The Duck of Minerva

Randy Waterhouse

"Randy Waterhouse" is a pseudonym.

"Randy Waterhouse" is a pseudonym.

Recent Posts

Explain this to me, and use small words because I’m pretty stupid

by | 6 November, 2008 |

Last time I checked, 7M is twice as large as 3.5M. Therefore, if a 3.5M margin of victory is somehow a 'mandate', wouldn't it stand to reason that 7M is twice as emphatic a mandate? Or if nothing else, falls into the category of 'mandate'? I'm not saying that every conceivable progressive policy should now be rammed through, but let's be realistic here about what we saw Tuesday night.

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My Electoral Predictions

by | 4 November, 2008 |

[Updated: Thanks to commentator Aldous for pointing out an error in my original predictions--I had Montana for Obama and neglected to include Nevada]I am not, by any stretch, and expert at polling--presidential or otherwise. By that doesn't stop most of the talking heads from bloviating and spewing silliness.Therefore, I thought I'd have some fun and post my predictions for Tuesday's Presidential election.Final: Obama over McCain 349-189I think Obama ends up winning a significant electoral victory--swing states such as Virginia, Ohio, and Florida will break for Obama. He also picks up New...

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Multipolarity versus Hegemony: Is this really the right question?

by | 18 October, 2008 |

Dan recently commented on how the decline in US economic power will likely lead to a rewrite of the post-war global order. Additionally, there are reports that a new intelligence assessment by US agencies is set to be released after the upcoming elections which notes the coming relative decline of US predominance, particularly in the economic realm, by 2025. Now, there have been numerous predictions of US decline that, like the death of Mark Twain, have been greatly exaggerated. But the current panic in the US economy is on par with the very worst crises we've seen since the Great Depression...

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Who is Randy Waterhouse?

by | 8 October, 2008 |

Hello loyal Duck readers. I wanted to briefly introduce myself as the newest member of the Duck. I am a longtime friend of the site that has decided to start posting rather than just commenting on the great insights of colleagues.A little truth in advertising: my real name is not Randy Waterhouse. For fans of a certain author you will immediately notice that it is a pseudonym. Unfortunately, my current employer does not allow for employees to blog, so I've decided to assume this online identity so that I can contribute to the broader conversation on, well, whatever is bugging me in the world...

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