RICOCHET

For me, Twitter is less a social-media service than a six-year-long political argument with no sign of ending. In myriad (and meaningless) keyboard battles, I’ve tangled with progressives on economic policy, foreign affairs, elections, pop culture, social issues, education reform and countless other topics.

Obviously, I waste too much time on Twitter. But whatever the subject, my liberal enablers always drop the same line; one they believe will end the debate for good. About every other day since 2008, I’ve been on the receiving end of this withering coup de grâce, always delivered with a supercilious tone of finality.

“Maybe you should stop watching Fox News!” The more clever interlocutors misspell it “Faux News,” adding wonky jargon such as “dum winger” or “tea-tard.”

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As the fight rages between Israel and Hamas-led Gaza, those supporting Israel shake their heads at progressives around the world. How can a movement which boasts of its dedication to tolerance, feminism and LGBT equality endorse a terror state founded on thuggery and theocracy?

Israel is a modern, multicultural nation in a sea of medieval misery. Women can vote, gays can marry, and Arabs can serve in government. Just over the security fence, women are subjugated, gays are lynched, and there isn’t a Jew to be found (unless he has been kidnapped).

How can the Left be so enamored of the Palestinians? Are they simply immoral? Well, yes and no.

The Left has a morality, but it is different from that of most conservatives.

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While at the Netroots Nation conference in Detroit last week, I attended a few panels on public education. I’ve kept up to date on the school choice movement for the past few years, but hadn’t witnessed an anti-choice meeting for quite some time.

Compared to the education reformers’ message of optimism, enterprise and fresh thinking, the Netroots discussions seemed like an alternate universe — and a grim one at that.

The session “Reclaiming the Promise of Public Education” had a hopeful title, but ultimately revealed a movement in steep  decline. Perhaps the anti-reform agenda shouldn’t be called a “movement” at all since it offers only inertia. Each panelist betrayed a siege mentality, admitting they are being hit with the school choice message from all sides, even from traditional allies.

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A panel at the recent Netroots Nation conference called on progressive activists to “take down” a network of conservative non-profit organizations.

At an official session titled “Stink Tanks in Your State,” speakers denounced the State Policy Network, a coalition of “independent, non-profit, market-oriented, state-focused think tanks.” The presentation was part of the ninth annual Netroots Nation conference, the country’s “largest progressive gathering,” which was held in Detroit, July 17-20.

> Complete raw audio of the panel discussion is provided below.

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Netroots Nation is an annual conference for online progressive activists. Over the past few days, the group held their ninth annual event in Detroit — America’s finest example of unchecked liberal policy.

Unbeknownst to the organizers, I attended the conference to see what the other side thinks about economics, education and the midterms. If their presentation on comedy is any guide, conservatives don’t have much to fear.

“The Left is supposed to be funnier than the Right, damn it,” the panel description stated. “So why do we so often sound in public like we’re stiltedly reading from a non-profit grant proposal?”

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Late last night and into today, music lovers mourned the passing of Tommy Ramone — the last original member of the seminal New York band. Why the outpouring of affection for a group that never topped the charts? Although they weren’t the most popular, The Ramones were arguably the most influential band since the Beatles.

By 1976, rock music had run its course. The raw, raucous, rebellious teenage anthems of the ‘50s and ’60s had given way to plastic imitations. The Bee Gees and KC and the Sunshine Band played in the discos. The Bay City Rollers and “Afternoon Delight”topped the charts. The more serious listeners were wearing out pretentious LPs likeBrain Salad Surgery and Tales from Topographic Oceans (the latter a double album with just four songs, carrying understated titles such as “The Revealing Science of God [Dance of the Dawn]”).

Rock had become overproduced, overwrought and no fun at all.

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I’ve been on vacation the past week (the Monterey Bay Aquarium is lovely, by the way) but the few times I checked the headlines, the big story was the border crisis.

Since October, more than 52,000 unaccompanied children have attempted to cross into the U.S. These kids are fleeing violence and grinding poverty in their home countries, but many point to popular rumors that they’ll enjoy amnesty once they arrive. Obama’s self-serving and murky immigration policy, especially concerning young “DREAMers,” has borne its bitter fruit.