[Tolik]

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDM1ZWY1ZmJhOWU4MjU1NzE5YTgxYzM0MTNkNGM1ZjM=

Anatomy of Vero Possumus   [Victor Davis Hanson]

It is odd that after five weeks we can pretty much see the next four years:

1) Gorge the Beast on the home front. Shock-and-awe, "We're in the Great Depression" hysteria stuns the country into buying into what will be a multi-trillion dollar borrowing commitment. Once the desired social agenda is in place (and it is now), then there will be no alternative but to raise taxes and return wealth to its proper owners. (This is a variant of the Reagan-era "starve the beast" concept of cutting taxes, and supposedly cuts of wasteful spending follow — but a far more successful variant since taxing a few "greedy" is always easier than cutting everyone's entitlements.)

2) Carterism abroad. The al-Arabiya interview, the Hamas billion-dollar stimulus (the Chinese loan us the billion to give them,) and the Russian rebuff on Iran (no "haggling" please) sum up the Enlightenment arrogance that soaring rhetoric, stated good intentions, occasional abandonment of principle, and demonstration of caring and sensitivity can win over almost anyone. Of course, that assumes that disputes don't reflect genuinely antithetical values, but simply miscommunication and misunderstanding — or unnecessary "Manichean" world views of wrong and right. We've been here before between 1977-1980, so how it will end is no mystery. (No wonder they sent back to the owners the Churchill bust; whether the Brits send back one of Stanley Baldwin or Clement Attlee remains to be seen.)

3) The passive-aggressive style. We will get utopian rhetoric about a new ethical bar, followed by the nominations of serial tax dodgers, lobbyists, and DC insiders. We will hear sermons about a new bipartisanship, followed by comical attacks on talk radio, and deeming "unpatriotic" any who resent the ramming through of the largest increase in debt in a half-century. And there will be vero possumus oratory about a new unity and brotherhood, as serial attacks on private-jetting and Super Bowl-partying "rich" deliberately conflate the mega-rich with the small business-people and professionals who make between $250,000 and $500,000 and provide most of the nation's jobs and the nation's income tax revenue — and therefore must be both gouged and demonized in the process.

All that is left for central casting is the cardigan sweater and the fist pounding on the desk.

03/03 01:51 PM

[Tolik]

Combined ping to 2 ping lists

Victor Davis Hanson Ping !         Let me know if you want in or out. Links:    FR Index of his articles:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=victordavishanson His website: http://victorhanson.com/ NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp Pajamasmedia:   http://victordavishanson.pajamasmedia.com/

Nailed It! Moral Clarity BUMP ! This ping list is not author-specific for articles I'd like to share. Some for the perfect moral clarity, some for provocative thoughts; or simply interesting articles I'd hate to miss myself. (I don't have to agree with the author all 100% to feel the need to share an article.) I will try not to abuse the ping list and not to annoy you too much, but on some days there is more of the good stuff that is worthy of attention. You are welcome to browse the list of truly exceptional articles I pinged to lately. Updated on February 10, 2009.  on  my page. You are welcome in or out, just freepmail me (and note which PING list you are talking about). Besides this one, I keep 2 separate PING lists for my favorite authors Victor Davis Hanson and Orson Scott Card.

[ClearCase_guy]

Do Republicans offer an antithesis?

We continue to be clueless. It's how we lost in 2006. It's how Bush got pummeled. It's how McCain lost. We don't fight back and explain why Republican ideas are better.

Personally, I think that if the GOP pushed hard for the Fair Tax we'd get a lot of press, a groundswell of support, and throw a harsh light on Obama's ridiculous approach to budgeting.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“But is there an alternative?

Do Republicans offer an antithesis? Can they explain the Bush deficits and take responsibility for them, as well as the Republican congressional creepiness from 2002-06 (Craig, Stevens, Cunningham, Foley, etc)? And most importantly, will they offer counterproposals—a stimulus much smaller, mixtures of loan guarantees, tax cuts, and (some) public works alone, coupled with spending caps as soon as GDP growth returns? Can they articulate how the market corrected, say, in 1980-3, without our government going socialist? Can we get a plan not merely to balance the budget, but to pay off the debt? If not, legitimate criticisms of Obama fall on deaf ears without some positive alternative.”

Nails it. BUMP!

[GreyFriar]

Good info

[KeyLargo]

UNEMPLOYMENT FOR FEBRUARY

8.1 percent!

Looks like the country under B.O. is headed towards that of Michigan.

“The job losses across many industries pushed Michigan’s unemployment rate in January up to a quarter-century high of 11.6%. That rate marked a jump from December’s revised rate of 10.2%. The last time Michigan’s rate hit 11.6% was in May 1984.”

[Madame Dufarge]

No success, no failure, no stress, no calm—just endless existence.

Just the grayness of socialism. The symptoms are already present.

[Edgewood Pilot]

BTTT

[Homer_J_Simpson]

. . . at best Obama comes across as confused and herky-jerky, and at worse, clueless on the economy—as if a Chicago organizer is organizing a multi-trillion-dollar economy.

And worst yet - maybe zero's plan is working beautifully. A little ahead of schedule, even.

[Condor51]

I had nightmares that this is what the new 40% government GDP USA will look like by 2012—$20 trillion now in aggregate debt to ensure a nation of city-employees lounging around the toll booth, while cars line up and drivers cool their heels. No success, no failure, no stress, no calm—just endless existence.

We are sooooooooooooo screwed.
We have Barry and the mrs having Conga Line Parties in the friggen White House while the USA sinks to Zimbabwe status.

We 'know' Nero fiddled while Rome burned. But in spite of Nero Rome lasted another 400 years (approx). I don't think we'll be so lucky.

(oh hell, I think I'll head down to the Soylent Green Plant tomorrow. I could use some cheering up)

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

DJIA just slipped on another banana peel.
6,580.34
at
10:50am 03/06/2009

[happygrl]

After watching them all nonchalantly talk—joined by the other parking attendant with his booth closed on “break”—I got out and asked the four ‘what’s up’?

You know what followed—abuse, yelling, ‘how dare you question us!’, etc.

I've done that sort of thing at various ticket and check out windows.

Got the same result, too.

[Fred]

All bets will be off, when once and for all, Israel blows Iran to kingdom come.

Note to Odrama, you brought this on yourself...

going long oil futures...