Quote of the day
posted at 10:00 pm on February 7, 2009 by Allahpundit
“The U.S. government has already—under a conservative Republican administration—effectively nationalized the banking and mortgage industries. That seems a stronger sign of socialism than $50 million for art. Whether we want to admit it or not—and many, especially Congressman Pence and Hannity, do not—the America of 2009 is moving toward a modern European state…
All of this is unfolding in an economy that can no longer be understood, even in passing, as the Great Society vs. the Gipper. Whether we like it or not—or even whether many people have thought much about it or not—the numbers clearly suggest that we are headed in a more European direction. A decade ago U.S. government spending was 34.3 percent of GDP, compared with 48.2 percent in the euro zone—a roughly 14-point gap, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In 2010 U.S. spending is expected to be 39.9 percent of GDP, compared with 47.1 percent in the euro zone—a gap of less than 8 points. As entitlement spending rises over the next decade, we will become even more French.”
Blowback
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Here we go….!
DL13 on February 7, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Quality discourse where you least expect it! We have all seen this before. But it is profound every time. This will make you want to cry, because he is so right!
What is going on is really going to mess things up.
Mr. Joe on February 7, 2009 at 10:05 PM
…so I don’t have to shave my legs anymore?
Laura in Maryland on February 7, 2009 at 10:05 PM
There.
Weight of Glory on February 7, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Boy, that whole “educate myself to better myself” was a waste of time. Hopefully, future generations won’t be so stupid. 2009 might just go down as the year human evolution stopped.
venividivici on February 7, 2009 at 10:08 PM
LOL… or your pits either it seems. Nice one.
Hog Wild on February 7, 2009 at 10:09 PM
One could have made a very similar case in the seventies and into the eighties that if then present trends continued Japan would overtake America as the worlds greatest economic power. How did that work out?
MB4 on February 7, 2009 at 10:10 PM
Cool. Does that America is going to get 35 hour week weeks and two hour lunches?
/sarc
terryannonline on February 7, 2009 at 10:13 PM
This Euro-socialist creep has been happening non-stop for my entire adult life and before. In one of Limbaugh’s books, there’s a delusional chapter called, “We’re Winning”. No Rush, we weren’t then, and we aren’t now. As I’ve said for years now, the proof in in the budgets.
Let’s hope the Chinese decide to play nice when their military is stronger than ours. :rolleyes:
toliver on February 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM
This article makes a mistake so much in vogue today it makes me want to urpsy: that the Bush administration was conservative. In using this libel, it goes on to disprove its fallacy by showing how non-conservative the Bush years were. We haven’t had a conservative administration since The Gipper was forced out of office by term limits. And even Reagan had his lapses.
sondiehl on February 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM
Whether they admit or not doesn’t make it any less desirable or any less Constitutional. The Left-wing losers in our country who continue to vote to take money from the pockets of the productive are going to make indentured servants out of us. I don’t care how much our socialists support the advance of Marxism. It is immoral and violates all our Founding principles.
DerKrieger on February 7, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Bonjour…
d1carter on February 7, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Maybe we can get better Whine!
We already have the cheezest of governments.
Kini on February 7, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Parlez-vous français?
Kini on February 7, 2009 at 10:24 PM
What would happen if the government did nothing? What it is the worst it could get? Could it equal or surpass the the Carter 70s? Could it equal or surpass the Depression? Is that too great a price to pay for liberty?
Stephen Macklin on February 7, 2009 at 10:25 PM
I don’t know about Pence, but Hannity is all too aware of our slouching towards Gomorah.
jgapinoy on February 7, 2009 at 10:25 PM
It only takes the right person to come along and change it all back! Nothing is forever. Nothing! Just because we are headed there,,, does not mean we have to stay there.
If the walls can fall in Eastern Europe,, socialism can crumble in the US.
Yes,, it is always hard to believe in something good when we are all in the midst of this insanity. But,, this is America. We are not Europe. We are not Central America.
It only takes the right man,, the right movement and the right time. Laws are not written in stone. They can be repealed and overturned.
America is only finished when there is no longer enough people willing to believe in her anymore!
JellyToast on February 7, 2009 at 10:25 PM
I posted this over there:
DerKrieger on February 7, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Anyone who’s paying attention knows we are becoming more & more like France.
jgapinoy on February 7, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Va te faire foutre, socialist bastards!
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 7, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Out: NASCAR
In: Formula One
Mark1971 on February 7, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Who wants to be Robespierre?
blankminde on February 7, 2009 at 10:29 PM
It’s hard to take back entitlements. You really think voters are going to say after getting government subsidized health care are going to say, “Hey, you know what government I don’t want my health insurance anymore.”
terryannonline on February 7, 2009 at 10:29 PM
What………..?
………. Barney Frank and Chis Dodd aren’t going to say,
Seven Percent Solution on February 7, 2009 at 10:31 PM
When this all comes crashing down around us………
……… wouldn’t it be nice to have a few names of those in power who caused this?
Seven Percent Solution on February 7, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Merde alors!
profitsbeard on February 7, 2009 at 10:36 PM
In honor of this I have made Fraunch Fries, Fraunch Toast, Fraunch Bread…and Perrooo!
JetBoy on February 7, 2009 at 10:37 PM
I have seen where several of the banks given bailout cash are working to pay it back as fast as possible so they don’t have government breathing down their necks and dictating what they pay and do. I won’t be surprised if we see a lot more of that as soon as Obamaism starts its draconian policy making. As Bush and Paulson said the bailout funds were loans not grants and would be paid back eventually. That is the difference in the TARP funds and the generational theft act to fund liberal dream projects and welfare.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 10:40 PM
If the GOP takes back the Senate or House in 2010 they better work damn hard to roll all this crap back before it truly does become irreversible. Not a single “moderate” Republican should be nominated.
Unfortunately this isn’t the 16th century any more and we have no place to run.
DerKrieger on February 7, 2009 at 10:41 PM
A unified business community could be the organized opposition to socialism if there were any real leaders left in the biz community.
DerKrieger on February 7, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Heresy!
Mon dieu mon pays est très malade. Il est regrettable.
Entelechy on February 7, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Now of course as those banks pay back those loans the liberals won’t use the funds to pay down the debt they will use them as fresh cash to spend on more pork.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 10:43 PM
C’est la vie!!!! No wonder they didn’t bother vetting the O
trainwife1962 on February 7, 2009 at 10:45 PM
Jon Meacham is excited about this since he is Obama’s lap dog and a socialist.
jencab on February 7, 2009 at 10:47 PM
DerKrieger on February 7, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Mitt Romney, Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina are a few names that come to my mind quickly.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 10:47 PM
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
I think you guys know who said that.
Barack Obama is only continuing what George Bush started 8 years ago, only he’s ramping up the pace at which we’re getting socialized.
mram on February 7, 2009 at 10:48 PM
“Ask
notwhat your country can do for you, ask what you cando formooch from your country.” -1961.JFK is killed again.
Obama, Le Petit Prince (of Bill Ayers).
profitsbeard on February 7, 2009 at 10:51 PM
As an european, let e just say: You guys are royally screwed.
madne0 on February 7, 2009 at 10:55 PM
So when does Hitler show up?
(you know someone had to say it, right?)
mjk on February 7, 2009 at 10:56 PM
America is not becoming “Europeanised” anymore than Singapore is. Every European idea supposedly being imported to America from the Continent was dreamed up by Americans in the first place. Political correctness originated on college campuses in the U.S. Sarkozy’s famed métissage is itself an effort at forcing a kind of U.S. multiracialism on French society.
aengus on February 7, 2009 at 10:58 PM
The government can do something by mainly getting out of the way and lowering capital gains and business taxes to be more in line with other developed countries. There is some targeted spending that could be done and that would come in around 100-200 billion as opposed to 1 trillion. Our national infrastructure can use some repair and our power grid certainly needs to be modernized as well as replinishing the military and expanding missile defense.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Sounds awful!
DrStock on February 7, 2009 at 11:00 PM
F+ck Newsweek: they’re dying, lying as they do
F+ck the French: they lose wars and smell bad
F+ck socialists: they’re wrong about Everything
F+ck the media: they’d sell their sisters for crack
Janos Hunyadi on February 7, 2009 at 11:01 PM
By the way……..
……. between the illegal aliens shouting thier own “infitada”
…… and this,
when will we finally see the folly of our ways……..?
Seven Percent Solution on February 7, 2009 at 11:01 PM
…so I don’t have to shave my legs anymore?
Laura in Maryland on February 7, 2009 at 10:05 PM
A+++
catlady on February 7, 2009 at 11:01 PM
Of course, the glaring difference is that the US economy is the engine of the world, and if we hamstring it to European proportions then the whole world economy goes into collapse – with the Euros taking a big dive at the start. European systems were only able to survive because we supported them. They had to pay nothing for their defense and they lived off of the production and creativity of America.
This is as the case in running. It is always easier and cheaper to draft off of someone else. The leading runner has to do much more work, and his work pays off for the better finishes of others. When the leading runner decides that he, too, wants to draft off of someone (like everyone else), then there must be a new leader to cut the wind for the rest.
But, there are no leaders at the ready for the world economy. China is not qualified (for many reasons) and neither is India. Europe would not be able to cope with having to pick up their own expenses (that they have been so blistfully relieved of since they tried to destroy everything in WWII). There is no nation to take the individualistic lead that America has held. The world will just slow, incredibly quickly, and many nations will implode from the pressures, turning into little neutron star countries that are just dense, worthless cores of blackness.
To throw the geopolitical effects into this would be too depressing so we’ll leave the story, here.
Beautiful world.
progressoverpeace on February 7, 2009 at 11:02 PM
And like that Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and Mennen request a bail out.
- The Cat
MirCat on February 7, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Oh……..
………. I forgot, the majority “won” this election.
Seven Percent Solution on February 7, 2009 at 11:03 PM
I think the Americans impaired the valuable influence of wealthy individuals when they allowed caps to be put on campaign contributions and so heavily regulated political activism in other ways. Apparently, before anything else could be nationalized, political campaigning had to be nationalized.
Kralizec on February 7, 2009 at 11:03 PM
I dunno. We’re not there quite there yet. Didn’t we bail out the S&L’s with loans without actually nationalizing them? The Democraptastic Congress will try their best to achieve full nationalization, but to be defeatists and throw our hands up and say its too late and it’s all Bush’s fault (as Meacham and Evans would encourage us to believe) is a mistake.
Buy Danish on February 7, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Don’t forget the mandatory month of vacation time.
todler on February 7, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Not so: Lenin originated the term, and it was prominent in the 1968 student uprisings in France and elsewhere–and used by European communists before that. Cohn-Bendit like the term then, and still does
Janos Hunyadi on February 7, 2009 at 11:07 PM
goat on February 7, 2009 at 10:40 PM
You brought up a point in an indirect manner that I am very interested in. Corporate Execs as a rule do not want to be dictated to as far as their perks – they hold them very dear. If there ever was incentive to not taking federal money or repaying it quickly, it is the loss of said perks, and more importantly, the power that goes with the position.
That being said, yeah the money is going to more entitlement programs, which will stink.
catlady on February 7, 2009 at 11:08 PM
By the way……..
…… how does that foot long hot dog feel now?
Too many days to think about it………
….. just a matter of changing your britches your so used to it by now?
As an American, we still have cards up our sleeves….
… don’t count us all out yet. Just because you took it in the as$, doesn’t mean the rest of us will.
There is still………….
…………………. our courage, and our track history of knowing how to clean and shoot weapons very well,
Very well.
Seven Percent Solution on February 7, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Let’s wait and see what states will turn away from the stimulus trough.
What states decide to go it alone as much as possible without federal dictates.
Invest in thoses states. Buy property. Invest in its businesses companies. Move our families there.
Let’s have states that are stiumlus free zones and see which states prosper and which states fail.
katy on February 7, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Maybe we had best return to the beginnings of political philosophy and reconsider everything from the beginning. It seems we must try to determine where our predecessors may have gone wrong, or what they understood that we no longer understand so well.
Kralizec on February 7, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Buy Danish on February 7, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Yes much like the TARP bailout and the government actually made money from it.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 11:14 PM
That is interesting as background information on the term but the reality is that political correctness was introduced as a mainstream concept on American campuses as a political reality.
It is no longer some Communist anachronism from Lenin’s day but the ruling principle of Western society. That it came about was only possible because the ruling political establishment of Western society – America – was/is heavy with radical leftists.
aengus on February 7, 2009 at 11:20 PM
catlady on February 7, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Yeah I expect many of those execs will be getting their affairs in order very quickly. I bet Romney’s phone has been ringing off the hook, the turnaround specialist that he is. Boy do I wish it was Mitt sitting in the Oval office instead of the neophyte socialist we have now.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 11:20 PM
Excuse me? the author of the article understands the cause of the problem and suggests that the solution to the problem is more of what caused it? Obviously the purpose of the spending proposed by The Obama is not to fix the problem since more borrowing and more spending is the cause of the problem.
There is a story among Zen Buddhist Kong Ans about a master who beats a student, who just can’t answer the masters questions, with the ‘clue stick’ and tells the student that the master will continue to beat the student until the student is driven from the monastery.
After reading the quote above, I now completely comprehend the Zen Kong An.
Skandia Recluse on February 7, 2009 at 11:22 PM
Has anybody else wondered why in the hell we fought a cold war? As I remember it, we were fighting what we are becoming. Sure, we still have a democratic republic, but how long will that last? Once the “Fairness Doctrine” has been put in place, how far will we be from a one party “George Orwell” America?
Why did my generation fight in Vietnam? Why did my friends die in the rivers and the mud of the Mekong River? Because a secular communist government wanted to have power over all of Vietnam? Today, we fight God more than communism or socialism.
At this rate, how will we recognize America in four years, eight years, or in Obama’s third term?
I mourn that my children and grandchildren will live in a country that will more resemble our twentieth century enemies than the America of my youth.
On the plus side, I won’t be around to see it when the transition is complete.
Star20 on February 7, 2009 at 11:24 PM
I thought that too. But Obama’s America is coming at breakneck speed.
katy on February 7, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Congressman Hannity?
I wonder what part of the
57 States he represents!Hehe
canopfor on February 7, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Suggestion!
How about,the Liberals pack up,
and move to a Quebec!
Its not France,but close enough!!Ahem.
canopfor on February 7, 2009 at 11:33 PM
reset time! Get your weapons in working order, ladies and gentlemen.
catlady on February 7, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Star20 on February 7, 2009 at 11:24 PM
I doubt we will see the fairness doctrine again since it is unconstitutional and we have a lot more stations than when it was in place. Even the head of Air America has come out against it.
It is sad that so many on the right are starting to mirror the hysterics of the moonbats about a fascist Bush coup and tyranny. The way Obama is responding to the pressures of office now I doubt he will want a second term but just want to ride off into the sunset to make millions giving soaring empty speeches about nothing and writing books about how great he is.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 11:37 PM
Wait does that mean my kids will have to learn French too. First Spanish, now French. No wonder while are kids are the brightest kids on the planet. We are too busy trying to be like everyone else.
Brat4life on February 7, 2009 at 11:37 PM
are not the brightest kids on the planet.
Brat4life on February 7, 2009 at 11:39 PM
If we become like the EU, who will defend us as we have defended the Europeans (providing them with a military shield which allowed the freed-up cultural spending that bought their socialistic fantasyland… which is now imploding as it finances their Islamic invasion in the guise of “guestworkers and refugees and asylum seekers”)?
Stop the Creeping Socialism Pseudo-”Stimulus” Bill!
Just fix the crumbling bridges and vital national infrastructure, invest in rational technological advances with job-building merits, reinforce the military, and screw the pork!
profitsbeard on February 7, 2009 at 11:40 PM
canopfor on February 7, 2009 at 11:29 PM
I know he doesn’t represent me, I don’t watch or listen to him.
goat on February 7, 2009 at 11:42 PM
****spits on sidewalk****
Bring those boys back from Normandy. Fill each hole with a Frenchman willing to die for America’s freedom.
****spits on sidewalk again****
Limerick on February 7, 2009 at 11:43 PM
Bush.. conservative?
Nice try but no cigar.
normsrevenge on February 7, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Sorry I couldn’t help myself.
boomer on February 7, 2009 at 11:46 PM
That’s Paul Pelosi’s job.
katy on February 7, 2009 at 11:49 PM
I know he doesn’t represent me,I don’t watch or listen to
him.
goat on Feb 7,2009 at 11:42PM.
goat:What seems to be happening,is the Fence Pole is
catching up to the turtle,me thinks,or vicey versa!
Obama can’t be this out of touch,its obvious he’s
getting help,Ayers/Dorhns?
But,on the other hand,this was the ‘Train Wreck’
every body knew could possibly happen,that is,that
a ‘Community Organizer’,with a few years experi
ence as a Senator,becomes President!
With zero,zip,notta experience,and America will
suffer as a consquence!!:)
canopfor on February 7, 2009 at 11:55 PM
MB4 on February 7, 2009 at 11:55 PM
Hmmmm….. French?
Lets see… dang, I’m too tall to be Napoleon…
Romeo13 on February 8, 2009 at 12:00 AM
canopfor on February 7, 2009 at 11:55 PM
I was talking about Hannity but I agree about Obama. He wasn’t ready and I really don’t think he thought he could win when he started his run but he did now he has little idea what to do. Its showing and badly.
goat on February 8, 2009 at 12:02 AM
He is up on that pedestal er fence post with no way down.
goat on February 8, 2009 at 12:03 AM
Hmmmmm… Socialist…
Would that make this present Government Vichy France?
Can we start an Underground?
Romeo13 on February 8, 2009 at 12:07 AM
katy at 11:49 PM-
Nancy P.-ouch!
profitsbeard on February 8, 2009 at 12:11 AM
All I ask is that despite the fact that I’m up here in VT, ya’ll don’t leave me out on when and where the revolution begins.
RightWinged on February 8, 2009 at 12:13 AM
You mean a fence turtle?
Yep, exactly that.
Limerick on February 8, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Yes a underground, but if we are to succeed we must maintain our anonymity, mask our identities. Even if it means suffering the mockery of others. Being taken for fools, fops, nitwits, even cowards. And that will be the easy part. The hard part will be not being able to boast about our exploits to the ladies.
PercyB on February 8, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Or armpits.
Shy Guy on February 8, 2009 at 12:17 AM
meh….as long as the bread here improves….
and there’s always that great French pop music, non?
F*ck.
Fortunata on February 8, 2009 at 12:17 AM
Some of us already have Vichy Garlic
Limerick on February 8, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Oops. Already spoken.
Shy Guy on February 8, 2009 at 12:18 AM
katy at 11:49 PM-
Nancy P.-ouch!
profitsbeard on February 8, 2009 at 12:11 AM
He gets well compensated with more pork of the monetary variety. A pork whore so to speak.
goat on February 8, 2009 at 12:18 AM
That’s too cruel…..bwaaahaahahaaa!!!!
Fortunata on February 8, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Hey profitsbeard… took this from the 1st headlines thread a few minutes ago… HA!
Looks like it’s Nancy’s night tonight.
katy on February 8, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Not quite on topic for this thread, but it is the most recent: Does Rat remind anybody of some Presidential Appointees? Pearls
AZfederalist on February 8, 2009 at 12:24 AM
So I guess we need to get used to surrendering.
Bishop on February 8, 2009 at 12:41 AM
Speakup on February 8, 2009 at 12:44 AM
I have to wonder how those that smeared Mitt Romney for his Mormonism or fairly recent movement to the right on social issues feel now. Mitt would have this whole financial problem bottled up and contained by now and wouldn’t have panicked like Mac did while on the trail. Mitt could very well have won on his financial savvy alone but no the “pure conservatives” couldn’t stomach his Mormonism or movement in your direction on social issues so we all ended up with a grumpy old inarticulate McCain with no coherent platform.
goat on February 8, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Speakup on February 8, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Global Warming is a myth and a socialist backdoor scare tactic.
goat on February 8, 2009 at 12:47 AM
Agreed! It wasn’t the “Pure conservatives”. It was the self rightous wing of the Evangelical Christians who simply couldn’t stomach a Mormon. Foolish is as foolish does.
katy on February 8, 2009 at 12:51 AM
Its a quote from the article.
The point being:
.
Sounds like a never ending cycle, more hair of the dog that bit us to begin with.
Speakup on February 8, 2009 at 12:58 AM
Anyone else here ready to join a revolution, in the event someone with the abilities starts one? If not, kiss America goodbye, folks.
RightWinged on February 8, 2009 at 1:04 AM
Merde.
hillbillyjim on February 8, 2009 at 1:06 AM
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