Hillary's Speech - Christmas In July

Her Not-So Inevitability gave her Big Speech last night. I watched bits of it - was she shrieking her way through it in her best impression of Donald Trump, or was that just me? Let me be clear - I don't hate Hillary. I hate the leaders of ISIS, and the ISIS thug who tried to decapitate an 86 year old priest in France. Yes, that makes me a bit of a failure on the "hate the sin, love the sinner" frontier, But I am OK with that. My point being, on that scale, I don't hate Hillary.

But wow, do I loathe her. I understand that every word coming our of her mouth was poll-tested and focus-grouped, and the odds are that she believes little to nothing of what she says, but still - the endless list of More Free Stuff Faster may succeed in uniting her party around unicorn rides and magic puppies, but how did she manage to keep a straight face? I credit botox.

Two moments struck me as rivals for Peak Absurdity. Here is the first:

I believe that our economy isn’t working the way it should because our democracy isn’t working the way it should.

That’s why we need to appoint Supreme Court justices who will get money out of politics and expand voting rights, not restrict them. And we’ll pass a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United!

 I believe American corporations that have gotten so much from our country should be just as patriotic in return.

Many of them are. But too many aren’t.

It’s wrong to take tax breaks with one hand and give out pink slips with the other.

So we are now judging the patriotism of others, a notion which sent Dems to the fainting couch during the Dark Bush Years (sorry, that was Bush II - lots of darkness for Dems). OK, corporations are "people" for some legal purposes, but how can a company be patriotic? One might have thought that various employees, officers or owners miught be patriots, but how does that translate, especially for a multinational with owners, employees and operations all over the world? I don't know.

But do note - just before calling on corporations to step it up on the patriotism front by paying more taxes she demands that they be stripped of their free speech rights as established by Citizens United and soon to be overturned, err, reinterpreted by the Hillarity! Court. Shorter Hillary; Hey, corporate America - Pay up and STFU.

The other laughably revelatory moment was this, as she explained how she would finance the unicorn rides by taxing the Koch brothers and Mitt Romney's kids:

Now, here’s the thing, we’re not only going to make all these investments, we’re going to pay for every single one of them.

And here’s how: Wall Street, corporations, and the super rich are going to start paying their fair share of taxes.

Not because we resent success. Because when more than 90 percent of the gains have gone to the top 1 percent, that’s where the money is. [And we are going to follow the money.]

"Follow the money" is not in the prepared text but was an ad-lib at about 7:43:20 of the video, and was noted elsewhere.

So on our scorecards: "That's where the money is" is the famous Willie Sutton line about why he robs banks. "Follow the money" is, for my generation anyway, a classic Watergate drama exhortation, although it has since been re-purposed for the Clinton Foundation.

So when Hillary talks about taxing the rich she immediately swings to images of theft and corruption. Charming, especially since she was quite clear that she does not resent success. Then again, she and Bill didn't amass their hundred million inventing anything or building much of anything other than a global influence-peddling empire, so maybe she has internalized the notion that all wealth is ill-gotten. Uh huh.

Four years of this?

MORE: "Follow the money" did light up Twitter.

Comments

[Miss Marple 2]

Sundance had a good article about some conservatives wanting a "philosopher-king" type of candidate, which never would happen because those types cannot win.

They thought Cruze was their guy due to this mind set, so when he didn't win (and couldn't win, obviously) they became overcome with disappointment and hence, rage.

There are lots of old adages that these guys should have heeded:

Talk is cheap.
Actions speak louder than words.
All hat, no cattle.
The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.

The American people are first of all a practical people. This is why there are more people in STEM courses than philosophy.

The country is broken. We want it fixed, or at least a start to fixing it. The people are looking for a contractor, not someone who will comment on the situation.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--You keep mentioning that this country was started by a violent revolution as though that has some significance to today's political debates. -

What I find odd is your presumption the glorious, heroic founding of our country against almost impossible odds doesn't have profound significance to any day's political debates.
Our country was founded upon its forcible grafting to the roots of the tree of liberty, not fealty to the corrupted, fundamentally transformed shreds of the marvelous document the founders gave us.

--We live in a democratic republic.--

No. We live in a constitutional republic. North Koreans and Congolese live in democratic republics.
Unfortunately our constitution has been so shredded that we more and more resemble one of those democratic republics.

When the resemblance becomes so great that the constitution is a functional dead letter, a time that seems not far off, then you will understand, perhaps, why there is an armed citizenry and that the revolution that began our nation is the overarching and most important political backdrop there is, not some dim anachronism.

Were you born here?

[Jack is Back!]

I have always had a problem with Article V conventions because I don't know what we need to fix. The constitution has been usurped for hundreds of years by legislation and political opportunity. You can always amend it but why change the basic premises of our republic.

As an ex-DC lobbyist, I can tell you from experience, an article 5 convention will not be able to resist the leftist onslaught of Soros and gang. I don't care how many red states back it. Money talks and ideals walk once you open that door.

What we need is to restore the Constitution much like those guys who restore old Packards or Reos or Hudsons.

Make it New Again.

[cheerleader]

Imo Cruz epitomizes why "principled conservatism" is a non-starter.

Several times, he's had many chances to act in a principled manner, and instead he's acted like a snake. Cruz has NOTHING to teach Trump.

1. Chicago, blaming the violence on Trump.

2. Calling for Corey to be fired before the evidence was in.

3. Not honoring his pledge.

4. Accepting the invite to speak at the convention, where is fundamental message was that people were free not to vote for the nominee, and adding to the script of the approved speech.

[cheerleader]

I'm against today's generation meddling with the Constitution because I think today's generation are mental midgets and lightweights compared to the wisdom of the elders.

[JM Hanes]

Theo:

"But the core of Trump's argument is that we need to make this country more like it was…. The problem is that the 1980s or the 1950s are not coming back."

I really don’t think MAGA means attempting to restore us to our ’50s past, any more than, say, constitutional “originalism” represents a desire to recreate the 1780s. While a Rust Belt Revival may not be in the cards, I think Trump has got a far more realistic view of the modern world than most, and that what he rejects is the idea that the global economy is a laissez faire proposition which we have no power to shape. Trade agreements are one thing, trade agreements which chip away at the sovereignty which is our first, last and best protection are something else entirely.

The NeverTrumpers unwillingness to unite behind any one of 16 other candidates, let alone our nominee, rather belies your suggestion that opposition to Democrats should be sufficient to revive the unhappy marriage that everybody seems to be trying to escape. If Trump loses and the anti-establishmentarians (!) have no Plan B, I suspect it's far more likely that large numbers of us will simply abandon politics altogether, and Republicans will end up with a much reduced fighting coalition. Indeed, I think you’re the one who seems to believe that things can just go back to the way they were. What I see is the start of a very long sojourn in the wilderness.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--I'm against today's generation meddling with the Constitution because I think today's generation are mental midgets and lightweights compared to the wisdom of the elders.--

Most of the wisdom of the elders has already been swept aside.
The Bill of Rights remains in adequate shape but the body of the constraints in the constitution itself has been badly mangled.
The BoR is next on the left's list BTW.

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

JiB at 03:06 has it 100% right. Keep what we have, and don't give the Soros the chance to destroy it.

[cheerleader]

Miss Marple,

Your post about American pragmatism was very well said and I agree with it a hundred per cent.

[Lurker Susie]

Oh boy, Trump is getting blasted

Donald Trump to Army Gold Star father Khizr Khan: “I've made a lot of sacrifices" http://abcn.ws/2a7Abw1
12:59 PM - 30 Jul 2016

[Captain Hate]

I have always had a problem with Article V conventions because I don't know what we need to fix. The constitution has been usurped for hundreds of years by legislation and political opportunity. You can always amend it but why change the basic premises of our republic.

Because there is something wrong when judges order states not to be able to identify if somebody is eligible to vote. If you can think of an expeditious way to remedy this, have at it.

[Lurker Susie]

Richard Grenell
Richard Grenell – Verified account ‏@RichardGrenell

Fact: @GStephanopoulos put out a false spin ahead of his interview tomorrow. He worked for the Clintons & ABC News acts like he's unbiased.
1:11 PM - 30 Jul 2016

[Another Bob]

Captain Hate @ July 30, 2016 at 02:36 PM

I think that conversation will happen, but a little time has to pass. Cruz may already have realized that he acted foolishly. But the wounds to his (largish) ego will need to start healing up a little first.

I can't see him having much of a future as the iconoclastic outsider, and I suspect he realizes that too.