Price Point

Easy
High energy costs, declining industrial competitiveness and a recognition that the economy is unlikely to rebound strongly any time soon are leading policy makers to begin easing up in their drive for more aggressive climate regulation.

On Wednesday, the European Union proposed an end to binding national targets for renewable energy production after 2020. (New York Times, 1/23/2014)

Whenever Liberals want to justify a kooky idea, they point to Europe where it has usually already been adopted...and is failing (witness: socialized medicine, confiscatory taxes, unlimited welfare state benefits, unchecked immigration, and "renewable" energy). So, taking a cue from Europe, will Liberals now back off on their moonbat energy policies? No, they will claim that the policies work...and point to Europe!


No Need
What we didn't need was to destroy the market for the many in order to give aid to the few. (John Goodman, Wall Street Journal, 1/23/2014)

This is precisely the (brilliant) point that RedStateVT made several months back in one of our many posts deconstructing the Liberal argument for Obamacare. Loyal readers will recall that we peeled back the talking point that Obamacare was essential because "millions" were without insurance. In fact, millions of the uninsured were voluntarily uninsured. The remaining pool amounted to 10% or (very probably) less. Hence, Obama, Pelosi and Reid blew up the American healthcare system in order to deal with a problem affecting less than 10% of the entire population. 

As Goodman notes, it did not have to be done that way. 


Windy
No one's really listening to the president now. He has been for five years a nonstop wind-up talk machine. Most of it has been facile, bland, the same rounded words and rounded sentiments, the same soft accusations and excuses. I see him enjoying the sound of his voice as the network newsman leans forward eagerly, intently, nodding at the pearls, enacting interest, for this is the president and he is the anchorman and surely something important is being said with two such important men engaged. (Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal, 1/23/2014)

Noonan makes a point that we suspect at least a handful of Democrats might agree with in private: people are just tired of listening to Obama's speeches. He gives too many and they are filled with the same old same old. 

We stopped listening to the State of the Union speeches long ago. They are simply ridiculous and it is embarrassing to watch grown men and women jump to their feet every time the Presidential Pavlovian bell is rung. More money for education!!! Raise the minimum wage!!! Rebuild the infrastructure!!!