Blue Nettles

So Max has given me an assignment. But there isn't much interesting happening in DC these days. Unless you count as interesting endless bickering about the sanctity of parliamentary maneuvers or bad tempered diplomats.

I did start writing a big piece on China but it was getting really big so I dropped it. Maybe later I'll write it up. But here is a cautionary essay from Robert Kagen. Short quote:

The history of rising powers, however, and their attempted "management" by established powers provides little reason for confidence or comfort. Rarely have rising powers risen without sparking a major war that reshaped the international system to reflect new realities of power.

Here is a funny take on the Newsweek/Koran/toilet story: Newsweek Lutefisk Story Sparks Fury Across Volatile Midwest .

In light of the opening night of the new, craptastic 'Star Wars,' a bit of trivia: Darth Vader is a gargoyle on the National Cathedral.

One issue that is slowly percolating up here in DC is immigration. Backbenchers in Congress were able to attach a "Real ID" to the supplemental bill over the the objections of party leaders. Real ID is a dumb requirement, possibly un-constitutional and won't, as they claim, protect us from terrorists. What it is, is a anti-illegal immigrant bill and we will be seeing more of them in differing forms. President Fox's response to the bill shows that he's learned a thing or two about arrogance from the gringos.

The two major parties have, for almost two decades, studiously ignored the issue of immigration as the citizenry had become more and more uncomfortable with the growing proportion of our population being immigrant. Both parties live with the fantasy that Latinos will vote enmass for them if they just speak a few words of Spanish and turn a blind eye to the thousands crossing the border every night. The Republicans also are looking after the big agribusiness interests' need for cheap workers and the Democrats are constrained by their racialist interest politics.

So as the U.S. political elite whistle past the grave yard, a majority of Americans have become very uncomfortable with the changes and compromises they must make for the 11% of our population that are immigrants. Expect to see more demonstrations like the Minutemen and more legislation like Real ID. Also as the '06 Mexican Presidential elections heat up, watch as Mexico's politicians make an issue of their immigrants and crank up the issue even more.

>>> And Happy Birthday Ellie and Dad.