https://bsky.app/profile/mcopelov.bsky.social/post/3l7a5uk4vay2n Dr. Copelovitch is correct; Afghanistan led to Biden’s dropping approval ratings. The lesson is not that we can never end a war, but that if we are placed in a situation like Afghanistan again, there needs to be a lot more focus on not just fighting the terrorists with guns but also cutting the …
Yearly Archives: 2024
Ways to nationalize railroads
We could make it so every abandoned railroad automatically becomes AMTRAK property. Every failed railroad becomes AMTRAK property as well. As AMTRAK reinvests in these and builds a profitable income base eventually AMTRAK becomes the national operator. We do what I will call the America Plan, where failed railroads become part of AMTRAK and mergers …
Leader assassination
Assassinating bin Laden was the right thing to do. He was a dangerous man. Assassinating bin Laden did not cause al Qaeda to collapse. Assassinating bin Laden did not lead to America winning the War in Afghanistan. It was still the right thing to do. Assassination of terrorist leaders is only the first step towards …
5 reasons to elect the president via popular vote
Reason 1: The Electoral College makes some votes worth more than others. This one is pretty obvious and a common complaint. Presidential candidates campaign mostly in swing states while mostly ignoring other states. Shouldn’t we live in an America where each person is equally important? Campaigning for votes in Los Angeles or Boston should have …
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Activist mindset
If you have ever been on Facebook or most newspapers, you probably notice that they push depressing media. People are more likely to stay engaged if they feel like something is threatening them, which means more scrolling and ad revenue. It’s a vicious cycle for the user. It’s easy to walk away from this and …
Uber and Lyft are out of line
In my opinion, Uber and Lyft’s problem is not that they have a computer that sets prices. Every company does that nowadays. That’s normal, and enables more flexible prices. The problem with Uber and Lyft is that they pay their drivers less than minimum wage. There are two ways this can work: Drivers for the …
The day after
In the Ukraine war, after the war had been won, the only stable solution to this conflict is Ukraine being a member of NATO. Ukraine then can focus on reforming institutions to bring themselves in line with European Union acquis in preparation for membership. Any time a conflict ends, the most important thing is what …
Timelines
Paradox of Tolerance
Radical Islamists gather in Hamburg to call for caliphate https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hizb_ut-Tahrir_in_Deutschland https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/10/08/pro-palestinian-protest-erupts-in-frankfurt-despite-city-ban https://www.rferl.org/a/germany-pro-russia-rallies-discrimination/31795983.html Germany is failing the Paradox of Tolerance. While anti-Semites can freely protest in Germany, people calling for freedom in Palestine and an end to the bombardment of Gaza face the full brutality of the law. Supporters of Putin are allowed to rally in …
Canadian, Newfoundland, and US elections, 1836 to present
Having some fun drawing maps this morning. I hope this is helpful in seeing long-term political trends in North America.