Nightly Ramble: The Old Deli Edition

Welcome, one and all to the most intense nightly read anywhere on the ‘sphere…The Bitsblog Nightly Ramble

• Torture is Barry Manilow covering AC/DC: A great position paper on torture, from Frank Fleming, over at Pajamas Media.  You may not recognize the name, but perhaps you’ll remember where he posts: IMAO.  That’s a clue, kiddies… go in with full shields up, ’till you figure out what’s going on.
• Smile, it’s cheaper, now: We’re looking at Cameras of late, for our youngest, so this post from Glenn comes along at a fabulous time, even though we’re likely going to buy used this time around. A 720p cam for $140? Looks like the same thing that happened to computers is happening with cameras, only faster.
• It’s about freedom: Arthur Brooks, at  The Wall Street Journal suggests that there’s a bit of a culture war going on about the future of capitalism. Given what we’ve been seeing with the executive branch vis’ a vie GM and Chrysler of late, that should be no shock. Obama’s moves here draw the battle lines very clearly. But I suggest that we call this what it really is… what we’re dealing with here, is a battle over freedom, since capitalism is the natural product of a free society. I agree with Arthur that this is a war that is cultural in it’s nature. But as with other countries that have tried to legislate out the cultural aspects of the people…(And I’ve written about these before) … what we see going on from the Democrats… the confiscation of value in the Chrysler case particularly, is as anti-freedom as it gets. Were seeing an ostensibly free people defeated by their own government. In the end, that’s what the folks at the tea parties are (Correctly) worried about.
• Another Obama failure:  The bond holders… IE; the people who are managing the 401k’s,and who have investments of your money in mine in Chrysler  stood up to Obama’s confiscation, yesterday. The Chosen one was not amused:
  

  “A group of investment firms and hedge funds decided to hold out for the prospect of an unjustified taxpayer-funded bailout,” Obama said, flanked by his economic, energy and environmental teams. “They were hoping that everybody else would make sacrifices, and they would have to make none. Some demanded twice the return that other lenders were getting. I don’t stand with them.” .

  Obama tried to spin this one off as a victory for him. Bottom line, however, is that it’s another major failure. Atlas is shrugging, folks.  Let’s tell the truth about this; The only groups not making sacrifices here are the unions… Obama’s biggest political backers… and the government… both of which get the spoils of the confiscation Obama tried to arrange.  I’m going to urge you folks who have 401k’s to look closely at your portfolios, and determine if your funds actually have Chrysler stock in them. I’m willing to bet the majority of you do, even if you hadn’t directly arranged for it… that’s the nature of mutual funds.  You’re the ones being asked to sacrifice to support the unions. And the bond holders Obama’s beefing about? They’re simply doing their job… fighting for the people who invested with them. And think about this;  Supposedly, NOT fighting for the investors is why Ken Lewis is drawing unemployment today.  

•  Suiters for Souter’s job: This morning, the headlines were filled with the news that after 20 years, Justice David Souter is pulling the pin. This in turn started the inevitable replacement speculation festival.   Interesting, that the two most left leaning robes are the first ones be replaced. Souter, and Justice Ginsberg, arguably the two most liberal voices on the bench.  Granted, Ginsberg hasn’t announced yet, but it seems reasonable to assume she’s going to be replaced one way or the other, within the next four years given her health situation.  My guess is that unless Obama manages to nominate an avowed Marxist… (And no, I’d not put it past him) the balance of the court wouldn’t be changed much.  Jake Tapper seems to agree.  
• BitsBlog offers Obama a consulting Service: Oh… and my guess: Obama will be looking for a female for the role. It’s gotta be PC, after all. You know, come to think of it, I wouldn’t be shocked if he nominated Nancy Pelosi. Be an interesting way to eliminate a long standing thorn in his side, while tossing a bone to the whackjob left. Michelle offers some insights on possible nominees…. any one of which would be a blinking disaster for America.
• The qualification list:  Speaking of Michelle she lists a Ron Sims… the guy Obama tapped for the number 2 position at HUD, to be ” transparency-killing, truth-challenged hack.” Seems to me she’s understating it. Then again, it occurs to me that those words constitute the list of qualifications for working in the Obama administration.
• He left his brain… in San Fransisco: Senility has finally taken hold of Tony Bennett. Sad to see.
• Right, again: As I predicted, the other night, Fox won the ratings war, by not running Obama’s publicity stunt.
• Infighting, but over what, exactly? I’ve been watching this infighting with RNC Chair Steele for several weeks now. Since I’ve already written heavily to the idea that there are too many in the RNC ‘Old Boy Network…. (And by the way you need to read Adam Graham’s latest missive at Pajamas Media on that point…)…  I’m inclined to think one way or another it comes down to that particular fight. It would help me if I better understood Steele’s vision for the party.  Example; are Orin Hatch, and John Cornyn, both  named yesterday in a separate post, among those fighting against Steele?  I’m starting to think I should approach the RNC chair with some questions that may help the perception on all of this. I’m also considering putting out some feelers to Toomey’s office, as well, on the same subject.