This touches upon one of the benefits of last Tuesday’s election that I’ll most enjoy:
I now have the luxury of debating only thoughtful, sane conservatives who argue in good faith, and I intend to enjoy it.
There’s much more to it than that, though. Go read the rest.
From today’s WSJ:
President-elect Barack Obama is unlikely to radically overhaul controversial Bush administration intelligence policies, advisers say, an approach that is almost certain to create tension within the Democratic Party.
This is likely just an opening salvo from one (of many sides) in a war over the future of our government, but this should serve as a wake-up call to those Obama supporters who are willing to just sit back and “trust him” on most everything. Who’s driving this particular story?
Mr. Obama is being advised largely by a group of intelligence professionals, including some who have supported Republicans, and centrist former officials in the Clinton administration.
That is to say, largely those that have a vested interest in the status quo, and a future interest in the contractors that support it. Add them together with Obama’s demonstrated cautious nature, and the inevitable bias towards keeping power that has already accured to the office, and we’ve got a problem. He may yet surprise and please. But it’s something to watch carefully.
Yesterday, in Taiwan:
Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian was led away in handcuffs Tuesday after investigators questioned him for more than five hours in connection with a lengthy money laundering probe.
This post over at Booman Tribune – Treat DC as a Crime Scene – has been linked a lot, mostly in bitter amusement. But I’d take its prescriptions as an entirely reasonable start. Some might read this and think that I’m overreacting, or that perhaps we’d be better off with more magnanimity in victory. No. There is no shortage of reasonable suspicion pointing to real and actual crimes by this Administration (up to and including the President). Further, what we’d be better off with – both now and in the future – is a clear demonstration that we are a nation ruled by laws, not men. Fear of prosecution for breaking the law should be universal – whether you’re a member of the Bush Administration, the Obama Administration, or any future administration.
In this case 2 = the utter ridiculousness that is the claim that “netroots” have any effective influence in Virginia elections. Sure, there are some talented individuals that both blog *and* are involved with some VA campaigns, and Webb was certainly given a helpful platform in the beginning, but an active and effective influence on Virginia politics that does not make.
Bob Dylan’s With God On Our Side recently reentered my regular music rotation when Vivian Paige linked to this thoughtful piece on the election – and peculiar reception, by some – of Barack Obama.  So, of course, it was that song that immediately came to mind today when Boing Boing posted this video of a Greek v. Armenian monk smackdown in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8g1YFlBX1Y[/youtube]
Dressed in the vestments of the Greek Orthodox and Armenian denominations, rival monks threw punches and anything they could lay their hands on.
The Greeks blamed the Armenians for not recognising their rights inside the holy site, while the Armenians said the Greeks had violated one of their traditional ceremonies.
Personally, I find
who-would-win-in-a-fight-between-Superman-and-Spiderman speculation far more useful. Alas, folks like these monks prefer the live-action version of that argument.
(I do admit to wondering, though, what would have happened if some Turkish Orthodox monks were rolling by when this went down.)
Waldo, as always, does an excellent job of highlighting the sorry state of affairs in the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV). Now, considering their reliably absurd politics, the damage that they’ve done to Virginia, and my own partisan bent, you’d think I’d get nothing but joy out of his. And really, there is quite a bit of joy at the moment. But at some point (and that point will come sooner than later), Virginia’s Democrats will need the discipline that comes from competition with a serious and viable political alternative. So long as these current jokers over at the RPV are in charge, Virginia’s Democrats won’t get that competition. And that’s bad for everyone.
From the Guardian & Mail:
South African singer Miriam Makeba, “one of the greatest songstresses of our time”, died on Sunday night after collapsing as she left the stage following a performance in Italy, the Foreign Minister said on Monday.
“One of the greatest songstresses of our time, Miriam Makeba, has ceased to sing. Miriam Makeba, South Africa’s Goodwill Ambassador, died performing what she did best — an ability to communicate a positive message through the art of singing,” said South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
“Throughout her life, Mama Makeba communicated a positive message to the world about the struggle of the people of South Africa and the certainty of victory over the dark forces of apartheid colonialism through the art of song.”
I’ve featured her music here before, including one of her most famous hits, Pata Pata (this is a great performance she gave in Brazil, 1967):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85_9mKTg_Do[/youtube]
Looks like the ACLU is on the job, planning to run a full page ad in the New York Times reminding everyone of Obama’s promise to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prision system. There are years upon years of damage inflicted by the Bush Administration that an Obama Administration will have to carefully unravel. Much of that will take time and care to ensure that good work isn’t destroyed, and other parts will take money that simply doesn’t exist right now. Shutting down Guantanamo, however, is rather simple and should occur almost immediately. There will be no shortage of politicians who will urge Obama to keep it open, and will find excuses to delay the shutdown.  It’s good to see the ACLU step out in front with a reminder of a promise that Obama can make good on right away.
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