China, Hong Kong and the Middle East
Arthur Waldron’s article (unfortunately no longer available free online) in the September issue of Commentary is worth reading. Waldron argues that the Hong Kong democracy movement’s surge in popularity, as exemplified by the huge anti-Article 23 demonstration on July 1, puts the mainland government in an existential bind. It would prefer to finesse the situation with minimal reforms and other half-measures, as it has attempted to do in the past. However, Waldron thinks the HK populace is unlikely now to accept such palliatives and that these measures will therefore not defuse the crisis.
Photos
I have posted a small gallery of mostly new photos, including some juicy mushroom porn. . . [remainder snipped — see below]
UPDATE: Most of these photos are now on my photoblog.
Arnold Wins
I have been copied on a round of emails among California Conservatives who supported McClintock to the bitter end and loathed Arnold — all this as if beating the Democrats was some kind of side issue. They are all, like me, pro-Life. They are not, unlike me, people who think that incremental gains and actually winning elections is an OK strategy. As news of Arnie’s win came in, I was copied on an email with the quip that we will now see if Arnold is the lesser evil. That frosted me. I responded as follows:
I saw one report that Arnold won with 51% of the vote. In other words, he doesn’t need the conservatives at all. He doesn’t have to answer their phone calls, ever. So much for McClintock’s principled stand. He and his (on current reports) 12% have proven their political irrelevance — a Republican candidate can take an absolute majority in California in the face of their active opposition. Wow. McClintock and his supporters held a weak hand and they played it very, very badly, doing a serious disservice to their (and my) cause. Reagan would never have made that kind of missplay. Anyway, despite the best (i.e. inept) efforts (de facto, intent aside) of McClintock and his allies to serve as spoilers and keep the Democrats in, they and their de facto allies Grey and Cruz have (thank God) lost after all.
Good.
Now, the Democrats face the miserable prospect of a hostile governor in our largest state, a ringing defeat and humiliation of their party and its governance, a crushing blow to the Clintonian triangulating model of politics, the need to expensively campaign there in 2004, materially enhancing the chances our pro-life president will be reelected. So, all is well.
———‘s grudging query as to Arnold being the lesser evil will be answered in due time. But that fact that any conservative can actually wonder whether Grey or Cruz would be “better” just shows that I have entered, since —- got me in on this round of emails, from my perspective, some kind of twilight zone where my view of things is totally out of step. It has been an interesting visit to this odd realm.
Arnold will be lots better than Davis. That is good enough. Be happy about it. Only two years olds cry if they can’t have all the cake, now.
Arnold Will Win
Forget the LA Times controversy. That was a ginned-up deal and only mattered because lefty journalists, who don’t want Schwarzenegger to win, wanted it to matter. Look instead at Tradesports.com (click on “RECALL.ARNOLD”), where Arnold’s odds have been rising since mid-September and are now around 75%. That’s always been the real story. He’ll win and probably win big.