Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Byron York in the Washington Examiner:

[Majority Leader Harry Reid] invited Obama to his office for a talk. "You're not going to go anyplace here," Reid told Obama. "I know that you don't like it, doing what you're doing." Reid suggested Obama run for president. Obama had been a senator for all of 18 months at the time. Soon after, he was off and running.

What drove Obama was not just ambition, although he is certainly ambitious. As he became frustrated in each job, Obama concluded that the problem was not having the power to do the things he wanted to do. So he sought a more powerful position.

[snip]

In the State of the Union address, Obama declared, "I don't quit." And of course, there's no danger he would just up and quit the presidency. But throughout his life, his reaction to frustration has been to look for a bigger job. What does he do now?

Assuming York is right and Obama doesn't quit, the only option remaining for him, since he already holds the most powerful job on earth, is to invest even more power into his present situation. That is most worrisome.

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Byron York in the Washington Examiner:

[Majority Leader Harry Reid] invited Obama to his office for a talk. "You're not going to go anyplace here," Reid told Obama. "I know that you don't like it, doing what you're doing." Reid suggested Obama run for president. Obama had been a senator for all of 18 months at the time. Soon after, he was off and running.

What drove Obama was not just ambition, although he is certainly ambitious. As he became frustrated in each job, Obama concluded that the problem was not having the power to do the things he wanted to do. So he sought a more powerful position.

[snip]

In the State of the Union address, Obama declared, "I don't quit." And of course, there's no danger he would just up and quit the presidency. But throughout his life, his reaction to frustration has been to look for a bigger job. What does he do now?

Assuming York is right and Obama doesn't quit, the only option remaining for him, since he already holds the most powerful job on earth, is to invest even more power into his present situation. That is most worrisome.

Sacrilege

J. D. Salinger has died at the age of 91.

Three times in my life I attempted to read The Catcher in the Rye: in my teens, in my twenties and in my thirties. Three times I found the book so paralyzingly dull I gave up on it.

I shall not try again.

Sacrilege

J. D. Salinger has died at the age of 91.

Three times in my life I attempted to read The Catcher in the Rye: in my teens, in my twenties and in my thirties. Three times I found the book so paralyzingly dull I gave up on it.

I shall not try again.

The '68 Nixon Redux

The President will give his State of the Union address tonight and the consensus among the punditry is that after an absolutely disastrous year, he will attempt to re-brand himself; rasa the tabula, you might say; hit the reset button. Over 42 years ago another political train wreck, Richard Nixon, also attempted a remake, in anticipation of another stab at the presidency, and referred to himself as the "the new Nixon."

Naturally the critics had a field day with "the new Nixon," including none other than pop-folksinger John Denver, who crafted this mock commercial jingle.

Hi there voters, how do you feel?
Tired of the same old vote appeal?
Well look who's back with a brand new style
A brand new look and a brand new smile!

It's the '68 Nixon, everything's new
A brand new image just created for you
A dozen different finishes and so much finesse
He's got a brand new doggy, not Checkers but Chess.

Now the Reagan can ramble, the Rocky can race
But Dick can jump from left to right and not lose his place
His '56 production was loaded with spite
His '60 was a copy of the '58 Ike
The third time's the charm and if it's charm that you like

You'll like the '68 Nixon, he's different this year
The '68 Nixon is here and he is liberal and conservative
He's humble and he's proud
He's more than just a candidate, he's a crowd.

Yes, he's the '68 Nixon, a brother to men
So run and see him quick before he changes again
In every town and hamlet he is soon to appear
The '68 Nixon, he's different this year
The '68 Nixon, guaranteed not to smear
The '68 Nixon is here!

The preceding was paid political denouncement.

Go to this excellent site to hear it.

The '68 Nixon Redux

The President will give his State of the Union address tonight and the consensus among the punditry is that after an absolutely disastrous year, he will attempt to re-brand himself; rasa the tabula, you might say; hit the reset button. Over 42 years ago another political train wreck, Richard Nixon, also attempted a remake, in anticipation of another stab at the presidency, and referred to himself as the "the new Nixon."

Naturally the critics had a field day with "the new Nixon," including none other than pop-folksinger John Denver, who crafted this mock commercial jingle.

Hi there voters, how do you feel?
Tired of the same old vote appeal?
Well look who's back with a brand new style
A brand new look and a brand new smile!

It's the '68 Nixon, everything's new
A brand new image just created for you
A dozen different finishes and so much finesse
He's got a brand new doggy, not Checkers but Chess.

Now the Reagan can ramble, the Rocky can race
But Dick can jump from left to right and not lose his place
His '56 production was loaded with spite
His '60 was a copy of the '58 Ike
The third time's the charm and if it's charm that you like

You'll like the '68 Nixon, he's different this year
The '68 Nixon is here and he is liberal and conservative
He's humble and he's proud
He's more than just a candidate, he's a crowd.

Yes, he's the '68 Nixon, a brother to men
So run and see him quick before he changes again
In every town and hamlet he is soon to appear
The '68 Nixon, he's different this year
The '68 Nixon, guaranteed not to smear
The '68 Nixon is here!

The preceding was paid political denouncement.

Go to this excellent site to hear it.

The Upside to Living in Detroit

There are things you can do there you can't do anywhere else.

Like pushing a dump truck out the window.

The Upside to Living in Detroit

There are things you can do there you can't do anywhere else.

Like pushing a dump truck out the window.

Life Imitates the Onion

With the prospect of facing a tough and savvy audience of sixth-graders, our President, wisely electing to leave nothing to chance, brought along his TelePrompter.



We may assume he also brought a backup machine, following the near-disaster at the White House recently when his TelePrompter failed without warning; a close call indeed.


Obama's Home Teleprompter Malfunctions During Family Dinner

Life Imitates the Onion

With the prospect of facing a tough and savvy audience of sixth-graders, our President, wisely electing to leave nothing to chance, brought along his TelePrompter.



We may assume he also brought a backup machine, following the near-disaster at the White House recently when his TelePrompter failed without warning; a close call indeed.


Obama's Home Teleprompter Malfunctions During Family Dinner

Knowing Her Place

Recovering Republican, Sen. Arlen Specter suffered an apparent relapse during a recent radio debate with Republican Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann. According to to Daniel Malloy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Bachmann

detailed a list of fiscal changes: cutting the effective income tax rate to 22 percent, dashing capital gains taxes and eliminating the estate tax will stimulate the economy plenty, she said, as opposed to the overreach of the Obama administration with the stimulus and health care legislation. As Mr. Specter started to respond, Ms. Bachmann interjected to try to reinforce her point. Mr. Specter, clearly, did not appreciate the interruption.

"I'm going to treat you like a lady," Mr. Specter shot back. "Now act like one."

Ms. Bachmann replied, "I am a lady."

The two continued to spar and Mr. Specter later again asked Ms. Bachmann to "act like a lady" when things got heated.

Senator Specter later denied this Kinky Friedman classic is his absolute favoritest song.


Get Your Biscuits In the Oven & Your Buns In the Bed - Watch the top videos of the week here

(Props to Christopher Johnson)

Knowing Her Place

Recovering Republican, Sen. Arlen Specter suffered an apparent relapse during a recent radio debate with Republican Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann. According to to Daniel Malloy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Bachmann

detailed a list of fiscal changes: cutting the effective income tax rate to 22 percent, dashing capital gains taxes and eliminating the estate tax will stimulate the economy plenty, she said, as opposed to the overreach of the Obama administration with the stimulus and health care legislation. As Mr. Specter started to respond, Ms. Bachmann interjected to try to reinforce her point. Mr. Specter, clearly, did not appreciate the interruption.

"I'm going to treat you like a lady," Mr. Specter shot back. "Now act like one."

Ms. Bachmann replied, "I am a lady."

The two continued to spar and Mr. Specter later again asked Ms. Bachmann to "act like a lady" when things got heated.

Senator Specter later denied this Kinky Friedman classic is his absolute favoritest song.


Get Your Biscuits In the Oven & Your Buns In the Bed - Watch the top videos of the week here

(Props to Christopher Johnson)

Absolvo Te

The crack editorialists at the New York Times demonstrate once again why that organization is no no longer a newspaper; this time with their petulant denial of the obvious.

There are many theories about the import of Scott Brown’s upset victory in the race for Edward Kennedy’s former Senate seat. To our minds, it is not remotely a verdict on Mr. Obama’s presidency, nor does it amount to a national referendum on health care reform...

You almost feel sorry for those poor souls; "To our minds..." brings to mind the exquisite line from P.G. Wodehouse's short story Uncle Fred Flits By: "If he had a mind there was something on it." Brown's election is not "remotely a verdict on Mr. Obama's presidency"? Not even just a teensy-weensy little bit?

Such staggering ignorance is rare indeed, approaching that the Catholic Church deems "invincible," which is of such magnitude one is forgiven a sinful act if it is committed in that state. While I certainly wouldn't accuse Gail Collins and her fellow editorialists at the Times of committing a sin for their mind-numbingly stupid opinion, for them to call themselves "journalists," as they no doubt do, would have to be considered a sin, alas, and a mortal one at that: lying; forgivable, perhaps, owing to their invincible ignorance.

(h/t Wannabe Anglican)

Absolvo Te

The crack editorialists at the New York Times demonstrate once again why that organization is no no longer a newspaper; this time with their petulant denial of the obvious.

There are many theories about the import of Scott Brown’s upset victory in the race for Edward Kennedy’s former Senate seat. To our minds, it is not remotely a verdict on Mr. Obama’s presidency, nor does it amount to a national referendum on health care reform...

You almost feel sorry for those poor souls; "To our minds..." brings to mind the exquisite line from P.G. Wodehouse's short story Uncle Fred Flits By: "If he had a mind there was something on it." Brown's election is not "remotely a verdict on Mr. Obama's presidency"? Not even just a teensy-weensy little bit?

Such staggering ignorance is rare indeed, approaching that the Catholic Church deems "invincible," which is of such magnitude one is forgiven a sinful act if it is committed in that state. While I certainly wouldn't accuse Gail Collins and her fellow editorialists at the Times of committing a sin for their mind-numbingly stupid opinion, for them to call themselves "journalists," as they no doubt do, would have to be considered a sin, alas, and a mortal one at that: lying; forgivable, perhaps, owing to their invincible ignorance.

(h/t Wannabe Anglican)

Scientific Socialism

From the Business Insider:

Russia Today is reporting that Venezuelan dictator Huge [sic] Chavez claims the recent earthquakes in Haiti were caused by the United States.

More specifically, he claims the U.S. Navy used a weapon that was powerful enough to induce earthquakes.

(h/t For What It's Worth)

Scientific Socialism

From the Business Insider:

Russia Today is reporting that Venezuelan dictator Huge [sic] Chavez claims the recent earthquakes in Haiti were caused by the United States.

More specifically, he claims the U.S. Navy used a weapon that was powerful enough to induce earthquakes.

(h/t For What It's Worth)

Purely Idle Speculation

The victory tonight of Scott Brown over Martha Coakley in Massachusetts (strike three for the President) suggests things will be getting pretty rough for the Democrats these next three years. I wonder, should the Democrats get trounced in the House elections this November, if the President will decide he's simply had enough, the job's no fun anymore and just quits?

President Biden couldn't be that much worse, could he?

Purely Idle Speculation

The victory tonight of Scott Brown over Martha Coakley in Massachusetts (strike three for the President) suggests things will be getting pretty rough for the Democrats these next three years. I wonder, should the Democrats get trounced in the House elections this November, if the President will decide he's simply had enough, the job's no fun anymore and just quits?

President Biden couldn't be that much worse, could he?

Empirical Reasoning

Went to High Mass (Extraordinary Form) this morning at St. Mary's Church, Norwalk, CT. Never I have heard so many squealing kids in a church (and to this ex-Episcopalian there is no more gratifying and delightful a sound) nor seen so many young parents and young people in general, both in the pews and serving in the sanctuary.

It seems to me if Holy Church really wants to attract more young people to Mass, she should jettison all innovations of the past forty years intended to attract more young people to Mass.

Empirical Reasoning

Went to High Mass (Extraordinary Form) this morning at St. Mary's Church, Norwalk, CT. Never I have heard so many squealing kids in a church (and to this ex-Episcopalian there is no more gratifying and delightful a sound) nor seen so many young parents and young people in general, both in the pews and serving in the sanctuary.

It seems to me if Holy Church really wants to attract more young people to Mass, she should jettison all innovations of the past forty years intended to attract more young people to Mass.