Politics

One cannot help but feel somewhat apprehensive about reports of a mushroom cloud over North Korea (original). I would feel less apprehensive if it hadn’t occurred on the anniversary of North Korea’s foundation, which is apparently used as an opportunity to stage patriotic and inspiring events. Can’t help it; I’m still not feeling all that much safer now that Saddam’s out of power. I know I’m meant to feel like Bush has done a wonderful thing, but the problem is… it only takes one bomb in the hands of a madman. Doesn’t matter if the bomb comes from a mythical weapons program in Iraq or a real weapons program in North Korea, except in the peskily practical sense that you can’t get a nuclear weapon out of a mythical weapons program.

Says Hugh Hewitt: … the weakness of Kerrry as a candidate is obvious from the fact that it has now been 38 days since Kerry sat down on camera with a major figure from American journalism for an in-depth interview that would be certain to bring up Kerry’s whoppers about his Vietnam service. I see. And the last Bush on-camera interview with a major figure from American journalism was… when? Larry King, on August 12th? So that’d be 26 days ago or so. ...

Judicial Watch has requested an investigation of Kerry’s activities after his release from active duty; namely, his discussions with delegations from North Vietnam in Paris. They’ve also joined the howling pack that would like to prove that Kerry’s medals weren’t earned. I don’t particularly feel the need to waste my time debunking these myths — you’ll note that it is not illegal for servicemen to speak with officials of foreign governments, and while it is illegal for them to negotiate with such officials, it’s hard to figure out how an ordinary citizen on inactive duty would have the power to negotiate anything. What I would like to do is discuss the claims that Judicial Watch is “non-partisan.” ...

Once again, it’s the politics of fear. This time, it’s Zell Miller talking about how desperately afraid he is. And like you, I ask: Which leader is it today that has the vision, the willpower and, yes, the backbone to best protect my family? The clear answer to that question has placed me in this hall with you tonight. For my family is more important than my party. There is but one man to whom I am willing to entrust their future, and that man’s name is George W. Bush. ...

When someone sets a pipe bomb off (original) at a biotech lab doing stem cell research? That’s what I would call terrorism. This is a company that’s trying to find a cure for diabetes, and someone hates them enough to try and kill people. I am so tired of this hatred for science.

Kerry continues to be not-Dukakis. The following quote is from Ben Barnes, former Lieutenant Governor of Texas. Let’s talk a minute about John Kerry and George Bush and I know them both. And I’m not name dropping to say I know ‘em both. I got a young man named George W. Bush in the National Guard when I was Lt. Gov. of Texas and I’m not necessarily proud of that. But I did it. And I got a lot of other people into the National Guard because I thought that was what people should do, when you’re in office you helped a lot of rich people. And I walked through the Vietnam Memorial the other day and I looked at the names of the people that died in Vietnam and I became more ashamed of myself than I have ever been because it was the worst thing that I did was that I helped a lot of wealthy supporters and a lot of people who had family names of importance get into the National Guard and I’m very sorry about that and I’m very ashamed and I apologize to you as voters of Texas. ...

Bush really nailed it in his tax relief speech (original) yesterday: “And in our society, when somebody demands a good or a service, somebody is going to produce that good or a service…” Not bad. Now, apply that logic to abortions and drugs.

CNN: President Bush wants to work with Sen. John McCain to take legal action against “shadowy” outside groups that have been spending millions of dollars on ads criticizing the president and Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry, the White House said Thursday. Pesky free speech. What are you gonna do? The thing is, Bush doesn’t get credit for the moral argument against 527s. It is possible to argue that 527s are bad because they tilt the political playing field towards the people with the most money, which of course they do. However, Bush has demonstrated that he doesn’t care about that principle, insofar as he opted out of the public financing system in the primaries. If he cared about an even playing field, he wouldn’t have done that. The same applies to the schedule of the RNC; it’s unusually late so that Bush has more time to spend the money he’s already collected before public financing laws kick in. ...

From time to time, people talk about Mitt Romney running for President of the United States. For those uncertain, Mitt Romney is the Republican Governor of Massachusetts; he also ran the fairly successful (if you ignore the scandals) Salt Lake City Olympics a few years back. He is a Mormon. (Yes, Massachusetts has a Republican Mormon Governor. Please don’t let that shake your belief that Massachusetts is some kind of a Communist protectorate, though; it’s always fun watching people underestimate Massachusetts and its politicians.) ...

The San Francisco Bay Area automated toll system, Fastrak, may be used to collect traffic flow data. Basically, they’re adding sensors along the highways which can pick up passing Fastrak boxes. They promise to keep the data separate from driver info, but since the existing Fastrak system is designed to track the passage of specific cars through toll plazas, you gotta figure the capability will be there. I figure the first time there’s a high-profile man hunt, the new sensors get used to track cars, for perfectly understandable reasons. Who’d want to tell the public “No, we’re not using every possible method to track that kidnapper and his victim.”? Not me. Better not to have the capability.