Is it time to bring back the Kulak?

Some feel the Kulak has been reserrected by the Obama administration, the Democratic party, and the Left in general -- and that the new Kulak class is already in revolt.

I think it too early to tell, but it is interesting to speculate on just who might comprise the new Kulak class. Certainly the wealthy (> 250k/year) are eligible, but this casts a pretty wide net. Maybe those working in parasitical fields, such as hedge fund managers, stock traders, and bankers can be tapped to fill the vital role of class enemy of the United States. Then Obama et al., can go about the business of liquidating them as a class through increased peoples' taxes.

Of course, once Kulaks as a class are properly identified, their helpers, or henchmen (podkulachniki) must also be rooted out. The beauty of identifying such class enemies is that should the stimulus plan fail to achieve its goals, wreckers (or even better, Kulak wreckers) can be blamed. Stalin relied on wreckers to absorb his failures his entire career. In fact, tireless investigations by the Cheka showed that wreckers were everywhere. Presumably, the MSM will fulfill this vital investigatory role in the US.

As an aside: I miss the USSR. They gave us such wonderful terms. Hooliganism, Adventurism, Henchman of Kulaks (also known as sub-Kulaks), Wrecker. In addition, the regularity and inspired nature of the USSR denouncing the US became comical. Chavez in Venezuela tries to provide comic relief, but it's just not the same.

Switzerland rules Alpine skiing

Suck it, Austria.

The Alpine Ski World Championships have ended in Val d'Isère, France, where the Swiss team usurped Austria for the first time in a decade to win the most medals. [...]

Austria took second on the medal table with five [Switzerland won six - P] , followed by the United States with three. All of the top three teams had two gold medals each. [....]

Serious teeth knashing in Austria.

Happy first birthday, Kosovo!

A day late, but congratulations to all Kosovars on their nation's first anniversary (17 Feb).

Swiss-info interviews the nation's PM:

swissinfo: Who is the more important partner for Kosovo: the European Union or the United States?

H.T.: Relations between Pristina and Washington are excellent. I am proud to be the head of the most pro-American country in the world. But Kosovo is part of the European family – we want to become members of the EU and of Nato.

swissinfo: And your bilateral relations with Switzerland?

H.T.: Fantastic. Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo. We have a strong bond with Switzerland.

I lived there myself and have wonderful memories. Perhaps Kosovo will one day become the Switzerland of the region. [....]

Plenty of Kosovars lived in Switzerland at some point, many of them as refugees. A colleage and good friend from my days in Switzerland was from the area around Pristina. As a proud Swiss-American, I am pleased to note that both countries were among the first to recognize Kosovo's independance.

The reform of welfare reform will undo welfare reform

Less than a month into the Obama presidency, Congress is set to undo welfare reform -- one of the few things Democrats could be proud of:

Welfare caseloads nationally fell from 12.6 million in 1997 to fewer than five million in 2007. And yet despite this achievement, House Democrats are seeking to undo Mr. Clinton's reforms under the cover of the stimulus bill. [....]

Through a little noticed provision of the stimulus package that has passed the House of Representatives, the bill creates a fund for TANF [Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program] that is open-ended -- the same way Medicare and Social Security are. [....]

Democrats must feel a special affection for the crown jewel of the Great Society, as they can't bear to see it altered.

Or, as Dostoevsky put it:

... the [Left] loves its abomination and does not wish to see it threatened [....]

Link to the WSJ is from Prof. Mankiw's blog.

Messiah's direst prophecy

Asked for a prophecy, the Messiah not only obliges, he swings for the fences! In brief: Do as I say or the US may be finished.

Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.

I'm reminded of the underlying theme of Paradise Lost: disobediance has consequences.

How to pay for Obama's giddy spending?

How to pay is on more than Americans' minds. Even France (a profiligate spender by anyone's reckoning) is saying no to an Obama-style spending spree as explained by France's Prime Minister:

"It would be irresponsible to chose another policy, which would increase our country's indebtedness without having more infrastructure and increased competitiveness in the end...."

The rest of the world is wondering and watching as well, as the US prepares to issue more than 2 trillion in new debt this year. And what will we get out of this other than the Democrat's pent up spending desires writ large? Nothing but more debt.

My 12 year old daughter has more fiscal restraint than those clowns in D.C.