The nation's job market didn't go anywhere in December.  This cannot be interpreted positively for the economic recovery underway.  We'll just have to see what the first quarter holds.   I firmly believe jobs will return in large numbers, but our economy is straining against tectonic shifts in the core structure of several industries.  As the article states:

...many employers continue to look for cheaper labor offshore. "In a global economy, domestic demand and global supply continue to suggest ... less labor demand than usual" at home, said John Silvia, chief economist at Wachovia Securities."

I'm optimistic about our economy's ability to adapt to what will most probably be permanent losses in manufacturing and high-tech fields to foreign labor supply.  However, I don't know how long it will take or how steep the climb will be.  Eventually this siphoning of jobs away from our shores must diminish, but until then, there will be much uncertainty in our domestic job market.  As for the present, I'll point to surveys such as this to keep me hopeful.

posted at 11:50pm 01/09/04

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Will Clark win?

John raises valid concerns, and his expectations may very well come to pass.  I still think Dean comes out on top, though politically damaged and short on cash from the struggle.  As I posted below, Harkin's endorsement is just the medicine the Doctor ordered to get him back on track. However, if I'm wrong, and Clark does win the nomination, I don't believe Bush will lose to him, either.  What's important will be the difference in the makeup of voters and the down-ticket results.

If Dean runs against Bush, moderate democrats will stay home more than usual because of Dean's uber-liberal positions, giving a fighting chance to more of the GOP's senate candidates and making a filibuster-proof senate a remote possibility.

If Clark runs against Bush, more moderate democrats will turn out, boosting votes for democratic house and senate candidates, thus eliminating any chance the GOP has of gaining a filibuster-proof majority in the senate.

I must hasten to add here that I'm not factoring in a potentially significant backlash to Bush's liberal policies. However, referring to Bush's controversial immigration amnesty program with which I also disagree, Polipundit writes:

I hope these horrible immigration "reforms" die quickly in Congress.  Otherwise I will be forced to reconsider my support for the president and I'm sure millions of other conservatives will too.

Here's hoping conservatives like Poli won't bolt en masse from the President's re-election effort if we can't pursuade Bush to track back to the right.  That could very well end up producing a President Dean or President Clark.  God forbid!!

posted at 8:10pm 01/09/04

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Harkin endorses Dean

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin endorsed Howard Dean today.  I'm very happy to hear this news. Dean's been under fire lately, and his poll numbers have been dropping as a result.  Harkin's endorsement is big for at least two reasons.  First, Dean needed a positive story to help shift the focus on him from his vulnerabilities. Second, since Harkin is an extrememly popular democrat in Iowa, this endorsement should wrap up the caucus for Dean there.

Clark's momentum has been chipping away at Dean's front-runner status.  This is a good thing for republicans as long as he doesn't wrest the nomination from Dean. Harkin's decision will make a Clark upset less likely.

Before this development, I had begun to worry that Dean might have peaked too early and was in danger of being overtaken by Clark.  I'm a little less concerned now.  Nevertheless, I see a long, contentious nominating process looming.  I'll be rooting for Dean to prevail, hoping he'll be badly weakened by Clark's rise and short on cash after spending a ton of it fending off the General.

I say this not because I'm worried that a strong Dean, or a strong Clark for that matter, would beat Bush in November.  I am just hoping for a landslide - the bigger the better - which will create Bush coattails long enough to usher in a filibuster-proof Senate.

posted at 4:20pm 01/09/04

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December 29, 2003

A federal judge has ruled that New Hampshire's law requiring parental notification before a minor may have an abortion is unconstitutional.  Here is his explanation:

U.S. District Judge Joseph DiClerico said the law is unconstitutional because it lacks an exception to protect the minor's health. "The attorney general has not explained how the judicial bypass provision would address the need for an immediate abortion to protect the health of the mother, and the provision on its face is insufficient to meet such a need," the judge wrote.

I think abortion, the killing of unborn children, is just about the worst thing we've got going in this country.  If the judge says there needs to be a 'medical emergency provision', then let's put one in there and try again!  Anything to stem the tide.

New Hampshire's governor has stated his desire to do just that:

Republican Gov. Craig Benson, a strong supporter of the law, said he was disappointed and would work with legislators to pass another notification law. "I believe it is the responsibility of parents, not the government, to raise their children," Benson said.

What a novel idea!  Over and over again it amazes me how much liberty is taken by liberal activist judges in 'interpreting' the law. All the more reason why we need a filibuster-proof senate

posted at 10:45pm 12/29/03

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Mad Cows

My thoughts and prayers go out to the cattle farmers, meat packers, and others who may be effected by this development. Since this is a political site, I'd like to take a look at the political effects this may have as well. Before I do, here's a reassuring excerpt from the article I link to above:

"The recalled meat represents essentially zero risk to consumers," said Petersen, of USDA's food safety agency. He said parts most likely to carry infection - the brain, spinal cord and lower intestine - were removed before the meat from the infected cow was cut and processed for human consumption.

Bush is currently cruising along right nicely.  The economy is improving and the war in Iraq is looking better all the time.  I've said for some time now that only a disastrous, unforeseen event could prevent Bush from winning a second term.  A barrage of mad cow cases in this country could be such an event.  The effect on the economy, still the most important issue in the voting booth, could be enough to reverse the improvement we're seeing now.  That could be enough to raise dissatisfaction with Bush to the point where he'd be fighting for his political life.

Personally, I don't see this happening.  In my layman's opinion, I expect this scare to pass without much harm done.  As Bushies, we can only hope it does...

posted at 1:15pm 12/29/03

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December 24, 2003

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December 17, 2003

One of the last remaining subjects that Democrats can use to attack President Bush and his policies may not carry the wallop that it once did. We've all heard the whining about how the economic recovery well underway is "jobless".  Well, it looks like the jobs are on their way:

"Five years have passed since we last witnessed an increase in hiring expectations between the fourth quarter and the employment outlook for the new year," said Jeffrey Joerres, chairman and chief executive of Milwaukee-based Manpower, the nation's largest staffing company. Mr. Joerres emphasized that "what's most impressive in many ways is what has happened in both durable and nondurable manufacturing." Net hiring estimates rebounded to the level last seen in late 2002, in the case of durable manufacturing, and ended a three-quarter decline in the nondurable manufacturing sector. Mr. Joerres sounded much more upbeat than in recent quarters, and he said what really had him feeling optimistic was the pickup in manufacturing. "We've been looking for it for a long time. Typically, hiring in manufacturing starts with temporary hiring and leads to permanent additions to the work force," he said. " The really good news is that these are high-paying entry- and middle-level jobs." He also noted that there was a very marked increase in intentions to hire more wholesale and retail trade workers. "I think the increase in wholesale hiring is related to the fact that inventories are very weak and companies seem to be rebuilding in a big way," Mr. Joerres said.

One-by-one the reasons for not voting for Bush in 2004 are being taken down and eliminated.

posted at 3:15pm 12/17/03

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December 14, 2003

"We got him!"

The news of Saddam Hussein's capture is music to the ears of millions of Americans.  It is a major victory in the war on terror, a smashing success for our military, and an undeniable affirmation of President Bush's foreign policy.

However, as significant as these facts are, they pale in comparison to what this historic event means to millions of Iraqis.  Even after our amazing triumph in overthrowing his most cruel regime, Saddam the fugitive filled Iraqi men and women with a terror so paralyzing that they could not, in many cases, allow themselves to act on the freedom they had been given. Constant in their psyche was a sense of fear and dread that the Devil would return.  Until today.  Today is Iraq's Independence Day.  The nation and it's people are from this day forever changed.

No longer will the Iraqi people be shackled by Saddam's shadow.  The train of democracy is moving now, for the very first time in a muslim country.  Its locomotive will not be halted.  The Iraqis will see to that.  And, for the first time, many multitudes of Iraqis, seeing the dream of freedom becoming reality on this memorable day, feel free to board that train.

posted at 1:05am 12/15/03

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December 13, 2003

We need a filibuster-proof Senate

A lot of attention these days is on the Democratic candidates and the presidential elections in 2004, as it should be.  This site is dedicated to tracking that race.  However, the most lasting legacy 4 more years of President Bush can give America is to change the face of the Federal Judiciary.  Over the last 2 generations, liberals have been able to systematically impose their ideals on the rest of us, not by majority vote, but by stacking the federal bench with judicial activists. These judges routinely disregard the statutes of the Constitution to further a liberal world-view. Bush's judicial nominees have the power to start changing all that and to enable us to begin returning our country to the ethical moorings that made America great. This is why the liberals in the Senate have made filibustering Bush's nominees one of their top priorities.  They realize how much is at stake.

And there's nothing we can do about it...unless we have the votes in the Senate to avoid these tyrannical filibusters.  So, as much as we need George W. Bush as our leader for 4 more years, we also need a Senate that will not obstruct these highly-qualified people from bringing back the Constitution of our founding fathers.

Is it a longshot?  Sure it is.  Is it possible?  You bet.  We need to hold all our seats and win the 5 southern Democratic open seats, assuming John Breaux, D-LA, retires.  Add to that a Thune victory in SD and 2 upsets in WI, CA, WA, or NV and that's 59!  (I don't believe Ben Nelson, D-Neb, will vote to filibuster.)

With a lot of hard work and prayer, we can enable our God-fearing, principled President to make a truly significant and lasting difference in this country.

Hard work and prayer.  Interesting that the two things we need now are the very things that made America great in the first place.

posted at 8:40pm 12/12/03

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December 11, 2003

You gotta see this clip from Iraq!

It is an amazing sight to see.  The video is an unedited hodge-podge of scenes from the anti-terrorism protests in Baghdad.  I watched about 4 or 5 minutes of it and had chills the entire time.  These people are protesting the very same thing we are fighting against over there.  They are with us!  When is the last time you saw crowds of Middle Easterners marching in support of US initiatives.  I consider this to be MONUMENTAL news.  I would expect something like this to be heavily covered here in the states.  But no, I can't find mention of it anywhere, except on FOX.  (Even this video comes from Reuters, a european media outlet.)  Just remember this blatant bias whenever you hear any story from ABC, CBS, or NBC.  They just can't bear for Bush to look good.  Imagine his job approval polls if this were the lead story on the 6 o'clock news!

posted at 5:45pm 12/11/03

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December 10, 2003

Campaign finance reform

Well, the Supreme Court has upheld campaign finance reform.  Here's an excerpt:

Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass., a co-author of the law, called the decision a "major victory for American democracy." He acknowledged the law won't stop all forms of abuse in the system, but it ends the era when "special interest groups could control the national political parties and underwrite federal campaigns by writing unlimited checks." ... The law hasn't stopped the flow of big money, but it has changed its course. In the months since the law took effect, several partisan interest groups have popped up to collect corporate, union and unlimited individual donations to try to influence next year's elections, including several on the Democratic side focused on the presidential race.

When I first heard about this bill, it seemed strange that Democrats would back it and, thus, shoot themselves in the financial foot.  It is well known that Republicans are much more successful at generating hard money, so why would Democrats want to ban soft money?  Well, as this article states, the ban on soft money is nothing more than way to obscure soft money.  It will still be funding political campaigns; only now, nobody has to report where it's coming from.  Democrats, with their mega-zillionaire donors like George Soros, love to be able to spend money with no accountability.  This law is their free ride.  No need to involve the national party; liberal "special interest groups" can now "underwrite federal campaigns by writing unlimited checks" without ANY regulation.

posted at 1:10pm 12/10/03

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December 8, 2003

WOW!  What a president, what a man!

Here's a first-hand account of President Bush's Baghdad trip.  Tell me this doesn't make you proud to be an American!  Tell me this man hasn't restored the American Presidency to respectability and admiration it hasn't seen in years and years!  Here's an excerpt:

Then, from behind the camouflage netting, the President of the United States came around.  The mess hall actually erupted with hollering. Troops bounded to their feet with shocked smiles and just began cheering with all their hearts.  The building actually shook.  It was just unreal.  I was absolutely stunned.  Not only for the obvious, but also because I was only two tables away from the podium. There he stood, less than thirty feet away from me!  The cheering went on and on and on.  Soldiers were hollering, cheering, and a lot of them were crying. There was not a dry eye at my table.  When he stepped up to the cheering, I could clearly see tears running down his cheeks.  It was the most surreal moment I've had in years.  Not since my wedding and Aaron being born.  Here was this man, our President, came all the way around the world, spending 17 hours on an airplane and landing in the most dangerous airport in the world, where a plane was shot out of the sky not six days before.  Just to spend two hours with his troops.  Only to get on a plane and spend another 17 hours flying back.  It was a great moment, and I will never forget it.

Read the whole thing.

posted at 6:30pm 12/08/03

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