2004

The Weekly Joyce

ArchPundit May 5, 2004 No Comments

here

Exposing environmental programs usually brings an attack from the green direction. Their usual tactic is to intimidate and belittle the writer. Greens hate for the general public to know their real agenda – which is to control all property – on land and water.

Yes, I belittle Joyce. There is a reason for that. Actually more than one.

1) She is a loon.
2) She is incoherent
3) Not only incoherent, but she writes stream of consciousness garbage.
4) She is loon.

The leader claims to have editors, perhaps they should use them. There is no coherent point in this slop unless you think that conspiracy theories strung together are coherent.

The environmentalists over all agenda is to close down “working rivers” and return them to free, meandering rivers. This would take the rivers back to the days of Lewis and Clark and before. While this may sound like a good idea, think about the days of Lewis and Clark and then decide if you want to do without insect spray, showers, hot water, microwaves, air-conditioning and all the conveniences that Lewis and Clark could not possibly envision.

What the hell does restoring a habitat have to do with going without insect spray?

ANYONE?

The point of restoring the Missouri flow is not only about restoring habitat, but also retaining other industries dependent on a natural flow. It isn’t environmentalists against barges, it is barges against fisheries and recreation and environmentalists, but God forbid someone point this out to Joyce.

Here’s an idea, why not have a columnist who is more friendly towards market based solutions in relation to the environment. Even some of us who consider themselves staunch environmentalists would be open to new mechanisms of protection. Or just keep running a loon. It is, at least entertaining.

Assignment Desk: Webmaster for Berkowitz

ArchPundit May 4, 2004 No Comments

This isn’t meant to be a dig at Jeff, but his site needs some organization. It takes a while to get used to html and blogging for those not familiar with it so here is what he needs:

A blog host that can hold excerpts and extended entries–this would ensure he could tease the highlights and then put the full text in the post without the reader getting lost.

Someone to update the basic text to make it a bit easier to read.

So someone see if you can help him out, I think a lot of the content is quite good–especially for us without access to the show.

A couple highlights I found interesting include

1) the discussion on affordable housing. Jeff is a bit unfair when he suggests that a 10% target would mean all poor people should be able to live in any communities. First, the bill isn’t just about the poor, but those of modest means. Second, 10% affordable hardly affords all people in the class the ability to live somewhere. It does however, encourage less economic segregation. The problem is the affordable units may not remain that way (depending on tax credit restrictions I suppose) since people pay amazing sums to live in what they perceive as a good districts. The idea isn’t as crazy as Jeff makes it out to be and within the constraints of a program that operates primarily by carrots it could produce some good results.

2) The requirements in NCLB do add costs and in some of the more successful districts it is unclear that the NCLB strategies are superior. So adding tutoring may not be as effective as other strategies in that community, but it is required. Additionally, we know the rather ridiculous conditions under which it can identify a school or District as underperforming with a small sample of students.

3) Serafin’s take on the Senate Race and Ryan’s decisions is quite good.

Lee Newcom Bringing Democrats Back to McLean County

ArchPundit May 4, 2004 No Comments

The above title is misleading because it suggests Democrats ever had a foothold in McLean County. But Jeff Trigg discusses Mr. Newcom and I can’t resist. Newcom is running for Recorder of Deeds in McLean County. He took on an incumbent Republican who had made some hash of the books, but in his typical burn down the house style, Newcom has alienated many Republicans in McLean. Some rather die hard Republicans are suggesting that the Democrat may win the first county wide office since Steve Brienan ran for sheriff (he later switched to the Republican Party). Brienan’s race goes back to a lot of arcane history in abusive sheriff’s and ties to a Sheriff named King (IIRC). Brienan was a good guy and overcame the Republican advantage. In this case, Newcom may well have made enough intraparty enemies through his years to actually lose this race.

Jeff let’s him off the hook, but remember, this is a guy who came to my high school and told the young Republicans that they were great because they could pull dirty tricks without being held accountable. Those are some values!

Mike Lawrence’s Columns Available

ArchPundit May 4, 2004 No Comments

Generally I always have a hard time to track them down, but here they are (via Capitol Fax). Google news is making my life much, much easier.

Bot take on G-Rod. Go figure.

Election Reform Bills–Bush On Ballot

ArchPundit May 4, 2004 No Comments

Dan Johnson-Weinberger covers what is likely to be the vehicles to get Bush on the ballot in Illinois. While I think Bush should be on the ballot, I’m not terribly happy about the process of expecting to be on it. That said, the other reforms seem reasonable.

Wilco’s New Lineup

ArchPundit May 4, 2004 8 Comments

Premiers at Otto’s in Dekalb.

Via, Join Cross of all places.