Gloat Rebound
October 25th, 2008Fuel for Obama?
Here is something I wish I had read before I started blogging.
Proverbs 24:17-18:
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
I see the US perched on the verge of a sharp decline into socialism, which brings poverty and totalitarianism. I used to think it was punishment for our sins. Things like pride and greed and cruelty and sexual immorality. But I have to wonder; isn’t it possible that the GOP is being repaid for gloating during the Bush years?
I certainly did it. I still have a Sore Loserman shirt. I posted a ton of material about the whininess of liberals, and I reminded them over and over that no matter how much they hated George Bush, they still had to send him their taxes every year.
Now look what’s happening.
Maybe we need to cut back on “moonbat” and so on and make more of an effort to be civil. Liberals have been much, much worse about lowering the tone of discourse, but many of them don’t know any better. They think arrogance and cruelty are virtues. If you know better, you should act like it.
What good have we done ourselves, ridiculing the opposition? None, as far as I can see. Ann Coulter raises millions (no exaggeration) for Democrat candidates, and she has probably never converted a single person to conservatism. Tell me I’m wrong. Have you ever seen a Democrat scratch his head and say, “Wow, maybe Ann Coulter has a point”?
It’s fun to vent, and liberalism is inherently silly and self-contradictory, but in the end, we are all Americans, and most of us want what’s best for everyone. We should stay focused our ultimate goals–peace and prosperity and unity–instead of settling for the short-end thrill of calling another person an assclown. If we behave ourselves, we’ll end up receiving more abuse than we deliver, but isn’t that the way life is, for good people? And isn’t it worth it, if we make America a more peaceful place and help the opposition to come around to our way of thinking?
I don’t know about you, but given the choice between being a George Will or being a Sandra Bernhard (or worse), I’d go with George every time.
Something to think about, now that we may be about to elect a cigarette-smoking, gun-grabbing President with strong socialist tendencies.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Here’s another cheerful indicator of what we have to look forward to under The One’s leadership:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/24/joe.html?sid=101
Short version: immediately following the last Presidential debate, someone – no one seems to know who, yet – accessed Ohio government computers looking for information on Joe Wurzelbacher. By someone in the Attorney General’s office.
Start practicing your loyalty oaths.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Obama will be a dissent-proof President (if he gets elected), because the press will be extremely reluctant to criticize a President who is black. This is on top of their reluctance to criticize Democrats. The press will also be eager to accuse dissenters of racism. We have already seen this. For that matter, we have seen extraordinary efforts to investigate and harass and humiliate potential threats, like Sarah Palin and Joe Wurzelbacher.
That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if these computer intrusions were acts of bored civil servants looking for a thrill.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:20 AM
On a more positive note: the plunge in oil prices, precipitated by expectations of plunging demand, is doing our worst enemies a world of hurt. The ones most negatively affected by the drop? Iran. And Venezuela.
The emergency cut in production yesterday did absolutely nothing; oil prices dropped immediately following the announcement. If they stay below $75.00 per barrel, both of these nutjobs will be utterly screwed. Expect rioting to ensue in the next few weeks.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:24 AM
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/espionage/cuba-weathermen.htm
October 25th, 2008 at 12:10 PM
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/signs_pointing_to_a_mccain_vic.html
Buck up.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:21 PM
gatorgrater, interesting that the price started to drop the day Bush said he wanted to drill. I think that and where prices have gone since pretty much show the lie that the enormous and rapid increase was due to demand. So it seems to me there is a good chance now that the price will drop even more despite any cutbacks in production until the REAL demand balances with what’s available. Until then prices should continue to lower barring any weird things happening or some sort of rampant speculation which in itself is unlikely now due to the depressed market.
Well anyway, that’s how it looks to me from down here in the third world.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I dunno. I used to be a liberal Democrat, a believer in all things sparkly and rainbow that the left promised, but I also used to read conservative columnists like Cal Thomas, and even when they made me grit my teeth in fury, I kept on reading, and something got through. And I was always a fan of more secular conservatives like Florence King, and she’s never been known for being a harbinger of sweetness and light to those she considers idiots.
It is, of course, good to be polite. On the other hand, mockery, if done well, can break through the carapace of smug, cultivated ignorance like nothing else can. The problem with Ann Coulter is she’s not consistently funny — that is, her mockery isn’t done well. She often chooses to use a hammer when a stiletto would do, or rather, she uses the hammer all the time not just those times when a hammer is needed. She also makes the mistake of provincialism — not realizing that what’s funny in, say, DC or New York, just sounds psycho in other parts of the country.
Don’t let the liberals fool you. They’re good and playing the “oh, you hurt my feelings” victim game. I’m not sure they don’t all know any better as well — there are plenty of liberal/leftists texts out there that openly state this is one of their tactics. They know that conservatives can easily be manipulated by accusations of bad manners, since we are the ones who want to preserve civilization. Leftists want to tear it down, and have no compunction about using our squeamishness and fear of direct confrontation against us.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:42 PM
I’ve always felt that way about politics, especially online, that the current tactics by both parties don’t do anything to convince moderates or win converts.
Wingnut, moonbat, libtard…. both sides are equally insulting.
October 25th, 2008 at 5:34 PM
a) Can you actually prove that about Coulter (or is that just, well, Coulter style hyperbole on your part?)
b) so what?
It isn’t every polemicist’s role to convert. Others exist primarily to sustain, that is, the morale of the converted.
Did the King read Thomas Paine and go, ‘Wow, he’s right! I’m an ass?’
No. But when Washington read Paine’s pamphlets to his troops they went out and won.
Basically? What Andrea said.
Except for Coulter not being funny. True, sometimes she isn’t. Who consistently is? But I’ve always felt the “anyway she isn’t even FUNNY!” charges to be lame and point-missing.
Go beyond her jokes, lame or otherwise. Have you ever read a columnist who works her Lexis-Nexis subscription like that? The way she goes back and finds what the polls were saying this time last election, and the one before that, back to 1980?
Liberals pouting she’s not funny are just trying to distract you from her real weapon, her devastating research skills. Conservatives shouldn’t fall for that liberal close up magic trick just to be (ugh!) agreeable.
October 25th, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Sorry, Steve, but the biggest problem W has is he’s been TOO nice and respectful to the disloyal opposition.
October 25th, 2008 at 10:58 PM
Most of the liberals I know mock and ridicule religion.
What they are unable to see is that they are more True Believers than most of the so-called “faithful” that I know. When The One rises – it will become more evident than ever.
Nothing; no evidence, no factual data, no columns, no videos, no nothing will dissuade The True Believers from their faith. Unfortunately – probably not even the serious decline of our nation. (You know; they’ll blame it on GWB and the Republicans, even though GWB will be long gone and a Republican in DC will be tough to find.)
October 25th, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Isaiah taunted the priests of Baal, asking them if their deity was on the crapper and therefore couldn’t show up to burn their sacrifice.
Sarah’s son was named Yitzchak (laughter) and not Natan (gift) as a result of her response upon being told she’d have a son.
There is room for sarcasm and humor in religion.
When the Jews lost Joshua, their mission dissipated. The threat to the 1st, 2nd and 10th Amendments should be seen as parallel to a threat on 3 of the 10 Commandments that define the Decalogue. The definition of America is that much at stake. Levites took up arms against brethren to prevent desecration and were rewarded for eternity as God’s servants in the Tabernacle and Temple. Are we willing to listen to the spies who say America isn’t the promised land and will lose two generations (40 years) to the desert? It took nearly 40 years to get away from FDR’s socialism to Reagan’s freedom.
Saul lost the monarchy for failing to kill the existential enemy of the Jews. The US, at present rate, may very well become like Londonistan because of people unwilling to become zealots.
No Maccabees = no Chanukah. No Chanukah and the Torah and Judaism are dead centuries before 2000 years ago. It’s all replaced with the Greek pantheon.
Are there any American zealots left? If not, America will become one more in the list of fallen civilizations, the ONLY one that claimed an affinity for Judeo-Christian values.
Maybe instead of increasingly pacifist George or Sandra, how about Jeremiah? Docile acceptance of tyranny is NOT a good value.
October 26th, 2008 at 4:42 AM
I love Ann and it while I pass on her books to my friends (strangely, it is my foreign friends who enjoy her thought provoking work more than my American friends), I don’t pass her off as a humorist. Her books may use some hyperbole, but her material is always well researched and referenced so when I get the “where do you get off saying….” I can tell them where.
Ann is losing her comedic appeal simply because she can’t keep up. Liberals are crazier than she will ever be able to portray them. How can you make fun of the absurd. All is constantly beaten to the punch by her own material.
I agree with Ms. Shaidle – Ann isn’t for liberals to be challenged, she is for us, she inspires me to speak a little louder, fight a little harder, be a little braver, and question a little more.
When liberals complain they don’t get Ann, I have the same reaction hearing Richard Dawkins say “I don’t get the book of John.” I can’t help but think, “there is no reason you should, unless you undergo a radical change first.”
October 26th, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Well, if Ann Coulter wasn’t (arguably) a woman with pretty decent legs, she wouldn’t get away with most of what she says on FOX news. Just sayin’…
October 26th, 2008 at 7:56 PM
True. but if she looked liked Sarah Berhard, she would have to become a Democrat. Or vice versa.
Cheers
October 26th, 2008 at 8:14 PM
I agree that sometimes a well placed snide comment can work wonders. Lord knows, liberal blogs and media are not above this themselves. Here’s my dillema, during the primaries, we saw examples of how conservatives were rude to conservatives. This ended up with many right wing blogs banning the supporters of certain conservative contenders. Their reason was that the supporters were rude. (or moonbats) I personally didn’t support the bans based on the principal that I cannot support censorship period. Unfortunately, Fox news acted in the same way as the blogs, and has lost my viewership.Sometimes politics gets heated, and sometimes what is said is not pretty. Sugar coating words is a form of censorship and pandering that has no place in a democratic society. That doesn’t mean that you have to come out guns blazing every time. That said, who cares as long as voices aren’t being silenced? Free discourse about important matters has a tendancy to get heated. Democracy and free speech are little served by people who are too polite to protect those rights. Censorship and self editing are best served by socialists, not conservatives. We’d be smart to remember that.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Steve, when I worked in D.C. I got to see leftists up close. The Christian view of politics sees the opponent as a well-meaning chap who’s just mixed up and needs some patient educating to bring him around.
The reality is that most of them know exactly what they’re doing, and what they’re doing is wrong, and they don’t care. They will kill you (by destroying you publicly, as they tried with Clarence Thomas and succeeded with Robert Bork), and if they ever get past the totalitarian tipping point they will actually take you out, as in Gulag or a bullet in the head.
Leftists have to be fought and fought hard. I’m talking Jesus and the moneychangers, for starters.
October 28th, 2008 at 1:06 PM
I’ve often used Proverbs 8’s “those who hate Me love death” in reference to the “Religion of Peace”. Wondering now if it also applies to those who are passionate about abortion.
October 28th, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Jesus would have been familiar with the Talmudic dictum that “One who says what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is yours is a saint. One who says what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours is normal. One who says what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine is a fool. One who says what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine is evil.” The latter probably applies to socialist governments run by leftist oligarchs who feel that what we earn only what they allow.