Month: July 2012

Drinking from the electrical well in an emergency.

Glenn Reynolds relays an ethical question – essentially, Is it ethical to use a merchant’s power supply to recharge your portable electronics when power is not otherwise readily available?  Speaking as somebody who just went through a two-day power failure… it depends.  Personally, I plugged in all my electronics to my car battery and kept them charged that way- but if I had found a McDonald’s with a plug, and I went in to buy something, I would have thought nothing of plugging in while I was there.  In other words: I think that it’s OK if you’re, you know, a customer.

Also: in unusual circumstances… ask first.

Anyway, that’s my first thoughts on the matter.

#rsrh Jack Lew gets blindsided on Obama health tax.

Someone did tell current WH Chief of Staff Jack Lew that Solicitor General Donald Verilli argued that Obamacare was a tax hike?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pWQ2oi-LfM&feature=player_embedded

It’d be a shame if nobody had told the man.  Kind of funny, but a shame.

Moe Lane

PS: I hear that CBS News has somehow managed to find two unnamed sources who will ‘verify’ a story – an unkind person would use the phrase ‘liberal masturbation exercise’ – alleging that US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts was pressured into changing his vote.  Like Jazz Shaw of Hot Air, I have been doing this gig for far too long to simply believe anonymous sources which are eager to tell me a story that just happens to be potentially damaging to conservative morale.  So either back that up with a name, or don’t waste my time.

#rsrh This sums up our message on the Obamacare health tax.

It has it all: the truth of the basic situation (Obamacare is a TAX), the willingness of Barack Obama to admit it (he is NOT), and the way that this entire situation is leaving the taste of ash in the mouths of more perceptive liberals everywhere (they REALLY didn’t want to get limits on the Commerce Clause*).  Pretty good cartoon.

Moe Lane

*To reference AoSHQ: I understand a certain skepticism towards Congress is warranted at all times; but, really, there was a reason why the administration avoided admitting that it was a tax in the first place.

Repeat after me: THE OBAMACARE ‘MANDATE’ WAS ACTUALLY A TAX.

And that affects profoundly the question of how to get rid of it. Mickey Kaus is correct, and Ryan Lizza & David Frum are wrong on this: the only reason that Obamacare was not cast down was because the US Supreme Court decided 5-4 that the so-called ‘individual mandate’ was constitutional if it was considered to be a tax.  The US Supreme Court also decided, 5-4, that the so-called ‘individual mandate’ was not Constitutional if done under the Commerce Clause.  So anyone who wants to argue that the Obamacare health tax is not actually a tax must also admit that Obamacare is unconstitutional.  Supporters of Obamacare do not get to have it both ways.  The Supreme Court has ruled that Obamacare’s centerpiece is a half trillion dollar tax hike on the middle class.  This is a thing that has happened.  And it means, among other things, that the Democrats’ threat of a filibuster is an empty one when it comes to repealing it next January.  We have a Senate majority, we can remove the health tax.  Simple as that.

DO NOT LET THE OTHER SIDE GET AWAY WITH PRETENDING OTHERWISE.  I understand fully why the Democrats don’t want to campaign on the position that their ‘signature’ accomplishment is a horrific, promise-breaking middle class tax hike; it’s only slightly better than campaigning on a promise to give kittens leprosy.  But that’s the Democrats’ problem, not ours.  All we have to do is figure out new ways to keep the gloating albatross around their collective neck until the election.  And one way to do that is to never, ever, ever let any apologist for the Democrats and/or Barack Obama get away with pretending that Obamacare [can be constitutional without being] a tax. If they get upset about that… good.  That means that what you’re doing is working.

Karma.  It’s what’s for breakfast.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

[Since updated for clarity.]

Continue reading Repeat after me: THE OBAMACARE ‘MANDATE’ WAS ACTUALLY A TAX.

Now this is what I call ‘dedication.’

Also: ‘crazy-insane OCD:’

Made from a ping-pong ball.

Moe Lane

PS: Yes, I’m sure that ‘OCD’ is probably the wrong diagnosis.  This is not precisely a website known for its stellar understanding of the DSM-IV; [REST REDACTED, AS IT ABRUPTLY SEGUED INTO A SOMEWHAT BIZARRE PARTISAN RANT.  OBVIOUSLY, I NEED MORE COFFEE.]