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Random thoughts touch on politics, life
Random thoughts on the passing scene:
Not since the days of slavery have there been so many people who feel entitled to what other people have produced as there are in the modern welfare state, whether in Western Europe or on this side of the Atlantic.
Economist Edward Lazear has cut through all of Barack Obama’s claims about “creating jobs” with one plain and inescapable fact – “there hasn’t been one day during the entire Obama presidency when as many Americans were working as on the day President Bush left office.” Whatever number of jobs were created during the Obama administration, more have been lost.
How are children supposed to learn to act like adults, when so much of what they see on television shows adults acting like children?
The know-it-all smirks and condescending laughs of Vice President Joe Biden, when Rep. Paul Ryan was speaking during their debate, were a little much from an administration presiding over economic woes at home and disasters overseas – and being caught in lies about both. Like Barack Obama, Joe Biden has all the clever tricks of a politician and none of the wisdom of a statesman.
If you truly believe in the brotherhood of man, then you must believe that blacks are just as capable of being racists as whites are.
One of the most foolish, and most dangerous, things one can do is to take love for granted, instead of nurturing it and safeguarding it as the prize jewel of one’s life.
Whenever you hear people talking about “a living Constitution,” almost invariably they are people who are in the process of slowly killing it by “interpreting” its restrictions on government out of existence.
Do either Barack Obama or his followers have any idea how many countries during the 20th century set out to “spread the wealth” – and ended up spreading poverty instead? At some point, you have to turn from rhetoric, theories and ideologies to facts.
I am so old that I can remember when liberals were liberal – instead of being intolerant of anything and anybody that is not politically correct.
Whatever happened to Julie Banderas of the Fox News Channel? She had brains, looks, wit and personality. Has she met with foul play? Or has some zillionaire married her and taken her off to his own private island?
The question to be asked of people in the media, and that they should ask themselves, should be: “Is your first loyalty to your audience or to your ideology?” The same question should be asked of educators, especially those who see themselves as “agents of social change,” even though that is not the job description under which they have been hired and paid.
People who complain about “negative” campaign ads miss the point. It is perfectly legitimate to criticize your opponent. The question is whether the ads are about serious things that matter to the future of this country, and whether they are telling the truth or lying.
If you believe Barack Obama and others who oppose what they call “tax cuts for the rich,” you might want to consider what the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said: “You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts.” If you want to see some documented facts about tax rates and tax revenues, there is a box titled “Tax Cuts” on my website (www.tsowell.com). Click on it.
In baseball, switch hitters are said to have an advantage. But the highest lifetime batting average by a switch hitter (.319 by Frankie Frisch) is more than 30 points lower than the highest batting average for either left-handed hitters or right-handed hitters. The highest batting average in a season by a switch hitter (.365 by Mickey Mantle) is more than 50 points lower.
If there is ever a Hall of Fame for confidence men, Charles Ponzi and Bernie Madoff will have to take a back seat to Barack Obama. Obama is the gold standard – or, perhaps more appropriately, the brass standard.
I have never known a word to become absolute dogma, without a speck of evidence, the way “diversity” has.
Thomas Sowell is an author, economist and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
Discussion | 37 comments
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G-ManOctober 21, 2012 - 4:12 am
Couldn't agree more with the first paragraph or less with the last sentence.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 9:42 am
Gary, were you afraid to say the word, "god?"
Reply |G-ManOctober 21, 2012 - 12:06 pm
You'll never believe it didn't cross my mind..but it didn't
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 9:51 am
I used to read Sowell et al and watch Fox just for the laughs, but when I researched "the book" and discovered the damage done to this country by this type of propaganda over the centuries, it's not so funny.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 10:22 am
Mike, every time your write or post you dig the lib grave a little deeper. FOX's ratings are about four times that of the combined CNN and MSNBC. People are living the nightmare of an Obama-Pelosi-Reid triad and learning the truth about redistribution, the idealogues' take on "fairness," and that ObamaCare will cost average Americans at least $2000-$3000 more than promised. Where are the jobs? Why is gas double since 2009? Why was Benghazi covered up? Voters want answers and Obama says "I need four more years." Yeah, by then we'll be pledging allegiance to the People's Republic of Obama.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 12:14 pm
"Why was Benghazi covered up?" Did I miss something? Was there an attack that was covered up? What do you think happened there? What is the big right-wing secret that Obama is supposed to be hiding? Any idea? You guys make me laugh. If you are capable, please articulate what Obama is supposed to be hiding.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 12:19 pm
Oh, and yes, I know that Fox's viewership is higher than MSNBC's. That explains why so many people are so totally misinformed about what is actually going on. It explains why so many people are so concerned about the word, "video" rather than Romney's b.s. budget and the moountain of lies that permeate his campaign.
Reply |Rich GiddensOctober 21, 2012 - 7:03 pm
Remember back in the 80's when the Communist News Network was the only 24 hour news cable network? People complained. Rupert listened and so did Rush. People have every oppurtunity to watch CNN or MSNBC. But they don't. They know they are liars and communists. But you're in denial of the facts.
Reply |G-ManOctober 21, 2012 - 12:22 pm
Well actually Mike to try and clear some things up for you..was there an attack?..You been in Papua New Guinea under a rock somewhere?..Yeah attack and now we know Drone filmed..w/ a Fast Team ready in Italy 1/2hr away...also CIA STation Chief reports he notified Langley w/in 24hrs of attack that it was terror...You think Langley gonna keep secrets from the White House...can't even believe you'd try to defend Libya Kirchey..it's non_defensible
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 12:40 pm
Terrorist attack? Yes. What's the big secret that Fox keeps blabbing about? What is Obama supposed to be hiding? Is this the first time a U.S. embassy was ever attacked by terrorists? I don't think so.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 1:02 pm
Mike, are you purposely missing the point or can you tell us about your experience in PNG the last five years? In 2007, Obama said, "I truly believe that the day I’m inaugurated, not only the country looks at itself differently, but the world looks at America differently…If I’m reaching out to the Muslim world they understand that I’ve lived in a Muslim country and I may be a Christian, but I also understand their point of view." The cover-up was to protect Obama's narcissistic blunder. This attack was not supposed to happen in Barry's world. We're all happy that bin Laden is dead, but unfortunatley, Al Qaeda is alive and well and stronger than ever.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 1:30 pm
Oh, I get it now. Obama didn't get rid of al Quida. Good point. You should vote for Romney. He has really been an anti-terrorist. Right? or do you think he will slash the Stae Department budget?
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 1:45 pm
No one expected Obama--or anyone else--to rid the world of Al Qaeda. We the People, however, expected the administration to honestly explain why the attack resulted in the deaths of four Americans who had asked for beefed-up security. As we are a country that supposedly respects First Amendment rights, why was a Coptic Christian arrested for making a video that had nothing to do with terrorists or the anniversary of 9-11? Why did Obama and his surrogates continue to lie about the video for two weeks? Now you're implying that Romney is soft on terrorists? Guess it makes libs feel better about themselves to lie and defame an honorable person like Mitt.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 1:50 pm
"Federal authorities arrested the Cerritos resident, who identified himself as Mark Basseley Youseff in court yesterday, in Los Angeles for violating terms of his probation following a 2010 bank fraud case." I guess Obama is really out of line for going to Cerritos and arresting this guy. Wow. you Fox people are really stretching here.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 2:02 pm
Timing is everything! Quite a coincidence, one would think--one conservative that is.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 2:09 pm
and b.s. is b.s.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 2:12 pm
And that is precisely why the phony war on women, defamation of Mitt's character, ObamaCare, and faulty or non-existent "facts" will be Obama's downfall.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 2:20 pm
I guess you realize that Benghazi is just a right-wing deflection away from the real issues in this race: Romney's fake budget that nobody can explain, the right-wing war on women, his shoot first and find out what happened later foreign policy, his exploding the deficit with more tax cuts for the rich, eliminating Social Security and Medicare, and killing Americans by cutting access to medical care.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 2:29 pm
Whew! Did you get that all out without your fingertips ever leaving the keyboard?! Spewed like a true dévoté of leftist propaganda that makes about as much sense as electing a socialist in the first place. Fortunately, the majority of voters are smarter than Axelrod and Plouffe.
Reply |CD BrooksOctober 21, 2012 - 2:34 pm
Marci, so Mitt is honorable? Even with the evidence pointing to his lying and those factual issues Mike brought up, you insist Mitt is honorable? You blindly accept everything about Romney yet you deny all the evidence pointing to Obama's life? That is textbook Republican Conservative hypocrisy as clear as it gets. THAT is what I have been trying to say about your party for years. Thank you for finally proving my conclusion!
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 2:48 pm
Thanks, CD. I think that did it! We finally convinced the right-wing nuts here that they are misguided and actually voting to destroy America.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 3:00 pm
LOL: It's going to take a lot more than a fellow lib to convince anyone of anything. Nice try, but it comes across rather awkward, don't ya think?! :) If journalism were alive and well in the U.S., Obama's "cat" would have been out of the bag five years ago and everyone (not just conservatives) would know the disdain and contempt in which he holds this country.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 3:20 pm
Mark Twain: "But in this country we have one great privilege which they don't have in other countries. When a thing gets to be absolutely unbearable the people can rise up and throw it off. That's the finest asset we've got--the ballot box." - interview in Boston Transcript, November 6, 1905.
Reply |CD BrooksOctober 21, 2012 - 4:16 pm
Saul Alinsky: “The greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself.” Marci, it is always my pleasure to toss into the mix the words from a great man that your favorite jabberwocky host has demonized for some unknown reason but to him and his myopic followers. Mr. Alinsky is considered a hero by many, Rush Limbaugh’s libelous and contemptuous manifestations notwithstanding.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 2:51 pm
My response showed up only under "Commentary."
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 3:27 pm
And my response will show up tomorrow.
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 3:36 pm
Oh, boy! Golly gee! I can hardly wait!!
Reply |Tom ChalkOctober 21, 2012 - 9:00 pm
@Mike: And, as usual, I will not read it. But I do note a certain increase of desperation in your commentary on this site as of late. And it is like you refuse to acknowledge things even a fifth-grader understands by now. You know, little things such as Obama's two-week cover-up of the terrorist attack in Libya. Stuff like that can make you look like----dare I say it----a maroon.
Reply |Mike KirchubelOctober 21, 2012 - 9:56 pm
Two-week cover-up??? Didn't we all know about it? Where were you? You guys make me laugh at how you grab at straws and try to create a straw man to knock down.. Pitiful.
Reply |Tom ChalkOctober 22, 2012 - 8:34 am
I rest my case.
Reply |CD BrooksOctober 21, 2012 - 11:08 am
The elections are 15 days away but one more debate first. No secret about the outcome, you don’t even need watch it. Just tune in here tomorrow night and Marci et al will let you know exactly how it went! Wishing you all a very nice day! :)
Reply |MarciOctober 21, 2012 - 11:27 am
Even having received the questions ahead of time, as shown by Crowley conveniently having the Rose Garden transcript, Obama still came in 2nd. Sounds to me like you're not expecting much from Obama, CD. Better late than never. :)
Reply |G-ManOctober 21, 2012 - 12:13 pm
Can't believe you wouldn't want to the see the nuance live..or at least watch a complete recording..later.
Reply |