190 Comments

1. Van den Berge:

Alas this is all true. What worries me even more is the lack of a viable candidate on the GOP side. It could very well be that Obama gets re-elected because of that in 2012. The only reason he migth not is when the economy does not pick up, because that is what kills off incumbent Presidents; Carter, Bush 1&2 etc. Hoping for that is a very cynical thought, because it means the US and thus the rest of the West will be in recession for more than 5 years. How to recover from that? The Politburo’s around the world are smiling.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:12 am 2. Janeway:

I was going to thank you for your article but you just stated everyone one of my conclusions about the state of affairs in the nation. I was hoping it was just my typical cynism and I was wrong. Thomas Sowell just wrote an equally alarming article as did Dr. K in a German interview. When I want to understand an issue, I look to you three men’s take on the subject. You gentleman have never been wrong even though you may come at it from different directions. I just don’t know what to do.
No matter what we do, we may have gone “..a bridge too far” to stop what is coming.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:50 am 3. Ashen:

Home run as usual Victor. I wish I could major at Hillsdale if only to take your classes. I have two fears: One, is that all this progressive agenda passes and my country as a majority lays down and takes it. Two, bloody revolt. I’m not afraid to fight or die for my country as I believe the progressive agenda is a slow death rather than a quick one (nuc xchange, bio/chem) but i’d rather go to work each day and watch my nieces and nephews grow up. Has anyone such as yourself mulled the question over regarding revolt? What are your thoughts? I know that if Iran gets a plausible nuc, everything changes and not for the better. They will eventually use it to drive up oil and quite possibly sell it off to one of their proxies for a strike at Israel, if Israel doesn’t take them out first. I can see this leading to a wider conflict with the other countries in the region and an escalation where everyone goes all in. What say you?

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:51 am 4. Windwalker88:

Thank you for being able to communicate all my fears and concerns in one very succinct article. When I read your article it was as if you were reading my mind and the millions of other Americans who are being disregarded and disrespected everyday. We are nothing to the Obamatrons but “wage serfs” a path to making Obama a “world celebrity” instead of a mere four year president of the USA. I actually think he thinks he is more important than any historical figure past or present (including Allah or Jesus) He will gut the US from within. In our society he will tax the successful out of business, regulate the marginal, and subsidize the incompetent. We cannot sit on the sidelines smoking Obama’s brand of “hopium” Millions of silent Americans are waiting to be activated. We fear our government. All I can say being from Detroit is that all your readers should “gun up” We are sitting on a time bomb. This government is our real enemy, a “trojan horse” not the wack jobs in the middle east… Even as I write this I feel Obama is putting me on his enemies list, to be dealt with at a later date.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:02 am 5. Bob Tarone:

Unfortunately, I fear that you are correct on all fronts. I think Krauthammer also has it right. Obama is purposefully and systematically trying to weaken the standing of the US around the world. The US treatment of Honduras provides, for me, the clearest indication of Obama’s world view. I don’t think it is necessary, or even constructive, to put a label (e.g., socialist, fascist, etc.) on Obama (other than perhaps narcissist). I think Wesley Pruden got it essentially correct months ago in the Washington Times. He noted that Obama is the first US president without an appreciation of the culture, history, tradition, common law and literature whence America sprang. This is not entirely Obama’s fault, I suppose. The foundation for my appreciation of America came in elementary school, and Obama was in Indonesia for elementary school. He certainly was unlikely to gain such an appreciation from his elite college education, particularly given the likely affirmative treatment he received (probably taking lots of courses from departments with “studies” attached to their titles). Obama clearly believes that the US has been a negative force in the world, contrary to all objective evidence (which is why it would be impossible for him to do as Liz Cheney suggests, and accept the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the US Military, the primary force for peace and freedom in the world over the past 70 years). The fact is that Obama can do considerable damage to our standing around the world in the next three years, even more than the hapless Carter was able to inflict.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:03 am 6. Tom Ontis:

Another litany of typical talking points by another typical Republican lightweight mouthpiece. When are you guys going to say anything new that does not come out of Generalissimo Armey’s office. John McCain could do better?

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:04 am 7. Charles Gordon:

A few years hence, this indictment will rank among the classic Told-You-So’s.

No need for speculation; each of the points extrapolates directly from recent experience. No need to dig deep to retrieve accounts of Alcibiades when Carter’s economy, his diplomacy, his buffoonery, and Clinton’s Mogadishu provide ample instruction of how the world will treat us when our head of state believes America is the problem, government is the answer, and only the military is defunded.

There still remains, however, the question of when he does take a real hit, how much fight is there in our historic first Islamic apostate president? Will he seize extra-constitutional powers in an unprecedented comedy of bravado? Or will the inherently deficient artifice of his dissembling preclude any pretention of his achieving world-class infamy?

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:08 am 8. don:

Yeah, and if frogs had wings, they wouldn’t bump their ass every time they hopped.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:09 am 9. JohnR:

Back in the 80s when Reagan was cutting taxes I heard a cynic say the real goal of the Reps was to cut the govt’s revenue stream to FORCE redudctions in the size of govt. As govt dealt with the cuts by doing horizontal (i.e. salami slice) reductions across the board, govt agencies (whose mandates had not been reduced to correspond to funding cuts) began to fail…thus reinforcing the stereotype that govt is inefficient and incompetent. I’ve recently heard new cynics theorize that Obama’s real intent with all this massive govt spending is to jack the national debt SO high that we’ll be FORCEd to institute massive tax hikes, resulting in defacto socialism. On second thought these two theories aren’t sounding so cynical…more like reality.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:10 am 10. Desiree:

Excellent commentary. Mr. Hanson, and Mr. Krauthammer, are men to heed in these trying times.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:28 am 11. Steve:

Dr. Hanson, again a prophetic statement based on history and fact. Our “margin of safety,” as you put it, is so narrow that I think any small crisis (and not the self-made left-wing crises that are too good to waste) would make the current recession look mild. And could even make the late 1970s look mild by comparision.

It seems — as you point out — that civilisations have patterns that keep repeating themselves. Maybe we can break this one before it is too late.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:32 am 12. Gary Ogletree:

The short Age of Obama will serve to remind Americans of the many things our ancestors learned the hard way. National bankruptcy will be quite a wake up call. In the long run I believe we will bounce back wiser and stronger, rejecting totalitarian stupidity that sees this crisis as an opportunity. But the short run is looking like a nightmare. Gold and silver prices are artificially low from central banks’ manipulations, stock up before the dollar crashes.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:48 am 13. Skep41:

How dare a pipsqueak like Hanson criticize the most powerful writer since Julius Caesar? Hanson doesnt even teach at a major elite university; does he have the effrontery to compare himself to William Ayres or Ward Churchill? These geniuses are saving the planet…does that mean nothing to you, Hanson? Yes, I’ll admit that I’ve read and enjoyed several of VDH’s books but Barry The Wonderful is ushering in a New Age of fabulous Peace and Prosperity so it makes me tremble with fear that Right Wing terrorists like VDH are using the same kind of rhetoric that recalls the Moscone shootings. Stop reading Gibbon and start reading Cone and get your mind right Hanson! The new Gubmint Health Plan will certainly take proactive steps to cure your anti-social hallucinations, free of charge with electro shocks and mind altering drugs, and there wont be any waiting list.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:58 am 14. Robert Winkler Burke:

Dr. Hanson, You’re posts make me want to say: Golly! (A mild oath expressing surprise!) To wit:

GOLLY!
By Robert Winkler Burke
Copyright 10/24/09

There once was a,
Bad king clever,
Who thought ill of,
Himself never!

When critics observed,
His fey-doings,
He said he was a boy,
To critics proving:

The critics were kings with: no clothes!
To which we say: GOLLY!

There once was an abolitionist,
Who freed the slaves,
This great man, Abraham Lincoln,
Taught lesser knaves…

Great truths and magnanimous,
Overarching, kind love for all,
But progressives teach minorities,
To depend on a governing cabal.

The progressives say such slavery is: freedom!
To which we say: GOLLY!

Our universities once taught,
Western Enlightenment’s hard truths,
That the world is dangerous,
Strong precepts protect the weak from abuse.

But media, church, government,
Business and antipodal education,
Mandate certain abuses be popular,
Less weak minds see subjugation.

The empowered say their might, in their case, makes: right!
To which we say: GOLLY!

The greatest political sentence to ennoble and uplift,
Was by Thomas Jefferson written,
It says all men are created equal, and certain rights,
Unalienable from them can’t be smitten.

But today’s leaders from which that same,
Declaration of Independence was born,
Saddle trillions of dollars of debt on those,
If not aborted, shall freedom’s loss mourn.

The statist enslavers say they are making a great: utopia!
To which we say: GOLLY!

If being reduced to ignorance,
And believing manifold slavery,
Is a long-sought nirvana,
And opposition: foul knavery.

And if seeing truth,
Causes shepherds agitation,
And hopes must be dashed,
To keep overlords in station.

Because, they say, our Founding Fathers are: dead!
To which we say: GOLLY!

They say you cannot complain,
You can’t revolt,
It’s insuperable. You can’t run,
You can’t bolt.

And we, the people, say,
Maybe you are right,
But back in the day, we,
Gave King George a fight.

We, the people, say our blood fought and died for: liberty!
Mystic tyrants said and shall say again: GOLLY!

How can you win,
When we’ve got the power?
We own broadcast,
Every second and hour.

Pooh on the internet,
Pooh on your blogs,
We are contented,
In-power, slop hogs.

We, the people, say we are perfected in: great liberty!
Mystic tyrants lose in the end and shall say: GOLLY!

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:08 am 15. jay hoenemeyer:

nothing like a 2,500 year perspective to make your point. btw , my 1981 morgage was 17.5 %, with one point off as a good customer. i also enjoy the perspective of someone who has actually run something like a farm. thanx , professor !!!

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:10 am 16. BackwardsBoy:

Well written, Dr. Hanson. I have only one concern with your article: it’s merely the tip of the iceberg.

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:18 am 17. Pedrosito:

Agree with everything you said, damn we are doomed.

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:20 am 18. Ron Kean:

Attn: VDH video interview in 5 parts on nationalreview dot com…scroll to the bottom.

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:32 am 19. Kenneth L. Bird:

One of the most succinct articles on the whole Obama mess. Becoming a banana republic may not be so bad, at least then we may be able to spark an armed coup.

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:55 am 20. mingus:

tom ontis:

Dear tom. I hope you’re a bit younger than I am, so that I can fully ejoy the fruits of your labor. I am looking forward watching you be sucked dry by the Treasury Dept, while I pocket my SS cost of living bonuses. Thanks, fella.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:00 am 21. Alex McMIllan:

Responsible enonomic conservatives have known this all along,from the eighties on.There just aren’t enough around in Congress to buck the tide.
One reason for their lack of leverage in Congress is that the public and business sectors tolerated expansion of debt. They were were doing the same thing in their businesses and in their personal finances. And Congress and The Executive (Republican and Democrat) got overwwhelmed by the intoxication of pro-growth/low-tax without end on the one hand and low interest rate debt financed spending with higher taxes on the other.
Let us hope the Congress and the Executive accept the intervention of good common sense and get our public and private finances in order. The hangover can hopefully be shorter than the intoxication.
We desperately need more pragmatists than ideologues of whichever party because there not enough in either one to comprehend the fiscal truth and they are still talking ideology rather than ideas and effective action.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:13 am 22. John O'Neill:

The real issue now is how are we going to rebuild what was once America after the Obama debacle leaves our country in ruins. Do we really have a framework with which we can rebuild a proud Republic or are the American citizens so debased that they will resort to barbarism in a national collapse; i.e. just look back at New Orleans after Katrina? We are already in the stage of collapse and the civil war has already started; remember that the War between the States had really started in the 1850s long before the incident at Fort Sumter. Just look around at our big cities and campuses and see the beginning of the second civil war. It is no radical suggestion to tell Americans to buy food and ammunition and stock up on it. We soon will have to fight for our very survival.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:42 am 23. Rod:

Heard on the street.

We love Obama!
Q. Why?
A. He sends us money.
Q. Where does he get his money?
A. He has it.
Q. Where did he get it?
A. It’s his stash.
Q. Where did he get his stash?
A. I don’t know. Maybe Santa Claus. He just has it.
We love Obama. He sends us money. Obama, Obama, Obama.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:43 am 24. Rod:

Barack Obama came into office with overwhelming good will. He is good looking, eloquent, black and he isn’t GW Bush. Everybody wants him to succeed. But he took advantage of that good will to transform America into something unrecognizable and something nobody wants.

Everybody, or at least most Americans, want to retain freedom. We don’t want government between us and our doctor. We don’t want a bureaucrat in Washington deciding what medical treatment we can get. We don’t want our grandchildren paying for debt we incurred. We understand that liberty is the foundation that made this country special.

As people we are proud of our liberty. We are proud that our Statue of Liberty carries not the hammer and sickle, but the torch of freedom that greets all visitors and immigrants.

We hold that slavery has no place in America. And that includes the implied servitude of redistribution. We rest on our Constitution which contains the immortal positive mandate that all men and women have unalienable right life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. We respect and defend self-respect, individuality, honor, and the creative human mind.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:45 am 25. Rod:

Murray Rothbard shows that the Great Depression was prolonged (for 11 years) by excessive federal spending and by credit expansion. The Obama administration is doing both.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:48 am 26. ScottR:

VDH perceptively writes:
“I think there are a few truths that transcend politics and remain eternal. In life as a general rule, debt has to be paid back, and with greater pain and anger than it was to borrow it. Bullies do not respect magnanimity, but tragically interpret it as weakness to be exploited rather than to be admired.”

And;
“Diplomacy is a tool to lessen, but not eliminate, tensions—a way to conduct foreign policy, not a foreign policy in and of itself.”

These are simple, universal truths that have been validated again and again and again throughout history. And yet the Pied Piper of Hope and Change insists that he can somehow transcend these principles. And too many are more than ready to follow him off the cliff.

Sad really.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:52 am 27. Skippy:

Excellent article as usual Mr. Hanson. I fear in the climate Obama will create that armed rebellion or civil war may be the only path to get our house in order.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:52 am 28. Anonymous:

Dr. Hanson wrote:

The difference between the 5th century BC and late 4th century BC at Athens is debt–and not caused just by military expenditures or war; the claims on Athenian entitlements grew by the 350s, even as forced liturgies on the productive classes increased, even as the treasury emptied. At Rome by the mid-3rd century AD the state was essentially bribing its own citizens to behave by expanding the bread and circuses dole, while tax avoidance became an art form, while the Roman state tried everything from price controls to inflating the coinage to meet services and pay public debts.

Integral to public debt are two eternal truths: a public demands of the state ever more subsidies, and those who pay for them shrink in number as they seek to avoid the increased burden.

People insist on repeating the same mistakes. One almost believes in historical determinism or original sin or some dark fate. No doubt there were voices in Athens and Rome that warned against the turning away from the republican virtues of thrift and self-reliance. Ruin followed when they were ignored, and unless America should truly be exceptional, enough of our citizens rallying to restore our own old virtues, the same tragic farce will play out yet again.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:55 am 29. Noesis Noeseos:

Dr. Hanson wrote:

The difference between the 5th century BC and late 4th century BC at Athens is debt–and not caused just by military expenditures or war; the claims on Athenian entitlements grew by the 350s, even as forced liturgies on the productive classes increased, even as the treasury emptied. At Rome by the mid-3rd century AD the state was essentially bribing its own citizens to behave by expanding the bread and circuses dole, while tax avoidance became an art form, while the Roman state tried everything from price controls to inflating the coinage to meet services and pay public debts.

Integral to public debt are two eternal truths: a public demands of the state ever more subsidies, and those who pay for them shrink in number as they seek to avoid the increased burden.

People insist on repeating the same mistakes. One almost believes in historical determinism or original sin or some dark fate. No doubt there were voices in Athens and Rome that warned against the turning away from the republican virtues of thrift and self-reliance. Ruin followed when they were ignored, and unless America should truly be exceptional, enough of our citizens rallying to restore our own old virtues, the same tragic farce will play out yet again.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:55 am 30. alex:

The United States had a golden opportunity from the 50’s – 90’s to set aside Capital, invest in itself, promote authentic health care systems, etc, etc, etc. We did not, and will pay the price for foolishness soon enough.
Its not too late, but as other people posted we see no effort, no action, no leadership…its one individual after another caught up in a broken system that feeds profits to bankers and elitists.

Asia is investing hundreds upon hundreds of Billions into their infrastructure, nuclear energy, mass transit systems, education and health care systems, and opening up their economies to managed capitalism systems. Asia will be the powerhouse that the United States Could have been,will learn from our mistakes and not repeat them.

As the US Dollar continues to slide and eventually fade, the Yen, Yuan and EURO will take its place as settlement currency of choice. When President Nixon took the US off the Gold standard and replaced it with the Petro dollar, it gave OPEC leverage and set in motion enslavement of the US economy to the banking system. We will continue to slide until we break the hold that bankers maintain on the US dollar.

Unless we have legislature strong enough to insist article 1 section 8 of the US Constitution be enforced once again, we will continue to slide and eventually fade into world History as a footnote.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:56 am 31. Sherab Zangpo:

“…out-of-control debt, refusal to drill, and a foreign policy built on weakness…”

that’s (part of) the program of Soros and his internationalist subversive brotherly friends, and it is being realized really well.

The dollar is in free fall, the manufacturing structure will be further weakened by cap and trade, “reform” of health-care will take (commie) care of one sixth of the economy (= destroy it), more spending (to buy the votes of 2010 elections) will collapse the federal budget

America, welcome to the third world !!!

Thank you for the opportunity to comment

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:56 am 32. deguello:

A very cogent though grim vision of America’s future;however,things sometimes need to get dire, before fundamental problems can be addressed.One thing is clear:this nation is finished unless we annihilate the inchoate nanny state and its liberal proponents on the battlefield of politics.That means destroying libtard control of the media,creating alternative cultures and higher education,and using non-violent civil disobedience,to circumvent judicial tyranny,and their beneficiaries,the wall street plutocracy,the slimy greens,the illegal invasion lobby,and the crim,inal lobby(ACLU). it’s going to be a long march,this process of liberation,but it can and must be endured.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:02 am 33. Moho:

We’ve been paying that price for eight years, you clown.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:03 am 34. Wayne Kale:

Always look forward to reading Hanson and Krauthammer articles. On point. Carter is a pantywaste just like Obama. Thanks to Carter and the dumbdems I had 17.75% mortgage and prime was 21%. And to think they named a warship after that Jimmah sissy-screamer in a row boat was approached by a poor drowning rabbit.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:05 am 35. SteveB/Colorado:

As usual, Mr. Hanson does a poor job of research. I’ll confine my comments to his interpretation of the energy situation. He states we should be drilling in the Dakotas, California, the Gulf, etc. What’s missing is how he would persuade energy companies holding the leases to get off their duffs & drill.

As of June, 2008, before the recession hit big time, companies were sitting on about 67 million acres of undeveloped oil & gas leases; on-shore, mostly in the West; and off-shore. In August, 2008, the government offered a big lease sale in the western Gulf. Companies bid on only about 10% of the leases offered.

The reality of the energy situation is that, contrary to Mr. Hanson’s naive beliefs, we won’t see large scale energy development until the economy & demand revive. In addition, there is unlikely to be development of “exotic” resources such as oil shale any time soon because there is no economically viable method to extract the substance.

#21 Alex McM: what Alex says makes a lot of sense. We really need pragmatic approaches to the nation’s problems. The solutions do not rest with the loud & emotional rhetoric of either the likes of Nancy Pelosi & MoveOn or Rush Limbaugh & Michelle Malkin.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:09 am 36. Dave K.:

Yes, now that the President is a Democrat, then suddenly government spending and the deficit is very serious business, indeed.

And, of course, military spending is sacred, because there’s no welfare like military-industrial complex welfare.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:10 am 37. Saltherring:

Spot on, Doc. Those of us who cursed Carter, his misery index and limp-wristed foreign policies, are having an amplified sense of dejavu watching the present administration. While idiot college students cheer the onset of Marxism, we who have “been there” weep at the loss of individual freedoms, economic prosperity and strong foreign policy. We watch, and knowingly wait for the inevitable crash.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:12 am 38. Thomas_L.......:

You must have hit a nerve with this one Doc. The trolls have retreated for their marching orders and talking points but even they will have trouble answering this with anything better than na na na boo boo, we won! However, maybe the dumbest booblio is starting to almost see the nature of the coming prizes for their “victory” and it ain’t skittle pooping unicorns.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:25 am 39. baal:

Am I wrong in thinking that simply re-taking the legislature, then the white house and then drastically slashing spending is actually the lynch pin to resolving all of this stupidity?
The problem is: the Republican cannot be trusted to do this. We know the Democrat CAN be trusted to INCREASE spending but the Republican was supposed to CUT spending and conduct foreign policy in an policy in a way which BENEFITTED us…but didn’t.
My question to all of you out there in the forum–how do you think we can turn this sinking ship around?

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:27 am 40. martin:

Thanks Dr Hanson; it takes moral courage to be honest in an age of dissembling people. Anyone with a mind and the ability to think can see what is coming, but no one in power and very few citizens are willing to state obvious truths. Anyone who is not worried does not understand the situation; anyone who is not alarmed is not listening to the dance band on the Titanic warming up to play.

Our greatest assets are the American people and our freedoms; if we use them properly we may, just may, avert catastrophe. The average citizen is catching on to the scam being played, the average person has always been the heart, soul, and strength of our republic. All is not lost as long as we do not give up the fight for the future. Otherwise we are, in the vernacular, toast.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:29 am 41. macko:

2010 may not come soon enough

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:38 am 42. baal:

36. Dave K.:
It seems that you have not been paying attention to prima facie facts. This website caters primarily to dissatisfied republicans whose dissatisfaction with their party lies principally in the area of spending.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:46 am 43. Brian:

“What’s missing is how he would persuade energy companies holding the leases to get off their duffs & drill. ”

Obviously you have zero experience with the oil industry.. as well as the fact that NO OIL COMPANY has a lease off the California coast. I could sell oil leases on the moon as well… I don’t think very many companies are going to drill there. Owning a lease for an area DOES NOT mean it is cost effective to drill there… Some oil is harder to get that others and therefore more expensive. So when oil hits $200 a barrel it may be cost effective to drill in these more difficult locations, but right now at $80 it isn’t.
Brazil is the only nation right now booming in their oil development and expanding energy production at a significant pace.
So we can wait for oil to hit $200 a barrel and $6 per gallon gasoline, then do something. Or we could be proactive and work on development now when energy demand is low.
Remember the arguement about ANWR? It would take 10 years to bring on line? Well had it been opened it would be coming online NEXT YEAR!

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:50 am 44. STEVE MACDONALD:

SPOT ON AS ALWAYS. THOSE OF US WHO LIVED THROUGH THE 70S CAN SEE THIS INEVITABLE SLOW MOTION TRAIN WRECK COMING. WHAT A MESS THIS WILL BE. WISH I HAD A BETTER IDEA OF WHICH CURRENCY WILL HANDLE THE STORM BEST.

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:51 am 45. Cichawoda:

The truth will set you free!
http://defoxamerica.com/

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:12 am 46. whyyeseyec:

I believe we as a nation went off the gold standard during the Nixon Administration in 1971. This decision alone gave each successive Congress the license to steal and run up debt unabated.

What to do? What to do?

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:17 am 47. Donna V.:

Dr. Hanson thinks in terms of centuries while illiterate clowns like moho can’t see any futher back than 2000. All the evils of the world began for them when Dubya was elected.

Noesis Noeseos, your observation is excellent:

One almost believes in historical determinism or original sin or some dark fate. No doubt there were voices in Athens and Rome that warned against the turning away from the republican virtues of thrift and self-reliance.

There were such people, as Thomas Sowell has pointed out. They were scorned and ignored too. If we do not put the brakes on, we will all go over the cliff.

Back in the 1830’s Tocqueville figured out the Achilles heel of democracy – that once people realize they can vote themselves largesse out of the public treasury, they will spend themselves into perjury.

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:18 am 48. JimBeam:

If Obama is Carter, then Bush was Nixon. Nixon/Ford was an economic disaster and Carter inherited double-digit inflation and high unemployment, then watched as it got worse. Likewise, Obama inherited an economic mess from Bush. (By 1970s era metrics, we have double-digit inflation again. The government has been cooking the books since the 1980s to lower the official rate) When they were in power, Republicans borrowed and spent like drunken sailors, rewarding their friends and defunding their enemies.

The real problem is that both parties have bought into the idea of using public money to buy votes. The Republicans promise something for nothing, while the Democrats promise something that they will pay for by sending someone else the bill. While the Democrats are trying to remake health care, the Republicans are promising to protect the expensive and unsustainable Medicare program to keep seniors voting for them.

The reason they do this is because it works. It is easy to blame Congress and politicians, but when given the choice themselves, the good people of California have consistently voted for more government spending and lower taxes. Not surprisingly, the state is bankrupt. The people demand something for nothing and the politicians are more than willing to provide it.

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:22 am 49. Carl Sesar:

It’s not as if all this bad stuff about Obama wasn’t known long before now. With a little more wit, courage of conviction, and guts to speak out back then, instead of all the pussy-footing about Obama’s evident bad intentions, much of this mess might’ve been nipped in the bud. Now Obama’s far along in the process of taking our country down, if not past the point of no return already.

Is there no one, aside from Orly Taitz and a cadre of demonized bloggers, willing to demand long, loud, and persistently, that Obama open up all the documents he’s so brazenly concealing from us all?

I say his cover-up alone is a high crime, and grounds for his removal from office.

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:28 am 50. Allston:

Declare victory and leave:

Indeed, that’s where we’re heading. QED it will, of course, all be Bush’s fault.

Obama, to me, fits the Biblical warning by God: “Be thou either hot or cold; be thou neither hot nor cold, and I will vomit thee from my mouth.”

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:31 am 51. GLASS:

It still really all boils down to one simple denominator, force, something everyone of every society in the world today and in all of history understood. It’s only the application of that force that determines a good society from a bad one and a weak one from a strong one. All the enemies of our western society must be salivatating at this naive and gullible dreamer in charge of the western world.

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:32 am 52. David S:

All this debt is the direct result of massive tax cuts. Blaming Obama for the tax code that was butchered by the GOP is dishonest, and despicable. Until Reagan’s massive tax cuts and exorbitant military expenditures left a massive hole in the budget, this country was in no such dire straights.

Even the modest tax increases of the 1990’s were enough to bring the budget back into balance until even more tax cuts were pushed through by GWB. Once again, massive tax cuts make balancing the budget impossible, and drive huge increases in debt.

Obama is adding to the debt, yes, but he is also raising revenue to fund his initiatives – something the GOP never had the intellectual and intestinal fortitude to accomplish. Playing the government debt game is dangerous, but until our tax code can be reformed, there is little else that can be done. Still, blaming Obama for the mess he inherited will always be a dishonest pursuit.

Peace.

DS

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:36 am 53. Jack’s Newswatch » Blog Archive » All Falling Down . . . (1):

[...] [More] Notes: [...]

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:44 am 54. Chad3337:

Americans are focused on two things: national debt and lack of jobs. Obama is failing MISERABLY on both fronts!

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:45 am 55. Blackwater:

Great article. You’re 100% right. The neo-communist leftist Thief in Chief regime is destroying our country and thus putting Western stability in peril. He has no idea what he’s doing on a national security front – especially in Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistan. He refuses to exploit our vast natural resources. He’s beaming out signs of weakness to the entire world. He’s trying to turn our country into a failed socialist state. And he wants to ensure that the left controls government forever by allowing illegal aliens into our country by the tens of millions.

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:49 am 56. firefirefire:

baal:”My question to all of you out there in the forum–how do you think we can turn this sinking ship around?”

Sarah Palin.

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:53 am 57. Bilgeman:

#22 john:
“Do we really have a framework with which we can rebuild a proud Republic or are the American citizens so debased that they will resort to barbarism in a national collapse; i.e. just look back at New Orleans after Katrina?”

Yes…look at New Orleans after Katrina, but look at what you were NOT shown as opposed to what was put in front of your face.

You’ll have to do some digging, but the lines between civilization and barbarism were drawn up in skirmish lines at the bridges.

Y’see, Orleans Parish got flooded, but St, Bernard Parish to the southeast, was DEVASTATED…the “Cajun Navy”, (shrimp boats), navigating up the boulevards to rescue people.

What essentially separates Orleans from St. Bernard parish is the Industrial Canal, over which there are two road drawbridges. These bridges were raised.

A mob coming out of Orleans threatened one of the bridge-keepers and had him lower the span so that they could access St. Bernard, (for exactly what purpose remains unclear, since St. Bernard was over 90% inundated, so it was in all likelihood for nothing good that they wanted to enter.)

The St. Bernard Parish sheriff stationed his deputies on the bridges and gave them orders to shoot on sight anyone attempting to access the parish.

Now look south and west, across the Mississippi River.

Another mob came out of New Orleans across the Crescent City Connection bridge and looted and burned their way to a shopping mall, which they also looted and torched.

The local PDs and the Jefferson Parish sheriff then did the same as the St. Bernard Parish sheriff had done and sealed off their territory from outsiders, also authorizing deadly force to prevent ingress.

God’s Pity upon you if you were a wretched
victim trying to escape the depredations of your fellow-parishioners… because you were NOT escaping into Chalmette or West Jeff.

Turn around and go back and meet whatever fate held in store for you in your own community.
What should give all reasonable people pause is that the descent into barbarism by enough of it’s residents to make it unbearable took only three days and nights in a major modern American metropolis, and resulted from a weather phenomenon that has long been anticipated by these residents.

That may be thought of as the Second Battle of New Orleans.

And that’s how it’s going to go transpire, as it has happened before.

Communities will defend themselves, they will close their gates and patrol their walls and ignore the screams and wails that come from outside.
Eventually those cries will subside, and then there will be only savagery beyond.
That will then be time to emerge and cleanse, rebuild and recolonize.

The ones who inherit tomorrow are the ones who prepare today.

Oct 28, 2009 - 10:53 am 58. M. Report:

Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat
is a risky business; Unfortunately, in a
Democracy, support for reform is only
created by pain, economic or physical.

Grassroots up is the way to go; There will
be some small successes which can be cloned
as the situation becomes more frightening,
and support increases for proven solutions.

Advice to anyone able to lead, follow, or
send money: Start now; It is later than you
think.

P.S. Another US Exceptionalism: There are
_individuals_ with enough wealth to fund
a small success; Spend it now, or see it
taxed away later.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:05 am 59. All Falling Down . . . « Raw Meat Conservative:

[...] [...]

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:11 am 60. Black Saint:

The One is either an Idiot or he intends to destroy this Nation! Not mentioned is this Article is the looming Illegal Alien Amnesty which will cross trillions. The Democrats intends to reward the invading horde of Criminals and Uneducated third world rejects to gain millions of welfare Democrat voters! Every citizens with less than a high school Education cost an average of 55K over their life time, net of their contributions & very few of the invaders are educated beyond a 6 grade Education nor will the ones the bring in thru. chain immigration. In fact with their Prolific breeding, hate for education etc. there is no way that 20 to 30 millions Uneducated Aliens alone with their relatives in a never ending chain can be rewarded with citizenship with turning this Nation into a facsimile of the very Nation & conditions they risk their life to escape!

The Latinos that make up the largest group of the Illegal Aliens population has the largest school drop out rate of any ethnic group in the USA, second highest illegitimate birth rate, second highest crime rate, highest total birth rate and recent studies confirm they start dropping out of school, using drugs, having illegitimate kids, joining gangs at an earlier age then any ethnic group in the USA.
This behavior continues even after citizenship and down through each generation. This culture characteristic explains why Mexico and Latin American, while having more natural resources and moderate climate than most First World Nations are still mired in an Third World Cesspool of Crime, Corruption, Poverty and Misery!

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:13 am 61. All Falling Down . . . « THE BLACK KETTLE:

[...] MORE [...]

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:13 am 62. CyKick:

>>
While a new revolution sounds like a drastic yet effective way to change this mess, we must remember that most people are NOT stupid 100% of the time. Obama’s excesses will finally turn the independents and even some liberals. Well, we can hope, anyway.
<<

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:21 am 63. Paul M Hupf:

Belief in the tooth fairy is more reasonable than belief in the President’s ability to accomplish anything worthwhile. His sense of economics is abominable. He is playing second fiddle to the extremists in Congress. He pays little atention to the duties of his office, to the responsibilities he has as the President of the United States. Rather he is in a perpetual campaign mode, making promises that sound nice but of which he has no idea how they may be fulfilled any more than he had any idea of how the campaign promises he made in 2008 could be fulfilled. In his mind it was sufficient then and it is sufficient now to promise without any idea of his ability to bring the promises to reality or of their consequences.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:27 am 64. Mr Lucky:

6. Tom Ontis.

”Another litany of typical talking points by another typical Republican lightweight mouthpiece. When are you guys going to say anything new that does not come out of Generalissimo Armey’s office. John McCain could do better?”

Welcome. What are the prices at your Kool-Aid stand?

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:30 am 65. Paul of Alexandria:

Ok, the real question is: how do I and my family survive this intact? Where do I put my money, how do I plan for what’s to come?

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:33 am 66. Sulla:

The strategy of the Administration is to have the bill come due after November 2012. Or to use another metaphor, to keep the Obama Bubble sufficiently inflated to achieve re-election. Currently there is a growing sense of unease about the future. In 38 months, expect the deluge.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:35 am 67. Phd:

I’ve always thought that at the very core of progressives’ false premise is the simple fact that they totally fail to understand two things: human nature, and science.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:36 am 68. Mr Lucky:

33. Moho.

“We’ve been paying that price for eight years, you clown.”

I take it the last 9 months or so is included in that 8 years.

If Dr. Hanson is the clown does that make you the Bearded Lady? You are the manly One, aren’t you?

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:39 am 69. fozziebird:

I recently played Railroad Tycoon III. The first time I played, I was doing great, almost finished building my railroad, when all of the sudden I was losing money and could not stop losing money. The reason. I had sold every bond I could sell to pay for the building. However, two thirds into the game, the interest on the bonds overwhelmed the profits I was making. I lost the game. Next time, I sold only a few bonds and beat the game. Lesson, Obama is playing as I did the first time. The result–the same as I experienced–unsustainable debt brings down your enterprise. As I tell all my friends: “This will all end badly.”

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:47 am 70. Richard:

Equality! We will all be equally poor. Except for our elected class, of course.

Poverty, get used to it.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:51 am 71. Richard:

Number 65, rest assured that all traditional avenues for preservation of wealth have been under constant assault for decades now. You can’t even buy dollars without losing money or at least breaking even.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:53 am 72. Paul -Indiana:

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LLL
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EEEEE
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S S
SS S
S S S
S S S
S SS
S S
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Oct 28, 2009 - 11:53 am 73. Paul -Indiana:

Rats. Format failed. Never mind.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:54 am 74. JED:

I can agree with your premise, yet I am still short of the motive. Is he naive, America destructive, or idealist along the road never taken?
Nor would I overlook the complacency and corruption of the house and senate who have porked their ways into becoming our elite leaders with decades of ‘oversight’.
To play the devil’s advocate, let us assume that the left of left central administration is the idealist who has dreamed up the brave new world where all hostilities are resolved by talk and a large central government, such as the UN. Here the messiah complex reaches its apex. (the Tarot’s Fool card). World Peace and an Open Society await the multi-trillion bet on the unknown. Hundreds of years of oppression are overcome. Meanwhile, the Chicago style thug-ocracy takes care of the details, and congress passes the pork. The results would seem to be spread over the next ten years.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:59 am 75. Brian W:

Hey Tom Ontis…Poster # 6. Take a wild guess as to Dr. Hanson’s party registration. Do a little research.

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:02 pm 76. Michael F. George:

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:16 pm 77. ScottR:

#67 PHD
“I’ve always thought that at the very core of progressives’ false premise is the simple fact that they totally fail to understand two things: human nature, and science.”

Add historical ignorance as well.

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:23 pm 78. Vader:

David S.,

I am not happy about the Reagan/Bush deficits, but they are dwarfed by the Obama deficits.

http://birkenheaddrill.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/descriptionchart92409.jpg

It is also known that cutting taxes is not the same as reducing revenues. This is the famous Laffer curve. If the tax rate is high enough, cutting taxes can actually increase revenue in the longer term:

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/images/26961470.gif

Finally, I believe Reagan, and possibly Bush, would have liked to have decreased government spending in proportion to tax cuts. In Reagan’s case, cutting spending was politically much more difficult than cutting taxes, and he also felt that winning the Cold War took priority over deficit reduction. Bush has much less excuse, and I am not unsympathetic to Bruce Bartlett’s view that Bush was an imposter conservative.

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:26 pm 79. blotto:

DS aka Sparky: Only three of Clinton’s eight years did he have a balanced budget or surplus. And GWB did add to net debt but alas we did suffer 911 don’t cha know and we were fighting two wars, and we did come off a Clinton recession.

Now even during Reagans years the deficit by percentage of GDP was only 3-5 percent, while Clinton ranged from 2-5 percent and even GWB was only 2-4 percent. Wow!

Now lets look at outlays which have always been hire than receipts (eh, DS that means money coming into the government) Well looky here, outlays have always been larger than what the government takes in even, wait for it, even during Clinton and Carter’s years. OMG!!

Now let’s look where the biggest outlays of money goes to, okay DS: well except for the war years, over 50 percent of the outlays goes to human services like SS, welfare, SSI, medicare/medicaid, health care, etc. Then during Clinton it jumped to over 60 percent. Imagine that, there Sparky. Even our compasionate conservative GWB kept the 60 percent tally going.

It has never been about tax rates or cuts, it is about spending. And spending on programs you lefties use to enslave people especially blacks but all the poor.

Okay so the Messiah comes in and in one year, tops all of GWB’s debt with room to spare.

Here Sparky look for yourself. http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/omb/budget/fy2008/pdf/hist.pdf

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:30 pm 80. RebeccaH:

Never in all my years have I been so frightened for my country. If the Middle East goes down in flames, I expect most of the rest of the world will too, and we will be generations rebuilding (I say “we”, although I do not expect I would survive such a scenario).

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:40 pm 81. JJ:

My question as always is why; why would a majority believe a student of Indonesia, ignorant of our pioneer spirit, dedication to sovereignty, and commitment to freedom, be able to get our country back on track to leadership of sound policies??
Maybe I just answered my own question.

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:46 pm 82. LoachDriver:

This essay supports IMO my suspicion that Obama’s in fact a (Islamic Marxist) Manchurian Candidate whose principal ambition is to do as much harm as he possibily may to the USA.

His fellow Democrats in Congress are too self-centered and ignorant of or indifferent to history to care about the harm they inflict upon the nation.

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:53 pm 83. Bill Johnson:

SteveB:

You are so smart – you left your entire argument behind. Here, let me help.

Those leases upon which you bloviate may not be worth anything – first you lease, then you look for oil. Not all leases have oil – so it would be a bit daft to go drilling there.

We need NEW places to look – and the FedGov owns the land upon which we need to look. And controls how we are allowed to look or produce.

But if you think those leases are sitting fallow, I bet you could buy them – and go make loads of money. No? Why not? No courage of your convictions?

Oct 28, 2009 - 12:58 pm 84. Bill Johnson:

47 Donna:

penury. penury, not perjury. the latter may come into play, but.

Eschew obfuscation. Don’t use big words you don’t know.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:02 pm 85. Old Soldier:

Of course it’s the spending. A government’s drag on the economy is the NPV of expenditures.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:07 pm 86. Anonymous:

#52 Davis Schor

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:08 pm 87. Knotacommie:

I for one greatly respect the writings and intellect of Dr Hanson. I also beleive that we Americans can overcome this by essentially IGNORING the lack of common sense the far left and there DC RINO sympathizers like Mcshame and Lindsay Gramnasty are infected with. Capitalism works quite well without ANY government interferrence. The simple answer to a crook is to drive them out of business. Make sure there orders are late, there commerce is interrupted. Most on the far left are capitalists, they just want capitalsim ONLY FOR THEMSELVES(SEE GEORGE SOROS, STEVEN BING, STEPHEN SPEILBERG). They also have no moral compass, but none of these scum would want a homosexual neighbor or a black one. The left is good only at hypocrisy, but only because they are never held accountable by there fellow travelers(ie, the media on Clinton).

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:15 pm 88. MarkD:

The lightweight can run around apologizing forever. I apologize for what I have done wrong personally, which does not include Hiroshima or slavery.

Obama doesn’t speak for me. Am I sorry bad things happened? Sure, but the apologies of the day are mindless grovelling akin to a dog rolling over and showing its belly. The difference is that the dog is sincere.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:23 pm 89. Thomas_L......:

Ya know Bill, that’s possible but it’s also possible to mistype a word that you know just fine because you’re thinking and not trying to be the smartest person in the room. Oddly enough, you knew what she meant, though, didn’t you? It’s like Bush and Obama. Even with GW’s marblemouth, I understood him perfectly. This new guy, with all his verba … er … wordiness, never fails to leave me saying, WTF?

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:26 pm 90. Marc Malone:

#52 Davis Schor – I’m tired of this meme that tax cuts cause deficits. They don’t. Reagan’s tax cuts increased revenues. Bush 41’s tax hikes reduced revenues. Clinton’s tax hikes decreased revenues. Bush 43’s tax cuts increased revenues. April ‘08 saw the greatest amount of tax revenue in history as a result of the Bush tax cuts.

The problem is always the spending. It’s almost as if, when the government revenues increase, everyone gets the idea that the government has money to spend. Then, all the hogs line up at the trough in a feeding frenzy. It never occurred to them to take the opportunity to pay down the debt. I never heard one proposal like this.

As long as they funnel tax money to cronies in their districts, and sell them to the populace as “bringing money home to my district”, and the people continue to vote for him because he’s the greatest thief around, then the orgy of spending will continue. We need voters to engage in term-limiting these guys… by voting them out.

David, do not blame the tax cuts. That is just ignoring the realities of history.

As an aside, Clinton did not balance the budget. Gingrich did. They had a big showdown. Gingrich stood firm, even forcing the government to shut down. Gingrich won. The Pubs were supposed to be tarred by that shutdown for a long time. Funny how most people have forgotten it, because the budget got balanced and the economy promptly took off. Clinton took credit, but it was Gingrich who made it happen… Gingrich and the Pubbies. When Gingrich resigned, spending proceeded to get out of control again. Someone is going to have to stand tall on spending again.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:27 pm 91. jodetoad:

# 58 above mentioned buying votes. I’d add in universal suffrage. When you can buy the votes of people with no skin in the game, then it makes sense to perpetuate and increase the numbers of such people, and dumb down their education so as to make them more malleable.

The public is going to be the deciding factor in the end. Ignoring the “no skin” types, many of the middle-class people I know are really very spoiled. Yes, they work hard, but they have no notion of saving for tomorrow, of thrift, discipline, or sacrifice. So they will shift in the breeze of economic forces, and go back to sleep if life starts seeming comfortable. Whether enough Americans are willing to pay the price to preserve the country is my question.

If my family were in the condition the gov. is in, I’d be working 2+ jobs, cutting back lifestyle hard, paying down any debt, growing food, and finding any way possible to get by for less. Instead they are playing shell games.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:30 pm 92. Reason60:

Dr. Hanson illustrates the contradiction that is at the heart of the modern conservative movement; the marriage of two things which are diametrcally opposed to each others:
Fiscal conservatism and foreign interventionism.

Wars and interventions are by their nature insanely expensive; the Iraq/ Afghanistan/ Pakistan wars will cost around 4 Trillion by the time we are done.

In this fiscal year alone, we will spend $3.5 trillion;
$2.1 Trillion is Soc. Security and Medicare and debt service;
1.4 Trillion is discretionary;
of that 1.4 trillion, 900 Billion is defense;
Does Dr. Hanson want to increase this next year? Go to war with Pakistan or Iran, and incur yet more astronomicly large debt?

Where does he think we will find 1.4 Trillion in spending cuts to balance the budget?

We spend a lot, mostly because of our wars; Wanting to balance the budget means revising our interventionist policy.

Until someone can reconcile multiple wars with a balanced budget, “strong defense and fiscal conservatism” is just a bumper sticker slogan.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:32 pm 93. goy:

@52. David S: – All this debt is the direct result of massive tax cuts.

Take a vacation and go grow a brain, Zippy. DEBT comes from SPENDING WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE. If you’d ever lived in any state BUT debt you might realize that.

The 2001 tax cuts resulted in massive INCREASES in federal revenue. Try to keep up.

The federal budget was on track to go into balance until the Democrat Congress derailed it. You can deny or deconstruct it all you like, but the fact is that as of January of 2007 – years after the tax cuts were implemented and had their effect on the economy – the revenue/spending trends were pushing the budget into balance, even with Congress spending money like drunken sailors.

You don’t bring your budget into balance by jacking up taxes, you balance it by reducing spending – something Congress has refused to do for over ten years.

- Obama is adding to the debt, yes, …
Another moronic statement. BHO hasn’t simply “added to” the debt – HE QUADRUPLED IT. And there’s no evidence that he’s raised revenue any more than the historic levels of revenue we saw during the previous administration.

- … blaming Obama for the mess he inherited …
No one’s blaming Obama for the mess he “inherited”, Zippy – that mess was 100% the result of the Democrat-controlled Congress, total lack of fiscal leadership by GWB and Congress’ general ineptitude at handling money. Obama is being blamed FOR THE MESS HE HAS CREATED, which – due to its magnitude – won’t likely be fixed in your lifetime.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:34 pm 94. PTL:

Since Obama has yet to meet a Marxist dictator he doesn’t like he’ll do what they do,
freeze the bank accounts of all (Chicago and Democrats excepted) and confiscate the
money. A banana republic at last.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:37 pm 95. kilyab:

If we are to begin the process of ‘righting our Ship of State’, the only reasonable hope is our right to vote in the next election. . .and this begins with next Tuesday, November 3. Significant ‘leadership’ elected positions of certain states are on the ballot; even if not in the state where one votes, if one knows someone, anyone in any of the affected states, CALL THEM and declare yourself by seeking their accountability, and prevailing upon them what must be done to begin the rpocess of ‘righting our Ship of State’.
Let all of us take up the cause to make the CHANGE that clearly must be made, and as we do this, let us never be afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what we believe-and why we believe it.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:45 pm 96. Donna V.:

Bill, correcting a typo is your big rebuttal? My, such razor sharp proofreading skills – you must be the editor of your high school paper.

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:49 pm 97. Apologies Plus « Slow Stagger:

[...] the general mood or anything, but Victor Davis Hanson has a good, and very cautionary, essay here. His concluding lines: … close your eyes, listen to the Messiah’s voice, and repeat: [...]

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:52 pm 98. baal:

You know what? We have enough people on these forums to force a change in the republican party.
IMAO, the first step needs to be a PLEDGE signed by ALL elected republican officials to NEVER engage in deficit spending and to filibuster any and all deficit spending..
If they fail they should be kicked out immediately, no questions asked.
We talk and we talk and we talk on this forum. The only answer people seem to have is Sarah Palin–and thats great but that’s a person, not a SOLUTION.
Can I get any of you to even acknowledge that you read this and consider the idea?

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:55 pm 99. eon:

As for the idea that we “would never see Europeans wanting us to buck up in Afghanistan and get tougher with Ahmedinejad”, it was best said by Kipling;

For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an “Chuck him out, the brute!”

But it’s “Saviour of his country”, when the guns begin to shoot.

-”Tommy”, by Rudyard Kipling (1893)

Europe, or at least its pseudo-intellectual “leaders”, will preen over Obama’s wearing of sackcloth and ashes over the fact that America isn’t “enlightened” like- well, like they perceive themselves to be. That is, until they find themselves once more looking at the wrong ends of somebody else’s guns.

At which point I expect they will suddenly remember that it was the Chinese who invented printing, and the Italians who created the Renaissance, not the Islamists, who had and have little use for either.

They will also remember- briefly- to be polite to us, when we come to their rescue again.

And we will. Like Mr. Thomas Atkins, we suffer from a malady the “enlightened ones” both here and in Europe do not.

We actually give a damn about somebody, and something, besides our own personal safety and ambitions. A concept that our “elites’” will take full advantage of, even as, in their own minds, they laugh at us for our lack of “sophistication”.

Maybe this time we should hand them rifles, too, and tell them to “get on with it”.

Just a thought.

clear ether

eon

Oct 28, 2009 - 1:58 pm 100. “Transformative change” — Winds Of Jihad By SheikYerMami:

[...] [...]

Oct 28, 2009 - 2:09 pm 101. baal:

92. Reason60:You are right to a certain degree. We may need to find a cheaper way to project force.
One of the most cost effective means of deploying force is the use of Carpet Bombing with formations of strategic bombers. Nixon displayed this to effect in Linebacker II which brought the communists screaming to the negotiating table in Paris. However Nixon dropped the ball and didn’t press the campaign to force terms of unconditional surrender.
Do you approve?

Oct 28, 2009 - 2:14 pm 102. rvastar:

Only three of Clinton’s eight years did he have a balanced budget or surplus.

Not to mention that the mythical “Clinton Surpluses” are a complete fabrication, no different than the rest of the Left’s revisionist history (i.e. fascism is a right-wing phenomenon…govt-coerced subprime lending had nothing to do with the mortgage/credit collapse).

Never in all my years have I been so frightened for my country.

You should be frightened. Cap-n-Trade, no Cap-n-Trade…Socialist health care, no Socialist health care…it doesn’t matter anymore. A Weimar-like collapse, coupled with Balkan-like demographic strife, is the future that awaits the Western world. There’s no stopping it now.

But take heart. The Phoenix has to burn before it can rise from the ashes. At the core, Western Leftist are pampered cowards. And when the meltdown they’ve set in motion over the past 50 years finally reaches critical mass, they’re going to find out just how little effect name-calling and screaming have on people who are beyond caring anymore.

Oct 28, 2009 - 2:28 pm 103. M. Report:

@ 65. Paul of alexandria: Family $urvival ?

Depends on how bad things get.

Human nature has not changed since the time
of the Greeks; The State will pay its debts
with wealth obtained by digging ever deeper into the pockets of the productive, until it
is replaced by a fiscally conservative govt.
or it collapses, resulting in, ah, Civil
Disorders, as our home-grown barbarians
go into welfare withdrawal and riot …
and is replaced by the most powerful surviving organized group(s), probably,
(hopefully) elements of the military who
were in charge of running Displaced Persons
Relocation Camps during the escape from
New York, and other areas abandoned after
their infrastructure ceased to provide
life support for their inhabitants.

Near term, minimize assets in dollars, give
to conservative tea-party candidates, and
pray, if religious (or not- what harm ?)
that reform is still possible.

If the US passes the point of no return,
and starts an Argentinian Decline, do not
waste time trying to conserve wealth; The
State will sooner rather than later take
it all; Better to spend it on moving to a
safe(r) neighborhood, ideally a healthy
mid-sized town, plugging as many family
members as possible into the local economy,
so as not to lose all income at once, and
becoming a valued, trusted, part of the
community.
Life in Pleasantville has its drawbacks, but it beats the Hell out of Bellona.

Oct 28, 2009 - 2:35 pm 104. MoultrieGAConservative:

Spot on, as always, from Mr. Hanson. I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again. The Obama Years will ultimately prove to have been basically “The Carter Years Redux.” The conditions are eerily similar. The only good news here is that Obama, like Carter before him, will be gone in four — just another liberal one-termer, and not a particularly accomplished one at that.

In the meantime, we can essentially cut that one term in half in 2010 and limit the grave damage done by winning back 40 seats in the House (doable) and at least knocking the Democrats below the 60-vote “filibuster-proof” threshold in the Senate (also very doable). The Democrats don’t seem to recognize it yet, but there are undeniably ominous storm clouds gathering on the horizon for them in 2010. Approximately 50 percent of the American voting populace is now either panicked or pissed off or both.

Mr. Hanson is absolutely correct in his assessment. I remember the Carter years all too well. Fortunately, by the end of his third year in office the jig was up and Carter was extremely unpopular. Thank God it was Reagan that took him down, but I believe even a lesser man than Reagan could have taken Carter down because America was fed up with Carter by then. If current trends continue (and I expect they will), I expect Obama to be not only unpopular by his third year in office, but reviled. As long as the GOP runs a true constitutionally conservative candidate (not another RINO like McCain) and has a limited government platform with the right message in 2012, then Obama will most certainly be beatable.

Oct 28, 2009 - 2:43 pm 105. conservative in dc:

Yes, Professor Hanson. If we had Bush 41 and 43, this is Carter 44. Say hello to Professor McLure.

Oct 28, 2009 - 2:45 pm 106. Thomas_L.....:

Baal – In case you haven’t noticed, immediately takes at least four years. Got a better idea? I generally start with the assumption that all professional politicians are scum and I try to never to expect more than a grunt from a pig. Works pretty well.

Oct 28, 2009 - 2:59 pm 107. Bigwheels:

I agree with you on everything, but I have one question: is inflation necessarily bad for poor or working class people who don’t have any savings but a lot of fixed interest rate debt (i.e. a house)? Seems like for people in that position, its a potential good – or at least the good offsets the bad (higher prices on day to day needs). For all the private debt that got written off and/or transferred to the taxpayer, there is a far larger amount of private debt that is being duly serviced every day by “regular folks” who didn’t get any bailouts and don’t have any friends inside the administration. Inflation would, arguably, be a type of bailout for them. Or maybe I’m being foolish and naive.

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:00 pm 108. jharp:

This site is a joke.

After Bush leaves us with the worst economy since the depression, and invades and occupies a country that was no threat us you have the gall to whine about Obama not fixing everything in 9 months.

Get real. No one is buying into your nonsense any longer.

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:01 pm 109. Vincent:

ECON 101. I hope that the good people of our nation are concerned and will voice their opinions come Tuesday (VA, NJ) and in Nov. 2010.

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:11 pm 110. David W. Lincoln:

As long as the Chief deformed soul in the Oval Office, and his hordes of zombies or deformed souls with their paws on the levers of government inside the beltway continue to be blind to this, http://guidoromero.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/backdoor-taxes-hit-americans-with-public-financing-in-the-dark/ and http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/06/10/george-jonas-hitler-s-dream-come-true.aspx tough decisions have to be made.

The deformed souls, or zombies, with their paws on the levers of government inside the Beltway, are as reformable as terminally ill patients are treatable. Therefore, those with
the most intellectual horsepower to make their
way through the byzantine labyrinths that Guido Romero and George Jonas describe, they have to make the case to their governments;
otherwise, they have to convene assemblies to
establish governments in exile which would take away the authority of those who either got us in this mess, or are perpetuating the mess.

It is a matter of the will, and we are running
out of time. For sure, we are out of patience.

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:20 pm 111. Dave K.:

The problem is that there are too many sacred cows that nobody wants to touch.

For instance,the insane military spending has to be curbed.
Defense does not equal paying for the world’s military.

Europe, Japan, and the Middle East can pay for their own defense!

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:26 pm 112. SpeakEasy:

Would it not be interesting to have a federal time-out? All states would stop supporting the Federal government with all taxes going directly to the state governments. Let everyone get their houses in order before pressing the play button again. I suspect the RED states would fair much better than the BLUE states. Individuals would see the significance of being productive when all the welfare projects effected them more directly. Which states would prosper and which would fall into disarray? It would be an interesting experiment. Maybe we would recall why we were designed to be individual sovereign states under self governance and not a collective kingdom run by a monarch.

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:34 pm 113. J.E. Dyer:

So weird, Professor. You so often express the things that are at the top of my mind. This business of treating government debt as if it’s a fairy tale that will never land on us as a life-crushing reality — it’s got to stop. The longer we wait to deal with it, the more likely it is we will have to repudiate a portion of our debt, and take other radical, disjunctive steps to change course. The implications of that for a large segment of the earth’s population are mind-boggling.

I’m not convinced we’ve ever had an administration as divorced from reality as Obama’s.

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:36 pm 114. Now and Then:

98 Layer of Baal:

Ooh goody! A pledge! Do I get to rasei two fingers and stand straight and tall and promise to eat all my vegetables and kick out the gay Webelos?

No deficit spending, eh? OK, then according to the histrionic palpatations of Lord Y’all, that will be generations. What are you willing to do without until then?

Oct 28, 2009 - 3:56 pm 115. John Sanchez:

This is exactly the reason why Republicans cannot get any traction. They keep on pointing the finger at Obama for debts, yet ignore the fact that they are just as guilty. Bush spent more than all presidents combined prior to him, and Reagan did the same.

More importantly, there are times you need to spend and times you should cut back. The distinction is very clear and obvious: if the economy is hurting, the government should step in, if it is not, then the government should get out of the way. How soon Republicans want you to forget that near the end of Bush’s term, they too were crying that we are headed for the greatest recession since the great depression. We all know what they would’ve said if McCain won instead of Obama, but given that Obama want, they want you to believe that his spending caused the problem. It is also perfectly convenient for these people to ignore the fact that cutting back on government spending was exactly what happened during the lead up to the Great Depression, the severe depression of 1837 – 1844, and just about every other major recession in American history.

But of course, history and facts have no place for American politics, right? We will never learn!

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:00 pm 116. JED:

98. baal:
IMAO, the first step needs to be a PLEDGE signed by ALL elected republican officials to NEVER engage in deficit spending and to filibuster any and all deficit spending..
We could also ask for term limits and stop automatic pay raises for that den of thieves in congress. On the joint session of congress the words “Not Your Money” could be carved. Somehow reforming congress would be like teaching foxes and boars to be vegetarians. The election system is based on promises, payouts, and pork, but not principles. I would vote them out, but legally, I can not guarantee my neighbor.

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:02 pm 117. Dave H:

Steve B/Colorado: The reason that oil companies don’t drill on their existing leases is the constant threat of lawsuits. In my hometown of Culver City, there is an ongoing battle of several years in duration to get a couple wells in the Baldwin Hills going. Every time the oil co. wins in court, another case gets filed. We need new federal law to eliminate these baseless suits that only drive up prices.

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:15 pm 118. baal:

108. jharp:
Your messiah is a joke. Did you know he got his start turning tricks for a slumlord?

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:17 pm 119. factis:

My Top Four for U.S. Government Reform:

1. Clean out Congress (both Houses)

2. Repeal a great many Laws and Statutes beginning with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Farm Subsidies, Welfare, Food Stamps, Public Housing

3. Downsize bureaucracy (town, city, county, state, federal)

4. Outlaw the possibility of labor-union membership in the public sector. Pass a National Right-to-Work Law.

Personal Note: I am an urban Baby Boomer: b. 1946. The protracted adolescence of my age-cohort figures large in this crisis. I am now committed to taking up some of the wretched slackness created by sex-drugs-rock’n roll of my g-g-generation. I thank God for enabling me to see the difference between Then and Now. As long as I am above-ground, it is never to late to start over. May I have another whiff of those smelling-salts, please…

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:18 pm 120. Somebody:

We’re all gonna diiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

Geez, people, get a grip.

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:22 pm 121. Sebastian Shaw:

President Obama is Jimmy Carter Squared. It means stagflation, high interest rates, high gas prices, high food prices, etc al…

Those who were born either Reagan Administration or Bush I Administration will soon learn what stagflation means…

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:25 pm 122. gordo:

You paint a bleak picture indeed. My question is, if we don’t change our ways and we pay big, how will that affect the world stage? Will the western democracies go down with us? Will the bad guys gain considerable global leverage? I wonder if much of the world, and much of our populace who like what Obama is doing, will say, hey, we really do need you, the United States, to lead, once again. Who knows, but I’m buying gold.

Oct 28, 2009 - 4:30 pm 123. Raymond Peyronel:

I couldn’t put it better than what was said in this article. This country is in DEEP trouble.
He continues to buy votes with taxpayer money,without any regard to how it will be paid. By the time the next election comes around it might be too late with all the damage
being done to the country. He is taking away all self-reliance, creating a greater welfare
society.GOD HELP US!!

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:00 pm 124. Thomas_L......:

Want to hear a good joke? Jbarf supposes we care what he thinks. Beat it, twit! You’re functioning as nothing but noise in the information stream. Your mother must be proud of your accomplishments. No one wants you, no one reads your excretions except the couple of lines they can’t help but see when they skip past and yet here you still are. Who’s stupid again?

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:04 pm 125. Jeffrey:

“I hope I am wrong about all of the above, and that human nature really has magically changed in the era of Obama. So close your eyes, listen to the Messiah’s voice, and repeat: “Debts will be forgiven by creditors; inflation will not follow from massive borrowing; breakthroughs in solar and wind will power our cars and heat our homes; enemies will admire our compassion and join us to achieve world peace; and terrorists are either misunderstood or provoked needlessly by our bellicosity that alone stands in the way of peace.”

VDH:

Human nature has not changed yet and Obama is just a liar with an agenda; and that agenda is to steal as much as he can as fast as he can for him and his buddies and be done with it. Of course in the mean time why not destroy every good thing that insults the sensibilities of a Marxist ideology. These thieves know that they have only a short time but they can’t stop themselves from being what they are.
As you alluded to there are other elements at work here; the natural laws of God which provide DeVine retribution for liars, cheats and thieves from which there is no escape.
The anger is still building on the left and there will be more lashing out at perceived enemies and soon the anger will reach the point of no return; they will go too far and then be cut off forever, it’s just a matter of time now.
The true hope is that enough of us wake up soon enough to remove ourselves and what’s left of our country from the sure path of destruction.
We will be witnesses to one of the greatest self destructions of all time.
Keep speaking up and standing up. I hope you get to compile a book about all of this. It will become a classic and in a few hundred years people will hardly believe it’s true.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:08 pm 126. scott:

Gosh it never ceases to amaze me how God continues to work all to the good for me (an thee) because (we) I love him. Crippled human love of course but best I’ve been able to do so far.

Because I am pretty much monstrously selfish I never had kids. Thank God. Though my lack of a family is the greatest heartache I bear.

We have, dear children, the government we deserve. Think on that. Really. Even the so called most ‘conservative’ among us have done little to thwart the evil overspreading our nation for now onto fifty years. We’ve expended much more of our energy, most perhaps, having a good time. Pursuing happiness. (yes the rot can be traced back THAT far {Its in our very founding documents.})

Now we find ourselves with the opportunity to pay off our immeasurable debt. No I’m not speaking about our profligate lifestyle since our generation was conceived. We have the chance to witness to the world as we go out. We can say to all, “The Word informed us of our fate and we did not heed. We reap the whirlwind now but we need not suffer the second death. ”

Have you ever thought how you would prefer to go out? Start thinking.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:11 pm 127. Anonymous:

Left/liberals… all they want to do is run down America and give away everything we have to make the rest of the world like us (i.e., them) better. And, it never works. Didn’t work with “peace for our time,” won’t work now.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:15 pm 128. Capt. Koons:

You ask, “Has he ever experienced the wages of such borrowing in his own life?” I have. And many other Americans have. That’s what give us such good insight into the warning signs of financial train wrecks. I’ve maxed out a credit card and had nothing to show for it. I’ve prayed to the ATM for enough cash to get through the weekend. And, I’ve lived with the consequences. Tomorrow, we’ll wake up with our national credit card showing a $1T charge for a stimulus plan and we’ll have nothing to show for it. We’ve been there, usually in our youth. We expected grown ups to handle the national credit card.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:17 pm 129. Dr.C:

In CA, with the CO2 taxes already in place (our version of cap and trade), energy costs are most likely going to keep rising at 15% (historical average is 6%).

With the state and federal subsidies for solar right now, you can get 40% off a solar roof that will cover 80% of your bill. If you pay more than $100/month for electricity you can make a return of about 10% on your money (assuming 6% inflation for energy and 4% cost of money). With CD’s @ 1.5% & 10 year treasury notes @ 3.5%, it is almost a no-brainer to install a solar roof if you have a good south facing surface.

I too remember getting 14% for a 1 year CD in the 70’s, so perhaps 10% won’t be that great in a year or two, but for now it is a interesting prospect.

CA is determined to make electricity as expensive as possible whether or not it kills jobs. Hopefully the rest of the country won’t follow suit.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:30 pm 130. Gozer the Carpathian:

Unfortunetly I believe we are already past the point of no return. We’ll look back and see that a few years ago we passed it and we’re now in the collapse. It won’t be fast, but it will accelerate.

I fear what will happen when it all comes down.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:37 pm 131. PTAMominMaryland:

The Algebra I curriculum in the entire State of Maryland has been politicized … 6 weeks of Algebra I curriculum was replaced with a far easier “Data Analysis” piece so that the numbers of kids who pass the High School Assessments and are eligible to be given a high school diploma is inflated. (even with the easier curriculum, only 66% of kids in Baltimore City Public Schools) By law students attend 180 days of school …. 6 weeks = 30 days = 1/6 of the Algebra I curriculum is not even taught.

Teachers pressured to teach the easier curriculum no matter what they thought …. Honors and GT math students failing Algebra II and Pre-Calculus due to these holes in their Algebra I foundation. Parents told that their children “must not be Honors or GT material”. 60% of GT students have tutors hired by their parents.

The lengths that some elected officials will go to to prop up their supporters, their careers, their pro-union leadership (not pro-union rank and file) Democratic Party … i.e. handicap the math and science abilities of children in an entire State. Middle class and upper middle class parents compensate …. the educational potential of disadvantaged children is devastated.

May God have mercy on the souls of politicians who believe that this kind of terrible treatment of children is their God given right.

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:44 pm 132. r. p.:

Victor Davis Hanson

“This nation will soon pay a heavy price for out-of-control debt, refusal to drill, and a foreign policy built on weakness.”

The worst President in United States history deserves justice in the worst way.

Rachel Peepers

Oct 28, 2009 - 5:57 pm 133. A.M. Mallett:

thank you … thats all I can state … thank you

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:09 pm 134. J. D. Lindskog:

The (global) debt depression of the 30’s was largely responsible for the social unrest that resulted in WW II. WW II can be thought of as a final deflationary repudiation of the accumulated social debt. The socialist thinkers of the world assume that once a utopian state (read: a command control economy) is established and operating, it and the land they are standing on won’t be taken away from them. Wrong – think, (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Italy, France, and the almosts, England, and Hawaii.) to recount just a few.
To deal with necessity the monumental clean-up (armed conflict) and (post war) economic recovery (economic sacrifice), the fathers and sons of the middle and lower classes were put to work (drafted) worldwide. The generational memories and lessons of that effort are fading fast. ‘This time its different’ is the current watch-phrase as the next Big One will be nuclear, biological, and chemical. And, it may well be, followed soon after by the sound of Boots On The Ground.
Do we really have to do this all over again?
Answer; likely yes.
Are we (Western nations) psychologically and physically prepared?
Answer, no.
Will we (Western nations) exit out of the resulting experience the same nations as we are?
Answer, no.
Will we (US) exit out of the resulting experience the same nation as we are?
Answer, no.
Will we (Western nations) survive in their current geographic configurations?
Answer, some will and some won’t.
Why does this have to reoccur?
Answer, we, (homo-sapiens) are the same socially organized animals that we were 8000 years ago. We have more efficient tools now and that’s about it.
The quest for socio/political dominion and the resources to enable it is alive and fully functional.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:10 pm 135. Jerry:

Most comments here have been exceedingly intelligent, but surprisingly have missed the point – although if the truth be known, I have not read more than a third of the posts.

Please note carefully that Mr. Obama wants a health care bill, but does not seem to care what is in it. I guarantee that he will not read the whole of it before signing. How strange!

Mr. Obama wants a Cap and Trade bill whose result will be increased costs to all.

Mr. Obama supports extreme unionization which the country cannot afford.

Mr. Obama wants to control business transactions to the point of stifling initiatives of both big and small companies

Conclusion: Mr. Obama cares not a wit for American well-being. Mr. Obama wants anything that will pauperize America so as to assure that it will not be able to defend itself. His goal is to weaken America on the world stage. That is what he wishes to accomplish before he leaves office after one or two terms. And that he will accomplish with aplomb. I hope America is not dumb enough to re-elect him.

A consequence of Mr. Obama’s policies is that the only people in the world who will be able to live well in America are those who have become wealthy in their own countries. America will be purchased by them – natural resources, farms, homes, factories, service industries. China will have more to say about running America than its citizens – probably in our lifetime.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:22 pm 136. Leatherneck:

I enjoyed reading All Falling Down.

Morality would fix a lot of the above stated problems. As we continue as a nation to not teach our children morality, or hold our government to good moral standards, America will be cursed.

2 Thessaionians 3:10.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:37 pm 137. misanthropicus:

RE #33/Moho [...] We’ve been paying that price for eight years, you clown. [...]

Mojo, you’re sperbly channeling Obama – and DISGUSTING is the term used by Charlie Krauthammer during a Fox show to describe Obama’s ceaseless blaming Bush -

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/10/krauthammer_on_obamas_blamebus.html

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:39 pm 138. bill:

So why are we spending trillions nation building in the Middle East? Let the rest of the world take care of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc. We are rapidly sinking to our knees, we can’t even agree to educate and take care of our own people. Why squander our National Treasure overseas? India is the worlds largest democracy, let them worry about the Taliban and Pakistani nukes. Iran is in Russia’s back yard, not ours.

All so true about the energy situation. Those rigs would not even be close to being visible of the Santa Barbara coast if we let them drill. Build the nuclear plants and reprocess the fuel like the rest of the world does. It’s all so painfully obvious to all but our politicians. Solar and wind can only amount to a tiny fraction of our total energy requirements, and that’s only when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing.

The dollar loses more of it’s value, the price of oil goes up to compensate. India and Chinese demand will increase no matter what our economy does. The price of oil goes up more. Interest rates will rise to keep the Asian’s from abandoning the dollar. High interest rates and a spiraling price of oil will crush our economy.

“Be frugal and Free” – Ben Franklin.

Oct 28, 2009 - 6:57 pm 139. R. Richard Schweitzer:

Whilst it is true the veto pen will languish in its scabbard, the fact is that all spending is done by congress, not the President.

Same is true of taxation.

Now, when Congress devolves upon the executive the “how” of spending, a la tarp, the swamp churns a bit (as we see – or actually are not permitted to see).

Even so, it is Congress that commits devolution. The issue is why?

R. Richard Schweitzer

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:13 pm 140. Wyatt Wingfoot:

It is not yet 802,701 A.D., but how soon shall we all divide ourselves into the Eloi and the Morlock?

Oct 28, 2009 - 7:15 pm 141. Jayne:

Did he cut back and save for his college or law school tuition, with part-time jobs? Did he ever run a business and see how hard it was to be $200 ahead at day’s end?
————-

Are you serious? Obama has been an affirmative action case his entire life. I doubt he ever paid a dime of tuition ANYWHERE.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:01 pm 142. kp:

Get. A. Clue.
“a trillion here for health care”. Funny how every other advanced economy in the world can provide their citizens with this basic service but we, the richest nation on earth, cannot afford it.
“a trillion there for cap-and-trade”. Cap-and-trade is a regulatory framework you idiot. It doesn’t cost anything. The expenditures that are in the cap-and-trade bill are for things like energy efficiency,which saves us money in the long term. Neither health care nor cap-and-trade are going to add anything to the deficit, so what’s your point?
“in an inflationary spiral”. Are you kidding? Do you know how deflation happens? Do you even know what the zero bound is? Do you know anything about monetary policy at all? Wow.
“terrorists are misunderstood…” blah, blah, blah. This makes no sense. Obama has always said that terrorists are evil extremists, and we have done an exceptional job of fighting them under his watch. You are lying.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:24 pm 143. baal:

Well, the trolls hated the idea of the PLEDGE, that must mean they FEAR it.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:32 pm 144. Pragmatist:

# 68 Mr Lucky I think you will find that MOHO is the self confessed JEW HATING Obambi worshiping, ostensibly left wing moonbat (but most probably LYING its what Mohammedans do) Mohammedan ARAB one actually.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:39 pm 145. Pragmatist:

# 115 John Sanchez: As opposed to the Obamanation I suppose who has already in just NINE MONTHS QUADRUPLED Bush’s deficit. My God I knew you left wing moonbats were uninformed and naive but you as they say ‘take the biscuit’.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:44 pm 146. John Oh:

steveb/colorado
Just to add to other comments — do you know how hard it is to get anything approved? Look at what the no-growth activists are doing in South Dakota to the proposed Hyperion refinery? Major utility wants to build a nuke? Add ten years to the construction time and millions in legal fees because that’s how long and how much it will require to litigate before you even break ground. Even if what you claim about the leases is true — and commenters above show its not — where would we refine all this crude? We’re near capacity, and new refineries are not allowed. Nukes — not allowed. Drilling for oil or natural gas — not allowed. Get ready to pay what ever price the Russians and Arabs decide to charge. We’re screwed

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:45 pm 147. Gaffe Prices:

That Carter stuff was the most excruciating, maudlin garbage, especially so after he ran in democrat primary as a bigger redneck than his dem opponent Lester Maddox.

they ran the SOB as a saint, and this time around the ran their stooge as the messiah. democrats are such hypocrites, phonys, suckers, and fools.

Why don’t ‘chall schlub all your Holden Caulfield characters again, and take aim this time at yourselves.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:48 pm 148. Alana:

You’re not wrong about any of it.

Oct 28, 2009 - 8:55 pm 149. All Falling Down . . . « hillaryvillagers blog:

[...] http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/allfallingdown/ [...]

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:00 pm 150. Lisa Carson:

C’mon Victor: “ad nauseum”? I know you’re a hellenist, but really!

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:24 pm 151. sally plourde:

a very interesting and of course, well written article with the exception of the last line where he, as do most americans these days, misuses the verb lay. you lay something down, you lie down. surely, a stanford intellectual knows that…

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:27 pm 152. Pete:

92. Reason60, wrote, “Dr. Hanson illustrates the contradiction that is at the heart of the modern conservative movement; the marriage of two things which are diametrcally opposed to each others: Fiscal conservatism and foreign interventionism.”

R60, as a pro-defense conservative, I am very concerned about the level of spending in the two theaters of war in which we are involved. You may be interested to note, that the late Paul Weyrich and coauthor Bill Lind in their book “The Next Conservatism,” explicitly criticize interventionist foreign policy, noting that historically the Founders cautioned against military adventurism and unnecessary foreign entanglements. In other words, conservatives are divided on the wisdom of continuing our efforts in Iraq and Af-Pak.
I have not yet turned against these wars, but I am not as committed to them as I once was, because the commitments they entail seem open-ended, and no one has yet articulated a winning COIN strategy that does not involve garrisoning forces there for decades, not that I have seen, anyway.

If these wars are indeed worth fighting – and they may be – then why can’t they be funded as WWII was – by the issuance of war bonds?

The USA has done the heavy lifting in the GWOT (ooooppps, “foreign contingency operations”), both in terms of the blood we have asked our forces to spill, and the money we have spent. Why should we continue to fight this war, when no one else seems to consider it worth doing, beyond a token level of forces? Yes, I know that some nations have sacrificed for the Af-Pak war effort (the Brits and CW nations, Holland, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, and some others), but NATO as a whole has been abysmal in its commitment.

If the US is to continue its efforts, and its disproportionate sacrifices, then we should demand compensation from those who benefit from our efforts. Police do not patrol a beat free of charge, and neither should we. Moreover, Iraq should immediately be assessed a surcharge of oil to pay us for liberating them from Saddam Hussein. The Bush idea that we are doing it all for free is nonesense; nothing in life is free, and freedom, like anything else – is better appreciated if it costs something. We esteem too little that which we obtain too easily, isn’t that the aphorism?

A final point: A case can be made that the USA is ill-equipped to prosecute the war in the Hindu Kush, especially culturally and geopgraphically. Few Americans speak the langauges of that region, know its culture or customs, and our supply lines are halfway around the globe, into some of the worst terrain in the world in which to wage war, across the territory of nations whose interests do not often accord with our own. India is an ideal counterweight to Pakistan, and a much more natural ally than Pakistan. India has every incentive to contain Pakistan, and thwart its nuclear brinksmanship. It is their spehere of influence, more than our own. Why doesn’t India, the world’s largest democracy, have a more central role in this region? Anyone on this board know the details of this question?

Our government is in a de facto state of bankrupcy, and your point is correct; they are enormously expensive.

While I supported Bush and his generally strong stance on defense, he lost me when he sent forces halfway around the globe yet failed to secure the borders with Mexico. Some analysts believe that Mexico is in danger of becoming destablized; if this occurs, the gravest threat to our security will not be in Af-Pak, or Iraq, but on our southern border.

In sum, my patience is waning somewhat. I want to “win” in the Af-Pak theater of conflict as much as anyone, but what does victory look like? This war is eight years and counting, and unless we conservatives are prepared to have forces stationed there permanently, we’d better come up with a strategy that breaks the stalemate there, and gets our forces home in victory. Don’t fight a war unless you are prepared to go all-out to win, at the national level – and we aren’t doing that now. A low- or middle-intensity conflict is fighting the war on terms that favor our enemies. read your Sun Tzu; that is among his most important lessons – do not fight on terms that favor your enemy. If we aren’t prepared to win, what are we doing there?

Oct 28, 2009 - 9:49 pm 153. Soljerblue:

Scott suggested we start thinking about how we want to go out. I choose to go resisting the (expletive deleted) who got us here.

“Then up spake brave Horatio, captain of the gate. He said, ‘death comes to every men, whether soon or late.

‘And how can man die better than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his gods.’ ”

MacCauley — Lays of Ancient Rome.

Oct 28, 2009 - 11:17 pm 154. Brian Richard Allen:

“” When Obama talks … Does he include the cost of interest? Where will the money came from? Who will pay the interest? Has he ever experienced the wages of such borrowing in his own life? Did he cut back and save for his college or law school tuition, with part-time jobs? Did he ever run a business and see how hard it was to be $200 ahead at day’s end? “”

The Obamas and their minders both engineered and benefited obscenely from the Fannie Freddie-fired frenzy. Having corruptly acquired their mob-financed McMansion and before the unearned income kicked in from the books Bill Ayres authored for him, the Obamas several times converted their effectively-inflation-fueled house “equity” into cash — and spent it.

Oct 29, 2009 - 3:46 am 155. Mike2:

30. alex:
The United States had a golden opportunity from the 50’s – 90’s to set aside Capital, invest in itself, promote authentic health care systems, etc, etc, etc. We did not, and will pay the price for foolishness soon enough.

You are one of the few here that see the situation for what it is. We have been a long time getting here and the price will be paid whether we like it or not. As Bob Dylan sang back in the 70’s, “it’s a slow train coming down the track.” One of the worst mistakes Bush made, and I voted for him twice, was to not take advantage of 9/11 to begin the achievement of energy independence. He could have steamrollered right over the left and done some lasting good for the nation. Instead he chose to cozy up to the Saudis. The iron was hot then but it is now too late.

Oct 29, 2009 - 4:47 am 156. All Falling Down . . . « Beyond the Eye of the Beholder:

[...] Falling Down . . . October 29, 2009 — ascintor All Falling Down . . .., well VDH says it all as well as it can be said… Posted in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment [...]

Oct 29, 2009 - 4:57 am 157. maryann:

Someone please help me out for arguing with idiots, when VDH mentions the fact that Obama had no biz experience, no military experience held down a job, the lefties will only point out the similarities in qualifications with other Presidents, what is my response?
And yes Dr K has me very worried will the pantywaist be re-elected?
And I know I am being sensitive but when Rush and some other call it the Guberment Healthcare
I can’t help but feel as if it’s somewhat sad. It’s the Liberal Left that destroyed the black family
when I see scenes of ghettos’s and inner cities in the states I really feel as if the government did this to them, created hell on earth for these poor folks.

Oct 29, 2009 - 5:01 am 158. Paul -Indiana:

No candidate? Can we get Rudy Giulianni to run?

Oct 29, 2009 - 5:16 am 159. pelaut:

All true and correct. Too late to avoid horrific pain.
Even if a Petraeus type took over with a willing public, drilled, built nuke power stations, etc., etc., Americans are in for one hell of a payback for their sins.

When it hits the fan, please God, let us be smart enough to sacrifice the Europeans this time to gain time.

Oct 29, 2009 - 5:20 am 160. JLFINTX:

Clean your ears and listen for that Ram’s horn. Pray that you hear it before this country devolves into a civil war exponentially worse than the first.

Once this country, the last great country in human history falls, it will quickly lead to that One World Govt (almost as if this is the plan all along-collapse the last superpower) because all the world economies are in the same drive train.

Obama might not be the Man of Sin, but he sure plays the role of a good subordinate. The real Man of Sin will make the supposed slickness and charisma look like a total loser. I do not know if Obama really knows what invisible hand is moving him to accelerate the end of human history, but he certainly does not look like a man of faith in the God that I know. I believe he belongs to his father, the father of lies as so many of his followers also appear to belong.

Oct 29, 2009 - 5:31 am 161. Dave K.:

r.p.@132:

“The worst President in United States history deserves justice in the worst way.”

That’s a bit harsh?
Granted, George W. Bush was bad, but I wouldn’t want any physical harm to come to him.

Oct 29, 2009 - 5:59 am 162. Skip Razee:

As usual you get it exactly right. I agree with previous commenters also that Dr K., Tom Sowell and yourself are the most precient minds around. I have but one question: If Mr Obama did not love this country what would he be doing differently?

Oct 29, 2009 - 6:49 am 163. Trainwreck:

We are doomed.

There is absolutely nothing we can do to stop this madness. Realistic pessimism backed up by historic precedent will have absolutely no effect on hopeychangey utopianism and the prospect of ever more entitlements for the looters of this country who have forced themselves on the government as aggrieved victims demanding just compensation. Rather than seeing themselves as on the same ship that is about to sink, they are demanding better quarters and better deck chairs while the Titanic is headed for the iceberg. What can you expect from a celebrity-obsessed, dumbed-down, selfish, complacent population, where scripted fantasy is called “reality TV”, and utopian visions trump harsh reality any time.

It doesn’t help that with rare exceptions, the republicans are just as clueless, and provide token, half-hearted opposition if any. After all, their palms are greased by the same taxpayer’s money.

Those of us who see what is coming are powerless to stop this; the train fall off the rotting bridge, the ship WILL hit the iceberg. The only thing we can do is brace for impact and figure out how to survive. When the lemmmings run off the cliff of hopeychangey utopia,how do we prevent ourselves from being dragged off the cliff with them?

Oct 29, 2009 - 7:12 am 164. Jay:

Sorry your guy didn’t win, VDH.

Oct 29, 2009 - 7:17 am 165. Eowyn:

6. Tom Ontis:

“Another litany of typical talking points by another typical Republican lightweight mouthpiece. When are you guys going to say anything new that does not come out of Generalissimo Armey’s office. John McCain could do better?”

Okay, class. Time for yet another refresher course in establishing credibility.

Little Tommy, you will write an essay listing each “talking point” and why it’s in error, along with furnishing proof of Dr. Victor Davis Hanson’s political party affiliation, as well as a comprehensive assessment of how your fellow PJM classmates follow some cutely nicknamed lawmaker’s ideological template to the letter — and turn it in tomorrow morning.

Fair warning: Points will be deducted for more ad hominem, cute or otherwise.

The rest of the class will write an essay deconstructing little Tommy’s statement. Bonus points will be awarded for referencing Aristotle’s “Prior Analytics.”

Oct 29, 2009 - 7:35 am 166. Lynne Lechter, Esq.:

Plain-spoken, deeply visionary. Unfortunately, it feels as if it were happening now – not two years hence.

Oct 29, 2009 - 7:37 am 167. Will:

Everyone on this post agrees spending and debt is out of control (Dem/Rep. blame aside)—and some guy on this post even goes so far as to breakdown our current budget morass/spending-and the spending is 2/1 or 3/1 due to handouts -social program handouts-that are an unconstitutional cancer that have been growing every since FDR initated them back in the 1930’s–handouts like -welfare handouts -SS handouts-medicare handouts,medicaid handouts, food stamp handouts, section 8 housing handouts, SCHIP handouts-and the list goes on and on and on–and then the guy on this post goes onto blame defense spending for our problems! Unbelievable–idiocy!

And as the ship is sinking -Barry the Wonderful sallies on with even more liberal loving handouts, more handouts for healthcare, more handouts (bailouts )for banksters, more handouts for unions(auto bailouts), more handouts for even more government(stimulus)-so they can administer even more regulations and handouts, more welfare handouts(stimulus), and increased taxation-the expiration of the bush tax cuts next year, environmental tax-cap and tax, and inflation (nothing more than a tax) due to Barry’s and the Fed’s borrowing and printing of money so they can handout even more and more money! Lunacy !!!-but until Americans take personal responsibility for their own lives–and say no to Government handouts-and demand government spending be limited to those items specifically granted in the Constitution (military, border security and a few other things)–we are going to go over the cliff! Americans have brought this on themselves with their Roman style morality,apathy,and just plain gullibility and stupidty-and unless they wise up-the end is not looking pretty!

Oct 29, 2009 - 10:03 am 168. SteveB/Colorado:

#83 Bill Johnson: “….first you lease, then you look for oil….” You left out the analysis of the geological promise of recoverable fluid minerals. My experience watching the BLM leasing programs in the intermountain west is that they don’t lease lands not having good promise.

“…..we need NEW places to look…..” Guess you missed the energy boom in the intermountain West during Bush/Cheney with millions of acres being leased and developed. I won’t argue about the California & Florida coasts; technology advances should allow for safe drilling there. But wasn’t a Florida governor named Bush instrumental in getting the Florida coast made off limits?

#117 Dave H.: “the reason that oil companies don’t drill on their existing leases is the constant threat of lawsuits….” Perhaps so, but you seem to leave out the effects of the market economy; i.e., supply and demand.

#146 John Oh: sorry to hear about your SD refinery problem. As always, however, such issues are complex and I doubt that assigning blame to no-growth advocates tells the whole story.

“drilling for oil & natural gas–not allowed….” Suggest you pay a visit to places like Piceance Basin in western Colorado; Pinedale and Jonah in southwest Wyoming. Lots of drilling going on there.

Oct 29, 2009 - 10:11 am 169. Anonymous:

6. Tom Ontis:

“” … typical talking points by a typical Republican (genius) …. John McCain could (absolutely not) do better. “”

1. The wretched RINO anti-Republican, McRainman, is about 95% one of yours and yes, even if he was drunk, hog-tied and blindfolded, absolutely he could do better. (Than 0zer0)

Oct 29, 2009 - 10:32 am 170. myth buster:

jharp, the problem is not that Obama hasn’t fixed Bush’s mess yet; the problem is that he made it worse.

Oct 29, 2009 - 10:50 am 171. Poor Citizen:

Your words on debt are correct. Bush and his republican conservatives spent are country into oblivion without care, and now we all have to pay the price. Can Obama correct it and restore our country like a Clinton or a Reagan? not over night. And drilling more oil will not, will not fix anything. If we get off our dependence on oil, both foreign and domestic….now that will solve alot of problems. But do not count on the main stream parties to act….real solutions do not get people elected.

Oct 29, 2009 - 11:42 am 172. rob:

[yes, I am afraid to use my name.]

Obama’s circle–Ayers, Wright, Van Jones, et.al.–hate America.

It is perfectly clear that, like his friends, Obama hates America.

That explains the terrible choices he is making.

What explains the American public’s inability to see the obvious? An America-hating American President! The consequences are just too awful to confront.

Oct 29, 2009 - 12:27 pm 173. Neil:

Wow! Whatever got into VDH’s blood has him on a prolific roll, and I like it. Keep it up Doc. The blogs and news sites are covering your essays. Common sense, it’s contagious.

VDH is the Thomas Paine of our time, and “These are the times that try men’s souls”.

Oct 29, 2009 - 2:36 pm 174. proreason:

Well, VDH is falling back into the mode where he thinks Obama is like Carter….just another idiot.

But he’s not Carter light, Carter heavy or Carder medium.

He is Lenin, come to America.

Add all of Carter’s worst together, and he doesn’t touch the boy king’s first week in office.

This is the problem with the adult thought leaders in this country.

They can’t wrap their minds around the fact that somebody could get elected to the Presidency who wants to destroy the country.

When will they learn?

Oct 29, 2009 - 5:22 pm 175. RickGreenville,SC:

Thanks again, Doc H!! More truth that the trolls cant swallow. If /when the crap hits the fan the mohos, jharps, poor citizens, etc. will come screaming to we narrowminded gun and God lovers screaming for help. The solution is to keep the door closed and leave them to the wolves/mobs/ etc.With these parasitic cancers gone, maybe the country will recover. . . It is definitely worthwhile to stock up on ammo, canned goods, fuel, and other basic items.Garden if you can, get out of the big cities ASAP,cut your bills, live a more simple life, and hang on!

Oct 29, 2009 - 6:05 pm 176. delphine:

I am unsettled after reading the comments displayed here. Yes, GWB was a fool to go for TARP, and an even BIGGER fool to ask BO if he wanted to use the half he ‘didn’t need’. I had many so many quibbles with Bush, I was livid by the time his term was up. Bush bent over backward to usher BO in like he was a real American President. I also thought that maybe BO gets in, he’ll rise to the occasion. HA!!! BO and all his family and friends hate America, can you people not see this?! Good Gosh, what does he have to do, draw you a picture? The first trillion bucks paid off his most favored patrons, the second trillion, his re-election fertilizer…the “Health Care Bill” is just one more takeover of our capitalist way of life. What else does he have to TAKE OVER before you people GET IT? Look at every person who is close to him…They are ALL Marxists, everyone of them. They HATE America, they HATE capitalism, they can’t wait to deconstuct it, BO has NO INTENTION of HELPING our economy. He wants to destroy it. He will spend all our money until we have an inflation of our currency that no one will be able to remedy. Has no one read “The Prince”? He needs a crisis so he can sweep in and help the poor people who have nowhere to go after he has destroyed our economy. It is hard for me to believe that so few people can see through this empty suit who never held a real job in his life. This is truly a scary time, and it has nothing to do with Halloween. What is scariest of all is that seemingly bright Americans JUST DON’T GET IT!

BTW, VDH, great article, as usual.

Oct 29, 2009 - 9:14 pm 177. Pete:

Note to moderators:

Post 152, by BC, Which begins, “The worst President in United States history deserves justice in the worst way,” contains vile inapprorpiate language. Would you mind deleting it and banishing its author? I am too much of a gentleman to reproduce his language, but one toward the end of the post, in my view, does not belong on a website as classy as yours.

Oct 29, 2009 - 11:56 pm 178. George Brouxhon:

I do not think you do justice to history and the realities of a currently rapidly changing world.

Firstly, there is no real democracy in the world today; results of ballot boxes do not reflect democracy, George W. Bush was elected with 35% of eligible voters and Tony Blair 15%. Dating back to 500 BC all great empires were ruled by wealthy elite or dynasties and never by the people and it is this tradition that fathered unregulated or corrupt capitalism.I am in favor of capitalism without interference by either politicians or financial manipulators which in fact constitute oligopolies – that is not free enterprise possible under such conditions.
In the US the government is part of this capitalist society; otherwise how can you explain that many Wall Street CEOs are working for the Treasury or for the FED. There is an obvious conflict of interest there. The US administrations have always been part of Wall Street’s political extension. Our great forefathers of the American Constitution never mentioned democracy but talked about fundamental human rights, just like their French counterparts did. Believe you me there was no democracy in any country prior to World War Two. Workers were treated like dirt and if they did not do follow orders they were either shot or mugged.Look at what happened during the last depression and how the corporate war lords jointly with the government treated the people.

Oct 30, 2009 - 3:38 am 179. Michael:

Yes, the debt must be reduced, or interest rates will skyrocket. But it looks like the Euro will be moving lower against the US dollar over the next months and that should help.

It all has to do with interest rate differentials and relative economic growth.

There is a way to profit through from the ups and downs of the stock markets: use timing signals to figure out when to get in and when to get out.

Consider http://invetrics.com

Its daily DJIA index trading signal is up a respectable 65% for the year (as of October 29, 2009) and it is free of charge for individual investors.

Oct 30, 2009 - 4:07 am 180. Charles Kirtley:

The # 1 post has it exactly right. There is no credible alternative to BO on the horizon now. The three front runners on the Rebublican side include a quitter, religious nut case, and the person who gave his state Obanacare before anyone heard of Obama. Dismal.

Oct 30, 2009 - 5:08 am 181. scott:

JLFINTX,

The Man of Sin has a precursor. The False Prophet. If you look closely the FP is the front man, the minister of propaganda. Hitler’s Himler. The FP is the head of whatever nation contains the city ‘Babylon’ which is destroyed “in one hour” by the ten nation consortium of the Anti-Christ. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Oct 30, 2009 - 8:19 am 182. arthur:

the republicans have nothing but failed polices to offer as the public calls for the government to move further left than what the president is willing to do on his own.

Oct 30, 2009 - 8:25 am 183. Edward Kennedy:

Bubble gum and Tape. Just like Microsoft Windows and Detroit – UAW made Vehicles our current economy is kept together by bubble gum and tape that the politicians mess with all the time and tinker-tinker-tinker. With the same effect – it creates bloat and bloated things. And just like a bloated frog, it will explode sometime.

When you create a system that is kept simple, cemented in concrete and time tested, you have a safe, prosperous and predictable society. No heartburns and no hickups. But then again, liberals and progressives by nature are shifty, hyperactive and never leave things well enough alone.

Victor Hanson is merely pointing to us the lessons of history of states and governments that failed miserably undergoing what we are experiencing today.

I learned from my parents growing up in the early 60’s: 1) Idle hands are the workshop of the devil (nowadays represented by politicians), 2) Learn to labor and to wait (Congress could not wait and leave the economic systems alone to sound fundamentals), 3) Delayed gratificaion is a sign of maturity (again – Congress and politicians).

Our politicians are not leaders because a true leader DOES NO HARM. They are quacks just like doctors who harm their patients.

Solutions: 1) Pass a US Constitution balanced budget amendment with a ceiling of 10% total national tax on GDP, 2) Term limits of 2 on all US Congress and Senators – this mitigates or eliminates the Kennedy’s, Byrds, Thurmonds from becoming multi-elected Princes of Congress. After all, a pol who is elected all the time will think and act like nobility – power corrupts the mind and soul absolutely.

Oct 30, 2009 - 8:28 am 184. ehunter:

So giving ultimate power to a man with a massive
identity crises and allowing him to use it to rebuild the world to fit his personal needs might not have been so good an idea. How could Oprah have
gotten it so wrong?

Oct 30, 2009 - 11:44 am 185. Daily Right 10/30/09 « The Quantum Conservative:

[...] *All Falling Down, by Victor Davis Hanson. [...]

Oct 30, 2009 - 12:03 pm 186. JFSanders031:

142. kp: “Funny how every other advanced economy in the world can provide their citizens with this basic service but we, the richest nation on earth, cannot afford it.”

No they can’t afford and haven’t been able to provide what they sold to their people. This would be obvious to you if you would spend just a smidgen of your day actually researching using something other than DU or Daily Kos for your info. Or possibly you only watch Obese Moore’s agitprop?

“Cap-and-trade is a regulatory framework you idiot. It doesn’t cost anything. “

Telling a partial truth is still a lie. Obama himself has said that the cost of energy to the average homeowner will rise immensely with the implementation of Cap and Trade. The deficit will grow because the largest purchaser of energy in the U.S. IS the GOVT.

“Are you kidding? Do you know how deflation happens? Do you even know what the zero bound is? Do you know anything about monetary policy at all? Wow.”

This is pure garbage. Incoherent blather. It brings out your immaturity and lack of experience outside of a econ 101 class

“blah, blah, blah. This makes no sense. Obama has always said that terrorists are evil extremists, and we have done an exceptional job of fighting them under his watch. You are lying.”

Spoken by the “True Believer” and the whole reason he posted a comment. And he has done nothing but dither. He has obstructed his hand picked General. He has reduced spending on needed material and troop replenishment through Sec. Gates. Yet he takes a photo op hop to Delaware so he can get his bonafides. Sad. One day hopefully you will have an epiphany and it will be in time to save those precious to you. I know it is hard for you to see outside the cult of Obama. But try if you can. I suggest you start with “The Gulag Archipelago” by A.S.”

Oct 31, 2009 - 7:24 am 187. gray collins:

I feel that i have outrun this insanity from the left, unfortunatly my children and grandchildren cannot. I grieve for them, they will owe more than they can repay. My generation saddled them with this debt, by not paying attention to what was happening around us. I can only hope that we as a country can wake up before it’s too late.

Oct 31, 2009 - 7:49 am 188. Fred3:

1. Iran is teaching Obama a lesson about the real world and diplomacy. Stupidly, they are teaching him at the beginning of his term. Obama is a quick study and does not like to lose.

2. The prospects for inflation are not at all sure. It’s not clear that in a banking crisis there is a better substitute for loose money (QE) and deficit spending. It has to be made up later, one way or another.

3. The biggest problems tend to have a whiff of the unexpected. Perhaps a nuclear strike, a coup in Jordan, a failed state in Europe.

Oct 31, 2009 - 5:47 pm 189. Sunday Reading 11-01-09 « Romick in Oakley:

[...] All Falling Down . . . [...]

Oct 31, 2009 - 10:43 pm 190. XBOX 360 GAMES - Gamasutra Features - onGameFiles: All about Games and Gamers Files:

[...] are right But back in the day we He could have steamrollered right over the left and……source: http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/allfallingdown/Triablogue The Bible as autobiographyb Chronicles ends with the Edict of Cyrus 2 Chron 36 22 23 and [...]

Nov 11, 2009 - 9:15 am

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