Centerfield

To start off.

I just finished Left Behind, the first book of the Tim LaHaye/Jerry Jenkins series about Earth after the Rapture. It's pretty entertaining, if you treat it as science fiction/fantasy, and don't worry about theological reality.

Today's column in the Washington Post by Robert Samuelson. He takes to task the Brookings "nonreport" on what to do about the future effects of entitlement programs on the federal budget.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7921-2005Apr21.html?referrer=email

After watching Bolton on C-Span I don't like him. We have a big job to do at the U.N. and I wouldn't pick him for the job. But if President Bush assured me that he really wanted him and that his nomination was not made for some other reason (such as smoking out those who are not with him) then I would vote to send his name out to the full Senate over much stronger objections than Biden, et al have brought up. Therefore, I think Bolton is a stalking horse. Statements by Powell, Chafee, Voinovich et al will, from this point on, be considered in a different context than before these hearings. Bush may just prolong this to see who else abandons ship. Before a battle it is a good idea to find out who is going to buckle when the going gets tough. Yes, yes, I know: Courage to speak up. How about the courage to declare and run for office as an independent, if that, indeed, is what one is?

Rick,

I agree, but read book two... It falls apart after LaHaye and Jenkins started pumping out books as fast as they could in order to make a profit.

"How about the courage to declare and run for office as an independent, if that, indeed, is what one is?"

Well, that is the problem. The two parties have done a pretty good job of writing the laws at the state and federal level to insure against the rise of a viable 3rd party or a bunch of independents capable of winning election without party support.

So what's a poor senator to do? Sometimes one has to take a stand. I think the republic will survive.

The Profesora got tenure on Wednesday. We're pretty happy....

Jon

Congrats to the Profesora, Jon!

Third parties can indeed make a difference--just ask Bush the First and Al Gore. Winning elections isn't the same thing as affecting elections.

I'm not sure if anybody else saw this, but Ezra Klein had a series of posts last week on the health care system in 5 countries (France, England, Canada, Germany and Japan). Nice overview, but I'd be interested in seeing a more thorough discussion from both sides of the aisle.

Something I may go into depth later if more time.

The premise of the new bankruptcy law versus what the Bush admin just did to screw United Airline employees out of big chunks of their pensions.
Should not companies be held to the same standard?
Should they, if they become profitable again, recompense those they owed money too?

The double standard for those that have money and power marches on.

oh, and if you're a UA employee that voted for Bush don't you feel like a total ass?

Yes, third parties make a difference, but my reference was to actually getting elected. That doesn't happen much.