Jeez, this places just bounces from one extreme to the other. A few months ago in Kandahar, they were executing gays by using them as foundation stones. Now the place is reverting to ancient Sparta.
Can’t they find some kind of happy medium?
All posts by Rand Simberg
It’s Not Selling, Tom
The latest Opinion Dynamics Poll is out at Fox News. It’s mostly good news for the Republicans–other than the environment, health care, and social security, they have the confidence of the poll respondents. On military affairs it’s overwhelming–only 16% would trust the Democrats more. So unless they can make those three issues the dominant ones this year, hopes for taking back the House (and maybe even retaining the Senate) look dim for them right now.
But the worst near-term news for the Dems is that it looks like a majority sees through the demagoguery.
35. Do you agree or disagree with those who say Democrats would rather use the economic downturn as an election issue than work to improve the economy?
Agree: 52%
Disagree: 30%
Not Sure: 18%
I think that Plurality Leader Daschle is playing a losing hand here…
It’s Not Selling, Tom
The latest Opinion Dynamics Poll is out at Fox News. It’s mostly good news for the Republicans–other than the environment, health care, and social security, they have the confidence of the poll respondents. On military affairs it’s overwhelming–only 16% would trust the Democrats more. So unless they can make those three issues the dominant ones this year, hopes for taking back the House (and maybe even retaining the Senate) look dim for them right now.
But the worst near-term news for the Dems is that it looks like a majority sees through the demagoguery.
35. Do you agree or disagree with those who say Democrats would rather use the economic downturn as an election issue than work to improve the economy?
Agree: 52%
Disagree: 30%
Not Sure: 18%
I think that Plurality Leader Daschle is playing a losing hand here…
It’s Not Selling, Tom
The latest Opinion Dynamics Poll is out at Fox News. It’s mostly good news for the Republicans–other than the environment, health care, and social security, they have the confidence of the poll respondents. On military affairs it’s overwhelming–only 16% would trust the Democrats more. So unless they can make those three issues the dominant ones this year, hopes for taking back the House (and maybe even retaining the Senate) look dim for them right now.
But the worst near-term news for the Dems is that it looks like a majority sees through the demagoguery.
35. Do you agree or disagree with those who say Democrats would rather use the economic downturn as an election issue than work to improve the economy?
Agree: 52%
Disagree: 30%
Not Sure: 18%
I think that Plurality Leader Daschle is playing a losing hand here…
Go Tell It To Emily Post
Rafsanjani thinks that Dubya is being “rude and impudent” for warning Iran about harboring Al Qaeda terrorists.
What does he think that harboring people who drive planes into skyscrapers is? Impolite?
The Dam Is Cracking
According to my sources, Judy Woodruff just announced on CNN that Teddy Kennedy is going to call for a repeal of the tax cuts.
And please, no sophistry about how this is not really a tax increase, because it happens in the future. If changing the legislation so that the cuts don’t take effect isn’t a tax increase, then the original legislation didn’t constitute a tax cut. Sorry, you can’t have it both ways.
Darling, I Just Love Your Hair
Swiss dairy farmers have been banned from using hair spray to improve the looks of their cows.
…the head of the Cattle Association, Hans Siegentahler, now says: “Styling cows has been perfected in such a way that even experts couldn’t judge any longer whether a cow is a natural beauty or just made up. Cattle breeders should stick to the beauty ideal without deceiving anybody.”
When we can’t coif our cattle, the terrorists win.
Why Goldberg’s Book Is Numero Uno At NYT
Nice catch by Andrew Sullivan (or whoever pointed it out to him). And quick thinking by Shelby.
Exchange on CNN?s NewsNight, December 18:
Aaron Brown: “Some conservatives jumped on [Taliban fighter John] Walker, saying he is a product of cultural liberalism ? the California kind ? helping to turn an impressionable kid against his own country. Joining us from Salinas, California, one of those conservatives, Shelby Steele of the Hoover Institution. Mr. Steele wrote a provocative article the other day in The Wall Street Journal ? a column in the Journal. And here in New York, a columnist who thinks Mr. Steele is making an awfully broad generalization: Richard Cohen of the Washington Post. It?s nice to have both of you here.
Mr. Steele.”
Shelby Steele: “First of all, let me interrupt you just a minute. Is Richard Cohen a liberal?”
Brown: “Yeah, Richard Cohen?s a liberal. I think he would say that, wouldn?t he?”
Richard Cohen: “On this issue.”
Brown: “Okay. Everyone is now branded, I guess.”
Steele: “Great. If I?m going to be, everybody?s going to be.”
Why Goldberg’s Book Is Numero Uno At NYT
Nice catch by Andrew Sullivan (or whoever pointed it out to him). And quick thinking by Shelby.
Exchange on CNN?s NewsNight, December 18:
Aaron Brown: “Some conservatives jumped on [Taliban fighter John] Walker, saying he is a product of cultural liberalism ? the California kind ? helping to turn an impressionable kid against his own country. Joining us from Salinas, California, one of those conservatives, Shelby Steele of the Hoover Institution. Mr. Steele wrote a provocative article the other day in The Wall Street Journal ? a column in the Journal. And here in New York, a columnist who thinks Mr. Steele is making an awfully broad generalization: Richard Cohen of the Washington Post. It?s nice to have both of you here.
Mr. Steele.”
Shelby Steele: “First of all, let me interrupt you just a minute. Is Richard Cohen a liberal?”
Brown: “Yeah, Richard Cohen?s a liberal. I think he would say that, wouldn?t he?”
Richard Cohen: “On this issue.”
Brown: “Okay. Everyone is now branded, I guess.”
Steele: “Great. If I?m going to be, everybody?s going to be.”
Why Goldberg’s Book Is Numero Uno At NYT
Nice catch by Andrew Sullivan (or whoever pointed it out to him). And quick thinking by Shelby.
Exchange on CNN?s NewsNight, December 18:
Aaron Brown: “Some conservatives jumped on [Taliban fighter John] Walker, saying he is a product of cultural liberalism ? the California kind ? helping to turn an impressionable kid against his own country. Joining us from Salinas, California, one of those conservatives, Shelby Steele of the Hoover Institution. Mr. Steele wrote a provocative article the other day in The Wall Street Journal ? a column in the Journal. And here in New York, a columnist who thinks Mr. Steele is making an awfully broad generalization: Richard Cohen of the Washington Post. It?s nice to have both of you here.
Mr. Steele.”
Shelby Steele: “First of all, let me interrupt you just a minute. Is Richard Cohen a liberal?”
Brown: “Yeah, Richard Cohen?s a liberal. I think he would say that, wouldn?t he?”
Richard Cohen: “On this issue.”
Brown: “Okay. Everyone is now branded, I guess.”
Steele: “Great. If I?m going to be, everybody?s going to be.”