Monday, November 2, 2009

LIKE I SAID

Only maybe more clearly. Here.

11 comments:

JIm said...

Obama announced an Afghanistan policy in the spring that was based on a thorough review by the Bush Cheney administration. He appointed McCrystal supported by Patraeus and Mullen and declared that he would follow their advice. His military team is probably the finest counter insurgency group in the world. He now has second thoughts and can not make up his mind while our troops die for lack of presidential support. Cheney accuses him of dithering. How cruel!

The Obama administration’s handling of the swine flu epidemic and vaccination supplies has been Katrinaesqe. It must be a conspiracy of the pharma industry. It does however provide a peak into the future if government runs health care.

Obama warned that if the Stimulus Bill was not passed we would have 10% unemployment. It was passed and we have 10% and worse unemployment, if those who stopped looking are counted. His war against business and job creation has been unhelpful. But of course it must be Bush’s fault.

Obama and his supporters seem to be convinced that Obama’s troubles and failures are the result of someone else’s inadequacy. If we were in Obama’s shoes I am sure we would agree. After all, he was famous in the Illinois senate for voting present. Thoughtful decisions are not his strong suit.

Harryn Studios said...

before i continue about a well written article, i've got to address jimmy's flaws - which really are the subject of an article about how another minority's undermining causes failure with leadership - i mean, how successful would a corporate company be if its' ceo were constantly plagued with obstacles from warring factions within the company ...

p.1-troops aren't dying due to lack of support - that's just another palinesque cliche or 'mad radio' sputter - they're dying because they're being killed by people that don't want us to occupy their country or inerfere with their drug trade and way of life - and if you want to talk adding to the deficit, we can't afford the thousands of dollars per fuel supply truck we have to pay off to the tribal leaders for safe passage for our troops to operate ...

p.2-the swine flu issue is a matter of supply and demand - kind of like cabbage patch dolls - the manufacturer said they'd deliver and they didn't - i'm sure if they could be making their own batch in the oval office, the job would be done - its a vaccine, not fast food - it requires specialization - i doubt that the people of new orleans are complaining as loudly about this as they had a few years back about federal ineptitude...

p.3-at the time obama was making his assessments only the tip of the iceberg were showing, and if businesses controlled by some of the rightwiggers postured themselves to insure more failure, it was and still is somewhat incalculable - that where team playing comes in - something that obama hasn't seen from day one - funny haow the rest of the world admires his policy but are a bit confounded by why they aren't working - its through lack of cooperation and the 8 years of bad habits ...

p.4-voting is a matter of conscience - and at the level of government, everything becomes consequential - so if you disagree and are present - at the very least there's evidence of thoughtful decision making - something we're not used to after that gun-slinging, cowboy idiot bush ...

now for the article - right on ...

Butch in Waukegan said...

Russ Baker, in the linked article:

So Barack Obama is boxed in. But so are the American people, and so, really, is democracy itself. Bringing this inconvenient truth out in the open is the essential first step toward taking back control of our government - and our future. For all the reasons laid out here, Obama will need help. He may, in the rote formulation, hold "the most powerful office in the world." However, the extent to which he controls the government he heads, is another matter.

I read Family of Secrets. It fleshes out a convincing argument that the national security state is a major, on-going power center in the United States. (I can’t think of one instance where Obama, directly or indirectly, has brought “this inconvenient truth out in the open”.)

I wonder though, why does this translate into support for Obama?

Are we to support his appointments of Gates, Petraeus, McChrystal, etc. as savvy political moves? Should we also support his sending of 25,000 or 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan as a necessary compromise with McChrystal's request for 40,000+? Should we also resign ourselves to more government secrecy — yes, even beyond what Bush wanted — because, really, Obama has no choice?

Extending the argument, should we also applaud Obama’s recruiting Goldman Sachs executives to run the economy as a shrewd political tactic? After all the banks are a major power center (by the way with deep historical connections to the CIA).

A more realistic conclusion would be that the president, any president, is put into office to execute the wishes of real power centers, which unfortunately do not include the citizenry. This would explain Obama’s conduct in Pakistan / Afghanistan, the economy, the healthcare crisis, the Israel / Palestine conflict and torture. Yes, Obama is different than Bush, but the differences are not as great as most people think.
——————
Re the 1st comment, again I ask the little corporal, is he encouraging his offspring to enlist in the military to fight what he has called “the clash of civilizations” under a “military team [that] is probably the finest counter insurgency group in the world”?

The stakes are so high and the cause so noble. Or does his commitment involve only typing, typing, typing to make sure other kids (poor mostly) fight and die?

Harryn Studios said...

kudos butch - or 'ditto' as some would have it ...

Anonymous said...

bring back the draft, or every oneshould come home

JIm said...

Wow, even Corzine lost. That Hopey Changey think seems to be wearing thin, even in solidly Blue New Jersey. I like the fact that Obama risked so much political capital and got kicked in the teeth. Hopefully the Blue Dogs are having nightmares about their political future if the vote for more socialism.

Earlier this evening, I attended a Tea Party Express rally at the Greek theatre in down town Denver. We had about 3-5000 enthusiastic people show up. Joe the Plumber, amomgst others spoke. He was not the most eloquent, but his sentiments seemed heart felt. The music was great and funny at the expense of the politicians of both parties that have been ignoring the Constitution and leading the country down the path to ruin. We, the Tea Party Folks, are having an impact. Republicans and Democrats better take notice.

Anonymous said...

Jim did not mention that Hoffman, the Lunatic Fringe's candidate in New York, got drubbed. I think that is the most telling result. Folks like Limbaugh, Gingrich, Goldberg, etc. thought his victory was sewed up. It looks like the teabaggers contributed to Hoffman's defeat--they were also carpetbaggers and an incredible turn off to the voters.

AlamedaTom said...

Terrific article. Thanks for pulling my coat.

~ Willy

JIm said...

The Tea Party Folk have sent the Republican Party a message to not back candidates that are more liberal then Democrats. I follow a group called "The Club For Growth" who supports conservative candidates and who supported Hoffman. All they ask of a candidate, is that they be fiscally conservative and reflect the social values of their district. The Republican H23 candidate was decided by county chairman an not an open primary. Newt and Republican National leadership made a mistake and have admitted it. The Democrat is up for election next year. He won with 45%. We shall see.

PS Anonymous, You liberals seem to relish insulting us with the Tea Bagger term. Insults or not we are a growing movement. Liberals represent 20% of the US. Conservatives are double that. Elections are decided by independents and turnout of the base. Independents turned and the Republican base turned out for Republicans even in blue NJ and in supposedly purple VA. 2010 should be interesting. We Tea Party folk plan on having an impact.

Butch in Waukegan said...

Grover Norquist, Club for Growth founder: "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub."

And you guys get bent out of shape when Grayson equates your health care positions with death.

You are right, though, independents are up for grabs. Republicans are not doing well in winning people over . That’s why I can’t understand why Obama and the Democrats make their first priority compromising with Republicans. Can anyone explain this to me?

JIm said...

In my humble opinion, Republicans have lost their way because they became Democrat Party lite, in many instances. If people want a liberal, one should vote for a Democrat. The Olympia Snowes, Arlen Spectors and Charlie Crists of this world muddle the conservative and hopefully but not always Republican message of free enterprize pro growth fiscal responsibility.