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Law of Unintended Consequences

ArchPundit January 22, 2007 No Comments

From SaukValley.com via Rich

Q: Did competition develop, and how did it affect consumers?

A: Competition developed for the commercial market, as several companies emerged to provide electricity for businesses and industries. But ComEd and Ameren strengthened their grip on the residential market because potential competitors were scared off by the rate freeze, fearing prices were too low to make a profit.

With any luck, greater electrical choices should be around the corner as the caps are gone. Blue Star and Commerce are the only listed Residential choices as of now, and while the consumer market isn’t as valuable as the business market, I would expect some green energy companies to jump in now that the caps are gone. It would be especially smart if the Governor were to recruit some of those green companies in conjunction with the Sierra Club and other environmental groups in Illinois.

I’ve generally stayed away from the commentary on the rate freeze–I tend to think that a more gradual rate increase would have been the answer, with perhaps a built higher rate at the end to help the companies recoup. That’s too much compromise apparently. That said, the Lege and the Governor need to think of ways to spur residential and business energy development with green sources. In theory, deregulation should help that by allowing individuals to choose green energy over other sources even if there is a slight premium. Given the disincentives to date, a little bit of salesmanship might be in order once the rate increase is finally dealt with.

It also has important long term competitive effects in green energy tends to have far fewer greenhouse gas emissions and as such, will be far more cost effective when regulations force standard energy prices higher. Additionally, the presence of such power providers increases the research and development that would go on in Illinois, another side benefit then being the technology spillovers as people move towards greener energy.

On the Biggest Story of the Day

ArchPundit January 22, 2007 No Comments

Remember I’m very superstitious about sports so there will be no mention of them.

Indonesian Story on Obama

ArchPundit January 21, 2007 3 Comments

Is translated on this blog–if you get past the weirdness about how Obama hasn’t been wanting to talk about the experience when he actually highlights it in both books and is willing to answer questions, but is just now being asked the specifics, the story provides a decent understanding of his time in Indonesia.

And funny enough, that matches the exact information Eric Zorn got from David Axelrod.

And this former page indicates that Besuki is, wait for it, a public school.

They are referencing Frontline to point out that the Saudi’s didn’t start sending money for madrassas until late in the 1970s, but frankly this is sort of a common knowledge point for anyone who has a basic understanding of Middle East history (yes, Indonesia isn’t in the Middle East, but the relevant notion of Saudi Arabia funding radicals is the point).

The bit about Suharto is a bit more complicated, but essentially correct–Muslim students were part of the coalition he used when he undertook the coup, but they were not Islamist students.

The lesson here is that expect this to only get worse for all of the Democratic candidates. Loons and their publications will create thousands of rumors with just enough to them to make sure the regular press checks them out and puts them in print even if to debunk them. And reading the comment thread over at Eric’s you see one particular twit who still thinks it’s a credible story.

For extra fun, you can find many folks who attended Besuki on Friendster–though it’s hard to tell if it’s a district in some cases or the particular elementary school. None of the pics seem to be of Islamists and in fact, there is quite the international flavor of past school attendees with many having moved around the world.

Apparently Kos wanted to Start a Flame War Today

ArchPundit January 18, 2007 1 Comment

He criticizes Hackett, Cegelis, Gore and Edwards supporters.

I’ve turned off comments–get it out over there. It’ll be long enough for everyone to get a chance and save me from moderating.

But leave the orange hats at home

Daniel Biss January 18, 2007 1 Comment

From the Trib (via Rich):

North Shore Democrats say they are getting calls from volunteers who want to make bus trips to promote Obama in Iowa.

Speaking of elected officials who write well

Daniel Biss January 17, 2007 1 Comment

Debra Shore has an op-ed in today’s Trib about stormwater conservation. It’s a good summary of the main issue that propelled her candidacy.

4.1.03

ArchPundit January 17, 2007 No Comments

Unfortunately, not an April Fools.

Via Atrios

They’re Too Soft

ArchPundit January 16, 2007 7 Comments

Rich takes on some of the claims that Obama’s team can’t handle what Clinton and others will throw at them.

Bullshit.

Giangreco was central to Rod’s reelection–you know, the one where he ran against George Ryan…uhhhh…Judy.

Let me add as I briefly mentioned below. Gibbs worked with the team that torpedoed Dean with the terrorism commercials in Iowa. That might not ingratiate him to others, but he’s good at fighting. He just had an embarrassment of riches in 2004 with Keyes.

Hildebrand ran a brutal campaign against Bradley in Iowa. Every damned event Gore people were there mucking it up.

Burton was working in a very effective press shop at DCCC this cycle. They turned out good work the entire campaign keeping the Republicans off of message.

I don’t know if this team will win, but it’s certainly a group who can handle a punch and hit back.

Waiting for the Novel Excuses

ArchPundit January 16, 2007 No Comments

How many ways will Sam Adam try and say all of this was planted by the FBI?

Rich linked to the video of the Troutman press conference both the other day and if you ignored his suggestion to go watch, go watch. And does his column on it this week.

The racial end of the difference between when this sort of thing happens to white officials and black officials isn’t hard to understand from a historical perspective. Whenever a new ethnic group gains power, a disproportionate share of officials of that ethnic group have hangers ons who get in trouble or the official herself gets in trouble. Justifying it in their minds because of past situations where they were shut out of power, the ethnic group rallies around the accused.

Troutman is the latest example, but the bizarre backing of William Jefferson is another recent example.

Substitute Irish for black and go back 50 years and the story is about the same–but eventually there must come a time when that sort of excusing the behavior ends. In many ways it is when minority politicians aren’t viewed all that differently from the major ethnic group and hence, we somewhat see that coming to pass with people like Obama and Ford. The first few cases don’t end the process, but they do signify a change.

None of this excuses the pattern because certainly, people like Jefferson and allegedly Troutman have ripped off the public. And the individual cases where there is a rallying around an obviously corrupt individual in such communities should lead to a greater push for sound leadership–though every ethnic/racial group goes through the process, eventually, it is only through electoral consequences that things change.

Then we can get down to politicians just being corrupt and having cronies backing them for personal gain instead of a misplaced sense of group identity.