George Rebane
• Iowa produced a tie between Romney and Santorum (within counting error). It still looks like Romney is stuck at the 25% level when he’s competing with a field of candidates. This could change in New Hampshire where he is a part time resident. The interest in the Republican race should continue to grow as Newt Gingrich threatens to become the kamikaze Newt Gingrinch, and a dissed by the mainstream Ron Paul sails off to libertarian la-la land some time between now and the convention. Both can spoil the Republicans’ Christmas. Unless Romney gets a new writer, look for at least two undeclared Republicans to throw their hats into the ring.
• The notorious economist Keynes had a clear moment when he famously replied to a reporter, ‘I change my mind when new facts warrant it. What do you do?’ Yet, for some reason we punish our politicians who make the case for changing their mind on issues as new data becomes available. Small minds, it seems, demand consistency über alles in their candidates. And as Henninger (5jan12 WSJ) points out, this is a prevalent syndrome. (Let’s not confuse a ‘promise’ with a new assessment.)
• China’s military expansion seems to be sliding under America’s media radar. Or is this issue one of many that the lamestream finds too complex to handle? The development is doubly important since they are our major trading partner, economic competitor, major creditor, and ‘natural enemy’ in the western Pacific. With Obama’s projected “leaner” military, they may soon also be our natural enemy in the eastern Pacific.
• The people of Indiana see the benefits of becoming a right-to-work state. This is opposed by the Left as “union busting”. Doesn’t this confirm that union membership, destructive as it always is in the longer run, is most effectively built with the help of government guns? Compare the economies of right-to-work states with ‘union states’. Indiana Democrats are again boycotting their legislature a la Wisconsin. Maybe they can write off any jaunts to neighboring Chicago as ‘continuing education’ in the Chicago Way.
• Where does our know-nothing Harvard professor of constitutional law get off making recess appointments when the Congress is specifically not in recess to prevent his making of such appointments? Hubris achieving new heights?
rebanesruminations.com 
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