Best Headline Ever

"Man convicted of sex with dead deer loses appeal" - Daily Reporter (Wisconsin construction industry trade publication)

(Via James Taranto - Best of the Web, who adds "hard to believe he had much to begin with")

Quote of the Day

"Smith did believe free markets could better the world. He once said, in a paper delivered to a learned society, that progress required "little else...but peace, easy taxes, and tolerable administration of justice." But those three things were then - and are now - the three hardest things in the world to find. Smith preached against the gravitational load of power and privilege that always will, if it can, fall upon our livelihood. The Wealth of Nations is a sturdy bulwark of a homily on liberty and honest enterprise. It does go on and on. But sermons must last a long time for the same reason that walls must. The wall isn't trying to change the roof's mind about crushing us." - P.J. O'Rourke, On the Wealth of Nations.

(Hat Tip: Samizdata)

February 24th 2008 - Today's Columns:

George Will : Pondering the Choice of Vices - Will takes a quick look at several Vice Presidential choices for McCain and the need for Hillary to pick one now. One McCain Veep choice overlooked is Condi Rice. She's young, smart, experienced, proven herself incredibly capable, and for those with their eyes firmly fixed on identity politics, she's a two-fer!

Mark Steyn: Obama Makes Hillary Look Like Bill Richardson - "Hillary is what the Clintons look like with their pants up."

Obama editorial at IMAO

Read the whole thing at the link but make sure you're sitting down and not drinking milk (unless you like shooting it out of your nose).

At each of my campaign stops, people come to me and say, "Osama..." -- not my actual name, but I'm used to it -- "...I like hope. I like change. I like kittens and bunny rabbits. But which should I choose?" I say to these future hopers and changers that there is no need to choose.

February 23rd 2008 - Today's Columns:

Charles Krauthammer : Snatching Defeat Away From Victory - "Are the Democrats so intent on denying George Bush retroactive vindication for a war they insist is his that they would deny their own country a now achievable victory?"

Victor Davis Hanson : Ivy League Populism - "Sens. Obama and Clinton try to outdo each other in blaming government for our lack of individual responsibility and promising solutions by raising taxes to give us more government, they offer little change and less hope."

Hugh Hewitt : The Least Unpredictable Campaign Ever? - Hewitt describes his vision of how the coming campaign between McCain and Obama will unfold. He also offers a bit of fear to we incalcitrant conservatives who do not support McCain:

Imagine how bad it could be in the next four years: Iran gets its nukes and unveils a delivery system. Pakistan's chaos mounts and an Islamist government takes over. Turkey's Islamists demand action against our Kurdish allies. Hezbollah and Hamas relentlessly attack and provoke Israel and a replay of the summer of 2006 begins. Kenya erupts in slaughter. Serbian militias attack the newly independent Kosovo. Rioting in the French suburbs accelerates. Russia shuts off its gas, and China demands Taiwan reach an accord. A terrorist attack occurs in London, Paris or D.C.

George Will : The Democrats' Four-Letter F-Word - Will discusses the fairness of the different possibilities in the Democratic primary race.

Robert D. Novak : Our Man in Islamabad - Novak details American intervention in Pakistan on behalf of Musharraf in an effort to enlist Pakistani help in the fight against radical Islamists. It seems clearer now that the strategy of propping up military dictators in far-off lands in order to pressure other enemies is one that has had few successes. I suspect this is also a large part of the reason why the U.S. is regularly distrusted or even despised in so many parts of the world.

Emmett Tyrrell : Delusions of Grandeur - Not that I don't find Tyrrell to insightful and interesting, but it is his gift for humor that most entices me to read him.

The Democratic Party went into decline almost everywhere throughout the republic while [Bill Clinton] was bemanuring the White House.

Who else comes up with words like "bemanuring"? That's just fun to say. I believe it was in 2004 that Tyrrell pinned Howard Dean acolytes with the label "indignant morons", one of my all-time favorites.

A modest proposal

Since Republicans these days are fond of parroting Democrats on their issues but with a low-fat twist, I have an idea for John McCain to kill two birds with one stone (That’s just a figure of speech by the way. Obviously it would be wrong to harm one of the native creatures of Mother Earth, and worse to harm many. Avifauna genocide should never be tolerated. Never again. It is equally wrong to disturb the pristine landscape by removing stones. That single stone could be essential habitat for any number of species. Unless you’re a Palestinian and you’re throwing rocks at Jews [Jooos], it is not okay.)


The grand church of liberalism these days resides in Global Warmism and its Holy Grail the Kyoto Protocols. But even the Kool-Aide drinkers of the Movement only predict negligible reductions in global warming over 100 years if the Protocols were enacted today. The right has been claiming for years that the Kyoto Protocols, if enacted in the U.S., would reduce our economic output to such a level that the Great Depression would seem like a bad hair day. Not only that but China and India are exempted from the Sacred Protocols and would be free to pollute to their hearts’ content. All this is true but it seems to be falling on deaf ears. In fact, the constant drumbeat in the legacy media seems to be shifting public opinion toward believing that the situation, as Otter would say, “absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.”


Here’s where McCain can steal the left’s thunder. He should propose that the U.S. build a colossal air conditioning appliance for the entire planet. It would have to be massive, roughly the size of New Jersey. In fact, that seems like as good a place as any to put it. There’s a good chance no one would notice the difference.


The key to this plan’s success is in the building process. It would essentially be a new TVA. The Colossal Air Conditioning Appliance, or CACA for short, should employ millions. Every current welfare recipient should be sent to New Jersey to become gainfully employed making CACA. We could even hire the homeless mentally challenged as designers. They could sit in a big room and throw CACA ideas at each other all day (then hug). Just imagine how it would help their self-esteem to work on the biggest piece of CACA the world has ever seen. This would also virtually ensure that the building process would never be complete. But that’s the beauty of it!


Now I can already hear some of you nay saying engineers out there. “How can you possibly cool the earth with a giant piece of CACA sitting in New Jersey? Your refrigerator can’t cool your kitchen. You have to exhaust the heat somewhere.” First, quit being such a dweeb. Try kissing a girl sometime. Second, you’re missing the point. Remember the wisdom of Otter. If we’re already 2/3 of the way toward doing something massively expensive, economically ruinous, and its supporters claim at best only negligible end benefits, all for the sake of making an offering to the gods of Global Warmism, I think we could at least reap the benefit of getting the riffraff off the streets.


In this one simple plan we can house the homeless, employ the unemployed, end welfare through work, bring back America’s manufacturing sector, and show the world that we are proactive and concerned about global warming, thereby restoring America’s sullied reputation in the global community. We could even paint the thing rainbow colored and achieve equal rights for all our citizens.


McCain, I hope your people are paying attention.

February 20th 2008 - Today's Columns:

First let me apologize for my absence the last few days. I've been visiting my brother in sunny California. I'll have less-than-exciting pictures from Berkeley posted shortly.

Lawrence Kudlow : It's Over - Kudlow expresses his Schadenfreude at the demise of the Hillary campaign. I still think it's far too early to dance on her grave. Wisconsin may have been a mighty big nail in her coffin but she will not go quietly. I suspect it will sound more like shrieking, maybe with an occasional cackle. Careers will be ruined, pantsuits will burst, bros will be tazed. Think Sherman's march to the sea, the sacking of Carthage. Mark my words.

Ann Coulter : How to Keep Reagan Out of Office - In her typically subtle and understated style, Coulter lists the ways that campaign finance laws, particularly McCain-Feingold, work to keep good people out of politics and leave the field for turds like McCain.

Dick Morris and Eileen McGann : Warning To Superdelegates: Obama Fans Will Keep Score - The title pretty much says it all.

John Stossel : Presidents Can't Manage the Economy - "Politicians who talk about managing the economy ignore the fact that, strictly speaking, there is no economy. There are only people producing, buying and selling goods and services. "

Walter E. Williams : Costs vs. Benefits - This is a subject Williams has written about for years but most people remain painfully ignorant of it.

If we look to benefits only, we'll do darn near anything because there's always a benefit. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that there were 43,443 highway fatalities in 2005. If we had a maximum speed law of
15 mph, the death toll wouldn't be nearly as high, probably not even as high as 500. You say, "Williams, that's a crazy idea!" You're right, but let's not call it crazy; it's more accurate to say: saving some 43,000 lives aren't worth the cost and inconvenience of a 15 mph speed limit.

Michelle Malkin : Michelle Obama's America -- and Mine - Malkin catalogues the numerous reasons to be proud of America, pointing out Michelle Obama's gaffe.

Mark Steyn: Obama the Muzak Messiah of the pseudo-revolution - Steyn on the utter emptyness and, sadly, inevitability of Obama.

February 15th 2008 - Today's Columns:

Charles Krauthammer : Obama, the Platitude Salesman -

Rich Lowry : Hillary: By Any Means Necessary -

Hugh Hewitt : A Funny Thing About Revolutions.... -

Quote of the Day

In Wisconsin, they're running radio spots for Obama where some hippie gushes that they're voting for Obama because 'he'll stop the war in Iraq'.

Not 'win' or 'lose'... 'stop'.

Friends, there's only two ways to 'stop' a war - like Truman stopped Japan, or like Nixon stopped Vietnam.

On this issue, I vote for the Democrat." -Harvey at IMAO

February 12th 2008 - Today's Columns:

Thomas Sowell : The Media and Politics - Sowell discusses the role of the media in reporting facts, specifically how journalists tend to filter out facts in order to promote a policy position.

Rich Lowry : To Take A Village - Lowry has been embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq and this report comes from Diyala Province. He details why it is so difficult to secure the country without saturating it with troops.

Jack Kemp : An Open Letter to Rush, Sean, Laura, Ann, Mark, et al. - Jesus Jack! Did you really just compare McCain to Churchill? Good God I am truly insulted.

Why I love marketing

Who would have guessed that in the year 2008 some clever marketer would come up with a new way to sell snake oil to uneducated rubes? I heard a commercial on 700 WLW for a product called Evercleanse. It promises weight loss and even healthier skin and hair by clearing out the 6-40 pounds of "build-up" in your colon.

Don't worry. It doesn't cause you to drop a 40 lb. duece. But that would be pretty cool. Their web site assures it is gradual. Also that they "employ the highest degree of science. Mass Spectrometry and absorption analysis." In addition to the disturbing image above, there are plenty of reassuring pictures of people who look like doctors doing very sciency doctor-like things. So it must be safe!

I love this sales pitch because it is the same old snake oil promises of health and vigor but with an effective and contemporary weight-loss twist. Brilliant! You don't need to eat less and exercise more. Just drop that 40# loaf and hit the beach in that sexy two-piece!

February 11th 2008 - Today's Columns:

Robert D. Novak : The Bradley Effect? - Obama seems to consistently outpoll his actual vote numbers. In the California primary late polls showed him up by 10 points going into Super Tuesday, yet he lost the actual vote by 10 points.

Star Parker : Hillarycare Is Not the Answer - Unless the question is "what will stagnate our economy and destroy our prosperity?" It is amazing that when the system is broken, due almost exclusively to governmental intrusion into the free market, the answer to many is more governmental intrusion.

WSJ editorial: Wiretap Showdown - Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) has offered an amendment to the FISA bill to strip retroactive immunity from the telecommunication companies who helped the government after 9/11 to monitor terrorist communications. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has an amendment to require FISA approval before monitoring communications of U.S. citizens overseas suspected of terrorist activity. Currently approval is needed from the Attorney General, not FISA. The Dodd amendment would allow numerous lawsuits already filed to go forward effectively squelching any further cooperation on the part of the telecom companies when the government seeks to monitor terrorists. The Wyden amendment would confer special rights on U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism that currently do not apply nor would they in the future to other suspected criminals operating overseas.

live blogging via iPhone

from the Joel Osteen event in Cincinnati. Aparently Cartman was right about Christian music. These people will listen to anything. It's like Christian tourettes. Like a random Christian word generator.

February 8th 2008 - Today's Columns:

John Hawkins : There's Nothing Conservative Or Principled About Helping A Democrat Beat John McCain In November - The problem with this argument and so many like it we've all been reading lately is that it attempts to make the choice the lesser of two evils. There is a chance to win in a race between to evils by having the lesser of them. However, the other side doesn't think their candidate is evil. Therefore they have all the energy and enthusiasm. Now I know that a non-enthusiastic vote counts just as much as an enthusiastic one. But does anyone truly believe that a Presidential candidate can win without enthusiastic support from his base? My point with regard to McCain is that with him as the nominee, we've already forfeited. So there is no point to me compromising my principles to vote for him. It wouldn't make a difference. And I certainly won't feel better about myself on November 5th when I read that McCain lost by an historic landslide minus 1.

Charles Krauthammer : The Sheriff Comes to Town - According to Krauthammer "Bush begat McCain." And far be it from me to contradict Charles Krauthammer.

David Limbaugh : Critics of McCain's Critics Should Chill - Who on earth pays attention to critics of McCain's critics anyway?

Rich Lowry : Re-Liberators - The surge has liberated Iraq for the second time and the population is awakening. Lowry writes of generals handing out seed money for Iraqi businesses and security forces. This is effective by building trust and jump-starting the economy.

John McCain : John McCain Addresses CPAC -

Hugh Hewitt : Reports of Our Death Are Greatly Exaggerated - Hewitt explains that talk radio is the primary source for center-right people to find news and information of interest to them. Since the Mainstream Media will be even more biased during an Obama or Hillary campaign, the right will stream to talk radio all the more.

Rich Galen : Rush, Sean, and Laura -

Oliver North : Women and Children First -

Linda Chavez : Time to Unite -

More data:

I have looked at some historical data from the American Conservative Union. Lately I've heard and read countless pundits attempting to apologize for McCain by pointing to his lifetime ACU rating of 82.3 which almost all of them say is "not bad." Now that's not exactly a ringing endorsement as it is but let's look a little deeper.

I pulled his ratings from every year he has been in the Senate from 1987 through 2006 (the last year for which data is available). While his lifetime average may be 82.3 it is interesting to look at his ratings over time.

McCain is unarguably an incorrigible hothead; known for holding grudges. When he lost the Presidential nomination to W. in 2000, he began to punish W. and the Republican party. As a result, his ACU average from 2001 to 2006 is only 73. This places him below every Republican Senator except Ted Stevens (AK - 64.5), Susan Collins (ME - 55), Olympia Snowe (ME - 49.9), and Arlen Specter (PA - 44.7), unless you count Jim Jeffords and Lincoln Chafee as Republicans.

This is not the best company to keep.

So I call shenanigans on his lifetime rating. You hear me McCain? Shenanigans!

Romney quits the race

Romney is currently speaking at CPAC and it is rumored that he will use this speech to announce he is quitting the race.

And if I was a member of the Republican Party, I would quit.

Update: This must be what it felt like looking out from the Alamo.















Or maybe Thermopylae (minus the heroics of course)

February 7th 2008 - Today's Columns:

Thomas Sowell : Economics, Anyone? - Sowell uses this article to promote his new book "Economic Facts and Fallacies" which I'll be ordering shortly. In case you've never read any of Sowell's books, they are very easy to read books on economics. It is a far superior economics education than what I got in college and a lot cheaper.

George Will : The Earmark Culture Thrives in Washington - Wow. I knew politics was dirty business but this is filthy.

George Will : Super Tuesday Primaries and a Presumptive Nominee - Will makes the point that McCain is now the Republican presumptive nominee and if the Democrats are smart they will nominate Obama, who is the only one of the two who can beat him.

Victor Davis Hanson : Weird Times, Weirder Election - Weird article. Not really about anything.

Cliff May : Conservatives on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - May gives a spirited and persuasive argument for supporting the Republican candidate in the general election. To me though it will continue to come down to whether or not he can win. I am not going to throw away my reasoned convictions in a lesser of two evils contest when it won't matter anyway. And I still contend that come November, it won't even be close in the polls. McCain has spit in too many eyes.

Michelle Malkin : Quo vadis, conservatives? - Where are you going conservatives? Michelle offers inspirational advice to dispirited conservatives. Get fired up and go out and support the next generation of true conservatives so that next time we have real candidates to vote for. Amen.

Ann Coulter: From Goldwater Girl to Hillary Girl - Another recitation of McCain's apostasies. I'm not convinced that either Obama or Hillary would act differently on the war than Bush or McCain. Once they have the information in front of them, and blame for defeat on their shoulders, I don't think they'll betray America to curry favor with MoveOn.org. That said, I agree that either of them would be out of office in four years and the conservative movement would be reinvigorated.

I hope it's stillborn

I had no idea that being repeatedly sodomized by John McCain could lead to a pregnancy.

Some data:

I've compiled some numbers. Please tell me which of the primary states that McCain has won will he win in the General?





I'm pretty sure 25 electoral votes isn't going to get the job done.

Update: Bush won FL in 2000. I don't know how I got that wrong in my table. I don't think McCain would though. Also I accidently colored Clinton 96 red for AZ. Whoops.



For comparison, here's where Romney stands:

And Huckabee:

Clearly Huckabee is way ahead in winning states he could actually carry in November. But what remaining states could he win? And it is up for debate whether Huckabee would carry Tennessee and West Virgina. Not to mention who would win Arkansas in a Huck-Hillary match-up?

Update: Dem data

Hillary:

Obama:

What seems clear from all this is a butt-kicking for Republicans this year. The Dems states are most likely interchangeable between the two candidates, with the possible exception of Arkansas. What I mean is, whichever Democratic candidate wins the primary will carry the blue states that are listed above. This puts the Dems at 173 electoral votes already.

Add to that the following blue states that have yet to vote:

Hawaii - 4
Maryland - 10
Oregon - 7
Pennsylvania - 21
Rhode Island - 4
Vermont - 3
Washington - 11
Wisconsin - 10

Then the Dems have 243 electoral votes. And as an Ohio native I can tell you that this state will go blue this year for another 20 electoral votes making their total 263. Considering the magic number to win is 270, I don't see any path to victory.

February 6th 2008 - Today's Columns:

Walter E. Williams : Silly Talk - Williams analyses the common use of improper grammar. I suspect this is what I'll be like when I get old.

Jonah Goldberg : Western Civilization and Other Fairy Tales - An interesting way to look at the fragility of civilization.

Political theorist Hannah Arendt once said that, every generation, Western civilization is invaded by barbarians - we call them "children." Today's babies aren't meaningfully different from those born 1,000 or 5,000 years ago. A Viking baby magically transported to 21st-century America might grow up to be an accountant or a bus driver. A baby born today and sent back in time might become a Hun, Visigoth or Aztec warrior, whatever his parents expected of him.

Dick Morris and Eileen McGann : Obama Headlines Will Fuel His Drive To The Top - I'm beginning to wonder why I read Dick Morris. His obvious antipathy for Hillary and love of McCain are clouding his judgement.

John Stossel : USA Makes Adoption Harder - Stossel focuses his attention on Americans adopting Guatemalan children but this phenomenon is true across the globe. So many people have an irrational distaste for anyone making money or profit from adoption that they insist there be none. The predictable result is that there are fewer adoptions and more human suffering. But at least there's no evil profit!

Charles Hurt: ONCE JOHN WINS, HE'LL MAKE A LEFT - A scary thought: "the McCain we've seen of late on the campaign trail is the most conservative McCain we'll ever see."

A modest proposal

Dear President Bush,


It looks likely that John McCain will be the Republican Presidential nominee in 2008. I find this distasteful to say the least. And with all due respect, I think you are to blame. Now, I don't mean you are to blame in the way Democrats mean it when they speak of blowing up those levies in New Orleans, steering the hurricane there to drown dark people, blowing up those buildings in New York and Washington D.C., blaming it on dark people, etc. I think it's your fault because you chose to eschew conservative principles and label yourself a "compassionate conservative" instead. I believe this diluted the conservative/Republican brand. After 7+ years of your rule, people are confused about what it means to be conservative. This created a wide-open hole for John McCain to slither in and fool the slow and inattentive in our party.


The good news in all this is twofold, 1) McCain does have some redeeming qualities, 2) you can fix this problem (or at least help to avert disaster). McCain's most redeeming quality is his steadfast support for the war on terror. And you can tie his hands in that regard. Things are going pretty well in Iraq. Afghanistan could use some more attention but is certainly redeemable. Let's just get NATO out of the mix and do it ourselves. This unfortunately creates a complacency for the next commander in chief, but also an opportunity for you.


You see, John McCain can be distracted from his plans to grant amnesty to illegal aliens and raise taxes while appointing new David Souters to the Supreme Court. The best way to do that is to tie him down with important terrorist-killing duties. This is an area where we can all agree. That is why I make this proposal: let's bomb Iran. After all, they're practically begging for it. You've only got a few more months before your term is up. Clearly your response to the terrorist war against us will be the defining issue of your presidency. So bring it on home by droppin' da bomb on Tehran.

God hates Huckabee

Huckabee colludes with Paul and McCain to thwart Romney in West Virginia. Within hours he is smitten.

McCain voters slow to get to polls

The middle class squeeze?

Confessions of a Young Hillary Supporter

Slate carries this post from Alex Joseph with the subhead "Or, how I became the loneliest man on campus." (Hat tip: Power Line)

It's a humorous and well-written piece that explains the loneliness of being the only one on campus not supporting Obama. As a former college conservative, I can assure you I feel your pain.

Talk radio host Mike McConnell has said for years that the peace protests of the 60's were little more than social opportunities for college-age kids. Considering I was born in 1973, I have no way to verify this claim. But it seems plausible.

This Slate post seems to display a similar phenomenon. Joseph repeatedly references Facebook and his inability to meet women due to his support for Hillary. The tide of the young is clearly with Obama. But how deep is his support? Let's hope the much-vaunted "young vote" achieves its usual level of significance.

February 5th 2008 - Today's Columns:

Thomas Sowell : What Kind of "Experience"? - Another well thought-out piece from Tom Sowell.

It would be hard to find two people less trustworthy than the Clintons or with a longer trail of sleaze and slime.

Senator McCain's political record is full of zig-zags summarized in the word "maverick." That is another way of saying that you don't know what he is going to do next, except that it will be in the interests of John McCain.

It would be truly dangerous if McCain really considers himself a military expert, who can therefore ignore the advice of real military experts as President of the United States.

David Limbaugh : Republican Party Can't Afford More Liberal Leaders - A typical Limbaugh article, dead-on right but not terribly insightful. I would add that diluting the brand of Republicans in particular or conservatives in general is counter-productive to the long-term goals of the pary and movement.

Rich Lowry : Republicans for Hillary - I've been trying to square these feelings within myself:

Bill's relationship to Hillary is blissfully straightforward compared with that of Republicans. They hate her, and they love hating her. They have wanted her to lose the nomination for the mere sport of it, and they have wanted her to win because they think she's the weakest potential Democratic nominee.

Kathleen Parker : What If? - I accidentally clicked this link but read the article anyway. It's a pretty interesting way to look at the Presidential contest. What if Obama were a white man? Would Democrats think him experienced enough to be their standard bearer. She goes through each candidate in this manner and it helps to clarify the real issues involved.

Quote of the Day

"Clearly we all have a political agenda of some kind. Mine is the politics of anti-politics. It stems from wanting to expand the non-political space in life and culture. This flows from my belief in the primacy of individual liberty." - Guido on samizdata

How to sell a flashlight

God I love marketing!

Huckabee floats conspiracy theory

Mike Huckabee was asked why talk radio hosts oppose him and John McCain and support Romney. He said this:

Some suggest that the fact that Bain Capital owns a major stake in Clear Channel is on Sean's network, maybe there's a correlation. I don't know

This is demonstrably ludicrous and Huck's followers should be ashamed of themselves for supporting someone so ridiculous.

We already have enough nuts in the race:

February 4th 2008 - Today's Columns:

Rich Galen : Super Week - Sometimes Rich Galen has some interesting insights. Not today.

Robert D. Novak : Democratic Stalemate - Novak predicts that nothing will be settled on the Democrat side after Super Tuesday tomorrow. He further predicts it will not be settled after March 4 when we in Ohio and those in Texas vote. Perhaps the Dems need some help from the squishy conservative commentators in writing their "just shut up and swallow Hillary" columns like they write about McCain.

Douglas MacKinnon : Don't Let Huckabee and the Media Silence the Conservative Voice - Flirting with crazy, MacKinnon makes an impassioned plea to Huckabee voters to give up their quixotic quest which can only result in a McCain nomination.

Donald Lambro : GOP May Regret Raising McCain - Another excellent recitation of the reasons not to vote for McCain.

Bob Myer: Dissecting the 'Change' Mantra - Myer assesses what the word "change" means. He offers his own wish list:

public school reform and decentralization, stopping and reversing illegal immigration, Social Security privatization, ending legislative earmarks, tort reform, and re-embracing the Constitution

Good luck with that.