I Take Exception

Here is a willfully (or woefully) ignorant column from Matt Miller at the WaPo:

Oooh, you're so strong, baby, so handsome. You're the greatest.

I'm talking about you, America. You're . . . why, you're exceptional!

Does anyone else think there's something a little insecure about a country that requires its politicians to constantly declare how exceptional it is? A populace in need of this much reassurance may be the surest sign of looming national decline.

And Mr. Miller goes on to bash needy Republicans and their pandering leaders.

My outraged rebuttal is in two parts.  First, Ronald Reagan certainly invoked American excptionalism on occasion.  Of course, when he took over after gasoline lines, hostages in Iran, our bold Olympic boycott, and stories that America was too complicated to be led by one man (especially if that man was Mr. Peanut), it was not obvious that America's best days were still ahead.   That notwithstanding, plenty of contemporary Republican politicians figure that emulating Reagan is probably not a bad strategy.

But more importantly, this is an attack point for Republicans because we have a President who doesn't seem to have any sense at all of American exceptionalism.  Obama's intellectual development ended on the Columbia campus in the early 80's and he is a generic "Blame America Firster".  C'mon - the first time in her adut life his wife was proud of this country was when he ran for President.  And Obama's explanation of why he loves America amounts to "It produced the Wonder of Me".

Comments

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

Matt Miller can join Sen. Rockefeller in saying what is acceptable discourse.

Sen. Rockefeller - the FCC should take FOX News & MSNBC off the air...

."' It would be a big favor to political discourse; our ability to do our work here in Congress,..."

The same guy that produced the Rockefeller Memo about manipulating intelligence data.

We don't want to waste space praising America when we can use the space for leftist propaganda.

[narciso]

This is all you need to know about Matt Miller, to dismiss him utterly, CAP, NPR,
Clinton administration OMB, talk about 'speaking truth to power' quote marks off, in the LUN

[Extraneus]

OT: A message from the Joe Miller campaign. (Sorry for the double-post if there is one.)

Miller: Integrity of the Vote is Vital

In order to ensure the integrity of the election results, the Miller campaign has requested, and the Division of Elections has now granted, the opportunity to review some precinct logs from throughout the state. Miller campaign spokesman Randy DeSoto said, “Our campaign has sworn affidavits identifying unsecured ballot boxes, other precincts where numerous ballots appear to be in the same handwriting, others where there is 100% voter turnout and still other precincts where the ballots were sent to the Division of Elections presorted by U.S. Senate candidate. These and other irregularities give our campaign pause. Alaskans must be able to trust the results of its elections.”

One important step in reviewing the results of the election is ensuring that the number of voters signed in the precinct logs on Election Day matches the number of votes being recorded from that precinct and that there is no evidence of voter fraud. Further verification of these totals will have to come from the tapes that the voting machines produce with a tally of the number of voters and the break down between candidates. So far the Division of Elections has failed to respond to the Miller request for these tapes.

The Miller campaign will be conducting its review of selected precinct logs tomorrow and possibly Saturday, and will want the voting machine tapes as part of its review. The Division of Elections has also begun its required audit of random precincts from all 40 districts throughout the state.

Additionally, the Murkowski write-in ballots have undergone a hand count review where spoiled ballots are being counted for her, whereas the Miller ballots have all been counted by machine with many valid ballots not being included.

Joe Miller said, “After all the absentee ballots are in and we’ve further reviewed the procedures and the results, we may ask for a recount. Less than 1% of the vote now separates my and Lisa Murkowski’s total. If there is a recount and a consistent standard is applied to all the ballots, who knows what the difference would be. We need to uphold the integrity of the vote and we need a consistent standard.”

[DebinNC]

What makes American exceptionalism exceptional

[Extraneus]

OT: A message from the Joe Miller campaign.

Miller: Integrity of the Vote is Vital

In order to ensure the integrity of the election results, the Miller campaign has requested, and the Division of Elections has now granted, the opportunity to review some precinct logs from throughout the state. Miller campaign spokesman Randy DeSoto said, “Our campaign has sworn affidavits identifying unsecured ballot boxes, other precincts where numerous ballots appear to be in the same handwriting, others where there is 100% voter turnout and still other precincts where the ballots were sent to the Division of Elections presorted by U.S. Senate candidate. These and other irregularities give our campaign pause. Alaskans must be able to trust the results of its elections.”

One important step in reviewing the results of the election is ensuring that the number of voters signed in the precinct logs on Election Day matches the number of votes being recorded from that precinct and that there is no evidence of voter fraud. Further verification of these totals will have to come from the tapes that the voting machines produce with a tally of the number of voters and the break down between candidates. So far the Division of Elections has failed to respond to the Miller request for these tapes.

The Miller campaign will be conducting its review of selected precinct logs tomorrow and possibly Saturday, and will want the voting machine tapes as part of its review. The Division of Elections has also begun its required audit of random precincts from all 40 districts throughout the state.

Additionally, the Murkowski write-in ballots have undergone a hand count review where spoiled ballots are being counted for her, whereas the Miller ballots have all been counted by machine with many valid ballots not being included.

Joe Miller said, “After all the absentee ballots are in and we’ve further reviewed the procedures and the results, we may ask for a recount. Less than 1% of the vote now separates my and Lisa Murkowski’s total. If there is a recount and a consistent standard is applied to all the ballots, who knows what the difference would be. We need to uphold the integrity of the vote and we need a consistent standard.”

[Special? Why, yes we are.]

Well, you either believe it or you don't, and what those who don't believe it say about it doesn't make it not so.
===================

[Sbw]

Americans are very ordinary... Except when they do exceptional things, which happens quite often.

To say they are exceptional celebrates past accomplishment and does not diminish the accomplishments of others, nor does it set us apart. Criticism of our pride is no more than envy about what others have accomplished.

--
Laboriously typed on an Apple iPad. The screen keyboard doesn't make it when combined with my fingers. And the autocorrect is going to land in the same grave as Microsoft's Mr. Clippy. It's not going to replace my MacBook.

[jimmyk]

I wonder how often he says "I love you" or "You're the best" to his wife.

[Extraneus]

Well how about that. A double post where the second one ends up first.

[I get a good Captcha irony now and then.]

We'd like to think that posting was exceptional, Ext, but with this Goddess, who knows?
===================

[sbw]

Does the reverse double post mean the big bang is run out of pep and the expanding universe has begun to contract?

[But I worry that the future may allow changed votes after initial choice.]

You know, Ext, I think that one thing that will definitely happen in the future is going to be cleaning up of the process of registration, identification, and voting. There has just been too much transparency in the manners in which elections are stolen and rigged and the electorate is appalled. Both the multitude of ways of manipulating the vote, and the apparent eagerness of some of the fixers are stunning. It is a great and visible evil.
===========

[I think it will be very disconcerting.]

Heh, sbw, I think the universe will contract at greater than the speed of light, so we'll have no warning. Just, zip, one day, off to the next bang, before you know it.
============

[peter]

To loosely quote Hank Williams, Jr.
you don't see refugees swimming the other way

[centralcal]

Clarice has been "instalaunched" on her Pajamas Media article.

Eric Holder Strikes Out . . .

[narciso]

Andrew Klavan, bring some levity to the proceedings as usual, in the LUN

[Extraneus]

Excellent piece, Clarice. Just the right amount of ridicule.

[BR]

Don't worry, Einstein was a disinfo agent to make earth people think they can't travel to the stars. We're all faster than light :)

[centralcal]

Scooter Libby speaks out in an interview with Quinn Hillyer at the Washington Times.

[Extraneus]

(That's a good theory, btw, sb.)

[House investigation.]

The FBI one morning
Lost its notes suborning.
Eckenrode,
Where is that toad?
He's wanted at a harrowing.
===========

[narciso]

Great piece, btw Clarice, it really does get to the heart of the matter, they should put this crew, in the picture next to the definition of the word 'insanity, in the LUN, just another example, of the same symptom

[Terry Gain]

America will need to be exceptional to survive the sophomoric incompetence of the Obama administration.

[Jack is Back!]

narciso,

Did you catch the name of the NPR program Miller has? Its called Left, Right and Center. He plays Center. If he is the Center, who the hell is the Left? Che?

[narciso]

Newt, by the way, shows he is aloof from the facts of the Murkowski situation

[Rick Ballard]

One can understand Mr. Miller's viewpoint. After all, he lives in the wholly unexceptional Blue Hell of Los Angeles on the rotting, proglodyte littoral of the Great Blue Hell of California. There is nothing exceptional about him (another ill educated but well credentialed moron) and he would fit right into the milieu of the unexceptional rotting core of Europe.

When Tocqueville penned his observations regarding American exceptionalism, he warned against the possibility that we might reach a wholly unexceptional state, should the electorate ever decide to follow the precepts which the progressive rump of Mr. Miller's party promote so assiduously. He made a telling point with the observation and the '08 election certainly provided cause for concern.

Alternatively, the American electorate showed its aversion to Republicans who supped with too short a spoon in the elections of '06, allowing seats to go to sacrificial Blue Dogs in that election and again, showing an aversion to hogs buried far too deep in the public trough, they compounded the losses in '08 and elevated the most incompetent individual ever to successfully run to an office for which he is manifestly unfit.

Mr. Miller should examine the before and after electoral map of America for the election of '10. The rotting, stinking littoral still contains the deep blue areas of unexceptional corruption and decay but the vast expanse between the coasts provide good reason to believe American exceptionalism has somewhat brighter prospects than proglodyte scum surely wish. The view from the blue cess pools is bleak at the moment but they are not and never have been the core of what constitutes American exceptionalism.

[Old Lurker]

SBW "Laboriously typed on an Apple iPad. The screen keyboard doesn't make it when combined with my fingers. And the autocorrect is going to land in the same grave as Microsoft's Mr. Clippy. It's not going to replace my MacBook."

Same advice I gave DoT, SBW. Get the Apple keyboard iPad stand.

[Terry Gain]

From the last paragraph of Quinn Hillyer's excellent article linked by Centralcal

President Bush didn't have the guts to pardon Mr. Libby. In a supreme act of political graciousness in the service of justice, President Obama should "serve up" the pardon Mr. Libby deserves.

The chances of Zero pardoning the much-wronged Mr. Libby are zero, however let it be the first act of President Palin (who is the only presidential prospect with the courage to do the deed) along with a full explanation of the justification for a Pardon.

No busy person could possibly remember the details of conversations with many people on the same subject occurring over several weeks. To prosecute someone for an imperfect memory was grossly improper and unfair. Given that he was commanded by the President to cooperate with an investigation where he might well become the target of the investigation - and could not tell the authorities to blow off without significantly damaging the President- Bush's refusal to pardon him significantly diminished the Bush legacy in my eyes.

As debacle it's not quite of the order of Islam is a religion of Peace, but it deserves a place on the first page of Bush's misdeeds.

[jag]

Miller is projecting.

He, unconsciously, knows he's unexceptional which is an unhappy position for most liberals as they consider themselves far more intelligent than others.

Miller can't accept America as being exceptional without feeling himself diminished. So he overlooks all the extraordinary efforts and sacrifices America has made to improve the world which no other nation can possibly compare in order to soothe his own, pathetic, ego.

[narciso]

Hillyer is sometimes terminally naive about things like this. I do hold the President
responsible for 'leaving Libby behind' as
Whittaker Chambers warned fifty some years ago. Bush Sr, did it when he pardoned Weinberger, Schultz, et al for the phony
last minute indictment, and I do agree that
Sarah would be possibly the only one to truly
understand this. I don't think that of Christie for instance, because what he did
to Schundler, when he was in a tough situation

[Jack is Back!]

Listening to the radio this morning. Someone named Lattimer or close to that was a speechwriter for Rumsfeld and Bush, Sr.?? Can't recall. Says he has read W's book twice and what he finds remarkable is that Bush fingers a lot of conservatives but not any libs or Dems for opposing some of his decisions. His example was during implementing or thinking about the "surge" he points to Mitch McConnell asking tough questions and not following in line. No criticism of Kerry, Obama, Reid, Hillary, et. al. but only McConnnell.

Another reason he can build his library without my financial contribution.

p.s. Another point by Lattimer was (in discussing the term compassionate conservative) if you say that are you inferring that a conservative is not compassionate by rule? Good point.

[Jack is Back!]

Forgot to add that Lattimer is writing Rummy's book the title of which is "Known and Unknown", which I find amusing considering his famous dialogue with the press during one of his briefings. If I recall Rummy said something to the effect that there "are known knowns, unknown knowns and known unknowns". Only a Jesuit could understand what he was saying.

[Clarice]

We are exceptional, but not because we are so special. rather it is because God graced us with founding fathers who were brilliant at understanding human nature and who had spent considerable time studying what constitutes good governance and they codified those thoughts in a gorgeous federal republic guided by a written constitution.

It is our obligation in every generation to preserve and protect what the creator and his agents, the authors of the constitution, devised for us. We've not been paying as much attention to our duties as we ought to, but we're waking up and Obama will learn, if he hasn't yet, that this is not Africa or Europe or South America with some johnny come lately half assed version of democracy,

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

OT - From the "let's legalize pot crowd" we get this...Graphic images on cigarette pkgs.

The linked article asks if the same can be done with abortion images.
How about STD images on birth control pills & condoms with warnings about what happens if one is too promiscuous?
How about images on butt plugs..sold at the San Francisco street fairs...showing the effects of sodomy?

The STD images could run before most of our current sitcoms as a PSA. "If you sleep around like Joey, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, & Chandler....this could happen to you.....(cut to image of a person with late stage gonorrhea or syphilis)."

[Porchlight]

Bravissima, Clarice.

[narciso]

No, he was for W, in the last year or so, of the Campaign,Jib, he kind of blows hot and cold, that's why he writes for the Daily Beast. He was somewhat dismissive of the Tea Parties and Sarah in the early going in his book 'Speechless' or some such, but he seems to have dialed that back some how. Bush does seem dissapointed more that the Democrats opposed him on amnesty and some things that may have been areas of commonality. Then again, Rumsfeld was one of my favorites, specially considering his replacement, so who knows

[Rob Crawford]

If I recall Rummy said something to the effect that there "are known knowns, unknown knowns and known unknowns". Only a Jesuit could understand what he was saying.

It was a perfectly understandable statement, but the press -- and too many who can't think any deeper than a journalism major -- preferred to deride it rather than think about it.

[Bobby B]

"Did you catch the name of the NPR program Miller has? Its called Left, Right and Center. He plays Center. If he is the Center, who the hell is the Left? Che?

No, Che plays Right.

[Porchlight]

No, Che plays Right.

Heh.

[Porchlight]

Only a Jesuit could understand what he was saying.

Ridiculous. It made complete sense to everyone but lefty morons.

[Ranger]

We are exceptional, but not because we are so special. rather it is because God graced us with founding fathers who were brilliant at understanding human nature and who had spent considerable time studying what constitutes good governance and they codified those thoughts in a gorgeous federal republic guided by a written constitution.

Dead on target Clarice!

And, of course, this is why Miller dispises American Exceptionalism. It is rooted in a system of federal self government, which if respected, is an obsticle to all he and his fellow leftists wish to accomplish. To them, the law and the Consititution are simply cudgles to be used against their opponents when convenient, and dead words to be ignored when inconvenient.

[Jack is Back!]

Easy JOMOs, I made the Jesuit remark tongue-in-cheek and affirming that right thinking people understood it completely. I had to defend Rummy too many times to my European-in-laws for too many years just to keep my sanity when I visited there.

[Ranger]

Actually, it was four catagories of information:

Known Knowns

Known Unknowns

Unkonwn Knowns

Unknown Unknowns

He was making two points about intel. His first point was that in the case of 9/11, what got us were the Uknown Knowns. We had enough information about the plot to unravel it, but we didn't know we had the information at the time. This is a problem that can be solved.

The second, and more important point, is that the real danger lies in teh Unknown Unknowns, those those things that you are not even aware that you are unware of is where the true threat is, and every effort must be made to continually work and imagine what those things might be.

[Dubya]

"a generic "Blame America Firster"."

I think you misunderstand, Maguire.

Reagan was the first salvo in the Republican
war against the American economy.

That was not their intent, suffice it to say.

Their intended target was the Social Security system, as it was, and ever has been.

Reagan's 'VooDoo' Econ sought to concentrate the bulk of wealth in the top ten % with the sucker's tale about 'trickle down' and the attendant conservative BS.

He lowered taxes. increased military spending, then watched the Dems try to keep SS and social programs viable.

The result was deficit, deficit, deficit.

Then Clinton came along and got the deficit under control.

Bush II arrives and it's the same old same.
Concocts the BS that launches the 'War of Choice' in Iraq (unfunded) signs the 'temporary' tax cuts (unfunded)and here we are.

The Scoundrels are avaricious, and some could say 'Un-American', but they are...

patient.

So don't go believing your own carp, Maguire. American Exceptionalism is another
trope in the order of 'Tax relief for American families' as a cover for 'Rebates for my dearest and closest friends'.

[Jack is Back!]

OT: TSA - Airport Opts Out. LUN

I don't use Sandford since they have few domestic flights I would ever need to take but at least they are going private. By the way, the Feds will still be paying for the security. Note the results of the poll.

[narciso]

Right we knew of Al Midhar and Al Hazmi, somehow that information, along with Hani Hanjour's Arizona flight school courses,
Ziad Jarrah's flagging by agents in Dubai,
KSM's operations out of Quatar, none of that made into the PDB, which made it pretty much
worseless

[Mark Folkestad]

"Only a Jesuit..." The thought processes of the Order have caused the creation of the word Jesuitical, and I've also heard "Jesuitistry", which may be a fusion of either Jesuit with casuistry or Jesuit with sophistry. Ignatius Loyola himself might scratch his head over the Order these days. But it is always interesting.

[Mark Folkestad]

Lest Anduril dump on me, perhaps I should refer to the Jesuits as the Society, as in their formal title, Society of Jesus. We Lutherans tend not to be so picky about details concerning the Church of Rome.

[Mark Folkestad]

Part of Rummie's problem was that he was really as bright as the press thought Zero was, and they simply couldn't understand an intellect so far above their own level.

[MayBee]

Oh, Obama believes in American exceptionalism when it closes down a Spanish beach for his wife and daughter. Or when it closes off the pyramids for his private tour.

[Old Lurker]

"many who can't think any deeper than a journalism major"

Rob, which words don't fit in this series: Journalism. Deep. Think.

SBW excepted of course.

[Clarice]

Oh well, everyone knows the Jesuit order was started by crypt Jews (Marranos) .

[centralcal]

Off to work, but have to say beautifully put, Clarice!

And, Maybee, as always, you have pretty much nailed Obama. America is always exceptional when it treats Obama exceptionally.

[Cecil Turner]

Remarkably clueless column. He appears to think American exceptionalism depends on power rather than a peculiar political experiment. Might profit from a history course.

[anduril]

Stupid post. The idea of American "exceptionalism" is simply juvenile. One needn't believe that one's country is "exceptional" to be proud of it (where pride is realistically justified) and acceptance of the obvious fact that any country is one country among many should not dispose one to blame one's country first--without reason. Nor does rejection of "exceptionalism" entail blindness to differences among cultures or a refusal to make judgments based on those differences.

Yes, America is, in a geographical sense, exceptional in that it is uniquely endowed with resources of all sorts. But that doesn't make us exceptionally good, and realization of our good fortune should humble us rather than lead us to engage in immature chest thumping. In a moral sense, America has made its share of mistakes and has also accomplished its share of good in the world. But our transformation into an imperial hegemon under Bushie should trouble thoughtful persons (non-JOMers).

I'd say that just being a moderately good person is challenge enough for most lifetimes. The same goes for nations, especially those with the power to impose their will in most circs.

[Danube of Thought]

I have always understood that one of the elements of America's exceptionalism is that at its founding, the founders gave up powers that they already had in order that they all might benefit from uniting.

I'm not aware of any other instance in history where such a thing occurred. Politicians throughout history have been very reluctant to surrender existing power voluntarily.

[anduril]

I note that the founding fathers did not give up power over the fate of dusky skinned folk. Not so exceptional, when you think about it.

[narciso]

Well except for Laynez I don't think that's particularly true

[Old Lurker]

"Politicians throughout history have been very reluctant to surrender existing power voluntarily."

Like the Power of Earmarks?

[Captain Hate]

narc what was the source of the Newt comments you mentioned?

[Chubby]

((I note that the founding fathers did not give up power over the fate of dusky skinned folk. Not so exceptional, when you think about it.))

and extremely unexceptional of you to view the context of those times through the beneficial hindsight of these times, as well as your intellectual dishonesty in ignoring everything that has happened in between

[narciso]

An interview on Greta, that came to my attention, where he seems to think, that her campaign was in any way genuine

[Jack is Back!]

Anduril,

We are "exceptional" as a country. Why?

Name any other country in the history of civilization that took in more people as immigrant citizens then we did and still do to this day.

And since we like to bash the Nobel Peace Prize committee, name another country on the face of the earth with as many Nobel prize winners in medicine and science even economics IMSM correctly.

Name all the countries that were called on to help win 2 wars and the cold war. Name another country that can match our economy, military and political structure all in one.

People always like to point out that only a small percentage of American's have passports as a sign of our isolation and misyogany. But we hold more passports than any other country. Even if the UK has 70% of its population with passports it is because they don't have a Florida or California or The Rockies to holiday in. But we do - name any country in the world where you can be at the beach one hour and 2 hours later you're skiiing.

Now I know the last paragraph is a little sappy but I spent my working life off-shore for close to 35 years. I lived in Indonesia, Argentina, Iceland, England, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
Abu Dhabi and Canada. When I retired early in 03 and came back to the States, I kissed the ground at JFK.

Ask any ex-pat (unless they are Obamamaniac) and they will tell you that compared to any other country - we are exceptional.

[Danube of Thought]

We fought a war at enormous cost in blood and treasure to abolish the institution of slavery. Along with the British suppression of the slave trade that ranks among the most altruistic acts ever undertaken by any nation.

[Danube of Thought]

One-third of all Nobel Prizes have been awarded to Americans.

[anduril]

Jack, I won't respond except to point out that very little of what you say has much to do with the political notion of "exceptionalism." I've already noted the fact that America is exceptionally endowed in a geographical sense, broadly understood.

So what's becoming of the "American experiment?" Stay tuned to the next two years. In the meantime, ponder these several blogs as a handy way to measure the success of the recent elections and of the American experiment generally (sorry, I don't have time today to spoon feed it to you):

Concentrated Wealth and the Purchase of Political Power: Democracy's Death Spiral

Here Are The Political Motives That Make Hyperinflation Inevitable

The Federal Reserve and the Pathology of Power

All of what the author describes is arguably the result of the "American experiment," or "American exceptionalism."

[anduril]

DoT, stop reading my posts. However, if you insist, think a little before you respond.

[Chubby]

((Bravissima, Clarice.))

I second that!!

[Clarice]

narciso, that's from the fever swamps which not surprisingly follow up with claims that Jesuits are responsible for WWI and II.

OT; Bush doesn't know why Fitz pursued the case in Plame. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Bush-I-never-understood-why-CIA-leak-case-went-forward-plame-libby-cheney-108042404.html>A somewhat clueless gentleman

[anduril]

Here's a nice comment re Nobels (you people really should introduce yourselves to Google):

A group of elite scientists claim that the Nobel Prize is outdated and does not include (or is biased against) newly developing scientific areas such as “environmental science” and “public health science”. This group of scientists have written a letter to the Nobel committee asking them to broaden their scope, which provides a good lead in for the last category in Exhibit 1—the dismal, softer science of Economics.

What is now commonly referred to as the Nobel Prize in Economics was not among the original awards conceived by Alfred Nobel, but was created in 1968 by the Swedish Central Bank on the bank’s 300th birthday in memory of Nobel. Since its inception, 67 economists have been recognized for their accomplishments by the Nobel Prize (2 in 1969 and the 3 in 2010 that were awarded yesterday are not reflected in Exhibit 1). More than half (36) of those 67 economists were natural born citizens of the United States. In fact, 75% of the economic awards in the last decade were awarded to U.S. citizens.

Now I don’t know about the reader, but this tells me more about using Nobel Prizes as a measurement of a country’s contribution to mankind than anything else. Looking at the numbers from Exhibit 1, is there any wonder that the U.S.’s financial systems are in such a mess and no one can figure out what this country needs to do to fix the situation?

Considering the fact that if you put three economists in a room, you get four different answers—think what it is like to have 36 esteemed Nobel Economic Laureates at your disposal. In fact, I can only hope for the United States that its share of Economic awards begins to decline. Enough already—I say it’s time we start spreading the wealth.

In conclusion, I agree with the group of disenchanted scientists mentioned above that if the Nobel Prize is going to be viewed as a measurement of benefit-added to mankind, then new categories need to be added. So my recommendation is to have Bill Gates and Warren Buffet set up as part of Microsoft’s 40th anniversary (2015) an endowment fund for a Nobel Prize in Business Invention.

And I believe I have the perfect first nominee for such an award—Albert Gore, Jr. for inventing the internet. After all, hasn’t the internet brought access of the entire world’s knowledge to the fingertips of everyone on the globe? Now what could be better for mankind than that?

[anduril]

When are you people going to tumble to the fact that Bushie was a f*cking moron?

[anduril]

I'll give this Nobel thing a rest, after posting this link:

Nobel prize laureates (per capita) (most recent) by country

What was that gag about statistics and lies?

[TheThinMan]

It is to laugh. A person whose screen name is taken from LOTR (anduril= a sword the name of which translates as "flame of the west"). Perhaps you read the name as flame the west? I believe you are the most disingenuous, commenter at JOM.

[Ranger]

Via instapundit:

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/the-2011-tax-tsunami/>The 2011 Tax Tsunami

In most places this would only get reversed through violent revolution.

[narciso]

Fitz, ended up being everything we were told that Ken Starr was; I suspect the same elements in the establishment, that went after
Reagan and Bush, those who were sympathetic
to an entente with Iran, recall that Ted Kennedy was running one of the other back channels to Iran, similar to his entreaties
to Andropov, earlier. Lawrence Walsh their
Marshal Gerard, was one of those who had been mostly sidelined by the New Right's rise

[anduril]

It is to laugh.

Very cautious. He/she makes assertions but neglects all specifics that might make a response possible.

Re Libby, I steadfastly maintained his innocence, even though there would be next to nothing that I could agree with him on--Libby being a Liberal. OTOH, if I searched really hard I just might have been able to find one or two things that I could agree with the moron Bushie on, even though he was another Liberal.

[TheThinMan]

"When are you people going to tumble to the fact that Bushie was a f*cking moron?"
By your measure? It is to laugh!
The gag about lies and statistics was attributed to Benjamin Disraeli (Jewish, btw) via the Mark Twain-edited (written?) biography.

[Captain Hate]

Bush doesn't know why Fitz pursued the case in Plame. A somewhat clueless gentleman

It's really hard to explain his incredible obtuseness in that article. Or to underestimate the treachery of Powell and Armitage in not having told him about what happened. I wonder how many people Powell stabbed in the back in the military.

[anduril]

"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" is a phrase describing the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments, and the tendency of people to disparage statistics that do not support their positions. It is also sometimes colloquially used to doubt statistics used to prove an opponent's point.

The term was popularised in the United States by Mark Twain (among others), who attributed it to the 19th Century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881): "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." However, the phrase is not found in any of Disraeli's works and the earliest known appearances were years after his death. Other coiners have therefore been proposed. The most plausible, given current evidence, is Englishman Charles Wentworth Dilke (1843–1911).[citation needed]

Twain popularized the saying in "Chapters from My Autobiography", published in the North American Review in 1906. "Figures often beguile me," he wrote, "particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.'"[1]

Alternative attributions include, among many others (such as Walter Bagehot and Arthur James Balfour) the radical journalist and politician Henry Du Pré Labouchère (1831–1912), and Leonard H. Courtney, who used the phrase in 1895 and two years later became president of the Royal Statistical Society.[2] Courtney referred to a future statesman, not a past one.[3]

The earliest instance of the phrase found in print dates to a letter written June 8, 1891, published June 13, 1891, The National Observer p. 93(-94): NATIONAL PENSIONS [To the Editor of The National Observer] London, 8 June 1891 "Sir,--It has been wittily remarked that there are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third and most aggravated is statistics. It is on statistics and on the absence of statistics that the advocate of national pensions relies....." Later, in October 1891, as a query in Notes and Queries, the pseudonymous questioner, signing as "St Swithin", asked for the originator of the phrase, indicating common usage even at that date.[3] The pseudonym has been attributed to Eliza Gutch.[4]

The American Dialect Society list archives includes numerous posts by Stephen Goranson that cite research into uses soon after the above. .[5] They include:

Charles W. Dilke is reported twice in Oct. 1891 to have used the phrase, without attributing it to others:

"Sir Charles Dilke [1843-1911] was saying the other day that false statements might be arranged according to their degree under three heads, fibs, lies, and statistics." The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Monday, October 19, 1891

PUBLIC MEN ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS The Derby Mercury (Derby, England), October 21, 1891; Issue 9223 "SIR CHARLES DILKE AND THE BISHOPS" "A mass meeting of the slate quarry-men of Festiniog [Ffestiniog, Wales] was held Wednesday night [Oct. 14] to protest against certain dismissals from one of the quarries...." He [Dilke] observed that the speeches of the Bishops on the disestablishment question reminded him that there were three degrees of untruth--a fib, a lie, and statistics (Laughter)"

The phrase, as noted by Robert Giffen in 1892, was a variation on a phrase about three types of unreliable witnesses, a liar, a damned liar, and an expert (Economic Journal 2 (6) (1892), 209-238, first paragraph; the paper was previously read at a meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science at Hobart in January 1892). 1892 Jan talk, June pub Robert Giffen (1837–1910, Walter Bagehot's assistant editor at The Economist 1868ff; 1882-4 President of the Statistical Society): "An old jest runs to the effect that there are three degrees of comparison among liars. There are liars, there are outrageous liars, and there are scientific experts. This has lately been adapted to throw dirt upon statistics. There are three degrees of comparison, it is said, in lying. There are lies, there are outrageous lies, and there are statistics."

That phrase can be found in Nature in 1885, page 74 Nov 26, 1885: :"A well-known lawyer, now a judge, once grouped witnesses into three classes: simple liars, damned liars, and experts. He did not mean that the expert ..."

[anduril]

It's really hard to explain his incredible obtuseness in that article.

On the contrary, it's very easy. A moron would quite naturally have great difficulty in wrapping his mind around such matters.

[matt]

clarice;

much more measured than mine, but as an attorney, more to the point.

anduril;

This spiral has been occurring for the past 40 years. The rich get richer and the rest of us have been getting the shaft. The deals are done in the shadows and by ensuring certain clauses are included in otherwise sound legislation.

Thus, certain exemptions are granted that benefit a few connected businesses or regulation of derivatives barred because of the free market ideology of Phil Gramm or one of a hundred other tweaks that benefit the insider game.

The result has become an oligarchy that is amoral and transnational, leaving the options of irresponsible policy as the most attractive to the political class. Bread and circuses.

The law, as demonstrated just yesterday, is to be used without regard for justice but to further narrow political agendas.

And now the bill has come due.In this case, failure has many fathers.Bush was simply the fall guy in office when the merde hit the fan. Obama and his lot, having seen the outline of the crisis, are driving the bus over the cliff with their eyes wide open.

[Old Lurker]

Now that Anduril has dropped in long enough to insult everyone yet again (yes I know that is redundant), I thought we might save some time responding by using the following as appropriate:

(_!_) a regular ass

(__!__) a fat ass

(!) a tight ass

(_*_) an ass hole

(_o_) an ass that's been around

(_x_) kiss my ass

(_E=mc2_) a smart ass

(_$_) Money coming out of his ass

(_?_) Dumb Ass

[Danube of Thought]

Another record scroll-past. I'm becoming quite expert at spotting this simpleton.

[narciso]

Then again, he thinks things went wrong with the Enlightenment and the phasing out of the"Divine Right of Kings"

[Mark Folkestad]

Yet another dead horse flogged by our friend Anduril. What a shame he has to tarnish his luster by associating with a rabble such as us. Mark, you reveal your real name by your LUN. Why don't you go by it here?

[centralcal]

(_!_) - love it, Old Lurker!

Over at Jammie Wearing Fool he has a post about another of those "government studies" that find 20% of the population is mentally ill. He notes that 20% of the population is Liberal. Heh, sounds about right to me.

I would include (_?_) in that 20%.

[Danube of Thought]

A succinct summary from Wiki:

American exceptionalism refers to the opinion that the United States is qualitatively different from other nations. Its exceptionalism is claimed to stem from its emergence from a revolution, becoming "the first new nation",[1] and developing "a unique American ideology, based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism and laissez-faire". This observation can be traced to Alexis de Tocqueville, the first writer to describe the United States as "exceptional".

[DrJ]

Mark, you reveal your real name by your LUN.

I note that there are no comments on any of the posts there. Must get lonely...

[narciso]

That's a Venn Diagram if ever there was one.

[Mark Folkestad]

Wauck states that because of what he has observed on other blogs, he has instituted comment moderation. So the alternative hypothesis is that he is besieged by thousands of comments, all of them too profane to publish.

[Captain Hate]

A moron would quite naturally have great difficulty in wrapping his mind around such matters.

Sorry but Bush = moron just doesn't attain the level of intelligent discourse. His transcripts were released so the specifics of his education aren't shrouded in fog. He isn't particularly glib but that's not the same as not being intelligent; Muhammad Ali was glib but a borderline illiterate. To have been a governor and President meant that he understood actions and consequences at the executive level; but he's blind to it here. Either he's being dishonest and evasive or he has an image in his mind about what happened that doesn't correspond to what essentially everybody else thinks.

[laura]

The problem is Anduril is no simpleton. He's a preening, overly educated intellectual who has not the slightest idea of humanity.
No sense of appropriate behavior or how to operate within a social environment. His posts stand out like sores begging to be picked and scratched at. Anduril doesn't care in the least how we respond, except during those brief self pitying navel gazing moments, or that he has no one to actually converse with on this blog because he's always right. And that's really all Anduril is about.

[anduril]

Now that Anduril has dropped in long enough to insult everyone yet again...

Wrong again, of course. Among several whom I haven't insulted is matt, who made the attempt to understand the issues.

[anduril]

He isn't particularly glib...

No shit.

[Clarice]

I have to leave otherwise I'd say it was about time to START POSTING RECIPES.

Later..Where are those pistolas anyway?

[Porchlight]

Easy JOMOs, I made the Jesuit remark tongue-in-cheek and affirming that right thinking people understood it completely.

Sorry, JiB. My fault. If I'd read closely enough to realize it was you and not a troll who'd made the comment, I might have sussed the Jesuit reference in the manner in which you intended it.

I blame the fact that I had to have tea this morning b/c we're out of coffee. ;)

[boris]

"he has an image in his mind about what happened that doesn't correspond to what essentially everybody else thinks"

ISTM W held that his place as POTUS required an image of domestic disagreement as "loyal" opposition entitled to benefit of doubt wrt intentions, rhetoric, and actions. Of course they did and do not see W or the GOP that way. We are "the enemy".

Still it is not that different from the US holding itself to Geneva conventions regardless of what the terrorists do. Many from both parties apparently would go even further.

[narciso]

Steyn is up, on Rush btw, Gatling gun only really does the job, Clarice

[Danube of Thought]

I think the burden is on those who deny exceptionalism to identify another nation whose founding was comparable to ours.

[Captain Hate]

That probably accurately captures it, boris.

I'll say this for Bush: His unwillingness to engage in partisan sniping, which didn't serve him well as President, is probably a major reason for his recent upsurge in approvals.