Spreading The Message Of Democracy? Not Exactly

Wow - a Democratic President of the United States opens his State of the Union address by offering well-deserved praise to US troops and then urging the rest of our citizens to embrace their values:

THE PRESIDENT:  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq.  Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought -- and several thousand gave their lives.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.  (Applause.)  For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.  (Applause.)  For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.  (Applause.)  Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated.  The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces.  At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations.  They’re not consumed with personal ambition.  They don’t obsess over their differences.  They focus on the mission at hand.  They work together. 

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example.  (Applause.)  Think about the America within our reach:  A country that leads the world in educating its people.  An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs.  A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.  An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

Go, Sparta!  The President closed with the same theme:

...Which brings me back to where I began.  Those of us who’ve been sent here to serve can learn a thing or two from the service of our troops.  When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian, Latino, Native American; conservative, liberal; rich, poor; gay, straight.  When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails.  When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one nation, leaving no one behind.

One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden.  On it are each of their names.  Some may be Democrats.  Some may be Republicans.  But that doesn’t matter.  Just like it didn’t matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates -- a man who was George Bush’s defense secretary -- and Hillary Clinton -- a woman who ran against me for president. 

All that mattered that day was the mission.  No one thought about politics.  No one thought about themselves.  One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission.  It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job -- the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs.  More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other -- because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there’s somebody behind you, watching your back.

So it is with America.  Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those 50 stars and those 13 stripes.  No one built this country on their own.  This nation is great because we built it together.  This nation is great because we worked as a team.  This nation is great because we get each other’s backs.  And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard.  As long as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, and our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Pardon me, but the military unites behind the mission established by the Commander-in-Chief, as I hope Obama knows.  Is this really how the President of the United States thinks a democracy ought to work?  Is this the way to tell the world that the dictatorships of Cuba Korea and Iran have it wrong and we have it right?

And since Obama is basking in our exit from Iraq (no mention of "victory", but still...), does he consider himself to have had George Bush's back during the surge Bush launched in January 2007?  Did Obama join with Bush in common purpose?  Did he help to promote our common resolve?

I may be wrong, but my impression is that when back when Obama disagreed with a President it was a vital contribution to a robust democratic debate; today, people who disagree with our President lack fundamental American values such as teamwork and shared commitment.  Whatever.

THE EDUCATION OF A PRESIDENT: Back in May 2008 Candidate Obama (pinch hitting for the ill Ted Kennedy)  gave a rousing commencment speech at Wesleyan.  His theme - the importance of public service.  His mentions of the military?  None.

And now that he is Commander-in-Chief he wants all of us to join the army.  His army.

This is not the full speech, but an extended excerpt:

Now each of you will have the chance to make your own discovery in the years to come. And I say “chance” because, as president Roth indicated, you won’t have to take it. There’s no community service requirement in the outside world; no one forcing you to care. You can take your diploma, walk off this stage, and chase only after the big house and the nice suits and the other things that our money culture says you should buy. You can choose to narrow your concerns and live life in a way that tries to keep your story separate from America’s.

But I hope you don’t. Not because you have an obligation to those who are less fortunate, although I believe you do have that obligation. Not because you have a debt to all those who helped you get to where you are today, although I do believe you have that debt to pay.

It’s because you have an obligation to yourself. Because our individual salvation depends on collective salvation. Because thinking only about yourself, fulfilling your immediate wants and needs, betrays a poverty of ambition. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential and discover the role that you’ll play in writing the next great chapter in the American story.

There are so many ways to serve and so much that needs to be done at this defining moment in our history. You don’t have to be a community organizer or do something crazy like run for President. Right here at Wesleyan, many of you have already volunteered at local schools and elementary schools, contributed to the United Way, and even started a program that brings fresh produce to needy families in the area. One hundred and sixty-four graduates of this school have joined the Peace Corps since 2001, and I confess a special pride that two of you are about to leave for my father’s homeland of Kenya to bring alternative sources of energy to impoverished areas. I ask you to seek these opportunities when you leave here, because the future of this country – your future, my future, my children’s future – depends on it.

At a time when our security and moral standing depend on winning hearts and minds in the forgotten corners of this world, we need more of you to serve abroad. As President, I intend to grow the Foreign Service, double the Peace Corps over the next few years, and engage young people of other nations in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all of humanity.

At a time when our ice caps are melting and our oceans are rising, we need you to help lead a green revolution. We still have time to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change if we get serious about investing in renewable sources of energy, and if we get a generation of volunteers to work on renewable energy projects, and if we teach people about conservation, and help clean up polluted areas; if we send talented engineers and scientists abroad to help developing countries promote clean energy in a way that’s compatible with economic growth.

At a time when a child in Boston must compete with children in Beijing and Bangalore, we need an army of you to become teachers and principals in schools that this nation cannot afford to give up on. I will pay our educators what they deserve, and give them more support, but I will also ask more of them to be mentors to other teachers, and serve in high-need schools and high-need subject areas like math and science. We will need you.

At a time when there are children in the city of New Orleans who still spend each night in a lonely trailer, we need more of you to take a weekend or a week off from work, and head down South, and help rebuild. If you can’t get the time, volunteer at the local homeless shelter or soup kitchen in your own community, because there is more than enough work to go around. Find an organization that’s fighting poverty, or a candidate who promotes policies you believe in, and find a way to help them. We need you.

At a time of war, we need you to work for peace. At a time of inequality, we need you to work for opportunity. At a time of so much cynicism and so much doubt, we need you to make us believe again. That’s your task, class of 2008.

The closest he comes to the military that I can find is "At a time of war, we need you to work for peace".

Comments

[Ignatz]

--You're gonna love this, Iggy: one of my nieces used to be married to McP.--

The Cthulu of Coronado's tentacles seemingly have no end.

[clarice feldman]

cajunkate, I think AT has a tweet or whatever. If not or you can't find it write editoratamericanthinkerdotcom directly about the issue.

[NK]

Henry wrote: "if you can't blow up the chemistry lab you won't bother to learn any chemistry."

Until you wrote that I'd completely forgot a chem lab at Stuyvesant HS when somehowe one of the boys had sent (accidentally) a flaming ball of plasmafied hydrogen rolling down the lab bench and winding up in the sink at the end of the bench. we never figured out exactly what he did and how he did it. Ah.. those were the days.

[Cecil Turner]

I just don't think they have much else.

No, and what they do have is mostly blather. Byron York has a useful synopsis of the ethics case up:

The Gingrich case was extraordinarily complex, intensely partisan, and driven in no small way by a personal vendetta on the part of one of Gingrich's former political opponents. It received saturation coverage in the press; a database search of major media outlets revealed more than 10,000 references to Gingrich's ethics problems during the six months leading to his reprimand. It ended with a special counsel hired by the House Ethics Committee holding Gingrich to an astonishingly strict standard of behavior, after which Gingrich in essence pled guilty to two minor offenses. Afterwards, the case was referred to the Internal Revenue Service, which conducted an exhaustive investigation into the matter. And then, after it was all over and Gingrich was out of office, the IRS concluded that Gingrich did nothing wrong. After all the struggle, Gingrich was exonerated.

That might be a tad soft on Newt, but the case itself was beyond weak.

The bad news is that saturation negative coverage has an effect. Palin is probably unelectable today, and Newt has an uphill battle, because public perception is composed of a lot of individual (mostly subconscious) factors and relatively stubborn once implanted. Hence we have negatives based on little more than attitude; and the Dems and their MSM allies are past masters at character assassination, as folks like Palin and Quayle can attest.

[NK]

Appalled-- yes we should all acknowledge that Nancy P is a shrieking Harpy who will ruthlessly stomp on the weakest members of her majority to get what she wants at everyone else's expense. We should give her that, true enough.

[Rick Ballard]

NK,

Very few Speakers have cost their party 63 seats and ruined their prospects for the foreseeable future. Her talent needs to be acknowledged. She managed to do more damage to the Dems than Hillary did in '93 with her health care botch.

[Cecil Turner]

Don't completely discount Nancy's skills. She got Obamacare passed, against a lot of people's second thoughts and better judgement.

C'mon Appalled, you're embarassing yourself. Yes, she managed to beg and buy a passel of votes to pass legislation with a ready cadre of hard lefty supporters. And her near total shamelessness makes her better than average at demagoguing an issue.

But a deep thinker saying the opposite of what she means for tactical effect? (And having the discipline to keep it up for months?) Yeah, right. If it were smirking Chuck Schumer, maybe. Clueless Nancy? Not so much.

[Benjamin Franklin]

"Pardon me, but the military unites behind the mission established by the Commander-in-Chief, as I hope Obama knows. Is this really how the President of the United States thinks a democracy ought to work? Is this the way to tell the world that the dictatorships of Cuba Korea and Iran have it wrong and we have it right?"

Maguire, have you forgotten already? You don't remember the united chorus behind the fraudulent push to war in Iraq? YOU certainly demanded we all fall in line behind the Neocons, or suffer the slings and arrows of corn-fed conservatives and your Franco stooges who insisted on their brand of Patriotism.

Don't worry. I'm here to remind y'all.

[henry]

We have a cure to last nights SOTU on tap here: Walker gives his State of the State speech tonight. Expect vuvuzulas.

[matt]

Interesting to see the WaPo fact checking President Fantasy's speech and giving it a D.

I could only watch, run to the bathroom, tune in the Cleveland- Miami game, and then watch a little more. The man was repetitive and it seemed I tuned in every time he repeated himself.

For a leftist community organizer to wrap themselves in the flag like that should make us all sick.

As to Nancy, the acorn did not fall far from the tree. She may be rock dumb, but she's vicious and ruthless just like her dad.

And clarice, the greatest joy was access to the good stuff when it came to chemistry. I'm just glad I still have all my fingers.

[Captain Hate]

Pelosi Galore's biggest accomplishment was persuading the few remaining dipsticks that didn't get run in 2010 to re-appoint her to a position of responsibility in the House, albeit at a very diminished level. I have no idea how many pictures she had of those idiots with Sandusky but I have a good idea how she got over on Weiner.

[rse]

A fun way to also learn chemistry is to buy the book What Einstein Told His Cook and learn about the physics involved in cooking.

One thing my husband did was buy all the parts and let the kids build their own computers. They get it. Me? Well I am currently having trouble getting my tablet and keyboard to talk to each other. So I came to chat here. And my kids think it is oh so funny that mom hunts and pecks.

[rse]

LUN gets you to the kitchen science book I mentioned.

[clarice feldman]

Yeah, I find the best way to get kids into measuring and simple math and chemistry is to get them to cook.

[NK]

RickB-- I think Hillary! was a bigger disaster for the Dems because she cost them the Senate as well-- and she caused Bill to have to stand up at the january 1995 SOTU and say "the era of big government is over". So I think Hillary was worse for the 'Dems.

[NK]

Matt-- completely agree, Pelosi is dumb as a rock but ruthless and vicious without remorse.

[clarice feldman]

From Insty--how the Dept of Ed idiots jiggered the books on for profit schools:

A SIGNIFICANT OMISSION: “The Department of Education has acknowledged using flawed data in a study on the impact of race on student loan repayment rates, having omitted black students from its calculation.”

Really? Really.

[Captain Hate]

Btw I just read a reference @ AoS to ace being an attorney.

[NK]

Dear All -- "it's a funny ol' world" as the Brits say. To this day I admire George W as a man and leader, while I despair his political failures-- BIG gov't, failing to cut domestic spending for war costs and running elective deficits, loyalty to indiviuals over conservative principles etc. So I miss him somewhat. But the Permanent Left REALLY misses Bush. the best thing that ever happened to the American Left was Sadam running a bluff on stockpiles of chemical/bio weapons. Bush calling his bluff and removing him from power exposed Sadam's lies, but it gave the Left their 5 year hammer to attack Bush and conservatives. W is at the ranch, and the Left have NOTHING to win elections with. The voters reject their socialist response to the housing bubble and big bank melt down (obviously because socialism is a loser), and they don't have Bush to attack, so they have NOTHING to win elections with. The LEFT REALLY misses Bush -- funny ole' world.

[Jane]

“The Department of Education has acknowledged using flawed data in a study on the impact of race on student loan repayment rates, having omitted black students from its calculation.”

So what does that mean? They only included Asians and Latino's? And what was the result?

[A Casual Observation]

Watch, it will give such a big boost to the morale of people that there will be a huge turn around in the ecomomy as soon as Obama and his little band of chronic screw-ups are out of office. At this stage, after all that has happened, only a fool would fail to realize that they have been a disaster.

[Ignatz]

Mega dittoes NK at 11:31.

[clarice feldman]

From InsideHigherEd

"
The original analysis was included in the introduction section of the final rules, which were issued last June. It asserted that the “percentage of the students that are members of a minority group explains 1 percent of the total variance in repayment rates” at for-profit institutions. The low figure, the department concluded at the time, meant the racial composition of students was not a statistically significant contributor to how an institution stacks up on loan repayments. The percentage of lower-income students an institution enrolled was a better measure.

But by failing to count black students, the study understated the impact of race: the actual variance at for-profits is 20 percent over all, and 31 percent for four-year institutions, the department said in the December filing.

Eduardo Ochoa, the department’s assistant secretary for postsecondary education, described the mistake in that filing, but said accurate figures would have had no impact on the final regulations.

A subsequently corrected analysis “does not justify altering the regulations,” Ochoa said, because “factors other than student demographics account for the success or failure of institutional repayment rates.”

The for-profit association, however, said in a January court filing that the mistake is fundamental and validates concerns aired by scores of public commenters that for-profits were unfairly targeted by gainful employment regulations."

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/01/25/education-department-admits-flawed-data-gainful-employment-analysis#ixzz1kUN6gzPz
Inside Higher Ed

[narciso]

That was like that enterprising 'fracking' team at the EPA, that drilled past the aquifer, 'you can't make this up;

[clarice feldman]

What do Mitt and GW have in common? Neither of them demonstrated the ability to fight back against unfounded charges..Not manly..Not done..

[NK]

Clarice- did you notice the penultmate graph you quoted? 'Bam's race counting guy for colleges argues that race isn't a singular factor determining the outcome of a particular student's loan default rate. he says:

A subsequently corrected analysis “does not justify altering the regulations,” Ochoa said, because “factors other than student demographics account for the success or failure of institutional repayment rates.”

Well there you go: let's abolish ALL race based government programs because race isn't a big deal in deciding each student's outcome. As Mr Ochoa admits, success or failure has to do with " factors other than student demographics". Good, we all agree, let's abolish all racial affirmative action immediately.

[Shaheen Littlefeather]

Don't worry. I'm here to remind y'all.

The parallels between 1932 and 2008 are not trifling.

[Captain Hate]

So the bottom line is that asians, whites and hispanics are significantly more responsible in repaying student loans than blacks but there are other factors so nothing should change; but before the inclusion of blacks the results were used to change regulations?

Great decision making imo.

[clarice feldman]

Sure, Try it, NK..Truth is D of Ed got caught with its rear end on the scales and then sent the non too bright Ochoa out to come up with some jive ass stuff to try to fool the court.

[narciso]

One is reminded of McLuhan in Annie Hall 'you know nothing of my work, you teach a course in this'

[NK]

Clarice-- of course. BUT it is the case that the not too bright Mr. Ochaoa has given away the store for affirmative action. He has told the court that race decides nothing, there are other factors. that's true for loan default rate, grades, post-grad achievement etc. Ochoa admits race based action is a fraud.

[clarice feldman]

CH, As I understand it (and I don't find the article perfectly clear), D oE believed that for profit schools had greater default rates than not for profit schools and set up regs to curb them and save the poor victims of their maleducation. Those schools argued that they had more black students whose default rate in either type of institution was higher than whites or hispanics. In a study in which blacks were not included D oE said their crack research said otherwise and when the for profits sued they showed the critical flaw in the study. Critical to thinking people but not to D oE officials like Ochoa..

[clarice feldman]

You and I know that , NK, but then as I've admitted my high teachers found me something of a reprobate.

[NK]

Clarice-- exactly what the story says. And Mr Ochoa has told the court the race of the students does't matter in calculating default rates, becasue "demographics" don't matter -- success or failure results from"other factors". Race hustlers like 'Bam and Ochoa tie themselves up in knots when they try to explain their race theories. They should be exposed at every turn.

[Cecil Turner]

Don't worry. I'm here to remind y'all.

Bwwwaaaahaaa. Usually making the monkey frown is a bad idea, but this time was worth it.

It's bad enough to've had to put up with the endless carping by the left on the horrors of undeclared wars of choice, indefinite detention, Gitmo, and any other convenient issue they pretended were deeply moral (and then conveniently forgot, once the hopey changey crowd got inaugurated).

But pretending they were stifled? That's rich. (And who gave that guy the feather, anyway?)

[Captain Hate]

Ok who wants to defend this? http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/206423-romney-blasts-gingrich-over-attacks-on-debate-moderators-news-media

[narciso]

What do you me we, kemosabe;

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/new-us-ambassador-russia-we-support-universal-values-not-american-values

[clarice feldman]

Thaat does it, CH. Mitt is a political moron.

[NK]

BTW-- Ochoa's babbling kills the last refuge of the race hustlers-- 'diversity'. If race is not a critical factor dictating results, why is 'racial diversity' a compelling atate interst to justify racial discrimination? It's not. Abolish it all and ban race hustling.

[narciso]

And not in a good way, clarice,

[Benjamin Franklin]

"But pretending they were stifled?"

Bwaaaaaaaaa...you can't stifle me. That's the point, resident genius.

But, y'all tried to stifle the critique, and you're still trying.......

[narciso]

One has to resort to other languages, to capture the full force of the facepalm.

[Benjamin Franklin]

BTW;

Some weird synchronicity. It has all the proxy players from the last war drum beat.

Substitute the Kriakous for Plame/Wilson; add Fitz, with a dash of Iran/Iraq.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cia-officer-charged-20120124,0,2883556.story

[centralcal]

Captain - that was some link. Dear God, the man just does not get it.

[Old Lurker]

"as I've admitted my high teachers found me something of a reprobate."

They would be pleased to know we agree, all these years later!

But you are OUR reprobate, for which we are grateful.

[centralcal]

One of our "favorite" reprobates, OL! (of course it is a longish list and changes hourly, as do Clarice's favorites. ha ha)

[Sue]

my high teachers

I've had a few I thought were high.

[Janet]

♪ ♫ I have friends in low places ♫ ♪

[Old Lurker]

CC, is the Garden Gnome accepting cash contibutions yet? Please tell me where to send mine.

[clarice feldman]

Thank you fractious kids everywhere.

(Today's distractions--terrible sciatica; plumbers fixing a leak in our condo by ripping out the wall, replacing the pipe and setting off a loud and unendurable fire alarm. Oh, and firemen traipsing thru here.)

[NK]

CecilT-- the Left isn't pretending. They truly believe challenging their opinions with facts and logic is 'stifling' them. That's especially true of the fascist academic Left who indoctrinate with the threat of an unjust bad grade.

[Cecil Turner]

from narciso's link:

Yikes! You'd think the State Department could spring for a makeover artist (or something).

[JM Hanes]

Jane so nailed it -- all the way back in 2008 -- that I archived her post:

You know what I find amazing for its consistency.

Obama gives a speech, on any subject, replete with veiled soaring rhetoric. Immediately he is lauded by his supporters, while his detractors are silent because it takes a bunch of time to plow thru the rhetoric and get to what he actually said.

And as plowing continues, the anger starts to percolate - always about what an unmitigated fraud this guy is. About how he stands for nothing and says even less.

Other than plowing through a whole lot faster, the progression hasn't changed chez moi. The more I look at what Obama actually said, the worse it gets.

[centralcal]

Wow, Clarice. You really know how to relax!

Not yet, OL - but I am getting a sinking feeling that he will be accepting donations soon enough!

[narciso]

In point of fact, Dana tortures his students with the same drip drop of Krugman, Zakaria,
Wolfe, et al, but they have no defense, they
are like the Martians facing the common cold,
in 'War of the World'

[Captain Hate]

Clarice I agree that the article is about as clear as mud as to what was going on. But what can one expect from inside higher ed? Maybe I should start calling Ed Schultz "Higher Ed" instead of "Special Ed".

[NK]

Photo-- "Double Double, boil and trouble"
Jeez Hillary, do SOMETHING!

[centralcal]

That is a wonderful quote of Jane, JMH!

Somebody send it to Insty. It is after all, timeless, and applies to every speech ever given by The Won.

[centralcal]

Cecil: How old is that Hilary photo? That actually is pretty good compared to how she has been looking lately.

[Cecil Turner]

CecilT-- the Left isn't pretending.

I know. That's what makes it so funny.

[Captain Hate]

I always thought Jane was prescient. Or something.

[centralcal]

Take a gander at Hillary from last night's SOTU.

Tahrd! So, so tahrd (tired in Hillary southern speak).

[Cecil Turner]

dunno ccal, they just had an "ap photo" caption on it. In her [weak] defense, it does look like she's trying different things . . . it's just that they're all scary.

[Captain Hate]

I agree cc; that's the best I've seen Muffer looking since the trail of broken capillaries became very obvious.

[NK]

Narc/Cecil-- again "funny ol' world" My daughter went to a fancy pants new england boarding school; so she was surrounded by smothering Lefties at every turn for 4 years. Since she's a contrarian little spitfire she came out a rightwinger. funny ol' world.

[Danube of Thought]

The Greens begin to eat their own:

STUDIO CITY— A SoCal woman says the energy efficient window installed in a neighbor’s condominium is melting the plastic components on cars parked in her carport. Heather Patron of Studio City was dealing with a mystery regarding her Toyota Prius. “The side view mirrors were melting,” says Patron. “Anything that was plastic on the car was melting.” Toyota told Patron nothing was wrong with the car. After having the mirrors replaced, she noticed the mirrors on the car parked next to hers were also melting.

[Captain Hate]

Yes the 12:26 photo of her Politburo look is what I've grown accustomed to. And Slick, I'm sure.

[NK]

CC-- OMG-- tired and disgusted. Hillary! knows better than anyone what kind of narcissist empty suit Barry is. What a photo. I think we can scratch Hill' off 'Bam's VP list.

[rse]

Think I may post this on the new thread as well.

LUN on how the politicos think more regulations creates jobs.

And would be good for the glut of law school grads.

Actually a substantial number of lawyers do think this way. DOT-did I ever tell you I (as GC) got sued by Joe Cotchett? He knew nothing about business and refused to settle for what case was worth and we just kept going. Two years in arbitration. About 6 months in the plaintiff's law firm realized it had taken its client's story at face value and it was too late to stop. No one understood how a business, esp a public one, worked.

[Danube of Thought]

The boldness and courage of the Moderate:

"Mitt Romney adviser Norm Coleman, a former senator from Minnesota, predicted the GOP won't repeal the Democrats' healthcare reform law even if a Republican candidate defeats President Obama this November. 'You will not repeal the act in its entirety, but you will see major changes, particularly if there is a Republican president,' Coleman told BioCentury This Week television in an interview that aired on Sunday. 'You can't whole-cloth throw it out. But you can substantially change what's been done.'"

Always ready to manage Democratic programs more efficiently.

[Benjamin Franklin]

Mitch Daniels; Bush Re-tread...

"A New York Times’ articleabout the choice of Daniels noted that “the sight of Mr. Daniels on national television is sure to raise wistful ‘if onlys’ in a Republican establishment that had put the governor at the top of its wish list for a White House run.” But that article – like others about Daniels – leaves out a salient fact about his alleged “fiscal conservatism”: as President George W. Bush’s original budget director, Mitch Daniels helped create today’s fiscal mess.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels
Daniels oversaw the federal budget as it was making its historic reversal from a $236 billion surplus – then on a trajectory to eliminate the entire federal debt in a decade – to a $400 billion deficit by the time Daniels left the Office of Management and Budget in June 2003.

Plus, because of proposals developed on Daniels’s watch – such as tax cuts favoring the rich and unpaid-for projects, including the invasion of Iraq and a new prescription drug plan – the fiscal situation of the federal government continued to deteriorate over the ensuing years, becoming a trillion-dollar-plus annual deficit by the time Bush left the White House in 2009.

And that Clinton-era projection of eliminating the entire federal debt receded far over the horizon behind a vast ocean of red ink. In other words, in a saner world, Daniels might be one of the last people you would tout as a “fiscal conservative” or, for that matter, a “job creator” given the massive job losses by the end of Bush’s disastrous reign.

http://consortiumnews.com/2012/01/24/the-fiscally-reckless-mitch-daniels/

[A Casual Observation]

Nostradamus was a fraud. Otherwise, surely he would have made some mention of that piece of work, Hillary, somewhere in his quatrains to warn us.

[Jane]

That is a wonderful quote of Jane, JMH!

Are you sure it is me? It sounds very smart.

[Benjamin Franklin]

"I agree cc; that's the best I've seen Muffer looking since the trail of broken capillaries became very obvious."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/why-bloomberg-businessweek-killed-bloody-mitt-romney-cover-211441848.html

[pagar]

Was this mentioned in the speech last night?

http://biggovernment.com/tfitton/2012/01/25/white-housedoj-working-with-acorn-massive-voter-registration-fraud/

"It is now clear that Project Vote and the Obama/Holder DOJ are conspiring to file DOJ lawsuits to help re-elect Barack Obama. This collusion between Project Vote and the Obama administration is a significant threat to the integrity of the 2012 elections."

[bgates]

If the grandisoity, bellicosity, assinity of a typical Newt performance attracts rather than repels, and excites rather than disgusts...

...then the electorate is in some ways very similar to what it was in 2008.

[Jane]

A SoCal woman says the energy efficient window installed in a neighbor’s condominium is melting the plastic components on cars parked in her carport

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!

[Benjamin Franklin]

I don't think this has come up.(bwaaaaaaa)

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/01/black-hawk-up-somalia/

[Appalled]

DoT:

OK. Norm Coleman is blathering on, but Romney has made an explicit promise to repeal Obamacare ASAP, and administratively revoke it via the waiver process while waiting on a bill.

[Jane]

WOW JMH, that link is so much fun. Talk about walking down memory lane. On that same page BAD, PUK and even Barney Frank (remember him) posted - along with GMAX, Charlie, DOT, Clarice, Glenda and on and on. What a fun read. And it was before the election of 2008.

[centralcal]

Her Excellency Michelle Obama wore an ill-fitting, satiny textured, shiny cocktail dress costing around $2,400 to the SOTU. She wanted to show her solidarity with those po' folks her husband is looking out for.

[Benjamin Franklin]

And speaking of Iraq, I hope you guys remember the imaginary Marine son I had serving in Iraq (back when I needed the cover of absolute moral authority to make the anti-American propaganda I was shoveling into every thread look a little less anti-American).

Because my imaginary son who served in Iraq... a true patriot!... has also vowed not to let you fucking Je- uh, "neocons", forget all the rah-rah pro-America comments you've made over the years.

But for now, you will feel the wrath of my mighty cut and paste abilities as I flood this thread with tedious leftist screeds sluiced in from various Soros-sponsored fringe websites!

ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!

[Danube of Thought]

Rse, when we found out Joe was on the other side we used to laugh out loud.

[Benjamin Franklin]

Oh, not to worry. Your resident cock-puppets have lost their lustre.

I'll not punish you just for the sub-humans you welcome with open hearts.

I won't retaliate because I've grown sad about your predickament.

I know you really are harmless. Sorta like Vikings with wooden swords; you make a lot of noise, but don't do any real damage.

Like a rapist with erectile dysfunction; almost pathetic.

[centralcal]

Jane - it was a fun read! You were already wishing for Palin as VP. Clarice was wondering about Romney for VP. Chaco was asking if it was too late for Palin to run for President.

Fast forward and, well, here we are ...

[Benjamin Franklin]

ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!

[Porchlight]

Norm Coleman is blathering on, but Romney has made an explicit promise to repeal Obamacare ASAP

Romney's already taking hits on Romneycare. The *only* thing he's got going for him on healthcare is this promise of repeal, and now his own advisor is undercutting that. This is the last thing he needs.

[Captain Hate]

Mitt's team is making McCain's look somewhat competent.

[Benjamin Franklin]

A little humor from the UK.....

An Arab Sheik was admitted to St Vincents Hospital for heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to store his blood in case the need arose.
As the gentleman had a rare type of blood, it couldn’t be found locally, so, the call
went out to all the states.
Finally a Scot was located who had a similar blood type. The Scot willingly donated
his blood for the Arab. After the surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman as appreciation for giving his blood, a new BMW, diamonds & US dollars.

A couple of days later, once again, the Arab had to go through a corrective surgery. His doctor telephoned the Scotsman who was more than happy to donate his blood again.
After the second surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman a thank-you card & a jar of candies. The Scotsman was shocked that the Arab this time did not reciprocate his kind gesture as he had anticipated. He phoned the Arab & asked him: “I thought you would be generous again, that you would give me a BMW, diamonds & money… But you only gave me a
thank-you card & a jar of candies”.

To this the Arab replied: “Aye, but I now have Scottish blood in my veins”.

[glasater]

Perhaps this link has been posted previously but here it is again:

1999 CNN Report On Newt Gingrich's Exoneration By The IRS Over Ethics Charges

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vnjagvet]

DOT-did I ever tell you I (as GC) got sued by Joe Cotchett?

Rse, when we found out Joe was on the other side we used to laugh out loud.

Wow. What a coincidence. The first case I handled as a civilian way back in 1970 was a Joe Cotchett special filed in the NDCal (Judge Wollenberg). My biggest problem was keeping Cotchett and his colleagues from discovering the only cause of action which could be potentially troubling for my client. We solved that problem and settled the case after one day of trial on the one claim of five to survive summary judgment. The settlement was for substantially less than the court costs Cotchett's firm incurred.

[NK]

I like the Scotsman joke... and please... the Scots take pride in their being 'careful' with money. My favorite scotsman joke involves a kilt, too much drink and a girl's blue hair ribbon.

[rse]

jim-

Joe gave an emotional opening statement that showed no knowledge of actual facts. It was a MoFo partner acting as arbitrator and in the end ours had a verdict after 2 years for what we had offered in the beginning. And arbitrator was so annoyed he disregarded the attorneys fees language in contract and forced joe's firm and clients to somehow settle that among them.

Once joe lost access to Calif courts via ruling on arbitration language his "magic" lost its intended audience.

[Jim Ryan]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!

Agreed. I haven't felt this much glee in reading a news story in years. Recently I read that we're eating plastic bottles because fleece sweaters are made of recycled plastic bottles and the lint comes off in the wash and goes into the sea and into the fish we eat. But I didn't experience any glee from that one.

[Jim Ryan]

I would like new Prius-owning greens to receive assessment notices in the mail:

Dear New Car Owner: You are hereby assessed an environmental tax of $1000 for the purchase of your new car. Because you did not stay with your older vehicle, a new car was manufactured, causing 2000 lbs more carbon, a greenhouse gas, to be released into the atmosphere, even with the high gas mileage of your new vehicle [PRIUS]. We urge you to consider the environment next time you face a consumer decision. Please consume less.

Yours,
EPA

That would be an occasion for glee, too.

[cathyf]

A college physics prof told me this summer of an alarming trend among his students of not being able to link concepts together to solve problems; but they're able to mindlessly regurgitate individual things back to him.

That's not really new -- even back in my day that was pre-meds for ya. Willing to do absolutely anything to get an A, except learn the material.

(Q: How many pre-meds does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Two. One to climb up with the bulb, and the other one to kick the chair out from underneath him.

Q: How many pre-meds does it take to take a bath?
A: Two. One to sit in the tub and the other one to throw in the radio.

Q: How many pre-meds does it take to run a quantitative analysis lab?
A: Two. One to take the data, the other to spit in the sample.)

[qrstuv]

NK, please do share the Scotsman joke, wouldja?

[narciso]

Yes that 'reset' is working wonders;

http://gizmodo.com/5876942/russia-accuses-usa-of-sabotaging-mars-satellite

[NK]

qrstuv-- can't share. this is a family website.....

[Danube of Thought]

Just to join the parade:National Merit Finalist; California Scholastic Federation; third in my HS class (first through 7 semesters); last in Conduct in a class of 892 final year at USNA.

Wouldn't have it any other way.