Friday, July 3, 2009

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Chris Weigant: Friday Talking Points [84] -- The Rockets' Red Glare, The Bombs Bursting In Air Top
What separates humans from animals can be summed up as one simple thing -- the mastery of fire. Even "using tools" doesn't cut it anymore, as apes have been shown to use their own tools to achieve their own modest goals. When you get right down to it, the sole dividing line between us and the other creatures which crawl this planet can be drawn at the mastery of fire. Animals are still scared of fire. Humans, now, are not. This may sound like a strange beginning to my annual Independence Day column, but I write today in praise of recreational explosions. In a word, fireworks. Fireworks and the Fourth Of July are inextricably linked in American history, beginning with the first time the holiday was celebrated, in 1777, one year after the Declaration of Independence. Celebrating the Fourth with fireworks is not some modern invention, but actually started at the creation of the holiday's celebration. Now, Francis Scott Key wasn't watching an Independence Day celebration when he wrote our national anthem, he was prisoner on a British warship as they shelled Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, in September of 1814. He was watching non-recreational explosions. Explosions with a purpose, you might say. He watched all night -- by "the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air" -- and saw the next morning (by the dawn's early light) that our flag was, indeed, still there. He was so pleased that he dashed off a poem about the experience on a scrap of paper. If you go to a public event tomorrow, you will no doubt sing the first verse of this poem. But, although fireworks is a big part of Americans celebrating their own history, the public's love and fascination with them is much older than that. The concept of fireworks predates the discovery of gunpowder. This seems like a contradictory statement, but it's true. The Chinese, everyone knows, invented gunpowder long before the Western world became aware of it. But hundreds of years before gunpowder's discovery, the Chinese were using "firecrackers" already, to scare away evil spirits, and (later) at most celebrations (such as weddings). Nobody knows exactly when, but somewhere in the range of 2,000 years ago people discovered that if you threw green (undried) bamboo onto a fire, the air and sap trapped in the sealed chambers (which bamboo naturally makes as it grows) would heat up -- and then burst out of the bamboo with a loud noise. Bang! Later, some bright spark (that was entirely intentional) decided that the newfangled substance, gunpowder, would make an even more impressive bang when packed into bamboo... and the true firecracker was born. But we've got to go even further back into the mists of time to understand why we all go "ooh!" and "aah!" during fireworks displays. Because even cruder "fireworks" than exploding bamboo were likely the first form of what we now call "entertainment," if not the beginnings of religion as well. Thousands and thousands of years ago, the caveman "Ug" figured out how to tame fire (note: the names in this story are fictional and are totally a product of my fevered imagination -- I don't want the guys from the insurance commercials suing me or anything...). This was the crowning achievement of the human race at the time, and a good argument can be made that it was the crowning achievement of humanity -- indeed the defining achievement of humanity -- of all time. Fire meant heat, light, cooked food, and defense against the animals who were still scared of it. All of which meant the shaggy Ug and his band of fellow cave-dwellers had made the jump from being no more than animals themselves, to being what we refer to today as "human." The taming of fire still inspires wonderment, even to us modern humans today. Anyone who has ever stared into a campfire knows this, and anyone who hasn't is the poorer -- for not having experienced this primeval connection to Ug's first campfire. Because the fire at the mouth of Ug's cave was not only extremely useful, it was also entertaining. It was something to look at. Something magical. The flames leap around, solid matter is transformed into gas and energy, and the process itself is mesmerizing. But even this experience -- the only such entertainment Ug and his friends had ever seen -- eventually must have palled. So Ug decided to take things a step further. Picking up a branch with an end still smoldering and waving it around produced a thrill of another type. Sparks! Flames! Controlled by human hands! As I said, this may have also been the dawn of religion, giving the most mystical of Ug's group respect among his or her fellows by being the most creative master of fire. It also probably led to the invention of the torch, but this was a mere utilitarian byproduct. Later, fires would be introduced into ceremonies to mark different ideas (such as the attainment of adulthood, or victory over an enemy) by braving the fire in some way (leaping through a bonfire, or firewalking, for instance). Imagine yourself as a wandering caveman reporter back in Ug's day. You have heard stories which seem entirely unbelievable to your jaded journalistic mind, so you travel to check out what is really going on, for your readers in the UgTown Daily Post (Note to cynics: Yes, journalism predates fire, and has been conclusively linked to our lizard brain, meaning the dinosaurs were the first consumers of Fox News and its ilk. Ahem. Who's telling this story? Stop interrupting! Hrrmph.) When you get to Ug's cave, you are absolutely blown away. Not only has Ug tamed fire and invented the first fireplace, but he has also progressed to the point of having andirons and fireplace tools, and is working on inventing marshmallows to roast. Well, no, I made that part up, I have to admit. But, seriously, if your only experience of fire previously had been as a result of a lightning strike, or fleeing in terror from a wildfire, it would be brain-numbing indeed to see the fearful phenomenon tamed and being made useful. And, after it got dark, watching Ug's firewizards actually "play" with fire would have been the news of the millennium. Watching Ug (The name Ug, it should be noted, translates today as "Prometheus") pick up a firebrand and wave it around or knock it against a tree to cause a shower of sparks to fly upwards would have caused you to utter a new word or two in the human language: "Ooo!" or, perhaps: "Ahhh!" So as you celebrate the Fourth tomorrow, don't mock Dad for getting in touch with his primal self by actually taming fire and using it to cook the burgers and hotdogs. Because the pride and power he feels in cooking raw meat for his fellow men and women is what separates us from the animals sizzling on the grill. And, later on, when you ooo and aah at the fireworks (unless your local town has cut them due to budget problems), you will be experiencing not only pride of country and a history of fireworks on the Fourth that started on the very first celebration in 1777, but humanity's first step on its ascent towards mastering our domain instead of being mastered by it. So go out and enjoy some rockets, no matter what their color. Go out and get an adrenaline rush from a few bombs bursting, whether on the ground or in the air. Enjoy your independence, enjoy your pride of nation, and -- in a very fundamental way -- enjoy your humanity. Because the fireworks you view are not only just a thrill, they are also the bedrock of what it truly means to be human.   Sometimes the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week award is given out for impressive achievement or deed. Sometimes it is given out for sheer impressiveness itself. But this week, the MIDOTW award is given for impressive patience, persistence, and grace under pressure. Because the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week was Senator-Elect Al Franken. For calmly fighting his way all the way up to Minnesota's Supreme Court against disgruntled incumbent Norm Coleman, Franken wins this week's award hands down. The length of time between the election last November and being sworn in (next Tuesday, reportedly) means that Franken will enter the Senate as its most junior member -- more junior than every other new senator who won election last year. This lack of seniority means Franken will be the last in line for choice spots on key committees, but even with this handicap I expect him to do well in the Senate for the great state of Minnesota. I also expect virtually everyone to be massively disappointed in Al, because I predict he will not be the "go-to" guy for humorous quotes on current events. The media will try their mightiest to get Al to tell us what he really thinks, in the funniest way possible -- but Franken has already shown he is smarter than that. He has said his model for what he intends to do in the Senate is another person who entered with her fame preceding her. Or "infamy," according to some. And Hillary Clinton impressed a lot of people by putting her shoulder to the wheel and her nose to the grindstone in an effort to be the best senator for her state she knew how, without inserting herself into the limelight in the process. Watch for Franken to very quietly learn his new job and learn to be as productive and effective as possible. All of which means he may be keeping his head so far down in the coming months that he may not qualify for a MIDOTW award for quite a while. But, the future aside, Al Franken has more than earned his Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week award for sheer stick-to-it-ness. We all look forward to next week, when we can finally start calling him an unmodified "Senator Franken." Well done, Al. [ Senator-Elect Al Franken does not have an official Senate webpage... yet. But you can congratulate him in a few days by checking back to the official Senate page for the Minnesota delegation to watch for when his page does go live. ]   You know what? It's almost our nation's birthday. I simply can't get into the spirit of chastising wayward Democrats this week, so I have unilaterally decided not to hand out a Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week award this week. If you don't agree with this decision, and feel that there were egregiously disappointing Democrats who really deserved this week's MDDOTW award, let me know in the comments.   Volume 84 (7/3/09) In a similarly American tradition of slacking off instead of doing actual work the Friday before a holiday weekend, I am not providing talking points to Democrats today. Instead I present the full lyrics of our national anthem. If you've never read past the first verse, check it out. And if you get the chance, go visit Fort McHenry in Baltimore, or the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., to see the original star-spangled banner of which Key wrote. It's worth the trip. And have a glorious Fourth Of July tomorrow, of course!   The Star-Spangled Banner Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!   Chris Weigant blogs at: ChrisWeigant.com Full archives of FTP columns: FridayTalkingPoints.com   More on Al Franken
 
Bruce Wilson: Sarah Palin's Ramping it Up, Says Alaska Author of New Palin Book Top
Hearing the news of Sarah Palin's speech announcing her upcoming resignation from the Alaska governorship, I touched base with Leah Burton, author of Theopalinism: The face of Failed Extremism and author of the blog, Theopalinism . But Lisa Derrick, writing for FireDogLake had beaten me to it. As Derrick writes on her blog, Leah Burton-the author of the book TheoPalinism: The Face of Failed Extremism and creator of the blog theopalinism.com whose testimony about Wayne Anthony Ross led to him being passed over as Alaksa attorney general has a good take on Palin's resignation, based on her perspective as a Palin watchdog. We spoke a right after Palin's speech. Says Burton: She is prepping to start a "full court press" nationally to whip up her base into a frenzy! This is going to get ugly... Anybody who thinks she going away is crazy. ...Burton feels Palin wants to stay in the spotlight and is mad that Newt and Mitt can run around while's she's stuck in Alaska. Leah Burton's take syncs with a just-published LA Times op-ed by Lisa Richardson , which reads Palin's surprise resignation announcement as an offensive move: There's a huge void in the Republican Party and she's moving to fill it. So watch out Rush! Sarah Palin vs. Rush Limbaugh. What can this resignation mean except a frontal assault on talk radio? ...She got a ton of money with that book deal, so she doesn't need the job. And now she avoids the charge of shirking her duties every time she flees the state to attend a fancy dinner in the lower 48. I bet Alaska didn't have a chance of keeping her after floods forced her to stay home and be gubernatorial while Todd had a ball at the White House Correspondents' dinner. You know she just hated missing that. While I simply cannot believe Palin would make a serious run at the presidency, I'm certainly hoping she will. National Public Radio's Ron Elving seems to concur, writing, Palin: Really Retreating Or Just Reloading? The move carries a tinge of desperation, and the rolling scandals that seem to dog Palin have only peripherally touched on the (former) Alaska Governor and GOP presidential candidate's association with two publicly professed witch hunters and Sarah Palin's close affiliation with the New Apostolic Reformation, a global movement that is rapidly redefining Christianity . As I explained to journalist Bill Berkowitz in a recent interview , mainstream media has so far missed Palin's association with the aggressively supremacist New Apostolic movement but, Sarah Palin is, broadly speaking, in the emerging postdenominational movement, which by 2000 encompassed 385 million Christians and is vastly different from the faith as it has been practiced in recent centuries. We identified Palin as in a majority tendency of postdenominationalism known as the neocharismatic movement, or the "Third Wave." Evangelical missionary reference work World Christian Trends calls the Third Wave "a new and disturbingly different" kind of Christianity whose members "can accurately be called radical Christians with some pentecostal /charismatic parallels" and which has, as one of the distinctive characteristics of Third Wave Christian ministry, a heavy emphasis on healing miracles including raising the dead--an emphasis promoted from the pulpit in sermons at Palin's most central church, the Wasilla Assembly of God. More on Sarah Palin
 
Cynthia Boaz: Independence Day for Everyone Top
I remember as a child that whenever the 4th of July rolled around, I would try earnestly to reflect on the significance of the holiday. That is not an easy task for a person submerged in the fanfare of commercialism and the somewhat superficial patriotism of flags and fireworks. I always understood that I was supposed to be grateful for something; that we were celebrating a day of great importance to the lifestyle I was privileged to live. And I tried my best to somberly but enthusiastically show the appropriate reverence. Although I later came to know well the history behind the holiday, the cultural expressions of it still left me feeling somewhat empty. Which is not to say that I don't usually enjoy my 4th of July celebrations- I do, especially since we turned the day into an annual family reunion about 20 years ago. But it seems to me that there is often something missing amongst the cookouts, beers, and fireworks. I find it honorable that so many communities take the day to remembers fallen soldiers and express thanks to those currently serving. And yes, patriotism does have something to do with being grateful for what we have as Americans and with knowing that our liberties came at a cost. But what about those living without their freedom? What about the millions of people around the world suffering under severe repression, deprivation, and a lack of the most basic dignities? It seems to me that in order to honor the holiday we call "Independence Day," in the United States, it is our obligation to reflect upon how we might use our liberties to help those seeking theirs. In dozens of countries around the world, places such as Iran, Burma, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Egypt, Vietnam, Pakistan, Palestine, Belarus, and Tibet, there are vast numbers of people who daily risk their lives in the struggle for the same freedom and civil liberties that many of us take for granted, even on the day most sacred to our own history of independence from arbitrary rule. Perhaps it is time to redefine what the terms patriotism and citizenship really mean in the post-post-Cold War world. President Obama assisted this effort enormously when he spoke directly to tyrants who would "cling to power [by] silencing dissent" and that "we will hold out a hand if you will unclench your fist." In those few words, he acknowledged that the United States and its citizens can no longer ignore the interests of peoples around the world, and that if we are to survive, we must find a way to work together; to locate and capitalize on our mutual interests as human beings first and citizens of an increasingly-interconnected world second. What a contrast to the black-and-white worldview of President Obama's predecessor who told the world "Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists." There was no gray area in that version of reality- no room for discussion, no opening in which to examine our common humanity. It is not a coincidence that in the past eight years, our progress as a people has been eclipsed by the exploitation of our own prejudices, greed, and fear. And this stunted evolution goes beyond reckless foreign policy. For nearly a decade, the United States has lagged behind the rest of the industrialized democratic world on issues as diverse as health care, environmental protection, stem cell research, and gay rights. It is necessary to reconsider the notions of patriotism and citizenship not just because it is the sane, humane thing to do, but because states themselves are becoming increasingly irrelevant on the global stage. Power is increasingly found in transnational actors- from multinational corporations to international organizations- and sub-state actors- from democracy movements in places like Iran and Burma to vibrant civic organizations in the developed democracies. I see it as our job as patriotic Americans to encourage the only natural result of these shifts in power--to promote more global justice through the mechanisms of liberty. In the next decade, there should be no place in the world- including the United States- where people occasionally find themselves having to choose between being a good citizen and being a good human being. We have an opportunity today- on our own independence day- to recognize that our patriotic obligations extend beyond our own borders, and that our political, economic, and spiritual development is intricately tied up in the corresponding development of others. We must finally acknowledge as a people that our right to exercise the liberties with which we are gifted comes with a corresponding obligation to help promote those same liberties for others yet to obtain them. If we fail to come to that understanding, the freedom that we celebrate every July 4th is wasted. More on Burma
 
Paula Duffy: Sign of the Apocalype: Elephants vs. Humans at Coney Island eating contest Top
A lot has happened in the year since American Joey Chestnut took down perennial champ Takeru Kobayashi for the second straight year at the July 4th Coney Island extravaganza. In a tie-breaker that day Chestnut defended his title and viewers were treated to the spectacle of some back-wash of the final chunks almost consumed by Kobayashi. Or as they call it in the sport, a reversal. And competitive eating grew into a close cousin of pro wrestling as its governing body, the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) website makes very clear. Join their members, host an event, learn all about the eaters and find out the latest news on qualifiers for all those contests. If hot dogs aren't your thing, you can strain your esophagus with pork rinds, tri-tip or calamari. Play along at home if you own a Nintendo Wii console. Oh yeah, "Major League Eating: The Game" is now available, with all the expected disclaimers of course. Here's a sample: All eaters in this game are skilled professionals over the age of 18. If this isn't you, don't do it". OK then, but I digress from the original theme of this article. Today, July 3rd a preliminary event will take place in Coney Island and it features Asian elephants on loan from the Ringling Brothers® circus (how perfect) and humans. Who can be the first to consume the most hot dog buns in a span of six minutes? Will it be Bunny, Minnie or Susie, from Team Elephant? The press release lets us know how crucial this is to both the human race and the animal kingdom. George Shea, Chairman of Major League Eating said: If the humans win it shows we are unbeatable in this sport, and if the elephants win it will significantly enhance their stature in the animal kingdom." What else can one say? Here's another fun fact. The three humans in this cross-species event, Juliet Lee, Gravy Brown and Patrick Bertoletti are using this as a mere warm up for the human vs. human contest on July 4th. You know how CBS and Jim Nantz have defined the Masters golf tournament each year as a "tradition unlike any other"? I think the Masters has found its match. Read about last year's Coney Island "Chew-Off" to break tie between Chestnut and Kobayashi, here FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
 
David Wallechinsky: Sarah Palin: Next Stop Fox? Top
Speculation about the reason behind Sarah Palin's surprise resignation as governor of Alaska has centered on her national political ambitions, possible unrevealed legal problems and maybe yet another pregnancy. More likely, Fox News or another TV network has made her an offer she can't refuse. Why settle for being the governor of a state with a population the size of Columbus, Ohio, when you can have triple the audience with your own show on Fox News? And why settle for the paltry salary of a state executive when you can make millions on television? When you're a politician and you want to spend $150,000 on clothes, you get in trouble, but spend the same amount on clothes as a talk show host and it's a legitimate tax write-off. Let's face it, being a government official is a hassle. Say something stupid and half the country makes fun of you. Say something stupid on television and your ratings go up. Punish your personal enemies and you're accused of ethical violations. Do you same in the world of TV and you fit right in. Good luck, Sarah. We'll see you in prime time. AllGov.com More on Sarah Palin
 
John R. Bohrer: Palin's Lamest Excuse Top
After getting over the initial shock of hearing that Sarah Palin is going to resign, it kind of makes sense when you stop to think about it. Running for reelection in 2010 would mean having to spend a lot more time ( and contributors' money ) in Alaska, and then being a lame duck would bring a steady stream of embarrassments.... So, fish or cut bait. It would have made perfect sense for her to say something as simple as that. Or to take the classic political out and say she wants to, uh, spend more time with the family.... And Palin did say those things, in her own way. But then she just had to go and be a martyr. Some Alaskans don't mind wasting public dollars and state time [with ethics complaints and inquiries]. I do. I cannot stand here as your Governor and allow millions upon millions of our dollars go to waste just so I can hold the title of Governor. This politicking was a step too far. Governors don't resign to save taxpayers' money. They are freakin' governors , one of the few people who can really affect fiscal policy in the states. They sign budgets, for crying out loud! Now, are ethics complaints sometimes used for political gain? You betcha. But that's the price of open government. And Palin's mention of wanting to stop the ethics complaints makes it seem like she's got something to hide. This wasn't your average resignation speech, and whoever wrote it was going after all the GOP soft spots. Perhaps the emphasis on ethics complaints was their only good way of getting the principle of "limited spending" in there? But if Palin is running for the White House, " RESIGNED TO FLEE ETHICS COMPLAINTS " is sure to make an appearance in attack ads. Wow. It seems Palin couldn't even resign without making a gaffe. More on Sarah Palin
 
GOP Official Who Emailed With Palin Moments Before Decision, Explains Her Move Top
The head of the Republican Governor's Association said on Friday that in emails sent to him moments before she announced her resignation as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin discussed expanding the role she played in the Republican Party. "Part of her decision is she wants to spend more time campaigning for candidates," Nick Ayers, the executive director of the RGA, told Fox News. "She felt like she needed to make her colleagues around the country aware, so she had given us a brief heads up," Ayers said of getting the emails. "We have known for a couple of days she was considering not running for re-election but it was news today that she had gone ahead and made the decision to fully step down and resign." In relaying his conversation with Palin, Ayers provided one of the most direct, on the record explanations for what exactly drove the Alaska Governor's decision to step aside. Palin's announcement seemed to come as a complete surprise to officials in the state as well as those close to her. Her brother said he had no clue what she was planning prior to the mid-day press conference. The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol, one of Palin's strongest backers, said he initially felt shock and bewilderment at the Governor's decision to step down from her post at the end of July. Moments later, however, he was playing up the move as, perhaps, the opening move in the 2012 Republican primary - and a sage one at that. "Haven't conservatives been lamenting the lack of a national leader?" he asked, in a post on the Standard's site . "Well, now she'll try to be that." While Ayers may have had a direct heads up as to Palin's intentions, he wasn't entirely on cue with the Governor's talking points. Asked why Palin was stepping down as opposed to finishing her term (which ends in 2010), the RGA header sited pesky bloggers and activists as the reason. Palin had insisted she didn't want to put Alaskans through two years of a lame-duck governorship. "I don't think this is buckling to pressure," said Ayers. "I think this is her coming to the realization that the legislature in Alaska and that some bloggers and activists in Alaska are going to do everything they can to stymie her progress. This is a governor who didn't run for the office because she wanted a title. She wanted to make significant change in the state. She realized that that was no longer going to be able to happen, because things had become so partisan there." More on Sarah Palin
 
Otis Tobias Maguire: Tobey Maguire Reveals Baby's Name Top
Tobey Maguire offered a bit of himself in naming his new son. A rep for the Spider-Man star confirms that the latest addition to the family was named Otis Tobias Maguire. No explanation was given for the name Otis, though the baby's middle name of Tobias is the formal version of the actor's first name. More on Celebrity Kids
 
David Fiderer: When "New Evidence on the Foreclosure Crisis" On The Journal's Op-Ed Page Is Really a Pretext to Impugn the Democrats Top
"What is really behind the mushrooming rate of mortgage foreclosures since 2007?" asked Professor Stan Liebowitz of the University of Texas, Dallas on the op-ed page of The Wall Street Journal . His answer might have seemed revelatory to someone utterly bereft of common sense. After studying a huge national data base, said the evidence "strongly suggests that the single most important factor is whether the homeowner has negative equity in a house." Duh. That's like saying, "What is really behind the poverty rate? Evidence strong suggests that the most single important factor is a lack of money." Think about it for 10 seconds. If you can't afford your mortgage payments and you have positive equity, you either refinance or sell your house. If you have negative equity, you don't have those options, so the lender forecloses. In key markets in California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona, home prices have fallen about 50% since the 2006 peak. It's an old and familiar stunt. Professor Liebowitz knocks down the proverbial straw man in order to justify his unsupported claim, or as he puts it, "This means that most government policies being discussed to remedy woes in the housing market are misdirected." Professor Liebowitz' intent was not to explain or to analyze, but to confuse. First he confuses readers as to the causes (e.g. subprime securitizations, liar's loans) with the effects (e.g. negative equity) of the real estate bubble. Then he gets to his real point, which is to trash the Democrats. What policies are being misdirected? "Although the government is throwing money -- almost $2 trillion and counting -- at the mortgage markets with the intent of stabilizing house prices, its methods are poorly targeted. While Federal Reserve actions have succeeded in reducing mortgage interest rates, low interest rates induce refinancings more than they do home purchases. "To be sure, refinancings may put money in peoples' pockets, but it is home purchases that directly impact house prices. Nevertheless, housing prices are likely to stop falling fairly soon with or without government policies. That's because current prices are approaching their long-term, inflation-adjusted pre-bubble level. These pre-bubble prices appeared to be a long-term equilibrium, meaning that prices would be expected to return to those levels once the government's efforts to artificially increase homeownership receded. Unfortunately, recent attempts by politicians such as Barney Frank (D., Mass.) to again artificially increase homeownership levels might delay this return to sustainable equilibrium prices." How is Professor Liebowitz disingenuous? Let's count the ways: 1. With regard to the Fed's low interest rate policy, he insinuates some false distinction between stimulating the housing market and stimulating the overall economy, which has been teetering on the brink of disaster for a while now. 2. He suggests that housing prices are likely to stop falling fairly soon with or without government policies. But he has no real evidence to back up his claims. About one in three homeowners in California has negative equity. If all those homeowners walked away, market prices would spiral further downward in a state with rising unemployment and a paralyzing fiscal crisis. 3. All of this sets up the hit-and-run smear, wherein Liebowitz calls Barney Frank's efforts to arrest the downward spiral in the mortgage markets as an attempt "to again artificially increase homeownership levels [that] might delay this return to sustainable equilibrium prices." But here's the kicker: "Other government policies are likely to be even less effective in reducing foreclosures. The Obama administration's 'Making Homes Affordable' plan focuses on having the government help lower obligation ratios (the share of income devoted to house payments) down to 31% from levels somewhat above 38%. But my analysis finds that mortgages having such obligation ratios at closing did not later experience high foreclosure rates. This suggests that reducing these ratios is not likely to significantly improve the foreclosure problem." Once again, Liebowitz tries to confuse his readers as to cause and effect. He claims that 38% obligation levels do not correlate to high foreclosure rates. But the "Making Homes Affordable" plan was not created to lower obligation ratios. It's extended only homeowners who are at serious risk of foreclosure, either because they have negative home equity or because they have suffered some documented economic hardship. Don't be surprised if Liebowitz, the director of the Center for the Analysis of Property Rights and Innovation, starts making the rounds on the right wing talk show circuit. More on Wall Street Journal
 
Michael Jackson's Memorial: Huge Crowds, Lottery Tickets Top
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles city officials are preparing for massive crowds downtown during Tuesday's public memorial for Michael Jackson at Staples Center, even though only 17,500 tickets are being offered to the public. Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger says anywhere from a quarter-million to 700,000 people may try to reach the arena, even though a wide area around Staples Center will be sealed off to those without tickets. City Councilwoman Jan Perry strongly urged people to stay home and watch the memorial on TV. The ceremony will not be shown on Staples' giant outdoor TV screen and there will be no funeral procession through the city. But public safety officials appeared to assume their requests to stay home would have little effect. Since Jackson's death, fans have flocked to Jackson sites from Los Angeles to his Neverland Ranch in rural Santa Barbara County. Staples Center is offering the memorial tickets through an Internet lottery. Eleven thousand tickets are for the arena and 6,500 for the adjacent Nokia Theatre. People who want tickets must register on the Web at Staplescenter.com. After 6 p.m. Saturday, 8,750 names will be randomly selected to receive two tickets each. Notifications will go out on Sunday. After the ticketing details were announced on television, it became impossible to log on to the arena's Web site. Brent Trueheart, 20, of Los Angeles, went online on his cellphone immediately after hearing the announcement. "It kept saying 'service unavailable, service unavailable,' and finally it got through. So once it got through, I started celebrating," he said. "It feels real good." No details were given about the actual memorial events. The memorial comes as the nation's second-largest city struggles with a $530 million budget deficit. Perry said the cost of police protection for "extraordinary" events like the memorial is built into the Police Department's budget, but she still solicited help for "incremental costs." Last month, donations covered about $850,000 of the city's $1 million cost for the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA championship parade. Critics had blasted the idea of using city money when it is considering layoffs to close its budget gap. More on Michael Jackson
 
Palin Resigning Could Be 'Shrewd Gamble': Bill Kristol Top
The shocking news that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will resign the governorship on July 26th has fueled speculation that she is preparing to run for president in 2012. Conventional wisdom has it that abandoning your state before your first (and only) term is up would not be the smartest strategy, but not everyone agrees with that assessment. Bill Kristol thinks this could be a 'shrewd gamble': After all, she's freeing herself from the duties of the governorship. Now she can do her book, give speeches, travel the country and the world, campaign for others, meet people, get more educated on the issues - and without being criticized for neglecting her duties in Alaska. I suppose she'll take a hit for leaving the governorship early - but how much of one? She's probably accomplished most of what she was going to get done as governor, and is leaving a sympatico lieutenant governor in charge. It's an interesting take, but one should be cautious in trusting in Kristol's predictions. His crystal ball has a tendency to fog up. More on Sarah Palin
 
Palin Resigns: Stepping Down As Governor, Move Shocks Political Analysts Top
WASILLA, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin surprised supporters Friday and announced she is resigning from office at the end of the month, leaving open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012. The news rattles a Republican Party plagued with setbacks in recent weeks, including extramarital affairs disclosed by two other 2012 presidential prospects, Nevada Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. Palin and her staff kept her future plans shrouded in mystery, and it was unclear if the controversial hockey mom would quietly return to private life or begin laying the foundation for a presidential bid. Palin hinted she had a bigger role in mind, saying she wanted to make a "positive change outside government." But she kept supporters in suspense, promising on Twitter: "We'll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election ... this is in Alaska's best interest, my family's happy ... it is good. Stay tuned." In a hastily arranged news conference at her home in suburban Wasilla, Palin said she will formally step down July 26, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks. She said she had decided against running for re-election as Alaska's governor, and believed it was best to leave office even though she had two years left to her term. "Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it. And I'm not going to put Alaskans through that," she said. The 2008 vice presidential nominee was seen as a likely presidential contender in 2012 and had proved formidable among the party's base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if Palin was ever really prepared for the presidency. The backbiting continued through the week, with follow-up articles recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer. Palin's resignation, timed on the eve of the July 4 holiday when many Americans had already begun a three-day weekend, seemed designed to avoid publicity while openly leaving office. She alluded to how she could help change the country and help military members _ code that she didn't think her time on the national stage was over. Palin's spokesman, David Murrow, said the governor didn't say anything to him about this being her "political finale." He said he interpreted Palin's comment about working outside government as reflecting her current job only. "She's looking forward to serving the public outside the governor's chair," he said. And Pam Pryor, a spokeswoman for Palin's political action committee SarahPAC, said the group continues to accept donations on its Web site, with an uptick in funds after Palin's announcement. Jerry McBeath, a veteran political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, called the pending resignation a "smart move," both for Palin and the state. "Alaska is an isolated stage from which to operate if you want to figure in American national politics. I don't know what she has in mind. Some TV show or some national radio show. There are opportunities for her, I'm sure." But political analyst Larry Sabato, in Charlottesville, Va., said Palin's announcement left many confused. "It's absolutely bizarre, and I think it eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012," he said. Palin said her family weighed heavily in her decision. "I polled the most important people in my life, my kids, where the count was unanimous," she said. "Well, in response to asking, 'Hey, you want me to make a positive difference and fight for all our children's future from outside the governor's office?' It was four yeses and one 'Hell, yeah!" And the 'Hell, yeah' sealed it." Palin's decision not to seek re-election was a familiar one for a potential presidential candidate. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney chose not to seek another term as he geared up for an unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced he won't seek another term, giving him plenty of free time ahead of a potential 2012 bid. Palin emerged from relative obscurity nearly a year ago when she was tapped as then Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate. She was a controversial figure from the start, with comedian Tina Fey famously imitating her elaborate updo and folksy "You betcha!" on "Saturday Night Live." In the presidential race, Palin became the butt of talk-show jokes and Democratic criticism after news broke that the Republican Party had spent $150,000 or more on a designer wardrobe, accessories and hair and makeup services for her. The high-end spending spree contrasted with the down-to-earth image she sought to craft for herself and became an unwelcome issue for the McCain campaign. She didn't leave the limelight once McCain lost the presidency. She recently led a public spat with "Late Show" host David Letterman over a joke he made about one of her daughters being "knocked up" by New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez during the governor's recent visit to New York. Palin's 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, is an unwed, teenage mother. Letterman later apologized for the joke. Palin also complained that her 14-month-old son, Trig, who was diagnosed with Down's syndrome, had been "mocked and ridiculed by some mean-spirited adults recently." She didn't elaborate. Fred Malek, a Republican strategist who has advised Palin over the past year, said Palin was "really unhappy with the way her life was going." "She felt that the pressures of the job combined with her family obligations and the demands and desires to help other Republican candidates led her to decide not to run again. Once that decision was made, she realized, why not do it now and let the lieutenant governor take over and get a head start on his election," Malek said. Palin was first elected in 2006 on a populist platform. But her popularity has waned as she waged in partisan politics following her return from the presidential campaign. Her term would have ended in 2010. Palin expressed frustration with her current role as governor. "I cannot stand here as your governor and allow the millions of dollars and all that time go to waste just so I can hold the title of governor," Palin said. Her decision even took Parnell by surprise. He said he was told on Wednesday evening, and was not aware that any presidential ambitions were behind the move. Palin's announcement comes after several recent blows to the Republican party. Ensign, a member of the Christian ministry Promise Keepers, stepped down from the Senate Republican leadership last month after admitting he had an affair for much of last year with a woman on his campaign staff who was married to one of his Senate aides. Ensign later disclosed he had helped the woman's husband get two jobs during the affair. A government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wants the Senate ethics committee and the Federal Election Commission to investigate. Just days after news of Ensign's affair broke, Sanford admitted an affair with a woman in Argentina. Some lawmakers are now calling for his resignation. Before the admission, Sanford had been missing from the state for five days visiting his lover. He had slipped his security detail, lied to his staff about where he was and failed to transfer power to the lieutenant governor in case of a state emergency. The party's troubles seem to have left two prominent 2012 prospects, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, unscathed, however. More on Sarah Palin
 
Rachel Sklar: Sarah Palin, You Owe The Media An Apology Top
"I told you so" moments are pretty sweet — and thanks to Sarah Palin, now I've got one. Ten months to the day after her speech at the Republican National Convention , I would like for this woman to eat her words: I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. Back then, she got a pass on the whole "for that reason alone" thing, mostly because she hadn't done anything yet. John McCain had stunned the political establishment by naming her as his VP on the Friday morning after the DNC, and by Saturday afternoon the chattering classes were further rocked by the revelations of her daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy. News started to bubble up over the next few days as the press tried to find out who this newly-announced VP nominee actually was , but certainly not with any help from the nominee herself: By Wednesday, Sept. 3rd, when Palin strode to center stage at the Republican National Convention, flanked by her sparkling extended American famiy, she still had not made herself available for any interviews or presented herself to be vetted in any way, shape or form. Back then we didn't know that John McCain hadn't vetted her , either. We didn't know about Troopergate . We didn't know that she was completely unfamiliar with the Bush Doctrine , or the Supreme Court , newspapers . We didn't know where she got her snazzy new wardrobe , nor how much it cost , nor who paid . Back then we hadn't seen Palin Meet The Press or Face The Nation, but we assumed she would , eventually. (She didn't.) Back then we assumed she'd be interviewed by all the nightly news anchors, and cablers, in their role as Fourth Estate, kicking the tires on candidates on behalf of the voting American people. She made it to the evening news, eventually, after the McCain campaign tried to stage-manage her into the most limited access possible, in the hopes that she'd somehow avoid making huge gaffes. (She didn't.) She finally made it to NBC Nightly News over a month and a half after her RNC speech, weakly promising to release her medical records really, really soon. ( She didn't .) Did she promise at one point to have a nice chatty sit-down with Sean Hannity? Oh, well, that she did . Yes, this was before she took a prank call from "President Sarkozy ," before she whipped up campaign crowds into a sorta-scary frenzy against Barack Obama; before she went rogue. It was before she was expertly skewered by SNL , before people learned what aerial wolf hunting was, and before she tried to speak during John McCain's concession moment. It was before the turkey-video fiasco (which effectively turned me vegetarian); before all the behind-the-scenes articles came out ; before she casually posed in spandex with her arm resting even more casually on an American flag . It was ten months ago to this day. That night, she swaggered onstage in front of the friendliest crowd ever, warmed up by Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee, and blasted the media for daring to want to know who she was, what she'd done and what she stood for. Well, now we know. And it turns out that ten months ago, she was full of it. So, Sarah Palin, you owe the media an apology. And ten months later, permit me to say: I told you so . Related: Live from Twitter! The Media Reacts to Sarah Palin's Resignation Rachel Sklar is the Editor-at-Large of Mediaite.com , launching Monday! Sign up for our updates here . Follow Rachel Sklar on Twitter: www.twitter.com /mediaite More on Sarah Palin
 

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