the various officials who sanctioned these abuses would be in a lot more trouble if they came from a weak and vulnerable state, as opposed to a global power like the United States. Not only does power corrupt, but it allows people who sanction torture to get away with it, albeit at some considerable cost to America's image and reputation. Those reputational costs will be borne by all Americans, who ought to be furious at the crimes that were committed in their name.David Brooks: Big-Spending Conservative...
Obama imposes hard choices on others, but has postponed his own. He presented an agenda that bleeds red ink a trillion dollars at a time. Now he seems passive as Congress kills his few revenue ideas (cap and trade) and spending cuts (agricultural subsidies). Huge fiscal gaps are opening this decade that can’t be closed by distant entitlement reform. They can’t be closed by cynical Potemkin cuts, a few million at a time.Radley: Obama nominates anti-alcohol and regulatory zealot to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
This is not a matter of economics only, but credibility. Obama understands that this is primarily an authority crisis. A system Americans have trusted — the market — has failed in important ways. He has found a theme and bids to reassert authority. But he will seem like an impostor and a manipulator if he imposes responsibility on everybody but himself.
North Korea, land of no smiles.
Ruling on an issue sure to reach the Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit affirms the Second Amendment restricts the rights of state and local government as much as those of the federal government. How long can rulings like this come down the pike before statist lefties resort to complaining of insufficient judicial activism?
(meme) Obama demands 0.0029% budget cut after running up spending. Political theater much? Atlantic Business sighs.
NYT: XKCD gets a book.
Girl breastfeeds her dad. Well, sort of.
And finally, do not google "curtaneous horn" unless you wish to puke.
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