Politics: December 2008 Archives

I am furious about the government's sudden desire to use our money to bailout every entity from Wall Street giants to the car makers to the local and state governments who have squandered our resources via the crazy infrastructure boondoggle that Obama wants. 

I'm watching State, County and City governments all reaching for "their" piece of the pie that responsible Americans have worked so hard for. 

For example, Kansas City, Missouri, has been ignoring the crumbling water mains in that entire city for years.  Rather than spend the money to update, the city spends money on stupid stuff like rehabing $20,000 houses by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on those houses, to keep the inner city happy. Or by building the "Sprint Center" for a basketball or hockey team that never appeared, and which has put Kansas City in the hole for millions and millions of dollars that have to be paid on the bonds for that building.

Now, the city is asking Obama for the billion  plus dollars to fix the water system - so we all get to pay for their doing the wrong thing.

I am not asking for a bailout.  Why do I have to pay for the bad decisions of government - we are rewarding horrible city councils that we can't elect by bailing Kansas City, Missouri out for their selfishness.

Gad.

And I thought I'd check to see what's up at National Review Online.  Jay Nordlinger" impromptus today is good.  John and I had the pleasure of dining with Jay on the NR Post-Election Cruise, and he is a very intelligent, very nice man.  I think he is my favorite National Review Person (but don't tell Jonah Goldberg, he comes in second!).

I try to read Jay's column every day.  It is well worth it.  Do it.

I attended a wonderful conference at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics last Thursday.  I really love the Dole Institute, because people from the entire range of the political spectrum appear there at the same time without evil and rancor.

This particular event was a post-election summary with campaign managers and strategists for the major candidates in the primaries and then Obama and McCain in the General Election.  It was fascinating. 
I suggest that anyone with an interest in politics and how campaigns are run check out the
videos of the conference.

I have to thank the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics for inviting John and I to attend so many of their programs.  Bill Lacy, Jonathon Earle, Lawrence Bush, Alison Carter and the other wonderful people who keep this institute going are just the smartest, nicest people ever.  

If you ever have the opportunity to come to this area and there is something going on at the Dole, it is so worth making the trip!