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The Caucus Men
Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Washington. Mrs. Clinton, by contrast, has won but a single caucus: in Nevada. She also has a slight lead in New Mexico's Feb. 5 caucus, in which provisional ballots are still being counted. Blogger Kevin Drum offers some explanations for Obama's caucus advantage: Caucuses require organization and Obama was better organized. They require enthusiasm and he has more enthusiastic supporters. They require time, and his demographic has more free time. They're mostly in small states, and Obama targeted small states. They're dominated by activists, and activists tend to support Obama. To put it another way, caucuses require that a candidate's support be deep, while primaries require that it be broad.
Inflation is price as Gulf nations fight to maintain dollar pegs
The arguments in favor of breaking the policy tie will gain weight as U.S. rates fall but growth and inflation remain high in the Gulf," said Simon Williams, senior regional economist of HSBC. Policy makers may put on a show of unity as they are committed to preparing for a common currency in the Gulf. "A revaluation can be delayed for a long time, but it will come at a cost," said Marios Maratheftis, regional head of research at Standard Chartered Bank. "That cost is inflation." Inflation has become a political problem in the Gulf, where it has overtaken official lending rates in five of the six states preparing for monetary union. Arguments that the status quo brings stability have begun to ring hollow as governments are forced to raise wages and impose controls on rents and food prices to contain public discontent.
December 2006 Archives
So, for your entertainment (and mine), let's make up some New Year's resolutions for the stars. "I'm going to try really, really, really, really hard to be genuinely happy for Ashlee. Even though she thinks she's better than I am, and she's way cuter than me now. And she's probably making more money than me, and Papa Joe likes her better." --Jessica Simpson "I will continue to take over my sister's identity." --Ashlee Simpson "I promise to buy those days of the week underwear y'all and wear them every single day. Pinky swear." --Britney "We're going to adopt at least gazillion more babies this year." --Brangelina "I won't have sex for a whole year... take two." --Paris "We are going to try to be much less creepy." --TomKat "I will not steal illegally obtain any small children this year." --Madonna "Annoying Meredith Grey no more.
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