Patterico's Pontifications

Every day this becomes more astounding.

And yet, so very believable and expected.

Patterico (9c670f) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:32 pm

Max Baucus, over his shoulder, in a dead sprint for the exit, figures we’ve just scratched the surface on this one scandal.

gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:40 pm

i’m sure Ted Rall approves, so it’s okay.

remember when they told us if we voted for Romney, there would be government sponsored religious oppression?

i voted for him anyway, and damned if they weren’t right.
😎

redc1c4 (403dff) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:40 pm

3. I guess this is what the 50.4% deserved, 4 years of show trials deposing drooling imbeciles.

gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:43 pm

Every day this becomes more astounding.

And enough to make a sane, decent person feel just a bit subversive — just a bit radical — towards what the US federal government has become. Moreover, is that necessarily such a bad thing when so many liberals (or no less than the US military) have given and are giving wide latitude to out-and-out anti-American subversives like a Nidal Hasan or just the opposite to American citizens like the guy who posted an anti-Islamic video to Youtube?

I’ve sometimes wondered what it would be like if I were a citizen of a nation like Mexico or Argentina, where socio-economic qualities are so cruddy — and have long been cruddy — and the history of one’s country is so marginal (in which despots and grotesque radicals fill the history books), that it would be seemingly impossible to have any sense of national pride and confidence. I’m starting to get a glimpse of what such people must feel like

.

Mark (9ba6f2) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:49 pm

Can you imagine one of Obama’s agencies asking a Muslim group about the content of their prayers ?

Neither can I.

Elephant Stone (bcf0e3) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:52 pm

I’d be tempted to answer “I’ve been praying that the unrighteous will be struck down without warning and without mercy by the mighty hand of the Lord – hey, why are you liking at me like that? do you assume I’m talking about you?”

Dr. Weevil (841ed6) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:58 pm

We already know that folks like Professor Erik Loomis want to make it costly and quite possibly illegal for certain groups with whom they disagree to petition the government for a redress of grievances. We also already know that progressives have no love or reverence for the Constitution, especially when it makes government less effective in pursuing their preferred ends. Is the IRS scandal an indication of a progressive willingness to use illiberal means to seek liberal ends?

Instead of the limited government of the Founders, where the purpose of government is to secure rights and give a private space for the pursuit of happiness, should we now recognize government as the vehicle to be used to help our friends and harm our enemies?

Fritz (a69d99) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:11 pm

Ah, Beeks whatever did happen to him;

http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2013/05/historical-impact-of-the-obama-scandals

narciso (3fec35) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:18 pm

Wow, the Fail of the Obama administration is beyond my imagination.

And I thought it had a lot of fail.

SPQR (768505) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:34 pm

“Inconceivable”.

I thought the line of questioning by Paul Ryan was pretty condemning, at least if one isn’t arguing about what the definition of “is” is. If Miller had the responsibility to inform Congress in previous questioning all that he knew about a matter, and didn’t, then he is guilty. Whether that is actually a prosecutable offense and whether Congress can meet the burden of proof I have no idea.

In the least it sounds like he agreed that the customer service of that branch was terrible. And if he did that, then the question is why did he put the person in charge of that terrible service in charge of the ObamaCare division of the IRS.

Sounds like they need to start naming individuals with serious potential legal trouble.
Asking about the contents of one’s prayers?
That calls for a cartoon with the IRS in the role of the Spanish Inquisitors.

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:38 pm

I guess everyone at this point knows that the left is only interested in creating a new normal that has nothing to do with traditional American values.

Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:45 pm

It is becoming clear these were the actions of people unburdened by conscience who absolutely believed they were in a position which allowed them to do whatever they wanted to–to whomever they wanted. I am starting to believe the fabric of our society may be ripped beyond repair.

elissa (2fda5f) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:49 pm

6. Can you imagine one of Obama’s agencies asking a Muslim group about the content of their prayers ?

Neither can I.

Comment by Elephant Stone (bcf0e3) — 5/17/2013 @ 5:52 pm

The Daily Caller has a DHS training document that singles Muslim criticism of the US out as constitutionally protected free speech. It also warns DHS not to assume that there are links between Muslim organizations and terrorism. Even though, oddly enough, the DoJ entered into evidence the Muslim Brotherhood’s own documents establishing those links in the Holyland Foundation trial in the late ’90s.

DHS also warns their agents not to rely on information they might get from moderate Muslim groups but instead they should rely on “mainstream” organizations such as presumably CAIR. Which was along with other “mainstream” Muslim organizations were unindicted co-conspirators in the Holyland Foundation trial.

http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/17/homeland-security-guidelines-advise-deference-to-pro-sharia-muslim-supremacists/

So a Muslim’s call to stone gays to death is not something that should concern a DHS agent. But we all know DHS agents have to be on the lookout for right wing Xtofascists who can be identified by among other things their strident opposition to gay marriage (per the official guidance).

http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/rightwing.pdf

Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in
Radicalization and Recruitment

Steve57 (9b1cdb) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:50 pm

Hard to get a better example of the Left doing what they accuse conservatives of doing.

I’m waiting for someone in the military chain of command to testify that the order to stand down was given by or under direct order of the president.

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:51 pm

Also, did it bother anyone else that Miller’s answers and body language were in complete contempt of Congress?

The only reason I ask is because it seems to be a pattern now by Obama’s folk, as if they couldn’t be bothered because they know that nothing will happen.

Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:54 pm

They put it in writing?

That observation aside, wow is this guy the worst defender of the IRS imaginable, and yet the most easily imaginable leader of it.

Former Conservative (6e026c) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:02 pm

As I stated above Ag, yes, that fellow was completely in contempt and contemptible.

But the IRS is not the only one. Apparently this lady with “True the Vote” got the FBI, ATF, OSHA, and some environmental people after her too.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/16/IRS-Grilled-Tea-Party-Groups-on-Relationship-To-True-the-Vote-s-Efforts

How dare you try to make sure the voting process is legitimate!!!

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:07 pm

This link better:
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/14/True-the-Vote-Founder-DOJ-Also-Investigated-Us-After-IRS-Filing

(sorry for redundancy)

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:11 pm

Reuters:
The scandal has angered lawmakers in both parties, but Miller’s appearance appeared to further inflame Republicans who see it as a symptom of a federal government that has grown too large and is overly intrusive into Americans’ lives.
The Treasury Department report did not identify individuals in the IRS’s Washington headquarters or its Cincinnati field office who were responsible for coming up with the criteria used to single out conservative groups. ….
Republicans have vowed to find out who was involved, but Miller did not provide much of a road map.
“Who is responsible for targeting these individuals?” asked Representative Kevin Brady, a Texas Republican.
“I don’t have names for you,” Miller responded.
Republicans accused him of dodging their questions.
“I’m hearing, ‘I don’t know, I don’t remember, I don’t recall, I don’t believe,'” said Representative Dave Reichert of Washington. “You don’t even know who investigated the case, but yet you say it was investigated.”
Democrats seemed more inclined to accept Miller’s explanation.
“I am not convinced that this is a great big political conspiracy,” Democratic Representative Danny Davis said.

elissa (2fda5f) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:19 pm

“Dear Lord, please save our country.”

Patricia (be0117) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:30 pm

Well of course, he wouldn’t see anything wrong with this;

http://www.therightscoop.com/rep-danny-k-davis-accepts-award-from-marxist-organization/

narciso (3fec35) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:34 pm

“I am not convinced that this is a great big political conspiracy,” Democratic Representative Danny Davis said, before preening his feathers and waddling off…

Colonel Haiku (d3b5c4) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:39 pm

Should any of this be surprising, considering the mindset and extremism of the people in the White House, per below?

America, by putting a pile of garbage into your presidency, you’re making Obama’s former close spiritual adviser look prescient and undoubtedly feel delighted: “Your chickens are coming home to roost.”

theulstermanreport.com, November 2012: Openly declared as “Obama’s Brain”, and the figure whose second story West Wing office has been described by political insiders as the true Oval Office of the Obama White House, Valerie Jarrett is letting it be known that if Barack Obama secures election victory next week, there may be, quite literally, hell to pay for those who opposed him.

NOTE: This update was forwarded to me by Wall Street Insider who indicated they received it this morning via a direct source associated with Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters in Chicago…

A rep from Jarrett office was in today. She gave us a finish line pep talk and then afterwards, heard her saying how Jarrett is very excited about a 2nd term agenda and a big part of that agenda is to punish everyone who opposed them during the first term and the campaign. Strange that everything was “Ms. Jarrett wants this, and Ms. Jarrett is looking forward to that”. You hardly heard Obama’s name mentioned by her which I guess reinforces what people are saying. Valerie Jarrett really is the power in the White House.

…The part that really stuck out to me was when I overheard the rep say that Jarrett told them, “After we win this election, it’s our turn. Payback time. Everyone not with us is against us and they better be ready because we don’t forget. The ones who helped us will be rewarded, the ones who opposed us will get what they deserve. There is going to be hell to pay. Congress won’t be a problem for us this time. No election to worry about after this is over and we have two judges ready to go.”

Mark (9ba6f2) — 5/17/2013 @ 7:51 pm

i prayed for the artist guy downstairs cause of the parking garage got brokened into and he works down there on some of his bigger pieces and I saw how his current art thing was all messed up so i ran into him today and asked him if those miscreants had messed up his art thing and he said no he was redesigning it so it was mostly disassembled that night of the break in so he got lucky

i was very glad cause it woulda broke my heart he’s worked on that thing since last summer

ok that’s pretty much all my prayers for this week Mr. IRS and I don’t remember too far back so will that do the trick you think?

let me know! if I need to start keeping a prayer journal than I’m more than happy to do that just say the word

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:06 pm

I used to be disgusted, now I’m just confused.

Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:13 pm

what if one is pro-life, and atheist?
Inconceivable?
You keep using that word …

JP Kalishek (6652ba) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:13 pm

what if one is pro-life, and atheist?

whatevs

it’s far more subversive to be pro-choice and christian

on christ the solid rock i stand all other ground is sinking sand

so you should stand over here

no a lil more to the right

ok you’re good

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:15 pm

*then* I’m more than happy to do that I mean

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:18 pm

On the vague notion of imponderables:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/10062858/There-may-be-no-halting-this-tax-juggernaut.html

EU is going to begin taxing all financial transactions.

How’s the saw cut, “If you want less of something put a tax on it”?

gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:20 pm

Lois Lerner in trouble for trying a modified limited hangout

Reps. Joe Crowley (D-Queens) and Sander Levin (D-Mich), top Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee, on Friday demanded the resignation of Lois Lerner, head of the IRS division overseeing tax-exempt organizations.

Celia Roady, a lobbyist in the firm of Morgan Lewis, said she was called personally by Lois Lerner, the IRS head of the tax exempt division, on May 9.
“I received a call from Lois Lerner, who told me that she wanted to address an issue after her prepared remarks at the [American Bar Association] Tax Section’s Exempt Organizations Committee Meeting, and asked if I would pose a question to her after her remarks,” Roady said in a statement to U.S. News and World Report.

A limited hangout is a means of propaganda by exposing some minor details in order to prevent the full exposure of greater secrets.
A modified limited hangout is the mixing of the aforementioned technique with misinformation to hinder/mislead further investigation.

Neo (d1c681) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:25 pm

Happy:

I don’t think the lyric actually states which way to step as long as it’s on the rock.

Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:29 pm

yes yes yes you have to stand on the rock you have to be just like Kevin Bacon in Tremors

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:32 pm

Happy:

Or you just have to be finding a way regardless of Kevin Bacon’s problems in movies.

One is artifice, the other is faith. Both are ephemeral. How you decide is a whole ‘nother question.

Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:40 pm

15. I’m waiting for someone in the military chain of command to testify that the order to stand down was given by or under direct order of the president.

Comment by MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/17/2013 @ 6:51 pm

We need people in the military to testify about more than that. What the House investigators need to do is start working up the chain of command instead of starting with people like the Chairman of the JCS or the SecDef.

Start with the watchstanders who followed the Benghazi attack in real time. Not just in DC but in Europe and in Djibouti. In parallel talk with the COs of the units at every installation around the Med or floating in the Med that everyone inside the beltway claims couldn’t get to Benghazi “in time.” Get copies of all their logs (everything is logged for precisely this purpose).

None of the administration’s excuses or their apologists’ defenses of the administration make sense (and they make even less sense when the two lines of excuse making directly contradict each other).

Former SecDef Gates for instance said he would have made the same calls as there was no quick reaction force that could have responded in time.

He actually said this on CBS on 12 May:

“We don’t have a ready force standing by in the Middle East, and so getting somebody there in a timely way would have been very difficult, if not impossible. The one thing that our forces are noted for is planning and preparation before we send people in harm’s way, and there just wasn’t time to do that.”

Really? You have got to be s***ting me. That to me is an admission of a massive systemic failure. Why wasn’t there a ready reaction force on alert on the anniversary of 9/11? And why wasn’t a ready reaction force put on alert when they saw what was going on Cairo? Seriously, these guys when you get right down to it had hours to prepare some sort of response team that could have potentially gone anywhere it was needed when it saw that.

That to me is a major flaw in the administration’s “the Benghazi demonstration was a spontaneous reaction to what happened in Cairo” narrative. M’kay. The people in Benghazi saw what happened in Cairo and they had time to organize an attack? I never believed that for an instant and I’ve been vindicated. But lets say that story had a veneer of believability. We saw what happened in Cairo too. And everyone just sat on their hands?

I can’t believe no units were on alert. I’d like to know what sort of posture units stationed throughout the region had on previous 9/11 anniversaries and compare it to this one. Because that could well point to some serious dereliction of duty higher up the chain. But you’ll never find it when you start with the arse-coverers in DC (military and civilian) whose first instinct is to circle the wagons. You need to start lower down the chain with the people who were supposed to stay vigilant for just such a contingency and those whose mission is to respond to just such a contingency. Then work up.

Steve57 (9b1cdb) — 5/17/2013 @ 8:52 pm

Komberley Strassel WSJ:

Was the White House involved in the IRS’s targeting of conservatives? No investigation needed to answer that one. Of course it was.

President Obama and Co. are in full deniability mode, noting that the IRS is an “independent” agency and that they knew nothing about its abuse. The media and Congress are sleuthing for some hint that Mr. Obama picked up the phone and sicced the tax dogs on his enemies.

But that’s not how things work in post-Watergate Washington. Mr. Obama didn’t need to pick up the phone. All he needed to do was exactly what he did do, in full view, for three years: Publicly suggest that conservative political groups were engaged in nefarious deeds; publicly call out by name political opponents whom he’d like to see harassed; and publicly have his party pressure the IRS to take action.

Mr. Obama now professes shock and outrage that bureaucrats at the IRS did exactly what the president of the United States said was the right and honorable thing to do. “He put a target on our backs, and he’s now going to blame the people who are shooting at us?” asks Idaho businessman and longtime Republican donor Frank VanderSloot.

elissa (2fda5f) — 5/17/2013 @ 9:05 pm

fascist piggy president is fascist?

there’s no way anyone could’ve known

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 9:12 pm

elissa, the idea that BHO didn’t know what was going on was ludicrous.

If Rush Limbaugh calls Sandra Fluke a slut and President Tiger Beat is on the phone talking to her within a day.

But the House holds hearings on potential IRS targeting of conservative groups and he doesn’t hear about it? The media starts covering some of these groups’ stories and he doesn’t hear about it?

The Treasury Department’s IG for tax administration tells Timmy “Turbo Tax” Geithner’s right had man that he’s investigating the tax exempt organization division in 2012 and we’re to believe the no. 2 guy didn’t tell the no. 1 guy? Who just so happens to be a cabinet secretary and now we’re to believe the President doesn’t hear about it? As the new Treasury Secretary Jack Lew observes this investigation was public knowledge; the fact this investigation was ongoing was posted on the IG’s web page. And Prom Queen didn’t hear about this from anybody? Even though he speaks, and the people he speaks about have the feds come crashing in on them. And that’s reported in the same MFM where he finds out about Sandra Fluke getting her excessive use of her lady parts insulted by Rush Limbaugh?

That’s ridiculous. Strassel is exactly right as far as she goes. But as Ace has pointed out, did this President really need to personally give explicit marching orders to the public employee union members staffing the IRS? The head of the SEIU was Obama’s most frequent visitor in his first year in office. One union boss can’t talk to another union boss?

Steve57 (9b1cdb) — 5/17/2013 @ 9:31 pm

“All he needed to do was exactly what he did do, in full view, for three years: Publicly suggest that conservative political groups were engaged in nefarious deeds; publicly call out by name political opponents whom he’d like to see harassed; and publicly have his party pressure the IRS to take action.”

elissa – I don’t see the motive.

daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 5/17/2013 @ 9:52 pm

Well, daley, when the dollars are not pouring in as expected from your wedding registry for Barack campaign and you rilly rilly need to win that election to keep the scam going, sometimes you just have to think outside the box and target your enemies.

elissa (2fda5f) — 5/17/2013 @ 10:05 pm

this IRS thing just makes manifest the ruling fascist philosophy

it imbued the UAW bailout when they shut down American dealerships in favor of fascist one

it imbued the stimulus-rape of our treasury

it imbues the machinations surrounding the keystone pipeline

it imbues the immigration scheme being fronted by el smarmy smarmy cubano mas authentico and meghan’s coward daddy

it imbues obamacare and the ungodly taxes and deficits caused thereby

it imbues the CBO’s too too precious and always wrong wrong wrong analyses of our sick and sad budget sutuation

it imbues the way food stamp frittered away all the hard-won gains in Iraq and Afghanistan achieved by our scrappy umbrella-holders

it imbues the EPA and it’s psychotic fixation on raping Texas

one could go on I suppose

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 10:12 pm

in favor of fascist *ones* I mean

also, *situation*

also, *its* psychotic fixation

hey don’t blame me I’m a product of the public schools

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 10:14 pm

What you call “an IRS official” I call “Acting Director of the IRS”.

Former Conservative (dd975e) — 5/17/2013 @ 11:26 pm

you’re confuzzled Mr. Former the acting director of the IRS is named Valerie Jarrett

President Jarrett if you’re nasty

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/17/2013 @ 11:40 pm

Maybe Valerie Jarrett will run for president in 2016. “4 more years”.

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/18/2013 @ 12:13 am

Interesting read about the National Treasury Employee’s Union.

http://www.redstate.com/2013/05/16/meet-the-partisan-union-behind-the-partisan-internal-revenue-service/

I really doubt the Preezy would have to spell out what he wanted these guys to do to conservatives.

Steve57 (9b1cdb) — 5/18/2013 @ 12:22 am

Mr. Dr. stop teasing

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/18/2013 @ 12:28 am

Insane lunatic. I mean this man is crazy.

Jack (83ebf3) — 5/18/2013 @ 12:34 am

that should be a post Mr. 57

it explains our whole sad little banana republic in a nutshell

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/18/2013 @ 12:40 am

recovery summer eff yeah!

Los Angeles County added a net 200 jobs over the month.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-california-jobs-20130518,0,4968107.story

happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/18/2013 @ 12:44 am

I know where a forest of oak trees have big sturdy limbs.
And the rope store is just a few miles down the road.

mg (31009b) — 5/18/2013 @ 12:56 am

Back in the U.S
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.S.R.

mg (31009b) — 5/18/2013 @ 2:44 am

I love the idea that generating long, detailed, intrusive questionnaires was done as a method of reducing the Department’s workload.

MayBee (96f45a) — 5/18/2013 @ 2:45 am

elissa – I don’t see the motive.

Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 5/17/2013 @ 9:52 pm

Well, daley, when the dollars are not pouring in as expected from your wedding registry for Barack campaign and you rilly rilly need to win that election to keep the scam going, sometimes you just have to think outside the box and target your enemies.

Comment by elissa (2fda5f) — 5/17/2013 @ 10:05 pm

Heh – you guys are both too funny. Except it’s not.

And my (Catholic) family was happy to vote for The One because “isn’t it great we finally have a black president?” Low info voters, indeed.

By their own choice, I might add. After all it’s so entertaining to post tumblrs on Facebook about Sesame Street and binders full of women! Benghazi? National debt? Obamacare? Why those nasty, stingy, racist Republicans!

no one of consequence (f14b28) — 5/18/2013 @ 4:51 am

You know, some have done serious research looking at functional MRI’s and such of people praying. If they ever correlated the subject of one’s prayers with a particular pattern of brain activity…

it would be interesting.

or a gene for conservatism, or liberalism.

or whether watching Mr. Rodgers or Captain Kangaroo made one more likely to be conservative.

Maybe it’s time to take a Soma holiday…

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/18/2013 @ 6:13 am

nooc@53–

Yes it is serious. The big issue right now, I think, is not their past happiness and good intentions and hopes for racial healing that you suggest many low information voters (but not necessarily true bots) such as members your own family probably felt when they voted for President Obama. Let’s be honest–with the media’s cheerleading a lot of regular normal decent people bought into that.

But what we need to see is whether the facade of trust and good will is starting to crack for them even a little. Are these types showing any signs of clearing thinking or concern and disappointment with the government–especially over the IRS intrusions and over-reach? Because if they are not, if they don’t get the real danger in that to absolutely every one of us in this country, then that says our country may already be beyond repair both morally and structurally.

elissa (6dd12f) — 5/18/2013 @ 6:49 am

“I love the idea that generating long, detailed, intrusive questionnaires was done as a method of reducing the Department’s workload.” – MayBee

Along the same lines, I saw one report of an Obama apologist who said that all of this targeting of conservative political groups wouldn’t have happened if only the IRS had more money to run its operations.

Yeah, and if only Stalin had had more money, the conditions of the gulag wouldn’t have been so bad.

Walter Cronanty (d16f1a) — 5/18/2013 @ 6:56 am

Yes, that doesn’t make sense;

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324082604578489171510582616.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_MIDDLETopOpinion

narciso (3fec35) — 5/18/2013 @ 6:58 am

Here’s the link to story which I couldn’t find when searching, but stumbled upon about 2 minutes after posting comment.
“Outgoing IRS Commish: If we had a bigger budget maybe stuff like this wouldn’t happen”
http://michellemalkin.com/2013/05/17/irs-commish-budget/

Walter Cronanty (d16f1a) — 5/18/2013 @ 7:04 am

Taranto’s observation that sports reporters are more honest and perceptive than political reporters is very well done!

elissa (6dd12f) — 5/18/2013 @ 7:15 am

And my (Catholic) family was happy to vote for The One because “isn’t it great we finally have a black president?” Low info voters, indeed.

It’s worse than that (ie, racial-influenced thinking), because the root of such behavior is observable in countries like France or Mexico, or Venezuela, or Greece, or just about any large urban area throughout America. It’s people who are prone to a mindless, lazy, immature way of thinking (and voting). People who are full of both greed (ie, feelings of self-entitlement: what will the system do for me, me, me!!?) and guilt (to be sophisticated and compassionate, I therefore must favor do-gooderism and claims of do-gooderism, whether authentic or not).

In that regard, the only major industrialized country that — generally — doesn’t seem to be as consistently nonsensical in favoring a very socially-economically liberal governance is Japan. With a caveat, though, since that nation mirrored the idiocy of the US back in 2008 when it too voted into its top political office a leftist. But, unlike us, in December 2012 it returned to a more right-leaning voting pattern when it elected its current prime minister. This is a very broad description, however, since there are aspects of societies throughout the world that are unique and not easily labeled as classically liberal or conservative by American standards (eg, Japan has rigid gun-control laws).

The dichotomy, contradictions and, yes, idiocy, of human nature (eg, people voting for an ultra-liberal around a year ago and not believing that would further tank an already poor economy?!!) is evident in the following:

Huffingtonpost.com, May 18, 2013: [French president] Francois Hollande has signed into law the right to gay marriage and adoption for same-sex couples. The law comes at a time when Francois Hollande is suffering with increasingly low approval ratings, the lowest of any recent French president.

A stagnant economy and rising unemployment, now over 10%, have severely hit Hollande’s ratings.

Some 60% of the French public support the bill, but opponents to equal marriage have said they will continue their campaign, with a major rally planned for 26 May in Paris.

Mark (9ba6f2) — 5/18/2013 @ 7:26 am

an Obama apologist who said that all of this targeting of conservative political groups wouldn’t have happened if only the IRS had more money to run its operations.

That form of stupidity has been repeated amongst liberals who claim Benghazi wouldn’t have happened if the Congress (ie, Republicans) hadn’t reduced the budget for security. I sometimes wonder if people on the left actually hear and believe what they say.

Mark (9ba6f2) — 5/18/2013 @ 7:30 am

But what we need to see is whether the facade of trust and good will is starting to crack for them even a little. Are these types showing any signs of clearing thinking or concern and disappointment with the government–especially over the IRS intrusions and over-reach? Because if they are not, if they don’t get the real danger in that to absolutely every one of us in this country, then that says our country may already be beyond repair both morally and structurally.

Comment by elissa (6dd12f) — 5/18/2013 @ 6:49 am

Very well put, cogent thought process, and I’ve thought about this very thing many times since the (long) 2012 election season began. I certainly don’t see any signs of any true, substantive cracking of the kind you’re referring to on the national front (from people I see on the news anyway, but that could be a media-created illusion).

And as far as my own family? I wouldn’t know if their opinions are changing because we don’t talk politics anymore. My rule was always, I don’t bring up politics but if they do I’ll give my view. The constant insults and ridicule I got (from my mom and one of my five siblings, mostly) all through the long campaign really got to me,.

So the only clue I have that their opinion might be changing is, their facebook posts are quiet as the grave these days about politics.

So, my relationship with a my mom and brother (and his wife) has changed since 2012. (most of my siblings I still get along great with even though we voted differently). Pretty sad — after all the nasty pejoratives I had to listen to about Republicans for not supporting Obama (over and over), I reached the conclusion that they currently have a “Time Magazine conscience” (as a monsignor I know eloquently put it).

Anyway I feel no obligation to continue to listen to them imply I’m racist or want to starve poor people anymore. I’m nice to them in person, telling them as politely as I can what I really believe (I’m never able to finish a sentence w/them btw) then I come to places like this and rant. 🙂

But back to your point: I worry too that our nation is beyond the tipping point. It’s hard to tell with the media in the way.

no one of consequence (f14b28) — 5/18/2013 @ 7:45 am

nooc–thank you for your kind words. I have a few friends that unfortunately I have to tiptoe around politically, but thank goodness most of my extended family and close friends are generally on the same page I am. I cannot imagine what it must be like for you to walk on eggshells within your own family. But good on you for standing up for yourself.

elissa (6dd12f) — 5/18/2013 @ 9:55 am

“And my (Catholic) family was happy to vote for The One because “isn’t it great we finally have a black president?””

nooc – My family also consists of a bunch of fuzzy headed liberals but I am in luck that they live 800 miles away and we do not interact on a frequent basis. I follow elissa’s rule and make it a practice not to introduce politics into any discussion. They know where I stand on issues. If they bring politics into a discussion, though, they get both barrels.

daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 5/18/2013 @ 10:21 am

5/17/2013

IRS Asked Pro-Life Group About the Content of Its Members’ Prayers

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