A week-long debate over at the LA Times (similar to the one that Homer Hickam and I had on space last fall).
Is John McCain An Illegal Immigrant?
Well, despite this, I don’t think so. I think that it’s pretty settled English common law that the offspring of two citizens of a nation is a natural-born citizen of that nation, regardless of the location of birth, and particularly when it occurs on that nation’s territory, even if not within its borders.
It would explain a lot, though.
Say It Ain’t So
Is Obama demagoguing NAFTA just to win the nomination? Will he continue to do so in the general election, if he gets the nomination?
Well, at least I’m glad to see that he’s not as bad on free trade as his campaign rhetoric suggests. But one wonders what other flowery things he’s saying that he doesn’t really mean.
Say It Ain’t So
Is Obama demagoguing NAFTA just to win the nomination? Will he continue to do so in the general election, if he gets the nomination?
Well, at least I’m glad to see that he’s not as bad on free trade as his campaign rhetoric suggests. But one wonders what other flowery things he’s saying that he doesn’t really mean.
Say It Ain’t So
Is Obama demagoguing NAFTA just to win the nomination? Will he continue to do so in the general election, if he gets the nomination?
Well, at least I’m glad to see that he’s not as bad on free trade as his campaign rhetoric suggests. But one wonders what other flowery things he’s saying that he doesn’t really mean.
The End Of The Steam Age
The Navy is shifting from steam catapults to electric launchers for its aircraft carriers.
Cool.
Got A Second?
On Leap Day, some thoughts on timekeeping problems from Alan Boyle.
Should Later Primaries Count More?
Mickey thinks so (scroll down past the post about the administration’s “virtual fence” fiasco):
If Hillary wins Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania, that’s what she’s going to claim. It’s not a bogus argument. Voters in late primaries have more information than voters in early primaries. Superdelegates should be able to take note. That’s different from arguing that Hillary should be able to pull strings and get superdelegates even if she keeps losing.
I agree.
I think that there are some similarities between presidential primaries and the mythical national college football championship (particularly this year, when perceived front-runners kept losing each week). A loss early in the season is nowhere near as damaging as a late one, in terms of the polls. Given how arcane the primary system is, with different rules for every state, it does make sense that a later primary should count more than an early one, which is why Hillary! shouldn’t be counted out yet (and won’t be, if she has anything to say about it). Barring a disaster for her (huge losses in both Texas and Ohio on Tuesday), I expect her to fight all the way to Denver. And I’ll love every minute of it.
Things Heating Up In The Levant?
The US Navy is sending three warships to the eastern Mediterranean Sea in a show of strength during a period of tensions with Syria and political uncertainty in Lebanon.
It’s hard to believe that Syria really wants another war, given how easily Israel penetrated their supposedly impenetrable Russian defenses last fall. I think that the message is that if Hezbollah wants to take on Israel again, they’d better do it alone.
The Obama Solution: A Time Machine
Frank J. has the man himself to explain.