Latest Thoughts, Insights, and General Brilliance (or not) from the World's Least Dangerous Men
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
We Haven't Grown Accustomed To This Face
Loyal reader ST sends along this link to the most disturbing picture of the 2008 election cycle, at least until some time next year when Joe Biden tries to show off his abs. I'm in no position to critize anyone for their hair. But if an GOP bloggers starts combining Hillary and Obama for pictures, I guaranteed they'll be called racist, and then sexist... in that order.
I'll have more to say about the GOP Presidential debate later, but one thought that I needed to throw out there now. Many liberals are appalled by this moment from Rick Perry...
A spontaneous round of applause for executing people! And Perry shows no remorse, not even a tiny smidgen of reflection, especially when we know for certain that he signed the death warrant for an innocent man. Here's why I find it impossible to be a Republican: any crowd that instantly cheers the execution of 234 individuals is a crowd I want to flee, not join.
Let's note at the outset that I'm one of the few hard-core conservatives in America (I've never voted for a Democrat for any position in anything) who's opposed to the death penalty (entirely on policy grounds -- the death penalty is clearly constitutional). Let me take the liberal position to the extreme and agree, for the sake of argument, that those folks in the audience were cheering the execution of convicted killers.
Do these same folks start screaming in horror when Democrats like Barck Obama promise, in speech after speech, in Presidential debates, in TV appearances, etc. to "protect a woman's right to choose?" And follow through on such statements by preventing measures like parental notification and allowing procedures like partial-birth abortion? I'm assuming they do. If not, perhaps they should consider what it sounds like when people cheer statements like those, which condemn to death utterly innocent life. Whether you think that life in that form is worthy of protection or not, one must acknowledge that those life forms are in almost every case more innocent than the lives being taken by the state pursuant to the death penalty.
I'm not necessarily comfortable with Perry saying his conscience is untroubled, but his rationale is that he is following the will of the people in carrying out executions, and there is a process in place that (he believes) ensures fairness and makes sure innocent people are not executed. Perhaps he's not correct on that point (although it's entertaining to find liberals so hellbent on proving the flaws of government agencies). But I'm not going to pretend to be offended by people who favor application of the death penalty because they view it as a form of retributive justice, and I'm certainly not going to be offended by people who think I should care about that and not care about people cheering abortion.
What Does It Say When The Dumb Guy Is Doing a Better Job Than The President?
It's been my standard belief that the media likes to buttonhole GOP Presidents and candidates as either dumb or mean or both. This is a constant rule in my lifetime. With the noted exception of Jack Kemp, everyone who's been on a GOP ticket or been a legit contender for the job has been classified as at least one of the two: McCain was mean, Palin was dumb. W. was dumb, Cheney was mean (and evil. Totally evil). Dole was mean, Kemp was the exception that proves the rule. Bush 41 and Quayle were both dumb. Reagan was mean. Ford was dumb. Nixon and Agnew were both mean.
Ed Morrissey adds a category, by noting that Romney's getting smacked with the "weird" tag. But it looks like Rick Perry is getting the "dumb" tag right now. I guess it's standard-issue for Governors from Texas. But Michelle Malkin's rejoinder, starting about 93 seconds in below, is dead-on. Rick Perry's grades in college may have been below par, but he's been a raging political success and done a terrific job as Governor of Texas. Meanwhile, Barack Obama's Presidency would be lucky to get classified as below par. Which performance -- Perry's college performance or Obama's job performance -- is more relevant if the two square off next year?
Riding high in the polls, Gov. Rick Perry rode into Iowa on Saturday with tough talk on President Obama, the economy and foreign policy and a declaration that Social Security is not only a Ponzi scheme but a "monstrous lie" for younger people.
"If you're for the status quo in America, I'm not your guy," Perry told an overflow crowd eager to see the presidential candidate at The Vine Coffeehouse, where people repeatedly sang God Bless America - once to try to encourage Perry to come in from shaking hands with people outside.
Asked by a woman in the crowd about Social Security being viewed as an entitlement program, Perry reiterated the suggestion in his anti-Washington book, Fed Up!, that the program amounts to a Ponzi scheme.
"It is a Ponzi scheme for these young people. The idea that they're working and paying into Social Security today, that the current program is going to be there for them, is a lie," Perry said. "It is a monstrous lie on this generation, and we can't do that to them."
Later, in Des Moines, when a reporter asked about the suggestion that his campaign was backing off some positions in the staunch states-rights book, Perry said, "I haven't backed off anything in my book. So read the book again and get it right."
I also loved this part...
Perry also was asked to explain his past support for Al Gore, in 1988 when Perry was a Democratic state House member.
"I never met a Republican 'til I was 25," said Perry, describing Texas' political past and his own, saying he "made both political parties happy" when he became a Republican in 1989.
At least Perry had the good grace to bail on Gore in 1989. What excuse do Democrats have for continuing to support him through 2000 and beyond?
DaTechGuy has a decent take on the reason why liberals and members of the media seem to be obsessed with the religious beliefs of GOP Presidential candidiates, particularly Rick Perry...
The distinguishing characteristic of the secular culture, driven by their lack of belief both in God and in themselves, is fear: Fear of salt in food, fear of traumatizing children by making rules, fear of offending anybody, fear of judgement calls. Simply put fear of being held responsible for anything. That is why it loves government control. Every responsibility and decision that government takes on is one less that they have to make for themselves or can be blamed for.
And Rachel Maddow wonders why we don’t build great things?
This brings us to Rick Perry and my friend’s fear of him. When I look at Perry the remarkable thing about him is how unremarkable he is. Anytime in the last 100 years his background and beliefs would be decidedly uncontroversial. In large swaths of the country where the traditional culture exists he is just another pol (with a good record on jobs).
The fact of the matter is, Perry's religious beliefs, and whether he believes in evolution, are pretty much irrelevant to the job of President. They may, and should, inform one's insight into his character. But people who spent 2008 assuring America that it was irrelevant that Brack Obama's chosen preacher was an outspoken supporter of Hamas and openly condemned the United States of America in sermons seem ill-positioned to make that argument.
Putting that aside, is anyone really worried that if Perry is elected (or even Michelle Bachmann) that we're in danger of having a Christian theocracy emerge? My guess is that the first time a President Perry opts to spend time focusing on teaching creationism in public schools, people who supported him will be among those pointing out the absurdity of doing that when we've got a massive fiscal crisis and a terror war on-going. If he solves both of those and we have time for that... hey, I'll be happy to have that debate then. Until then, I'm not worried about the religious right's beliefs.
