December 16, 2013

Kevin Williamson on "The Age of Envy"
— Ace

Very good piece knocking Robert Reich's recent article (meet the old article, same as the old article) decrying a tax code which permits the wealthy tax deductions for charitable donations.

It's worth reading in full. But here's some of it. I'm digesting the key points made for people who want a shorter version, but seriously, just read the whole thing.

Professor Reich, a ward of the taxpayers of California (at $246,199.84 per annum) and a federal ward before that, is persistently unhappy about how other people use their money, and he scoffs that America’s rich philanthropists are phony and self-serving, investing too much in opera and ballet and fancy colleges, and too little in feeding the hungry and housing the homeless. He particularly resents the fact that our tax code encourages such giving, with deductions that reduced federal revenue by some $39 billion last year — federal revenue that could have gone toward employing men such as Robert Reich.

Reich is very upset that the lion's share of the $39 billion in tax deductions go to the wealthy. But who else would they go to? The wealthy give away larger sums of money.

While he notes the $39 billion in tax deductions, he doesn't tell the reader how much they give away to get that $39 billion in tax deductions: $316 billion.

Our innumerate class warriors dismiss philanthropy as a complicated tax dodge for the rich, but in fact tax deductions amount to about 12 percent of total charitable donations, meaning that our wily robber barons have figured out a way of beating the taxman by . . . giving away far more money than they receive in related tax benefits. Even if Professor Reich got his way on tax rates and they went up to 90 percent at the top, you still donÂ’t come out ahead by giving away money.

He next attacks Reich's claim that too much of this charitable giving is to tony cultural charities -- orchestras, ballets, theaters, and other such cult artifacts of the privileged classes, rather than towards feeding and housing the poor.

Williamson crunches the numbers and discovers how much is "too much" in contributions towards cultural affairs, in Reich's eyes-- it works out to be 4.5% of charitable giving.

Giving to art-and-culture organizations amounted to just over $14 billion in 2012, or about 4.5 percent of charitable contributions, far less than was given to health, human-services, or public-benefit organizations. There are a fair number of single organizations that run into the billions per year, including YMCA ($6.24 billion), Goodwill Industries ($5 billion), Catholic Charities ($4.4 billion), and the Red Cross ($3.12 billion).

But is $14 billion of private charitable giving towards high-class cultural concerns a waste of money? Williamson wonders what Reich would say about government spending on these very same concerns.

A question, though: If spending on art, music, and culture is self-serving when private citizens do it, what is it when government does it? Essential, necessary, crucial — of course....

Try cutting a piece of that and youÂ’ll hear howls about how vital every farthing spent in the service of culture is.

And why the contradiction? Because what Reich really objects to is that billions of dollars of wealth are being redistributed... but they're being voluntarily distributed by people who aren't under his control. He doesn't have a piece of the action, you see.

He wants this sort of spending under government control, because he wants to feel virtuous in directing the spending of other people's money for charity.

Prayerful people bargaining with God over lottery numbers no doubt imagine that they would do some worthy things with that money, on top of buying a Ferrari. Progressives imagine all the wonderful things they could do with other peopleÂ’s money, and no doubt some of them are well-intentioned. But envy poisons whatever good intentions they have, which is how men such as Professor Reich come to write resentful indictments of people who are, remember, giving away billions of dollars of their own money. HeÂ’d prefer their money be given away by him, or by bureaucracies under the tutelage of men such as himself.

It's this point that chafes people like Reich. The progressive mindset is an ego-pleasing delusion, a fantasia which assures the progressive that He is the Hero.

He fights for the Poor (the MacGuffins). He is heroically offended by those who aren't doing their share for Poor. By writing articles about the Poor, and by being fashionably outraged by those who aren't sufficiently outraged by poverty themselves, he imagines himself as a Soldier on the battlefield of morality.

But notice, of course, he's not giving away his own money. He's not, like a Soldier, making actual sacrifices.

No, he has decided that his contribution to the cause will be in the form of articles and White Papers and manifestos. The Soldiers-- the grunts -- will do the actual fighting. But he and other members of the New Class will do the truly important work of Bossing the Soldiers About.

And that's the only way he gets a little slice of the Virtue Pie. There are Virtuous Things being done, but Reich isn't actually doing them. And yet he wishes to conceive of himself as Virtuous; as Astonishingly Virtuous, in fact. But how can he so conceive of himself if he's not actually doing any of the Virtuous heavy lifting?

Well, he'll be the guy who properly directs the heavy lifting, like that guy who says he'll help you move a couch, but then plops himself down in a big comfy chair and just tells other people to "Lift with their legs" and "Be careful of the doorway" and "Watch it, you're going to scuff the wall with the couch's leg."

That's his job. That's the job he's assigned himself. Not to be the actual Doer of Virtue, but to be instead the even more important Public Director of Virtuous Deeds.

Private charitable giving is threat to his job as Public Director of Virtuous Deeds, as he can't even contrive a fictional narrative in which he's somehow a key player in other people's private voluntary giving. He can only contrive that ego-plumping narrative if he and his class are somehow involved in directing charity traffic.

And thus it is that Robert Reich, while living handsomely on the public's dime, can fulminate at the public for not doing its share of all these Important Things.

Thanks to @rdbrewer4.

Posted by: Ace at 10:06 AM | Comments (347)
Post contains 1091 words, total size 7 kb.

1 His middle name?

"Third"

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:08 AM (wtvvX)

2 Seriously, it's two pages long.  Go read it.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:09 AM (evdj2)

3 Anyone else here??

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:09 AM (wtvvX)

4 The danger of Reich's argument is that it holds sway with those not paying attention. This (to trot out one of Breitbart's themes) is where we have to engage in the culture and fight this battle. "Tax the rich, feed the poor, 'til there are, rich no more" is not the way to go.

Posted by: duke at December 16, 2013 10:09 AM (d3clc)

5 me

Posted by: Mallfly at December 16, 2013 10:09 AM (bJm7W)

6 Yet another idiotic premise posited by the Left that sucks us right into a debate, thus dignifying and validating their argument.

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:10 AM (hbvPW)

7 Fine. He's a Keynesian. But, don't you dare call him a Socialist!

Posted by: Denver Post at December 16, 2013 10:10 AM (pqx7X)

8 I used to get really ticked off at the disrepect that Reich would show to President Clinton during the State of the Union address.  I mean, the nerve of that guy not to stand when the President entered the chambers . . .  What?  Oh.  Never mind.

Posted by: Emily Litella at December 16, 2013 10:10 AM (yFb77)

9 They'll make us all beggars,
'cuz they're easier to please...

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:10 AM (wtvvX)

10 There will always be poor.

Posted by: NCKate at December 16, 2013 10:11 AM (R2eVV)

11 If turds were biscuits I'd eat 'til I died.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:11 AM (evdj2)

12 Reich's argument, and the left's basic argument, about how bad it is to have income inequality or whatever the meme of the day is, reeks of sibling rivalry, not equality.

They always quote the Bible when they tout socialism; read about Cain and Abel to see how well sibling rivalry ends.

Posted by: PJ at December 16, 2013 10:11 AM (ZWaLo)

13 Reich is a very small man. Literally and figuratively.

Posted by: wooga at December 16, 2013 10:12 AM (opN5B)

14 Reich is only 4'11".

No wonder he's so pissed off at everyone else.

Posted by: Deja vu at December 16, 2013 10:12 AM (jYLHT)

15 Last Halloween season I was at a party with Robert Reich (seriously). Not a Halloween-style party -- it just happened to be October. First observation: You think he's merely "short"? Wrong. He's shorter than you imagine. He's basically a dwarf. Second observation: He is treated like a deity or a guru by everyone around him. He does not ever hear opposing viewpoints in person. Third observation: He is extremely accustomed to being treated like a deity. He is used to it. He takes offense at being treated the way normal people are treated. My only conversation with him revolved around wine, and involved other people, so I have no other insights. Sorry.

Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 10:12 AM (+cx5n)

16  Reich is only 4'11".

No wonder he's so pissed off at everyone else.

Posted by: Deja vu at December 16, 2013 02:12 PM (jYLHT)

_________________________

That's why he grew a beard. 

Posted by: Truck Monkey at December 16, 2013 10:13 AM (32Ze2)

17 Good post. The best I've seen on AceHQ.
Things I've tried to say. Things I wish I had said.

I envy you Ace.

Posted by: Louis Smalls at December 16, 2013 10:13 AM (XQpYw)

18 anyway, if we got rid of tax breaks for giving to the opera etc, the gov't would end up needing to give more to the same people, but without the restraints on the arts caused by donors maybe saying things like "what do you mean, a version of Rigoletto that has all the male courtiers having sex with each other?"

Posted by: Mallfly at December 16, 2013 10:13 AM (bJm7W)

19 and In before the Poor MacGuffins open for ABBA at The Palladium.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:13 AM (evdj2)

20 I think it was Limbaugh, way back on his TV show, who would show stills of Reich with only his eyes and enormous forehead visible.

Posted by: Pug Mahon at December 16, 2013 10:14 AM (K+mtQ)

21 Robert Reich and the wrath of smog.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at December 16, 2013 10:14 AM (VpMO0)

22 14 Reich is only 4'11". No wonder he's so pissed off at everyone else. Posted by: Deja vu The 4' 11" figure is an exaggeration. Maybe with elevator shoes. I'd estimate 4'5" at most.

Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 10:14 AM (+cx5n)

23 Of course Bill gates, Warren Buffet and a few selct others will be exempt since they are good givers.  Everyone else are bad givers.

Posted by: airandee at December 16, 2013 10:14 AM (OnrWb)

24 A question, though: If spending on art, music, and culture is self-serving when private citizens do it, what is it when government does it? Essential, necessary, crucial — of course....
***
Art is a particularly bad thing for the government to spend money on. Since the members of the governing class giving out the money are radically different culturally from the members of the productive, and even the dependent, classes their taste in art is mostly worthless to the country as a whole.

And worse yet, it crowds out art that would be popular to a larger population since the government pays well, and pays for more consistently then the private sector does.


Posted by: 18-1 at December 16, 2013 10:14 AM (P3U0f)

25 Hey! I'm 59 inchess tall, buddy!!!

Posted by: Lil' Bobby Reich at December 16, 2013 10:15 AM (wtvvX)

26

There was a long NPR piece on this last week.  Charitable giving annoys nannyists for all the reasons cited above.  There is an additional benefit to private philanthropy: when a program doesn't work the donors stop funding it and fund something else instead.

 

Any government do-goodism becomes an entitlement which can never be dismantled.

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at December 16, 2013 10:15 AM (A0sHn)

27 re 14, etc: "Reich is only 4'11"."

so's my dick!

Posted by: Andrew Dice Mallfly at December 16, 2013 10:15 AM (bJm7W)

28

$300 Billion to charity for $40 Billion in tax breaks?

 

I would like to see any, ANY Government agency come close to that efficiency.

 

HHS, Education, and HUD are lucky if 50% (30%) of the money gets to the people that need it. 

Posted by: rd at December 16, 2013 10:15 AM (D+lxs)

29 Alternative Minimum Tax? Never heard of it.

Posted by: Robert Reich at December 16, 2013 10:15 AM (29vnO)

30 Since 1913, the feds have been bitching about the rich not giving enough  to the fed for redistribution.

Posted by: Soona at December 16, 2013 10:15 AM (FgQx3)

31 Bobby is so short he makes me look and feel like a giant, especially when he massages my ball.

Posted by: Teh Krugman at December 16, 2013 10:16 AM (pFBJd)

32 Cut him some slack. He's still pissed off he can't ride the Magnum Force at Cedar Point...

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:16 AM (wtvvX)

33 He is extremely accustomed to being treated like a deity.
-
He stands up for the little people.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 10:16 AM (XUKZU)

34 Excellent by both of you. I have only one thing to add: Voting to tax other people and redistribute wealth is not charity. In fact, it is the antithesis of the virtue of charity and virtue in general.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 16, 2013 10:17 AM (GaqMa)

35 They scoffed at Romney because much of his charity went to his own church.The evil bastard.

Posted by: steevy at December 16, 2013 10:17 AM (zqvg6)

36 They sap your will calling everyone else a shill and, when no one's looking, loot the till

Posted by: an ugly rustic at December 16, 2013 10:17 AM (R6JT1)

37 heightists.

Posted by: Robert Reich at December 16, 2013 10:17 AM (NXg/k)

38 Liberals seem to assume that, if you don't believe in their particular political solutions, then you don't really care about the people that they claim to want to help. -- Dr. Thomas Sowell

Posted by: Drumwaster at December 16, 2013 10:17 AM (K6BSx)

39 Once again, Fen's Law explains all.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (evdj2)

40 BREAKING: Federal Judge Rules NSA Phone Surveillance Unconstitutional Federal Judge to be audited by the IRS in 3...2...

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (7ObY1)

41 Great pieces by both Williamson and Ace.

Posted by: irright at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (8GKDa)

42 Now group, ve haff a new member (heh) mit us today. Mr. Reich, can I call you Bob? I unnerstand zat you haff been envious uff rich people giffing to charity. Zis type uff behavior usually stems from feelings of inadequacy. I vant you to remoof all uff your clothes and stand in front of a mirror. Now, hold your tiny little penis in your hand and say in affirmation, "I haff a verry nice penis!" Zere- don't you feel besser already?

Posted by: Ruth Westheimer, diminutive sex therapist extraordinaire at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (N/Sup)

43 We are paying for the fourth generation of the poor.

Posted by: NCKate at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (R2eVV)

44 Ace, Lenin had a name for the type of Armchair Director-Hero that you describe: The Vanguard of the Proletariat. The self-appointed leaders of the ignorant masses and of the mid-tier intellectuals. The ones who plan the riots, but do not participate in the riots. The ones who give vague orders for genocide, so the mid-level intellectuals can give the specific orders for genocide, so the ignorant street thugs can actually do the killing. The ones who step in at the last moment to accept the award for other people's work. In other words: The Despicable Few.

Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (+cx5n)

45 So he didn't envy a quite theater and spazzed out like a retard?

Posted by: The Dude at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (vJdyz)

46 He takes the long view.  You might say Thousand Year Reich.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 10:18 AM (XUKZU)

47 Socialist taxation has made charity disappear from Europe,they want to do that here.

Posted by: steevy at December 16, 2013 10:19 AM (zqvg6)

48 I hear he's into racing.

Midget cars.

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:19 AM (wtvvX)

49 "Reich is only 4'11" I don't know how you meet this guy and don't introduce yourself as Gulliver, Zombie.

Posted by: garrett at December 16, 2013 10:19 AM (pqx7X)

50

Reich and other liberals are upset at three things:

1. The charitable donor decides who gets the donation, and we can't trust individuals   to give to the 'proper' causes.

 

2. If the federal government was in charge of      distributing all of these funds, there would be hundreds of     job    openings for liberals to siphon off not only paychecks, but kickbacks.

 

3.  If the charitable deduction were    eliminated, it would theoretically increase the   taxes    paid by the rich (actually upper middle class), and whether it did or not, inflicting pain on this class is the only pleasure worth having.

Posted by: Chuck Barris at December 16, 2013 10:19 AM (hiFDo)

51 No, he has decided that his contribution to the cause will be in the form of articles and White Papers and manifestos.
***
If the right was more confrontational I think challenging the left, incessantly, on their inherent hypocrisy could be very effective.

Imagine if every time a wealthy liberal talking head went on about income inequality his opposite number demanded to know how what percentage of his income said liberal was giving to charity...and just keep at it.

One way to think about it, is that all of these people like Reich are the equivalent to a pro-lifer who knocked up his girlfriend and made her have an abortion. What he is doing in keeping his wealth is repugnant according to his own *stated* morality.

Posted by: 18-1 at December 16, 2013 10:19 AM (P3U0f)

52 Reich is only 4'11"*. No wonder he's so pissed off at everyone else. Posted by: Deja vu at December 16, 2013 02:12 PM (jYLHT) Are you saying that those of us who are vertically challenged are prone to fits of rage? FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU THAT IS SUCH BULLSHIT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT ARRRRRGGGH THROATPUNCH Oh hey look a cookie! *bounds* *Protip, if I'm taller than you and you are ostensibly an adult and not an actual midget, then that's just sad.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 10:19 AM (VtjlW)

53 They also admire that the Euro's leave all the great cathedrals and churches laregly empty.The State is the only church and it brooks no competition.

Posted by: steevy at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (zqvg6)

54 It all becomes  apparent when you finally come to realize that Robert Reich and all the other professional Democrats are Communist.  They will not be happy until every one of the "rich" Republicans are taxed into oblivion.  Not so for rich commies like Soros.

Posted by: Vic[/i] at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (T2V/1)

55 CIA sock

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (hiFDo)

56 Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 02:14 PM (+cx5n)

Did you ask about the little woman?

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (XUKZU)

57 You know that the Lollipop Guild is almost as powerful as the Illuminati don't you, Ace? Tread careful.

Posted by: garrett at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (pqx7X)

58 A question, though: If spending on art, music, and culture is self-serving when private citizens do it, what is it when government does it? Essential, necessary, crucial � of course... Try cutting a piece of that and youÂ’ll hear howls about how vital every farthing spent in the service of culture is. NPR & PBS. Mic drop.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (FNtJ6)

59 Reich is very upset that the lion's share of the $39 billion in tax deductions go to the wealthy. But who else would they go to?


My research has shown that it is almost an iron rule of economics that the rich in any given society have more money than the poor.  I have yet to find a society where the opposite is true.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (8ZskC)

60 Cut him some slack. He's still pissed off he can't ride the Magnum Force at Cedar Point... Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 02:16 PM (wtvvX) *sobs*

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 10:20 AM (VtjlW)

61 So basically, Reich's article is the equivalent of that idiot woman a few weeks ago who looked at the lengths the city of San Franciso's populace went to in granting Bat Kid's wish and decided that she was morally superior/doin' more for the downtrodden by tweeting "I wonder if they would have done this for a black kid?"

Posted by: Lizzy at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (wDwVt)

62 As for "feeding the poor" we have been funneling trillions of dollars into that bottomless pit since LBJ was President and it hasn't done one iota of good.

Posted by: Vic[/i] at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (T2V/1)

63 This is how Lefties define virtue--by advocating where your money should go. God forbid they get off their dog asses and contribute. It's enough they think you're not doing enough. Ask a leftie sometime what he contributes. To a man they say, "I have no money--that's why I'm a lefty!" Ask them if they volunteer their time. "Well, maybe when I have more time I will". They suck.

Posted by: spongeworthy at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (r5w1L)

64 Liberals seem to assume that, if you don't believe in their particular political solutions, then you don't really care about the people that they claim to want to help.
***
...and keep in mind that in the recent past such "help" included forced sterilization and lobotomies...

Posted by: 18-1 at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (P3U0f)

65 49I don't know how you meet this guy and don't introduce yourself as Gulliver, Zombie. Posted by: garrett We run in the same circles. Actually, I run in a lot of different circles, but one of those circles is the circle that includes Reich. He did compliment my brownies, though. I'll give him that.

Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (+cx5n)

66 orchestras, ballets, theaters, and other such cult artifacts of the privileged classes, rather than towards feeding and housing the poor.

The shitty learning-free public school I attended a couple decades ago used to drive us down to Des Moines once or twice a year for "cult artifacts of the privileged class" like ballet, theater, and music.  Special weekday matinees performed solely for school children, class irrelevant; probably all my classmates got out of the trip was Yay No Math and throwing pop bottles at the buses of athletic rivals, but my point is those "cult artifacts" Reich sneers at aren't just "rich people funding their own recreation".

In the present day, I know the Milwaukee Symphony has a lot of programs for kids whose parents can't afford music lessons and/or raise them on MTV. The Indy one might; if their union lets them.  O_o

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (ZKzrr)

67 >>My research has shown that it is almost an iron rule of economics that the rich in any given society have more money than the poor. I have yet to find a society where the opposite is true.

They also provide more jobs. Go figure.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (wDwVt)

68 This quote struck me: "There is no envy like the envy of a $250,000 man in a world of $250 million men." Mostly because that describes Obama to a "T". When he was a small child in Indonesia, he didn't speak the language, so he hung out the the kids of American workers. Workers who were paid a huge sum to relocate to Indonesia. His step-father, while well-paid by Indonesian standards was not in that rarefied air. And Obama, thanks to his commie family, was taught to resent. When he returned to Hawaii, he was sent to the most expensive private school west of the Mississippi. There he hob-nobbed with the elite of Honolulu. Kids who could manage a little blow now and then. His friends were rich, the girls were rich and, despite the fact that he was being raised by a bank VP, he didn't have a lot of money to throw around. When he went to college, he landed at Occidental in Los Angeles. Especially at that time, Oxy was the kind of place for kids with more money than brains. It wasn't a serious academic environment and Obama didn't do well in it. He didn't have to. And he was surrounded by trust-funders. Then, for some reason, he's able to transfer to Columbia. This accomplishment is still not clear, given that bad grades at Oxy wouldn't recommend you for transfer to an Ivy, even Columbia. Nonetheless, he's there in Columbia which has an impressive faculty and a ton of rich NYC kids or rich kids who want to live in NYC. That's a rich tradition that has continued to this day (see McCain, Meghan). And, of course, Harvard Law. Again, at the time this was far more of a culture of wealth and privilege than it is today (and make no mistake, if the kids from Duck Dynasty were smart, there wouldn't be a place at Harvard for them anyway). Even as a politician, Obama's got to do his thing for the rich donors and the wealthy Chicago political elite. He's always been the $250,000 man -- a 1%er all of his life -- among $250 million men. Until he got elected to the Senate. He still wasn't a millionaire, but his wife got a big fat raise.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 16, 2013 10:21 AM (T0NGe)

69 63 Sure it has,we are the only country in the world with fat "poor" people.

Posted by: steevy at December 16, 2013 10:22 AM (zqvg6)

70 You know that the Lollipop Guild is almost as powerful as the Illuminati don't you, Ace? Tread careful. Posted by: garrett at December 16, 2013 02:20 PM (pqx7X) That is just ridiculous. Sekrit to Bannion: Summon the Ravage. garrett knows too much.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 10:22 AM (VtjlW)

71 If only we were all as charitable as Riech - Reich’s 1040 reveals an income of more than $1 million, much of it giving speeches to corporations and universities for up to $40,000 a pop. He contributed just $2,714 to charity, or .2 percent of his income — note the decimal — and not all of that was cash. Part of it was the value of a donation of a used drum set to an organization called City of Peace." Suck my ass Reich.

Posted by: RWC at December 16, 2013 10:22 AM (fWAjv)

72

Does he really fume about tax deductions for charitable giving?  The progressives will only be happy when we live in a flavorless gray,  inately boring, forcibly equalized communist utopia.  Except, of course, for the progressive ruling class;  their lives will still be interesting and multi-facted.

 

 

Posted by: MTF at December 16, 2013 10:22 AM (B5y+v)

73 Matthew 6:2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full." Reich doesn't even rise to the level of hypocrites. He isn't actually giving money. He's blowing trumpets, but not doing the actual charity.

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b] at December 16, 2013 10:22 AM (o4Xc4)

74 I'd support forcibly removing Reich from whatever mousehole he currently infests and shackling him to a roadwork chain gang.  I find the older - and more politically aware - I get, the more I want to take the entire government / think tank / research  complex down and gulag the whole lot of them.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at December 16, 2013 10:22 AM (zF6Iw)

75 Suffers Clinton envy as well.

Posted by: BignJames at December 16, 2013 10:23 AM (HtUkt)

76 They also admire that the Euro's leave all the great cathedrals and churches laregly empty.The State is the only church and it brooks no competition. Woe be unto the "State" if the Knights Templars ever make a comeback. They'll be stacking bodies like cordwood.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 16, 2013 10:23 AM (FNtJ6)

77 The Bible says the giver should decide.

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

Robert Reich and the rest of the statist redistributionists are Judas.

Posted by: huerfano at December 16, 2013 10:23 AM (bAGA/)

78 Shit.

Posted by: RWC at December 16, 2013 10:23 AM (fWAjv)

79 They also admire that the Euro's leave all the great cathedrals and churches laregly empty.

France has turned a few of them into mosques. 

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 16, 2013 10:23 AM (ZKzrr)

80 Oh horsecrap. The only objection RR really has is that rich people are making decisions about what is to be done with their money rather than govt elites. Fuck him.

Posted by: Meremortal, counting at December 16, 2013 10:23 AM (1Y+hH)

81 How much charitable giving supports his University?

Posted by: Jean at December 16, 2013 10:23 AM (4JkHl)

82 21 Robert Reich and the wrath of smog. Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at December 16, 2013 02:14 PM (VpMO0) That's "smug".

Posted by: AmishDude at December 16, 2013 10:24 AM (T0NGe)

83 Alotta math goin on here.

I hate math.


Posted by: dananjcon at December 16, 2013 10:24 AM (wmU4G)

84 “Among the many other questions raised by the nebulous concept of ‘greed’ is why it is a term applied almost exclusively to those who want to earn more money or to keep what they have already earned—never to those wanting to take other people’s money in taxes or to those wishing to live on the largesse dispensed from such taxation. No amount of taxation is ever described as ‘greed’ on the part of government or the clientele of government.”—Stuff Thomas Sowell Said, Vol. 27-B/6

Posted by: Paid for by Citizens for Clyde the Orangutan at December 16, 2013 10:24 AM (QF8uk)

85 As it happens, Limbaugh had a bit on early in the show today about the conflation among some American religious groups of taxes/redistribution (which is theft), and charity, which Almighty God, our Lord and Creator, commands. New Deal crap.
Still, the Commies could consolidate their death-grip on the FSA if they dried up private charity.

Posted by: Ein Biobauer, nur gehofft, für einen Tag, für einmal at December 16, 2013 10:24 AM (1/4XQ)

86 73 But I bet he commits much more than that to the Democrat party,that is his god.

Posted by: steevy at December 16, 2013 10:24 AM (zqvg6)

87 Reich is very upset that the lion's share of the $39 billion in tax
deductions go to the wealthy. But who else would they go to?
***
You know if we flattened the tax burden we might be able to even those numbers out a bit...right?

The problem isn't just that the rich pay more in absolute dollars but that the poor pay a *much* lower percentage...often "negative" taxes

Posted by: 18-1 at December 16, 2013 10:24 AM (P3U0f)

88
Robert Riech is the modern day Wesley Mooch.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 16, 2013 10:24 AM (MaP11)

89

When we get passed the idea that we have money of our own, much of this will become more easily accepted.  The government owns all our money.  They just give  some to us according to our ability, and our needs.

 

It's really as simple as that.

Posted by: Soona at December 16, 2013 10:25 AM (FgQx3)

90 He contributed just $2,714 to charity, or .2 percent of his income — note the decimal — and not all of that was cash. Part of it was the value of a donation of a used drum set to an organization called City of Peace."


The needy need drums too, you know.

Posted by: Robert "Turd" Reich at December 16, 2013 10:25 AM (8ZskC)

91 were I to meet Krugman ... "So, Dr. Krugman, you have a Nobel Prize, just like President Obama? That's so nice for you." _

Posted by: BumperStickerist at December 16, 2013 10:25 AM (NQyj0)

92 Same story different year.  The Left is always saying something like:  "honestly, it will work this time because we are the right guys/gals and they weren't doing it right that last 500 times, but we know what we are doing this time" when it comes to wealth redistribution. 

Posted by: Registered Voter at December 16, 2013 10:25 AM (kYfFr)

93 Actually, I run in a lot of different circles, but one of those circles is the circle that includes Reich.

How do you avoid choking the shit out of people?  Or at least poisoning the brownies?

I remember walking the Mall in DC one time and Alan Cranston jogged by.  (showing my age)  It was all I could do to not curb stomp the guy.  Were temptation a daily occurrence, I believe I would succumb.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:26 AM (evdj2)

94 Mr Reich represents the Lollipop Guild, he should not be taken lightly.


Posted by: dananjcon at December 16, 2013 10:26 AM (wmU4G)

95 Uh oh. I made AtC cry.

<looks at floor> Sorry...

Would some raspberry cheesecake cheer you up?


Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:26 AM (wtvvX)

96 Bill Gates puts money into a 'foundation' that defers his taxes, and yet he still gets to exercise his own control issues by pushing things like Common Core. The rich will shelter their money and game the system anyway they can, just like the poor will game the system. But Reich's position is really about his OWN power-lust.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 10:26 AM (MMC8r)

97 Posted by: steevy at December 16, 2013 02:19 PM (zqvg6) Obviously. Firstly it concentrates power in general (in direct violation of the principle of subsidiarity, but I digress.) Secondly, you cannot control the poor if they can get help from people whose money you do not control You think mandated abortions and sterilizations will happen if Catholic Charities will help you with your problems? Nope, they need aid to be conditional on various terms to control the populace.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 16, 2013 10:26 AM (GaqMa)

98 huerfano@79, the import line here is: This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. This is what the bible says forced giving leads to: corruption. Judas, who held the purse, did not want Mary to give to the poor; Judas wanted her to give to him. Which is what Reich wants as well. ItÂ’s a more complicated scam but thatÂ’s still where his money comes from.

Posted by: Paid for by Citizens for Clyde the Orangutan at December 16, 2013 10:26 AM (QF8uk)

99 Except, of course, for the progressive ruling class; their lives will still be interesting and multi-facted.
___
Hey, this sounds familiar guys...

Posted by: Some Noble from 1100 AD at December 16, 2013 10:27 AM (P3U0f)

100 96 Well,not poison,but at least some ExLax in the brownies.

Posted by: steevy at December 16, 2013 10:27 AM (zqvg6)

101 The Left isn't against wealth; they're against wealth in the wrong hands.

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:27 AM (hbvPW)

102 Reich was great in those Travelocity commercials, though.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 10:27 AM (MMC8r)

103 Nice piece. People like Reich cannot comprehend that one's hard earned money is their hard earned money - not a pooling of hard earned money. And, as par for course, blocking others from giving to causes of their choice leads to less choice, less "tolerance," less "diversity," etc. Which is where that control comes in. Charitable offerings ruled by government reek of self-serving/money laundering/political kickback redistribution.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at December 16, 2013 10:28 AM (IXrOn)

104

You would think that shame alone at having your charitable deductions publicly available would encourage Reich to make donations  at a far higher level than he does.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at December 16, 2013 10:28 AM (hiFDo)

105 were I to meet Krugman ...
***
So Dr Krugman, how is your former employer Enron doing nowadays?

Posted by: 18-1 at December 16, 2013 10:28 AM (P3U0f)

106 Too much of that giving went to icky churches, you know.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here)-also drooling imbecile incapable of doing algebra or something at December 16, 2013 10:28 AM (659DL)

107 Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 02:26 PM (evdj2) Imagine running in a professional circle that includes Zeke Emmanual. Yeah, it's not fun. Even to the extent that I can avoid him personally there are hundreds of others like him in that same professional circle that I can't avoid.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 16, 2013 10:28 AM (GaqMa)

108 Would some raspberry cheesecake cheer you up? Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 02:26 PM (wtvvX) *sniffles* Maaaaaybe. "So, Dr. Krugman, you have a Nobel Prize, just like President Obama? That's so nice for you." _ Posted by: BumperStickerist at December 16, 2013 02:25 PM (NQyj0) I suggest the Southern response is a bit more cutting "So, Dr. Krugman, you have a Nobel Prize, just like President Obama? Bless your heart."

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 10:28 AM (VtjlW)

109 @109: Bingo!

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:28 AM (wtvvX)

110 Reich was also great in BAD SANTA with Brian Dennehy.

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:29 AM (hbvPW)

111 Reich was also great in BAD SANTA with Brian Dennehy.

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:29 AM (hbvPW)

112 Rob is certainly an appropriate first name.
-
Reich supports the Willie Sutton method of taxation.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 10:29 AM (XUKZU)

113 Gingrich has his moments of nuttiness but his takedown of Reich regarding income inequality and Democrat rule of most large American cities is awesome. That is exactly how Republicans should be talking to smug, elitist liberals.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 16, 2013 10:29 AM (g1DWB)

114 Rich people stole at least two feet from me!

(And not just from my height....)

Posted by: Robert Reich at December 16, 2013 10:29 AM (+H/11)

115 There's a clip on WZ from yesterday's This Week where Reich is babbling about income inequality and Newt burns him with "Every major city which is a poverty center is run by Democrats".

Posted by: Ian S. at December 16, 2013 10:29 AM (B/VB5)

116 Cheesecake is being sent. Set your modem to "dessert".

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:29 AM (wtvvX)

117 Snark aside, here is where I don't get Reich's logic. The giving itself should be taxed...but not the institutions that receive it. I'll be the first one to say that not all non-profit enterprises are created equally.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here)-also drooling imbecile incapable of doing algebra or something at December 16, 2013 10:30 AM (659DL)

118 This is how Lefties define virtue--by advocating where your money should go. Greed isn't desiring to have money. It's desiring to decide how money is spent. After all, if you can tell somebody how to spend his money, what difference does it make if it actually "belongs" to you?

Posted by: AmishDude at December 16, 2013 10:30 AM (T0NGe)

119 were I to meet Krugman ...I'd ask him to autograph an Enron stock certificate

Posted by: Jean at December 16, 2013 10:30 AM (4JkHl)

120 You would think that shame alone at having your charitable deductions publicly available would encourage Reich to make donations at a far higher level than he does.

And you would think that being the apostle of tiny carbon footprints would cause Algore to live modestly and travel by commercial jet.


PRO TIP: Leftards are impervious to shame.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 16, 2013 10:30 AM (8ZskC)

121 ^ that's what we call a Doublemint Gum comment

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:30 AM (hbvPW)

122 Every major city which is a poverty center is run by Democrats"
___
We'll do for America what we did to Detroit.

Vote Democrat!

Posted by: Some Democrat at December 16, 2013 10:31 AM (P3U0f)

123 Cheesecake is being sent. Set your modem to "dessert". Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 02:29 PM (wtvvX) *sets* Om nom nom.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 10:31 AM (VtjlW)

124 You evil conservatives just want to steal me pot o' gold!

Posted by: Robert O'Reich at December 16, 2013 10:32 AM (MMC8r)

125 Cut him some slack. He's still pissed off he can't ride the Magnum Force at Cedar Point... Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 02:16 PM (wtvvX) *sobs* Now you've done it

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at December 16, 2013 10:32 AM (R8hU8)

126

You would think that shame alone at having your charitable deductions publicly available would encourage Reich to make donations at a far higher level than he does.

 

Now  that's comedy gold right there, Jerry!

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at December 16, 2013 10:32 AM (zF6Iw)

127 We'll do for America what we did to Detroit. Vote Democrat! Awesome billboard.

Posted by: Paid for by Citizens for Clyde the Orangutan at December 16, 2013 10:32 AM (QF8uk)

128 People like Reich cannot comprehend that one's hard earned money is their hard earned money - not a pooling of hard earned money.

They comprehend it.  But they're, get this, lying.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:32 AM (evdj2)

129
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ouqz558

Posted by: Ein Biobauer, nur gehofft, für einen frei Tag, für einmal at December 16, 2013 10:33 AM (1/4XQ)

130 The best part is Soothie knew he was going to do that.

Posted by: garrett at December 16, 2013 10:34 AM (pqx7X)

131 He stands upon the shoulders of giants so his gentials can finally contact someone's hair.

Posted by: The Shire's top "yo mama" joke stylist at December 16, 2013 10:34 AM (R6JT1)

132 The final argument always comes down to "I care more than you!"

Posted by: DALE at December 16, 2013 10:35 AM (csnnJ)

133 Lift with your legs! Your short, stubby little legs. Like a half man, half corgi, bearded toddler.

Posted by: wooga at December 16, 2013 10:35 AM (opN5B)

134 Ein Biobauer, nur gehofft, für einen Tag, für einmal at December 16, 2013 02:24 PM (1/4XQ)

Wait.Charity is when giving is done because Our Lord and Almighty God commands it but theft is where the left's lord and almighty god commands it.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 10:35 AM (XUKZU)

135 Actually, I run in a lot of different circles, but one of those circles is the circle that includes Reich. He did compliment my brownies, though. I'll give him that. Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 02:21 PM (+cx5n) Ask him about the Black-Scholes model of option pricing. Only an idiot economist wouldn't know the Black-Scholes model. It's just some simple Brownian motion and Ito calculus, I'm sure our super-genius economist can handle such...sorry, I can't finish...

Posted by: AmishDude at December 16, 2013 10:36 AM (T0NGe)

136 Here in Peruvia, the peasants pay homage to the King in the form of income tax.

Posted by: The King of Peruvia D.C. at December 16, 2013 10:36 AM (KQp38)

137 Fun fact: covetousness is not wishing to have something like someone else has.  It wishing to have the thing that they actually have.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:37 AM (evdj2)

138 Like a half man, half corgi, bearded toddler. Posted by: wooga at December 16, 2013 02:35 PM (opN5B) **** LOL, that's gonna leave a mark.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon, insightfully folksy commenter at December 16, 2013 10:37 AM (N/Sup)

139 If only more women would be as short as Reich.  Then the world would be perfect.

Posted by: Soona at December 16, 2013 10:37 AM (iuBG8)

140

I guess its human nature to use  either  the actual  dollar figure  or the percentage number  depending on  which  one   makes your position look better.  

 

 

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 10:37 AM (m2CN7)

141 Ask him about the Black-Scholes model of option pricing.

Eh, I'd rather not endanger whatever enables Zombie to get close to these people and entertain us with pictures and stories of them.

Posted by: Ian S. at December 16, 2013 10:37 AM (B/VB5)

142 Didn't Rush call Robert Reich Clinton's pit Yorkie?

Posted by: huerfano at December 16, 2013 10:37 AM (bAGA/)

143 Every major city which is a poverty center is run by Democrats And it's also where the income inequality is. There are exceptions with, say Warren Buffet, but in middle America, the town's richest guy is usually a doctor or maybe he owns a couple of Burger King franchises.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 16, 2013 10:38 AM (T0NGe)

144 Robert Reich is just elbow level on me.

Perfect.

Posted by: grognard at December 16, 2013 10:38 AM (/29Nl)

145 The tax must flow.....

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:38 AM (wtvvX)

146 Nice piece.

People like Reich cannot comprehend that one's hard earned money is their hard earned money - not a pooling of hard earned money.

They comprehend it just fine- when it's their money.

Your money?  That's just what The State benevolently allows you to keep.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at December 16, 2013 10:38 AM (SY2Kh)

147 re 116: why I hoped Gingrich would get the nomination.

Posted by: Andrew Dice Mallfly at December 16, 2013 10:39 AM (bJm7W)

148 Didn't Rush call Robert Reich Clinton's pit Yorkie?

Or was that Stephanopolous?

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 16, 2013 10:39 AM (wtvvX)

149 98 Sorry... Would some raspberry cheesecake cheer you up? Mmmm..... Floor pie.

Posted by: Homer Simpson at December 16, 2013 10:39 AM (opN5B)

150 Robert Reich, a veritable giant among... ...well, come to think of it, never mind.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon, insightfully folksy commenter at December 16, 2013 10:39 AM (N/Sup)

151 The final argument always comes down to "I care more than you!"

Posted by: DALE at December 16, 2013 02:35 PM (csnnJ)

If that were true, liberals would give more of their time, money and blood to others than conservatives.

As it stands, they don't care more than us. 

Posted by: Washington Nearsider at December 16, 2013 10:39 AM (fwARV)

152 My ability to see into the future is uncanny, isn't it.

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:40 AM (hbvPW)

153 If that were true, liberals would give more of their time, money and blood to others than conservatives.

They're raising awareness.  You can't put a price on that.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 10:40 AM (evdj2)

154 Nice piece. Thanks. I can send you a few more pics if you'd like?

Posted by: Carlos Danger at December 16, 2013 10:40 AM (pqx7X)

155 Every time I see Reich, I hear the Oompa Loompa song in my head.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at December 16, 2013 10:41 AM (IXrOn)

156

When you see the Secret Word, scream real loud!

 

>>>>(the MacGuffins). 

 

AIIIEEEEEE!!1!

 

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 10:42 AM (3ZtZW)

157 Let's see... I'm a full foot taller than Ickle Bobby Reich.     That puts him at a rather    unpleasant height.      I should sue him for sexual harassment,  just    because.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/i][/s][/u][/b] at December 16, 2013 10:42 AM (4df7R)

158 Kim Jong Un, yeah.
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothin'.
Say it again.

Kim Jong Un, yeah.
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothin'.
Say it again.

Sorry, I just had to take a little musical interlude.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 10:42 AM (XUKZU)

159 Some of those hideously rich folks - some of them will still give, even if the deductions go away (e.g., I'm pretty sure that for whatever reason, Mr. Romney will remain a generous man either way). Wtf else are they going to do with it? It feels to me like they're targeting the middle class but making it about the evil rich as usual.

Posted by: akula51[/b][/i][/s] at December 16, 2013 10:43 AM (uKMTt)

160 Let's see... I'm a full foot taller than Ickle Bobby Reich. That puts him at a rather unpleasant height. I should sue him for sexual harassment, just because. Posted by: MWR
...........
I think he and Krugman would make 2 nicely matching lawn gnomes!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (f9c2L)

161 Eh, I'd rather not endanger whatever enables Zombie to get close to these people and entertain us with pictures and stories of them. Good point. I'll have to ask.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (T0NGe)

162 h8'rs gonna h8

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (8v/hq)

163 Due to his height, or lack thereof, I hereby propose that we nickname him Bobby "1/3rd" Reich. Can I get a huzzah?

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (7ObY1)

164 As it stands, they don't care more than us. Posted by: Washington Nearsider at December 16, 2013 02:39 PM (fwARV) THIS... My rejoinder is always... 'if you care so much, what have YOU done?' Because words are meaningless, only actions can change something.

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (lZBBB)

165 Hey!  I contribute to the arts!  I wore that teddy bear costume in Miley's show for free!

Posted by: Robert Rrrrrrrreich! at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (L8r/r)

166
The US leftists want what all leftists have always wanted:  99% of the public at an equal level of misery and them as the 1% of "elitists" directing most of the assets of society (after they have made themselves very comfortable).


Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (MaP11)

167 As a free-lance Director of  Virtuous Deeds I  have this tasker for mr. robert b. rrrrrrrrreisch - uh:  Go fuck yourself. 

Posted by: Minuteman at December 16, 2013 10:44 AM (a5Mel)

168 Women envy my penis.

Posted by: Call me Joey at December 16, 2013 10:45 AM (fsLdt)

169 If Reich really wants to target a known and abused tax shelter for the uber-wealthy, he can start with "charitable foundations."

Posted by: grognard at December 16, 2013 10:45 AM (/29Nl)

170 Greed isn't keeping your own money, it's taking someone else's.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 10:45 AM (MMC8r)

171 Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 02:42 PM (XUKZU)


You and your entire immediate family are ordered to appear at the Glorious Peoples Victory Mortar Targeting Range at once.  Bring a poncho.

Posted by: Kim Jong Un at December 16, 2013 10:45 AM (8ZskC)

172 If that were true, liberals would give more of their time, money and blood to others than conservatives.

No, see, it's like this- if you give a man $20, you feed him for a day.  If you force everybody else to each give him $20, you feed him for a lifetime.

So why bother giving him $20 when you're advocating for so much more out of being so very publicly caring?


Posted by: Hollowpoint at December 16, 2013 10:45 AM (SY2Kh)

173

>>>Some of those hideously rich folks - some of them will still give, even if the deductions go away

 

Yep. Its a way to knock away the voice of the middle classes in any public sphere. Who pays the piper calls the tune, after all.

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 10:45 AM (3ZtZW)

174 Every time I see Reich, I hear the Oompa Loompa song in my head.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at December 16, 2013 02:41 PM (IXrOn)

 

 

Sic a   Whangdoodle     on him.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/i][/s][/u][/b] at December 16, 2013 10:46 AM (4df7R)

175 BTW, Reich's house is worth about $1.2 million. (I checked - it's easy enough on the real estate web sites). While that may seem like a lot to those of you in flyover country, it's actually not wildly expensive in Bay Area terms. Maybe in the top 10% of local house values, but not any higher than that.

Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 10:46 AM (+cx5n)

176 They lie about everything. Duh.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith[/i] [/b] [/s] [/u] at December 16, 2013 10:46 AM (qyfb5)

177 Women envy my penis. Posted by: Call me Joey at December 16, 2013 02:45 PM (fsLdt) ***** Now Joseph! Didn't ve cuffer this during group session last veek? Absolutely no-body envies your penis.

Posted by: Ruth Westheimer, diminutive sex therapist extraordinaire at December 16, 2013 10:47 AM (N/Sup)

178 You gotta give a little to get a little. They give away a lot, but they do so before they get it taken away and in the end, they're spending it on themselves. After a few million, who cares anyway? Million, billion, fuck it. It's just money.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 16, 2013 10:47 AM (Y92Nd)

179 I oppose most of the charitable giving as it's structured today. The truly wealthy establish foundations that are required to give 5% of their assets per year. Broad (and sometimes narrow) guidelines are drawn up that suppose to channel the money to charities and causes important to the giver, but within a generation most foundations can be found financing people and organizations that would make the giver spin in his grave. I'm far more in favor of concentrated wealth and inheritance, used to do things impossible to do with corporate funds. Let Bill Gates' kids build a trans-Pacific vacuum tube or buy Detroit and turn it into something. Succeed or fail, at least it would be bold. Foundations don't care about anything but perpetuating themselves and their worthless, incestuous giving. Fuck them.

Posted by: jwest at December 16, 2013 10:47 AM (u2a4R)

180 Every time Reich walks by Sandra Fluke's house she waves here little finger at him and says, "Hi, Robert!" He was very curious what she meant so one day he asked her why she waved only her little finger at him.  "Well, that about how big your is, isn't it?" she replied. "Well," he said putting his fingers in his mouth and pulling it as big as possible, "Then I ought to say to you, 'Hi, Sandra!'"

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 10:47 AM (XUKZU)

181 This goes back to the core beliefs of libtards... which is basically communism.

You don't "need" that much money.  It is a "waste" for any one person to have that much money.

They simply do not understand that if everyone made the same government mandated salary, we would have nothing.. or next to nothing.. like the Soviet era Russian grocery stores where bread sold out in the first 5 minutes of the day and there were empty shelves the rest.

You tell them that, however, and they respond..  "oh no.. we'll do it right this time!"  Uh huh..  call me skeptical!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 16, 2013 10:48 AM (f9c2L)

182 Ward Churchill's nickname for him? Little Reich Man.

Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 10:48 AM (+cx5n)

183 Stand up Bob, let everyone have a look at you! Wait...what? Well God love ya....

Posted by: Joe Biden at December 16, 2013 10:48 AM (jbFVL)

184 You wanna see how much the Left cares? Go to one of the biggest hotbeds of progressivism, Cambridge MA, and watch all the obama voters walk right by the all the bums sitting on the sidewalk with their hands out as if they were invisible. Then they jump in their cars with "Be Kind" bumper stickers.

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:48 AM (hbvPW)

185 These progs aren't content to let anybody have a private life and do anything without their approval. They're like Gladys Kravits - they have to know what's going on and they think it's their business to pass judgment on what you and I do.

Posted by: biancaneve at December 16, 2013 10:48 AM (2sR50)

186 They're raising awareness. You can't put a price on that.

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 02:40 PM (evdj2)

I can, actually.  Empirically.  It's 'zero'.

I'm aware of hunger in Africa.  If I CARED about hunger in Africa, I'd send money or food.  If I REALLY CARED, I'd send myself to run a food bank.

If I don't care, I don't do anything, no matter how aware I am.

Posted by: Washington Nearsider at December 16, 2013 10:49 AM (fwARV)

187 You gotta give a little to get a little.

 

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 16, 2013 02:47 PM (Y92Nd)

 

 

And    Ickle Bobby Reich knows a lot about     being   little.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/i][/s][/u][/b] at December 16, 2013 10:49 AM (4df7R)

188 My charitable giving involves taking money from you by force.

Posted by: Robert Reich at December 16, 2013 10:49 AM (MMC8r)

189

>>>I oppose most of the charitable giving as it's structured today.

 

Robert?

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 10:50 AM (3ZtZW)

190 They're like Gladys Kravits - they have to know what's going on and they think it's their business to pass judgment on what you and I do.


I couldn't stand that bitch.

Posted by: Darrin #2 at December 16, 2013 10:50 AM (8ZskC)

191 Bobby Reich's Indian name is Half-a-Buck

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 10:50 AM (7ObY1)

192 robert reich, like his heart, is three sizes too small

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at December 16, 2013 10:51 AM (8v/hq)

193 You wanna see how much the Left cares? If the Left cared about the poor, they'd care about the results of their policies.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 10:51 AM (MMC8r)

194 I'll bet Reich played shortstop on his Little League team.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon, insightfully folksy commenter at December 16, 2013 10:51 AM (N/Sup)

195 178 BTW, Reich's house is worth about $1.2 million. (I checked - it's easy enough on the real estate web sites). While that may seem like a lot to those of you in flyover country, it's actually not wildly expensive in Bay Area terms. Maybe in the top 10% of local house values, but not any higher than that. Doesn't matter. It's too much. For I am the great redistributor! And I have spoken!

Posted by: AmishDude at December 16, 2013 10:51 AM (T0NGe)

196 Can I get a huzzah?

Posted by: BlueStateRebel
...........
Half a huzzah.. it wasn't as funny as it probably sounded in your head.

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 16, 2013 10:52 AM (f9c2L)

197 Bobby Reich's Indian name is Half-a-Buck

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 02:50 PM (7ObY1)

 

Ickle Bobby Reich's Indian name is Half-a-Dog-Fucking.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/i][/s][/u][/b] at December 16, 2013 10:52 AM (4df7R)

198 Disney's original title for the movie was "Snow White and the Seven Reichs"

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon, insightfully folksy commenter at December 16, 2013 10:52 AM (N/Sup)

199 The inherent vice of capitalism  is  the  unequal  sharing  of  blessings.  The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.  ----W.  Churchill

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 10:52 AM (m2CN7)

200

>>>Go to one of the biggest hotbeds of progressivism, Cambridge MA, and watch all the obama voters walk right by the all the bums sitting on the sidewalk with their hands out as if they were invisible.

 

Cmon, I do that and I wouldn't vote for TFG if you were gonna kill me.

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 10:52 AM (3ZtZW)

201  Lift with your legs! Your short, stubby little legs. Like a half man, half corgi, bearded toddler.

Posted by: wooga at December 16, 2013 02:35 PM (opN5B)

 

Well done. Probably would look like a Corgi Centaur

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 16, 2013 10:53 AM (nTgAI)

202 Ickle Bobby Reich's Indian name is Half-a-Dog-Fucking.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit at December 16, 2013 02:52 PM (4df7R)

It's actually Half-fucking a Dog.  Since halfway's as deep as it gets.  Similar to his thinking, actually...

Posted by: Washington Nearsider at December 16, 2013 10:53 AM (fwARV)

203
Robert Reich is the Billy Barty of politics!

Posted by: Doctor Fish at December 16, 2013 10:53 AM (pJF+c)

204 Bullwhips cracking. Screaming. Someday..

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:53 AM (hbvPW)

205 I'll bet Reich played shortstop on his Little League team. Catcher.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 16, 2013 10:53 AM (FNtJ6)

206 Rich Little had no problem impersonating Robert Reich!

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon, insightfully folksy commenter at December 16, 2013 10:53 AM (N/Sup)

207 If the Left cared about the poor, they'd care about the results of their policies. Posted by: ---
.........
You see.. you don't get it.

It's not the left's policies that cause these programs to fail.  It is the stingy, racist GOPers that do not allow the left to go far enuff!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 16, 2013 10:53 AM (f9c2L)

208 Voting to tax other people and redistribute wealth is not charity.

+1000


This is where the Catholic church and even some Protestant churches fall off the rails.  Please educate your members that equating wealth redistribution with charity is incorrect.  It is easy to illustrate; try reaching for their wallet and see that what say.

Posted by: dogfish at December 16, 2013 10:54 AM (nsOJa)

209 If the Left wants income-parity, how about wealth-parity? The price for a home should be fixed, nation-wide, at a standard rate per square foot. All those cracker-box condos and row houses on the coasts can now be factored down to parity with big-ass houses in the midwest.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 10:54 AM (MMC8r)

210 I loved Robert Reich in  Time Bandits.   He's not a bad actor. 

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 10:55 AM (m2CN7)

211 Looking at Reich's hands, it is clear that he has some sort of dwarfism. I was thinking probably pituitary dwarfism like my son given his height, but I think it is actually just run of the mill dwarfism. Hard to proportions because he's wearing a suit, but that'd be my guess.

Posted by: Lauren at December 16, 2013 10:55 AM (hFL/3)

212 It's actually Half-fucking a Dog. Since halfway's as deep as it gets. Similar to his thinking, actually...

Posted by: Washington Nearsider at December 16, 2013 02:53 PM (fwARV)

 

Excellent point.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/i][/s][/u][/b] at December 16, 2013 10:55 AM (4df7R)

213 Actually, no a better picture makes his hands look different. I'm going with pituitary dwarfism.

Posted by: Lauren at December 16, 2013 10:55 AM (hFL/3)

214 Imagine how bitter you would be if all your clothes still had 'Garanimals' tags.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 10:56 AM (MMC8r)

215 211 wait you mean I'm *not* supposed to take all the money off the plate when they pass it around?

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 10:56 AM (3ZtZW)

216 Do you really believe the Left wants to stop school shootings? They love it.

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 10:56 AM (hbvPW)

217 "73 If only we were all as charitable as Riech - Reich’s 1040 reveals an income of more than $1 million, much of it giving speeches to corporations and universities for up to $40,000 a pop. He contributed just $2,714 to charity, or .2 percent of his income — note the decimal — and not all of that was cash. Part of it was the value of a donation of a used drum set to an organization called City of Peace." Suck my ass Reich. Posted by: RWC at December 16, 2013 02:22 PM (fWAjv)" No, no, no. You see, Bob's just being ideologically consistent. He doesn't want all of us losers giving away our money to charity. He want's the government to collect it from us and dole it out how they best see fit. Bob's just leading by example. He's going to undermine his argument if he gives away 15% of his income to charity. Besides, I'm sure Bob has went to great lengths to make sure he's paying the absolute maximum in taxes he can possibly pay each year by not taking any tax credits or deductions of any kind whatso........... oh, wait.................. Nevermind. He can go suck your ass after all. Everyone else's too, while he's at it.........

Posted by: Captain Glenn Quagmire at December 16, 2013 10:56 AM (1o4B5)

218

>>>I loved Robert Reich in Time Bandits. He's not a bad actor.

 

"We can turn beans - into peas!"

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 10:56 AM (3ZtZW)

219 Darby O'Gill got his start in show business partnered with Robert Reich.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon, insightfully folksy commenter at December 16, 2013 10:57 AM (N/Sup)

220 The horrible things you're saying about my friend and mentor, the Great Robert Reich....


*SOB*

Posted by: John Boehner at December 16, 2013 10:58 AM (+H/11)

221 After leaving government, Reich has been working with organized labor. He now represents the Lollipop Guild. The Lollipop Guild. The Lollipop Guild.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 10:58 AM (MMC8r)

222
The 4' 11" figure is an exaggeration. Maybe with elevator shoes. I'd estimate 4'5" at most

Did he have a know on the bottom of his feet to control the speed of the vibrations?

Posted by: johnd01 at December 16, 2013 10:59 AM (ukNFU)

223 I'm not a dwarf, I'm a gnome!


(Do you have any spare underwear I can have?)

Posted by: Robert Reich at December 16, 2013 10:59 AM (+H/11)

224 Doh! "know" = "knob"

Posted by: johnd01 at December 16, 2013 10:59 AM (ukNFU)

225 After leaving government, Reich has been working with organized labor. He now represents the Lollipop Guild.

The Lollipop Guild.

The Lollipop Guild.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 02:58 PM (MMC8r)

Just laughed so, so hard. 

Posted by: Washington Nearsider at December 16, 2013 11:00 AM (fwARV)

226 Dr. Miguelito Loveless

Posted by: JackStraw at December 16, 2013 11:01 AM (g1DWB)

227 I've been 'a patron of the arts' a couple of times. But being involved in the arts nearly my entire life to go there is like spotting the 'Wizard' behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz, I intuitively spot the performers, the lighting crew, the musicians, know there are costume people behind the stage, along with makeup, maintenance people, ticket sellers, office people. A small industry, that might not be there if not for the benevolence of a few. When politicians want to take from the many to 'support the arts' I get upset. That the wealthy get a tax deduction to fund a small industry, create jobs, and provide a benefit to many? Not on my give-a-shit platter.

Posted by: Lace Wigs [/i] at December 16, 2013 11:02 AM (La+CV)

228 Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 02:56 PM (hbvPW) Governments have always used Fear, to justify growths in their own power. People will not give up freedom for no reason... but FEAR has worked time and again... Either Fear of the External (Pointing to an outside enemy).... or fear of the Internal (Racism, or its newer cousin, Wars on Drugs, War on Crime, even a War on poverty). It was like my Liberal Older Brother... who argued FOR the NSA wire tap stuff, right up until I pointed out they are sharing that data with the FBI and drug Agents and told him to remember HIS past...

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 16, 2013 11:02 AM (lZBBB)

229
Ace, Lenin had a name for the type of Armchair Director-Hero that you describe:

The Vanguard of the Proletariat.

The self-appointed leaders of the ignorant masses and of the mid-tier intellectuals.

The ones who plan the riots, but do not participate in the riots.

The ones who give vague orders for genocide, so the mid-level intellectuals can give the specific orders for genocide, so the ignorant street thugs can actually do the killing.

The ones who step in at the last moment to accept the award for other people's work.

In other words: The Despicable Few.

Posted by: zombie at December 16, 2013 02:18 PM (+cx5n)











Kind of like the difference between the class clown and the class comedian.

The class clown is the guy that hits the teacher in the forehead with a spitwad.

The class comedian is the guy who talked the class clown into flinging spitwads at the teacher.

Posted by: Brian Dennehy at December 16, 2013 11:02 AM (TIIx5)

230 >>>It feels to me like they're targeting the middle class but making it about the evil rich as usual.

Swing and a miss there. The Target ISN'T the middle class. It isn't even the Rich. It's CHARITABLE GIVING. You see when 300 G$ is a bit inconvenient to those that want to claim that, in order to have a better society the GOVERNMENT needs to help people, and that GOVERNMENT is the only entity that really can help people. They need charitable giving to fail in order to make their solution credible. They think they can accomplish this by eliminating the charitable deduction.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at December 16, 2013 11:03 AM (0q2P7)

231 American Studies Association votes for boycott of Israeli universities December 16, 2013 10:59am WASHINGTON (JTA) — The membership of the American Studies Association endorsed its national council’s call for a boycott of Israeli universities. Two-thirds of the 1,252 members who voted approved the boycott, according to an ASA announcement Monday, a day after the deadline for voting. At the time of the vote, there were 3,853 eligible voters, meaning a third of the membership participated. http://goo.gl/qXHglQ I wouldn't donate a dime to higher education. Twats.

Posted by: Dr. Jesse Pinkman at December 16, 2013 11:03 AM (h4eud)

232 OT - need to crowdsource some info from the musical Morons:

I have a chance to buy a barely-used Yamaha Gigmaker 5 piece drum kit, black, I just saw pictures and there's barely a scratch on the heads.

20" bass, 2 toms, floor tom, snare, HH, crash

All pedals and hardware, no throne

He's talking $600.  I was thinking $500 at the most, esp. without the throne.  Thoughts?

Posted by: grognard at December 16, 2013 11:03 AM (/29Nl)

233 I feel so cheap for poking fun at a man solely on the basis of his height, when his policy positions are so worthy of ridicule on their own (lack of) merit. Oh, who am I kidding. No I don't.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon, insightfully folksy commenter at December 16, 2013 11:03 AM (N/Sup)

234 If the Left cared about the poor, they'd care about the results of their policies.

Their "care" is about making sure there's enough poor people who believe in 'em to keep them in power.

The results of their policies are right what they should be for that.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 16, 2013 11:03 AM (ZKzrr)

235 Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 02:58 PM (MMC8r) One thing I could never figure out.... Right after the Lollipop Guild, there were Munchkin soldiers, marching with MUSKETS... Why the hell didn't they just shoot the damn witch? Or, as they were apparently fairly technically advanced.... built a damn firehose?

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 16, 2013 11:04 AM (lZBBB)

236 Did you all hear about the thieves causing an explosion trying to tap into a natural gas pipeline in Mexico?

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 16, 2013 11:04 AM (VjL9S)

237 It's one thing to give to the prestige tax-exempt organization when they give you a glam T-shirt with which you can impress the server when you go to the trendy brunch spot on Sunday. Or free concert tickets.
It is quite another thing entirely to spend weeks in some Hell-hole in el tercero mundo building with adobe in the hot sun, until you get some hideous subcutaneous parasite.

Posted by: Ein Biobauer, nur gehofft, für einen frei Tag, für einmal at December 16, 2013 11:06 AM (1/4XQ)

238 O/T - These people are ghouls.
See Patton Oswald's hahahaha funny hashtag and all of the vile things people have tweeting with it: #AbortToEndPrayer.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 16, 2013 11:06 AM (wDwVt)

239 in b4 "da plane! da plane!"

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 11:07 AM (hbvPW)

240 He's talking $600. I was thinking $500 at the most, esp. without the throne. Thoughts? You can get a clean TR 606 in that price range...

Posted by: Steve Albini at December 16, 2013 11:07 AM (pqx7X)

241 47 Socialist taxation has made charity disappear from Europe,they want to do that here. Exactly. I don't know if they want to do that here, but they'd be risking that outcome.

Posted by: m at December 16, 2013 11:08 AM (omrQI)

242

Taking     goods    by use of a weapon is thievery.

 

Taking     goods     by force of law is slavery.

 

Only giving of your own    goods     and by your    own free will is charity.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at December 16, 2013 11:08 AM (hiFDo)

243 Well done. Probably would look like a Corgi Centaur Posted by: The Jackhole at December 16, 2013 02:53 PM (nTgAI) There's an image that's going to linger. Also, all y'all should be ashamed of mocking that halfling warrior for his height. I'm the one who has absolute moral authority to do that. Hey, gnome boy, lick my boots. It should be easy enough for you to reach them.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 11:10 AM (VtjlW)

244

Don't the poor concern you?

I think they should concern everyone.

**snaps sunglasses on**

Posted by: Horacio Reich at December 16, 2013 11:11 AM (evdj2)

245 Or, as they were apparently fairly technically advanced.... built a damn firehose?

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 16, 2013 03:04 PM (lZBBB)

 

Or House Catapults. 

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 11:11 AM (m2CN7)

246 The cookies Obama served at a recent Christmas party.

http://tinyurl.com/kbt3ebs

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 11:12 AM (XUKZU)

247

>>>Only giving of your own goods and by your own free will is charity.

 

Or Patronage. Maybe do away with all of this nonsense and fund worthy artists one at a time, provided they produce whatever hack art the patron wants. Not good? Well get a fkn jay oh bee

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 11:12 AM (3ZtZW)

248 OT - The carjackers  at that NJ mall who shot the  car owner in the head - I've yet to hear   a description of the carjackers.  This means they are definitely black.  The media sucks, including FOX.

Posted by: Havedash at December 16, 2013 11:12 AM (SIR+t)

249 O/T: So scientists have now found that reindeer have their circulatory system rigged up to keep their noses from freezing, thus resulting in thermo images where the nose, well, glows... http://tinyurl.com/mjsprtu ...and also the eyes give them away as otherworldly hellbeasts out to murder us and wear our intestines in their antlers, aided by that quisling Santa. But that's neither here nor there.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at December 16, 2013 11:12 AM (naUcP)

250  Well done. Probably would look like a Corgi Centaur
Posted by: The Jackhole at December 16, 2013 02:53 PM (nTgAI)


There's an image that's going to linger.


Also, all y'all should be ashamed of mocking that halfling warrior for his height. I'm the one who has absolute moral authority to do that.


Hey, gnome boy, lick my boots. It should be easy enough for you to reach them.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 03:10 PM (VtjlW)

Hey, I'm over here

 

Posted by: Dick Morris at December 16, 2013 11:12 AM (nTgAI)

251 Anyone wanta bet that those donated drums went to the OWSers?

Posted by: wiserbud at December 16, 2013 11:13 AM (NXg/k)

252 Sounds like Tyrion Lannister is gonna have to smack a bitch tonight.

Posted by: Tyrion Lannister at December 16, 2013 11:14 AM (BrQrN)

253 Right after the Lollipop Guild, there were Munchkin soldiers, marching with MUSKETS...


Why the hell didn't they just shoot the damn witch?


WHITE munchkin soldiers shooting a GREEN witch? Right.  We suppose they'll try to justify it as "self-defense..."

Posted by: The Munchkinland Mainstream Media at December 16, 2013 11:14 AM (8ZskC)

254 He's talking $600. I was thinking $500 at the most, esp. without the throne. Thoughts?
Posted by: grognard
..........
Overpriced for used.. even well cared for..

That's the new price at GuitarCenter

http://tinyurl.com/k28qx4o


Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 16, 2013 11:15 AM (f9c2L)

255 Isn't Reich busy working in Santa's factory at this time of the year ? 

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 16, 2013 11:16 AM (nTgAI)

256 Did Reich happen to mention any of those lefty non profit orgs like Tides, Ford...

Cause there is a buttload of money there for the govt to take.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at December 16, 2013 11:16 AM (tf9Ne)

257
Off, damned meme sock.





If the Left wants income-parity, how about wealth-parity? The price for a home should be fixed, nation-wide, at a standard rate per square foot.

All those cracker-box condos and row houses on the coasts can now be factored down to parity with big-ass houses in the midwest.

Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 02:54 PM (MMC8r)






That would be hilarious.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at December 16, 2013 11:16 AM (TIIx5)

258 Randy Newman knows all about people like Robert Reich. *hopes ATC is too young to recognize the reference*

Posted by: Randy Newman [/i] at December 16, 2013 11:16 AM (La+CV)

259 Exactly. I don't know if they want to do that here, but they'd be risking that outcome.

Absolutely they do.

They believe that they- through government- would spend your money far more wisely than you spend your money.

They'd love to see charitable organizations be folded into the government, with voluntary donations replaced by mandatory tax dollars.

If the Red Cross (for example) goes in and helps a bunch of people after a flood, what do they (liberals) get out of it? 

They don't get to take political credit, they don't unionized government workers to replace volunteers, they don't get the power to decide where the money is spent.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at December 16, 2013 11:17 AM (SY2Kh)

260 Isn't Reich busy working in Santa's factory at this time of the year ?

That's an even better dodge than claiming you work part-time for the CIA.

Posted by: Horacio Reich at December 16, 2013 11:17 AM (evdj2)

261 *hopes ATC is too young to recognize the reference* I wouldn't lay odds on that. Also, shinguards might be a good idea right about now.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at December 16, 2013 11:18 AM (naUcP)

262 Great take down of the mischievous little bastard. Shorter version: This is the problems with liberals generally, it's not their money. They can spend their own money anyway they want, even if they "earned" it freeloading off the government. I simply don't care what they think about how to spend ours. I'd like to kick the shit out of Reich and Krugman and the rest of these money-grabbing little fucks, but you know, "punching down" and all ....

Posted by: Blacksheep at December 16, 2013 11:19 AM (8/DeP)

263 dammit

Posted by: toby928© makes jokes from the Phantom Zone at December 16, 2013 11:19 AM (evdj2)

264 o/t, but good news. The tactic is not a panacea (for example, only 48 states have sheriffs), but they are elected law enforcement. As in elected.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/lpng9pt

Posted by: Ein Biobauer, nur gehofft, für einen frei Tag, für einmal at December 16, 2013 11:19 AM (1/4XQ)

265 WHITE munchkin soldiers shooting a GREEN witch? Right. We suppose they'll try to justify it as "self-defense..." But, she was a "white-green" witch...

Posted by: The MSM at December 16, 2013 11:19 AM (7ObY1)

266 Robert Reich is to economics as Tony Romo is to winning football in December.

Posted by: Mallamutt at December 16, 2013 11:19 AM (wfk7/)

267

Why the hell didn't they just shoot the damn witch?

Or, as they were apparently fairly technically advanced.... built a damn firehose?

 

Because Sauron's eye would have seen them and stopped them.

Posted by: Call me Joey at December 16, 2013 11:20 AM (fsLdt)

268 Whether or not you like your government fleecing you will keep being fleeced

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at December 16, 2013 11:21 AM (HVff2)

269 267 o/t, but good news. The tactic is not a panacea (for example, only 48 states have sheriffs), but they are elected law enforcement. As in elected. http://preview.tinyurl.com/lpng9pt I'm very proud that my sheriff is one of those who refuse to enforce the gun-grab legislation. And he just got re-elected by a large margin, loudly promising all the while not to enforce it. See, we do have some patriots here in NYS.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 11:21 AM (7ObY1)

270 I'm trying to make some more money to not give to charity.  Anyone need their butt buttered?

Posted by: Robert Reich at December 16, 2013 11:21 AM (+H/11)

271

>>>Isn't Reich busy working in Santa's factory at this time of the year ?

 

That train set? You didn't build that! A lot of other elfs contributed to making that happen! There's a North Pole with a Kringle Toy Factory, a sleigh-powered delivery system, a Mrs. Claus that stays up all night making fudge for all of you!

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 11:22 AM (3ZtZW)

272 Didn't he used to play Miguelito Loveless on the Wild Wild West TV show?

Posted by: TheQuietMan at December 16, 2013 11:24 AM (1Jaio)

273 Overpriced for used.. even well cared for..

That's the new price at GuitarCenter

http://tinyurl.com/k28qx4o


Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 16, 2013 03:15 PM (f9c2L)



Thanks, Jerry.  Interestingly, when I loaded that page, it shows the price as $666 in Canuck Dollars.

Thinking $450 at the most.  What I might do is tell the guy to go ahead and try to sell it for more, but if in April he still needs to get rid of it I'll give him $400.

Posted by: grognard at December 16, 2013 11:25 AM (/29Nl)

274 Reich’s 1040 reveals an income of more than $1 million, much of it giving speeches to corporations and universities for up to $40,000 a pop. He contributed just $2,714 to charity, or .2 percent of his income — note the decimal

-------------------



For the love of pete.   Run-of-the-mill office workers give more than that.  On a $30,000 a year job, that's not even a tithe.

Posted by: grammie winger at December 16, 2013 11:27 AM (P6QsQ)

275

"But he and other members of the New Class will do the truly important work of Bossing the Soldiers About."

 

 

No, that too is also like unto work.  The truly important task is talking and writing about all the good things that are being done.  And that is what the Ivy League cadres and all of the other members of the "If I think good thoughts and say good words then I am a good person" class believe.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Death Capades - ObamaCare on Ice! Sponsored by the Outrage Outlet at December 16, 2013 11:27 AM (hLRSq)

276 Interestingly, when I loaded that page, it shows the price as $666 in Canuck Dollars.

Even weirder, I just looked up an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute on that site, and it's the exact same price as the drum set in Canuckian!

Posted by: Waterhouse at December 16, 2013 11:29 AM (8b2sh)

277 Even weirder, I just looked up an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute on that site, and it's the exact same price as the drum set in Canuckian!

Posted by: Waterhouse at December 16, 2013 03:29 PM (8b2sh)



What sort of Satan possessed site is this anyway?!

Posted by: grognard at December 16, 2013 11:30 AM (/29Nl)

278 it shows the price as $666 Coincidence?

Posted by: rickb223 at December 16, 2013 11:31 AM (FNtJ6)

279 When the financial records of wealthy leftists are disclosed, they usually show a lower percentage of charitable giving than the average working family.  People like Reich have always been better at giving away other people's money.

It's true he wants control over the donations, whether to cultural activities or human needs, which is a function of power, but he also craves the credit.  Reich has a fanatical need to be seen as morally superior by others in the way he sees himself.

He may be the only man ever in Washington who had to look up to Tom Daschle, but when he sees his reflection in the mirror, he sees a mighty big man.

Posted by: Adjoran at December 16, 2013 11:31 AM (473jB)

280

>>>Even weirder, I just looked up an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute on that site, and it's the exact same price as the drum set in Canuckian!

 

They're taking Black Friday to whole new level!!1!

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 11:32 AM (3ZtZW)

281 Heh- even I feel tall compared to Reich.

Posted by: Ruth Westheimer, diminutive sex therapist extraordinaire at December 16, 2013 11:33 AM (N/Sup)

282 The thing about a Canadian, it's got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When it comes at you it doesn't seem to be livin'.....

Posted by: Call me Joey at December 16, 2013 11:33 AM (fsLdt)

283 For the love of pete. Run-of-the-mill office workers give more than that. On a $30,000 a year job, that's not even a tithe. People give money, or donate time or energy because it makes them feel good. I was watching a TED talk yesterday that discussed the chemical that is produced (in both the brain and body) when we donate to charity, oxytocin. There were only two groups of people who did not produce the chemical; women who were sexually abused and some men with high levels of testosterone. I think they failed to test Robert Reich.

Posted by: Lace Wigs [/i] at December 16, 2013 11:35 AM (La+CV)

284 Ahem, Canada, velcome to ze group. For homeverk this veek, I vant you to take off all your clothes and stand in front of a mirror. Say to yourself- "Eef I had a penis, it vould be a verry nice penis."

Posted by: Ruth Westheimer, diminutive sex therapist extraordinaire at December 16, 2013 11:36 AM (N/Sup)

285 OT: NC State Senator's tweet enrages Lefties nationwide: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/15/4547981/ruchos-tweet-comparing-obamacare.html

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 16, 2013 11:36 AM (aDwsi)

286 Oh, who am I kidding? I love Canada! I vuz yoost poking fun, eh?

Posted by: Ruth Westheimer, diminutive sex therapist extraordinaire at December 16, 2013 11:38 AM (N/Sup)

287 The philosophical difference was aptly demonstrated in a video posted here a few weeks back.

If I see a hungry man and decide to give him half of my sandwich, that is a moral decision, a charitable one, and the recipient will likely be grateful.

If the government forces me to give the man half of my sandwich at gunpoint, two things happen, one, the decision becomes immoral and uncharitable, and two, the recipient of the gift now feels entitled to half of my sandwich, and half of all of my future sandwiches.

Posted by: navybrat at December 16, 2013 11:38 AM (AW7Gr)

288 If you guys keep tormenting Reich he will go back to the Shire and stay there 

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 16, 2013 11:38 AM (nTgAI)

289 I'm hungry. Somebody make me as samwich -- stat!

Posted by: Dr. Jesse Pinkman at December 16, 2013 11:38 AM (h4eud)

290 *hopes ATC is too young to recognize the reference* Posted by: Randy Newman at December 16, 2013 03:16 PM (La+CV) *throatpunch*

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 16, 2013 11:38 AM (VtjlW)

291 You guys are awfully hard on poor Robert here. Listen, the guy already has to deal with his evil nephew sitting on the Iron Throne and all that "winter is coming" nonsense.

Posted by: UGAdawg at December 16, 2013 11:39 AM (aO1W9)

292 After leaving government, Reich has been working with organized labor. He now represents the Lollipop Guild. The Lollipop Guild. The Lollipop Guild. Posted by: --- at December 16, 2013 02:58 PM (MMC8r) Just laughed so, so hard. Posted by: Washington Nearsider at December 16, 2013 03:00 PM (fwARV) Yep, fun-ny.

Posted by: m at December 16, 2013 11:39 AM (omrQI)

293 There was some story quoted on Morning Joe where an economist, having had enough of the Pope's economic lectures, decided to lecture the Pope on the theology of preaching envy. The quotes noted made a lot of sense to me. The Morning Joe brain trust (Barnicle and Mika) was dumbfounded.

Posted by: ejo at December 16, 2013 11:39 AM (GXvSO)

294 Last I checked, Reich was making $350k +

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 16, 2013 11:40 AM (aDwsi)

295 @286 You can give a scared heifer an injection of oxytocin to make her let down her milk. (Btw, you used to be able to buy veterinary oxytocin otc.)

Posted by: Ein Biobauer, nur gehofft, für einen frei Tag, für einmal at December 16, 2013 11:40 AM (1/4XQ)

296 I used to play an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute when I was in Electrik Funeral. But Epi's were pretty good guitars back then. Nowadays, they're just cheap Gibson knock-offs.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 11:42 AM (7ObY1)

297  Last I checked, Reich was making $350k +

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 16, 2013 03:40 PM (aDwsi)

 

Sheesh, that's $100K per foot

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 16, 2013 11:42 AM (nTgAI)

298 (Barnicle and Mika) was dumbfounded. Mika's just plain dumb. No founded.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 11:43 AM (7ObY1)

299

I used to play an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute when I was in Electrik Funeral.

 

-

 

I saw        Electric Funeral open for the Grateful Dead at....

 

No, I didn't.  But it sounded good.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at December 16, 2013 11:44 AM (hiFDo)

300

Sheesh, that's $100K per foot

 

At three apples tall that's over 100k per apple.

Posted by: Call me Joey at December 16, 2013 11:45 AM (fsLdt)

301 There were only two groups of people who did not produce the chemical; women who were sexually abused and some men with high levels of testosterone.

I think they failed to test Robert Reich.>>

I think they missed testing for Assholedwarfins.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at December 16, 2013 11:45 AM (tf9Ne)

302 *throatpunch* ...ooh. Well, I feel silly for recommending shin guards now.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at December 16, 2013 11:46 AM (naUcP)

303 Just an O/T question here.  When one turns 65, they they  HAVE to enroll and pay for Medicare?

Posted by: Soona at December 16, 2013 11:46 AM (iuBG8)

304 O/T Looks like the Catholics got another win against Sebelius http://tinyurl.com/map65tj

Posted by: Iblis at December 16, 2013 11:46 AM (9221z)

305 This Monday feels like a Friday. I henceforth dub it Easy Spirit.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 16, 2013 11:46 AM (Y92Nd)

306 You can give a scared heifer an injection of oxytocin to make her let down her milk. My wife's labor of our first child was induced by an IV drip of oxytocin. She felt real good and skipped the epidural... until the episiotomy. Then 'natural childbirth' turned into an unending request for more pharmaceuticals.

Posted by: Lace Wigs [/i] at December 16, 2013 11:46 AM (La+CV)

307 It's CHARITABLE GIVING. Yeah, that's my point. If it goes away, the middle and lower classes are far more affected than the rich, who derive fewer benefits from said charity. I didn't fully flesh out that thought, we're very much on the same page here. End result - the nanny state continues to grow ad infinitem, because like in Canada and Europe "the Government does my charity for me."

Posted by: akula51[/b][/i][/s] at December 16, 2013 11:47 AM (uKMTt)

308

Just an O/T question here. When one turns 65, they they HAVE to enroll and pay for Medicare?

 

-

 

If you have a   retiree medical plan through your employer, you usually do.  You don't have to sign up for social security in order to sign up for medicare, though.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at December 16, 2013 11:47 AM (hiFDo)

309 Just an O/T question here. When one turns 65, they they HAVE to enroll and pay for Medicare?


I believe there is a penalty if you don't.

Posted by: EC at December 16, 2013 11:48 AM (GQ8sn)

310 I saw Electric Funeral open for the Grateful Dead at.... LOL, you didn't see us open for anybody unless you went to a local battle of the bands or a few local parties, all of them decades ago!

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 16, 2013 11:48 AM (7ObY1)

311 I haff an announcement for ze Horde. I vill be traffeling to Pakistan on a secret CIA mission for ze next six months. I vill be helping ze Taliban mit their feelings of sexual inadequacy. I haff not yet decided whether to let goats participate in group sessions. Zees is a top-secret mission, so do not tell anybody else. Auf wiedersehen!

Posted by: Ruth Westheimer, diminutive sex therapist extraordinaire at December 16, 2013 11:48 AM (N/Sup)

312 End result - the nanny state continues to grow ad infinitem, because like in Canada and Europe "the Government does my charity for me."

Posted by: akula51 at December 16, 2013 03:47 PM (uKMTt)

 

 

---------------------------------------

 

 

It's so we can ALL feel good that we're perpetuating the good life for crack ho's.

Posted by: Soona at December 16, 2013 11:49 AM (iuBG8)

313

Bob deals with the distributions of the sweet, sweet cash so the ignorant proles don't have too.  He's a virtuous person, dammit!

Posted by: Humpty Hump at December 16, 2013 11:49 AM (QFnhZ)

314 If I see a hungry man and decide to give him half of my sandwich, that is a moral decision, a charitable one, and the recipient will likely be grateful.

If the government forces me to give the man half of my sandwich at gunpoint, two things happen, one, the decision becomes immoral and uncharitable, and two, the recipient of the gift now feels entitled to half of my sandwich, and half of all of my future sandwiches.

Posted by: navybrat at December 16, 2013 03:38 PM (AW7Gr)

 

I was at  a Boston Market one night when an obviously homeless guy came up to me and asked if I could get him something to eat as  he had not eaten in awhile.   I had just a few extra schekels in my pocket so I  told him I could buy  him a side .    This is when it turned to 'you have to be fucking me'  funny.

 

After I told him that,  he then replied to me like I was a waiter,  asking me what kind of sides there were.   I kind of laughed to myself but went ahead and told him they had things like mash potatoes, spinach, mac and cheese.   He then had the balls to ask me  " do they have anything with meat in it ? "

 

I ended up getting him some chicken tortilla soup but only in America do bums have this  kind of mindset. 

 

 

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 11:50 AM (m2CN7)

315 You can give a scared heifer an injection of oxytocin to make her let down her milk.
-
Maybe but you'd better leave those sacred heifers alone or Chris Matthews will say bad things about you on MSKGB.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 11:50 AM (XUKZU)

316 I ended up getting him some chicken tortilla soup but only in America do bums have this kind of mindset.

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 03:50 PM (m2CN7)

 

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

 

I would have told him to fuck off.

Posted by: Soona at December 16, 2013 11:53 AM (iuBG8)

317 I ended up getting him some chicken tortilla soup but only in America do bums have this kind of mindset. "Dude, sorry. I'm all tapped out. I just paid for mine & your 404Care."

Posted by: rickb223 at December 16, 2013 11:53 AM (FNtJ6)

318 From the sidebar:

We may be witnessing the sunÂ’s last dying gasps before entering into a long slumber. The impact of that slumber on EarthÂ’s climate remains the subject of growing scientific speculation.
-
The hard part is trying to find out why this the Tea Party's fault.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 16, 2013 11:53 AM (XUKZU)

319 I ended up getting him some chicken tortilla soup but only in America do bums have this kind of mindset.

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 03:50 PM (m2CN7)


Same thing in Canada.  It's like clockwork - every year when the temperature drops below freezing, my route from the train station to work, on foot, gets 6 more homeless people.

You don't see them all summer.  I think I saw one guy, on one occasion, from April through October.

As of November, 6 of them.  Just in time for the holidays, imagine that. And they'll be gone in the Spring.


Posted by: grognard at December 16, 2013 11:53 AM (/29Nl)

320 I think it was Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn who recommended a different reaction of the kulaks to the commissars who came to confiscate their crops than history records. Shovels and pitchforks were involved. I have to go look it up again, darn it.

Posted by: DM at December 16, 2013 11:55 AM (LaKlJ)

321 317 zactly why I don't give a shit anymore about the homeless. Go home, you fkrs. There's a guy hangs out on the exit with a "Hungry Need Food" sign every damned day and there's stacks of food at the bottom of the exit sign where he dumps off the actual food people give him, just rotting away. He wants the cash, of course, but all that food the dirtbag wastes represents charity that could have gone to real people in need.

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 11:57 AM (3ZtZW)

322 It's CHARITABLE GIVING. Wait. Do you mean to tell me that I can write off the Hand Jobs I give to the homeless guys in the park?

Posted by: SAndra Fluke at December 16, 2013 11:57 AM (1ZBEK)

323 He may be the only man ever in Washington who had to look up to Tom Daschle, but when he sees his reflection in the mirror, he sees a mighty big man.

Posted by: Adjoran at December 16, 2013 03:31 PM (473jB)


He orders from us a lot.

Posted by: Acme Funhouse Mirrors at December 16, 2013 11:58 AM (L8r/r)

324 Men of his stature are in short supply.


Posted by: Jimbo at December 16, 2013 11:58 AM (V70Uh)

325 @298, I expect it will work on moose, too... if you were milking moose.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ox7zl86

Posted by: Ein Biobauer, nur gehofft, für einen frei Tag, für einmal at December 16, 2013 11:58 AM (1/4XQ)

326 OT:  Uh-oh.  Another filthy, racist wingnut smear against Obama from the Tea Party:

"...many people consider President Obama to be the first gay President."

Oh, wait, did I say Tea Party?  I meant MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at December 16, 2013 11:59 AM (SY2Kh)

327 Thanks alot F.A.G.

Posted by: eleven at December 16, 2013 11:59 AM (fsLdt)

328

Off to pick up the wee one

 

/wheee

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sammich at December 16, 2013 12:00 PM (3ZtZW)

329 I ended up getting him some chicken tortilla soup but only in America do bums have this kind of mindset. Actually, I'd say this is common worldwide. I remember this kind of attitude from panhandlers overseas. Imagine what it would take for you to cross that line in your head to ask a random stranger for food. If you can figure out how to cross that line, then how much more of a struggle would it be for you to cross that next line of insisting on top shelf?

Posted by: FRONT TOWARD LEFT at December 16, 2013 12:00 PM (V3kRK)

330 "...many people consider President Obama to be the first gay President."

Yes, indeed. He's definitely the first.

**shiftyeyes**

Posted by: James Buchanan at December 16, 2013 12:01 PM (evdj2)

331 I would have told him to fuck off.

Posted by: Soona at December 16, 2013 03:53 PM (iuBG

 

I thought about but it was so outrageous I thought it was either a test from God or Candid Camera.    I did do that to another guy who came up to me at a gas station crying the blues.   I got tired of giving money away that I knew would be used for booze or whatnot, that I started carrying McDonald dollar coupons in my car.   I gave the guy a couple and he looked at them like , WTF I don't want this shit and started to walk away with them.   I caught up to him and took them out of his hand and told him to move the fuck on,  after he gave me a dirty look.   No surprise I saw him doing the same thing at another location a few weeks later. 

Posted by: polynikes at December 16, 2013 12:01 PM (m2CN7)

332 Wait. Do you mean to tell me that I can write off the Hand Jobs I give to the homeless guys in the park? Posted by: SAndra Fluke at December 16, 2013 03:57 PM (1ZBEK) *** As long as there's no quim pro quo.

Posted by: Ruth Westheimer, diminutive sex therapist extraordinaire at December 16, 2013 12:01 PM (N/Sup)

333 I kicked Reich's ass once

Posted by: Vern Troyer at December 16, 2013 12:03 PM (nTgAI)

334 nood

Posted by: soothsayer at December 16, 2013 12:03 PM (hbvPW)

335 What do liberals actually want?  I mean if a Robert Reich really had his way, what would the actual tax rates be?  Why can't they just give us a real number instead of always "not enough"?

Right now, someone who makes over $500k and lives in a blue state pays over 50% in taxes.  You would think at some point, there would be a moral question from lefties about when do taxes become excessive and when do we start looking at HOW that money is spent instead of just figuring out where to get more of it.

I do think one big mistake that we conservatives painted ourselves in a corner is with middle class tax cuts.  The 47% that pay zero federal income taxes are a big boost to this idiotic way of thinking that if we just soak the rich a little more, the math will work.

Posted by: McAdams at December 16, 2013 12:04 PM (2TMCu)

336

@162 I'm pretty sure that for whatever reason, Mr. Romney will remain a generous man either way

----------------

 

Romney gives away such an insanely large amount of his income that there really shouldn't be any question about this.  In addition, in the returns he released in 2012, he ended up *not* taking a fairly sizeable chunk of the deductions available simply because he'd publicly stated earlier that he would be paying a certain amount of his income as taxes, and the deduction would have brought him in well under that.

 

Posted by: junior at December 16, 2013 12:05 PM (UWFpX)

337
.... so ...... I find this lamp, rub it, and some Genie wants to grant me a wish.

Naturally.... I respond "I'd like my dick to be one foot from the ground".


Fuckin Genies.

Posted by: Robert Reich at December 16, 2013 12:07 PM (nELVU)

338 Reich had a bone disease as a child and that is why he is short. I remember this from Mother Jones back in 1995ish. MoJo was trying to gin up a meme that the Gingrich Republicans and Limbaugh were "bullies"; to this end they recruited Molly Ivins and similar creatures (often perpetrators of Krokodil-wit themselves). The meme didn't take; I think even Democrats told MoJo that they didn't want to look like Limbaugh's little gimps.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo says, free toby at December 16, 2013 12:07 PM (iQxYV)

339 I'll bet Reich played shortstop on his Little League team.



Catcher.

Third base.  Not the position.  The actual base itself.

Posted by: Jimbo at December 16, 2013 12:08 PM (V70Uh)

340 Romney was derided as Rob Me by the wonderful leftists in America while Obama, a man with no documented acts of altruism or charity in his background, was the compassionate one.

Posted by: ejo at December 16, 2013 12:21 PM (GXvSO)

341 I give a shit that Reich is vertically challenged; it's his smallness of character that irks me.

Posted by: the Butcher at December 16, 2013 12:25 PM (8g9qq)

342 "Well, he'll be the guy who properly directs the heavy lifting, like that guy who says he'll help you move a couch, but then plops himself down in a big comfy chair and just tells other people to "Lift with their legs" and "Be careful of the doorway" and "Watch it, you're going to scuff the wall with the couch's leg." That's his job. That's the job he's assigned himself. Not to be the actual Doer of Virtue, but to be instead the even more important Public Director of Virtuous Deeds." There is a famous Chinese communist political cartoon that features a stuck wagon, with workers, peasants, etc. all helping push it. It also shows a party official who's hand is outstretched as if to help push the wagon, but not actually pushing it. This was actually a subtle criticism of communism by the cartoonist - who had to slip that in carefully. I saw this cartoon in a PoliSci class taught by Susan Shirk...but I could never find it via google, etc. It was a great cartoon.

Posted by: sexypig at December 16, 2013 12:31 PM (dZQh7)

343 The MacGuffins you will always have with you.-----Stuff Jesus Might Have Said

Posted by: Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils at December 16, 2013 12:31 PM (nbGZj)

344 Brilliant, simply brilliant skewering of the liberal delusion of being noble with other people's money

Posted by: Zvi b at December 16, 2013 03:12 PM (En2tr)

345 Effing libs just resent ANY income they do not have control over. Eff them!

Posted by: WannabeAnglican at December 16, 2013 03:37 PM (7KvT6)

346 Well, at least you are working on attaining some modicum of "concision"

Posted by: Butternut at December 16, 2013 04:15 PM (+8yte)

347 Bobby "short but tyrannical" Reich is the guy who wanted to be sure at the passage and execution of the approx. $840 billion 2009 worthless "stimulus" that no WHITE construction workers were hired to do work under its provisions.

That's ok, Bobby.  No one got meaningfully hired under that wasteful boondoggle.

Posted by: tanstaafl at December 17, 2013 08:07 AM (Cvp4l)

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