Various interesting items this morning…..

First, a little politics from home. This is an interesting story on several levels. First…Ed Rendell tries to look like a conservative by introducing the first part of his state budget plan, which includes tax cuts and massive spending cuts. The Republicans in the state congress then thought they could corner the governor by quickly passing the budget with very little debate on the house floor. Of course, Rendell will introduce part 2 of the budget in a week or so, and no doubt it will include spending measures, and it will be doubtful that the Republicans will pass it so quickly, thereby assuring the cuts but limiting the spending. Both sides are trying a bit of sleight of hand, and it won’t work for either of them…..Rendell can veto part one if/when it passes (at some political expensive, however, since it remains primarliy unchanged by the legislature), and the Republicans won’t end the end get what they want either.

Baby Theory

Jen and I started Lamaze classes last night. I actually found it very interesting, and somewhat surprising. Very information, and very positive toward the natural childbirth experience. There was lots of video, and the images of women lying in bed all day waiting for labour to end are nowhere to be found. They are advocating a woman’s very active part in the birth process, and that’s a really positive thing. And while they weren’t advocating a Bradley Method-style labour, they certainly didn’t mention drugs as the first choice to solve a painful delivery.

War

It looks like we’re really heading down that road. I’m no peacenik, but I don’t favor the US going at this alone. Why? Because we’ll be stuck in the process of nation-building on our own, which will further anger Muslim militants who see us as power-hunger infidels. Interesting, Bush seems to be breaking a campaign promise by committing the US to stay in Iraq and set up a new government. I support something along the lines of the new British or Canadian proposals, which give Iraq a bit more time, and set a hard deadline. If they can get the entire Security Council to sign on (highly doubtful), the US will not have to act alone. Again, I’d rather see this get resolved diplomatically, but what it going on right now is hardly diplomacy…France and Germany are merely stalling, and not putting any further pressure on Iraq to comply.

Posted on 7 March 2003