Month: February 2010

Book of the Week: A Midsummer Tempest.

A Midsummer Tempest is one of my favorite alternate history books, written by one of my favorite SF authors (Poul Anderson); its conceit/divergence point is profoundly subtle; and I find it amazing that there hasn’t been a recent reprinting. And as you can guess from the title, the Matter of Shakespeare is of critical importance to the work. In other words: check it out.

And so, farewell to Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter.

Congressional Democrats think Americans can’t read…

…think, remember, and/or pay attention:

As President Obama’s approval ratings sag and the mood of voters sours, some Democratic congressional candidates are distancing themselves from the White House, with the back-channel blessing of party officials.

The candidates are positioning themselves as independent voices no less frustrated with the Obama administration than people back home.

Let’s take a look at these ‘independents’ that the article mentions specifically: Rep. Dennis Cardoza & Rep. Jim Costa of California, and Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. Plus, of course, Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland (and DCCC chair, for his sins); after all, he’s arguing for distancing, right? So let’s see how they actually distance themselves. Never mind what they say; how do they vote?

Legislator Stimulus Cap/Trade HC Bill
Dennis Cardoza Yes Yes Yes
Jim Costa Yes No Yes
Blanche Lincoln Yes No Vote Yet Yes
Chris Van Hollen Yes Yes Yes

Well.

It seems that Cardoza’s opinion that the Obama administration has ‘failed miserably’ in job creation doesn’t seem to have translated into any sort of opposition to either the job-killing bill that was cap-and-trade, or the health care rationing sideshow. Jim Costa’s declaration that the President isn’t ‘listening carefully’ to his constituents seems odd, seeing as he doesn’t seem to care that 69% of Californians don’t like the way his party handled the health care rationing bill debacle. Blanche Lincoln’s campaign claim that “Lincoln challenges Obama on liberal ‘extremes.’ ” is backed by… nothing. And Chris Van Hollen’s slightly nervous bravado about the need to sometimes oppose the President isn’t even a case of ‘Do as I say, not as I do:’ it’s ‘Say as I say, while you do as I do.’

This is entirely unsolicited advice, but I’ll give it anyway. Independent voters aren’t the netroots: they will not respond well to the mushroom treatment. And there really is a limit to how long a party can get away with saying one thing, and doing another. In fact, we actually passed that limit last spring…

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

Fascinating column there, Maureen. Who did you steal it from? #rsrh

(H/T: Hot Air Headlines) This is an assumption on my part, of course: better for all concerned that you revisited old habits and lifted something from the netroots than the idea that both you and your editor thought that this deserved a wider audience.  I mean, as is it reads as half-convenient opportunity for projection (Dowd’s apparently highly upset that Obama couldn’t keep the MA seat in the hands of the Democrats), and half-immediate aftermath of a stroke.  Given a choice between believing plagiarism and facing the specter of there being people in the journalism industry who don’t facepalm at the sight of  this sort of thing, I’d pick plagiarism every time.

I mean, really: “What are you going to do about it, Hussein? Mirandize me?”  Maureen, it’s not our fault that you decided to follow The God That Failed.

Moe Lane

PS: By the way, blimps were safe after the Hindenburg.  Blimps are non-rigid airships; dirigibles (such as the Hindenburg) are rigid airships.  For that matter, the reason why the Hindenburg burned up was because the company couldn’t get any helium (it being considered war material by the USA).  Ever hear of Wikipedia?

‘Hey, hey / Ho, ho / Delahunt / Has got to go!’ #rsrh

Actually… has anybody ever shouting a variant of that ever accomplished anything?  Probably not.  But I couldn’t resist.

US Representative William Delahunt said yesterday that he is considering retiring from his congressional seat representing the South Shore and Cape Cod, although he portrayed his deliberations as routine and said they are not related to challenges from Republicans who are energized by Scott Brown’s upset victory in last month’s special Senate election.

(H/T: Instapundit) In other words: start the clock.  I’m calling Friday night at 6 PM.

Moe Lane

PS: Actually, no, it isn’t all about Scott Brown.  It’s about Scott Brown, Ted Kennedy, Amy Bishop, Hugo Chavez… and most importantly, William Delahunt, who apparently isn’t really used to actually having to work for his re-elections.

The poor fellow.

Health Care Karma Watch, February 14, 2010.

(Via Instapundit) Michael Barone unpacks the bind that House Democrats are in over the health care rationing bill, right now (to summarize, reports suggest that they really don’t want to pass the Senate version, promises of reconciliation later or no):

If you vote for the Senate bill, you’re voting for something that has 35% support nationwide and probably a little less than that in your district. You will have voted for the Cornhusker Hustle and the Louisiana Purchase. Your Republican opponent will ask why you voted for something that gave taxpayers in Nebraska and Louisiana better treatment than the people you represent (there are no Democratic House members running for reelection in those two states: Nebraska has only Republican House members and the single Louisiana House Democrat is running for the Senate). The only protection you have against this is the assurance that the Senate parliamentarian and scared incumbent senators will come through for you, and that Harry Reid will pursue a steady course.

Read the whole thing, and may I offer an observation?  None of this would have happened if the Democrats had simply kept to their word and acted decently towards Republican legislators last year.  If they had involved their colleagues in the process, they would have gotten a much better bill, absolutely crucial bipartisan support, and at least some of what they ostensibly wanted.  But because they thought that they could get away with being arrogant and bullying and petty, the Democrats are now facing what could be the worst political backlash of the last thirty years.  And they’ve earned every drop of it.

Isn’t it funny how often the virtuous option turns out to be the smart one, too?

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Introducing the ‘Cover Moe’s CPAC Beer Tab’ Initiative. #rsrh

It’s absolutely vital that this happen, of course: otherwise, I may be forced to accept third-party beers in order to avoid Terminal Chronic Thirst Syndrome. TCTS is no joke, particularly in these grim economic times. But a low, low contribution will allow me to purchase my own beers without a hint of… well, I was going to say ‘corruption,’ but anybody with a budget big enough to justify bribing me has too much money to burn anyway. No, really, it’s so that I can drink beer that’s, well, drinkable.

So give. Or it’s the lobster minions unleashed again*.





Continue reading Introducing the ‘Cover Moe’s CPAC Beer Tab’ Initiative. #rsrh