Give Credit Where It Is Due

If life was a bit more like baseball things might be clearer in the world right now.

Do we give a relief pitcher credit for a win when all he does is come in for one inning at the end of the game and preserve the lead? No, he gets credit for a save. That is all.

So why does Ronald Reagan get credit for destroying the Soviet Union and the falling of the Berlin Wall. Because he was there at the time? Because he was the goto guy in the last inning?

The US democratic capitalist system was a way more effective wealth generator than the communist system in the USSR. It was the reason the Soviets could not compete with us. Not Reagan & Gorbachev simple relief pitchers who were simply at the mercy of history playing itself out.

Future threats to the US will face the same large fundamental challenge. As China now embraces capitalist workings it remains to be seen whether the political system can adapt peacefully to these changes. As the industrial revolution there proceeds it will be interesting to see how it will handle the inevitable workers rights movements that we witnessed here in America.

Kerry Fundraising momentum? or not?

Kerry's record breaking fund raising streak is not as amazing as it seems.

First of all you have to consider that the Democratic choice for candidate came late in primary process. People were holding onto their cash until there was a clear choice to give it to. Once Kerry was the choice the floodgates opened. Since there is so much anti-Bush sentiment among Democrats it is also no surprise that people are reaching deeper into their wallets to effect regime change.

Kerry has raised 100m. But given an inflationary environment and higher costs to procure advertising space the record amount should also not be a surprise.

For a similar comparison take a look at movie tickets. Hypothetically, say Star Wars sold 20 million tickets at 5 dollars a pop. That one hundred million revenues is 35% less than Harry Potter selling 10% less tickets at $7.50 a pop. In this case Star Wars is clearly the superior performer based on ticket sales.

A similar comparison could be made to Kerry's fundraising. Comparing it to past campaigns is not comparing apples to apples. It might make for good soundbites that profess momentum & organization but it is not clear that is true.

RIP Reagan

A charming endearing fellow. I grew up during Ray-Gun's presidency. That was when I learned that a slithering smile and an oblivious offhand witticism could erase an outright lie.

Young and idealistic (clueless), it was Reagan who taught me that our nation's leaders need not embody the principles and laws that our nation was founded upon. Or even come close. And that citizens would stand by idly.

Many would follow Reagan's lead into the morass.

You opened my eyes, Mr. President. Since then we have witnessed our political, business & moral leaders demonstrate a steady succession of moral,ethical, & criminal lapses.

You embodied the me generation Mr. President. You knew the law but actively took steps to evade it to suit your own agenda. Your legacy is that you broke the law and got away with it. You set the table for a generation of cynics whose regard for the law is not even a close second to the pursuit of their own self-interest.

Recently, a decrepit Pope, whose mental faculties appear to be following the same path as yours, could not avoid recognizing the "soulless" lifestyle that characterizes this nation. Religious zealot or atheist, there is no denying that the Pope was on to something here.

Like it or not, that soulessness is the product of your leadership Mr. Reagan. You set the tone. Now you rest in peace Mr. President.
Part of me wishes that you stayed around and were alert enough to witness the backlash headed our way.

Outing CIA Agents, Media Ethics & the First Amendment

Some public servant outed a CIA agent and all Bush said was I will ask everybody to cooperate with the investigation.

Where is the the anger Mr. Bush? Some acknowledgement that a treasonous (terrorist?) act was comitted and there is going to be hell to pay for it?

This is a travesty and somebody needs to be strung up by his balls.

While I am and ardent supporter of free press, I do not think that Novak should be allowed to protect his sources in this case. His were treasonous acts and put lives at risk. Not just to the individuals that provided intelligence. In the big picture, the fact that certain intelligence ops have to be shut down leads to a less secure environment.

Back when we were invading Iraq and Afghanistan, the press corps toed the line and refrained from releasing vital intelligence. Data that could have compromised the McWar on terror was right at their fingertips. Some ethical & career judgements were made to protect the interests of our soldiers and prevent needless deaths.

But why should the free press only follows these ethical constraints when there is an imminent, clear, and present danger?

Did Novak break these ethical constraints because the deaths and disruptions he causes are unseen? Because nobody can point a finger at him and the blood on his hands?

Since the free press is unable to restrain itself in this regards I am afraid the Judiciary needs to step in and provide guidance. The First Amendment protections for confidential sources are dated and need to be revised to protect our national security assets.

Did The Queen Really Say That?

"...the Queen - knowing the hormones of the royal family - has just posted a 24-hour guard around His Royal Highness' zipper" NYP

I think the Queen ought to encourage young William to pursue some of his young female admirers. Safely, of course!. If he follows the lifestyle depicted here, he is walking a fine line. One that even the Bush administration has yet to Constitutionally ban.