×
- It's Friday, so time for some more irresponsible 2012 election blogging. Apropos of this Jonathan Bernstein post and Steve Kornacki's counterexample on the importance of Iowa and New Hampshire, I'd add a point. Since delegates are awarded proportionately in the Republican primaries, skipping the early contests makes little sense. But more to the point, Romney was actually leading McCain until Florida put the latter over the top. It was then Super Tuesday that gave McCain a lock on the nomination. So, it's important to participate in the early contests to build some momentum, but the 1,100+ votes up for grabs on Super Tuesday matter more.
- Kevin Drum ponders the feasibility of corporate tax reform and concludes that while it was accomplished in recent memory (1986), "Republicans are less willing to work across the aisle these days and Democrats are far more responsive to corporate pressure than they were in the 80s." I'd say instead that this is the unlikely triumph of supply-side economics. In 1986, plenty of Republicans were skeptical of the Voodoo, now hardly any are. In 1986, even fewer Democrats believed it; now, "centrists" plague the party. The fact that supply-side thrives post-recession is frankly amazing.
- I'm glad Barack Obama now considers drug legalization "an entirely legitimate topic for debate" instead of laughing it off with a pot joke. In theory, the newly elected House FREEDOM! caucus should have a bone to pick with this clear projection of state power, team up with Democrats, and at least scale back the "war on drugs." But somehow, I just don't see it happening. The Tea Party's commitment to civil liberties is pretty thin.
- Remainders: Rand Paul does not understand the priorities of the United States government, a continuing series; for some unknown reason, Meghan McCain is still making TV appearances; and Paul Ryan is still a deficit fraud.
--Mori Dinauer
