elfs | Brains, tossed into the Briar Patch (Reply)

WorldNet: One Nation, Under God, Indivisible?: In a predictably funny article, Joseph Farah argues that we are no longer "One Nation, Under God, Indivsible," but
We are trying to pretend we're one nation when we are really two. One of those two nations clings to the promises and covenants of the past, the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, as the guiding principles. The other believes in and lives with no immutable standards. It's not a Republican vs. Democrat split – as the current election illustrates. I know many Republicans would find themselves more comfortable in the country of no standards. I also suspect many Democrats would actually find themselves more at home in the nation of the Bible, Declaration and Constitution.
Oh, where to begin, where to begin? How about with Farah's lack of historical memory-- a trait he shares with his readers-- and his failure to acknowledge that the "under God" part of that phrase was inserted into the national dialogue only in the 1950s, and only as a fearful reaction to the threat of Soviet communism. But more offensive than that is the whole "I have morals and values, and you do not, because you're not a Christian" nonsense that he peddles.

Farah is now a secessionist. He calls for the dissolution of the United States, perhaps even a new American Revolution. We should not be surprised. (via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)
Steve Benen: The Republican War on Science Continues: Although McCain's answers to the National Academy of Sciences earlier this year sought to reassure those of us who fear that America is losing its edge, Benen and Lawrence Krauss go over the ways McCain and Palin have dissed or dismissed important scientific research and outreach programs, showing unequivocally that they're willing to play to their know-nothing base, and even feed that beast, to get elected.
John McCain, Socialist: John McCain said yesterday:
Fannie and Freddie, this -- was the catalyst that blew this whole thing up. And frankly, the administration is not doing what I think they should do, and that's go in and buy out these bad mortgages, give people mortgages they can afford, stabilize home values and start them back up again. They did that during the depression, it was called the Home Owners' Loan Corporation.
Sounds like the redistribution of wealth to me. More of the Bush-era conservative socialism. And the general consensus among respectable economists is that Fannie and Freddie are mostly innocent of the charges laid against them; the worthless loans were made by other institutions with less regulation than those with federal oversight.
Jindal 2012!: Oh, please, oh please. Ross Douthat makes the case that the right wing is desperate to put Jindal onto the 2012 ticket so they can prove that it wasn't Obama's skin color that turned them off, just his progressivism.

Jindal is a comedian's wet dream, however. Between his constant push for Intelligent Design in schools and his penchant for amateur exorcism, it would be non-stop entertainment.

I would take the Jindal threat very seriously, though, precisely because the race issue would shame a lot of Republicans into voting for him, and the last thing we need is another anti-science President in the White House.
Jake Tapper reports that Republicans are concerned about Sarah Palin: Jake Tapper reports that within the McCain campaign, concerns are being aired that Sarah Palin is a user, accustomed to allying herself with powerful people only to climb over them and leave them in ruins. Members of the party are citing this as "a pattern," and are worried that this is what Palin is now doing to John McCain.

Steve Benen points out that if this is true, it represents a real line of resentment within Republican party. He snarks that competence and qualifications have never been the Republican party's major concern, but screwing over your fellows is simply not done.
Buying up airtime is "sort of like the Soviet invasion.": Geez, these people are desperate to have something to say that would hurt Obama in some way, aren't they? I wonder which "Soviet invasion" Geist is thinking of, that featured actually purchasing press space beforehand? Wasn't there something like that in Red Dawn?
County Clerk calls Obama "A young, black 'Adolf Hitler' with a smile!": She runs that county's elections. But she'll be very fair about the count, won't she?
15 Elements Any Great Website Should Have: I've more than once seen great websites that don't have top and bottom navigation or a search feature. I wouldn't call those great unless you've got content that needs searching, and if you're navigation needs are limited enough to justify such a standard design choice.
Discover Your Obsession, and Be Happy About It.: Zen Habits on successfully managing your obsessions.