If Daniel Hannan was born in Peru, that means he was born in America, so can't we run this guy for President in 2012? Just kidding, but isn't it too bad we can't! Perhaps we can instead get Hannan to give Bobby Jindal intensive lessons in speech and rhetoric, which he apparently needs. Nevertheless, I would next like to hear Mr. Hannan's thoughts on Islamist subversion of the West and the "war on terror" or, should I say, "overseas contingency operations."

The American people seem to have swallowed the concept of ‘socialism’ whole. They may have come to like the idea of favoring 'equality of outcome' over 'equality of opportunity'; 'each according to his ability, to each according to his need', as Marxists are fond of saying. It may have brought them praise in the classroom where social economic theory reigns and the 'hidden hand' is routinely dismissed and labeled 'hocus pocus' because no quantitative value can be assigned to it. ‘Faith’ has no place on the multiplication tables and on flow charts. People do not yet understand that inequity drives progress and that equality only leads backwards - into death. Let’s rephrase the question and put it out for a vote. Can we expect any support from the media in this – any support at all? I guess not.

As with all things, the devil is in the details. As we applaud the fall of the high and mighty, we also get that nagging sense that all is not right; that we could just as easily be next to join the ranks of the despised. (‘He who is without sin…’) Who decides, if not God? Obama? Barney Frank? Nancy Pelosi? Rush Limbaugh? These are but flawed men (exception noted), crippled by their ideology - like ourselves. Can we really trust any one of them with our dreams? Can we trust ourselves?

Daniel Hannan speaks out an ocean away and we are compelled to listen to a fresh voice.
John Galt rising. Who is John Galt, the 'mystery worker'? Is he the only one? Or are there others willing to step forward to help lift this yoke of mass delusion from our bloodshot eyes? Republicans take note. Your opportunity has come! Never let a good crisis go to waste.

It's easy to attack and place blame- the Brits practice this sort of Parliamentary exchanges open court while the US bureaucrats suck face and speak to each other like browbeat men to their wives.

"It's your fault" British style.

Didn't hear any ideas, though.. just talk.

At the risk of copping out, I must say that Peter is, unfortunately, correct in observing that Americans seem far more amenable to Marxist appeals than ever before, and that Lou is also correct in more hopefully noting that the pendulum seems to be swinging back in the other direction. The key point will be if the pendulum swings back far enough and fast enough to repair the vast economic, social, and national security damage already being wreaked by the Obama Administration and in record time.

Now I hear a report -- which I hope and pray is wrong -- that the House and the Senate have already voted more billions of taxpayers' money to transform AmeriCorps into a uniformed "civilian security force" to be on a par with the American military! In addition to young adults and teens, even schoolchildren will be encouraged -- or perhaps required -- to participate in this sinister outfit under the tutelage and direction of -- you guessed it -- left-wing community activist types operating from their own strategically located "campuses." What is Obama building here, an American SS? An Obama Jugend? Perhaps this obvious tool of fascistic indoctrination and intimidation, combined with a voter census controlled by Rahm Emmanuel and ACORN, relieves The Messiah of any real fear of the electorate because, perhaps as early as 2010, the fix may thus be in, at least in key districts. Like I said, I hope this report is mistaken but Obama did occasionally and vaguely mention such a monstrosity as this during the campaign. What say you, JB -- do you have any reliable information on this you can share with us? It seems just the sort of story to appeal to your more conspiratorial instincts.

Hold what line, Lou? The troops have their back to the sea and the call is for those dilapidated boats Mr Hannan mentioned (probably not a good reference to use considering rusty old RN boats, braving the supply routes in the North Atlantic, are the reasons WWII was won by the Aliies) to traverse The Channel and come to the rescue.

And Peter- just a suggestion from a bloody blogmate bloke: CHANGE THEMES EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE! This Marxist takeover theorem of yours is beginning to seem like you are trying to propagandize (you know, say it enough and people will begin to believe it.)

Internet town hall Thursday:

One questioner asked why the U.S. did not adopt a European-style government-sponsored health care system.

Because, Obama responded, he believed the best way forward was to build on the current system that relies heavily on employer plans rather than scrap what has existed for generations and largely has met the need of a majority of Americans.

Re: Americorps - it does sound awful at first except when you stop to consider that it's really just a version of the mandatory military draft we've had from time to time. The use of uniforms, the indoctrination, humiliation, etc. .... we have all that already: it's called Marine Boot Camp. Regarding the brainwashing down to the base of the notochord, we have that already too: it's called the Los Angeles Times and MSBNC. I've always been in favor of mandatory military service. Where it could get scary is if they try to force people to think and act in a certain way after they are released from service. But we have that already too: it's called public schools. So, I do not think the existence of Americorps will plug our collective bungholes up any more than they're already plugged.

Perhaps Spencer is right. There's no problem here. Nevertheless, I'm packing up my laptop and heading (far) east. India. There, I will no longer be privy to the latest nuance dredged up by American conspiracy radio. I'll be away long enough, hopefully to cure myself of the habit of listening to Rush; Levin; Beck, etc., switching back and forth between radio frequencies.

In India, I only expect to keep up with the JBS site between power and cable outages. (I do wish the 'archives' were back.) I may have to visit an internet cafe occasionally to post my observations (such as they are). I already know that I'll be required to fill out a form and show my passport before logging on. Still, I will feel compelled to know (at the very least) what JB might be thinking ...and, of course, Spencer. I'm curious to know when he'll finally turn and raise the white flag. That's when I’ll know it's over.

India too has its political class that fights like cats and dogs. But at least they do it in languages I could never hope to master. But there's one thing they all seem to have in common: love of country. This is what’s missing here. True, the hammer and sickle often makes its obligatory appearance, especially during the election season. But even the commies are adults with credible policies – quite unlike our own who are scared to call themselves what they really are, much like children who’ve been told not to eat mud and then come home with their faces smeared.

Spencer - anyone who uses the term "ugh" to describe soccer teams can't be all bad! Nicely done ....

Peter - I love my country, it's the government I can't stand.

The story is not yet written, it's in flux. There is the example of the 1930's which gave us the welfare state -JB is chronicling this very nicely for us. There is a narrative that all roads lead inexorably to marxism - is this correct. We all seem to be, at least somewhat convinced of this - but is it true?! I'm not so sure. There is also the example of the 1720's and the collapse of the south sea trade bubble. Fifty years after several more years of mini depressions in England, the American revolution was spawned and liberty was the result. I am really thirsty for more knowledge of this era, really hungry - I'm fascinated by it. But, the south sea company was a british shipping firm that claimed to have a plan to get a piece of the slave trade that the French had a lock on. The economy was still grounded in gold and silver, but non-theless, there was widespread investment by people of all classes in this enterprise. Lots of complicated financial arrangements that rival modern financials, lots of wealth was destroyed, lots of people of all classes were devastated. England entered into a period of recurrent depressions lasting 50 years until the United States of America was born. My point is this - the story hasn't yet been written and don't give up yet. There is a nascent second American revolution brewing - who knows??? Mark Levin's book on the constitution is Amazon's #1. Tea parties - their numbers dwarf the AIG protestor numbers. The AIG protestors were a bunch of rent-a-thugs and journalists, the tea parties are real citizens. I think the real energy and passion is on the side of the constitutionalists - this is just a gut instinct tho.

I think the real narrative is that the pendulum swings back and forth, back and forth. The French got sick of Napoleon pretty quickly after the revolution. Bill and Hillary Clinton were going to nationalize medicine back in 1994 and the public said "Not ah say NOT so fast there, son!" The people on the far left scream bloody murder when the pendulum is furthest to the right; the people on the far right scream bloody murder when the pendulum is furthest to the left. Then the socialists get to institute their policies for a while and it reminds everyone that they do not work. One would think it obvious they don't work after 8 years of FDR's policies failed to get the unemployment rate under 10%, but somehow the man remains accounted as one of our greatest Presidents rather than as an enemy of liberty. Anyway, I digress. When you feel all is lost, just remember, that there's a reason we oppose the socialist policies. It's that they simply cannot work. Government can't create wealth, it can only redistribute it. It's we, the private sector, who create wealth, and so we must be permitted sooner or later to ply our crafts, else everyone will starve. There is simply no other way the story can end.

Godspeed Peter keep the sun on your most western side