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The World is Going to Hell … Not!
A New York Times story quotes scientists who note that Arctic Ocean ice shrank far more than usual this summer, and global warming due to the buildup of greenhouse gases likely played a role. However, the last paragraph of the story notes that, “Sea ice around Antarctica has seen unusual winter expansions recently, and this week is near a record high.”
So global warming is causing ice to melt more rapidly than usual in the Arctic, but what is causing ice to expand and thicken more rapidly than usual in the Antarctic? There’s still a lot we don’t know, as the NY Times story notes: “Still, he and other scientists acknowledged that both poles were extraordinarily complicated systems of ice, water and land, and that the mix of human and natural influences was not easy to clarify.”
Today in Political History
Sept. 25, 1493: Columbus sails with 17 ships on 2nd voyage to America. (Source: Perspicuity)
Sept. 25, 1789: Congress submits the 12 amendments to the Constitution (Bill of Rights) to the states for ratification. (Source: Perspicuity)
Sept. 25, 1957: With 300 U.S. Army troops standing guard, nine black children are escorted to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, days after unruly white crowds had forced them to withdraw. (New York Times).
Sept. 25, 1981: Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the Court's 102nd justice and its first female member. (Source: Perspicuity)
Wise Words
“Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time. No one learns more about a problem than the person at the bottom.”
-- Sandra Day O'Connor (Source: Brainy Quote)
Political Survival Tip
Events Drive Politics
If you want to be successful in politics, either during a campaign or as an incumbent, do some events. Events force good things to happen. Events provide great leverage. Any candidate or elected official who isn’t planning a series of events is missing major opportunities.
Events such as speeches, fundraising dinners, debates, hearings, panel discussions, town or neighborhood meetings, press conferences, media interviews, town celebrations, etc., all can help you make political progress. What happens when you schedule an event? You are forced to:
- Get people involved
- Establish policy and clarify positions
- Prepare communications materials, focus your messages and hone your arguments
- Interact with the media
- Develop contact information and mailing lists
- Pull together people in good causes.
Those are all very positive things for a candidate or an office holder. Most political leaders develop important policy positions when they are writing speeches or preparing for media interviews. Giving a speech forces you to grapple with the key issues and to develop your policy and positions. Holding a fundraising event not only nets you some campaign cash, but it provides a lot of good exposure and forces you to get organized and get supporters helping.
Without events, not much happens in politics. But it’s surprising how many political leaders at all levels, especially after they’re elected, don’t go out of their way to proactively plan events. They attend their regular meetings and take what speeches and other opportunities are offered them, but they aren’t aggressively creating events. More good event opportunities exist than most politicians realize. It just takes a little creativity. The old political maxim that events drive politics is true.
National Politics
Best Stories From …
-- Washington Times: "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will begin next week to seek financial commitments from donors for a presidential-nomination bid, the Georgia Republican told The Washington Times [Sunday]."
-- Slate: Columnist Christopher Hitchens wonders if Al Gore will run for president if he wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
-- Los Angeles Times: Columnist Gregory Rodriguez says the GOP is acting like it's given up on minority voters.
-- New York Times: Public Editor Clark Hoyt: "For nearly two weeks, The New York Times has been defending a political advertisement that critics say was an unfair shot at the American commander in Iraq. But I think the ad violated The Times's own written standards, and the paper now says that the advertiser got a price break it was not entitled to."
Lighter Side
The White House says everything is great in Iraf (The Onion). |
