Monday, March 02, 2009

Snow Jobs

Well, here I sit in my study, looking out the window at the snow that is still coming down at a pretty good clip. It looks as if there's about three or four inches on the ground, and according to the forecast on the radio at the moment, the heaviest of the snow is hitting us now.

And, of course, the Federal Government is open for business with 2-hour delayed arrival and unscheduled leave authorized, which means I've got to rush this post through, then run outside and shovel away what I can before I hike up to the shopping center in the hope that my bus will actually show up.

Looks like a wonderful day shaping up. And, speaking of snow...

Some wag once described any official government pronouncement as an avalanche - that is, a "high-level snow job of massive and overwhelming proportions." True enough. But it's not just limited to the government.

Speaking of Rush Limbaugh...

Did you happen to hear or read news coverage of his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington this past Saturday? If you didn't, you didn't miss much. As you might suspect, according to Mr Limbaugh:

- The Republicans are the only hope for salvation of the nation from the wild-eyed hordes of horrifying extreme left-wing radicals who want to turn America into the ultimate welfare state.

- The preamble to the Constitution is somewhat different than what we all remember, as he claims it guarantees Americans "...certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, freedom -- and the pursuit of happiness." As I recall, the word "freedom" isn't actually in the preamble...but if Mr Limbaugh says it is, then wild-eyed hordes of extreme right-wing radicals will believe it no matter what.

- The "Democrat" party is responsible for every ill affecting the nation - past, present, and future. He still can't move beyond the insulting use of "Democrat" rather than "Democratic" to describe the opposition.

- Bipartisanship is a "false promise" which "...mean(s) ... we check our core principles at the door, come in, let them (the Democrats) run the show, and then agree with them." Hmmm...much like the Republicans defined it when they were in power. Guess I have to agree with him on that one.

Is it any wonder that I'm depressed about the future?

When self-important windbags can't even accurately quote the preamble to the Constitution they profess to "love and revere," we've got a problem.

When name-calling and bluster substitute for reason and debate, we've got a problem.


When the party that helped ruin the economy by waging a major war off the books and shredding effective regulation of banks and industry blames the other party for trying new approaches to cleaning up the wreckage, we've got a problem.

I've got a problem, too - I've got a lot of snow to shovel. Too bad I don't have Rush Limbaugh to help me - nobody's better at blustery snow jobs than he is.

But I don't think he'd be much help, anyhow...he'd just complain I was doing it wrong.

Gotta go - the snow awaits. Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo

9 comments:

Amanda said...

I'd be more than happy to help you with that snow :) Really!

The Mistress of the Dark said...

Rush wouldn't help you much except maybe he could blow some hot air at the snow to make it melt. That man makes me so angry sometimes I could spit :)

No snow in my part of PA. THANK GOD!

Bilbo said...

Amanda - be careful what you wish for! I spent an hour and a half shoveling the snow away, and now it's snowing harder than ever and the wind is howling...you can hardly tell I did anything.

Andrea - yes, for once you guys up Pittsburgh way dodged the bullet. It really stinks here this morning...

John A Hill said...

The snow is melting here, sunshine and 40 today...70 by Friday! Typical winter in the Ozarks!

BTW, Rush is my hero! NOT!

wv: wiversed..what you become after a few weeks of playing on your Nintendo Wii.

Hale McKay said...

I woke up to a foot + of snow this morning. It was no surprise as the meteorologists were spot on with their forecasts on the accumulation.

I anticipated that I wouldn't be able to go to work today, so I will be clearing the snow away in smaller amounts at a time.

Mike said...

So he says to himself, part 2 .... hmmmmm .... I wonder if there is another post to look at .... hmmmmmm.

The cartoon hits the nail, again and again. YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE ME THE FIRST TIME? MAYBE IF I HOLLER AT YOU IT WILL MAKE SENSE TO YOU.

Mrs. Geezerette said...

Bilbo, I did not hear Limbaugh's speech. After I read your post I found a transcript of his speech and read until I reached the part about the Preamble. I have to tell you something.

The words "...certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, freedom -- and the pursuit of happiness." do not appear in the Preamble to the Constitution. They appear in the Declaration of Independence except for the word freedom which Rush used to merely amplify the word Libery in his speech.

Rush's error was in naming the Preamble as the source of those words when he meant to say the Declaration of Independence. I am surprised that you did not catch Rush's real slip-up. Anyway his mistake is not nearly as bad as Pelosi insisting that if we don't do something about the economy fast 500 million jobs will disappear each week.

Mrs. Geezerette said...

Silly me. I made a mistake too. Pelosi didn't say 500 million jobs would disappear each week if we did not do something fast. She said 500 million jobs would disappear each month... and she said this more than once.

Poor Nancy, in over her head.

Breck Carter said...

SusieQ, please don't be so hard on Nancy Pelosi, she has a tough job. It's hard work doubling the deficit!