Category Archives: Political Commentary

Jennifer Granholm’s Perfect Bad Example

It’s easy to blame her for Michigan’s woes, but my home state has to own up to the fact that they voted for her:

With this kind of record, most politicos might take refuge in prudence. Not Ms. Granholm. Today she is running around the nation selling a book and a message. The book is called “A Governor’s Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Economic Future.” Her message—that Granholm’s Michigan shows the way forward—has been taken seriously in all the places you might expect: the New York Times and Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”

At the top of Ms. Granholm’s claims is that she knows that low taxes and lean government are no prescription for growth because she tried supply-side and found it wanting. To prove her point, her appendix lists 99 business and 17 individual “tax cuts” she approved. She notes likewise that both state spending and the number of state employees dropped during her time.

In fact, almost all Ms. Granholm’s “tax cuts” are tax credits or other forms of tax preferences. A less delicate way of saying this is that far from reducing rates for everyone, Ms. Granholm played favorites. That meant a more complicated tax code where trendy businesses (green jobs, anyone?) that would fail without subsidies are effectively underwritten by non-favored businesses and other taxpayers.

A good plan, as always. Not.

The EU Monetary Union

Is it on the verge of collapse?

Something profound has changed. Germans have begun to sense that the preservation of their own democracy and rule of law is in conflict with demands from Europe. They must choose one or the other.

Yet Europe and the world are so used to German self-abnegation for the EU Project – so used to the teleological destiny of ever-closer Union – that they cannot seem to grasp the fact. It reminds me of 1989 and the establishment failure to understand the Soviet game was up.

Go long on the Deutschemark.

SCOTUS And ObamaCare

Does the White House actually think it would be good for it to be struck down? Or at least, would it be objectively good for the Democrats going into next November?

Mickey’s a smart guy, but he’s too clever by half here, I think. I agree with most of the commenters. It’s a torpedo below his water line that can’t be undone now, and if it’s demonstrated to be unconstitutional as well, it just makes it that much worse, politically.

I, Too, Would Pay To See That

I agree with Jonah:

“Should Obama try to emulate the way he thinks gays and Jews talk in his next address to them?”

Well, I think I’m not alone when I say this, but my answer is… YES! Absolutely. He should do that. In fact all politicians should give that a try. It’d be funnn-eee!

It would be really funny if he couldn’t pull it off, but tried anyway.

[Update a few minutes later]

Today’s questions for the president:

What evidence do you have that the preferred footwear of members of the Congressional Black Caucus is bedroom slippers?

At what point during your childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia did you adopt the speaking cadence of Al Sharpton?

Do you agree with Janeane Garafalo that some Republicans support Herman Cain “because it hides the racist elements of the Republican Party”? Are Republicans who don’t support Herman Cain simply more honest racists?

Do you agree with Herman Cain that ”African-Americans have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not considering a conservative point of view”?

What measurable benefits have accrued to black voters as a result of tendering 88 percent of their votes to Hubert Humphrey, 87 percent to George McGovern, 85 percent to Jimmy Carter, 88 percent to Walter Mondale, 86 percent to Michael Dukakis, 83–84 percent to Bill Clinton, 89 percent to Al Gore, 88 percent to John Kerry, and 95 percent to you?

Well, they don’t suffer from the ravages of high employment or low legitimacy rates.