On the Horizon
Some Modest Obama Predictions
1) We will begin to hear ever so insidiously mention again of the “war on terror”; some quiet memo will go out to cool all the talk of ‘man-made disasters’ and ‘overseas contingency operations’.
2) Either shortly or soon next year, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano will resign. I don’t see how the nation’s point woman on domestic terrorism can claim that the system worked like “clockwork” (she has since backtracked) when the Nigerian terrorist’s own father contacted American authorities long ago to warn us about the proclivities of his own son, who came within seconds of blowing apart a transcontinental jet. The system worked only at the 11th hour thanks to a courageous Dutch tourist who took matters into his hands.
3) I think the overseas bowing, apologizing, and kowtowing will stop in 2010—it brought no tangible results. Indeed, Obama is one bow away from global caricature and humiliation. And when one examines the recent behavior of Iran, Russia, Venezuela, or Syria, one concludes that they all think they can make favorable readjustments in regional landscapes and power relationships in 2010. Obama’s advisors will try to stop his natural inclinations to apologize, and I think will be successful—given the gathering storm clouds of 2010.
4) We may hear something finally in support of the Iranian dissidents. The ‘reach out to Ahmadinejad’ line has failed. And Iran will probably get the bomb in 2010. Since we will not ratchet up sanctions or impose an embargo, the only hope to stop an theocratic bomb will be regime change—and that may prompt some Obamians to speak out on behalf of the courageous rather than worry whether the murderous will meet with us.
5) We will hear lots of talk about fiscal sobriety next year. Obama realizes that the $2 trillion annual borrowing is unsustainable and warping his foreign policy as well as his own sense of stature. He also knows that “they” who will pay increased income, payroll, health, and state taxes are simply not numerous enough to end the deficits, and may slow down or find ways to reduce income exposure—as the combine tax bite goes over 60%. As a result, we can expect some sort of federal excise tax or stealthy fees, or at least some euphemism for finding more revenue.
More taxation won’t get close to balancing the budget by 2012, but might get us in four years back to where we started in 2009 with the Bush 2008 deficits—after adding another $8 trillion in debt. Fiscal sobriety, not more spending, will be the 2010 campaign slogan. But even here expect the Orwellian: after establishing himself as the largest spender in US presidential history, Barack Obama will a) hope and change it all, as if “Bush did it”, b) assume that by talking eloquently about fiscal responsibility he has de facto achieved it.
The Tired Race Card
One Matthew Yglesias (whom I have seen quoted, but whose books or articles I have never read until today) wrote something that was just sent me called, “That Old Time Racial Paranoia.” In it, he suggested that I was a racist to have suggested Obama sees things from the prism of race/class/gender orthodoxy.
But surely anyone who collated Obama’s self-described (cf. his 2004 interview with the Sun-Times [“Yep. Every week. 11 o’clock service.” Ever been there? Good service.”]) dutiful attendance at Rev. Wright’s racist pulpit, reviewed his friendships with Father Pfleger, Rev. Meeks, and other Chicago activists, went back over his Pennsylvania clingers speech, remembered his “typical white person” quip, added in his rush to judgment ”stupidly” remark in the Prof. Gates mess, recalled Michelle Obama’s “mean country” slur and first time she was proud of the US remark–anyone who did all that, would conclude that, yes, an apparently strong influence in Obama’s worldview is the assumption that oppression is predicated on race. (If I had gone to one religious service in which my pastor evoked the sins of black people in collective fashion, then I would have left in shame of my attendance.)
Indeed, almost everything Yglesias wrote in his short hit piece is untrue or ill-informed.
Don’t worry — Yglesias is a pompous clown. He is exceptional among pundits for his dubious usefulness at anything other than pretending to intellctual heft.
On a related note, someone recently asked me why I never offer up my Ivy League undergraduate pedigree — I answer when asked, but never offer it or drop references to draw the question. The reason? People such as Yglesias. They spend 4 years at elite universities and graduate with degrees of idiocy and Bachelors’ degrees.
Yglesias would have stand on his tippy toes to reach your ankles.
Surely others will provide more detail on the juvenile attempted wisdom of Yglesias.
I guess it is to Yglesias’ credit, though, that he earned himself an invitation to visit you. I fret he won’t be smart enough to accept it.
Prof. Hanson,
You would be well advised to wear the tired epithets, from the likes of Yglesias, as badges of honor.
Best wishes for the new year. Please continue sharing your thoughts and words of wisdom.
“3) I think the overseas bowing, apologizing, and kowtowing will stop in 2010—it brought no tangible results. Indeed, Obama is one bow away from global caricature and humiliation. And when one examines the recent behavior of Iran, Russia, Venezuela, or Syria, one concludes that they all think they can make favorable readjustments in regional landscapes and power relationships in 2010.”
Not to mention the way the Chinese scornfully beat Obama like a rented mule in Copenhagen.
I rarely tout my blog on other blogs; it’s usually in bad taste. Here, since Yglesias is such a clear instance of the type, I’ll simply refer to my:
The Progressives Handbook of Argument. I don’t actually discuss pulling the race card because it’s such an obviously bogus move. But the basic methods are the same.
Yglesias, son and grandson of accomplished writers and thus a living example of a gene pool in decline, is one of the biggest schmucks on the internet.
Yglesias is a trailing member of the MoveOn/Soros goon squad. He published my home address on his original blog and encouraged his readers to pay me a visit after I reproached him for expressing glee over American deaths in Iraq.
Just another bottom feeder with a fancy degree.
Now Hanson, you cut it out right this very minute! How dare you presume to interfere with somebody working hard and obtaining
“the coveted status of victim” for themselves!
(Hat Tip to G Will for the quote)
After all, it takes a pee-pot full of money to
keep all them thar minorities in poverty. If it was not for your shining white face showing up in Selma medical facilities, why we would have universal deprivation for all with the taxpayer picking up the tab.
You are lucky you have not been arrested for rational commentary without a license!
Merry Bah Humbug to ye, Scrooge O’Hanson. Kindly refrain from any more sensible columns in the New Year or I’ll hold you personally responsible should peace and prosperityu break out!
I don’t know anything about Yglesias but he sounds like a typical liberal pundit with constipation of the brain & diarrhea of the mouth. It was magnanimous of VDH to invite this mental midget to his farm for an honest debate but liberals don’t do honest debates. They only play the race/class/gender card with shallow sophistry as their argument.
Let’s hope for your sake Dr. Hanson he doesn’t take you up on your offer. I think you’ll be sorry if he did.
Dr. Hanson: May I take this opportunity to cautiously adopt a bit more pessimism than you’ve expressed here?
1) Like you, I suspect we’ll see rhetorical changes relating to the terrorist threat, but that’s about it. Barack Obama and his minions are creatures of rhetoric, and all too often devoid of substance. It’s very, very easy to shift rhetoric to trick those who cling to God and guns, particularly when your base can be relied upon to understand that it is just a trick and that your real beliefs, your real agenda, is expressed by the likes of Janet Napolitano. Will the Obamites refill Gitmo? Rescind civilian celebrity trials for terrorist masterminds? Prosecute Black Panthers or Acorn for violations of election law? Restablish substantial covert humint capabilities in the CIA? Abandon politically correct nonsense that prevents effective terrorist screening policies? No, I didn’t think so either.
2) And speaking of Secretary Napolitano, I’ve no doubt that she, in making her lunatic assertion that the system worked, was completely sincere, just as so many of her fellow Obamites are completely sincere. To her way of thinking, the system ensured that no favored victim group or member thereof was in any way inconvenienced, nor was their self esteem bruised by the racist, sexist, genderist white oppressors–probably rural Pennsylvanians–who exist only to do such things. That the system did nothing–at great expense and with substantial feckless personal back slapping–to actually protect the flying public, quite the opposite–is beside the point. Her goals, and the goals of those who share her philosophy, were admirably met, thus the system worked. No doubt the terrorist experienced no inconvenience and suffered no ego bruising whatever during his flying experience up until the moment that, with the dumbest of dumb luck, the detonator failed and he succeeded primarily in barbecuing the family jewels (natural selection?), causing a Dutch film maker to do what the Obamites are congenitally incapable of doing and immediately enact a rational anti-terror policy. As an interesting aside, the involvement of a Dutch film maker conclusively proves that God has an omniscient sense of irony. In a rational administration, Napolitano (Van Jones, Eric Holder, Kenneth Jennings, etc., ad nauseum) would never have been considered for employment, let alone hired. As to whether she’ll find herself under the eternal campaign bus, that’s a toss up. Certainly, she and her fellow Obamites are incapable of feeling shame.
3) Obama might do a bit less bowing and a bit less apologizing, at least in public. But suggesting that this will in any way change the substance of his foreign policy beliefs and actions (such as they are) may be going a bit far. Alter appearances, possibly. Make real changes? Unlikely. Imagine that China takes Taiwan by force. Not only would Obama do nothing but unleash rhetoric, would this, in a Jimmy Carteresque way, cause him to realize that Communist murderers really are communist murderers? Would it cause him to completely, 180°, change his beliefs and actions, his entire being? It surely didn’t happen with Jimmy Carter, and he wasn’t nearly as far to the left as Obama. When your belief system and actions place you so far to the left that you’re virtually indistinguishable in significant ways from the most virulent communists, moving a very long way toward the center only places you in Howard Dean territory. Everything Obama has done thus far might lead one to believe that rather than changing tactics, he will only double down on a losing, appeasement hand.
4) Support for Iranian dissidents? Well, let’s see… Early in his administration Obama solemnly intoned that he would “bear witness” to the beatings, rapes, torture and murder of dissidents. Over the ensuing months, he has gathered strength to the point that he has actually talked about “taking steps” toward possible, potential sanctions or some kind some day. Our President has proved conclusively that he reflexively sympathizes and sides with dictators and statist murderers (Honduras, anyone) rather than those trying to fight for actual rather than rhetorical freedom. If/when Iran obtains nuclear weapons–and when we find out, they’ll have more than one–the status of Iranian dissidents will instantly become a moot point. It will certainly make Obama less rather than more likely to care about them or their fate. At that point, for once, he will be adopting a rational viewpoint.
5) We have to remember that as with Secretary Napolitano, “fiscal sobriety” means very different things to rational people and to Obamites. This morning on NPR I heard a democrat congressperson discoursing on a newly discovered revenue stream that his party hopes to use the IRS to exploit: 501(C)(3) charities. They want to put the squeeze on them to the tune of hundreds of billions a year. The rhetoric was that of stopping fraud and waste, but then again, the Dems are certain that they’ll save untold billions stopping fraud and waste in Medicare and can’t do it without the entire Obamacare bundle. Rhetoric vs. reality. When rational people are in debt, they stop spending and work their way back to fiscal stability. With Obama, fiscal sobriety means spending any amount of money necessary to achieve his statist ends. Again, rhetoric will play a central role, but actual, rational policy changes? Unlikely.
I hope you’re right, but remember what the dying turtle was told: “You knew I was a rattlesnake when you agreed to give me a lift.”
Are you truly incapable of reading your own writing?
When you write, “Michelle Obama could make $300,000 and she will always be more a victim than the Appalachian coal miner who earns $30,000, by virtue of her race and gender,” you are arguing that one of the tenets of “Obamism” is a pathological fixation on race and gender as outweighing all other factors in determining individual identity, success, etc. Right? Is there any other conceivable way in which to read that sentence?
But where in the actual laws and policies promulgated by Obama’s “far left agenda” can we see this fixation on race and gender? The only policy I can think of that even vaguely fits is the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which is small beer–a mild tweak to existing antidiscrimination law. Where’s the rest of it?
I think it’s clear that the big Obama programs thus far have been focused on matters of poverty and class, and have had nothing whatsoever to do with race and gender. So you might consider giving your fixation on the Obamas’ alleged race/gender fixation a rest.
VDH:
1) You’re drawing fire from the likes of Yglesias because you are an effective voice for old fashioned American ideals.
2) “and through autopsy adjudicate the level of medical care…”
He’ll never get that use of the word.
3) Obama’s bowing and scraping are not affectation. More like obsessive-compulsive behavior. He won’t stop because he can’t control the urge to be obsequious. That tactic has taken him quite far in life, and it will be difficult for him to give it up.
On your posting of some Obama predictions I would like to add the following. Immigration. Why else are the democrats unafraid of all their nefarious votes? Because the push for making up to 30 million ‘illegal immigrants’ into legal democratic voters will begin.
I think the predictions are wrong and give too much credit to Obama and his cronies. They read more like a wish list than a prediction list.
1. Obama doesn’t care about fighting international terrorism effectively, and he’s not going to tell his staff to change their phrasing and verbiage about terrorism. (Continued terrorism is a plus for a government that wants power and control over its citizens.)
2. Why would Napolitano resign? The Obama administration is still getting mileage from blaming its mistakes and failures on Bush. They’ll blame the recent screw-up on ineffective DHS communication networks established prior to 2009.
3. Obama doesn’t care about the USA’s international reputation. It’s fine with him if we appear weak and subservient.
4. Obama will mention the Iranian dissidents only if they revolt (and only if the revolt is more than a whimper).
5. Obama will not talk about fiscal sobriety. He will talk about how Bush’s failures led to an economic collapse, a huge national debt, and a need for more taxes on the well-to-do. Such talk will be prominent during the CO2 cap-and-trade bill negotiations (coming soon) and when someone in Congress (with Obama’s tacit support) pushes for a wealth tax.
People keep forgetting that Obama is an egoist and a narcissist. Unlike most politicians, he doesn’t crave approval from the public. Therefore, he is much less susceptible to opinion polls and surveys. If Obama thinks he’s doing fine, then he won’t make changes.
Even though I think Bush made a huge mistake in not vigorously defending himself agains the currs of the left, when I hear the estimable Mr Hanson defend his words against the slimy race baiter Yglesias, I can understand why Dubya kept himself above it.
One is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t respond to such contemptable slugs.
In all the tragedies that have happened in recent years, it stands out that the greatest country and geniuses like Mr Hanson have to contend with such vile bottom-feeders.
You don’t get flak until you’re right over the target.
Your predictions assume that the President learns from his mistakes. What if it is all Clovin Piven and Muslim and G-d damn America?
Professor, you flatter Yg… too much just by mentioning his name. And I didn’t like the song ‘To all the girls I’ve loved before…’ either so he can stick that in his pipe and smoke it. (just joking)
The people who come back here to disagree with you and demean the rest of us couldn’t actually read what you say.
Keep up the good work Dr. Hanson your commentary is very important to many people.
Dr Hansen — Yglesias is better dressed, wears cooler shoes and is a better dancer than you are. What else is there to say?
We’ll see if Yglesias is well educated enough to be embarased by your response. It is more likely he will accuse you of being unfair for fighting back.
Thanks for all your postings.
“Indeed, Obama is one bow away from global caricature and humiliation.”
I don’t think there’s any way for him to avoid the international humiliation he’s got coming and I doubt his psychic can survive it when it does come.
Regards
chrisa: “I guess it is to Yglesias’ credit, though, that he earned himself an invitation to visit you.”
Right. And I must have been a star student back in elementary school: you won’t believe how many times I was invited to the principal’s office.
Don’t know who Yglesias is, I actually thought he was a singer when I started reading this post. I do know who Dr. Hansen is, however and I read and respect his thoughts on an almost daily basis. If Yglesias is the best the left has to offer maybe the future isn’t no bleak after all.
Victor, you are an excellent man, a gentleman, a scholar, and a very good observer of history unfolding. Your essays are the finest out there. Wishing you and your family, as always, health and blessings in the new year. Merry Christmas!
“.. racist to have suggested Obama sees things from the prism of race/class/gender orthodoxy.”
Haven’t you worked liberals out yet good professor? They constantly apply the race card to silence alternate views. Currently this is the limit to their acrimony, given proper license re-education camps would be their preferred method in squashing dissenting voices.
My prediction for 2010: Obama kisses Ajad’s atomic sandals (literally/allegorically) i.e. before the IDF send the mullahs forward -> to the stone age.
I predict Stern will move into the White House and ACORN will continue to embarrass.
Americans must worry about retaliation from Barack Obama for our failure to embrace his utopian grand vision. He will seek revenge. We are to be punished for our transgressions. This should become obvious by no later than February. Obama would not hesitate to illegally overthrow the American government if he could get away with it. He would rationalize such a decision by claiming he is doing it for our own benefit. We have been supposedly mislead by lying reactionaries and therefore are incapable of comprehending the greatness of Obama. He must save us.
Actually Ms. Napolitano’s remark that the Homeland Security apparatus worked perfectly regarding the Amsterdam Moslem bomber over Detroit is no more ridiculous the Narcissist in Charge Obama eloquently saying that the health reform he envisions will reduce government spending.
Dr. Hanson: Keep up the good work. I have read a few of your books and look forward to each of your columns each week and encourage you to keep at it. When I first picked up your book on the GWOT (I was in Afghanistan at the time), I read your bio and would’ve sworn you were a leftist. I was surprised and amazed at your writing and consider myself a fan. Please keep doing what you are doing. God Bless.
Mr. Hanson,
there is no need to explain your writings or analogies. I read them every time, and filly understand your thoughts going into the writing.
I am not one of those elitists, who sit around, and look for scapegoets, when things go wrong as it does in the current administration.
I liberals do not tolerate to walk of the ‘plantation’, but be it as it may why is there always the ending argument of ‘labling everyone, such as racists, bible clingers etc’???
Is this the only argument liberals/progressives can come with with when run out of ideas? If it really is all they have, I consider myself much more educated, and informed any day then those like ‘Yglesias”. What a pity, when all one has is namecalling, but since I am a christian I pray for you Mr. Yglesias, that one day to come into enlightenment, and yur hate subsides.
It was entirely predictable that when Pres. Obama’s approval ratings began to sink, and when the truth of his world view became obvious to the moderates and independents who voted for him, liberals would begin to cry “racism.” I mean, what else COULD it be? The Obama phenomena is a pseudo-religious experience for many on the left. Does anyone remember the old Star Trek episode, when Kirk is on some sort-of Native American world, where the people treat him as a diety? One of the natives busts him in the mouth then proclaims, “Behold the god who bleeds!” The Dalibama bleeds…and his worshipers are panicked.
One semi-infamous anecdote about Lyndon Baines Johnson has it that, in the middle of a contretemps with some senator over a welfare program Johnson was pushing, President Johnson instructed one of his P.R. aides to circulate a rumor that the senator had been caught having sex with a pig.
The aide was astonished. Johnson apparently liked vulgar language and even more vulgar insults, and was free in his use of them, but he’d never before suggested anything quite as low as that. The aide responded, “Mr. President, you know that’s not true!”
Johnson smiled grimly. “I do. I just want the son of a bitch to deny it!”
When an ideological or political opponent slurs you, the best, most effective, and most dignity-preserving response is to ignore him, and ignore all questions put to you about the slur. Don’t “spread the mud” by engaging the slur and attempting to disprove it. That merely gives it the respectability of your response; it suggests that you think others might find it credible in the absence of a refutation!
A typical case:
Verbum sat sapienti. We don’t want to give the James Wolcotts and Keith Olbermanns of the world any more air time than they can garner with their own hysterical shrieking.
“And let us pray for a 2010 better than 2009″
And herein lies the crux of the problem. Instead of presenting solutions, we have incessant whining, instead of constructive progress, we have finger pointing, instead of getting off your butts and actually accomplishing something tangible, we have wringing of hands and throwing ashes upon our foreheads.
Sadly it will take the near collapse of the USA economy and infrastructure for its citizens to act. Until then we will continue to watch each political party turn a blind eye to its own, while creating imaginary scenarios on the other side of the aisle.
The American people deserve the Government it has.
Put me down as another reader who fears you are too optimistic, Dr. Hanson. The current administration bought it’s way to power using $650 million in fraudulent contributions and the connivance of the MSM. They are competent in Chicago style machine politics and nothing else. They made plenty of mistakes in Chicago and learned the arts of cover up, distraction and buying off certain powerful special interests. Not until those tactics fail them will they even consider changing the way they do business.
The only consequence that matters to this administration is whether they are still in power. That will not change until January 2013.
Victor, don’t ever defend yourself from the likes of the non singing Yglesias!
No one reads crap like he writes and believes it except for the Obama voters who are diseased with Leftist Leprosy.
Bec@10: Well the Messiah has not exactly said “no whites allowed” but certainly his 20 years with the racist Wright, his overeager AGs dismissal of charges against Black Panthers, his very quick condemnation of a “stupid” (white) police officer, his clingers comment and his appointments are all indications he views things in a black as oppressed, white as oppressor prisim.
Maybe you can explain Mrs. Messiah’s comments?
And his universal health care, and redistribution of wealth programs ARE policies with racial foundations. Copenhagen was all about white guilt and the redistribution of money to black and other underprivileged nations.
And you think that the Messiah who received over 96% support from his own race and does see his race as oppressed (excerpts from his books) will not want to redress their grievences?
Duh, he is NOT going to say anything overtly racist because he depended on the stupid white guilt-consumed liberal for his coronation-although they would still support him if he did. He is no doubt clever, more subtle. It’s his appointments right now. And no doubt, if he is re-elected or even maintains both houses after 2010, he will then begin to say and do things with a clearly racist agenda in mind.
You support him so you obviously do not see him for the racialist and racist he is. And you views are supported by the sycophantic MSM.
Besides the shocking clips of the reverend Wright sermons I had never checked on the Trinity Church. I paid a visit to the website and found that they consider the Black value system as key to their identity. http://www.trinitychicago.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114.
It is in place since 1982. (Just as a intellectual exercise. Read it and replace the word Black with White and imagine the reactions).
The most striking one was # 8. Disavowal of the Pursuit of “Middleclassness.”
If anybody ever wanted to understand why black people in the US have been unable to improve their lives on a wide scale look no further to see the frightening, depressing mentality that its leaders advocate. I have copied in the full.
“Disavowal of the Pursuit of “Middleclassness.” Classic methodology on control of captives teaches that captors must be able to identify the “talented tenth” of those subjugated, especially those who show promise of providing the kind of leadership that might threaten the captor’s control. Proverbs 3:13-14 – Happy are those who find wisdom and those who gain understanding, for her income is better than silver and her revenue better than gold.
Those so identified are separated from the rest of the people by:
* Killing them off directly, and/or fostering a social system that encourages them to kill off one another.
* Placing them in concentration camps, and/or structuring an economic environment that induces captive youth to fill the jails and prisons.
* Seducing them into a socioeconomic class system which, while training them to earn more dollars, hypnotizes them into believing they are better than others and teaches them to think in terms of “we” and “they” instead of “us.”
* So, while it is permissible to chase “middleclassness” with all our might, we must avoid the third separation method – the psychological entrapment of Black “middleclassness.” If we avoid this snare, we will also diminish our “voluntary” contributions to methods A and B. And more importantly, Black people no longer will be deprived of their birthright: the leadership, resourcefulness and example of their own talented persons.” End of quote.
This ‘value’ is core to the church since 1982. One almost wants to give Obama some slack for moving on somewhat from this Neo Marxist, racist, false prophecy type propaganda that has had such devastating effect on the mindset of so many citizens of the US.
Dr. Hansen, you have always provided clear concise thoughts in a simple understandable format, with excellent erudite references to the past. You have responded too strongly to this critic, and given him a much undeserved profile. Drop it, move on. The more critics that respond simply endorses your very effective prose.In fact the more critics the better you are doing.
Stanley
I rarely disagree with Dr. Hanson, but I have to here.
Expecting The Self-Exalted One and his minions to even slightly change their behavior is asking too much of them. They have a worldview that sees everything through the distorting lens of the dogma they have followed since childhood, in which every evil in the world is America’s fault, and all Americans are inherently guilty. Except for themselves of course, as they alone are “enlightened” enough to “get justice” for the rest of the world by punishing America.
This is what makes them feel good, and righteous, and noble. Which is the only thing they really care about, other than the possession of power.
To change, they would have to admit that they are wrong, in error, or simply mistaken. Which they are constitutionally incapable of.
A recent op-ed by Chicago mayor Richard Daley summed the problem up concisely. in it, he said that “liberals” (yes, he used the word) had to “work harder” to convince everyone else that they are right. He believes the problem with liberal dogma isn’t that it keeps causing trouble because it proposes the wrong answers to the wrong problems, or ignores problems entirely because it does not view them as such. No; to him, the problem is that the rest of us are just so mind-bogglingly stupid that we can’t see how absolutely and inherently “right” liberals are. About everything.
People with that sort of mindset are incapable of admitting error, or even realizing that they have made one when the consequences hit them in the face. (Like Martin Sheen’s character in “The Dead Zone”, they are more likely to grab whoever is handy and use them as a “human shield” instead.)
Like his former boss, Daley, Obama is incapable of ever admitting that he is wrong about anything. Far from changing his policies or behaviors, I expect him to double down on every “bet” he has made.
More stimulus. More “resetting”. More wearing of sackcloth and ashes before people who hate us for existing.
And much, much more determination to “solve” the MidEast “problem” by the methods advocated by his idol, Jimmy Carter. I somehow keep having this image of the pair of them, along with the European “intellectual elite’” crowd, crying out re Israel as Henry II of England supposedly did re Thomas A’ Becket; “Will no one rid us of these turbulent Jews?”
(Ahmadinejad is working on it. But I’m sure The One is perfectly aware of that, and is probably counting on it.)
I see nothing good coming out of this Administration. And a great deal of bad.
All we can hope is that afterward, we will be able to salvage something from the wreck they leave behind. Assuming, that is, that we can ever convince them to leave at all.
Even after the wreck, The One will still be convinced he was right. He’ll just order Janet Napolitano to hunt down the “reactionaries” who must have sabotaged his “enlightened initiatives”.
They used to say that “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”. By the same token, “liberal” means never having to say you don’t know what you’re doing.
You just blame somebody else whenever your plans blow up in your face, and everyone else’s as well.
clear ether
eon
Dr T said “Obama doesn’t care about fighting international terrorism effectively, and he’s not going to tell his staff to change their phrasing and verbiage about terrorism. (Continued terrorism is a plus for a government that wants power and control over its citizens.)
I agree. Obama will continue to call acts of terrorism “man-made disasters” when the only true man-made disaster is our election of him as President!
Publius Coriolanus Blimpius showin’ off his war wounds to the cobblers in the Forum!
Golly, who’d ‘a’ thunk it?
Healthy days.
It was here in the comments section that I officially declared the throwing of the race card has
become so undeniably ineffective that it now has the impact of a feather thrown against the wind.
Obama’s statements like “I know I’m not like the other faces on your money, bla, bla, bla would today
appear to be tired, worn out attempts to get the white guilt vote. In reality, they’re unmitigated acts
of desperation with a huge dish of disingenuousness on the side.
Likewise, the racist mud hurled at Dr. Hanson in the feckless form of “The old time racial paranoia”, rather than
being persuasive, is a boomerang that paints Mat Yglesias various colors of mud brown. Mat lacks not only
the pundit’s ability to reduce insightful, cogent thoughts to writing, but can be likened to that Russian
submarine Captain in “The hunt for red October” whose “safety off” order ends up with his first officer
crying hysterically, “you killed us” when their torpedo reacquires a target; themselves, the very sub that launched it in the first place.
Mat’s pieces generally have the depth of an onion slice, the impact of a flake of snow and the intellectual honesty of
a common con artist.
I would urge Dr. Hanson to file the latest slurs that emanate from a jealous, extreme leftist pie hole under the
category of trash probably worth less than a soiled, smelly diaper that’s been baking in a closed up, sun beating down car for
about eight Arizona hours. And not nearly as offensive.
President Obama lives in a fantasy land completely detached from reality; therefore, I don’t expect Obama to change too much in the next year at all. In January, Tom Harkin has signaled to end the filibuster in the Senate; however, what happens when the Republican retake Congress in 2010? The Democrats will have no filibuster to use themselves. And they will be freaking out still over the mid-term elections. Obama also wants to pursue Cap & Trade, Amnesty 2.0, & Card Check; however, I see none of these things happening with the Democrats still trying to convince the public on the disaster called ObamaCare.
President Obama is a narcissist demagogue; he will remain one after Congress changes hands.
Arrogance and dogma will keep Obama from changing course until the election returns of November come in. Then I see panic. Even an all out war against Iran.
great essay VDH
still I don’t share your outlook that o-bum-a will change anything in his delivery or his actions.
if fact this is the recurring argument I have with your pieces.
for him/it (obuma) to change even in appearance would be admitting a failing. he/it will not do it.
regards
WAY TOO TIMID
2010 will bring.
1. A war with Iran.
2. The massive backlash of white males
unintimidated by whines of “racism” etc.
3. More and more of the white middle class
radicalized and ready to take the fight to
the streets over immigration, taxes etc.
4. A mental breakdown of some sort of Barrack
Obama as bogus world implodes.
VDH: you pull an Obama genuflection when you invite Yglesias to your farm. It lets him win the point.
One can not win arguments with True Believers, nor their descendants to the seventh generation.
False precepts work just as well as provably true ones for making arguments.
Wars get fought precisely therefore.
Napolitano: what “worked” was that the bomb didn’t work. If it had, no amount of Dutch heroes would have helped.
Essential vdh.
Talking about what BHO will need to do to correct the results of his presence is simply doing him a favor and also giving the BHO’s some credibility by assumeing that what BHO is doing is correctable.
It is not correctable because it represents the actions of a product (BHO) of AA and PC who by his indoctrination and others surrounding him represents more of the current and ongoing failure of America.—at any level or metric measured.
This failure of America also represents the success of the subversion of communist/socialist ideology undermining America for the last 60 years or more. All that was needed was a Utopian sirens song to bring America down. The Union’s and Academic subversion now paying off. The parasites are wining. But of course will lose in the end the host, America will die. America will need to be reborn again within individual Americans who know what needs to be done.
The BHO’s actions is not something that simply needs correcting. It will require nothing less than a revival of what America really is or was and should still now be but it is not. BHO is an incompetent idiot but is what America’s face now looks like due to the Utopian PC and AA subversion.
He and his cohorts are due to most Americans not paying attention to the ongoing subversion and criminality now going on in the democratic party run cities and population centers. Criminality and extortion is part of the process. Ballot stuffing and voting more than once or when dead is a necessity.
The BHO’s are a symptom of what America has become at least as reflected within the “voting” population. Voting a chicken in every pot. Our grandfathers laughed at suggesting that they could get something for nothing. They were moral and did not want something for nothing.
America is not now moral. It is rationalized with intonations of past racism and slights that for the most part did not occur, and certainly did not occur to the recipients of this extortion. It is simple criminal extortion. But ignorance and guilt lead most Americans now. Nothing like their Grandfathers.
This of course includes the corrupt Acorn’s and the “stuffing” of ballot boxes and the corruption of most “elite” non working Americans which of course now include “welfare” recipients of AA and PC, who by minority and color status become the elite and favored classes.
America is Doomed for failure–there is no demonstrable ability or leadership. It has to be given to those who now are in charge.
Nothing is more unAmerican than this type of European elitism that simply says by birth and color someone is owned something for nothing.
Today’s America of AA and PC is all part of the same woven cloth that is now more America than the real America.
This moral failure of Americans to lead as needed represents an inept and foundering America that will soon fall in on itself due to the destruction of Individual responsibility and ability.
Nothing will work, most does not now work. The Unions, and arm chair academics who have contributed little to America successful past—-under the BHO’s will get stronger and the Utopian communist failures of the past will become America’s future.
History has been air brushed for so long that most Americans do not even know what the USSR was and why it had to kill millions of its own people.
I agree with number 9 and number 13. Obama and his minions have the agenda of turning the U.S. into a Communist state soon as possible. He also has an ego beyond anything ever seen beyond the silver screen of Hollywood freak shows. If conservative Republicans (or Tea Party politicians) don’t get elected in 2010, then I see no reason Obama will be defeated in 2012. I predict that if Obama is re-elected, especially without both the House and the Senate back in large conservative hands, then the American experiment will be dead within a generation.
Congratulations, Dr. Hanson. You are drawing fire from bigger leftist guns, evidence your writing is being read with genuine concern by those who wish to remake America in the image of Europe. I do think “proreason” (#14) makes a wise point: You may respond to these poorly constructed ad hominem attacks, but they will just keep coming.
I think calling everyone a racist who sees the emperor has no clothes is not going to have a lot of traction. Only the most deluded liberals amongst us view other people as comic book caricatures . The independents are already flocking away from Obama as his ideology and ineptitude become apparent.
Sir -
It is indeed a sly and devious thing that you have done with your prognostication. I can see only one outcome to raising expectations as your essay has done. People will be disappointed when it doesn’t happen. Props to you for the use of hope and change as rhetorical jiu-jitsu.
I think your predictions are based on an assumption that Obama can/will change. He’s a malignant narcissist, a psychological state that, by now, is beyond amelioration.
What I think will happen is an increasing separation of powers with Obama reduced to being the visible public performer making staged appearances to screened audiences while all decisions will be made by the radical statist socialists, an unelected shadow Executive Office.
I’ll predict MORE terrorist attacks. These are due to Obama’s behavior of this past year. That is, both Obama and Al Qaeda can be analyzed within a psychological frame that shows they are remarkably similar.
Obama as a narcissist requires constant and increasing adulation. For Obama, if you are dissident and do not submit to His Will, you are ‘unAmerican’ and effectively irrelevant. Al Qaeda requires exactly the same from its members.
Obama’s refusal to acknowledge the existence of Al Qaeda as a power, by his reduction of their unique identity to the ambiguous ‘man-caused disasters’, and his reduction of the war on terror to the equally irrelevant ‘overseas contingency operations’ has incited, yes, INCITED Al Qaeda to active aggression vs the USA. There will be MORE Al Qaeda attacks vs the USA…Bush pushed Al Qaeda back into the Islamic nations but Obama has incited them to again confront the US.
Their psychological need for power…up against Obama’s psychological need to ignore anyone who has a different adulation than Obama…is the cause of the Al Qaeda ‘we’ll show you’ new active agenda vs the US.
I also predict that the increasing split of the Executive into Show (carried out by Obama) and Decision-Making (carried out by the BackRoom Gang) will reach a critical point where Congress will feel threatened about losing control of decisions for the BRG will turn to running things by backroom deals and threats.
I don’t think Obama’s kowtowing to enemies and insults to allies will stop but both the BRG and the international world will see him more and more as irrelevant and the focus will be on the powers of the BRG…whose interest is in globalization. I doubt if the BRG is interested in regime change in Iran; in fact they might welcome Iran starting a war in the ME. It will be a diversion during the 2010 election year.
Will the BRG allow Obama to spend as much time travelling as he’s done – all of it so far both useless and harmful? How will they keep his narcissism fed? Will he, as is happening now, play more golf and have even His Voice coming from the BRG in the White House?
The BRG and Democrats will do something to try to stop the massive loss of electoral support before the 2010 elections; I’m not sure what – the current victim tactics of racialism, blame Bush, to-be-wealthy-is-a-sign-of-greed, are wearing thin. So I’m not sure what new tactic will be used.
I don’t see these idealogues moving into any responsible mode of govenance.
As far as Obama is concerned the leftist agenda must go forward, screw reality. What is the agenda? To break America, fiscally and as a world power. Therefore he will not bend in 2010, 2011 or 2012, because the breaking of America, both fiscally and as the dominant world power is going just swimmingly thank you.
“I invite, in sincere fashion, Mr. Yglesias to visit my farm, stay a bit, tour the environs and compare it to his own neighborhood” One is reminded of a British Staff officer during WWI visiting, I think, Ypres,(which the soldiers pronounced ‘Wiper’), and at the astonishment and shame of the Officer who said, to the effect, ‘My God, we’ve been sending you across this?!”, a Captain replied, “It gets much worse up ahead sir.” (Soldiers were sent across terrain little more than swamps, the only dry spots to be found were on the Staff maps.)
A related funny. On Hollywood Squares, the host Peter Marshall asked Paul Linde, “Paul, Earl Butts said….”.
Paul Linde screwed his face as only he could and said, “Who is Earl Butts?”
Who is Yglesias?
What if the US launched a surprise bombing attack on the Iranian nuke facilities and did so before the end of January 2010?
Another great piece. I told Ron Radosh in a comment that he should be proud to be attacked by someone like Andy Sullivan. The same goes for you with respect to Yglesias (which name, if I remember my college Spanish correctly, could be construed to mean something like “school girls”, but what’s in a name).
Now if one were to be criticized by you, Victor, or Ron Radosh, or Mark Steyn…well, one would be devastated. You have beaten Obama, deservedly and repeatedly, like a conga drum. It will probably help him to improve …well, its possible. Just as another example here is Mark on the sick care destruction plan bill, devastation indeed:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjU5OTJmODE4MGM5YmNiZDEyZDU5ZWU3NThhYjdmNGY=
Once again, brilliant.
Happy New Year Doc!
we are witnessing the unraveling of a Milli Vanilli president …
Doctor Hansen: Thank you, sir, for another great article! Sounds like Mr Yglesias could be useful down on the farm. . . he is already a 1st class s### shoveler. . . Happy New Year to all (even the trolls)!
38. rachel peepers:
“Obama’s statements like “I know I’m not like the other faces on your money, bla, bla, bla would today appear to be tired, worn out attempts to get the white guilt vote. In reality, they’re unmitigated acts of desperation with a huge dish of disingenuousness on the side.”
Disingenuous? Obama’s comment wasn’t out of the blue . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDTJDv4hevU&feature=related#
. . . and yet you act like it was. You’re right about this much . . . it was an unmitigated act of desperation, and we can expect many more from y’all in 2010.
BTW: Thanks for the all-star Right Wing Scat Alert: “a soiled, smelly diaper that’s been baking in a closed up, sun beating down car for about eight Arizona hours.” Another finely crafted and inspirational holiday homily. And we thank you.
VDH: I sense your disgust and weariness for actually having to stoop to “bring clarity to” the apparent idiotic falsities of the likes of Yglesias. That’s the problem with civil individuals like you, you don’t like fighting in the same pig-sty as Yglesias. What you need is someone who doesn’t mind slapping someone like him on the snout, that’s something he understands, and not “Sir, we are gentlemen….”
Democrats started America’s last civil war too……..
Dr. Hanson,
I can understand why the liberal/progressive/socialist ilk lash out at you. Their world view is of a secular religious nature. You have not shown the proper level of respect for their prophet and his “vision”. Best wishes for the new year and do continue to enlighten our liberal “comrades”.
VDH I know you dont like the Clintons, but welcome to the world we HRC supporters have lived in since the primaries, dispute teh One? raaaaacist!
end of debate.
Victor,
I hope you are right, though I think you are optimistic in thinking Obama has learned so many lessons and is willing to show it.
In any event, I’d add one more and more important prediction… that if Obama does all these things it won’t matter so much. Because no one will believe he means it.
Dr. Hansen:
I have wanted the opportunity to sit down and discuss things with you for years. Now I see how to get an invitation to visit you on your farm: I simply need to tell insulting lies about you. I would have preferred a more civil way to get to meet you, but you do what you gotta do.
Dr. Hansen, your mother eats kitty litter, and your father wears a tutu.
You’ve got my e-mail address, I look forward to the invitation. My cousin will never forgive me for pulling this off without him, so I may need to bring him along. Hope that is OK.
Much as I hope your predictions come true, I fear they won’t, because Obama has yet to learn the First Rule of Holes, namely, when you’re in one, stop digging.
I predict two major scandals in the right wing – one in the political ranks and one in the punditocracy. One will force you to confirm a deeply held liberal belief, and the other will make you yearn for the days of romantic hetero-approved Appalachian Trail.) Both will indict your judgment of character beyond any reasonable doubt.
(Sorry, I can’t do any more than “predict’ at this point.)
Hail Rush. Go Sarah!
Of course Obama’s supporters are playing the race card. It worked in 2008. And frankly, it is all they have left.
Like old generals who are refighting the last war.
Dr. Hanson, I wouldn’t waste one second reading or responding to Yglesias or his boy-followers. It merely gives him the attention and legitimacy he so desperately wants.
Thanks Dr Hanson.
58. Now and Then.
Why is Mr. President so unpopular? And…
You made it past Christmas you Handsome Mixed European – American Raging Turkey With a Touch of Black! You do have pull with Mr. President. You didn’t wind up on someone’s table on Christmas day gobbling about how “bad” you are, and how bad Amerika is. Good thing too that Kevin Jennings mentioned how good your claws are (“the guy your parents warned you about but who seems “OKAY by me.”). Close call at the Barnyard.
Now what is this?
“‘a soiled, smelly diaper that’s been baking in a closed up, sun beating down car for about eight Arizona hours’ Another finely crafted and inspirational holiday homily. And we thank you.”
Wow! The eggs hatched! Diapers and Modern Liberal Turkeys! Is Michael Moore in contact yet?
Did Anvil run off with the love toy of your life, Rosie O’Donnell? Done with the bale of ’70′s weed yet? Does your Christmas Hendrix Karaoke machine do Machine Gun in the key of Modern Liberal?
Happy New Year, “dazzling intellect”. “Amen. Brother.”
Why is Mr. President so unpopular?
Gobble gobble Goebbels!
I think the notion that the democrats will change their policies based on past failures represents the triumph of hope over experience. Their approach to domestic and foreign affairs has survived at least 50 years of abject failure–certainly a few more years of failure will not change it.
As a religious act of faith, belief in socialism and its pantheistic variants, requires that adherants ignore the evidence of their senses when it conflicts with the tenets of said faith.
About the prayer for a better 2010. I’m tempted to say next year won’t have to get too winded to be better than this one, but that wouldn’t be true.
This year could have been worse: stocks staged a recovery, even if was fueled by layoffs. North Korea could have pushed one too many buttons. Israel has shown restraint. Iraq still self-rules, etc.
But there is one angle for gratitude that hasn’t gotten much exposure. 2009 woke up a lot of Americans. People got involved and started asking questions like, “Can they do that?’
America is in the process of finding herself all over again.
My prayer for next year includes an urgent plea that individual freedom reasserts itself as the national motiff.
“Here Yglesias is simply disingenuous and deliberately falsifying…”
Imagine that, a leftist being untruthful. You wasted a lot of good brain power to state what, to the rest of the world, is taken for granted. Next we’ll learn that rattlesnakes bite.
On the Horizon
“On the Beach”
particularly the car race. :(
I reluctantly conclude that
the Left _does_ have a clue;
They think there will be no
sunrise in America, and they
do not care: Eat, drink, and
pass legislation, for tomorrow
the system crashes, permanently.
Thank you Dr Hanson for your commentary–Mr Obama has no understanding of history, for if he had he would have studied such things as why the norks invaded South Korea in 1950 (Drawing the boundary of US interests ala Mr Achesons ill thought out speech), and why Nikita Krushchev sized up Mr Kennedy early in his presidency (the meeting in Vienna)–Mr Obama has already been weighed by our adversaries, and they have found him weightless-Mr Putin, the Chinese, and Iranians, and AQ have taken his measure and found him wanting.
We have surrendered our eastern European allies to russian domination by removing their missile shield–and with what in return–just the awareness that Obama is an empty suit–the bowing to the chinese got exactly what? the demarche to the Iranians has gotten exactly what–our adversaries understand national will: Alas, Mr Obama can only blame the Bush administraion, which, IMO is looking better and better (except for the fiscal excesses)–
The comments in the comments section seem to me to be mostly valid and well thought out–we have a president who is simply not up to the task, his “rhetorical”–read teleprompter skills not withstanding. The man is a lightweight surrounded by ward politicans that even Mayor Daley has attacked.
When History is written long after all of us are dead, I submit the presidency of George Bush will be held in much higher esteem than that of Mr Obama–for those correspondents who are too young to remember, Mr Truman was regarded as a buffoon by the intellegentsia–Not so today, and rightly so. Would that we had a Harry Sterns Truman in the white house today rather than the excrable Mr. Obama. Santanya was absolutely correct–we have forgotten history. And we, the American people, are to blame
To paraphrase the estimable Hon. Edward Koch, the people have spoken, and they must be punished.
I suspect your predictions will be in response to the increasing 2010 kudzu theme: Vote against America, vote Democrat.
Like the pernicious vine, the theme will take off in the Spring to consume the landscape by Fall. Right now it is just a seed of thought or at most a seedling. But if Obama and the Dems in Congress let it take hold, it’ll take years to kill and as with kudzu, some efforts used to eradicate it will actually cause it to grow better.
An alternative sub-title for your paragraphs dealing with Mr. Yglesias: “A smear like no other”.
I agree with you, Letalis.
They have not figured out yet that tossing The Race Card(TM) is no longer working. They also have not figured out that calling everyone who is not goose stepping along with them sexual epithets or “Nazis” isn’t working, either.
In fact it is having the exact opposite effect they desire-it is serving to make more and more people see the truth of the matter. The truth of the matter is that the only ones who happen to be racists and are behaving like Nazis are Obama, the Democratic party and their mouthpiece the MSM and their supporters.
An added “bonus” effect their constant use of The Race Card(TM) and The Nazi Card(TM) is that it is serving to make people very angry. There is nothing that makes people more angry then to be constantly accused of being a racist when they are not.
My predictions are:
1) More Al Qaeda attacks against the US, for the reasons outlined above. Even though these are due to Obama’s stupid provocation of them by refusing to recognize that their evil exists, he will continue to deny their existence and Blame America.
He’s done this already by his continued refusal to use the term ‘terrorist’, by treating the current case as due to a deranged individual and a criminal rather than terrorist act, and his admonition to ‘clear up security measures’…i.e., the cause is American security. Not Islamic fascism.
2) More isolation of Obama from active governance; he’ll retreat to Voting Present and late night shows. Most decisions will be carried out by the BackRoom Gang, that shadow executive in the White House.
3) A more vicious set of attacks against Congress’s powers and duties, as the BRG seeks to insert its statist agenda against the wishes of the American people.
4) More vicious attacks against Americans, with Obama cajoling dissidents on those late night shows as ‘unAmerican’ and the BRG using more bribes and threats. More racist accusations, more greed accusations.
5) Welcoming a Middle East War as a diversion.
I have 100 % sure information about next year:
- the marxists will keep hating America and will keep trying to weaken it in any possible way
- the marxists dressed as “democrats” will keep helping the marxist to weaken America
- the jihadists dressed as marxists will keep defending the terrorists and will keep causing more attacks against America
- the black supremacists dressed as black supremacists will keep introducing laws that will severely damage the African Americans (as they have done for the last thirty years or so)
Enfin, the American Warriors, the Law Enforcement Officers, the Emergency Personnel will keep fighting to defend America and Freedom.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
PS I forgot, the trolls will keep showing their fanaticism, bigotry, and stupidity.
PPS I forgot: people who write “it’s” for “its” (and vice versa) will keep doing it and will keep thinking that it is not important. So will do the “their for they are and vice versa” crowd.
PPPS The spelling and grammar correction software of word processors and forms and browsers will keep telling me to capitalize marx, hitler, islam and stalin…and I will keep using the lower case
About the prayer for next year.
Amidst the series of unique, sometimes eye-popping, events this year was something truly remarkable, but easy to overlook. The American spirit of individual freedom stirred. It was like Admiral Yamamoto’s purported sleeping giant.
My prayer is that it fully rouse itself, take a cold shower and get some more exercise.
58. Now and Then:
I’m wondering about your scat fixation that you seem to project onto others…does it stem from that fact that it’s difficult for a 400 lb person such as yourself to clean properly after defecation?
The little left, the hate class, the me people, living off the avails of their host’s hard work, determination and ingenuity, producing nothing. I find it very hard to treat them as equals when you have to look down to talk to them all the time.
Could they be classed as a human sub-species?
Dear Prof. Hanson, I follow your writings each week, actually daily when they appear. I consider you champion of old fashioned play-by-the-rules thought. Rather than dismissing Mr. Yglesias’ screed out of hand, you examined it fairly. I consider you, John Bolton, Thomas Sowell and Sarah Palin to be those with innate perception, courage and leadership. There are many of us who pay attention. God Bless You.
“I predict two major scandals in the right wing…”
I predict you will continue trolling, as you have nothing of worth in your life and no other means of gaining attention.
Let me be clear, President Obama’s ego will not allow him to change course even when he’s a catastrophic failure of equal magnitude to the legend of himself within his own distorted mind. Nothing will change except make Obama look good with superficial, amateur PR stunts that will further backfire as the angry Americans turn their ire toward the Communists in the Congress & the White House.
This presidency is effectively over.
Period…
Now & Then, this article is about President Obama. Where did VDH make the Republicans & Conservatives the thesis of his article? Nevermind, it’s a rhetorical question. You need reading comprehension skills; it would make your comments all the more substantial & worthwhile reading.
The President is wholly inadequate in the office to which he has been elected. His appointees are chosen, not for recognized ability, but for loyalty to him. His chief of staff has an agenda of his own and may well be the voice behind the “presidency”. There is no sense of moderation. Rather terms like “fat cats” and people “clinging to their guns” suggest that the President is an ideologue bent on accomplishing an agenda, regardless of its merits, and whether the American people want it or not.
Only since the primary? Democrats have been accusing non-Democrats of being racists for almost half a century. Welcome to our world, jedimom!
Besides – the Clintons were quite skillful at playing the race card during the impeachment hearings. Remember how William Jefferson Clinton was christened “America’s first black President”? The Clintons cherished this idea and milked it for all it was worth.
Ah, Mrs. Yglesias’ little boy has come to Dr. Hanson’s attention!
Well, as the long time navigators of the blogosphere have come to realize, Matthew is best probably not to be left alone with shiny sharp objects, nor allowed outside without a protective helmet and padding. Matches? Out of the question.
These considerations, of course, make him a leading luminary in netroots ‘reality based’ constellation of glitterati. Such as he is. Absent anything except barely contained faux outrage, a keyboard, and an internet connection, he is, if anything, a diligent and persistently sycophantic noisemaker. The guy in the back of the crowd yelling the loudest during a never ending 5 minutes hate session.
Shallow, self important, and rarely, if ever able to assemble any sort of argument with any intellectual heft, the quibbling equivocal diatribe launched using the good Dr. Hanson as a target of opportunity is his stock and trade.
For Mr. Yglesias, substantive argument is a ship that passes silently in a foggy sea on a moonless night, completely unawares. Yet he continues ahead, stoking the boilers with abandon.
“I think the overseas bowing, apologizing, and kowtowing will stop in 2010—it brought no tangible results”
Sure it did. Terrorists are basing out of Yemen because thats where our circular justice system will land them after they are released from Gitmo. Saves airfare from AfPak.
And Yglesias is the racist. Obama is no different than the affirmative action admit – can’t handle the course load, blames the “system”, wouldn’t be there if not for the color of is skin. And the only reason Yglesias voted for Obama is because of his skin color.
better 2010 for who?–obama or america??
Speaking objective truthe to people like Yglesias achieves nothing. They are either purveyors of intentional untruth or the dupes of that ilk.
“Progressives” who set the nation up for a revolution are the first ones that Che Guevara and Pol Pot killed when they took over a region. The idealists were not allowed to be able to report their disillusionment with the cold, hard truth of the new order.
Even V. I. Lenin called them “useful idiots.”
And that’s what the rest of us should believe about them as well. But they aren’t useful to those of us who love freedom.
Doc, as TLM said above, the closer you are to the thruth and exposing the cesspool they live in, the more they squeal. Keep it up. PLEASE!
VDH, you just don’t get it: it’s racist because you are white.
VDH: Keep up the good work. Don’t be dismayed by the ad hominem attacks, they are the only way the leftists know how to respond to facts, factually presented. (ex: Rob Crawford, et al). Happy New Year!
The current ruling oligarchy knows the US public is rejecting their policies. Their response is to toe the line and work fast. The big O said once that he is willing to be a one-term president if he can implement certain policies. So, clearly, are many congressmen.
Some are hoping against hope that we the public will forget, believe whatever tripe they come up with, and reelect at least some lib congressmen. Nonetheless, they are rushing their agenda, and I believe will continue. If they only have 2010 to do it, they will force changes as quickly as possible, knowing some of them will stick no matter how the mid-terms come out.
So I am not optimistic for any improvement whatsoever, and expect only an intensification of justifying BS and euphemistic commentary. After the ‘health care’ debacle, we have immigration reform to look forward to…
Dr. Hanson I have enjoyed your writing for years. Thank you for your perpectives.
I may have to agree with some of the other commenters that you may be being a bit optimistic, but perhaps you are right.
Anyone who researches Mr. Obama and his close collaborators would realize he has a basic anti-American mindset. I would suspect that the Reverend Wright and his black liberation theology is just the tip of the iceberg. Then, of course, there is Bill Ayers and his wife.
My thought is that having been brought up for some years in a Muslim, Third World country, his mindset has been strongly influenced in that direction.
His policies reflect that.
Expect the unexpected. This administration (regime) is capable of anything, including false flag incidents etc. Stay alert.
VDH: No need to apologize to the other side.
“YOU” are one of “OUR” Generals in this battle.
Let’s stop trying to make nice to the other side.
They have proven what they are capable of doing to US.They would rip your head off and drop doo-doo down your throats…
They are not ‘friends’ or ‘collegaues’.
They are ideologically on the OTHER TEAM and we must pound them, out smart them, out legislate them and simply BEAT them.
The Right, disillusioned Independents, and the majority Center Right must take off the gloves and fight to win.
It’s that simple.
Enough with the talk.
Enough with the anger, enough with the angst.
We have one and only one thing to do.
Let’s beat them badly in the next election, and the election after that, and so forth. Just WIN…
Let me help you out with a few observations of my own. 1) Rahm Emanuel is the bamster’s real wife.
2) Our president is a muslim. But he doesn’t practice openly.
3) haarvard should have become notorious for more than professors who fight over parking spaces. The whole credentialing setup is a ruse.
4) The reason the plane didn’t just blow up, even though the terrorist was walked through to the boarding area, WITHOUT A PASSPORT. Was that other are in on the plotting. And, it was claimed he was a refugee from Sudan.
5) The reason there are faulty detonators has something to do with the MOSSAD. As Israel knows these devices make there way through tunnels, into gaza. With payoffs to the russians. It seems there’s a way a wire can fall out of it’s ‘connection.’ Perhaps brought on because this terrorist, in unzipping his pants, wiggled in his seat. I thank the Mossad for being on their toes. And, for knowing full well the extent of the treachery. But staying calm. Letting the bamster and all his handlers eventually get lifted up by their own petards.
The saud’s, meanwhile, point to cave dwellers as holding all their bank accounts in check. Phooey. They bank in switzerland. And, they buy this stuff by buckets full of oil at inflated prices.
Obama’s 2010 will be worse than his 2009 “B+” … And, if we’re lucky he’ll take a lot of ‘progressives’ with him into the minority. Where they all belong.
FYI – I went to Yg…’s site and posted something reasonable and respectful in defense of VDH. First I saw it up. Then it was gone.
I suppose this site demonstrates tolerance and an open mind to opposing viewpoints to allow those who it might first seem to enjoy pestering to post here.
To those who have written no books or have had nothing published, when you criticize VDH and the rest of us who follow him and grow by reading this blog, you may want to thank the professor for being as privileged as we.
Some students have to pay 50 grand a year to get the opportunity to learn as we do.
V.D.H.
Thanks for the 2010 prayer. I pray you maintain good health by the grace of God.
In a way I hope you are right about 2010. If you are we get the Clinton redo. If not we’ve got Carter on steroids. Carter still can’t bring himself to admit his mistakes and is still vile and nasty towards America and Israel despite his faux apologies.
Obama is way too proud and arrogant to admit any wrong doing so there will be none of that. He will however continue to throw people under the bus and dear Janet will most certainly be one.
The horse is out of the barn on foreign policy, too many “screw you’s” and too many overtures to the enemy. They will all be looking to extract their pound of flesh now.
The economy? Unfixable without shrinking government. California being the prime example; State legislators would rather cut off their private parts then reduce the size of government. Hell to pay: Just wait until they can’t pay their constituents or government employees lose their pensions or both. Multiply this by 49 for the Federal government. It looks apocalyptic from here.
In the War on Terror the menace is growing and Obama will not let a good crisis go to waste but not to fight the war, only to tax the freedom of the American people while pretending to be tough.
The American people know what tough is and Obama will only be tough on America and like a toothache or a bad tax the people will go to any length to get rid of him in the end.
I predict Obama will not be building houses for humanity to earn forgiveness for his sins like Carter but will instead follow the footsteps of his mentor and retire like a rich white guy and occasionally preach nasty sermons at his old Chicago church to the dead and dying. In general he will be hated long after he is gone. He will be the anchor that holds his party at the bottom of the sea forever. People will say “Never Again”.
OBAMA, Here’s How to lower Healthcare cost AND create millions of good decent, permanent jobs:
1. Expand Meals On Wheels to all rural communities
2. Increase SNAP food credit for low income Americans on Doctor ordered restricted diets and food allergies
3. Provide shelf stable low glycemic/low sodium food to VA healthcare clinics, Salvation army senior centers, as well as other healthcare clinics that serve low income clients. These items would also be sold at Goodwill, for a minimum fee to cover shipping and handling.
4. Every state would allow a taxbreak for Healthclub membership
MILLIONS of decent, permanent jobs would be created, nationwide! Best of all, healthcare costs would drop,because of better nutrition and exercise- therefore; this makes my 4 step program better than anything Congress has come up with. Will this ever happen? NO. Because the almighty gods we elected think they know what’s best for us.
‘even here expect the Orwellian: after establishing himself as the largest spender in US presidential history, Barack Obama will a) hope and change it all, as if “Bush did it”, b) assume that by talking eloquently about fiscal responsibility he has de facto achieved it.’
Considering that even his supporters now publicly voice their disapproval, I find it hard to believe that even he would have THAT much chutzpah in expecting nonsense like that to be swallowed. If he does, we’d be in far deeper trouble than I think we already are.
Dr. Hanson,
We’re all looking forward to the last year of this strange decade, and to your incisive analysis of events as they unfold – as tragic as they will be.
May God have mercy on our country, and may our people learn their lesson before America is ruined.
NRO archives record Mr. Yglesias’ longstanding idée fixe, e.g. from Jonathan Adler, on 7 June 2004: Yglesias writes: “Everyone knows that real conservatives whip up racism and religious hatreds as a method for distracting attention from the class struggle.”
His reference to the marxists’ Polaris of “class struggle” discredits any ensuing argument and demonstrates the continued use of marxist axioms as a proven marketing technique to attract readership from those who are not personally responsible for prosperity.
What will fall first?
Not Napolitano, but rather the mullahs’ bomb.
Nor our historic first Islamic apostate president’s mask of feigned probity, but rather the deluge of charges of our racism.
Nor the will of our enemies, foreign and domestic, to attack our way of life, but rather his pledge to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.
Nor his PC pusillanimity, but rather his genuflecting knee in celebration of servility to the interests of world governance.
And certainly never our taxes for so long as the Sirens of social justice subdue the vitality of the meek and powerless, embolden the avarice of the connected and powerful, and ensure destitution for everyone else.
Thanks Mr. Hansen. Your articles are always a must-read. I am so pleased, and relieved, to here of your free speech views and feel it is so important these days, as the only “public square” to speak of is an electronic one. God bless you.
I also am not aware of this Yg guy, but it looks like you stuck it to his (ad-hominem?) attacks, or whatever. Speaking of which…
Can someone ]]HELP[[ me:
I am trying to understand why the following post was rejected from Mr. Rosenbaum's article, "American Exceptionalism and the Sin of Pride". I think it contains only opinions and simple facts, which are not confused with each other. I apologize for cross-posting, but I seem to be left with no recourse save letting my speech by muzzled.
Can someonce tell this ignorant citizen where guidelines are violated ??
- begin posts -
31. Distraught:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
This article, to me, really represents the some old ‘fatalist’ mindest. But if I was to try, I would say…
The government is not a soul. The government is given the sins of preserving the society (via social contract). “Render unto …”
Does the government not sin when IT successfully neutralizes an enemy target, or executes a convict? Ever consider which humans really sacrifice most for this function? What that must take?
The sin of man of pride is, indeed, a tough one. I suppose we are to do things for His glory. But I do not claim to have solved that one.
What the author calls ‘Exceptionalism’, it’s main function is to be a symbol for the people to bind around. Every country has such a symbol. It just so happens ours is, still, #1. This country doesn’t apply that fervor like ‘other’ nationalists d(id)o though.
When he says,
“He was agreeing he felt pride in his nation. But he could understand others feeling pride in theirs.”
This, however, is a personal opinion. Not recalling the event myself I cannot judge, but can say, if I did, it would just be my opinion.
BTW, Since when does enthusiasm preclude fairness?
There is also the historical fact that no democracies have declared war on each other. Troubling though it is, I gather.
“European settlers brought the diseases of the old world with them.”
I don’t understand this metaphor. I always viewed those willing to make ‘the trip’ as exceptional by definition. What disease is this… ambition?
“In other words, “American exceptionalism” is just a phrase for parochial self-righteousness”
I believe the author, again, is mistaking what is motivation. Does the Nth best say, “Yay, keep working harder to remain Nth best.” Or does he say, “Next year, with your hard work, we shall be N-1th best”. I guess it’s clear how he would govern.
Realize every thing needs a leader, a model. Even nations. We were very lucky. America is the model of nations; in my view. I understand not his. Cause, otherwise he would refer to it for what it is; call things what they are. It does service to everyone by it.
Dec 28, 2009 - 3:41 am
32. Distraught:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
To clarify:
When I said: “This, however, is a personal opinion.”
I meant that so much lies in subtlety and nuance with this man, that it is unwise to take all his words at literal value. I think both sides would agree with that. Sometimes body language is invaluable, which is why I like debates.
Dec 28, 2009 - 3:45 am
33. Distraught:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
3rdly: Another evidence for healthy skepticism is that his wife was, only recently, proud of this nation. And also that we know he wants to ‘transform’ it (goes back to should either side believe him I guess, but anywho.)
Dec 28, 2009 - 3:50 am
- end posts -
Was it the "I guess it’s clear how he would govern" line? The only point here was that the described view is the same as those now governing. I don't think that's an 'attack' is it?
And, to add, here (apologies again but I don't assume I will be able to 'speak' this on the other thread either - I'd much appreciate it if violations were pointed out below as well):
The point about democracies was to show that they are special. And since America was the first, it is thus, special of the special. May I call that exceptional?
He says, "(Outta my way, lesser nations, I’m cutting to the head of the line ’cause I’m an American and we’re exceptional.)"
I wonder if he is referring to the Internation Court or something... but just because we do not submit to a thing, which is objectively, possibly unwise, does not presume a self-inflated view; just that that thing may be un-wise for a particular country. Every country's job is to look out for the best interests of its people (it is true that we are on the same planet, so our long term interest depend on outside factors to, but this is secondary to the primary. Charity is charity and goodwill - a bonus). Thing is, America is not equal, not in measure, nor in threats, and it behooves its leader to acknowledge this.
Further, virtues of man, are not the same as virtues of the inanimate. A humble man can still have a sharp, deadly blade at his hilt and walk with god. N'est pas? Another common phraseology along these lines is "guns don't kill people, people (with guns) kill people."
Since America does not have, nor claim, jurisdiction over the world (no we don't, we only respond to threats, sometimes to others), what Americans think of themselves is of no objective consequence to any other country. It is an internal concept; called self-esteem, which is not disjoint from humility (unlike self-righteous). High self-esteem is healthy, even if one is the worst, and even if one is the best. And believe me, countries, and people even, are drawn to high self-esteem. Is that even argueable?
To be precise Mr. Rosenbaum:
humility [Intersection] (all “self-esteem”s) != 0
self-righteousness [Intersection] (all “self-esteem”s) != 0
humility [Intersection] self-righteousness == 0
Note, this implies all “self-esteem”s are not EQUIVALENT and I leave the discovery of the DISTINCTIONS as an excercise for the reader. Also, the same relations follow with “self-esteem” replaced with “enthusiasm”, I believe.
Some additional questions for Mr. Rosenbaum, should he happen by:
When in Boston, should a Yankee fan, submit to equating his ferver for his team, to a Sox fan’s for his; for it is only the friendly game of baseball, not international diplomacy (which has real consequences). Is that right? Does that not answer itself.
The world is NOT kumbya (at least not yet). It is that type of ‘ideology’ that begets weakness; and if one has mortal enemies, it will end up getting people killed. What is worse is to speak one way in one place, and another in another… where I come from this is called ‘two-faced’.
And I would ask why don’t other countries have such ‘pride’ in theirs. I still think the Dodgers are the most special team even at times when there has been no chance of post-season in sight. Is that also a false belief? Is belief the same as fact? I don’t really think he has thought his argument through. Then again, the analogy may fail, as Baseball is a concept most familiar to Americans alone.
I might even go so far as to wager at this point that some other countries, too, have a fatalistic complex. We should keep our distance from them, metaphoricaly speaking.
But, if one wanted to find wrong… I will tell you where the first lies… it is with the reporter/interviewer, who asked the question of a country’s leader, for it is a ‘trick’ question and of no journalistic value, only propagandist.
- Oh… and Mr. Hansen, you are not only a great thinker and writer, but a great American, in my book.
I’m Sorry. “Mr. Hanson” not Hansen.
I’m bad with names and spellings…
Obama played the race card openly during his campaign when, after securing the candidacy, he proclaimed: “They will say ‘Be afraid – be very afraid! Oh, by the way, have you noticed…..he’s black.”
He pinned the racist tag on the right wing before they’d said anything about pigmentation.
His campaign was giving advanced notice that accusation of racism was going to be their response to any and all criticism. Racism was factored into their strategy from the start. No matter how badly he fails, mis-governs, betrays our nation to those who despise us, destroys our economic base, and saddles our children with debt and inflation, the Democrats will always claim his defeat was solely based on racism.
Unfortunately it doesn’t matter if Obama stops his bowing and scraping. America’s adversaries and enemies have gotten their full measure of the man. How confused and weak he is
Not much I can say about the muslim communist Mr. Obama if I can’t use “slurs, racial epithets, extreme language and false[?] accusations of racism.” We are beyond the point of reasonable conversation among gentlemen. The Revolution is overthrown! Wake up! This is too slow.
109. No, it is not a sin for the authorities to fight a just war or execute a man convicted of a capital crime, for “Unto the nations has been given the power of the sword, and they do not wield it in vain.”
Distraught – Your comment is awaiting moderation. Which means what it says, you’re not being censored.
I rather liked that article myself.
Dr Hanson: The largest threat to Obama and Yglesias is truth. You are,therefore, in their crosshairs (congrats. we enjoy your company.)
A word of advice. To be less offended or confused by Obama’s bowing you must see it for what it really is. He is not bowing – he is sniffing.
Thus the extra deep bows and subsequent self congratulatory attitude. He has smelled the enemy and they are him. Respectfully submitted.
Never heard about the Yglesias dude.
Checked his blog.
Went through two pieces.
When he introduced Gustav Husak (of all!) as a piece of a bizare demostration about the HC reform’s righteousness, I suddenly realized that next on the pipe are Gramsci and Garaudy.
Fled in panic, alerting passer-byes of the incoming misery.
PS: VDH is too kind – why does he give this Daily Kos loser so much space?
Professor, I wouldn’t waste too much time on Yglesias. Whenever he can’t come up with substantive arguments against opposing points of view — which is often — he whips out the “racialist” charge.
Although I don’t see in Obama the compunction he would need to make the adjustments you speak of, I do think you’ve identified some key ones he needs to make.
I wonder if at some point the sheer cussedness of Chicago politics will come to the fore in him and his team. Russia will show her hand sometime; my guess is 2010. All pretense of having a common purpose with the US regarding Iran, or really anything else, will be discarded. One of my real concerns is that Obama will lash out at some juncture, rather than approaching a serious situation (there are plenty of potential ones) deliberately and responsibly.
Merry Christmas and a blessed holiday season to you and yours.
Your readers are gleefully kicking Yglesias’ a** all over his own comments section, so that was fun to read. His attack was brief and childlike, as he had no evidence to base it on.
But if one or two fair-minded readers discover your work, it will have been worth while.
No words or rational arguments will defend agains this insanity – as far as ‘racialist’ goes all during the campaign BO and the mainistream media played the race card in order to hijack the Democratic Party – everyone knows it, it’s become boring now after 2 years of this nonsense and we who want our country and our Constituiton back couldn’t care less what they call us- I suspect we’ll start being subject to not only verbal abuse but legal as well if this gang isn’t thrown out soon.
Nappy won’t quit or resign because she’s strategically positioning herself for a future Senate run in Arizona. In 2010, McCain will win his bid for another six years. Kyl’s race is in 2012. So Nappy is biding her time in Washington at the Homeland Security office, thus avoiding the financial disaster she left behind in Arizona while waiting for a Senate seat.
Its tragic, but I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Nappy.
She’s ruined Arizona’s economy, just as she’s ruining the security of our nation. Here in Arizona, it will take years to correct her binge spending, but it will be done. Slowly.
A terrorist attack caused by her perceived lackadaisical manner, however, can never be “corrected.” The blood of American lives lost, on a Texas military base or a commercial airplane, will be on her hands. Forever.
52. Kerry:
Who is Yglesias?
What? Are you a multi-cultural illiterate?
http://www.julioiglesias.com/
Prospero Ano Nuevo!
Let’s look at racism.
Islamic child suicide bomber in the Israel – sole purpose – to kill Israeli Jews.
Pakistani muslim suicide bombers in India – sole purpose – to kill Hindus and any other Indian infidels.
Now that is pure racism and evil and it’s gone on for decades!!
Or oppression against women. Taliban extremists throwing acid on young girls because they were on their way to school.
Sharia law, forcing women to wear a burka – complete degradation, vitamin D deficiency causing teeth to fall out.
These are truly violations to women’s human rights.
Racism is pure politics in present day America and is trivial compared to where it in fact is being fatal inflicted on innocents.
The choice for Americans can be either perpetuate the past and live as the dysfunctional martyr / victim, or dismiss the notion of racism, and live to a set of worthy principles and establish one’s life with purpose. That is not a function of heritage, gender, race, creed, or income.
The former is lame and costly. The U.S. voted for BO as penance for past sins that have long been acknowledged. People may have felt better at the time in November ’08, but the cost of their confession is looking very punitive – and for what!?… an issue that exists in stories and history.
America needs to fast forward into the present, and get real with issues that matter right now.
Sedition in the face of tyranny is not a crime.
Correction #1: @myth (I think I like most of your comments I’ve read btw, little brutal but I identify)
sin should have been ‘sin’.
You are likely correct in your observation. In fact, I meant to put ‘sin’ in scares but muffed it the first time and re-posted verbatim (didn’t exert the effort cause had “IT”, which carries the idea as “ITs” can’t sin !~? except maybe apes? I hear they repent… ah whatever, who knows, inanimates at least). Yet, I meant to do so because it is the usage he used (though not totally correct as you point out – the sin is in fact, in part, spread, and dissolved – but my main point was that the subject of the article is not a sin at all (if righteous), even for a man, just mis-defined – surely every(one)thing is exceptional in His eyes), as I’m sure he would support police killing a violent felon who refused to lower his gun, which, alas, is still a sin as thou shalt not murder. Ok… Although it is sin only in the literal literal sence, it is still a sad thing when anyone is killed (there are usually previous sins involved but – Christ still weeps – I suppose this may be my generalization but don’t quote me – He weeps alot though I assume as so many suffer each day; more than one could count – we should be thankful what we do not know, sometimes), but many ways to repent such justifiably. Yet, all such serviceman still live with their acts, hence the sacrifice (some call them nightmares – it ends some). Ive said too much already…
The point I wanted to make is that it is in the contradiction where lies the answer, often times. In fact, it does seem sometimes that this may be one of the best ways to procede to identify a unit (another is to encircle it). As the pieces are often large and differ slightly in borders, so the intersection can sometimes provide the finest resolution (and saying what things are, also, NOT). Which is why somethings are “better” said in some languages, so I hear, and suppose.
I am one of 15 children. Both my parents worked. We never were on welfare. My parents were Dems. We learned that to ‘get ahead’ you had to educate yourself and work. I have done both; and well. I live next door to a black family who taught their children the same. I have a by-racial grand daughter. I am an American, born and reared in the US. I could not agree with Mr. Hanson more. Yet, as an employer, I have been accused of racism by an employee after she was fired for not coming to work, and I was sued and had to defend myself and my business. It cost me, and ultimately I won. But, It wasn’t the first time and won’t be the last as long as we contionue to use race as an excuse; as long as we continue to look at racial make up to make determinations; as long as we use race as an excuse to justify our behavior.
Nat Hentoff is an 84 year old liberal and former writer for the Village Voice.
Here’s part of a recent interview with him,
“JW: Do you think Obama is shallow?
NH: It’s much worse than that. Obama has little, if any, principles except to aggrandize and make himself more and more important. You see that in his foreign policy. Obama lacks a backbone—both a constitutional backbone and a personal backbone. This is a man who is causing us and will cause us a great deal of harm constitutionally and personally. I say personally because I am 84 years old, and this is the first administration that has scared me in terms of my lifespan.”
125. Distraught is a good name for you. That post was incoherent.
I’m a little surprised that the usually very insightful Dr. Hanson neglects to point out one very large problem, maybe the most troubling one: Matthew Yglesias has a very large audience.
There was a time, not too many decades gone by, when such men would have been relegated to poorly attended gatherings on street corners. Such a man would hold the attention of a few curious passersby for a minute, a handful of malcontents for an hour. Now, he reaches millions who return day after day for more of the same.
And his like dominate all the major intellectual institutions of the country from nightly news casts to charitable organizations to the universities, excepting only talk radio.
That’s the real problem.
Never heard of this Yglesias guy until now, and although I tend to disagree with over half of VDH statements on politics, these charges by Yglesias sound more than absurd to me. If one wants to place a complaint at the feet of VDH, it would be for his overused “slippery slope” arguments. Yglesias arguments are weak, and even offensive and seem like he is either willfully ignorant, or maybe just ignorant?
I just wanted to say thanks to you, Dr Hanson, for sharing your thoughts in your blogs over the past year. I look forward to reading them in the coming year. The comments make for good reading, too.
Despite living in Australia – and therefore only tangentally affected by US politics – I do enjoy reading about the political landscape over there and I am surprised to see the many parallels between your Obama administration and our Rudd Government (especially in regards to the “spin” over “substance” style of leadership).
Americans seem to have woken up very quickly to the Democratic scam they have been subjected to (as evinced by his falling polls) and that is something to be proud of. Here in Australia, our own Obama-lite, Rudd, is still riding high. It’s quite embarrassing, really.
All the best to you and your bloggers in 2010.
@64. J. H. Colter
(Hey! That was my idea, dang it! Though, I have to say that the cat litter accusation was particularly odious.)
And, dear Professor – if you’re reading – I hope you know in what great esteem we hold you and how deep and sincere our wishes are for your health and happiness in the new year.
I read some of the Yg stuff – nothing new there. I’d never heard of the guy. He sounds like a breathy high school sophomore after the history teacher goes through the marxist stuff – he’s the kid who gets attention by saying how he things communism is a good idea. Great classroom theatrics.
Notice how we’ve pegged the response of the left – all dissent = racism.
Having VDH actually defend himself and write about the Yg person was like watching Shakespeare respond in writing to bathroom scrawl. Professor, no need to defend yourself against what is obviously a very small mind, with an exceedingly limited argument.
Dear Dr. Hanson:
Just writing to wish you a healthful and happy 2010, and to thank you for your wonderful writing and commentary.
A lowlife like Yglesias isn’t fit to carry your briefcase, so I wouldn’t let his vitriol get under your skin, at least personally.
One poster recommended taking the “high road” and ignoring his attacks. I respectfully disagree; in an ideal world, that would be the best and only policy to follow. However, in today’s toxic political and media environment, unanswered attacks quickly assume the mantle of fact even if they are spurious. Whether your opponent’s arguments have any basis in fact (or decency) is immaterial; therefore, you should defend yourself vigorously and often to the full extent of your considerable abilities. Witness the horrific hatchet job done on Sarah Palin and her family; the politics of personal destruction indeed. I’d hate to see similar happen and drag your very good name through the mud.
You’re just amazing, a national treasure. You give real hope and perspective on all this nuttery.
You Sir are always the gentle breeze of truth that effectively clears the air of the acrid odor emanating from these misguided misanthropes posing as harbingers of enlightenment. Keep fighting the good fight and may God bless.
#10 BEC,
I suggest you read a book by Dr Walter E Williams, it is titled: Liberty verses the Tyranny of Socialism.
You will begin to get a better feel for the race issue as described by the left in this country.
I assume you are of that group, so perhaps my writing this is a waste of time
“He published my home address on his original blog and encouraged his readers to pay me a visit after I reproached him for expressing glee over American deaths in Iraq.”
That is indeed contemptible. I have long known he was a hack, but I didn’t know he had done anything that vile.
Doctor Hanson: I saw Yglesias on CNBC today shortly after reading the article. This guy is reciting garden variety dem talking points so no worries. He is not on your level of deep, objective analysis.
Happy 2010!!!!!
138. pst314:
“He published my home address on his original blog and encouraged his readers to pay me a visit ”
That is indeed contemptible. I have long known he was a hack, but I didn’t know he had done anything that vile.
Both Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin have done EXACTLY the same thing. Is that vile, too?
So now I have to trash Dr. Hanson to garner an invite to his farm?! Yglesias, you are one lucky hombre mijo!
I don’t understand why you bother to respond to criticism of you (as opposed to criticism of your ideas). Writer who called you a “racialist” (which, I suppose, means “racist”) has not read enough of your books and articles to know whether you are or are not. (You’re not.) Having dealt with my share of vitriol from lowlifes (as a gang prosecutor), it’s my opinion that responding to it does no good except to validate the attacker’s credibility as someone whose ideas are worth rebutting.