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Thank you for your kind (and unkind) letters from Canada and the US. Mark reads all the letters, but especially enjoys the vicious ones. Drop a line to Mark's Mailbox and if you're chosen to be the one and only Letter of the Week you'll join our roll of winners from four Continents and receive a copy of Mark Steyn From Head To Toe. It would help if you could indicate your city or town, or, at least, your state, province or country. Failing that, your continent or hemisphere would do.
Letter of the Week
STILL WAITING FOR MY HANDOUT
Once again, you have distilled the true essence of a fairly complex problem into a
simple, easy to understand form, in just a few words, and leaving nothing out. No wonder
the lefties hate you! As one of the people who has managed his business
using sweat equity and never being able to get a bank loan of any kind for
it, even though I have about a million in equipment and have been in
business my entire life without ever defaulting, my heart pumps piss for the
bastards who cash six figure paychecks while their company is going under.
Not only does the government not help me, but it will send goons with rubber
truncheons to collect the money they need to pump up the losers, aka my
competition. Let it be their turn to be creative like I have to in order to
survive tough times, especially when the government is the biggest waster of
my time and money.
Where was the government handout for me when their stupid steel embargo
drove steel prices through the roof, where they remain? How about when their
stupid cement embargo almost shut down the construction industry while they
held talks for a year on the subject.?
I absolutely agree with you, and especially when we're discussing the Bush
economic team and that horrible Congress. If they say the sky is falling,
you can be sure it's not.
John Harold, Sr
Riverhead, New York
Re: Debate Night Live
COMATOSE
I wouldn't worry too much about this, I was in a coma after about 20
minutes and I can't believe I was alone. This is classic McCain, the
one that has always driven us bananas. I think the Palin pick gave us a
brief hallucination about his instincts. It will always be "my good
friend [insert liberal senator's name here]" and "I've taken on [insert
conservative name here]". I am a lot more confident than most seem to
be that he will win but I'm not sure optimistic best describes it. I
know it's anecdotal and all, but I have two friends that would rather
pull their own eyes out than vote Republican and they are both voting
for McCain (read "just can't vote for Obama") and that's here in PA.
Noel Pixley
HE’S A DECENT GUY AND HE’S GOING TO LOSE
I had the same urge, and this evening was sad and painful. My comment
at the end to my 81-year-old dad was "Y'know, he's the better man,
has the better plans, is the most honorable gentleman...but he's not
the best communicator and so he's going to lose."
BUT...your reader's idea that it will be a landslide or that Sarah
Palin will be "tarred" by it is way off. I think in an election year
with so many things going against whoever the Republican candidate
is/was and THEN the econ meltdown...well, it's an honorable try if
they lose and a miracle if they win and either way Sarah Palin is a
star and part of a new generation I'd shorthand as the
Palin/Jindal/Cantor Generation. One can only hope that after two
HORRIBLE and very, very expensive years when Dems will do what they
always do - go overboard and get cocky--the Obama/Pelosi/Reid
obscenities will cause such revulsion amongst even those getting
those $5k tax "cut" checks that they will decide "enough" and bring
in a new Newtist revolution in Congress who'll do the same thing to
Obama's 2nd 2 years that Newt did to Clinton's when he forced welfare
reform, etc. etc. IF we all live that long.
I hate to have the thought I'm having that the only way to win is for
Osama & Co. to pull off another 9/11-sized attack, but barring that
tragedy, can't we hope Obama makes some sort of seriously boneheaded
statement akin to Gerry Ford's "No Soviet Domination In Eastern
Europe" boner--something so ludicrious that even the MSM can't nuance
it away or hide it that finally makes the case about "no experience/
dangerous" that McCain seems unable or unwilling to drive
home effectively?
It was a long, dark, "Pock"-marked night indeed, and in your usual
musical vein, I wonder, Mark, if YOU hear, as I do, in Obama's
pronunciatory flights of fancy this refrain:
"Come Mistah Taliban Tali-me bananas....ElectionDay come and me bring
de troops hooooome."
Dan Fendel
WE’RE ALL DOOMED
I have to say that I agree with the guy pulling up the McCain/Palin sign and
resigning to prayer for our future.
This is it: McCain is not a Conservative and he is taking the real
Conservatives - us - for granted in his campaign. McCain can give a damn
about us and, as Rush said earlier today, he clearly doesn't understand what
it will take to win this election.
The USA is doomed, and it's McCain's fault.
Rich Root
STRATEGY ANYONE?
Do any of you have any insight into the McCain camp's strategy last night? Behind
the scenes, deep background, etc? I, for one, am flummoxed at what I saw and I just
would like to know that someone much smarter than me had a rational strategy for the
debate unfolding the way it did and why McCain did not go after Obama.
The conversation I would have loved to see John McCain have with the American people
last night:
"Effective government requires transparency (eg, no earmarks, integrity of
leadership) and that transparency begins with the President. You all know who I am
and you all have access to my history, my successes, my mistakes, my medical
records, my legislative record, my military record, my academic records, my
associations and alliances...in short, everything. So, you know "who" John McCain
is...but, who is Barack Obama? Where is the transparency of his background, his
medical records, his legislataive record, his academic records? Who are his
associates and allies? This is the most important job in the world we're going for;
the American people deserve to know everything about us."
It would have laid out the challenge to Obama and the MSM and would be a theme that
could have carried all the way through to election day.
I guess it's now up to Sarah, Rush/Sean/Glenn/Mark, etal, to save the race.
If there's something that I'm just not seeing here, some master plan, please
- somebody - enlighten me.
Cliff Deeds
GROW UP, DON’T GIVE UP
It's people like that, who give up, literally, when there's still a fight to
be had that make me want to scream.
I'm not one to bury my head in the sand, but this race has a finish date and
it's not all that far away. Is it too much to ask people to fight just a
little bit.
Oh, and for the record, my yard sign went out today (the local GOP office
finally had some in) and won't come down until this race is over, no matter
what happens.
Some of these Republicans need to grow a freaking pair.
Athena Runner
Carlsbad, California
PALIN IN 2012
The whole time tonight, I kept thinking that Palin would be so much
better going after Obama than McCain. McCain is a great American and
a terrible campaigner. Palin's got all the tools. Compare the fire
that she's got going after Obama and the happy warrior spirit that
went after Joe Biden.
Give her 2 years of reading the Economist and talking with some
economics experts and watch her go. The knock on her is that she
isn't curious and doesn't have the breadth of experience. That can
be fixed between now and 2010. If you think her promise and record
of government reform is powerful now, wait until we have the White
House, the House, and the Senate all run by these wackos.
I'd put money on Palin in 2012. She's the shining star of this
round. She's not going down with McCain. She's the only thing
keeping him up.
Benjamin Johnson
TAKE CONGRESS IN '10
How the heck did this guy get the Republican nomination anyway? We have no one to
blame but ourselves.
We must make sure we nominate a CONSERVATIVE next time around, one who doesn't
alienate the base. I'd work my tail off for such a person. McCain isn't him.
We need to start work NOW to take Congress in '10. We REALLY do. And we need to
limit the damage in the next 2-4 years.
Keep the eye on the prize. Pelosi? Reid? Beatable!
What a mess. I feel for my country and my fellow Americans right now.
Scott S
YOU ARE AN IDIOT
“Re Senator Obama's ostentatiously exotic pronunciation of Pakistan, one thing I like
about Sarah Palin is the way she says "Eye-raq".”
This is great political analysis. You are an absolute idiot! Obama will win in a
landslide and Palin will be forgotten as she should.
Nico Ristorante
IVORY TOWER PRONUNCIATION
The moment we, as a nation, start referring to Pa(gurgle)ee for Paris is the moment
I will diss anyone's pronunciation of foreign soil.
And unfortunately for the Ivory Tower morons who glisten with pride when they
pronounce "eerak," they're wrong too. It's a short "i" which comes across as a
bit schwa-ish. And the "r" should come with a small tongue-flap.
Now, NOOKYOOLAR is still like nails on a chalkboard to me.
Jeremy Kareken
CAPITAL DOES NOT LIKE SOCIALISTS
I am banging my head against the wall with frustration.
Why can the McCain camp not get it through their heads that the markets are
continuing to tank because there is genuine worry that Obama might actually win?
Capital does not like socialists -- and tends to flee. The Asians in particular
will NOT invest in the US market if there is even a hint that the US will trend
towards socialism.
Socialists tend to do stupid things that the markets don't like -- raising taxes,
incorporating onerous levels of red tape, and, even in the extreme, nationalizing
things and stripping investors of their investments. At the best, they slow the
economic engine.
So, it is any wonder that the markets continue to slide? It's not like the US is
the only place in the world to park your money. It's consider one of the most
stable because of the US commitment to a free market, with rules.
No amount of billion-dollar bailout is going to calm those jittery nerves.
My two cents.
Laurie-Anne Manel
Monterey, California
PS: I am also a Canadian who emigrated, and it is driving me crazy that the Dems
are so enamored with "universal health care". No amount of firsthand horror stories
that I share shakes them from this perch. SO, I now just link them the website to
immigration Canada, and ask them to leave for the northern nirvana, and to stop
working so hard to destroy what makes America great!!!
HE FLIPPED ME THE BIRD
Absolutely love your work! You're one of my favorites on NR! (and elsewhere of course)
Regarding the housing market: As far as I'm concerned, McCain just flipped me the
great big bird tonight. My wife and I are right around 40 years old and both make a
pretty comfortable living ($145,000 combined). We live in a relatively small ranch
house that we financed on a fixed rate, 20 year mortgage for $170,000. We were told
at the time that, based on our credit history and income, we would qualify for "any
amount we want". My exact quote was "that's just stupid!". We could be living in
three times the home with the same payment we have now and we would be bailed out by
the govt. It's infuriating!!!!
Here in Michigan in our local paper there are always notices of foreclosures that
read "John and Jane Doe, husband and wife, being foreclosed on, principle amount of
$345,000 at an interest rate of 11%". For several years I've been reading these and
laughing to myself "idiots...they obviously borrowed over their heads...look at that
interest rate!!! I'm locked in at 5.375%!!!". Well, as of tonight and according to
John McCain, the joke is on me.
Jeff Bigelow
Eaton Rapids, Michigan
DIGGING A HOLE
Just like any Democrat economic plan. Use government money to dig the hole (create a credit
problem), use government (taxpayer) money to backfill the hole.
Practice with me so you'll be ready for the next four years... Pawk-eee-stawn, Tall-eee-bawn, Dee-pre-shawn
Tracy
Canada
AREN’T LOWER HOME PRICES ARE A GOOD THING?
As someone who played by the rules, didn't over extend, didn't take out a heloc to
buy a new $50K BMW, I am mad as hell whenever I hear someone talk about "saving
people's homes". To hell with them. Where exactly in the constitution does it say
everyone is entitled to live in a Mcmansion? For me last night was it. I am no
longer supporting McCain. Ron Paul it is for me. And yes I know I'm wasting my vote,
screw it, I'd rather waste in on principle than waste it by choosing between a
quasi-socialist with an R next to his name and a full blown socialist with a D next
to his name.
People freak out when they pay an extra $20 a month in gas and are ready to march on
DC with pitchforks. But the same people think it's perfectly fine to pay $2000 a
month on a mortgage for a house that used to be $1000 a month 10 years ago before
the bubble. That's what all these bailouts will do - if they work, which they most
likely won't. Keep the next generation indebted up to their eyeballs, paying $2K
instead of $1K so the idiots who bought a $500K home on a $40K salary don't have to
move.
I have never heard anyone discuss this aspect of the housing bubble. Lower home
prices are a good thing. Don't we always talk about the need for affordable housing?
So why is the govt doing everything in its power to ensure housing will never be
affordable again?
Ed
OWERS FOR OBAMA
I think McCain is missing the boat in pandering to the 4 or 5% of homeowners who
can't pay their mortgages. In the first instance they are going to vote Obama
anyway, as they should correctly assume that he will shower far more government
largesse on them then even McCain would be able to stomach. As for the other 95% of
weary but dutiful payers of mortgages, I think there is very little sympathy for
those who irresponsibly borrowed too much money--I don't think that most of the
trudging majority expects any help if we couldn't pay our loans, and it would be
refreshing if McCain would point that out.
In an unrelated item, I noted in yesterday's Concord Monitor that General Petraeus
has a small house on Lake Kolelemook in Springfield, and is registered to vote
there. Petraeus for US Senate from NH in 2010, and then Palin/Petraeus in '12 maybe?
Bob Meagher
Bow, NH
GET OUT THERE
Talk about self-fulfilling prophecy! Give up because you think your
candidate can't win? How about "get out there and try twice as hard to
WIN!"
David Gulliver
NEW SIGN
At the very least the sign puller should exchange his sign to one that says “Stop Socialism”. There are still points to get across before the election.
K Reloman
THE CAMPAIGN FOR REAL DEBATES
If you begin with the assumption that most Democrat candidates lie to get
elected then wouldn't it make sense just to not have debates (or even
elections for that matter) and just turn power over to Republicanian
candidates. “The Campaign for Real Debates”: that's a lobby group I can get behind.
Mark Levin's point that McCain "doesn't flat-out lie the way Obama does" is a
way of acknowledging that the stilted artificial formats of these debates principally
benefits the Democrat. Most electoral seasons the Democrat candidate has to pass himself
off as something other than what his record would suggest - tough on foreign
policy issues, deeply personally passionately personally anguished on
abortion, etc. These stilted non-debates assist the Dem in getting away with
it. Mixing it up, direct challenges between candidates, etc would not only
make for better viewing but diminish this season's Democratic northern
liberal from passing himself off as a moderate centrist champing at the bit
to "kill" bin Laden and "destroy" al-Qaeda.
As for the "town hall" format, no self-respecting Granite Stater would
recognize anything approximating a genuine New Hampshire Town Meeting in
this horrible travesty.
Bob Simmons
BRING BACK LINCOLN-DOUGLAS
I'd like to see a Lincoln-Douglas style debate: no questions. One candidate speaks
on whatever he or she wants, the other gets time for a rebuttal, and the first gets
a chance to rebut the rebuttal. Then the two trade places: candidate 2 speaks on
whatever he wants, 1 rebuts, 2 responds, etc. The moderator's only job, if there is
one at all, is to keep time. All this in front of an audience free to jump to their
feet and shout "hear, hear!" or hurl jeers and catcalls. Maybe a Blues Brothers
style wire-mesh screen in case the audience hurls beer bottles, rotten tomatoes, and
dead cats.
Baughman701
Re: Crime Passionel and The Most Clueless Man in Chicago?
SIMPLE SOCCER DADS
Note that Obama has said "Just a guy I knew because our kids went to the same school." Obama’s kids are 5 and 9 now. They weren t born yet when he and Ayers were on the various boards. Ayers kids are in their late 20s.How did they go to school together?
John E Morrissey
Edina
HEY, WHO KNEW?
If Barack Obama didn't know that young Billy Ayers was a bomb throwing
radical in the 1960s and 1970s, he's the only leftist in America over 40
who didn't. The simple fact that Ayers was a bomb throwing radical, and
remains a wholly unreconstructed leftist devoted to the permanent
revolution, is what drew Obama to him in the first place.
The laughable media coverage of Obama will probably push the One across
the finish line in November. Then, when the Obamistas attempt to ensure
"fair" outcomes and Americans get a feel for the totalitarian nature of
Obama's knee jerk leftism, the media will then start doing some digging,
of the "Who knew?" variety.
At times I fear for the Republic.
Boyd Klingler
KNOW YOUR FRIENDS
Mark, the commercial just about makes itself now. Clip of Wright saying
"G d America," Obama response "not the Wright I knew." Clip of Rezko
convicted felon, Obama response "not the Rezko I knew." Clip of Bill
Ayers saying he wishes he had done more to terrorize America, Obama
response "not the Ayers I knew." Finally, the announcer inquiring "Do
we really know Barack Obama"?
Timothy A. Alford
Dallas, Texas
SAFE FOR NOW
At least he hasn't said, "That's not the Michelle Obama I knew."
Jim Rudolph
Boise, Idaho
NOT LISTENING
Apparently, we are supposed to believe both of the following:
1) Obama didn't know about Ayers' terrorist past, despite substantial evidence that
Ayers' history was well publicized.
2) Palin did know about the Wasilla, AK policy of charging rape victims for rape
evidence kits, despite no evidence of enforcement of the policy.
Which one requires a suspension of disbelief?
Paul Adomshick
Re: Did the earth move for you?
and
Barney, rubble
GAY JOKES? NOW?
Gay jokes? Are you serious? That's all you've got? And to think that Bill Buckley
was considered an intellectual leader of the modern conservative movement, and
the NR, the publication he founded, is now trafficking in so-called "thinkers" like you.
What a joke.
James Cantarella
TAX FOR THE MEMORIES
I found myself laughing when I read this sentence;
"On Capitol Hill, Barney always introduces me as his lover."
I think Frank might have appropriately referred to Frank Moses as "Taxpayer" when
engaged more intimately.
Sean Spoonts
PERSONAL ISSUES
Hey dickhole. Do us all a favor and knock off the bigoted gay stuff. We have
enough problems without your personal issues adding to them. Thanks.
Zeth B Willie
Re: Woolly bully
NOW THEY WANT THEIR MONEY BACK
Both Senator DeMint and Rep. Brad Sherman have said they believe this bailout
bill was motivated by foreign goverment demands. On Mark Levin's show last night,
Senator DeMint mentioned his theory that China and Saudi Arabia are demanding
the U.S. purchase the junk paper they bought from American firms or they will
stop loaning us money. And earlier this week on Larry Kudlow's program, Rep. Sherman
said hundreds of billions are going to bailout foreign investors because they
demanded it. He said Paulson promises the bill will be vetoed
if it lacks the authority to purchase foreign assets.
If either the Chinese or the Saudis are essentially extorting the United States, why
isn't this being discussed? I've searched the net and virtually no one has picked up
on what they said. I'm sending this to a large group of NRO writers in hopes of
getting someone's attention who might be able to shed some light. Is this even
plausible? If yes, we have been lied to from the inception of this crisis. Doesn't
that mean this is as much a foreign policy crisis as a financial one? Does it change
your analysis of the problem?
Thank to one and all for your work!
A longtime National Review subscriber,
Vaughan Reid
FIRE THOSE BOZOS
You're dead on right - Rich and the lawyer totally missed the point. I'm a conservative
Christian, but things like this make me want to stand up and scream obscenities.
Questions like 'what the $%#$% do these clowns think they're doing?' come to mind.
Don't' they realize there's a war on? And a financial crisis?
And why the *#&&$ do we even have a hunting excise tax? Are you telling me that
our senators and representatives have nothing better to do all day than find teeny
tiny hidden sources of revenue so that they can tax the living daylights out of
every last item in our lives? What next? A tax on the cost of transporting
household pets over state borders? I'm trying to come up with another absurd
example, but I keep realizing that everything within sight already has a tax - the books on
my desk, the office supplies, the printer paper. It's all been taxed multiple times
in the sale and manufacture process, not to mention the shipping.
It brings to mind Mencken's line about spitting on one's hands and beginning to
slit throats. Every last one of those bozos in Washington should be fired in the
next election and replaced with Caligula's horse. At least the horse would take
fewer private jet trips.
Sarah Adams
ROPE-A-DOPE
"Now it turns out the once-in-a-lifetime save-the-global-economy emergency-measure
has got time for all the business as usual. Well, which is it? "
EXACTLY! You are the first person at NRO that seems to have thought more than 12
hours into the future about what is going on here...
Lame duck G. W. Bush has given the Reps a GIFT... and they don't get it!
It is one of the most perfectly planned and executed "rope-a-dopes" ever seen in
American politics... he knows that he cannot do much with his last few months in
offices, so he has sacrificed himself for the future of the party. He's created a
"crises" that can easily be laid at the feet of the Dems, but is appearing to give
them cover by supposedly working with them to fix it. All we have to do is let the
Dems try and pass a pork ladden, power hungry, GIFT to Wall Street over the
objections of the American people.
We can the run the rest of the election on "look what garbage they put into this
supposed *emergency* bill", and "why did they torpedo the simple version of this
bill?", and "look who's *really* the friend of Wall Street!"
This election SHOULD be a cakewalk... except that the Reps in congress aren't
getting the gamesmanship that's going on here. Haven't they played this game before?
Are they really that dense? I saw this coming a mile away. How can they miss it?
Paul F Smith
A ZINGER
Dang it! Everytime I get set to try and make a go of writing about politics,
you come along with a zinger post like this. I feel like I did in my guitar
playing days when I watched Leo Kottke at the Cellar Door in DC - hopelessly
inept.
Glad to see you back from wherever you went. I always enjoy your articles
and posts.
Jeff Robinson
BOTH SIDES ARE GUILTY
Amen Steyn!!!! Why don't they get this inside the beltway? Both sides are guilty
of this earmark stuff. And they wonder why everybody keeps yelling "Throw the bums
out!!"
Sandra Bright
Raleigh, North Carolina
GIVE ME AN EFFING BREAK
Great writing Mark, always appreciated.....those of us who don't live in DC
or NY are reacting to the earmarks like this: "What the f___ is going on
up there? What kind of s___ are they trying to insert? No wonder we hate
Washington." We're reacting to Ifill like this: "What the f___? We have
to sign conflict of interest statements at work but it's OK for Ifill to
moderate the debate? Gimme an effing break."
Sorry, had to unload.....I'm not the only one, believe me.
Steve Holleman
HEY GUYS, THE EMERGENCY'S HERE
Right on!
I keep wondering how such humongous emergency crept up on all these wise
men? And to take time off for a (religious) holiday? (Talk about a free
cup of soup with your qualifying sandwich.)
When I hear bipartisan cooperation, I feel for my wallet.
Michael Farrow
Healdsburg, California
YOUR LIFE IN THEIR HANDS
A small silver lining is all this hoohaw about Big Bail. "If you liked what they
did to the Financial Industry, you'll just love what they do with Universal Health
Care."*
Rick Rotkosky
*Replaces "Do you want your health care run by the Post Office?"
ATTACHED TO A PIECE OF CRAP
I really believe at this point the wooden arrows thing was more a
procedural play than anything else. Because revenue bills have to come
from the House, the Senate simply picked a non-controversial bill than
dealt with revenue issues and attached the bailout to it. So, to put it
bluntly, the crap was not added to the bailout bill, the bailout bill
was attached to this piece of crap. Here is Ace's take on it . The one
question that I had to ask was which Senator's vote was bought with
the wooden arrow provision? With that attitude, the procedural issue
seems to make more sense.
If this is utterly wrong, then the fact that McCain voted for this bill
may sink any credibility that he hoped to have as a reformer in my view.
I enjoy your work immensely.
Russ Hamilton
MORE BAD DEBT
Amen!
........And I am still waiting to see the provisions in the bill that eliminate no
principal loans and loans to people who can't afford them, which is how we got here
in the 1st place. Take away their bad debt and what will the banks
do? .....Acquire more bad debt.
Ken Matuszak
Lindenhurst, Illinois
GONE FISHING
I am utterly amazed at how many "elites" are pushing this bailout. Makes my
whiskers twitch. Could they not have some skin in this game? If hell is to
pay for doing nothing...then I'm willing to pay "hell".
When I see the CRA repealed, Fan & Fred dismantled, Franks, Dodd & Waters
hung from a political lamp post...then we can talk about helping the credit
market.
Until then....I've gone fishing.
Carol
GIVING IN
This is the Republicans' version of the Dems' Iraq War vote. They can
cower and give in to it now, and when all the unintended consequences
pop up down the road they can complain that they didn't know what they
were getting into, and were misled... Or they can stand on principle and
take responsibility now and make sure to only vote for something that
they can justify three years down the road.
Hopefully yesterday they did just that. We'll know more by the end of
the week.
Brian Guenther
BELTWAY GASEOUSNESS
Thank you to you and Mark for some refreshing points of view on the Corner.
It's sad to see NR, led by the nutless wonder Rich Lowry, drift into
punditry nearly indistinguishable from the beltway gaseousness found on any
cable channel. NR should be a voice of the conservative movement, not mere
punditry. It's like the 'color' commentary of a football game: you just
want them to shut up so you can focus on what's actually happening on the
field.
Claudia Husemann
TAXING TIMES
The corporate income tax (“Liquid refreshment”) has no perceived affect on
the average voter. Therefore, I believe most voters think corporate taxation is a good idea.
Don't get me wrong, I agree with you. I think the proper corporate tax rate
is zero, and that shareholders should buy stocks, in part, on the basis of
their dividends. Of course, the dividends would then result in income tax.
The corporate tax hides the real cost of taxation to even better than
withholding.
For that matter, I also think the proper capital gains rate is zero, but I
admit with our convoluted tax system a zero rate would result in an amazing
variety of methods of converting ordinary gains to capital gains.
I loved America Alone. The message frightens me terribly, but it was a
wonderfully written explanation of the situation we face.
Please take care of yourself. In my opinion, the death of Michael Kelly
made you one of a kind
Rob Ives
Delphi, Indiana
LESSONS FROM A LAISSEZ-FAIRE ECONOMY
As folks quote President Sarkozy, something occurred to me: what
laissez-faire? First is the idea that it was re-regulation (forcing
institutions to lend where they otherwise would not), not a lack of
regulation? But, second is the idea that we are now coming to a point
we would have reached 100 years ago if this were somehow the result of
non-regulation. Sarkozy says "Self-regulation is finished." But,
self-regulation takes time to adjust. Does anyone really think that
(barring socialization of losses) the credit companies would continue to
do this kind of lending/bundling/etc after this little crisis? Please.
Lessons get learned in a laissez-faire economy - at least if the costs
of failure are borne by the failed actors. These banks going under has
a very salutary effect on the rest of the market - *I* ain't gonna do
that! But, it only works that way in a truly free market.
And, as I have repeated in previous e-mails, let's break out Jonah's
famous formulation: Don't just do something, stand there! (Or, go
fishing - that works too.)
Gerald W Brown
IN THE WORDS OF RODNEY KING…
"Can't we all just get a loan?"
Cleveland Poole
Greenville
WASTING TAXPAYER FUNDS
You can only conclude that it's not a crisis if you assume that Congress
would know a real crisis when they saw one and would then respond in a
responsible, adult manner. The truth is that you cannot assume that and
that no information can be extracted from these actions. My theory is
that Congress wouldn't know a financial crisis from a hole in the wall and
that their response to everything it to stuff their pockets with Federal
money.
This may be a crisis, or it may not, but Congress wasting taxpayer funds on
useless crap is SNAFU, and possibly FUBAR, but it's not a signal of anything
else.
Brock
THE FIX IS IN
Re: “Woolly bully”. Business as usual indeed, sir. Great write.
Hey could you look at this video and let everyone know that the fix is in from
all sides of the political aisle?
Demos, Republicans.they are all responsible for this mess.
Shane
WOODEN HEADS
In 2008, with barbarians at the gate, what in the world is the United States Senate
doing spending its time rigging the market for wooden arrows for in the first damn
place?
What's wrong with Washington is that it's got a special tax just for wooden arrows.
Kevin D Greene
PIE IN THE SKY
Screw the damned wooden arrows. I want to know why a $78 billion tax incentive for pie-in-the-sky
alternative fuels is in there.
Dave Gamble
IT'S 'ARROWING
I'm a liberal who totally agrees with you on the wooden arrow issue. When the proposal
was three pages, it may not have been the perfect solution, but at least it was THREE PAGES!
Julia A. Slatcher
Los Angeles, California
REVIVE TERM LIMITS
With all the political shenanigans going on at the moment, I can think of no better
time to revive term limits demands. Our entire problem can be summed up in
two words "professional politicians." And the problem is not gonna go away until
we have term limits for all offices, everywhere at all levels. And don't try to tell me
that elections every two years is the same as term limits.
Bill Davenport
A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT YOU MIGHT LIKE
Michigan has a Title-Object Clause in its State Constitution. The object of any bill
must be in the title of the bill. And, each act of the legislature must deal only with
the one object stated in the title.
C. Thomas Ludden
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
ONE’S ENOUGH
Great line in Mel Gibson's “The Patriot” (never to be confused with Steven
Seagal’s) that your line reminded me of.
Benjamin Martin: Why should I agree to trade one tyrant three thousand
miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away?
Ryan Riggs
Richardson, Texas
COLONIAL GOVERNMENT
Why is there a Federal tax on wooden arrows in the first place? It shows
how broken the system is. What sense does it make for the Federal
government to collect taxes, put them in a trust fund and return them to
the States? It's just like parliament collecting the taxes for the good of
the colonies.
Greg Smith
CAPITALISM 101
Just a quick PS, but why haven't we heard anyone quote the note in any prospectus
you get that says "you may lose some or all of your capital" did investors think
this was just some little inside joke or what?
Charon Zachery
THE CORNER IS TOO DEPRESSING
Aaaahhhh, I was indeed parched for SOMEONE on the Corner to put in
some words of sanity. Already this morning I changed my home page
from the Corner to RCP. The place is too depressing. Suddenly,
everyone but you and Mark Levin "knows" what must be done to fix our
economy, and they know Paulson/Frank/Pelosi are our only hope.
Please, keep posting. I have work to do and this depressing crap is
too distracting.
Doug Johnson
Chicago
KALMER
I got the joke. Please don't retire.
Actually, I could never tell what he was singing without reminding
myself of the title. He badly needs to learn to enunciate.
Listening to the song, it sounds more like "calmer" than "karma".
When I first heard the song I thought it was "comma" or "come-a", and
couldn't make sense of it.
Robert Craigen
Winnipeg, Manitoba
LEFTY’S HUMOR BYPASS
As far as those criticizing your song lyrics. Have you forgotten
.......leftists have NO sense of humor whatsoever.
Mary Ellen Burke
THEY SHOULD KARM DOWN
Please don't retire! Those of us with brains left really did get the
"calmer/karma" joke - honest!! (Thanks for all the laughs mixed in
with some of the best commentary on the planet).
Lawrence Loretoni
STEYN WITHDRAWAL
Please say it ain't so Mr. Steyn. Dealing with your hiatus has given me a bad case
of Steyn withdrawal, however I've been somewhat cheered by your gradual return. The
possibility that you are contemplating retirement might cause complete despair!
Duane Vande Hoef
Sibley, Iowa
Re: The doer and the droner
and
Re: Campaign Countdown
NO SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Obama is speaking, right now, at my alma mater, Michigan State University. He was
preceded by activists scurrying around encouraging students to register-and cast
their ballots at the same time. After these young voters were duly prodded into
doing their duty, they were told that "for security purposes" no signs would be
allowed at the rally. I can only assume that people like the head of the student
Republicans, (who just reported on the local radio news that he was turned away)
make Obama really insecure, and it has nothing to do with free speech issues.
Meanwhile,10 miles away, in my town, we're having our own little mortgage bailout:
The television show Extreme Makeover is busily building a new 3000 sq. ft.house
for a widow and her three sons. Naturally, the resources to create this miracle
aren't coming from Hollywood or Washington. Local cash donations and something like
1500 volunteers who chose to help, and skipped the big O speech are responsible.
Yikes, I'm living in a little microcosm of the U.S.; the beauty of the free market
in my town, and ugly fascism next door.
P.S. It's killing me that I can't go on the NR cruise in November.
Melissa Dawdy
Holt, Michigan
CRACK SHOT
I really appreciated this idea of yours:
“If I’d been in charge of coaching Governor Palin, I’ d take her out back,
and set up the various Obama policy platforms as cardboard elk, lurking in the
protective undergrowth of the mainstream media but still eminently hittable to a
crack shot. “
I think that you should get this idea to the McCain camp, as it could be the
makings of a great commercial in battleground states.
Imagine: The viewer would see one target after another, all labeled with these
individual Obama policies, taken out one by one, and only at the end would it be
revealed that the one doin' the shootin' was Sarah Palin. She could then blow the
smoke away from the gun barrel, wink, and say "I'm Sarah Palin, and I approved this
message."
Tom
CRINGE-WORTHY
As widely expected, Palin's performance was cringe-worthy. If I have to
hear the phrases "hockey mom" or "Joe Sixpack" one more time, I am going
to be involuntarily reacquainted with my most recent meal. Granted,
however, that she managed to refrain from shooting anything for all of
90 minutes.
I fail to understand how someone was widely read as you can be rooting
for a woman who cannot name a single newspaper. The woman is worse than
merely stupid - she is proudly semi-literate and lacking in curiosity
about the world.
Of course, a complete lack of an appetite for knowledge is the hallmark
of religious fundamentalists everywhere. You rightly criticise the
nations that practice Islamic fundamentalism for generally reading
nothing but the Koran and having no interest in the outside world, but
you dishonestly invert this criticism when it comes to your own (and
Palin's) Christian fundamentalist constituency in the US. Let anybody
try to criticse them for being wilfully ignorant, and you turn your
satirical pen on the critics, whom you seek to portray as elitist,
out-of-touch liberals.
I was leaning towards McCain before his disastrous VP pick. Now that he
has sold out to the lowest common denominator within the GOP, I am
fervently hoping he loses. It looks like a pretty realistic hope at this
point.
Pierre Burger
Johannesburg, South Africa
SHE KILLED HIM
Every MSM outlet called it against Palin. She wiped him out. Forget the
policy points, she's a real thinking, caring, human being. And on the policy
points she killed him and held up American values and principles with a
smile. The big loser tonight is John McCain if he doesn't get out front and
support his nominee. We are living in a time of mass media created charades
and deception.
Kevin Murray
Tampa
UNPOLISHED POWER
...wow how striking the contrast between the old-guard bloviating Senator
and the green and raw upstart Governor. Kinda reminiscent of the contrast
in the Nixon- Kennedy debate. The fact Sarah comes across as raw and
unpolished and lacking the Washington patina about her that's what’s so
attractive and I feel connects with flyover country and Main Street America.
Go Sarah America!
Jackson Perez
FRIENDS LIKE THESE
Terrific commentary. Perfect response to the silly thing Taranto wrote
today. Wonder if James is a regular visitor to The Snoozehour. (Don't watch
it m'self)
Funny that so many so-called "conservative" pundits just love to show the
other side just how sophisticated they are. Kinda wish they'd just join the
libs and be done with it. But I bet the libs wouldn't even want 'em - they
serve the lib cause far more effectively this way, so why mess with a
winning formula? Brooks, Frum, Parker, O'Reilly, et al … will stay "right"
where they are, unfortunately.
John Gross
Varennes, Quebec
TURN HER LOOSE
Great commentary on Sarah. I'm with you. Turn her loose. Get the handlers out of
the way.
She's a classy lady that can do the job better than anyone in Washington.
Richard Atha
Elk Grove, California
SPEECH-WRITER FOR SARAH
Mr. Steyn, would you contact the McCain camp and volunteer to spend a few hours
with Sarah, feed her some good lines? I think you and she would get along like
gangbusters.
I'm serious.
HH
Maine
IS OUR GUY UP TO IT?
What a pleasure to see you back in full bloom, Mr. Steyn. The last few
months have been an epistolary desert on the NR Corner (which makes you a desert
flower, does it not?)
So help me out: despite the Worst Thing That Could Happen to the McCain
campaign (economic implosion) having happened, our guy is still hanging in.
Good, yes? Yes, but.....
They (and you know who They are, as do all us right thinkers) will now put
out an all-out full press gotcha campaign with daily updates, while ignoring
ANYTHING ridiculous St. B says or does. Twenty-four seven (hate that phrase but
it fits), thirty-three glorious days of it. Is our guy up to it? Is Steve Schmidt ready
willing able to go for the jugular? Or are the mini-Bushies gonna prevail with the
bipartisan pieties? In which case, I guess we'll meet at the Gwen Ifilll Box at the
Inaugural Parade.
Help me have hope, Mr. Steyn!
Alex Vuckovic, MD, TORPIM, PTW
(The Only Republican Psychiatrist in
Massachussetts, Perhaps the World)
LIKE A BIRD
Love your columns.
I am currently in County Cork Ireland on holiday visiting my in-laws. I am
Australian (with recent Anglo-Irish roots).
We too, as no doubt many others across the globe, watched the VP debate between
Palin and Biden. My mother in law who is the typical Irish romantic matchmaker
couldn't help but notice the dirty old man grin that Joe Biden would make every time
Sarah Palin would speak. Her (my mother in law’s) theory was that he has a crush on
her and that he thought she was 'a bit of alright'. A revolting thought for Sarah
(and her supporters), but an interesting observation all the same. I take it we
weren't the only ones to notice the cheesy grin.
Also, whilst the Irish/Euro media seem to rattle off the same old anti-American/
anti-conservative tripe, my in laws (and co) absolutely love her. They
run an amazing Guest House and would have no problem flying a Sarah Palin banner
over the front gates to their large estate.
Sarah Palin is making even her arch enemies wax lyrical in hysteric fashion. She
must be doing something right in my view.
To borrow your metaphor, Sarah Palin sang like a bird and Biden sounded like a tone
deaf drowning cat. His tune became easier on the ear only as the cat continued to
sink deeper and deeper.
Go PALIN-MCCAIN 08!
Michael McCoy
Perth, Western Australia
MUSLIMS FOR OBAMA AND OTHER FANTASIES
Have you ever heard that recording of William Joyce ( Lord Haw Haw) in the last days
of the Third Reich drunkenly talking about the future prospects for Germany. I was
reminded of it reading some of the stuff on the corner including of course your own
contributions. Beating up Grandma Gwen Ifill for godsake. Jonah of course has some
choice bits on Muslims for Obama, bomb making in Chicago and other fantasies. Then
there's the obsession with Biden and the childlike outpouring of Palinmania
by whatever her name is. It's pathetic, absolutely pathetic. For laughs I visit
both Dem and Republican sites. The dems are a load of hand wringers but basically
honest while the right coddle themselves with unreality and lies even the ones with
pretensions to seriousness like Lowry. You know what the death of Republicanism is
going to be. Intellectual dishonesty.
JohnTHE END OF MARRIAGE
Biden: "No. Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes
marriage. We do not support that. That is basically the decision to be able to be
able to be left to faiths and people who practice their faiths the determination
what you call it."
Listen carefully to what Joe Biden is saying. He is proposing the END of marriage as
a civil institution in the United States.
He is proposing - and attributing the same position to Barack Obama - that
"marriage" be reduced to a religious or cultural institution that may be defined
according to the dictates of an individual's faith, but will have NO CIVIL
COMPONENT. "Marriage" will just be a religious word to define a relationship that
has no meaning in a civil or legal sense.
The last phrase is critical. He is saying that marriage is only a word, and that
religious people may apply that word to whatever relationship they chose. The only
relationship that will be recognized in a civil or legal sense is a contract that
may be defined in any way that you chose as long as you do not violate the law.
If the U.S. government stops recognizing marriage altogether and recognizes all
social contracts between people equally then those who advocate polygamy, polyamory,
gay marriage, and any other living arrangement will be free to have their
relationship recognized by law.
Any tax breaks for married couples will disappear. All laws regarding custody of
children will be negotiable. All laws that protect or recognize the traditional
family in any way distinct from other relationships will be nullified.
This is the final and ultimate goal of the "gay rights" movement, and Joe Biden and
Barack Obama have signed on.
John Hyatt
Lawrenceville, Georgia
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD
I fear that Obama is about to give Americans a taste of what life is really like for a citizen of the world.
Ezra Marsh
Baltimore
WHO’S THE BOSS?
How about the "what if the President dies" question? The 35-year-veteran-voice-
of-experience candidate says he'd continue to faithfully do his Master's bidding.
The "unprepared" candidate says sure, she's got differences with the boss, but
she's still working to bring him around.
That exchange was as revealing as any other in last night's debate.
Glad to see you back,
David Dick
Whitehouse, Ohio
UNDERCUT BY CANADA
Perhaps you can forward this to the McCain Campaign: Canada's corporate tax rate 19%
decreasing to 15%. If you were in need of a corporate headquarters in North America,
where would you go Canada or the USA? In fact, my sister-in-law (a Canadian banker)
has a new American client who is moving his corporate headquarters to Burlington,
Ontario, while keeping his manufacturing operation in the US. Having a high
corporate tax rate is costing the U.S. both jobs and tax revenue.
I believe the total number of Americans working in automobile manufacturing has
actually increased over the last few years. Unfortunately for the folks in Michigan,
the jobs have been created in the southeast. Maybe the unemployed auto workers in
Detroit should hold their state politicians and labor leaders responsible for their
employment status, rather than the Republicans.
Jim Dunlap
Newport Beach, California
THUGS
I hope you'll write something about this article. The Obama campaign looks like a bunch of thugs.
They deserve to lose, on that basis alone.
Hope you're well.
D
HIATUS HIATED
I was tuning in to the Corner NRO and saw your OC column!!! Hurrah! You're back from
the hiatus!!!
You have made my day. Hope you are back to stay.
Lin
THE CANDIDATE
To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you go to the campaign with the candidate you have,
not the candidate you wish you had.
Mike Judge
Fishersville, Virginia
Re: Song of the Week
HATE TO DISAGREE, BUT POTTER WAS FAB
Say it isn't so Mark. Tell me that your disparaging dismissal of Dennis Potter's
telemovie “Pennies from Heaven” and, by implication, with your: "The idea was to
contrast the illusions of the songs with grubby reality, and it proved such a
goldmine for Potter he flogged the gimmick unto his death in the Nineties",such
masterful works such as “The Singing Detective” was motivated only by your
admiration for the original of the song and not by disdain for Potter's work per se.
I have never found myself in disagreement with you (or faithful and witty Mailbox
correspondent Ezra Marsh) and I'm hurting here in the antipodes. Granted Dennis
Potter was a deeply flawed human being but his work was fabulous, at least until
'Blackeyes'.
PS Sarah Palin handled herself pretty well when grilled about whether she subscribed
to the Bush Doctrine by some smarmy talking head on your ABC TV. Clearly she is no
ordinary jo[sephine] from Smallville USA.
Simon Brockwell
Sydney, Australia
JIMMY AND JOHNNY
Johnny Burke. Wonderful tribute. Great lyricist. And Van Heusen’s melodies are
not exactly chopped liver.
The magnificent Jo Stafford passed away while you were on hiatus. Chops and pipes.
Michael Fenenbock
Re: America Alone
WAHHABI WAKE-UP CALL
Greetings from Denver. I was thoroughly inspired after reading America
Alone. Rush Limbaugh challenged me to read your book if I had the guts. I
took the challenge. You scared the hell out of me. The biggest contribution
you gave me by reading your book was more ammunition to debate my daughter's
middle school social studies teacher on liberalism vs. conservatism. Your
book is a wake-up call to Western Civilization and its survival. You are
correct when you say Saudi Arabia is not our friend. Exporting Wahhabi Islam
all over the world is at the root cause of radical Islam today. Finally, I
have believed for a long time big government and its social programs have
destroyed a man's "sense of self reliance." You confirmed it.
Thanks for your insight to a dangerous world in which we live.
If you ever get to Denver, Colorado for a book signing, please send out a
notice on your web page. I would very much like to come and meet you. I also
listen to you on the Hugh Hewitt show.
David Mueller
Centennial, Colorado
LAST WORD
That Gov Ahnold vetoed Gil Cedillo's SB 60 once again, drivers’ licenses for
illegal aliens. This is the 3rd time & was apparently Cedillo's last chance because
he's being termed out. Cedillo had guaranteed his wife on her death bed that he would bring
illegal licenses to fruitIon. This victory is so huge that, almost alone, it makes
Arnold's governorship replacement of Davis as being worth the effort. He's also
done a few other things favorable to conservatives.
With our recent housing crisis we can see how a supposedly "pesky" problem
like illegal immigration can fester to feed a huge cauldron. In order
to achieve ANARCHY you don't have to have 100% of the population out
of control - 10% in strategic places - can bring down a country.
Democracy is a very fragile form of govt.
Al
Lemon Grove
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