OK — Here’s the conclusion to the saga of Obama. I left off with Chapter Four and why the Obama locomotive went off the rails after only a year.
Chapter Five — The Verdict Is Still Out
So here we are after a year with the president below 50% in the polls, the progressive dream for a bit stalled, and the media uncertain whether to press ahead with their Ministry of Truth homage, or to bail before Obama shreds their last vestiges of disinterested credibility and takes them down with him. Or is that an overstatement?
I confess I am not entirely confident that this third great attempt in the last three decades to become Europe can be so easily stopped (and yet in just 12 months we saw the greatest decline in popularity of any first-year president in poll-recorded history).
So why the doubt?
The enormous borrowing for a time may spark an inflation-driven expansion timed to coincide with the November election. GDP growth will accelerate while worries about mega-deficits, stagflation, and persistent unemployment will, for a while, be put off to 2011. Much of the TARP money will be released in late summer, and it will create a temporary uplifting effect, analogous to the final binge of a soon to be maxed-out credit card.
We also have not quite yet seen the bitter pushback: expect a renewed “Bush did it” offensive, the promiscuous playing of the racial card to stifle dissent, and stimulus money lavished on everyone from train aficionados to solar panel producers. Do not underestimate either the role of the SEIU or Acorn-like groups during registration and balloting in key close run congressional races.
Americans have never given up on a president so early. To do so would mean to a majority of voters not merely that they were wrong, but terribly wrong. To admit that is difficult; to admit that so early is terribly difficult.
While much criticism is made of the president’s scripted eloquence, his reliance on the teleprompter, his unease with repartee, his awkwardness in question and answer, nonetheless he is skilled with the teleprompter, and much of his message to many of the people can be teleprompted.
After all, that is in part how a two-year senator got elected in the first place. And as a rhetorician, Obama is skilled in weaving alternate realities. For you reader, his recent exegesis of his broken promises to put the health care debate on C-SPAN (it was sort of aired, didn’t you know that, dummies) was preposterous. But admit as well that such a bold alibi came right out of the mouth of Saruman in his Orthanc — mellifluous, assured, seamlessly shameless. It would make even Tartuffe proud. Obama’s art is more than just teleprompted eloquence.
Great thoughts and insights as usual Dr. Hanson.
The distinction between central planning and redistribution, and individual freedom and wealth creation is essential for there to be new direction this fall.
VDH: Will Republicans in fact realize that the 2010 elections are a first major battle in the struggle against the statist agenda, their attack on the country? Scott Brown type candidates might not be effective across the board. RINOs will not be effective most places. So, unless Obama and the Democrat statists cave in, which is very doubtful, the November 2nd election will be a fight for the very soul of America.
Republicans need to have something like the 1994 Contract with America, yet tailored to 2010 and our current condition. Maybe the Republican caucus will do this and maybe not. I do know that politics, business, as usual will not work.
So, professor, please continue doing what you’ve been doing and just maybe your essays might help produce a return to normalcy.
Also, voting for the “man” versus voting for the party doesn’t work when the “man” is a Blue Dog Democrat; they no longer exist, thanks in part to Pelosi and Reid.
Amen.
Dr. Hanson, you are looking at the wrong things. First, GDP growth is (overstated again) and a function of replacing depleted inventories. That’s all.
What matters is the unemployment rate, the real one, which is not 10% or 10.2% but likely over 17.2%. America has lost over 10 million jobs since the start of the recession. We need at least 2 million jobs per year also (starting with 2008) just to keep place with population growth. That’s 14 million jobs that need to be created … JUST to get back to Bush in December 2007!
Meanwhile, Obama promises to transfer wealth and medical care from those who have it (hard pressed middle class) to those who don’t have it (mostly illegal aliens, poor, Blacks, etc.) While offering culturally, lawyers for terrorists.
Those were the winning issues for Scott Brown in MA. Unspoken of course were the job losses.
Obama cannot even touch that with TARP graft and stimulus funds. He can employ at the most 1 million people (and that will be a stretch). Meanwhile, he has culturally presented a sense of exclusion to ordinary people and concerns for radicals, non-Majority ethnic/racial groups, etc. FDR was a failure, economically, but he kicked out every Mexican he could find and prevented Blacks from participating in the New Deal (he crushed the Pullman car organizers) which is why he kept getting re-elected.
The biggest issue is jobs. Failure to provide them and an elitist, non-Majoritarian touch, means electoral wipe-out for Obama’s Dems.
Yes, future historians will scrutinize our actions in this hour of great crisis – if anything that we would call ‘history’ still exists that is. Our ancestors stood up to monstrous tyrannies (Nazism, Soviet Communism etc.) and defeated them. But now if we fall before this new brand of authoritarianism, there will be nothing, no-one left to defend the idea of the ‘individual’, and all the potential that he or she may unleash when allowed to act freely.
We will shame ourselves, but our ancestors are beyond shame. Their deeds will always shine with their own light, even if they are forgotten. We will do them no honor though. And we will disappoint our children, and their children. They will wonder why we did this to them. They will ask of us (if it still permitted to ask that is) “was life so dear and peace so sweet as to bought with the chains of slavery?” But the answer will already be apparent.
To hell with that!
Time is short, the opposition has the initiative, and has shaped the battlefield in his favor. Just the kind of odds I like… Sort of gives ‘em a fighting chance!
Unite and nothing can stop us. See you in Nashville.
And Obama offers his best rhetorical performances when tottering at the abyss, as we saw with his Rev. Wright sophistry.
……it won’t be enough for conservatives to say they are not Obama, and not ready to become a socialist Belgium.
Obama rips GOP as ‘opportunists,’ touts loan plan
NASHUA, N.H. – President Barack Obama branded Republicans on Tuesday as electoral opportunists more concerned about their own interests than the people’s, taking a political risk by escalating criticism of the very lawmakers he’s urging to work with him.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100203/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama
VDH, it won’t be enough for “conservatives” to do…well, anything. At least not by themselves. As the Scott Brown election showed, Independents, Reagan Democrats, the whole of “non-leftists” must remain alert and energized…and not fall prey to all the tricks and treats thrown at them…designed to distract them from the impending peril.
Right around late October, the trick or treat caravan will net some ghoulish results. These are likely to make the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Cadillac health plan union limo ride…look like child’s play.
And meanwhile…thugs dressed up in camouflage costumes carrying nightsticks to intimidate voters while the government goodie bag Holder backs up their intimidation tactics, the dead come back to life to register to vote via ACORN outlets, and the mask that hides the most faces…is of George Bush…who, we are told in a paternal tone…is the scary one.
My worry, VDH…is that the Republicans will remain as hapless and feckless as ever, in terms of constructing the appropriate response and delivering it in a coherent, energizing, galvanizing way.
That they will allow themselves to be painted into a corner, that they will allow the narrative to be set by the Neo-Belgian Wafflers…while they sputter, wander aimlessly about and absorb assault after assault.
That they not cower in a corner at being called the “Party of NO”…that they embrace it and enlarge it to the Party of HELL NO!
NO, we won’t recklessly print money we don’t have.
No, we won’t throw good money after bad like a drunk at a craps table.
NO, we won’t crush small business with taxes, hidden behind fluffy sounding populist memes.
NO, we won’t accept ambush legislation in the middle of the night.
NO, we won’t keep blaming any past President from Bush to Millard Fillmore for the disastrous results of legislation passed today.
NO, we won’t accept euphemisms that soften the intent of our sworn enemies, and courtroom show trials that grant them rights and privileges that threaten our security.
NO, we won’t be told that fraudulent junk science is “settled” and that we can’t ask any other questions about it.
NO, we won’t have second rate health care jammed down our throats.
NO, we won’t be moved by state controlled media burying facts, distorting information and fronting for One Party Rule.
NO, we won’t be called “teabaggers” or “bitter clingers” or “homegrown terrorists” and soon forget it.
We say Yes to fiscal sanity and responsibility. We say yes to sensible national security measures. We say yes to American exceptionalism. We say yes to freedom loving people seeking democracy in lands where it sprouts up and they look to us as a guiding star. We say yes to unshackled small business growing and hiring again. We say yes to honest flow of facts and information. We love the people of this land…and we make no apology tour for saying so.
As always, a great post.
I agree that our future direction as a country depends largely on the size and depth of the coming Republican tsunami.
I believe that the GOP has made a good beginning in laying out an economic alternative that promotes growth, in Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposal. What is left to do is for the party to draw a firm line in the sand on Federal govt. spending. Revenues are going to be around 18% of GDP – What will their spending levels be? I think this will be required to convince those that drifted away in 2006/8 that they are serious (or not). People will still vote to avoid the insanity of the left but enthusiasm and financial contributions may well make the difference between success and disaster.
What we have here is the old story of the “ant and grasshopper” updated and colorized for our entertainment.
Let’s go beyond Rodney King’s lament about “getting along” to the point where OctoMom shows us how her body has returned to a pre infertilized state.
Enter the Miss America contest, showing renewed vigor as the largest audience watches in years.
There’s a “rumble in the jungle” feeling, is there not? Still, few bullets can be found on the shelves at your local Wal-Mart…and it’s been this way for almost a year!
Obama presents us with the old joke of the cheating husband who is caught in bed with the pretty neighbor by his wife, wherein he says: “Honey, are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?”
My problem is that I used that story to describe this hateful man over a year ago, yet I don’t know if there is a strong enough majority of American citizens (both voters and non) who are committed to stopping these people, starting with Obama.
Note how China is warning us. Next up will be the flexing of some Chinese muscle.
Are we to say “go screw yourself!” over our debts? A “World War” will certainly follow that decision if made by our present leaders.
Or is the game to inflate/deflate our currency value? Isn’t that just another way to say drop dead to those we owe?
I like (but not really…) the “new bond slave” mentality choice, which is a dynamic way to get control. It is here that I think our Dear Leader, Obama-Mao really has his major intent. Hamlet would understand.
Remember how Commidus shouted in the movie “Gladiator” to his sister: “Am I not merciful?” For those of us in the audience, we knew exactly who he was, no matter what he said.
So it is with Obama–for me and I suspect so many more. Will it be enough?
Fade out with Kate Smith singing “God Bless America”…
“The enormous borrowing for a time may spark an inflation-driven expansion timed to coincide with the November election.”
We are in too much debt for the Obama administration to pull off this short-term Keynesian scam job. America is financially bankrupt for all practical purposes. It is comparable to the goofy guy who has maxed out all his credit cards and possesses a reputation as a reckless and undisciplined spender—who now wants the lenders to throw a lot money more his way. It ain’t gonna to happen. A few years ago our country was perceived to only be moderately in debt. The total on all our credit cards was considered to be far more manageable. In that case, the politicians could easily get further loans. Those days are long gone. The Chinese in particular will laugh in our faces.
Obama’s economic policies will do little for the private sector. That requires large tax breaks—and he has no intention of allowing the business community to decide on how best to invest its money. These individuals supposedly lack the wisdom of the politically connected and Ivy League educated elites. Obama will try to throw more dough the taxpayers towards the public sector. Needless to add, this will increase the tax rates. Government employees and supporters of Obama will be the only real beneficiaries.
Dr. Hanson: Brilliant. Bravo for the call for Spartans to enter the arena. Xerxes is marching toward Thermopylae. ;)
Mr. Hanson has become so focused on the domestic dangers, that he downplays here (although he is surely aware of) the International dangers this far-left, apologist administration brings.
Under this Administration, Iran gets the bomb as do its terrorist proxies. China and North Korea would be emboldened to strike Taiwan and South Korea respectively. Iran would follow through on its (and Islam’s and Europe’s) goal of nuking Israel and imposing a truly “final solution” to the Jews. And what damage would Israel cause in its retaliation to the world’s oil supply?
Terrorists would likely use WMDs on our cities.
The present administration would have us destroyed by our enemies long before their fiscal rot set in.
Excellent! The admonition for all of us in your last paragraph is perfect. This is an arena and we are fighting for our freedom and liberty. Obamanation and his statist gang are leaders of the opposition and are strangers to the truth. So, there is an old Irish motto that is appropriate, “……be fair and fear not!”
Whiskey @ #4, it’s the rates of change of jobs rather than absolute figures, dems will use. The first derivative is positive, and the 2nd, acceleration, is the key.
Seems that commercial real estate problems are the most obvious economic overhang, that could have even greater negative impact in China. There is 30 billion ft’ of comm real estate development in China right now.
But how will the rest of the economy perform? Is Apple computer the exception, or a leader out of the recession? Companies have adjusted the bottom line, and the question is when dies top line growth happen. Apple saw 10% revenue growth, and record earnings this past quarter.
Not everyone needs an iPhone nor a new MacBook, so the consumer may be starting to dip the toe into the waters of spending again.
Let’s hope you’re right, and that Dick Morris’ prediction becomes reality (house goes GOP by 15 seats, senate by 2 – stated on Hannity Monday night). It’s anything but a certainty, and overall, we can be thankful that dems are clueless about the fact that it’s the private sector engine that creates jobs. The Clinton 90′s was remove all structure, and have a freeforall. 2000′s was the excess and the hangover. Maybe the 2010′s there is some balance restored – economically, and especially politically. The latter is the prerequisite right now.
Make no mistake, this is a battle. A president who promises handouts, not jobs. Who takes income from those who have earned it and gives it to those who have not. Who gives legal rights and protection to those who would kill us. Who wants to ration health care for the elderly and for citizens and give it to illegal aliens.
So when some people call the president un-American, it has nothing to do with where he was born. It is what is in his heart and what he says in unscriptd moments. Is he evil? I don’t know.
I have faith in my fellow Americans to continue to value what they earn, not what is handed to them. My sympathies are with the 17% under and unemployed and not with the current administration. I continue to love our military and what they sacrifice for all of us, even the wrong-headed. I have faith in my fellow Americans to know the difference between real enemies and those who have a different point of view.
America needs a leader, not a reader. ABO 2012.
I must disagree with the European parallel. Obama does not want to make America like Europe at all. He is trying to force America to emulate the failed Soviet Union.
Have to disagree with you, doc. You were wrong about Barry tacking to the center this time last year and I think you’re going to be wrong on this.
A great many of the people who predicted the September swoon in ’08 are calling for a second dip in this recession/depression in the second half of the year. Whiskey is correct in noting the importance of the jobs issue. We are in a recovery only on paper, and the U-6 is at 17.3 and young adult unemployment is 52%. Add to that this administration’s cluelessness on terrorism and the likelihood of a successful attack, probably before the election and Barry’s chances, and those of Congress, don’t look very good.
We shall see.
What’s astonishing is reading VDH and then reading the linked Economist’s article (instapundit) and the comments.
Like: This President will mark his era if he is able to open a path which will show the rest of the World how to move new economic superpowers to work together. or :Elaine Kamarck of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard disagrees. She notes that unlike some of his predecessors, Mr Obama exhibits no scandalous personal failings. As a man, he is held in high respect.
I recall Mark Steyn Commenting on the Economist:I don’t agree much with The Economist on anything, although I’ve always admired their ability to pluck callow youths off the streets and get them writing unsigned editorials in that snotty-Brit house-style in nothing flat.
It’s as if two alternate Universes have been created by this President, one in which the people who have the Constrained Vision and another in which the Unconstrained vision live, as Thomas Sowell has laid out for us.
This dangerous man really needs to be sent back to “the philosophy lounge” or can he be fastracked , promoted to the U.N. NOW.
but I really wonder how long he can get away with the alternate reality shtick, saying one thing and doing something entirely different, right out in the open.
Like all of you, I have many day to day responsibities to God, family, my business and friends. I take them very seriously.
However, there is a new responsibility that has arisen for we Patriots and that is to deliver the Republic to our children and grandchildren that was given to us as children.
We Patriots understand that our Republic is under great danger from within and Nov. 2, 2010 will be our Independence Day.
I will never rest until the Progressive crowd is expunged from public office, along with their Socialistic laws and methods.
I’m hoping the Republican Representatives are just playing their cards close to the vest, letting the Democrats hang themselves. This game plan seems to be working at present.
The problem shall be in the rebuilding after their successful destruction. Discipline is in short supply, and not readily accepted.
There is only one way to starve this voracious monster: repeal the 16th Amendment.
the lies of this president are not only limited to him. all the offices of this administration are peddling lies about everything …from the jobs numbers to the deficits to the underwear bomber.
between the golf, speeches and vacations where does this clown (the POTUS) actually get the time to do his damage,
Marxist economies NEVER work. Doing it in the USA won’t change that. If Russia had been a capitalist democracy and the USA had been a Socialist dictatorship, then Russia would have won the cold war. It isn’t the lines in the dirt, or on a map, it’s the Constitution that is the difference.
The economy will be MUCH worse in 9 months then it is now. Doesn’t matter how much TARP money is thrown into the fire. When the 5 year ARM’s hit in a few more months, Business and bank failures will set new records. As will unemployment, both the bogus numbers from the administration and the real number.
By summer inflation, which is just starting to peek out from under the covers, will be out and roaring.
Congress WILL flip, if there is an election. That is when things get interesting.
Conventional deep in the box and afraid to look out over the edge thinking is that there will be an election because there have always been elections. The Usurpers actions hint otherwise.
Giving the devil his due, he a very sharp lad. Smart enough to recognize that the Marxist dogma hasn’t worked, won’t work and can’t work. The only rational reason to take steps that guarantee losing an election is if you are planning on there being no election. Add to that the creation of ‘brown shirts’ and the possibility of an actual socialist style violent revolution grows more serious. Now toss in testimony of the Usurpers allies (going back decades) that they intend to do a Bolshevik type take over of the USA and kill 25 million Americans in their relocation camps.
The only rational conclusion is they are serious about seizing power illegally.
I don’t think they can, but what I think isn’t important. If Ayers and Company think they can, they will.
4. whiskey:
you have a great blog. thumbs up.
http://whiskeys-place.blogspot.com/
I think you overestimate the power of this portion:
“We also have not quite yet seen the bitter pushback: expect a renewed “Bush did it” offensive, the promiscuous playing of the racial card to stifle dissent, and stimulus money lavished on everyone from train aficionados to solar panel producers.”
A nation where a large portion of the population is terrified of the debt is not going to put up with the excuses and claims of racism. White guilt is a luxury that you can indulge in when there’s food on the table. When things get tight, having some race pimp in a Brooks Brothers suit on TV tell you that you’re racist won’t go over well at all.
The larger question is, who are these nearly 50% of Americans who support this narcissistic character and his reckless agenda and what does that say about this blessed nation of ours? Is the great American experiment over? I shudder to think that we’ve become a nation of whiners and dependency.
“– old notion of a republic of free and independent citizens –”
Indeed! And old it is! So old it died.
John Dewey, Marcuse, Alinsky, NEA, NTA — while the entrepreneurial class was heads down in the work of rebuilding after culturally disastrous wars, the 30′s progressive/communists bridged through to the 60s, and they’ve held 100% of the academy since — heroes such as Hanson and Sowell notwithstanding.
This didn’t happen yesterday. We’ve now had THREE full generations of reflexive leftists pumped out of our tax driven schools, and the American public will never comprehend the re-education necessary to right the ship.
WORSE, there are no teachers to do the re-education — again, heroes like Hanson and Sowell aren’t enough.
Don’t underestimate Obama’s manipulative skills. As a clinical narcissist he moved into this method of interacting at least 40 years ago and has use misinformation or blatant lying, emotional manipulation and race since then.
He is unable to function in an equal debate where his lies, diversions and emotional threads are challenged. Therefore, all his performances – and I use the word deliberately – are one-way, not subject to clarification or rebuttal, and thus auhoritarian.
His appearance at the Republican meeting was an example. The audience was forbidden from asking followup, i.e., clarificiation questions – and Obama filled the hour with manipulative red herrings and outright lies.
No- Mr. President; you say that unwanted additions to the Health Care act just ‘snuck in there’..as if all on their own and against your will and knowledge. Don’t play the innocent 8 year old, please.
No,Mr President – it’s irrelevant that you came to office faced with an economic crisis. This isn’t about you being a squeaky clean 8 year old. It’s about your job to deal with the problem and spending money we don’t have and destroying US entrepreneurship and business capacity by taxing them to a stalemate will destroy the economy.
No, Mr. President, this isn’t about your breaking a few promises of C-span. Only an 8 year old will try to slither out of responsibility by changing a promise of ‘all’ to ‘a few’.
No, Mr. President – we aren’t unAmerican to want to keep our private property, the results of our skills, work and enterprise. It isn’t greed, as you claim, that is the cause of our wealth. It’s that work, those skills, it’s our taking risks, starting businesses, inventing new technologies. Is that greed? Why should we do this,take those risks – only to have you moralize that we are greedy and take our money to give to those who reject work and risk?
Put Obama in front of a teleprompter with NO questions allowed – and he’s held no press conferences since July – and you allow his skills, honed since he was 8 years old, of misinformation, deviation from the truth, and constant emotional manipulation to shatter our will.
VDH:
“With such stakes, it is a great time to be alive in the arena. And each according to his station should be excited that he can, must rise to the occasion to ward off this latest challenge to the old notion of a republic of free and independent citizens — who aren’t quite yet willing to surrender what the great generations of the past suffered so much to pass on to us.”
It’s up to us, ey? All the vast majority of us can do is vote. So we vote for the pubbie and he turns out to be just another DC loving big gubmint hornswoggler. We vote for capitalism and get piracy.
This republic the Founders gave us only works for a moral and religious people. ( see Adams ) Well, we aren’t, by and large, any more. Thanks to a very complacent ‘Greatest Generation’ who failed to raise the Baby Boom generation and instead enabled it.
The only hope for humanity is that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed who He says he is. It’s too late for politics. Obama isn’t going anywhere until he puts the Anti-Christ on his throne.
Appreciate the Dr.VDH insights and also the above comments. Thanks to all. If we are not to passivly be dragged into the Obama fiscal/socialist quagmire then we must identify an actual leader who can clearly express a 5 point plan without using a teleprompter. Lets get behind someone from the outside such as Scott Brown ? Obama has proved the fact that anyone can become president no matter how inexperienced or extremist. A relatively fresh face is needed but with a core of pro America, pro democracy, pro business, pro security, and pro individual freedom. This means stop taxing Americans into the new-age-of-slavery or Obamas-Revenge. Of course the emergent leader would have to first slog through the current crop of inept and jealous Republicans (mcCain, et al.) en route to battling the Democrats. So, VDH who will it be ? While we may not want to “surrender” our freedom we could possibly dither it away. It’s been done before.
1. Speaking of scripted, the President’s comment on CBS at the Georgetown game about his ability to “go to his right” was the most obviously scripted thing I’ve ever seen.
And then on Sunday the MSM went gaga over it. Puke.
It was fake and a lie.
2. As for the Republican’s positive agenda, I haven’t seen anyone but Sen. Tom Coburn really put that out there. He has hit every single one of those points in VDH’s chapter 6 with real effectiveness.
Obama & Co. and the far Left they represent have, for many decades been “shaping the battlefield,” a tank trap here, and choke point there and always, reversing the street signs–with the MSM always there to make sure that the street signs stay reversed–and through the MSM and their control of the Academy, making sure that their enemies—that would be us—start off the game blinded in one eye, and very carefully supplied with the wrong road map.
So, at this stage of the game, the first and foremost thing we need to do is to wake everyone up from the spell that our modern day “Saruman the Wise” and Grima Wormtongues in Academia and the MSM have woven, to as Aristotle taught, “define our terms” and to clear our sight. Then, we have to act, and act now and in our millions, to take back our Republic before it is too late. For if we are still confused and turned around, if we hesitate, Obama & Co. will win; they will not give up, they will have to be crushed and crushed decisively at every level of our government, but especially in Congress.
Everytime there’s a new post from the Professor I feel like saying ‘Bingo’.
“…skilled in weaving alternate realities…” Nice euphemism.
I have leftie friends and relatives and we agree not to talk politics so I can’t seem to change them. I haven’t seen it demonstrated that online petitions do any good. Letters to my senator and congressman haven’t seemed to change anything.
I guess the only thing we can do is show up at rallys (even though many aren’t reported fairly and are demeaned) or just write a check to the conservative guy.
PJM has proven itself to be in lockstep with fox News. They cut away from the woodshedding of Republicans in Baltimore. Why? Well, according to Roger Ailes it’s because Fox News is the most respected name in news and they “cover everything.”
Except history being made in Baltimore.
He also said, “I’m not in the politics business. I’m in the ratings business.” What he didn’t say was, “I’m in the news business.” He’s not.
Same here at PJM. Not a peep about Baltimore. Why not? For the same reason Fox News ran away from it – it didn’t fit the narrative they’re pushing about Obama – “Radical! Socialist! Wants to kill grandma! Want’s to kill babies! Kenyan! Muslim!”
Well, when Americans had a chance to see a genuine (and courageous on Obama’s part) debate between the president and 150 whining harpies, the conservative media decides to run and hide.
Predictable and pathetic.
The voters are coming. And they’re pissed.
That is the real story of today that wil echo through our future.
Oh, and the trolls will have to go to work. Uncle George is going to cut them off when there is no further benefit to him…..
The best laid plans…of politicians
Rely on a belief that elections provide
an absolute, irrevocable grant of power
until the next election.
In fact, as the Misery Index rises, there
will be public pressure for policy change,
recall of CongressCritters, Impeachment of
the President, even (arguable legal) state
level refusal to implement Federal policy.
For a somewhat more….vernacular take on this issue, you might appreciate the following:
http://washingtonrebel.typepad.com/washington_rebel/2010/01/life-is-h.html
Never stop deconstructing the question and dismantling the questioners.
I would be interested to know if income redistribution has ever made an economy grow larger — at any time in history. Perhaps you remember such a time.
Who can forget the proscriptions by Octavian and Anthony, or Octavian’s Roman rehab — but did the economy surge?
Who can forget the many times monarchs have “borrowed” money from the “jews”, yet when did the economy ever soar — no matter how many poor were employed in the king’s army and navy?
The only time in human history that the economy soared was when the government was too small and too weak to prevent ordinary peasants from becoming richer than kings. This happened in America but its not going to happen again. Today our government is finally big enough to regulate, direct and channel economic growth to benefit those with the greatest entitlement.
FYI: Wednesday February 3rd:
Another terrific article by VDH on nationalreviewonline dot com
skeeziks, what is going on in Baltimore that you call “history making?”
As for elections, I’d say they expect to cheat, or they don’t actually believe the American people are against them, or at least, will continue to be against them once we get a taste of their “good ideas.” They’re delusional.
skeeziks misses the point yet again. The giant government that Obama wants, the confiscation of wealth from those who work to those who don’t can’t be maintained and that is the sum total. All else is dross. All the lies, all the misdirection, all the hatred of what America is and how it got here are just the channel that carries Obama’s desire to make us into another failed socialist country.
The “agenda” opposing the president’s drive to turn the US into Bigger Belgium is neither new nor particularly conservative: the Jeffersonian ideal of individualism, voluntary association, and limited government.
The interesting fact about the change is that it caught all the political and media elites by surprise. It’s not about party politics or policy agendas. It’s a peasant revolt:
http://vulgarmorality.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/the-peasants-are-revolting/
skeeziks – the Baltimore meeting between Obama and the Republicans was a travesty against free speech and openness.
The Obama team insisted that no ‘follow-up’ questions were allowed. This meant that rather than it being a free interactive debate, it turned into yet another preaching session for Obama to lie and manipulate – and not be called to accountability. It was a disgrace to the role of the presidency.
Obama lied -about everything, from the health care additions (just a few things snuck in); to his role as president (he whined yet again about the economy not being ‘his fault’); about the lack of transparency (well, so?)…and on and on. It was a travesty because the set-up was: You weren’t allowed to confront those lies.
Dr. Hanson is right. The Obama strategies of racial manipulation, outright lies, blaming others, smears and sneers to stifle dissent, moral arrogance (if you have money you only got it because you are morally greedy)and outright bribes for votes..will increase.
This administration is not simply one of the most corrupt in American history but its relentless use of misinformation and manipulation is unprecedented.
Skeeziks, If you want history making try the deficits, the ones we’ve had and the ones that The O and his thugs are projecting. Or have you been told that huge Democrat deficits are good and smaller Republican deficits are bad?
Only to a fool who doesn’t know when to quit does the Baltimore thing have meaning. What difference does it make what The O says? Watch what the pathological liar does.
And shame on the Republicans for not shredding this incredible piece of dirt when they had him there.
Be patient Skeeziks, you may yet get that value added tax that you crave, some estimates as high as 18%.
Yeah, tax the rich, you probably believe that also.
Thank you Prof Hansen for your always excellent commentaries.
Some random thoughts…
First, “the masses are asses”. Learned that when I was a kid many years ago. It gets down to 5-10-85% rule: 5% of the people are the true thinkers with original ideas and have some ability to influence the rest of us. They make things happen. Many of them have been responsible for the success of our great country. They get respect because they earned it. The 10% are smart enough to know or follow the lead of the 5%. And the rest of them go through life not thinking about much of anything except what’s for dinner that night, what’s good to watch on TV or listen the MSM to figure out who to vote for. They follow, never lead. But that’s OK most of the time. Not so good when a messiah comes along and promises hope and change, but not explaining what he means by that.
I would like to think that most of the PJM readers and writers are among the 5% or 10%.
And many of the 85%, I know quite a few of them, still believe that Obama is the man. I am hoping that most of them stay home in 2010. But the Dems will be working very hard to get them out to vote.
In Illinois, we had a very good conservative running in the primary for Republican governor, Dan Proft. He got 8% of the vote. The 3 machine guys are all close to even at 19-20% each. So where is the conservative vote? But then, this is Illinois.
As an optimist, I remain hopeful about November. How many Scott Browns are there out there? Even if there are any Scott Browns running, most of them will be facing much stronger candidates than Scott faced in MA. Plus, all the uninformed will be “encouraged” to vote against them.
But the good news is that we have 8 months to continue the movement towards more sensible government. Lots of tea parties, more Obama mess-ups, more government spending, etc. Obama continues to trend down in the polls. And in this case, the trend is our friend. Hopefully, by November, the magic will be all gone.
Speaking of tea parties, on January 17, 2 days before the Brown election, Obama gave a election campaign speech for Jokely…attendance, under 2000. Inside, nice and warm. Meanwhile. at the same time, I was at a tea party in Racine, Wisconsin where 3000-3500 stood out in the cold, around 30 degrees, to sing patriotic songs and listen to the speeches. There is still hope!
skeez@33: If your post is an indication of your agility as a debator and analyst then you belong with the other kids at Kos or MM and not with adults. I am glad to see though that you used multiple sentences although not on the topic.
And before you retort with your inevitable one line zinger at least confine yourself to writing about the commentary.
While it is true that this president and congress have brought our country back from the brink of economic and moral ruin, alot more needs to be done. Now that he has accomplished so much, we all agree that so much more needs to be done. He must continue to listen to both sides of the issue and stay the course for bringing real change fully on line over the next few years. Americans might kick and scream alot, but they respect leadership, which as we can all see, is something this president is beginning to understand. Good Luck to Him !
Both Bush did it and the race card are now in the boy who cried wolf category. They just ain’t buying the lie anymore out there in the heartland.
More like Europe,Dr. Hanson? How about more like Venezuela? He won’t be happy until he becomes the deluded dictator of a third-world nation.
46 POOR (excuse for a)CITIZEN : While it is true ,that in most cases,penicillin can arrest the ravages of syphillis in normal people, in the case of libtard minds(like yours)it seldom works;the malevolent little spyrochetes ally themselves with the delusions caused by congenital brain damage,and the disease just keeps worsening,causing intellectual ruin and moral ruin in the patient.Your posts are a case in point,bizarrely delusional,strangely,divorced from reality,and just plain grotesque,they illustrate perfectly why there is a growing aversion throughout the land for libtardism,and its increasingly,irrelevant and buffonish avatar,OBAMA.
46. To “continue” to do something, one must first be doing it, and Obama has never listened to both sides. Also, him should only be capitalized in two cases- if it’s the first word in a sentence, or if it is referencing God. Only an Obama worshiper would do such a thing in reference to Obama. Think about that.
Poor Citizen sounds like a recording. Has no idea what the subject is and is droning on with its own message. Good luck to it.
The elections in November will be much easier to win if we will understand that the colossal holes in the budget that Obama is causing are simply a strategy to weaken America.
There is no “political” plan behind this president, there is a war plan instead, against Freedom and against America as the guardian and protector pf Freedom.
This president and his administration are not ideologues who want SIMPLY to reduce America to an imitation of Europe, they are radical leaders who want to destroy the only force that has stopped the subversives plans worldwide, America.
NEVER forget the sermons of Obama’s pastor: he was preaching war against America. This president sit and listened to someone CELEBRATING the attacks of September Eleven.
Why should we be surprised by the fact that he gives Miranda rights to bloody terrorists ?
Why should we be surprised by the fact that he has attacked the CIA for months and that his administration prosecutes Blackwater and the Seals ?
This is no socialdemocratic vaguely pink, this is a bolshevik.
I’m not sure if it is possible for our current Congress-even the conservative ones-to fully grasp the meaning of “becoming Spartan in our Congressional habits.” That kind of politicking won’t gain you votes.
That said, if we want to take back this government, we’ve got to have the same kind of attitude as #18: Tennessee Volunteer. If we aren’t ready to stand up to these usurpers, they will take it all. I really wish our conservative representatives would show some righteous anger!
There are some who know only what they are taught; they learn naught for themselves.
That is true even for many in academe who assume the teacher’s mantle.
If we see any evidence of learning, then – and only then – may we expect a glimmer of Hope.
“The Obama team insisted that no ‘follow-up’ questions were allowed.”
Wow, I was not aware of this fact. In other words—the Republicans allowed themselves to be played for suckers. They gave Obama a golden opportunity to portray himself as open to discussion with his political opponents. Most Americans probably have no idea that his appearance at the meeting was merely a monologue. What in hell were the GOP leaders thinking? They should have demanded follow up questions before ever agreeing to this Obama photo-op.
Richard Schweitzer @ 54, Well said!
David Thomson (55):
“The Obama team insisted that no ‘follow-up’ questions were allowed.”
Wow, I was not aware of this fact.
What is so infuriating about the Republican politicians is that they continuously allow themselves to be played, treating politics as if it was a game with rules when the Progressives are treating it – legitimately, from their point of view – as warfare.
I recommend “The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century” by Col Thomas X. Hammes (USMC). He analyzes the nature of insurgent (Fourth generation) warfare and why we have such troubles with it (although it was written before the current actions in Iraq, in which the U.S. military seems to have finally gotten the concept). Anyways, Important aspects of 4GW, as practiced by Mao, General Giap, and others, include:
1) take the long view. Successful insurgencies take decades, not months.
2) negotiation and meetings are tools to be used. Time spent meeting with the enemy, especially if he can be persuaded to cease fighting during them, can be spent rearming troops and spreading propaganda.
3) Whether you win the battles or not is irrelevant. The only important thing is winning the war. The North Vietnamese lost every battle in the Vietnam War – except the last one.
4) The main tool in 4GW is to convince the civilians and political leadership of the enemy that it is not worthwhile to continue. We lost in Vietnam because the Viet Cong successfully played American politicans and the press (and used their weaknesses against them). This is why Bin Laden and the other Islamic terrorists use terror as a weapon, to maximize casualties and convince us that we are better off giving them what they want.
One of the most important aspects of 4GW that everybody seems to miss is that it is utilized by groups that are not nation states. Whether the Viet Cong, Islamic Terrorists, or the transnational progressives (Tranzies, to steal a phrase from the writer John Ringo) these are groups that are not in a position to raise an army. Instead, they infiltrate and subvert, using our morality against us and convincing us that we would be better off simply surrendering.
The Democratic Party – or, more accurately, those behind them – are using 4GW tactics against us. The question is: can we realize this and fight back, or are we going to be in the position of having superior weaponry and still losing the war?
Atlas Shrugged
46. Poor Citizen: “While it is true that this president and congress have brought our country back from the brink of economic and moral ruin”
True according to whom? You keep coming here reading the articles and I think the general gist of all of them is that far from solving the problems, this govt has only increased them 100 fold and kicked them on down the road for all of us to face at a later date.
Moral ruin? Who the hell told you democrats (or republicans for that matter) had morals? And what are they? Surely you can (but you wont) articulate what democrat morals are.
I think that U.S. citizens have, for many generations. worked toward building up assets, such as real estate, stocks, bonds, and cash, as opposed to working for the government to build up a pension. The people with assets have been the hardest hit in this recession, while those with government pensions are unconcerned. Between the TARP bailouts, when banks were forced to cut dividends to $0.01, depreciation of real estate, 0% interest on cash savings, people with assets are in terrible shape. I’m seeing a great many who have second homes who are now renting them out for the first time. I know many people who depended on bank stock dividends are now just wiped out and no one is talking about it.
To 33. skeeziks:
Your sense of euphoria over the President’s speech in Baltimore only begs the question, why are liberals infinitely more enamoured by words rather than actions?
“The Obama team insisted that no ‘follow-up’ questions were allowed.”
I did not know that but it does not surprise me. The Empty Suit excels at Empty Gestures, such as going through the motions of speaking to the opposition; he’s not a man who will compromise; he’ll throw a few bones to his opponents and act as if he picked up the bill. This guy’s ego must be visible from space.
43 johnt:
As for Baltimore, the only reason they “didn’t shred him when they had him there” was because they were all liberal plants.
45. blotto:
Tell you what blotto, the day I start taking my direction from you is the day I’ll start taking my direction from you. I’m an independent, free-thinking man of principle and consistency. When that changes, I’ll become a conservative.
When attempting future history one must note the petulance for wishful thinking and calculating the unknown.
Obama needed to work fast in his first year to steer the ship of state hard left. By his second year, the American public who would not emulate Hugo Chavez’s new century of socialism, turned increasingly against the leftist agenda. The ship righted itself out of sheer momentum and the market recovered despite the big government interference. Obam became increasingly isolated even within his own party and the next cycle of elections brough many new faces to the legislation. Obama became a very early lame duck and then concentrated on his legacy and library. He continued in politics with a loyal and mostly powerless following. He was in the culture of theater, a tragic figure.
From Aristotle,’When men pretend to be more important than they are a tragedy must result. When men pretend to be less that what they are, a comedy must ensue.’
There are also the variables of catastrophy which may enter unannounced. There are serious enemies who may act when only the domestic agenda is in focus.
Americans may admire the Europeans but they do not want to go back to the old country ways of subservience under kings, royalty,dictators, or rigid political systems. Americans has achieved a unique character, an exceptionalism which this test will not undo.
@ 57. Paul of Alexandria: VC win.
That turns out not to be the case;
The North Vietnamese set the Viet Cong up,
and got nearly all of them killed, during
the Tet Offensive, so that the VC would not
be competitors for power when the NV finally
moved south, with a conventional armored
column that would have made Rommel envious.
The Chinese are preparing to play the same game,
with the intent of taking over SE Asia, which
they consider to be South China, and gaining
control of the China Sea; They intend to weaken
the US through economic warfare, to the point
that we will not interfere when they move south.
55. David Thomson:
It wasn’t really a monologue. Traditionally, it is. The event is treated as a party caucus that the president addresses without feedback behind closed doors and is not televised. That’s been true for several political cycles. If it’s a president from your own party there is some question and answer, but if from the other party it’s just an address.
The unique aspect of this year’s event was that both camps agreed to have it televised. Never one to pass on a television appearance, televising it was originally suggested by the Obama camp with the non-negotiable condition that questions would be taken, but the answers had to stand with no follow ups. That was a sticking point for a while until the republicans finally agreed to it. I suspect that they felt that at best Obama would continue to push the same explanations for his agenda and further the trend of turning off independent and moderate democrat support, and that at worst, they felt no harm could be done by it beyond reassuring his already committed progressive base.
It was a mistake to provide cover for Obama in a forum where he was not required to defend his statements so I don’t think the outcome was the best case. Obama might get a blip in the polls from it due to the media spin but no one who has been paying attention the last 12 months and is not a committed progressive bought his projection about being victimized by partisan politics. He said nothing that will reverse the overall trend with the independents, so no harm, no foul.
I wouldn’t call the republicans suckers. They acted in a class fashion. IIRC, GWB reception by contrast when addressing the democrats in their caucus meeting behind closed doors was reportedly problematic when some of the Democrats were far less than classy.
#55 David Thomson – exactly. No follow up questions were allowed which resulted, exactly as you say, for a prized publicity stunt by the Obama Team.
He gave his monologue; no-one could confront and hold him accountable for the lies and evasions and manipulations of that event.
Now, some of the media are using clips from that event and asking questions – such as Obama’s blithe trivialization of the changes in the Health Care Act. For example he promised some things would not be done(not being allowed to keep your old policy, no interference with your doctor)…but, as Obama said.’they snuck in’.
What do you mean – ‘snuck in’? Don’t triviaize. Don’t do your “I’m just an 8 year old and I don’t know how these things happen”. Don’t act as if these changes happened all by themselves. Someone put them there – and your duty would be: Keep your word.
The GOP should have refused the interview with those kinds of restraints. They were set up – and they fell for it.
Here’s a post from ‘booker rising’: “While some House GOP members may have thought it was a good idea to tape Obama answering their questions, they utterly failed by not allowing follow up questions. Basically what we have is Obama talking to the camera with GOP members off camera and Obama being allowed to say one falsehood after another. Without follow up questions, there was absolutely no way to call Obama on his b___t. Thus Obama looks like he is batting GOP questions out of the park. Take for example Obama said that the overwhelming majority of the healthcare debate was on C-SPAN. This is just a blatant lie, worse yet; Pelosi and Reid locked Republicans out of the process. Without a follow up questions, Obama’s lie is left to stand sounding like truth. Obama is even allowed to get away with saying he is not an ideologue, despite never really perusing anything but leftwing ideas on healthcare, the economy, national security and terror. The entire 85 minutes worked in Obama’s favor, by allowing him to use falsehoods to make himself look reasonable and responsible. In other words, Obama was allowed to repeat his State of the Union performance.”
So – not allowing follow up questions meant that Obama’s blatant lies couldn’t be confronted.
“…[Conservatives need] a systematic agenda that outlines exactly how Americans are to become fiscally solvent, what and how much should be cut, a vow to end the congressional culture of corruption and become Spartan in our congressional habits, a confident energy policy that encourages nuclear, natural gas, and oil drilling to tide us over to new sources of energies, and a new resolve to enforce our borders, and end the naïve posturing of treating our war against Islamic jihadism as some sort of interesting legal debate…”
Ha, ha, ha! Our nation’s true conservative Republican politicians (all three of them) cannot agree on a breakfast menu much less a substantive campaign platform. We’ll still have a Democrat-majority Congress in 2011 because of the tremendous advantages held by incumbents and the tremendous incompetence of the Republican Party. And, if Republicans don’t get their act together soon, we’ll still have Obama in the White House in 2013.
Obama’s Girl, Obama’s Gay, Obama’s Sodom
Obama’s in the news again, and it’s not good news.
When Love Sputters, Can the Death Rattle Be Far Behind?
It may not have been love in the first place but 2008’s “Obama Girl” sure was “in crush” when Amber Lee Ettinger thrilled the world with her viral video during the presidential campaign.
Ok, she thrilled Obama, for sure, when she sang her memorable song, “I Have a Crush on Obama,” kissed his photo and posed tantalizingly and waxed almost orgasmic over her far and away choice for president.
Whether looking pretty in pink bikini or sexy in blue hot pants or tight tank top, with “Obama” printed front and rear, Amber left no doubt that Obama was her man, which was evident from the line, “You can Barack me tonight,” whatever that means.
Sadly for her crush, she’s fallen out of crush, telling Sean Hannity on Fox–of all people to confess to even if the venue name fit perfectly!–”Once people–your boyfriend, girlfriend doesn’t do what they say they’re going to do, you kick them to the curb.”
Ouch.
She does end the brief interview with a great, topical reference: “Well, at least I won’t be the Edwards girl, right?”
Whatever you say, Amb. Feel free to warble about a Republican next time around.
His failed promises did Amber in, even if she still gives him a B- . When a lover/crusher goes from A+++ to a B- , can an F be far behind? (See the story and the video here: http://bit.ly/d7m5X8)
A Homosexual Lectures on Right and Wrong?
Far more obscene than Ms. Ettinger is Harry Knox. . . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1470)
33. skeeziks: Your commentary brings to mind one of historian Barbara Tuchman’s observations regarding a phenomenon she called ‘wooden-headedness’ – that is, the abject refusal of an individual to acknowledge reality and the consequenecs of their actions. Rather like the midaeval king who came back from a winter hunt and sat next to red hot brazier to get warm. Once warm, though, he overheated and subsequently died because no one would come to remove the brazier. Never mind the fact that he could have simply gotten up and moved to another location. Beneath his royal dignity, it was. Adn sooo wooden-headed. Try Tuchman’s “The March of Folly” for more examples if you’re up to it.
And so we come to your commentaries in Dr. Hanson’s blog: a loose collection of MoveOn.org, DailyKOS and DNC talking points painted over with a thin veneer of YouTube- and Wikipedia-based cut ‘n paste scholarship all combining to form the sick parade of collectivist pornography that passes for your thought processes.
Let’s face it, pal: 78 years ago and a few thousand miles to the east, you’d have been standing in a bier garten in Munich singing “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” at the top of your lungs. You represent an all-too-familiar archetype of treason and tyranny’s enablers. And history does not speak well of such. Look up Vidkun Quisling, then take a look in the mirror and think about the human and intellectual company you’re keeping.
“My only puzzlement is whether Obama is primarily interested in the growing of government per se … or his primary interest is in piling up red-ink to such a degree that record ….taxes will radically redistribute income”
And I have a bridge you might want to buy, doc.
Your first alternative is benign and the second is high-minded. But where is the evidence of decency in this thug? I just don’t see any good intentions or even neutral intentions.
Here is what we know:
- He is a congenital liar. The professor and many others have spelled it out many times.
- There are no good works in his background. The closest would be the Annenberg challenge, which he botched. But you can’t even give him credit for altruism. It was his job.
- There are too many verbal faux pas with malovent intent to ignore. “I won”, “hit back twice as hard”, “guarantee a victory”, “bitter clingers”, etc., etc., plus the endless straw men, always with the other party in the role of Snidely Whiplash.
- ALL of his associations are radicals. Where is the normal friend? The only people who approach normalcy were brought into front-office cabinet positions. They are either the smoke or the mirror.
- Ever notice how anybody who dares to object flies into a ton of shrapnel in a hurry. Palin, Joe the plumber, Rush, Fox, Ferraro, the bond holders, doctors, Tea Partiers, and on and on and on
- Behind the scenes, the boring work of dismantling the country continues at pace. The executive orders, the czars, the treaties he apparently can sign on his own volition, the propaganda machine. Every day brings a new corruption of the country.
- And the bus is having trouble rolling with the bodies under it. Rev Wright, Van Jones, Rezko, Blago,….grandma for god’s sake.
Where is this high-minded man driven either by love of government or the urge to give the oppressed a break?
He was born a communist, bred a communist. He hates the country. He hates private enterprise. He hates white people. He hates anybody who is successful. And he is damn well going to punish us for our sins. He won and he ain’t quitting.
The only real question is whether he is driving the bus or whether he’s just waving his fingers while he dances on strings.
Personally, I think he has been managed for decades but has now shoved the puppet-masters to the side. Being the president is stroke enough to call the shots. How else can you explain the profound stupidity, as the country essentially mobilizes in opposition.
We won’t stop. And we aren’t encumbered by any misguided respect.
67. ETAB:
#55 David Thomson – exactly. No follow up questions were allowed which resulted, exactly as you say, for a prized publicity stunt by the Obama Team.
these pr!cks don’t play by any rules of civility.
Here is the only change we need. The 28th Amendment to the US Constitution “The Governmental Burden on the Economy may not exceed 15% of GDP”
Friends,
First a little house cleaning. There’s the matter Sheedy, number 1 in the comment line, number 1 in my heart.
David, you neglected to answer my answer to you a few comments ago. If you think I’d ignore the kind of compliments you
give, you’re a silly, silly boy.
B. My friend, the Doctor, erudite to the max. The clearest day in a sky of thinkers.
Dr. Hanson, I don’t want you to worry about what isn’t going to happen.
The American voter will not let you down. I know the great one
skates away from trouble like Gordy Howe in his prime, but the C-Span verbal trick would have gotten Obama thrown out of California’s Magic Cottage on his keyster. The truth is blowing away Obama’s smoke, and, ironically, the residue is fogging up his mirrors.
Everybody knows what the anointed one meant when he talked about putting ObamaCare negotiations on C-span. He wasn’t talking about what was already being covered by C-Span. He’s many things, but stupid is not one of them. And we’re not to shabby mentally either.
Fact is, every day, we’re figuring out more and more of his tricks. And the more people know what he’s up to, the more people will hear
his song as little more than a riff of off key comments.
At the same time, a problem remains with the polluted steam media. The easy follow up thought and question re C-Span was non-existent. Unfortunately, Bully Obama still has their number.”Cross me”, Obama says with a mental lunge, “and I’ll never hire you for my White House staff or, worse, I’ll get you fired from your present job.”
Bottom line, Dr. Vic, little Rach believes we have enough evidence to pin a variety of malfeasance (I think that’s the plural form) on the leader of the donkeys. Better yet, I’m convinced independent voters won’t forget their Americans on election day, 2012.
The smoking gun that Obama can’t tap dance away from is his decision to try the terrorist lowlifes in the United States under civilian law.
None of Barack’s lawyers can get him off this hook. And I and all my Bamabusters won’t let the American Independent voter forget all the ways Obama is doing America wrong. Barry, Barry wrong.
Dr. Hanson, Obama not only has lost not only much support, but also his religious ferver.
Between you,me,and the lamp post, my good man, he doesn’t have a prayer.
44. AWH
More than hope. There is a realistic basis for considerable optimism. The Tea-Party movement has already achieved much. It has stalled the health ‘reform’ plan, and all but killed the Coppenhagen schemes. These cannot be counted as decisive victories, but they are major setbacks for The One, as they were to be the signature achievements of his first year. By causing the progressives to falter, we have regained some of the initiative, and forced them to either double-down (and show their colors), or scale back their ambitions.
No matter how you slice it, the Dems are between a rock and a hard place. If they double down (which seems to be the plan) their numbers will continue to drop, and the moderate Dems will start to turn. They will be divided going into the midterms. And we can make hay out of their autocratic disregard for the will of the people.
If they make a genuine effort to steer to the center (not likely), they will alienate their base, and probably won’t score too many points with independents, who are now wary… A losing strategy.
And if they try to have it both ways, it will be child’s play to expose their double-dealings.
Furthermore, the conservative base has been aroused unlike anything seen in years.
Even if the economy starts to rebound, it’s unlikely that the employment figures will be much stronger by the Fall. And we will still be vastly in debt. We will still be well positioned to argue against the kind of over-the-top deficit spending that the current admin. favors. Besides, things look grim re. Iran and elsewhere, and I highly doubt that this admin. will be able to steer us through the coming storm in a way that inspires confidence.
No doubt our work is cut out for us.(It is, in fact the fight of our lives.) But we can do more than just hope. We have a lot to work with (much more than what I’ve mentioned) to fashion a winning narrative. Now all that’s missing is a bold, principled and charismatic leader to pull it all together… Sarah Palin for President, David Petreaus for VP, Victor Davis Hanson for SECDEF!
61. MisterH:
Your sense of euphoria over the President’s speech in Baltimore only begs the question, why are liberals infinitely more enamoured by words rather than actions?
Words can’t castrate 150 Republican she-males, which is exactly what Obama did. Now that’s action. Your boys got shellaced. You don’t like it. I don’t blame you. You won’t admit it. I’m not surprised. I’ll stay with the facts. You stay with the excuses.
My crystal ball is The Holy Bible and my discernment is that all its predictions have already happened except for the much-awaited Grand Finale which is yet to be.
Apropos of this, many are saying that BHO is the Anti-Christ. Mebbe he is, mebbe he ain’t; suffice it to say that, so far, he walks like a duck and quacks like a duck — if you get my drift.
Here in The Philippines, we are fond of telenovelas (mushy soap operas with predictable happy endings) but ’tis in The U.S.A. where it’s at: everyday it’s unfolding, unfolding and breathlessly hold I my breath as to what’s the next scenario will or might possibly be.
We have a nifty, succinct word for it —”ABANGAN”, which is to say, “Please wait patiently for the entire (and exciting) story to unfold.”
Believe you me, it’s all SIC ITUR AD ASTRA —
meaning, “What is to come was already written in the stars by Our Lord GOD Almighty long, long before the foundation of the world.”
YAS !!!
once again the Boehner “led” (that’s a joke) House GOP members were played for fools. Boehner has had his chance and needs to go. we need LEADERSHIP with testicles.
My crystal ball is The Holy Bible and my discernment is that all its predictions have already happened except for the much-awaited Grand Finale which is yet to be.
Apropos of this, many are saying that BHO is the Anti-Christ. Mebbe he is, mebbe he ain’t; only time can tell.
Here in The Philippines, we are fond of telenovelas (mushy soap operas with predictable happy endings) but ’tis in The U.S.A. where it’s at: everyday it’s unfolding, unfolding and breathlessly hold I my breath as to what’s the next scenario will or might possibly be.
We have a nifty, succinct word for it —”ABANGAN”, which is to say, “Please wait patiently for the entire (and exciting) story to unfold.”
Believe you me, it’s all SIC ITUR AD ASTRA —
meaning, “What is to come was already written in the stars by Our Lord GOD Almighty long, long before the foundation of the world.”
YAS !!!
My crystal ball is The Holy Bible because all its predictions have already happened except for Le Grand Finale which is yet to be.
Apropos of this, many are saying that BHO is the Anti-Christ; only time can tell.
Here in The Philippines, we are fond of telenovelas (mushy soap operas with predictable happy endings) but ’tis in The U.S.A. where it’s at: everyday it’s unfolding, unfolding and breathlessly hold I my breath as to what’s the next scenario will or might possibly be.
We have a nifty, succinct word for it —”ABANGAN”, which is to say, “Please wait patiently for the entire (and exciting) story to unfold.”
Believe you me, it’s all SIC ITUR AD ASTRA —
meaning, “What is to come was already written in the stars by Our Lord GOD Almighty long, long before the foundation of the world.”
YAS !!!
76. skeeziks:
Actually your messiah got his start in politics turning tricks for a slumlord. Yep, he get his knees dirty while he stepped up to the mic and delivered a full throated oratory. He didnt miss a drop of that filthy lucre as he worked the streets for his sugar daddy.
How’s that? And by the way, he will be nothing but a walking spittoon for this kind of casual disrespect by 2011, so get really used to it.
And if you’ve fallen off your rascal on the way to collect your SSI check… well, sucks to be you.
M. Report (65):
@ 57. Paul of Alexandria: VC win.
That turns out not to be the case;…the NV finally
moved south, with a conventional armored
column that would have made Rommel envious.
The “armored column” is the 3rd and final phase of the Maoist strategy. It wouldn’t have worked without the initial phases. The point is that the political, propaganda, and guerrilla efforts are essential parts of the strategy, not just ancillary efforts.
The Chinese are preparing to play the same game,
with the intent of taking over SE Asia….
Yep. As Glenn Beck pointed out recently, they’re doing to us what we did to Britain following WWI. We could dictate terms to GB because they owed us a lot of money, China is trying to position themselves so as to dictate terms to us. I wonder if it’s entirely coincidental that the administration is keeping us from drilling off of the Gulf of Mexico, while the Chinese have no such “environmental” considerations barring them from doing so.
Coulter castrated MSNBC today for Baltimore.
http://truthandcommonsense.com/2010/02/04/a-nice-note-from-the-irs-they-are-buying-combat-shotguns/
I picked this up on the Drudge report and needless to say I became a little queasy. I was just on the job when Waco and Ruby Ridge burned across the television. It was funny how our department was split between the “hut hut” guys (SWAT) and the regular cops who thought nothing justified assaulting a compound filled with children or shooting a mother in the head. As I said in my post, I support agents being able to protect themselves, but these weapons are not defensive, they are offensive, which begs the question who in the world does the IRS think they are going to have to shoot? Tax evaders? What happened to court filings, garnishing wages, etc.
As I said in my post. The last time we had a liberal democrat in office it didn’t work out so well. I was hoping the lesson had been learned and remember. Maybe I’m wrong.
I wonder what Hansen has to say about this and Obama’s determined effort to push THROUGH the citizens.
#58 KAREN
Yes “ATLAS SHRUGGED”, but we need a whole lot more Americans reading, and understanding, that treasure before we are past the point of no return. I am re-reading Atlas Shrugged currently and it has a much more shocking impact on me now than forty years ago indeed. Much more.
76
I’ll stay with the facts.
I guess there’s a first time for everything, so a Leftist actually using facts to advance his argument would be something to write home about.
I suppose you mean facts like that Obama was the candidate with the highest percentage of the high school dropout vote in history?
Given his dropping approval ratings, it looks like even that cohort is moving on. Doesn’t say much for your intelligence that HS dropouts are more perceptive than you.
Allow me to compose your retort in advance:
“Blah, blah, blah. Facts. Blah, blah, blah. Stop making excuses. Blah, blah, blah. I love she-males”. Etc.
Sherab Zangpo @ 52
A war plan, exactly!
VDH wrote:
“My only puzzlement is whether Obama is primarily interested in the growing of government per se, so that new millions of loyal constituents can either administer or receive entitlements — or his primary interest is in piling up red-ink to such a degree that record new state income, federal income, payroll, capital gains, and property taxes will radically redistribute income…”
Why not both?
Saruman at Orthanc. Excellent.
But is Obama, then, a spellbound puppet to a Sauron?
Soros?
That guy is powerful enough to have almost brought down Tolkein’s England with his financial machinations.
And there are rumors–whether soundly based or of the tin-foiled hat variety I cannot say–that he had a hand in orchestrating the timing of perhaps the biggest October Surprise in American History: The financial meltdown just as McCain began to pull ahead.
But I digress.
Don’t worry, Dr. Hanson. Nixon’s Silent Majority is alive and well and starting to speak up. And when they SHOUT, Saruman will be forced to skulk away (in about two years) and take his wormtongue with him (and then he’ll be at the mercy of the angry hobbits).
You, sir, are Gandalf–although you can be sure that most of us here will consider you Aragorn should you wish to cease your Striding and enter the political arena. (hint-hint)
**Personally, I think he has been managed for decades but has now shoved the puppet-masters to the side**
That is actually the most optimistic scenario.
Mr. Obama strolled out onto the White House lawn on Feb2, and saw his shadow——> Six more years of recession.
Skeeziks………..check the scoreboard!
The Republic 3 Obama 0
We won in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts. See you at the rematch on Nov. @, 2010………Our Independence Day!
Yes, skeeziks, the facts matter. And the facts are not only that the Obama team wouldn’t allow follow-up questions and the Republicans were dumb enough to agree, but:
Fact: Obama lied repeatedly during those questions; and
Fact: Obama uses the tactics of misinformation (aka lying) and devious ambiguous replies and emotional manipulation as basic strategies in interactions with other people.
Do you think that such an interaction (lies, deviation, manipulation) is an honorable strategy for a president, any president, to use?
70. Ward Dorrity:
Try Tuchman’s “The March of Folly” for more examples if you’re up to it.
Up to it? I’m beyond it. And I’m not waiting for you people to catch up. Your angst-inspired dismissal of the truth is predictable. It’s the hallmark of conservatives’ relentless denial of everything that lives outside the narrow rails of your death train. And most things live outside those rails. What you call scholarship is nothing more than revisionist propaganda that just happens to fit the spoon fed narrative you claim as principle. So, skippy, if you’re gonna cast your myopic social prerogative as moral imperative, I’m sure you’re boy enough to realize most of us disagree and don’t care. Now, back to the library with you. There are some clerical fascists on the shelves just waiting to put their hooks in another Fox News guide dog like you.
RE: VDH Entering Politics
That would be quite the conservative avatar, with but one hesitation:
Margaritas ante porcos.
skeeziks #76:
The only fact that matters the most is the elections. Wait until November, and we’ll see which side is left standing.
I don’t know what happened at Baltimore, that hardly matters to me. What matters to me is what sort of verdict will the voting public pass on Democrats currently in the control of both chambers of Congress in November?
If Obama continues to insist on passing the health care reform, then it will destroy any chance of a Democratic majority in either the House or Senate. Of course, that’s his choice, and I promise you that he will live to regret that choice. Come November, if Republcans take back both chambers, then I’m pretty sure Obama will be one-term president.
If Republicans come out big winners, then YOUR President will be one who’s “shellaced.” Your word, not mine.
VDH:
This will not end well, the left will try to buy another election trying to bribe the second handers, but the reality on the ground is budget busting disaster. As we speak federal, state and local governments are trying to lie, cheat, and steal their way around the taxpayer/voter to take more of the taxpayer’s money to support what is already on life support. The reality is there is not enough money anywhere to support these fat governments and they must shrink or die.
The saddest part of this is the second hander’s will lose control of themselves or be instigated to violence to fight for what is not theirs in the first place; our money and property. They have been trained like monkeys to ring the bell and get handouts from governments and when they ring and no money shows up in the mailbox there will be hell to pay and everyone will be a target. We are all victims of corrupt government but the end result is very destructive.
Personally I think Obama is toast. He’s blown it, and more and more people are figuring it out. I was a progressive liberal until Mr. Obama came on the scene. I figured him out early, and for the first time voted Republican. My friends unfortunately did not figure it out, and I do believe many of them are watching in horror at what is happening. They are rather proud people, and not very logical and pretty touchy feely, and emotional, (they love all humanity in a very abstract way, but are not so nice to the actual people they have to see), so thus far they are not saying anything, but this economy has them scared. I think he’s gonna lose big time in 2012. He’s proven he’s just too incompetent, and is too removed from mainstream American culture to even know what it is, so he is unable to charm and manipulate mainstream American culture. Scott Brown’s election was a huge manifestation of the disconnect Obama has with the electorate. Obama was elected because he appeared to be a blank slate, and unfortunately too many people did not look below the surface to see what he was really was made of. That is not the case now. Also the young people are gonna have severe financial problems, which will lead to the disenchantment with this guy.
Thanks for underscoring my original point. While you focus on photo-ops, PR events and “speechifying” as the principal measurements of successful governance, the rest of us will focus on the nature and quality of the decisions he makes. Enjoy your “victory.”
76.cheezstiks, there is clearly a notable lack of rapport. Maybe some of those past childhood issues are surfacing again…parental approval can be a lifelong condition – noone needs to know the details, just accept the sympathies for the delusion and distortion it’s caused, in your perspective. It’s uncurable, and more accurately, pathological. Bad enough, your cerebral defacation in public. Once your perspective changes, I’m sure your life can improve.
One certainty is that your character will improve when you graduate from this dimension, but that’s getting personal, and it wouldn’t be right to do
that, so how about, wish you well, here’s to a better life beyond for you.
To get the corruption out of government, we have to get the money out. The only way to do that is an amendment that limits both taxation and spending to a much smaller percentage of GDP. This must happen at the federal and state levels.
It’s time we start taking care of ourselves, our parents, and our children, and not expect someone else to do so. That can happen best by getting government out of everyone’s life.
Government spending is now absorbing more than a third of our economy, when you add federal, state and local spending.
Me, I’d rather buy a new car than another deadbeat bureaucrat. And I’d much rather give money to my church than to another wasteful government program. The church will almost certainly do something good with the money. But not the government.
(E.g., So why do the extra work, when the government will take it while alive and after death?)
I myself came to this conclusion in 1997 when my wife and I were 48 years old and our children out and on their own. I was a “research scientist” with 9 US patents and a small nest egg. Thirteen years later we have no regrets for doing this. If the government’s tax laws discourage work, why work? We received nothing from our parents and our two children and four grandchildren can expect little from us as well. I worked for myself and my family. I do not work to support a wasteful and corrupt government!
76.skeeziks:”Words can’t castrate 150 Republican she-males, which is exactly what Obama did. Now that’s action.”
another nonsensical statement.if he didn’t use words,what did he use..a buridizzo clamp and a rubber ring?or maybe he just subtly injected sclerosing solution into the testicles of all 150 participants.
damn he’s good!
so if obama put the smack down like you said,then he should be more than willing to do it again,right?
following your same line of reasoning:the rethugs SHOULD be shaking in their boots… afraid to be bested twice,correct?
so when obama inevitably sez:”na–na-NO..I-I-I-CAN’T..UH..UMMM….ER.AH..ta-ta..too..b-ba-busy!” to a second round,and the GOP proclaims:BRING IT ON!what will be your newest excuse?
im sure it will be a whopper.
** How I see Obama’ first year in office *** I wished not .
{Sadly } I personally see Obama as one massive bewildering incredulous contradiction while yielding us and abundance of unwanted vagrancy of any truths and those few truths when given are often tainted .
His promise of Transparency , openness is a sick lie and joke and no Lobbyist in the White house . Yet has given us 40 lobbyist and 7 tax cheats . The White House is Wall Street south .
His promise to help the middle class ? To date not one penny has been given to small business’s while he gave our 5 biggest banks and AIG 64 % of the stimulus money and his friends , greens , cronies and unions the rest …… Meaningless to our economy making it far worst since it “”doubled ” this Nations Debt making Govt 50 % of GDP ! That only accrued during three months of www 2 ever
He has existed many of our respect for him but most of all any credibility , Honesty or having a Logical cautious mind . And any ability what so ever to simply reason , a sense of reality , common sense and meaningful proof tested anything at lighting speeds unlike any other President in our History .
Everything he touches he Boggles causing him to twist the truth or repeat the lie like on 95 % will get tax brakes . The truth they are getting many tax hikes .
Even the least educated among us well knows that is a bare faced Lie .
He has made this into and American suicide mission moving at the lighting speed because when America wakes up he is toast as is his radical Socialism .
The reason is AMERICANS are slow learners since we trust quicker that we wake up . Thank God America has awoken !
Obama thinks we are stupid obviously and don’t know Simple math like taking 1/2 Trillion dollars away from Medicare while adding 30-35 Million new bodies to the health care rolls and quite possibly adding another 15-20 Illegals …… He say’s will cost less ?
Even a fool or his most avid supporters knows that is a unquestioned lie . Why did he lie so terribly ? It has to do with hero ….. Saul Alinsky quote in rules for radicals .
Winning has no consciousness , truths or honesty . You do what ever it takes to win .
Everything he brings to this NATION to date will have grave Consequences that will last far , far longer than his presidency .
Obama canonizes anything radial to the left that is reckless and well knowing harmful to our economy , anti American and traditional .
Nor does he ever miss a change to demean and Chastise, Castigate America’s history to our Friends and as well our dire enemies ?
That is a first by any president in power yet he continues that mindless lack of any history ranting .
My larger sadness is Obama is extremely Ill equipped to lead or control even his own radical team much less 300 Millions Americans as their leader .
(Sam Moore quote ) Countless Speeches is not leading ….. Leading is a Million speeches .
The President has made the bigger picture into blinded small needle’s eye even a thin thread could not go though much less a rope big enough to Dock safely the world largest ships .
In only one year he has has put our great, great grand children in great poverty and has given New life to words like Malfunctioning , Reason-less , A Catastrophe and a Fantasied behavior .
This man has proven his ego , arrogance , lack of knowledge , elite behavior , agenda and radical politics is more important that what he put his hand on the bible he swore to up hold .
God save America !
Lastly Ronald Reagan was known for who he surrounded himself who all possessed great knowledge in each area of expertise… 57 % in fact …. He called them the gathering of Eagles to sore higher since his great wisdom knew his own limitations in life unlike Obama .
Now compare that with Obama’ Cabinet and Czar list … only 5 % are experts in their area’s . And it reads like a who who that list of hates or anti Americans those that love Radical Socialism , Progressivism , Marxism and even a Pedophile and self admitted Communist .
9 of his team has spoken of their hero’s like Mao . Che , Castro , Hugo Chevez and Saul Alinsky . Could anyone imagan that coming from Bush or Reagan’s team ? Hell no ! He would be fired quickly .
Obama in year two ? If he only acts 20-25 % as unconstrained as he did in the first year . We are on our way to being a third world county in waiting and as divided a Nation when our towns burned in the 60.s since Obama will not let us be a colorless society . Since Leftist Chassis makers and manufactures and can’t allow Peace to happen since they thrive on Ill will and revolution to quote Lenin 1917 .
Sam Moore
2/5/10
#76 skeeziks:
“Words can’t castrate 150 Republican she-males, which is exactly what Obama did. Now that’s action. Your boys got shellaced. You don’t like it. I don’t blame you. You won’t admit it.”
I didn’t see the GOP-Obama confab in question, so I have no idea if it was this pimp-stick application that all the moonbats in the sweat lodge are claiming that it was.
But for the sake of argument, I’ll concede that Obama scored some very substantive points…okay?
Now, then…so what?
You and the moonbat hive-mind seem all a flutter and ready to sack dance over what MAY be little more than an above average performance in the Alleged Hawaiian’s “innings” against GOP incumbent Congressmen.
And while the true believing sloganeers are busy “high-fiving” each other, the tsunami of popular voter disgust rises higher in the background.
It wasn’t incumbent GOP Congressmen who rocked the town-hall meetings last summer, and it wasn’t incumbent GOP Congressmen who showed up to march in their tens or hundreds of thousands last fall.
It also wasn’t incumbent GOP Congressmen who elected Scott Brown to Ted Kennedy’s old seat.
All of those were done by citizens and voters.
“I’ll stay with the facts. You stay with the excuses.”
Okay,then…good, How do you like those facts I just pointed above?
If you continue to caper around and celebrate Obama’s “epic victory” against whatever “heavyweights” you might have been led to believe are in the GOP House Caucus, then it will seem to me like it is YOU who is sticking to excuses in order to keep selling yourself on the meme that you aren’t a chump holding a big box labelled:
“Color TV”
that you have found, to your dismay, contains only two cinder-blocks duct-taped together.
archer52:4 round pump-action entry guns….with knoxx stocks.sixty for the whole department…i don’t see the problem(except knoxx stocks are crap)they are used when kicking down doors.
quote from the article:”Nothing good here. The IRS is purchasing what amounts to (in the eyes of the liberals) assault shotguns.”
in the eyes of liberals.
the general public can buy .50 cal rifles,drum fed semi-auto shotguns and belt-fed rifles off the rack….night vision,level iv body armour.etc.
102 frank grimes
“so when obama inevitably sez:”na–na-NO..I-I-I-CAN’T..UH..UMMM….ER.AH..ta-ta..too..b-ba-busy!” to a second round,and the GOP proclaims:BRING IT ON!what will be your newest excuse?”
Gee, Frank, I don’t think I need one. This from your very own HotAir:
The White House has suggested that it would like Obama to address the Senate GOP Conference, with TV cameras present. Obama administration officials are eager for voters to see Obama operate in a format he relishes — and handle his former Senate colleagues the same way he did last week to House Republicans at their annual retreat…
“They don’t want anything to do with it,” said a GOP insider. “They want the whole thing to just go away.”
Republicans have considered several different formats for any session with Obama, including a “roundtable discussion,” but don’t believe that it will benefit them politically if Obama comes off as well as he did in Baltimore…
Cornyn acknowledged that Obama was “in his element” in his meeting with House Republicans.
“I can see why he and his handlers would want to replicate that,” Cornyn said. “I think we’re more interested in serious public policy issues rather than providing another photo-opportunity for the president.”
no more “crooks and liars”? i’m glad to see you’re starting to keep up.i read the same article…”the whitehouse has suggested”.when he actually shows up,then you can gloat.
i’m sure you’ll remember if he does and conveniently forget when he doesn’t.
As a trial attorney: if Obama and his puppetmasters won’t permit follow-up questions, then there’s no point. Cross-examination is the engine of truth. Phony as the House of Commons question time. When Brown and Cameron get into it, you only begin to approach what could be informative.
107. frank grimes:
the net q&A is already scheduled, right after Sean Hannity gets waterboarded for charity.
107. frank grimes:
“i’m sure you’ll remember if he does and conveniently forget when he doesn’t.
But Frank, there is no doubt that Obama will refuse a second encounter, according to you anyway:
“so when obama inevitably sez:”na–na-NO..I-I-I-CAN’T..UH..UMMM….ER.AH..ta-ta..too..b-ba-busy!” to a second round,and the GOP proclaims:BRING IT ON!what will be your newest excuse?”
Inevitably, eh?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35292286/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/
Frank, you’re like Palin . . . all mouth and no substance, which works fine for me where she is concerned, but I’m afraid that combo holds no interest for me with you.
No follow-up, no point.
For a guy that is acclaimed to bs so intelllectual, all we get from him is the usual simple minded talk radio level trash; teleprompters, real funny & insightful. His adminstration is not off the rails and our country has not been reduced to a Soviet satellite. Funny how all the Palin admirers here routinely savage intellectuals college types but give this pompous phony a pass when 3/4s of what he predicts doesn’t pan out.
“…I will never rest until the Progressive crowd is expunged from public office, along with their Socialistic laws and methods….” **** This will never happen, unless we first tackle progressivism in the schools and, in particular, our universities. Like the never-ending stream of Muslim terrorists who are taught as children to hate us, so do the progressive educators crank out brain-washed graduates. We need to oust liberal/progressive professors (or at the very least, add some balance), along with our other efforts to return America to its upright position.