Selectively reading endorsements
“Buyer beware” should be a rule in life, especially in politics. For example, in July 2011, I wrote a short commentary for The Michigan View that discussed Pete Hoekstra, then one of several candidates seeking the Republican Party nomination for the U.S. Senate. I wrote that Hoekstra had 9 victories in federal elections to his credit. I don’t know whether he was a great member of the […]
The fat man sings about entitlements; is America ready?
I didn’t get to watch Chris Christie’s keynote address to the Republican National Convention until this morning. And as I watched it, I thought, “why isn’t this guy at the top of the ticket?” The autobiographical sketch was too long for my taste, but overall, I liked the message: America has a problem, and we need to own up to it. Christie said, “We’ve never […]
Even today, Big John Engler outdoes Chris Christie
I noticed this observation on National Review, by a former resident of Ann Arbor: “At the moment, I’m looking at John Engler, the former governor of Michigan, and Connie Mack, the former senator from Florida. Two impressive politicians, and very different types, physically. In a way, Engler was Chris Christie before Chris Christie was cool.” True? Oh, there’s the obvious physical resemblance. Engler has saved Michigan taxpayers […]
Energy efficiency rules are inefficient
CAFE standards, a ban on most incandescent light bulbs, and restrictions on the amount of water a toilet can use are all examples of government-mandated efficiency. But given the varying interests and situations of 300 million Americans, they’re a horribly inefficient way to run a society. Kenneth P. Green of the American Enterprise Institute summarizes some findings on the topic, and concludes the cost of energy-efficiency […]
Primary Day Reflections on Schools
I went to vote today, at a junior high in that receives my tax dollars. As I walked in the main lobby, I was struck by the fact that there three large banners on the far wall, facing me. One said something about learning, discovery, etc. The other two were variations on “diversity is good.” One included a quote from, Kofi Annan. Oh my, so […]
Will Republican seniors own up to the need to change Medicare?
Four years ago, or perhaps six years ago, Paul Ryan was getting some national publicity, at least among political and policy nerds. I went to a Republican Party caucus, mostly to see what it was like. One of the people there was a long-time party volunteer; she had done some work during the Kennedy-Nixon race of 1960. For some reason, the name Paul Ryan came […]
EPA logic: Let’s fix the problem we created by making another one
First, the EPA requires that you burn corn in your car engine. A follow-on step from the agency may be that it will establish minimum-purchase requirements–to help address a problem it has helped create. From Power Sports Business: “An Environmental Protection Agency official has reported that the agency will require customers to buy a minimum of four gallons of gasoline for certain pumps as a solution […]