LAS VEGAS, Nevada
Whose lucky number will be up in tonight’s debate on CNN? That’s the subject of my American Spectator column today:
Even before landing, passengers in the window seats can see the neon lights of the casinos on the strip. As soon as you exit your plane and step into McCarran International Airport, the business of the place confronts you: Rows of slot machines waiting to accept the visitor’s contribution to the local economy. “Double Gold,” “Triple Red White & Blue,” and “Triple Diamond Deluxe” — the bright lights, garish colors and clamorous sounds of the machines invite you to take a chance and, what the heck, why not? “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” as the slogan says, and what happens here day after day is tourists losing money that stays in Vegas.
You go home. Your money stays here. If tourists were as lucky as they hoped, Las Vegas would go broke within 72 hours and all the tourists would go home rich. What actually happens, of course, is that the tourists lose far more than they win and yet they keep coming back year after year, losing more in the slot machines and poker pits, at the blackjack tables and roulette wheels — even at the airport, where they can bet a buck and maybe win a million (but much more likely lose again) before they board the flight back home. And tonight at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on the Strip, somebody’s going to lose a presidential debate. . . .
Please read the whole thing. And a few quick headlines:
Republicans Call For Romney
To Join Nevada Boycott
— WMUR-TV, New Hampshire
Perry Campaign’s Payment for
Private Jet Raises Questions
— New York Times
Iowa GOP officials set date for
the Republican caucuses: Jan. 3
— Des Moines Register
Tonight’s debate starts at 8 p.m. ET — don’t miss it!
Good article. I think you nail the odds well, but you are still betting on Cain. Good man!
I like any article that mentions Blood, Sweat & Tears. Just stay away from those Spinnin’ Wheels. They cost me a small fortune….
You are good enought to be invited to Blogcon!
He skips dinner for a smoke at eight
He makes predictions and never too late
He’d never endorses people he hates
That’s why Stacy is a tramp Doesn’t like crap games, with RINO earls
Likes downtown roulette, give the wheel a whirl
Won’t dish the dirt, with the red state girls
That’s why Stacy is a trampHe loves to search Smitty’s noggin to find a hair
Life without care
He’s broke, but it’s “ok”He hates D.C., it’s cold and it’s damp
That’s why Stacy is a trampDoesn’t like politics, with sharpies and frauds
Doesn’t care for disingeuous political fraudsWon’t dish the dirt, with the red state broads
That’s why the Stacy is a trampSleeps on couches and eats canned stew,
Does not promote turkeys.
As he hitched and hiked and grifted, too,
from Maine to Albuquerque.
Alas, he missed the Blogcon Ball, and what is twice as sad:
He was never at a party where they honored Newt the Cad.
But social circles spin too fast for he;
His RINOphobia is the place to be…..He gets jonesin for a smoke around at eight,He likes predictions but never too late.
He never bother with people he hates: That’s why Stacy is a tramp.
Ya but Stacy has a system.
Good article, Stacy.
The comments section at Speck-tater has several regulars that are a 9/16″ wrench short of a full set.
Huntsman won’t be there, so that’s good. I’m hoping Bachmann quits kicking the crippled Perry horse (I won’t say its dead yet) and focus her attention on Romney, not Cain. Romney is the key to making sure this election goes to a conservative. Somebody needs to knock him out tonight, if possible. I’m sick of hearing from Fox about how great he’s doing in the debates when everybody is treating him with kid gloves except for Perry, the worst debater on the stage.
Cain looks better and better with this…..
“One of the architects of Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan, economist Stephen Moore, said the contender for the GOP presidential nomination needs to drop his proposed 9 percent sales tax.”
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/188245-architect-of-cains-9-9-9-plan-says-he-should-drop-the-sales-tax
Personally, I’d like to see him oppose those excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol and gasoline as well….but I’ll admit that’s another thing that he would never get through Congress.
I think he could get them through if we elected enough Republicans. Those kinds of taxes have no place in federal law. The whiskey tax was the one blight on George Washington’s otherwise stellar career.
Totally linked with tip jar promotion 😉 Win big Stacy!
Did they really kick Huntsman out? About time.
Romney should be taking the heat, but unfortunately we all know Herman Cain is going to feel like he is in the pizza oven tonight. That is okay, Herman is tough and unflappable.
[…] a ways; the only non-union property on The Strip hosted RightOnline and Kruiser Kabana last year. The Other McCain, future ambassador to Vanatu, is reporting live from the scene of the […]
Given that CNN is hosting this debate, let’s point out the double standard now:
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/18/harry-belafonte-falls-asleep-live-on-air/?hpt=hp_c2
The old coot is a nasty bit of work. But note how CNN treats this with kid gloves. I mean, it is not like he is Sarah Palin! Respect must be paid.
They didn’t kick him out, he’s boycotting the Nevada debate in protest of Nevada moving their primary up ahead of New Hampshire’s. It’s nothing but a ploy to increase his popularity in NH.
Linked at SIGIS!
I sense you and Mrs. The Other McCain had a discussion on visiting the roulette wheels this trip. As in, not doing it.
I am guessing the system this time is not to get started in the first place. Guess what, then you break even!
Well maybe a few dollars…
They should have kicked him out. These are debates for the GOP not some pansy Democrat wannabe.
I think they should keep them limited to candidates that have five percent support or more. But that would exclude Santorum and Bachmann, and at one time it would have excluded Cain.
Last time I check Huntsman was at something less than 1%. I am pretty sure Santorum and Bachmann are higher than that. Frankly I hope they drop out too, if only to give Cain some more momentum from he base, but at least they both have something conservative to say. When Huntsman talks, he sounds like a teacher in a Charlie Brown TV special.
Yeah, how about the incoherent guy who has another guy following him around to explain that he means vote Ron Paul?
Haven’t figured out if the guy who asks “Huh?” in between them is part of the act or audience participation . . .
Be sure and grab a bunch of the souvenir Anderson Cooper bookmarks – sure to be a collectors’ item.
Upon closer introspection I’m forced to admit I don’t often go to sites with constant flame wars between hundreds of idiots in the comments.
I prefer sites where the commenters are stupid enough to provide actual (and unpaid) content to the blog, like we occasionally do here.
Nice link. I’d love it if Cain brought the man’s name forward and said, “Hey, we can sure do that!”
I have to say, though: total reform of the tax system, while a very good idea, is far enough down the list of priorities that I hope Cain “Reaganizes” it and brings focus to more important issues.
What do I mean by “Reaganizing?” Reagan was a Passed Master at condensing things into short, difficult-to-argue-against phrases and descriptions. So instead of getting lost in the weeds, he could ask pointed (Socratic) questions of the people.
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Neither Romney or Perry will be knocked until they start loosing primaries or somehow run out money of before then. These people don’t stop running until they can’t.