Three Republicans

If there's a Souter legacy, it is that he gave birth to the "stealth nominee" - a person so bland that he inspires no strong reaction from political hacks and interest groups. -- S.M. Oliva

I want to talk about three Republicans today.

David Souter, retiring. David Souder wasn't really a republican. He was a guy apointed by Bush 41, who himself was said to be a republican. Souder came recommended by Warren Rudman as a way to pay back the Rockefeller Republicans for their support in the 88 election. He seemed pretty harmless at the time, but wound up betraying America in countless ways through his many years. There's no price he has to pay for this betrayal, except to know that history has a place for him alongside Earl Warren and Roger Taney.

Next, we have Arlen Specter. Arlen is switching parties from the left to the other left. A guy who voted with the democrats so often, he was often confused for one. The latest polls suggested that republicans were going to get their own guy and let Arlen be a democrat, anyway. The switch did not seem to surprise anyone on either side. Specter's NTU rating never got better than a C+, and that's not good enough, so he will join with the other low-performance kids on the left side of the class.

Finally there's Jack Kemp. It was less a matter of Jack Kemp being a republican, than the republicans being Jack Kemp. Republicans were only doing well when they were following him. Unfortunately for Jack, and for his running mate in the 1996 election, the only tool was evidently the tax cut. And while that would have been a good idea (it always is), the people whose votes they needed to attract weren't paying federal taxes in the first place. So, what did they have to gain by voting for Dole - Kemp? There needed to be more to that message. Like a serious reduction in government. And a serious pro-growth climate. He believed it. I know he did. But we missed his best chance to execute it.

Of our three republicans, Souder and Specter never really were republicans. Kemp was what republicanism meant before the party became more "compassionate". As a result, they became more like the non-republicans, and less like Kemp. Republicans would do well to join the Kemp party once again.

Wizer One-Liner #21

To say that humans cause climate change is the same as saying kites cause wind.

Kites cause wind

Imagination is the highest kite one can fly -- Lauren Bacall

I was mowing the yard yesterday (something us Michiganders only get to do 6 months a year) when the wind kicked up a little and sent my straw hat flying a few feet away. As I retrieved the errant chapeau, I pondered the state of nature, and what causes wind. I also observed that it was the annual kite festival in my town starting about then.

Later, while having lunch with my family, I recounted my observations, and told them that I can only conclude that kites cause wind. There was, after all, a kite festival going on, which required wind to be successful. It was logical to conclude as I did that the kites brought the weather necessary to sustain themselves.

Of course, they looked at me like I just told them that humans cause planetary climate change. (They know of course, that I'm not one to blame humans for things they don't do). Then it hit me. These are exactly the same argument. Saying humans cause climate change is like saying kites cause wind. The reverse of each statement is actually the truth. Wind brings out the kites, and climate change causes human migration.

Later that day, we enjoyed the kite festival. We were all thankful that the kites were able to bring enough wind with them. It would've been good for a laugh if there weren't so many people who believe it.