dr: Do you like football? Yes? What team do you root for?
sp: Go Blue!
dr: Did you root for the Wolverines before you came to school here?
sp: Not really.
dr: Why do you root for them now?
sp: Well, everybody does. I mean, they're the school team. You're always hearing about them on the radio and tv.
dr: Did anyone force you to root for them?
sp: No...
dr: So, since you said earlier that all unforced choices are free choices, then you'd agree that you made a free choice to root for Michigan.
sp: Yes.
dr: And yet it would have been very difficult to make a different choice. You are constrained by the social and media environment around you. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.
sp: I don't see why you say it would be hard to make a different choice. I could root for any team I want.
9/16/08
$28, 500?
That's the cost per plate at tonight's big Obama fundraiser. I don't quite know how to square that with the $2000 limit on personal contributions. My best guess, based on a quick peek at Section 441a of the ever so helpful FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN LAWS Compiled by THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION (PDF!) is that part of what these sorts of events offer is a smorgasbord of political committees which allow attendees to package donations up to the aggregate limit of $37,500. But I don't think much of that guess, and anyway it doesn't jibe with my own bake-sale experiences. Anybody got a clue?
Also, the headlines keep talking about Streisand, but the other musical guest is Ben Harper. Which, I'm not a huge fan or anything, but better than Streisand and anyone who has ever followed the Dead has got to admire this.
Also, the headlines keep talking about Streisand, but the other musical guest is Ben Harper. Which, I'm not a huge fan or anything, but better than Streisand and anyone who has ever followed the Dead has got to admire this.
Lying liars explained
Why do Republican politicians lie? Because it works with a certain class of voter.
RIP David Foster Wallace, cont.
I've tried a couple of times to write a full post, but keep coming up short. At any rate, I wanted to link to this from the NY Times Obit, which I just can't get past:
Though I am an immense fan of his work, I never met David Foster Wallace. I did, however, study with Professor Wallace, and T.A. for him in both medical ethics and introduction to ethics. Seeing that quote there I can't help but be reminded of the many times these sorts of cases were discussed in class, and the extraordinary compassion and empathy that Professor Wallace consistently displayed when talking about these sorts of cases.
And that's where I get stuck.
James Wallace said that last year his son had begun suffering side effects from the drugs and, at a doctor’s suggestion, had gone off the medication in June 2007. The depression returned, however, and no other treatment was successful. The elder Wallaces had seen their son in August, he said.
“He was being very heavily medicated,” he said. “He’d been in the hospital a couple of times over the summer and had undergone electro-convulsive therapy. Everything had been tried, and he just couldn’t stand it anymore.” |NY Times|
Though I am an immense fan of his work, I never met David Foster Wallace. I did, however, study with Professor Wallace, and T.A. for him in both medical ethics and introduction to ethics. Seeing that quote there I can't help but be reminded of the many times these sorts of cases were discussed in class, and the extraordinary compassion and empathy that Professor Wallace consistently displayed when talking about these sorts of cases.
And that's where I get stuck.
Troopergate quick hits
Tough to find time to keep up with the news during the early part of the week, but here are a few developments that I've noticed. Will try to follow up this evening with more detail/links, but right now I'm rushed:
Item: Palin sort-of went on record yesterday saying that she wasn't going to meet with independent investigator Stephen Branchflower. I say sort-of because rather than coming from her, her attorney, or the Office of the Governor, the statement came from the McCain campaign. The reason given was that the investigation has become a partisan witch-hunt. Judge for yourself.
Item: Meanwhile, Palin is also pushing the story that Monegan was fired for insubordination on budget issues, and has released a number of emails to demonstrate this fact. ADN has the story, but I haven't yet seen the emails.
Item: This is just an observation, but I think it's worth throwing out there. One of the narratives that's starting to take hold about Palin is that she has a problem telling the truth. In the next month or two, she's really going to need voters to believe her side of the Troopergate story. But why would a voter who has been lied to about so many piddling little things believe that Palin is suddenly going to become a truthful when accused of wrongdoing? Why would you take her word on anything?
Item: Speaking of Palin's refusal to testify, in a related move several Republican state legislators have moved to quash the subpoenas in court. We'll see how that goes, but in an apparent break in the ranks, several of the employees from the administrative division (all non-political appointees as I understand it) have said that they will honor the subpoenas.
Item: Palin sort-of went on record yesterday saying that she wasn't going to meet with independent investigator Stephen Branchflower. I say sort-of because rather than coming from her, her attorney, or the Office of the Governor, the statement came from the McCain campaign. The reason given was that the investigation has become a partisan witch-hunt. Judge for yourself.
Item: Meanwhile, Palin is also pushing the story that Monegan was fired for insubordination on budget issues, and has released a number of emails to demonstrate this fact. ADN has the story, but I haven't yet seen the emails.
Item: This is just an observation, but I think it's worth throwing out there. One of the narratives that's starting to take hold about Palin is that she has a problem telling the truth. In the next month or two, she's really going to need voters to believe her side of the Troopergate story. But why would a voter who has been lied to about so many piddling little things believe that Palin is suddenly going to become a truthful when accused of wrongdoing? Why would you take her word on anything?
Item: Speaking of Palin's refusal to testify, in a related move several Republican state legislators have moved to quash the subpoenas in court. We'll see how that goes, but in an apparent break in the ranks, several of the employees from the administrative division (all non-political appointees as I understand it) have said that they will honor the subpoenas.
9/15/08
Monday
How's this for a bad idea. Start off your week by heading off to the Secretary of State's office (Michigan's version of the DMV) to finally, with a week left on the clock, trade in the old Illinois license for a shiny new Michigan ID card.
Surprisingly, that's been less frustrating than trying to get my iLump to work again. After nearly three hours on the phone with AT&T (Apple's side of the tech support question was handled in a brisk ninety minutes yesterday)they've now decided that my phone will absolutely, positively, for real and for true, without a doubt work if I just walk over to the AT&T store down the street and pick up a new SIM card. I'm not holding my breath.
...just to complete the picture, turns out that the internet was down at home. On the bright side, so was the cable. Fallout from Ike, I expect.
Surprisingly, that's been less frustrating than trying to get my iLump to work again. After nearly three hours on the phone with AT&T (Apple's side of the tech support question was handled in a brisk ninety minutes yesterday)they've now decided that my phone will absolutely, positively, for real and for true, without a doubt work if I just walk over to the AT&T store down the street and pick up a new SIM card. I'm not holding my breath.
...just to complete the picture, turns out that the internet was down at home. On the bright side, so was the cable. Fallout from Ike, I expect.
Palin installs tanning bed in Governor's Mansion
Apparently, this was one of Palin's first official actions as governor:
“The governor did have a tanning bed put in the Governor’s Mansion,” Roger Wetherell, chief communications officer of Alaska’s Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, confirmed to this newspaper. “It was done shortly after she took office [in early 2007] and moved into the mansion.”
That is not a tan we can believe in.
photoshop by svane
Fizz
This housing bubble is starting to look serious. So much so, in fact, that I'm reconsidering my enthusiasm for the weak dollar. The main good thing about the weak dollar is that it makes American exports relatively cheaper compared to goods produced elsewhere. Unfortunately, the collapse of the housing bubble has done more than weaken the dollar. It has also made it very difficult to secure credit. Which means that, despite the weak dollar, we aren't seeing increased investment in the manufacturing sector. It's as if the invisible hand were in a sling.
All that said, I wouldn't say that I'm behind this proposal. Seems to me that lack of access to capital is not really the factor that explains the failure of the American auto industry. On the other hand, something is going to have to be done about the credit crunch because without investment the economy can't grow.
Lastly, there will be plenty of time later for libertarians to lecture us about the terrible cost, in terms of freedom, of averting global economic meltdown. For now, though, all the libertarians need to step out of the way while the adults get down to business and try to keep this (under-regulated) mess from snowballing into another Great Depression.
In Palin-related news
Barack Obama raised $66 million from donors in August, shattering his own personal best of $55 million in February and setting a new record for presidential fund raising in a single month.
|Wall Street Journal|
Democrat Barack Obama laid into the Republican opposition Monday as Americans awoke to fearsome news from Wall Street — the disappearance of two investment banking stalwarts — as the U.S. economy faced what he called "the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression" of the 1930s.
|Wall Street Journal|
Democrat Barack Obama laid into the Republican opposition Monday as Americans awoke to fearsome news from Wall Street — the disappearance of two investment banking stalwarts — as the U.S. economy faced what he called "the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression" of the 1930s.
|USA Today|
On a range of major foreign policy issues over the past year, Bush has pursued strategies and actions very much along the lines of what Sen. Obama has advocated during his presidential race, according to the Illinois Democrat's campaign and many diplomatic and security experts. |Washington Post|
On a range of major foreign policy issues over the past year, Bush has pursued strategies and actions very much along the lines of what Sen. Obama has advocated during his presidential race, according to the Illinois Democrat's campaign and many diplomatic and security experts. |Washington Post|
9/14/08
Bringing home the bacon
Responding to the McCain campaign's claim that Sarah Palin is the foremost energy expert in government today, Yglesias remarks, correctly that "She’s someone who knows how to turn the sky-high revenues generated by being an oil producing region at a time of high oil prices into political popularity, but not someone who knows anything about energy policy or even, it seems, oil market."
On Yglesias' first point, take a look at this Friday's Anchorage Daily News.
For those of you not doing the math at home, that's $2 billion windfall for Alaska's economy. Don't know how the rest of us are supposed to pay for $4 gas.
On Yglesias' first point, take a look at this Friday's Anchorage Daily News.
An estimated 500,000 Alaskans received up to $3,269 in their bank accounts today, thanks to direct deposits of their annual PFD and one-time "resource rebate" payments from the state, meant to offset high energy prices.
About 100,000 other Alaskans will receive their payments by check starting the week of Sept. 30.|ADN|
For those of you not doing the math at home, that's $2 billion windfall for Alaska's economy. Don't know how the rest of us are supposed to pay for $4 gas.
Palin and the coalition
I don't think this is a particularly insightful point, but I haven't seen it expressed elsewhere, so here goes. One of the puzzling things about the Palin pick is her apparent acceptability to the national security and fiscal conservative wings of the Republican Party in face of her manifest unfamiliarity with foreign affairs and her clear record as a vacuum cleaner sucking up federal funds for her constituents.
It's tempting to say that this reflects on the fundamental unseriousness of the Republican Party or that this is just another example that flip-flops don't count if you're a Republican. And I don't really think that's wrong, but it doesn't explain very much.
The explanation, I think, has to do with the nature of the Republican coalition. The fiscal and national security conservatives are prepared to tolerate Palin because, from their point of view, she's nothing new. Those wings of the party decided years and years ago that their best hope for political ascendancy was to make common cause with social conservatives. That she is unreliable on fiscal policy and knows nothing about foreign policy, well, that's just par for the course. The only qualification that matters, from the point of view of the rest of the coalition, is that Palin brings her voters.
And by the way, the politics of this coalition go a long way to explaining how the Republican Party has remained viable while espousing an increasingly unwise menu of policies. It breaks down like this. In each major area of policy -- economic policy, national security policy, social policy -- one wing of the GOP has a free hand to set the agenda with guaranteed deference from the rest of the coalition. But this deference means that ideas which begin well outside of the mainstream are nevertheless able to attract broad political support. With, as we've seen, unfortunate consequences.
It's tempting to say that this reflects on the fundamental unseriousness of the Republican Party or that this is just another example that flip-flops don't count if you're a Republican. And I don't really think that's wrong, but it doesn't explain very much.
The explanation, I think, has to do with the nature of the Republican coalition. The fiscal and national security conservatives are prepared to tolerate Palin because, from their point of view, she's nothing new. Those wings of the party decided years and years ago that their best hope for political ascendancy was to make common cause with social conservatives. That she is unreliable on fiscal policy and knows nothing about foreign policy, well, that's just par for the course. The only qualification that matters, from the point of view of the rest of the coalition, is that Palin brings her voters.
And by the way, the politics of this coalition go a long way to explaining how the Republican Party has remained viable while espousing an increasingly unwise menu of policies. It breaks down like this. In each major area of policy -- economic policy, national security policy, social policy -- one wing of the GOP has a free hand to set the agenda with guaranteed deference from the rest of the coalition. But this deference means that ideas which begin well outside of the mainstream are nevertheless able to attract broad political support. With, as we've seen, unfortunate consequences.
9/13/08
They call her the iceberg
The Wall Street Journal has obtained copies of letters (pdf!) sent by Palin ethics advisor Wevley Shea to Palin on the troopergate matter.
The opening paragraph of the previously reported letter of grave concern lays into Palin's political cronies:
Shea goes on in the letter to identify a series of dramatic steps that Palin could take to accept responsibility for the situation and discipline state officials who had acted improperly.
A second letter from the cache dramatizes Shea's concerns. That letter, dated July 26, and titled "Re: Character, Integregy & Honor - Federal, State, & Local Law Enforcement" makes the case about poor counsel in much greater depth, but rather than being sent to Palin it was addressed jointly to:
The body of the letter is worth quoting in full:
The enclosed letter of the final paragraph is the letter of grave concern mentioned above.
A third letter in the cache, dated August 4, is addressed to Governor Palin and lays out what Shea takes to be very strict limits on the Governor's legal authority to resist the investigative powers of the legislature.
To put all of this in context, it might help to review the timeline. Monegan was fired in mid-July. At the time of Shea's July 24th letter and July 26th letters, allegations were being aired that Monegan's firing had been related to his refusal to fire Wooten, and the Legislature was considering, but had not yet authorized an independent investigation. However, by the time of Shea's final letter, Monegan's replacement had resigned under a cloud and the independent investigation had been authorized. Notably, Palin did not direct her Attorney General to begin his spoiling investigation until August 13.
The picture that emerges is a struggle for the governor's soul. Shea, who clearly did not win, thought that her actions regarding Wooten and Monegan had included serious improprieties, and that the Governor had no legal shield against punishment for those improprieties. Nevertheless, Shea also very clearly supported the Governor strongly and believed that ultimate responsibility for missteps lay with advisors who had provided her with poor counsel. Seeing things as he did, Shea offered a plan by which Palin could recover from the scandal by apologizing forthrightly, repudiating her previous practice, and and purging her administration of individuals who had participated in the campaign against Wooten.
Two things ring out in this. First, Shea's apparently sincere belief that Sarah Palin has been led astray by wolves is yet another testament to her incredible personal charisma. I mean, Wooten himself is on record saying enthusiastically that Palin is an "amazing choice" for the VP slot. Second, however tempting it is to give Palin a pass, the truth of the matter is that at the end of the day she didn't take advantae of the off ramp that Shea offered her. The campaign against Wooten, the firing of Monegan, and the Cheney style cover-up establish a clear pattern of improper executive overreach. Whatever consequences this might have in Alaska, the real scandal is that Governor Palin has been put on the GOP ticket.
The opening paragraph of the previously reported letter of grave concern lays into Palin's political cronies:
I have great respect for you, Todd and your family. You are wonderful Alaskans. Unfortunately, in my opinion, you have had very naive unprofessional counsel on the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Law. Your “political advisors" have given you poor counsel; the situation is now grave.
Shea goes on in the letter to identify a series of dramatic steps that Palin could take to accept responsibility for the situation and discipline state officials who had acted improperly.
A second letter from the cache dramatizes Shea's concerns. That letter, dated July 26, and titled "Re: Character, Integregy & Honor - Federal, State, & Local Law Enforcement" makes the case about poor counsel in much greater depth, but rather than being sent to Palin it was addressed jointly to:
- Chief Rob Huen, Anchorage Police Department
- Colonel Audie Holloway, Alaska Department of Public Safety
- Special Agent in Charge Kevin Fryslie, FBI
The body of the letter is worth quoting in full:
Each of you know personally my admiration and respect for your leadership. The unique interrelationship of each of your departments/agencies for the success in Alaska law enforcement and criminal prosecutions is without parallel nationwide. Your commitment to Alaska and our nation is exceptional. I firmly believe Governor Sarah Palin received "incompetent counsel" on kep law enforcement issues.
Your character defines your leadership and law enforcement/prosecutions can never be political. Sadly, politics at times ignores character and certain political advisors fail to understand they are "servants" of the public. Governor Palin and her key advisors have made errors. However, she is correcting past mistakes. They should not occur in the future. I emphasized "liars/do not re-callers" must go "now."
I had the privilege of meeting with Mrs. Kris Perry, a close adviser to Governor Palin whom I respect on Thursday July 24th. I delivered my enclosed letter defining my specific concerns. I do not believe I could be more candid. The character, integrity, and unique integral role of the Troopers must not compromised. Mrs. Perry was quite understanding; my letter was going directly to Governor Sarah Palin.
The enclosed letter of the final paragraph is the letter of grave concern mentioned above.
A third letter in the cache, dated August 4, is addressed to Governor Palin and lays out what Shea takes to be very strict limits on the Governor's legal authority to resist the investigative powers of the legislature.
To put all of this in context, it might help to review the timeline. Monegan was fired in mid-July. At the time of Shea's July 24th letter and July 26th letters, allegations were being aired that Monegan's firing had been related to his refusal to fire Wooten, and the Legislature was considering, but had not yet authorized an independent investigation. However, by the time of Shea's final letter, Monegan's replacement had resigned under a cloud and the independent investigation had been authorized. Notably, Palin did not direct her Attorney General to begin his spoiling investigation until August 13.
The picture that emerges is a struggle for the governor's soul. Shea, who clearly did not win, thought that her actions regarding Wooten and Monegan had included serious improprieties, and that the Governor had no legal shield against punishment for those improprieties. Nevertheless, Shea also very clearly supported the Governor strongly and believed that ultimate responsibility for missteps lay with advisors who had provided her with poor counsel. Seeing things as he did, Shea offered a plan by which Palin could recover from the scandal by apologizing forthrightly, repudiating her previous practice, and and purging her administration of individuals who had participated in the campaign against Wooten.
Two things ring out in this. First, Shea's apparently sincere belief that Sarah Palin has been led astray by wolves is yet another testament to her incredible personal charisma. I mean, Wooten himself is on record saying enthusiastically that Palin is an "amazing choice" for the VP slot. Second, however tempting it is to give Palin a pass, the truth of the matter is that at the end of the day she didn't take advantae of the off ramp that Shea offered her. The campaign against Wooten, the firing of Monegan, and the Cheney style cover-up establish a clear pattern of improper executive overreach. Whatever consequences this might have in Alaska, the real scandal is that Governor Palin has been put on the GOP ticket.
More on the files
Issue: During the joint judiciary committee meeting yesterday, special investigator Steve Branchflower mentioned the need to supoena Murlene Wilkes, the owner of Harbor Adjustors, who has a contract with the State of Alaska to process claims for workers compensation.
Branchflower said there appears to have been some pressure put on the company from the governor's office to deny Trooper Wooten's workers compensation claim. The admission came from an employee of Harbor Adjustors, who apparently refused to go along with the pressure to deny the claim.
Fact: This is an email I received on August 18:
Item that may be of small interest to you, the ADN has had it for a week and done zero with it.
Officer Wooten had a workers comp claim on a back injury that went through Harbor Adjustors (Murlene Wilkes). Skinny is that the Gov's office advised his claim should be denied.
Gave the claim office photos of the officer on a snowmachine (undated/Palin-family taken shots)
HA handed it over to legal to handle (Murlene didn't want to get in the middle of what was obviously something personal, and as her only source of income is with a vindictive State gov contract, doesn't want to come out on this issue).
End of day, Wooden got pennies on the dollar for his claim, they wouldn't even pick up for the chiropractor. |Halcro|
Documents!
On Aug. 28, Van Flein deposed Michael Mongale, a state manager with the workers' compensation division. Monagle said there was no truth to rumors that the governor or her office had requested Wooten's workers' comp file.Emphasis added.
"Absolutely not," said Monagle, who said that the file is "in my office in a locked file cabinet" for safekeeping.
However, John Cyr, executive director of the Public Safety Employees Association, the union that represents Wooten and other state troopers, disclosed a document that appears to contradict Monagle’s sworn deposition.
A routing slip dated Aug. 21 from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development shows Wooten’s workers comp file was pulled and sent to the attention of Mongale.
“Wooten, as requested,” the routing slip says, which was made out to the attention of “Mike Mongale.”
“A request came in to return all of Wooten’s [worker’s comp] files to Juneau [the state capital],” according to a note and routing slip faxed to Cyr from the worker’s compensation division. “The person who asked to route the files was told the files were being copied for the governor.”
Under Alaska’s strict privacy laws, Wooten would have had to provide written authorization to allow such access. Cyr said the governor does not have the authority to peek into the private employment and medical files of state employees. |Jason Leopold|
I want to know who wrote the note. Is it the person Branchflower deposed? More broadly, I'd like to see the provenance of the routing slip established. Looking at it, there seem to be plenty of clues.
But really, that's just the beginning of the potential document trail here. As Leopold reports, there was a coordinated campaign within the highest echelons of the Governor's office to intercede in a workers compensation case. This campaign featured, among other things, First Dude Todd Palin stalking Trooper Wooten in hopes of snapping an incriminating photo. What he came up with was a picture of Wooten riding on a snowmachine while on light duty following surgery for a back injury that he received while on duty. Todd Palin then passed it along to the Frank Bailey, who wrote up a report on official stationary and forwarded the material to the Workers Compensation Office.
Moreover, it is clear that this campaign -- it was too open and flagrant to call it a conspiracy -- was not isolated, but was part of a pattern of investigation aimed at finding a pretence, any pretence, to justify sanctioning Wooten. And there are a lot of documents waiting to be revealed. For example:
Cyr said more than 1,000 e-mails were exchanged between Bailey, and Sarah and Todd Palin, and other officials during this period that, if released, would show that Palin had used her office to keep tabs on Wooten.
Cyr said he filed a Freedom of Information Act request on behalf of the union to obtain the e-mails, but the governor’s office said it would cost the union $88,000 for the documents. |Jason Leopold|
What a load of horseshit. File that ULP Brother Cyr!
In terms of Branchflower's investigation, Palin is already claiming executive privilege for the emails. We'll see how that goes. I say, somebody should pony up the eighty eight grand.
Bonus Content: Primary sources you say? Here's Cyr's complaint (pdf!), which is the document upon which much of Leopold's article is based. For my money, the best reading is Section 2, in which Cyr lays out the law regarding confidential information contained in personnel files. Short summary: the law distinguishes between use, disclosure and acquisition of confidential information, explicitly prohibiting all three when advancing a personal interest.
9/12/08
Yikes
...the eye still hasn't even reached Galveston, and Buffalo Bayou is flowing in reverse. The upside of the fact that Houston is built on swampland is that the city has one hell of a drainage system, almost as if it were built on an immense delta of LA rivers. They're going to need all that capacity now, because as long as the Bayou is backed up, the stopper is in the drain.
Looks to me like Ike is headed up the ship channel, which I always heard was the worst possible thing a hurricane might do. The media doesn't seem to be saying so, though, so maybe that was just hubba hubba hubba.
Bonus Content:
View Larger Map
Looks to me like Ike is headed up the ship channel, which I always heard was the worst possible thing a hurricane might do. The media doesn't seem to be saying so, though, so maybe that was just hubba hubba hubba.
Bonus Content:
View Larger Map
Me too
Another accusation that gets mentioned frequently is that Wooten was drinking beer in his squad car. This charge was investigated by an independent investigator who found the charge to be “unsustained”. However, Colonel Julia Grimes, who reviewed the investigation, decided to change the finding of the report to “sustained”. She changed the report on her own and gave no reason. When John Cyr, who, in 30 years, had never seen a member of the command staff change the report asked her why she did it. She replied, “Are you willing to call Sarah Palin a liar?” He said, “yes”. She didn’t respond, and the report stayed changed. |Mudflats|
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