Political distractions

(sorry, I posted this last week, but apparently forgot to publish).

Barack Obama on the Indonesia coup in the 1960s. Fascinating read. (Found by Jonathan Schwarz). From Reality based community (via Easter Lemming Liberal): Jesus was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a governor. Thomas Friedman on the $1 billion aid package to Georgia:

On Wednesday, The New York Times on the Web flashed a headline that caught my eye: “U.S. to Unveil $1 Billion Aid Package to Repair Georgia.” Wow, I thought. That’s great: $1 billion to fix Georgia’s roads and schools. But as I read on, I quickly realized that I had the wrong Georgia. We’re going to spend $1 billion to fix the Georgia between Russia and Turkey, not the one between South Carolina and Florida. … But where are our priorities? How many wars can we fight at once without finishing even one? Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and now Georgia. Which is the priority? Americans are struggling to meet their mortgages, and we’re sending $1 billion to a country whose president behaved irresponsibly, just to poke Vladimir Putin in the eye. Couldn’t we poke Putin with $100 million? And shouldn’t we be fostering a dialogue with Georgia and with Putin? Otherwise, where is this going? A new cold war? Over what?

Frank Rich on Republican politics and Sarah Palin

:

That’s why the Palin choice was brilliant politics — not because it rallied the G.O.P.’s shrinking religious-right base. America loves nothing more than a new celebrity face, and the talking heads marched in lock step last week to proclaim her a star. Palin is a high-energy distraction from the top of the ticket, even if the provenance of her stardom is in itself a reflection of exactly what’s frightening about the top of the ticket.

Although I usually get my news via blogs like Matt Yglesias (who basically covers all the bases) and Nicholas Kristof, I still go for Franch Rich and Thomas Friedman. I’m aware of the criticisms of Friedman (the bias toward the anecdotal and pro-globalization), Friedman still is good at identifying the disconnects between goals and reality and pointing out where American politics fail. Rich I go for entertainment (I admit it), and Kristof I go for profound insights. Speaking of which, am I the only one to accidentally click on Bill Kristol’s links under the assumption it has to be Nicholas Kristof.? Annoying.