Paying Little Leaguers

 Posted by Doc Opp  Baseball, Sports, The Media  4 Responses »
Aug 312006
 

Dan Wetzel has an intriguing article this week on how we should pay the Little Leaguers who play in the Little League World Series (LLWS). The argument goes something like this:

1) Child actors who make millions for media conglomerates get paid for their work, even though almost any kid would be happy to be on TV for free

2) LLWS has been broadcast on ABC and ESPN this year and is making those media conglomerates millions

Therefore: It’s only fair that the kids get paid for the work (and profits).

It seems logical at first glance, but I fundamentally disagree with the argument. Continue reading »

The Triumph of Criticism over Change

 Posted by Mike  Bush Administration, Foreign Policy, Middle East, Terrorism, War in Iraq  No Responses »
Aug 302006
 

It’s past time for the Bush Administration to figure out a new way of doing business. Here’s their traditional MO:

1) Find (or Invent) a Problem: the death of Social Security, America’s failing schools, Saddam Hussein’s WMDs, etc.

2) Boldly propose a course of action related to the problem: privatize social security, No Child Left Behind, invading Iraq, etc. I didn’t call these solutions, because they almost never actually come up with a course of action that will actually solve the problem.

3) Attack any Critics: They are pro-government liberals. They are wedded to special interests. They are unpatriotic or anti-american. They are uninterested in winning the war on terror. They are flip-floppers.
Continue reading »

The Rights We Don’t Have

 Posted by Mike  Bill of Rights, Terrorism, U.S. Politics  2 Responses »
Aug 292006
 

You probably haven’t heard about it (I saw it in the NY Times, but I’ve been having trouble finding other major news organizations who have picked up the story), but two US citizens are currently being kept in Pakistan, after the United States government has refused to take them off the “no-fly” list. Muhammad Ismail and his son Jabar are of Pakistani descent, and have been living there for the last couple years. Muhammad is a naturalized US Citizen who has mostly lived in Lodi, CA, where Jabar was born. In other words, the United States government is denying entry to two US citizens who are not charged with, and have never committed, a crime. And it is very possible that the government is not breaking the law or violating the constitution.
Continue reading »

A debate I’d pay to see

 Posted by Doc Opp  Bush Administration, Foreign Policy, Middle East  No Responses »
Aug 292006
 

The president of Iran has challenged George Bush to a televised debate about international policy. This is a debate I would pay good money to see. Unfortunately, the U.S. and U.S. interests would undoubtedly come out worse for the wear – what with Bush’s bumbling incompetence at reasoned argument. Still, I might even skip Monday Night Football to watch a debate like that…

Fun with Polling Data

 Posted by Mike  Bush Administration, U.S. Politics  8 Responses »
Aug 282006
 

Take a look at President Bush’s polling (numbers are here, or check out this chart). If we ignore the little bumps (which are just as likely due to polling error as they are to any particular activity undertaken by the President, we notice that the President’s numbers have risen three times: when we were attacked on 9/11, when we invaded Iraq, and when he ran for reelection. Ignoring those three events, President Bush’s approval ratings have consistently dropped.
Continue reading »

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