I’ve never liked Eliot Spitzer…

Posted on November 14th, 2007 in Federalism, Immigration, Politics by Will

…but this is just ridiculous. He dropped his drivers-licences-for-illegal-immigrants plan today, saying:

“I’ve concluded that New York state cannot conduct this program on its own…It does not take a stethoscope to hear the pulse of New Yorkers on this topic.”

Most governors, realizing their constituents were against them, would back down. But not Eliot Spitzer. No, he went to Capitol Hill, hoping to get Congress to impose something like this on the whole country–not much hope for federalism in the US when a governor, in order to defy his own constituents, asks Congress to overstep its authority. This is a clever way for Spitzer to avoid paying the political price for his position, while still posturing for the Hispanic vote and the unions. But I’d expect nothing less from Eliot “180 on the LSAT” Spitzer, who, as Attorney General, brilliantly usurped legislative power to cast himself as a defender of consumers. Now he’s abusing his position as governor, asking the feds to usurp state power in order to cast himself as a defender of immigrants. I’m sure he hopes he can ride this issue into the Senate, just like he rode his sketchy lawsuits into the State Executive Mansion.

Share This

I know where I’m NOT sending my kids to school.

Posted on November 14th, 2007 in Education, Journalism, Politics by Joe

Earlier today a Stanford student wrote this of Republican Candidate Ron Paul in The Stanford Daily. The obligatory wave of Paul supporters rushed in to leave their detraction’s in the comments listed below the article.

Some of the comments:

“Perhaps if you spent as much time contemplating Paul’s stands on the issues as you do cooking up flavorful ad hominem attacks (Or not so flavorful– “Paul is insane”) you might have found some common ground with him. ”

“I thought Stanford is also a “Research Institution,” no?”

There is something dissapointing about a student at Stanford (ranked 4th in the nation) that would publish this:

“Paul’s views are a contradictory hodgepodge of conservative and libertarian positions. He opposed the Iraq War but supported Afghanistan. He’s strongly pro-life but vaguely pro-gay-marriage.”

It may be particularly disappointing to the Federalist or Constitutionalists to hear an educated person decry Paul’s efforts to protect the life of the unborn while refusing to use federal power to force a definition of marriage on the states. What’s worse is the implication that, if Paul opposes gay-marriage in his private judgment, he must seek to abuse the power of the president to force that judgement on others. It is a threat to the ”institutions and values that have brought the United States to where it is today” when even the educated see nothing wrong with such a fallacious assumption. 

Perhaps Stu will come around. Consider this comment: “Then again, he is graduating in 2009, he still has a lot of growing up to do.”

Share This

A Return to Fiscal Conservatism?

Posted on November 14th, 2007 in Budget and Tax Policy, Politics by Kyle

It only took six years, nine months, 24 days, and a change in Congressional power, but Bush finally vetoed his first appropriations measure yesterday.  And he did it to be fiscally responsible:

“Their majority was elected on a pledge of fiscal responsibility, but so far it’s acting like a teenager with a new credit card,” the president said…

[…]

Bush criticized Democrats for approving a bill that exceeded his budget request for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education departments by $10 billion.

Good criticisms, but a little weak coming from Bush:

Since 2001, Bush signed at least 50 spending bills passed by Republicans that exceeded his budget requests, according to House Appropriations Committee records. He did not veto a single one.

Nor did he veto any bills to protest the explosion of earmarks under Republican Congresses. (Bush has vetoed only six bills, the fewest by any president since James A. Garfield, who was shot in 1881 after four months in office and died weeks later.)

Share This

Things That Make Me Laugh At 4:30AM

Posted on November 5th, 2007 in Humor, Transgressions of the State by Kyle

Overheard at the Pittsburgh airport, just past the security checkpoint:

“Dude, if the terrorists hate me for my freedoms, I think they officially won when that cranky b**** took my toothpaste.”

Share This

Is Maureen Dowd aware of this?

Posted on November 1st, 2007 in Journalism by Will

The NYT had an article today on attitudes toward women in the workplace. So where did The Gray Lady decide to put this tough look at societal stereotypes? In the “Fashion and Style” section, right before the equally hard-hitting “Is this It for the It Bag?” Clearly the NYT takes working women seriously.

Share This