by Peter | 17 Sep 2008 |
The NY Times has a very interesting article out today reporting that the influence of the US Supreme Court is waning--internationally. While the Court holds no jurisdiction beyond the US borders, for a long time it served as an intellectual leader in world judicial opinion. Other nations looking to develop a strong judicial system looked to the US Supreme Court as a model, and looked to the Court's opinions as cutting-edge legal thought that...
by Dan Nexon | 17 Sep 2008 |
If you're on the internets right now, you know that the US government has just effectively nationalized AIG. It seems that the risk of a total meltdown of the global economy outweighed concerns about moral hazard.Correspondents say AIG's demise would have a far greater impact on the world's financial markets than Lehman's.Many banks and investment funds in the US and around the world would lose their insurance cover at a time when defaults on...
by Dan Nexon | 17 Sep 2008 |
Oh, goody. Another celebrity interview.Bored now.
by Dan Nexon | 15 Sep 2008 |
Bolivia remains on the brink of falling apart.... and the Ukrainian government collapses. Can't say that I'm surprised.
by Dan Nexon | 15 Sep 2008 |
After the start of the Great Depression, the US government adopted a number of regulations, institutions, and safety-net policies designed to prevent a recurrence of an event that nearly destroyed capitalism and liberal democracy. In the 1980s and 1990s, many of those regulations, institutions, and safety-net policies were eliminated or curtailed. Some call this the triumph of capitalism and freedom over excessive government regulations, others...
by Dan Nexon | 14 Sep 2008 |
The 2004 September 13-15 CNN/Gallup/USA Today poll had George Bush over John Kerry by 14 points. George Bush won the election by around 2.5 points. Current polls give John McCain a -1 to +3 lead over Barack Obama. This election could go in any direction between today and November 4.
by Dan Nexon | 13 Sep 2008 |
Apropos my earlier post, it can be all too easy to become obsessed with terrorism and, in doing so, ignore other threats (some, in many ways, much more dangerous) that kill, wound, and displace people... not just in the United States, but in the world at large. Today Hurricane Ike is sweeping into Texas, after leaving in its wake a second round of destruction in the Caribbean. Image source: the AP
by Dan Nexon | 13 Sep 2008 |
I know it is a little late, but having looked at some other bloggers' "September 11" posts, I thought I should repost the one I wrote two years ago.September 11 - a blogging personal historyOn the morning of September 11, 2001, I drove my wife to the Nanuet train station. We said goodbye and she got on the train to begin her commute into Manhattan. I went home and took a shower.Sometime later that morning I went downstairs to the basement of...
by Rodger Payne | 12 Sep 2008 |
The Australian is reporting that Pakistani troops have been told to fire upon US troops attacking from Afghanistan: KEY corps commanders of Pakistan's 600,000-strong army issued orders last night to retaliate against "invading" US forces that enter the country to attack militant targets.The move has plunged relations between Islamabad and Washington into deep crisis over how to deal with al-Qa'ida and the TalibanWhat amounts to a dramatic order...
by Peter | 12 Sep 2008 |
The US bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was a massive government intervention into the securities market. Why do this?Dan Drezner gives some insightful instant analysis, noting how the fall-out has reverberated through the global economy, hitting China, Russia, Sovereign Wealth Funds, and many other key international actors. The US Government: is also trying to soothe financial markets and-more important-please foreign creditors. China is...
by Peter | 12 Sep 2008 |
I think Nate is doing some of the best analysis of the current electoral map, and today he makes a critical point: despite all the hype and attention that Palin has given to the McCain ticket, the electoral math is for the most part unchanged from the pre-convention period. Palin has brought home those Republicans who didn't really believe McCain was one of them, but the McCain bounce in the polls is greatest in states where he is already...
by Dan Nexon | 11 Sep 2008 |
A friend emails me to say:I just watched video of Saakashvili's press conference with Sarkozy. Still claiming outright that the Russians started it and that the Russians are the invaders. Speaking English, naturally. Russians are of course indignant about this claim. Georgia is like the younger sibling who constantly pokes and prods the older and then runs to mommy to complain when the older eventually hits back. Then when the older gets...