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This is going to be so much fun.
In a stunning surprise, the Nobel Committee announced Friday that it had awarded its annual peace prize to President Obama “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
This is insane.
Before they break out the champagne at the White House, they may want to pause over the fact that Obama now shares this honor with Mohammed el-Baradei, Yasser Arafat, and flagrant liar Rigoberta Menchu Tum.
K-Lo:
Bibi Netanyahu will never be given a Nobel prize.
What do Barack Obama and Yassir Arafat have in common? They both hung out with anti-Semites who think Israel should be pushed into the sea. Oh, yeah—and they both were given the Nobel Prize for Peace.
I mean, shouldn’t you at least do something before winning such a prestigious award?
This is just more evidence the "messiah" mentality has reached the world stage…
This makes three times, incidentally, in just seven years that the committee’s turned the Peace Prize into a “f*** Bush” award by bestowing it on a liberal American Democrat.
At this rate, the man is going to become reviled by a majority of the American people in four years.
Much more to come, for sure.
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To the folks at “Hot Air” (and all the other pearl clutchers), so what’s your point?
Sweeeeeeeeet.
There’s gonna be a rush for Tums and nitro this morning amongst the sewer dwelling uberreichwingnuts.
You forgot the right-wings intellectual brethren, the Taliban:
“Obama’s done nothing to deserve this award…” says Taliban spokesman*.
(*be shocking if it was a spokeswoman wouldn’t it?)
If anything, President Obama winning the 2009 Nobel Peace prize will make for great theater as we watch the right wing fringe fall into the abyss over it!
What a travesty.
These people are so predictable with their “ENVY” speak.Today is a good day as someone said to listen to the right freak out.
Would you like to expand upon that?
He’s done nothing to deserves the award except make a couple of speeches. He launched the U.S. third war against Islam (via proxy), creating another 2 million refugees, and has done nothing to stop the other 2.
BOOOOOM, KA POOOOOW ,O’Lord, Bill, Glen.. get up GAWD what mess whata world,whata world aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!
lets have a moment of silence for those at FOX.
Naomi Klein on democracynow sez it cheapens Nobel Prize, not that it hasn’t been cheapened before. Hope & wishful thinking.
Unlike its literature award to Herta Mueller, the Nobel jury’s award of the Peace Prize to Barack Obama is for work not yet written, commitments not yet met, peace not yet obtained – or even credibly striven for. It is a thank you to the United States for briefly turning over a new leaf and an incentive to make it real instead of rhetorical.
Klein sez Obama admin has destroyed climate negotiations, via setting aside Kyoto and making demands that have outraged developing countries.
I meant beyond the obvious. On the surface I tend to agree with you but I’d like to see what the committee based its decision on, other than what we’ve seen in the media. The process involved in this particular decision is what I’m interested in.
Obama makes wonderful speeches, that seems to be as much as anything the rational for the award.
I hope the ideals he expresses in his words will be matched by action, not looking good so far.
My post from last:
Obama is awarded Nobel Peace prize…somehow I do not get it?
CIC of two wars, looking to expand Afgan war, orders bombing that kills thousands of citizens, embargo on Cuba (while we run a massive naval/prison base on their land), Gitmo, spying, perhaps torture.Not pusing for real HC reform that will spread sheet kill many more..
We are screwed if this is the peace guy. We are screwed if he is rewarded for a couple speeches and no action.
Oh, and on the same day the US bombs the moon.
- The response I get from the libs…”get a grip”
Get a grip? Whatever, he is the president – he carries out the policies.
What is not to get is that the winner of the peace prize is at WAR. So why not check yourself when today or tomorrow or this weekend we see the story that 30 women and kids were blown up.
Get a grip.
At first, I thought this was a story from The Onion.
Well, good on him, but I hope he uses the prestige to accomplish something worthwhile, instead of continuing to enact the Bush agenda on issues like torture, illegal wiretapping and government secrecy.
democracynow had a clip from the presser announcement. It was, as Naomi summarized, hope & wishful thinking. When it came to actual Qs, like Obama might increase troops in Afghanistan, the announcer punted.
The award is not given to move people toward peace, its supposed to be an award for doing something about peace.
The POTUS is not going to be influenced by an award if he is not influenced by the 10’s of thousands of people dying from lack of health care, or the innocents that die from our smart bombs.
At best this is an award against Bush – well if thats the case have a Nobel War prize and just give it to Bush.
The Right will today introduce a bill in Congress to defund the Nobel Foundation. Like America, it’s built on the proceeds from dynamite, the proverbial sword turned into a ploughshare. No one tell them it’s not funded (directly) by the US taxpayer.
Unfortunately, a lot of things cannot be accomplished by executive proclamation. Nearly a third of the troops in Iraq have come home. Relations with Cuba and south America are on a positive trajectory. The embargo on Cuba will have to be accomplished by act of congress. The retoric with Iran is racheting down. Relations with the UN have improved. (what I want to see is how the US handles the Goldstone report) Many of these things just don’t happen overnight.
Hey I know, let’s give him the Clara Barton award for his work on health care, maybe it will make him deal with the US people and not PhARMA.
Tarik Ali sez Nobel committee takes rhetortic seriously. Sez in 1938 they couldn’t decide whether to give the prize to Hitler or to Ghandi, so they gave it to a thrid party (didn’t catch the name) instead.
It’s also given to encourage peacemaking (think Arafat et al).
A little early, yes, but he’s doing better than the previous occupant of the WH.
Does this mean that single payer is back on the table?
That was my thought when I first heard it on NPR early this morning. My problem with it is that Obama’s not going in the direction the committee, or us, would like. The committee must not have been paying attention when we were hearing the word “hope” last year.
Cuba: Do you mean the refusal of the O admin to allow the NY Philharmonic to play there, placing DPRK above Cuba?
And I do get that some of these things will happen. Obama might have just enough balls to stop the Embargo on Cuba…he better start soon (though I am sure politics will not influence him) since there is a Senate run there in 2010, and 2012 is an important yaer.
I am no longer willing to substitute hope for action. Or speech for action.
Arafat signed a document, he didn’t just make speeches.
I am “the libs” who suggested you get a grip. You might have also mentioned that I quoted your “embargo on Cuba” with the suggestion that maybe, JUST MAYBE, Obama wasn’t responsible for starting that.
No, let us gloat, party, and have some fun!
With the same integrity as the Palestinian Authority.
Good thing he cancelled his meeting with the Dalhi Lama (peace) as a hat time to China (money, granted ours is their money).
I figured people might already know that given its been going on for over 40 years and each president is responsible when they are POTUS.
But, but…aren’t Clinton and Obama to blame for everything, including bringing Hitler to power?
On edit: which is explained by redX’s 34
So, he joins the ranks of Henry Kissinger. Nice. I think the Taliban are more deserving. One might imagine, however, that the committee is trying to push the president in a certain direction he’s not at the moment taking, but that might be diagnosed as a certain specie of lunacy.
Yes, they are. And now the evil socialist muslin nazi has gone and bombed the Man in the Moon’s wedding party — dashing all hopes for peace with the Moon.
Lovely.
I know there are quite a number here who are critical of the selection. However, a year ago I would have bet that it would take at least a decade before most of the world would stop rubbing our noses in the Bush Administration’s haughty “with us or against us”, John Bolton appointing, disdain for the rest of the world. This award seems to be a huge sigh of relief. Personally, I’m thankful that they’re not all wallowing in schadenfreude and trying to exacerbate our difficulties. But then the Nobel committee obvoiously isn’t as interested in peace as we are.
Oh, yes, there’s always that. Thanks for the reminder. Whadda peacemonger.
You mean that wasn’t Hillary channeling Bill? Damn.
Ridiculous! And, I don’t usually use exclaimation points in the morning.
I should say that I do kind of get the message of the “change in the winds” and all of that.
My worry is the “hope” is meant to replace “action”, and that perhaps in difficult times ahead all we can expect is hope and words.
We really need action, look at our domestic issues where corps and profits have been, and seem to be continuing, to win over people actual lives.
How can a man of peace allow one person to win piles of gold through spread sheet death?
And other such minor matters.
In addtion, is there nobody our there that has actually accomplished something that could win the prize? Beats me I don’t see peace on TV much.
Long time lurker, signed up.
I happen to agree with the Matt Lewis quote. Someone,s supposed to do at least something substantial towards peace beyond good intentions?
As liberal as I am (or perhapsn because of), I have become more and more skeptical of this presidency. I supported him. Emphasis past-tense. For some reason I keep on having rewinds of Hillary’ ”Just Words?!” speech. It seemed petulant then, it’s becoming a sad reality all progressives might have to deal with.
So, Marion, what the hell did you put in the pancakes this morning? *g*
Welcome.
Peace Prize Pixie Dust.
Forgive the typos btw, BlackBerry fly-by.
democracynow talking about Guam & Diego Garcia. Very interesting.
Bananas, and they were delicious!
In the last thread did you say you were speechless? I find that hard to believe. This news must be quite the shock.
Heh heh. I think it’s fun to watch people get all Like That sometimes, but, comparing Obama to the Taliban is just Too Too, for me.
wow… the Peace Prize?
I seriously thought it was an Onion headline or a reporting mistake…
‘morning, Demi…
My speechlessness did not survive my first cuppa, and democracynow had some interesting material on the subject.
Ya gots yer potasium, Lady. (Hi, you)
I for one welcome our new Norwegian Overlords.
The Times, not wanting to be out-righted by Rupert Murdoch’s WSJ, cites and links to Vice President Cheney’s vehement criticism of Obama’s foreign policy, which he interprets as being stridently at odds with his own. (I’m not sure Afghans would agree.)
Surely, Shirley, the Times could have found a more credible voice that disputes the direction of America’s foreign policy than the man most responsible for our needing to change it.
vote for this post over at reddit
That is what pisses me off. You win a Nobel Peace Prize for “what is expected of you in the coming years” rather than what you have done and are doing?
Look, Obama is in a position to do more for Peace than anyone on the planet is. So not only does he do nothing useful with that power he continues to make matters worse and worse and worse and worse and worse. This Nobel Peace Prize is a travesty.
First Copenhagen. Now Stockholm.
Clearly, Obama has a Scandinavian mistress.
Taliban weighed in on the award, unfavorably as you might imagine. I can’t remember where I read that and I just looked again & couldn’t find it, so no link.
On Gandhi:
From Wiki.
On edit: How about the link, bonehead. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_for_Peace
Pretty good for a guy who wouldn’t meet with the Dalai Lama!
I’m celebrating by watching Fox News all day and taking a shot everytime a talking head explodes. This could be bigger than crashing a rocket into the moon.
Exactly what I thought; this has to be The Onion.
Boy, I’ll bet they’re sorry they shit-canned Bloody Billy Kristol now…
Und da Svedish alzo.
Hey there, lady. How’s the southest Cali?
I think someone might have linked to that in a comment to Attaturk’s post? (Early morning memory is not my strongest suit…)
Here are some interesting opinions on BBC.
the weather is lovely, the commute is still hard…
Hey, wingnuts! Suck it!!!!
Congratulations, President Obama.
Now, about that health care thing….
It was either at BBC or rawstory, but it’s gone now.
Anybody see the irony here? The rightwingnuts and the leftwingnuts are saying similar things, so maybe giving Obama the Peace Prize will bring the two sides together, Peace!
The problem is, they have to scramble just to find anyone willing to offer such a critique in their paper.
Oh, thanks, I thought my search skills had suddenly departed.
Here’s a link to the TPM report and the AFP story on the Taliban reaction.
we can all scratch our heads together…
Anybody see the irony here? The rightwingnuts and the leftwingnuts are saying similar things, so maybe giving Obama the Peace Prize will bring the two sides together, Peace!
Maybe yes, maybe no.
Thanks.
They found Ross Douthat. When his baby sitter won’t let him come out to play, there’s always Bobo. I’m sure he’ll take the two cents out of his penny loafers and give us his advice.
Any speculation as to why that story has disappeared?
I know my opinion probably doesn’t count for much around here, but I am beyond disgusted at all of the “he doesn’t deserve it” comments in this thread. We sound like left-wingnuts. Can’t we all just take a few minutes to appreciate the honor and congratulate our president instead of bitching and moaning like the lunatic fringe? I have been — and am — critical of Obama on a number of fronts, but geez, people, take a minute to consider how you all sound!
Blech. This place isn’t worth my time this morning.
Off to take friend Joe to the eye doctor. One more to go in this episode.
US KIA Irak: 4349
US KIA Afghanistan: 869
US MBS 2009: 34,844
Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.
Namaste
You know what I was saying.
And, thanks for that Winters link the other morning. Was great listening at 6:30 in the am.)
I’m sure they were gobsmacked. They’re thinking as most would, wtf did he do to deserve this accolade? Where are the years of work? What are his accomplishments. It’s not the physics prize, but there has to be something to back it up in some way.
I’m leaning towards the theory someone quipped above that he shares a mistress with Sanford in Sweden.
Why do you all hate Obama so much?
Shorter Nobel Committee: Please don’t bomb Iran.
I respect your opinion, and see my 74.
Thank you.
I’m kind of shocked at this, I must say.
Maybe it was moved down on the page owing to more important news & I didn’t see it because I’m trying to listen to democracynow at the same time.
The Nobel Peace Prize ? Cool !
I still want my public option , and no opt outs !
Thanks, msmolly. Well said. Let’s try to encourage movements towards peace, however cynical we may be (and I bow to no one in my cynicism).
“We are not awarding the prize for what may happen in the future, but for what he has done in the previous year,” Mr. Jagland said. “We would hope this will enhance what he is trying to do.”
Obama will make a statement re Nobel Prize at 10:30am eastern.
Not me. But I do the hate neo-con minders such as Rahm Emanuel. The Goldman Sachs banksters have installed Emanuel in the White House, to prevent national healthcare.
We’re in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan blowing shit up. And we’re threatening Iran based on a pack of lies that we are telling. Obama doesn’t deserve a Nobel Peace Prize, and to say otherwise is to be delusional. Obama deserves contempt for continuing and even expanding Bush/Cheney policies, not a Nobel Peace Prize.
I’m bummed. Not cause of NPP, but because it’s raining & I can’t proceed on my bushhogging today. Gonna read a book instread. BBL.
nobody hates Obama here… I just think everyone is scratching their heads, wondering what he has done to be in the same category as Gandhi…
One would have thought that the peace prize war for those who wage peace, not war.
Like the protesters at Ft. Benning, Georgia, who suffer imprisonment for trying to shut down the infamous school.
Like Fr. John Dear, and the nuns who have served years for hitting the nose cones of nuclear armed missiles with hammers.
Not for a man who continues to wage war and who resolutely refuses to press for a solution in the middle east that treats the Palestinians equally.
Absolutely stunning, and somewhat on the sick side.
I was fairly stunned by this news, and the committee says “Obama gives the world hope for peace.” I know we have been watching hope wither on the vine, etc. etc. But I do not let hope die, and I hope this gives Obama more leverage in his efforts against nuclear weapons.
His stance on nuclear weapons has been inspiring, unlike any of our past presidents.
So world leaders can try to make it impossible for him to be successful, or they can work together to make the world a better place.
The irony of our bombing the moon is quite the counter point. In the name of Science of course.
New post upstairs…
The Nobel jury would appear to be attempting to change America’s course rather than profit from its demise.
Awarding the Peace Prize to Mr. Obama is a huge carrot – a reward for his rhetoric about changing America’s foreign (and domestic) policies and a tool to turn that rhetoric into action. It is taking a mild stick to the international community, encouraging it to take this opportunity to persuade him to engage more constructively than his predecessor. Mr. Bush? He’s all stick in the rear; he ate the carrots himself.
In Response to ” eCAHNomics @ 6 ” whine all you want, post all the other mouth breather comments you want….HE WON and once again there’s NOTHING you can do about it and history? Won’t remember your little melt downs ROTFLMAO because all anyone will remember? IS HE WON IT!!!!!! LOL
Put on your big girl panties honey and live with it!
Come on, people. This may be a symbolic gesture to the possiblity of America once more becoming the beacon of leadership by cooperation with the world but it is still an enormous honor for the U.S.
And for the wingers whose heads are spinning and venom is spewing, I only ask, why do you hate America? Why do you want to see America fail?
In response to someone bottom dweller wonder what he did to deserve it?
HE TRIES TALKING TO THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM regarding peace and how to make this world a better place for everyone! …..no wonder you people lose elections! Your inability to assimilate and accommodate information is so…lacking
Oh yeah?
What elections would those be? The 2006 and the 2008? I mean, wtf else could you be referring to? Do you think most of the people here are Republicans? How else do you explain that comment?
I saw a comment elsewhere that Obama won by unanimous vote.
I am sure powerful leaders do not care all that much about an award like this (when compared to other things, and not that they would not have a big grin on their face to get it). At least Obama is a good chance at a good leader, can you imagine the other main (political/money) leaders of the world getting this in China, or Russia?
Its a lot to put on the shoulders given all the domestic issues we have and the tangled gobal issues. If Obama is for real what I would not give to turn back the clock and give him 8 years starting in 1980 (at least he would be fighting against money and power of a few trillion rather than now where he is up against 10’s of trillions – most of which in the US are borrowed from somewhere else).
I still think this is relative to Bush, and is based on hope not action.
Wonder it the US is ready for peace? It would be nice.
Wonder if Obama is going to be able to do something like cut MIC by 25% and not get impeached or have harm come to him? Or if he would even want to do something like that.
Ah, but neither The Pasty Little Putz or Bobo have that foaming-at-the-mouth war lust that Bloody Billy had…
Are u Naomi Kleins publicist? I like her but she is NOT always right. But I am sure RedState is enjoying your comments!
What demi said. Again. Also.
Obama’s attempts to open a dialogue with our so called enemies goes far beyond anything the GOP ever did.
The best they could do was label our enemies as evil doers ,and then shun them !
I think a lot of people don’t understand Obama’s approach , when he speaks in or to a foreign nation he is not speaking to the leaders, he is speaking to the people , the man on the street. He has inspired people and given them hope for a better future.
Our President understands that change sometimes has to start at the bottom, with the people. History has shown this again and again,when people have had enough they will make the changes they want !
Aside:
Name calling is so very funny, and all this backlash against people who have different options and draw different conclusions.
The people involved in that – you would be really great at peace negotiations or politics, something like that.
I think Neo-Con rants like “he is in bed with Eurpoe” or “this is to help him speed the new world order” – those items are hysterics. Thinking he should not get the prize until he has something in the Peace win column (or perhaps fewer wars and prepetual prisons) is a very logical way to think about it.
Thinking he derserves the prize for changing the tone of the dialog (or opening dialog) is another view (or some other list of accomplishments). Ironic that some of these defenders have the most mean spirited words and attacks for others.
“get a grip”
“Put on your big girl panties honey”
etc.
Nice rhethoric, maybe it will win an award.
The award is for things the person had done not possible actions at some future date. Since Obama has done little to change the policies of the previous administration perhaps Bush should have been the other recipient.
Seriously Carter worked hard to bring peace to the Middle East. Most of his efforts were tossed away but we all remember the diplomacy around Camp David Accords. Instead we have a guy that won’t even meet with the Dali Lama unless China give permission. Seriously, Obama was nominated after having been in office for only two weeks. The actions would have to have occurred after being nominated and it isn’t at all clear what those pre January actions might have been. Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, there must have been something he did while he was either a Senator or running for office that stood out in comparison to all other potential candidates.
Honesty, being African-American and President is simply not a good enough reason to receive this award if the honor is to have any meaning. If that is the main argument, along with potentially good things he might do in the future, then the decision process appears flawed.
Well, I hope the promise plays out, but I’m having a lot of doubt. Escalation of war in Afghanistan, cronyism with Wall Street, no being tough enough on healthcare. These things all have a lot to do with peace, both at home and abroad. So far, it seems all we’re getting is the same old dance from the elite power structure.
Didn’t this nomination take place in February, about two weeks after he took office?
I guess many of the commenters here today agree with the Taliban and the teabaggers…WOW! Who wudda thunk?
LOL at Hot Air’s realization of the way the world sees the US.
Thanks, I thought the same thing. We’re allowed to disagree with someone else’s opinion, but it’s classless to get personal.
In what way do his attempts to discuss issues with adults in the room differ from nearly all other non-American politicians on the world stage. Which leader from Europe best exemplifies the differences that Obama brings to the table. In what way was his dialog before becoming President an improvement upon Bill Clinton, Sarkozy, Blair or even Putin.
Please keep in mind that the nomination was in February so the actions would have had to occur before that in order to qualify for this years award. Thanks.
Not for nothing, but the man hasn’t done anything.
That’s the problem you’re giving him a prize for stuff he “may” do. That’s foolish.
man has to DO something to win an award.
This is just stupid.
So then since Naomi Klein, for example, disagrees with this Nobel Peace Prize her reasons and the reasons others have expressed here must be the same as the Taliban and the teabagger’s reasons? If you can’t think out of a box as reduced in size as the one you are thinking out of you need to question your motives. Your insults are beyond gross and idiotic.
According to Nobel’s will, the Peace Prize should be awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”.
Who in the past year has done more for the world to meet the above standards?
GG! Give the man a break. He’s only one person up against power and corruption. He’s doing the best he can for the short time he’s been there. The committee (and the world) perhaps are just in awe of the contrast with our former leader. In terms of his profile for the country to the rest of the world he deserves recognition. He has made strides considering where we’ve been and that means a lot.
You must be new here.
The smart move by President Obama would be to thank the Nobel Committee and decline the award–saying he wants to actually acheive progress before being honored. That would be gracious, humble and smart politics (both domestic and international).
My guess is he does not do that.
MOD NOTE: spam advertising removed
When Obama was able to get a Boston cop and a Harvard professor to sit down and have a beer and peanuts together, I knew the Nobel Prize would soon follow.
He is well on his way to winning an Oscar, Grammy, and the highly coveted Moon Man.
I have been seeing sprinklings of this “bomb the moon” nonsense here and there on FDL as it we are actually undertaking it as some sort of military action. A more appropriate term might be “crash an unmanned vehicle onto the surface to create an information-yielding dust cloud”, but somehow that just isn’t as catchy. Or as easy to misinterpret.
Perhaps what people on the left who are critical of this choice need to understand it in these terms. In honoring President Obama, the Committee is honoring the American electorate for changing the country’s course. In the prior administration there were people in high places who actively believe in the Rapture – the belief that the end of the world is imminent and to be desired and that they will be whisked off the planet by Jesus before the carnage against the damned begins. They also believe that stirring the pot to achieve Armageddon is God’s work. Remember also that these people had the means at their disposal to do so, after all the US’s stockpile of nuclear weapons could still destroy life as we know it on this planet. The fact that the US moved away from this brink in the last election and is seeking to lessen, albeit slowly, the tensions in the world is a big step toward peace.
Obama Derangement Syndrome, I see, is not exclusively a right-wing affliction.
Exaggeration, too, as in equating criticism with “derangement” (an essential tool Bush supporters used to avoid his having to live with the consequences of his conduct), is a hobgoblin of the left and right.
Thanks for the warning.
Some of the comments here from the “he hasn’t done anything yet” far-lefters do serve a pupose in revealing why that far left faction doesn’t get much traction in the real world.
I’ll refrain making personal comments about those commenters, yet I’m very glad that I no longer have to pay any attention to someone who is a very, very frequent commenter (yet never seems to move the discussion in a positive direction).
February 1st is the deadline for nominations to be submitted. I would love to know who nominated him and for what reasons since he has only been in office for 11 days at that point. He hasn’t accomplished anything to date much less anything to qualify him on February 1st. I guess I will have to wait 50 years to find out. Luckily I am young enough that I should live long enough to find out…
In 1973, the Nobel Committee awarded its Peace Prize to Dr. Henry Kissinger, a lying war criminal who worked for President Richard M. Nixon, another lying war criminal. They both kept the war on the Vietnamese people going for several years after Nixon lied in the 1968 Presidential campaign that he had a secret plan to end the war on Vietnam.
Now, some thirty-six years later, the Nobel Committee has awarded its Peace Prize to another lying war criminal, President Obama. He has escalated his war of genocide against the people of Afghanistan who never attacked us.
War is Peace.
I think you might be onto something actually. Klein brought up some nobody from The Congo that is more deserving and that might be true. However in this world nobody listens to people from largely war ravaged and poor countries.
Obama is like EF Hutton and if you don’t think so you’re foolish.
If he’s a great speaker (umm that’s not what I wanted to use) and like I said in another post, I think people are too ready to beat up on the Obama Admin for not doing exactly what they believe he should do.
How many of these issues have to be solved through the Congress for example?
If Obama says Single Payer would be the ideal thing to do for health care, which he has. Most of you want to burn him at the stake for not continuing to say it. Spitting into to the wind is more useful if you really think about it. Congress has been bought by moneyed interest, Byron Dorgan spoke the Unspoken Truth, he wasn’t lying.
What I think you guys are missing is that save for a couple of Republicans, Bush had his Party in Lockstep because they all believed in various degrees with the New American Century.
The Democrats may have a larger tent to allow more opinions, but frankly I can’t blame all the Republicans for recent events completely. When power shifted in the Congress towards the Dems, we installed them to end the war in Iraq right?
Look how far you’ve gotten on that.
They caved on the Stimulus when they didn’t have too.
They caved on Employee Free Choice
They caved on Single Payer and now appear to be caving on the Public Option
Those are only the highlights….
This is largely Congress’ failure to do the Progressive things you want to happen not Obama’s
Barbara Lee has a bill in the House to cut any funding of a troop escalation in Afghanistan. It would have contained a time table as well, but she felt that would be a non-starter in the House, you see what I mean?
I don’t believe Obama is left, center left or whatever, I believe he’s a pragmatist.
I also believe he understands that Congress is largely the problem and that’s why he always lets the debate run its way through Congress. You wonder why with an advantage of 60 votes in the Senate and over 100 in the House nothing truly Progressive gets done?
Obama’s lack of “action” is largely not his fault its CONGRESS’ FAULT
Of course he could veto and reject any watered down reform but wouldn’t that be demoralizing for the Left?
“The United States will no longer torture.”
~~~Barack Obama [United Nations}
He was nominated after he was sworn in . .
The Committee VOTED for him several weeks ago.
Maybe they listened to his speech . .
“The United States will no longer torture.”
That’s good enough for me. How ’bout you?
Good Enough for me…
Giving him the prize weather he deserves it or not I don’t think is the point here. What he does from here on out will be watched. Others less prominent or famous will largely go unnoticed by Western Media, so what is the point of giving it to them actually?
send in more troops to afghan and then bomb iran
that is the peace prize
we are an imperialist nation and win the nobel prize
they really want to sell us their stuff
we are the buyers of stuff in the world
we should be put up for war crimes as a nation instead we win the nobel peace prize.
the ways of the world are interesting
as on man stated I am not of this world
who can blame him for that
Pragmatism, like terrorism, is a tactic. Pragmatists have agendas and ideologies, too. Obahma is no more an objective, disinterested player than Rahma.
If you claim to want – or in fact work toward no particular goal – other than whatever will amass 60 votes – you want to do nothing, you have a Mitt Romneyesque level of political courage, or you want what your most conservative supporters want, because you’ve made them the linchpin to your strategy.
To claim that you value “process” over “product” is meaningless; it’s political dodgeball. You’re hiding from a partisan fight. You’re hiding what you really want, and don’t think your supporters agree with you or will help you get it.
So what;s the big deal, his chances were only 1 in 6,000,000,000 or so. Ha! And in 12 days, it doesn’t get any better than this, or does it?
The Republicans were flying high with the Olympic saga they just got blind sided.
I’m still trying to figure out what the Dalai Lama did to win the prize.
bre1 writes:
Hate to break it to you, but in this country we have Presidents, and not leaders. Just saying.
ADMIN ALERT FOR SPAM!
thanks and fixed