Wednesday-Night

See also Vice President (R) Sarah Palin
She never ceases to surprise - and on the eve of The Fourth.
Palin announces resignation
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she was resigning her office later this month, a stunning decision that could free her to run for president more easily but also raises questions about her political […]

See  Canada economy 2009
Kelly McParland: Latest studies show Canada is one awful country (Don’t be too alarmed, this is somewhat tongue-in-cheek)
Boy, do we stink. A nation of dirty-lunged, out-of-work, spendaholic chronic invalids, with a lousy banking system. How did this happen? I wonder if it’s too late to emigrate to North Korea?
1 July
Liberal-Era Diplomatic […]

(BBC) Afghanistan country profile ; Pakistan post 2008 elections - Updates
U.S. deploys 4,000 Marines in major Afghan offensive
With the backing of helicopter gunships, nearly 4,000 U.S. Marines and 650 Afghan soldiers launched a ground campaign in the volatile Helmand River valley, where poppy crops provide the Taliban with a significant source […]

Canada-U.S. post 2008 elections ; Israel
I believe that American leadership has been wanting but is still wanted. We must use what has been called ‘smart power,’ the full range of tools at our disposal — diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal and cultural, picking the right tool or combination of tools for each situation. …  Foreign […]

See also New rules for U.S.-Canada border crossing and for entertainment Stephen Colbert on Canada
David Jones: Ambassador Jacobson and the Passing Baton
… this is what Canadians should desire in a U.S. ambassador—an individual who, when giving a speech or conveying a private demarche, is clearly appreciated as a “connected” member of the administration and […]

David, as usual, gives a reality check on the passport requirements and makes some helpful suggestions. Unfortunately, he does not address the issue that concerns us (we have passports) the most - the slowing down of goods movement.
David Jones: Whinging won’t move border traffic
Canadians above all must realize that terrorism and U.S. security requirements will […]

More on Maxime Bernier

Oh dear! A year since he was sacked and just when we thought Max was fading away, here comes this John Ivision piece:
Maxime Bernier returns from penalty box to restore tarnished reputation (and save the PCs in Quebec)
27 June 2008
Bernier, keep daddy out of it
(Globe and Mail) … why on earth was […]

 
The Republicans could learn a lot from the Democrats
(The Economist) THE Grand Old Party is getting less grand by the day. It failed to return a single congressman from New England in 2008. Republicanism is about as popular as celibacy among 18-30-year-olds. A recent Wall Street Journal-NBC poll revealed that in the party’s heartland, the […]

The following was published on April 9, 2009, in Metropolitain. It is a bit of political travelogue but if you haven’t seen it, I hope that it will be enjoyable. DTJ - It is charming and highly informative. We would love to take the same trip.

It is a pity that political correctness […]

A last-minute (but worthy) update from our friend Jim Heffernan, who occasionally blogs on the HuffPost. “Since I believe that even bonus recipients deserve equal time in all this controversy over AIG, I am turning over my blogspace today to one of them.”  Why I deserve my bonus
T H E  R E P O […]