Assist Katrina region with nationwide window replacement program
Sun Sep 04, 2005 at 08:51:42 AM PDT
I've been trying to get my head around the question of how to rebuild the economy of such a massive area. Obviously it's a lot more than just rebuilding all the buildings. Although such rebuilding provides some economic activity and brings aid dollars flowing into the region, you also have to be creating other businesses. The region can't support itself solely on returnees selling groceries and building supplies to each other. Since a huge proportion of the old businesses are gone for good (except for name recognition in a few cases), new businesses must be conceived and created.
Well, the big picture on that is for brainier heads than mine.
But I have one timely idea that could help the region and the entire nation.
Congress should enact a nationwide, heavily tax-incented program to replace inefficient single-pane residential windows throughout the country with modern, inexpensive, energy efficient, double- or triple-pane windows to be manufactured in the Gulf region.
There's a perfect word for this administration
Tue Jul 19, 2005 at 10:14:50 AM PDT
Lately I've been noticing the peculiarly aptness of a common misspelling. I've come to believe that the misspelling itself is actually the perfect word to describe this Bush Administration.
So I want to share this word. Just one word.
Are you ready?
Bush Seeking Submissive Cabinet Appointees?
Wed Nov 17, 2004 at 10:33:45 AM PDT
Is George W Bush the most enlightened President in U.S. history, with his apparent determination to build a Cabinet of minorities and women?
Or is he simply installing the people he feels least dominance-challenged around?
(And will the press even ask such a question?)
Sometimes Bad Things Happen To Good People
Wed Nov 03, 2004 at 08:19:22 PM PDT
There is no way that Bush can do anything other than crash and burn in this second term.
I don't think we had the wrong message or the wrong strategy. Some battles simply aren't winnable.
We need to take the long view. Cliche or not, it really is sometimes best to lose the battle in order to win the war.
Early Vote Impressions, Cobb County, GA
Sat Oct 30, 2004 at 02:01:24 PM PDT
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, Cobb County, GA
Based on what I saw today, it feels like there is a groundswell of something unusual this time around. I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't feel very Republican.
Interesting experience today.
We went to our local place for early voting today, one of four locations for a county with just over 300,000 registered voters. We arrived 15 minutes after opening and the line was already a couple hundred yards long, winding around behind the building.
Our county is 80% white (by census), about 70% Republican (by impression), mostly Gingrich-loving Republican. Our precinct is about the same. The line was 90% minority voters, mostly black with some Asian and maybe a few Hispanic. The clusters in earshot directly in front of us and behind us were all first-time voters of all ages from about 21 up to the elderly.
It's time for Kerry to appeal to disaffected Republicans
Mon Oct 25, 2004 at 02:26:41 PM PDT
It's time for Kerry to make an explicit appeal to all these disaffected Republicans. He needs to make a laundry list of the traditional Republican values that Dubya has abandoned -- starting with fiscal responsibility, pay-as-you-go, open government, and right on down the list. He needs to look closely at those abandoning Bush and find the common ground they share with us. And then he needs to step out and make a heartfelt speech directly to traditional Republicans who feel betrayed by Bush.
Something along these lines:
