Wednesday, November 7, 2012

It's Your Problem Now. . .

I warn you up front that this will be an ugly article. But last night's election really brings to light that something has gone drastically wrong in this country and it's time we realized that. It's time we realized that America is indeed two nations, just as John Edwards said. There is productive America and handout America. And it's time we stopped enabling the leeches. They created this problem, let them pay for it now. Here are my thoughts on the election, the future and the country as a whole.

To The Retards: Congratulations. You proved once again last night that one can never go broke underestimating the American public. You, my slow cousins, just re-elected a man who has put the country on the brink of bankruptcy and whose plan to fix that is to (1) spend more money that doesn't exist to create jobs that won't exist, (2) create an unfunded entitlement program that is bigger than the entire national budget, and (3) tax his way to prosperity. Good luck with that, assholes. Good luck because you, his mindless supporters will be the ones hardest hit when the economy tanks and when the government can't afford to pay the benefits you voted for yourselves. Indeed, good luck when gas prices hit $6 a gallon, when your taxes double, when your employer drops your healthcare and you get fined for not buying your own coverage, when your doctor stops taking Medicare or Medicaid, when your welfare check stops adjusting for inflation or shows up as an IOU, and when you lose your job to China because Obama won't stand up to his debt-pimp. Good luck finding a job too with the economy being 23 million jobs short and your idiot Messiah's plan being to hire 100,000 new teachers. Not to mention he'll need to create another 10 million just to keep up with population growth. But don't worry, he'll get even with all those rich bankers for you. . . only, he forgot to tell you, he's their bitch. That's right, he passed regulations that let evil Wall Street wipe out small local banks so that they can make a mint on your stupid ass.

To My Productive Friends: This election was a battle between productive Americans and leeches. The leeches won. But guess what, you still have options. I recommend the following:
(1) Everyone should apply for every government benefit they can. None of these programs are funded and they rely on good people being unwilling to apply for them, i.e. they only work because only a fraction of people who qualify actually take the benefit. It's time that changed. It's time for everyone to demand every penny to which they are entitled. Employers should drop their employee health insurance and shift that cost to the government, just as Obama wants. Take up tax avoidance strategies. Find tax shelters. Apply for subsidies. Reagan broke the Russians by spending them into oblivious, you can do the same to Washington. There is no shame in taking from a thief.

(2) Stop subsiding liberal cesspools. Conservatives need to move their businesses from blue states to red states. Stop buying from blue state companies. Buy instead from red states or foreign companies.

(3) Conservative governors, don't be stupid. Grab every penny you can from Washington. Sign up for Obamacare or you will only end up subsidizing the states that do. Being frugal in a zero-sum game only means you end up paying the bill for others binging.
To Congress: The Democrats are now talking about the Republicans needing to come together to work with Obama to solve the nation's problems. Why should you? Pelosi proved in 2004-2006 that the public would not punish them for standing in the way of everything Bush wanted. To the contrary, they got more seats. Harry Reid and Obama proved in 2010-2012 that they could stand in the way of everything as well, and they too got rewarded. For six years now, the strategy of paralysis combined with character assassination has proven effective. I see no reason why the Republicans in the House and the Senate shouldn't do the same. Let the country fail and let Obama take the blame -- America is strong enough to pick up the pieces in six years. It's time for scorched earth. No more good faith. No more acting for the good of the country over partisanship. If a deal gets done, make sure it benefits red states at the expense of blue states. . . forget shared pain. And never stop the character assassinations. This was Obama's plan and now it needs to be yours.

To The Religious Right: Go away. For several election cycles now, it's been clear that the Religious Right has become an increasingly heavy drag on the party. It is simply impossible to win women and moderates when your party is the party of old white guys who proclaim rape to be the will of God and who want the government to obsess over gays and abortion. Your bullshit will never pass and all it's doing is turning off the people we need to fix the country.

To Conservative Whites: It's time to face the fact that the electorate is changing and we need to embrace Hispanics. If Romney had gotten into office, I think we would have seen a serious change in this regard, but he didn't. So it's up to us. It's time we STOPPED talking about deporting illegal aliens. That will never happen anyway and whining about it only upsets Hispanic voters who don't want to hear us running around talking about deporting their friends and family. Get over it.

To My Foreign Friends: The joke's on you, seriously. I've been speaking with several foreigners who were very much rooting for Obama for a variety of reasons. Sadly for you, you are about as misinformed as humans can get. Here are some things you thought would change "from the evil Bush years" which didn't and which won't: Obama won't close Gitmo, he won't stop the war on terror, he won't stop using drones or landmines. He won't rein in America's out of control debt. He won't take the lead on climate change or on saving the Eurozone circle jerk. Oh, and to my Chinese friends, all that paper you are holding marked "Backed By The Good Faith and Credit of the United States" isn't worth the paper it's written on. Sorry, you backed the wrong horse.

Do I sound bitter? Probably, but I'm not. I'm just telling you the truth. In reality, I really don't care about last night because it doesn't affect me. The people who will be hurt are the very people who wanted Obama to win, and it's kind of hard to care about them, since they decided to use the ballot box to steal from the rest of us to support their own worthless lives. But I'm through saving you from your own incompetence. You've created fiscal and economic tsunamis that will now strike. And like I said, it's your problem now.

244 comments:

1 – 200 of 244   Newer›   Newest»
Joel Farnham said...

Andrew,

Well said.

Anonymous said...

I just have a bad feeling about this (to borrow a phrase). Take the last four years and multiply... and I say that as a moderate. I don't expect anything to improve.

Jesus, you guys are starting to rub off on me.

Maybe I should take your advice and get that student loan. :-)

Jen said...

Andrew, You took the words right out of my mouth! But, you said it and not me. Thank you!!!

T-Rav said...

I disagree on one point. I am completely bitter. I want people to burn over this.

The thing of it is, though, that the people responsible will never admit it's all their fault. How could they? Just look at how things went. Romney pulled out all the stops to avoid telling them they screwed up in '08; he told them it was okay to try something different, that lots of people did what they did, that they didn't have to be locked in to that choice. But no. Obama's still too cool, it would be racist to vote against him, it's really all Bush's fault if you think about it....people will blame anyone but themselves for their screw-ups. You will never get rid of their pernicious influence, except by a general disenfranchisement.

AndrewPrice said...

Thanks Joel. :)

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, That's the one thing you don't want!! Student loans are like herpes... you can never get rid of them and it will always find you!

I'm glad we're rubbing off on you. :)

AndrewPrice said...

Jen, I'm glad I could help.

Tennessee Jed said...

I am bitter. I feel like I've been taken for a fool twice. What the hell happened in 2010. Oh, I suppose it is the same dynamic that says the way government is set up, we get the house. I am wondering if we are in some kind of historical loop and this is the second election of FDR. We may be in for the second depression.

I suppose at the end of the day, there are well intentioned people who think this is better somehow. What may have happened is this. I don't really know. Wall Street has sort of corrupted the best things about capitalism. Bigness got rewarded. Businesses tended to manage to short term stock price instead of managing longer term. Many of got our retirement out of our 401K plans, but maybe that was an illusion. There are a lot of people who, even when they had jobs, were feeling tenuous about them. They were finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. So in the end, they look for someone to take care of them. I do refuse more than ever to support Hollywood, anything union, etc. And I agree, we need to emulate Harry Reid. He was apparently unwilling to cooperate if it had gone the other way. The American people, while voicing their disapproval of the direction of the country and saying the economy was their biggest concern voted to maintain the exact status quo. As Spock might say: "curious." Either the people were lying or the pollsters are idiots.

T-Rav said...

Here's the message I put on Facebook a couple hours ago.

"To the American voters: You have made your choice. Legally and constitutionally, it must be abided by. But know this: You chose this, so it's all on you. I owe you nothing--not my help, not my loyalty, not my respect. You are living proof of the failure of a republic, all of you, and I do not forgive you.

Good night, and go die in a fire."

I only mention it because it fits with the spirit of this post, and because one of my liberal friends was so horrified she put it on Twitter. Who knows? Maybe I'll get some notoriety out of this whole thing.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I agree. The people who are driving us straight toward the cliff will never see themselves as being to blame. They will find a million reasons why it was always someone else's fault.

All I can say about that is that those people will suffer the most because they have made themselves the most vulnerable in society to bad economic conditions. When they can't find doctors or buy groceries because no one takes IOUs, they will get seriously, seriously burned. And no one will save them.

Look for California to go into bankruptcy in the next couple years, for example. That will crush the government employee unions in the states and everyone on benefits there.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. Thanks to everyone for the e-mails, I didn't mean to disappear on you, I started writing this article and then got called away.

T-Rav said...

You want to know what I really think? Here it is. I think that before all this crap can be reversed, the country will have to go through literal anarchy, a dictatorship, and a rebellion before people learn to appreciate liberty and virtue again. Tell me I'm wrong.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, I actually think we are in a second great depression. I saw some interesting economic charts on it about two year ago and we are following the same chart exactly. And what fueled this one was over-spending by babyboomers, who are now over-laden in debt just in time for retirement. What a mess.

That said, there are too many people in this country who now make their living from the government. And until that changes, they will keep voting for more and more government.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, It won't come to that. I think an economic depression would do it and we're headed there:

1. Sustained unemployment above 10% (as a result of taxamageddon) +
2. Crashing dollar value from out-of-control debt +
3. Inability to pay entitlements from combo of falling tax revenue, overspending, and massive interest charges from falling credit rating

...will basically cause the government to slow-motion collapse, and will make it impossible for people to turn to the government for more help.

That will lead to layoffs and paycuts of government workers and benefits being slashed and a return to people looking to the private sector. It's called 1970s Britain.

Jen said...

T-Rav, "go die in a fire"? LOL! I told my sister that, and she laughed too. We were on the phone for over 5 hours, and she just hung up a few minutes ago! I still haven't been to sleep, and have stuff outside to do before I can hit the sack.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. I totally concur with your FB sentiments. And I'm not surprised your liberal friend is horrified. She expected you to keep on working to support her sorry ass. The idea that you might stop supporting her will freak her out.

Joel Farnham said...

Here is a suggestion to all who are still sane. Stay out of the cities. That is where there will be huge problems.

BevfromNYC said...

Or maybe we're just wrong and unemployment IS going down because Obama is everything they say and more.. Oh, wait, I just saw a pig fly by my window and it was wearing lipstick!

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, Unemployment is 23 million below what it should be after the past 10 years. In the next ten years, it needs to add another 20 million just to stay level with the population. That means Obama needs to create 43 million jobs to bring the country to where it should be.

His plan calls for creating 100,000 teacher jobs.

That leaves us 42.9 million jobs short.

Add in that if taxamaggeddon happens, then estimates range from 6-10 million jobs lost and Obama has a problem. And since most of the 23 million have used their unemployment, things will get ugly.

He's about to make 1929 look like a banner year.

K said...

Or, to put it another way:
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
H. L. Mencken


My theory: You can't have 4/5 of the news media + 90 percent of the entertainment media on your side and lose. Period.

This hypothesis is backed up by the election results. The MSM is concerned only with the Presidential race and the key senate races. They can't afford to go after house races because it would take too much time and few people care about other people's representative. Result: no loses in the House.

That's an "in kind" contribution of hundreds of millions of dollars. It also explains why the election results are such a shock to those who rely on the conservative media for news. Most people watch the MSM - not Fox. To them, Bush blew the economy. Obama is fighting and killing terrorists. He's reforming health care. He's stimulating the economy. Okay, the economy isn't doing so hot, but the unemployment rate (drop outs? What drop outs?) is improving all the time.

It's us, the conservatives who have been delusional - not because we don't see the real world - because we ignored the delusions of the rest of the electorate.

If this theory is correct, it's not a happy thought. Short of forming an OWS type organization and holding sit ins in the big media corporation lobbies I don't see how this can be overcome - barring a near societal collapse that can't be blamed on congress.

AndrewPrice said...

K, I can attest to this personally.

In addition to various foreigners, I've been chatting with several liberals lately and they are delusional. They honestly do not have any idea what is going on and they are unwilling to hear anything that contradicts their happy view that Obama is great and everything is running along smoothly. They are also completely incapable of seeing the hypocrisy in their own "thought" processes.

I actually hesitate to call them thought processes because they aren't. They don't think. They don't question. They don't want to know. They repeat what they are told, like drones and they get their thoughts fed to them by the MSM and Hollywood and they don't have the brain power to even spot the contradictions.

They are, in effect, human robots.

This is why it's time for drastic measures, such as letting them suffer the consequences of their own policies. We need to stop propping them up and letting them remain happy in their delusions. It's time to bankrupt their entitlements, boycott away their jobs, and break their governments. It's time to stop treating them in good faith and it's time to stop bailing them out. If they want to believe in Obama, let them do it in 20% unemployment and when he can't buy them phones because all he can send them is IOUs.

When someone is a drunken fool, you need to let them hit bottom before they will change. We've been working too hard for too long to keep them from hitting bottom. Let them fall.

Mr_Severus_Snape said...

I'm like Jen. You took the words right out of mouth! I've never, in my whole life, been so F*cking disapointed and ashamed of my country. I agree with South Park, the bar has definitely been lowered. Now it went even lower. Voting for a man because of his skin color and because you somehow think Romney will bring back the days of racism, sexism, or whatever ism! You all must be so f*cking proud of your-pitiful-selves! I hate you all! Not the commentarama family of course! :)

Hey you ignorant a-holes, who voted for Barry! Kiss my bi-racial ass! I for one, can't wait for the day, when I can GTFO of this Retardoland!

Anthony said...

K,

I suspect House races are very swing resistant due to redistricting.

I agree the the media is heavily biased, which is why I think the Supreme Court allowing for unlimited campaign spending by all Americans (in effect) was good for the Republican Party.

K said...

Anthony: Yet, the races that did come to national attention of the news media, Allen West, Mia Love and Bachman were lost or too close to call.

If anything, this election indicates that "Official News" beats out campaign commercials. If this happened to the Democrats it would be called a media coup de tat.

Anthony said...

I worry for my family and my country, but I steeled myself against this possibility weeks ago when it became clear things would go down to the wire. I'm not going anywhere. Things will get better eventually (though perhaps not as good as they used to be) though they won't under Obama.

Anthony said...

K,

Allen West and Bachmann were national figures whose politics and slogans played well among conservatives on a national stage, but were arguably out of line with those of their districts.

I do 't know why Mia Love didn't win. She certainly didn't hang herself with her tongue, but by the few accounts I read (in contrast to West and Bachmann, only the conservative media focused on her, and that was a recent development) she was running against a popular incumbent who as far as I know (I paid little attention to that race) hadn't been involved in any scandals.

Cheryl said...

I'm wearing all black today....

In mourning for my country.

darski said...

I find myself wondering if Hawaii will like living under their Chinese overlords?

It is now open season on territories and allies.

BevfromNYC said...

The good news we picked up more Rep. Governors. We will need the to hold the line.

Colorado legalized marijuana for adults. I'm not sure how they can do that since it still illegal by federal law.

And apparently we chosen to be Greece. Expect riots if ANY cuts or changes are made to any entitlements. good times ahead.

K said...

Just checked a map showing district by district results in the OC where I live. It's divided almost exactly along racial lines. Hispanic and asian immigrant areas going Democratic, mostly white areas going Republican.

In the last census, over 1/3 of population in LA county not born in this country.

BevfromNYC said...

This may be mean, butnI hope that all those business owners who promised layoffs if Obama wins, make good on their promise.

Anthony said...

Maryland passed gay marriage. Sentiment seemed to run against in PG, but I voted for it. Two people of the same sex being involved I don't understand (okay, as a guy, I can understand lesbianism to a degree), two people who love each other wanting to get married is something I do understand.

So long as churches can opt out of the ceremony I see no problem.

USArtguy said...

It's too bad the "religious right" is not welcome here.

Patriot said...

Bev......re legal marijuana: "Colorado legalized marijuana for adults. I'm not sure how they can do that since it still illegal by federal law." Look to AZ for fed govt enforcement of their laws.

Andrew....Your sentiments...and actions....was just what I needed to read first thing this morning. Further along those lines...as long as the stoopid party, repubs, keep nominating "nice guys" afraid of offending the press, then they are doomed. Dems will throw their shit at any repub candidate, and all they do in response is say "that's not fair." When you fight a dirty fighter, you need to be as dirty if not dirtier than they are. Repubs won't, so f*%& em.

Anthony said...

*Shakes head* A dead Republican and a Democrat in a looney bin won their respective elections. We are truly living in divided times.

http://waukee.patch.com/articles/senator-who-died-last-month-wins-election

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/06/jesse-jackson-jr-election_n_2084842.html

CrisD said...

Hi Andrew!
Great Post! My daughters who voted Republican said that the beef from other young women was the birth control, abortion issues. That is all these other young women "heard". I knew Mitt was a moderate and had no intention of changing that but it's not a smooth argument.

As to letting the Obama voters wallow in their mess..sounds good to me. I will spend the day trying to figure out how I qualify for an entitlement :)

Tam said...

Gas it up and burn it down, baby! I am bitter. I am bitter. I am clinging to my gun and religion and I know that when SHTF, and it will, I'll be able to pick the fucking zombies off one by one.

Patriot said...

Tam.....Exactly right! And the zombies will be all the OWS a-holes and gov't dependents coming to steal from you when their handouts cease.

My advice: Increased range time on smaller targets

Tam said...

I'll take that advice, Patriot. And invest in lead.

BevfromNYC said...

But Patriot - The Arizona immigration laws mirror Federal law. They do not supercede it. As far as I know, a state cannot just decide a Federal criminal law no longer applies, but I am no legal scholar.

But then again, "Rocky Mountain High" has just taken on a new meaning. I'm sure that John Denver would be proud.

BevfromNYC said...

California just doubled down on stupid. The Dems almost have a supermajority in both houses. Good Job, California! Next stop bankruptcy and repo to China...

But then again, it's THEIR stupid, so let them live with it.

darski said...

I have been thinking this all night.. I'm glad Lawhawk was not here to see what has been wrought. I'm grateful he was spared this time of trial.

Patriot said...

Bev.....constitutional matters are best left to Andrew (and LawHawk may he rest in peace). My point was the fed will decide which federal laws it wants to enforce and which state laws it will ignore. I think the Feds will ignore this state law, like they ignored the federal law in AZ.

Its long overdue we end marijuana prohibition anyway. Just mj, not EVERY drug like some conservatives think will happen. Maybe CO will finally be a test of the will of the people. It's worked before in other states, maybe it will work here (the will of the people I mean, not revoking all drug laws.)

Since we are in the process of fundamentally transforming America, let's go all in. Conservatism is dead.......long live popular culture!!

AndrewPrice said...

Anthony, Things will get better. America is like a phoenix which rises from the ashes, but it won't happen until after the idiots stop trying to make it grow by setting fire to it.

The next four years will be truly ugly for this country. And I say that with the full understanding that I am not prone to hyperbole or seeing false disasters. There are some ugly problems coming up with Obama is singularly incapable of addressing.

AndrewPrice said...

Cheryl, It was great while it lasted, wasn't it? Don't worry, it will be back in a decade.

AndrewPrice said...

darski, The real overseas threat in the next four years is this (apart from worldwide depression)...

Obama now needs to start a war in Iran. I don't think he has the nerve. Look for something in Israel, Berlin or Madrid to go up in smoke.

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, Expect benefit cuts to those on benefits, benefit uselessness to those on government-run medical care, salary cuts to state employees as states go broke, and layoffs to federal workers as they are forced to trim budgets.

AndrewPrice said...

Anthony, I think it's time to give up on that issue and move on. I'm going to write about it next week.

tryanmax said...

There is no shame in taking from a thief.

Well stated.

tryanmax said...

I hope that all those business owners who promised layoffs if Obama wins, make good on their promise.

Bev, I don't think that's mean, at all. I think the crux of Andrew's message today is that, as conservatives, it's time for tough love and to stop enabling. Supposedly "cruel" conservatism is the business owner who takes a personal pay cut to keep an employee on the payroll. In other words, conservatives have been just as guilty as liberals about denying reality in our own way.

I say that in full knowledge that I work for a small business that conducted its first layoffs ever in October 2008.

AndrewPrice said...

USArtguy, They're welcome, but they need to stop obsessing over those issues. All they've done by pushing issues that can never be passed into law is ensure that the Democrats will keep winning.

Tam said...

A serious question...would it be a good idea to NOT withhold taxes? Put them aside and pay them once, instead of giving the gov't an interest free loan for the whole damn year?

AndrewPrice said...

Thanks Patriot. And you're right, it's time to take the gloves off. Go ahead and start each sentence with a pretense of bipartisanship, but finish each sentence with a smear. Never surrender on any issue. Always shift blame. Take off the blinders... the Democrats are not dealing with the country in good faith.

AndrewPrice said...

Tam, Watch out for the fines if you haven't paid enough, but the short answer is yes. Never, ever get a refund... that's just an interest free loan to the government.

Look into the rules on fines and just make sure you pay enough to avoid that.

AndrewPrice said...

Anthony, Makes you wonder about Democracy, doesn't it?

Tennessee Jed said...

help start the drive to 50. What is that you say? The drive to a $50 trillion national debt. Since I no longer believe conservatism has a place in this county, why not out lib the libs. If nothing else, it could be fun to chastise Democrats as being greedy racists. First up: reparations. I say each and every "victim" class is owed a living. And a good one, dammit. So a 70" flat screen, iPhone, iPad, iMac troika, a free GM prius, a house, and I'm not talking some hovel either here buddy. I want minimum 5,000 sq. ft. And hell, since it clearly the will of the people, lets get behind the Iranians and give them a few nuclear weapons. It might be fun to both and the libs about how stingy they are for a change.

BevfromNYC said...

It will probably be Israel that goes up in smoke. There is noise of a preemptive strike against Iran.

To all of my Jewish friends, Israel gets what it deserves because of you. If it's destroyed, let it be on your heads.

T-Rav said...

Jen, I thought that might tickle some people here. :-)

K, I always said, back in '09, that the media would never allow Obama to be defeated. Guess I was more right than I knew.

AndrewPrice said...

Cris, That's the problem. At a time when the party should have been focused on economics, and Romney was, the party "downwind" was still obsessing about gays, abortion and birth control. That makes it impossible to win over young women. Not only do they not want these things banned, but they are afraid of the mindset of the people who do want them banned because they are typically combined with other anti-woman sentiments.

Not to mention, these things will never happen. It's like advocating a law that allows the government to beat people for fun. It can't pass... it can't take legal effect if it does... so pushing it is stupid, and in passing it you end up scaring loads of loads of people.

tryanmax said...

Tenn. Jed, even though it puts a sour taste in my mouth, I'm about to milk my daughter's special needs for all they are worth.

AndrewPrice said...

Tam and Patriot, It's going to be interesting to see what they do when their benefits start showing up as IOUs. If Greece is any indication, they will burn down banks... making the problem worse.

Tam said...

Do it, Tryanmax. Suck, suck, suck. The faster it crashes, the sooner we can rebuild. I don't know which entitlements I might be eligible for, but I'm going to find out.

T-Rav said...

I'm not going to touch the "Religious Right" thing overall, because I do consider myself a member of it.

I do want to say this about the Akin thing, though. Two things in his response really had me tearing my hair out. One, his insinuation that God wanted him to stay in the race because whatever. Two, the complaints that a lot of people in this state were making because, as they put it, the national GOP was trying to interfere in state politics and go against the wishes of Missouri voters, and this was a states' rights issue. Really, they said that.

No. No. No. Federalism is an issue pertaining to how the government, as a public interest, goes about its business. While a political party's members may take part in that entity, they are themselves a private organization. As such, they are under zero obligation to practice "states' rights." I cannot believe there were so many people blind to this fact.

Aaarrrrggghhh.

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, California will be the bellwether for bankruptcy. It's going to be interesting to see how that happens and how they try to avoid responsibility for it.

Anthony said...

Andrew,

I agree. Gravity is going to hit the American economy hard, harder than its been hit in the living memory of anyone not in their 80's.

AndrewPrice said...

darski, I had that thought too. I'm glad he never saw this.

AndrewPrice said...

Patriot and Bev, Technically, the state can't allow it and the Justice Department policy has been to still pursue it as criminal. But there is also an indication that the Fed have been looking the other way for about a decade now.

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, That's a key point conservatives need to learn. For generations now, liberals have absorbed benefits with no worries even though those programs are ponzi schemes because conservatives have told themselves it's wrong to take benefits even when you qualify. That needs to stop. Uncle Sam takes from us to give to others. It's time to get your share. There is no shame in taking what Uncle Sam is stupid enough to offer... and that will bankrupt the system in the process. Stop being patsies.

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax and Bev, As for the layoffs, that is my point, only I suggest moving their businesses to red states. Make all the money you want in somewhere like Utah or Texas, but stop supporting places like New York and Michigan with jobs, spending and tax revenues.

T-Rav said...

Just woke up, for the record. They are MAD at me on Facebook this morning. Apparently that little rant soured their rejoicing.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, 50 is coming faster than you realize. Take current spending of about $1 trillion in debt per year, plus another trillion the Dems will want to add, plus unfunded retirement benefits in the neighborhood of $100 trillion, plus Obamacare of around $2 trillion per year, plus falling revenues and I think we're looking at $2-4 trillion per year starting in about two years.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, What a shame. Just wait until things start to fall apart and they can't blame Bush. You're going to hear a lot of "how did things get this bad?"

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, In all honesty, I don't think it will be Israel. If you're going to do something like that, you pick a bigger target that won't result in fall out on the Arab world. I think London, New York, Berlin, Madrid are the likely targets.

tryanmax said...

Andrew, I can already answer that question the way the libs will. It will be the fault of the intransigent Republicans in Congress. Poor Harry Reid won't even be able to bring any bills the House passes up for a vote in the Senate because they are just so damned ridiculous. His conscious (the cricket he stepped on as a boy, thus sealing his fate as a lifelong puppet) just wouldn't allow it. And for whatever does get brought up in the Senate, expect "tyranny of the minority" to become a popular buzz-phrase.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav and K, In all honesty, I don't really blame the media. I blame human nature. Our government is a ponzi scheme that is designed to encourage people to get as much as they can right now because they know it won't last. So it makes rational sense for these people to get what they can now and hope the system sustains itself long enough that somebody else gets stuck with the bill. That's what's going on.

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, I absolutely encourage you to get everything you can. You will be doing a public service.

T-Rav said...

Given all the postmodern "architecture" and other cultural achievements in Berlin, I think a nuclear disaster there would be an improvement.

T-Rav said...

tryanmax, if they're going to say that about us anyway, I say live up to it. Shut down the freaking government, for all I care.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, Sadly, it is something that will need to be talked about. The Republican Party simply cannot win if they continue to push things that turn off the electorate, especially when those things cannot happen.

AndrewPrice said...

Anthony, What's more, this time there is no will and no good faith to solve the problems and Obama and the Democrats are unable to recognize the solutions anyway. The only solution they offer to an out of control car is to hit the gas harder.

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, The media will absolutely blame the Republicans, just as they did even when the Democrats had a supermajority. But that hasn't mattered. The public seems to have opted for total paralysis, so disrupt away.... disrupt away.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I agree, grind it all to a halt. Talk about trying to make it work, but never agree to anything and blame the other guy. That seems to be what works.

Anonymous said...

I'm sitting here at the computer after getting next to no sleep (had to register for spring classes at 2 in the morning!)...

...I'm starting to think I'm more conservative than I've realized, at least in practical matters. I'm young, I'm a college student, I'm somewhat socially liberal (at least more so than most folks here)... but I can't say I'm happy.

I do fear for the economy. As I told my Obama-supporting mom last night, "You know what? Romney had good ideas, too. And the people who would vote for Obama because they want free stuff? I'm not one of those people. I don't know those people! I don't operate in that circle. Everyone I know has a job!"

I just want to keep my part-time BS job, get another part-time BS job, and finish school. If the government wants to help me, fine, but I'm not asking until I absolutely have to.

(And I've noticed I use "I" way too much - I have to work on that.) :-)

Koshcat said...

I tend to agree with your sentiment. We also need to do a self analysis as the Republican party is having a hard time getting through to the voting public. One of the exit polls had a question on who you think is better to fix the economy. Obama won this by 10 pts. It will probably take the bankruptcy of a large state like California to get people to understand. Not much will happen the next two years, which is good and bad. Can't fix the problems but can't stop them either.

Koshcat said...

Crap it erased more than half my message.

BevfromNYC said...

Scott - the "I" thing...you learned that from Obama.

rlaWTX said...

K: "It's us, the conservatives who have been delusional - not because we don't see the real world - because we ignored the delusions of the rest of the electorate." -- well put

Although, my first response this morning was that it didn't happen. TOTUS had an 8 year term, not that the electorate of the USA was so remarkably stupid to give him another chance for destruction. It hasn't helped the bitterness, so I guess I have to give up that one and accept the sheer stupidity of Americans.

Andrew, OK - I need courses in transforming into a taker. I honestly have no idea how to go about that.

rlaWTX said...

Oh, and my new mantra is "gridlock is good".

But oh what horrors can flow from the Executive Branch in the meantime...

Anonymous said...

Bev -

Stop picking on me! :-)

Besides, there are no doubt worse things I could've learned!

T-Rav said...

I think I need to go hold a kitty.

BevfromNYC said...

T-Rav - and by "hold" do you mean "punch"? Please don't, it's not their fault that humans are so stupid...well, maybe YOUR kittens are at fault. You have a special breed that seems to be the really subversive type...

tryanmax said...

rlaWTX, that's a good mantra. I've been extolling the virtues of gridlock for some time now.

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, Welcome to the world. Unfortunately, you are not the norm. There are too many people who make their living on the government these days. Everyone from the permanently lazy to large corporations has learned that they can use the government to support their bottom line. And those people don't care that the system will collapse under them.

AndrewPrice said...

Koshcat, The Republicans need to fix their image problem. They need to get younger, more hip, and learn to sell their ideas better. They need to stop highlighting issues people don't like and taking stances that make them appear to be the angry-white-male party.

I am left today wondering if this election would have changed if Rubio had been chosen as VP?

And you are right about the economic competence issue. But here's the thing. They can't blame Bush anymore. The next four years are on Obama.

AndrewPrice said...

rlaWTX, Whenever possible, short the American public. Individual Americans are brilliant, wonderful people, but the public at large is stupid.

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, Gridlock will lead to disaster, but at least it will be on Obama's shift.

rlaWTX said...

T-Rav, I'd like to go and hold a kitty too, but I think that we will derive our joy from the experience in different ways...

Andrew, when I am out of a job in 4-6 months, I'll hit you up for specific pointers.
[the church I work for is going to downsize or disband]
And the one thing of which I am positive is that TOTUS will find a way to not take "credit" for any of the results of his policies...

Kit said...

I'm going to give you this Jonah Goldberg post at the Corner.
Against Despair

Also,
‎"It’s worth remembering that the cause is only lost if you leave it and choose to never find it again." -Jonah Goldberg

Tam said...

T-Rav, this is for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87p53rAD7Sk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Anonymous said...

T-Rav -

This, too!

rlaWTX said...

Kit, Goldberg is right in that we need to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. But we have to live with what they have wrought in the meantime.

rlaWTX said...

(thank you, ScottDS, that made me smile.)

Jen said...

I agree, it's time to starve the beast.

tryanmax said...

Andrew, don't get me wrong, gridlock is the last thing this country needs at present. But it's better than liberalism on greased skids, which is what the complainers against gridlock really want. Not solutions.

T-Rav said...

Tam and Scott, how sweet. Those videos just make me want to take my 12-gauge and....er, pick up those kittycats and pet them and stroke them....

BevfromNYC said...

And again, on the bright, Obama may be able to pull this off and become everything we know him not to be now - bipartisan, uniter, a teller of truth...

Things we will never know about - What he knew when regarding Fast & Furious, Benghazi, and what happened to the videographer who is still in jail without charge...

And Justice Ginsburg will probably retire, and we will get yet another incompetent SC judge to replace her...

BevfromNYC said...

Oh, and another 4 years of Joe Biden, and MSM silence, and humorless political commentary...

AndrewPrice said...

Guys, leave T-Rav alone... he's suffered enough! LOL!

AndrewPrice said...

Kit, This isn't despair, this is a solution. The solution is to fight back more effectively. Make them suffer the consequences of their choices.

Koshcat said...

I completely agree with the image problem. Instead of whinning about the unfair, left wing media, learn to use them. Stop following for obvious trap questions. Any abortion question is a trap question. Find a response that works and keep saying it over and over again. Worried about sounding like a robot, who cares? They do it all the time. And stop talking about how good you are at working with the other side. They don't care! Despite what people spout off about getting along, they don't care. Finally, hold the press's feet to the fire regarding issues like Benghazi and fast and furious. We need to get our people in the press conferences to ask these questions. Find a major media outlet who is supportive and support them, such as the Wall Street Journal.

We continue to lose the image problem so it may be time to think about destroying the party. But not with crazy people who keep shouting off their mouth like the crazy guy on the street corner. Rubio, Ryan, etc. should quietly get together and get multiple people who think like they do where economic issues rank 1 through 100 and social issues are less important. Then all at once announce a change with a new plateform in place. Can still coalition with the repubs. Start now so in four years they may not have enough support to even have a presidential candidate.

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, True. I just hope we get gridlock and not go back to the era of Republican surrender. Remember... talk reasonable, but fight dirty and obstruct everything.

AndrewPrice said...

Jen, Let me flip that around... rather than starting the beast, feed the pig until it bursts.

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, I would say the Supreme Court worries me, except that even this "conservative" court didn't turn out to be that conservative. It turns out to be the big government version of conservative.

Kit said...

The Supreme Court and Foreign Policy have me the most worried.

As long as none of the 5 "conservative" justices die or retire, I'll be at a little peace.

Foreign Policy, good God. Israel is probably going to hit Iran soon, God knows what the Chinese and the Russians are up to, the Euro is about to go belly up (debate: Is that good or bad?), then there is the Arab Spring, . . .

AndrewPrice said...

Koshcat, I agree. I think the party needs to:

1. Stop talking about social issues. If you want to vote on them, fine, but don't talk about them. Focus on economics and personal freedom and call the Democrats on their attempts to strip away those freedoms. And shoot anyone who mentions a constitutional amendment.

2. Find more minorities to lead the party.

3. Talk about working with the other side, BUT always accuse them of bad faith and accuse them of being the reason why things fail. Never treat politics as a good faith discussion.

4. Start assassinating the character of every Democrat and never stop.

5. Stop doing anything that helps blue states.

T-Rav said...

Apparently there was a near-riot on the campus of my former school, Ole Miss, after the results last night. A bunch of students got together and started yelling and burning Obama signs and had to be broken up by police.

A friend of mine ID'd one of her students among the crowd. She's thinking of high-fiving him when she sees him.

T-Rav said...

Bev, I won't be bothered by Ginsburg being replaced. Swap one liberal moron out with another, it keeps the status quo. What really worries me is if someone like Scalia dies or retires in the next four years. If that happens, and Obama nominates someone like Kagan, the GOP has got to shut the Senate down. They've Borked us for too long; we have to do the same thing back. That cannot come to pass.

Anonymous said...

My Facebook feed is a nice mix... mostly Obama fans gloating but some Romney fans wondering what the hell is wrong with this country. (Oddly enough, two Facebook friends who voted for Romney are both 20-something women... not exactly his big demographic!)

I wanted none of it either way. I posted a Star Wars-related video and went to bed - thus was my contribution to the discourse. :-)

Tennessee Jed said...

If somebody else has already covered this, my apologies. Obama got the same vote totals as John McCain did in 2008. Romney got about 2.6 million votes less than John McCain did in 2008. Something does not add up here. I don't know what it is, and I'm not saying that the state breakouts would have changed the electoral college outcome, but it is extremely puzzling. Obama draws 10 million less votes than in 2008 and where the hell is the enthusiasm, surging crows, independents, and frustrated former Obama voters that we couldn't turnout as many voters as John McCain???

Jen said...

Andrew, your 5. Stop doing anything that helps blue states is what I meant by "starving the beast". Sorry, that thought came to me before I had gone to sleep, but didn't post it until I woke up.

Feed the pig until it bursts? Hog roast everyone!

Tennessee Jed said...

One of the nice things about Republicans is we generally don't put out fatwahs on people we dis-like nor we burn down our neighborhoods.

Jen said...

Jed, maybe it's time we start??? It could be open season on Zombies.

tryanmax said...

Tenn. Jed, that is very puzzling, b/c all day yesterday I heard nothing but news stories (MSM included) about long voter lines and high turnout. Why, even today, 0bama has announced that "something needs to be done" about that. (Just what we need, one more thing for 0bama to do something about.) Maybe people really turned out in the battlegrounds and stayed home everywhere else?

Tennessee Jed said...

Scott - I have sort of come to the conclusion FB is a waste of time. Most of my friends are pretty respectful and I was mostly spared from campaign b.s. But it did make me look again and realize that 95% of the people who are friends never use it. Of the 5% who do, some are relatives I can keep in touch with anyway, and several are barely acquaintances. Some in both category just bombard you every half hour with some link that serves as a visual version of spam or junk emails. It's almost like somebody at an office or school, and FB serves as little more than lunchroom chit chat.

Tennessee Jed said...

tryanmax - all I did was google how many people voted for McCain in 2008 and got those numbers from an official website. This year's numbers came from Drudge which I think came from the AP. Granted they are not final numbers, but I would really, really like to know what happened since it defies logic. I think your explanation is likely. I do not want to accuse evangelicals who supported Santorum of sitting this one out without facts that they did.

T-Rav said...

tryanmax, I'm as baffled as you are. Everything I read pointed to massive GOP turnout, in red and purple states alike. I literally can not wrap my head around what happened.

tryanmax said...

Tenn. Jed - It's probably good to get the facts in, but you and I seem to be eyeballing the same demographic in the meantime.

Anonymous said...

Jed -

Different strokes for different folks. I find it a nice way to keep in touch with people and share some cool info. :-)

But I'm not one of those people who must be "on" all the time. If I'm out to dinner with someone, the smartphone usually stays in the pocket!

Tennessee Jed said...

Andrew - maybe I will feel differently in a few days, but for now, I kind of disagree with something you and K were discussing up the page. I don't want to hear guys like Jonah Goldberg telling us to never give up. Right now, the way I feel is this: If we, as a party, could not win this election with an incumbent with his record, and if we only got 2 and a half million less people to vote our way this year, what the hell is going to change. It would be nice if the House would go down swinging and REFUSE to extend the debt ceiling, but that is not going to happen

Anonymous said...

My first and foremost concern is about the general conduct of our president so far. I do, and I admit do admit, I have been disappointed by the whole blame others mentality, where I honestly wish our president could have said something better. I hope he starts acting better, despite my doubts so far.
get a clue as to what's practical to change immediately versus change over extended periods of time. Frankly, I am disappointed with the abortion issue, not just because of the Akin sound bites, but also because it seemed to be an issue that the despicable candidates fell back on repeatedly when they didn't have much to say about anything else.

Second, I do hope that the spending restraints are a real promise, and not just feigned, because honestly, I wouldn't exactly like to see the government forced to make cuts for budgetary reasons on everything from the postal service to the military. Again, that's the issue here, are we talking about eventual inflation? Or how about lenders having a limit? Or how about benefits really hitting rock bottom?

I worry a whole lot about the Supreme Court. I honestly hope that the Supreme Court has minimal change in who's there, because who knows what the Court can rule on now? AZ state law, letting the government spend as they please? Allowing restrictions on business to stay in place? I will admit that I don't know.

I do agree with Andrew, however, let people take the consequences of their decisions. If they wanted it, like a kid poking at a hot stove, let them get what they're asking for.

Though on a positive note, I will say that I was fine with Romney as a candidate, may the man retire and live out his life in peace. Frankly, he's more exemplary in his moderacy than plenty of other candidates out there. Glad to see him get nominated, win or lose. Second, I frankly feel like the residents of WhoVille from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Because honestly, like these people don't need presents to be happy, I don't need some ideal candidate or a constant happiness in others to occupy my life either. I am not worried, I am confident that all will eventually come around, just a little time.

rlaWTX said...

Here is a more positive viewpoint (less cynical, I guess)- http://patriotpost.us/editions/15364/

The Investor's Business Daily's excerpt is similar to the "stop the bad even if it ends up in gridlock" concept - but nicer...

And the Reagan quote at the end is a rallying cry...

Maybe in a couple of days I'll feel that.

Tennessee Jed said...

that's good Scott. FAR TOO MANY are texting somebody else while they ignore you in person. It's like a crack addiction or something and lousy manners in my view. FB can be what it is for you, I just haven't really seen it pan out that way so much. Younger generations tend to connect with a far greater base, though.

rlaWTX said...

for the 2010 census, Midland County had approx 99K adults (over 18). [We have had a large influx of people since then.] Only 44K voted for president yesterday.
I'm not sure how I feel about that...

Anonymous said...

rla -

Isn't that always the case? The number of people who vote always seem to be outnumbered by the number of people who don't.

I recently read an article where they interviewed people who consciously didn't vote and it was pretty interesting: everything from...

"Both parties are the same!" to "My vote doesn't count - it's all about the money!" to "I'm anti-war and can't vote for the commander in chief of the armed forces" to "I'm a Christian and only God's Kingdom is the solution."

A couple of those answers might be cop-outs but I was fascinated by it.

tryanmax said...

Perhaps I'm a contrarian -- I'm only baffled about the turnout numbers because it so contradicts everything everyone was saying up to and including election day -- but I have no problem with low voter turnout. I'm of a mind that the uninformed and the idiots (I posit that anyone able to rationalize forfeiting their voice qualifies) ought to butt out anyway.

In other news: Wall Street is taking a dive.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, Low turnout. Turn out keeps falling almost every year. I think it means people have given up on the system.

Kit said...

Something to look forward to.
LINK

K said...

Andrew: Find more minorities to lead the party.

That's a good idea. Now that Allen West and Mia Love have more time on their hands (thank you Mr. Soros) perhaps they can look into that.


AndrewPrice said...

Jed, I think you and I are on the same page. I say stand in the way of everything. Elections need to have consequences and if people want to make bad choices, then we need to make sure they feel the consequences of that.

AndrewPrice said...

obiwan, I agree about Romney. The country lost a real opportunity with him. Instead, they get a corrupt moron. But I guess that's what the country (and the world) deserves, isn't it?

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, Wall Street is in for a long terms meltdown. I think we get a quick Christmas rally and then 2-3 years of double digit loses.

AndrewPrice said...

k, I think it's essential to changing the image of the party to start getting non-white men in positions of power.

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, I have no problems at all with low turnout. I am surprised however at the way the turnout happened in this election. I was not expecting Republican turnout to be less than in 2008 unless the evangelicals did stay home.

Kit said...

Some things that need to happen:
1) Paul Ryan needs to get to work on a book. One that is half-memoir and half-policy.
2) Ditto with Rubio, Jindal, Col. West, etc.
3) Rebuild the Tea Party. How can we expect even the tiniest bit of firmness from Boehner if we don't?

Kit said...

John Yoo argues turnout was a factor.
LINK

I'm thinking what one person in the comments said: Both.

Pittsburgh Enigma said...

As I said last night Andrew, I agree 100%. I could not have said it any better. America chose and now it can suffer the consequences. And like you, I won't really be affected (mostly because I've prepared for the worst.) I can weather four (or more) bad economic years. Not that it will be fun. I'll be scaling back on everything: vacations, new car, home improvements, and even charitable giving. And I'm even contemplating dumping my health insurance. Shouldn't the government take care of me now if I get sick? I have a health savings account coupled with a high-deductible plan, and I truly worry (now) about crazy things like the government seizing it if they need revenue badly enough.

I am sick over the results of this election, and I think that now it's time to focus exclusively on me. America at large can kiss my ass.

I also have no confidence in the House pushing back on anything. Maybe they will, but they'll have to prove it to me. I expect the absolute worst from them.

Patti said...

now that people with brains are the minority shouldn't there be a special fund for us, some sort of entitlement?!

gimme my brain fundz!

tryanmax said...

Kit, while I don't disagree with that article, I think the author along with almost everybody else is discounting a very real, if not particularly visible, phenomenon. I'll dub it "SOTV" or "sit out the vote" and, just as the name suggests, it is the direct counterpoint to GOTV.

No, there is no SOTV organization out there (that I'm aware of) so it certainly isn't coordinated. But a large number of bloggers and online organizations have been spending the last several months urging their followers to write this election off. (And, yes, many of them are of an Evangelical nature.)

Now, I have no way of determining what sort of effect these scattered individuals and groups had on the final outcome of the election. I'm just saying this is a phenomenon that deserves more scrutiny as it's receiving approximately none.

tryanmax said...

HELP! Patti's gone Zombie!

Pittsburgh Enigma said...

Just a quick P.S. about voter turn-out. It was a nice day here yesterday (in deep blue Pittsburgh), so I took a walk around the neighborhood around 5pm before the polls were closed, and I noticed a young guy with a clipboard walking around putting labels on certain doors. When I looked closer, they were "Organizing for America" labels that were custom-printed for each house and said "Remember to Vote!" I didn't get so much as a door knock or a pamphlet from the Republican Party reminding me to vote (but they sure did bury me with mail begging for money.) Surely it can't be that difficult for our party to do this. Again, another really easy thing we could adopt to improve our chances.

Pittsburgh Enigma said...

I forgot to mention this: can we once and for all ban Dick Morris from all media outlets? Even before the election, I was reading comments such as the following on blogs:

"If Dick Morris said the sun was going to rise tomorrow, I'd have to seriously question it."

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, We should check out the exit polling to see who voted and who didn't. That might give us a strong indication of where things went wrong.

AndrewPrice said...

Patti, I like that idea a lot. We're a minority, we should get special treatment. It's only fair.

Anonymous said...

Pittsburg -

We got the same thing. I think we got a knock on the door and later a door hanger with our polling place printed on it.

I just went out to get the mail - nice to see no political junk!

AndrewPrice said...

Pitts, I think you put your finger on it when you said "American at large can kiss my ass." They voted to tell the government to come steal from you to support their laziness. You owe them nothing.

On the get out the vote stuff, it sounds to me like Romney didn't have much ground game. I got a million phone calls, which really didn't help, but nothing in the mail and nothing useful. It would have been much better to create a novel mail campaign than bombard me with annoying phone calls.

Koshcat said...

I was looking at the results of the Montana senate. The libertarian candidate got 6.5% of the vote. The republican lost by 4.3%.

Tam said...

This Apathy...it is a strange new feeling. "America at large can kiss my ass." Yep. I. DO. NOT. CARE. ABOUT. ANYONE. whose name is not Tam. Or Tam's Hubby. or Tam's Kid.

Anthony said...

I think 2012 is a lot like 2004. Which isn't to say that adjustments don't need to be made (especially for Hispanic voters) but an unpopular incumbent managed a victory few of his opponents saw coming (I was among the overconfident) due to a false assumption that the President's party weren't at least as fired up as they were and in part due to a superior ground game.

Now we have to go about making 2014 2006 and 2016 2008 and then make sure that 2018 isn't 2010...

BevfromNYC said...

Patti - I was just saying this morning, that as things go, we are ripe for a Zombie attack in NYC. We have a blizzard blowing right now...yey for us.

Oh, and Puerto Rico voted to become a state. Wow, isn't THAT bad timing. They finally take the plunge as we slide into the abyss. I think we should cut them loose and make them be on their own.

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, You have a blizzard? It's like 70 degrees here. Are you sure?

PR voted to become a state? Oh please no. Do not fall for this Republicans!

Patti said...

i am not even kidding....i want my entitlement! and if it comes with a free phone, so be it.

sadly, i'd take a zombie attack over this. at least i'd get to crush some skulls.

AndrewPrice said...

Koshcat, That surprises me. I thought the Libertarian would lose his support, but I guess not. I guess Montana libertarians love the Democratic Party.


Anthony, Well said! This is exactly a repeat of 2004, right down to the anger.


Tam, It is a strange feeling, but why should you be the only one who cares? I learned as a lawyer a long time ago to never care for a case more than the client does. This is the same thing.

Pittsburgh Enigma said...

Tam: I've never been apathetic either. I'm not sure this is going to be a minority opinion because my SO had the same reaction last night as I did and Andrew did. I think a lot of people might be saying: let the train hit the wall because it's the only way we can stop it.

And right now anyway, I can't get jazzed up about some kind of midterm takeover. I'm tired of this fight. If we can't even win senate seats in red states (like Montana), why should we think we can in 2014? That is, unless things get so bad that enough people wake up and realize it. (i.e. letting the train hit the wall.)

Kit said...

There was a FoxNews article that said Boehner now has the toughest job in Washington.

Tam said...

It's weird. Up until this morning, I really cared. A lot. I was devastated last night. I puked. This morning, I cried a little when I said, "This is not America" but now, hit the wall. Crash and burn. I. Don't. Care.

Kit said...

" I can't get jazzed up about some kind of midterm takeover. I'm tired of this fight."

As Angel of ANGEL said "Maybe they're not meant to be beaten. Maybe they're meant to be fought. Maybe fighting them is what makes human beings so remarkably strong."

There is also this nugget of wisdom from J.R.R. Tolkien
LINK

K said...

Boehner has said that keeping the House was a mandate not to raise taxes - which I interpret to mean the house will pull the trigger on sequestration.

What's interesting to me is how the Democrats managed to set up the Republicans to basically destroy the defense industry - which BTW trends Republican nearly as much as the unions do Democrat. I can't conceive of a scenario where the Dems would be maneuvered to attack one of their constituent special interest group. I suggest Boehner having the toughest job in Washington is mainly due to his own stupidity.


Full disclosure - if sequestration goes ahead I've been told I will lose my job.

More good news: Reid says he's going to "reform" filibuster rules. The Dems are going for the throat.

Tam said...

Kit, I prefer this nugget from Atlas Shrugged:

http://mikecanex.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/as036.jpg

T-Rav said...

Koshcat, SERIOUSLY?!

Okay, that tears it. If we're going to go all apocalyptic in the Religious Right, I demand that we serve the Libertarians in similar fashion. God, I have no words for the level of hatred I'm at right now.

tryanmax said...

T-Rav, just for the record, I consider myself a member of the Religious Right while I criticize it. On the other hand, I am no Libertarian. So, with that said, have at it!

Anthony said...

I'm not surprised the Libertarians cost the Republicans seats. In close elections (and we've known for weeks this would be close) every vote counts.

tryanmax said...

Gotta hand it to Glenn Beck, he's already turning the election into a subscription drive for his website.

Pittsburgh Enigma said...

tryanmax: I heard that about Glenn Beck this morning. Frankly, I think I'm done with talk radio for good. Our local talk idiot Rose Tenant was complaining this morning about Romney not being conservative enough. Huh? Like Santorum would've been a better choice? I was proud to cast my vote for Romney/Ryan. Just like Laura Ingraham on Fox last night--picking apart our candidate before we even lost. I think I'm really really done with it all.

AndrewPrice said...

Pitts, When people are determined to doing something really stupid and really nasty, the best course is to let them hurt themselves, otherwise they will never learn.

AndrewPrice said...

K, It's going to be interesting to see what they do, but I doubt Boehner will allow the defense cuts to go through. It goes way beyond defense contractors and it will slash benefits for military families. Obama can't allow that.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, Done. The Libertarians are dead to me.

AndrewPrice said...

Pitts and tryanmax, I've been done with talk radio for a while. They are stupid and cynical. Igraham on Fox last night actually claimed that Romney lost because he didn't go on "talk radio" (read: her show).

BevfromNYC said...

I got a tweet from Laura Ingraham this morning. I have no idea why, but I tweeted back "Just shut up." It made me feel a little better.

El Gordo said...

Andrew, I agree with everything you wrote. It is not an ugly article, it is the truth. It´s how I feel too and I wish more people will draw the same conclusions.

Love your five points at 12:08

I´m pro life, but for heaven´s sake, why do these social con narcissists always have to bear their souls? What Koshcat said. When the liberal press wants to back you into a corner, lie. LIE, goddamit. You´re a politcian. Chances are you´ve done it before.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I feel like letting go. I´m 47, not responsible for anyone, I spend very little anyway, and much of that on fuel and suits just to go to work. I´m sick of my worst predictions coming true. What is the point? If it´s gonna crash, it can´t come fast enough for me. Both sides of the Atlantic. Being able to say "I told you so" will be small consolation, but I intend to get it.

My hatred for the media has passed the level of slashed tires, smashed windows. I don´t spend money on them. I would spend serious money to hurt them.

I just feel sorry for Israel. Hey, maybe I should vacation there? Spread the wealth around before someone else does. Or we could all go on a cruise?

While I´m not going to celebrate tomorrow, here´s the song that has gone through my head this morning.

"I put my faith in the people
But the people let me down
So I turned the other way
And I carry on, anyhow
That's why I'm telling you
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
Another day of living,
I just want to celebrate another day of life"

BevfromNYC said...

That's I have no idea why I got a tweet from Ingraham. I know EXACTLY why I told her to shut up.

Patriot said...

You want a prediction.....?! Heres a prediction for ya...........California goes bankrupt in a couple years while zero is still in office. He bails them out with federal dollars because we all know that California "Is too big to fail!" Thus we put off the reckoning even more. If the rest of America saw California in anarchy and riots, what do you think would happen? I believe it would start the greater revolution that is simmering under the surface.....as evidenced by an increase in gun sales. (I got mine locked and loaded and waiting for Paul Revere)

My anger and frustration with half this country (including may members of my extended family!) has reached a boiling point. And for all those idiots who don't vote.....be prepared to reap the consequences of your apathy and inaction. The world goes on around you even while you snooze and stay high.

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, LOL! I had no idea that you and Ingraham were friends. ;)

T-Rav said...

tryanmax, good to know! :-)

I would like to attach Karl Rove, Dick Morris, Sean Hannity, and Bill O'Reilly to that list of people we're going to stop listening to. To heck with them all.

Patriot said...

T.......Good list of neocon cheerleaders. I see though you didn't add Limbaugh to the list......May I ask why not?

AndrewPrice said...

El Gordo, Thanks! It is how I feel about things. I wish I didn't. I wish I could say, "hey, this is no big deal," but it's bigger than that. More than half the country just voted for what is basically an economic suicide pact and they voted to take from the other half.

On the pro-life stuff, that's my point exactly. There is NOTHING wrong with being pro-life or with voting to try to end abortion. But our side just shoots themselves in the foot every time they make this into an issue. So many people on our side seem to go out of their way to make it sound like abortion is THE issue, and they attack any Republican who doesn't toe the most extremely line. They want constitutional amendments that can never happen. They start spitting out theology and make sexist statements, and then they foam at the mouth to make the whole thing sound obsessive. And they give the MSM exactly what they want to frame our party as the people who want to control everyone's sex lives. This needs to end.

Just like with the Hispanic issue. I just read a study which said that 60% of Hispanics know someone in their lives who is here illegally. How can we win these people if we keep talking about deporting their friends, and why are we talking about it if we won't actually do anything about it? It's frustrating. It's pointless its self-destructive.

I'm very frustrated by this.

AndrewPrice said...

Patriot, Those who don't vote bear the same responsibility as those who voted for the winner.

I agree with you that California will go bankrupt. It can't be stopped at this point. But I don't think they get bailed out. There is no reason for the Republicans to agree to a bailout since there are no Republicans left in the state who can be punished by voters. I will mention this in tomorrow's article, but I think California's bankruptcy will kick off a depression.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I'm done with them all. They are all in this for profit and self-promotion, not ideology.

tryanmax said...

I'd leave Limbaugh off the list. For one, I don't think "neocon" describes him. For two, he's still firing on half his cylinders, which is far more than I can say about the rest. He did provide a pretty good pep-talk today, and to a small degree echoed Andrew's sentiments about this not being a time for compromise.

Patriot said...

Tyranmax....agree completely on Limbaugh. I think he is the one true voice of American conservatism and this moments Paul Revere. Unfortunately.....or maybe just like in revolutionary times.....Americans aren't listening to him enough. I'm talking about the stoopid party of course.

Sic Semper Tyrannis !!

Anonymous said...

Andrew, interesting point made about California. I feel sad to admit that it's probably true. What worries me is all a question now of how much more are we going to take in National Debt before inflation kicks in? It's not going to be pretty. Second, unless our president has a serious change of heart and walks in with the veto stamp in hand, it's sadly likely that deficits may continue the course.

I also agree with the frustration, at times, and the candidates from Rick Santorum down to Todd Akin make me seriously wonder what is wrong. A great deal of them seemed to lean on abortion like another disappointment of mine leaned on 9-9-9 when he didn't seem to have much to say on the issues.

Joel Farnham said...

Three things come to mind.

1. Erase all voter rolls. Every one who wants to vote must re-register.

2. No more absentee ballots, unless they are in the military.

3. No more cross party voting in primaries.


That is all I can think of today.

AndrewPrice said...

Joel, This wasn't about fraud, it was about too many people realizing they can vote themselves benefits.

Definitely Not Andrew... Well, Probably Andrew said...

tryanmax, No one who agrees with Andrew can be all bad?

wahsatchmo said...

My ex asked me what happens now, since she only talks to me and her dad about politics. Here's what I sent her:

Good news is that now that Obama has been re-elected, I don't have to follow politics anymore, because the US is done! Truthfully, we were fucked to begin with, but now we're well and truly fucked, and the people have proven that they don't care. Romney wouldn't have been able to fix much of anything, but it would have at least sent the message that Americans are aware of how much needs to be addressed. That didn't happen, so there is no hope for this country.

Gas prices should go up to about $6 per gallon in the next four years, which means another doubling of food prices. Domestic energy production will slow to a crawl. Expect $4 trillion of new US debt (but from printed money, because nobody will buy it), so hyperinflation may be possible, and low savings rates will be assured. The dollar will be dropped as the world reserve currency. A nuclear war between Iran and Israel is very possible. War between Japan and China is very possible. Brazil will do very well because of Obama's support for Soros' owned foreign oil (but not US oil). Canada should do well as long as it doesn't restrict its oil production. Russia will probably conduct a series of minor wars against its neighbors. Greece will be ousted from the EU. The EU will continue its decline into oblivion. Australia and China should expect a real estate bust. We can do nothing to address any foreign conflicts, because we will be reducing our military presence throughout the world. We should probably also expect a terrorist attack on domestic soil originating out of Pakistan.

The Libya scandal and Fast & Furious scandal will die without incident. Media companies will begin to receive government funding. Many doctors will retire. Insurance premiums will double. In the short term, there will be a quick rise in taxes collected from people recognizing capital gains (at the current lower rate), then tax collections will plummet in middle 2013. More cities like Detroit will become feral, and the police will abandon them. GM will declare bankruptcy again within the next two years absent a second government bailout. Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac will request a bailout from the government. The US will no longer pass budgets, so spending will increase unchecked. Domestic investing will dry up, meaning fewer startups and innovation. Two new liberal supreme court justices will be appointed, which will encourage an expansion of governmental intervention into our personal lives and liberties for the next twenty years. Property rights will be subject to the whims of the government, and the government will be presumed to be correct. Part time employment will become the norm.

wahsatchmo said...

cont.

Large financial sector corporations (like Goldman Sachs) will essentially direct governmental regulation to prevent competition and siphon value from the investing public. A large bank will go bankrupt, and depositors' accounts will be used to repay creditors. Large companies providing basic goods and services will be able to overtly influence government activity, resulting in monopolies worth billions paid for with minor fines to the government in the tens of millions.

Socially, nothing will be different under Obama than it would have been under Romney, except that your insurance has to pay for your birth control. And that there's a government agency which will decide what is permissible healthcare treatment or not. And that the IRS now has a form to report your healthcare information to them, so they can decide to penalize you or not. Gays won't be any freer to marry, since it's a state's rights issue anyway. Abortion will still be legal, as it would have been under Romney, since he would never have had the justices to overturn Roe v Wade.

But you'll see a new shadow economy evolve. Cash transactions will once again be popular, and services will become traded. We will become French in that cheating the government will be expected and natural. Bribes will become commonplace. The only saving grace that might occur is the unexpected technological innovation, i.e., the Black Swan, that changes the nature of the world. But we're doing everything we can to prevent that under this administration.

So, there's that.

Tennessee Jed said...

looks like Boehner is offering a deal, but it remains to be seen what kind.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, I would have been surprised he hadn't said what he said. We'll need to wait to see how much he really cooperates. He did use all the right caveats, such as demanding Obama take the lead and saying they would agree to the right deal.... sounds like obstruction at this point, but we'll see.

Joel Farnham said...

Andrew,

I am not talking about voter fraud. I just want the people who are willing to drive, walk, crawl to the voting booth to be counted. Not these fat slobs who couldn't be bothered.

I want clean voter rolls so we really know who wants to vote and target them. I want people from my party to vote for people from my party and not people from another party to vote for the candidates they want to face in the fall.

I want voter ID laws to be in place and enforced.

BevfromNYC said...

Joel, that will never happen. Even voter ID laws are going to be scrapped. But take heart. Soon we will have 12+ million new citizens who will call the US home legally. Obama promised if they'd vote for him, he'd make them citizens...

T-Rav said...

For whatever it's worth, MO improved its margin of victory against Obama to 10 points, 54-44. Considering the state only went red by about 3,000 votes last time, that's progress. My own county improved from 69-29 to 74-24, despite certain people insisting all the Republicans who saw how good the stimulus had been to them would turn Democrat. Not that it makes a lot of difference, but proof that I no longer have to worry much about my state being a swinger.

«Oldest ‹Older   1 – 200 of 244   Newer› Newest»

Post a Comment