Mark Steyn: 2012 Election Is The Last Exit Ramp Before The Death Spiral

Investor's Business Daily ^ | August 10, 2012 | Mark Steyn

[Eric Blair 2084]

When unemployment insurance runs out and you have no paycheck, suddenly your pinky toe stops working and you qualify for “disability”.

Why work when you can get paid for sitting on your couch in your underwear, watching Sportscenter, drinking beer and eating breakfast out of a KFC bucket?

I just described a nice 1 day vacation for normal people. It’s not supposed to be a way of life for anyone with pride and self respect.

[mojito]

I laughed. But then I cried.

No one makes me laugh at the looming apocalypse like Steyn does.

[KittenClaws]

LOL! Was it Popeye?

No matter, the sentiment is the same!

[mojito]

Woodstock was a satanic orgy and a window into how the world would look when the hippies took the wheel

Truer words were never spoken.

[Rocky]

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. The hour is late, and the man needs to get in the game.

Amen.

[publius911]

Personal debt per citizen is currently about $50,000

If 50% of "citizens" pay no income taxes at all, and not likely to in my lifetime, and may even get a "refund" on taxes not paid, the actual number is north of $100,000, but who's counting?

Certainly not the MENSA Amish who are certain to vote for the "Great Uniter" again.

[Jay Redhawk]

I have tried to figure out why no outstanding leader has

materialized to pull this country away from the brink of

disaster. My best answer is that the country is so deeply

divided that no one could unify it.

The left seems to have found several leaders for

their side, but the right is still searching in the hope

that someone will step forward that can bring back the old

America we once knew. The left just doesn't give a damn

about they way America was because they think it was

unfair. Obama and company think they can simply impose

their will and unify the country through tyranny and

dependence.I believe many potential leaders from the

conservative side understand this, and have shied away

because saving this nation seems impossible. Nearly half of

this nations people seem hell bent on destroying it. There

will not be a reunification of this country, and it will

eventually divide into two or more nations. Leaders will

emerge, but not until after the crap hits the fan.

[lentulusgracchus]

you can coax Romney to courage by your presence and words to stick it back to the Obamabots. I know all of you get it.

You, however, do not. Encouraging Romney at this point is a loser -- you'll only confirm his illusion that he's doing it right. He isn't, as Mark Steyn is at some pains to point out.

Romney needs to hear the deathly stillness -- because that's where he's taking everybody.

[trebb]

Yep. Electing Romney will just slow it down a bit. I always say: It doesn’t matter if Thelma is driving the T-Bird at 80 MPH, or Louise is driving it at 100, the car is still going over the cliff.

If you have given up all hope, what you say makes sense - call in Kevorkian. Those with the will to live will claw and delay the end with all they have in the slim hope that maybe an axle will break, or the engine will sieze before the edge of the cliff passes under.

[mvpel]

Conservatives are all about substance... if you want thousands of people to show up and rally for you... YOU must give them a reason.

The primary campaign demonstrated the effectiveness of a reason such as featuring Ron Paul as the speaker.

It would be supreme idiocy if Romney shuts Congressman Paul out of the campaign and denies him the convention podium he earned.

[mvpel]

You know what I think of McCain? He couldn't stand the fact that it was Palin who energized the base - so he threw in the towel. He had a titty baby fit.

I heard some political writer from the WSJ on the radio last night say it was the Palin pick which cost McCain the election. I almost had a aneurysm from yelling various synonyms of "stupid" at my dashboard.

[Tax-chick]

Tagline.

[Theophilus]

2012 1992 1973 is was the last exit ramp before the downward spiral.

[combat_boots]

In 1973, I bought a car for $3800, which price reflected the pre-devaluation of the USD and rise of the yen. The starting manufacturer price of the 2013 model of said car today is......$77,000. (Taxes and title not included.)

How about that sports fans?

[John W]

Who in the world would you call leaders of the left? Other than folks they support for expediency’s sake, what real leaders do they have?

[DoughtyOne]

I wasn’t around in 1964, as far as voting. I wasn’t old enough to vote until 1969. I remember my father talking to my grandfather about Goldwater, and he was pretty jazzed up over him. I have had quite a bit of respect for Goldwater, but then I saw him pull some rather strange things in his elder years.

Thanks for your post. I know I already responded, but I hadn’t commented on the Goldwater portion of it, and I wanted to.

[LibLieSlayer]

The problem is that they have shut out everyone but progressives.

LLS

[DoughtyOne]

I’m not faulting either of you. You did what you thought was right. At least you were thinking.

If you want to blame someone, blame the guy who ran one of the worst campaigns I’ve seen a politician run.

I’m convinced Bush either thought he couldn’t lose due to the successful Desert Storm, or he didn’t actually care if he won or lost.

I was left scratching my head for months that year, as Bush seemed to play rope-a-dope and allow Clinton’s people to pummel him without so much as a burp in response, and he didn’t go after Clinton on the obvious.
________________________________________________

I missed this post yesterday.  I'm sorry I am responding so much later.

He didn't care. He wasn't prepared to fight some good lookin’ southern boy and didn't care to be prepared. It's just a job to these guys. 

I have seen this sort of post countless times.  I'm not faulting you, but I never saw Bill Clinton as '"some good lookin' southern boy".  Early on it became evident that he was a chronic womanizer  His wife had to go on camera and pull his posterior out of the fire.  This didn't contribute to the guy being seen as some charming person.  To me he looked like an imature out of control jerk.  My wife and I see people that aren't all that beautiful physically, that turn irresistable when you see them animated.  With Bill Clinton we saw that in reverse.  Not only did I see him as some dip-stick high school nerd, after his antics became known to me, that actually morphed evil.  Clinton was a vile out of control man-child.

I'm not under the impression that you liked him.  Not at all.  Not liking him, you still seem to have seen him as a pleasant looking person.  I just never saw him that way.

I haven't seen a GOP sanctioned politician that has ever fought the good fight. Now, give me a minute while I try and make my point.

Yes, GOPe sanctioned, I agree.  Reagan was not sanctioned.  The GOPe wanted Bush that year (1980).  They wanted him bad!

My opinion at this time is they are all in it for themselves, every dang one of them and the Country be damned. They'd rather loose than put forth the effort leadership takes. They are in it for the golfing, the vacations, the perks - just like any executive.  It's just a damn job to the fools we've had the last few years. Get in, get your money, get some TV time, travel the world, fool the electorate and enjoy laughing about their stupidity over imported beer with your “democratic enemies”.

I think there's a great deal of ego present in people who become politicians.  I believe they think they've got the bull by the horns, and don't need anyone else's input.  That includes us.  Do they enjoy the perks that go with the position?  Wouldn't you?  I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but I don't begrudge them their moments.  I think most presidents work hard.  They may not do what we want them to, but they put in long hours and have to deal with a lot of issues.  The exception to that was Bill Clinton.  President Ronald Reagan at his advanced age, worked circles around him.  Clinton spent less executive time than anyone before him.  Much less!  I heard the exact figures one time, and it was startling how little he worked. 

You know what I think of McCain? He couldn't stand the fact that it was Palin who energized the base - so he threw in the towel. He had a titty baby fit.

That may be true.  I saw it more as McCain thinking, "Here I am, Lion of the Senate, and there she is a lowly two year governor."  He didn't really like Conservatives.  Here she was out there appealing to Conservatives, and this had to grate the guy something fierce.  Good!  I don't like the guy one bit, and him having to see his ideals get eclipsed, was a pleasure.  He was so damned lucky to have her.

I'm not a Palin fan, but she garnered him at least 15 points at the polls.  He will always owe her for keeping that race respectable.   

And Dubya, do we so soon forget that he was the arse that pushed TARP through to be spent by an anti-american sociopath? So he had compassion during 911? I remember he waited over a friggin year and bowed to the UN instead of turning some muslim lands to glass. I will NEVER FORGET FALLUJA! Mister compassion can KMA.

I'm not a big Bush fan either.  I think he damaged the image of Conservatism immeasurably.  It was so damaged that a man with no past experience, a person we still don't know is a valid candidate to be president, who truly hated our nation was elected to the office.

We both could go on and on about Bush.  What he took over from Clinton, and handed off to Obama pretty much says it all.  He had six years with a Republican majority in the Senate and House, and did literally squat with it.  Oh yes, he passed Medicare Part-D.      

None of our candidates care about this country. They care only for themselves - that includes Romney.

Say what you want about Romney, I certainly have, but I don't believe he hates our nation.  Obama, hates our nation.  Romney is not going to govern as we would like.  I don't see it as him only caring for himself.  I see it as him governing as his core drives him.  Unfortunately that core is screwed up.  I view this guy as George Bush 'the third term'.  I do think there are obvious areas where Bush was better than Romey.  I think there will be ways in which Romney is better than him.  Romney will govern differently, but the overall outcome will be luke warm Conservatism, mixed in with luke warm Liberalism.  I will say, that the Ryan pick may be a game changer.  There are some great things to like about Ryan.  The main thing that gives me hope, is that Romney seems to be signaling that he plans some sort of dual-presidency.  He didn't pick a walk-over.  Ryan isn't someone he can pidgeon hole after he wins the election.  Ryan will be a strong force for four years.  I think we can think of it as a Cheney, with emphasis on Conservative values vs the military end of things.  I'm not saying Ryan is the total package.  I am saying there are some great things to admire about him.  There are some things not to, also.

But I'll maintain some sliver of hope and vote for Romney - because that is my only choice at this time because I am truly sickened by Obama.

I'm going to watch how this plays out.  If it plays out like I think it might, this could cause me to rethink my position on not voting for a Romney ticket.

I expect Obama to win a second term for various reasons, including voter fraud, stupidity and the ever moral high ground of conscience.

I don't.  Obama is done.  His record is clear.  He's in over his head, and holding fingers up for the third time.  Ryan will make mince-meat out of him.  Look, I could be wrong, but that's my take now.

Not knowing Ryan all that well, I may think differently in a week or two.  We'll see.

One thing I'm looking forward to, is the Ryan/Biden debate.  I give Biden thirty seconds before he's rolling on the floor screaming, "Uncle!, UNCLE!"  

But I know this as well. Every camel knows when that last straw is placed on its back. Best said by the immortal words of Yosemite Sam..  “That's all I can stand and I can't stand no more”

Heh, heh, heh, I hear ya.  We're both there.

Take care.

[DoughtyOne]

I know a lot of folks don’t like Nixon, but after Bill Clinton I learned that Nixon’s crimes were only a fraction of those Bill Clinton committed.

This means that the Nixon hoopla was more about politics and the DNCp hatred of him, than it was about his ‘criminal’ nature.

Nixon got railroaded. Goldwater should have played hardball.

[glennaro]

As a conservative, Romney was not my choice in the primaries ... but he's the nominee and the only person in America in a position to defeat obama.

The cold, hard fact is that in this election I am forced to compromise my conservative principles -- either by voting for Romney or by supporting obama's reelection (either by not voting or voting for someone other than Romney).

The choice is clear for me -- I will do what is better (not idealistic "best") for America and vote not "for" Romney, but to remove the democrat socialist obama from office and from doing any more harm to our Constitution and to Americans.

(BTW - No matter what you think of Romney, to label him a "Leftist" is not a credible characterization. He may not be a true conservative, but he is certainly not a "Leftist".)