Tag Archives: Domestic Politics

Abrogation of the Soul

Somewhat tortuously, the State Department has congratulated the victory of Hugo Chavez’s referendum to revoke term limits on his rule as a victory for participatory democracy, while faintly recommending a new respect for multiparty pluralism. Consider for a moment if … Continue reading

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An Appointment with Defeat

Blagojevich’s senate appointment might not be as valuable to a political career as he seemed to believe. Nate Silver takes a systematic look at senators who were appointed to fill vacant seats by governors over the last fifty years, and … Continue reading

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An Immunity to Ecstasy

So we had an election. For those in the new opposition the outcome was variously enviable, troubling, or contemptible. For the victors it was…what else, an occasion for gathering an enormous outdoor rally at an urban theatrical stage to chant. … Continue reading

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Cocktail Politics, Rio Rancho Office Space and Truman Republicans

It occurs to me that the sequence of cocktails is the best political indicator I know of on election night. In 2004 I was attending a Democratic election party and early on everyone was drinking wine and martinis in stemware, … Continue reading

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A Man Without a Season

Stéphane Dion, leader of the defeated Canadian Liberal Party, has rather ignominiously resigned his position today. Thereby he becomes the first Liberal Party leader since the 19th century to have never become Prime Minister of Canada. Given his dismal political … Continue reading

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Christopher Hitchens & Political Irresponsibility

Video of Laura Ingraham interrogating Christopher Hitchens over his rather weakly supported endorsement of Barack Obama for president. Hitch’s primary position in this chat is that Obama should be supported because he is “evolving” toward support of a more aggressive … Continue reading

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The Marxist Drumbeat of the Left

Brutally HonestThe drumbeat – the phenomenon of the big lie.  It’s the drumbeat of the left. It is political, philosophical, theological, and social. It pervades every activity. It is post-structural, post-modern, post-everything in the parlance of the day. It is … Continue reading

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Against all of that stand these two.

InstapunditBill Whittle talks about McCain and Palin and their stand against a Legion of Narcissists and a Confederacy of Despair – the Liberal Left.

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Hacks & Hackers

Sarah Palin’s personal email account gets hacked by an anonymous operative and Farhad Manjoo blames Palin for “Rovian tactics.” Indifference to irony isn’t a new thing in Palin reporting, but there’s a certain amusement about the event in liberal circles … Continue reading

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Earmark Battle Continues

Instapundit“Senate Democrats promised more open government.  This is not it.”

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The Economic Message is Bad – Not the Economy

The Chronicles of the Conspiracy“What does it say about our nation that it has become political suicide to state the good news that our economy is not in recession?”

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On Bad Ideas

Seth Weinberger picks up Foreign Policy’s “10 Worst Policy Ideas” for Obama and McCain and adds some commentary. What’s immediately striking to me is how few objections FP offers to McCain’s foreign policy proposals. A peculiar thing, if you’re familiar … Continue reading

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An Outside View of the State of Our Presidential Race

Caroline Glick via Ace of Spades Caroline Glick is an astute observer of our political situation. She is based in Jerusalem. “McCain’s strategic grasp of the requirements for a successful presidential race provide an important lesson for policy-makers and political … Continue reading

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Black Signs at the Exhibition

The IMF has come through for Georgia in an enormous way, approving a $750 million credit line for the beleaguered republic. Beyond the much needed aid, it’s a powerful political reminder for Russia of the gargantuan economic advantage the West … Continue reading

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Minor Scandals Can Help

Apparently the teenage pregnancy of Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol has excited social conservatives even more about the candidate (for the when-it-counts demonstration of opposition to abortion). According to Grover Norquist, the soc-cons are “over the moon” in their support. That’s … Continue reading

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Authenticity is the Word of the Day

The Weekly StandardNewt Gingrich nails it.

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A Gutter-al Scream

It’s almost as if the Dems can’t help but to resort to misogynistic antagonism in dealing with Gov. Sarah Palin. This comes courtesy of Alan Colmes, citing Rogers Cadenhead who questions Palin’s maternal abilities: One bit of weirdness associated with … Continue reading

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Side by Side Comparison – Obama vs Palin

RedstateObviously not written by an Obama supporter but there is some truth in spite of a bit of snark.

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Quote of the Day

Hot Air – Ed Morrissey“Would you rather have the man who set the trap dealing with our enemies abroad, or the man who fell into it?”

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It’s the Character Stupid

Bill Whittle argues reasonably and persuasively, on a lefty blog, about the real reason for choosing Sarah Palin. I stumbled across this at Brutally Honest but follow the link to Whittle’s full comments. They are excellent. I think, for me, … Continue reading

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New Media and “Defending the Ridge”

Because the blogosphere and all its scions have much more prominence, and arguably more influence, with respect to this year’s election, I’ve been lazily paying more attention to how new media is tackling the subject at hand. I think the … Continue reading

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Top Sources of Contributions

Human EventsThe unions and municipal workers groups don’t surprise me. What does surprise me is how the left dominates these large fund raising groups. What causes this? What is different about the left and the right? Some kind of association … Continue reading

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Sue Pols for Lying?

Instapundit “Yeah, it would threaten their whole business model.” Isn’t this an interesting idea?

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Clarifying the Separation of Church and State

Blogs for Victory“I wanted to make a distinction between separation of Church and state, and separating our faith from our politics. You can embrace the concept of separation of Church and state, but that’s not at all the same thing … Continue reading

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Has the Left Gone Nuts?

Intellectual Conservative Politics and PhilosophyLong but interesting view of the current state of the political left.

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Smarty Pants

Every day, Professor Keith Burgess-Jackson reprints a Letter to the Editor from the New York Times.  This offering left me gape-jawed. The Professor’s first point is well-taken. Where is the evidence that Barack Obama is more intelligent than John McCain? … Continue reading

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Age Old Problem

My time at the Nebraska Regional was super.  Our team won three of the four Knockout Events, was second in a shorter “Compact” Knockout – then struggled to 13th place in the last day’s Swiss Team, although we were in … Continue reading

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Humpty Dumpty Language

When you’re Speaker of the House, I guess that, in addition to all your other powers, you can make language mean whatever you wish it to mean. PELOSI: I’m never certain of anything. Today, I would be certain. I just … Continue reading

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Russian Imperialism and the Election

(photo: Chris Dunn) John Bolton argues that the future of Russian imperialism in Eurasia rides on the outcome of the US presidential election. Unsurprisingly, he pitches McCain: “First reactions, before the campaigns’ pollsters and consultants get involved are always the … Continue reading

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Going to Tbilisi?

Russian units are on the move again in Georgian territory, apparently in violation of the truce agreement. One Russian soldier in a large convoy shouted an ominous flirtation to a press photographer outside Gori, hopefully in jest or lust: “Come … Continue reading

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Today’s GOP

Occasionally I have arguments with my liberal friends about which party was responsible for what actions throughout history.  Some liberals think, for instance, that it was always the Democrats who battled for civil rights and against Jim Crow.  Yet, for … Continue reading

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Environmental Incoherence

Pelosi says, “I’m trying to save the planet; I’m trying to save the planet.” Charles Krauthammer points out the incoherence of this: Does Pelosi imagine that with so much of America declared off-limits, the planet is less injured as drilling … Continue reading

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Reality Based Analysis?

EJ Dionne thinks McCain is blowing it: By running an attack campaign that is almost a parody of George W. Bush’s 2000 and 2004 exertions, McCain is chucking away his greatest opportunity, which is to show that he could reform … Continue reading

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More from the Kettle

I still hate the housing bill.

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Campaign Racism

ABC’s Jake Tapper thinks it’s primarily being leveled by Democrats. There’s a lot of racist xenophobic crap out there. But not only has McCain not peddled any of it, he’s condemned it. What I have not seen is it come … Continue reading

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Select Rants

For those of you who love New York Times bashing, I am in rant mode at Risk and Return. What a bunch of balderdash. Also, if you want a good idea of where housing prices may go, I also have … Continue reading

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Chuck Hagel wants to change the subject-Updated

From The Huffington Post, where this kind of BS is applauded: “Quit talking about, ‘Did the surge work or not work,’ or, ‘Did you vote for this or support this,’” Hagel said Thursday on a conference call with reporters. “Get … Continue reading

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Why I am still an independent #3476

Ah, the Libertarian Party. I wish I could call it home, but like all parties animated by ideals, it is susceptible to grievance mongers who latch themselves onto the rhetoric to justify disgusting views. The Republican Party of La. had … Continue reading

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Fiscal Responsibility

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Harry Reid, Idiot

While my opposition to modern liberal left politics is pretty clear, I generally feel that name calling is rarely needed, or warranted. I certainly do not believe that any particular ideology is more or less likely to have virtuous people, … Continue reading

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Yeah, he is sooo different

Hat tip: Peg Kaplan

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Greg Mankiw for President

Is it really too late for him to be a candidate? Too bad. Mankiw’s platform surely would be our nation’s best. Mankiw coyly calls it “pandering.”  I call it a breath of fresh air – along with refreshing rationality. No wonder … Continue reading

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The Horse is out of the Barn

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This is well timed

Two straight weeks of 400k+ jobless claims (the level we have been told signals a recession) and the minimum wage goes up making it more expensive to hire low skilled employees by 12%. How about that for well thought out … Continue reading

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Politics and Maliki’s Timetable

Not the same thing as a Harry Reid Timetable (HT: McQ): A deadline should be set for the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces from Iraq, and the pullout could be done by 2011, an Iraqi government spokesman said Tuesday. … Continue reading

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George Lakoff: Neo-Syndicalist

Over the weekend I read with fascination William Saletan’s review of the new offering from George Lakoff, “The Political Mind,” and was struck by the remarkable similarities between it and the revolutionary syndicalism espoused during the prior fin de siècle. … Continue reading

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Harriet and the Spies

Politics makes for strange bedfellows. Vowing to vote McCain, an outspoken, paranoid and hopefully drunk Hillary supporter gets tossed out of the Democratic Rules & Bylaws Committee meeting, raving about race and CIA surveillance: video.

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Exit Trinity. Exit Church.

Well, Mr. Obama has finally quit that ludicrous Chicago institution known as Trinity United Church of Christ. His membership had survived Rev. Wright, but was ultimately done in over the visiting Rev. Michael Pfleger’s bizarre self-hating white guilt trip, and … Continue reading

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The Initial Command

(photo: Department of Defense) The Obama campaign has categorically rejected John McCain’s proposal for a joint trip to Iraq, calling it a “publicity stunt.” Publicity stunt it most certainly is, but why is it automatically assumed that the publicity would … Continue reading

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And On This Topic -

John McCain gets my vote. What exactly is the problem with the American health-care system? The problem is not that Americans don’t have fine doctors, medical technology, and treatments. American medicine is the envy of the world. The problem is … Continue reading

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