Updated: They All Lie For Someone

Ethics, Healthcare, IMMIGRATION, Politics, Republicans

The excerpt is from my new WND.COM column, now on Taki’s “They All Lie For Someone”:

“Joe Wilson knows of what he speaks. South Carolina’s Republican Representative is what one of my readers has dubbed deliciously a ‘subject matter expert’ on providing federal health benefits to illegal aliens.

Wilson voted ‘Yea’ for the Bush ‘Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003.’ Not only did this drug benefit add trillions to the Medicare shortfall, it translated into a bonanza for illegal immigrants. …

Thus when Wilson indecorously, but correctly, called Obama out for lying about the ins-and-outs of HR 3200, ‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,’ he was speaking as one of 204 Republicans to have endorsed Bush’s 2003 medical monstrosity. Clearly, Wilson and his colleagues know a thing or two about hiding goodies bilked from taxpayers in the 1011th Section of a hefty bill.”…

The complete column is “They All Lie For Someone,” on Taki’s Magazine every week-end.

Many thanks to Myron Pauli of Barely A Blog (and yes, he’s a relation of Wolfgang Pauli of the “Exclusion Principle” fame),for digging up Wilson’s record (and for the “delicious” appellation).

Update (Sept. 18): We have established that, in calling BO out, Wilson was indecorous but correct. The conclusion that ought to follow from my column is this: when the Republicans ascend to the throne again, they will do EXACTLY what BO is doing; becasue they have already done the same—lie through their teeth to protect their Capo di tutti capi and their soon-to-be-amnestied illegal constituents. It’s not about sticking with “our” liar; it about knowing that “our” liar, who just happens to be telling the truth right now for the sake of political expediency, will garrot us from behind when he’s on top again. Get it?!

Updated: They All Lie For Someone

Ethics, Healthcare, IMMIGRATION, Politics, Republicans

The excerpt is from my new WND.COM column, now on Taki’s “They All Lie For Someone”:

“Joe Wilson knows of what he speaks. South Carolina’s Republican Representative is what one of my readers has dubbed deliciously a ‘subject matter expert’ on providing federal health benefits to illegal aliens.

Wilson voted ‘Yea’ for the Bush ‘Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003.’ Not only did this drug benefit add trillions to the Medicare shortfall, it translated into a bonanza for illegal immigrants. …

Thus when Wilson indecorously, but correctly, called Obama out for lying about the ins-and-outs of HR 3200, ‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,’ he was speaking as one of 204 Republicans to have endorsed Bush’s 2003 medical monstrosity. Clearly, Wilson and his colleagues know a thing or two about hiding goodies bilked from taxpayers in the 1011th Section of a hefty bill.”…

The complete column is “They All Lie For Someone,” on Taki’s Magazine every week-end.

Many thanks to Myron Pauli of Barely A Blog (and yes, he’s a relation of Wolfgang Pauli of the “Exclusion Principle” fame),for digging up Wilson’s record (and for the “delicious” appellation).

Update (Sept. 18): We have established that, in calling BO out, Wilson was indecorous but correct. The conclusion that ought to follow from my column is this: when the Republicans ascend to the throne again, they will do EXACTLY what BO is doing; becasue they have already done the same—lie through their teeth to protect their Capo di tutti capi and their soon-to-be-amnestied illegal constituents. It’s not about sticking with “our” liar; it about knowing that “our” liar, who just happens to be telling the truth right now for the sake of political expediency, will garrot us from behind when he’s on top again. Get it?!

Another Brownie Point For Barack

Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, Homeland Security, Iran, Neoconservatism, Russia

In “Let’s Fret About Our Own Tyrants,” I awarded Obama his first brownie point for resisting the neoconning of the election upheaval in Iran. He now gets another brownie point for not emulating Bush and his neocon coterie in stepping on the Russian Bear’s claws and placing a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, over in Russia’s back yard.

In the business of fomenting friction, “America’s Russian experts say the move can only contribute to a warmer dialogue between Moscow and Washington, they say no one should expect any reciprocal concessions from the Kremlin on issues of key concern to the US, such as Iran.”

One doesn’t adopt and execute a reasonable foreign policy in order to please; a good strategy is aimed at America’s national interests. The Empire has got to cut back and return to defending the homeland. But while dropping the missile shield may be seen as one tiny step in the right direction, I have no doubt that the administration will “compensate” for this small anti-imperial concession by beefing up other fronts.

To repeat—and all in all—making nice with “Old Europe”—which is how the stupid, reckless Bush administration dismissed Europe (including its correct objection to the Iraqi invasion)—is a good thing. Sure, neoconservative war harpies get hot for over heated rhetoric against any and all. They’ll just have to get their kicks playing video war games. As will they have to get through their thick skulls that this country is no longer a super power.

It’s neither sexy nor smart to smite the world when you’re … broke and bankrupt.

Man With A Microphone

Conservatism, Literature, Media, Pop-Culture, The Zeitgeist

“IS GLENN BECK Bad for America?”, asks TIME, in what is clearly a rhetorical question for the Magazine. Better Beck’s “pox-on-both-parties populism” than nothing (or than TIME), is my reply.

“I don’t trust a single weasel in Washington. I don’t care what party they’re from. But unless we trust each other, we’re not going to make it.” This last bit of standard Beck fare is, of course, nonsense, to which TIME, not unreasonably, responds thus:

“How can we trust each other, though, when the integrated economy of ranters and their delighted-to-be-outraged critics are such a model of profitability?”

“Extreme talk, especially as practiced by a genuine talent like Beck, squeezes maximum profit from a relatively small, deeply invested audience, selling essentially the same product in multiple forms. The more the host is criticized, the more committed the original audience becomes. And the more committed the audience, the bigger target it presents to the rant industry on the other side of the spectrum. A liberal group called Color of Change has organized an advertiser boycott of Beck’s TV show — great publicity for the group and a boon to Beck’s ratings.”

“If it’s E pluribus unum you’re looking for, try American Idol.”

[SNIP]

The most disturbing thing about the “rant-racket” is in this snippet:

“Beck recently entered into a partnership with Simon & Schuster … to create a range of books for every audience, from children to teens to adults.”

…This as writers like myself struggle to find publishers for their books.