Category: Politics & government

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Economics Politics & government

[959] Of Friedman predicts 2008

Thomas Friedman, a columnist at the NYT and of course, the author of The World is Flat, writes in his column:

Now that we’ve settled that, and now that we’ve had an election that clarified which country is most important in shaping U.S. politics in 2006 — Iraq — I’ve come to visit the country that’s most likely to shape U.S. politics in 2008: China.

The civil war in the Republican Party, which you are about to see, will be all about Iraq — whom to blame and how to withdraw before the issue wipes out more Republican candidates in 2008. But the coming civil war among the Democrats will be all about China.

I’ve mentioned earlier that I expect a more protectionist US.

A long time ago, in a land far, far away, I’ve blogged that I’d like to see John McCain as the next President in 2008. With a Democrats-dominated Congress, I think I’d like to see a Republican President. A protectionist US isn’t good for the world. I feel McCain would provide the counterweight to Democrats lefties tendency without seeing too much of religious conservatives running around in packs and ruining the lawn.

In fact:

WASHINGTON – Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), considered the front-runner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, intends to launch an exploratory committee next week, GOP officials said Friday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting a public statement from the four-term Arizona senator.

Run McCain, run!

If Obama’s running too — for the Presidency or the VP, regardless — it would be an interesting debate.

As for me, it would be simple. The person that comes closest to libertarian principle would be my pick. Well, maybe it wouldn’t be too simple a decision to make.

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Politics & government

[957] Of UMNO pot calling the PAS kettle black

Pardon me for being cynical when I read this earlier today:

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Barisan Nasional has claimed that certain PAS leaders solicited millions of ringgit from timber contractors for the approval of concessions and logging permits.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Annuar Musa said the money was channelled to the party’s coffers, resulting in the state becoming poorer but enriching the party.

The allegation, based on investigations by the state Umno over 12 months, were raised in the State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday.

Is UMNO in general, free of such practice?

Give me a break.

Allow me to be more cynical and say religion, it seems, is no guarantee of honesty as how religion is no guarantee of morality.

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Politics & government

[954] Of bye bye Rummy

He’s gone. He’s resigned. Rummy has been “liberated”.

But that’s not enough. Bush needs liberation too!

Categories
Education Politics & government

[953] Of Michigan bans affirmative action

Proposition 2 has been passed by the people of Michigan; the proposal calls for the ban of affirmative action:

Michigan voters sent a clear message about affirmative action programs that offer preferences to women and minorities: It’s time for them to end.

An Election Day poll and hard voter numbers showed the controversial proposal winning by a wide margin.

Michigan now becomes the third state to outlaw the practice of giving preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes.

In the poll of 800 voters, the ban led 55% to 45%. In addition, with 49% of Michigan’s precincts reporting, the proposal was ahead 58% to 42%.

I’m a little bit disappointed because the proposition will directly affect my alma mater, adversely in my opinion. Nevertheless, it’s the right decision by Michiganders. I just hope that the University of Michigan will manage to maintain and improve its great holistic academic atmosphere without affirmative action.

Like me, a majority of students at the University oppose Proposition 2:

In the days leading up to the election, U-M students worked to mobilize voters against Proposal 2. According to Tuesday’s poll of voters conducted by Mitchell Research and Communications Inc. of East Lansing, voters under age 40 were the only group to oppose Proposal 2 in significant numbers.

You got that right: it were students that mobilized the voters. You could hardly see that in Malaysia.

For all of you in the North Campus, you wouldn’t find any more female students there in the near future. They will be an extinct species! You should all migrate to Central Campus before it’s too late.

Categories
Politics & government

[952] Of it’s called karma, Mr. GOP

As of 15:44 Malaysian time, the Democrats have gained the mandate to form the new majority power within the new House of Representatives:

Screenshot of NYT.com. Fair use.

Despite tight race, the Democrats are likely to take over the Senate too. Currently, official results for Montana and Virginia (the Virginia race is particularly close) have yet to be announced. Nonetheless, according to the tracker at the New York Times, Democratic Webb and Tester are leading the race and the finish line is just inches away, very much in sight. The Democratic Party need both of Webb and Tester to win in order to take control of the Congress.

How tight the two races are?

In Virginia currently, the difference between the leading Webb and the Republican incumbent is 7,546 votes. The standard deviation is about 619,890 votes. In Montana, the difference between the Democrat challenger and the Republican incumbent is 5691. The SD is around 60,513 votes.

This means, the difference between the two pairs of rivals, from statistical point of view, is very, very insignificant. That’s how close the contest is. Because of this, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if somebody would call for a recount soon after the official results are declared.

Whatever it might be, to the GOP, this is what I call karma. You ripe what you sow.