Month: June 2007

His explanation of the collapse of the immigration bill:

Maybe it’s about not being able to take the worst ideas from the left (instant legalization of illegals) and the right (second class guest workers), put them together, call it centrism, bask in fawning MSM coverage and ram it down the throat of voters who don’t want it!

Maybe it is. And maybe it’s all about the collapse of the Republican coalition. My feeling is that this kind of bill requires a president to corral it through the Congress, a president who is able to persuade his own supporters and explain to the public why this kind of compromise is the best available. We don’t have such a president right now. He is despised by the entire middle and left, and he has alienated the base of the right. As a lukewarm supporter of the bill – I can’t see any other feasible rubric to deal with border security and the 12 million people who are already here, won’t leave, and have jobs to do – I was nonetheless never persuaded that this bill was essential. The president’s arrogant condescension toward his critics didn’t help. And the passion was almost all on the extremes.

So no tears. In general, I’m happy to see laws not being passed. I’m not convinced that this bill or any bill would dramatically increase national security, and so fail to see the urgency. If this means that we can concentrate on border enforcement in the near future, so be it. Politically, I tend to think this will hurt the GOP badly in the long term. The reason is not the cogency of many of the arguments; it’s the patent cultural and social panic that animates the Republican gut. This fear of the other and need to demonize and objectify it is obviously the emotional core of the opposition. You can see it in their faces. If these immigrants were Poles or Italians or Irish, I can’t see the Mickey-Dobbs-Limbaugh coalition getting so upset. I say that not from the basis of their arguments (which are largely respectable) but from the hysterical tone of their remarks. I guess as a gay man, I have come to recognize that tone. More and more members of minorities hear it coming from the GOP. It will come back to haunt them.

David Plotz finishes an online odyssey. I have to say it has read at times like the best of web journalism: a simple idea, followed through persistently, egged on and informed by thousands of reader emails. All to bring ancient texts to new life. Mazel Tov, David. And check out the final entry.

For casual Fridays in the office:

A helpful primer on "the great underreported story" of the war so far.

A match made in heaven, so to speak. Another clip:

After Sarkozy, what’s a socialist to do?

Chris Matthews gets Rudy right. Giuliani has no understanding of what it is we’re fighting for in this war. Given his crude 9/12 analysis of the terror war, I don’t even think he understands what we’re fighting against. His candidacy speaks to the worst part of us: fear, loathing, and an instinctual belief that freedom is a threat to us, rather than the core of us.

I’m a bit of a Gatorade freak myself. We buy them in bulk from Peapod, and store them in relays in the fridge. Occasionally, I’m asked which flavor I prefer. I really have no preference, or, rather, my preference is rather like my taste for a particular color of skittle. Having signed off on the general concept – over-priced, sugary, colored water – I’m quite happy to be pleasantly surprised. It turns out I’m not the only one who feels this way. A Singapore company has come up with some new, and mysterious soda drinks:

Out of the Box caters to consumers who respond to "What would you like to drink?" with a non-committal "anything" or "whatever". Two weeks ago, the company launched two complementary brands: Anything and Whatever. Anything is fizzy and comes in six flavors (Cola with Lemon, Apple, Fizz Up, Cloudy Lemon and Root Beer) and Whatever is non-carbonated (Ice Lemon Tea, Peach Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, White Grape Tea, Apple Tea, Chrysanthemum Tea).The surprise part? Consumers don’t know which flavor they’re getting until they take a sip.

Makes for a cool guessing game too, I guess. But I won’t hold my breath for the US version.

A reader responded to the Clinton commencement link thus:

I wept. I am usually too jaded for that.

Another reader reponded to this Atlantic D-Day link thus:

I’d have never found that if not for you. I cried for about 10 minutes.

Just spreading the joy around. But seriously, if you haven’t read Bill Clinton’s speech, take a look. It’s him at his best. And there’s a great anecdote about Rush Limbaugh.

David Frum has advice for Joe Klein. (Hat tip: Ross.)