Althouse: I encounter "The Constitution Made Easy."

June 1, 2012

I encounter "The Constitution Made Easy."

At a Tea Party rally here in Madison this evening, the author Michael Holler challenged people to understand the Constitution, and I took his quiz. Did I flunk? Did I ace it? Check this out:

64 comments:

Anonymous said...: "A communist country"...really? Althouse, surely you don't associate yourself with this drivel?

These people have the IQs of a kumquat, and give Republicans a very, very bad name.; 6/1/12, 10:05 PM
Scott said...: No they don't, Bill. There are many more vacuous bougeois progressives like yourself who make the Democrats look like a clown college.

I'm glad Ann is not a Communist.; 6/1/12, 10:10 PM
Anonymous said...: Scott--If you honestly are stupid enough to think the current government is "communist" or even remotely socialist, you need to start educating yourself.

This guy is a lunatic.; 6/1/12, 10:11 PM
Meade said...: Soon after we got to the rally this afternoon I saw someone I thought I recognized, wracked my brain, and realized it was someone I met 15 months ago in the Capitol rotunda whose courage I was very impressed by. His name is Rich Yeager and he was the "man-in-the middle" March 4, 2011, the day after the protesters finally ended their occupation of the statehouse.

We had a friendly chat today and I was happy to see him again.; 6/1/12, 10:13 PM
Scott said...: My god Bill, how did you ever get to be such a beacon of intellectual prowess? You must read Time magazine or something.; 6/1/12, 10:14 PM
Rosalyn C. said...: Political affiliation: Not a Communist; 6/1/12, 10:15 PM
pm317 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/1/12, 10:19 PM
Ann Althouse said...: @Meade Here a picture I took of Rich today.; 6/1/12, 10:20 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Meade, you wracked your brain? I mostly right mine own. Sometimes I have wrought it into something. I'd better stop now and rack it.; 6/1/12, 10:21 PM
pm317 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/1/12, 10:21 PM
edutcher said...: Our faith holds firm.

But people used to be taught this stuff in school. Now we need books.

Thank you, William Ayers for your bit to destroy this country.

(one day, his sins will catch up with him; be interesting to see how - unless it's sharing his life with that harridan); 6/1/12, 10:22 PM
Scott said...: Actually, given his adventures in crony capitalism and desire to nationalize healthcare, Obama is most properly classified a fascist, not a communist.

But he is evolving.; 6/1/12, 10:23 PM
Palladian said...: Meade, did you bike past the Weeks Hall hawks today perchance?; 6/1/12, 10:24 PM
pm317 said...: Scott, he is just a corrupt Chicago pol..He is not even good at that -- he needs that evil Jarrett to push him.; 6/1/12, 10:25 PM
Seeing Red said...: Feudalist that's what this administration is, via Belmont Club:

Disaster strikes in Tombstone. A town’s water supply is cut off. The town fathers rush out to fix it, but the Federal government says no can do. No repairs unless they are effected using only 19th century tools. “There’s a popular saying in the American West: Whiskey’s for drinking, but water’s for fighting over. This dusty little city, made famous by the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, has a dilly of a water fight on its hands.”

Tombstone’s water line was damaged in last year’s massive Monument fire. The city says the feds are blocking emergency repairs that are critical to its survival.

In court papers, lawyers for the federal government say there’s no emergency. Instead, they contend, Tombstone is using the fire’s aftermath as an excuse to “upgrade and improve” its water system.

Kathleen Nelson, the acting ranger in charge of the Coronado National Forest, says the Forest Service has been letting Tombstone do some work, as long as it complies with the 1964 Wilderness Act.

In the wilderness, Tombstone can dig with shovels, not bulldozers. The new pipe can come up the mountain on horses, not in trucks.; 6/1/12, 10:25 PM
wyo sis said...: Can we get a definition of Socialist/Communist that the current administration differs from in any substantial way? And, don't give me all that BS about how different Socialism and Communism are. Calling the recognition of Socialist ideals in government is far from drivel and calling it drivel doesn't change that.; 6/1/12, 10:26 PM
Meade said...: Palladian, I did! Were you watching? Cool! When I got home, I said to A, "I wonder if any of your readers were watching the hawk cam when I almost got 'hawked' on."; 6/1/12, 10:27 PM
Meade said...: @Bob Ellison - Heh. As whacked as it is, wracking is about the best I can do with it.; 6/1/12, 10:29 PM
Palladian said...: Meade... aha! That was you! I just happened to check in on the hawks and I saw a guy on a bike stop and look and I did a double-take and thought "That distant figure looks like Meade!"

Palladian peers down upon Madison like the eye of Sauron overlooking Mordor...; 6/1/12, 10:32 PM
Meade said...: ha ha ha! Hey, be a pal will you and don't tell you-know-who I wasn't wearing long pants. Thanks.; 6/1/12, 10:36 PM
Meade said...: Too bad I didn't have a sign to hold up: HAWKER FOR WALKER; 6/1/12, 10:38 PM
pm317 said...: Palladian, how did you know it was Meade?; 6/1/12, 10:40 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Wow, that's so cool! What a world.

And "wrack" is correct.; 6/1/12, 10:44 PM
Palladian said...: Palladian, how did you know it was Meade?

The physique, the bike, intuition. I don't really know...; 6/1/12, 10:46 PM
Meade said...: "The physique..."

Heh. 12 lbs lighter since I started the "No More Pancakes, Vodka and Bacon Diet" six weeks ago.; 6/1/12, 10:56 PM
pm317 said...: I was busy today and didn't watch the 'chicks'..; 6/1/12, 10:57 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "No More Pancakes, Vodka and Bacon Diet" ... that's ambiguous.

The only forbidden thing in that sequence is pancakes.

We used to eat pancakes every day!; 6/1/12, 11:03 PM
Palladian said...: Heh. 12 lbs lighter since I started the "No More Pancakes, Vodka and Bacon Diet" six weeks ago.

Jesus, way to suck all the magic out of life!

As for the video, I like all the mark-up that Althouse did on the quiz paper.

Word of advice for Tea Party Express: Enough with the Copperplate Gothic!; 6/1/12, 11:03 PM
Meade said...: "No More Pancakes - Just Vodka and Bacon Diet" I should've said. (Just kidding about the vodka.); 6/1/12, 11:04 PM
Palladian said...: One of my house specialty drinks is a martini garnished with an olive stuffed with a rolled, crisp-cooked piece of bacon.; 6/1/12, 11:06 PM
Meade said...: I owe all the magic in my life to InstaPundit (who doesn't?). First, for turning me on to the Althouse blog, and second, for all his posts on the books by Gary Taubes.

And third, for Instapundit!; 6/1/12, 11:07 PM
Anonymous said...: Meade, I have a great recipe for low carb gluten free pancakes.; 6/1/12, 11:11 PM
Patrick said...: Allie,

I'd ask for that recipe but it seems to take the fun out of pancakes!; 6/1/12, 11:19 PM
Palladian said...: Aha! I found him! Meade ... Meade ... Meade!; 6/1/12, 11:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Patrick, you'd never know the difference, but your blood sugar would, of course you would have to use suagr free syrup.; 6/1/12, 11:22 PM
Saint Croix said...: Can we get a definition of Socialist/Communist that the current administration differs from in any substantial way?

Obviously Obama is a socialist and it's equally obvious that he's sympathetic to Communist assholes.

So, if we go down the non-Commie checklist...

Free elections? Yes.
Citizens are allowed to flee? Yes.
Thriving opposition party? Yes.
Freedom of speech? Yes.
Free exercise of religion? Yes.
Small government? No.
Economic rights? No.
Respects right to life? No.

Obama has attempted to take over large parts of the economy. He has attacked by name citizens who are critical of his administration. He has defined babies as commodities and supports infanticide.

I think it's obvious that Obama's a socialist in the western European mold. He might be sympathetic to the Communist nightmare, but that will never fly here and so he will always deny it. He won't even acknowledge he's a socialist. Which he clearly is, in fact it's kind of absurd to deny that.

Who wants to argue Obama is a capitalist? That would be a hilarious exercise.; 6/1/12, 11:36 PM
Meade said...: Palladian, how did you get those? Amazing! You even caught the hawk shooting poop in that third pic.
-----------------------
Thanks Allie oop but I think I'm with Patrick - pancakes without glutin - eh, I'd rather spend the calories on extra bacon and vodka.; 6/1/12, 11:59 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: Is it worth getting a waffle iron? This question is relevant to pancakes, which is relevant to Meade losing 12 LBS which is relevant to Palladian recognizing him on hawk cam which is totally relevant because Mead figures in this video. And once I have this waffle iron can I make ice cream cones on it. Are the multipurpose waffle irons good? I've seen Foreman-type double hotplates, sandwich press type things with interchangeable plates. Are they good? Reviews are all over the place. Do they do all things but nothing well? I wouldn't want that. But I wouldn't want a unitasker either, so it's a conflict between two values.; 6/2/12, 12:05 AM
Seeing Red said...: Obama prefers to hang out withthe disenfranchised Marxists. He said so.; 6/2/12, 12:15 AM
Palladian said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/2/12, 12:32 AM
Palladian said...: Palladian, how did you get those? Amazing! You even caught the hawk shooting poop in that third pic.

The hawk cam has a video archive wherein are deposited all of the video files that have been recorded of the hawks. It's very tedious to sift through the files, as they are very large (around 1 gig per hour) and they can only be played using certain software (such as VLC) and even with that, they're somewhat hard to scan through.

Anyway, I downloaded two of yesterday's hours around when I thought I saw you, then I found a way to (somewhat quickly) scan through the files until I saw you wheel into frame.

Right after I saw you live yesterday, I said to my boyfriend "Hey, I think I just saw someone I know on that hawk cam I showed you!" and he said "Huh? Are you out of your mind?" and I said "No! Really! I mean, it's not someone I've met in person but I know him online!" and he's like "Um, ok, did you take your medication this morning?" and I said " Really! The person I saw is the husband of the woman who owns two prints of my drawings of your dog!"

Trippy, man.; 6/2/12, 12:35 AM
Palladian said...: Chip... your comment reminds me that I scanned the crazy box label from my waffle iron.

I don't use it very often, but it does work, if you like messy, manual devices. I find it charming. The same company also makes (made?) a toasted sandwich press of similar design, that molds your croque into a shell shape.; 6/2/12, 12:42 AM
Saint Croix said...: Obama refused to have Lech Walesa in the White House. Said he was "too political".

The Dalai Lama got sent out the side door where they put the trash.; 6/2/12, 12:51 AM
Kirk Parker said...: "Pancakes, Vodka and Bacon"

Hey, that's my breakfast menu too!; 6/2/12, 2:12 AM
Titus said...: Cardinal Dolan, liar...
crickets here at wingnutville.; 6/2/12, 4:53 AM
edutcher said...: Meade said...

ha ha ha! Hey, be a pal will you and don't tell you-know-who I wasn't wearing long pants. Thanks.

(gasp!) Tell it not in Christendom.; 6/2/12, 6:20 AM
T said...: Living in a town a Left-loving as Madison (ie, Boulder, CO), I cast my last vote for e Democrat in 1998. He was a dedicated anti-authoritarian. Since then , the "Question authority" creed among Democrats has died, and so have my votes for any Democrats. I don't expect this to change until after I'm dead.; 6/2/12, 7:10 AM
T said...: Living in a town a Left-loving as Madison (ie, Boulder, CO), I cast my last vote for e Democrat in 1998. He was a dedicated anti-authoritarian. Since then , the "Question authority" creed among Democrats has died, and so have my votes for any Democrats. I don't expect this to change until after I'm dead.; 6/2/12, 7:11 AM
FreddyB said...: AllieOop: where's the GF low-carb pancake recipe??? Don't tease!; 6/2/12, 8:15 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Those people are tax payers. Tax payers who are vilified by the pro-democrat media and all democrats in our government.; 6/2/12, 8:32 AM
madAsHell said...: The speaker was coherent, and lucid without a teleprompter!!

Tell me how this is possible!!; 6/2/12, 8:37 AM
Hagar said...: Socialists and communists are serious people - totally wrongheaded, but serious and have thought through their wrongheadedness.
These peo;e are not serious.; 6/2/12, 8:39 AM
Hagar said...: people; 6/2/12, 8:40 AM
Meade said...: "Trippy, man."

As trippy as looking out our rear window, seeing a hawk swoop down and fly off with a squirrel, and then seeing him on the hawk cam 30 seconds later drop down and present the meal to his nestlings.

By the way, we love the two expertly framed prints of your drawings of Archimedes - Archimedes alert, and Archimedes dreaming. The prints have pride of place in our living room and are the next best thing to having Archimedes himself living with us. Thanks again, Palladian.; 6/2/12, 9:01 AM
Anonymous said...: Can we get a definition of Socialist/Communist that the current administration differs from in any substantial way?

Easily, both advocate state ownership of the means of production. In a communist society there is no private property or industry and the economy is centrally planned. Pure Socialism is a mixed economy where private businesses are allowed but all major industries are owned by the state.

Please demonstrate how this country is remotely like that.; 6/2/12, 9:02 AM
Anonymous said...: Lowcarb Gluten Free Pancake Recipe

The GF mix in this recipe is easy to make, I buy the flours from an oline site called Netrition.; 6/2/12, 10:59 AM
Anonymous said...: I use real buttermilk in this recipe, it's not that high in carbs in the amount you need .; 6/2/12, 11:03 AM
Dave said...: Low carb? GLUTEN free? Sounds like something that vegetarian nazi Hitler would have liked and his good buddy Stalin. Pinko Facist Food!; 6/2/12, 11:07 AM
Dave said...: Michelle Obama is for healthy eating! She probably got the idea from Bill Ayers as a way to destroy the country from within - one bite at a time...; 6/2/12, 11:10 AM
Anonymous said...: Dave, no its actually not vegetarian at all, especially if you have bacon and eggs with it. Lowcarb is far from any vegetarian diet, it's heavy in fat and meat.

As Meade said he lost 12 pounds eating lowcarb. Good stuff, but to each their own.; 6/2/12, 11:22 AM
Dave said...: AllieOop(s) - Yeah - the recipe's vegetarian (not vegan of course) - but I was just making a joke after all the "Obama is a Communist - Socialist - Nazi who eats babies" Tea Party nonsense.; 6/2/12, 11:37 AM
Synova said...: Not a communist!

LOL!; 6/2/12, 12:05 PM
Jane said...: I'm home from spending three days at a Classical home education conference which was wonderful, with hundreds of mothers learning Latin and buying books on the Socratic method - now I get to see this and it delights me.

Notice how the Tea Party types go for quiet, attentive listening at their rallies? No ear-splitting drum beats, just quiet discourse. I love hanging out with these people. I've been attending all kinds of incredible meetings here near Northern VA in the last three years and it's been simply amazing.; 6/2/12, 7:33 PM
FreddyB said...: AllieOop: Thanks for the recipe.; 6/3/12, 11:39 AM