Sailer's New Book

The incomparable, and indispensable Steve Sailer has written an online book about Barack Obama, which is certain to be more fair and more informative than anything you will find in a mainstream newspaper or media website.

A small taste:

Doubts over whether he is black enough have tormented Obama since his youth. His psychological trauma helps make him a more captivating personality to contemplate than, say, his vanquished rival for the Democratic nomination, Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor. Richardson‘s unusual life story (raised among the elite of Mexico City, the descendent of one WASP and three Mexican grandparents) would seem at least as relevant to contemporary American politics as Obama’s famously exotic background. Yet, nobody paid Richardson any attention. That’s partly because Americans evidently find Hispanics less interesting than blacks, even though Latinos now significantly outnumber African Americans—and partly because Richardson is a hack, while Obama is something more refined and intriguing.

Despite Obama’s aesthetic talents, his actual politics aren't terribly innovative. As conservative literary critic Shelby Steele, who is also the son of a black father and white mother, points out in A Bound Man, “For Obama, liberalism is blackness.” To be black enough is tied up in Obama’s mind with being left enough. As someone brought up by whites far from the black mainstream, Obama lacks the freedom to be politically unorthodox enjoyed by men of such iconic blackness as boxing promoter Don King, or funk singer James Brown and basketball giant Wilt Chamberlain, both of whom endorsed Richard Nixon in 1972.

Sailer's new book, and his blog, are highly recommended reading for matters concerning Obama, and everything else.

Palin Parrots Amnesty

So much for any hope that Sarah Palin would bring a good dose of traditional conservatism to the McCain ticket. Or that McCain would have learned something from his "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" disaster. Nope.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she supports John McCain's position on immigration, including a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

It's the first time she's addressed the issue in depth, and her views are likely to shape her chances of leading the Republican Party should McCain fail to win the White House nect month.

She said she agrees with McCain, who fought most of his party in trying to legalize most illegal immigrants.

"John McCain has been so clear with his policy and it makes a lot of sense too. We secure our borders first. But then with a comprehensive approach we must deal humanely with those who are here, and we must allow the steps to be taken to protect the families of those who are here, maybe as illegal immigrants today," she told Univision's "Al Punto" Sunday political talk show in an interview aired this weekend.

She said she doesn't support "amnesty" because those here illegally should be shuttled to the back of the line for services.

"Not total amnesty. You know, people have got to follow the rules. They've got to follow the law, and we have got to make sure that there is equal opportunity and those who are here legally should be first in line for services being provided and those opportunities that this great country provides."

So, let's see. People have to follow the rules, unless they decide not to, in which case we will cluck our tongues and then let them get away with it anyway. This is the new definition of conservatism.

If we won't enforce our laws, and we clearly won't enforce our borders, why should potential illegal aliens pay any attention to what we say anyway?