162 Comments

1. Cornhead:

Cap-and-trade has to be the single worst proposed law in United States history.

Jul 11, 2009 - 10:39 am 2. ET:

To reiterate:
Campaign voice: “Four legs good, two legs bad!”

Post-election voice: “Four legs good, two legs BETTER!”

Will any of those who thought Bush was Satan understand this?

Jul 11, 2009 - 11:30 am 3. Charles Gordon:

Each new government employee makes one less tax payer. Sure they pitch a portion of their tax funded salaries back into the till, but that is where their gross paycheck came from in the first place.

As unemployment is absorbed by the government sector, there will be more outflow of public funds to public employees and less inflow of revenue supplied by private sector employees.

Politicians will take credit for growth in public sector employment and blame the private sector for the worsening treasury deficit.

We need less government, not more.

Jul 11, 2009 - 1:14 pm 4. Frank Arden:

The “hope and change” mantra that defined Obama’s early candidacy was (except the war in Iraq that, by it’s own success, became a non-issue) always about funding health care, energy policy and education and growing the size and influence of government. And I think the “yes we can” of it all was predicated by the assumption that economic growth would continue unchecked to provide liberals the necessary wealth to spread around.

The snake in the woodpile was the unanticipated economic collapse that not only threw independent voters to Obama and assured his election, yet destroyed the predicate of wealth available to spread around.

I should say “should have destroyed.” But it didn’t. The great liberal agenda simply could not be sacrificed to the inopportune interruption of the economy. The gritty ugliness of recession was about to challenge the fantasy of liberal philosophy, a/k/a hope and change, and necessitated a “stimulus” to be rushed through the congress with lighting speed, without debate, without bipartisan approval, and so full of pork and non-immediate spending projects that the term “stimulus” is seen as a misnomer. Obama deferred his election mandate to Pelosi and Reid who handled the inconvient matter with dispatch.

Then we began to hear from Obama that the reason for the economy’s collapse was because government had failed for too long to spend enough money on health care, energy and education. The logic of this ridiculous claim is, at best, elusive.

Nevertheless, the “crisis” became the new predicate for hope and change.

Even if one were disposed to buy this liberal agenda, there is no wealth to buy it. New and elaborate expenditures would have to be postponed for years until the production of wealth was the norm again.

But the liberals can’t wait. They’ve got the votes. Taxes will increase. Productivity will fall. Government will grow. And the cruelest tax of all, inflation, will be the next crisis for Obama not to waste.

Dr. Hanson, I agree the liberal ideal of equality of result will descend upon us as Egalitarian Morality and a New Culture driven by a Revolutionary Vision if things continue unchecked.

And yet, the stimulus is failing and will continue to fail. Polls are showing independents registering buyers’ remorse. Obama, as brilliant as he might be, failed to realize he was elected to fix the economy. And liberals failed to realize that was their first priority and, instead, spent fifteen minutes on the problem so they can spend a lifetime’s dream to reshape American culture.

I pray the American voter will swing the pendulum back once the folly of this becomes obvious. But it will have to be painfully obvious, I’m afraid.

Jul 11, 2009 - 2:08 pm 5. Gaffe Prices:

“Stimulus” Bills selectively forwarded to those who do not pay taxes (and of course skimmed into the pockets of any and all middlemen in between, to grease the wheels) based on the premise that there are those who have, so why not send some of what those who do have, to those who we are to believe “have not”.

Social Security legislation in 1934 made the mandatory retirement age 65 when life expectancy averaged 61. And those above 65 could be moved out to make way for the segment of younger unemployed.

That is problem enough now when life expectancy is above 72 and the amount of the population leaving the workforce is going to increase year after year until 2025, as the remaining workforce potential declines.

And Social Security, by definition is redistributing wealth to those who no longer work, per se, and yet still pay taxes (as of 1998, when social security income began to be re-taxed).

But dealing with wealth redistribution challenges and problems vis a vis social security’s increasing pressure cooker scenario just aren’t cool, and can’t be made hip and now, and tarted up enough to flaunt as *new* “policy”.

And no one in well FED government seem compelled to prove their bona fides on existing wealth redistribution policy (Veterans hospitals, anyone?)

And democrats huffed and puffed, balked and shouted out “Third Rail!!” when Social Security Reform was attempted in 2005.

But Social Security has been a major manifestation of the concept of wealth redistribution, based on the notion that when those 65 or older reach that age, they cannot work, not because they are lazy, but because their energy and output is not what it was when they entered the workforce years ago.

As it is, relying on social security alone puts one at a subsistence level of poverty, so if we cannot get that part of wealth distribution right, why are we expanding the definition to include all manner of categories of those who are in that age group of productive employ-able-ment needed to pay into the system?

“Health care for all !!” is bandied about and yet Medicare faces the same inverse ratio of payers to recipients in the near future.

The only thing that remains consistent is the therapeutic salve and self esteem high we get when 0bama and democrat congress invite us to all become one in a collectivist Messiania of poverty and sickness, pain and suffering obliteration, promised through a *new* bold and courageous social policy-psychological bacchanalia.

Jim Kramer got in a lot of trouble when he said “fix the economy first” before we go leaping straight for the jack-pot of the all-caring God-state.

So if these young bucks can’t show the least bit of restraint, in the name of getting our national priorities straight, before proceeding, then what other prognosis can one come to except that the lever on the throttle is broken and there is no stopping this train?

Jul 11, 2009 - 3:05 pm 6. pensfan341:

What is quicky developing is an “Atlas Shrugged” type of scenario. If you haven’t read it I highly suggest it, I just finished it and its modern day applications are scary. But, like in the book, at some point the hated “they” are going to decide they have had enough. They don’t want to pay 70% of what they EARN to the government to waste. They will decide they just don’t want to do it anymore.

I am 20 years old. Right now I see two divergent paths;
1. Bust my ass, work hard. Get an education. Better myself. But then become taxed death and become part of the hated “they.”

2. Do nothing. Become a quasi-bum. Go from miniscule job to job while living a lazy lifestyle. But, especially considering the way this nation is headed, pay no income tax. Recieve government beneifts. Vote people into office who will continue and further these policies.

What is the unprincipled youngster to do?

Jul 11, 2009 - 3:58 pm 7. David Thomson:

“Whereas thousands are fleeing the natural paradise of California for the arid deserts of no-tax Nevada”

They are also moving to other areas of the United States—and now threaten to severely damage their new home areas. I cringe every time I hear about another blue stater moving to Texas. Far too often they also bring along their inclinations to vote for statist Democrats. These fools have yet to learn their lesson. They think this time it will actually work out better. The progressive agenda merely needs a little fine tuning.

Jul 11, 2009 - 4:19 pm 8. smitty:

Kleptocracy.

Jul 11, 2009 - 6:56 pm 9. Jack Marcotte:

Essential vdh

I am at a loss on why this blog and others continue to look at the “details” and not see the “forest for the trees”.

America, we the people, are in the mist of a communist revolution built on simple lies—not even shots are needed and most of what is being done by BHO and his army of subversives, including the moronic MSM is not only unconstitutional it is directly subversive and is quickly overthrowing the very basis of American strengths.

What happened to the Justice Department and the Supreme Court? Why can’t our Supreme Court do like Honduras? Is it to late. Apparently, maybe.

We, Americans will not be able to defend or change what is happening to America unless somebody gets the word in Washington DC that this is it for them, no more automatic reelection of idiots who can’t even read what they are voting on. Don’t even know what is in the bills. Maybe they think they can plead ignorance?

Americans have to get serious about politics. Will Rogers is not funny any more.

We are in an American destroying revolution due to simple ignorance, stupidity, and laziness. This coupled along with the recognition by unproductive Americans grouped and organized as Victims and due AA, indoctrinated with lies that all they have to do is vote to get what is “theirs”. Acorns who stuff ballot boxes and then plead–we are just ignorant of what is going on—-Stealing America.

This “victim” indoctrination started by communist subversion in the 50’s and kept alive by “racist” flim flam con artists and Academics for their own monetary gain and political expediency can no longer be afforded by America. Why? because we are losing America you idiots.

The Al Sharpens and the Jesse Jackson’s will have to go along with their buddies in Congress and the business world.

Their racist view of America is nothing but a flim flam con game for their parasitic life style and political gain. Ditto for the Universities digging into the government pockets but still not allowing the military to recruit on Campus.

The left wing white guilt crowd are there with their BHO racket “ransom” money because they did not make the money they have.

The white guilt crowd are ignorant and don’t know that only Joe the Plumber keeps them from sinking in their own shit.

They cannot be left to decide what will happen to America based on their ignorance and lack of skills that will put them quickly on the bottom if their own devices allow. They are self destructive.

When it comes down to the white guilt segment of the population role in American progress. They are no more significant than the pimple on a donkeys ass. Yet they are the braying asses who inflate their importance. This can no longer be allowed to happen.

The stimulus package that no one has read has done nothing but award failure and subversion in bloated Corporations run by affirmative action and PC idiots using other peoples money for “Accounting profits” that never were on the bottom line–only on the books.

This along with the same PC university trained idiots in quasi Government Agencies directly responsible for the financial chaos in the first place. Quasi only in the sense these like Freddie Mac and Fanny May paid out bonus money just like the private sector, using the same “accounting practices” to show profits for bonuses that did not exist and did nothing but cover billions in losses of real assets belonging to real hard working American people. Check your 401K and know this— you are an idiot if you don’t understand this.

Ignorance and stupidity is not only being subsidized it is being rewarded. While successful market driven business is being driven out of business by more regulation and taxes built on additional lies along with the BHO’s created business uncertainty which stops decision making cold, Additional bonus money is being paid out to now Government “owned” business.

A pat on the back for sucking money from the feds and show a “rational” reason. Whimpering and Crying for it. Taxpayer money part of the BHO Government “waling around” money. Keep the votes, keep the quiet.

The leading example of the theft that is about to occur in addition to what has happened: Global Warming as “explained by Algore” is not only a lie it is factually not even scientific.

The global warming lie will lift billions out of the American economy and fat stupid Algore will suck his percentage along with the other large financial houses populated by those just smart enough to calculate their commissions and know their political counter parts in the Government of BHO’s overseeing the destruction of American Industry. They went to the same “school of business”. Parasite breeding ground is a better name.

Now,Productive American Companies are now being asked to foot the bill for their own destruction. At the same time they are being demonized as the “rich”. A simple communist trick and the BHO’s likely think it is a good idea for the same reasons the Soviet Union thought so during their revolution that involved killing the landowners. They were more crude but that was then this is now. Class warfare is the name of this game.

US Citizens now have no direct say in any of the current subversion of the free capital markets. It will be time for the revolution to get serious when Americans start fearing their government.

The capital of US citizens is being used as a slush fund to prop up BHO and his supporters both in the capital markets, bloated failed companies and the Congress of the Federal Government. It is no longer available to productive business growth it is “walking around money for the Political districts”. Extortion and payoffs is now its use.

Republicans are part of the problem by simply being dumb and reactionary, Dem’s are the problem due to being taken by active subversive groups bent an taking down America.

This scavenger group of university trained indoctrinated idiots is carving out and up productive American assets and productivity.

It is being replaced with some idiotic Utopian described government supported flim flam schemes that can only be dreamed up by pot smoking idiots while in a dorm. Justifying the use of taxpayer dollars and the pigs at the trough taking their cut.

It is using PC language along with the Utopian Language of indoctrination of the communist party that has been allowed to hang around in the anti American, totally subsidized and unproductive halls of Academic University Schools.

Political correctness, and affirmative action has over the years taken effective education out of the unions and universities and replaced it with political indoctrination.

America is now on the path to being run like the corrupt Chicago Machine of Mayor Daley, and without a thread of difference from 3rd world banana republic. “Pay the Man” if you want to do business in the US.

Will all of this BHO BS succeed. Look at the USSR, Look at North Korea, look at the communist controlled government of China–only the free enterprise areas are advancing, look at Cambodia, Vietnam, and now look at what BHO is doing in South America supporting dictatorships. They fool BHO with their own communist look alike governments.

Jul 11, 2009 - 7:43 pm 10. J.E. Dyer:

OK, Professor, I love you to death, but you have got to stop with the “starve the beast” error about the Reagan tax cuts.

Reagan never intended to cut revenue. He operated on the theory of his advisors that cutting the tax RATE would INCREASE REVENUE.

He and his advisors were absolutely right. That’s exactly what happened. Tax rates were cut, and revenue soared. That’s what they intended all along.

If Reagan had been able to get his Democratic Congresses to also cut spending — well, what a thing that would have been.

Meanwhile, you are spot-on regarding the intentions of the Obama “bailout.” How Americans could have been moronic enough to elect Obama is a study that could keep a whole brigade of “soft” scientists working for a lifetime.

I’ve been pointing out for a long time that the GOP has been largely responsible for its own ill fortune, with its penchant for me-tooism and running RINOs for office. But at some point the responsibility of the American people for allowing themselves to turn into morons has to be recognized. It really didn’t matter who was running against Obama in November 2008. More people should have seen what he was before now. It didn’t take any form of unnatural brilliance to do so. All it took was some basic common sense and moral clarity.

Here are some words to live by. There is no such thing as a coyly undeclared or politically mysterious candidate who might turn out to be a responsible conservative. ALL such candidates will turn out to be big-government statists — and charlatan-demagogues to boot.

Jul 11, 2009 - 7:52 pm 11. Ron Kean:

The super rich and the super poor get a break. The rest of us will be expected to pay.

When I read that ACORN got billions of dollars I began to think the game’s over. Obama has his army now at the bottom. The billions in stimulus money to Bear Sterns and banks means Obama has his army at the top. People are being bought. The’re in the bag. They took a dive. They’re in his pocket.

And the media keeps pumping out positive stories about Obama. 3,500 showed up in St. Louis for the Tea Party and no one’s heard about it. I wonder if the backlash or nemesis as VDH says is building and if it can be effective if it actually in fact emerges.

Jul 11, 2009 - 8:10 pm 12. Jimmy J.:

We are headed for a banana republic type of crash. We are going to get either default on our national debts or a punishing inflation…..or both. Obama and the democrats are like kids who have broken open their piggy bank and stolen their parents’ credit card. They have no concept of the consequences of their policies. Unless, by some stroke of luck enough Senators (the House is too far to the left) can stop the Cap and Trade and health care reform.

Unfortunately, it will be after the 2010 elections before we can hope to set the stimulus bill right and launch a pro-business, small government initiative. Unfortunately, each day that passes with the present anti-business attitudes, the worse the economy will become as small business men hunker down not willing to expand, hire, innovate, or take risks as mentioned by VDH. Much damage has been done because Obama and the democrats are essentially clueless about how damaging their policies are.

We came back from Jimmy Carter. We can do it again, but it will be harder because the debts are so outsize.

Jul 11, 2009 - 8:56 pm 13. MMM:

The law supply and demand is not changed by this taxation though. So with the same amount of electrical work needing to be done, but fewer electricians to do it, prices go up.

That helps soften the brunt of the tax on the owner/electrician, but for the average person needing electrical work…its a lose-lose situation.

Jul 11, 2009 - 10:15 pm 14. Dave the Kapampangan:

Nanny Obananarama says: “VOTE for me, and I will create laws to force all prices to be low. Yes, VOTE for me, and I will legally force everybody into jobs to create a greener world.”

Kids and entitlement voters fall for this ruinous snake oil because they are so accustomed to getting things for free, that they never ponder that COSTS will remain the same, even if prices are artificially held low. And they never consider the government’s dismal FINANCIAL HISTORY in medicaid, medicare, social security, public schools, or managing the national debt. Free stuff! Somebody else will always pay the costs!

Nanny Obananarama says: “Trust me. No new taxes on the middle class that are actually called taxes!”

Jul 11, 2009 - 10:57 pm 15. Dave the Kapampangan:

Nanny Obananarama says: “My cronies need to get paid. Wait a minute…I know! How about another stimulus package?”

Jul 11, 2009 - 11:00 pm 16. Pajamas Media » Stimulus, Stimulus, and Not a Drop…:

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

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:37 am 17. Fred Beloit:

So goes the home front. And foreign affairs? The President runs off to various meetings and conferences overseas to accomplish…what accomplishments are there?

Kim is more berserk than ever. Our government has now aligned itself against Honduras and with the leftist despots in Latin America. We are going to be more and more dependent on foreign oil (more and lower bowing to the Saudi king please). Ahmadinejad is laughing at the POTUS, insulting him, and challenging him to a debate. Now it appears we are preparing to weaken our military when other often less than friendly large nations are building up theirs. Russia continues to bully Georgia.
It all adds up to Yes we can’t, the vainglory of hope, and bad change is not good change.

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:57 am 18. marsouin:

For the past several thousand years, the State has shown itself a very poor custodian of our rights and liberties. Despite this record, socialists insist on scheming to find new ways to make it work. The current model is the western European one. Why? What does a Frenchman get for giving up basic rights (life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness)? High unemployment, low growth, crumbling civic society, and cultural suicide. This is what’s inevitably coming to the US. The elites are pushing very hard and the majority of Americans are indifferent.

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:27 am 19. Formwiz:

The fly in the ointment has proven to be the Tea Party movement, which seems to be giving the part of Congress that is responsible to their constituents (those who live in districts where people actually think once in a while and will turn out of office Democrats or RINOs when they are hellbent on making this country yet another Socialist Workers Paradise like Britain) a lot of indigestion and second thoughts.

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:27 am 20. vivo:

Investors are paralyzed, producers are paralyzed, consumers are paralyzed, real estate equity is negative, foreclosures at an all time high, all insurance rates going through the roof, medical costs out of control.

What happened to Capitalism? All you have to do is reverse the above. Easy? No, short term; yes, long term.

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:45 am 21. Nick:

Excellent analysis. I’m not sure what has happened to the great individualism that had driven USA to become the greatest, most exceptional (despite what the current white house occupant believes) and most benevolent nation in the history of mankind.

Total corruption of the sheep’s pen called “congress” and the ultimately liberal (and ultimately fascist) belief that they know how to live our lives better than we do on our own has a great deal to do with it. But we elect these sheep (as a population, I try to avoid electing herd followers).

The responsibility is ours as citizens, and more importantly, as individuals.

If you believe you should receive something for nothing, or that someone owes you something, vote for the demo/liberal/fascist party. They will “spread” it around until you are satisfied. You will get what you want (in the short term).

Now use that tiny grey organ between your ears…what happens when those who are working every day (Saturday and Sunday too) decide they are not going to support you any longer; they will earn enough to support their own families (which is hard enough without “spreading” it around for all those with their hands out, not working because it is beneath them or because the sheeps pen (congress) told them someone would always be there to wipe their nose and have enough money for cigarettes)

What happens is what is happening right now – national tax receipts are in a downward spiral that will not recover this year or the next couple of years – states are going bankrupt; because those those who produce the wealth through sweat and risk and determination are not going to allow themselves to be swindled by a government that believes they owe 70% of what they earn should go to those who do not even have the right to vote.

It is easy to cut back, as Professor Hanson outlined, I have sold my vacation property, I have sold my home and bought a smaller house (without a mortgage),

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:48 am 22. Bob:

Obama finally got to speak with someone for whom deciding when life begins and whether it is wrong to extinguish a life are NOT BEYOND HIS PAY GRADE. Of course, there is no reason to believe that BHO – the ultimate Obamaniac – listened to anything PB16 had to say.

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:51 am 23. Jane:

He is about to embark on one of his feel good tours… speeches in Michigan and another troubled state and they are considering a prime time news conference. This shows a tin ear. He is over exposed on the television. It makes me realize, they aren’t so much brilliant stratagists as they are formerly lucky in their opponents and circumstances. Die hard supporters will continue to sing his praises. I have a friend who actually believes cap and trade is a market based solution and is WONDERFUL! These people will not waver, but others are unsure. Many on Facebook no longer link to and sing his praises. They are omminously quiet as they try to sort it out – like the atmosphere before a late afternoon storm. The air is heavy and the clouds are gathering…

Jul 12, 2009 - 4:20 am 24. Meryl:

“Under Obama’s ‘gorge the beast’ version, America will simply write so many bounced checks, run up such an enormous $10 trillion debt, that taxes will have to rise on ‘them’–and wasn’t this really the point of it all anyway: to ’spread the wealth around’ and ‘never let a crisis go to waste’?”

Clarity and brevity. Sickeningly clear.

Again, I’m reminded of the arsonist who sets the fire so that he can get a rush out of helping to put it out.

I also think that obama and his minions are counting on pandemic Stockholm syndrome on the part of unthinking voters to make it work.

If we do not do a thorough cleanup on Aisle America in 2010…..

Jul 12, 2009 - 4:44 am 25. Harry:

Things must be going bad for the Obama administration. Attorney General Holder is thinking of prosecuting the Bush administration over prisoner abuse. I thought Obama said he wasn’t going to pursue it. Isn’t Holder appointed by Obama? Shouldn’t Holder be taking cues from his boss? If we wanted to keep a job we wouldn’t be contradicting the boss. Give it a rest Holder unless of course the Dems need a diversion because their agenda is screwing up big. Also, now the big bad bullying cowardly Dem machine is going after one of the firemen involved in the Sotomayor anti-racist racist appeal he recently won. Seems if you challenge any dem/liberal figure these cowardly babies will attack anybody even the common citizen whose only crime was to pass a test. It is proof positive they only care about their agenda and nothing about real qualities like excellence. They are dangerous and need to be challenged and investigated. And Leon Panetta made an about face after his about face regarding CIA secrets the Bush administration failed to report to congress. Duh, did it occur to them that those who cannot keep a secret shouldn’t be in the loop? Do we live in the United States of America or the United States of whatever big mouth democrat lackey? If Bush was so insidious then why are the Democrats in charge of government? Gee, if I were dastardly I’d make sure to stomp and eliminate all competition. Er, you mean like the way the dems are doing now? Wake up folks we’re in deep waters and in the tentacles of a giant dem monster that threatens to destroy us all.

Jul 12, 2009 - 4:54 am 26. Войска ПВО:

As an aside, Cj over at serves up this delicious juxtaposition of then/now Obama quotations along with his observations (emphasis added):

January 2009: “That is why I have moved quickly to work with my economic team and leaders of both parties on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that will immediately jumpstart job creation and long-term growth.”

Today (from radio address) : “The Recovery Act was not designed to work in four months – it was designed to work over two years,” Mr. Obama said, after telling listeners that the plan hadn’t been intended “to restore the economy to full health on its own, but to provide the boost necessary to stop the free fall.” [Cj's comment] Obama’s “efforts” to jumpstart job creation have failed miserably. In fact, unemployment has gotten dramatically worse. Obama’s own advisers predicted an unemployment soft-ceiling of 8%. But we are are well on our way to 11% nationally.

Cj’s site is worth the visit — great insight — if only to view the snapshot he calls the “Obama Baseline”:

The Obama Baseline 11/04/08
The inflation rate was 3.7%
Unemployment was 6.5%
The prime was at 4%
The Dow closed at 9,625
The NASDAQ closed at 1,780
The S&P closed at 1,005
Oil was $60 a barrel.

Jul 12, 2009 - 4:58 am 27. eon:

Here in Ohio, at least, the “stimulus checks to the poor” were very productive- for local government.

In most jurisdictions, the local (government owned) city utility departments made a point of sending out the proverbial “yellow bills”, threatening cutoff of service if accounts “in arrears” were not paid immediately- just after the stimulus checks arrived. Property tax bills were similarly timed to arrive around that same time.

Hence, most “poor” recipients of stimulus checks simply handed same over to their local governments. In effect, at that level, the “stimulus” was nothing more than a fund transfer from the Federal government to local governments, with the “recipients” as little more than unpaid middlemen.

As a former “community organizer”, I find it unlikely that The Self-Exalted One did not anticipate this. In fact, I suspect he was counting on it, to ensure that as much of the “stimulus” remained in “safe” (i.e., government) hands at the end as possible.

More affluent recipients (i.e., people who actually had jobs and/or assets), instead of spending the money, largely banked it. This was apparently not what The One and his minions anticipated, or intended, which probably at least partly explains his demands for another round of “spend, borrow, and tax” now. It also explains their eagerness to “expropriate” 401Ks, etc., in the name of “more equitable distribution of wealth”. (Other than their natural animosity toward the concept of actual wealth in the hands of those who have earned it, that is.)

The One seeks to remake America in his own image. Unfortunately, that “image” is of a con man whose role’ models seem to have been The Great Ponzi and Al Capone.

A glib tongue, and the ability to beat peoples’ heads in as required, can get you much further than a glib tongue can by itself.

clear ether

eon

Jul 12, 2009 - 5:02 am 28. Circus Tent:

“America will simply write so many bounced checks, run up such an enormous $10 trillion debt, that taxes will have to rise on “them”–and wasn’t this really the point of it all anyway: to “spread the wealth around” and “never let a crisis go to waste”?”

And (above) therein lies the truth about what Obama is doing. He is a man whose most formative years raised and educated him in radical Islamic beliefs.

Obama then morphed Islam by his own choice and will into 20 years+ active membership of the hate filled black liberation theology, which maintains that African Americans must be liberated from multiple forms of social, political, economic and religious bondage.

And last, but definitely not the least Obama married a woman whose deep seated feelings of hatred of America, white people and Jews were even more intense than his own.

Spread the wealth around means two things. Keeping his word by providing welfare for blacks and giving what is left over to the illegal Hispanics in order to insure his own re-election.

There’s a sucker born every minute and an ass to sit in every chair. Obama’s talent was in knowing how to round up 50+ million of them into one group last year.

Now, the question is twofold, “Can anyone stop Obama’s hope and change?” and “What kind of clown act will the GOP come forward with next?”

Jul 12, 2009 - 5:10 am 29. Vaughn:

Monday morning, all workers should change your withholding status, reduce the tax withheld, and next April, a massive refusal to file 1040’s. They can’t/won’t throw millions of workers in jail.

I truly believe our last chance to vote out the culprits, ended this year. Acorn and the unions will see to that. Civil disobedience will be our last resort……….glad I’m retired.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:02 am 30. Dave the Engineer:

It won’t last folks. Barry’s numbers are already dropping. And we have not seen the negative impact of increased taxes or increased terrorism yet. Once we do his numbers will plummet. Yes, he can do a lot of damage. At some point the Dems, to survive, will have to distance themselves from him. Perhaps a few will even question Barry’s eligibility to be president. (And somehow blame Bush for the whole thing.) The eligibility thing will go from “conspiracy theory promoted by kooks” to “something we should look into”. Even if we take action right away it will take us 2 generations to get back to where we were 3 years ago. Hopefully we will end up with a much smaller government. Alternately we will have states splitting off, the Republic of Texas perhaps? Or possibly a civil war. All because a few people believe that socialism will work despite what history tells us. All because of ego and elitism. All because half the voters believed that the rich would pay for all the “hope and change”. Note to said voters: The rich are rich because they know how to make and keep their money. They’ll just bribe the politicians and bureaucrats with your taxes. Oh yes, you will pay taxes, directly or indirectly, you will pay for all of this, plus interest, plus handling charges, plus poor service, plus restricted freedom. Oh yes, you will. And you deserve every minute of it. Look at the former USSR. Look at China. Look at Cuba. Look at Venezuela. You too will distance yourselves from Barry. In a few more months it will be hard to find anyone who voted for him. Bitter and cynical? You damn betcha. But deservedly so.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:05 am 31. Kirk:

That was depressing. I feel like you just described me and my own business and my life. But I look at it all as a big game. I will find some way to make money and keep it.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:09 am 32. pelaut:

Obama owns the census, the alien population, minorities, union thugs, public sector employees (62% of the workforce) and ACORN, etc.
2012 is a done deal for :=obama. Bozo MacCain and the Nelson Rockefeller Country Club Republicans have sealed it in stone.

Powerful and truthful imagery, Professor. But it’s all over.
Going Galt is all that’s left.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:20 am 33. Kriska:

In short, very bright people will be thinking how to hide income, how to barter, how to slow down and not produce goods and services, rather than blast full speed ahead and enrich angry others.

VDH,
Spot on! Our small service business has already employed some of these tactics, but the economics are worse. I’m losing customers because “they” lost their homes and/or business–therefore less income to hide.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:37 am 34. misanthropicus:

RE #20/ivo: [...] investtors are paralyzed, [...] equity is negative [...] all time high [...] rates going through the roof [...] costs out of control.
What happened to Capitalism? All you have to do is reverse the above. Easy? No, short term; yes, long term. [...]

As a general assessment, you got it right, Vivo. However, you forgot to mention that in all these miseries, Obama’s policies have an important negative role. So, long or short term, his going away cannot have but a salutary effect.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:42 am 35. Sebastian Shaw:

The Government Beast is like a hungry lethargic delerious drug addict addicted to money from the producers of the nation fueled by the greedy DC politicians; when the beast gets big enough, its hunger becomes insatiable. The money is never enough. For instance, the pathetic government bureaucrats would be pleased to take 100% of everyone’s money, yet this will still not be enough. They would still spend our nation in an ocean of red ink.

The Democrats are blind or stupid to realize tax cuts work; free the people from the chains of government bureaucracy & allow the people to produce with minimal taxes & the government will gain more as a result of sales taxes & successful businesses. The Sleeping Giant is awake, yet President Obama is oblivious as he would rather live in his self-created fantasy land.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:50 am 36. Calatrava:

I am not American, I do not live in the US, and I hope the US can go over this “experience” in 3rd world politics and economics.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:04 am 37. ricpic:

So where is the no nonsense conservative opposition to all this redistributionist horror? In the Republican Party? Don’t make me laugh. What good does it do bemoaning the Left’s rape of America when the party that should be defending her honor is embarrassed, that’s right, EMBARRASSED to stand up for her?

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:07 am 38. hoads:

It is astounding that the “rich” are classified as $250,000 and up yet the tax rates are virtually the same for $250,000 and 1 million in income. The upper middle class will take a huge hit from Obamanomics. I believe the goal is to eliminate the upper middle class and to narrow income disparity such that we have the serfs and the bourgeoisie.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:07 am 39. Calatrava:

Let me rephrase what I just said to be clear: I hope the US can raise again after the current “experience” without sinking into a 3rd world mentality.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:11 am 40. abi:

Most things funded by the stimulus pak are temporary fixes, and leaving us in the red. Local gov., cannot continue these programs. The are giving people fish, not teaching them to fish.

USA Today raised the question of wether counties that supported obama are getting more stimulus money than the non supporters > The figures were…..$69 for each person for Obama supporters and $34 for Mc Cain..socialism at it’s best/ Stimulus is from all our pockets, so should go to all of us..

“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:21 am 41. Steve:

Well a good start would be to get rid of all the incumbent democrats in Congress and as many as possible starting with Harry Reid in the Senate. Then with a new congress and hopefully senate this country can reverse or eliminate a lot of the bills currently in place or even rescind them and look into real investigations as to the corruption and outright lawlessness and unconstitutional actions and policies (like all these “czars”).

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:25 am 42. Roger Godby:

The lever is broken until 2010 at least, at which point things might slow down; they won’t stop until inflation or stagflation returns and people quit buying government debt.

If CA files bankruptcy, that might wake a few. What happens when public workers’ contracts get renegotiated? When police and other public services become privatized or voluntary? For those who voted for Change, that would be a CA bankruptcy.

But it’ll get bailed out if it’s still 0bama and both his Houses. Talk about a royal flush.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:57 am 43. Uriel:

VDH wonderful analysis. The question is can Obama and the Dems hang on to complete their revolution or will it be repealed. It is very hard to say. On the one hand Obama is stacking the deck at much as possible in his favor:
1) Immigration reform
2) ACORN benefiting from the stimulus
3) ACORN helping run the census.
On the other hand the American people do not believe in what he is trying:
1) His approval index is now negative
2) A majority of American’s self identify as conservatives
3) Right track/ wrong track polls show most believe we are on the wrong track,
4) his individual policies have much support.
If we look at the election dispassionately there was no way that McCain should have been able to win.
1) Economic crisis right before the election (Always goes against the perceived party in power)
2) Wars essentially won but still going on (Usually goes against the perceived party in power)
3) Charisma GAP (huge play in uninformed voters)
4) Sympathetic Media (usually worth 5-10pts)
5) Funding Gap
Given these five points McCain would have had to run a brillant campaign to win. Needless to say he didn’t.
1) Took Negative campaigning off the table no Wright, Ayers, or Resco.
2) Took Idealogical campaigning off the table “You shouldn’t be affraid of BHO’s policies”
3) Did not run a campaign on conservative values( and here I am not speaking of prolife and social issues at least not exclusively)
4) Instead ran a very nuanced policy fight (We are going to do Cap and trade smarter, etc)

Is it any surprise at all that McCain and the Republican’s lost? Quite frankly I am amazed the managed to keep it close.

Jul 12, 2009 - 8:16 am 44. johnt:

The idea that the stimulus is meant to work, that is, work as a stimulus, is boob feed for the pointy headed.
Hanson’s para.”the larger agenda” is really the crux of this destructionist mess being foisted on us. The desire to not only gain power over others but also to cause pain is intrinsic to the true leftist, there’s a bit of the masochist in all of them, Barack & his crew more than most.

The only thing Hanson left out in that excellent portion of his piece was “Mao jackets”, the bastards might demand we little people dress in uniform, we all of us lacking our own individual humanity.

And of course the civil servants will be more than ever the elite of society, while always complaining of overwork and low compensation.

But at least Michelle will really be proud of her country.

Jul 12, 2009 - 8:48 am 45. Tomp:

Start hoarding will there is still time. A societal breakdown could well happen when the dollar crashes. It will start in the blue state cities with the usual suspects.

Jul 12, 2009 - 8:51 am 46. SusieQ!:

Taking out the Dems would be a good start..however, we need to continue it and take out every Republican that has sided with Obama.

I understand there are several Republicans that teeter, and WOULD vote with Pelosi if she needs them.

I wass sorry to see what a poor campaign McCain ran, it was shameful. The uninformed came out of the woodwork and voted color. Sorry to say that but i believe it is so.

I hope you will all talk to your friends, family, any one that will listen, and vote in 2010.

That being said, Pelosi is a shoein for her district, no matter what…

Jul 12, 2009 - 8:59 am 47. David Thomson:

“1) Took Negative campaigning off the table no Wright, Ayers, or Resco.”

This is the number one reason why John McCain lost. All the other reasons, at best, rate a distant second. The very legitimate Rev. Jeremiah Wright issue alone would have destroyed Barack Obama’s campaign. If McCain had focussed on on the less than admirable associates of the Anointed One—the election might have been over by no later than September. The majority of American voters would have concluded that it was too risky to let Obama become president. McCain would be deemed the safe choice and they could take another look at their options in 2012.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:04 am 48. donttreadonme:

What? The stimulus worked exactly as intended. Goldman, JPM, Citi, Fargo, BOA were able to successfully game the market via bailout-fueled principal program trading, thus putting off their reckoning day another 9 months. The bought whore Obama (1.5 MM campaign contr collectively) and his bought whore team of Geithner, Summers, et. al. did exactly as instructed by their pimps. The ex-bought-whores Bush and Paulson would be proud.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:10 am 49. Steve B:

You are absolutely right. We are a small business family in California. All employees layed off. Our orchards were removed during the Gray Davis administration because we were spending more to irrigate our crops than they brought in with the high electrical costs. We were looking at reducing income to save on City, County, State, and Federal taxes. Only now we are looking at additional jobs to keep our home and will try to keep our business. Things do not look well.

In the past we have paid our taxes (all of them and on time), homeschooled our children (freeing up classroom seats for other children). We are still paying taxes to the schools and, of course, not allowed to use the facilities or play sports with the children in our community. One of our children (14 yrs old and white) is in college (about to start her third semester) with a 4.0 GPA. CSU Fresno is raising tuition to nearly $5,000 a year. I read that between CSU Fresno and one other college they will be given nearly l million dollars for minorities during their first year of college. We do not qualify, of course. So have told our 14 yr old that she needs to look for scholarships and find babysitting jobs to afford just her $150.00 math book next semester.

Neither my wife nor I come from privelaged backgrounds. I went to college on the G.I. Bill after joining the Army (8 years in the Infantry)two weeks after graduation from H.S. My wife worked and went to a technical college. All about to blow away on the dusty San Joaquin Vallely floor (which of course will not get the water it needs because those in S.F. and L.A. have decided delta smelt are more important than my family). We are not inept. We’ve worked for every penny earned and saved until it literally hurt (notice past tense). The brightest spot in our future is, oh the joy, to be able to pull OUR money out of OUR 40lK (at a much depreciated price per share)without a penalty from the Federal Government, only to buy food and to try to keep our home. If any of our children are ALLOWED to go to college, for which we have amply prepared them, it will be sheer luck. God help us all.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:12 am 50. donttreadonme:

2010 will gridlock DC bigtime. The generic Republican is out-polling the generic Demo for the first time in six years or so. Whatever is passed by next summer are the only things to worry over. Sadly, our only hope the next 13 months is with the Senate Moderate Democrat Circlejerk led by Bayh (D-IN). If they can keep it together all of Obama’s socialist, ivory tower inspired legislation may be watered down enough to not affect us too harshly. I see this as a coin flip, if I were to handicap it.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:21 am 51. Kingston53:

This country is run by academics and public sector careerists who have never contributed a dime to the wealth of this nation. Likewise, the $600,000 new government jobs will further weigh down the economy with unproductive work. The Dems cry that the other side is the party of No but Lamar Alexander has proposed building 100 Nuclear Plants that would not only employ Americans but would lessen the transfer of petro dollars to good buddies in the middle east and Venezuela. Meanwhile the enemy within promote ineffiecent “green” energy projects that only decrease our productivity. Our external enemies could’nt devise a better plan for destroying this country.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:34 am 52. Kriska:

“In short, very bright people will be thinking how to hide income, how to barter, how to slow down and not produce goods and services, rather than blast full speed ahead and enrich angry others.”

RE: Kirk@31
In addition to these ideas from VDH to keep your/our business afloat–I have found that offering “pay in cash discounts” are also a good incentive since more and more folks are hoarding their cash at home. Seams to be one way to keep one’s head above water when doggie paddeling in high seas to keep their business afloat.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:56 am 53. Kriska:

Sorry-”Seems” not “Seams”–my bad!

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:05 am 54. maak:

At the risk of oversimplification…

Austrian School economics…YAY! –> promotes healthy capitalism and freedom
Keynesian economics…BOO! –> promotes socialism

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:21 am 55. Moogie:

Here’s a radical idea: How about holding the next Tea Parties at the front doors of ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC? They all have affiliate stations in the larger cities. Think they might pay attention?

Here’s another radical idea: instead of inundating our disconnected “elected” officials with our concerns re: the economy, etc., how about if we inundate the MSM with our demand for journalistic integrity? Let them know you’ll boycott their station if they don’t start reporting and investigating ethically and without bias.

Imagine the impact if thousands of emails jammed their servers (the recent internet scafoffle in South Korea). Go one step further and flood their advertisers with emails and letters declaring a boycott on their goods.

My liberal friends honestly have no clue, as they are fed a constant diet of filtered information and distorted (to the left) facts from the media.

We sent a letter to our representative, Adam Smith, asking him to vote against cap and trade. His reply? “Thank you for your interest blah blah blah clean air blah blah enviromental concerns blah blah climate change blah blah a better world blah blah. Thank you, Adam Smith.”

We are wasting our time writing to them and calling them. We are fooling ourselves if we really believe voting the bums out will change anything, as new bums will take their places and their indoctrination into politiks will begin when they have to start catering to their sugar daddies.

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:49 am 56. Meryl:

My hand is in the air and I have a question for the professor or fellow students:

Is “going Galt” simply an Americanized version of what the Russian population has experienced in varying shades over the last 100 years?…hunkering down within your community, learning to live at a sustenance level, having a very low political profile just to stay out of trouble?

Does “going Galt” inherently mean “I give up the idea of fighting back”? Or is it a coping strategy until circumstances change so that we can change what’s happening?

Are there shades of gray in “going Galt”?

Haven’t read Atlas Shrugged yet. It just sounds too, too depressing (because it reflects current reality and our immediate future?)from comments I’ve seen.

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:55 am 57. Meryl:

…I meant “subsistence level”…not “sustenance”…

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:56 am 58. Steve:

# 53 Kriska
It is too bad that the forum or comment software does not allow for corrections after you have hit the submit button, I wonder if they could look into something that works a little better. Even with typos and misspells though I appreciate the opportunity that is offered here unlike some other sites.

Oh and on the topic there is no way that the current economic policies offered by this BADMINISTRATION will improve the economy they will only stifle and slow growth. I knew that this was going to be a bad presidency and administration but it has been taken to levels that I had never thought possible.

Jul 12, 2009 - 11:05 am 59. Thomas L......:

David Thomson – McCain is not a stupid man yet he ran a nonsensical campaign. Occam’s Razor almost leads me to think that he was, in actuality, part of the Obama campaign. The true Manchurian Candidate. But damn, that Palin almost blew it for them. She wasn’t supposed to actually boost McCain’s popularity. I guess she didn’t get the memo. Then again perhaps, as someone said, McCain wanted to be honorable, Obama wanted to be president. Two theories. Toss up.

Jul 12, 2009 - 11:07 am 60. Rob C:

“You can all go to hell… I’m going to Texas!”- Davy Crockett

It’ll take a fairly heavyweight state to stare down some of these changes and I seriously think Texas or Texans will not put up with a whole lot of it. When Gov. Perry made his secessionist speech (although not quite correct on the facts), his stock rose considerably amongst Texas voters; Kay Bailey on the other hand is losing traction.

That’s not to say Texas would attempt any meaningful secessionist movement; but I suspect that Texas politico’s would throw a bunch of “in your face” legislation back at DC on Health Care, Cap and Tax and other nanny state initiatives basically saying screw your funding, we can handle our problems on our own…

Jul 12, 2009 - 11:25 am 61. DanRampage:

Nevada to the US? Australia maybe? If not, day after day secession seems more and more reasonable…

Jul 12, 2009 - 11:39 am 62. 11B40:

Greetings:

I live out in the San Francisco Bay area. Our local train system, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is currently in negotiations with its employee unions for a new contract. The other evening, the TV news included a segment on the situation. The video showed a union member addressing her fellows. The gist of her peroration was, “We’re not greedy private sector employees. We serve the public.”

A couple of nights later, the same news aired a segment about the government employee furloughs implemented by the governor due to the budget deficits. A Department of Motor Vehicles employee was interviewed about her personal calamity. The gist of her complaint was, “I’ve been working here for 31 years and now the governor wants us to take three days a months off without pay.” In a state, that now has double-digit unemployment.

We are moving along F.A. Hayek’s “Road to Serfdom”, at gradually increasing rates of speed. I fear that the sense of entitlement of many of our “public” employees will make them the willing apparatchiks of our future.

Jul 12, 2009 - 11:40 am 63. Carl Sesar:

Things are falling apart because opposition to Obama is just empty talk. The only way to take him down fast and nullify all he’s done in one fell swoop, is to take action, invoke the law of the land, the Constitution of the United States of America, get his birth certificate, and old passports, show he’s not the native born citizen he claims to be, and remove him from office.

It’s your choice, America. Barry the Rainbow Redeemer, or the United States Constitution.

Jul 12, 2009 - 11:48 am 64. Kriska:

RE: Steve@#58
At least with the typo’s/corrections you can tell I’m not using a “typoprompter”! I take full respomsibility for my errors. And “Dittos” on the “Badministration”

Jul 12, 2009 - 12:17 pm 65. Glass:

The UNITED SOCIALIST STATES of AMERICA, the USSA, and it’s President fail, as have all socialist leaders before him, to realize that socialism only works when the working and entrepreneurial class are willing to stay and work. Money truly does talk, with action and with it’s feet. Who in their right mind would risk their money with debt skyrocketing through the roof, who? As far as I can see the only money being spent is by people that have money and they are spending it on themselves.

As two leaders from the past have stated, Margaret Thatcher, socialist governments only work until the peoples money runs out and Winston Churchill that said, socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, it’s inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

Obama may very well accomplish one thing throwing money and then more and more money at the problem, by proving Einsteins definition of stupid, trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Jul 12, 2009 - 12:28 pm 66. Moogie:

#65 Glass: Actually, Einstein said: “The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.”

Really, look at everything he has done since taking office. His apologies, the spending bill, the omnibus, the budget, cap and trade, health care, we are a Muslim nation, we are not a Christian nation, czars and czarinas, crooks in the cabinet, racists in the supreme court, supporting dictators while denegrating freedom, no legitimate birth certificate, grades suppressed, questionable facts in his books…

All of the above is insanity.

Jul 12, 2009 - 12:57 pm 67. ITF:

“I cringe every time I hear about another blue stater moving to Texas.”

Heh.

I’m still in California, but closed escrow on my new Texas home last month. As a new immigrant to the Republic, I pledge: 1) to cancel out a Travis County Democrat vote at every opportunity, 2) to give lots of business to the fellow in Leander with his “nice machine shop”, 3) give all my support to “Texas politico’s (who) would throw a bunch of “in your face” legislation back at DC . . . “, and, 4) learn the language (well, maybe).

I know a surprising number of my fellow Californians who are doing the same. For our part, we very much enjoy causing folks to cringe . . . especially anti-American lefty-socialist-parasite-commie-Bombo-bot Democrats who have managed to so thoroughly trash California.

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:20 pm 68. Meryl:

63. Carl

Agreed.

How?

Who are the people authorized to take those actions? The House of Representatives? I don’t know of any of them that are ready for anything other than “empty talk”.

The Supreme Court? They don’t even want to acknowledge that citizens have the right to ASK THE QUESTIONS, much less feel obliged to play their role in providing the answers.

So again…I agree with your point…but HOW?

The angst, anger and pure fear for our nation has inhabited this site and others for months now….the people who write these columns and respond in these threads are not intending to participate in “empty talk”. They are angry and afraid.

As long as we ARE a nation of laws, we are motivated to have this happen under the power of LAW….not lawlessness.

So….HOW?

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:23 pm 69. Войска ПВО:

55. Moogie writes:

“Here’s a radical idea: How about holding the next Tea Parties at the front doors of ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC? They all have affiliate stations in the larger cities. Think they might pay attention?”

Moogie, those are great ideas! I am personally making an effort to see that several of the Southern California Tea Party chairmen/coordinators get wind of this and that these are nurtured to life. They would have a definite impact, I am sure.

Others should do the same!

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:27 pm 70. MarkJ:

pelaut,

“Powerful and truthful imagery, Professor. But it’s all over.
Going Galt is all that’s left.”

Mercy, something tells me that, with your Eeyore attitude, you’re not invited to many parties.

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:40 pm 71. Jayson H:

*****HEADS UP EVERYONE!!!********

The Demo-Libs and Obama are in trouble in the latest polls and they know it. So their trying to dish up a old reliable distraction by pushing for twin investigations into Bush-era so called torture and anti-terrorism policies. They also are trying out a brand new spin by saying that the prior administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress.

I believe they’re only doing this because they no its all they got to stay a float until the next election. Only the democrats would destroy national security in order to save face. What a disgrace!!

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:42 pm 72. Gaffe Prices:

#43 Uriel: “Is it any surprise at all that McCain and the Republican’s lost? Quite frankly I am amazed the managed to keep it close.

I’ve asked this question many times, I have concluded that McCain essentially forfeited the election, whereas Palin was in it to win, for all the right reasons, and she attracted enough voters to put it at 58 million.

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:43 pm 73. Jayson H:

*****HEADS UP EVERYONE!!!********

The Demo-Libs and Obama are in trouble in the latest polls and they know it. So their trying to dish up a old reliable distraction by pushing for twin investigations into Bush-era so called torture and anti-terrorism policies. They also are trying out a brand new spin by saying that the prior administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress.

I believe they’re only doing this because they know its all they got to stay a float until the next election. Only the democrats would destroy national security in order to save face. What a disgrace!!

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:44 pm 74. cedarhill:

MMM is right. Obama and crew somehow that one stimulates demand while destroying those that produce the supply. Their model is the Japan of the 1990’s where the same thing happened and mostly in the same way (their Austrian was a bit different but the programs were the same). In econ 099 (the high school kind) it means stagflation if the “stay the course” is continued as Obama indicated in his WaPost article today. And it truly will take years if one measures it by how long the band of fools occupies the White House.

So what to do?
1. Start weighting your portfolios toward less US tocks and more foreign stocks. Maybe even with a view to close out your US stocks completely.
2. Have only short term bonds. After all, interest rates have to go up so don’t lock yourself in.
3. Buy commodities on the down turns, if you’re game and gutzy, to take advantage of bear market rallys.

If you have a good job, do more than brown nose. Consider becoming a brown-head.

And, finally, don’t start a business unless you’re a personal friend of Al Gore’s and it’s one of his “green” projects.

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:47 pm 75. SusieQ!:

Hunker down… the poop will hit the fan soon. Be prepared,seriously
I’m not a psychic, just someone that can read and know what is going on in our nation and the world.

Some are fooled by words, unfortuanely these words will lead to action and collapse. Someone said the stimulus pkg is temporary and a bandaid..agreed!!! Obama and his people are tearing our nation apart. We firmly believe it is palnned. Clinton, Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Dodd, Franks, Biden (who may not be astute enough) the Middle East, china..socialists all.

AND>>> DONT’ WORRY!!!, so much about the SPELLING!! or tense of a word. It’s just nice that people are partricipating in a discussion..Remember to vote in 2010. ‘
read “Common Sense”, “The 5000 year leap” and about Cloward-Piven..

vote in 2010,

………#56………..MALKIN: “going galt”
While they take to the streets politically, untold numbers of America’s wealth producers are going on strike financially. Dr. Helen Smith, a Knoxville forensic pathologist and political blogger, dubbed the phenomenon “Going Galt” last fall. It’s a reference to the famed Ayn Rand novel, “Atlas Shrugged,” in which protagonist John Galt leads the entrepreneur class to cease productive activities in order to starve the government of revenue. (Not coincidentally, Rand’s novel sales are up and John Galt references punctuated many of the Tea Party demonstrations.)

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:49 pm 76. Bill:

My wife and I started our own lighting company a few years ago. If we survive this administration it’ll be a miracle.

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:51 pm 77. Войска ПВО:

29. Vaughn writes:

“Monday morning, all workers should change your withholding status, reduce the tax withheld, and next April, a massive refusal to file 1040’s. They can’t/won’t throw millions of workers in jail.”

Vaughn, that too, is a good idea. I don’t know about not filing income taxes but I certainly will be going in and upping my W-4 exemptions.

For those who contemplate this, changing your W-4 to, say, 15 or 20 will reduce your withholding but get you a stern warning from your HR department that they will have to notify the IRS of anything over 9.

O-o-o-o-o-h, I am quaking in my boots! Please don’t throw me in that briar patch, boss!

It also may may mean that you will pay a penalty for being underwithheld next April. Of course, it is incumbent on you to check with your tax advisor first.

But the effect will be, of course, that the month-to-month collections of revenues will be lower making the defecit bigger and emphasizing what a bunch of boobs these people in Washington really are.

Jul 12, 2009 - 1:54 pm 78. Jack Clancy:

Dagny Taggart and John Galt.

We’re seeing this already with the tremendous apprehension os the business class. Some have already Galted.

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:17 pm 79. proreason:

VDH nailed it except for one thing.

We won’t give the slugs what we worked to earn, and we know how to defend it.

And we no longer have the slightest sympathy for them.

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:19 pm 80. Mike M.:

The real question might be: When is The Shrug?

The Working Well-to-Do provide ALL medical care. ALL engineering. ALL technical services.

If we stop working, the entire nation goes back to a pre-Civil War level of technology. Sick? Go pray to your Almighty Obama. Hot? Go beg your Propaganda Press for relief.

Oh, by the way…we can’t be forced back to work. Is that forced doctor going to cure you – or kill you?

Personally, I think the United States is reminiscent of France in 1788…an out-of-touch hereditary ruling class has spent the country into oblivion, while Payer Professionals pay the bills.

A year later, the Bastille fell.

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:31 pm 81. blotto:

The Bad Guys paragraph: “The Obama administration is dispersing income lavishly to those who do not pay taxes and it will have to be paid for by those who do.”

This has been the M.O. for the Dems for generations. And it worked. This current congress and administration is the penultimate result of years of buying votes, building ties with unions, corrupting social organizations, and inundating federal, local and state government with like-minded voters.

What they do not realize is that the productive class vis a vis the quote above, cannot sustain this redistribution of funds. It has to end.

How come the super wealthy as VDH lists are always in favor of more “income taxes”? Because they don’t pay income taxes. The same can be said of Hollyweird-they are all for higher taxes because they don’t pay income taxes. They and all the uber wealthy live off trusts and other incomes-not taxable.

I suggest a wealth tax on anyone with assets above $5 million at 10%-excluding a business owner. And make it progressive to include the Buffetts and Gateses and their billions who should have to fork over 50%. Either they would shut up and go broke, or join the rest of us.

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:32 pm 82. LeighB:

“The Government Beast is like a hungry lethargic delerious drug addict addicted to money from the producers of the nation fueled by the greedy DC politicians; when the beast gets big enough, its hunger becomes insatiable.”
– Sebastian Shaw #35

Uh-oh, I see the similarity between this comment (with which I agree) and another current story. So, King Obama is after tax revenue (to redistribute) as the King of Pop was after a good night’s rest? Admittedly, my comment isn’t fair to MJ.

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:35 pm 83. Chester White:

I am REALLY getting tired of these SOBs in Washington talking about their “stimulus” plans when it has never been proven that the damn concept works at all.

If you can improve economic performance by dumping a crapload of borrowed money into the system, why would we ever NOT do that?

These people are utter ignoramuses.

Rein in, stop spending money, fire Obama voters if they are your employees. Let’s teach these clowns a lesson they won’t soon forget.

JOHN GALT!

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:36 pm 84. frege:

Terrific bill of particulars. The ultimate problem is that the people in charge now have no idea how business works. Most people think high-powered Harvard lawyers like Michelle and Barrack are sharp people. But look at what they wrote and studied. Look at their careers. Michelle at least actually worked at a real law firm, i.e., not the kind of “civil rights” shakedown firm that Dear Leader worked for. But her tenure doesn’t sound like it ever involved much real work; it is replete with examples of her employer bending over backwards to accommodate her. They have made a lot of money over the years but they have no real world experience. And now they are deciding who is which “each” in “from each according to his abilities to each according to his needs.” I am sure somewhere in commie heaven ma and pa Obama, and that Indonesian guy too, are smiling.

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:41 pm 85. Nick Reynolds:

The war against the producers!!! Right you are. I’ve run a business for the past 15 years and I’ve decided to chuck it; sell the depreciated assets and go John Galt, if you will. Last year I employed 22 people and by the end of this year I’ll employ one. Me . . . working in a sole-propietorship. Liquify my assets and buy tangible goods. Gold, guns, ammo, tools, generators. Why? Because those who don’t want to work, or think they can tax me to death want my money. The house of cards Obama and company are building will fall much harder than last years house of cards. Why? Because they have no economic basis for all their spending. (I have Masters Deg’s in Economics & Business). At the current rate the USA will look like a third world nation. I know a number of people in my area who are doing the same thing. I will not allow my business to become hostage to people who want to dip into my pocket, and not put forth the blood, sweat and tears that I have. F them

Carl Sesar . . . I agree with you, but what does that leave us with?? Joe ‘the Hair Plug’ Biden and then Nancy ‘the Douche’ Pelosi. Those would be their Mafia names. Ha!

Jul 12, 2009 - 2:45 pm 86. Meryl:

Appreciate the additional comments on “going Galt”…thanks.

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:11 pm 87. George B:

PAY CASH to small businesses. Help them avoid taxes and credit card fees and keep more money circulating in the local economy.

I hope the 2010 elections stop the federal spending insanity. If not, I don’t expect my home state of Texas to commit suicide with the rest of the nation.

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:25 pm 88. Walt Anshaw:

Prof. Hanson: Bravo! Your best column yet.
When a typical small business, such as the ones you describe, have $200K at year-end, that will cover the expenses for about two weeks (give or take)!
The Democrats are not taking away that much-needed operating and expansion money to raise tax revenue; that cannot work.

Jul 12, 2009 - 3:32 pm 89. Al Reaqsin:

I have picketed one of my MD senator’s district offices and one of my rep’s offices against spending such as cap and trade and now taxing; all are spend and tax democrats. I would get just about all praise, but no one offered to join me in my effort. After pushing for direct action since March, I am now, after cap and trade info has spread, seeing interest in my proposal to follow MLK tactics. I hope we are not too late.

Take care and be safe.

Jul 12, 2009 - 4:08 pm 90. Eric:

Secession is the answer. Let the Leftists have their own country to destroy.

Jul 12, 2009 - 4:31 pm 91. The Historian:

AS THE STIMULUS FAILS
The left changes the subject to what used to be hot button topics. No more.

http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/07/as-economy-tanks-left-wants-to-change.html

Jul 12, 2009 - 5:00 pm 92. Will:

It’s called SOCIALISM friends. Is that what you want ??

Jul 12, 2009 - 5:11 pm 93. tc:

Folks–the pendulum is swinging. The bigger they are, the harder they fall and what goes up, must come down.

Obama and his statist liberal agenda have neither the qualifications, nor the history of success like the American Conservative. When the $h!t hits the fan, who do they call–not liberals… conservatives. Ali Obama and his band of thieves, despite their sycophantic media support, are suffering self-inflicted wounds. Unread bills to misread economies…all self-inflicted. Conservatism shall once again find its voice, and it shall be found in that of a woman. A strong, conservative, God-loving woman. She’ll rally thousands–she’ll inspire young girls, she’ll rally young people, and in 2013–I’ll salute her as “Madam President.”

until then, we’ll dig in, fight, bleed, heal, resupply and do it all over again.

–peek over the edge, there’s more coming, they’re in the wire!

Jul 12, 2009 - 5:42 pm 94. Rich Casebolt:

Excellent analysis. I’m not sure what has happened to the great individualism that had driven USA to become the greatest, most exceptional (despite what the current white house occupant believes) and most benevolent nation in the history of mankind.

Nick, what happened (as I see it), is that We the People became so enamored with the value of credentials and expertise, that we deluded ourselves into thinking that we could — nay, SHOULD — always subordinate our judgment to that of the credentialed expert … ignoring the limitations and biases of such specialists when it comes to discovering and developing workable solutions for the individual.

Added to that was a cultured (as in grown, not cultural) bias against private enterprise, under the erroneous assumption that “non-profit” activities were not subject to greed and therefore more noble, that in particular led us to a greater degree of subordination to the credentialed experts in academia and government.

Such dependence upon others to guide one’s life — even more so than the dependence upon government wealth-redistribution mechanisms like welfare — has been the corrosive agent that has eaten away at the engine of individual initiative and wisdom you speak of.

This corrosive dependence has replaced the interdependence — where we planned, and with discipline maintained, not only our own economic safety nets but the responsibility of exercising our own judgment for making the major decisions, while symbiotically interacting with others to mutually leverage our own strengths into material and intellectual wealth that was greater than the sum of the individual parts — that was the lubricant for that engine.

It is the return of individuals to such interdependence … from putting back money in an emergency fund and buying health insurance, instead of buying iPhone apps/bigger HDTV’s/Starbucks … to abandoning the wage-slave/union-shop mentality and “thinking like businessmen” when it comes to maintaining/enhancing our own worth to the marketplace … to demanding leaders that will keep their hands off the myriad of individual decisions that are “above their pay grade” but not above OUR’s … that will put this nation back on the track that has served it — and the world — so well.

What is becoming more evident, is that the promotion of such corrosive dependence as beneficial to our society has gradually established a fault line between We the People and our political and cultural elites … a fault line that runs across the traditional (D)/(R) political fault line. We are going to find that making things right will result in the making of some not-so-strange bedfellows … as, to use one example, we are now seeing from Sarah Palin’s recent announcement that principles — not party — will be the determinant of where her support goes in the future.

Jul 12, 2009 - 5:47 pm 95. Fairbanks99:

If Galt won’t get the job done, it may require Wolverines.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:24 pm 96. Banned by Huffpo:

# 66. Moogie:

“All of the above is insanity.”

Yeah, and why is it no one else saw it? It was all right there, way before election day . . . Well, millions did, but . . . gee.

#85. Nick:

I fear you have the right idea. Notice how you can’t find ammunition in gun shops any more, because they can’t make it fast enough?

Interesting times, indeed.

Jul 12, 2009 - 6:28 pm 97. steeple:

From my perspective here in Texas, some form of geographic segregation or secession is going on by what I see in immigration patterns. While I am reluctant to make too much of tacit analysis, it is stunning to me to see so many California license plates appearing on cars on the streets of Houston. It used to be extremely unusual to see CA plates here; now I literally see them every day. Sprinkled in with others from Nevada and Michigan.

I can only hope that our new immigrants don’t bring with them the political philosophies that have helped lead both CA and MI down a path of ruin.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:12 pm 98. David W. Lincoln:

The problem isn’t about the lack of money in the system, but where it wound up.

Once again, I encourage people to look at “Check
the numbers: From the U.S. subprime crisis to global warming, bad research is driving disastrous public policy” by Ross McKitrick & Bruce D. McCullough.

You can be sure that those who disagree with the message will find a way to justify themselves, all the while making it harder for
the rest of us. For all of us pay the price because of those who simply do not want to be
proven wrong.

One of the legacies that we have is, life is not just according to the Sybelline oracle where life is cyclical, and the final word has
been spoken. They have broken faith with what
has given them plenteous advantages, and frankly the price of that is profoundly high.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:12 pm 99. vivo:

34. misanthropicus:

“RE #20 . . . As a general assessment, you got it right, Vivo. However, you forgot to mention that in all these miseries, Obama’s policies have an important negative role.”

Miseries we have to live with these days, but you know Obama is not going away for 4 – 8 years. Obama is like a band leader, legislators are the ones with most of the power and instruments to get things done, hopefully right.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:35 pm 100. Boogey_Man:

Three years of double digit unemployment, inflation and intrest rates will cure most of this.
Obama IS Jimmy Carter. He even has Jimmy’s Iran problem. After three years of stag-flation no amount of cool, cultured, hip prompter reading will save the president. People will be sick and tired of a crappy economy and a feckless foreign policy.

Unless something really big happens I see Palin playing Reagan to Obama’s Carter. A smiling, happy warrior with a positive message to win over the middle while tossing a bit of red meat to her base will see her winning past a hostile media.
She has three years to learn, hone her speaking style, earn chits within the party and raise money. And for those who balk at voting for her, think on this. Vote for the person that drives your enemies bat-shit crazy with just the mention of her name. That’s how you know you’ve hit the spot.

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:37 pm 101. archenemy blog » A hit, a very palpable hit:

[...] Victor Davis Hanson: A Most Revolutionary Vision [...]

Jul 12, 2009 - 7:58 pm 102. Jack Marcotte:

Essential vdh

#93, tc: carry on, I’m smiling now.

Jul 12, 2009 - 8:01 pm 103. Jeffrey:

If you haven’t already, read Atlas Shrugged, twice if you need to. While Dagny and Howard are trying to save their world, John Galt is trying to destroy it, while trying to save them from themselves. John Galt did not just go away and hide, he set about to destroy the existing government using their own greed against them. Characters like Francisco, Rangold and the banker worked hard to restore the wealth that was robbed from those who had earned it. These characters each had their own missions but were drawn together by a common cause; the right of free men to retain their right to the work of their hands, their intellectual property and their very lives.
What Ayn Rand wrote is today viewed as prophetic, what she wrote about was happening while she wrote and she could read the hand writing on the wall. She identified the philosophy of it and created her own to combat it.
The socialists in the world have been at this for better than 100 years. Failed everywhere else but propped up here (in the US) by our good graces and hiding under various causes for good will but bent on gaining power, control and their desire to replace God in society. Ayn Rand was a stated atheist but I would say she hated established religion which stood by and let her native country be taken over and millions to be slaughtered at the hands of communists without making a stand to protect the innocent.
As far as God is concerned the only good religion is taking care of orphans and widows otherwise we should take care for each other as we perceive some need of our brother, being good Christians we should address it. Never, did God intend for governments or big churches to replace Him and his relationship with the common man. That’s a freedom Ayn Rand supports in her writings. Freedom for the common man, unheard of anywhere in the world until the founding of the United States. Now we must rediscover that freedom and take action. Going Galt is a call to action not a call to hide in a cave. Do what you can to help yourselves and your neighbors and you’ll be undermining the current government’s plans to control it all and in the end make them pointless and unnecessary.

Jul 12, 2009 - 8:22 pm 104. buddy larsen:

well, I’ve sat here and read this entire thread with close attention. You people are a ray of sunshine across a darkening land. For goodness sake keep talking –keep refining for impact, brevity and clarity. We ARE in the right. We have already begun to put our foot down and say “enough of this!”

Though as a Texan i’m mighty glad to have y’all come, we do need to reclaim California. Remember, it still has legal authority to tax, and can pay its bills just fine starting tomorrow, with a simple 20% across the board spending cut. The nation would be instantly electrified! Instantly come back to life! The president could busy himself scheduling Carter’s tennis court.

Oh, and start buying, when practicable, from the competitors of GE, General Mills, Pepsico, Nike, and the dozen other Obamist corporate Mensheviks.

Worried about healthcare? Search Dr. Garrison Bliss at Qliance for a great idea.

Worried about climate change? Search “geological time scale” and then just relax, the climate is always moving from one bad weather to another, with some good weather in between (or is that vice versa?). Nobody ever gets out of this alive, and that fact has never meant that we can’t achieve a little dignity while we’re here.

So if those two beastly Cloward Pivens stampedes are hooted down, then we’re just left with the financial destruction which is meant to enslave us. Okay, a systematic exploitation of the reliable old civil customs may drag us all down, but we can make that temorary and be better for it in the long run. Like the Wolverines motto, ‘turn it, make it work FOR us’. If we end up poor, so what –that’s been mankind’s lot since time began, it has never foreclosed virtue, whether it crushes our spirit or not is really up to us, each and every thinking individual.

Jul 12, 2009 - 8:43 pm 105. Jim in Wisconsin:

Before the Crap and Trade vote, I wrote my Congressman urging a “no” vote. I got two emails acknowledging receipt of mine, and promising to get back to me. Yesterday, he did.

He pointed out two projects in this district that would benefit from a push toward alternative energy, touting the benefit to the State. In other words, he thought locally and acted globally. Really smart of him, I thought. In the meantime, he couldn’t have possibly read that monstrosity of a bill, because it wasn’t even completely written when they rushed the vote.

I plan to write back to him pointing out that he is insulting my intelligence. Among other things, those two alternative-energy companies will have no problem finding employees from among the latest wave of newly unemployed due to the unprecedented economic destruction of this stupid bill.

I plan to advise him that, next time he writes, he shouldn’t piss in my ear and tell me it’s raining.

It is time for all of these traitors to go.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:13 pm 106. The Rabbit Hutch:

I’ll take “starve the beast” over “gorge the beast” any day.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:24 pm 107. Strawman:

100, We survived Carter, but we so soon forget just how bad it really was. When mortgage interest hits 14% (yes, it was), it’s going to knock the wind out of the housing market, and housing’s going to freefall another 50%.

This is going to suck more, because Obama has seen to it that Carter will not die the worst president in history. Carter will go to the grave having that title stolen from him.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:42 pm 108. The Rabbit Hutch:

#7 “I cringe every time I hear about another blue stater moving to Texas. Far too often they also bring along their inclinations to vote for statist Democrats.”

As a native Texan, that is one of my greatest concerns. I wish they would take note of what they like about the state, then notice what made Texas the way it is today and not try to change it into California II. Otherwise we will see a domino effect of states beginning with California.

Jul 12, 2009 - 9:50 pm 109. The Rabbit Hutch:

I heard a suggestion on the radio this weekend which I would like to pass along here. Do not just call or write YOUR own local Representatives and Senators to voice your opinions….do the same with other states electorates, too. And tell them that even though you cannot vote them out of office, you will DONATE MONEY to the campaigns of ANYONE RUNNING AGAINST THEM! And then DO IT. I think it is a brilliant idea. It requires a little effort on our part, but isn’t it worth it?

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:02 pm 110. John Skookum:

“PAY CASH to small businesses. Help them avoid taxes and credit card fees and keep more money circulating in the local economy.”

Agreed. I just spent $5000 on home repairs and the contractor was happy to take my cash and not charge me any tax. I am going to suggest it to everyone I do business with. Our worthless government long ago forfeited any rights to the sweat of my brow. Pass the word; they can’t put us all in jail.

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:18 pm 111. sestamibi:

VDH, the key point you made is “you don’t need all that stuff anyway”, because that is the most important aspect of the war against producers. It is more critical to tax the “rich” to deprive them of the fruits of their labor than it is to pay for the follies of the mandarin class.

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:24 pm 112. paul_unalaska:

#49 Steve B -

I sympathize with your family’s situation.

Regarding your child’s education. Instead of purchasing new books or used ones from students at ridiculous prices, do the following:

Get the ISBN # from the back of the book. Go to http://www.half.com and insert the ISBN # in the search window. The available books will provide the shape of the book. As well as being much cheaper than the other options.

Be sure to talk to your child’s adviser too regarding tax credits, tuition assistance, et al.

Perhaps when your child’s 17, with parental consent, he/she can join the National Guard. It has much better education benefits than the Reserves, and active duty in some regards. If you’re concerned over your child being sent to hostile territory – don’t fret…

When with the recruiter, be adamant your child will go into an administrative field only. Get it in writing. Be sure your child not volunteer or be coerced for ‘Further career advancement’ courses/ training.

I wish you and your family best of luck.

Jul 12, 2009 - 10:53 pm 113. Class Clown:

I posted this comment a couple hours ago, but it didn’t stick for some reason, so here I go again.

One of the biggest things I’ve never understood about socialist ideology is this: why is it only accepted as “wealth redistribution” when the government does it?

I will illustrate the question with Dr. Hanson’s hypothetical electrician.

In the first scenario, the electrician’s income is taxed, and that money is given to someone else.

In the second scenario, the electrician is not taxed. He then spends the income that was not taken in taxes on the hiring of another worker to expand his business.

Why do Leftists consider the former to be wealth distribution, but not the latter?

Jul 12, 2009 - 11:32 pm 114. john m e:

the time is nearing when we shall be called upon to right the ship of state and set a new course.There will be those who can govern effectively…more importantly, who will inspire and lead the way?
sarah palin will be one. reverend wright will be history if we are truly ready to dig in and repair the damaged nation,but by whom?
work which provides a decent standard of living for those with strong backs will be found in the private sector,but where and what shall it be? government jobs, elected, appointed and civil service shall share in social security etc and there must be no racial considerations thereto. Pie in the sky ? perhaps…and then again who knows what an aroused America is really capable of….I hope I do.

Jul 13, 2009 - 12:15 am 115. buddy larsen:

USA Today presents a penetrating & comprehensive analysis, compiled by no fewer than five by-lined staff reporters, examining the early (and likely permanent! –ed.) differences, in comparison to the Clinton and Bush administrations, noted early on in the new president’s cabinet orientation.

Jul 13, 2009 - 12:26 am 116. Snake In The Woodpile:

Hey, the Comments section is fun again! Props to #95 (Fairbanks), for “It may require Wolverines.”

Props also to Commenters #31 and 52 (Kirk and Kriska), for following up on Doctor Hanson’s “In short, very bright people will be thinking how to hide income…”

Cash is really coming into play, especially with smaller contractors. They feel the government (Arnold and Barry) is trying to crush their family, their family business. So when when a potential client glances around, lower his voice and asks about “a cash discount,” they are receptive.

Jul 13, 2009 - 2:42 am 117. nate zuckerman:

dumb comment which shows ignorance of what the sp3ending was said to be for and what it would accomplish and how long it would take.
ps: jobs? white collar jobs will all go to India; blue collar jobs to China. Hands on (cops, surgeons, bus drivers et al) stay here…

Jul 13, 2009 - 5:03 am 118. geoffgo:

David T@47 said:

“1) Took Negative campaigning off the table no Wright, Ayers, or Resco.”

This is the number one reason why John McCain lost. All the other reasons, at best, rate a distant second.

Well, McCain might have published his birth certificate and insisted that Obama do the same. That was a reasonable request with significance to every voter, no? McCain ad the Replicants exhibited true cowadice.

Once eligibility was established as “true” (if false – QED), then the Replicants could have moved to attack mode using the ample ammunition you and others continually provide.

Been to several Tea Parties. FAR TOO POLITE, LAW ABIDING AND CIVIL. At the capital in Denver, the legislators in session didn’t even bother to acknowledge our protrsts.

Where’s the outrage? This Marxist takeover can only be stopped by demonstrating OUTRAGE. Targeted, peaceful civil disobedience works. And, it appears to be the last peaceful option, before the tax-strikes in our coming cash-and-carry economy.
Even now, we’re all kulaks.

Changing back. All the gov’t workers (local, state and federal) whose salaries, health and retirement benefits will have to be renegotiated will vote against us. (See latest Assoc. of Police Chiefs visa Soto-Mayor appointment). All those on the dole will vote against us. All those companies that benefit from crony capitalism will vote against us. All the union worker will vote against us. All the illegals will illegally vote against us. Almost all the teachers and professors will vote against us. The Dems have funded billions to an army of kapos to make sure those residing on the plantation are got out to vote – dead or alive – and help with the census. Etc.

Jeez, pretty soon it’s just you and me. Typing while working my reloader.

Jul 13, 2009 - 5:05 am 119. geoffgo:

Meryl@68,

How? Check the Laws. The founders specifically granted the citizens the RIGHT TO REVOLT!

Your right. It’s all about the how, now.

Jul 13, 2009 - 5:21 am 120. Class Clown:

Well, now I really do feel special. Well now I really do feel special.

Jul 13, 2009 - 5:27 am 121. ate mely:

VDH, what am I going to do? Recently I reread Atlas Shrugged to see if I missed Ayn Rand’s solution and was disappointed. I will not withdraw to the Rockies. I pray and pray more for something to happen. One will on July 27, 2009, a little sliver of light in these gloomy times. It’s a start. With your strong voice online, VDH, maybe there is hope for us. God works in mysterious ways.

Jul 13, 2009 - 6:28 am 122. geoffgo:

Sorry about the splleing erirs. B^)

For those not familiar, Rand’s presience is presented in the metaphor between Galt and our current situation; ie, reliable energy sources. Circa 1957, Galt invents a machine that produces energy out-of-the-air. Of course the gov’t immediately moves to “nationalize” this miraculous device. For the children, at least.

Galt said: No, it’s MY PROPERTY. He then removes the fundamental proprietary mechanism from his innovation, retires to the Gulch in CO, and invites like-minded movers and shakers to join him. That was the peaceful prong.

Meanwhile, there’s another character, Ragnar Daneskold, who uses his battle-yacht to sink US aid shipments to non-deserving countries. Oft overlooked is Ragnar’s rational, militant input to their discussions. Rand understood our options.

The Dems have already Galted us with their energy policies. No coal burning, no nuclear construction, no exploiting our natural gas and oil. Same effect, no?

T-Boone says we have enough natural gas to last US 200 years; it’s half the price of imported oil and will get cheaper with mass-adoption; it’s less polluting and higher energy content than diesal; and most vehicles can be easily converted to run on it. Not one dollar of the stimulous addresses these resources.

And, it’s not just the energy sector they’ve Galted. Where did our manufacturing go? The politicians of both parties taxed and regulated it til it moved off-shore. Never to return. Just as if Galt pulled out the guts and left.

20th Century Motors. Economic czars. Crony capitalism. Corruption. Crippling regulation. Ever-higher taxation. The “overloard class.” Hordes of kapos. Police vs. military. It’s all there in excruciating detail, forewarning US and providing specific counter-arguments for 54 years.

The Shrugging continues, involantarily and absent our consent; all for political gain.
Today, Atlas Shrugged can be read as an historical text.

Jul 13, 2009 - 6:54 am 123. Don Meaker:

Plato was the fellow who advocated a rule of experts. His teacher, Socrates, advocated enslavement of the upper class people a la Sparta to keep the lower class people in line.

The rulers of Athens thought they put him over a barrel. If the state has abolute authority, then drink hemlock. Plato wasn’t there, or else he lied. Hemlock is excruciating.

Jul 13, 2009 - 7:16 am 124. pelaut:

Meryl:

John Galt believed that productive work is the central purpose of an individual’s life, and that the only moral purpose of government is the protection of individual rights. Therefore, a rational individual must withdraw the benefit of his work from a government that acts immorally, and refuse in all ways to contribute to an immoral system.

Do read “Atlas Shrugged”, but also all others of Rand’s works (”For the New Intellectual”, “Philosophy, Who Needs It”, etc., etc.). Check out aynrandlexicon.com
Read von Mises’ “Human Action” and “Bureaucracy” as well.
Then go Galt.

Jul 13, 2009 - 7:22 am 125. TLM:

17. Fred Beloit:

“So goes the home front. And foreign affairs?”

So goes the home front, in a clockwise spiral down the toilet. The only bright spot is a slowing of the spin velocity: the pace of the Obamification (say this word 3 times as fast as possible and you get my meaning) of America. As VDH notes in his recent NRO article, the tune played by the Pied Piper in the White House doesn’t seem as rousing as it was 6 months ago.

You are right to remind us of foreign affairs, even during this War on the Producers. We are still in the midst of two hot wars, three if you include the GWOT outside of Iraq/Afghanistan. To some degree this limits our ability to use certain tactics to resist Obamification (eg. going Galt, not paying taxes etc.)

Tea Parties, protests at media events or at media headquarters, etc. have merit. They send the message that the Pied Piper is no Robin Hood. He’s a common thief and a liar. Steal from the producers and give to your cronies and supporters only. As the economy worsens that message will gain more traction.

And even a mini-foreign fiasco will doom this Administration. Next up for VDH: The War on the CIA and the National Security Apparatus.

Jul 13, 2009 - 8:33 am 126. Dave Gore:

The crux of the problem is media domination by the Democrats. The media decides what is news, and ridicules anyone who opposes them. We need new media voices that present news based on a libertarian world view but without being doctrinaire.

Jul 13, 2009 - 9:52 am 127. Sandra:

Liberalism can’t compete on an equal playing field. They use the Tanya Harding way of competition.

Jul 13, 2009 - 11:32 am 128. gracie:

THE STIMULUS PAK WILL WORK!!!.
A couple of months before the 2010 election it will be released in a glut, Obama will say..”see how I , and the democratic party, have helped you” It’s not far off.
And then all the losers will vote for them all over again…

Oh, one more thing, Sotomayor is a go. she will get in, no matter what is brought up. It will not matter. Once again “it’s historic”. Don’t matter what she has done or said..it doesn’t matter. We have gotten ourselves here and we are the only ones that can get us out.

Jul 13, 2009 - 11:36 am 129. Sad American:

The trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money”—Margaret Thatcher.”
Conservative: If you give a man a fish, you feed him for one night. If you teach a man to fish, he feeds himself every night.
Liberal: If you give a man a fish, he owes you once. If you teach a man to fish, he won’t need you any more.

Jul 13, 2009 - 12:12 pm 130. John T:

The people get the leadership they deserve, & sometimes better. We only have ourselves to blame for this. Voters in CA, NJ, NY, etc. continually vote for the Democrat pols who’ve ruined the states they serve & now the entire country. Until they wake up & smell the house burning down, nothing will change.

Jul 13, 2009 - 12:17 pm 131. J:

“Countrywide” Chris Dodd needs to go.

Join us in sending a message to the politicians in DC. A small group of conservatives and libertarians are starting a grass roots campaign that as of now is only word of mouth.

We feel strongly that Senator Dodd represents all that is wrong in Washington.

If you agree and the decisions being made in DC concern you all we are asking people to do is tell their friends to join in calling for his resignation. You can also post on the internet or carry signs at future Tea Parties.

God Bless our Country…May she remain strong.

Jul 13, 2009 - 1:57 pm 132. lv4921391:

not since Benedict Arnold has there been a more seditious act of treason…i would love for everyone of those house members to personally meet Madam Guillotine immediately.

Jul 13, 2009 - 2:35 pm 133. Dr. T:

RE: Jack Marcotte #9

I agree with you. As every educated libertarian knows, most people do not want freedom because they don’t want to be more responsible and don’t want to make more decisions. If you start with a libertarian representative democracy, it will degrade to socialism, communism, fascism, totalitarianism, or some mixture of them. It was obvious to me, back when Obama was a Senator, that he wanted to accelerate our conversion to socio-fascist totalitarianism. And, as soon as he was inaugurated, he got the big steel demolition ball rolling. Short of nuking DC, I see no way of even slowing the ball.

My advice is to accept that our country is doomed and make plans for living within the equivalent of the USSR thirty years ago or for emigrating to Switzerland or some other country with a better government.

Jul 13, 2009 - 3:42 pm 134. Bob Smith:

the abolition of caps on FICA will ensure 15% plus of most of their income will go for new Medicare and Social Security bites;

You forgot one: the abolition of FICA exemptions for interest (possibly other portfolio income too) and rental income. They’re seriously talking about it.

Jul 13, 2009 - 4:47 pm 135. LennyB:

I am ordinarily not prone to hyperbole, and I fully believe I would enjoy getting a beer with Barack Obama. But he, and his staff, are in far, far over their heads. W is routinely lambasted as not intelligent, yet compared to Barack W is practically Isaac Newton. Obama’s actions today are motivated not by wisdom in the slightest, nor by a fundamental Western understanding of how commerce functions and value is created. Rather, they are motivated by his earnest desire to help the black underclass, and he is the disturbingly optimum confluence of black activism, understated-marxism, and personal charisma that is necessary to a) manage to get elected, and b) utterly destroy this nation’s economic productivity. It is truly breathtaking what damage is being done, and even more breathtaking how many people lack sufficient economic training to understand the magnitude of what he’s doing. It is incredible. I thought demographic shifts wouldn’t result in getting someone like this elected until 50 years from now.

Ironically, what Barack hasn’t figured out is that the only way to help his favored segment (because like many minorities he is black first and american second, and even more so because of the personal identity crisis authored by the lofty status his upbringing afforded him) is to demand a work ethic and individual responsibility as the means to personal success. Instead he is encouraging dependency, and insofar as that is concerned, he is actually a poison to the people he most desires to help succeed. And eventually, in old age, he will come to regret this simple fact as the defining mistake of his life. He believes that taking money from workers and in order to procure an economic start for this group will somehow manage to overcome their innate victim-identity and culture of non-productivity. It will take ten years or more before Barack has acquired the experience to witness this sad fact. His efforts are doomed and he is placing us all in shackles of debt. Ironically, due to his actions, we are all now more indentured than Barack or any of his ancestors ever were — and I’m not talking about slavery, because Barack’s ancestors were never slaves.

Jul 13, 2009 - 6:14 pm 136. Meryl:

119, 124…thanks for your comments…

ok!

124 said “John Galt believed that productive work is the central purpose of an individual’s life, and that the only moral purpose of government is the protection of individual rights.”

Will get Atlas Shrugged…but THAT is an excellent sentence.

That describes a central principle in our personal lives.

We choose “how to work” and “for whom to work” and choose whether we work for pay or simply for the satisfaction of it (for ourselves or volunteer for the benefit of others). There IS inherent value in WORKING.

DH and I spent the two hours needed this morning to clip back the vines and small branches that were screwing up the “visual” of our woods behind the perennial garden, as well as watering the new lawn area recently started. Now there’s some satisfaction!

Sometimes we laugh at ourselves. We are in our late 60’s and during those frigid Minnesota winter weeks when we are basically “isolated if at home” we are constantly “working on projects”…but even as we laugh, we have always known the reason. Work is good.

I will also check out the website mentioned. Thanks.

Jul 13, 2009 - 6:23 pm 137. Al Reasin:

#109: One can use congress.org and other sites to write all senators, but not reps unless you use a ZIP in their district. All ZIPs from outside of their district are rejected and sent to that ZIP’s rep.

Jul 13, 2009 - 7:22 pm 138. Peter:

Secession.

Jul 13, 2009 - 7:30 pm 139. seansarto:

The Song an’ Dance 101:
“God’s Away on Business”

Jul 13, 2009 - 8:55 pm 140. Marc Malone:

McCain was not in on this. He’s just from another generation. There were rules then: No hitting below the belt; Statesmanship.

What doomed McCain was his talk that the economy was still fundamentally sound, and then suspending his campaign to go do his job. That was the end. The polls turned overnight. Prior to that, Palin had put him on top.

Why did he do it? Because in the old days, one was not supposed to talk down the economy, especially a Prez or Prez candidate. Speak positively. Prevent the panic. Also, fight fair. Certain things are just out of bounds. Of course, the media holds the Right to these forgotten standards, but not the Left.

McCain was just too old; the wrong generation. He could’ve lessened the damage by explaining these concepts, but he never was good at doing that.

I re-read all the debates. McCain had better rhetoric than the others, except Huckabee. That’s why he won. Romney was utterly boring with his bland business jargon. Huckabee was the best, but his fund-raising was crap. People are too indoctrinated to accept a preacher as an acceptable leader. Makes them squirm.

And just so you understand, McCain is actually a Conservative Democrat. Look at all his positions in toto, and you’ll see it. There is no difference between him and Lieberman.

Jul 13, 2009 - 9:09 pm 141. Marc Malone:

Btw, I haven’t seen our resident trolls, lately. Did the site finally ban them? I hope so. Someone raised the point that a few of them may have been the same person. Maybe they checked. Anyway, my thanks. Nothing destroyed the dialogue like their tactics of deflect and distract.

Jul 13, 2009 - 9:12 pm 142. Da Bear:

I woke up this morning and found this email sent to me, from myself, at 2:33 a.m…… Weird, huh? I thought I had slept through the entire night.

Can you smell that? The whiff of tyranny first faint has become perceptible like that first chill wind of fall after a hot summer, the sudden drop in temperature, the surprising cool breeze that sends a shiver down your back and raises goose bumps on your arms. In your mind, in your heart, in your soul, you know the bitter truths. The first skirmishes of a long and bloody war – for the future of this Republic, this Constitution, and the fate of the six billion inhabitants of our small blue-green planet – has just begun.

Lee M. DeCovnick – Citizen of the United States of America
Independence Day Week – July 2009

Jul 13, 2009 - 9:39 pm 143. LennyB:

What gives, PJM?

Jul 13, 2009 - 9:51 pm 144. Jack Marcotte:

Essential vdh

Most all within this blog are singing the same tune and we all end up preaching to the choir.

Not bad, but not expanding our comfort zone.

Scattered “Rain”: The most obvious non stated fact about Soto-mayor is that her “empathy” chooses sides and hurts other people who should be allowed to progress. By definition is this “empathy? It is affirmative action “empathy”. One side only and Anti American.

Did BHO say it was “empathy” he was looking for in a Justice of the Supreme Court. Another affirmative action moment of illiteracy. Another demonstration of rationalizing with perfume a scorpion. Justice is blind and in this case the hidden and misunderstood scorpion is “empathy” and SM.

In any case, SM is demonstrably non empathetic. Empathy is not needed for justice to occur. It is not a parameter of justice and is not wanted because underneath it is retribution just as demonstrated in this case. Empathy for one side only. Retribution for the other. Retribution is empathy’s partner.

Truth is needed among many other parameters but not empathy to determine outcome. Maybe to determine the sentence for the crime after Justice is served.

In this case there was no crime. Was there? Why were people punished? The “others” were not involved. They either never took the test or did not pass the test. Whose fault? Who did she, SM help? What principle of “blind” justice did she uphold? by denying those who earned it. Did they hold others back? Did they deny them the tests? That question is an obvious no. They all took the test. Some passed some didn’t. Was there a crime committed by those who passed? What was it?

SM treats them as “cheaters” thus she failed them. American Justice failed them by having SM on the court. America must get American Justice back into the courts. SM should not be confirmed. She now is the perfumed scorpion. She has already demonstrated her sting.

The toads in congress are asking us to believe the scorpion SM will no longer sting as they continue to carry her on their backs with PC and affirmative action. Perfect perfume for a scorpion.

We know who she hurt. She by demonstrating her indoctrinated ignorance was and is completely oblivious to the fact that she herself has done nothing to merit her condition in life. She is unqualified. She demonstrated by her actions that as a product of Affirmative Action, she did less than the “others”. She did not learn–she is now set to be an anti American subversive on the Supreme Court.

She has done nothing other than be a beneficiary of the same kind of racism she now promotes. She does in fact along with BHO provide direct proof that the results of affirmative action will eventually destroy America.

That Affirmative action is needed and that it is fair, is a lie and was built on a lie. It has created subversives within America who by needing to deny that they have been selectively helped by Americans lash out at the America that did this to them, for them.

Who can be grateful for handouts given to those that have been indoctrinated to believe that they are owed them and that the needed human merits were stolen from them in the first place by America. Where in America did this kind of psychotic thinking arise? Easy It is right out of the communist play book. It is class warfare 101 for subversion. Believe it and observe its results.

What does that say about what affirmative action in America when it comes to the reactions of real humans who are petty and non deserving but yet get it. They work to “change” America. To take from others what the others have earned. A pure communist revolution. Not socialism but communism. Equal outcome except for those in power. An citizen asset grab by American politicians that make the USSR land grab look like chump change. No killing yet.

Affirmative Action means what it says Soto-Mayor need not do more but less than others to get where the subsidization with affirmative action puts her. BHO demonstrates this every day along with his wife. They need to be Anti American because it is the only way they can look into the mirror and rationalize in reality they are ignorant and need to stay ignorant on America and what it stands for.

Over 500,000 Americans died in a civil war over slavery for this kind of BS to occur? America now saddled with “victims” to be carved up like a whale on the beach by the night crawlers and bottom dwellers–products of ignorance and subversion and greed by dumb politicians and revolutionary educations that could only see the light in a dark room, with no light or real world truth.

Now this is obviously destroying America because the beneficiaries of affirmative action are demonstrating that they are not knowledgeable, do not understand America, Do not understand the Constitution, do not understand that fair justice is blind.

She, SM demonstrated directly in her actions and words not only that she as a product of affirmative action is undeserving and in addition is making sure that others that are deserving do not make it at all.

They earned it. She denied it. Denied based on race and this showed SM as an anti American having nothing other than the indoctrination and lack of education that a product of affirmative action delivers.

She will sit on the Supreme Court to further the destruction of America.

By definition and demonstration she is not empathetic, her decision to obstruct the promotion of the firefighters who studied and passed was not empathetic at all—was it. They are being punished for no crime in an American court of law.

It was racist, ignorant of the consequences it supports and ignorant of what a country will eventually have to look like just to fit her ruling. A banana republic and eventually a 3rd rate 3rd world incompetent entity.

Who are the idiots on television and the MSM singing her praises when all of the above is demonstrably true. Can they be elected Americans. If so why and how can this have happened. When the smell gets bad enough what will change?

Jul 13, 2009 - 10:08 pm 145. WannaGovJob:

You’ve gotta see this guy: Another guy (an attorney) who had it right even in 2008 can be seen on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIw11Jdol-4&feature=channel_page
There are 3 parts total.

Jul 14, 2009 - 2:55 am 146. Spurwing Plover:

Cap and Trade a whole bunch of bull poo this whole CAP & TRADE IS PURLY POLITICAL FROM DIRTY UNDERHANDED EVIL GREENS

Jul 14, 2009 - 8:17 am 147. Pat J:

Here’s how cap and trade works. If it passes, the United States will restrict the emissions created when fossil fuels are burned. In other words, we will slow our consumption of fossil fuels from all sources, both foreign and domestic. The Republicans on the other had propose doing nothing? How does that help our economy and our use of energy?

Jul 14, 2009 - 12:35 pm 148. Jim Green:

Relatively little of the first stimulus has actually been spent, much of the TARP money has been repayed to the feds, and now a new stimulus bill is coming down the mag lev. History’s greatest election slush fund will be available for th 2010 mid terms and 2012 presidential election.

Jul 15, 2009 - 4:26 am 149. buddy larsen:

Meryl, For The New Intellectual is a sort of Cliff’s Notes-cum-compendium of the ideas advanced via the fictional works ‘Atlas Shrugged’ and ‘The Fountainhead’. I wish it were differently titled for the current era, in which the word ‘intellectual’ has come to mean ‘fatuous pretender’ (thanks again, academia), but nevermind, it’s still the Ayn Rand to go to if you are not inclined at this time to launch into the major works.

Jul 15, 2009 - 8:09 am 150. buddy larsen:

Pat J @ 147; congrats on the thread’s laziest and most ignorant over-reach.

Jul 15, 2009 - 8:13 am 151. CarlsbadDave:

I’m a Republican manufacturer and probably pay more in taxes than most of you people make. But I fully support Obama’s efforts to stimulate the economy — which, despite your apocalyptic hysteria, are only temporary. The global economy wouldn’t have survived four more months of know-nothing, do-nothing Bush/McCain leadership, let alone four more years. And does anyone have a memory long enough to recall that it was Bush that gave $700 billion to private enterprises? Or that the Bush budget was $3.1 trillion vs. Obama’s $3.5 trillion — the main difference being that Bush kept his wars “off the books”? Stop letting other people (like this blogger) do your thinking for you, and go read a newspaper.

Jul 15, 2009 - 11:16 am 152. TLM:

Still waiting on that VDH article, “The War Against the Protectors — Democrats vs the CIA”. In the meantime:

I always thought eugenics was some radical right-wing notion adhered to by nobel laureates in their pre-dementia phase. Seems it is more likely nowadays to be a Liberal cause celebre, though one normally promoted quietly. However, note the ruckus over Obama’s science czar John Holdren. That guy’s ideas are right out of the Nazi playbook, and they were never kept sub rosa by him. Then there’s the woman who started Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger. “Planned Parenthood” seems a misnomer for her organization. More like Planned Abortion or, earlier in her career, Planned Sterilization. More amazing than these two kooks is…Justice Ginsburg. Could she be a closet eugenicist? From her interview in Sunday’s NYT (via Jonah Goldberg at NRO):

“Frankly I had thought that at the time [Roe v. Wade] was decided,” Ginsburg told her interviewer, Emily Bazelon, “there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of.”

Maybe she’s not as nuts as her statement seems to indicate. Read Goldberg’s article. BTW, the evidence just keeps accruing in favor of his Liberal Fascism theory.

Why would Liberals cop to a theory like eugenics (I mean, other than the fact that they are basically immoral)? It’s the ultimate control of society. Breed for complacency. Like cloning sheep, you know what you’re going to get. Oh, and no “retards” in the gene pool. Now you know another reason why Libs hate Sarah Palin so much.

Jul 15, 2009 - 12:03 pm 153. Jack Marcotte:

Essnetial vdh

#147 PJ: Here is How it works? You must be talking about your bowel movement and not cap and trade. Tell me, hopefully, that you cannot find a voting booth.

Your comments would then be funny, not tragic.

Jul 15, 2009 - 12:14 pm 154. r. curry:

Making war on the producers is simply rampant.
A friend of mine who owns some gas stations here in california has just taken a terrible hit from the state (along with every other gas station in the state). She has had to install special equipment that reduces vapor emissions when pumping gas on cars made before 1995(!)—at a cost of $500,000! Fortunately for her this insane mandate is not going to put her out of business, but I understand that it has put others down & it is a huge hit for her. The benefits to the environment are miniscule. The state also requires her to remove this equipment in a few years again at considerable cost, etc, etc

This is pure capital destruction—worse than a tax. The $500,000 was a pure loss to her, not an investment, and no gain to the state’s need for revenue, either.
A pure waste in a time of massive capital destruction.

Good public policy supports the formation of capital—instead of its destruction–because capital is the key to our prosperity.

Jul 15, 2009 - 5:41 pm 155. Rich Casebolt:

Pat, you will slow down productivity, right along with that consumption … an indirect assault upon our ability to pursue happiness, which is an endeavor that our government is supposed to “secure” according to our founding documents as an unalienable right.

Now, that would be acceptable if said assault was in response to a clearly-proven threat to the environment … because a healthy environment enhances the pursuit of happiness.

However, this is an assault based upon some really shaky science … science that is accepted by many in large part because the policies derived from it hurt all the “right” people … “So what if we’re wrong about the actual impact of human-generated greenhouse gases, we’re still serving a good cause” … mixed in with an ideology that sees the pursuit of personal (as opposed to collective) happiness as something that must be tied down like Gulliver as “immoral”, the history of free enterprise with respect to securing those unalienable rights be damned.

That productivity is also the golden goose for the very prosperity that gives us the “luxury” of being concerned about the environment. When people start worrying about their economic health, they become less concerned about, say, getting newer cars with cleaner emissions … or saving endangered species; when people start worrying about where their next meal is coming from, they are more likely to fillet Willy than free him.

So, your favored policies could easily wind up being COUNTERPRODUCTIVE in terms of environmental protection.

Actually, the GOP has proposed many things in this area … from policies that would increase the use of nuclear power, which has no significant greenhouse-gas emissions … to increased domestic oil production, which would help our economy and diminish our support of authoritarian regimes in the MidEast, and perhaps even wean us off of that high-sulfur crude El Loco Hugo uses to prop up his rule in Venezuela.

But what they aren’t proposing — unlike the Dims, with regards to energy and many other areas of American society — is that We the People totally subordinate our economic and technical decision-making to a relative-few Best and Brightest who may have great academic and professional credentials, but are structurally incapable of effectively solving the INDIVIDUAL problems of 300 million pursuers of happiness.

For the Dims to do so, is the height of narcissistic hubris … and we are already beginning to see the divergence between such hubris and reality, as we have seen time and time again.

Jul 15, 2009 - 9:14 pm 156. Carl Sesar:

Back @ 63, I wrote:

“Things are falling apart because opposition to Obama is just empty talk. The only way to take him down fast and nullify all he’s done in one fell swoop, is to take action, invoke the law of the land, the Constitution of the United States of America, get his birth certificate, and old passports, show he’s not the native born citizen he claims to be, and remove him from office. It’s your choice, America. Barry the Rainbow Redeemer, or the United States Constitution.”

Meryl @ 68, in reply, with a caution that it all must be legal, asks the million-dollar question, “HOW?” I fully agree with Meryl’s caution, and in answer to HOW? can only say, in regard to tactics, make as much noise as possible. Experts in activist tactics could advise a lot better. One of the best is David Horowitz, but he’s against the Constitution on this — that’s right!! Hey, the Supreme Court could be, too, who knows? But we can make noise, lots of it. It ain’t over yet , , , It’d be nice if someone right now would ask Sotomayor whether, as a justice, she’d honor and uphold the U. S. Constitution’s natural born citizen clause, or not.

Nick Reynolds @ 85 warns, with Obama outta there on criminal fraud, we’d still be stuck with Biden, Pelosi, et al. True, and unpleasant, but they’d be pretty harmless then.

Geoffgo @ 119 aptly reminds us: “The founders specifically granted the citizens the RIGHT TO REVOLT!” Good to know, but there are at the very least a couple of national elections to come first, should the inelegibility charge fail to pan out, and things would have to be a whole lot worse than they are.

The best bet to nip it in the bud, fast, is the Constitution.

Jul 16, 2009 - 12:40 pm 157. buddy larsen:

CarlsbadDave @ #151

I’m a Republican manufacturer and probably pay more in taxes than most of you people make. But I fully support Obama’s efforts to stimulate the economy — which, despite your apocalyptic hysteria, are only temporary.

Stop letting other people (like this blogger) do your thinking for you, and go read a newspaper.

Go read a newspaper?

Pure poetry, CarlsbadDave! Synthesized, in all its radiant glory, right here for our perusal, the essential Obama acolyte!

And more! Here in the merest few words, the illuminated administration, in full intelligence, sophistication, character, wit, and ambition!

No really, be not afraid, mendacious friend. What you have achieved here is a signal transmission!

Jul 16, 2009 - 3:56 pm 158. Andy Beyon:

In comment number 7, David Thomson indicated that Texans are experiencing an immigration problem of a new kind: Liberals flee the blue states to their beloved Red State.

We have the same problem in Arizona. Californians are coming to our great land and bringing their socialist/statist ideas with them. How do we keep them out? Why can’t they stay where are and work to correct the problems of their own making — instead of polluting Arizona? It was nice here at one time; now we are being overrun by liberals making a mess wherever they go.

Jul 19, 2009 - 6:43 am 159. Al Reasin:

#156: “The best bet to nip it in the bud, fast, is the Constitution.” The 1st Amendment works. I agree but we need to be proactive and do what MLK and the early unions did. Let us get in their collective faces at the district offices as I and a few others have done and help educate our citizens as well. It was amazing the number of people I have talked to in 8 days of picketing who had no idea what cap and trade was until they saw me picketing with my signs and asked me questions. I give them non partisan facts and links on the Internet from respectable sources. Another thing is attack congress, not Obama and the Democrats. Once one gets the citizens’ attention, specifics that will impact them can be worked in, but congress controls the purse strings and the enactment of laws which people can readily understand. This has worked with young, African-American Obama supporters.

On ObamaCare I explain that insurance companies can certainly mismanage benefits and care, but if that occurs we can go to state and federal regulatory agencies, enlist the aid of your state or congressional delegation or sue. If the US government is your insurer, who do you appeal to over the very same problems and from what we see with the VA and Medicare, your chances of successfully challenging the federal bureaucracy is much more difficult and more limited. Since the government needs to give consent to be sued, does ObamaCare allow that in writing?

Jul 19, 2009 - 11:12 am 160. Jack Marcotte:

Essential vdh

Buddy Larson @ 157: Good comments on Carlsbaddave. Who of course is not what He/She says it is.

Of course everyone knows only the Republicans pay taxes, and the Dem’s don’t. That what he/she thinks proves his/her bona fides. What an idiot.

Your words and thinking however were wicked in the best sense.

Jul 20, 2009 - 7:22 pm 161. bill:

Eli Wallach in the “The Magnificent Seven” about the villagers-”If God had not wanted them to be sheared, he wouldn’t have made them sheep”

Jul 21, 2009 - 8:02 am 162. For what it’s worth. « Rosita the Prole:

[...] Victor Davis Hanson writes of this future in a tremendous cri de coeur: [...]

Jul 25, 2009 - 12:25 pm

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