jweb271's Blog

Non-right wing extremists are the new silent majority.

2009-08-03T20:32:57Z

And on a somewhat unrelated matter:

Doesn't competition with the government make FedEx, UPS and DHL better companies, with certain valuable services worth paying for? Why doesn't anyone ever point that out? Or am I just missing it when they do?

There's a Birther Born Every Minute...

2009-07-21T12:36:09Z

I lived in Texas when Clinton was in office. You could throw a horseshoe and hit someone who completely believed that the President had had Vince Foster killed. I also heard people explain why he was the AntiChrist, and then, when he left office, that Hillary was. He was supposed to destroy America. If we had had a vibrant internet then, the record of these statements would be astounding, and look as silly as McCarthy does today, or the old Segregationists.

In this way though, the Birther movement is not new. And I think it's important to note this because it does feel different this time around. One, we have short memories, and two, there are constant references to race made within the Birther movement that are pretty shocking in thier boldfacedness. The recipe is the same otherwise, only with a touch of xenophobia. The goal (the actual Birther's are unwitting players in this grander scheme) , and that is to set the parameters of the public debate so that it spans left-center to far, far right. This way any compromise ends up looking like many of Bill Clinton's did. Dead solid center, if not center right.

But why the Birther movement? Why this over any of the other Obama conspiracy theories out there to latch on to? Why can't Obama simply be the AntiChrist as many claim, or a smoker, or a Socialist, or a Communist. Yes, race plays a role, but I think the bigger reason is that the game has changed slightly since Clinton in that these angry players have now spent 8 years elevating the Executive Branch into something akin to a monarchy, 8 years of calling those who would criticize or question the office traitors (I was called this many times in Texas for saying such awful things as "I don't think they're going to find any WMD's"), 8 years of questioning the patriotism of anyone who would disagree with the Holy Father (remember Hebrews 13:17?), I think even these folks (folks who are not adverse to bouts of hypocrisy normally) find it difficult to square the horrible things they want to say about the President with a decade of vile they spilled against anyone who would besmirch the sanctity of the Executive Branch. And in Wartime at that!

In other words, these folks need this conspiracy. They have to have it. This conspiracy will not end. God could come down with vidoe of Obama's birth in Hawaii and they would find a way to believe that it wasn't really God. Because they are not content to criticize or complain, no, they want to say profoundly disturbing and dangerous things that, remember, you aren't supposed to say about the President (and many of the things they're saying, you really aren't supposed to say, legally), things you can only say about someone who is illegitimate.

This issue is the fort that defends their imbalanced psyches. And it will not come down. We can only hope that Obama and company are not as cowed by the vitriol, but realize that it's nothing new, only par for the rancid course. Should these people manage to teach their children this level of political discourse, we will see this again (some violent strain or another) with the next "liberal" President.

If we argue with these people or if we allow the media to participate in this mess as they did with Whitewater, we only allow the parameters of our debate to be redefined.

Tea Party: Cornyn (R-TX) Booed

2009-07-06T15:12:13Z

Okay, so he was booed at the tea party. That's somewhat interesting because he's a far right guy. Anyway, what really got me was the article at the Austin Statesman, and particularly the comments section. Check it out:

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/07/04/cornyn_booed_at_capitol_tea_pa.html

The comments are really wild, and very few want anything short of some vague revolution. They seem to be completely unsatisfied by even the most right-wing politicians. They can hardly articulate what they want, but it's not something Republicans can provide. One in particular, reveals the level of anger I'm talking about, and the insane roots that feed it. I'll post it below, but the whole batch is illuminating as almost all of them veer away from the typical right/left, liberal/conservative memes and into much stranger places than even I knew.

By Robert

July 5, 2009 8:19 PM

I have repeatedly contacted the Senators office About, 1.Stopping socialism in America! 2.Having him confront Obamie on the hypocrisy of, dont get involved with Iran( his muslim brothers) but threaten Israel. 3.Obamies support of Chavez, Castro, Noriega, but threaten Honduras because they do not want an Obamie for there dictator. 4.When Coryn was Attorney general of Texas, his leadership was nil and void, I pursued his office for help with an ex-wife who owed me $43,000.00 and his staff would not help a Man due child support.Now she is dead and had and inheritance of over $100,000.00 The Great State of Texas AGS office would no help me get my court ordered child support! 5. Coryn is not Conservative, just a weasy washie politician who forgot his constituents once he is power.

Sarah Palin: Community Organizer?

2009-07-05T15:23:29Z

This just occurred to me and apologies if it's already been blogged, because it's pretty obvious and funny. But when Palin said that "we know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time," was she announcing the beginning of her career as a .... gasp...

....COMMUNITY ORGANIZER??

Scenes from the ground: Dallas

2008-11-06T13:08:22Z

My sister lives in a pretty integrated neighborhood in Dallas. She was one of the few white folk there with Obama signs in the yard. This is what happened on Nov. 5th, from her email to me:

"We just got home and we were sitting in the living room and the doorbell rang. It was a woman who lives down the street.

She came to our house to thank us. To thank...us.

Her name is Sheryl, and she is a 57 year old black woman who grew up in times of segregation. She told us about how she used to work at at&t as an operator, and how people would not go into the bathroom with her, and how people would call and say they didn't want to talk to a n***..... she said that her parents would only be allowed into a neighborhood like ours to mow the lawn or clean the house. She said that her father supported a wife and six kids on $40 a week. She said that she never thought that she would see this day.

She cried on our front porch. And she thanked us. She said that Obama is not just for black people, he is for all Americans, and she can't believe that these times are here when we can be one nation and move forward.

She stood on our front porch and she cried and she thanked us. For something that we did for ourselves. But for her, this is everything. I think I knew that. I mean, I think I knew how momentous this is, and I think I knew that this changes everything for many different reasons for many different people...but then the woman down the street came to our house and she cried and she thanked us...and I can see it more clearly than I could before. I won't ever understand it the way that she does, and the way that so many Americans do, but she showed us a glimpse this evening. She showed us her heart and it was bleeding for the past and rejoicing for the future and it was everything that I want for us.

I cant believe we did this. I cant believe this time is here."

Another right wing Bosniak flub...

2008-10-03T13:03:54Z

From Redstate.com: "From what I heard, her worst gaffe was calling General McKiernan in Afghanistan "General McClellan," which appears to indicate that Sarah Palin was having a Civil War flashback. Of course, Joe Biden referred to "Bosniacs" so the gaffes were not one-sided and for a Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to refer to "Bosniacs" . . . well, it's kinda interesting, to say the least. I wonder if people will make an issue of it. They should and they most certainly would if Sarah Palin made that comment. Again, it is kind of silly that we are penalizing candidates for innocent verbal flubs that have little to nothing to do with how they would govern, but fair is fair and this gaffe deserves a fair amount of ridicule. Wonder what the Bosnians thought about this statement." http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/oct/03/the-vice-presidential-debate/

From Open Left: WOW!

2008-09-21T21:00:45Z

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=8374

An anonymous letter from a "lawmaker" about the 700 billion blank check that will have you jumping out of your chair cheering!

Did we really want her anyway?

2008-09-17T13:10:42Z

From HuffPost:

"John McCain's campaign says the Republican is picking up the support of a top Hillary Clinton fundraiser and member of the Democratic National Committee's Platform Committee."

So immediately I'm thinking, this woman is a supposed progressive and would support McCain. I'm suspect. Next paragraph:

"Lynn Forester de Rothschild has said she thinks Democratic nominee Barack Obama is arrogant and has a problem connecting with average Americans."

Arrogant? Such a problematic word, especially when referring to an "articulate and clean" (sorry, Joe) African American. But hey, maybe she's one of these people who thinks Ivy League equals snobbery. Who is this woman?

"Rothschild is a member of the DNC's Democrats Abroad chapter and splits her time living in London and New York...She built a multimillion-dollar telecommunications company before marrying international banker Sir Evelyn de Rothschild."

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! "Arrogant"? "Can't connect with average Americans"? HAHA!!

Are you kidding me? She's married to a "Sir" named "Evelyn"! I mean, are you kidding me? I'm sure they're a very down to earth couple, certainly. Average folk, I'm sure.

Maybe Obama forgot to kiss her ring.

I realize money is necessary and she's got it to donate, but I, for one, am looking at this and thinking that our boat will float better without her jewelry weighing it down.

Is McCain saying we lost the Vietnam War?

2008-09-13T17:39:25Z

From this new WaPo article on Woodward's book, we have McCain telling Rice (speaking about Iraq): "We may be about to lose the second war in my lifetime."

The WaPo article is interested in the fact that McCain was privately more concerned about Iraq in 2007 than his public statements from then and since would have us believe. But I'm struck by the idea that we "lost" another war. Is he talking about Vietnam, or Korea? Surely he's not talking about Desert Storm. I'm thinking Vietnam.

And yet, this is not the language usually employed by the right anymore. And I wonder if McCain has used it before, on the record? It was the sort of sentiment Kerry was vilified for. And, in light of McCain's "Win" and "Lose" rhetoric about Iraq, I wonder what more he might have to say about this.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/13/woodward_mccain_privately_pess.html

Is the press prepared? The Right is.

2008-09-07T12:20:00Z

By now, we are pretty well-versed in the ideas behind the modern-era Republican party. Beginning, possibly, with Buchanan's famous "divide and conquer" strategy. Followed by the religious right pandering. What else? Deregulation. Privatization. Executive Power. Etc, etc.

All ideas that have been tried; all ideas that have failed.
The miracle of the last thirty years in general and eight years in particular was that pretty much every wet dream of modern Republicanism was exposed as bad policy/bad governance.

The choice of Palin is, perhaps, the final frontier. Not because of who she is--because, well, she's just GWBush. But rather, because the Right is finally going to test a theory they have been nurturing heavily now for twenty years: that the press is irrelevant.

They began by bitching about the media bias, and they sold that line until it became "fact". They overtook AM radio, and created FOX. Telling their faithful that they needn't be curious or read the newspaper, shouldn't question those in power. Trust your gut and watch FOX if you want to know more. Call Rush.

It's been decades in the making. We're going to find out in the next 60 days whether it worked. They snowed the press with Iraq. But this isn't that. This isn't about making them complicit, but about making them redundant. This is the realization of a theory they've been building toward, and preparing for, for a long time. I'm curious to see how they've done.

Obama ‘uppity'? This is bait we shouldn't bite.

2008-09-04T19:48:52Z

Today, Republican Lynn Westmoreland calls Obama ‘uppity' and when asked if that was on the record, repeated the charge.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/westmoreland-calls-obama-uppity-2008-09-04.html

This may be big news, and I hope it is. But please, don't fall for this crap. Let the media chew on it. We should not.

They want Obama (and us) to cry racism, because their sexism gambit is losing steam fast. They are begging us to grab on to this. Don't do it. Let's not fall for their little trap.

We know this is how they feel about Obama, so there is no need for outrage on our part. Hopefully the media will do their job and let the rest of America know this is how Republicans feel.

Living room or Den?

2008-08-27T11:59:16Z

Well, whatever you call them, Obama looks great in them. I'm not sure, from a technical standpoint, that the Dems have managed the Obama live segments well, but they are a great, great, great idea.

I would encourage that this continue through November. Shots of him sitting, relaxing on people's couches with those people nearby acting casual and engaged but with utter joy barely contained. if he were to take questions there once in a while, I wouldn't be surprised if you got the odd spontaneous interruption from some homeowner leaping to his defense. Anyway, I think this image alone will do much of what the regular guy stuff of the convention is trying to accomplish. So, going forward, I vote: less convenience stores and diners and more living rooms, or, if you say so, dens.

How about that Harold Simmons!

2008-08-26T21:08:42Z

A fun article for any of you looking to know the man the Dallas Morning news calls a "philanthropist" but who most of us know as the millionaire bankrolling the most recent swift-boating of Obama. (Wow, a wealthy Dallasite who wants McCain to win, amazing.)

Well, this article may take the shine off Harry. Some of the highlights are: forging his estranged daughters names on donations to Jesse Helms, as well as donating to Hatch and Ollie North in their names against tehir wishes. (They do not support these men and want their father to stop.)

Other highlights, he calls one of his daughters a meth head and stupid, and he's been fined by the FEC in the past.

There's more fun, so check it out, but best of all there's a revealing moment when he attempts to defend his contributions from the family trust by saying that the political donations help the companies the trust invests in, and thus, helps the family.

Truth there. He supports buying politicians for corporate game. Any wonder he's a McCain man?

Check it out:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_19971112/ai_n10113714

Sweeping the leg on "McCain's" Surge

2008-07-23T12:48:27Z

Here is what I think Obama should say, possibly in the debate, when McCain begins to brag about the Surge:

McCain likes to point out that he supported Bush's Surge, but McCain's support for Bush's war is already well-documented. He has rigorously promoting and defending Bush's war. For years McCain has been telling us why it was prudent to divert the focus from Bin Laden and the Taliban in Afghanistan, why this terrible decision was the right one and how Bush should be honored for making it. He defended going into Iraq without the consent of our allies and the United Nations. He has defended the most poorly planned and managed occupational force in modern American history with such enthusiasm that none of us needs to be reminded that he agreed with, defended, and promoted the Iraq war.

So, of course, when Bush proposed a four-year-too-late Surge, McCain supported that too. This came as a surprise to no one.

And while scholars can and should argue over why or whether the Surge has worked, I disagree with McCain's assertion that following, supporting and promoting an endless procession of Bush policies demonstrates sufficient judgment or qualifies one for the highest leadership office in the land. In fact, it seems to me--and judging by the President's poll numbers, the American people agree--that running on the strategies of George W. Bush should be a disqualifying platform.

Help Stop Bush Library....please!

2008-06-26T22:38:24Z

Hope this isn't a pain, and I know many of you probably already signed this, but there is one last, serious effort underway to stop the Bush Library and Think Tank from coming to fruition. We really could stop it. There is a plan.

http://protectsmu.org/index.html

I went to SMU, and it's a great school. But it's run by people eager to railroad this horrible idea into reality. So, do it out of spite if you must, or whatever, but please sign the petition and help us stop this.

http://protectsmu.org/index.html

For those who don't know, this isn't any regular Presidential Library. Rove and Co. have attached a right-wing think tank to the facility that will work to actively rewrite the history of the Iraq War and the Bush Presidency. It will push for and build a neo-con agenda for generations to come, under the guise of a respectability. These are its objectives. And yes, it's that bad.

So, sorry to bug ya with a petition. I know it's a drag to dwell on Bush when there's so much to look forward to.

Thanks...