The Medium Lobster sums it up:
We know that Barack Obama, in his heart of hearts, truly wants Real Change. We can tell this by examining the furrows of his brow as he squints meaningfully into the middle distance, by carefully measuring the sincerity-per-pixel count of his campaign posters, by reflecting on the inspirational Martin Luther King quotes he delicately intones before carpet-bombing an Afghan village. But we also know that despite his best efforts, Barack Obama can’t achieve Real Change, confounded as he is by such institutional barriers as Congress and the Pentagon and Barack Obama. We know, for example, that Barack Obama wants nothing less than a sweeping overhaul of America’s health care system, but has been hopelessly blocked at every turn by conservative Democrats like Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman and Barack Obama. And we know that Barack Obama did everything he could to oppose a trillion-dollar no-strings-attached bailout of a corrupt finance industry, but was helpless to stop it, boosted as it was by notorious corporate whore Barack Obama. And we know that Nobel Laureate Barack Obama is a devout lover of peace, but has been powerless to prevent the American military’s rampant bloodletting throughout the Muslim world, as the nation’s armed forces remain in the hands of that bloodthirsty warmonger Barack Obama.
And we know that although Barack Obama is an idealist, representing the very best and brightest of American Liberalism, he’s also a hard-nosed pragmatist, willing to compromise between extremes of Left and Right, between black and white, between war and more war. That’s why when the Left wanted to close Guantanamo and the Right wanted to double Guantanamo, Obama doubled Bagram instead. That’s why when the Left wanted to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 350 parts per million and the Right claimed global warming was an international Masonic conspiracy, Obama bombed a village in Pakistan. And that’s why when the Left wanted universal health care and the Right wanted hundreds of billions of dollars for Wall Street, a capital gains tax cut and a domestic spending freeze, Obama gave them hundreds of billions of dollars for Wall Street, a capital gains tax cut and a domestic spending freeze.
There’s more, but I didn’t want to steal the whole thing so go to Fafblog and read the rest.
BTW – You know Simon Barsinister has to be a Republican, right? But don’t worry, Sweet Polly Purebread was not a member of Journolist.
(h/t Lambert)
Filed under: General |
The Confluence 
The Listening Post – Wikileaks’ and the media
So, Julian Assange was correct in that they did give the White House a heads up via Dean Baquet The New York Times Washington Bureau Chief.
DandyTiger,
Did you find anything more on the matter? If so please let me know, as I am most curious about this side of the WikiLeaks story.
The story mentions the supposed leaker to WikiLeaks Bradley Manning within the report.
ESTABLISHING A NEW NORMAL
National Security, Civil Liberties, and Human Rights
Under the Obama Administration
AN 18-MONTH REVIEW
JULY 2010
Click to access EstablishingNewNormal.pdf
I’ll take a look. I got a bit ultrabusy again (subtle reference to Kubrick/Burgess).
No longer able to access the video. Any chance you could post a new one?
The Listening Post – The ‘hearts and minds’ of Operation Moshtarak – Part 2
Hope this one stays…WikiLeaks was the inspiration behind this law and the protection it offers to journalists and whistle blowers.
I think they pulled it and they are fixing it, but I did find the current one, which is more about the law and less about WikiLeaks per say.
I thought she was dead
Don’t scare me, I haven’t had coffee yet…
Phyllis is busy blaming WOMEN for Obama. Also, how can she say with a straight face that those 70% of women that supposedly voted for Obama were ALL MARRIED and that they all decided to KICK their husbands out because Obama was going to take care of them???
She is nutty, as some women just haven’t chosen to be married, but in her world, as soon as you hit 18 a woman should be married otherwise they are huzzys??? Is Miss Ann Coulter (sp) married or is she saved because she is within the 30% that didn’t vote for him and hasn’t gotten around to kicking her husband out yet?
They don’t need providers, they could always support themselves by joining the lecture circuit and arguing that women shouldn’t have jobs. Fastest growth industry in the economy.
She is dead – those are her remains that the earth rejected. She is doomed to walk like Jacob Marley until she is raptured off the planet for good. She spews garbage like Marley rattled his chains.
Lol.
She should get a refund on the embalming though. She looks like the Crypt Keeper’s older sister.
(no that wasn’t a sexist remark, it was ageist.)
I’ll never forget Schlafly’s talk in the student union at my school. When she said “There’s no such thing as discrimination against women!” the whole room burst out laughing.
All this time I didn’t know. She’s a stand up comedian. Like Andy Kaufman used to do, she’s living the part and won’t let on that it’s an act. Brilliant. 🙂
In spam again. Just now.
What did you do to piss off Spammy?
I have no idea. It happened twice yesterday on your Nutroots thread too.
Anyone have a wooden stake?
Her age is definitely showing. As a matter of fact she speaks with an attitude like a true man.
I can’t help but wonder how many blocks did she walk to get her data?
What inconsistency? Obama consistently acts like a conservative.
He just doesn’t act like a bat-guano crazy conservative.
Since the BGC conservatives, with the indispensable help of their allies in the Corporate Media, have successfully claimed the mantle of “conservatism” exclusively for themselves, many non-BGC conservatives end up mistakenly labelled as “moderates”, or even “liberals”. This is one reason Obummer is mislabelled a “liberal”.
Useful definition of a DINOcrat: A Republican who doesn’t fear and loathe swarthy people or gay people. I almost added “women” to that list, but then I remembered the DINOcratic misogyny of 2008.
Change!
The more things change, the more they stay the same, or worse.
BUSH III
Yep. And you don’t hear any of the Congressional Democratic Leadership challenging him , either.
Same Democrats that gave George W. Bush everything he wanted.
Did anyone else get the DSCC e-mail from Paul Begala today reminding to enter some contest for a chance to have dinner with Obama? Lol. It sounded to me like the magic of the Obama fundraising ATM has run out.
Yahoo was kind enough to provide me with a spam filter for my email account so I don’t know.
Spam filters are great – with junk snail mail you have to walk over to the garbage can and throw the stuff away. Yahoo doesn’t even allow spam to disturb my serenity.
I like to keep an eye out on what shenanigans they’re up to. They’re doing “Fight the Smears” redux lately, only they’re calling it “Fight the Lies.”
Deval Patrick used to do that, but you had to make a zillion calls and sign up the most people to the mailing list to win. Good call on making it a random drawing with O. I’m sure they’d get people falling all over themselves to face the wrath of America.
LOL. Like the Dem primaries, I assume it will be rigged.
Yech. I’d pay money to NOT have dinner with OPrecious.
From the point of view of civil libertarians, the Obama administration has been an exercise in frustration, with every hopeful sign followed by failures to live up to its own promises.
***********
Typical of the ACLU e-mails that I get asking for money. It’s always the “Obama administration” or the “White House” or advisors, etc. They still refuse to point blame directly where it belongs.
I don’t even open the ACLU mailings anymore.
Right to the trash can, given their inability to grow some.
I write a few barbed comments on them and send them back in the pp envelopes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/opinion/30fri1.html
Zebra/donkey hybrid born in US
Gee, that reporter seemed to be having too much fun reporting the ZeDonk. 😯
I’m not so sure those are new. When I lived near Placerville the farm down the way from me had donkey zebra hybrids…and that was a while ago. We used to ride our horses down to see the babies because they were so darn cute!
OT: From The Hill article “Emanuel throws $1.5B life preserver to farmers, aiding Lincoln,” by Alexander Bolton:
“President Obama is looking to throw a life preserver to farmers in Arkansas and elsewhere with an administrative action worth $1.5 billion.
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel has promised endangered Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas that the administraiton will help farmers in her state stay in business.
Emanuel called Lincoln on Thursday morning to tell her the administration would FIND $1.5 billion within its budget to help farmers in Arkansas and around the country who are coping with natural disasters.”
Tennessee flooding? Zero
Louisiana shrimpers? Talk to BP.
Arkansas farmers, to help keep the Senate seat? $1.5 billion.
Not a surprise. this is the way Axelrahm rolls.
True. But now voters in Tennessee and Louisiana know it.
And so will the millions of Independent voters all over the country.
I doubt very much that it matters. TPTB have no qualms about rigging elections. They’ve been doing it for a decade.
Fair enough.
But I think it does matter, this year.
Obama is a neoliberal, where “neoliberal” is defined as “a neocon who wishes to take advantage of the resources of the Democratic Party.”
Thanks myiq2xu for the link to the Medium Lobster. Commentary is interesting. Love this nugget …
******************************
The choice wasn’t between a giant douchebag and a turd sandwich. Anyone would have won against the turd sandwich in that election. The real choice was much worse: giant douchebag or . . . . . . a woman.
Well, I mean, what could we do?
by quixote, at february 17, 2010 6:56 pm
******************************
This is a test.
Just a few minutes ago I wrote a comment and when I submitted it I was instantly disconnected from the internuts.
Should I be worried?
Nah, I wouldn’t be worried. Wait, there’s a knock at my door….
“It’s the suede denim secret police/We have come for your uncool niece” 😈
I read this one really really late last night…
It sums up so much. Also, growing up in the 70’s Calif? I remember the orig Panthers — they were in LA and Berkeley. Those were the fledgling days of everyone protesting for everything… (and it was all Democrats, too…)
Really worth the read…
hugs Conf & co.
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_6169.shtml
So, from the above to The View. Dunno. In a 40 year period.
I can understand the voice penning the article, I really can. We were probably Jr. Dems, together — once.
Ha ha. Good one myiq2xu. Well played.
The Confluence is The Matrix and I’m Neo before he realized that he’s The One. That would make you Agent Smith.
My problem: The blue pill didn’t work correctly so you can change my posts at will.
Maybe one day you won’t be afraid of dissent. Until then I’ll keep looking for the Oracle and hope she has a way to get you to stop censoring everything you don’t like.
[Comic-con was last week and I’m still excited about it. I’m a geek. So what?]
Tisk, tisk… so, you gave up trying to be a woman for the day!?! If you pointed out some thing that was OK, a good point to make you wouldn’t get deleted.
I just heard on the radio that President Obama is trying to do a move on immigration, because he fears he won’t get a bill passed via some executive order move. See, if you reported on that, people might take an interest.
As for me….WHERE IS MY PUBLIC OPTION and MEDICARE BUY IN…yup, not going to be too impressed since he blocked them both and wouldn’t even let the Public Option into the table of discussions.
Irony thanks the Angry Hope Generation for keeping it alive.
God, you’re an idiot. Fixing the problems caused by the last guy is why he was elected. What did you think it was, we wanted a tutorial in Advanced Weaseling Out of Responsibility? That would have been a great Inaugural Address. “We got lots of problems. I got no solutions. You chose poorly. See ya in ’12!”
I removed the comment. I couldn’t stand reading that much bull shit over lunch. You can tell things aren’t going well for the Oprecious when the denial trolls show up again … of course ABG doesn’t have to worry about insurance not covering his erectile dysfunction pills. Unfortunately, women have to worry now about private abortion coverage. He may have a job, but then again, he must have swallowed a pretty bitter pill to have normalized the unemployment rate we’ve got going on now.
S/he gets mellow thinking of all of O’s amazing accomplishments. Yesterday’s trip to The View was an all-time highlight.
Aw, did mood disorder troll stop by and I missed him/her/them?
yeah, and he’s on his meds today so we just don’t see things his way because it’s ALL good
You don’t have to see things my way. I’d only say to you that you have no idea who I am, what i do or what my life in the real world is like. Assuming a bunch of stuff about a person who disagrees with you may make it easier for you to win a battle in the comments of a random blog post, but what does it say about your positions that you can’t stand to have them challenged directly by someone who will do so with facts and without insults?
If I make a point and you delete it, call me a bunch of names and claim victory, you “win”, but who on earth wants to win that way?
Apologies for the double posts there. Didn’t mean to do that.
Who cares who you are or what your life is like? Just go away and do whatever you do somewhere else.
You never bring anything to a discussion but talking points straight from OFA. If I was interested in propaganda, I’d just listen to Robert Gibbs’ pressers. You’re not interested in anything but your POV based on nothing resembling what’s going on.
We have three pieces of major shitty legislation that benefits no one but the richest of the rich and their corporations and you just want to drop by and tell us we just hate Obama for beating Clinton. You’re like a broken record. You add nothing. Go troll some one that cares about that. Go troll OFA so you can operate in a echo chamber full of talking points.
See? If we let a troll out to play they promptly crap on the rug and start gnawing on the furniture.
Wow a permission slip from Angry Hope Generation telling us we are allowed to open our eyes and see what we see. Why next they might let us wimminz have a night off from cooking and cleaning to have a tupperware party or something.
ABG, you take things too seriously. This is the Internet. You don’t get a pony either way. Who wants to “win” by not having to listen to your stupid non-points anymore? Uh….everyone. If things are going so swimmingly, why not just enjoy life and plan the next victory parade? Come back when you have something to say worth listening to. Insipid talking points not included.
I’m still waiting for his “facts.”
The creative class does not need “facts.” They operate on the right wing’s narratives–or fairytales if you will–and then create a veneer of progressivism to add to these trickle down farces, as if the word “historic” is sufficient disguise for privatization and the ghost of Ronnie Raygun.
Takes longer than 18 months to fix 8 years worth of screw ups.
My guess is that if Hillary were in office and she did everything your heart desires, the numbers would look only marginally better.
I don’t agree with conservatives on almost anything but the core point of conservative thinking is actually pretty sound: There is a limit as to what government can do.
Could Obama and the dems be doing more? of course. I want another massive stimulus package immediately. But let’s not pretend that they are miracle workers. Under the best case scenario, we are still dealing with 8-9% unemployment regardless.
There is no magic bullet other than time.
Now as for the wars, Obama is completely wrong. He should start ending them immediately and bringing back the troops. But I think Hillary would have taken an identical (or more conservative) position on that point. Neither candidate said what i wanted to hear on the wars.
Your guess is worth absolutely nothing.
I don’t agree with conservatives on almost anything but the core point of conservative thinking is actually pretty sound: There is a limit as to what government can do.
I think the bold part is all we really need to hear from you. Like Obama, you’re a Reagan/Bush follower whether you recognize it or not. You probably think Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment benefits are entitlements too. You my friend, are a Republican.
LOL
Lol, so you guys had to run a scorched earth campaign against Hillary because she would have been marginally better?
Your argument of “it takes a lot of time to clean up 8 years of bad Republican poopy messes” is tired. I suggest you read the bios on FDR and see what a real Liberal can do.
Boy, I didn’t know that Obots were so fatalistic. Isn’t this the opposite of the hopey-changey kool-aid they swilled?
He should read how quickly Bill Clinton turned things around after George Bush 1 also.
the Angry Hope Generation reads freeperville talking points about Clinton that were dressed up as “progressive”
That’s some great
“Yes We Can”“No We Won’t” spirit right there! These are the great Democrats Donna B invited to the party and wrote off the rest of us for.♪ I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should ♪
Obama: Because What Difference Does It Make, Anyway? He’s not going to do a damn thing for you, but why are you so selfish? Think of what it’ll do for his resume.
Obama: Because Hillary and all Her BAGGAGE would Have Been Marginally…. Better! Yahooo!
Remember when we had to tolerate Elmer Gantry to preserve the illusions of Generation Nasty? If the will of the voters was respected instead of pushed aside in deference to their specialness, their hearts would be broken and they’d become disillusioned and cynical? They seem to have gotten there without our help. Whoops! Maybe it wasn’t worth it after all.
Poor Babies, their wonderful pop culture action figure is a retrograde dork who goes on the View and talks about Michelle and the clicker.
Oh, if only we had this woman as POTUS…I will never forgive the DNC. Nor Jon Corzine. Never. It makes me weep watching this and listening to this particular song.
The DNC will rue the day.
They still kinda had me on the choice issue until the let Stupak do his dirty work to get the HCR passed. That’s it … I don’t believe anything they say now.
the only issue I thought the Dems were still better than the GOP on was that they were more open to minorities. even if only in a cosmetic way. but after Webb’s murky rightwing talking points the other day on affirmative action, the current lot of Dems really are the same as the GOP to me on every front. 2% less evil in some ways is even more insidious and more damaging. They’re supposed to be an alternative to the GOP but instead all they do is rebrand everything regressive as the “new normal”
Fascinating, ABG. So if there’s no difference between one of the worst Presidents we’ve ever had and a competent President, well then there’s not much point in caring, is there? We could elect FDR or we could elect a particularly nice looking can of tomatoes, and they’re all made out of ticky tacky and they all come out the same. Good luck with this nihilistic approach. “Obama–Because They’re All Alike and It Makes No Effing Difference Anyway. Don’t Forget to Vote!” Wow. I wish we discovered all this meaningless prior to Misogynyfest 2008.
Idiotic double post deleted.
Too bad idiotic double idiot hasn’t been deleted.
I’d delete him entirely, but I don’t want to ruin the nesting.
I spammed his first comment. He’s getting through with a new email and ISP. I just didn’t go out and put it on the block list yet. Hoped he wouldn’t be back but I forgot how persistently deluded he is.
I banned him awhile ago.
I went back to look at my “feminist” piece for Hillary. This is how I know the Panther voice, because Jr. Panthers and Jr. Chicanas went to Jr. High and High School with me…
http://vbonnaire.wordpress.com/2008/02/09/the-kinder-gentler-world-we-knew-once/
The raised fist meant many things, but “Power to the People” was the reality at that time. The way I see it, we all went off to work after that, and college… and then there was this election of our lifetimes.
Also, I think it is disgusting spending bazillions on a wedding when people are dying on the streets in this country. I really do. Dunno.
I’m not even sure about the Democrats anymore, you guys. I’m beginning to think that politics is something i thought it wasn’t — something Dakini touched on in the piece below — pure corruption.
I disagree with your comment about spending money on the wedding. It is none of our business. Chelsea doesn’t owe you anything.
I would say the same about anyone’s private wedding.
The Clintons have one daughter, who has been their rock, while the manchild bullies have thrown rocks at her for the last two decades.
She deserves her day.
Thinking about her wedding makes me really happy. It’s a little bright spot amid all the crap, and I wish the Clintons the happiest of days!!
assuming you’re referring to Chelsea’s wedding, I agree with Dee, it’s a private wedding, funded by the parents of the couple involved, and it’s none of our business what it costs or who is invited for that matter. It is not funded by the State, and I’ll lay you odds that the Obama vacation in Spain, which will be funded by taxpayers will cost far more. That’s where your angst should be, in the spending of taxpayer dollars.
My point is that I no longer recognize the “Gunne Sax” wearing Hillary? Spain thing is equal in my view.
Democrats as I knew the party I chose in the 80’s actually cared about the people as a whole. If you had worked with the homeless as I did?
You’d get my point.
‘
I’m about to watch my state of California turn bright red. It isn’t too pleasant for me, as a long time Democrat. California is the barometer for the nation, or so it is said.
I grew up in one of the wealthiest, kindest cities in America. You should see what I see every day. I don’t think ANY politicians right now give a fuck? I don’t. Funding for all the social programs set up since the 70’s has been cut to bone. Bone.
In front of the biggest hotels along the beach people sleep near their shopping carts. I’ll show you!
http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&q=santa+barbara+homeless&btnG=Google+Search
Some of the people attending that wedding live in my town.
When I became a Democrat I had read all of John Steinbeck. Chavez and his grapes were the theme in the 70’s. The Democrats were about helping women and the poor. Not anymore.
Are you actually lumping Bill and Hillary and Chelsea in with the Democrats that don’t give a damn?
shame on you
VB, I know what you mean. Remember Jerry Brown’s apartment when he was governor? I’ve heard $30M for the wedding. If that is the actual number, it’s unbelievable. Where’s the sense of proportion?
So it’s their money. So what if they or I or anyone wants to spend my money as conspicuously as possible. But it’s setting a standard that others feel they have to live up to, or they’re losers. Haves and have-nots.
No, it’s not 30 million for the wedding. The Clintons’ estimated worth is 35 million.
So far I’ve only seen figures for the wedding being “estimated” by “experts,” and it’s been around 2-3 million in most stories. There are some really going out there to say “it could be over five million.” The Clinton name sells copy, that’s what this is about.
I think this will hurt them politically? I’m sad for that. I believed in them. But, I am a Jerry brown style JFK CA DEM. Or I was.
Sandra, you know what I mean. I know you do.
ps: Jerry Brown is probably the last Democrat I feel I can believe in — he’s from here. Like me. Thanks Sandra!
Sorry, JFK was a MA Dem, not a CA Dem. And he was very rich. I doubt if his wedding to Jackie was cheap.
Oh jeebus. Who’s gives a damn what the wedding costs. It’s none of our business. And I would take the media’s “estimate” with several grains of salt.
I don’t know where all the talk about the wedding costs came from — it’s all speculation and seems to be getting higher and higher==base don what exactly? I saw something today where a friend of Hillary’s poo-pooed that it would cost as much as is being rumored. She said something like, “if you knew Hillary, that is not something she would do” and that a lot of the costs were for security and putting guests up in hotels.
No one in the msm really knows how much the wedding will cost. What I suspect is that the gossip about the cost of the nuptials and “celebrity guests” is part of a smear campaign against the Clintons.
It’s disgusting to spend bazillions of taxpayer dollars (way more than Bush II did) on an inaugural “party” when it could go on health care for all, schools, clean water, repairing infrastructure….
Oooooh. No happy campers over at TalkLeft. They’re ripping The One pretty harshly, and the progbloggers , too.
Apparently Jeralynn’s not there, and they feel safer bashing The One. LOL
Squeaky going bananas yet?
Surprisingly not — yet. Either he’s on vacation or he’s been muzzled.
muzzle would be good until he bit it off 😉
Ummm…
Jeralyn is on vacation, and Squeaky is on vacation!
makes me wonder …
Doesn’t look that way to me. It just looks like BTD is throwing the usual red meat, and the few that take to it are snarling and grabbing at will.
She must be busy watching reality TV.
Bill Clinton emerges on Chelsea’s wedding eve:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100730/ap_on_re_us/us_chelsea_s_wedding
Thanks. I didn’t know Chelsea is in graduate school.
I can’t wait for Hillary to set up her global foundation for women and girls. I bet Chelsea will run the public health section.
yes she started after the campaign. I think she got inspired while campaigning for her mom. You could see her on the trail, she’s a wonk just like mom and dad.
I did see her during the primary. I have actually never seen anyone like her. She was truly amazing.
Fortuantely, I got to discuss Chelsea with her mother just four days later.
It occurred to me that Chelsea just may be the first woman president. Talk about genetics for the job….Of course she’d have to become Republicans, since Democrats are worthless when it comes to women.
Moronic comment deleted.
MBG – I didn’t realize the Obama campaign was still paying bloggers to “infiltrate”–I hope it’s a decent hourly rate for your time!
They’ve been grooming Chelsea to take over Bill’s Foundation. That’s why she went back to school for Public Health.
Just as I thought. The million dollar figures for Chelsea’s wedding is malicious gossip meant to slam the Clintons yet again.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100730/ap_on_re_us/us_chelsea_s_wedding
“Meanwhile, a longtime Clinton family friend adamantly denied that the cost of the wedding would be more than $1 million. The friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with the family’s desire for privacy, said the cost of the wedding will not exceed six figures. Wedding experts told The Associated Press the wedding could cost $2 million to $3 million, while some media reports put the cost as high as $5 million.”
Probe into Wikileaks case
“Gates, added that there is an aggressive investigation would determine how the leaks accured and there is no ruling out that WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange could be a target.”
US Defense Secretary blasts WikiLeaks
July 30, 2010