Bluey Blog - Official Blog of Robert B. Bluey

links for 2008-04-30

• The House GOP’s Fiscal Integrity Task Force - John Hawkins, Right Wing News

  I got together with Thaddeus McCotter, Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee to talk about the new GOP Fiscal Integrity Task Force that has been announced in the House.

  (tags: republicans congress spending)

• Increasing Supply Brings Prices Down - Mark Impomeni, Political Machine

  Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton both say that they can lower gas prices if they are elected president.

  (tags: energy obama hillary_clinton)

• The Right Call to Action on Health Care Reform - Greg D’Angelo, The Foundry

  Sen. John McCain issued a call to action on health care reform today. Despite what some political pundits and liberal critics in the media claim, McCain has it exactly right with his policy proposal.

  (tags: mccain 2008 health_care)

• McCain’s Progress - Editorial, Wall Street Journal

  The Grand Guignol between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has to end eventually, and then the public discomfort over health care will resurface as a genuine policy dispute between the Democratic and Republican nominees.

  (tags: mccain 2008 health_care)

• Voters Are Far from the Biggest Losers - Abigail Thernstrom, National Review Online

  For one of the most anticipated big decisions of the current Supreme Court term, the Indiana voter-ID ruling Monday is certainly a bit anti-climactic.

  (tags: voter_id scotus)

• We Should Study Conservatism In Schools - Barron YoungSmith, The New Republic

  It’s high time Americans start learning about the conservative movement.

  (tags: conservatism history politics)

• The Machinery of Hope - Tim Dickinson, Rolling Stone

  It’s Presidents day, two weeks before the Texas primary, and Adam Ukman has come to the small city of San Marcos to train precinct captains for Barack Obama.

  (tags: obama 2008 web2.0)

• The First 21st-Century Campaign - Ronald Brownstein, National Journal

  In scope and sweep, tactics and scale, the marathon struggle between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton has triggered such a vast evolutionary leap in the way candidates pursue the presidency that it is likely to be remembered as the first true 21st-

  (tags: obama 2008 internet web2.0)

• Fast-Forwarding Networked Politics - Carrie Dann & Ronald Brownstein, National Journal

  Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign didn’t give Amanda Vaughn much notice last month when it asked the University of North Carolina junior to publicize a campus event featuring Chelsea Clinton.

  (tags: hillary_clinton obama 2008 web2.0 social_networking)

Turning Up the Heat on Global Warming Alarmists

Today marks the beginning of Americans for Prosperity’s Hot Air Tour across six cities in middle America. On the heels of its successful Ending Earmarks Express tour, AFP has shifted gears to shine the spotlight on global warming. Follow the progress CostofHotAir.com.

AFP’s activism is just one of several new projects under way to combat global warming alarmists and the forthcoming Lieberman-Warner climate change bill in Congress. With notable conservatives such as Newt Gingrich and John McCain sounding more like Al Gore and Nancy Pelosi these days, there’s reason to be concerned.

One of the best resources for the latest news on global warming is a new blog called The Chilling Effect. It combines hard news and research with editorial cartoons and other buzz on the subject. I encourage you to keep an eye on it.

This blog and other websites like it (including the valuable GlobalWarming.org) will serve as important sources of information as conservatives prepare to fight the costly Lieberman-Warner climate change bill. An early analysis of the bill done by my colleagues at Heritage shows just how damaging it would be to our economy.

links for 2008-04-29

• Fear and loathing at CFIUS - Joshua Treviño, Wall Street Journal Asia

  Japan isn’t the only place flexing its regulatory oversight of foreigners these days. Now, the U.S Treasury Department wants to look at transactions involving stakes of less than 10% of the acquired American company.

  (tags: economy business government)

• Transplant recipients raise donor awareness, funds - Alicia Doyle, Ventura County Star

  A semi-pro football player in his younger years, Tom Henry of Ventura continued his athletic pursuits after receiving a kidney transplant at UCLA Medical Center in March 1994.

  (tags: bluey)

• Supreme Court gets it right with voter photo ID ruling - Editorial, Washington Examiner

  Constitutional law degrees aren’t necessary when mere common sense is sufficient to conclude, as did the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, that an Indiana law requiring a photo ID to vote “is amply justified by the valid interest in protecting ‘the inte

  (tags: voter_id scotus)

• Friends of the Earmark Make Themselves Heard - Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, Washington Post

  The hottest document on Capitol Hill is an anonymous six-page white paper that defends, of all things, earmarks — those much-maligned home-state projects that lawmakers shoehorn into spending bills.

  (tags: earmarks congress)

Travel Tips for the Perferct Paris Vacation

Before we head off to the airport and say goodbye to Paris, I wanted to share some of the travel tips Missy and I picked up over the past week in case you’ll be visiting this wonderful city sometime soon.

My first bit of advice is to follow someone else’s advice. That would be Rick Steves, whose book about Paris was always at our fingertips. I’m not sure how much time or money Rick saved us this week, but his suggestions were on the mark. If you’re traveling to Paris, you need to get a copy of this book. It’s the best investment you’ll make.

In your pre-trip preparation, I’d strongly encourage you to rent an apartment, especially if you’ll be staying at least a week. We found it to be more affordable and much more enjoyable. It’s not that our place was all that spacious, but it did provide a place to eat breakfast (toaster, microwave and even a dishwasher), spread out for the week and live amongst other Parisians. We used My Apartment in Paris, which offers many options based on your budget and location. I’d personally recommend the Left Bank or Latin Quarter.

Once you’re on the ground, there are several essential things to do. Before you go to any museums or tourist attractions, get yourself a Paris Museum Pass. It was saved us hours of waiting in line and covered nearly ever place we wanted to visit. You can get the pass in two, four or six day increments. We managed to do what we needed in two.

Take day trips to Giverny and Versailles. Neither is close to the city and both require some advance planning, but they were well worth it. If you’re going to Giverny, you should rent a bike when you get off the train. And in Versailles, try to go on a Sunday so you can see the fountains. Don’t rush your visit. There’s plenty to do, and being away from Paris can be refreshing.

Earlier in the week I complained about eating, but after a couple bad experiences on Wednesday, we really enjoyed the French cuisine. Make sure you eat at a genuine French restaurant (no English subtitles on the menu) at least once; our night out with Kate and Alex Pesey was excellent. We found that for lunch, it was much easier to get a ham-and-cheese sandwich or crêpe than spend a lot of time and money at a sit-down restaurant.

And finally, blog about your trip as it’s happening. I’m so glad I kept a daily journal and posted my photos online. As soon as I return to America, my mind will be elsewhere and I’ll be doing other things, leaving no time to reflect on the past week. My blog served as the perfect place to share our experiences in Paris with friends and family.

No Wonder the French Revolted: Photos From Our Last Day

We don’t officially leave Paris until tomorrow, but because we need to be at the airport early, Missy and I won’t have any time to partake in tourist activities. So I’m calling today our last day — and we certainly made the most of it.

All week we’ve been looking forward to visiting the palace that Louis XIV built in Versailles. I went there 11 years ago during my last visit, but today’s experience was far more enjoyable. We took full advantage of the sunny 75-degree weather in Paris and spent the better part of the day at the sprawling palace and grounds. The fountains run each Sunday beginning in April, so the excursion was made even more special.

After visiting Versailles, it’s no wonder the French people revolted against Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, and later beheaded both of them. Their lavish retreat in the country is like a playground for adults. Louis XIV had the gall to build a second smaller palace on the grounds when the first became too busy; it later became a frequently destination for Louis XV and Louis XVI when they needed to retreat from reality. Marie Antoinette even built her own peasant village so she could feel more at home.

While the royalty was spending lavishly on this beautiful palace in the quiet countryside, the French people were starving in the streets of Paris. Versailles, while extraordinary, represents the monarchy’s triumph and defeat. It was a wonderful place to visit, but also a telling reminder government largess — a massive pork project if there were such a thing in the 16th and 17th centuries.

After returning from Versailles, we spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying a nice dinner in the Latin Quarter. It will certainly be sad to leave tomorrow, but we’re looking forward to returning home.

UPDATE — April 29, 8:46 a.m.: My good friend Alex Pesey, who runs the L’Institut de Formation Politique and Tocqueville Fellowship in France, takes issue with my comments (partly made in jest) about Versailles and the French revolution.

After digesting Alex’s comments, two thoughts came to mind:

1) Versailles is absolutely beautiful, and the artwork and architecture there was by far superior to what we saw elsewhere in Paris. I agree with Alex on that point. While not a perfect comparison, we saw this contrast at the Musee d’Orsay with Alexandre Cabanel’s “The Birth of Venus.” It was seen an unrealistic by the more “enlightened” — or elitist — class, who favored works of art in a far different style.

2) Despite its beauty, I stand by my thoughts that Louis XIV, XV and XVI probably went a little overboard in building a palace of such extravagance. Much in the same way we criticize government largess in America today, I could certainly understand why there was anger in 1789. That being said, I don’t know enough about my French history, so I’ll trust Alex on the facts, and therefore, stand corrected for equating what happened in France with what took place in America.

A Day Trip to Giverny: Photos From Our Fifth Day

The day started early and turned out to be one of the best yet. We jumped on a train headed 50 miles west of Paris to Claude Monet’s gardens at Giverny. The trip took about 90 minutes, including a four-mile bike ride from the train station though the town of Vernon to his house. It was great to get a bike ride in on the vacation, and even better because it served a very useful purpose.

We spent several hours there admiring the beautiful gardens and water lilies. Temperatures were in the topped out in the 70s today, which made for wonderful weather in the French countryside. After an excellent ham-and-cheese sandwich along a dirt road in Giverny, we headed back to town and caught the train to Paris.

Upon arriving back in the big city, we headed to the Opera House. We opted not to go in, but just the outside was well worth the view. Just a few blocks away was the hotel where I stayed during my last visit 11 years ago. I even found the great crêperie where we often ate.

From there it was off to see the best view of the Eiffel Tower in Trocadéro. We snapped several pictures and made our way underneath the tower, past Ecole Militaire, down the famous Rue Cler, and finally to Les Invalides. We ate dinner at a great place called Coffee Parisian recommended by Missy’s co-worker Jen.

The Highs and Lows of Paris: Photos From Our Fourth Day

Today was one of the best days yet. Even though we didn’t accomplish as much in terms of tourist attractions, we took it easy and had a good time.

The day started a little later than normal. After getting home so late from the Eiffel Tower last night, we decided to sleep in a bit. First we made our way to Sacré Coeur in Montmartre. This was one of the areas I remember visiting during my last trip, and it turned out to be enjoyable experience. We climbed more steps on our way there — first up to the church, then to the top of its dome. Afterward we ate crêpes for lunch and toured a few notable spots in Montmartre.

Our second stop took us to the Catacombs. I had wanted to visit during my last trip but never made it underground to see the spooky place with the remains of countless Parisians. It certainly wasn’t my favorite place — too morbid — but it certainly was interesting.

On our way home we walked through the Left Bank to see several attractions, including the Luxembourg Gardens and Saint-Sulpice, the church made famous by Dan Brown in “The Da Vinci Code.” I even snapped a photo of the supposed rose line, even though the church debunks the book with a posted memo nearby.

The best part of the day — and one of the highlights of the trip — came this evening when we met friends Kate and Alex Pesey for dinner. We even had an opportunity to meet their baby beforehand. Our friendship with Kate and Alex dates back a couple of years, so it was a real treat to see them on their turf rather than ours.

Looking Down on Paris: Photos From Our Third Day

The day began with a very American touch. We met our American friend Kate Pesey at a place called Breakfast in America, just about a mile from our apartment. Kate organized a small gathering of Republicans Abroad on short notice, and although we just had one attendee, it was great to meet.

On our way back from breakfast we climbed to the top of the Panthéon for great views of Paris. We hadn’t planned to visit this place, but it turned out to be a nice surprise. We stopped at the Cluny Museum, which wasn’t our favorite but did give us some perspective on early Paris.

After a quick bite to eat, we walked to Notre Dame to check out the archaeological crypt and then climb several hundred stairs for a view of the city from the cathedral’s tower. The best part was the creaky bell tower — supported by wood, not stone. Needless to say, Missy didn’t want to spend much time in there.

We headed a few blocks north to the Pompidou Center, our least favorite museum so far. After a quick tour of the Picasso room, we decided to head back to the Louvre for one last visit before our Museum Pass expired.

Yesterday’s dining experiences were the best so far. We ate dinner at a nice Italian restaurant down the street (with English subtitles on the menu). Unfortunately, by the time we were finished, it had begun to rain, which threated our plans to tour the Eiffel Tower. It was just a quick shower, though, so we rode the Metro for the first time and ended the night with a chilly ride up the 1,063-foot tower for an incredible view.

Stay Tuned for Day Three Photos of Paris

I apparently took so many photos today that I drained the camera battery. I’ll post more about today’s excursions in Paris as soon as I can download them.

The Paris Museum Tour: Photos From Our Second Day

As you’ll see from the photos, our second day in Paris was filled with museums. We bought the valuable Museum Pass for 30€ and visited the Musée du Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Musée de l’Orangerie, Musée d’Orsay, Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle. We had hoped to make it to the Notre Dame crypt and tower, but we ran out of time. After sunset, we took a cruise down the Seine.

Today also offered some important lessons in eating. Given the very little French we know (despite the fact I took it in high school and college), we had wisely stuck to places that offered English translations on the menu. We decided to take some chances today, and both lunch and dinner were interesting experiences as a result.

We ate lunch at the very nice Cafeteria Monte Carlo just off the Champs Elysées (at the suggestion of Rick Steves), and quickly learned our first lesson. What should have been a quick and easy lunch turned out to be expensive and unappetizing. (Note to self: don’t order steak in France unless you want it rare.) For dinner we ate at the Del Arte pizza place in the Latin Quarter. When I asked the waitress if she spoke English, she said “non” and proceeded to ignore us until another woman finally came to take our order. (Note to self: If there’s no English anywhere on the menu, the French probably don’t want you there.)

There are lots of things on tap for tomorrow. Check back for photos from day three.