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Requests Thread
25 Jun 2008 03:33 pm
Comments (56)
FISA, Obama, Pelosi (Greenwald). Where are you at on that now?
Is the music industry doomed?
David Brooks' Ari Gold reference vs. David Brooks' Vampire Weekend reference: Which was lamer?
Talk about the hybrid car scam! With the exception of the Prius, it seems like most hybrids have highway mileage somewhere in the 30--35 mpg range. This is a little better than those same car models with a gas engine. But I own a 1984 Honda hatchback, obviously not a hybrid, which gets 40-odd mpg on the highway, and I remember it being pretty routine in the 1980s and 1990s for economy cars or even 4 door models to have comparable mileage. I imagine it mostly has to do with the massive increase in horsepower in recent years, or maybe heavier cars as a result of safety features. But how are hybrids supposed to help us out of the global warming/foreign oil dependence trap when they are less efficient than a 24 year old non-hybrid beater? And why not just make cars like the aforesaid beater, with a hybrid engine in them?
Your views on the Beeching Axe, and its effect on the last half-century of rail development in Britain.
Predictions on how DC v. Heller (the case about the DC gun laws) will come down? Word on the street is that Scalia is the author of the principal opinion.
Actually, after the past few days' worth of requests, my request is for you to stop taking requests.
IMHO you do better writing about things that you already know something about. A lot of the "request" posts seem to be pretty shallow, compared to your normal blog posts.
If I want to know something about some random topic, I'm probably better off researching it myself than begging some blogger to research it and write it up for me.
What are you interested in?
The chick in the photo immediately below this post.
I work for a large debt collection law firm in New England, and I was wondering how you felt debt collection should be handled in the US. Do you feel the FDCPA adequately protects the consumer? What's your opinion about post judgment action on consumers such as wage garnishment, bank levies, liens on real property, and car repossessions? Do you think if they put restrictions on interest rates, then should government make debt collection laws uniform across all 50 states in order to be fair to creditors? As it is now, you can move to Texas or Florida, and be almost 100% from post judgment action.
We're likely to see a lot more nuclear energy globally because of global warming and energy prices. What is the right way to reduce the proliferation risk?
Mpre specifically: What kind of procedural safeguards would work? How could the NPT be improved? What kind of technologies are less prone to promote proliferation? Are heavy-water reactors (like Canada's CANDU) less problematic because they use natural (as opposed to enriched) uranium? The idea being that way countries don't have a legitimate reason to pursue uranium enrichment.
Are congress's approval ratings structurally low, or could they take some actions that would improve them to, say, the lofty heights of GWB?
By "structurally low" I mean, for example, perhaps just the notion of a deliberative body doesn't square with an authoritarian culture than needs the single, identifiable father figure. Or, given that people seem to like their own representative, is it possible that all the but 3 representatives are by definition part of the Other and thus can't get high marks from the xenophobic?
Federal judges. You've mentioned in the past that you think the life tenure system is flawed, and have advocated something more like 12-year (renewable?) terms, if I recall correctly. I'm sure you're aware that constitutional amendments are really hard to pass, so limiting federal judges' terms of office isn't really a viable short- or even medium-term option. With that in mind, do you have any ideas about what can be done to fix or ameliorate the problems, as you see them, with the federal judiciary in the short or medium term? Would you, for example, support laws that would limit the courts' jurisdiction over certain issues or certain statutes? Do you have any ideas about de-politicizing the selection of judges, or do you even think that's a desirable thing?
You don't want to write about the road not taken with respect to Iraq and the war on terror?
What else could/should we have done with hundreds of billions of dollars, and all of our domestic and international political capital.
Apparently Ambinder enjoys the WWE. Discuss.
1) What do you think of Bjorn Lomborg? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomborg
I had a vague notion that he was some kind of climate change crank/skeptic, but I caught his interview on Zakaria's show on CNN, and thought some of his arguments were thought-provoking.
2) What do you think of Obama's proposal to raise the Social Security tax on incomes over $250k?
I'd like to see comparisons of Obama's, McCain's, and their advisor's thinking on energy policy.
I just read the old Grist interview with McCain (http://grist.org/feature/2007/10/01/mccain/) about his environmental policies and was struck by the incoherence of some of his positions. He was completely misleading on his stances on alternative energy subsidies, claiming both that "I don't support, particularly, subsidies" and that for nuclear "I'm not particularly interested in subsidies for them, or the oil and gas industry, for that matter," but he also does support subsidies for nuclear because they were for "the early development of the next generation of nuclear power plants" rather than their operation (wouldn't solar subsidies be for the next generation of solar plants as well?) Also, he somehow claimed that the nuclear subsidies would be funded by "paid for from the proceeds of an auction of emission allowances to industry, not from taxpayer dollars," which is just false because McCain's doesn't support an auction of carbon allowances. Did he used to and change his stance to pander towards the base, or is he just lying in this interview?
Another quote.
Q: "What about coal-to-liquids, turning coal into car fuel?"
A: "I'm for any new technologies that will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions"
Would this actually reduce emissions, because coal-to-liquid car fuel is still coal, and thus still fossil fuels, still carbon based, and still would release greenhouse gases? Maybe it is a more efficient process than burning gasoline? Or maybe he just didn't know anything about it just gave a bullshit answer that didn't really make sense.
Anyways, as a general question in response to this, why does McCain get away with being both incoherent and misleading in his environmental and energy policies without getting called out on these statements, even from a site like Grist in this interview?
Do you think NBA teams will be more hesitant to draft european players because of problems caused by the weak dollar and the ability for talented europeans to make more money in Europe? Do you think Tiago Splitter did the right thing?
the awesomeness of 5 GUYS
(and did you know that the 13 and Fth location does deliveries via a Segway?? it's a two-fer!)
Zimbabwe, and the role of South Africa in the whole situation. Also, what's the deal with Mugabe. I've heard South Africa doesn't want to cross him because he fought with Africa freedom fighters. Is this true?
What do you think of Canada's Liberal party's new carbon tax proposal: http://thegreenshift.ca/pdfs/green_shift_book_en.pdf
"This shift will be done in a revenue neutral way – putting it in law that every dollar that is raised from carbon pollution will be returned to Canadians in tax cuts. The Auditor General will ensure the Green Shift’s revenue neutrality on an annual basis.
The price will begin immediately at $10 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions and steadily rise by an additional $10 per tonne each year, reaching $40 per tonne within four years. Since the existing excise tax on gas at the pump is already at the equivalent of $42 per tonne of carbon, the tax at the pump will not rise. Likewise, because there is already a tax on diesel and aviation fuel of four cents per litre, the tax on these fuels will see no increase in the first year."
What do you think of the plan and how could it be applicable to the U.S?
You never talk baseball. How about SOMETHING on America's past time. How the Marlins have won 2 world series in 11 years without spending any money??? Good luck with that one.
You never talk baseball. How about SOMETHING on America's past time. How the Marlins have won 2 world series in 11 years without spending any money??? Good luck with that one.
More about the Sonics trial.
I want to know why it’s nearly impossible to find 500+ thread count sheets for a full-sized bed in the Washington, DC area! Seriously, I visited 5 different stores in DC, VA and MD last weekend and none carry them. Please shed some light on this underreported phenomenon.
What, if any (positive) roll do you see for third parties in America? For those already running a third political party, what strategies should they use to grow their party and get their voices heard?
Read any good novels lately?
dwmr, Al Gore has proposed something similar for the US. He suggested that the money raised from carbon tax be used to partially offset payroll taxes.
Discuss this recent GOP loss.
Extra credit: contact those who used his previous wins to push their agenda, and see what they say now: Barone, Barnes, etc.
Now it's twelve requests? Behold the fruits of appeasement.
Western Sahara: what do you think about it? Robert Malley knows about it, but does Yglesias?
I'm wondering, what would the pros and cons be for cities to provide local transit for free at the point of service, i.e. why not switch to pure subsidy instead of often pricey transit passes?
Dan Didio was not only not fired from DC, but was given an extension. Good to know that it's not just the White House where failure is rewarded.
This is stupid and apropos of nothing.
More relevant -- why does Yglesias have a problem with Goldberg. Could it be b/c Goldberg actually knows what he's talking about, given he goes out and actually "reports" on matters while Matt spews out gibberish beyond gibberish concerning things about which he knows next to nothing?
The specifics of the bankruptcy bill. Not some broad platitudinous commentary, but an analysis of the specifics, who (lender, investor, what type of borrower) will be helped by specific items, who won't be.
Euro 2008! We need your opinion, Matt ;).
What do you think of Dodd's FISA speech?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/06/25/BL2008062501380_pf.html
Discuss this recent GOP loss.
Omigosh! Stop the presses! That makes nearly two victories for hard line nativists in the last 79 contests! Onward Christian Soldiers!
The NBA draft is tomorrow - any predictions? What are the Wiz going to do?
What did Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio mean when he complained about Shaq's "racial conduct"?
Why isn't he being Imus-sified for it?
Why isn't Arpaio in one of his own jails, wearing pink underwear?
I see a lot of talk about the alleged economic benefits of high-speed rail. Now I know that there are specific direct benefits (less money on airport, fuel, etc.c) but it seems that a lot of people believe that it will promote general economic expansion through better business links, more tourism, etc.
Is there any evidence that this is true? Are people not conducting business that they might otherwise conduct if they had supertrains? Some discussion of this, maybe pointing out sources on the issue would be interesting.
Could you lay out your formal position on gun control and the rational behind it?
I know you're against it, but how much of that is just driven but pragmatic politics? Is it a freedom issue or a fear of government suppression like you would hear at a typical NRA rally? Do you think more guns = less crime? How much does the 2nd amendment itself influence you, etc etc...
Also could you address some of the common arguments in favor and why you think they're flawed.
Thanks
PEPFAR reauthorization (the President's overseas AIDS program). Is it better to compromise on some things now (for example, whether PEPFAR funds can be used to fund contraception for HIV-positive women) and get it passed, or wait until next year when (hopefully) the margin will be big enough in the Senate that we don't have to compromise.
1. Michelle in 2016?
2. How much bicycling Matt is doing and how he's finding it?
Regarding Fyodor's query above about high-speed rail, see chapters 10 and 11 of the Van Horne Institute's study of proposed high-speed rail between Calgary and Edmonton:
http://www.vanhorne.info/files/vanhorne/HSRFullReport(1062004).pdf
Regarding Fyodor's query above about high-speed rail, see chapters 10 and 11 of the Van Horne Institute's study of proposed high-speed rail between Calgary and Edmonton:
http://www.vanhorne.info/files/vanhorne/HSRFullReport(1062004).pdf
Have you reviewed The Incredible Hulk yet, and could you? I had mixed feelings about it, but overall I thought it was pretty fun.
Do you know that the Corrs are the 240th best selling band of all time?
Who do you think is sexier - the Minogue sisters or the Corrs sisters? (Or the Olsen twins?)
Inquiring minds want to know - Jessica Alba or Jessica Biel? There can be only one!
A reaction to this muddle-headed majority opinion.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jb3Rubiua7lZRFNU3LGvAG3-k8mwD91H2VV00
MattY:
Could you discuss how Obama does it? I mean, he's been campaigning for over a year now, consistently spreading his progressive message without a slip-up and gaining new voters everywhere he goes. The American public is truly warming to his message of change and hope! His schedule is grueling, but he still manages to speak to hundreds of ordinary people each day and get the word out about his groundbreaking candidacy. How does he do it?
[Note to MattY: if you don't want to answer that question, feel free to just incorporate it into one of your usual posts.]
I'd be really interested to see your reaction to the Heller decision tomorrow.
I'd like to hear you talk about the curious inability of the press to deal with the costs of our foreign policy either in articles about foreign policy or in articles about the state of the economy.
There was a sweet little article in the Financial Times today about the country with the second largest reserve of oil - Iran - and the results of the latest round of Bush's push for sanctions - the development of one of a number of oil fields has been put off, as oil companies can't figure out how to shrug off the sanction regime:
Here it is: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/
6baefef2-4219-11dd-a5e8-0000779fd2ac.html
One notices in all the talk about the rise in gas prices, there is never any mention of Iran, and in all the talk about Iran, there is never any mention of gas prices. Yet, clearly, we are now contributing maybe a dollar a gallon to continue this foreign policy. So, if it is a good foreign policy, why is the cost never discussed? And ... isn't assessment of the cost necessary to assessing the goodness or badness of the policy?
During the Democratic primary it was fairly evident that the MSM didn't want to call the election and give it to Obama, despite the majority of delegates. There was always the line about Clinton being the comeback kid (either bill or Hillary). It was also due to the fact that the MSM likes a horse race and hopes more people will watch.
Do you think it will be the same during the general election? The structure is different, of course as we just have polls to review. I noticed just this week when 'strategists' discussed Obama's jump in the polls they quickly stated the jump was not really as much as reported. Do you think this is based on not wanting to be wrong due to a poll or is it more of a similar situation as with the primary that as long as the race is close, more people will tune in?
What are the Wizards doing??
Comments closed July 09, 2008.
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Heads in the Sand
FISA and the Iraq supplemental bill have gotten a lot of scrutiny recently. Both, however, may be delayed until the Senate deals with the housing bill - a bill that, unless I missed it, hasn't been as thoroughly examined in the media. Can you offer up some analysis?
Posted by Mike | June 25, 2008 3:40 PM