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Welcome dear reader tot he pre-Thanksgiving version of the Nightly Ramble… the most intense nightly read on the sphere.
- First, some disturbing news about Barbara Bush, who is in the hospital [2]. Prayers and good thoughts her way.
- We’re being told that for the first time, there is actually a decline in retail spending online. [3] There’s a lot of folks who will attribute this to the overall economic downturn, but I’ll tell ya… Myself, I can’t help but think the real cause, and in turn part of the reason for the downturn is that a lot of states are taking taxes on such sales, now.
- I dumped Memeorandum the other night for non-reciprocation. They’ve not thrown a link my way in a year. Now we see Technorati having problems. [4] Frankly, their online performance has been less than stellar even without the cuts. With them? Meh….
- David remarked the other day about Charlie Rangle and his tax problems. There’s news out this morning [5]that he paid Lanny Davis a six figure sum for help with his ethics troubles. Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to pay the freakin’ taxes?
- Glenn makes note [6] of a story up on Popular Mechanics [7], about the ten cars that damaged GM’s reputation.
[8] [8]Look close and you’ll see that most of the vehicles on that list are hurried responses to fuel shortages brought on by decades of a suicidal ‘no domestic drilling’ policy. Add to that issue, huge union labor costs and unreasonable federal and state regulations and it’s a flippin’ wonder GM turned out anything useful at all. That thought is furthered by the experiences of our domestic automakers in other countires. Ford in Brazil for example, as Boortz points out [9]this morning. I’ll stick with my Rainier, thanks. Solid as hell… ladder frame, reasonable MPG (Mid 20’s) great power, hauls my butt and my trailer and doesn’t endager me and mine doing it. That GMT360 platform that my Rainer, the Trailblazer, Envoy etc is based on, I regard as proof positive that GM, when not trying to respond to unreasonable government action, does just fine. The over-regulation (Inculding legal support of union thuggery) and fuel problems… all imposed by liberals… are why our domestic auto makers are in trouble just now. Guess which way Obama will be going [10] on all this? So, why are we dumping money into GM again? The Democrats, Obama included, are just going to kill it off with their nonsense [11] anyway. Better to get it done now, rather than later. - Oil’s below $51, [12] if you’re keeping track. I’m going to make a prediction to you, and it’s one I’ve made before… When Obama gets sworn in, and some of the energy policy starts taking hold, the prices will go up again.
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[14]couple things about the sign to the right. Of course right off the bat, there [14]is no such office. Secondly, remember that presidential looking seal that Obama trotted out during the election? Yes, the one to the right of the two. 
[13]Clearly designed by the same people, and likley on the same computer. Designed by someone who understands that the way to a leftists heart is overt signs of authority. It’s all showmanship and symbolism. As embarrasing as this show of ego gets, you’d have figured the idea of waving these around would have gone away after the reaction he got the first time. That didn’t happen, though and I wonder if he’s not showing us a bit of his own mental makeup, unwittingly. Admittedly, running for any public office, or writing a blog, for that matter, requires a certain level of ego, but Obama here apparently is rasing that to new levels. This does not bode well, if he’s that self-important going in. - Bruce McQuain makes note [15]of a Detroit Free Press column calling for Nancy Pelosi to Impeech Bush… again.
The far left’s wet dream about impeaching Bush is slipping away for good and they’re pretty desperate to find any reason, no matter how loony, to urge Congressional leaders to salve their hate of Bush.What in the world are they going to do with themselves when he’s gone?
Well, yeah, that’s the thing, isn’t it? I’ve been saying a long time that the vast majority of Obama supporters do not base their support in fact, but rather in hope and emotion. That’s why they were unswayed by mere fact. Again, we quote Stacy McCain [16];
Such irrational expectations are inevitably followed by disillusionment. No prediction of what the next four years might bring is safer than this: The yawning gap between Hope and reality will produce a bumper crop of ex-Democrats.
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Already, their disillusionment is beginning, the Internet rumbling with discontent as Obama staffs his administration with Washington insiders, Clinton cronies and even, perhaps, Hillary Clinton herself. Many more will be disheartened to discover that there is no magic in Obama’s economic plan, a patchwork of warmed-over Keynesian “pump-priming” claptrap as stale as the memory of Hubert Humphrey.So, the answer to Bruce’s question is simple; What will they do with themselves? They’re going to turn on themselves like a pack of rabid sled dogs, that’s what.
- Another thing that won’t make the Nutroots too happy is Robert Gates will remain as Secratary of Defense [17]. Obama apparently understands this, if nothing else; that Democrats can’t run the military.
Have a good Holiday tommrow; The Nightly Ramble will return on Friday.