No Pardon for Billy the Kid

There's been a lot of speculation about what the future may hold for outgoing New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.And, in the buildup for today, Richardson's last day in office, there was another kind of speculation — would he issue a pardon to the infamous Billy the Kid?No one knows what the future holds for Richardson. But today, he announced that the immediate future would not include a pardon for the 19th–century outlaw.The whole thing stemmed from...

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Lessons Learned in 2010

"As we ring in 2011 with prayers for the world, our nation, our towns, our jobs and our families ... let us look back at a teeter–totter of a year, where high–riding America suddenly found herself hitting the ground of reality with a thud. War is not over; the economic recovery is slow–to–stagnant and those who are not yet struggling themselves know someone, or love someone, who is."Elizabeth ScaliaOur Sunday VisitorOne of the time–honored end–of–a–given–year traditions of journalism is the year–in–review piece on whatever relevant topic the writer...

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Facts Are Stubborn Things

"Carl Van Horn, the director of the Heldrich Center and one of the two professors ... conducting the survey, said he was struck by how pessimistic some of the respondents have become — not just about their own situation but about the nation's future. The survey found that workers in general are increasingly accepting the notion that the effects of the recession will be permanent, that they are the result of fundamental changes in the national economy."Bob HerbertNew York TimesI have heard that the New York Times will go to a pay–for–online–access...

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The Music of Christmas

It is early on Christmas morning.My bedroom window faces west so I won't be able to see when the sun starts to peek out over the eastern horizon, but that hasn't begun yet. It is still dark in Dallas, Texas, where I have spent so many Christmas mornings in my life.And I am thinking about the music I associate with Christmas. It isn't always what you might think. Sure, there are the usual associations with seasonal songs and grade–school shows, but there are other, more personal memories of music and Christmas that are on my mind.Sorting out those...

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The Question of the Season

"Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus."Francis ChurchEditorial writer, New York SunSept. 21, 1897Yesterday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reprinted the famous 19th–century...

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A Christmas Mystery

Here's a real–life Christmas mystery for you to ponder.Don't feel bad if you can't solve it. It's been around for nearly two centuries.Anyway, I'm sure you're familiar with "The Night Before Christmas."You know the poem I'm talking about — the one that begins "Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house/Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse ..."Yeah, I knew you were familiar with it.Well, anyway, it was published anonymously...

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The Declining Population

"Nearly 10% population growth is slow only in relation to that of Burundi, the African country with the world's lowest per capita gross domestic product. Our population growth rate is comparable to Mexico's, Brazil's and Indonesia's."Froma HarropThis morning, I have been reading with considerable interest Froma Harrop's column about America's "slow–growing population" for Creators Syndicate.USA Today reports that, in the decade that has passed since Y2K, the U.S. population has risen 9.7%, Harrop writes. "For Americans concerned with a loss of...

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Dying of Thirst?

I've heard it said that water is the most fundamental element of life on this planet, and that is true.It is so fundamental that sometimes we joke about it. We treat water as if it is our right to have fresh drinking water yet we give little thought to whether we actually do have fresh, clean water to drink.But the integrity of the water supply is no laughing matter.Did you ever see "Dr. Strangelove?" Do you remember the crazy general who orders...

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Hate Crimes Decline

David Gibson, the religion reporter for Politics Daily, wrote last month that, according to the FBI, "the number of reported hate crimes dropped significantly in 2009 from the previous year, to their lowest point in more than 15 years."This happened, Gibson observed, "despite the deepening recession and growing social tensions."And that's a good thing — if you can verify that hate–inspired crimes actually did drop, but that isn't as easy to verify as you might think.I'll grant you that sometimes it's obvious — like that case a dozen years or so...

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Things We Think We Think

(Note: Peter King of Sports Illustrated, one of my favorite sports writers, writes a column on pro football and routinely includes a list titled "10 Things I Think I Think.")Last month, I wrote about the anniversaries of some noteworthy elections:Ronald Reagan's triumph in the 1980 presidential election,Ann Richards' victory in the 1990 Texas gubernatorial race,California's vicious Senate race in 1950,the seemingly endless 2000 presidential campaign...

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Head for the Mountains

Back before George W. Bush's father was Ronald Reagan's running mate, "Head for the mountains" was the commercial pitch for Busch beer.It may well have been the perfect advice for those who opposed Bush's ascension to the presidency in 2000.If you were around in those days, I guess I don't have to remind you of the national ordeal that Americans went through in the five weeks between Election Day and this day, when the Supreme Court, after narrowly voting to halt the recount in Florida, effectively awarded the state — and, with it, the election...

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The Last Words

Today, I have been watching the funeral service for Elizabeth Edwards.I don't really have much to add to what I've already written this week, just some observations.I can empathize with Edwards' children and their loss. I, too, lost my mother, as regular readers of this blog know, and I think it is a pain that never goes away.But neither do the lessons that your mother teaches you. They will stay with her children for the rest of their lives, just...

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It Is Neither the Time Nor the Place

I really don't think the Westboro Baptist Church needs any more notoriety.Based in Kansas, the church — the congregation of which appears to be largely members of the founder's family — has earned a reputation over the years as a hate group, taking part in pickets against gays, Jews and other groups.The reputation is well deserved. By the group's own count, it has sponsored more than 30,000 protests in more than 500 cities and towns located in every state.The group has been particularly active in protesting the funerals of gays, gaining national...

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Elizabeth Edwards

In 2004, I voted for the Kerry–Edwards ticket.And, knowing what I now know, I would still vote for Kerry over Bush — in spite of John Edwards' presence on the ticket.But I don't want to think about John Edwards today. I think I made my feelings about him pretty clear in this post nearly a year ago.At that time, I acknowledged that I had been one of Edwards' supporters in 2008. If I had the chance to make that choice again, I would choose someone...

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Holding Him To It

"I think the overwhelming message that I hear from the voters is that we want everybody to act responsibly in Washington. We want you to work harder to arrive at consensus. We want you to focus completely on jobs and the economy and growing it so that we're ensuring a better future for our children and our grandchildren."Barack ObamaNov. 3, 2010It has been nearly a month since Barack Obama uttered those words.It was the day after the midterm election that resulted in the largest shift in House seats since Pearl Harbor, and the president seemed...

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