Steele’s censure

Shelby Steele isn’t pulling punches on the Sotomayor pick.

[T]he Sotomayor nomination shows that Mr. Obama has no idea what a post-racial society would look like. In selling himself as a candidate to the American public he is a gifted bargainer beautifully turned out in post-racial impressionism. But in the real world of Supreme Court nominations, where there is a chance to actually bring some of that idealism down to earth, he chooses a hardened, divisive and race-focused veteran of the culture wars he claims to transcend.

I have called Mr. Obama a bound man because he cannot win white support without bargaining and he cannot maintain minority support without playing the very identity politics that injure him with whites. The latter form of politics is grounded in being what I call a challenger — i.e., someone who presumes that whites are racist until they prove otherwise by granting preferences of some kind to minorities.

via Sotomayor and the Politics of Race – WSJ.com.

Bob Loblaw Law Blog

Nothing to exciting going on this evening… but I wanted to recommend a great blog I’ve started reading… the Wall Street Journal Law Blog.

*If you get the Arrested Development joke in the title… good for you.  You are one of the smartest and most psophisticated people on the planet.  For those of you who DIDN’T get the joke… why don’t you just go buy the first season on DVD already! (it’s only $12 for a used copy… you can afford it… no excuses.)

Obama the prevaricator

I’m not going to lie, it’s becoming hard to take Obama seriously… seriously.  Each and every speech this guy gives contains nothing more than vague platitudes and nonsensical prevarications.  Let’s take a look at his most recent speech in Cario, Egypt to get a feel for his use of language. Here’s what he said:

“Much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected President. But my personal story is not so unique,” he said in the Grand Hall of Cairo University.

Woh… wait… is personal story is NOT unique?  The first (and only) African-American man to become president of the United States is “NOT UNIQUE”?  You’re kidding me, right?  I suppose Obama may have intended to appear humble with that statement, but it just comes across as ignorant.  He continued:

“The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores.”

So… let me get this straight… the promise of the dream of opportunity (whatever that means) is there for all our immigrants… but not for our own citizens?  Really! I guess this begs the question: What do you mean by “the dream of the opportunity for all”?  Do you mean opportunity that must be taken advantage of… or opportunity that must be PROVIDED by a government program?   Because last I checked… there were lots of opportunities out there for those willing to work hard… even in this economy.   Show me one person who doesn’t have opportunity  and I’ll show you a person demoralized by a government program.

Obama went on to discuss wars and conflict:

“It’s easier to start wars than to end them” he said.

Duuuuhh.  Tell me something I didn’t know.

“It’s easier to blame others than to look inward;

Your continual criticisms of the “previous administration” are proof of this…

“[it is easier] to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path”

But… wouldn’t it have just been EASIER to just let Saddam and his sons continue to rule Iraq with impunity?

There is one rule that lies at the heart of every religion – that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. [Applause] This truth transcends nations and peoples.”

Um… this is called the “golden rule”… a saying often confused with scripture and biblical teaching.  Maybe if you wouldn’t have missed so many of Reverend Wright’s sermons… you might have picked up on this.

Later in the Speech Obama discussed his role as President:

“I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

What about fighting against the negative stereotypes of Republicans?  You know, the ones about being racists, sexists, bigots, and homophobes… do you have a greater responsibility as the president of the UNITED STATES to fight against negative stereotypes of your fellow Americans or muslims?  I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on that, President Obama.

Finally, he got around to women’s rights:

“I know there is debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.

Who in the west have THIS view?  “some”?  Like who?   I shouldn’t have to remind you, Mr. President, that IT IS MUSLIMS WHO FORCE women to wear burkas and it is MUSLIMS who treat women as inferiorNOT those of us in the west.  This is perhaps your weakest ‘straw man’ you have ever used in a speech… and that’s really saying something.

Mr. Obama… it is EASY.. VERY EASY to refrain from criticizing the shameful practices of many muslims in the middle east… and it is much easier to be loved and adored than it is to be respected.  For someone who cautions others against taking the easy route… you certainly don’t seem to lead by example.

quotes via POLITICO.com.

Microsoft’s economic message

It turns out that when you raise taxes on businesses… you push American jobs overseas.  Here’s Steve Ballmer yesterday:

June 3 (Bloomberg) — Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steven Ballmer said the world’s largest software company would move some employees offshore if Congress enacts President Barack Obama’s plans to impose higher taxes on U.S. companies’ foreign profits.

“It makes U.S. jobs more expensive,” Ballmer said in an interview. “We’re better off taking lots of people and moving them out of the U.S. as opposed to keeping them inside the U.S.”

If we don’t provide a competitive tax environment for our businesses here in the U.S. then we will continue to loose jobs well into the next decade… far outpacing the 2.5 million jobs the stimulus supposedly ‘created’ (or was it 2.5 million saved?  who knows.)  The fact of the matter is that Obama has done NOTHING to reduce business costs…  NOTHING… even when those businesses are laying people off right and left.  In fact, he wants to RAISE the costs of doing business.

This is nothing more than economic ignorance on display.

via Ballmer Says Tax Would Move Microsoft Jobs Offshore (Update3) – Bloomberg.com.