Friday, December 12, 2008

GOP, thanks for Ohio and Indiana

ILLUSTRATED: The GOP is a century behind, that's why they won't be in the White House for a long time.

After the GOP scuttled the auto bailout last night, it is clear that they are willing to sacrifice the manufacturing base in the Great Lakes area, or at least tell the erstwhile middle class that they and their families are now working class.

The way I see it, Democrats now have a floor of about 270. Granted the Great Lakes and Northeast will shed some electoral strength after the next census, but I see Maryland, the north bank of the Ohio river, out to the Mississippi as an electoral Great Wall that the Republicans cannot cross. The GOP just gave us Indiana and Ohio last night, so combined with the ever blue West Coast the White House (and thus the Federal Bench) will be to our liking for some time to come.

The GOP is clearly still stuck in an 1890s mentality of being anti-union and support a society of a few powerful business people. Democrats need to make the case the government is a public trust that will invest in the people making us a stronger whole.

Ironies of GWB

ILLUSTRATED: The failure of the Bush Administration is forcing Americans to to save and conserve. But it is not enough.

The collapse of the global economic system, American geopolitical strength, and perhaps the industrial base is forcing the American people to tighten up. The household debt is down, and people want smaller cars.

But conservatives, stop grinning. You may think that cutting government led to more personal responsibility. However, the American people will figure out that they are better off with government creating efficiencies of scale and sensible controls to sustain capitalism.

Personal debt is down, but so is net worth.

We are not doomed to become a Third World country. Democrats have a case to make that with a national health care risk pool, easier access to educational loans, more vocational spending, more infrastructure, and sensible regulations the American economy can grow with smart government.

Monday, December 01, 2008

Obama, Biden,and H. Clinton's key resume bullet

ILLUSTRATED: All policy must be in a constitutional framework.

Constitutional Law professor was a job held by the incoming president, vice president, and secretary of state. That means the rule of law will prevail in national security policy making. Earlier this year I wrote that presidents, not generals make policy. Generals set and execute strategy, colonels execute operations, and captains and lieutenants execute tactics.

I was not complete. Above all of that is the rule of constitutional law.