NRO's The Corner 2: Ghost Protocol

Santorum does not believe that the categories associated with “class” are useful in discussing how well the American economy is working. Economically, he is correct, since income is fluid. Socially, culturally, it’s a different matter. In our time, I’ve seen precious few cases of gentlemanly Episcopalians with august family trees, significant inherited wealth, and the expectation of political success who really grasp the degree to which life is a fight, and politics is war, let alone at the elemental level where that instinct needs to be lodged. The Bushes never got it. Their twin, Mitt, though technically not old school WASP by dint of being Mormon, doesn’t get it either. How do I know this? Even after prolonged exposure to the media, and other adversaries, from Kennedy to his GOP competitors, he expects to be treated with respect. That’s charming. But it’s a weakness.

i mean, shit

god help me i've listened to those conversations with andrew roberts. 'uncommon knowledge' my eye, the bracing insights are like entry level ww2 fandom. the german generals were really smart? german equipment was better than everyone else's? the americans didn't lose as many people as everyone else, but threw lots of money at their allies? hitler and stalin made stupid decisions based on their ideology? 4 out of 5 dead germans was killed by a russian? you're really blowing my mind here duder.

or else the guests imply that the Germans and Soviets won great victories thanks to their authoritarian regimes whereas the West was soft and democratic.

eh i think if anything he shades in the opposite direction: what the democratic allies did was a standup proper war while the axis and stalin were engaged in crazed mindlessness

He's losing his grip then

tbh I haven't listened. difficult listening hour is the fan. I gave up last year after leaving the office to vomit on seeing another reaction shot of Peter Robinson in open-mouthed faux dismay.

Mr. McCarthy:

I happen to think the Supremes are going to uphold Obamacare — not that they should, but that they will (for the reasons outlined in the aforementioned column). That won’t mean Obamacare is good policy; it is disastrous policy. It will just mean that Obamacare is one of the many suicidal things our Constitution allows a free people to do to itself. But when the Court’s ruling comes down, the GOP will have done nothing to lay the groundwork for what should be the far more consequential political battle to repeal Obamacare — indeed, by doing nothing and nominating Mitt, the GOP will be saying, implicitly, that it is fine with most of Obamacare, perhaps with a few Washington-style modifications. The Supreme Court decision will thus hit in July — the campaign stretch-run — and, if it comes out the way I think it will come out, it will be a crackling political victory for the Obama campaign.

I mean tbf SCOTUS probably will uphold ACA and it probably will be good news for Obama; this McCarthy dude knows the GOP have a limited amount of time to try to kill ACA because once the exchange provisions kick in in 2014 it will start becoming popular because hey, more people will be insured.

ACA is already popular with me, I get to stay on my parent's insurance until I'm 26!

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/288218/let-freedom-ring-mark-krikorian

5 comments so far, all killer, sure to be a hit

Hoo boy, those comments:

Henry Ford did vastly far more good by opening up a world of living-wage jobs to both black and white sharecroppers, and by helping the workers AND THEIR WIVES to learn the organized ways of the middle class.

that is just a total failure at making an argument.

Lovely:

[Approved commenter] Ed in Cary
: 01/16/12 17:03

As a Southerner with our love for lost causes, I sneer at MLK day. I will never respect or honor it in the least.

I used to admire King as having been the essential man at the critical moment....the case that Mark has made. And I do not disqualify him from the pantheon of great men because of his moral failings. I disqualify him, because he was a communist.

better red than ed

The Iron Lady and the Jews
By Jonah Goldberg

lol nope

― caek, Wednesday, 11 January 2012 13:56 Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

The Jews, she said, were being made to scrub the streets. For Thatcher, who believed in meaningful work, this was as much a waste as it was an outrage.

Perry’s Exit

By Kathryn Jean Lopez
January 19, 2012 11:34 A.M. Comments

You’ve got to respect him for getting out, having seen no clear “viable path forward” for his candidacy, as he just put it.

I’m always grateful for those who are willing to put their names forward, with all the sacrifices that come with it.

My sense is, much like Fred Thompson in 2008, he was recruited into this race, wanting the best for his country, being told he was the man to lead the way. But I’m not sure recruits get elected president.

Fred Thompson, when he walked for president

shuffled uneasily tbh

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/288706/how-mitt-romney-taught-me-gang-lingo-jonah-goldberg

wow

holy lolz

Jonah's been killing it:

Part of it is just me. When I lose my temper at someone, when I’m convinced they’ve done something bad — never mind close to the most despicable thing I can imagine — it stays with me. I suspect the same is true with Gingrich. So when he (and, I believe, Callista) ran over to do the post-game chit-chat, it struck me that the term “post-game” isn’t just an expression — it really was a game. I have to hope at least some of the people who gave Gingrich a standing ovation for his theatrical outrage recognize that.

I am in tears over "shock collar".

Goldberg Bait
By Daniel Foster

An exciting new study:

Do People Become More Conservative as They Age?

In fact, research shows that seniors become more tolerant and more open-minded in their later years.

There are a thousand little ways in which our vocabulary is irreducibly liberal. It’s one of the reasons I continue, years later, to be greatly bothered by Stephen Colbert’s bit at the White House correspondents dinner about how “reality has a well-known left-wing bias.” It’s a funny bit. But it obscures the fact that while reality may not have a liberal bias, much of the language we use to describe it does.

whining about ≠ refuting

I just

"shock collar"

I mean, really?

oh well, at least you can all thank Jonah for getting to ditch the orgasm explosion display name

RightEveryTime 01/23/12 14:51
The Left has co-opted much of the language, and that gives so many normal words political meanings. Tolerance, for example, doesn't mean what it used to mean. It was neither conservative nor liberal to "tolerate" a thing. But now it is made to mean "acceptance" and more specifically "acceptance" -and- "acquiescence" to anything not Conservative.

has this guy ever used a dictionary?

tbf the latin root means "to endure"

we should start using "toleration", has a nice 17th century ring

that would make you sound like you fell out of the chorus of Mary J Blige's "Family Affair"

whining about ≠ refuting

we could have done with you on the bullying thread

blast from the past

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/289145/terri-was-woman-brain-injury-and-simply-needed-be-fed-through-feeding-tube-kathryn-jea

[Approved commenter] ds
01/24/12 15:41

Kathryn, this is irresponsible. Let's not relitigate this. People with extreme brain injuries can be taken off life support by their spouses. What happened in the Schiavo case is that certain elements of the GOP decided to literally make a federal case out of it. It was gross and irresponsible at the time, and it's irresponsible of you to be giving the poor woman's grieving and utterly incorrect relatives a venue here.

Appeal to Emotion thru a bereaved family member. Humans have weird ways of deciding things.

xp yup, exactly

Although Terri Schiavo’s death occurred in 2005, what happened to her takes place every single day in health care facilities across our nation. Indeed, the courts and pro-euthanasia movement exploited her situation to introduce our country to “Obamacare.” Every candidate missed the opportunity to make this connection last night.

you might say this person has a relatively inward-looking way of understanding politics and policy

RightEveryTime 01/23/12 14:51
The Left has co-opted much of the language, and that gives so many normal words political meanings. Tolerance, for example, doesn't mean what it used to mean. It was neither conservative nor liberal to "tolerate" a thing. But now it is made to mean "acceptance" and more specifically "acceptance" -and- "acquiescence" to anything not Conservative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSE82pNZQjs

A letter to Derbyshire:

I also think you hit on something in last week’s Radio Derb episode when you said that Newt has won the “bitter ex-husband” constituency. So the sanctimonious “marriage is sacred” crowd thinks Newt’s affairs are unacceptable. You have to wonder what world these people live in where they have never been in a relationship with a pain-in-the-butt female. Lots of things can happen after you commit to someone. They let themselves go, get fat, etc. These broads can drain you emotionally and physically with their endless demands and grievances. People change over time, and divorce is a messy business, especially when there’s money involved. Affairs are biologically natural, when one is separated from their mate for a significant period of time. They are even more natural for the male, whose biological goal in most respects is to impregnate as many females as possible, no? Anyway, if it weren’t for Newt’s dreadful neocon policies, he would have this misogynist’s vote hands down.

I didn't make this up.

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

a pain-in-the-butt female.

such interesting word choices in this missive

I hope this is a troll. :/ xxp

They let themselves go, get fat, etc.

oh god you neglected the part where the letter writer signed his name with link to his own website

One other reason I’m inclined to root for Newt is that he just makes for such a great villain. His narcissism, grandiosity and megalomania have all the makings of a bombastic antagonist, perhaps in the mold of someone like Drax from Moonraker. Even his name, “Newt” lends itself to this narrative (a salamander?) I could easily see him as one of the Alien leaders from V — the original miniseries (1983 version, not the crappy remake.)

There you have it: if you’re into sci-fi and misogyny, and think narcissism is underrated, you’ve gotta go with Gingrich.

Sincerely,
Brandon Adamson
[http://www.brandonadamson.com/]

"there you have it"

holy moly

oh god indie folk

wtf everybody get in here

i think nicole may be right

what
the
HELL

I've always been a reclusive, anti-social person that frequently finds himself in social situations . Like Richard Nixon, I'm an introvert in an extrovert's business.

Oh wait he's from Arizona. Everything makes sense now.

I strive to create works that live up to the future as it was envisioned in the 1950's and 1960's, an optmistic, achievement oriented civilization. I watch old movies and listen to records for inspiration. I obsess over color usage and composition. I never paint with just the painting itself in mind. Rather, I imagine the context and visualize the entire room the piece would be in. Ambiance is a crucial aspect of everything I do.

Lileks is off somewhere wondering if he should bother suing...

you guys, when did Marissa have a sex change and learn the guitar

I live in a 1967 built condo in Arcadia, which has been said to vaguely resemble a Bond villain headquarters(complete with megalomania and narcissistic tendencies of it's primary dweller) I'm a serious minded person, but I try not to take life too seriously. We'll be dead before we know it. I'm old fashioned but young at heart. I enjoy romance, curiosity, imagination and adventure most of all..

You know, for a poet, your punctuation sucks.

Should we close this one, mods? It's election season!

let's send it out on top, then:

Unlike Mitt, I loathe Sesame Street. It bears primary responsibility for what the Canadian blogger Binky calls the de-monsterization of childhood — the idea that there are no evil monsters out there at the edges of the map, just shaggy creatures who look a little funny and can sometimes be a bit grouchy about it because people prejudge them until they learn to celebrate diversity and help Cranky the Friendly Monster go recycling. That is not unrelated to the infantilization of our society. Marinate three generations of Americans in that pabulum and it’s no surprise you wind up with unprotected diplomats dragged to their deaths from their “safe house” in Benghazi.

ah, yes, finally someone has made clear the straight line between Sesame Street and being the victim of a ghastly murder.

there were no murder victims prior to sesame street, fyi.

Go here now:
NRO's The Corner: what if an accident of birth had placed Obama in Cuba?