Now This Makes Sense

Given Obama's abysmal performance so far:

The chatter has increased in recent days about Clinton leaving the cabinet sometime in the first term, likely over some matter of principle, so that she can position herself to challenge Obama in 2012"

That so makes sense.

Too Smart to Be An American

It has been widely reported that the administration has decided to "double down" and plow forward on its health care and banking reform agenda and either spin or ignore the voter discontent whose clearest and most recent sign is the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts. It's as though Team Obama attended telemarketing training, where the main rules are "ignore the customer's first two objections" and "above all, stick to the script". While for the first time a few tiny cracks are appearing in the media's united pro-Obama front, many in the self-described (and pseudo-intellectual) press elite are still carrying water for a man that they perceive as "one of their own", somebody who really "gets" the liberal message (and the need to further it through Alinskyesque subterfuge). In that spirit Joe Klein of the once-respected Time has placed his own offering at the feet of his president by attempt to clear up confusion and explain away all that nasty controversy. And what is his thesis to explain Obama's current difficulties?

Most Americans are simply too stupid to appreciate Obama's vision.

In his brief article he supports his thesis in a variety of ways: ridiculing "average" voters ("nearly three out of four Americans think the money has been wasted...they may be right: it's been wasted on them...It is very difficult to thrive in an increasingly competitive world if you're a nation of dodos"), echoing the complaints of earlier Bush apologists ("The Obama Administration has done a terrible job explaining the stimulus package") and even slandering his own competition ("Americans are flagrantly ill-informed...and, for those watching Fox News, misinformed"). Perhaps Mr. Klein is breaking some unnamed journalistic code by stating it so frankly, but this post is a great thumbnail view of the current state of Progressive thought and its contempt for the average American.

I can only imagine that as the out-of-touch and sneeringly elitist Mr. Klein watched the comments roll in he must have realized his error in stating his views so plainly. Like a benevolent dictator sensing that he'd gone too far, he moderated his elitism, tried to spin his earlier post and resumed the facade in "Dumb or Just Badly Educated...or Maybe Just Lazy?".

Man - someone remind me how Time stays in business.

See here as well (Valley of the Shadow)

Careful Obama - the disembodied spirit of Harry Reid is watching

Even though it appears he's trapped in the windowpane, he can still probably do some damage (from the Financial Times)

The Theology of Warmism, or Why Bad Data Happens to Good People

The faith-based "Warmism" movement has begun to look more and more like a religion these days. Climategate has been sent to them test their faith, but the truly converted will not falter. But how to respond to the negative publicity? Al Gore is already on record stating that in such circumstances it is totally justified to embroider the truth:

"In the United States of America, unfortunately we still live in a bubble of unreality. And the Category 5 denial is an enormous obstacle to any discussion of solutions. Nobody is interested in solutions if they don't think there's a problem. Given that starting point, I believe it is appropriate to have an over-representation of factual presentations on how dangerous (global warming) is, as a predicate for opening up the audience to listen to what the solutions are, and how hopeful it is that we are going to solve this crisis."

This explains his "move along, nothing to see here" tactic in addressing the Climategate emails. He even goes so far as to flat-out lie, saying the latest emails are 10 years old (the latest were from November 12 of this year, and many of the controversial ones are from this year).

So Warmism is now becoming more like a religion. It seems clear that its fiercest adherents, like rebellious teens seeking after truth have modeled their religion not on the oppressive Judeo-Christian dogma of their parents but on the newer kid on the block, the ultra-hip religion of Islam. For nothing else explains the prevarication, obfuscation and slander on display better than the Muslim ideal of Taqiyya:

'The word "Taqiyya" literally means: "Concealing, precaution, guarding.” It is employed in disguising one's beliefs, intentions, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions or strategies. In practical terms it is manifested as dissimulation, lying, deceiving, vexing and confounding with the intention of deflecting attention, foiling or pre-emptive blocking. It is currently employed in fending off and neutralising any criticism of Islam or Muslims.'

ALMNAKH HU AKBAR!

Learning From Carter

Jimmy Carter's failure as a president was evident pretty early on, and like many a politician Carter's response was to look for a scapegoat. Unwisely he decided to make it the American people: his cries of "malaise" only heightened his ineffectiveness and earned him the enmity of the average citizen. Obama and his Machiavellian handlers have perhaps learned from this; the new scapegoat is more Emmanuel Goldstein than you and your neighbor, because no one likes to be told something is their fault. Now we have Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney, Fox News and their unwitting accomplices: The Neanderthal Republican Congressman, the Flyover State Yokel and (shudder) The Teabagger.

Decisions, decisions...

Andrew Sullivan II

I get no joy from this - the conservative movement needs smart dedicated folks, but LGF continues its slide:

here

here

here, and

here.

Our Glorious Comrades at Reuters

...have announced that the rightful president of Honduras has returned after being ousted by the military junta there. At least that what you get from this:

"Soldiers toppled Zelaya and sent him into exile after he upset conservative opponents, who accused him of wanting to change the constitution to allow presidents to seek re-election."

The omissions here are deafening, especially given how long this has been in the news and how Zelaya's attempts to set up a Chavez-style dictatorship have been so thoroughly documented. It's as if Reuters feels the US populace is stupid or forgetful enough that it can engage in an Orwellian rewrites of history anytime it likes.

Plus ca change...

Expelled

Finally got to see "Expelled" by Ben Stein (thanks, Netflix streaming service!). The production values and tone are smart and modern and therefore it stands out among most conservative or evangelical documentaries. Here is a truly engaging and witty man who sets out to ask some difficult questions and knows how to drive home a point (his interview with Dawkins and trip to Hadamar are particularly devastating). The response from mainstream media and internet is universally and comically derogatory (just check the supposedly neutral Wikipedia) and I can see why: like the conservative response to Michael Moore, most materialists (even if they don't or can't articulate it) see the threat of such a well-crafted movie to their worldview.

The assumption of truth (and its advocacy at all costs) of many of the liberal tenets implied in the election of our new president is unique in my lifetime.