Washington Post
"Something strange and important has happened to the system of picking presidential candidates. Influence that was supposed to move from political insiders to the broad public has been captured by activists, pollsters, pundits and fundraisers -- not exactly the people the reformers had in mind. The new system removes the useful peer-group screening that once operated, but fails in its promise to give power to the people."
You mean, the BCRA didn't solve the "problem" of special interests in politics?
And, according to the electoral college, we weren't meant to choose the president anyway, so it's no big deal.
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Office Pool, by Bill Safire
New York Times
Predictions for the coming year. The questions are multiple choice. Safire's answers are at the bottom. Here are mine:
1. none; 2. b; 3. b; 4. b; 5. b; 6. none; 7. d; 8. b; 9. a; 10. none; 11. c; 12. d; 13. a; 14. none; 15. a; 16. a
Predictions for the coming year. The questions are multiple choice. Safire's answers are at the bottom. Here are mine:
1. none; 2. b; 3. b; 4. b; 5. b; 6. none; 7. d; 8. b; 9. a; 10. none; 11. c; 12. d; 13. a; 14. none; 15. a; 16. a
Who is Howard Dean and What's His Problem?
Two of today's Washington Post editorials take this question on.
Marjorie Williams says being a doctor is his problem - he won't admit he's falliable. I wrote about some doctors' attitudes yesterday, but if you want a good portrayal of the doctor-turned-politician phenomenon, read this NY Times profile of Bill Frist from a few months ago. He basically thought he was a god for a time.
Harold Meyerson thinks Dean is too much like John Wayne, and not enough like Jimmy Stewart.
What Meyerson is trying to say is that Dean should be the doctor in The Shootist (Stewart), not the gunslinger (Wayne).
Marjorie Williams says being a doctor is his problem - he won't admit he's falliable. I wrote about some doctors' attitudes yesterday, but if you want a good portrayal of the doctor-turned-politician phenomenon, read this NY Times profile of Bill Frist from a few months ago. He basically thought he was a god for a time.
Harold Meyerson thinks Dean is too much like John Wayne, and not enough like Jimmy Stewart.
What Meyerson is trying to say is that Dean should be the doctor in The Shootist (Stewart), not the gunslinger (Wayne).
Butting In: Forget the French--America is right to press for religious freedom worldwide, by Terry Eastland
Weekly Standard
The focus of the article is Chirac's attempt to ban religious attire in public schools.
"John Hanford, the U.S. ambassador at large for religious freedom, effectively called on the French to understand that such displays, so long as they are a "heartfelt manifestation" of people's beliefs and not acts of provocation, constitute 'a basic right that should be protected.' A French official was offended, as the French can be, and told the New York Times that 'never have you heard a French diplomat comment on an internal debate in the United States.'"
I'm proud we're willing to take a stand on this kind of thing, though I doubt we'll do much about it.
The focus of the article is Chirac's attempt to ban religious attire in public schools.
"John Hanford, the U.S. ambassador at large for religious freedom, effectively called on the French to understand that such displays, so long as they are a "heartfelt manifestation" of people's beliefs and not acts of provocation, constitute 'a basic right that should be protected.' A French official was offended, as the French can be, and told the New York Times that 'never have you heard a French diplomat comment on an internal debate in the United States.'"
I'm proud we're willing to take a stand on this kind of thing, though I doubt we'll do much about it.
U.S. Bans Dietary Supplement Linked to Number of Deaths
New York Times
Damn. What are we to do now? I'm almost willing to try a reasonable diet and regular exercise. Nah.
Damn. What are we to do now? I'm almost willing to try a reasonable diet and regular exercise. Nah.
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