That would be unfair. And ungentlemanly, presumably. This despite the Obama Administration’s stated desire for higher gas prices as a way to ease fuel-guzzling bitterclingers out of their automobiles, this despite their attendant policies that have worked to assure a lower supply, from blocking drilling to nixing pipelines. Not to mention Obama’s own clearly articulated war on coal and electrical power, the costs for which he’s deemed must “necessarily skyrocket.”
Because evidently the demonstrable truth of the effects of poisonous policy now counts as part of some “outrageous” attack on the President. And Mitt Romney is above such things.
— Which, if he keeps going at this rate, the GOP establishment’s preferred candidate will have removed from the table as potentially clarifying GOP/conservative campaign issues TARP, the federal stimulus, individual mandates, First Amendment protections for individuals and religious institutions, Cap-and-trade, and the idea of an involved federal government setting minimum wage laws tied to inflationary rates.
All of which must be intended to force the electorate to make a Presidential decision based on, like, hair or some such. Is what I think the plan is.
Good lord, people. Has it really come to this? This is the guy you’re going to go to the mat for?
(Thanks to daveinsocal who notes, “Romney is not only refusing to say outrageous things about the “good man” in the White House, he’s now actively running interference for him“.
To which I can only reply that at least it’s starting to make sense how often the Romney people seemed to be advising the Obama people on policy.)
If this is really the GOP nominee, I give up. Well, I’ve really given up anyway. But still. That’s the signal that I was right. There is nothing in this country worth saving if it comes down to Obamney.
I keep hearing that four more years of Obama will be disastrous. But will it be worse than eight years of Romney or four years of Romney followed by four years of, say, Hillary?
You know, maybe to the GOP establishment this really HAS been about race all along.
I mean, why else try to give us Obama — only white, and with a flag lapel pin?
A Holmesisan elimination of all the things it ain’t leaves the only thing it could be? Heh.
There is nothing in this country worth saving if it comes down to Obamney.
Nothing in the whole country? So my neighborhood isn’t worth saving? My home town? My home state? Why have I been working so hard to promote responsible candidates for local and state offices? I guess I’ve just been wasting my time.
I suppose if my neighbors had worked for the past 20 years to build up a political machine that could stand toe-to-toe with Romney’s, they might have been worth fighting for. But as it is? Lazy bastards just sat around working hard and raising their families! Can you believe the nerve? Fuck ’em!
I take this more as the GOP may not be worth saving. The country, on the other hand, though severely wounded, is still worth saving.
“You know, maybe to the GOP establishment this really HAS been about race all along.”
Careful! Beck got in Dutch for saying that…
Oh, Romney’s just trying to deny Obama credit for keeping his promise about how energy costs will “necessarily skyrocket.” It’s really shrewd, nuanced campaignsmanship.
Rather OT, sorry, but the internets is for fuming. It’s a rule.
To all the Republicans who are still wringing their hands over the loss of George Allen as a viable candidate and office holder, yet are relieved the fat man on the radio has apologized for his nasty language, fuck you.
To all the Republicans who sermonize about taking back the academy and the educational institutions but consider fighting over the use of language to be a fundamentally unserious pursuit, baise-toi.
To all the Republicans who grieve over the loss of Breitbart but swear to carry on his fight as you surrender in a matter of days after his death to a smear that Andrew would have spat upon, eat a sack of dicks.
I took this silly moniker “George Orwell” years ago mainly because of the bizarre inversion of political language that has been increasing since the turn of the century. Our highly visible Republicans in media and office have been content to repeat the same mistakes that not only squashed George Allen but over time have abandoned the academy and public discourse to the Left. They appear content to continue to do so.
This November, if the GOP ends up asking themselves “Was it our messaging?” there will be peals of laughter from more than one quarter.
This is a neat little game Obama has going here. Oil and gas production are at all time highs so we can’t blame him for high energy costs.
Except that there’s this little thing called coal which is being taken out of the energy equation. The coal we are not using and the coal plants being shut down have to be replaced by something else, and that thing right now is oil. The more oil that has to be diverted to produce electricity, the less is available for transportation and other industries, thus driving up the cost even more. Since there aren’t many nuclear plants waiting to come on line, and renewable fuels don’t work, we’re going to be stuck in this mess for a long time unless we can get some natural gas plants up and running over night, and gas doesn’t have near the energy density of coal, and pipelines must be built.
C’mon guys, lay off Romney. The man will give us awesome Justices. He has John Sununu advising him. David Souter phoned to say “thumbs up!”
I call him Clorox-dipped Obama for a reason. If there’s a policy difference between the two, I can’t see it.
How long until wage and price controls kick in?
Romney will not risk turning the national conversation to anything that might give his fellow Republicans any traction.
Better that we keep things clearly focused on the ‘distractions.’ Lest one of his opponents succeed in running to his right.
One also has to wonder just what kind of vulnerabilities Romney has lurking in his closet on the issue of energy prices to be so willing to give Obama a pass…
But otherwise, he’s a strong conservative brand candidate.
If even a play-nice blogger like Ed Morrissey can get it right, why not Romney?
Yeah, yeah. Stupid question.
“I think people recognize that the president can’t precisely set the price at the pump,” Romney said in an interview on CNBC.
snip
That’s the trouble with Romney’s pledge: If he’s unwilling to unmask the president for who and what he is, he doesn’t stand a chance in November. Nobody is asking him to take cheap shots: We’re just asking him to not give the president the benefit of the doubt when the president’s purposes are pretty clear.
Hey, just think of the long, Kevlar-strong conservative coattails Romney brings to the election.
Stop snickering.
I’m guessing that Mittens is preparing to ask Obama to be his running mate.
Since you know, holding people accountable for the things they have said in regards to their National level policy preferences and other small potatoes is freakin the worst kind of racist.
The perfect climax of a century of progressive doctrine.
Republican ticket Romney-Obama.
Democratic ticket Obama-Romney.
Choice!!
Is this Bizarro Romney? This is insanity. It is also flat out objectively false. Obama is causing gasoline prices to go up.
Romney-Obama is preposterous! They can’t agree on the best percentages to use in the progressive tax schedule!
No my friends, that’s just too stark of contrast to even compare!
Apples and trucks that. Not even oranges. Trucks.
Obama/Romney 2012: Finally, a 59-point economic plan that Warren Buffett can support.
George Orwell says March 7, 2012 at 12:44 pm
C’mon guys, lay off Romney. The man will give us awesome Justices. He has John Sununu advising him. David Souter phoned to say “thumbs up!”
Exactly. I fling Sununu right back in their faces whenever the R-bots talk about Supreme Court Justices. That, and Mitt lacking the testicular fortitude to actually appoint judges whilst Governor, instead punting to an “independent commission.” Leadership, and all.
Additional fun fact: one of Romney’s legal advisers in 2008 was Douglas Kmiec, last seen on network TV as an apologist for Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention. For his unswerving devotion to Obama, he was briefly made Ambassador to Malta.
Alas for us, he has returned to America.
So, yeah, Romney’s got a real eye for legal talent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkp89ByD518
Is it just me, or did watching Romney
whoringrecounting his services regarding the Olympics seem like a pitch from a particularly oily salesman?Well, I can’t call him a slut. That would be wrong. Squeezing the feds for other people’s money, that’s more like pimping.
Even though Romney has fellow Michigan native Kid Rock’s “Born Free” as an anthem, I think the perfect campaign song for him is Seger’s “Beautiful Loser.”
It manages to capture the spirit of the thing, and it’s by another Michigander. Win-win.
“So, yeah, Romney’s got a real eye for legal talent”
W. Bush wanted Harriet, but the republican base was able to get Alito and Roberts.
I think SCJ nominations are one of three important issues where AnyonenotObama comes into play for me, and I’m not even a R-Bot.
AnyonenotObama might not choose well, but Obama will definitely choose disastrously.
But Bush 43 was willing to listen to the base.
Romney has the barest awareness that the base even exists, and he has a disastrous history of misunderstanding it. It seems pretty clear that he’s going to do it his way, the peons be damned.
Mr. Genial Sailtrimmer is much, much more likely to cough up a passel of Souters than Thomases.
And this one for Obama. “Mystery Man“.
Don’t know if anyone has posted this yet, but it looks like we lost Neptunus Lex.
http://www.neptunuslex.com/
He was one of the good guys.
W. Bush wanted Harriet, but the republican base was able to get Alito and Roberts.
Yes, it wasn’t the establishment who wanted the conservative nominees. This illustrates the most charitable thing one can say about Romney: “Will he stay bought?”
He’s going to be the guy running against B. Hussein Obama. I wanted a ham sandwich and I ended up with Kübler-Ross.
True Dale, but like I said, Obama is guaranteed to give us a disastrous balance to the Supreme Court. A legacy that will curse us for decades.
At least there’s a shot with AnyonenotObama…
LBascom:
Yeah, it is the best argument for Romney, and the only one that really resonates with me. If I thought that a GOP majority Senate wouldn’t be genial doormats with respect to nominees, I’d even shrug that one off.
But the fact that Romney can cast significant doubt on even the Supreme Court issue goes to show what what a lukewarm bucket of vomit he is as a candidate.
Squid @ 11:59 am
I think you’re mixing up the idea of society with the organization of a country. People did business, took care of their wives, went to little league (equivalents), had jobs, maintained law and order, etc. in the Old West when none of those territories were states and barely had any interaction with the larger USA. A local society is not at all the same thing as a country. If it were, there wouldn’t be such a stark difference between the city-state of Sparta, an empire like Persia, and nations post-Westphalia.
Your neighborhood may or may not be worth saving (it depends on the HOA, in my limited experience). But if the organized country, the collection of disparate cities and regions, settles on a Romney/Obama mix, then that organization is not worth saving. America, as such, is not worth saving. America only has value as the last best hope of freedom in the world. If it is no longer free, shoot it in the face and start over.
Thanks for noting that, BMoe. Sad times, indeed. Here’s more, for those interested.
“But the fact that Romney can cast significant doubt on even the Supreme Court issue goes to show what what a lukewarm bucket of vomit he is as a candidate.”
Eh, even Reagan gave us a stinker. It pretty much seems to be a crap shoot for Republicans in any event. It’s a sure thing with Obama.
The other two issues that resonate for me are free market capitalism and foreign policy.
In the former yeah, he’s a big government guy, but at least he won’t be hostile to business. I think he really does understand a robust private sector will raise all boats, where Obama believes a government controlled economy is the way to go.
As for foreign policy, I think it has become, through Obamas malevolence, a issue rivaling the economy. It’s like Obama is begging Iran to replace the old USSR as an existential threat to the USA. Plus, I see repairing the damage done there as actually harder than the economy. I don’t know if Romney can do it, at least not in four years, but at least he would change course.
Lest anyone be confused, I’m not going all Ann Coulter here. I still miss Herman. I’m just projecting to the general election, and speaking of AnyonenotObama. I’ll be using these same arguments on the Santorum haters if he goes against Obama.
But if the organized country, the collection of disparate cities and regions, settles on a Romney/Obama mix, then that organization is not worth saving.
I maintain that they are ‘settling’ on such a mix only because it’s been shoved down their throats, and the reformists don’t yet have an organization that can compete on the national level.
We damn well do have organizations that can compete at the local and state levels (not every state, but more every season). I think there’s still quite a bit about the Republic that’s worth saving, even if it has fallen under the control of a corrupt and distant central government. As I’ve said before: I see it as my duty to assure that next statist asshole who sits in the Oval Office will face a lively bunch of reform-minded Congresscritters and a collection of restive and recalcitrant States that will push back on his technocratic social-engineering dreams and make his life a living nightmare. I further intend to encourage these local resources to rebuild the GOP so that come 2014 and 2016, we’ll have a national political machine fighting for us, rather than our facing off against two such machines on our own.
If, by this time next year, it becomes apparent that our reform movement is doomed to failure, then I’ll sadly retire to the countryside and watch the cities burn from afar. But I’ve got one last good fight left in me before I go.
Squid,
yes, this time next year there will be a new perspective.
Personally, I’ve positioned a few mountains so I don’t have to watch the cities burn. Also, I’m hoping they will discourage most of the refugees.
a lively bunch of reform-minded Congresscritters and a collection of restive and recalcitrant States that will push back
You are significantly more optimistic than I am, Squid. After TARP in 2008 and the “wins” of the Tea Party and 2010, I don’t think it makes a difference. The only reason I think a not-Romney would make any sort of glimmer of change is that it would show a mindset that wasn’t totally sunk, that wasn’t willing to tolerate Romney/Obama being shoved down their throats. If you (not you, but the general “you”) is willing to tolerate Romney, there is nothing left to save. There is no freedom left. There is no life in the corpse — and there doesn’t deserve to be. It’s just a bunch of very nice people willing to be slaves.
Unfortunately, after reading the novel “One Second After”(forward by Newt Gingrich!), those puny hills in front of the house have become less reassuring.
Imagine if you will, America in chaos and cities burning. China, acting under the auspices of the UN, and with the example of the US herself assisting after foreign disasters, sends in some military to “help out”.
Like, 500,000 or so “helpers”…
“If you (not you, but the general “you”) is willing to tolerate Romney, there is nothing left to save. There is no freedom left. There is no life in the corpse — and there doesn’t deserve to be. It’s just a bunch of very nice people willing to be slaves.”
You should be called melodramatic-dee…
I’ve long been willing to give GW a pass on the Harriet Miers nomination. I honestly think Harriet Miers was part of the plan to get Alito on the bench. Remember, the charge against Miers was her lack of qualifications. Miers withdrew and Alito was promptly nominated. Remember, Democrats hated GW Bush and despised the Roberts nomination. I’m pretty sure Bush knew the Democrats in congress would “Bork” Alito unless a way was found to blunt those attacks.
Notice, neither Bush nor Miers have said anything about that nomination battle since.
Does it really make any sense that Bush would nominate Miers after nominating Roberts?
Yeah, conservatives went after GW about Miers, but Democrats really had a field day.
Oops on their part.
Like, 500,000 or so “helpers”…
Even the Chinese aren’t that stupid. Yamamoto was right about a rifle behind every blade of grass. Half a million troops would be hard pressed to occupy southern California. Never mind moving significantly inland away from a defended port and creating a supply tail.
Any of which assume the Chinese even had the merchant capacity required to provide continuous support for half a million troops, and the blue water navy necessary to protect it all.
If the US collapsed China might get adventurous (something that goes against a couple thousand years of their history) but it will primarily be via land, and limited to territory they are convinced they can annex in perpetuity.
“Even the Chinese aren’t that stupid”
Denounced! Denounced and censured!
Chinese are inscrutable, not stupid.
By the way, I’m disappointed you all let me remain a unreformed bigot way up there @12:22.
People in the Netherlands have feelings too!
Also, Yamamoto might have said that, but the Japs carried out a sneak attack anyway….
I also included UN sponsorship. Why, the whole world would be assisting the effort!
Ever scene a pack of Jackals on the Discovery channel?
Er, seen…
OK, one more and I AM the recent comments!
McRomney strikes again. I realize it was only 4 years ago, but rembering history just ain’t that hard. And I don’t see a Palin-type veep on the horizon with him to keep us interested.
OTOH, “One Second After” was a great book (OK, I enjoy apocolpyse-porn). My sanctum santorum (no relation) is much better stocked since reading it.
apocalypse. How come no spell-check on this site, Jeff?
Lbascom, melodramatic compared to the guuy with a compound in the mountains? :) That’s a feat! I’m #1! I’m #1!
That’s raaacist!
…
Oh, wait, Asians aren’t one of the protected victim classes. Nevermind. :D
“That’s a feat!”
Not really, just the soft bigotry of low expectations. When you identify yourself as “sunny” now, well, seems like you have some responsibility!.. ;-)
As I noted on the other thread, with this latest Obama-shielding of his, Mittenz is telling me, loud and clear, that he does not want my vote. He just doesn’t realize it. Yet.
Also, I suspect the reason for his statement is that Mittenz just wants to ensure that if his multi-million dollar wet dream does comes true, he’s established the precedent of not blaming the President for high gas prices.
Poor, silly Mittenz, doesn’t he know yet that the other side is using an etch-a-sketch as their rule book?
“One Second After” was good reading and pretty hair-raising. Just starting to read Survivors – A Novel of the Coming Collapse by James Wesley Rawles, in which the societal collapse is triggered by a completely logical, “ripped from tomorrow’s headlines” economic collapse. Worrisome stuff. Starting to wonder whether it makes more sense to start stocking up on food and weapons here in CA’s somewhat rural Inland Empire or start looking at property near the inlaws in Idaho.
Lee, half a million Chinese troops in Southern California might solve a few problems. Daveinsocal might have an issue with it, though.
go for your own private idaho
I’d settle for my own private Dunkin Donuts. But not in Idaho. Bad precedent, seems to me…
Idaho is chockful of retired cops. Also a lot of Mormons and, unfortunately many movie stars.
I could sell a lot of donuts there, but Frank Herbert told me it’s not worth the risk.
It’s the meek, and the Amish, who’ll inherit this continent. If life were truly fair.
half a million Chinese troops in Southern California might solve a few problems. Daveinsocal might have an issue with it, though
As long as the bastards leave their cars at home, or at least stay off the freeways. And some decent Chinese takeout would be nice for a change.
The Amish are definately going to go the distance. They’re already off the grid and they are handy with firearms.
hummm, now that you mention it, a power swap between California and the communist Chinese would hardly be noticeable…at either end.
As long as they continue treating medicinal marijuana shops as a zoning issue…
Sorry comrade, dispensaries.
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Heh. Great line from Mike at Coldfury: “Romney’s campaign slogan at this point might as well be ‘Four more years!’”
The frontrunner for the GOP is the least electable His Electableness the party has ever seen, and the least unlike Obama that the GOP has offered up since the Medieval Warm Period.
Well, you know, it’s not like we’re asking him to blame blame Obama.