Holiday Break for Nordicus

I'll be taking some time off to drink elderberry wine and schnapps with my family.  Back in the beginning of January.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Politics on the Sausalito Waterfront

Nordicus can't figure this one out: There's a squabble in Sausalito about an old hangar for WW2 Liberty ships.  More than 90 Liberty ships were built there during the war, and the building was abandoned in 1997.  The Department of Veterans Affairs bought it and is now fighting with the city council on what to do with it.

Neither option makes sense to Nordicus.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell? Don't Say!

It's been many years since Nordicus served in the military.  In my day, I think it would have been inappropriate to let openly homosexual members serve.  However, times change.  I think the bias has to be that if it is legal in society, it should be legal in the military - unless the military can present a good case for an exeption.

Rick Perry is "Fed Up!": Reviewing Texas Governor's Book

Nordicus has just finished reading Gov. Rick Perry's new book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America From Washington.  As you can see from the book's website, the book promotion could evolve into a presidential campaign pretty easily.

There's no point beating around the bush: After reading this book, I plan to vote for Rick Perry in 2012.  (Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.)

Two Californias - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online

Two Californias - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online. Living in Marin County, I can safely say that only one in one hundred would appreciate this story.

Most folks up here, if they travel across California, they only drive from SFO to fly to LAX to visit friends in Hollywood.

British Woman Speaking With French Accent

A sad story, for sure: A woman in Newcastle woke up one morning with a French accent.  The neurologists have one theory: Nordicus has another.

Could this just be the gallicization of Britannia?  I mean, what with the university students rioting in protest at paying tuition fees, Blighty is starting to look a lot like France, isn't it?  (Just weeks earlier, French students rioted, too!)

Notes on Voyage of the Dawn Treader

(Actually, not so much notes on the movie itself, but notes on Mike Potemra's review at National Review Online.  Read the review before this blog entry!)

The editor of NRO should have sent Mr. Potemra back to his study to read the danged book instead of relying on his faulty memory.  The "human character" who turns into a "monster" is Eustace Scrubb, who turns into a dragon. In order to turn back into a boy, Aslan leads him to a well, into which he must jump and swim but only after he has taken off his "suit", i.e. dragon skin.

Nordicus on Krauthammer on the Tax Deal

Sorry, folks, that I've been off too long.  Unfortunately, the job that pays the bills takes precedence over the one that doesn't, and Nordicus had to take a break while his evil twin (who has a paying job) caught up with the workload after Thanksgiving.

The conservative response to the tax deal between President Obama and the Republicans is interesting.  I thought our response was positive initially, but some contrary voices are being heard.  On the radio, I heard Mark Levin say that Republicans had caved in early.  He would have been happy to see the tax rates go up on January 1 and revisit the issue in the new year.

Today, Charles Krauthammer has declared President Obama the unequivocal victor.  I don't think I buy it.

Thanksgiving Break Until Next Monday

At the earliest, that is. Enjoy!

Fact-Checking the Bush Memoir: New Orleans

Hurricane Betsy, 1965, was also the signal event whereby the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took command of the levees from local levee authorities. This was unconstitutional. With such blurred lines of accountability, there's no wonder the response was so inadequate.

Conservatives and TSA Groping

Over at National Review Online, the usually reliable March Thiessen argues that we should be "thankful" for TSA groping at airports.  Mr. Thiessen asserts that conservatives opposed to TSA intrusion are similar to liberals who oppose Ballistic Missile Defense. There is no comparison.

Abolish the TSA: It's Killing People

Professor David Henderson, an economist, has an excellent article explaining that the TSA is actually killin gpeople, by encouraging us to take the more dangerous course of driving than flying.  See: Abolish the TSA, David Henderson EconLog Library of Economics and Liberty.

Should the U.S. Deport Illegal Aliens Who Are Convicted of Crimes?

Over at National Review Online, Heather Mac Donald is appalled that the illegal-alien lobby is blocking deportation of illegal aliens who have been convicted of crimes in the U.S. and are currently imprisoned.

Lots of anti-immigrant conservatives hold this line.  However, the more I think of it, this is hardly a "no-brainer."  As I wrote in my comment, it is more likely that these criminals would pose a greater threat to the U.S. if our government deported them.  Even if imprisoned back in Mexico, surely they'll be able to continue their criminal activities better than if imprisoned in the U.S. Worse, there is the risk that they'll go free in Mexico.

NY Times' Kristof on our "Hedge Fund Republic"

The New York Times has written another article about how awful it is that some Americans are richer than others.  As usual, he blames the problem on too little govrnment.  But the more "equal" society of a few decades ago, which he praises, enjoyed much smaller government than today.  Read my entire comment here.

NY Times Kristof's "Hedge Fund Republic'

NY Times Nicholas D. Kristof wrote another poorly informed column, in which he asserts that the concentration of wealth in today's America is due to lack of government.

Former New York Lt. Gov. Endorses Nordicus' Plan to Kill Lame-Duck Congress!

Well, not exactly.  It's more like just a coincidence, I'm sure.  But imagine my pleasant surprise when I saw an op-ed in today's Wall Street Journal by Betsy McCaughey (who has also written a book on defeating Obamacare which I mean to read) titled "This Lame Duck Session Should Be The Last."  (The link is here, but you must be a subscriber to read the article.)

Ms. McCaughey describes the history of the lame-duck session, and that it was necessary in the old days, when it took weeks to figure out the results of an election and get the new members to DC.  She notes that the 20th amendment was meant to kill the lame duck.  Until two decades ago, Congress did not meet during the period between the November election and reconvening on January 3.

Kill the Lame Duck Congress!

In Britain or Canada, the new team takes over immediately after an election.  Think about it: In almost all cases there is no need to go through a complicated, bureaucratic process of "certification."  The county registrar should be able to give a thumbs up to the results pretty quickly, and unless there's a credible protest, that should be the final result.

Most Offensive Bumper Sticker Ever?

Living in Marin County, Nordicus sees a lot of bumper stickers talling me to take care of Mother Earth or Impeach Bush or whatever.  I usually suppress a sigh or a giggle.

But this one made me want to smash the car's windows.  It had a mock Northrop Grumman logo accompanied by the text: "Every Time Israel Kills a Child, We Make $50."

I wish I'd taken a photo (including the license plate).

Three Myths About Judicial Elections

If the judges obeyed the Constitution, we would not be having this discussion. Unfortunately, the judges have come to believe that they create the constitution and that the people must be subservient to the constitution that the judges create, rather than that the judges must be subservient to the Constitution that the people created. (Yes, I am addressing homosexual "marriage," but not exclusively that lunacy.)



Instead of campaigning against the people's right to decide how we are governed, Sandra Day O'Connor should be influencing her fellow judges to obey the Constitution, and remove this burden from our public discourse.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Should Black Republicans Join Congressional Black Caucus?

Mainstream media has gotten itself into a lather about the fact that the two black Republicans have been elected to the House of Representatives (from the South, and by largely white constituencies).

Now the question is: Will they join the Congressional Black Caucus? Allen West (FL)has indicated that he wants to join, whereas Tim Scott (SC) has not given a signal.

Maybe it's none of my business, but Nordicus thinks that neither should join.  The whole point of the Tea Party is that everyone should be treated equally, without racial profiling.  We should discourage it in election campaigns and in public office, just like we do in the Census.

(Which reminds me: I have a friend who, like me, is of British origin.  Noting the racial category of "South Pacific Islander" on the Census, he wrote "North Atlantic Islander" in long-hand on his return.  He actually got a call from a confused Census bureaucrat!)

MSNBC's Desperate Ratings Gasp: Olbermann's 2-Day Suspension

Keith Olberman will return to MSNBC after a two-day suspension for giving political donations to Democratic candidates.  Nordicus suspects that the "suspension" was not a disciplinary measure doled out by the MSNBC bosses because Olby had violated some laughable ethics policy.  (Did anyone doubt that he supports left-wing candidates in spirit, if not in dollars?)

Rather, I suspect that it was a desperate lunge for sympathy - and ratings.  Olby's buddy, Rachel Maddow, wasted seven minutes on her show arguing that the suspension demonstrated the difference between MSNBC and Fox News!  According to La Maddow, Hannity and other Fox News hosts have given donations to Republican candidates.  MSNBC's suspension of Olbermann shows that it is a legitimate cable news channel, while Fox News ain't.

See? Even MSNBC's suspension of Olbermann is Fox News' fault!  (Actually, conservative commentators have written almost unanimously in favor of Olbermann's reinstatement.)

We've heard this "holier than thou" jazz before and it never shook Fox News' ratings.  So,  my guess is that this 48-hour stunt was scripted in order to reinforce the ludicrous notion that MSNBC is straight up and Fox News is a racket.

Maybe I'm wrong.  Olby can prove it upon his return by announcing he has learned his lesson and now realizes that people's political donations should be kept anonymous.

Memo to Wall Street Journal: There's No Governor's Mansion in Sacramento

This morning's Wall Street Journal erred in a small detail in an otherwise excellent editorial on the Republicans' relative failure in California (and New York), referring to "Jerry Brown's restoration to the governor's mansion".

There is no governor's mansion in Sacramento.  Gov. Schwarzenegger famously lived in a hotel and took a helicopter back to his Brentwood mansion.  Mr. Brown has promised to keep living at home in the Oakland Hills and commute to Sacramento.

No thanks to the WSJ for bringing this up: The last thing we need is a discussion about bulding a governor's mansion, which would surely be a bloated, over-budget, pubic-works project.

Two California Races That Must Swing Right

11th Congressional District: David Harmer vs. incumbent Pelosi-clone Jerry McNerney.  If you have time to volunteer to observe the counting in Contra Costa County please do.  We need a Bay Area conservative in the new House majority!

Attorney-General: Steve Cooley vs. Kamala Harris, who slept while the San Francisco crime lab was using evidence analyzed by a junkie.  Cooley must win to join the lawsuits against Obamacare!

Iowa Judges Defeated By the People

Iowa voters voted out three judges who overthrew the will of the people and asserted that the state must execute homosexual "marriages".

Nordicus opposes homosexual "marriage" for reasons I'll explain later.  (They're not very original.)  However, if the majority instituted them, I'd tolerate it.

California Election Wrap-Up

The revolution seems to have stopped at the stateline.  John J. Pitney notes that this was not a fluke: Californians really are leftie-libs.

So the state budget can now be approved by a simple legislative majority (Prop 25), but they'll need 2/3 super-majorities to pass fees and charges at both state and local level (Prop 26).  Nordicus is not sure what the net result of that is on government spending, but I can't believe that it will shrink it.

The redistricting commission (Prop 27), which eliminates the power of legislators to choose their constituents, survived; and will be extended to Congressional districts, too (Prop 20).  Most people think that this will make campaigns more competitive, but I'm not sure it'll have much of an effect.  William Voegeli has a compelling analysis concluding that no amount of redistricting can change the fact that Californians are leftie-liberals.

Nordicus had a batting average of .000 on the California ballot.  My only non-conservative vote was "yes" on Prop 19, which lost.  How could this have happened? Correspondents tell me that the recreational use of marijuana has been widespread - and unpunished - for decades.  So Prop 19 would not have increased its availability, but only levied a sales tax upon it.

So the leftie-liberal hypocrites voted it down.

Walgreen's Cards Under 40! Why Can't Electoral Officials Card at All?

I probably won't have much to say about this election until long after the polls have closed, but I've got to say that there's no way that the resistance to making people identify themselves as eligible voters when they show up at the polling booth is in good faith.

Yesterday, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) expressed his outrage that citizen-volunteers wearing buttons for "Election Integrity Watch" should be allowed to observe the voting.  Apparently it's "racist."

A few people have noted that bars and restaurants are more thorough about verifying ID when a patron orders a drink than the polling officials are when voters show up to cast a ballot.

Yesterday, Nordicus was at Walgreen's and saw a sign that the drugstore cards tobacco customers who appear to be under 40 years of age!  When businesses err, they increasingly err on the side of caution.  So should electoral officials.

Yes on Prop 19

A recent report published by the Cato Institute estimates that ending the war on drugs would save $41.3 billion annually.

Prop 19 is an initiative on tomorrow's ballot in California that would make it ok for an adult (21-years old) to grow or posses marijuana for personal use, and allows a sales tax (to be determined locally).  Nordicus does not care if the state and local governments earn more revenue, but I understand how ridiculous it is to prohibit personal use of marijuana.  (Nordicus does not smoke it.  Nor do I allow it in my home.)

Krauthammer's Worst Column Ever!

Nordicus is (was?) a huge fan of Charles Krauthammer, FOX News All-Star and syndicated columnist.  What a shame that he had to taint his record with a terrible prediction in today's column.

Commending this election as a "Great Campaign" of ideas, Dr. Krauthammer predicts a Republican take-over of both Congressional chambers: "The Dems lose 60 House seats, eight in the Senate."

Hey, I'm all in favor of that.  It's the third prediction that will make him eat his words: "Rangers in seven."

Mark Nordicus' words: Giants in five.

I Don't Follow This Foreclosure "Scandal"

Seriously, I don't get it.  According to the New York Times, people who have no mortgages are having their locks changed and their possessions removed.  I've never suffered a foreclosure, but I always thought that a judge had to okay it and a sheriff's deputy assisted at the eviction.

If counties are wrongfully allowing foreclosures, it seems to me that they bear some of the responsibility.

How Will World Series Affect Voter Turnout in San Francisco Bay Area?

Less than a week to go before election day! I guess it's time to start that blog I've been talking about.

Today is the first day of the World Series in San Francisco.  They'll play two games here, then back to Texas.  What will this do to voter turnout?

I'm guessing it will lower it, which should be good for conservatives in statewide races.  However, that might be a little simplistic.  Maybe Bay Area conservatives comprise a bigger share of baseball fandom than they do of the general population.  Also, I'm assuming that East Bay folks are more likely to ignore the World Series, being Oakland A's fans - but I know a lot of East Bay folks who root for the Giants.