Why aren't 2nd term presidents popular?

Megan McCardle asks. Of course, notpresidents aren't all that popular either. It's like playing poker. You've got to put together a hand that wins you the office. Recently this has been harder for a Republican candidate though Bush drew into a straight almost busted by his past alcoholism in light of Clinton's misbehavior and our desire for propriety. What might be considered an anti-Republican constraint affected Bush later in the game though in that he effectively was told he had to sell a casus belli on Iraq to the U.N.; so he emphasized the likelihood of present WMD in Iraq. Ever after, 'he lied;' actually he presented his best evidence at the time about which there was rough consensus, kind of like global warming now; and he was probably more concerned about future dangers. Hubris plays a role. It may be that of the American people who can demand that other people not idealize communists as Eisenhower and Dulles and Kennedy, following through the presidential door, did in VN. Or it can be that of a man such as Nixon, who, perhaps following the example of predecessors, breaks'little laws,' but, in his case, wants meticulous evidence of what he did. Obama plays his cards by not leaving 'one scintilla of evidence' which satisfies his partisans completely. Others not so much.

Popular art in Dallas

Marc Ramirez recently reported on salvaged elements of Dallas history, appealing decorative sculpture. When I moved here many years ago, I realized in the summer heat I wasn't in Chicago, mostly a loss, but the gigantic tableaux picture of the Mexican woman in the land at the El Chico on a large open wall was intriguing and reassuring. This I believe still is at the Lovers lane location now near the Tollway. One author has called the regional culture El Norte, and for me this picture better represents the ongoing issues of adaptation that the imposing Amercan culture faces than did the hitching stake did at the DMA.

Slate has a couple of great articles: One on the development that made Paris stand out really as an international city, one on Trey Gowdy R-S.C., the appointed chairman of the House Select Committee looking into the Benghazi issue. Reading the Volokh Conspiracy has left me really impressed with the skill in law in organizing an argument or logical proof and Gowdy, in a video clip there, really shows that skill. Speaking of satisfying a social need, which is the accomplishment in Paris, Dallas would make an advancement in shifting the time of school break for kids to a time other than summer, the heat being so restrictive here.

Medications reduced violent crime in people taking the medications, Depakote and 'antipsychotic' medications, a study published in Lancet found.

Tom Maguire really brings a review to the Picketty Inequality thesis, justifying the title of his blog, JustOneMinute.

Policing

Ken White provides comic relief. And a sobering review, in passing, on Putin and his treatment of the opposition in Russia.

An Appreciation of John Roberts

David Brooks analyzes the implication of the McCutcheon decision in the setting of campaign finance reform. David Brooks keeps at it with an instructive comment on Passover, also the 'Common Core' kerrflue.

Women Lawyers and the Catholic Church

The Judge's example from his own life is a door to a different perspective. One of his daughters was marrying in a Catholic Church; from his viewpoint another daughter's breasts were too exposed though he wasn't 'provoked.' If a kind word about the Catholic Church may be allowed as a Lenten Penance, the faith perhaps promoted a culture where women can feel beautiful without being provocative. Perhaps in part it is the persistence of the 'ever virgin' Mary, beautiful without being provocative, or some legacy of the 'women from Galilee' who accompanied Jesus to Jerusalem; he recognized a right not to be divorced. There are typically young women at a Sunday Mass who may look and feel more beautiful at that time than any other, and they are not being provocative. Perhaps too the women lawyers are not selling something in their dress but celebrating something, being able to be lawyers makes them feel, at times, more beautiful women.

How the Jews became Chosen

God asked the Greeks if they would be interested in Commandments. 'Name one,' they said. 'Thou shall not commit adultery,' God said. 'Not interested,' said the Greeks. The Arabs also got to an example, 'Thou shalt not steal.' 'Thanks, but..'was the reply. He asked the Jews if they were interested in Commandments. They answered, 'How much are they?' 'Free,' He said, to which they replied, 'We'll take 10.'