Obama Supports Affirmative Action in Court
Don’t look at what people say. Look at what they do:
On Monday, the Obama administration, along with most of the higher-education and business establishment, weighed in with amicus briefs in support of racial preferences at the University of Texas at Austin. Given Barack Obama’s mixed messages on affirmative action in the past—he has said his own daughters do not deserve a leg up in admissions and that he understands the resentment toward preferences by whites who do not feel particularly privileged—there was a modest hope that he would break with longstanding Democratic Party orthodoxy to promote a better kind of affirmative action that looks at gaping economic inequalities in our country rather than just counting skin color. He blinked, however, and filed a brief that is unlikely to do anything to change the minds of Supreme Court justices and may do real damage to the president’s own re-election chances.
The administration’s brief with the Supreme Court argues that even though the University of Texas at Austin was able to achieve substantial racial and ethnic diversity without using race—by giving a preference to low-income students and automatically admitting students in the top 10 percent of their high school—Texas was right to restore racial preferences in the freshman class beginning in 2005 so that the university would better reflect the state’s demographic breakdown.
Blah blah blah in favor of centrism — and then, when the rubber hits the road, give us leftism.
Four more years of this?!
I think there’s something more insidious at work here than Leftism. I think that decades of preferential treatment and of appeasement of the likes of Jesse I’l go away for a small donation” Jackson have convinced just about everybody in both government and education that brown skinned people simply can’t make it without favoritism.
That must scare the hell out of any Black person with the brains God gave a turnip.
C. S. P. Schofield (4feea2) — 8/18/2012 @ 1:48 pmRacists!
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/18/2012 @ 1:50 pmThe last thing Obama needs to do right now is piss off his base. If they get ambivalent about re-electing, he hasn’t a chance. If he did anything other than toe the affirmative action line, Al Sharpton would have been publicly dissing him before the ink was dry.
Kevin M (bf8ad7) — 8/18/2012 @ 1:51 pmI think that the Left loves aristocracy, which is ironic, given how te Left and the MSM portrays the Right.
And aristocracy is a thread that runs deep throughout racialism: that your ancestry is more important than your abilities.
It’s something I think of as “ethnocracy”.
Simon Jester (3d269a) — 8/18/2012 @ 1:57 pmI promise you race-based admissions, in-state tuition for illegals, no deportations, more student loans, and free contraception!
Vote for me in 2012, your no pander President.
Obama 2012
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:07 pmUnfortunately, all too often, a somethingocracy turns into a somethingocrazy …
I suspect that Kevin M has it right …
As the first commenter on this post said, the perception that minorities cannot make it without favo(u)ritism is heavily pushed by a political party that cannot make it without showing favouritism …
Alasdair (2cd241) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:09 pmAs Instapundit suggested, I find it hard to believe Patterico has so far resisted using the words P*ssy Riot in a headline.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:18 pmFor important journalistic purposes of course.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:20 pmsince Barry used it
Colonel Haiku (b4de1c) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:23 pmhe’d be a stone hypocrite
not to support it
the perception that minorities cannot make it without favo(u)ritism is heavily pushed by a political party that cannot make it without showing favouritism …
My question would be: What informed that perception and why is there no push back from minorities (in any significant number) against the insult?
Dana (292dcf) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:25 pmAffirmative action based on race is problematic, but as far as “original intent” is concerned the history is of race based policy is there from the start.
As to whether at this point it’s appropriate, I’ll leave that to others to argue.
still sleeeeepy (b5f718) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:31 pmAs Instapundit suggested, I find it hard to believe Patterico has so far resisted using the words P*ssy Riot in a headline.
They keep getting caught in the spam filter.
Kevin M (bf8ad7) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:34 pmstill sleeeepy, “original intent” of what? The Fourteenth Amendment? Your comment is incoherent drivel.
SPQR (f428d5) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:43 pmHe’s probably hoping the affirmative action thing might get him the ‘Emperor of the World’ gig he’s been hoping for. But if the affirmative action thing doesn’t bother you, perhaps this might:
He (and Clinton) supported the Muslim Brotherhood takeover of Egypt. Now, these maniacs are crucifying opponents to their regieme(LITERALLY crucifying people):
http://thefinereport.com/2012/08/wish-this-was-a-joke-but-its-not-muslim-brotherhood-crucifying-christians-in-egypt/
And if THAT doesn’t bother you, perhaps the destruction of our national security and military infrastructure by Obama and Janet Napolitano will:
http://thefinereport.com/2012/08/no-joke-dept-of-home-girl-security-scandal-widens/
If none of that bothers you, why are you here?
Editor (0ac3c4) — 8/18/2012 @ 2:58 pmWho the hell are you?
SPQR (f428d5) — 8/18/2012 @ 3:07 pmYou’re really a just right webmaster. The site loading pace is incredible. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. Moreover, The contents are masterwork. you have performed a great process in this topic!
W3 Network Solutions (4f6032) — 8/18/2012 @ 3:19 pmSupports AA?
It’s all they know how to do, they drank that Kool-aid so long ago it’s now part of their DNA.
AD-Restore The Republic/Obama Sucks! (2bb434) — 8/18/2012 @ 3:26 pmIt is now time for SCOTUS to drive a stake through this vampire’s heart – this insanity has gone on too long.
The Soros/Axelrod nomenklatura are slowly coming up out of their holes, and will appear more and more frequently.
BTW, did you hear that Dingy Harry uses Axelrod to pimp his pederasty?
AD-Restore The Republic/Obama Sucks! (2bb434) — 8/18/2012 @ 3:27 pmTo SPQR:
Editor (0ac3c4) — 8/18/2012 @ 3:44 pmJust a patriot a patriot, with a wicked sense of humor, a knowledge of the law and a terrific grasp of history.
SPQR:
Editor (0ac3c4) — 8/18/2012 @ 3:45 pmProbably few people know your handle stands for
“S enātus P opulus q ue R ōmānus” (“The Senate and People of Rome”)
Editor, so you just popped in here, (not realizing that probably everyone who has been commenting here for years knows where my handle comes from), to flog your blog and tell us that if you were not concerned with your concerns that “what are we going here?”
Really?
Who the hell are you?
SPQR (f428d5) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:01 pmActually, SPQR, Who the Hell cares?
AD-Restore The Republic/Obama Sucks! (2bb434) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:03 pmSPQR, whoa, baby — you’re taking this the wrong way. My comment re ‘not concerned’ wasn’t addressed to to the like-minded who post on Patterico. It was addressed to the you-know-whos. We’re on your side.
Editor (0ac3c4) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:09 pmJust another “concerned conservative”.
Been there, done that, got the shit-sandwich on my t-shirt.
AD-Restore The Republic/Obama Sucks! (2bb434) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:10 pm_____________________________________________
Blah blah blah in favor of centrism
Hardly surprising. After all, Obama is a dyed-in-the-wool liberal, a leftist through and through. That’s based on his history since birth, including his close associations with various ultra-liberals, and even his early years with staunch leftists on both sides of his family.
If he ever appears to be slightly less than dogmatic, it’s merely because the system (ie, checks and balances) doesn’t allow him to be a dictator, and also because he personally favors a comfortable, smooth lifestyle—-consequently, his “limousine liberalism,” which is a type of hypocrisy that applies to most liberals.
Mark (d47523) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:12 pmAD-RTP/OS, certainly I don’t.
Editor, no I don’t think I’m taking “this” the wrong way.
SPQR (f428d5) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:16 pmI imagine you can take it any way you want, but taking it the way the write intended it is the better way. Especially when the writer expressly states his intent.
Editor (0ac3c4) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:22 pm___________________________________________
He (and Clinton) supported the Muslim Brotherhood takeover of Egypt.
It’s interesting how so many of those on the left were big pushovers when it came to Communism and the Soviet bloc in particular, and how they’re now behaving in a similar way towards Islamism. But the possibility they’ll be really bitten in the butt this time around is greater since Islamo-fascism has social-cultural peculiarities that are closer to what many people would characterize as far rightism than the far leftism. Therefore, there’s even greater irony and lunacy in the way the left of the Western world is dealing with reality in the early 21st century.
Mark (d47523) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:30 pmBut he is a good man just trying to do what he thinks is best for the country. While I disagree with Obama’s policies, I do believe his heart is in the right place. If he wins again, we should look on the bright side and pat ourselves on the back that our country has come so far we could elect an african american president twice!
Mr. Pink (25b629) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:54 pmMark – #27
This one’s easy. They bought into it because it’s not that horrible “democracy/capitalism” thing, so it just has to be better, don’t cha know. They go for anything that is different from the one thing that actually works.
Bill M (2f7437) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:57 pm“The Fourteenth Amendment? Your comment is incoherent drivel.”
Read up on your history. The people who wrote it wrote raced-based policy and race-based laws, in favor of blacks. Whether that was the right decision is something else entirely.
http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/a_new_birth_of_freedom_the_forgotten_history_of_the_13th_14th_and_15th_amen/
still sleeeeepy (b5f718) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:58 pmIn a circular kind of way, this whole affirmative action deal is reminiscent of how people in Old Europe were given advantages and preferences based on who their parents were, rather than their own individual merit.
Racism will never be 100% eradicated anymore than bias against ugly people, or fat people will be eradicated, etc.
Therefore, the premise that we must continue with affirmative action until racism is eliminated is a faulty premise.
Any and every human institution is going to be flawed due to the inherent participation of human beings.
The beauty about capitalism is it is merit based. If you’re a business owner, you want to maximize profits. You want to maximize profits by hiring the best employees to facilliate maximizing profits. If that prospective employee is white, black, yellow, brown, or has polka dots, I don’t think most capitalists care, just as long as the job gets done efficiently.
We really need to steer our nation back toward a mindset of merit and achievement, rather than one based on grievances and incidental characteristics such as skin color.
It’s better for society when merit and productivity and efficiency and competency are rewarded—that way, we get more productivity, efficiency and competency.
I want an airline pilot or a brain surgeon or the head chef at my favorite restaurant to be working there due to competency, rather than due to having won a proverbial raffle.
The successes facilliated by the brainiacs, go-getters, and titans of industry among us actually elevate the standard of living for the lower classes.
It used to be that the poor in America were thin and malnourised, particularly in isolated pockets such as parts of Appalachia.
Now, poor people tend toward being obese.
Also, many “low income” people have flat-screen TVs, smart phones, air conditioning (at least those window units, if not central air)a microwave oven, and other little gadgets that make life more comfortable. A poor person can buy Dr. Scholl’s gel inserts for their shoes, and they can buy a bottle of aspirin at CVS or Walmart for a reasonable price. None of these things was available to the zillionaires or Kings and Queens of the 19th century.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 8/18/2012 @ 4:59 pmWell, of course, the argument for affirmative action isn’t ethnic diversity.
Its that ethnic groups in a few cases are deprived of the education and experience necessary to achieve.
Give under qualified groups a hand up and they will reach the median.
Step in It has just set affirmative action back a generation whatever the govmint do.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:01 pmHey, that is the fourth or fifth time that I have asked “still sleeeepy” a couple of questions, and he has not answered.
I asked the troll what other names he had posted under here at Patterico’s.
Then I asked if he had ever been banned under any of those names, and if so, why?
Interesting he doesn’t answer, isn’t it? Easy enough to say “I have never posted here until recently” and “I have never been banned.”
But he doesn’t write that.
I think we all know the answer.
Just a silly dishonest troll.
Simon Jester (3d269a) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:11 pmKevin M wrote:
Nahhh! They’re going to vote for him regardless, and had he not toed the AA line, they’d have all just known that it was for the purposes of the election, and he’d be right back in line after the election.
And am I the only one who has noticed that AA stands for both Affirmative Action and Alcoholics Anonymous?
The realistic Dana (f68855) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:30 pmIf you weren’t all racist birthers, you would understand the brilliance of Teh Won’s actions.
JD (ed00b1) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:32 pmI do believe his heart is in the right place.
Comment by Mr. Pink — 8/18/2012 @ 4:54 pm
I think most of us agree that his heart is slightly to the left of the center of his chest, as no one has accused him of being an extraterrestrial.
MD in Philly (464fb2) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:36 pmThough I guess many would say that metaphorically his heart is way to the left of the center.
MD in Philly (464fb2) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:38 pmAD wrote:
In a way, they did. Justice O’Connor’s opinion in Grutter v Bollinger, the University of Michigan Law School Affirmative Action case, concluded with:
That was 2003; we’re down to 16 years remaining of Supreme Court approved Affirmative Action.
The Dana who isn't a lawyer. (f68855) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:38 pmThe Philadelphia physician wrote:
Well, he claims he wasn’t born in Kenya, and we know he wasn’t born in Hawai’i, so I fail to find any evidence that he was born on earth.
Really, is there any proof that he isn’t an alien? Have you noticed that he has steadfastly refused to provide a DNA sample, which could confirm that he is truly human?
The sarcastic Dana (f68855) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:45 pmE.T., ph0ne h0me…
Colonel Haiku (ead448) — 8/18/2012 @ 5:57 pmSince we are talking something about the one’s reelection chances…
Did I, or did I not tell y’all that Ryan needed to campaign with his mom, huh, huh?
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/08/mom-you-did-build-that.php
My next suggestion, is that they compare highlights of the Ryan budget proposal with the Obama budgets of the last 3 years, complete with visual props like a whiteboard/blackboard, starting with, “Here is the 2010 budget___”, which of course is blank; “Here is the 2011 budget____”; and so on. Make clear the point that the President has failed to present a budget that has passed since 2009. How can you trust anyone with money who can’t make a budget, let alone keep one?
MD in Philly (464fb2) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:01 pmHe is like David Bowie’s character in “Man who fell to earth’, isn’t he,
narciso (ee31f1) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:12 pmOn my way home from the bars,
The Limerick Avenger (f68855) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:25 pmI wondered, “Is Obama from Mars?”
In this big race,
Could he be from space,
‘Cause the ‘conomy, it sure sees stars!
That would be awesome.
“Mr. Romney, release your tax returns so we can verify that you paid taxes.”
“Mr. Obama, release a blood test to prove that you are not a grey space alien from the Andromeda Galaxy.”
Must-see TV>
Pious Agnostic (ee2c24) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:42 pmTHe Planet Skyron, remember that. why are we surprised in light of his lectures of U. of C,
narciso (ee31f1) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:47 pmhis appearances on NPR, et al,
3. Comment by Kevin M — 8/18/2012 @ 1:51 pm
If he did anything other than toe the affirmative action line, Al Sharpton would have been publicly dissing him before the ink was dry.
The other day, he relied on Al Sharpton to defend him, when in an interview with some kind of black publication * he said, in answer to a question, he said something like: “I’m not the president of black America, I’m the president of all Americans.”
This caused a problem for him with some people.
http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/08/obama-im-not-the-president-of-black-america-131351.html
* Black Enterprise magazine.
Sammy Finkelman (b9340a) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:51 pmWe already know that an alien race abducted humans around 4000 BC, and while some of the descendants of these humans were sent back to earth after conditioning with missions which were (supposedly) good and noble, how do we know that Barack Hussein Obama isn’t a conditioned descendant of one of these humans with a more nefarious mission assigned?
After all, he has taken the economy of the most powerful nation on earth, an economy which normally recovers from recessions quickly, and kept it mired in the economic doldrums for almost four years now. If space aliens wanted to weaken earth’s defenses for possible conquest, how better to do so than to get an alien-conditioned and brainwashed agent into the American presidency?
The Star Trek fan Dana (f68855) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:53 pmFrom the Black Enterprise Magazine interview: (as quoted by Politico)
How do you respond to criticism that your administration hasn’t done enough to support black businesses?
My general view has been consistent throughout, which is that I want all businesses to succeed. I want all Americans to have opportunity. I’m not the president of black America. I’m the president of the United States of America, but the programs that we have put in place have been directed at those folks who are least able to get financing through conventional means, who have been in the past locked out of opportunities that were available to everybody. So, I’ll put my track record up against anybody in terms of us putting in place broad-based programs that ultimately had a huge benefit for African American businesses.
Rev. Al Sharpton Comes to Obama’s Defense After Comment…
‘Not president of black America’ comment from Obama draws ire of some
KRISTEN A. LEE
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
President Obama may be taking some heat for telling an African-American magazine that he is “not the president of black America,” but here in New York the Rev. Al Sharpton has his back.
Sharpton told the Daily News he was glad Obama “finally” stood up to his African-American critics who are “trivializing” the work he has done for black Americans.
Sharpton slammed those critics “in the black academic and media community” for holding Obama to a tougher standard than they held his Democratic predecessor Bill Clinton.
Sammy Finkelman (b9340a) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:54 pmmore likely the man comes from Venus
Colonel Haiku (3dfc28) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:56 pmno matter if he sports a penis
jug ears form twin beacons
our nation he weakens
this election it will be teh meanest
41. Obama presented a budget – it;s the United States Senate under Harry Reid, that has refused to come up with any kind of a budget. (it might be he wants to avoid the filibuster free budget resolution process)
The Republicans, in either the House or the Senate, forced a vote on President Obama’s budget – it got practically no votes.
Sammy Finkelman (b9340a) — 8/18/2012 @ 6:59 pmAnd it seems that Americans have sort of guessed this, because the public believe that Barack Obama would do a better job than Mitt Romney defending us from an alien invasion.
Deep down, the people know and understand about President Obama’s extra-terrestrial roots.
The Dana who just realized this. (f68855) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:00 pmMr Finkelman wrote:
FTFY.
The helpful Dana (f68855) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:05 pm50. I think the last budget proposal by Choom got exactly ZERO votes in the House; not even ONE of his ass-kissing jackasses voted for it. You’d think the Congressional Black Caucus would have shown support for the cool, black Totus. How come the voters seem unaware of this? And for all those idiots lamenting the fact that the Senate never approved the Kyoto Treaty, that one got voted down 95-0. Boo hoo. Algore’s lower chakras are trembling.
Calypso Louis Farrakhan (e799d8) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:09 pmbecause the MFM is Obama’s public relations arm,
narciso (ee31f1) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:11 pmJust as 40% of the voting youts of Amerikkka have now realized, 10% of Blacks and 55% of Hispanics are also getting it–that AA is not to be employed in a job search, eff the law.
Times are far too tough to trust a spot in your office to someone who cannot possibly do the job.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:22 pmArmy of Breitbarts
Colonel Haiku (3dfc28) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:35 pm0bama did build this and
math’s his enemy
The irony here, of course, is that all of the educational institutions filing amicus briefs in support of race-based discrimination (let’s not mince words and use disingenuous, politically correct euphemisms to mask what such a policy actually amounts to) have long-standing non-discrimination policies prohibiting race-based discrimination. Yet, they violate those policies by supporting discrimination in admissions, because that’s exactly what is occurring when an institution gives special treatment to a certain group of students, but not others, based on their race. Oh, but wait, this is discrimination undertaken with noble and magnanimous intent, right? Therefore, it must be okay. We know that SCOTUS ruled several years ago that race may only be “one factor” used in admissions calculations, not the exclusive factor, but we all know how these things really work in practice.
And, therein lies the logical and moral fallacy at the heart of race and sex-based preferential treatment in school admissions, hiring and contract awarding (the euphemistically referred-to “diversity” practices). In order to allegedly rectify past discrimination and in order to give a patronizing “leg up” to allegedly aggrieved members of a “victim” class (who, it is dubiously claimed, can’t succeed on the basis of their own merit) it is regarded as perfectly acceptable — even laudable — to perpetuate discrimination on the basis of sex and race; only this time, with reversed beneficiaries and victims!! And, laughably, all in the name of working towards some perverted liberal notion of “equality!!” Two wrongs make a right, apparently, according to liberal doctrine.
The transparent and illogical hypocrisy of the Left knows no bounds. The only way to achieve true equality is in a color-blind society in which merit — and only merit — is the standard by which people are judged.
Guy Jones (851e14) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:37 pmnot only did we
Colonel Haiku (3dfc28) — 8/18/2012 @ 7:39 pmbuild it but we’ll build his damn
retirement home too
Just in case you actually believed the guvmit that “Retail had a promising July”:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/9473476/World-shipping-crisis-threatens-German-dominance-as-Greeks-win-long-game.html
Shipments to Europe from US down 7.5%.
http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/BDIY:IND/
And auto makers found not to have standing to sue EPA for waiver of E-15 rules now that corn is going to $9 a bushel and OPEC down 3% with Iran sanctions.
Work at home suckas.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/18/2012 @ 8:17 pmAnother one bites the dust.
“City of Compton, home to 93,000 people…a city running out of money. As the city treasurer eloquently put it, he has $3.0 million in cash and $5.0 million in bills due in the next month.”
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/18/2012 @ 8:25 pmstill sleeeepy, I learned more history before you quit filling your diapers than you’ve ever learned.
SPQR (26be8b) — 8/18/2012 @ 8:47 pmNearly a half century after the Civil Rights Act. If you measure things in College Years which is the time it takes to conceive, give birth and raise a kid to entery college, you have 3 College Years. My question, after all this time, all the busing and cussing teachers and schools, when will race quotas it ever end?
cedarhill (1f9f61) — 8/19/2012 @ 4:14 amCompton? Isn’t that where our esteemed host works?
The geographically-challenged Dana (f68855) — 8/19/2012 @ 5:12 amSPQR wrote:
Which raises the obvious question: at what age was Senatus Populusque Romanus finally potty trained? Enquiring minds want to know! 🙂
The snarky Dana (f68855) — 8/19/2012 @ 5:30 am63. That would be bad.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 5:54 amI am so looking forward to face to face debates where the one’s nonstop lying dismissive treatment of anything serious about economic policy is finally challenged, no matter where his heart is placed. Whether alien or not, his reasoning is alien to common sense.
He does emulate Lincoln. He tries to follow Lincoln’s “advice” to fool enough of the people enough of the time. But I think that is not how Lincoln meant to be interpreted. Maybe we can return the phrase to a more appropriate rendering.
MD in Philly (464fb2) — 8/19/2012 @ 6:12 am66. I’ll be mildly surprised if any actually occur. All the air is escaping the Zero balloon.
No mas! Have a friggen heart you evil capitalists, they’re racially an and mentally challenged.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 6:28 amBarack doesn’t think we’re real bright
The Limerick Avenger (f68855) — 8/19/2012 @ 6:28 amHe won, so he might just be right!
Attack ads he fuels,
He thinks we’re all fools,
But Romney will give him a fight.
MD
I think these debates and their moderators will be soo over the top with biased BS that it will be the end of them
I already am hearing that rules for republican debates are going to be changed to a fundraising and polls combination and not a circus like last time.
But these moderatorsw when called moderates made me throw up alittle in my mouth.
A moderate – is someone who cant take a stand or doesnt pay attention
EPWJ (2a58f7) — 8/19/2012 @ 6:31 amOne prob for “debates”:
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/
Which ‘facts’ to use?
I am reminded of the Biden/Palin debate where, when challenged, Joebie just repeated, without modification, adaptation, or evidence of alpha activity, his opening assertion.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:10 amI don’t understand why people are making any excuses for the President or saying that he’s playing to his base. It’s really very simple. This is what he believes.
He’s an affirmative action child and doesn’t care that it is a biased program that discriminates against non-preferred classes. He’s all about separating people into groups and isolating those groups from others. He’s a true believer.
NJRob (fe68e7) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:17 am71. And he’s a pretender, triangulator, sabateur, all-around Tyrone and know-nothing:
http://www.jammiewf.com/2012/ap-fail-romney-wants-his-risky-pick-to-play-it-safe/
Pollack and Sexton at Breitbart are running with the ‘leadership mantle’ has been laid on Ryan’s shoulders and Urkel is the forgotten man-child narrative.
In this one case the narrative strongly resembles reality.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:39 amMD-
Several days ago Jim Lehrer was interviewed about why he came out of retirement to moderate another debate. He said the main reason was that for a a long time he had been pushing for changes in the debate process (which he did not feel had been very beneficial/fair to either the public or the candidates in recent years). This year, he says, some of those changes will be implemented and he wanted to be a part of it.
The way Lehrer explained it the moderator will be in charge of setting up a “theme” and will be responsible for keeping candidates generally on track with it. This is different from recent debates where, for instance sometimes the candidates have been asked specific non sequitur “gotcha” questions seemingly out of thin air, and then given something like 30 seconds to reply. This format, he says, will be less moderator and more the candidates winging it on their own or at least talking about what they want the public to know. It will be less moderator face time as the focus of the discussion and more the candidates as the focus. According to Lehrer the candidates’ options during his debate will be much more free flowing, they will be givien a longer time to speak and develop their own positions, and will be able to interact with each other more based on what the other has said within the debate itself. (More thinking on one’s feet. More comparisons.) He likened it more to the format of the old Lincoln -Douglas debates although he laughed when he said it– as if he knew such depth of honest policy discussion and thought would be impossible in today’s America.
I am actually looking forward to this. If Lehrer is correct about implementing the format change, I think I know who will do well and who will not do so well in this debate format.
elissa (87a8c1) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:49 amHALPERIN: ‘Media Very Susceptible to Doing What Obama Campaign Wants’…
Well… that’s one way to characterize it.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/mark-halperin-media-very-susceptible-doing-what-obama-campaign-wants_650208.html
Colonel Haiku (9ef36d) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:50 amCase in point:
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/021074.html#comments
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:57 amInteresting partial explanation for the SS admin ammo purchase:
http://phantomsoapbox.blogspot.ca/2012/08/us-government-ammunition-controversy.html
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 8:09 amIn less than an hour, the stellar “On the Waterfront” is on Turner Classic Movies, as part of a day-long tribute to Eva Marie Saint.
Just in case anyone wants to elevate their blood pressure by seeing the thug tactics and graft employed by the union leaders. That Lee J. Cobb sure could play a nasty S.O.B. !
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 8/19/2012 @ 8:18 amAffirmative action based on race is problematic, but as far as “original intent” is concerned the history is of race based policy is there from the start.
Comment by still sleeeeepy — 8/18/2012 @ 2:31 pm
— Do you have ANY idea at all about what you’re saying?
Read up on your history. The people who wrote it wrote raced-based policy and race-based laws, in favor of blacks. Whether that was the right decision is something else entirely.
Icy (b67b9b) — 8/19/2012 @ 8:57 amComment by still sleeeeepy — 8/18/2012 @ 4:58 pm
— No, I guess you don’t.
AA will have to be addressed in the near future by SCOTUS; it’s just a question as to whether they will be willing to repudiate J. O’Connor’s misguided 25-yr rule, a rule that was her sophisticated effort to kick-the-can down the road and should have never been promulgated.
As the CJ has said:
AD-Restore The Republic/Obama Sucks! (2bb434) — 8/19/2012 @ 9:17 amThe way to end racial discrimination is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.
still sleeeepy, I learned more history before you quit filling your diapers than you’ve ever learned.
Comment by SPQR — 8/18/2012 @ 8:47 pm
— Who says he quit?
Icy (b67b9b) — 8/19/2012 @ 9:41 amCompton? Isn’t that where our esteemed host works?
Comment by The geographically-challenged Dana — 8/19/2012 @ 5:12 am
— I believe he has said that he worked there at some point in the past.
Icy (b67b9b) — 8/19/2012 @ 9:44 amOn this general Obama topic, I recently saw that Julian Assange pleasded with Obama to ‘do the right thing’ in his little speech to the public.
Pleading with Obama to do the right thing is like trying to rely on the common decency and humanity of Montgomery Burns in the Simpsons Movie.
luagha (1de9ec) — 8/19/2012 @ 10:08 amthe “right thing” might involve a gallows’ pole…
Colonel Haiku (9ef36d) — 8/19/2012 @ 10:15 amIt would be nice for the debates to be run better, and maybe Lehrer will do so, but
MD in Philly (464fb2) — 8/19/2012 @ 10:26 amI think Ryan and Romney will need to look for opportunities to say what they must and have it come across as noble as possible.
Sort of reminds one of the last “Spinal Tap” tour…
‘The New York Times reported that the Obama campaign said that it is intentionally limiting crowd size at their events because of security and cost:
“We have plenty of time for big rallies,” a campaign spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said between the rallies on Thursday. “Our focus right now is on exciting our supporters and winning over undecided voters and the smaller and medium-size events are the best venue to accomplish that because the president can closely engage with the crowd.” ‘
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/aug/18/obama-camp-we-are-intentionally-limiting-crowd-siz/
Colonel Haiku (9ef36d) — 8/19/2012 @ 10:28 amI say if Obama pulls a semi-Christian “we all need to take care of each other (using government, of course) R/R brings this up:
MD in Philly (464fb2) — 8/19/2012 @ 10:30 amhttp://www.nationalreview.com/corner/314396/dreams-my-father-calls-my-brother-mark-steyn
Barack Obama doesn’t care about white people
happyfeet (3c92a1) — 8/19/2012 @ 11:00 amIn justifying the use of affirmative action at Texas public colleges, the Obama Administration’s 5th Circuit brief argued that:
In other words, the Obama Administration believes UT’s admissions policies should prevail because — even though the Texas Top 10% rule resulted in substantial minority enrollment at UT — there is not minority participation in every class or section. In addition, anecdotal evidence in the form of student opinions shows some students felt there is not enough minority participation in their classrooms.
I hope the Supreme Court won’t let minority participation in every small class, together with students’ feelings, be the new standard for affirmative action.
DRJ (a83b8b) — 8/19/2012 @ 11:19 amDRJ
Do we have minority set aside state universities?
EPWJ (2a58f7) — 8/19/2012 @ 11:29 amR.I.P. Helen Gurley Brown
Icy (b67b9b) — 8/19/2012 @ 12:05 pmOur country needs an affirmative action policy that places smart people in the White House.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 8/19/2012 @ 12:28 pm0 thinks it’s the only way things are built.
htom (412a17) — 8/19/2012 @ 12:37 pmOur country needs an affirmative action policy that places smart people in the White House.
That sounds like some sort of meritocracy. #BurnTheMathWitch
Pious Agnostic (ee2c24) — 8/19/2012 @ 12:44 pmWhy do you hate math and science? The Rethuglikkkan War on Science and Facts continues apace.
JD (ed00b1) — 8/19/2012 @ 12:54 pmEqual Outcomes For Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:06 pm91……heresy! We already have the best and brightest supernova in the White House now. Plus, one cannot discount the coolness factor and the Messiah is so modest that he’s spent millions to keep his records secret to protect people like yourself from suicidal ideations due to feelings of inferiority about Him. How many women now are disgusted with their husbands , boyfriends or lesbian lovers because they long to have Urkel between their loins? That probably also applies to many men. Even chrissie I squat to pee matthews admitted it on air.
calypso louis farrakhan (f6276d) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:16 pm_______________________________________________
Well, a newsmagazine that sold to its recently deceased owner not too long ago for $1.00 finally has a cover I can relate to:
“Hit the Road, Barack”
Mark (d47523) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:19 pmOk. I’m hijacking the thread.
Any musicians out there? How do I string together 9 notes and blow taps?
It’s a freakin’ miracle. Dad took a tumble last week, and the neurosurgeon was greasing the skids, telling us what to expect.
And we were telling her, you don’t know our dad.
So, he’s as good as he’s ever going to get. And he’s going to come home. I’m thinking it was the promise of a few shots that did the trick.
But time will do what WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam will not.
Canned taps will not do for this man. Help?
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:42 pmI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Putin is scared of pussy.
http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PUSSYRIOT1-600×427.jpg
Colonel Haiku (cc684b) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:43 pmfreakin miracles are the very very best kind of miracles i think
happyfeet (3c92a1) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:50 pmAnd it’ll be a freakin’ miracle if I can string 9 notes together and work out taps.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:56 pmBye the bye, Mr. feets, you’ve been right a lot of times. But never more.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 1:57 pmEPWJ,
I’m not sure what you mean by a set aside university but that could mean colleges that focus their enrollment on minorities. Since the Civil War, that primarily (if not exclusively) includes historically black colleges and universities.
Out of over 100 historically black colleges and universities in the United States, nine are in Texas. I’m not sure how many accept federal funding but if they do, I don’t think they can discriminate based on race except as permitted by Grutter and similar cases.
DRJ (a83b8b) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:02 pmSteve57,
Check this out.
DRJ (a83b8b) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:06 pmSteve, DRJ’s link seems very helpful for your needs, but also contact the local VFW. The most recent time I was at a military funeral and they had a real horn, it was someone from the local VFW.
It’s worth the effort.
Where is this funeral going to occur?
Dustin (73fead) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:13 pmWith any luck, someplace where I’m already dead.
In any case, I’m glad to hear military funerals don’t have to involve some kid lip synching taps, who then stands there and looks like an idiot if the electricity fails.
And no I’m not blaming the kid.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:23 pmDustin, the San Francisco Bay area.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:25 pmMaybe I’m getting worked up over nothing.
So tell me, am I the only guy who attended a funeral where somebody pretended to play taps while a recording sounded off in the background?
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:30 pmSo tell me, am I the only guy who attended a funeral where somebody pretended to play taps while a recording sounded off in the background? Comment by Steve57 — 8/19/2012 @ 2:30 pm
I don’t think I have ever had the experience.
But I am confused, I thought your father beat the neurosturgeons odds and came home looking forward to a few shots? Or did this unexpected scare prompt you to start preparing, since you don’t know how long it will take you to learn?
It wouldn’t be the same, but it wouldn’t be recorded either- find someone who can play a keyboard and adjust it to sound like a trumpet/cornet/horn.
MD in Philly (464fb2) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:36 pmI’ve never seen someone pretend to play taps, but almost all the military funerals I’ve been to had that recording. The ones with someone actually playing a horn are stirring, but I think they are all powerful.
BTW, taps is easy to play. On a trumpet, there are no keystrokes needed IIRC. If you were in a real bind, you could get someone from a local school band to do it for a modest fee, I bet.
Dustin (73fead) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:41 pmDRJ
Several of the satelitte A&M schools are – as I understand it – minority preferred and run that way on state and federal funds. In fact there was sopme kerfuffle about the graft and corruption and another over whether the students could register to vote at the college
I also wonder if they are exempt.
I could be wrong, but I’m going to look into it.
EPWJ (2a58f7) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:52 pmDoc, yeah, he beat the odds. This time. And it threw a scare into me.
I suppose it’s weird that I think of who’s going to play taps when the time comes. I’m just horrified at the prospect that he doesn’t get a proper send off.
God forbid.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:52 pmI think it’s only because I’m so far away that I’m panicking.
I seriously doubt the Golden Gate Chief’s association are going to let my worst fears come to pass.
When my dad does go, a lot of guys will have his six.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 2:59 pmYour dad is fortunate to have a son who respects and loves him.
Dustin (73fead) — 8/19/2012 @ 3:02 pmDustin, my dad is fortunate. But I play a small role in that.
Anybody who puts to sea, will ever put to sea, or flies over it, hoist one to my dad.
How he didn’t end up a red smear on the side of a Cutter, I’ll never know. But he’s still with us.
He gave me a ration of excrement when I joined the Navy. If I had a nickel for every time he reminded me that Coasties work every day…
Well, they do. And right now, they’re standing watch.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 3:21 pmSteve,
I’m reminded of the amazing scene in “From Here to Eternity” when the Montgomery Clift character—with tears rolling down his face—was playing ‘Taps’ in the courtyard in front of a microphone, in honor of Frank Sinatra’s character.
Clift had insisted on taking several hours of bugling lessons from a pro, so that during the close-up shots, his lip-synching would be convincing to “real buglers” who were watching the movie.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 8/19/2012 @ 3:28 pmI’m sorry to hear that about your father, Steve57.
I case of emergency, almost the real thing:
The Greek aphorisist nk (875f57) — 8/19/2012 @ 3:29 pmhttp://www.ceremonialbugle.com/works.htm
Stupid cookies.
nk (875f57) — 8/19/2012 @ 3:30 pmIn fact, Steve, here’s the scene from the movie;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fxH-2LnRkc
‘Taps’ really is a powerful piece.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 8/19/2012 @ 3:42 pmIt’s fitting that such a powerful piece is played in honor of our military servicemen.
It really is like Orwell said; we do sleep peaceably in our beds at night, knowing that there are ‘rough’ men standing ready to do harm to those who intend to do us harm.
The Coast Guard is an important part of our national security, and you are right to be proud of both your Naval service, as well as the Coast Guard service that is your father’s legacy.
yeah hit the road barack you didn’t keep any of your promises and you is stanky
stupid socialist
happyfeet (3c92a1) — 8/19/2012 @ 4:07 pmInteresting link, nk. I was not familiar with such an item. I’ve only seen the CD player or a bona fide horn player.
I don’t think that’s a bad idea. It’s not much different than firing blanks for the salute.
Dustin (73fead) — 8/19/2012 @ 4:09 pmYes, its Newsweek with an op-ed by a Harvard academic, but of some slight interest anyhow:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/08/19/niall-ferguson-on-why-barack-obama-needs-to-go.html
Stoop&Retch is done.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 4:20 pm97. Sorry, mark, drive by commentary.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 8/19/2012 @ 4:30 pmYou actually make it seem so easy together with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I believe I would by no means understand. It sort of feels too complex and extremely large for me. I am taking a look forward for your subsequent post, I’ll attempt to get the hang of it!
best buy flat screen tv (9db849) — 8/19/2012 @ 6:13 pmWhen my dad would give me crap for joining the Navy, I’d say I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t join the Coast Guard; I didn’t meet the minimum height requirement.
They want to be sure, since they never plan to go out further than neck deep, that everyone can wade ashore when their dinghy sinks.
I appreciate that everyone was so forthcoming with the help. I figured that, since the bench is deep here, someone could steer me the right way. DRJ, thank you for the link. I’ve been in touch with the California coordinator for BAA. We both agree it would be a good thing if we don’t communicate again for several years.
But, they can fix me up with a bugler if the military can’t. Canned taps, or as he put it digital Taps, are the order of the day.
I don’t know why I got all hung up on such a strange thing, but it hit me last week and it was just bothering the hell out of me. A recording of Taps?
Again, I seriously doubt the Golden Gate chapter of the Chief Petty Officer’s association would let that happen. My dad’s been a member for going on 50 years. Still, DRJ, I’ll sleep better tonight knowing that if needs be I can get a bugler.
You’re a godsend, DRJ. And I appreciate all the kind thoughts from everyone.
Oh, and the Lord does work in mysterious ways. Dad’s got a mild case of Alzheimer’s, if that’s the way to put it. He’s still all there, just a little forgetful. But apparently Alzheimer’s causes the brain to degenerate. Which gave just enough room in his head for the blood to ooze into without putting too much pressure on the ol’ grey matter.
Anybody younger would have had to have emergency surgery, which involves sawing the skull in half and leaving part of it off for a couple of days so the swelling can go down. A bit much for an 85 year old, and we all agreed last week we wouldn’t put him through that.
So now when I go home in addition to ribbing him about the Coast Guard and their toy boats now I can give him hell about all that empty space he’s got between his ears.
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:21 pmJust in case I shocked anyone, my dad would consider it rude not to give him crap. It’s cool as long as I keep putting grappa in his coffee cup.
Now, anyone want to buy a slightly used but never abused trumpet?
Steve57 (5797fd) — 8/19/2012 @ 7:25 pmSteve57, you want to learn how to play.
I’ve been to a couple where the various not-a-trumpet-player versions were used. Not my favorite.
I can get through the rifle salute, but Taps brings tears every time. Even if I don’t know the person, even the recordings.
“… We few, we band of brothers …”
htom (412a17) — 8/19/2012 @ 9:29 pm