Todays Links 2005 06 29 Wednesday

By the way, I'd like to install a sitemeter if I can find a free one that's not obnoxious, and would appreciate suggestions and/or experience

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Chicago Sales tax is rising to NINE percent.



Must be planning a lot of Kelo condemnations.



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Christopher Hitchens has a great column debunking the liberal myth about sacrificing children

Hat tip: Althouse



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Jane Galt has a great piece on remaking the Donkey party at Asymmetrical Information



Ronald Reagan was successful because he was a market maker, as is George W. Bush to some extent. The Donkeys haven't had one since JFK, which is why they're in trouble. Many of the great countries and biggest corporations of yesteryear are dust in the wastebasket of history today because they played it safe. In other words, sometimes the biggest risk is not taking one. The Donkeys are in that position today. They're thinking "tactics" when they should be thinking "grand strategy". The only reason the Donkeys haven't self destructed already is that the Elephants have made some serious errors of their own. Our national politics resembles not so much a battlefield as a play battlefield run by six year old boys whose real motivation comes from ego and carnage, rather than winning the war. But the elephants have stumbled onto a position that looks like a winner, and unless the donkeys wake up and do something competent, they're going to leave their enemies in not only clear but practically undisputed possession of the field - something I've said repeatedly is good for no one.



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I'm sorry to hear that Edloe has left the building.



As someone with two dogs who kept me sane and somewhat human during a very difficult period in my life, and who are getting to the point both in age (They're both 12) and health (scare last month: Mellon, who is the sweetest dog in the world, spent a week at the vet due to a back injury. I was afraid I was going to lose her.) where I can see this as a cloud on the not far enough away horizon, I can sympathize. I don't post pictures or blog about them much, but I. Love. These. Dogs. I don't even want to think about the day when one or both will no longer be here. My heart goes out to the Simons.



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