231 Comments

1. Minerva:

The worst is yet to come…

May 14, 2009 - 9:38 am 2. Ron Kean:

In Afghanistan, Obama may now be losing the worn-thin excuse that Bush did it. He’s on his own there. I truly wish him the best. It’s our youth on the front lines. I hope he’s a good listner to the commanders.

I had lost a certain closeness to George Will over the last few years but now he’s coming back as he and others, many others are writing about the criminal Chrysler distribution of assets. I predict that the subject will not go away soon. The lawlessness is blaring.

There used to be a time when people read independent newspapers on the train or bus to work and were truly informed. But then the next generation grew up on Beverly Hillbillies, 3’s Company, Mama’s House, Friends, Murphy Brown, and others detremental to the intellect. Now, I believe, the result is more blind allegiance to the ’star’ than logic or reasoned deliberation.

And I wonder if other people are starting to get angry like me at angry gays and unions, Obama’s thugs-for-hire, the treasury guy who didn’t know where the trillion went, and all the far left people who demand and demand more and if anyone disagrees, he’s labeled and demonized in the most uncouth way.

They will say the ‘Right’ uses the same invective, hyperbole, and intrusiveness but that’s wrong. Nixon people…Reagan, Bush & Bush supporters were never as crazy as the ‘Left’. Never. Hillary Clinton’s ‘Vast Right Wing Conspiracy’ blame game was just her mentor Alinsky talking. That’s all. Made up. Like the bullets in Bosnia.

May 14, 2009 - 10:49 am 3. Professor Guvinoff:

This man is a misguided missile with the American character in its crosshairs. Next time, it there is a next time, let’s elect a mature person, of any identity.

May 14, 2009 - 11:03 am 4. bill:

Common sense prevails over charisma. This commentary is full of it. It doesn’t matter whether you are democrat, republican, liberal or conservative, VDH’s concerns are on the mark.

Sky rocketing stock valuations on money losing dot.com companies never made sense. Exponential increases in real estate valuations never made sense, nor did similar hedgefund fueled increases in global stock market values. Spending trillions of dollars we don’t have does not make sense. You don’t need a Phd in Economics to realize something is very wrong.

We are merely fighting over the Titanic’s deck chairs without a rational energy policy. Nuclear energy ought to be it’s cornerstone. Why is this so difficult for the politicians to understand?

May 14, 2009 - 11:03 am 5. J.E. Dyer:

So when do we open the floor for input on which character in Greek tragedy Obama is?

Or in Shakespeare?

I’ve already determined which character he is in the Star Trek universe: Shinzon, from Nemesis.

May 14, 2009 - 11:45 am 6. David Thomson:

“Race relations. Here I am worried.”

You should be very, very worried. Barack Obama is damaging racial relations in the United States. If nothing else, he is not trying to put an end to identity politics. On the contrary, he is encouraging minorities of all sorts to continue perceiving themselves as victims of white capitalist oppression. Obama desires to worsen an already bad situation. God help us we are unable to reverse the current direction of our country. Clockwork Orange is right around the corner. Reactionary white extremists will become empowered. They will no longer be marginalized individuals.

May 14, 2009 - 11:49 am 7. Michael:

I think that is why he is in such a hurry on health care.

May 14, 2009 - 11:58 am 8. Vinny:

Combine all this with a media perpetually looking the other way…it’s quite frightning. A good example worth watching is Chris Matthews over the weekend at the correspondent’s dinner. Click on my name to watch if you like.

May 14, 2009 - 12:12 pm 9. T. O'Connor:

Recently, our Governor’s wife (Paterson, New York) claimed the reason her husband is so unpopular is because he’s black, and white’s still can’t accept a black leader. My black neighbors nodded, but my heart just sank. Who is such a comment supposed to be helping? Will we ever be able to put the race card away for good? Perhaps not.

May 14, 2009 - 1:00 pm 10. TLM:

VDH:

As always, excellent points.

Outsourcing energy policy to AL Gore may have been prescient (politically) on Obama’s part. There seems to be a steady erosion of support among the electorate for cap & trade, along with a realization that the science on global warming is evolving — in the wrong direction for the enviros. More and more the Goracle looks like a stick in the mud on this. A thick one at that. Probably why he needs a private jet with a lot of carbon-burning heft. Like Pelosi on terrorism, Obama will keep his distance in case the high flying Algore and his Enron scam-plan crash and burn.

May 14, 2009 - 1:03 pm 11. Jimmy J.:

All six points are spot on and delivered with clarity and efficiency. Oh my, couldn’t we use some of that from the Obamanauts?

Energy costs and shortages are going to bite the average citizen quite soon. Hopefully, it will lead to some fiscal and business friendly Senators and Congressman being elected in 2010. That’s our only hope to stop this rush to economic and social failure.

May 14, 2009 - 3:00 pm 12. Dr. T:

“I think the nation will come to learn that such talent was not put in service to our collective welfare.”

I studied Obama (his speeches, his writings, his interviews, etc.) prior to last year’s elections. I concluded that Obama hated America, was ignorant about and opposed to capitalism and the free market, and aspired to become the dictator of a new America rebuilt on socialistic and fascistic principles. Obama’s actions since last September fully support my beliefs. He will do more damage to America than Lincoln, FDR, and Carter combined.

May 14, 2009 - 3:42 pm 13. TLM:

“…and now he cannot muzzle the leftwing multi-headed Cerberus he unleashed.”

Yeah, no surprise the Rabid Ones are a bit difficult to handle, even for Obama. He forgot they at least pay lip service to being ideologically motivated. Obama, on the other hand, is not to be constrained by ideology, or loyalty for that matter. He continues playing the prudent pragmatist to an incredulous audience, on both sides of the aisle. The Leftists are foaming at the mouth over how he sold out on torture, Guantanamo etc. (The Right has known all along he’s an opportunist – read narcissist). The only ideology he believes in is power, the power vested in the him. Cerberus better take a bite out of Obama’s hide now while he still has his teeth.

May 14, 2009 - 4:28 pm 14. D Foster:

Obama and his friends, like George Soros, The Hollywood Left, The MSM, University Left Professors and of course, the Big Corporations that know they can bribe Washington. Just watch the Health Care changes.
We have a serious void in American Politics, NO LEADERSHIP. There is not one Politician in Washington I would walk across the street to see or meet. Not one.

Today, there is not one politician showing true leadership. They are not willing to make the difficult decisions required. Remember George W Bush wanted to address the short falls in Social Security, and warned about the pending probems with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In both cases, the MSM and Washington Political Class all joined together and trashed Bush and his ideas. This includes the “Republicans” in office in Washington. No one mentions GWB concerns about the Financial Industry. No one.

Obama is the result of a failing political system. America will need to change in order to really address the problems VDH makes in his article. My concern is that we may need to take to the streets in order for the Political Class Elite to make the required changes. That could be ugly. Maybe necessary for the survival of the Republic, a Republic based upon The Rule of Law.

May 14, 2009 - 5:13 pm 15. ManekiNeko:

Obama is nekulturniy. Nothing will change that. It’s in his background and upbringing. And it is reflected in everything he does.

May 14, 2009 - 5:30 pm 16. Allison Aller:

Buyers’ remorse!…a Republican friend, who voted for Obama because of how “healing” it would be for Blacks, and because she bought the notion that he was a “uniter” of our country…..also has an MBA and worked as a VP in a large health care company before she became a stay at home mom.
Now she is gravely worried about nationalized health care.
When will she, and so many millions of others like her, reach their “tipping point”?

May 14, 2009 - 5:40 pm 17. spike:

Dr. T conclusions about Obama are right on the money. It boggles the mind why the 60%’ers out there haven’t come to their senses about Obama’s malevolent view of the country he heads.

May 14, 2009 - 6:21 pm 18. R Richard Schweitzer:

Does anyone yet recognize the similarity to Mussolini.

Even the attempt to organize an equivalent “Internet Blackshirts?”

We are en route to “The New Totalitarianism.”

May 14, 2009 - 6:58 pm 19. Ron Kean:

5. J.D.Dyer

I see Andy Griffith in ‘The Roar Of The Crowd’.

May 14, 2009 - 7:57 pm 20. Roughcoat:

I’m not sure whether Obama hates America; but I do think he dislikes it in an abstract sort of way. And I believe he is contemptuous of many Americans, and believes himself to be altogether better than his countrymen. As well, I have come to believe that he does indeed dislike whites. But if all of the aforesaid is true … I wonder whether he knows this about himself, or whether he thinks he’s a good and decent fellow with the “right sort of temperment.”

May 14, 2009 - 8:45 pm 21. MCMJR:

Pray we’re luckier than the Athenians and don’t get caught on the beach!

Today another flip, this time warning about deficits! But yesterday’s massive spending was necessary. Which is it BHO? Can’t have it both ways, now O’ Learned One. Maybe we are glimpsing his Achilles heal?

May 14, 2009 - 9:23 pm 22. Paul Cox:

Energy = the life blood of the economy. It’s no coincidence that the U.S. is the largest economy and the largest consumer of energy.

May 14, 2009 - 9:31 pm 23. Pete:

Dr. T. (#12): I fully agree with your fears vis-a-vis Obama, except for the last line. Jimmy Carter was the worst President of my life up until Obama, and perhaps one of the three worst ever, given the manner in which he mishandled Iran. But FDR and Lincoln? FDR did tremendous damage to our economy and principles of the free market, and partly socialized our economy, growing the government at an enormous rate. However, his leadership in WWII was masterful in many respects, which is why he is ranked among the great Presidents today by many (but not all) historians. Abraham Lincoln is rated by most Presidential historians as our greatest President ever, the man who saved the Union and freed the slaves. Admittedly at great cost to the notion of state’s rights, and to civil liberties (suspension of habeus corpus during wartime, the draft riots, etc.).

So, on what basis do you lump FDR and especially Lincoln in with Jimmy Carter?

May 14, 2009 - 9:39 pm 24. Eme:

Great post. Thanks.

People never seem to bring up that fossil fuels are dirt nasty. Or if they do, it is just a tiny little side point. = /

Did I say this before: we should get emoticons on here! = )

If Obama could actually and would actually get our deficits down, then would a large percentage of people who don’t feel so good about things at least feel somewhat considerably better??

May 14, 2009 - 10:59 pm 25. Joseph:

12.Dr. T
Please explain the damage Lincoln did.
Don’t look now but I think your states rights are showing.
Victor you may be right about your predictions but if you are not correct will you admit it or will you be like all the other talking heads in business and politics and ignore any predictions that don’t pan out?

May 14, 2009 - 11:11 pm 26. JohnB:

Ahhhh,,, people are starting to talk about energy again, finally. The smart people realize that without vast amounts of affordable energy we simply cannot maintain the American lifestyle.

Keith O Rattie is a name many may not recognize, but he’s one of the smart ones in my industry. He recently gave an address to Utah Vally University, the text of which you can read here:

http://www.questar.com/news/2009_news/UVUSpeech.pdf

We pass this stuff around amongst colleagues, but that’s rather like preaching to the choir, we all know this material, but John Q. Public needs to get a real education about energy before we all come to a screeching halt at the next oil & gas crisis.

It’s a rather long read, but contains VITAL background information and some VDH-like predictions. I encourage everyone to read it.

May 15, 2009 - 1:27 am 27. Tractordriver:

Dr. Hanson, I enjoy your comment and look forward to your blog, Thank You.

Now to Dr. T Where would you put LBJ in that list??? I think he did his share of damage, and the cover-up was huge too.

May 15, 2009 - 1:48 am 28. vivo:

Let’s look at the BIG PICTURE:

after 8 years of calamities and a do-nothing-right President, we get a President that has nothing to lose, mistakes and all.

You earned, fellow citizens.

Now brace yourselves and work for the best.

May 15, 2009 - 1:55 am 29. vivo:

“You earned, fellow citizens.”

Minor correction: You earned it, fellow citizens.

May 15, 2009 - 1:57 am 30. dmgold:

US Presidential politics has taken on the virtual nuances of a very poor quality reality TV show. Always a lot of Razamatas hoopla to start with, but after a few months who watches them anymore. Obama is a virtual president with a lot of very real power. Woh be tide ye molly whoppy if ye ever return again.

May 15, 2009 - 2:14 am 31. steve macdonald:

Dr. Hanson,

As always, a great post.
I agree 100% with everything here and am truly amazed at the (to date) lack of meaningful citizen and innefective counter argument by the Republicans. Our governments actions in rule of law put us firmly in banana republic territory. Our energy policy is suicidal. Even Obama talks about unsustainable debt while he drives said debt through the roof – with support from a cheering MSM. Schizophrenic is exactly the right word on security. I view these 4 as greater looming disasters than the other two. I marvel at Obama’s ability to lie eloquently and be believed – but this can not last forever. The hype on race is not a “show stopper” as are 1-4, all of which have the potential to do decades long and profound damage.
It will be interesting to see what replaces the MSM as they have shown themselves to be totaly unwilling and/or unable to honestly report. As the cracks widen and the damage becomes too obvious to ignore, their credibility loss will be well niegh absolute.

May 15, 2009 - 2:30 am 32. Class Clown:

I’d like to assert again my own historical analogy for Obama. It is Kwame Nkrumah, the leader of independence for Ghana. A charismatic socialist, he rode his own cult of personality with a wave of big promises and big spending.

He ended up becoming a dictator, wrecking his own economy, and being hated by his people. The first of those is unlikely to come to pass (although I think it would if it were left to him). The last two are virtually certain.

May 15, 2009 - 2:50 am 33. Tom Perkins:

“He will do more damage to America than Lincoln, FDR, and Carter combined.”

Wrong Presidents, sir. The presidents who actually did damage in this century were Wilson, FDR, and LBJ. Carter more preserved damage already done than created any–the boycott was moronic but deprived us of no divisions. FDR’s prosecution of WWII was quite competent, even though he only saw a need to defeat two out of three enemies.

Lincoln made sure there was a country at all–that’s a strange conception of damage. What damage was done to the country in the Civil War was done by the Confederates.

Yours, TDP, ml, msl, & pfpp

May 15, 2009 - 3:29 am 34. Ken Besig:

One more thing that might be wise to keep in mind about President Barack Obama and that is that you are only allowed to cross him or oppose him one time. After that he and his minions will have nothing to do with you except to publicly ridicule or scorn you.

May 15, 2009 - 3:34 am 35. Tom Perkins:

My age is showing,

“in this century” /= “in this last century” Heh. TDP, ml, msl, & pfpp

May 15, 2009 - 3:34 am 36. Brian Richard Allen:

The usual, great stuff, Doctor Hanson!

“” … Obama’s heritage is … African, (not) American. (He has never experienced) … the underbelly of American working class life, and yet has showcased (“race” and has used it as a shucker-n-jiver’s shortcut) … to “professional ’success.’” (But we are neither the stupid ones here nor the Narcissistic and) … there is too much disingenuousness for such (entirely effected) “racial” identification to turn out well. “”

And ….

“” … unless there are radical changes … the nation will come to learn that (Obambis) “talent” was not put into the service of (even) our collective welfare …”"

… Let alone to the service of The United States Constitution, to the Principle of Individual Liberty and/or to every (Sovereign) American’s God-given and therefore inalienable Right to Life and to Liberty, to the ownership of Private Property — and to the pursuit of happiness.

His own, that is – not the sail-eared simpleton’s!

Brian Richard Allen
Los Angeles Califobambicated 90028
And the Far Abroad

May 15, 2009 - 4:15 am 37. MiamaMan:

On the energy issue…he only agreed to “look into” fossil fuels when gas went up to 4 bucks. He never wanted and never will.

May 15, 2009 - 4:17 am 38. ridgerunner:

Pete,
Read “The Real Lincoln” by Thomas DiLorenzo and “Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men” by Jeffrey Hummel. These works make the case that Lincoln forced war on the South in order to maintain the North’s mercantilist economic advantage and to promote a dominiant Federal governement that would benefit an “in-crowd” of politician and industrialist. The war was about Northern economic domination. African slavery was ended in 20+ other nations of the Western Hemisphere without violence. It could have been ended similarly in the U.S. if Lincoln and the Republican(ex-Whig)Party did not need a war for their economic agenda.

May 15, 2009 - 4:35 am 39. Terry Gain:

Let’s stay focused on the enormity of the debacle being wrought by this unvetted President rather than get sidetracked by Dr.T’s unsupportable throw away line in an otherwise good comment.

May 15, 2009 - 4:47 am 40. Tony R:

You can’t really blame Obama for any of the problems the US faces over the coming years. If anyone cared to look at his backround and political leanings and associations during the election campaign they would have seen exactly what they were going to get if they voted him into office. He hasn’t changed a bit so to be fair to him its the US voters who are the mugs in this situation.

Your problem lies with the extreme bias of the MSM and their decision to willfully turn a blind eye to various facts about this man that would have made a lot of voters think twice before voting for him. Unfortunately destroying successful working mother Sarah Palin was deemed more important.

Rather than fretting over what Obama will do next you need to sort out your media and drag it back to some sort of genuine balance (where news and facts are reported rather than opinion and bias) so that the same bunch of voters aren’t allowed to be fooled the next time around.

May 15, 2009 - 5:22 am 41. Paul -Indiana:

From #20. Roughcoat, I had to work with someone who had a black father and white mother so I agree with your comment “As well, I have come to believe that he does indeed dislike whites.”. This one had caucasion features, but was dark skinned. He was always confrontational, and thought himself to be head and shoulders above the rest of us. He wasn’t.

May 15, 2009 - 5:32 am 42. Gary Ogletree:

Joseph: There would be no USA without the Tenth Amendment. The practical ideas the led to the Constitution were workshopped for decades, much like Shakespeare’s plays were workshopped for decades before the final product. States’ rights are necessary to prevent central government tyranny. The evidence of that tendency has never been starker. The Declaration was also used by pro slavery forces as a justification for secession, it also stands independent of such cynical abuse.

May 15, 2009 - 5:45 am 43. Meryl:

Race relations problems and opportunities for for the “race problems industry” also go hand in hand.

Saw a piece this morning indicating that Jesse Jackson now wants black businessmen to save the auto industry–and that shows up two days after the information came out that blacks are forming a new economic group via which they make the commitment to “buy black”–making purchases only from other black businesses.

I was glad I didn’t have a mouthful of coffee when I first saw The Won’s diatribes from yesterday, lecturing us on the abuse of credit and heaping up too much debt.

This fool needs to get Bill Clinton in on a consultancy basis to teach him how to lie and dissemble. He is either on such a power trip that he doesn’t care how obvious his built-in contradictions/lies are, or he truly has such contempt for the public that he thinks we don’t notice.

Those people who thought he was going to take care of them in a new and even more elevated fashion are just puzzled and disappointed today; but, now that they have had advanced training in hating everything about the United States, when the whole thing goes down, guess what? They are still going to come after the producers with anger and expectation, demanding that now we take even MORE care of them–and, per Massachusetts–provide all of them with cars.

God bless Dick Cheney. That’s some kind of gravitas he’s dishing out this week, and I absolutely love it.

May 15, 2009 - 5:56 am 44. Bilgeman:

#20 Roughcoat:
“But if all of the aforesaid is true … I wonder whether he knows this about himself, or whether he thinks he’s a good and decent fellow with the “right sort of temperment.””

To answer this question, I think we have to look at what kind of people, and their attitudes, that he chooses, and has chosen in the past, to associate with.

Draw your own conclusions.

May 15, 2009 - 6:03 am 45. Parabellum:

“I do not know what is worse, the mega-interest to come on the debt; the stifling of economic initiative and the rise of barter, off the books income, tax avoidance, or simple slowdowns; or the creation of vast new dependent classes who vote in exchange for entitlement.”

No choice here, Perfesser. We get both!

Yay!

May 15, 2009 - 6:05 am 46. gthog61:

Yes, I recognize the similarity to Mussolini!

Check the way he juts his head up when he speaks. He has the same mannerisms. It’s trivial compared to the fact that he also has the same politics but it is there.

May 15, 2009 - 6:10 am 47. AThinkingPerson:

The socialist agenda TeleBama is putting forth is truly something that most of us (who were paying attention during the election) saw coming and although sad, not surprising. The oddest part (and also the most worrisome) is how many steps backwards we’ve come in race relations. He’s a million miles away from the “I Have A Dream” speech. Colorblind society? Hardly. He (and his liberal followers) now use race as a weapon when all other methods fail. Anyone that dare disagree with his policies must not like him because he’s half black right? Truly sad that the ONE person to take us backwards in this area is our first black President. He has no one to blame but himself for causing this division in America.

May 15, 2009 - 6:16 am 48. Jerry:

VDH wrote, “Most who read this will not agree, given the mesmerizing effect of the Obama charisma.”

Yes, indeed, we have come to the limits of human cognitive ability. One such limitation is that CHARISMA trumps truth, justice, simple manners, go-along-to get-along, law, legal precedent, etc.

Ordinary humans are in such need of acceptance, in such need of parental approval, that they will do most anything to obtain the giddy feeling of being accepted by authoritative people, whether that warm smile emanates from a person with real power or presumed power due to personality characteristics. Unfortunately, in the case of President Obama, his charismatic personality conflates with the real power of the presidency, making him almost unassailable.

Again from the realm of psychology, hope becomes the currency of mental life where prediction and control fail. We are not in control, so we seek the person who seems to be in control. By dint of his aura President Obama is always in control. Of course, he is not, but he seems to be. And, unless he is a psychopath, he will begin to show the effects of living with the need to make important decisions on a daily basis. When vital Decision A and vital Decision B begin to look awfully alike, or when Principle C conflicts with Cold Fact D, he should – like the rest of us – sit down and begin to whimper. Should he not have “second thoughts” constantly, it is then that we are in the deepest possible trouble. A look back at history shows that those leaders with the least regard for human vulnerability were the surest in their judgments.

Lenin stated forthrightly that it was better that one-hundred innocent men die than one guilty person escape. If principles trump human dignity in this President, then America is headed for true crisis, no matter the patency of the economy.

May 15, 2009 - 6:50 am 49. Sebastian Shaw:

President Obama’s carefully constructed facade will shatter on these points covered by Victor David Hanson; however, I believe only one will set it off in string of bruising set backs: Either economics with stagflation or a terrorist attack within the United States.

President Obama will play the victim card–blaming President George W. Bush again–when he is on the defense & the MSM will play along at first. But this is where the MSM will turn on Obama in order to regain some semblance of credibility.

President Obama will try to fit his Marxist plans regardless & will be deaf upon working with the Democrats in Congress.

May 15, 2009 - 6:50 am 50. Ms. Attitude:

I watched (well-sorta, I was in and out of the room) Morning Joe on MSNBC. I was quit surprised to hear them reaming the NY Post for burying the Pelosi story.

They also interviewed Ron Paul. I was impressed:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/#30762149

May 15, 2009 - 6:51 am 51. Saltherring:

Allison Aller @ 16: It is not whether “Republicans” who voted for Obama reach a “tipping point”, it is when they shake off their media-fed delusions and begin to think and reason for themselves. For those who were the slightest bit suspicious of this media-created president’s background and stated positions, the information was out there prior to November, 2008. Therefore there are no valid excuses for voting for such an unqualified and unfit candidate, except perhaps, morning network-TV talk show addicts who day-dreamed of sleeping with Obama. For these there is no help.

May 15, 2009 - 7:19 am 52. Peter V:

As a right-of-centre Canadian looking on at this discussion from a bit of a distance, I find a lot of eminent sense here as well as a good dose of paranoia. But either way, I wish you folks could redirect this energy being sapped in hand-wringing toward helping find a sustainable path back to relevance for the American right. How ’bout: 1. big-tent Republicanism. 2. fiscal conservatism. 3. sustainable government. 4. support for entrepreneurs. Seems to me everything else – including effective foreign policy – would follow. Where have we heard all this before?

May 15, 2009 - 7:33 am 53. bobbcat:

24, Eme:”Did I say this before: we should get emoticons on here! = )”

This site uses html commands; there are websites such as this one which shows some examples. More about html…….

44. Bilgeman:#20 Roughcoat:
“But if all of the aforesaid is true … I wonder whether he knows this about himself, or whether he thinks he’s a good and decent fellow with the “right sort of temperment.””

To answer this question, I think we have to look at what kind of people, and their attitudes, that he chooses, and has chosen in the past, to associate with.

Draw your own conclusions.

That and take into account BO’s embrace of black liberation theology.

May 15, 2009 - 7:38 am 54. TheMightyMonarch:

“I’ve already determined which character he is in the Star Trek universe: Shinzon, from Nemesis.”

Let’s see…clone of a previous character (Carter)….check.

Bringing a franchise (America) to a screeching halt…check.

Disappointing to its fans…check.

Dark, depressing, and serves no purpose…check.

Worst of the series (Presidents)…check.

May 15, 2009 - 7:45 am 55. Fishinnana-Texas:

I read on the Internet yesterday that George Soros has bought 5.4% of Plains Exploration Co in Louisiana. He’s never been interested in fossel fuel before!! Now that Obama and Soros has taken over the finanical and auto industry and is in the process of taking over the health industry, we better watch out because if they can’t get the cap & tax bill passed and proceed with thier green energy programs, they’ll just take over our fossel fuel energy businesses. Although we may start drilling for oil again guess where all the money will go? It sure won’t be the Independent’s or the Service Companys.

May 15, 2009 - 7:46 am 56. The Wizard:

Each morning I read my WSJ and get physically ill with more of the Obamanation’s hyprocrisy, lies and out and out fraud.

We are moving into the era of Fuhrer Obama! And for those who oppose his dictatorship, there will be hell to pay….his miscreant minions will raid companies, corporations seized “for the good of the nation”; our freedoms eroded and the Constitution totally voided. We will be forced to drive Obamamobiles, bank at the First National Bank of Obama, wait months for healthcare at teh Obama Clinics, live in Obama-built houses and pay exorbitant taxes on whatever meager earnings we may receive from our “government” controlled jobs. Ernstwhile, Obama will live lavishly in the White House, increase his salary (for clothings, transportation and entertainment) plus his numerous photo ops. Oh and of course, a new teleprompter or two.

This man scares the holy hell out of me! America better wake up before it is too late.

May 15, 2009 - 8:08 am 57. JFM:

Pete,
Read “The Real Lincoln” by Thomas DiLorenzo and “Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men” by Jeffrey Hummel

So because it is in a book it is true? I will remind you about the mercantilist agenda that customs duty had ever been going lower for decades, that the>/b> state right the Southerners were so eager to defend was slavery, that those who advocated Secession told about slavery not custom duty as the reason to secede, that Lincoln could not have forced the South to secede because Secession was proclaimed before his inauguration and that last but not least it was the South who shot first.

Also besides slavery (whose abolition could have never been passed without South’s secession) there was the little question that in a Republic when you lose an election you smile, congratulate the opponent and begin to work to crush him in the following one instead of behaving like a spoiled brat like Southerners did.

May 15, 2009 - 8:08 am 58. Michael:

I don’t know if we have enough people left who can think logicaly and not with their emotions. I hope so and I hope that enough are in the military and the police because they will be asked to do unconscionable things to citizens sometime in the next 8 years.

As for Lincoln causing the Civil War that is the epitome of socialy engineered revisonism. Look at the author’s sources and also at the authors themselves to find their political axes they are grinding. Also look at other books on Lincoln and do the same.

May 15, 2009 - 8:14 am 59. Bohemond:

Cracks? Yes, indeed. The AP, believe it or not, has denounced Obama’s budget numbers as “fantasy.” WaPo has gone after Pelosi with a vengeance, and its financial section actually ran the story (on page 1!) about Moody’s potentially downgrading Treasuries to AA.

While of course most of the media are beyond hope (NYT, GE/NBC/Newsweek, TimeWarner/CNN), there are still a few MSM institutions which, while absolutely liberal and slanted, nonetheless practice journalism rather than fellatio, and eventually may cautiously point out the elephant in the room.

The distinction, I suppose, is that between Walter Cronkite (biased but principled) and Dan Rather (Democrat hatchetman). Eventually the former will turn, just as they turned on Carter, because they have enough shreds of integrity left not to defend the indefensible.

Unless of course Don Soetoro makes them a “bailout” offer they can’t refuse….

May 15, 2009 - 8:16 am 60. Ron Kean:

Wednesday, May 15:

See 2 great posts by VDH on National Review Online.

May 15, 2009 - 8:21 am 61. Steamboat Jack:

28 VIVO

“after 8 years of calamities and a do-nothing-right President, we get a President that has nothing to lose, mistakes and all.”

*************************
According to recent reports in the media, chief Democrat Strategists James Carvel et al were having a conference on how to insure GW Bush’s failure. It was, coincidentally, on 9-11. They held off for a while, but soon resumed the campaign to destroy GW.

One example that illustrates their policy: During the 2004 campaign (Bush vs. Kerry) Sean Hannity had Senator Bob Graham (D- FL, since retired) on his program. Senator Graham said that GW Bush was a liar and has misled the people on Iraq. Hannity read a series of quotes and asked if they were lies. Each time Graham said that indeed they were; Bush lied. Then Hannity explained that the quotes ere not from Bush but instead from statements made by John Kerry. The good Senator replied with something like Bush is such a liar.

So….

To imply that Bush was a failure may or may not be factual because the media only presented that view. But, as noted in the article above, the Democrats are continuing with GWs policies. It’s turning out that during the Bush administration the Democrats were either fools or were lying in order to destroy GW and cause him to fail.

Besides, in an interview on CNN in 1997 or 1998, Osama bin Laden described how the war against the United States had already started. What we call the War on Terror started when Bill Clinton was president. Or maybe when a Palestinian murdered Robert Kennedy when Johnson was president.

Regards,

Steamboat Jack

May 15, 2009 - 8:27 am 62. Self-hating Boomer:

There’s another aspect of this that will be far more disastrous for race relations than his (and his supporters’) obsession with race; as this economic catastrophe unravels, he’s going to make Carter look competent, and Nixon look honest. This is going to reflect, unfairly as it may be, on all black politicians and even executives for decades to come.

We’re returning to the ’30s in more ways than just economic. There’s a reason why the white supremacists supported 0bama.

May 15, 2009 - 8:31 am 63. Shef Rogers:

Nothing impresses the uneducated reader than classical terms like “Pentelic.” Of course it’s totally superfluous and has absolutely nothing to do with the ostensible topic of the article, but it’s so durn classy. That’s Hanson’s job description: classical vocabulary plus RNC talking points.

May 15, 2009 - 8:32 am 64. Meryl:

15. ManekiNeko:

“Obama is nekulturniy. Nothing will change that. It’s in his background and upbringing. And it is reflected in everything he does.”

Hey, thanks for a great new word!

I googled it and it’s perfect in so many ways.

May 15, 2009 - 8:37 am 65. Self-hating Boomer:

Jerry (48), the odd thing about this charisma is that it’s a savant gift. He can’t really do anything else well at all, and needs his electronic buddy to do it at all. If this were a scifi plot, an entire world mesmerized by a savant leaning on an electronic crutch, it would be laughed off as too incredible. This would be too ‘out there’ for even the original Capt. Kirk Star Trek series.

Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction. My only question is, will some other civilization, cruising through space some day, find the remains of ours. And will they believe the archeological evidence of what ultimately brought it to an end, or find it just plain too incredible?

May 15, 2009 - 8:44 am 66. Ms. Attitude:

JFM @ 57, seems like you hate the south for some reason. The events that led to the civil war cannot be put on just the south and the issue of slavery. Slavery was abolished in the south by Lincoln before it was abolished in the north. Go figure.

May 15, 2009 - 8:51 am 67. subcutaneous:

Jerry #48:”unless he is a psychopath . . .”

I’m convinced that he has Narcissistic Personality Disorder, NPD, which is almost the same thing.

Read up on it here: http://www.halcyon.com/jmashmun/npd/index.html

the symptoms:
amoral, conscienceless,authoritarian, care only about appearances, contemptuous, critical of others, cruel, disappointing gift-givers, don’t recognize own feelings, envious and competitive, feel entitled, flirtatious or seductive, grandiose, hard to have a good time with, hate to live alone, hyper-sensitive to criticism, impulsive, lack sense of humor, naive, passive, pessimistic, religious, secretive, self-contradictory, stingy.

And the best quote of all: “The most telling thing that narcissists do is contradict themselves. They will do this virtually in the same sentence, without even stopping to take a breath.”

May 15, 2009 - 8:58 am 68. subcutaneous:

one other note: the vast majority of those with NPD are males who had a bad or non-existant relationship with their fathers.

Couple all this with his statist views and you see what we get!

May 15, 2009 - 9:02 am 69. Retep:

#63 Shef
Actually it’s the other way around Shef. Most of VDH’s points are unique and the RNC probably gets a lot of ideas from him. But now that you bring it up, let’s hear you shred them.

May 15, 2009 - 9:04 am 70. ridgerunner:

Individual States were considered sovereign prior to the Articles of Confederation and none that signed the Articles believed that they were giving up sovereignty by doing so. During the 1820’s New England States came close to seceding and in those years there was agreement that it was their right. What changed over the next thirty-five years, especially after the Panic of 1857, was that Northern industry became more dependent on tariffs to prevent Southern consumers from buying European manufactured goods. The high Morrill Tariff was passed in March, 1861, and inflamed seccesionist sentiment.

My belief is that any State of the United States had originally and still has the right of secession. Abolition of African slavery was a stalking horse for Northern imperial control of Southern natural resources and Southern markets. Abolition by paying slaveholders to free their slaves would have cost a tiny fraction of what the Northern invasion of the South cost, but that approach would not have allowed Northern industrialists to come South after the conquest and cheaply purchase Southern iron ore, coal, and timber by the millions of square miles. Economics is what all war is about.

May 15, 2009 - 9:25 am 71. Banned by Huffpo:

The question is, can he be stopped before the damage is irreversible? I don’t think so.
He’s solidifying his power grab, including plans to shut down the internet. Sound extreme? Check out the “Cybersecutity Act of 2009.”

Obama truly frightens me . . . it became abundantly clear during the campaign that he hates the United States, with a particular hatred for Caucasians (having a promiscuous white mother is probably at the root.)

Time will tell, and things are moving quickly.

May 15, 2009 - 9:34 am 72. Войска ПВО:

5. J.E. Dyer writes:

“So when do we open the floor for input on which character in Greek tragedy Obama is? Or in Shakespeare?”

..Polonius.

May 15, 2009 - 9:36 am 73. RE:

VDH is consistently among the most astute and on-point commnentators on the web.

Shef Rogers on the other hand, is just another Alinsky-ite punk on another vacuous insult drive by hit job.

They are a very tiresome breed.

May 15, 2009 - 9:38 am 74. Suzy:

Some of you wonder at the “damage Lincoln did.” Look around you and see the black underclass he released on the nation. Lincoln should have allowed the Southern Planters to keep their slaves as long as they were needed, then ship them back to Africa. I am so angry at these layabouts with liberals spoon feeding them with the wealth of our once great Nation. That’s the harm Lincoln did. My Great, great Grandad was killed with a mini-ball through the neck trying to keep Spotsylvania Court House from Gen’l. Lee. Lee should have been able to keep it and the South should have not been treated to the nights “they drove ol’ Dixie down.” The ruined gardens of the South…a wound that has rankled for 149 years. Oh, God, the damage Lincoln did.

May 15, 2009 - 9:52 am 75. Rose:

We should, perhaps, worry more if we are not attacked! He sees himself as the Great Imam — about to deliver the US as the Grand Caliphate–this is what he is telling those ‘rogue’ leaders: “Be patient, I will deliver the US to you before the end of the next “8 to 10 years.” He plays the left for fools and cares not a whit about what people think of his uncouth behavior because ‘he won’. He sees that the more divisive he can be the better after all he is out to destroy the ‘united’ states. If ever anyone wonders how Stalin, Hitler, Chavez, Castro came to power all one need do is pay attention to what is going on here and now! Of course he is absolutely pro-abortion because he is absolutely anti-life. Sit back and imagine the ‘kitchen table” talk of him with his best buddies over a beer or two: “Got ‘em going don’t we dude, they kill ‘em for us!” A culture that fails to protect its women and children fails–and he knows that too! Do not underestimate the nefariousness of this guy. The left and some Christians get there tolerance and charity bona fides by defending him ‘in spite of his color.’ He loves it, he is the ‘cynic in chief.’ He loves it that he has been able to co-opt a cherished Catholic institution with the Notre Dame honors–what a coup that is for him. Poor foolish Jenkins and all the other Priests who voted for this guy. They have been worshipping race for sometime and now they have their own racial messiah to prove them right. WOW what a victory! Thomas Sowell wrote some time ago that he was old enough so that he won’t have to witness the demise of his cherished land–so am I, thank God.

May 15, 2009 - 9:58 am 76. Will:

Hang on friends it gonna be a long rough ride!!!!

May 15, 2009 - 10:06 am 77. D-wah:

Have some fun, if you haven’t seen this yet–”Obamaman”—enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhhkF3dqXR0&feature=player_embedded

May 15, 2009 - 10:07 am 78. Ms. Attitude:

subcutaneous,

Your diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, NPD, is right on target.

It made me think of a book I read years ago, “Don’t Let Jerks Get the Best of You” by Paul Meier. I think he needs to add a chapter on what do if the Jerk is your President.

May 15, 2009 - 10:15 am 79. Self-hating Boomer:

Ignore the bait…

May 15, 2009 - 10:17 am 80. Conservative1:

GWB= A do-nothing-right POTUS?

Wow. That is complete nonsense and I would love to see ANYBODY come out of the last 8 years without looking like they came back from hell. GWB definitely had his drawbacks. Overall, history will look upon him half way decent.

May 15, 2009 - 10:19 am 81. Juvenal:

#74 Pastor of Muppets (dba “Suzy”):

Blaming Lincoln for “releasing” a “black underclass?”

There’s no question that freedom was a major challenge for former slaves, but there have been nearly 150 years intervening between then and now, with tons of other more damaging factors:

How about Jim Crow laws? (Thank you, Democratic Party!)

How about 75 years of ham-handed, debilitating welfare-state programs? (Thank you, Democratic Party!

May 15, 2009 - 10:45 am 82. AtheistConservative:

What Obama is learning is what we already know: you cannot give an inch to left-wingers because they will immediately demand a mile. Because they’re insane. They lack the basic ability to interpret data; they have no sense of self-awareness and no humility; and they are entirely, blindly committed to their course of action. Kind of like suicide bombers.

May 15, 2009 - 10:47 am 83. billslayer:

My question is this: when the facade of the current administration disintegrates (hopefully not under the duress of an Iranian Nuclear scare) what condition will OUR house be in? Will conservatives step into the breach and simply continue the Borrow and Spend of the Bush years? Will we have the spinal fortitude to build Nuclear Power plants over the shrieking objections of the environmentalist religious fanatics? This list could get quite long…

May 15, 2009 - 10:51 am 84. Paul M Hupf:

He will be tested by hostile foreign leaders (Putin, Ahmadinejad and others). History repeatedly has demonstrated this as a truism. One need look no farther back than the 1930s. Hitler was ridiculed as a crackpot. Soviet communism was deemed an ideal by many in United States. Neville Chamberlain and Daladier went to Munich in September 1938 and sacrificed Czechoslovakia without the consent of the Czechs after the assurance by Hitler that this concession would satisfy all German demands to rectify the abusive treatment of Germany at Versailles in 1919. “Peace in our time,” was proclaimed by Chamberlain to ecstatic Londoners on his return from Munich. Daladier feared he would be removed from office as Prime Minister of France on his return to Paris, but instead was greeted by cheering crowds at railroad stations as his train passed through. Yet in less than a year Germany invaded Poland. (See “MUNICH The Price of Peace, Telford Taylor, Doubleday and Company, 1979). On his deathbed during WWII, Neville Chamberlain is reported to have said, “If only Herr Hitler had kept his word.”

May 15, 2009 - 10:55 am 85. Someone75:

I’ve read so many articles on this site that say something to the effect of “Obama is starting to come apart at the seams.” I haven’t seen empirical evidence of this. Writing articles saying that he is failing is not actually the same as him failing. Maybe VDH does not understand this.

May 15, 2009 - 10:57 am 86. Michael:

Suzie, that was pretty much exactly what Lincoln said he would do. The South was so afraid that no new states would be admited as slave that they seceded and then fired on Federal troops. The slaves were a very awkward “commodity”. Maybe if he had lived Lincoln might have mitigated the problem but we will never know.

Oddly enough I am a states right guy but I can’t bring myself to believe that the disillusion of the United States into 2 or 3 or 4 petty entities (and once states started to seced I don’t doubt there would be more from each side) would have been a good thing. For this continent or this world.

Saying the north planned a war to make more money is silly and saying Lincoln planned it is laughable. It also is not new as those who longed for the “South to Rise Again”tm have been singing that tired song since 1865.

Back on point the media, from owners, producers, editors and reports have betrayed this country by suppressing real news stories that they don’t like politically. The Fourth Estate has become the Fifth Column. That they take the humiliation that Obama has lavished on the press corp is astounding. He actually treats them like lap dogs in public.

May 15, 2009 - 11:08 am 87. karstro1:

Very well stated on all issues. He has thrown way to much mud at the wall and none of it is sticking. What he and Congress has done in such a short time has put us all in very serious troubled waters.

May 15, 2009 - 11:18 am 88. Pastor of Muppets:

Someone75: “I’ve read so many articles on this site that say something to the effect of “Obama is starting to come apart at the seams.” I haven’t seen empirical evidence of this. Writing articles saying that he is failing is not actually the same as him failing. Maybe VDH does not understand this.”

The reactionary right-wingers seem to think that creating an echo chamber of Obama hate will somehow shift popular opinion of the president. I think they just don’t realize that nobody is listening to them.

May 15, 2009 - 11:20 am 89. Suzy:

Juvenal, Lincoln wanted to establish a colony of the freedmen (today’s black underclass) in Panama so the blacks would not have to compete against folks superior to them. President Grant wanted to send them to Santo Domingo for the same reason. But, no, the former slaves knew when they had a good thing with the Radical Republicans (todsy’s liberals) taking care of their every need. When you understand what the Southern Whites went through during “reconstruction” you will understand why Jim Crow laws were instituted. You will also understand Nathan Bedford Forrest initiation the Ku Klux Klan (led by Senator Robert Byrd D-VA).

Suzy aka muppet Miss Piggy

May 15, 2009 - 11:23 am 90. The Historian:

UTOPIAN DREAMERS ARE NOT LEADERS
They lack common sense and the common touch.

http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/green-jobs-are-really-about-get-rich.html

May 15, 2009 - 11:23 am 91. Pastor of Muppets:

Michael: “The Fourth Estate has become the Fifth Column. That they take the humiliation that Obama has lavished on the press corp is astounding. He actually treats them like lap dogs in public.”

The Fourth estate has been the Fifth column for years now. You’re only noticing now because the shoes is on the other foot. Not a single MSM reporter asked a single critical question of our rush to war in Iraq. And not a single MSM reporter seemed to have even the slightest clue that we were headed towards an economic crisis. When news becomes a business, and the bottom line is at stake, you can wave goodbye to dedicated investigative journalism. It costs too much, and it’s cheaper to just pull stuff off the AP wire.

Welcome to the deregulated economy you had to have. Enjoy.

May 15, 2009 - 11:27 am 92. J. Rockford:

Nobody says it better than Dr. Hanson. I would just summarize his piece by saying that it only took Obama 100 days to become the worst President in U.S. history. The paragraph on Debt alone is terrifying. Then there is the coming debacle in Energy. To say nothing about the bad guys in the world. Think things are bad now; you ain’t seen nothing yet.

May 15, 2009 - 11:53 am 93. Updates & Random stuff | The Anchoress:

[...] Victor Davis Hanson: Imagines President Palin’s first 100 days. She was running for veep, but clearly was the “top” of the ticket for many on the right. Hanson is brutal to Obama, here. And not much kinder here. [...]

May 15, 2009 - 12:02 pm 94. tanstaafl:

He distances himself from America prior to his coming of age.

His remarks on recent Apology Tours make sense only in light of this truism. His limitations of character, coupled with his arrogance, don’t allow him to own all of American history.

Obama is going to Europe again, early June. (at this rate, he’ll far outstrip that most travelled American President, Bill Clinton)

…rather crude social and racial stereotyping while campaigning.

Obama’s adopted position on race is the unenlightened variety, in tune with the white guilt angle exploited ad nauseam by the bombastic Reverend Wright, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton et al. (they’re all bombastic, come to think of it)

This is true despite his verbal disclaimers and paeans to color blindness.

I’d say Barack Obama clings lamely, even bitterly, to that antiquated notion of race.

May 15, 2009 - 12:03 pm 95. The Shadow:

Typical sophomoric drivel from someone ho has been wrong time and again

May 15, 2009 - 12:14 pm 96. Sonja:

“What separates the U.S. from Mexico, Cuba, or Haiti is the rule of law…”

The Law is an ass. ‘Twas the PEOPLE of the United States that separated her from Mexico, Cuba, or Haiti…and the rest of the world. Sadly, the United States is now overpopulated with rotten, third-world foreigners. And Obama may in fact be one of them, hence his disrespect for the Constitution.

May 15, 2009 - 12:15 pm 97. AtheistConservative:

“You’re only noticing now because the shoes is on the other foot.”

A tired, nonsensical accusation. While you are correct that the news organizations didn’t uncover that the charges against Iraq were inflated, this isn’t because of some slavish devotion to right-wing philosophy. Recall that the Democrats were entirely for the war as well. So it was just the MSM doing what it always does: fluffing the Democrat party.

It’s also a bit much to ask a bunch of hare-brained, bleach-blond news reporters to uncover a financial crisis most financial analysts didn’t see coming, or determine that CIA covert intelligence is overstated. We’re not asking that the media become a perfect investigative body. We’re asking that they stop being an extension of the Democrat party. It’s hilarious that people like you rave about the one semi-Conservative network when the vast majority of mainstream media is so clearly and obviously in the tank for the Democrats, and has been for decades.

May 15, 2009 - 12:17 pm 98. AtheistConservative:

“Welcome to the deregulated economy you had to have”

Still continuing with that lie as well? Funny how you seem to lack the intellectual capacity to realize that the sector of the economy that failed was the most heavily regulated sector in existence – the sector with the most government interference and oversight. We all know you don’t believe deregulation was the problem, you just have to say so to please your masters. You left-wingers crack me up.

May 15, 2009 - 12:18 pm 99. shaui-jan:

#89.muppet; i completly agree with you on that one…why is the ground…..suddenly so cold?

May 15, 2009 - 12:26 pm 100. Dave:

#74 Suzy

sure hope you’re not a member of any official Republican party organization. And I hope someday you grow a soul. That is about the cruelest, most superficial straw man I’ve ever seen anyone toss out, and if you’re that angry, stay home and let the more rational among us do the voting in the next election.

May 15, 2009 - 12:30 pm 101. Moogie:

#48 Jerry: “One such limitation is that CHARISMA…”

What charisma? I’m still completely puzzled by the accolades this guy gets, even from conservatives. “Eloquent speaker.” “Charismatic.” “Highly intelligent.”

I must have been absent that day in school when Obama showed up and demonstrated the above mentioned characteristics.

To me, eloquence is Milton Friedman. Compare him to Obama, who ends up sounding like a squawking rooster.

To me, charisma is someone who captures my attention so that I am not only mesmerized by what they are saying, but I am unwilling to disengage. In that category, I’d have to put Billy Graham. I can barely stand watching Obama talk; his lifted chin and the tennis-match bobbing of his head, and the bizarre cadence in his speech are about as off-putting as anything I’ve ever seen.

To me, someone of high intelligence demonstrates his smarts in his actions, not in his words. On that score, Obama fails miserably. I don’t rate intelligence based on college grades or degrees from prestigious universities. Applying common sense and practical solutions to problems are what I want in my president – not someone who is all over the chart with his indeciseveness. It’s like trying to keep up with an accelerated Pong game. Sadly, I can’t think of one single leader who meets my criteria, although I am personally acquainted with many incredible people who do.

I perceived the cracks in this crumbling statue long before VDH wrote this article; before Obama had even announced his candidacy. Furthermore, I based my opinion on whatever information I had gleaned via the MSM, not PJ or any of the other conservative media.

P.S. to VDH: another homerun, by the way.

May 15, 2009 - 12:36 pm 102. Jerry:

Re subcutaneous: Differential diagnosis between psychopathy and Narcissitic Personality Disorder is sometimes hard to make. However, psychopathy contains instances of engaging in illegal or violent behavior. Having been involved wholeheartedly in Chicago politics may qualify President Obama on both counts.

In addition physiological studies have shown that psychopaths feel calmer than normals under pressure, so public speaking, which normally grinds people’s stomachs to shreds, seems to be the place that makes our President most at ease. It is a mixed bag, but leans toward psychopathy, IMHO.

May 15, 2009 - 12:49 pm 103. Jerry:

Re Moogie #101: Moogie wrote, “What charisma? I’m still completely puzzled by the accolades this guy gets, even from conservatives. “Eloquent speaker.” “Charismatic.” “Highly intelligent.””

Have you heard Sheila Bair, the head of the FDIC, speak? She would make an excellent alternative to President Obama in 2012.

Her views are fact-based, her stage-presence is superior to that of President Obama, her intellectual achievements and personal history are available to public view, she has run for office as a Republican in the past, her values are mainstream, and she has a grasp of economic issues that is so advanced that she leaves Mr. Obama in the HEPA-filter dust. She can win, becoming America’s first female American president.

If you agree, perhaps you can start a draft Bair committee, or at least mention her once a day in a post, like I do. Disclaimer: I do not know Sheila Bair personally, nor have I ever met her or anyone else who is supporting her candidacy.

May 15, 2009 - 12:59 pm 104. Lynn B.:

Funny about the interrogation pics he said wouldn’t be released. They somehow showed up in OZ today. Drudge Report has one of them. It may be humiliating but it sure isn’t torture. He is such a liar!!!

May 15, 2009 - 1:17 pm 105. JFM:

@66 attitude

JFM @ 57, seems like you hate the south for some reason.

Nope. But I hate those who rewrite history.

The events that led to the civil war cannot be put on just the south and the issue of slavery.

Say it was 90% slavery what incited the South to secession. Say that most Union soldiers fought neither for abolishing solution nor for perserving Union for the sake of preserving it. What they fought for was for preserving the Republican form of governmant one of whose pillars is that you don’t seceed, riot or revolt when you lose an election. Wait at least until he does something bad and loses his legitimacy but don’t revolt before inauguration.

Slavery was abolished in the south by Lincoln before it was abolished in the north. Go figure.

Both pratically (avoid alienating people who are on you side) and constitutionally: Lincoln didn’t need a revision of the Constitution to abolish slavery in rebel states, it was easier and faster to abolish slavery in the states who had seceded than in unionist South.

May 15, 2009 - 1:35 pm 106. Войска ПВО:

85. SomeIdiot75 writes:

“Writing articles saying that he is failing is not actually the same as him failing. Maybe VDH does not understand this.”

Tragically, it is you who do not understand this. Posting here requires a modicum of intelligence and initiative. VDH has referenced a number of instances where the cracks are beginning to show but, alas, no links for poor, retarded Something75. Try Google or, better yet, why not take a look at what is actually going on day by day. I mean, who you gonna believe, HuffPo, MSNBC, et al, or your lyin’ eyes?

May 15, 2009 - 1:36 pm 107. Dave Goin:

I can foresee another civil war between the Socialist/communists and conservative/libertarians. The two ideologies are poles apart and in these situations there can be no other outcome. Unless one side surrenders there will be war.

Our entire Western civilization is crumbling under socialist economic and social policies, immigration and race baiting, appalling ignorance from the education establishment and relentless treason by the media and members of government and citizens. One side will lose and if the liberals can get enough people dependent upon government for their living then their will never be any way to root them out short of force. We have to face the indisputable truth that the fifth column in the media and in our education system has destroyed the minds of at least 2 generations of our young people and poisoned what’s left. All they know coming out of school is America is the cause of all the ills of this world and we would just follow the teachings of Comrade Marx the world will be right again and all will be at peace.

Watch and see what Obama tries to do about disarming everyone and no mistake, he will do everything in his power to first register and then eliminate private firearms. We can’t wait too long or the American NKVD will be at our doors.

“Between two groups of people who want to make inconsistent kinds of worlds, I see no remedy but force.” -Oliver Wendell Holmes

May 15, 2009 - 1:38 pm 108. J.E. Dyer:

Some great ideas here on Obama’s doppleganger from the realm of theater/entertainment.

Ron Kean # 19 — very cool. I’m guessing you meant “Face in the Crowd.” A most interesting allusion to filmdom, particularly with Andy Griffith playing against “type.”

Mighty Monarch #54 — I hadn’t considered that the film itself (ST: Nemesis) fit parts of the Obama pattern, but you’re right — it does!

Army Air Defense #72 — Polonius did not spring to my mind. A very thought-provoking suggestion. The unct and banality are certainly there, in spades. I did, however, immediately reject Hamlet himself as a possibility.

I haven’t made up my mind yet on a classical or Shakespearean character, but this has been an intriguing drag of the intellectual net.

May 15, 2009 - 1:48 pm 109. ratatosk:

I’d have a much easier time of swallowing it, if VDH had been equally critical of the Bush bullshit. As it is, just more partisan one sided bum fights. Every President has his flaws, when you only see the other guys flaws, you lose credibility.

May 15, 2009 - 1:49 pm 110. Self-hating Boomer:

I warned them, but they bit anyway.

When are you guys ever going to learn? DNFFT. Or the Moby.

May 15, 2009 - 1:52 pm 111. Jack:

oh-BOMB-ah

May 15, 2009 - 1:56 pm 112. AThinkingPerson:

Re # 91’s quote…”Welcome to the deregulated economy you had to have.”

What? TeleBama is putting the entire economy into a choke hold. Have you not heard about the banks, the automakers and now the insurance companies that he will put his government claws into? Geez.

I know, I know, I’m a racist for saying that. I’ll save you the trouble of telling me that AGAIN.

May 15, 2009 - 1:58 pm 113. Moogie:

#103 Jerry: Thanks for the hat tip. I’ll check her out.

May 15, 2009 - 2:00 pm 114. Delia:

43. Meryl:

“Saw a piece this morning indicating that Jesse Jackson now wants black businessmen to save the auto industry–and that shows up two days after the information came out that blacks are forming a new economic group via which they make the commitment to ‘buy black’–making purchases only from other black businesses.”
~

Reverse racism is the new ‘black’ now [all the rage, really]. Can you imagine if a prominent white man came out saying such things to Caucasians? Sh*t meet the proverbial fan!
~

Regarding the abundant ‘Natural Gas’ resources? Well, the libs and their phony ‘Global Alarming’ $cheme can’t have any of that! Ohhhhh no! This is going to be a big, moula making scam for them and there’s no turning back now for Gore & Cronies Inc.. It’s a frightening thought to think of purposely trying to cool our earth down when it’s already in a cooling phase [nature does that, *ahem*]. Idiots!

There are black people who don’t buy 0bama’s B.S. and never voted for him. The Black Sphere being one of my favorite blogs (great humor too). He recently did a great youtube link on Dem-Racism. There was also a black woman who posted her blog here on PJM before too (-can’t find the derned link and I know I saved it). Hmph!

-Anyway, another article I can totally relate to, Prof. Hanson…

The hope-n-change at the end of the tunnel is most definitely an oncoming train racing off the rails.

May 15, 2009 - 2:03 pm 115. Joseph:

Poor Victor with friends like 74.Suzy (Lincoln should have allowed the Southern Planters to keep their slaves as long as they were needed…), 96.Sonja (Sadly, the United States is now overpopulated with rotten, third-world foreigners.) and 107.Dave Goin (…never be any way to root them out short of force.) your honey seems to attract a lot of crazy flies.
Now as for my main question, if Victor is correct I will admit he was right but if wrong will any of you all say a Mea Culpa?

May 15, 2009 - 2:14 pm 116. Sherab Zangpo:

#1 Minerva

You say that the worse has yet to come and I fear that you are right.

If the guys who have written The Shadow Party are right and if this long term plan to MUTATE America into something else from what the Constitution says hasn’t been just a clever trick to use the far-left votes, we are in deep troubles.

More than ever we must pray that America finds the Way to understand AGAIN, and better, the profound meaning of “ONE NATION, UNDER GOD”.
Only this can save us from what the subversives want,i.e. fight and civil war.

The ideologies of hate must not prevail: class-envy and class warfare must be seen for what they are, devilish tricks of nihilism.

We must hope in the Wisdom of the American People, beyond any difference of wealth, color, age, education.

Let’s pray.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

May 15, 2009 - 2:23 pm 117. bobbcat:

74. Suzy: Look around you and see the black underclass he released on the nation.

You think the entire black population in this country is comprised of those considered to be of the ‘underclass?’ Please tell me you’re kidding or I will have no choice but to assume that your statement is a blatant display of bigotry.

May 15, 2009 - 2:33 pm 118. ridgerunner:

To those who believe that abolition was the only reason the North invaded the South, answer this. Why did the Northern politicians never seriously propose compensated emancipation. The war cost over 8 billion dollars in direct expenditures, over 750,000 deaths, hundreds of thousands of cases of disablement, untold billions in destruction of Southern property. Let’s estimate the total cost as 25 billion in economic waste.

There were 4 million slaves. At $400 each, it would have cost the Federal government 1.6 billion dollars to free them by compensated emacipation, and Southern tariff payers would have shouldered much of that burden. So tell me that Lincoln was a great leader and an honest actor, given that his and his party’s method of emancipation cost 15 times more than compensated emancipation would have cost. To the Northern elites it was worth the huge cost in order to crush definitively the main opposition to their vision of a county with a centralized government which supported crony capitalism, i.e. Henry Clay’s “American System.”

May 15, 2009 - 2:43 pm 119. TheMightyMonarch:

“I’d have a much easier time of swallowing it, if VDH had been equally critical of the Bush bullshit.”

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe VDH as well as countless conservative commentators mercilessly criticized Bush on multiple issues, including an unaffordable new entitlement in Medicare Part D, increased government spending, flirting with amnesty for illegals, and TARP I, while at the same time supporting him on tax cuts and his hawkish response to the 9/11 attacks.

You’re basically suggesting that he take two people, one whom he disagrees with 99% of the time and the other 50% of the time, and criticize them equally. In other words, adopt a double standard, which his liberal colleagues in the press are quite fond of doing.

I don’t claim to speak for Professor Hanson, but If Obama called for large reductions in government spending and supported a real tax rate decrease for all Americans as Bush did (as opposed to the smoke-and-mirrors withholding adjustment currently being marketed as a tax cut) I’m sure he’d be among the first in line to support him.

May 15, 2009 - 2:49 pm 120. Delia:

104. Lynn B.,

Humiliating? *Looks closer* Oh! You mean that pink, girlie comforter on his lower bunk-bed? I ‘torture’ my husband with that kind of girlie stuff all of the time!

May 15, 2009 - 2:52 pm 121. Citizen70:

You’re right – reality will catch up with this snake-oil salesman. And, when his popularity plummets, the piling-on will begin with mainstream media stories about his gay dalliance in the limo, his inauthentic citizenship, and his Muslim patrons. Oh my!

May 15, 2009 - 3:28 pm 122. Ms. Attitude:

104. Lynn B.: Are you sure that picture isn’t from a college dorm room?

105. JFM: Very few in the South owned slaves.

74. Suzy: In this day age where I live in the south, race relations have been great. Since the beginning of the elections things have changed. But I don’t think that adding fuel to the fire helps. I didn’t vote for Obama and the color of his skin wasn’t a factor. I’ve been wondering who all voted for McCain in the primaries….

May 15, 2009 - 3:31 pm 123. Vaughn:

There is still hope. Remember how things ended for Mussolini?

May 15, 2009 - 3:48 pm 124. Delia:

122. Ms. Attitude:

“I’ve been wondering who all voted for McCain in the primaries….”

ACORN?

Think about it…

May 15, 2009 - 3:54 pm 125. Ed Wallis:

PASTOR OF MUPPETS –

Since this is obviously ALL ABOUT YOU, tell us:

How does it feel to be the puppet of totalitarians?
Are you proud of it?
Does it give your life a sense of “purpose?

As you clearly have no “sense of decency”, perhaps you could spend some of your precious time telling us all her just how it is that you can live with your miserable self.

Or, just flitter off. Your cover here is blown, loser.

May 15, 2009 - 4:02 pm 126. Ms. Attitude:

Delia, that is something to think about!

May 15, 2009 - 4:10 pm 127. ricpic:

ManekiNeko at #15:

“Obama is neculturniy.”

So what. So was Eisenhower. So was Truman.

The important factor in a president is not whether he lacks culturniy.

The important factor is whether he has integrity/character/decency.

Wilson, FDR and Kennedy all had culturniy to varying degrees and all were damaging presidents based on the slipperiness of their character, as Obama will be based on his slipperiness.

May 15, 2009 - 4:18 pm 128. D-wah:

Here’s a wild thought-Pelosi gets pissed off for being the fall girl for whacko politics–and spills the bean on the inside track! Fun, eh?

May 15, 2009 - 4:32 pm 129. J.E. Dyer:

Joseph #115 asks:

“Now as for my main question, if Victor is correct I will admit he was right but if wrong will any of you all say a Mea Culpa?”

Well, no. Mea culpa means “my fault.” I’m sure what people will say is “Victor was wrong.”

May 15, 2009 - 4:35 pm 130. Sebastian Shaw:

Pastor of Muppets, Jim Henson called & wants you to get a sense of humor. A Haven’t you heard? Pigs in Space is going to be made into a film.

Miss Piggy does not like to be upstaged; therefore, you might be her doormat or something…

May 15, 2009 - 4:45 pm 131. Bilgeman:

#124 Delia:
“ACORN? Think about it… ”

By God, I think you may be on to something…gold star for Delia’s suspicious and devious mindset!

Let’s see where we could find the footprints if there was any highjinks.

States with open GOP primaries, yes?

And in those states, ACORN would need to influence the votes of the closely-run districts, but ones that were within logistically do-able distance of their “Community Organizer” day-working employee pool.

So, I’d look for the primary results of the close-in older suburbs of metro areas, Black and immigrant heavy. And I’d look for numbers of primary votes for McCain that were off the scale from the usual GOP primary elections turnout.

Y’all with me so far?

And I’d especially look for those areas in Blue states, where the ACORN can presumably be expected to have a friendlier environment for its activities.

So, class, everyone pick the city that you’re most familiar with, and start digging…see if we can spot any massive McCain GOP turnout in the ‘08 primaries in districts that were traditionally Democratic.

Let’s see what we can come up with.

Release the hounds! The game is afoot!

May 15, 2009 - 4:45 pm 132. Delia:

128. D-wah:

“Here’s a wild thought-Pelosi gets pissed off for being the fall girl for whacko politics–and spills the bean on the inside track! Fun, eh?”
~

Yessssss! I hope someone ups her morphine drip and she spills every dirty secret she’s privy of!

MOISTUREEEEEEEE!

Oh golly! He-he. TMI?

May 15, 2009 - 4:53 pm 133. D-wah:

By the way, Moogs 101-spot on again. When I even TRY to see what they say they THINK they see in this shallow twirp, I STILL don’t get it!

Is it the rhythmic swaying of a courting bird appealing to primal instincts? The appeal of the nice young black man who I Soooo want to succeed to asuage my guilt and be hip? The hollow crooning of a 21st century siren who calls us all to repentance from our evil, selfish ways?

Hell, it’s pathetic that anyone would not just fall for it, but give ANY credence to it! “By their fruits ye shall know them.”-Jesus. Now there’s
someone you can trust.

May 15, 2009 - 4:53 pm 134. Delia:

131. Bilge,

I’ve been thinking about the ACORN link with J. McCain for a while but kinda chicken-chit to say much without sounding like a nutter.

You have some great add-ons to my fears.

Here were open ended ponderings:

A lot of repubs don’t vote for the primary candidates…they wait for it to get all sorted out and then vote Repub in the general election. Now, you get enough primary votes from voters who are not registered either way ‘D/R’ [HELLO ACORN] and you can get a candidate in that your [opposing] team feels will not win by a long-shot against your guy.

-And, it almost worked to the letter until McCain threw Palin in like a surprise upper-cut and people suddenly took notice and the GOP was a buzz.

Plus, who knows how much fraud even brought B.O.’s vote to where he actually won with the help of his pet ACORN? ACORN seems above the law with B.O.’s guiding hand$.

Something definitely stinks to high heaven.

/tin-foil hat off

May 15, 2009 - 5:05 pm 135. Christa Cooper:

My concern is that Obama seems to have a complete disconnect from American life. I have a list of things that he has no experience with:

Little League baseball, Boy Scouts, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, farming, mining, county fairs, square dancing, auctions, fish fries, car repair, woodwork, mowing the lawn, knock-knock jokes, the military, big family Thanksgivings, Christmas pageants, Oktoberfests, Italian festivals, the Grange, the Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion,assembly line work, rodeos, commercial fishing, forestry, working one’s way through school, Masons, Knights of Columbus, Fourth of July picnics and fireworks, marching band, NASCAR, etc. etc.

He is completely disconnected from at least 75% of the people in this country. He doesn’t identify with us or even understand us. I think he views us as pawns in some sort of game he is playing.

I have never understood his appeal, and that in itself makes me even more nervous.

Every decision he has made is the worst one for the future of this country. If he were incompetent, the odds are a few decisions would be ok. Instead, it is a consistent and constant push to dismantle the country in all areas, social, financial, military, intelligence, judicial. I cannot help but think he wishes this nation ill, whether because he doesn’t understand us or because he hates us.

May 15, 2009 - 5:11 pm 136. Delia:

P.S. I think this is why the Dems tried to rip Palin to shreds from the getgo for the very reason I mentioned in 133.

She was a curve-ball they weren’t ready for and they ripped into her like crazed psychopaths irregardless of her being a successful/strong woman.

Every kind of vile, sickening, heartless, below-the-belt crap was spewed at Palin! The insanity was that she was truly NOT ready to be VP and it took her by surprise. Was this part of the plot that back-fired? Was middle-man Lib-Lite McCain part of it?

Who’ll ever know… I’m not one for conspiracy theoretical rants, but, as Chuck P. says…”The truth will out.”

May 15, 2009 - 5:23 pm 137. donttreadonme:

29.Vivo,
Thanks for the edit…that makes what you said much better. Before the “it” I still had you pegged as the absolute most worthless and far-fetched blogger on PJM…but now..
63. Shef,
..And so the day came when Shef, armed with nothing but his wit and his dog-eared copy of Strunk & White, strode out into the internet, vowing to one day discredit, nay destroy, every use of metaphor and analogy. Setting his sights high, he is determined to unleash a veritable stampede of ridicule on such noteworthy scholars such as Victor Hanson, who in one egregious example of metaphor, had the temerity to compare his Dear Leader’s missteps to a widening crack in a marble statue, specifically marble excavated from the Athenian Mt. Pentelicus…Godspeed in your righteous quest brother Shef!!

May 15, 2009 - 5:36 pm 138. tanstaafl:

Guess I had to read more of Tom Clancy to have come across the word before.

Nekulturniy

I would agree about the lack of class and culture, coupled with a certain condescension. He dares reprove Americans for not speaking a foreign language, minor detail that he doesn’t speak one himself, not even “Austrian”.

Both Obamas have only a patina of culture, which is the chief reason their condescending observations about Americans are so annoying.

May 15, 2009 - 6:48 pm 139. J.E. Dyer:

BTW, Professor, the “Sarah Palin’s First 100 Days” piece is priceless.

I don’t think we’ll be having to say “Victor was wrong” any time soon.

May 15, 2009 - 7:27 pm 140. Bilgeman:

#134 Delia:
“A lot of repubs don’t vote for the primary candidates…they wait for it to get all sorted out and then vote Repub in the general election. Now, you get enough primary votes from voters who are not registered either way ‘D/R’ [HELLO ACORN] and you can get a candidate in that your [opposing] team feels will not win by a long-shot against your guy.”

Quite plausible…McCain was kissing hind teat to Romney and Huckabee.
He’d won the primary in Hew Hampshire, which is closed, but either is open to “registered independents”, (whatever THAT means…

McCain placed well in Michigan, also an open primary.

But South Carolina was where he put it in the bag, despite the state having polled heavily for Reverend Huck for weeks prior.

And So Car is also an open primary…ain’t that special? WIth a large black population to boot.

So now, I’m looking into seeing if the absolute numbers by the counties and by the precincts, was anything grossly abnormal for a GOP primary.

BTW, you Hillary Democrats can play along, too…your gal was running pretty strong in Pennsylvania and Ohio and West-by-Gawd.
Maybe mighty electoral primary oaks from little ACORNs grew in some of those hotbeds of democracy like the Philly and Cleveland ‘burbs.

We know Hillary took it in the knickers with the her Michigan and Florida delegates being ixnayed by Howard “Screamin’” Dean, eh?

May 15, 2009 - 8:32 pm 141. john from cinncinatti:

VDH is not being critical of GWB because Big O has inherited the bush bashing. it is now his turn. in case any one here missed it we had 2 horrible years of trash talking and electioneering. the ONE is now on the hot seat, so all the lies and gobbledygook coming out of the aforementioned two sided mouth piece we call a teletubby is really owned by him. it is not GWBs fault nor did it remain there after GWB left the white house, it is not an overdubbed speech given by GWB.

May 15, 2009 - 8:41 pm 142. kathy:

109. ratatosk:
I’d have a much easier time of swallowing it, if VDH had been equally critical of the Bush bullshit.

So, you’re a brand-new reader of VDH? Pull your head out & do some reading of the Doc’s stuff written during Bush’s eight years. Quit being lazy & do some homework – it’ll help you not sound so moronic. Not everyone is going to spoon-feed you pablum or do your work for you. Inform yourself and then you won’t sound so silly.

May 15, 2009 - 8:49 pm 143. Joseph:

J. E. Dyer if you agree with Victor wouldn’t you be incorrect too?
Maybe Obama will end the good old USA as we know it some of us think maybe for the better, but you all are predicting concentration camps the whole fascist/communist (I like the way you all include every bad thing possible from both ends of the political spectrum.) and I think you all are full of sh*t. If you watch “The Daily Show” the left has already turned on him and most commie/fascists are disappointed with his continuation of Bush’s policies.
So chicken little if the sky doesn’t fall will you say “I was wrong.”?

May 15, 2009 - 9:12 pm 144. davidt:

Which classical character is Obama? Narcissus, of course. Delia, about McCain, remember that everything he has done since losing the primary to Bush in 2000 has been a thumb in the eye of Conservatives and Republicans. McCain/Feingold, Amnesty for Illegals, the Gang of 14, flirting with being Kerry’s running-mate, anti-torture posing, the list goes on and on. Personal revenge is the simplest answer to, “Why all this nonsense?” It wouldn’t surprise me if he chose Palin for a running-mate before she was ready just to ruin her as a future leader of Conservatives.

May 15, 2009 - 9:20 pm 145. davidt:

Thought I closed the italics after ‘everything’. Sorry.

May 15, 2009 - 9:22 pm 146. Joseph:

To emphasize my point I think you all are wrong about Obama but have been wrong before and so I’m willing to say so are you?

May 15, 2009 - 9:42 pm 147. njcommuter:

“…and now he cannot muzzle the leftwing multi-headed Cerberus he unleashed.”

Beware the unicorn stampede!

If the AP & Co. have realized that Obama may be bad for the country then Obama’s base may have begun crumbling. Once the curtain of lies in the Press falls, who knows what will happen. How much truth can the Democratic machine stand?

May 15, 2009 - 9:44 pm 148. TLM:

“Yes, Nancy, There Really Is a God Nemesis”

(VDH Corner post)

Never underestimate the Democrats’ ability to self-destruct. Pelosi’s lies plus her slander of the CIA may be her undoing as Madame Secretary. Her flailing around (on camera) with that deer-in-the-headlights look is priceless. Eric Holder seems not to understand the basic premises of the torture statutes. What law school did he go to again? Same as Obama? Speaking of which, Obama has been background noise the past few days, babbling about unsustainable deficits as if he had nothing to do with them. Of the two people listening to him — the rest of the country’s watching the Pelosi meltdown — one’s too stoned to know what a deficit is and the other thinks he’s calling for yet another tax increase (good guess). Pompous ass Algore spews hot air to Congress like a one man global warming machine, the consummate oxygen thief and CO2 emitter live and in the flesh. Joe Biden’s layin’ low, amazed that he’s surrounded by people dumber than him. He can’t believe his good luck. And the rest of us cap off a fine week with a couple of outstanding VDH essays. Doesn’t get any better than that.

May 15, 2009 - 9:47 pm 149. JFM:

MS Attitude says:

105. JFM: Very few in the South owned slaves.

I know. And I know the answer confederate soldier ttoo poor to own slaves gave to the Union soldiers who had captured him and were wondering why he had fought:

“Because you are here”.

However evn if few owned slaves when you look at newspapers or speeches of Southern politicians it was slavery who was told again and again as the reason to laeve the Union. Not custom duties. That was invented later when the Conferation was trying to be recognized by European countries and after Civil War when even in the South people began to be uncomfortable about slavery.

May 15, 2009 - 11:17 pm 150. Oakley:

I can only hope BO is coming apart at the seams. He is a destroyer, hell bent on destruction.

May 15, 2009 - 11:32 pm 151. Rachel Peepers:

He’s erudite. Learned. Insightful. In every sense of the word.

Victor Davis Hanson.

But the article so many are commenting on doesn’t, at least for me, make total sense.

I read and re-read the piece looking for the cracks and fissures his subheads refer to, but can’t find a single example of one.

Is this another case where the article writer doesn’t write the headline and subheads?

Or am I just missing something?

Of course, I agree, the Telebama train is heading straight for a massive wreck.

All the ingredients for calamity are there, from legal and ethics violations, to ticking debt time bombs to super inflation dangers to the squandering of precious time we should be spending to make us energy independent, to total security inattention, civil discord and race relations that are likely to make the Hatfields and McCoys seem like friendly neighbors.

As African American marching band after African America marching passed in review on that cold January 4 day, I said to myself. “The jig is up. Obama is the living, breathing, America-hating, race bating fissure incarnate capable of separating black from white, rich from poor, urban from rural, north from south, liberal from conservative and everything in between.

Obama is a nation-infecting disease. Where, pray tell, will we find the cure?

May 15, 2009 - 11:42 pm 152. DavidN:

So we’re down to the point of denigrating Abraham Lincoln? Abe essentially saved the country, and destroyed the slave system in the United States. Various idiots have been trying to explain why this was bad ever since it occurred. The idea that he could have let slavery continue and somehow avoid the Civil War has been put forward before. What modern people fail to understand is how violent and argumentative the slave lobby was in the 1850’s. In the early part of the century, New Orleans had three militia regiments of blacks; one fought for Andy Jackson in 1815. As the century proceeded, various slave states outlawed the practice of freeing your slaves in your will, teaching your slaves to read, and so forth. In the middle 1850’s, Kansas was wracked by gangs of southerners riding into various towns, shooting anyone who was anti-slavery, and then ballot-stuffing in favor of the pro-slavery candidate of the moment.

By the late 1850s, there were actually people insisting that outlawing slavery itself was unconstitutional. If you read the Dred Scott decision closely, it implies this, and many Northerners felt very threatened by it. There were various Southern politicians who essentially were evangelists trying to spread the good word about slavery, and get everyone on board with the program. During the war itself, there was discussion as to whether slavery was important as far as the cause of the war. One of the more unusual Confederate generals was the British immigrant Patrick Cleburne, who was a very skilled soldier and gifted leader. Cleburne, whatever else he was, wasn’t a big proponent of slavery. In 1863, he actually proposed that the Confederate government free the slaves, so that they could help the Confederacy fight for freedom. Supposedly, when he heard the proposal, Jefferson Davis laughed, and asked, “Doesn’t he understand what we’re fighting for?” This anecdote aside, there are some people who can’t be confused with facts, they’ve already drawn their erroneous conclusions and will stick to them, past all logic and reasoning.

May 16, 2009 - 12:07 am 153. DavidN:

Oh, and Jeffrey Hummel’s book Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men is an overdrawn academic exercise that misunderstands essentially everything about warfare, and the Civil War in particular. I can remember being at a seminar with him, where a group of us listened to him talk about the book and then field our questions. Hummel’s point in the book is that the Confederates should have adopted the NVA’s guerrilla tactics, which he seems to think are unstoppable. There were several of us there who were asking him questions about the book, one of them being a marine/soldier who tried to ask a question about strategy that assumed his assertion about guerrilla warfare wasn’t viable (because it wasn’t/isn’t). The poor guy had to be rescued by one of the seminar organizers. There are portions of the book that are interesting, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a history of the war.

May 16, 2009 - 12:19 am 154. LeighB:

Delia 136: Indeed, Palin was a threat. The R-party figured correctly that many women were starting to think the Dems thought they were no more than just a vote. When I say this next statement my comment seldom makes it past the moderator.

Please women, wake up. For the D-party, race will always trump gender. Always. If you truly believe this party represents your interests, hang with them. If they are fighting for your interests, hang with them. However, if the words are not matching the actions, please reconsider.

And now before anyone calls me a racist or a bitter old woman, let me say this. I have spent my adult life fighting for equal opportunity for people of all races, religions, and abilities. I go out of my way to hire people who are not like me because I want the strongest team. Rant over.

And besides, I’m not really that old.

May 16, 2009 - 6:30 am 155. Cybergeezer:

Concerning the eligibility status of Obama to be president; The muslim extremists and other subversives are salivating at the inaction and toothless attempts to get to the documentation for this person.
At this rate, we shall see someone on the Democrat ticket, in 2012, with a completely void background, capable of mesmerizing the masses like Mother Theresa. Louis Farrakhan in drag, maybe!

May 16, 2009 - 7:06 am 156. Bilgeman:

#148 TLM:
“Joe Biden’s layin’ low, amazed that he’s surrounded by people dumber than him.”

My God…you’re absolutely correct!

You do realize that this was foretold as one of the signs of the End Times, right?

May 16, 2009 - 7:17 am 157. Cybergeezer:

And Obamas racial expertise seems to come primarily from Michelle who majored in race at college. Obama has had no real experience with racial strife either; His only experience is through the vicarious background of Michelle and Rev. Wright.
This guy has been sheltered from just about everything a normal school child experiences every day. Is there any wonder why he is such a bumbler?

May 16, 2009 - 7:26 am 158. Koblog:

“He treats the media with contempt as all earls do with obsequious court jesters.”

Obsequious court jesters. Priceless.

I still marvel at the lack of response from the Media when it came to light that the Chrysler lawyer was thuggishly threatened with reputation destruction by “my White House press corps.”

Their silence is proof enough.

The media truly are “his” press corps.

Funny thing about Americans, though. We like to tear down Idols as much as we like to build them up….

May 16, 2009 - 7:49 am 159. sheesh:

154. LeighB . . . “Indeed, Palin was a threat. The R-party figured correctly that many women were starting to think the Dems thought they were no more than just a vote.”

This is a great example of how tone deaf the Right can be. Many things made Palin abhorrent to the majority of voters in this country – most connected directly to her dim intellect and lack of character. However, there was one particularly troublesome aspect of her candidacy that was beyond her control – women all over America were offended that Republicans thought they could win their votes just because they nominated a woman. In other words, women figured correctly that the Republicans thought they were no more than just a vagina.

And now, having been beaten into irrelevance, the Republicans are scrambling to decide who they are – hard right evangelical conservatives or moderate populists. God, guns and gays or the big tent party? Your biological clock is ticking . . . better hurry up and pop out a newborn identity . . . you’re gonna need all the time you can get to convince people it’s real.

May 16, 2009 - 8:27 am 160. LeighB:

Cybergeezer, did I understand you correctly? You think Michelle Obama is going to run in 2012 for the Dems?

May 16, 2009 - 8:47 am 161. Teacher in Tejas:

#123 Vaughn:

I do hope you are referring to Mussolini’s removal from office, not his unfortunate “final end” at the hands of his people.

That would be very, very bad to refer to what you could possibly be implying there.

Now with that in mind, whatver the electoral results I pray to God that Obama is voted out of office or serves his two terms. Look at the lionization of the incredibly over-rated JFK. The last poll had him in the top 10 ahead of Reagan for crying out loud.

If something similar happens to Obama, it will be unbearable. Half the schools in this nation will be renamed in his honor, whole towns and neighborhoods will change their name. They will either sandblast Jefferson (slave owner after all) of Mount Rushmore to make room, or just start pouring dirt to make the mountain bigger. The very next presidential poll would have him listed as the greatest chief executive ever.

Once again, I hope the man serves out his one or (God forbid) two terms safely, as the above circumstances are to naueseating to contemplate.

May 16, 2009 - 9:06 am 162. Delia:

140. Bilgeman,

Hmmmm. Good point about the ‘Hillary’ angle too! Soooooo many conspiracy theories and sooooo leetle time. Funny how us ‘nutters’ have been right about so much thus far though eh?
~

154. LeighB,

Sing it, Sistah-Fren! Remember, the only people who play the ‘race-card’ are the RACISTS. There are STRONG conservative women who don’t take guff from anyone and stand up for their beliefs. I hope to see a female president in my lifetime and hopefully a conservative one rather than a liberal cretin.

May 16, 2009 - 9:16 am 163. TheMightyMonarch:

#135:

Excellent list, but you could have simplified it by saying that our current President has never worked an honest day in his life. Not one day in the private sector (unless you count his alleged and brief sales career in recreational pharmaceuticals). Every job the man has held since college has been at the expense of charity (his days training ACORN thugs), his work as a community agitator, or his political career, all financed by taxpayers.

Bush was not a true conservative but at least the man ran a baseball team and an oil company. I’ll take a private sector guy over a career politician almost any day of the week.

May 16, 2009 - 9:25 am 164. Kersplat:

I agree with VDH; very rigorous thorough assessment of Obama here. Yet I am a bit mystified as to why VDH is unwilling to go so far as to call a spade a spade. Obama’s actions are those of a narcissistic Alinskyite fascist. Much, if not all, of Obama’s performance, actions and tactics are understandable within this context. Moreover, given Obama’s record so far, it is seriously doubtful he will ever encounter any sense of reason or concern for the well-being of us Americans, or our country. Why?? Because all Obama cares about is his own Power. Everything, indirectly or directly, is a means to this end.

May 16, 2009 - 9:54 am 165. J.E. Dyer:

Joseph 140s — OK, the humor didn’t work. I imagine the posters here run the gamut, from willing to completely unable to admit when they’ve been wrong about something. This seems to be a trait distribution related to simple humanity, as opposed to political partisanship.

What I’m pretty sure about is that no one you encounter anywhere will be prepared to agree that he’s been wrong on whatever terms you demand. This might come as a shock, but people do have differences of opinion. You might be absolutely certain that the consequences conservatives fear have not occurred, a conservative might well be equally certain that they have.

An example would be the redistribution of Chrysler assets conservatives are complaining about. There is good reason to view this as wholly unconstitutional. Unconstitutional things being done without redress looks pretty bad, if you prize the rule of law, and believe that holding it inviolate is essential to our civil liberties. This isn’t even really a gray area: no law authorizes the federal executive to do what Obama is doing.

But you may not think it’s a big deal. Perhaps you are not old enough yet to realize that what you have here is a difference of opinion. Now, we think you’re wrong. I’m sure you can find conservatives who would passionately demand that YOU admit how wrong YOU are, since here is Obama acting unconstitutionally right under our noses.

I doubt that you would regard this as particularly helpful. Just something to think about.

May 16, 2009 - 10:12 am 166. proreason:

“No to all that common sense.”

“Obama’s serial emphasis on race may achieve the unintended opposite of polarization”

God bless VDH, but he continues to speak as if he thinks the Obama cabal is operating as just an very liberal version of American politics. Not fundamentally different, just further left.

He and the country need to wake up that the people who have siezed power don’t in any way represent the United States and are more interested in dismantling it than preserving it.

Their actions don’t fly in the face of commons sense. They are deliberate, and the intent is to undermine and destroy the institutions than make it possible for us to live free lives.

Polarization isn’t an “unintended consequence”. It is their goal. Because that is how they siezed power and that is how they will confiscate the goods of the achieving classes. And not so much for the purpose of redistribution. The purpose is to destroy the middle class which they see as an impediment to their power.

Education, the media, the family, churches, veterans, free speech, private enterprise, choice in every form. Every pillar of freedom is being deliberately attacked. If you disagree, find a tradional value or institution that is not under constant assault. There are none.

I guess you can hope that it’s all a benevolent oligarchy if you want to.

It would be the first one in history.

Power is what it’s all about. Absolute power to control your life.

And since I know half of you who are reading this are calling me a conspiracy theorist and a nut, let me answer the question you are asking. Why would they want to do it? What’s in it for them, since they are already wealthy and powerful beyond imagination?

The answer is that they want to do it because they intend to guarantee themselves permanent power by separating themselves not by degrees, but by light-years from the rest us of, and return the world to the days when an aristocracy had TOTAL control and power, and the peasants had no ability to resist.

That is why they are destroying everything and everybody that can prevent it.

May 16, 2009 - 10:12 am 167. Steve P in Bethesda, Md.:

Right on the money. Alas.

May 16, 2009 - 10:51 am 168. misanthropicus:

RE #18/R Richard Schweitzer: [...] similarity to Mussolini. Even the attempt to organize an equivalent “Internet Blackshirts?” [...]

Attempt, my friend? This site is constatly patrolled and discussions are constantly obfuscated and disturbed by obnoxious Soetorbots – check any thread for dba “sheesh” od “Pastor of Muppets” (they having landed here recently, in the past few weeks).

May 16, 2009 - 11:41 am 169. Works and Days » Cracks in the Facade – by Victor Davis Hanson « Snow Report Blog:

[...] via Works and Days » Cracks in the Facade. [...]

May 16, 2009 - 12:51 pm 170. ridgerunner:

DavidN,
Your three long paragraphs do not address why compensated emancipation was not tried.

I did not recommend Hummel’s book as a history of the Civil War, but as a book that considered whether war could have been avoided. You know, the frustration with commenting at all in a forum such as this is that typically a responder will do what you did: hand-wave about something not relevant (like Hummel’s idea about a guerrilla strategy) but not address the core issue of the orginal comment (could the war have been avoided or was the North predisposed to subjugate the South for other reasons than abolition). If you think you rebutted all criticism of Lincoln’s conduct, you are deluded.

May 16, 2009 - 1:49 pm 171. Instapundit » Blog Archive » VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Seeing cracks in the Obama facade….:

[...] VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Seeing cracks in the Obama facade. [...]

May 16, 2009 - 5:55 pm 172. Will Cate:

Superb column, Mr. Hanson. Thanks.

May 16, 2009 - 6:18 pm 173. Terrye:

Maybe I am the exception to the rule, but I never did get the Obama charisma. I think the man is a fraud. I always have.

May 16, 2009 - 6:25 pm 174. Dantes:

Obama reminds me of the dog who chased the car and finally caught it.

Now what?

There are 50 some odd million Obamaphytes in the US. Dr. Hanson’s analysis mirrors what many of them believe to be true, but cannot yet accept…they elected a radical leftist whose political allegiances were forged with the fires of Alinsky, Soros, Lenin and Marx. Not Jefferson, Washington, Hamilton, or Reagan.

Reading carefully the words of the likes of Obama supporters like Camilia Page, and Peggy Noonan for example. They are like Mulder in the X files…they want to believe. But the truth is out there.

Obama the alchemist is self-transforming himself from fool’s gold into lead. Only a matter of time, but hopefully he won’t do incalculable damage to the country before his acolytes throw him to the wolves. As for those of us who knew who he was…ain’t Schadenfreude wonderful?

May 16, 2009 - 7:18 pm 175. Kelly:

Out of all that is listed above, what makes me the angriest is how he has thrown America under the bus to any two-bit dictator he runs into.

I think what offends me the most is that we have a President who clearly has no sense of history, no love of country. I can forgive political differences if the politician is operating under a different set of idea’s than I have, that he seemingly thinks might work although I disagree.

I don’t know what drives Obama, the lack of interest from the media in finding this out is stunning.

May 16, 2009 - 7:40 pm 176. Kristen Burroughs:

Isn’t Pentelic marble shiny, pure and bright white? I guess I’d use another adjective to describe Obama.

May 16, 2009 - 7:55 pm 177. Doug in Fremont, CA:

ridgerunner, there are reasons that slavery ended peacefully in the rest of the Americas – the percentage of slaves in the population, and their economic importance was usualy much less than in the American South. In many of these countries, there were native Americans who were worked to death; after all, they hadn’t been expensive like slaves, and were therefore treated much worse than slaves. Finally, many of these countries emancipated their slaves as part of their respective revolutionary wars of Independence. It helped the ruling class in each country justify their rebellion from Spain.

May 16, 2009 - 8:08 pm 178. BMoon:

The most complete, cogent, clear summation of the first 100 days disaster I have yet read. Kudos, once again, Victor. You are a voice crying in the wilderness.

May 16, 2009 - 8:09 pm 179. Joseph:

165.J.E. Dyer
OK I give, I’m wrong and Obama is Satan come to earth. I just find the rest of your fellow travelers (I know it references communists) to be a little too pro confederate, pro slavery and anti anyone nonwhite.
I just find you all’s certainty to be a little scary.
To quote Oliver Cromwell “i beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken.”
See persuade me nicely and I’ll come around.
Good Luck to all of you, bye.

May 16, 2009 - 8:26 pm 180. David Govett:

False dichotomy. He could simultaneously be not serious and confused.

May 16, 2009 - 8:47 pm 181. adrienne:

Narcissism isn’t the only problem with Obama. Bill Clinton was narcissistic as well, and he had a problem with lack of father figure. Even though he was a crummy president, he came across as someone, having grown up in small town, America that understood and loved America and its people. I think that the fact that Obama didn’t grow up here in this country contributes more to his lack of connection with or understanding of basic American values. I’m not sure that he hates this country, but you don’t get the feeling that he would suffer or sacrifice for it as you would a loved one.

May 16, 2009 - 9:04 pm 182. M. Report:

The US of A needs to manufacture things our
creditors want, and can afford, to buy.

Energy is the base of our manufacturing sector;
Costs go down with the price of energy.

The cheapest power available is nuclear;
Fission for sure, IEC fusion, probably.

This is not a game; The worst case scenario
will be measured in mega-deaths of US citizens.

If the WCS is to be avoided, the initiative must
come from the bottom up; Throw the rascals out !

May 16, 2009 - 9:17 pm 183. TheMightyMonarch:

“Many things made Palin abhorrent to the majority of voters in this country – most connected directly to her dim intellect and lack of character.”

Both inaccurate statements fostered by a media who felt threatened enough by a successful conservative, pro-life woman that they felt it necessary to dig through her trash and engage in character assassination formerly reserved for the sleaziest tabloids. She was a perfectly qualified candidate for the Presidency, certainly more qualified than a first-term Senator with zero executive experience and horrendous associations.

Were you even paying attention to the media coverage of the election? The media chose to spend its time analyzing gossip about whether Governor Palin’s baby was indeed hers, yet failed to exercise their journalistic muscle to investigate why Senator Obama chose to sit in a church spewing racist garbage for 20 years, or why he chose to launch his career in the home of Bill Ayers, murderer and terrorist, or why he chose to receive favors from a convicted felon like Tony Rezko.

Sarah Palin was crucified for mentioning that Russia was right next door to her state, yet Obama’s statement to disconnected, unhinged San Francisco elitists about “Bitter Americans” clinging to God and guns was summarily dismissed.

If you don’t see how the media completely abandoned not only its journalistic integrity, as well as its sanity, in order to smear a woman who had the audacity not to fall in line with the liberal cult, you really are blind.

Geraldine Ferraro received no such treatment in 1984, in fact I clearly remember the media praising the Democrats extensively for having the “courage” for putting a woman on the ticket, who incidentally didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the election. Quite courageous.

The media went off its rocker in 2008. They saw a real threat in Sarah Palin, and from their lofty perch in Washington and New York could not comprehend, and therefore hated, the girl from the Midwest with the funny accent, running a state that in their minds might as well been another planet. Absolutely disgusting.

May 16, 2009 - 9:34 pm 184. TLM:

sheesh:

“Many things made Palin abhorrent to the majority of voters in this country…”

Where’s your proof for this ridiculous statement? Obama beat McCain. That’s the conclusion to be drawn from the election. The bottom of the ticket invariably has a negligible effect on the outcome of an election (who wins and who loses).

“Your biological clock is ticking . . . ”

Odd metaphor for a political party. Wires get crossed up a bit? Your childish political putdown reads like subconscious misogyny.

Ask yourself sheesh: Don’t essentially all democratic countries have a viable opposition party? Do any totalitarian countries have a legitimate opposition party? Why is that do you suppose?

May 16, 2009 - 9:51 pm 185. Prisoner of Zenda:

Doc writes a column and like the deists’ god, takes his leave. Comments follow and wind up like the game of telephone — until Doc writes again…

May 16, 2009 - 9:57 pm 186. Tantor:

Since Obama is substantially maintaining Bush policies after campaigning against them, wouldn’t that make Obama a crypto-Bush?

May 16, 2009 - 11:11 pm 187. Fresh Air:

Adrienne–

It is my opinion that Zero hates not America, but White America. He doesn’t mind ruining the economy insofar as it would devastate those with the most wealth, e.g. whites. HIs ultimate desire is to be a sort of “King of the Brown Peoples.” He wants to live out his life receiving supplicants and dispensing wisdom and power. It is up to all of us to see that he is driven from office as a shriveled husk, exposed for the Marxist-Leninist and white hater that he is. His pathologies are so intense, I’m laying a 3-to-1 odds he suffers a nervous breakdown in the next two years.

May 16, 2009 - 11:49 pm 188. buddy larsen:

Excellent compression, Dr. Hanson –and as even-handed as truth can allow.

You’re right –the new president almost seems to be going out of his way to choose paths to disasters. In fact it’s painfully obvious that he has some sort of birth trauma in mind for his new USA. No pain no gain.

This grandiosity and hatefulness toward the old USA (which compared to the rest of the world wasn’t half bad all in all) is of far greater concern to many of us than the actual pitiful results that will obtain from these first 100-plus days.

To tell the truth, I’m starting to worry about the sorts of things that this guy worries about.

If the president isn’t worried, then I’m really worried –because the situation merits no such insouciance unless there’s a hidden agenda and its results aren’t –like the agenda of record’s –so utterly up in the blue sky.

May 17, 2009 - 12:05 am 189. buddy larsen:

pastor of muppets, so you’re saying that MSM fails not because it’s ideologogical but because it’s not ? That being a business (as opposed to what –a federal agency?) means no investigative journalism –even tho a good investigation is about the only thing that DOES bring in the sales?

lessee you have at least two other howling howlers up there but i forgot ‘em already. maybe later.

May 17, 2009 - 12:34 am 190. Anonymous:

J.E. Dyer:
“I’ve already determined which character he is in the Star Trek universe: Shinzon, from Nemesis.”

I was thinking god from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

May 17, 2009 - 12:40 am 191. Dave:

J.E. Dyer said:
“I’ve already determined which character he is in the Star Trek universe: Shinzon, from Nemesis.”

I was thinking god from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

May 17, 2009 - 12:41 am 192. Cracks in the Facade : Conservative Nation:

[...] Read the whole thing here: Victor Davis Hanson: Cracks in the Facade [...]

May 17, 2009 - 12:52 am 193. ridgerunner:

Doug in Fremont,Ca,
Once again, a Lincoln apologist avoids my question: Why did the North not seek to end slavery by compensated emancipation? Nothing in your post addressed that question. Congratulations for continuing the apologist tradition of avoidance.

This article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compensated_emancipation lists the many nations that did use compensated emancipation. Interestingly, compensation was paid to slaveholders in Washington, D.C. Why does that not surprise me?

May 17, 2009 - 3:28 am 194. John Higgins:

I agree, at four months there are cracks in the facade. Yet the MSM as well as the late night comics still worship Obama, and the Left either deny these issues or blame Bush. Can the Dems lose seats in 2010, and Obama be beat in 2012?

May 17, 2009 - 3:31 am 195. Peg C.:

Professor, thank you for this outstanding analysis. All points are on the mark.

A sleeping giant in the American people is starting to wake up. We’ll see what form it takes – productive or destructive. With what we have at the helm of the country now, there could be a vicious reckoning coming. I can’t figure out if the damage being done now by this inarticulate and unskilled gangster in the WH is salvageable within the next generation.

And I do mean he is unskilled. He has zero speaking abilities when not following his TOTUS and he has zero leadership abilities. His only skills are that of a Ward Churchill – demonization, destruction and demoralization. Is that who we really wanted in the White House?

Recovery Begins When Obama Loses His Job

May 17, 2009 - 5:22 am 196. Hong:

I can’t find fault in the article. Nationalizing Health Care is my biggest fear. As a person with chronic conditions that require speacialist. I doubt ObamaCare will encourage many doctors to spend the extra time and study to learn it when their earnings will be taxed so brutally.

May 17, 2009 - 6:13 am 197. Charles:

I only disagree with Dr. Hanson in one respect: Notwithstanding “Obamamania”, I think most WILL AGREE with him. For at least 58 million of us, ‘Obamarama’ was simply a veneer to mask a radical leftist; his actions in office have only served to prove us correct…

May 17, 2009 - 7:43 am 198. ked5:

@43 Meryl
he truly has such contempt for the public that he thinks we don’t notice (his lies).

~~~

bingo

May 17, 2009 - 7:48 am 199. J.E. Dyer:

Joseph #179 — or, you could stick to your guns and make an argument, rather than worrying about the willingness of other people to admit they are wrong.

One thing I’ve found over the years: if you make a sound and compelling argument, people will remember it. They may go through all the epileptic aerobics of their reflexive reactions (“Christofascist! You’re full of s—!” etc), but in the end, they remember what you said.

That turns out to be a high-payoff outcome than seizing every opportunity to demand that people recognize how stupid and intransigent you find them.

I do enjoy the Cromwell reference. Read much about Oliver Cromwell?

Pax vobiscum.

May 17, 2009 - 8:52 am 200. The American Empire » Blog Archive » Today’s Recommended Reading:

[...] Victor Davis Hanson courtesy of Pajamas Media: [...]

May 17, 2009 - 9:13 am 201. President Bush (43) Will Eventually be Recognized as One of Our Greatest Presidents « Chiefly Musing:

[...] His accomplishments will look even greater when compared to President Obama’s mistakes. [...]

May 17, 2009 - 9:37 am 202. Snake eater:

watching obama’s chickens coming home to roost will be a beautiful thing.

May 17, 2009 - 10:14 am 203. J.E. Dyer:

Dave # 191 — wow, another one I hadn’t thought of. Very interesting possiblity, that.

I’m getting a little punchy, and now thinking of Obama as one of the humpback whales from ST IV.

I have an axiom that goes “Sooner or later, life will imitate every aspect of Star Trek.”

May 17, 2009 - 11:33 am 204. mdgiles:

ridgerunner wrote:

Once again, a Lincoln apologist avoids my question: Why did the North not seek to end slavery by compensated emancipation? Nothing in your post addressed that question. Congratulations for continuing the apologist tradition of avoidance.As opposed to the “NeoConfederate” tradition of obfuscating the subject?
When was the union supposed to try compensated emancipation? Before the Civil War – when the South was in control of the federal machinery – and the country was bending over backwards to keep the South placated? During the Civil War – when compensated emancipation would have – rightly – been seen as rewarding the South for starting the War in the first place?

In reality, the Civil War started because the South felt it was losing control of the Federal Government, a fact that they had used again and again to their own advantage (cue the Fugitive Slave Act). Secession was akin to a child taking their ball and going home, because the other kids wouldn’t let them win. It was also illegal. The Constitution was the supreme law of the land. I don’t recall the Southern Congressional delegations entering an amendment to change the form of the union. One would assume that, having gone to Congress to get into the Union (the states after the Constitutions initial ratification), Congress would have at least been consulted if they wanted to get out. At least before they started shooting – which the South started first. In any case, by the time Lincoln assumed the Presidency the South, had already decided upon secession, and the time for a “reasonable” solution had passed.

May 17, 2009 - 11:56 am 205. SukieTawdry:

Oh, I think the absolute worst of the worse is “the creation of vast new dependent classes who vote in exchange for entitlement.” To have those classes comprise a majority, which is Obambi’s goal, will be a first for our Republic and perhaps the death of it.

“He treats the media with contempt as all earls do with obsequious court jesters.” Ha, ha, ha–ain’t it the truth. What fools these media flunkies be.

May 17, 2009 - 12:10 pm 206. whiskey:

I think Prof. Hanson seriously misreads many Americans.

If the US gets hit, hard, at home, immediately Obama will have his chance to become Marshal Petain, and institute Vichy America.

Nearly all of Obama’s 52% of voters would happily surrender to any Islamic force that attacked America, even if or especially if say, NYC and parts of DC and oh, say Dallas or Chicago were nuked off the face of the earth.

Gays, Blacks, and Hispanics would all reflexively side with the Islamists against “the real enemy” which is America and “Straight White Men” … which is why Obama attracted them in the first place. They are not large demographically speaking but are important.

What’s really key is the reaction of “SWPL” (Stuff White People Like, after the website and book by Christian Lander) Yuppies and women.

Both were firm immediately after 9/11 and well, now, in opposition to anything but “dialogue” and well, surrender. For sound reasons (by their views).

Women and SWPL yuppies have as their most important goal the sustaining of the current division of social, political, cultural, and economic power.

Going to war against enemies that wipe out millions of Americans and nuke US cities would end that power. Power would go to the guys on the line (no women) and male defense workers. No trendy alt-rockers, tragically hip graphic artists, and female-dominated marketers need apply.

The whole female-oriented, yuppie power structure would crumble.

You wonder about torture memos being leaked, why Pelosi does what she does?

That’s your answer. Obama and his people MUST protect the female-yuppie power structure. They dream of being Vichy America just to maintain that power structure.

May 17, 2009 - 12:15 pm 207. Jamieos:

Having gone foolish – maybe – I sat here and read every single comment,and to my wonder there wasn’t one bad word in 201 comments. What I found was interesting discussion of the many aspects of our problems and our current duly elected president. What I failed to find was one single mention of a what to my mind is a huge reason for Obama’s character: Obama’s grandfather and his choice of a mentor for his grandson.

The chosen mentor was a black Chicago Communist on the run from the FBI, sent by the party to organize the Honolulu dockworkers, befriended by Stanley Dunham, the grandfather, as a suitable mentor for Barry and as a suitable drinking and discussion partner for Stanley himself. I have read that this mentor was also an illegal drug user and sexual addict. What a lovely role model for young Barry in his formative years! Sounds to me like a the perfect creator of a black racist years before Barrack Hussein met Rev. Wright and black liberation, and a big influence in O’s political thinking as a Marxist long before Alinsky. The man’s name was Frank Marshall Davis I believe.

Just sayin’. . . . .

May 17, 2009 - 12:42 pm 208. ebrown2:

“Here I am worried. Far from bringing us together, I think Obama’s serial emphasis on race may achieve the unintended opposite of polarization. He should have learned in the campaign (Rev. Wright, Trinity Church, typical white person, clingers, call for reparations, his grandmother — the purported prejudicial stereotyper, etc.), the perils of seeing the world through skin color.”

“Unintended?” I give him full credit for intentionally worsening race relations. He has never forgiven the white half of his family for existing (let alone taking him in and giving him a good life in America) and depriving him of the “glory” of the politically-powerful Kenyan family that rejected him for being half-”white.”
His book is not titled “Dreams from My Grandmother” for good reasons.

That’s why he sat in Wright’s church for 20 years and married the angriest, blackest woman (a la Spike Lee’s SCHOOL DAZE) he could find.

May 17, 2009 - 1:14 pm 209. John K.:

There is only 1 reason his approval has remained high-people can not disapprove of things they do not know about .The MSM is purposely keeping the public in the dark, not reporting many of the things he is doing at all. They only write fluff or, if a story becomes to large, the have to acknowledge and spin it-keeping people from seking out the information on their own and realizing just how little the MSM is reporting at all.

That is the role of MSM in this administration-keep people uninformed for 90% of what is going on and misinformed for the other 10%

May 17, 2009 - 1:47 pm 210. Joseph:

199. J.E. Dyer
You are right again at least about me (I’m not ready to concede about Obama) I should be more concerned about my own arguments than having others apologize for theirs.
BTW I find Nancy Pelosi much more scary than the President.
I hoped you would appreciate the Cromwell quote and realize he was pretty vicious especially toward the Irish.
Peace be upon you too.

May 17, 2009 - 9:20 pm 211. JFM:

Why did the North not seek to end slavery by compensated emancipation?

Actually the North never had the opportunity to seek anytting, the South seceded before Lincoln’s inauguration and shortly after started a shooting war.

Aslso did notice that the wikipedia article cites no sources at all and are you aware of how Wikipedia works?

May 17, 2009 - 10:56 pm 212. Aussie:

I see that the puppet of strings has drifted over to this blog….

Well I am not a USA citizen, and I do not have the answers about the American Civil War which is by and large irrelevant as far as the article is concerned.

Also, I think that it is best to ignore the hatred of Suzie and her friends because they do not represent either Democrat or Republicans who are centrists, neither left or right in most things.

The issues remain the lying of the man who sits in the White House. Do I consider him charismatic? Nope. However, to those who are willing to be sheep, the answer is yes. As an outsider I saw how he was being created by the media, especially by Oprah Winfrey. Do I think he is intelligent? Nope. I have seen nothing to convince me that he is as intelligent as has been claimed. I am wondering about his academic record, and there is the issue of who paid for his college education.

Did anyone bother to check to see if this man even knew how to live within his means? For heaven’s sake he over mortgaged his property!! If the value of the house was not equal to the loans that he took out then he is as guilty as those other people who had purchased property and then imprudently took out equity loans (without sinking the money into other property or at least a business opportunity). It seems that the media were very lazy when it came to doing a credit check on their man.

Then there is the issue of his book. Did he write that book? Someone has noted that the writing seems to have the same style as something written by William Ayers. Could it be that he is hiding his academic record because it will actually show that he was a very mediocre student and not that bright poppet that is the image of the media?

This man is a loser. I am hoping he will be a one-term president like Carter. I just hope that the damage caused by him is minimized.

May 18, 2009 - 1:58 am 213. John.Frank:

President Obama is a Statist ideologue. Congress is controlled by the Democrats, who by nature are Statists.

Over the next four years, the economic policies of the Obama administration and the Democratically controlled Congress will result in higher taxes for everyone, (either directly or indirectly), higher levels of unemployment (averaging between 8 – 10%), very slow economic growth (averaging between 0 – 1%)and ultimately high inflation (between (6-8%).

Unless there is a dramatic change in course, the projected deficits and spiraling national debt from these policies will ultimately result in the United States dollar loosing its status as the world’s reserve currency by no later than the end of this decade, if not sooner.

May 18, 2009 - 2:21 am 214. ridgerunner:

“When was the union supposed to try compensated emancipation?” Anytime after the New England shipowners had finished unloading Africans in Southern seaports.

There is nothing Neo-Confederate about my viewpoint. Slavery was wrong as well as mistaken. The Northern shipowners and financiers were as responsible for it as the Southern slaveholders. The war could have been avoided if abolitionists had concentrated on arguing for compensated emancipation instead of villifying Southerners. That Northern sentiment never moved in that direction makes me ask whether Northern motives were economic rather than moral.

Regarding the frequent comparisons of secession to childrens’ behavior, which is worse: the child separating himself from domineering companions, or the husband beating an unwilling wife into submission and dragging her home after she has left him?
By the way, I don’t recall the Federal government lamenting the secession of the myriad Soviet republics. Good for the goose but not for the gander.

Finally, all my opponents refer to the South’s secession as if it were unitary and monolithic. That obfuscation ignores the fact that the States of the upper South, including the South’s only real industrial base (Virginia), did not secede until after Lincoln had called for troops to invade the States of the lower South. Lincoln’s approach to the crisis was ham-handed and foolish, as was that of the Southern fireaters like Ruffin.

May 18, 2009 - 3:30 am 215. vivo:

61. Steamboat Jack:

“To imply that Bush was a failure may or may not be factual because the media only presented that view. ”

Let’s assume that Bush did everything right, but ONE single mistake took the country on a nosedive: going to Iraq.

And the lack of oversight on banks and Wall Street. And . . . Well, one is enough.

May 18, 2009 - 4:23 am 216. JFM:

Why did the North not seek to end slavery by compensated emancipation?

Adding to my preceeding answer: Because unlike French, Spanish or English colonies the South seceded and began killing Union soldiers. After this southerners were enemy and loyalists decided, IMHO rightly, they had to be treated as such instead of as Us citizens entitled to the rights granted by the Constitution of the United Sates.

Frankly I don’t know what atonishes me the most: the incredible leniency by the Union after Civil War or the fact that some people have the gall to whine about slave-owners not being compensated. Had the Union behaved like your standard european power Lee wouldn’t have walked away from Apomatox, and Jefferson Davis wouldn’t have served a mere two years in prison. Both along with about every prominent politician and general from the CSA along with several thousands of not so innocent bystanders would have been executed. Instead they died in their beds and Grant granted Confederate soldiers the right to keep their horses for work in the fields so they could feed their families.

May 18, 2009 - 5:38 am 217. buddy larsen:

Excellent site here (from Tulane University, scholarly YET compressed & readable), re the (above) Civil War sub-thread.

May 18, 2009 - 7:40 am 218. ridgerunner:

The point of compensated emancipation would not have been to benefit slaveholders, but rather to end slavery without the human cost of war. But the cost of war is irrelevant to statists like my opponents. It’s just the cost of doing business, literally.

If you wish to compare Federal behavior to standard European behavior, then you must ackowledge that all major Federal armies made war upon the Southern civilian population. This was in violation of the rules of war in Europe during the 19th century including especially the Geneva Convention of 1863.

What astonishes me is that, on this very morning, so many (apparent) Northerners exhibit so much venom against any viewpoint which deviates from the history as written by the victors.

May 18, 2009 - 8:00 am 219. Steamboat Jack:

215. Vivo

Bush made some serious mistakes. The biggest mistake was in allowing the Secretary of the Treasury Paulson to stampede him into the first “bail out”. It was the first step in the socialism of our economy.

(Paulson was CEO of Goldman Sachs during the years that company engaged in the financial dealings that collapsed. By the way, his former company got some 12.9 billion from him as a part of the “bail out”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Paulson )

The second big mistake is his failure to defend himself in the court of public opinion. He seemed to think that it was beneath the office to answer the criticisms of the Democrats and the media. (Personal opinion. I don’t have any references.)

As for the invasion of Iraq. It was a continuation of Bill Clinton’s foreign policy and was supported and even demanded by some Democrats and the media. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Liberation_Act
http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/wmdquotes.asp

As for deregulation of the banking industry and the causes of the financial collapse. Here are a couple of links that you might find of interest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&NR=1

Regards,

Steamboat Jack

May 18, 2009 - 8:07 am 220. ridgerunner:

To my Northern Friends,
I leave the field to you. I’m going to the country to fertilize some good Southern muscadines and blueberries.

May 18, 2009 - 9:38 am 221. JFM:

The point of compensated emancipation would not have been to benefit slaveholders, but rather to end slavery without the human cost of war

Given that South seceded before Lincoln’s inauguration let alone before he could make any propositions about abolition I think it is a moot point.

\mode_anti_troll_on
Now let’s ask the Ron Paulistas about the concept of compensated war with the South compensating the North for the cost of a war started by the unprovoked attack on Fort Sumter
\mode_anti_troll_off

May 18, 2009 - 12:03 pm 222. samuel:

Its too bad there is not much counterpoint on this exchange from Obama fans. but then again I don’t regularly haunt blogs i disagree with either. Still, I’d like to hear the rational arguement for the President’s plans discussed in an open debate.

And by the way, let’s not fight the civil war again. We are all in this together now anyway.

May 18, 2009 - 6:35 pm 223. vivo:

219. Steamboat Jack:

Wikipedia: “President George W. Bush has often referred to the Act and its findings to argue that the Clinton Administration supported regime change in Iraq and further that it believed that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction.”

Regime change can be started internally, not just with an invasion. Clinton wasn’t stupid enough to start a wasteful war and it wasn’t the proper moment.

The Snopes quotes about Democrats talking about Iraq and WMD’s: talk is cheap, there is a difference between political allegations and actually invading a place. It’s like telling your children you’ll cut their allowance and actually doing it. You would say that OJ didn’t do it.

May 19, 2009 - 4:16 am 224. Jim C:

Last paragraph was brilliant.

Don’t forget his education. His transcripts are no where to be found, and he was admitted to both Columbia and Harvard through afirmative action programs. Also, the postion of editor of the Harvard Law review was chaged to an elected position (not appointed based upon grades) to allow more minorities to hold the position…and we all know how well he can campaign for an election.

Barrack and Michelle should use their status to end racism. Get rid of afirmative action. Remove the race box from surveys. Exclude race from the census. Base our school admission on performance. Base our jobs on quality of work. Afirmative action and entitlement programs are racisit and send the wrong messages to our children. It had its place in history, and now’s the time to remove it.

May 19, 2009 - 10:27 am 225. WHAT CAN WE DO? « ~THE “G” BLOGS – Gunny G Online~:

[...] nation’? 3. Dead People Being Sent Stimulus Checks 4. The Times They Are A Changing 5. Cracks in the Façade; Fissures in the Obama Totem 6. Obama’s Competence Gap 7. Critics Still Haven’t Read the ‘Torture’ Memos [...]

May 19, 2009 - 12:45 pm 226. paul_unalaska:

Vivo, your last response is pitiful.

Do you truly believe the drivel you type?

Icing on the cake would be your replying, ‘I’m an educator’..

Your thought process is scary.. stupid scary.

May 20, 2009 - 12:53 am 227. JFM:

Clinton wasn’t stupid enough to start a wasteful war and it wasn’t the proper moment.

He was just too busy getting BJs to care about Al Quaeda or about bad guys getting nukes be they Irak, Pakistan (who got nukes under his watch) or North Korea (who got nukes thanks to a treaty signed under his watch). Don’t forget tp praise him the day your children glow in the dark.

May 20, 2009 - 2:45 am 228. Pond’rings » News Roundup:

[...] Oh, I know that President Obama’s approval ratings are still around 62%. But I also remember that George Bush’s at the end of 2001 got even higher — and stayed at or above 60% through most of 2002, explaining why he increased his congressional majority in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, I think we are beginning — after less than four months — to see fissures in Obama’s Pentelic statuary. And the cracks will widen, because in about six areas he has taken on human nature itself, age-old logic, and common sense-opponents that even a Harvard Law degree and Chicago organizing are no match for. -Victor David Hanson [...]

May 20, 2009 - 7:07 am 229. Sandoval:

Churchill`s bust is gone and Obama`s is splitting apart before it is even sculpted (a good Zen thing to contemplate). I say pour more water in the fissures and turn down the temperature to ice-age (yikes!Global Cooling!). The following of the six points discussed in this piece are greatly mistaken in my view (to be fair):
(blank/none). That is all.

May 29, 2009 - 3:11 am 230. Sandoval:

My apologies for the “Obama`s is” thing. You see I was just listening to NPR and got into a rage and . . . . I know, excuses, excuses . . . .

May 29, 2009 - 4:00 am 231. Bob Cloudt:

Dear Mr. Hanson,

I read with interest your article “Our Historically Challenged President”, and applaud your taking our president to task!

You are absolutely correct in your statement of the United States imposing democracies on other countries after WWII, but error in implying that our own government is a democracy when it is actually a Constitutional Republic. Our founding fathers abhorred democracies as “mob rule”. It is unfortunate their historical efforts in founding our Constitutional Republic have been distorted by many of politicians and news media who prefer to have us believe (although incorrectly) that America is a democracy. This misconception/distortion has led our nation to become what it is today, an increasingly socialistic country where the free market no longer exists, and Constitutional rights are largely ignored and trampled upon. It is a folly that as a Constitutional Repubic we impose democracy (mob rule) on other nations.

Jun 12, 2009 - 11:10 am

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