January 15, 2008
Nothing to Hope for...
Mark Steyn's Sunday NRO column is a bit uneven, but much can be forgiven of the man who turns such masterful phrases as this:
Terrific. In a Huckabee administration, nothing is certain but hope and taxes. Did he poll-test the line? Was it originally "What I didn't raise was tobacco"? Or did he misread the line? Did he mean to say "hogs"? Is there any correlation between taxes and hope? If you cut taxes by 20 percent, does hope nosedive off the cliff? Not for those of us who were hoping for a tax cut. And is there any evidence that he "raised hope"? Hope of what? Huck's line is a degradation of FDR: We have nothing to hope for but hope itself.
Apart from the politics, that last line certainly sums up my life just about now. Make a good t-shirt.
I was out and about in Providence this weekend and saw a few RI anchors with "Hope" under them and I was tempted to grab a Sharpie and add "Hope. Because they haven't figured out how to tax it yet."
Posted by: Greg at January 15, 2008 11:16 AMRhode Island has great potential, but no hope.
If the Democrat General Assembly had integrity, competence and a dedication to the best interests of the citizens of Rhode Island, then there'd be hope that they'd make the difficult decisions that are required to successfully confront the fiscal and economic challenges we face.
But its record shows just the opposite characteristics: corruption, incompetence and slavish subservience to union and welfare special interests.
Thus, no hope for RI in the near or intermediate term.
Perhaps after the upcoming fiscal collapse ...
Posted by: Tom W at January 15, 2008 12:54 PMA Tale of Two States, A Tale of Hope
Moved to Rhode Island twenty-three years ago. What a beautiful state, what potential. Can see why the rich used to prefer to live here. But then there was the patina that corruption left on the infrastructure, making it a most interesting state. Used to file facts about Rhode Island in my brain to help the natives (who don't seem to venture too far from its shores) understand its potential. Correlated facts like it tieing for the most corrupt state with Arkansas, as well tieing with it for the second highest average age of the state inhabitants [can't beat Florida on this score for different reasons]. Special tax priviledges for corporations, rotten roads, poor schools--the two states had a lot in common. Then came the 90s with a shift occurring in one of these states: continuous tax cuts as the dot.com economic bubble brought state surpluses, special corporate tax deals ending, roads repaired, state parks cleaned up and upgraded, schools improved [even a fair teacher dismissal bill being passed!]. Yes, the bubble burst, the judges mandated school expenditures, and the taxes went back up. But there was a huge surplus in one of these states, a dismal deficit in the other. Maybe, just maybe, one state pulled away from the other because of its remarkable and popular governor. Maybe, just maybe, he should be considered for president. And that is only partly why its Huckabee for me.
Posted by: Barry at January 16, 2008 9:41 AM"And that is only partly why its Huckabee for me."
You can have him. He has about the same chances of winning as Duncan Hunter. I'm not going to support another "I talked to God and he said to invade Iraq..." whack-job.
Posted by: Greg at January 16, 2008 10:20 AMGreg,
What's your source? Who said "I talked to God and he said to invade Iraq..." ?
When did he say it and what proof do you have?
Have you fallen for the M.Charles Bakst/MSM propoganda? You're no better if you're making sh** up.
Posted by: George at January 16, 2008 2:18 PMHere's my reference. Last thing we need is another crazy hearing voices in his head and thinking fictional characters are talking to him. Maybe the next President can take his marching orders from Santa.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1586978,00.html
George Bush: 'God told me to end the tyranny in Iraq'
President told Palestinians God also talked to him about Middle East peace
Ewen MacAskill
Friday October 7, 2005
One of the delegates, Nabil Shaath, who was Palestinian foreign minister at the time, said: "President Bush said to all of us: 'I am driven with a mission from God'. God would tell me, 'George go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan'. And I did. And then God would tell me 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq'. And I did."
Mr Bush went on: "And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East'. And, by God, I'm gonna do it."
Posted by: Greg at January 16, 2008 2:45 PMGreg, the Guardian? Quoting a Palestinian? Sorry. I won't fall for that one.
Posted by: George at January 16, 2008 3:00 PMRegardless, I don't want another Jesus Freak in charge.
Posted by: Greg at January 16, 2008 3:04 PMI don't think most reasonable Americans would call either a "Jesus Freak". I also think most Americans also prefer leaders who take their faith, faithfully... and not fake it like the three remaining phoneys on the left.
Posted by: George at January 17, 2008 12:47 PMActually, I'd prefer decisions be based on sound reasoning and consultation with experts than conversations with mythical beings.
Posted by: Greg at January 17, 2008 1:17 PMI say this not without some affection:
Greg often flirts with unreasonableness. When he's right, he cuts through a lot of BS; when he's wrong, he piles some on.
Posted by: Justin Katz at January 17, 2008 9:05 PM