Month: August 2011

#rsrh Random thought from watching the HvK Round 2 video.

You remember the Hayek vs. Keynes videos, of course.

Anyway, generally speaking, it’s interesting that you can automatically peg the guy wearing the American flag tie as being a Hayekian (in other words, a Righty).  I’m willing to bet that there are Democrats smirking right now at that particular fashion-victim stereotype.  And I’m also willing to bet that there are Republicans smirking right now at the way that I’ve just stereotyped the Democrat.

Frankly, it’s the Democrats that should be worried.

Jonah Goldberg is tired of the vicious hypocrisy of these people…

…for that matter, so am I.

‘These people’ being the media, and their contemptible willingness to accept a double standard when it comes to violent rhetoric.  After screaming for so long about every possible hint of a suggestion of a possibility of violent speech from the Right, it’s amazing what will be forgiven when it comes from the Left:

Tom Friedman — who knows a bit about Hezbollah — calls the tea partiers the “Hezbollah faction” of the GOP bent on taking the country on a “suicide mission.” All over the place, conservative Republicans are “hostage takers” and “terrorists,” “terrorists” and “traitors.” They want to “end life as we know it on this planet,” says Nancy Pelosi. They are betraying the founders, too. Chris Matthews all but signs up for the “Make an Ass of Yourself” contest at the State Fair.  Joe Nocera writes today that “the Tea Party Republicans can put aside their suicide vests.” Lord knows what Krugman and Olbermann have said.

Then last night. on the very day Gabby Giffords heroically returns to cast her first vote since that tragic attack six months ago, the Vice President of the United States calls the Republican Party a bunch of terrorists.

Regardless, No one cares.

Continue reading Jonah Goldberg is tired of the vicious hypocrisy of these people…

This is why I eat hot dogs *first*.

Before they can get me.

What?  Oh, Dave Barry reported today: “Vegan group warns hot dogs can kill you.”  Because, of course, if you don’t eat them you’ll live forever, or even noticeably longer than this particular bunch of religious fanatics.

No, I don’t know why you’d want to.

Anyway, time for a hot dog.  And for dinner…

Cheeseburger In Paradise

(Via somebody on Twitter)

The Democrats’ new laser-like focus on jobs… HEY!

Stop LAUGHING!

Hey, guess what? The Democrats plan to focus on jobs! (Via Ace of Spades)  Stop me if you’ve heard this one before… what, you have?

A lot?

Are you sure?

Continue reading The Democrats’ new laser-like focus on jobs… HEY!

#rsrh QotD, Reluctant Props Given edition.

I hate giving the House Minority Leader credit for wit – hey, I’m a partisan hack, remember? – but this was pretty funny.

In an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer, Pelosi said she will “absolutely” vote yes on the compromise package, even though she agreed with one colleagues’ characterization of it as a “Satan sandwich.”

“It probably is – with some Satan fries on the side,” Pelosi said.

Via Hot Air.

Moe Lane

PS: Speaker Boehner gets off a good one, too:

After the vote, which could come as early as tonight, where does the speaker expect to be tomorrow morning?

“Hopefully hiding somewhere,” he said.

Is Gov. Steve Beshear (D, KY) extorting campaign contributions?

(Via Instapundit) That’s the rather bombshell allegation being made today; the gist is that Rodney Young (a retiring psychologist for the Department of Juvenile Justice has reported that his colleagues were the target of an attempt to extort $500 contributions to Steve Beshear’s re-election campaign, with the threat that they could lose their jobs if they did not so contribute. The major argument against this happening is that it would be EXTREMELY STUPID of anyone affiliated with the Governor to make this kind of threat; particularly considering the video found below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPIhLVO0C-o&feature=channel_video_title

For those without video access, that’s Steve Beshear promising that accountability begins at the top, and that he’s expecting all of his top staffers will be trained in ethics.

Well. All right, then. Continue reading Is Gov. Steve Beshear (D, KY) extorting campaign contributions?

RIP: Neo-Keynesianism, 2007-2011.

Mourners please omit flowers.  Or public urination on the graveside.

If there has been one positive result from the recent knife fight in an alley that has been our debt ceiling debate, it’s come from watching the self-appointed Smartest People In The Room come to the belated realization that they’ve been out-maneuvered by a bunch of hobbits.  No, don’t take it from me: listen to them.  A representative sample is below.

  • Paul Krugman: “The worst thing you can do in these circumstances is slash government spending…” preceded and followed by a lot of nonsensical blather, of course.  Feel free to read or not, as you like; the point is, Krugman thinks that more government spending will solve our problems, so he’s shrieking over this like a traditionalist vampire shrieks at a holy symbol.
  • Greg Sargent: “Even if you think it’s good politics for Dems to be demonstrating concern about deficits and spending, the clear downside is that the progressive economic case has been entirely marginalized, to the point where it has vanished from the conversation entirely.”  Bolding mine; it’s not really relevant to this post, but that mindset is a post all on its own. Continue reading RIP: Neo-Keynesianism, 2007-2011.

Why there is no left-populist movement.

Peter Beinart doesn’t understand why the Tea Party gets to be the populist movement transforming American politics, instead of whatever latest cargo cult on the Left is these days.  In the spirit of bipartisanship – with ‘bipartisanship’ being defined as ‘kicking progressives in the teeth for the amusement of the crowd’ – I shall deign to explain things for him, hardline progressives, and everyone else with cognitive disabilities.

Yes, this is going to be one of those kinds of posts. Continue reading Why there is no left-populist movement.