I scanned the results of the latest GOP debate and while it didn't turn up anything earth shattering, it speaks volumes that in the current GOP, Newt Gingrich is the humane voice. I'm not sure if he was ever an anti-imigration partisan, or if he's genuinely not a nice, likeable person. But when he led the Republican house in the 90s, I recall a lot of anit-immigrant sentinement too. In fact, its what finally motivated my family to get our U.S. Citizenship. For additional weirdness, lets create a "red card", which to most non-Americans, means you're getting expelled from a soccer game.

Jason posted a link to an earlier piece of his, The Tragedy Of Barack Obama the same day the Freakonomics podcast asks "It’s Election Day: Can You Really Blame the President?"

This is a good piece that uses the BP Oil Spill and the Net Neutrality debate to illustrate what "Regulatory Capture" means.  It's a term I've heard before but this served to clarify it quite a bit.

I'm hoping that immigration reform happens sooner rather than later.  In the meantime, some positive news about the effects of immigration on the "underclass" was released today by the Cato Institute.

Free Trade Bulletin no. 38: As Immigrants Move In, Americans Move Up | Cato's Center for Trade Policy Studies

This poses an interesting dilemma for people who want to deport unauthorized immigrants to their home countries. Do you break up the families? What happens when they grow up and they can vote? I know in my family, we don't forget the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the early-mid 90s that spurred us to become citizens.

Pew Hispanic Center Publication: A Portrait of Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States

The hypocrisy of the GOP is hilarious and sad at the same time. Hit & Run > Coming Soon: "Billions of Dollars Being Wasted" - Reason Magazine

Hit & Run > What Are the "Failed Theories That Helped Lead Us Into This Crisis"? - Reason Magazine

Just remember, its not only the libertarians fault that this whole mess got started through our control of the republican party through Bush, its also our fault that Mr. Hopey McChange got elected and the democrats control the universe. For such an inconsequential segment of society, we sure do wield alot of power to fuck everyone over. Are my dictator sunglasses in the mail yet?

If McCain has won, We could have had a VP that made Dan Quayle look like a Rhodes Scholar. I don't want to be jumping on the "America you did the right thing" bandwagon, since all we did was vote for a president, but I'm soooo relieved Palin is nowhere near the White House. I hope this puts a fork in the Republicans party pandering to Social Conservative extremists, although I seriously doubt it.

Palin Didn't Know Africa Is A Continent, Says Fox News Reporter (VIDEO)

Go read Christopher Buckley's explanation of his NR resigation - its a fascinating look at how one conservative thinks of the "modern conservative movement."  The latter now apparently means, think as we tell you to think, and disloyalty must not be tolerated.  A lot of people are realizing that the current Republican leadereship, with its concentration of executive power, expansion of government spending, and theocratic totalitarian tendencies is not what used to be called the "Republican Party" just a few decades ago.

As if there was any chance left that I'd vote for McCain this fall, this pretty much seals it. BTW, Comedy Central last Thursday had a great movie about candidate McCain. Yeah, I'm a few days behind on that, but life is hectic with a kid. Its actually kind of nice - practically the only time TV is on is for a soccer game.

Wonk Room » Is Sarah Palin A Creationist?