abstracto

That has been true for the entirety of American history "If the opposite of pro is con," quipped John Adams, "then the opposite of progress must be congress", and as a general rule, government in abstracto is incapable of fixing big complex problems.

Christopher Dodd: "Had I known at the time that there were any A.I.G. bonuses involved..." Ann Althouse 2009

While I agree that, in abstracto, "federalism is one proposed solution to the public choice and collective action problems any society faces," federalism is also the Constitution's solution to shoe problems.

Today's news: Obama wins the Presidency! Ann Althouse 2009

My objections to both direct election of Senators and live coverage of Congress have been rehashed passim ad nauseum, so I merely note them, and point to them as the real culprits rather than the confirmation hearings in abstracto, the villain of the piece in some comments above.

Lawprof Bruce Ackerman says we should require Senate approval of senior White House staff positions. Ann Althouse 2009

I don't understand why, in abstracto, a legislator could defend their voice using this reasoning: Yes, I voted for law X.

Was Obama's only education accomplishment "legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners"? Ann Althouse 2008

It's like they repeat all the daily kos stuff about Republians in abstracto, yet they don't behave that way towards Republicans that they actually know, and they don't seem to recognize the disconnect.

"Other /b/tards were displeased to miss a chance at the lulz." Ann Althouse 2008

Ao clicar no link para o site Paint Like Jackson Pollock o vosso rato transforma-se num pincel e a janela do browser numa tela onde podem pintar como o mais famoso pintor expressionista abstracto da escola de Nova Yorque.

Pintar como... Artur 2008

Simon: "If you were shown an analysis that undercut or threw different light on the premises and assumptions of this point -- viz. that the markets that precipitated the crisis were free, that the crisis is a failure of the free market, that new regulations in abstracto or any particular new regulations are the solution -- would that change your conclusions and push you back towards McCain?"

In which I say who won last night's debate and almost abandon my cruel neutrality pose. Ann Althouse 2008

It's like they repeat all the daily kos stuff about Republians in abstracto, yet they don't behave that way towards Republicans that they actually know, and they don't seem to recognize the disconnect.

"Other /b/tards were displeased to miss a chance at the lulz." Ann Althouse 2008

But the behavior of the media this season has been unforgivable, and the media in abstracto can accurately be said to have operated as a subsidiary of the Obama campaign, and to the extent that a subset generally shares the characteristic of a superset, are part of a machine that has its mind set on causing great harm to this country and its Constitution.

Joe the Journalist. Ann Althouse 2008

If you were shown an analysis that undercut or threw different light on the premises and assumptions of this point -- viz. that the markets that precipitated the crisis were free, that the crisis is a failure of the free market, that new regulations in abstracto or any particular new regulations are the solution -- would that change your conclusions and push you back towards McCain?

In which I say who won last night's debate and almost abandon my cruel neutrality pose. Ann Althouse 2008