One Of These Is Not Like The Other

Barack Obama, writing in today's Wall Street Journal, ties himself to the great progressive tradition:

From child labor laws to the Clean Air Act to our most recent strictures against hidden fees and penalties by credit card companies, we have, from time to time, embraced common sense rules of the road that strengthen our country without unduly interfering with the pursuit of progress and the growth of our economy.

I will go out on a limb here and predict that in fifty years (or maybe even fifty minutes) people won't be including credit card fee regulation on any short list that includes child labor laws and the clean air act.

Which leaves one to wonder - if it survives repel and the courts, ObamaCare will certainly belong on such a list of Big Government undertakings.  So why did Obama decline to cite his obvious bid for history?  It's fun to think he doesn't believe it works as an example of a "common sense rule[] of the road that strengthen[s] our country" and which won't interfere with growth of the economy, but my guess he is just doesn't want to induce coronaries amongst the WSJ readership.

More evidence that he is concerned about the health of the WSJ readership comes in the next paragraphs:

Sometimes, those rules have gotten out of balance, placing unreasonable burdens on business—burdens that have stifled innovation and have had a chilling effect on growth and jobs. At other times, we have failed to meet our basic responsibility to protect the public interest, leading to disastrous consequences. Such was the case in the run-up to the financial crisis from which we are still recovering. There, a lack of proper oversight and transparency nearly led to the collapse of the financial markets and a full-scale Depression.

Over the past two years, the goal of my administration has been to strike the right balance.

"Strke the right balance"?  I sense the deployment of the healing power of laughter.

Comments

[Jdse]

He and B stole all that foreign aid and turned h care into a foreign entitlement,famous?

[Extraneus]

So far, he has helped to strike the right balance between Republicans and Democrats in the House, I'll give him that.

[Rob Crawford]

At other times, we have failed to meet our basic responsibility to protect the public interest, leading to disastrous consequences. Such was the case in the run-up to the financial crisis from which we are still recovering. There, a lack of proper oversight and transparency nearly led to the collapse of the financial markets and a full-scale Depression.

I'll agree that a lack of "proper oversight" was the problem.

Because the SOB responsible for that oversight was Barney GD Frank, who was busy literally sleeping with the people he was supposed to be regulating.

When Republicans called for regulation of the Democrat sinecures FNMA and FNMC, Frank and his buddies went into shrieking hysterics. But now the pravda is that Republicans were guilty of loosening regulation, ignoring the Democrat operatives and clowns who looted the place.

[clarice]

Let's see--Appoint the most whacked out lefties to head your departments and agencies; give them free rein to choke the economy with utterly nonsensical restrictions on development and then make a vague promise to cut out nonsensical regs. I want the names and addresses of all those stupid enough to fall for this razzle dazzle.

Or, we could run late night ads:"Two,Two, Obamas in one and free steak knives if you call in your order in 5 minutes."

[bunky]

Kent Conrad has good hair.

[Extraneus]

Isn't today the scheduled repeal vote in the House?

[DebinNC]

Sometimes, those rules have gotten out of balance, placing unreasonable burdens on business—burdens that have stifled innovation and have had a chilling effect on growth and jobs

He's describing his capricious oil drilling ban. The remarkable thing about Obama's "rules" is the ability of Dem favorites to evade them: student loan forgiveness for those employed in the public, but not private, sector...union insurance plans exempted from Kill Granny...the GM bondholders' shafting..etc..

[Amanda J]

Obama has definitely moved to the middle, maybe even a little right of middle. His chances in 2012 look excellent right now. His coattails will probably bring Pelosi along as Speaker of the House.

If he keeps this up, some you JOMers may even vote for him.

[narciso]

A little humor is always appreciated, Mandy

[For they know not what they do.]

Regressives to a man and to a woman. Forgive them.
=============

[DebinNC]

Ex, repeal debate today-vote tomorrow.

[Extraneus]

Thx, Deb. That should set the tone well enough in advance of the SOTU on the 27th.

[Rob Crawford]

Founder of Greenpeace says "Environmentalist movement is a pack of watermelons -- Green on the outside, Red on the inside":

The collapse of world communism and the fall of the Berlin Wall during the 1980s added to the trend toward extremism. The Cold War was over and the peace movement was largely disbanded. The peace movement had been mainly Western-based and anti-American in its leanings. Many of its members moved into the environmental movement, bringing with them their neo-Marxist, far-left agendas. To a considerable extent the environmental movement was hijacked by political and social activists who learned to use green language to cloak agendas that had more to do with anti-capitalism and anti-globalization than with science or ecology. I remember visiting our Toronto office in 1985 and being surprised at how many of the new recruits were sporting army fatigues and red berets in support of the Sandinistas.

LUN

[Army of Davids]

What Obama says....not worth listening to.

It is always what he does.

His record over the past 2 years of throwing regulatory quicksand at free enterprise is likely only matched by the deficit spending under he signed off on.

It's your record on regulation...Mr. President.

An Op-Ed in the WSJ doesn't reverse that.

[PaulL]

Ibama 2013 model: "Remember, I inherited this mess from Barack Obama."

Doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

[Melinda Romanoff]

I would remind everyone of DoT's (I think it was) left hand/right hand message.

Say one thing, and let the EPA threaten refineries in Texas, close coal mining in WV, and the Dept. of the Int. shutter oil operations.

Watch what they do, not what they say.

[Oh, no, there was no conspiracy. Just everyone breathing at once.]

Heh, Rob, I just wrote 'Is Maurice Strong advising the Chinese or are they advising him of his rights?' at the L!ink U!nder N!ame.
=====================

[Danube of Thought]

His coattails will probably bring Pelosi along as Speaker of the House.

Given the 2010 census and the upcoming redistricting, very nearly impossible.

[Captain Hate]

His coattails will probably bring Pelosi along as Speaker of the House.

If he keeps this up, some you JOMers may even vote for him.

The sun may rise in the west tomorrow, but I wouldn't bet on it.

[jimmyk]

Sometimes, those rules have gotten out of balance, placing unreasonable burdens on business

And when the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler provided an opportunity to rid the industry of burdensome union work rules and excessive pension obligations, guess who stepped in to keep that from happening? And guess who undermined the rule of law and confiscated the bondholders to benefit the UAW? And who sent the message that if you're a big unionized firm you'll be rescued if you get in trouble? All that's gotta be real good for growth.

[MayBee]

brilliant and true, jimmyk

[jimmyk]

This op-ed is of a piece with his Tucson campaign memorial speech. Make statements full of nice platitudes completely at odds with his record, and watch the media lovefest that follows. What's next, a speech calling for more transparency in elected officials' biographies?

[lucia's great, though; check her out.]

Best yet; it got lucia's goat enough to delete it. Hey, you haven't lived until Steve McIntyre's snipped of your best.
================

[Rob Crawford]

What's next, a speech calling for more transparency in elected officials' biographies?

Obama: Candidates must show proof of eligibility.

[Danube of Thought]

Somebody--I think it was Ann Althouse--pointed out that housing and finance have, for a long time, been roughly the two most heavily regulated activities in the United States (think of refinancing a home loan, or what you see in the prospectuses you get in the mail), yet the regulations did nothing to avert the 2008 collapse.

And while Frank was indeed the principal obstructionist to more regulation, I am extremely doubtful that any regulation that anyone had come up with in the mid-oughts would have substantially changed things.

I think that after all the dust has settled, the two biggest culprits leading to the collapse will be seen, in order of importance, as (1) a sustained federal policy of encouraging, facilitating and to some extent requiring the granting of home loans under terms that posed enormous risks to the lenders (and the borrowers), and (2) the catastrophic incompetence of the ratings agencies. Item (2), by the way, is absolutely inevitable, due to a lot more than mere regulatory capture: no one with the skills required to do the rating effectively would ever dream of working for one of the agencies, as opposed to making a hell of a lot of money.

I think it is more than fair to say that federal governmental intervention in the real estate marketplace is the root cause. But saying that would be uncivil.

[Extraneus]

So 56% of Democrats believe that Palin's target map was at least partly responsible for the Tucson shooting. Isn't it notable just how dumb, hateful, and easily led they are?

[jimmyk]

Somewhat off topic, though not if you think about the consequences of all the bailouts:

I guess California is flush with revenues, because the city of Berkeley is contemplating covering sex-change operations in its employee health plan.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Watch what they do, not what they say.

That should be tattoed on all of our foreheads.

[Danube of Thought]

Raz:

Republicans officially assumed control of the U.S. House of Representatives this month, and voters now trust the GOP more than Democrats on all 10 of the most important issues regularly surveyed by Rasmussen Reports including the economy, health care, taxes and national security.

[Melinda Romanoff]

O/T-

7 Isr. tanks move into Gaza.

[Rob Crawford]

And while Frank was indeed the principal obstructionist to more regulation, I am extremely doubtful that any regulation that anyone had come up with in the mid-oughts would have substantially changed things.

True about there probably being nothing that could have changed the course by then, but Frank was also the primary mover behind the easy-loans policy.

[Probably a mortal wound, to a Phoenix.]

Bad enough the CRA. But Boston Fed added insult to injury.
===========================

[glasater]

There are some interesting comments to Zero's Op-Ed.

[squaredance]

More "for the children" hooey.

More adults who hide behind "child labor" to avoid "adult labor".

Not one bit of so-called "progressive legislation" ever help this nation.

It is just immoral for Obama to mask his communism in all this nonsense.

"Progressivism" must be rejected, but, above all, Communists must not be allowed to elide their project with either the "progressives" or the "liberals" of the 19th and early 20th century. Other than a grasping elitism they have nothing in common with them.

One prays that the American people will not yet again swallow this poison. One prays for real leaders who will finally call them out on this Big Lie.

Now is the time to call them out. If we cannot do it now we never will.

But of course, we seem to have forgotten history and rational thought in this nation.

And, of course, they have to drag out the old canard of "child labor". The percentage,including the agricultural sector, was 18% around the turn of the century and the accuracy of those statistics are debatable. It was mostly an inherited problem and when not it was tangled up with odd demographic circumstances that were quite temporary. When the legislation was enacted against it, the percentage of child labor was up some 50% since the late 19th century and related to a huge influx of immigrants. It would have worked itself out eventually. This is presented as some moral triumph of Progressivism but they really just rode an historical wave

But what is extraordinary with Obama's tactics here is:

1. Without the slightest proof, to claim he is part of that tradition (and by inference the New Dealers were too)

2. Then making the next leap that communism is in the same tradition

3. Then making the leap that overturning this civilization is somehow and American tradition. We move from Grover Cleavland supporting child labor reform to the UAW seizing GM assests. Swoosh!

What lies. When will we stop this madness?
This is the same garbage that was trotted out in Argentina between the late 19th century and Peron. Look what happened there.

This is the sort of bilge we here out of Latin American tinpot, socialist dictators.

If this generation cannot toss out this nonsense then there is no hope for this nation.

[Ophicuchiously I sputter.]

The corruption is the greed of the Democrats and their mistaken attitude of moral superiority. The pus and inflammation is the response of the market. Is the disease Progressive? Why, yes it is, but prognosis pends.
===========

[squaredance]

He's describing his capricious oil drilling ban. The remarkable thing about Obama's "rules" is the ability of Dem favorites to evade them: student loan forgiveness for those employed in the public, but not private, sector...union insurance plans exempted from Kill Granny...the GM bondholders' shafting..etc..

That is exactly right and it is exactly the right approach. The notions that government somehow is more moral than private industry and that centralization of power will not lead to corruption and tyranny are issues that the American people can understand.

While we are at it, it would be a good place to point out the lying hypocrisy of the "progressives".

[squaredance]

Somebody--I think it was Ann Althouse--pointed out that housing and finance have, for a long time, been roughly the two most heavily regulated activities in the United States (think of refinancing a home loan, or what you see in the prospectuses you get in the mail), yet the regulations did nothing to avert the 2008 collapse.
]
Avert it? They caused it. little wealth is done created through government. Goodness, even the wealth created in the arms sector during WW2 and the Cold War was done through an open market meeting government needs (more or less).

Here we are at an extreme failure of all that the Left has stood for--and implemented--in this nation.

Now is the time to have the courage to call things by there real names.

Now is the time to stop this madness.

[jimmyk]

It seems pretty likely that the willingness of Fannie and Freddie to purchase and essentially guarantee subprime mortgages contributed to both the huge expansion and the credit rating agencies' and banks' belief in their safety. No question there was some opportunism and questionable practices by the issuers, but the guys behind the curtain that ultimately gave oxygen to the whole thing were FM&FM.

[Melinda Romanoff]

jimmyk-

Right criminals, wrong analogy.

Think nitro in street racing.

[Melinda Romanoff]

As in Nitrous Oxide.

Sorry, should have been clearer.

[squaredance]

Told ya!

All through a completely outrageous (and pre-planned!) agi-prop campaign and a just outrageously immoral and indecent "memorial service". A practiced impromptu and they pulled it off like it was just like play chopsticks.

And the GOP is still flat-footed about it.

Never laugh at the MSM. They are better propagandists than the Soviets, the Nazis or the PRC ever had.

They know what they are up to. They know how it works. Do you?

Seriously, Obama has a real shot in 2012; so do the rest of the Dems.

The only solution is to start calling the Democrats by their real names.

They need to start throwing people in jail.

They need to rebut each and every attack with a denouncement of this Communist Coup.

The GOP needs to clearly and unflinchingly speak the real truth in clear, concise and simple terms.

[narciso]

Really, square, if you're goin to panic over
a cooked sample, like that, then 'game over, man," as Private Hudson might say

[Tom Bowler]

Somehow I can't feel that "healing power of laughter."

But throughout our history, one of the reasons the free market has worked is that we have sought the proper balance. We have preserved freedom of commerce while applying those rules and regulations necessary to protect the public against threats to our health and safety and to safeguard people and businesses from abuse.

Nothing protects the public like a proper balance imposed by the forces of competition. Obama may say he favors greater competition in the private sector, but only until his union base is threatened. Then crisis will demand that an industry be saved, and the competition that is driving his boys out of business will be crushed. We'll console ourselves with regulation.

[jimmyk]

Think nitro[us oxide] in street racing.

Not familiar with that. Care to elaborate?

[glasater]

Donald Lambro restates what the JOM crowd already knows:

Obama's">http://townhall.com/columnists/DonaldLambro/2011/01/14/obamas_rebound_numbers_are_misleading/page/1">Obama's rebound numbers are misleading

Plus, Obama is going to have to deal with all the carp that his regulations have imposed on our economy--like energy.
I believe his policies on energy will torpedo his re-election chances.

[Army of Davids]

The size, scope of regulatory power grabs in the last two years is the largest I've seen in my 30+ years following government policy.

Look at Obama's record on regulation.

It speaks a lot louder than his words.

[Melinda Romanoff]

NO (nitrous oxide), fed into the intake of an engine under pressure, can boost performance of an engine by temporarily upping the horsepower of the engine through chemical alteration of the fuel/air mix.

Temporarily, otherwise engine goes boom.

[Jack is Back!]

Hey, how'd you like that shit I wrote today in the WSJ? Funny, huh?

[Boatbuilder]

I feel so much better after reading our President's reassuring (and oh-so-civil) words. Don't you?

[Jack is Back!]

Maybe one reason he doesn't want to list his health care job killing/crushing/suffocating/termination/destroying/annilating health care bill is because he knows its junk politics. If our health care system needed fixing then how come those Big Pharma, medical device tax underpayers and Big Hospitals aren't on the top sued companies list? LUN

[Walter]

Sometimes, those rules have gotten out of balance, placing unreasonable burdens on business—burdens that have stifled innovation and have had a chilling effect on growth and jobs.

Obviously, he will be supporting HR 4, if not HR 2. Even Mr. Frank of MA is a co-sponsor of the former.

-- HR 2 repeals the entire health care bill. HR 4 just repeals the '1099s for all' provision.

-- Only H&R could tell for sure, but it seems as though each bill has more co-sponsors than words in the text. Is that not a violation of House rules in these days of 2,000-page bills?

-- One does feel sorry for Mr. Franks of AZ. If Mr. Frank of MA continues to vote with him, someone is bound to confuse the two of them eventually.

[DebinNC]

Cantor's claiming Obama stole his regulation examination idea, his aide saying Cantor personally put the blueprint in Obama's hand: link .. Hmm...

[Boatbuilder]

Obama wants (or is saying it-not the same)to examine regulations by executive order. He doesn't want anybody to get the idea that those yahoos in the House have any say in the matter.
Cantor should grab Obama's proposal and immediately put his legislation forward--in the name of "bipartisanship."

[Army of Davids]

paraphrasing Sebellius and Pelosi...some "120 million will lose health coverage" if ObamaCare is repealed.

They just make this stuff up as they go along...LOL

[Neo]

"Strke the right balance"?

With what ? a 2 x 4 ??

That seems to be the only thing that would really help.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

So Canter told Obama what to do, and Obama refuses to give him credit. Gee, I'm shocked.

BTW Rush I think said Sebilus said 120 million people have pre-existing conditions. I guess that means that pre-existing conditions are not a problem because a whole lot of those people have insurance.

[clarice]

Jane, Don Surber had this first in an excellent post you may want to read.

[PaulV]

Extraneous the % of democrats blaming the register marks is close to % of democrats who are 911 Truthers like Loughter

[clarice]

"Berkeley is contemplating covering sex-change operations in its employee health plan."
The beauty of govt health care is that whoever bangs the existing power's tea kettle the loudest gets covered. Don't be surprised if under Obamacare (if it's not repealed or declared unconstitutional) such surgeries would be included in coverage. Dying grandmas not so much.

[Old Lurker]

"BTW Rush I think said Sebilus said 120 million people have pre-existing conditions. I guess that means that pre-existing conditions are not a problem because a whole lot of those people have insurance."

That was story #1 at WaPo this morning, Jane. I think the number was 129M.

[Old Lurker]

Tried to LUN it but the WaPo site is frozen. It was "129M...half of all people under 65..." Since most of those are indeed insured, not sure how it makes their case.

[Neo]

Damn, racists. Barack Obama has called for a more cordial atmosphere and some racist jerk at Gardena High School in Los Angeles has decided to take it upon himself to ignore “The Won’s” gracious call.

Obviously, this is the fault of Joe Scarborough … and I don’t want to hear a word out of him that it is anything but his fault. Self-centered idiot, hold your tongue.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Jane, Don Surber had this first in an excellent post you may want to read.

Shheesh and I thought I was brilliant.

BTW does anyone else gag when they hear the reason for a 2000 healthcare bill is putting 26 year olds on their parent's insurance?

Who give a shit about that?

[Danube of Thought]

I blame Palin:

A California school is on lockdown today after three people were shot. One is in a critical condition and another is a serious condition with one reportedly shot in the head after the incident at the Gardena High School in south-east Los Angeles, police said. It was not clear whether the shootings were deliberate or whether the weapon was discharged accidentally. A young male has been taken into custody by officers but it is not yet clear if he is the gunman. Police put him on the ground, handcuffed him and have escorted him off campus.

[Frau Beinbruch]

"So 56% of Democrats the Jackwagon Party believe that Palin's target map was at least partly responsible for the Tucson shooting."

[Frau Beinbruch]

"Dying grandmas not so much."

Clarice, in Berkeley those grandmas can apply for sex changes and get the treatments they need.

[clarice]

*palm to forehead* Brilliant, Frau.
Jane..I meant Surber was first on exposing the folderol in the claim about the no. of uninsureds.

[squaredance]

Oh they are just starting on "the rebound numbers", and they are "misleading".

What the "JOM crowd" apparently does not understand is how propaganda campaigns work. They seem to have no idea what they are up against.

Hint: that was just the first salvo. They are preparing the battlefield.

And it worked masterfully.

These people are dedicated and "professional" Marxist Leninist. They know what they are doing. Go over to drudge and look at the POTUS kowtowing to Hu and thereby telegraphing to the world the decline of this nation.

You think he is just being a imbecile?

[boris]

Italiacto

[Janet]

Clarice, in Berkeley those grandmas can apply for sex changes and get the treatments they need.

That will actually work out great because the libs also like to change the meaning of words.
"Hey, that gangrenous leg may not look like a penis, but I want it OFF!"

[clarice]

I think I do know how they work, squaredance. With all due respect.

OT Lieberman announces he will not run for re-election. That means, it's time to start the Tom Maguire for Senator Campaign.

Start your engines!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim Ryan]

Great, now there's going to be some senator or other from CT who's way, way, way to the left of Lieberman to take his place.

Unless you run, Tom.

Run, Tom, run.

[Neo]

Something to feel extra good about ...

WE did it. For once, we acted collectively, as humans, huddled together on a fragile planet, rather than as selfish individuals. And we did it: we beat global warming.
So now let's move on.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, 2010 was Australia's coldest year since 2001. Since logic tells us the planet can't be getting hotter and colder at the same time, we can confidently pronounce global warming dead, buried and comprehensively beaten.
This victory happened because individuals pulled together, within nations, and then the nations of the world themselves pulled together. Meetings were held in places such Kyoto. Rousing speeches were made by world leaders. People clapped and felt good about themselves. Documents were signed.

Clearly, with each meeting, each speech, each inked treaty, global warming was pushed back.

Obviously, this clears the way for President Obama's “21st Century regulatory” regime.

And a special congratulations to all the non-participants.

[bunkerbuster]

The Bush economic collapse was caused by ineffective financial regulation, specifically the removal by the SEC in 2004 of limits on leverage for investment banks.
Frannie and CRA had been subsidizing mortgages for decades; the mortgage interest tax deduction had been inflating the housing market for even longer, yet across those decades, there had never been anything even close to the housing bubble that formed between 2004 and 2008.
The amount of subprime lending climbed slowly in the early 2000s, then soared after 2004 as private investment banks jumped in with both feet, leveraged to the hilt, to buy CDOs made of risky home loans.
The housing bubble affected values across the board: 2 million dollar homes soared right along with the 2-bedroom starter homes poor people were buying with ninja loans, etc. If subprime loans to poor people were the extent of the problem, the bubble's bursting might have indeed caused a recession, but nothing at all like the collapse that froze credit for half a year and brought the entire banking system to its knees.
Moreover, if Frannie's insolvency were the central issue, Bear Stearns and Lehman Holdings would still be alive and well and demanding further de-regulation.

[glasater]

Regarding grandmas.....don't forget it was a grandpa who helped take down Loughner.
That retired colonel hadn't lost his touch.

[Rob Crawford]

Your lips are a little stained from the Flavor-Aid, bubu.

[Enlightened]

Hmmm. 2009 Giffords Townhall in Douglas AZ...man dropped his gun....was he ever proven to be a member of the Tea Party?

About That Dropped Gun In Arizona...
By Eric Kleefeld - August 11, 2009, 7:13PM
Officer Marcus Gonzalez, who is the the spokesman for the police in Douglas, Arizona, has now filled me in on exactly what happened at that meet-and-greet last week by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) -- the one where somebody dropped a gun.

"Apparently, there was no police report taken, the reason being that it was an accidental drop of a gun," Gonzalez explained to me. "Apparently, a male gentleman that went to the meeting had a gun holstered on his side. And when he sat down, it fell out of his holster."

Police were not called to the scene, but were already there to maintain public order and provide security for the Congresswoman. They immediately looked into this, and it turned out the man owned the gun and was legally carrying it -- like our friend in New Hampshire, he was legally carrying the weapon out in the open, and did not need any concealed-carry permit.

"We're not really conducting an investigation on this, because there's not really an investigation to conduct," said Gonzalez.

I made sure to ask Officer Gonzalez whether the gun went off when it fell. It did not.
(link TPM sigh...)

Every leftwing turdbucket reporting on this screamed the gun dropper was a "tea-bagger"......was he?

This event was eerily prescient....makes me wonder just a tad if Loughner knew about it...

[matt]

as far as I'm concerned, it is more of this socialist's attempt to rule by fiat. LUN

[narciso]

So it turns out, a Janet Reno era policy, kept Loughner's drug records out of the federal data bases

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Every leftwing turdbucket reporting on this screamed the gun dropper was a "tea-bagger"......was he?

Assume he were. Who cares? Someone was there with a legal gun, carrying it in accordance with local law, and dropped it. Didn't go off, didn't make any particular fuss, police said there was no offense.

So a gun owner carried a gun to a gun-rights Congresswoman's talk.

[Enlightened]

"Assume he were. Who cares?"

I'm just curious. I was wondering if the person was identified, and if it's possible Loughner is his batshit crazy way used that incident to shape his incident...

IMO - It's just creepy how similar the two incidents were - I'm assuming it was NOT Loughner at the previous gathering doing a dry run, but almost sounds plausible...

[Frau Beinbruch]

Jim, you forgot "See Tom run."

In any event, I hope Mickey Kaus will reciprocate support for TM.

[Thomas Collins]

Whoa! Mel, you run with the Chitown area street racing crowd? Remind me NEVER to get on your bad side!

[Boatbuilder]

Douglas AZ is just down the road from Tombstone, and is right on the Mexican border. From what I recall of my own brief visits there, there is absolutely nothing unusual about carrying a holstered gun in Douglas. Driving anything but a pickup, however, is unusual.

[MayBee]

Speaking of Chicago...

Has everybody else noticed that Haiti has become Obama's international Algeld Gardens?

[clarice]

Well, wasn't Haiti Bill Clinton's special project?
I remember the way the CBC (esp Maxine Waters) was bitching when Bush got Father Aristide out of there. I expectt there was money involved..as there was in the aptly named Altgeld (Old Gold) Gardens.

[MayBee]

Oh, clarice. I do.
I remember when the CBC said we'd staged a coup, and it was during the election so John Kerry climbed aboard. It was when I realized once and for all he was a clown.

[Janet]

Here is the WaPo -
Haiti holds a special place in the hearts of Bill and Hillary Clinton

from the article - "rebuilding the country will be a central part of Bill and Hillary Clinton's lives"

What??? Why are you laughing? You don't think Haiti is a central part of their lives?

and this from the article - "They toured the old hotel where the writer Ernest Hemingway once stayed and visited a voodoo high priest dressed in all white."

See, what not to love....

[Melinda Romanoff]

Janet-

We won't go into the amount of money laundered out of the UN through Haiti.

The loss of Aristide cut off that reliable flow of funds.

[clarice]

What do you mean by that, Mel?

On no evidence, I always assumed Aristide was funneling drug profits and a portion of the US aid money to Dem congressmen under the table.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Global Crossing as a corporate conduit through the Aristide "phone company". Clintonistas on the board and it was all good.

Very well known in local fund raising circles, some congressional cash flowed from it.

Can I testify to it? No.

But it was something "everybody knew".

[clarice]

And how did UN money get to Global Crossing? Lots of Clinonistas made lots of money thru GC when it was hot, but I thought it was all private investment money..

[JM Hanes]

I just read the actual Executive Order on perfecting the union of regulation & business, so you don't have to.

Obama calls for eliminating regulatory duplications, overlap, conflict and redundancy by adding his own ornamental order onto President Clinton's 1993 call for eliminating regulatory duplication, overlap, conflict and redundancy. Of course, there's considerably more urgency now, considering the rate at which Obamacrats have been stapling pages to the rule books.

Within the next 120 days, government agencies are instructed to design the regulatory frameworks -- consistent with all rules and regulations now in place -- within which they will undertake a review of the rules and regulations now in place.

When contemplating regulatory reform, rule-making agencies are directed to quantify present and future costs and benefits unless existing regulations allow them to get away with making a case for "values that are difficult or impossible to quantify, including equity, human dignity, fairness, and distributive impacts."

Obama reminds his regulators that regulation is not the only instrument in the regulatory tool box. They've also got user fees and "marketable" permits to incentivise "desired behavior." So much for any lingering uncertainties, eh?

[clarice]

jmh, I'm certain this stunt and the op ed pulled the wool over the readers of the wsj and persuaded the business leaders that Obama, who appointed the most motley crew of dumb leftists to regulatory positions is really a moderate who wants only to see the business community thrive (and give him money for his re-eection).

[Melinda Romanoff]

UN funding of "infrastructure" for poor nations, just like Haiti.

Who got the contracts to lay all that fiber around? Also, it was a vital point to launch a trans-Atlantic fiber effort as well.

After seven years, I seem to recall only the West terminal was poured, after a bunch of cable was contracted, but not ordered.

Lots of moving parts, all infrastructure, and all overpaid, with consulting fees.

I forget most of the egregious stuff, but all the right names, Burkle, McAuliffe, Susman, and so on.

Sounds like I've just started a homework project, doesn't it. I'll see what I can put back together.

[JM Hanes]

Too right, Clarice. That New! Improved! messaging must be so reassuring. I predict an unprecedented upswing in the job market for lobbyists.

[Melinda Romanoff]

clarice & jmh-

That little op-ed raised more eyebrows than covered them with wool. Especially since the energy shut downs, including the coal mine on Sunday, are all on the regulatory side.

Not many are buying in to the game.

[Rick Ballard]

Mel,

IMO, he's just setting up a "evil plutocrats still refuse to hire, even though I magnanimously deregulated mohair and buggy whip production" backstop for the Continuing Campaign Against Capitalism.

Nobody but a flat liner could buy a single word coming out of the Kendonesian commies mouth.

[clarice]

Obama must think he is really smart and we are really dumb to pull a stunt like the E.O. and op ed.

[Porchlight]

and this from the article - "They toured the old hotel where the writer Ernest Hemingway once stayed and visited a voodoo high priest dressed in all white."

See, what not to love....

Janet, remember when Hillary visited the Virgin of Guadalupe and asked the monsignor who painted it?

She's a sharpie, that Hillary.