The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Greetings From Lost Wages

Posted on | October 18, 2011 | 26 Comments

LAS VEGAS, Nevada
Whose lucky number will be up in tonight’s debate on CNN? That’s the subject of my American Spectator column today:

Even before landing, passengers in the window seats can see the neon lights of the casinos on the strip. As soon as you exit your plane and step into McCarran International Airport, the business of the place confronts you: Rows of slot machines waiting to accept the visitor’s contribution to the local economy. “Double Gold,” “Triple Red White & Blue,” and “Triple Diamond Deluxe” — the bright lights, garish colors and clamorous sounds of the machines invite you to take a chance and, what the heck, why not? “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” as the slogan says, and what happens here day after day is tourists losing money that stays in Vegas.
You go home. Your money stays here. If tourists were as lucky as they hoped, Las Vegas would go broke within 72 hours and all the tourists would go home rich. What actually happens, of course, is that the tourists lose far more than they win and yet they keep coming back year after year, losing more in the slot machines and poker pits, at the blackjack tables and roulette wheels — even at the airport, where they can bet a buck and maybe win a million (but much more likely lose again) before they board the flight back home. And tonight at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on the Strip, somebody’s going to lose a presidential debate. . . .

Please read the whole thing. And a few quick headlines:

Republicans Call For Romney
To Join Nevada Boycott
— WMUR-TV, New Hampshire

Perry Campaign’s Payment for
Private Jet Raises Questions
— New York Times

Iowa GOP officials set date for
the Republican caucuses: Jan. 3
— Des Moines Register

Tonight’s debate starts at 8 p.m. ET — don’t miss it!


Category: Debates, Election 2012, Fear and Smitty in Vegas

Comments

26 Responses to “Greetings From Lost Wages”

  1. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 11:46 am

    Good article.  I think you nail the odds well, but you are still betting on Cain.  Good man! 

  2. Anonymous
    October 18th, 2011 @ 12:24 pm

    I like any article that mentions Blood, Sweat & Tears. Just stay away from those Spinnin’ Wheels. They cost me a small fortune….

  3. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 12:25 pm

    You are good enought to be invited to Blogcon! 

  4. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 12:51 pm

    He skips dinner for a smoke at eight
    He makes predictions and never too late
    He’d never endorses people he hates
    That’s why Stacy is a tramp Doesn’t like crap games, with RINO earls
    Likes downtown roulette, give the wheel a whirl
    Won’t dish the dirt, with the red state girls
    That’s why Stacy  is a trampHe loves to search Smitty’s noggin to find a hair
    Life without care
    He’s broke, but it’s “ok”He hates D.C., it’s cold and it’s damp
    That’s why Stacy  is a trampDoesn’t like politics, with sharpies and frauds
    Doesn’t care for disingeuous political fraudsWon’t dish the dirt, with the red state broads
    That’s why the Stacy is a trampSleeps  on couches and eats canned stew, 
    Does not promote turkeys. 
    As he hitched and hiked and grifted, too, 
    from Maine to Albuquerque. 
    Alas, he missed the Blogcon Ball, and what is twice as sad: 
    He was never at a party where they honored Newt the Cad. 
    But social circles spin too fast for he; 
    His RINOphobia  is the place to be…..He gets jonesin for a smoke around at eight,He likes predictions but never too late. 
    He never bother with people he  hates: That’s why Stacy is a tramp. 

  5. Anonymous
    October 18th, 2011 @ 2:00 pm

    Ya but Stacy has a system.

  6. Anonymous
    October 18th, 2011 @ 2:24 pm

    Good article, Stacy.

    The comments section at Speck-tater has several regulars that are a 9/16″ wrench short of a full set.

  7. ThePaganTemple
    October 18th, 2011 @ 3:52 pm

    Huntsman won’t be there, so that’s good. I’m hoping Bachmann quits kicking the crippled Perry horse (I won’t say its dead yet) and focus her attention on Romney, not Cain. Romney is the key to making sure this election goes to a conservative. Somebody needs to knock him out tonight, if possible. I’m sick of hearing from Fox about how great he’s doing in the debates when everybody is treating him with kid gloves except for Perry, the worst debater on the stage.

  8. Anonymous
    October 18th, 2011 @ 3:53 pm

    Cain looks better and better with this…..

    “One of the architects of Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan, economist Stephen Moore, said the contender for the GOP presidential nomination needs to drop his proposed 9 percent sales tax.”

    http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/188245-architect-of-cains-9-9-9-plan-says-he-should-drop-the-sales-tax

    Personally, I’d like to see him oppose those excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol and gasoline as well….but I’ll admit that’s another thing that he would never get through Congress.

  9. ThePaganTemple
    October 18th, 2011 @ 3:57 pm

    I think he could get them through if we elected enough Republicans. Those kinds of taxes have no place in federal law. The whiskey tax was the one blight on George Washington’s otherwise stellar career.

  10. Red
    October 18th, 2011 @ 4:24 pm

    Totally linked with tip jar promotion 😉 Win big Stacy!

  11. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 4:25 pm

    Did they really kick Huntsman out?  About time. 

    Romney should be taking the heat, but unfortunately we all know Herman Cain is going to feel like he is in the pizza oven tonight.  That is okay, Herman is tough and unflappable. 

  12. No Runny Eggs » Blog Archive » B-Team Debate Drunkblogging – It’s Vegas, Baby!
    October 18th, 2011 @ 4:31 pm

    […] a ways; the only non-union property on The Strip hosted RightOnline and Kruiser Kabana last year. The Other McCain, future ambassador to Vanatu, is reporting live from the scene of the […]

  13. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 4:38 pm

    Given that CNN is hosting this debate, let’s point out the double standard now: 

    http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/18/harry-belafonte-falls-asleep-live-on-air/?hpt=hp_c2

    The old coot is a nasty bit of work.  But note how CNN treats this with kid gloves.  I mean, it is not like he is Sarah Palin!  Respect must be paid. 

  14. ThePaganTemple
    October 18th, 2011 @ 5:26 pm

    They didn’t kick him out, he’s boycotting the Nevada debate in protest of Nevada moving their primary up ahead of New Hampshire’s. It’s nothing but a ploy to increase his popularity in NH.

  15. Pat Austin
    October 18th, 2011 @ 5:26 pm

     Linked at SIGIS!

  16. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 5:48 pm

    I sense you and Mrs. The Other McCain had a discussion on visiting the roulette wheels this trip.  As in, not doing it. 

  17. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 5:49 pm

    I am guessing the system this time is not to get started in the first place.  Guess what, then you break even! 

    Well maybe a few dollars…

  18. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 5:50 pm

    They should have kicked him out.  These are debates for the GOP not some pansy Democrat wannabe. 

  19. ThePaganTemple
    October 18th, 2011 @ 6:05 pm

    I think they should keep them limited to candidates that have five percent support or more. But that would exclude Santorum and Bachmann, and at one time it would have excluded Cain.

  20. Joe
    October 18th, 2011 @ 6:14 pm

    Last time I check Huntsman was at something less than 1%.  I am pretty sure Santorum and Bachmann are higher than that.  Frankly I hope they drop out too, if only to give Cain some more momentum from he base, but at least they both have something conservative to say.  When Huntsman talks, he sounds like a teacher in a Charlie Brown TV special. 

  21. Adjoran
    October 18th, 2011 @ 7:11 pm

    Yeah, how about the incoherent guy who has another guy following him around to explain that he means vote Ron Paul?

    Haven’t figured out if the guy who asks “Huh?” in between them is part of the act or audience participation . . .

  22. Adjoran
    October 18th, 2011 @ 7:13 pm

    Be sure and grab a bunch of the souvenir Anderson Cooper bookmarks – sure to be a collectors’ item.

  23. Anonymous
    October 18th, 2011 @ 7:24 pm

    Upon closer introspection I’m forced to admit I don’t often go to sites with constant flame wars between hundreds of idiots in the comments.

    I prefer sites where the commenters are stupid enough to provide actual (and unpaid) content to the blog, like we occasionally do here.

  24. Anonymous
    October 18th, 2011 @ 7:33 pm

    Nice link.  I’d love it if Cain brought the man’s name forward and said, “Hey, we can sure do that!”

    I have to say, though:  total reform of the tax system, while a very good idea, is far enough down the list of priorities that I hope Cain “Reaganizes” it and brings focus to more important issues.

    What do I mean by “Reaganizing?”  Reagan was a Passed Master at condensing things into short, difficult-to-argue-against phrases and descriptions. So instead of getting lost in the weeds, he could ask pointed (Socratic) questions of the people.

  25. LIVE FROM THE CNN VEGAS DEBATE : The Other McCain
    October 18th, 2011 @ 7:38 pm

    […] what would a GOP debate be without a bunch of smelly left-wing protest pests?PREVIOUSLY:Oct. 18: Greetings From Lost WagesOct. 17: Savage Weirdness at Final Boarding: Did Team Perry Put the Blame on Rubio?Oct. 17: Fear and […]

  26. Anonymous
    October 18th, 2011 @ 8:19 pm

    Neither Romney or Perry will be knocked until they start loosing primaries or somehow run out money of before then. These people don’t stop running until they can’t.