Potomac Fever

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Occupy DC counter protest or outreach? Employing the 99%

Tomorrow at McPherson Square, grassroots efforts will be offering job applications, college applications, and military recruitment information to Occupy DC participants. RSVP on Facebook.

Which metro area has the highest concentration of those evil "1 percenters"?

Indirect Way of saying US Vice Presidents are just figureheads?

"I think that there might be other folks who, by their disposition, are more appropriately suited for vice president" (Gov. Chris Christie)

Visit to 'McPherson Square City': "Who Declared War on Free Speech?"

About a week ago, students of Hamilton's Semester-in-Washington for the Fall of 2011--led by our Fearless Leader, Professor Ted Eismeier, paid a 'courtesy call' on Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY's 24th District). While with the good Rep. Hanna, I asked him what he thought of the Occupy Wall Street, DC, etc. protests. He had a somewhat positive view of the protests and in his answer, he asked me to "get out of the suit and join them" (jokingly though). I am happy to report that I heeded the Representative's call and 'joined' my Occupy DC 'brothers and sisters' at McPherson Square to 'solidarize with them.' While with them, I took some pictures of their 'mini McPherson Square city.' Please find pictures below.

(Disclaimer: The words on the placards are NOT representative of my views)

Big Signpost welcoming 'visitors'

A Picture on one of the tents

Some Posters

A make-shift Clinic/Health Center

Various Placards and their Inscriptions

A Library for Protestors

Writings At the Back of the Library Sign

A Kitchen, from which free food is served

The End...

(Disclaimer: Again, the words on the placards are NOT representative of my views)

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Who else but Romney?

Despite a large amount of focus, a few remain convinced that Romney's nomination is anything but a done deal. Despite his leads in the polls and the much greater attention he's been receiving, it's too easy to point back to 2008 when Hillary and Rudy Giuliani were the presumptive nominees before falling to the men who would eventually make it on the ballot.

Looking at the candidates, does anyone want to venture guesses as to who will actually get the nomination? Is anyone looking to Cain? to Perry? one of the other candidates trailing in the polls?

Don't Count on the Super Committee for Anything

As the leaves begin to change and the month of October slowly comes to an end, its time to start worrying about the Super Committee and its impending deadline in November. I was having a conversation with my Dad at dinner tonight, and I was startled to learn that the automatic budget cuts that are supposed to come to be enacted if the committee cannot come to an agreement about the debt will not come into effect until January 1st 2013. Coincidentally, the Bush tax cuts are also supposed to expire on the same day.

I am very concerned that the Super-Committee now will become embroiled in partisan gridlock and will allow the sequestration cuts to proceed until after the presidential election. It could be politically beneficial for one of the parties to allow the super-committee to fail thus portraying the White House in a negative light and making Obama look even more ineffectual at successfully governing. While this would be a very risky political maneuver, it is possible that the sequestration cuts would be dealt with by a lame-duck Congress after the election and the political damage has been done. A deal might be made to address both the enormous budget cuts and de facto tax hike from the Bush tax cuts expiring. Unlikely, yes, but totally improbable? I don't think so. I sincerely hope the super-committee can come up with a bi-partisan solution to our deficit problem. But I am not concerned that this might be an idealistic dream in our hyper-partisan age.

Great youtube video everyone should watch

This was forwarded to me, and I think everyone should watch it. It is, at least in my opinion, a great way to look at the out of control spending going on in the government.

Term Limits Provide a True Democracy

I'm glad I'm not in Michigan.

Term limits wreak havoc in the Great Lakes State.
Could the same thing happen on a federal level?

I'd rather be lucky than good.

Who are OWS and what do they believe?

Monday, October 17, 2011

Large Majority Continues to Support Congressional Term Limits

AEI does OWS

Not what you might think.

Term limits are no magic pill

Let the debate for this week begin!
Should the United States Congress implement term limits on its members?

Would term limits help to alleviate partisanship and the influence of interest groups? Or would it simply make things worse....

Jail Time for Justice, Again

Cornell West is arrested at the Supreme Court along with other Occupy Wall Street protestors on the same day of Martin Luther King Jr.'s memorial.

D.C. Statehood Rally Honors Martin Luther King Jr.'s Legacy

Saturday's D.C. Full Democracy Freedom Rally and March at Freedom Plaza.

Wahington Students take advantage of many opportunities

We made it to Hamilton News!

Occupy Wall Street: What can the protesters achieve?

This article compares and contrasts the Occupy Wall Street movement with the Tea Party movement.

Your adventures chronicled on HC website

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Taste of Georgetown

This weekend was the 18th annual Taste of Georgetown, benefiting Georgetown Ministry Center's services supporting the homeless. Over 25 local Georgetown restaurants participated, offering selections ranging from Nutella crepes to paella. Chefs competed in the 1st annual "Pumpkin Food Fight", creating dishes such as turkey pumpkin chili & pumpkin peach crisps served in mini pumpkins. A good time was had by all.

Since the weather was dandy, we walked from Georgetown to Woodley and stopped for a photo op outside the World Wildlife Fund offices.

Perfect timing

A November excursion.

"Today, I am proud to say that the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea is stronger than it has ever been"

This is video contains excerpts of President Obama's opening remarks at the Welcoming Ceremony for the President of the Republic of Korea on October 13, 2011.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Schambra/Skinner

Here Hayek explains why intellectuals tend to gravitate towards socialism. Applying his basic argument to the Schambra/Skinner articles helps to reconcile the two theories--maybe a majority of the technocrats/specialists are left-leaning.