Quote of the Day
"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK."
- Barack Hussein Obama
Quote of the Day, Part 2:
"If Barack Obama had given a speech on bowling, it might well have been brilliant and inspiring. But instead he actually tried bowling and threw a gutter ball. The contrast between talking and doing could not have been better illustrated."
- Thomas Sowell
- Barack Hussein Obama
Quote of the Day, Part 2:
"If Barack Obama had given a speech on bowling, it might well have been brilliant and inspiring. But instead he actually tried bowling and threw a gutter ball. The contrast between talking and doing could not have been better illustrated."
- Thomas Sowell
Labels: quotes
posted by scalpel at 2:10 PM
28 Comments:
I want a president who says "keep driving your gas hog gigantic SUVS, stuff your face at every meal, and turn your ACs to "snow machine", and everything will be fine!"
Anon 3:04 PM...Well I want a president who understands it's none of his damn business what I drive!
It really isn't a question of what other countries think. Wherever you stand on such environmental issues, this just reveals his weak character and lack of any real ability for leadership. Is he going to 'lead' by following other countries, or is he going to set a standard for the world? I think he's made this clear. And yes, he does have a weak, lilly colored liver.
mdoncall.blogspot.com
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Well, if we REALLY want to diminish our carbon footprint in terms of what we drive, we should buy USED cars which get reasonable mileage (like at least more than 20) which probably excludes most SUVs. It generates a TON of carbon to build a new car, and the Prius is one of the worst offenders (owing to the making of the huge battery). So, if you buy a 3 year old certified used car (like a Tercel), you are not causing more carbon to be generated (since it already was when it was built and the first owner is responsible)and since it gets good mileage, you would have to drive a new Prius over 100,000 miles to offset that new cars's carbon footprint compared to what you generate with the used car. Plus, a Prius is total crap to drive.
I wonder what temperature Obama sets the thermostat to his 1,000-bottle wine cellar.
Is there a reason that conservatives always publish any quote from Obama using his middle name? Is it because it sounds foreign and you're trying to use lame-o scare tactics like everyone always does? Bleh. Politics suck, which is why I will always be Independent.
Another interesting fact (that I was alerted to with the wine cellar comment) concerns AC. It costs a lot more in terms of carbon output to heat a home than to cool it. Thus, if you live in a cold climate (like Minnisota) and keep the heat on 6 months of the year to keep it 69 degrees, you are burning more fuel than if you live in Arizona and keep the AC on for 6 months to keep it 69. I have a wine cellar (but not 1000 bottles!) and it does not cost that much to keep the temp 55-60 degrees - what is important is to seal it well so that it is very efficient.
Why is it that liberals are always concerned about the worlds attitude towards the USA? Didn't my forefathers LEAVE europe to come to this land to create a DIFFERENT way of living? Isn't the USA suppose to be a different mindset?
Seeesh, I'm getting ssooo tired of stating the obvious...anybody care to help out!?!?
Steve
Excuse me? Obama didn't tell Americans to sell their Suburbans, count calories, or shut off the AC. He simply stated a fact: our country continuing to pig out at the energy trough while we whine about gas prices isn't exactly earning us any sympathy from other countries. Although I didn't click the link, I'd be willing to bet Obama made the remark in reference to Saudi Arabia's rejection of Dubya's request to spool up their oil production.
Obama's not putting us on a diet; OPEC is.
Oh, for Liz, as for using his middle name -- when abbreviated (a la JFK or GWB), BHO is vastly preferable to BO. Let's hope the trend catches on!
We don't need (or want) sympathy from other countries. Nor do we seek their approval.
I agree about "not seeking approval" however I think we should lead the way in making advancements in things like reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Respect for our creativity,responsibility, and planetary husbandry is a good thing to have around the world.
It makes me angry when someone who lives in excess tries to tell other people they need to cut back. Hypocrisy makes me angry. Maybe if people focused more on DOING what they think the right thing to do is than TELLING other people what they should do their actions would have more pull and be more convincing to me.
I work really hard to show my kids that there are rules in life that all people need to live by and I hate when politicians try and teach that they are above the "rules" they are trying to impose on others.
I am honestly not looking forward to voting because I am not happy with anyone running.
I'm tired so the part about politicians teaching they are above the rules didn't exactly come out how I meant it. I'm hoping you can figure out what I meant by that because I am really tired and can't figure out how to fix it so it means what I mean. Good night!
Most reasonable people would agree that there are benefits from conserving energy and eating properly. But we might expect that someone who is running for the highest office in the land (particularly one who has already been stung by the elitist label) would be more careful how he presents his comments.
And hypocritical politicians make my blood boil too. When the lefties actually start practicing what they preach, I might take them more seriously.
I'm SO excited about the idea of having a president who can judge the success of our country by really important things... like what other countries think about our diet!
Hypocrisy. Hmmmm. I think this is an endemic problem everywhere. Honestly, how many people TRUELY practise what they preach. Not many. We tell our kids "don't drink" - but we do, we say "I should drive less and walk more" but we don't. I don't think politicians right or left are except from this affliction. In fact I don't think anyone is really immune - except for a small minority in this world. This does not make everyone bad - but it is to what degree do you take it. Do you preach about the evils of homosexuality but then turn around a hire male prostitues and do meth (ahem... Ted Haggard)? Do we prosecute organised crime and get on a high horse about how we are cleaning up business and then get busted in a prostitution ring(ahem Elliot Spitzer)? This is clearly much worse than saying "we as a country should eat better and not burn as much gas" but then occasionally splurge eating some crappy hotdogs or drive somewhere when we could have taken public transport.
I ride my bike to work and back a few times a week, and when someone asks me about it, I deadpan "I do it to offset your gas-guzzling SUV."
I let them look offended for a bit then say I'm just kidding. Haha.
As someone who has visited numerous European countries, I can say that they don't drive SUVs due to the extremely high gas prices and taxes associated with them. Only the very, very rich would be able to drive such a car. They dont' really have a choice in the matter. They'd drive them like everyone else if gas wasn't $7-$8/liter (or $20/liter in London, for example). People ASK you about the big American cars in sort of an admiring way. Also, they have weird ways of assigning import taxes. A V8 engine on an SUV in Norway will cost you $100,000 just in taxes alone even if it is a used car. It's really crayzee.
Other countries are overtaxed, not more moral.
In response to Liz's comment above about conservatives using Obama's middle name in a supposedly derogatory way: In a recent interview with Atlantic Monthly, this is a quote from Obama:
"It’s conceivable that there are those in the Arab world who say to themselves, “This is a guy who spent some time in the Muslim world, has a middle name of Hussein, and appears more worldly and has called for talks with people, and so he’s not going to be engaging in the same sort of cowboy diplomacy as George Bush,” and that’s something they’re hopeful about."
It seems Obama can invoke his middle name when he thinks it'll play well with a certain audience (Arabs). But no one else is allowed to mention it ?
Okay, he can't bowl. At least his farts don't stink, and, he has naturally curly hair.
Why can't people take things for what they are? Instead of spinning this one coment into a a supposedly hypocritical Marxist world-view, can't you simply understand it was made in reaction to Bush's request to SA to increase oil production? Like it or not, we are part of a world economy and we DO NOT control the world. So we'd better figure out how to live IN it. If we want to prosper, we've got to out-compete and think clearly. Not pretend that the outside world doesn't exist. Doesn't that make sense? Or am I a Marxist?
Yes, other countries are Taxed more than ours. Is that right or wrong? Whose to say. It is just another way of doing things. Ultimately we know that as humans, we will do things based on certain notions and rules/penalties. You could argue that onewill walk/ride more and drive smaller , more fuel efficient cars if there is a penalty against gas guzzlers. Or that you will tend to buy a hybrid because you get a tax credit (which you do). Heck, you could argue that you won't run red lights, rob or even kill because you will pay the penalty (at least that is the conservative approach to crime and punishment).
Sometimes, these things are good and reasonable (like paying a hefty penalty to drive an 8 mpg Lambo or a 12 mpg Escalade), and sometimes they are not, (like paying paying a 50% tax on some staple of life like rice).
So the question is, how to do this to modify our behaviour in a constructive way? I think a mandatory 5 $ charge to be seen in the ER if you are clinic patient is reasonable to help curb excessive ER usage and would generate income to pay for the services- this is akin to the higher gas tax. I personally would rather pay 5 or 6 dollars a gallon than 40-50% in income taxes. That way I could have more choice as to how to spend my money. I would probably buy a very fuel-efficient car, buy a house close to work, and take the train when I could.
Scalpel, that link is exactly what I am talking about. So I guess you did understand what I was trying to say while half asleep and commenting last night!
"I personally would rather pay 5 or 6 dollars a gallon than 40-50% in income taxes."
Me too. Hopefully we won't have to do both. :)
There are hundreds of places I can go to see conservatives attacking liberals or liberals attacking conservatives. There are very few places I can go to read awesome medical stories from people on the front lines. This is one of them. Please?
Honestly I'm just not into blogging as much as I used to be. Sorry to disappoint, but I've always been the sort to completely immerse myself into a hobby for a while, then lose interest.
Lately I've been hitting the treadmill (16 miles this week!), studying for boards, and playing Rock Band with the kids.
Good for you Scalpel! I'm referring to your treadmill, studying and rock band with the kids.
I'm curious to see how the campaign goes in the fall.
This guy is a complete idiot and totally out of touch with the 70% of Americans who are not rich-wacky-tree-hugging-liberals.
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