Larwyn's Links: the incredible lightness of liberalism

 
• The Impact of Welfare Reform: child poverty fell (especially among black children), welfare caseloads were cut in half, employment of single moms increased, and the rise of out-of-wedlock child-rearing abated. So much for the disaster that Democrats, NOW, the Urban Institute and every other left-leaning group predicted. Just wondering: don't these people get tired of being on the wrong side of history?

• When it comes to Hillary and Obama discussing social security reform, their plans are crystal clear. Everything -- everything! -- is either on or off the table.

• Pull my finger: Bubba blew a gasket in Canton. Confronted by a pro-Obama heckler, Bill unleashed his vicious, wagging finger and reportedly flicked the hecker in the face.

• Did Barack Obama lie about his background in his autobiography? Former New York Times reporter Kenneth Lamb peels a few more layers off the onion (credit Richard Cohen with nationalizing the review of Obama's back story).

• When is not raping someone a crime? Vanderleun provides the I-can't-believe-it's-not-satire answer: when you're in the Israeli military.

• Dear Lou Dobbs, The middle class became the rich. Don Surber riffs on the relative luxury in which today's middle class lives, albeit with plenty of whining and envy.

...I won't go into how little we spend on food and utilities, or how computer and other gadgetry have improved as the prices dropped to the point that every teenager now seems to come with an iPod and a cell phone. Americans have never had it so good... The middle class has become the rich.

And the poor? In 2003, one-eighth of Americans - 12.5 percent - lived below the federal line of poverty... But the Census Bureau reported that 46 percent of households listed as officially living in poverty actually lived in homes they owned.

And, the Census Bureau reported, 76 percent had air-conditioning.

And, the Census Bureau reported, 75 percent had a car.

And, the Census Bureau reported, 30 percent had two cars...

Dammit, Don, there you go again. So what if the poor own cars? They're probably 2003 models!