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5.26.2001 2:58 AM Rich Galen points out that one-time Democrat Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX) has more class than Sen. Jeffords (I-VT) when he switched parties.
Jeffords instead ran (and won) as a Republican and took lots of campaign cash from the GOP. Galen also offers the interesting spin that Jeffords was the aggressor and that the Bush administration "will not be held hostage by a single Senator." Nice attempt, but something went wrong when the news came out of the blue that Jeffords was leaving the GOP. Jeffords' 2001 version of Pearl Harbor is a political loss for President Bush, but it's not crippling. Bush already has a major victory with the tax package that will soon be sent to his desk. Also, with the Democrats in control of the Senate any inaction can be blamed on Democratic obstruction. "Mutt and Jeffords" Sean Hackbarth | 5.25.2001 1:48 AM I noticed this from National Review on the Jeffords defection:
Strom Thrumond deathwatch. Where have I heard that one before? I know, here and here. Too bad I misspelled the old man's last name twice! Note to self: must invest in better editors. "After He’s Gone" Sean Hackbarth | 12:42 AM What an outrageous abuse of authority! Washington, D.C. students were strip-searched during a jail tour to show them what would happen if they got arrested. Who the hell do these teachers think they are and why did jailers go along with this? "D.C. Students Underwent Strip-Search On Jail Tour" Sean Hackbarth | 12:35 AM A vote in the House of Representatives signaled the end of school choice at the federal level. The House rejected President Bush's minor school choice proposal and also rejected a $50 million school choice test project. This issue is dead in D.C. because many Republicans voted against these tepid measures, and the GOP is the school choice party. This does return the issue where it belongs--the states. (On a sidenote, I'm still searching through my copy of the Constitution trying to find the justification for federal involvement in education. If you know where it is, e-mail me.) This setback doesn't stop states like Wisconsin from expanding their own school choice programs. But since the feds waste billions, a smattering toward a free market in education would have been nice. "House Rejects Bush Plan for School Choice" Sean Hackbarth | 5.24.2001 11:57 PM Always the contrarian, Andrew Sullivan isn't worried about Sen. Petty's--I mean Jeffords'--version of Pearl Harbor. He's happy the tax cut will pass, and it can play into Bush's hands because Senate Democrats can be blamed for any inaction due to gridlock on the Hill. In fact, Sullivan actually applaudes Jeffords defection because Republicans like him can undermine the party. Sullivan writes,
Sean Hackbarth | 5.23.2001 1:39 PM The biggest RINO (Republican In Name Only--but I prefer to call them "squishes") in the U.S. Senate is expected to leave his party tomorrow. Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont isn't taking the expected hardball politics from the Bush administration very well and will hand over control of the Senate to Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) and the Democrats. When Jeffords voted against Bush's tax-cutting plan and complained that the government didn't spend enough on education, did he actually think he would be treated with kid-gloves? It shouldn't be a surprise that Jeffords is leaving the GOP. What should be surprising is how long he's stayed a Republican. Mark Levin points out that Jeffords has a history of not voting like a conservative, let alone a Republican.
When Jeffords announces he's leaving one positive result will be the end of the Strom Thrumon Death Watch. The Democrats won't care about Strom's demise if they already have control of the Senate. "Outing Himself" Sean Hackbarth | 5.22.2001 2:08 PM The most backward nation on earth is starting to resemble Nazi Germany. Non-Muslims have to wear badges in public. It's like the yellow stars-of-David the Nazis forced Jews to wear for differentiation. What's next, segregating the non-Muslim population to protect the purity of Islamic Afghanistan? "Afghan Taliban Orders Non-Muslims to Wear Badge" Sean Hackbarth | 1:00 AM Rachel, thanks for the link. Here's one right back at you! You should be fine at George Washington University. You already know the Left is obsessed with social and human reconstruction. Ah, to be young again. I'm not really old (only 26), but I miss the days of ranting and raving with wacked out Liberals at college. Verbal Bitchsmack Blog Sean Hackbarth | 12:07 AM The late Edith Efron knew that pure idealism in an imperfect world leads to cultism. People who look for simple answers to complex problems can become, in her words, "robots." But Efron has some solutions: "The prescribed regimen is six months of steady reading of specialized journals and books in a half-dozen fields;" and "he must look for fellow travelers." "Secular Fundamentalism" Sean Hackbarth | 5.21.2001 11:45 PM The solution to the U.S.'s energy problems is increased electrical generation. The Bush administration is wise to support nuclear power as an effective method. Vice President Dick Cheney said it right when he said, "If we're serious about environmental protection, then we must seriously question the wisdom of backing away from what is, as a matter of record, a safe, clean and very plentiful energy source." No American has ever died from a nuclear power plant accident. The worst part is the nuclear waste, but with the development of new breeder reactors, it can be minimized. "Bush Puts Energy Into Nukes" Sean Hackbarth | 5.20.2001 1:01 AM John Podhoretz rips West Wing overlord, Aaron Sorkin with as biting a quote as I've read in a long time:
While Podhoretz correctly blasts Sorkin for his liberal snobbery, I have to say that I like the show more than John. I accept the fact that it's filled with liberals spouting off on their brand of Democratic soft-socialism, but I expect that because it is from Hollywood. Regardless of the ideological bent, The West Wing is exciting with interesting characters and real world situations. The writing is intelligent. The dialogue is fast-paced but still substantial. The viewer can envision themselves in the characters' shoes and wonder if they could make the tough decisions or play hardball as well as the people on screen. "West Wing Theology" [via Kevin] Sean Hackbarth | |
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