032000.html
Bill Kristol loves Teddy Roosevelt so much he wants a replay of the 1912 election. He puts together a scenerio where Ross Perot drafts John McCain for the Reform Party, and he goes on to win in the fall. This would be just like TR's 1912 run on the Bull Moose ticket. One problem: TR lost, split the Republican vote, and let Democratic nominee, Woodrow Wilson win. During his administration, we got socked with the Federal Reserve, a federal income tax, and World War I. Kristol's so ga-ga over McCain, he'll risk electing AlGore, and let him put 2-3 liberal justices on the Supreme Court. That would seriously hurt the conservative cause.
"The Next Eight Months":
http://www.weeklystandard.com/magazine/super_tue/index.html
Want to find out what the FBI has on you? Glen Roberts offers this nifty fill-in-the-blank form.
Glen Roberts' FBI file form:
http://www.glr.com/fbiform.txt
John McCain wasn't sunk by his Virginia Beach speech where he attacked Pat Robertson and Jerry Fallwell. Rich Lowry says he lost because he ran to the left of Bush. Independents and democrats would have still voted for him because of his personality and biography. Lowry also says McCain lost because of his temperment and style. "But the peevishness and self-righteousness that characterize that speech and McCain’s 'evil' comments afterward, weren’t an aberation. They are why so many of the Arizona senator’s colleagues can’t stand him. They are fundamental to who McCain is. They also helped dictate McCain’s run-against- the-GOP strategy, since he’s a temperamental maverick with no interest in philosophical consistency or conservative ideology," writes Lowry.
"So Close, So Far":
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment031000c.html
3.10.00
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed an increase in the minimum wage. If the bill
becomes law the minimum wage would rise $1 over two years. Along with the minimum wage increase,
the House bill contained some tax benefits for small business. Clinton threatens to veto the
whole thing. With the usual demagogic tone, Clinton said, "Once again, Republicans in the House
of Representatives have demonstrated that they would rather fight for special interests than
give working families the raise they deserve." After almost eight years in office, Clinton still
doesn't understand that getting laws enacted requires compromise. Conservative House Republicans
conceded to the moderates so Democrats have one less issue to pound on Republicans this fall.
We'll see if Clinton really wants a minimum wage hike or an election issue.
"House Votes $1 Boost in Minimum Wage Over Two Years, Tax Cut":
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGITTI39N5C.html
Of course, government shouldn't set a minimum wage. Most economists know it squashes job creation, and the victims are usually the young and less-skilled. If there has to be a federally-mandated minimum wage, states should be allowed to set a lower minimum. This would allow states to take into account the particular economic conditions of each state.
"Minimum Wage Redux":
http://www.cato.org/dailys/11-01-99.html
3.08.00
The McCain lovefest can end now. G.W. beat him all over the country (except for New England).
Now, the general election begins with AlGore hammering G.W. on abortion and Christian
conservatives, and G.W. hitting back with Buddist temples and "no controlling legal authority."
It will be fun to watch, but eight months of it will drive me to drink
Everclear. And I'm a
political junkie.
"Al Gore, George W. Bush Set to Win Nominations":
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000308/ts/campaign_leadall_241.html
Why is WorldNetDaily giving space to the spaced-out Marxist, Lenora Fulani? My guess is it's because she's a Buchanan ally, and there must be a bunch of Pitchfork Pat fans at WND.
WND's Fulani archive:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/cgi-bin/htsearch?words=xcful&config=fulani
"What You Don't Know about Lenora Fulani Could Hurt You":
http://www.frontpagemag.com/archives/leftism/grann12-08-99.htm
3.06.00
I've been reading James MacPhearson's Battle Cry of Freedom. So far, I'm only up to the
1850s, but MacPhearson lays out the politics of the time so well. I've seen how sectionalism
trumped partisanship, and how a political party (the Whigs) died. The book has also solidified
my belief that the Civil War was a war about slavery. Sure, the South did claim the banner of
states' rights, but the number one right they wanted to defend was the right to own slaves. I
can't wait to read about Lincoln's war-time abuses of power. I'll keep you posted.
Deroy Murdock is tired of the NAACP obsessing over TV shows, while many Blacks are unemployed and trapped in worthless public schools:
The NAACP and the civil rights establishment desperately need a priorities transplant. Mfume and company resemble a family fighting over the remote control as their house burns down. While they promote employment for black thespians, suffrage for black felons and mercy for teen-aged black hoodlums in Decatur, Illinois, average black Americans have plunged from the radar of these so-called "black leaders."
"NAACP Not Ready for Prime Time":
http://www.enterstageright.com/0300naacp.htm
QB god Dan Marino might be heading to the land of 10,000 lakes. The Vikings are letting two good QBs go for a guy 1 or 2 years from retirement.
"Marino Finds a Taker in Minnesota":
http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2000/0305/403165.html
3.03.00
Mit Spears writes:
Until now, the potential breakup of Microsoft has been treated as some distant possibility. Consumer welfare has been discussed only in theoretical and abstract terms. Now that the Justice Department has shown its hand, perhaps we can shift the talk from mindless speculation about motives and strategies to substantive conversations about consumer welfare. It's high time.
"Consumers Need Microsoft": [via
Where's My Latte]
http://www.upside.com/Upshot/38ac95440.html
Angus Glashier is an interesting sort. He's against the death penalty and defends Microsoft. At least there are two of us running around the Net.
Where's My Latte:
http://aglashier.editthispage.com/
Jerry Taylor punctures a hole in campaign finance fans' giddiness. "Indeed, political science journals are full of persuasive rejoinders to the popular belief that campaign contributions can explain voting behavior," writes Taylor.
"In Politics, Money Can't Buy You Love":
http://www.cato.org/dailys/03-03-00.html
"Westminster is pretty much a competition among hairdressers." And I thought it was a dog show.
"Fufus & Fidos":
http://www.nationalreview.com/20mar00/goldberg032000.html
3.01.00
If John McCain wins the Republican nomination he'll have to deal with his role in the
Keating 5 scandal. The Boston Globe reviews McCain's role in it.
"Pluck, Leaks Helped Senator to Overcome S&L Scandal":
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/060/nation/Pluck_leaks_helped_senator_to_overcome_S_L_scandal+.shtml
Brent Bozell thinks McCain as Reformer is the same as Bill Clinton as New Democrat.
"'Reformer' McCain? Bunk": [via Neoflux]
http://www.mrc.org/columns/news/col20000224.html
Did you know "the Southern part of Arizona is proving to have as many fossils as Northern Arizona." Ooo! If only I was a archeology geek.
"Unique Fossils Plentiful in State":
http://www.azcentral.com/news/0229dinosaur.shtml
Sean Hackbarth
Writer/Bookseller
Allenton, WI
https://www.angelfire.com/wi/shackbar
shackbar@free-market.net
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