Regarding blogging, I seem to be hot and cold. Sometimes, more than a week will go by and I'll write nothing, and other times, I feel like writing all the time! Hopefully, we four can keep the blogging ball rolling (keep the b-log rolling?) and continue to post!

Dad - we have been having a back-and-forth over the last few years about democracy in the Middle East and its neighbors. You noted that you were pessimistic about democracy in the Middle East in your post of March 2nd. An article in The American Enterprise on events in the region contains a quote from Abraham Lincoln which I really like (emphasis in the original):

Most governments have been based, practically, on the denial of the equal rights of men...Ours began by affirming those rights.
They said some men are too ignorant and vicious to share in government. Possibly so, said we; and by your system, you would always keep them ignorant and vicious.
We proposed to give all a chance; and we expected the weak to grow stronger, the ignorant wiser, and all better, and happier together.

I am optimistic about the propects in this region, especially after the events of the last few weeks, where the 'real' Arab street finally made its voice known.

I'd also like to link to an article by the New York Times entitled Liberal Bloggers Reaching Out to Major Media. In the article, there's a quote by Kristinn Taylor of (the admittedly right wing) FreeRepublic.com, giving advice to liberal and progressive bloggers: "They might have to outgrow the conspiracy-theory stage of blogging to produce reports that are credible and relevant to a wider audience."
I know that there are many conspiracy theories on both sides - I can remember all that black helicopter stuff after Janet Reno went after Waco, as well as all the theories about Vince Foster's death - some even claimed Bill Clinton personally killed him. But throwing conspiracy theories into your arguments doesn't help make your point, in my opinion. Here, I'm referring to your statement regarding oil prices, Dad, on March 10th - "It will get worse with the present administration - guess who profits from high energy prices?"
However, there is one conspiracy theory I would discuss - that the Clintons withheld their support from John Kerry so Hillary could run against a non-incumbent in 2008. The timing of Bill's surgery last fall seemed a bit convienient to me... There I go, doing the same thing! Oh, well.

(On that note, even though Condi said on Meet the Press that she wouldn't run, I still am hoping for a Condi Rice - Hillary Clinton match-up in 2008! The first woman president, and maybe the first black president! That would be a race! If Condi can get even 50% of the black vote, she'd be a shoo-in...)

Enough for now!
C
- posted by Christoph Roggenkamp @ 3/15/2005 02:05:00 PM