"Another Sunny Day" - Belle & Sebastian
A celebration of a gorgeous week of weather here -- the heat and humidity finally broke last week and we have been basking in perfection.
- When are they just going to start dropping the N word? Gary Bauer claims that Obama's vote will come from "welfare checks and voter fraud." Bauer claimed "Republicans will have to contend with lots of fake votes from the big cities." Mmmm, "welfare checks" and fraudulent voters "from the big cities." This is extraordinarily offensive stuff -- will anyone in the mainstream media call Bauer on this transparently racist meme? (Incidentally, there are all of four million people on welfare -- that is TANF, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.)
- Oh wait, I'm wrong. We all know the real racists work for Planned Parenthood. Jesus, these people are insane and shameless.
- On a more amusing note, the New York Times features a thoughtful review of Hannah Rosin's The End of Men and another devastating review of Naomi Wolf's Vagina: A New Biography.
- A fairly interesting column by Thomas Friedman (not something I write very often) on political developments in China. I've repeated this many times, but whatever problems the U.S. has pale in comparison to the difficulties the Chinese political system is confronting.
- And a good Times editorial on the continued problem of retirement in the U.S.
What's going on with all of you?
As I said over at The Atlantic, the name of the "Value Voters Summit" is Orwellian. They're values are disgusting. That they presume they are the only ones with values is likewise disgusting.
Posted by: oddjob | September 15, 2012 at 11:09 PM
I'm one week into a two month sabbatical and I've not done a damn thing - which feels absolutely wonderful.
I'm also enjoying the slow motion implosion of the GOP - though I have the nagging thought that I shouldn't underestimate the ignorance of people and the GOP may still mount a come back.
Lastly, we got our gaming group together last night (think Dungeons and Dragons, though that's not quite what we play.) One of the players is a winger and I've not seen him for a few months. He started spouting off again last night and folks gave him a dose of facts instead of Fox talking points - in this case that a secular leader was just elected in Libya instead of a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. For once, he hesitated in repeating his version of reality and seemed to listen.
Posted by: Eric Wilde | September 16, 2012 at 11:37 AM
I was the IT guy at a Planned Parenthood affiliate back in the early '90s and they pushed the "Planned Parenthood is racist." idea back then. Somehow the black employees, who were about half of the total, never bought into it.
Posted by: Jim S | September 16, 2012 at 01:28 PM
these are the same people pushing the idea that women are incapable of making their own choices; therefore, it follows that they are being forced into abortions, and that the state must intervene to protect them.
Posted by: kathy a. | September 16, 2012 at 01:52 PM
oddjob,
The arrogance of the "values voters" bullshit is really tough to take.
Eric,
Enjoy the sabbatical -- it seems well deserved.
Jim,
Go figure. I think the right wingers are still convinced that they can use Margaret Sanger's world view from 1920 against PP. Color me skeptical.
Posted by: Sir Charles | September 16, 2012 at 02:03 PM
Here we go: Mitt Romney Rap
Predicting Naomi cancels her book signings. I think the Times review might have set a new standard -- laughter-inducing to the point of wince. Wolf didn't see this coming no doubt. Hope the poor woman doesn't suffer migraines.
Posted by: nancy | September 16, 2012 at 07:10 PM
Speaking of the NYT, apparently they've decided that relevant facts shouldn't be included in he-said, she-said stories if the facts might actually tell you who's right, and who's spreading bullshit.
The nerve of actual facts to be biased towards one side or the other!
Not exactly the Gray Lady's finest hour.
Posted by: low-tech cyclist | September 16, 2012 at 09:22 PM
The funny thing is that I taught a group of public sector managers this summer from the PRC (The PRC sends higher level managers to get an American MPA over the course of a year and a half). They were very nice, but I could tell that they were really disenchanted with the government. These were people in their 40s and 50s who had worked for the Chinese government for decades. But they were upset with the rentseeking and unfairness of Chinese system (although it was never explicitly said that way).
I was teaching them American administrative and constitutional law, and I was frustrated with the rentseeking and unfairness in the American system (although I never said so, as an instructor, I try to take a balanced and neutral stance). It was like mirror images of public employees looking at each other from across two broken systems.
Posted by: Joe S | September 17, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Unfortunately the moment you create a behavior rule you create a way to cheat.
It's not unique to humans, either because if you look for it you'll find it in plenty of interactions between other organisms. There are even orchids that cheat wasps in order to complete pollination.
It's like the yin and yang of Taoism; each exists with the other and they can't be completely separated.
Posted by: oddjob | September 17, 2012 at 12:31 PM
SECRET VIDEO: Romney Tells Millionaire Donors What He REALLY Thinks of Obama Voters
MUST WATCH. I'm not convinced these display any more of what Romney actually thinks about the American populace than anything else he says because I think the moment he steps in front of any audience he immediately says what he thinks he needs to say to that audience in order to achieve whatever he needs to achieve in order to win the election in which he's running, regardless of whether he himself actually agrees with his words or not, but I still highly recommend you go to the link, read the Mother Jones article, and watch their videos.
(Hat tip, Sully.)
Posted by: oddjob | September 17, 2012 at 08:59 PM
In sum re Paul Ryan: ">http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/p_m_carpenters_commentary/2012/09/a-serious-man-no-matter-what.html"> Very Serious Persons Greatest Hits. Let's do hear again from Paul Wolfowitz.
Once you earn a reputation as a Serious Man in Washington, it’s almost impossible to lose it -- courtesy of PM Carpenter. I think those words invite a needlework sampler worth executing, then framing.
*****
Oddjob, I had linked to David Corn/MJ at the newer thread. I hope he/they've more analysis underway, with an accurate read of Mitt's stats. If deployed military are included in his pay-no-taxes "moocher" sweep, as many seem to believe, he has no way to explain his way out of a deserved and complete dishonor. Not fit Mitt.
Posted by: nancy | September 17, 2012 at 11:17 PM
nancy,
I just got a post up about Mitt's video.
Wow. Wow is all I can say.
I occasionally see Corn socially. Next time, I will buy him several drinks.
Posted by: Sir Charles | September 17, 2012 at 11:35 PM
Lacking a more recent open thread I post this here:
an interesting take on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to remand the matter back to the trial judge.
Posted by: oddjob | September 19, 2012 at 06:12 PM