Some Monday Evening Light Reading

Some articles I came across today that were interesting to read for a variety of reasons:

• David Callahan writes about the “greening” of the wealthy, where more and more of the affluent are environmentally conscious. It seems like a very optimistic approach to the failure of the Senate to take up climate change legislation.
• Ross Douthat writes a very confusing column about the overturning Prop 8 in California. He lays out solid arguments in favor of gay marriage based on cultural and historical factors but says there is something about straight marriage that is different and must be honored. However, he never quite says what that something is.
• Paul Krugman continues to anchor himself firmly on the left of the political divide. Much like Ross Douthat’s opinions on gay marriage, I agree with Paul Krugman most of the time but still feel as though that elusive reason for disagreeing with him is out there somewhere.
• Matt Bai writes a great piece about the xenophobia on the right these days and how this is not a new phenomenon. On a side note, I always thought the deciding factor of the 2006 election was the fact that George W. Bush could not pass comprehensive immigration reform in spite of his popularity with his own party. In much the same way Bill Clinton passed NAFTA and Welfare Reform, going against his own party’s entrenched positions, the failure of immigration reform seemed like the canary in the coal mine for the Republicans as they approached the 2006 mid-term elections.