tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post3559381963190243259..comments2024-03-15T20:52:26.967-07:00Comments on Steve Sailer: iSteve: "Il Divo"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-68765795977934208372009-05-14T21:43:00.000-07:002009-05-14T21:43:00.000-07:00Obama isn't like Andreotti or Daley. He's like The...Obama isn't like Andreotti or Daley. He's like The American Gangster(the movie).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-65292201626945407232009-05-09T10:32:00.000-07:002009-05-09T10:32:00.000-07:00"This is all true and well but how precisely this ...<I>"This is all true and well but how precisely this differs from the ugly machinations of practically every successful politian is not clear"</I> <br /><br /><br />Well, perhaps it is only unclear to the partisan mind. I get tired of the way the left trots out "they all do it" when one of their own is caught doing something wrong.<br /><br />I seem to recall that Nixon was forced to resign from office for his "ugly machinations".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-24098293335699676792009-05-09T00:48:00.000-07:002009-05-09T00:48:00.000-07:00The Italians would be better off revoking the Riso...The Italians would be better off revoking the Risorgimento and going back to a couple dozen republics, city states, and principalities. Although still great artistically compared to other peoples, their drop since 1870 is one of the sharpest on record. Italians obviously thrive best in small polities governed by families that love high culture. Just think of the artistic riches of Palermo and Florence -- and how absurd it is to make those two great cities and peoples part of the same artificial "country."John Seilerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795977089953532965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-1227812695108843232009-05-08T22:41:00.000-07:002009-05-08T22:41:00.000-07:00Ronduck: I'm beginning to think that the English l...<B>Ronduck:</B> <I>I'm beginning to think that the English language exists for the sole purpose of transmitting lies from one person to another.</I> <br /><br />Welcome to the party.<br /><br />Rock on, Dude!Lucius Vorenusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-44883666771000819112009-05-08T20:07:00.000-07:002009-05-08T20:07:00.000-07:00Juvenal is my favorite from that period. Thanks fo...Juvenal is my favorite from that period. Thanks for the interesting comment.silly girlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-61508627463265449392009-05-08T19:00:00.000-07:002009-05-08T19:00:00.000-07:00"This is all true and well but how precisely this ..."This is all true and well but how precisely this differs from the ugly machinations of practically every successful politian is not clear - and likely non-existent. Is Obama dirtier than Kennedy? Cheney? Nixon? FDR?"<br /><br />To the partisan mind, yes. <br /><br />meonaphone."<br /><br />Partisan schmartisan.<br />I'm an Independent. But yes, I do think we've hit a new low with the whole Obama rigamarole. If Bush was zero, this joker is sub-zero.<br />All of the above named pols, excluding Mr. O, were preceded in their highest elected offices by many years of very well reported political activities. Mr. O's past is a big blank, except in his AUTOBIOGRAPHY! excuse me while i wipe away tears of laughter.<br /><br />I don't know if he's dirtier than Cheney. That's a stretch. However, at least Cheney was a known quantity about whom no one had any illusions. Nixon? ditto. He and not a controlled media (Soros anyone?) was responsible for himself. They got him out eventually, which they'll never be able to do with the current occupant. Not without extreme civil unrest, which I suspect is why he's there.<br />Kennedy? The election was dirty, but once he was in, he seemed imbued with some sort of genuine desire to make America a worthy leader of the "free world." Just didn't have the practical ability. He challenged big business, the CIA, the military. He vetoed the false flag Northwoods plan. He f@#d up in Cuba. Wanted to "Scatter the CIA to the winds." They saw about that. Can you imagine Obama making any truly courageous statements? Well actually it would be his teleprompter that would be expressing the courage.<br /> Might be just as well, as it is essential this guy do his term and get the hell back to Chicago, safe and sound. All I ask out of this administration is that there be no "racial unrest."<br /><br />Kennedy got himself killed. Listen to his speeches, especially the one at American U, summer 63, warning about secret societies, yearning for peace, for a future for all our children.<br /> Kennedy rang strangely prescient. He was also a politician who wanted to win. Some of these leaders who get murdered subconsciously accept it. They know they're fingered. He was in deep do-do, a lot of it his own fault, yet he was in shock over a lot of what he'd found out that he had no control over. He was shocked to find that the Agency for International Development had taken aid to Vietnam, so crucial for negotiating purposes, out of his hands without his awareness, thanks to a former political enemy to whom he gave the Vietnam Ambassadorship. But that's another thread.<br /> Two assassination attempts were made in 3 weeks before they succeeded in Dallas.<br /> I'm not really a great fan of JFK's politics, but he was the last POTUS that came in with a genuine desire to serve the country, while achieving his own place in the history books. I never thought I'd say it, but Reagan, despite incipient senility, also had some sort of genuine feeling about this country.<br />Obama, IMHO, is a manchurian candidate. He exudes no feeling for America, or more importantly, for Americans. Anybody who thinks this guy has any sincere desire to lead and unify Americans of all races is seriously deluded. The insane cheerleading by the entire mass media makes it obvious someone BIG is running him. If they desert him, that will be the signal that he just may have done some genuinely courageous and right thing. Which this person has no history of doing...at least to the extent we know any history about him.dc watchernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-48645931931182845662009-05-08T18:58:00.000-07:002009-05-08T18:58:00.000-07:00Lucius, that article is depressing.Lucius, that article is depressing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-5781883097090073052009-05-08T17:23:00.000-07:002009-05-08T17:23:00.000-07:00Italy of today is much more homogenous society com...Italy of today is much more homogenous society compared to the contemporary USA, period.<br /><br />It's late and I'll simplify . For 'some' reasons, USG tolerates a <A HREF="http://www.knowgangs.com/news/june07/0606.php" REL="nofollow">huge number of </A>armed gang members operating in the California.<br /><br />So does the Italian state on a similar scale Difference is, they are born and bred in Italy and remain Italians, first and foremost.sj071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-73754646934814161852009-05-08T16:23:00.000-07:002009-05-08T16:23:00.000-07:00Indeed, the media is Obama's base, having actively...<I>Indeed, the media is Obama's base, having actively abetted him by burying his enemies</I>.<br /><br />The media is the base of the larger Democratic party. Actually, its the other way around, the Democratic party is a creation of the press. The media pushes its alternative narrative of America, and enough people believe it, and think that they thought of it on their own to join the Democrats, and campaign for them. <br /><br />I'm beginning to think that the English language exists for the sole purpose of transmitting lies from one person to another.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-34725480117256101552009-05-08T15:23:00.000-07:002009-05-08T15:23:00.000-07:00This is all true and well but how precisely this d...This is all true and well but how precisely this differs from the ugly machinations of practically <I>every</I> successful politian is not clear - and likely non-existent. Is Obama dirtier than Kennedy? Cheney? Nixon? FDR?<br /><br />To the partisan mind, yes. <br /><br />meonaphoneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-78795713578620500012009-05-08T13:00:00.000-07:002009-05-08T13:00:00.000-07:00"You seem to be implying Obama is a corrupt, ..."You seem to be implying Obama is a corrupt, vote stealing, ward heeling, machine tool. <br /><br />On what basis? I don't see more Daley in him than any other politician. I know he lived in Chicago. Any other reasons? "<br /><br />Yeah, I know. It's hard to believe because EVERYBODY says how great&good he is! Just EVERYBODY! The NTY, the Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox. ALL the celebs! And he came from nowhere with no bonafides! And look how wonderful he is, how he renounced heartily 20 years of anti-white bilge from his Rev., how he can speak extemporaneously and wittily just like JFK, how expressive and twinkly his eyes, how courageously he is putting an end to the war madness, insisting troops be withdrawn and brought home, compassionately visiting them and getting their heartfelt gratitude and understanding that he couldn't come to the American Legion Inaugural Ball. Look how he brought the races together by emphasizing his white grandparents! Look how his white family cheered him on and sang his praises! Look how honestly and openly he's answered questions about his birth place, his origins, his education, his political career, his thoughts on domestic terrorism and Dworkin, how he stoicly ignored the legal action taken in 1993 to forbid his wife from practicing law in Illinois. <br /> Yes, you're right. How could anyone not believe in Barry (his given name until he returned from Pakistan at age 20) Obama. Especially white people! We know how much Barry wants to do for all of us! We know. We know.<br /> No run along and pull up your rompers and read your WaPo.dc watchernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-11152304804936555612009-05-08T11:54:00.000-07:002009-05-08T11:54:00.000-07:00"Hysterical. Thanks." Sweet comeback, when you can..."Hysterical. Thanks." Sweet comeback, when you can't answer the question. Some people have made decent points. <br /><br />The classic troll response of - If you don't agree with me you are hopelessly naive, tells me more about you than Obama. Buddy, it aint about you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-17338856786353224282009-05-08T07:44:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:44:00.000-07:00"You seem to be implying Obama is a corrupt, vote ..."You seem to be implying Obama is a corrupt, vote stealing, ward heeling, machine tool. <br /><br />On what basis? I don't see more Daley in him than any other politician. I know he lived in Chicago. Any other reasons?" <br /><br /><br />Somebody here gets his information from the MSM and left-wing blogs.<br /><br />I see some people have already addressed your question in part. But unmentioned so far is Michelle Obamas "job" and salary. Why don't you find out what she got paid for? She got paid so Senator Obama would send megabux in earmark money to the place she worked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-63649572617751447292009-05-08T07:40:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:40:00.000-07:00"So what went wrong [with Roman politics], and whe..."So what went wrong [with Roman politics], and when?"<br /><br />This is entirely implausible, since the rot set in during the late Republic, long before the native Roman elite could have been replaced by provincial stock. Frank's demographic analysis (from 1916! kind of a long time ago), if accurate, is from the late Roman period, so it's more likely the result of decline than its cause.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-87589387289084967842009-05-08T07:37:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:37:00.000-07:00The Rezco bit and the primary rules gaming are goo...The Rezco bit and the primary rules gaming are good examples. <br /><br />This though - "Everyone in Chicago is corrupt, including Blago, which is why selective enforcement is so powerful. When everyone is in violation, those who control the scrutiny of the press can eliminate who they want when they want." That doesn't tell me anything about Obama. <br /><br />Thanks for the couple actual answers. Hope you enjoyed the sermonizing bit. I ignored it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-86871404441997877102009-05-08T07:22:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:22:00.000-07:00He produces a lovely Catholic magazine called 30 D...He produces a lovely Catholic magazine called 30 Days.<br />Available in many languages, it has great coverage of the Universal church, of art, of papal history, etc. <br />The only aspect of the magazine that is sometimes difficult to appreciate for this non-italian reader are the endless articles on obscure(to me) politicians from Bologna who fought the Reds. The Cold War ain't over baby.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-85119083691398707462009-05-08T07:10:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:10:00.000-07:00"Yes I know. I didn't know the current Daley was a..."Yes I know. I didn't know the current Daley was anything other than a fairly elected mayor. What's the problem with him then?<br /><br />You seem to be implying Obama is a corrupt, vote stealing, ward heeling, machine tool. <br /><br />On what basis? I don't see more Daley in him than any other politician. I know he lived in Chicago. Any other reasons? <br /><br />I thought he was elected cause of Iraq and Lehman Bros, not some nefarious Chicago style back room dealing."<br /><br />Hysterical. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-52419792854498517362009-05-08T07:01:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:01:00.000-07:00For the 2008 election, the Obama campaign disabled...For the 2008 election, the Obama campaign disabled the <A HREF="http://www.merchantexpress.com/gl_address_verification_service.htm" REL="nofollow">AVS</A> anti-fraud system for online contributions. This was reported in the <A HREF="http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/no_20081024_9865.php" REL="nofollow">National</A> <A HREF="http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/no_20081031_4109.php" REL="nofollow">Journal</A>, but otherwise ignored by the media.<br /><br />The acceptance of fraudulent donations extended above the $50 mark. This is a significant issue because of FEC regulations. They implicitly allow anonymous contributions of under $50, as campaigns aren't required to maintain records on who gives these small amounts. <br /><br />Over $50, the FEC requires that donor records be maintained (though not necessarily disclosed if the aggregate amount donated is under $200).<br /><br />On October 27th, I made an online contribution of $60 with a valid credit card number accompanied by a phony name and address. The transaction cleared.<br /><br />Disabling AVS encourages "distributed campaign finance fraud" and thus violates FEC regulations on record-keeping. <br /><br />A person wishing to make an illegal donation of, say, $20,000 would have needed only:<br />* a credit/debit/cash card,<br />* a list of names and addresses (e.g. the phone book), and<br />* the patience to make 100 donations of $199.<br /><br />Details in Comment #82 of <A HREF="http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/010540.html#c82" REL="nofollow">this ‘Winds of Change’ post</A>.<br /><br />As far as the Chicago angle, how much interest has the mainstream media shown in figuring out what percentage of the flood of online contributions cannot be traced to legitimate U.S. citizen donors? At a minimum, this trick robs databases like OpenSecrets.org of much of their usefulness.AMachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08872008617279528583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-73871924968619525472009-05-08T06:22:00.000-07:002009-05-08T06:22:00.000-07:00Speaking of Chicago politics, has anyone noticed t...Speaking of Chicago politics, has anyone noticed that the CIA is releasing these waterboarding memos to ruin Nancy Pelosi?<br /><br />I wonder who the Chicago Gang envisions as her replacement? Steny Hoyer?<br /><br />Or maybe The Tribe is just <A HREF="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1889153,00.html" REL="nofollow">engaging in PsyOps</A> to get her rattled? To show her who's really boss now?Lucius Vorenusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-8684630361846444302009-05-08T05:51:00.000-07:002009-05-08T05:51:00.000-07:00I saw the movie a few weeks back and it's really v...I saw the movie a few weeks back and it's really visually stunning. Unfortunately I fell into the "found it impenetrable" camp knowing little more about Italian politics than that guy I saw half-dancing, half-sleeping in the middle of the street with no headphones on while I drove out of the city from work to my safe neighborhood.<br />Ultimately not knowing the larger stories and figures, and having to read subtitles on top of it made it a loss for me, no matter how great it looked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-4610131824278105042009-05-08T02:21:00.000-07:002009-05-08T02:21:00.000-07:00Obama didn't want to reform Chicago politics, he w...Obama didn't want to reform Chicago politics, he wanted to win at Chicago politics.Steve Sailerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11920109042402850214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-14755208670827467552009-05-08T02:11:00.000-07:002009-05-08T02:11:00.000-07:00First: the reason you do not know these things is ...First: the reason you do not know these things is not because Sailer is crazy but because your perception of reality is mediated. That is why they call it the "media". <br /><br />The only reason you have a positive impression of Obama is because most media impressions have contained keywords with positive valence in the text or commentary surrounding his name. <br /><br />Indeed, every single thing the vast majority of people know about Obama comes secondhand or thirdhand, usually by way of the New York Times. <br /><br />As such it is unsurprising that you don't know about Obama's Chicago style dealings. We only know the tip of the iceberg as the media has refrained from digging into his record. More investigative reporters were trained on Palin in a few days than Obama in a few years. <br /><br />Indeed, the media is Obama's base, having actively abetted him by burying his enemies. Does anyone REALLY think it is a coincidence that Blago was put out to pasture the moment he decided to put someone other than Valerie Jarret in that Senate position? Everyone in Chicago is corrupt, including Blago, which is why selective enforcement is so powerful. When everyone is in violation, those who control the scrutiny of the press can eliminate who they want when they want. <br /><br />But. All that aside, some facts of Obama's corruption are well known. <br /><br />1. Does the name "Tony Rezko" ring a bell? How did Obama buy his house? <br /><br />2. Read the first chapter of David Freddoso's book on how Obama won his first office -- by getting his opponents kicked off the ballot to win an uncontested election. The facts there are a matter of public record, not contested by any party. <br /><br />http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/29/obamas.first.campaign/index.html<br /><br /><I> As a community organizer, he had helped register thousands of voters. But when it came time to run for office, he employed Chicago rules to invalidate the voting petition signatures of three of his challengers.<br /><br />Obama's past battles<br /><B>See how Barack Obama has used election rules to his advantage during his political career</B> on AC 360.<br /><br /><B>The move denied each of them, including incumbent Alice Palmer, a longtime Chicago activist, a place on the ballot. It cleared the way for Obama to run unopposed on the Democratic ticket in a heavily Democrat district.</B>"That was Chicago politics," said John Kass, a veteran Chicago Tribune columnist. "Knock out your opposition, challenge their petitions, destroy your enemy, right? It is how Barack Obama destroyed his enemies back in 1996 that conflicts with his message today. He may have gotten his start registering thousands of voters. But in that first race, he made sure voters had just one choice." Video Watch how Obama shut out challengers in his first race »<br /><br />Obama's challenge was perfectly legal, said Jay Stewart of the Chicago's Better Government Association. Although records of the challenges are no longer on file for review with the election board, Stewart said Obama is not the only politician to resort to petition challenges to eliminate the competition.<br /><br /><B>"He came from Chicago politics," Stewart said. "Politics ain't beanbag, as they say in Chicago. You play with your elbows up, and you're pretty tough and ruthless when you have to be. Sen. Obama felt that's what was necessary at the time, that's what he did. Does it fit in with the rhetoric now? Perhaps not."</B> ...<br /><br /> But Will Burns does. Now running himself for a seat in the Illinois legislature, Burns was a young Obama volunteer during the presidential candidate's first race.<br /><br />Burns was one of the contingents of volunteers and lawyers who had the tedious task of going over each and every petition submitted by the other candidates, including those of Alice Palmer.<br /><br />"The rules are there for a reason," Burns said.<br /><br />He said that challenging petitions is a smart way to avoid having to run a full-blown expensive race.<br /><br />"One of the first things you do whenever you're in the middle of a primary race, especially in primaries in Chicago, because if you don't have signatures to get on the ballot, you save yourself a lot of time and effort from having to raise money and have a full-blown campaign effort against an incumbent," Burns said.<br /><br />Burns said he believed that Obama did not enjoy using the tactic to knock off Palmer.<br /><br /><B>"It was not something he particularly relished," Burns said. "It was not something that I thought he was happy about doing." <br /><br />But Obama did it anyway, clearing the field of any real competition.<br /><br />Obama's staff would not comment on what the senator thinks about that petition challenge now.</B> Instead, they referred CNN to this 2007 comment made by Obama to the Chicago Tribune.<br /><br />"To my mind, we were just abiding by the rules that had been set up," the senator is quoted as saying in the Tribune. "My conclusion was that if you couldn't run a successful petition drive, then that raised questions in terms of how effective a representative you were going to be."</I>Tip of the iceberg, my friend. Tip of the iceberg.<br /><br />Oh, and by the way -- the only reason that was reported even once on CNN is because David Freddoso wrote about it in his book. How many times has it been repeated relative to uncritical repeats of hope'n'change? Clearly not enough, because you do not remember it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-70963494410587282642009-05-08T01:02:00.000-07:002009-05-08T01:02:00.000-07:00Yes I know. I didn't know the current Daley was an...Yes I know. I didn't know the current Daley was anything other than a fairly elected mayor. What's the problem with him then?<br /><br />You seem to be implying Obama is a corrupt, vote stealing, ward heeling, machine tool. <br /><br />On what basis? I don't see more Daley in him than any other politician. I know he lived in Chicago. Any other reasons? <br /><br />I thought he was elected cause of Iraq and Lehman Bros, not some nefarious Chicago style back room dealing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-87805709227798044882009-05-07T22:36:00.000-07:002009-05-07T22:36:00.000-07:00"Really, he's Richard Daley? Can you find a more u..."Really, he's Richard Daley? Can you find a more up to date reference? Might as well compare him to Boss Tweed."<br /><br />You are aware that the current mayor of Chicago is named Richard Daley, aren't you?Steve Sailerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11920109042402850214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-62653832356944352052009-05-07T22:30:00.000-07:002009-05-07T22:30:00.000-07:00Good point about Rome's failure to reproduce, some...Good point about Rome's failure to reproduce, something that Spengler also noted consistently. Victor Davis Hanson made the same points about Rome and Greece before it, the people mostly not having children.<br /><br />However the problem with Italy was not "use the Mafia to forestall Communism" which seems to be the theme of the movie, but the failure of the Italian people to come up with a communal way of governing themselves. Regionalism remained strong, sense of national unity (Italy came late to it) weak, and the Communists were just as corrupt as the Mafia and Camorra (who are larger and more powerful than the Sicilian crew).<br /><br />The real problem of course was the lack of a robust middle class that usually got it's way. The Roman Republic was honest not because it's men were Angels, but because it was made up of mostly smallholders who were powerful enough collectively to usually get their way, which meant a generally honest and not very corrupt government. It's why after 30,000, 50,000, and 70,000 were collectively slaughtered by Hannibal, the Roman Republic STILL raised more legions and legions to fight him. While the corrupt aristocratic Carthiginian Senate quibbled at Hannibal's expenses and popularity.<br /><br />America has been honest when most of her people were middle class, with middling property, who depended on honest government to survive. The rise of a elite "New Class" aristocracy that used a corrupt, Chicago style government to prosper signifies a huge danger to America. It's not just the foreigners, but the collapse of the Middle Class, mostly at the hands of a hostile native elite, that characterized late Rome, late Greece, Edwardian England, and the Age of Obama. Italy of course never had one to begin with, being cobbled together Papal states, various republics and prince-doms, and possessions of the French and Austrians.testing99noreply@blogger.com