ISideWith.com presidential quiz
Sep. 6th, 2012 07:41 amI side with Gary Johnson on most issues in the 2012 Presidential Election. Who the heck is Gary Johnson?
Finally the right choice of words
Jul. 27th, 2009 03:54 pmhttp://www.google.co.il/search?hl=en&q=%22Obama+Administration+has+ordered+Israel%22&btnG=Search&meta=
"Ordered"...??!! Now we know where we stand (more precisely: in what position the Obama administration wants us to stand).
"Ordered"...??!! Now we know where we stand (more precisely: in what position the Obama administration wants us to stand).
Italics mine.
The other day, as we were preparing for the first night of Chanukah, we had a visitor who remarked that she had always thought of Christmas as a secular holiday. My wife, a rabbi, explained to her why that view is problematic.
(Actually, if I remember correctly what he wrote a few years ago, they are conservative).
The other day, as we were preparing for the first night of Chanukah, we had a visitor who remarked that she had always thought of Christmas as a secular holiday. My wife, a rabbi, explained to her why that view is problematic.
(Actually, if I remember correctly what he wrote a few years ago, they are conservative).
When we voted for Bush in 2000 I told my wife: "We'll probably come to regret this, but what's the choice?". I did not mean anything in particular - just a general disillusionment with politics and the democratic political process. Unfortunately, I was right.
Here's a piece by Ron Paul where he argues that Bush's presidency failed because he veered off the "real" conservative values of small government, etc. I agree with almost every word. Except that what he is talking about is not going to happen under the normal circumstances. America will have to go through a terrible crisis (how terrible? how does default on its debt sound? that terrible) in order to get politicians who will more or less honestly implement those values. Enjoy.
( Read more... )
Here's a piece by Ron Paul where he argues that Bush's presidency failed because he veered off the "real" conservative values of small government, etc. I agree with almost every word. Except that what he is talking about is not going to happen under the normal circumstances. America will have to go through a terrible crisis (how terrible? how does default on its debt sound? that terrible) in order to get politicians who will more or less honestly implement those values. Enjoy.
( Read more... )
How well do you know your classics?
Nov. 9th, 2008 10:49 pmIf Rahm Emmanuel had a twin brother, what would his name be?
Voting from Israel
Nov. 5th, 2008 09:56 pmThere was a campaign in Har Nof - my neighbourhood where a large percentage of the population are Americans - to register and vote in the elections. There were no overt suggestions for whom to vote, but I took it as an attempt to support Mac. I was therefore rather surprised that the frum gal (actually, she's already the mother of 3) who sits with me (and two other people) in the same room voted for Obama. She was extatic: it was the first time her candidate won.
America the Liberal
Nov. 5th, 2008 11:34 amRiding to work this morning, after having read that Obama won - one of the main problems for the Republicans being that they could not field a good candidate - I was thinking about the self-perpetuating nature of the American political parties. I found that idea about fifteen years ago in The Brandesian - a journal published at Brandeis University by a group of libertarian students.
The idea goes roughly like this: ideally, a political party is created to promote an issue or ideology. Once the issue or ideology triumphs there is no need for the party anymore and it disbands. The two American parties, on the other hand, are the ends in themselves. They pick issues, constituencies, and ideologies in order to win elections, and not vice versa. Thus with time a party can change its position on an issue to its opposite.
Probably the most blatant example of this is the relationship between the blacks and the Republican party: it was a Republican president who emancipated them (Lincoln), a Republican president who first since the Civil War actively pushed for civil rights (Eisenhower), and a Republican president (Nixon) who tried to introduce (but failed) a sweeping welfare reform that would greatly benefit the black constituency. Now blacks are firmly in the Democratic camp.
Later (while at the Center for Study of Rationality) I found out that probably the self-perpetuating two-party system is an outgrowth of the way elections are conducted in America: electing candidates by districts where the winner takes all vs. voting for party lists where winners are prorated.
I was also thinking this morning that now for sure the Reagan era is over.
When I came to work I came upon this piece from TNR which somewhat addressed and confirmed those thoughts of mine. It's about shifting demographic and constituency patterns that contributed to the Democratic victory and (according to the article) will play a significant role for the decade - if not more - to come. Enjoy.
( The full text )
The idea goes roughly like this: ideally, a political party is created to promote an issue or ideology. Once the issue or ideology triumphs there is no need for the party anymore and it disbands. The two American parties, on the other hand, are the ends in themselves. They pick issues, constituencies, and ideologies in order to win elections, and not vice versa. Thus with time a party can change its position on an issue to its opposite.
Probably the most blatant example of this is the relationship between the blacks and the Republican party: it was a Republican president who emancipated them (Lincoln), a Republican president who first since the Civil War actively pushed for civil rights (Eisenhower), and a Republican president (Nixon) who tried to introduce (but failed) a sweeping welfare reform that would greatly benefit the black constituency. Now blacks are firmly in the Democratic camp.
Later (while at the Center for Study of Rationality) I found out that probably the self-perpetuating two-party system is an outgrowth of the way elections are conducted in America: electing candidates by districts where the winner takes all vs. voting for party lists where winners are prorated.
I was also thinking this morning that now for sure the Reagan era is over.
When I came to work I came upon this piece from TNR which somewhat addressed and confirmed those thoughts of mine. It's about shifting demographic and constituency patterns that contributed to the Democratic victory and (according to the article) will play a significant role for the decade - if not more - to come. Enjoy.
( The full text )
И стали они жить-поживать и home improvement совершать.
А что думаю? война с турками будет
Apr. 30th, 2008 07:30 pmJustin Raimondo. Is War With Iran Imminent?
Звучит правдоподобно. Дык неужели опять евреи во всем виноваты? Я польщен.
Звучит правдоподобно. Дык неужели опять евреи во всем виноваты? Я польщен.
Глубокомысленное
Apr. 8th, 2008 05:01 pmЗаполняя различного рода американские документы, столкнулся со следующей проблемой: американцы требуют распечатывать формы на бумаге размера Letter (8.5x11 in). Стандартный размер в Израиле - А4 (210х297 mm). A4 продается во всех канцелярских магазинах общего профиля, а вот за Letter придется ехать в специализированный. И даже стрельнуть пару листочков негде: куда не сунься - только метрические размеры.
Отсюда глубокая мысль: об абсолютном конце американской мировой гегемонии можно будет говорить тогда, когда они будут вынуждены перейти на метрическую систему.
Отсюда глубокая мысль: об абсолютном конце американской мировой гегемонии можно будет говорить тогда, когда они будут вынуждены перейти на метрическую систему.
С праздником!
Mar. 21st, 2008 02:44 pmВсех с праздником. Если кто хочет зайти в воскресенье - приносите свою выпивку, или вы серьезно рискуете остаться трезвыми.
Joshua Komisarjevsky - внук Федора Комиссаржевского (и, соответственно, внучатый племянник Веры Комиссаржевской).
Subj.
Subj.