Jon Will, the son of a Father

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Sanely Insane

There is nothing more to say about Jon Will’s gift . . .

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The Editors of the inartfully named, The New Republic are silly

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Sanely Insane

In an unsigned editorial, (Judgment Day) by inference, the editors at “The New Republic” have proclaimed their support for The Alien and Sedition Acts, particularly the Second Act used to prosecute and imprison “journalists.” The editors argue persuasively that the will of Congress, or more precisely, the will of a simple majority in Congress should be virtually inviolate. In fact, they cite no instance in which the Supreme Court has appropriately overturned a law promulgated by Congress. Instead, they argue:

But overruling democratically elected officials is an inherently audacious act, which is why the justices must use their power in this regard thoughtfully.

“Thoughtfully” means, of course, as the editors and only the editors deem un-audacious.

Presumably, they also roundly applaud Dred Scott in which the Supreme Court failed to overturn laws declaring American of African lineage to be chattel and not people recognized by the United States Constitution; and goodness knows, they despise the Court that ruled in Brown v. Board of Education, that laws passed by Congress denying “equal” education opportunities to Americans of African decent were not Constitutional. Good grief: Congress had said “They’re cool.”

Finally, it appears that the editors lack confidence in their appeal and, as “progressives,” characteristically do, they resort to a patent lie:

The policy consequences of overturning the Affordable Care Act, even in part, would be severe: Many millions of Americans would lose access to health insurance while many more would lose crucial consumer and financial protections. For some, it might literally be the difference between life and death.

This is a preposterous canard, for, health insurance treats no one. Health providers do. And, hospitals that take public funds – that would be each and every one – must provide health coverage for the uninsured. It’s an expensive proposition, but, it is the alternative.

Finally, in a brazen display of hubris, the editors are sure they can bully the Supreme Court into submission with the threat that they’ll be unloved if they don’t embrace “progressives” dreamy vision of Amerika.

But, the long-term effects on the Supreme Court’s legitimacy could also be devastating. If the former doesn’t sway members of the Court’s conservative majority, perhaps the latter will.

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So, so simple. Even Krugman and Klein can should undestand

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Sanely Insane

Two weeks ago, Charles Blahous a Public Trustee of the Social Security and Medicare systems published a paper detailing the “double-counting” of supposed savings in Medicare.  Allegedly the “savings” reduce long-term costs. Of course, these savings will never be realized because they are simply arbitrary reductions of projected doctor and hospital payments, a solution Congress has never once allowed in the history of Medicare. Why not you ask?  Because reimbursement rates are already so stingy, that further cuts will make conversion of hospitals to hotels attractive and bell-hops will make more than doctors . . . some do now!

For his efforts to illuminate, he was smeared by the double diminutives, Ezra Klein, the supposed wunderkind at the fading Washington Post and Paul Krugman, the former Enron adviser who writes for the faster fading New York Times.

In today’s Wall Street Journal (Exposing the Medicare Double Count) Mr. Blahous teams with Jim Capretta to offer an explanation that even Ezra and Paul can understand.

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Robert J. Samuelson errs . . . badly

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Sanely Insane

In a very illuminating and too brief discussion of the high cost of social programs, Robert J. Samuelson makes an alarming and obvious error, presumably because it’s a typical “journalist’s” mechanism for demonstrating reason and fairness, or, “fair and balanced” treatment.

In “Here’s what Washington really does” Samuelson exposes the enormous increases in social programs for “the poor.” Programs including, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the euphemism for “food stamps,” Pell Grants, and the inaptly named Earned Income Tax Credit which have ballooned in cost yet achieved remarkably little success.

Over the span from 1980 to 2011, in 2011 inflation adjusted dollars, spending in these programs grew from $126 billion to $626 billion.  That shows an increase from $4,300 per poor person in 1980 to $13,000 in 2011.  In1962 we spent only $516 per person on those in poverty, too little to be sure!

To balance the staggering amount spent on the “poor,” and to appeal to our sense of morality, Samuelson argues that “programs for the poor pale beside middle-class transfers. The giants here are Social Security at $725 billion in 2011 and Medicare at $560 billion.”  Nonsense!  The poor contribute a remarkably small amount to fund their benefits from Uncle Sugar, while the “middle-class” which funds nearly all of the billions “transfer[ed]” to Social Security and Medicare also pays for the programs enjoyed by the poor.

Very simply, being “middle-class” means you need a sense of humor and a barrel of K-Y Jelly!

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Mann and Ornstein, out of the closet . . . UPDATE.

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Sanely Insane

After exchanges with both Thom Mann and Norm Ornstein, it is apparent that they drink from the well at the Washington Post (which published their manifesto) where “journalists” secretly pee. They argue that their “analysis is “objective” and, in their own words:

We are not about defending Democrats from their own excesses, but there is, we believe, a big difference in degree and kind here. (Norm)

[Criticism of our “work” is] part of the ideological wars that we choose not to participate in. (Thom)

So, Republican leaders failed to admonish a rank-and-file member for hyperbolic language against the other party which causes them anxiety; but the leaders themselves of the Democrat party can claim Republicans are guilty of trying to poison America’s drinking water and assault its women and children, which is copacetic.  Both claim to have not dismissed “half the country,” yet neither is able to answer direct questions: Why are Republicans leading, for the first time ever at this stage of the process in generic House party preference polling, and, how can Mitt Romney can be tied with the President after being brutalized by the primary battles which were distinguished by low voter participation.

The lesson here: If you need a beer go to the Post Pub, not the Washington Post.

********

Thomas E. Mann of the left-leaning Brookings Institute and Norman J. Ornstein of the center-left American Enterprise Institute, were once respected voices able to dissect political discourse in Washington and bring reason to vigorous debate.  They are now out of the closet.  No, no, no, not that closet!  Rather, they have thrown in with the far-left, apparently unaware that half of America doesn’t learn its politics from Bill Maher and “Special Ed” Schultz.  Mann and Ornstein are flogging a new book and adapted an essay, Let’s just say it, published in the Washington Post. If the essay is representative of the book, even loony-left “progressives” won’t bother to read it.

While they gleefully filet Congressman Allen West (R. Fla.) for his hyperbolic charge that there are “78 to 81” members of the Communist Party in the Democrat caucus, they are silent about, and apparently in concert with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D. Nev.) preposterous charge that Republican’s want to “put things like arsenic and mercury in the water.”  Mind you the diminutive senator did not suggest that Republicans wanted only to delay strict new rules that would damage a fragile economy without producing measurable health improvements; he argued that they want to poison Americans, including themselves!

The authors are apparently also content with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D. Cal.) alleging that because Republicans believe that some $6 billion in student loan interest “forgiveness” should be “paid for,” they have launched an “assault on women’s health.”

But, for Mann and Ornstein, the charge that Democrats in Congress members of the Communist Party is an outrage.  True, Colonel West didn’t reproduce their membership cards, he was using colorful rhetoric to characterize his opponents, But, only when a Republican employs that forensic technique is “right out of the McCarthyite playbook.”

They are offended that Republican Leadership didn’t condemn Colonel West for allegedly smearing honorable Democrats.  But, hypocritically one only hears crickets while waiting for condemnation of Democrat Leadership’s assault on sanity.

Very simply, in Messrs.  Mann’s and Ornstein’s ideal America, any opposition to unlimited government, unlimited taxation, unlimited intrusion into private lives, unlimited debt, and unlimited debate is . . . limited.

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Why would I vote for President Obama?

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Sanely Insane

As the mythology has matured we’ve been led to believe that President Obama, in a single-handed display of fortitude, disposed of Osama bin Laden. Well, “okay,” concede his acolytes, he had a boost from a few U.S. Navy Seals.  But, they argue, no matter what else President Obama has done or not done, he made the “gutsy call” to suddenly reduce Osama bin Laden to room temperature, and that alone begs for his re-election.

One could debate how “gutsy” that call was; to some it appears rather basic.

But, never mind. According to then CIA Director Leon Panetta , Admiral McRaven, without so much as an assist from the president took sole responsibility for the success or failure of the “gutsy call.” In Mr. Panetta’s own words:

Received phone call from Tom Donilon who stated that the President made a decision with regard to AC1 [Abbottabad Compound 1]. The decision is to proceed with the assault.

The timing, operational decision making and control are in Admiral McRaven’s hands. The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the President. Any additional risks are to be brought back to the President for his consideration. The direction is to go in and get bin Laden and if he is not there, to get out. Those instructions were conveyed to Admiral McRaven at approximately 10:45 am.

In other words, the President not only didn’t take charge, he was purposefully insulated from accountability.  He “led from behind,” again.

Remind us again why he deserves our votes?

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The President: Redistributionist or Marxist? Is there a difference . . .

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Sanely Insane

President Obama is only the latest “progressive” president to advocate Robin Hood’s ways, “Take from the rich, give to the poor.” During his last campaign, in Ohio when he told Joe the Plumber that his goal is to “spread the wealth around,” sentient beings went to high alert, the mainstream media went into protect and defend mode, and sadly too many voters swooned, particularly the young whose brains are undeveloped and many of the “99%” who went giddy with fantasies of financial comfort raining from “Obama’s stash.”

In an oft-repeated and nonetheless clever metaphor, Carthage College students seek out fellow students to support their scheme to “redistribute” grade point averages from the top 10% to the remaining 90% to account for the burdens of race, gender, income inequality, sexual orientation and other “disabilities” that cause some students to perform poorly compared to the privileged class.

Members of Young America’s Foundation (Carthage College tax redistribution scheme) find many willing Littlejohns and Friar Tucks, reminiscent of the late Senator Russell Long who famously quipped, “Don’t tax him. Don’t tax me. Tax that fellow behind the tree!”  Two highlights are, (1) a student who declines signing the redistribution petition and admonished his lazy friend, suggesting, “trying harder for a semester?” and, (2) what appears to be a professor who is appalled at the notion but most likely is a proud supporter of the “Occupy” movement.

The President and his acolytes embrace the fallacy of the economy being a zero-sum  proposition, that is, wealth is fixed and the “winners of life’s lottery,” as former Democrat Minority Leader Richard Gephardt argued, control it. The President’s actions, not his words, other than an occasional slip like with Joe, expose his deep-rooted beliefs. “Beliefs” may be too strong a word. He’s a shallow thinker – instinct is more appropriate.

Simply, he is convinced that in his infinite wisdom he can harmonize the needs of the many against the luck of the few. As Ronald Reagan might have said, “He sees a fat man standing next to a skinny man and “knows” the fat man stole the skinny man’s lunch.” President OBama knows it.

We now have a tax structure in which 47% of working Americans pay no income tax, the general fund that supports government spending on the “greater good.” The redistributionists immediately howl that they do pay taxes, Social Security and Medicare, sales taxes and the like.  But Social Security and Medicare are in effect, forced savings, dedicated for specific (unaffordable) goals and sales taxes don’t apply to most necessities, food, medicine, and other needs which shield the “poor” to some degree from regressive taxation.   Simply, the “1%” use far fewer government services than do the “99%”, but, the “1%” are glad to provide to a point and assure social stability, not to mention expand the consumer base for the products and services it produces – Think Bill Gates and fraudster, Warren Buffett.

And, as in campaign finance and so many other left-wing obsessions, the “rich” got that way mostly because they are smart, or employ smart advisors and routinely structure their affairs to advantage themselves against the Left’s latest assaults. Which keeps the Left energized to create new schemes . . . that fail.

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No Love from Lovitz

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Sanely Insane

In a welcomed display of sanity, Jon Lovitz, one of the truly creative comedic graduates of Saturday Night Live snarls at President Obama. (SNL alum on Obama)  What Mr. Obama has done is not a laughing matter.

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Who is ‘Racist?’

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Sanely Insane

Thomas Sowell asks “Who is ‘Racist?'” (“Who is Racist?'”) If this were a quiz, good answers might include The Washington Post’s very own Queen of Hearts, Jonathan Capehart, or Colby King, or Eugene Robinson also of The Post. However, Dr. Sowell contemplates a larger audience, white liberals.

Since the Duke lacrosse fiasco, no better example exists than the Trayvon Martin case in which the mainstream media has acted recklessly, from editing audio evidence to coining odd new identifiers to stir resentment and social disorder.  The suggestion that Zimmerman is a “white Hispanic” was created simply to fit a template of the left, whites routinely preying upon non-whites.  Imagine a Conservative referencing our President, who preys on all Americans, as a “white African.” Yet, he’s as “white” as Mr. Zimmerman. In fact, the left went loonier than usual when Teresa Heinz was cited as a “white-African,” which she is!

An ugly consequence of the liberal orthodoxy is that while expressing outrage about the death of Trayvon Martin, the left is silent about the dozens of deaths of young black men killed since, almost exclusively at the hands of other young black men.  Nor does the left care about or report dramatically about the white men, young and old, who have been savagely beaten by blacks to avenge the death of Mr. Martin.  In the cluttered minds of the left, that behavior is expected . . . it’s the way “those people live” . . . and die.

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It  must not be fun to be The Washington Post’s very own “Queen of Hearts.”   Jonathan Capehart, a “Sentence first, Verdict afterwords” kind of guy is snitting (Zimmerman mitigation) because, since he declared George Zimmerman a despicable predator on young black men, the evidence is running in the wrong direction. (Capehart is more likely guilty of that pursuit.)

While the Queen of Hearts wrings his hands in angst, young black men are slaughtering other young black men routinely in every urban cesspool of the country.  But Capehart cares not about justice, or civility, or even the horrible, senseless destruction of his “brothers.”

He cares about racial politics.

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Sanely Insane | Leave a comment