National Politics

Closing an Independent Klaus With a Question Mark

By Justin Katz | January 25, 2007 |

Even days later, I find Klaus’s comments to my recent post dizzying. Sometimes — I’d suggest — the fact that every bit of evidence points to your conclusion, even those bits that are contradictory, is above all evidence that your conclusion is a priori. In one breath, industrial manufacturing companies have it all over modern…

State of the Union Open Thread

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 23, 2007 |

I was going to write a high-snark-factor post about how nothing memorable has ever occurred in a State of the Union Address. However, I came across this Whitehouse webpage (the building, not the Senator; this is going to be really annoying for the next six years) which lists some impressive State of the Union moments…1823:…

Cheap Pop or a Marriage of Concepts?

By Justin Katz | January 20, 2007 |

Supporters of minimum wage increases (used here as an example issue) don’t appear willing to discuss whether their policies would work, would achieve an increase in living standard for working families. Instead, they offer insults about heartlessness and declarations about what the working poor deserve. Their presumption, I guess, is that anybody so cold as…

House Dems Like Earmark Reform. Senate Dems? Not so much…

By Marc Comtois | January 12, 2007 |

Ah yes, see how much has changed! Looks like the House Democrats earmark reform bill is being supported by most Senate Republicans and a few Democrats….but the heartiest opposition is being put up by Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (via Glenn Reynolds). TPM Muckraker has one report and Andy Roth at the Club For Growth…

Democrats 9/11 Commission Bill: Both Less and More Than Advertised

By Marc Comtois | January 10, 2007 |

So, the 100 Hours continue and Speaker Pelosi has gotten her 9/11 Commission legislation through. And though some may think that every one of the 9/11 Commission prescriptions were included (the necessity or wisdom of implementing them all is another discussion), apparently, that’s really not the case (via The Corner). Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent…

Foreshadow of Serious Earmark Reform?

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 5, 2007 |

I may have to give the new Congressional Democrats some credit. During the past election, I commented several times on this June 2006 statement by Congressman Jim Moran of Virginia…”When I become chairman [of a House appropriations subcommittee], I’m going to earmark the sh** out of it,” Moran buoyantly told a crowd of 450 attending…

A Tale of Two Speakers

By Marc Comtois | January 4, 2007 |

On January 5, 1995, Newt Gingrich was elected Speaker of the House, the first Republican to do so in 40 years. Newt Gingrich took the Capital by storm today like many of the generals he has studied — before dawn, with a plan and with an eye on history. As he achieved his longtime dream…

A 2007 New Year’s Resolution About 2008

By Carroll Andrew Morse | December 29, 2006 |

One of my New Year’s resolutions is not to talk about the 2008 Presidential election until at least next June. But since the New Year hasn’t quite arrived, allow me a few observations… 1. If Barack Obama wants to run, it has to be now. If he waits, he will marginalize himself when he tries…

Press Distorts President Ford’s Iraq Opinion

By Marc Comtois | December 29, 2006 |

President Ford was interviewed by the Washington Post’s Bob Woodward, but embargoed the interview until after his death. The portion of the interview that is getting the most play is where President Ford differed with the Bush Administration on the Iraq War. Specifically, portions of the interview are being excerpted and rehashed as news articles…

The Quiet Conservatism of President Ford

By Marc Comtois | December 27, 2006 |

With the passing of President Ford, most people have, by now, been disabused of the notion that he was a perpetual klutz and have learned that, in fact, he was a two-time All-American football player at Michigan. Nonetheless, the role that history has cast him is as the man who pardoned Nixon. Yet, believe it…