Thursday, October 23, 2008
CNN in the Tank: Expanded
This morning, caught John Roberts interviewing a writer from the Financial Times about whether Obama is a "socialist." How's this? After the guest gives a dictionary definition of the term, Roberts queries, very deliberately and leadingly, "So a tax cut affecting the rich cannot be classified as "socialist?" His guest, of course, points out that we have always had a progressive tax code. Nowhere, since Roberts has framed the "question" so leadingly, is their any acknowledgment that those who pay no income taxes (40% or so) will be receiving checks from the government. Heck, "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need." Maybe, they're right. It's not quite socialism. And Roberts: from child neglect to aguanta pata, such journalistic integrity.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Obama Coalition and the Entitlement Generation
The picture I posted earlier points to the mass hysteria associated with Obama. However, he would not be leading without the support of other swaths of the population. For starters, there are the far left wing-nuts. These are characterized by an acute case of Bush Derangement Syndrome. Then there are the cynical political partisans. These make their home either in the halls of congress or on your television set. There are those who are disgusted with the rampant abuses brought to light by the economic meltdown and who looking to punish the party in power are not examining the alternative economic vision.
The segment of his supporters I'd like to highlight, however, are people who should know better. These are those who reside in the 40 something to 200 thousand dollar income range. The middle classes. What gives? A better question would be "Who gives?" In this case, the answer is Obama. He has answered the time honored question "What's in it for me?" by hitting upon the notion of pandering to the middle class. Anyone in this income range in the United States is blessed by global standards. No, in the lower reaches, such an income will not afford you a home in a gated community or a gas-guzzling SUV. It will allow you to live a decent and comfortable life, if you live according to your means.
I suspect my readers thought the entitlement up top referred to government programs targeted at the lower classes. No, entitlement here is a larger concept. It refers to a whole generation (baby boomers, anyone?) brought up in relative affluence, an affluence created by their parents who worked for it and lived within their means. It bred in them a sense of entitlement, a sense they passed on to their children. They do not start with the finite figure in determining their lifestyle. No, they start with the living standard to which they are accustomed and then worry about affording it. If doing the latter involves plastic, so be it. That's how you wind up with TV reports of the family lamenting its lack of health insurance over coffee in the half million dollar home with the two late model cars in the driveway. Take a look at countertops, appliances sold to the masses at Home Depot. Do you really need a thousand dollar stove? A countertop that costs as much as a used car?
What is terribly unhealthy here is that they want something for nothing, even if it is at the expense of someone else. And that is exactly what this economic plan is. Where is the concept of fairness? You worked harder, so you can help support me. And taxing corporations more? They can take their marbles and go elsewhere. If they can't, they'll just pass along the cost to rich and poor alike.
The worst part of this phenomenon is that in accepting the placebo of a failed economic philosophy, we are not addressing our true problems. While you worry about the cost of gas for your Escalade, 50 percent of households have an income of 31 thousand a year or less. CEOs make untold millions. No man is worth 100 million dollars. Our schools are failing those who most need the leg up economically. Teachers and administrators are afraid to discipline children because the lawsuit is always waiting in the wings. Children are trapped in failed public schools because the powerful teachers' unions fight vouchers tooth and nail. Politicians pander to them extolling the virtues of public education, all the while sending their own children to private schools. Educational reform is put in the hands of the likes of Bill Ayers. Need more?
The segment of his supporters I'd like to highlight, however, are people who should know better. These are those who reside in the 40 something to 200 thousand dollar income range. The middle classes. What gives? A better question would be "Who gives?" In this case, the answer is Obama. He has answered the time honored question "What's in it for me?" by hitting upon the notion of pandering to the middle class. Anyone in this income range in the United States is blessed by global standards. No, in the lower reaches, such an income will not afford you a home in a gated community or a gas-guzzling SUV. It will allow you to live a decent and comfortable life, if you live according to your means.
I suspect my readers thought the entitlement up top referred to government programs targeted at the lower classes. No, entitlement here is a larger concept. It refers to a whole generation (baby boomers, anyone?) brought up in relative affluence, an affluence created by their parents who worked for it and lived within their means. It bred in them a sense of entitlement, a sense they passed on to their children. They do not start with the finite figure in determining their lifestyle. No, they start with the living standard to which they are accustomed and then worry about affording it. If doing the latter involves plastic, so be it. That's how you wind up with TV reports of the family lamenting its lack of health insurance over coffee in the half million dollar home with the two late model cars in the driveway. Take a look at countertops, appliances sold to the masses at Home Depot. Do you really need a thousand dollar stove? A countertop that costs as much as a used car?
What is terribly unhealthy here is that they want something for nothing, even if it is at the expense of someone else. And that is exactly what this economic plan is. Where is the concept of fairness? You worked harder, so you can help support me. And taxing corporations more? They can take their marbles and go elsewhere. If they can't, they'll just pass along the cost to rich and poor alike.
The worst part of this phenomenon is that in accepting the placebo of a failed economic philosophy, we are not addressing our true problems. While you worry about the cost of gas for your Escalade, 50 percent of households have an income of 31 thousand a year or less. CEOs make untold millions. No man is worth 100 million dollars. Our schools are failing those who most need the leg up economically. Teachers and administrators are afraid to discipline children because the lawsuit is always waiting in the wings. Children are trapped in failed public schools because the powerful teachers' unions fight vouchers tooth and nail. Politicians pander to them extolling the virtues of public education, all the while sending their own children to private schools. Educational reform is put in the hands of the likes of Bill Ayers. Need more?
Going to the Source: Sowell on Palin/Obama
Here is an elegant and reasonable distinction between the two tickets. First, about the question of experience:
Sarah Palin's record is on the record, while whole years of Barack Obama's life are engulfed in fog, and he has had to explain away one after another of the astounding and vile people he has not merely "associated" with but has had political alliances with, and to whom he has directed the taxpayers' money and other money.
Then the takeaway:
Whatever the shortcomings of John McCain and Sarah Palin, they are people whose values are the values of this nation, whose loyalty and dedication to this country's fundamental institutions are beyond question because they have not spent decades working with people who hate America. Nor are they people whose judgments have been proved wrong consistently during decades of Beltway "experience."
Read the article on RealClear Politics here.
H/T National Black Republican Association
Sarah Palin's record is on the record, while whole years of Barack Obama's life are engulfed in fog, and he has had to explain away one after another of the astounding and vile people he has not merely "associated" with but has had political alliances with, and to whom he has directed the taxpayers' money and other money.
Then the takeaway:
Whatever the shortcomings of John McCain and Sarah Palin, they are people whose values are the values of this nation, whose loyalty and dedication to this country's fundamental institutions are beyond question because they have not spent decades working with people who hate America. Nor are they people whose judgments have been proved wrong consistently during decades of Beltway "experience."
Read the article on RealClear Politics here.
H/T National Black Republican Association
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Et tu, Mexico?
There have been some items of interest lately. In addition to the announcements of untold oil wealth beneath the waters of Cuba, celebrations of "Russia Day" and the like, two items caught my attention. On Monday there was the announcement that Mexico will begin repatriating Cubans fleeing the island. On Tuesday came the proclamation of increased amity and trade between the two countries.
Given the recent "restructuring" of over 400 million worth of debt Cuba owes Mexico, it's not surprising that trade has increased 80 % in the first 8 months of this year. Nor given their long history of doing so, only sporadically interrupted, is it surprising that the Mexican government has chosen to side with the oppressors. Guess it just goes to show the only illegal immigrants they deem worthy of compassion are their own citizens.
Given the recent "restructuring" of over 400 million worth of debt Cuba owes Mexico, it's not surprising that trade has increased 80 % in the first 8 months of this year. Nor given their long history of doing so, only sporadically interrupted, is it surprising that the Mexican government has chosen to side with the oppressors. Guess it just goes to show the only illegal immigrants they deem worthy of compassion are their own citizens.
Thrilla in Manila
American conservatives aren't the only ones to have doubts about OB. Have to share this goody from The Manila Times. Although the English is somewhat stilted, the opinion piece relies on both Sowell and Freddoso to express doubts about the candidate. Most charming, however, is the following assertion:
Most non-Americans -except perhaps the Cubans both in Cuba and in Miami—are somewhat anti- American.
Most non-Americans -except perhaps the Cubans both in Cuba and in Miami—are somewhat anti- American.
Monday, October 20, 2008
A Funny Thing is Happening on the Way to the Election
I was reminded of Peter Finch's "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not taking it anymore" as I read this Byron York report describing a recent McCain rally. The point of interest here is the after rally as a Columbian immigrant construction worker, along with others, takes on the media. Read it. It's like a scene from An American Carol. Incroyable. If not, the crux is here:
The scene turned into a mini-fracas when David Corn, of Mother Jones, defended press coverage. Munoz was having none of it. Why, he asked, would the press whack Joe the Plumber when it didn’t want to report on Obama’s relationship with William Ayers, the former Weather Underground bomber? “How come that’s not in the news all the time?” Munoz said. “How come Joe the Plumber is every second? I’m talking about NBC, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN.”A black woman with a strong Caribbean accent jumped in the fray. “Tell me,” she said to Corn, “why is it you can go and find out about Joe the Plumber’s tax lien and when he divorced his wife and you can’t tell me when Barack Obama met with William Ayers? Why? Why could you not tell us that? Joe the Plumber is me!”
“I am Joe the Plumber!” Munoz chimed in. “You’re attacking me.”
I've run across that before. After all, I am Joe the Plumber, too. There are many of us, and we've had it. Funny thing, though, while the revolutionaries are on the other side: the proletarian revolution is happening on this one.
The scene turned into a mini-fracas when David Corn, of Mother Jones, defended press coverage. Munoz was having none of it. Why, he asked, would the press whack Joe the Plumber when it didn’t want to report on Obama’s relationship with William Ayers, the former Weather Underground bomber? “How come that’s not in the news all the time?” Munoz said. “How come Joe the Plumber is every second? I’m talking about NBC, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN.”A black woman with a strong Caribbean accent jumped in the fray. “Tell me,” she said to Corn, “why is it you can go and find out about Joe the Plumber’s tax lien and when he divorced his wife and you can’t tell me when Barack Obama met with William Ayers? Why? Why could you not tell us that? Joe the Plumber is me!”
“I am Joe the Plumber!” Munoz chimed in. “You’re attacking me.”
I've run across that before. After all, I am Joe the Plumber, too. There are many of us, and we've had it. Funny thing, though, while the revolutionaries are on the other side: the proletarian revolution is happening on this one.
The Powell Endorsement: A Personal Loss
I confess to having been an ardent supporter of President Bush, President George HW Bush. I am actually pretty much a moderate Republican, by which I mean that I abhor extremes on both sides. I did not vote for W because I loved him but because I could not stomach the alternative and he came closest to my views.
I am a Cuban American, which parlays into a belief that "that government governs best which governs least." It also means I believe strongly in traditional values and in the ability of the individual to rise above his circumstances. In sum, I am a natural Republican.
It is in this context that I have always admired Colin Powell. As a Republican and a Hispanic, brought up in the bad old days of rampant discrimination, I saw Mr. Powell not only through the lens of his achievement, but also with the hope that his open party affiliation would serve to break the stranglehold of the patronizing culture of victimhood fostered by the Liberal Left, that he would serve to show that you can do it. "Entitlements" because you cannot take care of yourself tell you you can't. Powell gave the lie to that assertion. He also stood for my views, a bulwark against the extreme right wing of the party.
So what does he do yesterday? Against every value one would assume he had, he endorses Obama, one of the most liberal of Senators, a man who not only opposed the war Powell helped get us into, but who would have pulled us out in defeat. And his rationale? In addition to the usual Liberal contortions regarding Palin's lack of experience for number two while disregarding completely Obama's lack of experience for numero uno, he objects to the tenor of the campaign, the Ayers story. Memo: if the media had done its job, McCain would not have been put in the position of having to educate us about the educator. These associations would have been brought up during the primaries and McCain would probably be running against Hillary Clinton right now. When there is no record to judge, when the associations are so unsavory to most Americans, what can be more important than the character of the man? Perhaps it is all irrelevant, but that is a decision for the American people and not the American Media to make.
Most hurt by yesterday's actions was my measure of the man: "You dance with them that brung you." That he would be deliriously happy to see an African American within striking distance of the presidency is understandable. I would be. It is an emotion, however, he should have experienced in the privacy of the voting booth. I am no fan of Rush Limbaugh, but he struck a chord with me. Powell owes much to the Republican party, no matter how contentious the relationship, and he should have acted accordingly. This last minute endorsement begs the question as to whether he ever believed in the political philosophy he espoused previously or whether it was just expediency. Frankly, my only hope this election is that his candidate has similarly used the left.
This endorsement is more about the Secretary than it is the candidate. I suspect he feels he was misled into the UN appearance that damaged his credibility. I think he would have been served by waiting for the judgment of history than trying to rehabilitate his image with the cultural elite. I am terribly saddened.
I am a Cuban American, which parlays into a belief that "that government governs best which governs least." It also means I believe strongly in traditional values and in the ability of the individual to rise above his circumstances. In sum, I am a natural Republican.
It is in this context that I have always admired Colin Powell. As a Republican and a Hispanic, brought up in the bad old days of rampant discrimination, I saw Mr. Powell not only through the lens of his achievement, but also with the hope that his open party affiliation would serve to break the stranglehold of the patronizing culture of victimhood fostered by the Liberal Left, that he would serve to show that you can do it. "Entitlements" because you cannot take care of yourself tell you you can't. Powell gave the lie to that assertion. He also stood for my views, a bulwark against the extreme right wing of the party.
So what does he do yesterday? Against every value one would assume he had, he endorses Obama, one of the most liberal of Senators, a man who not only opposed the war Powell helped get us into, but who would have pulled us out in defeat. And his rationale? In addition to the usual Liberal contortions regarding Palin's lack of experience for number two while disregarding completely Obama's lack of experience for numero uno, he objects to the tenor of the campaign, the Ayers story. Memo: if the media had done its job, McCain would not have been put in the position of having to educate us about the educator. These associations would have been brought up during the primaries and McCain would probably be running against Hillary Clinton right now. When there is no record to judge, when the associations are so unsavory to most Americans, what can be more important than the character of the man? Perhaps it is all irrelevant, but that is a decision for the American people and not the American Media to make.
Most hurt by yesterday's actions was my measure of the man: "You dance with them that brung you." That he would be deliriously happy to see an African American within striking distance of the presidency is understandable. I would be. It is an emotion, however, he should have experienced in the privacy of the voting booth. I am no fan of Rush Limbaugh, but he struck a chord with me. Powell owes much to the Republican party, no matter how contentious the relationship, and he should have acted accordingly. This last minute endorsement begs the question as to whether he ever believed in the political philosophy he espoused previously or whether it was just expediency. Frankly, my only hope this election is that his candidate has similarly used the left.
This endorsement is more about the Secretary than it is the candidate. I suspect he feels he was misled into the UN appearance that damaged his credibility. I think he would have been served by waiting for the judgment of history than trying to rehabilitate his image with the cultural elite. I am terribly saddened.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Sunday Morning: Ain't That America
No Thanks. Some smaller community banks are not at all happy about the intrusion of the federal government, according to this article in The Washington Post, preferring to let the market take its course. Many of them have been a heck of a lot more conservative in their lending practices and stand to lose out if depositors flock to banks they perceive as safer. A pretty good view of how this part of the program will work. Speaking of the bank meltdown, here's an interesting read from BusinessWeek which takes a look at some of the fallout, the cities and towns that will be hard hit in the present difficulties.
Shabby Chic. As if its not enough that the ring dings in Hollywood and beyond are backing OB, the Miami Herald has joined the collection of once great dowagers in endorsing "the One." The sound you hear is their circulation figures circling even further into the toilet.
The Bradley Effect. According to Ann Coulter in this, it's not racism; its fear of being considered racist. We just want to be cool. Having worked in enemy territory my whole life, she' correct. You're better off admitting to being in the Man/boy love association than acknowledging you're a Republican. Despite the many egregious things she says, she generally has a point and always wields a verbal scalpel.
The American Spirit. A sad story that has received little play between the election and the collapse. Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett's plane has been discovered, along with human remains. Article here.
The Wuss Factor. A 35 year old Pompano, Florida man is suing the "Booby Trap" because a stripper flung her shoe which hit a glass ceiling (no pun intended) and rained glass down upon him. He had a cut to his eyebrow and suffers nosebleeds. Read it here.
Shabby Chic. As if its not enough that the ring dings in Hollywood and beyond are backing OB, the Miami Herald has joined the collection of once great dowagers in endorsing "the One." The sound you hear is their circulation figures circling even further into the toilet.
The Bradley Effect. According to Ann Coulter in this, it's not racism; its fear of being considered racist. We just want to be cool. Having worked in enemy territory my whole life, she' correct. You're better off admitting to being in the Man/boy love association than acknowledging you're a Republican. Despite the many egregious things she says, she generally has a point and always wields a verbal scalpel.
The American Spirit. A sad story that has received little play between the election and the collapse. Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett's plane has been discovered, along with human remains. Article here.
The Wuss Factor. A 35 year old Pompano, Florida man is suing the "Booby Trap" because a stripper flung her shoe which hit a glass ceiling (no pun intended) and rained glass down upon him. He had a cut to his eyebrow and suffers nosebleeds. Read it here.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Rabble Rousing
Judging from Biden's performance on the campaign trail, it seems the "Senator Government" sobriquet should be joined by "Senator Meltdown" for the running mate. Who's erratic now? In any case, the treatment of poor schmo Joe the Plumber has been despicable. As someone called in to the radio today, how come we know more about Joe/Samuel in 24 hours than we do about Obama in 2 years?
You see, Joe's crime is to have dreams and the audacity to think he can reach them without 3 bureaucrats, 4 lawsuits, and 2 unions- ohmigosh! without liberal largess. Biden's withering contempt for the man is a positive development. Hopefully, it will open the eyes of those of us in the great unwashed, neither ivy league graduates nor inner city denizens, to how they really see us. More importantly, the "spread the wealth around" answer should be an eyeopener for those who believe the moderate tone of OB's rhetoric.
You see, Joe's crime is to have dreams and the audacity to think he can reach them without 3 bureaucrats, 4 lawsuits, and 2 unions- ohmigosh! without liberal largess. Biden's withering contempt for the man is a positive development. Hopefully, it will open the eyes of those of us in the great unwashed, neither ivy league graduates nor inner city denizens, to how they really see us. More importantly, the "spread the wealth around" answer should be an eyeopener for those who believe the moderate tone of OB's rhetoric.
Making It Real
So often when non Cubans, whether well-meaning or fellow traveler, make sweeping statements about the island, they do so in generalities and abstractions. Please note the following post from a new blog, a first person testimony of life after the revolution. Here's an excerpt:
One year sometime in the seventies, during election time, my mom, who was a rebel, decided to go visit her sister in a neighboring town. She said she wasn't about to participate in a election with just one candidate. It was a nice try, but not successful. Our CDR watch found out from the neighbors we were and went all the way to her sister's house to pick us up so she could vote. We had no choice, but to get in the car and my mom reluctantly voted for the one and only candidate-Fidel Castro.
H/T Jose at Cubanology
One year sometime in the seventies, during election time, my mom, who was a rebel, decided to go visit her sister in a neighboring town. She said she wasn't about to participate in a election with just one candidate. It was a nice try, but not successful. Our CDR watch found out from the neighbors we were and went all the way to her sister's house to pick us up so she could vote. We had no choice, but to get in the car and my mom reluctantly voted for the one and only candidate-Fidel Castro.
H/T Jose at Cubanology
Thursday, October 16, 2008
They Just Don't Get It
After the debate last night, I was anticipating the political commentary. It should have been safe. After all, I was watching Fox. I've had to seek refuge there, because of the incredibly disgusting lack of objectivity of the other "mainstream media." At least there I know what I'm getting, theoretically, at least.
Anyway, so there I am waiting for the post mortem to a debate in which I was sure McCain had done remarkably well, waiting for the reference to the line that sent me to the computer to post, when it was one depressing critique after another. Even Frank Luntz's "independents" gave the debate to Obama. Stop! Did these people watch the same debate I did? Huh? So I give up on the TV and have my sanity restored at Pumpkin Seeds and Townhall where others shared my impressions. Aah.
And today, Joe the Plumber is all over the TV. Of course, they're already starting to savage him. He's not really a plumber. His name isn't Joe. Even one commentator on Brit Hume's show stated that Joe's taxes would not be raised, that Joe would be better off with OB's plan.
He would buy the company with an SBA loan. If he stayed under the 200 thousand mark, he would pay no capital gains; and if he hired someone, he'd get a tax break. Notice the intrusion of the government here. All of this is put into perspective by Joe himself.
Joe is on TV. He is the salt of the earth American, "flabbergasted" but unphased by all the media attention, calling it his "fifteen minutes of fame." In his own way, he makes a strong case. He was brought up to work hard and get a bit more from his family, not have it given away by someone else. If he feels like giving it away, fine. Let others work 10 and12 hour days for years to get their own slice of the pie. And those tax increases are going to trickle down to him. These things don't "trickle up." Sounds right to me.
The Obama camp's reaction is tin-eared. Both the man who would be president and his sidekick had a bit of fun, snickering at a "plumber" who makes a quarter million dollars. Wink, wink, nod, nod. No, they're not elitist. The only people who matter are people who reside in their mainly urban, sophisticated circles, and the pathetic victims of their governmental munificence. Their personal generosity seems to stem from giving away someone else's money. Biden has given less to charity than I have. Do I hear 1 percent? Gimme a break!
The reaction of the the political pundits also demonstrates a lack of sensitivity. As Bernie Goldberg once noted, these people all travel in the same circles. So help me, there ought to be a "man on the street beat" at media outlets with the requirement that the reporter live among the working or middle class.
I have a sneaking suspicion that all is not what it seems. Perhaps it is the phenomenon Ann Coulter describes in this week's column. The "Who, me, a Republican?" effect. As I watched four of the "undecideds" declare for Obama, I asked myself how many were afraid to acknowledge that they would opt for McCain. I observe that the today the polls are tightening. Food for thought.
Anyway, so there I am waiting for the post mortem to a debate in which I was sure McCain had done remarkably well, waiting for the reference to the line that sent me to the computer to post, when it was one depressing critique after another. Even Frank Luntz's "independents" gave the debate to Obama. Stop! Did these people watch the same debate I did? Huh? So I give up on the TV and have my sanity restored at Pumpkin Seeds and Townhall where others shared my impressions. Aah.
And today, Joe the Plumber is all over the TV. Of course, they're already starting to savage him. He's not really a plumber. His name isn't Joe. Even one commentator on Brit Hume's show stated that Joe's taxes would not be raised, that Joe would be better off with OB's plan.
He would buy the company with an SBA loan. If he stayed under the 200 thousand mark, he would pay no capital gains; and if he hired someone, he'd get a tax break. Notice the intrusion of the government here. All of this is put into perspective by Joe himself.
Joe is on TV. He is the salt of the earth American, "flabbergasted" but unphased by all the media attention, calling it his "fifteen minutes of fame." In his own way, he makes a strong case. He was brought up to work hard and get a bit more from his family, not have it given away by someone else. If he feels like giving it away, fine. Let others work 10 and12 hour days for years to get their own slice of the pie. And those tax increases are going to trickle down to him. These things don't "trickle up." Sounds right to me.
The Obama camp's reaction is tin-eared. Both the man who would be president and his sidekick had a bit of fun, snickering at a "plumber" who makes a quarter million dollars. Wink, wink, nod, nod. No, they're not elitist. The only people who matter are people who reside in their mainly urban, sophisticated circles, and the pathetic victims of their governmental munificence. Their personal generosity seems to stem from giving away someone else's money. Biden has given less to charity than I have. Do I hear 1 percent? Gimme a break!
The reaction of the the political pundits also demonstrates a lack of sensitivity. As Bernie Goldberg once noted, these people all travel in the same circles. So help me, there ought to be a "man on the street beat" at media outlets with the requirement that the reporter live among the working or middle class.
I have a sneaking suspicion that all is not what it seems. Perhaps it is the phenomenon Ann Coulter describes in this week's column. The "Who, me, a Republican?" effect. As I watched four of the "undecideds" declare for Obama, I asked myself how many were afraid to acknowledge that they would opt for McCain. I observe that the today the polls are tightening. Food for thought.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I Interrupt this Blog to Give You the Line of the Evening
Listening to the debate, where the line of the evening is "If you wanted to run against George Bush, you should have run four years ago." I was actually disappointed by Obama's comeback.
National Book Award Finalists Named
Included in the group are two names with which readers of this blog will be familiar. First off, there is Rachel Kushner and Telex from Cuba, an intriguing book. I'm glad to see my opinion seconded. Ditto with Peter Matthiessen's reworking of his Everglades trilogy, Shadow Country,
a sentimental favorite of mine. Article here.
a sentimental favorite of mine. Article here.
What McCain Needs to Say: Part 2
My friends (you know he's gonna say it), the American people are faced with a choice not between two candidates, but two philosophies. One- that of my opponent- holds that government should exist in loco parentis, so that it should take care of its citizens from the cradle to the grave. Like children you are not competent to make decisions about housing and healthcare, energy consumption and how you are going to spend your money for yourselves. Such a view means that like a parent, the government will determine what it deems good for you and enforce it. It punishes success and rewards dysfunction.
Senator Obama, who has a lifetime pattern of surrounding himself with people who dislike America all the while he was availing himself of all it had to offer, speaks of America as if it is irretrievably broken, as if it is a third world failed state. This is his vision. His change is not any kind of reform. The Senator seeks no less than to change the American system as we know it. Take his much vaunted healthcare, another massive entitlement program. Our system is flawed, yes. But is the answer really to take away choice? To force small businesses, many of which are suffering greatly and are barely making ends meet, to insure themselves. Now Senator Obama says the government will give you 50 percent. That's all well and good, but where is the other 50 percent coming from?
And his tax proposals. The Senator knows that truly wealthy people will find loopholes he hasn't even dreamed of. The brunt will fall on people who have studied and/or worked their hearts out for decades. Nowhere in his calculations are local taxes. At present, many of these people pay 50 percent of their income in taxes. Think about that: they work an entire half year without making a single cent. Where is the incentive to become a doctor, or lawyer, or small business owner? Now my opponent maintains that 95 percent of American taxpayers will get a tax cut. Since 40 percent do not pay taxes, what does this mean? Many who do not pay receive checks from the government. So is this increased subsidy another version of welfare? It is certainly income redistribution.
And what about the big corporations? Our corporate tax rate is one of the highest in the world. Raising it will lead to increased outsourcing and job loss. Many corporations no longer manufacture in the United States. They export their customer service overseas. Why wouldn't they move to say, Ireland, which has an 11 percent corporate tax rate? The truth is that at a time when we need every job we can get, we need those very corporations. The opposition has repeatedly jeered that the "trickle down" effect doesn't work. Well, I ask you, have you ever seen anything "trickle up"?
Yes, we have difficulties. But it is not our overarching philosophy of freedom and opportunity that is broken. It is the very government Senator Obama would empower that is broken. Think about it, my friends. Yes there are many, deep problems in our economy, much caused by the twin evils of government intrusion into the private sector where it doesn't belong and lax enforcement of the regulations where it does. Think of the congressional leadership. Is this what you want for America?
Now I believe deeply in the promise of America. I have fought for it. And I will continue to fight the excesses and corruption of big government. I will reform our financial system. But I will fix what is broken, not insinuate a revolution in the sheep's clothing of "change." I seek reform; my opponent seeks a mandate to change the system.
Senator Obama, who has a lifetime pattern of surrounding himself with people who dislike America all the while he was availing himself of all it had to offer, speaks of America as if it is irretrievably broken, as if it is a third world failed state. This is his vision. His change is not any kind of reform. The Senator seeks no less than to change the American system as we know it. Take his much vaunted healthcare, another massive entitlement program. Our system is flawed, yes. But is the answer really to take away choice? To force small businesses, many of which are suffering greatly and are barely making ends meet, to insure themselves. Now Senator Obama says the government will give you 50 percent. That's all well and good, but where is the other 50 percent coming from?
And his tax proposals. The Senator knows that truly wealthy people will find loopholes he hasn't even dreamed of. The brunt will fall on people who have studied and/or worked their hearts out for decades. Nowhere in his calculations are local taxes. At present, many of these people pay 50 percent of their income in taxes. Think about that: they work an entire half year without making a single cent. Where is the incentive to become a doctor, or lawyer, or small business owner? Now my opponent maintains that 95 percent of American taxpayers will get a tax cut. Since 40 percent do not pay taxes, what does this mean? Many who do not pay receive checks from the government. So is this increased subsidy another version of welfare? It is certainly income redistribution.
And what about the big corporations? Our corporate tax rate is one of the highest in the world. Raising it will lead to increased outsourcing and job loss. Many corporations no longer manufacture in the United States. They export their customer service overseas. Why wouldn't they move to say, Ireland, which has an 11 percent corporate tax rate? The truth is that at a time when we need every job we can get, we need those very corporations. The opposition has repeatedly jeered that the "trickle down" effect doesn't work. Well, I ask you, have you ever seen anything "trickle up"?
Yes, we have difficulties. But it is not our overarching philosophy of freedom and opportunity that is broken. It is the very government Senator Obama would empower that is broken. Think about it, my friends. Yes there are many, deep problems in our economy, much caused by the twin evils of government intrusion into the private sector where it doesn't belong and lax enforcement of the regulations where it does. Think of the congressional leadership. Is this what you want for America?
Now I believe deeply in the promise of America. I have fought for it. And I will continue to fight the excesses and corruption of big government. I will reform our financial system. But I will fix what is broken, not insinuate a revolution in the sheep's clothing of "change." I seek reform; my opponent seeks a mandate to change the system.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Cuban Model
Ran across an interesting tidbit today. Seems Namibia is donating the equivalent of a million dollars to the castro relief fund. How sad are the straits to which Cuba has been reduced? The required propaganda motifs make an appearance in the article/press release: the big, bad embargo; the marvelously efficient machinery of evacuation, etc. But then, what can you expect from the usual cheering section of allAfrica?
I was reminded, though, of an article I came across recently on that website which advocated "learning from Cuba." My first thought was pobrecitos, poor fools. Haven't they gotten enough "bloody instruction"? But I was wrong. Although his view of the Cuban regime is the source for some dramatic irony, he does make a valid point:
At the same time, Cuba has invested heavily in ensuring the rest of the world sees the injustice of America's policy towards Havana; from supporting terrorists, barring US tourism to that country to blocking companies that want to from even buying a banana from the island.
In some 100 countries across the world, people have established various official solidarity organisations and pressure groups that lobby their home governments to press the US to change its policy towards Cuba as well as to simply educate the indigenous populations on what is happening on that island and how shameful Washington's behaviour is.
Zimbabwe has a Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Society and a Free the Cuban 5 Committee (which lobbies for the release of five Cuban patriots who are being unjustly kept in American jails), and this is something that one will find in many countries across the globe.
The point is that Cuba has created a foreign policy that is geared towards fighting the illegal sanctions that it has had to live with for nearly half a century now.
More importantly, they have not only moulded such a foreign policy, but they have invested heavily in it in terms of both financial and human resources.
Staff at Cuban embassies and consulates all over Southern Africa -- and this is likely the case across the world -- are known to be extremely proactive in defence of their revolution and in spreading the word to the people of their host countries so that they are fully aware of what is going on.
That is why America has found it hard to sell the lie that Cde Fidel Castro presided over an evil system and his brother Cde Raul is the new great Satan overseeing a diabolic communist administration that enjoys imprisoning people and executing them for expressing a contrary view.
That is why since 1992 -- and without fail this will be the 17th consecutive time -- the world has overwhelmingly voted for a lifting of America's illegal sanctions regime.
I had to boldface that particular paragraph. It demonstrates the accuracy of his claim, namely Cuba has effectively marketed its thugocracy and set a shining example for others of like mind.
Cross posted at Babalublog
I was reminded, though, of an article I came across recently on that website which advocated "learning from Cuba." My first thought was pobrecitos, poor fools. Haven't they gotten enough "bloody instruction"? But I was wrong. Although his view of the Cuban regime is the source for some dramatic irony, he does make a valid point:
At the same time, Cuba has invested heavily in ensuring the rest of the world sees the injustice of America's policy towards Havana; from supporting terrorists, barring US tourism to that country to blocking companies that want to from even buying a banana from the island.
In some 100 countries across the world, people have established various official solidarity organisations and pressure groups that lobby their home governments to press the US to change its policy towards Cuba as well as to simply educate the indigenous populations on what is happening on that island and how shameful Washington's behaviour is.
Zimbabwe has a Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Society and a Free the Cuban 5 Committee (which lobbies for the release of five Cuban patriots who are being unjustly kept in American jails), and this is something that one will find in many countries across the globe.
The point is that Cuba has created a foreign policy that is geared towards fighting the illegal sanctions that it has had to live with for nearly half a century now.
More importantly, they have not only moulded such a foreign policy, but they have invested heavily in it in terms of both financial and human resources.
Staff at Cuban embassies and consulates all over Southern Africa -- and this is likely the case across the world -- are known to be extremely proactive in defence of their revolution and in spreading the word to the people of their host countries so that they are fully aware of what is going on.
That is why America has found it hard to sell the lie that Cde Fidel Castro presided over an evil system and his brother Cde Raul is the new great Satan overseeing a diabolic communist administration that enjoys imprisoning people and executing them for expressing a contrary view.
That is why since 1992 -- and without fail this will be the 17th consecutive time -- the world has overwhelmingly voted for a lifting of America's illegal sanctions regime.
I had to boldface that particular paragraph. It demonstrates the accuracy of his claim, namely Cuba has effectively marketed its thugocracy and set a shining example for others of like mind.
Cross posted at Babalublog
Monday, October 13, 2008
Some Parallels for a Monday
The Sound of Silence. On Townhall, David Limbaugh calls Obama, "The Stealth Candidate," raising the idea that it wasn't just "association" with Ayers. Rather as Melanie Phillips points out in this most excellent piece in the Mail, it was "participation." It is sad that it takes a foreigner to point out the Barackian reality in a cogent, well-written column.
The Nature of Responsibility. At the New York Post, Kirsten Powers makes the most excellent point that Americans helped bring us to this economic pass by living well beyond our means. Where's the outrage now?
The Divine of Domesticity. In a change of pace, here's an interesting read from Nathan Jeffay about Judaism and the holidays. I post it, because as someone with a lone Jewish relative, I have often been struck by the beauty of religious observance in the home. It makes the divine more immediate, somehow.
The March of Progress. At the Times(UK), we are informed by a leading geneticist that evolution has hit a dead end of sorts. The engine of change has apparently been stifled by our social mores and the advances in curbing infant mortality, or some such. It's pretty interesting stuff.
The Kindness of Strangers. I'll leave you with a human interest story. In Port Orange, Florida, an apparent operator malfunction at an amusement park ride left a mother entangled 40 feet up, clutching onto her toddler. All is well, as the crowd caught the little girl. Read it here.
The Nature of Responsibility. At the New York Post, Kirsten Powers makes the most excellent point that Americans helped bring us to this economic pass by living well beyond our means. Where's the outrage now?
The Divine of Domesticity. In a change of pace, here's an interesting read from Nathan Jeffay about Judaism and the holidays. I post it, because as someone with a lone Jewish relative, I have often been struck by the beauty of religious observance in the home. It makes the divine more immediate, somehow.
The March of Progress. At the Times(UK), we are informed by a leading geneticist that evolution has hit a dead end of sorts. The engine of change has apparently been stifled by our social mores and the advances in curbing infant mortality, or some such. It's pretty interesting stuff.
The Kindness of Strangers. I'll leave you with a human interest story. In Port Orange, Florida, an apparent operator malfunction at an amusement park ride left a mother entangled 40 feet up, clutching onto her toddler. All is well, as the crowd caught the little girl. Read it here.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Aha! Some of the Barackian Mystery Revealed
A post by Cigar Mike on Babalu may shed some light on the Obamamiam penchant for unsavory associations. He presents some highlights of Dreams from my Father:
On page 100, Obama says he went out of his way to choose Marxist professors as his friends. Obama wrote: "To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully, the more politically active black students, the foreign students, the Chicanos, the Marxist professors and punk rock performance poets.
Now I really have to question his judgement. The "punk rock performance poets" alone would do it for me. I've heard my share of flying squirrel poems recited, but I don't think I've ever come across that combination. As to the book, I won't read it because I'm afraid of turning into a mindless automaton a la sci fi.
On page 100, Obama says he went out of his way to choose Marxist professors as his friends. Obama wrote: "To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully, the more politically active black students, the foreign students, the Chicanos, the Marxist professors and punk rock performance poets.
Now I really have to question his judgement. The "punk rock performance poets" alone would do it for me. I've heard my share of flying squirrel poems recited, but I don't think I've ever come across that combination. As to the book, I won't read it because I'm afraid of turning into a mindless automaton a la sci fi.
Book Notes for a Friday Evening
Today I had an advance copy of Toni Morrison's new book, A Mercy, in my hand. My first thought was "Great." I've read quite a bit of her work. Although I tend to find her uneven, she is unequaled in the excruciatingly painful, powerful moment: the ending of The Bluest Eye, the origin of the Beloved title. I stopped in my tracks.
I just recently came across a paean to Fidel Castro by Ms. Morrison. It occurred to me that I am supposed to feel sorrow for her people; all her fiction is constructed around that notion. Yet she shows no such consideration for mine. In fact, she extols the oppressor of my people. So thanks, but no thanks.
But then that isn't fair. In my heart, I believe that Ms. Morrison is misguided, because she is misinformed. She has fallen prey, as have many others, to the pretty picture of healthcare and education and equality painted by the dictatorship. And who is to disabuse her? Leftist professors, scholars who use only Cuban government sources, teachers trained by Bill Ayers, journalists who do not believe a singly word uttered by the Bush administration but swallow whole reams of propaganda put out by the junta? Don't take my word for it. Here's a clue, Ms. Morrison, how many AfroCuban faces are there in the ranks of the rulers? What color are some of the most famous political prisoners and dissidents? Those are less than pretty pictures.
On a more pleasurable front, The Eight by Katherine Neville has been reissued, doubtless as the result of the popularity of The Da Vinci Code and the publication of a sequel, Fire, available this week. For those who haven't read the original, published twenty years ago,the plot centers on Charlemagne's chess set, which is a bit more than it would seem. In Fire, the story is continued with the daughter of the original characters. It's on my list. The first one was quite good.
New entries on the horizon include a new Jonathan Kellerman, Nelson DeMille, Jeffrey Deaver, Clive Cussler, and Patricia Cornwell. Some of these franchises are getting a bit worn, but like old friends, I'll welcome them anyway.
I just recently came across a paean to Fidel Castro by Ms. Morrison. It occurred to me that I am supposed to feel sorrow for her people; all her fiction is constructed around that notion. Yet she shows no such consideration for mine. In fact, she extols the oppressor of my people. So thanks, but no thanks.
But then that isn't fair. In my heart, I believe that Ms. Morrison is misguided, because she is misinformed. She has fallen prey, as have many others, to the pretty picture of healthcare and education and equality painted by the dictatorship. And who is to disabuse her? Leftist professors, scholars who use only Cuban government sources, teachers trained by Bill Ayers, journalists who do not believe a singly word uttered by the Bush administration but swallow whole reams of propaganda put out by the junta? Don't take my word for it. Here's a clue, Ms. Morrison, how many AfroCuban faces are there in the ranks of the rulers? What color are some of the most famous political prisoners and dissidents? Those are less than pretty pictures.
On a more pleasurable front, The Eight by Katherine Neville has been reissued, doubtless as the result of the popularity of The Da Vinci Code and the publication of a sequel, Fire, available this week. For those who haven't read the original, published twenty years ago,the plot centers on Charlemagne's chess set, which is a bit more than it would seem. In Fire, the story is continued with the daughter of the original characters. It's on my list. The first one was quite good.
New entries on the horizon include a new Jonathan Kellerman, Nelson DeMille, Jeffrey Deaver, Clive Cussler, and Patricia Cornwell. Some of these franchises are getting a bit worn, but like old friends, I'll welcome them anyway.
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