This is the Muslims Are Coming cruise. Everyone thinks it. Everyone knows it. And the man most responsible for this insight is sitting only a few tables down: Mark Steyn. He is wearing sunglasses on top of his head and a bright shirt. Steyn's thesis in his new book, America Alone, is simple: The "European races"--i.e., white people--"are too self-absorbed to breed," but the Muslims are multiplying quickly. The inevitable result will be "large-scale evacuation operations circa 2015" as Europe is ceded to Al Qaeda and "Greater France remorselessly evolve[s] into Greater Bosnia." He offers a light smearing of dubious demographic figures--he needs to turn 20 million European Muslims into more than 150 million in nine years, which is a lot of humping--to "prove" his case.

But facts, figures, and doubt are not on the itinerary of this cruise. With one or two exceptions, the passengers discuss "the Muslims" as a homogenous, sharia-seeking block--already with near-total control of Europe. Over the week, I am asked nine times--I counted--when I am fleeing Europe's encroaching Muslim population for the safety of the United States.

digby:

.....If there is ever any doubt in your mind as to what truly gets these people up in the morning, this lays it to rest. They are so afraid of dark people they must have a supply of Depends on hand at all times......

approx 04:19 into the above C&L clip

Tucker Carlson: Why is he so disliked? When you talk to -- when you talk to Liberals or just even garden variety Democrats and Dick Cheney's name comes up you're apt to see hyperventilation. People hate Cheney on this visceral level. What is so hate-able about Dick Cheney?

Jonah Goldberg (Nat'l Review Online): I have no -- I really, I truly have no idea. I like Dick Cheney, love to have a beer with the guy. I think he is, um, a smart, serious man in American life. Um, I think one of the things that bothers them is that he doesn't care. You know, there's nothing -- the opposite of hate isn't love it's indifference. [laughter]

Tucker Carlson: [laughter]

Jonah Goldberg: It drives stalkers and some hardcore lefties crazy! He just doesn't care what they think about them!

Tucker Carlson: [laughter]

Yeah, I must be pissed over that whole booty call thing. (::: hurling out my spinal column:::).

It couldn't possibly be severe, chronic nausea aggravated because Cheney's a domestic despot and an international criminal the ICC should try on multiple counts.

Or the multiple infractions against this in this teensy document, the VP's sworn oath of office (since 1864):

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.

According to Jonah Goldberg, wanting a transparent, accountable government is the equivalent of being a stalker.

Oh,and  I would never get a cell phone anyway. Had one and got disgusted with it.

Bush less trusted than Putin by U.S. allies.

However, I don't use or need a cell phone.

In the next few weeks Congress will decide whether to cut $54 billion in overpayments to Medicare insurers, igniting a battle that may well determine whether the program survives. On one side are Medicare supporters, who want it to continue as a successful social insurance program. On the other is the insurance industry, which is spending millions and lobbying hard to put Medicare on a fast track to privatization, a goal long sought by fiscal conservatives and their allies in right-wing think tanks.