I’m finally digging out from under the rubble, with a little more time to blog, so herewith some random Sunday morning observations:
Time magazine’s Person of the Year: "You." Lame.
Is there anything more to be said about the Iraq Study Group? Maybe just this revisionist musing about James A. Baker III. The cliche for years is that if Baker had remained Reagan’s chief of staff in Reagan’s second term, he never would have let the Iran-Contra scheme go forward. But given his suggestion that we now negotiate with Ahmanijewhackjob, can we really be so sure of this?
We’re well into the season of what Michael Kinsley called "The Great Mentioner," when every conceivable person who might run for president gets his (or her) moment of media attention. There is of course lots of speculation about the possible candidacy of a former Vice President whose name rhymes with "bore." But how come another recent former Vice President--Dan Quayle--never gets a mention? He tried briefly to run in 2000, but found quickly that G.W. Bush had all the money cornered. And given that the return of the old Bush crowd in the form of the ISG represents the supposed return of the so-called "adults," why not Quayle?
Caught a little squib on TV late last night about how Hollywood studios save ooodles of money by outsourcing production. . . oops, I mean, "filming on location"--overseas. A producer explained that on a major film, shooting overseas can save $15 million or more, in lower set materials and labor costs. That helps play for the $20 million or so to hire Tom Cruise to star. (But remember: Corporate CEOs are overpaid.) How come no outcry about "outsourcing" the work of our entertainment industry? Will Hollywood productions be included in any kind of anti-outsourcing bill that the new Democratic Congress may produce? Don’t hold your breath.
Finally, more evidence this morning in The New York Times that the Episcopal Church is about to crack up and is on its way to becoming as forlorn as the World Esperanto Association. I bailed a long time ago.
Agreed: Time’s Person of the Year choice is very lame.
The presiding American bishop, Katherine Schori, attributes the schism to anxiety and discomfort caused by (imposed) diversity. She is correct, even as she persists in pushing diversity down the throats of chocking congregants.
I read a story about 4-5 months ago about how Hollywood was LA’s second biggest greenhouse gas emitter, after the refineries in the area. I guess they let their cars idle all the time. I found it amusing.
Quayle was too conservative to find a place amongst the establishment types of the ISG.
Good God, how most Conservatives would prefer to be governed by Dan Quayle right now, then the utterly adrift George Walker Bush. Just compare the staff selections of Dan Quayle, to those of our present President. Which man would allow Andy Card a place at an inner council on domestic and foreign policy. Now who would you rather have sitting at a table of about a half-dozen people. Andy Card, or VP Quayle’s former Chief of Staff, William Kristol. Reagan’s entire executive branch was filled with young, bright conservatives. GW’s................?????????????? The less said the better. The only thing worse than his exhumation of Rockefeller Republicanism from the grave, have been his personnel selections. And in Washington personnel IS policy, so is it any wonder that his administration has completely lost its way. With the selections in personnel he made, it WAS ALWAYS GOING to lose its way.
I’m just waiting for GW to emulate Ford’s WIN pin, {for those who don’t recall, Ford told Americans to wear a WIN pin for "Whip Inflation Now"}. Bush is hopelessly flailing about for somebody, anybody to tell him what to do, and in a sign of utter insanity and desperation, he’s actually reaching out to the most clueless class in the United States today, her foreign policy establishment. The Bible tells us of the folly of "the blind leading the blind," but GW has found a way to trump that, he offers us the squalid spectacle of the sighted reaching out to the sightless for direction and guidance.
The best thing that George Walker Bush could do to advance our war effort, and to advance the implementation of his Bush doctrine, would be to offer his resignation forthwith.
Ironies abound; in a church named for Anglos, it has become The Black Man’s Burden to bring the gospel to the benighted white heathens of America.
"Go and sin no more" becomes "Go--it’s sin no more!"
The Church Establishment’s threat to seize the properties has the whiff of blackmail about it--"Vote our way--or else!". To their credit, the congregations didn’t succumb.
In a bizarre reversal, the Church Establishment wants to drive the temple-changers from the money. In other words, they think Biblical injunctions are optional, but court injunctions are iron-clad. Scripture is fungible...but a deal’s a deal!