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Political Hay
The Limits of Liberal Demagoguery
It usually helps the Democrats in a campaign season. Not this year.
The political success of liberalism is parasitic, feeding off order and prosperity that the implementation of liberal policies couldn’t possibly create.
Bill Clinton’s recent bragging on the campaign trail about the budgets that he balanced in the 1990s is an illustration of this: Where did those budgets come from? Not from the policies of liberalism. Take away the significant reductions in defense spending that came from Ronald Reagan winning the Cold War, the wealth from an entrepreneurial economy that an era of tax cuts generated, and the check on Democratic spending schemes from Newt Gingrich’s Congress, and those budgets would never have been balanced.
In his first term, Clinton had every intention of busting the budget with HillaryCare, but he just couldn’t get away with it. If Clinton is a “successful” president, as pundits these days insist, that’s because his agenda failed where Obama’s succeeded. By passing ObamaCare and a raft of other bad bills, the Democrats have made it possible for voters to measure liberal rhetoric against the grim realities it produces. The parasite got fat enough to eat the conservative host whole, and now it is dying.
What Joe Biden blurted out this week — that Democrats can’t run on their policy accomplishments because they are “just too hard to explain” — captures the problem of liberalism perfectly. It is seductive in theory but inexplicable in practice. The key to its political appeal is that it never be applied.
Conservatism, on the other hand, faces the opposite problem: it is harder to sell before application than after it. Before application, it is dismissed as “cold” and “unrealistic.” After, it is treated as sound and necessary. Reagan was a cloddish “reactionary”; now he is a gentle sage.
Liberalism normally enjoys the demagogic advantage of appealing to emotion over reason. But in moments of crisis, people want reason over emotion. That’s why Obama’s appeals to envy have fallen so flat during this campaign season. People who want jobs from the rich don’t want to hear them demonized; people who want loans from bankers don’t want to see them destroyed.
The Democrats’ familiar scare tactics have lost their power to scare. Now when a Democrat accuses a Republican candidate of threatening this or that federal government program, voters either tune him out or think more fondly of his opponent. Economic decline has also blunted the impact of their sentimental and dilettantish liberalism: talk of “carbon credits” and endangered species grows more faint.
Bill Clinton’s boasts took place at a campaign stop for Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Democratic Senate candidate who is trying hard to beat past the ideological right of his Republican opponent. Manchin, desperate to appear as “hicky” as any Republican-hired actor, emerges in one recent campaign ad with rifle in hand, firing a bullet into a copy of the “cap-and-trade” bill. Manchin says that he is in no mood for tony environmentalism or socialist health care, and lets it be known that he will back his miners to the hilt.
Polluting miners are suddenly a welcome part of the Democratic proletariat again. Even the liberal illuminati suspended its anxieties over global warming to gush about the cigarette-smoking Chilean miners this week. Tina Brown appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to pronounce them more worthy heroes than the overhyped Captain Sullenberger, a comment so absurd the host filling in for Joe Scarborough had to shut her up by noting sarcastically the hundred-plus lives the pilot saved on the Hudson. The other liberals gathered around the table didn’t seem to approve of her comment either, though they perked up at the topic of the miners in general, treating it as a welcome respite from gloomy talk about the Democrats’ chances in November.
About the Author
George Neumayr, a contributing editor to The American Spectator, is co-author, with Phyllis Schlafly, of the new book, No Higher Power: Obama’s War on Religious Freedom.
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Booger | 10.14.10 @ 6:18AM
From the desk of Vice-President Joe Biden:
Dear Voters,
This is a big f****** deal. I am a big f******* deal. Everything I do is a big f******* deal. Why can't you understand that?
I make sure the newbie we got as a President doesn't just stand around bein' all clean and well-spoken. I make sure he gets the stuff done. And now all you people do is b**** and moan. Let's face it, you're just not smart enough to understand what we're doing for you up here.
Look, I'm the smartest guy in any room I walk into, okay? I went to f******* law school, for cryin' out loud. I'm smarter than you. I'm sick and tired of having to explain this s*** to you people.
I know unemployment is bad. Big f******* deal. I know there are a lot of you in foreclosure. Big f******* deal. I know your taxes are gonna go up in a couple of months. Big f******* deal. You morons out there need to learn to see the big f******* picture. If you understood how much good I was doing for you then you'd shut your big f******* mouths.
Whatever you have going wrong with your life, if it wasn't for me it would be worse. Because I am the smartest guy in any room I walk into. Because I did go to law school. Because I do have a bazillion years experience in government. And because I am a big f******* deal.
Sincerely,
Vice President Joe Biden
albert constantine jr.| 10.14.10 @ 7:22AM
Once again, Booger, your satirical wit has captured the essence of your subject. It bears mentioning that Biden once goaded a reporter "I bet my IQ is higher than yours". This has been difficult to prove, though, in that given his history of academic dishonesty, who could trust the results of any test Biden purported to take.
coal carrier| 10.14.10 @ 7:57AM
Dear Joe,
Not to be critical, but you are a F****** buffoon.
Rev. Jesse Jackson| 10.14.10 @ 9:44AM
Booger,
Thank you for your post. It really helped me this morning. I think Biden's comment to Pres. Obama that Obamacare was a "big f******* deal" was actually a very good way to describe it. The country is being f******* by these clowns. We're taking it up the arse, so to speak.
John Navratil| 10.14.10 @ 11:35AM
At such times I like to recall the Australian acronym - Fig Jam.
F- I'm Good! Just ask me!
Sound like Joe?
Freddy| 10.14.10 @ 11:56AM
Hahahahahahaha Joe F****** Biden
Booger's letters are very quickly becoming a favored part of my morning routine.
Big J| 10.14.10 @ 1:36PM
"O.K., O.K., now stand up, Chuck. Come on, Chuck, stand up! Oh, what am I sayin', everybody stand up for Chuck, God love ya!"
dw| 10.14.10 @ 1:51PM
From the desk of President B. H. Obama
Dear Joseph,
It has been brought to my attention that you have communicated in an open letter form to the "voters" again. Now Joe, we have had numerous discussions about your inability to filter some of your more flamboyant thoughts and after reading your letter I am force to say once again you have put my administration in an awkward position.
The letter is bad enough but why did you choose a right wing rag magazine to do it on? If you had utilized Daily Kos or the Huffington Post no one of any consequence would have seen it, but as it is we are know forced to respond to the public regarding both your propensity for vulgar language and that giant ego of yours.
Concerning that superiority complex you have, as we have tried to convey to you on many occassions, the secret to elitism is the ability to camouflage it as an attitude of seeming equality with the pedestrian masses. Around the office we have become accustomed to your enthusiastic approach to our mission but as the joke around here goes... If only your brains matched your fervor for our cause, we'd have a comrade made in Nirvana. You know yourself how many times you have had to apologies for your less than penetrating cognitive abilities.
From this point on, Joe, please comply with the agreement you signed stating that everything you write, say or do will be vetted before hand by your handlers or myself. That, of course, has to include those moments of uncontrolled profanities. ( Assume the microphones are always on.) Come on Joe, use your teleprompter as I do, it will help to eliminate these gaffes and thus better control our message to the public. And no more open letters to anyone, period.
See you at lunch. Gore's coming over to strategies on the cap and trade issue and how to regain the momentum on the global climate disruption program. Will come up with some good strategerys...Ha,Ha.
Sincerely your President,
B. H. Obama
dbeesh| 10.14.10 @ 6:28PM
Hey, Joe, big f******* deal!
JDL1966| 11.23.10 @ 1:06AM
Booger,
I suspect you were trying for sarcastic satire, but the scary thing is -- Biden probably would write such a letter!
Entertaining, and to the point, in any case.
Appleby| 10.14.10 @ 6:45AM
Liberalism is practiced by children who have never had to support themselves; they can afford to be profligate with money that has never belonged to them. In their hearts they always believe that Mom and Dad will find a way -- and that would be conservative republican us.
RacerJim| 10.14.10 @ 10:19AM
"Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains."
-- Winston Churchill
Rev. Jesse Jackson| 10.14.10 @ 11:46AM
RacerJim,
Yeah, that's a great quote from Churchill. It's scary to think about how many people in the U.S. "have no brains." It's really scary when you see that many are in positions of authority. Here's another quote I think you'll like:
"To hold the same views at 40 as we did at 20 is to have been stupefied for a score of years and take rank not as a prophet but as an untouchable brat, well birched and none the wiser."
Philip topps | 10.14.10 @ 9:08PM
Sage comments. Remember, NEVER underestimate the power of STUPID PEOPLE in large numbers ( Hence, the 2008 Election Results)
WTH| 10.15.10 @ 12:53AM
Speaking of those in positions of authority... I came across an article on psychopaths that was very enlightening. "Psychopaths are unable to "imagine" in the sense of being able to really connect to images in a direct "self connecting to another self" sort of way.
They can imitate feelings, but the only real feelings they seem to have - the thing that drives them and causes them to act out different dramas for effect - is a sort of "predatorial hunger" for what they want. That is to say, they "feel" need/want as love, and not having their needs/wants met is described as "not being loved" by them. What is more, this "need/want" perspective posits that only the "hunger" of the psychopath is valid, and anything and everything "out there," outside of the psychopath, is not real except insofar as it has the capability of being assimilated to the psychopath as a sort of "food." "Can it be used or can it provide something?" is the only issue about which the psychopath seems to be concerned. All else - all activity - is subsumed to this drive.
In short, the psychopath - and the narcissist to a lesser extent - is a predator. If we think about the interactions of predators with their prey in the animal kingdom, we can come to some idea of what is behind the "mask of sanity" of the psychopath. Just as an animal predator will adopt all kinds of stealthy functions in order to stalk their prey, cut them out of the herd, get close to them and reduce their resistance, so does the psychopath construct all kinds of elaborate camouflage composed of words and appearances - lies and manipulations - in order to "assimilate" their prey.
This leads us to an important question: what does the psychopath REALLY get from their victims? It's easy to see what they are after when they lie and manipulate for money or material goods or power. But in many instances, such as love relationships or faked friendships, it is not so easy to see what the psychopath is after. Without wandering too far afield into spiritual speculations we can only say that it seems to be that the psychopath ENJOYS making others suffer. Just as normal humans enjoy seeing other people happy, or doing things that make other people smile, the psychopath enjoys the exact opposite."
JF| 10.15.10 @ 10:54AM
Is this a description of Barack Obama specifically, or leftists in general?
borninsocal| 10.14.10 @ 2:47PM
I call BS on that
Rev. Jesse Jackson| 10.14.10 @ 5:01PM
borninsocal,
"I call BS on that." Why? You never noticed that most people when they're young are also dumb and full of come? That's why many kids hate their parents, rebel against all authority, do drugs, do faceplants with their skateboards or BMX while they attempt their death-defying feats to impress their friends. As they grow up, they start to mature, get married (unless they are fags), raise a family, quit smoking weed and stop wearing their Che Guevara t-shirts. A good example of this would be Pres. Ronald Reagan. He started out as a Democrat but then became a Republican around the age of 51. He is now considered to be one of our best presidents. Carter, Obama and others are going down in history as being some of our worst presidents. They never grew up. Many of these brainless ones are now governors, senators, judges and professors. They still smoke pot, wear their Che Guevara t-shirts and scream, "Que viva la revolucion!!!" Woodstock is over. Burn your bong and t-shirt and get a brain. You'll be glad you did.
Cincinnatius| 10.14.10 @ 5:28PM
I take exception to the generalization, " all kids are dumb, hate their parents, do drugs, etc". I have always been a conservative, because I was raised by parents who taught me that the way to success was to earn it by one's blood, sweat, tears, and brains. My childhood was much less than affluent, but my dad, who never took anything from anyone that he had not earned, never complained or gave me the impression (real or implied) that he or we were being cheated or oppressed by the evil rich or whatever. He taught that one assumed the plight he was in, either self-made or whatever and never made excuses as to why you weren't on the upward ladder to success. Dad never had the opportunity for much formal school, the depression, war, marriage, and family always had him preordained to keep his shoulder to the wheel, but he knew and taught that my circumstances were to be what I made them, limited only by my drive and ambition and I loved him for it. No, I recognized early on, that most folks that were destitute were destitute because they waited on the birds to provide their every need. NOPE, YOUNG and DUMB don't have to go together, only if you choose.
Rev. Jesse Jackson| 10.14.10 @ 6:29PM
Dear Cincinnatius,
You and I are on the same side. Why so defensive? You misquoted me. Read my post again. I also hate generalizations. I didn't say "all kids are dumb, hate their parents, do drugs, etc." like you said I said. Read it. I said, "many kids hate their parents, rebel against all authority, do drugs, etc." This is especially true today when "many" don't have a dad like you and I had. My dad also worked hard and taught me to do the same. He usually worked 3 jobs to make ends meet. I recently read a great book by Robert H. Bork called "Slouching Towards Gomorrah" - Modern Liberalism and American Decline. He explains what has happened to our country. Here is a quote from his book: "Every new generation constitutes a wave of savages who must be civilized by their families, schools and churches." So, where is the devil, Hollywood and liberals concentrating their attacks? The family, schools and churches, right? We've seen in recent years how some of these savages end their lives - by walking into their high schools or universities with guns blazing. Only God and wise voters can save us now (mainly God). I'm glad that you had a good upbringing. So did I and I also am grateful. God bless you!
Kenito| 10.17.10 @ 8:33AM
I watched my dad work until the day he died. His example has guided me through life. There have been successes and failures. But, they are the results of my efforts, not anyone else's. Too many people with excuses why they suffer - and these days they want the rest of us to provide the "middle class" lifestyle for them. Hooooey!! Take any job like we did.
Kenito| 10.17.10 @ 8:33AM
I watched my dad work until the day he died. His example has guided me through life. There have been successes and failures. But, they are the results of my efforts, not anyone else's. Too many people with excuses why they suffer - and these days they want the rest of us to provide the "middle class" lifestyle for them. Hooooey!! Take any job like we did.
Appleby| 10.14.10 @ 3:58PM
I have never been a liberal. That would have been a hanging offence in my family.
SoCon| 10.14.10 @ 5:06PM
Iwas never a liberal either. Even as a young teenager I knew it wasn't very "heartful" to kill my own baby.
Everything liberals touch, they destroy; a pox on them and their morally and ethically bankrupt ideology.
Bob S| 10.14.10 @ 10:59AM
Abbleby- this is truer than you think. Ever notice how most young radicals, almost as a rule, come from upper-middle class families? They don't have to worry about anything practical- Mommy and Daddy have that stuff all covered. This way the kiddies have time to indulge in their sick, twisted fantasies. Easy when you don't have to worry about where your next meal is coming from.
Mark James| 10.18.10 @ 3:26PM
I wish this were true. Unfortunately, I know a lot of mature accomplished people who still subscribe to the vacuous pseudo-intellectualism (emotionalism) concept proposed by the useful idiots.
Kelly Staples| 10.14.10 @ 6:56AM
Well done Mr. Neumayr.
baslimthecripple| 10.14.10 @ 7:02AM
Liberal demagoguery has limits? Who knew.
brassia| 10.14.10 @ 1:54PM
LOL...
Yes, I wasn't aware of any limits to liberal demagoguery either....
SoCon| 10.14.10 @ 5:08PM
baslim the cripple? Pray tell the origin of your moniker.
Average Infidel| 10.14.10 @ 7:18AM
Yeah from my perch the biggest deal I have going for me is the strength to know the difference between the bull shale from cow pies. The bull is one thing but the pile remains the same, it still had an odor one wishes to forget. Progressive meet defeat.
Melvin| 10.14.10 @ 7:36AM
My middle son, who used to be a successful nice dressing Conservative, succumbed to the Liberal side, with his association of a female who believes that government is the answer to everything.
Every time junior tries to debate me with the minutia of the success of Liberalism, I always retort to him, "Who paid for your children?" His head turns red as a beet, and summarily leaves because he knows deep down the truth.
Cogito Ergo Sum Conservativum| 10.14.10 @ 11:30AM
Of the many liberals I know, about 3/4 became liberals because of the woman in their life. I met them when they had a conservative or middle road view, but the power of the (well, you know what) moved them left. And like your son, they are sitting ducks when they engage me in a debate.
brassia| 10.14.10 @ 2:01PM
Melvin, I can sympathize with you as my only son- the product of being educated in Vassar College and Columbia University in addition to living in the heart of liberalism- NY city is a die hard liberal and we avoid ANY political discussions for the most part. However , since he blamed Bush for not being fiscally reponsible I asked him where the fiscal responsibily now- his reply was same place as the previous 8 years. So to my- I thought we were going for hope and change he had NO ANSWER.
Bob Mack | 10.14.10 @ 7:54AM
When I was a kid, our dog would sometimes come home after an extended romp in the woods full of ticks that hung off him like grapes. My old granny would get 'em to drop off by applying the hot end of a match to their hind ends. And that is what needs to happen to the marxist/progressive/liberal/Democrats that are busy draining the lifeblood from the country.
Doug| 10.14.10 @ 10:17AM
Bob, I just want to thank you for that imagery, first thing in the morning!
SilentNoMore| 10.14.10 @ 8:12AM
Liberals are big on the BS but short on the IQ. This is not to say many are not well educated (they did, after all, go to Haavad or Law School), but they fail to realize that the object of there ideology and emotion is often destroyed by their policy. Take, for example, the children. Who doesn't love "the children?" How can you argue with "the children?" If something is worth doing, it is often because of "the children." How many kids have we seen trotted out by the Dems during the various health care issues: Marcelas Owens during O-care, Jennifer Bush during H-care, and Graeme Frost during S-CHIP, just to name a few. Well, they finally got it done with O-care and what is the result? Many large insurers are dropping their child only plans, Medicaid is expanded but many doc's and hospitals are dropping Medicaid acceptance, and insurers are having to raise premiums because kids can now stay on their parents policies until 26 years old! So let's do the math: less insurance options for children + less provider acceptance of government insurance + higher premiums for those supporting adult children = more, cheaper, and better coverage for children?
Maybe if they say it loud enough and beat us long enough 2+2 will really = 5.
Paul D| 10.14.10 @ 10:56AM
I would disagree and say that many Liberals are intelligent but POORLY EDUCATED. Having a Harvard degree doesn't make you educated, it just makes you credentialed.
The world if full of credentialed Fools, as Booger has so satirically illustrated above.
Cogito Ergo Sum Conservativum| 10.14.10 @ 11:32AM
Credentialed and indoctrinated. Too many confuse education with indoctrination.
Bill Brewer| 10.14.10 @ 1:23PM
BINGO!
okconservative| 10.14.10 @ 3:34PM
credentialed maybe, dazed and confused for sure
jf| 10.15.10 @ 10:59AM
Liberal's education seems to stop at the university door. Most conservatives learn both through academics and life experienes - and thus, we grow out of the indoctrination we suffered during our college years and learn to function in the real world. Liberals close their minds once they get that piece of paper known as a degree.
MtTopPatriot| 10.14.10 @ 8:30AM
Democrats have proven beyond all doubt they are akin to a social plague. Even to say that speaks volumes in regards to the moral bankruptcy of this breed of social and economic parasite.
This party has manipulated and extorted America for generations, it is the root of evil within our Constitutional Republic, our system of governmental checks and balances. It has circumnavigated our rule of laws at every opportunity in order to gerrymander this great country into economic and moral bankruptcy, at any cost in order to steal ever more wealth and ever more power from the only sovereign power the Constitution invests in, again We The People. It has outlived its welcome and tolerance of good grace of We The People who understand, believe in, live by, and want in our Elected Representatives fiscal responsibility and moral accountability. This desire by We The People, in of itself, the most reasonable and common sense, never mind Constitutionally lawful obligation and duty, has been turned into a radical, racist, extreme crime of conspiracy against the poor misunderstood noble and morally superior ruling class imaginable.
In a nutshell, everyone of any moral character and having a lick of patriotic duty, from all walks of life have just plain had enough. You can only be treated like a sucker and have it shoved up your arse so long before you fight back and by one way or another get rid of these bums and crooks.
Aelfgyva| 10.14.10 @ 1:56PM
How wonderfully stated. The Democrat Party has surely become the enemy of the people.
Redstateboy| 10.14.10 @ 8:50AM
Real Conservatives don't need to pretend they're Conservatives but Liber-uls and Demorats and even some Republicans MUST pretend they're Conservative. That Joe Manchin add is so F'king condescending!! and what's worse!! There are dolts who won't even see through it..!! They'll buy it Hook, Line and Sinker! Right!! As if Joe Manchin will go to Washington and tell Hussien to go F himself... if you believe that... look up... Ben Nelson.
Louis Jenkins| 10.14.10 @ 8:58AM
"that Democrats can't run on their policy accomplishments because they are "just too hard to explain" --
Some excuse is better than any. "We've got to approve the bill before we can read it," so said Nancy P. That's about as inane of an excuss as I have ever heard. But good ole VP Bite Me comes up with one about as good.
What kind of numbskulls do we have running our government? And they're out there trying gather more votes? What are they telling? Jokes? Who understands what they're saying?
Two more weeks people and the task begins.
Texas Mom 2010| 10.14.10 @ 9:10AM
Let me translate for you, when Biden says that Democrats can't run on their accomplishments because "they are just too hard to explain" what he really means is he believes "we the people" are just TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND! The problem with that is we are not stupid.... Remember in November!!!
RacerJim| 10.14.10 @ 10:26AM
On November 2 "We the people..." will show Obama, Biden, Pelosi, Reid et al their fellow condescending elitist Demoncrap Jackasses who the truely STUPID ones are.
Rev. Jesse Jackson| 10.14.10 @ 7:42PM
Politicians forget that Americans freely elect a government to reflect what we think, not to tell us what to think. These sanctimonius pricks are fixin' to be reminded of that on November 2nd. I am so freakin' excited!!! It's time to kick ass!!!
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.14.10 @ 9:15AM
George,
There are no limits.
When a lie is as comfortable as the truth, and when fantasy is as solid as reality...there are no limits.
Louis,
you are exactly right! My novel revolves around two of our finest Senators. Ya know, it doesn't hurt a thing to fax the good guys an attaboy from time to time. That's part of our task too.
TKP| 10.14.10 @ 9:46AM
Win the argument, not just the election - and that is far more difficult, ask Reagan
Remember - The era of big government is over!
Clinton (after his attempted left hand turn) governed as a middle of the road republican, arguably more conservative than Bob Dole might have been - his genius, if we can call being an insincere political chameleon, genius (but that's what made him a great womanizer), was to recognize that he could talk like a liberal as long as he had Newt and co. to pass all those "harsh" measures.
This is the man who called balancing the budget in 7 years "irresponsible", but had no problem claiming credit for it after 4 years. All of this was only possible because of the work done in both foreign and fiscal policy in the 80's.
The warning to republican leadership is clear - you must win the argument, not just the election - though Obama is far more of an ideologue, he will take credit for everything you do even if it is a complete repudiation of his first 2 years. Dole's inability to articulate the blatant hypocrisy and political gamesmanship of "triangulation" cost him the Whitehouse, and gave us a preening ass, held as a great economic president, and very nearly a President Gore.
Don't become Obama's "useful idiots" - he can be re-elected - the only real difference between Clinton and Obama's year 1 & 2, is Clinton failed to pass his "big achievements", and it saved him.
Obama care and Finreg should be two stakes in the heart of Obama & Pelosi's political lives - the vampire will return if you foolishly think you don't have to do the dirty work of killing the left-wing arguments embodied in those 2 travesties of legislative patchwork wish lists.
Longplay| 10.14.10 @ 9:56AM
"Tina Brown appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to pronounce them more worthy heroes than the overhyped Captain Sullenberger, ..." Typical of libs whose knee-jerk reaction to always look for a way to denigrate Americans. I'm surprised the other panelists felt uneasy. Perhaps some of them in the MSM are realizing the bloom is off their rose.
Ms. Jones| 10.14.10 @ 4:02PM
Victims always trump heroes in LeftWorld. The miners are victims of Greedy Capitalist Mine Owners, Captain Sullenberger "merely" a guy who worked hard and followed the rules, and was thus prepared, when crisis struck, to save lives. Remember, in LeftWorld right is wrong, up is down, ugly is art, and if you disagree, you are a stupid, ignorant racist homophobe.
Redstateboy| 10.14.10 @ 10:48AM
True Story when debating with your stupid Liber-ul friends. I just sold an Auto Insurance policy to a woman in NJ. She and her boyfriend, 06' Nissan Mirano... State Min. coverage, $1000 deductibles, his DMV was clean and her's had some very modest infractions... ready??? $508 Down and $407 per month!! and She was Glad to pay it!!!! Tell That to your Moronic Liber-ul and Democrat friends and tell them THIS is what happens when Democrats have run things for the past 70 years in NJ. just one state!!
Steve a| 10.14.10 @ 2:32PM
Redstate, The NJ auto insurance market is the perfect predictor for Obamacare (as you probably know). First step was to restrict private insurers underwriting ability. Do not approve requested rate increases that naturally result from this. Attempt price controls. Blame Insurers. Insurers go broke or leave market. Reduced competition. Price skyrocket.
Redstateboy| 10.14.10 @ 3:59PM
When I get a call from NJ I know perhaps 2.. maybe 3 companies will even offer a rate and the rates are unbelievable.. I've seen rates of $1200, $1300 Down Payment!! This out of 12-15 Insurance Carriers!! They just don't want to.. Can't do business in a Socialist Republic.
Au Contraire| 10.14.10 @ 11:19AM
A demagogic article about demagoguery. If intentional, very clever.
Franklin| 10.14.10 @ 11:42AM
"The Democrats' familiar scare tactics have lost their power to scare." - I sure hope so. But unfortunately most of the voters who press the 'Democrat' lever in the voting booth only get their news from talking points and 5th grade words.
Conservatives need to get the point across in simple easy-to-understand SHORT talking points. I'm not saying they are dumb like Biden thinks, just that they don't care. They don't spend enough time to find the truth.
I said 'most' of the voters ... the rest have already had their fill of kool-aid and can't see the truth.
And a very small amount of them - the elite - know the truth but hate it.
Richard| 10.14.10 @ 11:53AM
The first sentence is brilliant. Conservatism created America--it got us to where we are. Why throw it away with liberalism--because liberalism is emotionally satisfying to many. It makes them feel sooo good.
Oldefarte| 10.14.10 @ 12:06PM
Morning Joe's table mates are the talking pointed theme of the liberal insanity. To listen to their comments is to force reguritation from your body. Their super guest [Robinson of the WaPo] is always introduced as a pulitzer prize winning journalist, when in fact he's just another ignorant hack writer spitting out liberal crap. The worst was this O'Donnell who now has his own show at night on MSNBC [which has laughlingly now been divorced from its parent NBC due to the radical agenda that MSNBC espouses]!!!!!!!!!
A. Murray Kahn| 10.14.10 @ 12:43PM
When one is fat dumb and happy, one will put up with a lot of BS. When jobs and livings are at stake, BS walks and money talks. The left rises to the top in good times because most people don't care for conflict most of the time. Left policy tends to kill good times. At some point conflict is the lesser of two evils.
Rev. Jesse Jackson| 10.14.10 @ 7:53PM
Politicians use bullshit to hide the fact that we are all living in a Matrix and that the Red Dragon will eventually take over. The platitudinous pabulum that passes for stirring political rhetoric is bullshit. A WORD OF ADVICE: BEWARE OF "WEAPONS-GRADE BULLSHIT." It's comin'.
Margie| 10.14.10 @ 1:28PM
Just a small point of perhaps, interest:
I love that AmSpec puts up the same type of pictures the Left does to us of their opponents. Ones that are oh so flattering! Heh, love it. Poor general Joe.
Anonymous| 10.14.10 @ 1:32PM
Democrats can't run on their policy accompishment because "they're too hard to explain"... more like their policy accomplishments suck big time.
William W. Wexler | 10.14.10 @ 1:36PM
The conservative class is parasitic, feeding off the remains of the American carcass they killed like the goose who laid the golden egg.
The liberal record is too hard to explain to Idiot America because it takes more than one sentence and uses multi-syllabic words. You prefer bumper sticker slogans and outright lies, as long as they fit into a single sentence. Where you break down on this is that none of the assertions you make are ever supported, they are assumed to be true by The Gut, which is the basest non-reasoning part of human consciousness.
Your side puts up ass-klowns like Angle, McDonnell, Paul, DeMint, Grassley, Paladino, and on and on and on and then you expect people to take you seriously. LOL what a happy load of horse shit you offer America.
-Wexler
PS Since this site has no poser policy, which should ban people for posing as another poster, I only post once in each thread. Any further posts under my name are from pot-licking assholes who have nothing better to do than fight on posting boards.
Aelfgyva| 10.14.10 @ 2:16PM
Sooooo, you can use cuss words. You insult those who don't agree with you. You accuse the Right of lying after burdening the country with eight years of Clinton and two of B.O. You list Republican "ass-klowns" but make no mention of Barney Frank, Ted Kennedy, Chris Dodd, David Obey, Russ Feingold, (The money in the freezer guy) and that mouth in Georgia drafting a new definition of self-embarrassment.
You back up nothing you say with facts. Yup, you're a lefty, alright.
Gregory Pruett| 10.14.10 @ 6:43PM
that would be the honorable William Jefferson of louisianna
TKP| 10.14.10 @ 2:26PM
Amen Wex ! - it is so good to see some contrary opinion on this right wing reactionary site.
Well reasoned, articulate, chock full of facts and anecdotal examples of the historical superiority of progressive policy – unlike the knuckle dragging TAS zombies on this thread, you did not submit ad-hominem attacks dressed up in a self congratulatory morally superior tone, inherently condescending to the audience, no you took the high road.
Another fine example of open minded tolerant dialog from our side
Thanks again Wex
Ms. Jones| 10.14.10 @ 4:09PM
Great satirical comeback, TKP!
John II| 10.14.10 @ 2:40PM
The term you're struggling for in your postscript is really "poseur," Wexie. You're obviously an embittered right-wing-nut (stress on either the penult or the ultima, depending on your mood) posing as an enlightened lefty. There's just one or two brain-dead cliches too many for your post to be the genuine article. Even lefties have SOME sense of style.
Your deception stands revealed.
And now back to my DVD Bullwinkle collection of "Fractured Fairy Tales."
John2| 10.14.10 @ 3:11PM
Are you really trying?
Please come back for the "Ejection Day for Lefty" celebration on November 2.
Steve A| 10.14.10 @ 4:19PM
Dear Willie, Not every party an be blessed with the high intellect of our nominees such as your man Alvin Green in SC. This guy actually does make Pelosi look like Copernicus the more I think about it.
Willyboy| 10.14.10 @ 4:43PM
I am so impressed with the foundations of your argument. Idiot America? Perhaps you need better bumper stickers for your point of view. I don't think that "hope and change" are working anymore. Your current problem is both messenger(s) and message.
JCfromDC| 10.14.10 @ 6:52PM
The capitalist IS the goose that laid the golden egg!!! "Liberals" and "progressives" (aka, Communists) since Wilson have been trying to kill it ever since, FDR, Truman, LBJ, especially Carter and Obama.
The "liberal record" is so hard to explain" is because of IT'S FAILURE!! BECAUSE no one CAN'T EXPLAIN ONE single SUCCESS! Let's try, shall we? The Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Facsist Italy, Cambodia, Cuba, Central America (why do they "escape" to come here?)
I notice that YOU use mostly 2-single, 2-syllable words yourself.
As far as "bumper sticker" mentalities go, the Libby Left use the usual random chants, akin to "Imotep, Imotep" , from the "Mummy" in EVERY one of their discerdited rallies, along with the same small group of red-eyed, green/purple-haired, safety-pin-in-their noses, foul mouth protesters at every turn...and for Murderers!!! HOW DARE YOU? Amd then trah the plcae up so your Union thugs can use OUR money to clean up the mess. (look at the "after" picks of Beck's rally, nothing on the ground)
At least OUR bumper stickers quote Jefferson, Washington and Mark Twain, Not Lenin and Marx.
JCfromDC| 10.14.10 @ 6:54PM
'Scuse my bad typing. I usually have editors for this
mstahl| 10.14.10 @ 1:36PM
Will someone please quash the shibboleth that the budget was balanced in the 1990s! The only reason that pols can say this is because they count social security taxes as revenue. The national debt went up every year! Check out the CBO website if you do not believe me.
Wordwaryor| 10.14.10 @ 1:45PM
Socialism is Socialism. Under Socialism... there is no hope for the masses, but to be the same as everybody else... going nowhere...at no time, until you die.
Liberalism in America is now Socialism, plain and simple. Barack Obama, Pelosi and Reid, are the conductors of the orchestra of Socialism, and the mask has been taken off the Democrat party.
Look at the attendees of the One Nation Rally... on 10.2.10 , and see the ugly face of Socialism.
America was built on Conservativism, Capitalism, and Free Markets.
The sad truth about Socialists is that they cannot even see that it was just the Opposite of what they want to institute that brought this nation the greastest economic power, the greatest and fastest development, and the MOST developed and BEST standard of living in the entire World.
And they want to DESTROY what made this nation Great !! Plain and Simple for those who want to SEE !
Carlos| 10.14.10 @ 1:48PM
Not too far from..."you'll have to pass this bill, to know what's in it"
Wordwaryor| 10.14.10 @ 1:51PM
The sad truth is that those who have "touchy feely" feelings about everything, are the ones who blithely pull the (Socialist) Democrat levers in the voting booth, hoping against hope that their utopian feelings CAN come true.
Based on the Promises (LIES) by the Socialists ...
They will never have what they wish for.
Paul in Colorado| 10.14.10 @ 2:01PM
It is their susceptibility to fads and enthusiasms that best demonstrates the Left's arrested development. Always suckers for the next big thing, whether its a nuclear freeze or global warming or the Obama campaign, and always to quick to lose interest in the last fad. One expects this from adolescents - its one of the charms of youth - but not from adults. To see intelligent people with more than a little worldly experience being swept away by Obama the fad - witness Oprah and Chris Matthews - is disappointing.
Arizona dave| 10.14.10 @ 2:14PM
This is definitely some pick-nose writing, but that's obviously your style-- isn't it, Booger
Mark Anderson| 10.14.10 @ 2:32PM
Mr. Neumayr,
Reason over emotion. I love it. I'm a liberal, I know evolution to be a fact, what do you believe Mr. Neumayr? I should go down the list of scientific truths that conservatives dismiss with their quite substantial gut feelings, but I don't have the time.
John II| 10.14.10 @ 2:55PM
Mr. Anderson:
Thank God (er, rather, thank Bacon or Fate or the Self or something) for your defense of scientific truth.
Which truth, though, did you mean? The Great Global Warming Truth? The Great Global Cooling Truth? The Great Population Explosion Truth? The Great Nuclear Winter Truth? The Great Carbon Footprint Truth? The Great Ozone-Hole Truth? The Great Embryonic Stem-Cell Truth, The Great Fossil Fuel Truth? The Great . . .
Gosh, you're right. The list really IS long, and I'm already pooped. Although I perhaps should also mention in passing The Great Cow-Poop Truth, daughter of The Colossal Bull-Poop.
And now back to the entire "Planet of the Apes" series Truth.
Wordwaryor| 10.14.10 @ 5:02PM
Mark
How do you know evolution to be a fact ? When it always was, and still is an unproven Theory .
According to the Theory of Evolution, .... and using an analogy...... a tornado will one day swirl through a junk yard, and accidentally assemble a 747 Jet Liner, fully fueled, instrumented, wired and ready for take off !!
If you can believe that....... I can believe that some higher power Designed what I see in Life.
SoCon| 10.14.10 @ 5:31PM
Mark knows evolution is a fact because the discordant voices in his libtard head told him so.
Same's true with Globaloney Warming.
RCV| 10.16.10 @ 2:04PM
Your post displays such pround ignorance of evolution through natural selection as to be laughable. Get an education, please.
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 4:16PM
Yeah, get an education from the Bible, RCV. Good idea.
SoCon| 10.16.10 @ 11:44PM
Please elucidate me regarding the merits of evolution, Professor RCV. You can't that's why you speak in BS generalties. I've got a real education for you, Dr. Libtard--TRUTH! Try it sometime, you just might like it.
jstwndring| 10.14.10 @ 6:17PM
Actually, there's not one shred of evidence in the fossil record supporting Darwin's claims. If we evolved from apes, if birds evolved from reptiles, and if giraffes evolved from whatever, we should be tripping over the evidence. But, we're not. Nothing. Nada. Please produce the evidence. Wait, don't actually produce it like you did with Piltdown Man, Nebraska Man, Java Man, and Lucy. All hoaxes. Please show me. You can't. Take heart though, neither could Darwin. You can't even explain the Cambrian life explosion 150 years after The Origin of the Species. How about polystrate fossilized trees? How about human and dinosaur footprints that appear together? How about the London Artifact? How about that dead horse?
No. As it turns out, evolutionary "theory" is just one gigantic temper tantrum thrown by a man that suffered personal loss in life and decided to blame God. Sad, really.
jstwndring| 10.14.10 @ 6:26PM
And, just one more thing, since evolutionary theory is so easily disproven, it no longer qualifies as legitimate scientific theory. Scientific Method demands that the theory be thoroughly tested and disproven before it be subimtted as legitimate theory. Since there is no evidence in the fossil record supporting Darwin's claims of branching evolutionary trees, it can be discarded as mere fantasy. Oh, and adaptation does not satisfy any of Darwin's claims, since all of those changes are contained within a particular species. That slight of hand trick does not legitimize Darwin's claims.
Margie| 10.14.10 @ 7:44PM
Oops. Somebody better tell Mark.
"..then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Gen. 2:7.
"Male and female He created them, and He blessed them and named them Man when they were created." Gen. 5:2.
Oops He also created the animals, too. Every single one of them:
"So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name." Gen. 2:19.
So let's see now. If God created... then that kinda blows out of the water Darwin's theory, doesn't it? Well, unless you want to believe a lie, right?
voted against carter| 10.15.10 @ 12:13AM
Come on people.
GOD and evolution are NOT contradictory.
GOD absolutely uses evolution.
No drought. It's just that we continue to view GOD through human eyes. Can't be done.
An example is explaining sex to a five year old. They can understand the mechanics of it.
But NOT the WHY of it.
And until puberty kicks it It is incomprehensible to them.
SAME thing with GOD and us. We are the five year old.
AND THAT is really what chaps the progressive liberals butts.
They CAN'T STAND that.
Just keep in mind that we are ALL answerable for our actions.
Also remember that "science" IS the progressive liberals religion.
Global warming, oops, I mean climate disruption is proof of that.
Margie| 10.15.10 @ 12:06PM
Nope, sorry. God is perfect & His will is perfect. If He says He created man from the dust of the earth, and the He created every single beast and bird, it means He created them from the earth.
He makes it perfectly clear what He did. Either you take His word for it, or you're calling Him a liar.
RCV| 10.15.10 @ 5:30PM
God didn't say it, Margie. Men did. They may indeed have been inspired, and I believe they were, but men sometimes get things a little off, and things get lost in translation over centuries. When God came to earth in the form of Christ Jesus, He spoke constantly in parables and stories to teach us. There's no reason to think He just started doing that in Palestine in 20 A.D. The stories in Genesis are just that - stories to teach us lessons. We know for a fact that human beings weren't present when dinosaurs were on the earth. We don't have to deny that reality to be believers. What is amazing about Genesis is what it got right: centuries before man on his own was able to understand the wonder of creation in The Big Bang, it was there in the Bible for us, in stories and parables sent to us by God; centuries before man was able to understand the wonder of God's gradual creation of the universe, the earth and life through evolution, it was there for us in the Bible. Being man, we couldn't understand it then. We can now. Because God gave us a brain, and the wonder of His creation continues to unfold. Use that brain and stop living in the Middle Ages.
Jeremiah| 10.15.10 @ 7:25PM
Margie's too-tight burqa impairs her high cortical thought function.
Margie| 10.15.10 @ 8:15PM
"He who trusts in his own mind is a fool; but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered." Prov. 28:26
I'm seeing plenty of fools thinking they know better than God.
Jeremiah| 10.16.10 @ 5:17AM
We don't know better than God, we just know better than YOU, lamebrain.
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 12:41PM
Isee. So you object to God's own words when He says that He actually Created Man and the all of the animals from the earth?
Wow. And then you insult me because I agree with Him?
Whew.
Jeremiah| 10.16.10 @ 1:58PM
Did God Himself speak these words to you, Margie? If, so, enlighten us further as to the place and time. I'm waiting with bated breath.
Men wrote these words, and men are fallible; unlike you of course.
Better loosen that burqa of yours.
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 3:02PM
If you reject the Bible, which teacher or book do you learn from that is superior?
RCV| 10.16.10 @ 9:22PM
Of course God created man - he created everything, including all the forces and processes in nature. But he created it gradually, just as Genesis suggests. And the "days" referred to in Genesis are metaphoric. They obviously don't mean a day as we know it: a day is the time it takes for the earth's rotation, while it is held in the Sun's gravitation. That definition doesn't make sense in the context of Genesis. Just because people don't read the Bible the way you do, Margie, doesn't mean they " reject" it; what they reject is your interpretations.
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 9:43PM
There's no interpretation necessary to understand that God said He created.. He created. He actually did. He formed man out of the earth. That isn't hard to understand. It's when you Leftists try and make it hard.
"This God--His way is perfect; the promise of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him." Ps. 18:30.
We're allowed to believe exactly what He says. Become like a child and believe. Mt. 18:3.
Jeremiah| 10.17.10 @ 2:04AM
I believe in faith, just not blind faith. God gave us free will for a reason.
Jeremiah| 10.17.10 @ 2:06AM
I don't reject the Bible, just your literal interpretation.
Margie| 10.17.10 @ 12:33PM
"First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." 2 Pe. 1:20 & 21.
Margie| 10.17.10 @ 1:15PM
"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." Mt. 21:22.
Blind faith? No. God doesn't want us to believe just anything without questioning it and where it's coming from. But He does admonish us to believe His words. And aren't His words found in the Bible?
"He who is of God hears the words of God.." Jn. 8:47.
I always like to take my stand on this (one of the many) verse:
"Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." Prov. 30:5.
Margie| 10.15.10 @ 8:12PM
RCV speaks for God. Heh. I'll take His word over yours. Typical Leftist thinking you know better.
RCV| 10.16.10 @ 12:48PM
You are the only person on this site, Margie, who purports to speak for God.
Jeremiah| 10.16.10 @ 2:02PM
True. And she doesn't even see her own ridiculousness.
Sometimes I think Margie believes she is God!
What an ego.
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 3:00PM
Very funny, Lefties. Because I quote God's words I thus speak for him? Well, yes I suppose you could say that. Christians are actually commanded to preach the gospel, in season and out! I'm sorry that you reject it.
Jeremiah| 10.17.10 @ 2:02AM
God's words interpreted by fallible men, Margie. Don't forget the "middlemen!"
I don't reject God, just people who think they speak for Him. It's YOU I don't trust!
Margie| 10.17.10 @ 12:51PM
Religions teach that God lives in a building, and that no one but their special leaders can know and understand the Bible.
But that is contrary to what God's words say. They say that the believer who has the faith of Jesus Christ has Christ inside of them.
"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. 1:27.
The Bible teaches us that we ourselves can receive His Spirit inside of us:
"And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38.
And that the Holy Spirit teaches us the truth in Christ:
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." Jn. 14:26
I don't want you to trust me. Trust what He says in the Bible. Those who choose to reject the literal words of His make way to allow the flesh to do what ever it pleases. It's a convenient excuse not to listen to Him.
That's your choice and it's also why you reject me as a person, but that's ok. I don't like you, either. Heh.
So, the churches who teach contrary to this are lying to you.
Jeremiah| 10.17.10 @ 5:11PM
You still haven't addressed my objection, Margie. You didn't because you can't.
All you did is what you always do; quote more scripture that is just an interpretation of God's words made by fallible men. None of us knows for sure, including you. That's why faith is so critical.
This isn't personal, Margie, even though you insist on making it so. I don't dislike you, I don't even know you.
You're combative, and if you believe you are doing God's work by creating hostility and antagonism among His people, it says something not so nice about you. You've totally missed the point.
You use Jesus Christ as a weapon to bully those who disagree with you. Jesus Christ was never a self-righteous bully. Try to learn what Christ was really about--LOVE!
Margie| 10.17.10 @ 9:30PM
"God's words interpreted by fallible men, Margie. Don't forget the "middlemen!"
I addressed that at length.
" don't reject God, just people who think they speak for Him. It's YOU I don't trust!"
I addressed that, too.
You keep saying that it's a matter of interpretation, but the Bible itself says that it isn't. It also says (not me) that men moved by His Spirit spoke from God Himself. If you cannot accept that, by reading His own words then it really doesn't matter who else tries to show them to you, then.
Your whole thing is that it's impossible to know what He means by His own words. But I'm here to tell you that it is possible.
And as for making it personal~ actually you're the one that has been doing exactly that~ I'm just repeating His words to you~ yet you are taking issue with me as a person, insulting and demeaning.
Yet I am only repeating His words. You call it bullying yet you are the bully!
I will "trouble" you no more.
God bless.
Steve A| 10.14.10 @ 2:43PM
Mark, You "know evolution to be a fact," huh. Engage me in a hypothetical for a moment. So, according to your theory: If I go to the zoo today & take a look in the gorilla cage. Pipe in some Mozart on the speakers & toss in a few volumes of Shakespeare. Then, (according to Stephen Hawking this may be possible), jump in a spaceship that exceeds the speed of light & return in a few million years, that gorillas decendant could be a finalist on American Idol, correct??
RCV| 10.15.10 @ 7:30PM
Steve, you're much too intelligent a guy to write something like this. Take a college course on evolution and learn what the science is about. We didn't evolve from monkeys or apes. All life evolved and continues to evolve, adapting to the conditions particular organisms find themselves in. These silly comebacks display such profound ignorance of the wonderous processes of God's creation. The more one learns about them, the more in awe of God's magnificant creation one stands. It's wonderous and wonderful!
Brister| 10.15.10 @ 8:10PM
It's just a theory, RCV--a theory with many holes and no proof. Sorry.
RCV| 10.16.10 @ 2:06PM
Brister - have you taken even one college -level course on evolutionary biology?
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 2:58PM
The Bible trumps college education.
RCV| 10.16.10 @ 9:08PM
It would actually do you some good, Margie. There's a world of knowledge out there that would help you appreciate the richness of God's creation. You don't have to live in ignorance to be a believer. You're allowed to believe in dinosaurs, and carbon- dating, in the complexity of the human genome, and the wonders of astrophysics. And you still refuse to face the question I asked of you: who decided that Paul's letters should be given the status of "scripture"? Hint: some people consider its other pronouncements "demonic".
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 9:35PM
I did answer your question but like a typical Leftist you keep saying "You never answered my question." I don't know what it is with you peeps.
I enjoy God's creation more than you'd ever know. I mostly enjoy the One who created the entire thing, though. The depth of His riches in wisdom and understanding are amazing and He reveals His secrets to to His children. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Rms. 11:33, Lk. 8:10, Duet. 29:29.
Margie| 10.16.10 @ 9:37PM
& Jas. 4:8.
rmartin| 10.14.10 @ 3:31PM
"I am just a fool whose intentions are good-OH LORD please don't let me be misunderstood"-Eric Burton and the Animals. Thank you Mr Vice President we get it now.
Pat| 10.14.10 @ 3:36PM
What really fries the Democrats’ grits, assuming they’ve ever tasted grits, is that come next month they will have to face the music of angry voters – and they’ve had such a very short time in power too, darn it. But that image begs the question of what music will they have to face? Obama isn’t up for re-election, so over at the White House, the staff are all humming Sade’s sexy rendition of “Smooth Operator” - ‘he’s a smooth operator, a smooooth operator’. And coast to coast, L. A. to Chicago, Obama still has 2 more years, so plenty of time left to re-write their resumes should the very worse come to pass.
Over at the Democratic National Committee’s hot tub and media room, the sound system is pumping out songs like “Don’t Fear the Reaper”, from Blue Oyster Cult’s hot selling CD “Our One and Only Greatest Hit”. ‘All our times have come. Here but now they’re gone. Valentine is done, here but now they’re gone’. A catchy tune even if somewhat gruesome lyrics. And for months now, the Republican National Committee has been featuring Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”, appropriate to their prospects, their mood and probably their average age as well since most of these old guys aren’t yet sure what Rap music is. But lately, their music is more upbeat if a little dated: “Happy Days Are Here Again” is the most popular golden oldie at GOP HQ today.
The TEA Party folks are listening to Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom” on the old Ipod – ‘Yeah, toilin’ for the achin’ ones whose wounds cannot be nursed, for the countless confused, accused, misused strung out ones at worst’. So, that’s the music they’ll face, let’s get this coming election over, get some hash settled and get back to Hank Williams Jr. and ‘are you ready for some football?’.
Willyboy| 10.14.10 @ 4:52PM
Sorry...you lost me when I started imagining Nancy Pelosi in the hot tub....aaargh!
Fergie| 10.14.10 @ 3:39PM
Has Biden mind-melded with Palosi? They both sound the same -- "Our policies are just too hard for simple minded Voters to understand - so. . . um . . . yeah, I bet my IQ is higher than yours is . . . well, it would be, if I could have written the test . . . "
JCfromDC| 10.14.10 @ 5:19PM
Oh, that's hilarious! Can I quote you?
Wordwaryor| 10.14.10 @ 4:58PM
Socialism is NOT Freedom, it is the antithesis of Freedom. It is restrictive. It is Micro Management on Steroids. Our school system suffers under Socialism already.
Ask the teachers, how structured are their activities ? What they can teach, and HOW they must teach it . What they cannot or dare not teach. They have become Indoctrination Agents. Creating future mush minded Socialists and Marxists out of our children. Dumb them enough not to ask the important questions, and not to know the correct version of our nation's history, thus keeping them receptive to anything and everything government says or demands.
First step in reclaiming and restoring America to greatness may be retaking our government, but the very Next Necessary step will be taking control of our schools again. Before it is too late.
Mike| 10.14.10 @ 4:58PM
Democrats have held congress for 4 years and the white house for over 20 months. The "change" has been for the worse and the "hope" is fading fast. It's another "turn-out" election and the Right is motivated.
JCfromDC| 10.14.10 @ 5:03PM
Without going into criticizing details... BRAVO, Ge-arrrrge! You hit the proverbial nail with a sledgehammer! I hope and pray that November 2 will make '94 look like a schoolgirl brawl.
Wordwaryor| 10.14.10 @ 5:05PM
Mike :
Bravo, and echoing what you just said, the Independents are and have deserted the ship of "Hope and Change" merely because what they have seen is NOT the "Change" they were "Hope-ing " For.
Greg| 10.14.10 @ 7:17PM
Lets remember that the reason republicans were kicked out of office(before this last election) was they were complicit, and in some cases the cause of, huge over spending by the government because they wanted to be elected. Like it was a beauty pageant and not just about the most critical job you can get in this country. For the love of God and all that is holy please remember that big spending is what got us here!!!
JCfromC| 10.14.10 @ 5:06PM
AND ANOTHER THING!!!! One of my favorite quotes, from my favorite humorist: "The only native criminal class in the United States is the U.S. Congress..." (when explaining crime in america to a foriegn visitor)
idalily| 10.15.10 @ 12:41AM
There's also the incomparable Mark Twain:
"Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."
Love that one.
Wordwaryor| 10.14.10 @ 5:24PM
Paraphrasing the immortal words of Pogo :
"We have met the Enemy.... and He is Barack Obama. "
chuckee| 10.14.10 @ 7:14PM
Biden lays waste to the adage that even a broken clock is right twice a day. If Joe were a broken clock his hands would fall off before the right time rolled around.
voted against carter| 10.14.10 @ 11:52PM
Gee thanks joe for confirming that you think we are all stupid imbeciles.
Wait, WE elected you,.. and barry,..
So maybe you DO have something there,..
never mind.
Garry Owen| 10.15.10 @ 9:28AM
Mr. Biden, if you can not explain the situation it means you do not understand the situation. If you do not understand the situation then what are you doing in the position of VP of this great nation?
Brian Richard Allen | 10.15.10 @ 2:02PM
.... If Billy-Bubbah Blythe ("Cli'ton") is a "successful" president ... it's because his agenda failed ....
Nope. It's because the Republican-controlled congress's agenda did not fail.
And because the Jaimie Gorelick Wall successfully shut down the passing between agencies and FBI/Justice of the intelligence gatherings that established the felony-convicted, disbarred and impeached "Cli'ton's" and his fearsome and loathsome unindicted co-conspirator "spouse's" and their every bit as recidivist, treasonous, lying, looting, thieving, mass-murdering, co-serial-rapist Crime-Family/"administration's" capital treasons -- and that would have put them all in prison for multiple life terms.
And it's because then president, George W Bush put loyalty to the oligarchy before fidelity to the united States Constitution and reinstated the Blythes to a degree of respectability.
Elaine Shiff| 10.16.10 @ 10:24AM
I"m one of the granny's they want to get rid of-we (the oldster's) remember history,have no tolerance for BS-But the fact that they want to get rid of us is not the worse of that medicare-less bill. Does no one care that in that peice of garbage is the "Private army-well funded-and answer only to the president-Why are you not screaming this from the rooftops?-No one cares?-
Jeremiah| 10.16.10 @ 2:06PM
Elaine, please provide the page numbers in ObamaCare that refer to this "Private army" you've mentioned.
Thank you.
duck| 10.23.10 @ 2:29PM
The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, page 1312, amends Sec 203 of the Public Health Services Act (42 U.S.C. 204) by establishing a "Ready Reserve Corps" funded by the federal government with MONEY COLLECTED BY THE I.R.S. under the provisions of the reform act.
duck| 10.16.10 @ 4:13PM
The difference between education[indoctrination] and knowledge might be shown by experiences that I and my family had when I was younger...
I was born and grew up in abject poverty. We lived in a log and pitch sealed structure deep in the woods. It really couldn’t even be called a cabin, to was just some sort of structure against the elements. No running water, no electricity, no bathroom, just an old rusty shovel, not much of anything but a leaky roof and a dirt floor. I never lived with electricity until I was 16 years old. There were Indians that still lived in Wikiups [similar to a TeePee only made from saplings and covered with leaves and pitch from trees...] Occasionally, an individual or a small group of environmentalists would find their way to our location. While they thought the Indians were quaint and picturesque, invariably, they would comment on we white people’s living conditions, asking how anybody can live in such a condition. Yet, when one extrapolates the world that these environmentalists want to build, we were living their dream. In fact, a homeless person should be among their heroes as they have a smaller impact on the environment than most anyone else. Being ‘one with nature’ as quite a few would proclaim.
These environmentalists would trek over to a nearby creek, dip in their hands and drink their fill exclaiming how pure the fresh, natural water was compared to the gross, filtered, chemically treated city water that they were forced to drink. My father would start looking for the iodine because in a short time, these ‘know it alls’ would soon be very sick. Creek water contains all sorts of bad things from microbes to animal waste to metals leeched from the ground. We had to boil all the water we used for ourselves.
In the past, we would warn these environmentalists but not anymore. They would immediately break into a tirade as to how smart they were and we uneducated hicks didn’t know anything about nature. Arrogance always rose it’s ugly head so we just let them do their thing and then wait awhile before offering them relief.
Sometimes they would set up camp, [using all that new camping technology] in a clearing close to the creek, they want everything convenient and comfortable. We would, in this case, try to warn them of the dangers of what they were doing. Most of them did not listen sighting the same college learned advanced knowledge of nature that they had expressed over the creek water. The problem is that a clearing next to the creek is the natural watering spot for animals, predator and prey alike. The clearing allows the animals to keep aware of it’s surroundings as it drinks. There were several bear, cougar, mountain lion, even badger attacks that injured these enviro-campers. AND, of course, they blamed us for their problems after they ignored our warnings.
Jeremiah| 10.17.10 @ 2:11AM
Your upbringing may have been rustic but you are obviously well educated and intelligent.
Thanks for your post.
Abu Nudnik| 10.18.10 @ 1:18PM
Liberalism and socialism aren't the same thing. I think you, the author, mean socialism, don't you? Liberalism created the free market, the franchise, democracy.
duck| 10.18.10 @ 3:44PM
You are correct, liberalism was a thrusting force for free markets, and democracy....in the beginning. Now, depending on what country one wants to speak about, liberalism is the home of 'the new socialism'. Hillary Clinton studied Marx during her college tears. That in itself is no problem but her remarks during the time she was First Lady does not help .. She stated that Socialism failed for some very apparent reasons, we can do it better.
Right now, Obama has assigned by Presidential Orders, a group of czars to head various government departments. One was an outright communist, several more are socialists and are proud of it. The remainder are just crooks who when caught, nothing happened to them.
A handfull of elected politicians have let it slip that they preferred America to be socialist. One even stated that this was the reason that Obama was voted into office, "To usher in socialism to the USA..."
Earlier, when Gorbachev admitted that Stalin had murdered millions of his own people and starved hundreds of thousand of others to death, a giant liberal moan was voice audibly for all to hear. It was a lie, it was right wing propaganda. Even with detail records, pictorial and video proof, many liberals won't accept that a socialist/communist country could or would destroy it's own people.
Taking the fruits of one segment of societies labor and giving it to another segment of society is not what early liberalism intended to be.
Modern liberalism is not your grandfather's liberalism, far from it.....
Nubby | 10.20.10 @ 11:59AM
Liberals may be smart as far as IQ(?) goes but the part of the brain that has to deal with reality never got turned on. There is no light there. That part of the brain is dark and inactive. We call it the "they don't get it" syndrome. Until they get a prolong dose of reality it will remain the dark spot in an otherwise seemingly inteligent person.
duck| 10.24.10 @ 4:15PM
Liberals also lie, not only to others, they lie to themselves.
They blame Conservatives for the problems during the civil rights struggles. While there were some conservatives that were against equality, the main opposition came from Democrats. These Dems were known as Dixiecrats who were against equal rights and when that began to fail, the Dixiecrat's cry was 'separate but equal'. When this didn't work, many of these Dixiecrats switched parties, becoming Republicans, believing their own lies and propaganda, thinking that the Republicans were as the Dems had painted them. This didn't last long as most were voted out.
While all the Dems were voicing their support for equal rights, they kept voting in Senator Byrd, a gran poobah of the Klu Klux Klan and kept him in there for years.
Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, both notorious womanizers were supported and even assisted in covering up many of their adventures, many times by the very people hose agenda [key word...agenda] was against the very things that these two were doing. It was like putting a serial rapist in charge of the anti-sexual harassment office of the Women's Liberation Movement and they wanted more.....
Very few 'feel' that they should be responsible for their actions. They will blame any and all for anything that they themselves, institute that goes wrong and the hell with unintended consequences. That's always someone else's fault.
The Dems also think everything is linear, that when roadblocks are put up in the way of usurious taxes, stifling regulations, etc, that people will just set there and take it. The idea that people, companies will move somewhere else, stop working is considered to be unpatriotic by these Dems that want everyone to live life in their vision. Freedom is you do as we say or we will find a way to screw you. It is only their 'freedom and power' that they are concerned about.....
ljc| 10.24.10 @ 5:41AM
For anyone wanting to load us with Bible verses, do not do it with the Book of Proverbs, which is a huge collection of Poor Richard type pithy comments, including the proverbs of Hezekiah and of someone named Augur. I prefer for a philosopy of Life Ecclesiastes, which is a more honest view of the pains of Life. The Wisdom of Ben Sirach is interesting too. Don't forget Solomon had his brother killed, and was done in by his thousand women.