Real Kato Blog: Miscellany

2008 race; ban on online gambling; Foley news.

McCain the frontrunner for GOP in '08?

Most polls indicate that John McCain is the frontrunner for the Republican presidential candidacy in 2008.

I have respect for McCain. As Republicans go, he seems to be one of the most level-headed and moderate of the bunch. We'll see if he can win the support of the Christian conservatives in his own party, though.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is the current Democratic frontrunner. I have respect for Hillary too; I think she's the target of much undeserved criticism... in no small part because she's a woman, I'm sure. But she's a polarizing figure; could she really win the general election?

Fans of Heavy-Handed Government, Rejoice

Most kinds of online gambling are now illegal, thanks to a GOP-sponsored amendment to a bill on port security. The port security bill requires beefed-up inspections and radiation detectors at most U.S. shipping ports. But conservative Republicans managed to add on a completely unrelated provision that bans online gambling, including the wildly popular internationally-hosted poker web sites.

I think this highlights the key criticism I have with the Republican party: while it claims to be in favor of a smaller and less intrusive government, it continues to push for a government that has more and more control over our private lives. Frankly, I'd rather pay more in taxes if I could have just a little more freedom. Maybe those of us who are willing to pay a "freedom tax" should be allowed to gamble online... and get emergency contraception... and have science classes that don't teach religion... and make phone calls that are free from illegal wiretaps...

Then again, we shouldn't have to pay for any of that.

But you know what I'd really like to see? A law that makes it illegal to put unrelated amendments on bills in Congress.

Foley News

You just can't make this stuff up.

Back in 2004, Mark Foley complained to Jeb Bush that President George Bush was snubbing him during his visits to Florida. In an email, Foley wrote: "Have I done something to offend the White House? ... I am always getting the shaft."

I'll bet you are, Mark.

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