A day of conciliation

Before these items get too far out of date, let me say:

1) I generally am on the opposite side from David Frum on questions of politics and public policy. But I have to admire the sobriety and fairmindedness with which he makes this case about the future of the Republicans.

2) As Thomas Friedman knows, I am more impressed by the many ways in which the world is not at all  "flat" than those in which it is. (When I asked him about this on TV two years ago,  he quite charmingly explained that "In the columnist game, you don't sell things 51 - 49.") But having complained about the broad brush he used in that case, let me do homage to the very great precision of his column yesterday on patriotism a la Sarah Palin. It is an achievement to bring into exact focus something that other people have been generally talking-around for a while. He did so in that column.

3) I have no past disagreements to mention in the case of a blog called "Delaware Liberal." But I have to admire its author Jason's headline-writing skill. He refers to an article of mine that the Atlantic published as "The $1.4 Trillion Question." His improved headline is: "I, For One, Welcome Our Chinese Banker Overlords."