March 07, 2009
March 04, 2009
Prescience bites us in the ass yet again.
"There is nothing I dread so much as a division of the Republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader and converting measures in opposition to each other."
-John Adams (1790)
In other news, I highly recommend the book John Adams by David McCullough.
-John Adams (1790)
In other news, I highly recommend the book John Adams by David McCullough.
Advice
On a lighter note, I like thinking about what cabinet meetings are like for Hillary Clinton after this:
Variations on the theme "Limbaugh Hurts the Nation"
I haven't been posting so much so here's one in the old vain.
To say that what Rush Limbaugh has been doing recently is hurting the country is a rather timeless statement. You could have said it in the early 90's (when Limbaugh was still on the junk and in his prime!), or yesterday, or any time in between.
But now it's a little different. As you probably know, Rush and RNC Chair Michael Steele have had a bit of a skirmish (I love that word) in the media recently, and as a result, Steele is just the latest on a long list of Republicans who have had to apologize to Rush (as Jon Stewart put it, the apology is for "determining that Rush's language is incindiary and ugly," also known as "being familiar with Rush's show").
But this isn't good for anyone. It's certainly not good for Republicans. Cliché as it may be, the Republicans as a party are suffering an identity crisis. They clearly need to move to the center, but most of their centrist Congressman were unseated in November. Add Rush to the mix, and you see the party is clearly on track to lose even more seats in 2010 (you might be able to argue that it's too late to turn this fate around) and is severly hurting their chances for a comeback in 2012, with the White House virtually guaranteed for Obama.**
(Update: I want to clarify: if they keep doing what they're doing, they virtually guarantee the White House for Obama. I am making no prediction about the 2012 presidential race.)
None of this should be particularly suprising, but I would like to argue that this is bad for the nation. The reason is that Democrats are already riding a pretty powerful wave of power that, as I said, will probably only strengthen through 2010. So with our foreign affairs in crisis mode and our economy an order of magnitude worse than that, we've already basically guaranteed that Democrats will retain the White House and both house of Congress through the 2012 elections, meaning Republicans won't have a chance until 2014.
And look: if you have any doubts about how much power the Democrats have right now, just imagine what you'd think and how you'd feel if a newly elected Republican Congress was passing legislation of John McCain's that was of the same magnitude - but a very different direction - than what Obama and the Democrats are doing. And then it becomes clear that, in times like these, weakening the standing of the opposition party is just bad for America.
But then again, Rush has been a specialist in "Bad for America" for quite some time.
To say that what Rush Limbaugh has been doing recently is hurting the country is a rather timeless statement. You could have said it in the early 90's (when Limbaugh was still on the junk and in his prime!), or yesterday, or any time in between.
But now it's a little different. As you probably know, Rush and RNC Chair Michael Steele have had a bit of a skirmish (I love that word) in the media recently, and as a result, Steele is just the latest on a long list of Republicans who have had to apologize to Rush (as Jon Stewart put it, the apology is for "determining that Rush's language is incindiary and ugly," also known as "being familiar with Rush's show").
But this isn't good for anyone. It's certainly not good for Republicans. Cliché as it may be, the Republicans as a party are suffering an identity crisis. They clearly need to move to the center, but most of their centrist Congressman were unseated in November. Add Rush to the mix, and you see the party is clearly on track to lose even more seats in 2010 (you might be able to argue that it's too late to turn this fate around) and is severly hurting their chances for a comeback in 2012, with the White House virtually guaranteed for Obama.**
(Update: I want to clarify: if they keep doing what they're doing, they virtually guarantee the White House for Obama. I am making no prediction about the 2012 presidential race.)
None of this should be particularly suprising, but I would like to argue that this is bad for the nation. The reason is that Democrats are already riding a pretty powerful wave of power that, as I said, will probably only strengthen through 2010. So with our foreign affairs in crisis mode and our economy an order of magnitude worse than that, we've already basically guaranteed that Democrats will retain the White House and both house of Congress through the 2012 elections, meaning Republicans won't have a chance until 2014.
And look: if you have any doubts about how much power the Democrats have right now, just imagine what you'd think and how you'd feel if a newly elected Republican Congress was passing legislation of John McCain's that was of the same magnitude - but a very different direction - than what Obama and the Democrats are doing. And then it becomes clear that, in times like these, weakening the standing of the opposition party is just bad for America.
But then again, Rush has been a specialist in "Bad for America" for quite some time.
March 03, 2009
Bush Supporters Now Wrong About Everything
I don't use large type, save for special occasions.
"First Amendment
speech and press rights
may also be subordinated
to the overriding need
to wage war successfully."
speech and press rights
may also be subordinated
to the overriding need
to wage war successfully."
-Office of Legal Counsel, October 23, 2001
Maybe I'm the only fan of both Conan O'Brien and Hunter S. Thompson...
...they're a pretty odd pair. Which is what makes this video, of Conan's visit to Thompson's "compound" (really) to "drink and shoot things," so funny.
For the record, I think the writing on Conan's show - like most late-night shows - was pretty corny and awful, and probably will continue to be. But Conan himself has a really funny personality, which is why his "in the field" segments are his best material. I also really like:
Conan in Finland,
Conan in Ireland, part 1 and part 2,
and Conan plays old-timey baseball
For the record, I think the writing on Conan's show - like most late-night shows - was pretty corny and awful, and probably will continue to be. But Conan himself has a really funny personality, which is why his "in the field" segments are his best material. I also really like:
Conan in Finland,
Conan in Ireland, part 1 and part 2,
and Conan plays old-timey baseball
March 01, 2009
Rush Limbaugh you douchebag, part 1 of what I'm sure will be many
From HuffPo: Rush Limbaugh: Of Course I Want Obama to Fail
get ready for such gems as:
"Did the Democrats want the war of Iraq to fail? They certainly did.... They hoped George Bush failed..." [I don't know about you, but I desperately wanted Bush to STOP failing every step of the way]
and
"We are talking about the United States of America... remaining the country we were all born into and reared and grown into. And it is under assault, it has always been under assault. But it has never been under assault like this, from within [by the Democrats]...so what's so wrong with saying I want President Obama to fail?" [um...I guess we can start with hypocrisy...]
UPDATE:
Just read this infuriating Rush quote in Sarah Vowell's Radio On:
"There is no such thing as global warming, ladies and gentlemen...You can trust me, or you can agonize. It's simpler to trust me." [global warming aside that last sentence makes my blood boil [no pun intended].]
Don't worry, no more updates - I realize this could become The Post That Never Ends, because Rush has several hours every day on the radio to say things I hate. I do invite you to share your favorite Rush-isms, though.
get ready for such gems as:
"Did the Democrats want the war of Iraq to fail? They certainly did.... They hoped George Bush failed..." [I don't know about you, but I desperately wanted Bush to STOP failing every step of the way]
and
"We are talking about the United States of America... remaining the country we were all born into and reared and grown into. And it is under assault, it has always been under assault. But it has never been under assault like this, from within [by the Democrats]...so what's so wrong with saying I want President Obama to fail?" [um...I guess we can start with hypocrisy...]
UPDATE:
Just read this infuriating Rush quote in Sarah Vowell's Radio On:
"There is no such thing as global warming, ladies and gentlemen...You can trust me, or you can agonize. It's simpler to trust me." [global warming aside that last sentence makes my blood boil [no pun intended].]
Don't worry, no more updates - I realize this could become The Post That Never Ends, because Rush has several hours every day on the radio to say things I hate. I do invite you to share your favorite Rush-isms, though.
Jason Bourne is female
Crazy story in the Times about a young woman with dissociative fugue - what Jason Bourne was supposed to have - who just "walked out of her life" one day. She wandered around for 3 weeks with no ID, phone, or money...
“It’s as if a whole set of information about one’s self, our autobiography, goes off line...”
“It’s as if a whole set of information about one’s self, our autobiography, goes off line...”
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