183 Comments

1. ManekiNeko:

Austrian is a dialect of German. And while it would be more correct to call it Austrian German, I have accused someone of speaking “Austrian” in Germany and gotten a laugh from Germans. I doubt
Obama actually knew any of that, but I wish commentators like yourself would drop the Austrian meme, as it makes no sense.

Oct 7, 2009 - 12:45 pm 2. Scott:

Great summation professor, as was to be expected.

The pity is not that this overweening buffoon is now getting his comeuppance but rather the real damage he will do to this country and the world before his term is done. What also worries me is that the electorate never seems to learn the proper lesson for long and the (at least) 25% of the population that loath this country will still be around after this clown bids us all adieu.

Our decline is now both real and apparent and while I see the possibility of arresting it somewhat 4 years from now, I am very pessimistic for the long term future of this nation. There are just too many citizens (most anyway) that are part of the problem, don’t even realize there is a problem or have their hand out expecting the government to do for them what they refuse to do for themselves.

Oct 7, 2009 - 12:48 pm 3. Gylippus:

Have you visited Delphi lately Professor. Your oracular abilities are as strong as ever! The Dems badly misread their mandate. It’s what happens when you live in a self-referential bubble.

Oct 7, 2009 - 12:59 pm 4. Minerva:

Chavez shoved a copy of his book into Obama’s hands; why not send him copies of yours, Doc?

Oct 7, 2009 - 1:48 pm 5. eme:

“I have believed in the power of the goddess Nemesis”

heathen?

Oct 7, 2009 - 1:51 pm 6. PM:

Great work – Thanks again professor.

Oct 7, 2009 - 2:11 pm 7. Ron Kean:

So, Nemisis is a female.

It reminds me of the sentence in the Bible that will be read all over the world this coming weekend on the Jewish holiday. In Genesis 2:18, most English translations read, “…and she (Eve) will be a help meet suitable for him.” referring to the creation of woman.

But the literal translation direct from the Hebrew reads, “…and she will be a help meet AGAINST him.” It’s explained that she will stand up to him when he gets out of line.

This is one great post…thanks again Professor.

Oct 7, 2009 - 3:06 pm 8. Tropical Frog:

A sterling essay, Dr. Hanson, and spot on the mark.
In my 70-plus years, I have worked as an independent contractor in over 40 countries, mostly in places that even one’s mother couldn’t pronounce. In all instances, one always walks with Nemesis perched on one’s shoulder. And, as one who read Shakespeare at an early age, Nemesis is the true arbiter of the human condition: dues are always paid regardless of what one may have in one’s pocket, or what excuses may lie in one’s heart.

A wise man who was a participant in the SE Asia Games a long time ago, wrote: “You are responsible for everything you engineer, whether you know about it or not, whether you understand it or not, whether you see what you are doing or not. Everything. Creation, construction, destruction, counter creation. Everything”.
Again, my compliments on such a timely essay.

Oct 7, 2009 - 3:31 pm 9. Mike McDaniel:

Ooops! Accidently sent off my last comments unfinished. I continue…

President Obama announced a new, well considered Afghan policy in March, but in reality, it was little more than pushing a reset button with a new finger on the button. Or perhaps it was a complete and well thought policy, but hastily abandoned when General McChrystal actually tried to act like a general. It’s hard to tell which is more feckless or which will ultimately be worse for America and the World.

Obama is very much a man of little accomplishment, little vision and little ability beyond reading from a teleprompter in the cadences of evangelists. So much the worse for us all.

Oct 7, 2009 - 4:34 pm 10. Yes We Did:

This is just another cowardly racist attack on our new Leader.

There was an election last November. We won, you lost, and you will never get another chance.

The great majority of progressive Americans love and support President Obama. He will lead us onward into a new world of peace and justice.

It is long past time for you racist white male oppressors to just shut up and go away.

Oct 7, 2009 - 6:12 pm 11. R. Richard Schweitzer:

“Do not blame Caesar, blame the people of Rome who have so enthusiastically acclaimed and adored him and rejoiced in their loss of freedom and danced in his path and gave him triumphal processions. … Blame the people who hail him when he speaks in the Forum of the ‘new, wonderful good society’ which shall now be Rome’s, interpreted to mean ‘more money, more ease, more security, more living fatly at the expense of the industrious.’” –Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

Of course, Gaius Julius met his “nemisis” through the “liberals” of his day, who completely misread the mood of the Roman public.

Oct 7, 2009 - 9:42 pm 12. Gaffe Prices:

0bama’s “dithering” on Afghanistan is anything but; its by design. For Afghanistan to turn into a Vietnam style, impossible war and then defeat, for 0bama will be a perverse and psychotic victory for the extreme Left who crave another Vietnam.

His pandering on the war “we took our eyes off of” is machinations of a soulless opportunist. Incapable of empathy or compassion, ne stresses it where the law is concerned. When talk is cheap he talks “tough”. When action is required he demonstrates he weakness in the face of his neo-marxist base, and the taliban, who share the same basic objectives.

Oct 7, 2009 - 10:31 pm 13. Pajamas Media » The Power of Payback:

[...] Read the entire piece here. [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:01 am 14. The Power of Payback – Victor Davis Hanson | tomllewis:

[...] Nemesis Everywhere [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:12 am 15. Francis W. Porretto:

Obama, always the even greater narcissist and more sincere ideologue, is choosing the us/them crusade. But defaming critics, assuming that moderates are apostates, redealing the dog-eared race card, gnashing his teeth at legitimate skepticism—all in pursuit of making America Luxembourg or Belgium, all that will boomerang.

But really, how could we have expected anything else? Obama believes himself above error, above human frailty; his entire campaign was a testament to his vanity. Would a man of such vanity ever confess to error, or gallantly concede defeat?

Perhaps not even at gunpoint, Dr. Hanson. There are forms of sociopathy that won’t yield even to death.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:12 am 16. Myno:

Erudite, as per your laudable standards. I have only one personal departure from your thesis, in that I attribute the Fall from on High to rather common human failings, with no need to invoke divine intervention. But that’s a metaphysical quibble on a beautifully crafted essay. Bravo.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:35 am 17. Dave:

Well, my favorite line is that we are about to see (already seeing???) George Armstrong Obama
on the Little Big Kahandar.

Drunks, Little Children and the USA anyone?

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:42 am 18. Seawolf15:

VDH
In the past I have written here occasionally. I do not ordinarily engage with the usual
extremists that frequent these sites. But having said that, I have written here previously and will, I am sure, write again.
Yes, like Conan, I do not “believe” in the Gods BUT I would not walk willingly on their shadows. I too am a firm believer in Nemesis and have, like most successful folks, experienced her “charms” more than once. I am sure that I will again but I continue to learn and as long as I am learning, perhaps there is hope.
Obama is a very foolish man and will self destruct, or be destroyed by Nemesis if you will, in due time. In the nonce, I would ask each and every one of you to support the troopers that are over in that third world rat hole defending our freedoms.
I was in the bush in the war of the Late, Great Vietnam and I can assure you there is no more distressing thought than, “I am busy killing the enemy and sacrificing all that I am and all that I MIGHT have been so that you, my sweet fellow countryman, can parade about and call me a “baby –killer” upon my return. And you wonder why we adopted our cloaks of cynicism. LOL! Wonder no more, dear friends. Just support the ones that are out there now even though Obama and his crew are busy dithering and choosing not to as a political decision. I will close with a comment from a writer and a friend who was also over there. “NEVER send a trooper with a gun to make policy decisions. We knew only ONE policy, survival!”
Read Sledge and perhaps my position will become more clear. I am sure his fellow Marines didn’t nickname him “Sledgehammer” because he was a pleasant fellow. LOL!

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:36 am 19. LeighB:

Great article. I have nothing to add.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:42 am 20. pleb:

I was at the checkout stand yesterday and on the magazine rack was Obama on the cover of Men’s Health (but why in a suit when the cover models are usually without shirts. I don’t think he’s the type to be embarrassed by glistening sweat off his pecs). The magazine next to him was Michelle in a woman’s mag.

All that is missing is the Obama reality TV show on TLC. Now that Jon and Kate’s show is on hiatus, there is prime time slottage available.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:55 am 21. formwiz:

Excellent, doc. While “Mission Accomplished” was the doing of some swabs on the Lincoln on their own initiative, I definitely flinched when Dubya crowed, “Bring ‘em on”, for the reasons you mention.

The Gods, after all, are not tempted.

PS I think you meant “stalag”, not “stalig”, SpellCheck is everyone’s friend.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:59 am 22. Sneedle Flipsock:

I am minded of the quote “Those whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad.”

Here’s hoping that we can survive the coming madness.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:10 am 23. Robert Winkler Burke:

Beware Poetic Justice!
By Robert Winkler Burke
Copyright 8/16/09

Beware poetic justice!
It will get you in the end,
If you become enemy,
To those who were your friend.

Or if you are like cursed denizens,
Who make earth so much like hell,
Because you can’t learn and admit,
You were wrong ago pray tell.

Beware poetic justice!
It’s extraordinary how it works,
If you bring a sharp knife,
To a meal being eaten with forks.

And with pride,
You eat the other man’s lunch,
Swallowed whole,
Later you’ll be, is my hunch.

Payback is bigger,
Far and away ever much worse than worst,
When you live as though,
Seven billion live to make you first.

The invisible force of all that’s good,
Works its mystery in time oft untimely,
Poetic justice hammers down evil,
If the good can let the not right get what be.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:14 am 24. TennesseeVolunteer:

Victor, this may be my favorite of all of your columns!
False pride is something we all guard against and so apt for this President.
The reason I know that they won’t come off of their far left ideologue is that no matter how embarrassed they are by situations (Coopenhagen) or how many lies they get caught in (no health care for illegals), they double down on their far left moves with public and not so public grabs for power.
People are really hurting in fly over land. It is not the lack of health care but the economy. Many small businesses are barely hanging on or are going Galt Lite (staying open but letting the government pay the unemployment but only using employees when they need them). For one, the construction industry has been decimated. I am taking a job in my former field so that I can afford my hobby of being a small business man.
We’re going to make it because we don’t give up but any thought that they had any common sense or that they would wake up when they saw what they are doing is out the door. They pursue a far left agenda in order to achieve the takeover of power to fundamentally change the power structure of this country. They are doing real damage and in 2010 we must take action to replace any politician up for election that will not give freedom and liberty back to the rightful owners, the people, and begin to limit governmental power. 2010 will be our last chance.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:19 am 25. Bilgeman:

VDH:
“If Richard Nixon had a bad habit of being vindictive and bending the rules for political purposes, so too Obama had believed that glibness, casual acquaintance with facts, and flashy rhetoric were substitutes for accomplishment.”

Just a second, Dr. Hanson.
Nobobdy EVER accused Dick Nixon of being guilty of flashy rhetoric.
In fact, I’m not sure that what came out of Nixon’s mouth couldn’t be accurately described as “anti-rhetoric”.

That all said, I think we need to update the old Democratic anti- Nixon campaign poster:

http://static.open.salon.com/files/nixon1223752551.jpg

To one featuring the Alleged Hawaiian, with the legend:

“You DID buy a used car from this man!”

And we’re now pushing this clunker on a very bad road and up a very steep hill.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:26 am 26. Ken Besig:

The narcissitic Mr. Obama and his narcissistic wife do not make mistakes, they always do the right thing and if you dare to try to point out to them that might be in error, their sycophants Rahm Emmanuel and David Axelrod will never let you get near the President and his wife again. Besides, Mr. Obama and his wife already know everything they need to know, just ask them!
Besides, the real story isn’t Afghanistan or Iraq, Cap and Trade or Health Reform, or even the Iranian nuclear weapons program, the real story is how truly wonderful, hopeful, progressive, happy, and articulate the President is. Indeed, by the simple light of Barack Obama’s magnificent countenance and silver tongue rogue regimes are crushed, oppressed peoples are emancipated, the sick are healed, the poor enriched, and the hungry are fed! Dr. Hansen all you have to do is sing the song, Barack Hussein Obama, mmm, mmm, mmm and soon whatever is bothering you about President Obama will go away.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:31 am 27. BackwardsBoy:

As vague as the platitude of “change” was during the election, even more curious was the public’s refusal to ask whether that “change” was positive or negative.

We now have our answer in the form of the highest unemployment rate in a generation, the vilification of honest businesses, government takeovers of auto companies that closed many top-selling dealerships, and a Congress hell-bent on inflicting crushing taxes on each and every American in as many ways as possible.

Nemesis is making an entire country pay for the hubris of one person.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:00 am 28. john from cinncinatti:

Obama throws a few thousand Marines into Fubaristan, and when his hand picked general says please sir may i have some more, he pulls up tight, because now he has doubts…. i don’t care for the thought of losing one of my boys there, but to leave the other ones out there on a limb, because it was just a show getting them out there on a limb. I “HOPE” Obama gives them the tools to get the job done.
rules of engagement are screwed up too, if a woman is an ammo carrier, she is now a combatant, same as our women who gear up and go out. they shoot at us with their women and children as cover and if we blow up the compound, they are good for PR value only. in the meantime the women aren’t allowed to go anywhere by themselves. If fubaristan is the graveyard of empires then let the Taliban empire die there.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:17 am 29. Jack’s Newswatch » Blog Archive » The Power of Payback:

[...] [More] Web Logs ADD COMMENTS You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:22 am 30. Steve:

As usual, an astute summary of our current state of affairs. Your comparison of President Obama with Carter and LBJ is right on the money. In many ways, I have viewed Obama’s foreign policy to be from the Carter school, but his domestic policy can certainly be seen as more LBJ-like.

The comparison of Obama to both past presidents can be somewhat fluid, however. Obama’s ideology is much farther left than LBJ’s, and I believe his foreign policy will be even more appeasement-like than Carter’s.

Overall, in this country, I think part of our problem is the lack of classic education. I was able to get a B.S. in Liberal Arts without taking one history course. Since then, I’ve spent years reading everything I can — including two of your books — and found that if you don’t know history, you can’t really make good judgements about the present or future.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:25 am 31. Nemesis Uber Alles:

“..that at last calls you to the attention of divine Nemesis—who ensures your ruin.”

Respectfully, this (and zillions of similar articles) are preaching to the choir.

Two things are at play in our political system.

1. The same idiots that put Obama into office to begin with WILL stand strongly behind and support him no matter what kind; or how big of a mess he makes.

2. The same idiots that kept the Republicans out of office are busy as hell insuring GOP defeat next year and again in 2012.

Hence, for Nemesis to work she has an huge workload to take care of virtually every direction one cares to examine.

Finally, as a side note it is getting to be more than slightly irritating to hear people when they say Conservatives are all about values and worthy judgments while at the same time they blame GOP big spending and/or the pro-longed war against terrorism for G.W. Bush and the GOP’s downfall. Not so.

One thing and one thing only brought the big tent of the GOP crashing down. Illegal Hispanic immigration. The same illegal Hispanic immigration issue that they still refuse to deal with to this day.

That is the Nemesis who will continue to ensure the GOP’s ruin.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:28 am 32. Chris in Toronto:

Thank Professor H. I believe this to be my favourite of your essays to date.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:43 am 33. Theo:

Of course everything Hanson says is spot on. That Obama is an empty suit was blatantly obvious prior to the election. The fact that he was inexperienced, uninformed, and untested apparently didn’t disuade the electorate (which says reams about the intelligence of the electorate) who were impressed with his rhetorical skills. And even his rhetoric was and is quite iffy once off the teleprompter. The leaders of the world have taken Obama’s measure and most have found him wanting. Many may have despised Bush, but they seem to mock Obama. Both our friends and our enemies recognize what a lightweight neophyte he is. Talk is cheap Mr. President. And you have become tiresome. I suppose we’ll survive the Obama presidency, although I am not optimistic.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:51 am 34. David Thomson:

A number of us clearly saw that Barack Obama was only pretending to be a tough guy with his Afghanistan war talk during the presidential campaign. It was obvious that he—and his cynical left-wing supporters took it for granted that the worst was over. Obama would never have to follow up his rhetoric with action. The Anointed One would simply get a free ride on the issue. The majority of the leading Democrats also jumped on this bandwagon. Thank God for U-Tube. It will be extremely difficult for these elected officials to Fahrenheit 451 their previous utterances. They are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:56 am 35. Original Dave:

Reality is showing how banal and un-serious this administration really is. We need to get the adults back in charge in Washington.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:57 am 36. Anonymous:

10. Yes We Did

We’re past that now. Dissent is patriotic not racist.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:06 am 37. Steve:

I normally don’t comment on weird leftist comments, but #10, “Yes We Did” deserves a mention, because it is such a good illustration of how a person of far-left mentality thinks.

First of all, because he can’t or won’t discuss the actual issues, he calls his opponents racist. “You’re a racist. I don’t debate racists; therefore, I won’t debate you. End of story.” Also note that he capitalizes Leader when mentioning Obama. When was the last time that was done. Now there is a mental-state I’d be afraid of.

The fact that the election was one by his “side” and “you” — whoever you are — will never get another chance is kind of ignorant and delusional, I hope. But the left would like one-party rule.

Progressives “love” Obama. That too is scary. I have supported many politicians, but I never loved them. This kind of worship is very troubling, but more common than we probably think.

And of course “while male opressors” need to shut up and go away. I don’t know anyone I’ve opressed, but this is common retoric from the left, from Obama himself to Pelosi and more left-wingers: Freedom of speech, but only if you agree with us; otherwise, shut up and go away.

This is the mentality the majority has to deal with.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:13 am 38. JJKRN:

Excellent as per usual Doctor. None of this will matter if health care is passed. It is the holy grail of the progressive/marxist tenet. It will reshape America in ways we can’t imagine, forever. They could care less about the military. The marxist’s in charge will be in power forever if this is passed. It’s about total power, not military prowess. They make a public show of hand wringing about our wars. All the while slipping legislation in the back door. Why?,,,,Because they know it means permanent power. Unlimited access to the vaults of the country, control of us all. Please, I am begging you to use your powers, go on TV,radio, wherever. Stop this madness.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:27 am 39. brandy:

The #10 post, I thought was sarcasm. Was that really an Obama supporter?

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:29 am 40. eon:

It is becoming painfully obvious that Candidate Obama simply never bothered to think about the actual work that President Obama would be faced with. Or else, he believed (as so many other “progressive” Presidential candidates have for the last four decades) that his Dogma had all the answers, and so therefore once he was in office, just applying those answers would suffice.

Like those who preceded him, President Obama now seems to be realizing that he was wrong on both counts. But unlike his predecessors, I do not expect a late birth of maturity in our present Chief Executive.

Instead, I expect that he will increasingly turn to the tactic he has already applied in both the health-care debate and that on Afhanistan. That being, he will continue to increasingly blame others for any shortcomings in his own plans and/or actions.

Throughout his prior career as first a “community organizer” and then a politician, Obama has had two operational modes. The first mode is that of the Aggrieved Supplicant, who demands a specific action or response from those above him on the ladder of power, mainly on the grounds that he “deserves” the largess he seeks from them. This is essentially the mode he was in in Copenhagen, where he called on the IOC to “give” his hometown the Olympics mainly on the grounds that it was… his hometown. In essence, he was saying “give me the Olympics, because I deserve them”.

His other mode is that of the Enlightened Prophet, who knows absolutely what is “best” for everyone else (far more than they do themselves), and also has the power to call down the wrath of Heaven on anyone who dares to question his divine inspiration. This was his main operational mode in the campaign, although he toned down the “wrath” part (except where people who “cling to guns and religion” could be invoked as a target for same). Now that he is the Top Man, he has the wrath to call down- but finds that the targets he has in mind (his domestic opposition) aren’t intimidated, and that concerning the targets he can legitimately use it on in the military sense (the foreign groups who wish to destroy us in pursuit of their own worldview), he cannot bring himself to attack- because doing so would require him to forswear his Dogma.

By the same token, his Dogma forbids him to compromise in any way with those who disagree with him domestically, or to reach out to friendly neighbors overseas whose existence offends his core of support. Instead, his foreign “outreach” is to the very elements whose only interest in us is erasing us from the face of the Earth; and at home, he regards those who simply question his policies as not merely wrong, but dangerous and possibly even evil.

In short, he keeps trying to apply the wrong solutions to the wrong problems. And finding that they do not work.

The inevitable response, in his case, is to look for someone else to blame. The Truman concept of “The Buck Stops Here” is utterly alien to President Obama; partly because he is incapable of believing himself to be less than perfect, but also because up to now, he has always been able to fob his failures off on someone else by demanding they “do what’s right” (the Aggrieved Supplicant mode, again).

The trouble with that is, the President of the United States has a much shorter list of possible “higher authorities” to demand action from than a “community organizer” in Chicago or a U.S. Senator from Illinois. And one of those possible sources, the American people,is composed of a group half of which he resents for not agreeing with him.

In the end, I see two possible outcomes. Domestically, Obama may simply begin trying to rule by decree by Executive Order, the path taken by LBJ and Nixon. I doubt that he will have any more success than they did, but I also expect that unlike Johnson (who at least realized when he had worn out his welcome) or Nixon (who left when he realized he’d run out of alibis) Obama would, in this mode, continue to issue orders impossible to fulfill until, like Carter, he was turfed out of office in a major electoral defeat, taking most of his party with him.

The only other likely outcome with this President is that he will spend the rest of his tenure in continual speech-making mode, either haranguing or browbeating the people into obeying him- or trying to justify everything he does while simultaneously insisting that his failures are the fault of anyone and everyone who does not agree with him.

The latter course carries the risk of making him look like another world leader famed for long speeches of self-justification. Namely, Fidel Castro, who could speak for six hours at a stretch and never once admit that he was wrong about anything. (The failure of the Cuban socialist economy to accomplish anything under his command was, of course, everyone else’s fault.)

The former course could make Obama “look Presidential”, at least briefly. The latter would make him look immature and petulant.

Neither one would be of benefit to this country, or the world. And unfortunately, the one course he could take that would is closed to him.

And will remain so, as long as he refuses to grow up.

clear ether

eon

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:30 am 41. quesnay:

Beautiful essay Professor. Love the way you juxtapose the tale of Nemesis with Obama.

I normally do not like to comment on some of the postings from the small minority of loons that creep into this site but I must say to # 10 “Yes We Did” that you epitomize the “banality of evil” first posited by Hannah Arendt.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:33 am 42. Cap'n Rusty:

As to #10: Surely that must be parody?

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:39 am 43. Jason S:

“When John McCain said we could just ‘muddle through’ in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the gates of Hell. But he won’t even go to the cave where he lives.”

What a difference a year makes.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:42 am 44. Instapundit » Blog Archive » VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: The Power Of Payback….:

[...] VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: The Power Of Payback. [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:44 am 45. Pibill:

Thank you, Doctor-A post i suspect you enjoyed putting together..It flows!

And thank you Rahm–for this is one crisis that we sure as Hell will not let go to waste!

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:45 am 46. Don in AZ:

Then of course there’s Proverbs 16:18 — “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” My guess is Obama would not agree with that if he were to answer the question sincerely. Or he would deny his own pride.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:52 am 47. Thomas_L......:

… or as my old man used to call it “nemphasis”.
#1 ManekiNeko – Oh please! Obama’s a genius. Only a doofus like Bush would be so … um … preciseless.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:53 am 48. Libertyship46:

What the American public should really start focusing on is the complete and utter collapse of any coherent American strategy for the Middle East. The Obama administration is making so many mistakes in that part of the world that we should start preparing ourselves for either a complete retreat from the Middle East, or a massive war that is about to take place.

Think this is an extreme view of things? Well, it looks more and more like Obama is going to follow some version of Biden’s counterterrorism plan. That will be a disaster and everybody knows it. Biden’s plan calls for US Forces to only attack al Qaeda and let the Taliban alone so it can take over what is left of Afghanistan (since the current Afghan government will be unable to defeat the Taliban). Well, where are we going to fight al Qaeda from? Pakistan is not going to want American bases or troops stationed on their soil and if the Taliban takes over Afghanistan (again), do you think they will actually let American troops or bases remain in Afghanistan? No, they will not. So America either keeps fighting the Taliban or we’re going to have to leave Afghanistan. Which brings me back to my original question, where will we fight al Qaeda from?

In addition, the Biden plan sounds a lot like the old Clinton plan regarding dealing with terrorists, which was to rely on missile attacks rather than having actual troops or intelligence on the ground. We all saw how effective that worked and the attacks on 9/11 proved how wrong that strategy was. Now why do we want to reuse that same, failed, strategy?

As far as Iran is concerned, the United States will probably do nothing, economic sanctions will fail (as they always do), and Iran will end up having nuclear weapons. Iran will then threaten its neighbors just like North Korea does right now and there will be a very real possibility of an Israeli attack. And anyone who thinks that the Israelis will be as amenable to negotiations with the Iranians as the South Koreans are with the North Koreans, you really don’t know much about the Israelis, let alone their current Prime Minister. Mr. Obama is walking into a dynamite factory with a blowtorch if he really thinks that a nuclear-armed Iran is an acceptable option. If he doesn’t think a nuclear-armed Iran is acceptable, then what is he going to do to stop it? This is not the time to vote “present” Mr. President, you actually have to make a decision now.

And what if Iran decides to pursue nuclear weapons and decides to give one of them to Hamas or Hezbollah? If Israel is attacked by a third party, what will the American response be? I think it will be just about nothing. Obama will not want to get involved and you will see one, maybe two, major Israeli cities go up in flames. Is this what we are looking forward to?

Finally, Iraq is still an open question. Things look good for the time being, but what if Iran, in retaliation to having economic sanctions placed on it, decides to send troops into Iraq to fight with the Shias in that nation? The sanctions still will not work, only now you will have the war in Iraq heating up all over again.

So there is not much going right in the Middle East right now and there is a lot, and I mean a lot, that will definitely go wrong if America is, once again, perceived to be a Paper Tiger under a democratic president, just as it was under Bill Clinton. Remember, bin Laden and his ilk had nothing but contempt for Bill Clinton and believed (rightfully) that he wouldn’t risk major American casualties if it meant standing up to homicidal Muslim fanatics. Does anyone, anyone out there, think that bin Laden and his crew has a different opinion about Obama?

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:53 am 49. Bob Miller:

When someone cruises through life surrounded by supportive radicals, sycophants, and mysterious foreign benefactors, then gets elected as President, and then tries to impose his rule, this is what you get.

If America was too dazzled to see this last year, shame on us! We have a chance to redeem ourselves in 2010 if enough of our votes to throw the bums out are actually counted.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:55 am 50. Scott:

10. Yes We Did:
>>>”This is just another cowardly racist attack on our new Leader.

There was an election last November. We won, you lost, and you will never get another chance.

The great majority of progressive Americans love and support President Obama. He will lead us onward into a new world of peace and justice.

It is long past time for you racist white male oppressors to just shut up and go away.”<<<

Ha, classic! So over the top crazy that it could only be a joke. I nearly spit my coffee all ove the keyboard.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:01 am 51. paul_unalaska:

Steve, comment #30 – my sentiments exactly.

My father has a degree, background in history and encouraged his kids to explore history, theology, politics and the arts. I’d later learned to understand what he’d been saying all that time. These subjects are all intertwined.

As a kid, I found the aforementioned cumbersome. I’d discovered in my ideological, self serving early 20’s I lagged greatly intellectually when discussing the above topics. I felt little. Ignorant.

Now in my mid 30’s I too enjoy reading, discussing and exploring the topics my father encouraged. Immensely.

This is the sole reason why my family’s vacations take place in historic areas. Valletta, Phuket, Sevilla, Christchurch et al. Rather than Disneyland, Cozumel etc.,

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:02 am 52. Odysseus:

Steve 37: Hmmmmm . . . perhaps you need to turn up the gain on your irony detector.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:05 am 53. Room 237:

Regarding “Yes We Did” I would check the definition of sarcasm and satire in your dictionaries.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:08 am 54. B. Koenig:

I’ve been smelling Jay Cost turning over these last few months. This entry on HorseRace compliments your own quite nicely. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/horseraceblog/2009/09/does_obama_have_a_republican_p_1.html

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:09 am 55. pelaut:

Obama meets his Nemisis. If only it were so. The Cicero quote in #11 reflects America today, especially as it came AFTER the death of the Republic which Cicero had predicted for years.

Ceasars continued to rule and the Republic stayed dead.

Don’t expect anything different more in 2012 from our poor departed Republic.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:09 am 56. Jeffersonian:

Just a small clarification about Hillary’s Rooskie “reset” button, the one that really read “overcharge:” It wasn’t a reset button, but an emergency stop button. No one would ever use it for a reset function and it’s likely illegal to use it as such.

Good piece, VDH.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:10 am 57. gonetoworkbbackin5min:

Suggest the good professor give up false gods for the real God, The Ancient of Days God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. People who believe in the power of idols will eventually meet the truth, and it won’t be pretty.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:10 am 58. Sulla:

Gulag, not stalag. (Check out google). Please understand that the opponents of Guantanimo don’t compare it to Germany’s POW camps, except to say that it is worse. Instead it is a brutal Soviet style prison for political prisoners that exists in that US enclave on Cuba.

Unlike Caesar, and every other President, the current incumbent does not have an agenda to accomplish anything. What he wants changes with the chances of Congress agreeing to something. Instead he acts like one who is waiting for his monument. With schools named after him before being sworn in, many think his ‘greatness” is already assured. So what is the point of his administration? Only to get re-elected—- There are no one term Presidents on Mt. Rushmore or on the currency. Of all our Presidents he seems the one most likely to be comfortable in a toga.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:12 am 59. Charlie Martin:

Grmph.

(1) I agree with ManekiNeko (and wave back.) Österreichisch — “Austrian” — is a common (humourous) term for the Austrian dialect of German. Obama has made lots bigger blunders, it’s silly to keep hitting him with this one.

*2) Karma — कर्म, “cause” or “action” — doesn’t have anything to do with “nemesis”.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:18 am 60. Mike_K:

We could have suspected a lack of substance when Obama complained that Bush should have transferred the translators from Iraq to Afghanistan where they were more needed. I don’t think he knew that the two speak different languages. His lack of knowledge will be more and more apparent as time goes by but many will never notice. I have a daughter in college now. She is my fifth child to attend college and I have watched the deterioration of the curriculum for 25 years. Her textbook for an English writing class was a book on “Whiteness Studies.” And so it goes.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:24 am 61. patrick sarsfield:

@ ManekiNeko – no, it’s the sort of thing that if said by Palin would still be the butt of Letterman jokes (and trotted out every subsequent time she stepped in front of a camera) today.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:24 am 62. Peter the Bubblehead:

10. Yes We Did wrote:
The great majority of progressive Americans love and support President Obama.

Peter writes: This country’s saving grace may be the fact that the ‘progressive Americans’ are in the serious minority, and that may be all that saves us once the silent majority are no longer so silent, as recent events are starting to show.

In the meantime, YWD stoops to the typical libtard shout; “We won! Sit down and shut up!”

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:27 am 63. Padme:

Nemesis may not like Obama but His Imperial Hubris has a hole card he has not yet played. If things go badly for the Dems look for amnesty to be pushed regardless of the will of the American people. It is simply a lot easier to import voters than it is to convince people to vote your way.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:29 am 64. Richard:

Bush made a lot of mistakes in Iraq, especially by under resourcing it for far too long, and not building up Iraqi forces soon enough, and those mistakes almost gave the congressional dems enough ammunition to pull us out and lose it. But at least Bush finally did one thing right, he put Petraeus and Odierno in charge, and gave them the troops they needed with the surge. Then Petreaus, Odierno, and our very courageous and resourceful troops did the rest, and turned defeat into victory, just in the nick of time.

Now in Afghanistan, Obama has the right commanders, Petreaus and McChristal, but he is not yet willing to take the final step Bush did, give them the troops they need with a surge, and get really serious about building up the Afgan army. Instead it looks like he is listening to idiots like Biden, who for all his vaunted foreign policy expertice, was completely wrong on the surge. He is doing the same vacillation Bush initially did in Iraq, trying to fight the war on the cheap, and being concerned about footprints, and claiming we can somehow fight just the terrorists, while letting the country fall to the insurgency. If Obama does not wake up, it will lead to the same thing that almost happened to Bush, loss of congressional support, a pullout under fire, with Obama trying to claim it is not really a humiliating defeat. And this time, Obama can’t blame Bush for his troubles.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:30 am 65. Howie Feltersnatch:

RE: 37 and 10.

I read 10 as satire illustrating the mindset/hubris of the far left. However, number 37 is a nice deconstruction of the satire for the slower-witted.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:35 am 66. Gringo:

Trivia correction.
or that there is no difference between a democratic Columbia and Israel and a dictatorial Venezuela and Syria.
ColOmbia = country in South America.
Columbia= University in NYC, city in South Carolina, etc. These days, Columbia University doesn’t strike me as being particularly democratic.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:35 am 67. Peter the Bubblehead:

27. BackwardsBoy wrote:
As vague as the platitude of “change” was during the election, even more curious was the public’s refusal to ask whether that “change” was positive or negative.

Peter writes: All through the campaign, I asked. And the answer I received from the libtards posting on PJM at the time was “Change = anything not Bush.”

When I pointed out that Hitler ‘changed’ Germany and Castro ‘changed’ Cuba, I was accused of being a hater and a racist.

I hate to say “I told you so,” but…

There were many of us who saw this coming…

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:35 am 68. Peter the Bubblehead:

The other day a news article I read stated that 50 Democrat members of Congress, led by Nancy Pelosi, signed a letter sent to The Won stating they will not support more troops for Afghanistan unless there is a “definitive exit strategy” in place first.

How is this for an exit strategy?
Step 1) Defeat the Enemy
Step 2) Win the War
Step 3) Bring the Troops Home

Politicians, especially the dumbocrats, need to learn once and for all you NEVER send troops into a war and them leave them hanging. If you start a war, you don’t end it until it is WON! You don’t go into a war with a plan in place to retreat at a given time or place no matter what the status. That will only put our country into a worse spot and greater danger in the short-term future.

~Peter
Proud OIF Vet

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:42 am 69. Amelia:

Are we sure #10’s comment isn’t a sarcastic parody of leftist thought?

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:46 am 70. SomeOtherSteve:

I could swear that I’ve seen “Nixonian” used elsewhere to describe President Obama. That is, aside from (shameless plug ahead) my own blog. If the Democrats go on to lose one or both chambers in the mid-term, can Obama humble himself as much as Clinton seemed to?

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:54 am 71. tanstaafl:

…a sort of divine force that seeks to remind us of our own folly and can only do that in appropriately dramatic and timely fashion.

I call it balance in the universe, and it is gratifying when a pompous & vindictive guy like Letterman gets his.

Obama was at the crossroads. Could he have pondered the choices, “Now is the time for serious study and statesmanship—or wow, that was easy, now more of the cheap path of duping crowds with hope and change banality, and ‘I am the one we’ve been waiting for’ monotony”? He took the latter path, and so summoned Nemesis.

He has gotten quite a few warning signs presaging the inevitable comeuppance, but doesn’t appear to be heeding them.

…more stimuli (redistributive, not job-creating, influxes?)

Yesterday, a US representative from Washington state described the current stimulus as a “slush fund for the administration.”

Given that such a small fraction of those funds has been used, the many dopey and non-substantive projects for which they’ve been used etc. and contemplating Obama’s grandiose agenda of “fundamentally transforming America”, it seems like a gigantic slush fund would be just the ticket.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:59 am 72. Cornhead:

George Will’s recent essay specifying that there were about 70 references to “I” or “me” in the President’s and First Lady’s speeches (containing 90 sentences) at the IOC was absolutely frightening.

We are in *big* trouble.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:01 am 73. HoosierHawk:

ManekiNeko:

Austrian is a dialect of German. And while it would be more correct to call it Austrian German, I have accused someone of speaking “Austrian” in Germany and gotten a laugh from Germans. I doubt
Obama actually knew any of that, but I wish commentators like yourself would drop the Austrian meme, as it makes no sense.

My wife has gotten a laugh by saying that she didn’t speak Mexican very well, I doubt if the laughs were meant to legitimise the Mexican language. “Mexican” is certainly a dialect of Spanish and I have heard others refer to Mexican Spanish, since there are differences in the pronounciations and word usage.

Of course, perhaps you actually believe that Obama did know how to express his statement in German, it was just the Austrian dialect he wasn’t so up on . That would be the only valid reason to differeniate.

I think that you just need to get used to the Austrian meme, this is the same man who tried to convince everyone that his understanding of the world was so enlightened and then he spits that line out.

At least he is being made fun of for something he actually said, rather than a line from an SNL skit, like Palin.

Oct 7, 2009 – 12:45 pm

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:04 am 74. David Jay:

RE: Brandy #39

Unclear whether it was satire or not. It is very difficult to satirize the far left.

The satire becomes more and more absurd, but someone on the left always seems to match the rhetoric in a “serious” comment.

Congrats VDH – another superb column.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:05 am 75. HoosierHawk:

43. Don in AZ:

Then of course there’s Proverbs 16:18 — “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” My guess is Obama would not agree with that if he were to answer the question sincerely. Or he would deny his own pride.

The President derives enormous gratification from his deep humility. It but one of the many reasons that he is better than anyone else.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:16 am 76. David S:

VDH claims some special insight into why Obama was voted into office, but he is missing a big part of the picture. Some of us actually looked into the policy positions Obama advocated, and preferred them to the alternatives.

My support for Obama has absolutely nothing to do with his race, his age, or his charisma. This is, and always has been, about policy. Every time someone mentions race as a reason he was elected, they betray their inner racist monologue. Obama could have been hispanic, white or asian – his race was not why people voted for him.

I want him to achieve his aims, because they are positive prescriptions for American prosperity. The author claims that Obama is getting his payback now – but in reality, Obama is turning the corner right now. By this time next year, health reform will be law, cap and trade will be in force, and jobless numbers will be improving. Obama is currently more popular than he was on the day he won the election – and for all the talk of failure, he is moving forward on the broad agenda that was his platform in the campaign.

I noticed there was no citation for the claim that Obama’s approval is dipping – probably because the latest polls show approval increasing, while disapproval has dropped significantly. Obama’s approval is higher than his share of the vote last November – and as his patient and deliberate approach to governance is vindicated by legislative victories, his numbers will only improve.

The situation in Afghanistan is indeed a sticky wicket, but the goals Obama has laid out are clear.

What VDH is really arguing is that Obama can’t possibly be as intelligent, popular and well-informed as he appears, because he is just a black man who benefitted from affirmative action. This is blatant racism. Nobody believes you anymore when you claim you are not a racist, because you keep demonstrating that this is how you think.

The GOP is drifting farther and farther away from rational discourse and intelligent policy discussions, and toward a racist, xenophobic, religious-right party of limited utility. This article is just more of the same “I hope Obama fails” rhetoric that has been standard issue all year long – no constructive criticism, just a lot of ad hominem attacks on Obama and his supporters, and no policy prescriptions whatsoever.

More proof that the Republican party has no idea how to do anything right.

Peace.

DS

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:20 am 77. Saltherring:

Excellent, Dr VDH. Thank you.

And to commenter #10: Yes We Did:

Was that offered as a commedy monologue or are you really that stupid?

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:23 am 78. VDH « Not So Fast:

[...] 8, 2009 · Leave a Comment Calling down Nemesis. The Greeks remind us that when success and bounty arrive, then, especially, it is time to be [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:27 am 79. TW:

@ ManekiNeko

Would you be so forgiving had the President of Austria said that Brazilians speak Brazilian while addressing an international gathering? I’m sure you’d be disappointed knowing that the same president lectured your country for it’s lack of sophistication in foreign language skills; yet, that same president can’t get his facts straight about the language of a member state that he is addressing. Unfortunatly, this gaff is too much to let go.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:45 am 80. westerncanadian:

You say (correctly) “Daily, his lack of study and prior scholarship come calling to embarrass him.”

So who paid for Obama to go to Harvard Law School? Was it Obama, the taxpayer, or some fairy godperson?

Whoever it was should demand a refund.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:47 am 81. megapotamus:

Yes, some memories are parlous short. Well, whatever. I did voice (or type) not skepticism but the clarion call of my poor, overburdened BS meter on the bellicosity of Democrats in Afghanistan. Baracks absurdist declarations on Pakistan were the final cluebat for anyone who cared. Kerry likewise never had any intent of prosecuting the GWOT. But hey, a rent seeker at election time is going to do what he’s going to do. What is truly disgusting is that the life-long Leftlling pacifists who saw the “necessity” of war in Afghanistan and the illegitimacy of Iraq in ‘04 and then ‘08 now return to type revealing the hollowness of that charade. Commendably, some are actually coming to the wisdom their years would imply, at least a bit. The Code Pinkies, amazingly, are now split on Afghanistan. It seems they had a conflab with some of the survivors of Taliban Womyn’s Outreach and have concluded that War is NOW the Answer, at least to prevent women being beaten for laughing in the street. This pillar to post undulation would dizzify any serious observer so we know these clowns are not that. But Barry is no mere observer. At least not anymore. At least I HOPE he isn’t. What made me laugh the evil laugh in the early days of Obama’s Afghan enthusiasms was the twin realizations that, as Prof Hanson says, political karma would be inevitable and that said cosmic retribution would force Barry into a level of aggression in Afghanistan that would be far more to MY liking than his. Also, these doofs refused to believe the Iraq war was won and over so their cheap points scored at the risk of murderous chaos in that nation would prove valueless by Obauguration Day. And so it has happened. Progress.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:50 am 82. Bob_S:

Excellent piece, Professor! It may be one of your best in a while. It is, as usual, completely on-point. I have forwarded to my e-mail list and Facebook and I’m hoping it will get the wide audience it deserves. Nemesis is a bitch….been there; done that…

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:03 am 83. davidt:

Is the goddess Nemesis preparing anything to serve up to those who are gloating too much and too early about Obama’s yet to come demise?

The battle against Obama and the Democrats is far from being won yet.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:05 am 84. Larry Peters:

‘quo usque abutere, Obama, patiencia nostra?’
-apologiers to Cicero…

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:06 am 85. Richard:

I’ll say it, Obama is a con artist who has used Liberal politics, affirmative action and liberal guilt in order to advance to the highest office we have. There is absolutely no record of achievement or merit, everything has been hidden from us. I can’t even find any record of his work at the Harvard Law Review as Editor.

We have been had.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:09 am 86. AD:

Sulla: Those who insist on calling GITMO an American Gulag insult all who toiled and died in that horror created by the Soviets, and are an embarrassment to learning everywhere.
They should be ashamed, but are incapable of it.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:15 am 87. Anonymous:

#73 David S.
>>>”I noticed there was no citation for the claim that Obama’s approval is dipping – probably because the latest polls show approval increasing, while disapproval has dropped significantly. Obama’s approval is higher than his share of the vote last November – and as his patient and deliberate approach to governance is vindicated by legislative victories, his numbers will only improve.”<<>>”What VDH is really arguing is that Obama can’t possibly be as intelligent, popular and well-informed as he appears, because he is just a black man who benefitted from affirmative action. This is blatant racism. Nobody believes you anymore when you claim you are not a racist, because you keep demonstrating that this is how you think.”<<<

Too predictable, too sad and exactly what I was referencing in my first post regarding that 25% of the population who basically loath this countries institutions and want to see them all "changed".

Nemesis help us all.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:26 am 88. billslayer:

73. David S:Like all good dialectical materialists you offer that standard litany with no qualifications. Do you ever tire of sounding like a broken record? Well, if you ever do, take a gander at your form of analysis… because it’s a consistent function. I.E. no matter what the question is, you will have the same answer;racism,sexism,homophobia, imperialism,fascism. While you may get upset at this analysis of your inability to break out of your analysis, take heart. The fact that you can read and write displays that you are actually smarter than your form of analysis. There may be hope for you yet.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:28 am 89. Ruebacca:

i don’t think obamas inner marxist gives one wit obout the lies he told to get elected. i feel like nemisis is striking us not him.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:41 am 90. JM Hanes:

Unfortunately, the atê can go on for a long time, before it comes to Nemesis’ attention. Even then, it is the assault on the sensibilities of the gods which is punished, while the damage done by hubris before its fall goes unredressed. The ancillary satisfaction we mortals might take in seeing arrogance struck down is cold, miserly, compensation.

Contra your belief that a divine force will ultimately remind Obama of his folly, experience suggests that worldly hubris feeds itself by blaming others for its failures. To make a believer of me, find me a goddess who will fell incompetence before it leads to disaster.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:55 am 91. tanstaafl:

“The situation in Afghanistan is indeed a sticky wicket, but the goals Obama has laid out are clear.”

These?

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:55 am 92. firefirefire:

to #61 Richard;
I’m afraid I must disagree on one point,
They will always blame Bush.
ALWAYS.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:01 am 93. annie:

#10
was surely satire…or he left to cash his welfare check and check on that affirmative action job that he’s not qualified for..just sayin’

I think Obama is America’s karma. We will work through this,eventually.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:13 am 94. homero:

very eloquent way of saying all “wee wee-ed up”

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:34 am 95. JM Hanes:

DavidS @ 73:

“Some of us actually looked into the policy positions Obama advocated, and preferred them to the alternatives.”

Indeed, “some” did, and many of them have been sorely disappointed on the issues that generated their votes. Some of us also looked into the policies which Obama’s work in Chicago and his votes represented and preferred the alternatives. For every policy wonk who voted for Obama, there were many Democratic Joe Plumbers who voted for a change in the Washington old guard, not policy, or who simply hoped that Obama might make things better, iin some largely undefined way.

“Obama could have been hispanic, white or asian – his race was not why people voted for him.”

Do you really contend that an hispanic, white or asian candidate would have gotten 96% of a much expanded black turnout? Can you really have completely missed the countless numbers of people who attributed special meaning to the possible election of our first black president and expressed a heartfelt commitment to a post-racial America which only a vote for Obama could represent? It takes a special sort of political blinders to claim that acknowledging such realities is the very essence of racism itself.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:37 am 96. paul_unalaska:

David S -

Ignorance is truly bliss, ain’t it?

Your ‘racist’ mantra is old, pal.

Dr. Hanson taught at UC Fresno, a 3rd generation farmer from the same area and has more interaction with other cultures, walks of life than you’ve encountered. Perhaps you should attempt to contact the tens of thousands of students he’d taught through the years.

‘Goals for Afghanistan’ – you mean the necessary war he’d spoken of in March? 6 + months ago..!

The same Afghanistan he’s still on the fence regarding troops or drones? The same Afghanistan whereas he hadn’t bothered a first time vis-a-vis with the Commander in Charge for 10 weeks? That ‘goal..’ right?

Perhaps you’re jealousy stems from Dr. Hanson’s success as an academic while your Philosophy, Liberal Arts or Poly Sci degree netted you a job nowhere near your degree. C’est la vie..

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:41 am 97. Ed Nutter:

The Christian version is 1Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,”

It’s our job to humble ourselves, and God’s job to exalt us. If we start doing God’s job, he’ll do ours.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:41 am 98. Thomas_L......:

#88 – billslayer – Brilliant! I might not ever have been as far gone but since thinking worked for me, why not David S?

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:43 am 99. Sulla:

#86, AD; I agree with you! I did not mean to suggest that I compare Gitmo to the Gulag, only that many of my Democratic friends do. Know thy enemy. But do a Google search on Guantanamo and Stalag and then Gulag. You’ll find 1,500,000 on the latter making the comparison.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:46 am 100. Tommy777:

Re: David S:

You need to stop looking at polls from MSNBC (or whoever is pulling your leg) and get with a reputable outfit like the Pew Research Center. They have a September 4 article entitled “Obama’s Approval Ratings Slide: By the Numbers.” And they consistently are rosier on Obama than other pollsters.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:51 am 101. Poor Citizen:

I remember when my left wing friends that Ronald Reagan entered the white house were saying six months later that he was finished. Much like this president, he too inherited a disasterous economy, however, no hot wars. The left would laugh that he would deliver our country to the dogs and revitalize the democrats. They were right, but only half right. Indeed, he lost some in congress and the senate but in 84 Reagan went on to win a landslide. Will the same happen to Obama?…who knows. Maybe many on the loony right already said he was finished as he was sworn in. Maybe, they did so…at their peril. Who knows?

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:51 am 102. Anonymous:

“I wish commentators like yourself would drop the Austrian meme, as it makes no sense.” — ManekeNiko

Uh, sure.

Supermarket Scanner…. Plastic Turkey…. I can see Russia from my house…

All of the above are far more dishonest than making fun of Obama’s contention that they speak Austrian in the 58th state…

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:52 am 103. Ron Kean:

57. gonetoworkbbackin5min:

I don’t believe VDH meant that he believed in the Pagan God.

I believe he meant the divine retribution of Judeo/Christian belief.

FYI : I seem to remember that once he said he was a protestant.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:06 am 104. Ron Kean:

76. David S.

“What VDH is really arguing is that Obama can’t possibly be as intelligent, popular and well-informed as he appears, because he is just a black man who benefitted from affirmative action.”

You’re very wrong here.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:13 am 105. Delia:

Do not tempt God (or the Gods)
The flesh is weak, the soul substandard.
Riddled with flaws, goeth I into my gloom
Forever lamenting what I could have been.
-But, nevermind that…

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! I bring cake!

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:13 am 106. JayC:

David S.

I couldn’t help noticing this statement you made:

” …cap and trade will be in force, and jobless numbers will be improving. ”

There’s no way that those two things could both be true. Cap and trade will dramatically increase the cost of energy in this country, and drive it’s remaining manufacturing base overseas. Some experts have estimated that the price of gasoline would double, and the price of electricity would triple. This is incompatible with an increase in jobs.

Unless of course, you meant government jobs. Obama very clearly wants to increase those. But, since we in the private sector have to pay for them, and there will be fewer of us with jobs, the deficit will have to increase even more.

In short, you’ve haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:29 am 107. JayC:

PS. Prof Hanson – I just ordered Soul of Battle on Amazon. Can’t wait to read it.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:32 am 108. David S:

@96. paul_unalaska:

Ignorance is truly bliss, ain’t it?

It sounds like you are certainly enjoying it.

Your ‘racist’ mantra is old, pal.

Really? I’d bet racism is older.

Dr. Hanson taught at UC Fresno, a 3rd generation farmer from the same area and has more interaction with other cultures, walks of life than you’ve encountered.

Ooh, an appeal to authority – of the worst kind. If you want to convince me VDH is right, citing VDH is not going to be enough. I don’t know whether VDH’s interaction with other cultures is broader than mine or not, but I know his assessment of Obama relies on racism. If VDH has the experience you claim, he knows it, too.

Perhaps you’re jealousy stems from Dr. Hanson’s success as an academic while your Philosophy, Liberal Arts or Poly Sci degree netted you a job nowhere near your degree. C’est la vie..

I don’t get it. Why would I be jealous of a man who can’t even conceal his own racism in public? And what makes you think that I’m not using my degrees? Is this personal information really relevant to the racism underlying VDH’s assessment of Obama? How does my employment status excuse the professors racist explanation for Obama’s election?

Inquiring minds want to know…

Peace.

DS

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:36 am 109. Gaffe Prices:

There was a debate between Zawahiri and 0sama 0bama bin Laden, about whether to attack the west with terrorism and provoke a holy war between the infidel west “(the dar al harb)” and the the ‘world’ of Iss-slum (the dar es Salaam), or whether the base (al kaida) should foment revolution in the muslim lands to establish a strict sharia based-law in a newly purified dar es Salaam, and then make holy war on the dar al Harb.

Trying to unite the dissperate moslem lands under a Saudi based Wahhab dynasty (comparable perhaps to an Ottoman empire based in what would become modern Turkey) would probably take too long, if such a thing could succeed at all. Add to that the Wahhab cognisance of the Iranian Shia’s ambitions where the 12th imam and Mahdi’s were concerned, and it seems obvious as to why Wahabs pushhed back the goal of a united Islam in favor of attacking the west.

It must be remembered that the strategy in attacking the west with terrorist attacks was based on the gambit that the formerly christian west that would turn out to be a ‘paper tiger’ and that by a mere pin-prick, the west would ultimately collapse, in a fashion of the two World Trade Center Towers, which served as both the symbolic collapse of the west, and as the very pin-prick that would bring about the collapse of the whole western artifice in the first place.

The attack, by hi-jacking planes and guiding them into the Trade Center Towers might not appear to you or me as a ’symbolic act’, nor would human beings incinerated, or jumping from the fire engulfed building serve as a kind of ‘theater’, but that was what the attacks were meant to serve as for their muslim world: a coded message of Islamic theater where the infidels burned and falling were mere props in the fantastic, yet low cost display of Islamic- dare I say it- audacity.

Of Hope.

For a defeated and humiliated theology that had depopulated and turned the Islamic lands into the hungry, envious gawkers at the Infidel’s prosperous Protestant civilization.

Bin Laden’s gambit, was that any unity of purpose, and/or force of western military resolve, wouldn’t last long (by their measure) and no matter the losses undertaken; there would be holy warriors dying for Muhammad, the west would be engaged, and with the application of resolve and patience, the west would defeat itself, and come crashing down, due to the misapplication of its own values in their attempt to merge theocratic principles with government- e.g. progressivism.

That’s a pretty strong argument for Islamic supremacy, objectively speaking.

And if there is any genius to it, it does not place all its confidence in any Islamic ability to “conquer by the sword”, but on the emergence of a “leader” just craven enough; a hustler such as 0bama to bring in the collapse that he, bin Laden is incapable of delivering.

Quite the contrary, the predictions of western weakness and weaknesses began to show signs of promise almost immediately.
1) There was scant, but noticeable opposition to taking the war to the base in Afghanistan, and when the operation began, some were calling it a (vietnam-style) quagmire even before to paratroops feet hit the ground.

2) President Bush described an “axis of Evil” before joint session of congress, and critics charged that no one wanted war with islam, much less any effort to contain it’s nascent and expanding stateless terror operations.

3) democrat party wanted to have it both ways when it voted for deposing the Saddam Hussein regime and then worked the “Bush Lied To Get Us In Iraq War” on MSNBC’s Chris Matthew’s show

4) NIE (National Intelligence Estimate, (german word for never)) said that no, Iran has no nuclear weapons program, never did, and war to stop one would be folly.

5) Iran has had materiel and technical assistance from no less than North Korea (missilies with long range ability to reach of Edinburgh
and NYC) Pakistan, and Russia for its nuclear program, and

6) 0bama administration has kept this knowledge of a second nuclear facility secret (for eight months), lest effort’s to resume thirty years of talks be scuttled by public knowledge of this pertinent fact.

7) The two remaining members of the “Axis of Evil” members- Iran and North Korea are sitting prettier than ever while we embroil ourselves as to the need, nay the right of everyone to have “affordable” health care. Yeah, right, just like the need of everyone to have “affordable” housing that collapsed the housing bubble and almost took the finacial markets with it.

0bamas self-proclaimed “good war, the right war” in Afghanistan worsens and 0bama “dithers”. Like Hell he dithers.

9) The Left craves its sacrament, a Vietnam defeat to demonstrate U.S. weakness and waning and immoral influence, blah blah blah.

In what remains of peace and safety back home, 0bama maxes out Dad’s seemingly un-maxable credit card and prepares for , detention and quarantine of those who refuse the “Swine Flu” shot government vaccination program. A vaccine that is ready, and has been revealed to be nothing more than the standard flu shot vaccine, available in any flu season.

It has also been revealed that the “Swine Flu” is “weaker” than most flu strains.

The Cloward Piven Stratgy has not yet destroyed the financial markets but there is always hope, 0bama is doing everything he can to “Fundamentally Transform the United States of America”.

Although bin Laden considers 0bama a vain, craven, and inglorious fool, he is quite pleased with all the american electorate, ACORN, Service Employees International Union, and 0bama have done on his (ben Laden’s) behalf, in its infidel way for the cause and prediction he (ben Laden) sees bearing fruit before his eyes.

And to think, all the left wanted was to capture bin Laden, portray him as a villian in a court of (international?) law, and sentence him to a nice long stay in a prison facility, complete with hilal meals and access to ‘The Recitation’ and a life of meditation on the bad bad thing he did. Case closed, nothing more to see here.

0bama and marxist avarice will complete the work started by bin Laden, and others.

Little in Art has served to prepare the west for the torment it was to suffer, but a few spring to mind, both by Stevie Wonder- He’s Mistra Know-it-all, and Living in a past-time [Marxist Progressive, Nutopia] Paradise.

bin Laden’s concept of Paradise differs quite markedly from the Marxist Messianic Paradise the 0bama people fell for when they abandoned all other values as they converted to it.

Have a nice Day.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:43 am 110. Mr Lucky:

76. David S.

“VDH claims some special insight into why Obama was voted into office, but he is missing a big part of the picture.”

“This is blatant racism. Nobody believes you anymore when you claim you are not a racist, because you keep demonstrating that this is how you think.”

“The GOP is drifting farther and farther away from rational discourse and intelligent policy discussions, and toward a racist, xenophobic, religious-right party of limited utility.”

Do you imagine the worst possible behavior in people you do not agree with you to help provide “proof” for your worldview?

Is denial of an act equal to conviction of committing that act?

Are you claiming “some special insight” into Dr. Hanson’s article?

Do you apply the concept of Original Sin to your adversaries only?

One has to wonder how a person who signs his comments off with “Peace” could be so accusatorily violent.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:45 am 111. David S:

@100. Tommy777:

You need to stop looking at polls from MSNBC (or whoever is pulling your leg) and get with a reputable outfit like the Pew Research Center.

Okay. Here’s what the latest survey from the Pew Research Center (September 17,2009) says:

Obama’s job approval rating, currently 55%, has changed little since late July.

So, considering that he received less than 55% of the popular vote last November, I’d say that the Pew Research Center supports my conclusion that “Obama’s approval is higher than his share of the vote last November”. Thanks for pointing to additional support for my position. Do you have any further insight to contribute?

They have a September 4 article entitled “Obama’s Approval Ratings Slide: By the Numbers.”

Old news. Please try to keep up. You are on the right track.

Peace.

DS

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:46 am 112. George S.:

I still am surprised so many try to engage the trolls. it really is pointless. I don’t even bother to read the troll comments. I already know the obama lies and talking points.

regards

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:08 pm 113. Daily Right 10/8/09 « The Quantum Conservative:

[...] *The Power of Payback, by Victor Davis Hanson. [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:09 pm 114. jharp:

“Obama’s fiery campaign rhetoric is coming back to haunt him.”

Yeah, his rhetoric was a real failure. First he crushed McCain to become the first black President.

And then is about to get the most dramatic and historic health care reform bill passed since 1965.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will submit multiple versions of the House’s healthcare bill for cost estimates, she announced on Thursday.

The first proposal will include a “robust public option,” which would tie doctor reimbursement rates to that of Medicare plus five percent. The remaining two drafts submitted for the Congressional Budget Office’s consideration would include a public option based on “the negotiated rates that some in our caucus have supported and which was passed by the Energy and Commerce Committee,” the speaker explained during Thursday’s press briefing.”

And the republicans approval rating is at 17%. Tell me again who’s rhetoric is coming back to haunt them.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:12 pm 115. deguello:

#76DAVID S(h%!*t)Racism this! Racism that! Not only are you libtarded,you are autistic as well.The ONLY state-sanctioned racism in the US, is liberal-inspired Reverse racism.Fortunately, the self-destructive powers of affirmative action has become nemesis’s instrument. The Ohole was promoted way beyond his skills by the wall street libtard plutocracy,and their white-hating sympathizers,like you,who wanted their greed bailed out,and their marxoid fantasies enacted by a teleprompter -dependent sock puppet. .Unfortunately for you,the Goddess reality (Nemesis’s twin sister and the bete noire of libtardism)has cut through the agitprop exposing the arrogant incompetence of their chosen charlatan.Obama is a grovelling,appeasing, dweeb who is laying the foundations of the new world disorder,while destroying our economy.This guy is getting ready to do an LBJ on Afghanistan(too cowardly to pull out,too cowardly to let the troops win)and has set up the US for another terror attack.Keep disseminating your own libtard delusions,we’ll keep laughing at you,and so will the American people(check Rassmussen out David),or have your special needs teacher do so.Enjoy your sock puppet’s one term! Deguello!

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:18 pm 116. tanstaafl:

pssst…wanna see David S on tape ?

Inside the persona of Mad Max ?

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:28 pm 117. David S:

@100. Tommy777:

You need to stop looking at polls from MSNBC (or whoever is pulling your leg) and get with a reputable outfit like the Pew Research Center.

Okay. The latest figures from Pew (9/17/09):

Obama’s job approval rating, currently 55%, has changed little since late July.

That sounds like solid support for my conclusion that Obama is more popular now than he was when he was elected in November with less than 55% of the vote.

They have a September 4 article entitled “Obama’s Approval Ratings Slide: By the Numbers.”

Old news. Please try to keep up.

Peace.

DS

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:30 pm 118. Dan Murphy:

David S. is a paid troll working for MoveOn.org, and through them the DNC and George Soros. She posts under various names including “Vivo” and “Now and Then” among others. Her job is to disrupt serious discussion of the issues here at PJM. The aim is to blunt any influence this site might have, by driving people who are interested in serious discussion of the issues away from the site. Notice how she resorts to ad hominem arguments, unsupported assertions, straw men, etc. I’m not surprised she spotted an “Appeal to Authority” argument, she uses it frequently when it suits her. The bottom line is that she is not here to convince or discuss, she is here to frustrate you and drive you away from the PJM.

The best tactics to deal with this educated but ignorant little girl is to either ignore her completely, or to ridicule her.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:39 pm 119. Noesis Noeseos:

Did he think the goddess was snoozing when he libeled the 14-year daughter of Sarah Palin as a dugout tart?

What a sentence, both classical and modern at once! The name panoptis traditionally belongs to Argos, but Hermes put him to sleep. Nemesis, however, is implacably panoptis, proof against the “celebrity’s” lyre (and liars).

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:41 pm 120. AO:

#7– Ron Kean:

Check your Hebrew. Eve is described as Adam’s “ezer kenegdo”- literally, his helper suitable. Other than in reference to Eve, the term is almost always applied to the Holy Spirit. In line with Dr. Hansen’s Greek interest, “ezer kenegdo” is rendered in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) and in the New Testament (also written in Greek)as the “paraklete.” That is, “one who comes along beside,” “one who encourages,” or “one who gives strength.” No reference to standing up to Adam. That didn’t come till after the eating of the Forbidden Fruit & God’s curse in Gen. Ch.3.

Shalom.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:57 pm 121. Sherab Zangpo:

The words that Obama used during the campaign were the words that Obama needed to cover his past and his actions.
Today he is the Communist in Chief and he does what he has ALWAYS done, he fights against America.

End of the story.

And he could succeed in pulling down America, the Great Satan of all the communists of the world.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

PS But I do hope that the thoughtful reflections of our Professor will hit the minds of the moderate Democrats (that are more difficult to find than the famous “moderate muslims”) and make them see the light.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:59 pm 122. Dr. Bukk:

The West will forever need to kill off the extra men who are the result of Islamic polygamy.

How convenient that Mohammed urged jihad as a means of getting rid of the extra men! In Muslim history these extra men could go out and conquer lands to find a wife, but that is over. So now they kill each other with glee, but the rest of the world has to help slaughter these extraneous men to achieve peace.

As Rumsfeld pointed out, a never-ending supply of recruits will sign up for the glory of dying. Their own people take pride in this.

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:06 pm 123. Hyphenated American:

This article aptly demonstrates why Obama was a better choice than Mccain…

Read me blog entry from November…
http://hyphenatedamericans.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-can-live-with-obama_02.html

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:06 pm 124. WSL:

Three observations:
1. Americans have a long tradition of criticizing their presidents.
2. Criticizing a black president consistently elicits an accusation of racism.
3. Maybe by never again electing a black president the country won’t have to worry about being called racist.

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:22 pm 125. Nemesis Unplugged « Justbkuz:

[...] October 8, 2009 in Who Killed John Galt | Tags: Economy, Energy, health care reform, Obama, Obamacare, stimulus Good article by Victor Davis Hanson, The Power of Payback: [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:22 pm 126. Thomas_L.....:

Mr. Lucky. Questioning a tool and a troll will not get you any satisfying answer. I suggest we throw him under the bus if there’s any room amongst the ex-czars and Subarus with Free Tibet stickers.

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:25 pm 127. Peter the Bubblehead:

Someone wrote:
“Obama could have been hispanic, white or asian – his race was not why people voted for him.”

Peter writes: I can’t say with absolute certainty about a Hispanic or Asian candidate, but had The Won been white, he would never have even gotten the nomination, no less actually been elected POTUS.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:12 pm 128. not that narcissist:

111. Peter the Bubblehead:

Peter writes: I can’t say with absolute certainty about a Hispanic or Asian candidate, but had The Won been white, he would never have even gotten the nomination, no less actually been elected POTUS.

I agree …as a white candidate he would not even get elected to the senate.

is that racism …yes I think so. BUT who is the racist?

this present administration is a criminal enterprise.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:18 pm 129. Now and Then:

Here’s some rhetoric . . .Pelosi should be put in her place.

You just can’t help yourselves. Wonder how Beck’s moms feel about that one.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:20 pm 130. misanthropicus:

RE #108/David S: [...] How does my employment status excuse the professors racist explanation for Obama’s election? Inquiring minds want to know… Peace. [...]

David S:
1) … “racism”, by any other word is very often… deflection of moral judgment, as it was when you used it -
2) … further, avoiding, as you do, to precisely define the psychological mechanism that made so many ignore Obama’s obvious lack of qualifications for the job, and vote for him doesn’t lessen a iota the truth of Hanson’s description -
3)… as far as “inquiring” minds, what transpires from your comment is actually very much antipathy for any form of inquisitive or debating enterprise…
… unless a Gestapo or Tcheka officer with a smoking gun in hand by a trench full of corpses is your notion of inquring mind.

Ignorance is strength – behind your “peace” is the ThoughtPolice.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:43 pm 131. Obama Clings to “Consensus” Building; Eschews Crisis Management- Biden’s Views Now Count – Seeing and Setting Trends for October 8, 2009 « VotingFemale Friends Speak!:

[...] Pajamas Media – The Power of Payback [...]

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:44 pm 132. misanthropicus:

RE #12/Gaffe Prices: [...] 0bama’s “dithering” on Afghanistan is anything but; its by design. [...]

Gaffe Prices: bellow is a Fox headline of Th/2:30 PM:

Do U.S. Delays Aid Taliban?
Critics say president’s lengthy search for most effective strategy in Afghanistan is playing right into Taliban’s hands.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:48 pm 133. Robert Winkler Burke:

What’s Good for the Goose
By Robert Winkler Burke
Copyright 9/10/09

If what’s good for the goose,
Is good for the gander,
Then, if the gander cooks the goose,
I will tell you with candor…

That if the poor goose,
Somehow survives its cooking,
Then that gander had best,
Over shoulder be looking.

You see our geese have been cooking,
For a long, long time,
By vulture over-lord ganders,
We now see their rhyme!

And we geese patiently took it,
Beyond endurance,
Now ganders beware: greed brings,
Hell’s comeuppance.

You see, hell normally loves injustice,
But this was just too much,
Even hell now joins rank with heaven,
In this greed gander bust.

Soon geese will be happily honking,
Victory V’s in the sky,
While ganders get eliminated,
Clueless, not knowing why.

What’s hidden by treacherous men,
Will be revealed to see In That Day,
When ganders stop cooking geese,
What surprise! It turns out the other way.

So cuadillo goose-cooking ganders,
Will, in time, get what they’re due,
If burnt geese believe in just deserts,
Good God! It’s gander hullabaloo!

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:52 pm 134. TLM:

VDH:

Worth the wait. We knew this article was coming one day.

59. Charlie Martin:

“Karma — कर्म, “cause” or “action” — doesn’t have anything to do with “nemesis”.”

Karma is a concept in Indic philosophy/religion. It is not simply “cause” or “action” and it does overlap the similar Greek concept of nemesis. Both have to do with cause and effect regarding man’s actions.

I saw the video where Obama used the word “Austrian” for the language spoken in that country. I highly doubt he used it in the manner you imply.

A minor mistake, as you note, especially when compared to the fact he was clearly confused about which languages are spoken in the two countries where our troops are fighting. Even if he is not particularly attuned to military matters, one would think a Barak Hussein Obama would know the basic linguistic geography of the ME, ie., where dialects of Arabic and Persian are spoken.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:02 pm 135. misanthropicus:

RE #1/ManekiNeko: [...] Austrian is a dialect of German. [...]

Mane: Austrian is NOT a dialect of German – Austrian, like the German spoken in Swiss is… simply German, and Austrians, like their Swiss brethen, fortunately haven’t learnt (so far) that they’ve been culturally robbed by their bigger North-West cousins.
The differences between the “Austrian” German and “Swiss” & the Deutche Welle German are insignificant – actually one can find more differences between the German spoken in Bayern and the German spoken in Holstein and the German spoken in eastern Saxony (i.e. within the same country, BRD), than between the mainstream language used in Germany, Swiss and Austria.

Obama’s reign is already brimming with absurdities – why do try to further embellish this by crediting him with something so remote from his interests like the long cultural history of the Holy Roman Empire of German Language? (From Arminius to… Angela Merkel – quite a span, I tell you).

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:04 pm 136. Now and Then:

92. firefirefire:
“They will always blame Bush. ALWAYS.”

He will always be blameworthy. And so he’ll get what he deserves.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:12 pm 137. JM Hanes:

The World According to DaveS:

People who voted for Obama can’t be racists, because their only concern was Obama’s policies. People who voted against Obama must be racists, because they refused to vote for a black man.

The god of logic will eventually seek you out, Dave.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:52 pm 138. Donna V.:

One has to wonder how a person who signs his comments off with “Peace” could be so accusatorily violent.

Oh, David S. is quite the passive aggressive beta male.

Obama could have been hispanic, white or asian – his race was not why people voted for him.

If Obama had been a white man, Hillary would have gotten the nomination. Race trumped gender, much to the Clintons’ consternation.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:56 pm 139. cfbleachers:

I have read the term “leftist guilt” (I don’t wish to confuse liberals with leftists, liberalism is dead…the leftists ate it) and I must admit I don’t understand this phrase.

Every leftist I have ever witnessed has shown not a dust mite’s worth of “guilt” over anything.

Leftism is narcissism swaddled in seditious cloak. Leftists never ADMIT that they have ever made a mistake…much less apologize for it.

Apologizing for the acts of a third party (ie “I’m so sorry that David S acts like a feckless sychophant”), while possibly fun for some, in a graceless sort of way…is not assuaging one’s “guilt”…because I feel no guilt over his behavior. I haven’t internalized it as my own, those acts don’t “belong” on my “ledger” so they can’t be held against me.

Similarly, leftists running around claiming to “feel guilty” for past transgressions of people with whom they don’t identify…not even a little, is disingenuous pap.

It’s the used car salesman’s duplicity, while engaging in sedition…and acting “in the name of country”.

Expressing shame, while at long last..having none…is the hallmark of coward with no conscience.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:09 pm 140. Sebastian Shaw:

President Obama’s many platitudes have come back to haunt him: He promised Gitmo closed, yet has no plan to send the terrorists elsewhere. Obama’s bloated platitudes sink him faster when the gravity of reality takes hold as the fluffy nonsense melts away in the rain. President Obama opens his mouth & never has his own plan for anything. Obama is a dullard who can only function when his teleprompter says to speak. All of this comes back to Obama’s arrogance, ignorance, perpetual thin skin, & his constant America bashing. He’s still in the middle of his meltdown. Stay tuned…

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:37 pm 141. Mike, CO:

VDH:

While Obama has failed to deliver on his supposed intellect, there is a silver lining. Sometimes intellectuals can do more damage than those who are grounded.

Is it possible to judge Obama too harshly? After 9 months, or rather 24 months since the start of the campaign, I have occasionally stopped to consider if my negative views of Obama are unwarranted. In these attempts at objectivity, I return to some of the same parables that you mention. Analyzing modern events in terms of idioms and parables is one way to prevent rampant subjectivity.

By applying these lessons to Obama, the parables speak for themselves. Therefore I disagree with those on this board who claim that your conclusions are utterly subjective.

Obama apparently is unable to analyze his own actions in a historical context. This is one of his gravest mistakes. His behavior and mentality stands in stark contrast with the founders of the USA, who had a deep appreciation for history.

While Obama slowly reconsiders what actions to take in Afghanistan, it is abundantly clear that he had little, if any experience and authority to advocate his firm position during the election. His assertions during the campaign are now shown to be dishonest attempts to appear presidential and authoritative.

He does not have the character to make important decisions quickly, because he is inexperienced, and he fears the consequences. It is true that deliberation is required when new information presents itself, but deliberation does not force one into inaction. He does not take decisive action because he fears justifying his actions in the context of his persona and ideology. His indecision is entirely a personal conflict, it is not a practical conflict. He is delaying military decisions until he feels comfortable, though he has had ample time to consider the consequences. These symptom of discomfort and indecision has a simple diagnosis: Obama does not know himself!

Please keep the articles coming, because with your analysis we are learning how to objectively analyze current events in the context of history. I hope that I am learning how to be better from Obama’s mistakes!

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:42 pm 142. PM:

I like reading trolls. Cheap entertainment.

Piece

PM

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:47 pm 143. David S:

@118. Dan Murphy:

Nice attempt at ridicule. Keep up the propagandizing, you are doing it right. Working together, we can ensure that nobody who visits PJM can engage in serious discussion without resorting to ad hominem arguments, unsupported assertions, straw men, etc. Heck, you managed to squeeze them all into one paragraph.

When you are done trying to shoot the messengers, maybe you will realize that the elephant has no clothes.

Peace.

DS

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:47 pm 144. PaulM:

Dr Hanson: Excellent. Thank you.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:52 pm 145. Ani:

By the way, the Austrians, particularly the Viennese, speak with their own accent or dialect — different pronounciation — same language. German is German. VDH is correct — this is for poster #1. There is no such thing as an Austrian language.

And yes, sir, Karma is a b*tch. I am surprised at how quickkly the chickens are coming home to roost.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:12 pm 146. David S:

@104. Ron Kean:

“What VDH is really arguing is that Obama can’t possibly be as intelligent, popular and well-informed as he appears, because he is just a black man who benefitted from affirmative action.”

You’re very wrong here

Nice comeback. Care to back that up with anything more than your opinion?

Here are the relevant portions of VDH’s commentary:

…diversity stories about Chicago…

…rode affirmative action, identity politics…

…given much more attention at Chicago Law School for what he represented than what he accomplished.

His Senate career was … predicated on white liberal guilt and ease with a charismatic “other”…

American good will toward the idea of electing the first African-American as President…

If I’m wrong, then why does VDH try so hard to minimize the accomplishments of a Harvard graduate? Why the focus on his race? Bringing up his diverse background as a point of criticism, implying that he could not have succeeded without affirmative action, and criticizing him for being a trail blazer are all ways of denigrating Obama based on his race. Claiming that his career depended on white liberal guilt and American good will toward electing an African American is a subtle way of pointing out that conservatives won’t vote for a black man.

If you really think that VDH did not intend to denigrate Obama based on his race, what was the purpose of criticizing him this way?

VDH may not think he is racist, and you may not think he is racist, but the article clearly indicates an untoward concern with Obama’s race, and an attempt to paint Obama as less worthy of the Presidency because of the color of his skin. Go ahead and criticize Obama, but don’t expect to get away with racist comments. You will be called on them.

Peace.

DS

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:19 pm 147. misanthropicus:

RE #136/Now and Then: [...] And so he’ll get what he deserves. [...]

“so he’ll get what he deserves” you mean that he will be marched out from the White House? Then sued & punished for grand larceny & charlatanie for rising more that $ 700 million dollars under false pretense, KNOWING THAT HE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE ELECTIVE POSITION WE WAS RUNNING FOR?

I sure like that – Bernie Madoff and Hussein Obama in the same cell.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:48 pm 148. misanthropicus:

RE #136/N&T:

bis on “he’ll get what he deserves”: by the way, N&T, while you probably prefer to ignore this facet of the “deserving” thing, I’ll take the liberty to inform you that today, in the Santa Ana US District Court, Judge Carter ordered the remainder dates for this case to be finalized for the January 26 hearing.

A beautiful season, isn’t it?

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:54 pm 149. California:

Norse wisdom:

A paltry man and poor of mind
Is he who mocks at all things.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:55 pm 150. tthomas:

I saw a lone bumper sticker on an immaculately maintained late model white cadillac in Denver the other day that read “I never thought I’d miss Nixon”. Ha! Remembering is making me laugh again.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:09 pm 151. ic:

Nemesis has caught up with him… and us, his name is Obama.

136. Now and Then:
“He will always be blameworthy. And so he’ll get what he deserves.”
Like a 30 years old blaming his parents’ supposed mistakes for his own failure. We call these people who never grow up to take responsibilities: LOSERS. I guess it’s safe to count you as one of them.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:40 pm 152. marymcl:

@108 David S

“Ooh, an appeal to authority – of the worst kind. If you want to convince me VDH is right, citing VDH is not going to be enough.”

Well, if you want to convince anyone here that VDH is a racist, you’re going to have to do better than cite your own insupportable conclusions about what he’s “really” saying.

And let’s cut the crap, shall we? “Blatant racism” is apartheid. It’s Jim Crow laws and lynch mobs. “Blatant racism” is far less of a problem in this day and age than the passive-aggressive bigotry masquerading as tolerance that you display. “Blatant racism” carries burning crosses and can be seen from a mile off and confronted for what it is.

The more invidious and dangerous racism, the sort that is essential to your argument, lies in assuming that someone who is “just a black man” (your words) could not possibly be qualified enough or have enough backbone of his own to withstand the criticism and scrutiny that go with public office. You’re the one making an issue of Obama’s race, every time you use it to deflect criticism away from him or pat yourself on the back for thinking it doesn’t mean anything. What’s obvious to all here is that it means everything to you. Without it, you have nothing to defend him.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:47 pm 153. Jeff Weimer:

136. Now and Then:

But you will stretch to blame him for everything bad, whether he deserves it or not.

And you’ll find someone else to take credit for the good he did.

You just can’t allow it, otherwise it would send you into a seizure of cognitive dissonance.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:52 pm 154. WAKE UP:

QUOTING 10. Yes We Did: “This is just another cowardly racist attack on our new Leader. There was an election last November. We won, you lost, and you will never get another chance. The great majority of progressive Americans love and support President Obama. He will lead us onward into a new world of peace and justice. It is long past time for you racist white male oppressors to just shut up and go away.”

The scary thing about that is that it probably isn’t satire, and is instead the work of a bedrock, blindsided, dependent Obama voter. America, you have your work cut out if want to turn this madness around.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:09 pm 155. dck:

This little essay is particularly good.

You are starting to get a solid “take” on Obama (after some broad wandering about, I’ve thought) and there are many fine smaller insights here:

I’ve thought for some time that Obama was well-indoctrinated (re his faux Marxian analysis of the role of Guns and God as economic epiphenomena in Ohio), but he is not well-educated. His time in some of the best schools in the country seems to have been spent in pursuits other than academic excellence.

The “Nemesis” model is a good one. I’ve used “Sin of Pride” in the past, borrowed from a friend who admires Neibuhr. Perhaps I should turn to the Classics.

I don’t see that you go as far as Limbaugh,yet,and believe that Obama(however buffoonishly self-involved and hopelessly Bourgeois in his tastes and habits)is actually a hard Leftist with a hidden agenda of creating the “revolutionary Pre-condition” of a demoralized Kerensky state out of a vigorous, confident, Capitalist America.

I.e., Obama’s not “just” an angry, radical-but-incompetent, narcissist from the democratic American Left; he’s a dangerous bad actor in the mode of a Hugo Chavez.

Ephemera:

A question I still have is just how far can the media carry this guy (with all of the issues that surround that question)?

Oh, and I think you meant “stalag,” not “stalig,” or was that just a typo?

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:52 pm 156. Tomas K:

Hey, for those of you complaining about the “Austrian meme”:

Just to be clear, Austrians speak the German Language….unless of course you are in Sud Tirol (Northern Italy), then you speak… oh yea, the German Language.
Come on! To say the Austrians speak Austrian is like saying the Canadians speak Canadian. Such a claim makes one look more like Bob and Doug McKenzie and less like the leader of the free world.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:21 pm 157. Exactly!:

Hurry, Nemesis, hurry.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:12 pm 158. nash:

Padme is right.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:17 pm 159. ITF:

74: “The satire becomes more and more absurd, but someone on the left always seems to match the rhetoric in a “serious” comment.”

76: David S.

You just can’t make this stuff up . . .

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:22 pm 160. Marc Malone:

FYI – Yes We Did is serious. He started posting here right after the election, being a sore winner, to vent his spleen. He’s a black guy. He has often expressed this bilgewater in his comments. This is all he posts, other than bluster of physical confrontation. He is your typical black racist; whitey-hating and America-hating. He has expressed this himself in many postings.

This is what we face. It gets no uglier, and such hate will eventually get the same hate in return… in greater amounts. Apple seeds beget apple trees. Such as these is how Obama got elected. A violent storm this way comes.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:26 pm 161. ked5:

21. formwiz:
SpellCheck is everyone’s friend.

~~~~

Spoken by someone who has never been troubled by using the wrong homonym. I peruse the musings of a writer’s group, and their frequent refrain is that “spell check is NOT your friend”.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:28 pm 162. ked5:

34. David Thomson:
They are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

~~~~

A millstone? shall we hook up the horse and start it turning?

A favorite quote my husbands repeats is “the wheels of the Gods turn slowly, but they grind exceedlingly fine.”

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:32 pm 163. Thomas Fink:

DavidS : My support for Obama has absolutely nothing to do with his race, his age, or his charisma. This is, and always has been, about narcism. I feel a family like affinity to his religion of self worship and will praise him in my music, make millions of dollars and be happy for progressive taxation so that HE will have his share.
And sometimes even you, my poor racist, xenophobic conservatives will be transformed by the shining glory that I, vivo, jharp and the other beacons of light send to your selfish minds and you will realize that slavery is freedom. Peace be upon you.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:50 pm 164. Nosingin:

Here is my favorite example of this mans complete incompetence, uninformed, uneducated, no grasp of foreign affairs..

http://townhall.com/blog/g/963dd811-d3c6-4840-ac20-bc90587ac7c5

Perhaps this is why he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Going back down the bunny hole now

Oct 9, 2009 - 4:18 am 165. firefirefire:

#136 n&t and #61 Richard;
See? Itoldja so.

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize.
you can blame Bush for that as well.

Oct 9, 2009 - 4:20 am 166. vivo:

Nobel Peace Prize 2009

Congratulations, President Obama!

Oct 9, 2009 - 4:36 am 167. Thomas_L......:

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize! In other news, the N.F.L. announced today that the 2010 Super Bowl will be awarded at Half time.

Oct 9, 2009 - 5:46 am 168. Ron Kean:

120. AO

Look up the Rashi on it. There is no better source.

Oct 9, 2009 - 7:18 am 169. deguello:

David S. Ah the workings of the liberal mind.Since when did poll and election figures become equivalent David? Or are you indulging in the same kind of “math” that Obama does to claim that his “health”care plan, wont increase the deficit?Incidentally the up to date Rasmussen poll has the Dweeb at 50% DISAPPROVAL. DEGUELLO!

Oct 9, 2009 - 11:39 am 170. mac:

It would certainly be nice if PJM installed an “ignore” feature, as the fecal droppings left by the usual trolls are unpleasant to encounter. If they could be ignored by the general readership I suspect they would soon go away, something that would be a boon for all of us.

Oct 9, 2009 - 2:19 pm 171. dck:

Let me try this again, since coherence is a desirable quality in a posting.

This essay is a good one. You are starting to get a very accurate cumulative “take” on Obama (after some broad wandering about, I’ve thought). There are many fine insights here, recognizable and convincing.

For example: I’ve thought for some time that Obama was not well-educated but well-indoctrinated. His comfort-zone default to a quasi-Marxist analysis of the role of guns and God as middle class epiphenomena in Ohio was a telling example (while he himself is hopelessly Bourgeois in his taste and appetites!). He struggles publicly to bring clearly to mind historical facts or personalities in many contexts as soon as he goes off teleprompter. He’s the kind of man who might confidently reference a “Parthenon shot.” His time in some of the best schools in the country seems to have been spent in pursuits other than academic excellence.

Your Nemesis model is a good one. I’ve used the Sin of Pride in the past to say much the same thing, but perhaps I should consider the Classics.

I wonder if you are tempted to go as far as Rush Limbaugh and believe that Obama actually harbors a hidden agenda of creating a Kerensky-like transitional state as a necessary pre-condition to where he really wants to go? This would require the intentional (not just incompetent) demoralization and bankrupting of a Center/Right, generally confident, vigorously Capitalist America.

I.e.: Is Obama more than what you seem to suggest, an angry, radical, narcissistic representative of the democratic, 60’s American Left, arrogant and dangerously incompetent but not a bad actor? Or is he instead, as Limbaugh and others claim, a would-be, cult-of-personality, autocratic revolutionary, bent on the intentional economic and social de-construction of the country as a stepping-stone to what he really wants? Robert Mugabe might be the model here.

Do we have a bad Obama (VDH) or a worse Obama (Limbaugh)?

Oct 9, 2009 - 3:40 pm 172. aramkr:

Manekineko #1:
So it’s ok to say Americans speak American and Australians speak Australian?

Oct 9, 2009 - 8:06 pm 173. Oakley:

Professor:

I had a thought. Is it possible that Obama himself is America’s Nemesis, or maybe the conservative’s Nemesis?

It makes me shudder to think this. I’m a conservative, so I’m not thinking along the lines of “America is bad and deserves to be humiliated, etc. But maybe it is time America and conservatives need to take stock, reflect, repent and analyze where we’ve been, where we are and how we got here.

Oct 9, 2009 - 8:40 pm 174. J.E. Dyer:

Very nicely done, Professor. Very nicely indeed.

Guarding against hubris, and repenting of ate, are the prophylactic measures of a responsible moral conscience against visits from Nemesis. I fear, though, that this proposition is not even recognizable to the Obama contingent. Hailing Nemesis on the horizon, they would offer to send her to the studio for an Oprah makeover, to learn to live her best life.

Oct 9, 2009 - 9:02 pm 175. vivo:

118. Dan Murphy:

“David S. is a paid troll . . . She posts under various names including “Vivo” . . . ”

vivo is vivo.

U owe me an apology.

Oct 10, 2009 - 7:07 am 176. VDH « Sister Toldjah:

[...] The Power of Payback [...]

Oct 10, 2009 - 8:35 am 177. kitchener:

Mr Hanson….with your talk of Nemesis , you don’t seem to grasp how serious Barry Dunham will recieve the punishment of pride , arrogance ,vanity and narcissism
This poor clueless poseur and fool will , i suspect , be a victim of the recuring evil lietmotif of American history…the crime that dare not speak it’s name….
…assassination
This deluded fool doesn’t understand the danger he’s put himself in …if he leaves office in the horizontal position , it will be an absolute disaster for this country and race relations in general…God help us …anything but that !!
A lone gunman ,with a handgun , in the crowd is very difficult to stop…Hinkley , Sirhan Sirhan or that maniac who got Mckinley…..it could happen !

Oct 10, 2009 - 5:51 pm 178. E:

Rasmussen isues a daily presidential tracking poll which tracks the approval index – obtained by comparing the number of those who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance against those who Strongly Disapprove. Obama’s been in negative territory since June. The following chart shows the numbers, as well as overall approval ratings, since Obama’s inauguration.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.

Oct 11, 2009 - 5:04 pm 179. Ron Kean:

146. David S.

I do wish you well and hope you have peace.

I just don’t have the patience to go around the block with you one more time.

Oct 11, 2009 - 5:36 pm 180. p:

177: Then don’t mention it.
Obama needs to watch his back. Like Caesar, it’s the “handlers” not the populi.

Oct 12, 2009 - 6:58 am 181. David S:

@179. Ron Kean:

I do wish you well and hope you have peace.

Likewise. Take good care of yourself.

I just don’t have the patience to go around the block with you one more time.

I’m disappointed. I was really hoping you might be willing to defend VDH. On the other hand, I respect you for knowing when to quit. ‘Til next time…

Peace.

DS

Oct 12, 2009 - 10:10 am 182. Sulaco2:

My over riding concern is not that The O and his party can do so much damage to the U.S. in four years, (which is all they have), that can not be remedied but that their sense of entitlement, and visceral need for raw power is so strong that there is in their minds no possible way they can be deposed of the power they now hold. (See Cuba) Any election that boots them from office in whole, will in their eyes be “illegitimate” and can (could be) ignored with calls for “fresh” elections none ending. That was what groups like ACORN were supposed to prevent, elections where democrats lost by stacking the voters deck. Add the open support of dictatorships around the world and ??

For the first time in my nearly sixty years I believe this is a real concern for the future of this country. Such actions by Dear Leader would of course bring on a devastating “civil” war that would leave the country broken. Additionally O may see such civil war, as a means to an end. Ultimate and endless power. I hope I am just being paranoid and I realize the problems such a conflict would entail. O’s hold on the military and police is a result of their allegiance to their oaths of service. Most members detest him on a personal and political level. Still the beginnings of such a conflict would truly test the security forces allegiance; to one man, Dear Leader or the country as established by the founders. Give the Dems eight years while bringing “purges” of people loyal to their oaths and I do not have a strong faith in such a contest outcome being the continuance of a free nation.

Me thinks we live in times of “Suckage” to quote my favorite author.

Oct 12, 2009 - 1:48 pm 183. David S:

@182. Sulaco2:

I’m pretty confident that Obama will serve two full terms, and that the US will be in much better shape at the end of that period than it was at the beginning.

Your concerns about legitimate elections are charming – given that the GOP has spent so much time working to disenfranchise American citizens. If the Democrats had any intention of overthrowing the electoral process, they would have done so in 2000 – but the GOP had already positioned itself to do so first, and the SCOTUS sealed the deal.

Worries about civil war and ultimate and endless power are overblown. Your hope is answered – you are just being paranoid. The members of our military do not detest Obama – and your assertion that they do is based on your own preconceptions. Obama is the best defender of the Constitution to serve as President in some time – he provides no pretext for any military defectors.

If you are worried about purges of people loyal to their oaths, you are a little late – this was a significant problem under the previous administration which seems to have abated under Obama, who appreciates the true meaning of these oaths.

Me thinks we live in times of “Suckage” to quote my favorite author.

Thank a Bush voter.

Peace.

DS

Oct 13, 2009 - 9:42 am

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