What's on your mind? Incidentally, I am open to questions on more substantive topics than whether or not this blog sucks.
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Requests Thread
11 Jul 2008 03:01 pm
Comments (72)
Elton Brand leaving Baron Davis twisting in the wind.
Dear Matt,
When are you giving a talk in/coming down to New Orleans? We're starving for some Yglesias-style wisdom slathered on thick down in these here parts.
this blog is hella GHEY
also I like your posts on transportation/urban design issues, so keep em coming
On that note, when will you (and other Atlantic bloggers) come to Ohio State? It is, after all, the largest university in the country.
Also, I wonder what you think about the arms deal with India and Obama's position. There was an interesting discussion among commenters on one of Michael Crowley's posts at TNR today.
What will it take for the media to lose its love affair with McCain and start covering him the way they would, say, a Democrat who has done what he has lately (the 61 flip-flops on issues, his anger, his marriage infidelity, lack of any numerals in his economic plan, etc.)?
Or is there even anything that could lead to that?
What are the odds of Harry Reid keeping his job with the Democrats in control of Congress and the Presidency?
How about your thoughts on the legalization of Afghan poppies for legitimate pharmceutical use as a tool to fight the Taliban? And as a side-note, do you think Obama (if he agreed with the premise) could ever broach the subject without the specter of his past drug use being raised?
Thanks.
What can be done about the fact that people keep getting fatter and fatter?
On that note, when will you (and other Atlantic bloggers) come to Ohio State? It is, after all, the largest university in the country.
Also, I wonder what you think about the arms deal with India and Obama's position. There was an interesting discussion among commenters on one of Michael Crowley's posts at TNR today.
I'm going to echo a lot of people here. Maybe you could describe for us, your dear readers, your process for writing. Maybe we could identify a way for you to proofread your posts for spelling and grammar?
Also what would it take to convince CSX to use their right of way to create a hi-speed train that ran the BAMA corridor.
What will be the fall-out for US telecommunications companies now that the whole world knows our government is monitoring all their communications that pass through any American based switching stations?
Matt I don't know if you really like to get in to religious or intra-Atlantic spats but I think there is a real case to be made from a secularist/atheist point of view about Sullivan's Moore Award to PZ Meyers. Meyers was beyond the pale for making fun of the eucharist, but Andrew makes fun of Scientologists and Mormons with the same sort of glee and approvingly links to Hitchen's takedowns when it suits his needs.
Isn't this the point that Sam Harris, and others more artfully, make that when you begin to draw distinctions between what constitutes a faith life that is to be respected and one that is to be mocked while engaging in an active faith life yourself you ignore the logical insanity of such rituals as the eucharist. But more importantly, you excuse the unbelievable excesses that these beliefs have on our public policy debates and in framing our political lives.
Do you agree with/understand the distinction that is implicit in Sullivan's actions and why if he expects good faith respect for his religion then he should be more deferential or accept that the public sphere gets priority because of the massive power these faiths wield?
I could probably phrase all this better, but I think it is an interesting topic to explore for someone who isn't typing furiously at work under the watchful eye of Sauron.
Matt, what is your opinion on the likely impending ratification of the US-India nuclear agreement, in light of your concerns about the NPT and nuclear non-proliferation? And concurrently, your assessment of Obama's somewhat tepid support of said agreement, particularly as discussed here.
Yesterday in Pittsburgh, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., professed his love for the Steelers to KDKA-TV.
[. . .]
Asked what first comes to his mind when he thinks of Pittsburgh, McCain chuckled, "the Steelers. I was a mediocre high school athlete but I loved and adored the sports but the Steelers really made a huge impression on me particularly in my early years."
And then McCain told a rather moving story about his time as a P.O.W. "When I was first interrogated and really had to give some information because of the pressures, physical pressures on me, I named the starting lineup, defensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers as my squadron mates."
"Did you really?" asked the reporter.
"Yes," McCain said.
"In your POW camp?" asked the reporter.
"Yes," McCain said.
"Could you do it today?" asked the reporter.
"No, unfortunately," McCain said.
Here's one reason he likely couldn't do it today -- the Steelers aren't the team whose defensive line McCain named for his Vietnamese tormentors. The Green Bay Packers are. At least according to every previous time McCain has told this story. And the McCain campaign just told ABC News that the senator made a mistake -- it was, indeed, the Packers.
It seems like the sort of devastating story that Chris Matthews would spend three or four months covering if it weren't about John McCain.
Thoughts? IOKIYAR?
"Incidentally, I am open to questions on more substantive topics than whether or not this blog sucks."
lol. But that presupposes (contra the critics) that you have something to say about substantive topics....
I think you do, but if they are right it doesn't really matter what topic you treat superficially.
More of a personal-tech events thing. I believe you have an I-Phone - are you getting/have gotten the 3G I-Phone?
Have you updated to the new software, or are you, like me, waiting until Apple sorts out the issues everyone is reporting.
There should be some very cool social location-aware apps, that can be applied to politics - anything you are looking forward to?
1. How would you explain the apparent contradiction between Ross Douthat's contention that broadly speaking the GOP is the party of economic optimists and the Democrats the party of economic pessimists, and John Zogby's recent piece on "equinox voters" -- successful "spring forwards" who mostly support Democrats, and worried "fall backs" who mostly support the GOP?
2. What's your opinion on the dispute between the DC government and the Washington Nationals over the completion status of the stadium? Does this dispute have any broader implications for the relationship between cities and sports franchises, or for whether or not your blog sucks?
I haven't done this before, but how about if we talk about how badly your blog sucks?
I can't believe I'm even having to request this, and maybe you did post on it and I just missed it, but if not, please give us your take on the National Capitol Planning Commission proposal which just came out yesterday. I took one look at it and thought "Yglesias is going to be delirious over this."
In all seriousness it seems like there's some good stuff in there--especially the "about goddamn time" recommendation to do away with the atrocity of ramps and whatnot around the Kennedy Center.
You talk a lot about city living and transit issues. Maybe you could look into cities in other countries, predominantly European, and see how we can learn from them to make U.S. mass transit better.
John McCain said, in PA, that when questioned by the Viet Cong, he listed the names of the Steelers' line instead of his compatriots. In his book, he said that it was the Green Bay Packers.
Honest mistake, Alzheimers, or just blatant pandering? What is the next NFL team he's going to give up to the Commies? The Browns? The Dolphins?
"When I was first interrogated and really had to give some information because of the pressures, physical pressures on me, I named the starting lineup, defensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers as my squadron mates.""Did you really?" asked the reporter.
"Yes," McCain said.
"In your POW camp?" asked the reporter.
"Yes," McCain said.
"Could you do it today?" asked the reporter.
"No, unfortunately," McCain said.
He's lying. If he were telling the truth, he could at least have rattled off Mean Joe Green, L.C. Greenwood, Jack Lambert, or Jack Ham.
No one seems to have remarked on the premise of Phil Gramm's "mental" recession. His comments only make sense if you don't consider depression to be an illness.
As a fan of Canadian culture, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the following: you've mentioned before about how you think the candidates should discuss their thoughts on the U.S.-Canada relationship and how best to repair and improve this relationship. As a Canadian, I know from discussions with friends that there are two issues that have strained our views of the U.S. in recent years: the new document requirements to cross the U.S.-Canada border (more of a complaint than a deal-breaker), and the treatment of Maher Arar (more of a deal-breaker). How would you recommend these two issues be addressed by the next administration?
Topics?
1. Discuss the difficulties that independent, third-party, or non-wealthy people have in running for political office;
2. Discuss the need for an improved infrastructure to our nation with regards to roads, public rail transit, schools, public facilities, and telecommunication networking;
3. Discuss the latest issue of Heavy Metal, and the differences in European and American adult graphic narratives;
4. Discuss pie.
Whichever you prefer.
Water.
how do republicans every 4 or 8 years convince america that they are putting forth a different kind of conservative? "compassionate conservative" or maverick, for example?
blah: really?
Joe Green: drafted in 1969.
LC Greenwood: drafted in 1969.
Jack Lambert: Drafted in 1974! And he wasn't a defensive lineman.
Jack Ham: Linebacker drafted in 1971.
John McCain: held prisoner by the VC from 1967 to 1973. Before any of those players were in the NFL. Hell, he was released before Lambert was drafted.
You, sir, are a moron.
(Note: so's McCain. but that's another story.)
More on Bush/McCain views on foreign policy. Y'day on haaretz.com, an article stated the following (bold mine):
Will next week's summit of Mediterranean leaders in France give the signal for direct talks by providing an opportunity for a public handshake between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian President Bashar Assad? In an interview with Le Figaro this week, Assad was evasive. He said that American involvement is necessary for direct talks, and this is inconceivable as long as George W. Bush remains president.
If McCain is going to continue Bush policy, isn't it then a likelihood that he too will stifle any chance at progress towards greater Middle East peace?
Matt,
I think it would be worth talking about the fact that the new FISA legislation only provides explicit immunity from civil litigation against the telecoms, not immunity from criminal prosecution. John W. Dean's most recent column on FindLaw.com (http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20080702.html) lays this out.
In my mind, criminal prosecutions over warrantless surveillance are way more important that civil suits. It's not as if Verizon couldn't afford the payouts if they were to lose such cases. And the only way that these sorts of prosecutions would be even remotely possible is if Obama is elected with a strong Dem majority in the House and Senate. So perhaps he's just biding his time and keeping his eyes on the bigger legal prize? I guess only time and votes will tell.
And on a larger level, I was really dismayed that I had to read an article written by a goddamned former Nixon associate to find out about this. There's really been a scarcity of thoughtful analysis and an overabundance of apeshit bitching and moaning coming from the Left over FISA this week.
Hi Matt,
I'd really be interested in your thoughts on Jim Manzi's argument against carbon taxes. He essentially argues that the uncertainties in the externalities involved and the difficulties and deadweight losses in creating an international carbon tax regime would make it uneconomical.
Matthew: Immunity from criminal prosecution is something GW Bush can do with the stroke of a pen. Congressional involvement is not needed to pardon.
Mr. Yglesias,
Setting aside the difficulty of defining race at any level, how is it that Obama is always described without qualification or caveat as potentially our first black president? Sincerely, I don't understand that. He has a white mother and a black father. Why does that not make him a white guy? The idea that *any* black relatives makes one black seems directly contrary to the post-racial era his candidacy supposedly heralds. I'm not aware of this topic being discussed in the MSM.
How about some discussion of the recent study suggesting that literally tens of thousands of prisoners in the U.S. are innocent of the crimes for which they were found guilty? It is available at
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=931454
This incredibly important issue gets precious little discussion in the media and state legislatures.
How about some discussion of the recent study suggesting that literally tens of thousands of prisoners in the U.S. are innocent of the crimes for which they were found guilty? It is available at
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=931454
This incredibly important issue gets precious little discussion in the media and state legislatures.
We're hearing rumors of a political outing here in Alabama, and Charlie Crist is on the GOP VP list again... Why is it that closeted gays make such good Republican politicians? Is it the acting? The self-loathing? Grooming?
Why do all these homosexuals keep sucking GOP cock?
Where/How would you place a limit on people's ability to get something-for-nothing entitlements from the government?
Matt,
Paul Krugman wrote in today's column that the vote this week on Medicare (that Ted Kennedy returned to take part in) encouraged him to believe that universal health care stands a good chance of becoming a reality should Obama win and the Democrats increase their majority in both Houses. If this is true, and you can comment on this, what are the chances of us ever seeing single payer? I would think the greatest obstacles to this would be the Socialist, Government Medicine charge (gov't selects your doctor, the gov't can't run anything right) and the "loss of jobs" from the insurers. But would't the jobs of those who administer the programs now working within the private health care companies merely shift with the implementation of single payer to similar kinds of jobs within the government (though they wouldn't waste our money and time deciding whom to deny coverage to). The jobs would stay in the US unlike those jobs that are being sent overseas where they can be done presumably for less money and more profit to the private companies. Moreover, can't an effective campaign be mounted and financed (by rich liberals like Soros and Buffet and small donors who contributed to Obama etc. through the web to
make the case for single payer. Oh, and why can't some of the penny pinchers now working for the health insurers to to work for the Pentagon, denying the various services their various playtoys like the F-35 etc. like they do now denying operations for people. After all, they have been trained to respond to their insureds in the past as they will respond to the arguments of those in the military who will say that by denying the funds for a weapon (like the operations of their insureds) people will die as a result.
John McCain: held prisoner by the VC from 1967 to 1973. Before any of those players were in the NFL. Hell, he was released before Lambert was drafted.
After I posted, I realized this and felt stupid.
But then I thought of another reason why McCain must be lying - nobody followed the Steelers before 1967. They really sucked.
I'd like fewer request threads, please. You should be writing about things that you think you have something to say about--not about things (like water rights) that you're asked to have an instant opinion on.
blah: right. truly awful. It's some pretty shitty pandering on his part.
Just this once, Matthew, I would like you to expend some blood and sweat, climb a mountain and call 25 people (in a single day!). I hear that's the recipe for serious writing.
Has anyone heard this rumor? I heard it from a source in government.
WHITE HOUSE SHORT SELLS FAN/FRED
In an incredibly reckless gambit to force Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to shrink their balance sheets, several administration officials
fabricated stories of planning meetings to take over Fannie and Freddie and then peddled the story line to NYT and WSJ reporters, according to sources. The stories spun out of control beyond what the officials anticipated, creating a political nightmare for the administration and forcing Treasury Secretary Paulson to clean up the
mess.
Word is this story is racing around DC like wildfire...
Matt:
Seriously, ZZ Top's latest tour and the current status of Australian basketball.
It is not that hard. This is what the people want.
So, things I'd love interested to hear more about...
When money is allocated for Iraq, I'm really not clear on what the money means. If we weren't in Iraq, we'd still be paying soldiers' salaries, paying for live-fire excercises, fuel and maintenance for aircraft, and so on. Also, we probably would be using a lot of the resources that currently go to Iraq in Afghanistan or somewhere else; money better spent, perhaps, but still spent. But, there are things like money for recruiting campaigns that might not be covered in appropriations for Iraq. So what's the real cost? (Could I figure it out with aggressive googling? Maybe...)
Any thoughts on Flobots' song "Handlebars," http://youtube.com/watch?v=AuK2A1ZqoWs , which seems to contain a critique of the past 8 years in American politics.
If the Bush White House ordered torture in Guantanamo and if this is a war crime, should President Obama pardon Mr Bush and Mr Cheney (I think goes without saying President McCain would so pardon them)?
An update on Collateral Damage (or "integers" to Henry Kissinger and Robert McNamara).
Hi Matt. I don't think your blog sucks. I have to get back to work.
The blog is full of good political commentary and exposes readers to lots of interesting and thought-provoking stuff. We aren't here hoping Matt is an expert on everything and will give us all the answers.
Any commentary about the kind of resistance to public transportation discussed in the article below.
Basically Rochester, NY, a declining city, closed its subway system years ago, and is now planning to fill the tunnels with dirt rather than try to re-open them, based on the rationalization that the city is not dense enough to warrant a subway system.
http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/news/articles/DEVELOPMENT:+Those+subterranean+hometown+blues
How about the reports of Israeli military exercises aimed at Iran? Are these preludes to a) an attack or b) a deal? Bush will presumably have some say in the matter, and when you think of his original axis of evil, we have had one attack (Iraq) and one deal (North Korea). Which way will the third one fall out?
Can you fix www.matthewyglesias.com so that it continues to forward to the Atlantic site? I don't feel like fixing the bookmarks on my Blackberry, and I am getting "Account Suspended".
I'll add to the chorus. Why isn't the Pittsburgh pander getting more play outside of the footblogosphere? Could this end McCain's chances in both Pennsylvania and Wisconsin? Are we now supposed to accept that John McCain doesn't speak for John McCain? This shocking story merits round-the-clock coverage, but the airwaves remain mostly silent.
I'm sick and tired of everyone observing that John McCain doesn't use his son's military service to his political advantage. Considering he never mentions it, it's quite amazing that everyone knows both that he never mentions it and that his son is fighting for us in Iraq.
Not a request, and I'm probably an a**hole now, but it's been on my mind.
I don't understand the social security privatization business--the arguments for or the arguments against. Never have. Almost everything I've run across on the topic seems to either:
1) Be pure spin
2) Presuppose the truth of one side's position, or
3) Be incredibly unclear about what the consequences of the policies are, and why they'd have those consequences.
Maybe that's just because I've been reading sucky blogs. Any suggestions on what to look at, or do you have an explanation?
I don't know if we're ready to discuss this yet...
...but I'd like to see more speculation on whether McCain's hazy memory and vagueness on the facts of certain issues is the result of politics as usual dissembling...or whether he's starting to suffer from mental deteriation and going a bit senile.
The man is, what? 73 or so?
Is it really outside the realm of possibility that his mind is starting to go?
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO COMPLAIN TO YOUR BOSSES ABOUT THE FUCKING SERVER?
AM I SPEAKING LOUD ENOUGH FOR YOU?
YES, I"M SHOUTING!
FIX THE FUCKING SERVER!
Actually, so far today I haven't had any server errors. Watch - this one will have one.
I don't really care since I know how to deal with your crappy server. But I'm AM sick and tired of reading fifteen duplicate posts in every thread from people who don't know.
FIX THE FUCKING SERVER!
Douthat's and Salem's new book. Forget collegiality and professional courtesy: astute analysis full of provocative and substantive policy proposals or well-mannered, process-oriented wingnut neo-agitprop? From the blurbs I've read, I lean toward the latter.
How should the American democracy go to war? How should a President lead us into war?
1.) Considering your desire to improve transportation infrastructure, do you think environmental impact studies significantly slow down transportation improvement projects? What are your thoughts on environmental impact studies?
2.) Do short election cycles (especially for Congressmen) undermine long term transportation improvement projects? Do you believe the focus on being reelected in the short run makes it more difficult for congressmen to support costly long term projects?
Thanks,
S.P. Gass
whether the upcoming israel-hizbollah prisoner exchange is wise
since you supported the idea for war in iraq, how about you join the army and blog from haditha iraq for a tour?
or is war only for other people?
Here's something I've been kicking around for a couple of weeks and would really appreciate a bit of more learned opinion on. The major American airlines are all on the verge of bankruptcy again, right? And have been in and out of bankruptcy for at least the past ten or fifteen years, if I recall correctly, and my impression is that they had not been doing well for awhile before that.
What about re-nationalizing them? I know that's a fairly verboten notion, but it seems like a lot of the problem is that the airlines have trapped themselves into a losing business model (the hub system), but have invested so much into it that they can't really break out of it. That combined with general mismanagement and high gas prices makes it seem that the situation is not going to change in the near or mid-term.
There's been a lot of mass transit posting around, and it seems to me that government owns most of the modes of transportation: owns the roads, own the buses and subway systems, owns the passenger rail service. And it seems to me that in general private companies trying to replicate these services in general do not compete well. So why shouldn't the government own air mass transit?
I'm not well read enough on the subject to really know if re-nationalizing the airlines is really desirable or not. Were the airlines really better run before deregulation? And what exactly are the economic effects of nationalizing an industry? I know it is all academic, but it's one of the things I've been thinking about the last couple of weeks.
What are you thoughts on missile defense, especially as how it relates to Uncle Sam's efforts to establish partnerships in Europe? Boondoggle? Techncially infeasible? Needless pissing off of the Russians? An inevitable and necessary measure against rogue states?
So really, what IS up with the www.matthewyglesias.com domain? Did you decide to stop paying for it, even though you were "proudly eponymous since 2002" or did you just forget?
What do you think of the current New Yorker cover?
Comments closed July 25, 2008.
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Heads in the Sand
Dear Matt,
When are you giving a talk in/coming down to New Orleans? We're starving for some Yglesias-style wisdom slathered on thick down in these here parts.
Posted by Brad H | July 11, 2008 3:08 PM