Welcome!

What a fabulous name for a blog! Stolen hot off the presses via Instapundit.com. I'll start with my economic reality denier story....

I met Barak Obama in the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic attached to the Law School at the University of Chicago. We had a polite conversation revolving around computers and the joys of the Macintosh. I had heard that he was a politician running for office in the state (that or he already was, can't recall...it would have been around '93-'94) I got the impression at the time that this guy was very good at connecting and building rapport, likely had read works like Robert Ringer's Intimidate to Win. . .not so much in the intimidation aspect, but more the "tilt your head and look intently in their eyes" to connect and influence kinda way...

I also got the feeling he was trying to feel me out to work for him...somehow or in some way. Eventually, he asked me if I was interested in politics...I had thoughts of how I was in student council in high school and chaired a student government committee in college...thoughts of college when the university president chided my roomate about switching to a political science major..."Why don't you get a real major?!"...and thoughts about how I went to Boy's State, a summer camp that American Legion runs for incoming high school seniors.

Boys' State teaches the nuts and bolts of American and State governments, holds mock elections, creates committees and legislatures that write up and push laws through the process. It was really just a whiff of that smelly "sausage-making" business you might occaionally hear about. Certainly enough to realize that the "politics" and "governing" are two different animals. Politics is playing party games and trying to win the prize. Governing is actually quite a bit of work.

To Barack's question, I responded with what I felt was most politic, "No, but I did study economics at the University of Chicago, so you might imagine which direction I'm leaning." I was readying myself for some kind of interesting discussion (some would say argument...pretty standard fare at the U of C), but instead he promptly made his farewells and fast-walked away in the opposite direction. I had the impression that I would not be useful to him and that he wasn't going to waste any of his time if I couldn't help him. Trying to convert me or bring me along would be fruitless...and considering I'd studied econ, I should be impervious to the usual spin/bs some are known to put on the economy to the masses.

....from what I've read and corresponded about with others who were there during that era, Barak seemed to avoid serious argument...err..."discussion"...with people who held views contrary to his...I don't know if he ever took an economics course, not sure if we have a list of his classes...iirc we still don't have his grades from anywhere...I'm happy to be corrected. It seems like Barack just doesn't understand economics...the state of the economy bares this out. Did he ever take a class in economics?