Ball Diamond Ball

1. Is there an unspoken consensus among the leadership in Washington that things are about to get much worse?  It would answer some questions which I do not feel have been adequately answered yet, and I do not seem to be alone in this.

2. The rumor that those Senators and perhaps Representatives who voted against the recent bill will not be eligible to serve on the super-committee is disturbing.  There is an aspect to it that makes sense, as a whip device, but it doesn’t quite fit there.  it looks more like a weapon aimed at splitting or suppressing the Tea Party, in exactly the same way that Democrats use tax hikes to split or suppress the Republican Party.

Obviously, McConnell would like a unified front, but … Continue reading →

People say that the ultimate question is the meaning of life, but I think that;s a cop-out.  People care very little for notions as abstract as that, although it can be fun to debate at the University duck pond, in terms as sweeping as they are impersonal.

A far better question is “Do I matter?” and I think that most of human activity can be divided into two types: that which makes a person matter, and that which makes a person appear to matter.  It’s a yes/no question and everybody wants the answer to be yes.  Failing that, they want other people not to know that the answer is no.

Continue reading →

Uncertain Waters.

CNA China thing.  Magnificent.

Quote on economy

Alakozai added that while pulling out foreign troops might be a good move politically for countries fighting an unpopular war, it could be disastrous for Afghanistan’s new generation of businessmen.

“At this stage, Afghan security forces cannot be trusted,” he said, referring to the 300,000-strong Afghan force being handed increasing control of security as foreign troops leave.

“Everybody invested in Afghanistan trusting that the US and NATO forces would stay here for the long run. But if they leave so soon, it’s no longer safe for the business community to invest in Afghanistan.”

Another young Afghan entrepreneur, car dealer Haji Zabiullah, echoed many of his wealthy countrymen by suggesting he could take his wealth elsewhere, for instance Dubai, if the economic and security situation gets … Continue reading →

You’ve got plenty of great ideas, and you just can’t resist throwing yourself into them. Unfortunately, your motivation seems to vanish … and you’re left with a bunch of notes, outlines and first drafts that aren’t going anywhere.

via How to Finish What You Start: A Five-Step Plan for Writers | Write to Done.

For those who wonder what the big deal about ObamaCare is, it is a cancer on our Constitutional Republic.

On its face, the individual mandate is unconstitutional, despite the split opinion of the Sixth Circuit. This is being fought out in the courts, and at each stage the act is weakened by decisions on the way to the supreme court. And for those in the know, even with a severability clause, it would still fall in toto. That’s just the way it is. Take my word for it, or wait and see–it’s the same.

Leaving that alone, however, are other dimensions of lawlessness. The constitutionality of the act based on its substance is one thing, and if you don’t agree with me, then look at these other issues.

… Continue reading →

Rules for Republicans

1. Level With Us

Republicans have a credibility problem right now, and it is because Republicans have been lying to us, fighting against us, and trying to fool us.  They are correct in their assessment that we probably will stay with them anyway, but wrong in their assessment that they will survive the process.  We are not stupid, not backward, and have not forgotten the litany of betrayals large and small since we put them in power.  Republicans must speak with the same candor and humility that they showed in perhaps five speeches after the last election but before the new congress was seated.

We understand that not all battles will be won, but the GOP has become far too comfortable with the logic of … Continue reading →