piffles and pissants

piffles and pissants

“ ” Michael Savage is pretty much spot-on in this vintage rant.  I like Savage, but he does suffer from the "looking for anti-antisemitism" disease that's every bit as annoying as the "looking for racism" virus that afflicts so many Liberals.  The video link appeared in a comment about Ann Coulter endorsing Romney.  She also dissed Newt at the same time.  Early in the week El-jefe sent me a link to an American Spectator piece, "Is Newt Gingrich America's Churchill." No, he is not, IMO.  I loved Newt for his role in ending 40 years of Democratic terror (for a while).  But I see him as a transitional character, more Patrick Henry than George Washington, and one with serious character flaws.  I addressed one flaw in a post 10 years ago (A strange comeuppance), about his treatment of  Christina  Jefferies*.  Newt had appointed her as House Historian, only to throw her under the bus after Democrats - filthy Democrats - called her a Jew hater. I was shocked, disappointed, and worried about his character.  During the same time, Newt, after it was discovered that a few million $imoleons were missing from the House operating fund, announced that he would let it slide, in an effort at appeasement.  I don't forget this kind of thing.  I disagree with a few  of Ann Coulter's stands, but I have never questioned her character. She wants Romney?  Fine.  Since Palin bailed, and Cain appears to have been pressed and folded,  it doesn't matter to me.  We're in the sh_t.  But that's just me.  * I later received a kind note from Christina  Jefferies

Michele Bachmann wins first women’s presidential straw poll ...

Michele Bachmann wins first women’s presidential straw poll

“ Rep. Michele Bachmann won the first Women’s Presidential Straw Poll, held at the Smart Girl Summit in St. Louis, Missouri this weekend. Herman Cain, who spoke at the event, closely trailed Bachmann, finishing in a strong second place. Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin were not included on the ballot. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Ambassador Jon Huntsman, Gov. Gary Johnson, Congressman Thad McCotter, Congressman Ron Paul, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Gov. Mitt Romney —  were. [full] ” I like this story, and if the election was held today I'd be voting for a Cain-Bachman ticket.  Crain on top, because he's a proven business manager.  If it was Palin-Cain, well— Palin Cain. Anyway, I went browsing for "black on white" art because race is the first thing I think of when it comes to politics.   Seriouisly,  I Googled for ideas for art-chopping, and this New York Press article was the first hit. A White Woman Explains Why She Prefers Black Men How many white men can treat a woman like a lady and ravish her By Susan Crain Bakos No, it's not what you think. “ They look better than white men, they touch and kiss and make love better than white men. Statistically, their penises are only a fraction of an inch bigger on average, but they seem bigger and harder. ” There are other reason given - “ Black men have something white guys don't have anymore: confidence in their masculinity (Tip:  She only dates Liberals.  Count on it) Black men are gentlemen, something else white men no longer are. (Why - you bitch!) With the exception of some Italians, white men don't turn me on anymore. (What was that movie ... Christopher Walken - "Cause you, you're part eggplant?"  Who knew?) On another night in that same bar, a different black man, an artist, knelt and kissed my knees. (My god, I've been on my knees in many a bar.) Black skin is thick and lush, sensuous to the touch, like satin and velvet made flesh.   There's only one patch of skin on a white man's body that remotely compares to nearly every inch of a black man's skin  (I think she's saying Black men feel like a penis.  Or maybe uvula? Very déclassé).  ” At any rate, this is something Susan Crain Brooks is expert in, while I have no experience at all.  I do think that all of this would be a great idea for Myth Busters to tackle.   Kari?  For science?  By the way, That's not Not Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann in the top picture.

Point-Counterpoint

Point-Counterpoint

But in a phone call Friday evening, McConnell told Reid he wanted the White House at the table and expressed frustration that President Obama had rejected an emerging compromise between the two Senate leaders last weekend. Aides said McConnell expected to speak with administration officials Friday night and tamped down talk of an impasse. But Senate Democratic leaders reacted with outrage, accusing McConnell of blocking a deal. Without such an agreement, Obama warned that the United States stands to lose its sterling AAA credit rating — “not because we didn’t have the capacity to pay our bills. We do. But because we didn’t have a triple-A political system to match our triple-A credit rating.  - Congressional leaders struggle to work out bipartisan debt deal Moody's: Neither debt plan protects the nation's AAA rating The "limited magnitude" of both debt plans put forward by congressional leaders would not put the nation's AAA credit rating back on solid footing, Moody's Investors Service announced Friday. "Reductions of the magnitude now being proposed, if adopted, would likely lead Moody's to adopt a negative outlook on the AAA rating," the credit rating agency said in a new report. "The chances of a significant improvement in the long-term credit profile of the government coming from deficit reductions of the magnitude proposed in either plan are not high."

Boehner Fox News Sunday

Boehner was brilliant  ... Well, acquitted himself nicely anyway

“ Boehner was brilliant on his FoxNews Sunday interview with Chris Wallace. Compared to the waffling of Tim Geithner in the preceding interview ...  It is the first time, in following politics for 40 years, that I have seen a Republican politician exhibit real political courage. Republicans, especially in the Senate, have become very frightened of the power of the mainstream media. They cower in fear at the thought of getting bashed by the liberals. The Old Guard Republicans have been reduced to operating in the shadows, in back rooms, committees and commissions; with their only strategy consisting of trying to win elections to get more power in Washington D.C. They have no fight in them. They have become cowards. That's why Boehner was such a refreshing surprise on Sunday. Watch the video. He is actually standing his ground and fighting when most all of the Old Guard Republicans, even conservative commentators, have turned and run, scared silly of being blamed for an Armageddon. (If the stock market drops significantly on Monday, I am buying because it will be a short term panic, which are always great money making opportunities.) Boehner is going to do the right thing for the country -- he said just that, literally, several times during the interview, and I believe him. He said that he didn't take the job for the fancy title, he took it to get something accomplished. He said he doesn't care about the Asian Markets, because he cares more about jobs and the future of America.  [Free Republic comment] What I took away from this is, yes, give Boner some credit for his public display of backbone.  Clap clap clap.  But it's clear that only pressure from House Teaparty Republicans have kept him from agreeing to even more "revenue" than the 800B in "flatter, fairer taxes"  he says are still on the table.  BTW, calling tax increases  "new revenue" doesn't show the same creativity as the  Milhouse Solution (see below)," but nice try. And again, what is this default thing I keep hearing about, if we refuse to print more Monopoly money? Default on what?  Really.  I'm old and afraid to go outside.

Yada-Yada

Where someone is wrong

Democrats privately fear House prospects worsening Top Democrats are growing markedly more pessimistic about holding the House, privately conceding that the summertime economic and political recovery they were banking on will not likely materialize by Election Day. In conversations with more than two dozen party insiders, most of whom requested anonymity to speak candidly about the state of play, Democrats in and out of Washington say they are increasingly alarmed about the economic and polling data they have seen in recent weeks. Politico Why Democrats Will Keep The House But the Democratic apocalypse isn't guaranteed just yet. In fact, senior Democratic strategists say they're not only likely to keep the House, but they believe the GOP won't come close to gaining the 39 seats they need to take over. That's not to say Republicans have no chance of taking back the House. Indeed, for every argument Democrats make about their strengths, Republicans have a counterargument. But Democrats have a compelling case. Here are the four reasons Democrats shouldn't be counted out of the majority, and Republicans shouldn't start counting their chickens, quite yet: - Hotline on call

Cue election

Scripting

RE:Thinning the herd, and one turd

Mad Dog Pachy

“ Can Brigham Young's Great Great Gay Progressive Granddaughter Oust a Blue Dog and Win a House Seat In Utah? The prose is priceless; the content not so much. Bill Maher Slams Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney, George Will Over BP Oil Spill, Climate Change Denialism ...  just a week after being owned by Will.   What a guy.  Climate Change Denialism?  Egad. Will Meg Whitman be the first candidate to be defeated because of her opposition to the Arizona immigration law? Giddy-up ”

Micky Kaus Runs

Whoa! Kaus Challenges Boxer

Kaus is, in my book, indeed a "common sense" democrat of long standing.  I wish him well.

Perry In, RINO out

Good news from Texas.

OldSpook  I wonder who Gov Perry will appoint to take KBH's Senate seat? Remember she promised to resign. Good to get rid of her country club RINO ass and get someone decent in there to set up for November.

Democrat Tanking Badly

Blanche Lincoln losing by amazing 56-33 margin

Handicapping 2010

The 2011 Senate

"Cum 'on, train!" On January 6th the Weekly Standard's  Matthew Continnetti handicapped the Republican chances of taking the Senate. Let's see how that's working out. Connecticut - Dodd was toast, but popular Connecticut AG Dick Blumenthal, a Democrat, is expected to announce tomorrow that he'll run for Dodd's seat, and an early poll shows him winning by 30 points. Rasmussen -Blumenthal leading former GOP Congressman Rob Simmons 56% to 33%. A month ago, Simmons had a 13-point lead over Dodd. NC North Dakota - North Dakota governor John Hoeven, a Republican, is expected to run for Dorgan's seat and win handily. Gov. John Hoeven has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat - Unless something absolutely unforeseen happens, Hoeven will become the Republican Party nominee to run + Nevada - Senate majority leader Harry Reid as the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent; Reid has a high disapproval rating and trails his Republican challengers in polls. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in Nevada finds Reid earning just 36% of the vote against his two top Republican challengers. That’s a seven-point drop from 43% a month ago. Reid, who is seeking a fifth term, received 61% of the final vote in 2004.Real Clear Politics - Tarkanian +10 over Reid + Republican chances of flipping Democratic seats in Delaware, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Colorado also look good. Delaware - Rasmussen Reports Castle +5 RCP Average  Castle +1.7 Illinois - RCP AVG Giannoulias (D) +3 PPP - Even Pennsylvania - Rasmussen - Toomey (R) +9 Colorado - Rasmussen Frazier (R) +1 + ? + + And with the right candidate, the GOP could also be competitive in the New York, California, and Arkansas races. Heck, the GOP seems to be competitive in Massachusetts right now. New York RCP AVG Pataki (R) +.5  Rasmussen Reports Gillibrand (D) +3 California - Rasmussen Reports  Boxer (D) + 3 Arkansas -Rasmussen Reports Hendren (R) +8 ? ? + So let's follow Toby Harnden's lead and say Republicans hold on to seats in Florida, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Ohio, Louisiana, and Missouri. And let's say they sweep the competitions listed above. Even if the Republicans sweep the field without losing any ground--this probably won't happen--Harnden notes that the GOP would control 49 seats and the Democrats would control 51. Harnden: But what if Joe Lieberman (I) flipped to the Republican party? Very possible, particularly if he was induced with a juicy committee chairmanship. That would mean 50-50. But still Vice-President Joe Biden would hold the casting vote. Even in this (wildly optimistic) scenario, then, Republicans still wouldn't control the Senate. Unless, of course, Scott Brown defeats Martha Coakley this month in Massachusetts ... ” Click-Click

Stuff that interested me

Six Pack

Sic 'em Rinty Culled these from the Weekly Standard Blog Scott Brown Raises Nearly $1 Million in 1 Day Moneybomb. Blago- re Obama It's such a cynical business, and most of the people in the business are full of s__t and phonies, but I was real, man--and am real. This guy, he was catapulted in on hope and change, what we hope the guy is. What the f__k? Everything he's saying's on the teleprompter. I'm blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived. I saw it all growing up. Blago- re Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan “... how much do I love the people of Illinois to make that c__t senator?” Palin is Now a Fox News Contributor Ms. Palin will not have her own regular program, one person with knowledge of the deal said, though she will host a series that will run on the network from time to time. "host a series ...!"  - I'm hoping she models after John Stossel Undermining McChrystal With the president having decided to send Gen. McChrystal the bulk of the additional forces he requested, one would think that all is settled, right?  Well, it seems that key White House officials don't think so.  They continue to snipe at Gen. McChrystal as he sets out to implement the strategy that the president announced at West Point on December 1. First, several weeks after the president's speech, Vice President Biden took to the airwaves  ... . N.D. Gov. John Hoeven to Announce Senate Bid So much for Democrat hopes of keeping Dorgan's vacated seat. ”

Tom Sowell

The Politics of the Housing Boom

Today's recommended reading, the value of which is broadly debated, is The IBD series by the "anti-Krugman," Thomas Sowell (The Housing Boom and Bust)   Sowell may not be the only person to write objectively about what caused out current misfortune, but he's the only one I trust implicitly.   “ There were many who shared the responsibility — or, in this case, the irresponsibility — for the housing boom that was fueled by easier credit, lower mortgage approval standards and "creative" financing. Moreover, like many disasters, this one began with good intentions. At the heart of those good intentions was the quest for "affordable housing," another way of expressing the crusade for more home ownership among a wider range of people. ” One of the most damning pieces of evidence for the notion of a biased Donk-Media Complex has been, for me,  the total absence of Sowell, Sowell's ideas, and references to Sowell on the Sunday shows, or anywhere else in the broadcast media.  In a world where  where Keith Olbermann and Chris Mathews have their own shows?  Puh-leeeze.  I even came to wonder whether Sowell had a speech impediment, a squeaky girl voice, or perhaps spoke in Ebonics?  Nope.  As with Dr. Walter E Williams, Justice Clarence Thomas, et.al, it's a manifestation of Liberal media nightmares of Nat Turner run amok.  A Black intellectual whose words and ideas might cause rebellion on the plantation. Part III, the most recent in what is a five part series begins: “ In 2002, the George W. Bush administration urged Congress to pass the American Dream Downpayment Act, which subsidized the down payments of prospective home buyers whose incomes were below a certain level. After passage of that act, the president also urged Congress to pass legislation permitting the Federal Housing Administration to begin making zero-down-payment loans at low interest rates to low-income Americans. ” If you want to play catch-up -- Part I --    Housing Bust: Sowell Series Starts Today Part II --   How Little Law From '70s Brought The Financial System To Its Knees Part III --  How Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Sank In The Subprime Quicksand

Selling the Product

The Power & Danger of Iconography

I read Vance Packard's Hidden Persuaders as a kid, and was captivated by it.  How good was this book that explored "how advertisers use psychological methods to tap into our unconscious desires in order to 'persuade' us to buy the products they are selling?"  First published in 1957, it's still in print (33rd ).  I was shocked to see Amazon selling used 5th printings for $142.86!  I ran to the bookcase to see if I had an original, even though I never bought books I could get from the liberry.  I'm talking too much.  Watch the video.  Tom Mann

News Busted

News Busted

Better than that Fox deal

Hoosier Daddy?

In election 2008, don’t forget Angry White Man

This has been a Limbaugh theme for quite awhile, and quite true, so it's a wonder that our media experts haven't quite grasped it yet. “ There is a great amount of interest in this year’s presidential elections, as everybody seems to recognize that our next president has to be a lot better than George Bush. The Democrats are riding high with two groundbreaking candidates — a woman and an African-American — while the conservative Republicans are in a quandary about their party’s nod to a quasi-liberal maverick, John McCain. Each candidate is carefully pandering to a smorgasbord of special-interest groups, ranging from gay, lesbian and transgender people to children of illegal immigrants to working mothers to evangelical Christians. There is one group no one has recognized, and it is the group that will decide the election: the Angry White Man. .... ” pod

The bright side of the dark side of the moon.

Inoperable?

“ Okay, I’ve had it with elections and voting. Looks like McCain will be the Republican nominee, and that’s that. And I don’t care whether Thing One or Thing Two becomes the Democrat nominee—they’re each as bad as the other, and the only reason Obama would be “better” than Mrs. Antichrist is because a victory for High School Boy will keep Mr. Antichrist out of the White House, for good. So that’s it. If there’s another post about elections and the candidates, it will most likely be on another website.  - Baron du Toit ” Which is pretty much how I feel,  for the moment anyway.  That it's even possible to make a case for a John McCain presidency, and there sadly is, is testament to how filthy the democrat party is.  What sustains me for the moment is the prospect of a Clinton train-wreck.  I heard  this morning that Obama-Rama is questioning the source of that  five-million dollar cash  infusion into Her Filthiness's campaign.  She is just arrogant enough, and stupid enough, to try another money laundering scheme, and I hope she did, because this time the left media are not so keen to cover up for her, now that they have a new apparent savior. Wouldn't it be nice to go into a new year with the Clinton's obituary behind us?  As for Obama, I'm thinking Geraldine Ferraro.

F*CK John McCain anyway

POV

“ The RINO “Pseudo-Conservatives” Trounced The “True Conservatives” I told you so. Yep, had to get that out of the way finally. Ever since the Gang of 14 and Harriet Miers I have warned the angry right that their purity wars against Bush and all who dared to disagree with them (which continued through issues like Dubai Ports and Immigration) was going to end on this day - they are out of power. They are not out of influence, but they could be soon. The core problem with how the hyper-right acted on all these issues is they did not debate issues, the demeaned people. el Presidente Jorge Bush and his gang of RINO traitors were the political enemy to these people and they were led by conservative talk radio. The answer to their anger was to destroy the conservative governing alliance. They went around calling their one-time GOP allies Republicans In Name Only (RINOs). The screamed about the “open borders’ crowd when their issues was really “Shamnesty” -  [continued] ”

The EEK scenario

Mmmmmm. Prozac.

It hurts mommy

“ This video pretty much sums things up.  With Fred out of the race, I have more or less embraced Mitt Romney as the lesser evil, with the best chance of surprising us with enlightened, firm leadership.  This video, produced by an outfit called RoeGone.org, demonstrates the problem he faces. Nothing new, but packaged like this it will have devastating impact with the "I only care about abortion and gays" people. Similar, hell worse damning truths can be viewed about McCain, and Huckaboo. I feel deadly lassitude setting in. No matter which of the three get the nomination, they'll receive my vote because any of them are preferable to any democrat (I will bet money on at least 4 SCOTUS nominations during the next term, for starters).  At this moment in time, however, I see a 60-40 chance that we'll have a President Obama.  He's even more leftist than Hillary, but unlike her, any videos must  rely on extrapolation, because the guy has virtually no record,  He's also benefited greatly by remaining civil in the face of outrageous Clinton behavior.  And, there's Oprah.  Oy.   Maybe he is the 666 guy? The good news is, this thing ain't over, and I will trust that a higher benevolence will, once again, guide us to safe harbor.  Mmmmmm. Prozac. USA! UAS! USA! ”

TO