Comment on Althouse: 18 seconds of raw class warfare.

Althouse: 18 seconds of raw class warfare.

They have clearly communicated a threat of violence and done so with both imagery of a weapon and in a group. A reasonable person can feel threatened, that is a reasonable person can feel that they have been assaulted, and if these people appear and behave in a threatening and confrontational manner then a reasonable person would be justified in defending his or herself. If I was on a jury and a defendant who was arrested after responding with force to a visit by these people articulated that defense then I would probably refuse to convict.

These self proclaimed revolutionaries believe that they can rely on the benefits of a peaceful law abiding society even as they act to destroy it. If they meet people who treat them with the public contempt that they display then they are shocked and feel aggrieved.

They think it would be a victory if they provoke violence because they think that any violence by their victims would result in the forces of civilization dissolving into incoherence when charged with hypocrisy and then losing the support of the people that confers legitimacy.

That theory is simply untrue. The people are sovereign and defend their liberty when attacked. The government reaffirms its bond to the people when it acts to protect them from threats and violence and supports them when they defend themselves.

The Communists have a right to protest. They do not have a right to threaten assault or commit violence. If there is a confrontation then the people acting through a jury, which is formally a subset of the Militia, determine which is the guilty party.

The Big Wind

In popular entertainment I'd be at an "End of The World Party" where, depending on the level of the effort, I'd engage in stimulating conversation or meet the love of my life, or find myself a bit player in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" In adolescent dreams I'd be holed up with a girl.

My expectation was that I'd spend the weekend helping with the Red Cross. To my shock they declined to use me. See why below.

So I am finding this disaster so far to be incredibly boring.

All organizations become corrupt. All bureaucracies become vehicles for increasing the security and authority of their staff at the expense of actual achievement. For example, for many years I have done Red Cross. Over the last few years though my participation has declined as the Chapter became focused on internal turbulence and adherence to increasingly complicated but in appearance sophisticated rituals. Yesterday evening I stopped by the Chapter to see what could be done to help for the impending hurricane. I was warned that once I reported I should expect to stay for 36 hours as the City was shutting down the subways starting at noon. The senior Area Director recognized me and called me a great guy and urged me to come in. So I told him that I would go home and change after buying some food just in case and return around midnight. When I got back with two days supplies in my bags there was nobody there who knew anything, they thought the senior officers were in the building when they were not, but in accordance with procedure cots were set up in empty rooms to shelter staff during an extended disaster. I was told to wait in the shelter area until the senior staff returned to begin preparation. So I undressed and lay down. Immediately after I passed out junior staff arrived and threw me out of the building. After trying to build a case to protect themselves, saying untrue things about what I had said or they had said or the Director had said (who they only began to call to cover themselves as I left the building) they adopted a psuedo-legal weaselly tone as to my “unauthorized presence” as I put on my shoes. I will not be back.

Implosion

Rasmussen is the most accurate poll. My expectation is that 19-20% Strong Approval is Obama's floor of support. They will stick with him no matter what and he has already sunk that low. His Strong Disapproval rating could increase as high as 50%, until he reaches the Index spread of -30%. That would put him in the same range as George Bush (43) was in 2008. There are two differences between the cases.
1. George Bush was not running for reelection.
2. The MSM spent 8 years trying to destroy Bush and they've spent 4 years creating and propping up Obama.

After Obama spends a week at -25% or worse I expect a delegation of senior Democrats to visit him and inquire after his health. If they can discover an ingrown hangnail they'll try to get rid of him. He probably does suffer from cardiac problems brought on by years of smoking and earlier cocaine use.

Let us see:
1. this morning Rasmussen had Obama at minus 26% in the Daily Presidential Tracking Poll,
2. the trend lines of the Presidential Approval Index would have a Wall St Tech Analyst screaming "Sell",
3. an earthquake struck DC this afternoon and gov't employees took a 2 hour lunch across 1/3 of the US,
4. a hurricane is bearing down, possibly again aimed at Washington DC.

You do not have to be a religious fanatic to check if locusts or frogs are to be looked for next.

The only thing that could hold the Democrats back is the realization that without Obama on the ticket blacks will stay home. That would doom the chances of candidates in local races. They really are damned if they do or don't.

Evergreen or Obamanomics, the Results

Today my Dry Cleaner went out of business after 23 years. The Chinese husband and wife were the nicest hardest working people you could ever meet. Their lovely recent college graduate daughter was there to tell customers the bad news the other day. In my Middle Class neighborhood there are shopping strips with multiple empty storefronts. Some have been that way for years.


This was a successful Mom and Pop business. This is the American Dream destroyed. The Democrats did this and they should pay. This is not evidence of a Recession. The Democrats have created a Depression and done so with malice of forethought.

How Israel Should Respond

Every time there is an attack Israel should occupy a 100 meter deep section of Gaza from the Sea in starting at the Northeast corner. Dump the current inhabitants into Sinai. Never ever return any land that was taken to punish the Arabs for aggression. Surround the Strip with 500 artillery pieces and counter-battery radar. Instantly return fire at any attack. Make clear that being within the CEP (circular error probability) of the return fire will be fatal. Know that the Paleostinians will launch attacks from schools to draw return fire. Announce that the responsibility is the local inhabitants and they must reject and expel Hamas to survive. Threaten a naval blockade of Iran. Launch cruise missile attacks on Iranian oil shipping storage and refining centers and seaports. Hunt down and destroy the leadership of the Syrian regime.

Comment on Ann Althouse: Attack on Althouse at the Wisconsin Capitol singalong.

Althouse: Attack on Althouse at the Wisconsin Capitol singalong.

It is my suspicion that lawyers are often reluctant to become participants or consumers, as opposed to practitioners, in the legal process. Aren't doctors exceptionally reluctant to become patients? It is unfortunate that Ms Althouse did not press charges but it need not be seen as a partisan decision.

It is best to engage as an observer as part of a team of three. Prior training on how to respond in various situations is needed. Left wing agitators and crowd Marshals often have such training. There are outreach efforts to minority groups and youth to provide similar training. We need organized efforts to teach all citizens what their Civil Rights are and how to act with hostile groups or authority. Ideally that training would be considered part of qualifying as a full citizen and would be part of a universal military training program.

It would have been nice if some friendly federal officer had been present and arrested the perps for violating Ms Althouse's Civil Rights.