August 27, 2010

"Alan Simpson Didn't Need to Apologize."

Says Professor Bainbridge, via Instapundit ... and, as you know, I agree.

Well, you know, now, there is a solution for your apology mistakes. Levi Johnston is leading the way. Take back your apology.

IN THE COMMENTS: Meade writes:
Un-apology for Non-apology Tips for Teens of All Ages:

1. Take responsibility for having non-apologized.
2. Acknowledge that, no, you really did mean to insult, hurt, damage the other person.
3. Determine the frivolousness of the offense for which you mistakenly non-apologized.
4. Decide the best time to un-apologize for your non-apology.
5. Choose a method of un-apology.
6. Equivocate with sincere insincerity.
7. Remember this un-apology is about you and your charming dysfunctional non-apology, not the other person.
8. Go beyond "I'm sorry if my non-apology failed to fully offend you," to make the un-apology as personal and humiliating as possible.

60 comments:

MadisonMan said...

Can you un-apologize? I don't think so.

You need to know when it's foolish to apologize. I think that is a skill that more politicians need.

Mark said...

That is one badly-damaged kid. And the media/Lefty political industry is going to keep feeding his damage until something truly tragic happens to him.

Fred4Pres said...

For a democrat, joking like that is sedition! Not to be tollerated!

Joe said...

(The Crypto-Jew and Performance Artist)

You know who needs to apologize...you right-wing wingnutz, need to apologize! For your racism and Islamo-phobia, that's what!

Unknown said...

Simpson should have stuck to his guns, assuming RINOs have guns to stick to. One of the corollaries of Uncle Saul's rules is to get the object of your wrath to apologize. That makes him look in the wrong even if he's just trying to be a nice guy. As noted before, the words of America's greatest equestrian apply:

"Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness".

OTOH, Mr Johnston appears to be too stupid to understand he is being manipulated by people who only want to give his erstwhile mother-in-law a headache or two.

He is the Cindy Sheehan of this decade.

Hagar said...

That's kind of a nasty thing to say about Cindy Sheehan!

garage mahal said...

SS is solvent without any changes needed for 27 yrs, and has a 2.5 trillion dollar surplus. Quick, call on some conservatives and form a commission to find out how we can destroy it. Sorry teat sucking seniors, the gravy train stops now, time for some pain!

Joe said...

Edutcher, it's been re-born by Leroy Jethro Gibbs....

Joe said...


SS is solvent without any changes needed for 27 yrs, and has a 2.5 trillion dollar surplus

No what it has is special Treasury bills, that can not be resold ont he market, in short 2.5 Trillion of IOU's...but nice try GM.

garage mahal said...

IOU's! Worthless!

And, cutting taxes = more money coming in!

*zombie walk*

ARRRRGGHHH!

Shanna said...

That Levi kid needs a grown up in his life. He is making himself look like an idiot every time he talks. I feel bad for him, even though he's been nasty.

GMay said...

Jesus garage, you don't know shit about SS do you?

Do you know what "solvent" means?

Do you know what treasury securities are?

Serious questions.

GMay said...

God, you apparently don't know shit about economics either.

AllenS said...

So, how's your day going, garage?

Meade said...

Un-apology for Non-apology Tips for Teens of All Ages:

1. Take responsibility for having non-apologized.
2. Acknowledge that, no, you really did mean to insult, hurt, damage the other person.
3. Determine the frivolousness of the offense for which you mistakenly non-apologized.
4. Decide the best time to un-apologize for your non-apology.
5. Choose a method of un-apology.
6. Equivocate with sincere insincerity.
7. Remember this un-apology is about you and your charming dysfunctional non-apology, not the other person.
8. Go beyond "I'm sorry if my non-apology failed to fully offend you," to make the un-apology as personal and humiliating as possible.

Joe said...


IOU's! Worthless!

And, cutting taxes = more money coming in!

*zombie walk*

ARRRRGGHHH!


Well since they are ONLY IOU's they are worthless, they, ultimately, end up tacked onto the national Debt, which, when it reaches a Greede-like of unsustainability, WILL BE WORTHLESS.

Certainly the Clinton Administration, that rightwing nuthouse, forecast effective tax rates fo 70% to meet SS obligations, but I guess that's ustainable, too, eh GM?

As to the rest of the screed, I don't know, seems that lower taxes yield > economic activity which in turn yields > tax returns...but I really don't have any economic history to back me up, I mean except for the 1980's, the 1990's and the Bush years...

Is it early before the coffee or is this the best the Left, on this board, oh to heck with it, the LEFT, IN GENERAL, has to offer?

Hagar said...

There is going to be some form of Social Security regardless of what the libertarians among us may say.

However, we should get rid of the Ponzi-scheme financing and set it up so that this year's benefits are explicitly paid with this year's payroll taxes.

That should also gain some much needed attention to the excrescences that have attached to the system over the last 75 years, and we may perhaps be able to get rid of some of them as a compromise with the libertarians!

AllenS said...

garage,

How about the Pack?

MadisonMan said...

OTOH, Mr Johnston appears to be too stupid to understand he is being manipulated by people who only want to give his erstwhile mother-in-law a headache or two.

He seems simultaneously stupid and savvy to me. And I don't think the motive behind those who could be construed to be manipulating him (I'm not sure that's the case) is tweaking Sarah Palin. It's more likely to make a buck.

I do think that without his link to Palin, he'd be just another teen-aged Dad (although I think he's 20 now). But why not exploit what life gives you to the fullest? A man's gotta eat. The truth is, no one really knows his state of mind, but I would rather think the best of him (sometimes he makes it hard to do that) than the worst.

Meade said...

9. If your haplessly regrettable non-apology was to an individual affiliated with the Older Women's League, do NOT refer to her as "old woman."

Instead, just stare at her tits.

garage mahal said...

Well since they are ONLY IOU's they are worthless, they, ultimately, end up tacked onto the national Debt, which, when it reaches a Greede-like of unsustainability, WILL BE WORTHLESS.

Yes, Congress borrowing money, as it does from a variety of places and always pays it back, is just like old drunk Uncle Cletus spending all our rent money at the track. Gone!

MadisonMan said...

2. Acknowledge that, no, you really did mean to insult, hurt, damage the other person.

I think a different tack would be to (2). Point out that their outrage should be pointed towards the person who made them so thin-skinned to begin with.

There really must be some acknowledgment that you* are too thin-skinned to live.

*Not you, Meade, just the person who is getting the non-apology revoked in an unapologetically un-apology way.

Joe said...


Yes, Congress borrowing money, as it does from a variety of places and always pays it back, is just like old drunk Uncle Cletus spending all our rent money at the track. Gone!


Then it's NOT a "surplus" is it, GM? It's already spent and it is an UNFUNDED GOVERNMENT LIABILITY...

There is not and never was some "lock box," money flowed in, Congress appropriated that money, replaced it with non-resaleable Treasury Bills, i.e., IOU's and those must be repaid from General Fund Appropriations. To the tune of 2.5 Trillion dollars, Thanks for pointing that out GM.

garage mahal said...

Then it's NOT a "surplus" is it, GM? It's already spent and it is an UNFUNDED GOVERNMENT LIABILITY...

The system was designed to take in more than it gives out, for good reason. The government then borrows against the surplus from the trustees, and yes, spends it, with the promise to repay it. The government also borrows from big chinese banks, and spends that moeny too! That's why you borrow money, to spend it. All financial transactions are promises to repay, "IOUs". When you take a jar of quarters to the bank, they don't bury them in the backyard and pay someone to guard them, they loan them those quarters to someone else, and they spend them! Plenty of good people have been bamboozled from this coordinated propaganda bullroar from conservative hack-tanks, presumably you too.

Meade said...

MadMan: Good point.

Geoff Matthews said...

Levi Johnston has 2 baby mammas, sold his pride to reality television, dropped out of high school (does he have his GED?), and has shown the convictions of a media whore. His mom was arrested on drug charges, and his dad . . . (don't know)?
The Palins tried to get him a job in the oil fields, which was pulled out when the media reported his lack of a high school degree. They seemed to embrace him into their family after Bristol's pregnancy was announced.
What hope he has for a good life is melting away. It would not surprise me if he doesn't live to see 30.

Joe said...

GM, but these aren't "official" IOU's...they are special IOU's, obstensibly they are T-Bills, but really just an unfunded liability, on top of other unfunded liabilities! Pile enough debt up and they become worthless.

So there is NO "surplus" only a ebt, not covered by the supposed debtors tax base, but instead by General Fund Approprations form the US.

Yielding higher taxes or lower pay-outs or increased inflation, or some combo of the three.

Hoosier Daddy said...

*zombie walk*

Garage, unwittingly has used two words to perfectly describe the modern American liberal. It's no wonder you guys feed on brains, you obviously don't have any.

GMay said...

garage mahal fantasized: "The government then borrows against the surplus from the trustees, and yes, spends it, with the promise to repay it."

You do realize this is eerily similar to the formula that lead to the current financial meltdown right?

You do realize that last year SS paid out more than it took in right?

You realize that's not a surplus right?

Exactly how has congress performed in paying anything off? (I can't wait for you to answer that one)

You do realize that the highest unemployment numbers in 30 years coupled with a huge increase in folks drawing from SS means that the system is about to hit the fan right?

Now let's get a little more complicated. Try to keep up, we're only going to the intermediate level here (dumbed down for you):

The SS trust fund only contains IOUs. These IOUs are Treasury backed securities, but in reality, they're taxpayer backed securities. The SS trust fund had to start cashing in IOUs last year, which means they had to sell the securities. The problem with selling securities of any sort is that there must be a market for them.

Do you know who they sold their securities (IOUs) to? That's right - back to the government. You see, our government has this really nasty habit of creating its own securities and then buying them to help fund itself. And this is only the tip of the iceberg.

In the private sector, this is all highly illegal, but mainly impossible because privite enterprise can't create its own money and doesn't have an unlimited pool of taxpayers from which to squeeze to fund an ever-increasing burden.

Sadly, while the government can print its own money, its taxing power is not unlimited either, much to the chagrin of you silly leftists.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Plenty of good people have been bamboozled from this coordinated propaganda bullroar from conservative hack-tanks, presumably you too.

Allow me to jump in here and apply what is missing from garage's screed (common sense).

Yes garage, you borrow money to spend on other things. The problem is you cannot borrow endlessly without showing the ability to pay it back. No bank is going to lend me $100,000,000 because there is no chance I will ever be able to pay it back. There is little difference with the government because at some point we will have borrowed more than we can ever hope to repay because Uncle Cletus can only tax so much.

But wait! There's More! Uncle Cletus can then start printing money and we just inflate our way out. That's the ticket! Then we can join the proud ranks of the Weimar Republic, Argentiana and Zimbabwe.

Now I know its anathema to a good liberal like you but not all government spending is good, necessary or healthy. But then again you probably don't pay taxes so it really doesn't matter to you.

Hoosier Daddy said...

I think garage lied a few threads back when he expressed his disdain for organized religion because his religion must be THE GOVERNMENT. I mean I never seen anyone so devoted to more government intervention and it's infallibility than him. Despite all proven evidence to the contrary it takes the blind faith of a religious fanatic to continue to lay prostate at the altar of the State.

Hoosier Daddy said...

And speaking of apologies, why bother anymore? Does anyone truly believe these people when they hold a press conference to apologize?

traditionalguy said...

The 20% of Americans who will believe that a word about a natural bodily function is a quasi criminal vulgarity are just taking cheap shots at enemies on which they have no other weapons to use. Therefore don't give the bastards a free shot at you.

AllenS said...

Re: IOUs

There are two ways to leave this life successful: having a million dollars or owing a million dollars. Which one involves using IOUs?

garage mahal said...

Exactly how has congress performed in paying anything off? (I can't wait for you to answer that one)

The gov has been paying the trustees back, without a hitch, for decades.

Aren't you glad we didn't hand this all over to wall street like Repubs wanted? For decades we've heard this Scary Tale from likes of Tim Russert, Lou Dobbs, on command from the rich pay masters who want their dirty dick beaters on this money. It's what it's all about. What I don't get is why you guys go along with it hook line and sinker. Let's make grandma work til she's 80, and eat fucking cat food. Unbelievable.

Joe said...


Aren't you glad we didn't hand this all over to wall street like Repubs wanted? For decades we've heard this Scary Tale from likes of Tim Russert, Lou Dobbs, on command from the rich pay masters who want their dirty dick beaters on this money. It's what it's all about. What I don't get is why you guys go along with it hook line and sinker. Let's make grandma work til she's 80, and eat fucking cat food. Unbelievable.


No instead let's tax grand-ma's children at 70%, sparking a tax revolt, and lead to hyper-inflation, all forcing grand-ma to eat cat food...

OR try to sort out the problems, a la Paul Ryan.....

Hoosier Daddy said...

No instead let's tax grand-ma's children at 70%, sparking a tax revolt, and lead to hyper-inflation, all forcing grand-ma to eat cat food...

You don't get it Joe. He and others like him do-not-care!

Why do you think he gets so incensed when he hears tax cuts? It's because the liberal dogma is that it's not supposed to be your money but rather an allowance, because the State can manage your money better than you. That's why they will ensure grandma isn't eating cat food at 80 while you piss your money away on a flat screen or a car.

Seriously the only and I mean ONLY government spending program you will ever see a liberal get 1000% behind for reducing is defense. If they want to build a $500 million high school then that's perfectly ok.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Oh and the money quote is: The gov has been paying the trustees back, without a hitch, for decades.

Who is the government again?

garage mahal said...

You don't get it Joe. He and others like him do-not-care!

Care about what? 70%? Where do you get this stuff?

Unknown said...

garage mahal said...

Exactly how has congress performed in paying anything off? (I can't wait for you to answer that one)

The gov has been paying the trustees back, without a hitch, for decades.

Aren't you glad we didn't hand this all over to wall street like Repubs wanted? For decades we've heard this Scary Tale from likes of Tim Russert, Lou Dobbs, on command from the rich pay masters who want their dirty dick beaters on this money.


It would have made more money over the last 75 years than it has under the Demos' tutelage. They want people to believe they're the only ones with whom it's safe and that's a lie. There are countless studies to back up the idea that investment in the economy would have been a better deal.

Of, course, in the last 20 years or so, Wall Street has been pro-Demo all the way. And we know whatSlobbering Barney and Countrywide Dodd and The Zero have done with that.

Joe said...

You may ahve missed the whole Clinton Administration, but they're report on SS admitted to meet future obligations there would have to be an effective tax rate of 70% on future payroll....

AlphaLiberal said...

Alan Simpson has all the class and crass of Bart Simpson.

He is leading a Presidential Commission and is openly insulting anyone who disagrees with him and his agenda to dismantle Social Security.

Think Obama's Catfood Commission is listening to all Americans? Not so long as that old fool is in charge.

If a liberal in the same spot (there is not one) insulted a conservative that way you guys would be wailing and rending your garments and crying to the heavens about what victims you are.

IOKIYAR!

AlphaLiberal said...

Bullshit, Joe. Social Security is solvent through 2037.

There is a lot of hysteria to end Social Security, coming from a lot of rich fat cats like Peter Peterson, who want to throw old people back into poverty.

Dems, having the spinal fortitude of jelly fish, roll over rather than face down the right wing chorus.

Joe said...

And AFTER 2037 AL, and UNTIL 2037 it will continue to draw on it's IOU's, you know the "government securities" Congress left in the Lock-Box. The IOU's that will now begin to eat General Fund Appropriations OR involve more government debt?

tim maguire said...

If you're not an idiot, mean what you say, and know what you are saying when you say it, then you need never worry about issuing an unnecessary apology.

Opus One Media said...

Geoff Matthews said...
Levi Johnston has 2 baby mammas, sold his pride to reality television...yada yada
What hope he has for a good life is melting away."

Like mother-in-law like son-in-law I always say.

by the way is there any truth to the rumor that Sarah and this kid got caught by Bristol "in the act" and that is what scuttled the marriage or re-marriage or re-engagement..whatever.

Joe said...


by the way is there any truth to the rumor that Sarah and this kid got caught by Bristol "in the act" and that is what scuttled the marriage or re-marriage or re-engagement..whatever.

Any truth to the rumour that HDHouse has a functioning brain? None evidence of the truth can be found, but there's always hope...

Sidenote: I wasn't a Palinista until I came here, now I pray, nightly, for a Palin Victory in 2012, just to watch HDHouse explode into further incoherence and tom-foolery!

WV "prologi" the words writ in the buke afore the main story....

Joe said...


If you're not an idiot,


I think this is what trips up Levi...and HD.

Opus One Media said...

@joe...welll your non-denial denial says it all. I'll take that as a "yes".

Joe said...

HD I try to not to respond to foolish trash...your posting made that cut.

It was almost as incomprehensible as it was trashy and foolish...do you want me to continue to focus on your logical/rhetorical short-comings or should I just continue with my attempts at silent contempt?

GMay said...

garage mahal continues: "The gov has been paying the trustees back, without a hitch, for decades."

I'm not even going to get into our 14 digit debt or 13 digit deficit here.

One government entity creating more Treasuries to put in the "fund" for another government entity is not paying anything back you moron.

This is why you can only hyperventilate about grandma and dog food - you haven't the first fucking clue as to what you're talking about.

AC245 said...


by the way is there any truth to the rumor that Sarah and this kid got caught by Bristol "in the act" and that is what scuttled the marriage or re-marriage or re-engagement..whatever.


Again, I note that it must suck to be a leftist. You all always seem so unhappy, bitter, hateful, and bile-filled.

jungatheart said...

Joe
// I wasn't a Palinista until I came here, now I pray, nightly, for a Palin Victory in 2012 //

From your lips to god's ear. I don't think I'll ever get over the liberal media's treatment of her. Especially irksome was Salon with Joan Walsh at the helm.

jungatheart said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jr565 said...

Garage Mahal wrote:
What I don't get is why you guys go along with it hook line and sinker. Let's make grandma work til she's 80, and eat fucking cat food. Unbelievable.


IF it were in the private sector it would be YOUR money, and could be withdrawn before retirement if needed. Further, as you got closer to retirement you could shift your assets into more stable funds. When you were younger you could have put your money in aggressive stocks. Now, play along. Suppose you're in your 30s and put money into aggressive stocks or growth stocks and the stock market crashes and you keep buying. You are buying stocks at a discount and dollar cost averaging. Unless you think that depressions and/or recessions last your entire lifetime you'll do well. Because you've bought a lot of stock when the prices were down and when the market inevitably rebounds you have far more stock to work with, then if you bought them high. Granted this is not for people who are on the verge of retiring, but that's why people could have the choice to move funds into vehicles for their age groups (ie aggressive or stable)
Meanwhile, to actually fund Social Security you'll have to either raise peoples taxes (let's use the hypothetical 70% mentioned by the Clinton's - wouldnt' that be nice) OR raise the retirment age OR both. So grandma may just be retiring at 80 and eating cat food under your model. But in the meantime those who are in their 20s now are going to have to buy Ramen noodles (as Ramen noodles are actually cheaper than cat food) for a few decades as they're not going to have any money left over after the govt taxes the helll out of them so they can fund a Ponzi scheme they've promised the baby boomers. And when those 20 year olds are in their 80s they wont get the money they shelled out as the retirment age for them will be 150. Or in a reverse of China's one child policy they will require people to have at least 5 kids so that there will be enough people to fund SS.

Michael said...

jr565: Pointing out that Ramen noodles are cheaper and tastier than cat food is not fighting fair!! It just doesn't sound the same to accuse conservatives to want old people to have to eat Ramen noodles!!

Next the liberals will be asked to understand math.

jaed said...

That's why you borrow money, to spend it.

That has to be some sort of classic. (And it makes me wonder idly about the state of Garage's personal finances. Does he tell this to his credit-card company when they want to be paid back?)

The gov has been paying the trustees back, without a hitch, for decades.

Er, no. The "gov" has been taking Social Security taxes for decades, without a hitch. FICA revenues (over and above what is needed to pay current recipients) have gone straight into the general fund and been spent. The "gov" has not had to pay back any of it because SS has run a surplus...

...until now. Now the "gov" has to figure out how to start paying back all that borrowed money. They do this by raising taxes. (Income taxes, rather than FICA, but it all comes from the same place.)

The federal government has not paid back Social Security for decades. They've done the opposite; they've taken money from Social Security. As you may discover one day, putting stuff on the credit card is much easier than paying it back.

Clyde said...

What a douche bag!

Clyde said...

Note: Previous comment is about Levi Johnston, just for clarity's sake.

Meade said...

You want government udder/tit? I've got your government udder/tit right: here