Cafe Hayek - Latest Comments in Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Roger Godby — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:32:38 -0000

I think marijuana (or "pakalolo" in Hawaii) was the gateway drug that led him to the life of sin and moral degradation that is cigarette smoking. By regulating tobacco, he's self-flagellating all of us, for his own good.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Martin Regnen — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:18:43 -0000

I don't know if I agree here... This kind of leadership by example is something I like when regular folk do it and influence their friends to eat better and cook better. Even when the powerful do it, it's all right. I mean, eating food for public viewing is probably one of the less harmful things our leaders can do.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Gil — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:12:35 -0000

"Why?

Unfair?" - vidyohs.

After all, Daniel Kuehn, you can't spell 'slaughter' without 'laughter'.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

vidyohs — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:34:02 -0000

"(On a side note, can we try to be a bit more polite to Daniel Kuehn? I agree with very litte of what he says, but he's not flippant or rude. He seems to get an unfair degree of sarcasm directed at him.)

Posted by: Jack of Spades | Jun 18, 2009 12:17:46 PM"

Why?

Unfair?

"If we protect a man from his folly, we find we have raised a fool." William Penn

DK is a statist, therefore IMHO worthy of rude treatment and sarcasm directed at his disingenious denials.

DK is a socialist, therefore IMHO worthy of rude treatment and worse plus sarcasm directed at his disingenious denials.

DK, until called out by Prof Roberts, entered this Cafe some five or six months ago and began to immediately make it the Cafe Kuehn, always a lengthy challenge to anything posted as a topic, and an answer for everyone on everything, answers which always seemed to end with the state and socialism as the better goal. Therefore, IMHO, worthy of the rude treatment.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

John — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:14:27 -0000

"1. Please stop calling me disingenuous"

.

.

.

"Disingenious Kuehn,"

love it!

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

vidyohs — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:23:41 -0000

Disingenious Kuehn,

"2. How close do you suppose you have to be to these people to simply say "they're likable"? I'm not saying anything more than that!

Posted by: Daniel Kuehn | Jun 18, 2009 10:29:17 AM"

To say that and be taken with any kind of credibility, you have to know them personally, at least a frequent acquaintance.

Otherwise you have to say "the press makes them seem to be likable", or "my impression from the press is that they seem to be likable", or "from what I know, they might be likable", or even "I have no reason to believe that they aren't likable".

You see DK, all those statements are qualified by an admission that you are making a statement without personal knowledge, which is perfectly acceptable in an intellectual discussion.

To say that Jack and Jackie were likable people implies personal knowledge, when actually as history has revealed neither of them were perticularly likable, they were elitists snobs with very little moral character. I'd say the same seems to be true of the Obamas.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Daniel Kuehn — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:24:15 -0000

Good luck with that Jack of Spades!

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Jack of Spades — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:17:46 -0000

DK -

"Yes... and the later results in nothing more than people eating healthier :)

Dowd's suggestion is a little odd, but I really don't see why this is so terrifying."

I don't think there is anything disturbing about people eating healthier. My occupation obliges me to be somewhat more fit than average, so I can appreciate a shift toward proper diet and exercise. (And it's been a week since I quit smoking. I'm holding up well so far. Wish me luck!)

What I do find disturbing is the idea of a significant portion of the population being so easily influenced by the President. My objection is not to these specific ends, but the general means. The idea of the public taking it's cues from the government makes me very squeamish; if anything it should be the opposite of that.

The same thing comes to mind when I read Mikeikon's comment. I don't think that Obama's diet is setting a "bad example", per se. And I wouldn't have accused him of setting a bad example because of his smoking.

So Daniel, it is true that the end result can be people eating healthier, in this instance. But when a politician has that much influence over the voting public, it's not likely that it's use is going to be limited to diet and exercise.

Robert Heinlein once commented that as societies advance "'civil servant' is semantically equal to 'civil master.'" The US has seen this transition, where "public servant" has transmuted into "leader of the country."

(On a side note, can we try to be a bit more polite to Daniel Kuehn? I agree with very litte of what he says, but he's not flippant or rude. He seems to get an unfair degree of sarcasm directed at him.)

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Charles Platt — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:39:59 -0000

In the photo set provided by the White House to journalists, illustrating the president's first 100 days, it actually included a closeup of his low-calorie table setting, for us to gaze at with awe and admiration.

No picture of the cigarette he probably smoked after the meal, though.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Daniel Kuehn — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:29:17 -0000

vidyohs -

1. Please stop calling me disingenuous

2. How close do you suppose you have to be to these people to simply say "they're likable"? I'm not saying anything more than that!

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Mikeikon — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:02:34 -0000

To add to what I said earlier, it seems that some people need leadership and someone to look up to more than others. So even though I think it's silly, I think it's fine for the president to be that for some people as long as nobody's rights are being violated.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

vidyohs — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:49:52 -0000

Disingenious Kuehn,

"They were likable people! Obama is a likable person! Nobody is worshiping anyone. Sheesh!

Posted by: Daniel Kuehn | Jun 18, 2009 9:16:25 AM"

Ahhh, so sorry, knew them well did you, close personal friends? Hung out with them enough to know they were likeable? Tell us about the time you've spent with the Judas Goat, play some one-on-one hoops then go for beers, did you?

Of course not, you knew of them via media reports, no more than I did; you're obviously young enough and naive enough to mistake the wrapping for the content.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Daniel Kuehn — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:18:30 -0000

Methinks -

RE: "Maybe you should consider that it doesn't look like idolatry to you because you are among the fawning masses."

Fawning masses??? Geez, calm down. I like the guy, but I've disagreed with a lot of what he's done even here on Cafe Hayek. Give me a break.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Daniel Kuehn — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:16:25 -0000

Jack of Spades -

RE: "Second, there is a qualitative difference between girls trying to dress like Britany Spears and the topic at hand. The former results in nothing more than some goofy looking girls. "

Yes... and the later results in nothing more than people eating healthier :)

Dowd's suggestion is a little odd, but I really don't see why this is so terrifying. Didn't people praise Bush for being so public with his exercise regime? And why shouldn't they?? Eating healthy and exercising is good. Why shouldn't presidents promote it. They've been doing it at least since Teddy Roosevelt, right? I completely fail to see the scandal.

vidyohs -

RE: "Same sort of breathless idolatry of Jack and Jackie, makes you want to puke."

They were likable people! Obama is a likable person! Nobody is worshiping anyone. Sheesh!

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

John — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:17:56 -0000

Living Colour said it best

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

vikingvista — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:35:00 -0000

"or are the citizens of Virginia being billed for this service?"

It would count as one of the more productive uses of tax dollars.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Rob — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:57:48 -0000

Don. Out of curiosity, how much time do you spend per day writing these letters? Do you do it at work? If so, assuming you are in a salaried position, do you deduct that time from the time for which you expect compensation or are the citizens of Virginia being billed for this service?

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

inspector Fu — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:48:33 -0000

"No non-ectomorph has come close to a major party nomination in years"

Or just the last 2 presidents.

Clinton was an ectomorph?

Though he hasn't had a party nomination in years. Fair enough fair enough.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

simone — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:16:30 -0000

Dowd like many fools confuses herself and others by missing the obvious. Obams is worshupped by the very people who worship hollywood stars who eat the right foods and do the right exercises. The worshippers have yet to do more than ape the behaviors.

If Dowd is not satisfied with her self image she should look to Obama for the right view. She will soon be happy and cease behaving like a self rightous fool.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

The Dirty Mac — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:45:49 -0000

If Bush or Obama was 30 pounds heavier, its very possible that neither would have been elected President. No non-ectomorph has come close to a major party nomination in years (excepting perhaps that buffoon Huckabee, who didn't get all that close). Rock stars and other major entertainers have been almost uniformly thin over the past several decades.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Mikeikon — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:37:55 -0000

I see where you're coming from.

On the other hand, I think setting a good example and being ethical models is one of the few things that our elected officials can and should do, since it's one thing that actually doesn't violate our rights.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

vidyohs — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:36:12 -0000

Deja Vu all over again?

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

vidyohs — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:35:24 -0000

My question to those of similar persuasion as myself is how do we work "Judas Goat" into the Obama name?

Barrudas Goatama?

Let him lead the simple to slaughter.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

vidyohs — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:31:17 -0000

Methinks,

Re: Obama worship. Were you of, or beyond, the age of awareness during the Kennedy election/administration?

Same sickening crap.

I remember December 1962 lying in the isolation ward of Portsmouth Hospital recovering from Hep A, picked up in Monrovia, Liberia, and the Time magazine I was given had a picture of Jackie sitting on a horse on the cover, and I swear to God it was difficult, without the saddle, to tell which was the horse and which was Jackie....the article it touted was "The ten most beautiful first ladies in the world."

Same sort of breathless idolatry of Jack and Jackie, makes you want to puke.

Re: Stupid Cult of Political Personality

Pug — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:49:13 -0000

What has become of Americans?

What has become of Americans is that 40%, or more, of them are now fat slobs.

Bush set a good example of keeping his weight down, as does Obama. All the stuff about idolatry and the rest, I don't really care about. But you must admit, we are a bunch of fat pigs. It is a real problem, not an imaginary one.