Hipcat Recommended Reading...yo boy

The following links are interesting reads and great diversions from the monotony of entry-level cubicledom.

These 3 pieces provide an interesting snapshots of American conservatism, big business, and contemporary American society:

1. Paul Weyrich, founder of the Heritage Foundation, writes about the "collapse of culture...[into] an ever-wider sewer."

2. Robert Rector, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, analyzes the success of Bill Clinton's welfare reforms 10 years ago, saying "[It] pains me to say this - Bill Clinton was right."

3. Sebastian Mallaby uses the examples of Wal-Mart, McDonald's, and Starbucks to suggest that big business drives social progress more than government does. He points out that in "mass-market companies, customer opinion is the same as public opinion, so corporate bosses become as sensitive to political and social shifts as elected officials." He then argues that it is possible "for companies not merely to outpace government but to pull government along" the way to progress and social improvement.