ADDED: Three good ones this AM at PowerLine: A communist in the White House; What made KSM talk? ; Union dues
Ed Morrissey describes how Franken got in, and the lesson.
Sorry, I can’t bring myself to quote any of this tour, because it’s ALL so important and well-said. To choose any portion undeservedly downplays the rest. You owe it to yourself to read it all. I will, however, post the conclusion, with the name of the place redacted:
Someone told me a few months ago that XXXXXXX would be a life-changer for me, and they were right, but I would like to emphasize that it is a good change. In the six weeks since I was there, the majority of my previous petty concerns have stopped mattering to me, completely. I just stopped caring about a lot of things that were truly pointless. It has been a very surprising and welcome change. My experience of life is different, in a good way. Something about that day in that place made me realize that if I don’t enjoy and appreciate every single moment of my charmed and comfortable life, then I am an unforgivable ass.
Is it just old history? No, says Elliott Abrams about Obama’s Human Rights Disaster.
First, we have a foreign policy that does not reflect the greatest ideals and principles of America. America was not founded to improve health care or housing; it was founded for freedom. The "shining city on a hill" was not supposed to be a model for urban planning or social policy, it was supposed to be a model of liberty and self-government.
Second, we let down the people fighting for human rights and for democracy and who look to America for help. The help can be moral or verbal rather than material support, but when we refuse to give them even that we abandon them to dictators who seek to suppress them. What message could Egyptians have taken, for example, from the Mubarak visit to Washington when the President didn't even say the word freedom or democracy or human rights?
Third, we weaken the cause of human rights globally. That cause always has enemies who seek to rule in place of the people, and they are sometimes restrained or defeated by people fighting for freedom-- sometimes with American support. When that support dries up, the oppressors are more likely to win.
And fourth, our own freedom is safer in a world of democracies, so by abandoning the cause we actually help create a world where America is less safe.
Why? Abrams answers:
I think there are two explanations for Obama policy. The first is that they associate the freedom agenda and the promotion of democracy with President Bush, so they reject it. The desire to dissociate from a previous Administration is understandable, but not when it comes to human rights. Promotion of human rights was also Carter policy and Clinton policy, in some ways, so what they are actually abandoning is decades of foreign policy consensus.
The second explanation is the one you suggest, left-wing politics. These apology tours suggest a view that America has been a source for trouble, violence, oppression and not an inspiration for freedom. It's a version of the old MccGovernite view that we are a bad country and the more we do in the world the worse off everyone will be. Reagan won in 1980 in part because he did not believe that, and the American people don't believe it; they believe we are the greatest influence for good on the face of the earth. And they are right.
Nothing is free—certainly not French health care. Very instructive.
ObamaCare I could vote for:
Interesting Admission from HRW re: Israel
Quit or Persevere and Fight Smart? I’m in the latter camp. Tony Blankley: “I don't envy him [Obama] his job at the moment.” Reflection on public support.
New Presidential Sponsor
As usual, Ignatius – and his Obama -- gets it wrong. The FBI is for criminal prosecutions, backward looking. The CIA is for intelligence acquisition, forward looking. At least, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
Less underwear with holes for “charity,” more stocks. Another positive result of the Clinton years, as Instapundit wrote in 2004:
But, in fact, the Clinton underwear episode -- which, as a Clinton supporter at the time, I dismissed with similar snarkiness -- turned out to be massively revealing. He was donating used underwear, and taking big deductions for it. That combination of narcissism and opportunism turned out to mark Clinton's presidency….
FINALLY: Tax professor Paul Caron emails:
In my federal income tax class, we joke that perhaps, in light of subsequent events (the Monica Lewinsky dress), President Clinton may have undervalued the used underwear he donated to Goodwill!
Good point!
When considering Cash For Clunkers rebate, hold out for this one (beats being taxed on the rebate):
Jules: Cash For Cons! Truth is stranger than fiction, and getting stranger all the time, where Obamanomics is involved.
Talking about being really screwed…
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. But heaven help the American men who held secret Swiss bank accounts and whose names may soon be published if a settlement is reached among the U.S., Switzerland, and Swiss banking giant UBS….
New York City divorce attorney Raoul Lionel Felder told Time that accusations of hidden Swiss bank accounts are part-and-parcel of divorce proceedings. "A lot of divorces are going to get opened up," he said. Felder added that he's already fielding calls from clients regarding hidden funds to which they believe can lay claim.
Hmmm?: Senator Byrd says to name ObamaCare after Senator Kennedy. Should future earmarks be named after Senator Byrd when he dies, calling them the “giving Americans the Byrd bills”?
To paraphrase, if he’s lost the Washington Post, he’s lost ObamaCare.
Oy vey! A $9-trillion hole is disastrous. Now, it may be $14-trillion! No wonder China tears up US’ credit cards.
Howard Dean, former Democratic National Chairman, at a town hall meeting admits:
The reason that tort reform is not in the bill is because the people who wrote it did not want to take on the trial lawyers in addition to everybody else they were taking on, and that is the plain and simple truth.
Funny, Dean doesn’t mention that tort attorneys are biggest and most loyal contributors to Democrats. -- Politics Daily reports:
At times, the event did indeed feel more Jerry Springer than George Washington, with beefy security guards poised to nab angry attendees who literally could not control themselves from blurting out heated words. One twenty-something Moran taunter, who would give his name only as "Harry Potter," loudly called out to the congressman to get government out of his life. "This is a republic, not a democracy!"
Well, duh, it is a republic. Congressional representatives are called representatives for a reason. We pledge allegiance to the Republic for a reason, and not to the representative or The O.
Did you know this?: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, our sex consultant, was an Israeli sniper. -- Theo shows us another sniper who shoots your eyes out:
How did I miss this when I was in the Marine Corps? Oh, they kept them all at HQs.
ABC’s expert reviews Ted Kennedy’s ups-and-downs in the polls during his career.
Mark Tapscott nails it:
There is just one flaw with this forthcoming drama about grossly over-paid insurance executives with lavish expense accounts attending outrageously expensive conferences held in posh far-away resorts, all made possible by the monthly premiums paid by the sick, the lame and the aged.
Health insurance executives are amateurs at living high on the hog at the expense of others. Government bureaucrats and Members of Congress are the unchallenged champions at this game.
It doesn’t stop there, as Gateway Pundit informs us:
And, then there's this government hypocrisy reported at the The Washington Times:
A month after they voted to punish some corporate executives for taking hefty bonus payouts, members of the House of Representatives quietly gave their own staffers a new potential bonus by making even their top-earning aides eligible for taxpayer dollars to repay their student loans.
Is it any wonder that seventy percent (70%) of likely voters now favor a government that offers fewer services and imposes lower taxes over one that provides more services with higher taxes.
Not to be sacrilegious, but…
The Pope and Nancy Pelosi are on the same stage in front of a huge crowd. Madame Speaker and The Pope, however, have seen it all before.
To make it a little more interesting, Madame Speaker says to the Pope, "Did You know that with just one little wave of my hand I can make every Democrat in the crowd go wild?"
He doubts it, so she shows him. Sure enough, the wave elicits rapture and cheering from every Democrat in the crowd. Gradually, the cheering subsides.
The Pope, not wanting to be outdone by such a level of arrogance, considers what he could do. "That was impressive, the Pope says, "But did you know that with just one little wave of MY hand I can make many people in the crowd, and many around the world, go crazy with joy? This joy will not be a momentary display like that of your subjects but will go deep into their hearts and they will forever speak of this day and rejoice."
The speaker seriously doubts this, and says so. "One little wave of your hand and so many people will rejoice forever? Show me."
So the Pope slapped her.
And, today’s Biblical lesson:
Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel " pick up your shovel, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the promised land".
Nearly 75 years ago, Roosevelt said, " Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a camel, this is the promised land".
Now Obama has stolen your shovel , taxed your asses, raised the price of camels, and mortgaged the promised land.
God, please help us again.
Dinocrat: Do the (immigrant) hustle in ObamaCare
EDNA FERBER: USA and USSR CIRCA 1938 No wonder I enjoyed reading her in high school.
Doug asks: Who is the most detestable, menacing and pathetic politician in America?
Make your own nominations; many to choose from.
AMA and ObamaCare:
Apparently the American Medical Association has weighed in on the president's new health care package.....
The Allergists voted to scratch it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.
The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve.
The Obstetricians felt they were all laboring under a misconception. Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted.
Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while the Pediatricians said, 'Oh, Grow up!'
The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.
Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing. The Internists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, "This puts a whole new face on the matter."
The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.
The Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas, and the Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.
In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the assholes in Washington.
Andrew McCarthy provides a real education on legal hypocrisy
'Cruel and neglectful' care of one million NHS patients exposed: One million NHS patients have been the victims of appalling care in hospitals across Britain, according to a major report released today.
Well, that’s today’s dump.
