September 18, 2012

"The president’s view is one of a larger government... where government plays a larger and larger role, redistributes money..."

"I think... that’s the wrong course for America," said Mitt Romney today, trying to regain the offensive position as Democrats made what they could out of his "47%" remark. "We believe in free people and free enterprise, not redistribution."

Helping Romney in this effort to seize the narrative is Matt Drudge, headlining something Obama said in 1998 with the teaser "I actually believe in redistribution." But that video Drudge linked to only has 313 views! Wow. I'm surprised the click-through from Drudge is so extremely minimal.

And here's James Taranto, doing his part for Romney.

ADDED: I don't know why we're assuming that something Romney said to donors back in May was genuine. He might have been dishing out stock conservatism to extract money from rich folk. By the same token, Obama has said things to small groups to stroke them. There's an awful lot of crap that can be strewn in our path in this run-up to the election. But what can you do? Turn off the noise? Use everything useful, any which way you can? Run away screaming?

144 comments:

Epsilon Given said...

Ann, YouTube often stops the counter at around 300 for quite a while when a video is very popular. You can take a look at the likes/dislikes and the number of comments to get a better feel for how many have viewed until YouTube catches up.

Anonymous said...

Even David Brooks @ NYT is against Romney. Poor Mitt, he misses the CA Elevator, NH Lake House, etc. Too bad he cannot join Curiousity on Mars. Why? Even the rover does not like him.

Freeman Hunt said...

The views don't update in real time.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Google pays people for views, so they have systems set up to prevent false views from bots. All YouTube view counts stop at that number, then Google starts verifying views, which takes a while. Give it a few hours, or a day.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Althouse would know these things if she were subscribed to any of the many YouTube stars!

edutcher said...

I don't think the Romster needs anybody carrying water for him.

I'm betting he's gotten his point across just dandy, although that video of Dictator Zero surfacing just now provides a nice contrast, don't it?

shiloh said...

Willard supporters unite!

Again, smitten w/mittens Althouse is digressing to 1998 lol.

Obama = incumbent C-in-C known

Willard = flip/flopping, discombobulated, out-of-touch, hoity-toity, no compassion/personality, won't reveal any specifics on major political issues, can't get out of his own way unknown.

Indeed, sneering plutocrat is the least of his problems ...

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It still only has 313 views. I'd say the the counter is not working.

Amartel said...

"But that video Drudge linked to only has 313 views! Wow. I'm surprised the click-through from Drudge is so extremely minimal."

Stuff people already know?
Not interested in reruns?
Broken record not amusing?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It's all for the pro-democrat media and the pro-democrat media narrative.

shiloh said...

"313 views"

Regardless Drudge is preaching to the choir. Seriously, does anyone think undecideds listen to Drudge or surf his site.

ok, ok, Althouse is an undecided. :-P

Jason (the commenter) said...

Half the comments on this post are going to be about the YouTube counter now :(

Michael said...

16 Trilion in debt. QE3 operative. Gas at $3.80 a gallon. Unemployment over 8 %. Seniors are getting sub 1% on their cash savings.

The Dems can gotcha Romney every day but the grinding facts are against him. Debates sans teleprompter looming and a thin skinned and shoot from the hip debater, an un prepped debater, is going to be deeply exposed.

Tim said...

"I don't know why we're assuming that something Romney said to donors back in May was genuine. He might have been dishing out stock conservatism to extract money from rich folk."

What's really funny about this is, somehow the Soetoro campaign thinks this thing will hurt Romney.

Because all of Romney's "47%" believe themselves to be tax users and parasites?

Nope. Not even close.

Soetoro has the tax user, parasite vote locked up. He knows it, Romney knows it, and the tax users and parasites know it too.

Those who are concerned about tax users and parasites killing the host just got clarification as to who they need to support in this election.

Advantage: Romney.

Mary Beth said...

I hope they keep playing the part of the video about how many people don't pay federal income tax.

The video looks like it was shot by someone working there, not a guest/donor. Everyone else might have figured this out already but I hadn't watched any of the original video until now.

Saint Croix said...

Ann, YouTube often stops the counter at around 300 for quite a while when a video is very popular.

Yeah, it's a drudgalanche. He broke the counter.

Tim said...

Michael said...

"16 Trilion in debt. QE3 operative. Gas at $3.80 a gallon. Unemployment over 8 %. Seniors are getting sub 1% on their cash savings.

The Dems can gotcha Romney every day but the grinding facts are against him. Debates sans teleprompter looming and a thin skinned and shoot from the hip debater, an un prepped debater, is going to be deeply exposed."


Exactly.

If you like the Soetoro record, debasement of the currency, close to zero return on lifetime savings, permanent unemployment at 8+%, gas at $4 a gallon, $1 trillion in new debt each year, doctor shortages, permanent increase in the food stamp rolls, assassinated ambassadors and al Qaeda flags over US Embassies, Soetore is your man.

edutcher said...

shiloh said...

Willard supporters unite!

Again, smitten w/mittens Althouse is digressing to 1998 lol.

Obama = incumbent C-in-C known

Willard = flip/flopping, discombobulated, out-of-touch, hoity-toity, no compassion/personality, won't reveal any specifics on major political issues, can't get out of his own way unknown.

Indeed, sneering plutocrat is the least of his problems ...


Translation:

cons deflection red herring lemmings train wreck

!!!!!!!!Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!!!!!

jr565 said...

We knew he was interested in redistribution as far back as his talk with Joe The Plumber. And we knew of his disdain for business eevery time he demagogues business as 'Rich fat cats not paying their fair share" (which he articulated regularly).
Finding a video of him saying what we know back in 1998 is interesting, but not revelatory. I suppose they can point to the links where he says he will necessarily bankrupt the coal industry to see where he stands on energy policies. But again, this was known prior to the LAST election.

Craig Howard said...

I'm surprised the click-through from Drudge is so extremely minimal.

I've noticed that before. Drudge's influence, I've surmised, is from his headlines.

shiloh said...

"Drudge's influence, I've surmised, is from his headlines."

Indeed, Drugde viewer = Obama hater = choir so why would a con Obama hater waste time looking at an anti-Obama video ?!?

Again, if an Obama hater needs still needs reinforcement to vote for Willard ...

gadfly said...

"I'd maintain that what are being reported as unfortunate blunders are actually points that Romney could adopt and run with, pulling American voters along with him. But he backs off, because he lacks an ideology to bring continuity and confidence. He's still a technocrat, moving from one consulting gig to another."

Taranto's reader hasn't figured out that it is Romney's stumbling, bumbling campaign managers who resist direct confrontation with a black president (we cannot be accused of racism). The strategy didn't work for McCain and will not work for Mitt. The airways and print media need to be filled constantly with Obama's frightfully bad performance and policy decisions.

chickelit said...

@Jason: That just shows that people read Althouse's post and not the comments before commenting.

Google pays posters for high traffic YouTube views? What's the threshold for "high traffic"?

Jason (the commenter) said...

chickelit: Google pays posters for high traffic YouTube views? What's the threshold for "high traffic"?

I'm not sure, but I heard you start getting money once you receive a thousand verified views. There has to be some money behind it. The woman who does "My Drunk Kitchen" quit her job to do YouTube clips for a year.

pm317 said...

Why is what Romney said bad? 47%, FORTY SEVEN %! do not pay any taxes but depend on some form of govt. dole.. Isn't that an appalling number? Wouldn't it be better if Romney were to find jobs for some of them and they start paying taxes? Obama should actually worry that this got out. I mean seriously, 47%!!, that is almost half the population.

Matt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matt said...

Obama's view of redistributing wealth is exactly what America has been doing for 80 years since FDR. Why is this being touted as radical? It's not in the least radical. What IS radical is changing that and giving more tax cuts to the wealthy.

ricpic said...

"...where government...redistributes money...I think...that's the wrong course for America."

Wow, what wild and extremely extreme right wing rhetoric from that meanie. That guy Romney, he might take away your toys from meh...I mean my toys!

Renee said...

I actually had some good discussions with friends on Facebook in the past 24 hours.

I am the 47% who pays no federal tax. My family also used a fuel subsidy last year. When I voted four years ago, I voted to strengthen our economy, so we could pay our bills. Whether you voted for McCain or Obama, that was what both Democrats and Republicans wanted. Instead I got the hand out, now are we're hooked on a pattern 'needing' it each winter. Now alot of middle class families find themselves tethered to government subsidies in this recession. Should I be greatful to Obama for the assistance, or judge him for not giving a secure path out of the recession?

It seems many friends, who voted for Obama in 08', also wanted a stronger economy four years ago. Now they're just ecstatic that their young adult child can be on their health insurance. Shouldn't they be upset the economy has changed so little, and their young adult children are in a holding pattern?

I don't want to pull the rug underneath a middle class family who have relied on assistance, but so many middle class families are content without the change, just as long as they are taken care of with their new subsidies.

None of us are "lazy-asses", but I had a taste of financial independence as a young adult. It was great. I worry for the generation (and I'm only in my mid-30s). I'm not a us vs. them person. Obama hasn't done his job. I'm worried about us, as a nation, it is pathetic what we have been reduced to.

Jason (the commenter) said...

pm317: Why is what Romney said bad?

The idea is to have people say "Did you hear that secret video of Romney? Isn't he extreme?" Doesn't matter if what he said was extreme or not, that's the word, "extreme", that they want people to use. So that's how they'll describe anything he says.

Whenever Romney flip-flops it's also evidence of his extremism. However, when Obama flip-flops it's proof he's pragmatic and NOT extreme.

ricpic said...

Don't worry, Matt. Now that money printing is open ended your fantasy can go on FOREVER!!!

Matt said...

pm317

47%, FORTY SEVEN %! do not pay any taxes but depend on some form of govt. dole...

That is flat out wrong. Please read the figures again. 47% refers only the federal income tax. It does not refer to payroll taxes, state taxes, local taxes, sales tax, gas tax, property tax etc.

Renee said...

Matt,

http://reason.com/blog/2012/09/18/forget-romney-should-we-concerned-that-4

"Forget Romney: Should We Be Concerned That 49 Percent of Households Get Government Money?"

Dante said...

But that video Drudge linked to only has 313 views! Wow. I'm surprised the click-through from Drudge is so extremely minimal.

Still has only 313 views, but over 3,000 comments. I wonder how that can be?

Dante said...

But what can you do? Turn off the noise? Use everything useful, any which way you can? Run away screaming?

Thank goodness the press isn't going to be balanced anymore so that we only have to get upset about this with Rs?

Oh, wait.

Seeing Red said...

There isn't enough money Matt. We are broke.

So where will you get this largesse from?

Tax cuts are radical? JFK didn't think so, btw, when all this stuff started there were was it 16 workers to 1 or 32, can't remember, it's now like 3 workers.

WE ARE BROKE.

Dante said...

Half the comments on this post are going to be about the YouTube counter now :(

Including yours!

rehajm said...

Matt said...
pm317

47%, FORTY SEVEN %! do not pay any taxes but depend on some form of govt. dole...

That is flat out wrong. Please read the figures again. 47% refers only the federal income tax. It does not refer to payroll taxes, state taxes, local taxes, sales tax, gas tax, property tax etc.


For 2009, the most recent year available, here are taxes less transfers as a percentage of market income (income that households earned from their work and savings):

Bottom quintile: -301 percent
Second quintile: -42 percent
Middle quintile: -5 percent
Fourth quintile: 10 percent
Highest quintile: 22 percent

Top one percent: 28 percent

The negative 301 percent means that a typical family in the bottom quintile receives about $3 in transfer payments for every dollar earned.

The most surprising fact to me was that the effective tax rate is negative for the middle quintile. According to the CBO data, this number was +14 percent in 1979 (when the data begin) and remained positive through 2007. It was negative 0.5 percent in 2008, and negative 5 percent in 2009. That is, the middle class, having long been a net contributor to the funding of government, is now a net recipient of government largess.

pm317 said...

Still has only 313 views, but over 3,000 comments. I wonder how that can be?

Heh, Google programmers are math challenged!

pm317 said...

Here is the data behind Romney's 47%. He is not wrong.

pm317 said...

Renee said...

-------------

Appreciate your comment. I sincerely wish you luck in getting out of that Obama [strike]middle[/strike] muddle.

Matt said...

So, in other words, people who receive any government funding and don't pay income tax - from elderly people, to people serving in the military, to students, to disable people and the working poor - are all parasites?

Yeah, that's a winning stategy Romney. LOL....

Renee said...

Matt, Most people don't have a problem with that. The problem is that the middle class and college graduates (not students) are now the working poor. That's a big problem.

I would love to be financially well off to actually pay taxes, rather then living pay check to pay check as the cost of everything rises.

pm317 said...

We need a safety net but we also need upward mobility for people who are capable. We need jobs, new and better jobs for people to move up the ladder. I don't hear Obama talking about any of that. Romney is talking about growing this economy which might just do the trick for people who don't want to get stuck in their little cubbyhole Obama(and people like you) has created.

netmarcos said...

313 views, but 2,073 likes, 934 dislikes. Yup; math is not the strong skill here at the moment, just as logic eludes so many...

chickelit said...

Jason wrote: I'm not sure, but I heard you start getting money once you receive a thousand verified views.

One of mine has over 3100 views. (Here, maybe I'll get a few more: toot toot).

Perhaps Google just doesn't know where to send the check ;)

The Crack Emcee said...

Helping Romney in this effort to seize the narrative is Matt Drudge,...And here's James Taranto, doing his part for Romney.

I don't care who they're for, I'm getting sick of all this "help" these assholes get - whatever happened to a politician EARNING our votes?

Fuck Drudge and Taranto, I say let the candidates rise or fall on their own,...

J.R. said...

only 313 views, but over 3,000 likes and dislikes. The counter obviously is broken.

mccullough said...

I don't doubt that Romney was telling these donors what he thought they wanted to hear, just as he tells the rest of us what he thinks we want to hear. I don't know what this guy believes but I think he believes in the ability of technocrats to solve problems and fancies himself a technocrat. Maybe he's a sneering technocrat.

Methadras said...

mccullough said...

I don't doubt that Romney was telling these donors what he thought they wanted to hear, just as he tells the rest of us what he thinks we want to hear. I don't know what this guy believes but I think he believes in the ability of technocrats to solve problems and fancies himself a technocrat. Maybe he's a sneering technocrat.


Better a technocrat than a thieving marxist.

Seven Machos said...

Listen to pm, people. This person is a Clinton liberal. Peel them off from Obama and he'll be lucky to get 50 electoral votes.

Perhaps -- just perhaps -- Romney knows what he's doing.

MadisonMan said...

Even if one views that the role of the Government is to redistribute money, the idea that it takes a larger and larger Government to do that -- a larger and larger inefficient Government, because all Governments are inefficient, I'm sorry to say -- is not compelling.

So has the size of Government increased under Obama? That's a good question. And the answer is apparently Yes.

Rockport Conservative said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rockport Conservative said...

The counter does seem to be broken 8:24 CDT and it still shows 313.

Seeing Red said...

--So, in other words, people who receive any government funding-

Taxpayer funding.

FIFY

pm317 said...

That Mother Jones' journolister may have doomed Obama re-election prospects. I say good riddance to both.

_Jim said...

Ann: "But that video Drudge linked to only has 313 views! Wow. I'm surprised the click-through from Drudge is so extremely minimal."

Check tomorrow; you're so used to seeing your video count real-time under Video Manager but that's not how individual videos belonging to someone else 'tally' their hit-counts on each view page ...

_Jim

pm317 said...

JULIA! is going to vote for Obama, yay!

veni vidi vici said...

It had 313 views when I just clicked on it, and it did when I first did a couple hours ago.

"No statistics available" either. YouTube/Google is hiding the damage.

edutcher said...

Seven Machos said...

Listen to pm, people. This person is a Clinton liberal. Peel them off from Obama and he'll be lucky to get 50 electoral votes.

Perhaps -- just perhaps -- Romney knows what he's doing.


I don't think there's any doubt of it.

Anybody who can go through Haavahd's law school and business school at the same time, without any free rides, when a Haavahd education still meant something, probably has a lot more on the ball than most of his detractors can even imagine.

Certainly more than their Messiah.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

The other day I was Joking about right wingers all hating europeans, but today Romney actually comes out and in all apparent seriousness uses european as a term of abuse for Obama and his supporters. The first time as comedy, the second time as farce. Fucking incredible.

Let's review, Europe - the place where white people come from and they don't like foreigners. It's the republican base in funny costumes.

After insulting the British, who wiped the floor with their olympic games, he now goes the full Romney and maligns the entire continent. Apparently in his mind it is a continent full of 47 percenters. What an arrogant ass this guy is.

Peter Hoh said...

The issue of the YouTube counter getting stuck at just over 300 views (usually 301) is a well-documented phenomenon, even if knowledge of it is not widespread.

It's not a conspiracy by the (Google) man to suppress viewpoints.

The fact that the counter got stuck on 313 -- and not 301 or 302 -- indicates that this video got a lot of traffic very quickly.

pm317 said...

Hey, he was never our messiah. We Clinton liberals (thanks, Seven Machos) are a smart lot, or rephrasing it -- the smart Clinton liberals didn't vote for him in the first place. We saw through all that hope and change before any of you did.

gk1 said...

I was stunned to hear the water cooler approval of this from the garden variety californians I know. I think just about everyone knows someone whos coasting, double dipping, taking benefits that aren't their's and feeling like saps. For every liberal gloating there are 3 democrats thinking "hmmm". I have to admit this seems like an unlikely Romney win.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

pm317 said...
Hey, he was never our messiah. We Clinton liberals (thanks, Seven Machos) are a smart lot, or rephrasing it -- the smart Clinton liberals didn't vote for him in the first place. We saw through all that hope and change before any of you did.


God this is stupid. The Clintons voted for him. I can't believe this idiot isn't Seven under another name.

Peter Hoh said...

Here's the explanation re. YouTube and 301: Numberphile: Why do YouTube views freeze at 301?.

It includes an interview with a guy who is a product manager for YouTube Analytics.

_Jim said...

Peter Hoh said:

"The issue of the YouTube counter getting stuck at just over ..."

ATTENTION, CHILDREN, COUNTERS ON EACH VIEW PAGE WHICH YOU DO NOT OWN DO NOT UPDATE IN REAL TIME BUT RATHER GET REFRESHED ONCE A DAY.

Clear?

pm317 said...

Great! another Obot dimwit just like 2008 telling us what to think.

Seeing Red said...

Well, Europe is a failure....so I really don't see the issue.

somefeller said...

Hey, he was never our messiah. We Clinton liberals (thanks, Seven Machos) are a smart lot, or rephrasing it -- the smart Clinton liberals didn't vote for him in the first place. We saw through all that hope and change before any of you did.

Gaining the miniscule number of Clinton liberals who voted for McCain isn't the way Romney will win the election. Most of the Clinton liberals (including the Clintons themselves, as pointed out above) supported Obama in the 2008 general election and Romney's challenge is to peel them off. He might be able to do that, but thus far I'm not seeing much evidence of it.

FYI - Obama is currently at 67.8% at Intrade.

Anonymous said...

Yeah I think the Youtube counter is stuck. It's still at 313.

Synova said...

"Let's review, Europe - the place where white people come from and they don't like foreigners. It's the republican base in funny costumes."

Let's review, Europe - the place where white people left on account of their religion was unpopular or their people were harassed and oppressed or starving or they didn't have a future because they couldn't get a job.

somefeller said...

And now Peggy Noonan joins in the fun.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

pm317
Hilarious.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Synova said..
Europe - the place where white people left on account of their religion was unpopular or their people were harassed


I can't recall arguing that they were a particularly tolerant bunch, another thing in common with the republican base.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

When you've lost Peggy Noonan ...

pm317 said...

Screw Peggy Noonan. Why does she talk like that?

tina said...

Actually, I watched the 2 videos of his speech (The Blaze). What he said made a lot of sense. It's true. Its realistic. Nothing for him to be ashamed about. In fact, he spoke very well (sans prompter); he'll make a great president.

And re the views of that video...when I clicked on it 2 hrs ago it was 313 views. I just checked again; still 313 views. Yet the way this video is making the rounds on various blogs, I think it's getting quite a bit of play.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Matt - Wealthy people do not get tax cuts. They pay more taxes than anyone.

pm317 said...

Would anybody care to see all of Romney video? If you don't have time, there are transcripts, as well.

Meanwhile, the Pravda Google is stuck at 313. What are they afraid of?

Sloanasaurus said...

This debate is really starting to sink in.. at least in the places I go. Maybe on CBS and NBC they are still only playing the Romney tape rather than examining the larger issue.

But, why are we becoming a dependency nation. It does not have to be this way. We don't have to have 50 million people on food stamps permanently.

Why do we want to be like that.

This election has a stark choice. Obama stands for more welfare more of the time. Romney is for less welfare, less of the time.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

pm317 said...
Screw Peggy Noonan. Why does she talk like that?


It is curious advice. At the end of the article she advises them to hide Romney in a crowd. Apparently she is so lacking in confidence in his abilities to be appealing to the general public that she wants him to appear incognito at all future campaign events. Even less plausibly she suggests that one of the crowd should be Jeb Bush, did she miss the Bush presidency?

Balfegor said...

Yes, history went off the rails with the People's Budget of 1909. Asquith you fool!

pm317 said...

I was referring to Noonan talking in hushed tone. Maybe she should just hide.

pm317 said...

Hilarious! Greta just lectured the three journolister men (yeah, that schmuck Rick Klein and some Time guy, who knows what the fuck his name is,) on her panel for parroting Obama talking points on war on women.

Synova said...

"I can't recall arguing that they were a particularly tolerant bunch, another thing in common with the republican base."

Stuff that just doesn't fit with your prejudices bugs the heck out of you, doesn't it.

Europe isn't conservative. The racism in Europe isn't conservative. The economic strategies of Europe are not conservative.

It is *therefore* not at all amazing when Romney, or anyone else, complains about European socialism and the economic results that are happening as we type.

I think you're the first being I've encountered that doesn't *understand* conservative antipathy toward Europe. Liberals seem to love European ideas. I don't have to agree with them to understand that. Nor do most people have to agree with conservative Europe-bashing to *understand* that.

Conserve Liberty said...

If given the choice I would rather eb in tehg roup that earns enough money that I must pay Federal Income Taxes (as long as the marginal rate is below 50%) than in the group that receives Federal Transfer Payments.

Means-Test me out of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, ObamaCare and everything else - PLEASE!

But let me make my own choices what I do with what you let me keep.

Conserve Liberty said...

If given the choice I would rather eb in tehg roup that earns enough money that I must pay Federal Income Taxes (as long as the marginal rate is below 50%) than in the group that receives Federal Transfer Payments.

Means-Test me out of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, ObamaCare and everything else - PLEASE!

But let me make my own choices what I do with what you let me keep.

Seven Machos said...

Yeah, Synova, that Europe is crazy conservative. I asked our poorly educated friend Reasonable the other day about the significance of 1789. He did not get it.

Also, I am not pm, for the record. Or McCullough, who I have also been accused of being.

Hagar said...

The left generally prefer shared misery to unequal happiness, except of course, that as leaders in seeking justice for the masses, they personally deserve, and indeed need to have, special privileges in order to carry out their noble work.

Cf. the Soviet and Chinese nomenklatura.

Also the heads of quasi-government agencies such as the SEC and Fannie and Freddie, etc. retiring with "golden parachutes" of $100 million and more.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Synova said...
Europe isn't conservative.


I don't think you really understand the meaning of the term conservative. France, Germany, Italy, these countries have cultures that have survived two millennia, the greater fraction of recorded history. These are remarkably endurant cultures. This is the definition of a conservative mindset. You don't get to redefine terms that you didn't invent yourself.

As one example, pretty much everyone in Europe seems to have given up on the belief in God, but the state religions in these countries go on regardless. There are traditions that are conserved long after their original impetus has faded. You can mock this but you cannot deny that it is conservative. In contrast look at US religion, an egregious collection of hucksters all out to make a quick buck who come and go in the blink of a historical eyelid. Essentially the exact opposite of conservative. Christianity in the US may be a living religion but it is definitely not a conservative one.

Don't get me wrong, the fluidity of US culture is generally a strength in terms of scientific, technological and commercial competition with Europe but it is not a conservative culture, using anything resembling the original meaning of the term.

Seven Machos said...

Reasonable -- Germany and Italy were not countries until the 1800s. France is the founding entity of leftism in...wait for it...1789.

Jesus Christ. What a dolt. You disprove your own thesis in your own examples and you are too stupid to understand why.

Conservatism is a non-theory of government originally espoused by an Irishman named Edmund Burke in response to the French Revolution. French. Make a note of it.

It's been a long time since someone so utterly bereft of both knowledge and self-awareness showed up here.

Go learn something. Please. My Christ.

Synova said...

So... Republicans are just like Europe's bad points so they should love Europe, but I can't claim that Europe isn't conservative because it is, which is totally the opposite of US conservatives who aren't conservative at all but crazy reactionaries.

Thus... Republicans = Europe /= Republicans.

Brilliant.

XRay said...

what you do is ignore all the chatter and vote for the better choice for the next four years.

In other words, vote for four more years of proven failure, or a slightly better chance that things might get better.

It's not a good choice, but it is all we have.

Revenant said...

France, Germany, Italy, these countries have cultures that have survived two millennia

Hilariously ahistorical; I give it 8 out of 10 for humor value. :)

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Synova said...
So... Republicans are just like Europe's bad points so they should love Europe, but I can't claim that Europe isn't conservative because it is, which is totally the opposite of US conservatives who aren't conservative at all but crazy reactionaries.

Thus... Republicans = Europe /= Republicans.


Sorry Synova I have clearly confused you with sarcasm. No, I don't believe the republican party, as currently construed, has much in common with european culture. But wait a decade or two and it may all be different.

Anonymous said...

Still 313 at 11:30 EDT ?

Obama as a redistributionist is not exactly news.

Synova said...

Oh, and *really*. Anyone with any sophistication knows that the definitions of "conservative" and "liberal" and whatever else do not translate from US politics to European politics.

I simply assumed that no one would try to match up language use on both sides of the pond.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Revenant said...
France, Germany, Italy, these countries have cultures that have survived two millennia

Hilariously ahistorical; I give it 8 out of 10 for humor value. :)


You are failing to distinguish country and culture. Reading comprehension not a strength?

Seven Machos said...

Eight out of 10? You are a tough crowd, Rev. That is hilarious on an epic scale.

Germany has been around almost as long as the James K. Polk administration. Germany has been around slightly longer than the newly-built Atlanta after it was razed to the ground.

I cannot believe this guy doesn't slink away in humiliation. But I say keep it up. I love the comedy.

Kchiker said...

I look forward to the moment Romney releases his tax returns and proves that he has taken responsibility for his life.

Seven Machos said...

You are failing to distinguish country and culture.

I see. So, when we speak of German culture, are we then talking about the Holy Roman Empire, which encompassed most of Italy, not to mention Hungary and parts of Croatia?

Incredible.

Seven Machos said...

Shorter Chiker: This shit's not working. Dammit! Back to the tax returns. Gotta work this time.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Seven Machos said...
You are failing to distinguish country and culture.

I see. So, when we speak of German culture, are we then talking about the Holy Roman Empire, which encompassed most of Italy, not to mention Hungary and parts of Croatia?

Incredible.


I am sorry, but you are so dumb it makes the angels cry. Try to see beyond childish point scoring and actually engage a little. I am sure you will be much happier.

Kchiker said...

Hey, by Romney's logic this would be the first thing someone wanting to be the leader of the free world would do. And yet he won't do it....

Kchiker said...

It's hysterically funny that someone who points and scoffs at someone else's tax returns refuses to allow his own to be seen.

Seven Machos said...

Reasonable -- You obviously know nothing about history and absolutely nothing about Europe.

You really should quit while you are ahead. Everything you have said has been hilariously wrong. I am enjoying it, though. Please, don't stop. Tell us more about your "knowledge" of Europe.

Bear in mind that I worked as a State Department official there.

Seven Machos said...

Tax returns. It's got to work this time if you just keep banging on your keyboard.

I say use exclamation points! They really help!!

amba said...

Yes. Run away screaming.

(I'm trying to learn about the LIbertarian.)

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Seven Machos said...
Bear in mind that I worked as a State Department official there.


And you're an astronaut too, in your mind.

a psychiatrist who learned from veterans said...

"I don't know why we're assuming that something Romney said to donors back in May was genuine. He might have been dishing out stock conservatism to extract money from rich folk." Kind of related to that is can't a president or candidate ever have a normal conversation, like maybe one that is 4/5 emotional relief and reflection, spirit of the occasion, and 1/5 operational facts.

Seven Machos said...

Okay, dude. Whatever you say.

amba said...

Yes. Run away screaming.

(I'm trying to learn about the LIbertarian.)

Samrobb said...

"But that video Drudge linked to only has 313 views! Wow. I'm surprised the click-through from Drudge is so extremely minimal."

No surprise. Google's just redistributing the views to keep everything fair.

Bill said...

I'm not quite sure how Mitt believes what he's saying is true--of the 47% who don't pay income tax, 40-45% of them are probably Republican. To say they're all going to vote for Obama is both asinine and ignorant. After all, for those making over $50k/year, the vote in 2008 was split 49-49 between Obama and McCain.

Unrelated: Hey, Althouse, do you only post Intrade info when it benefits the GOP? Romney has slipped to a 32% chance of reelection.

Seven Machos said...

Romney has slipped to a 32% chance of reelection.

I guess he sure is up against it for reelection according to intrade then.

Kchiker said...

"Romney has slipped to a 32% chance of reelection."

You'd think this crowd would be wetting themselves at the moneymaking potential there. Because of Rasmussen and all....

Balfegor said...

Re: AReasonableMan

You are failing to distinguish country and culture.

Seven Machos is obviously right here. Think about those specific countries. They're like the worst possible examples of cultural continuity you could pick. The emergence of the modern French and German cultural identities (I don't know anything about Italy) come hand in hand with the French Revolution (e.g. the suppression of Breton, Occitan and other languages) and the rise of German national identity movements in the early 19th century (the folklore and language researches of the Brothers Grimm, revolutions of 1848, etc.). These movements really did change the culture of France and Germany in a fundamental way, often through brutal repression of organic traditional cultures.

And of course, even picking those disjunctions is somewhat artificial. The cultures were constantly changing, evolving in new (and often malign) ways. Was the culture in the Kingdom of France in the time of the Fronde the same as the culture during the Hundred Years War? Obviously not. The culture of the Prussian German Empire the same as the culture of the Holy Empire? Again, obviously not.

Seven Machos said...

The best part, Balfegor, is that between roughly 400 and 1800 the geographic areas that are currently France and Germany were constantly -- constantly -- switching allegiances (either by choice or force) among rulers of the places that would morph into modern France and Germany.

But to a guy who equates the Foreign Service with being an astronaut, I guess that's all just too much in the way of detail.

I am honored to be compared to astronauts, by the way.

Revenant said...

You are failing to distinguish country and culture.

You misunderstand; I was laughing at the idea that there are identifiable "German", "French", and "Italian" cultures that date back 2000 years. :)

Seven Machos said...

Didn't Germany defeat the Romans at the Battle of Tours in about 100 A.D., Rev? Not the countries, of course, the cultures.

Revenant said...

You'd think this crowd would be wetting themselves at the moneymaking potential there. Because of Rasmussen and all...

The prospect of winning a couple of thousand bucks on a weighted coin toss doesn't really make me reach for the Depends. :)

Balfegor said...

You misunderstand; I was laughing at the idea that there are identifiable "German", "French", and "Italian" cultures that date back 2000 years. :)

Oh come on, they totally line up. It's Gauls, Romans, and German Barbarians (haha).

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

What Romney said is wrong.

We have an unusual number of people not paying taxes and getting benefits because of the recession and also because we have more old people, in absolute and relative terms, than ever before.

There are a lot of unemployed who don't want to be, and a lot of seniors who don't vote Democrat.

What Romney was saying not only wasn't true, it's a bad idea to base a strategy on the assumption that anyone who gets benefits won't vote Republican.

If any of us gets old enough, we get Medicare. Most people get Social Security if they worked at all. So, is everyone destined to be a Democratic voter?

Makes no sense.

Also, class warfare is a loser in America. Republicans doing it isn't an improvement.

Seven Machos said...

John Lynch -- Romney didn't say what you think he said. You are right that class warfare isn't a winner in American politics. But you are wrong about who is engaging in class warfare.

Revenant said...

We have an unusual number of people not paying taxes and getting benefits because of the recession and also because we have more old people, in absolute and relative terms, than ever before.

We were at 40% five years ago.

This is not a new problem. The percentage of Americans living on the public tit has been steadily growing since 1968.

Ralph L said...

Holy Roman Empire
Started by a Frenchman--Charlemagne
Ended by a Corsican--Napoleon. Lots of Germans in the middle, most of whom spoke Austrian.

Revenant said...

If any of us gets old enough, we get Medicare.

You get coverage. Now find a doctor who'll take it. Did I mention reimbursements for doctors are slashed starting next year?

Most people get Social Security if they worked at all.

According to the Social Security Board of Trustees, the system will run out of money and start dramatically cutting benefits in 2033. The average retiree lives to be 81.

So if you're under 60, you're screwed.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

I know all that. I bitch about the budget being unsustainable all the time. Of course something has to be done if we want any of our entitlements to stay solvent.

That's not the issue with what Romney said. I agree that reform is necessary. What Romney seems to be saying is that reform is going to be mindlessly opposed by everyone who is not paying taxes but is getting benefits. Rush Limbaugh has said this often, too, but it's just not accurate.

In addition to seniors who may vote Republican because they are concerned that medicare and SS won't be around much longer, lots of working folk who get their EITC get more from the government than they pay in taxes. It's not true that they all vote Democrat. In fact, if they are white, they tend to vote Republican.

West Virginia is the poorest state and gets the most out of the federal government relative to what it pays in taxes. It will vote for Romney.

That's why I don't think that what Romney said is true. I also don't think it's a good strategy to win the election.

Ralph L said...

the system will run out of money and start dramatically cutting benefits in 2033
And that assumes Congress pays up on the IOUs in the lockbox.

Chip S. said...

Romney has slipped to a 32% chance of reelection.

That seems like a reasonable price to me: A 60% chance of winning this November and about a 53% chance of re-election in 2016.

The market's anticipating the beating he's going to take from the MSM during his first term.

Roux said...

Most people read Drudge when they get home from work or first thing in the morning (like me). It has over 90K views this morning.... I suspect it will be more as the week goes on.

machine said...

"Grim-faced aides acknowledged that it was an unusually dark moment, made worse by the self-inflicted, seemingly avoidable nature of the wound. In low-volume, out-of-the-way conversations, a few of them are now wondering whether victory is still possible and whether they are entering McCain-Palin ticket territory..."

Henry said...

Someone else may have observed this, but here's what I find most depressing about this food fight.

Let's say you capture something controversial that a politician says on video or audio, something both petty and untied to event.

Then, down the road, something happens that affects the standing of the politician you support. Something important and specific. Say an embassy is sacked, an ambassador murdered, and a long-term diplomatic strategy is exposed as reckless folly.

That's when you release the first video, the petty, timeless one. The goal is to overwhelm the truly important news with the utterly pointless.

This will be repeated.

Brennan said...

Henry: NBC News actually published a story about how this video release is the greatest thing that "oppp researcher" James Carter IV has done in his life. His former President grandfather was so proud.

James Carter found the video by browsing Youtube. Yes really.

bob said...

Why is it that people think they rebut the argument by saying the 47% do pay taxes, just not federal income taxes? We're talking about the federal government running a trillion dollar deficits. It's irrelevant that you pay local taxes and state taxes. None of those taxes are paying for the federal government. Payroll taxes pay for SS and Medicare -- again, none of it goes to pay for food stamps, defense, farm subsidies, Solyndra, Fast & Furious, billions to non allies like Egypt or any other federal government programs. If half the country can't pay taxes, then government needs to be reduced to a size we can afford. Even if that means we have to pay for our own contraceptives.

Rusty said...

Kchiker said...
I look forward to the moment Romney releases his tax returns and proves that he has taken responsibility for his life.


You wouldn't understand them if he did. He doesn't file a 1040EZ.

Kchiker said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kchiker said...

""Why is it that people think they rebut the argument by saying the 47% do pay taxes, just not federal income taxes? “

Because if those people are paying payroll taxes, we’re talking about the working poor...(and occasionally others whose deductions outweigh their income) not those seeking handouts.

If those people aren’t paying payroll taxes, we’re either talking about students, the elderly, or the unemployed.

AllenS said...

I hope everyone realizes that the complete May Romney tape is missing some minutes

Link

Brennan said...

Most of the 47% do pay federal income taxes. They just receive a tax return if they file one.

Dragging payroll taxes into the debate is an old trick by the Democrats to obfuscate Romney's actual words.

Anonymous said...

Julian Sanchez at Cato has a good takedown. Key paragraph:

"People want goods like health care and financial security. In a social and political environment where those things are provided by government, people will accept them from government. In an environment where they’re provided by the private sector, people will acquire them privately. In the long run, the nature of the broader system will probably influence the frequency in the population of deeper character traits and dispositions like responsibility or resilience—but you can’t legitimately infer a whole lot about people’s preferences between systems from their behavior within systems."

_Jim said...


"But that video Drudge linked to only has 313 views! Wow. I'm surprised the click-through from Drudge is so extremely minimal."

Samrobb 9/18/12 11:14 PM said:

"No surprise. Google's just redistributing the views to keep everything fair."



Notice, CHILDREN, it is showing over 1/3 of a million hits TODAY.

Geesh.

Children ("Are we there yet?") ...

_Jim

ricpic said...

Barry's not sure what the national debt is, somewhere between ten and sixteen trillion, but we're safe in the short term, though he's not sure about the mid or long term. Scout's honor that's what the grifter said on Letterman.