Megan McArdle explains to Kevin Drum. Again.
Category Archives: Economics
Six-Dollar Gas?
It could happen, if the dollar continues to fall. And the White House seems determined to make that happen.
I have an idea for an ad campaign next year. Show a video clip of Obama back in ’08, talking back how “gas prices will necessarily go up” to carry out his green agenda, or about “bankrupting the coal industry.” Then end the ad with, “He got what he wanted. Did you?”
To The Consternation Of The Suits In Hollywood
Atlas Shrugged seems to be doing pretty well:
business has been brisk enough for producers Harmon Kaslow and John Aglialoro to expand from 299 theaters to 425 this weekend and to 1,000 by the end of the month. They don’t have enough film prints to fill all the orders.
“Things have turned for us,” Kaslow said. “When we started, exhibitors were not embracing the film like we thought they would. Now, we can pretty much go into as many theaters as we want. It’s just a matter of logistics.”
Unexpectedly!
Though he’s still cautious, this would bode well for Parts 2 and 3.
I’m Sure It’s An Innocent Mistake
The president’s offer of a “matching” four trillion deficit reduction is off by at least a trillion dollars.
Hey, it’s close enough for government work. And besides, math is hard.
He’s No Libertarian, Either
Donald Trump is no conservative.
I think he’s an idiotarian, myself,.
The Leftist Union Thugs In Wisconsin
…have lost, and Breitbart is calling them out. Unfortunately, I expect this to get uglier, because they’re going to continue to ramp up the thuggery.
Are Productive People Mutants?
…and if so, what does it say about social welfare policies? Thoughts from Sarah Hoyt.
Go Make It A Hit
Amy Holmes interviews some folks at the Washington Atlas Shrugged premiere. I hadn’t realized that the actor who plays Rearden is British. We may go see it in Rolling Hills this weekend.
[Update a while later]
What if audiences shrug? An interview with the producer.
[Update late afternoon]
More interviews from Amy Holmes:
(Hot conservative women alert)
[Update Saturday morning]
Francis Porretto has some ruminations on the book, faith, charity and epistomology.
The NASA Earmark
The pork marches on, in the NASA budget. I discuss this in a blog post at the Washington Examiner today.
[Update a few minutes later]
Here’s more at the Taxpayer Protection Alliance:
it looks like at least two NASA earmarks have made their way into the continuing resolution. On pages 214-215 of H.R. 1473 (the continuing resolution) there is language that states, “Of the amounts appropriated by this division for ‘National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Exploration’, not less than $1,200,000,000 shall be for the multipurpose crew vehicle to continue existing vehicle development activities to meet the requirements described in paragraph (a)(1) of section 303 of Public Law 111-267, and not less than $1,800,000,000 shall be for the heavy lift launch vehicle system which shall have a lift capability not less than 130 tons and which shall have an upper stage and other core elements developed simultaneously.”
This is important because Congress made a pledge of no earmarks and these particular earmarks would be used to salvage the Constellation Program that the President has tried to cancel.
The President signed into law legislation cancelling major components (the Ares I Rocket) of the Constellation program in 2010. But, because of a provision in NASA’s fiscal year (FY) 2010 Appropriations Act, NASA will spend an estimated $500 million on the Ares I rocket. On January 2, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that “in the last days of last Congress they funded five hundred million dollars for a rocket program at NASA that’s already been shut down. That can’t be too hard to undo.”
Apparently, it’s a lot harder than Congressman Issa thought.
[Update a while later]
Where did the 130 tons come from? It looks like Mike Griffin decided he hadn’t already done enough damage.
“Liberals,” “Progressives” and “Reactionaries”
Some thoughts on political mislabels, and (lack of) presidential leadership. And note the latest rube who has become disenchanted with the president.