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Archives › November 2004
November 30, 2004
Commerce-ial appeal
Posted by Stephanie Clifford at 3:59 PM
Carlos Gutierrez, or, as he's becoming known, The American Dream Personified, starts out a Cuban refugee in Miami. He grows up to drive a Kellogg’s truck, becomes Kellogg’s CEO in 1999, and yesterday won the nomination of commerce secretary in the Bush White House. Did Horatio Alger pen this story, or what?
Bush, finally looking outside his inner circle to fill his cabinet, has made a savvy choice in Gutierrez. Besides his appealing life story, he's a smart executive. As CEO of Kellogg's, he made small changes--like adding mini Rice Krispies treats to the Malaysian product line, and hawking breakfast-on-the-go in Britain--backed by his in-store observations and chats with customers. His strategy boosted Kellogg's revenue from $6.2B to $8.8B during his tenure.
Here's hoping he'll be more effective than outgoing commerce secretary Don Evans. The Texas oilman and longtime W. compadre didn't do much in his four years. But as Bush focuses on revamping social security and the tax code, Gutierrez should play an influential role. (His background in sales should prove useful in pitching the public on Bush's economic agenda--no easy sales call, that.)
Meanwhile, Stephen Friedman of the White House National Economic Council has announced he's leaving; Gregory Mankiw of the Council of Economic Advisers (and the author of that ubiquitous economics textbook--has anyone not read that thing?) is expected to step down soon; and there's speculation that Treasury Secretary John Snow will leave as well. Who should--and who will--Bush pick to fill those spots? What should be on Gutierrez's to-do list? Post suggestions here...
November 19, 2004
The Apprentice
The Apprentice - Week 11
Posted by Nadine Heintz at 2:32 PM
Every week, the contestants on this show get more and more detestable. At this point, I'm rooting for Kevin. He's not the greatest contributor, but at least he seems like a nice guy. That sweat outbreak definitely scored him a few symphathy points from me. Jennifer M. shouldn't have said he was "disgusting." Doesn't she know that's a medical condition?
Jennifer's the one who should be sweating. I almost died when she couldn't figure out the fit wheel concept. What is her problem? Although I'm no fan of Ivana, I must admit that was a great idea. I don't blame Ivana for being peeved that Jen M. wound up getting a lot of credit for the team's victory, even though she did nothing except look good in the photos. But Ivana's dealing with the situation the wrong way. Every time she makes "dumb blonde" comments, she loses credibility. Instead, she should keep her cool and then lay out her argument against Jen in the next boardroom meeting.
Needless to say, Maria was a complete disaster last night. I couldn't believe the way she acted. It was really over the top. I'm glad she got the boot. I thought the double firing was pretty lame, though. It was obvious that NBC had planned that out in advance. Wes was wrong to let Maria and Sandy battle for so long, and he shouldn't have let Maria wrest control of the task, but he wasn't the worst PM so far. Plus, I can't stand the canned banter between the Donald and Bill Rancic. Why the heck would anyone call Bill "Mr. Rancic" if they call Carolyn and George by their first names. Lame!
I thought Kevin was a pretty good leader last night. Not great, but not offensive or incompetent, unlike many other PMs this season. Andy had a good point about wearing Levis to the meeting, but small contributions like that aren't enough to proved his worthiness. Kelly and Sandy were underwhelming last night. I used to like Kelly, but now I think he's a cocky jerk. At this point, I can't imagine who the Donald would choose to run one of his companies. Only time will tell!
November 15, 2004
Laws and regulation
Election dissection: state & local races
Posted by Stephanie Clifford at 6:56 PM
The small-business lobby was watching a few races this November--you know, other than that big one with Bush and Kerry. The tally on some of the most closely watched state and local races, and what the results mean for entrepreneurs:
SOUTH DAKOTA, SENATE
Tom Daschle (D-inc.) was the first Senate party leader to lose since 1952 (when Barry Goldwater bested Ernest McFarland). He's also this year's only Senate incumbent to lose. What went wrong? South Dakotans were saying he'd lost touch with the state, and gotten too involved in national politicking--an on-the-job hazard if you're the Senate minority leader. Daschle lost 51-49. Tax-cut advocate and former Small Business Administration official John Thune (R) replaces him in the Senate, and Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, replaces him as minority leader.
ALASKA, SENATE
Lisa Murkowski (R-inc.) squeaked by Tony Knowles (D), the popular former governor. Or so we think; those ubiquitous election watchers are still recounting and confirming Alaskan votes. Murkowski's a business owner herself (perhaps the only pasta wholesaler-cum-Senator), and should keep an eye out for entrepreneurs. Still, Knowles, a four-time entrepreneur who cast himself as a Washington outsider, proved a Democrat in this heavily Republican state can put up a good fight.
WASHINGTON, SENATE
George Nethercutt (R), an advocate of tax cuts and free trade, had the full support of the Republican lobby this summer, enjoying visits by President Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He campaigned almost full-time in the fall, while Murray stayed in D.C. during the weeks and stumped in her home state on weekends. But come October, when Bush started diverting campaign resources from liberal Washington State, so did the National Republican Senatorial Committee. It pulled over $1 million worth of pro-Nethercutt TV ads--which the congressman probably needed to gain footing in the state’s western side. In the end, "soccer mom" Patty Murray (D-inc.) won 55 percent of the vote, and Nethercutt, 43 percent.
NORTH CAROLINA, SENATE
U.S. Rep. Richard Burr (R) won by five percentage points over Erskine Bowles (D), the former SBA head--and, as Burr's ads reminded voters again and again, Clinton’s chief of staff. Burr's painstaking campaigning paid off: trailing Bowles in the polls almost the entire race, the onetime appliance salesman went door to door and backroad to backroad to meet his would-be constituents. A smart sales strategy, it seems.
MISSOURI, GOVERNOR
This race, which Missouri secretary of state Matt Blunt (R) won 51-48 percent, echoed the presidential one, with moral values emerging as the decisive factor. Blunt’s conservative stance on abortion, guns, and gay marriage, and his campaign tactic of working with churches and stumping in rural areas, pushed him past state auditor Claire McCaskill (D). Blunt's values also lie in encouraging business--he's pledged to cut taxes and offer tax breaks for new hires and job training. McCaskill, meanwhile, will serve as auditor for two more years.
WASHINGTON, GOVERNOR
Who won? Who knows. The election continues in Washington, where, as of today, former state senator Dino Rossi (R) leads attorney general Christine Gregoire (D) by all of 1,920 votes. It's so close that state Democrats and Republicans are calling voters who cast provisional ballots to make sure their votes are counted. While results will be certified on Wednesday, those who can't get enough of elections, take heart--a margin of victory that’s under 2,000 triggers an automatic recount.
UTAH, HOUSE, DISTRICT 2
Jim Matheson (D-inc.) barely beat John Swallow (R) for this seat in 2002, by 1,641 votes. This time, Matheson won 2 to 1; the likely culprit is the Republican National Committee's attack ads, which seemed to turn off Utah voters. Matheson, a moderate Democrat with a solid pro-business record, returns for a third term; Swallow has said he won't run against him again for this seat.
ARIZONA, HOUSE, DISTRICT 1
The Democrats targeted Rick Renzi (R-inc.) as one Republican that could be picked off easily. They cleared the primary field for Paul Babbitt (D), a county supervisor and brother of the former interior secretary. And they threw money behind Babbitt. But Babbitt's bland, broad campaign was surprisingly weak next to Renzi's focused, record-based one (he sponsored a veterans' entrepreneurship bill and has fought for tax breaks). Renzi beat Babbitt by a startling 23 points.
TEXAS, HOUSE, DISTRICT 32
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's aggressive redistricting in his home state of Texas paid off, with 13-term Democratic congressman Martin Frost being ousted from his new, suddenly Republican-heavy, district. Frost tried to paint himself as a moderate, running ads of him next to President Bush and avoiding Kerry mentions. It wasn't enough, though, especially when Sessions made convincing arguments that Frost supported tax increases. Sessions won 54 to Frost's 44 percent. As for Frost, he's said he'll likely do public-policy work out of Washington DC.
So will they keep their campaign promises? What would you like to see them do? And are these guys good or bad for your business? Let us know...
Diary of a Start-up
Diary of a Start-up: Making Sales
Posted by Victoria Keddie at 10:20 AM
This is the third in an series of weblogs from one of the owners of redwagon, a business that makes and sells hand-crafted fashion accessories and clothing. Check back often for more from-the-trenches viewpoints on starting and building a business.
Now that our lines are fully developed and our prototypes are made, it's time to start making sales! We are currently visiting with prospective boutiques for our holiday merchandise, and have made some relationships with notable stores on both coasts. We're hoping to place ourselves in shops like The Good The Bad & The Ugly, I Heart, and Opening Ceremony (very young urban fashionistas shops). We filed our quarterly tax returns for the first time, which was much easier than we initially thought with help from a hotline, we have new merchandising leads on the West Coast, and a photo shoot in the works. (We have a photographer friend who's dying to work with us for no cost at all. His style goes right in hand with our work: vibrant, cutting edge, etc. So we are looking forward to getting that organized.)
We've also been exploring the option of working with Paypal to enable our website for e-commerce. We may need to wait until we have a manufacturer because it's not easy to keep up with the stores demand--as we learned last season. It seems like a good idea, but placement in well-known stores could be very valuable to building our brand name. We'll see how the shops respond and take it from there.
Read past diary entries: On the Road, Redwagon
November 14, 2004
The Price, and Profit, of Being a Spammer
Posted by Carole Matthews at 7:50 PM
Inc. reporter Darren Dahl reported on Friday that Virginia recently led the way in the nation's first prosecution of a spammer, a North Carolina man named Jeremy Jaynes. Bail for Jaynes was set at $1 million dollars. Why? Apparently, Jaynes' spamming business was quite lucrative. Prosecutors suspect he's been "squirreling away" parts of his $24 million fortune in foreign bank accounts, and is too great a flight risk, according to a November 9 AP story. Though Jaynes' faces up to nine years in prison, I wonder if this type of prison time will deter others. The lure of making millions by peddling junk products, pornography, and other dubious materials is probably worth the risk to many unscrupulous characters. What type of discipline should spammers face? Is nine years behind bars excessive, not enough?
November 12, 2004
The Apprentice
The Apprentice - Week 10
Posted by Nadine Heintz at 3:45 PM
Where do I even begin? Apex is a complete disaster. Even though I've never thought much of Chris, I was shocked by how bad he was as PM. First of all, his language is terrible. His crass behavior makes Heidi look like Mary Poppins. I'm not totally against cursing, but he's out of control. Of course, his biggest mistake last night was giving up as soon as he heard that the challenge was to set up a bridal salon. I couldn't believe that, especially considering his comments last week and his vow to rally the team. The whole point of the show is to prove that you can successfully complete a business challenge, whether that means massaging dogs or creating a new toy.
While Chris should take most of the blame for last night's disaster, the rest of the team was awful as well. Once again, they just gave up when their PM started having a breakdown. If they wanted to win, they should have taken control of the situation. That said, I have to give Jennifer some credit. I wasn't surprised that Chris sent her back up to the penthouse last night. At least she convinced some vendors to sign on. But, even though they wound up enticing some vendors and stocking up their sale with some dresses, their marketing idea was ridiculous. Handing out flyers and painting a sign on the front window. That was so amateurish.
I can't say that the Mosaic team members did much better. If it wasn't for Sandy, they probably wouldn't have known about the Knot.com, or that many bridal shops have discontinued dresses that they're eager to get rid of at cost. Even with Sandy's help, Maria and Wes blew the marketing task by forgetting to include a phone number on the email. It wound up working out in the end, but Maria was caught lying. This isn't the first time her disregard for detail has led to a major blunder. The only time she didn't act like a total ditz was during the fashion show episode...maybe because her head was on the chopping block that time? Hmmm. Maybe there's a little sabotage going on.
As time goes by, Kelly seems like a bigger and bigger jerk. His cocky attitude is really bothering me. And Wes was right on. I was hoping the Donald would take away Kelly's exemption and give it to Sandy last night. Wes was so right when he pointed out that Kelly chose to shadow Sandy instead of helping out with the marketing efforts. He was in full CYA mode. That's no way to lead a team.
Andy was a real goofball last night. That was pretty funny when Caroline asked him if it was his first time "doing this." That Ferrari comment was pretty cheesy. Andy has a lot to learn about the nuances of doing business. I just can't imagine him being a president of a Trump company. Maybe an intern?
Needless to say, Ivana is in real jeopardy. The Donald doesn't like her at all. Neither do I. As the Donald mentioned, that whole team seems totally apathetic. They're a stark contrast to last season's contestants. But maybe the Donald's comments in the boardroom last night will light a fire under them. I guess we'll find out next week...
November 11, 2004
Today's news
Microsoft Vs. Google
Posted by Carole Matthews at 10:19 AM
Microsoft debuted its own search engine technology today in a bid to challenge Google as the definitive search engine. Not available for primetime yet, the Microsoft search engine is only available via a test site. Some MSN.com users will find that the new engine is available via the existing search bar, but a full launch will not occur until early next year. Google "signaled that it is ready for a fight" and nearly doubled the number of pages users search via its site late Wednesday in response to Microsoft's soft launch today.
November 9, 2004
Miss Management-Boss Blues
Posted by Nadine Heintz at 1:38 PM
Dear Miss Management,
After working as a staff nurse in a medical/surgical unit for eight years, I was appointed head nurse of that unit. Following the staff meeting during which my promotion was announced, I found myself surrounded by three coworkers offering their congratulations and making other comments about how things will be different now that I'm a manager. For instance, one woman mentioned that I may not be able to carpool to work anymore since I'll have different hours. Another mentioned that it's an odd situation, since we all used to gripe about work together. I'm wondering what advantages and disadvantages there are in becoming the supervisor of a group to which I once belonged. How do you think the promotion will affect my relationship with my former coworkers?
Awaiting Your Professional Guidance
Dear AYPG,
Unfortunately, you don't have much of a choice in this situation. You can't turn down a promotion just because you might lose your carpool buddies. If they're really your friends, they won't hold it against you. That said, I understand why you're worried. It might be uncomfortable to start supervising people who are accustomed to being your equal.
But it all depends on what kind of approach you take. If you suddenly go Donald Trump on your former pals, you can't blame them for being resentful. Instead, use your existing friendships to build a solid, collaborative work environment. You might even start off by having a frank discussion with your coworkers. Point out that the situation is kind of weird, but that you're looking forward to creating the kind of environment you've all dreamed of during your carpool gripe sessions. Even then, you may face some difficult situations. Remember, being the boss isn't always easy. That's why it pays more.
Miss Management
November 8, 2004
CEOs in Office
Posted by Carole Matthews at 10:34 AM
Anyone you spoke to last week was either elated or outright angry about the outcome of the election. Every presidential election year is charged with emotion and opinions, but this year seemed to highlight more than ever how divided our nation is on the political front. When I read The Atlantic's December 2004 article, "Executive Assistance", however, I began to feel a small glimmer of hope that people on either side of the divide could find common ground, and it seemed to be coming in the form of businessmen.
Alexandra Starr's article discusses how businessmen are "bridging the gap" between red and blue by running for office on the basic tenets that they bring fiscal responsibility and managerial expertise to positions that are often cast as lacking in those areas. Governor-elect Brian Schweitzer (D-Mont.) won in a traditionally "red" state, campaigning as an entrepreneur who "vowed to challenge every state expense" and stating his openness to listening to ideas, even from political opponents. New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson's (R-N.H.) re-election bid was disrupted by businessman John Lynch (D-N.H.). While Benson was a CEO prior to his governorship, his campaign focused on his track record during his past term in office. Lynch's campaign focused on his leadership skills as president and CEO of furniture manufacturer Knoll Inc.--and he won the race.
Many other CEOs with no prior political experience hold state offices, and their appeal to voters is broadening. Do you think more business leaders should join the fray? Are they more qualified than career politicians to hold public office? Let us know here or cast your vote by taking our poll.
November 5, 2004
The Apprentice
The Apprentice - Week 9
Posted by Nadine Heintz at 12:23 PM
What the heck happened to Raj last night? He used to be my favorite, but he's gone downhill steadily ever since the fashion challenge. Considering Raj's obsession with primping, I was shocked to see the state of the house when he gave the grand tour. I thought Caroline was going to faint when she saw the mud on the carpets. And that upstairs bathroom looked like a bomb hit it.
In Raj's defense, he seemed to be the victim of bad luck. There was really no way to know that contractor would be so bad. Taco man should be ashamed of himself. That said, Raj had a bad feeling about him right from the beginning. He should have trusted that instinct. But, when it came down to it, Raj didn't really seem to put his all into the challenge. It was almost like he didnt' care. I'm really disappointed in him.
Sandy, on the other hand, performed quite well last night. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by her gusto. OK, so she did go on that crying jag on the front lawn, but that's known to happen. At least she didn't do it in front of the team and recovered quickly. Elizabeth probably would have given up at that point! I thought Sandy did a great job overall. She had the advantage of being the last project manager to be chosen, and she used everything she learned from past PM's mistakes. She remained calm and authoritative without being egomaniacal or bossy. She really gave it her alll, and I thought the house looked great as a result. I was surprised, in fact, that Sandy's team only one by a three percent margin...I expected it to be a landslide victory.
One problem with last night's episode was that it was tough to judge anyone's performance based on the task, since most of the work was being done by contractors. And Andy just happened upon that crew that pulled up in front of the house and saved the day. That was dumb luck. I don't know why Kevin was so gung-ho about that other contractor. Did he know something we didn't know? It was pretty unwise of him to stick his neck out like that.
Ivana's really starting to bother me. She's a poisonous presence on her team. She'll probably get the boot next week. The Donald clearly doesn't like her. And what was Chris's problem. He made a big mistake by betraying his team in front of the Donald and Carolyn, who can't tolerate disloyalty. We all learned that lesson last season. Get a clue, Chris!
I hope next week features more task time and less boardroom time...a half hour is way too much!
November 4, 2004
An Election Driven By Emotion
Posted by Adam Hanft at 3:59 AM
Blogging on the subject of the election on a flight from New York to Dallas -- with the red states below me virtually basking in their vermillion defiance of being scorned as fly-over country -- seems an almost-too-convenient conceit. But the Rold Gold "tiny twist" pretzels and the recirculated air -- fresh as a stump speech -- assure me this is no blogger's fiction.
What's most compelling about this election is the extent to which it was driven by emotion, by a visceral response to what are loosely being bundled as "moral values." In that context, 2004 is the polar opposite of the rationally-driven 1984 election when Reagan posed the supremely unemotional question "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"
Ohio, having watched over 100,000 jobs disappear over the last four years, is clearly not better off, but that didn't seem to matter. Nor did the fact that the majority of Americans -- Ohioans included -- agreed that Kerry "won" the debate.
Earlier I said this was the most "compelling" aspect of the election, a dissonance that many find confounding. I purposely didn't say "surprising" because we shouldn't be surprised that analysis is trumped by our Great National Confidence in the Viscera when it comes to a decision as important as electing a president.
Is this just operative in a political dimension? Far from it. As every Inc. reader knows, business decisions masquerade as clear-eyed logical outcomes, but are really psychic swamps of emotion where the equivalent of "moral values" operates in a high intuitive register. That's why the best technology doesn't always win, why "relationships" are still at the core of salesmanship, why we so often laboriously collect the data and chuck it, only to decide based on what "feels" right.
I think we are entering a cycle -- perhaps terrorism-induced -- where logical, analytical decision-making is going to be increasingly supplanted by the dominance of soft and squishy variables. The analog for "moral values" differs from decision to decision, but I'm predicting that times are going to be difficult for people -- and companies -- who try to reason their customers and prospects into a sale. Just ask John Kerry.
November 3, 2004
Local election results of note
Posted by Mike Hofman at 4:02 PM
Robert Bennett, a former Inc. 500 CEO who now serves as a senator from Utah, was easily re-elected to another term yesterday. But in New Hampshire, first-term Gov. Craig Benson, the founder of the now defunct Inc. 500 company Cabletron, was bounced out of office. The Associated Press quoted Benson as saying, "I believe in fate. What's meant to be is meant to be. I'm an entrepreneur. I see opportunities in everything."
Did Small Business Win?
Posted by Carole Matthews at 2:37 PM
Small business owners across the country overwhelmingly have supported President George W. Bush during this election year. Reports from the TEC Group and U.S. Chamber suggested its members supported Bush by wide margins in September. In our own poll, Who Would You Want to Be Your CEO?, 44% of 1,128 users who have responded would choose Bush as their CEO. Kerry came in at 32%.
So, it's safe to say, Bush is well-liked amongst business owners. But how has the Bush administration really fared thus far on small business issues, and what can small business expect in a second term?
TAXES
Bush's first term was marked by a succession of tax cuts intended to stimulate the economy out of the post-bubble recession. He cut the capital gains tax, repealed the death tax and increased expensing levels. During the campaign, Bush held the line on tax breaks while Kerry set his sights on tax increases that could have hit a lot of small business owners. In his second term, Bush will need to finance an increasingly costly war and control a ballooning federal deficit. There is little doubt of his personal commitment to permanent tax cuts, but he faces the challenge of paying the bill after a profligate first term, testing his ability to maintain those tax cuts in the face of a projected revenue shortfall.
ENERGY
Bush now has to find a way to curtail soaring gas and oil prices. While the price of oil has stabilized in the past week, its recent surge has eaten into the profits of many small businesses. The Iraq war has so far had the short-term effect of contributing to the rise in oil prices, as U.S. forces struggle to maintain order long enough to get the country's oil operations back on line. A longer-term drop is largely contingent on the Bush administration finding a way to stabilize Iraq. Beyond Iraq, the President's plan to reduce reliance on foreign energy focuses on opening up the Arctic Wildlife refuge to oil drilling, but even that would still supply only a small percentage of America's future energy needs.
HEALTH CARE
Health care costs also skyrocketed during the first Bush administration. Bush responded by creating health savings accounts that allow individuals to contribute tax-free dollars toward future medical expenses. Looking ahead, Bush supports capping damages in medical liability lawsuits, aiming to create a trickle-down effect that would lower the cost of liability insurance and reduce health care costs across the board. But there are few precise estimates of whether such a cap would produce significant cost savings in the health care system as a whole. The health savings accounts provide a good supplemental insurance option but do not address people who are uninsured to begin with. During his second term, Bush will face severe budgetary limitations that are likely to impede any significant, systematic efforts at reducing health care costs.
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
Bush, for the most part, has negatively affected critical small business programs during his first term, most notably in the form of capital assistance. Bush has slashed the SBA's budget by 25% since he took office, and in January 2004, it was announced that SBA 7(a) loans were going on "indefinite holiday," which turned out only to last a few weeks, but still stalled hundreds of loans from being guaranteed. (Despite his actions, a record number of loans were guaranteed last year due to the agencies emphasis on making smaller loans.)
Furthermore, the Bush Administration's 2005 budget calls for further cuts to the SBA as well as axing funding for microloans and reducing funding for Small Business Development Centers and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Under Congressional pressure, the MEP did receive emergency funding this fall. After Congressional prodding Bush did pay renewed attention to small business' access to capital and cut the SBA some slack, but it for the most part, he's campaigned on the platform of creating. One can only hope the prodding continues, and Bush sees more value in these critical programs during the coming term.
So, did small business really win? Let us know.
Culture
Miss Management - Office Politics
Posted by Nadine Heintz at 12:12 PM
Dear Miss Management,
Is it rude to talk about the election in the office? Some of us are very upset about the election results, and it's hard not to discuss it openly.
Puzzled in Pennysylvania
Dear Puzzled,
It all depends on what kind of office you work in. If you're surrounded by people who share your political opinions, you're in safe territory. But, if you're, say, the only Democrat in a right-leaning office, or you're not quite sure which way your coworkers swing, you should probably keep your lips zipped. If you don't, you run the risk of offending your boss and becoming the office pariah. It's tempting to obsess over the election at work, but, instead, try to focus on doing a good job. If the economy keeps limping the way it has been for another four years, you're going to need it.
Miss Management
November 1, 2004
The Case for Election-Year Empiricism
Posted by at 2:21 PM
A staple of any election year is the cacophony of newspaper endorsements, which for the most part tend to follow established political patterns. It comes as no surprise when The New York Times or The Washington Post endorses a Democratic nominee for president, nor when The New York Post or The Washington Times backs the GOP candidate.
The divisiveness of this particular campaign has caused many media outlets to step up their usual rhetoric. For example, The Wall Street Journal, bound by its historical policy of not endorsing candidates, instead devoted much of its October editorial and op-ed space to a carpet-bombing of the Kerry candidacy, with particular attention to Teresa Heinz Kerry's tax returns, culminating today with a lead editorial about Bush that stops shy of an endorsement only by its omission of the word "endorse."
But one of the most interesting developments this year is that some surprisingly balanced dialogue has emerged from some unexpected quarters. The Economist, which has a traditional rightward lean and notably supported the invasion of Iraq, this week reluctantly decided to endorse John Kerry. Still more notably, The American Conservative, unable to reach an editorial consensus, packaged its endorsement as a collection of six essays that in turn offer cases for both Bush and Kerry, as well as three independent candidates, and even one argument in favor of that act of democratic sacrilege: not voting at all.
The bottom line is that, out of all the partisan rancor in one of the most divisive elections in recent American history, there actually may be an endgame trend toward traditional partisans rethinking entrenched positions and making stronger distinctions between a party doctrine and an individual candidate, affirming that each deserves its own equal and independent scrutiny when making decisions at the ballot box. For all the talk of American politics devolving into a reality TV caricature of itself, maybe informed, nonpartisan political debate is not yet dead after all.
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