Go ahead and profile. So says Charles Krauthammer in a sensible column in this morning’s WaPo (Whoa, Nelly! Krauthammer looks like a wild-eyed jihadist himself in his headshot here). Here in DC our local transit authority is studying security measures in NY & London to see if we should start doing random inspections on people entering our subway system. I’m inclined to think no –it’s looking for a needle in a haystack, and the result is going to be $45 Metro rides (security costs) and long lines that discourage ridership of an already failing system. But since some kind of CYA measure is probably inevitable, at least let’s not do what NY is doing –random checks.
Sen. Frist has renounced his claim to be the Republican nominee for President in 2008. (Not really, but this move, which no doubt he is making in an effort to be seen as "presidential," will have the opposite effect. It shows he does not "get" it, and moreover, that he is not on the cutting edge of science in these matters. He should hang out w/ Sen. Brownback more).
I hate to link to E.J. Dionne, and this column really says nothing, but at least he has noticed the Teamster/SEIU split from the AFL-CIO? I have to think it is a hopeful sign of "thinking anew" in at least some quarter of the labor movement, but I've yet to see anything written that is helpful --or even decently explanatory.
For inspiration, I have a photo clipping on my fridge of an Afghani election official driving a ballot-box-laden mule across a mountain stream to allow people in some remote village to vote. Here's a nice story about women running for office in Afghanistan. It's burdened with the usual WaPo pessimism about obstacles, but I think you can't help but be inspired by people who fear for their lives and still stand up for their freedom.
The IRA renounces violence, Blair takes a "trust but verify" approach. And finally, the Post discovers the Federalist Society cabal.
