NAIVE AND EGOTISTICAL

"French president Nicolas Sarkozy considers Barack Obama 'incredibly naive and grossly egotistical,' [and] is convinced that 'nothing can dent [Obama's] naivete.' ”



This is news?

AN OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL AFGHANISTAN POLICY

Now that we know what General McChrystal needs to succeed in Afghanistan, the Obama administration will not look at McChrystal’s request. The Pentagon hold it until Obama officially makes an official decision about the officially official policy he wants to officially pursue in the war.
And since it’s a policy decision, there’s clearly no need for military input.

Besides, there are more important things to do than succeed in Afghanistan.

OBAMACARE OR JAIL

Senator John Ensign (R-NV) asked the [Joint Committee on Taxation]’s Chief of Staff Thomas Barthold about the penalty for not obtaining health insurance. Barthold responded:

People who fail to pay the $1,900 fee for not purchasing coverage under Obamacare would be charged with a misdemeanor, charged a penalty of up to $25,000 or face up to a year in jail.

Will they get ObamaCare while in jail? And will they be required to pay for it?

A TOUGH SELL?

Sarah Palin ... might not have an easy time on the lecture circuit. ... [A]n industry expert tells Page Six: "The big lecture buyers in the US are paralyzed with fear about booking her, basically because they think she is a blithering idiot."

I suspect the “industry expert” will be very surprised.

HEALTH WORKERS SPURN FLU SHOTS

“CDC figures ... show that just 45.4 percent of U.S. health care workers ages 19 to 64 were immunized against seasonal flu [last] year. Three British surveys released in recent weeks suggest the same pattern with the novel H1N1 virus, commonly known as the ‘swine flu’ virus.”

Do they know something we don’t?

LIBERALISM DEFINED

Liberalism: the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be responsible (cf. H.L. Mencken on Puritanism).

PRIORITIES

As if we didn't already know.

ADVICE FOR REPUBLICANS

“If you want to win, look at whom the Democrats and their media chums are so frantic to destroy: That's the better guide to what they're really worried about.”

THE BRAINY BUNCH

Thomas Sowell comments on the utility of intellect:

There is usually only a limited amount of damage that can be done by dull or stupid people. For creating a truly monumental disaster, you need people with high IQs.

In an age when facts seem to carry less weight than the visions of brilliant and charismatic leaders, it is more important than ever to look at the actual track records of those brilliant and charismatic leaders.

A case in point: Argentina

Argentina began [the 20th] century as one of the 10 richest nations in the world [but] politically brilliant and charismatic leaders, promoting reckless government spending-- of whom Juan Peron was the most prominent, but by no means alone-- managed to create an economic disaster in a country with an abundance of natural resources.

Read the rest of the article to find out where Sowell fears the U.S. might end.