Showing posts with label Libya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Libya. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2011

Sarah Wheaton in the New York Times

On the 23rd, Sarah Wheaton of the NYT had a space devoted to GOP reaction to Libya; Michele Bachmann comes off as a dove, but one wonders if her protest is just to be contrary? I mean if W had nuked Libya, would she not be giving thanks and praise? One wonders...and one wonders why Wheaton omitted any word about Ron Paul. Are mentally challenged journalists shaking in their boots that there may come to power a president who does not do stupid things that they can go write about easily?
Just for the record, the complaints Romney and Bachmann make do not deserve the space - what is of note is the fact that Ron Paul wanted to limit the president's power to make war like this and he is right.
Whether or not Libya turns out OK, this is a democracy and the president's power needs to be limited in this regard as it was with Washington. Both parties have failed the American people in allowing this to happen. It could set a dangerous precedent - and just now it is too early to say if things are going well in Libya - but that is not the point; we hope the rebels establish a working government and there is lots of peace and love, which may not actually be the case - but whatever happens, it needs to happen lawfully.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Debate in New Hampshire

This week started with seven GOP candidates hashing it out in New Hampshire, where next year they will return to be picked or set aside. The debate was not much to watch, Gingrich avoided all mention of
his aides quitting, and Pawlenty avoided attacking Romney's health care; and Palin avoided being there at all.
Jeff Zeleny and Jim Rutenberg, writing about it yesterday in the New York Times (pp. A1/A12) noted that she was praised by Pawlenty, who noted she was a remarkable leader...will he pick her as a VP? Just saying....
Michele Bachmann made an appearance for the gentler sex, using the occasion to announce her run, and taking a poke at US involvement in Libya - which is now past the sell-by-date, and well past the time it can be allowed to go on without Congressional approval - a strong point with Ron Paul; who was not much mentioned by the Grey Lady, but who, in my opinion, came off the best in the debate, simply by being rational and showing political experience; of which Herman Cain, who runs a pizza chain, had none - but that does not stop him from aspiring to run the US. He came under fire for some of his remarks about Moslems being 'not totally dedicated to this country'.
Sadly, the paper gave more attention to people who had problems, or who did not even show up. So my only regret about Dr Paul's performance was that it did not get its share of attention, but as to his policies, I am sure they will persuade more people than any of the others. We shall see. We're off to a slow start and things will get more intense in the months to come.