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If so, what?

Greg Anrig Jr.'s advice to Bush: Be more like Arnold.

Just one year after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's political humiliation, with all four of his favored ballot initiatives crushed at the polls, the Terminator won reelection yesterday by 17 points. How did he accomplish such a dramatic turnaround? According to the Los Angeles Times, he 1) apologized for his missteps, which were attributable largely to rigidly adhering to right-wing ideology, 2) realized that his job was about "governing," 3) poured billions of dollars into popular programs, 4) cut bipartisan deals to fight global warming, boost the minimum wage, and reduce the cost of pharmaceutical drugs, and 5) made infrastructure the center of his legislative focus, underscoring his new brass-tacks approach to governance.

My advice to pigs: fly, little oinkers, fly!

Are the two connected?

Matt Yglesias questions the liberal-hawk "we have to stay in Iraq because of the oil" talking point -- which Bush himself has been deploying lately -- using the standard "oil is fungible" response. Any geopolitical experts out there have thoughts on this perennial debate?

Takings initiatives die deserved death

Five outta six ain't bad.

As I mentioned earlier, the takings measures in Montana and Nevada were yanked by the courts. Then last night, the good news just kept on coming.

Voters in three Western states -- California, Idaho, and Washington -- soundly rejected ballot measures that aimed to hamstring local governments and cripple environmental protections.

It wasn't close. In most places voter's message was deafening: we want to protect our communities and our natural heritage.

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Is banning horse slaughter like banning whaling?

There is a new bill to ban horse slaughter in the U.S. This article argues it's arbitrary and based on a special-interest lobby.

Secretary of Defense resigns in aftermath of yesterday’s election

Rumsfeld officially resigns. What a day.

It’s not too complicated

The autopsy report for the 109th Congress is not complex. In my view, three things brought them down:

1. Stupid ideas
2. executed incompetently
3. often by criminals.

Fix those three little things ...

Silent But Deadly

Researchers say industrial chemicals may be linked to increases in autism, ADHD Note to glue-sniffers everywhere: two researchers have suggested a link between industrial chemicals and an increase in brain […]

In Montana

AP has called the Montana Senate election for Tester. The worst case scenario for Dems now is a deadlocked Senate -- with Dick Cheney waddling down periodically to shoot them in the face cast tie-breaking votes.

Bush is speaking at a press conference …

... and man, he is a mess. Just raw, petulant, and defensive. If I was one of his media handlers I would get him off that stage as fast as possible.