Here are the best of the week news bits from the Wall Street Journal ending the week of 1/14/07.
– How Government Cheats New Property Rights Protections
– Democrats Used to Advocate for Surge Policy
– This Iraq Plan Worked
– Schwarzenneger’s Health Reforms More Drastic
How Government Cheats New Property Rights Protections
The City of Burien Washington considered a local restaurant owned by seven sisters was not upscale enough for the growing neighborhood. Because of the advancement of property rights laws the concept of condemning the restaurant to give it another private owner risked lawsuits. The City decided to create a plan to condemn the restaurant for public purposes by plowing a public road through it. A trail court stated that the plan may be “an abuse of power” but let it go ahead.
Let there be blight. William Mauer. 1-11-07
Democrats Used to Advocate for Surge Policy
As the Democrat leadership opposed Bush’s plan for a surge, they in effect reversed themselves from previous statements. Nancy Pelosi cited a general in saying on Meet the Press, “What I’m saying to you,[is] that we need more troops on the ground” (5/2004). Harry Reid said last December “If it’s a surge — that is, for two or three months — and it’s part of a program to get us out of these as indicated by this time next year, then, sure, I’ll go along with it.” A Cynical Opposition, 1-11-07
This Iraq Plan Worked
The Bush plan aims to replicate a Marine experiment in the Abnar province that proved successful. Instead of placing American advisors only in the division level, the Marines put advisors down to the lowest level, and fight alongside their Iraqi units until the mission is complete. This concept and others are part of a series of recommendations put into the Army’s new Counterinsurgency Manual which was overseen by Bush’s new pick General Petraeus. Unity of Effort. 1-12-07
Schwarzenneger’s Health Reforms More Drastic
In 2003 candidate Schwarzenegger ran against Governor Gray Davis’ plan for universal health care, now he proposing his own. Schwarzenegger’s plan is more intrusive and taxing than both Davis’ or Romney’s — calling for a 4% hospital tax, 2% doctor gross revenue tax and a 4% tax on wages for people who do not provide their own insurance. Scharzenkennedy 1-13-07