Tomorrow, Monday, after a five-week recess, Congress will return to Washington and resume the usual routine of infighting, scheming, finger-pointing, prevaricating, back-stabbing, grandstanding and gridlock that has characterized its behavior for the last six years. But just as Louis B. Mayer once observed that it takes just as much money and work to make a… Continue reading Democrats Begin to Suspect They’re Not in Kansas Anymore
Tag: Poltics
US Courts Taliban in Doha, Karzai Livid
Another working Saturday for Gretchen and me, necessitated by roiling international finance markets precipitated by Ben Bernanke’s remarks on Wednesday that the Federal Reserve might just let up slightly on Quantitative Easing. Considering all the highly negative things the heavy-hitting market mavens have said about QE, I must say the irony hung heavy about my… Continue reading US Courts Taliban in Doha, Karzai Livid
Tom Discovers what Hamid Karzai’s been Smoking
Late Friday afternoon, as I was crunching some numbers for the Federal Reserve, Gretchen politely interrupted me. “Mr. Collins,” she announced, her blonde head poked discreetly into my office between the heavy oak doors separating me from the reception area, “Khus Dihugami Dadamizo, Special International Policy Emissary of His Excellency President Hamid Karzai for the… Continue reading Tom Discovers what Hamid Karzai’s been Smoking
Teddy Bears Invade Belarus, Lukashenko Retaliates
My final consultation on Friday wasn’t in my office, it was at the Rwandan Embassy on New Hampshire Avenue. After two and a half hours discussing strategies for dealing with Congolese coltan smugglers, I had worked up a decent cocktail hour thirst, so I decided to stroll over to Lilies Bar in the Carlyle Hotel… Continue reading Teddy Bears Invade Belarus, Lukashenko Retaliates
Greeks Fear the New Drachma Won’t Be Worth a Continental
Another working Saturday ended rather late today, at six, culminating in a consultation with Dr. Vilaremetaftia Kolodaktilo, Principal Secondary Assistant Mattachine Attaché for High Culture at the Greek Embassy here in Washington. His usual concern over the years has been the return of Greek antiquities from places like the Getty Museum to their rightful situations… Continue reading Greeks Fear the New Drachma Won’t Be Worth a Continental