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One of my hopes when Obama won the presidency in 2008, along with “Please let him fix the economy and not be a craven weakling,” was that the left would be less… situational with its values than the right was when Dubya was president. We justly mocked them as insincere apologists, but I always worried that some of our brethren might end up doing the same thing.
Progressives who stand against Republican torture, war and corporatism should not be making excuses or looking the other way when Democrats follow the same bloody path. If we do that, we’re no better than mindless partisan operatives whose only belief is that our team must win at all costs.
Sadly, whether or not their hearts were in the right place, an alarming number of liberal organizations chose exactly that route when they joined the Veal Pen after the election, selling their souls for money and access. They abdicated their roles as progressive advocates to pave the way for Obama’s Blue Dog agenda, embracing policies they would have opposed just a few years before. It was – and is – a discouraging and embarrassing spectacle.
Which brings me to what I like most about FDL: We’re the Anti-Veal Pen. Because we are member-funded and don’t care about insider access or cocktail parties, we are free to be truly, fiercely independent. We may be wrong on occasion, you may disagree with us sometimes, but everything we say, we say it because we believe it, not because some corporate sponsor or Democratic big shot told us to. And the same goes for everything we don’t say.
I’m proud that FDL bends the knee for no one. We are not accountable to Obama, we are not accountable to the Democratic Party, and we sure as hell are not accountable to the US Chamber of Commerce. We are accountable to you. And we wouldn’t want it any other way.
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Eli! Very nicely said. Thanks
Thanks! It is nice knowing that I will never, ever get an e-mail telling me to tone a post down because ______ won’t like it.
Also: Twain!
ELI!
:)
BUZZ!
Obama is a rat.
I’m glad there are leftist/progressives who know that, like at FDL.
Are we done with the High Fives? I like the cozy as much as anyone, which is why I usually post at PUAC and Morning Swim.
I think I do the Hugs as much as anyone, but, still, once we get through the salutations, I don’t know, I guess I a bit wanting more.
Eli!!! Good job. I have had the distinct displeasure of being able to get 4 yankees games in a row down here in Flori-duh. Tonight is the 5th. Jeter just struck out. Anyway we can get him to take himseelf out of the lineup? (ironically, he left Posada at first. Jorge singled.)
We need a plan… we need a win to inspire us.
Beerfart!!! Thanks. I think the Yankees are going to be a .500 ballclub this year unless a bunch of ‘em stop looking… done.
Yes he is…and to Eli’s point almost all the so called progressive radio hosts are Obama apologist & TV- show host.
And so, the game is rigged,dis-information from almost everywhere most Americans get their so called news whether it’s DEM party propaganda or GOP party propaganda.
What win would that be?
Let me raise gthis though. I didn’t vote for alex sink, the dem who ran against rick scott. as you know, scott barely squeeked out a win. as you know, he is beyond horrendous. was i wrong? should i have voted for sink even though she was/is nowhere near where i am?
agreed. a-rod has 2 HRs though. i remember in spring training down here that was the big talk—- how hard he’d been working and how he was almost in as good shape as his girlfriend.
I wonder if Easter Island had a version of the Lake arguing against cutting down the last tree as GOPers said chop down the tree and lets all go ultimate Social Darwin and eat people?
I have mixed feelings about that, but if Democrats are content to rely on merely being The Lesser Evil, they shouldn’t count on that to be enough.
My position is usually to vote for the crappy Dem but not give them any of my money or time.
If it had happened that way, it’s only a sad scenario and it that what you are saying? There’s no hope?
“Why does EasterDogLake hate business so much???”
A win big enough to inspire us would be ending both wars. Getting the government to create 5 million good paying jobs you know FDR/SuperMan type stuff…stuff no mere Obama could do.
Thats why we need a plan.
Looks to me like most of the commenters will exercise their constitutional rights and not vote at all. I will vote because I always vote. I have never voted for a Republican and never will. I am a Liberal Democrat and I will be voting for Obama. The other option is not an option. I have convinced all my family the republicans are not on the side of the middleclass and that’s what I and my family are.
Nope we need to say that the rich can’t keep building giant heads of stone/back banker gambling sprees and cut down the last tree/waste all our money.
Or else we will be the next Easter Island. We do have to hope that a large population can be to big to brainwash with vodoo/tv.
( I think tv is our new religion/ opiate of the masses)
ELI!
I can’t see how anybody could look at your face and not join, you handsome devil, you
I don’t need a win from some outside,a Romanistic Domiminatio System type stragey to make me pull away from the predominating paradigm.
An inspiring plan was put forth many decades ago, and folks have twisted that one too. To the point where many here spit on that plan.
MARGARET!
Hahaha, I should have just gone with that instead of writing all those words.
The author Jared Diamond said something about societies that collapse tend to have one thing in common an elite class isolated from the consequences of their failures.
While the above is not an exact quote I think its a message we should hammer on repeatedly and maybe make into t-shirts.
Absolutely correct. But what’s the point of being an elite class if you’re *not* isolated from the consequences of your failures?
What do you need? What do you think we need?
We all have different purviews. Good that we don’t have the same guy in our sights. I like tall, lean, handsome men. Without the camera in front of their face so you can’t really tell what they look like. I’ve always felt the camera was very intimidating. Don’t look so close at me. Fair is fair.
How was your day dear?
Right? I was wondering what the hell you were doing….
What can I say? I’ve got a thing for Borg. The more technology, the better. Day was okay, thanks. :)
The reason I ask is that election was the first time I didn’t do that too-just vote for the dem. and Holy Shit! I now have a governor who might be the worst in the country. if not, close and that’s saying something. and my rep was (proudly) a co-sponsor of that bill that would require presidential candidates to prove they were born here. so, i’ve been wondering if this is really such a good idea or maybe it’s just somethimng i need to get used to. i’m just pissed at being taken for granted.
Your kids who are also isolated from failure never move down to their natural level as a bell curve would predict some should and breed with similar kids thus in effect creating a ruling class of morons who’s lives end horribly?
The 12 Caesars describes this process and it was so sick I gave up during Tiberus.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6400
Where are the families of the Czar of Russia, the Kaiser of Germany, or the King of France?
I understand. I would have voted, but I can’t really fault you for not being eager to vote for “We Suck Less”.
Questions above my pay grade. I am a mere commenter who works too hard to make a life.
It’s okay. I cherish what I have.
Its not above your pay grade but yes you might not have answers it just seemed you sounded sad was all.
I might have been wrong about that I hope I was anyway gotta go bye all:)
good evening Eli and pups
Well, okay then. Wow. I’m glad you had a good day,though.
Really, you’re attracted to the camera eye thing? I won’t comment further on your social life. We have some things in common which we can futher relate, Si?
Cold don’t work for me. Whatever.
good evening sadly
I’m being silly. It’s sort of a running gag I have with Eli.
finally back on EDT….and am missing France…ill write a diary but,am still thinking things out…my impressions and experiences
Demi, did you see this?
Thank you FDL and all the Koinu
I was wondering if you were back. I will look forward to reading a diary about your experiences!
Flash crowds at primaries and caucuses to draft Bernie Sanders as the Democratic nominee perhaps?
one thing major…little or no gun violence,felt safe walking the streets
Ooo! Awesome!!!
very relaxed place,and seemed like a huge middle class…of course,SW France has big aerospace industry,and farming….peeps looked well fed,and relaxed
If they admitted the truth they’ed be out of a job so they must keep up the theater.
I had not. Thank you for directing me there.
Yup. We are all cheering!
Eli, is that a 35 mm or medium format camera? Just wondering.
LOVE FDL.
Third party! Screw the bought and paid for whores that include Fraudbama.
A vote for Obama is a vote for torture therefore I cannot vote for him. I don’t care if a repuke wins because I did’nt vote for dickhead.
Cornel West has been brutal on BHO lately,i applaud his candor
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_obama_deception_why_cornel_west_went_ballistic_20110516/?ln
It’s a Nikon D70 digital SLR (24mm sensor), since upgraded to a D300.
I think voting is simple. You vote for the individual whose political views are closest to yours and has a legitimate shot at winning.
it is not important who casts the votes,it is important who counts them
Not for me. I don’t care who Bobo and Milbank tell me has a “legitimate shot at winning”. No more choosing the lesser of two evils. No more votes for Vichycrats or Marshall Barack Petain Obama.
i would just love it if a crowd the size of the inaugural crowd,descended on DeeCee to show its disaproval,the way the inaugural showed its goodwill
plus every election,they promise you Arpege,and give you pig sweat
I do not rely on Bobo or Milbank to tell me who has a legitimate shot at winning.
Nor do I. Nor anybody else. Not even oldgold.
this was good
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/russ-feingold-potential-senate-candidate-rips-democrats-for-corruption.php
well off to watch Ninotchka…sweet dreams all
I wonder if Feingold figured out that it was his caving on “Health Care Reform” that did him in? If your base stays home, you’re not going to win. I don’t care how many “independents” you try to impress. After taking out the leaners among the independents there aren’t nearly enough of them to make up for your base staying home.
for aall his smarts…he didnt get it…but Wisconsin is deeply corrupt now
What I don;t get is how can anybody who is so smart be so obtuse when it comes to the voters? They tell themselves over and over that the dirty fucking hippies can’t be right in spite of the overwhelming evidence that we are just that. It makes no sense unless it’s all a play and there are just too many people involved to keep such an enormous act secret.
I was at the annual Washington Education Association meeting last weekend in Tacoma, WA.
On Fri. night one of our pooh-bahs who is on the NEA board told us how he wasn’t going to support obama till arne was gone, BUT, the NEA “leadership”
ha ha ha
pulled out lessor of two evils! sarah bachmann newt hannity!
and, get this – obama’s veto pen might be our only line of defense. ha ha ha.
obummer has taken the side of the rich pigs against any of us who need health care, against any of us who need an honest financial system, against any of us want security in our social security – all in the name of attracting the centrally swinging moderately independent diaper pissers.
well, let the diaper pissers vote for, donate to, and doorbell for obummer – he doesn’t need me.
rmm.
I wonder how the Republican Boogeyman strategy is going to work if Romney is the nominee. Or Huntsman, but I don’t see how he could possibly get past the primary.
Romney has all kinds of baggage, but he’s a money machine and the rest of the field seems pretty weak.
it has been compared to Lear,and i agree
Yep. He’s shown me exactly how he feels about me but now I’m supposed to ring doorbells again, open my wallet again, pick up the phone again, go vote for him again because he really is going to take care of not millionaires and this time he really, really means it? Yeah. Don’t hold your breath.
Yeah, Romney’s got the organization and he’s the sanest by far but the GOP voters are never going to nominate a Mormon. No way. Ain’t gonna happen. He could convert and they wouldn’t nominate him.
The saddest part of all is that if he loses, all we’ll hear about is how it was because he was too liberal and turned off the independents and Heartland America.
As opposed to the people who would have actually been motivated to turnout and turn others out.
I think he might win by default.
OT – OK! This is what you really want to discuss:Arnold’s Love Child!
Have you finished reading the important stuff? Now you can get back to the serious social-political-economic discussions.
Which one?
I’ll vote – I always do.
HOWEVER, I’m ONLY voting for people who represent me and the rest of the pee-ons. In 2010 in Seattle, instead of voting for chickenshit sell outs who’ve chased the ever rightward moving goal posts yelling “wait for me!”, I wrote in “Medicare ForAll”. While my choice lost in every state office and every federal office, at least I didn’t enable any fucking sell outs anymore –
in 2012 if the ONLY candidate worth a shit is in NoWhere AK, OverThere AZ, or Somewhere AL, then that is the ONLY candidate I’ll do anything for. fuck the rest of ‘em. obviously BP & Exxon will take care of ‘em.
rmm.
The one from 10 years ago.
Yep. Again it’s beyond me how anybody can be that stupid but be functional. Not just functional but those pundits, advisers and consultants get rich by saying such stupid shit.
I’ll vote too. But not for any Vichycrats or Republicans.
Moving to the right pays a lot better than moving to the left. It’s corruption masquerading as stupidity.
Be it corruption or stupidity, they are not fit to lead.
status=QUO the end …good nite
Oh, so not the one from 19 years ago…
No argument here.
Bigtime props to Jane and FDL!
It was the spring of 2009 when she interviewed Chris Dodd and asked him “Will you ask Bernanke for the names of the banks that got the bailouts?” Dodd tried to obfuscate, but Jane persisted. Dodd finally agreed to ask Bernanke for the names of the banks.
Of course, it was obvious at that time that even though he would ask… he would never demand an answer.
Nonetheless, around August 2009 I wrote a front page post for (probably) CTs premier blog at the time. I used Jane’s video of that interview and asked Dodd if he had gotten the names of the banks yet. Being confident that he hadn’t, I asked if Dodd had even asked yet.
Of course the history of Senator “campaign contributions have nothing to do with me carrying water for Wall Street” Dodd is well-known. But the footnote of Jane’s video may not be.
I’m fairly confident that Jane’s video had a hand in his eventual decision to not run.
What Jane and FDL is so important because it really does have a hand in keepin ‘em honest. Thank you Jane! Will you marry me?!?!
I applaud Cornel West’s candor too. I was once an apologist for Obama. Not anymore. I agree that many who supported him, myself included, wore rose-colored glasses, and that Barack tried not to paint himself as a progressive. He always said he believed in trying to compromise. That’s admirable. But time and again, he has thrown away timely opportunities to make solid change. Now that we know more about who he is and who he surrounds himself with, and how weak a negotiator he is (starting in the center-right, then caving in with a weak backbone), I don’t see the need to be apologetic anymore. Sorry if this does not please the Democratic Party establishment. Keep speaking the truth, Cornel.
Gallup has consistently shown Obama is more popular among liberal Democrats [86%] than moderate Democrats [80%] and conservative Democrats [69%].
http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Approval-Center.aspx
A most recent SEIU/DailyKos Poll reflects that 93% of self-identifying liberals support Obama.
http://www.dailykos.com/weeklypolling/2011/5/12
A Daily Kos Poll? We must worship their all-knowing wisdom. Now we have conclusive evidence that Obama is a “liberal”, DK says so. Yes, the liberals are all “In”. That is the war-monger pro-torture liberals, and the supporters of the phony war on terror liberals.
I myself suggest that we should have a battle in the Democratic Party to purge these bloody war criminals who have hijacked “liberalism”.
your position is also mine – but stay at home as to a given vote when really disgusted.
I voted democratic all my adult life. The democratic party use to mean something. There was courage in the party once upon at time in the distance past.But the new democratic party is a new kind of fart.Most of them have no guts.Even Diogenes would have trouble find a member of congress that was corrupt. He would have to take a bath after walking through the Halls OF Congress. Here at THE Lake I have found a home where the sunshine is on my face and the wind is at my back. Where humorous sayings and politics are always delightful deserts.
DK does not say so. A scientific poll sponsored by DK says so. More importantly, it is in line with other recent scientific polls.
“Where are the families of the Czar of Russia, the Kaiser of Germany, or the King of France?”
Interesting question that I do not know the complete answer to – but some members of each family remain in a state of hidden – and some not hidden – wealth, based on who I have met on my journey through life. There are some extremely wealthy families and estates that earned their good fortune by means of choosing the parents well – and in some cases that meant choosing Royals.
DK is controlled by the K-Street Wing of the Democratic Party. Markos is just another corporate shill.
DK bans any criticism of multinational corporations, K-Street, Democratic/Obama/Kaine vote suppression in 2010, especially running down the youth vote. Daily Kos bans any criticism of Obama and is a website of bullies.
Daily Kos is just the neo-con Establishment.
“…not accountable to Obama, we are not accountable to the Democratic Party, and we sure as hell are not accountable to the US Chamber of Commerce. We are accountable to you. And we wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Whether what you say about DK is true or false has nothing to do with the findings of the scientfic poll DK sponsored. Moreover, as I noted the results of that poll are supported by similar finding by other scientific polls.
The fact is that liberals ovewhelmingly support Obama.
That does not mean they are right or that their opinion will not change, but at the present time only a very small number of liberals agree with you.
As I said today in an earlier thread, FDL is my home on the internet. In an odd sort of way, it almost feels like my political party.