Yearly Archives: 2003

fuzzy words drive fuzzy policy

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When looking for the answer to a complex problem it is often the simplest that provides the most clarity. Eugene Oregon, responding to a Postrel post, provides a pretty simple answer to why the US invaded Iraq:

Thus, the simplest explanation for why we started this war is because the neo-cons wanted to. And September 11th just gave them a convenient excuse to do so.

While he is probably correct about why we started the war Eugene does not really address the question that Postrel

But Bush’s vagueness is maddening to people who are paying attention and confusing to people who aren’t.

and Josh Marshall are talking about:

But the White House is being run by men and women who’ve already made a lot of really stupid mistakes that are going to cost a lot of American lives, money and credibility. And now they’re trying to hide from accountability in their own idiot abstractions.

Not only can they hide from accountability but they can also forge ahead with their agenda for as long as they are able to fool enough people with fuzziness. If there is no tangible enemy there does not have to be a tangible end to the fight and this may be exactly what the bushies want.

supporting the troops

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the antic muse has been listening to Rush on our behalf again:

Rush Limbaugh spotlights the heartwarming (and ass-cooling) story of how voluntary donations are our military’s real secret weapon

and comes to this conclusion:

Aside from bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase, “all volunteer army,” Rush seems to suggest that the next time a soldier runs low on something the armed forces should have “totally covered,” mom should send him a new one: “Dear Mike, I’ve enclosed your little sister’s new class picture, the latest Limp Biskit CD, some of those brownies you like, and, oh yes, a brand new automatic assault rifle. Kill the bastards, sweetie!”
I don’t know about you, but this perspective on military readiness frankly scares the shit out of me.

But it is about what one expect’s from rush and the bushies. Oh, and given the plentiful electricity in Iraq just what power source will they be using for the AC?

Jobs or Just Numbers

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Plywood does not comprise the total cost of a house. However, this is not good news for job growth:

Vancouver � Reports that the U.S. government has made plywood purchases to support the war effort in Iraq have sent prices soaring to near record highs, a move that analysts say is already having ripple effects in the Canadian timber market.

South Knox Bubba relates anecdotal evidence that builder prices have gone from $6.50 to $17.00/sheet since February. If bush really cares about jobs (see previous post) then he might want to be paying attention to these real life impacts of his policies…

Numbers, Shmumbers

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How could the IMF possibly reproach the US administration:

The U.S. budget deficit is hitting “record” levels and even the International Monetary Fund is making a fuss. …
The international bank is set to reproach the U.S. for being too optimistic in its assumptions on government spending and revenue, and lacking a coherent budget plan, according to Reuters.

when the administration is clearly following the plan of that master of public budgets Arnold Schwarzenegger who tells us:

“Let me tell you something. The public doesn’t care about figures. What the people want to hear is, are you willing to make the changes, are you tough enough to go in there and provide leadership.”

and if by chance they do care bush tells them not to:

“I am more concerned about somebody finding a job than about numbers on paper,” Bush told reporters Friday.

Yep, I think I’ll try out these ideas on to my mortgage holder when the next payment comes due.