Great Moments In Politicized "Social Science"

Today the NY Times Business Section delivers a twofer on politicized academic efforts. First, The Evil One Percenters Are Back!

Incomes Flat in Recovery, but Not for the 1%

By ANNIE LOWREY

WASHINGTON — Incomes rose more than 11 percent for the top 1 percent of earners during the economic recovery, but not at all for everybody else, according to new data.

The numbers, produced by Emmanuel Saez, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, show overall income growing by just 1.7 percent over the period. But there was a wide gap between the top 1 percent, whose earnings rose by 11.2 percent, and the other 99 percent, whose earnings declined by 0.4 percent.

As a great thinker with a grasp of statistics nearly said, the one percent will always be with us. But is it really the same group taking more money year after year, or are new faces arriving to exploit the rest of us? Ms. Lowrey and her editors maintain the pretense that the same evil-doers are continually oppressing the rest of us, for example here:

The data analyzed by Mr. Piketty and Mr. Saez shows that income inequality — as measured by the proportion of income taken by the top 1 percent of earners — reached a modern high just before the recession hit in 2009. The financial crisis and its aftermath hit wealthy families hard. But since then, their earnings have snapped back, if not to their 2007 peak.

A retiring CEO who made it into the one-percent in 2007 by cashing in his stock options, or a homeowner who made it into the one-percent in 2007 by selling her home, have not seen their earnings snap back. This transience of onepercenterdom has been documented, but not in the Times.

And a harsher reality - the Pikkety-Saez numbers overlook important pieces of the compensation puzzle - is introduced only very late, and with a carefully palmed card:

Measures of inequality differ depending on whether they are measured after or before taxes, and whether or not they include government transfers like Social Security payments, food stamps and other credits.

Research led by the Cornell economist Richard V. Burkhauser, for instance, sought to measure the economic health of middle-class households including income, taxes, transfer programs and benefits like health insurance. It found that from 1979 to 2007, median income grew by about 18.2 percent over all rather than by 3.2 percent counting income alone.

Wait - do they mean that when looking at an employee's compensation we should consider the value of the employer-sponsored health insurance? Why yes they do and yes we should, but Ms. Lowrey promptly buries that:

In an interview, Mr. Burkhauser said his numbers measured “how are the resources that person has to live on changing over time,” whereas Mr. Piketty and Mr. Saez’s numbers measure “how are different people being rewarded in the marketplace.”

Well, no, not since employer-sponsored health plans are an important part of most people's compensation.

The promotion of politicized 'science' continued with this laugher:

The Myth of the Rich Who Flee From Taxes

We learn that it is a myth because many, many non-rich move for entirely different reasons, such as better real estate values or nicer weather. Gee, later I expect to see a report debunking the 'myth' that eagles are threatened by wind towers with the explanation that most of the dead birds piled up under the turbines are ducks.

We also learn that it is tough for high-earning Silcon Valley hotshots or Wall Street arbs to maintain their income stream elsewhere. Breakthrough stuff. Does the researcher actually have anything to say about the behavior of "the rich" who are not tied by geography to their jobs and might be free to relocate? Yes he does!

Of course, some people do move for tax reasons, especially wealthy retirees, athletes and other celebrities without strong ties to high-tax locations, like jobs and families.

...

A star like Mr. Depardieu “can go to Paris whenever he wants,” Mr. Shure noted. Professor Tannenwald agreed. “People who are very rich, who are retired or who aren’t tied to a particular location, do change their residency at a high rate based on tax differentials.”

Boy, that shoots down that myth, doesn't it? The Times can be a great resource but Google is even more valuable.

Comments

[AJ Lynch]

You do know that the NYT's Annie Lowrey is Ezra Klein's girlfriend or wife don't you? So I would expect she believes everything he believes and I would expect anything she writes is a far left as he is though I was a bit surprised when she wrote that story about how the Imperial City economy was due to all the fed spending we do. Of course, it took her [and Ezra too?] like five years to notice the robust economy in the city where they presumably live.

[Jane - The media sucks]

Speaking of the 1%. The president returned from his Hawaiian vacation on January 13th. On Feb 15 he and Michelle went on separate (but equal) vacations. The cost to us of the Hawaiian vacation was $7 million. These separate vacations will likely be several millions.

This is not what our tax dollars should be paying.

[henry]

Apparently these researchers have never been to Florida and have never heard of airports or telephones. You can do tech VC work from anywhere, and taxes are a big reduction in return on investment.

[rse]

Race and class oppression--the lenses everyone or at least a voting majority are to see everything through. I have been researching hard the last few days and am stunned at what is there. My favorite has to be the "we want our young people while they remain impressionable to learn to see through the metaphors we provide." Well OK then.

But the quote everyone has been looking for has to do with disarming the capitalist class because although violence is not the method for obtaining transformation, there likely will be violence at some point.

Se Jane, I told you my story affected virtually everyone. And those were U-Mass profs from several decades ago.

The network news last night described it as "continuing our national dialogue on gun violence."

Gag as they zoomed in on bo wiping away a tear as he met with Newtown families. I'm sure he is saddened the Revolution may have had such innocent victims as it winds its way through our culture via the schools.

[Chubby]

a side effect of a flat or proportional tax, such as Ben Carson is advocating, where everyone has to give something, is that the poorest would become the loudest proponents for not raising taxes, since, like Gospel story of the widow's mite, they would feel the bite of tax increases more than anyone.

[matt]

Let's get Jeff Bezos' comments on taxation. Seems he hit the jackpot.

And Soros made a billion on the Yen. Where are the meeting records for the White House and Treasury?

[Captain Hate]

I read somewhere yesterday that the vacations for the vermin in the White House have cost $1.5 billion thus far. That seems like a really large number but nothing would surprise me about these grifters.

[rse]

CH-I think I read that as well. I believe it was in the context that England's royal family are pikers on expenses vs the current occupants of WH.

[Jane - The media sucks]

"I read somewhere yesterday that the vacations for the vermin in the White House have cost $1.5 billion thus far."

I thought it was in the billions as well. Maybe Ted Cruz can introduce a bill that the president can only spend a million a year on vacation. That should get some attention.

[matt]

The Royals are also huge moneymakers for the U.K., which the Left regularly forget. Without the pomp & circumstance London would be a much more dreary capital.Sterile and false.

The "Emperor" and Princess Shopping Cart are a simple drain on the economy and have very little star power.

[narciso]

Notice the weasel words, here;

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/02/16/fbi-now-probing-menendez-for-prostitution-allegations/

'persons with knowledge of the investigation, who is that the copy boy at Kinko's in North Bergen,

[Rick Ballard]

TM,

Very nice closing link to Google. Saez deserves a chapter in Statistics and Great Liars. He's a real prog smoke and gas generator.

If Saez is comfortable in eliminating transfer payments and health insurance from income consideration then he surely wouldn't object to eliminating at least transfer payments from being made at all.

[Porchlight]

Without the pomp & circumstance London would be a much more dreary capital.Sterile and false.

Oh, I completely disagree - London is by far my favorite city and I have never paid any attention to the Royals or their residences while there.

BTW speaking of attractive, interesting people in London, our MayBee lives there now. :)

[Captain Hate]

The Repubs should be barraging the Sunday chat shows with data about the costs of the Indonesian's vacations. God knows the donks would be doing it if Romney was Prez.

[Captain Hate]

BTW speaking of attractive, interesting people in London, our MayBee lives there now.

Is that why she doesn't have time for us non-Althouse rabble?

[narciso]

Yet they don't, in fact they do the whole 'Emperor's New Clothes' routine,

[sbwaters]

We have signed documents - our HR insists on that -- of people who have refused pay increases because it would jeopardize their access to the trough.

That means the "statistics" are even more meaningless than TM explains.

[narciso]

This is the same media, that 'oo'd and ahed' over
Wellstones insulting often profane outburst, who
applaud Stewart Smalley's idiocies;

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2013/02/attacking-aggressive-ted-cruz-when-liz.html

[Captain Hate]

Somebody needs to hit Pinch's minions hard on their targeting of hispanic legislators who aren't content to keep their yaps shut and be compliant tokens. Let's see, their past agendas included denying the famine that Stalin inflicted on the Ukraine (for which a Pulitzer was gained and never disowned) and minimizing the coverage of the Holocaust. What a wonderful track record that family owned newspaper has!

[narciso]

The paper that gave Fidel his Job, as WFB used to wag, who had a rare moment of sanity, when they put Shirley Chisholm on the Central American desk, who endorsed a fool or a knave like David Halberstam.

[Captain Hate]

Hmmmm, the Suckerberg Stasi wins another

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2244285/court-rules-that-germans-cant-use-fake-names-on-facebook

[narciso]

How much of a fool, we've seen through Mark Moyar's rather diligent researches in the Vietnamese and Russian archives.

[Manuel Transmission]

Re: Dr Carson, we watched Hannity last night, too. Even went back a couple of times to catch a point better. How about a Carson/Cruz ticket? Fresh meat that has not been bought off. Neither are newbies to real life. The perfect citizen leaders.

On a separate note, I finally realized that Carson reminds me of Horowitz. Same facial features, particularly the eyes, but especially the demeanor. There is a calm, peaceful sense that they have seen it all and understand things down to the core. I think that is what gets straight through to people in a matter of moments.

[matt]

More leftist propaganda LUN.

"Gun ban would protect over 2,200 firearms"

The propaganda is 24/7. Hard to fight against.

[narciso]

I've made this point, before from my cursory observations, in the LUN, the only ones they give a pass to, are the hard core criminal element,

[Chubby]

((The Repubs should be barraging the Sunday chat shows with data about the costs of the Indonesian's vacations. ))

I think the reason they don't is probably that a lot of Repubs themselves are overly fond of the royal-like perqs of political office

[narciso]

Of course, they will not be given the benefit of the doubt, next time, so why play by Marquis of Queensberry rules,

Ot, had I chance to dine at Mr. Draper's expense, as S.E. Cupp did. I might have asked what is your paper's stubborn problem with stating the facts, about anything during the campaign, I guess I would have to pay the 20 dollar burger tab at the Palm.

[Jane - The media sucks]

"How about a Carson/Cruz ticket?"

I was saying Rubio/Carson but I'm perfectly happy with your choice. The left is going to paint him as gay - regardless of his family, because of his voice.

[Captain Hate]

The left is going to paint him as gay - regardless of his family, because of his voice.

The tolerant, non-stereotyping left? The deuce you say!!

[Jane - The media sucks]

But that is precisely what they do. It's okay to sleep with children but not tap your feet. You know the drill.

OUr side should say: "Who cares"?

[narciso]

Tell me how this can possibly work out;

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=303426

[Jane - The media sucks]

BTW Carson is now on twitter:
Dr. Ben Carson ‏@RealBenCarson

He was 19,132 followers and is following 2 people. One is his charity and the other is a law firm.

[maryrose]

Jane:
I totally agree. We should say "who cares" or throw their own prejudices back in their faces. We need to fight them tooth and nail. Look at what they did to Herman Cain and Sarah Palin.

[Chubby]

I liked Herman Cain, but I think a pediatric brain surgeon will project far more political gravitas with voters of both stripes than a pizza chain guy.

[MarkO]

Of course Google is more valuable. Try searching the NYT site for "Nancy Pelosi nude" and see what you get.

[AliceH]

I prefer Andrew Breitbart's response:

"So what?"

[narciso]

You're just trying to resurrect Cthluthu now, that's a demonic algorithm right there.

[rse]

I just read the breitbart article on jeb. t does sound like he believes it is his turn.

How can a Rep think a comparison to lbj ever works?

His group just drips in conflicts with tech companies and his staffers refuse to read any cites contrary to their "our ed vision is wonderful" theme. And they are extremely petulant in print when not having profanity meltdowns as with Bennett losing in Indiana.

He really does not get how this will work because it will be in full meltdown by 2015. Will be something to run from not to base your expertise on.

[Jim Eagle]

In Re: The transient wealthy and taxes I can relate a funny but editorial ancedote.

My wife's home in Belgium is in an affluent north of Antwerp close to the Dutch border. A lot of very wealthy Dutch have palatial homes in the area, belong to the best clubs, keep the 3 star restaurants open and provide life time work to the guys in the wine stores.

Mrs. JiB has a good friend who lives in Holland near The Hague and when she told him about all the new Dutch imports he responded wittily that "Those Dutch can't afford to live in Holland and that is why they live in Belgium:)"

[Jim Eagle]

affluent *area* -- Grrrrrrrrr!

[narciso]

I used to look askance at some of the claims, rse,relating to the primary vendor, Ignite for standardized testing, thinking it was just sour grapes, but after a decade, one can conclude 'the war is lost'

[Bruce]

Incomes Flat in Recovery

Huh? Not sure of what "Recovery" they are talking about. Seems like the standard line is that we have now turned the corner and started the recovery. Along with all the millions of jobs that Obama has created with his "investments". Never mind that the official unemployment rate has edged back up, and GDP entered negative territory. That is, apparently, the mark of a good recovery.

[Barbara]

The left is going to paint him as gay - regardless of his family, because of his voice.

Did you mean Carson, Jane? I wouldn't have thought that.

About 15 years ago or so, I saw him on some TV program addressing high school students. He told his story about learning to read and how it enhanced his personal and academic life. He also spoke of his tremendous anger that dogged him all the way to medical school and how he conquered that anger. It's a compelling story.

What impressed me, apart from his life story, was the gentle way in which he spoke. As a pediatric neurosurgeon, I expect that that is part of his daily persona. I think it is to his credit, but then again, one can never expect the sanctimonious left to pass up an opportunity to criticize even if it has no basis in fact.

[Jim Eagle]

Al Gore Explains the Advantages of Sharia Law to Andrea Mitchell:) LOL

Video

[narciso]

It's right up with Naomi Wolf looking for a snug Burka at Al Jazeera, because even Al Ghuardian is sick of her.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--But is it really the same group taking more money year after year, or are new faces arriving to exploit the rest of us?--

Irrelevant of course. Inequality of outcome is the dragon which must be slain, even if it's a different cohort every year.

The left wishes to replace the melting pot with a bucket and then give us all crabs.

[narciso]

He's like Bill Sadler's Grim Reaper character in 'Bill and Ted'

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/02/ryas-hell-burger-shutters-two-locations-after-obama-visit/

[jimmyk]

I just want to know if Carson had a glass of water during the hour he was on with Hannity. I hear that's all that matters. If he did, I can't possibly take him seriously.

[jimmyk]

Also, even if it were the same people in the top 1 percent, their income took the biggest hit in 2008-09, so it would be surprising if it didn't bounce back somewhat.

[Jim Eagle]

Florida does something right for once. Took these two teens off the street using the Baker Act, where you can commit involuntaryily those who may be a threat for up to 72 hours. Avoid a mini-Columbine. But notice the reference to "Call of Duty" video game.

Story

[maryrose]

Bruce:
The word recovery is a propaganda word all the lefties are required to use when describing Bammy's abysmal economy. It's their lies regurgitated over and over to present a changing dynamic. It fools no one and makes them look like the idiots that they are 24/7.

[Jane - The media sucks]

"As a pediatric neurosurgeon, I expect that that is part of his daily persona. "

Barbara,

That's what I assumed too - and since LIV are a lot like children, that should help. I suspect there is very little in reality to criticize him for. That's why I predict the gay accusation will come up. I hope I am wrong.

[Jane - The media sucks]

when is Clarice expected home?

[Jim Eagle]

I believe the cruise ends on the 17th or 18th in Singapore. Don't know if they fly out directly or stay and enjoy the shopping on Orchard Road, and evening with the "boys" on Bugis street or a few Gin Fizzes at Raffles:)

[Bill G]

Check with the NYS taxation folks about a guy named "Limbaugh".

[daddy]

Good Morning!

Lucianne.com has up a story from The Virginian-Pilot describing in long detail how difficult it was for that 102 year old Haitian Immigrant woman, whom Obama highlighted in the SOTU, to wait in long lines to vote. Waiting for lawmakers to encourage democracy

The Virginia-Pilot article lets the fault for such outrages fall heavy on Republican Lawmakers, and snarkily notes: in what surely must be a coincidence, MIT researchers found that African American and Hispanic voters waited on average nearly twice as long as white voters, The New York Times reported.

It is interesting to see The Virginia-Pilot so concerned with getting the racial aspects of this case out there in front of the public, because it struck me that I had recently heard of The Virginia-Pilot not so eager to bring up racial issues:

Reporters Beaten by Mob of Blacks and Their Newspaper Stayed Silent:

Ethical questions are being raised both inside The Virginian-Pilot and in the Norfolk, Va. area after two of the paper’s reporters were attacked and beaten by a mob of at least 30 blacks, but was downplayed by police and withheld from the public for more than two weeks by the newspaper’s editors.

Why it's almost as if they have an agenda or something.

[narciso]

Why so cynical, daddy, no you have a right to be, the assistant city manager and one other official, created this snafu,

[Jim Eagle]

This early voting is a crap sandwich invented by the Dems to shore up their AA base. In Florida, there is plenty of days to do early vote and if that isn't your cup of tea then wait until election day. But the Dems and AA want to allow voting on Sunday's, called the Soul Vote, after the churches let out. Some even want to allow you to vote in church right after singing Down by The River and taking the communion wine.

[narciso]

Yes, it's part of the Cloward and Piven two step, that began with the Motor Voter law

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

It's obviously not enough that minorities have equal access to the franchise. Due to their belonging to "suspect" classes, equal protection under the law requires they be more equal until past grievances are redressed and remedied. Should only take 2 or 3 thousand years.

Until then affirmative action voting rights will entail voting a proportionate number of times based on historical discrimination, payments or, reparations if you will, for each vote cast, posthumous voting rights and non citizen voting.
Wait a minute, all those perks our disadvantaged brothers and sisters already enjoy you claim? The deuce you say, as the good Captain might intone.

[Beasts of England]

My wife's home in Belgium...

I know the feeling.

[daddy]

From the previous thread, on Putin's Religion:

In no way is Putin religious

Oh Ye of little faith:

All-female sect worships Vladimir Putin as Paul the Apostle

Vladimir Putin has become the object of veneration for a bizarre Russian all-female sect whose followers believe that the tough-talking prime minister is a reincarnation of the early Christian missionary Paul the Apostle.

[Porchlight]

But the Dems and AA want to allow voting on Sunday's, called the Soul Vote, after the churches let out.

Two can play at the "souls to the polls" game. We have lots of voters in church on Sunday, too.

[Porchlight]

BTW I am no fan of early voting but we're going to have to get seriously involved in the early vote "harvesting" game if we're to beat these cheaters.

[narciso]

For a bit of a repast from all this folderall, Penguin put out a collection of letters by George Sand, nee Dupin, that references a number of issues, including travels to Venice, hence the title, 'Letters of a Traveller' and other issues.

[narciso]

The difference, is Porch, 'Duke and Duke' doesn;t stint in it's open contempt for the base, that energizes the party, whereas the Dems, care and feed their constituencies like
a whole litter of puppies, at least on paper.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

Dem voters; not even paper trained.

[daddy]

TM,

Seems to me its a "Dignity" thing.

Pelosi says we can't have Congressional paycuts because it would undermine the dignity of her job

Ergo, it makes sense to me that the 1 percenters are simply enhancing the Dignity of their jobs. What's wrong with that?

[maryrose]

Porch:
We need to harvest amf bank our early voting just like the dems do.

[daddy]

Worth repeating:

Thank Janet.

[Porchlight]

So true, narciso.

[narciso]

In conjunction, with the former expansion, Kimberlin and RFK jr, came up with this mysterious 'black box voting' urban legend,
to explain away their losses, and the Puffington Host, and Rolling Stone, spread that all around, like Polaner all fruit preserves.

[daddy]

I'd love to see FOX do 154 clips of Hillary picking her nose, and then 154 clips of Obama sporting flies on his lip. And maybe 154 close ups of Bill Clinton's chancre sores on his lip.

But only 154 clips, not 155. We don't want to to be partisan or biased like the competition.

[narciso]

Interesting they didn't give attention to Dallin, but better late then never;

http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2013/02/16/the-popes-jews-rethinking-pius-xii/

[NJJan]

TC asked the other day if the escaped criminal who caused the lockdown at the school where my daughter taught had been apprehended. He was shot and killed by law enforcement near the lake at the Gaylord Hotel in Grapevine last night. Continuing on to Nevada with his guards might have been the better option rather than escaping in Texas.

[daddy]

Enuff of politics, lets talk Pre-Season Baseball.

TM,

Reports are that Derek Jeeter is dating this gal from the Direct TV Ads:

Sadly Ms Davis did not get the coveted cover of SI's Swimsuit Edition. (Curses Kate Upton), but apparently she is featured in the upcoming issue:

Makes one wonder what body part of hers got frostbit in the Antarctica photo-shoot.

And that reminds me, how come OSHA doesn't have a rep to go along on these photo shoots to ensure that the models aren't harmed?

[narciso]

Well there is no global warming, so this couldn't have happened, but it would go with the researchers in this study, in the LUN, rounded up by the moron crew,

[narciso]

Sorry about that, this LUN,

[Jim Eagle]

narciso,

I am buying the book for my iPad Kindle app. Will report soonest but I hear from Elizabeth Scalia its devastating and will a lot of repair maybe even politically here in certIn ways.

[Porchlight]

Agree maryrose. I never thought Repubs needed as much dragging to the polls as Dems....maybe it depends on the candidate...but we have to be out there knocking on doors if only to counter the Dems' presence.

[narciso]

This is the Anchoress's piece, from the Hot Air link;

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2013/02/14/the-popes-jews-pius-xii-not-hitlers-pope-afterall/

there's been a lot of well poisoning, mostly by relying on biased sources like Zuccotti, Bishop Hudal, who had his own axes to grind, which I first heard of from John Loftus,

[squaredance]

The problem with rationally taking apart the "1%" hooey is that such deconstructions do not get through to those voters who are hoodwinked by the lie in the first place. The Democrats know that it is a lie, and they know that this is in fact not the problem at all. Even if it were, they themselves are comfortably ensconced in that percentile, and would do nothing to change that. This agit-prop, and that is just what it is, is not meant as some sort of "national discussion. It is meant to incite people into irrational rage. This is just why it is agit-prop.

One Big Lie in the edifice of Big Lies.

But if one looks more closely there is a much deeper truth. Even if we were to grant that here was a 1%, there is no reason to believe that they are stealing that money from the so-called "middle classes". What has really happened is that the institution political Left has been attacking the "middle classes" without relent for decades. It is this that has diminished is prospects, not some sort of "theft" of their wealth by the "1%".

This too the Democrats well know, and this propaganda also deflects their perfidy and aggressions as well. Yet another Big Lie.

The really horrendous effect of all of this is yet deeper still. There are three disastrous concepts that come out of this: one, the notion that is it an acceptable and moral role and duty of the governments to regulate and control "disparities of income"; second that societies can somehow operate on the basis of "economic equality" and all that entails regarding individual accomplishment and rights, and third, that it is somehow anyone that how much money someone else has, provided that they do not acquire it immorally.

These have. of course, been part of the Democrats rhetoric since the New Deal, but with Obama they have been quite mainstreamed. Remember when Edwards tried his "Two Americas" nonsense, how bizarre that sounded back then? Like out of some time warp? Well no longer.

Communism has been made a central part of our political rhetoric now, yet few seem to realize that this seemingly uncrossable threshold has indeed been crossed.

Remember where this "1%" comes from: OWS. Remember that OWS is a classical example of a communist youth front and that it was most likely spearheaded, and least strategically, by folks like ValJar sitting right in the WH.

The lies are now so thick, and vast portions of the electorate have bought them reflexively, that it is hard to see how they can be countered through rational discussion.

It is perhaps better not to lead with these points but to use them as backing for the fundamental point: That this is communist hogwash meant foment the unsuspecting into an irrational rage in order to accomplish what is essential a communist coup; a coup whose major goal is the destruction of America. The best response is to call them out for what they are: Traitorous and hypocritical Communists. This the LIV are not hearing

The GOP should be out there calling this all for what it is. Instead we have nonsense coming out of people like Rove about "electability".

We are quickly coming to the point of no return.

[narciso]

this comes through in some of the reviews in Amazon, where some clearly 'can't handle the truth' one of Silva's low points, was when he endorsed this slur, in the Confessor.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

A link at narc's link says the Russian meteor was actually about 50 feet in diameter and was the largest meteor strike since Tunguska in 1908.

[narciso]

I know the whole bearded spock nature of this is infuriating;

http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/02/american-women-not-koch-brothers-birthed-the-tea-party-movement/#comments

[Porchlight]

Remember when Edwards tried his "Two Americas" nonsense, how bizarre that sounded back then? Like out of some time warp? Well no longer.

It sounded bizarre to us, but Dems, even moderate ones, totally bought it. Remember they ate up similar stuff like Nickel and Dimed by Ehrenreich or whatever her name is back in the early 2000s.

I would say that the main difference between the two is that the Two Americas was designed to appeal to the mainstream bleeding heart traditional Dems, the ones that are doing okay themselves but want to help the less fortunate etc. The 1% nonsense is straight up class warfare aimed at the far left (Obama's base) and designed to incite not just envy but actual hatred and violence toward the rich.

[daddy]

the largest meteor strike since Tunguska in 1908.

I believe GhostBuster Dan Akroyd would phrase it a tad differently:

You have been a participant in the biggest interdimensional cross rip since the Tunguska blast of 1909!

[narciso]

A rejoinder to the carp Bronstein has been shilling this week;

http://www.therightscoop.com/powerful-bill-whittle-on-the-shooters-the-men-who-shoot-the-bin-ladens-of-the-world/

[daddy]

Excellent photo prominently featured at Insty:

Here's the link to Insty if the photo above is clipped.

More, faster please.

[daddy]

Jane, TC, Rocco, Dave,

Any of you guys going to have to move to Texas?

Boston.com: Massachusetts will lose 60,000 jobs if Congress enacts sequestration, report says.

[Jane - The media sucks]

Daddy,

Too bad Ed markey didn't do something about it over the last 4 years. Well then again, he hasn't lived in this state for over a decade. I'm sure the smart laid-off people of the commonwealth will make him the next senator.

I'd love to move to Texas.

[Janet]

Here is another Rubio-Menendez comparison going around FB.

[daddy]

Well make sure you also consider Alaska Jane, now that you're used to the snow:)

BTW, according to the AP, Jessie Jackson Jr wasn't trying to amass Political power. All he was doing was trying to own more stuff; flashy items — a gold-plated Rolex watch, furs and collectibles, such as Eddie Van Halen's guitar.

So naturally it follows that he did it to enhance "The Dignity of The Job." Bless the poor public servant.

[daddy]

An OT info question.

Rob C's Powerline link yesterday to Hamer, and then on to Henry Adams dumping on US Grant, has got me thinking about the opinion Mark Twain might have had about Henry Adams.

Since Twain obviously liked and respected Grant, and Adams apparently tore into Grant and pushed the meme that he was an uneducated neanderthal, I would have thought that Twain might have had a published opinion about Adams, but I can't find one anywhere. I do see tons of articles stating that Twain and Adams were 2 of a kind Literary giants in some sort of sociological snit decrying the loss of their idealized America, but Adam's seems so stuffy and wordy to me that I have to think Twain would have called Bulls@#$ on the guy.

I don't know much about it or about Adams, but if anyone out there can dig up anything where they comment on each other I'd like to know. I do see where Adam's, "The Education of Henry Adam's" doesn't come out until way after Twain's death so maybe since Twain didn't have to try to read the damn thing that could explain his apparent silence on the guy. Anyhow, just thought I'd ask and hope you guys don't mind. Just looking for education on the education of henry adams.

And thanks for the Gone With the Wind comments yesterday everybody. Oldest daughter enjoyed that.

Off with the dogs--11 degrees F currently. Brrrr.

[Rick Ballard]

List of 1%ers who remained such over 10 years:

Michael Bloomberg
John Kerry
Mark Warner
Jay Rockefeller
Hilary Clinton
Richard Blumenthal
Frank Lautenberg
Dianne Feinstein
Nancy Pelosi
Claire McCaskill
Ron Wyden
Herb Kohl
Tom Harkin

Others may fall off and new people join but there's is definitely a core of perpetual parasites who make a great living as "champions of the disadvantaged".

[Jim Eagle]

CH,

Don't look but the Terps are up on. Duke with .50 left in1st half.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

It may be cold there, daddy, but my old home town is up there in the snow derby this year as this article from the website GoErie.com documents:

Erie is the second-snowiest and hanging tough in the Golden Snow Globe contest for cities larger than 100,000.

The 70.9 inches of snow measured at Erie International Airport this season, through Thursday, trails only the 72.3 inches of Syracuse, N.Y., according to the contest's National Weather Service data.

According to the article, Syracuse and Erie for some reason are far ahead of their great lakes rivals, Cleveland at 31.1" (wassup with dat, CH?), Buffalo at 46.1", and Rochester at 52". Even Fairbanks lags with only 46.8".

[jimmyk]

"Boston.com: Massachusetts will lose 60,000 jobs if Congress enacts sequestration, report says."

Of course that's just lefty propaganda based on the absurd notion that government spending creates jobs. How's that worked the last four years?

On Grant and Adams, it's hard to believe that Adams would have influenced opinion that much, as his critique is obviously so personal and petty. I also didn't buy that Powerline piece because it seemed to rely on some D/R distinction that wasn't so clearcut in the 19th century. One of the best presidents of that era was Grover Cleveland, a Dem.

[Captain Hate]

For some reason it's been a very meager winter here as far as snow goes, Jim. Prior to Christmas we had very little snow and we haven't gotten pounded with a prolonged series of whoppers. The good news is I haven't had to worry about a big melt going beyond the snow shield on my roof.

[jimmyk]

JimR, I'd read somewhere that The Lake Erie cities usually fall behind Syracuse/Rochester/Buffalo because Lake Erie usually freezes over and that puts the kibosh on the lake effect snow. (I think Buffalo picks up snow from Lake Ontario too.). Maybe it didn't freeze this year? And maybe Cleveland's gotten rain instead of snow.