Good Jonah Goldberg:

Any number of countries in Africa are vastly richer in baubles and soil than Switzerland. But they are poor because they are impoverished in what they value.

In large measure our wealth isn't the product of capitalism, it is capitalism.

Good Victor Davis Hanson. No dog food for you tonight, Victor. (Gosh, how many Futurama jokes can I make in one day?!):

Instead of a strutting, Bible-quoting Texan, replete with southern accent and ‘smoke-em’ out lingo, they get an athletic, young, JFK-ish metrosexual, whose rhetoric is as empty as it is soothing. The English-only Obama lectures America on its need to emulate polyglot Europe; while a Spanish-speaking George Bush is hopelessly cast as a Texas yokel.

(Links via CG)

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Lots of laughter today. Lots.
And I haven't laughed at The Daily Show in years, but this recent clip had me in stitches.
No low blows, no gratuitous Bush jokes, just good comedy.

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Lileks goes to eleven today.

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If you're really squeamish, this might freak you out. But there's a youtube of a Lasik surgery, and it's exactly what they did to me. I must say, sitting in the waiting room watching these creeped me out at first, but after I'd watched three people go ahead of me, it wasn't that hard to watch. But still...not for those who get grossed out by eyeballs.

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Yay, CaliValleyGirl finally graced us with her presence, and she even included a picture of her baby wearing the sweater I made for him. Um, the sweater that was supposed to fit him this coming winter, at six months, not six weeks. He's a big'un.

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Via Beth, a must read: Patton Oswalt's graduation speech

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Thomas Sowell is so smart.

One of the most naive notions is that politicians are trying to solve the country's problems, just because they say so-- or say so loudly or inspiringly.

Politicians' top priority is to solve their own problem, which is how to get elected and then re-elected. Barack Obama is a politician through and through, even though pretending that he is not is his special strategy to get elected.
[...]
Perhaps a defining moment in showing Senator Obama's priorities was his declaring, in answer to a question from Charles Gibson, that he was for raising the capital gains tax rate. When Gibson reminded him of the well-documented fact that lower tax rates on capital gains had produced more actual revenue collected from that tax than the higher tax rates had, Obama was unmoved.

The question of how to raise more revenue may be the economic issue but the political issue is whether socking it to "the rich" in the name of "fairness" gains more votes.

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1 I don't see the need to throw EVERY politician under the bus just to prove the point about Obama. Yea, yea I know they all suck, blah, blah...whatever.

Posted by: tim at July 17, 2008 11:31 AM (nno0f)

2 Tim...obviously, some are much better than others. But an important and often-forgotten point is that politicians & government officials are themselves economic actors rather than pure-hearted referees. I think leftists and even traditional liberals often tend to think of "the government" as being comprised of idealized parent-figures, rather than understanding that these are just humans who respond to incentives.

Posted by: david foster at July 17, 2008 12:05 PM (ke+yX)

3 I cringe everytime I hear Obama talk about a "fair" economy...that's the big code word for taxing the "rich" and transferring the wealth to the government. It makes my stomach turn and it angers me that he gets cheers after saying that. I heard Mitt Romney speak the other day and the only thing I could think was, "Only if..."

Posted by: Nicole at July 17, 2008 01:02 PM (sBJ2p)

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I thought this was an interesting article: When The Man is One of Us

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File under "I wish I had thought to say that." Lileks on Obama's "merci beaucoup" inanity yesterday:

In the context of English-as-a-national-tongue laws, itÂ’s an interesting assertion: Apparently it is right to expect people who visit Paris to speak French the day they get there, but it is cultural chauvinism to expect people who want to live and work in America to understand English well enough to navigate a ballot.

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Via CG is a post by the American Princess about libertarians that ends with this:

That would be why I would consider voting for John McCain when given the choice between John McCain and Barack Obama. Or at least, thats one of the reasons why. The other is that I just hate Barack Obama so darn much that I would would stoop so low as to vote for (ugh) John McCain who is several thousand years old and lacks total respect for the First Amendment over him.

And that is saying something.

Read the whole thing.

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(Via Insty) Timothy Sandefur discusses what the 4th of July is all about.

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Powerline critiques Obama's speech the other day.

Then there's this:

I remember, when living for four years in Indonesia as a child, I listened to my mother reading me the first lines of the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they're endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

I would have thought that pretty much everyone--certainly every Presidential speechwriter, and every Harvard Law School graduate!--knows that these are not the "first lines" of the Declaration, which begins, "When in the course of human events...." What, exactly, accounts for the fact that Obama is not a laughingstock?

Finally, this:

As we begin our fourth century as a nation, it is easy to take the extraordinary nature of America for granted.

"Fourth century?" The United States of America came into being in 1789. We have just recently begun our third century. I suppose Obama would say that the 21st century is America's fourth, just as Minnie Minoso played major league baseball in five decades. As always with Obama's howlers, you should ask yourself: would the press have bought it if it came from Dan Quayle?

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I didn't hear this on the radio the other day, but it's worth reading the whole thing before it becomes unavailable. Some excerpts:

RUSH: John Paul Stevens in his dissent on the DC gun ban bill today wrote that the majority, meaning Scalia and the gang, "would have us believe that over 200 years ago, the framers made a choice to limit the tools available to elected officials wishing to regulate civilian uses of weapons." Folks, that is scary. I know Justice Stevens has been around for a long time, but that kind of interpretation -- there is no way, I don't care how convoluted a way that you read the Second Amendment, there is nothing in it to indicate that the Framers intended to grant the federal government, elected officials, the right to police people.

I too was shocked to hear that statement. It seems like a really jacked-up and backwards way of looking at the Second Amendment. The Framers never envisioned a day when elected officials got to decide whether people could own guns.

And it just gets worse.

Here Jeffrey Toobin, legal expert, CNN, talking to Heidi Collins at CNN. Listen to this question. Memo to Jonathan Klein running CNN: Do you understand how incompetent some of the people you have on your network are? Listen to this question. Heidi Collins to Jeffrey Toobin: "Specifically, Jeffrey, that's really what it's about, isn't it, the Constitution trumping policy?" The Constitution trumping policy? The Constitution trumping policy? (interruption) Yes, of course it is, but for this to be a question to a legal scholar? Here's the answer.

TOOBIN: This is just a big, big event in American constitutional history because the Second Amendment has been a true mystery.

RUSH: No.

TOOBIN: No one really knew for decades what it meant --

RUSH: Yes, they did.

TOOBIN: -- in practical terms.

RUSH: Yes, they did.

TOOBIN: Now the Supreme Court, by and large just 5-4, has said that there is a constitutional right to own a handgun inside the home.

RUSH: Stop the tape here a second. The only reason, Mr. Toobin, anybody ever debated this is because people like you, liberals years and years ago tried to tell us it didn't mean that, and you've been passing laws throughout these local municipalities and states chipping away at the Second Amendment because you don't like it. Nobody had any question about this 'til you liberals got involved, tried to obfuscate it and confuse everybody about it. And now we have to get to the point where the Constitution, which is plainly clear in this case, has to be affirmed by the US Supreme Court?

I too am shocked to hear someone talk about "the Constitution trumping policy." All policy is derived from the Constitution. The Constitution always trumps.

Rush goes on. I mean, he was just on fire that day.

RUSH: One of the problems that we're having here in our culture with all of this is the bastardization of the meaning of the word "right," as in, to have a right. For example, look what the left is saying today. We don't have a right to own guns. I mean, that would be their preference, that there be no Second Amendment. Just get four or five justices to wipe it out. We have no right, even though the Constitution specifically says we do. Yet, they further the notion that we all have a "right" to health care. We do not have a right to health care! That we all have a "right" to a home. We do not have a right to a home! That we all have a "right" to go to college. We do not have a right to go to college, because those are not rights! That we have a "right" to be free of the pollution of oil. That is not a right.

That's good squishy.

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I just wanted to say that if you haven't seen Ania Egland's response to that stupid MoveOn ad where the mom won't "give" John McCain her son, make sure you go check it out.

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1 WOW. Well done Mrs. England.

Posted by: MaryIndiana at June 26, 2008 01:50 PM (Sc9ll)

2 For to whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. (Luke 12:4 It is this simple lesson that the moveon types seem incapable of grasping. My brother and sister soldiers and their families have given much to the peopld of this nation...whether they deserve it or not. And the morons like the woman who won't "give" John McCain her baby seem to believe they are somehow entitled to the liberties purchased by the soldiers of the nation. They, like Ms. Moveon Lady, believe they should have it all given to them but have nothing required of them. It is a simple concept....the Bible expresses is as it appears above...today folks abbreviate the same idea as There is no such thing as a free lunch. Well Lady...this IS (for the moment) a free country (purchased by the actions and sacrifice of a lot of folks willing to do what it took to obtain it) and you may not "give" little Alex to the nation. And when your ilk reach critical mass in this country you or your offspring will find yourselves "giving" your babies to Allah. Evil has something you lack: An action plan to achieve its objectives. Doubt me? Go read a little history. Chamberlain didn't believe it (Peace in our time) That little denial gave us Hitler. The USA didn't believe it on Dec 10, 1941 (the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor for those of you who don't/won't remember history). Try to imagine this. TOTAL: 2,403 KIA, 1,178 WIA. That is in ONE day. I'm sorry...perhaps more aptly described as LESS THAN 2 HOURS. Along with the following. ------------------------------------------------- Battleships USS Arizona (BB-39) - total loss when a bomb hit her magazine. USS Oklahoma (BB-37) - Total loss when she capsized and sunk in the harbor. USS California (BB-44) - Sunk at her berth. Later raised and repaired. USS West Virginia (BB-4 - Sunk at her berth. Later raised and repaired. USS Nevada - (BB-36) Beached to prevent sinking. Later repaired. USS Pennsylvania (BB-3 - Light damage. USS Maryland (BB-46) - Light damage. USS Tennessee (BB-43) Light damage. USS Utah (AG-16) - (former battleship used as a target) - Sunk. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cruisers USS New Orleans (CA-32) - Light Damage.. USS San Francisco (CA3 - Light Damage. USS Detroit (CL- - Light Damage. USS Raleigh (CL-7) - Heavily damaged but repaired. USS Helena (CL-50) - Light Damage. USS Honolulu (CL-4 - Light Damage.. -------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) - Destroyed. Parts salvaged. USS Cassin - (DD-37 2) Destroyed. Parts salvaged. USS Shaw (DD-373) - Very heavy damage. USS Helm (DD-38 - Light Damage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minelayer USS Ogala (CM-4) - Sunk but later raised and repaired. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seaplane Tender USS Curtiss (AV-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Repair Ship USS Vestal (AR-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Harbor Tug USS Sotoyomo (YT-9) - Sunk but later raised and repaired. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aircraft 188 Aircraft destroyed (92 USN and 92 U.S. Army Air Corps.) But that's OK...Mrs. Moveon Lady. At least you will have your video on YouTube after Achmed has beheaded Alex. Watch it until you feel better.

Posted by: Tim Fitzgerald at June 26, 2008 05:52 PM (Nki/C)

3 Um, Tim? The day before the attack on Pearl Harbor was Dec 6th, 1941. Otherwise, pretty good. As for Ania, it does seem those who have not grown up in this country appreciate our freedoms more.

Posted by: Patrick Chester at June 27, 2008 03:15 PM (MOvul)

4 Indeed. Touche'

Posted by: Tim Fitzgerald at June 27, 2008 03:26 PM (Nki/C)

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I too find myself mesmerized by Bjorn Lomborg and giddy every time I see him on TV. He must just have some quality that makes straight men and housewives hang on his every word. Heh.

His interview in The Spectator: 'Global Warming Is Not Our Most Urgent Priority'

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Rachel Lucas says it so I don't have to.

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Deployment Silver Linings

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Fairness, Idealism, and Other Atrocities

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A thought from Rachel Lucas:

IÂ’m pretty sure the multitude of African tribes who sold other Africans into slavery havenÂ’t apologized, either. TheyÂ’re still doing it, actually, but you never hear about that. All guys like Wright care about is what didnÂ’t happen to them at the hands of people who are no longer alive. You know, sometimes I wonder what hut-dwelling, persecuted, starving, or enslaved Africans - who are alive and dying right this second - would think about American blacks like Wright and Cone, if they could know about them. Which they canÂ’t because they live in abject poverty and terror and donÂ’t have a lot of spare time to surf the internet, seeing as how theyÂ’re so busy running from machete slaughters and waiting for their cup of rice each day, that is if it isnÂ’t hijacked by other Africans with guns.

I wonder how “supported” they would feel in their “blackness” to know that wealthy, intelligent, resourceful black Americans spend so much time and effort pounding away on shit that happened here hundreds of years ago instead of directing all that rage at injustice towards Africa itself. You know, maybe actually helping black people who need it about a million times more than your average Detroit gangbanger. Just a thought I have sometimes.

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Lileks is a gem:

You know, it may be hard to find a candidate who doesnÂ’t belong to a church whose leader delivers eyebrow-singing speeches on the evils of America and also built a house Jim Bakker would approve, and it may be hard to find a candidate who doesnÂ’t move with ease in the same social circles as some people who bombed the Pentagon, but it canÂ’t be that hard to find one who doesnÂ’t do both.

Speaking of gems, my husband's ego grew about two sizes after the previous post. Now he's walking around the house talking about how great he is.

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