■ We start a new Proverbial chapter with 27:1:
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Is it just me, or does this make you think about that
catchy
Fleetwood Mac song?
■ James Freeman notes the shifting stand of the NYT editorial
page on the Senate filibuster of Supreme Court nominees: this year,
they bemoan that its demise hearkens the dawn of the Court as a
‘Partisan
Tool’.
Freeman recalls 2013, when the same editorial page hailed the demise
of the filibuster for appointees to lower courts and executive-branch nominees
with "Democracy Returns to the Senate" and the change was "long
overdue".
A former writer of this column might argue that this change simply represents a bargain for longtime Times readers, because they can now enjoy two papers in one.
Mrs. Salad is currently "enjoying" me doing an explosion sound
effect whenever the TV news says "nuclear option".
■ Timothy P. Carney corrects the record at USA Today: Actually,
Neil Gorsuch is a champion of the little guy. As Carney notes,
you can't get much littler than the Little Sisters of the Poor, or
New Haven, Connecticut's eminent domain victim Susette Kelo. Bottom
line:
The rule of law doesn’t care if you’re powerful or powerless; it applies to all. Gorsuch has spent his years on the bench reading the law and applying it, without animus or favor. That’s bad news for those, such as New London’s mandarins or the Obama administration’s HHS, who want special treatment. It’s good news for the little guy.
"You mean the leprechauns?"
■ Virginia Postrel takes on the latest widely-despised ad from Pepsi:
The Company Desperately Trying to Be Something It Isn't.
At issue is a short-lived new commercial starring model Kendall Jenner, a member of the Kardashian clan, along with a large crew of telegenic millennials of assorted races and creative professions. One, a handsome Asian cellist, leaves his studio to join a swelling protest march. He catches Jenner’s eye as he passes by the photo shoot she’s posing for. In response, she strips off her blond wig, wipes off her lipstick, and -- having paid homage to the glamour of authenticity -- joins the crowd. As she strides down the street, she grabs a Pepsi and hands it to one of the young, handsome, and un-armored policemen standing guard over the march. A gorgeous photographer wearing a hijab snaps her picture. Peace, love, and understanding prevail.
Thanks to TiVo, I don't see a lot of ads any more, but the other day I felt a
great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of eyes suddenly
rolled in their sockets in contempt. I feared something
terrible had happened. Now I know it was Pepsi.
■ Not that it matters, but when I type "Pepsi tastes like" into the
Google search box I get the suggestions: "dirt", "soap", "metal",
"cinnamon", and "flat coke". YMMV. Cinnamon doesn't sound that bad
though.
■ At NR, John J. Miller notes that the inventor of the
Internet is up to his old tricks: Al
Gore’s Lincoln Lie. At issue: an anti-corporation Lincoln "quote" from Gore's
2007 book The Assault on Reason.
I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign . . . until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands.
It turned out the quote was an
assault on honesty, convincingly revealed as an 1888 forgery.
But here it is, 2017, and there's a new edition of The Assault on
Reason, and… the quote's still there.
Today, however, Gore knows that he’s peddling a lie. Ten years ago, in more innocent times, he introduced the quote by writing that Lincoln “perceived the dangers” of corporate power and “noted” them in his 1864 letter. In the new version, however, Gore pulls back from his assertion: “Lincoln may have perceived the dangers” of corporate power, “and some historians attribute the following statement to him.” (Emphasis added.)
Pun Salad has been holding Gore in contempt
since
2006.
■ At Cato, Randal O'Toole suggestions that you Protect
Your Privacy and Save Money by Telling NHTSA No to the
Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications Mandate.
If approved, it will be one of the most expensive vehicle safety rules ever, adding around $300 dollars to the price of every car, or (at recent car sales rates) well over $5 billion per year.
O'Toole also notes that it's innovation-stifling, prematurely settling on one
technology when others may (someday) do the job better and cheaper.
■ If you've been wondering who the worst enemy of the Trump
Presidency is, NR's Jonah Goldberg has a candidate: The
President Is This Presidency’s Worst Enemy.
Trump brings the same glandular, impulsive style to meetings and
interviews as he does to social media. He blurts out ideas or claims
that send staff scrambling to see them implemented or defended. His
management style is Hobbesian. Rivalries are encouraged. Senior
aides panic at the thought of not being part of his movable
entourage. He cares more about saving face and “counterpunching” his
critics than he does about getting policy victories.
In short, the problem is Trump’s personality. His presidency doesn’t
suffer from a failure of ideas, but a failure of character.
Now, to be honest, there's quite a bit of "I told you so" here.
But … you know, he did tell us so.