National Politics
Scott MacKay’s immigration piece in the Sunday ProJo was a good piece of historical writing. However, and inevitably, it will be used by some as proof for their arguments in the contemporary illegal immigrant debate. Namely that the U.S. has “historically” allowed all immigrants, whether illegal or not. My first thought after reading the piece…
I recently remarked on the rhetorical similarities between the Civil War-era Copperheads, “the Peace Democrats” who went out of their way to obstruct the Union war effort, and today’s Democratic Party. Of course, rhetoric is one thing. Action to obstruct is another. With their recent vote to hamstring the authority of the president and his…
The new Democratic Congress really is changing the way things are done in Washington, aren’t they? I’ll leave it up to the reader to define “change” (h/t) in John Fund’s story: Democrats promised reform and instituted “a moratorium” on all earmarks until the system was cleaned up. Now the appropriations committees are privately accepting pork-barrel…
Over at the OSB, I’ve put up a post putting yesterday’s testimony by Valerie Plame in context. Included is an informative reminder that, at first–while attempting to protect their own journalists against charges of publishing sensitive national security information–many mainstream media outlets tried to convince the Justice Department that Plame’s identity was well known. (Guess…
I’ve already asked, “How is Firing Government Attorneys a ‘Scandal’?” Well, it ain’t. I agree with Andrew McCarthy: The politicians on Capitol Hill theatrically castigate the politicians in the administration for making political decisions about political appointees based on political considerations. The politicians in the administration reply, “That would never happen,” before conceding that it…
So the Bush Administration fires 8 lawyers and somehow this “scandal“is the next Watergate? Please. I agree with Mike Gallagher on this one: [T]o read today’s papers, all the political controversies in our nation’s history combined don’t add up to the earthquake of a scandal that is rocking our world: the Bush Administration was involved…
Sensing undeniable interest in the subject, despite any ironclad vows I may have taken, I will offer an open thread for observations and analysis concerning the 2008 Presidential election.
Mickey Kaus provides the seeds of the argument that explains why flip-flopping is something not desirable in a political candidate. Kaus points out that you can’t really determine a candidate’s heartfelt position is the flip or the flop. Contrary to the way it is usually portrayed, it is just as likely that a candidate’s current…
Well look what’s among the news not fit to print: Even with spending control slipping a bit (up 6.4% in January 2007 compared to January 2006), the deficit is 57% lower through the first four months of FY07 than it was at the same time in FY06. I believe that merits a “Wow.” There is…
I know. I’m not supposed to be posting anything on the 2008 Presidential campaign before June. However, I’m adding a codicil to my New Year’s resolution: I can make an exception when able to present primary-source material about a Presidential candidate (or someone with a Presidential exploratory committee) that adds to a discussion area already…