The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

The Perry-Palin Litmus Test

Posted on | August 20, 2011 | 31 Comments

by Smitty

Allahpundit, emphasis mine:

Since we’re talking Perry, Palin, and Iowa, here’s an … interesting poll that made the rounds yesterday. There’s nothing obviously suspect to me about the methodology for surveying Republicans (the poll was automated, just like all of Rasmussen’s), but I’m not familiar with this pollster so assign whatever degree of credibility to it that you like. I joked on Twitter today that it’ll be fun seeing which side Karl Rove comes down on if the race ends up being between Perry and Palin, but he’d surely take solace in the fact that things will inevitably turn really nasty online between each candidate’s supporters. Perry will get called a cronyist, Palin will get called unqualified, and thus shall the wedge be driven into the grassroots. Can’t wait to find out which of the two is the truer “true conservative.” It’s hard for us RINOs to tell sometimes, you know.

If Governor Palin is the spiritual daughter of Reagan, and his 11th Commandment was not to speak ill of another conservative, then it makes sense that she’ll discipline her troops, to heighten the contrast between her and at least the Left, if not also Governor Perry’s supporters.

But is it in her best interest to go in this early? If she lets Governors Perry and Romney bash on each other and the Left while remaining aloof, is that a bad thing? Her only opportunity cost would be near-term fundraising. However, gambling that her charisma will motivate campaign contributions from the hoi polloi may make it worthwhile to delay.

Furthermore, if a substantial number of the people already bet that she’s running, without an official announcement, then she builds pressure on BHO, while not actually being present on the field, which presence would become a rallying cry for the opposition. She continues to log hours in front of a camera, and work whatever offline coaching she’s doing, honing the message. The Recovering Liberal breaks down the pundit split, which favors a run, but cites 03 September for the announcement.

What is the fish/cut bait date? I predict a buildup during the fall, a final go/no go decision, which will be a go, and come on 13 November, with all of the appropriate invocations of Reagan. By that time, the mysterious 1 in 5 who strongly support BHO shall have ebbed about as far as they will, and the House GOP shall have had time to recycle the debt question with the FY12 spending bills. Unless BHO can find a way not to look a total boob (again) on budgetary matters (it could happen: his opponent is the GOP), he stands to be further weakened as the year drags on. Other than the corresponding economic damage to the country, what’s not to like about that?

So, sorry, Maggie Mac: your bustier straps are likely to remain twisted a few months more, if I’m right. Daily Pundit also sounds a trifle overheated:

At this point, if Sarah does jump in, I’m inclined to be annoyed with her. She dicked around playing cute for months, when she could have joined the fray and locked up the anti-RINO vote.

You’ll shake it off, I expect.

In any event, it makes little sense for Perry or Palin supporters to expend ammunition on each other. They’d fail the Reagan litmus test. And she’s not in the race. He’s still receiving the inspection reserved for candidates whose names do not rhyme with ‘trauma’. If they’re the last two standing, there may be some thumb wrestling to sort out who tops the ticket. But that’s all wildly speculative.

Category: Rick Perry, Sarah Palin

Obamanomics in Action: Houses in Baltimore Selling for Less Than $10,000

Posted on | August 20, 2011 | 43 Comments

Hundreds of urban homes have sold for rock-bottom prices:

One of every 10 city homes sold during the first half of the year — about 275 in all — fell in that price range [below $10,000]. Twice as many sold for under $20,000. …
More city homes sold for less than $10,000 between January and June than in all of 2009 and 2010 combined. Dozens of city neighborhoods had at least one such sale this year.
As very cheap homes change hands, average sale prices in Baltimore have plummeted. Seventy city neighborhoods saw average prices drop more than 20 percent versus a year ago.

New York Times headline: “Confidence in Obama, and in the Economy, Declines.” Gee, ya think so?

UPDATE: Welcome, Instapundit readers!


Category: Economics

Krauthammer On The Vineyard

Posted on | August 20, 2011 | 6 Comments

by Smitty

Charles is his usual insightful self on BHO’s vacation spot, concluding:

You know, the Vineyard doesn’t have any bridges to it. You either get there on a ferry in your Maserati, or on a jet or a helicopter. It’s not exactly where ordinary folks will take a vacation.

If I was going to write a story about a Manchurian candidate in trouble, I’d pick a spot like Martha’s Vineyard to have him retreat as his Presidency crumbled. My–strictly fictional, mind you–character is a manic-depressive idealogue who is buried so far underground by the Atlas Shrug of his failed presidency that his feet are sticking out the other side of the planet.

So he withdraws to MV to do the Prozac shuffle. Also appearing: his plutocrat overlords, who are pretending to be supportive, cutting their final deals to rape the U.S. economy, and working the numbers on whether they pull the plug.

Oh, wait: I already wrote something similar: OediPOTUS Wrecks.

Category: Barack Obama

GOP Presidential Primary Apocalypse

Posted on | August 20, 2011 | 44 Comments

Tim Pawlenty’s former campaign staff is reportedly hoping to join the campaign of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. This is amusing: Who wants to start their campaign with a team of losers? It’s also pathetic: Unemployed campaign staffers pinning their future hopes on a guy who has repeatedly said he is not running for president. And the ex-Pawlenty staffers are trying to make themselves seem more desireable by asserting that they’ve “resisted overtures” from Paul Ryan’s prospective campaign.

Longtime Red State contributor Josh Trevino says Michelle Malkin is “insane”  and “fringe” to criticize Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Matt Lewis of the Daily Caller wrote: “Some conservatives, of course, weren’t happy with Malkin’s criticism. When it comes to covering conservative primary candidates, some people think conservative writers should just turn a blind eye — or  solely focus on attacking Obama.”

The problem here is that Perry’s fans — and the Red State crew seems to be leading the charge — have portrayed their guy as All That and a Slice of Cheese and now seem to expect everyone else to cede the nomination to their anointed candidate. As I have explained, I was offended by the Perry campaign’s roll-out, a deliberate diss to the Ames Straw Poll. (Iowan sources told me that Perry’s people had approached the Iowa GOP about getting in on the straw poll and evidently didn’t like the terms offered.) My out-front support of Herman Cain might suffice to explain my resentment of the Perrybots, but really: Don’t supporters of other candidates — Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, et al. — also have a legitimate grievance at being told that Perry is beyond criticism?

They’ve been out out there getting chewed up every day for months, and suddenly they’re just supposed to acclaim the Anointed One?

Because Red State says so? Dan Riehl eats Red Staters for breakfast.

Meanwhile, Dave Weigel has a good piece exploring the possibility of an endless primary fight that results in a brokered convention at Tampa.

I had raised this same possibility Thursday, with the caveat that it’s probably wishful thinking: A brokered convention is every political journalist’s dream. It was what we’d all hoped the Hillary-Obama battle would lead to in 2008. Yet the crowded GOP field and the new RNC rules about delegate apportionment — prohibiting winner-take-all primaries before April 1 — do permit the glimmer of hope that we could witness a multi-ballot Armageddon at the Republican convention. (Theme song: “It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.”)

And while you wrap your mind around the idea of a Tampa apocalypse, consider this: The Sept. 3 Iowa “Restoring America” rally featuring Sarah Palin has switched its site to Indianola to handle a larger crowd:

There has been speculation that Palin, a former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, could use the event as an opportunity to announce whether she plans to run for president in 2012.
“I don’t know if she’s going to announce or not,” said Charlie Gruschow, co-founder of Tea Party of America. “But whether or not she announces, we’re going to have a huge event.”

Everybody who knows anything about presidential politics has already decided that Sarah Palin is not running in 2012.

But has Sarah Palin decided yet?


Category: Election 2012, Red State, Rick Perry, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty

Governor Brewer Responds To White House Amnesty Grant With Wild. . .No, Not Enthusiasm

Posted on | August 20, 2011 | 4 Comments

by Smitty

Via Townhall:

The Obama administration cannot get its amnesty schemes through Congress, so now it has resorted to implementing its plans via executive fiat. There’s simply no other description for today’s announcement that the federal government will not pursue the deportation of individuals who are in the country illegally but meet certain criteria.

RTWT, while I work through the thesaurus. Contempt? Disgust? Anger? Chagrin?

May fortune smile on Governor Brewer, who really has 1969 miles of guts, in stark contrast to a certain feckless wonder East of her.

Oh, and speaking of blowing a gasket, check out Chetwynd:

Category: Immigration

To the Reader Who Bought the 47-Inch Vizio 3-D LCD Home Theater Screen

Posted on | August 19, 2011 | 6 Comments

One of our readers bought an $888 big-screen TV through our Amazon Associates links and thereby earned me a $35.52 commission — thanks!

It’s always amazing to discover that readers are buying high-end electronics via our Amazon links, but what great bargains, huh? And what a huge selection. One of our readers is apparently building his own guitar amp, and bought two 50-watt speakers ($177) and a 2×12 cabinet ($160) via our Amazon links, which amounts to a $13.48 commission for me.

They sell everything at Amazon and — while we haven’t yet sold that $120,000 7-carat diamond ring — I do appreciate everyone who shops via our links.





Of course, the simplest and most direct way to support the blog is by hitting the tip jar, but we’re happy to offer you a chance to get great bargains at Amazon and thereby chip in a 4% commission to help pay the bills around here.

PREVIOUSLY:

Category: Amazon

Teen Model’s Parents File $28 Million Lawsuit Over ‘Salacious’ Crotch Photo

Posted on | August 19, 2011 | 17 Comments

Has the world gone completely insane? Pole-dancing classes for 7-year-olds, 12-year-old bikini models, academics trying to de-stigmatize pedophilia and now this:

Clothes store Urban Outfitters is being sued for using sexually suggestive pictures of a 15-year-old model on some of its merchandise.
The ‘salacious’ images, taken in March 2010, showed the girl — named this morning in the New York Post as Hailey Clauson — with her legs spread in a provocative pose.
Her parents are suing photographer Jason Lee Parry, Urban and two other stores for $28 million damages, claiming they did not give permission for the photographs to be used on T-shirts and other apparel. . . .
It is also claimed that Mr Parry – who specialises in topless shots – agreed never to release the image after a complaint from the girl’s agent at the time.  . . .

Read the rest. The photo in question has been online since April 2010, and the lawsuit doesn’t seem to be generating sympathy from commenters:

Please… she should sue her mother for being on the set and allowing her to be posed this way. She has many other over the top sexy pictures so what… she is going to sue every photographer for her choices.

As if this is her most provocative picture? Mommy & Daddy have pimped out their child for far worse, they are suing becasue they are not getting any money from the sales of the shirts with this image, spare us the decency line, as if you know what that is!

Let’s ask some questions: Why is a 15-year-old working as a top fashion model? Who are the designers, advertising directors and magazine editors who represent the demand side of this market equation? Why aren’t the readers of fashion magazines (i.e., women) complaining about advertising and pictorials which offer anorexic adolescents as a beauty ideal?

That’s the real kick in the head: These “provocative” and “salacious” images aren’t being produced as pornography, but rather are being used in fashion ads targeted at women consumers — and those consumers don’t seem to mind.

PREVIOUSLY:

Category: Culture, Sex

Chris Matthews: Exceptionally Idiotic

Posted on | August 19, 2011 | 12 Comments

I’ve been sitting here with MSNBC on my office TV and have twice today seen a particular “Lean Forward” promotional spot in which Chris Matthews uses the phrase “American exceptionalsm” in a way that is both wrong and tendentious.

Strangely, this MSNBC spot isn’t available on YouTube, and some Birthers have claimed it was taken offline because Matthews appears (they say) to be granting the possibility of Obama’s foreign birth. That’s too conspiratorial for my taste, but yet it is remarkable that this ad is still running regularly without being available online. WorldNetDaily describes the ad:

“Sometimes I think the critics of the president are just clearly unfair when they say he doesn’t love this country,” says Chris Matthews, anchor of MSNBC’s “Hardball” program in one of the “Lean Forward” ads directed by Spike Lee.
“And here’s a guy of mixed background, and he said ‘Only in this country, my country, is this story possible.’ I think that was the greatest testament to American exceptionalism. I don’t think that you can say that in Japan or in China. You can’t go these countries and become Chinese.”
Then while pointing to the White House in the background, Matthews concludes by saying, “And look where he is.”

The first objection is this: Which critics are saying Obama “doesn’t love this country”? Can Chris Matthews produce a list of such people, with relevant quotations? But if Obama’s critics are saying this, isn’t the accusation in some sense fair?

“We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America,” Obama told a cheering crowd on Oct. 29, 2008. If he loves America so much, why the need for fundamental transformation? How can you, on the one hand, be a patriotic believer in “American exceptionalism” and then expect people to cheer when you proclaim you are intent on “fundamentally transforming” America? There is a discordance between these two ideas.

Beyond that, however, Matthews seems to have a mistaken notion of what the phrase “American exceptionalism” actually means. Quoting Wikipedia:

American exceptionalism refers to the theory that the United States is qualitatively different from other states. In this view, America’s exceptionalism stems from its emergence from a revolution, becoming “the first new nation,” and developing a uniquely American ideology, based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism and laissez-faire. This observation can be traced to Alexis de Tocqueville, the first writer to describe the United States as “exceptional.” Historian Gordon Wood has argued, “Our beliefs in liberty, equality, constitutionalism, and the well-being of ordinary people came out of the Revolutionary era. So too did our idea that we Americans are a special people with a special destiny to lead the world toward liberty and democracy.”
The specific term “American exceptionalism” was first used in 1929 by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin chastising members of the American Communist Party for believing that America was independent of the Marxist laws of history “thanks to its natural resources, industrial capacity, and absence of rigid class distinctions.”

So if we accept the Wiki etymology of the phrase, it was Tocqueville who first wrote of the “exceptional” qualities of our nation, and this proved an obstacle to the ambitions of Stalin, who shrewdly perceived how “American exceptionalism” (and our citizens’ widespread belief in American exceptionalism) hindered Communist aims toward this country.

That isn’t what Matthews is talking about in the MSNBC promo, however. What he is talking about is one of the favorite themes of open-borders multiculturalists, who like to speak of America as a “propositional nation” — i.e., referencing Lincoln’s descripion in the Gettysburg Address of America as a nation “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” According to advocates of the “propositional nation” theory, the key to American citizenship is whether one accedes to this egalitarian formula.

One can (and many have) criticized the “propositional nation” thesis, but my point is that Matthews has managed to conflate this idea with “American exceptionalism,” so that merely by the fact of being sired by a Kenyan — “mixed background,” as Matthews puts it — Obama becomes a symbol of that exceptionalism.

All of which is sort of an aside to the question of why MSNBC, which purports to be a news network, seems to have devoted itself to a politician’s re-election.

Category: Barack Obama, History, Immigration, MSNBC
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