Umday

Saying Dumb Stuff Makes You...Smart?

I've been weary of the "Democrats smart / Republicans dumb" cliché for a long, long time. It is apparently a notion that appeals to a lot of what are now called "low-information voters" (back in the day, we used to called such people "nitwits"), and certainly it is reinforced in every way imaginable by the progressive mainstream press (but I repeat myself). I've been paying attention to politics for nearly 50 years, though, and it seems to me that this meme has things exactly backwards.

Consider the brilliance we're getting lately from the leaders of the Democratic party...

In a contentious 60 Minutes interview aired yesterday, President Barack Obama said (among other nonsensical things): "My definition of leadership would be leading on climate change, an international accord that potentially we'll get in Paris."




Translation: "My definition of leadership is getting a piece of paper signed (which
I haven't actually accomplished) that will do absolutely nothing to affect the global climate situation, but which will severely damage the United States economically if
we do what the piece of paper says we have to do."

That sound "brilliant" to anybody?

In an interview on PBS Newshour last Wednesday, Hillary Clinton denounced the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal.

The problem? She has been praising the deal and urging its passage for five years.


People noticed the flip-flop. She doesn't care, so long as her New and Improved Position™ makes her more appealing to the progressive left. Honesty and intellectual consistency are for suckers.

Hillary's not the only Democrat saying dumb things about trade. In his appearance on Meet the Press yesterday, socialist and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was bluntly asked if he opposed every trade agreement the United States has ever negotiated.

"That's correct," he replied.


Translation: "I think consumers should have fewer choices and have to pay higher prices for everything they buy."

But the Republicans (especially those icky conservative ones) are the stupid people.

Right...

Things That Make Me Sad: Lost Season Edition

For all intents and purposes, the 2015 NFL season for my beloved Kansas City Chiefs ended yesterday with their second consecutive late-game collapse at Arrowhead Stadium. Despite leading 17-3 at halftime against a team that came in at 1-3 on the season, the Chiefs lost 18-17 to the Chicago Bears. Just as in the hideous collapse against the Denver Broncos in their previous home game, the Chiefs defense allowed a struggling offense to drive down the field with relative ease (got to love that "prevent" defense, eh?) and score twice in the final three minutes. (In fairness, in the Denver game the TD the defense gave up in the final minute only tied the score. It required a fumble on the next play by the offense to hand Denver the winning touchdown.) In both games, the visiting team never led until the last few seconds.

Only nine times in NFL history has a team started out 1-4 and still made the playoffs. The Chiefs will not become No. 10 on that list. Looking at the remainder of their schedule, it isn't easy to find one game they should be expected to win. They will be the underdog in every game left on their schedule with the possible exception of the game against Detroit, which will be played in London.

The biggest reason the Chiefs won't make that list isn't the schedule, though. It's because they lost Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. It was a non-contact injury (i.e., a hit by an opposing player didn't cause the injury), and almost certainly ends Charles's career with the Chiefs (he turns 29 in December, is in his 8th season in the league, and has already had a torn ACL in his left knee in 2011). Not the way you'd want to see your team's all-time rushing leader finish his career...

Thanks for everything, 25. Gonna miss you...

At least the horrific record the Chiefs are about to put up this season will get them a high spot in the NFL draft, so we're sure to get some immediate help that way.

Oh, wait...

• 2015 Draft: 1st Round - Marcus Peters CB, No. 18 overall (looks like the kid can play, gets burned often, though), 2nd Round - Mitch Morse OT, No. 49 overall (bust at both G and T, moved to C out of dire necessity, failing there)
• 2014 Draft: 1st Round - Dee Ford LB, No. 23 overall (not starting, can't beat out guys aged 31 and 32, has "bust" written all over him), 2nd Round - No pick due to earlier transaction
• 2013 Draft: 1st Round - Eric Fisher OT, No. 1 overall (bust, can't beat out journeyman Donald Stephenson for LT job, currently failing at RT), 2nd Round - No pick due to earlier transaction

So, yeah, don't be looking for the current regime to turn things around with a good draft, either...

"On the plus side, your Sundays will be freed up for other stuff now."

Yes, I would way rather vacuum and do laundry than watch football. Great...

 Meanwhile, Back at the Zombie Apocalypse

More zombies on the Season 6 premiere of The Walking Dead last night (lots more),
but all of the same human problems...

"You're saying Pepsi's better than Coke? Just who do you think you're talking to?"

The season has gotten off to an excellent start, and I'm already eagerly anticipating next Sunday's installment.

A Typical Trump Supporter

From the wonderful comic strip Non Sequitur, by Wiley Miller, which you should read every day, as I do (even though Wiley is a squishy liberal).

Until Next Time...

I was fiddling around with iTunes the other day and noticed a playlist in there that I haven't listened to for awhile. It is a collection of covers, performances by one artist of songs originally written (and usually performed) by a different artist. There's nothing new about this practice, of course. Artists have been recording each others' material since forever.

The songs in my iTunes playlist, though, are covers which, in my opinion, are superior to the original version. Today's send-off is one such instance. I much prefer Sarah Polley's cover of "Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)" to the original version by The Tragically Hip. This video blends Sarah's cover with clips from the film The Sweet Hereafter, in which she played a major character. Enjoy...