tdaxp

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Open Thread XVI

by tdaxp ~ November 4th, 2008

It’s Election Day.

A day for democracy.

A day for your voice to be heard.

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127 Responses to Open Thread XVI

Edgewise
November 4th, 2008 at 4:05 am
“Alaska Board Clears Palin in Trooper Case”
By James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 4, 2008; Page A04
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/03/AR2008110303043.html?hpid=topnews
Edgewise
November 4th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Ego and Mouth
by Thomas Sowell
Friday, October 31, 2008

http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/31/ego_and_mouth?page=full&comments=true
Edgewise
November 4th, 2008 at 4:12 am
“Remember the Panhandle!”
by Elizabeth “The Anchoress” Scalia, 11/03/08

http://theanchoressonline.com/2008/11/03/remember-the-panhandle/

And as of 6:03 am EST (yeah, first person on line!), I’ve done my part.
Now it’s up to the rest is up to the rest of ya’!

Wait for the proverbial Fat Lady, folks, don’t forget to wait….

“I am not a conservative. I am a man of the Right. I shall vote the straight Republican ticket for as long as I live.”–Whittaker Chambers
Edgewise
November 4th, 2008 at 4:14 am
BTW, folks–UNHAPPY Anniversary:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZmEwZDYxYjJlMmJhNTFlYTBhMjhkMmZiOTdhYWFjN2U=
tdaxp
November 4th, 2008 at 4:15 am
My initial contribution to the open thread:

Tom [1] linked to a mushy-headed post at Democratic Core [2] that is emblematic of what is wrong with our political system. The centerpiece is that the author denies that there is such a thing as human nature… in support of this he brings up Greek philosophy and movies.

I see equally well thought out posts by Creationists, insisting there is no Darwin by bringing up Darwin and movies.

Human nature (that is, some traits are both heritable and normative) is one of the most established facts of psychology. That human nature includes cooperative-competition (a preference for team-based conflict), at least in males, also is very strong.

And then there’s bizarre nonsense like this:

On the other hand, if you believe that if there is such a thing as human nature, it is best exemplified by Lucy and her descendants, highly opportunistic scavengers who only developed the use of violence as a survival technique fairly late in the day and after human beings were well on the road to civilization, then you are more inclined to see the evolution of economic systems and the development of social and political institutions, rather than the inevitability of inter-state warfare, as the most important forces shaping international affairs.

Chimpanzees, for heavens sake, engage in terrorism. Every transitional species between us and them have been killed off. The less developed a civilization is, the more likely its members are to die of violence.

Also imbued in the article is a weird determinism, that if human nature comes down to this trait or that, then we’re doomed to interstate war and economics is powerless to create peace. Or something.

[1] http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/2008/11/kagan_must_be_read.html
[2] http://democraticcore.blogspot.com/2008/09/pernicious-myth-of-human-nature.html
[3] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/11/03/science-technology-engineering-mathematics.html
Azb
November 4th, 2008 at 4:53 am
I came here from the other post. I’m not sure when you say this

“Also imbued in the article is a weird determinism, that if human nature comes down to this trait or that, then we’re doomed to interstate war and economics is powerless to create peace. Or something.”

Have you read any of the Kagans work? That’s the source of the determinism that Democratic Kore is trying to criticize. The whole article is an attack on neo-con fatalism about the human condition. Well that and Kubrick’s determinism, which he weaves into his criticism of Kagan. The whole point of the post is to refute “a weird determinism, that if human nature comes down to this trait or that”.

I think you need to go reread the post, he is saying almost the exact opposite of what you think he is saying.
Glenn
November 4th, 2008 at 5:23 am
I was going to write an entry about that post Barnett linked, but you did the job for me…Why would he link such, well, crap?

How is everyone spending the election tonight? I’m going to catch a train to Casablanca and enjoy an open bar at Rick’s Cafe to handle the pundits talking their heads off about useless topics. Just show me stats baby!
tdaxp
November 4th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Glenn,

Presuming tonight is as bad for McCain as it is looking, then the drama will come from whether the GOP can hold 40 seats, as well as the fate of the equal rights campaigns in Colorado and Nebraska. [1]

Azb,

At best, it is as if Democratic Core read an article making strange claims about gravity, and then proceeded to insist “there is no such thing as gravity,” “gravity is a pernicious myth, etc.”

DC’s very first sentence:

The belief that “human nature” includes instinctual drives towards aggression and violence has caused much mischief.

begins his attack on the idea as human nature. I’ve read nearly identical stuff from Creationists.

There’s a lot else to argue in the piece (the supposedly hyper-efficient human cooling system, the nature of military adveturesomeness, the quality of Kubrick’s movies, the behavior of primates, etc.), but if DC can’t even get the big things right, why argue the small ones?

[1] http://www.supertuesday2008.org/article_10_20_08.html
sonofsamphm1c
November 4th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Effectively, the GOP has to hold about 43 seats – maybe even a couple more.
purpleslog
November 4th, 2008 at 7:06 am
For tonight, I have a bottle of Sprecher Special Amber [1] chilling.

Part of me hopes it is over early, since I can’t stay up all night and expect to function at work at 7am.

I plan to be in bed at 10:30am. I will watch returns until I fall asleep.

–

[1]
http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/beer.php?cat=1
purpleslog
November 4th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Several Milwaukee area school districts are part of the financial mess [1] [2]:

Five Wisconsin public school districts have made an investment gamble that could force taxpayers to finance multimillion-dollar bailouts.

The districts – Kenosha, Kimberly Area, Waukesha, West Allis-West Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay – have piled up debt in deals to help fund health insurance and other non-pension benefits for retirees. But as global financial markets have seized up, the districts have been told the value of their investments has fallen so much that they might need to come up with a combined $53 million to avoid default.

Specifically:

• Kenosha might need almost $8 million in additional collateral or risk default on $28.7 million.

• Kimberly might need to put up $1.5 million more or risk default on $4.3 million.

• Waukesha might have to come up with more than $13.3 million in additional money or risk default on $50.5 million in bonds.

• West Allis-West Milwaukee might need to come up with $26.8 million or risk default on $72.4 million in bonds.

• Whitefish Bay might need to come up with $3.8 million or risk default on $9.7 million.

The investments, in controversial instruments known as collateralized debt obligations, highlight the bind confronting many school districts and municipalities, which face liabilities from retirement benefits promised decades ago and are struggling to pay for them without raising taxes.

The districts believed they were taking only a small risk by borrowing money at rates lower than the returns they expected from the CDOs. But if the investments don’t pan out and the districts have to come up with more money to fix them, taxpayers could be responsible for paying for even more debt.

Wisconsin is a state with citizens ability for Recall elections, but I haven’t heard any rumblings yet.

–

[1]
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20081103/0238422716.shtml

[2]
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/29431514.html
tdaxp
November 4th, 2008 at 7:19 am
More election day good news:

Deepening trade ties between Taiwan and China [1]

Chen was the highest-ranking Communist Chinese official ever to visit Taiwan. Since arriving Monday, he has been greeted by scattered anti-China demonstrations. Protesters lit fireworks outside his hotel Tuesday, and a small crowd scuffled with police outside the venue where Chen attended a dinner banquet.

For nearly six decades, Taiwan banned direct flights and shipping with China, fearing Beijing might attack with bombers and warships disguised as civilian vessels.

But the rivals began relaxing restrictions on flights in July when their envoys met in Beijing. They signed a confidence-building deal then that allowed 36 weekly flights from five mainland cities.

Tuesday’s agreement — which becomes effective in 40 days — more than tripled the number of weekly flights to 108. It also allowed planes to take off from a total of 21 cities. Under the deal, cargo planes can also begin flying the route, with 60 allowed each month.

Malaysia recognizes Kosovo [2]

Olberman at Phatic Communion! [3]

[1] http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iXt7bR7vvawb-V4evDadgE8i5NQQD9485BH02
[2] http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gJ9mLfaw38hRkhmowFavzm1xSrmwD945UI9G0
[3] http://www.phaticcommunion.com/archives/2008/11/affleck_as_olbe.php
Glenn
November 4th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Purpleslog

Might I suggest binge drinking? The great college American past time. Might ease the pain

TDAXP

You also forgot about Proposition 8 [1], very important to see this fail. You misunderstood me, the pundits debating trivial issues. I’m very much with you to see equal rights pass. There is great deal more riding on this election that meets the superficial eye. Sadly, I can only get Al-Jazeera here. :S Where is CNN International when I need it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_8_(2008)
purpleslog
November 4th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Hah, my college drinking days are long behind me.

One cold Sprecher in a frosted mug is enough to make me sleepy.

This year has been a big drinking year for me.

All year I think I have had 6 beers, 6 Mike’s Hard Lemonade and a glass of wine. That’s alot for me.

That was a Saturday in college.
Eddie
November 4th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Purpleslog,

I had not realized so many school systems got into that nonsense as well. It is bad enough that sizable cities and counties are getting into the act.

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSN1452823620081014

After the wave of personal bankruptcies likely to happen this winter in the face of maxed out credit accounts, this will just be the cherry on top.
Eddie
November 4th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Glenn,

Indeed. I hope Prop 8 fails as much as I hope the end to affirmative action occurs across the country wherever it is on the ballot.
tdaxp
November 4th, 2008 at 9:50 am
I have never seen a line on campus as long, as the student voting precinct line. I imagine most of the voters are for Obama.

Some voter intimidation in Pennsylvania. [1] I wonder if Obama’s FBI will prosecute those man for violating the citizens’ civil rights?

As I oppose social engineering by judicial fiat, I of course support Prop 8.

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCeD1RcJjAg
Eddie
November 4th, 2008 at 10:20 am
CQ has the round-up on what will be the most interesting votes of the night: the ballot initiatives.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000002982539

I am glad South Dakota has pushed forward with a more pragmatic abortion ban. I hope it can pass muster at the Roberts Supreme Court.

I am happy Michigan is considering authorizing a controlled medical marijuana program.

Measure 60 in Oregon is huge (it removes seniority pay for teachers and installs merit pay). Let’s hope it passes.

Prop 11 in California is about taking redistricting out of the political parties’ hands and into the hands of a bipartisan commission. Excellent idea!
purpleslog
November 4th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Milwaukee County had a wave of successful recall elections a few years back in wake of a pension fund scandal which has crippled the county’s financial situation leading to massive reductions in the bus system and in our once great park system.

So far I have heard no rumblings about recall elections for the school board member who have screwed up their districts.

I must just have to get the ball rolling myself.

Strangely, the County Exec is considering a similar financing scheme [1].

I give the odd at 1-in-6 that Milwaukee country declares bankruptcy within 10 years.

–

[1]
http://purpleslog.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/more-financial-quackery-planned-by-milwaukee-county-gov/
Eddie
November 4th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Dan,
Agreed about the judges, but I disagree about Prop 8.

There can be reasonable conservative opposition to Prop 8. The best case against it I have seen is from conservative Patterico here:
http://patterico.com/2008/11/01/no-on-proposition-8-allow-gay-marriage-in-california/

As well, the opponents of gay marriage in California have stooped to emotional arguments wrapped around the Bible so I lack respect for such nonsense.

After I had to endure a 10 minute lecture from a guest “pastor” at my church (a church I will no longer attend) about the evils of gays recruiting children and the gay agenda for America, I have become even more convinced of the vapidity of their Biblically-based arguments.
Eddie
November 4th, 2008 at 10:25 am
School boards are outdated fiefdoms anyway.
Brent Grace
November 4th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Via a the new Google Time Machine, I just received two Emails from the year 2012. Each appears to be from an alternative timeline; one timeline where Obama has a very sucessful first term and the other from a timeline where Obama’s first term is an Epic Fail.

November 10th, 2012
To: DNC, DCCC, RNC
CC: Fmr Governor Huckabee, Fmr Governor Palin, Fmr Speaker Pelosi, Fmr Majority Leader Reid, Senator-Elect Piraeus, Governor Jindal, Amb. McCain, Amb. Clinton
From: POTUS
Subject: My reelection campaign

Greetings and salutations ladies and gentlemen
I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of my supporters who assisted in my reelection campaign. When I came to Washington I asked the American people not just to take a chance on me, but to take a chance on themselves as well, because I knew that we, as a nation, were ready to face the challenges before us if we could find a way to put aside the smallness of our partisan politics. I stand in owe in the progress we have made in these last for years, and I am humbled that the American people once again saw fit to ask me to lead them in this wonderful journey.
I would like to start by congratulating governors Palin and Huckabee on a well-fought campaign. We certainly had a number of vigorous debates about the future of this nation, but in the end I was truly moved by both concession speeches. Governor Palin, as a father of two daughters I found your candidacy an inspiration to little girls everywhere. Governor Huckabee, your speech the day after election about the progress that has been made since your boyhood in the segregated south moved both the first lady and myself to tears. I sincerely hope you will consider my offer to join us in the New Year as my health and human services secretary.
To former speaker Pelosi and to former Congressman Rangel and former Senators Reid, Boxer and Feinstein I have to say: sorry I had to throw you guys under various buses over the last four years and I hope that you are all enjoying a relaxing retirement. I appreciated your help early in my administration in getting my energy and healthcare bills passed, and I regret that we were unable to get the tax bill we wanted do to looming deficits. I am aware that many Democrats believe that my repudiations of various bills and proposals you made contributed to Democratic loses in the House and Senate in 2010, but I wholeheartedly believe that the American people sent me to Washington not just advance some abstract philosophy, but to work on real solutions to the issues that plague the middle class. On a happier note, I must say that Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Clinton and I have built a very constructive relationship.
To Ambassadors McCain and Clinton, I hope you two are enjoying India and China, respectively. John, we fought a hard campaign, but I appreciated the assistance you gave me in getting my energy bill through the Senate. I also appreciated the wise council you offered in dealing with the deteriorating situation in the former nation of Russia. And President Clinton, your assistance in constructing the Camp David Plan for peace in the Kashmir region was invaluable. Each of you gentlemen is a true statesman and I look forward to continuing our work over the next 4 years.
I would be remiss, of course, to talk about the Camp David Plan without mentioning the wonderful work done by Senator-Elect Patraeus. The COIN plan you enacted in Waziristan in 2009 started a chain reaction that minimized Al Qaeda’s presence in the region and provided enough breathing space for India and Pakistan to begin making real progress in resolving the Kashmir issue. I still believe that the Democratic Party has a tent big enough to include a man with your more conservative values sir, but I am equally certain that your service as an elected official will be as successful as your service in uniform whatever party you represent. And I must add that your address to the Republican Convention earlier this year was magnificent, eclipsed only by the moving “A Nation of Immigrants” speech offered by Governor Jindal. I must say that I am glad my time in elected office will be finished before you gentlemen decide to run for the highest office, because either of you would be a worthy opponent for anyone in my party.
In closing, 2008 was a dark year for our country. We were demoralized by turmoil at home and uncertainty abroad. Our nation was mired by style of politics that emphasized divisive issues and treated policy as a game of winner-take-all. I am proud to have been a small part of a switch from the politics of winner-take-all; to the politics of we are all in this together.

Sincerely
President Barack Obama

November 10th, 2012
To: POTUS, DCCC, DNC
CC: Fmr Rep. Pelosi, Fmr Sen. Reid, Lame Duck President Obama
From: Palin-Jindal ‘12 Campaign
Subject: Thanks guys!

Hi guys
I’ve got to tell you, 4 years ago I never dreamed I would be writing this Email! I mean who woulda thunk that little Sarah Barracuda would ever beat a sitting president in a close election? After John and I lost the election in 2008 all the experts I talked to said that our goose was cooked and that the GOP would become a minority party baring some kind of disaster from within the Democrats. Insofar as you guys were instrumental in causing the destruction of your party, Governor Jindal and I send our sincere thanks.
I guess our path to victory really began during the transition. Although then President-Elect Obama gave a rousing speech in the wee hours of November 5th, all his fancy talk of post-partisan politics and pragmatic solutions fell by the wayside when then-House Speaker Pelosi and then-Senate Majority Leader Reid began announcing their legislative agendas for 2009. Why, just think, if you guys hadn’t spent so much time in January and February fighting to enact the Fairness Doctrine and card check laws, Obama’s health care plan might have gotten somewhere.
Of course President Obama and Fmr Vice President Biden didn’t help matters much when, in February of 2009, just as the new president was trying to get his cabinet approved, Vice President Biden gave an interview where he said that he thought the Charlie Rangel bill which would have nationalized 401ks “Made some sense”. Things only went downhill from there as President Obama first tried to defend the comments, comparing Biden to an “old uncle who says goofy things”; then trying to distance himself from the comments by saying that “Joe Biden does not represent my views or for that matter the views of this administration”; finally culminating in the now infamous “Throw Biden under the bus” speech, which reportedly contributed to Biden’s decision to resign the vice presidency in early 2010, ostensibly for “health reasons”. I have to tell you guys, watching the mini civil war that erupted as Hillary Clinton angled herself to be appointed VP, and then watching her announce that she would now be an independent when Obama refused her request was very entertaining.
I have to admit, you guys were dealt a lousy hand. The recession assured that you guys would never be able to enact your promised tax cuts or that second stimulus plan. And the skyrocketing unemployment rate was not helped by the “Fair Trade” bill passed narrowly in the Senate and overwhelmingly in the House that required the U.S. to only trade with nations that paid their workers a “fair wage”. I guess it’s ironic that the bill that guaranteed the Democrat’s defeat in 2010 was also the first bill repealed by the new Republican majority in 2011. By the way, I should tell you guys that Senators Rice and Romney, and Senators elect Schwarzenegger and Giuliani also send their thanks for the way you guys ran things these last four years. But the good news is that unemployment has finally fallen back to the single digits (9.8%!) for the first time since early 2009.
Of course it must be noted that not all Democrats deserve thanks. The 50 or so Dems who quit their party when Fmr Speaker Pelosi tried to cram the assault weapons ban down their throats; thus killing the ban and probably stopping the GOP from picking up several seats in rural districts in “red” states. And Senators Webb, Clinton and Lieberman, who, along with Senators McCain and Voinovich, formed the moderate caucus in mid-2009, promising to focus on pragmatic solutions to energy and healthcare. Thank goodness you guys did so much to punish their efforts!
In closing, 2008 was a dark year for Conservatives. Many worried that we had lost our way; others felt that we needed to rethink our philosophy. Lucky for us you guys were more interested in settling scores than with governing. It turns out we didn’t need a new philosophy, all we had to do was let you guys rerun all your old liberal arguments and then point to the mess you made. Once again, Vice President Jindal and I offer our thanks.

Sincerely
President-Elect Palin,
Vice-President-Elect Jindal
And the RNC.
tdaxp
November 4th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
As the emails from the future make clear, the better a job Obama does at governing, the harder life will be for Republican politicians.

I hope Obama does a good job.

Eddie may think religious arguments he disagrees with naturally fail some religious test [1], but the bigger problem is that courts have been subverting the democratic process in order to push their form of social engineering. This is the same sort of blindness to consequences and impatience with process that gives our country (uniquely in the Old Core) a crippling cultural war.

Our democratic process allows soft “caboose breaking.” Judicial fiat creates a much more dangerous — and fragile — system.

Milwaukee comes across as horribly incompetent. Compared to what I read on PS’s blog, even the worst excesses of the City of Sioux Falls (say) come across as textbook good management!

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/03/19/should-there-be-a-religious-test-for-office.html
purpleslog
November 4th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Brent both of those scenarios have happy endings. I assume in the unhappy Marxism triumphant scenarios that Google time machine doesn’t exist?
Eddie
November 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Dan,
As stated, I disagree with the courts intervening on gay marriage the way they did in California. I think that sort of action is wrong-headed and imperils the democratic process.

Yet, I cannot support a ban on gay marriage argued for on purely religious grounds (as the non-religious grounds simply do not make sense or pass the feasibility test). Sadly, this is the only anti-gay marriage argument its opponents have left.
tdaxp
November 4th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Eddie,

As stated, I disagree with the courts intervening on gay marriage the way they did in California. I think that sort of action is wrong-headed and imperils the democratic process.

Agreed.

So why reward the proponents of such initiatives by allowing them to defend their policies as the status quo, instead of advocating them as the innovations they are?

Yet, I cannot support a ban on gay marriage argued for on purely religious grounds (as the non-religious grounds simply do not make sense or pass the feasibility test). Sadly, this is the only anti-gay marriage argument its opponents have left.

The proper conservative [1] argument against them is that novel and exotic social engineering is likely to be as dangerous, risky, and full of unknown unknowns as novel and exotic financial engineering. [2]

Purpleslog,

Not only will he pay your mortgage — he will also cure cancer! [3]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Burke
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exotic_instruments
[3] http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/11/barack_obama_paid_your_mortgag.asp
Brent Grace
November 4th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Purple:
In the the Marxist scenario, Google’s R&D department is transformed into collective farm. No technology, but I hear the turnips are delicious!

But seriously, in my “bad” scenario unemployment has been in the double digits for several years and its possable that the Fairness Doctrine has been inacted, killing talk radio.It may not fit a textbook definition of Marxism, but it would be pretty scarey to live through.
purpleslog
November 4th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Here is another scenario in the after math of a McCain victory and a hardball Dem Congress:

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/?p=41141&cp=1#comment-2109221

Clint Says:
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:32 AM

Don’t forget that McCain is a Senate veteran.

If the new Congress really wanted to play hardball like that I think we’d see all kinds of interesting returns.

For example:
- mass use of the Recess Appointment to bypass a Senate that refuses to confirm his nominees

- directing executive departments NOT to spend earmarked appropriations and other “line items” — effectively asserting an indirect line-item veto

- Sarah Palin actually presiding over the Senate, carefully advised in the more obscure rules of order by several of McCain’s closest friends in the Senate

- strong, unflinching use of the veto, including a willingness to keep the government on “continuing resolutions” for years, if necessary — all the while using the Bully Pulpit to assure the American people he’s fighting against ridiculous spending excesses

John McCain’s spent his whole life fighting and winning battles from a much, much weaker position than that of the weakest President in our history. I look forward to seeing the Congress try to relegate him to insignificance.

I think McCain would quite enjoy himself.
Mike
November 4th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Purpleslog,

How dare you taunt the rest of us with the thought of Sprecher Amber (sound of angel choir)! Actually, since they got rid of Sprecher Fest in bottles I lost faith in them. Alas, here in the Sonoran desert, home of president-elect McCain, we only have access to west coast swill (and Leinie’s – but that doesn’t compare to Sprecher or Capitol).

Here’s the true maverick play. Put Palin in charge of a justice department pogrom to get rid of the “see no evil, hear no evil” elections section. Then tell Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago that he’s got more backing than Ness did from J. Edgar Hoover. She’d love to root out the ultimate corrupt machine, and thousands of dead voters could finally rest in peace.

More later,

Mike
sonofsamphm1c
November 4th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I really don’t think the Fairness Doctrine would kill talk radio. It ran from 1949 until 1987, most of the Cold War. Talk radio came into existence while it was the rule of the airwaves. What allowed talk radio to flourish was the changes in the AM music business environment. Under a Fairness Doctrine every talk radio host could repeat everything he has ever said when there was no Fairness Doctrine. Now, listening to that just might kill talk radio.
tdaxp
November 4th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
The Fairness Doctrine is of course a tax on conservative talk radio, as radio stations that run conservative program either need to play less profitable liberal talk radio.

Now that Obama’s run, he can choose to govern as a centrist (getting us off foreign hydrocarbons, getting comprehensive immigration reform through, etc.) or a liberal (card check, the fairness doctrine, etc.) Let us hope he chooses wisely.
Jeffrey James
November 4th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Dan, you beat me to it!

As I write this, McCain is giving his concession speech, and his words are quite moving so far.
Michael
November 4th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Good quote, encapsulates why economic dogmatism (of any stripe) turns me off:
“Each of these schools of thought-capitalism, socialism, ecologism-was inspired by a genuine desire to improve the human condition. But taken to extremes-reduced to isms-the stances they inspired can neglect factors crucial to long-term success. Even ecological concern, stretched to an ism, can neglect social, cultural, and economic interests to the detriment of the whole system. In short, holding one of these concerns as the ultimate goal often puts economy, ecology and equity at cross-purposes. So does measuring your performance by how well you are managing the bottom line liabilities that arise from these seemingly conflicting interests. ”

http://www.mcdonough.com/writings/design_for_triple.htm
tdaxp
November 5th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
As I write this….

Affirmative Action is not unconstitutional in Nebraska (good)
A nearly identical measure failed in Colorado (bad)
The homosexual marriage ban passed in California (good)

The common theme here are the conservative values of skepticism of government-run social engineering.
purpleslog
November 5th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
This would have messed me up bad:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/167581/output/print

At the GOP convention in St. Paul, Palin was completely unfazed by the boys’ club fraternity she had just joined. One night, Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter went to her hotel room to brief her. After a minute, Palin sailed into the room wearing nothing but a towel, with another on her wet hair. She told them to chat with her laconic husband, Todd. “I’ll be just a minute,” she said.
purpleslog
November 5th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
RIP: Michael Crichton

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,447384,00.html

“Jurassic Park” author and “ER” creator Michael Crichton died Tuesday at age 66, according to a statement from his family.

The novelist passed away in Los Angeles after a private battle with cancer. The family said his death was unexpected in a statement available on his Web site.
purpleslog
November 5th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
BTW, did anybody see the CNN “Hologram” thingy on election night? I mostly watched Fox but I did flick to CNN a few times. I saw the guy from the Black Eyed Peas on. He was a holgram on the set. It was cool and freaky.
tdaxp
November 5th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Now this from Purpleslog is cool and freaky:

One night, Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter went to her hotel room to brief her. After a minute, Palin sailed into the room wearing nothing but a towel, with another on her wet hair. She told them to chat with her laconic husband, Todd. “I’ll be just a minute,” she said.

I think Smitten Eagle left out “The Seductress” from his taxonomy of Republican candidates [1]!

[1] http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/6405.html
Brent Grace
November 5th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Quesiton/Prediction:’

Will Sarah Palin wind up replacing Ted Stevens in the Senate?

My vote is yes.
Michael
November 5th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
For sheer trippiness (especially when you read the comments section):

http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/bauhaus-pyramid.html
tdaxp
November 5th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
So Germany’s joining the crowded phony European pyramid market? [1] Wowza!

On Palin, Tom from a month ago [2]:

So while I don’t expect her to win with McCain, I could see Palin definitely growing into a major star role within the GOP, which would almost necessarily require her to unseat one of Alaska’s two senators sometime soon—clearly an opening in the making.

[1] http://catholicgauze.blogspot.com/2006/04/pyramids-of-easter-europe.html
[2] http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/2008/10/the_veep_debate.html
purpleslog
November 6th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Will Sarah Palin wind up replacing Ted Stevens in the Senate?

Well if he resigns or is expelled from the Senate and depending upon Alaskan law, she could run for the open seat or appoint herself to fill it.

My recommendation though, she should run for a second term as Alaskan Gov and pick 2 national issues to be heard about on: Energy and something else (maybe GOV reform).

The end of her second term will coincide with a Senate contest so she has an option…if she wants to hand out with US Senators. Personally, whenever I have gotten up close around politicians they have mostly come across as creepy, manipulative, or not so bright (or a combo).
purpleslog
November 6th, 2008 at 5:17 am
One more thing on Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter …how much did it suck to be them when they realized that Gov. Palin considered them harmless asexual beings not worthy of a single thought of modesty?
purpleslog
November 6th, 2008 at 5:21 am
Hey, I just think I just figured out who might be the anonymous McCain staffers that are that are trashing Gov Palin to the media.

My guess: the harmless (and now recently angry) asexual duo of Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter!
purpleslog
November 6th, 2008 at 5:37 am
Weird News #1:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_ODD_SWITZERLAND_TRAIL_OF_BLOOD?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Swiss police follow 12-mile trail of blood and find van bringing home the bacon
Buy AP Photo Reprints
Your Questions Answered
AP answers your questions on the news, from Somali pirates to executive pay under the bailout

KUETTIGEN, Switzerland (AP) — Swiss police can be excused for fearing the worst. Acting on emergency calls Monday night, they hurried to a rural road in northern Switzerland where horrified motorists reported a long trail of blood – what they believed was evidence of a brutal crime.

A police statement Tuesday said officers followed the blood for 12 miles to the town of Kuettigen only to find that a butcher’s supply van had spilled its cargo.

A barrel of pork blood had overturned inside. The van had been headed for a local sausage factory
purpleslog
November 6th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Weird News #2

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/ODD_ARRESTED_ROOSTER?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Ill. police take aggressive rooster into custody after it confronts a woman in brief scuffle

BENTON, Ill. (AP) — A rooster played chicken in the wrong town. That’s the word from the downstate community of Benton, where police took a rooster into custody after it allegedly confronted a woman and her child. Police Chief Mike O’Neill said the rooster has been bothering people lately, trying to keep them from getting where they want to go.

O’Neill said officers had enough on Monday and took the rooster into custody after what he described as a brief scuffle.

Nobody was injured and the rooster was thrown in an enclosed area near the police department.
sonofsamphm1c
November 6th, 2008 at 5:45 am
If there are any adults left in the Republican party, Sarah Palin will be boxed and sealed and lost in the warehouse.
tdaxp
November 6th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Purpleslog:

One more thing on Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter …how much did it suck to be them when they realized that Gov. Palin considered them harmless asexual beings not worthy of a single thought of modesty?

sonofsamphm1c :

If there are any adults left in the Republican party, Sarah Palin will be boxed and sealed and lost in the warehouse.

Republican intraparty politics — metaphorical or not — should not be so easily transferable to the San Francisco night club scene!
“Harmless asexual beings not worthy of a single thought of modesty” « PurpleSlog
November 6th, 2008 at 9:33 am
[...] Follow my logic which began at TDAXP’s blog…. [...]
Eddie
November 6th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Ugh.

Bobby Jindal, not Sarah Palin.

Mitt Romney, not Sarah Palin.

Mike Huckabee, not Sarah Palin.

Eric Cantor, not Sarah Palin.
Eddie
November 6th, 2008 at 9:52 am
And I mean that because every shred of her supposed “reform” record in Alaska as mayor and governor has been exposed as extremely exaggerated or outright made up.

I just do not see how the GOP will pick her in 2012. I want Jindal, Romney, Cantor… heck even Charlie Crist, before her.
tdaxp
November 6th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Jindal-Gingrich ‘12.
purpleslog
November 6th, 2008 at 10:51 am
I don’t Gingrich as VP or as President [1].

Gingrich is tool old and too off-putting.

He would be good as a domestic policy advsor.

Or put him in charge of a White House in-house think tank made up of some full time staff and 20 or $1-per-month people.

Its Gingrich’s policy ideas that are valuable.

–
[1]
http://purpleslog.wordpress.com/2006/11/29/newt-for-president-no-but-how-about/
purpleslog
November 6th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Eddie I don’t mind Palin at all. She may be to damaged from the successful ridicule campaign against her to recover at the national level.

Your suggestions are pretty good.

If Jindal can cleanup and turnaround his state, the nomination is his I think (from my PoV).

But hey, maybe Obama will turn out to be a successful pragmatic centrist. Maybe then I will vote for him in 2012.
Michael
November 6th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
“If there are any adults left in the Republican party, Sarah Palin will be boxed and sealed and lost in the warehouse.”

Please don’t say such a thing! Imagine what could happen if she got hold of the Ark or the Roswell remains . . .
Eddie
November 6th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Ah I forgot Gov. Mitch Daniels from Indiana. Cleaned that state up much like Jindal but in an even worse financial situation (really, a disaster).
tdaxp
November 6th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Please don’t say such a thing! Imagine what could happen if she got hold of the Ark or the Roswell remains . . .

The less that is said about that movie [1], the better.

Palin blasts “small” McCain aids, btw [2]

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/22/disappointing-sequels.html
[2] http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/11/sarah_palin_on_small_and_bitte.asp
Michael
November 6th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Good advice for any politician, not just Obama. For any person, really.

http://www.theroot.com/id/48726
tdaxp
November 7th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Following up on my initial contribution, the human nature thread [1] is ongoing. Here is my response:

. Obviously, there is such as thing as “human nature” in some sense, since we are creatures born with a particular genetic composition. However, this composition is multifaceted and in my view, only minimally understood. Any attempt to define “human nature” in a meaningful way lacks scientific validity and serves no useful analytical purpose.

The first sentences are correct, but the third certainly is not. Behavioral genetics [1], as just one example, is a field with firm methodologies, substantive findings, and important implications for understanding human nature.

The object of my criticism is the colloquial use of the concept of “human nature”, as in Kagan’s use of the term as being synonymous with the Greek concept of thumos, defined as a human instinct for violence and aggression. . I view this as a myth designed to advance and/or mask political and ideological agendas.

I’m not sure how colloquial “thumos” is. Certainly much of our political discussion seeks understanding from mythology and philosophy in areas where science could be helpful.

I’m not sure what such a “myth” of violence or aggression would be. Human nature is surely aggressive. Likewise it is cooperative. War, which has always been with our species, is a most striking example of both aggressiveness and cooperation. More advanced cultures reduce violence and make social conflict more peaceful, but this does not mean that competitive-cooperativeness fades away.

Your reference to chimpanzees engaging in “terrorism” is hard to fathom

I was referring to chimpanzee light infantry infiltration teams, who stealthily enter the territory of an enemy troupe, ambush hapless civilians, while crippling (but not killing them), forcing the enemy troupe to expend resources on social services that could otherwise have been spent on warfare, food gathering, tool building, etc.

Chimpanzee troupes also possess heavy infantry who engage in more conventional battles, in which conventional forces engage each other in an open field of battle in a test design to break the enemy’s center of gravity.

Other species engage in competitive cooperation as well (ants, bees, wolves, etc)., but as chimpanzees and humans share with each other capacity for imagination, pretense, and planning, only we and our closest cousins engage in wars that we can think about.

There is little evidence that homo sapiens engaged in the deliberate extermination of other hominids (even Neanderthals).

Every megafauna humans have encountered has either been driven to extinction or to the brink of extinction. Certainly some of this is simply from resource competition: we want their land, their food, their shelter, their skins, and their meat. I do not know why we should imagine the distant past as exceptionally peaceful, when neither we or our closest cousins the chimps are exceptionally peaceful.

I’m not sure why you see my post as epitomizing all that is wrong with our political system. If you are referring to the tendency of some bloggers to pontificate on subjects about which they know very little, I plead guilty. I trust other bloggers will do the same.

Blogging is a great opportunity to learn more. That’s why I blog.

My concern is of the philosophical baggage that so many debates carry. What do I care about what the Greeks imagined human nature to be, when we can study human nature and see for ourselves?

[1] http://democraticcore.blogspot.com/2008/09/pernicious-myth-of-human-nature.html?showComment=1226076060000#c4670690232909463475
Michael
November 10th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Today’s xkcd isn’t their funniest, but it is appreciable by anyone who’s lost a loved one.

http://www.xkcd.com/502/
tdaxp
November 11th, 2008 at 4:05 am
I’m finally able to listen to “Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State” without crying.

Losing a parent is so hard.
Michael
November 12th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27683226/wid/11915773?gt1=31037

It would be a sacrifice, but for only the cost of a plane ticket (food and lodging would be nice as well), I would be happy to do my part for Old Albion!
tdaxp
November 14th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
The Eye of Sauron!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/science/space/14planet.html?ref=science
Michael
November 14th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Hmm, you don’t suppose natives of that system are really ugly, fond of black robes or both?
Edgewise
November 15th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Folks, some bad movie screenplay(s)/TV series/novel(s)/comic book(s) waiting to be inspired by this:

“Stone Age Temple May Be Birthplace of Civilization”
Friday, November 14, 2008
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,452365,00.html

“Gobekli Tepe: The World’s First Temple?
Predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years, Turkey’s stunning Gobekli Tepe upends the conventional view of the rise of civilization”
By Andrew Curry
Smithsonian magazine, November 2008
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/gobekli-tepe.html

(On a more serious note, it appears we all have so much more to learn….)
Edgewise
November 15th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Furthermore, speaking of possible inspirations for bad fiction:

“The Torture Colony: In a remote part of Chile,an evil German evangelist built a utopia whose members helped the Pinochet regime performits foulest deeds.”
By Bruce Falconer

http://www.theamericanscholar.org/au08/torture-falconer.html

By way of Eve Tushnet, a post on 10/28/08 Tuesday
http://eve-tushnet.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html#6942123654766888808#6942123654766888808

As is often the case truth turns out to be at least as bad as fiction.

FWIW, here’s a couple of brief exchanges with a couple of bloggers about this:

http://silentservants.blogspot.com/2008/11/why-is-it.html

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2637028255542721391&postID=7009654868002955896&isPopup=true&pli=1

(for the last one one will have to scroll down a bit…)

Meanwhile, from that first blogger, come another story of a would-be “utopia”:

“Brian Tamaki announces plans for standalone community in South Auckland”
http://www.3news.co.nz/News/NationalNews/Brian-Tamaki-announces-plans-for-standalone-community-in-South-Auckland/tabid/423/articleID/77688/cat/64/Default.aspx
tdaxp
November 16th, 2008 at 9:02 am
This is now the most popular Open Thread in tdaxp history!

I am delighted at the community that has been built up. It is the best part of blogging.

Edgewise,

Interesting finds. The first remind me especially of Before the Dawn [1,2], and how the first cities preceded the first farms!

Michael,

Not to mention biased against hobbits! [3,4]

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2007/05/02/review-of-before-the-dawn-by-nicholas-wade.html
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Before-Dawn-Recovering-History-Ancestors/dp/1594200793
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bored_of_the_Rings
[4] http://www.amazon.com/Bored-Rings-Parody-Tolkiens-Lord/dp/0451452615
Edgewise
November 16th, 2008 at 11:32 am
“Throw SoCons From The Train”
by Dale Price, 11/13/08

http://dprice.blogspot.com/2008/11/throw-socons-from-train.html

EXCERPT:
__________________________________________________________
And 2008 was “a referendum on the social conservative agenda”? In what universe? The one where he tries to fend off Christianist hordes hurling their Bibles and rosaries at his mountain survivalist retreat, maybe. Abortion was mentioned at one debate (two if you count Saddleback). The issue was the economy, plain and simple, and big-spending Barack, with his promises of Much, Much More Spending won big and spending freeze Johnny lost.

Sounds like a referendum on economic conservativism to me. And economic conservatives lost.

Hey, I’m just using what passes for the logic in his argument.

Oh, and let’s not forget McCain explicitly campaigning on a more muscular foreign policy. Lost to the candidate of International Chat, big time.

Sounds like a referendum on foreign policy conservatism to me. And the hawks lost.

Any idiot with an axe to grind (and Mr. Johnson has a glittering collection) can spin up the same arguments, of comparable degrees of worthlessness.[...]
________________________________________________________

And while you folks are at it, follow the combox discussion below.

Just to cite one comment in particular, posted by one Matthew A. Siekierski (posted 11/14/08, 8:52 am):
__________________________________________________________
It’s amazing how many people forget that Congress has a worse approval rating than the President.

While the economy has been poor compared to the DotCom bubble of the Clinton years, it’s been much better than the media has portrayed it. ***To borrow from Bishop Sheen:

There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Bush policies. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Bush policies, which is, of course, quite a different thing.

For example, tax cuts for the rich (the poor don’t pay taxes, so it’s kind of hard to cut 0%). War in Iraq (for oil?). Loss of freedoms (have you been impacted by the Patriot Act?)

Now, Bush isn’t infallible like the Church, but with all of the negative reporting over the past 8 years, do people really hate what Bush has done to the country, or do they hate what they *think* Bush has done to the country.***[Emphasis added]
____________________________________________________________
tdaxp
November 16th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Lady of tdaxp and I watched Witness to Jonestown tonight [1] — it was extremely good. It’s a very moving ethnographic study of the People’s Temple. The documentary self-consciously avoids terms like “cult,” “escape,” etc. — it’s all the spookier for being objective.

Very well done.

[1] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27052411/
Eddie
November 18th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Shocked me when I read it but Al Gore has jumped off the loony train and rejoined sensible humanity.

http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=971eed4b-1dc8-4afd-a8fe-193c373286ac

Still the Gaia worshiper that he will always be, but he seems to have abandoned the fundamentalist rhetoric and become pragmatic.
tdaxp
November 18th, 2008 at 8:53 am
From the article:

With his op-ed, Gore has reversed the longstanding green lobby prioritization of regulation first and investment second. This reversal of priorities is crucial because cap and trade regulations, which would cap greenhouse gas emissions and allow companies to trade reductions, cannot work in the U.S.–and are not working in Europe. Clean energy alternatives remain prohibitively more expensive than fossil fuels. The result has been policymakers in Europe gaming the enforcement to avoid raising energy prices by very much. While Europe has established a price on carbon dioxide pollution of $40 per ton, that carbon price hasn’t stopped the continent from planning on building 50 new coal plants over the next five years.

Gore shifted because he knows that cap-and-trade, and most any new regulation, would raise energy prices–a political nonstarter during a recession. Taxing one part of the economy to invest in another, as cap-and-trade would effectively do, is not stimulus. By contrast, even the most conservative economists today believe that, in a period of serious recession bordering on financial collapse, the U.S. government should engage in deficit spending. Martin Feldstein, President Reagan’s famously supply-side economist, recently argued in a Washington Post op-ed that the federal government should invest $300 billion as stimulus. Many other economists think that number should be close to $500 billion a year for two years.

Thus, another important shift Gore made in his op-ed was his apparent embrace of deficit spending–rather than using money from auctioning pollution allowances–to fund these new investments. In his July speech, Gore said, “We’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet. Every bit of that’s got to change.” But now Gore appears to support the view that we should borrow money from China (and other foreign investors) to invest in clean energy.

This is remarkable. The focus on rewarding good behavior rather than punishing bad ones, the economic realism, the focus on general revenues rather than special use funds… all of these show good form.

Whether this is due to the influence of thinkers like Bjorn Lomborg [1,2] — or just the political reality that he now has a partner in the White House — Al Gore is talking sense. Let’s hope he can do some good.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B8rn_Lomborg
[2] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2007/10/12/review-of-cool-it-the-skeptical-environmentalists-guide-to-global-warming-by-bjorn-lomborg.html
Michael
November 18th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
On Gaia Worship: As long as I don’t have to see Al Gore dancing naked in the trees, I’m ok with it. *pause to shake horrifying image out of head*

Dan: Finally got around to reading that human nature blog post you link up top. Seems to me his mistake was much simpler–he confused the concept of human nature with a tendency of many people to use it as an excuse for inaction. Liked the paleontology debate!
tdaxp
November 18th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Michael,

Glad you liked it!

More on nature, red in tooth and claw: [1 - hat/tip to Lexington Green]

Studies suggest that warfare accounts for 10 per cent or more of all male deaths in present-day hunter-gatherers. “That’s enough to get your attention,” says Stephen LeBlanc, an archaeologist at Harvard University’s Peabody Museum in Boston.

[1] http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026823.800-how-warfare-shaped-human-evolution.html?full=true&print=true
Eddie
November 19th, 2008 at 9:50 am
More great news! Romney offers some common sense and management expertise for the Big 3.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print

In analyzing what has gone wrong, he finds the areas for reform and cooperation, something the UAW may actually be scared into accepting at this point. Profit-sharing, an end to the golden parachute retirement and the need for new management from outside of the auto industry.

If I was Obama, I would ask Romney to be my point man @ Commerce, or to head a public sector/private sector partnership to make American manufacturing more competitive. That is, if he won’t accept the post @ HHS. Yes he was a terribly flawed candidate for president, but he is an exceptionally smart and talented leader we need in office working.
purpleslog
November 19th, 2008 at 11:57 am
His OpEd is pretty good. He would be an excellent post-Chaper11 CEO for GM.

I think Daschele just got the nod for SecHHS.
Eddie
November 19th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Daschale might do well. Dan probably knows more about him (being an SD native) so I’ll await his view.

Excellent idea Purpleslog!
tdaxp
November 19th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Aaron might have more to say on Daschle…

Traditionally, South Dakota really didn’t have a partisan divide — the Republicans run the state government and the Democrats represent us in Washington. The coziness of the relationship was at its strongest when Bill Janklow was our Governor and Tom Daschle was one of our Senators. [1]

The last I heard, Janklow and Daschle were working together to sabotage the modernization of the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern railroad, which would bring coal from Wyoming out east. [2]

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2005/01/16/after-janklow-daschle.html
[2] http://southdakotapolitics.blogs.com/south_dakota_politics/2006/04/janklowdaschle.html
Edgewise
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
An ad for Congressional Motors’ 2012 Pelosi GTxi SS/Rt Sport Edition:

http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2008/11/lemon.html

(Of course it’s a joke [I think...]).
tdaxp
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Calculated Risk on a pirates [1] and citi [2]… and both:

“*SOMALI PIRATES APPLY TO BECOME BANK TO ACCESS TARP
*PAULSON: TARP PIRATE EQUITY IS AN `INVESTMENT,’ WILL PAY OFF
*SOMALI PIRATES IN DISCUSSION TO ACQUIRE CITIBANK ”

[1] http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/11/daily-show-pirates.html
[2] http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/11/cnbc-expect-citi-bailout-announcement.html
Michael
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Next time you pass near a video store or Netflix queue, see REVOLVER. It’s one of those movies where the term ‘mindfuck’ can be considered a high compliment.
Eddie
November 25th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Jindal is already leading the way.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122748834975151953.html
tdaxp
November 25th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Saw Revolver — an interesting film. I had assumed it was a Buddhist story (a Why has the bodhi-dharma left for the east with guns), though wikipedia suggsts a Kaballah influence.

I’m impressed with Jindal. Glad to see he’s taking health care seriously.
Michael
November 25th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I noticed the Buddhist elements too. Something else that struck me, though, was the similarity to 5GW. The ease with which they manipulated everyone’s perceptions to the point of creating a criminal mastermind where none exists (my guess is, Frau Blucher–err, Ms Walker was either an assistant or a con artist of similar piussance to Green’s tutors).
tdaxp
November 26th, 2008 at 5:08 am
It was not very strong, but I noticed the 5GW too. The attempt to hide in the noise, the manipulation of others so that they think they want what you want them to want, and of course the violence (an aspect of war that is often left out of 5GW!)
Eddie
November 26th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Very bad news if Obama attempts to follow through with this.

http://slate.com/id/2205326

This is the sort of extreme-left legislation that must not be passed in the Congress (hopefully the Blue Dog Democrats will save us from this).
tdaxp
November 26th, 2008 at 8:14 am
If FOCA (the Abortion Nationalization Act) is passed, the very best thing that could happen would be that it is ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, as part of a broader move to return the authority to regulate abortions to the states.

The best thing is that Obama is smarter than his liberal-left supporters.

I would imagine the most likely thing is it to pass the House, be filibustered in the Senate, and die there.
Eddie
November 26th, 2008 at 9:16 am
I could see it passing the House but still think in the end there are too many Southern and rural Democrats now. Nevertheless, I agree with you if it did pass, the best thing to happen would be a SC ruling against it.
tdaxp
November 28th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
While FOCA’s enemies have been very loud, Camp Obama has been silent on it (as opposed to the emphasis on the economy, immigration reform, etc). Hopefully this means it will quietly die.
Edgewise
November 29th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Seems like an interesting idea. Anyone care to weigh-in? (And be sure to check out the readers’ comments too.)

“One Cure for Financial Mistrust: Create New Banks”
By DENNIS K. BERMAN 11/25/08

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122757211390954799.html
Edgewise
November 29th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
What about reviving postal savings banks?

http://www.postmasters.org/legislation/latestnews/10_13.pdf

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2140966
Michael
November 30th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Assuming this company is on target, the debate over its test is a good guide to what’ll happen when genetic tests for mental acuity are produced.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/30genetics.htm

For all the hoo-rah over it, responsible use by a parent actually seems fairly easy–take the results, introduce the kid to the variety of sports indicated as good matches, let them decide for themselves if they’re interested.
purpleslog
December 1st, 2008 at 7:03 am
Edge…I think naturally there should be new banks opening, but they will start out as local, not national. In the Milwaukee area we have one that I know of. Entrepreneurs will tske care of this.

This might be a good time for a small bank to grow larger. The Feds might want to encourage this or target this for some capital infusions to really good small banks, instead of funding so-so- large banks.
purpleslog
December 1st, 2008 at 7:14 am
Edge…on Postal Savings banks…

It seems like a relic of the past to me. I know my father used them save money after he got out of the Marines but they were gone long before I was born.

The point of the postal banks was to provide banking services to poor people or at least those not served by the banks of that day.

I think Credit Unions cover a lot of the possible customers of a postal bank. Also, US citizens a can pretty easily auto-invest into i-bonds and the EE Savings bonds. Also, at least in the Milwaukee area, most large|mega supermarkets have branches of banks or savings banks in them offering banking services with extended hours.

So is there room for Postal Bank? I don’t know.

If they want to try, they should go for it and create a US Postal Service Credit Union and use post office as branches. It might work. Who knows?

I say they should it and let the consumers decide.

Of course, if this fails, does it mean stamp prices will go up?
tdaxp
December 1st, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Some of these benefits can be captured through making 401ks at work more widely available and opt-in by default, to some sort of baby-bonds [1] like tax credit.

Increasing the national savings rate is important. Not all of the old mechanisms will still work, but accumulating capital is still a good idea (depression economics [2] aside!).

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2007/09/28/clinton-right-on-baby-bonds.html
[2] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/11/29/the-return-of-depression-economics.html
Edgewise
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:10 pm
If a business or service organizes its own credit union, is it legal to open it to its customers? Then it wouldn’t be a real “credit union” anymore, right?
It would actually be a “bank.”
Edgewise
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:14 pm
This ancient (2006) article from the defunct magazine Business 2.0 helps to illustrate how hard it can be to foresee the future:

“How megamergers got cool again A look back at the golden age of M&A,
from 2006 to 2016.”
By Susanna Hamner, 9/18/06 (from the defunct Business 2.0 Magazine)

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/09/01/8384322/index.htm?postversion=2006091806

(Hmm…speaking of postal banks, I wonder it FedEx could get into the banking business? [Now there might be an idea....])
Edgewise
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
And going from putative futures to a (*possibly*-distorted?) past:

“Anti-fascist books available for free download”
by Dave Emory

http://spitfirelist.com/?page_id=269

Don’t know how “credible” these works are (and this is an *odd* website, IMHO), but they (and Emory’s brief reviews of them) make for some intriguing reading.

Lots of items in these books that could pique your interest, Dan, et al.

Hmm–the “Falange” one really caught my eye. 12/8 will be the anniversary of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines–I wonder how credible the book’s account of the infiltration/compromising of the civil defense agency is. Think of the implications for the post-911 world (or *even* post-888, for that matter).
Mark in Texas
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 am
Since it is not really appropriate for any of the other threads I’ll post this link here of Michael Crichton talking about people who seem compelled to tell other people what to do and whether that is a hard wired drive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGJrlFH_qTg&feature=related
Piseansindy
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:38 am
I am here at a forum newcomer. Until I read and deal with the forum.
Let’s learn!
purpleslog
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:25 pm
If a business or service organizes its own credit union, is it legal to open it to its customers?

It didn’t used to be. I am pretty sure it is now.

I think the US Postal Service should create a US Postal Credit Union and open branches in communities without credit unions or easy access banks to check out if their is interest. It can’t hurt.
tdaxp
December 7th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Piseansindy, welcome to the discussion!

The real banking reform we need is a way (once this crisis is over) to maintain liquidity while minimizing the number of banks that are “too big to fail.”
Edgewise
December 8th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Anyone recall Paul Erdman’s novel, “The Crash of ‘79″?

Check out this old ad reprinted on Coming Anarchy:

http://cominganarchy.com/2008/12/08/guess-whos-building-nuclear-power-plants/
Edgewise
December 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
This looks depressingly familiar:

“Chinese paper says whistleblowers are sent to mental wards”
By Andrew Jacobs
Published: December 8, 2008

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/08/asia/china.php
tdaxp
December 9th, 2008 at 4:16 am
Chinese governors are judged on year-over-year GDP growth, and given
pretty sweeping powers to accomplish it.

If you want something really depressing, go to the Petition Office in Beijing [1,2,3,4]. The Chinese Constitution guarantees a right of petition, and so people (mostly peasants) from all over the country go to the one office in Beijing where the petitions can be filed. Police from every province also mill around outside, trying to prevent their locals from ratting on them to the
central government.

Re: the Coming Anarchy piece, I have my own thoughts on peak oil [5]

[1] http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-09-06-139686765_x.htm
[2] http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20041107_1.htm
[3] http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2006/07/a-petitioners-village-in-beijing/
[4] http://levitator.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-rob-visit-this-is-photo-essay.html
[5] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/12/08/about-peak-oil.html
Eddie
December 12th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Great piece here on global warming politics.

http://www.the-american-interest.com/ai2/article.cfm?Id=463&MId=21
sonofsamphm1c
December 12th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Interesting article. Flatulence contains some methane, but the preponderance of farm animal methane comes from cows and sheep – they essentially burp it. I would guess that wild ruminant (deer, elk, moose,caribou, etc.) methane emissions dwarf other farm animal emissions.

Basically, it the cows – big polluters.
Michael
December 14th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
You may want to start a new Open thread soon, it looks like all the debates have collapsed.

For a beautifully written article on Iceland and its current situation, click here:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article5329762.ece
tdaxp
December 15th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Eddie,

Interesting link!

I’ve mentioend before that I view climate change as a useful lie [1]. Even Secretary-designate (and Nobel winner) Chu’s presentation is more talking points than substance [2,3].

I’m all for marginalization of the Clevelands of the world (Russia, Venezuela, etc.) [4], and a lot of clean energy policy helps us achieve that.

sonofsamphm1c,

I love steak

Michael,

I typically open up new open threads when the old ones have disppeared from the Recent Comments sidebar — so by commenting on the long wait, you prolonged the wait.

If you want to speed it up, may I suggest commenting on any of the 3000+ posts in the archives?

Re: Iceland and other microstates, the smaller size allows for more radical policies [5]. Thus, the best and worst economic policies in the world should both come from small states. [5]

The writer clearly does not like Gordon Brown!

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/08/09/in-europe-at-least-global-warming.html
[2] http://gas2.org/2008/12/14/steven-coal-is-my-worst-nightmare-chu-obamas-energy-secretary/
[3] http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2008/12/11/steven-chu-coal-is-my-worst-nightmare/
[4] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/12/12/the-clevelands-of-the-world.html
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalist_No._10
Eddie
December 18th, 2008 at 6:12 am
Looks like the first O-dividend (perhaps one of a very limited few that are nonetheless helpful to US policy while they last) has arrived.

“Portugal’s Offer to Help the US Close Guantanamo”

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1867163,00.html
tdaxp
December 18th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Eddie,

I assume you’re not serious, but that your post is just an attempt to deny Michael his dream of an Open Thread XVII.

We’ve been enjoying this ‘Bush Dividend’ for a while. [1]

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/world/europe/10resettle.html
Eddie
December 18th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Indeed. We could have a Christmas open thread right. Right away a healthy debate of best Christmas song and movie could erupt.

Well I think there will be a very short honeymoon period whereas the Euros do things we don’t expect them to do. You point to the only instance of the Euros agreeing to something like this, a year and a half ago. We need them to do it a lot more, unless Obama will be open to SECDEF Gates’ sensible suggestion that we can integrate the innocent into our own society.

Are you aware of his plan for a major policy address in a Muslim capital in his first 100 days? Do you think Jakarta would be a good choice? I would think there or India (given that India, next to Indonesia, has more Muslims than anywhere else) would be a great choice over the MENA cesspool contenders.
purpleslog
December 18th, 2008 at 11:52 am
We could have a Christmas open thread right. Right away a healthy debate of best Christmas song and movie could erupt.

I think that would be quite fun – song/performance-version.
purpleslog
December 18th, 2008 at 11:55 am
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122945959903711541.html

A pair of new surveys suggest buyers aren’t completely unwilling to buy a car from an auto maker in bankruptcy court, as long as the federal government is willing to play a role in helping the company restructure.

This contradicts the conventional view of Detroit auto makers that suggests consumers would shun a bankrupt auto maker over fears related to the resale value of a car, the warranty and the ability to secure service and replacement parts.

Merrill Lynch & Co. recently completed a study showing 90% of car buyers would consider purchasing a vehicle from a car company in bankruptcy court.
tdaxp
December 19th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Hmm… I’ll keep the Christmas open thread in mind…

PurpleSlog, Bush chose weakening Obama over listening to the WSJ [1].

Eddie, the address in a Muslim capital I am looking forward to is Tehran!

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/12/19/missile-offense.html
Eddie
December 19th, 2008 at 7:15 am
If any governor can escape this quandary, I think it could be Jindal. Then again, his decision-making here appears disturbing and irresponsible, not quite what I would expect from him. This may very well be the defining moment of his political career.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/us/19louisiana.html?_r=2&hp=&pagewanted=print
Michael
December 19th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Well, if you’re going to insist on keeping the thread open until past Xmas, here’s a time-waster for y’all.

http://zone.msn.com/en/chickeninv2/holiday_default.htm?gt1=29000
tdaxp
December 21st, 2008 at 5:54 am
Eddie,

Depressing news from Louisiana — perhaps I am just not seeing it, but Jindall’s accomplishments as governor aren’t what I expected from his resume.

Michael,

I got back from playing mah jongg and snow tubing last night [1] — that’s timewasting enough!

PS: The best way to get a new open thread by Christmas is to comment on posts in the archives, pushing this thread below the most recently commented ones!

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/12/20/snow-tubing.html
Eddie
December 21st, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Dan,

It is Louisiana though…

How about Gov. Mitch Daniels in Indiana? I have heard good things about him, especially how he dealt with that state’s budget deficit in the past.
tdaxp
December 21st, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Nope, but I find your malicious deferring of Michael’s dream hilarious.
Edgewise
December 21st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
FYI:

“Liberalism, Conservatism, and Families”
Fran Porretto, 12/12/08

http://www.eternityroad.info/index.php/weblog/single/liberalism_conservatism_and_families/

Obliquely-related–perhaps to be non-related at all, but presented as a kind of “thought experiment,” so to speak:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arengo

Now for something “cute”:

http://contrapauli.blogspot.com/2008/12/happy-slip-more-processed-meat.html

Yeah, ’tis a “Filipino” thing, but anyone should be able to get it.
(And I agree that the Best Gift is Money…. [works for me! (At least on the receiving end, anyway...])
Edgewise
December 21st, 2008 at 11:00 pm
BTW, anyone aware that some sort of “economic civil war” has been ongoing for some time?

http://www.velociworld.com/Velociblog/Oldvelocity/003316.html

Well, the author of the above doesn’t think so….
Edgewise
December 21st, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Just for fun:

http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/oneflag

Personally, I’m partial to Wonder Koch’s flag–flag #7, but I guess that’s just me

(7’s a lucky number, no?)
Edgewise
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Tom Cruise’s “Valkyrie” will be opening soon.
Whether or not any of you see this movie, I thought you folks might find this alternate-history essay by John Reilly (written back in 1997) to be interesting:

“If the July 20 Plot Had Succeeded…..”
http://www.johnreilly.info/j1944.htm

(IIRC, the historian John Lukacs has reached similar conclusions in one of his books….)
tdaxp
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Edgewise,

The two most interesting parts of the article on the July 20 plot you link to:

The problem with this analysis is that Germany still had a lot to bargain with after the British summer offensive in 1918, too, yet their army and government collapsed as soon as it became known their diplomats were treating for an armistice. No one wants to be the last soldier killed in a war, especially a soldier on the side that is clearly losing. The provisional government (the uninspiring General Ludwig Beck was to lead it) would have been unlikely to be able to control the situation. The Germans armies in the west would probably have simply melted away, rather than wait for an armistice. The government would not have been able to gain control in the homeland: Nazi Germany was a party state, one where the official civil service could do nothing without party cooperation. It would be possible to overcome the party only with the army, but the Home Army was barely sufficient to occupy Berlin. Whatever the Germany armies did in the east, they would have been unlikely to follow orders from Beck’s government in Berlin. Many more of the eastern units were SS after all, and even the regular army types were often committed Nazis. One suspects that they would have diverted whatever forces they could in order to take Berlin and reestablish a Nazi government. That government would then have tried to recoup matters in the west.

and

My guess is that the end result of von Stauffenberg’s bomb would have been to bring Himmler to power. It is not impossible to imagine him negotiating peace with either east or west. Of course, it is also not impossible to imagine him using nerve gas on the eastern front. For that matter, it is not impossible to imagine him making human sacrifices to Odin under the Brandenberg Gate. Perhaps the oddest fact about the very odd history of Nazi Germany is that Hitler was a moderate Nazi. Far more than Goebbels or Roehm, say, he was content to let civil society be, so long as his primary goals of expansion in the east and the extermination of the Jews were carried forward. Himmler, in contrast, may have been the most radical Nazi of them all. The regime he might have created would not have lasted long, but it would have been uniquely extreme.

I think it’s important to separate Hitler’s ‘moderate’ National-Socialism from the possibly meth-fueled madness of the last few years. Whatever coherent policy and strategy the fully-functioning Hitler had once been able to execute collapsed in 1944-1945.

Perhaps an analogy to the July 20 plot is the odd circumstances surrounding the death of Lin Biao [1]. The theory that one of the Leftist leaders of the Cultural Revolution and designated successor to Mao Zedong was conspiring with the Soviet Union to KMT to unite both China and the Communist world under a Breshnevian regime may not be true — but it proves that weird things can happen in the politics of personalities.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lin_Biao
Michael
December 24th, 2008 at 2:15 am
The Belgian comic strip Tintin is apparently coming to the big screen:

http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12795471&fsrc=nwlehfree

The author takes the opportunity to use it to illustrate differences between Continental European culture and that of the Anglosphere.
tdaxp
December 27th, 2008 at 8:02 am
My only familiarity with Tintin is seeing it for sell in Beijing, and references to it in Lost podcasts…

Wake me when they make a Penny Arcade [1], PhD Comics [2], or pre-96 Dilbert [3] movie

[1] http://penny-arcade.com/comic/
[2] http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilbert
Entrepanuerial Solutions to the Bailout (On the Baliout aka The Great Looting) « PurpleSlog
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