The Energy Bill. Sen. Pete Domenici (R) of New Mexico, the chief spokesperson for the current Energy Bill which has come out of conference committee before the Senate for ratification states again and again that if we don't pass this bill now, there will be no energy bill for as many as 10 years. He… Continue reading The Energy Bill
Category: News
Medicare: A shell game.
Medicare: A shell game.. Amy Goldstein and Helen Dewar, Washington Post writers entitled their article, Republican Medicare Plan Faces Challenges. It might have been more appropriately entitled, The Great Congressional Shell Game. When the GOP and the Whitehouse announced they were selling the plan before the 1100+ page document is even completed and before more… Continue reading Medicare: A shell game.
The biggest part of the winning the war on terrorism isn't our machinations in the ME, it is keeping the global economy growing over the long term (and expanding that growth to new areas of the world). New data indicates that the management of the US economy is key to making this happen (something the Bush team seems uniquely ill prepared to do — could you imagine a Russian, Mexican, or East Asian financial crisis with the Bush team at the helm?? Yikes!). IF our economy falters, the global economy will contract severely spreading terrorism faster than we can stamp it out. This is from Stephen Roach:
In all my years in this business, I’ve never come across such a worrisome and potentially lethal confluence of imbalances. For starters, they are global in scope. A lopsided world economy has never been so dependent on one growth engine — the United States. Over the seven-year 1995 to 2002 interval, revised figures now indicate that the US accounted for fully 96% of the cumulative increase in world GDP (at market exchange rates); that’s nearly three times America’s 33% share in the global economy. (Note: Previously, our estimates suggested that the US had accounted for 64% of the increase in world GDP over the 1994 to 2001 interval; revised statistics now place the total increase in world GDP over the 1995 to 2002 interval at $3.164 trillion and the US gain at $3.045 trillion over the same period.) In other words, outside of the United States, the rest of the world accounted for only 4% of the cumulative increase in global GDP over the seven years ending in 2002. While the strength of the dollar has exaggerated America’s contribution to world GDP growth over this period, there can be no mistaking the extraordinarily narrow base of this US-centric global growth dynamic.
[John Robb's Weblog
In all my years in this business, I’ve never come across such a worrisome and potentially lethal confluence of imbalances. For starters, they are global in scope. A lopsided world economy has never been so dependent on one growth engine — the United States. Over the seven-year 1995 to 2002 interval, revised figures now indicate that the US accounted for fully 96% of the cumulative increase in world GDP (at market exchange rates); that’s nearly three times America’s 33% share in the global economy. (Note: Previously, our estimates suggested that the US had accounted for 64% of the increase in world GDP over the 1994 to 2001 interval; revised statistics now place the total increase in world GDP over the 1995 to 2002 interval at $3.164 trillion and the US gain at $3.045 trillion over the same period.) In other words, outside of the United States, the rest of the world accounted for only 4% of the cumulative increase in global GDP over the seven years ending in 2002. While the strength of the dollar has exaggerated America’s contribution to world GDP growth over this period, there can be no mistaking the extraordinarily narrow base of this US-centric global growth dynamic.
The biggest part of the winning the war on terrorism isn't our machinations in the ME, it is keeping the global economy growing over the long term (and expanding that growth to new areas of the world). New data indicates that the management of the US economy is key to making this happen (something the Bush… Continue reading The biggest part of the winning the war on terrorism isn't our machinations in the ME, it is keeping the global economy growing over the long term (and expanding that growth to new areas of the world). New data indicates that the management of the US economy is key to making this happen (something the Bush team seems uniquely ill prepared to do — could you imagine a Russian, Mexican, or East Asian financial crisis with the Bush team at the helm?? Yikes!). IF our economy falters, the global economy will contract severely spreading terrorism faster than we can stamp it out. This is from Stephen Roach:
In all my years in this business, I’ve never come across such a worrisome and potentially lethal confluence of imbalances. For starters, they are global in scope. A lopsided world economy has never been so dependent on one growth engine — the United States. Over the seven-year 1995 to 2002 interval, revised figures now indicate that the US accounted for fully 96% of the cumulative increase in world GDP (at market exchange rates); that’s nearly three times America’s 33% share in the global economy. (Note: Previously, our estimates suggested that the US had accounted for 64% of the increase in world GDP over the 1994 to 2001 interval; revised statistics now place the total increase in world GDP over the 1995 to 2002 interval at $3.164 trillion and the US gain at $3.045 trillion over the same period.) In other words, outside of the United States, the rest of the world accounted for only 4% of the cumulative increase in global GDP over the seven years ending in 2002. While the strength of the dollar has exaggerated America’s contribution to world GDP growth over this period, there can be no mistaking the extraordinarily narrow base of this US-centric global growth dynamic.
Overkill, maybe?
Overkill, maybe?. This certainly puts into perspective the preparation — and expense — that's goes into Bush's trip to London. But honestly, why does he have to bring 150 national security advisors with him? [Q Daily News]
E-Vote Firm's Bill Comes Due
E-Vote Firm's Bill Comes Due. Caught installing uncertified software on its electronic voting systems in one California county, Diebold Election Systems must now pay for a statewide audit of all its machines. Kim Zetter reports from Sacramento. [Wired News]
Gore to Bush: Rescind Patriot Act
Gore to Bush: Rescind Patriot Act. Former Vice President Al Gore accuses the Bush administration of using the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to justify a major assault on civil liberties of all Americans. Gore calls for a repeal of the Patriot Act and end to 'big brother'-style government. [Wired News]
Guardian
Guardian. The men and women in the ballroom had paid a minimum of US$1,500 for their hot dogs, and almost all of them had contributed much, much more. The single night brought the Republican party a total of US$14 million… In the end, the televised rally involved the president's supporters dressed as the working poor,… Continue reading Guardian
One question we must answer today is whether the forces we are confronting in Iraq are of sufficient organizational complexity to justify the name: guerilla army. I think we are starting to see that it is, at least in the Sunni triangle. Another question is whether Iraq is culturally ready for a secular democracy. The evidence is mounting that it is not ready — at least not across the whole of Iraq.
If the answers above are true, what are our options? [John Robb's Weblog
One question we must answer today is whether the forces we are confronting in Iraq are of sufficient organizational complexity to justify the name: guerilla army. I think we are starting to see that it is, at least in the Sunni triangle. Another question is whether Iraq is culturally ready for a secular democracy. The evidence… Continue reading
One question we must answer today is whether the forces we are confronting in Iraq are of sufficient organizational complexity to justify the name: guerilla army. I think we are starting to see that it is, at least in the Sunni triangle. Another question is whether Iraq is culturally ready for a secular democracy. The evidence is mounting that it is not ready — at least not across the whole of Iraq.
If the answers above are true, what are our options? [John Robb's Weblog
Computer-enabled Democracy
Computer-enabled Democracy. Many scenarios of “electronic democracy,” like direct voting on issues (plebiscites are notoriously manipulable — Hitler used t hem), are downright scary. Deliberation is an important part of the democratic process, and shortcircuiting deliberation is not going to make democracy healthier. Then there's the whole ugly business of untrustworthy computerized voting systems. However,… Continue reading Computer-enabled Democracy
Electronic voting done right
Electronic voting done right. In Australia, as open source. Read all about it in Wired. The lead engineer on the project has this to say about the Diebold system: “The only possible motive I can see for disabling some of the security mechanisms and features in their system is to be able to rig elections,”… Continue reading Electronic voting done right