Politics and other nightmares

A fascinating interview with Robert Novak, who has been the man so many have loved to hate for so long. A tease:

On Monday, I did a post taking The Journal Gazette to task for not identifying those quoted in a story about illegal immigration:

I wonder if the JG would pull that “first names only” stunt if this were a bank robber or a burglar. As a matter of fact, would law enforcement let them get away with it, or would some reporter be hauled in front of a grand jury?

You're doing a lousy job, so never mind waiting for the regular election. You're outta here!

GARY -- Local lawmakers are promising to push legislation empowering voters to remove officials from office in the middle of their terms.

State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said he's responding to constituents, who want a way to force Gary Mayor Rudy Clay out of office.

The "give peace a chance" crowd is getting a little nervous:

Reporting from Washington -- Antiwar groups and other liberal activists are increasingly concerned at signs that Barack Obama's national security team will be dominated by appointees who favored the Iraq invasion and hold hawkish views on other important foreign policy issues.

Even if they don't go to jail over the truancy, these parents probably deserve a little time for sheer stupidity:

A rural Richmond couple is facing a possible jail term for refusing to obey state truancy laws.

The case involves the alleged failure of Eli and Stephanie Collins, 3398 N. Salisbury Road, No. 44, to make their child go to school.

[. . .]

I can understand people having strong objections to consolidating school districts or combining city and county governments. There is a sense that government will get so big and complicated that the ordinary citizen's concerns will get overlooked. But consolidating libraries at the county level -- having a county library system with numerous branches instead of a county library and several city libraries -- seems like a logical move to me.

UPDATE to "The God trap" post:

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles commissioner today backed off its denial of a woman's request for a personalized license plate reading “BE GODS.”

If you read anything sillier about the Obama presidency, please let me know so we can keep a record:

Still, Bush and Clinton fit into the expectations of what earlier generations thought a president's wife should look like. Obama has the opportunity to break the mold.

For you nitpickers who like to impress people with esoterica, Barack Obama is not actually the "president-elect." He is the "president-designate." He doesn't officially become president-elect until Dec. 15 when the members of the Electoral College meet to cast their votes.

The line forms on the left:

America's mayors are crying out for help from President-elect Barack Obama, seeking immediate relief from a national economic crisis that has slammed budgets in big cities, suburbs and small towns.