Beneath the surface of Barack Obama’s 10-0 run of primary and caucus victories over Hillary Clinton, a counter-current to the tide of Obama-mania has been developing.  It goes back as least as far as Dahlia Lithwick’s “letter from a young, hip, cynical former Obamaniac” in Slate, followed the next day by John Dickerson asking:
Isn’t the generation that Obama has so successfully courted usually the first to toss overhyped products, even the overhyped products with which they were at first so enthralled? More generally, shouldn’t Democrats who have complained that George Bush was elected on the strength of a popularity contest be nervous that this blossoming Obamadulation is getting out of hand?
Around the time I first wrote about it five days ago, the Wall Street Journal’s Dan Henninger was writing about the “Obama wave” while noting that “(e)ven the biggest waves… eventually break on the shore.” On the other side of the political spectrum, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman was worrying about a backlash coming “too late to have much effect on the nomination fight, but in plenty of time to affect the general election.”
Such talk is increasingly migrating from the Internet and op-ed columns to straight news coverage.ÂÂ
Yesterday, the Washington Post ran a straight news story about the “baracklash” on the Internet.
Today, the New York Times has Michael Powell getting a bit snarky in his reporter’s notebook:
This audience offers no hint of those oh-so-picky folks in New Hampshire. These are paws up, gooey in love, read his books and quote the passages back at you voters. The other day a Texas crowd cheered his sneeze. Charles Fannin and Katy Orell, two fiftysomething white professionals, hang over the rail on Congress Street, a blanket wrapped around them.
Why Obama? What do you know of him? “Well, both of us have read his books, so we got to know him as a person,†Ms. Orell said. “And we realized how much simpler change is than we thought. He could lead our nation in a way no one has seen.â€Â
The trouble with electoral fevers is that they can burn out. Mr. Obama himself has written of this risk with an out-of-body coolness.
“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views,†Mr. Obama wrote in “The Audacity of Hope, his I’m-running-for-president book. “As such, I am bound to disappoint some, if not all, of them.â€Â
From the pages of the WaPo and the NYT, it is a short hop to segments on cable news channels and talk radio, eventually seeping into the traditional evening news shows where most people still get most of their news.
Obviously, it is impossible to know whether that stops the Obama tide from rolling. The counter-current, however, does point to the future the Obama campaign faces. The mediasphere is every bit as voracious as tween girls are fickle. The impulse to challenge Obama’s platitudinous glide down the campaign trail will grow over time, as that glide has already begun to bore reporters, who also will be pressured by editors to come up with fresh angles on the campaign beat.
Obama apparently knows that day is coming. If his second act is the gloomy vision of the United States as the new Canada he haltingly delivered after winning the Wisconsin primary, he may have a lot of disappointment to manage.
Comment by Rob Crawford on 2/24 @ 9:04 am #
Eh? I thought their complaint was just the opposite…
Pingback by The “baracklash” on 2/24 @ 9:09 am #
[...] it’s growing. To be fair, the crowd the other day that cheered when B. Hussein blew his nose was a bit [...]
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 9:21 am #
What underpins Barack’s popularity is “we’re so fucked up we have to do something drastic.” Any backlash that doesn’t counter this essential narrative is phony I think.
Comment by B Moe on 2/24 @ 9:21 am #
“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views,†Mr. Obama wrote in “The Audacity of Hope, his I’m-running-for-president book. “As such, I am bound to disappoint some, if not all, of them.â€Â
That is scary. That he can be that open about exactly what he is and still have millions of drooling morons fawning over him, that is truly scary.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 9:27 am #
He’s not a Messiah, he’s quite specifically a Savior. That’s what all the fainting theatrics was about. It’s a deeply condescending bedrock he’s built his candidacy on. Tag him as condescending, and there’s your backlash.
Comment by Jason on 2/24 @ 9:29 am #
This is not an accurate depiction of Obama supporters. It is tempting to dismiss them as pot-smoking Gen-X slackers, but the truth is that those Slate articles are already obsolete. He has stolen Hillary’s lead in every demographic except old white women.
The tendency to focus on his most, um, spirited (fanatical?) supporters is understandable. But ignoring his broader base of support is just silly. You can’t wish those people away. And insulting them will only make them support him even more.
In the real world, the backlash is against the Republicans, not Obama.
Comment by stace on 2/24 @ 9:32 am #
Probably no one watches Saturday Night Live anymore, but FWIW, last night’s leading skit made fun of the media for being quivering groupies totally in the bag for Obama.
I’ve been thinking about voting for Hillary in the Texas primary, just to try to keep her in the race, but at the moment I’m thinking Obama would be more beatable in the general.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 9:38 am #
Obama supporters are the antithesis of hopeful. They are deeply pessimistic, dramatically so. Drama junkies, really. Tell an Obama supporter “things aren’t so bad” and it’s like a cross to a vampire.
Comment by Pablo on 2/24 @ 9:39 am #
I did see Huckabee pretty much throwing in the towel on SNL last night. Fitting, that.
Oh, and the Hillary endorsement from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler was simultaneously endearing and cringe inducing.
Comment by Pablo on 2/24 @ 9:41 am #
Hmmm, yes. They’re sort of ontheirlasthopeful. The options are President Obama or a bleak eternity of changitudeless despair.
Comment by Pablo on 2/24 @ 9:42 am #
And an unproud Michelle. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT, RACISTS!!??
Comment by B Moe on 2/24 @ 9:42 am #
And insulting them will only make them support him even more.
Like terrorists.
Comment by BobM. on 2/24 @ 9:45 am #
#4 B Moe
I think that is a very strange thing for a presidential candidate to put on record. Perhaps he should change is campaign slogan from “Yes We Can” to a more honest “Vote for me anyway, you suckers”; he’s all about the changeyness after all. This and Michelle’s remarks about not being proud of being an American until Obama’s presidential campaign took off makes me wonder if this couple is even more cynical and self-absorbed than the Clintons – if such a thing is even possible. I don’t like McCain very much, but Obama and his crew are daily making it easier for me to think about pulling the McCain lever this fall. No way in hell will I vote for Jesus 2.0
Comment by jdm on 2/24 @ 9:46 am #
What underpins Barack’s popularity is “we’re so fucked up we have to do something drastic.â€Â
Aah. In other words, the setup for Animal House finale: “I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.”
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 9:57 am #
“We’re so fucked up we have to do something drastic†is really I think the culmination of a steady drumbeat of media alarmism and negativity and histrionics. The change Obama promises is premised on a deliverance of satiety for a media that has gorged on the dark fantasies of Katrina and since have been pressing the little lever for another hit of smack, but what’s happened is that people have been telling them they don’t look good, they’ve become pale and unkempt and stained by their own excrement and generally not the sort you want to have over for dinner.
What’s interesting is that what Obama represents to the media is not change but, specifically, closure. They don’t want to live in the world they are portraying, but they need permission to stop portraying it. Obama can give them that. So, no, don’t look to the MSM for a backlash. He’s their 12-step program.
Comment by sashal on 2/24 @ 9:58 am #
jason at # 6, you are wrong.
there is no backlash against republicans.
last 8 years showed us:-
- how great and competent they are to wage preemptive wars,
-economy is going ahead great with middle class prospering more and more,
- prices and inflation are down,
-housing market has never been as good as it is right now,
- no bankruptcies in larger numbers are happening because of the medical bills,
- we are loved all over the world much more then we were before 2000.
So , great unmitigated success, and people who are willing to vote for Obama are just the delusioned terrorist loving commie fascistic bastards…
Comment by Pablo on 2/24 @ 9:58 am #
OMG! They’re everyone!
Comment by BobM. on 2/24 @ 10:00 am #
#14: and Obama supporters reply in unison: “We’re just the guys to do it.”
Animal House quotes: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077975/quotes
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 10:00 am #
#16 right on cue. Thanks.
Comment by jdm on 2/24 @ 10:04 am #
The trouble with electoral fevers is that they can burn out.
I think it’s worth noting that it is (the oh-so hip) journalists that are writing about how they themselves are less obama-fied. The voters, especially primary voters and caucus-goers, have more far more principled reasons for their choices. And I would note, the vote counts are still going in Obama’s favor, heavily so.
Comment by Taisa on 2/24 @ 10:11 am #
A lot of Obama’s support come from people like me who, though not in the least maniacal, don’t want to vote for McCain or Hillary (which, I mean, who does, really?).
Comment by JohnAnnArbor on 2/24 @ 10:16 am #
ontheirlasthopeful
Orthogonohopeful?
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 10:17 am #
I just wanted to comment on Sunday morning on this here political blog thing about how tepid I am about all this. I don’t really even follow politics usually.
Comment by BobM. on 2/24 @ 10:19 am #
#21 Taisa “…(which, I mean, who does, really?)”. Gee, I don’t know who does, really. Except for the millions of voters Hillary and McCain have already racked up in the primaries. Oh, but those don’t really count because they don’t agree with your world view, do they? Very typical of an Obama supporter…
Comment by Bender Bending Rodriguez on 2/24 @ 10:20 am #
I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views
For the first time in my adult life, I’m proud of America… for choosing a blank screen.
Comment by Taisa on 2/24 @ 10:28 am #
@BobM; I didn’t say they don’t count.
I was only implying that I find them both to be unattractive candidates for various reasons, and end up with Obama by default.
Comment by RTO Trainer on 2/24 @ 10:29 am #
Taisa,
Okay, I can accept the premise–three choices, subtract two, but the thing I don’t get about the calculus is which two get subtracted. On terrorism, with Clinton or Obama, I’m going to get a knife in the back. On healtchare or taxes, with Clinton or Obama, they both want to put a gun to my head (and only argue between them about when it’s appropriate to pull the trigger).
I might not be enthusiastic about the prospects that McCain offers on these issues, but I have no reason to think they’ll involve metaphorical weaponry.
Comment by BobM. on 2/24 @ 10:40 am #
#26: and what I was implying is this: if I were to write that I “…don’t want to vote for [Obama] (which, I mean, who does, really?)”, would require me to ignore the fact that millions of people have already voted for him in the primaries. I guess it’s the “…I mean, who does, really?” part that I was having trouble with.
Comment by B Moe on 2/24 @ 10:41 am #
I was only implying that I find them both to be unattractive candidates for various reasons, and end up with Obama by default.
Because, by his own admission, you aren’t seeing him but your own reflection.
Comment by RTO Trainer on 2/24 @ 10:49 am #
B Moe,
Wasn’t there an old Greek story about a young man who fell in love with his own reflection?
Comment by LiveFromFortLivingRoom on 2/24 @ 10:49 am #
Obama is the left wings version of Ron Paul.
Comment by Taisa on 2/24 @ 10:52 am #
Economically speaking I think an Obama administration would be fairly centrist (his economic advisers are in favor of market-based solutions and free trade).
In regards to terrorism, what is the “knife in the back”?
Comment by ThomasD on 2/24 @ 10:53 am #
Brilliant theory. Obamessiah will deliver them from their own evil. Simultaneously plausible and terrifying.
Comment by Alcyoneus on 2/24 @ 10:54 am #
Think for yourselves, or is Michelle Obama a virgin?
Comment by Pablo on 2/24 @ 10:58 am #
Uh, no.
Comment by RTO Trainer on 2/24 @ 4:16 pm #
As long as you don’t count nationalizing the healthcare and nsurance industries, you mean?
I’m a serving Soldier. The civilian leadership will, methaphorically, knife us in the back by not allowing us to complete the mission that they sent us to do. In addition this will effectively stamp a giant “null and void” on roughly 4000 lives and invalidate the portion of my live and the lives of all of us who serve that have been spent in persuit of the mission. It’s a giagantic ball of anticipation of bad faith that I’m living in anticipation of until November. Every vote for either Senator CLinton or Senator Obama is a vote in favor of that.
Comment by Rob Crawford on 2/24 @ 4:25 pm #
This is the same candidate who wants to declare which companies are “patriotic” and which aren’t?
Comment by MayBee on 2/24 @ 4:29 pm #
What’s interesting is that what Obama represents to the media is not change but, specifically, closure. They don’t want to live in the world they are portraying, but they need permission to stop portraying it.
Brilliant, haps.
Comment by B Moe on 2/24 @ 5:11 pm #
I do agree with Obama wanting to stop giving tax breaks to companies who move jobs overseas, because I mean that is just silly.
Comment by Karl on 2/24 @ 5:18 pm #
The pro-Obama comments so far labor under two possible fallaces.
First, as has been discussed here on more than one occasion, primary turnout does not correlate well to general election turnout. Maybe Obama will break that pattern here, as this cycle has two truly open races for the first time in a long time. But to assume it will happen is risky.
Second, it is true that Obama is eroding Clinton’s vote and picking up more demos in the Democratic contests. I have written about it. What the people citing this miss is that information settles in with an electorate over time. People in the media, bloggers, and people who consume and comment on them are high-information voters. A blue-collar dock-worker who gets a few minutes on the TV, perhaps not every night, and has never heard of Slate, let alone this blog, would be called a low-information voter. People in this latter category are moving to Obama now in part because it is just hitting them now that he is a viable candidate who has won a lot of primaries and is generating this huge, enthusiastic response. Any backlash, whether it be based on the cult-like behavior of some of his supporters, or various policy positions he holds, will have a similar time lag.
And as a special shout out to sashal:
Let’s assume for the sake of argument that everything you wrote is true and that the GOP is to blame for all of them. The current Real Clear Politics poll average has an Obama-McCain matchup scored at Obama +5, despire the fact that Obama (and Clinton) have gotten far more coverage than McCain (though not on Obama’s policy positions). It does not look like the Revolution is here just yet.
Comment by Mike C. on 2/24 @ 5:52 pm #
With the possible exception of Jimmy Carter, every 20th and 21st century President has been an American exceptionalist. The statements of the Obamas seem to indicate that they are not.
Comment by Terrye on 2/24 @ 6:00 pm #
Count me among the people who think Obama is creepy, scary and kinda weird. I listen to this guy and I think of Jim Jones and the kool aid. No kidding, there is something just not right about the whole phenomenon. The crying, the fainting and swooning.
Obama is not for free trade. In fact he is an isolationist/protectionist demagogue on the issue. He gives the impression that when he gets done we will have cheap gas, great jobs and everything well be made in America by happy people who all love him, the deliverer, the Chosen One, the Messiah….He wants to deal with illegal immigration by turning Mexico into a Spanish speaking Canada, after he kills trade with them unless they can prove they meet our labor standards and environmental standards. Never mind how silly that is.
He wants to surrender in the war and do an apology tour of the world pandering to dictators and God only knows who else. He voted the straight liberal line on FISA, money for the troops, and anything that might be considered a national security issue. Nothing brave or individual there.
He talks about unifying the country, but he is a partisan liberal. He talks about bringing us together blah blah blah, but he has never come up with one single piece of legislation that would give credence to his claims as a leader or a visionary.
Comment by Terrye on 2/24 @ 6:07 pm #
sashal:
The Democrats have been in charge of the Congress for quite some time now. They did nothing to stop the mortgage crisis. Not a thing. They have done nothing to bring down the price of gas, in fact oil is higher now than it was when they won in 06. They have done nothing to stop the war, other than bitch and root for the enemy.And anti Americanism is actually on the decline. However, after years of Democratic control of the White House the terrorists who attacked us in Africa and Yemen and Saudi Arabia were planning the attack on the World Trade Center.
Now we have more democracies and more pro American governments in power than we did in 2000. That is just a fact. And in recent surveys attitudes toward AlQaida and Islamic extremism in the Middle East has become very negative. America may not be popular with all those people, but unlike a few years ago we are doing better than Osama is.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 6:16 pm #
I love America a lot more than Obama does. I really actually couldn’t tell you one thing he likes about it.
Comment by B Moe on 2/24 @ 6:27 pm #
I really actually couldn’t tell you one thing he likes about it.
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public. He likes that.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 6:34 pm #
Don’t count the New York Times out yet, B Moe.
Comment by Terrye on 2/24 @ 6:35 pm #
He likes that he gets to run for President and have people swoon at his feet. Obama likes that just fine.
Comment by JD on 2/24 @ 6:53 pm #
What mortgage crisis? I love how the Left/media just keep saying this shit until everyone believes it. The media will continue to peddle this type of meme. Hitting them in the pocketbook does not seem to work.
Comment by alppuccino on 2/24 @ 7:00 pm #
Am I the only one who thinks Obama starts sounding like Cartman at the end of his sentences:
“…and John McCain will just recycle all of George Bush’s failed economic polisiahs. You must respect my authoritaahh!
Comment by Pablo on 2/24 @ 7:00 pm #
The one where people who bought houses they couldn’t afford realize that they can’t afford the houses they bought. How many people are losing houses they’ve been paying on for a decade or more?
One of these days, someone will detail exactly how much homeowner equity is being lost in all of this. I suspect that if we get to a total number I might be able to reimburse all of it with what I have in my pocket right now. And if it’s a negative number and I get paid that amount, I’m willing to take the bet.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 7:02 pm #
Basically they were renting their house from the bank I think.
Comment by Mike C. on 2/24 @ 7:13 pm #
Or getting burned in the latest get-rich-quick scheme.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 7:44 pm #
Good catch. You can read the whole thing here.
Comment by Mike C. on 2/24 @ 7:47 pm #
Thanks, hf. I forgot some people may not be able to read the whole thing at WSJ.
Comment by Mike C. on 2/24 @ 7:49 pm #
This part in particular caught my eye:
Comment by David Block on 2/24 @ 10:21 pm #
Why does “Cult of Personality” go through my head every time I read something about the Obamessiah? Kind of eerie.
Comment by Davyd Bowen on 2/24 @ 11:11 pm #
Here’s a comment I tapped out on the topic of Obama last Saturday 11:16am-ish at
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/008104.html#comments
There Will Be Bamboozling
“Its not plagairism, its parlour tricks. The old Moses(and others)tell of the coming of the messiah. These are the signs. Allow to percolate. Allow anticipation to build. Confirm the messiah by the repetition of the signs.
Iron filings coalesce around a magnet.
Sheesh, does no one rent “Life of Brian” any more?”
Comment by happyfeet on 2/24 @ 11:17 pm #
Dude. Those Canadians are pretty hard core…
Settle down up there. It’s just the presidency. Sheesh.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 6:35 am #
gloomy vision of the United States as the new Canada
man,,,I’d like some of that health care they got. And longer vacation time.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 6:44 am #
Terrye….u’re so mainstream, u could write for the American Thinker magazine. Maybe an “American exceptionalist”?
Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 6:56 am #
I want Canadian healthcare. Rationing of services. People choosing to pay out of pocket and come to the states for care, wait time measured in weeks, not minutes. Sign me up.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 6:58 am #
Mike C…. thx for more info. But watch out you’re violating some ideas here: It’s supposed to be a mirage of negativism promoted by the Liberal Media.
It’s not the media, it’s the bigger financiers who have lost faith in the bundling of mortgage “securities” that well obviously weren’t as ’secure’ as the high paid salesmen told them they were. Most home loans are reconstituted and are sold over and over again to different players in the financial sector. Due to the bundling and multiple fees for each transaction…bad apples can spoil a huge truck load of apples not just a barrel. Obviously the guys who sold the financial chicanery can play golf all day and who have million a month incomes aren’t too worried but the large institutions that bought such securities are scrambling to cover their loses.
Note, less people are playing golf these days and many golf courses are up for sale.
Comment by B Moe on 2/25 @ 6:59 am #
man,,,I’d like some of that health care they got. And longer vacation time.
Then fucking move there, I’ll pitch in on the truck rental.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 7:04 am #
hi, JD, some health care is better than none… Actually the Canadian system is modeled upon the US system: fee for service and is the second most expensive in the world…but does have much higher outcomes than ours…We’re near last in outcomes. (statistically: lots of diabetics, shorter lifespan, higher infant mortality..etc)
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 7:06 am #
I’d be a little suspicious of the offer. No offense. thx anyway.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 7:07 am #
Obama, he’d like ask for solutions and seems intelligent. Like how could he be worse than the present closed-minded occupant of the White House? Obama even listens to the opposition.
Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 7:08 am #
I know, silly question, but I wonder if anecdotaldave could support that assertion that the popularity of golf is waning. The number of courses for sale is most certainly not a good indicator, by the way
Comment by B Moe on 2/25 @ 7:10 am #
statistically: lots of diabetics
Is that more or less than a whole bunch? I always get confused by that.
Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 7:13 am #
#64 is such a pile of hooey that it deserves nothing other than scorn. Methinks you have no clue how things like infant mortality rates are measured, and how our systems success weighs against us in this stat, and how people like you abuse this figure.
Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 7:20 am #
BMoe – in his world, statistically there are lots of diabetics means “there sure are a lot of diabetics in my flophouse”.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 7:24 am #
I’d get statistics but it be a waste of time. Your minds are settled. It’s more fun just to yell at each other.
I know it’s a ’suspect’ source JD. But I happen to like it: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/nyregion/21golf.html?em&ex=1204088400&en=c2fe232214daf2fc&ei=5087 and it seems Karl does use it time after time.
Comment by alppuccino on 2/25 @ 7:28 am #
Obama, he’d like ask for solutions and seems intelligent. Like how could he be worse than the present closed-minded occupant of the White House? Obama even listens to the opposition.
datadave is going to comment on open-mindedness. That’s like Micheal Moore starting a blog about treadmill maintenance.
Obama wrote a book about himself. George W has read more books than all other candidates combined. (he’s not running btw) And you think that qualifies Obama, datadave. You really need to get that nail that’s stuck in your head looked at. You’ve never written anything that has any merit whatsoever.
datadave,
When the shallowest commenter on the site is admonishing you for lack of substance, it’s time for you to find another way of annoying people.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 7:34 am #
al puccino. don’t be so nasty to a fellow. SICKO man is probably knowing more about treadmills than you think. He lost 50 lbs.
“George W has read more books than all other candidates combined.”
that’s cause he takes multiCanadian vacations in Crawford. But I doubt such a dubious “statistic”.
You make Lake Leech seem deep.
Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 7:35 am #
You appear to have been right about one point, the numbers are declining. As I suggested, the golf courses being for sale is not a good metric for that, and is not born out by your link.
Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 7:40 am #
Going from 400 lbs. to 350 lbs. just means that he quit eating chicken wings by the pound for breakfast.
That whole “vacation” jab is particularly noxious.
Comment by alppuccino on 2/25 @ 7:43 am #
so datadave, you use my own self-deprecation against me? Let that marinate for a minute.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 7:52 am #
al. you must not be a winger then…self deprecation….that’s Teh Treason.
ja jd… my frequent vacations got ur goat eh?
Comment by Carin on 2/25 @ 7:56 am #
What is this about outcomes, DataDave? You can’t compare the population of Canada with that of the US. Demographics don’t match.
My husband has a client in Windsor who was diagnosed with a hernia a few months back. He’s on a waiting list, and they’re gonna get to him in MAY. Until then, he gets to walk around with a hernia. FUN!
You know what else? Detroit has a college in the city – and (per my stepmother who works in administration) virtually EVERY Canadian student gets (pays for) the University’s health care. It’s a commuter college, so it’s not as if most of the people won’t be in their mother country when they get sick. So, why, oh why, would they pay extra for a service they already receive for free?
Let’s think about it…
Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 8:01 am #
I could not give a flying fuck about your vacations, idiotboy. That you and your ilk suggest that the POTUS is ever actually on vaction is laughable, a tired worn lie that you trot out.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 8:01 am #
nice Carin….you hit me in a soft spot. I was diagnosed to have a incipient hernia by Kaiser Permientente (sp?) about 40 years ago…it’s getting time. Let’s leave that a TMI.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 8:03 am #
Or getting burned in the latest get-rich-quick scheme.
I think things like this helped, a little. It ought to be tattooed on the insides of everyone’s eyelids at birth (along with a few other bits of advice that will, in all likelihood, go ignored) that the point in the market cycle where you’re actively being solicited to buy on television shows, spam email, and by complete strangers who probably just want company; that’s the time to sell.
Now is the time to buy gold!
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 8:04 am #
I really thought Al was talking about you, JD. He hadn’t posted before so…his self-deprecation about him criticising me didn’t seem to hit. Thanks Al for explaining it.
vacations? ha, I pay for them.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 8:06 am #
Canada? I like Canada, rather a lot. My aunt owns a good chunk of Nova Scotia. Mountaintop land. Great place to move when Florida catches fire from global warming, and rising sea levels are the only thing to put the fire out.
Nova Scotia might actually be habitable, if we only get some warming.
Ennyway, get while the gettin’s good. If you’re interested in some land, let me know.
Comment by Rob Crawford on 2/25 @ 8:07 am #
I hope the plumbing’s recovered.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 8:09 am #
slart. yupp. That’s low class porn u’re posting. Goulash for the Greedy eyes. Except some nice guys got caught up in it. My friend’s brother who is a veteren and who takes care of his 94 y.o. “nana” has a house in san diego and lost wages, NV. Man, you used to be so well-off sending checks to his poorer brother and now…has to do three jobs to keep the mortgage payments.
I watched that show but when I saw the 1200 sq. ft stucco ranch going for 640,000 I knew we’re in a heap of trouble out there in LaLa Land.
Comment by Rob Crawford on 2/25 @ 8:10 am #
nice Carin….you hit me in a soft spot.
The fontanelle?
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 8:11 am #
That’s nearly inevitable. There’s a sucker born every minute, and nice people abound, so it’s nearly a given that some of the suckers will be nice guys.
Oh, also nice guys finish last, so almost QED.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 8:15 am #
Funny thing, Slart. A bunch of Vermonters had a idea of moving to Canada for the health care and living off the land so to speak. Some made it in and lov’n it in Quebec…but the Canadian govt saw it coming and made it so that American immigrants couldn’t get health insurance if they were over 50 or they couldn’t come it. That’s what I heard…so take it whatever, but it makes sense.
Also Amerian lumber barons are incensed about cheaper Canadian lumber….and used an excuse to tariff that lumber: the excuse was that Canadian’s have health insurance from the govt. and their own lumbermen (as subcontractors mainly) had to buy private insurance (if any). Like that’s an unfair subsidy in their eyes (ignoring the fact that insurance for tree cutters is impossibly expensive and most do w/o it and are ’subcontractors’ self employed..)
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 8:16 am #
Ranchhand Crawford ..nice try..now sew up your squishy mouth. TmI Tmi…I’ll send caran some pics if she requests.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 8:17 am #
You won’t find any support for tariffs over here, Dave, unless they’re punitive, trade-war retaliation kind of stuff.
If Canadian lumber is selling over here for less than what it’s selling in Canada, I’d be for tariffs. Otherwise, not.
Ditto price supports. I want us to knock the supports from under the domestic sugar industry; God knows they don’t need it. They might go under in the process, but right now they’re getting rich off the sugar subsidy.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 8:19 am #
oh yeah.. Nova Scotia…everyone wants to go there …at least in the progresso arena. You should get better than Vermont prices. Good thing, slart.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 8:23 am #
I agree. Maybe Obama would too. I don’t know. It’s all that special interest money that talks I am afraid.
Interesting about the Banana wars between US and Europe. Apparently Germans love bananas as much as we do but prefer African ones as they have “importers” there but Amerian connections in Central America can sell cheaper ones and want Europe’s market…so the US is backing some landbarons in Central America and it’s not even our exports, but a “banana republic’s” exports we’re fighting for. Just who does our govt. represent?
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 8:43 am #
I’m much less interested in money that talks, dave, than I am in congressmen for sale to the highest bidder.
Money talking isn’t bad, without someone willing to listen, and do.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/25 @ 8:56 am #
“reporter’s notebook” is very cream of wheat I think. Like John + Bimbo = love4ever wasn’t marginalia.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 9:02 am #
There’s been a bunch of oongressmen getting their hands caught in outright corruption. Some are Democrats…but you know what bias I’ll show.
Still if it’s all money talking that’ll be leaving the middle class and lower class out of the picture. It’s excess money that isn’t needed for anything but to throw around like fertilizer. Ah, I like that fertilizer analogy. New, it ain’t. Hillary’s Mark Penn though doesn’t need any more money imo.
Obama might not win…but just getting the Hedge Fund influence out of the Democratic Party via the Clinton’s wouldn’t hurt.
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Comment by JD on 2/25 @ 9:16 am #
Hedge Fund influence out of the Democratic Party via the Clinton’s wouldn’t hurt … or via John Edwards. Oops, wrong America.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 9:17 am #
JD, Edwards was a fake. Not my choice either.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/25 @ 9:19 am #
He’s still a fake, pretty sure. If he doesn’t endorse this week he’ll be a wholly irrelevant fake is my guess.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 9:30 am #
100!
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 9:33 am #
I don’t give a rat’s ass if they’re Democrats, Republicans, Independents: whatever. I prefer to think of them as future model prisoners.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 10:28 am #
Ah, but it does matter. Politically, if they are mostly Republican congressmen getting caught by a even a Republican dominated judicial system then you know we’re seeing only a tip of the iceberg.
Listening now to Bob Compton and his critique of US education. IMO, we’re creating nothing more than party-hardy possible military fodder for international security (through our dominating sports culture in schools), not much else plus clerks at the local video store…except Netflix is going to close them down soon.
2 Million Minutes (amount of time spent in High School, comparison with China and India)
Hear Bob at On Point, IMO an amazing show
Comment by Rob Crawford on 2/25 @ 10:52 am #
And we should care what you or this Bob fellow think, why, exactly?
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 11:35 am #
Well, talk about Obama then?
I’ve heard boilerplate cynicism so far and that turn’s off the “youth-vote” especially.
For the first time in a long while, young people seem to be engaged in a campaign at a level comparable to the pre-lottery draft Vietnam war era.
working at the moment.
Comment by maggie katzen on 2/25 @ 12:24 pm #
you mean on this post? cause he’s been around a while.
Comment by datadave on 2/25 @ 12:40 pm #
I meant on today’s thread, maggie.
It’s beautiful here today with bright sunshine on the snow. It might be the only day I’ll get a nearly full day of work, so I’d better get going.
Good luck for Obama. I gave his campaign a grand total of 10 dollars just to please my son who’s campaigning for him even if he’s too young to vote.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 2/25 @ 12:56 pm #
Probably in violation of some child labor law or other.
The trick is in knowing which tip.
Comment by maggie katzen on 2/25 @ 12:57 pm #
well, hopefully he has the sense to stay out of the middle of the street, unlike my neighbors with their little red wagon plastered with HOPE!!!
Comment by Old Texas Turkey on 2/25 @ 1:29 pm #
Buy Gold. Buy Oil.
Kondratieff was a smart sob, until Stalin showed him the business end of a AK47 or whatever russkie firestick preceeded it.
Comment by RTO Trainer on 2/25 @ 1:49 pm #
Not even that. Nearly 70% of US High Schoolers are unable to meet the physical requirements for miltiary service.
Comment by RTO Trainer on 2/25 @ 1:52 pm #
Could be a good sign. I campaigned for Jimmy Carter back in ‘76. Is he in second grade? Just maybe he’ll turn out alright after all.
Comment by RTO Trainer on 2/25 @ 1:54 pm #
Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 rifle.
Comment by Rusty on 2/25 @ 6:06 pm #
Dave. Where does wealth come from?
RTO. Interesting factoid. Up to the winter war of 1939-1940 the Finns didn’t produce their own rifles except to rebarrel and mark Mossin-Nagant M91s captured or collected after WW1. Many surplus M39(Finnish Mossin- Nagants) that are being sold today have recievers made in 1918.
Comment by datadave on 2/26 @ 11:04 pm #
Rusty, catch me on another thread. Wealth: seems to be not that simple to be in a pithy phrase: profit, luck, focused work, creativity, seeing the ‘key’ to opening the door to wealth clearly, whatever, Napoleon Hill’s books, Dan Carnegie’s books, probably more books on ‘wealth creation’ than anything else. I imagine “profit” would be your closest answer…but if it was that easy, we’d all be buying low and selling high and maybe nobody would agree on the price. Give your speech when we’re all attentive, not at the end of a thread, sorry I might come back here being on a creative streak of getting things done.
Profit’s probably the one word answer that’ll suit you. However, vision might be mine.
RTO’s comments are appreciated. Hillary was a Republican up through high school as I was up ’til Junior High. I really appreciate the passion of youth. I thought I knew everything but the passion was honest and not regretted, and hearing conflicting views helped moderate my knowledge and passion. I hope my son tries debate in HS.
70 per cent! whoa, that’s sad! I went to my neighbor’s garage, who’s a friend and my mechanic too. I wanted to share my six pack of Blue Moon (a Toronto beer) as he likes Belgium type ales. Instead I found three guys about 20 y.o. in garage, one his son, shooting those plastic pellet guns that look like assault rifles, one guy in cami’s, w/ short hair. A little hippy scent in the air, they were ’smooth’ sailing directing me to the house to find my elder friend, but I asked the kid with the ‘assault rifle’ look-alike, “Are you in the military?” And he said, “No, I wouldn’t want to get stuck in that war; No way!” (Not that he could probably get in upon closer examination)
Recruiting must be getting hard these days especially if it’s only 30 percent of that desired 20 yo demographic.
Comment by FlamingMoe on 2/26 @ 11:13 pm #
Hillary was a Republican up through high school
Source? She was in southwest suburban Chicagoland. Not exactly a hotbed of Republicans. Nothing since gives any indication that she has Republican roots.
Comment by McGehee on 2/26 @ 11:45 pm #
I’ve heard she campaigned for Goldwater in ‘64.
Right after she was named in honor of Sir Edmund Hilary, no doubt.
Comment by JD on 2/26 @ 11:46 pm #
Didn’t he climb Everest a year or two after she was born ?
Comment by datadave on 2/27 @ 7:38 am #
Give her credit for a sense of humor, though. It’s spelled with one L, the mtn.-climbing one. I think she was joking, JD. Your link too, lol.
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