I have to say that I'm glad I'm not a Democrat trying to fluff the Senate Bill, but I'm much happier I'm not a Republican trying not to look like a plutocrat while doing their shilling. You'd think, in a world where voters count, that Democrats could figure out that a Public Option polling at 60% and over versus the crappy numbers for the Senate Bill means something. That it doesn't, does mean something.
Yes, watching Rep Wiener call Republicans a "wholly owned subsidiary of the Insurance Companies" was gratifying, but the net was cast a bit narrowly since it missed a whacking big chunk of the Democratic Senate Caucus. Nope, you're not supposed to shiv your fellow Party elected officials and that is part of the problem. We do have the best health care in the world that big money can buy and we do have the best Government big money can buy. You do understand that if wealth were suffering under the health care we have that it would have been fixed long ago.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wow This Thing Smokes
The new laptop arrived today and I'm getting to play with it a bit. This is a Dell Vostro 1720 with Win 7 Ultimate & Office Pro. Intel Core 2 Duo P7570 @ 2.26, 2.27 GHz w/4 GB RAM & 64 Bit OS & 218 GB HD. It is responding really nicely to the Qwest Broadband. The last laptop was getting a bit tired and my daughter in law needs something for school. It can do more than she needs running Vista Ultimate w/2004 Office Pro. I put a lot of time on it and it has been a pretty good machine, but it was more reasonable for me to get a new one rather than try to buy a cheap one for her.
The 17" screen is a nice change and the finish on it is less reflective than the old one and has a brighter picture. The keys are nicer and the whole thing seems more solid than the old Aspire.
I think I'll keep it, as if I had a choice...
The 17" screen is a nice change and the finish on it is less reflective than the old one and has a brighter picture. The keys are nicer and the whole thing seems more solid than the old Aspire.
I think I'll keep it, as if I had a choice...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Yoo, Bybee, Bradbury - Torturers Walk
The USDOJ Friday decided that being the enablers of torture isn't even negligent, it's just, well, being silly or something. Yes, there is a pot full of legislation, treaties, and precedence that contradicts the stuff they wrote and signed off on.
A bit different from Neuremberg. I guess things have changed...or something.
A bit different from Neuremberg. I guess things have changed...or something.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Let's Not Be Stupid
A whole lot of us aren't remotely happy with what has become of the so-called Health Care Reform bill in the Senate or the House, especially considering the time and effort spent on it. We can easily point at the Republicans as the villains for total obstruction but that isn't real satisfying - somebody had to have failed. Here is where the hunt starts for the incompetent hack on our side.
I mentioned the left bashing previously as one incarnation of that, lately it seems Rahm Emmanuel is a target. A lot of people on the left or even progressive side heartily dislike Rahm for his disdain for anything not DLC. Some don't like him for being rude or raucous. No, I don't like his version of Democratic politics. Rahm Emmanuel is Chief of Staff to the POTUS - he has a BOSS. Even more than that, the executive branch does not run Congress.
Real frankly, I don't think there is anyone in particular to blame. I think the failures have been on the part of darn near every Federal elected Democrat. Taking a run at passing health care legislation has proved damn near impossible at the Federal level and this Party went at it like a collection of monkeys trying to do the deed to a football. Not one of the pieces is exempt from this, not the White House, not the House, not the Senate, and for good measure throw in Governors and the higher regarded State legislators and the damn Party organizations.
The first damn thing you have to do when you have a bunch of disparate views and competing interests is to get the confounded public on your side. When you are not going to win the big money powerhouse interests your lever is public opinion. You create a situation where the voters are going to remember who screwed the pooch where their interests were concerned. Considering that the ability to connect with the public is President Obama's great strength, this lack is mind boggling.
I'm not going to address the Congress, I don't want spit all over my monitor. In very short terms, knowing the votes, knowing the negotiators, knowing the honesty, and keeping some sort of discipline and consequences in place did not happen. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are not dictators, that part is up to their Caucuses but getting blind-sided by Nelson, Baucus, LIEberman, and the House wankers is inexcusable.
The pols who are close to their voters geographically are strong voices and frequently more popular and well regarded than the Federal legislators - crickets chirping. Where was the vaunted OFA and the DNC? How in the world did we have the spectacle of Cabinet officials being all over the map? Whose opinion on what was supposed to be important?
I'm not sure it makes squat difference now in regard to the end product or that it can be passed. What I am sure of is that if Democrats want to get anything at all done from here on out, they'd better figure this one out. All I can say to the rank and file is that if you want to throw rocks at anyone responsible, you'd better get a lot of them.
I mentioned the left bashing previously as one incarnation of that, lately it seems Rahm Emmanuel is a target. A lot of people on the left or even progressive side heartily dislike Rahm for his disdain for anything not DLC. Some don't like him for being rude or raucous. No, I don't like his version of Democratic politics. Rahm Emmanuel is Chief of Staff to the POTUS - he has a BOSS. Even more than that, the executive branch does not run Congress.
Real frankly, I don't think there is anyone in particular to blame. I think the failures have been on the part of darn near every Federal elected Democrat. Taking a run at passing health care legislation has proved damn near impossible at the Federal level and this Party went at it like a collection of monkeys trying to do the deed to a football. Not one of the pieces is exempt from this, not the White House, not the House, not the Senate, and for good measure throw in Governors and the higher regarded State legislators and the damn Party organizations.
The first damn thing you have to do when you have a bunch of disparate views and competing interests is to get the confounded public on your side. When you are not going to win the big money powerhouse interests your lever is public opinion. You create a situation where the voters are going to remember who screwed the pooch where their interests were concerned. Considering that the ability to connect with the public is President Obama's great strength, this lack is mind boggling.
I'm not going to address the Congress, I don't want spit all over my monitor. In very short terms, knowing the votes, knowing the negotiators, knowing the honesty, and keeping some sort of discipline and consequences in place did not happen. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are not dictators, that part is up to their Caucuses but getting blind-sided by Nelson, Baucus, LIEberman, and the House wankers is inexcusable.
The pols who are close to their voters geographically are strong voices and frequently more popular and well regarded than the Federal legislators - crickets chirping. Where was the vaunted OFA and the DNC? How in the world did we have the spectacle of Cabinet officials being all over the map? Whose opinion on what was supposed to be important?
I'm not sure it makes squat difference now in regard to the end product or that it can be passed. What I am sure of is that if Democrats want to get anything at all done from here on out, they'd better figure this one out. All I can say to the rank and file is that if you want to throw rocks at anyone responsible, you'd better get a lot of them.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Bipartisan Politics
Engaging "wayback machine" this is Jan22,2007
Here's a phrase that seems to be getting big play, it started shortly after the '06 election results and has gained ground ever since. It has a nice ring, bipartisan, it sort of rolls off the tongue with lovely strong syllable breaks and an element of cadence. I'll bet it would sound good if you did it with a mouth full of marbles and it looks nice in print - bipartisan - hey even in italics - bipartisan. It seems such a long time time since it had any currency.
You may be familiar with the name Frank Luntz, he of the Republican dictionary, well now he's decided to tell the Democrats how to use Words that Work over at HuffPo. The idea is to bury the hatchet...not in the Republican's heads, but actually bury it. He's on to the spirit of bipartisanship (-ship kind of spoils the cadence) and even notes, "Democracy is at its best when its practitioners use language to unite and explain rather than divide and attack." I also think it works pretty well when "Clean Air" doesn't mean pollution and estate tax means that and not "Death Tax" which means you get charged for not living anymore, um, dying. It would be pretty crass to charge for the dubious privilege of being dead. He just doesn't think being vindictive will work out for the Democrat Party (sure he knows better, he just can't help himself), that the Party should figure out how to work with the Republicans. He's actually right, the Democrats cannot afford to be perceived as vindictive. What I find odd, though, is the idea that it's the Democrats who are supposed to be bipartisan. Maybe it's the bi- piece of the word that's throwing me. All the way through Webster's 9th Collegiate (again) bi- has two involved, I think the part about "both sides" (2) may just be what's up with the word. Well, anyhow, thanks Frank.
I have a little different take on this Congress deal, nobody on that side wants to get along, what they want is a chance to score points for '08 and make Democrats look bad. When you reach across that aisle, if you get your hand back, you better count your fingers. What Democrats can do (listen up Hillary) is come up with good policies, make sure everybody knows they're good, ram them through, be seen ramming them through, and make sure the Republicans get the blame for their failure to happen. The President says he can do as he pleases, well now, that's an idea, but hauling them up before investigative committees makes that a bit tougher and when the dirt falls out impeachment really ties you up. Jail can give you time to reflect on hubris.
You already know that the Republicans would like very much to undo the 06 damage and hang onto the Presidency, since they're the minority their only hope is to be obstacles and then blame Democrats as "do nothings." You can thank Mr Luntz for showing you the genesis of how it will be played, "We were reasonable but all they wanted to do was keep hitting us with a bat." Just make sure that it's obvious that the Republicans stopped the game by stealing the balls, the bases, and the scoreboard. Then whack 'em with that bat again.
That's not being vindictive, it's culling the herd.
Here's a phrase that seems to be getting big play, it started shortly after the '06 election results and has gained ground ever since. It has a nice ring, bipartisan, it sort of rolls off the tongue with lovely strong syllable breaks and an element of cadence. I'll bet it would sound good if you did it with a mouth full of marbles and it looks nice in print - bipartisan - hey even in italics - bipartisan. It seems such a long time time since it had any currency.
You may be familiar with the name Frank Luntz, he of the Republican dictionary, well now he's decided to tell the Democrats how to use Words that Work over at HuffPo. The idea is to bury the hatchet...not in the Republican's heads, but actually bury it. He's on to the spirit of bipartisanship (-ship kind of spoils the cadence) and even notes, "Democracy is at its best when its practitioners use language to unite and explain rather than divide and attack." I also think it works pretty well when "Clean Air" doesn't mean pollution and estate tax means that and not "Death Tax" which means you get charged for not living anymore, um, dying. It would be pretty crass to charge for the dubious privilege of being dead. He just doesn't think being vindictive will work out for the Democrat Party (sure he knows better, he just can't help himself), that the Party should figure out how to work with the Republicans. He's actually right, the Democrats cannot afford to be perceived as vindictive. What I find odd, though, is the idea that it's the Democrats who are supposed to be bipartisan. Maybe it's the bi- piece of the word that's throwing me. All the way through Webster's 9th Collegiate (again) bi- has two involved, I think the part about "both sides" (2) may just be what's up with the word. Well, anyhow, thanks Frank.
I have a little different take on this Congress deal, nobody on that side wants to get along, what they want is a chance to score points for '08 and make Democrats look bad. When you reach across that aisle, if you get your hand back, you better count your fingers. What Democrats can do (listen up Hillary) is come up with good policies, make sure everybody knows they're good, ram them through, be seen ramming them through, and make sure the Republicans get the blame for their failure to happen. The President says he can do as he pleases, well now, that's an idea, but hauling them up before investigative committees makes that a bit tougher and when the dirt falls out impeachment really ties you up. Jail can give you time to reflect on hubris.
You already know that the Republicans would like very much to undo the 06 damage and hang onto the Presidency, since they're the minority their only hope is to be obstacles and then blame Democrats as "do nothings." You can thank Mr Luntz for showing you the genesis of how it will be played, "We were reasonable but all they wanted to do was keep hitting us with a bat." Just make sure that it's obvious that the Republicans stopped the game by stealing the balls, the bases, and the scoreboard. Then whack 'em with that bat again.
That's not being vindictive, it's culling the herd.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Teabaggery T&A
Given that this is the Teabaggery bunch, maybe the WaPo is taking it seriously enough :
I didn't take it that seriously...
Sarah Palin watch: She looks trim, fit -- and brimming with energy and plans
By Ann Gerhart
It had been a while since we had seen Sarah Palin live and in person. And then she popped onto stage Saturday night at the National Tea Party convention in Nashville, and we made these observations:
1) She's lost a lot of weight, perhaps 15 pounds. She looked trim and firm, like she's hoisting the barbells or maybe chopping wood. (...)
2) She wore a fitted black suit, black hose and high black platform heels. (...)
3) She was animated and full of energy, so much so that she kept knocking her microphone with her hand as she made her points. (...)
I didn't take it that seriously...
Kick The Left
Lately in some places it has been a real popular passtime to kick the left; mostly over its reaction to the Senate HCR bill. A lot of this fervor was generated by Jane Hamsher over at Fire Dog Lake (no i won't link her) for making a campaign against Rahm Emmanuel and hooking up with Grover Norquist - a swear word on the left. Now equating Jane to the Democratic Left is a lot like calling the Weather Undergound part of the Democrats. Where it gets hilarious is when the left gets blamed for disliking the Senate bill and yelling about it. Sounds a lot like GOP mindless lockstep to me.
There are two aspects that are really irritating, those folks are always 1-6 years late finding out that the left was correct (I wanted to say "right") and they figure it out when the stuff hits the fan. The other part is that the left is the reliable turnout, the door knockers, the donors, the callers and always the bride's maids. Nobody gets less, even lip service, and always folds for the "middle" no matter how far right those "responsible" people drift.
Senate Democrats would have you know that they were helpless in the face of the Mighty Joe. Those earmark things Johnny McPOW so hates; I'd bet over 50 Democratic Senators could figure out how a strike out works. In fact there seems to be an actual supply of ball bats over at the Senate with seats, chairs, earmarks, office spaces, and funding floating around in the hands of at least 51 Democrats. Since the Mighty Ho is holding hearings about the panty bomber it is pretty obvious nothing but wiffs happened in the club. I'm sure the left had something to do with that beyond hating him.
You can pull apart the entire course of the bill until now and see no damage from the left. It may have had an effect on approval, but versus the spectacle in the Senate, that would be pretty small. It has gotten to be real fun to compare the Democratic Left to the riechwing loons and particularly the Teabaggery bunch. The problem with that idea is that the so-called Democratic middle goes along with the stupidity propagated by the Republicans despite the pull back of the Left. Think I'm exaggerating? Fine, see who voted for and supported the AUMF in regard to Iraq, check out who voted for BushCo tax cuts, Patriot Act, Foreign Combatants, and on and on. You will not find the Left there. Why exactly members of the Administration are insulting the Left as though they were responsible for the failures of the Democratic Agenda is beyond me.
There are aspects of the Left that are silly to me, calling Obama Bushlite is one. The continuation of some BushCo policies in regard to terrorism is disappointing and, frankly, wrong but scarcely Bushian overall. Some of the Left shares with some of Democratic middle stupidity regarding the Second Amendment, but this is not remotely a feature of the Left versus that so-called middle. You'll find plenty of that middle tossing rocks as though owning guns is rightwing loonyism. As an example, in Communistic Oregon the Lefty organization Democratic Party of Oregon has as its second largest Caucus the Gun Owners Caucus.
There is extremism in any political stripe, stances that go beyond reasonable inspection into pure faith. Teabaggery is one example, but you would be hard pressed to find much of a percentage on the Left, despite the detractors. In point of fact, as the detractors scoffed at the Left for pushing the Congress over the "Health Care Reform" bill in the face of a lack of votes, they now are engaging in exactly the same behavior in favor of the Senate bill in the face of exactly the same problem - lack of votes. Somehow the Left is stupid and destructive for doing the same thing.
You could wonder why I find it difficult to support with work and money the Party that insults and ignores me ... you could, I suppose. But then, I never supported or applauded or voted for St Ronnie Reagan, either. If you understand or appreciate Reagan Democrats - you and I have nothing in common and you'll find this whole exercise insulting. I could care less.
There are two aspects that are really irritating, those folks are always 1-6 years late finding out that the left was correct (I wanted to say "right") and they figure it out when the stuff hits the fan. The other part is that the left is the reliable turnout, the door knockers, the donors, the callers and always the bride's maids. Nobody gets less, even lip service, and always folds for the "middle" no matter how far right those "responsible" people drift.
Senate Democrats would have you know that they were helpless in the face of the Mighty Joe. Those earmark things Johnny McPOW so hates; I'd bet over 50 Democratic Senators could figure out how a strike out works. In fact there seems to be an actual supply of ball bats over at the Senate with seats, chairs, earmarks, office spaces, and funding floating around in the hands of at least 51 Democrats. Since the Mighty Ho is holding hearings about the panty bomber it is pretty obvious nothing but wiffs happened in the club. I'm sure the left had something to do with that beyond hating him.
You can pull apart the entire course of the bill until now and see no damage from the left. It may have had an effect on approval, but versus the spectacle in the Senate, that would be pretty small. It has gotten to be real fun to compare the Democratic Left to the riechwing loons and particularly the Teabaggery bunch. The problem with that idea is that the so-called Democratic middle goes along with the stupidity propagated by the Republicans despite the pull back of the Left. Think I'm exaggerating? Fine, see who voted for and supported the AUMF in regard to Iraq, check out who voted for BushCo tax cuts, Patriot Act, Foreign Combatants, and on and on. You will not find the Left there. Why exactly members of the Administration are insulting the Left as though they were responsible for the failures of the Democratic Agenda is beyond me.
There are aspects of the Left that are silly to me, calling Obama Bushlite is one. The continuation of some BushCo policies in regard to terrorism is disappointing and, frankly, wrong but scarcely Bushian overall. Some of the Left shares with some of Democratic middle stupidity regarding the Second Amendment, but this is not remotely a feature of the Left versus that so-called middle. You'll find plenty of that middle tossing rocks as though owning guns is rightwing loonyism. As an example, in Communistic Oregon the Lefty organization Democratic Party of Oregon has as its second largest Caucus the Gun Owners Caucus.
There is extremism in any political stripe, stances that go beyond reasonable inspection into pure faith. Teabaggery is one example, but you would be hard pressed to find much of a percentage on the Left, despite the detractors. In point of fact, as the detractors scoffed at the Left for pushing the Congress over the "Health Care Reform" bill in the face of a lack of votes, they now are engaging in exactly the same behavior in favor of the Senate bill in the face of exactly the same problem - lack of votes. Somehow the Left is stupid and destructive for doing the same thing.
You could wonder why I find it difficult to support with work and money the Party that insults and ignores me ... you could, I suppose. But then, I never supported or applauded or voted for St Ronnie Reagan, either. If you understand or appreciate Reagan Democrats - you and I have nothing in common and you'll find this whole exercise insulting. I could care less.
I Thought You Quit
I did. The problem is that it is winter and money is tight which means distractions are bit difficult to come by and the level of stupidity is way past ignoring. I tried not seeing the political news. The problem is that any local venues contain it and my intellect is simply incapable of tuning out egregious stupidity committed by power. Once that's happened I'm simply incompetent at keeping quiet about it.
The handful of you who give enough of a rat's patoot to click on this thing will be gratified and those who might benefit a bit will continue to provide fodder for my outrage in blissful ignorance of its existence.
The handful of you who give enough of a rat's patoot to click on this thing will be gratified and those who might benefit a bit will continue to provide fodder for my outrage in blissful ignorance of its existence.
Senate Democrats Held Hostage By Shelby
The US Senate has rules intended to slow legislative rushes prevent egregious nominations, all well and fine. Richard (Jefferson Davis) Shelby (R-Airbus, Toyota) has put a hold on 70 Federal nominations because French Airbus isn't guaranteed a Federal Contract and the Alabama FBI office didn't get a bomb research wing. What we're talking about here is massive Federal spending in Alabama that this Confederate Party of Republicanism Senator might not get. Do try to remember that this is the same guy from the same Party that decries taxes and federal expansion as their beloved Confederate State suck money out of the evil Blue States.
Now there ought to be something approaching a lesson in this particular temper tantrum but count on Democrats to not get it. Earmarks. Yes, Sen McPOW and Teabaggers demon the earmark is sitting right there in front of Senate Democrats screaming for attention and in the spirit of the Club will be ignored as a hammer. How hard is it to figure out that stiking every Alabama earmark in the face of this behavior can be done? Will Alabama suffer? Certainly not according to their political will as demonstrated by their idiotology and Senator. Will such a thing happen? Give me a break, in face of Democratic Senate inability to keep liars like LIEberman in order you might as well believe in the Easter Bunny.
Now there ought to be something approaching a lesson in this particular temper tantrum but count on Democrats to not get it. Earmarks. Yes, Sen McPOW and Teabaggers demon the earmark is sitting right there in front of Senate Democrats screaming for attention and in the spirit of the Club will be ignored as a hammer. How hard is it to figure out that stiking every Alabama earmark in the face of this behavior can be done? Will Alabama suffer? Certainly not according to their political will as demonstrated by their idiotology and Senator. Will such a thing happen? Give me a break, in face of Democratic Senate inability to keep liars like LIEberman in order you might as well believe in the Easter Bunny.
Teabaggers, Welcome To The Monkeyhouse
Anyone who has ever been to the zoo has watched the monkeys throw poop and play with themselves. If you were a child you probably had your parents trying to stand between you and the display. There are no parents in Teabaggery and no particular evidence of evolution above monkeydom, either.
To start somewhere near the beginning, there was no Teabaggery as GWB trashed something like deficit recovery under Clinton (surplus my ass) with tax cuts for the wealthy. Not a whisper as the on paper budget exploded deficits and no whimpering as off the record war financing tore a hole in finances. No Teabaggery accompanied the Federal subsidization of Halliburton (Cheney's failure as CEO), not quite as blatant as the GM bailout, but not in the least inconsiderable. No Teabaggery happened as Patriot Act and FISA work-arounds were instituted. No Teabaggery rock throwing at Jack Abromoff, as opposed to say the Soros meme. Teabaggery would have you believe that Barack Obama instituted the Bankers Bailout. Teabaggery would have you ignore six years of Republican House, Senate, and Presidency and the results there of, this mess is due to the Socialist Democrats and the nigger in chief.
The media can't get enough of this bunch and treats them as something other than delusional freaks. They lose their minds if the Obama DOJ acts as though the Constitution and rule of law need to be respected by treating terrorists as law breakers instead of military units and scream about the Constitution being abrogated. The media doesn't bother to do more than transcribe their rants, it cannot be bothered with things like simple facts. Six hundred people paid over $500 to get massive media attention, a Star Trek convention in the same town would shoot itself over a turn out like that, virtually any convention would hang its head in shame. The Portland Gun Show would be done for (yes, Communist Portland Oregon) if it had this attendance and yet the national media will go on and on about idiots with no facts and a loser grasp on reality. People who have employment because the Fed stepped into GM will cheer these idjits on as they scream socialism without taking a single look at the Halliburtons or the wealthy.
Rather than point and laugh as Tancredo, Palin, and assorted ... loons throw their poop and masturbate the Republican right fringe the media acts as though something happened. The ex-Gov of the biggest Federal welfare state who bought the affection of her in state electorate with the socialism of direct payments from industry actually is taken seriously as she talks about tax cuts and socialism. The Federal welfare states of the South get taken seriously as they bankroll foreign auto manufacturers to compete with the US industry, national tax dollars are used to make up the tax short fall - you know? Nobody in the media mentions it. Tancredo seriously talks about the racist poll tests as though his audience could pass one and the media doesn't scoff?
The political dialogue in this country has descended into the muck because the liars and distorters don't get called for it, they get a media megaphone instead. Teabaggery gets to call liberal bias as the liberally biased media gives them free play. Try to find one major media market that calls out the rampant bullshit slung by this bunch. It isn't as though the facts are even that hard to find, 5 minutes research by any reader of this would be sufficient to debunk any given Teabaggery rant, but the media can't be bothered. I don't propose partisanship, just some damn facts to go along with the monkeyshines.
To start somewhere near the beginning, there was no Teabaggery as GWB trashed something like deficit recovery under Clinton (surplus my ass) with tax cuts for the wealthy. Not a whisper as the on paper budget exploded deficits and no whimpering as off the record war financing tore a hole in finances. No Teabaggery accompanied the Federal subsidization of Halliburton (Cheney's failure as CEO), not quite as blatant as the GM bailout, but not in the least inconsiderable. No Teabaggery happened as Patriot Act and FISA work-arounds were instituted. No Teabaggery rock throwing at Jack Abromoff, as opposed to say the Soros meme. Teabaggery would have you believe that Barack Obama instituted the Bankers Bailout. Teabaggery would have you ignore six years of Republican House, Senate, and Presidency and the results there of, this mess is due to the Socialist Democrats and the nigger in chief.
The media can't get enough of this bunch and treats them as something other than delusional freaks. They lose their minds if the Obama DOJ acts as though the Constitution and rule of law need to be respected by treating terrorists as law breakers instead of military units and scream about the Constitution being abrogated. The media doesn't bother to do more than transcribe their rants, it cannot be bothered with things like simple facts. Six hundred people paid over $500 to get massive media attention, a Star Trek convention in the same town would shoot itself over a turn out like that, virtually any convention would hang its head in shame. The Portland Gun Show would be done for (yes, Communist Portland Oregon) if it had this attendance and yet the national media will go on and on about idiots with no facts and a loser grasp on reality. People who have employment because the Fed stepped into GM will cheer these idjits on as they scream socialism without taking a single look at the Halliburtons or the wealthy.
Rather than point and laugh as Tancredo, Palin, and assorted ... loons throw their poop and masturbate the Republican right fringe the media acts as though something happened. The ex-Gov of the biggest Federal welfare state who bought the affection of her in state electorate with the socialism of direct payments from industry actually is taken seriously as she talks about tax cuts and socialism. The Federal welfare states of the South get taken seriously as they bankroll foreign auto manufacturers to compete with the US industry, national tax dollars are used to make up the tax short fall - you know? Nobody in the media mentions it. Tancredo seriously talks about the racist poll tests as though his audience could pass one and the media doesn't scoff?
The political dialogue in this country has descended into the muck because the liars and distorters don't get called for it, they get a media megaphone instead. Teabaggery gets to call liberal bias as the liberally biased media gives them free play. Try to find one major media market that calls out the rampant bullshit slung by this bunch. It isn't as though the facts are even that hard to find, 5 minutes research by any reader of this would be sufficient to debunk any given Teabaggery rant, but the media can't be bothered. I don't propose partisanship, just some damn facts to go along with the monkeyshines.
Monday, February 01, 2010
What To Do, Now ?
Here's the deal, folks, I have neither seen nor heard national political news for a week nor have I followed it with any attention online. I also feel better for it. Not surprisingly that leaves very little subject matter for political blogging.
I know a lot of folks think the SOTU is an important event. I think it is political posturing of no import unless some bald-faced lie is promoted (think GWB uranium). I'm sorry if you think the President is a knight in shining armor, he isn't he's a politician and he is a politician with a plate full of problems. Some of those bigger ones are inherited and some are self-inflicted. I care to go into neither, but the SOTU is a political exercise in dealing with this and I gave it a miss.
I don't know what I'm going to do with this thing - a dozen of you give a damn. For the time being I'm taking a break. I may get interested again, or not. I'm tired of stupid attacks being made for little or no reason.
I know a lot of folks think the SOTU is an important event. I think it is political posturing of no import unless some bald-faced lie is promoted (think GWB uranium). I'm sorry if you think the President is a knight in shining armor, he isn't he's a politician and he is a politician with a plate full of problems. Some of those bigger ones are inherited and some are self-inflicted. I care to go into neither, but the SOTU is a political exercise in dealing with this and I gave it a miss.
I don't know what I'm going to do with this thing - a dozen of you give a damn. For the time being I'm taking a break. I may get interested again, or not. I'm tired of stupid attacks being made for little or no reason.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Corporatist, The New Honorific for Massa
If you've been around this blog long enough you'll remember that I've warned my friends in campaign finance reform that banning money and placing limits on who and where was a dangerous strategy and the SCOTUS unhappily proved me right yesterday. Cripes no, I do not confuse statuatory fictional personhood with people and I never have. My objection was that the concept of personhood was not tightly defined and limited. The absolute hell of it is that we're liable to find that the pieces that are left of McCain-Feingold are probably the ones with the worst unintended consequences.
In the realm of some things a bit more immediate than a Constitutional Amendment there may be some ways to mitigate the effects of the Supreme corporate whores' decision. Forget trying to ban or stop the money. Try to not have it pay off.
If the attribution of political ads had to occupy,say, 1/3 of the display space it certainly wouldn't bother campaigns themselves since name recognition is most of what it is about. It might be a little less appealing to Haliburton and probably at least annoying to the veiwer. It would take clever lawyers working with ad men to make it work.
Since corporations already operate under a tax regimen that is different it shouldn't be too difficult to find a way to tax the snot out of the removal of the funds from the revenue stream. This idea is akin to the machine gun tax, it doesn't prohibit or restrict speech itself, simple makes it expensive to engage in such a pilfering of assets. That is again the bailiwick of lawyers and this time really good accountants.
I know it is tempting to run around with hair afire, but an issue like this will have some very good minds working on it. It would be very difficult to plan ahead without knowledge of the language of the decision. I think this would also be a very good time for some smart lawyer to sue on behalf of a nice liberal corporation for a vote. I don't know that there'd be much point in having a prosecutor bring charges for corporate acts that would be crimes if a human did them to another human, like murder for buying out another corporation or bigamy for mergers, but it sure would be fun to watch.
I won't go into my emotional response to this court, it would be illegal and unwise to do. But that does get me to this point, those assholes were picked by...Republicans and had some Democratic votes for approval behind a flood of GOPers. Despite current appearances it does matter who the President is and (I hate to use really rude words like this) Congress is run by. OK, mismanaged by. Just for god's sake do better than Ho LIEberman.
In the realm of some things a bit more immediate than a Constitutional Amendment there may be some ways to mitigate the effects of the Supreme corporate whores' decision. Forget trying to ban or stop the money. Try to not have it pay off.
If the attribution of political ads had to occupy,say, 1/3 of the display space it certainly wouldn't bother campaigns themselves since name recognition is most of what it is about. It might be a little less appealing to Haliburton and probably at least annoying to the veiwer. It would take clever lawyers working with ad men to make it work.
Since corporations already operate under a tax regimen that is different it shouldn't be too difficult to find a way to tax the snot out of the removal of the funds from the revenue stream. This idea is akin to the machine gun tax, it doesn't prohibit or restrict speech itself, simple makes it expensive to engage in such a pilfering of assets. That is again the bailiwick of lawyers and this time really good accountants.
I know it is tempting to run around with hair afire, but an issue like this will have some very good minds working on it. It would be very difficult to plan ahead without knowledge of the language of the decision. I think this would also be a very good time for some smart lawyer to sue on behalf of a nice liberal corporation for a vote. I don't know that there'd be much point in having a prosecutor bring charges for corporate acts that would be crimes if a human did them to another human, like murder for buying out another corporation or bigamy for mergers, but it sure would be fun to watch.
I won't go into my emotional response to this court, it would be illegal and unwise to do. But that does get me to this point, those assholes were picked by...Republicans and had some Democratic votes for approval behind a flood of GOPers. Despite current appearances it does matter who the President is and (I hate to use really rude words like this) Congress is run by. OK, mismanaged by. Just for god's sake do better than Ho LIEberman.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Turning Off The News
I had a modicum of interest in the news this morning, a real part of it was to see if the theme would be as stupid as I expected. My expectations have not been disappointed.
The Republican approach was never in any doubt and the media has given a near meaningless Party a soapbox considerably larger than their representation. Senate rules do mean that a Party with 41 members can do damage, that 41% representation in the body means nothing can be done if they don't approve. If that is taken by the media to mean that they are the new ruling class the media's head is stuck in its butt. House Republicans might as well be Martians for all their real impact.
The media keeps making Brown a representation of national sentiment. This was a MA election in the first place and in the second place there was Coakley. I am quite sure that HCR has done damage, for pete's sake how could this mess not do that? The right Republicans were not going to approve of anything they didn't write and jam down Obama's throat - that gets you an automatic 27% and about the time you alienate another 20+% who are Democrats by writing a Republican bill you've achieved a real problem.
The media is hard on the scent of Obama failure and I do agree there have been some short comings. But Congress is the outfit that writes the legislation, despite other opinions. HCR is supposed to be dead. I can't think of a larger load of horse poop. People have been running around acting as though the House would fix the Senate version and LIEberman would vote for it. That is exactly laughable and since we've seen him and Nelson in operation already and there's a question?
The media is again on the scent of excessive liberalism treating the 27% party as though it had really high approval ratings and was a majority of some sort. There is no actual center in American politics, it veers all over the place depending on whose ox is getting gored at any particular moment. The fact that Republicans love to talk about a center-right nation doesn't make it so. Taking a look at the make up of the House ought to be instructive and it hasn't been. The idea that reality might be featured in the political news is apparently vain. The fact that 58%-41% (if you think I'll count Joe Ho you're crazy) representation in the Senate may mean the New Republican Dominance to FauxNews really ought to be given a miss by actual news organizations ... guess again.
Now that I've subjected myself to stupidity in excess of my tolerance level; I'll turn the news off.
The Republican approach was never in any doubt and the media has given a near meaningless Party a soapbox considerably larger than their representation. Senate rules do mean that a Party with 41 members can do damage, that 41% representation in the body means nothing can be done if they don't approve. If that is taken by the media to mean that they are the new ruling class the media's head is stuck in its butt. House Republicans might as well be Martians for all their real impact.
The media keeps making Brown a representation of national sentiment. This was a MA election in the first place and in the second place there was Coakley. I am quite sure that HCR has done damage, for pete's sake how could this mess not do that? The right Republicans were not going to approve of anything they didn't write and jam down Obama's throat - that gets you an automatic 27% and about the time you alienate another 20+% who are Democrats by writing a Republican bill you've achieved a real problem.
The media is hard on the scent of Obama failure and I do agree there have been some short comings. But Congress is the outfit that writes the legislation, despite other opinions. HCR is supposed to be dead. I can't think of a larger load of horse poop. People have been running around acting as though the House would fix the Senate version and LIEberman would vote for it. That is exactly laughable and since we've seen him and Nelson in operation already and there's a question?
The media is again on the scent of excessive liberalism treating the 27% party as though it had really high approval ratings and was a majority of some sort. There is no actual center in American politics, it veers all over the place depending on whose ox is getting gored at any particular moment. The fact that Republicans love to talk about a center-right nation doesn't make it so. Taking a look at the make up of the House ought to be instructive and it hasn't been. The idea that reality might be featured in the political news is apparently vain. The fact that 58%-41% (if you think I'll count Joe Ho you're crazy) representation in the Senate may mean the New Republican Dominance to FauxNews really ought to be given a miss by actual news organizations ... guess again.
Now that I've subjected myself to stupidity in excess of my tolerance level; I'll turn the news off.
The Coakley Massacre
One would suppose there are lessons to be learned from something as ... interesting as the MA special election results. Not having a bunch of faith, I suppose Democrats will mostly learn the wrong ones.
Here's a newsflash for you - you're supposed to run as though winning means something to you. Little things - like not taking a vacation in the middle of a six week elections cycle. Things a novice might miss like showing up at campaign events. It might even occur to you that a political campaign involves the novel idea of giving people a reason to like you and to believe that you care they exist. Those might be something to do. Even if the seat has been held by a Democratic legend for a really long time.
While the lesson might be to behave as though you're in an election, my bet is that the losing Party is going to decide that they've completely over-played to an ungrateful left and need to shift right. Nearly 40 years ago I had the State hang a (D) after my name because my alternatives were either lunatics or no party at all. Now all these years later I find my alternative to be well to the right of the lunatics of the time. I suppose I'm the ungrateful left since I can't recognize Democratic handiwork in the health care bill.
There's been a lot of wailing about the loss of the 60th Democratic seat in the Senate. I'd contest that it ever existed unless you'd like to rename the Party LIEbercrats (or hell Nelsonites). I dislike purity tests, but I'd like to see legislation that is recognizably Democratic come out of a Democratic Caucus. I know all about "it's what we could do" but then I wonder about votes for the Patriot Act and other civil liberties abortions and who made them. Once I've hit that damn iceberg I start wondering about Iraq War authorization, and then - well hell - about 30 years of political history...and the ship goes down.
You probably haven't noticed that this site is stripped of all references to my involvement in the Democratic Party and that is because as an officer it wasn't in my job description to throw rocks at Democrats; and I had boulders in hand; so I resigned. Don't start thinking that anyone in the DPO mistreated me, quite the contrary the organization is full of friends and valued colleagues.
You'd think that the Congress is composed of a handful of progressives rather than very nearly half of each house being of that description. That is one of the features of holding such large majorities, but the Senate rules mean a handful of Neanderthals can make legislation into something the majority elected don't want to do. Chances of ever getting Democrats to agree on everything are always small, but the usage of procedural rules against your own Caucus ought to be political poison - nope.
After the Democratic Caucus finds out the Snowe or Collins is more reasonable and honest than Hoe LIEberman maybe they'll shit can that asshole. Don't hold your breath.
Here's a newsflash for you - you're supposed to run as though winning means something to you. Little things - like not taking a vacation in the middle of a six week elections cycle. Things a novice might miss like showing up at campaign events. It might even occur to you that a political campaign involves the novel idea of giving people a reason to like you and to believe that you care they exist. Those might be something to do. Even if the seat has been held by a Democratic legend for a really long time.
While the lesson might be to behave as though you're in an election, my bet is that the losing Party is going to decide that they've completely over-played to an ungrateful left and need to shift right. Nearly 40 years ago I had the State hang a (D) after my name because my alternatives were either lunatics or no party at all. Now all these years later I find my alternative to be well to the right of the lunatics of the time. I suppose I'm the ungrateful left since I can't recognize Democratic handiwork in the health care bill.
There's been a lot of wailing about the loss of the 60th Democratic seat in the Senate. I'd contest that it ever existed unless you'd like to rename the Party LIEbercrats (or hell Nelsonites). I dislike purity tests, but I'd like to see legislation that is recognizably Democratic come out of a Democratic Caucus. I know all about "it's what we could do" but then I wonder about votes for the Patriot Act and other civil liberties abortions and who made them. Once I've hit that damn iceberg I start wondering about Iraq War authorization, and then - well hell - about 30 years of political history...and the ship goes down.
You probably haven't noticed that this site is stripped of all references to my involvement in the Democratic Party and that is because as an officer it wasn't in my job description to throw rocks at Democrats; and I had boulders in hand; so I resigned. Don't start thinking that anyone in the DPO mistreated me, quite the contrary the organization is full of friends and valued colleagues.
You'd think that the Congress is composed of a handful of progressives rather than very nearly half of each house being of that description. That is one of the features of holding such large majorities, but the Senate rules mean a handful of Neanderthals can make legislation into something the majority elected don't want to do. Chances of ever getting Democrats to agree on everything are always small, but the usage of procedural rules against your own Caucus ought to be political poison - nope.
After the Democratic Caucus finds out the Snowe or Collins is more reasonable and honest than Hoe LIEberman maybe they'll shit can that asshole. Don't hold your breath.
Monday, January 18, 2010
GOP Stupid Rolls On
In case you'd wondered where idiots like "Anonymous" get their drivel, here's Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller's Tara Walls being stupid while being black.
It is one thing for some white cracker to be this egregiously stupidly ignorant, it is another for any black person to descend to this level in search of some idiotic political talking point. If Tara would like to have the GOP do some winning on the issue of race it would be far more useful to reform the twits than ask that they be held to the same standard as Democrats. It should say something to her that this crap will only succeed with pig ignorant crackers and GOP check writers. Which do you suppose is more important in her "world?"
The larger point is that the GOP certainly does not want to be held to the same standard as Democrats, not in the least. If that were the case there would not be the occasional twit of color shilling for them - you'd have to go to Stormfront to find their constituency. I'm not sure any political party can do enough for the issue of race relations, not while it is a political football driven by cultural imperatives rather than sense, but it sure isn't someplace the GOP wants to try throwing rocks and especially not in regard to Trent Lott. If I were a GOP shill I'd do my level best to let Trent Lott be buried in the sands of American electorate short-term memory loss. That they would dredge him up only points at their desperation and stupidity in this area.
White Democrats are doing stuff for black people it’s okay to stereotype black them? Would that have been acceptable for Trent Lott, assuming he didn’t do anything for black people (whatever that is supposed to mean)? This is especially paramount since it was Reid, who in 2002, called then Senate leader Trent Lott’s controversial birthday comments to Strom Thurmond “repugnant.” Republicans have only asked for the same standard by which Lott was judged,
It is one thing for some white cracker to be this egregiously stupidly ignorant, it is another for any black person to descend to this level in search of some idiotic political talking point. If Tara would like to have the GOP do some winning on the issue of race it would be far more useful to reform the twits than ask that they be held to the same standard as Democrats. It should say something to her that this crap will only succeed with pig ignorant crackers and GOP check writers. Which do you suppose is more important in her "world?"
The larger point is that the GOP certainly does not want to be held to the same standard as Democrats, not in the least. If that were the case there would not be the occasional twit of color shilling for them - you'd have to go to Stormfront to find their constituency. I'm not sure any political party can do enough for the issue of race relations, not while it is a political football driven by cultural imperatives rather than sense, but it sure isn't someplace the GOP wants to try throwing rocks and especially not in regard to Trent Lott. If I were a GOP shill I'd do my level best to let Trent Lott be buried in the sands of American electorate short-term memory loss. That they would dredge him up only points at their desperation and stupidity in this area.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
GOPer Lickspittle Drivel
You get warned twice on this site not to be stupid, this can't be allowed to just lie in the Comments - it deserves much better.
I'm gonna type real slow in hopes you can get this. Look here you knuckle dragging Rushbo buttlicking Confederate Party of Republicanism goober, back in 1865 after getting tens of thousands of you folks who they wouldn't even let on the porch killed; the aristocrats were handed an ass-kicking of historic proportions by the Yanks and this should have been sorted out. A hundred years later after you'd lynched enough people and buried enough kids in dikes; the federal troops had to show up again to make it clear to you that, yes, the niggers get to vote, the niggers get to own guns, and the niggers get to go to your schools and live in your neighborhoods.
The fact that you can be distracted by shiny objects like "states rights", "tax fairness", "gay marriage", and "illegal alien" bashing only speaks to your limitations and ability to be manipulated. You screech about tax fairness in your red state holes as you wallow in the highest rates of divorce, incest, illiteracy, and poverty and you're subsidized by the immoral blue states and you subsidize the wealthy - the same ones who wouldn't let you on their porch. They wave their theocracy at you while they do as they please and spit on the actual words of Christ. The pols you vote for to whack them illegal aliens are paid for by the people who hire illegals to squash your shit wages in your shit job and when they can't bust a union they send the jobs overseas to be done by other people of colors you don't like. They call you brave tea bagger patriots while doing the terrorists jobs for them by being whining mewling cowards and convincing you to give up what America is and support doing things that would have gotten you sent back to George III in tar and feathers.
While the left does its goddamedest to keep you from lying in the dirt with a foot on your neck you call them leftards in support of theocracy and racism. The only mystery about you is that you can afford access to a keyboard and manage the motor skills to operate one. You step outside your circle of stupidity to publicly repeat the idiocy that support for a segregationist's Presidential campaign by a half-stepping KKKer is some how in the same league with a politician supporting the campaign of a black man for President while noting the existence of racism in the electorate? It would take all of five minutes for you to find out that your Confederate Party of Repubicanism massas is lying to you ... again.
Put the limp noodle down and back away slowly, 'cause I'm packin' a damn hand cannon.
Dumbass.
Anonymous said...
Nice to see another leftard with a double standard. Figure it out, Lott's comment wasn't about race but state's rights. Reid's words are purely racist, and most leftards think this way.
1/14/2010 06:50:00 PM
I'm gonna type real slow in hopes you can get this. Look here you knuckle dragging Rushbo buttlicking Confederate Party of Republicanism goober, back in 1865 after getting tens of thousands of you folks who they wouldn't even let on the porch killed; the aristocrats were handed an ass-kicking of historic proportions by the Yanks and this should have been sorted out. A hundred years later after you'd lynched enough people and buried enough kids in dikes; the federal troops had to show up again to make it clear to you that, yes, the niggers get to vote, the niggers get to own guns, and the niggers get to go to your schools and live in your neighborhoods.
The fact that you can be distracted by shiny objects like "states rights", "tax fairness", "gay marriage", and "illegal alien" bashing only speaks to your limitations and ability to be manipulated. You screech about tax fairness in your red state holes as you wallow in the highest rates of divorce, incest, illiteracy, and poverty and you're subsidized by the immoral blue states and you subsidize the wealthy - the same ones who wouldn't let you on their porch. They wave their theocracy at you while they do as they please and spit on the actual words of Christ. The pols you vote for to whack them illegal aliens are paid for by the people who hire illegals to squash your shit wages in your shit job and when they can't bust a union they send the jobs overseas to be done by other people of colors you don't like. They call you brave tea bagger patriots while doing the terrorists jobs for them by being whining mewling cowards and convincing you to give up what America is and support doing things that would have gotten you sent back to George III in tar and feathers.
While the left does its goddamedest to keep you from lying in the dirt with a foot on your neck you call them leftards in support of theocracy and racism. The only mystery about you is that you can afford access to a keyboard and manage the motor skills to operate one. You step outside your circle of stupidity to publicly repeat the idiocy that support for a segregationist's Presidential campaign by a half-stepping KKKer is some how in the same league with a politician supporting the campaign of a black man for President while noting the existence of racism in the electorate? It would take all of five minutes for you to find out that your Confederate Party of Repubicanism massas is lying to you ... again.
Put the limp noodle down and back away slowly, 'cause I'm packin' a damn hand cannon.
Dumbass.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Failed Cultures
The ongoing misery in Haiti just got an exclamation point added with a 7.0 earthquake. A shattered Port Au Prince is all over the news media. The devastation points up both the power of a quake of this sort and the crummy building techniques utilized. Once again Haiti is in the news for also being the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Politics can't help but be a part of the discussion - and along with politics, culture.
It is pretty plain that some behaviors are more conducive to stability and economic comfort. When behaviors become widespread enough they get called culture and if they are instituted by establishment the culture warriors will back them. Frequently blindly, as Brooks demonstrated. The Confederate Party of Republicanism touts its culture meme and whacks the rest of the nation over its immoral head with it, all the while ignoring that poverty, incest, and divorce rates are highest in its own backyard. This is the crap that Brooks is spewing under cover of the "I'm a nice reasonable guy" cloak of bullshit.
The Brooksian (CPoR) view seems to hold that culture forms in some kind of vacuum, that there are not good reasons behaviors are practiced. To them it is simply some sort of moral failing rather than failing coping mechanisms. Why certainly Mr Brooks and Rushbo and assorted asswipes - these people are in a state of horrid poverty because they ... well hell, have the wrong religion rather than no available jobs paying anything. Voodoo certainly encourages its followers to starve. If the majority of a population is poverty stricken it must be something they're doing wrong. Like what? It's a pretty good bet reducing births would help - but Catholicism hates birth control pills - remember? How about seeing that what wealth the country has whether natural resources or other got spread around a bit - managed capitalism (soshalizm per CPoR).
The cultural failure these idjits talk about is at the top, as per most paternalistic societies - just as they'd have the US go. Authoritarianism is good for the little folks - just 'cause they say so. Who the hell runs the money and power in the country? Must be the poor since it's their fault they're poor...
How about the first question is who is rich and how did they get that way?
It is pretty plain that some behaviors are more conducive to stability and economic comfort. When behaviors become widespread enough they get called culture and if they are instituted by establishment the culture warriors will back them. Frequently blindly, as Brooks demonstrated. The Confederate Party of Republicanism touts its culture meme and whacks the rest of the nation over its immoral head with it, all the while ignoring that poverty, incest, and divorce rates are highest in its own backyard. This is the crap that Brooks is spewing under cover of the "I'm a nice reasonable guy" cloak of bullshit.
The Brooksian (CPoR) view seems to hold that culture forms in some kind of vacuum, that there are not good reasons behaviors are practiced. To them it is simply some sort of moral failing rather than failing coping mechanisms. Why certainly Mr Brooks and Rushbo and assorted asswipes - these people are in a state of horrid poverty because they ... well hell, have the wrong religion rather than no available jobs paying anything. Voodoo certainly encourages its followers to starve. If the majority of a population is poverty stricken it must be something they're doing wrong. Like what? It's a pretty good bet reducing births would help - but Catholicism hates birth control pills - remember? How about seeing that what wealth the country has whether natural resources or other got spread around a bit - managed capitalism (soshalizm per CPoR).
The cultural failure these idjits talk about is at the top, as per most paternalistic societies - just as they'd have the US go. Authoritarianism is good for the little folks - just 'cause they say so. Who the hell runs the money and power in the country? Must be the poor since it's their fault they're poor...
How about the first question is who is rich and how did they get that way?
Haiti And David Brooks' Senility
David Brooks is, for some reason inscrutable to me, a respected columnist. President Obama said that the US would not forget Haiti and would have a continuing commitment to the nation. This led Brooks to tell us about aid and culture and ... well, China. Apparently Brooks doesn't like Haiti's religion:
Voodoo. OK, David, how about Catholicism? Did you bother to notice the correlation between Catholicism and poverty in the world? Well, no that wouldn't fit his frame that a nice religion promotes policies that damn near guarantee poverty.
Huh? David Brooks can't tell what is different between Haiti and China? Well maybe, it isn't what you'd think.
Broken down into its basic components what we've got is the actual metric of a Brooks. Paternalism composed of his approved religions and the unregulated form of business in China. A plutocrat's wet dream.
As Lawrence E. Harrison explained in his book “The Central Liberal Truth,” Haiti, like most of the world’s poorest nations, suffers from a complex web of progress-resistant cultural influences. There is the influence of the voodoo religion, which spreads the message that life is capricious and planning futile. There are high levels of social mistrust. Responsibility is often not internalized. Child-rearing practices often involve neglect in the early years and harsh retribution when kids hit 9 or 10.
Voodoo. OK, David, how about Catholicism? Did you bother to notice the correlation between Catholicism and poverty in the world? Well, no that wouldn't fit his frame that a nice religion promotes policies that damn near guarantee poverty.
Over the past few decades, the world has spent trillions of dollars to generate growth in the developing world. The countries that have not received much aid, like China, have seen tremendous growth and tremendous poverty reductions. The countries that have received aid, like Haiti, have not.
Huh? David Brooks can't tell what is different between Haiti and China? Well maybe, it isn't what you'd think.
Fourth, it’s time to promote locally led paternalism. In this country, we first tried to tackle poverty by throwing money at it, just as we did abroad. Then we tried microcommunity efforts, just as we did abroad. But the programs that really work involve intrusive paternalism.
Broken down into its basic components what we've got is the actual metric of a Brooks. Paternalism composed of his approved religions and the unregulated form of business in China. A plutocrat's wet dream.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Harold Ford Running For NY US Senate Seat?
Harold Ford has expressed interest in running against Gillibrand for the NY US Senate seat ... and has been taken seriously enough for the NYT to interview him on the subject. Some people not from NY might wonder what could possibly interest New Yorkers in a Tennessean former Congressman who lost for that Senate seat to a Republican distinguishable only by his skin color.
Maybe being a Bank of America vice-chair making about $1 Million per year while being Morning Joe Scarborough's talking point pal is it. It isn't like BoA doesn't deserve a Senator from someplace with an actual population and certainly being near wingnut Joe's yes man proves cross aisle appeal. Somehow four years out of Tennessee politics has turned him into a pro-choice, pro gay marriage type of guy despite his Tennessee policies. I hear tell NYC is a tough place.
He tells the NYT and anybody else who cares that Harry Reid and other leaders won't tell him how to vote. Boy, that's something in short supply in Democratic Senators, Joe Lieberman needs some more pals. Ford is pretty proud of being a capitalist, I'm not sure what that involves at BoA considering the amount of time spent on his TV career.
I guess if New Yorkers vote him in they deserve him, but I'm not sure the rest of the nation's Democrats deserve a Senate Caucus that much more of a mess. What BoA deserves I'll leave to those with a more impolite vocabulary.
Maybe being a Bank of America vice-chair making about $1 Million per year while being Morning Joe Scarborough's talking point pal is it. It isn't like BoA doesn't deserve a Senator from someplace with an actual population and certainly being near wingnut Joe's yes man proves cross aisle appeal. Somehow four years out of Tennessee politics has turned him into a pro-choice, pro gay marriage type of guy despite his Tennessee policies. I hear tell NYC is a tough place.
He tells the NYT and anybody else who cares that Harry Reid and other leaders won't tell him how to vote. Boy, that's something in short supply in Democratic Senators, Joe Lieberman needs some more pals. Ford is pretty proud of being a capitalist, I'm not sure what that involves at BoA considering the amount of time spent on his TV career.
I guess if New Yorkers vote him in they deserve him, but I'm not sure the rest of the nation's Democrats deserve a Senate Caucus that much more of a mess. What BoA deserves I'll leave to those with a more impolite vocabulary.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
If I Were A GOPer Troublemaker
Today, under a fair amount of media pressure Sen Mitch McConnell refused to partake of the Harry Reid bashing other GOPers have indulged in. Mitch was careful in his phrasing, Harry Reid is a matter for the Democratic Caucus. That isn't walking the bullshit back, it is just staying out of it.
If I'm a GOPer; trying to make problems for Democrats is a pretty good idea. The (D)s have the reins of power (sort of) and can be made to pay for that. What I don't want to do (apparently Mitch also) is engage in a gun fight armed with a wet spaghetti noodle. Nobody with two working brain cells thinks the GOP matches the Democrats in race relations. Trying to make that look illusionary involves the GOP in making Trent Lott the equivalent of Harry Reid and going there is really stupid. Take that as a measure of the level of intelligence of the GOP in general.
If I'm a GOPer; trying to make problems for Democrats is a pretty good idea. The (D)s have the reins of power (sort of) and can be made to pay for that. What I don't want to do (apparently Mitch also) is engage in a gun fight armed with a wet spaghetti noodle. Nobody with two working brain cells thinks the GOP matches the Democrats in race relations. Trying to make that look illusionary involves the GOP in making Trent Lott the equivalent of Harry Reid and going there is really stupid. Take that as a measure of the level of intelligence of the GOP in general.
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