For those of us who read for the pure pleasure of good writing, you cannot miss Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal. She is one of the reasons I pick up the Saturday Wall Street Journal. Fortunately, she is also available online.
Her column is not the standard tight 500 to 800 word op-ed but rather a sometimes rambling peregrination through a number of subjects wherein Ms. Noonan indulges in some rumination and speculation and then zeroes in with a kill shot so on-target and so lethal that it is truly breath-taking.
They say women are harder on other women so, while male opinion mongers may tread lightly on Hillary Clinton, Ms. Noonan is deadly. This is no Ya-Ya Sisterhood.
Consider this passage from Saturday's WSJ; she is talking about Bill Clinton:
He's a draw and the plan was that his presence would boost his wife's fortunes. ... So they'll vote for Hillary. Because she'll bring him. ... It appears not to be working. ... Maybe they'd love to have him back in the White House. Maybe they just don't want him to bring her. Maybe they miss the Cuckoo's Nest and they'd love having Jack Nicholson's McMurphy running through the halls. Maybe they just don't miss Nurse Ratched. Does she have to come?
That seems to be the logic behind the Hillary Nutcracker action figure (the gift that keeps on giving). Sexist, when spoken by a man, but Ms. Noonan's rationale seems to share the stereotypical blue-collar lunch pail carrier's belief that Bubba will be Bubba because of his wife's stainless steel thighs.
Works for me.
Impeach Dick Cheney, take #2,346
Just when we thought John Nichols was off the hard stuff here he comes again to breathlessly report in the December 15 Progressive Dane newspaper that three congressmen are interested in impeaching Dick Cheney. Unfortunately, that is three out of 38 members of the House Judiciary Committee and not one of the three is Chairman John Conyers of Michigan.
The gang of three -- Wexler, Guttierez, and Tammy Baldwin -- rank 9th, 15th, and 17th in seniority, respectively among the majority Democrats.
Here is that article from The Nation of December 14, where Mr. Nichols recycles/originates his pieces in a practice well known in government called "double dipping." Note that even to Nation readers, impeachment is getting a little past the sell date.
As "LVLiberty1" responds:
I think they should press ahead with this. I cannot think of too many other things the Democrats could do to better enhance the chances for a Republican in the White House in 2009.
It's Midnight in America
I note that John has this treacly little promo at his Nation blog. Like the Gipper once said, he may have the words but not the music:
Every day in every city and town across America, progressives get up in the morning and go about the work of fighting racism and homophobia, defending the environment, organizing trade unions and tackling corporate hegemony. Sometimes they win -- on the picket line, at the ballot box, in the streets and outside the WTO meetings in Seattle.
Hey Jason, how about posting this bowl of Cocoa Puffs at my website?
Every day we conservatives get up in the morning and go to work to pay the taxes to finance the never-ending "unmet needs" of the Left. We send their children to school or we home tutor at great risk of retribution from the teachers union. We worship on the weekend and, in our own way, in the days in-between. We don't know a picket line from a conga line. Unlike the World Trade Organization riots in Seattle, we would not dream of destroying property or disrupting lawful meetings no matter how much we may disagree with the message. If we don't work for corporations we own stock in them. We don't talk about compassion, we reach into our wallets for United Way and, separately, the Boy Scouts, and through volunteer work for Salvation Army and other groups. Streets are how we get to work, school, and church -- that is, when they are plowed in winter.
Joe Lieberman!
You rule!
Are You Smarter Than Your Right Foot?
See if mind can overrule instinct:
1. While sitting where you are, at your desk, in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction
It has nothing to do with reflexes. It is caused by a special beam I am emitting from my computer to override your will. That is why you will vote Republican next November.
