Latest Articles
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If so, what?
Greg Anrig Jr.'s advice to Bush: Be more like Arnold.
Just one year after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's political humiliation, with all four of his favored ballot initiatives crushed at the polls, the Terminator won reelection yesterday by 17 points. How did he accomplish such a dramatic turnaround? According to the Los Angeles Times, he 1) apologized for his missteps, which were attributable largely to rigidly adhering to right-wing ideology, 2) realized that his job was about "governing," 3) poured billions of dollars into popular programs, 4) cut bipartisan deals to fight global warming, boost the minimum wage, and reduce the cost of pharmaceutical drugs, and 5) made infrastructure the center of his legislative focus, underscoring his new brass-tacks approach to governance.
My advice to pigs: fly, little oinkers, fly!
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Are the two connected?
Matt Yglesias questions the liberal-hawk "we have to stay in Iraq because of the oil" talking point -- which Bush himself has been deploying lately -- using the standard "oil is fungible" response. Any geopolitical experts out there have thoughts on this perennial debate?
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A majority of states retain green-leaning guvs
A few more important results from gubernatorial races:
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Takings initiatives die deserved death
Five outta six ain't bad.
As I mentioned earlier, the takings measures in Montana and Nevada were yanked by the courts. Then last night, the good news just kept on coming.
Voters in three Western states -- California, Idaho, and Washington -- soundly rejected ballot measures that aimed to hamstring local governments and cripple environmental protections.
It wasn't close. In most places voter's message was deafening: we want to protect our communities and our natural heritage.
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Umbra on inefficient windows
Dear Umbra, I am lucky enough to have a home I really love and food to feed my family and my pets. However, the home has one major energy flaw: it is older and has huge, single-pane window/walls with aluminum frames, in two adjoining rooms. We currently are not able to replace them, and they […]
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Leave your caption ideas in comments
Welcome to Gristmill's very first Official Caption Contest! Leave your perfect caption for the picture below in comments. The winner will receive ... international encomiums as the winner of the very first Official Gristmill Caption Contest!
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Is banning horse slaughter like banning whaling?
There is a new bill to ban horse slaughter in the U.S. This article argues it's arbitrary and based on a special-interest lobby.
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Why everyone should be allowed to love food with unrestrained glee
I spend hours at a time in the kitchen, I approach my morning coffee with a quasi-religious fervor, and the attention I grant beer and wine selection can border on the Talmudic. Am I a food snob? Diverse authorities — including my mother, a certain Grist writer, and several friends — have claimed as much. […]
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Secretary of Defense resigns in aftermath of yesterday’s election
Rumsfeld officially resigns. What a day.
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It’s not too complicated
The autopsy report for the 109th Congress is not complex. In my view, three things brought them down:
- Stupid ideas
- executed incompetently
- often by criminals.
Fix those three little things ...
