"Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.
In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended; its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force, of the people.... [There is also an] inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and ... degeneracy of manners and of morals.... No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."
**********
Edwin Drake drilled the first U.S, commercial oil well near Titusville, Pa., in 1859.
**********
Wacko "Reverend" Terry Jones, who held a trial for the Koran and convicted it of crimes against humanity, is considering whether to have a similar trial for the prophet Mohammed.
**********
According to Think Progress: Two sons of Libyan Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi have reportedly offered to resolve the Libyan conflict by pushing their father out and transitioning to a constitutional government under their leadership. It is unclear if Qaddafi is willing to go along, and a representative of the rebels said the proposal was unacceptable.
**********
Think Progress, again: The U.S. has quietly shifted away from years of support and now does not back Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Saleh was seen as a critical ally in fighting al Qaeda in Yemen, but U.S. officials have “concluded that he is unlikely to bring about the required reforms and must be eased out of office.”
**********
A very important election tomorrow in Wisconsin for a position on the State Supreme Court: Governor Walker's ally and long-time incumbent David Prosser vs. political newcomer and prosecutor JoAnne Kloppenburg. Can the recent outrage against Walker's tactics be sustained?
**********
Joe Klein: This is my 10th presidential campaign, Lord help me. I have never before seen such a bunch of vile, desperate-to-please, shameless, embarrassing losers coagulated under a single party's banner. They are the most compelling argument I've seen against American exceptionalism.
[Yes, that's Joe Klein, not some limp-wristed liberal]
**********
From John Amato, at Crooks & Liars:
Florida Tea Party Governor Rick Scott just signed an executive order requiring new state workers to submit to mandatory drug testing which could cost the state millions of dollars. Oh, isn't every state in financial trouble right about now hence all these radical steps to cut costs all over the country?
.... And guess what? There happens to be a company in Florida named Solantic and one of the most popular services they provide is drug testing. Oh, and guess who co-founded it. Yep, Rick Scott. (Sure, he had to divest his interests in it to be Governor. But wouldn't you know it -- the controlling shares are now are now entrusted to his wife.) No conflict of interest there, right?
0 comments:
Post a Comment