From our American correspondent, Esteban:
When she was asked if those who paid their way through college would get their money back Elizabeth Warren replied curtly “of course not”. Aside from the question of fairness, another interesting thing about this encounter is that Liz seemed surprised that anyone questioned that this was just, true and fair. Adding insult to injury her response was dismissive and condescending. Apparently, no one involved in her campaign ever thought “gee, what about people who paid off their student loans, or made sacrifices to avoid debt, how will they feel about this?”
Ann Coulter once commented that the most surprising thing about college Leftists was not how many wanted to ban Conservative voices, or even how many were OK with resorting to violence to do so, it was how badly prepared they were to defend their arguments.
College student: “What’s wrong with ‘from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs?’”
Ann: “You realize you’re quoting Karl Marx, the father of modern Communism?”
Student: “Well, what’s so bad about Communism, maybe we should try it again?”
Ann: “What’s so bad? In the last century Communists murdered 100 million people”.
Student: “Well, we’ll take the blame for the Communists, but you have to take the blame for the Nazis”.
Ann: “No, Nazis were left wingers, NAZI stood for National Socialist German Workers Party – note the Socialist part”.
Student: “Um, you suck.”
Another example – Hillary Clinton was asked about her accomplishments as Secretary of State. Her response: “My accomplishments as Secretary of State? Well, I’m glad you asked! My proudest accomplishment in which I take the most pride, mostly because of the opposition it faced early on, you know. The remnants of prior situations and mind-sets that were too narrowly focused in a manner whereby they may have overlooked the bigger picture, and we didn’t do that, and I’m proud of that. Very proud. I would say that’s a major accomplishment.”
Seriously, this is a woman running for President of the United States. Years after this, her supporters, including senior campaign staff, would be asked about her accomplishments and fared no better. Now, I will grant you that an honest account of her accomplishments is pathetic (I think co-sponsoring a bill to get a post office renamed after Tim Russert might just about cover it), but this is a political campaign for President, good lying is expected. Dear God, with all the millions of dollars spent, nobody wrote up a decent script for “what have you ever accomplished in your life?” when this weakness had been exposed?
Hoover in Animal House did better: “Delta House has a long tradition of existence, both to itself, and the community.”
So, what’s the common thread here? I think Ann Coulter (as usual) had it right – if you live in a left-wing bubble you never hear the other side’s arguments – at best you hear another left-winger describe their arguments in a disparaging fashion. So, when you encounter a real argument you’re completely at sea. My accomplishments, whut? You think it’s unfair that you busted your ass and others are getting their debts paid off, whut?
For all the times Conservatives and Libertarians are distressed at the left-wing bubble that surrounds most of the media, occasionally there is some payback.
In future years, I wonder what answer Saint Greta might have given to the question “what is your greatest accomplishment?”.
Killing billions and so beating the communists/socialists by an order of magnitude perhaps?
We’ll never know as there will be no modern society left to report on it.
I’m not unduly worried about Greta and XR. In the unlikely event that any of their policy proposals get implemented, the first time the lights go out (and people are left in the cold and dark, with some of them dying as a result) they’ll be swinging from lampposts.
You do remind me of when wicked Campbell-Newman ‘temporarily’ sprayed the swamps—–oops wetlands, to kill the mosquitoes after the big flood.
None of the Lord Mayors of Brisbane have had the guts to bring the mossies back to torment us. The poor old Greens are crying their eyes out.
I agree. The reaction of the Canning Town commuters tells you all you need to know about ordinary people’s views. At the moment we are in a phoney war, with a lot of shouting but very little action that is impacting the mass of the public in obvious negative ways. If the politicians crack and start actually implementing things that do impact the masses (increases in the price of food, restrictions on energy use, restrictions on flights and private transport such as cars, that sort of thing) then the broad mass of the voters will be copying the Canning Town… Read more »
Long before that happens, Greta will look back on the time when she was young-and-stupid, and spoiled and truant, and will wish to hell she could have been so in front of a much smaller audience.
I don’t need to take on the crimes of fascism, left wing or right wing, because I’m not saying bring it back for another go – unlike the hordes of people on the Left.
Once was enough, unlike Communism apparently.
So she’s saying that there should be no consequences for reckless behaviour. Tim I’m glad that you think that there should be consequences. Like for example drug addicts. Instead of being incentivised they should have the heck consequenced out of them, no?