Give The People What They Want

You can either give the people what they want, or you can make the people want what you've got.

In this case, I've got a shiny new thread, so both can be accomplished.

Win-win.

Away we go.

 

Link to Last Page of Thread.

Comments

[MaryD]

Thanks Jeff

[sbw]

Ahhh! I can breathe again!

[henry]

of course, the WSJ wrecks the new thread with an editorial calling JEB!Tax "The Bush Growth Plan." It conveniently ignores the reduction in proportion of citizens paying income tax to less than half in it's day ending in y JEBgasm.

[sbw]

"Away we go" -- I was expecting a Jackie Gleason exit.

But, hit, you are too young to remember.

[Extraneus]

In this image made from a video surveillance camera taken on Monday, Sept. 7, 2015, and provided by the Arvada, Colorado, Police Department, officer Chris Steiner is hugged by a woman in the lobby of a police station in the northwest Denver suburb. Department officials posted the photo on the force's Facebook account of the woman, who said that she came into the police station just so she could hug an officer. (Arvada, Colorado, Police Department photo via AP)

Woman visits Arvada PD station to hug an officer

[DebinNC]

Meet Candy - Mrs. Ben Carson "She's smart, she's talented, and she loves America." Wouldn't that be a nice change?

[Jeff Dobbs]

How are her arms? Are they toned?

[narciso]

Re marbury, it should be clear that the court has arrogated itself powers to rearrange institutions to rewrite laws that were not contemplated.

I have to concur with captain that Reagan in retrospect was more erudite in speech and prose.

[Jane on Ipad]

Thanks Hit!

[Beasts of England]

Uncle.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Yes, I realize that I'm a frequent detractor of Poppy but erudition is just something I never associated with him. I've always given him credit for forming the first Gulf war coalition in a masterful bit of diplomatic skill with only small demerits for Saddam Hussein realizing that by sending Scuds at Israel he could make Baker apoplectic at those hook nosed bastards for defending themselves and letting Powell go "shockingly" wobbly regarding finishing the job.

[Miss Marple]

Cecil,

I maintain that if Obama had been simply incompetent, a few of his programs or policies would have turned out OK for the US. Statistically, it would be impossible for him to accidentally do EVERYTHING wrong.

Domestic or foreign, there isn't a single positive result. Not one.

So I maintain it is intentional. You will not convince me otherwise.

[Miss Marple]

I read the book of Bush's letters he wrote to everyone starting as a young man.

Not one bit more elevated than Trump. Honest. (Except for the insults, but I attribute that to his generation, not education.)

I am sure he had a fine education at prep school and Yale, but it sure wasn't evident in those letters.

[narciso]

the book you recommended by Sebestyen, which is bar none, the best history of the last era of the cold war, although Winik's on the Brink is a good primer, reinforces that point,

the Gulf War in retrospect, was not the splendid little conflict, it was sold as, it was the spark for the next one,

[narciso]

we ended up protecting UBL and company from the Baathists, and their 'gratitude' gave us 9/11.

[Cecil Turner]

So I maintain it is intentional. You will not convince me otherwise.

He wants a bunch of things you don't want . . . and in that sense of course it's intentional. But he's also incompetent, or we'd have a 10+ dollar minimum wage, cap-and-trade, expanded entitlements, and a bunch of other stuff on the Dem wish list . . . and he wouldn't have lost Congress. Bill Clinton could've gotten all that done.

And, just to beat a dead horse a bit, based on past positions, Trump wants a lot of stuff you don't want also. He's just mouthing a different story on some things that focus-grouped poorly. And he has very little relevant experience. In fact, the similarities between the two far outweigh the differences.

[Miss Marple]

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/09/russia-ignores-kerry.php

[narciso]

He has transformed fundamentally the US health care system, the primary transmission point for sustaining the family, the EPA's monkeywrench has been kept mostly intact, he hasn't gotten that union thingy, but give him time,

[Beasts of England]

:::bangs head on desk:::

[Miss Marple]

Define "relevant experience."

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

I discovered the Sebestyen in the library strictly by accident and started to read the intro of Romanian soldiers forming a lottery to be in the firing squad for the original DoT and his loathsome idiot wife and thought "this might be good".

[Miss Marple]

Things Trump wants:
border wall
strong military
VA fixed immediately or substituted
better trade deals
manufacturing increased in US for jobs

Those are not small potatoes.

[sbw]

narciso: the Gulf War in retrospect, was not the splendid little conflict, it was sold as, it was the spark for the next one

Worth repeating.

[Cecil Turner]

Define "relevant experience."

Define it for yourself. Then check the candidates' records and determine which is the best fit.

[narciso]

yes, you hear that anecdote but rarely, do they point up the details behind this 'storming of the Bastille, 'I'm going for a Great Upheaval parallel.

Winik's previous work, shows why Codevilla is so honeybadger, he was an intelligence analyst back during 'Adultery of the Hearts' administration when
they were downplaying Soviet military strength, hence the need for Team B,

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

I would slightly differ from CT as blaming 404's laziness in not getting more things done. He's an ideologue for sure but has depended on a lot of fellow travelers to actually do the work. Slick wanted to be loved too much to destroy the country and didn't hate his whore mother nearly as much as 404 does; of course Virginia never pawned the fat boy in Big Boy jeans off on her kin for more than an evening at a time.

[GUS]

Miss Marple

This man is a literary genius!!!!
And his pants are so finely creased.

I love posting this at least once a year!!!
Enjoy.
"Underground" (by Barack Obama)

Barack Obama wrote this poem as an undergraduate:

Underground

Under water grottos, caverns
Filled with apes
That eat figs.
Stepping on the figs
That the apes
Eat, they crunch.
The apes howl, bare
Their fangs, dance,
Tumble in the
Rushing water,
Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue.

– Barack Obama
"The apes howl" Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[James D]

CEcil, I disagree.

Clinton had a lot of things he wanted, and had both houses of Congress and he didn't get most of them, either. AND he lost Congress.

THe issue isn't incompetence. The issue is that the Dem wish list is not compatible with reality, or with the wishes of enough of the electorate. But Obama has gotten a hell of a lot more of it than Clinton did.

[narciso]

I'm still for Cruz, he had a much better presentation yesterday, even though Donald stole the show, but it was because of McTurtle's lack of resistance, that he ended up voting for the Corker bill.

[sbw]

MM: manufacturing increased in US for jobs

This must be approached understanding that protectionism and crony capitalism does not allow the necessary creative destruction represents innovation and new, worthwhile jobs.

Companies are learning that offshore may be cheap sometimes, but not worth the price in flexibility and efficient operation.

[Miss Marple]

Cecil,

I have my list of relevant experience.

The question is actually not what mine is, or yours. By May, when I vote, the candidate will already be decided.

So the question is what do the VOTERS consider relevant experience?

[DebinNC]

Trump verifies Rolling Stone re his remarks about Carly's face, but claims by he meant "her persona". He must know he was recorded.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Damn I'll have to read that other Winik.

[narciso]

dobbie's day job,

http://thehill.com/opinion/brent-budowsky/253154-brent-budowsky-big-truths-about-hillary

[Miss Marple]

http://www.mediaite.com/online/dnc-vice-chairs-call-out-the-dnc-for-limiting-debates/

The rumblings of dissent are heard, now as in a distant thunderstorm. But soon, the noise will be deafening.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

Judicial review, like so much else, is good or bad depending on how it's practiced. Strictly limited to deciding whether a law conflicts with the letter of the Constitution, it could be a reasonable check on the legislative branch. In practice it has grown to be an unchecked creator of new "rights" and corresponding laws that have no roots in either the Constitution or the legislative branch. This was probably foreseeable at the time of M vs M, but took 150 years to get totally out of control. It's not clear what can be done other than put the right people on the court.

[James D]

As for relevant experience, on one level, NOBODY (other than a former President) has experience matching the duties and responsibilities of the Presidency.

In terms of scope, probably the closest job is governor of NY or CA - huge, diverse states with a lot of international trade, etc. But even that's an order of magnitude less. At the end of the day, there is not another job in the country with the responsibility of the nuclear football, of having to order the military into action, etc.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

Erudite isn't the same as being articulate, but Poppy was neither as far as I could tell. He had a long resume, but I suspect he was of the "gentleman's C" club at Yale, and he couldn't put together a coherent sentence on the fly if his life depended on it. Basically a string of dependent clauses separated by commas.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Deb:
Trump verifies Rolling Stone re his remarks about Carly's face, but claims by he meant "her persona". He must know he was recorded.

Heh. Persona.

And if you believe that, Teh Donald has a bridge to sell you.

Oh, wait.

Trump probably literally does have a bridge for sale. A yuuuge bridge. A really nice, fantastic bridge.

[Dave (in MA)]

"Away we go" -- I was expecting a Jackie Gleason exit.

But, hit, you are too young to remember.

I'm not too young to remember, but when I read "Away we go" I could hear it in my mind but for some reason I was thinking Fred Flintstone instead of The Great One. Wrong fat guy. Either I'm too old to remember, or I just need more caffeine.

[We could do worse, and will.]

Heh, Arvada Woman for President.

[Dave (in MA)]

"Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue."

Brings to mind an Occupooper encampment.

[Rick Ballard]

Fired Haig, appointed Schultz, Regan, Weinberger, Stockman and Smith, arguably all more "intelligent" than he was, accepted Volcker's recession as the cost of breaking inflation and engineered a speed up in the collapse of the Soviet Potemkin Village while doing nothing to impede a recovery fueled by tax cuts that is unmatched in US history.

Not a bad record for an actor who inherited nothing but his last name and graduated from Eureka College.

[Cecil Turner]

But Obama has gotten a hell of a lot more of it than Clinton did.

Obamacare vs. NAFTA, Family Leave Act, Brady bill, DADT, Omnibus tax and EITC expansion . . . yes, he didn't get health care . . . but I don't think those track records are comparable at all.

[Jamaica? No, she went of her own accord.]

I agree with n. and the Cap'n re: Reagan's intellect, as I noted, threadkilling the last thread. It was said that GHWB thank you noted his way to the Presidency.

[DebinNC]

BOzo's entire life has been lived in bubbles separated from anything generically American, except for his high school years in HI where he seems to have been stoned the entire time.

[Threadkiller]

You need to watch more Smokey and The Bandit, Dave.

That is the Gleason voice that sticks with me.

[henry]

You missed a couple... e.g. Dodd-Frank.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

"As for relevant experience, on one level, NOBODY (other than a former President) has experience matching the duties and responsibilities of the President"

That would suggest a misconception of what's necessary. Mainly the President has to surround himself with the right advisers, and be able to make decisions based on that advice. He has to have a vision, of course, and choose his cabinet accordingly, but it's mainly executive experience that's needed, not expertise in FP, economics, etc. It's worth reading. Good bio of George Washington on his presidency. Really a prototype in every sense.

[Cecil Turner]

In terms of scope, probably the closest job is governor of NY or CA . . .

Governor is probably most relevant. Significant military experience at least prepares one for that part of the job (so they don't have to learn it all from the ground up), legal experience probably helps . . . there are lots of things on the list and everyone's priorities vary. But some of the candidates are obviously better qualified than others by any rational metric. (And some of those best qualified, e.g., Perry, are unelectable.)

[jimmyk on iPhone]

Reading a good bio

['Dutch' he remembered them calling him.]

I once knew a guy, a musician reduced to repairing instruments in his old age, who'd played in a radio studio band in his youth. He and some of his bandmates regularly had coffee in the morning with the sports newscaster.

[Extraneus]

State Department only turns over fraction of requested documents about Clinton aide

Only they weren't exactly "requested."

Impatient with years of previous delays from the State Department over requests by the AP for emails and documents from Clinton and several of her top aides, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon set a strict schedule for release of the material last month. It included an order to deliver to the AP all uncensored portions of an estimated 68 pages of documents related to Abedin by Tuesday. The AP sued the State Department last March because of delays stretching back to 2013 in the news agency's efforts to obtain documents about Clinton's diplomatic stint under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

In a letter written along with the seven pages of documents, a State Department official writing for John Hackett, the agency's director of information programs and services, said only that searches of the department's Central Policy Records and Office of Public Affairs "did not result in the retrieval of responsive material." The official did not explain why the material was unresponsive or cite any specific national security or privacy concerns that prompted the withholding of the documents cited by the judge.

[clarice]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/carly-fiorina-responds-donald-trumps-821677

[Miss Marple]

I hope that judge gets mad enough to throw them in the slammer for a few days.

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

Erick Erickson, of all people, seems to understand what propels much of the disdain for the GOPe:

http://www.erickontheradio.com/2015/09/the-chris-mcdaniel-legacy-haunts-the-republican-party/

Meanwhile, back in lefty Looney Tunes Land, TNR shows, once again, how the left doesn't have the faintest clue about conservatives, the Trumpster, or much of anything about contemporary politics:

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/122772/donald-trumps-biggest-conservative-enemies-helped-create-him

[As well she should look. A match made in Heaven.]

I love Fiorina, and Donald has hit another lode; she looks furious.

[henry]

Ext, I'm sure the email czar will get right on that.

[Texas Liberty Gal]

Fiorina claims he made remarks because she's climbing in the polls. Only problem is his remarks were made weeks ago.

[It's a win-win, folks.]

Heh, Donald, yes, we're serious and furious. Mebbe seriously furious, p'raps furiously serious. You should know by now.

[narciso]

ah dr. evil 'doing standup' that never gets old,

http://www.jammiewf.com/2015/clinton-stooge-david-brock-has-ugly-temper-tantrum-over-new-york-times/

[Cruz cruisin' the ninth wave.]

Walker is another seriously furious man; he just doesn't show it on his face.

[Rick Ballard]

How can State produce Clintoncoven.net emails to and from Abedin without revealing the systemic security failure which allowed the transmission of SCIF product to the coven espionage ring?

Doesn't the judge realize that such a revelation would destroy the careers of the Red Witch seedlings planted at State twenty years ago?

[Who's the one they can all follow?]

Cecil, my hope and prayer, pieced though it be, is that some or many of the Republican candidates who do have specific, but maybe partial, qualifications can bury the hatchets and coalesce into a governing coalition(trigger alert redundancy) with effectiveness.

[sbw]

Does Brock wear a fright wig all the time?

[narciso]

the distinction is Reagan's chief Russian specialist was the esteemed Richard Pipes, who had a rare understanding of the Leninist mind, his histories of the Russian revolution bear that out,his critics like clueless Strobe, focused upon other things, that he was a Pole, as if their history, did not bear out their history,

by contrast, Clinton hired Strobe, who entirely missed the import of the early 80s, and Obama hired Reines, which just removes all doubt, however there were intramural debates even in that administration, as fmr Times reporter Richard Burt, who at last recall, had been advising Rand Paul, was one to think more favorably of the Soviets as opposed to Richard Perle,

[Jeff Dobbs]

TLG:
Fiorina claims he made remarks because she's climbing in the polls. Only problem is his remarks were made weeks ago.

Remarks were made 8/14. At that point two polls had been released post-debate.

Rasmussen putting her at 9 (here highest showing in any poll to date) and Fox at 5.

In the 8 polls leading up to the debate, Carly was averaging 1 percent.

Although that's a small sample - she had risen in the polls when the comments were made.

I'm not saying Trump was making the comment because of those two polls - but it is plausible and I wouldn't see it as a "problem" regarding Carly's response.

Not to mention the fact that Carly said, "Maybe, just maybe....." in her response - she didn't state it as categorically true. It was very much a politically calculated statement that not only responded to Donald's attack - but to reinforce the fact that she has been rising in the polls since the first debate. Someone out there who might not have been aware of her rise in the polls may have just been informed of that fact from that interview.

I give her good marks for the response.

[narciso]

it turns the boomlet has lost some air,

http://freebeacon.com/politics/rand-pauls-russian-connection/

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Having Brock on your side is not a good look. Another one of Sid's friends?

[Thomas Collins]

I think ultimately Trumpster's main impact will be to pave the way for Jeb Bush's nomination. By sucking the air out of the room, Trumpster makes it less likely that an alternative to Jebster will emerge. As the race narrows down, Jebster's connection and money will allow him to survive the Trumpster onslaught.

[Miss Marple]

what I have noticed above all else is how isolated and ignorant much of the New York - DC Republicans and media are.

I seriously doubt they talk to anyone who lives west of Pennsylvania, or South of Virginia, except for big bucks donors.

The absolute panic in the GOP advisers and pundits was amazing to me. Rove's 3-day rant on Christine O'Donnell was a harbinger of what was to come.

I still maintain he was advising Mike Castle behind the scenes. He left Bush 43's administration early and got his book out (which I unfortunately bought). He portrayed himself as the reason Bush won, never once ascribing any credit to Bush's skills as a campaigner. The whole book read like an expanded resume.

I believe he was working with Castle as it was thought to be Castle's race to win. When the upset happened, he was apoplectic and trashed her for 3 days in a row on national TV. I couldn't understand his unreasonable anger, but on looking back, I am sure that is what was going on.

And that is why so much money was poured into propping up Thad Cochran.

[narciso]

there is a difference between understanding your target, and agreeing with him, Mike Scheur keeps UBL in his trapper keeper, yet he took credit for other's efforts in going after him,

[Dave (in MA)]

Walker is another seriously furious man; he just doesn't show it on his face.

From the previous thread, some RS Hunter Thompson wannabe called him "the creaky-robot governor of Wisconsin".

[jimmyk]

Fiorina claims he made remarks because she's climbing in the polls. Only problem is his remarks were made weeks ago.

I don't think Megyn indicated when the remarks were made, and I doubt Carly knew about them before Megyn asked. While as Jeff points out, it's possible she's right, I'm pretty sure it was in response to Carly's criticism of Trump's "blood coming out of her wherever" comment about Megyn. Trump has a habit of reflexively insulting anyone who criticizes him.

[narciso]

if I had been been the door, I would have electrified the door handle, when the writer showed up"

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2011/04/19/nprs-latest-climate-change-impact-deadly-grizzly-bear-attacks

[I could go on but won't.]

Hmmm, Trump is reminiscent of Alexander's charge at the middle, Walker's stopped up his ears like Odysseus, don't leave Cruz horatioing at the bridge, and now, the Furies grace us with their faces.

[henry]

A nice piece on knowledge which gets at the qualifications question from a different angle. (lets you raise or lower whichever candidate you want -- except leaves Hilligula out as an untalented, unexperienced ignoramus). ht our Chitown lurking unit.

[narciso]

well Walker is a lot like Coolidge, having broken the Boston police strike, something Don Regan still resented 60 some years later, but he needed a Harding to get in,

[narciso]

Could TR have won on his own, without McKinley?

[Missing context, but I thought you'd like it, n.]

Sing a song of sixpence,
The pie is full of lies.
Break the breaded crust whence
Out swarm all the flies.

The Duke is in his counting house,
His servant piles it high.
He scurries so, the tim'rous mouse;
The Masque of Paris nigh.

[Miss Marple]

henry,

That is a good article. I also liked the link to Circle of Competence.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Trump on Carson:

“Ben Carson, you look at his faith, and I think you’re not going to find so much, and you look at his views on abortion, which were horrendous, and that’s I think, why am leading with all the evangelicals –as you know in your poll, number one, I‘m leading Ben Carson by a lot. You know, you said Ben Carson’s surging, I’m almost double his numbers.”

“He was a doctor, perhaps, you know, an okay doctor, by the way, you can check that out too. we’re not talking about a great – he was an okay doctor…. Because he’s a doctor and he hired one nurse, he’s gonna end up being president of the United States? For him to criticize me on my faith is absolutely – for him to read the Bible in his memory, it looked like he memorized it about two minutes before he went onstage – Ben Carson is not going to be your next president, that I can tell you.”

[narciso]

I note they oddly don't seem to be concerned with 'fixing intelligence' I wonder why that is,

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/criminal-justice-reform-gop-primary

[Her Fiorina Face.]

I'll never forget Alice's face framed with a frying pan, unbowed, unpowed.

[Planted. Heh, botanica hearts carbon two oxides.]

Feet flat on the earth not on the moon with Cap'n Sanderfields Visit to Heaven.

[DebinNC]

Trump has a habit of reflexively insulting anyone who criticizes him.

For sure. Is it a habit he's honed over the years and employs as part of "The Donald" brand? Is it an intrinsic character flaw he's incapable of controlling? Lack of self-control is not something I want in a POTUS, especially one who so often accuses others of stupidity.

[narciso]

ot, colbert is making chevy chase, seem like a comedy stylist, no I won't link,

[boris]

One side is saying "Trump is shaking up the system like a bull in a china shop"

Another side is saying "The bull isn't house trained. Look at that ... pissing all over the teacups. Who's going to buy those teacups after that!"

[Medic, medic, here's combat sanguine!]

Hmmm, it seems to me that both Carson and Trump are better than the average bear at looking into people's hearts. Wish they'd quit looking into each other's. Who's gonna sweep up all the blood afterwards?

[narciso]

you note how I avoid the big shiny squirrel's pelts, except when needs must,

[narciso]

'the fault is in the narrative'

http://www.steynonline.com/7164/drawing-down

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had an RNC that actually tried to influence voters - and policies - with a thoughtful outreach campaign and ad buys?

How about they start by hammering home the obligation of the Arab nations and the rich Gulf States to take in *all* of the refugees and provide for them until their countries are at peace again?

[Sign him up. Let him figure out his own job, as is his wont.]

Tru dat, DinNC, Trump a trop de chutzpah. Yet, he's careered on so blithely. Not quite 'careened', but close enough for government work.

[narciso]

it is never 'move on' with them,

http://thefederalist.com/2015/09/08/tim-kaines-gun-control-bill-is-a-backdoor-ban-on-all-private-gun-sales/

[Stephanie]

This morning is starting off weird. Agreeing with Erick Erickson is quite the wake up call.

Yikes!

[Insignia of the Timesignia..]

When the female camels with child are neglected.

[henry]

Stephanie, don't look at where the snake bit the guy on Drudge.

[Thomas Collins]

The Donald's act may get him the lead in a field of over a dozen. My suspicion is his insults aren't going to impress Kim Jong-un, Vlad Putin, Xi Jinping, Imam Khameinei, or anyone one else I would want to have respect for a POTUS. My recollection is Reagan drove the Sovs into the ground without remarks about where blood gushes from women or about women's faces, or the Bible reading habits of his opponents. The sooner GOP voters say to the Trumpster "YOU'RE FIRED", the better off the GOP will be. Perhaps Trumpster can then get another reality show gig.

[narciso]

strikingly even Donald hasn't helped their more 'selective audience' pitch,

http://cnncommentary.com/2015/09/09/cnn-quiz-show-falls-to-the-bottom-of-cnn-primetime/?dg

[I'm trying to see how long it takes to wear out 'Carmen'.]

Heh, just spied my 'Goldfinger' VHS tape, and I got the hardware.