2
Notes From The Class Struggle
Schadenfreude? Yes, that’s the word for what you experience at the spectacle of a free-market glibertarian tying herself into a macramé tea cozy trying to justify her support of a $700,000,000,000 government bailout of the financial industry.
[...]
It is worth noting, in answer to the libertarians who are wary of government intervention in the economy, that if there is a serious crash, we will get even more government intervention in the economy–and intervention that is much less to our liking. That cost has to be weighed in your assessment. On the other side, to those who are averse to bailing out Wall Street rather than Main Street, it’s worth noting that Main Street will suffer worse than Wall Street. Because of the way that their compensation is structured, Wall Street bankers tend to do things like buy their houses for cash.
It is also worth asking: Contextually speaking, with McArdle being McArdle, how does this make a single freaking iota of sense? It’s not sufficient to recall that she’s a rich kid from a New York bubble world that requires no work or responsibility of its sons and daughters besides that of self-empowerment. It certainly doesn’t explain anything that she’s devoted her career as a public intellectual (i.e. as an over-rewarded blogger) to emitting the flapdoodle insights of an adolescent Ayn Rand devotee — such as the famous argument that health insurance is immoral because it rewards bad lifestyle choices and penalizes the strong and healthy.
No, the canny observer would suspect from this new massive-government adventure of McArdle’s that the market crisis threatens in some way to affect Megan McArdle.
Coming soon: Libertarians sneer at the right of habeas corpus. Oh wait…
Snowwy said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:39
In the search for intellectual honesty on the political right, I begin to feel as if I have become a modern-day Diogenes.
But then I remember S,N! has one already.
DocAmazing said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:40
I sorta figured it was “game over” when Madame Two-By-Four got worked up over the right of the daughters of ambassadors to Saudi Arabia to dance at national monuments.
Clearly, “let them eat cake” is considered an intelligent public policy statement by this twitette.
not even an mba said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:41
Megan’s confidence interval is so wide that her value is easily more than her own weight in pee.
Fuck I hate this woman. I wonder how many posts away from this one you’d have to check before you find her lecturing on “Intellectual Honesty”.
Joe Max said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:43
Can we dare hope that after the coming Obama landslide, we can see “conservative intellectuals” like the Megan Elf finally being laughed into oblivion?
I mean, we’ve always had idiotic wingers in this country, like Father Coughlin way back in the 1930s. But they were banished to the static-y realm of shortwave radio and the occasional ill-attended gathering in some backwater Knights of Columbus rental hall.
I’m not calling for the mass execution of wingnuts. I just want them banished back to their tent revivals in the outer reaches of the United States of Idiotstan where they belong, fulfilling their function of providing comedy relief for normal people.
DrDick said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:44
A rational libertarian is like sound in a vacuum, a physical impossibility. Libertarians are, by definition, dumber than posts, totally clueless, and batshit crazy.
not even an mba said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:46
Answer: 16. You have to go all the way back to Sept. 26.
More amusing, the # of posts before “What am I so afraid of?” since she lectured on talking about stuff that you don’t know shit about? Three.
Simba B said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:47
No, the canny observer would suspect from this new massive-government adventure of McArdle’s that the market crisis threatens in some way to affect Megan McArdle.
I have yet to meet a glibertarian who, faced with a choice between something beneficial to them and principle that might be detrimental to them personally, followed that cold-calculating rigorous Enlightenment logic they all love to spout.
Principles are for controlling other people, not interfering with these shmucks’ lack thereof.
El Cid said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:49
Giving businesses who damaged our entire economy money from the taxpayers in order to staunch the damage is a helpful hand up.
Intervening in the economy so that it hurts people less, controls negligent operators, and maybe actually helps ordinary people who need it, is ‘intervention’ we can’t support.
God, I want all these f***ing right wing libertarians to get the f*** out of our country and just go find some 3rd world hell-hole where they don’t have to bitch about being taxed too much, because GOD KNOWS the worst thing in the f***ing universe is paying taxes. Go to Somalia, or ungoverned Waziristan or the Democratic Republic of Congo, anywhere where you can die of something casual while moaning about how happy you were that your taxes were now so low, not including the robbery & extortion.
g said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:51
Can we dare hope that after the coming Obama landslide, we can see “conservative intellectuals” like the Megan Elf finally being laughed into oblivion?
Sadly, I fear no. They’ll hunker down into their position as the deranged opposition.
In truth, part of what’s made them so much fun over the last 8 years is watching the story arc go from “We won! We are so going to kick your asses!” to “Lalalalala I can’t hear you!” to “Snortgasrglglglebla-a-a-a-a-rgh!”
They will be much happier when all they have to do is hunker down and wait for the next Gingrichian savior to come along.
Dragon-King Wangchuck said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:55
A rational libertarian is like sound in a vacuum, a physical impossibility. Libertarians are, by definition, dumber than posts, totally clueless, and batshit crazy.
Much as I despise McArdle and her glibertarian ilk, I gotta ask:
What about these guys?
Joe Max said,
October 2, 2008 at 21:59
Damn, is there some way we can manufacture a serum from Andrew Sullivan’s spinal fluid and put it in the water supply in Jesusland? I can work with someone like this. I can disagree with a conservative like Sully, debate furiously with them, and not go away feeling like I was mud-wrestling a venomous lizard in a shit moat.
I’m a peaceful man, but I seriously want to rabbit punch Sarah Palin in her smirking face every time I see her on the TV screen. This is fucked up. I don’t like feeling like that about anyone. But it’s the only sane response left.
An Outhouse said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:03
Rich people’s money is of a better quality and has a different effect on the economy than the equivalent spent by middle or lower class individuals. I thought everone knew that.
Their shit doesn’t stink either.
Righteous Bubba said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:03
Damn, is there some way we can manufacture a serum from Andrew Sullivan’s spinal fluid and put it in the water supply in Jesusland? I can work with someone like this.
Note that you might still not be a sane freedom-lover. Andrew Sullivan remains a piece of shit.
Righteous Bubba said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:05
For Gavin and all: http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=20565
Contains a spreadsheet detailing Wikipedia vandalism in senatorial biographies.
bulbul said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:06
Joe,
really? Sullivan? I mean, come on:
He might not be as big and as venomous as some, but he is a fucking lizard.
stryx said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:16
Because of the way that their compensation is structured, Wall Street bankers tend to do things like buy their houses for cash.
Hmm. That’s some awkward ass construction to avoid speaking the obvious truth. ‘The way their compensation is structured’? You mean like in off-shore accounts? Like they get pallets of gold bars direct-deposited by helicopter at their house every Friday?
Because of the way that their compensation is structured,
Wall Street bankersthe dope man tend to do things like buy their houses for cash.comsympinko said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:20
I’d hate to be the guy behind her when she fires that thing.
PeeJ said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:21
Megan saw her stock portfolio doing its best DC-10 impersonation and suddenly decided to support the formerly evil plan. Pure and simple. Well, what I mean is, the logic is pure, Megan is simple.
SomeNYGuy said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:21
While we’re on the subject of Smug Sully, can someone explain to me what he meant when he described himself as a “power bottom”? Does it have something to do with his beloved steroids?
Simba B said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:24
While we’re on the subject of Smug Sully, can someone explain to me what he meant when he described himself as a “power bottom”?
I’m guessing that means he likes it up his pooter but is afraid that that makes him a sissy.
Joe Max said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:25
I know, but he’s a tolerable piece of shit I can listen to, think he is terribly mistaken and wrong about an issue, be able to explain why, and not want to force him to commit seppikku with a spork, or ram an icepick through my frontal lobe to relieve the searing pain of the stupid burning through it.
PeeJ said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:25
SomeNYGuy
A power bottom is a bottom (receptive anal) who (tries to) take a dominant role. “Fuck me harder” is a frequent power bottom comment.
If you want to know more, – we may want to take this off-line.
SomeNYGuy said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:32
Having fucked a few of those myself, I’m satisfied that PeeJ’s definition is accurate. I just never knew the nomenclature.
The Goddamn Batman Can Do Some Math said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:37
Libertarians in depressions < atheists in foxholes.
g said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:43
Sarah Palin really IS the malfunctioning robot:
Here she is on the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act:
“equal pay for equal work…boon for trial lawyers…taken advantage of women…discrimination. Thankfully, there are laws on the books…woman…discriminated…thankfully we have the laws on the books…enforced…woman…laws that are on the books…enforced…will not stand for…woman…a boon for trial lawyers…thankfully…laws we have on the books…enforced…won’t stand for…won’t stand for…discrimination…discrimination in America.”
mako rojo said,
October 2, 2008 at 22:43
She is for government intervention now because without it, there will be even more government intervention to clean up a bigger mess. But isn’t that the whole argument for regulation in the first place that would have prevented this mess? If she turns her logic around any faster she’s liable to shoot herself in the face. Oh wait…
WereBear said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:00
Well, perhaps the logic is that the market is supposed to behave, and when it doesn’t, you make it.
Fozzetti said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:05
For the many people furious about the BailOut, I suggest reading the NY Times columnist-economist Krugman. Not just his column today in which he talks about canned mackerel being a medium of exchange in prisons, but the past couple of weeks. You may feel a bit less angry at the bailout. He isn’t gung-ho for it, but does explain things well (he is one of the economists who predicted these troubles and WAS NOT consulted on the Bailout) He feels the money should have gone to BANKS rather than buying junk. Anyhow-
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/
bayville said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:09
I see that McArdle speaks fluent Palinese.
a different brad said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:13
Schadenfreude?
Megan does not think that word means what you think it means.
Smut Clyde said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:15
Shade and Froyd? Aren’t they a country duo?
NobodySpecial said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:21
Oh, by the way, which one’s Pink?
SamFromUtah said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:46
What Am I So Afraid Of?
A little fairy Ralph Kramden saying “One of these days, Megan, one of these days – POW! Right in the trust fund!”
Maybe that, huh huh?
Mireille said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:51
The bailout is a classic example of libertarianism. The super-intelligent supermen (and women, I suppose) are telling us plebes what needs to be done and they’re going to do it despite our protestations. The problem with libertarians is they all believe they are one of the intelligent and wise Solomons and not one of the stupid serfs that needs to sit down, shut up and thank our overlords for taking care of them. Libertarians are all tops, there are no libertarian bottoms.
Brian J said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:52
In a blog posting earlier this week, he mentions a Powerline rant that said he was just being negative for the sake of being negative. They claimed he just wanted something to complain about during the Bush boom.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/bubble-memories/
Susan of Texas said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:55
I waste half of my blog recording Megan’s misdeeds in (sometimes) excruciating detail. Fire Megan McArdle does a lot more. There is nothing that will pierce her protective carapace of bone-deep selfishness and smug callousness. She’s upset enough to ban me but otherwise utterly ignores criticism, unless she feels her status is threatened in some way and that she must respond.
Of course, it does not occur to her to examine her behavior and seek to change it. If it’s good for Megan it’s good for the world, and you’d better not stand in the way.
A Different Jake H. said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:57
I don’t think this has been mentioned here yet: My Holiday with John McCain
There’s a Facebook thread regarding the story’s authenticity. I think it passes the “smell test” so I’m not too interested in wasting time checking the kerning, when it’s consistent with everything else we know about John McCain being a big dumb poop-head.
Lesley said,
October 2, 2008 at 23:59
Gary Ruppert said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:02
The fact is, I’m absolutely for equal pay for equal work. The Ledbetter pay act – it was gonna turn into a boon for trial lawyers who, I believe, could have taken advantage of women who were many, many years ago who would allege some kind of discrimination. Thankfully, there are laws on the books, there have been since 1963, that no woman could be discriminated against in the workplace in terms of anything, but especially in terms of pay. So, thankfully we have the laws on the books and they better be enforced.
justme said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:10
FAIL.
Why on earth would somebody that understands the concept of leverage, and can get a better rate of return on their cash than the rate the bank charges for a mortgage, ever buy a fucking house in cash?
She’s not even a middling-smart gliberarian.
handy said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:13
A diary at the GOS had a fit over that “life isn’t fair” quip, further proving to me that silly people occupy all ends of the spectrum.
Crissa said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:16
What I wonder is why we’re worried about her making sense for once.
Honestly, if we let the market limp forward, banks like WaMu will close, some bigger bank will get a windfall, the feds have to foot the bill. and it’ll all cost more than the Paulson plan.
Which is really, really annoying me. Trust conservo winger one, or conservo winger two?
PeeJ said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:22
McCain’s Holiday doesn’t quite pass the smell test for me. There’s only one problem but for me it’s the difference beetween pass and fail. At one point the woman says McCain complained about [paraphrasing] pushing the black bastard around Arizona in a shop[ping cart. Doesn’t sound like Jism to me. What the fuck would he be doing pushing a shopping cart?
The kerning is off just a bit.
SamFromUtah said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:25
…further proving to me that silly people occupy all ends of the spectrum.
Whenever I find myself doubting that, a quick trip to Democratic Underground straightens me out again.
SomeNYGuy said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:28
Maybe he didn’t mean Bridget. Isn’t it more probable the “ugly black thing” he was referring to is his own soul?
Smut Clyde said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:29
a free-market glibertarian tying herself into a macramé tea cozy
If memory serves me well, it was Stephen Smale who demonstrated in 1958 that a free-market glibertarian could turn her policy prescriptions inside-out completely, without revising her ideology or diminishing her sense of self-righteousness. Later topologists like Morin and Thurston came along and described the actual sequence of operations required.
ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:46
Geez, SC.
How come we never get to hear from the run of the mill ologists, you elitist you.
crossbuck said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:52
PeeJ –
You mean the phrase “power bottom” doesn’t mean that Sully will take it up the ass from anyone in power? I thought it had a specific political meaning when I first heard about it, and nothing he’s written had disabused me of that misreading. Live and learn.
ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said,
October 3, 2008 at 0:58
P.S. Speaking of short…
Ha ha.
crossbuck said,
October 3, 2008 at 1:16
Megan reminds me of a character in a movie I saw, where an older industrialist is taking a medicine-and-rest cure at a country club and a trust fund twit who’s making a play for his daughter tries to engage the old guy in conversation. It goes nowhere fast, and after a short conversation with his wife, the industrialist asks her if the twit (who has a number of useless “jobs”) takes any medicine. After she replies,”How one earth should I know”, the industrialist says, “Because he’s never done a darn thing and he’s still more or less alive”.
Smut Clyde said,
October 3, 2008 at 1:24
How come we never get to hear from the run of the mill ologists
In the course of this thread I have learned more about bottomology than I really wanted to know.
OneMadClown said,
October 3, 2008 at 1:27
I think it passes the “smell test” so I’m not too interested in wasting time checking the kerning, when it’s consistent with everything else we know about John McCain being a big dumb poop-head.
That fish stinks a wee bit too much for me, even being about McMumm-Ra. That doesn’t prove that it never happened, but doesn’t really bode well for its truthiness. Besides, there’s more than enough completely verified examples of his being a vile, loathsome old prick.
Smut Clyde said,
October 3, 2008 at 1:53
a free-market glibertarian could turn her policy prescriptions inside-out completely, without revising her ideology or diminishing her sense of self-righteousness…
Multiple diagrams here.
I really should be working.
Lesley said,
October 3, 2008 at 2:01
Btw, will the VEEP debate have a live audience or a laugh track?
Lesley said,
October 3, 2008 at 2:07
http://www.cbc.ca/world/usvotes/story/2008/10/01/usvp-debate.html
tigrismus said,
October 3, 2008 at 2:21
Jeez, almost 50% of Republicans STILL think she’s qualified? At the same time they think Obama isn’t? The Red Queen has NOTHING on these folks when it comes to believing impossible things.
Porlock Hussein Junior said,
October 3, 2008 at 8:50
Actually it was the White Queen who practiced believing impossible things before breakfast. The Red Queen was the one who could run fast enough to stay in the same place, and even faster.
Hey, I never realized they symbolized Republican and Democrat.
tigrismus said,
October 3, 2008 at 14:33
Oops, that’s right, that’s what I get for not double checking.