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I have no insight to add to Jon’s and Mark‘s posts. But I think Obama’s cheap-shot stunt is so despicable, and so stupid, that I want to register my view, just to up the blogosphere indignation index. Disgusting, cowardly, clueless, and bad tactics. How could a West Wing full of grownups allow a Democrat, even [...]
Archive for November, 2010
November 30th, 2010
Category: Don't ask, don't tell, National Security
So DADT repeal won’t wreck the armed forces and leave us naked to our enemies. The Marines’ honor has been a little besmirched by that noble service registering the highest fraction (40-60% compared to 30% average for the whole military) expecting negative effects, but they will get over it and they will follow orders with [...]
November 30th, 2010
Category: Affordable Care Act, Health Care
We found some death panels. They didn’t come from health reform.
November 29th, 2010
Category: Arts and Cultural Policy, Arts reviews, Music, Popular Culture, Rhetoric and Framing, Sports, Technology and Society, Uncategorized
Alex Ross noted a couple months ago that the Metropolitan Opera’s new $16m Ring cycle was beginning . Is this a good use of resources in tough times? he asks. He makes a good try at arguing that Wagner, at least, is opera for everyone (Wagner’s views on the relationship of art to society were [...]
November 29th, 2010
Category: Secrecy in government, Wayward press
Regarding the WikiLeaks affair, I wish to associate myself publicly with the wise comments (posts below) of the Senators from the University of Chicago and UCLA. Let me give a concrete example of why they are correct about the value of secret government communication. A few months ago, I had the honor to meet Lord [...]
November 29th, 2010
Category: Uncategorized
In connection with the latest WikiLeaks flap, commenter Brett Bellmore asks rhetorically, “Do you think America would be better off if the Pentagon Papers hadn’t been leaked?” Yes! Hell, yes! Much better off. The Pentagon Papers leak didn’t end the Vietnam War. It did ensure that no subsequent Secretary of Defense would commission a frank, [...]
November 29th, 2010
Category: Uncategorized
Least surprising WikiLeaks revelations: Belusconi and Putin are an item. So what else is new? They use the same business model: control of the media in the service of tyranny and kleptocracy. Putin is more successful at it, because Italy has protections Russia lacks. But Berlusconi’s willingness to carry Putin’s water, though it ought to [...]