The Rhetorican

Updates from February, 2009 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• Jehuda 1:35 pm on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Law ( 510 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Obama signs into law the “most sweeping economic package in decades” and exhorts Americans to hang tight and be hopeful: “I don’t want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems,” he said.  “But today does mark the beginning of the end.“  Gulp!  Could he be a little more precise?  Does he mean the end of our economic problems or the end of our economy?

  I’m being facetious, of course (yuk yuk).  Still, a poor choice of words given how most people reacted to passage of the Stimu-pork.

  Who was the newbie speechwriter who came up with that?  Or was it Obama’s own choice?  He has been President Doom-bama lately, you know?

  Those words will come back to haunt the administration.  They’re custom made for the opposition.

  UPDATE: Insta-lanche! Thanks for the link, Professor Reynolds.
   

• Jehuda 12:20 pm on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Obama has walked into a window, bumped his head on a chopper, and given a press conference where he reads from a teleprompter and no one on late night TV is making fun?

  Lame.  Come on, guys.  He’s human.

  If you keep holding him up as sacred the fall from grace will hurt much more.  And their will be a fall from grace.  There always is in the White House, learning curves notwithstanding.
   

• Jehuda 11:57 am on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), Film ( 883 ), News ( 4,594 ), Video Games ( 79 )   

  Tarantino’s “Gift to Nazi Haters” sounds like a gory, anti-nazi slaughterfest.

  And having the protagonists be a team of tough Jewish kids from New York is just brilliant.

  Sounds to me like it could be the most fun diversion in this vein since Wolfenstein 3D.
   

• Jehuda 11:30 am on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Law ( 510 ), News ( 4,594 ), Privacy ( 9 ), Technology ( 303 )   

  NYT: As Data Collecting Grows, Privacy Erodes.

  Third party data collection is not leak-proof.  Ask A-Rod!
   

• Jehuda 11:18 am on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), Money ( 520 ), Music ( 65 ), New Media ( 375 ), News ( 4,594 ), Technology ( 303 )   

  Just in the nick of time: Liberty Media injects cash into the badly weakened Sirius XM.
   

• Jehuda 11:15 am on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Crime ( 395 ), News ( 4,594 )   

  The husband of the woman who was found beheaded by authorities last week has been charged with murder.
   

• Jehuda 11:10 am on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Education ( 82 ), Free Speech ( 95 ), Law ( 510 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Another job for F.I.R.E.?

  Professor Interrupts Student Speech, Calls Pupil a “Fascist Bastard”.

  The student was speaking in favor of Proposition 8, the much debated measure banning gay marriage that passed by referendum in California last November.

  Why not just  let the other students boo him?  Where do these professors get off thinking the ideas they disagree with should never be expressed on their campus?  Especially in a public college such as this one.
   

• Jehuda 10:57 am on February 17, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  California state government to lay off thousands.

  Amazing, but our Republican state legislators stuck to their principles to the last man (as opposed to the three RINOs in the U.S. Senate: Specter, Collins, and Snowe).

  It was either that or imposing higher taxes on Californians just to save this bloated, wasteful, plundering machine that is California state government…and taxes here in Cali are the highest in the nation already.  Besides, I think most private citizens have had enough of bloated, wasteful, plunderers.

  We are all having to do with less, so why shouldn’t government embrace austerity too?

  UPDATE: I should have added that the budget battle isn’t over yet.  The state needs a budget, so it will get one sooner or later.  It just didn’t get one last night.  So a tax hike is still possible.  It just didn’t happen last night.  Sucks.
   

• Jehuda 4:29 pm on February 16, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Media Regulation ( 69 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Some frustration from NBC’s Chuck Todd over the impermeable White House bubble.

  Come on, Chuck.  The press largely let Obama get through the campaign with minimal scrutiny.  And you really thought he would become Mr. Openess once he became President?

  Via RCP.
   

• Jehuda 11:38 am on February 16, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  LAT: Liberals not pleased with go-slow approach by Obama.

  It’s a long list of grievances – and a broad one, i.e. not just the ACLU crowd whining about “Bushian” approaches to national security and intelligence.

  I guess utopia is not going as planned for Obama’s biggest boosters, but maybe it’s their own fault.  Messianic boosterism is only good for one purpose: anointing messiahs.

  You want social change?  You better put in the time and effort: convince, persuade.  If you can’t do this, your ideas probably lack currency.  If you believe you can only do this under the benevolent shadow of an iconic poster boy, your ideas definitely have no currency.

  Who knows?  Maybe this is all part of that unique bi-partisan approach of Obama’s that I mentioned the other day, where he achieves bi-partisanship by literally pissing off both sides.  Should we call it “negative bi-partisanship”?  (as opposed to the affirmative bi-partisanship of taking and implementing ideas from both sides)

  UPDATE: Insta-lanche!  Thanks for the link, Prof. Reynolds!
   

• Jehuda 9:29 am on February 16, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Crime ( 395 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  The Democrat Corruption Fest continues: looks like Sen. Burris has some ‘splaining to do.

  UPDATE: Truth and Roland Burris.
   

• Jehuda 5:03 pm on February 15, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Mickey Kaus is still on the Welfare Revival beat, pointing at the seeds of what could become an existential threat to Obama’s version of his 21st Century New Deal (via Instapundit).

  Yes, the welfare issue.   It’s alive!  And like Dr. Frankenstein’s creature it could be its resuscitator’s undoing.  Wasn’t there a pitchfork and torch-wielding crowd involved in that story?

  That’s assuming Obama means to bring back “pre-Clinton” welfare.  Maybe he doesn’t know the Stimu-pork bill contains these provisions.  I mean, it’s not like he’s read the bill!  Or maybe he’s too clueless to see the risk.

  What about Rahm Emanuel?  How could he have missed this?  (Oh, I know: he hasn’t read the bill)

  And where’s Bill Clinton?  Too busy calling for the Fairness Doctrine to complain about the potential undoing of his legacy?  Bill Clinton was never shy about second-guessing President Bush, but I guess it’s different when you are second-guessing your wife’s boss.  I’m sure he’ll raise his voice when convenient…
   

• Jehuda 4:12 pm on February 15, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), Film ( 883 ), News ( 4,594 )   

  Two chick flicks and Taken are still in the Top 5.  The #1 spot goes to Friday the 13th.

  Steve Mason has the figures and analysis.
   

• Jehuda 1:35 pm on February 15, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), Film ( 883 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  The complete list.

  Wow.  I’ve actually seen most of them…
   

• Jehuda 11:01 am on February 15, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Will that be Obama’s M.O. during his entire presidency?

  Jay Cost looks at the pluses and minuses of Obama’s “campaign trail” approach to the Presidency.
   

• Jehuda 9:22 pm on February 14, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 ), TV ( 478 )   

  I guess Obama’s human after all!

  Funny.  I don’t remember Bush being allowed a “learning curve”.  On the contrary: if I recall correctly he was pegged as an incompetent, an idiot, and a danger even before he was sworn in.  Somebody should mention this to Bill Maher next time he tries to defend Obama with such a lame excuse (Larry King apparently wouldn’t).

  Maybe I should cut Maher some slack.  He’s a comedian – lest we forget – after all.  Maybe he’s kidding?  It’s not like any learning curve will excuse Obama from breaking so many promises in three short weeks, anyway (H/T: Instapundit).  Who knows?  Maybe there’s a “sincerity curve” out there too.

  But I wouldn’t ask Maher about it.  He doesn’t seem to keen on sincerity.

  RELATED: Hope, change, and instant revisionism.
   

• Jehuda 6:50 pm on February 14, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Crime ( 395 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 ), Security ( 379 )   

  If a woman gets her head chopped off and the press ignores it, is it really news?

  Well, if there is a Muslim connection a gutless press might prefer that it isn’t news.
   

• Jehuda 6:19 pm on February 14, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Law ( 510 ), News ( 4,594 ), Science ( 175 ), Technology ( 303 )   

  WSJ: A technological and regulatory challenge for commercial aviation:

  Though the Federal Aviation Administration has issued more than 100 icing-related safety directives in the past 15 years covering more than four-dozen aircraft models, the crash Thursday raises some troublesome issues about design and regulatory oversight.
   

• Jehuda 5:18 pm on February 14, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  NYT: Eric Cantor, fashioning himself in the “Gingrich Mold”.
   

• Jehuda 4:35 pm on February 14, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Times of London:

  RONALD REAGAN started it, Bill Clinton finished it and last week Barack Obama was accused of engineering its destruction. One of the few undisputed triumphs of American government of the past 20 years – the sweeping welfare reform programme that sent millions of dole claimants back to work – has been plunged into jeopardy by billions of dollars in state handouts included in the president’s controversial economic stimulus package.

  For days before passage of the Stimu-pork bill, Mickey Kaus was the lone voice crying in the desert on this one.  Alas, to no avail.
   

• Jehuda 3:39 pm on February 14, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Obama’s boneheaded mistakes from the last three weeks were bad enough. But how bad will it be when “events” make him trip up?

  You know, “events”.  They have a funny way of making bad things happen.

  Mark Steyn expands on the thought:  It’s Obamateur Hour.
   

• Jehuda 12:43 pm on February 14, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  The full implications of Congress’s assault on our pockets and freedoms won’t be entirely clear for some time – mostly because no one has read the bill!  But also because a gargantuan government like ours is anything but agile; and the damage will be inflicted over a period of months and years.  Still, some of the bill’s stinkiest nuggets of crap will rear their ugly heads sooner than others.

  One that has emerged is Senator Dodd’s new talking point, which he managed to slip into the bill just in time to run for re-election.  This is one part of the bill we can actually do something about almost instantly, thanks to the First Amendment.

  We should all speak, blog, or write about Dodd often; and every time we do we must revisit that he got special treatment from a bank he regulated; and remind others that – even if he helped pass a measure to cut bank pay into law – that doesn’t make things right one bit.

  That way we can defuse the effect of his TV and radio ads for the next campaign even before they are produced.  It will be our pre-emptive negative campaign.

  And it shouldn’t end there.  There are many Congresspersons that we should target with a pre-emptive negative campaign, but let’s start with three: Senators Specter, Collins, and Snowe (H/T: Instapundit).  In the measure that we can, we must use our First Amendment rights against them too.
   

• Jehuda 9:21 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Catholicism ( 7 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  The Anchoress on why Catholics shouldn’t sweat Pelosi’s junket to the Vatican too much.

  I agree.  I don’t see how anything bad can come out of this.  And I say that as a Catholic, not as some pragmatist and/or observer of politics.

  Although, if you want to put it in more mundane terms, better the Pope than Bashir Assad!
   

• Jehuda 8:48 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  An interview with Newt Gingrich:  Preparing for a GOP comeback?
   

• Jehuda 8:09 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Congress hands Obama a victory after a tough 3 weeks or so…but at what cost? (not just to the country but to Obama and the people in Congress who made this turd law).
   

• Jehuda 7:12 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  By now you might have heard of the poor lady who begged Barack Obama for help at a town hall meeting earlier this week.

  Well, it’s sad that one has to play “Name that Party” in this case, but guess who ended up helping her?  It wasn’t Barack Obama.  And it wasn’t a Democrat.  But you wouldn’t know that from CNN’s “reportage”.

  I guess we got us a new game: Reverse Name that Party.  Because some Republican accomplishments are just too good to mention!
   

• Jehuda 5:30 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), Film ( 883 ), News ( 4,594 )   

  The New Yorker surveys the field of Oscar contenders.

  Via BigHollywood.com
   

• Jehuda 5:24 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Science ( 175 )   

  …of the Australian bushfires.

  (from a Dr. Fiancee tip)
   

• Jehuda 3:50 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Looks like it, anyway.  The three RINO’s voted yes: Collins, Snowe, and Specter.  All other Republicans voted against.

  One vote remains to be cast.  And it’s just a matter of time.

  Saddest thing is that no one really knows exactly what they voted for; and the legislation has plenty of objectively bad stuff in it, like the scrapping of welfare reform, for one.
   

• Jehuda 1:26 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  One has to wonder: Where has Andrew Sullivan been the last 8 years?

  Via JWF.

  RELATED: Maybe it’s a sign of weakness.  A sign of Obama’s weakness and a sign of the media’s weakness, too: both are just powerless to put the incompetence cat back in the bag, at least in the short term.

  I mean, how do you undo the last 3 weeks?  You’d need a Ministry of Truth and 300,000,000 Rooms 101 for that.  And as much as the MSM is an unofficial propaganda organ, there’s only so much revisionism they can get away with when Obama stumbles that many times, that quickly.
   

• Jehuda 12:49 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  “The only thing this bill will stimulate is conservatism”.

  I agree: there will be a backlash.  Liberals may scoff at the idea, but it will hit them on the head when they least expect it.

  Via Instapundit.
   

• Jehuda 12:17 pm on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Senate vote is next.  No Republicans voted for it and 7 Democrats voted against.
   

• Jehuda 10:52 am on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  No, no need for further outrage at the Stimu-pork bill (not yet!).  It’s the mayor of Mexico City who’s giving Viagra for free to his constituents.

  But you thought for a moment it was a provision some clever congressman slipped into the Stimu-pork bill, didn’t you?  What does that say about the state of our political culture?  Nothing good.

  To be accurate, we don’t know whether there is a provision in the bill that gives away Viagra to a particular constituency of either party in Congress.  No one has read the damn thing, and yet they’re voting on it.
   

• Jehuda 9:42 am on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Reid has to scrounge up more Republicans? Senator Gregg’s return and Senator Kennedy’s absence (due to illness) has changed the math in the Senate.  Now it looks like Harry Reid may have trouble holding the votes of the three RINO’s (Snowe, Collins and Specter).  “Reid knows it, too — otherwise, he wouldn’t bother looking for more.”
   

• Jehuda 8:48 am on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Entertainment ( 1,342 ), Film ( 883 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  The Countdown is down to the Top 5.  It’s at The Corner.  Just go here and scroll down.  Cornerites will be posting commentary on the titles on the list throughout the day.

  You can also keep track at BigHollywood.com.
   

• Jehuda 8:41 am on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Obamamania is Passed – And That’s a Good Thing.
   

• Jehuda 8:07 am on February 13, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Crime ( 395 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Via Hot Air: Speaker Pelosi is concerned that the criminal probe into Rep. Murtha’s lobbying buddies might end up implicating him .

  I would be too.  What if Murtha takes the Dem Corruption Fest to critical mass?
   

• Jehuda 4:19 pm on February 12, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Let’s not call it a contradiction, but a reality check: the stimulus means no more layoffs and rehiring at Caterpillar?  Yeah, right.

  Why would it?  There’s hardly any stimulus in there for private enterprise.  The argument could be made that all those federal construction programs will require Caterpillar equipment, but the connection is too tenuous.

  Obama should have never made such a cheap promise.  It’s really beneath the dignity of the President’s office, I think.  Or of the American people.  What are we?  Little kids?

  Via Drudge.
   

• Jehuda 3:41 pm on February 12, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: Economics ( 690 ), Money ( 520 ), News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  Broken promise: Stimulus bill will be voted on Friday without first being disclosed to the public on the internet as originally promised.
   

• Jehuda 1:41 pm on February 12, 2009 Permalink
  Tags: News ( 4,594 ), Politics ( 3,015 )   

  The WSJ reports that Sen. Gregg has withdrawn his nomination to head the Dept. of Commerce.

  Translation: “I won’t be part of this bi-partisan charade, Mr. President.  Thanks, but no thanks.”

  UPDATE: Drudge has Gregg’s full statement (what he actually said) here.

  ANOTHER UPDATE: “A stunning blow to President Obama”.  I didn’t think the administration would like Gregg’s sudden move, but come on.  Why would they be stunned after the last 2 weeks or so of bipartisanship-in-name-only?  (Via Instapundit, who has much more)

  ONE MORE UPDATE: What I find encouraging about this is that at least one Hill Republican won’t let Obama piss on their backs and tell them it’s raining.

  Well done, Senator Gregg.  Self-respect is a rare quality among politicians these days.  Good to know you possess self-respect AND the balls it takes to show that self-respect to all interested parties.