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Thank you for your kind (and unkind) letters from Canada, US, the Czech Republic and Taiwan. 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. For a selection of recent letters on dodgy donations to the Obama campaign, see Mailbox Extra.
Letter of the Week
IF I CAN REMAKE IT THERE….
In honour of America's upcoming electoral fiasco, I have put my weak hands to the task of updating Fred Ebb's lyrics for the Barackified future:
Start spreading the wealth, I'm healing today
I want a real big part of it - New Deal, New Deal
These vagabond hands, are making you pay
Taxed to the very heart of it - New Deal, New Deal
I wanna wake up in a country that doesn't keep
What it earns - I'll lower your heap
These State Senate blues, are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it - in old D.C.
If I can remake it there, I'll remake everywhere
It's up to you - New Deal, New Deal
New Deal, New Deal
I want to wake up in a country that doesn't keep
What it earns when I'm top of the list, king of the Hill
A number one
These State Senate blues, are melting away
Lo-wer the income chart of it, in old D.C.
And if I can remake it there, I'm gonna remake everywhere
It's up to you - New Deal New Deal
New Deaaaaaal
Best regards from an expat Canadian in old New York!
Vic Schappert
New York, NY
Re: Man, I feel like a woman
TRAILING AMONG WHITE MEN
The same ABC News Washington Post Poll stated: "As a result Obama trails among white men overall by 9 points - a group John Kerry lost by 25." Given that Kerry actually lost the white male vote by 25% is it really believable that McCain only leads Obama by 9%?
What white men are they polling?
Charles E. Abney, M.D., J.D.
Tuscaloosa, AL
SWINGING WILDLY
I have a friend who describes a weather forecast calling for a 20% chance of
rain as amounting to a prediction that it will not rain, unless it does.
In similar fashion, what is an observer to make of Zogby swinging 6.9% in
one day (McCain plus 1 to Obama plus 5.9) with no significant intervening
news event? Isn't the only answer that the pollsters have no idea what will
happen and no remotely reliable method to predict the outcome? McCain will
not win, unless he does?
Drew Coats
The Woodlands, Texas
STILL CLOSE
Good News Poll: IBD/TIPP - O-46.7, M-44.6, U-8.7 (McCain gains 2.4 points)
This poll is respected as any other and if true with undecideds O loses.
Not saying we should discount the polls we don't like, but we shouldn't discount the
pollster who got it closest to right in 2004 either.
BTW: You, sir, rawk,
John Nolte
VICTORY
“Don’t let polls predetermine the turnout model”. That's the best advice to give,
and can't be given enough in these last days.
Collegially, I see firsthand where Obama has a lock on men aged 18-30.
But that bloc is notoriously unreliable in the ballot box. How does the
Democrat fare with men over 65? Not particularly well, even with the
party-affiliation escarpment that the GOP faces.
The 2006 election, in hindsight, felt like a losing battle. This one
doesn't, and yet pollsters and pundits tell us otherwise. Fiddlesticks.
Victory.
Michael Ubaldi
THANK YOU, ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Yet another article bemoaning the "absurdity" of the electoral college:
After all, say the authors, in our current system, a vote in Wyoming is worth more
than a vote in Florida. Well, guess what would happen to a vote in Wyoming if there
were no electoral college? It would be worth squat: four urban centers would elect
the President.
But the most unabsurd reason to thank our lucky stars we have an electoral college
is that without one, every little burg in America would be descended upon by
lawyer-locusts trying to eke out nine more votes here, and ten votes there. The
whole country would turn into a mini-Florida chad patrol. Good luck with that to
the brilliant political observers who want to dismantle the electoral college.
Bob Strauss, Jr.
Greenwood, SC
OBAMA-TOTS HEADING YOUR WAY
For the second day in a row, Obama campaign people in their SUVs with Massachusetts
license plates are in my neighborhood. I live in Hampton, NH in area where there
are more McCain signs than Obama signs. What is interesting is that the Obama
people are bringing young children with them who have Obama shirts on and having the
children ring the doorbells. Yesterday it was a nice looking family and today it
was two well dressed men with two children. Pretty sneaky I think. Anyways I was
walking my two Bull Terriers this morning when I saw the men so I said out loud that
I was voting for McCain. The two men immediately responded, asking where I lived so
they could "mark my house off". Of course I didn't tell them but rather said I
didn't need Obama to "spread my wealth around". They didn't like that.
There is something disturbing about using children this way and perhaps things are
tighter in the granite state than the polls and media would have you believe.
Tracy Kelly
Hampton, New Hampshire
INTELLIGENT CONTRIBUTION TO DEBATE
Republicans are evil. you should be ashamed
Pamela Sherman
EVANGELICALS ENERGIZED
I know this is anecdotal, but I thought I would share something that might cause
some reflection on the current polling. I attend Prestonwood Baptist Church here in
the conservative bastion of Plano, TX. Considered a mega church (with an average
weekly attendance for the three services of about 15,000) Prestonwood is an
evangelical congregation, but by no means unusual or divisive in any way. This
morning Dr. Jack Graham (a well known and highly respected pastor around the
country) opened the service with a message about the election. This was a little
unusual and was not part of his sermon. As he started to speak, he paused and asked
for a show of hands of those who had already voted. I was with our local County
Commissioner and we both noticed that virtually the entire 300+ choir raised their
hands. Turning around to look at the congregation, it was probably 75-80% that had
early voted. Since Pastor Graham was intending to give a speech urging people to
vote their values, he looked stunned by the number of people that had already voted,
and seemed to modify his remarks in response. I asked our County Commissioner if he
was aware of any local polling that was reflecting this kind of turnout and he said
no. I can tell you that the election has weighed heavily on the minds of many people
within the Church, and there have been numerous prayer vigils over the last few
weeks as well as one planned for Tuesday. I have a hard time believing that
Prestonwood is unique in this respect, and I would bet that this is being repeated
by evangelicals around the country particularly in the South. Are the early voting
polls capturing this?
Whether it is out of fear or conviction, evangelicals are engaged and energized.
Steve Sickman
Plano, Texas
OBAMA'S 'CITIZEN SECURITY FORCE'
I've just finished watching this video of comrade Barry vowing to create
a civilian security force and I'm steamed. Electing this man president
will be a national disgrace.
I simply cannot believe that the Republican party has allowed this to
happen. The blame should not all fall on McCain, even though
he has not run a stellar campaign. The Reagan Republican party began to
crack-up long before the 2006 elections. Republican lawmakers should
have started fixing the cracks back then. What were they thinking?
Obviously they weren't.
So what have we learned from this agonizing election cycle? The MSM as a
whole is dispicable and hopefully replaceable. Many of our elected officials are
"in it" for themselves, not for their constituents. Too many people are feelers
and not thinkers. I'd be a lot richer if I had a dollar for every person who has
told me that Obama makes them feel good about themselves and this country.
Mike Gallagher had a great comment on his radio show this week. He said
"On Wednesday we'll either we'll be ending a hard-won fight, or we'll be
beginning a long fight. In the end we carry on to the finish -- whatever
that is.
Thanks for your always on point commentary.
Memo to self, don't read blogs before bedtime :)
“Frohs”
Re: You may be pre-approved!
TAX HIKES FOR ALL
Neither you nor the McCain camp get it!
Obama is going to raise taxes on ALL income levels. Forget this $250K
nonsense. Once Obama gets rid of the 2003 tax cuts which lowered the entire
federal income tax rates, the federal income tax rates go back up to the
higher tax rates of the year 2000. Low income, middle income, and high
income taxpayers will have MORE taken from their paychecks and will have
LESS take home pay per dollar earned.
What is this so difficult for the "experts" to understand? This $250K
nonsense is just smoke & mirrors that the Obama campaign has you guys
chasing around when the real issue is that Obama is going to raise taxes on
ALL income levels once he gets rid of the 2003 tax cuts!
Here is a run down once the 2003 tax cuts expire and we go back to the year
2000 tax codes.
1) The entire federal income tax rates were reduced across the board for ALL
incomes. When the 2003 tax cuts expire we all go back to the higher income
tax rates of the year 2000. EVERYONE'S take home pay will decrease: low and
middle income included. My household brings in about $90K/yr. The tax cuts
allow me to keep $3800 more cash of my money per year. When the tax cuts
expire, it will cost me $3800 per year. I cannot afford it! A household
bringing in about $50K per year will lose $2500 - $3000 per year.
2) The earned income tax credit (EITC) was increased in both credit amounts
and the yearly income up to $39K/yr. When Obama and the Dems expire the
2003 tax cuts, the EITC credit amount will shrink and only for those making
in the high $20K/yr. These affect low income households severely. EITC. See here.
3) The child credit of $1000/child will go back to $500/child when Obama and
the Dems allow the 2003 tax cuts to expire. This affects all incomes: low,
middle, high.
4) The marriage penalty was eliminated with the 2003 tax cuts. When Obama
and the Dems go back to the year 2000 tax codes, married couples will be
paying higher taxes for being married. This affects all incomes: low,
middle, high.
Thomas McAndrews
ONE TRILLION DOLLARS AND COUNTING
IF the Bush tax cuts expire, the the Cap Gains tax will be RAISED under
barack hussien -humphry-hoover obaama!! Along with all the other tax cuts
the REPUBLICANS and President Bush got passed.
The dems have been in charge of spending for the past 2 years and all we
have seen is higher gas prices, higher food prices, and asking for a gas tax
hike of FIFTY cents from Rangel a DEM!
Even Hillary says it's a TRILLION dollar tax hike on Americans.
Gail
Millington, Tennessee
THE 'RICH' ARE GETTING POORER
Last year, during a discussion of lifting the social security tax ceiling,
Obama said that people making $97,000 are "rich."
(Watch starting at about 1:20)
Tim Williams
Re: The Barack-Obama Lack of Variety Show
POPULARITY CONTEST
Mr. Steyn, I must take exception to your claim in The Corner that "The
incumbent president has approval ratings somewhere between Robert Mugabe and
the ebola virus."
As I understand it, Mr. Mugabe's approval rating has historically hovered in
the 99% range. This is like saying you like your steak cooked somewhere
between 'still on the cow' and 'turned into charcoal'.
George Jong
BROKE LOSER OR BUST
"And yet an old cranky broke loser is within two or three points of the King
of the World. Strange."
You really believe it is that close?
Brian, faithful corner aficionado
MESSIAH EXHAUSTION
This quote from your NRO blog entry: "And yet an old cranky broke loser is
within two or three points of the King of the World." is why I believe Mc's
going to pull this one out. People are already sick of the messiah, and the
thought of four years would make a conservative vote McCain!!
Keep the faith!!!
J. Scott Shipman
DID IT BOMB?
Can't find the overnight ratings for 10.29 anywhere. I googled it several
different ways, but came up empty.
Do you know what the ratings were?
Is it possible we haven't seen any data on them yet because the "O-show"
totally bombed and the ratings completely sucked?
MLA
SHOW ME THE RECORDS
I don't know if worked or not, what I want is the tax records, welfare
records, divorce records, extended family political affiliations et al
of the “victims” profiled in the show. How long do you think I'll have
to wait on that?
Craig C Livingston
FEAR MONGERS ALL
Good One Mark - One point you alluded to therein is that the media and
the Liberals are heavily invested in trying to "speak your world into
existence". I too don't see it.
Their theme has always been divisive, and derogatory to America. Fear
Mongers All.... and right out of the Marxist's playbook.
Alan R. Jenner
Virginia
RHYMES WITH DOPE
Funny you quoting a line from a /South Pacific/ song this morning. I've
been singing one to myself lately:
"I have heard people rant and rave and bellow/
That we're done and we might as well be dead/
But I'm stuck like a dope/
With a thing called hope/
And I can't get it out of my head."
I have had to keep reminding myself that this country has persevered and
triumphed through times when it seemed that freedom was threatened all
over the world, and times when we've had terrible, corrupt, incompetent
Presidents.
Glad you're back!
Pauli Carnes
WHY I THINK MCCAIN WILL WIN
I don't think Obama has fooled enough of the people enough of the time.
The healthy paranoia of the NRA is aroused, and I don't think you can
win against the NRA in toss-up states. The abortion thing, the socialist
thing, the terrorist thing...Obama trips a lot of wires. As for the
polls, some of them are clearly fixed. But I can't think of any McCain
voter who'd want to respond to one, or any Obama voter who wouldn't, so
I can't see McCain would win many "objective" polls either.
Whatever happens, there's a core of conservatism in this country, led by
talented--and in some cases brilliant--talkshow hosts and writers. We're
not going away. But the time may have come to get a little better
organized politically.
Ezra Marsh
Baltimore
AMAZING RACE
The line, "It's been an amazing race", in your NRO post brought
something to mind.
I'm a fan of the CBS show "The Amazing Race". Several seasons ago one of
the contestant couples was Rob and Amber - both of "Survivor" fame --
she had been a million dollar winner. It was apparent from the get-to
that they were the favorites to win the multi week challenge. They were
smart, good-looking and possessed oodles of self-confidence. Each week
they came in first place. Across the blogosphere Rob and Amber could do
no wrong and surely were already spending the million dollar prize. As
the competition goes, the other teams were eventually disqualified,
except one - Uchenna & Joyce. They hung in and gave each challenge their
all - she even shaving off her hair.
In the home stretch Rob and Amber made small subtle mistakes on their
challenges. Uchenna and Joyce remained focused, busted their butts and
ended up winning it all. They appeared humbled and said they learned so
much about themselves.
I'm hoping for a similar turnout next Tuesday.
“Frohs”
Re: My Obama yard sign is proof of citizenship
FAMILY FEELING
It REALLY stinks to be related to Obama. If you're his Grandmother, you
are staring up at a set of Uniroyals. If you are his brother or Aunt,
you're living in a slum.
No wonder Obama wants the government to take care of the "poor and
downtrodden." He sure as hell can't won't do it on his own.
Anthony B. Taddeo, Jr
Richmond, Virginia
AUNT YOU GLAD TO SEE ME?
Good to see you on Hannity last night.
The discrepancy between Obama's public affectations of empathy and his
apparent neglect of needy family members would be familiar to historian Paul
Johnson. His book Intellectuals offers profile after profile of 'men of the
people' who enjoyed reputations for caring passionately about humanity, but
were indifferent or abusive to family, friends, colleagues and others around
them.
Joe Fulvio
Re: Obama's "now what?" moment
IT’S THE CONSERVATIVES’ TURN
You closed the referenced column with this:
"If a majority of Americans want that, we holdouts must respect their choice."
I disagree. The dead white guys who initiated the birth of our nation would
disagree, also, else our nation wouldn't exist. They weren't the majority back
when. I'm not interested in taking it where the sun don't shine just because the
non-productive slugs and eternal hippies in our society think it a good idea. Sarah
Palin is a rock star for a reason. If die-hard conservatives will retake the
elephant party and tell the moderates where to get off, we can turn this thing
around.
Mark Cook
Re: Girl talk
A HEFTI LEGACY
Thanx for all the info about Neal Hefti. He's my all-time favorite. I play
his tunes daily on my piano-forte at home. Woody Allen used 'L'il Darlin'
to great effect in 'Mighty Aphrodite.'
To your point about sexism in tunes: Back in the 50's and 60's in
Philadelphia, my mother crooned along with the tunes on WRCV. As a young teenager I
can remember the angry calls that came into the station over “Time to Get Ready
for Love”' Women were outraged because the lyrics suggested that housewives
(home makers, domestic engineers and goddesses -to you and me) were not
keeping themselves attractive enough for their husbands not to stray. Just imagine!
Georgia Feilk
Re: The opacity of hope
CALL ME QUITE ELLPITICAL
Don't forget that the unreleased tape about Obama and Palestinian supporters produced
a news story that said that Palestinians concluded that he supported them based on
the elliptical comments he made.
He did get in trouble when he gave a public speech to supporters of Israel and
became highly specific. Later he backed down from having said that he favors an
undivided Jerusalem.
Richard L.A. Schaefer
Dubuque, IowaNOT COUNTING BUT PRAYING
Is this LA video a trap for McCain, and maybe not so bad for Obama? Regardless, I
wanna see it, and I am livid that the LA Times does not release it:
Meanwhile, in Florida, time to buy, as we are clinging to our guns and Bibles down
here.
I remain optimistic, but sometimes am hanging by a thread. I refuse to look at
electoral college maps. Instead I go to HillBuzz where they are optimistic. And I
pray, which, I know, Daily Kos creeps would make fun of. I am not an "evangelical"
but I do pray, and this election and Obama have me praying a lot more than normal.
Keep Fighting.
L
Re: Change of subject
And The Second Bill of Rights
RIGHTS AND WRONG
“U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D. Toledo) whipped the crowd up before Mr. Obama
took the stage yesterday telling them that America needed a Second Bill of
Rights guaranteeing all Americans a job, health care, homes, an education,
and a fair playing field for business and farmers.”
Oh my God, I just gagged my lunch.
Dave Seremek
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
STRIKE ONE OF THE ABOVE
What I want to know is how you can create a right to a job, a house, a
flat screen TV, AND a "fair playing field for business"? How can anyone
take these people seriously.
Noel Pixley
BACK IN THE USSR
The precepts of Professor Sunstein's (and FDR's) Second Bill of Rights
sounded eerily familiar. A quick Google search found that yes, indeed, they
mirror the basic rights, freedoms, and duties of citizens of the USSR from
the Constitution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics adopted on
October 7, 1977 (pasted below). It's all there: right to work, right to
health protection, right to housing, etc.
And these people aren't Marxists why?
The complete USSR constitution is available here. See Chapter 7.
Greg Billy
SLAP HAPPY
Mark - Surely you recall that the Soviet Union guaranteed a right to a job to every
Soviet citizen.
Maybe under an Obama administration I can get a job as a "hand slapper" as we called
the grouchy old ladies "working" in the museums we visited while in Poland and the
Soviet Union.
Gregory Hammers
POORLY PAID JOBS FOR ALL!
Remember the old USSR saying
"They pretend to pay us, we pretend to work".
Jane Ehrgott
DEPRIVED
No guaranteed car, cell phone or cable TV?
Tom Griffo
MY KIND OF JOB
I want a job that 1) pays a lot more; 2) don't have to do much of anything;
3) gets a tax exemption
Peter McIver II
Carroll County, Maryland
I’LL HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING
Do I get to choose my job or does the government? If I get to choose, I
want Rep. Kaptur's job. That would be good for me and better for
everybody. Unlike Rep. Kaptur, I am not an imbecile.
Patrick A. Riley, CFA
Jacksonville Beach, Florida
DESIGNED TO BE IGNORED
After reading "We the people agree to leave it to you the people who
know better than the people" from your recent post at The Corner on
National Review Online, it helped convey a point that
unfortunately, many Americans tend to forget (or pseudo-intellectually
disregard.)
Americans rebelled, fought and died for the sole purpose of creating a
system of government that was intended to be ignored, other than the fact
that it existed to remind you it should be ignored. Today, it would be
preposterous to think you could get a group of people together to spend time
and money to create something that was intended not to be used, other than
to remind everyone that it is there.
Keep up the great work!
Seth Morrell
Re: Reich man, wrong address
SUCK IT UP AND COUGH IT UP
So now it's everybody above $150,000 that is going to be responsible for the
welfare, and entitlements by spreading the wealth? I wonder when it's going to be
everybody above $50,000 that will have to take part in the Redistribution of Wealth.
Maybe we can borrow money from elitist multimillionaire "Suck it up" Martha
Stewart to pay our taxes. I suggest out of touch Martha Stewart suck it up.
Mike
Haiku, Hawaii
YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE
As you recently pointed out, the federal government values a single citizen's life
at about $6.9 million. Obama-Pelosi-Frank want to spread the wealth around a bit. Do
you realize that $6.9 million from each of the richest hundred thousand or so
Americans might finance the bailout? If the election goes bad, maybe we'll see a
"Your Money or Your Life" bailout package come January.
Frank Bennett
Pennsylvania
SLAVERY NEXT
With redistribution, can reparations for slavery be next?
L McClure
MEN OF THE HOUR
A chink in your armour, I think, Mr. Steyn. Obama and Biden are the men of the hour.
I would it weren't so, but look at what the Republicans have thrown up in defense!!
I find it disappointing that you won't at the very least admit that Democrats are
going to win by default because of an extremely weak Republican ticket. Shame on you
for not pointing this out in your column.
John McKillop
Prague, Czech Republic
THE FIRST OF OCTEMBER
Do you read the late Theodore Geisel? (If you have children, you do.) You might
recognize the campaign promises you have been seeing if you do. Mr. Geisel wrote
all about it. On the first of Octember, the money comes down. You can have
whatever you want, just for asking. It's all right there, your wildest dreams, and
then some.
One little problem, of course, is that it just isn't the first of Octember yet. It
will be, though, the day we elect Obama.
We'll have lower taxes AND everything paid for for us. Yippee.
Emily
Re: Elitist v elitist cage match!
and Chick Fight
WINE AND CHEESE PARTY
I shop blue and vote red, like Danielle and Sarah, wine and cheese is my comfort food,
but I do own two sled dogs. Would love to go mushing, but dogs are too lazy. Whose
side am I on?
Noemie Emery
EDUCATED REDNECKS FOR PALIN
I think Sarah Palin ROCKS!
Also, I am proud to be a redneck woman! I have a college degree, all my teeth, and
did not marry my kin.
Lynne
WHERE’S THE PROOF?
I know you consider her a friend, but can anyone honestly say that someone who:
1. Worked for the MSM her entire life
2. Resides in Washington D.C.
3. Married to David Frum (Another RINO elitist I'm afraid)
4. Writes for the Huffington Post (!)
is "Non-Elitist"???
Johan Kleva
CHICKS VERSUS SQUISHES
OK, I clicked on over to Danielle Crittenden's column. Is it me or did she
give not one reason she thinks Sarah Palin is unqualified? She says it's
“glaringly obvious.” But it's not obvious to me. Sarah Palin has a record of
bucking corrupt politicos and of lowering taxes and restraining or even
reducing government spending. Sounds good to me! That's one of my problems
with the Noonans and the Frums of the world: their reasons have come down
to sniffing at her syntax and turning their noses up at her lack of “nuance”
(which in my world is a synonym for “squish”.) That's what makes me decry
them as snobs! For all their 'intellectualism', their arguments are far
from intellectual.
Just sign me "Another Chick in the Fight"
Claudia Husemann
POSH TOSH
Surely this is a joke. How can you have a back staircase and a library (and tell
everyone about them) and not be an elitist?
Suzanne1444
COASTAL ELITES FOR PALIN
I live in Virginia Beach -- where can I sign up?
Linda Lafond
AND WHY NOT?
In retrospect appointing "the best darn regional car saleswoman" vice
president of General Motors probably would have been a good idea.
Stephen Athanson
Blue Ridge, Virginia
PALIN IN 12
Win or lose, I am already on the "Palin 2012" bandwagon.
"Can we do it?! You betcha!"
Sean E. Brearcliffe
Tucson, Arizona
Re: Divide and Conquer
THE SPEECH POLICE
This article recently appeared in the Queen's University newspaper and I thought it
might be of interest to you.
... it's a nice example of some Canadian grass roots speech-policing...
Ironically, the photo that originally appeared in the article was of the wrong
offended woman -- although she too was wearing a headscarf.
Duncan
Kingston, Ontario
Re: Extra Thick Chowdah
ALWAYS FUNNY
I listened to that show with you and Dean on Hugh Hewitt.
After every time Dean was on Hugh's show I consistently emailed Hugh and
told him how much I enjoyed Dean -- his sense of humor was never mean,
always funny. In fact, I envisioned him with a constant smile on his -
mainly because of his accent. It was like he looked through glasses
that were always colored with humor. I suppose that comes with knowing
your life may be short - to his credit he had that view.
I was so saddened to hear of his passing -- I shall miss him, and that
big grin he always gave me as I drove home!
Dede Bright
Bryan, TexasGOD MAKES THE CALLS
I had a bad feeling that things were not getting better when the mailbox
at Soxblog filled up and my mail to Dean was rejected. No doubt his
many friends were writing daily. I knew he was not reading my mail, but
I still sent him updates on the Sox and politics, even tho they would
bounce back to my inbox.
I have an empty feeling this morning.
I stumbled onto Soxblog some time ago before his TWS gig, and enjoyed a
wonderful, ongoing conversation on the joys of life, politics, the Red
Sox, and golf with some family and travel mixed in. Dean always
answered my e-mail, sometimes with as little as one word, sometimes a
paragraph or two, but always succinct. Unfortunately, we do not have
access to HH radio here in Maine, so I needed the HH blog to get the
best of Dean and yourself.
We talked about finding a time and place to play golf together, but we
both knew how difficult that would be. I remember his excitement at
finding the “sea water salt” treatment, and the possibilities of
extending his life, and also the rigors of the treatment itself.
God makes the calls. Like balls and strikes I may disagree, but have no
recourse. I am not in charge.
God Bless Dean Barnett and all those who loved him.
Tommy O
HE LOOKED BEYOND HIMSELF
I will miss Dean's voice, on the radio and on the web. When it was posted that he
was hospitalized and had CF, I knew it could be bad. It takes a great deal of self maintenance
to stay alive as an adult and have known CF'ers whose whole life is about just doing that. To look beyond ourselves is a big step in today's America. The way Dean Barnett did it despite physical limitations is inspirational. I wish I had met him, I think it would have helped me.
God bless you, and hope you're not jailed as a foreign hostile by President BH Obama.
Michael Menz
Greeneville, Tennessee
Re: Eye Caramba
PRESIDENT CYCLOPS
"Obama is the Cyclops, and America is Jean Grey, back in her Marvel Girl days, if I
recall correctly."
Cyclops couldn't look at anything directly without destroying it. He was a dour,
stern distant character always hiding behind his red crystal visor. But he loved
Jean and for a while everything was just swell. Then on one of their adventures Jean
sacrifices herself to save Cyclops and her do-gooder X-Men friends.
Jean Grey reappeared as Phoenix, now endowed with near-limitless power. They were
still in love but Cyclops was always of suspicious Jean's power, even though she saved
his life many times. Eventually, a non-democratic alien empire accused her of
killing millions by destroying a far-off star. A court of intergalactic aliens,
which included the war-like and hostile Skrulls (sworn enemies of humanity not known
for their adherence to civilized standards of behavior), caught Jean and sentenced
her to death with no due process or right of appeal. Cyclops and the X-Men were
helpless to stop the process, especially since the leader of the X-Men was the lover
of the monarch accusing Jean of genocide. With Cyclops by her side Jean committed
suicide.
But this isn't an elaborate metaphor or anything. Just a good comic.
Thomas Neeley
FAN-TASTIC
YOU ARE A GENIUS! Now the X-Men (my all-time favorite comic book)
has been brought into the political mix (this election cycle jumped
the shark a LONG time ago!). I love it...it nostalgically reminds me
of my youth: summers (which I long to return to being slammed by
this wintery weather in red-neck, racist, bible/gun-clinging,
Johnstown, PA: now made famous by SNL and the New York Times: who
remarked on their Sunday front page two weeks ago about our Johnstown
Symphony Orchestra: of which I am principal bass! - this rant sounds
very Dennis Miller-ish, eh?) reading stacks of X-Men books!!!!!!
I am a HUGE fan of yours and look forward to your next book---
Thanks for everything,
Nathan Santos
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
MARVEL-OUS
I think you mean that Jean Grey is America and that she was Dark
Phoenix for the last 8 years.
And thanks for making my smile this morning - not only with your
blinding, insightful, eye-opening, in-depth look, tongue in the area
just under the occipital protuberance, and general correct view of
what is going on, but for referencing the X-men.
Joe
ELEMENT OF SURPRISE
Señor Steyn: That's what I love about your writing…surprise.
On a clear day you can see Catalina? Here I'm thinking how does this
Canadian living in New Hampshire even know that Catalina exists?
Greg Marquez
VOTER FRAUD ON FIRE ISLAND
Thought the following might be of interest - I have for over 4 years exposed
voter registration fraud down here in the tony seasonal village of Saltaire on Fire
Island - the "sensible summer home for beach loving Manhattan liberals". Geraldine
Ferraro was smoked out by the N.Y. Times in 2006 (sometimes even they can report
honestly) for this abuse. My present day research still has uncovered 23 active
voters on the local Suffolk County roll, who also are actively registered in New
York City. To do so in New York State is a felony. Former Dem. V. P. Ferraro's
daughter is one of these folks - but what is even more intriguing is that she is
registered in the two election districts under different names! Donna
Zaccaro-Ullman in Manhattan - Donna Ullman in Suffolk County. There is no way in
hell to catch this nice bit of deception. None of these people have been picked up
for duplicity by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 voter database - but even if they
were - fat chance they'd be prosecuted. They have not been dual registered with the
lure of ACORN provided cigarettes. They are the affluent effluent, well connected
politically, (Saltaire denizens have contributed over $3 million in campaign funds
to Democrats or their causes, it even has received a $1.25 million "earmark" funded
"dock in nowhere" courtesy of Hillary and Chuck Schumer.) This is an angle of voting
abuse that the media has not explored - I am positive similar examples of which can
be found east of here in the Hamptons. We have become a banana republic. Please
look into this and help have it exposed - here and here are two press clips.
Love your writing
Noel Feustel
VOTING MACHINES, NOW MADE IN VENEZUELA!
From the New York Times, no less!
U.S. Investigates Voting Machines’ Venezuela Ties
The federal government is investigating the takeover last year of a leading
American manufacturer of electronic voting systems by a small software
company that has been linked to the leftist Venezuelan government of
President Hugo Chávez.
Officials of both Smartmatic and the Venezuelan government strongly denied
yesterday that President Chávez's administration, which has been bitterly at
odds with Washington, has any role in Smartmatic.
"The government of Venezuela doesn't have anything to do with the company
aside from contracting it for our electoral process," the Venezuelan
ambassador in Washington, Bernardo Alvarez, said last night.
Smartmatic was a little-known firm with no experience in voting technology
before it was chosen by the Venezuelan authorities to replace the country's
elections machinery ahead of a contentious referendum that confirmed Mr.
Chávez as president in August 2004.
Seven months before that voting contract was awarded, a Venezuelan
government financing agency invested more than $200,000 into a smaller
technology company, owned by some of the same people as Smartmatic, that
joined with Smartmatic as a minor partner in the bid.
This is indeed going to be a very dark chapter in our history.
Bob Calco
Lithia, Florida
TOO PARTISAN, MAN
I love you, buddy, Your columns are awesome. You are right on the
war. But I can't stomach your partisanship in this election.
I work on the power lines, and we have production targets. I have to
do X poles an hour, above that I get a bonus. If I do X - 0.01 poles
per hour, I get straight pay, calculated weekly. After billions in
tax money, AIG guys go on expensive retreats and make millions in
bonuses for bankrupting a big company, and it makes me crazy. I work
on hurricane duty, and I work 16 hours a day, and I get screwed on
overtime after 100 hours. Mark, the system is fundamentally unfair
now. I don't see how anyone can support it. The Republican party has
failed the country. They deserve to lose and get their house in
order. You should not feel so tied to the Republican line. I don't
understand the partisan loyalty.
Derek Link
TENSION AND FEAR
“If Obama isn't ‘too big to fail’, what is?"
HAHA! That is pure gold. You are on fire this morning! Reading your posts, and
watching the new Sowell and Lorenzo videos, really put me at ease after a long
day of classes here in Taiwan.
All three put a smile on my face for much different reasons. Every time I am
lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Sowell in one of his extremely rare interviews,
I have a perpetual "goofy" grin on my face that I just can't shake. Lorenzo's videos
are just amazing to the point that I almost can't believe he is real. And your musings
on the corner this morning...well, in the face of certain doom next Tuesday, it's always
important to remember the sage-like advice from Arnie in Terminator 3 after he hears
John Conner and his future wife laughing: "Your levity is good, it relieves tension and
the fear of death."
Michael Jaeger
"Hsin City," Taiwan
THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACE. REALLY
When I first saw mention of the Department of Peace and Non-Violence Act, I dismissed
it as boilerplate progressive twaddle and another multi-billion dollar boondoggle. It is far
worse than that. This act forms the basis of a police state. The passing of this act is apparently a Democrat priority in a new Obama administration. I'm hoping that you will read the act and
lend a credible voice against it before it can get off of the ground.
The resolution which is also available at the Library of Congress website:
[1]http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c110query.html (you'll need to
use the search function).
Thank you for your time,
Tom Fontaine
NO SIGNS OF THE TIMES?
Mr. Steyn, I am a retired pipefitter living out in Medford L.I. NY.I spend a fair
amount of time on the net these days and am well aware of all of the dismal polls
for McCain. BUT...Something just doesn't seem right. There is just one house in my
proximity that has a Obama yard sign and there are no McCain signs, but this is a
heavily Democratic state. During this election cycle I have seen LESS than 10 cars
with Obama stickers on them. Hhmm.. My wife commutes to Manhattan every day and says
she observes the same thing. Also she says that at work(a non-profit medical facility
teeming with libs) nobody talks at all about Obama...But when Hillary was still in
it everybody was all atwitter.
Also my union has endorsed Obama(of course) and my brother in-law, also a pipefitter
is working on the new Yankee Stadium up in the Bronx. He says that when sitting in
the trailer with 40 other fitters before work or during lunch when everybody is
talking and reading the papers, NOBODY is talking about Obama or
politics....Nobody...
Something just isn't right. What I hear the press and the polls say, is not what my
eyes see every day.
The question ,"Is America really going to do this?" is haunting to me...
As an aside...Mr. Steyn I find your work to be indispensable to me. You speak for me
and I thank you...
Jim L.
New York
THROW THE BUMS OUT
I find it ironic that all the right wing flacks constantly assert that we, the
"exceptional Americans", shouldn't listen to nor care about anything that anyone who
isn't an American thinks about us/our country/its activities throughout the world,
yet, they consistently support you, a Canadian, and your positions regarding our
country. Uh, can you say hypocrisy? Yeah. Well, no great surprise, as that's the
strong suit of regressives!
Ya better start your whining now, because Barack is gonna be the next President,
whether you like it or not, ya right wing hack.
Throw The Regressive Bums Out!!!!! Obama '08 - Real Change We Can Believe In!!!!!
Borb
EASY LISTENING
Please come on Dennis Miller's radio show as soon as you can after the election.
I never know where you'll pop up and I'm a daily listener to the show. I find you
perhaps the most insightful and certainly the most readable and listen-to-able
'pundit' out there.
Jay Hanselman..
p.s. I loved America Alone. I give it my highest praise (4 words). I'd pay retail again.
p.p.s. Declaration of Dependence .. (pure gold)
COMBS-OVER
Just saw you on FOX (Hannity and eh. hem.that other guy). Your points were
dead-on and professionally stated. I think you may have even gotten Bob
Beckel to agree with you! Combs even looked like he wanted to avoid
debating - and that never happens. LOL.
Robert Humphries
Atlanta, Georgia
WELCOME BACK
Wonderful to have you back in the Philadelphia Bulletin.
Three cheers for free speech (so far) in this country.
Judy Campbell
Media, Pennsylvania
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