I don’t think that there’s a single federal agency that wouldn’t be improved greatly by simply razing it to the ground and starting over. The CIA should have been disbanded years ago, and replaced with something else.

It should still be. My biggest disappointment (among many) with the Bush administration is that, while it talked tough on the war, it was never willing to refocus the government on fighting and winning it, instead increasing and consolidating bureaucracies, and continuing the war on US citizens (e.g, drugs). That’s the problem with having a “compassionate conservative” and a big-government Republican in charge. It’s why I pine for a Fred Thompson, who at least talks like a federalist.

I don’t think that there’s a single federal agency that wouldn’t be improved greatly by simply razing it to the ground and starting over. The CIA should have been disbanded years ago, and replaced with something else.

It should still be. My biggest disappointment (among many) with the Bush administration is that, while it talked tough on the war, it was never willing to refocus the government on fighting and winning it, instead increasing and consolidating bureaucracies, and continuing the war on US citizens (e.g, drugs). That’s the problem with having a “compassionate conservative” and a big-government Republican in charge. It’s why I pine for a Fred Thompson, who at least talks like a federalist.

Are political campaigns unfair to women? Probably. There are many, many reasons why electing Hillary Clinton president would be a bad idea, but the fact that she looks her age isn’t one of them.

[Update a few minutes later]

I guess other people have to be wondering, though, if this haggard look is the result of a campaign (and one that is still in a primary, having not even gotten to the general), what would she look like after four years of the presidency? Will she even survive a general campaign? I recall being shocked in 1980 at how much Jimmy Carter appeared to have aged in his term.

Is Hillary! building up to one? She’s always struck me as pretty tightly wound.

This upcoming “bi-partisan” (if you really believe that Ahhhnuld is a Republican) disaster of a health-care plan.

Apparently Sacramento has never learned the story of the goose that laid the golden eggs.

Huckabee on foreign policy.

I can’t believe that this guy could really get the Republican nomination. And of course, just because he’s in the lead doesn’t mean that he has a good chance, since he only has a plurality, not a majority, and seems unlikely to get one. And if he does somehow get the nomination, I can’t see the party rallying behind him.

OK, this isn’t what I had in mind as an alternative.

Though I have to say, if all you care about is the war, there would be a lot worse tickets…

This is for “Hillary Supporter.” Glenn Reynolds disputes someone who still fantasizes that it’s about the national guard.

[Late Sunday update]

For those who have already read Glenn’s post, you might want to do so again–he has an update:

…it’s important to understand that to the Framers the “militia” wasn’t some specialist unit of government employees, but a group consisting of the armed populace; one that, though in some ways organized by the government, was also in some ways set against the government, as a check. As Akhil Amar says, think jurors, but with guns. Thus, any reading of the Second Amendment that would allow the government to extinguish that militia is impermissible, since it would lead to a state that is insecure, or unfree.

Also, on his comment that “…the ‘militia’ was said to consist of ‘the body of the people’) was essential as a check on government power, the government couldn’t be allowed to disarm it by neglect.”

Doesn’t that imply that we should have federal subsidies for firearms for US citizens?

You know, an affirmative action program for gun purchasers? Wouldn’t anything less be neglect? The more firepower, the bigger the check you get from Washington?

Leave no gun owner behind? 😉

I’m reminded by a commenter that today is the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. I had never really thought about the date before–it hadn’t occurred to me that it took place in the winter in Boston. What did Narragansetts wear in that clime?

Anyway, sometimes, particularly given how little difference there is between the two parties, I think we’re overdue for another one.

This little counterfactual (for people who came here via Instapundit) is one of the reasons.

As Mark Steyn notes, here’s a good example of “liberal” fascism.

[Update about 5 PM]

Heh:

They told me that if George W. Bush were re-elected, fearmongering would be the end of democracy. And they were right!