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It is that most repugnant topic, Jackson’s facilitation of crimes against Native Americans (he had lots of support on the issue sadly), that comes to mind now. Specifically his refusal to enforce the decision of the Supreme Court in Worcester v. Georgia, holding that the Cherokee Nation in Georgia was entitled to Federal Protection from the State’s efforts to remove them from their land. Not only did Jackson not enforce the law, he encouraged the flouting of the decision and the removal of the Cherokees (and other tribes) from their land. One of the most flagrant violations of the Constitution in American History, though certainly not the only one.
Now here we are, 178 years later, and a Federal Judge, Virginia Phillips, has ruled DADT violates the Constitution and it should be banned. Under the circumstances of the case, did she go beyond what was necessary? Perhaps.
But here’s the thing, it may not be how the Obama Administration would have liked to have had DADT overturned, but it is a way that it can be overturned nonetheless. It is the right thing, and unlike with the Jackson Administration, it is perfectly legal to do sit on your hands and let the policy you say you oppose die.
It may be too late for the Cherokees, Mr. President, but here’s a chance to at least somewhat balance out history. At this point, it doesn’t appear you’ll do so.
It is time to end this ‘Trail of Tears’, don’t appeal.
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Mr. President doesn’t want to jeopardize all that bipartisan goodwill that has been so successful for him. Mustn’t piss off the Carl Paladino’s of the world.
attaturk, one of your most poignant posts ever, I did not know that about our past, I expect the president doesn’t know it either, I wonder if there is a way to get this post to him, sometimes all it takes is a little realisation and this post might just do that
well well done
Exactly Jan: Obama really wants to do the right thing, but those mean ol’ Repugs won’t let him. Don’t let the easily doable be the enemy of the wrong! /s
May I respectfully suggest “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”.
The ugliness of our past isn’t brought to light in the text books of our system of public brainwashing. Honoring Christopher Columbus is a prime example.
I bought into his schtick once. It won’t happen again; this is not what I voted for.
The Log Cabin Republicans’ lawsuit victory is being appealed by the Obama DOJ. Yet another Profile in Courage from our president.
(BTW, ThinkProgress is frequently down for maintenance at this hour of the morning.)
Schtick? I think a more precise term is ‘bullshit’
Good morning, pups. It’s Dowd and Friedman. In “The Unfair Game” MoDo gives us an acid flashback to a time when White House aides behaved acidly. The Moustache of Wisdom, in “Build ‘Em and They’ll Come,” says a moon-shot quality initiative you haven’t heard of could get going if Congress would approve the needed financing.
Here they are.
The coffee and tea are ready, and I’ve got corned beef hash and poached eggs for breakfast. I had a pile of work descend on me yesterday, so I’m off to chip away at it a bit before I leave for the full time gig. Have a great day.
It hasn’t been two years, and one is already exhausted from getting one’s hopes up that the President will do the right thing on something…then dealing with the disappointment as he dips below all expectations…then dealing with feeling like a chump for having been silly enough to get your hopes up again. And so on. Hence the emotional nosedive of the left and the abrupt change in fortune of the two parties.
I like to boast that I saw through Obama from the start, but even I get put through this wringer. Methinks the “enthusiasm gap” is a euphemism for a vast chasm of betrayal, cynicism, indignation, and despair.
Headed for Nirvana
Within two days the WH Prevaricating Appeaser has appealed the Defense of Marriage Act ruling and now DADT. This guy is a real piece of corporate crap. Of course for those of us that exist on a pitiful Soc. Sec. cheque his decision for the second year in a row not to allow a cost of living increase is just fucking cruel and unjust. Nothing good to say about the bastard.
The big “0″ is the other half of the party of N”0″
He’s the garbage our electoral system produces. Remember how much debate time was given him in the democratic debates.
Edwards and Kuchinch had dropped out before our primary and Pa sued and won over $ 80,000 from Nader for daring to run.
obama was interviewed, chosen and anointed by the PTB,not us.
There is no hope in this sellout dope, the best president you could buy.
Don’t skip “Drill, baby, drill” in that two day betrayal.
Yeah I was going to edit to include that but I just made another cup of tea and fumed instead. The betrayals from the WH bastard are too numerous to list. This is one voter that will not be voting for any Dem. thanks to the Ahole occupying the Oval office.
I am an infernal Optimist when it comes to American politics.
And my continued Optimism comes from the usual Fundamentals for Decency and Egalitarianism. More so, since I am a military veteran. Thus, Obama could easily issue a “Stop/Loss” Executive Order that is inherent in his Responsibility and Duty functionalities. However, President Obama wants someone else to do the ‘heavy-lifting’ since his Legacy may be jeopardized by the Great Scribblers among the Academy of Historians.
As a legal scholar on Constitutional Law, he is familiar with the Christian’s Doctrine of Discovery and in which the First Chief Justice embedded into our national Constitution, and which was exemplified by Bush and Cheney in their “pre-emptive wars” and which Obama continues to this day. As such, Obama is America’s “caboose” and cannot bring himself to get off the railroad track, and move over to any readily available freeway.
Jaango
Thanks for reminding me about Remini’s books on Jackson. Truly great stuff, and worth a re-read.
Right you are!
DADT is a sick, un-Constitutional abomination, and I share the hope that Obama will obey the injunction even if the DOJ appeals.
That said, comparing DADT to the Trail of Tears is, to be charitable, inapt, given the genocide-scale slaughter that continues to be inflicted on the world at the hands of a military that gays should have every right to inadvisably join.
Obama and his cabal of pissants have gone out of their way to piss off liberals, leading me to believe that he wants Republicans elected. I’m half tempted to vote for democrats to cause this jackass as much grief as possible. Any thoughts?
I think the prevailing thought among the Dem operatives is that we will vote for Dems just because. Well that is what used to happen and both parties have now morphed into one corporate party so NO I will not be voting for either Dems or Goopers.
Right now I am counting days for another four years until my spouse retires and we can get the hell out of this country.
What comes to mind in reading this post is that after a Supreme Court ruling and after ignoring the same to devastating consequences to the Native Americans, Jackson was popularly elected to the Presidency where he swore an oath to uphold the constitution that he had already shredded. The country’s romantization of a leading general apparently overcame any image of his lawlessness. This problem continues to this day. Just as devastating today as it was to the Cherokees.
While the Judge’s ruling in DADT was courageous and the WH cowardly if it appeals the same, I am thinking of another General( Petreaus) who if Woodward is to be believed stomped on the constitution particularly the part wherein the President is the commander in chief. We have some 178 years later a General deciding in defiance of the President requesting exit strategies that the General will be the one who decides when the war is over (2016 anyone?). As a result of his choices we are sending more soldiers to die we are spending money that could be spent here and the constitution is shredded while a General takes over military and civilian command of the military forces. And the romantization of Petreaus’ reputation, though it should be one of lawlessness, will continue on the left and the right by people who think of him as a master strategist. (Not many here I know)
The reason the WH may appeal the DADT ruling is because there has been a military take over of civilian command of the armed forces and the military policy of this country . Clearly, the opposition to an administrative declaration of the DADT policy, (the President could issue an executive order today consistent with the ruling,) is the opposition Obama will face of the vocal and radical part of the military. That is the problem in this country, which goes beyond Obama. We no longer have civilian control of the military. While it would be nice if Obama showed a spine, if there has been in effect a coup d’etat, more than one person needs to show a spine.
Yeah, I guess you’re right. There’s not a damn dime’s worth of difference between the two.
Best of luck, wherever you go. My son and I have talked of doing the same thing when his daughter is grown. Hopefully she will want to go too. By the time she is grown, there will be nothing left here. There isn’t much now.
As angry as I am at the Obamacon job. Maybe they are right about just one thing, we really have no choice but to vote Dem. Never give up!
Although I can’t speak for all Native Americans and Chicanos, but if this were possible, I would still encourage all current Democrats and Independents to vote for their respective Democratic candidates for this election cycle.
When it comes to American politics, I much prefer the “long view” and with this Long View in mind, permit me to espouse my “particular” brand?
In two generations or for an approximate 40 years, Native Americans and Chicanos will “own” the Democratic Party. And equally important, the Native Americans and Chicanos will “own” the Republican Party, as well.
However, if ‘things’ continue unabated, our national debt within this forty years period, will skyrocket to an approximate $28 to $32 Trillion.
Therefore, our foreign creditors will ‘demand’ repayment, and with no monies in the Treasury, Mainland China will demand, and as a first or minimal downpayment, ownership of our National Parks System and done with the caveat that within these national parks, Chinese military installations will be established. Now, if this doesn’t scare the hell out of you, nothing will.
Of course, no one in white America is willing to spend their time or effort for even considering what will be required of the respective communities of Native Americans and Chicano when it comes to Leadership and Entrepreneurship. As such, Soros and the traditional Democratic Donors, truly do “suck”.
Take, for example, Native Americans, Chicanos, Democrative Women and Progressives, collectively, have yet to get their political smarts around the Idea that what’s needed on the Center-Left is the equivalent of the Right’s Legislative State Exchange Council. At present, the existing 20-state and Republican-led Legislatures, has given America Arizona’s version of SB 1070, and with more to come in January of Next Year. And that’s only for starters. So, where is the Progressive’s “Legislative State Exchange Council”? And equally important, why is Soros sitting on the sideline and yet, he and his monies could be instrumental in establishing and implementing this Progressive “Council”. And why are the other Democratic Donors hiding under their proverbial beds, and scared shitless of any loss that may or may not come about next month?
Regardless, of my rant and by broken record, there is much to be accomplished in the years ahead, and there is neither a reason to be shy in your activism, nor reason to bailout, when your help will become the most important tool in the box, when it comes to providing Ideas and Leadership.
Jaango
Presumes facts not in evidence: that Obama actually opposes the DADT policy and isn’t lying when he says he thinks it hurts national security.
ITS THE TEACHERS UNIONS Attaturk. They are reciveing their instructions from their puppetmasters in the basement of the Kremlin. All we need to do is break up the most
engaged and activewrong and evil public employees union andthe rest will falltest scores will rise“However, if ‘things’ continue unabated, our national debt within this forty years period, will skyrocket to an approximate $28 to $32 Trillion.
Therefore, our foreign creditors will ‘demand’ repayment, and with no monies in the Treasury, Mainland China will demand, and as a first or minimal downpayment, ownership of our National Parks System and done with the caveat that within these national parks, Chinese military installations will be established. Now, if this doesn’t scare the hell out of you, nothing will.”
what scares the hell out of me is that so many people think that the US “owes” china money and that china “loans” the US treasury money, like citi bank issues garbage high interest credit cards to poor people . The debt that deficit “hawks” (magpies?) hyperventilate over (and they’ve clearly got you Worried) is the interest on US treasury bonds which China buys mainly to keep the value of the dollar inflated. At home they pursue a policy of currency devaluation. China dosent do this because they are a check cashing place, and the US is a broke American wage slave. A sane and just tax rate in the US would keep the interest paid up. China acts in its economic self interest. Selling all of the T bonds they hold, would not be in their interest. For the record Japan buys more T bonds from the US than China, and Britain buys more than Japan.
Ahem, Solerso, should China one day, show-up at the “redemption window” at the Treasury, with all of its bonds in tow, the U.S. does not enough money to complete the overall redemption. And today, if China showed up at the window, where would the the U.S. get the cash to complete the redemption?
And if this were to occur, Japan and Saudi Arabia, along with the Europeans, would instantly appear at the Redemption Window with their bonds in tow, as well. To wit, it’s known as the “psychology” of the markets.
And the alternative to the “Then Resident in the Oval Office” would be to send the Marines into the Off-Shore Banks and done in order to repatriate America’s wealth.
In the meantime, I am waiting for someone to underwrite the “audit of the Fed”, and of course, I would move the start date commencing with January 1, 2000. If so, we would find out what Clinton left behind if anything. Perhaps, we would find an empty Cracker JackS box?
Jaango
which is a survivalists scenario. it “could” happen, but unless the world economy gets so bad that crashing it to the ground wont make a difference, it wont. your buying into a fear mongering strategy, that is being used to steal and expropriate whats left of public revenue streams, by wal st privatizers. you can be sure when public education social sec and medicare look like the defense industry, that taxing and spending will become a patriotic duty to these same scum