The American Spectator : Rebels Without a Clue

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Rebels Without a Clue

By Larry Thornberry on 10.17.11 @ 6:08AM

The cluelessness reaches Tampa on a lovely fall Saturday.

TAMPA — Rich is better than poor, as most would agree. But it’s not an unalloyed blessing, as recent events have demonstrated once again.

One toxic side effect of our national affluence, and our pig-headed insistence on pushing toward college even those who don’t have the intellectual tackle to deal with it, is that we’re stuck with a permanent demonstrating class. Idlers with time on their hands, money to travel, inchoate views of the world, and an elephantine sense of entitlement and their own rightness. They may be in error, but they’re not in doubt.

Occupy Wall Street in New York, and in other large cities here and abroad, has coughed up some real hair balls. Zuccotti Park in Gotham, and public venues elsewhere, could stand a good clear out and disinfecting. The cops and the cock-ups have squared off in several cities. Hard-core Marxists took over the party in Rome this last weekend and things got nasty. So far things aren’t so scratchy, or so foul-smelling, in Tampa.

Some with the show, in New York and elsewhere, are just left-over hippies who missed the last chopper out of the sixties and will show up at any demonstration about anything out of nostalgia and for something to do. To the tie-dyed, peace and love, or at least nattering on about peace and love, never go out of style, even for those now on blood pressure meds and with prostates the size of tangerines.

Others are just cutting classes at colleges their parents have written really large checks to, protesting being ever so much more fun than listening to dull lectures or writing term papers. (Actually learning something can be such a drag.) Observers of a certain age can’t help but be reminded of cartoonist Al Capp’s sixties burlesque of the then rampant youth movement with his group: Students Wildly Indignant About Nearly Everything, or S.W.I.N.E. Who knew then that the movement would be permanent?

Not all the demonstrators are lazy “students” or superannuated flower children. Some are union members with agendas. Others, less benign, are various kinds of Marxist burnouts looking for a little political theater. There are the usual enviro-nutters and even some self-styled anarchists. A few, though you really have to seek these out to find them, are reasonable adults who see things going poorly for themselves and the country and think holding up signs advertising their fears, frustrations, and resentments will make things better.

I located a few of these Saturday morning when I visited Lykes Gaslight Square in downtown Tampa. But most of the hundred and change idling in the one square-block park were clearly registered at some local college, where they’re majoring in screwing off. T-shirts carried the names of local colleges or unions or environmental groups, as well as various left-wing sentiments and vague, harrumphing banalities: “greed kills,” “We are the 99 percent” (of what, they don’t say), “Wake up, stand up,” etc.

What the shirts didn’t treat, the amateurishly made signs picked up: “greed has taken over,” “justice delayed is justice denied” (duh), “save Mother Earth from Father Greed,” “the government should be afraid of the people” (though surely not this lot — anyone afraid of this bunch should sleep with a night light), “mainstream media irrelevant” (at least they got something right), “love, not foreclose on, thy neighbor,” “I want a declaration of interdependence,” “stop corporate obesity,” and on in this tiresome vein.

The word that cropped up most often was greed, which this lot has just discovered. They seem to identify 2011 as the beginning of greed, in the manner a previous generation of hippies traced the beginning of sex to 1963.

There was a guy with a shaved head playing a shapeless tune on the largest recorder I’ve ever seen, accompanied by a guy banging away on a bongo and another sitting on the ground and whomping a snare drum with the snare removed. Other than this, it wasn’t too noisy. So I was able to talk with people, most of whom were friendly and approachable. I asked two questions: Why are you here? What do you want? To the first I got sentiments such as, “I felt like I had to be,” or “I just couldn’t stay away.” To the second question, answers ranged from vague to opaque. To some it seemed a revelation that this is a question that should be asked.

Thomas Sowell likes to tell the story of the labor leader who when asked on the occasion of a labor conflict what he wanted, answered, simply, “more.” There was some of that Saturday. David, 30, who works six-hour shifts at a filling station, wants “healthcare for everyone,” news of Obamacare not having reached him. The comely 20-something Daphne wants more spent on education (I didn’t ask her if she knew how much Florida spends on education each year now — north of $20 billion for K-12, by far the largest item in the state budget) and “equality in taxation.” She also wants us to “stop spending trillions on wars that don’t make us safer.” Her husband John wants politicians to “stop fighting with each other” and to keep funding the space program. Elizabeth is cheesed off about bankers getting big bonuses and corporate CEOs making a packet.

But asking what do you specifically want to happen got me naught. Not a single specific. These are clearly rebels without a clue. Several, apologetically, put their inability to state what they wanted down to being “a poor communicator.” I guess this is better than saying, “I have no earthly idea why I’m out here.”

Years ago George Will said the main reasons to demonstrate are fun and profit. I don’t know who was profiting from the Tampa séance other than the folks who sell sign-board and markers with which to scroll leftist juvenilia. But everyone in Tampa, on a mild fall Florida Saturday, appeared to be having a good time.

At least with the anti-war demonstrators, or the anti-nuke demonstrators, you knew what they wanted, or didn’t want. For now, the Occupy Here or There movement is just a large, sprawling, occasionally noisy, but at least in Tampa not smelly, non-sequitur.

About the Author

Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (120) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

John Daniel| 10.17.11 @ 6:24AM

"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore" from the movie "Broadcast News." Late 80's satire returns today as bad farce....

AnotherDumbConservative| 10.17.11 @ 9:11AM

Let’s all pretend the Occupy Wallstreet “mobs” are just bunch Marxist, fascists, hippies without birth certificates.

DTOM| 10.17.11 @ 9:17AM

No, call a spade a spade. They are "bought and paid for" ASTROTURF, with an overseeding of foolish, clueless, college-loan bankruptees, potheads, ne'er-do-wells, woulda-coulda hippies.

Use the Democrat's term on them - call them what they are, ASTROTURF!

AnotherDumbConservative| 10.17.11 @ 9:35AM

These Occupy Wallstreeters even oppose borrowing more money from the Chinese to fight our wars against the Muslims. If we don’t borrow from the Chinese how are we going to get the money? Tax the “job creators?” Dumb “ASTROTURF” he-he.

Jivebomber| 10.17.11 @ 1:00PM

AnotherDumbLiberalButIRepeatMyself sez:
"Let’s all pretend the Occupy Wallstreet “mobs” are just bunch Marxist, fascists, hippies without birth certificates."

Your comment puzzles me. After all, these people ARE a bunch marxists, fascists, etc...

Skippy| 10.17.11 @ 2:03PM

He's a troll.
Humor him not.

Petronius| 10.17.11 @ 10:36AM

That was the great pull quote of the late Peter Finch in the film, Network. "Now go to your sets and turn them off. Turn them off and leave them off!"

henry| 10.18.11 @ 6:14AM

How's this rant from that same movie:

You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr. Beale, and I won't have it, is that clear?! You think you have merely stopped a business deal - that is not the case! The Arabs have taken billions of dollars out of this country, and now they must put it back. It is ebb and flow, tidal gravity, it is ecological balance. You are an old man who thinks in terms of nations and peoples. There are no nations! There are no peoples! There are no Russians! There are no Arabs! There are no Third Worlds! There is no West! There is only one holistic system of systems, one vast and immane, interwoven, interacting, multi-variate, multi-national dominion of dollars! Petro-dollars, electro-dollars, multi-dollars, reichmarks, rins, rubles, pounds and shekels! It is the international system of currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. That is the natural order of things today. That is the atomic, and subatomic and galactic structure of things today. And you have meddled with the primal forces of nature, and you will atone!

Am I getting through to you, Mr. Beale? You get up on your little twenty-one inch screen and howl about America and democracy. There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and AT and T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon - those are the nations of the world today. What do you think the Russians talk about in their councils of state - Karl Marx? They get out their linear programming charts, statistical decision theories and mini-max solutions and compute the price-cost probabilities of their transactions and investments just like we do. We no longer live in a world of nations and ideologies, Mr. Beale. The world is a college of corporations, inexorably determined by the immutable by-laws of business. The world is a business, Mr. Beale. It has been since man crawled out of the slime, and our children will live, Mr. Beale, to see that perfect world in which there's no war or famine, oppression or brutality. One vast and ecumenical holding company, for whom all men will work to serve a common profit, in which all men will hold a share of stock, all necessities provided, all anxieties tranquilized, all boredom amused. And I have chosen you to preach this evangel, Mr. Beale.

Ken in People's Republic of MD| 10.17.11 @ 7:56PM

Try mid-70's social commentary from Howard Beale and the movie "Network".

Richard Baker| 10.17.11 @ 6:33AM

These folks mentioned are mostly S.W.I.N.E. The real problem is that they don't know it or much of anything to be precise. They are products of the most worthless school system in the world. No wonder the Indian kids, for example, beat the pants off our kids regarding OUR history and most everything else. How our country survives this group of mental misfits IS the $64,000 Question.

Moe Blotz| 10.17.11 @ 10:10AM

Another term that one could appropriate from Al Capp's archives is the word his hoodlums from "Fearless Fosdick" used for young people attending school: stoonts. Students in the real sense of the word remain in classes learning what mom and pop sent them to school for. The "flea party" consists of stoonts.

Mike Hawk| 10.17.11 @ 1:33PM

Unfortunately S.W.I.N.E. is being supported by swineherds of the political side of Sen. Jack S. Phogbound. S.W.I.N.E. members want a gummint organized distribution of shmoos, mockaroni and Kickapoo joy juice. What they need is a good breakfast of Patrioats.

rendite| 10.17.11 @ 8:18PM

It is not just young or youngish people who fall into the category of "mental misfits." Been to a Carolina Super Walmart at say 1 or 2 p.m. on a Friday or Saturday night?

Stan| 10.18.11 @ 1:39PM

What is it with Wal-Mart? I shop there on occasion. The other day I say a 50 something woman (not a bad looking woman) that was scantily clad. I glanced at her and looked down and lo and behold an ankle tracker! Where else would you see that (except maybe OWS?)?

Kitty| 10.17.11 @ 6:43AM

I've been reading Robert Parker's Spenser series. "The Godwulf Manuscript" is the first book, published in 1973, and features a bunch of trust fund university hippies who would have been better off attending classes. Nothing has changed in nearly 40 years -- students are still revolting -- except this time around the president supports them.

Ret. Marine| 10.17.11 @ 7:29AM

......except this time around the president supports them.... And right there friends, is the problem. He is the one leading the charge for, hope and change, useful idiot talk for a marxist revolution, it does not matter to these minds full of mush, with few exceptions, that he is the primary source, by extention of his companions of the useful idiot types, of their grievences. That appears lost to the entire lot of them. I am not against redress of grievences, but, good lord make a point already, don't just go there to have fun. I don't find any of this hatred for the very people making their lives better to be fun, funny or otherwise. In fact, I find it threatening to say the least. We have a pResident of these United States openly calling for the take over of our Republic, into what, I haven't even heard yet, a person who supposedly represents every citizen of this Nation, calling these idiots his friends, friends who he supports. I prefere this as TREASON, one whom openly advocate the overthrow of our Republic, through his connection to unions, students of democratic society, CAIR-terrorist sponsors, ACORN-teaching radical operations to bring down and over whelm our system for CHANGE and HOPE, and where the hell is our supposed justice dept, oh yeah thats right, openly stating he is only concerned about "his people". Great, just fricken great. I am mad as hell to, but it is not directed at these prostesters, my anger is directed at those who have formented these actions against We the People, for reasons known only to them, so they think. Someone holding the position of power in this Country had better get hold of these useful idiots and put a stop to this deception least they have any concern for their own children and grandchildren. This is not going to end well for anyone. I am very much in doubt at this point if elections are going to do it this time around, even of the possibility if we even have another. Something tells my gut, this is the plan, martial laws, because, you know, its gotton out of hand, for the protection of the citizenry he had to do it because of those evil Republicans won't cooperate, you know. Semper Fi. Infidels.

SGT Baker (Native Coloradean)| 10.17.11 @ 7:58AM

1. I would like to see the military units they would use for martial law. The military has more people against this destruction of our liberties than the common populace does anymore.
2. Even if they tried to stop the elections, we could simply still hold them and tell them to deeal with it.

Mike D.| 10.17.11 @ 8:02AM

Question is, how many in the upper echelons of the Military ARE defenders of the Constitution or are defenders of their careers and @sses? Thats the million dollar question here.

Petronius| 10.17.11 @ 10:43AM

I wouldn't bet on that. The officer corps was purged of Real Americans under Hilary Clinton's directives. And after hurricane Katrina the Oklahoma Guard units in New Orleans obeyed unlawful orders and confiscated guns. Now the marines are looking for a few good men and a bunch of perverts. It's over.

Mike D.| 10.17.11 @ 7:59AM

Your dead on the money RM, you know where the marxist WANTS to go with this. He's hinted openly at it several times.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 7:18PM

Create crisis and chaos so that the citizens will beg for law and order? Gotta postpone/cancel those pesky elections via marshall law? Whether the totalitarians are left or right, they always use marshall repression (or want to).

Al Adab| 10.17.11 @ 9:57PM

Trish:
That is the theory. The Left has used this Hegelian ploy for many years. Remember, "never let a crisis go to waste"? They create them when they can for political benefit. They create public controversy as well to attempt to embarrass the opposition.

Stan| 10.18.11 @ 1:43PM

Well not openly, but all of his influences and icons fit perfectly into this mold. I think it makes him sheepish. Kind of like having the parents in "Meet the Fokkers".

martin j smith| 10.17.11 @ 7:36AM

Its not what they say or put on signs its what they do. They are practicing for the real violence of 2012.
Those of you who get any feeling of relief because this mob does not seem coherent listen up: You are on the wrong path. You have to instead look at these things: The ratcheting up of Socialist rhetoric( including Obama 's ) the episodes of provoked violence by the thugs--their provocations. And the behavior of politicians who tolerate their behavior.

These elements together represent a potential danger to our nation better may more att5ention because yopu are only seeing the superficial--what they want you to focus on.

Kevin| 10.17.11 @ 10:06AM

The nice thing about a civil war of "Liberals" vs "Conservatives" is that we Conservatives believe in personal gun ownership.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 7:24PM

I recall reading of a WWll era German Jewish woman. She was asked why the Jews didn't fight back when the attacks came ala Kristalnacht. The Nazis confiscated guns in the early '30s. Her response was on the order of, "They took our guns and our men. What were we to fight with, spoons and shoelaces?". Lesson learned? Doubt it.

John Dough| 10.17.11 @ 11:50AM

Long before the "unwashed" took to the streets, I took my weapons out and made sure they still functioned correctly. I likewise increase the size of my ammunition supply.

God help this rabble if they decide open revolution in favor of their Marxist ideals in the way to proceed.

Not all of us are going to sit by and watch our cities deteriorate into chaos.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 7:25PM

Oh so true martin.

martin j smith| 10.17.11 @ 7:37AM

Oh, I should have added tolerate and support their behavior. And let us not leave out the Union involvement.

chuck| 10.17.11 @ 7:44AM

You want to get rid of the protesters? Simple: wait for a cold morning, then give them a much needed shower.......from some fire hoses!

irish19| 10.17.11 @ 12:20PM

I like the way you think!

Trinacria| 10.17.11 @ 3:11PM

Why wait for a cold morning?

Red Bubba| 10.17.11 @ 8:06AM

Their president is encouraging them. If it were raining clues he couldn't catch one with a net.

They should be chanting in unison:
We are sheep. Shear us.

POST American| 10.17.11 @ 8:28AM

"These people don't even get old
---they just get stale."
D H Lawrence
(essays)

----The ROT-child/Rock--ef--L--O front
ops grow tiresome.

Meanwhile, in the REAL world,
ALEX JONES comes up to UNDENIABLE
speed in facing off with the ILLEGAL,
foreign owned, USURY
driven, debt serf generating, Globalism
and EUGENICS mongering ---FED.

INFOWARS now th #2 online news source
in the world ---just behind Drudge.

-------------------------------------------SWEET!

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 7:32PM

Alex Jones has many valid points. However, he had an out and out marxist on recently regarding these protests. I think he may be getting used. Also, is there an anti-Semetic world view there?

Anthony| 10.17.11 @ 9:26AM

OWS 2012: The Patriot Version
Occupy the White House and the Senate.

Send the Muslim Marxist Community-Organizer-in-Chief and his ilk packing!!!

AnotherDumbConservative| 10.17.11 @ 9:48AM

Yes, replace the fascist, Muslim, socialist, Marxist Community-Organizer-in-Chief with Michele Bachmann!!! No, no wait. Who do we like this week?

Drunken Sailor| 10.17.11 @ 11:13AM

Another new moniker Alan?

Buck Ofama| 10.17.11 @ 11:14AM

NEWT

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 1:59PM

Two words: Smoot-Hawley

Anthony| 10.17.11 @ 2:15PM

We like most all of our candidates dumbo, because most all of our candidates are vastly superior to the Muslim-Marxist- in- Chief. No contest, an empty suit is still an empty suit.
However, unlike another lefty who drifted into the deep end of the intellectual pool known as TAS, you at least don't take exception to Obozo being identified as a Muslim Marxist.
You see, there is common ground between us.

vtwin| 10.17.11 @ 4:28PM

Trees (all plants) remove CO2 from the atmosphere in the process known as photosynthesis. Some portion CO2 is returned to the atmosphere through a process known as respiration some portion of the CO2 remains tied up in the bio-molecules of the tree until tree dies and decays whereupon the remaining CO2 is returned to the atmosphere and the cycle is repeated.

Trees do not produce CO2 anymore you produce water!

Wally| 10.17.11 @ 10:59AM

This is one of the best paragraphs I've read in a long time. Priceless.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 7:42PM

I so agree Wally. The writing in this article is stellar! I really feasted on the artistry.

Buck Ofama| 10.17.11 @ 11:08AM

Excerpt from "Emotional Infantilism":

In midst of one of the most amazing displays of irrationality in modern Western history, Americans are left to ponder: What the devil has happened to the USA? Arguably, roots of America’s current confusion are traceable to an infection of leftist Magical Thinking.

This is essentially the thought pattern of how children perceive the world, a mindset based upon substituting wishful thinking for reality. One of the chief characteristics of Magical Thinking is a denial of the principles of science. It is a dangerous belief system because it causes folks to assume that as long as their motives are right, all their plans and undertakings will work out.

The unrealistic thought pattern of Magical Thinking now informs American public policy and statecraft at every level—on economics, foreign relations, rule of law, environmentalism, etc. It is a world-view based upon the notion the “right” people will provide successful leadership for America, simply because they are “good,” and not the old “bad” leaders. Most intriguingly, this outlook is characteristic of not just children, but also sufferers of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which Dr. Ali Sinan believe is a diagnosis fitting Barack Obama.

https://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/the-tyranny-of-emotional-infantilism-imperils-america-modern-leftism-and-magical-thinking/#respond

AnotherDumbConservative | 10.17.11 @ 1:36PM

Yeah dumb liberal “Magical Thinking. “ It’s nothing like our conservative thinking like lowing taxes increase revenues, free trade creates jobs, we can drill our way out… and one of my favorite from Ronald Reagan “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles.”

Drunken Sailor| 10.17.11 @ 1:59PM

Not that you care but trees DO cause pollution. Regan was referring to particles making up smog. Guess you have learned what gave the Smoky mountians their name.

"Yes, just as president Ronald Reagan said in 1981. "Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do," he opined. A little later, environmental scientists ruefully confirmed he was partially right. In hot weather, trees release volatile organic hydrocarbons including terpenes and isoprenes - two molecules linked to photochemical smog. In very hot weather, the production of these begins to accelerate.

America's Great Smoky Mountains are supposed to take their name from the photochemical smog released by millions of hectares of hardwoods."

Skippy| 10.17.11 @ 2:09PM

At UNH in 1973, Prof. Melvin Jenkins informed us that, on a hot day in the north woods, the delightful piney aroma was actually volatile hydrocarbons, and that their levels exceeded Federal air pollution standards.
He advised us against breathing on such days, lest we run afoul of the new EPA.
He was sadly prescient.

Buck Ofama| 10.17.11 @ 8:15PM

Don't confuse the troll, "AnotherDumbConservative" with the facts.

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 1:59PM

Two words: Smoot-Hawley

Anthony| 10.17.11 @ 2:29PM

"How I slept through the '80s" by Another Dumbo.
Coming soon to a C-Span book review. Look for it, I'll be the moron with the tin foil hat, exhaling CO2.
Yes Dumbo, if the EPA says CO2 is a pollutant, seems to me the tree emissions as described by D S would also qualify.
Go organize a camping trip to the Smokies during a heat wave and do America a favor.

Buck Ofama| 10.17.11 @ 8:14PM

Read the article on emotional infantilism, and you just might stop your blubbering.

https://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/the-tyranny-of-emotional-infantilism-imperils-america-modern-leftism-and-magical-thinking/#respond

Al Adab| 10.17.11 @ 11:15AM

It seems that most of the greed, envy and covetessness is being demonstrated by the demonstraters. The irony of course is that they agree with the Tea Party that the bailouts were wrongheaded. Sadly however, their answer is to get a bailout of their own instead of the more logical "get government out of business" reaction.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 8:18PM

Al, regarding your first sentence, the left always runs on 'do as I say, not as I do'. Hypocrits.

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 11:29AM

These poor souls are so desperate to recreate the 60's movement that it appears like play acting. Every '60's cliche is in full view.

Don't these kids know how ridiculous it looks to anyone over the age of 50? Do they care?

This reminds me of of those folks who dress up and attend renaissance festivals. They, however, do it for fun and in jest.

At what point do these kids get bored or realize the OWS is a feckless endeavor? ...What then, on to their ultimate dream of recreating the French Revolution?

Drunken Sailor| 10.17.11 @ 11:53AM

Bob, To bad we couldn't generate low yield EMP's over each demonstration. Without their Ipods, blackberries and laptop's they would quickly get bored and go home.

Al Adab| 10.17.11 @ 12:45PM

This is simply a dress rehersal for the disruption of the conventions next summer if not of the elections themselves.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 8:19PM

Bingo!

martin j smith| 10.17.11 @ 11:54AM

To repeat they are the 1960's returning but if businesses or cars get torched --or if there is an attempt to barge into a big bank do not say I did not warn those who do not seem to get it.
Obama is Mr Bitterness himself an he also has an ego about as big as the entire universe and beyond. When you have ideologues who are determined to push to the end they lose track of reality and that leads us to extremely dangerous consequences.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 11:57AM

This is our generational pay-back for the self-esteem movement in elementary schools.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 11:59AM

For us 60s-era boomers, it's "sow the wind, reap the whirlwind" time.

irish19| 10.17.11 @ 12:27PM

Absolutely correct! When the concept of self-esteem replaced the concept of self-respect, we started down a slippery slope that ends with a bunch of kids with huge egos and no useful skills.

Occam's Tool| 10.17.11 @ 1:11PM

You know, if you guys want to figure out how Liberal/Conservative you are, you can check out Timgroseclose.com's Political Quotient. Just took mine.

He has famous politician's scores. See below. The higher the number, the more Liberal you are (note that Ron Paul's foreign policy and drug legalization scores push him up on this score).

Michele Bachmann (R-MN 2007-09) -4.1
James DeMint (R-SC 1999-2009) 5.1
Newt Gingrich (R-GA 1979-94) 11.4
Richard Nixon (R-CA 1947-52) 12.5
Lindsay Graham (R-SC 1995-2009) 14.9
John McCain (R-AZ 1983-2006 + 2009 15.8
)Joe Scarborough (R-FA 1995-2000) 16.4
Jack Kemp (R-NY 1971-86) 20.4
Charlie Stenholm (D-TX 1979-2004) 28.5
Ron Paul (R-TX 1976-2009) 31.8
Rick Lazio (R-NX 1993-2000) 34.4
Tom Ridge (R-PA 1983-1994) 37.4
Sam Nunn (D-GA 1973-96) 39.5
Susan Collins (R-MA 1997-2009) 44.2
Olympia Snowe (R-MA 1979-2009) 47.9
Arlen Specter (R-PA 1981-2008) 50.6
Ben Nelson (D-NE 2001-09) 55.6
Christopher Shays (R-CT 1987-2008) 61.0
John F. Kennedy (D-MS 1947-60) 63.7
Arlen Specter (D-PA 2009) 67.4
Joe Lieberman (I-CT 2005-09) 74.0
Joe Lieberman (D-CT 1989-2004) 74.7
Harry Reid (D-NV 1983-2009) 75.6
Joe Biden (D-DL 1973-2008) 80.5
Hillary Clinton (D-NY 2001-06) 87.6
Barack Obama (D-IL 2005-06) 87.7
Ted Kennedy (D-MA 1963-2007) 89.2
Robert Kennedy (D-NY 1965-67) 96.5
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 1987-06) 100.7
Barney Frank (D-MS 1981-2009) 103.8
Ron Dellums (D-CA 1971-97) 107.4

My score: 0.6. To the right of Jim DeMint, to the left of Mrs. Bachmann.

Score this yourselves. I'm interested in the scores. (The one vote that I voted with the "Liberals" was to oppose buying medications in Canada. Given current medical liability issues, this one needs to be a "hold harmless" for American Prescribers regarding adverse effects due to inadequate quality assurance in Canada before I could agree. This, not opposition to free trade, was my reason for opposing it.)

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 1:43PM

I'm curious what lucky district Mr. Dellums legislates over?

More.liberal.than.Barney.Frank?

I bet his district spills over into Tijuana. Heh, Heh.

RCV| 10.18.11 @ 1:25AM

I know you'll be shocked to learn this, but his district included Berkeley and Oakland.

Nick| 10.18.11 @ 12:10PM

Mr. Grant,

Ron Dellums was also a traitor to this country, along with his protege, Barbara Lee. She was Dellums' staffer, won his seat when he retired, and currently represents California's 9th district. They are both communists.

Dellums and Lee tried to help the communist regime in Granada, in 1982, and thwart President Reagan's intervention there. Dellums’ chief of staff, Carlottia Scott, who was also involved in this traitorous activity, worked for the DNC for several years.

It should shock no one that the people of Berkeley and Oakland would keep sending traitors to the U.S. Congress.

You can read about their treasonous activities, here:

http://archive.frontpagemag.co.....RTID=21218

Drunken Sailor| 10.17.11 @ 2:22PM

Interesting poll. I came in at 10

Nick| 10.17.11 @ 2:24PM

Thanks for the link, Occam.
I scored a 3. Not sure how that happened.

One of the interesting questions was about passing "The Swimmer Kennedy Serve America Act" which passed with 21 Republican votes (a plurality.) Only 19 GOP votes against it.

This is our problem, too many senators and representatives have been in Congress for too many years.

Here's the list of the "conservatives" who voted for their good friend's bill, the man who killed a young woman in 1969:

Alexander (R-TN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Wicker (R-MS)

Butch| 10.17.11 @ 4:43PM

I scored 3. Don't understand how I could get any lower.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 4:59PM

My P.Q. tested out at 20.6, whatever that means.

There were several questions that, if I had spent more time thinking about them and their possible implications, I might have voted somewhat differently, going from "I would have approved" or "I would have voted against" to "I can't decide."

Clint| 10.17.11 @ 5:27PM

"Give yourself ten points for each time that you answered “a,” five points for each “b,” and zero points for each “c.” Next, add up the points. That is approximately your PQ."

Apparently, We Ain't Loaded Up With Math Majors.

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 5:54PM

Here's some math:

Romney - 22%
Cain - 18%
Perry - 15%
...
...
PAUL - 6%

Clint| 10.17.11 @ 6:12PM

Here's Some Math.

"Ron Paul 51%, Obama 49%. New Harris Poll

Head to head against Obama, only two Republicans are beating him. Ron Paul beats Obama 51% to 49% according to the latest Harris Poll. Everyone else, except Romney, lose pretty big against Obama."

Clint| 10.17.11 @ 6:15PM

Here's Some More Math.

"Ron Paul Takes Third in Latest Reuters/Ipsos Poll
Saturday, October 15, 2011:

Rep. Ron Paul continues his string of strong poll finishes with a third place finish in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll of likely Republican voters. The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted between October 6 and 10 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.8 percentage points. Ipsos Public Affairs surveyed 410 Republicans."

The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 7:35PM

More disturbing numbers:

Ron Paul (R-TX 1976-2009) 31.8

Don't you think your boy - Mr. little or no government - should have scored a little higher considering how other conservatives fared?
Mr. Arlen Spector doubled Mr. Paul's score.

What say you?

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 7:45PM

"Mr. Arlen Spector doubled Mr. Paul's score."

O.K. scratch that. Bad comparison.

The point is Mr. Paul's number should be much, much lower.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 8:25PM

I KNEW I loved Bachmann!

RFK to the left of BHO?? Thats hard to fathom.

Al Adab| 10.17.11 @ 9:54PM

I'm at 3. I suspect it had to do with the import of pharma from Canada. Free trade you know.

Al Adab| 10.17.11 @ 10:29PM

Interesting and I took it as well, but many people on this list aren't around anymore so what test did they take? Different questions or votes would result in inconsistent scoring. The spectrum is pretty clear nonetheless.

RCV| 10.18.11 @ 1:42AM

77.2

RCV| 10.18.11 @ 1:44AM

No foreign policy questions whatsoever, so my Scoop Jackson side was untouched.

Drunken Sailor| 10.17.11 @ 12:36PM

Nailed it Bill.

Little Johnny got a award for just participating in school functions. Now Little Johnny is in college and is looking for his "Feel Good" award.

This generation would have been helped reading Robert Heinlein- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Learning TANSTAFL at a young age would have stopped this mess.

Drunken Sailor| 10.17.11 @ 12:37PM

Correction: TANSTAAFL

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 12:06PM

Marx said, "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, the second time as farce."

This is the truth of the correlation, such as it may be, between the movements of the 1960s and the "Occupy Here or There" (I liked that) movement.

nohussein| 10.17.11 @ 1:05PM

Buy more ammo, the fun is about to begin.

Mike D.| 10.17.11 @ 1:57PM

Yessir! There will be a lull over the winter, but next year! Stay tuned.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 3:38PM

It's not so hard to buy 9 mm. in 1000-round lots, but take another look at the market in .45 cal. 230-grain FMJ. You can't buy a 1000-round lot to save your life. Even my gun dealer claims to be having trouble getting the .45s.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 5:04PM

The upside of another year before the shooting is that by then I will have had another 12 months of practice and will be AWESOMELY accurate with the 9 mm. and the .45.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 6:28PM

But you must always remember that a handgun is what you use until you can get to a rifle.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 6:29PM

Preferably a .30/06 or a .308.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 6:37PM

Although I am also a great fan of 7.62 x 39.

Skippy| 10.18.11 @ 2:20PM

Do not ignore the fabulous 8mm Mausers available everywhere, and cheap, too.
Milsurp ammo is still widely available as well.
German ones have gone up, but the Yugos are out there.
Bolt action dependability and strength!

Bill| 10.18.11 @ 6:09PM

Ooh, 8 mm. Good thinking.

somnolence| 10.17.11 @ 1:36PM

ALL of the major networks are afraid to broadcast the news that both the Nazi Party U.S.A. and the Communist Party U.S.A. have given the Occupiers their deranged blessings. Be vigilant. Be brave. For the future.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 8:27PM

Saw it on Fox at 5pm.

Totalitarians flocking together?

somnolence| 10.17.11 @ 3:25PM

Three words: Jean Jacques Rousseau.

Paul from SA| 10.17.11 @ 3:58PM

Please refresh my philo 101 chapter on Rousseau.

Bill| 10.17.11 @ 5:06PM

Rousseau: "Man is born free, and is everywhere in chains." Why? Civilization and the social contract it demands take freedom away from man. Since man is naturally virtuous, if government could be eliminated, civilization could be destroyed. Then men would live in a state of nature, in which all are happy and free.

Gr0w1er601| 10.17.11 @ 3:36PM

Nebulous airheads, one and all. Stick a Q-tip in their ears and what you'll hear is a big sucking sound.

Paul from SA| 10.17.11 @ 3:57PM

It's strange they're not protesting college professors, unions, pro athletes, celebritites or politicians.

Pat| 10.17.11 @ 4:04PM

Long before there was a Tea Party movement (at least since 1773), Liberals have gathered together to sniff each other’s B.O., engage in “open field” sex and compare their marijuana preferences with those of their colleagues. Who can forget the bizarre antics of the Weathermen, the SDS, the Black Panthers, the “WMD’s didn’t exist” folks camping out near Bush’s Texas ranch, the Chicago 7 protesters and other assorted Days of Rage wannabe’s too numerous to mention. But, ignoring widely published American history, our mainstream media has concocted the recent myth these Occupiers are the Liberal’s spontaneous answer to Tea Party events.

However, reputable zoologist who study this type of phenomena classify such yearly Liberal occupations as animal migrations. When the weather grows colder, the Unwashed Ones head south for warmer climes. They gather in open fields, packed closely together for protection and defend their temporary turf with furious hissing and honking when strangers approach but will quickly retreat when such threat displays fail. And, for no discernible reason, the flock will rest in the field for a time and then suddenly decide to relocate en masse to some other farmer’s field or city park to continue with the migration. Come next Spring, look for them in our cold Northern Climes or just follow your nose, they’ll be there.

Wayne| 10.17.11 @ 4:19PM

We should eliminate all federally funded public loans. They do nothing but raise the cost of education and pay for lazy college faculty. A person could do what many of us have done in the past. Work for a few years, then save enough money to return to college. If you earn it, you appreciate it.

bluecollarbytes| 10.17.11 @ 4:46PM

Occupiers continue to disregard the decimal point in .99%.

Buck Ofama| 10.17.11 @ 8:26PM

(sniff, whimper) We don't recognize the decimal point because it's racist and (sob) capitalist!

Down with math!
Up with people, man!
And man-love is kewl too dudes!
(sniff, sob)

Simon Templar| 10.17.11 @ 5:11PM

The following is a rely comment I wrote to a Reggie troll that objected to my conservative view of the OWS group in another article that actually fits this one on the same subject. Thought maybe a few of you might like to read it.

First, I was addressing Kavnasty misguided and ignorant views of the causes of this nation economic troubles as originating with capitalism and the private corporate sector. I was particularly objecting to his idea that wall street was single handedly responsible for the housing crisis, job losses, and losses in retirement.

I was also objecting to his claim that the OWS is not against capitalism and it is made up of people who he claims are not as Ben Stein describes.

When I said, 'every single issue we face' I was referring to the common economic and social ones that most of us are discussing such as job losses to overseas competition, deficits, wars, health insurance, housing crisis, investment losses, the destruction of the black family, continued poverty, failing schools, failing infrastructure, failing social net programs such as social security and medicare, border insecurity, illlegal alien invasion, and such.

All of these are rooted in government actions and inaction. I was not including every single malady that man has ever faced since time began. Yes, the list I just gave you can be fully supported with tons of research as to government being the cause of many of these ills. You need to enlighten and educate yourself. It is not my responsibility to give it to you on a silver platter of bullet points.

That is the trouble with your generation. You even think you are entitled to sit back, know nothing, and have others teach you, tell you, and explain to you what is going down around you.

These other nations are not the United States and the issues they face are unique to them and the forces that are at play within these nations are tied into their own histories, cultures, and political systems.

You still do not grasp how unique America is in this regard and the fact that you live in a free constitutional Republic. Nor do you seem to grasp the forces and the historical realities that are out there in Europe and the rest of the world as vastly different than what we deal with here.

I am afraid pal, that you are the one who has a very simplistic and uninformed view of the world as well as the United States.

Since I am a nice guy I will hold your hand and walk you through one example.
Take the housing issue, for example. It roots begin with Carter and the Clinton's Community Reinvestment Act, Freddie, and Fannie, and the efforts of twenty years of government politics and direct pressure on lending institutions to ease credit restrictions and rules FORCING them to make loans to people who had no business getting them, thus driving housing prices up via increased demand to dizzying overvaluation and supply.

Let us say we will do this to the tune of about three trillion dollars cause we like to buy our votes and keep our constituencies happy cause we care about people unlike those greedy Republicans.

Now, what would you do if you were a banker? Get rid of these risky debt investments..you do know that a mortgage can be sold as an investment instrument? You say to me, who is going to buy this? Well, let us do what all good and logical business people do..let's spread out the risk.

Well, let us bundle them with other good mortages with less risk and sell them as a packaged derivative. Since everything seems to be going well and Barney Franks is telling us not to worry and Fannie and Freddie will guaranatee them and take them over if there are any issues..you know that government you love so much...we will sell these bundles and mortgages to them and also to the Wall Street investment firms always looking for good deals and new investment opportunities. Ok, great. Besides, not too many people really are paying attention and really realize what is going on here, and hell all I want to do is make my money and move on..it will all work out.
End of story.
Not quite.

Oh crap, the economy is moving towards a typical 8 year cycle of recession and people are being layed off. Mortgages are not being payed, foreclosures are increasing by hundreds of thousands, people are getting worried, cutting back on consumer goods and services to meet household budgets, corporations are losing sales, laying off more workers to retain profit margins for grandpa's retirement investments, leading to more foreclosures, and on and on.

Hey, these derivitatives we bought suck! Let us sell them as soon as possible even if we have to take a loss.

Oops, the cat is out of the bag! Hey, Martha did not our advisor say we had stock in dem financial firms, banks, and companies that bought dem investments? SELL!!!!!! Save what we got...SELL!!!!! Oh my gosh, dem Dow numbers have fallen to 6000. People this is the end!

Big daddy to the rescue! Elect me, I will lower the sea levels! Those damn greedy banks and investment firms, those evil corporations..this is their doing. Order up the bayonets! Unfurl the red flags. What you need is more regulation! Fairness! Stop the greed! More government oversight! This is the damn republicans fault. Bush did this!

( Thank you Wall street for your generous historic contribution to the Obama campaign, your bail outs will soon be in the mail as soon as we get Reggie and all the other useful idiots to put us in power).

Wells Fargo, shut up, and take the bail out money. I do not care if you do not need it, a crisis needs to be taken full advantage of...oh..you were not suppose to hear that!

Does that help, Reggie? As for the rest, I just do not have enough time and space and I am not sure you are worth it. OWS...the pictures tell us a thousand words about who is exactly down there.

Bob Grant| 10.17.11 @ 7:39PM

Nicely spaced. I never would have bothered to read it otherwise.

Simon Templar| 10.17.11 @ 8:31PM

Well, I am glad you read it. I hope you got something out of it, as well.

Trish| 10.17.11 @ 7:49PM

Larry, congratulations on one of the most delightfully crafted articles I have read. I lingered over each sentence. Thank you.

Atom&Yves;| 10.17.11 @ 7:57PM

the Teat Party

Margie| 10.17.11 @ 8:43PM

In other (GREAT) news:

Drudge Reporting:

POLL: CAIN 43% OBAMA 41%

http://www.rasmussenreports.co.....l_matchups

Frosty| 10.17.11 @ 10:51PM

Every OWS protester that performs some act of stupidity that causes he or she to get arrested, should have any and all government benefits terminated. It's time to attach consequence to stupidity and lawlessness.

POST American| 10.18.11 @ 12:07AM

-------------------BOTTOM LINE-----------------------

"Violence is the midwife of history."
-LEON TROTSKY
Bolshevik/ Globalist/ EUGENIST
and 33rd degree FREEMASON

INTER-national USURY fronts through
'Marks-ism' 'SO--shall---ALL--ism' 'CALM--you--nism'
-----and even behind their crafty term
'CAP--IT--ALL --ism'.

THINK ----CON-solid-ation.

ALEX JONES speaks for restoration
of the republic
-------------FREE ENTERPRISE
-----------------the Bill of Rights.

Herman Cain is an utterly corrupt shill
of the private, CRIMINAL --ROT-child
'Federal' Reserve.

ALEX JONES'S ongoing reports from our collapsed southern border, deliberately set up
to bring in NAFTA amalgamation a la
'Order Out of Chaos' ---are essential.

----AS Masonic 'benny violence' takes
another of our circle via cancer linked
to the infamous POLIO vaccines of
arch EUGENIST Dr. Jonas Salk
--------------------UH------------------------
we'd suggest you wise up to CAIN.

----------HUAC meets NUREMBERG 2012--------

Christopher Holland| 10.18.11 @ 3:05AM

'What do we want? Whatever. When do we want it? Whenever'. Somehow, I just can't see this lot finding a cure for cancer, or ending poverty and hunger around the world.

short story| 10.18.11 @ 4:37AM

Remember Obama's battle cry, "WE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR," ?

Well, these are the ones Obama has been waiting for. The perfect army for him to be Commander in Chief of.

His battle plan? "I must find out where they are going, so that I may lead them."

Just remember folks, he was The People's Choice in 2008. The People's Choice. He was the one they had been waiting for. Lapped the crap up like honey. Could do it again.

short story| 10.18.11 @ 5:09AM

What all Conservatives should be concentrating on right now is a way to have an honest election. Every four years the corruption is more refined.

Maybe we should pass a law against union support arriving by the busload at political gatherings. If an individual wants to go, he should get in his own car and go.

No more "assisting" the voting process in nursing homes. If you are too addled to read a ballot, you are too addled to vote.

Remember the "butterfly ballot" seniors could not understand in Florida?

Remember all the boxed up votes found in trunks of precinct workers that never got turned in?

Remember difficulty in overseas military getting to vote at all?

Is it even possible to have an honest vote?

Senior centers try to educate oldsters against "pigeon drop" and other scams. Why don't they help them wise up against political arm-twisting?

What is the argument against voter I.D.? I have to show my library card to check out a book. I had to show my driver's license and proof of residence to get the library card. But I'll bet I could vote in three precincts as well as by absentee ballot.

Tenn Slim| 10.18.11 @ 9:21AM

Understand clearly, while the OSW folks at Tampa appear inoucuos, the Van Jones, Soros connection is not. The Grunts on the various OSW parks will enjoy the outing, while the serious folks in Chicago continue to use them for their agenda drivent movement.
The LEFT will not go quietly into the night come 2012.
end

Bill| 10.18.11 @ 10:26AM

Part of the reason why the Left will not "go gently into that good night" in 2012 is that the Republicans are having a great deal of trouble fielding a credible candidate to beat Obama, so Obama has a real chance, even perhaps a likelihood, of -God forbid!- a second term.

Stan| 10.18.11 @ 1:29PM

Larry, I couldn't even finish the article before posting. Your comment "inchoate views of the world" is dead-on, the problem is I think these folks have just enough intelligence to understand the words of their vacuous professors, but not enough to realize how idiotic they are.

short story| 10.18.11 @ 1:41PM

Inchoate views - doesn't that describe the reason people gave for voting for the pig-in-a-poke Obama? The vague, "I just thought we needed a change. . ."

Journalist_1| 10.18.11 @ 5:18PM

Larry, I wouldn't be so dismissive of the Occupy movement. The basic idea is simple, clear, and populist. "I want to work, and I can't get a job." There is a lot of dross out there, but that seems to be the common thread.

Even Rich Lowery at the National Review wrote an article titled "Heed the 99%", which tacitly concedes that there are a lot of down and out middle and working class people behind the "Occupy" movement. Even if they aren't on the street.

http://www.nationalreview.com/.....rich-lowry

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