The retrenchment in Russia is real, but not unexpected
Barnett
¦"The Rollback of Democracy In Vladimir Putin's Russia: Tenure Marked by Consolidation of Power," by Peter Baker and Susan B. Glasser, Washington Post, 7 June 2005, p. A1.
Excerpt from book this is.
I'm sure the book is good because both of the journalists are good. My problem with the thesis is this: Russia never had a democracy in the 1990s. It had chaos and thievery and gangland violence.
Now it has order, and the economic growth is slower. Still no democracy.
But don't kid yourselves on the slippage. It was too much freedom too fast. Putin's retrenchment is Tiananmen without the demonstrations and the slaughter.
Globalization: a very good thing for the average American pocketbook
¦"The Payoff From Globalization," op-ed by Gary Clyde Hufbauer and Paul L.E. Grieco, Washington Post, 7 June 2005, p. A23.
Great article on research conducted by two serious scholars. Hufbauer came to my Foreign Direct Investment game atop the World Trade Center and blurbed my book. This is no one smarter on FDI in the world. Really cool guy too.
His research with Grieco estimates that globalization of the U.S. economy accounts for roughly 1 trillion dollars out of our 10 trillion dollar economy, or roughly $10,000 per family per year. Obviously, some families get more, like mine for being an expert on globalization, but the numbers sound about right to me.
You may say, that's only 10%, but you'd be forgetting what a gigantic economy we have. We get to command much from the world and suffer its slings and arrows with great aplomb, thanks to our enormous domestic market. Plus we have the biggest gun. Hard to beat that combo.
But as Spiderman's uncle says, With great power comes great responsibility.
Security leads the way in rule-set creation after 9/11
¦"Traveler's card might just pave the way for a national ID card," op-ed by Randall Larsen, USA Today, 8 June 2005, p. 13A.
Of course, we already have a national ID card of sorts: our passports. I love using mine as ID. I feel like I'm in a WWII movie and producing "your papers please."
Security leads new rule set creation. We may get the national ID de facto through the ID for travelers (give up a little privacy, go through security faster—like most deals in life).
The push to share information across the Intelligence Community's 15 agencies may revolutionize data sharing in the entire US government. But of course, getting better at tracking terrorists can translate into getting better at tracking you and me too. Again, trade some privacy for more convenience and security. Wouldn't it be cool to send a change of address to the PO and have them change it for you throughout all your federal records? Again, security leads the way.
Just like in US government personnel, where Rumsfeld's National Security Personal System will revolutionize federal employment first in the Defense Department, probably spreading to the entire government over time. It's a performance-based system, not a longevity-based one. Expect better service all around from your government if it happens, but also expect a U.S. military better able to muster the SysAdmin response. Again, security leads the way on change, because when security is involved, people in the USG are willing to be more daring and innovative in reforms.
It's not just Tang my friends.
SysAdmin work is tough on marriages
¦"Soldiers' divorce rates up sharply: Separation, stress erods marriages," by Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, 8 June 2005, p. 1A.
A 78% percent increase since 2003, the year we went into Iraq. What I heard today from officers at the Army War College is that the Army has truly just now accepted the reality of this expeditionary force that the Global War on Terrrorism has forced it to become. The kicker? Nothing drives it home like the second tour in Iraq.
Problem is, probably nothing breaks up marriages better than the second tour in Iraq.
Last time we had guys and gals doing a second term in a combat-zone theater? Vietnam, of course.
The officers suffer the divorces worst, but that only makes sense given the time of life (it's when most occur anyway).
My two nephews heading over to Iraq with WI National Guard units: younger is unmarried and older (my godson) just married but no kids. I think Jonathan's marriage will stay strong, because he's a fine man and his wife seems very steady. I focus my prayers on his staying safe, but since he's likely to do port security whereas Michael is likely to do convoy security, I pray a little harder for Mike. Both are excellent men who were raised amazingly well.
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