Before that, it was the firing of Van Jones, and before that it was giving Bush administration officials a pass for promoting torture and politicizing the DOJ. Before that, it was taking impeachment "off the table." And way way back before that, it was voting to give Dubya the authority to invade Iraq.
Each time, Republicans screamed and hollered and lied and smeared like it was the end of the world, and Democrats decided that instead of fighting back, they would simply remove the offending piece from the board in hopes of short-circuiting the debate. After all, they weren’t giving up any of their core objectives or personnel, merely getting rid of "distractions" so they could pursue their policy goals unimpeded.
And how has that cowardice-as-strategy worked out? Every time the Democrats caved, the country moved backward. We got sucked into an idiotic war which blew up the budget and thousands of lives to make the world less safe. Concepts like rule of law and government accountability have become quaint relics of a bygone age. Passionate, committed, talented people are discarded like garbage while always-wrong corporate creatures like Geithner, Summers and Rahm are bolted to the White House floor. And unless the progressives hold firm (because no one else will), the public option will be the next sacrifice.
And the Republicans are still screaming.
The Democrats have mastered the political moonwalk: They’re looking forward, they’re swinging their arms like they’re moving forward, but it’s quite obvious that they’re sliding backward.
Related posts:
- Sen. Blanche Lincoln is Moving… Toward a Public Plan Near You
- Lawrence O’Donnell: Pelosi Telling Her Troops to Go Forward Without a Public Option
- FDL Book Salon Welcomes Bruce Bartlett, The New American Economy: The Failure of Reaganomics and a New Way Forward
- Early Morning Swim: Dick Cheney’s Mouth was Moving on Fox
- Pew Poll: Americans Losing Patience with Congress
Spotlight
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
Advanced search
Nailed it, Eli. The moonwalk is a perfect description.
Thanks! It didn’t even occur to me until I started trying to figure out what YouTube to use…
I’m thinking three to four times, at least.
bolted to the floor?
LOL
Love it. hate it.
I said “at least”…
I’m thinking that for my next post I should talk about how Van Jones and Yosi Sergant are pretty nice scalps and all, but if Glenn Beck and the conservatives *really* want to demoralize the left and take its heart, they need to take out someone from Obama’s inner circle.
OH TAKE RHAM…..pretty pretty please,with sugar
Good one. Why can’t Beck go after the right people? God, he spends more time trashing Rahm’s brother than Rahm. All we here from him and his ilk about Rahm is that he’s one of those “Chigago politicians.” To which I always say “Yeah? So?”
But I loved the bolted to the floor imagery. Rahm there. Flailing his arms in circles and swaying side to side and round and round ’cause he can’t move his feet. Yelling at Pelosi “You come here, bitch! I can’t fucking move ya know! I wanna fuckin’ talk to you!” Love it. But the fact that rahm is even in the WH… hate it.
What a wonderfully huge collection of dry powder the moonwalk yields, though….
Heh. Not exactly what I was going for, but I kinda saw it coming…
Hey BT. Been lurking some in the a.m. but not commenting. Good job with The Swim and the afternoon posts. You’ve been attracting a troll or two.
It reduces the friction. Very helpful.
Hmmm – Moonwalk Dems…
Has that internet-ish ring to it. Good on ya Eli!
Did I actually write “all we here (jeez!) from him”??
I’m a fucking moran.
And in two weeks they’ll throw Valerie Jarrett under the bus because that’s who’s being cued up for Glenn Beck. World News Daily took a whack today. Watch it slowly migrate to Fox through the loonysphere.
Memo to Democrats. You don’t negotiate with terrorists.
No matter what you give them, it’ll only whet their appetite for more. Maybe the Republicans were right about Democrats being soft on terrorists after all.
Yes, and I’m sorry to see my prediction about Sunstein already being partially true. I had said that Obama would stand up for him against Beck because he’s “serious”. I didn’t see any public statements from Obama, but you know he had to be involved at some level with them going ahead and having a cloture vote and then and a confirmation vote for Sunstein this week.
This one’s not over. I’m sure Beck will continue to come after Sunstein. I’d be happy for him to be Beck’s next victim, but I just don’t see Obama allowing it.
Another scalp for the NewsCorp mafia:
anthony weiner on real time tonight. makes me wish i had hbo
I made a similar prediction, but only via e-mail. Obama is far more likely to stand up for the people who are more ideologically aligned with him, and Van Jones most certainly was not.
Now is the time for a third party. I’m serious– both parties are weak and emaciated. Who are the Pukes going to run? Pawlenty? Cantor? Jindal?
They got nuthin’, and neither do the Rats.
i thought tehy did that a while ago. That ACORN (never ending) “story” is such bullshit.
I guess. hard for me to tell who or what Obama will stand up for anymore.
He’s pretty good at standing up to progressives.
Moonwalk Ds join the moonbat Rs.
You’re right and no he won’t let Sunstein go. Which proves Obama will act, but only on things that matter to him.
Are you behaving yourself tonight?
OT Norm Coleman diagnosed with Bell’s palsy
September 11, 2009
St. Paul, Minn. — Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman says he’s been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, which has left one side of his face (the left side, of course) temporarily paralyzed.
The former senator said he first began experiencing symptoms of the condition on a late-night flight from Washington, D.C. to Minneapolis on Sept. 2.
He says it started with the realization that, while jesting with other first-class fliers about magic negroes, he was “smiling out of one side of my face.”
“I’m a major asshole. I expect to be swarmed by locusts next.”, spake the Colemeister from one side of his
faceass.Guest on Rachel (I just turned it on at the end of the interview so don’t know who it was) ’splained that O will stand up to progressives but not to corp Ds, “like Baucus who takes millions in campaign contributions for the health insurance industry.” Not that we hadn’t already figured out that O was more of a corp D than Clinton.
David Sirota told Rachel Maddow tonight that Barack Obama was “not courageous” enough to go after the real source of the health care dilemma: corporatist conservative Democrats like Max Baucus.
Putting a trigger on the public option won’t get GOP votes, but it will enrich the campaign treasuries of the corporatist Democrats Obama won’t call out.
Sunstein on my shoulder makes me happy. – B. Obama
Yeah, the only question in my mind is whether this is the outcome Obama *wants*, or if he’s just willing to sacrifice anything to say he “won” healthcare reform.
You’re referring to my adult-onset multiple personality disorder?
This morning began as a harmless joke. Really.
there was only one contender for the nomination who was willing to take on the corporatists, and who had the charisma to succeed in a national election, and that was John Edwards. The corporatists sure figured out how to “get” him, didn’t they, much like they destroyed Clinton (and Gore’s candidacy, their major victory).
Primary challenge from the real deal
Dr. Dean
take out, rahmbo? come on, fascist bastids don’t go after other fascist bastids.
Maybe we could just reduce the whole phrase to “The MoonBatWalk.”
-A position is stated.
-Moonbats-R, shriek.
-Moonwalkers-D, walk back
-StatusQuo or Improvement for the Corporatocracy is attained.
Rinse, repeat every election cycle.
The MoonBatWalk should also be classified as a disorder in the DSM IV manual.
big………………….G
He was my first choice among the major contenders for exactly that reason, but obviously that wouldn’t have worked out so well.
Yikes! ;]
You’re saying they set Edwards up with that woman?
I thouyght he was just ignoring Progressives. I guess he was ignoring Progressives but now that Progressives are starting to have a serious shit fit, he’s standing up to us.
I thought that was Ezra Klein on his shoulder.
The latter. I think.
the media ignored him
so he got himself a girlfriend…imo
That’s kinda what I think. Kind of a shame that that’s the *best case* scenario…
I do wonder on late tin-foily evenings: who sent Rielle Hunter, a known quantity thanks to Jay McInerney and Bret Easton Ellis, Edwards’ way?
He’s always fought hard against the progressives and the left.
[snort!]
That was a funny picture, wasn’t it?
he’s a fucking dirtbag.
so he got himslf a girlfriend (and a baby)
imo
(and I supported him)
It seems like the Democrats capitulate to the right at least once a day now.
Shit – have we sent a formal letter of apology to the Repub’s about the outcome of that last election yet?
Or maybe Harry Reid could just make a speech in which he issues the apology.
“Hey, y’all, we’re real fuckin’ sorry about the 2008 thing. It was Obama’s fault. A whole shit-load of us got elected on his coat-tails, and believe me, the last thing we ever wanted was to be in such big goddamn majorities.
“Trust me – the absolute last thing we ever wanted was to be in any kind of position of responsibility. We ain’t cut out for it, as you well know.”
“Rest assured, that we (and by that I mean *I*)(and I think that Nancy’s down for this too), will do everything in our/my power to show the American people that we don’t have what it takes to govern, and to pave an easy path for y’all to get back into majority status (quo), so that we can return to doing what we do best, which is to ineffectually whimper and try to sound morally superior.”
“That shit makes us a lot of money – being *in* power – not so much. Everybody keeps pestering us to do stuff – it simply isn’t worth it – I can’t do it, I don’t wanna do it, and I’m more than happy to let y’all take back the reins. Patience, my Republican friends, patience.”
I figured that out after you posted when I went downstairs to get my coffee. As an interesting aside, I had a later conversation today with a friend. Before I brought up the episode, we were chatting about learning styles. He studied to be a LD teacher, but continuing his contracting business turned out to be a better fit for his family life. He pointed out that many (most?) children learn better when they are able to move around a lot, rather than sitting constantly in rows of chairs. That certainly describes my learning style: type a sentence, take a bathroom break, type another, get a drink, etc. If I hadn’t left the computer to walk up & down the stairs, I wouldn’t have figured it out. Having done so, I found it pretty funny and fully recognized all the traps you laid. However, I think the others who you snared were not so amused.
Yup. Sad. But we can fix it up during his next term!!!!
Rereading King of the Mountain by Arnold Ludwig, a statistical study of all rulers of all countries in the 20th C. Among the many insightful insights, he points out that there is no requirement for intelligence, common sense, or any other quality that we think is admirable, to qualify a man to be a ruler.
Obama wants what Rahm wants – D campaign coffers loaded with insurance company blood money in exchange for setting up the Ponzi scheme to bilk a trillion dollars from us.
I’ve wondered that too.
Then I pretty much dismiss it, because Edwards could choose how to act. Personally, I would still vote for him, but Puritan Police America won’t.
Edwards bowed out right before the Colorado Caucus, and I took a lot of shit from Obama voters at the time saying I should have supported Obama then. My reply was “Big Deal – him or Hillary, who cares? Neither is progressive, nor impressive. It’s the lesser of 2 evils again when it comes to the general.”
And lo, the past becomes present.
Sexual dalliances, including many children, legal & illegit, are part of the essence of alpha males, among whom rulers invariably arise.
See my very last comment of the thread. Never again.
I was a Kucinich man. I voted for Edwards in the primary cuz I didn’t want to waste my vote. Voted for Hussein in the gen.
This too shall pass. But as for me, I’ll always get a little giggle when I see your comments.
Um, not so much. See my 58.
Of course, only the survivors get away with it. That’s my major criticism of Ludwig’s book: survivorship bias (a gigantic problem with almost all stock market studies). That is he studied only the alpha males who made it to the top of the mountain, and sometimes the characteristics of alpha males are precisely what prevents them from getting to the top, like Edwards.
Um, I get that; that it’s the “getting away with it.”
My point in my comment about Edwards was more about the US political state that won’t tolerate anything but Puritan mores. Which are a sham anyways; see Gingrich.
It’s all about who controls the messaging, and it’s the Corporatocracy who wins every time.
Accountability Village style, if your name isn’t Weymouth (nee’ Graham), Brauchli or Hiatt:
Washington Post Marketing Executive Resigns
Rs can get away with it, kinda sorta. While in all places during the 20th C, rulers got away with it in some amazingly conservative countries. However, Ds (aka whimps) certainly can’t get away with it in today’s U.S.
Nadar was right about everything.
His timing was off by eight years.
And that has made all the difference .
right message – wrong messenger.
saw him on Maher a few years ago – Ralph’s way round-the-bend these days.
Who’s the right messenger?
It’s true.
I have found a truism, at least for me, working as an out gay man for corporations for over 25 years now.
“You cannot be a wuss.” And it has been an actual boon for me, at least the last 15 years or so, to be out, once I really learned the lesson.
The totally aggressive pricks (both peers and managers) would make the mistake of thinking me a soft target. Their underestimation has almost always been to my benefit.
The other thing is, if you’re a minority in a Corp setting? “You have to be perfect.” If I slip on dotting an I or crossing a T, there’s hell to pay.
But those two things combined, managed with some humor, has ended up working out ok for me. But truly, it’s very sharky out there. It really just is.
lol moonwalk.
apt description!
He was right about the one party system. Save for a few dems the rest of them are out to rake in as much money and power as they can while they can and screw the american people.
Nader has not aged gracefully. His authoritarian tendencies and delusions of grandeur have taken him over. I have been saddened by it, since he did so much good earlier on. I wish he had retired while he was ahead.
I will be a contrarian, and say that Congressional Democrats should routinely cave in, without any regard to courage or principle. Were they to do otherwise, how would we know they were Congressional Democrats?
metoo..
I, for one, would be willing to endure a little confusion.
Democrats have crafted a brilliant political flanking maneuver which they refer to as C.R.R., which stands for Concede, Retreat, Repeat.
Eventually they will have retreated a sufficient number of times to circumnavigate the globe allowing them to approach their opponents from the rear, which will give them an advantage provided the Republicans do not turn around.
And Ceci Connolly, the ace reporter who offered up her Rolodex of journalistic sources for marketing emails about the WaPo Salons, continues to document the health care reform battle on the paper’s front page as if nothing ever happened.
I had a somewhat similar experience being a woman on Wall St., starting in 1969 when there were 24, count them, 24, professional women at Goldman Sachs (I still have the list in my attic somewhere), and that included the librarians. To succeed in that world, you need to stand up for yourself.
Suddenly you make it all so clear.
jeeeeeeeeeeeeeebs
[grin]
[wave!]
I think it was Pach a while back who wrote a post about how it’s not the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, it’s the People Party and the Money Party. Looked at that way, the balance of power is a helluva lot more lopsided.
Many GOP officeholders, especially the married male ones, appear to like being approached from the rear. Congressional Democrats should bring KY.
Who’s the right messenger?
I have no idea. All the names with which I’m familiar are already tied into the existing system.
Bernie Sanders isn’t charismatic enough…..
Howdy, howdy, howdy (Look at me, I’m a cowboy!).
It’s more like a rope-a-dope – by emboldening the right through repeated caving, the Democrats are baiting them into ever more insane and obnoxious attacks, until eventually the American people will be so horrified that they’ll never vote for Republicans ever again.
The problem is that the American people will be equally disgusted with the Democrats for continually giving in to such total raving lunatics.
Depending on their hat size, KY might be superfluous.
Nope; Astroglide
i called it Kabuki,at Du …they called it MASTERPIECE THEATER
i feel rage all the time now…not good
…provided the Republicans do not turn around.
I think that that’s a safe bet.
EDIT: okay – how many people do I owe Cokes?
I reached that point in the late 1990s.
Madam Currie sort of
What I said in a thread below (with new ACORN addition):
New Democratic Party motto: You rave, we cave. The Democratic Party. Milquetoast and weak tea. That’s err, something, we can believe in and know with a certainty.
Let’s see now, 1 resignation, 1 firing, 1 demotion, and 1 acquiescence to crazy. And now ACORN thrown under the bus by the Census Bureau:
“Census director Robert Groves wrote in a letter to ACORN, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
In splitting with ACORN, Groves sought to tamp down GOP concerns and negative publicity that the partnership will taint the 2010 head count.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..84227.html
ACORN registers thousands of voters, making a major contribution to getting Barack Obama elected President of the United States. Their reward? Fox News screams, they get dumped. The administration calls the Fox News crazies, Richard Shelby, David Vitter, and Michelle Bachman the “general population” that is so concerned about ACORN.
Republicans: 5
Democrats: 0
Way to take the wind out the sails! Way to take a dwindling, fringe, regional party of crazies and give them national legitimacy again! Way to ensure that whatever health care “reform” measure finally passes will cost us even more than we thought possible. Vote Democratic. It’s the only option for masochistic Americans who care. Screwed in such a polite, high-minded way . . . .
Ludwig argues that it’s mostly alpha male stuff, biological, Darwinian, nothing to do with rationality, and therefore unavoidable. It’s better to have any leader rather than have no leader. He categorizes 6 types of rulers: monarchs, authoritarians, visionaries, transitionals, dictators, and democrats. Among those, the democrats have the weakest alpha male characteristics, but they are still much in evidence.
Yum, I love Indian cuisine.
That late night scottish talk show host excerpted on Countdown tonight said that Obama should have practiced his speech in comedy clubs. Then when Wilson acted out, Barack could have said, “Hey, I don’t come to your state and knock the weenie out of your governor’s Argentinian mistress’s mouth, so shut up!”
Really, at some point Democrats must stand up to them. Remember how much play Barney Frank got for his “dining room table” riposte? People want to see these crackpots taken down a peg, not treated like legitimate participants in some debate club.
Speaking of KY (the state, not the personal product),
we have the Republican Family Value du Jour.
Dya think? Power has gone to the Ds heads, so they are completely removed from reality. Same thing happened to the Rs (remember that “permanent R majority meme?), so I expect Ds to return to the wilderness before they figure it out. Power changes perceptions of reality. The Ds are deeply into creating their own.
Spoiler alert – tonight’s Maher is at least starting well….
In the animal kingdom I believe the posture typically assumed by Democrats is known as “presenting.”
Barbara Walters’ favorite, per Kathy Griffin. The story got her banned from The View, too, but she’s back on the show the week after next!
me likey Elizabeth the 1 HRH
I *hope* I was being tongue-in-cheek, but really, I’m never entirely sure.
But yes, I would like to see Obama and other Democrats start saying things like I WILL NOT and HOW DARE YOU? when the right tries to roll them.
Way to make everyone else think twice before we stand up next to you when you really need us.
but that would have been uncivil teddy. can’t have a d being uncivil – that is reserved for the r’s.
her stuff will light you up fer sure
‘xactly the kind of thing Ludwig would say if he’s focussed on losers instead of winners. Perfectly illustrates the point.
She had to pretend she was a virgin in order to solidy her power. I.E., get as far away from being a female as she could in her day & age.
Oh, Rat. You’re projecting again.
Hi.
From HP article: Sorry for length:
Health Insurance Stocks go up on 0BAMA Speech and Baucus “Forced Garbage Plan”
Analysts=”Overall we view speech as neutral to insurers.”
Cigna Corp Up over 4%
UnitedHealth Group Up 1%
WellPoint Inc Up 2%
Aetna Inc Up over 2%
Analysts see no “game changers” from President Barack Obama’s highly anticipated speech on health reform.
Analysts said changes will be minor because of the Baucus Senate sub-committee of SIX “FORCED Garbage Bill.”
Obama made the case for a public health plan to force more competition, but then quickly disarmed that argument!
Obama said he had “no interest in putting insurance companies out of business” and was open to other ideas to ensure Americans have affordable insurance options. Obama signaled yet again that he expects compromises said a senior healthcare policy analyst.
Another analyst said she was “even more confident after the Obama speech that the legislative outcomes will be moderate with no threat of a Medicare-like public plan. The worst is behind us.”
We’re not going to see negative (Insurance Industry) coverage because the bill will be whittled down from what we’ve already seen,” she said.
Obama= Followed exactly the Corporate Written framework of Senator Baucus Forced “Garbage Plan”
0BAMA+BAUCUS = Forces 40 Million MORE people to buy weak coverage at a high price.
Baucus = Threatens a tax on HIGH END ($20,000 to $50,000/year) insurance plans and a commission to cut Medicare program for the elderly and disabled.
Nancy should have gaveled Wilson down and had the Sgt at Arms expel him. Of course, we’d be subjected to a faux-hissy-fit, and you know how those turn out. She’d probably have to step down as Speaker.
That sure is some Southern Gothic. I’ll guess that he’s sorry his suicide wasn’t successful.
ayup………..she saw heads roll
Frank’s most endearing quality is that unlike most of his party he has a spine. I was never a great fan of Bill Clinton but respected the fact that unlike most of his party, he could stand up to his critics. Too bad Dems like Frank and Bill are such rare exceptions.
And if you like Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader, you’ll love Steny Hoyer as Speaker of the House.
Richard Clarke is out of the game why, exactly?
I really do think that calling these people out, who lie and demagogue as Liars and Shills is really the way to go.
When the mushy middle is removed, and clarity is brought to bear in a stark choice, people will make the right choice.
When we can make the frame of the argument be “Republicans are screwing you. Make them prove they are not.” Then we’ll win.
What is going to happen though is exactly the opposite. Healthcare with purchase mandates is going to happen and the Republicans are going to say “See, the Government is screwing you. (No Astroglide for you!) Hire us, and we’ll drown that sumbitch.”
And they will win.
Barney has another endearing quality as well. When he leaves the dias at a large public event in a huge hotel ballroom, and starts shaking hands with the many attendees, all the while keeping his eye on YOU and working his way towards YOU, then working his way around your table greeting all the people he knows and finally arrives at YOU (who he’s been making frequent eye contact with all the time) and he puts his hand on your shoulder and says shyly, “Hello, I don’t believe we’ve met.”
It’s a fine and endearing quality in a House Banking Chairman and a breathtaking quality in a man. It makes you feel like you’ve been singled out for something quite special.
It’s even funnier when, months later, you’re watching television with your own partner thousands of miles away, and a picture of Barney and his boyfriend show up on the news, and your partner sez, “Wow, Mr Barney Partner looks a lot like YOU.”
And you say, “Why am I not surprised at that?”
You have to admire the elegance of it.
Republicans complain about healthcare bill.
Democrats take dictation from Republicans and healthcare industry to gut healthcare bill so that only insurance companies will benefit, in attempt to lure Republican votes.
Republicans (except maybe one or two) still refuse to vote for now-toxic healthcare bill.
Republicans destroy Democrats by demagoguing against the healthcare bill that they wrote and then wisely spurned.
Conrad and Baucus’s consideration of Wilson’s “argument” today is maddening and absurd. Has anyone asked either of them if they think their concession means that Wilson will vote for the bill now?
Came late. I left this at scarecrow’s most recent post but it fits here. Baucus, Conrad, and Wilson weren’t doing anything that Obama hadn’t already done. Remember the odd number he used of 30 million uninsured in his speech? Here is the explanation:
So more fun and games. The Census report referred to is from 2008. That is it doesn’t take into account all of the people who lost their jobs and health coverage after the meltdown. People were all up in arms about Joe Wilson today and his trying to deny coverage to the undocumented. But as we can see here, Obama was already playing that game himself.
Oh and re Cass Sunstein, he was confirmed yesterday.
I think their reasoning was a perfect example of what this post is about. Republicans like Wilson rant & rave about how the healthcare bill will cover undocumented immigrants, and the Democrats say, “Hey, this seems like a big sticking point that people might get really worked up about. Let’s address that concern and then we can move forward and not worry about Republicans making that claim again.”
But even if that *does* work (which I doubt), Republicans will just come up with something else, and the Democrats will play whack-a-mole until the bill is dead or in a coma.
Republicans destroy Democrats by demagoguing against the healthcare bill that they wrote and then wisely spurned.
At least they know whereof they speak.
“I *know* it’s bad – I wrote the fucking thing!”
Wilson’s son, Alan Wilson, said his father’s outburst was “an aberration,” and that his apology was for the timing of the remarks but not for their content.
Alan Wilson, who is running for attorney general of South Carolina, said today on CBS’ “Early Show”, “I’m very proud of my father. He apologized and I’m glad that he did. But what he said was absolutely true. And I’m proud of him for having the courage to tell the truth.”
THIS ASS NEEDS A POLITICAL WHOOOOPIN
The master criminal leaves no fingerprints.
And the administration is echoing Baucus and Conrad and Wilson. Words fail.
http://www.americablog.com/200…..-with.html
“Many illegal immigrants must now seek medical treatment in emergency rooms, which by law cannot turn them away. In recent years, the federal government has spent $250 million a year to reimburse hospitals for bills that go unpaid as a result. The White House said those reimbursements would continue.”
It’s kind of the inverse of BushCo’s continually changing justifications for invading Iraq: “Mushroom clouds! No, there were no WMDs, but Saddam was a bad man, and the Iraqis love their new democracy, plus we have a new ally in the heart of the Middle East, and oh, we’ve let these wonderful new oil extraction contracts.”
Anymore, I think there should be no bill. Zero. Nada.
Because while it would preserve the terrible status quo, we wouldn’t end up with a terrible-er new serf-mandate. We’d have the same one, with the same economic pressures.
But it’s also set up a loss for this administration if they want to ratchet up Afghanistan, and they’d deserve to lose on that too, and start not-spending war monies on more war.
I just can’t abide handing over a victory on both issues.
Yep, Bush kept coming up with reasons to stay the course, and Democrats keep coming up with excuses not to.
Why doesn’t the White House just say, “We’re going to have the immigration debate in 2010 as soon as the President signs a health care bill, and we can sort all this out at that time. Until then, STFU.”
If the choice is between Bad Bill or No Bill, I’ll take No Bill any time.
The long-term damage to the country (and the Democratic Party) will be far less. Not that I’m exactly in love with the status quo either, I just don’t want it to get *worse*.
Oh, I think if the progressives cave on health care, they are much more likely to stand up to Obama on war funding, don’t you?
Joe Wilson’s Twitter account is back up and boy are the Bigoted, racist redneck, douche-bags throwing him a party.
http://twitter.com/CongJoeWilson
Not to mention the potential public health consequences, like drug-resistent TB, AIDS, other contageous diseases, that will not be contained if undoced immigrants can’t get routine medical care. But WTF, those white guys in gated communities don’t have to worry about that. Well, not unless they slum in the gay prostitute scene.
You forgot the snark tag.
Or have undocumented servants. I’m sure that, like Mitt Romney, they check everyone’s papers whenever a yard crew or housecleaning team show up, right?
Why doesn’t the White House just say, “We’re going to have the immigration debate in 2010 as soon as the President signs a health care bill, and we can sort all this out at that time. Until then, STFU.”
You’re imputing balls to this WH?
Clearly this White House and Congress don’t do leadership, toughness, or control. It’s so heartening to know that the likes of Shelby, Vitter, and Bachman are controlling the Census Bureau and will have a large say in the upcoming congressional redistricting.
The Democratic Party: On a Suicide Mission
Had it surgically removed from my keyboard. It’s all snark, bay-beee.
Freakin hootenanny.
Perfectly reasonable response under the circumstances.
Here’s something Sirota has written that may be relevant:
Here at FDL, Jane is trying to develop a progressive movement that has power. Same thing at Progressive Democrats of America(PDA), MoveOn.org, and other organizations.
Does Sirota have a point? Do we need to choose between being a movement, and being a Party?
The stance of PDA, as I understand it, is that PDA is a progressive movement that seeks to support political candidates, usually Democrats, who support a progressive agenda. I think they seek to avoid Sirota’s Paradox by withholding support, or even opposing in primaries, Democratic Blue Dogs and Dinos.
Sirota also says this:
Read and ponder Sirota’s whole article. Recommended!
Bob in AZ
Howdy howdy howdy (I’m still a cowboy).
Hence, “The Dread I Have”
Healthcare – worse.
War – More.
And with Dems doing it, it will be around 20 more years of this. At least 11 more years of this shit.
Because there are 3 left of Obama. If he was displaced by R’s in 2012, due to the demoralization of the base, then there’s at least 4 of R rule, which brings us to 7 years.
Fluctuations in the Congress will flipflop around and behind the general election cycles. And how many times have we had successive one term presidents occupy the WH, switching between the parties?
That get’s me to 11. In reality, we’re talking 16 or 20 years more of this garbage without true change.
I don’t think we can take that, personally.
Did that really happen to you?
Joe Wilson and his girlfriend. (h/t DWT)
hey, that was a great snark-trap this morning
Why don’t you at FDL start taking more of a leadership position and organize taking out these losers.
You guys have this amazing voice, but it sounds like constant complaining about these pu*** democrats.
How about starting a branch of this site that start picking ones that we are going to go after with brass knuckles. Lets start replacing Demo douche bags with Green or Libertarian candidates who will change this country.
you are wrong my dear friend….hepatitus can be passed bya saladmaker at a restaurant…poor rich guylooses his liver function and can never drink again….popopo thang
I wonder if they are wearing their sheets?
http://www.killsometime.com/Pi…..asp?ID=866
Great idea!
I *might* be going out on a limb speaking for FDL as a whole, but I’d say that we’re always happy to support strong primary challengers to Blue Dogs and conservadems (Ned Lamont and Donna Edwards being the two most prominent examples) – the problem is finding them.
Didn’t mean my comment to be all inclusive re public health, just illustrative of how not looking after the medical concerns of all residents, regardless of status, can influence the entire population. Short sighted from a practical POV, leaving aside all human considerations.
“Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet, it is the one most essential quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. I believe that in this generation those with the courage to enter the moral conflict will have companions in every corner of the world.”
Robert F. Kennedy
How sad it is that that RFK’s words are utterly lost on most of the Democratic party. It’s just easier to promote the failure of the status quo than have the vision and courage to do what is right.
And BTW—you keep up what you are doing in your school—RFK would be proud of you.
My McAfee didn’t like your link; said it was a security issue.
GREAT Picture! I think that was taken at his S.C. campaign headquarters.
That’s only the first problem. The next one is keeping them, once they get into power and no longer need us.
But surely you must respect the courage it takes to go against the wishes of 77% of the American people!
(Yes, this is what kills me the most about the Democrats – they do the wrong thing even when the right thing is more popular)
Do you know about the Blue America branch of this site?
it seems to me that this is very possible with many House seats… and this process can certainly be well supported by initiatives like Blue America. It’s much harder to do with senators.. which is kinda by design, I guess.
i agree,but it doesnt have to be a gay encounter,or even a close ENCOUNTER………dirtyhands etc…………EVERYBODY NEEDS HEALTHCARE period!
What is it about Sustein you don’t like? I know eCAHN has problems with him too.
More popular among whom? Surely not among their big corporate donors!
For one thing, I suspect that in most cases they would still be better than the Blue Dogs they replace. For another, sending the message to all Blue Dogs that fucking over progressives on top priorities can have actual consequences would be absolutely invaluable.
Alright, here it is…
http://www.hockeydrunk.com/wp-…..rollin.jpg
Joe Wilson Street Party
Thanks! I love the Kennedy quotes. This really ticks me off because when I taught in NYC I had the good fortune to work alongside ACORN in the South Bronx. They are a wonderful organization that bring much-needed help to the poorest of the poor in America and actually strive to give them a voice. They worked alongside the teachers’ union to ensure that children in poor neighborhoods have at least a few of the things that help their lives be a little brighter. I left NYC after 9/11. I couldn’t bear the additional suffering I saw it bring to the neighborhood where I taught, where many parents who were minimum wage workers were lost. And here we are 8 years later, with a Democratic president and a Democratic congress and things haven’t changed much at all. Sigh.
You guys have this amazing voice, but it sounds like constant complaining about these pu*** democrats.
just a hair different from starting a comment with “you people”, which is an infallible identifier of trolls.
I do so enjoy it when people make their debut here telling us what we *should* be doing…..
It’s time to compromise. We’ll stand up when it comes to the war funding vote. Well, no, that’s too big to fail. We’ll stand up on the preventive detention issue. Well, ….etc.
anybody in mind? i do. his initials are Alan Grayson. been a ZERO on health care/PO. He has a pretty tough district to hold though. we’ll see.
A fundraising effort aimed at challenging the 10 or 15 most vulnerable BDs would get their attention.
Look at how Arlen Specter has veered leftward since Sestak announced.
I think that public health has gradually deteriorated into complete disrepute since the advent of innoculations. The anthrax situation was the revealing moment. CDC hadn’t a clue about isolation and testing. I’m no medical professional, but even I knew that. It seems there’s no one in that field anymore who has a clue. Public health experts feel free to correct me.
“Listen, we gave you guys Lilly Ledbetter, and S-Chip. What more could you possibly want?”
He was one of the first to spout the “don’t criminalize policy differences” crap about the Bush Administration [and eCAHN nailed him for it at Netroots Nation last year during Q & A; we sat together during his talk]. I don’t care what other progressive views someone might have–if they are ready to throw the Constitution and rule of law out the window, I’m not going to support them.
Probably should give new folks a chance to get up to speed. I think the comment was offered with good intentions.
We need more names to whisper than just “Al Wynn” when they misbehave.
Whether finding money for those kinds of challengers will be tougher will depend on the economy. Which may be part of the point — a disenfranchised hungry unemployed public is less likely to participate vocally in the political process, right?
There seems to be a lack of civility among some who are trying to make new friends.
But then, I remember it took me awhile to get into the mode of FDL.
Thanks, that was funny.
Joe Biden is certainly falling down on his “sell the stim” role lately.
It’s never fun being caught. Bein’ the first to bite didn’t help any either.
Yeah, and I wondered if keeping Joe on ice was about Joe, or about the issue(s).
Awww, man, use a snark tag and get lotsa kudos for a great post. *g*
Can’t tell for certain but I suspect there has been a decision to keep gaffe-prone Joe muzzled, at least part of the time.
I watched you fall in and thought, “I sure am glad I read it twice.”
I resemble that. It was a real wakeup call for me. Sunstein is of the “behavioral” school of economics, with which I have a nodding acquaintance. Even attended a 2 day seminar at Harvard with the leading lights in the field. (Sunstein was not among the luminaries back then, so he wasn’t a presenter.) So I was really serious, trying to couch my Q in the academic discipline which was one of his alleged areas of expertise. He blew me off. Right then & there I realized it was all about power and not at all about any adherence to knowledge about how to prevent abuses.
think so? i dunno. maybe everything is on back burner ’cause of health care. but what is Joe The Biden doing for health care? More than once I’ve wondered what Joe The Biden would be doing on health care if he was still a senator. As we’ve all agree, there won’t be anotehr Teddy, but I thought if Biden stayed in the senate when he retired/died he’d be remembered as a great one. again. don’t get me wrong. no teddy. not close
Love means never having to say you’re snarking.
RFK walked through Bed Stuy and could not bear the injustice and wretched poverty he saw either. ACORN just tried to lend a hand–not point a finger. I have absolutely no idea why they were politically expendible. In my mind—they are essential. Who will advocate for the least of us if they do not? What does it take for those in power to see the light?
we got our new senator!!!!!!!! Senator Pepe LePeiux
Can’t tell for certain but I suspect there has been a decision to keep gaffe-prone Joe muzzled, at least part of the time.
I’m quite certain.
One of my aspirations, which I seldom attain, is to figure out how to make my point strongly, without making a horse’s ass of myself. However, having that goal has saved me more times than you know. While I often make a fool of myself, my attempts to prevent that have saved me more than half the time. We approach perfection iteratively. *g*
The problem is also that Huffpo and FDL’s strong leadership in Jane and Arianna need to start flexing some of their muscle. They have real clout now..but they act a bit like Obama in that they are afraid to use it. I think most of us ( 70% ) would support taking out a candidate like Max Baucus for instance. That guy should have a bullseye the size of Montana on his back and we need to pick a candidate soon to run against him.
This is a plea to the leadership at these sites to start targeting these spineless Democrats right now !
Does he ever open his mouth without inserting foot?
Hey don’t they have a mace up by the Speaker’s chair? Couldn’t Nancy have slugged Wilson in the teeth with it? Not advocating violance, Mod. Just askin’.
I think problems with the anthrax vaccine were known for years.
In general, the government only uses a couple of manufacturers for say flu vaccines and if either has a production problem that everything is thrown off track. Some years too they can guess wrong about the strains and so the vaccine won’t be as effective.
There are always a certain number of side effects with vaccines but in most of these the dangers are blown out of proportion. Of course if it is your kid who has one, statistics don’t matter.
im no expert,but the amount of food poisoning in S.Fla………is totally beyond the health depts control……..this i know
The very idea that torture should be a policy difference, rather than a law enforcement issue is revolting. Thanks to you and eCAHN.
lol, what _are_ you? Human? ;)
Don’t let perfection be an enemy of the good. Just take an incremental approach.
Hey now… in the lead up to the Iraq invasion, Joe Biden was one of the only voices I heard during the Senate hearings ask pointed questions. He received lies for answers, but at least he asked.
Gregg Levine is upstairs!
Late Night: No Elephants, No Parade
Now Chain Gang Charlie has to control Greer without his middleman. Rubio scares the shit out of them.
Hey, if I were worried about (insert current scare here), I wouldn’t let my loved ones travel on public transportation. Worse than raising the color code.
So, if Glenn Beck starts picking on Biden, will Obama force him to walk the plank?
I am not a troll. I’ve been reading this site for the last 3 years or so. I voted for Obama and helped to worked to get him elected . However, the fact that the Democrats are part of the problem is the real problem. We need to run a primary against guys like Baucus and Reid. Weak leadership is clearly worse than having audacious asshole leaders who shovel their agenda down the Republican’s throat.
Also, how dumb are these democrats. You stand up to a bully by punching in the nose. Remember how Clinton was targeted…now should be pay back.
sure. big problem for him is just the odds. he just loves to hear himself talk and won’t shut up. It’s just the odds that you talk that much you’re gonna say dumb shit sooner or later.
I thought Rubio was stayin’ in Spain.
don’t taze me bro!
Sometimes I’m prone to leap before I look. Good reality check.
I wasn’t referring to the absence of innoculation, but rather the lack of isolating the affected scene and people involved in the anthrax attack. In my elementary knowledge, that should be Public Health 101.
Again, you have a point. What’s the solution?
*cough* exsqeeze me?
That wasn’t supposed to be an oblique comment about health care reform, now was it?
But seriously… I’d never heard of Greer, i don’t think, until the school speech thing came up. If I did he didn’t make an impression any more than any other run-in-the-mine republican asshole. But this last week, he’s shown that he’s special.
As I said, it took a trip up and down the stairs before I got it. If I didn’t need coffee, who knows?
of course
Well, you have to remember that this is Montana you’re talking about. Lots of really smart people, I’m sure, but a majority?
Krugman mentioned behavioral economics in his not very good history of economics article that he had recently at the Times, something like How did economists get it so wrong. Anyway he thought behavioral economics was part of the answer. It sounds like reworked Austrian school to me. I thought it was funny. A lot of people including me have problems with various aspects of the Austrian school but I think if there is part that you like you should just say so and move on. Instead they have to go through this kabuki of reformulating it so it is acceptable. Loopy.
o.k… one of the few voices.
Seein’ as how I dunno what oblique means, I’d have to say no.
lol, w3rd
We may just have less to lose. Hell, we may welcome a stint in the local joint. I’ve met some crack whores who are nicer than some of my in-laws. 3 meals and a bed might just look good…
I don’t doubt that FDL and the rest of the progressive blogosphere could have a significant impact on a primary.
But all the muscle and influence in the world can’t create a viable challenger out of thin air.
I wanted FL to adopt “Don’t Taze Me Bro’!” license plates (or “tags” as they call ‘em here). I’ll even draw the stick figures of the guy gettin’ zapped. Like the kind in the “Choose Life” plates.
Jane…need to start flexing some of their muscle. They have real clout now… they are afraid to use it.
The day that you spot an afraid Jane – let me know. You got a second chance earlier when a few thought you to be good-intentioned.
Now you’re just sounding horrible, embarrassingly uninformed. I think I had you pegged right the first time.
A word of barely-restrained advice – shut up until you’ve been here long enough to have an informed clue as to what you’re talking about.
Why would he do that? He’s got the movement conservatives, the fundies, the forced birthers, the homophobes and he thinks the Latino community.
i say gnite to yall…sleepy
Definition number 2 works. Knew what you meant, just joshin’.
He’s not special, just LeMeiux’s tool, who takes his marching orders from Crist. His (s)election as Party Chair was, shall we say, anticipated. Only 2 votes not in his favour. I’m told there’s quite the power struggle going on at the upper echelon.
‘nite sadly. Sleep well.
The last time Biden had an op-ed on the stimulus in the NYT I eviscerated it in a diary. I think that the healthcare debate has taken almost all of the oxygen out of the room, but even so there is just not a lot of good news to report from it.
And Naked Capitalism I keep making the point that the Obama Administration happy talk on the economy is only possible by ignoring virtually all the really horrendous fundamentals. There is a lot of insider money cashing out of the stock market and reports that small investors are entering back in. This is usually an indication that a bubble or suckers market in this case is about over, although it could run a few more months. But once the stock market does tank a lot of those fundamentals are going to be unmasked and the economy is going to look a lot worse than it already does.
Moving upstairs.
g’nite, sadly
Thanks! I always get “oblique” and “obtuse” mixed up. Thought you were makin’ fun of me.
(Me too)
But seriously, I wouldn’t worry about making as ass of yourself. i think that’s one of my problems -although not at FDL. I try too hard to say the “right” thing. Or maybe it’s not the right thing but rather to say what I’m saying the “right” way. Fuck it, right?
One of my Bush scandals concerned the hired out security at the DHS headquarters. One night they found some mysterious white powder and disposed of it by dumping it out of Chertoff’s office window.
I’ve heard about that power struggle too.
Oh. And what I said about Rubio… lame joke. About Ricky Rubio. Spanish basketball player. Got drafted by an NBA team but just decided to stand them up and stay in Spain.
But didn’t Biden help the banksters in Delaware inflate credit card interest rates? Little regulation.
It’s why we should be thinking about recruiting now using grass and netroots. I keep saying that Reid should be primaried in Nevada. Find a good progressive candidate who will hammer populist themes like stopping foreclosures (which have hit Las Vegas particularly hard) and they could win not only the primary but the general.
Well said, Eli, as usual.
Once again Obama (and reliably unreliable Dems) snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Don’t forget Samantha Power got jettisoned within seconds, too.
Bush (not that he is the role model on this) but he was giving people medals as they take the “perp” walk (over crony loyalty), and in this day and age for them to have a perp walk means they were so outrageously bad, but Obama wants no ripple of imperfection or what the bottom feeders aer calling imperfection? The best defense is surrender? Does he want a Stepford team, style not substance. We need some interesting real life people, and maybe with a capacity for empathy not corporate placation.
Samantha Power definitely came to mind when I was writing this, as did (IIRC) Amanda Marcotte & Melissa McEwen, who finally quit the Edwards campaign after he basically hunkered down and waited for them to go away.
Dawn Johnsen also came to mind. He hasn’t dumped her, but he’s not making any effort to get her confirmed either. I think he might be waiting for her to give up and bail so he can hire someone more wankerish.
Also note that most, if not all, of the people he throws overboard are progressives. The only corporate “moderate” that I can think of him letting go was Daschle. (I could never understand the people who were saying that losing Daschle was some kind of death blow for healthcare reform)
Republicans, for all their faults (and there are millions), protect their own a hell of a lot better than the Dems do. Joe “You Lie” Wilson will be chastised by the GOP leadership this week, but he won’t be asked/forced to resign. If a Dem heckled a GOP president, the Dem leadership would throw them overboard in 24 hours.
The GOP circles the wagons with their own, riding the storms out together. If the heat is still thick, then they get rid of them, but they put up a good fight.
The Dems immediately capitulate to the GOP and throw the “offending” Dem to the sharks, who can never get enough fresh blood. Van Jones and Lani Guinier (Clinton’s nominee to the civil rights post who got thrown under the bus after Jesse Helms complained about her) can attest to the Democrats’ loyalty towards their own.
When it comes to the public option and mandates I’d rather have the public option (with no limitations, so there’s real choice)!
Can we pretend to or negotiate in bad faith? Heh
He just has to measure up? LOL
This time we want the pony, not just the crap.
Q: What was that white powder?
A: The answer my friend is blow in the wind.
The dream that Obama would pool all the progressive talent for a braver, yet “renewing” world. Instead he is in some codependent enmeshment with the addict authoritarians, and sadly so goes the country, and more innocent lives, American and foreign are lost, and quality of life for 97% of America is worsened.
The secret is not trying to “win” with these corporatists and neocons, or coax them to change to cooperators, the secret is not to play THEIR game, which is heads we win, tails you lose.
Hope dies hard. Is Obama weak or a crafty sell out playing both sides but ultimately serving the “other” lucrative but soulless ones?
Axelrod worked for so many Den candidates, did he just perfect the brand of sale, and once Obama was in, the CHANGE candidate, he enables the status quo, as many are still lost to denial in the afterglow of the faux victory. Gamesmanship and we were so primed for a true statesman.
We have to back the champions we do have, maybe sadly not in the White House, but fighting the good fight. Kucinich, now Weiner, Feingold, Sanders, etc.
Oh,right… I’m terribly informed and just a troll because you got your panties in a twist over the fact that I am complaining about pathetic democrats.
My only point originally was that people like Jane, and Christy and Arianna do have real power. People do follow their work both here, facebook , twitter , the rachel Maddow show etc.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with them taking a page out of the Rovian political hit job play book and going at the knees of these capitulating democrats with a tire iron. Maybe they don’t have to use the Soprano’s style, but letting politicians know that they will be held responsible isn’t a bad thing.
I also think guys like Bill Maher have a point when they say that Obama needs to be more of an asshole.
Do you know who Howie Klein is? Do you know what Blue America is? Do you know who Al Wynn is?
Do some research, then come back with a list of things you think Jane ought to accomplish, if you aren’t completely blown away by what’s been done hereabouts already.
Why do you feel the need to choose?
I gave $$$ to Blue America over the last two elections and am fully aware of the progressive movements.
I’ll check out Howie Klein, but that still doesn’t change the fact that starting to be mean and tough isn’t something our most visible leaders can’t run with.
Again the point is that we are all complaining why we can’t heard cats on the democratic side, but its because we need our leaders to kick some ass.
I think a guy like Cenk Uygur gets this. You can’t rely on always taking the high road.
one word describes the demos: spineless
they know who butters their bread ie lobbyists
they have to pretend to be for their voters to get the money to get the votes
they have thrown the progressives under the bus
progressives dump the demos and go independent and create a voting block
right now the demos take you for granted.
and many of you sent your money to the demos
told you so they would throw you under the bus months ago ok years ago
I have a poem much shorter than the others in this thread of commentary, but, nonetheless, it expresses my thoughts with reasonable effectiveness:
Punt that Baucus outta the caucus!
(Yes, I’m an NFL fan.)
It is sad about Nader- I saw him as a teen in Dallas in the mid-80s at a very sparsely attended ( maybe 7 people including my friend and I) press conference re: toxic waste dumps in East Dallas. I was very impressed by his passion even though he had basically no audience. So, I voted for him in ‘96.
And so how will progressive Democrats vote on cloture? Do you simply fold the little leverage you hold in the US Senate to appease Obama when he so clearly relishes screwing you? I’m just asking.
Hey, Eli and others, I so agree with all of you, but we all seem to be missing the true story. There is no difference between Obama and his administration and the crazies on the right.
The White House is doing everything it can to retain the imperial presidency: not looking Bush/Cheney torture; continuing, to a GREAT extent, the Bush policies; continuing rendition; more troops in Afghanistan; no real plan to withdraw from Iraq; executive signing statements; lack of transparency; ensuring the happiness and well-being of corporations, banks, insurance industry, and PhRMA; siding 100% with the Blue Dogs who are conservative Republicans in Donkey clothing; and, overall, presenting us with a President who looks as weak, if not weaker than W.
What does all of this get the American people? Answer, an Oligarchy that will shortly have any and all regulations removed and campaign finance reform thrown on the dung heap–helped by our newest Supreme, Sotomayor. Who brought Rahm in and bolted him to the floor? Who brought in Geithner and Summers and bolted them to the floor? Are we to believe that our Innocent, Young President didn’t know what he was getting himself into? Are we saying he still does not realize how wrong these individuals are? Just how ignorant is this young, supposedly brilliant, orator?
If, a public health care choice would keep the insurance industry and PhRMA in check,as many Public Option supporters are saying, then a THIRD PARTY, whether independent, green, or polka dotted, would be a great way to tell the phony “we’re the ones we’ve been waiting for” orator that we refuse to be punked again. We’re not just moving backward, we are becoming a serfdom and both the Democrats and Republicans are the landowners who are demanding their tithes and anything we produce on the lands they have and continue to grab from under our feet. We need to work to get rid of them all.
I also hear that Biden is one of those arguing for a minimal US presence in Afghanistan. He’s up against a raft of others who want to do a “surge” in Afghanistan, including SOS Clinton as well as the usual military brass, and probably Holbrook.
Bob in AZ