Archive for 2010

TIM CAVANAUGH: “Bernanke is now entering the second of two hot dog-eating competitions, but in this round buns and condiments are included. Much as I’d like to say this is going to be the hot dog-eating competition where somebody actually explodes, I think Bernanke will pull it off. The world hasn’t lost its taste for American debt, and America hasn’t lost its taste for running it up. Yes, yes, it can’t go on forever, but for the Fed’s purposes it only needs to go on until they can claim the Great Repression is over and have somebody believe them.”

MARKDOWNS ON men’s shoes.

SCOTT JOHNSON ON THE NEW BLACK PANTHER CASE: “I think this should be a big story, and I know it would be viewed as a scandal of epic proportions to which we would be treated on a daily basis if a similar story arose in a Republican administration. It is the sickening double standard of the mainstream media that adds the frisson of disgust to what is otherwise an interesting story in itself.”

Plus, Jan Crawford looks at things, and the Washington Post’s ombudsman wonders why his paper has ignored the story.

UPDATE: Reader Luke Pingel writes:

Glenn, I’ve written to you before, and you’ve even quoted me on the blog a few times. But, it’s always been snark. Not this time

Frisson, my ass! What is Scott Johnson smoking? Frisson?!!?? No fancy French-sounding, high-falutin’ BULLSHIT words can describe my ABSOLUTE SEETHING RAGE at this ENORMITY! This is an absolutely impeachable and an affront to the dignity and liberty of every American! This is a state-sanctioned denial of the civil rights of every voter! Tar and Feathers is just the start!

It takes me from being an intensely interested voter and turns me into a volunteer for my local anti-Democrat-machine politician. I’ve never been involved in any form of political activism. Ever. I’ve always had better things to do with my time. But this? This sealed the deal. I’ve pledged to volunteer a minimum of 100 hours between now and November with whatever local Tea Party organization.

THIS WILL NOT STAND.

A lot of people seem upset by this. I think the DoJ is oblivious to the response among a large number of Americans. But then, they seem to be oblivious to a lot.

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS VS. . . . calculator hobbyists? Good grief.

A DANGEROUS DISAFFECTION. “There have been several occasions when the American people have voted for smaller government; most notably in 1972, 1980 and 1994. But it really doesn’t matter. You can vote for limited government, but you can’t get it; the political class won’t let you. This is not to assert the silly proposition that there is no major difference between Democrats and Republicans. The fiscal disaster that we have witnessed since the Democrats took control of Congress in 2007 proves the contrary. But still: experience shows that voting for Republicans hasn’t been enough to offset the power of the political class. . . . It remains to be seen whether the American people can finally break the grip of a political class that remains determined to run their lives and misappropriate trillions of dollars of their wealth. It will be, I think, a close-run thing. In the meantime, there is no mystery as to why most Americans do not regard the federal government as legitimate in Jeffersonian terms.”

SMOOTH MOVE: GOP Dumps On Tea Party, Right Blogs. Tea Partiers need to work on taking over the party from the bottom up by filling precinct chairs and state committees, or they’ll wind up marginalized like the netroots even if the GOP wins. For the insiders, it’s all about their own power and perks. On the other hand, beware of divide-and-conquer journalism, too. . .