Lying To Make Friends » Norwegians

Arguing With Chyrons

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:05:24 +0000

Lying To Make Friends, and several Nobel Prize winning economists, respond: No

Boy, Did They Screw This One Up

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:06:14 +0000

When Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize was announced, I thought it was a fairly silly choice by the Nobel Committee. Turns out it’s much worse; it’s actually quite perverse. I thought Obama shouldn’t have won the award because he’s still relatively new in office and hasn’t yet fulfilled the promise of his campaign. But Glenn Beck has educated me that it’s much, much worse. Obama is, in fact, a “brutal dictator” intent on wiping out journalists just like. . . OK, I can’t even bring myself to finish the analogy. But Glenn Beck’s an evil moron.

Difficult Compromises We Can Believe In!

admin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:42:05 +0000

NBC’s John Harwood has quoted an anonymous White House adviser dismissing criticism of the president from progressives, particularly on the issue of gay rights, as coming from the “internet fringe left” and saying “those bloggers need to take off their pajamas, get dressed and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult.”

I’m with the anonymous adviser on this. Progressives are demanding way too much from Obama, and I have no idea where these high expectations possibly could have come from. I mean, if you think back to speeches Obama made during the campaign, they were all about the complexity and difficulty of governing a closely divided country. It’s not like he ever promised us a new type of politics or that under his leadership things might, you know, change. Or did I miss something?

For a more powerful (and less sarcastic) statement of disappointment in Obama, see Andrew Sullivan’s reaction to Obama’s speech to Human Rights Campaign. But, hey, at least the Norwegians are happy.

-AR

And Jimmy Carter Had to Wait 20 Years?

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:40:50 +0000

While the aggravation that today’s Nobel Peace Prize announcement has caused conservatives is fun (and fitting, after all their gloating over the Olympics news), the award itself rather strange. Especially considering that nominations were due about 10 days after President Obama took office.

If Obama is winning the prize for speeches he’s given, promises he’s made, and his potential to have America use it’s global influence to work towards peace and understanding, I think the award should go to the people that voted for him. Then, when Obama actually does something substantial, he can win. (I should disclose a financial stake in this position: as one of the 67 million people who voted for Obama, I would be entitled to 2 cents from the $1.4 million prize.)

-AR