Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sleepytime
I could have watched Obama last night or gone to bed two hours early. A full nights sleep is a good thing.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
A New Hope
According to Uncommon Knowledge, Tom Wolfe is writing another novel.
There is hope for the Republic!
There is hope for the Republic!
Save the whales!
What the hell does this discussion mean? If Obama says that "cutting benefits is not the right answer; and that raising the retirement age is not the best option" to save Social Security how is he going to change anything? Oh, well he could raise taxes. Or just do whatever he wants, nobody seems to care that his campaign promises were a sham.
Obama on Meet the Press:
Q: You said earlier this year that everything should be on the table for Social Security, including looking at raising retirement age, indexing benefits, and then suddenly you said, "I'm taking them off the table." Source: Meet the Press: 2007 "Meet the Candidates" series Nov 11, 2007
Obama on Meet the Press:
Q: You said earlier this year that everything should be on the table for Social Security, including looking at raising retirement age, indexing benefits, and then suddenly you said, "I'm taking them off the table."
A: That's not what I said. I said I will convene a meeting as president where we discuss all of the options that are available. I believe that cutting benefits is not the right answer; and that raising the retirement age is not the best option, particularly when we've got people who are still in manufacturing.
Q: But in May you said they would be on the table.
A: Well, I am going to be listening to any ideas that are presented, but I think that the best way to approach this is to adjust the cap on the payroll tax so that people like myself are paying a little bit more and the people who are in need are protected. That is the option that I will be pushing forward.
Q: But the other options would be on the table?
A: Well, I will listen to all arguments and the best options.
Live by the sword
For eight years George W. Bush led this nation with a compassionate conservative agenda. This meant expanding Medicare, giving the ultimate control of public schools to the federal government, and spreading democracy through out the world. The premise was that a limited activist government could be used to achieve conservative goals. This premise is wrong.
Now in the midst of a massive credit crunch and recession there is no argument against government action. If government could be used in a boom to help people why could it not be used in a recession to help people? The Republican party has disemboweled itself by supporting compassionate conservatism.
This has left us with the Obama agenda. Obama and Pelosi have not attempted to hide the fact that the "stimulus" is an attempt to remake the citizen's relationship to government. This power grab is built on Obama's historic election. A historic election that gave him 53% of the vote. The other 47% of America have no one to defend them, because we all love the federal government now.
It is an old story. We thought power was great when it was used for our agenda. And we forgot that someday someone else would have that power.
Now in the midst of a massive credit crunch and recession there is no argument against government action. If government could be used in a boom to help people why could it not be used in a recession to help people? The Republican party has disemboweled itself by supporting compassionate conservatism.
This has left us with the Obama agenda. Obama and Pelosi have not attempted to hide the fact that the "stimulus" is an attempt to remake the citizen's relationship to government. This power grab is built on Obama's historic election. A historic election that gave him 53% of the vote. The other 47% of America have no one to defend them, because we all love the federal government now.
It is an old story. We thought power was great when it was used for our agenda. And we forgot that someday someone else would have that power.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tell me something I don't know
Every week Chris Matthews asks his guests to tell him something he doesn't know. Why does that part of the program not last for hours?
Talking Twits
This morning on Meet the Press, Obama political advisor David Axelrod had much to say about the economic stimulus. He may be a great political advisor, but he does not have a background in economics. Why do we care what he has to say?
I am not saying that you need a PhD in Economics to be a talking head. However, I have a B.S. in economics and I can tell that most of these talking heads are economically clueless. Why are we not hearing from the likes of Martin Feldstein, Brad Delong, and Robert Barro? These guys would disagree on the stimulus. However, at least they would give Americans real analysis and would not repeat brainless political talking points.
I am not saying that you need a PhD in Economics to be a talking head. However, I have a B.S. in economics and I can tell that most of these talking heads are economically clueless. Why are we not hearing from the likes of Martin Feldstein, Brad Delong, and Robert Barro? These guys would disagree on the stimulus. However, at least they would give Americans real analysis and would not repeat brainless political talking points.
Rational Expectations rears it's ugly head
A friend of mine, who is the founder of his own successful company, might be the canary in the coal mine. Although his business is doing well, he told me that he and his wife are changing their spending habits and saving more. They are worried about the economy and they are looking at the stimulus and expect that in the future their taxes are going up.
This is rational expectations at it's most basic. The Government spends more money to stimulate the economy. The consumer looks at the economic future, knows his taxes will be raised, and makes a rational decision to spend less. The drop in spending counteracts the government's increase in spending. The economy is not stimulated.
This scares me.
This is rational expectations at it's most basic. The Government spends more money to stimulate the economy. The consumer looks at the economic future, knows his taxes will be raised, and makes a rational decision to spend less. The drop in spending counteracts the government's increase in spending. The economy is not stimulated.
This scares me.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Hell Yeah!
Gregg is out! The Senate keeps a Republican and Obama loses a Secretary of Commerce!
“However, it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me."
Irresolvable conflicts! Damn straight! The first one might be the biggest spending binge in US history. A binge not designed to stimulate the economy but to enshrine liberal goals for generations.
“However, it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me."
Irresolvable conflicts! Damn straight! The first one might be the biggest spending binge in US history. A binge not designed to stimulate the economy but to enshrine liberal goals for generations.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Dissent?
"Am I going to just get ripped to pieces because the stuff I disagree on with an unpopular President is the same stuff I disagree on with a popular President? I don't know."
Penn Jillette
Penn Jillette
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Are you changed?
Reason.tv asks Obama supporters if they are the change they have been waiting for. Even the Asian chicks respond in a perfectly retarded fashion. Reason miraculously went into a crowd and found two Asians on the wrong side of the Bell Curve.
Hat Tip: Instapundit.
Hat Tip: Instapundit.
Realists in agreement!
David Ignatius is one of the best writers on the Washington Post Op-Ed page. While that is faint praise, he is worth reading. His column on Iran this week and who Obama should ask to lead the approach on Iran and the nuclear question is excellent.
Although talking to Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft to find out if a Republican and a Democrat can agree on foreign policy is a little silly. There isn't a Republican/Democrat divide in foreign policy; there is a realist/idealist divide. Zbigniew and Scowcroft are both realists. It is not exactly shocking that they agree.
P.S. And I might go with George Carlin regarding someone named Brent.
Although talking to Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft to find out if a Republican and a Democrat can agree on foreign policy is a little silly. There isn't a Republican/Democrat divide in foreign policy; there is a realist/idealist divide. Zbigniew and Scowcroft are both realists. It is not exactly shocking that they agree.
P.S. And I might go with George Carlin regarding someone named Brent.
Barack "Straw Man" Obama
In his press conference last night, Obama referred to people who think that tax cuts alone can save the economy. Who is he talking about? Not the Republicans in congress who proposed a tax cut and spending bill. Politics as usual is when you ignore your opponents' ideas and then claim they are unreasonable. Obama is just ending politics as usual by ignoring his opponents' ideas and claiming they are unreasonable.
P.S. Will Helen Thomas just die already?
P.S. Will Helen Thomas just die already?
Monday, February 09, 2009
My Man Ron Paul
Ron Paul is right. The Senate is caving. What a bunch of nancies.
Camelot fades
The Weekly Standard has a nice take on Caroline Kennedy's political implosion. I would add that one reason why Caroline thought she would have been given the Senate seat on a silver platter is Hillary Clinton.
Clinton had an incredibly easy time with the press in 2000. As Chris Matthews admitted the consensus seems to have been that Hillary deserved a Senate seat because her husband got a hummer from a chubby chick. Caroline's father and uncle were assassinated while serving this country. Is it unfair to expect that Caroline would get as much sympathy from the press as did someone who was so phenomenally stupid that she was surprised that Bill Clinton was an adulterer?
Clinton had an incredibly easy time with the press in 2000. As Chris Matthews admitted the consensus seems to have been that Hillary deserved a Senate seat because her husband got a hummer from a chubby chick. Caroline's father and uncle were assassinated while serving this country. Is it unfair to expect that Caroline would get as much sympathy from the press as did someone who was so phenomenally stupid that she was surprised that Bill Clinton was an adulterer?
Friday, February 06, 2009
About time
Paul Krugman won the Nobel prize in economics this year. Fair enough, but I always thought that his political and economic commentary is full of straw man arguments and personal attacks. He doesn't seem to understand the arguments of anyone who disagrees with him. Obviously, they must not disagree with him because he is obviously right, so they are sneaky and evil. I have been waiting for a long time for someone to say what Harvard economist Robert Barro just said:
"He said elsewhere that it was good and that it was what got us out of the depression. He just says whatever is convenient for his political argument. He doesn't behave like an economist. And the guy has never done any work in Keynesian macroeconomics, which I actually did. He has never even done any work on that. His work is in trade stuff. He did excellent work, but it has nothing to do with what he's writing about."
"He said elsewhere that it was good and that it was what got us out of the depression. He just says whatever is convenient for his political argument. He doesn't behave like an economist. And the guy has never done any work in Keynesian macroeconomics, which I actually did. He has never even done any work on that. His work is in trade stuff. He did excellent work, but it has nothing to do with what he's writing about."
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Is Wal-Mart Evil?
Ward 3's rules
David Brooks has a great piece on how social mores for rich people across the country are now going to be determined by Ward 3 residents in Northwest DC. Those are the people who essentially run DC (Obviously I live in Ward 2). Rich person, do you want to buy a private plane for your company? Sorry, no. The Ward 3 consensus is that the private plane is excessive. And you can't do anything about it because you took bailout money and the Feds have you by the balls.
Brooks may be right, this could reverberate across society.
Brooks may be right, this could reverberate across society.
Why Does Everyone Hate New Jersey?
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Good Government in the era of The One
Brownie and FEMA are once again doing a heck of a job handling a massive crisis. One week after an ice storm devastated Kentucky, 536,000 homes have no power in the middle of the winter. And dozens of people are dead so far. It is surprising that the media isn't covering this everyday.
Oh yeah! Bush doesn't run FEMA anymore. Obama runs FEMA. No story here. Move along, move along.
Oh yeah! Bush doesn't run FEMA anymore. Obama runs FEMA. No story here. Move along, move along.
Silly Americans, National Security is a Republican Issue
Obama is cutting the Department of Defense 2010 budget request by more then 10%. This is not the only cut in National Security funding Obama has made. It is just the only cut that has gone public.
When Obama won the election I told friends that he wouldn't be stupid enough to cut Intelligence and Defense spending. If Obama did cut the spending and then another terrorist attack happened, he would be directly blamed for the deaths of Americans. I was obviously wrong. I guess Obama assumes that his entire time in office will be praised by the media no matter what he does. And he is probably right.
Update: During the campaign Obama's website said that "Obama and Biden will complete the effort to increase our ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines. " And he set the following three goals: 1. Barack Obama will rebuild the military for 21st century tasks; 2. Restore the readiness of the National Guard and Reserves; 3. Engage our allies in meeting our common security challenges. Good luck rebuilding without any money. Does Obama need to take an accounting class?
When Obama won the election I told friends that he wouldn't be stupid enough to cut Intelligence and Defense spending. If Obama did cut the spending and then another terrorist attack happened, he would be directly blamed for the deaths of Americans. I was obviously wrong. I guess Obama assumes that his entire time in office will be praised by the media no matter what he does. And he is probably right.
Update: During the campaign Obama's website said that "Obama and Biden will complete the effort to increase our ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines. " And he set the following three goals: 1. Barack Obama will rebuild the military for 21st century tasks; 2. Restore the readiness of the National Guard and Reserves; 3. Engage our allies in meeting our common security challenges. Good luck rebuilding without any money. Does Obama need to take an accounting class?
Propaganda
If CNN sells a shirt that says "Obama raises hand, lifts a nation", then they have shifted completely from a news organization to a propaganda machine. We all know this. At this point it feels tedious to point it out.
The One and his Stimulus Walk on Water
Saturday Night Live just got through Weekend Update without a single reference to Obama or the stimulus package. This is a stimulus with millions for family planning that Speaker Pelosi says will stimulate the economy: "contraception will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government."
SNL couldn't find a way to mock the idea that an upsurge in condom sales will save us from a depression?
SNL couldn't find a way to mock the idea that an upsurge in condom sales will save us from a depression?
