This week’s edition of five things I wanted to point out, but was too lazy to turn into individual posts:
1. A Post-Mortem of Michele Bachmann’s campaign.
Jennifer Jacobs of The Des Moines Register sheds some light on problems within the campaign, things that some of on the ground outside the campaign sensed even if we weren’t quite able to put our finger on it. In a nutshell she was poorly served by her staff, and similar to what we saw in Tim Pawlenty’s campaign there was a definite disconnect between the Iowa campaign staff and the national campaign staff.
2. Romney is the least electable.
We’ve heard the case made by the media and the establishment of why they think Mitt Romney is the most electable, here’s a different perspective from Peter Ferrara in The American Spectator. The money quote:
As the Republican candidate, he would be the least electable most of all because he would not inspire the maximum vote from grassroots conservatives, failing just where his friend John McCain did, as Bob Dole did before him. That effect would be felt all the way down the ticket, as Republicans fail to win the Senate and Congressional seats with a disappointing turnout that they could have with a grassroots earthquake, as was inspired by the Reagan Revolution in 1980.
Bingo, if you can’t inspire your base supporters then you’re toast.
3. The Real Legacy of Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s Iron Lady
Great video from the Heritage Foundation:
4. New York City Schools are kicking churches out.
There are 60 churches currently holding weekend services in schools within New York City. Some pastors were recently arrested protesting this. Did NYC suddenly become so flush with cash that they don’t need the rental fees churches provide? Are they banning other groups as well? Because if that isn’t the case then this is clearly is a violation of the free exercise clause (not to mention Equal Access Act). Mayor Michael Bloomberg could overturn the ban, and if he doesn’t it looks like the New York Legislature may act. This sets a bad precedent.
5. EPA Rules May Raise Gas Prices
Oh yes, this is just what we need to turn a sluggish economy around. The warning bell is bipartisan in nature. From Fox News:
Senators from both sides of the aisle are warning that looming EPA regulations on gasoline could impose billions of dollars in additional costs on the industry and end up adding up to 25 cents to every gallon of gas….
…Citing the nearly $3.40-a-gallon average price of gas and the state of the economy, the senators said "now is not the time for new regulations that will raise the price of fuel even further."
They said it would be "expensive" for companies to meet the sulfur targets and cited a study that found it could add up to $17 billion in industry-wide, up-front expenses, in addition to another $13 billion in annual operating costs.
This could in turn add between 12 and 25 cents to an average gallon of gasoline "depending on the stringency of the proposed rule," they wrote.
"If the EPA does not proceed carefully with its regulations, the nationwide price of fuel could increase to the further detriment of consumers and businesses," the senators warned.
The lawmakers on the letter were: Sens. James Inhofe, R-Okla.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Mary Landrieu, D-La.; David Vitter, R-La.; and Mark Begich, D-Alaska.
I wouldn’t hold my breath that they’ll actually listen. The EPA needs to get a smack down from Congress, they have to be reined in.