Where's the Outrage?

Tags: Iraq by ecthompson md
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The following map can be found on the NY Times’ web site. It shows on a county-by-county basis whether each county voted more Republican or more Democratic compared with four years ago. There is only a little splash of red in the Oklahoma/Arkansas/Tennessee region. Everywhere else, the votes went more Democratic. Now the big question is how do we continue this trend?

Tags: Party Politics by ecthompson md
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Monday Evening News Roundup

Brookshire Hathaway, the investment group led by Warren Buffett, posted a third-quarter profit of $1.06 billion. This was a net income decrease by 77%. It is the fourth straight quarter of profit loss, but it must be understood that they made a profit. It was just less profit than they’ve made in the past.

Political Animal’s Hilzoy had a nice post this morning on trusting Barack Obama. Personally, I believe that Barack Obama will have trouble from the left and from the right. He will not be liberal enough for the left and he won’t be conservative enough for the right.

Barack Obama and his advisers are working on a plan to close Guantánamo Bay, which needed to be done two years ago. Well, to be honest, Guantánamo Bay should never have been opened as the come one, come all detention center for folks we had no idea what to do with. We should have spent the intellectual capital to figure out the problem.
China is planning a massive investment in its own infrastructure. They are looking at $586 billion worth of investment.

Senator Harry Reid seem to be supporting Joe Lieberman, while at the same time speaking out relatively strongly against Senator Ted Stevens. The Lieberman saga continues.

Al Franken continues to narrow his deficit against incumbent Senator Norm Coleman. Franken now trails by only 204 votes.

Governor Howard Dean plans to step down as chair of the Democratic National Committee. I guess when all the pundits said you were wrong and foolish to believe in a 50-state strategy and you prove that the pundits were, beyond a shadow of a doubt, all morons…yep, it is time to step down.

MSNBC has extended Keith Olbermann’s contract and has given him any “healthy” raise. Congratulations, Keith.

Tags: Civil Liberty, Countdown, Election 2008, Legal, Party Politics by ecthompson md
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The importance of today’s meeting between Barack Obama and George W. Bush must not be understated. Let’s think back eight years to the White House meeting between President Bill Clinton and President-elect George W. Bush. According to James Moore’s book, Bush’s War for Reelection, Bill Clinton gave George W. Bush the five priorities for his administration. First was bin Laden. Second was the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The third priority was North Korea and the fourth was Pakistan-India. Finally, there was Saddam Hussein. Remember, this was back in 2000. Bush said, “I think you’ve got your priorities wrong. I’m putting Saddam at the top of the list.” (I wonder where we would be had Bush actually paid attention and gone after Osama Bin Laden from day one.)

I’m not about to say that President Bush is as wise or insightful as President Bill Clinton was. On the other hand, President Bush is not stupid. He is driven by ideology, yes, but he is not stupid. Therefore, whatever insights imparts to Barack Obama should be taken into consideration. I hope, honestly, that Barack Obama takes his advice into consideration. Who knows? In a fit of sanity, President Bush may actually give thoughtful nonpartisan advice.

Tags: Bin Laden, Bush Administration, Obama administration by ecthompson md
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