Ding, Dong, The Immigration Bill is Dead

As late as the early evening yesterday, it looked as if the immigration bill was going to pass. But some great maneuvering by Senators Jeff Sessions and Mitch McConnel led to the bill being withdrawn. This probably saved some people their jobs. This vote would have lost the next election for more than a few members of the Senate. Read the full story here.

Europe is dying a slow death. But wait . . . news from the UK is that births are at the highest rate since 1980. Some are even calling it a "baby boom." Before you get too excited, note that the birthrate is still only 1.87, and the most popular baby name is Mohammed. The articles here and here report on the rising birthrate in the UK due to immigration. Before you scoff, remember that we might read similar stories here in the US in a few years reporting that the most popular baby name is Jose, or Miguel.

In a related story, Japan is bracing for a future filled with old people. Already the "oldest" country on Earth, by mid-century two out of every five Japanese will be older than 65. This is staggaring. Has a society lost all confidence and will when it stops having children? Read the sad story here. The future belongs to those who are still here. And you know who is having the babies to still be here. Probably not your favorite countries.

Oh, but wait. It isn't just Japan. This article from Minneapolis' Star Tribune details the labor shortage expected right here from the retirement of baby boomers. "We need older workers," the State Economist says. So, to my middle-aged readers (Jethro, Jarrod, Uncle Trick), don't plan on hanging it up anytime soon.

A quote from Katherine Kersten's Star Tribune article:

Take the Macalester curriculum. What comes to mind when you think of an American Studies Department? At Macalester, its overwhelming focus is on race, gender and ethnic minorities. For example, you can take a course like "Black Queer Positionality: Narration, Negotiation, Identity," which aims to "more fully understand and articulate a black queer 'theory in the flesh.' "

Macalester's History Department offered no courses on the American founding or World War II during this last academic year. But it listed many courses with titles such as "Gender and Sexuality in Colonial America and the Early Republic" and "Consumer Nation: American Consumer Culture in the 20th Century."

In the vast majority of cases, college makes you stupider.

John Edwards is attacking Hillary Clinton's statement from the last debate that the United States is safer now than were were before 9/11. Recall that Edwards recently called the war on terror just a bumber sticker. It is scary when the most palatable choice from the Democrats is Hillary. Read it here.

Democrats are considering a 4% extra tax on America's wealthiest households. Read it here.

Mitt Romney is now the confirmed man to beat in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primaries. With victories in both of these places, it is unlikely that he could lose the nomination. I want to thank Romney, for it looks that he is going to prove me (NT) right. For more on this subject read here. And here is a great piece explaining why skipping the Ames straw poll is smart for McCain and Giuliani.

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