Akkam’s Razor

I was just reading an article on the economist, titled American media - On the brink. It’s a favored topic on the internets - that the newspaper as we know it will not survive. Conversely, a favored lament from the newspaper industry is that bloggers are parasites, aren’t trustworthy, and use naughty words.

When looking at the print landscape, we see declining circulation, dropping revenue, and rising costs.

What does the primary mean? What learnings can be taken away? Did Hillary really win? Did Barack really lose? And what about John McCain?

There are two things to take away - the primary means NOTHING, and the primary means EVERYTHING.

Everyone, please remember that if you are a first time voter in Pennsylvania, you will have to show identification (state ID, voters registration, utility bill, etc.).

Secondly, even if you are a Republican or an Independent, there are still state-wide races (such as Treasurer) that you can vote in. Republicans can also write in their Democratic candidate of choice on the GOP side as well. Voters guides are available from Philly.com, the League of Young Voters, the League of Women Voters, and, for serious Catholics, here.

f you are anyone you know is not sure where to vote today, you can use the State Portal to find out.

If you run into polling place problems, you can visit VoterStory to file a report with several watchdog organizations.

If you are wondering who your favorite local bloggers are endorsing, you can browse them here at PhillyFuture.

Update: If you’re a Philadelphian, don’t forget about the ballot questions!

I’ve wanted to write something about John Yoo and the torture memos, but it’s depressing and secondly I don’t like to write things that the more well-read political junkies already know, and I’m not sure how to sum up the intricacies of the entirety of Yoo, Bush, and the law in a way that will challenge any of the uninformed, misinformed, or Bush cheerleaders.  Regardless, I’m tackling it anyway.

John Yoo, an Ivy League educated scholar, American Enterprise Institute scholar and fellow, current professor at UC Berkley, and former clerk for two Supreme Court Justices, has been a central figure in many of the central rethinking controversies of President Bush’s administration, including (via ThinkProgress):

I find it interesting that in all my years of celebrating the proud Irish tradition, I had never come across this alternate explanation of events.

Via Journalist Fight Club:

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If only our liberal media could somehow find the strength to channel this vibe…

Once again, there is a discussion spanning multiple disciplines that requires attention regarding the importance and relevance of experience.

I’ve seen the rhetoric for the D-word heating up, and I don’t mean downturn. This very well may be the week that the curtain is pulled back on the batshit insanity that is the US economy.

The stock market has lost @ 10% of it’s value since 1/2/08. In 1929, the one day drop was 13% (There were actually several tightly spaced drop; In 1987, the one day drop was 23%, eventually totalling 60%.

As Barry Ritholtz states at the Big Picture:

World markets are plunging in response to fears and expectations that the United States will be (or already is) in a recession that will be both long and deep.

Disclaimer:  I am by no stretch of the imagination an economist.

In listening to Ben Bernake's statement on the state of the economy and in consideration of the fiscal interventions as well as the pending economic stimulus package, its relevant to revisit the academic specialty of Mr. Bernake - the Great Depression.  As I had written previously:

The Wall Street Journal (subscribers only) has come to the same conclusion I did about Ben Bernake, prospective replacement for Alan Greenspan - he’s been very influenced by his academic research into the Great Depression.

The rise of Mike Huckabee and John Edwards unexpectedly strong finish in Iowa is a strong appeal away from establishment rhetoric towards populist values, with predictable results.  There been scores of economic impact coverage framing the cost of Edwards economic populism such that you could think it was a resurgence of socialism or communism.  The right is about to unleash a blue-blood jihad against the corn-suckers of Iowa and other religious adherents, attempting to torpedo Huckabee while promoting the next annointed GOP nominee, Rudy Giuliani Mitt Romney Fred Thompson John McCain.  Since these folks don't particularly care (nor are aware of) the chattering classes, they will likely be unmoved by their criticism (although the corporate and hawk wings of the party will likely open their wallets).  The end result of which will end up with a blessing for liberals and progressives - a disenchanted Evangelical grassroots movement that will likely stay home in November, 2008, and possibly write off the GOP for a generation or more.

Michael Barone said the following as posted in an article on Real Clear Politics:

Consider the following…

An unelected Presidential candidate (Bhutto) was a greater threat (and subsequently assasinated) and not the current dictator, who has been bankrolled by the US to the tune of $5 BILLION dollars.