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3.23.2002 11:24 PM Arafat has joined a member of the Axis of Evil. The man doesn't want peace. But is he crazy enough to think he can drive Israel into the sea? What is Arafat's ultimate motive? "A Secret Iran-Arafat Connection Is Seen Fueling the Mideast Fire" [via Drudge] Sean Hackbarth | 10:57 PM I wonder who leaked that report on U.S. nuclear strategy and why. However, like Paul Greenburg, I see good coming out of it. Let me have Greenburg speak for me:
"Good News, Bad News: Thinking the Unthinkable" Sean Hackbarth | 10:50 PM The biggest lesson from Enron's collapse isn't that accounting firms shouldn't consult or massive changes in accounting rules are needed to restore investors' confidence or First Amendment restiction laws (AKA Campaign Finance Reform) are needed to clean up the system. No, the biggest lesson that should be learned from Enron is simple: don't put all your eggs in one basket. Even if your company gives you company stock for your 401(k), make sure you're diversified. France Smith offers some common sense advice. "Your 401(k) Plan -- Lessons from Enron" Sean Hackbarth | 3.22.2002 2:34 AM Alex (not Alec) "Stone Hyde" Baldwin is up to 369 votes at Send Them Packing. $369 should be plenty to ship that bad-acting blowhard off to France. But maybe we should hold out for enough to send him to the workers' paradise of North Korea. I wonder if Alex likes the taste of tree bark, the national meal of that country? Sean Hackbarth | 2:27 AM The Onion honors Michael Dell. It's just not as serious as BusinessFans.com. "Corporation Reaches Goal, Shuts Down" Sean Hackbarth | 1:52 AM According to Andrew Sullivan, the King of personal websites, Matt Drudge, cruises around in his very own white convertible. Who said you can't make money on the Internet? Sean Hackbarth | 1:21 AM Rich "Nuke Mecca" Lowry expands on my thought that President Bush will break his oath if he signs the campaign finance bill in front of him. "Executive Privilege" Sean Hackbarth | 12:30 AM Can someone give Peggy Noonan a Pulitzer? She's just so damn good. Her column on the Catholic sexual abuse scandals is full of heart-felt meaning, faith, and a yearning for good to come from it. You don't have to be Catholic (I'm not, so I haven't felt comfortable commenting on the story.) to feel the pain she feels towards her church. "The Pope's First Statement" Sean Hackbarth | 12:17 AM Louis Rukeyser is leaving Wall Street Week, a television show he hosted for 32 years. Public Television is losing a man with a skeptical eye on Wall Street, the courage to ask the tough question, and a plethora of puns. It will be really tough for its replacement Wall Street Week with Fortune to match the quality of Rukeyser's show. "'Wall Street Week' Host Rukeyser Out" [via Drudge] Sean Hackbarth | 3.21.2002 11:57 PM National political parties will be weakened but state parties and advocacy groups like the NRA and ACLU could benefit from the new campaign finance law. The Christian Science Monitor has already named the latest political evil: "bundlers." They are people who have contacts and persuasive powers to bundle individual contributions for a candidate. Those type of people used to be considered political activists. Now, they're the next big threat to democracy. "Money in Politics: a New Route" Sean Hackbarth | 3.20.2002 11:50 PM Buying a Fighting Whites t-shirt: should I, or shouldn't I? That is the question. I don't find the shirts offensive (actually, they're pretty funny), but do I really want to financially support a bunch of whiny, Left-wingers who have too much time on their hands? Sean Hackbarth | 10:48 PM Watch closely at how politicos, parties, and advocacy groups respond to new free speech restrictions--I mean new campaign finance laws. You will see the Law of Unintended Consequences raise it's head and surprise us all. The biggest short-term winner may be President Bush. Last election, he did very well raising hard money. With the legal limit raised to $2000 and incumbency, any Democratic challenger will have a hard time financing a campaign capable of beating him. "Surprises Lurking in Finance Overhaul" Sean Hackbarth | 10:37 PM The First Amendment Restriction Act (AKA campaign finance reform) passed the Senate. President Bush is taking the cynical and political route by saying he'll sign it even though he thinks it's "flawed in some areas" and doesn't meet his idea of campaign finance reform, which is "full and timely disclosure of campaign contributions." My hunch is Bush thinks this will get thrown out by the courts. So by signing it, he tells voters he's for reform. Whether he thinks it will pass constitutional muster or not, he swore to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." That includes protecting the First Amendment, which states in part, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." Signing the bill will be a black mark on his (so far) extraordinary Presidency. "Campaign Finance Reform Passes, Bush Will Sign" Sean Hackbarth | 3:51 AM The New York Sun's op-ed page should be a nice antidote to that of the Left-of-center Times with conservative all-stars Peggy Noonan, R. Emmett Tyrrell, Richard Brookhiser, and Amity Shlaes contributing. However, it will have to be really good to reach the level of the Wall Street Journal's op-ed section. "The New York Sun Introduces its Editorial Staff" Sean Hackbarth | 3:38 AM For the first time, I've discovered a non-trivial Google search where TAM is #1!! Sean Hackbarth | 3:29 AM George Tenet's comments about Iraq and terrorism aren't really new. They are just a reminder that an Iraq that possesses chemical, nuclear, or biological weapons is a major threat to the U.S. No bombshells (no pun intended) were dropped at that Senate hearing. Tenet never said there was proof Iraq was behind the 9.11 attacks. If there was, it would already be out there so the international community would accept any U.S. retaliation. All Tenet said was "it would be a mistake to dismiss the possibility of state sponsorship whether Iranian or Iraqi and we'll see where the evidence takes us." This was just the administration offering reasons why the U.S. can and should invade Iraq. It's not a coincidence that Tenet made his comments at the same time Vice President Dick Cheney is in the Middle East talking to leaders about Iraq. "Iraq Has Had Contacts with al-Qaeda, Tactical Cooperation Possible: CIA Director" Sean Hackbarth | 3.19.2002 1:21 AM The Third-Party Hero is in political trouble. 63% of Minnesotans favor someone other than Gov. Jesse Ventura (I-MN) for governor. Jesse is suffering from a common argument against third party candidates: no allies. The Democrats and Republicans have locked him out of budget talks. No allies in the legislature means no way to get his budget passed. He can only sign or veto what's given to him. With the state suffering an almost $2 billion deficit vetoing a reasonable plan could be poltical suicide. "In Minnesota Polls, a Ventura Takedown" Sean Hackbarth | 12:43 AM This story about lost Russian nuclear reactors that could be used by terrorists to make a dirty nuke is scarier than it really is. Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research said, "If you don't know what you are doing, it will kill you first." Disposal workers in Georgia used one ton lead shields and limited exposure to collect a reactor core found in the woods. The chances of moving that kind of equipment around Russia without notice seems slim. It'd be easier to raid a few hospital radiology labs to get radioactive material for a dirty nuke. The threat looks more James Bond than anything real. "Makings of a 'Dirty Bomb'" Sean Hackbarth | 12:21 AM The Saudis are walking a very fine line. While talking tough with the U.S. over a Gulf War-like invasion of Iraq and intervening in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in order to placate strong fundamentalists at home, they do support ousting Saddam Hussein (The only national leader I can think of known best by his first name. The Madonna of international affairs?). Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said, "Regime change in Iraq will only happen if the Iraqi people do it." It looks like the Saudis want to see another Afghanistan take place. A strategy I believe the Bush administration was looking at anyway. "Saudi Arabia Would Back Overthrow Led by Iraqis" Sean Hackbarth | 3.18.2002 11:28 PM Nicholas Maier's Trading With the Enemy took serious aim at money manager and financial commentator James Cramer. The book's publisher, HarperCollins, is admitting that some of the pages contain false material and will destroy thousands of the copies of the book. The value of Mr. Maier's other allegations are now worth about as much as the pulp from the destroyed books. Weeks ago, when the book was just coming out, Matt Drudge made it the banner headline on his website. I haven't seen any mention by him of HarperCollins' actions. "HarperCollins to Junk Copies of a New Book Cited as Libel" Sean Hackbarth | 3:05 PM At Send Them Packing, your vote and donation could give a loud-mouthed Hollywood Leftist a one-way ticket out of the U.S.--a country many of them detest since George W. Bush's election. Kim Basinger is upset that she's been linked to this site and her ex-husband Alex (not Alec) Baldwin. Her publicist said, "I don't think that's fair. Because her husband at that time had opinions about it, doesn't mean that she had an opinion about it." But when talking about Alex's (broken) promise to leave the country, Basinger said, "I can very well imagine that Alec makes good on his threat. And then I'd have to go, too." She didn't say her husband was off his rocker and acting childish. No, she was all ready to head off to England, France, or wherever Alex wanted. "Website Offers to Send Liberal Actors Packing" Sean Hackbarth | 2:47 PM CNSNews.com has a two-part series on politically-bent summer camps. The communist/socialist camp emphazies "group living, cooperative decision-making, and noncompetitive but challenging approaches to sports and games." Everyone wins (and loses) because no one keeps score. Campers are reinforced on standard Leftist causes like abortion-on-demand, child labor, and globalization. Is there any mention about the millions who died at the hands of communists? Is there any mention of the untold suffering, repression, and murder in the name of creating a new world order? As for the camp run by Robert Welch University, it's all fine and good that they emphasise American values like limited government and natural rights, but what about the wierd conspiracy stuff? Robert Welch founded the John Birch Society. John Birch-ers are anti-communists but see vast (Left-wing) conspriacies around every corner. At that summer camp are kids taught about the "secret plot" of the Tri-Lateral Commission and the Council for Foreign Relations to use the U.N. to create a communist world state? "Political Summer Camps Cater to Extremes" "No Socialists at This Summer Camp" Sean Hackbarth | 3.17.2002 10:28 PM No big celebration for me this St. Patrick's Day. Worked during the day, and now savoring a Leinenkugel's. (I know it isn't Guinness, but I didn't want to fight crowds just to get a good pint.). The extent of my celebration included corned beef a few days ago and listening to the audiobook of Liam Clancy's The Mountain of the Women. In a way, I'm passing St. Patrick's Day like those across the pond who "spent the day in quiet reflection." At least that was before they realized they could get thousands of drunk foreigners to spend lots of money in Dublin. "Doing St. Patrick's Day the Irish Way" Sean Hackbarth | 1:25 PM Glenn Reynolds is probably drunk by now, and I still won't beat him in number of posts today. The guy is a machine. Sean Hackbarth | |
ABOUT When I'm not pondering the fate of the universe, I'm reading, writing, or selling books. Here you'll find comments on politics, culture, books, and music. Not necessarily in that order. MAILBOX sean--at--theamericanmind.com  Support democracy and human rights in Iraq! 
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