“People are not reading Ayn Rand. They’re not, they’re not, they’re not!”
I love Colbert, but he sure does buy his politics “off the rack.”
Okay, Buddy. Whatever you say. And I’m no unqualified Randian; I have plenty of squabbles with Objectivism. But Rand’s work is thought-provoking and very relevant right now. Also, Atlas Shrugs has been in the top ten on the Amazon rankings for a couple of days now, and shows no signs of slowing down. So even if your audience isn’t listening, the audience is listening. Hard.
Via Dr. Helen, who has been following the cultural phenomenon of people who might “go John Galt” if the tax burdens become too awful this year, or over the next few years. Her husband, Professor Reynolds, points out that Rand’s showing on Amazon “isn’t bad for a dead lady.”
Indeed.
And, via both of the Doctors Smith-Reynolds, Alec Baldwin has suddenly realized that high taxes hurt business, and reduce employment within the motion picture and television industries; he has not yet, however, extrapolated outward from there. But give him time.
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Thanks for pointing out Alec Baldwin’s revelation — perhaps he is on the road to Damascus at this very moment. And, if so, I hope to God he has Tina Fey with him.
Cynthia
This is on the cusp of breaking BIG. Colbert better get his game face on or get swept away.
Obama is being unmasked along with corrupt politicians on both sides, but especially the party in power. This is their disaster. They own it.
OSweet said,
January 18, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
If Colbert had any guts at all he’d now retire the O’Reillyoid character, rename the show the Hopebert Report, and thenceforth ape the likes of Matthews or Olbermann.
It’s pretty obvious that when you hear a rich Hollywood or Washington insider ranting on to this effect, they’re not paying their taxes. Forget about “paying more than required” which is never, ever done. I expect we’ll eventually learn that Colbert is yet another liberal tax evader.
Confiscatory taxes ain’t bad… as long as the other guy’s payin’ them. –Democratic Manifesto
It takes people that long to realize that tax burdens are bad for the economy!! Imagine what will happen when they get around to fixing these problems if indeed they have the guts to fix it.
At this point its rather pointless whether the media (Colbert et.al) realize it or not. It is the internet and the blogs that are leading the way in defining new opinion. Old media is just hoping that these events are not mentioned people will not pay attention. The internet is the new media and I hope it marches to its tune.
OSweet said,
January 18, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
If Colbert had any guts at all he’d now retire the O’Reillyoid character, rename the show the Hopebert Report, and thenceforth ape the likes of Matthews or Olbermann.
Neither Alec Baldwin nor Tina Fey is intelligent enough to realize the dichotomy of their positions. An original idea and a cold glass of water would probably kill both of them.
So don’t hold your breath. This is just another example of liberals who think OTHER people should pay lots of taxes.
Don’t forget Whoopi’s anti-tax rant on The View.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV5YBqWyKkA
Ice is cracking, bit by bit.
Baldwin had no revelation. He remains clueless.
Ruthugs evilly denied Mother Gummint the income she needed to protect the vulnerably needful, and the needfully vulnerable, too, and so the Rethugs are Neanderthals who should die. But the people trying to tax his movie industry are, likewise, Neanderthals who should die.
There’s no contradiction here. They’re supposed to hugely increase taxes on the evil rich – but not on the good, socially-beneficial rich, like his industry. Everyone knows this. The partisan point-making discredited stuff like the new “make-fun-of-Baldwin-as-he-blows-his-top-over-his-tax-bite” mischaracterization is just crap put out by the right-wing MSM to disempower people like Baldwin, Streisand, Penn, and the other members of the New Left Intelligenstia, so that the MSM can maintain its economic power over the country.
Hollywierd has always made the trade: Hold leftist postions and get free publicity and parties on the part of the stylish looters.
Only with the “bread and circuses” crowd do people earn so much for holding their faces just so.
When you see Arec Barrwin, you see the true ugriness of human nature.
While I agree with much of the premise of Atlas Shrugs and have read it twice, once in the 60s and again last year, I must say that, as a novel, it really sucks: the strange relationships between the sexes, the melodrama on the slag heap, a Viking pirate and South American playboy and the insertion of a 70 page speech when Galt takes over the radio. Please. It reminded me of State of Fear which took on the global warming cabal: very informative but a terrible novel.
I prefer my capitalism sans veneer and will visit Mises.org if ever I feel a little wobbly. Human Action holds that man works for what he values, rightly or wrongly. It is okay to be altruistic because you are really doing it for your own benefit. The problem arises when the government uses force to coerce you into doing what it values.
And doing crunches, Don Meaker – don’t forget the crunches.
Well, here we have a group of people who were enthralled with a particular political ideology, who have now been substantially vindicated via a national election. Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn, Garafalo, Eddie Vedder – Well, the list could go on for more than a few column inches, so I will spare you. The upshot of it, though, is that they have now what they say they wanted. As far as the eye can see, to every horizon, we have Democratic leadership. Not only in DC, but at the local level as well.
Enjoy this time, Mr. Baldwin. Cherish this day, Mr. Stewart. And no backing out now. You promoted this party, you idealized this man. Now you get to live with him for the next four years. And what a glorious four years it should be, no? Your fate is linked now to that of Mr. Obama’s. You promoted him, you flak for him – he is yours. The image of a giant iron anchor wrapped around one’s neck comes to my mind, but I am certain, just certain, that this is all going to end well for you. Just peachy.
I mean, really, look how well it’s going so far!
Who is Colbert?
Amazing and Sad — Colbert Report and The Daily Show are supposed to be edgy, hip, and subversive. Now they’re just conventional wisdom, getting their talking points from the White House War Room like the rest of the mainstream media.
Can the Simpsons be far behind? Please, g-d, no!
Letterman is equally bad, and I can’t stay up that late to watch Craig Ferguson.
If , RIP, can have an epiphany, even Alec Baldwin can. At least the man still qualifies as a comedian, unlike, say, Joy Behar.