Wednesday links and comments

This one is a few days old, but worth sharing. If there is an elder conservative voice worthy of listening to, it is Phyllis Schlafly. She recently made the point many conservatives have tried to raise. Hopefully people will listen to her.

"New Hampshire is the front line of the presidential race, and as I go about and talk to the conservative movement, they're in disarray," said Schlafly, who led opposition to the failed Equal Rights Amendment more than 25 years ago. "They don't know what to do, who to back. We're told by the media that we have a choice of one of three, (Sen. John) McCain or (former New York mayor Rudy) Giuliani or (former Massachusetts governor Mitt) Romney. Each one of them is capable of raising $100 million. I'm not happy of being told that at all. I don't think that any of the three are acceptable."

It is a year away from the primaries and I resent being told that only three candidates deserve consideration and the rest should be ignored.

On the Republican side one of the perceived front runners who has appeared to be slipping lately is Sen. McCain. Here is an example of why John McCain is not gaining traction with conservatives.

Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John McCain are set to introduce a revised version of their sweeping plan to overhaul the nation's immigration laws, in a bill that's likely to restart a tense debate in Congress.

The media loves McCain for his ability to work with liberals like Sen. Kennedy and Sen Feingold. Conservatives see the issues he has worked with liberals on and don't like the results.

Words have meanings for a reason and it is important to choose them judiciously. Major news sources like Reuters and Associated Press (AP) have been accused in recent years of choosing words in such a way that it changes peoples perception of a story. Here is an example from the AP that the New York Post caught yesterday.

To those who remember the infamous 1981 Brinks heist in Nyack, Judith Clark is a self-indulgent '60s radical serving a well-deserved 75-year prison term for her role in the violent deaths of three heroic law-enforcement officers.

But to the Associated Press, which supplies news to the world, Judith Clark is a "former freedom fighter."

That's right. A "freedom fighter."

Now, maybe "convicted cop-killer" is too graphic for the AP, even though it's wholly accurate. But "freedom fighter"?

Who's writing for the AP these days - Michael Moore?

Tony Blankley has a good column in today's Washington Times talking about the problem with politicians starting their campaigns so early. It is awfully hard to remain a fresh face for a year and a half. I am convinced that the nominee for one if not both parties will be someone not currently near the top in the polls. The declared front runners will tear each other apart and clear the field for a late entry.

Hey, Ohio has bragging rights.

For the third time in four years, the town of Montpelier, Ohio, can claim bragging rights to the world's tastiest tap water.

Michigan State Rep. Chuck Moss wrote an op-ed piece titled "If profit is bad, why choose Michigan?" that shows he understands how companies decide where to do business.

So who else will state officials invite to the People's Social Justice Paradise of Michigan, given that a majority of our state representatives are on record as indicting, as social criminals, anyone who wants to -- boo! hiss!! gasp!!! -- make a profit?

Ohio's lawmakers need to be careful not to follow Michigan's lead.

Lastly, apparently some people were surprised to find out yesterday that the stock market doesn't move in a straight line. My own guess is the DOW and NASDAQ will be higher on 31 December than they were on 1 January, but out of the 12 months in between there will be four or five negative months. Bottom line, don't invest in equities if you might need the cash in the near term. Otherwise you could end up having to sell at a price you don't like.