These are the People that Limbaugh and the GOP Represent
BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE
Sorry Mr. President, but We've Turned too Many Pages Already
President Obama has suggested that we "turn the page" on Republican misdeeds and move the nation forward. The president is a good natured sort, but there is such a thing as being forgiving to a fault, and I think we've long since reached that point with the Republican Party. The GOP reminds me of a woman who's been caught committing adultery, then when her husband confronts her with it the next morning, she becomes incensed and tells him that he's going to destroy their marriage if he doesn't learn to stop dwelling in the past.
It's time for America to take a long, hard, and objective look at the Republican Party. The American people have been played for fools long enough by these people. Once we begin to take a serious look at the GOP an unmistakable pattern is going to emerge. We're going to notice the same arguments being put forth by the same names, who are engaging in the very same practices, leading to the same kind of corruption being recycled every generation.
On October 29, 1929 the Republican Party ushered in the Great Depression under President Herbert Hoover, and it took Democratic president, Franklin Roosevelt, to bail the nation out.
Then on October 19, 1987, under Republican, Ronald Reagan, the stock market fell 508 points due to the excesses of Reaganomics. Then after that, due to the continued freewheeling fiscal policies of conservative Republicans, between 1986 and 1989, spanning the presidencies of Reagan and Bush Sr., the FSLIC had to pay off all the depositors of 296 institutions at a cost of over $125 billion.
Then in 1988 Silverado Savings and Loan collapsed, costing the taxpayers $1.3 billion. It was headed by Neil Bush, brother of George W. The investigation alleged that he was guilty of "breaches of his fiduciary duties involving multiple conflicts of interest." The issue was eventually settled out of court with Bush paying a mere $50,000 settlement.
Then there was the Lincoln Savings and loan scandal in 1987, involving John McCain. The scandal was very similar to the one that is currently playing out on Wall Street. He was one of a group of senators dubbed "The Keating Five" involved in a scandal by the same name.
In 1976 Charles Keating moved to Arizona to run the American Continental Corporation. In 1984, shortly after the Reagan era push to deregulate the savings and loan community, Keating bought Lincoln Savings and Loan and began to engage in highly risky investments with the depositors' savings. In 1989 the parent company, which Keating headed, went bankrupt, and it resulted in over 21,000 investors losing their life savings. Most of the investors were elderly, and the loss amounted to about 285 million dollars.
After having received over a million dollars from Keating in illegal campaign contributions, gifts, free trips, and other gratuities, the Keating Five--Senators John Glenn, Don Riegle, Dennis DeConini, Alan Cranston, and Sen. John McCain--attempted to intervene in the investigation into Keating's activities by the regulators. Later, they were admonished to varying degrees by the senate for attempting to influence regulators on Keating's behalf.
Charles Keating ended up being convicted for fraud, racketeering and conspiracy, for which he received 10 years by the state court, and a 12 year sentence in federal court. After spending four and a half years in prison, his convictions were overturned. But prior to being retried, he pled guilty to a number of felonies in return for a sentence of time served.
So fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. But if we allow them to continue to fool us every generation with impunity, we're damn fools. We need to hang these people out to dry, or mark my words, they'll be back feeding from the frough in another ten years--convincing a new generation of Americans that they're socialists if they don't hand over their money.
Eric L. Wattree
wattree.blogspot.com
That the Keating Five were never mentioned in the MSM in the past year is a travesty. Justice is not served because the MSM does not do reporting, or inform the public about relevant evens from even the resent past let alone the distance. There's a wall we have to climb and that's getting to general public to acknowledge events like the SNL implosion. Right now, in doesn't even enter the discussion. I don't know how we so that except form groups that barrage networks with these events in short direct language. It must be done.
March 8, 2009 4:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
The MSM has become a national disgrace. When comedians do a better job of keeping America informed than the news media, you know we're in trouble. It's getting where you have go to the Comedy Store to find out what's going on in the world.
That's one of the reasons that it is essential that we reinstate the Fairness Doctrine--it the very least that would initiate some sort of public debate on the issues.
I'm so sick of watching "news" programing where personalities take priority over information that I could literally throwup.
March 8, 2009 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hear you on this Wattree. I've stopped watching all political shows. What's the point? We are being lulled into politics as entertainment. These shows are out for ratings. They are dumbing down the process to keep their jobs. Talk about people f......g with your mind. Show me a documentary about history or a dang leaf. Football. Cooking. Anything but these jerks.
March 8, 2009 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Republican misdeeds" minimizes. We would do well to not fixate on mere misdeeds, but we do need closure on petty misdeeds as well as for what were impeachable offenses.
Treason comes in a variety of flavors and degrees.
March 8, 2009 5:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. I never thought I'd live to see the day when a Vice President of the United States of America would out a CIA agent with impunity. It is literally, unbelieveable--and during a time of war! Bush should have been impeached, and Dick Cheney should be facing the gallows.
March 8, 2009 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
A democratic president killed 76 men, women and children at Waco. That is just one of the many "misdeeds" that happened under Clinton. He should have been prosecuted for a whole lot more than a blow job.
Johnson killed a million Vietnamese. Truman killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese to prove a point to the Russians. FDR was hardly a saint. Neither was JFK. The Congressional democrats these last thirty years have hardly been innocent bystanders in our country's degradation.
This morbid fascination with the republican party to the exclusion of all the other people who brought this country low will ensure we never get anything done. You are like a broken record on this shit, Wattree.
March 8, 2009 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have to agree that the endless fascination with trashing the Right is a sucker's game. Issues please ! There is work to be done and this isn't it.
March 8, 2009 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly right. There is no need for Them to be proved Wrong in order for Us to be Right. If we keep framing this transition as a zero sum game then zero will be the sum that we get.
March 8, 2009 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perfect reasoning.
March 8, 2009 2:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
JM,
You called for "Issues please!"
This isn't intended to pat myself on the back, but I think my entire post constitutes one giantic issue. If citing the history of the GOP is considered an attack, what does that say about their behavior?
I've pledged to stop broad-brushing this issue by referring to them as conservatives. Now it's up to the conservatives to decide whether they want to distance themselves from this behavior, or continue to defend these people.
So how you're defined is now up to you.
March 9, 2009 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nice.
It was clear to me that Jason used the broad brush in this subthread, himself.
March 9, 2009 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
The need to distract ... or are you attempting a joke there, Jason?
There are legit questions, far beyond things like "Whitewater" and not grounded in mere witch hunt revenge mentality either.
March 8, 2009 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Waco is not Whitewater. I don't give a shit about Whitewater. Ten years of crushing sanctions on Iraq is Whitewater nor is standing by while 800,000 Rwandans died. I am not trying to distract from anything, just saying that historical accuracy is the first step toward actually learning our lessons from the last four decades of devolution in this country.
You'll get no argument from me that there are legitimate things to be discussed and examined, but to limit the investigation to one side or the other leaves us exactly no where when it comes to actually finding something resembling objective reality. Even a casual glance through modern history will show that it isn't quite so black and white that all ill winds can be blamed on conservatives.
I just can't agree that this circular debate about who is more to blame is actually helpful to our overall project. We've gotten a bi-partisan screwing for a lot of years now, despite the fact the republicans were to rougher of our two assailants.
March 8, 2009 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Johnson killed a million Vietnamese."
And Nixon, using Kissinger on one of his "A Particularly Loquacious Day(s)" in a Conversation with Zhou Enlai, June 20, 1972, betrayed Our Ally, South Vietnam, because Red China was a country; "with whom we have much more important business".
Yet the right continues to perpetrate the myth that the Democrats were the reason Saigon fell in 1975, during the Administration of Gerald Ford.
About that mote, bro...
March 8, 2009 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Point being that it was two democratic administrations combined with two republican administrations that led to the horror that was Vietnam. Again, I am less concerned with assigning blame than I am with being historically accurate in our musings.
March 8, 2009 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jason, it serves no purpose but the status quo to continue on perpetrating the distortion that Clinton murdered the Branch Davidians in Waco, TX, or that Reno was responsible for it either.
ATF attempted to execute the search warrant at the Branch Davidian complex on February 28, 1993. The U.S. Attorney General at that time was William Barr. Reno was sworn in as Attorney General on March 11, 1993. W.J. Clinton became President on January 20, 1993, 38 days before the ATF attempted to serve the warrant. The Federal Investigation into the Branch Davidians was a hold-over when G.H.W. Bush was president.
The search warrant the ATF officers attempted to serve on the Branch Davidians had been lawfully issued by a Federal Judge, and the officers serving it were executing their honourably sworn duty. This has nothing to do with whether the sworn affidavit used to acquire the warrant was obtained truthfully. That is a matter for the courts and juries to sort out after the fact. Four ATF Officers were killed by Branch Davidians resisting the warrant being served. These officers were acting in good faith, lawfully. The Branch Davidians choose insurrection to the rule of law, and murdered four law enforcement officers. The Branch Davidians decided to keep their children and women with them, to use them as shields. The Federal government responded wrongfully, and negligently, but this was not murder.
The same goes for Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge. The warrant was a acquired dishonestly, and he had been set-up, yet the warrant was still being lawfully served by two Federal Law Enforcement Officers, executing their sworn duty. Weaver, along with his son, ambushed the Federal Officers, killing one. In the firefight, Weaver's son was killed. This was not murder either. Weaver chose insurrection to the rule of law. Additionally, Weaver had trained with his son in preparation for this eventuality; it was premeditated. The attack was on his own land, where he had both the initiative, and the great advantage of familiarity with territory, yet the firefight ended up with a 1 to 1 casualty count. Weaver also bears responsibility for his horrible tactics.
This is important, because these are egregious examples of contemporary conservatism's hypocrisy, or does Conservatism no longer consider the rule of law to be legitimate? This is not about the Federal Officials' propriety acquiring the warrants at the Federal Bench in either instance. It is no surprise that some will grossly abuse their powers of office. This is about responding to the government's police power with armed rebellion; about not having faith in the judicial system. These events happened in Texas and Eastern Idaho. In both locales, the Federal Government would have been forced to clearly prove weapons violations to secure a conviction. These would not have been push-over convictions bu US Attorneys. Why was there so much paranoia? He who chooses to live by the sword...
I do not exalt the Administration of WJ Clinton. Any man who would lie under oath about an act of consensual sex places an exceedingly low valuation upon his personal honour. Yet still I curse contemporary conservatism for the bile that I must choke back in my throat, whenever I wax nostalgic for an idyllic America past, when our President's lies were only about getting fellated in The Oval Office.
March 8, 2009 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Look, whitewash it all you want, Clinton was president and could have called that shit off at any time. You are a fool if you don't think Bill Clinton was involved with that operation every step of the way. I am sick of the left side of the house giving their goons a pass while screaming from the rafters about everyone else and how bad they are. The last real democrat in charge of the party was Jimmy Carter and we see how well you all treated him.
Here is a complete list of Bill Clinton's "crimes" against this country. Notice I didn't put Waco and Ruby Ridge on there at all. Bill Clinton is far from the great, liberal father the left is trying to make him out to be as they seek to persecute republicans while giving dems a a get out of jail free card.
It's only wrong if the other side does it, huh? Rank hypocrisy if you ask me and intellectually dishonest to boot. A freaking copy and paste from Wikipedia won't change that.
March 9, 2009 8:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
You are so right, Jason--and I intend to be a broken record on this shit. As I said before, I'm through demonizing all conservatives, but I intend to get dead in the GOPs ass--and stay there.
The party has ceased being the "loyal opposition," and has now become a threat to America. They have, by their own admission, become subversive:
Sub·ver·sive (s…b-vûr“s¹v, -z¹v) adj. 1. Intended or serving to subvert, especially intended to overthrow or undermine an established government.
American Heritage Dictionary
March 8, 2009 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
While both Repubs and Dems have been guilty of 'misdeeds, horrors and travesties' - I so agree that the current Repubs have now 'jumped the shark'. I applaud your efforts and (for myself) validate your goals.
Thanks.
March 8, 2009 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
No argument. We must remain vigilant and try and move the country forward at the same time. Going back to sleep is our greatest risk right now.
However, by going after the "republican party" with such fervor, you run the risk of unintended consequences, such as rank and file conservatives circling the wagons against perceived attacks. Why is it not possible to simply lead the way forward with new ideas and a different methodology than has been how politics have been long practiced?
Turning around and using the same tactics that the far right used for so long doesn't help our long-term efforts, I am afraid.
March 8, 2009 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jason,
We cannot allow the precedents that's been set in the last eight years to stand--that's how we got to this point. We've got to set a new precedent that says that NO ONE is above the law, and EVERYONE is accountable for their actions--and that goes for Republicans and Democrats.
We've established a privileged class in this country. Why is Bernie Madoff still on the street? And he's negotiating to keep millions of dollars!
The fact is, no convict walking the yard of any penitentiary in this, or any other country, are responsible for as much needless pain, suffering, and mayhem as George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. If we took the time to list their crimes against humanity, either one of them makes Charles Manson look like a choirboy.
March 8, 2009 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't dispute that, but our own legal code, we would then have to convict the entire US Congress for aiding and abetting those crimes. We do indeed need to set new standards of conduct and new levels of accountability and transparency in government, but to pretend that we can all of a sudden start with the last bunch of assholes to get away with it and not cause a shit storm of ridiculous proportions isn't realistic.
Further, to totally dismiss that the democratic party did the same exact shit when they were in charge is intellectually dishonest. Bill Clinton used the Oklahoma City bombing as an excuse to pass the first "anti-terror" legislation and started the NSA spying on USE citizens to begin with. His administration laid the groundwork for all the suffering and delusion of the last eight years.
If the goal is to truly change the paradigm, then going after Bush and Cheney in anything but a sober and non-ideological fashion will totally backfire on democrats. I think Obama has handled this exactly right and is well aware of the fact that Eric Holder may indeed conclude that everything that was done was either legal or sanctioned by precedent and wouldn't lead to a conviction.
There is a reason why no one has ever been held accountable for our country's many crimes, so continuing to pound this dead horse will do nothing but piss off the horse's owner is only looking to provide a decent burial at this point or whatever it is they do with dead horses.
March 8, 2009 6:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
"I think Obama has handled this exactly right and is well aware of the fact that Eric Holder may indeed conclude that everything that was done was either legal or sanctioned by precedent and wouldn't lead to a conviction."
Mr. Holder could also conclude the opposite.
Jason, although I agree with your basic premise that both sides must shoulder the blame for many of the horrendous misdeeds in our country, (I grew up in the land of Dixiecrats) I also understand we can't continue to turn a blind eye.
My only concern, while shouting to the rafters to go after the bad guys, we forget that the bad guys may actually be hiding behind the very legal precedents you speak about. By going after these people we may end up undermining the very Constitution we all want to vehemently protect if, we are not careful, diligent and precise.
We have to make our voices heard but we should be prudent and trust in the president. That doesn't mean bowing at his feet and accepting everything he says and does as gospel. It means we have to constantly work toward striking the right balance between standing up for what we believe in and showing our faith in the president we worked so diligently to elect.
I'm not a writer or an intellect. I'm sure many could convey my thoughts in less words and more prophetically. I'm just an old broad who tries to use, common sense and facts to get through the day but that common sense tells me, ours is a difficult balancing act and the role we play is as important as the leaders we elect but let's not forget, the president is balancing on the same tightrope. However, he's at a higher altitude with a safety net the size of a pocket handkerchief.
March 9, 2009 2:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't sell yourself short. You're among the most clear-minded and objective "old broads" I've run across on this site. It's a small, though elite, group. At least you don't pull out the "son" and "kid" monikers as a method of disagreeing with me.
I totally agree with this entire comment. We have an opportunity here, if we play it right as progressives, to set a new precedent for this country. We can create a legal system that doesn't overly rely on precedent as a way of upholding tyranny, but it will take time and probity and patience. Obama can't just change 230 years of basically paying lip-service to the Constitution overnight.
Personally, I hope Cheney and Bush and the rest left enough evidence for Holder to not just get indictments but convictions as well. I hope we are able to finally stop excusing the inexcusable because it is "legal" which has become one of the biggest fictions in this country. The things that are legal in America make me want to puke given the damage they have done the environmental, social and economic systems in this country.
I am not betting on the fact that they were that stupid, but a guy can still hope.
At the end of the day, I suspect what will happen is much as your describe. These investigations with be conducted with the utmost of candor and transparency and deliberation. Obama will go out of his way to ensure these proceedings have as much legitimacy as the persecution of Bill Clinton never did. That way, if Holder is able to make a case, it won't tear the country apart.
Glad you started commenting and not just reading. You have plenty to add to the discussion and not just because you came to my aid. :O)
March 9, 2009 8:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Jason, I try to be fair. Sometimes I even succeed without upsetting the status quo. I must admit however, I've been known to go out of my way to shake things up a tad. It helps to keep the blood pumping.
I prefer reading to posting but I'll come in from time to time if that's OK? I look forward to rubbing elbows with the elite:)
March 9, 2009 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Havethought, you said,
"I'm not a writer or an intellect."
Who are you trying to fool?
March 9, 2009 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm in best behavior mode and trying to cover my butt for the times I'm lazy and sloppy.:)
Trust me, I'm lost with many of the literary references and fancy $5.00 words but I hold my own in comprehending. Even when I don't understand Quinn, I somehow understand his message. (I think)
I'm a pretty ballsy broad and this blog is the first time I can remember being intimidated by anything or anyone. Quite a humbling experience but it's made me slow down and think intellectually more than emotionally, that's a good thing. So thank you,(all of you)for the inspiration I needed. Feel free to critique and teach anytime. I may not like it but I can take it.
March 9, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
They've been a threat to America for years. they need to be smashed into smithereens, but that won't happen as long as "centrist" Democrats rule the roost in DC as they have for years and still do today.
March 9, 2009 12:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
They've been a threat to America for years. they need to be smashed into smithereens, but that won't happen as long as "centrist" Democrats rule the roost in DC as they have for years and still do today.
March 9, 2009 2:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jason - thank you very much for saying this first. I couldn't agree with you more. I'm surprised that Wattree didn't mention the Republicans being responsible for bailing out and enriching Wall Street. Of course there's no Democrats on Wall Street. Nah. Guys like Dimon, Fuld, Mack, Buffet, Raines, etc. They're not Democrats...
March 8, 2009 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
My pleasure, Bill, but the republican party certainly has a lot soul searching to do in order to reclaim our roots and actually become an effective part of our national project.
I don't necessarily disagree with many of the critiques of republican leadership, only that it tends to sweep up a lot of innocent, thoughtful conservative moderates into the witch hunt. There is plenty of blame to go around and assigning it is hardly useful as a tool for moving the country forward.
I also don't think it helps blame all ill winds on the republican party and its members, though we are in desperate need of innovative thinking in conservative political theory as it applies to building a sustainable world. This fascination with Adam Smith must end, or at least go beyond the man's platitudes about the market and embrace his underlying requirement that the marketplace be well-regulated to account for the common good.
It is long past time that the GOP looked to its roots for inspiration.
March 8, 2009 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
When the Rush Limbaugh party has something more to offer than a relentless campaign for American failure, maybe Democrats should talk to them. Until then they can travel to hell and back for all I care.
March 8, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think this post by Glenn Greenwald, this morning, fits your basis thesis, Eric:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/08/mohamed/index.html
Britain is going to "look back." Admittedly, it relates to something specific. But it shows that a country can look back, while still going forward.
March 8, 2009 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
"fits your basic thesis"
March 8, 2009 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you for this link, TheraP--it's a keeper. I suggest everyone take the time to go over to Salon.com to read it:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/08/mohamed/index.html
I think the article clearly points out how remote our society has become from the American ideal. We've become so desensitized to lawlessness that the mere suggestion that we adhere to the law is considered a radical concept, held only by political extremists.
Take, for example, Jason's dismissive comment that "You are like a broken record on this shit." One would think that a conservative would be in the very forefront in the fight against the corruption of American values. But the problem is, and what threatens to destroy America, is that too many of us are, including Democrats, are much too willing to choose partisan politics over the America ideal.
That's what President Obama is currently doing. He can say whatever he wants, but strongly suspect that his unwillingness to address this important issue has much more to do with the next election than it does our "coming together."
March 8, 2009 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eric, Jason is forever trying to sidetrack discussions. But to my mind when you see a group descend on your blog, trying to distract things, its the proof you've hit the nail on the head! And no matter how many arguments they try to stir up in the "comments" - just remember that your post speaks for itself!
Now to your point. Yes, our nation has strayed far from its ideals. We have a long, long way to go to investigate and hold accountable those who are responsible.
And you are hitting the nail on the head every time you see people here, trying to disrupt and distract the discussion.
Peace be with you.
March 8, 2009 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
As always, thank you, TheraP.
March 8, 2009 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I’m new and don’t have time to introduce myself other than to say I’ve been reading TPM for over a year. I have seen the ebb and flow of things and learned a great deal from the current crop of bloggers.
TheraP, you’re one of many that I admire and usually find myself agreeing with much of what you have to say but this time I think you’re wrong. Although, since I’m new and want to be nice, I should say I don’t agree with a statement you made:)
I think Jason makes an excellent point. He stated a thoughtful but opposing response to Wattree’s blog. I don’t understand how that could be considered sidestepping the discussion.
Personally I think both posters have excellent points although I tend to lean more towards Wattree’s side but not for the obvious reasons. I lean there because of this statement: “He can say whatever he wants, but strongly suspect that his unwillingness to address this important issue has much more to do with the next election than it does our "coming together."
I agree that it’s probably about the next election however my question would be, is that a bad thing?
I’m not a lawyer but I do know the wheels of justice are rarely executed as quickly as we would like. Bush isn’t the most intelligent human being that has ever walked the earth but he’s not completely stupid.(although it would be difficult for me to prove that comment) Rove and Cheney are quite savvy (as well as evil)but does anyone believe they left an easy paper trail for lawyers to sift through? Does anyone believe they would make the DOJ’s job easy to the point they could start throwing around charges that would stick in only six weeks?
I don’t care for the, let’s turn the page comment but I’ve paid close attention to our President for two years now and one thing I can say, he rarely tips his hand and he seems to think things through before he strikes.
Another four years (beyond what he is currently serving) may be exactly what he needs to put the pieces of the puzzle in place. Fours years may be needed to accept the fact, we were not only screwed without the Vaseline but there is not a doggone thing we can legally do about it.
The president said let’s turn the page but he didn’t say, let’s close the book. He left himself an opening either way it goes, he does that a lot. It’s quite pragmatic and ironically honest imo.
I never would have come to that conclusion if it hadn’t been for Jason’s post. You may or may not agree with my point of view but I give Jason credit for presenting an opposing view that allowed me to see two sides of an argument and form my own conclusion.
P.S. Please forgive me Wattree if I seem to have hijacked your blog. I tend to be long winded.
March 8, 2009 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Any time, Havethought.
This is not MY discussion--I simply initiated it, and very much appreciate your input. As for being "long-winded," that charge is invaribly leveled against the thoughtful by those with jerking kneecaps.
March 9, 2009 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
:)
March 9, 2009 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
You seriously need to seek a therapist of your own for these delusions of persecution and the on-going paranoid conspiracy of a concerted effort to subvert the TPM community by forces unknown, though somehow indicated by my mere presence. For what nefarious reason, I have no idea, but motive never seems to be mentioned in your fantastic accusations.
I have made the same simple point over and over on this particular matter of communications methods and yet you continue to paint a caricature of me, dismissing my comments as seeking to distract when my critique of these illogical and irrational methods is central to the ongoing political discussion. It's called not doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, which is what your crowd would have us believe is the most effective route.
Yes, Obama must be positioning for the next election rather than having an intuitive understanding of what such an atmosphere would do to our very fragile and precarious position. Even if the president is in disagreement with TheraP or Wattree, he must be doing something counter to his core beliefs. Couldn't be that he actually disagree with the far left's understanding of law could it?
The man didn't campaign on a platform of tearing the country apart as means of moving it forward, so I am not sure why either of you think he would start now.
March 8, 2009 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
How is Jason distracting anything? He simply made a comment that he disagreed with Wattree's angry post.
March 8, 2009 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Middle Class Bill, I didn't read anger but passion. I guess we all see things through a different lens at times...shrugs
March 8, 2009 11:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hunter has a great take on America's lost decade over on KOS:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/8/13649/98119/998/703785
March 8, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bluebell,
He did lay it on 'em, didn't he?
March 8, 2009 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
A little bit of history is enlightening. Especially when you have right. Nice Post.
March 8, 2009 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Dick. I hope everyone starts speaking out, so it will force the the politurds into action.
March 8, 2009 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink