Person of the Year?
Joseph Paquette ·
December 20, 2012 at 8:54pm
Many other news organizations are starting their person of the year polls. As expected, Obama and the usual lefties are at the top of the lists. Who would be the Richochet "Person of the Year"? Nominations please, and voting (by liking the comment).
Addendum 12/21: Leading choices based on comments: Scott Walker, John Galt, Julia (and/or government dependents, e.g. the 47%). Read the justifications below.
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Oct '12
Re: Person of the Year?
Ted Cruz, senator elect from Texas.
Feb '12
Re: Person of the Year?
Sandra Fluke, to our national shame.
Mar '11
Re: Person of the Year?
Julia
Jun '10
Re: Person of the Year?
Jacques Barzun, the great French-born American writer and scholar, who died in October at age 104. He was an academic who wrote in the language of the common reader.
His masterpiece, From Dawn to Decadence, is perhaps the greatest history of the highlights and lowlights of Western culture (he was 94 when it was published). He documented the descent of Western art and culture into modern-day decadence.
In Roger Kimball's words, he also wrote about how these forces have beset society and politics:
Fascinating idea: liberal, decadent thought turns us into tribes. Seems right.
Edited on December 20, 2012 at 6:20pmJan '11
Re: Person of the Year?
How about some categories of conservatives:
politician- Ted Cruz of Texas
media - TV, John Stossel
media - online, Bill Whittle
media print - Krauthammer
think tank - Jonah Goldberg AEI
pundit - Michael Barone
Talk Radio - Dennie Prager
blogger - Powerline John Hinderacker
Conservative Actor - Jon Voight
Conservative Actress - ?
Jun '10
Re: Person of the Year?
WI Con: How about some categories of conservatives:
politician- Ted Cruz of Texas
media - TV, John Stossel
media - online, Bill Whittle
media print - Krauthammer
think tank - Jonah Goldberg AEI
pundit - Michael Barone
Talk Radio - Dennie Prager
blogger - Powerline John Hinderacker
Conservative Actor - Jon Voight
Conservative Actress - ? · 0 minutes ago
Half cat/half human political commentary: Casey
May '11
Re: Person of the Year?
Person of the year seems like the yearly "most beautiful woman in America," who is always some sort of PC choice, in my opinion. The entire concept is ridiculous. As a general rule, we are attracted to people who look like us... white people might find a fair skinned blonde to be the most beautiful woman, asians an asian, africans a really dark black lady, american-blacks probably a lighter skinned black lady, indians an indian woman and so on. The notion of a "most beautiful" woman is insane. Same goes for person of the year.
Meh. I think the whole thing is silly. There are a lot of great people, but there is no person of the year.
That said, my vote goes to Obama. ;) I'm with ~paules on this one. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
Edited on December 20, 2012 at 7:25pmMay '11
Re: Person of the Year?
People of the Year: Government Dependents
Feb '12
Re: Person of the Year?
The 47%?
Nov '11
Re: Person of the Year?
What is the criteria for this?
Time's criteria is
May '11
Re: Person of the Year?
Fred Cole:
Time's criteria is
Based on this criteria, do you think that you would still have to - as Peter suggested - vote for Obama? I'm not trying to hate on the guy, here, but from a purely objective stance, what has he done? He hasn't had any ideas that aren't pure mainstream liberal. He hasn't come up with any new way to present it - MSNBC does that every day. He hasn't actually done anything. The only thing remarkable about Obama is what he has not done. He is so popular for the simple reason that he is black and liberal. He is not remarkable in either of those respects. There are black men, there are liberals, and he is no different in those areas. He is a creation of the media and nothing more. Obama, qua Obama, is not even slightly influential. If each of his abilities and character traits were judged by the same standards as everyone else, you might even consider him below average.
Am I wrong about this?
May '11
Re: Person of the Year?
Paul Dougherty
The 47%?
Ah yes, even better.
Nov '11
Re: Person of the Year?
Ryan M
Am I wrong about this?
He has done one thing this year:
He got re-elected. Considering how horrible a president he's been, that's a substantial accomplishment.
And in any election year, based on Time's own criteria, I think the winning presidential candidate is a logical contender for the title.
Jun '10
Re: Person of the Year?
My choice of Jacques Barzun doesn't meet the "person who has done the most to influence events" test. But, if people adopted his worldview, we'd have a better world.
I applied a different criterion: who did I think was most deserving?
Barzun thought clearly, wrote beautifully, saw the decadence of the post-modern world, identified the degradation of liberal thought, and refused to acceptavant garde secular pieties. And he remained consistent for nearly 10 1/2 decades. That's good enough for me.
Nov '11
Re: Person of the Year?
WI Con: How about some categories of conservatives:
media - TV, John Stossel
Conservatives are trying to claim Stossel as one of them now?
Jul '10
Re: Person of the Year?
James Lileks
Jan '11
Re: Person of the Year?
Fred Cole
WI Con: How about some categories of conservatives:
media - TV, John Stossel
Conservatives are trying to claim Stossel as one of them now? · 6 minutes ago
As an advocate of limited government, yes. I don't agree with him on all things at all but think that he's makes his case on a range of issues in a compelling manner.
Things are quite fractious on the 'right' lately (as well as nationally). I think that returning to the principles of limited government & federalism is the best way to maximize freedom, happiness and oppourtunity. Gay marriage in CA & NY, traditional in TX. Guns, God in schools & public squares, abortion, school choice - same thing. I'll respect those boundaries if mine are equally respected.
Aug '11
Re: Person of the Year?
Julia was my choice as well, as a symbolic representative of the person who has determined that the state exists to meet their every need, from cradle to grave.
The left simply did not understand why conservatives treated The Life of Julia as parody. But conservatives did not understand just how much voting power the Julias have.
This was the year that the Julias were told that our nation simply cannot sustain the level of spending to which the Julias feel entitled. And they voted for more of it anyway.
Julia was perfectly personified in Sandra Fluke, demanding that a Catholic University provide her with free birth control for no other reason than she wanted it. And we have an administration who was more than happy to make Sandra Fluke its real life Julia, giving her a prime time speaking slot at the convention where she lied over and over about some imaginary war on women.
Julia, 2012 belongs to you. But please go away.
Edited on December 20, 2012 at 9:12pmJul '11
Re: Person of the Year?
John Galt
Jun '10
Re: Person of the Year?
WI Con: How about some categories of conservatives:
Conservative Actress - ? · 2 hours ago
Patricia Heaton