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Thursday, September 24, 2009Twitter ArchiveAn accumulation of old tweets that aren't in the rotation any more. Many of the links still work. Good stuff to read. Note: Some of the links may not work forever; if you find broken links, please report them. August 10, 2011 Timely piece by Paul Burka, "Dear Yankee," on things the media should know before writing about #RickPerry. http://bit.ly/niytpw Randy Shumway: problem in Utah higher ed funding -- price controls by any other name -- and a radical proposal. http://bit.ly/n87q9u Backlog: Thomas Sowell on debt ceiling debate, danger of Tea Party becoming a "rule or ruin" minority. http://bit.ly/p2qvKL Krauthammer says we're at the midpoint of an essential battle. First 6 paragraphs are valuable, general insights. http://bit.ly/q44EyM July 22, 2011 Senator Mike Lee of Utah, go get 'em. Thanks for calling a spade a spade. http://bit.ly/q5CDv8 Forbes' Richard Miniter says: Democratic Party as it now exists is doomed. Too optimistic, maybe, but interesting. http://onforb.es/pn4wdk Backlog: brief historical note re the Founder's commitment to eradicating slavery. http://bit.ly/nLZTqT July 20, 2011 Michael Barone: "What the Debt Limit Battle Is All About." The bedrock issue is whether to keep growing government. http://bit.ly/nn7DHT Mona Charen: "What the Democrats Must Ignore or Deny." Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Spain -- bad examples; Chile, good. http://bit.ly/p96LNm Backlog: The Left distorts the Constitution to prevent spending cuts. (But it's nice they realize we have one.) http://bit.ly/o7bFAr From the *way* backlog: Orson Scott Card is insightful on democracy in Egypt http://bit.ly/mYEVER and war in Libya http://bit.ly/p0kjm1. Backlog, Krauthammer: "Say it, Mr. President. Give us one single structural change in entitlements. In public." http://wapo.st/pQJvdD July 8, 2011 I've been on my city's nuisance abatement committee for years. I'm pretty sure the nuisance here is not the yard. http://bit.ly/pKyf0n Krauthammer on a president who isn't serious about debts, budgets, etc. http://wapo.st/oePchU July 7, 2011 This #WSJ editorial on debt limit debates and their political implications is worth reading, if not very happy. http://on.wsj.com/o0yZio NYT: Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former President George W. Bush don't see eye to eye, aren't on good terms politically. http://nyti.ms/oR0Nm Michael Medved on Jon Huntsman, Jr., his civility, a certain lack of substance, and the Republican Party these days. http://bit.ly/mTHi33 Jonah Goldberg: Accusations of racism became a generalized weapon. Now they're a punch line. http://bit.ly/pR0N9L July 6, 2011 Read NYT's David Brooks, "The Mother of All No-Brainers" http://nyti.ms/rv2Gug then Townhall's Guy Benson's response. http://bit.ly/nBCUAM July 3, 2011 Excellent economic insights in "Obama Didn't Save Union Jobs, He Saved Union Pay," by Paul Roderick Gregory. http://onforb.es/jvmB9j Doug Bandow offers an informative survey of religious liberty in many nations of the modern world. http://onforb.es/kKUaE3 George Will: ObamaCare is not just unconstitutional, but anti-constitutional. Good stuff on general principles, too. http://wapo.st/j2cKkp If any answer is welcome but the real one, and you've run out of alternatives, you might be Fed Chair Ben Bernanke. http://onforb.es/kNsgu8 Good George Will column. The First Amendment wins again. http://wapo.st/mCaO8y WSJ's Daniel Henninger is sobering on the debt, the real debt, the debt limit, and the election. http://on.wsj.com/lpthZ7 June 6, 2011 Backlog: Excellent Peggy Noonan essay, "What the World Sees in America." (Really, can we blame them?) http://bit.ly/iM7RW5 Backlog: Peggy Noonan remembers one of my heroes, Pope John Paul II, on a significant occasion a few weeks ago. http://bit.ly/kxAxty May 26, 2011 Excellent, long "Reason" article on the state of #education reform around the US, the major obstacles, etc. http://bit.ly/jZSU3s April 26, 2011 Federal government tries to force pharmaceutical company to change CEO. How is this not tyranny? http://on.wsj.com/ihvpFE Feds: Boeing is unionized in WA, so it can't build a new plant in right-to-work SC. How is this not tyranny? http://nyti.ms/gJwNCx Good Thomas Sowell column on the Donald Trump threat to Republican presidential hopes in 2012. http://bit.ly/hAHvt3 Sen. Lamar Alexander brings history to bear on unions, manufacturing (Boeing), and right-to-work states. http://on.wsj.com/gBS9SW April 14, 2011 Excellent William Deresiewicz #speech on #leadership, solitude, friendship, thinking, reading, and multitasking. http://bit.ly/gbCcRr April 13, 2011 Backlog: Good, fairly brief explanation of what's amok with the #Fukushima reactors, as compared to Chernobyl and TMI. http://bit.ly/gXJh8a Backlog: Krauthammer -- Soc. Sec. trust fund is empty, replaced by Treasury IOUs. Implications. (Not really news.) http://bit.ly/hrQFoA LA Times on Utah's new immigration law and backlash. Sez I: In 2012 we find out whether hotheads outnumber cool heads. http://lat.ms/dLRxAG February 28, 2011 Thomas Carothers in WP: "How not to promote democracy in Egypt." (Short version: take sides.) http://wapo.st/gE5vvc February 15, 2011 Heritage on the WH budget proposal: Suspicious that Pres. Obama's "spending cuts" aren't really cuts? Good instincts! http://bit.ly/eB2FEQ February 14, 2011 Reasonable GOP rookies in the Utah Leg.? Good! Had my fill of right-wingers pushing ideology instead of governing. http://bit.ly/hY2Hgz Dallin Oaks on the centrality of religious freedom, and current threats to it. http://bit.ly/dJzZEb January 21, 2011 Long, interesting National Journal on job creation, education, and related themes. http://bit.ly/i4BLie Charles Hurt, NY Post: "Chinese Tiger Ate US Dove for Lunch." http://nyp.st/dXxTzx December 13, 2011 From the (way) backlog: Heritage on what the Left doesn't understand about America. http://bit.ly/fqj2dp More from the (way) backlog: Lessons in leadership from George Washington. http://bit.ly/fU2EQ6 More from the (way) backlog: WSJ on some sensible ways for Republicans to chip away at ObamaCare. http://on.wsj.com/eqNyYE Conspiracy theories to explain Obama's failures. (From the "any answer but the real one" file.) http://bit.ly/hldCQ5 Quoth Will: "liberalism's principled refusal to be deterred by the public's misunderstanding of what is good for it" http://wapo.st/eKr30C November 27, 2011 It can't hurt to review again the important matter of where the housing bust came from. Here, Thomas Sowell explains. http://bit.ly/f5o7f9 Backlog: Excellent explanation of Congress and the US Supreme Court stretching the commerce clause far too much. http://bit.ly/hFYsas Backlog: Good, old-fashioned thuggery from the Obama administration. http://on.wsj.com/ewjwWC Backlog: Superb Walter Williams piece on "invisible victims" of well-meant policies. http://bit.ly/gMe2rN An off-the-wall idea for selling one's home in a difficult market, with a curious historical flair. http://bit.ly/f58mPG November 12, 2010 Newsweek on Utah's economy: "cheaper than Washington, cooler than Texas, as outdoorsy as Colorado… and not California." http://bit.ly/axwDkh Backlog: So it could be a crime for a company to tell its employees of the consequences of elections and policy? Sick. http://bit.ly/dvIIS9 Some of us noticed years ago that the Democrat story of no WMDs in Iraq was a lie. In case you missed it ... http://bit.ly/dvIIS9 Backlog: Very smart WSJ article on studying the psychology of policy makers and bureaucrats. http://on.wsj.com/b9zbnU Backlog: Important from Thomas Sowell, about (1) undermining self-government and (2) official intolerance of freedom. http://bit.ly/aCTdcz Interesting constitutional history re lame duck congressional sessions and the 20th Amendment. http://wapo.st/dxM63D NMGov. Gary Johnson isn't a great match for me on the issues, but chatter re presidential possibilities is interesting. http://bit.ly/dlThI9 November 5, 2010 This Peggy Noonan post-election commentary is superb in about five different ways, including one involving Reagan. http://bit.ly/bafdi9 October 20, 2010 I just posted a message at my campaign blog about materials from third parties who support one candidate or the other. http://bit.ly/ddrzOc October 16, 2010 Mona Charen: Pres. Obama's annoyance at his base "doesn't suggest a man ready to prune his ideological ambitions." http://bit.ly/bot3Xc Charles Krauthammer's "pre-election post-mortem" might be a bit pessimistic, but it's interesting reading. http://wapo.st/d0bv9Z Matthew Continetti's "Five myths about Sarah Palin" in the Washington Post is intelligent and insightful. http://wapo.st/9mawuq Two assessments of the Harry Reid / Sharron Angle debate: David Espo's http://bit.ly/bm7h51 and Jon Ralston's http://bit.ly/93Rybx George Will looks ahead to likely election results and some of their implications. "A historic shift in the making"? http://wapo.st/cdsx3N Good Jeff Jacoby piece on some of the nasty stuff we're finding in ObamaCare, and its current and future consequences. http://bit.ly/9oHeMM October 15, 2010 Daily Herald profiles Congressman Jason Chaffetz -- it says he hasn't done much -- and his opponent, Karen Hyer. http://bit.ly/cAsLkC Want to know what the damage will be to you when the Bush tax cuts expire? FoxNews has numbers. http://bit.ly/cAsLkC October 13, 2010 Good piece in Economist re a new kind of virus, maybe aimed by (or in behalf of) Israel at Iranian nuclear facilities. http://bit.ly/b3s8Wb Wes Pruden article on Arkansas, as an example of the hole out of which Democrats are trying to climb nationwide. http://bit.ly/b3VfDM Insightful Tom Purcell article on economic lessons the Beltway crowd could learn from, of all things, Beltway traffic. http://bit.ly/dCJFHD Frank Gaffney, Jr., mulls the possibility of a major terrorist attack just before the November election. http://bit.ly/98Q0KF Debra Saunders column ... Tell me again, Why is there a new National Security Advisor with only political credentials? http://bit.ly/bj2qTa October 11, 2010 Good read re branding, if you overlook the stereotype that conservatives are lemmings and progressives are rational. http://bit.ly/a6eFB4 Richard Epstein: [Our economy] is dying a death of a thousand cuts, which no stimulus program can cure. http://bit.ly/dkXWgS October 9, 2010 Check out jimmatheson.com, a cautionary tale about getting the domain in your name before someone else does. http://bit.ly/aZ9rRx Fun site for seeing which candidates best fit your views. This link is to Utah's 2nd Cong. District, but there's more. http://bit.ly/bsk4bX Interesting: Teachers union in Baltimore buys into merit pay. It's the AFT, not the NEA, but still ... http://wapo.st/cPmfxI Good John Stossel piece with an excellent title: "Congress Can't Repeal Economics." Mostly about the ObamaCare fantasy. http://bit.ly/bptzWV Karl Rove in WSJ: With nothing better in the arsenal, the Dems are now reaching for poison. http://bit.ly/b2JCPA Dennis Prager says that changing the definition of marriage will also mean that gender no longer matters. http://bit.ly/axyZgc Paul Greenberg: "Rare Sighting: Common Sense from the Bench." http://bit.ly/aECZiB Krauthammer: Congressional Dems' casual attitude towards budget and tax issues is "staggeringly irresponsible." http://wapo.st/9d8sFQ October 6, 2010 Tony Blankley: Tea Party movement is a revival of the American middle class: http://bit.ly/bvkiDY Kathleen Parker: insights into the divide in US politics, implications of living in large cities vs. small towns, etc. http://wapo.st/blXt07 Dick Morris: GOP likely to win more than 74 House seats http://bit.ly/cyHQ9x; and the dangers of *under*-confidence http://bit.ly/c8u3Ju. Byron York: Why Big Labor couldn't match Glenn Beck's rally. http://bit.ly/b0ilSB (Why they can't pick up their trash is separate question.) John Fund in WSJ ... Which polls should the Dems believe? The really bad ones, or the catastrophic ones? http://bit.ly/a2pV4O October 5, 2010 Backlog: Anne Applebaum writes in Slate that the Pope's visit to England was "a commercial for religious freedom." http://bit.ly/cJOmbv Backlog: A brief look at Bob Woodward's book about the Obama White House and the war in Afghanistan. http://wapo.st/dcR3QM From the backlog: Ralph Reiland on Obama's pursuit of "fairness," not revenue, through the tax code. http://bit.ly/d17aKF WSJ: Desperate, Democrats are already blaming the voters, embracing the "Chris Farley school of political motivation." http://bit.ly/bErWvs October 4, 2010 George Will takes looks back fondly on the sometimes abstruse wisdom of Daniel Patrick Moynihan. "Iatrogenic"? Really! http://bit.ly/bvlQjy Peggy Noonan's incisive analysis of the current and coming changes in the American political landscape. http://bit.ly/dsuB9x Victor Davis Hanson on progressive condescension and "angst over having to deal with childlike Americans." http://bit.ly/bf6RE6 George Will: For Democrats this campaign season, hysteria is what is left. Expect it. http://wapo.st/9gH0P4 Backlog: David J. Kramer on crackdowns on basic freedoms in Russia, and the inadequate US response. http://wapo.st/djai2b Mona Charen: Pres. Obama (among others) overestimated the government's ability to solve problems. http://bit.ly/dlBHjH Backlog: Marc Thiessen says the Crists, Murkowskis, and Specters of the GOP threaten party unity, not the Tea Party. http://wapo.st/ayuYUr Backlog: Charles Hurt's delightful little rant on Pres. Obama's recent attempt to join -- or co-opt -- the Tea Party. http://bit.ly/davmVs October 3,2010 I'd trust "Waiting for Superman" more if it weren't by the same folks who make the fictional "An Inconvenient Truth." http://bit.ly/aOeukT September 29, 2010 From the backlog: Mona Charen, DC Voters Betray Their Kids" -- by defeating a mayor who was fixing their schools. http://bit.ly/cJ3X78 September 28, 2010 Peggy Noonan: This year's election is the enraged vs. the exhausted. Guess who will win . . . http://bit.ly/dsXDkc Good blog post by my brother about the "Laffer Cliff" our economy will hit (or go over) on January 1, 2011. http://bit.ly/97XwUO Stanley Crouch says the Left needs to realize Obama's not a superhero. I think someone should tell Pres. Obama, too. http://bit.ly/aK04xX If you listened before it passed, you might have heard a few people equate ObamaCare with tyranny. They were right. http://bit.ly/bkqSZB Walter Williams: "Profit motive produces better results, less graft." http://bit.ly/aZAXqc Scary stuff: Proposal in the UK that all paychecks go to the government first, then they send the employee what's left. http://bit.ly/9PCaK3 Backlog: This is what leadership and political courage look like: Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey. http://bit.ly/cJUFLg Morris: cleansing GOP, replacing pro pols w/ true believers is "healthy trend," will recreate Party of Reagan." http://bit.ly/bGs2XJ Even Castro knows socialism doesn't work. Somebody tell the White House! http://bit.ly/dpVMKh September 27, 2010 Charles Krauthammer assesses the upcoming election and finds the Democrats to be understandably delusional. http://bit.ly/cW6LPl Hilarious: Left thinks telling US that C. O'Donnell disapproves of premarital snugglebunnies will *hurt* her prospects. http://bit.ly/axmGO9 It's not over until . . . well, you know . . . but it's looking good for Morgan Philpot vs. Jim Matheson. http://bit.ly/aQ5dVF Pollsters know, you can get 25% of the people to say they believe anything, just by making it one of the choices. http://onion.com/c7BF2u September 17, 2010 Walter Williams: Liberalism used to mean liberty (hence the name), but modern liberalism is tyranny. http://bit.ly/cc5ZwY Krauthammer: GOP victory in November, because " a comeuppance is due the arrogant elites . . ." http://bit.ly/divXi4 Backlog: "Liberals and the Myth of an Anti-Muslim Backlash." Anti-Muslim incidents are far fewer than anti-Jewish ones. http://bit.ly/9LC2tj Backlog: John Judis in TNR responds to the angry response to his earlier piece, "The Unnecessary Fall of Barack Obama" http://bit.ly/9ILqJN Excellent Charles Krauthammer piece on Delaware, "the Buckley rule," the Tea Party, etc. http://bit.ly/d5kDkz Paul Goldman has a reasonable assessment of what the GOP owes Sarah Palin these days, but will not likely acknowledge. http://bit.ly/aqiGF9 September 15, 2010 WSJ, James Taranto: Republicans are battling each other (duh, it's a primary), and WH: only crazy people oppose Obama. http://bit.ly/99j9By Backlog -- LDS Church public affairs guy M. Otterson: Candidates don't speak for Church, Church doesn't endorse them. http://bit.ly/b18Ims Interesting City Weekly interview with my state Rep. John Dougall on immigration policy. http://bit.ly/92NSIC Backlog: Debra Saunders says the Left's support for the Ground Zero mosque is Pavlovian, not love of religious freedom. http://bit.ly/dnQv4p Backlog: Good George Will piece. US lectures to Israel, "which once were merely fatuous, are now obscene." http://bit.ly/bQ0xpy Backlog: Obama's "new kind of politics" ... conventional in conduct, predictable in content, exceptional only for ... http://bit.ly/bWrqPw Backlog: Stossel explains clearly why lots of money is sitting on the sidelines, due to government-induced uncertainty. http://bit.ly/9qpzc9 Backlog: Dem problem: failure to jolt economy back to health has discredited the idea of governmental activism. http://bit.ly/9bOiFk WSJ: Peggy Noonan insightfully explains the Tea Party and our time, politically, in terms of a yardstick and a clock. http://bit.ly/d5r4J2 September 8, 2010 Kathleen Parker: "Yes, we can!" theatrics no longer work. And "No!" is a valid position when approaching a cliff. http://bit.ly/cwSoVx Harry Reid sez he had nothing to do with the bad economy and shouldn't be blamed. He was only Senate Majority Leader... http://bit.ly/bBN6Lg Michael Barone says there's a higher education bubble, and it's threatening to burst. Reality eventually catches up! http://bit.ly/9h0euv New York Times op/ed by Feisal Abdul Rauf, about the "Cordoba House," a.k.a. the Ground Zero mosque he wants to build. http://nyti.ms/9w1bgD Robinson calling upset voters "spoiled brats" http://bit.ly/aVzeXA and Hanson (more fun!) on the abuse generally. http://nyti.ms/9w1bgD Peggy Noonan, always excellent: How do you stop a charging elephant? (Maybe by cutting up your own credit cards? Naw.) http://bit.ly/9mmxWn September 7, 2010 Sowell: If we're to talk about "the policies that created this mess..." let's get the facts straight, the names right. http://bit.ly/diKOrt British view of BBC misunderstanding the Tea Party "with ... smug incomprehension" -- rather like the American media. http://bit.ly/ajaHuU August 27, 2010 Krauthammer: Unwilling to concede there might be serious thought among its opponents, the Obama regime charges bigotry. http://bit.ly/aQq6Co I prefer churches to strip clubs, but this church-pickets-strip-club-so-strip-club-pickets-church story tickles. http://bit.ly/ci5zn3 August 26, 2010 Backlog: Is this the brink of economic collapse? http://bit.ly/9tP7EV One guy at the Fed: Keeping interest rates too low is a dangerous gamble. http://bit.ly/9d1aR2 Two Muslims say the Ground Zero mosque is meant to be "a deliberate provocation to thumb our noses at the infidel." http://bit.ly/dymrj5 Not a huge surprise, alas: immigration courts order illegal aliens deported, then let them walk away. http://bit.ly/aRbOrg Backlog -- Ed Meese: Proposition 8 ruling ignores precedent and evidence. http://bit.ly/9NObz5 Marc Thiessen explains how the November election itself could end up blocking a lame duck free-for-all. http://bit.ly/bGh8om August 25, 2010 An interesting look at a law protecting religious freedom, in the context of the Ground Zero mosque debate. http://bit.ly/ce0sO3 Blankley: "Insufferable ... to be lectured to ... by a ruling class that loathes our nation's history, values ..." http://bit.ly/caFzKa Paul Greenberg essay on a good man, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. http://bit.ly/9ezaNP When big, bad government oppresses, it takes a big, bad corporate gorilla to fight back. That's Wal-Mart's cue. http://bit.ly/bRP97j ASD, its mission statement ... Sticking to processes, good. Such emotion invested in a *mission statement*, suspect. http://bit.ly/b2oxby Wondering why the Left isn't trying to fix our economy? Some of them want to "blow up [its] fundamentals," that's why. http://bit.ly/aITEq8 Waters and Rangel to Dems: "Let us off the hook or we'll take you all down with us in a racial spectacle." http://bit.ly/aRRP2r Peggy Noonan on Blackberry jams, information overload generally, and an ancient Roman, Seneca, and his time. http://bit.ly/aJUf5n David Harsanyi has a fun definition of "radical, offbeat, wacky, crazy, insane, extreme," as applied to candidates. http://bit.ly/cwyqtu Mass murder... Tell me it wouldn't be a humanitarian act for the US Army to close our southern border to this traffic. http://bit.ly/djxaBh Thomas Sowell on numbers which don't mean what some politicians say they mean. http://bit.ly/a0HtCG Heritage: The Obama oil ... is about permanently shrinking our domestic oil production capacity as quickly as possible. http://bit.ly/br1bzV Lou Dolinar weighs reality against the flood of misinformation about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf. http://bit.ly/bfyDci Backlog: Even the poor are abandoning President Obama, according to polls. http://bit.ly/aVU3nj Paul Greenberg puts Wikileaks in perspective in "Blood on Their Hands." http://bit.ly/aLg4Pn August 15, 2010 Backlog: Matthew Franck looks at the court decision overturning CA Proposition 8 and finds "sophistical knavery." http://bit.ly/alwcA1 Backlog: David Harsanyi wonders if it's time for government to absent itself from the subject of marriage altogether. http://bit.ly/94ysZT August 13, 2010 Charles Krauthammer on why an enormous mosque should not be built very near Ground Zero in Manhattan. http://bit.ly/d7EuRb August 12, 2010 Paul Greenberg explains why "capital has gone on strike" and recalls another similar time. http://bit.ly/95JVTp Charles Krauthammer profiles the modern face of taxation without representation: making laws that Congress didn't pass. http://bit.ly/c0gp0r Michael Barone on the failure of Obama's state capitalism. How did so many experts get so many things so wrong? http://bit.ly/9HZh7D George Will offers significant broader insights in this comparison of Israeli PM Netanyahu and President Obama. http://bit.ly/cPrFIY David Weigel considers conventional wisdom re the Tea Party. "It was pushing an open door." http://bit.ly/cBtuZj Peggy Noonan: Is US about to boil over? "Inner pessimism and powerlessness: That is a dangerous combination." http://bit.ly/aZaL4c Victor Davis Hanson on immigration: "Once a law is not considered quite a law . . . [strange] paradoxes follow." http://bit.ly/cX6YV1 Fightin' words! Walter Williams says seniors should spend their own assets, w/o govt handouts. We should debate this! http://bit.ly/c9YFte August 11, 2010 Illinois is the number one state for political corruption, says a former governor. (Link to Holly on the Hill.) http://bit.ly/d1vyjK The White House doesn't like critics from the Left, either. Drug test 'em! http://bit.ly/cJukCc Backlog: Rich Lowry -- Voters want government by adults in Washington. Two good examples from the states. http://bit.ly/d7hPoY If you don't know shariah, dawa, and their connection to the new supermosque in NYC, perhaps you should. Frank Gaffney. http://bit.ly/afd3UE Backlog: Michael Barone, voters want government on a crash diet. It has too many employees with too much compensation. http://bit.ly/9UVOP7 Joel Kotkin in the City Journal: Excellent, detailed analysis of California's self-inflicted economic woes. http://bit.ly/aVI1w4 August 4, 2010 Peggy Noonan: "The answer to our political problems lies in clarity, competence and courage" (a la NJ Gov. Christie). http://bit.ly/cSbNNb Victor Davis Hanson: "A Weird Sort of Depression." What does "poor" mean? How bad are conditions in the US right now? http://bit.ly/931SVO *Superb* piece on the limitations inherent in the social sciences and business, by comparison to the "hard" sciences. http://bit.ly/atLUBQ Two guys at Investors-dot-com wonder if a 2nd American Revolution is coming, because of Washington's failures, abuses. http://bit.ly/9a005m Anne Applebaum thinks we limited government types are hypocrites, because we still expect so much of our government. http://bit.ly/a1cmQL Interesting brief report of a study of whether science has gone authoritarian lately, instead of simply scientific. http://bit.ly/9tbCqJ August 3, 2010
Senate candidate Mike Lee is not a closed-minded Constitution-thumper, but more practical and subtle. Evidence here. http://bit.ly/aRGISv Massachusetts and other states want to change the Constitution without amending it, bypassing the Electoral College. http://bit.ly/dqJGrx Backlog: charming, insightful Kathleen Parker essay about "To Kill a Mockingbird" and how to read lit. and how not to. http://bit.ly/ddDObB Backlog: fun story from American Fork about a tombstone erected in opposition to parking meters. http://bit.ly/9s9jWT Backlog: Are overdue Obama administration reports concealing the havoc ObamaCare is wreaking on Medicare? http://bit.ly/da88y3 Backlog: a liberal -- the author -- learns to love waving the flag. Insightful. http://bit.ly/cHhkGW Backlog: Richard Cohen in WP muses that we have come to value ignorance, not qualifications, in our candidates. http://bit.ly/aLvdG8 Backlog: Kathleen Parker calls Obama "our first female president" -- meant "in the nicest possible way," of course. http://bit.ly/ctyy1I Backlog: Abigail Thernstrom on Tim Scott, a black Republican candidate (for US House) to watch in South Carolina. http://bit.ly/aVQfLc Backlog: George Will on our Afghanistan "mission impossible." Not sure I agree, but definitely worth reading. http://bit.ly/aW0sE1 Backlog: Economist on vocational education (CTE) in the US, our general disdain for it, and some noteworthy successes. http://bit.ly/aJ3lvr July 21, 2010 Contrast btwn Brit PM taking commercial flight to US and US prez's extravagant travel habits could hardly be starker. http://bit.ly/9nPZam July 20, 2010 Cedar Hills' official wish to be unabbreviated rooted in a desire to think itself above AF, PG? Or just insecurity? http://bit.ly/dvNapx Hmm. Does the difference between "freedom of religion" and "freedom of worship" in WH-speak matter this much? Maybe. http://bit.ly/cPAqO4 WSJ: Karl Rove describes his biggest mistake in the White House. It's not what some folks will want to hear, I'm sure. http://bit.ly/dqs3Oz July 8, 2010 Backlog: Interesting Kathleen Parker column on feminists? Who gets to be one? Pro-life Republicans? http://bit.ly/c5xmRr Unsurprisingly, like his presidential model, FDR, President Obama is on a collision course with the US Supreme Court. http://bit.ly/90jApp David Stokes: Nice, little-known piece of American colonial history, the Old *South* Church and George Whitefield. http://bit.ly/b9F24Q Superb: Paul Greenberg on Justice Clarence Thomas's earth-shaking revival of the 14th Amendment last week. http://bit.ly/9tFPCI Some in the Alpine School Dist. have a different story, based on some inside info, but here's BYU's re dropping NNER. http://bit.ly/cfTkLw First Amendment vs. First Amendment. Peaceable assembly (funeral) vs. free speech (Westboro Baptist demonstrators). http://bit.ly/boAjXt Bill Gertz surveys the world, noting, among other things, renewed Russian bomber incursions in US and Canada airspace. http://bit.ly/djVCD7 John Fund in WSJ: The US Dept. of Justice appears to favor voter *fraud*, too, not just voter intimidation. http://bit.ly/aLQYsH Backlog: Thoughts from the rabbi who asked Helen Thomas the question that received the infamous answer. http://bit.ly/9tbuhS Econ. 101, LeBron James version: Who knew? Tax rates affect business decisions. (Okay, some of us already knew.) http://bit.ly/aiDB8U June 23, 2010 Here we go again. The feds have shut down another operation designed to protect the Gulf Coast from oil. http://bit.ly/c3lcta June 22, 2010 Byron York on US rules of engagement in Afghanistan. http://bit.ly/bn8Zdt Paul Rubin compares the BP oil spill and hurricane Katrina, finding them opposites in several respects. http://bit.ly/bOjBtu The New Yorker asks a surpassingly chilling question: Is former Governor Mike Huckabee the GOP's best hope in 2012? http://bit.ly/9VvVur Mona Charen surveys sliding world opinion of Pres. Obama, wonders we care so much, and ends up quoting Machiavelli. http://bit.ly/8YjrVd A federal judge has overturned the Obama admin's general ban on deep water drilling as an unjustified overreaction. http://bit.ly/cB82sJ June 20, 2010 George Will on dangerous and counterproductive US rules of engagement in Afghanistan. Starting to sound famililar . . . http://bit.ly/crLAFI Mark Steyn: "Chris Matthews and the other leg-tinglers invented a Barack Obama that doesn't exist.... They're stuck." http://bit.ly/dcTbsE Samuelson in Newsweek: "Just once, it would be nice if a president would level with Americans on energy." http://bit.ly/9aJGSs "When the French president is seen as tougher than the American president, you have to know that something is awry." http://bit.ly/bGYlh5 June 19, 2010 Michael Barone reads Senator Blanche Lincoln's primary victory as a major, expensive defeat for Big Labor. http://bit.ly/bEYsfh A relatively little-noticed story could turn out to have been huge in retrospect: resources discovered in Afghanistan. http://nyti.ms/9QGYYk Michelle Malkin on attacks on GOP women. It's good that “You sure can’t find out [they're women] by how they vote." http://bit.ly/cIYTWd Now we have the Coast Guard shutting down local cleanup efforts on the Gulf Coast. http://bit.ly/cgzqT6 Congressional Democrats refuse to offer a budget until after the election. By law, it's supposed to be done by May 15. http://bit.ly/dcowZY Excellent Michele Kerr piece in the Washington Post about evaluating teacher performance sensibly. http://bit.ly/9GYDLL June 18, 2010 Michael Smerconish: political polarization in the media. (I don't fully accept the middle's virtue or the extremes'.) http://bit.ly/9pPpeP No big surprise to most: ObamaCare will mostly push people off their employers' health plans. http://bit.ly/dgElYD Russian parliament: FSB can "summon people it believes are about to commit a crime." http://bit.ly/a1Ycmk Read more: http://bit.ly/as1QhY Goofy idea from left of center: Solid conservative Justice Thomas seems bored. He should resign and run for president. http://bit.ly/cHF3UH Just 'cuz they said they weren't doesn't mean they're not out to destroy the medical insurance industry. Here we go. http://nyti.ms/bGEb4K June 17, 2010 From the backlog: UK's Telegraph reports, suddenly it's cool among the Left to bash Pres. Obama. http://bit.ly/cwMp3W Backlog: Time to get rid of the White House Office of Political Affairs. (Kirsten Powers in the NY Post.) http://bit.ly/9gtc5t Backlog: George Will, why the US tax code is like daytime television. Watch for Woodrow Wilson; trouble starts w/ him. http://bit.ly/bEpeIr Backlog: NY Times -- The Democrats are avoiding the voters again. How undemocratic. http://nyti.ms/bAsKqg Backlog: Good Charles Krauthammer piece on Israel vs. the world. Excellent explanations, history. http://bit.ly/bwQFDn The Washington Post, of all papers, against a bill in Congress to advance considerably the welfare of labor unions. http://bit.ly/9gBUGG Here's Thomas Sowell talking more sense about oil (and snake oil) than the President did the other night. http://bit.ly/awJyUa Ilan Berman in Forbes, on Morocco's intriguing counter-terror strategy. http://bit.ly/c2Fwzx James Surowiecki, "The Regulation Crisis," a Left view of the blessings, dysfunctions, and limitations of regulation. http://bit.ly/buXGvx A pleasant Daily Herald article about a new Highland city councilor, Scott Smith. http://bit.ly/9cbycB From the backlog: Charles Krauthammer, "The myth of Iran's isolation." http://bit.ly/bwjllW June 10, 2010 Battle in the US Senate, where two bills propose to prevent EPA from imposing cap-and-trade rules without Congress. http://bit.ly/dbh5C5 Dateline South Carolina: Oops, the Dems nominated a perv (!) and a felon. Now someone thinks he was a plant? http://bit.ly/bVT6lZ George Will: Economic reality and an oil spill are nibbling away at the Progressive faith that guides Pres. Obama. http://bit.ly/9KQi89 Campaign to win hearts to ObamaCare isn't even keeping up with the damage done by new reports of what's in the bill. http://bit.ly/bMVmzh Dick Morris: Turns out it's not just bad ideas; the President actually doesn't know what he's doing. http://bit.ly/ccA6BA Tyrants run amok: In Santa Clara County, CA, the sheriff can haul you away for putting a toy in a Happy Meal. http://bit.ly/b4rJRc Jack Kelly: The (Obama) thrill is gone -- even for Christ Matthews. Crisis response: "a deer in the headlights." http://bit.ly/cC4xzR Michael Goodwin: The high point of Obama's presidency was inauguration. The problems are growing, but he's not. http://bit.ly/dikxxX There may be hope for Michigan, which has been so Democratic that it could do a recession when rest of the US boomed. http://bit.ly/ankmyw June 9, 2010 Big wins for women -- especially Republican women -- in yesterday's primary elections. http://bit.ly/cscv7U June 8, 2010 Another illustration of the virtue of living in a right-to-work state, where the law doesn't require paying union dues. http://bit.ly/cZWHJr Michael Graham reports on new ways public schools are using to shake down taxpayers for more money. http://bit.ly/cyMeWw Thomas Sowell's latest "Random Thoughts." For example, he explains why "this is the golden age of ignorance in power." http://bit.ly/bHtkbP Sean Trende looks at the Republican primary to determine Nevada Senator Harry Reid's opponent. http://bit.ly/c9TYNq Matt Welch in "Reason," on free speech and the various factions, left and right, who want to justify suppressing it. http://bit.ly/9vr5MS June 7, 2010 AF Concerts in the Park begin tonight at the amphitheater, with the Timpanogos Chorale. They are undaunted by the breeze. Plenty of seating ... June 5, 2010 The latest schemes for government control of the Internet and other media -- all in the name of help, of course. http://bit.ly/9DXgup Watching a bridge move in AF. Great weather, good crowd. Not at all like watching corn grow. June 4, 2010 Highly recommended: Arthur C. Brooks on the new culture war, btwn freedom and statism. (May require free membership.) http://bit.ly/9cIZc0 From the backlog, by Charles Krauthammer: "Oil spill culprits run deep." On the price of environmental chic. http://bit.ly/9REVNa Backlog: Pres. Obama met for a private lunch with Republican senators the other day. It wasn't a love-fest. http://bit.ly/9NcJ9C Backlog: Zev Chafetz, NYT: Rush Limbaugh, not Tea Party, is "the brains and the spirit behind [GOP] resurgence." http://nyti.ms/a89Nl6 Clive Crook on the US national security strategy that isn't a strategy, and a definition so broad it means nothing. http://bit.ly/9ROWbz June 3, 2010 Excellent George Will piece on the limits of the welfare state, and James Madison vs. Wilson/FDR/LBJ/Obama. http://bit.ly/bLE9Fz June 1, 2010 Vin Suprynowicz wonders if we have "anyone in long pants" left, and gives a nice summary of the Battle of Midway. http://bit.ly/baNiWq Jonah Goldberg asks: What would an acceptable safety net look like? How much is enough? http://bit.ly/cg4glN Mona Charen notes worldwide, one-sided reporting on Israel, including the thing with the armed "peace activists." http://bit.ly/bryxfo May 28, 2010 Peggy Noonan: This President was supposed to be competent. The people are in one reality; he's in another. http://bit.ly/bQBWMr Superb, thoughtful column by Mark Steyn: "We're too broke to be this stupid." http://bit.ly/9Qj5PS May 19, 2010 NJ Governor Christie answering a media question about his "confrontational tone." Any chance of cloning this guy? http://bit.ly/ajYco6 Uh-oh. Now it's global *cooling*, just like back in the 1970s. Better start pumping out carbon dioxide! (Breathe!) http://bit.ly/adKdzz May 18, 2010 Prominent conservative Ramesh Ponnuru on Mike Lee as a welcome (potential) voice in the US Senate. http://bit.ly/d1LYad Mona Charen at RCP: "We met in the 'middle'. It didn't work out very well for Republicans or for America." http://bit.ly/aLvgqY The Salt Lake Tribune picks up Tim Bridgewater's recent Washington Post op/ed. Not bad, but I still prefer Mike Lee. http://bit.ly/a8FuLx Sen. Specter lost his primary. Will the talking heads call it an outrage, as they did Sen. Bennett's convention loss? http://bit.ly/c0OzpF My long endorsement of Mike Lee drew the most traffic ever at my blog. Long: http://bit.ly/cogrXP Abridged: http://bit.ly/aqkRQo WSJ's interactive US map of failed banks, information on each. It's not quite like watching a train wreck on YouTube. http://bit.ly/bs3qvQ May 13, 2010 @OrrinHatch re judicial nominee Liu's views: "the opposite of the proper, limited role that judges properly have" http://bit.ly/cbCzk8 Bipartisanship at last! In other words, Democrat incumbents are falling in primaries, too. Charles Hurt, NY Post. http://bit.ly/dqzhBX Daniel Henninger on Republican possibilities as the we're-not-Europe party. Don't miss the 2nd paragraph or the last. http://bit.ly/cWA2FD American Fork Junior High benefit concert May 18, for Emmett Guzman, age 18 months. http://bit.ly/9DuPrm The US Attorney General, of all people, criticizes a law *before* he reads it. That's politics in 2010, folks. http://bit.ly/9jmBwb Fine Peggy Noonan piece on lessons we may learn from the British and their "long war" against terror, not so long ago. http://bit.ly/cf3IJc May 12, 2010 Grim: US budget deficit in April; far less personal inc tax paid than last year. WH: gotta do something or be Greece. http://bit.ly/as8pJj Who lags behind in treating genders equally? The federal government itself, that's who. Enter the Potty Parity Act. http://bit.ly/cEAGPJ SCOTUS nominee Elena Kagan on "redistribution of speech." Read it and see if you think she'll protect your speech. http://bit.ly/aKEbqe
Kathleen Parker diverges with the Obama administration re Elena Kagan's supposed diversity. http://bit.ly/cA1qxn Insightful piece by Jonah Goldberg: "The Robert Bennett Message." Delegates serious, not irrational ideologues? http://bit.ly/d7u5lZ Blankley: "The next Congress [will] need a lot of a certain type of politician -- and Mr. Bennett is not that type. http://bit.ly/df49Ft May 11, 2010 Interesting Wall Street Journal piece about possible triggers for last Thursday's stock market stumble. http://bit.ly/dn1qog George Will in Newsweek: In Los Angeles, the parasites are killing the hosts. (My phrase.) Bankruptcy looms. http://bit.ly/cyoPxS I don't say this very often, but . . . Bravo, Daily Herald! A smart, insightful editorial about Sen. Bennett's defeat. http://bit.ly/cKNbDy May 10, 2010 Pres. Obama nominated Elena Kagan to the US Supreme Ct. Former Harvard Law School dean, no prior judicial experience. http://bit.ly/9KmHTE According to the Washington Post, a Bob Bennett write-in campaign is a possibility, after his defeat at convention. http://bit.ly/c6Mpo0 Ron Wicks, teacher at American Fork Junior High, is one of ten winners of this year's Huntsman award. Good detail here. http://bit.ly/a1Yf3Y Washington Times editorial on why the Democrats on Capitol Hill don't seem interested in reforming Fannie and Freddie. http://bit.ly/9m9pIO George Will on Afghanistan, General Petraeus, and insurgencies in Afghanistan and in the Democratic Party at home. http://bit.ly/duaMoh Debra Saunders on immigration, public opinion, Republicans, Democrats, Arizona, and the tone of the discussion. http://bit.ly/aAREYT New York Post Editorial: Navy SEALs acquitted of charges the Navy never should have brought in the first place. http://bit.ly/a9rte8 The Hill's Alexander Bolton on Republican leadership in the Senate after Bob Bennett. http://bit.ly/d455q2 May 8, 2010 -- AT UTAH STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY NOMINATING CONVENTION (in chronological order) Bus to Trax to SLC. Train full of happy Race for the Cure participants. Scattering of delegates. Numerous people in pink faux grass skirts. 6:26 AM Apropos of nothing, the state Democratic convention is also today, also at the Salt Palace. 6:28 AM Utah State Repub Conv: Arrived, credentialed, paid for day of wireless Internet so can tweet, etc., my iPod Touch instead of cell phone. 7:29 AM UtahGOPConv: Lots of delegates listening to candidates at booths, discussing issues, blogs, news. Most calm. Only one angry voice so far. 7:41 AM UtahGOPConv: Crowds @ major Senate candidates' booths, listening to Bennett, Lee, Eager, Bridgewater. Former Sen. Jake Garn @ Bennett booth. 7:56 AM Booth mic test: 1 Brid. (no hands, good sound). 2 Eag. (no hands, tinny). 3 Lee (hand mic, tinny). 4 Benn (no mic, can't hear from 6 ft). 8:05 AM UtahGOPConv: Update on mic test: Sen. Bennett finally got a hand mic, good sound. Moves up to second. 8:27 AM UtahGOPConv: On your mark, get set, go . . . 9:02 AM Excellent prayer by the Rev. Jay Brummett of the Traditional Lakota Pentecostal Church. 9:16 AM I like that vets in civilian clothes may salute the flag as if in uniform. National anthem superbly sung by Drew Reese, 23rd Army Band. 9:18 AM Preliminary credentials report starting over w/ better mic. Challenge to seating of about 200 ex officio delegates from 12 counties . . . 9:22 AM Can also follow convention at @utahgop 9:24 AM Big majority accepts credentials report. Good. Apparently, ex officio or automatic delegates challenge is annual thing favored by very few. 9:28 AM 3098 delegates credentialed so far, almost 90%. Rules and agenda adopted without a fuss. 9:29 AM RT @joshjonsmith: Just saw first openly carried hand gun at convention. Sign: "I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy" (via @UtahGOP) 9:30 AM J Evans, chair: "A lot of you have come with booing in your heart." Flashed pics of Reid/Obama/Pelosi, so get it out of our systems. B-) 9:34 AM UtahGOPConv: Many, many first-time delegates. 9:35 AM House Dist 20 and 53 will have primaries. 9:38 AM Senate cand. speeches starting. Bridgewater 1st, starts w/ video. Humble roots, hard work, need voice of business in DC. A- on speech. 9:46 AM Bridgewater: no to UN funding, abolish Dept of Education. 9:47 AM Sen. Bennett next, introduced by live Mitt Romney speech (live and in person). Can't afford to lose Bennett. 9:49 AM Bennett: Accountability, deficits, ObamaCare, bal. bud. amendment if not avenue to tax increases, audit the Fed. Experience. A/A- on speech. 9:53 AM Jeremy Friedbaum: "Do what is right, let the consequence follow." Pro-God, anti-press/politician. B on speech. Good thoughts, but reading. 10:00 AM Friedbaum heard rep say Guam would capsize if too crowded, says drug test Congress. Remove some jurisdic from Sup Ct, overturn bad rulings. 10:05 AM Leonard Fabiano: wants to start new org to teach Skousen, 5 Thousand Year Leap, in six week course statewide. Lost many delegates attention. 10:07 AM Fabiano: C+ on speech. Is he running for Senate or organizing his new teaching network. 10:09 AM Merrill Cook: end corruption in DC. Wall Street, big banks, Federal Reserve are bad. B+ on speech (still judging performance, not content) 10:12 AM Cook: re bailouts, "I know a scam when I see one." Proven record of representing the people in Congress. Scrap tax code, DoEd, DoEnergy. 10:14 AM David Chiu: intro by wife, legal immigrant. Praises Mitt R, Sarah Palin. Chius chose to have, not abort, handicapped child. One soldier son. 10:20 AM Chiu: saying nice things about each fellow candidates, by name. High privilege to be among the group. Hmm. Sixth graders have cotillions? 10:22 AM Chiu: B+ on speech. Some charm, more sentiment than content Seems to be liked by delegates (perhaps because not a threat today?). 10:25 AM Mike Lee: government too big because Congress ignores Constitution. Confidence in people, our soldiers. Get fed govt off our land. 10:27 AM Lee: never vote for bill he cannot reconcile w/ Constitution. Big applause for reading bills before final vote. Started A-, finished A. 10:30 AM Cherilyn Eager: 2 intros, incl. Gail Ruzicka (sp?). Touching story about a boy and a globe: "Daddy, what are you doing with my world?" 10:33 AM Eagar: Repubs need to act like Repubs. New Reagan revolution. Not my favorite candidate, but the best speech. A, sneaking toward A+. 10:35 AM Of course, you can safely assume that all of the usual conservative buttons were pushed by most or all of the candidates. 10:37 AM Final rpt: 3441 delegates credentialed. Request 10 tardy be credentialed. With 10, 98.6%. Oops, now 11. Approved, but reading names. B-) 10:43 AM UtahGOPConv: First ballot beginning, Senate only. Moving quickly. Must have ballot, delegate ID, wristbands to vote. 10:51 AM UtahGOPConv: Color-coded paper ballots, circle one name only . . . 10:52 AM Good one-on-one chat with my state rep, John Dougall, during a break, re immigration and health care. Smart guy. Also listens. 11:21 AM Candidates for governor speaking. Richard Martin 1st. Upset w/ growth of state budgets, investment of state pension funds. "I can fix this." 11:25 AM Superdell Schanze not speaking, someone else speaking for him. Delegates playfully disappointed. He who has the gold makes laws, etc. . . . 11:28 AM Hey, there's my boss, Paul Allen, introducing Dan Oaks for Governor. Principle over politics. Oaks: felt inspired by God to run for gov. 11:36 AM Oaks: govt not answer to all problems. Free market. Gov Herbert in politics too long, out of touch. I can beat Carroon. Will take back land. 11:39 AM Oaks: Lower taxes. Transparency in education funding and other agencies. Retire the career politicians. Speech: B+. 11:41 AM Lt. Gov. Greg Bell introducing Gov. Herbert. Crossroads in our history. Can't afford OCare. Deficits and debts. Reassert states' rights now. 11:44 AM Herbert: Didn't get where we are by "me too" politics. That's the Dems' approach. Can't have more people in wagon than pulling wagon. A/A+ 11:50 AM House District 1 next. 3 guys introduce Rob Bishop, including a former intern?!? Bishop: "Not the party of no, the party of *hell* no! 11:53 AM Bishop: Progressives understand Constitution, just don't like it. Pro-10th Amendment. (So am I.) A/A+ on speech. 11:56 AM Mike Ridgway trying to speak from laptop, not working. Ad libs. A recovering automatic delegate. Bishop was tyrant as party chair in past. 12:01 PM Ridgway: Bishop is king of earmarks. Automatic delegates are wrong. Offended that fellow LDS and Repubs do bad things. C+ on speech. 12:05 PM H Dist 2 now Cute kid from Cedar City intro Neil Walter, talking re debt. Big ovation for kid. Walter talks against Matheson, not Philpot. 12:09 PM May 8th RT @thomaswburr: Bennett tells me he will not endorse today if knocked out. He still feels confident he'll emerge #utgop #utpol (@UtahGOP) 12:10 PM Walter: Matheson promised 2 moderate Dem agenda, failed. Walter's strengths defuse Matheson's. Libs in DC shaking our beehive long enough. A 12:13 PM House 2nd: Morgan Philpot. 2010 decision: believe in constitutional limited govt or not. Cut taxes (a la Friedman). Reduce size of govt. 12:16 PM Philpot: get back our land. 2d Dist not safely Democratic. I won in SL County when other Repubs were losing. Time to refound America. A/A+ 12:19 PM Ed Eliason: not a pro politician. The pros represent DC To us, not reverse. Wants to support constitutional amendment for term limits. B+ 12:24 PM UtahGOPConv: Been looking for men wearing hats/caps indoors (pet peeve). Have seen only 1; he may have other issues. Congrats on manners. 12:27 PM House Dist 3: Jason Chaffetz unopposed. Speaking. Applause not unrestrained, as at Utah County convention. Time to rebuild American dream. 12:29 PM Chaffetz: States created the federal govt, not the reverse. A- on the speech. Props for quoting Reagan "govt is the problem" in context. 12:33 PM First Ballot Results: Lee 28.7%, Bridgewater 26.8%, Bennett 25.9%, all in 2nd round. Eager (15.8%) and four others out. 12:38 PM One minute speeches from Bridgewater, Bennett, Lee. Bridg grateful, gracious. Benn emphasizes experience. Lee: reclaim Constitution. 12:46 PM Just cast 1st votes for House and governor, 2d for Senate. Have met some readers of my blog, which is always fun -- smart, likeable folk! 1:09 PM Sen. Hatch spoke, then some state officials. Speeches by party and auxiliary officers and others. Some good. I hope they count votes fast. 2:06 PM Moving to proposed platform amendments. Delegate from Utah County challenges grammar -- correctly, I might add. Gets cheers. Good for us. 2:18 PM Disillusioned. State platform comm chair, speaking, also is wearing a hat indoors. Can we get him declared to be out of order, or female? 2:21 PM Second ballot: Bridgewater 37.4%, Lee 36.0%, Bennett 26.6%, Bennett out. 3rd ballot coming. 2:34 PM First round: Gary Herbert wins nomination with 70.8%. Second ballot coming in House 2nd District between Philpot (56.4%) and Walter (42.1%). 2:37 PM First ballot: Rob Bishop wins nomination with 93%. 2:38 PM (Rob Bishop is 1st Congressional District.) 2:39 PM 1-min speeches. Bridgew asks ovation for Bennett, it's big. Lee plays video endorsement by Sen. Demint. Walter speaks, Wimmer for Philpot. 2:48 PM May 8th First proposed platform amendment fails. Work ethic, responsible dev of resources, Right to Work. I voted for, based on Right to Work. 3:02 PM 2nd prop platf amend on US being constitutional republic failed. I voted no, b/c republic-not-democracy crowd is careless w/ theory,history. 3:07 PM 3rd proposed platf amendmnt on illegal immigration passed. I voted yes -- pretty reasonable, for its topic, and not hostile to legal imm. 3:11 PM UtahGOPConv: Two housekeeping amendments to party constitution and bylaws passed handily. 3:15 PM Some delegates try but fail to evade consideration of more amendments by quorum call, then by motion to adjourn. Both fail. Moving on . . . 3:19 PM Next prop amendm would take control of voting process from convention, give to central committee - at least that view prevailed. Failed big. 3:24 PM 4th prop amendm: allow party to nom/back compatible cands in nonpartisan elections. I don't trust county party so much. Voted no. Failed. 3:32 PM Resolution vs. ObamaCare and health leg cospons'd by Sen. Bennett. Some say cheap shot at Bennett. Some like that. Voted no. Passed. 3:37 PM Res to equalize prop taxes among school dists (as inc tax). Naive to say renters don't pay prop tax. Voted no to redistribution. Failed big. 3:45 PM Final ballot: Senate Bridgewater (57.3%) vs. Lee (42.7%). There will be a primary. Bridgewater got the bulk of Bennett's votes, apparently. 3:50 PM Just announced: House 2nd District, Democrat incumbent Jim Matheson will face a primary. 3:52 PM May 8th via Tweetie UtahGOPConv: adjourned, still waiting for Philpot/Walter results. 4:09 PM May 8th House 2nd District: Philpot wins nomination without primary, by a nose, 60.1%. 4:12 PM May 8th Final caucus tweet: Had the pleasure of riding back to AF w/ Rep. John Dougall, as thoughtful an analyst of Utah politics and govt as I know 6:47 PM May 7, 2010 Backlog: A win in court in the battle to keep the Obama administration from controlling speech on the Internet. http://bit.ly/drg9wl From WSJ: The latest on the federal attempt to control the Internet. http://bit.ly/dwl6YF
Backlog re traffic deaths: "Zero is the only thing that's acceptable" -- nice rhetoric, but foolish and unreasonable. http://bit.ly/cJ1bo6 If a Republican administration tried this, the Left and the media would be screaming about fascism and tyranny. http://bit.ly/a9pgzn Don't believe everything you read, but RedState says Bennett and Bridgewater have cut a deal over convention votes. http://bit.ly/clKRZf Holly on the Hill has a point: "Satan is NOT one of the candidates on the ballot" at the state Republican convention. http://bit.ly/ckJiyK Freedom of religion is dying in the UK: http://bit.ly/bGnxCM Freedom of speech is dying in US schools: http://bit.ly/cIheVR Morris and McGann talk conservative sense on immigration reform. http://bit.ly/czD8lQ Long Politico piece on Senator Bennett's plight and the hand-wringing in Washington. But maybe not the whole story. http://bit.ly/b529iQ Daily Herald article on Bob Bennett, his disputed conservatism, and his challenges -- and challengers. http://bit.ly/cejpcJ Salt Lake Tribune on last-minute campaign shenanigans in the race for the Republican nomination for US Senate. http://bit.ly/9Eg5mC April 28, 2010 Backlog: Sequel to NC US history story from Orson Scott Card. OSC: need to take curriculum away from the dogmatic Left. http://bit.ly/davjnf Backlog: Orson Scott Card on "How to Get Stupid Children" and NC's idea of teaching no US history earlier than 1877. http://bit.ly/bsKSLw AP story: Spain's credit downgraded. (Unwanted lesson: nations which borrow and spend irresponsibly lose sovereignty.) http://bit.ly/9W6Og7 Backlog: Condescension from global warming apostle James Lovelock: Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change. http://bit.ly/aWOXo9 April 24, 2010 At Utah County Republican Nominating Convention. Right now, Central Committee mtg. Parking already a challenge at MVHS. The book I brought to read, in case things get boring, is a Chingiz Aitmatov novel, The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years. Hmm. John Dougall in LD 27 mtg: 40% of state budget is federal money. State power is largely a fiction. Utah Leg nominees: 57 Frank, 60 Daw, 65 Gibson, 66 Morley, 63 Sanpei. Primary in Dist 59. Nothing announced in 67. County Comm B, first ballot, Doug Witney, 65 pct, wins nom over incumbent Steve White, 30 pct., and others under 5 pct. Second ballot on Utah county commission B, with Wright, 48, and Anderson, 51. There will be a primary btwn Joel Wright and Gary Anderson for CC-A. A. won ballot 2 by 3 pct. March 27, 2010 Good blog post from my brother Jon on the early signs of economic devastation under ObamaCare. http://bit.ly/dcbdUB Hilarious: Onion, "City of Chicago to Modernize Outdated Graft Programs." All they left out was the stimulus money. http://onion.com/bDszKx March 26, 2010 NYT's David Brooks doesn't think either party is up to saving the country from "stagnation and fiscal ruin." http://nyti.ms/d44xeg Bloomberg story: "The bond market is saying that it's safer to lend to Warren Buffett than Barack Obama." http://bit.ly/aSNMNn Rick Klein on the immediate aftermath of passing ObamaCare, including the attitudes and plans of both parties. http://bit.ly/cPkIao Big news from Politico: ACORN folds. (But it has so many tentacles by so many different names, how can we be sure?) http://bit.ly/9LygyD Bill Clinton jokes that spring is "otherwise known to Al Gore as proof of global warming." http://bit.ly/cubNMP Ever heard of Geert Wilders? Frank Gaffney thinks you should. http://bit.ly/b3rOQ8 March 24, 2010 The Salt Lake Tribune's quick look at candidates for Utah County offices this year. http://bit.ly/an22sX March 21, 2010 Dem. leaders appear to have yielded to pro-life Democrats on abortion funding ban, at least for now, to pass ObamaCare. http://bit.ly/bbzT5h @jaxbchgirl521 Do you know where there's a good article about the view of tea parties from the mother country? March 20, 2010 Kathryn Lopez salutes a congressional Democrat with a spine, Bart Stupak, "the doughty congressman from Michigan." http://bit.ly/b3uJAX David Harsanyi: "Sometimes process is vital in protecting [us] from the abuses of majoritarians and crusading tyrants." http://bit.ly/aaB2VU Must-read: Paul Greenberg on standing up for principle, and voices in the wilderness (and a little Ginsburg bombshell). http://bit.ly/9qUvcd Looks like "deeming" might be off the table, in favor of an actual House vote on the Senate version of ObamaCare. http://bit.ly/demHqu The latest on tomorrow's scheduled health care takeover votes. http://bit.ly/dgotNx March 19, 2010 See my comment at the end of this blog post for some interesting recent readings about the health care takeover debate. http://bit.ly/bdFGNn Dick Morris and Eileen McGann take an important look a few months ahead, if ObamaCare passes, with its Medicare cuts. http://bit.ly/bP0yno March 18, 2010 Grim news from the other day, but not a surprise: dependency on government is at an all-time high in the US. http://bit.ly/cmIZt3 In Greece, these protests are organized by communists, anarchists, and labor unions. By whom in the US, I wonder? http://bit.ly/cU9xL4 In Washington, you'd better make sure your friends, not just your enemies, are unaware of the skeletons in your closet. http://bit.ly/dsgiG4 Because there's not enough insanity or power-lust in our politics, Merrill Cook will run for Bob Bennett's Senate seat. http://bit.ly/9w3gzv Leon Frazier's "Let's legalize marijuana" is likely not a winning platform in a Utah County Commission race. http://bit.ly/93KzXr Perhaps the LA Times thinks *conservative* women should stay home and be mothers and wives? http://bit.ly/bQGgZZ Theodore Frank has a less credulous view of claims that Toyotas are suddenly accelerating. Some history, perspective. http://bit.ly/avrvfa Using free steak, Charles Krauthammer explains why conservatives don't embrace want the gov't taking over health care. http://bit.ly/bIY9fs March 6, 2010 So the math curriculum the "malcontents" say is the best might be *working* -- but let's not commit ourselves. http://bit.ly/dzFQXR Mark Steyn: the proposed health care takeover and the developing Greek disaster are different chapters of one story. http://bit.ly/aJaWib One guy's look at that health care summit, where the President was supposedly listening to Republicans. http://bit.ly/avezWx View of health care summit from across the pond: sleep-inducing, maybe a small Obama victory, no one awake to notice. http://bit.ly/cypaBM Apropos of the Toyota show trial, Charles Krauthammer on some risks being the price of modernity. Insightful! http://bit.ly/c4ikea White House wants what some call "overly ambiguous and far-reaching powers to regulate the Internet." http://bit.ly/cpASVn Steve Chapman: the Toyota flap in context; Toyotas are still relatively safe, compared to other cars. http://bit.ly/cawc27 George Will on the perils (and expenses) of defining every character flaw as mental disorder and a disability. http://bit.ly/c94RZr Al Gore says he wishes anthropogenic climate change were a fraud or a mistaken reading of bad data, but ... you know. http://nyti.ms/aMYfag March 3, 2010 As crazy irresponsible as American officials seem sometimes, they're nuttier in Russia. http://bit.ly/bwiqnJ So . . . can you blame everything that is done in a communist country on the government, like this massive hack attack? http://bit.ly/aB6B9V Wealth as theft? Non-flat tax leads to communism? No wonder J. Dougall called debate "questionable and inaccurate." http://bit.ly/aFnftI The market speaks: Major cutbacks at ABC News, a wholly owned subsidiary of the White House Press Office. http://bit.ly/a09E11 In ASD: nationwide conspiracy or grossly overblown attempt to stir up a cat. 5 hurricane in a teapot? Or: distraction? http://bit.ly/b19XEo February 23, 2010 The first paragraph of this good Thomas Sowell column on freedom and distraction is worth the price of admission. http://bit.ly/bbF2n3 If you can't be bothered to examine ideas -- such as Thomas Sowell's -- attack the person. Joyless! Hates ideas! http://bit.ly/ck9iJC For many, a "fair" society arranges end results, as an alternative to freedom and individual initiative and gifts. http://bit.ly/br1e2N An insightful Victor Davis Hanson colum on causes of "an unfocused but growing anger in the country." http://bit.ly/a21pMy Michael Barone asks, "How could smart people do such stupid things?" http://bit.ly/c6VxkR Some so-called conservatives don't want to limit govt, but to use its power for their own ends, e.g. Steve Poizner. http://bit.ly/8Xp24n Rich Galen on unions and the blocking of a nomination in the Senate. http://bit.ly/b6MCp0 Good Paul Greenberg piece on education, interesting developments in New Orleans, and officials elsewhere in disarray. http://bit.ly/bkBkVb February 17, 2010 The European Union is not a friendly place right now. There's a lot to be said for not ceding sovereignty to others. http://bit.ly/a9wrQC February 15, 2010 The city govt in Boulder, CO, my birthplace, is having trouble getting residents to go green. Do sterner measures loom? http://bit.ly/d0MM0R A major player in the global warming craze now admits the science isn't settled, after all, among other things. http://bit.ly/at7Doy February 1, 2010 For calendar: Feb. 11, "telling blow from Iranian despot." I wonder what that will be. (I also wonder *if* it will be.) http://bit.ly/b3ejXk If I overspent my home budget by a terabuck, then crowed that I found 2% that much to cut, how impressed would you be? http://bit.ly/9QwDNh AP photo: Does the president know that Tampa, Florida, is not a foreign country? http://bit.ly/9upGyh Interesting article in The Economist on a study of the psychology of power, corruption, entitlement, etc. http://bit.ly/bYJVyB
January 29, 2010 RT @wachtung: @LocalCommentary "Hope" Has Been a Bust, It's Time for Hope 2.0. January 28, 2010 Jonah Goldberg on the State of the Union address: Obama seems to think more Obama is the answer for everything. http://bit.ly/bOFPEG The Guardian's Laurie Kellman on the Democrat-vs.-Democrat anger boiling mostly just below the surface. http://bit.ly/9cCQ7a California Watch story on Prop 8 drafters seeking input from Latter-day Saint (Mormon) leaders when drafting the Prop. http://bit.ly/ao9nPn Nice article on Josette Walker, American Fork City's employee of the year. http://bit.ly/aIamDw There's a double entendre here just waiting to happen, but never mind. How can this story not help pork sales? http://bit.ly/99Z4E9 From American Fork: On the sadness of removing other people's junk. http://bit.ly/cNhFzS January 27, 2010 Long, insightful TNR essay on copyright law and the future of culture. http://bit.ly/digqmo Apparently, this species of blatant sexism *is* politically correct. http://bit.ly/cYX9ft January 23, 2010 WSJ: "Yesterday Mr. Obama introduced his first serious idea into the debate on reforming the financial system." http://bit.ly/9220rE January 22, 2010 Charles Krauthammer: "The Meaning of Brown" -- different views of it, actually, and Democrat eagerness to misread it. http://bit.ly/5uRcoQ Peggy Noonan on tectonic shifts in American politics, the meaning of S. Brown's victory, and "the nuts and the creeps." http://bit.ly/4z3124 January 20, 2010 I thought France was supposed to like us, now that Barack Obama is president and has apologized to much of the world. http://bit.ly/6o3IPg As WSJ's Peter Wallsten explains, the Dems' real problem in Mass. and generally is not the GOP, but independents. http://bit.ly/6itYnX Fact of life: Dads embarrass daughters, usually without trying. The best daughters have a sense of humor about it. http://bit.ly/5RkolR Here's a Senate Democrat with a lick of sense *and* an interest in being re-elected. http://bit.ly/7VzPNC January 19, 2010 IMO, Brown (R) over Coakley (D) in MA is earthshaking. http://bit.ly/8xLLPc. Dem spin control says MA doesn't matter. http://bit.ly/82O8i7 January 17, 2010 Anne Applebaum on the cultural and political disaster in Haiti that preceded and underlies the natural disaster. http://bit.ly/6evu0a Steven Greenhut on what has to change to pull California back from the precipice. (It's a lot.) http://bit.ly/7sp5CB January 16, 2010 Interesting: The Telegraph from Britain lists the top 100 most influential conservatives in the United States. http://bit.ly/59FZ4I After the ritual, comprehensive Bush-bashing, this LA Times opinion reports a *closed* Biden meeting about transparency. http://bit.ly/7ElIw7 WSJ's Jon Keller predicts that the key word in Massachusetts' special Senate election Tuesday will be *backlash*. http://bit.ly/59koJg Big, big favors for labor unions in the compromise health care takeover bill the Dems are trying to finish. http://bit.ly/8mUmB2 Herbert Meyer's smart article explains the root cause of US intelligence failures and explains the solution. http://bit.ly/7vC58M Ralph Peters calls the official report on the Ft. Hood terrorism cowardly, delusional, and inept. And unbecoming. http://bit.ly/5RA87v Peggy Noonan analyzes the disconnect between the people and Obama (and his party). It's about policy, not emotion. http://bit.ly/71z3Jo Charles Krauthammer: "The Fall of Obama" -- It's "not that Obama is too cool or compliant but that he's too left." http://bit.ly/4zXjCo January 12, 2010 Michael Barone on the Obama administration's public responses to a terrorist attacks, with a bow to Evelyn Waugh. http://bit.ly/6OoM5g Star Parker: "Terrorism and Health Care -- Connecting the Dots." http://bit.ly/68UjN1 This little American Fork-centered drama has some locals talking about one more blow to downtown redevelopment. http://bit.ly/7TOZoq Becky Beaton has a good Utah County anecdote to show why she values high school sports. She is not alone. http://bit.ly/4Ay4UW Jay Cost: The real Obama is just another cynical politician, saying what will help him win and keep office. We hope. http://bit.ly/4HBhYd January 1, 2010 Charles Krauthammer, "2009: The Year of Living Fecklessly" -- a year of "spectacularly squandered opportunity" in Iran. http://bit.ly/8gdaB6 The counter-terrorism "system worked" (before it failed)? The system is, rely on luck and aggressive, flying Dutchmen? http://bit.ly/5iY8G8 UDOT vs. American Fork on billboard density, UDOT wins. http://bit.ly/8CGz6S A hamburger is a religious experience? I guess it works for football on TV. http://bit.ly/4NwCvF December 18, 2009 A thoughtful, reflective, personal column from Charles Krauthammer, on our times and past times. http://bit.ly/7UGKJB Scientist Patrick J. Michaels explains (from the inside) the damage to science exposed by Climategate. It's not small. http://bit.ly/7l1WD8 David Harsanyi on health care and "Obama's fondness for creating imaginary consensus and offering false choices." http://bit.ly/5QNJGd Kimberley Strassel explains how much trouble House and Senate Dems are in at home, and why Obama and others don't care. http://bit.ly/5fQeyL Two major Senate votes on health care planned in next 6 days, but still Harry Reid won't let our Senators see the bill. http://bit.ly/7mJbNN Superb discussion of ObamaCare's inevitable rationing of health care, by Senator Tom Coburn, an MD and a conservative. http://bit.ly/7xpNZi Aging Senator Byrd's surprise statement against WV's coal industry. I wonder: really his own view, or a staffer's? http://bit.ly/7YNKbc December 17, 2009 Russian scientists are now reporting that Russian meteorological data was misused to exaggerate warming trends. http://bit.ly/7DNGnO George Will considers Pres. Obama's busy December and growing obstacles to his agenda in "When the Charm Rubs Off." http://bit.ly/705HaL Another tax-the-rich idea that hits the non-rich, and a union guy who still thinks taxing the rich is the answer. http://bit.ly/6Kjcjz This narrowly-averted school bus crash is too familiar for American Forkers' comfort, but the outcome was happier. http://bit.ly/5SMGjN It's good to read someone not only trying to make an intelligent defense of business, but also doing it well. http://bit.ly/5lRdFF December 16, 2009 Paul Greenberg wrestles with the current and historical meanings of Hanukkah. http://bit.ly/6JrpQS Blood sport in Highland? City admin fired (http://bit.ly/4MhXGR), now some say his severance package was illegal (http://bit.ly/7BByCH). Final November 2009 American Fork election results, if anyone still cares. http://bit.ly/7nX2eP The Nobel laureate somehow couldn't spare any diplomacy for Sweden. Is this part of his program of abusing old allies? http://bit.ly/5HFdv9 New, smaller snow removal equipment for American Fork -- good news for cul-de-sac dwellers. http://bit.ly/5StTFQ Idea: use fill from the upper irrigation reservoir excavation instead of an 1100 N bridge. AF City Council 3-2 against. http://bit.ly/5WG2OR Mike Lee is near announcing his joining the race for US Senate against Bob Bennett. Probably a good thing. http://bit.ly/7VRrqq Must read: Robert Tracinski cuts through the sideshows, explains ObamaCare's death threat to private health insurance. http://bit.ly/5sYo3H Not over yet, but falling apart in Copenhagen. Good news for Americans who still love freedom and care about debt. http://bit.ly/7lBYAg December 1, 2009 Backlog: Ed Feulner on Obama's campaign promise of fiscal sanity, how he's doing, and big bills crafted in the dark. http://bit.ly/7b99mL Byron York on Senate Dems' extraordinary difficulty beginning health care takeover debate, and what it portends. http://bit.ly/92knSh November 28, 2009 Backlog: Orson Scott Card on stupidity and ineptitude on the part of the radical Left, now that they're in power. http://bit.ly/5i6tDW November 21, 2009 If the price of one Senator's *preliminary* vote for health care takeover is $100 million, what will a final vote cost? http://bit.ly/5lbat3 John Judis (New Republic) on the historical and present tug-of-war between big government liberals and conservatives. http://bit.ly/8hnbmc Tight votes often force Senators to vote with their party, not their states. On the other hand, 60-40 = $bargaining$power$. http://bit.ly/4DxcTT Column on one piece of Detroit despair shows larger picture, too. How long will they keep reelecting the problem? http://bit.ly/6HuR67 November 20, 2009 Intermission at AFHS production of The Wizard of Oz. House nearly full. Witches delightfully witchy. Even the chorus sparkles vocally. November 19, 2009 Der Spiegel (English): Climatologists baffled that global warming has stopped (despite the "scientific consensus"!). http://bit.ly/3xjzgk Enjoyed this in Newsweek: "Mr. Huntsman Goes to Beijing." http://bit.ly/3opGQ9 Apparently, tyranny is just fine with some people, as long as we "save the planet." http://bit.ly/3M8SEs If you're trying to hide or deny that "climate change" has become a religion, is ringing church bells a wise thing? http://bit.ly/3kDh7M Sample from this batch of Thomas Sowell's random thoughts: "Among the many infirmities of age is omniscience." http://bit.ly/4ynwcw Readers recommend this very artful, hilarious piece of video satire from The Onion, about a teleprompter glitch. http://bit.ly/2mDupW Fun article about the Mormons' Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. http://bit.ly/42u5pv November 18, 2009 So far, the superb Crescent Super Band seems to have survived the closure of The Music School in American Fork. http://bit.ly/20opd6 Backlog: Highland drug rehab ctr flap shows difficulty of city leaders caught btwn people and state and federal laws. http://bit.ly/3CjM0c From the backlog: A thoughtful essay by Thomas Sowell, part of his series on "Dismantling America." http://bit.ly/4fzAEw Daniel Henninger: political decadence, soft moralism, neurotic resentment, Nobel Prizes, and a future event in Denmark. http://bit.ly/3zoIt9 American Fork water bills: Sometimes, if you don't get the public communications right, there's a monetary cost. http://bit.ly/CanGq In the House health care takeover bill: If you don't buy health insurance, you could pay large fines and go to jail. http://bit.ly/3xvzTb I wonder how many are swayed by overt politics in TV dramas. I turn to L&O for thoughtful entertainment, not politics. http://bit.ly/4cEH7W November 10, 2009 Re: American Fork High School Marching Band -- Yippee! I don't think the band room will be big enough on Fri/Sat. http://bit.ly/4wRy5q Congressman Jim Matheson pleased me by his health care vote, but it may jeopardize his future with his Utah party. http://bit.ly/2oxi6N Truth: "When a plane takes off from one destination to go to the next, it should land with the parts it took off with." http://bit.ly/3TiASI How many campaign promises can a new congressman break, and how quickly? http://bit.ly/9cmSr It was $280K that the American Fork High School Marching Band raised in 48 hours to go to nationals this weekend. http://bit.ly/13VfTW LDS Church support of proposed SLC prohibition of housing and employment discrimination vs. gays is worth a headline. http://bit.ly/1Wz4F5 November 9, 2009 The church that helped bring down the Berlin Wall. (A USA Today story.) http://bit.ly/VMTJp November 5, 2009 Smart piece by Daniel Henninger on parties, tea parties, and what's really happening in American politics. http://bit.ly/4g70z9 November 3, 2009 Obituary of prominent American Forker Arlo Shelley. One of the good guys. One of the smart guys, too. http://bit.ly/2sEehu Utah voters can verify their polling places here, at the Lt. Governor's page. http://bit.ly/Wqc6Y Excellent, historic, still timely October 1964 speech by Ronald Reagan. A little under 29 minutes. http://bit.ly/1T4wlR An oldy but a goody: Dave Barry writes a Harry Potter novel. http://bit.ly/48YB3a AF mayor, abt half of precincts, Hadfield 60 pct, Thompson 40. All AF precincts in. Hadfield wins mayor with 61 pct. Rodeback and Gunther win city council. AF turnout just over 25 pct. October 31, 2009 American Fork candidates in the Deseret News. http://bit.ly/1nbWC4 A little ongoing tale of eminent domain in Alpine, Utah. http://bit.ly/y5PKT Very interesting development in that intriguing special election for US House in upstate New York. http://bit.ly/2ll1dS October 29, 2009 Fun story about a fellow who graduated from the American Fork High School Marching Band to junior college football. http://bit.ly/2vCowj SLTribune story has one or two essential details other papers missed about the overblown AF McDonald's rap flap. http://bit.ly/1VKOkK An interesting flap in Highland over poll watchers and vote counting. http://bit.ly/Rqk0O October 28, 2009 George Will: Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is a name worth remembering, where the Republican Party's future is concerned. http://bit.ly/2f8UUQ American Fork City and Alpine School District are thinking ahead about 100 East. http://bit.ly/4vcuPt October 24, 2009 Ken Blackwell on the Virginia gubernatorial race, which is interesting and perhaps also telling on several levels: http://bit.ly/kdm5t October 23, 2009 "It's His Rubble Now" -- excellent piece by Peggy Noonan, who analyzes the President's diminishing poll numbers. http://bit.ly/l8p9T October 22, 2009 This story from the backlog just begs for lots of jokes, but let's just agree that saving fuel is a good thing, okay? http://bit.ly/34WFBB From the backlog: If you've ever wondered just how controversial speed humps can be, check out this George Will story: http://bit.ly/1AURR1 Jeffrey Herf in The New Republic (the left!): Only credible Obama threat vs. Iran is military, but he'd lost the Left. http://bit.ly/ASz6G October 14, 2009 Michelle Malkin: Census is 1 step from representation; corrupting it chips away at our republic. Now there's trouble. http://bit.ly/22v1Yj October 13, 2009 At Lavell Edwards Stadium for band competition. West stands nearly full. Few raindrops. Morale high. Fine bands. No idea how to judge a marching band. All better and bigger than my old, enthusiastic high school band of 30. All performers from all schools with red ribbons or black armbands. Now huge ovation for AF entering field. Davis, fine performance. AF, simply beautiful, even without the context, and no matter the results. BYU band, great show. Now Amazing Grace, for AF and Heather C. Gorgeous, powerful. AF first place. Also musical, visual, color guard, percussion. October 5, 2009 Wesley Pruden on Obama, Olympics, and "swag for corrupt politicians - assuming such persons exist in Chicago." http://bit.ly/28hS8 Paul Greenberg: Iranian nukes, Israel, and the essential difference between talking and doing. http://bit.ly/IqF8b Charles Krauthammer: "When France chides you for appeasement, you know you're scraping bottom." And so forth. http://bit.ly/ElCO4 October 4, 2009 George Will: American foreign policy's "White Queen" phase. (Have you read "Alice in Wonderland" lately?) http://bit.ly/48GhuG Ken Connor discusses opponents of and the need for transparency in government, especially where Congress is concerned. http://bit.ly/11Dwk6 Cutting Medicare Advantage is AARP's price for supporting ObamaCare. Morris and McGann explain this and other deals. http://bit.ly/5UhO6 October 3, 2009 Mil Millington is a delightful phenomenon. Here on Jane Austen and Margret (http://bit.ly/T1H26), here on multitasking (http://bit.ly/T1H26) A legal showdown re states' rights seems apropos in an age when the burning question is the expansion of federal power. http://bit.ly/KGBKO Tom Purcell says today's kids don't walk, but the kids are not the problem. http://bit.ly/IlIAX Jack Kelly on why French Pres. Sarkozy is furious with the current "leader of the free world." http://bit.ly/fbVk0 Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., on terrorists a common thread: the motivation that must not be named. (Gaffney names it.) http://bit.ly/or5TW Morris and McCann: We've now agreed to subject US economic policies to G-20 (including China and Russia) for review. http://bit.ly/1kwBRD Thomas Sowell's "The Brainy Bunch" has some unhappy comparisons. Pres. Obama as Juan Peron is one of them. http://bit.ly/aC68l Straight talk from Larry Elder about the Taliban, Afghanistan, and the commander-in-chief we elected. http://bit.ly/ihtP6 September 29, 2009 Wesley Pruden says, blame the voters more than the president. Then he explains, for what. http://bit.ly/ZbgLT Does anyone wonder if MI might have an econ. if its govt had reduced to "essential services" more often and for longer? http://bit.ly/6wcDo September 28, 2009 Dave Barry. Fire ants. The decapitating phorid fly. 'Nuff said? http://bit.ly/CZEaR Norman Ernest Borlaug is a man we should all know and remember, a man who changed the world. Paul Greenberg explains. http://bit.ly/3ilmZ2 ACORN, SEIU, others. Kathleen Parker connects the dots. http://bit.ly/ULfm2 September 27, 2009 From the backlog: Peggy Noonan on why Obama should pull the plug on ObamaCare. http://bit.ly/172OR5 From the backlog: Nice, clear piece of sensible economics, how cash-for-clunkers destroyed wealth. http://bit.ly/XjoVW From the backlog: A British MP critiques Britain's health system, wonders why free people would consider one like it. http://bit.ly/2rmC35 September 26, 2009 Why think we're immune to Islamofascist revolution? "We don't want to democratize Islam, we want to Islamize democracy." http://bit.ly/KeaHR Larry Kudlow: What G-20 should be talking about in Pittsburgh -- look ahead, act decisively, avoid serious inflation. http://bit.ly/rEyHC Jon Rodeback on who's not playing in whose league any more, and the real meaning of caving on missile defense in Europe. http://bit.ly/vdJmo How can this bit of tyranny not have a chilling effect on the 2nd-hand commerce folks use to keep afloat in lean times? http://bit.ly/118BGX Wesley Pruden: "Children's Hour" at the UN, and the wing-nut African tyrant who suggests B. Obama as president for life. http://bit.ly/3L6Jw Paul Greenberg on the disproportionate power of video, as in recent ACORN and Black Panther cases and the 1950s South. http://bit.ly/vRYya Another worthy remembrance (Krauthammer's) of Irving Kristol, "a deeply good man who disdained shows of goodness." http://bit.ly/18OOZS Diana West: a new general in Afghanistan's not enough, but his rpt contains at least 7 reasons to fire Gen. McChrystal. http://bit.ly/59F4e Mona Charen: Obama's UN speech "most extravagant excursion into self-worship we have yet seen in an American leader." http://bit.ly/1GpV7W September 25, 2009 Something bipartisan about the health care debate: discontent when congressman (Utah's Matheson) dodges questions. http://bit.ly/cHlBs It's only about 90 minutes away, at 3:32 CDT: the nadir of Western civilization. Read the Onion at your own risk; I do. http://bit.ly/BpQIU In the current Senate version of ObamaCare, if you don't buy medical insurance, you could go to jail. Enforcer? IRS. http://bit.ly/LNSPt September 24, 2009 Paul Greenberg on the war in Afghanistan, the White House's dilemma (go wobbly or not), and public and partisan opinion. http://bit.ly/AYtMD Some folks just don't take a war seriously. Michelle Malkin explains how we can tell. She won't make you feel safer. http://bit.ly/3scIB A little economic thought goes a long way. Dick Morris explains how proposed legislation will balloon health care costs: http://bit.ly/dEVht George Will: Pres. Obama is not the free trade guy he claims to be, we're violating NAFTA, and tires prices will go up. http://bit.ly/XIuWm Thomas Frank drinks *all* the Koolaid, calls names, spouts talking points, wishes his fellow lefties would fight back. http://bit.ly/14EMcr Thomas Sowell is biographical and autobiographical in this delightful essay on underdogs. http://bit.ly/2mxigP Serious road-building in north Utah County. This time it's SR-92. http://bit.ly/5Q9y6 September 23, 2009 From Friday: Frank Gaffney on missile defense, the Obama admin's relations with Russia, and the perils of translation: http://bit.ly/560g5 From the backlog: Linda Chavez on distractions and diversions in the health care debate -- on both sides. http://bit.ly/yrf4V I'm not a fan of Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Florida), "the blogosphere's man in Congress," but TNR's writeup is interesting: http://bit.ly/15rsGW Tony Blankley's excellent essay calls on leading Democrats to apologize for scandalous language, then lead by example: http://bit.ly/BOfhq Nat Hentoff on the Baucus health bill's fine print, squeezing doctors to provide less treatment for Medicare patients: http://bit.ly/jVf3U This Mona Charen tribute to the late Irving Kristol has more than one column's share of insight re politics and humans: http://bit.ly/14iNXO September 21, 2009 Mark Steyn on restitching the Iron Curtain and being a treacherous friend. Feisty and insightful, as usual. http://bit.ly/cplFR These are stern times. We need Dave Barry more than ever. Tolkein, accordions, caterpillars, roundworms, wine. http://bit.ly/CZEaR Either Paul Greenberg's essay or his title is probably a mistake. They don't match. But the essay is charming enough. http://bit.ly/1c5lhJ Typically excellent Michael Barone insight. Mainstream media doing the Obama administration no favors in the long run. http://bit.ly/AmbHf Bosnia's simmering again. What does this suggest about Afghanistan? George Will offers some thoughts. http://bit.ly/44s6Jg September 20, 2009 From a few weeks ago, some very good thinking re freedom: Eric Rassbach, "Why I Defend Goat Sacrifice": http://bit.ly/RuuiA From the backlog: More on the Black Panther case. Voter intimidation is okay, from the left? John Fund writes: http://bit.ly/2fvYr8 From the backlog: One bridge farm, 380 feet of cool engineering for American Fork: http://bit.ly/x0ISB From the backlog: Paul Greenberg on . . . a new tone in Washington? Don't miss the H.L Mencken quote at the end: http://bit.ly/aPcYb Fixed broken link from Tues. Jeff Jacoby, right to health care. Important thoughts. Not new reasoning but well done. http://bit.ly/VpomK Nice piece from the Economist about going to back the old LDS mission later and doing something. http://bit.ly/od0zH September 19, 2009 Linda Chavez: "Calling somebody a racist has become the new McCarthyism." On distractions in the health care debate. http://bit.ly/ldHl3 Dick Morris offers some real insight about politics generally in this discussion of Obama, health care, and headwinds. http://bit.ly/rp8er September 18, 2009 Krauthammer: "Barack Obama doesn't lie. He's too subtle for that." There are other ways to deceive us re health care. http://bit.ly/RHIE0 President Obama can't please them all. The Russians are very happy. The Poles and Czechs, not so much. http://bit.ly/RAMZ2 For the moment, President Obama gets it: the health care debate is about the proper role and size of government. http://bit.ly/TaBbM September 17, 2009 This bill by itself wouldn't get the Constitution back into the room, but it might be a foot in the door: http://bit.ly/42rzg4 September 15, 2009 Thomas Sowell, very near his best in "Fables for Adults," about health care reform: http://bit.ly/12UyAD. This is one to share with friends. People with a political agenda don't have to be communists (these Russians aren't) to fudge history in their own favor: http://bit.ly/cSbp2 There are active terrorists in the land, but not the people who are showing up for town hall meetings. Leftists. http://bit.ly/r4nI2 September 14, 2009 George Will on the Supreme Court, and freedom of speech vs. federal election law: http://bit.ly/Ing6X September 10, 2009 That must have been some marriage proposal. Happily, both parties survived, and we can laugh about it. http://bit.ly/10zoRk Not a big Pat Buchanan fan, but sometimes he has a point. On *everything* that divides us: http://bit.ly/6S1VC EXCELLENT FOR 9/11: Peggy Noonan, The Children of 9/11 Grow Up - Wall Street Journal http://bit.ly/13zZ9C (via @PeggyNoonan) It's cheapest at the problem's root, if you really think humans (not the sun) cause climate change: Eliminate humans! http://bit.ly/OFmTE Rebecca Hagelin on what we're doing to boys: http://bit.ly/TFlV6 Copyright 2009 by David Rodeback. |
