LAS 2011 Review & 2012 Preview (Part 1 of 4)

Part 1 covers domestic conditions.

Part 2 will cover foreign affairs.

Part 3 will cover the current electoral situation (probably after the Iowa caucuses).

Part 4 will cover this blog project.

==

2011 has been an eventful year for LAS. Personally, for the second time in three years, I lost and then gained superior employment. And, this time, the transition period was shorter and smoother – owing to a slightly improved hiring market, at least by my observation, and at least in my field of compensated endeavor. That noted, I’m sticking to my original stipulation: this blog is less about me and more about my country.

==

Looking back on 2011, LAS observes an America whose attention has been turned inward by the corrupt and inept governance of a kleptocratic crony statist (the crony capitalism is but a marriage of convenience). The domestic chaos created by the kleptocrat in the White House, purposely or otherwise, has the nation bitterly divided.

We opened the year with a garden variety apolitical lunatic named Jared Loughner shooting a Democrat congresswoman named Gabrielle Giffords. The corrupt and biased MSM rushed to their fantasy conclusion the shooter was motivated by right wing politics. The Empty Suit Known as Barack Hussein Obama improbably rose to the occasion and called for a “new tone” in political discourse. The Left heeded this call for about twelve and a half seconds.

Soon thereafter, Team Leftie launched a frenzied mob assault on the rule of law in Madison, WI. The Democrat caucus ran to Illinois like grifters jumping bail, earning the fitting nickname ‘fleebaggers.’ The Left’s astro-turfed street mobs laid siege to normal legislative business by “occupying” the state capitol - to prevent a duly elected legislature from enacting the will of the electorate to cut back on gub’ment spending. A pattern for the year was established.

By spring, the republic had the first real opportunity to observe the newly TEA Party infused GOP in ideological battle with Barry and his corrupt gang of Progressives. We the People had given the GOP control of the House of Representatives in November 2010, to put adults back in charge of the republic’s purse strings. The federal gub’ment was running out of money and there was much wringing of hands over the possibility of a federal gub’ment shutdown. In the heat of argument, Team Leftie predictably went for lowest common denominator gutter politics, falsely claiming the GOP intended to end Medicare in the next twelve and a half seconds. This obnoxiously divisive advertisement was actually aired by Team Leftie.





(Yeah, that's it - conservatives are all secretly plotting to throw Granny off the cliff)


Following quickly on the heels of this preliminary dust up, our attention was gripped by the Great Debt Ceiling Debacle of 2011. The Establishment GOP once again figured out how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, giving Barry and his corrupt gang of Progressives authority to implement $1.5T more in deficit spending at any time, in return for a so-called “Super Commission” with the charge to find a mere $1.2T in spending cuts over the next ten years. President WTF disingenuously trumpeted this deal as saving the country from financial ruin. (There would have never been a loan default. Just a reduction in current deficit spending to service loan interest) Overnight, the country’s credit rating was instantly downgraded. Later in the year, this “Super Commission” predictably met with gridlock, and Washington once again failed to address its spending addiction with even a token measure.

As this so-called “Super Commission” was reaching its anti-climactic and ultimately useless conclusion, Team Leftie decided it was time to throw an infantile temper tantrum in the nation’s streets. Day of Rage became Occupy Wall Street, became Occupy Whatever, became Occupy FAIL. Most cities under local jurisdictions have had the good sense to clear these mobs from their parks and plazas. Two apparently independent illegal encampments still remain in DC, under federal jurisdiction, and therefore under the protection of the corrupt Barry regime. OccupyDC and OccupyWashingtonDC will continue to be way stations for the Aimless Mob of Maladjusted Malcontents for the foreseeable future.


In an effort to coordinate his so-called “governance” with the so-called “message” of the astro-turfed Occupy mob, BHO introduced the American Jobs Act - which really was nothing more than a proposal to raise taxes on the so-called “rich” (to appease his Leftist base), while simultaneously pandering to everyone else with a payroll tax holiday extension. He failed to soak the rich because Congress correctly dismissed it as folly in a down economy. He got the payroll tax holiday because no one in politics would dare object (more on the politics to come in Part 3). The entire set up was an intentionally divisive class warfare gambit aimed at demonizing “rich” people in order to forcibly confiscate more of their wealth for BHO’s pet ideological projects.


Make no mistake, the Occupy mob is connected directly to Barack Hussein Obama’s White House. BHO’s White House is consciously pursuing an intentionally divisive, Saul Alinsky inspired, class warfare strategy. BHO and the rest of Team Leftie is intentionally stoking resentment among the 47% of Americans who pay no taxes at all, in an effort to extract even more wealth from the 53% who do pay taxes, to fund more deficit spending on “social justice” and other Leftist redistributive schemes. BHO fancies himself the champion of the entitlement class and the scourge of the productive class. This ideology explains and animates every BHO domestic policy position. This ideology, and consequently every BHO policy position, by definition, pits this American against that American.

2012 will be a chaotic year on America’s streets, because the Community-Agitator-In-Chief has designed it to be so.

LAS is a bit player in the unfolding historical drama, and knows it. The Empty Suit Known as Barack Hussein Obama is also a bit player, though he fancies himself a historical figure. Yeah sure, he’ll go down in history books – as the most corrupt, incompetent, and divisive American President ever.

But, IMHO, the best summary of what awaits the United States of America in 2012 is captured by Bill Whittle of Pajamas Media with this simple video.  It has much to do with the conditions BHO has set up with his corrupt and inept governance, but contains very little he can can control from hereon out.





2012 will be a time of choosing for all Americans.

Update 1/1/12

Here's a little video preview of what the Left's #Occupy mob has in store for the civil society in 2012.  The rule of law is not, nor has it ever been, a priority for the Left.  The Left is, and ever has been, all about imposing its' will by any means necessary - the street mob being today's preferred tool with their "community organizers."



Update 1/3/12

And here's a preview of the treatment cops can expect from the occupier criminals in 2012, just for doing their job.

Phis O’ Rama

When I initiated this blog project, as 2009 was turning into 2010, I did not anticipate being targeted with moronic  attacks, perpetrated by obviously stupid attackers, proceeding from the obvious assumption I was also an idiot.  Yet precisely such a steady stream of such attacks has been one of the more bemusing byproducts of the blog project.

‘Phishing’ is a criminal activity by now familiar to even the most modestly knowledgeable internet users.  A phishing scam attempts to separate the victim from his or her money, or collect personal information on the victim, usually with the motivation to subsequently separate the victim from his or her money.   In its most unsophisticated form, the criminal sends an email, the unwary victim replies, the crime is perpetrated. 

Before I donned my not-so-secret identity as LibertyAtStake, the number of phishing emails aimed at my real identity could be counted on the digits of a single hand, and these emails were always obviously part of a much larger global sweep of the ‘net for fools.  This experience makes some sense, as I have never been accused of being stupid, nor suspected of sitting on piles of money.  Not a juicy target for the email phisher, that is.

Yet something very interesting – to me, at least – happened almost from the moment I began blogging as LibertyAtStake.  Legions of phishers lined up to dip their hooks into the libertyatstake@gmail.com pond almost instantly, and the phishers still throw their hooks into the water to this day.  Given I’m not being paid for this, and I’m essentially lazy as well, there will be no effort from me to thoroughly catalog, label, and statistically analyze this vitally important historical archive.  Of course, it is already archived, the act of archiving itself being entirely trivial.  However, you and I, dear reader, can have some fun with a subjective ad-hoc romp through a representative sampling.

The first thing to note is the currency unit referenced by the vast majority of phishers directly mentioning currency is the British Pound.  The British Pound?  For a while, I thought maybe this meant Great Britain is the phishing capital of the world.  The Brits were dumb enough as a population to adopt socialized medicine, after all.  But, further reflection on this matter leads me to conclude the phishing community is more an international collection of criminals making the simple assumption English language equals English money.

Then there’s the question of motivation.  Why target the anonymous blogger known as LibertyAtStake?  I imagine LibertyAtStake’s readers quickly reach two conclusions, in no particular order – LAS is definitely passionately conservative,  and maybe even a little bit off his rocker.  So these phishers are either internet psychologists in search of a research subject, or ideological Leftists targeting the “enemy.”  I think odds favor the latter conclusion.

So, what can we conclude about these international Leftists?  Do they worship each evening at the altar of PT Barnum (“there’s a sucker born every minute”)?    I don’t know about that … but one thing is absolutely certain … these Leftists firmly believe the rest of us are complete idiots.

How else to explain this representatively weak effort?

Though the attacker does get extra credit for covering the possibility I might be bi-lingual.

Taking the fiendishly clever attack to new levels, a language using a completely different alphabet in combination with a completely empty message body is tried.

Not to be outdone, this phishing master goes with empty subject as well as empty message body, but an attachment with his devilishly disguised payload.

This attacker goes with the old “Neon Sign” approach, in an effort to induce me to click on the ticking attachment.

This one desires the more personal approach of a telephone call.  He must fancy himself a smooth talker.

Google isn’t the only evil corporation throwing around British money like a drunken sailor.

Coke over Pepsi for thoroughness.

Finally, something referencing my native currency – from a Nigerian situated in Japan.  High marks for a polite note, though.

Occasionally I can’t resist writing a reply note.  I was very impressed with the thirteen (13) field “grant validation form” that didn’t make the screen shot.

Last but not least, there’s the old “we’re from Tech Support and we’re here to help” gambit.

==

These international Leftists can make the assumption they have a reasonable expectation of success because, like all Leftists, they assume the rest of us are idiots. Their results are a big fat zero because, like all Leftists, they are engaged in what psychologists label 'projection.'

Why The Republic Teeters On The Brink Of Disaster

A simple table explaining where we stand. Click to zoom in.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays fellow citizens.

d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
“Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive”


Footnote

On the Fox panel last night, Charles Krauthammer spoon fed the next political move to the House GOP. Pass the entire Senate bill with one and only one modification - making the payroll tax holiday a full 12 months. Then let Dingy Harry and Veto Threat Barry defend not coming on board to that one with clueless independents. LAS does not hold his breath in anticipation of the House GOP being so smart.

Update 12/22/11

I tweeted today.

#40 dollars isn't nearly the half off it. http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/2011/12/why-republic-teeters-on-brink-of.html

Because tweeters vote, too.

Update #2 12/22/11

I'm now for taking the Krauthammer plan to the next logical step. My comment on the Washington Examiner blog today ...

Wrong again. Go-along-to-get-along Mitch wants the House to pass legislation for the promise of negotiations with the Senate. A Senate he lost the majority in years ago? House should pass a straight up, no strings attached 12 month extension, forget paying for it (include a promise of finding cuts later as cover) and dare Dingy Harry and Veto Threat Barry not to come on board with that. iow simplify the game of chicken for the independents. i.e. This is the next generation Krauthammer plan: extend the payroll tax holiday and delete the remainder of the Senate bill. We can discuss firing go-along-to-get-along Mitch afterward.

Update #3 12/22/11

The stupid party folds like a cheap tent.

Update 12/23/11

Details of the promise to fix the abominable two month provision reported by Fox.

Our Black Guy Didn't Do It

In memoriam for the media's lynching of Herman Cain.

In acknowledgement the charges are still tenuous at best.

In recognition the media may yet feel sufficient guilt to stand down now that they’ve put Herman Cain in his proper place.

While reflecting upon the lessons learned.

And considering the growing scandal rapidly engulfing two other prominent black guys.

LibertyAtStake gives you his latest bumper sticker creation.

==

Now take the poll!

The bumper sticker is …

==

Update 12/16/2011

I did not fail to notice there was a televised GOP debate in Iowa last night, which lacked the racial diversity that would have been provided by Herman Cain's presence. Obviously a Leftist plot to charge the Republican party with "lily whitism" or something.

Ron Paul shot himself in the foot with a couple of unhinged rants. No second tier candidate scored a knockout punch - unless you count Michelle Bachmann's assist to one of Paul's self inflected wounds. Newt Gingrich once again proved he is the best debater in the room. Mitt Romney once again proved he is the safe prom date.

So, it looks like the general election will require the Ron Paul devotees to get behind someone not named Paul, and the grass roots to choose either the smart guy that can best argue their case even though he's been inside DC for freakin' ever (Newt) or Sir Mitt of RINO. The Establishment - surprise! surprise! - is already rushing to line up behind the guy who's been running for six years solid (Mittens). Man, this politics stuff is complicated.

Sounds Like a Threat To Me

Astute readers of this blog already know Camp Stinky, McPherson Square has been a regular feature in my life lately.  A fuller account of the human flotsam and jetsam I have encountered there will have to wait for the book, I guess.

Tonight, in true blogger style, however, I am simply sending out a snapshot of our insane times to the world at large.  Starting a couple of days ago, I "got into it" a little bit on the occupydc.org comment board.  You can find the full comment thread here.  Actually, most of the comment activity occurred while I was "WFH" (my current client's acronym for "Working From Home") with a cold bug.  I billed three (3) hours for the meetings I dialed into.

If you don't want to sort through the totality of the madness at the link, the relevant portions for this evening's post follow:

LAS:

"David" fears LAS. This is useful to the continuation of the republic.

Bplegate:

[LAS' real first name redacted] lives at [LAS' real address redacted]; if anyone wants to meet him in person. I want to meet him in person.

Bplegate:

Oh, and here is what he looks like:
[My real linkedin photograph redacted]

LAS:

And the Zombie swarm begins. I welcome the publicity for my blog. Make sure you don't do anything that isn't "largely peaceful" now.

Bplegate:

I'm not an occupier; so not a real big fan of the whole nonviolence thing.

LAS:

Sounds like a direct threat of physical violence. Care to clarify before I contact authorities?

For this evening's post, I invite rational citizens who have stumbled into this post to compose their own replies to "Bplegate" in the comments section of this post. And LAS reminds "Bplegate" I myself stroll through Camp Stinky, McPherson Square 1-2 times daily, between the hours of 10:30 am and 4 pm, depending on the demands the civil society places upon me through the prism of my daily "J-O-B". Just leave a note with the so-called "media tent" - or something.  I guess it will get to me.  Maybe the nut job who was there in Army surplus fatigues on day one, yet has managed to somehow not be arrested yet (the nut job knows what I mean), will hand the note to me.

And let no one forget Barry is down with #occupy.

d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
“Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive”

Update 12/09/2011

This afternoon seemed like an opportune time to bookend my October 7th #OccupyDC photo essay with a new photo essay.  The October 7th post documented the opening stages of the illegal encampment.  In that post I opined on the underwhelming numbers with the line "I was hoping for more lunatics."

Karma, that cruel bastard, took notice and gave me a great big helping of "be careful what you ask for, you might get it."

==

McPherson Square from K street. That's a whole lot of REI.

A closer look at some of the flotsam and jetsam. When I approached the camper in the lounge chair, I learned he was reading something by Voltaire. But he declined to have his picture taken, and I obliged - not realizing he was already captured on the edges of this shot. Oops.

Another look at the growing public health hazard. But, apparently, squirrel heaven.

The facilities.

You almost have to admire the ingenuity of the camper who fashioned see-through living quarters out of scrap plastic. Except the briefest inspection reveals it is not even close to water tight. The man in my photo taking a photo is a fellow TEA Party patriot documenting the madness for the historical record. This is his Facebook page.

This native-looking structure is clearly not water tight either, the top being completely open, chimney style.

This lovely creature shielded her face with the coffee mug - then told me she'd beat me to death with the mug if I tried taking her photo again.  My fellow TEA Party patriot appears in the background.

Not your father's skate park. You can't see it, but the skateboard enthusiast is wearing the anarchist's facial bandana as a fashion accessory.  The expensive gear hanging off her shoulders somehow makes me think she hasn't actually thought much about the actual politics of 'anarchy.'

The polished young gentleman flipping me the bird assured me everything was non-violent.

Tai-Chi exercises or self-defense lessons?

#10 is my personal favorite.  Click to enlarge and zoom.

Fatigue Boy is the nut job I mentioned above in the main body of the post. He's still very proud of avoiding arrest thus far. His sign is meant to harass the guy next to him (more in a moment) - but it of course looks like he's talking about himself. I say arrest the moron for stupidity. Who could possibly look more like a danger to himself and others?

This working class hero has had enough - and has started his own one man counter protest. If this weren't DC, I'd feel confident predicting he has started a trend. This being DC, all I can say is: hang in there, fella. You are a beacon of hope.

These trust fund kiddies on an excellent adventure are sleeping in a tent flying the black and red Anarchist flag. They were also engaged in the juvenile harassment of the one man counter protest. When I mocked the bullshit Anarchy angle, the tubby red head attempted to mount the poor dog like a horse. Where's PETA when they are really needed?

The civil society grows more bemused by the day.

d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
"Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive"

Update #2 12/09/11

Ruh-Roh! Maybe Fatigue Boy's arrest record is no longer untarnished.

A Low Fidelity Drop Down List Widget Prototype

 ==

Conceived by LAS in the pre-dawn sleepless hours. Drawn by LAS' very own hand whilst making coin doing something somewhat tangentially related. LAS' mind reminded at this very moment how his eighth-grade educated grandmother had vastly superior handwriting.  Perhaps inspired by a long ago forgotten contact with this vitally important font of knowledge.

Yep, that's how LAS' sick and twisted mind works.

d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
“Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive”

An Interview

(AP) – Jack Wiley Dithers reporting.

I ran into my old friend LibertyAtStake on Black Friday at a local Best Buy.  We were unable to have much of a conversation shouting at one another across the frenzied mob, but we were able to arrange an appointment for that evening - to raid the liquor cabinet of our mutual friend Francis Charles Hamilton, Doctor of Pontification.  Dr. Hamilton is out of the country on business - but we had a spare key to his manor made last year.  What the doctor doesn’t know won’t hurt him. LAS agreed to do an interview because he needed the publicity for his blog and I asked for it because I had a deadline coming up.

==

JWD: So what were you doing out on Black Friday?  You always hated shopping in general.

LAS: I was people watching.  The only thing comes that close to the chaotic slapstick of a Black Friday crowd is a Leftist street mob.  What were you doing out there?

JWD: My son wanted that new X-Box thing.

LAS: You really need to get that pasty-face couch-potato out of the basement.  Get him to join the Boy Scouts, or a sport, or something.

JWD: He’s not gay!

LAS: Man, you really are on a hair trigger with the gay son anxiety.  Have another drink, relax, dude.

JWD: Let’s just do the interview.

LAS: OK, grumpy pants.

==

JWD: Has the blog brought in revenue?

LAS: Not one thin dime.  I should have pretended to be a Leftist blogger.  Those zombies are constantly flocking to this or that counter culture flavor of the week.  After two years, I surely would have hit bingo! and made my mint selling idiotic tee shirts to those zombies.  But, noooooooooooooooooo – I had to become a conservative, and blog in the conservative blogosphere.  What a bunch of tight bastards.  They actually seem to care about how they spend their own money.

JWD: So, will you be continuing the blog?

LAS: Of course.  The helicopter fly-overs are telling me I’m living rent free inside the Empty Suit’s head.  There’s no telling when he’ll snap and mention LAS by name at the podium.  Then I’ll move some tee shirts, you’ll see.

JWD:  Uhhhh, yeah …. Let me pour you another drink.

JWD: How are your traffic numbers?

LAS: Steady at barely measurable.

JWD: That’s why you’re not selling tee shirts, genius.

LAS: Is this going to be a hostile interview?  You need to meet your deadline more than I need the so-called publicity from that rag of yours nobody reads.

JWD: Best recent development?

LAS: I recently picked up a regular troll.  And you know what kind of street cred that brings.  Her screen name is Ema Nymton.  I’ve profiled her based on her rantings.  Full time academician.  Entered academia as an affirmative action scholarship student.  Got teaching tenure based solely on her demographics.  Teaches something totally useless in the humanities.  Published, highly credentialed, and dumb as a brick.  Good foil.  I hope she’s not insulted by the profile and comes back often.

JWD: You must be honored.

LAS: Deadline….

JWD: Will you be continuing the Newton’s Three Laws series of posts?  I, mean, 23 chapters already.  Really?

LAS: Probably not – since you put it that way, snarky bastard.

JWD: How about Stupid or Treasonous?

LAS: Always on an as needed basis.  You never know when the Empty Suit will step on his crank big time.

JWD: E2E?

LAS: Now, that one has some real long term potential.  It could provide the “Rosetta Stone” to understanding Leftist drivel.  Who knows, I could get a tenured position teaching it when it catches on.  Three squares a day, cushy office on a neatly manicured campus, with no possibility of ever being fired.  Not bad.

JWD: How would you compare your 2010 archive to your 2011 archive?

LAS: I think I was a better writer in 2010, but a better blogger in 2011.

JWD: What the hell does that mean?

LAS: I’m not sure, but it sounds good.

JWD: How has the site itself evolved from 2010 to 2011?

LAS: Well, for one thing, at the beginning of this year I was treating the Assigned Reading List like a roll – pruning things off after they aged two weeks or so.  Then in March I think it was – I had real forehead slapping DUH! moment - and I stopped doing that.  By next November it should be recognized as THE ‘Cliff Notes’ on why the Empty Suit Known as Barack Hussein Obama doesn’t deserve a 2^nd term.

JWD: What else?

LAS: I also inaugurated the Just Another Unhinged Leftie (JAUL) aggregation.    By next November it ought to be the best virtual presentation of Leftist mobbery this side of Berkeley.

JWD: Clever devil.  How is the aggregation accomplished?

LAS: I just add one extra line to my standardized signature.

J.A.U.L. (pronounced “jowl”): Just Another Unhinged Leftie.

d(^_^)b

http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/

“Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive”

JWD: Yeah, about that signature thing … has it ruffled any feathers?

LAS: A few.  But I couldn’t care less. 2012 is for all the marbles.  Plus I think Disqus is using it now to aggregate a comment archive from all over the Intertubes.  The count is currently well over 4000.  How cool is that?

JWD: Yet you still use Intense Debate to moderate your blog?

LAS: Well, I made that decision before I noticed Disqus’ aggregation.  And I am a conservative – not going to fix what ain’t broken without a really good reason.

JWD: Plans for 2012?

LAS: Don’t try to fix what ain’t broken.

English-To-English (E2E) Translation, Numero Cinco

The Search Box informs me this is the fifth time this year I’ve gone down the E2E path.  This seems to be a good season for E2E.  We have Aimless Mobs of Maladjusted Malingering Malcontents defiling public spaces in order to tell us something we are still deciphering.  We have pointless committees of legislators explaining to us why they can’t figure out a math problem.  And we have a corrupt and kleptocratic demagogue roaming the country in the guise of POTUS - siding with the entire mob and siding with one half of the legislators.  The half that failed math.

The Empty Suit with the Wi-Fi Teleprompter Connection recently stepped out and gave us two good bits of Leftist demagoguery to dissect with the E2E format.  Enjoy.

==

On November 21, The Empty Suit That Shills For the Donkey Party stepped up to the podium to give us his take on the uber-duper committee’s predictable failure to reduce a ten year deficit projected in the tens of trillions by a mere $1.2T.  This outcome is entirely due to the fact the Donkey Party never had any intention to strike a deal.  Their plan is to spend, spend, spend, and soak the rich to make up the difference.  This is their plan even though you can’t close even half the gap even if you confiscated all the wealth belonging to every single “rich” person.  They failed math.

A video putting Barry’s Shameless Display of Demagoguery into plain view is given to us by a site appropriately named Shallow Nation.  Herewith is LAS’ E2E deconstruction …

@0:15: “Part of that law also required Congress to reduce spending by an additional $1.2T”

E2E:  “I suckered Speaker Boehner and the hapless establishment GOP into a trap allowing me to transfer blame for my failure of leadership during the Great Debt Ceiling Debacle of 2011”

@0:20: “In September I sent them a detailed plan that would have gone above and beyond that goal”

E2E:  “In September I submitted a joke document that counted as ‘savings’ $1.1 trillion from the ending of the American combat mission in Iraq and the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan no rational person thought for a second would ever be spent”

@0:47: “Balanced Approach”

E2E: “My way or the highway.  Redistribute wealth.”

@0:52: “an approach where everybody gives a little bit and everyone does their fair share”

E2E:  “an approach where taxpayers give even more money to the gub’ment to redistribute to permanent clients of the gub’ment”

@0:56: “An approach that is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans.  It is supported by experts and economists from all across the political spectrum.”

E2E:  “I think you’re too dumb to notice I’m not providing any specific sources.  I also think you are too dumb to notice my political spectrum spans the entire breadth of communist, socialist, and liberal.”

@1:09 “and to their credit, many Democrats in Congress were willing to put politics aside”

E2E:  “I think you’re too dumb to realize the hapless establishment GOP put a plan on the table with revenue increases the Democrats rejected because it wasn’t ‘balanced’ enough.  I also think you are too dumb to realize the only serious plans ever put on the table this entire session have come from the hapless establishment GOP.  Furthermore, I know you are too dumb to realize the Democrats that control the Senate haven’t even put together a budget for three years.”

@1:26: “There are still too many Republicans in Congress who refuse to listen to the voices of reason and compromise.”

E2E: “Damn those TEA Party freshman for doing what they were elected to come to town to do.”

@1:33: “[voices]that are coming from outside of Washington”

E2E: “[voices] that are coming through the so-called people’s mic in my illegal astro-turfed #OccupyCamps”

@1:37: “they continue to insist on protecting $100B in tax breaks for the wealthiest 2% of Americans”

E2E:  “Man, did I piss off my Leftist base last December, when I agreed to extend the Bush tax cuts saying taxes shouldn’t be raised in a soft economy.  Not gonna make that mistake again.”

@1:54: “at this point at least, they simply will not budge from that negotiating position”

E2E:  “I’m so sure you are too dumb to notice the hapless establishment GOP put revenues on the table, I feel comfortable repeating the lie again.”

@2:15:  “there’s no imminent threat of us defaulting on the debt we owe”

E2E:  “I suckered Speaker Boehner and the hapless establishment GOP into raising the debt ceiling in return for this ridiculous kabuki, when the ceiling never needed to be raised, because there never was a threat of default, because all the gub’ment would have had to do was simply prioritize debt payments over even more deficit spending.”

@2:30: “there would be another $1.2T in automatic cuts in 2013”

E2E: “What an awesome set up for me.  I get to pander to my Leftist base with a promise to gut defense, and I get to blame the GOP for looming Medicare austerity, all during the election of 2012 – then do whatever I want in 2013”

@3:30: “My message to them is simple – No.  I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts.”

E2E:  “This is way too good a political set up for me to not milk it for all it’s worth.  My way or the highway, baby - the opinion of my own Secretary of Defense about these automatic cuts notwithstanding.”

@4:09: “They’ve still got a year to figure it out.”

E2E:  “I intend to milk this set up for all it’s worth.”

@4:58:  “If we don’t act, taxes will go up for every single American starting next year.”

E2E:  “That payroll tax holiday is a tax break I can get behind, because I figure it buys a lot of votes.”

@5:03: “I’m not about to let that happen.”

E2E: “Every idiot knows it won’t happen, so I will be getting in front of this one for the reflected glory.”

@5:22: “We still need to put construction workers back on the job … we still need to put our teachers back in the classroom”

E2E: “I desperately need to put those union votes back to work by buying them with gub’ment payoffs.”

==

 

On November 22, the Empty Suit That Occasionally Occupies the Oval Office was back out on the campaign trail dissembling for dollars.  TheManachester Union Leader outlet gives us a full transcript to deconstruct using the E2E format.

The Empty Suit That Organizes Communities used this opportunity to astro-turf his allegiance with the Aimless Mobs of Maladjusted Malingering Malcontents.  Quite a spectacle this election season is already becoming.  We have a POTUS – sworn by constitutional oath to uphold the law of the land - aligning his fortunes with a so-called “movement” illegally camping in public spaces.   We have a POTUS – sworn by constitutional oath to protect the liberties of all Americans – shilling for a so-called “movement” whose only solution to anything is always to confiscate property, by force if necessary, from other people.  Truly extraordinary times … which is why we need E2E …

BHO: “I just want to point out, we're keeping our promise -- we are back.”

E2E: “Please don’t think too hard about all the stuff I promised the last time I was here that I haven’t delivered on.”

BHO: [After the euphemistically transcripted ‘Audience Interruption’] “That's okay. All right, okay, guys.”

E2E: “Axelrod in the House.”

BHO: “because by the end of next month, all of our troops will be out of Iraq.”

E2E:  “My administration couldn’t get the Status of Forces Agreement re-negotiated, so the Revolutionary Guard is making Ramadan plans for Baghdad.”

BHO: “in the Occupy movement, there is a profound sense of frustration”

E2E:  “in Project Occupy Astro-Turf, my community agitators are working overtime”

BHO:  “we stay true to a fundamental idea -– the idea that we're all in this together.”

E2E:  “we stay true to my fundamental transformation of America from a society based on individual liberty and accountability to socialist collectivism.”

BHO: “That's what is at stake right now.”

E2E: “LibertyAtStake is living rent free inside my head.”

BHO: “because our economic problems weren't caused overnight and they won't be solved overnight.”

E2E: “because you should blame Bush and not hold me accountable.”

BHO: “[The American Jobs Act] is a jobs bill that will put more Americans to work, put more money back into the pockets of working Americans.”

E2E: “[The American Jobs Act] is more Keynesian stimulus nonsense guaranteed to throw more wealth down a publicly funded rat hole.”

BHO: “Some folks in Washington don't seem to get the message that people care right now about putting folks back to work and giving young people opportunity.”

E2E: “Damn those TEA Party freshman for doing what they were elected to come to town to do.”

BHO: “So I said I will do everything in my power to act on behalf of the American people –- with or without Congress.”

E2E: “The constitution means nothing to me.”

BHO: “We announced -- on our own -- a new policy that will help families refinance their mortgages and save thousands of dollars.”

E2E: “We announced – on our own – because the constitution means nothing to us -- more Keynesian stimulus nonsense guaranteed to throw more wealth down a publicly funded rat hole.”

BHO: “On our own, without Congress, we reformed the student loan process to make it easier for more young people to pay off their debt.”

E2E: “On our own, because the constitution means nothing to us, we are buying your votes by allowing you to default on legally contracted debts.”

BHO: “ By the way, that was building on top of legislation we passed a year ago that said instead of sending $60 billion to banks to manage the student loan program, let's give it directly to students so that millions more young people can afford a college education.”

E2E: “By the way, that was building on top of legislation we passed a year ago that said student loans are now entirely the purview of statist bureaucrats.  Ain’t socialism great?  Only in a socialist utopia can you be given somebody else’s money and then be forgiven the legally contracted debt.  Vote for me.”

BHO: “I've lowered your taxes, haven't raised them”

E2E: “Damn those TEA Party freshman for doing what they were elected to come to town to do.”

BHO: “Now, we can't let that happen. Not right now. It would be bad for the economy.”

E2E: “Letting private citizens keep their own money is only good when it buys me votes.”

BHO: “The American Jobs Act would also cut payroll taxes in half for small business owners”

E2E: “LibertyAtStake needs to review his 2012 S-Corporation tax assumptions.  He might be able to keep more of his own money.”

BHO: “And we set up a straightforward tax calculator on whitehouse.gov -- that's our website”

E2E: “Every idiot knows this will pass, so I will be getting in front of this one for the reflected glory.”

BHO:  “blah, blah, blah, for about five paragraphs”

E2E: “Every idiot knows this will pass.”

E2E: “blah, blah, blah, for the remainder.”

E2E: “Pander.”

Meet the Teachers

If you are a parent of school-age children, you know the drill. Rows of educational professionals, apparently arranged in something resembling alphabetical order, sit behind folding tables in a gymnasium or cafeteria, awaiting conferences with parents eager to ensure their progeny receive the instruction from said professionals said progeny deserve, to lock in that wildly successful future said progeny are entitled to.

The lines of parents willing to occupy folding chairs set up in front of the aforementioned folding tables begin to form. In this case, the school is a public school balkanized between “honors” (mostly the progeny of two parent families from the east side of the tracks) and “general ed” (mostly the progeny of broken families from the west side of the tracks). Take a wild guess which educational professionals had dozens lined up and which had nearly none.

==

The Mathematics teacher with a habit of assigning homework before teaching the material said everything was cool with Young Master James except for a tendency to hand in homework late. Go figure.

I thought I smelled alcohol on the US History teacher’s breath. I could be wrong because he seemed perfectly in control of his wits. He’s a young man still.

The Environmental Science teacher – an old man who Young Master James reports is a Global Warming denier – had to look up the computer record to remember who Young Master James is. His eyes brightened when the record came up, and it informed him who Young Master James is. He then kicked off the discussion complimenting Young Master James on his punctuality and good manners. Yep, he’s a conservative.

The Art Foundations teacher said everything was cool with Young Master James, except she wished he tried harder to reach his real potential. Imagine that.

The Band teacher reported Young Master James has been promoted to first chair trumpet, but asked about his practice habits. The rest of our discussion revolved around improving the latter. Imagine that.

==

Young Master James’ future remains a virgin green field.

And LAS Endorses …

(Plus the much anticipated Commentapalozza IV)

Halfway through the eleventh month of the eleventh year of the twenty first century, and LAS has arrived at his endorsement for the most important political nomination of LAS’ lifetime.

(Now switching from referring to myself in the third person to the more conventional first person pronoun)

As I confidently predicted in my November 7 post - She Said, He Said, They Said, We Said (Part 2) - the corrupt and cynical Leftist media assault on Herman Cain and his character did not crater his polling, and only increased his fundraising velocity.

So, I will be throwing my support to Newt Gingrich. This decision has nothing to do with the scurrilous and unfounded charges designed by his political enemies to make Mr. Cain go away (and utterly failing to do so). I believe Mr. Cain can and should still have a very prominent role in the new TEA Party infused GOP. But I’ve decided 45th President isn’t quite the right fit – because apparently boning up on foreign policy hasn’t been an important component of an otherwise commendable run. Maybe Vice President with a specialized portfolio that is something like Czar of Making Sure Political Correctness is Killed Done Dead Forever. The corrupt and biased MSM has certainly bestowed the necessary credentials, and motivation, with their rabid lynching of the man.

LAS arrived at this endorsement through deep and careful thought about who will make the best Not-Obama in the general election. I think I’ve already made clear the short answer is Not-Romney. But, the question has hung … which Not-Romney? What recommended Mr. Cain was his automatic disarming of the race card. Yet, as the scurrilous unhinged attacks on Mr. Cain’s character demonstrate, the GOP nominee will be facing what liberals like to label an “uneven playing field” in the biased press. The road to the White House for a GOP nominee goes through the televised debates with the incumbent, because that is the forum offering the most impactful opportunity to by-pass the media and influence the electorate directly. Think Reagan vs. Carter and “There you go again.”

Among the available options, the best debater in the room is far and away Newt Gingrich. Newt will most assuredly reduce the Empty Suit Known as Barack Hussein Obama to a babbling fool in any debate format not moderated by a teleprompter. Defeating the Empty Suit Known as Barack Hussein Obama in 2012 is simply paramount above all other considerations. For this reason, Newt Gingrich must be the GOP nominee. We can leave nothing to chance in 2012.

So, now that that’s settled, let’s move to the fourth installment of the Commentapalooza format – because at the end of the day, this all about me. The rules remain the same – comment board genius that has boomeranged back to me via Feedjit, aged ninety days or more.

==

LAS stoops to the lowest form of humor: word pun.

LAS recalls fond childhood memories.

Some people could learn a thing or two from Dead White Males.

The JAUL Gallery intersects Commentapalooza for the first time.

Politically Correct means never having to admit you're wrong.

Catchy Post Title, Bob.

With any luck, the Pentagon will be more influential in Egypt than the State Department has been.

Just can't shake that 'treasonous' hunch.

Footnote

Newt says “I’ll do anything I can to help defeat Obama.” Ring the bell and let's get it on!

The #Occupy Meltdown Will Be Swift and Ugly From Here

The light bulb just went on making it crystal clear to LAS that I must succinctly record my wholly impressionistic take regarding #Occupy, on this day, November 10, 2011.

By way of background - for my entire adult life, I have made a habit of getting up from my desk and occasionally walking around outside to clear my head.  It has been a useful technique whether the immediate surroundings have been urban, suburban, rural, or manicured.  Astute readers of this blog have certainly noticed Camp Stinky, McPherson Square has become a regular feature for me in the execution of this habit lately.

Today the feel was entirely different than it was just yesterday.  It was ... militant.  The so-called "media tent" was shuttered (as much as a structure consisting of aluminum poles and tarp can be) - and I clearly heard the sound of people arguing over strategy.  In that hushed voice "leaders" use when they don't want the minions to overhear.  I talked to the guy who looks like he's homeless, was leading the "people's microphone" chanting on day one, and spotted panhandling for bus fare to New York last week.  He was wearing one of those anarchist bandanas, acting nervously, recognized me, and made a point of pulling up the anarchist bandana while talking to me.  The guy who has been wearing the same set of US Army surplus fatigues from day one was nowhere in sight.  I suspect he was inside the media tent plotting next steps.  I've seen him there (in front of the "media tent") conferencing with others often.  The worst mom in the world was nowhere in sight, either.  Probably inside the "media tent," too.  I have judged her to be one of the leadership cabal.

The light bulb for this post finally went "on" as I've been consuming several reports from the field here in my comfortable capitalist confines (all are from today):


Portland #Occupy camp violence is building (this is just the latest of many Portland violence reports over the past days)

Ancient Diseases popping up in #Occupy Atlanta camp

Gunfire In Burlington, VT?  Vermont?

Hell, Even Kathy Lanier Gets It Now

==

The meltdown will be swift and ugly from here.  Good.  Let's be done with it.

Update 11/11/11

The final descent into total madness is off to a fast and furious start in the Oakland encampment.

Should be a wild ride for occupiers and the civil society alike, this weekend in Portland.

And apparently new diseases are being classified for medical science, thanks to the Zucotti Park squatters.

Meanwhile ... Barry is playing small ball lately with his "go-it-alone, 'We Can't Wait', we-don't-need-no-stinkin'-constitution governance." He's probably too busy getting ready to declare martial law when the occupier illegal squatter clearing operations are in full swing.

Update 11/12/11

And the Smart Ones De-Camp ... 

Update 11/13/11

The inevitable delayed while the civil society awaits the opportune moment to begin eviction operations ...  

Update 11/14/11

The civil society finally acts, and the aimless remain in the street, roaming rather than squatting.  

And the aftermath is a rat's paradise. Maybe that's what they meant by creating a new world.  

Nobody Gets Away With Blocking a Good 'Ol 'Merican Thanksgiving Parade.  

Update 11/15/11

About Damn Time.  

The Litigious Left steps in to legally defend "squatter's rights" - Bloomberg hasn't joined the lawsuit, yet (keep an eye on him).  

Update 11/16/11

Brace Yourself For the Temper Tantrum.  

Update 11/17/11

Initial indications are the bark is worse than the bite of the Aimless Mob of Malingering Malcontents.

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Nomination

The only thing more breathlessly unhinged than a Leftist mob is a Ron Paul mob.



Late yesterday afternoon, I stumbled into a well written article on the Daily Caller site by a Ron Paul devotee named Jack Hunter. As anyone familiar with my intertubes genius would expect, I dropped a comment stating my position on some aspect of the article, with my standard signature linking back to my blogspot archive.

I briefly considered commenting on my agreement with the author that Herman Cain was wrong in his support of TARP. If we never bailed out the damn banks in the first place, we’d already be well into the recovery today – and without Leftist mobs in the streets demanding the bailout riches – which have all been paid back - be redistributed to them today (presumably for even more expensive tents).

I let it go though – because I know Herman Cain to be educable and pragmatic (meaning ‘practical’, not ‘unprincipled’) as an executive. I’ve seen him do it. Perhaps in a future post, I’ll explore why I find the sins of my other “not-Romney” favorite – Newt Gingrich – more egregious; i.e. falling for the Global Warming hoax and being slow off the mark embracing the TEA Party movement.

I chose instead to comment on the importance to get on with the primary process of finding the ‘not-Romney’ on principled grounds. As well as looking ahead to the possibility Romney can still win, and we may need to suck it up and be big boys come general election time. Which will mean embracing Romney as ‘not-Obama’ (with noses firmly held, of course).

==

Comment board chaos ensued. Frankly, I should have anticipated it, given who I was dealing with. But I failed to, and now I have to write this damned post. ;)

A swarm of Ron Paul devotees jumped on the thread to frantically push their man’s case. Some of the content, and the whole attitude of it, is entirely unhinged. You can read it for yourself.

The swarm failed to abate even after I told them to read my March 1, 2010 blogspot post for a comprehensive read designed to put the discussion to rest, and allow us to at least agree to disagree.

Actually, I should have anticipated this would be a fruitless offer. I suspect most of this swarm have never taken a breath from ranting long enough to read and comprehend that many words all at once.

The swarm still continues this morning. Trust me when I tell you I could make a game of causing it to continue as long as I cared to, inclusive of “endlessly.” Or in the spirit of Hunter S. Thompson, I can now simply report on my experience from the thick of the fight. At least having my character and motives mischaracterized, misunderstood, and smeared on a comment board is lighter duty than getting beat up by the Hell’s Angels (an actual HST episode).

==

The core problem with the Ron Paul mob is a wicked mix of two character defaults; a naiveté about how the world works, and a religiosity around their devotion to their candidate. This, as a matter of fact, if you replace the word “candidate” with “ideology,” is the same axis of character defects that makes Jihadis an existential threat to the planet, and Leftists an existential threat to the constitution.