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In the personal blogs of writers, we get to watch the development of their ideas. Victor Davis Hanson’s recent post on the growing European sympathy for American ideas is a good example.
For five years we have been lectured that George Bush ruined the trans-Atlantic relationship. But now we see pro-American governments in both France and Germany, and a radical change in attitudes from Denmark to Holland to Italy. …
Perfect illustration of same comes from the Jerusalem Post.
French President Nicholas Sarkozy called Wednesday for sanctions on Iran to be tightened if the country does not adhere to the West’s demands to cease its nuclear agenda, Israel Radio reported. …
Immigration bill time. David Brooks is first. He likes it.
… The United States is the Harvard of the world. Millions long to get in. Yet has this country set up an admissions system that encourages hard work, responsibility and competition? No. Under our current immigration system, most people get into the U.S. through criminality, nepotism or luck. The current system does almost nothing to encourage good behavior or maximize the nation’s supply of human capital.
Which is why the immigration deal reached in the Senate last week is, on balance, a good thing. …
George Will is next. He doesn’t.
… In 1986, when there probably were 3 million to 5 million illegal immigrants, Americans accepted an amnesty because they were promised that border control would promptly follow. Today the 12 million illegal immigrants, 60 percent of whom have been here five or more years, are as numerous as Pennsylvanians; 44 states have populations smaller than 12 million. Deporting the 12 million would require police resources and methods from which the nation would rightly flinch. So, why not leave bad enough alone? …
WSJ likes it.
IBD has the third Jimmy Carter editorial.
John Fund writes on Thompson’s use of the internet.
… Former Senator Fred Thompson, who is still mulling over whether to join the GOP race and to date hasn’t raised a penny in campaign funds, is the latest to pioneer a novel technique for harnessing the new medium. He inspired hundreds of comments on blogs this week by posting a short, 39-second video response to a debate challenge from lefty filmmaker Michael Moore over the propriety of Mr. Moore’s recent trip to Cuba. …
Instapundit excerpts good Examiner editorial.
Joshua Muravchik posts on Hillary’s many positions.
Much has already been said about Hillary Clinton’s shifting positions on Iraq. Having once criticized President Bush for not sending enough troops, she now has announced her intent to vote to block war funding. But Hillary’s zigzagging is nothing new. It has been the stamp of her last fifteen years. …
New Republic reviews Bob Shrum’s new book. The 0 for 8 dem campaign consultant has a knife out for Edwards.
Political junkies have been awaiting the new memoir by Bob Shrum, the famed consultant to a string of Democratic presidential candidates, including Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004. After compiling an 0-8 record in presidential campaigns, Shrum has taken something of a beating from the political and media establishment of late, and he has been conspicuously absent from the 2008 campaign thus far. But it seems he’s determined to play a role after all, as is clear from his forthcoming book, No Excuses: Concessions of a Serial Campaigner.
One nice thing you can say about Jimmy Carter. He doesn’t hang around with the type of people Bill Clinton enjoys. Dick Morris has the details.
Looks like they’ve found Chirac’s cash stash.
LONG-STANDING rumours that the former French president Jacques Chirac holds a secret multi-million-euro bank account in Japan appear to have been confirmed by files seized from the home of a senior spy. Papers seized by two investigating magistrates from General Philippe Rondot, a former head of the DGSE, France’s intelligence service, show Mr Chirac opened an account in the mid-1990s at Tokyo Sowa Bank, credited with the equivalent of £30 million. It is not known where the money came from, nor whether it is connected to various kick-back scandals to which Mr Chirac’s name has been linked over the past decade.
Last year, Mr Chirac “categorically denied” having a bank account in Japan. …
Cafe Hayek posts on price-gouging legislation.
Carpe Diem says gas prices are not even close to an all-time high.
Last night Dilbert tasked the Great Blog Brain for ideas to improve his restaurants. He posts on some of the answers.
NewsBiscuit announces the launch of Google Gossip.