Blasphemy!

I've heard of instalanches. Can there be an unstalanche, when Glenn actively sucks readership away by aggressively not linking to a post?

Chap, there most certainly IS.

Just go check out my site's traffic and you'll see it in action.

Perhaps, but if he were consistent in his "let's not do anything until the wars over" in Congress nothing would get done for the next decade os so that we are going to be "at war." Perhaps we'd all be better off.

Great blog! Really agree with you! Respect your enlightened libertarian masters, douchebag!

Keep up the good work! Improve your sexual prowess to near-libertarian proportions with natural male enhancement!

Maybe I'll stop reading Instapundit. After all, there's a war on.

Wait, why am I posting here? There's a war on.

But if we change our ways, the terrorists will have won.

I don't know what to do. I'm so confused.

Priorities, man. Priorities. The government's got better things to do than to pass laws that fall outside the scope of the basic purpose of government, namely to protect its citizens from foreign threats and from the actions of other citizens. It's not just that he disagrees with the policy issues -- it's that there is something really backward about a government that finds time to perform a little social engineering when there are far more important issues to deal with.

Your analysis is usually pretty sharp... I'm a little surprised you didn't see the legitimate point in Glenn's post.

Batman: "Nobody wants war."

Robin: "Gee, Batman. Belgravia's such a small country. We'd beat them in a few hours."

Batman: "Yes, and then we'd have to support them for years."

I think he has a valid point when it comes to certain issues we're seeing right now, e.g. Congress stepping in and dealing with the issue of steroid use in pro sports. However, and more importantly, I agree with Natural Male Enhancement guy that this is a GREAT BLOG!!! And you all should all come to my store Moonbats R Us and see some of the great deals we have on Lightning Bolts and Ogre costumes! Super Blog!!!

Matt,

You can't tell social-cons to stop pressing their agenda because there's a war on, and then press for civil unions or even gay marriage.

If Instapundit was proposing and end to ALL domestic squabbling and jockeying, that would be fine. But he's not. The "War On" defense is only trotted out when there's an intiative of which he disapproves.

If it's something he's in favor of, he conveniently forgets that there's a war on.

Ace,

I agree with you on this. G is excellent but tends to drive out the things he disagrees with.

I have noticed the "wedge" between the right of center blogs and the libertarians since the Schiavo issue. Everyone was on board with the issues..war, terror, borders.etc. But when the Shiavo issue came up, the arrows started flying.

Matt,

Instapundit makes no point, just a snarky statement.

If he wants to argue that it's beyond the scope of the federal government's power, then argue that. Saying "It's not like there's a war going on" is just a cop-out.

It's like calling someone a "chicken-hawk" who supported the war but didn't join the military. It's not an argument, but rather the avoidance of one.

Also, I don't think it's beyond the powers of the federal government to regulate something that involves crossing state lines. Whether or not it's a good idea is a different thing.

Instapundits the place to go for talk about red-light cameras, ipods, digital cameras, photo-blogging, nanotech, and what he got in the mail from amazon

other than that, you can get better links & info elsewhere

heh

Reynolds is right that Congress has acted like there is no war. It lacks urgency to address critical issues like energy policy and out of control health care costs. But has plenty of time for frivolous (to many people) involvement in steroids in baseball and Terry Schiavo.

Public approval of the Republican-dominated Congress is down to 30% or so. Reflecting, I think, it's reckless New Republican big Gov't spending and dishing out bucks to corporate America, the 300 billion bill so far for Iraq, the Republican focus on issues they consider low priority, and the Democrats being simply nay-sayers and not offering an alternative to the Republicans taking America in the wrong direction in many cases.

And Jackman is right on Schiavo. It opened a big divide between libertarians and the "Moral Right". Not just on blogs, either. The other big divide is between "borrow and spend" Republicans and those wanting fiscal prudency.

"I've heard of instalanches. Can there be an unstalanche, when Glenn actively sucks readership away by aggressively not linking to a post?"

Funny you should ask that.

Heh. Indeed.

Heh.

Indeed.

Dave...that's just creepy. How can two morons have the same thought at the same time?

Here's where I agree with Reynolds: He's not talking about distractions in Congress but distractions on the ground. The War on Drugs shares resources with the War on Terror. So putting some pothead or raver before a judge means that this was a traffic stop, jail space, and judge docket time that was not used for booking Muhammad the Merry Mujahid.

Here's where I don't agree: Abortion is bad for society, as is theft, and there should be less of it. Putting a thief in front of a judge is also a distraction from the War on Terror, but I don't want the cops to quit catching burglars because of it.

Here's where he pisses me off: He didn't argue point #2; he just assumed that abortion is fine because, you know, he thinks so. If he'd let it go, or else linked to the article neutrally, or if he'd argued the point - even if he'd just linked commented "I personally disagree with this", I wouldn't care. But the snark rubs me the wrong f'n way.

Cedarford,
I agree with what you're saying, but placing the Schiavo case on the same level as steroids in pro sports is just wrong....one is a persons life, the other is just a bunch of jocks that everyone knew were hitting the juice anyway.
I do side with Ace in saying that GR needs to make a point or take a side rather than just saying "There's a war on". It is a cop out. The world does not stop turning when there is a war.

Bless you, Ace. I had the exact same reaction when I clicked the link this morning. Only, the words that came to my mind wer "petty" and "wtf?"

Maybe the Prof is starting to believe his own press.

That first commenter on Galley Slaves nailed it:

Reynolds is right. There's a war on. We shouldn't spend our time worrying about other matters, like transhumanism, gay marriage, the Mazda RX-8, campus photoblogging, the Nikon BJ6900LMNOP, our brother's bands, and space exploration.

A search for the term "a war on" in his archives turns up quite a few hits, in case anyone's interested in picking through them.

Cedarford

Massad is at your door. Check and see.

Republicans or Libertarians like Glenn just better get used to us social conservatives fighting for what we believe in cuz we aint going anywhere.

We have fought for too long and too hard to finally have a chair at the table (and without the help of the media) If he doesn't like it, that is too bad. He is more than welcome at the table, but just don't try and get us to shut up because THAT is not going to happen.

Love us or leave us. We are not changing.

Dammit, Ace, how can you spend all your time bitching about Glenn when there's a war on?

RWS: Glenn ain't a Republican... He voted for the rapist. Twice.

Righton, Miss Sparkle!

I said something similar to that in a comment on John Cole's site.

Essentially, what the social mods are telling folks like me is "Hey, thanks for helping us win the election. Now be a nice little Christian, get your ass back in your box, and let the intelligent, thinking folks run the country, okay?".

They seem surprised that we're not delighted to do that and that we're kicking against the traces.

Wait a minute, first it was Drudge jumping the shark, now this.....what's a boy to do in this topsy-turvy world?

Hey! Blogswarm at Glenn's place!

Be there or be [].

Yeah, I'm agreeing with the notion this is coming out of the widening libert/con split, that cons giving him a little flak latley cuz they're less inclined to be charitable due to substantive disagreements over Schivo/gay marraige stuff. (See also Wizbang and Acidman's light poking over the MORE FROM TOGO!!! stuff)

Is his 'war on' argument disingenous or, benefit of the doubt, sorta silly? Sure. But as facade arguments to advance your policy desires go, small stuff really. He's no Sullivan, anyway.

Anyway, the interest I have in this is to what extent the right blogosphere's going to divide into camps. Seeing it a little with Bill Indc/Jeff G. vs. others. Wonder if it's spread.

Yeah, I don't remember signing a contract not to support any socially conservative causes. Do you guys remember that?

I never expected libertarians to stop working and fighting for free weed and um, free weed. That's just what they do. While there have been strenuous objections to the libertine agenda from the religious right, the objections are usually on the merits of the policy and not some dodge like "how dare you bring that up now!"

bwahaha

http://gutrumbles.com/archives2/002625.php

brak: Heh. If that's not a prank, it beats just having Jeff & Bill dropping in here to piss themselves...

OT: will there be gloat on the menu tonight?

Hey, let's keep it to a dull roar, folks. There's a war on, ya' know. And if we Christ-lovers don't all voluntarily limit our right to free speech and to redress grievances, the bugs will be in orbit around Earth and Johnny Rico won't be around to save the day.

Oh, wrong war. As you were.

GatrD -

I agree with what you're saying, but placing the Schiavo case on the same level as steroids in pro sports is just wrong....one is a persons life, the other is just a bunch of jocks that everyone knew were hitting the juice anyway.

Well, the steroid bit started off with weepy tales of wannabe jocks who died or allegedly died from steroids. So it WAS ALL ABOUT PRECIOUS HUMAN LIFE!! Just ask the grandstanding Congressfolks that arranged the circus.

As to the Schiavo circus, the emergency reconvening of Congress and the Presidents dramatic flight back to DC TO SAVE ONE PRECIOUS LIFE!! Sorry, I'm not impressed. Never had a medical care decision received more due process - years and years, millions and millions worth of it in courts and legislatures before March Madness hit.

2.5 million people die every year in America. Each life precious. Several hundred thousand in circumstances like T Schiavo.

T Schiavo was the Religious Right trying to make moral points and dictates - and falling flat on their faces.

What we know now is Michael Schiavo was demonized by lies, 89 abuse complaints were investigated and found unsubstantiated but concealed from public knowledge, most of what the Schindlers said about money motives and their "talking, happy, cognitive" Terri had already been debunked, and the autopsy will show that other than brain stem activity, T Schiavo was brain dead for 15 years with no hope of recovery.

I think we will look back on it as an example of mass religious delusion later on. Like how thousands of New Age'rs converged on a white buffalo calf's birth as "sacred and healing" in the early 90's.....or the Children's Crusade of medieval times.

War?

Hunh?

Good God, y'all. What is it good for?

Absolutely nuthin.

If you can't snark on your own damned blog, where can you snark? (Well, other than on ace's comments, but hey...the Prof wouldn't be caught dead slumming here.) I have a feeling this was just a throwaway comment; we might be piling on a tad much. I'm inclined to give the Prof a break in light of all the other good stuff he does.

But that doesn't mean I'm giving ace one damned inch. One more profession of his love for dork-metal, and I'll have no choice but to bombard him with ads for Jim Nabors CDs.

Your right Ceder, Schavio was the Republicans trying to make MORAL POINTS!

You see I grew up when and where those nutty politicans were trying to make MORAL POINTS by helping to get black Americans the RIGHT TO VOTE. And guess what? IT worked. It worked despite death threats and actual death.

So I am ALL FOR politicans making MORAL POINTS! It works for me.

Rightwingsparkle,

Unless you can somehow prove that the Jooos were behind pulling Terri Schiavo's feeding tube out you are wasting your time with cedarford.

Except, Rightwingsparkle, back in the Civil Rights Era, most of the Religious Right were still mostly Southern Democrats desperately trying to block Negro Vote, or in rural regions elsewhere in the country where civil rights were as pressing an issue to them as urban renewal.

Robin: "Boy! That was our closest call ever! I have to admit that I was pretty scared!"

Batman: "I wasn't scared in the least."

Robin: "Not at all?"

Batman: "Haven't you noticed how we always escape the vicious ensnarements of our enemies?"

Robin: "Yeah, because we're smarter than they are!"

Batman: "I like to think it's because our hearts are pure."

What everyone fails to understand is that those moral points you find so important are set by those who have fallen prey to the delusions of religious thought, and most of that originates with Zionist writings. Sorry, I'm not impressed.

What we know now is that the Republican party, caught in the grip of that hysteria, is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the American people. Of course, the real issue is multinational corporations trying to influence politics through big campaign donations to the right-wingers in Congress.

Hear, Hear, Semi! And we need to remember that those multinational corporations are dependent on Chinese labour and we are mortgaging our childrens' future just so Bush can push the Zionists' sinister, spying, sneaky agenda.

Robin: "Rightwingsparkle seemed like a nice girl in that costume."

Batman: "I suspect she is a nice girl down deep, but she's fallen in with bad companions. And who knows what her home life was like."

(slightly edited)

Oh, Spewfan, I know its going off topic to address your OT sliming....but did you hear 2 new things??

1. First, that Tom Delay's pal Jack Abramoff is in the shits because he had Indian tribes contribute funds to a charity "Mr. Delay" favors strongly for inner city kids and it turns out that Abramoff, a strong Zionist, diverted some of those funds for West Bank Settlers - items like sniper scopes, thermal imaging sights?? Newsweek will run that in their May 2nd edition. Also diverting 4 million from the Indian contributions to a well to do school for orthodox Jews instead of the inner city kids Abramoff told the Indians DeLay loved....

2. Israel was just cut out of development work on the F-35 fighter plane for past treachery moving US technology to Russia and China. An official US decision to bar Israel. The other countries America still trusts and has involved in F-35 work? Australia, Netherlands, UK, Italy, Turkey, Japan, Canada, Spain, Norway.

(The spy scandal involving AIPAC and Israel penetrating DOD and State to obtain more sellable defense technology for China and intelligence on our Iranian and Kurd intel networks - is now before a Grand Jury. Not as bad as when Israel turned over invaluable US satellite secrets & technology to the Soviet Union to obtain more visas for Soviet Jews back in the 80's, but bad enough)

Cedarford: "Your mother wore army shoes."

Batman: "Yes, she did. As I recall, she found them quite comfortable."

(slightly edited)

"Except, Rightwingsparkle, back in the Civil Rights Era, most of the Religious Right were still mostly Southern Democrats desperately trying to block Negro Vote, or in rural regions elsewhere in the country where civil rights were as pressing an issue to them as urban renewal."

Pardon?

Man, you can't get any more religious right than a southern Baptist church in the south in the 1960s and 1970s, which is exactly where the civil rights movement started and kepts its momentum. That's where this whole "Religious Right" started. It's the birthplace of the Moral Majority, for goodness sake.

Those evangelical folks you hear are trying to bring about the end of democracy are the same people who helped most end the two greatest affronts to democracy in this country.

And let's not forget, Tom DeLay was an EXTERMINATOR! I mean, can you imagine a more gauche line of work? To be honest, I don't even know why we allow people like that in Congress. And a Zionist to boot.

And the accusations against him have been verified by a number of reliable sources: Nancy Pelosi, Howard Fineman, Judy Woodruff, Oliver Willis, Kos. When so many people are aligned against a political figure, you have to listen to the charges.

Gee Jimmie, and what color perchance were those folks in your Southern Baptist Churches??? Not the same color as the folks who formed the Religious Right later...

Southern White Christians were generally NOT involved in the Civil Rights struggle except if you count being in opposition to it.

Batman: "A fitting end for you, Cedarford. Like the rest of your criminal ilk, you were never anything but a threatening bag of hot air. Chief O'Hara, call your men to cart this human trash away!"

"Oh, Spewfan, I know its going off topic to address your OT sliming....but did you hear 2 new things??"

It appears that somehow I've given you the impression I want to know what your opinion is. Well, just so there is no confusion, nothing could be further from the truth.

Slublog, my timing has always been impeccable. Now yours is too.

Dave in Texas: "Oh, I have to give you credit, Slublog. I expected this place to be a shambles because of a fight!"

Batman, entering: "As it may yet be, Dave."

(slightly edited)

HULK SAY BEAT SHIT OUT OF PUNY BATMAN!!!

Batman: "Expletives will get you nowhere, Hulk."

OR

Batman: "Stand up, Hulk! You're not worthy of the name Hulk, you're a sham, Hulk! Don't ever cry on my tights or pull my leg again."

OR

Batman: "If you need to be vitriolic, vituperative, and vindictive, Hulk, go right ahead."

OR

Hulk: "Don't make a move Batman, or I'll fill you full a' lead."

Batman: "You can't frighten us with a vague threat,
Hulk."

(all slightly edited)

RWS & Jimmie, here's the best post ever on FreeRepublic that tells the social "moderates" exactly what they need to hear from the likes of us.

Glenn and his buddies are going to hurt once Hillary implements the Fairness Doctrine on the blogosphere.

Great link Sue.

Memo to Washington DC: Don't forget who brung ya to the dance!

bravo bravo bravo bravo bravo!

i have been calling glenn a hypocrite for months, and until now it was pretty lonely.

what yolu called him out on, well it's a schtick he uses ALL THE TIME.

he's an extremely hypocritical fella. or a phony. take yer pick.

BRAVO!

We should start a competition: can you give less of a shit about the baseball-steroids thing than I do? Win a cookie!

Seroiusly, folks -- I'm *positive* that everybody on that commission goes to the bar after "work", and claps each other on the back.

"Can you believe the media is actually covering this?"

"I know, I mean, I thought it was going to be tough getting everybody's attention off the war and Social Security and gay marriage, but all we had to do was make a federal case out of a private entertainment organization's internal policies and say it was 'for the children'!"

"Dude, you're brilliant."

"Get me another Sam Adams!"

Radio announcer: "If someone wishes a message broadcast, like 'Many are called, two are chosen,' I assume it's religious and that's all."

Batman: "I don't think we should treat religion lightly, Mr. Gore."

(not edited at all)

Cedar, Umm.. did you have a southern Democrat in the state legislature in Jackson Ms. in the 60's? I did. I was there buddy, so I KNOW who was for it and against it. MANY southern democrats were. And as it so happens THOSE southern democrats are now......*drum roll*....REPUBLICANS!

Michael, I REALLY didn't want anyone knowing about the costume...... Geeze.

Spewie -

You can try ignoring facts if the truth hurts you, SpewFan. I noticed you didn't even try denying the new events I raised as news. Because you can't.

Back on topic - Reynolds is right to remind people that there is a war on, and we should demand urgency and solid action by both parties. Especially with major domestic problems ignored by both parties in favor of trivia.

As for the war......We have:

1. Democrats still demonstrating against a fait accompli (the invasion and occupation of Iraq) and pissing in their panties about the "torture" of monsters who commit mayhem outside all rules of warfare. And largely whining about everything else.

2. Republicans still downsizing America's military, pushing the idea that war means more butter and no sacrifice for the "ownership society" part of America. "Oh, no, we would never Draft your child out of law school or a job helping manage your family's real estate empire, Mr Fudworthy! That's for some kids in a town where all the jobs went to China to volunteer for.. In fact, how about another tax cut, Mr. Fudworthy?? you know we would never ask you to sacrifice a thing in this war on Evildoers..." And Republicans ignore the war and America's decline as an economic superpower and focus on pandering to religious right issues and ladling out the pork to corporate America.

sorry, to Cedar, that was suppose to say "Did you have a Father who was a southern democrat....."

Rightwingsparkle - Maybe in Jackson MS, you knew a few local conservative white Christians who were big time boosters for black civil rights, but that was not reflective of which whites were behind the civil rights effort nationally: Northern Jews, liberal white ministers, and secular, well-to do liberal white WASPs.

Which is why blacks are as common in Religious Right organizations as pornographers today.

Because blacks remember who was with them and who was against them in the Civil Rights struggle...

Even though the black churches have many conservative values and could be seeking common cause with the "lily white" Religious Right, they still stay with the Democrats.

They weren't conservative THEN Cedar. I wasn't either.

There are many reasons why blacks vote democrat most of the time, but religion is not one of them.

Batman: Excuse me.

[Cerdarford looks]

Batman: Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moon light?

[Punches him]

Batman: I'm going to kill you!

Cedarford: You IDIOT! You made me. Remember, you dropped me into that vat of chemicals. That wasn't easy to get over, and don't think that I didn't try.

Batman: I know you did.

[Punches him]

Batman: Saaaaaaay, Rightwingsparkle, you are pretty hot in that costume. Care for some milk and cookies at my place?

[She blushes, bats her eyes]

(slighltly edited)

The First Ditigal Revolution

Hey folks not to be a party pooper here, yes there is a war on. Instapundit maybe a little OT on this point.

I have an interesting proposition for those of us in the Blogos. All of us seem to have plenty of time to post comments whether to the detriment of our employers, sig others, and other important tasks in live.

Could we devote a fraction of this energy to a cause that may have worldwide consequences?

IRAN - The First Ditigal Coup

Read More Here

To those of you who perceived Reynolds' comment to be "irony," could you please offer some context and explanation?

Is the "there's a war on" line some recurring deal at Instapundit -- some reference that regular readers are supposed to catch on to?

Because as it stands, the post makes no sense at all, no matter what the topic of the Lopez post to which he linked.

I wanna know if I'm missing some standard Instapundit sarcasm line, like the whole "more crushing of dissent" he often does.

All that aside, Instapundit seems to lose its relevance daily, somehow. I can't quite put my finger on it. Either I'm just tired of it, or it's not the same anymore. I'm not sure which.

shhh. you had me at "goodbye"

Well.... togo blogging every other day but anything else and ...... thre is a war on people what the hell is wrong with you. Well for god's sake granny get your gun. he

"At the risk of alienating Traffic Santa"

love that opening line!

Great point as well.

To Glenn: take your medicine but keep posting instapundit.

Indeed.

Really, this is such a good point. And...what is that little 'h' word "they" like to throw at we social conservatives again...?

People keep forgetting that Glenn Reynolds does not and never has claimed to be conservative. He is a libertarian and, for better or worse, his opinion represents the thoughts of a big swing vote out there. See the article below.

http://journals.aol.com/johnjwalt/TennesseeRants/entries/1250

Totally agree it was an asinine, lazy thing for GR to say. Oh no, people are BLOGGING -- they should be thinking about the war! People are going to work and eating and sleeping WHEN THERE'S A WAR ON. The war cannot survive unless the world stops and we direct all of our corporate energy toward THINKING ABOUT THE WAR.

If you disagree with a position, argue with the position. There are still 24 hours in a day and even in war, you can't spend all of them on the war. Does passing a law (which Congress is still, y'know, doing) about driving (or compelling) minors across state lines to perform a medical procedure that would otehrwise violate state law -- dude, there's been months less debate over that than about, say, SoSec reform (which Reynolds supports), budget cuts (again, supported), or civil unions/federal marriage amendment. Even Terri Schiavo took only two days of legislative time, and it was mainly over a weekend. Were the steriods a waste of time? Yes, yes they were. But they would have been just as big a waste in peace-time. And I don't recall (and am too lazy to look up) a whole lot of "there's a war on" snarkiness for the 9/11 commission, which was less useful and more harmful than the steriod hearings. For that matter, there was a war on when people were dragging their heels over military funding and armor legislation. It's the glory of living in a democratic beauracracy. "There's a war on" has become the grown-up version of "my dad's bigger than your dad" and "as if."

PS: Malki-lanche! I came over from Michelle Malkin. The Instalance may halt, but when God closes a door, He opens another door (I mean Michelle Malkin's link.....and I hate the "opens a window" thing, b/c it just sounds suicidal).

All things considered, I'd rather be reading Instapundit.