Sarah Palin's Bra Size

Ken - Our little, essentially meaningless, exchanges unmask a far more serious problem. For far too long in America every issue has been politicized to the point of where we've had gridlock. We can't even clear brush or plant a tree in this country without it becoming an issue so politically charged as to defy solution. Each side wants all or nothing - and what we've got for the past 50 years is exactly that - nothing: no energy policy; no health care policy; no immigration policy; no environmental policy; no fiscal policy, etc. We have been running on fumes for a long time.

I truly thought with the Left assuming power, especially without the constraints of a significant opposition in either congressional chamber, this problem of gridlock would go away. The Left consistently demanded concessions. The Right has consistently yielded. And slowly we've been moving to the Left. Now, logic would dictate that we really should have reached point where things, one way or another, are getting done. What is stopping the Left from ramming all their stuff through Congress? It's a mystery to me.

We can sit here and argue about individual issues. We can hurl invective and denigrate each other concerning anything from Sarah Palin’s bra size to the efficacy of building nuclear power plants. Those with overly sensitive or brittle egos will retreat just as long as it takes to formulate an even more virulent comeuppance. In this way, we beat each other to death – and, still, nothing is solved.

Again, a minor point, perhaps: My wife cares for autistic kids. She teaches them to pass mainstream exams and has been quite successful. I have personally met some of these kids and I can tell you categorically that using the term 'autistic' in a pejorative manner is wildly unfair.

Ken, I do respect your issues. These are not without merit and deserve serious consideration. I’m afraid that in our current political climate this is impossible. That’s why, come election time, we have to clear the decks and throw everybody the hell out. …and keep our fingers crossed.

Saving Our Nation

I don't think that simply voting yes (no) on greenhouse gasses will give Thaddeus McCotter a get-out-of-jail-free card. It's not just stating the numbers of those attending the proposed 9/12 March on Washington; he must be there. It's not just keeping silent when talk turns to talk radio (Levin, Gambling, Savage, Hannity, etc.); he must appear (like Peter King). He must not speak in veiled terms when defining this administration as essentially 'socialist', 'Marxist', 'statist', 'Jacobin', usurper, anti-American. The American people already know that this administration's policies make them that and more. He must not be afraid to suffer the slings and arrows of the American media and those of mercenary organizations like ACORN and moveon.org. He must be willing to be pilloried by the Left; to proudly show his wounds and outrage without flinching.

These ads by moveon.org are just a taste. They mean nothing except to those trapped inside Oz. The action has shifted beyond and into the hearts and minds of Americans who see themselves as having been abused by the likes of Ted Kennedy for decades. They are gathering steam; they are fighting back - not violently, as this is not their style - the only way they can, by sitting on their hands and letting the economy grind to a halt. (Washington does not run the economy; the people do.) The final blow afforded them will come at election time when everyone - Democrat and Republican alike - will be unceremoniously swept out.

I hope McCotter reads this. He should know that this great political force that is building will lay waste to all the corruption and double-dealing in DC. For the first time in a long while (probably not since the American Revolution), the decks will be swept clean in a burst of righteous anger. "You're either with us, or against us." There is no middle ground. Line up with the folks outright and conspicuously, or you too will be swept off the stage - along with the rest of us should we fail in this great endeavor which involves nothing less than saving our nation.

Snake Oil

Your words go down smoothly like snake oil; your scope of curatorial knowledge is impressive, and hypnotizes - like the snake itself. You craft your arguments precisely to convey your meaning, conveniently leaving out facts that may run counter to what you hope to advance. You leave out 9/11 for instance - which was seen at the time as an attack on America on American soil not unlike Pearl Harbor. It demanded a response, a ’face saving’ if you wish. You ignore that the whole world, at the time, Democrats as well as Republicans, considered Iraq a rogue state, dangerous to the region as well as to itself. You discount the strategy of encircling Iran - Iraq on one side, Afghanistan on the other. You do not recognize our need to secure the continuing free flow of oil to protect our economic livelihood.

Instead, you seek to promote the notion that America is/was stupid at best or evil at worst. Eventually, our cynical, America-hating side, in conjunction with the desire of our global enemies, would prevail as all the legitimate reasons for attacking Iraq were swept under the rug and forgotten. Our enemies were elevated to be our equals (or better) by those who found a strategy which to exploit in our own parochial political wars.

You never offered alternative solutions save doing nothing. And even that would have been used against us in some way; for the struggle that would ensue was not against the people who attacked us but between factions of ourselves - one side seeking the wholesale destruction of the whole notion of America from within. They appear to have achieved their goal.

A minor point: Russell Kirk was right, of course. This is not arguable. However, dying, either before or after any given event, does not involve 'good sense’ (as you put it).

Also, immigration has never been a problem for America. The problem is 'illegal immigration'. It cheapens our rule of law which then leads to chaos. No country on earth condones illegal immigration. It violates the very concept of sovereignty. Legal immigration, on the other hand, provides the fresh blood needed for a nation such as ours to endure. This has always been the case. It's not a matter of foreign nationals taking our jobs because they are willing to work for less. It's a matter of our failed educational system (again, sabotaged by our internal enemies) that does not provide enough skilled workers to maintain our infrastructures. Why is it that even our universities outsource their editing work to India? Why is it that our legal system does the same? It's not that Indians will do it cheaper (though that might be true purely in terms of currency conversion factors). But the overall need for this kind of outsourcing has everything to do with the fact that Indians can do the work. The same is true of everything else that is being outsourced - programming, call centers, etc. ...and it has long been no great secret to Americans that Japan - not strangled by government interference and union rules - builds better cars.

Two Recent Posts

The primary focus of people from the West is external spaces – their houses, their yards, their cars, their towns, etc. They tend to count neatness as a virtue even while in their own minds they often wander blindly, without clear convictions or aim. In the East, where populations are much greater and external space is available only at a high premium, the focus is on internal spaces. Asians do not so much care how things look on the outside, but they are almost manically disciplined in their thinking. A large part of this is tied up with their perception of honor or “saving face”.

It is unlikely that any American administration - especially the current one (which has its own (ego) problems) - appreciates the difference. They can therefore be expected to continue to stumble and fall on their own swords as the day is long in trying to deal with the region. Then, John is right, they will curse the swords that have bloodied them.
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Who are the Jacobins? Whether or not JB is or isn’t remains in doubt any way you slice it. It could be argued that the American Left won the revolution with the election of Barack Obama. Before that point, the Left could have been considered as the Jacobins. Now that the Left is in charge, the title falls to those who are aiming to thwart Obama’s policies. Since much of the old strictures are still in place, the line between the revolutionaries and the defenders has become somewhat blurred. But, strictly speaking, the tea party crowd; those protesting ever higher taxes; the town hall folks challenging their representatives; talk radio listeners; etc. are the insurgents – in the government’s view, the trouble makers, those determined to overturn the results of a legally sanctioned election.

Which side is JB on? Neither, in my view. He’s simply reporting on those things that are of interest to him. He is clearly not interested in the people who will be attending the March on Washington on 9/12. For one thing, they are not the type who would make it a point to listen to The John Batchelor Show. Their concerns are too basic, without much nuance, too black and white for John’s taste. John is perhaps smarter than most. Smart people are often burdened by their smartness – distracted by it. We, as representative of the ordinary, not unusually gifted people (with some exceptions who appear to have other problems) can help him; if not convert him, at least to demonstrate our passion and our numbers which may not make us right, but nevertheless puts us in the majority. In a ‘Democracy’ that should count for something.

Beck - Limbaugh

John - I don't even know where to begin. It's simply breathtaking how far off the mark you are on this one. Quit thinking parties! This isn't about Democrats vs. Republicans. What goes on in Washington is no longer of any consequence.
Only Washington and the boot-lick elites in the alphabet press care about Washington. Eric is right when writing, "The base of discontent is growing daily. It isn't a Republican base gathering against them (government). It is an American base." And who is out there giving this American base tactical support? Answer: Burlesque queens like Beck and Limbaugh.

Obama spends time blasting talk radio because he finds it threatening to his charade. His (essentially un-American) orientation, based on the concept of trickle-down power (as opposed to grassroots power), blinds him to his real problem. He sees talk show hosts as inciting their listeners to oppose him. He thinks that by taking them out, he's home free. He does not understand that people such as Beck and Limbaugh merely give voice to the public's concerns. He cannot understand that the public does not support what his administration is doing. He does not understand because he has never known what it is to be an “American” in the true sense of the word. (This has nothing to do with birth certificates).

And you, John, have it wrong when you think it’s just about ratings. Both Beck and Limbaugh are very mindful of the constant danger to themselves. Our current government is vengeful to the point of imbalance - and, still, extremely powerful. Both Beck and Limbaugh must routinely travel with security details in tow, even just to go down the street to the local 7/11. Either man could just as easily have chosen the Bill Maher route to easy stardom, making fun of Bush. …and both gladly would have, if the times had been different.

Ted Kennedy (1932-2009)

I think we, as a nation, have to take a long hard look at ourselves in terms of what kind of people we idolize. An incident, such as happened at Chappaquiddick, would have easily put the brakes on any Republican’s political career. And so it should. Republicans are routinely sidelined for far less. Wasn’t there one who couldn’t spell ‘tomato’; and another one who kept bumping his head while getting in and out of airplanes? Meanwhile, Dems get away with anything, cheating on taxes; abusing interns; lying under oath; stuffing classified documents into socks; running male prostitution rings out of brownstone basements; bribery; willful forgetfulness; even homicide, fancy that! (Did I say, “cheating on taxes?”) – I’m sure you can connect a Democrat name (or several) to every one of the crimes I have listed.

I’ve heard it inferred that Chappaquiddick was what made Ted Kennedy such an exceptionally good man; that the incident had haunted him throughout his life and he had vowed to atone for it by dedicating his life to public service. And, oh yes; he enjoyed sailing on his yacht.

Could an argument not also be made that Chappaquiddick disfigured good old Ted, and made him a menace? He was an outright elitist, after all. He wanted to force some version government of health care down the throat of every American (exempting himself, of course, and others of the ruling class elites); he wanted us to stop preparing for what are now certain to be energy shortfalls and embrace windmills (except where these might mar his view while out sailing). And didn’t he have something to do with education and immigration policy? And we all know how that is working out. It is almost as if he wanted to deliberately sabotage anything he could get his hands on. It’s almost as if he wanted to deliberately damage America – the land that had given him and his family so much. And, don’t forget, Ted Kennedy came out in support of Obama at a critical moment in last year’s campaign.

I saw the last part of the movie “Hair” (’79) yesterday. I had never seen it before and didn’t quite know what it was until the end. My wife told me the film was the signature of a generation. It was an innocent yarn containing a clumsy political message as well as a prediction at the end. The prediction came true. Those are the people who are now in charge. No longer innocent, they are bitter and out for revenge against God and country. They’re bitter because, despite everything, they’ve grown old. Many have a wreckage of relationships to look back on. They’ve become angry, determined to tear it all down which they see as being the next best thing to taking it with them.

We Must Choose

If you were to ask 10 random people on the streets of New York who Rahm Emanuel is, you'd be lucky to get one person who knows. Most people, especially people who call themselves 'Democrats' or ‘Progressives' or 'Liberals' are totally disengaged from the political process. Therefore, all the bloviating about Rahm or anybody else in the Obama administration is a waste of time.

The only face that matters is Obama's. If you happen to be skilled at painting by the numbers, examine the backgrounds of his czar appointees. This will supply you with the shades needed to complete Obama's portrait. Since we were given essentially a blank slate re our current occupant in The White House, it is entirely appropriate that we now try to find out who he is. (Better late than never.) Should we not like where he's taking us, attacking his people will miss the mark.

I understand Barry Hussein is not alone in this. But he is the face. He and only he can be defined - either as friend or foe.

I saw a movie yesterday about 'Doctors w/o Borders’ (Beyond Borders, '03). It dramatized three of the world's hot spots and the tremendous suffering there. The people helping out all were well-meaning souls who nobly put their lives on the line against impossible odds - trying to help.

But since the film was essentially a propaganda ploy for the Left, all the good Samaritans essentially succumbed to blaming themselves for all the evils in the world. They did so by triangulating their common sense in hopes of rising above the warring factions; they made no judgments, took no sides, and ended up crushed with not much to show for it. It was a modern version of Sisyphus’ plight: Intelligent, highly-skilled, good people - crushed by the madness of partisan violence.

At some point, I believe, it is required of us to take a side and fight impeccably to win. We’ve had it too easy. In elections, we happily voted for the lesser of two evils. Sometimes we flipped a coin. Granted (apart from at Louis Gates' house), nobody’s shown up in the middle of the night with guns yet.

Too many people are beginning to figure out that, despite the rhetoric, the math just doesn’t add up. They’ve begun to question the divergence between rhetoric and the results that can be expected. Too many people have decided that the time to take action is now; to commit; to take a stand; that a refusal to do so in the interest of avoiding the slings and arrows from either side is sheer lunacy. In my view, we no longer have the luxury to simply sit back. We must choose (if only to protect our ability to make choices in the future).

Torture; torture; torture; etc

Torture; torture; torture; torture; torture; torture; water boarding; torture; torture; Bush; drill bits; torture; Cheney; Cheney; Cheney; Cheney; torture; torture; torture; torture; Torture, TORTURE; TORTURE; AMERICA TORTURES!!! Republicans torture. AMERICANS TORTURE; America is evil; AMERICA TORTURES. AMERICANS TORTURE. Americans torture the poor, angelic victims of Bush's evilness; America's evilness; torture; torture; torture....

Say it loud; say it proud, "America tortures!!!" It has a certain ring to it. "America tortures" - at least it did so under Bush. Bush is a criminal; so is Cheney; so are all those who don't agree with Obama - the town hall folks, for example. Obama doesn't torture. He just talks about it endlessly when he's in trouble at home - as with health care. Obama needs a bogeyman, a villain. Bush, Bush; Cheney; Bush, the torturer, the criminal; the lowest of the low; worse than Osama.

Torture, torture, say it often, say it loud. Print it in banner headlines; blare it from speakers. Write it on the walls: BUSH IS A TORTURER. Repeat: "Bush is a torturer!" ...and, by extension, all those who disagree (with Obama) are stained with the same mud.

---excerpts taken from Barry Hussein Obama's revised class (Columbia) notes, from a section under the heading, 'Propaganda'.

Death By A Thousand Cuts

Again we have Thaddeus questioning how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, thinking that death by a thousand cuts will actually impact this essentially lawless administration. What he should be asking is the big questions, like: Is the rule of law (as applies to the executive branch) still in effect? If not, ask the president to officially suspend the Constitution and declare martial law. Then, Obama can go ahead and do what he wants - no questions asked.

One of the things that got Bush in trouble over and over again was not officially declaring war on the 'axis'. In the end, it became a convoluted legal matter to figure out just who the enemy was. Absurdly, the progressives succeeded in flipping the script to make Bush himself the enemy. ...and, incredibly, most people went along with it.

McCotter's 'thousand cuts' approach won't work because, aside from this website, it gets zero coverage. Only Republican turn-coats and appeasers get liberal coverage in the MSM. Only American patriots who dare ask the big questions have any chance of getting noticed (albeit in a negative way, but noticed nonetheless) and breaking through the glass ceiling the American media has established to determine just who gets to sit in the front of the bus.

Representative Government Dead

What a gloomy assessment, John! And people call me names! Maybe I should change mine too? Some acronym suggesting some type of caryopsis or nut might be appropriate. I think it's simply for believing that all this was planned and not just a flock of black swans flying overhead, darkening the landscape. Planned or not, people - especially in America - can expect to see more change. It is what they voted for after all – change without limit. While the likes of Gadaffi, Abbas, Ahmedinejad and Chavez are openly gloating, the American people are being systematically stripped naked; disarmed, and shunted aside - financially. As power continues to shift to Washington, it is the masses that will be heard shouting (or wailing) into the wind.

Representative government has essentially ceased under Obama. Our elected officials have become merely TV side-shows - beauty queens, ventriloquists, all. Elections are meaningless.

Someone will present a bill calling for term limits. It will pass with great fanfare, but will be grandfathered and not apply to those currently in office. Thaddeus' seat is safe for the foreseeable future. It's the new guys whose faces will change like those in a deck of continuously shuffled Tarot cards.

The question remains: Who will (the American people demand) step forward to put an end to this madness? They cannot be expected to go it alone - leaderless. As each day passes, however, it seems more and more likely that the first lesson Obama wants us to learn is how to live as pawns in a feudal society, and like it.

Rules for radicals

I continue to believe it takes smarts to be elected POTUS. I never believed, as many did, that Bush was dumb. Neither do I believe that Obama and the people behind his meteoric rise to power are dumb. Bush basically failed because the (I'll be kind and call them) ‘Democrats’ with help from academe and the press mounted a formidable campaign against him; initially, on the basis of party politics alone. The political rancor got so intense and chaotic; it weakened not just individuals but both parties as well. This allowed the weaker of the two to be infiltrated and eventually taken over by radical elements. Today, it is a misnomer to call Democrats ‘Democrats’. They are, strictly speaking, Marxists.

Obama has no opposition. We must then assume that whatever happens has been carefully planned, including confusion and chaos.

In Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” the message is clear: “A revolutionary organizer must shake up the prevailing patterns of their (middle class) lives—agitate (my emphasis), create disenchantment and discontent with the current values, to produce, if not a passion for change, at least a passive, affirmative, non-challenging climate.” Through agitation on multiple fronts the community organizer, Obama, hopes to overwhelm the system and render it broken and unable to meet the people’s (especially the middle class’) expectations. According to Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”, a book our current president has most assuredly read (and quite possibly committed to memory) – a book about how to bring about a Marxist revolution in America – the people must be rendered “…numb, bewildered, scared into silence. They don’t know what, if anything, they can do. This” he says, “is the job for today’s radical—to fan the embers of hopelessness into a flame...”

Strictly Speaking

Republicans: We are not, and will never be at war with Democrats. The question is: Are Democrats at war with Republicans? Strictly speaking, no. Democrats have long ceased being Democrats however. They are now, strictly speaking, Marxists. Those who remain Democrats are now labeled blue dogs, some of whom have political guns to their heads, others suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. All are royally confused about their political identity.

And that is the point of this whole exercise: confusion. As terms are redefined and redefined again; as history is rewritten; as lies are repeated often enough to appear as truths, confusion reigns and darkness blankets the land. It is under cover of darkness that the enemy fortifies its positions, plans its attack, hopes to strike the fatal blow and declare victory.

No, strictly speaking, we are not at war with Democrats. Marxists are at war with us. America is not and has never been a Marxist nation. If it were to become one, it would represent a coup of historic proportion.

Spectacle and Boot-Licking Idolatry

WHY is the question that leads to an ever closer approximation of truth. Since the truth is infinite, the number of times we can ask WHY is infinite as well. Within the context to your specific question, we can say that liberalism-Marxism-Communism-environmentalism-anti-capitalism is like a religion. It is purely faith-based. The fanaticism on the part of its devotees rivals the fanaticism that once drove the crusades and is now driving Islam. As with all religion, there is no rhyme or logic. Its tenets are blindly accepted. The elite of the movement/religion - Obama, Gore, Marx, imams, etc. - have the last word on any issue. Dissent or questioning is can never be tolerated.

There is an irony inherent in all this. Such rigid control of one's followers, usually by fascist-like tactics, betrays a deeply felt inadequacy. If some of the subscribers - who may not yet be totally brainwashed by spectacle and boot-licking idolatry - were to rise up and challenge the elites, they would either be quashed immediately by unnatural force (as in Iran) or they would require a period of time be able to whittle away at the system (as has happened in America).

The point is that the newspapers you have mentioned are propaganda mills, wedded to left-wing ideology. It does not matter to them that they're losing money; that people are not buying their swill; that they see themselves abased by the very essence of their illogical quest. They view themselves as martyrs for the cause which they themselves - if they have not been totally lobotomized - would have to agree is a farce. Yet they cannot help themselves.

It's like the emperor who parades around shamelessly naked and orders the removal of his subjects’ tongues so that they might not speak of what he himself knows to be true.

Gavage

It is indisputable that the strongest card the Dems had against Republicans was the war in Iraq (and, to a lesser extent, the one in Afghanistan). They were able to use it to weave a wide blanket with just this single thread to smother the Bush administration and render it ineffective. Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, rendition, torture, etc. - all were played up to the hilt and given endless air and print. Cindy Sheehan became an effective spokesperson for the Democratic Party. Her tireless crusade, condemning war in general, was front and center in media coverage for a long time - the Left’s ceaseless attempt to rub the public's nose in the unpleasantness of armed conflict.

It has recently come to light through polling that Democrats no longer care about the wars. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan appear to rank near the bottom of Democrat concerns. All, except Cindy Sheehan – and she has been told in no uncertain terms to ‘butt out’.

It seems Democrat opposition to the Iraq war was just a ploy which now at last has been exposed. Currently, high on the list of Democrat concerns is passing health care legislation. It does not take a genius to figure out that this new urgency too is a stunt that disguises something else. It is evident from what we have seen of the pending legislation that (first and foremost) it costs too much. Again, Democrats do not seem to care if the country goes bankrupt. In fact, they seem to welcome it. Neither do they seem to care how the stimulus money already authorized is spent. Most people taking advantage of the ‘cash for clunkers’ fiasco bought Japanese cars. And why are we giving 20 billion of our tax dollars to Brazil for drilling there?

As the evidence mounts that something untoward is afoot in Washington, the American people are speaking out, their voices muted by the vacuum of honest reporting by the media. I wonder how the 9/12 March on Washington will be spun? Dems will likely derive some measure of relief from the dismissive, cynical portrayal (betrayal) of whatever happens. They will continue to push ahead, disseminating Obama’s insane agenda by gavage. They will trumpet his victories (and partial victories) endlessly; they will decry his defeats. (Forgive my admittedly crude metaphor. I apologize beforehand to anyone it may offend.) With hard-core Democrats it’s very much like passing gas. If you don’t smell it, somebody else does.

Walls: post modern paper

I’m certain that Obama is not losing much sleep over either Iraq or Iran (or Israel for that matter). It would have been nice to be able to demonstrate his ‘savior’ capabilities right off the bat, but it is not essential to the totality of what he means to achieve. Obama thinks in bold, broad strokes. He doesn’t sweat the little stuff. Skirmishes around the world are of little concern to him. Obama’s personal battlefield, first and foremost, is America. Once the war has been won here, the rest of the world will fall into its proper rotation.

It’s been pointed out that Obama to date has appointed more czars than the Romanov Dynasty produced during its three centuries’ reign over Russia. The problem with Obama’s czars is that they are unaccountable to the electorate. Directed to formulate, execute and enforce policy that affects every one of us all directly, czars need not be confirmed by Congress and are answerable solely to the president. Why then bother going through the charade of holding elections at all?

As the end of Obama’s term(s) approaches, expect one (or more) of these czars to declare a state of emergency, postponing elections indefinitely. Maybe the climate czar will determine that holding elections will exceed the carbon footprint limit imposed by the United Nations. Maybe the health czar will declare a pandemic and prohibit everyone from gathering enclosed public spaces. Maybe the car czar in conjunction with the energy czar will declare a fuel emergency and ban all travel by single occupancy vehicle. Just use your imagination. It’ll give you a sense of what they’re surely already cooking up in The White House politburo.

I wonder at which point some people will abandon their insistence on clinging to their myopic, short-term memories and put into historical context where we’ve been, how far we have come, and where we are going. Will we have to wait until the walls have gone up (north, south, east and west) and the gates have clicked shut – not to keep foreigners out, but to keep us in? Will they then still laugh it off as some temporary, comical glitch; some experimental fiction – in which we all play the role of guinea pigs - scrawled on the walls, graffiti-style, to be summarily dismissed on the basis of the now clearly defunct adage, ‘This is America, after all. It can’t happen here.’

Shattering Liberty

The political dialogue in our country has descended into a free-for-all by all parties and is being waged on a rapidly melting polar ice shelf. If Obama says it, half our population is automatically against it. If Limbaugh says it, the other half objects. Even where the interests of both sides appear to converge (as with Afghanistan for example), not much enthusiasm is generated on either side. The general consensus is that government itself is and has been irreparably damaged.

Enter moderates of whom Filliger and Batchelor are two. Ordinarily, moderates would win the day; people who possess the discretion to triangulate; to pick the very best from each and call it a policy. But these are not ordinary times. This is a civil war in which one side will win and the other will lose. The American people have awoken to the conflict. They know that the fight has become existential. The American Left has revealed itself by throwing down its cards in the person of Barack Hussein Obama.

It’s not just happened. It’s been going on for some time. I look at it as a coffee table on which a fine crystal representation of the Statue of Liberty was placed. Every time there was a party, the Left inched the crystal a little bit closer to the edge. Each unanswered challenge; each attack - every concession in the interest of avoiding confrontation and maintaining civility - moved Lady Liberty a bit closer to her doom. The maids in the house neglected their duties which demanded that they clean up and set things right after the guests had gone home.

The penultimate blow came when Obama was invited to these weekend get-togethers. It took all this time for the public to realize what was actually going on. Americans discovered that their elected representatives could no longer be trusted to protect their interests. They understood that passage of any one of Obama’s policy objectives would suffice to push Lady Liberty off the table and shatter the crystal. They would have to fire the help, roll up their sleeves, and take matters into their own hands.

This is what we are seeing now. War has been declared as inevitable by both sides. In a war there is no place for moderation. Every last one of us is required to choose up sides and fight impeccably. Every concession represents a loss; every effective thrust, an advance. No doubt, the Left is better equipped for this kind of conflict. They have long lost any shred of conscience. It took little soul-searching by the Taliban before pushing the Bamyan Buddhas off the table. Neither will the American Left hesitate to shatter Liberty the next go-around.

It Is What It Is

Not to worry, Judi. It appears that the Obama administration is practicing the Art of Zen (it is what it is) in its foreign policy with regard to North Asia. Perhaps he's been assured by the Chinese themselves that they have things well in hand. Perhaps it's just too far away (where exactly?) to bother with when there are problems much closer to home in being POTUS.

Obama is simply continuing the policy so often articulated by Madeleine Albright who consistently lamented the fact that the U.S. was the only super power. Obama looks around and identifies the most determined dog as the one to follow. In this way, Obama, supine, (in his own mind) eliminates all threats to America.

He is, however, beginning to realize that America’s enemies need America more to be an enemy than they want peace. From Caracas to Tehran, it has become abundantly evident that slurs against America are what keep tin horn dictators in power. (Hell, it even works at home!) This, apparently, is the lesson Obama missed at Columbia. Not to be caught flatfooted, Obama (a fast learner) now thinks that that’s alright as well. We’ll continue playing the role (of enemy) while making it absolutely clear they have nothing to fear from us.

Understandably, world leaders from Tel Aviv to Seoul are a bit confused. They did not anticipate the abrupt U-turn Obama is delivering. It is this confusion, mixed with some measure of incredulity, that has so far kept the geo-political world from collapsing. Once everyone comes to realize what has happened in America, all hell is guaranteed to bust loose.

Bolton is behind the times. He is not keeping up with the ‘change’ bit. By using phrases like ‘incomplete’, ‘random’ or ‘non-policy’* to describe Obama’s handling of foreign affairs, he confirms that he still has both feet planted firmly in the old paradigm and fails to understand that what was once regarded as ‘failure’, is now lauded as ‘success’ and vice versa.
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*I’m assuming that this is the thrust of the words Bolton used as I have been unable to watch the video at my end.

Flags and Rose Petals

I got up early this morning. It was deeply overcast and as cool as I’ve ever seen it in Chennai. A notice had gone up the day before inviting all the residents of our building to meet on the roof at 9:00 AM sharp for the flag raising. Today is Indian Independence Day.

There were a dozen or more people already up there when we arrived. A candy-striped flagpole had been readied for the ceremony. Somebody had brought a tray of sweets. Someone else had contributed chairs, and a cassette player with a tape set to play the national anthem. More people arrived as we waited.

When the time came, the oldest resident of the building was afforded the honor of raising the flag. It was tied up loosely as in a bundle at the bottom of the pole. As the bundle then approached the top, a draw string was pulled, unfurling the flag. At the same time, red and pink rose petals (which had been wrapped up in the flag) were released. Thereafter, everyone stood and sang the Indian National Anthem in loud, clear voices. The cassette player was never used.

This simple, yet touching ceremony was repeated on rooftops throughout the country today. Last evening, one of the movie channels played Richard Attenborough’s “Gandhi”.

Today, people came to fix our plumbing and service our ceiling fans. The cook and the maid arrived as usual. In addition, the car went in for major repairs. It’s a holiday but, apart from taking a few moments to celebrate the country at a flag raising, people seem to be gratefully engaged in the building of a proud nation.

http://peterkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Lapses in Logic: sowing dissent

Back when I was working as purchasing agent for a small NJ firm, I was charged with purchasing a dozen new PC’s for the company. My boss asked me to contact a man who had PC’s in stock and was selling them at a huge discount. Further investigation revealed that the computers in question had essentially ‘fallen off a truck’.

I subsequently wrote a letter to a higher boss detailing my concerns. I did not want to be implicated in something that appeared clearly shady in the event it should ever come to light.

My (higher) boss called me into his office and closed the door. He thanked me. I was told that I would remain out of the loop re this particular the purchase; that he would handle it personally. Additionally, he took out my letter and ripped it up. He said that it’s best not to put such things in writing as words tend to assume a life of their own. It was then I came to understand the importance of reading ‘the fine print’.

Curiously, our elected representatives seem not to have learned this lesson yet (or, perhaps, they have learned it too well). They’re expecting us to endorse the passage of a thousand-plus page comprehensive health care bill which will affect every one of us (except members of Congress themselves) without anyone having read it, or intending to read it, not knowing what it says and (as I understand it), which, in large part, has not even been written yet. It reminds me of how Democrats view the Constitution as a living, breathing; constantly evolving document to be amended, changed and ignored at will to suit every purpose.

Such shenanigans opens the way to innumerable contradictions which, in turn, lead to conflict that can be easily exploited to justify introducing additional (non)binding clauses. This is how Chavez runs his shop. Already, it has come to light that our representatives are lying outright when they try to reassure us that no one will be left out of the scheme; that the aged will receive the care they’ve come to expect under the old system; that no one will have to pay more; and that the system will be administered fairly and efficiently. The ‘cash-for-clunkers’ deal has already proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Obama-controlled Congress lacks the expertise to efficiently manage even the most pedestrian enterprise.

Words do have meaning, as does a failure to convey. There’s plenty of both coming out of this administration. On the Democrat side, it’s no longer about health care. It’s gone way beyond that. It’s about sowing dissent – dividing the populace along ideological lines. Those of us who’ve connected the dots are now forced consider overall intent in an effort to reconcile lapses in logic. …and we don’t like how it smells.

Yelling Vignettes

Re: "...one of them thrown away..." John - A powerful video indeed! But it’s precisely the ‘yelling vignettes’ that are what’s instructive – the now inevitable confrontation between Americans along racial and ideological lines. It’s revving up. If I were POTUS, I’d be really concerned. I’d worry just as Bush worried about the backlash against Arabs after 9/11. As I remember it, he took considerable pains to keep the situation from getting out of hand. It turns out, he was successful in this – perhaps too successful.

This president does just the opposite. He’s fanning the flames. Whom will we be made to blame if American should turn against American? Will we blame talk radio? Will we blame old people? Who will be the target of our wrath when the storm is unleashed? Will it be ‘global warming’ or smokers or white people? Will it be bloggers?

Poor Obama, who proclaimed himself as uniter. What must he be thinking as he watches it all fly apart? Even the villains he had wanted to court have shut him out. What’s left? Only cold ideology (with the vicious streak of a scorned lover).

Will we ignore the president’s role? Will we excuse him for keeping the throttle down even as the train approaches the terminus?

A Wound that Never Heals

Hey guys! You're losing me. As I see it there are three sides in this (culture) war: those on the left; those on the right; and those who don't believe there's anything going on. I think the latter have it - both in terms of sheer numbers and ennui.

The Left has been rattling the cage somewhat - to wake people up and get them to choose up sides. I'll give them credit for that much. There's people jumping alright, but most are ducking out of the way.

In human history one third is given over to war, while two thirds is given to peace (or the absence of war). War continues to be the domain of the young; the virile; the idealists. It is a tool meant to be grasped by those with the courage to pursue (or protect) a vision. Once one’s own vision has failed, the challenge is never far. One must either fight blind or yield.

War is a wound that never heals. We are forever tempted to scratch it open for the fascination of watching it bleed. Even in peace, the memory of past wars continues to haunt us. Even in peace, the prospect of the next one is just over the horizon. That’s why we urge our populations to support armies that stand idle two-thirds of the time.

Turn the Other Cheek

Ever since Obama burst onto the national scene, Americans have been trying to figure out just who he is. During the presidential campaign, the American media essentially served as the propaganda arm for the Democrats, painting Obama as a blank slate while suppressing any information about him that might be regarded as critical or invasive. The beauty of a ‘blank slate’ is that anyone can write his own wish list on it and make-believe that it will be so. Now, that Obama has been in office for some time, people are beginning to learn just who this man is and, at the same time, growing increasingly concerned.

Perhaps the remarks made by the president at town hall event in Raleigh, NC on July 29th, 2008 gives us the best glimpse yet into our new president’s thinking on a whole range of matters. The following pertains specifically to the current health care debate (but could be applied to other areas as well):

“(we must) change how we reimburse (medical professionals); changes in the delivery system. So, what we're trying to do is we're trying to say, in all these systems, insurance companies, they should reimburse for preventive care. If a health system is making sure that a diabetic is taking their meds or monitoring their diet, they should get reimbursed for that, not just getting reimbursed for the $30,000 foot amputation after somebody gets into real medical trouble. So one thing to do is to change reimbursement so that the incomes of primary care physicians are more comparable with specialists.

What is the president telling us? (Again, the teleprompter must not have been working properly.) One thing: if I were a doctor, I would be outraged. What I’m hearing is that doctors in America are so corrupt, they would rather amputate a limb than do anything short of that because they could collect more money by amputating. Do you know any doctors like that? Does Obama? Surely it must be a crime to amputate when it’s not needed. Why does Obama not name names and pursue legal channels to ferret out abusers?

Obama doesn’t name names because there are no such doctors in America – and if there are, they are dealt with. Obama says such things because it is in his own best interest to target the medical establishment at this point in time – to rhetorically smear and destroy - so that he (government) can take it over and control it. It has been his MO from back in his community organizing days. He has done so consistently, first targeting (banks, oil, pharma, Wal-Mart and God knows what else) – then extorting money and/or favors. Now, as the most powerful man in the world, he is in a position to take anything he wants wholesale, using the very same tactics.

The latest presidential bull’s-eye is being painted on the American people as we speak; the ones that are showing up en masse at town hall events; those who might not share Obama’s ambition of dominating their world. The Megalomaniac-in-Chief in the White House has become a dangerous opponent. All he has to do now is to send out his goons, draw a little blood, and declare 'lock-down'. It’s hardly avoidable at this point, whether we throw the first punch or not. Either way, it’ll be portrayed as our fault. At a recent John Dingell town hall event, it was the Dems who brought in posters that showed Barrack Obama with a Hitler mustache (to make it seem that those protesting health care reform are fascistically inclined). Fortunately, it didn’t work and the ruse was exposed.

They can be expected to keep trying. I would remind you, good people, that once any of you throw the first punch (or punch back), it’s over. Keep showing up at the town halls, tea parties and rallies, but be prepared to turn the other cheek.

Skin-Whitening Creme

America (in America) has become an orphan that nobody wants. We stand divided between those who bemoan what we have become and those who bemoan what we are not yet. All agree that America's present state is unsustainable. As such, a tug-of-war has developed between the two camps. The eventual outcome of any civil conflict is always heavily favored by tradition. In this case, however, the raw numbers are skewed by propaganda.

Here in India, one gets practically no indication that Obama is opposed at all. Everyone takes Obama's promises at face value. Should he fail, it'll be put down to the (still lethal) death throes of the ineptly evil, radical right-wing George W. Bush. Interesting too is that Obama's intent is seen here as improving America's position in the world; strengthening the dollar; boosting the economy and allowing stocks to soar. At the same time, he is expected to mitigate any weather-related 'acts of God' and bring peace and security to the region.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Here in the East, America remains well respected. When Hillary visited India last month, she received top press. Her words (Obama's words), though without substance, were warmly received. Indians like platitudes, as do Americans. They are pleased to believe that a country that has been good to so many of its own citizens has sent a man to the moon. Not in their wildest dreams do they think that America could be deliberately pushed to devolve into some sort of effete, Soviet-style gulag.

American's in this respect are a bit more up to speed. They've actually taken to protesting. Indians are blissfully unaware of this. They religiously watch the BBC. They are well informed about popular uprisings all around the world - except in America where (they are apt to believe) everything remains hunky-dory.

Eventually, the news is bound to filter out, one way or another. Indians will be shocked by this and attribute it to some sinister plot by extremist elements who cannot countenance a black commander-in-chief – a template with which they themselves are all too familiar. Why else would skin-whitening cream dominate the commercial content of evening TV broadcasting schedules?

Hiroshima/Nagasaki

This represents yet another one of those internationally sanctioned and widely promoted anniversaries where the U.S. is expected to lower its head in shame and endlessly apologize. Like ‘global warming’, slavery, Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, Hiroshima/Nagasaki is designed to eclipse every shred of good we have ever done and paint us as a pariah among the nation states.

It remains a puzzle for me to understand how eternally willing we are to play this game; even to the point of creating a brand new position at the very highest level of our government - Apologizer-in-Chief - specifically entrusted to sacrifice our nation on the altar of someone’s open-ended notion of ‘social justice’. It’s almost as if we automatically accept the premise of any argument that has ever been advanced against us. It’s almost as if human sin never existed before we declared our independence; that we immediately thereafter willfully and deliberately agreed to play the role of Eve - the forever condemned temptress of Adam - leading the whole world down the path of ignominy.

Interesting, that every evil ever done finds its way to our doorstep. A car bomb goes off in a busy market in Baghdad and we are at fault. Harare descends into unfathomable chaos, as does Darfur, and (again) the finger points our way. Russia invades Georgia - who else? American swims across a moonlit Myanmar lake... Now we’ve even come to the point of taking blame for ‘acts of God’ – hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, rain, drought and the like.

It’s no wonder that we’ve become desperate to atone for ever so much guilt; the sheer weight of it – unshared by a fatally wounded God – crushes the very breath out of us. How can we possibly continue with this scarlet letter pinned to our collapsing chests, marking us as having dared to survive so much failed history while others merely suffered and died? Is it even possible to atone for so many dead, now that our own arrogance has replaced Him?

It occurs to me that those with their gods still in tact find it infinitely easier to function. They are able to blame both their gods and the godless for their sins, whereas we have only ourselves to punish for transgressions real or imagined.

Antigone

Sand (and fur) will fly anyway you slice it. The majority of Americans are opposed to our president’s policies in every respect. This situation should spell 'shoe-in' for anyone 'not Obama' in the next presidential election. Hillary and her husband are already positioning themselves on the Democrat side. On the Republican side we continue to see a vacuum.

Yes, there is Palin. She reminds me of the single cow the Amazonian herders send on across the river. While the piranhas are engaged in frantic feeding, the entire herd is dispatched across. Republicans, for all their big talk, are cowards right down to the last one of them. They are afraid of the Dems; they are afraid of the press; they are afraid of being denied entry to Washington DC social events and high-end restaurants; they are afraid of winning. Republicans are afraid of Hollywood; they are afraid of ridicule. Never mind sticks and stones; they are afraid of words. They are a whimpering disgrace.

Americans hate both parties. They worry that in the next election, as was the case in the last, they won’t be given a choice. They worry if there is even going to be a next election. It’s easy to imagine that in three years the system will be so corrupt as to make elections impossible.

Thaddeus McCotter, Republican from Michigan, who routinely strikes flamboyant poses on this website, can forget any political aspirations he might have. To the great unwashed he’s just another silver-tongued pol, who looks a bit too comfortable hobnobbing with the self-proclaimed media elites and Washington royalty. He sidesteps the critical issues - those that matter most - far too easily with clever turns of phrase.

The dominant desire in the country right now is for someone real to step forward and take on the thuggish Chicago-style political machine. They’d have plenty of support but they’d have to get right down in there and get their hands dirty. They’d have to find a way to connect with, and channel the vast pool of disappointment and outrage that sloshes around like untreated sewage in leaky septic tanks and threatens to poison the aquifer.

America stands at the crossroads. Unless a leader emerges – one who is willing to acknowledge without hesitation or apology the vital role talk radio has played throughout these dark days - our Republic will fall. We will have to face the sad fact that no one in the country is up to the challenge of a lifetime; that we have become a nation of dissatisfied sheep destined to remain forever unrequited; hopeless and defeated.

I get reports from all over the country about people who are determined to risk it all. They are keenly aware that if the country fails, there is no need for any of us to go on. I happened to see Motley’s production of ‘Antigone’ the other day. It is a Greek tragedy. In a tragedy, the end is already foretold. Nothing can avert the final act and all anyone can do is shout – not whimper, but SHOUT! The American experience is not a tragedy yet, but it’s getting close. Let’s at least make it a horse race. There is still time for someone to step forward and admit that this IS a war, not a minuet; to gather all that sustains him to his side, and set out to win. It is important that he remember that their arrows are only words for now – not fences, not chains. The reason the Left howls is because our side is effective. Don’t make the mistake of using their words to belittle our own.

A Horse is a Horse, of course, of course...

Lou has it exactly right. If a tree falls in the woods and nobody sees, has it fallen? If a people speak out (and shout their discontent) and no one reports it, is there a sound? Obama says the economy is on the rebound despite an additional quarter million jobs lost last month. Pay no attention to the numbers; just hear what Obama says. He’s our messianic president, after all. Blog; move your mouth; produce sounds; gesticulate – it’s all for naught. IRRELEVANT. Rush (among others) has been screaming for years. And still we have Obama. Talk Radio – buffoons, clowns, each and everyone – IRRELEVANT! Their own words condemn them; their petty jealousies (backbenchers, Weiner Nation) make them IRRELEVANT.

What confirms relevancy these days? Not the frantic waving of diabetic limbs in front of TV cameras; not the wheezing voices barely propelled by failing lungs. What counts today are academic degrees; internationally accredited prizes (Nobel); raw blow-hard power, billie clubs and rubber bullets; not the well-dressed, swastika-carrying bleating of the dying. In the new world order only the useful have worth. Therefore, we must kill the aged early as well as the unborn. Abortion is not enough. An unacceptable number will still slip through. “Freeze the settlements” and, if a single one should still manage to see daylight, kill him or her with crushing debt.

We are told the planet screams under the burden of excess humanity. Therefore, let’s get rid of a part (or even most) of it. Let’s start with those most responsible for the present. Let’s turn the tables; give the others a chance, the ones who have been mute in the past; the ones who’ve been dependent on UN food aid shipments for the best part of the last 50 years; the ones who couldn’t bring a single seed to fruition or catch a single fish if their lives depended on it. In today’s world, ideology is everything; work means nothing. Anyone can be replaced by another warm body. The other day I read about a man being arrested because he was caught on a surveillance video having sex with a horse. Why even bother?

The Finish Line

These are our shock troops. Organized? That's a laugh! They've lost their youth; their teeth; their voices; their focus. They've lost their health; their nest eggs; their dignity; their country. How easy to bulldoze their world of straw!

They say that a nation's youth is its future. America's youth has been swept over to the dark side. They have been conditioned to believe in a fantasy commonly referred to as 'social justice' and idolatry. They will only understand what's happened until after it's too late; until those, who might still remember what America once was, lie dead and buried. And, then, it'll be too late to change course. All they will know is how to suckle at the fickle government teat. Like Peter Pan, their growth will be severely stunted. They will never reach maturity. The nation will have to fundamentally change to accommodate their imbecilic need.

Even after the voices of Rush, Levin, Hannity, Savage, Beck among others have been stilled, there will be those in whom a spark will re-ignite. They will be the ones to spawn the liberation. They will do so at great cost to themselves. There's no guarantee that they'll be successful in the short, or even in the long run. Though Fascism – the natural state of enforced equality - is brittle and cannot last, it can last long enough to drain all hope; cloud all memory; dull all desire.

It'll be difficult to get back up to speed. Look at Iran today; look at Zimbabwe; Venezuela; Myanmar and know what lies ahead for us. These, without exception, represent the template for post-modern regimes. We've already gone too far along this road to suddenly reverse course. The destination is in already within sight. It'll take hardly any effort at all by a determined minority to push and pull this flaming wreck of a country across the finish line.

Rogue Maneuvers

Clinton was the last Democrat President. Yes, we disagreed with him at times and some of us think he should have been impeached for lying under oath, but nobody thought that our country was in mortal danger. He was a Democrat and did what Democrats do. When his terms were up, we thought we'd try a Republican. It's the way our country's been since any of us can remember. Business as usual.

It gladdened our hearts to see the old, familiar Bill chalk up a victory - however small in the grand scheme of things - in North Korea. It made us feel nostalgic for the old days when Republicans were Republicans and Democrats were Democrats.

The Clintons are shrewd. They know what’s out there. They know the country has tilted left. They also know that it hasn’t tilted so far as to embrace Obama’s socialist policies. They know the mood of the nation is one of fear and anger.

The Clintons are looking strategically towards the next presidential election cycle when, they feel, they’ll have a renewed chance of capturing the White House. Expect them to run interference from now on. Bill’s successful trip to North Korea was only the first in a series of such high-profile (possibly, rogue) maneuvers.

Still Crazy After All These Years

I really thought August would be quiet. Instead we see the sleeping tiger awaken. If the town hall meetings all over the country thus far are any indication, Americans now seem ready for bear. They are holding their elected representatives to account. The Left has begun scrambling to counter the onslaught with its own shock troops – ACORN and the like.

Americans have figured out that this is a war in which they stand to lose everything. They know they must fight back. Interesting that when the news media reports on ordinary citizens asking questions of their representatives, they are labeled as 'unruly mobs'. Whenever the Left organizes a demonstration or protest (even if property is damaged or destroyed), the media cannot contain its breathless gushing. Interesting too, that POTUS hasn’t commented. This means that he understands his position as commander-in-chief and has done his homework. Consider the following lines from SUN-TZU: The Art of War, written over 2000 years ago by a brilliant and experienced Chinese general named Sun Wu:

“Warfare is the way of deception.
Therefore, if able, appear unable,
if active, appear inactive,
if near, appear far,
if far, appear near.

If they have advantage, entice them;
if they are confused, take them,
if they are substantial, prepare for them.
if they are strong, avoid them,
if they are angry, disturb them,
if they are humble, make them haughty,
if they are relaxed, toil them,
if they are united, separate them.”

Interesting too, that POTUS, who has so much to say on every conceivable subject, is mute when it comes to the American people speaking out in opposition to his policies. He knows they (the people) are strong and seeks to avoid them.

The art of war is something the American people must learn to master as well. The Left has been at it for quite a long time. They have deliberately appeared unable and inactive. Now, that they are about to launch their final thrust into the heart of America, the people must parry if they hope to have a chance of saving themselves.

The people have the numbers, but they are still dazed and confused after the big sleep. They are disorganized and can still be divided: crazies on one side, moderates on the other. Anyone who may still be reluctant to join the ranks of the crazies, just think how nothing the Left ever proposes is called ‘crazy’. Let’s be proud crazy! Let’s wear it as a badge of honor and courage. Speak up at town hall meetings even if the words stick in your throat; even if your brain outpaces your tongue; even if emotion threatens to crush your composure. And if your mind should blank out, just say, “We want our country back!" They will understand what you mean. Besides it’s not about being crazy or not. That’s simply a ploy to get you to stop.

Meaningless Stammering

The failure of being able to entertain conspiracy theories or, at the very least, establish intent, is reflective of an unwillingness to connect the dots. Beyond this, it demonstrates a reluctance to ask 'why'. 'Why', if used properly, remains a useful tool in attempting to reconcile differences and paradox. It invariably opens up a higher dimension; one, in which it then becomes possible to explain what appears to be a series of seemingly incongruous events. Why, for example, does the Left consistently oppose any strengthening of our energy infrastructure while at the same time decrying the high cost of energy and the foreign entanglements that result? The answer becomes obvious when you ask 'why.' You are now forced to confront the possibility that it's neither about energy nor foreign policy. It's all about curbing America's bite; America's influence which it regards as somehow threatening, polluting and evil. Why is the Left so adamant in its opposition to religion while at the same time promoting its own religion, Marxism, with a fervor that puts Islamists to shame? It’s because it’s not about religion; it’s about power. Why does the Left seek to curb the power of the U.S. while at the same time amassing power for itself? It’s because to the Left the U.S. means nothing. The Left’s vision is global. It can well afford to sacrifice one country (or a couple) to achieve its goal of global justice (as they would put it in press releases) which actually translates into nothing less theatrical than global dominance.

Spence, if you should happen to read this, I do understand your skepticism. No one wants to believe that there’s an elephant in the room dirtying up the place and smashing things; most would find it disgusting to see the emperor naked. There’s still such overwhelming confidence in America throughout the world. Even our enemies have come to find comfort in knowing that America will always be there to blame things on.

(I hadn’t intended to run on like this.) There is now enough evidence that Obama doesn’t like America and the Americans who elected him. Everything he does (now without opposition) must be seen through this lens. Otherwise specter of sheer incompetence darkens the landscape in the form of a flock of black swans for which any explanation trails off into meaningless stammering.

Who Pulled the Trigger?

Still unanswered is the question of who pulled the trigger (on the panic of September 2008). No doubt the cannons were already in place, ready and loaded (to panic the birds on the runway). Who pulled the trigger?

Also, could the opposite be also true? Confidence. Is it possible to 'panic' a population into feeling confident? Obama has been running around saying that the recession is over. Will that be enough to instill confidence in his leadership?

We were perhaps overly confident with Bush. We felt we could trash him without consequence. Nobody dares trash now, indicating perhaps some measure of fragility.