2008 September 07 | Hanlon's Razor

Government takeover of Freddie and Fannie

By Hanlon, on September 7th, 2008 at 05:40 PM

So after the last few months of hearing about the mortgage crisis, the federal government has finally gotten involved and bailed ‘em out. It’s a multi-pronged plan that has the guv’mint basically taking charge and using taxpayer dollars to get the housing crisis out of the swamp.

Both McCain and Obama have publicly expressed their support for the situation, saying it’s necessary in order to keep the economy afloat and all that jazz.

Here’s my question, though. The Republicans constantly, and I do mean constantly, tout the supremacy of the free market. Government regulation and handouts are, supposedly, the tools of Satan himself. The free market with its magical invisible hand is supposed to just make everything work out. If you succeed, good work. If not, try harder next time.

So… what the hell? Isn’t this a case where the free market collapsed on itself? What rationale do conservatives have for the government takeover? I mean, I support the idea, but I’m one of those commie bastard socialist liberal moonbats, so that’s only expected. McCain needs to explain why this is different.

I’ve got a feeling the defense will be along the lines of “well if we don’t do this the economy goes down the shitter,” but that’s the same reason the left supports most regulation and welfare-type programs. It isn’t just because we love the idea of redistributing wealth, far from it. We just recognize that if you let people do whatever the heck they want economically, just like socially, things will not go that well.

Why ducking the media is a problem

By Hanlon, on September 7th, 2008 at 02:30 PM

So now that Palin has been whisked away to Alaska and is avoiding the media like the plague for a few weeks (if not completely), we’re given the opportunity to watch even more media bashing on the part of the McCain camp. Case in point, Nicole Wallace absolutely shredding the concept that politicians need to talk to reporters.

Wallace: Wait, wait. Questions from who? From him, from you? Who cares? No offense, but –

Carney: I think the American people care –

Wallace: I think the American people want to see her, but who cares if she can talk to Time Magazine? She can talk to the American people. They want to see “How am I going to save my home?”

Carney: The American people need to know, just like they need to know about Joe Biden and Barack Obama –

Wallace: That she can talk to you?

Carney: Not just to me — that she knows things about domestic and foreign policy that presidents and vice presidents need to know.

President Bush famously referred to the medias “the filter” and described his annoyance at having to get his message “through” it. That’s the way these people see things: they have to work to get their message past the media, unadulterated and unquestioned, to the people. McCain loved the media when they didn’t question him, it meant he could say whatever he wanted and they’d report it. Now they’re starting to do their job and he doesn’t like it.

The media, contrary to what the GOP seems to think, is not the megaphone politicians use to broadcast their slogans and stump speeches. A good media fact-checks and questions what they’re told, so the American people get an accurate representation of the people who want to lead them.

The whole “she can talk to the American people” thing might work if there was some guarantee that these people would be 100% honest, but we already know that’s not the case. What they want is to be able to stand on a podium, say “Barack Obama is a Muslim who wants to raise taxes in order to fund the next 9/11″ and never have a reporter ask what they base that claim on. They want to be able to lie and not be questioned, and the former strategy of “give the reporters donuts” isn’t working, so now they’re getting the stick instead.

What Barack Obama must do to win this November

By Hanlon, on September 7th, 2008 at 01:59 PM

Morning everyone. Computer snafu kept me from posting all of yesterday, my apologies.

So anyway, I was listening to Michael Thompson on Sirius a little while ago, and he posed a question to his listeners that caused a rather varied array of responses: are you worried about Sarah Palin? The answers ranged from “nah she’s a lightweight” to “yes she’s the harbinger of the apocalypse”. As I mulled over my own answer, it occurred to me that we’re seeing something almost… familiar.

Earlier in the primary season, McCain seemed sunk. His campaign was hemorrhaging money, he had no one at his rallies, and no one really cared about what he was doing to the point that he almost looked quaint. Sort of like “hey look at McCain, thinking he’s still relevant”. Enter the Rove machine and not only did McCain get the nomination, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Keeping that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of things Barack Obama simply must do if he plans on winning in November.