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Friday, March 18, 2011

"Wag the Dog"

If it were Bush or Clinton, you know we would be hearing about Wag the Dog:
  1. How Obama turned on a dime toward war: "At the start of this week, the consensus around Washington was that military action against Libya was not in the cards. However, in the last several days, the White House completely altered its stance and successfully pushed for the authorization for military intervention against Libyan leader Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi. What changed?"
  2. CBO Sees Trillions More In Red Ink Under Obama's Budget: "Today the Congressional Budget Office released its Preliminary Analysis of the President's Budget for 2012. The CBO finds that Obama's budget incorporates unduly optimistic economic assumptions and assumes that certain money will materialize for no apparent reason. Consequently, the CBO concludes that Obama's budget underestimates the total deficits over the next ten years by $2.3 trillion.
But don't go there now, or else.

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6 comments:

  1. The Fog of War

    "The great uncertainty of all data in war is a peculiar difficulty, because all action must, to a certain extent, be planned in a mere twilight, which in addition not infrequently — like the effect of a fog or moonshine — gives to things exaggerated dimensions and unnatural appearance."

    Carl von Clausewitz, On War. Book 2

    "Why does the dog wag its tail?
    Because the dog is smarter than the tail.
    If the tail were smarter, it would wag the dog."

    David Mamet was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Wag the Dog".
    More recently Mamet is best know for his letter:

    David Mamet: Why I Am No Longer a 'Brain-Dead Liberal'

    The Village Voice

    ReplyDelete
  2. No need to fear. Those Assistant Democrats are on the case. What's another $2.3 trillion when such a determined force is whacking at the $7.2 trillion deficit with $5 billion cuts every two weeks? So what if the deficit simultaneously grows another $76 billion with each $5 billion spending "reduction"?

    Nothing on earth is more terrifying than seeing those Assistant Democrats on the march once they have made up their minds. "Walk loudly but carry a limp stick!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. This must really get under Obama's thin skin:

    Chris Matthews On Hillary Clinton’s Speech: ‘Didn’t You Get A Sense That She Was President?’ Video at hotairpundit

    ReplyDelete
  4. Things will only get worse from here. In every area we're in for a rough time. But that's not news. Things have deteriorated steadily since Obama became president. What matters now is not what the Socialist in Chief is doing (or not doing) today, but that to do about him tomorrow. Vote. I have my favorite candidates for POTUS in 2012, we all do, but no matter who gets the GOP nomination he or she gets my vote. Obama must go in 2012. Anyone is better. Absolutely anyone.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Phil - I'm sure he has a mighty stiff stick, if not directed at your desired targets.

    All-
    Doesn't anyone remember that the bulk of defense spending wasn't even in the budget under Bush?? Now we at least we KNOW how bad the debt is but Obama gets the credit? A big stick indeed.

    Libya. Obama has been masterful. We are doing the right thing, but it is an alliance of many developed nations-- and not some 'multi-national force' with some sorry number of troops from third tier countries to try to put a face on it. He delayed (to the frustration of his own base) to arrive the RIGHT solution to act as we should while protecting our beleaguered military and economy.

    Do we just stand by and hope they don't remember that we did business with regimes that 'disappreared' people they loved and that we turned our back when they fought heroically for democracy? Would you have a genocide because you fear a pan-Arab movement? Such criminal foreign policy is not American and delivers undesired results. Or do we do the right thing and gain the credibility of having done so and at the time that the Libyans have said please help (which just happened with the rebels leadership).

    Let's consider the scale of the predicament: Our "ally" Saudi invades their neighbor (they'll be in Yemen next) putting down democracy movements, while they are armed with American fighter jets. You must remember the travesty of cutting a $30B deal with them to upgrade their fighter jets to 'balance Iran' and scrimmage with Yemeni rebels? (WSJ link below) (You don't think our cozy relationship with Saudi had anything to do with Saudis' role in 9/11?) Now, whoops, democracy is breaking out all over. What happens when the populations finally triumph? Will we be the marketer of values we didn't support? Wouldn't be the first time, but in 2011 the world is too transparent to do business the way we have. It's a wired and wikileaks world we live in. We are in a spot, aren't we?

    We have supported oppressive regimes that spoon-fed their people the Israel-Palestine drama as a means of creating a common enemy that wasn't their oppressor (the regime). Now, the people are rising up. Should we turn our back while genocide takes place? Are these Arabs just, as one man on this site wrote, "people who cut off people's heads and strap bombs to their children"? Talk about racism, Holy Jesus!

    I'm wondering what problem of this complexity, magnitude, and consequence anyone here will confront tomorrow morning-- especially those who would question Obama's man-creds. Bad things are going to happen, the question is how bad and how they will happen. It is a dangerous time for the whole world. The LAST thing we need is an ego- maniac who has to prove he's the alpha. That will get us all killed. Obama IS President, his stick is big. We are so fortunate that the man who has the world (and our fates) on his shoulders this very day is intelligent, SHREWD, measured, and able to DELEGATE. How about a little patriotism? Or at least grow the f**k up!

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704268004575417351686379586.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. @laurie - proof positive that the troll APB put out by Media Matters is in full swing. You are just too darned effective and RIGHT (in so many ways!) Professor. More kudos!

    @Christine - I am in 100% agreement. The time between now and Nov. 2012 is crucial; it's the time for us to get our Conservative act together, and be ready to counter the certain Alinsky attacks of the left, which will come in all areas, from all directions.

    Whoever the Republicans choose - RINO or not - must win. Anyone is better than "President Present" or as you say, @Christine, "Socialist in Chief." Perfect monikers.

    ReplyDelete