Of David Niewart and occupying "political spaces"

As I've begun to observe the impressive wagon-circling of the Left related to Liberal Fascism, I came across this repetitive, verbose post from David Niewart in which he claims that Jonah Goldberg has refused to respond to his argument all along(!!!) that Fascism occupied the political space opposite of the Left.  ("Jonah Goldberg is a very sad case who thinks that ignoring an argument makes you smarter" | Crooks and Liars).

But nestled in a hefty box quote from Paxton was this jewel:

Prime Minister Giolitti, a true practitioner of laissez-faire liberalism, declined to use national forces to break strikes. The big farmers felt abandoned by the Italian liberal state.

Wait a minute; there was a classical liberal prime minister in Italy at the time that Mussolini won the struggle with other socialists for power?

But it is interesting that even in laying out his unrebutted(!!!) thesis, Niewart acknowledges that Italian (and German) Fascist movements were rooted in socialist/communist ideals though they feigned capitalist or other sympathies to achieve their purposes. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, that strategy is rather similar to policy initiatives like current first steps of incrementalist reform (here) on health insurance.

Me and my boyz at ACLU (on Citizens United)

I just realized this evening that the ACLU filed an amicus brief consistent with the SCOTUS ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. (here).

Very cool. Very principled.

Pretty smart design

Study on evolution of running finds going barefoot good for the sole, better for the heels - latimes.com:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Harvard biologist and runner Daniel Lieberman had a simple question: "How did people run without shoes?"

The answer he got is: Much better.

At least running barefoot seems better for the feet, producing far less impact stress compared to feet shod in fancy, expensive running shoes, according to a study by Lieberman in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. The study concludes that people seem to be born to run — barefoot.
. . . .
Tonino said cushioned running shoes work against evolution which developed the foot properly for endurance running.

(emphasis added) Hmmmm, maybe such shoes work against the foot's design, at best they work against the foot's structure.

Yep, because the end justifies the means . . .

Climate chief was told of false glacier claims before Copenhagen:

The chairman of the leading climate change watchdog was informed that claims about melting Himalayan glaciers were false before the Copenhagen summit, The Times has learnt.

Rajendra Pachauri was told that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment that the glaciers would disappear by 2035 was wrong, but he waited two months to correct it. He failed to act despite learning that the claim had been refuted by several leading glaciologists.

Schumey plays the expectation game . . . badly

Senate Democrats Declare War on the Supreme Court - ABC News:

In the wake of [the Citizens United] decision, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, "The Supreme Court just predetermined the winners of next November's elections."

The lottery "curse"

This is a sad story of a lottery winner--Abraham Shakespeare, who appears to have been murdered for his money. (Tampa Bay Online: "Autopsy planned on remains found at dig site")

It seems that the case is coming to a just conclusion--the search of this property follows evidence that the lottery winner's ex-girlfriend had transferred more than $1 million from Shakespeare's accounts and had gone to great lengths to cover up his disappearance.

It's wrong that it is practically a "curse" to simply have something that others want.

Whew, Bin Laden believes in AGW

After seeing just the headline, I was relieved to read that Osama is a fan of Gore's work ("Bin Laden Rebukes U.S. on Climate Change" - NYTimes.com):

Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda, blamed the United States and developed countries for not halting climate change and said that the global economy should immediately abandon its reliance on the American dollar, according to an audiotape released Friday by the broadcaster Al Jazeera.

Not much of a former Constitutional law professor--Update

In all due deference to President, regarding his either stupid or disingenuous assertions about the Citizens United ruling during the SOTU :

Tonight the president engaged in dem[a]goguery of the worst kind, when he claimed that last week's Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, "open[ed] the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections. Well I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities."

The president's statement is false.

And here's why.


Update . . . insight from a former SOTU speech fact checker:

I don’t see why it’s inappropriate for the president to express disagreement with a Supreme Court opinion, even if the members of the Court are in the room. Presidents giving State of the Union addresses express disagreement with how Congress does its job all the time, and the Court is not somehow beyond criticism in ways the other branches aren’t. It would be nice if he had tried to make some argument explaining why he thought the Court’s reading of the relevant constitutional provision was incorrect — since it is after all the Court’s job to interpret the constitution and the law, not to seek particular policy outcomes. But even so, Obama’s criticism didn’t strike me as an offense against protocol.

It was, however, an offense against the truth, which makes it even more troubling and peculiar. It was just plain wrong on the facts, in a very straightforward and unmistakable way. A presidential speech, especially a State of the Union address, generally goes through layer after layer of fact-checking. I still have the scars from a couple of years of this in the Bush White House, proving the case for every fact, figure, noun, verb, and adjective in the speech that had anything to do with the issues I was working on. Some errors creep in sometimes of course, but they tend to be on tiny side-issues. And there are also sometimes claims that are open to dispute or interpretation (on intelligence or national security for instance, where not everything that’s known can be said, or on economic analysis.) But this seems like a direct claim by the president that simply misstates the content of a Supreme Court opinion. Is there even an issue of interpretation here? Is there anyone who actually claims with any specific reference to the opinion that the opinion could allow foreign corporations to contribute to American campaigns? Or that it overturns a century of legal precedent?

I suppose it could be chalked up to demagoguery, but you’d think the internal White House process would keep even demagoguery within some factually supportable boundaries — so there was at least a plausible argument for every claim allowed into the president’s speeches. This seems like an abject failure of the staffing process — a process intended, among other things, to protect the president from embarrassment.

And a final word on the subject An Appalling Breach of Decorum | Cato @ Liberty:

For the president to have singled the justices out for criticism, while others around them stood and applauded as they sat there still, is simply demagoguery at its worst. I would not be surprised if the justices declined next year’s invitation. And Obama wanted to change the tone in Washington? He sure has.

Hey ACORN, who you callin' a scofflaw?!

Four charged in phone scheme at Sen. Landrieu's office - USATODAY.com:O'Keefe's arrest "is further evidence of his disregard for the law in pursuit of his extremist agenda," ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis said in a statement. The organization's Twitter feed commented on the news: "Couldn't have happened to a more deserving soul."

Oh no you di'int--Obama thinks he can avert another 1994

I'm interested to hear what Bill and Hillary think about the quotes emanating from Marion Berry's decision not to run for re-election. Berry: Obama said "big difference" between '10 and '94 is "me" - Glenn Thrush - POLITICO.com:

Rep. Marion Berry's parting shot, published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette [no link, subscription only] offers a warning to moderate Democrats and border state moderates — warning of a midterm bloodbath comparable to the 54-seat D-to-R swing in 1994.

But the jaw-dropper is Berry's claim that President Obama personally dismissed any comparison between Democrats now and under Bill Clinton 16 years ago — by saying his personal popularity would bail everybody out.

It depends on which corporations are doing the donatin'

The Corner - National Review Online:

"Now, stung by the Massachusetts rebuke, Obama apparently has begun his makeover with a rhetorical assault against the Court's campaign-donation decision, as if he were a sort of 'Fighting Bob' Lafollette in hot pursuit of 'fat cat' bankers.

Sorry, this is transparently manufactured. Let me repeat: No presidential candidate did more to destroy the idea of public campaign financing than Barack Obama, who set a record in private donations from Wall Street, ended a three-decade-long bipartisan tradition of curbing presidential campaign expenditures, and, once elected, proceeded to nominate a number of Wall Street insiders."

Not to mention, this and other stories over the years demonstrate that the Dems rely on big donors more than does the GOP.

He's the tax man . . .

Hat tip, The Corner.

BeauBiden has higher priorities; yeah, right

Beau Biden, VP's son, won't seek US Senate seat - washingtonpost.com:

Biden vowed while campaigning for attorney general in 2006 that he would crack down on child predators, and he made the creation of a separate child predator unit within the state Justice Department his top priority after winning office. Had he turned his attention from the Bradley prosecution to running for Senate, he likely would have faced criticism from some voters.

. . . read: not a good time to be running as the heir to Joe Biden's throne.

In other news, another Congressional Democrat announces he won't seek reelection.

Insight on Kurt Warner and playing in the NFL

Rick Reilly has on occasion bashed traditionalism (in my perception), but this is an insightful article about Kurt Warner--in particular, and playing in the NFL--in general. ESPN The Magazine - Rick Reilly: It's seemingly the end for Kurt Warner, and it makes a good deal of sense now - ESPN

From the article:

"This is the sorest I've ever been," says Warner, 38.

And you wonder why he's thinking of retiring?

Still, if Warner does quit in the next couple of weeks -- talk to him, you'll be convinced he will -- it won't be because of his seven kids landing 720 McTwists on him, or 300-pound linemen crushing him from the blind side. It'll be because it's become nine parts job and one part fun.

Jonah Goldberg on Rocky Top

Goldberg, the National Review columnist and author of Liberal Fascism will be speaking 7:30pm, Feb. 2nd at UT's UC. Very cool.

Sowell on winning support from more black voters

How Republicans Can Win the Black Vote by Thomas Sowell on National Review Online:

The teachers’ unions are going to be against the Republicans, whether Republicans hammer them or keep timidly quiet. Why not talk straight with black voters about the dire consequences of the public-school monopoly that the teachers’ unions and the Democrats protect at all costs, even though many private and public-charter schools — notably the KIPP schools in various states — have achieved remarkable success with low-income and minority youngsters?

Air America was still on the air?

FOXNews.com - Air America Goes Off the Air

And, of course, Air America's people are blaming their failure on the bad economy . . . has the economy been bad for more than 3 years?

Hyperbolic, yet predictable attacks on filibustering

Filibusters are strangling the Senate | Steven Guess | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk:

In truth, the filibuster is a relic of a different age in American politics, an anachronism the nation can no longer afford as it faces unprecedented threats and challenges that demand action.

Cheat? Yes, we know you would

After reading the histrionic, hand-wringing press release about "steal[ing] elections" from Tennessee Democrats (TNDP) over the weekend, this quote from Liberal mouthpiece Ed Schultz reminded me of the rub in cooperating with moral relativists. First, from the TNDP TN Democratic Party News » Blog Archive » Tennessee Senate Republicans Trample Over Voter Rights:

Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester called yesterday’s action by the Senate to delay the Tennessee Voters Confidence Act a partisan move by Republican leadership to deny the state’s voters fair and accurate elections.

And here's the recording of Schultz candidly admitting he'd cheat to win in Massachusetts.
Yes, we know you would, Ed. And don't be so sure that your cronies in deep blue MA wouldn't accommodate your wishes.

Video of how Kiffin won his last contest at Rocky Top

This video via Joe Silence's No Silence Here blog shows how Lane Kiffin was able to come out on top in his last battle at UT. Rare video: media tension before Kiffin's presser | No Silence Here | knoxnews.com.



I agree with the boring looking guy from Channel 10. It seems to me that Kiffin was the one who needed to be able to say he had "appeared" or "faced his critics" before bolting from Knoxville. People (future recruits, etc.) can't really know that the soundbite is canned or controlled as they watch a report on ESPN. And by going along with the ultimatum of the paper-pounding boob in the argyle sweater (who heart-warmingly referred to Kiffin as "coach" just before the cameras started rolling . . . awwww) the "media" allowed Kiffin to deliver his scripted, 30-second statement without answering any questions. Regrettably, the "media" folded like a house o' cards.

Best joke I've heard from O'Brien

Some of Conan O'Brien's jabs against NBC are lame, like the 98-lb. fellow flailing away while being stiff-armed by the longer-armed bully, but I really like this joke Brandchannel | Will NBC's Brand Survive Conan O'Brien?:

"O'Brien isn't content just devaluing the NBC brand though, he's also going after Jay Leno, the host NBC is moving back in to replace him: "Hosting the 'Tonight Show' has been a fulfillment of a lifelong dream to me. I just want to say to the kids out there, 'You can do anything you want in life... unless Jay Leno wants to do it too.'"

Give that writer a raise.

My friend the (climate) witch doctor, he told me what to do . . .

Latest climate alarmism sham revelation: World misled over Himalayan glacier meltdown - Times Online

From the article:

Rajendra Pachauri, the IPCC chairman, has previously dismissed criticism of the Himalayas claim as "voodoo science".

Oo ee, oo ah ah, ting tang, walla walla bing bang . . .

Pause, reflect and dream today . . .

Go Dems! Talkin' down to voters

According to this article ("After Obama Rally, Dems Pin Blame On Bush" - Hotline On Call), it appears that Dems can't conceive that voters might disagree with Dem policies:

As audience members streamed out of Pres. Obama's rally on behalf of AG Martha Coakley (D) here tonight, the consensus was that the fault for Coakley's now-floundering MA SEN bid lies with one person -- George W. Bush.
. . . .
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), speaking with a gaggle of reporters after the event, said that while state Sen. Scott Brown (R) offers voters a quick fix, in reality, the problems created by "George Bush and his cronies" are not so easily solved.

"If you think there's magic out there and things can be turned around overnight, then you would vote for someone who could promise you that, like Scott Brown," Kennedy said. "If you don't, if you know that it takes eight years for George Bush and his cronies to put our country into this hole ... then you know we have a lot of digging to do, but some work needs to be done and this president's in the process of doing it and we need to get Marcia Coakley to help him to do that."

This is rich . . . TN Dems touting Democrats' thrift

Beneath the headline: "Undercutting Republican arguments about Democratic spending habits in Washington," the Tennessee Democratic Party (TNDP)--in its Friday email alert, is claiming that Democrats in Washington would make Dave Ramsey proud:

An analysis by the conservative Washington Times newspaper found that the current White House was successful in getting Congress to cut 24 spending programs and reduce nine other programs. White House administration officials note that Congress accepted at least $6.9 billion of the $11.3 billion in discretionary spending cuts President Obama proposed. The current administration's spending habits are in stark contrast with the previous administration, which cut trillions of dollars in taxes and added trillions of dollars to Medicare spending without paying for either.

Re. Kiffin, this is getting embarrassing

Student: Good riddance, Lane Kiffin - Page 2 - ESPN

Regrettably, too many UT fans and UT students are demonstrating that they have about as much class as, well, Lane Kiffin. Let's head off the inevitable trailer park frenzy comparisons asap. Let's move on. Hopefully the next hire (and the next contract for said hire) will be better for UT.

Say what? Re. Reid

I guess one racial stereotype deserves another!?! In this great report about Reid's recent regrettable racist remarks: ("Is Obama Playing Favorites in Harry Reid Case?" - ABC News) was this startling quote about "most black men":

"I think that the president of the United States has to stop having a lack of courage when it comes to the issue of race," said Michael Eric Dyson, professor of sociology at Georgetown University. "He is loathe to address the issue of race. Barack Obama runs from race like most black men run from the cops."

Elizabeth Edwards "has issues"? Go figure . . .

The three misspelled names (even the president's, amazingly) provide some context, but I thought this was an almost surreal juxtaposition of observations about Elizabeth Edwards in a book review of Game Change: How to read "Game Change" / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com:

– Some particularly ugly revelations about life within the Jon [sic] Edwards campaign, including reports that some of his staffers strongly suspected that he was having an affair well before it was reported in the media and a devastating portrayal of his wife Elizabeth as "abusive, intrusive, paranoid."

Dang, what's Elizabeth Edwards' problem?

Former Dem Gov. Blago shows his colors alright

Blago: I'm blacker than Obama - 1/11/10 - Chicago News - abc7chicago.com: Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is back in the news for something he said.

This time he is talking about President Barack Obama and making some controversial comments in a magazine interview out this week.

The comments appear in the February Esquire magazine issue that has yet to hit newsstands. It is online Monday morning and causing quite a buzz. In that article, the former Illinois governor talks about how he makes his money and also some of his old political foes but also has something to say about the president of the United States.

In the Esquire set to hit newsstands this week, Blagojevich goes on a profanity-laced tirade targeting his Illinois rivals and the president of the United States.

"I'm blacker than Barack Obama. I shine shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in the black community not far from were we lived. I saw it all growing up," Blagojevich told the magazine. "It is such a cynical business. I am real. This guy, President Obama, he was catapulted in on hope and change, what we hope the guy is."

Republican[] for Choice living large in a big tent

The Center for Public Integrity - The Curious Spending of Republicans for Choice:

Since the PAC’s formation in 1990, documents show that Republicans for Choice has raised and spent more than $5.5 million. But a Center for Public Integrity analysis of the PAC’s more recent filings — along with data from CQ MoneyLine, which tracks political giving — reveals that over the past decade less than five percent of the committee’s spending has gone to political candidates, other political committees, or independent expenditures. Since 2005, just about one-half of one percent of the PAC’s nearly $1 million in spending has gone to federal or state campaigns, according to a review of records. By comparison, Federal Election Commission data show the average federal PAC in the recent 2007-2008 cycle dedicated about 35 percent of spending to contributions aiding federal candidates. A comparison to other PACs on both sides of the abortion debate shows that similar groups spend a much greater portion of their funds on candidates and campaigns.

Where did RFC’s money go? Much of the group’s spending has been for consulting companies owned by the PAC’s chairwoman, Ann E. W. Stone. Those firms — along with payments to reimburse Stone’s expenses for travel, entertainment, and automobile repairs — comprise more than two-thirds of RFC PAC’s expenditures since 2006. And hundreds of dollars more went to pay for Stone’s parking tickets.

The Luckiest People

Columnist Nicholas Kristof has a disappointing op/ed up this week; disappointing at its intellectually vacuity. Apparently fresh off a limousine liberal lollygag to Central America, Kristof writes about Costa Ricans as "the happiest people." ("The Happiest People" - NYTimes.com). No offense intended to Costa Ricans or Costa Rica, but "the luckiest people" would be more accurate. From the article:

In truth, the people of Costa Rica: "Cross-country comparisons of happiness are controversial and uncertain. But what does seem quite clear is that Costa Rica’s national decision to invest in education rather than arms has paid rich dividends. Maybe the lesson for the United States is that we should devote fewer resources to shoring up foreign armies and more to bolstering schools both at home and abroad.

I guess it's not relevant to Kristof's thesis if a country has an abundance of beautiful weather and beaches to boost her economy (I think that is referred to as a "natural monopoly")? Not to mention a freedom-loving, sovereignty-backing military super power slightly to your north?

Education is certainly crucial to a civilization, and kudos to Costa Rica for what its got going on, and I'm glad that Kristof enjoyed his Christmas holidays, but this op/ed is either stupid or disingenuous.

Who says Democrats aren't providing jobs?

With news that Democrats' economic policies aren't helping with unemployment, I think some Democrats deserve recognition for creating job opportunities:

"It is a challenging time," said Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. "When you've got as many people unemployed in the country as you do, it's understandable that folks will be looking to their leaders to do everything possible to create jobs. As Democrats, there's a burden of proof here."

Uh, sure I "discriminate" against certain behavior

N.J. Senate Defeats Gay-Marriage Bill - WSJ.com:

TRENTON, N.J. -- The New Jersey Senate defeated a bill Thursday to legalize gay marriage, making it unlikely the state will have a gay marriage law in the very near future.

The bill needed 21 votes to pass; only 14 senators approved the measure. The vote was 20-14.
. . . .

"We should not be telling one couple you can be married and another couple you can be civil unionized," said Sen. Bill Baroni, the only Republican senator who has supported gay marriage.

"We are better than that. History is watching us now. She is asking us whether we'll side with equality and right -- or for discrimination," he added.

An apple for Big Brother!

("Homeschooled kids: Did they fall through the cracks?" - Local News - WRGB CBS 6 Albany). The headline on this story has evolved a little to simply, "homeschooling parents arrested," but the original headline is intriguing because its premise is that these children were "forgotten" and "fell through the cracks" because their parents didn't file paperwork with the government. And you gotta love that some earnest citizen felt compelled to report the Cressy family to authorities . . . because, you know, these children are de facto endangered by not being "socialized" in public schools, right?

It'll be interesting to see how this case plays out.

Every infidel for himself . . .

From a report about "an assassination attempt on the artist whose cartoon of the prophet Muhammad as a suicide bomber had an explosive impact four years ago on the Muslim world" ("Panic room saved artist Kurt Westergaard from Islamist assassin" - Times Online):

An axe-wielding Somali extremist broke into the home of Kurt Westergaard on Friday night as the 75-year-old cartoonist was looking after Stephanie, his five-year-old granddaughter.

Westergaard, whose little ink drawing of Muhammad with a bomb in his turban sparked riots throughout the Middle East in 2006, has received numerous death threats. He pressed an alarm button to summon police when the attacker entered the house in Aarhus, Denmark’s second city, by breaking a window.

He did not have time to collect the child from the living room before locking himself into a “panic room”, a specially fortified bathroom. He said the assailant had shouted “swear words, really crude words” and shrieked about “blood” and “revenge”, as he smashed the axe in vain against the bathroom door.

“I feared for my grandchild,” he told Jyllands-Posten, the newspaper that had commissioned the cartoon. “But she did great. I knew that he wouldn’t do anything to her.” He went on: “It was close, really close. But we did it.” (emphasis added)

Way to go grandpa!?!

Chad Johnson to takeover MSNBC's "Countdown" . . . I wish

In a Bob Costas interview aired during "Football Night in America," Chad Ochocinco stated he would change his name back to "Chad Johnson" if he was "shut down" by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis in the 1/3/09 game. Following the interview, blowhard Keith Olbermann told an incredulous Costas that he would do the same--change his name to "Chad Johnson," if Darrelle Revis shut down Ochocinco.

Well the Bengals had Zero, count 'em ZERO, passing yards in tonight's game. Well Keith?

Say what? Never let the jihadists see you sweat

Foreign policy is a tough nut, but in light of reports that the Obama Administration is shuttering the U.S. Embassy in Yemen in response to purported Al Qaeda threats, this story is interesting, wherein Democrats claim that Obama's reaction to the Gentleman Jihadist attack was intended to deny a propaganda victory to our enemies ("Democrats' worst nightmare: Terrorism on their watch" - POLITICO.com):

"Imagine if the president had freaked out," the White House ally said, suggesting a dramatic Obama reaction could have provoked chaos in the air travel system.

But that was the moment when some Democrats began to grow concerned about the White House’s strategy.

The muted response, allies said, was aimed at denying al Qaeda a propaganda victory, and at demonstrating how little the terrorists can now disrupt Americans’ lives. “The president and his team have done a good job at handling the situation given the competing interests at play. He’s been forceful without the bellicose chest bumping of the last administration,” said Jim Manley, the chief spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. “One thing he’s got going for him is Republicans have no credibility on this issue when their sending out former Vice President Cheney you know they’ve hit the bottom of the barrel.”

Yeah, imagine.

States that begin with "n," end with "a" and rhyme with Flebraska

This story about threats by AGs to challenge special treatment of Nebraska in the Democrats' healthcare bill reminds me of the pitiful (Tennessee) legislative trick of circumventing constitutional requirements (Art XI, Sec. 8) by narrowly defining a city to receive the special treatment (e.g., "a city with a population between 80,000 and 83,000 in the 2000 census). I don't think our AG is interested in getting in front of this "historic" locomotive, regardless of the consequences to TN.

From the article: ("TN [AG] says 13 states' challenge to health bill is premature," The Tennessean):

A Republican effort to force changes to the health-care reform bill appears to be gathering steam, but Tennessee's attorney general said Wednesday that his office will sit out for now.

Attorneys general in 13 states said in a letter to Congressional leaders sent Wednesday evening that they will sue unless lawmakers remove a deal that gives Nebraska a break on Medicaid payments in exchange for that state's Democratic senator's vote for health-care reform. The law violates the Constitution because it amounts to a tax break for citizens of one state, the group says.

Happy New Year!

And let's make the most of it . . .