Free Republic

<p>Presidential suitors are vying for the affections of Democrats in Iowa, and the fair state's rigorous caucuses -- this year's take place Monday -- are not for the faint of heart. It takes some passion to stand for hours in cramped spaces just to declare one's preferences.</p>

<p>A dramatic shortage in the number of new antibiotics could create a public health crisis soon, infectious disease experts warn.</p> <p>Major pharmaceutical companies have abandoned or scaled back research and development of drugs that kill bacteria in favor of anti-viral drugs, such as those to combat HIV, and medicines for chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.</p>

<p>Each year, Time magazine picks the "Person of the Year" (formerly known, in less sensitive times, as the "Man of the Year"). This year, that person is "the American soldier," and the magazine's cover shows three of them, all from the Army's 1st Armored Division.</p>

Last week, when everyone who understands the First Amendment was rightly having conniptions over the Supreme Court's ruling that political speech can be severely regulated under the rubric of "campaign finance reform," the court also heard arguments in a major redistricting case brought by Pennsylvania Democrats. They're upset because they have a statewide advantage of some 445,000 votes but Democrats hold only seven of the state's 19 congressional seats. Their claim: Congressional districts are being drawn unfairly. Truth be told, I don't particularly care much about the details of this case. The Democrats complain that the Republicans redrew the map...

Anti-Union actions conflict with P-D's editorial philosophy and past stances.Management's demands would be the first step to breaking the St. Louis Newspaper Guild, which has represented the bulk of Post-Dispatch employees for over 60 years.Hypocrisy, pure and simple.  The Post-Dispatch has a long and honorable history of championing the rights of unions and ordinary working people. The newspaper is proud of the support it has given over the decades to the development of the union movement. That is why the newspaper's current position in bargaining with its own employees is so glaringly contrary to its own stated beliefs, and why our...

<p>WASHINGTON - As Al Sharpton proclaimed "I feel good," then sang and danced to the James Brown anthem on "Saturday Night Live," fans in St. Louis saw a rerun instead.</p> <p>Saturday's guest-host appearance by Sharpton, the civil rights activist and Democratic presidential candidate, brought the weekly comedy its highest ratings this season. But in St. Louis and 31 other metropolitan markets, the show wasn't seen at all.</p>

<p>Military techno-hype, reflecting a long-standing Anglo-American faith in technological quick fixes, has frequently fed expectations of a "clean" victory. But we have found that the latest technology does not always shorten wars.</p> <p>As early as 1609, John Smith, a leader of colonial Virginia, told his troops that if they just discharged their muskets at the Indians, "the very smoake will bee sufficient to affright them." Unfortunately, Smith was wrong. Virginia's Indians developed tactics to circumvent the colonists' technological advantages. Smith returned to England, proclaiming his mission accomplished, but the Virginia Indian wars lasted for decades.</p>

<p>With its factories working overtime, and its consumers on course to buy almost two million cars this year, China is developing a world-class thirst for oil. And its hunt for steady supplies is reshaping the global energy scene.</p> <p>China this year surpassed Japan as the No. 2 petroleum user after the United States. It is increasing its oil purchases even faster than it is pumping up its brawny economy. Imports for the first 10 months of 2003 were up 30 percent from year-earlier levels. The International Energy Agency expects imports to double to some four million barrels a day by 2010. By 2030, China is expected to be importing about 10 million barrels a day, roughly what the United States does now. Domestic oil output, meanwhile, is flat.</p>

After stepping down as the last president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev went from red to green. In 1993, he founded Green Cross International (www.globalgreen.org), devoted to improving the environment worldwide. On a recent U.S. visit, Gorbachev, 72, told us his passionate environmentalism began as a child, when his family's crops were ruined by dust storms from poor land use. "When I became a political leader," he said, "I saw how badly nature was suffering. Technology has resulted in a major conflict between man and nature." Gorbachev cited a lack of fresh water as the most pressing global issue. "Two...

<p>The left continues to manipulate black partisans by pitting them against each other.</p> <p>Based on my skin color, white liberals generally presume that I'm a left-leaning, Congressional Black Caucus-supporting, racial preference-loving, pro-abortion pal. I usually excuse such transgressions because it's natural to quickly size up people based on information readily available. When I rebut these presumptions and share my deeply held conservative beliefs, however, I get open-mouthed stares.</p>

<p>S.W. Creekmore Jr. of Fort Smith, Ark., isn't listed on Gov. Bob Holden's latest campaign finance report. But he's one of the governor's biggest donors.</p> <p>Nursing homes affiliated with Creekmore gave the governor $20,000 on Sept. 30. The money came in 20 separate $1,000 donations from companies that own buildings where nursing homes are located.</p>

I can already hear the chorus: We have too many politicians now! They already cost too much! Why would we want more of them? (and those will be the polite comments). The fact is, however, compared to the first half of our history, and to most of the rest of the major countries of the world, we currently have too few representatives for our population (see tables below). This idea is not particularly original; a quick search turned up the following article which says the same thing at more length and with more eloquence than I can muster; (THE REAL...

<p>If ever there was an idea that started out as a good thing and evolved into a bad thing, it's the idea of a voter registration drive.</p> <p>There was a time, years ago, when black people were not allowed to vote in certain of our Southern states. That did not change until civil rights workers - mostly college students - went to these states and registered black voters. These young people were heroes. They brought the gift of citizenship to people who had been disenfranchised. In that time and place, voter registration was a good thing.</p>

<p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- State Sen. Jon Dolan, back in Missouri on military leave, said he will vote Thursday to override Gov. Bob Holden's veto of a concealed weapons bill.</p> <p>Whether Dolan would be allowed to leave Cuba, where he is stationed at Guantanamo Bay, was a key question as the Senate prepared to vote on the Holden vetoes of that and other bills. The Republican from Lake St. Louis is a public affairs officer with the Army National Guard and was among those deployed for duty in Cuba. But he got the leave and returned to the state.</p>

<p>Everybody is talking about race.</p> <p>For this, we can blame Post-Dispatch reporter Ron Harris, who earlier this year was embedded with the Marines in Iraq but this week trod on some truly dangerous ground. He wrote about race and trust in St. Louis, and how those elements have played out in the recent fracas about public schools. So absorbing were those stories that a number of people have begun to call for a public dialogue about race. That might be a terrific idea, but count me out.</p>

<p>One of the more recent additions to the American political lexicon is "compassionate conservative," a phrase used by conservatives who want people to know that they're concerned about the suffering and oppressed people of the world.</p> <p>When I hear it, I can't help but wonder why some conservatives feel the need to emphasize their compassion, while liberals seem to enjoy a presumption of compassion.</p>

<p>What is success? How about Bill Clinton - is he successful?</p> <p>Those are questions that Bob Chapman, Chief executive of Barry-Wehmiller Cos., the St. Louis-based maker of packaging equipment, has been asking. He's found that the typical reaction when asked about Clinton and success is laughter.</p>

<p>NEW YORK - This would seem to be a great time for the book world.</p> <p>"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" has set sales records. Hillary Clinton's memoir, "Living History," has sold more than 1 million copies. Other recent successes include Oprah Winfrey's book-club pick "East of Eden" and Walter Isaacson's "Benjamin Franklin."</p>

<p>Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court reminded America that sex is private. In fact, there is very little privacy in our sexually saturated culture. From cybersex in chat rooms to discussion of sexual positions on HBO's "Sex and the City," there is little mystique left.</p>

<p>If all the economists in the world were laid end to end, they still wouldn't reach a conclusion. So goes the joke.</p> <p>Most of that reputation for wishy-washiness comes from economists trying to predict things like next year's interest rate. You might as well toss a coin.</p>