The WSJ Editorial Page Has, Er, A Point
My first reaction to the conservative fulminating against John Roberts was that the right doesn’t realize how good they have it. The chief justice finds a way to limit future government activism while preserving (actually resurrecting) the nonpartisan standing of the Supreme Court, and all for the low-cost of a affirming domestic program that, while no doubt detested, was democratically enacted, and conservatives can’t find something nice to say about him? This struck me as ungrateful in the extreme. READ MORE >>
Who’s the Supreme Court Leaker?
The Brass Tacks Calculation for Romney
Mitt Romney finds himself in a somewhat awkward position. According to his conservative base, the Affordable Care Act is not just an assault on the constitution, but on the natural order of the universe. Yet a chief justice with solid conservative credentials has just affirmed this legal abomination. Going forward, the battle over the law’s basic legitimacy is not one Romney is likely to win in the only court he can appeal to—that being public opinion. READ MORE >>
The Political Upshot of the Roberts Vote
A number of commentators have noted that one upshot of the Supreme Court largely affirming the Affordable Care Act is that it will help shape public opinion on the law, which is still a bit amorphous. I agree, and think the effect could be even larger than they realize. READ MORE >>
Big News From the World of Garbage
And, no, I’m not talking about the sad, steady decline of “Glee.” I’m talking about this genuinely good idea from Portland’s sanitation brain trust, via The Wall Street Journal: READ MORE >>
Your Military Industrial Complex at Work
Hey, looks like Ike was onto something after all! From today’s Politico story about Lockheed Martin: READ MORE >>
Why’s Romney So Good at Fundraising? Mormonism
Like a lot of liberals, I’m skeptical of the idea that successful businessmen are likely to become successful presidents by virtue of their business experience alone. READ MORE >>
Why We Don't Catch Tax Cheats
Bloomberg has an absolutely infuriating story out today about a whistle-blower attempt to rein in an outfit called Alliantgroup, which helps companies score extremely aggressive (and, the whistle-blowers allege, illegal) tax credits. According to the piece: READ MORE >>
The Ballad of Chuck Schumer
Not So Fast on Obama's Speech
The verdict on Obama's Cleveland speech is in, and it's not pretty. As the Politicker blog sums it up: "President Obama’s Speech Gets A Thumbs Down From Political Press Corps." The blog elaborates: READ MORE >>
