Obama announced today that he had "become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions." (Thanks, CNN)
Now, it's one thing when somebody else says that about him. (See Chris Matthews saying "he's a gift from the world to us in so many ways"; "the Biblical term... is 'deliverance'"; "shiver up my leg"... in fact, just see this video that McCain's campaign put out.) People say all kinds of things about presidential candidates, and just about anybody else, for that matter. But when you start saying those things about yourself, it's an entirely different matter.
Several people have drawn (unfavorable) comparisons between Obama's speech in Berlin last week and Lincoln's Gettysburg address.
Obama said: "Now the world will watch and remember what we do here."
Abraham Lincoln said: "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here."
The difference between the two is a modesty that is essential to any human being. Or at least any human being who doesn't wish to be insufferable.
Obama's utterances about himself often tend towards the messianic. He and his loyal followers will make the oceans recede, heal the planet, restore America, &c., &c. Not to draw unsavory comparisons, but as unsavory comparisons are inevitable, here goes: the only people who say things about themselves like that are tyrants and fools (deity excepted). Obama's no tyrant. But he should be careful about the company he keeps, or he will look like a fool.
Oh, Senator? You're no Abraham Lincoln, either.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Winner's Speech
Senators McCain and Obama: Take some advice from an average American. Give this speech. Whichever one of you does, and does it well, will win this election. The Speech goes something like this:
My fellow Americans:
I have seen the prices climb steadily at gas stations. I know many of you are dreading heating your homes this winter. I also understand that most of you are frustrated with how the government has (or has not) handled this problem. Some have proposed a gas tax holiday. This is akin to the fire department seeing your house ablaze and, instead of putting out the fire, watering the roof of your storage shed. You don't lose the storage shed, but everything precious to you is in your home, not your shed. Right now, our lifestyles depend on vast amounts of oil, natural gas, and coal-- non-renewable resources. Sooner or later, we will run out, and while Washington dithers back and forth about "sustainability", etc. , the price of gas and food, the most critical purchases Americans make, have at least doubled in the past year. Ethanol clearly is not the solution-- not only are its effects miniscule, but the shortage of corn and the resulting increases in food prices have caused pain throughout the world. This is utterly unacceptable. And I have a plan to begin fixing it.
This morning, I introduced legislation in the Senate to nullify all bans on nuclear power plants [EOWYN: I don't know if this is strictly possible, as all the bans a quick Google search came up with are state bans, but something like this needs to happen]. By the time the presidential election happens in November, clean, renewable energy plants will already be in construction in the following states: [EOWYN: Senator's pick, but I would start with New York, California, Florida, Michigan, and Ohio]..., provided passage of my bill.
I am aware of the problems involved with nuclear waste, as I am also aware that no one wants a nuclear waste site in their backyard. These are problems with no easy solution, but building these power plants will buy us some time and relief from ridiculous prices for electricity, not to mention lessening air pollution.
I am also aware that nuclear power plants are expensive. That is why, beginning on my first day in office, I will veto any bill that includes earmarks, so-called pork, coming from Congress. Far too much money, given by taxpayers, is wasted on these pork projects, which include improvements to bike paths and building multi-million dollar bridges that would service fewer than 60 people. This is an outrageous use of American citizens' money-- indeed, in some cases, it is little better than highway robbery. Last year alone, Americans forked over $13.2 billion to greed. That is down considerably from the $29 billion in 2006, but it is still insane. There are far better uses for that money. One of the optimal uses for it would be tax-cuts. However, I am going to ask for the faith of the American people. If you approve (government does, after all, work for you), the same amount of money that was used for pork last year, $13.2 billion, will be appropriated and used to fund the following plan:
Our nation's top scientists and engineers, including auto designers, manufacturers, propulsion experts from NASA, and others, will be given jobs (at competitive pay) and space in Washington D.C. for one purpose-- to design cars that don't need oil, natural gas, or ethanol. I know that electric cars already exist. I also know that they are expensive, and frankly, often unexciting to drive. The cars coming out of this lab in D.C. will run on the IKEA principle: give quality, and give it cheaply. I only want viable, sellable cars coming out of this lab, cars that are ready to go into production immediately. The most expensive design should cost no more than $30,000 out the door, with the least expensive being in the $10,000- $15,000 range, or even less if they get really ambitious. The first of these cars will be on the market within 4 years, as the design specs coming out of this government-funded lab will be provided to every American auto-maker free of charge, provided they can mass-produce it within 2 years.
While this lab in D.C. is working on cars, they will also be collaborating with oil companies. No one wants to dis-employ all those who work for oil companies, nor is it reasonable to ask the companies to research themselves out of business. I propose, instead, to give a tax-break or other financial incentive to each company that can present a model for a viable alternative energy source capable of serving a major city and that will pledge to have it up and running with in five to ten years of their presentation. Private enterprise is one of America's greatest strengths-- I won't ask any company to commit suicide. I simply ask them to evolve, and to embrace the challenge as Americans have always done.
I know this is an ambitious project. I know that almost everything in it has never been done before-- people have come up with prototypes, and PhD papers, and models, but there has never been anything more concrete than that to show the American consumer. Politicians typically talk big and have very little to show for it at the end.
Not this time. This is the United States of America. We fought a war to free ourselves, first from foreign tyranny and then from the tyranny of slavery. We have saved the world-- twice! We built a railroad to span a continent, airplanes to fly over it, roads to drive across it, bridges to cross its lakes and rivers. We put men on the moon not once, but six times. We are responsible for some of the greatest technological advances the world has ever seen-- do not tell me that we can't find a way to get off oil. This country has never failed to accomplish something we have united behind. Everyone agrees on the need to find other ways to drive our society.
Let's get to it.
**
The key to this speech is sincerity. We have had enough of typical politicians right now. Both McCain and Obama are running as the anti-politician, the guy who is really there to make the country better instead of for his own aggrandizement. Now is the time to prove it. C'mon, guys, you're running for Leader of the Free World. Boldly go where few politicians have gone before-- lead. Accomplish something that really could change the world. Give America another reason to be proud.
My fellow Americans:
I have seen the prices climb steadily at gas stations. I know many of you are dreading heating your homes this winter. I also understand that most of you are frustrated with how the government has (or has not) handled this problem. Some have proposed a gas tax holiday. This is akin to the fire department seeing your house ablaze and, instead of putting out the fire, watering the roof of your storage shed. You don't lose the storage shed, but everything precious to you is in your home, not your shed. Right now, our lifestyles depend on vast amounts of oil, natural gas, and coal-- non-renewable resources. Sooner or later, we will run out, and while Washington dithers back and forth about "sustainability", etc. , the price of gas and food, the most critical purchases Americans make, have at least doubled in the past year. Ethanol clearly is not the solution-- not only are its effects miniscule, but the shortage of corn and the resulting increases in food prices have caused pain throughout the world. This is utterly unacceptable. And I have a plan to begin fixing it.
This morning, I introduced legislation in the Senate to nullify all bans on nuclear power plants [EOWYN: I don't know if this is strictly possible, as all the bans a quick Google search came up with are state bans, but something like this needs to happen]. By the time the presidential election happens in November, clean, renewable energy plants will already be in construction in the following states: [EOWYN: Senator's pick, but I would start with New York, California, Florida, Michigan, and Ohio]..., provided passage of my bill.
I am aware of the problems involved with nuclear waste, as I am also aware that no one wants a nuclear waste site in their backyard. These are problems with no easy solution, but building these power plants will buy us some time and relief from ridiculous prices for electricity, not to mention lessening air pollution.
I am also aware that nuclear power plants are expensive. That is why, beginning on my first day in office, I will veto any bill that includes earmarks, so-called pork, coming from Congress. Far too much money, given by taxpayers, is wasted on these pork projects, which include improvements to bike paths and building multi-million dollar bridges that would service fewer than 60 people. This is an outrageous use of American citizens' money-- indeed, in some cases, it is little better than highway robbery. Last year alone, Americans forked over $13.2 billion to greed. That is down considerably from the $29 billion in 2006, but it is still insane. There are far better uses for that money. One of the optimal uses for it would be tax-cuts. However, I am going to ask for the faith of the American people. If you approve (government does, after all, work for you), the same amount of money that was used for pork last year, $13.2 billion, will be appropriated and used to fund the following plan:
Our nation's top scientists and engineers, including auto designers, manufacturers, propulsion experts from NASA, and others, will be given jobs (at competitive pay) and space in Washington D.C. for one purpose-- to design cars that don't need oil, natural gas, or ethanol. I know that electric cars already exist. I also know that they are expensive, and frankly, often unexciting to drive. The cars coming out of this lab in D.C. will run on the IKEA principle: give quality, and give it cheaply. I only want viable, sellable cars coming out of this lab, cars that are ready to go into production immediately. The most expensive design should cost no more than $30,000 out the door, with the least expensive being in the $10,000- $15,000 range, or even less if they get really ambitious. The first of these cars will be on the market within 4 years, as the design specs coming out of this government-funded lab will be provided to every American auto-maker free of charge, provided they can mass-produce it within 2 years.
While this lab in D.C. is working on cars, they will also be collaborating with oil companies. No one wants to dis-employ all those who work for oil companies, nor is it reasonable to ask the companies to research themselves out of business. I propose, instead, to give a tax-break or other financial incentive to each company that can present a model for a viable alternative energy source capable of serving a major city and that will pledge to have it up and running with in five to ten years of their presentation. Private enterprise is one of America's greatest strengths-- I won't ask any company to commit suicide. I simply ask them to evolve, and to embrace the challenge as Americans have always done.
I know this is an ambitious project. I know that almost everything in it has never been done before-- people have come up with prototypes, and PhD papers, and models, but there has never been anything more concrete than that to show the American consumer. Politicians typically talk big and have very little to show for it at the end.
Not this time. This is the United States of America. We fought a war to free ourselves, first from foreign tyranny and then from the tyranny of slavery. We have saved the world-- twice! We built a railroad to span a continent, airplanes to fly over it, roads to drive across it, bridges to cross its lakes and rivers. We put men on the moon not once, but six times. We are responsible for some of the greatest technological advances the world has ever seen-- do not tell me that we can't find a way to get off oil. This country has never failed to accomplish something we have united behind. Everyone agrees on the need to find other ways to drive our society.
Let's get to it.
**
The key to this speech is sincerity. We have had enough of typical politicians right now. Both McCain and Obama are running as the anti-politician, the guy who is really there to make the country better instead of for his own aggrandizement. Now is the time to prove it. C'mon, guys, you're running for Leader of the Free World. Boldly go where few politicians have gone before-- lead. Accomplish something that really could change the world. Give America another reason to be proud.
Absentee
Sorry for the silence around here-- the whole clan got sick. We're on the mend though, and regular blogging will resume tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Your Daily Dose of Insanity
'Toddlers who dislike spicy food "racist" says [sic] report'
Don't miss that line at the bottom where the preschool and day care teachers are encouraged to inform on their charges. They also said "some people think that if a large number of racist incidents are reported, this will reflect badly on the institution. In fact, the opposite is the case." The more kids we report for racism, the better!
To quote Dave Barry, "No, I am not making this up."
...
In what alternate universe does any sane parent want to send their offspring to a preschool where their 3-year-old will be reported to the local government? It's like kids in the Soviet Union being encouraged to report on their parents, only now the adults are reporting on the kids.
Incidentally, I wonder how long it will be before the parents of a kid who doesn't like curry will be indicted for a hate crime.
Freedom Fail.
CWCID: Jonah Goldberg
Don't miss that line at the bottom where the preschool and day care teachers are encouraged to inform on their charges. They also said "some people think that if a large number of racist incidents are reported, this will reflect badly on the institution. In fact, the opposite is the case." The more kids we report for racism, the better!
To quote Dave Barry, "No, I am not making this up."
...
In what alternate universe does any sane parent want to send their offspring to a preschool where their 3-year-old will be reported to the local government? It's like kids in the Soviet Union being encouraged to report on their parents, only now the adults are reporting on the kids.
Incidentally, I wonder how long it will be before the parents of a kid who doesn't like curry will be indicted for a hate crime.
Freedom Fail.
CWCID: Jonah Goldberg
Monday, July 7, 2008
The State of the Race
The Democratic Party has put forth its most unelectable candidate in who knows how long.
The Republicans are still likely to lose.
Sad, isn't it? Here, briefly (I'll have an in-depth profile on each of them later), we have the candidates:
Barack Obama is young, charismatic, and eloquent. He is vastly inexperienced (he just finished his first term as a Senator; before that, his only experience consisted of being a legislator in Illinois). He is relatively unaccomplished (yes, being a Senator is an accomplishment, but he's done very little as a Senator other than to run for president). He is the most liberal Senator in the Capitol Building. And he lies.
John McCain is a hero, very experienced in military matters, and loyal to a fault. He is old. He has a vile temper. He can't give a good prepared speech to save his life. And when he's nervous, it shows-- a friend of mine says that he looks like a dog about to throw up. She's right. McCain is neither conservative nor liberal, which might play well except for his habit of kidney-punching conservatives just for the fun of it. And he lies.
I'd pick McCain. But unless something changes-- either a catastrophic mistake on Obama's part or America snaps out of its usual election-year amnesia-- Obama is going to win for one good and simple reason: he makes you believe that he should. The man is a speaker like none I've seen before.
This is not a reason to elect a person to the presidency. I can't force any campaign errors on Obama's part (let's hear it for unforced errors!). This blog exists, in part, to fight against the collective amnesia that seems to grip people when it comes to politics. Because this is important stuff, people. You can only ignore politics if you're sure that politics will ignore you, as the saying goes (anyone have a citation?)-- and politics is not leaving us alone right now. Talk to people. A person's political opinions are not sacrosanct-- this country was founded partly on the belief that you need to talk about politics. The Founders trusted us with this country, not an aristocracy, political parties, or anything else. Just us. Vote your conscience, but make sure you do it because you're informed, and have thought long and hard about who the Leader of the Free World should be. That's what George Washington and the rest trusted us to do.
Make 'em proud.
The Republicans are still likely to lose.
Sad, isn't it? Here, briefly (I'll have an in-depth profile on each of them later), we have the candidates:
Barack Obama is young, charismatic, and eloquent. He is vastly inexperienced (he just finished his first term as a Senator; before that, his only experience consisted of being a legislator in Illinois). He is relatively unaccomplished (yes, being a Senator is an accomplishment, but he's done very little as a Senator other than to run for president). He is the most liberal Senator in the Capitol Building. And he lies.
John McCain is a hero, very experienced in military matters, and loyal to a fault. He is old. He has a vile temper. He can't give a good prepared speech to save his life. And when he's nervous, it shows-- a friend of mine says that he looks like a dog about to throw up. She's right. McCain is neither conservative nor liberal, which might play well except for his habit of kidney-punching conservatives just for the fun of it. And he lies.
I'd pick McCain. But unless something changes-- either a catastrophic mistake on Obama's part or America snaps out of its usual election-year amnesia-- Obama is going to win for one good and simple reason: he makes you believe that he should. The man is a speaker like none I've seen before.
This is not a reason to elect a person to the presidency. I can't force any campaign errors on Obama's part (let's hear it for unforced errors!). This blog exists, in part, to fight against the collective amnesia that seems to grip people when it comes to politics. Because this is important stuff, people. You can only ignore politics if you're sure that politics will ignore you, as the saying goes (anyone have a citation?)-- and politics is not leaving us alone right now. Talk to people. A person's political opinions are not sacrosanct-- this country was founded partly on the belief that you need to talk about politics. The Founders trusted us with this country, not an aristocracy, political parties, or anything else. Just us. Vote your conscience, but make sure you do it because you're informed, and have thought long and hard about who the Leader of the Free World should be. That's what George Washington and the rest trusted us to do.
Make 'em proud.
Rules
Just so they're there, here are the rules:
1. Comments are very welcome, but profanity and personal insults* are not. If there's anything too egregious in the comments, I will delete them.
2. There's a good reason that I don't use my real name (did you think it was really Eowyn? Not that that wouldn't be awesome...). If you are one of the few people who know who I really am, please respect my anonymity. Frankly, I don't want to get death threats from the same type of people who threaten Danish cartoonists.
*unless they're really good ones. "Ill-favored five-legged child of a camel and a roach" would be a good example of this.
1. Comments are very welcome, but profanity and personal insults* are not. If there's anything too egregious in the comments, I will delete them.
2. There's a good reason that I don't use my real name (did you think it was really Eowyn? Not that that wouldn't be awesome...). If you are one of the few people who know who I really am, please respect my anonymity. Frankly, I don't want to get death threats from the same type of people who threaten Danish cartoonists.
*unless they're really good ones. "Ill-favored five-legged child of a camel and a roach" would be a good example of this.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Inaugural
The Fourth of July seemed as good a time as any to start this blog. I've been kicking the idea around in my head for quite a while. As today is a holiday and this blogger has family, I'll begin with posting the poem from which the title of this blog is taken:
America for Me
'Tis fine to see the Old World, and travel up and down
Among the famous palaces and cities of renown,
To admire the crumbly castles and the statues of the kings,--
But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things.
So it's home again, and home again, America for me!
My heart is turning home again, and there I long to be
In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.
Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air;
And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair;
And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome,
But when it comes to living, there is no place like home.
I like the German fir-woods, in green battalions drilled;
I like the gardens of Versailles with flashing fountains filled;
But, oh, to take your hand, my dear, and ramble for a day
In the friendly western woodland where Nature has her way!
I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack!
The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back,
But the glory of the Present is to make the Future free,--
We love our land for what she is and what she is to be.
Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!
I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea,
To the blessed Land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.
By: Henry Van Dyke
I am grateful for the freedom I have here. May the future be ever more free.
America for Me
'Tis fine to see the Old World, and travel up and down
Among the famous palaces and cities of renown,
To admire the crumbly castles and the statues of the kings,--
But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things.
So it's home again, and home again, America for me!
My heart is turning home again, and there I long to be
In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.
Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air;
And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair;
And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome,
But when it comes to living, there is no place like home.
I like the German fir-woods, in green battalions drilled;
I like the gardens of Versailles with flashing fountains filled;
But, oh, to take your hand, my dear, and ramble for a day
In the friendly western woodland where Nature has her way!
I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack!
The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back,
But the glory of the Present is to make the Future free,--
We love our land for what she is and what she is to be.
Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!
I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea,
To the blessed Land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.
By: Henry Van Dyke
I am grateful for the freedom I have here. May the future be ever more free.
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