Weekend digest

- In the wake of the Enron fiasco, there will be much wagging of statist fingers saying "I told you so" and suggesting that the private sector writ large cannot be trusted. I would advise them to not throw the baby out with the bathwater and consider for a moment the possibility that what Kenneth Lay and friends did was completely contrary to the values of honesty, hard work and mutually agreeable exchange that are the foundation on which our (free market) society is built. (And as far as the government goes, don't forget that it was W's Justice Department that threw the book at these crooks.)

- It's good to see that some Dem supporters are finally getting it: there's more to providing an alternative than just sneering at all things that could possibly be construed as Republican red, and also, that the party needs an intellectual overhaul on which to base a more coherent message. That can only be a good thing for political discourse in the West.

- The Canadian Union of Public Employees' Ontario division has voted to use the union dues of over 200,000 workers in municipalities, school boards, universities, hospitals, health care, long-term care and social services to bash Israel despite the fact that Hamas, which was recently victorious in Palestinian elections, refuses to recognize the right of Israel to even exist.

I doubt that the average high-school janitor or City Hall pay clerk even knows what Hamas is, and probably have other, more pressing issues that they wish their union would take on. Then again, since no one else will advocate on behalf of the Palestinian cause, did the CUPE leadership have any choice but to go to bat for them?

What a great bunch of guys, that public sector union leadership. Always looking out for the little fella, aren't they?

- And finally, a humourous article here on nine debate tactics that are commonly used when one is in danger of losing an argument. Although he says the Left are the worst offenders, the Right is often just as bad.

(And sheepishly, I have to admit that I may have even been known to use some of those tactics from time to time myself.)