Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Friday, November 18. 2011Time WastedI'd like to thank my teens for pointing out to me that pizza has been declared a vegetable by Congress. Years ago, the Reagan administration received abuse for suggesting ketchup was a vegetable. Now we have Congress actually voting on this stuff? At a point in time where the government could be shut down almost weekly, is nearly bankrupt and the Super Committee can't help forge agreement, we can agree that pizza is a vegetable. Tomatoes, of course, are a fruit. So pizza should be a fruit, not a vegetable. Since they can't even get that right, it's probably no surprise Congress can't come to a reasonable agreement on the budget. Was MF Global a Hit?I'm not inclined to believe conspiracy theories, and the thought that Jon Corzine would comply with something along these lines seems absurd. But Jon is very well connected and does have an interest in maintaining the strong link between the government and Wall Street. That link, however, is starting to show signs of wear. Between Tea Partiers and OWS complaining about crony capitalism, and the fact that market rigging only lasts so long before it collapses on itself, we may well be seeing the end stages of the game being played out. From that standpoint, a 'hit' on MF Global would make perfect sense. It's true that even in the best economic conditions, speculators are viewed as evil. The balance they bring to prices and markets, as well as the liquidity they provide, are overlooked because they operate in a realm many people simply don't understand. As a result, there is a belief that somehow speculators 'control' market outcomes. Nothing is further from the truth, but it is a widely held concept. Did the Fed want to see some pressure taken off upward price movements? Yes. Will this help? Yes. Does this undermine markets further? Yes. Does this increase the uncertainty which is keeping our economy from moving forward? Yes. We can ask many other questions, but none will answer whether or not this was a hatchet job. My guess? It wasn't, it was just mismanagement. But there is an awful stench coming from this whole affair. Wall St. FunPalin: How Congress Occupied Wall Street - Politicians who arrive in Washington as men and women of modest means leave as millionaires. Why? And this: Damn It Feels Good to be a Banker. I'd rather be a kick-ass banker than a Consultant - or an OWS lowlife, but really do not wish to be any of those things:
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Friday morning linksPolitely Demonizing Men at Wesleyan Well, Wesleyan is not known for either manly men nor cute chicks Whatever happened to the beloved Pilgrim Hymnal? Denting the Universe: Steve Jobs Thinks Different; Analysts Listen The Rise of Ayn Rand on Campus Maryland’s Governor Spends $553,000 on Pianos at Left-Wing Junk College:
The Treasury Department dramatically boosted its estimate of losses from its $85 billion auto industry bailout by more than $9 billion in the face of General Motors Co.'s steep stock decline. Pure union payoff, on my nickel Federal social policymakers are still using a measure of poverty from the 1960s, one that fails to take account of the many programs launched since then to battle poverty. There will be 23 carbon cops roaming the streets doing snap audits of businesses that “choose to link your price increases to a carbon price”. Asia Rediscovers Its Love For America Elliott Abrams: Palestinian Diplomacy, Lost at Sea Billionaire Buffett's Bakken Boom Christians in the Middle East Juan Cole’s Totalitarian Odyssey FBI Releases 2010 Hate Crime Data "The Entire System Has Been Utterly Destroyed By The MF Global Collapse" - Presenting The First MF Global Casualty (link fixed) Wow. That is some letter Germany's secret plans to derail a British referendum on the EU Thursday, November 17. 2011Will need to continue to work two years after deathTyler: The New Retirement Normal: The Average American Must Work For Two Extra Years After Death. He begins:
Read the whole thing. Years of cheap money, the housing bubble, and other bubbles resulted in a 20-year party built on credit and spending. (Of course, governments did the same thing.) Although most people continue to work after retirement, it is more pleasant when it is semi-optional. On the other hand, if you spend most of your life drearily putting money into savings instead of living, you will get sick before you ever have a life with some fun and adventure in it. Sailing in the Med, fly fishing in Patagonia, hunting Ptarmigan in Alaska, cruising around the world, riding horses in Montana, golfing in Scotland - none of these things are (yes, "none" takes a plural verb) much fun to do when deaf, half blind, and with a colostomy bag, two bad knees, and a touch of dementia. Honestly, I'd rather be working with the latter and have some of my fun in advance. Buy now, pay later. Health, like youth, is wasted on the young, and idleness wasted on the old. During my two years of zombie working, I'd like to be a WalMart greeter, just adding some good cheer to the world for a humble wage.
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A few Thursday morning links“Members of the jury, my client is innocent because his amygdala made him kill his wife.” Saudi Arabia: Women Must Cover Provocative Eyes From Great Courses: The Everyday Guide to Wine Bad idea. You can educate your palate beyond your wine budget in about a week. Not your grandfather's Britain: Her rescue was delayed by senior fire officers who showed “rigid compliance” with official health and safety procedures, the inquiry concluded. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae execs bonus pay–seriously? Jay Cost: Four Enduring Truths of American Elections Robt Kennedy Jr's green company scored $1.2 billion bailout Many Americans say they will have to work until they're 80 Will be lucky to live to 80 with ObamaCare Wednesday, November 16. 2011What's the future of work in America?We have been warned that the world is in for a long period of deleveraging from debt-driven economies. This via Zero Hedge:
Weds. morning linksThat good old toon is via Anchoress, from XKCD Via Insty, Spanking Vs. Abuse High IQ linked to substance abuse Women Ascendent: Where Females Are Rising The Fastest Via Cafe Hayek, David Hume on Rousseau:
WaPo in 1994: Paula Jones Suit a 'Soap Opera'; WaPo in 2011: 'Lingering Questions' About Cain Must Be Answered Nice guy moving to Berlin The apotheosis of multiculturalism Dems criticize eviction of Occupy protesters. Good grief. The Dems are mad at you, Nanny Mike. EPA using flawed data, economics to justify regulations, congressmen say Obama Nominee for Social Security Board Favors Rationing Health Care The rising cost of medical care comes from advanced, expensive technology (almost all created in the US), advanced expensive pharmacology, costs of malpractice insurance and absurdly excess expenditures to avoid lawsuits, and medical insurance and government insurance-subsidies for all medical care. Given all of the above things not changing anytime soon, the only way to control costs is bureaucratic rationing - which will entail the politicizing of any medical care which is covered by insurance. And that is a very bad idea, too. I see a future for medical care outside the entire insurance nexus. Even in a Sub-Par Jobless Recovery, There Are Labor Shortages in the U.S. and Around the World Is This Romney's Time in History? Many forget that one reason McCain was nominated was because Romney was felt to be too conservative The Concept of Brotherhood in Islam - How Muslims View Each Other and How They View Non-Muslims Troops feel more pity than respect Not from me. Pure admiration and gratitude. Had I been a young, junior kid on the staff, I'm sure I would have done what McQueary did. Chain of authority. Had I been in Paterno's shoes, probably what he did: chain of authority. Arguably ethically wrong, but natural. (Update: I may not be well-informed about what was witnessed.) Toon below via Vanderleun Tuesday, November 15. 2011Not a Constitutional lawyer, nor do I play one on the blogMany attorneys and many law profs generally assume that the Commerce Clause is dead and, indeed, was laid to rest many years ago. Whenever I bring up my sentimental and quaint views of the Constitutional limits on federal power, colleagues often see me as a naive artifact from a former age. Which, perhaps, I am. Lawyers rarely deal with Constitutional issues, just with ordinary civil and criminal laws and rules and regulations (of which there exist more than anyone could possibly know or even be dimly aware of, thus providing people like me with tidy incomes). Fact is, the late, lamented death of the original meaning of the commerce clause (designed mainly, as I understand it, to eliminate then-existing obstacles to inter-state commerce) opened the door to the Feds regulating and controlling everything and anything they want to. One might wish that the FFs might have been a little more explicit in their definitions and intentions, but they could not have anticipated every single language loophole the feds might have decided to exploit in their reaches for more and more power, control, and money - even though that was their greatest fear and the reason they bothered to write the thing in the first place. King George lll would envy the power of our current federal government. Loopholes are always for the Common Good, naturally. Antique that I am, for me freedom is the ultimate Common Good. To me, the meaning of "Freedom" is freedom from the power of the state far more than it is freedom from external threats to security, or German threats to Europe, or Islamist insanity. WSJ: ObamaCare Goes to Court - A historic showdown on the constitutional limits of federal power. I predict that much or all of ObamaCare is upheld by the Supremes, in deference to Congress. I deeply hope that I am wrong because the feds have shown little ability to run much of anything effectively or flexibly except the armed forces, much less 17% of the American economy. We'll all end up with USPS medical care, and it will be frozen in law so it can no longer adapt or innovate, or even try to help me and you outside of government guidelines.
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A few links about Euroland- The EU's architects never meant it to be a democracy - The rise of a "technocracy" was always part of the plan for Europe:
- Via Pasta la Vista, Baby:
- Paul Krugman is rewriting history now that the eurozone, beloved by US liberals, is going down in flames - Cameron Rebuffs Merkel’s Push for Closer Political Union Amid Debt Crisis Good for Cameron. He can see that Germany (and maybe France) want to use the crisis to consolidate and build power, a la Rahm Emanuel. Given the track record, one wonders why anyone would want to go along with that plan. I always thought the Common Market seemed reasonable, but it was just a first step towards some crazy utopian vision created by people with little experience in the real world but who think they know what's best for everybody else. By the way, what's the difference between a technocracy and a dictatorship? Tuesday morning linksFinally, police remove encampment from Zuccotti Park Occupy Portland Cleared Out: Onlooker Taunts The Whole World is Laughing A new blog: Bad Rachel About That 'Christmas Tree Tax' - The real story is a case of business and government collusion. Obama not the man America voted for - Historian says the 2008 Barack Obama went on to squander voters' goodwill It has come to this – China mocks West’s political system and economics Profile: She’s giving folks who are sick of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz reasons to cheer CNN Poll: Support rises for health insurance mandate California's government apparently believes that the best way to create jobs is to impose even more potential liabilities on employers. California’s high-speed rail system is going nowhere fast California — toxic for business The US has enough smallpox vaccine to inoculate the entire population for three bucks a pop. But that’s not good enough Who Wants to Subsidize a Millionaire? Italy-Pregnant BlackRock Sees Write-Downs Of 75-80% For Greece, Portugal And Ireland European Debt Crisis: You Haven't Seen Anything Yet Cities Hit as Funds From Bonds Pay Other Bills Harper Tells Obama Canada Will Sell Oil to Asia Since His Administration Delayed Pipeline (Obama Loses Another 1 Million US Jobs) Brutal: Cain blanks on Libya, supports collective bargaining for public employee unions Only a totalitarian New World Order can save us now says Naomi Klein Obama turns his back on Catholics Catholic bishops say religious freedom waning The Court’s agenda on health care Kagan to Tribe on Day Obamacare Passed: ‘I Hear They Have the Votes, Larry!! Simply Amazing.’ 60 Minutes Cherry Picks Book To Make Congressional Insider Trading Mostly a GOP Scandal What's At Stake In the Net-Neutrality Fight The EPA's Reliability Cover-Up - Why did the agency erase its own doubts about the U.S. electrical grid? Insider trading is illegal — except for members of Congress. Monday, November 14. 2011R-E-S-P-E-C-TWhen I was able to get on a military transport home to the East Coast from the West just before going on to Vietnam, it was all officers on board except me (then a Lance Corporal). Regardless of rank, I was fully treated as an equal. When we arrived at New Jersey's Maguire AFB, anti-Vietnam protesters surrounded the gates, blocking buses in to NYC. Several high-ranking officers invited me to share their cab, at no cost (knowing I cleared about $100 a month). When I returned from Vietnam and was mustered out, all my college friends -- most opposed to the US in Vietnam -- threw me a welcome home party. It was totally sincere and non-political. Many told me I had experienced something they couldn't imagine and wouldn't risk, and wondered what that would add to my life or diminish in theirs. -- However, my first date after that was with a girl who asked if I'd killed any babies in Vietnam. I didn't date for many months after. My point is that almost any who have an inkling, a modicum of sense, have respect for our service. As decades have gone by, most Americans have realized that respect is due. All this is by way of introducing you to read all of Justin Timberlake's awakening to respect. Then, for rueful chuckles at a complete fool in a dangerous position of academic authority, I invite you to read this post, and wonder "why can't this jerk be more like Justin Timberlake?"
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CNN Reporter Asks Obama: Are GOP Candidates "Uninformed, Out Of Touch, Or Irresponsible?"
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Monday morning linksNudemen Clock. Clever Fran Lebowitz: on learning about ballet and choreography from Jerome Robbins Mead: The Education Change is Coming Faster Than You Think:
The Old Urbanist visits Zuccotti Park Congressional Inside Traders Are Above the Law Disgraced ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff "confirms" Congressional insider trading Just Like the Tea Party… 3 #Occupy Portland Protesters Arrested With Homemade Grenades Want a glimpse of America’s future? Then cast your eyes on . . . Italy. Regime Change in Europe: Do Greece and Italy Amount to a Bankers' Coup? The EU: They never meant it to be a democracy Is "Totalitarian Leftist" Redundant? Obama campaign adviser wanted Steven Chu out Media Promote Myth of Clinton Golden Years, Hype His New Economic Book Canadian PM eyes China after US pipeline delay Defense Spending Debate Misses The Point Brave New Transnational Progressive World:
Sunday, November 13. 2011The full versionPeter Schiff down at Zuccotti Park. He's a wonderful fellow: (Sorry - seems as if this was shut down - if anyone can find the correct link to the uncut version, please let us know. It worked yesterday)
Sunday morning linksThat $35K for an advanced degree in puppetry Taking Laps In The College Athletics Cesspool A guy who was impressed by Zuccotti Park:
Another view: Occupy Is A Pack Of Thieves, Louts, and Rapists Occupy Portland Protester Discusses Charles Blow: Repubs want the poor to starve Obama making the world safe for political Islam Mexico Under Siege A look back at the Russian war in Afghanistan Elusive Justice: The Search for Nazi War Criminals Athens, Rome, Washington ... The shortest route from imperial capital to tourist destination is precisely this death spiral of debt. Bill Clinton Declares That the Era of Big Government Is Only Just Beginning Fired MF Global Employee on Corzine: “I Would Punch Him in the Face” Star Parker: Which path will you choose, America? Obama Supporter’s Company Wins $433 Million No-Bid Contract for Experimental Smallpox Drug Saturday, November 12. 2011Saturday morning linksToon above via Daily Caller Benches for holiday season at Sippican's place On being a Southerner - On the “habits of affection and behavior” in the American South. People who live long have terrible health habits Tribalism works Turkeys gone wild in Staten Island (vid) "Acceptable" forms of inequality About Army dogs The White Salmon River in Washington state is flowing again as the nearly 100-year-old Condit Dam was disabled with explosives (vid) Journalists who avoid the press (vid) - h/t SDA Stryker, the Kalamazoo-based maker of artificial hips and knees, will cut 5% of its global workforce by the end of next year to reduce costs in the face of new fees on device makers required by the U.S. health care law. Barack Obama is facing an anti-Big Government revolution President Downgrade lectures Europe on austerity The Anarchy of ‘More’: Public Union Avarice Knows No Limits Islamists Take Over Egypt - Library of Alexandria to Be Burned Again; Food for Half-Price The Middle East Studies Establishment vs. Walid Phares
Friday, November 11. 2011Friday morning links: Thank you, vets!In 2010, for the first time in our nation’s history, men constituted a minority of the nation’s workforce. Pristine Big Bang Gas Found - Two newly found pockets of gas contain only original elements created minutes after the universe's birth. "Raise Other Mens' Children" Not in My Job Description How the Windows of Skyscrapers Get Washed Why does the McRib appear and disappear at seemingly random intervals Bring those Marine's remains home (fixed) Markets in Everything: Polaroid's New Instant Digital Camera, a Portable Digital Photo Booth Are Californians Turning Against Campus Race Preferences? Where poor students soar - What works at a school dealing with poverty and a lack of English fluency? Tough love, hard work and a laser focus on achievement. If you have ever wondered what would happen in a society consisting entirely of liberals, the Occupier movement is providing the answer: devolution. Chávez cancer progressing faster than expected The Five Most Infantile Beliefs on Display at the ‘Occupy’ Tantrums - Most of the lot are, we can be pretty certain, pure hope-dopers from the Obama Youth brigade – the in-your-face and up-yours gang – now come to flaunt their disillusionment with their adolescent president. I Thought the Supercommittee Was Supposed to Reduce the Deficit Climate-change believers, skeptics battle to explain early wintry weather TNR: Why Obama’s 2008 Coalition Won’t Save Him This Time Under oath, Holder discredits 'Bush did it too' excuse for 'Gunwalker' I never heard of "Palestinian Theology" before Volokh: Not Safe to Display an American Flag in an American High School MLK's neice: Why the Establishment Wants to Destroy Herman Cain Enjoy a few minutes with VDH at his farm:
Thursday, November 10. 2011Building the computer of 1830
Wonderful. Babbage, of course.
Too much borrowing in Europe, and Waiting for GodotJust like Jefferson County, Alabama, you cannot borrow forever, and when you begin borrowing (as we have begun to in the US) to make your interest payments, it's a bad sign, not sustainable unless God intervenes. Europe Recovery Rally Fizzles As French Bund Spreads Hit Record On Fresh Downgrade Rumor In my view, all Euroland can do now is to pray that somebody strikes oil in Provence or Tuscany - and I don't mean olive oil. Problem is, they don't pray over there anymore. I think they are screwed, and it will affect all of us. A slo-mo death spiral. The Euroland project is in hospice care, it seems to me, on oxygen and IV morphine. There is not enough money available in the world to cover their crappy debt from their crappy, lazy, hyper-regulated welfare states, and they will never be able to pay it back. Never. Furthermore, as my Wall St. friend tells me, defaults will trigger more CDSs than anybody in the world can cover. It's a shit show, as they say. I would advise getting popcorn to watch the earthquake unfold, but it can hit us in the US with a financial tsunami here, across the pond. Maggie: "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money." She never mentioned that you can run out of credit, too.
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Thursday morning linksToon via Vanderleun, who seems to be on the mend after his brush with death Marriage to women with very bad moods Captain Tom loves Sodastream All creative types steal - it's part of their job World's Most Controversial Monuments 12 Reasons We Haven't Found Extraterrestrials If the World Is Overpopulated, Who Should Die? Tests are "fundamentally discriminatory" Duh. Isn't the purpose of tests to discriminate high from low achievement? President Obama walks on both sides of Wall Street The new respect for Newt Admirable, brilliant, but not overly likeable Birmingham declares bankruptcy. There will be others. Blue municipalities, tethered to their unions, are the grasshoppers. They will borrow to get re-elected until the money runs out, and leave the mess to others. Why Can’t the Republicans Nominate a Genuine Right Wing Nut? - Conservatives just need to come to grips with the fact that it's always going to be a Mitt Romney-type who leads the ticket. I think that is true. Reagan was unique but, may I remind us all, he wasn't able to accomplish many of his domestic goals Among the Truthers Eco Wades Into ‘The Protocols’ Conspiracy - Acclaimed Italian novelist defends his new book from attacks back home. David Axelrod's Pattern Of Sexual Misbehavior Picture show: Ballooning state retirement costs Why Obama Should Highlight Iran's Human Rights Abuses Homeland Security Advisor Accused of Leaking Docs What Latin-America can teach Europe Tax the corporations! Then what? Wednesday, November 9. 2011Knucklehead move: A new federal tax on Christmas treesI know they want to tax the air, but this is ridiculous. Before a federal tax on Christmas trees, why not a special tax on Thanksgiving turkeys first, then we can get to taxing the trees. By the way, CO2 makes Christmas trees grow faster and thicker, so how about a subsidy for CO2 production? Just a thought for the highly-educated geniuses in Washington. Related: Gov. Scott Walker calls a Christmas tree what it is. If that counts for courage these days, we're in deep trouble. Weds. morning linksFor those who care, Starbucks K-Cups are out as of this week. (Dunkin' K-cups have been out for a couple of months) Photos: Visiting The Secret Train Platform Beneath The Waldorf-Astoria TNR: Jewish Art: A Modern History Interesting religion site: Endued Department of Ideal Jobs: Kenneth Anderson wants this job:
Zero Hedge (great site): Barclays Says Italy Is Finished: "Mathematically Beyond Point Of No Return" Megan on meritocracy:
Easist way to reduce income inequality is to tax the top 10% to the point that they decide that working hard just isn't worth it. Easiest way to reduce asset inequality is to tax property and assets until people give up on owning anything or saving any money. Hysteric Romney-bashing from Erickson: Mitt Romney as the Nominee: Conservatism Dies and Barack Obama Wins Middle East: A new Cold War
So is this true? Barack Obama is facing an anti-Big Government revolution Via Insty:
Tuesday, November 8. 2011The Transforming Fire in the Middle EastThis afternoon I had lunch and a stroll along the ocean with a new friend, Jonathan Spyer. We struck it off immediately when he said the only organization he ever joined which he promised to obey was the Israel Defense Force. This mirrored my experience in joining the US Marine Corps. Our normally rebellious spirits matched. Spyer was in San Diego to speak about his new book, The Transforming Fire: The Rise Of The Israel-Islamist Conflict. I’d read some reviews before, all laudatory, from the left-leaning Haaretz to the right-leaning Weekly Standard. After reading the book and talking with Spyer, although the focus is on what Israel faces and the book doesn’t delve deeply into US or European foreign policy, the book could have just as easily been sub-titled The Rise of the Western-Islamist Conflict But What Israel Realizes And The West Doesn’t. Spyer’s motivation for writing the book was being blown out of the tank he was driving in the 2006 war in Lebanon, a draw that was poorly prepared for, poorly conceived, poorly executed but required the utmost – which was given – of soldiers on the ground. Spyer wanted to explore in depth what Israel is facing. Again we clicked, I having similar motivation after my tours in Vietnam. Spyer brings to his book much more than being a frontline soldier, or his travels throughout the Middle East, or his fascinating return to Lebanon after the 2006 war. British-born Spyer has a PhD in Middle East politics from the London School of Economics, and served in the Israel Prime Minister’s Office. What makes his book interesting and not dry is his weaving of his personal experiences and observations into his learned descriptions of Middle East Politics. At lunch, Spyer acknowledged that the current state of affairs in the Middle East is more negative than when he wrote the book. The “Arab Spring” unleashed violent animus toward Israel that is encouraged and supported by Iran, toppling formerly controlling, hostile but more benign toward Israel rulers in Egypt and Tunisia. Iran seeks to align a bloc with Hamas in control of Gaza, Hezbollah in control of Lebanon, and Syria as a client state of Iran as a funnel of training, arms and missiles to Hamas and Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia is comparatively weaker, as are Sunnis right now, but struggling to counter Iran’s Shia influence. For now, Iraq is slipping into Iran’s orbit, largely due to Iran’s cat’s paw there, Muqtada al-Sadr’s influence on the dominant Shia coalition in Baghdad. Meanwhile, the US is withdrawing from its former predominance in the Middle East, and Europe continues pursuing its mostly economic interests there. That leaves Israel with the question of how to survive. Among militant Islamists is the illusion that Israel is ultimately doomed due to its smaller population and adherence to values and institutions less militant than theirs. On the contrary, Spyer points out, Israel is relatively militarily and financially stronger than ever. More important, Israel’s population has largely moved past its former Ashkenazic and Sephardic divisions, or its left-right divisions, and through common experience with failed hopes and ruthless adversaries molded a more united and nationalistic leadership and purpose. Remnants of the old left are still common in academia and media but depend on the attention they are granted by Western media although their internal influence is otherwise negligible. Longer term, Spyer is optimistic. As Spyer ends his book, and still believes:
In the meantime, Israel must strike hard when necessary. Otherwise, patience is needed in the Middle East cold war with Islamists. Israel may pay harsh prices along the way, but an Iran-led Islamist encirclement will erode first. I’m reminded of our protracted conflict with the Soviet Union and all’s surprise when its walls fell. What will follow, I asked Spyer. Most likely some sort of military-commercial elite regimes, like before, still hostile toward Israel and the West, still mired in backwardness, but a lesser threat to Israel. The transforming fire is a crucible in which weaknesses are revealed and the product strengthened. The ultimately stronger is Israel’s abilities and resolve based on Western values that too many in the West have abandoned.
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David Brooks has the Tom Friedman DiseaseDavid, I am sorry to inform you that Americans have no interest in being ruled by our betters. We just don't believe they are better, and have little evidence for it since after the founders. William F. Buckley Jr: I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University.
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