Free Republic

Recently, an associate offered the following observation with regard to the likelihood of war in the immediate future: “The big guys like to play chess with the world. It's the biggest game. The bankers need ups and downs and wars to make money. The military needs wars to exist. The politicians need both to exist.” Whilst he was reiterating a concept we have discussed on many occasions, it occurred to me that I have never seen the subject defined so succinctly, nor so informatively. Let’s break it down: The bankers need ups and downs and wars to make money Just...

Jim Talent's loss wasn't so much a slam-dunk by the Democrats. Talent WON in 2002 with 49.8 percent of the vote, to Jean Carnahan's 48.7 percent. Talent LOST in 2006 with 47.4 percent of the vote, to McCaskill's 49.4 percent. The Dem gains .7 percent; Talent loses 2.4 percent. A glaring difference: The Libertarian candidate went from 1 percent in 2002 to 2.3 percent in 2006. Libertarian gains were more pronounced in southwest Missouri's 7th District: ?In Lawrence County, McCaskill pulled 35.2 percent -- exactly as much as Carnahan in 2002. But Talent's share dwindled from 62.2 percent to 59.7...