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Sunday, January 13, 2008

Hillary's New Hampshire Victory

I blame the media for the surprise victory by Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire yesterday (Clinton Is Victor, Turning Back Obama; McCain also Triumphs. New York Times. January 9th. 2008. A1).

For the past five days, the newspapers and television channels have been full of discussion about the possibility of a black man, Barack Obama, becoming President. Despite Hillary's strong showing in Iowa, there was virtually no discussion about the possibility that the ultimate glass ceiling might be broken and that a woman might become president.

The women of New Hampshire were insulted by this lack of focus on a woman's success so flocked to Hillary Clinton in sufficient numbers to put her over the top and made the race competitive once more.

[Full disclosure: I am a supporter of Barack Obama]

Sent to New York Times

Friday, January 4, 2008

Romney: An Old Fashioned Massachusetts Pol.

At last Mitt Romney has shown himself to be an old style Massachusetts politician.

First he is being accused of dirty tricks by Mr Huckabee.
Second he urged his supporters to "vote early and vote often."

Sent to New York Times

There is no Peace Dividend

Robert Kuttner is living in a dream world if he believes that after the Afghan and Iraq wars are over there will be a peace dividend (All our children, American Prospect, December, 2007: A2-A3).

This war is not being paid for. There has been no attempt to pay for it out of current revenue, nor has there been any attempt to fund the war through domestic borrowings through "War Bonds" or some instrument akin the the UK Wold War II "Post War Credit."

After the war is over, the bills will come due as our foreign creditors demand repayment. The current administration's failure in maintaining some degree of fiscal responsibility will do us profound damage in the long run.

Sent to American Prospect