All virtue is summed up in dealing justly.
Aristotle
Congratulations, Chile! Successful Start to Miner Rescue
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| First rescued miner Florencio Avalos embraces Chile's President Pinero, courtesy Reuters |
The White House finally eased off its arbitrary 6-month drilling moratorium a few weeks ahead of schedule; however, before the workers that the White House laid off can lace up their boots, there is a catch: "Though the moratorium has been lifted, officials have said that it could be weeks or even months before drilling operations can resume, because new permits must now be granted." In a sense, this is too little, too late; some rigs are already being redeployed elsewhere to the the coastal areas of other countries, employing foreign workers.
There were ways to improve the regulatory process without resorting to a 6-month timeout. Each barrel not produced domestically is purchased overseas and worsens our trade deficit. Perhaps Louisiana's Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu's hold on Jack Lew's nomination as budget director is making a difference.
Term Limits: Conservative Arguments Against?
I was listening to one of Dennis Miller's radio podcasts over the weekend when I heard one of his conservative guests argue against term limits. The gist of the argument is that it essentially makes the newly elected official a lame duck, unaccountable to voters. (Of course, many people see any restrictions on tenure as anti-democratic.)
First of all, limited terms for any one office doesn't imply unaccountability; those votes would be fair game, say, if a Congressman decided to run for the Senate, governor or even the Presidency. They could also serve to limit one's post-Congressional opportunities, say, in business, consulting, or academia. Second, this argument is more of the distinction between a glass half empty versus a glass half full. For example, a person running for reelection may vote against a compromise measure (thereby ensuring its defeat) in order to fend off a future primary challenger. Third, the status quo is resulting in decades-long tenures and over 90% reelection rates. We had two seriously ill Democratic senators whom have lost their lives over the past 2 years; it's very difficult to defend the reelection of seriously ill people. It's putting the interests of the politician over service to the people. It seems more democratic, not less, for multiple people to have had the opportunity to serve their districts, states, or nation.
Obama Back in His Car Again
The president was winding up his umpteenth telling of the analogy, refusing to give Republicans the keys to the rescued car. “You can get in the car,” he said, as if to them, “but you’ve got to ride in the backseat.” “In the trunk!” someone yelled.What about this Government Motors car that Obama "rescued" and is driving? Do the Republicans want to hitch a ride in the car with the well-tuned job engine? Maybe Cat Stevens has the answer (Obama is clearly driving through Arizona):
Political Humor
An original:
- This is the week of the October 13 "Battle of the Chris's", the great Coons-O'Donnell debate in Delaware, in the fine tradition of Douglas and Lincoln. Halloween is coming up, so you know what Christine will be wearing. Chris plans to appear in costume as a moderate, wearing an all-wool suit, of course.
A CBS News reporter was arrested for growing marijuana in his backyard. Which probably explains why all his stories began, "Dude, you're not going to believe this..." - Jimmy Fallon
[Of course, CBS News was a distant third in reporting the story... Katie, about those brownies left in the employee lunchroom you sampled before the Palin interviews... The reporter told the cops that because of his long work hours, he hadn't had a chance to weed his lawn... The DEA didn't accept his medical excuse signed by Drs. Cheech & Chong.]
The Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded to Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa. Only one American has won the Nobel Prize for Literature in the last 20 years. That should change next year, because Snooki's book is coming out. - Craig Ferguson
[President Obama has high hopes for his children's book coming out. He's heard that it's rare for someone to win two Nobel Prizes.]
Bonus Non-Political:
Last week, Johnny Depp surprised students in a London school by showing up in costume as Jack Sparrow after a little girl wrote and asked him to. The boys in the school are now writing, "Dear Megan Fox..." - Jimmy Fallon
[Let me guess: The boys want Megan to show up in her birthday suit...]
According to a new study, an average man burns 125 calories while having sex for an hour. Let me tell you something, if he is having sex for an hour, he is not an average man. - Jay Leno
[Bill Clinton was dismayed to find out he only burns 5 calories per dalliance. That doesn't even cover the fries he has with his Big Mac.]
Musical Interlude: The "British Invasion" of the 1960s Series
Dusty Springfield, "Son of a Preacher Man"
