Small Thoughts on Big Subjects
- President Obama is attempting to quell the anger over a burgeoning government by making the case that refund checks are much bigger this tax season than in previous years. Even if you take his supposition at face value and ignore the host of tax hikes already signed into law, as well as a bunch of others that will take effect in the coming months and years, his claim is akin to telling a death row inmate that he should be thrilled with his final meal—even though execution awaits in the morning.
- Arizona's governor just signed into law a bill that eliminates the requirement for a concealed-carry weapons permit. Also done away with was any obligatory safety training. I'm a big believer in the right to bear arms, but this law strikes me as an overreach by Second Amendment zealots. In an effort to affirm/expand gun rights for all, the safety rights of others may very well have been abridged.
- If you had Lloyd Blankfein in the future Treasury Secretary pool…sorry.
- Goodwin Liu, Obama’s nominee for the 9th Circuit, said his personal views (progressive as they may be) would "never have a role" in his opinions if he were confirmed to a seat on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In a related story, bigoted lawyers and judges across the country breathed a sigh of relief that they still may be viable candidates for appellate and Supreme Court openings.
- Did you see that a delegation of White House press corps members met on Thursday with Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, to air grievances and improve frayed relations? Ed Chen of Bloomberg News, and president of the White House Correspondents Association, said "in my 10 plus years at the White House, rarely have I sensed such a level of anger, which is wide and deep, among members over White House practices and attitude toward the press." If the administration is true to form, a solution will be announced...with an implementation date somewhere around 2025.
- On Friday, Bill Clinton said that today's grass-roots anger and resentment toward government can legitimately be compared to the right-wing extremism that percolated prior to the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building 15 years ago. I wonder if he finds similar parallels between the current state of affairs and his actions in office that resulted in a debasement of the presidency, general coarsening of the culture, and hyper-partisanship?
- Bigger pen pals: John and Abigail Adams or Obama and Ahmadinejad?
- Even though California desperately needs a fiscally conservative governor with business acumen (i.e. Meg Whitman), it feels wrong when a virtually unlimited personal fortune is used to run for office. Also didn't like it with Corzine in New Jersey and Bloomberg in New York City.
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