How much will the Democrats lose?

The Democrats will lose a lot this November 2. The only question is how much. The mood of the nation is difficult to gauge, but an anti-incumbent and anti-government wave is prevalent. The Democrats have much going against them: their incumbency, Obama, the job market, and their "elitism". Even though Obama has embarked on a final tour to boost his party's chances, it will be futile. Many Democrats, in fact, have isolated themselves from Obama so that they could retain their seats. For the GOP, this year is a vital opportunity that they have not had since 1994.

Even so, I cannot predict a clear Republican triumph. The Tea Party is a major liability for them. In the glare of the national media, many Tea Party candidates wilted and raised questions about their suitability for office. Business, which likes predictability, is wary of the Tea Party, as are most independents. The Tea Party may turn out to bite Republicans, and boost Democrat counterparts who only offer one thing to voters: they are not the Tea Party. Furthermore, many incumbent Republicans are up for office in national and state elections, and they too feel so voter ire. The Republicans should not feel so buoyant yet.

Perhaps the election will come down to the oldest calculus, money. Thanks to our ever judicious Supreme Court, whichever side spends the most or has the most corporate benefactors will win. The tasks facing America are great but the politicians who will solve them are petty. What would Ben Franklin really say?

A colorful weekend's worth of thoughts

I went to Famous Pub on Saturday night to watch the Phillies and Giants. Having no affinity for either, I followed the game solely because of the terrific pitching matchup, Roy Halladay versus Tim Lincecum. The game turned out to be a semi-classic pitchers' duel, where Lincecum edged Halladay. More important, I enjoyed the atmosphere at Famous. The servers were fun and affable people, and I did partake of a long night's banter with another patron who was celebrating her ??? birthday. I tried laying my tab on my buddy and someone else but it didn't work.

This morning I went to hear the Dalai Lama speak about teaching and practicing compassion. Perhaps because of the acoustics or the language barrier, I did not understand most of what he said. He did convey pieces of advice about compassion and how to live a good life. I will take that to heart and I hope have time to learn more about him and his message. As for my question to him, "How can students learn about compassion, besides asking our professors for a higher grade?", his answer gave me much to think about.

This afternoon I returned to Chukkar Farm to watch the US-Sweden polo invitational. Maybe I am already a VIP but the organizers did not charge me any fees for parking or admission. The match was a tight and tactical battle, which the US team, actually the local polo club, edged the Swedish visitors by 6 goals to 4. Today's weather was perfect for an afternoon of polo and a drive in the countryside. Georgia's fall foliage is a few weeks behind the Northeast's, but I think will be equally spectacular.

Today's Boston Globe articles

1. Supreme Court: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/10/03/supreme_court_prepares_to_study_hot_button_issues/

This upcoming term will be interesting, not just because of the replacement of J.P. Stevens by E. Kagan. The protests at military funerals case may be as perplexing as any other: I have read the facts, and while the underlying cause of action arises from state law (intentional infliction of emotional distress, a tort), First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion are invoked (and) against each other. The cases regarding federal preemption of vaccine suits and car manufacturers liability will likely be determined by statutory interpretation and public policy.

2. Higher Education: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/10/03/the_test_has_been_canceled/

Final exams aren't endangered per se, but rather the skill sets and pedagogical approach they represented. Professors are realizing that students aren't learning the material, and more importantly, a closed book, all-or-nothing exam harms the students more than helps. In actual work, no sane client or customer will ask, "What are the elements of tort X?" or "What are the four structures of protein Y?" Rather, students need to learn to apply their knowledge to everyday facts, and in everyday work, they will have resources available to consult specialized knowledge. Final exams can be useful if they test students' ability, not in rote memorization, but in factual application. I like the Harvard professor's quotation, “Life is open book; it’s not closed book.”

3.  Boston: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2010/10/03/101_things_every_bostonian_should_know/

All you pretend Bostonians, test your knowledge here (there's a link to a quiz). According to this article, I'm about 1/3 Bostonian. Not wicked good.

Law school tales

I haven't posted for a while, mostly because of the start of law school. I have been busy adjusting to the classes and meeting new people. I'll try to update every weekend (a big IF), but most probably will not have time for Wednesday topical discussions or Sunday Globe article summaries.

Some random thoughts...

1. I have great professors, but many of them like to tease the Red Sox - which makes them not so great.

2. Captain Torts, Major Contracts, Lieutenant Leg Reg, Brigadier Civ Pro. Private LWRAP.

3. Jean's Place offers cheap and great soup, daily.

4. I thought driving in NY was tough, but GA sure puts a lot on my mind.

5. I should drink, but won't.

6. I should vote, and will.

7. Southern hospitality is not a myth folks (yes, especially you northerners).

8. Supreme Court podcast is coming out Monday, but Football Weekly is way more important.

9. Currently listening to Five for Fighting, Beatles (again), Telemann.