Quote of the day
posted at 10:35 pm on February 4, 2009 by Allahpundit
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“This is why Palin was seen as anti-intellectual when, properly speaking, she was simply non-intellectual. What she lacked was not intelligence—she is, clearly, highly intelligent—but rather the particular set of assumptions, references, and attitudes inculcated by America’s top twenty universities and transmitted by the nation’s elite cultural organs.
Many of those (including especially those on the Right) who reacted badly to Palin on intellectual grounds understand themselves to be advancing the interests of lower-middle-class families similar to Palin’s own family and to many of those in attendance at her rallies who greeted her arrival on the scene as a kind of deliverance. But it is hard to escape the conclusion that while these members of the intellectual elite want the government to serve the interests of such people first and foremost, they do not want those people to hold the levers of power. They see lower-middle-class populists like Palin and their supporters as profoundly ill-suited for governance, because they lack the accoutrements required for its employment—especially in foreign policy, which, even more than domestic affairs, is thought to be an intellectual exercise. It is for this reason that Barack Obama, who actually has far less experience in executive governance than Palin, was not dismissed as unprepared for the presidency. Palin may have been elected governor of Alaska, but his peers in Cambridge had elected Obama editor of the Harvard Law Review. He is thoroughly fluent in the parlance of the college town, and in the eyes of the new American elite, Washington is the ultimate college town.”
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I read this, a great article pointing out that Palin didn’t most of the things she is hated for nor the things she is lauded for.
There is more to it though. The fact that she is a woman. Liberals hate conservative women with the same bigotry and vitriol that they hate conservative blacks. I don’t understand it, I don’t really get where it comes from, but it’s real. I’ve seen my mother and my sisters both suffer for it- even when they avoided politics they get a soft bigotry of disdain, but if they dare to voice their opinions the gloves come off and they get treated to most hurtful sexist statements.
It is something that I am very bitter about, and one of the reasons I like Palin despite her flaws (which I am aware of thankyou very much- I simply don’t care. She reminds me of my mother and all other the silently suffering conservative women I’ve known. I want to make Palin President and shove her down the throats of the arrogant hypocritical sexist bitches that I’ve seen disrespect and sneer at my mother since I was a small boy. I hope to see them choke on it and have an apoplectic fit.
Sackett on February 5, 2009 at 12:21 AM
“foreign policy, which, even more than domestic affairs, is thought to be an intellectual exercise”
What’s so hard about speaking softly and carrying a big stick?
Scotsman on February 5, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Meanwhile, Pelosi is pro-intellectual but anti-intelligence.
29Victor on February 5, 2009 at 12:25 AM
I have used this analogy before but I believe it bears repeating. Sarah was thrown into the national political landscape without going through a training camp. Ask any QB who has not been through a training camp and he will tell you it will take a few games to get their legs under them. That Sarah was able to perform so well in her introductory speech and her convention speech before word came out about the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers on September 15 and AIG difficulties on September 16 was truly remarkable.
Here is where the huge mistake was made with the handling of Sarah. Instead of allowing Sarah to get her feet wet with right wing talk radio and Fox News, McCain’s handlers decided to throw her into the fire with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric.
So many people focus on the interview with Couric but I firmly believed, just looking at her eyes and drawn face, that she was tired and I think that the 3-4 weeks spent on the road without a break finally caught up to her as she daily had to absorb more and more information to prepare herself for the campaign ahead. Couric’s stupid questions did not help her disposition. As you know when you get fatigued often you become impatient as well. It goes with the territory.
As Sarah has recently stated in a recent interview with Ziegler, she felt the interview with Couric did not go well and did not want to continue. However, McCain’s handlers told her that she had to. Like a good soldier Sarah obeyed orders.
In many blogs I made the point that if Sarah did not go on Rush Limbaugh’s program early in the campaign that there would be a problem. And I was right. McCain made that decision and he paid the price for it.
Would he have won the election if Sarah was handled properly? In my hearts of hearts I don’t think so, but I believe the election would have been closer-perhaps 300 EV to 238 EV.
Give Sarah a full training camp (2012 primaries) and 2-3 years of ‘Olympic’ style political training I believe you will see a different Sarah between 2010 and 2012.
technopeasant on February 5, 2009 at 12:26 AM
Foreign Policy 101…Nuke ‘em if they don’t comply.
I’m sick and tired as a tax payer having the government spending all this money every year for upkeep on our nuclear arsenal and never getting to see it being used! C’mon people! Pop a few off for the 4th of July at least!
BadMojo on February 5, 2009 at 12:28 AM
The reason it’s so hard to get a reasonable argument supporting Biden – as a candidate, as a liberal, even – is because there is none.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Woooo!
Johan Klaus on February 5, 2009 at 12:35 AM
I’m amused that after these last few weeks anyone can argue Uhbama was prepared for the office of the Presidency.
He looks like an indecisive fool, and he continues to make the same sort of mistakes Palin would not have had she been at the top of the ticket.
18-1 on February 5, 2009 at 12:37 AM
Ahhh, yes, it is difficult to comprehend how anyone could possibly admire a person who has performed well in office, opposed corruption, fought against waste and inefficiency in government, taken the side of Alaska’s citizenry — even against the interests of fellow Republicans, whose husband is both a union member and a small-businessman, whose background is humble and who has worked long and hard for many years to have reached her current level of success. Completely mystifying, isn’t it?
littleguy on February 5, 2009 at 12:39 AM
You’re kidding – right?
In addition to taking bold steps to undo the historic economic damage wrought by the Bush regime, President Obama has already redeemed our status in the international community by working towards closing Guantanamo and and signing an order banning the Bush administration’s “enhanced interrogation techniques,” appointed our nation’s first African-American Attorney General, appointed three Republican cabinet members, ended the policy banning funds to international groups that provide abortion services or counseling, revoked Bush’s executive order limiting release of former presidents’ records, signed the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, ordered the Department of Transportation to establish higher fuel efficiency standards before 2011, signed the bill that W vetoed extending health insurance to millions of low-income children, canceled Bush’s last-minute energy leases adjacent to National Parks in Utah and changes to endangered species listings, and rehired wrongly dismissed US Attorney Leslie Hagen.
President Obama’s first month in office has been an unqualified success to anyone with an awareness of the world beyond nutty conservative blogs.
benny shakar on February 5, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Exactly. QOTD is right on the money.
silverfox on February 5, 2009 at 12:40 AM
hmmm
almost getting into a smoot-hawley protectionism war was a success?
joey24007 on February 5, 2009 at 12:42 AM
or not.
AUINSC on February 5, 2009 at 12:43 AM
Well, seeing how Obama’s administration seems to be government of the crooked, for the crooked, and by the crooked, I am starting to feel stupid in being a law abiding, tax paying citizen.
18-1 on February 5, 2009 at 12:44 AM
President Obama’s first month in office has been an unqualified success to anyone with an awareness of the world beyond nutty conservative blogs.
That’s it Benny….keep tokin’. Oh, BTW, we all know you libs count differently, but it’s been 2 weeks, which is not a month. As for the economy…..it still sucks and 45% of the people think the ‘economic stimulus’ bill is a load of crap.
GarandFan on February 5, 2009 at 12:45 AM
So I like grits. I mean, well, a man has to like something, and grits it is. Grits with some honey and butter. Grits with eggs. Hell, grits go with everything so what’s the matter with grits in government?
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Somebody call a deprogrammer.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 12:46 AM
Actually, my theory is since the Nuclear Winter effect of Nuclear War would result in massive cooling of the earth, and since it’s Man who is supposedly causing Global Warming, we seem to have a self apparent answer to the problem.
We nuke a couple countries who won’t play nice with the rest of us. Say, North Korea and Iran. Then the resulting Nuclear Clouds will cool the earth a couple degrees, and the resulting loss of evil humans who are destroying the environment by breathing would help reduce the rate of Global Warming.
I don’t see how the Environmentalist Wackos could complain. We help the earth, and at the same time, immediately reverse the short term effects of Global Warming while the science of more environmentally friendly power sources comes into reality from the fiction shelves.
Snake307 on February 5, 2009 at 12:46 AM
terryannonline on February 4, 2009 at 11:54 PM
Exactly, I have known folks that were geniouses but had trouble tying their shoes while their intellectual inferiors built successful businesses from the ground up. Good old basic barnyard common sense goes a lot further than many of the elite would ever admit. I can build a house, wire it, plumb it and make it very comfortable and appealing. I can survive if stranded or lost in the wilderness. Can Obama or his ilk? No they rely on people like me to make their lives possible, so who is really the smarter one?
goat on February 5, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Like the man said, except for clinging to the Bushies he’s carrying over, he is looking more and more hapless and incompetent, just as those of us with even a passing “awareness of the world” expected him to be. I for one am not surprised that the “world beyond” hasn’t fully seen the light, mesmerized as they appear to be.
littleguy on February 5, 2009 at 12:49 AM
well put. let me come back to that.
i think the idea that we’ve come to a point where the elites have failed us in some historically unique way is the sort of thing i could go to the library, flip through any issue from volume one of the saturday evening post and find some pundit of the time declare. that’s doesn’t prove it’s not the case presently, but i’m just always skeptical of the claim that the current crisis is “unprecedented”. they always ring so familiar.
progressives spent the last eight years screeching “unprecedented!” at the top of their lungs about bush whenever bush would do something clinton did, or something not even close to those things undertaken by progressive heroes like wilson, fdr and lbj.
but, notwithstanding the hypocrisy and cynicism behind it, the screeching was effective. i’m afraid you’re right on that point: the time has arrived for a populist reaction of “mad as hell” proportions. the left fomented it and obama was carried into office on it. and the country is not likely to let him fail.
that is, populism has been mobilized for the left, and against the right. that populist mass will continue to regard palinite populism with seething content. palinite populism will become more obscure the more it asserts itself.
if that’s all we’ve got eight years from now is populist passion, we’ll be no better positioned than we are at this moment.
palin has been compared to reagan because he stirred popular support. thankfully for our nation and the world. that wasn’t his only dimension. it is palin’s only dimension.
when conservatism get’s it’s next opportunity, it had better come with the crisp authority of well-formed ideas.
eh on February 5, 2009 at 12:55 AM
Wow, an actual post that doesn’t have ‘Laura-Bush-Killed-A-Guy-With-Her-Car’ or your usual snarky, meaningless remarks in it! It’s a cr@p post, nonetheless, not unexpected from a turd like you.
If you’re still around pharting in threads posted in “nutty conservative blogs” through the next years of Zer0’s presidency, when it starts looking like he’s gonna even be worse than Jinny Carter as president, I’ll still be here to say “I told you so, turd-boy.”
TeeDee on February 5, 2009 at 12:55 AM
Dorothy: “Where am I?”
Toto pees on the carpet.
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Um Benny? Perhaps you haven’t noticed. But in foreign policy, the month has not gone well. Iran has launched it’s first Satellite into orbit, thus demonstrating that they have ICBM capability. Now add the Nukes and you have a radical regime that is in reality what you pretend the Bush Admin is in fiction.
India just told the Obama Administration to take their concerns over the disputed territory with Pakistan and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine.
Our supply routes into Afghanistan have been severed, one by action, blowing up a bridge, another by diplomacy, the Russians gave a loan to a country which allows us to have our only airbase in the region. We were told to pack up and get out.
Europe threatened a Trade War, and Paris has told it’s socialists that the Obama Stimulus plan is stupid, and no one would be dumb enough to do that in France.
Iran said that Obama’s willingness to talk shows the weakness of the American people, and basically said that to enter diplomatic discussions, we would have to surrender to them.
Everyone is pushing Obama around. North Korea is testing a missile that could reach the US. Instead of positioning a couple ships with the anti ABM systems on it, to try and shoot this test missile down, we tell North Korea that this would be sort of bad, kind of.
There isn’t a nut out there that isn’t pushing Obama around like a punk. How is this a great success? Where is the success? The perceived goodwill at closing Club Gitmo is kind of overshadowed by the fact that not one nation wants most of these psychotic maniacs. No one wants their citizens back, did you notice that? So now the debate is where should we hold them? I say, turn them loose.
Personally, I think the best place to turn these misunderstood poor people loose is downtown San Francisco. You liberals can show us how well love and understanding reaches the crazies.
Benny, if you consider the last month a success, you are either delusional and completely out of touch with reality, or certifiable. Which is it?
Snake307 on February 5, 2009 at 12:56 AM
You people need to read, then re-read, this part:
Now carry on reciting the things Rush and Fox News tells you to think. In the meantime, the rest of us are celebrating President Obama’s considerable accomplishments.
benny shakar on February 5, 2009 at 1:00 AM
It was this “intellectual” class that brought us the current economic crisis.
Book crooks.
profitsbeard on February 5, 2009 at 1:05 AM
What we are seeing is the first steps in the revolt against the College Elite Oligarchy which currently holds power here in America.
If you don’t have the right piece of paper, from the right institution, your eligable for power in this country…
This was CLEARLY demonstrated by the Press and Pundits slobering worship of Obama… and their total dismisal of Palin…
Problem is that its like the end of the Movie Revenge of the Nerds… “We’ve got a messege for the beutiful people… there are a LOT more of us, then there are of you….”
Romeo13 on February 5, 2009 at 1:05 AM
Iran didn’t launch anything, nothing happened in Afghanistan, the North Koreans and the Russians aren’t flexing, everybody loves us, just go back to sleep.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 1:06 AM
sorry, meant INELIGABLE….
Picked a bad year to quit drinkin….
Romeo13 on February 5, 2009 at 1:06 AM
……….. like not letting any lobbyist into his Administration?
Seven Percent Solution on February 5, 2009 at 1:07 AM
Lemme guess: He learned how to turn on his Obamaberry?
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 1:07 AM
Why don’t you tell us what those might be?
We’ll wait.
And BTW, NObama hasn’t been president for a month–only 16 days.
But it feels like he’s been president for many long, horrible Jimmy Carter-like years.
Jenfidel on February 5, 2009 at 1:09 AM
“I screwed up“- BHO.
profitsbeard on February 5, 2009 at 1:10 AM
admire? who said anything about admiring her? admire your ass off.
palin worshipers have nominated her for 2012 already and anyone who disagrees with them is an apostate who must be eliminated from the party.
eh on February 5, 2009 at 1:10 AM
……….. like promising to wait five days before signing a bill into law so the American people can review the legislation?
Note: He has signed two bills into law as of date………
………… no five day review. Change we can believe in.
Seven Percent Solution on February 5, 2009 at 1:11 AM
He did figure out how to take the correct train to D.C. I guess that counts.
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 1:12 AM
And he found the thermostat.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 1:14 AM
……….. like his FEMA’s response to those still left powerless and dead from the ice storm,
and another on the way…………….?
Seven Percent Solution on February 5, 2009 at 1:14 AM
Or simply she was annoyed with Katie for being treated like a yokel from a countryside.
In general, I dunno where people have got this idea that she is a “populist” without substance. All the people who maintain this just state it as a fiat without citing smidgen of evidence. David Brooks is a good example, ” she doesn’t have governing philosophy,” “she doesn’t know policy details” What? Where did you get this from? Do you want to back your assertion? And Yuval is following Brooks nodding like an overeager student.
promachus on February 5, 2009 at 1:15 AM
Al Gore is trying to take over your children
Seriously this is way creepy.
H/T to Glenn Beck and one of his alert callers!
Mr. Joe on February 5, 2009 at 1:16 AM
It’s the doors that give him a real problem.
progressoverpeace on February 5, 2009 at 1:16 AM
It’s only been two weeks benny……….
……….. and Mr. Obama is too busy with photo-ops.
Be proud,
……… be very proud.
Seven Percent Solution on February 5, 2009 at 1:17 AM
I’m quite satisfied with President Obama’s response.
benny shakar on February 5, 2009 at 1:18 AM
please, somebody? davec or somebody? i need someone to explain to me that this plague of proud, militant anti-intellectualism i’m talking about is all just a figment of my bigoted imagination.
eh on February 5, 2009 at 1:18 AM
Not to mention the No Smoking signs!
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 1:21 AM
Disagree? Disagree your ass off. If you piss all over someone else’s opinion, though, you should expect an equal and opposite reaction.
littleguy on February 5, 2009 at 1:21 AM
So are the high school teachers in Chicago who fail to graduate 47% of their students. Well done Chicago!
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 1:21 AM
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 1:14 AM
And failed to send FEMA to aid all those poor folks in Kentucky or visit them but he had time to visit some second graders in DC and read them a story about unicorns and rainbows. He also had time to dine on $100 a pound staeaks and drink faux martinis while trying to push through his generational theft act, some accomplishment.
goat on February 5, 2009 at 1:23 AM
Well, hell, you come up with a good way to get all 57 states on board with every element of hope’n'changeyness in a mere 5 days and then we’ll talk.
18-1 on February 5, 2009 at 1:26 AM
Its not Obama’s fault all of his associates are tax cheats, criminals, or lobbyists, is it?
18-1 on February 5, 2009 at 1:28 AM
1) Absolute incompetence assembling his cabinet resulting in 3 people stepping down because of scandal
2) 17 exceptions to his own no lobbyist rule which even the Today show is hitting him with
3) First executive order laughed out of military court in Guantanamo
4) Preserving and probably expanding rendition and the torture for intelligence
5) Complete loss of control of an increasingly unpopular $900 billion stimulus bill to Nancy Pelosi
6) No plan to avoid deficits several fold worse than the record set by Bush
7) Preserving temporary CIA detention sites
8) Preserving his authorization “enhanced interrogation” techniques under classified cover
9) Filed same motion Bush did in San Fran court to uphold his right to order wiretapping of Americans without a warrant
10) Appointed a man without intelligence experience to the CIA and a woman without foreign policy experience (besides dodging phantom snipers) to State Dept
Anything Im forgetting, guys?
Chuck Schick on February 5, 2009 at 1:32 AM
Enough of Benny Hacker. I’m hungry, time to go fry up some unicorn with butterfly sauce.
Later….
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 1:33 AM
remember back when kansas had those hurricanes and obama said the death toll was 10,000 when it was only nine? it was funny because you could trace the source of the freudian slip back to the previous night, when he was being feted at a campaign fundraising dinner. it was $10,000 a plate! get it? so, the next day he goes before the press to talk about the tragic event in the context of his own political imprimatur, trying to evoke something about human suffering, and the only number he can think of is a dollar amount!
boy, what a f*cking reptile, huh?
eh on February 5, 2009 at 1:34 AM
Yes: Benny is a delusional wackjob.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 1:34 AM
In the first real test of the Obama administration’s ability to respond to a disaster, Kentucky officials are giving the federal government good marks for its response to a deadly ice storm. Gov. Beshear asked Obama for a disaster declaration to free up federal assistance Thursday, two days after the storm hit, and Obama issued it hours later.
You’re doin’ a heckuva job, Seveny!
benny shakar on February 5, 2009 at 1:37 AM
Me too. Three turds, in one setting (with you, it’s 4).
Schadenfreude on February 5, 2009 at 1:39 AM
Dang, Obama looks like he’s about 7-8 months younger than Biden. All that unqualified success really ages you.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 1:45 AM
JT, young or old, once a cipher, always a cipher. He’ll just turn a bit grayer as the days go by.
Schadenfreude on February 5, 2009 at 1:47 AM
holy crap, jim. i thought you were making a joke. so, you’re part of this “declare your unconditional support for palin for president in 2012 or you’re obama’s buttboy” horsesh*t too?
eh on February 5, 2009 at 1:49 AM
Hey Benny, I noticed you didn’t copy and paste this:
The governor of KY is a Democrat, so it probably shouldn’t surprise anyone they’re giving Obama good marks.
Chuck Schick on February 5, 2009 at 1:49 AM
Excellent idea. Let’s do it.
Geochelone on February 5, 2009 at 1:54 AM
eh, provide proof where JT declared his “unconditional support for Palin in 2012″.
Chuck Schick, when you have as tiny a brain as benny, you can not fit more into it than “Obama”.
Schadenfreude on February 5, 2009 at 1:56 AM
Which will make it so that the next 911 comes out of the blue and will be far worse. Cheney is right, the next one will probably be some form of WMD. Also, it is likely that we screwed Israel in the process.. Let the jihadis free and let’s not get any useful info. Benny boy, there is a really good chance that this one boneheaded move alone could cost hundred of thousands of lives.. 1MT in the NYC harbor would do it. .. And yes, I think that Iran is going for multistage H bombs.
Isn’t that the dude who was part of the rich pardons and who was famous for having one of his goons point a loaded submachine gun at a little kid??? Man Appointing a african american… wow, what an accomplishment. BTW – I suppose you also applauded GWB for appointing Condi … Right??? Diff is she never had goons point machine guns at kids
FIFY – also, in the spirit of bipartasanshit, queen belalagosi ended up changing the house rules to the most one sided evah.
Oh Boy, Oh Boy, let’s give our money to other countries.. Benny Babe, Tell me exactly WHERE in the US constition we can find the authority for the government to confiscate MY money and redistribute it this way..
This is transparent BS. Bush did that to protect William “Shove cigars in young interns vaginas” Clinton. Obie is reversing this to allow the press to hound GWB.
You mean the insane crap that effectively removes the statute of limitations.. Gee, 30 years from now I can imagine I was discriminated against.. This is utter Orwellian Bullcrap.
Which will put yet another nail in the coffin of the auto industry and our economy.. This is the same idiot whose energy policy was “uh, Blow your tires and um play tunes on your car”.. We could have had a grownup in the adminstration who actually knows something about energy
Great, one step closer to nationalized health care. Health care brought to you by the same incompenten kleptocracy that brought us the fannie freddie crisis. Again bennyboy. Where in the US Constitution does it freaking allow my money to be confiscated to be redistributed.
OK, we have a bunch of mad mullahs in the middle east and we need energy.. This action is diametrically opposed to that and you think this is good???
Oh WOw.. I would have been a lot more impressed if he had granted a full pardon to Ramos And Campion. However, the rehiring of Hagen was right up there at the top of my priorities. .. I mean, I don’t care if we lose the valuable intel from Gitmo, I don’t care if he put a complete useless dork in as head of the Cia.. What are a few mushroom clouds over US cities when compared with the hiring of someone who may have been fired over a lesbian rumor.. Dang I’m glad you have your priorities straight.
FIFY
bullseye on February 5, 2009 at 2:04 AM
Woooohoooo!!! More Sarah Palin!!!!! Can’t get enough of this
babe….:)
dec5 on February 5, 2009 at 2:06 AM
Yet another person who confuses ad hominem attacks with arguments, while lecturing others on how unintelligent they are.
BTW, the question was which newspapers she read to form her opinions. If you’re forming your opinions from reading newspapers, you’re ignorant and will remain ignorant. Newspapers are shallow. Just to take a casual example, you can read newspapers and magazines for a lifetime, and never understand why exactly your medical insurance always seems to be obtained through your employer. That’s not part of current events, so newspapers don’t really cover it.
ThereGoesTheNeighborhood on February 5, 2009 at 2:21 AM
You can whine all you want — President Obama is doing exactly what a majority of Americans elected him to do.
You’re in for a long eight years, my friend.
benny shakar on February 5, 2009 at 2:23 AM
“Millions more jobs will be lost. More businesses will be shuttered. More dreams will be deferred,” Obama said, as Senate debate continued on amendments to the stimulus package.- Obama *when? Today!
That’s hope n change baby! Gimme some malaise for my unicorn sandwich.
Yum!
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 2:26 AM
You’re right. You are.
Limerick on February 5, 2009 at 2:28 AM
Gee, I seem to recall that in the debates, when Obama was asked how he would reel in government, that he would “use a scalpel” to trim the fat out of existing programs. Nothing specific, mind you. Just the tripe he usually spouts that passes for brilliance by folks like you. This was set against McCain’s proposal to freeze government spending (something he would actually be held accoutable to do…GASP).
But where is that accoutability for Obama? Where is that scalpel? Nobody outside us “right wing thugs” seems to care to ask. Nothing to see here – just bask in the glory of his successful first 2-week month.
connertown on February 5, 2009 at 2:30 AM
“…government…” = “…government spending…”.
Should have previewed.
connertown on February 5, 2009 at 2:32 AM
Thank you for another patronizing and backhanded hit job on Palin. You never get enough of them, do you? And you think people are going to pay for the honor of you insulting them?
Blake on February 5, 2009 at 2:32 AM
Perhaps that’s because throughout history, and certainly throughout American history, the elites always sooner or later proved fallible, their elite status itself tending to encourage complacency, corruption, inefficiency – decadence, in a word. Different societies have had different ways of dealing with this problem, and the ones who have failed to deal with it effectively have sooner or later vanished.
I didn’t claim that the elites have “failed us in some historically unique way.” I’d gladly admit that they have failed us in a historically quite normal and familiar way.
Without trying to analyze the broad sweep of American history and foretell the future in a blog post, I’ll simply reiterate that what we can provisionally call Palinism – popularly driven reform conservatism – could offer the country something different from Bush’s big government conservatism and also from Obama’s big government liberalism. It would likely be populist simply because any answer or attempted answer to the country’s problems that comes from the grassroots rather than from traditional centers of power will likely have to be propelled by populism, including the popular rejection of the centers of power.
That’s actually a completely traditional path to power in American history, and American politics is quite capable of generating populist revolutions at an impressive historical pace – sometimes it falls short (Perot), sometimes it serves us well (Reagan), sometimes much less so (Carter). The jury is still out on Obama, though I tend to consider him an artificial populist – more a media phenomenon than an authentic tribune of the masses.
If Obama succeeds or is seen to have done so, then there shouldn’t be much reason to expect a popular movement to sweep anyone else into office anytime soon: A Palinist alternative would in that case likely remain dormant, and discussions like these will remain largely academic.
CK MacLeod on February 5, 2009 at 2:36 AM
Be black?
It wears thin pretty quickly, benny. People voted for a precedent, and they got a Precedent. Now they are finding out the difference, and it is an expensive one. More than anyone can afford, really. Precedent BHO is quickly making his place in history at the absolute bottom. It’s embarrassing to watch, frankly … like being a spectator at that 100-0 girls’ basketball shellacking, with the US, all of a sudden, on the losing side.
Asked afterwards about why his team couldn’t manage to score a single point, Precedent BHO replied, in true Precedential fashion, “I screwed up.”
And so ends the storied history of the United States of America, the greatest nation that the Earth had ever seen, rooted in individualism and private initiative, thus destroyed by a bunch of collectivist, statist, self-hating morons.
progressoverpeace on February 5, 2009 at 2:38 AM
With so much $hit around little Benny knows that there has just got to be a pony around someplace. (HT:RR)
MB4 on February 5, 2009 at 2:55 AM
Washington is the ultimate town for something-for-nothing, cheese-for-brains, stones-in-a-friggin jar somewhere Democrats.
SDSquint on February 5, 2009 at 3:07 AM
A majority of Americans sure as hell arent for closing Guantanamo, funding abortions overseas or this stimulus package.
Chuck Schick on February 5, 2009 at 3:34 AM
There sure seems to be a lot more irrational Palin haters out there complaining about the irrational Palin lovers than there are actual irrational Palin lovers. They really show their cards when they make stupid claims like it’s “hard to get a reasonable argument supporting Palin.” Maybe she isn’t the best person for 2012, but there is plenty to admire about her.
Ampersand on February 5, 2009 at 3:55 AM
Like I’ve said before….Obama is the Professional/Perpetual “A” student, adored by the mentors/professors for whom he performs.
misslizzi on February 5, 2009 at 3:58 AM
Horse crap. People sure are loving the Obama stimulus aren’t they? And the people wanted tax cheats in the White House power structure.
Ampersand on February 5, 2009 at 4:00 AM
Chuck is right.
Americans wanted Bush out. And when the economy went south and McCain looked doltish, swing voters decided, “What the hell, I’ll vote for the cool guy.” It was a popularity contest.
The swing voters really didn’t have any idea what Obama stood for and frankly I can’t blame them because he’s an unprincipled twit who can’t seem to take a stand on anything. There were always some clear signals about Obama that the MSM consciously chose to ignore, and now we have who we have. Ultimately, no one will ever convince me that 65% of this country is down for the Hard Left Agenda that Pelosi tossed into the stimulus package.
Exit questions: Who do any of you admire more–Palin or Obama? And if McCain and Palin were in office, would we nominees questioned other than on ideolgocial grounds? That is to say, would nominations of people such as Holder, Geithner, and Daschle ever reached a level beyond absurd speculation?
BuckeyeSam on February 5, 2009 at 4:13 AM
I actually think we should adopt benny’s calender.
At that rate, The Lightworker will have served two terms by 2012.
Win-Win.
soundingboard on February 5, 2009 at 4:29 AM
And when the car breaks down on the turnpike, some dude with a high school education will set everything right again.
RalphyBoy on February 5, 2009 at 4:53 AM
Question: Who was the last man of the people “without the insider stink of Washington”?
Answer: Jimmy Carter
I don’t care how many frappin training camps/charm school you send Palin to so she can get reeducated, polished or whatever you want to call it, it simply won’t help.
She is out of her league and that worries people.
Bradky on February 5, 2009 at 5:17 AM
The one who’s out of their league is Comrade Urkel and it worries millions of we (the) people.
Sarah Palin has everything she needs to be an effective, strong and Conservative Commander-in-Chief.
She always had more executive experience than any of three other men running for higher office.
I am continually amazed that EVERYONE that I talk to loves her as much as I do (and some of them possibly more).
Jenfidel on February 5, 2009 at 5:31 AM
The 63 million Americans who voted for Zero-bama elected him to be black.
That’s it.
Too bad he’s only partially black.
And he doesn’t get 8 years: it’s 1 term and out.
Jenfidel on February 5, 2009 at 5:38 AM
Obama has a cult and Sarah has a cult. You happen to be a member of the latter.
I can criticize people from both parties – that makes me objective not slavishly devoted to a personality as you and EVERYONE that you talk to.
Bradky on February 5, 2009 at 5:50 AM
The damage wasn’t done by the Bush “régime.”
It was done by investors in the sub-prime derivatives market(s).
The Bush Administration gave us 7 years of great prosperity–including a Dow Jones that hit the record high of 14,000, largely because of tax cuts.
I could care less about “our status in the international community” if it means I’ll be under threat of attack here at home!
I want to live and the rest of the “international community” can kiss my A$$!
Who cares about this?
President Bush appointed 2 AA Secretaries of State and all the nation did was yawn…
Besides, Holder is a criminal who pardons not only tax cheats like Marc Rich, but terrorist killers like the FALN.
Because he was desperate for someone with real experience and he doesn’t have to worry about whether they’ve cheated on their taxes!
You mean supported murder overseas with precious U.S. dollars while we are having a financial crisis at home!
Gone on a fishing expedition to look for “crimes” of the Bush Administration.
More help to Socialist/Communist union thugs.
Helping to cripple our economy further by limiting what kind of gas we can buy and driving up the cost, after the nation recovers from $100/barrel gas.
The government doesn’t have any business in the health care insurance business and children don’t need medical insurance anyway.
Another blow to our economy, which runs best on cheap, readily available fuel.
How many of these species really are endangered?
Virtually none.
More BS regulation from the Feds on high.
Some hero of the Left who they allege was fired because she was a LeZbo…
Figures.
I’m totally aware of the world and your assertions amount to a massive fail to convince us that Comrade Urkel is such a smashing success.
And his wife is already acting like Hillary, too: she went on a “listening tour” of HUD yesterday.
Once again, whether we want them or not, America gets “2 for the price of 1.”
Jenfidel on February 5, 2009 at 5:52 AM
First clue that someone might be a cultist: They post manifestos on the internet.
Bradky on February 5, 2009 at 5:54 AM
Manifestos?
What are you drinking/smoking?
I merely stated facts.
benny shakar tried the manifesto approach, as becomes his Leftist bent.
Jenfidel on February 5, 2009 at 6:04 AM
They were , but then the facts found it’s way around the MSM..
the_nile on February 5, 2009 at 6:18 AM
I pledge.
the_nile on February 5, 2009 at 6:19 AM
by certain values that, that means liberal values.
rob verdi on February 5, 2009 at 6:24 AM
Dude, you need to rethink yourself. That “manifesto” also happens to be a factual response to an idiot’s delusions of grandeur. Perhaps you don’t understand the difference between a cult and a movement which admires and supports a person who has experienced a hard life and is more reasonable when it comes to other people’s lives than the cult of admiration around the ObaMessiah.
Palin is a generous moderate woman with our best interests at heart, and the values most good people in this country share. She’s no ideologue and has no specific bias against anyone.
Those are all things you cannot say about the President, who plans to reduce our military strength (in the middle of this war), who wants to spend money we don’t have, who believes that apologizing to Muslims for some imaginary wrongs is the way to get them to stop killing us, and who rewards people who intend to heavily burden US businesses to appease his nonscientific constituencies (environmentalists, unions, race mongers, dhimmis, etc…) and claim that Americans are what is wrong with their world.
The path we have begun will result in horrible dismay and hardship for a great many Americans, and will line the pockets of Obama money men only. No one in this country will make more money or get a better job through the stimulus that Nancy Pelosi has put out, except Dhimmicratic fat cats who will try to make more by selling us things we don’t need and which won’t solve our problems (especially our energy problems…wind energy? Get real).
For someone who tries to sound so moderate, you are pretty intolerant of other Americans viewpoints, aren’t you?
Subsunk
Subsunk on February 5, 2009 at 6:30 AM
I agree with the premise of the article – Palin was dumped on because the elite do not believe the common man and woman are capable of governing.
And they are probably right, I mean – look at what electing “elitists” to government has done for us!
The question friends is this … “who do you think is principled enough to stand up for, and adhere to – solid conservative policy?”
The answer – is not in men like George Bush (I or II). The answer lies somewhere outside of the beltway people.
HondaV65 on February 5, 2009 at 6:38 AM
I agree with every word of this quote. Washington is a college town.
Terrye on February 5, 2009 at 6:45 AM
America (via the Washington elite) is a paper tiger.
How appropriate that on PAPER Obama is ***somehow*** more qualified to lead America than Sarah Palin.
Yep….America….up in smoke any minute….thanks Obamatards.
seejanemom on February 5, 2009 at 6:47 AM
/snicker.
When 37% of people approve of your signature initiative, it’s time to begin wondering what the real reasons for your election were.
Lehosh on February 5, 2009 at 6:52 AM
You can’t have nutty Conservative blogs without nutty liberal trolls who are already incapable of offering even the most basic and deserved criticisms of Obama. His candidates for cabinet posts have been a joke. How you can see the level of tax fraud that they’re trying to shove down our throats and still think he’s doing a good job is beyond me. Or you don’t care? Which begs the question, why is the left so scared of Sarah Palin that they level every criticism against her no matter how innocuous the offense to include where her f*cking clothes came from.
So Tom Daschels conscious decision to not pay 180 thousand dollars in taxes of what the left considers the peoples money is innocent compared to whether or not Piper Palin got a pair of shoes out of 150 thousand dollar clothes budget for Sarah Palin paid for by Republican campaign donors?
Those nutty Conservatives and their standards. Those nutty liberals and their selective outrage.
hawkdriver on February 5, 2009 at 6:56 AM
Which sort of qualifies that “unqualified success”. You see, some of us ignorant peasants know what words mean.
Yep, you’re entertaining, benny. See?
ddrintn on February 5, 2009 at 6:58 AM
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