The Flag of the World

The CAFTA free trade agreement passed early this morning, which is good news for just about everyone this side of Panama. Well, maybe not everyone. It passed by a scant two votes, helped by a similarly scant 15 Democrat votes (how times change, eh?), votes that Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is steaming mad over. Pelosi is apparently accusing those Democrats of accepting, essentially, bribes, and is “reviewing their committee assignments.” Of course, the Kos kids are plotting revenge against them all. Rep. Norm Dicks, a Washington State Democrat who voted for the bill, is being called a traitor by some outside his district and quietly threatened from within.

Now, if I were one of those Democrats, with the far left baying at for my blood, and my leadership threatening my position, I might think long and hard about why I’m in that party at all. It’s pretty clear that Moderates are losing the battle for control of the party, and losing it badly. There’s room in the GOP for anyone with the sense to vote for CAFTA, even if they’re nitwits generally. I’m fairly certain we treat our “mavericks” better than Pelosi is doing right now. And we have muffins.

But first, I want to point out a fantastic new toy from those uber-liberals at Google: Google Earth. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out. They basically took the satellite photos they use in Google Maps, and plastered them onto a topographical virtual globe, with a few other gizmos thrown in. It’s fantastic, especially the places where they have very high resolution images, but even the low-res places are nice. Here’s an example–compare this picture I took this weekend of Glacier Peak:

To this one from Google Earth (obviously taken at a much snowier time of year):

Pretty nifty, eh? This may well bring Google one step closer to world domination, but at least they’re doing it with clever Internet gizmos, instead of giant killer robots or something.

This weekend was another hiking weekend for myself, my lovely wife and our new dog Abbey. We took the Cady Pass Loop, a wonderful 16 or so mile hike that goes along Cady Creek, then climbs up to Cady Pass where it meets the Pacific Crest Trail, and follows that to Cady Ridge (who is this Cady guy, anyway?), which it goes along, up and down for a while, until that turns into ‘down and down (and down and down and down)’ until you wind up right back you started. It’s a great hike with glorious views, and I highly recommend it. Lorraine does too, and she’s written her own review of it, which is quite enjoyable if you like that sort of thing. If you’re like me, you’re tired of the jabber and want to see some pictures.

The first leg of the hike, along the creek, is not particularly stunning visually. But once you’ve put in the work to get up to Cady Pass, oh mercy are the views spectacular. This shot of some mountains to the Southwest just doesn’t do it justice.

This glimpse of a great green valley doesn’t either, but it sure is awfully nice.

Near the end of the PCT leg of the hike, you’ll find Lake Sally Ann, a pretty little tarn with some very nice campsites with marvelous views. We stayed the night there, during which the mosquitos feasted on my poor wife, but left me pretty well alone.

Here’s Abbey near the meeting of the PCT and the Cady Ridge trail (that’s Glacier Peak poking up from behind the hill there). She thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Earlier, somewhere between the first and second photos, she darted suddenly off the trail, where we heard a death shriek that would have curled your spinal cord. Abbey came prancing happily out of the brush with the cutest little bunny you’ve ever seen (like this one, but cuter) clenched between her teeth and twitching desperately. She shook it a couple times and it stopped twitching. It was a bit disturbing, but it’s nice to know I own a relentless killing machine. You know, in case I’m ever attacked by ruthlessly cute bunnies.

From Cady Ridge, here’s a view of Lake Sally Ann. Admittedly, you can’t see the lake itself, but it’s there, just up and to the right of the center, where the rockfall meets the trail. The small clump of trees on the right of the rockfall is where we camped.

All in all, a successful adventure–the weather held up, the dog generally behaved, and what’s more, I’m not nearly as sore as I would have expected. That’s good, because I’ve got two even longer hikes coming up in two weeks, and then another two weeks after that. But for the moment, let’s get back to whatever this site is ostensibly about, shall we?

I just saw this one a few minutes ago:

Why is there always enough money for war, but not for education? There are two answers to this question. One, all the education in the world won’t do you any good if you get yourself blowed up. Two, what do you mean there’s not enough money for education? Do you have any idea how much we spend on education in this state alone?

Come to think of it, what’s the opposite of “follies”? At any rate, I just saw my first 2008 Presidential bumpersticker. The candidate? Why, Condi Rice, of course.

I’ve been saving these up for a while–unfortunately, I’ve been saving them in my head, so most of them have been lost to the sands of memory. Still, I’ve got a few nice ones.

Hands off the Supreme Court: I saw this folly (courtesy of MoveOn.org–get your own!) well before the current situation, but it makes even less sense now. What, exactly, is Bush supposed to do? “Well, folks, I was going to nominate someone to fill the spot, but I’ve been instructed to keep my ‘hands off’. So, looks like we’re down to eight!” It kind of makes you wonder if these folks have any idea who they’re quoting.

Dissent is the highest form of patriotism: So, apparently, the greatest patriots we’ve ever had were the Confederates. Huh. Go figure.

Make ice cream, not war: it’s cheaper, tastes better, and has fewer casualties: I didn’t actually see this one, but a friend’s sister did. I really don’t think those two are mutually exclusive–I’m pretty sure we can pull off both at once. Let me check. Yep, I was right.

Stefan Sharkansky has taken new Republican Senate candidate Mike McGavick to task for his assertion that he votes No on every initative that comes along, because he doesn’t think “that’s how we ought to be governed.” Shark thinks this is ridiculous–but despite my own personal work on the I-912 campaign, I don’t quite agree. In fact, McGavick’s distaste for initiatives is a solidly conservative and eminently defensible position, though one I usually part ways from.

The initiative, along with the referendum and the recall (often just called IRR) were populist reforms of the latter half of the 20th century, put forth in an effort to institute direct democracy. The conservatives of that era, naturally, hated these new reforms. More than a few conservatives of the current era hate them, too. Uber-columnist and chief Crotchety-Con George Will came out specifically against the recall of Gray Davis in 2003, calling that particular exercise of direct democracy “precisely what America’s Founders devised institutions to prevent.” And he’s got a point.

We as a nation are a representative democracy–we elect representatives to make laws, we do not make them ourselves (on a national level). We do this to prevent the “tyranny of the majority” and outright majoritarian rule in which 51% of the people run roughshod over 49%. If people don’t like the way things are going, they should, the theory goes, elect new representatives. Washington and 23 other states have instituted reforms to make our democracy more direct and less representative, but that doesn’t mean that anyone has to like it.

If you want to see a true example of direct democracy run rampant, consider the folks to our south: last year, Oregon had eight different initiatives on the ballot. Two years before that, there were 12. In 2000, there were 25 initiatives on the ballot. Clearly, things can get a little out of hand.

So, there are certainly legitimate reasons to hold McGavick’s position. However, as I noted before, I don’t personally hold it.

The fact is, I’m just too pragmatic to hold the lofty views of either Will or McGavick. I am happy to use the tools at my disposal to do what needs to be done. That’s why I supported the recall in 2003, and why I support 912, 900 and 330. Especially in a state where an entrenched political party has made it so difficult to effect change through elections (See: Rossi, Dino, cf. Logan, Dean), the IRR system is a very useful tool.

All this to say, I respect McGavick’s opinion, even if I don’t agree with it. In the future, though, I hope he eschews noble sentiments such as this one for the pragmatic work he has ahead of him.

If you missed the big time fakeout that the Bush team put on the press–and, by extension, all of us who were paying attention to them throughout the day, start here, and read the posts in order as the buzz moves from Clement to Jones to Luttig and finally to Roberts. One of my favorite things about Bush is his ability to take the most obvious choice and in the course of 24 hours turn it into a surprise.

But something I like even more about Bush is his tendency to make picks like John Roberts. This pick makes me very happy.

Tom Tancredo’s blunder will be soon forgotten in the Supreme Court Nomination ruckus (though not forgotten by everybody), but it provides a valuable illustration of the comparative worth of the left and right halves of the blogosphere. It is fortunate that the mini-firestorm came so soon after the publication of Dean Barnett’s “Electoral-Based Community” essay, and Hugh Hewitt’s lead pipes corollary. Barnett writes of lefty blogs’ interaction with Dick Durbin’s similarly idiotic statements regarding the Guantanamo detention center:

Durbin’s comments made him an instant hero in the left-wing blogosphere where hyperbolic Bush-bashing is always received warmly. Steve Gilliard, a Daily Kos alumnus, penned a lengthy defense of Durbin in which he reminded the senator’s critics that climate control was the preferred interrogation technique for the Luftwaffe. Moulitsas called the ensuing controversy a “moronic Right Wing smear attack” and proclaimed, “I stand with Durbin. Proudly.”

Durbin’s attempt to curry favor with the left-wing worked. Temporarily, at least. But one shouldn’t require the counsel of David Gergen or Michael Barone to realize that outside the alternative worlds of the blogs, comparing America’s military to Nazis, Stalin, and the Khmer Rouge is a political loser…

[Later], Durbin offered an overwrought apology from the Senate floor… Shortly thereafter, Durbin learned that the left-wing blogosphere was not won over by his charm offensive and that liberal bloggers far prefer substance (in this case, determined and unflinching opposition to the Bush war effort) to touching the hem of a senator’s garment.

For many of the bloggers who had supported Durbin through his ordeal, his apology occasioned a spasm of characteristically potty-mouthed outrage. Steve Gilliard suggested that Durbin “go f*** himself”; on the Daily Kos, Markos Moulitsas concurred, observing that he agreed with Gilliard and added that “Durbin f****d up.”

Compare that with the right wing half of the blogosphere’s reaction to Republican Tancredo’s remarks–immediately, the big boys of the blogosphere, including Captain’s Quarters, Hewitt and Donald Sensing condemned him without reservation–even the often-over-the-top Michelle Malkin called them “unwise.” While radio talk show hosts across the country () were lauding him for it.

That fact, when compared to the behavior of lefty bloggers in a similar situation, is enough evidence to support Hugh’s assertion that the superiority of the right side of the blogosphere is “a great, great advantage.” But when coupled with what came next, the argument becomes essentially airtight. Coupled with the condemnation of Tancredo’s irresponsibility came a clearheaded discussion of that we really should do in the event that an Al Quaida nuke makes it through. Rev. Sensing had particularly noteworthy thoughts, and this list from Jihad Watch is worth contemplating, though I believe they make the same mistake Tancredo did, writ smaller.

So there you have it–on one side, moronic statements by a Democrat are lauded, followed by foul-mouthed disgust when he backpedals. On the other, similar moronic statements by a Republican are condemned, followed by an important discussion of alternatives. Who would you rather have on your side?

Rumor has it that Bush has made his choice for O’Connor’s replacement–Edith “Joy” Clement of the 5th Circuit. The scuttlebutt on Clement is that she’s generally pro-business, but hasn’t left much indication of her judicial predilictions otherwise. More discussion here.

In conservative camps so far, there are two takes on “Joy.” On one hand, you have those who are convinced that minimal paper trail=a female Souter. Translated from obsessive-court-watcherese, David Souter was nominated by Bush 41 because he, too, had left a small paper trail, and thus could not be demonized as solid conservative Robert Bork was. Unfortunately, he turned out to be the third most liberal member of the court, at least. Many fear that this will happen again.

On the other hand, you have those who point to her membership in the Federalist Society and say we should trust Bush, who has been quite good at nominations so far. If you know me, you know I fall into the latter camp.

We’ll see tommorow or soon thereafter if the rumors are true, but it will take a bit longer to determine which group is going to be “surprised by Joy.” (Remember–I was the first to make that reference.)

(Speaking of references, explanation for the post title here.

In my spotty absence, I neglected to say anything about the absurd ruling declaring the on-air speech of John Carlson and Kirby Wilbur to be an “in kind” contribution (more here and here from the Radio Equalizer).

Tonight, Ryan Sager of Tech Central Station has a very good article up on the fiasco that caught the attention of Instapundit. Depending on how far the appeals process goes, this case has the potential to be one of the most explosive First Amendment fights in years–and certainly one of the most important. Hopefully the rest of the national pro-free-speech crowd will speak up on this topic as well. Unfortunately, the ACLU, for one, appears to be more concerned that the FBI is keeping files.

Uber-nativist congressman Tom Tancredo has just achieved the exact opposite of what he intended, and has determined that anti-immigrant immigration reform will not be an issue raised by any Republican 2008 contender. After these comments, not a single ‘08 hopeful will touch the man or his mesage with a 10-foot pole.

Thank goodness. Hopefully the damage from those poorly thought-out words will be minimal.