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- Mike Potemra begins by noting the obvious: President Obama is probably not an "anti-colonialist" or "socialist." He concludes instead that he is a "clueless bungler" who had everyone fooled in 2008, but now the mask has fallen off. So where has Obama bungled, exactly? His handling of the economy? Potemra does not mention it in his post. Legislative accomplishment? Again, not mentioned, but obviously Obama has presided over an extraordinarily productive Congress. Some examples of this alleged incompetence would really aid his argument, as would evidence that it accounts for public disapproval.
- Via Kevin Drum, Andrew Sullivan cites numerous superficial reasons why he wants a deranged lunatic to best Harry Reid in Nevada. I find this baffling. Sharron Angle, last seen intoning that Sharia law is creeping into America like a virus, is, in Sullivan's words, a nut job. This isn't debatable. But like his stance toward the Clintons, whatever rationality Sullivan has disappears upon contact with politicians he doesn't like for frivolous reasons.
- Texas Gov. Rick Perry tells the Heritage Foundation that it's "dangerous" to have national education standards, pushing the same boilerplate about leaving curriculum decisions "to the states." Now, I know the prevailing winds down in the Lone Star State are to teach a generation of American children that Jesus and George Washington created the Earth in six days, but come on. Perry rambles about the "diversity" of Texas, as if that has any relevance to national standards, but at the end of the day 2+2 still equals 4 and Perry doesn't have any sound reason for having 50 different education standards in the country.
- Remainders: Since everything is going to hell, here's some good news; no one ever talks about the positive benefits of health-care reform; no one ever talks about the immense deficit reduction happening right before our eyes; the libertarian's sense of self-importance is rather astounding; Obama might also have noted that treating business entities like human beings is a "threat to our democracy"; and who should lead a multipolar world?
-- Mori Dinauer
