……..therefore I work on not erring
LOL. What a day.
While Iran snubs Obamas overtures Russia quietly decides to create new bases in the parts of Georgia that they took by force last summer. [ht Tai-Chi Policy]
(Only Russia and Nicaragua have given their recognition to an independent Abkhazia, and S. Ossetia)
Yes Russia respects the authority of the UN. When convenient.
Iraqi’s came out in droves (Sunnis included) to vote today in their provincial elections.
Iraqis are electing new provincial councils in the first nationwide vote in four years, with the Sunni minority expected to turn out in strength
Awesomeness!! Congratulations to all who worked to make this happen. May Bush’s vision of a democratic Iraq be lasting.
“I came early because I feel this election is very important to reward the officials that worked for Iraq’s unity and reject sectarianism,” said Ghania Aboud Jasim, 60, after she voted. “I am here trying to change the situation of my country.”
You can just feel the excitement. Coolio!!
Today Rich Lowry notes how in our bizarro world we are bailing out GM and Chrysler, while also “punishing” them by allowing California to set their own fuel standards on them.
Even California admits that the new strictures will add $1,000 to the cost of vehicles by 2016. (The carmakers estimate $3,000.) So, GM and Chrysler will struggle to shed labor and legacy costs – just to see new regulatory costs imposed on them by the very political authorities that are putting taxpayer dollars at risk to save them.
Holman Jenkins of the Wall Street Journal notes
the American industry takes a hit on the cheaper, lighter cars it manufactures at its high-cost unionized plants to comply with CAFE. It makes such cars profitably overseas and could import them back here to the US to meet CAFE standards – if Congress didn’t forbid it from doing so in a naked pander to the United Auto Workers.
California wrote new regulations years ago. They were to require 10% of all cars to have zero emissions by 2003. It didn’t happen.
Back in March CA reduced their new standards for zero emissions by 70%.
The board will require the automakers to sell a combined 7,500 zero-emission vehicles from 2012 through 2014, a 70 percent cut from a previous mandate of 25,000 vehicles.
Make all the regulations you want California. You get to be known as the green state with the highest standards, while not actually doing a dang thing.
Those trials are going to go forward.
Scott has a couple predictions.
1. Robert Gibbs isn’t long for his job.
2. Obama won’t be fighting this.
I agree.
That’s the first paragraph in a Washington Post story today. And I’m done reading. Why? Because I don’t listen to people who
1) tell me I have to sacrifice my comfortable 72degree home and then go increasing the heat in the oval office to orchid weather.
2) tell me I can’t eat what I want and then have a party with $100 steaks on the menu
3) and now tell me that bankers are shameful for taking money during such hard times while “stimulating” and economy by essentially taking money during such hard times for things that he wants. Or enjoying a 170 million dollar inauguration.
As Dinocrat notes, this is looking like a track record of do as I say, not as I do.
UPDATE An Instalaunch!! Welcome! Thanks Glenn!
This has me busting a gut laughing!!!
It’s about Obama’s “relaxed” style in the oval office. Going jacketless, while Bush insisted everyone (males, I presume) where a coat and tie.
First it assumes that people will be critical:
Obama critics will probably hold this against him and mark him down as disrespecting the presidency.
And that’s not the funny part.
Then it goes on to recount the various styles of Presidents and how Democrats tend to have a more relaxed style.
ie Nixon’s dress shoes on the beach and JFK letting his kids play at his feet.
This is the whole bit on Clinton:
Like Obama, President Bill Clinton began his presidency with a more informal feel than his predecessor, the first President George Bush. He wore business shirts with regular cuffs and the inexpensive looking watch he had campaigned in.
But after getting off to a rough start during the first part of his presidency, thanks to the gays in the military issue and other missteps, he had a makeover meant to help him look more presidential. Clinton started wearing shirts with French cuffs which allowed him to sport presidential cuff links.
Maybe there’s just something about Democrats that allows them to be less formal in how they incorporate their personal style into the presidency.
ROFLMAO – his style was a bit more relaxed than his French cuffs would make you think!!
Couldn’t we, people who believe in free enterprise, people who are growing older and will be needing a variety of pain meds soon, people who create money out of thing air, and people who are spending a lot money working to get the Afghan people on our side, just buy the freaking opium from the farmers and be done with it???
Seriously. It’s a simple solution that I’ve suggested before.
How did it come down to the NATO commander suggesting we kill opium farmers whether they are tied to terrorists or not?
A dispute has emerged among NATO High Command in Afghanistan regarding the conditions under which alliance troops can use deadly violence against those identified as insurgents. In a classified document, which SPIEGEL has obtained, NATO’s top commander, US General John Craddock, has issued a “guidance” providing NATO troops with the authority “to attack directly drug producers and facilities throughout Afghanistan.”
These folks are farmers. They are selling to the Taliban and other bad guys because what the hell else grows in Afghanistan than poppies?? And who else is willing to pay them money for it?
Buy the stuff. Burn it if you want to, but buy it at fair market value. The bad guys will try to bankrupt us by upping the price and that’s when we get to bankrupt the bad guys. Kill the local farmers for trying to make a living??
Yeah – that’ll work.
Victor Davis Hanson does it again.
If anyone wished to know what the baby-boomer generation would do when, in its full maturity, it hit its first self-created, big-time recession, I think we are seeing the hysterical results.
Baby boomers. I’m one and when we want something, we expect to get it. Forget about consequences. Forget about the future. It’s all about me, right now.
I want a house, but I can’t afford one. That’s ok, bank A will get me into one. Bank A wants money for my mortgage but who would buy it? No problem, we’ll package it and sell it to bank B. Bank B needs money for those mortgages, but I’m not paying the mortgage. No problem, the government will handle it.
Same story, different want.
I want a vacation, but I can’t afford one. That’s ok, I can use the equity in my house ……..
I want, I want, I want. And by God, I expect to get.
So now we have a stimulus package who’s purpose is to make certain “we”, the people living right here and now, don’t have to suffer one little bit.
Screw the future kids. Screw the rest of the world. What matters is that I don’t lose my job (even if it’s in “community development), have to start saving for well, anything, and get to keep my cell phone, cable tv (with dvr), large house, the arts, pets, whatever it is. There is to be no suffering by me, because I “deserve it all”.
Thanks President Obama. You “get” me. I NEED my lattes, and horses and laptop and dsl and new garage and I’ll be damned if I should have to save up for anything.
In reality I thank all of the house GOP for standing up for our kids. I don’t have them, so yes, I get to indulge my every whim. But I don’t want my nieces/nephews suffering through 60% taxes and superinflation so that I don’t have to deal with anything right now.
We – the baby boomers – aren’t even old yet. What piece of thin air are we going to go to when we suddenly need old age stuff?
Ed Morrissey is seeing hope in the GOP stance yesterday.
You know, if George W. Bush had wanted to turn this country into a communist country, I would have wanted him to fail.
And I should hope that some Congressional Committee wouldn’t go signing some dang petition to tell me I’m mean.
And in that vein, if Obama’s secret plan is to undermine the 2nd amendment by registering ammo, then I hope he fails at it.
a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
This isn’t about hunting or crime, or just hanging guns on your wall. It’s about securing a free state. The only way to keep the state free is to keep the government in check. The only way to keep the government in check is to be stronger than the government.
They have the guns……but so do we.
If you register your ammo and then are forced to use it to keep the government in check – you’re screwed.
Somehow, I lost the Limbaugh line of thought. But basically, Limbaugh is living for this attention. What the hell is the matter you people who are giving him more. He’s a talk show host, not a king. He LOVES to act like his talking is what influences everything. Why are you helping him to believe this??
The Anchoress has done this far, far better than I, but I hear you clamoring for my opinion, so let’s get on with it.
1. Obviously, Obama is still on his honeymoon or the US media would have been a little more picky about not getting that first interview. I suspect that had this been an interview with the London Times or something, they might not have liked it.
Instead, we have double standards for the Middle East.
2. And while I accept the fact that Saudi Arabia is an “ally” with a lot of oil and a lot of potential to screw us big time, they also have no freedom there, unless you happen to be a Muslim male. Had Clinton’s first interview been with say South Africa under apartheid, I suspect the media would have something to say about it. If it’s only Christians (Buddhists, Hindus, etc) or women being discriminated against,…no big deal. (seriously, what’s the matter with Jordan television, or Indonesian television as a first interview in a Muslim country?)
3. While Obama said enough to make the Arab News believe he’s not going to be on the side of the Palestinians, (which can only be a good thing)
Those who counted on Obama to bring a just peace to the Middle East must have had their hearts broken watching the man charging against Hamas’ terror, as thousands of Gazans were killed and wounded, including 430 children in three weeks as a result of Israel’s barbarous attacks, using mostly American weapons (and full, unqualified US backing.
he also assuaged others:
“He’s different from the previous presidents, perhaps because of his colour or his Islamic background. My views of America are different now than they were during the Bush administration,” said Youssef Ali, 45, who works for the Iraqi electricity ministry in Baghdad.
(probably another good thing)
My job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives.
Not, “a small pocket of American people who think all Muslims want their children to live worse lives.”
No, he said he needs to communicate to the American people. Me.
Maybe, just maybe, as a Christian, Obama could communicate with Saudi Arabia and let them know that the female and/or Christian/Hindu/Buddhist etc world is filled with people who just want to go on about their business with only as many restrictions as have Muslim men.
and finally
4. I am so excited to see the future as Obama figures out ways to communicate, negotiate, respect folks like our buddy Ahmadinejad. Who today wants an apology for all of our crimes committed against Iran.
The Iranian president welcomed the possibility of US change, but said: “When they say ‘we want to make changes’, change can happen in two ways”.
“First is a fundamental and effective change… The second … is a change of tactics. It is very clear that, if the meaning of change is the second one, this will soon be revealed,” he said.
Seriously dude, I look forward to seeing how you communicate with that respectfully because my inclination is to treat this guy as a 2 year old.
According to Amir Taheri is looks like Obama is going to be doing all of his communicating unilaterally vs using the previously set up agreements to deal with the world as a cohesive unit of allies. He is just not the guy he advertised himself to be.
