See Politico: Biden to shrink VP role - big time
What a guy. Once a government office has been endowed with powers, it's extremely hard to shrink or remove them. Biden is volunteering to shrink the size of the office. I am wondering if this is due to pressure from the Obama team, the same team that relegated him to nonessential campaigning during the presidential race. In any case, he deserves a salute.
I know that the nation is fawning over its president-elect, but I get the feeling that Obama is an extremely bright guy who's going to make good decisions and (hopefully) run the country well.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Fallujah at Our Doorstep
A nice study break for those of you who, like myself, are freaking out over our final tomorrow:
One thing Mad Dog never mentioned (maybe because it wasn't as relevant in '04 as it is today) and for some reason the MSM seems to neglect as well (which I don't understand, it has everything ratings could ask for) is the Mexican drug war and the physical danger that can occur from an increasing Hispanization of the American Southwest. Since 2006 the drug war has begun to spiral completely out of control. I don't want to spew all of the facts (you can see the rest of them here), but the statistics are incredible. The L.A. Times estimates that 6,836 people have been murdered since the beginning of 2007 in Mexico's drug war. With all the talk about our troop deaths in Iraq (don't get me wrong, the deaths of our soldiers are to be greatly mourned), it's quite sad that no one has noticed the 1,200 people who have been murdered (in sometimes horrifying fashion) in Ciudad Juarez alone so far in 2008 (as of Dec. 3), just miles from El Paso, Texas.
An L.A. Times journalist who has covered the drug war for a while has noted an increase in crime overflowing into towns and cities on this side of the border, which can hardly be unexpected considering the number of immigrants (both legal and illegal) and visitors who travel between the two countries every day.
Thankfully, an excellent job has been done so far keeping the crime south of the Rio Grande (very few cartel-related deaths have been reported so far in El Paso or any other American border town), but how long can that possibly last?
And if Sarah Palin knows so much about foreign policy since she can see Russia from her house, shouldn't we know more about the danger that we can see from ours?
One thing Mad Dog never mentioned (maybe because it wasn't as relevant in '04 as it is today) and for some reason the MSM seems to neglect as well (which I don't understand, it has everything ratings could ask for) is the Mexican drug war and the physical danger that can occur from an increasing Hispanization of the American Southwest. Since 2006 the drug war has begun to spiral completely out of control. I don't want to spew all of the facts (you can see the rest of them here), but the statistics are incredible. The L.A. Times estimates that 6,836 people have been murdered since the beginning of 2007 in Mexico's drug war. With all the talk about our troop deaths in Iraq (don't get me wrong, the deaths of our soldiers are to be greatly mourned), it's quite sad that no one has noticed the 1,200 people who have been murdered (in sometimes horrifying fashion) in Ciudad Juarez alone so far in 2008 (as of Dec. 3), just miles from El Paso, Texas.
An L.A. Times journalist who has covered the drug war for a while has noted an increase in crime overflowing into towns and cities on this side of the border, which can hardly be unexpected considering the number of immigrants (both legal and illegal) and visitors who travel between the two countries every day.
Thankfully, an excellent job has been done so far keeping the crime south of the Rio Grande (very few cartel-related deaths have been reported so far in El Paso or any other American border town), but how long can that possibly last?
And if Sarah Palin knows so much about foreign policy since she can see Russia from her house, shouldn't we know more about the danger that we can see from ours?
Cloture, Senate procedure and Harry Reid's ineffectiveness
Nate Silver breaks down Harry Reid's job as majority leader of the Senate. Essentially, the Republicans have been using procedural filibusters (quorum calls) more and more, and actual filibusters (Strom Thurmond speaking for 24 hours straight) less. Harry Reid has been ineffective at making Senate Republicans look bad, or forcing a vote.
Per ch. 9 of Brownstein, it's possible Reid is being too nice.
Per ch. 9 of Brownstein, it's possible Reid is being too nice.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The End
Tactic Proxy:
What happened to the Alinsky version?
Co-Op America
As we contemplate the American future, a couple of items are relevant to our discussion of Huntington. From the Pew Hispanic Center:
From the Center for Immigration Studies:
Huntington speaks of multiracial America. See:
What happened to the Alinsky version?
Co-Op America
As we contemplate the American future, a couple of items are relevant to our discussion of Huntington. From the Pew Hispanic Center:
Nearly all Hispanic adults born in the United States of immigrant parents report they are fluent in English. By contrast, only a small minority of their parents describe themselves as skilled English speakers. This finding of a dramatic increase in English-language ability from one generation of Hispanics to the next emerges from a new analysis of six Pew Hispanic Center surveys conducted this decade among a total of more than 14,000 Latino adults.
From the Center for Immigration Studies:
Immigrants account for one in eight U.S. residents, the highest level in 80 years. In 1970 it was one in 21; in 1980 it was one in 16; and in 1990 it was one in 13. Overall, nearly one in three immigrants is an illegal alien. Half of Mexican and Central American immigrants and one-third of South American immigrants are illegal. Since 2000, 10.3 million immigrants have arrived — the highest seven-year period of immigration in U.S. history. More than half of post-2000 arrivals (5.6 million) are estimated to be illegal aliens.
Huntington speaks of multiracial America. See:
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
?
Here's one wondering if Blagojevitch could have been more obvious about his lawbreaking. Apparently he knew he was being investigated.
Rationality of Voting, revisited
Today is election day in Clayton, NC. But hardly anyone is voting, and the N&O predicts that only a few hundred will vote today in a revote for the town council. Considering that Clayton is growing very quickly, and whoever sits on the council gets to make zoning and other growth-related decisions, any single voter could have a significant effect on their own future. If I was a developer, I would certainly spend 10 minutes of my time trying to guarantee a pro-growth councilperson, in order to earn thousands more in profits. In this case, voting might just be rational.
Blagojevich arrested on curruption charges
Governor Blagojevich of Illinois has been arrested on corruption charges relating to his job of filling President-Elect Barack Obama'a vacant senate seat.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-rod-blagojevich-illinois-governor-2,0,3093259.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-rod-blagojevich-illinois-governor-2,0,3093259.story
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