If, for some reason, you ever find yourself reading the magazine, The Economist, be sure to understand the difference between “the economy” as that magazine writes about it, and the economy as it relates to you.

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Regarding Geraldine Ferraro’s comment that Barack Obama is where he is because he’s black, Chris Matthews, scolding those who were defending Ferraro’s statement, declared her wrong on the grounds that no one ever says a white guy is where he is because he’s white.

However, by the time Matthews had delivered his sermon, Obama himself had already provided an example that shows how factually wrong, if politically correct, Matthews was. Obama said, regarding Ferraro’s comment, that the history of the United States shows Ferraro’s comment to be "absurd."

Obama believes the history of the United States is a history of racist oppression, of white oppression of blacks. While the statement is not true, we have been taught to accept that assertion at face value. The underlying meaning of Obama’s statement is that any lack of achievement by blacks in the history of the United States can be laid at the feet of white oppression. By extension, any achievement by whites in the history of the United States can be ascribed to white privilege.

In other words, Chris Matthews, Obama said that every white guy is where he is because he’s white.

Matthews has said nothing but dumb things about the racial dynamics of the Democratic primary contests. A much more perceptive and accurate analysis can be found at Steve Sailer’s Can Obama Really Win The White Vote?

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Ready for a black president

It keeps popping up everywhere this election, this question of America’s readiness for a black president. A Google search on the phrase, in quotes, “ready for a black president” yields over 100,000 hits.

According to a CNN poll released in January, 72 percent of whites believe the country is ready for a black president, while 26 percent believe the country is not ready. Among blacks, 61 percent believe the country is ready, while 37 percent believe it is not.

The poll further found that a stunning 98 percent of both black and white Americans think that the question, “Is America ready for a black president?” is not only a legitimate question, they can even supply an answer.

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During the 2000 primary season, I made it a point to ask each presidential candidate in person the following question at least once:

Current immigration policy is doubling US population within the lifetimes of today’s children. Since you support this policy, will you at least say when we should stop?

One billion people? Two billion? Three?

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Or don’t. There are better sources

The American public’s distaste for and mistrust of the New York Times is understandable. How else would Americans view a paper that would editorially welcome Republicans arriving in town for their 2004 convention with the suggestion they should embrace a policy of amnesty for illegal aliens in order to attract Hispanic and “moderate” voters, but should avoid using the word “amnesty” when describing the policy to voters?

Attempting to dupe a major political party into duping the American people doesn’t exactly burnish a media outlet’s image with said people as a trusted and friendly source for news and opinion.

Nevertheless, Americans should treat as probably accurate the Times’ recent report on John McCain’s friendliness with a lobbyist whose clients had business before the committee McCain chaired. Hold your noses, if you have to, but take the report seriously.

In any case, you don’t have to resort to the New York Times for published reports of the sleazier side of the man Republicans are set to nominate to be their standard-bearer in November. The Arizona Republic exposes a 2005 incident that makes the Times’ exposé look like tiddlywinks.

Billboard Owner Bars Ad Targeting McCain; by The Arizona Republic

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The Chinese often remark on the ancientness of China. During the two years I was a teacher there, it happened quite often that my students would refer to China’s long history by way of explaining some enigma.

Sometimes I would surprise them by responding, China’s not that old. The United States is much older than China.

What? they would exclaim.

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All sing:

Now just the boys:

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Today is primary day here in Washington, DC, where the biggest local issue, perennially, is statehood for DC, and where the best argument against statehood for DC, Marion Barry, is still being elected to public office (he serves on the city council). (more…)

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