Joining the Fraters Libertas crew a few months ago, I inherited the biggest set of challenges of any blogger since Franklin Delano Roosevelt (he faced the challenge of blogging without an internet).
I stabilized Fraters Libertas, and prevented the possibility of a significant Atomizer meltdown. The Vikings are winning again.
We are on our way out of the blogging malaise. I think we've got the best possible plan for winning a City Pages blogging award.
We have reset our image around the blogosphere.
I give myself a solid B+.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Electroshock-able Eight
As Saint Paul already noted, the first round LOTY contests featured mostly one-sided outcomes. Here are the final tallies by region:
WEST
Pelosi 95%
Barrymore 5%
Penn 83%
Hughley 17%
MIDWEST
Maher 90%
Grassley 10%
Franken 82%
Hersh 18%
EAST
Gore 92%
Synderman 8%
Letterman 79%
Savage 21%
SOUTHEAST
Carter 60%
Grayson 40%
Garofalo 72%
Sykes 28%
The official LOTY Brackets have been updated to reflect those results and the second round pairings in which voting begins today.
WEST
Pelosi 95%
Barrymore 5%
Penn 83%
Hughley 17%
MIDWEST
Maher 90%
Grassley 10%
Franken 82%
Hersh 18%
EAST
Gore 92%
Synderman 8%
Letterman 79%
Savage 21%
SOUTHEAST
Carter 60%
Grayson 40%
Garofalo 72%
Sykes 28%
The official LOTY Brackets have been updated to reflect those results and the second round pairings in which voting begins today.
2009 Loon of the Year: Quarterfinals
After some frenzied action in round 1, the 2009 Loon of the Year now continues with the quarterfinals. The top seeds generally rolled over the competition, making this round an all-star affair.
In the East, Sarah Palin basher extraordinnaire David Letterman was the only non-top 2 seed in the entire tournament to advance, so fit him for the glass slipper as this year's Cinderella story. He's up against the climate change fear mongering 800-pound gorilla Al Gore and his belief that the core of the Earth has a temperature somewhere north of a couple million degrees.
In the Southeast, Jimmy Carter and his charges of racism against those who oppose Obama escaped the first round with the lowest percentage vote of any of the winners. Malaise may have crept into his LOTY effort and his clinch with acid-tongued, tea bagging expert Janeane Garofalo will be a must see event.
In the West, it's a clash of the Titans. Perennial favorite Nany Pelosi has a strong claim this year with her hopes that citizens will sacrifice their future children in order to help balance the Federal budget. She's up against actor Sean Penn and his emotional advocacy of the trendiest topic of the year, gay marriage, and his thanks for finally having an elegant President of the United States.
In the Midwest, it's the battle of comedians. Talk show host Bill Maher with his classic America bashing routine vs. Senator Al Franken, taking time off from the laughs for a moment to cry about his own selflessness.
Who will win, who will lose? That's for YOU to decide. Polls are open now through the end of the week. You can vote up to once per day.
In the East, Sarah Palin basher extraordinnaire David Letterman was the only non-top 2 seed in the entire tournament to advance, so fit him for the glass slipper as this year's Cinderella story. He's up against the climate change fear mongering 800-pound gorilla Al Gore and his belief that the core of the Earth has a temperature somewhere north of a couple million degrees.
In the Southeast, Jimmy Carter and his charges of racism against those who oppose Obama escaped the first round with the lowest percentage vote of any of the winners. Malaise may have crept into his LOTY effort and his clinch with acid-tongued, tea bagging expert Janeane Garofalo will be a must see event.
In the West, it's a clash of the Titans. Perennial favorite Nany Pelosi has a strong claim this year with her hopes that citizens will sacrifice their future children in order to help balance the Federal budget. She's up against actor Sean Penn and his emotional advocacy of the trendiest topic of the year, gay marriage, and his thanks for finally having an elegant President of the United States.
In the Midwest, it's the battle of comedians. Talk show host Bill Maher with his classic America bashing routine vs. Senator Al Franken, taking time off from the laughs for a moment to cry about his own selflessness.
Who will win, who will lose? That's for YOU to decide. Polls are open now through the end of the week. You can vote up to once per day.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
An Offer You Can't Refuse
Courtesy of tonight's Phineas and Ferb Christmas special, we have another addition to Saint Paul's list of questionable Christmas song lyrics. Consider if you will the second and third verses of the classic We Wish You A Merry Christmas:
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here
"We won't go until get some" certainly seems like an implied threat does it not? Unless you hand over some figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer, these maniacal carolers are going to be on your doorstep disturbing the peace and creating a scene. Not entirely dissimilar to extortion tactics employed by union thugs or even the Mafia. Note too that they aren't asking, they are demanding: "so bring some out here." We'd hate to have anything happen that might uh...spoil your Christmas, you know. Now make with the figgy pudding and we'll be on our way. That way everyone is going to be happy, right?
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here
"We won't go until get some" certainly seems like an implied threat does it not? Unless you hand over some figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer, these maniacal carolers are going to be on your doorstep disturbing the peace and creating a scene. Not entirely dissimilar to extortion tactics employed by union thugs or even the Mafia. Note too that they aren't asking, they are demanding: "so bring some out here." We'd hate to have anything happen that might uh...spoil your Christmas, you know. Now make with the figgy pudding and we'll be on our way. That way everyone is going to be happy, right?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Beer Quest 2010
The Fraters Libertas Beer Ratings have now been updated to reflect recent activity. The list now includes ratings of over four-hundred beers from twenty-six different countries around the world. Among American brews, there are now ratings for beers from twenty-seven states. Which means there are still twenty-three states not represented in the ratings.
In order to correct this imbalance and provide equal representation for the entire country, my 2010 goal is to try to rate a beer from each of the twenty-three states currently absent from the list. It's an ambitious goal as I'll have to average two new states a month to achieve it. I'm not even sure if there are beers from all fifty states available. Preliminary research on the 'net proved inconclusive.
Here's the list of states that I need to hit in 2010. If you know of a brewery in a particular state or if you have a suggestion for the best beer to rate from that state, please drop me a note.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Iowa
Kentucky
Mississippi
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Virginia
West Virginia
Wyoming
In order to correct this imbalance and provide equal representation for the entire country, my 2010 goal is to try to rate a beer from each of the twenty-three states currently absent from the list. It's an ambitious goal as I'll have to average two new states a month to achieve it. I'm not even sure if there are beers from all fifty states available. Preliminary research on the 'net proved inconclusive.
Here's the list of states that I need to hit in 2010. If you know of a brewery in a particular state or if you have a suggestion for the best beer to rate from that state, please drop me a note.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Iowa
Kentucky
Mississippi
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Virginia
West Virginia
Wyoming
Gold In Them Thar Alps
Okay, technically it was posted yesterday, but since I just caught it this morning I'm going with this quote from Vox Day's imagined discussion between British climate scientists as today's line of the day:
Our climate models suck so completely that Tiger hit on them at the last British Open.
Seamlessly combining two of the hottest topics de jour--Climategate and Tiger Woods--in one simple sentence Now, that's good writing.
Our climate models suck so completely that Tiger hit on them at the last British Open.
Seamlessly combining two of the hottest topics de jour--Climategate and Tiger Woods--in one simple sentence Now, that's good writing.
Beer of the Week (Vol. XXXIII)
Fraters Libertas Beer of the Week is brought to you as always by the warm-hearted folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits. They have everything you need to conspire as you drink by the fire and face unafraid the plans that you've made living in this winter wonderland.
If you were forced to spend the rest of your life trapped on a desert island and could only drink one beer, which one would you choose? I would answer the question with a question and inquire about the location of said atoll. If it was in a tropical clime, I'd want to go with a refreshing yet tasty summer beer like Paulaner Hefeweizen. But if it was in a locale that was more prone to colder temperatures, I'd want a more hearty winter offering to see me through the chilly days and nights. And based on the winter beers that I've tried up to this point, were I to have to limit myself to one beer, my choice would have to be Sierra Nevada Brewing's Celebration Ale.
Short brown bottle. Festive label is bordered in holiday red and features a cabin in the mountains surrounded by snow-covered pines. There's a wreath on the door and a fire in the hearth. Sierra Nevada logo set in poinsettias frame the beautiful winter scene.
Beer Style: IPA
Alcohol by Volume: 6.8%
COLOR (0-2): Rich brownish-orange and slightly cloudy. 2
AROMA (0-2): Strong hops with citrus and pine scents. 2
HEAD (0-2): Off-white and thick. Good lacing. 2
TASTE (0-5): Powerful hop flavor with nice bite to it. Full-bodied and rich. Great taste without being overpowering. 4
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Lingering bitterness that finishes smooth. 2
OVERALL (0-6): 2009 is another excellent edition of Celebration Ale. Sierra Nevada's offering continues to be the gold standard when it comes to winter beers. I can't imagine a better way to a spend a cold winter's night than curled up in front of a roaring fire with a six-pack of Celebration Ale. 6
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 18
If you were forced to spend the rest of your life trapped on a desert island and could only drink one beer, which one would you choose? I would answer the question with a question and inquire about the location of said atoll. If it was in a tropical clime, I'd want to go with a refreshing yet tasty summer beer like Paulaner Hefeweizen. But if it was in a locale that was more prone to colder temperatures, I'd want a more hearty winter offering to see me through the chilly days and nights. And based on the winter beers that I've tried up to this point, were I to have to limit myself to one beer, my choice would have to be Sierra Nevada Brewing's Celebration Ale.
Short brown bottle. Festive label is bordered in holiday red and features a cabin in the mountains surrounded by snow-covered pines. There's a wreath on the door and a fire in the hearth. Sierra Nevada logo set in poinsettias frame the beautiful winter scene.
Beer Style: IPA
Alcohol by Volume: 6.8%
COLOR (0-2): Rich brownish-orange and slightly cloudy. 2
AROMA (0-2): Strong hops with citrus and pine scents. 2
HEAD (0-2): Off-white and thick. Good lacing. 2
TASTE (0-5): Powerful hop flavor with nice bite to it. Full-bodied and rich. Great taste without being overpowering. 4
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Lingering bitterness that finishes smooth. 2
OVERALL (0-6): 2009 is another excellent edition of Celebration Ale. Sierra Nevada's offering continues to be the gold standard when it comes to winter beers. I can't imagine a better way to a spend a cold winter's night than curled up in front of a roaring fire with a six-pack of Celebration Ale. 6
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 18
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Dark Horse Or Just A Jackass?
Even though he current trails Jimmy Carter 67% to 33% in first round LOTY voting, Alan Grayson is doing his best to keep the spotlight on his looniness.
Polls remain open until the end of the day tomorrow. Do you believe in miracles?
Polls remain open until the end of the day tomorrow. Do you believe in miracles?
Lunar Eclipse
December Dementia rolls on with first round voting continuing until tomorrow. Even though most of the contests are rather lopsided at this point--with the leaders receiving vote totals usually only seen in Massachusetts elections involving people named Kennedy--we still encourage you to vote early and often. It ain't over until it's over and no concession speeches have been delivered yet (although rumor has it that Drew Barrymore's pretty much mailed hers in already). After the polling closes, the winners will be announced and voting in the second round will open on Monday. Those contests are shaping up to much more evenly matched and we expect to see more drama unfold next week. We don't have any personal stake in the outcome and leave it up the wisdom of the voters to determine the winners and losers. But the one thing we really hope for is that there's a clear winner in Al Franken's second round matchup. Don't think we're quite ready to handle another recount just yet.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Merry Christmas? No Such Thing
We're about two weeks out from Thanksgiving, meaning we're about two weeks into 'round the clock Christmas music on at least three Twin Cities stations I listen to. Two weeks of constant reinforcement and repetition of the stuff and I'm at capacity for enjoyment already. Now I'm in the phase of really listening to the lyrics and noticing some rather disturbing things. It seems some of the old standbys aren't as wholesome as we were led to believe. In fact, some of them advocate for the most grievous ills that plague our society today.
A few of the worst offenders:
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Rabid ageism.
And so I'm offering this simple phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two
Although its been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you
Now, I agree with denying the newborn segment Holiday greetings, they are barely sentient beings, it's just wasted breath. But what's up with an arbitrary standard for shafting the elderly? If you're 92, Merry Christmas. If you're 93, cram It with walnuts gramps.
Maybe it's foreshadowing of the kind of rationing to come under Obama health care and cap and trade reforms. We can't afford these old people producing all of this extra carbon with the caroling and hall decking and wassail punch drinking and breathing. Kids from one to, oh say, 62, Merry Christmas. 63 plus, don't forget you have an appointment with your district death panel on December 23.
From Generians.com, a short list of those who turned 93 this year and are officially uninvited from the Christmas party. Please restrict your Season's Greetings accordingly:
Actor Kirk Douglas. Actress Olivia De Havilland. Historian Bernard Lewis. Dictator Raoul Castro. Former Minneapolis Lakers coach John Kundla. NPR commentator Daniel Schorr. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Coop. Gilligan's Island creator Sherwood Schwartz. Former Norwegian Minister of Industry Finn Lied (Finn Lied,, Christmas Died).
To all of you, Christmas is over and it ain't coming back. Maybe you can look into Kwanzaa.
Holly Jolly Christmas
Sexual harassment.
Oh ho the mistletoe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me
That's a request you don't hear every day. Hey, next time you and your lady are hooking up, whaddya say you find a way to work me into the mix? Who does this guy think he is, Tiger Woods?
It reminds me of a line from the holiday classic, The Jerk. Navin (Steve Martin) and Marie (Bernadette Peters) on their first date:
The "kiss her once for me" request is especially weird coming from Burl Ives. He was born in 1909, making him a centegenarian (that is, if he weren't already dead). Perhaps this indicates the reason 92 was the proposed age cut-off for being offered a "Merry Christmas". Offering it to men beyond that age risks a sexual proposition in return.
Winter Wonderland
Social Inequality
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say: Are you married? We'll say: No man.
But you can do the job when you're in town.
"No, man"? Where is this meadow located, Haight Ashbury?
The use of "man" as a vocative expression I assume to be yet another charming contribution to the culture from the 1960s- early 1970s. For example, the 1971 Five Man Electrical Band hit song, Signs: If God was here, he'd tell you to your face, man you're some kinda sinner. And the ubiquitous generalized greeting from the era: "Hey, man, give me some drugs!"
However, Winter Wonderland was written in an earlier era. You can't blame the dirty hippies. In fact, you can't really blame the filthy beatniks or the moderately soiled bobby soxers either. It predates all of them, with the song being written in 1934.
So, if baby boomer juvenile angst, challenging of authority, and drugs are ruled out, what is the source of "man" as an informal term of address? For that answer, we turn to my favorite book, "The Dictionary of Epithets and Terms of Address" by Leslie Dunkling. (BTW, if you really want to stick it to a buddy of yours, call them a "Leslie Dunkling".)
According to Dunkling (heh), the use of "man" in this way has a long tradition in the English language, going back at leas as far as James Joyce and Charles Dickens Excerpts from the Dictionary.
Well that explains that. The ancestor's of the couple in Winter Wonderland hailed from Wales and/or the Tynesdale region, making them privileged white people. And they were offended by the impetuous question of a perceived social inferior and they put him in his place with a sharp answer! Take that you uppity snowman! John Edwards was right, there are two Americas.
Clearly the kinds of discrimination and hatred evident in these songs have no place in America during the Age of Obama. I call on local radio stations to cease playing these songs and instead concentrate on the more wholesome, unifying Christmas carols that reflect our values.
That's it for me. I'll just sing a little from one on the approved list on my way out:
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay
A few of the worst offenders:
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Rabid ageism.
And so I'm offering this simple phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two
Although its been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you
Now, I agree with denying the newborn segment Holiday greetings, they are barely sentient beings, it's just wasted breath. But what's up with an arbitrary standard for shafting the elderly? If you're 92, Merry Christmas. If you're 93, cram It with walnuts gramps.
Maybe it's foreshadowing of the kind of rationing to come under Obama health care and cap and trade reforms. We can't afford these old people producing all of this extra carbon with the caroling and hall decking and wassail punch drinking and breathing. Kids from one to, oh say, 62, Merry Christmas. 63 plus, don't forget you have an appointment with your district death panel on December 23.
From Generians.com, a short list of those who turned 93 this year and are officially uninvited from the Christmas party. Please restrict your Season's Greetings accordingly:
Actor Kirk Douglas. Actress Olivia De Havilland. Historian Bernard Lewis. Dictator Raoul Castro. Former Minneapolis Lakers coach John Kundla. NPR commentator Daniel Schorr. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Coop. Gilligan's Island creator Sherwood Schwartz. Former Norwegian Minister of Industry Finn Lied (Finn Lied,, Christmas Died).
To all of you, Christmas is over and it ain't coming back. Maybe you can look into Kwanzaa.
Holly Jolly Christmas
Sexual harassment.
Oh ho the mistletoe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me
That's a request you don't hear every day. Hey, next time you and your lady are hooking up, whaddya say you find a way to work me into the mix? Who does this guy think he is, Tiger Woods?
It reminds me of a line from the holiday classic, The Jerk. Navin (Steve Martin) and Marie (Bernadette Peters) on their first date:
Navin R. Johnson: Do you think the next time you make love to your boyfriend you could think of me?
Marie: Well I haven't made love to him yet.
Navin: That's too bad. Do you think its possible that someday you could make love with me and think of him?
Marie: Who knows maybe you and he could make love and you could think of me.
Navin: I'd be happy to be in there somewhere
The "kiss her once for me" request is especially weird coming from Burl Ives. He was born in 1909, making him a centegenarian (that is, if he weren't already dead). Perhaps this indicates the reason 92 was the proposed age cut-off for being offered a "Merry Christmas". Offering it to men beyond that age risks a sexual proposition in return.
Winter Wonderland
Social Inequality
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say: Are you married? We'll say: No man.
But you can do the job when you're in town.
"No, man"? Where is this meadow located, Haight Ashbury?
The use of "man" as a vocative expression I assume to be yet another charming contribution to the culture from the 1960s- early 1970s. For example, the 1971 Five Man Electrical Band hit song, Signs: If God was here, he'd tell you to your face, man you're some kinda sinner. And the ubiquitous generalized greeting from the era: "Hey, man, give me some drugs!"
However, Winter Wonderland was written in an earlier era. You can't blame the dirty hippies. In fact, you can't really blame the filthy beatniks or the moderately soiled bobby soxers either. It predates all of them, with the song being written in 1934.
So, if baby boomer juvenile angst, challenging of authority, and drugs are ruled out, what is the source of "man" as an informal term of address? For that answer, we turn to my favorite book, "The Dictionary of Epithets and Terms of Address" by Leslie Dunkling. (BTW, if you really want to stick it to a buddy of yours, call them a "Leslie Dunkling".)
According to Dunkling (heh), the use of "man" in this way has a long tradition in the English language, going back at leas as far as James Joyce and Charles Dickens Excerpts from the Dictionary.
"A commonly used vocative by mainly working-class speakers, usually address to an adult male but in many varieties of English addressed also to women.
American speakers use the term more than British speakers of English, which may reflect interference from Spanish, where hombre is commonly used.
Black Americans and British speakers of Caribbean origins appear to use the word vocatively more than other groups, though is also very frequent in e.g., Wales and English regions such as Tynesdale.
Used by middle class speakers, "man" is often used by a socially or professionally superior to a junior, especially if the speaker is irritated with the hearer.
Well that explains that. The ancestor's of the couple in Winter Wonderland hailed from Wales and/or the Tynesdale region, making them privileged white people. And they were offended by the impetuous question of a perceived social inferior and they put him in his place with a sharp answer! Take that you uppity snowman! John Edwards was right, there are two Americas.
Clearly the kinds of discrimination and hatred evident in these songs have no place in America during the Age of Obama. I call on local radio stations to cease playing these songs and instead concentrate on the more wholesome, unifying Christmas carols that reflect our values.
That's it for me. I'll just sing a little from one on the approved list on my way out:
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay
Fickle In The Middle
Scene from "Simpson's" episode 3F20 Much Apu About Nothing:
The mail arrives.
Homer: Woo-hoo! A perfect day. Zero bears and one big fat hairy paycheck. [opens it up]
Hey! How come my pay is so low?...Bear patrol tax! This is an outrage! It's the biggest tax increase in history!
Lisa: Actually, Dad, it's the smallest tax increase in history.
Homer: Let the bears pay the bear tax. I pay the Homer tax.
Lisa: That's homeowner tax.
Homer: Well, anyway, I'm still outraged.
Later in front of the mayor's office, the mob is back, yelling "Down with taxes! Down with taxes!"
Quimby: Are those morons getting dumber or just louder?
Assistant: [checks his clipboard] Dumber, sir.
Quimby: They want the bear patrol but they won't pay taxes for it.
There's no denying that less than a year into his administration the bloom is already off the Obama rose for many Americans. His approval ratings have steadily declined since last spring and many of his most prominent policies--including those that he campaigned heavily on--no longer enjoy support from the majority of voters.
Like most conservatives I welcome these developments and hope that they are a sign that the American people are still mostly center-right in their political outlook and have been turned off by President Obama's leftward veer. But I also wonder if there's a more disturbing angle to the rather sudden turnabout in American public opinion. Have the American people--or at least the moderate middle portion of the population--become like the residents of Springfield who want the bear patrol, but don't want to pay for it?
Victor Davis Hanson explained how these incompatible views have helped wreck havoc in California in a piece in the November 23rd edition of National Review (sub req):
What went wrong is not just gerrymandered legislative districts, activist judges, ballot propositions, and constitutional requirements for two-thirds majorities. Those are manifestations of a deeper malady, the residue of past efforts, both conservative and liberal, to shake up the state. Conservative Californians--sick of crime and high taxes--passed ballot propositions to restrict the options of liberal public officials, who during budget crises often had cut essential services to shock voters into approving questionable pet entitlements. Liberal environmentalists used the same referendum process to institutionalize much of their no-growth agenda. Neither side worried about the resulting costs--or the underlying reasons for which the state had so much criminal activity to begin with, or for which those who had homes in nice places did not want others to have the same opportunity.
In short, the problem is us--the mercurial public of California. A certain therapeutic mindset of wanting things without regard for what they'll cost has set in. While this is a common trend in contemporary America, it has become gospel here in California.
During the campaign last year, independent voters liked hearing Obama promise them that he would reduce health care costs, get people around the world to like us once again, and keep the seas from rising because of global warming. Now that they realize that bringing these promises to fruition means restricting their medical choices, prostrating ourselves before the world (figuratively and literally), and stunting our prospects for economic growth they're not so sanguine about the reality of President Obama.
The pace of these moderate mood swings has likely been exacerbated by the non-stop nature of the political news cycle and the desire for immediate gratification spawned by our consumer culture. There's no longer time for a pause, a chance to let things play out and develop. We need it and we need it now. President Obama has been criticized for remaining in campaign mode even after taking office, but maybe that's a recognition on his part on the need to constantly demonstrate to these independents that you're meeting their ever changing needs.
For the moment, the fickle nature of moderate voters is working in favor of conservatives. But there lies a danger in this unwillingness of the middle to commit to a course whether that course heads left or right. In order to address the long term problems facing the country, at some point there's going to have to be a period of relative political stability. With more and more Americans identifying themselves as part of the middle, their willingness to hold the center will determine whether we see such stability anytime in the near future.
The mail arrives.
Homer: Woo-hoo! A perfect day. Zero bears and one big fat hairy paycheck. [opens it up]
Hey! How come my pay is so low?...Bear patrol tax! This is an outrage! It's the biggest tax increase in history!
Lisa: Actually, Dad, it's the smallest tax increase in history.
Homer: Let the bears pay the bear tax. I pay the Homer tax.
Lisa: That's homeowner tax.
Homer: Well, anyway, I'm still outraged.
Later in front of the mayor's office, the mob is back, yelling "Down with taxes! Down with taxes!"
Quimby: Are those morons getting dumber or just louder?
Assistant: [checks his clipboard] Dumber, sir.
Quimby: They want the bear patrol but they won't pay taxes for it.
There's no denying that less than a year into his administration the bloom is already off the Obama rose for many Americans. His approval ratings have steadily declined since last spring and many of his most prominent policies--including those that he campaigned heavily on--no longer enjoy support from the majority of voters.
Like most conservatives I welcome these developments and hope that they are a sign that the American people are still mostly center-right in their political outlook and have been turned off by President Obama's leftward veer. But I also wonder if there's a more disturbing angle to the rather sudden turnabout in American public opinion. Have the American people--or at least the moderate middle portion of the population--become like the residents of Springfield who want the bear patrol, but don't want to pay for it?
Victor Davis Hanson explained how these incompatible views have helped wreck havoc in California in a piece in the November 23rd edition of National Review (sub req):
What went wrong is not just gerrymandered legislative districts, activist judges, ballot propositions, and constitutional requirements for two-thirds majorities. Those are manifestations of a deeper malady, the residue of past efforts, both conservative and liberal, to shake up the state. Conservative Californians--sick of crime and high taxes--passed ballot propositions to restrict the options of liberal public officials, who during budget crises often had cut essential services to shock voters into approving questionable pet entitlements. Liberal environmentalists used the same referendum process to institutionalize much of their no-growth agenda. Neither side worried about the resulting costs--or the underlying reasons for which the state had so much criminal activity to begin with, or for which those who had homes in nice places did not want others to have the same opportunity.
In short, the problem is us--the mercurial public of California. A certain therapeutic mindset of wanting things without regard for what they'll cost has set in. While this is a common trend in contemporary America, it has become gospel here in California.
During the campaign last year, independent voters liked hearing Obama promise them that he would reduce health care costs, get people around the world to like us once again, and keep the seas from rising because of global warming. Now that they realize that bringing these promises to fruition means restricting their medical choices, prostrating ourselves before the world (figuratively and literally), and stunting our prospects for economic growth they're not so sanguine about the reality of President Obama.
The pace of these moderate mood swings has likely been exacerbated by the non-stop nature of the political news cycle and the desire for immediate gratification spawned by our consumer culture. There's no longer time for a pause, a chance to let things play out and develop. We need it and we need it now. President Obama has been criticized for remaining in campaign mode even after taking office, but maybe that's a recognition on his part on the need to constantly demonstrate to these independents that you're meeting their ever changing needs.
For the moment, the fickle nature of moderate voters is working in favor of conservatives. But there lies a danger in this unwillingness of the middle to commit to a course whether that course heads left or right. In order to address the long term problems facing the country, at some point there's going to have to be a period of relative political stability. With more and more Americans identifying themselves as part of the middle, their willingness to hold the center will determine whether we see such stability anytime in the near future.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Bric A Brac
December Dementia is now upon us. While you vote for the most worthy contenders to move on from the Senseless Sixteen to the next round, you can also make your own predictions with the official Loon of the Year tournament bracket. Download it now, fill in your picks, and send in your selections. The winner will receive a prize of some sort and be congratulated on air during the special January 2nd NARN First Team LOTY broadcast. The voting has already begun, but we'll still accept your picks until the end of the week.
Here's my quick and dirty analysis of how the first round will play out. One of the key intangibles in predicting the tournament is how voters weight the looniness of each contender. Do they pay more attention to the particular statement that caused the person to be honored as Loon of the Week or do they go more by their overall track record and reputation for lunacy? Past LOTY winners seem to indicate that name recognition plays a large role in determining who will prevail.
The West Region is Nancy Pelosi's to lose. She's the number one seed in the region as well as in the overall tournament and should have no problem in her first round matchup with Drew Barrymore. The other contest is more interesting. DL Hughley isn't as nearly as well known as Sean Penn, but it terms of looniness his clip ranks high. I expect Penn to pull through, although Hughley might make it close.
The Midwest promises to see some drama with two tough contenders. #2 seed Al Franken has the home bin advantage, but #1 seed Bill Maher has a long and loony record to fall back on. I expect them both to breeze through their opening matchups and face off in a frenzied regional final.
At this time of year momentum is everything and no one has more mo' heading into this tourney that the East's #1 seed Al Gore. With the recent Climategate revelations and the Copenhagen talks opening this week, Gore is as hot as he's been in years. His reputation and his very unscientific remark about temperatures at the earth's core make him a serious contender for the LOTY crown. His opposition in the East will like melt away as he steams ahead to the next round. The Letterman-Savage contest is interesting to watch just to see how much voters are leaning toward names they know.
Finally, we have the South which features another strong #1 seed in native son Jimmy Carter. Carter's another contender with a long record of loony achievement which should be enough to propel him into the next round. The Sykes-Garofalo cat fight (sorry for the visual) could be vicious and it's unclear which of the two loony ladies will come out on top. Based on content alone, I'd give it to Sykes, but I think Garofalo's history will come into play with voters and they'll send her to a regional final against the 'nut farmer.
So get your brackets filled out, your votes in, and sit back and enjoy the insanity of December Dementia.
Here's my quick and dirty analysis of how the first round will play out. One of the key intangibles in predicting the tournament is how voters weight the looniness of each contender. Do they pay more attention to the particular statement that caused the person to be honored as Loon of the Week or do they go more by their overall track record and reputation for lunacy? Past LOTY winners seem to indicate that name recognition plays a large role in determining who will prevail.
The West Region is Nancy Pelosi's to lose. She's the number one seed in the region as well as in the overall tournament and should have no problem in her first round matchup with Drew Barrymore. The other contest is more interesting. DL Hughley isn't as nearly as well known as Sean Penn, but it terms of looniness his clip ranks high. I expect Penn to pull through, although Hughley might make it close.
The Midwest promises to see some drama with two tough contenders. #2 seed Al Franken has the home bin advantage, but #1 seed Bill Maher has a long and loony record to fall back on. I expect them both to breeze through their opening matchups and face off in a frenzied regional final.
At this time of year momentum is everything and no one has more mo' heading into this tourney that the East's #1 seed Al Gore. With the recent Climategate revelations and the Copenhagen talks opening this week, Gore is as hot as he's been in years. His reputation and his very unscientific remark about temperatures at the earth's core make him a serious contender for the LOTY crown. His opposition in the East will like melt away as he steams ahead to the next round. The Letterman-Savage contest is interesting to watch just to see how much voters are leaning toward names they know.
Finally, we have the South which features another strong #1 seed in native son Jimmy Carter. Carter's another contender with a long record of loony achievement which should be enough to propel him into the next round. The Sykes-Garofalo cat fight (sorry for the visual) could be vicious and it's unclear which of the two loony ladies will come out on top. Based on content alone, I'd give it to Sykes, but I think Garofalo's history will come into play with voters and they'll send her to a regional final against the 'nut farmer.
So get your brackets filled out, your votes in, and sit back and enjoy the insanity of December Dementia.
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