Category: Politics

Trying not to start the public floggings

Blindingly Obvious

Marxists

It’s not often that I feel the need to chide Insty, but he asks a silly question of a Michael Barone article.  Barone states:

When public policies have produced disastrous results and when alternative policies have resulted in immediate, seemingly miraculous improvement, why would anyone want to go back to the earlier policies? Is there any reason to suppose that this time will be different?
…
We know where such policies led before. Is there any reason this time will be different?

Whereupon Insty states, correctly:

The explanation is that Democrats don’t care about the downsides to these policies, because they feel like the upsides offset them.

But he then falls into the standard trap of the intelligent person by asking:

So what are the upsides that they see?

Silly rabbit.  The upside to any policy proposal or implementation by the Left (Marxists) is that it makes them feel virtuous.  (The only other significant upside is if said policy increases the Left’s grip on power.)  In the face of those two features, downsides pale into insignificance.

I will now quote again the late-and-very-much-missed Acidman:

“I could tolerate leftists if they had any coherent ideas for a better way to do things.  But they don’t.  They cling stubbornly to failed brain-fart dreams that have been attempted over and over again with disastrous results, but they never learn.  When better ideas come along, they simply screech and holler at them, then fling feces like the monkeys they are.”

The reason they do that is because better ideas underline their (many) failures.  And that gives them Teh Sadz.

No Comment Necessary

Education, Marxists

Best opening in a news article*:

This week, Matt Meyer did what many parents long to do. He dropped off his kid at school. That’s unusual in Berkeley, California, where he lives, because the schools there have been closed for a year, and the teachers’ union adamantly opposes their reopening. Parents like Mr. Meyer who can afford private schools, which are mostly open, send their kids there. His child has been there since last June. So he dropped off his child and drove off to his job.
His job is head of the Berkeley teachers’ union. His main task there is to keep the public schools closed for everyone else.

[insert “fucking hypocrite” joke here]

*so far.  “Barack Obama dies painfully” would beat it.

I’ll Take “1” For $500, Alex

Education, Marxists

Well now, isn’t this special?

A woke offensive has taken the nation’s schools by storm in the aftermath of the George Floyd fallout, but instead of the intended purpose of solving racial inequities it’s irritated parents of all persuasions.
In interviews with DailyMail.com, parents say they’ve been overwhelmed by education reformers seeking to impose anti-racist agendas on America’s schools. They describe the efforts as well-intentioned but often rushed, condescending, insulting and poorly timed, coming during a global pandemic when most families are just trying to get by.

Yeah, well, sorry folks, but this is anything but well-intentioned:  these assholes are trying to eradicate your history, your heritage and your culture.  Herewith one of the tools they’re using:

And the handy-dandy little crib sheet:

First things first:  someone needs to take this Barndoor Hissy out back and either horsewhip his sorry ass, or else apply the old Chinese Solution To Social Problems (which includes making his surviving family pay for the cartridge).

Or both.

In the meantime, let’s hear it for Whitey:

Might Get Me One

Drive Time, Resistance

Seen via Insty:

That would be what we call the Tacoma, Over Here:

Just wondering whether the roof struts are strong enough to handle the mount… not that I’m thinking of doing anything revolutionary, of course.

Sadly, New Wife is not of the Pickup Truck Persuasion, and point-blank refuses to let me get one when it comes time to trade in the Tiguan.

Too bad;  I rather fancied this version:

In A Nutshell

Resistance

From Max Morton at American Greatness [irony alert] :

On one hand, you have traditional Americans. They come in every race, creed, and religion. They believe in law and order, expect everyone to follow the rules, and mostly just want to be left alone.
Family-oriented, self-reliant, and armed, traditional Americans populate the working-class ranks of the military, law enforcement, and industry. Sadly, most are technically illiterate. They underestimate the threat from the surveillance state and Securitate. Many still believe the FBI only goes after bad guys, and they cannot grasp that the national security apparatus now views them as the enemy. They rightly bristle when slandered with “white supremacist” or “terrorist” labels. A habituated trust in authority makes them vulnerable to snitching on others and collaborating with those they shouldn’t. Many are infected with white knight conspiracy theories that counsel remaining submissive. In general, they have nearly zero control of the nation’s money, media, government, academia, legal system, and surveillance state.

On the other hand is the ruling elite. They advocate a multi-tiered justice system and expect others to follow their rules, beliefs, and norms. They are politically savvy and disciplined. They view traditional Americans and their beliefs as an impediment to their wealth and utopian dreams, going so far as routinely to advocate extreme actions such as genocide, re-education, and the removal of the children of their political opposition.
They employ proxy forces, such as Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and journalists to bully ordinary Americans and weak-willed corporations. In order to intimidate and discredit their political opposition, they’ve weaponized the use of labels such as “white supremacist” and “terrorist” on their enemies. They are generally opposed to religion and personal firearm ownership, and they cannot allow you to be left alone. They will attempt to nudge wrong-thinkers into accepting the ruling elite’s ideology. If that doesn’t work, they’ll force compliance via law enforcement, military, and the intelligence agencies they now command. They control most of the national wealth and all of the media, government, academia, legal authorities, and surveillance state.

Not much I can add to that.  For various options for us to combat the above, read the rest of the article.

Be warned:  much of that is not only difficult, but beyond the reach of average Americans like me.

Early Days

Conservatism

Via GatewayPundit comes this survey result:

And what I think this means is that’s the Trump who got the Arabs and Izzies to talk nice to each other, who started to build a wall on our southern border, who got corporations to pull back from China, who lowered taxes, who got Keystone XL going, who caused the economy to boom, energized crowds and all that.  The Trump we’re not interested in is the poltroon who shot his mouth off on Twatter, let his mouth run away from him in important speeches and allowed the Left to demonize and attack him.

So just as a thought exercise, and realizing that it’s four years till the next election where we get to toss Kamala Harris out of the Oval Office, let’s talk about this a little.  I think we should forget about Trump ever running (or for that matter winning) for POTUS again.  For one thing, he’ll be too old in 2020 and for another, I think that while he showed the way, his race is run.  Time to move on.

I know it’s way premature and others may arise in years to come, but as I see it, the politicians who right now seem to be most like Trump (and without all those annoying little ego quirks) are as follows, in no specific order:

“Establishment” candidates:

Ron DeSantis (FloridaGov).  My Floriduh Readers may be able to shed a little more light on DeSantis, but from what I’ve seen so far, with the proper grooming he could be Trump’s heir apparent.  Most tellingly, from the depth and viciousness of the Left’s attacks on him right now, I think they see him as a dangerous opponent.  I prefer my presidents to have executive experience (unlike, say, Obama) in politics or even in business (like Trump), and DeSantis has that.

Mike Pompeo (ex-SecState and CIA Director under Trump).  Brilliant foreign policy formulator, always has America’s interests at heart, no-nonsense attitude, and has Congressional experience as a former Congressman.

Kristi Noem (SDGov).  I think I’d prefer to see her as the VP, simply because running a tiny state like South Dakota  isn’t comparable to the same job in Texas or Florida.  But she’s strong on values (conservative values) and she was also in Congress so she’ll know how that snakepit functions.

Richard Grenell (former ambassador and acting head of DNI).  I like this man’s attitude and my only concern is that he has had no executive experience — but I think he’d be a real quick learner.  I understand that if CalGov Newsom is recalled (I wish), Grenell wants to run against him in the follow-up election, and if he wins and gets any kind of success in pulling California away from the pit, he’d be a really string contender in 2024.

Rick Scott (R-FL senator and ex-FLGov).  On paper, he has it all:  executive experience in business and government, strong conservative credentials and he understands how Congress works.  He’s now 68 and would be 72 in 2024, if that matters.

Scott Walker (ex-WIGov).  He gets up the Left’s collective nose, and has actually had good conservative results despite rabid opposition from the Commies.  Also has executive experience, and is a full-blown Midwesterner.

Mike Pence (ex-VP under Trump, ex-INGov and congressman).   I think that Pence has the character aspect sewn up, and none of the Left’s attacks on him have worked.  Ordinarily, the VP is the heir apparent, but he’s definitely not Trump II — which is both good and bad.  He certainly has all the experience anyone could bring to the table.  Under any other president than Trump, Pence would be a shoo-in for the next election.  He still might be.

“Wild Card” candidate:

Dan Crenshaw (R-TX congressman, ex-SEAL Team 3).  He looks like a pirate, has few if any equals in terms of military cred, and his no-bullshit attitude is better than Trump’s.  He has little executive experience other than in the military.  Definitely a long-term prospect.

I don’t care about any of the associated characteristics of the above (DeSantis is Hispanic, Grenell is a homo, Noem has a vagina etc.) because none of that matters.  What matters is the next Republican candidate’s closeness to Trumpist philosophy and governing style (minus, as I said, the silly tweets and non-Presidential extemporaneous remarks).

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.