December 27, 2005 by s.z.

She's Looking Out for You Julia lets us know about some interesting Wash Post pieces.  First, she gives the Post's editorial page the Claude Rains Memorial Gambling Awareness Award for a column about the Bush administration's lack of candor, and for one which claims that it might not just be partisan sniping to mention the illegality of Governor Ehrlich's (R-Maryland) firing of mid-level Democratic workers. And then she points us to a piece by E. J. Dionne, saying "Read this. It's important." Dionne's thesis is that the "politics of favoritism ... has created a new Gilded Age. It's clear that the national government has placed itself squarely on the side of the wealthy, the privileged and the connected." Here's a good bit from it: The Medicaid cuts include increased co-payments and premiums on low-income Americans, and the budget assumes savings because fewer poor people will visit the doctor.   [...]  Ah, say their defenders, but these cuts will be good for poor people. According to the New York Times, Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-Tex.), an architect of the Medicaid proposals, said the higher co-payments were needed to "encourage personal responsibility" among low-income people. Spoken like a congressman who never has to worry about his taxpayer-provided health coverage. I think it's time to encourage some personal responsiblity among congressmen, by cutting their pensions or something. 4:45:10 AM

Consolation Prizes Via Gavin at Sadly, No!, we learn that Elementropy has provided us with the complete run-down on former "Ultimate Wingnut Challenge" contestant Mark Steyn.  Based on this piece, we award Mark the title of "Canada's Most Annoying Wingnut who thinks he's an American."  Btw, Mark's book, America Alone: Our Country's Future as a Lone Warrior, won't be released until November 2006, even though back in 2004 it was announced that the book would be coming out in April 2005.  Why do you think Regnery pushed back the publication date?  Could it that Regnery wanted to give Mark time to get naturalized, so that his title wouldn't be a lie? Anyway, we did an Amazon search for upcoming Regnery publications, and learned that some of our favorite wingnuts also-rans will have books coming out in 2006.  Here are a few titles: The Professors by David Horowitz (Hardcover - February 25, 2006)  Book Description Bestselling author David Horowitz reveals a shocking and perverse culture of academics who are poisoning the minds of today's college students. The Professors is a wake-up call to all those who assume that a college education is sans hatred of America and the American military and support for America's terrorist enemies. So, it's about academics who poison minds and support our terrorist enemies.  I feel like we've already read this book about 5 times before.      The New Racists: How Liberal Democrats Have Betrayed Minority Americans by Armstrong Williams (Hardcover - February 25, 2006) Williams, with real investigative reporting, gets liberal, self-professed minority leaders on the record, exposing that their chief interest isn't helping minority Americans, but rather helping the Democratic Party by keeping a liberal stranglehold on minority groups and how they vote. If it's the same kind of real investigative reporting that Williams' used to expose "No Child Left Behind" as a really super program which will really help minority Americans, then I'm sure this book is worth every penny that the GOP paid Williams to write it.           Painting the Map Red by Hugh Hewitt (Hardcover - March 25, 2006) Painting the Map Red, the insider's guide to the 2006 elections and the crucial messages GOP candidates and activists will be adopting to foster the spread of Red States, is a must-read from Hugh Hewitt, nationally syndicated talk show host and political strategist. Doesn't "fostering the spread of Red States" sound like something the CDC should be combating? Oh, and here's one that sounds promising: Strategery by Bill Sammon (Hardcover - April 25, 2006) Book DescriptionStrategery is a term borrowed from a Saturday Night Live skit and self-deprecatingly adopted by the White House for their meetings. White House Correspondent Bill Sammon is borrowing it yet again in his latest account of this unlikely-yet historic-president. It is written with verve and piercing insight by Sammon, who has been granted unprecedented access to President Bush, Vice President Cheney and their most senior advisers. No other journalist has interviewed the president more times than Sammon. So, apparently Moonie Times reporter Bill Sammon has written Jeff Gannon's book.  We look forward to its verve and piercing insights about how this unlikely president is the bestest president ever! But to hold you until it comes out, here's a Moonie Times report based on his last book, Misunderestimated: The President Battles Terrorism, John Kerry and the Bush Haters(Regan Books):    The president's penchant for encouraging low expectations "shows how wise he is," [Colin] Powell said. "Because if you have something that people consider a weakness, you can use that weakness to your advantage — if it isn't really a weakness." But if it is really a weakness, then your country is up crap creek without a paddle.      Mr. Bush acknowledges that he encourages such misjudgments by detractors.     "People tend to discount my ability to get things done, and that's exactly what I want," the president said in an interview. "I want people to underestimate.     "I don't know why people do that. Maybe it's because of the philosophy I believe in, and maybe it's where I'm from. It doesn't bother me in this world that people would say that 'He can't get things done,' because I know I can." I think you can expect even more piercing insights of this sort from the new book.  And in other former contestant news, Kathryn Jean Lopez has written a review of Peggy Noonan's latest book for the New York Post.  Here are some highlights from it: SPIRITUAL FATHER THIS year we lost a great one. But, he left us with "a parting gift." A case of turtle wax, and a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni? In "John Paul the Great," former Reagan presidential speechwriter Peggy Noonan remembers her spiritual father — one she shared with folks the world over.  She shared him, but if you don't humor her by agreeing that she was always his favorite, we can't be responsible for the consequences.  In the easy-to-read volume (full disclosure: I make a brief, slightly embarrassing appearance), Noonan describes the papacy of Karol Wojtyla from the vantage point of a humble believer, of a fan, of an American at times frustrated with her church. What is Kathryn Jean's embarrassing appearance in Peggy's book?  My guess is that Peggy tells how she and her chapter of the Pope John Paul fan club broke into the pontiff's hotel room and stole his used Kleenex -- K.Lo was part of the group. A robust 58-year-old was introduced to the world that day. An athlete who kayaked, biked, swam, skied. He was a poet and a brave, brilliant mind, who would go on to be one of the longest-serving popes in history. Noonan says that his "papacy will be judged by history as bigger than all but a score of the 263 pontiffs before him." Only Pope Ronald Reagan was a manlier, buffer, more brilliant pontiff. This isn't a monumental scholarly biography. But if you want a straightforward account of a life and its lessons from a fellow struggling sinner, who has a beautiful way with words, then "John Paul the Great" is for you. What Kathryn Jean meant to say was, "This isn't a scholarly biography, in that Peggy didn't bother to actually do any research before writing it.  But if you want a book without a lot of tedious facts and critical assessments, written by a loon with an, um, unique way with words and a Tiger Beat-esque crush on her subject, then My Real Father, John Paul the Great is for you." Anyway, since Kathryn Jean was voted off Wingnut Island a long time ago, we're giving her the title of "Mitt Romney's and Duran Duran's Number One Fan, and Somebody Who Makes Our Life Look Way Less Pathetic in Comparison." We'll think of a title for Peggy later. Oh, and if you want to read another review of Peggy's book, Roger Ailes has a great one for you. P.S.  Voting in the 'Respected Convervative Thinkers v. the Low-Rent Puntits" contest will end at midnight tonight.  Then we'll let the Townhallers fight somebody.  And then it's the climatic elimination round, leading to the playoff for the title of the Ultimate Wingnut of 2005, which will be announced on New Year's Day.  So, vote early and often. 4:08:45 AM