Obviously, if you think it's the government's job to pick economic winners and losers, and ensure that rich people lose as often as possible, then my stance is horrible and hypocritical. I will explain another time why I think that this is neither just, nor in the long-term interests of American society.
Is this really a concept that needs explanation? I think anyone who needs it explained to them that it's a very bad idea and patently unjust that the government should pick winners and losers and punish the rich, then I don't conceive of any amount of persuasion changing their minds.
I just hope that the parts of Obama's rhetoric that match the notion of picking winners and punishing the rich was just that, rhetoric, and not something he plans on putting into practice.
I am truly frightened by how many of Obama's more vocal supporters hope that his feints in that direction were more than empty rhetoric and instead part of his proposed "Hope" and "Change".
Had Rosie watched more South Park, specifically this episode, she might have stuffed a sock in it.
Please, move with your spouse to Iran, and see how they treat you.
On the one hand, if she moved there, she might be surprised at how gay people (gruesome images at link, but bear witness, and don't forget) are treated in Iran.
On the other hand, there is no other hand, it's phenomenal that her BDS is so strong that she is willing to trust the Islamic Republic of Iran more than she does the British government.
This sort of insanity goes beyond the current resident at 1600 Pennsylvania, woe be unto the next resident, regardless of party.
There are too many people who believe in magic, and think that the government can prevent all bad things from happening. This sort of magical thinking leads to an insane cognitive dissonance when confronted with negative events. In this magical land, if the government is all powerful, all knowing, and all capable, then all bad things that happen, only happen with the complicity of the government.
The absurdity of this is beyond my imagining, but there's little else to explain the "truthers" or the reaction to the aftermath of Katrina. Sure the current administration has screwed up, all administrations screw up. Government is inherently feeble at many things, it's made up of people, and people are fallable.
Rely on yourself where you can, help others if you have the resources, and stay out of everybody elses way, whenever possible.
Government's main task should be to facilitate self reliance for the many, charity by choice and not by force of the tax code, and prosperity for those that are willing to invest in themselves and others, if a government program runs counter to those ends, then it needs to be carefully examined.
The Rosies of the world believe so strongly in governmental interference in all aspects of life, that they can't fathom the concept that government isn't the best means to all ends.
P.S.: I'd be surprised if ABC doesn't demand YouTube yank the evidence of this insanity, I'd also be surprised if The View doesn't run into sponsor troubles soon.
And cause I can't resist, here's the entire text of a recent post regarding this issue over at r blog:
anderson cooper wake up
False flag operations are covert operations conducted by governments, corporations, or other organizations, which are designed to appear as if they are being carried out by other entities.
the british did it on purpose into iranian waters as US MILITARY BUILD UP ON THE IRANIAN BORDER
John Noonan posting at Michelle Malkin linked to some YouTubeclips of a Lisa Ling National Geographic special on North Korea, I noticed that there were other links to a YouTube site for Songunblog.
This is fascinating stuff. It seems to be from a committed and honest true believer in the glory and great works of the Kims, both the Sung Il and Jong Il varieties.
It's enough to make anybody with a functioning cortex ill.
In the most recent blogpost over there (about Yankee Imperialism, naturally), I noticed the first commenter felt the need to pile on the America hatred even thicker than the Kim lover.
It's too good to quote, and it's just a rehash of his post at one of his many blogs.
"A PROUD MEMBER OF THE REALITY-BASED COMMUNITY--Assistant Professor of Journalism at Roosevelt University in Chicago, 23 year veteran of the television industry, 18 years with NBC News' "Today" program. "
No media bias (or academic bias), indeed.
Unreconstructed Marxist/Stalinist/Maoist and "the reality-based community" can coexist in cozy comfort.
Isn't that interesting?
Speaking of commie bastards, those commie bastards have decided to try and ruin St. Patrick's Day by designating that as a day of action, expect papier mache, ranting speeches, and in Los Angeles at the corner of Hollywood and Vine performances by Ozomatli and Jackson Browne.
Eugene Volokh defends the use of offensive costumes in the context of Halloween parties, and his argument is persuasive, but in the particular case in point, there's plenty of evidence that Mr. Saadi was practicing wish fulfillment and identifying with the subject of his costume, and not showing up as the worst and scariest thing he could think of.
Also, full disclosure, I was a terrorist (Black September style, dark jacket, ski mask, toy gun) for Halloween in 3rd grade. There was a costume contest at the Santa Monica Pier, the celebrity judge on hand was the great John Saxon, his comment to me was, "reminds me of one of my movies".
As far as the title of this post, it was an old assignment from a writing class, seems appropriate (maybe I'll post the story I wrote, also, but only if you beg me)
Also, even the Iraq War hating Iraq body count rips into the Lancet report (via Instapundit).
Using the same methodologies I bet you could easily show a massive 'excess death rate' in post apartheid South Africa. Crime rates (they trail only Colombia for murders per capita) in South Africa are exceedingly high, standards of living have dropped. South Africa continues to struggle towards an equitable prosperity and a properly functioning government. There has yet to be a truly successful post apartheid government. Nelson Mandela made a great figurehead and rallied the country through a difficult transition, but as administrators, he and his successors have been failures.
Would these so-called 'excess deaths' and 'excess crimes' argue against the ending of apartheid?
(do I really have to answer that?)
Democracy is hard, democracy is messy, and democracy easily beats all the alternatives.
