As you may know the members of the Watcher’s Council each nominate one of his or her own posts and one non-Council post for consideration by the whole Council. The complete list of this week’s Council nominations is here.
The Razor, “Choice and Honor”
Scott considers Scott McLellan’s book and Sen. Obama’s resignation from Trinity UCC in the context of his traditionalist dad’s disaffection with the post-Vatican II changes in the Catholic Church.
Done With Mirrors, “Memorial Day”
Callimachus tells the stories of some Americans who have given their lives in the war in Iraq. Simply a superb post.
The Glittering Eye, “The Costs of Withdrawing from Iraq”
Anybody who thinks withdrawing from Iraq will generate a lot of cash that can be used for domestic social programs or infrastructure improvement is kidding you, themselves, or both.
Hillbilly White Trash, “You Have To Ask?”
Lemuel Calhoon wonders how the scales remained on the eyes of Todd Purdom about Bill Clinton so long? More interesting to me, why have they fallen off now? Presumably, because Sen. Hillary Clinton opposed Sen. Barack Obama in the primaries.
Rhymes With Right, “# More Outrageousness At Trinity UCC — UPDATED”
Greg posts a lengthy and informative bill of particulars against Fr. Michael Pfleger, recently relieved (at least temporarily) from his post at St. Sabina, presumably for saying the things he’s been saying for years just a little too loudly. Bad for business.
Bookworm Room, “Brave? Yes. Unique? No.”
Bookworm reflects on Sen. Ted Kennedy’s surgery.
Soccer Dad, “Leveraging — Reloaded”
Soccer Dad chides columnist Tom Friedman for giving the advice which, when taken, has brought things to the pass that they’re at now with Syria and Iran “gaining leverage”. And then complaining that they’ve gained leverage. To which I can only add that the advantage that rogue states and non-state actors have is that they don’t actually have to deliver anything, build anything, or perform any services. They also don’t claim the sort of loyalty among their clients that states can.
Cheat Seeking Missiles, “Slouching Towards Statism”
I had a couple of bones of contention with Laer’s post this week. First, I don’t think the opposite of statism is individualism. I think it’s anarchy, a vacuum abhorred by nature. And I don’t think that China is statist in quite the way that he seems to believe. China is an oligarchy in which .01% of the people control 90% or more of the wealth. Whether that’s an intrinsic feature of Chinese culture or not may well be the great story of the 21st century.
The Colossus of Rhodey, “The Media Furor Over McClellan’s Book Leads to Whoppers”
Laer notes that in the frenzy to affirm testimony that confirms their preferred narrative the professional media are ignoring a little trail of falsehoods in Scott McLellan’s book.
Wolf Howling, “Much Lizardly Ado About… A Little Something”
GW chronicles a dispute between Dafydd ab Hugh and Bret Stephens and Thomas Joscelyn of The Weekly Standard about the role of language and diction in the information war component of the War on Terror. I think that Dafydd and GW are on the side of the angels on this one. It’s a doctrine I’ve been preaching for years.
Joshuapundit, “Worst. President. Ever?”
Freedom Fighter wonders who the worst president ever might be. I think it’s too early by as much as 50 years to place George W. Bush in that number. He may turn out to be a visionary or he may turn out to be a goat. In no particular order I’d say Warren G. Harding, James Buchanan, and Jimmy Carter. I think that Bill Clinton was a weak president but not a bad one. I think that Truman is a bit overrated at this point and John F. Kennedy a lot overrated.
The Education Wonks, “Life Expectancy Down For Some American Women”
EdWonk takes note of a troubling article in the Washington Post that suggests that women’s life expectancy is falling in the U.S. Presumably, that’s a sign of empowerment. When women behave just as badly as men, they take the same consequences men do.
Well, I’ve decided which posts I’ll vote for this week. Which posts would get your votes?
