Morning Glory

Thematic
That tax increase for affluent Americans would account for the bulk of the revenues that Mr. Obama counts in his $1.1 trillion of net deficit reduction. The rest includes $46 billion over 10 years from eliminating a dozen tax breaks for oil, gas and coal companies to offset the costs of clean-energy initiatives. (NYT, 2/14/11)

Obama returns to his overarching themes. First, punitively tax those who are successful. Next, punish oil/gas/coal companies for providing cheap energy to all Americans. Finally, write a big check to that guy working in his basement on the windmill-powered car.

History, Evidence and Logic
Governing ought to be about making wise choices. What's disheartening about the Obama administration's embrace of high-speed rail is that it ignores history, evidence and logic. The case against it is overwhelming. The case in favor rests on fashionable platitudes. High-speed rail is not an "investment in the future"; it's mostly a waste of money. Good government can't solve all our problems, but it can at least not make them worse. (Robert J. Samuelson, Washington Post, 2/14/11)

Fellow Travelers
Today, everyone and his cousin supports the "freedom agenda." Of course, yesterday it was just George W. Bush, Tony Blair and a band of neocons with unusual hypnotic powers who dared challenge the received wisdom of Arab exceptionalism - the notion that Arabs, as opposed to East Asians, Latin Americans, Europeans and Africans, were uniquely allergic to democracy. Indeed, the left spent the better part of the Bush years excoriating the freedom agenda as either fantasy or yet another sordid example of U.S. imperialism. Now it seems everyone, even the left, is enthusiastic for Arab democracy. Fine. Fellow travelers are welcome. (Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post, 2/11/11)