Maybe it's time for AEI to start a National Growth Consulting branch with economists, legal experts etc who can offer a comprehensive program to countries looking to grow.  Compete with the World Bank etc.  

You might get few small countries to pay attention and then grow from there.

Happy Birthday Professor.  Your ability to make complex legal issues understandable, while showing  the breadth of your knowledge and the nuance involved is amazing.  Many can simplify topics and many can make complex, but few can make understandable while showing historical context and the many facets of the issue.  Anyway, I wish you and  Prof. Yoo had time for a podcast a week.

Imagine if  the head of Exxon Mobil's environmental compliance division had clause rewarding him or her if they got a job with the Federal Government and then they became head of the EPA after a stint at the White House.  Or Northrup Grumman and Defense?  Or Blue Cross and the HHS?  or Monsanto and Agriculture? Ford and Transportation? Weyerhaeuser and the Forest Service?    The horror, the horror.  Somehow Citigroup and the Treasury is OK.  

Most Harvard graduates go on to normal jobs, doing normal things.  My experience has been that the farther they get from Harvard and the more normal the job the more quiet they are about Harvard.  They want to avoid the reaction of "You went to Harvard and your doing the same thing I am?"  When they are younger, or if they are very successful  they are more free with dropping the "H Bomb". 

I like the Savage Theory of Christie tying himself to Obama to protect himself from the Media.  Makes a lot of sense.

I also think that the Obama folks played Christie and used the opportunity to make Obama look moderate and in charge.  Christie was responding to the hurricane, trying to protect himself from future charges and probably trying to respect the office off a democrat president (in a very blue state).  Obama was looking at if from "how can I best use this to get me elected next week?"  

One goal, one focus and he outfoxed Christie.  

Title is wrong.  Should be "Gangnam".

Fire the clerk that proofed the brief.

As always, I look forward to the episode.

Two years ago I had two nieces get married 1 month apart.  Niece 1 wanted a simple wedding and casual reception.  Niece 2 worked in the wedding industry so went for the full blown winery, fancy dress, etc wedding.  

Now, I despise the wedding industrial complex as much as anybody, but, the concept of "Let's not buy flowers,let's just pick them from friends gardens" seems great.  Until the morning of the wedding when the bride's mom and friends are running around picking flowers.   I was out in a borrowed a pick-up borrowing chairs and tables etc.  (I did not mind, but it added complexity).

The industrial wedding?  Flowers all there, chairs all there all easy on the day.  Sometimes the industrial complex exists for a reason.  

Both great weddings and the each have a baby girl.  

I live in Deep Blue Northern California and am used to being "outed" as a conservative at my friend's same sex wedding, or the token republican at the democratic debate party etc.  This election cycle I have had a number  of friends of the leftish persuasion ask me specific questions and a few even talk openly about being undecided.  For example, a Doctor friend, who is Jewish and long time democrat, has openly said he is considering voting for Romney because of Obamacare.  I think that there are a lot out there.  They see the horror on peoples faces when they find out I am a conservative, and don't want that grief, but they know what the consequences of four more years of the current crew.  So they are officially undecided or leaning Obama, but in reality they are strongly considering Romney.  Enough to make a difference? I hope so.  

Anyway CJ, (just finished Below Zero btw - great book)  take heart.   And spend the next few weeks writing another great book.  

Taking Care of the 47%...Obama, your momma.

I Marry Barry

I agree that we need to address the dependency crisis.

You have to make the dole less attractive than working.   The Victorian poor houses and farms were horrible places.  But they had to be a more horrible than working in a stinking factory for 12 hours per day 6 days a week and then going back to your vermin filled tenement. 

I am not advocating going back to poorhouses, but if life on the dole / disability / food stamps / government housing is better living than having a job, many will choose the dole and a life of dependence and misery.  

I think you are correct.  I was just saying that the impulse for wanting Sharia law might be a response to the arbitrary and totalitarian states they live in.  The only response they know is Sharia law.  

Convincing an Islamist that a Western Style Democracy is the way to go would be a hard sell to most.  Partly because they associate western democracy with our decadent lifestyle and partly I believe because it is not their system.  Kinda like discussing health care with a Brit.  Even if their Grandma had to wait 2 years for a new hip,  they will never admit that another system might be better.  

And without freedom, few countries will develop a  prosperous middle class that will pushes for reform.  

Several years ago I heard a talk by a law professor stating that Sharia law was developed as response to the totalitarian governments of the time.  And while we might not think of Sharia as a good system, from the eyes of those living in an arbitrary state, it at least imposes some controls on the powerful vs the weak and is a framework of law.  Like the biblical "eye for an eye" and the Hawaiian "Broken Paddle" law, Sharia demands that the powerful and weak all fall under the same rules.  So to an Uzbek living in a very corrupt, dysfunctional society, Sharia looks like an improvement.

2) Historically societies have looked for political and personal freedom when per capita GDP reached about $4,000 to 5,000 (see Korea and Taiwan, does not apply to extraction economies like Saudi Arabia).  Until then, citizens are attempting to survive.  A middle class seems to be a prerequisite for a western style democracy and freedom.  

So, the Islamic push for Sharia could be their attempt at a more just society and a push for more western style freedom might have to wait until they have more wealth and a modern economy. 

I was listening to NPR this morning and they were discussing the disparity between the US / Libyan version of events.  Basically, they said both sides are stretching the truth.  The US because we don't want our Libyan adventure to look like a failure and the Libyans because if Al Qaeda is in Libya then we will provide more support and aid.   

http://www.npr.org/2012/09/17/161256746/protests-continue-against-anti-islam-film

Jay is my favorite NR writer and I have enjoyed Mona on her guest appearances on Ricochet podcasts.  I am now looking forward to getting up in 5 hours to drive 100 miles through San Francisco Bay Area traffic....Mona and Jay will make my drive a breeze.

I was thinking of this yesterday after talking to one of my closest friends, who after many years as a conservative is supporting Obama.  Why?  He is recovering from cancer treatment, is unemployed and on disability.  

He sees Obama care as his lifeline.  With Obamacare, once he has recovered from his treatments, he could survive by contract writing and consulting contracts.  Without Obamacare - he believes that he could not get health insurance and foresees a life of living uninsured or paying most of his disposable income for insurance.  

People are scared and moving to security.  It is false security, but comforting none the less.  It would not take many of the undecided or, like my friend, the conservatives, to make the switch and give Obama another term.