The Arrogance of Power

The nuclear option has been decided on. President Obama and the Democrat majority leaders in Congress have decided to use the parliamentary procedure known as reconciliation to pass their unpopular health care reform bill, a bill that the Republicans oppose, a bill that some liberal Congressmen oppose for not being liberal enough, and a bill to which the majority of the American people, according to most polls, are vehemently opposed.

Here, you can see a compilation of leading Congressional Democrats lambasting the procedure… when Republicans tried to use it back when they had the majority and the Democrats tried to filibuster every bill and nomination they could. Pot, meet kettle.

My favorite quote is the one by Harry Reid. The “arrogance of power” is an apt summation of the main problem facing the United States; it is applicable to not just our politicians, but the unions and big business. (more…)

Happy New Year To All

Well, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas. I’ve been back in the States for little over a week now, and boy is it good to be home.

Ireland can be a great place, and a shitty place.  More than anything it is different: different from what anyone from America, but especially sunny SoCal, is used to.

The sight of the full moon in the clear winter sky can be breathtaking, but even when enjoying that beauty I’m tortured by cold.  I was in New Jersey this last weekend to take the LSAT, and it snowed while I was there, but even that wasn’t as cold as the Dublin night in December.  The wind, the far northern latitude, the long nights, and proximity to the ocean all combine to create a feeling of chilling sensation that is umatched by anything I have ever felt.  It’s like the wind is cutting through my flesh and bones, down to my very marrow, when I’m wearing anything less than a heavy woolen peacoat, sweater, cap, scarf, gloves, and thermal underwear. (more…)

Obama as Bad as Bush?

“I emphasized that this has to be a point in time in which we begin to write a new chapter based on improved governance, a much more serious effort to eradicate corruption, joint efforts to accelerate the training of Afghan security forces so that the Afghan people can provide for their own security.”
-President Barrack Hussein Obama

You just have to love how Obama stands by his principles! Ahmadinejad steals an election in Iran, and the most “the greatest orator of our time” can manage is a tepid wag of his finger. The people of Honduras peacefully (and by legal means) expel a Castro-Chavez-wannabe for trying to illegally alter the constitution, and Obama cries bloody murder. And now the Afghanistan re-vote, called because of rampant fraud in the first one, is cancelled, giving Karzai the presidency once more (and less democratic legitimacy than George W. during his first time), and Obama is all smiles and praises. Finally, when a Muslim Army Major kills a dozen people, rather than focusing his whole speech on it, he gives it a passing mention, after an off-script “shout out” to a man he claimed had won the Congressional Medal of honor, but who had, in fact, actually won the Medal of Freedom; it’s surprising mistake for Obama to make, especially seeing as he was the one who presented him with the medal. [1]I tell you, this guy is already as disgraceful as George Bush, and it’s only his first year! (more…)

Pubs and Slang in Dublin Town

Hello again, everyone. I’ve been in Dublin for over a month now (the only way I’ve kept track is that I’ve used up my 30-day bus pass), and I figured I’d give you lot in the States an update on my adventures in Ireland.

First off, “How’s the crack?”

No, I’m not asking about your rear, or the quality of the cocaine. It’s craic, meaning “fun” or “good times”. So when they ask, “How’s the craic?” they just mean “What’s up?”/ “How’s it goin’?”. Little differences in slang like that can be a bit confusing for Americans when they first come to Ireland. You pick them up pretty quickly, but initially the new slang combined with a different accent (and the propensity towards mumbling that some Irish folk exhibit) can make your head spin. (more…)

Nobels for Nothing, Sharia Gaffes, and Lisbon Updates

Apparently our Dear Leader is being considered for a Nobel Peace Prize.  The rational questions of course are “Why?” and “For what?”   The answer to the former is “Because he’s the first Black president, and because he’s a European-style socialist.”  As cynical as that may seem, it’s actually pretty much the situation.  Here in Ireland, most of the people I’ve met seem to very much like Obama but are unable to articulate why they like him so much.  They always mention how he’s the historic first African-American president in a country with a long history of racial discrimination, but beyond that, they can’t name a single accomplishment of his aside from his being elected, and are usually shocked when told that his administration has even further polarized the electorate. (more…)

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