Yes We Con – Day Four: History Defeats Itself

It’s tempting to compare this year’s presidential slugfest with the Carter/Reagan contest of 1980. Obama, like Jimbo, is a stubborn man who’s used to getting his way. He intially impressed people with his command of language and positive outlook on the future. (I remember how blown away I was with Carter’s Law Day speech in Georgia back in ’74. ) But a few years into his presidency things got ugly: the economy refused to recover, the Iranians gave us the finger, taxes were becoming unacceptably high, and real estate was in freefall.

I remember there was much anger in the hinterlands during the period of ’78 to ’80. You could see it coming when California passed prop 13 in the mid-terms. While Jimmy promised an end to oil dependency with solar panels and syn-fuels, the thirsty nation complained about the price of gas. (A dollar a gallon! Outrageous!) There was malaise and misery indexes while politicians proclaimed we were in an “era of limits.” Get used to it, they told us.

There are some important differences, though. When Carter sent the military to rescue the hostages and America’s honor, the result was death, defeat and disgrace. When Obama gave the seals the job of taking down public enemy number one, they dumped his carcass into the sea like yesterday’s chum. As a Chicago mafioso might say, “he sleeps with the fishes.” Even with the proposed cuts, the US is still three laps ahead of the competition.

Today’s economy is sluggish, but interest rates are nothing compared to the 21% of 1979. Still, there is a mountain of debt that is incomprehensible to the average person. We would be cheering if we only had to pay the bills of yesteryear. 

People still like Obama for all his failed policies, and there is the gut-wrenching fear that if the current Republican crew takes over, the few victories the Dems managed to pull off will bite the dust. Even worse is the Elephant Party’s goal of returning the nation to some kind of Puritan era with scarlet letters and stocks in the town square. Alley Oop will replace Darwin in the classrooms, at least for the children lucky enough to be in school instead of working for a dollar an hour in the coal mines. That’s what the Dems and the press keep telling us anyway.

Tonight at the coronation of Mitt Romney, the anger and frustration with the ruling party looked a lot like 1980. There was a feeling of giddy optimism among the faithful, and a steady stream of testimonials from regular folks who were the beneficiaries of Romney kindness. No, he is not the monster portrayed by desperate Democrats. The line up went off without a hitch, except for a few long minutes when a stuttering Clint Eastwood argued with a chair.

The Grand Old Party is hoping for another upset like the one that Reagan pulled off back in 1980. But even Jeb, the one Bush that’s still allowed in the building, warned that the GOP can’t just depend on the angry white vote that carried the day in elections past. If the red, white and blue doesn’t add some brown, it’s not going to last much longer.

Romney now has the reins of the wild pachyderm, and it’s up to him to keep the rest of the herd in line for the next two months. If he can keep them from going rogue and scaring the bejesus out of the electorate, they might pull off another upset. A tall order indeed.

 

 

 

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42 Responses to Yes We Con – Day Four: History Defeats Itself

  1. Steve Enos says:

    Clint Eastwood, the R’s “special surprise speaker” in advance of Romney taking the stage was a freak show. How truely sad and truely bazar that was on so many levels. Sadly some around the world watched this too.

  2. Ben Emery says:

    With the very non transparent foreign and domestic billionaire money flowing into the election the candidate with the friendliest platform for billionaires has the upper hand. If were on ideas, substance, and likability Obama should win in a landslide. How can Romney reach his age with his access to so much privilege have such a a boring personality and lack conviction? I guess when your born with three silver spoons in your mouth it is easy to pick whatever flavor you want for the day.

  3. Robert Lovejoy says:

    Old Clint did look at tad off his mark last night. Did like his crack about Joe Biden being the intellectual face of the Democrat Party. Ouch. Double ouch. Think his most memerial line was if the guy we hired is not up to the job, then it is time to let ’em go. Can’t argue with that…unless, of course, one has had his head up his behind so deep these last 3 years it would a hydrualic drill to remove it. The sound of one’s head being removed from one’s rectum creates a rather loud popping sound. Not to be confused with Ross Perot’s sucking sound.

  4. Steve Enos says:

    Here’s a good story link about the R convention and Clint’s tragic melt down. The R’s had a massive drop in convention viewers and the vast majority of those that did view… white and over 55. White and over 55 is the wrong American demographic if one is seeking national office now days. Add this to the take over grab and last minute rules changes of the convention by Romney’s folks and shutting out Ron Paul and others.

    This covers the basics:

    http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/31/usa-campaign-media-idINL2E8JVA3620120831

    • Robert Lovejoy says:

      Oh yes, it was awful. Simply awful having Clint on stage. It was so bad the Wisconsin, Nevada, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, and New Hamphire have moved from solid Obama to toss ups. It was terrible. That is all you got?? Clint’s ackward perormance?? Nothing about the best you have felt in 4 years is when you voted for Obama? Hmmmm. Feel as good today as the magic moment you cast your ballot? Obama promised to slow the rise of the oceans. Ok, I will give him credit for than. Still have that tingling sensation going up your leg when he speaks? Still have scores fainting at his very words? Still feel better about your children’s future being brighter than yours? All you can do is say Clint Eastwood gave a confusing one man show with an empty chair. That empty chair just might be broken hopes and dreams. Bad Clint, bad.

      • Robert Lovejoy says:

        mM bad. I forget to say the solid Obama great state of Colorado is now a toss up. I am sorry. The devil made me say it.

      • rl crabb says:

        Lemme just point out that I have a great deal of respect for Rowdy Yates. Hollywood does too, apparently, or they wouldn’t have bestowed him with four Oscars. Lots of liberal actors would swim the Straits of Magellen to work with him, even Sean Penn, when he isn’t cavorting in Caracas and french-kissing Hugo Chavez’s cancerous behind. I felt bad for his uneven performance on Thursday night, from the perspective of one who has ventured onstage himself with the hubris to think he could fool people into laughing with a quickie improv bit, only to be met with nervous giggling and bad reviews the next morning. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don’t.

      • Ryan Mount says:

        Left: “Clint’s tragic melt down.”

        Right: “Clint was effective and you can always tell when it is so because the liberals and their lamestream media sycophants attack vociferously. It was sooo funny!”

        GenX Right (stolen from a FB status): “Eastwood. What a performance. Part Elwood P. Dowd, part Statler & Waldorf, part Andy Kaufman. Bizarre, Hilarious and Uncomfortable, all at the same time. Other than Breitbart, biggest stones evah.”

        Independents (undecided):He looks old. When did he get so old? Am I old? When is someone going to say, ‘Make my day?’ Oh, there. Someone just shouted it.

        Voting Teenagers and Young Adults:Who is Clint Eastwood? Can I add him to my Tumblr? Oh, and I hate Paul Ryan, but I don’t know why.

        Elderly (again, stolen from Facebook): “I think it is so very sad that somehow we have lost our sense of humor in these trying times. There is very little to laugh about at the moment…what with the economy and the wars we are fighting and the 15 trillion dollars of debt we are faced with daily…and the unemployment at an all time high….so when someone comes along and does something soooo out of character…Clint Eastwood perhaps…instead of some people laughing …all they can do is tear him to shreds. “

    • Todd Juvinall says:

      Clint was effective and you can always tell when it is so because the liberals and their lamestream media sycophants attack vociferously. It was sooo funny!

      Also, Clint was acting not “melting” and that shows just how out of touch the liberals are. Amazing!

  5. Ryan Mount says:

    RL-

    I agree with you that our current interest rates are obviously nothing like the Carter years, but I would argue we need much higher interest rates so people start saving and stop using the Stock Market like a bank…and then expect it to behave like one. Because I don’t want people screaming and stomping their feet when their investments go **poof** due to a trader’s fat fingers or greed.

    There is almost no incentive to save. Actually, there’s none at all. There is every incentive to borrow (more debt), for those who can, and buy (consume) and speculate. Krugman writes about it almost everyday: borrow, borrow, borrow because you’re stupid if you don’t.

    There’s some really screwy monetary policies going on, and it’s probably a safe bet that in a few years we’re be asking, “What the hell were we thinking?” Just like the exercise we just went through in 2008/09. Except the next crash, people won’t have Jet-skis and remodeled kitchens to play in.

  6. TD Pittsford says:

    OK, I watched Mr. Eastwood speak (stammer would be a better description) and felt more uncomfortable than inspired, if indeed that was the intention. Nonetheless watching the cut-aways to the crowd, I had only one question: Where where all the black and Hispanic people? Are they all Democrats? If Mr. Romney is to represent ALL Americans, wouldn’t you think at least a representative number of other ethnicities should be present?

    • Robert Lovejoy says:

      TD, you are right. I too noticed the lack of turbans and Chief Crazy Feather headdresses. Whatz up with dat? I was hoping to see some of the old familiar diverse faces of the Occupy Wall Street crowd, or at least some people throwing their little American flags on the ground. All I saw was smiling beaming faces. And alot of hot white women. Not one heifer in the crowd with braided armpits either. Not even a token Maxine Waters dog face look alike or a Bella Abuz beauty queen. Whatz up with dat?

      • TD Pittsford says:

        You know, Robert, I’m not sure whether you’re being facetious or not. My point was the noticeable lack of diversity among those “smiling beaming faces.” Of course preaching to the choir is what those conventions, on both sides, are all about anyway, right?

        • Todd Juvinall says:

          Yeah, the armed guards at the doors kept all those folks out of the of the auditorium. Sheesh!

          We have more elected “Hispanics” in America than the democrats do but you won’t get that info from the lamestreams. Mia Love is a Mayor in the whitest town in the whitest state, Utah, and she running for the 4th Congressional District there but the lamestreams cut away from her great speech. The lamestreams do what I have complained about the newspapers doing all the time and that is selective exposure rules for the readers/viewers. I watched CSPAN for the Convention because they just let it be. No yapping by the talking heads. So, I got to see and hear a plethora of people of all types, colors, ethnicity and they shared conservatism.

          Clint Eastwood is 82 and still making movies of substance. Ever see Gran Torino? What a wonderful story about overcoming prejudice and making friendships. No, the democrats are the problem and the Republicans (this go around) will be the solution, f only their message would get dispersed by the lamestreams. Hell will freeze over first.

          • Robert Lovejoy says:

            Those pesky racists view everything thru the prism of race. Tea Party is too white. The Republican pep rally was too white. Clint Eastwood is too old and white. Romney married a white chick and she popped out 5 little whities. This is a crime against humanity. Florida would be too white except for those Cuban types. But we all know Cubans are not really Latinos. Neither are the Phillipinos. Asians are too smart so they ain’t a true minority either. Immigrants from India are not really a minority cause they think white and are successful. Condy Rice, Clarence Thomas, Colin Powell, Ward Connely, Herman Cain, Bill Crosby and Co are not really black. Diversity thru the eyes of a racist is looking at one’s political ideaology. That Labor Secretary under Bush was not really a Hispanic. Now Harry Bellafonte is a real black man. All true minorites are victims. The makers were represented in Tampa. The takers will be respesented in Charolette.

          • Todd Juvinall says:

            Right on the mark!

          • TD Pittsford says:

            I wonder what your comment has to do with the lack of minorities, vetted or not, attending RepCom?

        • Robert Lovejoy says:

          If you did not vote for Obama the first time around is evidence you a racist. Only a racist would vote for someone based solely on the color of his/her skin. Let’s look at the record. The great statesman from the Democrat party Senate Majority Leader Harry Reed called Obama “an articulate Negro”. Not to be outdone, Senator Joe Biden added he is a “clean blackman”. The Reverend Jesse Jackson called New York City “Hymie Town and later The Most Reverend Jesse trumped both Democrat Senators by declaring he would like to cut Obama’s privates off for preaching self sufficiency to black audiences. But they all supported Obama so they ain’t no racists. Racists are hillbillies clinging to their guns and Good Books.

  7. Steve Enos says:

    I think this link provides a fair take on Clint’s R convention appearance. It’s from the LA Times, well thought out, balanced and fair.

    If you want to see a telling reaction to Clint’s appearance just watch the video cutways of Mrs. Romney listening to Clint. Yikes! Those pictures/video footage show the reality of what happened. Mrs. Romney’s reations and “faces” listening to Clint makes it very clear. It was sad to watch. Clint is a great actor, great director, I loved Grand Torino, reminded me of my late father.

    http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-critics-notebook-clint-eastwood-20120901,0,7161253.story

    • Greg Goodknight says:

      Obama supporters should keep harping on the Eastwood performance.

      Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
      Goodnight ladies
      Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
      Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
      Goodnight ladies
      Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
      Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
      Goodnight ladies
      Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
      Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
      We’re going to leave you now
      Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep

  8. Ben Emery says:

    Clint Eastwood was much better the drunk Reince Priebus
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOhKs2mngDM

    • Todd Juvinall says:

      NenE, I watched the video and did not come away with the impression he was drunk. Do you have roof or just personal knowledge?

      • TD Pittsford says:

        And this was of paramount significance how? Are there no other issues to discuss. Put it to bed for crying out loud and let’s move on. We’ve got an entire DNC to trash-talk.

  9. Russ Steele says:

    The outtakes that showed up on the cable and news channels were much better than the actual performance. The nervous transitions were edited out. The real impact was the re-plays, plus Rush Limbaugh made a big deal out of Clint’s performance, increasing the audience and the impact. How effect was Clint? Very well if we gage the lefty whining and the flurry of negative tweets.

  10. Russ Steele says:

    Consider this, the messages and tactics of Alinsky, long the monopoly of the Left, have been discovered by the Right and put on display by Romney and Clint Eastwood’s speech which was pure Alinsky.

    RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions

    The mockery of the empty chair was straight out of Rule 5, and predictably, the Left is seething and irrational over it.

    But the message of the night was Alinsky’s Rule 4.

    RULE 4: “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.” If the rule is that every letter gets a reply, send 30,000 letters. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules.

    This has become the centerpiece of the Romney campaign — forcing Obama to live up to his own standards, his own book of broken promises from 2008. The keystone of Romney’s speech was that he won’t lower the oceans or heal the Earth, but instead will help hurting American families.

    RULE 11: “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.”

    Romney presented the constructive alternative. After Eastwood obliterated Obama and reminded everyone of the lost hope of 2008, Romney’s positive vision gave Americans something that has been lacking for three years — a constructive, positive alternative vision for America. The vision reminds people of an age before Obama, when the entire nation watched Neil Armstrong step foot on the moon.  Pride and confidence are the alternative to diminishment and fear.

    And if there was any doubt, this campaign will be about the failures of President Obama, failures of the man to fulfill the requirements of the office.

    RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”

    There is more HERE: http://pjmedia.com/jchristianadams/2012/08/31/the-gop-goes-alinsky-on-obama/

  11. rl crabb says:

    Clint certainly has become the star of the show. Mitt who?

    • Judith Lowry says:

      Also,
      George W. Bush, who?
      Dick Cheney, who?
      Donald Rumsfeld, who?
      Condoleezza Rice. who?
      Sarah Palin, who?

      The list goes on of folks the R’s do not wish to be associated with.
      I hope they are all comfortable there, under that bus.

      • Robert Lovejoy says:

        Condy gave a great speech at the podium that rocked the bus in Tampa. Her brillant speech carried the theme of leading, not leading from behind. Perhaps somebody does not wish to be associated with the former Secretary of State, but it is not the Republicans. Perhaps a new pair of glasses are in order for you.

      • Todd Juvinall says:

        Well you must not have watched the convention Judith honey. All the above you listed except Cheney were there on person or on video. Bush the elder is in a wheelchair and at 88 is unable to physically be here. Bush the younger stays out of the process as he has stated many times because he is done and retired. Unlike Clinton who is still chasing the girls all over the democrat functions.

        Palin was a FOX contributor and we got to see and gear her every day and Condi was a keynote speaker. You need to watch CSPAN since MSNBC cut away from all the speakers anyway so they could bloviate.

        • Judith Lowry says:

          That’s right I’m busted, I did miss some of the R convention and I plan to miss most of the D convention, but I do know Bush wasn’t invited. The token appearances by some of the folks that sent our so many thousands of our kids to war are not shining endorsements.

          Clint is a fine man and the first time ever I saw his face . . .
          well, you know the rest of the song. He was gorgeous.
          He’s very old now and supports Romney. Fine with me, doesn’t change a thing. He has given us some wonderful entertainment over the years, bless him. He is entitled to his opinion and his vote, as we all are.

          Oh, and thanks for finally calling me “honey”, sugar lump.
          I was beginning to think you didn’t care ; )

  12. Brad Croul says:

    Re: Carter/Obama – interesting that Iran has been in the news so much lately, as it was in 1979-80. Then, as now, America was between invasions, in somewhat of a crisis, and the sitting president was blamed for all our ills.

    • Robert Lovejoy says:

      re re: Clinton/Obama. I bet Clinton will be great speaking from the podium- in Charolette. Clinton with his jobs record, cutting the deficit, reforming welfare as we know it….a living breathing example standing under the lights reminding everyone in the world what a failure Obama has been in comparision. Shame, a crying shame. Of course Clinton went along with 8 out of the 10 items from the Republican Congress known as the Contract With America and things went rather rosey after Clinton got on board. Clinton ended up smelling like a rose. It did the nation good that Clinton was a pragmatic. Clinton/Obama? Not two peas in the same pod.

  13. Todd Juvinall says:

    And rightly so.

  14. Steve Enos says:

    Republican Paul Ryan now says he didn’t run a marathon in less than three hours as he claimed in a nationally broadcast interview.

    The vice presidential hopeful acknowledged Saturday he had misstated his marathon time by more than an hour. He released a statement correcting the record after Runner’s World magazine found evidence he had completed one marathon and finished in just over four hours.

    Ryan told radio host Hugh Hewitt last month he had run a “two hour and fifty-something” marathon. That’s a pace of less than 7 minutes per mile for the 26.2 mile course — extremely fast for recreational runners.

    • Todd Juvinall says:

      Wow! That should in itself disqualify him from high office I guess. Wink wink. Of course, Tony Resco ain’t talking or we might find out something someone in present high office may not like.

      • Robert Lovejoy says:

        Say it isn’t so! Ryan lied and people died. Economy is doing great, humming down the road like a welfare mama in a new cadillac. Unemployment still inching up. Schools pumping out drop outs like libbies devour food stamps. Glad we are back to important stuff like Ryan’s marathon times.
        Very impotent stuff indeed.

      • TD Pittsford says:

        Yes I imagine we’re all surprised that a politician would misstate the facts. What’s the world coming to?

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