Assortment

1) One thing the federal government is definitely good at is generating legislation; in fact, it’s a kind of perpetual motion machine of laws and regulations, many of which are increasingly stupid and dangerous. While we’re keeping our eyes on health care and cap-and-trade, let’s not lose sight of Barney Frank’s latest offering in the area of financial “reform”.

2) Are the Tea-Parties, the increasing public opposition to mega-government power grabs like health care and cap-and-trade, and the millions of voices raised against the unconscionable level of federal spending all signs of the people rebelling against their elected government? Or is it, rather, that our elected officials are now in open rebellion against the wishes of the people?

I think it’s pretty obviously the latter, and I, for one, frankly admit that these are troubling and, indeed, frightening times. If the headlong rush by Democrats to expand and consolidate their power is not substantially halted in 2010 (and reversed in 2012), we are likely to see the ultimate creation of a “Nomenclatura”, a self-perpetuating, parasitic political class that acts like a monstrous tick on society, sucking out its lifeblood, and combining the power of the purse with a strategy of divisive political triangulation and ideological intimidation (increasingly enforced through executive fiat) to prevent the creation of a genuinely effective opposition – all in the name of “compassion”, of course.

Roger Scruton at the American Spectator takes a look at the “totalitarian sentimentality” of the Left.

3) Obama: flash point or flash in the pan? Will Smith opines, the Blog Prof chortles.

4) Stacy McCain’s beloved Crimson Tide is going for the gold, so I’m including a bonus musical feature this week: Noel Boggs playing “Alabamy Bound” (although the fact is, Alabama is Pasadena bound).



5) Harry Reid must think he’s Doctor Moreau, and that all his constituents are man-beasts who will continue to shrink from the lash. Why else would he take an unpopular bill and make it even more revolting?

Pssst! Harry! You might want to remember how that story ended.