He’s Barack Obama! In their latest high-quality video, JibJab pokes fun at the President.
Treason! Paul Krugman says it’s “treason against the planet” to argue against legislation, laden with special-interest handouts, that would raise taxes during a recession and not accomplish its principal goal of lowering carbon emissions.
A Contrarian Take on Honduras. “It’s not surprising that chavistas throughout the region are claiming that he was victim of a military coup. They want to hide the fact that the military was acting on a court order to defend the rule of law and the constitution, and that the Congress asserted itself for that purpose, too.”
Larison on the Iranian Election. “How much of the Mousavi voters’ outrage is of the 1972 ‘no one I know voted for Nixon’ variety? What if Iran’s so-called ‘silent majority’ is not opposed to the régime as it currently exists as most observers seem to assume?”
Tyler Cowen on Health Care Reform. “The Obama administration is proposing that we start by spending more now so we can spend less later. This runs the risk of becoming the new voodoo economics.”
The Next Urban Renewal Boondoggle. Bulldozing decaying cities may be good policy in some places. But if it’s adopted at the federal level, it could be another in a long line of failed urban renewal policies.
Can Washington Be ‘Hands-Off’ With GM? “Many commentators worry that this new, nationalized GM will answer to politicians rather than profit and loss. They fear that this could lead to a $100 billion quagmire. Their fears are not without reason.”
Getting Out of TARP. The government is “allowing” firms to repay their debts. How generous.
Charitable Giving Declines. The New York Times report suggests a decrease in big gifts is the main reason for the decline.
How Different Are America and Europe? “No one is arguing that America is Sweden. But nor is Britain, Italy, or even France. And since when does Sweden represent ‘Europe’—at least anymore than the ethnically homogenous, socially liberal state of Vermont does America?”
Ponnuru on the GOP’s Economic Naysaying “Shouldn’t we have a fallback plan in case the economy recovers? I think Republicans would be better advised to say that there are some good signs, none of which seem connected to liberal policies, and that those policies threaten to increase inflation before too long.”
Right Answer, Wrong Reason. Even the New York Times calls for changing the tax treatment of health care–but to raise revenues for another big spending plan, not to limit government distortions in the marketplace.