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    Tuesday, June 30, 2009

    IT came from Vanity Fair:

    The trashing of Palin goes on in Vanity Fair - what is fascinating about this freakish rant by Todd Purdum is that time and time again while attacking Palin he - I swear - is talking about Obama. No experience, narcissistic, prone to throwing anyone and everyone under the bus, using religion to get ahead in politics, interfering spouse....It's Obama practically to the letter.

    Another hard to miss theme: Purdum has a mad crush on Palin. He thinks she is hot! Which leads to an almost demonic need to trash her. She can't be powerful...because her dark feminine ways will lead us/me astray...we must vanquish the dark lady from the North - is the subtext.

    At one point he weirdly calls her "fertile" - the implication being that this is both suspect and jarring. To Purdum, maybe it is. Something very unnerving happens to people who formulate ideas about people without ever being with people. Real women - who have children and jobs - become oddities. Coming from Purdum fertile is almost tribal. Palin is a dangerous warrior princess with out-of-whack hormones.

    There is also the usual "red neck otherness" that has become natural for these Upper West Side attacks on Palin. Purdum goes further though . He exiles Alaska from the United States. He does not refer to Alaska's political culture like one might discuss Obama and Chicago or Clinton and Arkansas. He outright implies that Alaska is another country and therefore Palin should, by rights, be seen as a foreigner. (Again, shades of some of the right wing attacks on Obama.) Palin is the other by virtue of being from Wasilla, Alaska, which is apparently akin to being from Irkutsk, Russia - or perhaps Mars. Yet, at one point he describes Wasilla in a manner that is painfully American: Home Depots, fast food joints, strips malls. Purdum ought to get in a car sometime and take a drive. Home Depots, fast food and strips malls are the American landscape of 2009. This is a "journalist" who's geographical outlook consists of the famous New Yorker map of the world - everything past the West Village is no man's land.

    Other than the embarrassing exposure of the mommy issues that so many prominent American men carry around - the thing that is so maddening about the anti-Palin, Park Avenue liberal, jack off sessions - like the one in Vanity Fair - is that it is now damn near impossible to believe anything written about Palin. An honest assessment - one not soaked in right wing hagiography, or dripping with "feminist" Vassar girl repression, or the barely concealed sexual terror of the current "liberal male"- can't be found.

    I have no doubt that there is much to criticize Sarah Palin for - and she ought to examined closely if she wants to remain on the national stage. 8 months on I, for one, do not see her taking on any issues outside her comfort zone. If she wants to run for President she needs to start expanding soon. She ain't Hillary, that's for sure.

    (Update: Palin should be treated like any other potential President. Obama, as we know, was given a pass by the media throughout the campaign.)

    Unfortunately the Vanity Fair article doesn't reveal much worth thinking about. Finally, it's a gossip piece. Of course, some McCain insiders dish the dirt. Operatives on losing campaigns always dish dirt soon after an election. Obama insiders will too - as soon as he goes below 50% for 2-3 months we'll hear some unflattering tales of Barry and Michelle from the inside. Watch.

    Clear reporting on Palin just doesn't exist. Such is the tragedy of American "journalism".

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    A Proud American

    -by 'tamerlane'

    I frequently write about what's wrong with America-and there's plenty. But in honor of the Fourth of July, and in no particular order, some things about our Nation that make me proud to be an American.


    1. The Bill of Rights
    In an Age when oppression and tyranny were the status quo, the first ten amendments to the Constitution established as inalienable rights, freedoms and liberties which had previously existed only as fortuitous privileges or not at all. The impact of this visionary concept cannot be over estimated.

    Written almost as an afterthought, the Bill of Rights laid the groundwork for the American way of life we too often take for granted, and too often neglect to protect. Beyond the actual rights enshrined in the document, the Bill of Rights established the principle that Americans could, and must, ever amend our laws to adhere to the principle of Liberty.


    2. The Rest of the Constitution
    Yes it's imperfect, yes it's pathetically outdated, a patchwork of addenda crying out for a total rewrite. But, like my old, banging-up Chevy truck, the Constitution is still running and still gets the job done.

    The beauty of the document is its exceptional flexibility, a gift from the stellar minds of its authors. Strict interpretation would have made the Constitution obsolete ages ago. It's the principles that inspired the Constitution, not the specific details, that have allowed us to operate under the same form of government, and to enjoy essentially the same type of society, for 222 years. Compare that streak with France. Their revolution occurred just after ours, and they're currently on their 5th Republic, with a few dictatorships and monarchies interspersed. We're still on Republic #1.


    3. Rock 'n; Roll
    This distinctly American art form truly "will never die". Evolving from a blend of folk, blues, and other native styles, Rock 'n' Roll is no simple diversion. The genre's birth in the mid-fifties saw it question authority and rebel against stultifying conformity. Ever since, rock music has helped inspire social progress-civil rights, peace, sexual freedom. Rock continues to embody and celebrate truly American virtues of independence, innovation and youthful optimism.


    4. NASA
    A recent string of embarrassing failures has tarnished the space agency's image. But Americans shouldn't forget how we boldly embarked on a quest for knowledge that has rivaled the grandeur of the pyramids and the audacity Columbus.

    In the best tradition of Western civilization, the USA expended a ton of money and effort to simply learn about things, with no direct military or economic gain. To put men on the moon, NASA stretched 1960's technology to the limit, just because we dared ourselves to try it. No one doubted we Americans would succeed.

    NASA built two tiny probes, the Voyagers, to explore a couple of planets, then ingeniously figured out a way extend their operational life and explore the rest of the solar system, and then even farther. The Hubble telescope, despite early teething pains, lets us gaze at the edge of time and has provided invaluable understanding of the origin of the universe.

    Many believe mankind is destined to one day populate the stars. If we survive to fulfill that calling, Americans will be remembered as the ones who took the first steps on that journey.


    5. The Melting Pot and Meritocracy
    The blending of people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in America is truly unique, and we've pulled it off surprisingly well. Prejudice has always existed, but has never prevailed in the end. We succeeded, not by the bumper sticker platitude to 'celebrate diversity', but by extending the American principle of meritocracy to anyone who showed up.

    No matter how funny you looked, how bad your accent, or how weird your religious practices, if you worked hard and embraced American culture, in a generation or two you'd be grudgingly accepted as part of the mainstream, with your cultural qualities enriching the American amalgam.

    Too much remains unfair in America. The idle rich get richer simply for being rich. Tall men get promoted because they are tall and a man. Cops beat up young blacks, while letting pretty young blondes off with a warning. But we hold and affirm in principle that every one is equal, that everyone gets a fair chance, and everyone gets rewarded based on how they perform. We're not perfect, but at least our hearts are in the right place.


    6. Separation of Church and State
    A purely secular government was unheard of in 1787 and is still fairly uncommon today. The Founding Fathers looked back at two centuries of devastating religious wars in Europe, and vowed to spare their new nation that fate. Their foresight granted us levels of domestic tranquility and personal freedoms that most of mankind has never attained.

    Separation of Church and State has stabilized our government, protected us from religious tyranny, while simultaneously allowing religious practice to thrive and diversify. We disrupt this cornerstone of American Liberty at our peril.


    7. Natural Beauty
    We just lucked into it, but our country possess some of the most dramatic, serene, and varied landscapes on Earth. Our pride comes from the sentiment, present since colonial days, that we have a special obligation to act as the stewards of our natural treasure. That spirit first took shape in the creation of national parks by Teddy Roosevelt. Today, our parks and preserves are the envy of the World-foreigners visit in droves and marvel at their expanse and beauty.

    Our natural legacy is threatened more today than ever. Budget cuts, calls for privatization, a gluttonous lifestyle that demands more raw materials and new tract houses, could rapidly obliterate what we've carefully nurtured for so long. To abandon the traditional American principle of natural preservation would bring us immeasurable shame.


    8. Hollywood
    Yes, actually, hurray for Hollywood. The American film industry gets slammed for the vapidity of its product, its craven business practices, and often for its low morals. That criticism is in large part merited. Yet, while the rule in Hollywood seems to be 'the bigger the budget, the smaller the idea', great works of art do get made with regularity. Mindless movies predominate, but mindless audiences crave them. Sit down for just five minutes and make a list of great films. It will be a long list, and the films very great indeed. So why fret over the chaff of lousy movies soon forgotten? A thousand Taco Bells cannot diminish a Chez Panisse.

    Cinema is a beneficial and vital aspect of modern civilization. At their best, movies are our sagas, the epic poems once delivered orally, now on a silver screen. Born in New Jersey, raised in California, "Hollywood" has fueled the dreams and inspired the aspirations of the entire world.


    9. Baseball
    Americans have invented three major sports-basketball, football, and baseball-now hugely popular across the globe. Of the three, baseball is, in my opinion, the sport that most encapsulates the American spirit.

    Baseball hinges on individual performances, yet the nine players must work harmoniously to succeed. The prowess of one star player means nothing without the contributions of the other eight. Even the lowliest member of the team can sometimes become the hero.

    In Baseball, anything is possible. The playing field extends in theory into infinity, and it's the only sport where outcome is determined not by the position of the ball, but by what the players do. Without a game clock, nothing is ever a foregone conclusion. Teams can and often do come back from far behind to prevail. During a season, a team with average players who play smart and 'as a team' can outdo a roster of high-paid, selfish stars.

    True, the professional version of the game played today is diminished by the influence of capitalist greed and frenzied hype. But the game we played as kids taught us to rely on each other, to resolve disputes amicably, to create novel solutions-ground rules-for special situations, to laud the exceptional player and to encourage the mundane one.

    In its purest form, the 'national pastime' that Americans perfected out of a lesser game inherited from England is masterpiece of form and symmetry. The dimensions of the playing field, the pace of the action, the yin & yang of offense & defense, the interplay of throwing, running and hitting, not to mention its sylvan charm, make baseball not just sport, but art.


    10. Courage to Critique Ourselves
    Americans practice self-criticism as a habit, albeit sometimes reluctantly. It stems from our freedom of speech. To pick on France again for comparison: the French still treat Napoleon as a hero, instead of the tyrannical, murderous, warmonger he was. They pretend that everyone was in the resistance during WWII, and neglect to explain how all that nice Italian art ended up in the Louvre.

    Americans are tougher than that. We knew slavery was bad, and we fixed it. We acknowledge what we did to the Indians was inexcusable, and we don't try to hide it. After a few pendulum swings, we can now admit that our actions in Vietnam were in error, but we still commend the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice of the generation that fought there.

    As Americans, we can lambaste our elected officials, and demand greatness of them. We can recognize flaws in our national character, and propose ways to remedy them, without losing faith in our inherent strengths. We can celebrate our achievements, without needing to sweep our failures under the rug. Indeed, our greatest moments have come after periods of frustration or ignominy. If we have a tendency to get lackadaisical at times, we still tackle our shortcomings with enthusiasm, optimism, and determination. We have a habit of dreaming the inconceivable, and a knack for achieving the unthinkable. We can be proud of all this.


    (c) 2009 by 'tamerlane'. All rights reserved.

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    Lunch Break - Hyperinflation Nation

    These 3 clips should be watched. Gold bug stuff bugs me but that may be a blind spot of mine.
    However, I will repeat - like 'em or not - the most interesting, engaged people out there right now are not conservatives, certainly not liberals. But libertarians.






    Patriotic Music: SF Gay Men's Chorus sing the National Anthem at some ball park the evil ones call "home".

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    Monday, June 29, 2009

    Green shoots or denial?

    Every time I look at the CNBC business site I see conflicting information. One day an economic recovery is coming this Fall - the next it may happen "well into 2010." Cramer takes a modest upturn in housing starts and yells that the recession is over. But then other "economists" predict far worse days ahead.

    Nobody knows anything.

    Evidence of the recession's creep is everywhere around Los Angeles. The one homeless guy outside the nearest subway station has become 8 - of both genders. I went to the Valley on business yesterday and had a moderate shock at the number of "for lease" signs on the exteriors of now defunct business.

    Yet, if one goes to The Grove - a high end outdoor mall or the adjacent Farmer's Market activity is buzzing. Americans found a way to drop 200 millions dollars this weekend seeing Tranformers...Paramount Pictures - having lopped off 10% of its work force this year - thanks you. A commenter here mentioned a recent Disney World vacation in which she observed thousands dropping the long green without a care.

    Are we in a last final bout of denial? Or is it really not all that bad?

    What is one to think about the libertarians?

    What is one to think about the libertarians? I ask this with some sincerity. The next big wave in American politics is not a return of conservatism - though that is coming - it is libertarian. A repulsion against government intervention is growing. This is both par for the course for the U.S. and also based in something relatively new: The belief that the Federal government and the banks that wrecked the economy are essentially the same entity. Should Obama's interventions botch things further - which now seems likely - this perception will grow.

    I don't see either party as being able to fully engage the growing libertarian impulse.

    The GOP has the advantage as it has a strong libertarian wing already. However, the power of the social conservatives repel many who might find a home there. Additionally, the GOP brand is damaged severely.

    Let me be up front, I type this post as an observer not a cheerleader. Hard core libertarianism make me nervous - get too far into it and it appears to be anarchy. That said, I am essentially a pessimist now. The credit based economy is kaput. Obama's chance to re-vision a truly new basis for American strength - mostly by demanding sacrifice and speaking harsh truths - has been blown. Obama's problem has been that he talks in broad strokes but his actions, in the end, are cautious. He talks as if he got a mandate -which he did - but he governs as if he won a mere plurality.

    So who has the animating ideas going forward? The only potential I see to galvanize a broad swatch of Americans lies with the libertarians.

    Whether I like it or not.

    Lunch Break- things I read this weekend.

    GayBee Boom - Jesse Levey is a Republican activist who says he believes in family values, small government and his lesbian mothers' right to marry.

    (The GOP needs to ditch the social conservatives by the side of the road. ASAP. There is a libertarian streak out that that the GOP is missing out on...Why aren't the libertarians taking advantage either???)

    History News Network: the hunger pangs of some liberals have caused them to hallucinate.

    Crooks and Liars: British Rum maker got 2.7 Billion in TARP Cash - (that's our money FYI)

    Good News or Bad News? Female politicians star in graphic novel.

    Our Timid President : For President Obama to be following events rather than leading them is part of a pattern

    Two dipshits, one DEM one GOP: Two state senators refuse to take pay cuts - and my favorite part - one state senator actually said this about his pay:"What I get paid is personal. I don't discuss what I do personally. I don't choose to make anything I do on my personal side public."

    No dude - what you get paid as a state senator is PUBLIC because it is our money that pays you, numbnuts.

    Music - this week my favorite Independence Day /patriotic themed songs:

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    Saturday, June 27, 2009

    Let's start the week with a big, hearty TOLD YA SO!

    I feel I have not screamed: TOLD YA SO! in a while. I fully intend to keep on yelling it to, at, and toward any and all Obots for the duration. I was pretty sure I was right about Obama all along... though, of course, not 100% sure. He could have surprised everyone and been the great AMERICAN HOPE that was packaged and sold relentlessly and ruthlessly last year...

    I girded my gut for some crow...even here on the outskirts. But I shall be eating none.

    There is no need to rehash the list of his duplicity so far...it is already legion...The removal of 42 mountaintops in West Virgina and the defense of DOMA are the most disgusting and despicable. Yet, there is specific Obama bullshit galore. Not to mention the general creeping malaise setting in on the Left as they process and rationalize their own stupidity and denial.

    The malaise is there too for those on the Right and in the middle who bought the crap. But it is not nearly as juicy as watching the the two-bit faux liberal Obama deadenders have the vice grip of THE ONE'S fraudulence slowly squeeze the air out of their lungs. The REALLY good news: It's still early! The "ohmigod, we were duped!" show has many acts yet to be seen...

    "WE TOLD YOU SO!"

    When they start admitting they were wrong in droves I may feel some compassion. But not much.

    Immature? Probably. Sometime after the 50th email telling me I was a racist, the 60th use of the C word to describe Clinton, the 70th time I watched otherwise sane people lose their minds - quite literally - while discussing Obama and Olbermann threatening Clinton's life...I stopped giving a shit if I appear "immature." It was hard enough saying "Are you out of your fucking mind?" to people I thought were sane...What was harder? Realizing that the answer was nearly always "Yes." They were, in fact, out of their minds.

    I intend to continue typing "WE TOLD YOU SO" here. The grapes are not sour at all - if fact they get sweeter by the day.

    What we said was happening was happening. What we said would happen in an Obama presidency is happening.

    As I wrote in January Obama can't violate my trust because I have none in him . Nor can he disappoint. Anyone who paid attention knew who he was/is. A con man revealed only disappoints the conned.

    There is a similarity between those who lost their fortunes to Madoff and those who sold their principles off (for a song) to Obama. Neither group asked questions. Both groups were taken in by appearances. Both groups felt good about what they were doing.

    So who is really immature here? The bloggers pointing out that Obama - the politician -is nothing like Obama - the commodity - and taking some rightful happiness in being right? Or the buffoons who trashed Clinton so they could feel good about voting for the shill who made them...feel good?

    Get used to "WE TOLD YOU SO!" Obots. It is getting louder everyday.

    Today brings us 2 fun examples -

    Exhibit A: Obama's lies about transparency:
    The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
    Cheney Predacted
    www.thedailyshow.com
    Daily Show
    Full Episodes
    Political HumorJason Jones in Iran

    Exhibit B: Cheney Wins!
    Obama forgets all his "moral urgency" regarding detainees.
    Also for the MSM take read this.
    George W. Obama has arrived.

    Leading demonstrators must be executed, Ayatollah Khatami demands

    How long will Obama insist we must negotiate with a regime that says this?- Leading demonstrators must be executed, Ayatollah Khatami demands

    Obviously the slow ramping up of rhetoric against the Iranian regime that took place in the Obama administration within the last few weeks - as Iran erupted, and domestic politics about Iran in the United States heated up - was seen for what it was: weakness.

    I am hardly a hawk but playing footsie with Iran is never a good idea. Obama's hesitation to speak clearly about democratic values immediately and forcefully did little except buy the regime time for its current - and brutal - crackdown.

    Obama has maintained a fantasy about Iran since saying during the campaign that he would engage in direct negotiations with the current regime. Now it looks like this obsessions with "giving Iran time" and "remaining open to negotiations" is rank inexperience.

    Obama insisted that his reticence to speak up early was to avoid the prospect of the United States being used as a propaganda tool by the Iranian regime. This needs to be called out: Taking a principled stance takes precedence over fear of what an authoritarian regime might do internally. Standing clearly for the rights of the demonstrators early on should not have been optional - for any American President. Why was Obama initially more concerned about the Iranian regime than the demonstrators?

    As the Iranian government strengthens its grip, Obama is in an even weaker postilion for not claiming the high ground immediately.

    Saturday Night Movie - The Future of Food - a horror story

    Please do not watch this movie if you are in a happy place... However if your loins are girded and you care about food and farmers - The Future of Food is shocking and informative.

    Friday, June 26, 2009

    Saturday Stuff

    What does Hillary know?
    Stuff going on the background around the U.S. dollar is scary and getting scarier. What does it mean if this is true? Some U.S. embassies worldwide are being advised to purchase massive amounts of local currencies; enough to last them a year. Whoa. Remember Hillary's quote when she was asked in New Hampshire why she was running, "cried" and said "Because I see what's coming..." Also remember that her first official trip overseas as SoS was to China- not the customary Europe. China again called for a non dollar reserve currency on Friday. The devastation a run on the dollar would bring to all of us is impossible to calculate. But it would be devastating. Like the American economy itself, the Humpty Dumpty dollar is wobbling on the fence, hoping reality doesn't hop along and give it a shove. Brazil, Russia, India, and China appear ready to shove at any moment. And lest the tin foil crew feel left out, the Web Bot pegs the dollars decline and final "death" as occurring between Fall of 09 and March of '10. The dollar will be "rejected by all" within 6 months.

    Damn You, web bots!!!


    Are conservatives to soft on conservatives? The bible literalists who spend many a happy hour bashing gays because of a few bible verses are mighty forgiving of Conservative adulterers as Joe Conason points out here. The biblical punishment for adultery is death by stoning. I have yet to see a right winger pitch at stone at Newt, Sanford, Vitter, or Ensign. But lordy, lordy, say "Lewinsky" to one of them and watch them froth. I guess I don't have the translation of the bible that includes the phrase "Forgive the Republicans but keep on trashing the Democrats with all the invective at your command."


    Speaking of men of "God", is anyone surprised that Jesse Jackson visits Jackson's Encino home?
    If you build platforms for TV cameras Jesse will come. Like a fly to...


    I actually have no opinion on Cap and Trade. Politically it is interesting that the House eked it through. If it survives the Senate, Rahm will be the man of the hour. Greenpeace has already condemned it as too weak from the Left and the GOP will throw all the firepower it has to kill it from the Right- and bring Barry own a notch in the process. Less principled GOPs, thinking in the long term, might want it to pass. Every bit of the sour economy that lasts until 2010 - and many, many bits will last, can be hung on this bill if the GOP so chooses.

    We are leaving the "honeymoon" phase of Obama's term and - with this bill - entering the "Carter" phase. This is the type of bill that "Carterizes" a President. Everything about it just feels eggheady, over-thought, and birthed from the ivory tower. I sense the first phase of the Obama Presidency ended the moment the House passed the bill.

    Strong women

    Okay she needs a better writer...but good on Palin for hitting back at Kerry. The latte liberal need to take cheap shots at Palin goes on.


    Speaking of no bull women check out Mrs. Sanford:


    Meanwhile, with unemployment at 10% I wonder how much the Obama's luah set us back?

    Lunch Break- dollar decline, weenie fight, Babs, beefcake...

    Is this columnist reading L.R.? The Republican party platform should be one line long: We will stay out of your pocketbook and out of your private life.

    He Touched Me! Waters and Obey fight over who is prissier and hissier.


    Dollar Decline: Fading of the Dollar's Dominance

    Not Scared yet? Start freakin now: "Some U.S. embassies worldwide are being advised to purchase massive amounts of local currencies; enough to last them a year. Some embassies are being sent enormous amounts of U.S. cash to purchase currencies from those governments, quietly. But not pound sterling. Inside the State Dept., there is a sense of sadness and foreboding that 'something' is about to happen...within 180 days, but could be 120-150 days." Read the rest here.


    BeefCake for Nell: Yesterday 3 pics of scantily clad women were seen on L.R. I try to be egalitarian thru and thru...so here are 5 shirtless men - plus Rafa smiling. He's not playing at Wimbledon and well... it ain't the same.


    Have a great weekend! Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think.

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    Thursday, June 25, 2009

    Show me a society that denies death and I'll show you a dying society.

    The deaths of two iconic figures in one day is a shock. That they followed so quickly after another - albeit lesser - icon of the that era - Kung Fu (David Carradine) died- made the day rather thoughtful for this forty something. I heard the train whistle in the distance get a little closer.

    Farrah's death (she rightfully shed any need of a surname 30 years ago.) probably hit a bit deeper for me. She was a startling personality whenever she came forth from the pop culture background. When a beautiful actor pushes past her/his looks to give a fine performance they often get too much credit - as if solid acting was somehow miraculous for the terrifically gorgeous among us. Farrah, I felt, did not get enough credit. Or possibly it is truer to say she did get "credit" for her performances in Extremities and The Burning Bed - but did not get the respect she deserved.

    Jackson is a different sort. Unlike Farrah who's talent occasionally subsumed her personality, Jackson's astounding talent was, in later years, obliterated by his personality - that seems to have not fully formed - even at 50. The delicious joy of ABC 1, 2, 3 comes from another era and almost - another person. The Michael Jackson of 2009 was an echo of an echo of Thriller. As is too often the case in a culture driven by the cult of personality, Jackson's stunted maturity - for at least the last decade - became the only thing that mattered to all but the most bizarre groupies...of which there remain millions. He and his later fan base became an outlying warning to a society that makes and worships the false idols of youth. Beauty and/or talent that refuses wisdom becomes weak and brittle - as does the society that covets it.

    When someone dies it is right and proper to reflect on the "good stuff" and ignore the unpleasant. With Jackson, I am not up to the enormity of the task. We ought to take in his life whole, or not at all.

    Unlike a lot of what I've heard from reporters tonight - his death did not surprise me. Jackson's tether to this world has seemed tenuous for at least ten years. He was ghostly both metaphorically and physically.

    When I sat down to write, this post was to be about yet another round of media mania - so I'll start now. The reporting on Jackson's death - at least in Los Angeles - is over the top, cringe worthy, and ridiculous. "Stunning" and "tragic" are being misused and overused. Jackson's life had all the elements of tragedy. His death is unfortunate, a bit of a surprise, and sad - not tragic.

    The American media is incapable of balance and sobriety. This never stops bothering me - and it ought to. I ought to be used to it by now. The "first responders" in the media always seem to be reporting to children or adolescents. Adolescents who must be told quickly how to think and feel about any event, lest, God forbid, they think for themselves. When watching CNN - which I rarely do now - I am often tempted to look over my shoulder to see the 12 year old being addressed.

    The deification of youth leads to infantilized adults which must, in turn, lead to a society wide denial of death. Show me a society that denies death and I'll show you a dying society.

    Since most of us did not know Jackson, his life and the reporting on his death thus far should be taken as what they are: warnings.



    Oh Baby, give me one more chance....

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    Michael Jackson is dead too

    Wow. I am speechless. Michael Jackson is dead, too.

    My childhood has taken a huge hit today.

    Lunch Break


    Goodbye Farrah. We will miss you.
    She fought like hell and was a much better actress than anyone gave her credit for.


















    Pitch meet Fork:
    Pensioners torture financial adviser

    Yes we can! discriminate.

    B.A.R. rips B.H.O. Black Agenda Report editor: The first Black president has racked up some impressive victories. Barack Obama has quarantined single-payer healthcare advocates, crushed dissent against the war in Congress, and transferred more money to the finance capital class than at any time in planetary history. Not bad for just five months in office...

    Blue Double Cross: Insurers dump the sick. Rep. Bart Stupak, who chaired the hearing, asked all three CEOs if they would agree to stop rescinding policies except in cases of fraud.

    All three said no.

    Sex: 10 facts about sex you might not know.

    Music: I took a Tylenol an an hour's drive...I'd like to dissappear...leave without a trace...

    Wednesday, June 24, 2009

    Don't Cry for Me, South Carolina.

    Alternative Title for this post : NO POTUS FOR YOU!

    Here's the deal with the disappearing governor: The affair is not lethal...the jaunt to Argentina is. Sanford would have survived the admission of an affair with a short "I'm sorry. I messed up. I am working on my marriage. I'm human."

    The unannounced trip to the Argentine by a sitting Governor is as bizarre as it comes in the annals of American political history. If he wanted to be President THE TRIP makes it next to impossible. Everything about it screams: unstable! He says he drove along the coast to clear his head. Dude, South Carolina has a lovely coast. Disappearing to Argentina is what on the lamb Nazis and middle aged Jimmy Buffet pot heads with tax bills do.

    Having said that - People who concern themselves with the health of the GOP ought to tell the Republicans to kick the social conservatives to the curb now. Dump them. Show 'em the exits. Place a big neon sign over GOP national headquarters saying: YOUR PRIVATE LIFE IS PRIVATE. UNLESS YOUR PRIVATE LIVE INTERFERES WITH YOUR DUTIES OR IS ILLEGAL WE DON'T CARE.

    Fiscal conservatism needs a real home - a home not cluttered with the Judgement is Mine! bobble heads. I would not join up - but millions would. And I'd give any Republican candidate more than a fair shake if it was clear that once elected my bedroom wouldn't be invaded. That sexual orientation would not be used as a punching bag. That families - all families - would be respected and supported, not just the ones who look like a 50s sitcom shot in Stepford, Connecticut. That's the lie. That ideal families actually look like that. Ideal families do not exist. Happy families do - and they are composed of humans who live human lives. There is an opening on the libertarian side of the American psyche right now - that apparently the libertarians are not going to exploit.

    Just some free advice from the Left...the GOP won elections before 1980 when the R.R. let in the Evangelical brigades...it is time to kick 'em back out...

    At any rate, Sanford gets a pass from me on the affair. Lying about it is a problem but not unexpected.. Skipping South Carolina and heading to Argentina for 5 days...sorry dude...that, Mr. Sanford, is bad judgement on a big - and weird - scale. No POTUS for you.


    *Note - on listening to this song again it occurs to be that it works for BHO rather well. His final plea to the last remaining Obama pods just before he's shown the door in November of 2012?

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    What Are the Real Problems with American Public Schools?

    Part 1 of 6

    By Roberta

    The documentary film, OT Our Town, the documentary John posted a while back about the play put on at Dominquez High School in Compton, California highlights everything that is right and everything that is wrong with public schools today.

    What is right: teachers who care and who try and children and parents who want an education and who see education as the road out of poverty. What is wrong is the lack of resources in Dominquez High school to help them all achieve their goals.

    I am going to break down the real problems with American schools into six key ones:
    1.) Societal problems, 2.) Income wealth and inequality, 3.) Growth and stagnation of the economy, 4.) Racial politics, 5.) Aging population, 6.) Competing demands for dollars.

    1. Societal Problems

    Yes, there are problems with American public schools. But there are even bigger problems in American society. Often critics of public education conflate the two for political gain or advantage.

    Consider the following:

    - 1 in 6 American children live in poverty (for a family of 3 less than$16,000 yearly income) Source: Save the Children

    -39% or 28.8 million children live in low income families; 18% or an additional 13.2 million children live in poor income families Source: National Center for Children in Poverty

    - 20 million children (32%) now live in a single parent home. Source: Census Bureau of children live in single parent homes Source: childstats.gov & Census Bureau

    - 1 of every 2 marriages end in divorce Source: Divorcerate.org

    - There are 900,000 teen pregnancies annually; this represents 12% of all births in the U.S; 79% of these are to unwed teens Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics

    - 22% of teen age girls have been 'sexting' - that is sending out nude or semi-nude photos of themselves over the internets Source: Breitbarttv

    - There were 3,000,000 reports of children beaten and battered in 2006 Source: National Child Abuse Statistics

    - 12.6 million children were food insecure in 2008 Source: mason.org; 691,000 children went hungry in the U.S. sometime in 2007 Source: U.S. Agricultural Department **Be sure to take the quiz on hunger in America, link at end of post

    - 1,626,523 arrests in 2007 were children under age 18-that figure was 15.5% of ALL arrests that year; there were 474,555 arrests under age 15 that same year; 98,117 in the 10-12 age group, and 13,420 under age 10 Source: Child Welfare League

    - About 11 million American children have alcoholic parents Source: National Association for Children of Alcoholics

    - In the next 24 hours 1,439 teenagers will attempt suicide, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 10-19 year olds; this rate is higher than for deaths in the same age group as cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, and influenza COMBINED Source: National Youth Violence Resource Center

    - Homicide is the second leading cause of death among teens 15-19 years old Source: Child Trends Data Bank

    - 1.6 million youth runaway every year across all social and economic groups Source: Runawayteens.org

    - Each year, a typical young person in the United States is inundated with more than 1,000 commercials for beer and wine coolers and several thousand fictional drinking incidents on television Source: drugs-statistics.com

    - Each year students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, more then they spend on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee, or books combined Source: drugs-statistics.com

    - Underage drinking costs the United States more than $58 billion every year Source: teendruguse.us

    - The average American child watches television 1500 hours per year, compared to 900 hours spent per year in school Source: TV Free America

    - 3.5 minutes is the number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children each day Source: parenting-healthy-children.com

    These are the children who walk through public schoolhouse doors every single day. These are the children teachers try to teach every day in our public schools.

    We have less a crisis in public schools in America and more of a crisis in American society. The family appears unable to fulfill the traditional roles in the lives of many children. As a result, the school-not be consent, but by default- must deal with the tremendous problems of society. And it is teachers and schools who are blamed and are accused of failing when those social problems make it more difficult to teach our nation's children.

    It is amazing that our public schools are doing as well as they are (see previous posts on test scores here, here, and here.) under these kinds of circumstances. Public schools and teachers are doing a tough frustrating, and lonely job. And they do it with little thanks or support from the community or from politicians, the media, and the public at large.

    Our public schools and its teachers are a buffer for an adult world and a nation which has failed its own children. If public schools were to close their doors, these children will be on the streets. Public schools are the last alternative to abandoning millions of America's heirs to the streets.

    So the first real problem of America's public schools actually turns out to be a societal problem and not a problem of education or schools or teachers.

    Look at Dominquez High School in Compton, California. The school lacks good resources to put on a proper play. Nevertheless, both the teacher and the students rise to the occasion and manage to put on a play with heart and soul. But they should not have to do that. That is if we as a society truly believe in equal opportunity for all.

    There in that short documentary you can see first hand, with stark reality and heart wrenching clarity the second real problem of American public schools. Children from poor families and who live in poor communities are cheated out of an education and a better future by grossly under equipped, understaffed, and under funded schools.

    This leads us to Real Problem number 2.) Income Wealth and Inequality. I will talk about this in a subsequent post.


    Hunger Quiz link in pdf format here.

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    Lunch Break: Annie Wells - From An Arm's Length

    Brief midday post to focus some attention of this documentary.

    Annie Wells - From An Arm's Length:

    L.A. Times photographer Annie Wells never saw herself as an artist-just a person with a camera and a need to understand. Yet her photographs tell such powerful stories that in 1997, she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize... In 2002, Annie began work on a story she never thought about telling-her own. She was diagnosed with breast cancer-and found to have the BRCA2 gene that killed her mother and would eventually kill her sister. She bought a Nikon Coolpix digital camera because it could be held at arm's length and swiveled so she could photograph herself...

    read the rest and watch the film when it is completed. I know someone involved and very much want this film seen...spread the word.

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    and the Lord did sneaketh out back for a smoke-eth...

    President Narcissism got "testy" when asked about whether or not he still smokes. To his credit he was honest - ish. I rarely defend the guy - but on this point I will - Here's what I don't want in a Prez - a man jonesing for a puff when big decisions need to be made.
    Besides the smoking harpies need to lay off. They aren't as ridiculous as PETA - but they come close. So Barry if ya need to go out to Michelle's little pretend garden and puff on a Marlboro Red a few times a day- I say go for it!

























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    Tuesday, June 23, 2009

    The NYT Review of Books' "Politically Correct Reading List for Children & Young Adults"

    - by tamerlane

    Derreck and the Tire Gauge
    Text and illustrations by Joe Favreau
    MSM Press 2008, 24 pages
    Ages 6-12

    While playing in his dad's garage, Derreck finds a discarded tire gauge and an old bicycle pump. Derreck sets out down the street, properly inflating the tires of each vehicle he passes. Returning home after an exhausting day, Derreck is surprised by a phone call from the President of the United States. "Good job, Derreck," the president tells the boy, "Now I don't have to come up with an energy policy!"


    A Locker Room of My Own
    by T.G. Wright
    By Its Cover Books 1988, 216 pages
    Young adult

    At a rural Texas high school in the mid-eighties, star quarterback and FTM Tammy/Timothy struggles with typical teen issues. Tam/Tim has led Oliver North High to consecutive state championships, but will the school board release the funds to build a separate gym shower just for s/him? Will Tam/Tim's voice finally settle so s/his teammates can hear s/his audibles? Why do the other kids never invite s/him to spin-the-bottle parties? Will Becky, Tam/Tim's cheerleader girlfriend, freak out when they finally make it to third base?


    El Nino Barack
    Story by David Axelrod, illustrations by David Plouffe
    Hope, Change, and Jovanovitch 2004, 16 pages
    Childlike adults

    The apocryphal tales of young Barack Obama's life are presented in coloring book format. The infant Barack smiles and Civil Rights legislation is passed; at age twelve, Barack lectures the Pharisees on constitutional law; young Barack miraculously crosses international borders without a U.S. passport; the Virgin Stanley Ann smears lamb's blood above their door, and Selective Service passes over them; coming of age, Barack organizes communities, eradicates all poverty in Southside Nazareth. Book comes with one light blue Crayola crayon.


    Are You There, Ganesh? It's Me, Margaret
    by Judy Blume
    Vishnu Publishing 1970, 192 pages
    Ages 10- 16

    This endearing classic tells the story of Margaret who, solely through a conversation held with herself inside her head, is reassured that the deities of Hindu pantheon exist and love her.


    Hasdrubal Potash and the Fatwa of Doom
    by J.K. Rowling
    Taliban Scripture Editions Plc. 2003, 420 pages
    All ages

    Rowling re-envisions her best-selling Harry Potter series in a Taliban setting. In this, the third installment, apprentice clerics Potash, et al. continue their arcane studies at the Hogwarts Madrassa. Escapades include: the boys down Predator drones from atop a flying donkey cart; Hasdrubal's slip of the tongue exposes Farouk's true identity as Fatima, and she is beheaded; after his muffed incantation causes the giant Buddhas to reappear, Mahtmet has the soles of his feet flogged by Ayatollah Voldemort; Potash is selected for a mission against the Great Satan.


    Shanika Has Two Nappy-Haired Mommies Who Poop
    by Ivana Befrie
    That's Off Limits Press 1991, 48 pages
    Ages 4-10

    Enduring the taunts of her playmates, young Shanika gradually learns to accept, then celebrate, that her two mommies are black, are lesbians, and defecate.


    (c) 2009 by 'tamerlane.' All Rights Reserved.

    A request and Coming Attractrions.

    A request: John Avarosis must apologize for his vicious slanderous attacks on Hillary Clinton and her supporters last year. I went over to Americablog last week and still feel nauseous. As per PJ.'s recent comment - I wonder if Avarosis has expressed any regret that he blindly supported the obviously homophobic Obama - or apologized to the Clintons publicly. If anyone - with a stronger stomach than I - is at that blog Avarosis runs and sees an apology and/or a public amends please let us know.

    Coming Attractions:

    Tonight:
    Tamerlane's PC reading list. Don't miss it!

    Starting Wednesday night: The first of Roberta's 6 parter called "What are the real problems with Public Schools? Parts 2-6 will appear on consecutive Wednesdays as the evening post on Liberal Rapture.

    Semi serious polls: I put a poll on the right hand column which I will switch out every week or so. Serious questions with some gag answers because...well...I am me....Chicago Voting Rules apply. That is to say - vote as often as you like.

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    Lunch Break - Tennis, Obama's Gay Pimps, Elvis.

    Wimbledon has begun. I know you are all desperate to know what I think about the 3rd Grand Slam of 09. Relax, I will tell you
    Men: Who I am rooting for: Andy Roddick . Who I think will win: Andy Murray
    Women: Who I am rooting for: Venus. Who I think will win: Venus. (Does she or her sister really need a last name at this point?)


    Black Democrat to Obama: Where is the love?
    Michael Eric Dyson asks the multimillion dollar question, "Are we being played by Obama?" I say, "The answer is in the question."


    The oily bird gets the worm: Oil prices going WAY up?


    Gays ditching Barry Part 1: Bruce Bastian, a gay businessman and prominent donor who lives in Utah and is on the list of special invitees, not only said he no longer plans to attend the fundraiser, but also that he no longer plans to donate to the Democratic Party as a whole.


    Gays ditching Barry Part 2: it's a way for the White House to wank off the gay leaders a bit while still not delivering. Also, I see no reason to link to Americablog again- so I won't. But apparently Avarosis is ripping Barry O up all the time now. WTF? What dipshits these Obama pimps - like Avarosis and Sullivan - were last year! To all the big gay players who GOT PLAYED by Obama - next time pay attention to your candidate's actions not just the trendiness of his skin color.


    My Amish Big Brother: Horse, Buggy, Surveillance cam - Lancaster PA spys on itself.


    Quote: Before Elvis there was nothing.
    - John Lennon

    Music:


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    Monday, June 22, 2009

    green shoots, red ink and last gasps.

    Kunstler posted his weekly piece last night. I almost always enjoy his weekly tablespoon on cod liver oil. This week he starts with: I'd like to know what Barack Obama thinks he's doing with the fiasco we call the US economy...

    ...Gulp. Followed by a big "Me too!"...

    The silver medal in the Addled Brained Olympics goes to the Shallow Economists Cabal that litter the airwaves and the web. (The gold medal remaining firmly in the clutches of the Obama Kool Aid Team.)
    All the blather about green shoots in the economy is already tiresome and should not be trusted. The "green shooters" come from the same frothy school that insisted housing prices would go up forever and who forgot to mention - or did not see - that we were already in a recession starting in December of 07. The majority of the economic chattering class kept insisting that we were not in a recession through most of 2008 - until the market went cliff diving last Fall. This was perfect timing for Barack Obama - and those of us who think major historical events don't always "just happen". My tinfoil hat is still beeping after last October's serendipitous collapse

    Kunslter still holds out "hope" that BHO might grapple sincerely with the economic mess, though not much. I have no "hope" for the man at all. (A.D.D. interjection: Every time "hope" was used last year "control" was the intended meaning.)

    How much clearer can it be? At what Disney dollar threshold will it finally be apparent to the Hope/Change holdouts that Obama is the problem. Or at least that he is working happily for those who caused it. 100 trillion in bailouts? The construction of a Tienanmen square replica next to St Louis's Gateway Arch? Putting New Mexico and Arizona up for sale on Ebay?

    Current poll numbers aside, Barack Obama is on track to be the biggest disappointment since Jesus stiffed William Smith and neglected to end the world in 1844.

    Is FEMA setting up trauma centers for the Obots? They'll need 'em.

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    Another Obama Promise Bites the Dust.

    A blogger could make a weekly event out of focusing on Obama's broken promises. Today's should be no surprise: White House Changes the Terms of a Campaign Pledge About Posting Bills Online

    In my book this broken promise does not really compete with the torture backsliding, and the DOMA defense. O'Biden did tell us that unless the Acorn Payoff Bill...uh...I mean the Stimulus Package was passed that unemployment would reach 8%. Since unemployment is now set to reach 10% we won't call that a broken promise...just an idiotic statement...However, since the 10% prediction comes from the White House let's just assume they mean 15%.

    The St. Petersburg Times is helping us track Obama's disregard of any connection to integrity with the Obameter. Check it out. It's funny and horrifying all at once.

    Finally, Arthur Silber has given those keeping track of BHO's broken promises the perfect instruction: Don't try to keep a list of all of Obama's broken "promises." Instead, keep a list of the promises you think he made that he's kept. In this manner, your work will be brief and undemanding.



    The moon...promise me the moon...promise me anything...

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    Lunch Break - Cine, Cannonfire, and Clinton - plus Jackie Robinson

    Twitter me this: Cannonfire on social control...uh...I mean social networking sites.


    Langely Follies: Also please read Joseph C. and Cinie on Obama and the CIA. Got no idea if Barry is a Langley stooge . But let's face it, BHO being a CIA plant makes more sense than the "community organizer" claptrap and does fill in some gaps. By the by: Barry is looking to start a CIA training camps on American college campuses...


    If the rise in the markets this year is credited to Obama's economic policy - is this his fault? There goes the year's gain..


    Jackie Robinson and Bill Clinton
    President Clinton on Jackie Robinson.

    President Clinton - Civil Rights Game event key note speaker.

    Short overview of Robinson's life:

    it's a natural fact when jackie comes to bat the other team is thru


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    Neda

    Blood begins to pour from her mouth and her nose. Her eyes roll back in her head as men scramble to her side to fight, in vain, to keep her alive.

    Shot through the heart, she dies within minutes.

    Speak up now, Mr. President. Loudly and clearly. There can be no negotiating with those who slaughter. There is a time when negotiation is called for. However, continuing to call for negotiations with those who slaughter innocents is the wimper of a coward.

    Iran deserves better from the United States of America. We deserve better from our President.

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    Sunday, June 21, 2009

    I See Nuth-ing!

    Any Lefties left out there who think the media is not still in a state of dithering adoration and severe denial about Barack Hussein Obama are either stoned, lobotomized, or both. This week ABC will broadcast its nightly news from the White House Blue Room.That alone should give one pause.

    ABC will moderate a "town hall" with POTUS on Health Care Reform. They insist, of course, that it will be unbiased. I could stop right here - ending this post with "lol".

    But solider on we must. Linda Douglass, the White House communications director's previous stint was as a corespondent for ABC News. We are told this had nothing to do with the coming event in which Barry The ONE will take questions.

    Riiiiight. And the Pope is secretly a woman, too. We are are not all total morons. I'd like someone at ABC to at least acknowledge that.

    As always, the final test on this is - How would Democrats be reacting if the shoe was on the other foot? If Fox News hosted a town hall in the White House with W on any subject? If you guessed that Kos, and Huffington and the rest of that cabal would be screaming, frothing, and squealing BIAS! - you are correct. The tsunami sized hypocrisy is - yet again - audacious. Seriously, can the Left satirize itself any more than it already has? I don't think it is possible. They are, in large part, deranged.

    The blessing here - and there is one - is that many of us now stand as witnesses to the destruction of the media.

    And I don't care to hear any "we won the election" or the media gave W a pass for at least 6 of the last 8 years excuses. Both are true. The point is that liberals were beside themselves LOUDLY every time the media refused to seriously question Bush policy. The fact that so many alleged liberals have decided to play Sargeant I see nuth- ing! Schultz - now only proves that all too many had no principles to begin with. God knows Ms. Huffington changes her principles more often than Frank Sinatra changed underwear.

    But some of us do have principles. Some of us really do. Shocking, but true.

    Frankly, the media adoration of Obama has gone from annoying, to disgusting, to embarrassing and dangerous. I'd like to intone about democracy and the fourth estate and how- thank God - we don't live in god awful places that repress the press. But why? Their is no need to repress the media when it is more than happy to repress itself. Let's face it, the American media stopped trying a few years ago anyway. I'm even tired of my rants about the end of media responsibility in America. The sane and truly revolutionary action is quite simple: Ignore them. Turn off the TV. Find a news outlet online - one in which balance is a value not a slogan. For God Sake - seek some truth. Now.

    Regulars here know I support - grudgingly - Obama's health care plan. That is not at all the point, though. I still value the quaint notion of that little thing called debate. If some Joe the Plumber type is allowed and willing to get in the President's face (Hat tip to the late Mr. Alinsky.) at the town hall - then this post is wrong and I'll have to write a retraction. But seriously - after what we've seen for the last 16 months - what are the chances that one - or more - citizens will be allowed to confront his holy Potus-ness with serious concerns about health care reform? Questions that require answers that will be difficult to hear. Questions that the 47% who did not vote for Obama might like answered..??

    Zilch.

    Besides what sane citizen, by asking a simple question that might make his highness look like something other than GOD ON EARTH, wants to subject him or herself to the churlish wrath of Little Miss Huffington's or Cheetos man's barely civilized banshees?

    Mr. President, I am a waitress in Boise, please explain honestly how this plan will be paid for without raising taxes?

    3000 Huffington commenters: RACIST! She not really a waitress! She is a hostess! Gotcha!! MY GOD RACISTS ARE EVERYWHERE AND THEY ARE LYING!!! Her children get Cs and Ds in PUBLIC school!!! They are STUPID!!!Her husband was seen in a truck running over cats!!! Stupid Redneckssss!!! She looks like Sarah Palin!!! PALINNNNNNNNN!!! That c*nt who beleives in GOD!!! I am so angry I spilled my wine spritzer on my laptop and had to go buy another one!!! Obama is smarter than us! HE knows what to do! HE has a plan for all of us!

    Such, I am sad report, is the state of the American Left - and is only just barely an exaggeration.

    My recommendation regarding ABC "news" this week: Don't watch.

    "Television is not the truth...Television is a goddamn amusement park...We'll tell you any shit you want to hear..."

    Saturday, June 20, 2009

    Saturday night movie - Super Size Me

    I've been struggling with my weight since I was 35 or so. Diets here. Exercise there. At the end of last year I hit a tipping point (insert joke here) health wise. Since then I have been on a slow glide path down in weight. Really slow. But down nonetheless. I promise on my honor not to turn this blog into my fat loss log - but someone kindly passed by here long enough to insult my excess lbs a few weeks ago. The insult stung. Most don't. Proving, no doubt, that my ego is still larger than my gut.

    My diet has changed and my exercise routine has simplified... etc and so on and so forth. The main thrust of my trip in this area has been a closer look at what I eat. With that in mind here is Super Size Me Morgan Spurlock's riff on fast food. Have a great Sunday!

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    Homeless to Harvard

    And now a really important story....

    From Homeless to Harvard.

    caused tears over morning coffee for me...

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    "the moral and spiritual profundity of Barack Obama's thinking"

    Below is an email in response to one I got last night from an acquaintance. It was an invitation to a political event. Realized this a.m. this is as good a post as any that will come out of me today...I've adjusted it to make it anonymous.



    Dear XX,

    I think the world of you and xxxxx. I am clearly out of step with many xxxx. Not a problem in itself. I feel no deep need to be in agreement with a majority. But being so opinionated and being a person who can rarely hold my tongue - there came a moment when I realized there was no need to cause discomfort for myself or others. Having said that, I read your letter today with interest....I must take strong issue with this:

    "...the moral and spiritual profundity of Barack Obama's thinking. I am finding his leadership to be nothing short of transformative for our country and for the world. We must encourage President Obama to stay the course on some of today's toughest moral issues, making sure that in the face of fierce resistance, that he knows that we will support all courageous efforts to promote the well being, justice, and dignity of every human being."

    Nothing could be further from the truth in my mind.

    The Obama Justice department's recent defense of DOMA is degrading, immoral and diametrically opposed to every progressive...value. There is no "profound" thinking here. There is little evidence of "thinking" at all. Obama most likely had no legal obligation to defend DOMA - but even if he did- his Justice Department's use of incest and child abuse is gross beyond all reason. It flies directly in the face of his repeated promises on DOMA last year. Sadly, it is only one example of his saying one thing and doing another.

    My distrust and dislike of Obama is known to many so my opinion may not carry much weight. I have to often discovered that Obama is the opposite of what he professes to be and my deep distrust of him has grown exponentially over time. But it is not based in blind anger. It is based in research. Be that as it may:

    David Mixner's response to the sickening Justice Department brief is clear and to the point.


    Mr. Obama's late signing of benefits for same sex partners in the federal government, while welcome, was largely redundant and did not include health benefits. Making it mostly a joke and a photo op to assuage some powerful and enraged gay Democratic donors. It did not. Nor has there been any political capital expended by Mr. Obama on this issue. Obama has punted on both DOMA and DADT. We are told to "wait" just as Dr. King was told to wait. I see every reason to support the courageous efforts of those working for justice and dignity. But I am baffled by the ongoing belief that Obama represents any real change. He does not. His actions thus far indicate an annoyance with and dislike of one of his core constituencies: Gay Americans. Though, a simple executive order to review DADT and slow it down is perfectly legal and within his power, he has not done it. Gay service members continue to be hounded out of the military. Oddest of all: over 60% of Americans now oppose DADT. Over 72% of service members stated in a recent poll that they had no issue with gays serving openly. There is little downside here for the President. There does seem to be one thing however - cowardice.

    On closing Gitmo the President is wavering as I write. Of those who are held there, a full 75% will never get a trial according to Eric Holder. And many will be held in "indefinite detention" which is unconstitutional, against international law, and xxxx on its face. Obama will use the military tribunal to try some prisoners - which extends Bush policy.

    He has expanded the "drone" war in Pakistan killing over 300 civilians so far by most counts - doubling Bush's fatality rate. This after a surge of 20,000 more troops into Afghanistan.

    FISA not only still allows the unconstitutional invasion of privacy of Americans it has been endorsed and continued by Obama. How can this "change" be called change at all? Not long ago many of us on the Left were calling for the impeachment and removal of the previous President because of this very issue.

    As for torture, there is little discernible difference to the one being tortured if it is done by Americans or by a foreign national after one is rendered overseas. Rendition is still American policy. It is Obama's policy. Outsourcing torture is not leadership. It is morally repellant. Further, Obama has flip flopped on being transparent on previous torture by the American Government using the exact same reasoning as George W Bush and Richard Cheney - and is now litigating against the ACLU.

    (also- The lies told about NAFTA by Obama's team versus the current embrace of NAFTA - that he railed against disingenuously are well documented.)

    Chris Hedges has been clear and principled on many of these issues


    I hope xxxxxx will address these inconsistency's regarding Obama and xxxx. Though, there are many more issues that need discussion regarding the current administration.

    The election of a biracial President in this country given its history is a cause for celebration. It does not excuse him from leading on the principles many believed he represented. Nor should it stop us from seeing clearly and holding fast to our values.


    Sincerely,

    John Smart

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    Friday, June 19, 2009

    On polls and healthcare.

    Please click on chart to enlarge. I got it from Cannonfire.

    The latest polls on BHO indicate he is losing some steam. I should hope this surprises no one. He is below 60% on job performance mostly because of the deficit and because he's at all time lows among Republicans ( again, no surprise there) and independents where he lands in the low 50s. If independent voters keep slipping - or slinking - away Obama will be okay for a bit but Dems in general better watch their backs. 2010 is much closer than 2012 and even a minor GOP rebound does the tenuous (and often mysterious) Obama agenda harm.

    Believe it or not the news is bad for anyone who wants health care reform soon. Obama is drifting lower because Americans have less faith that government can solve problems now than even a few months ago. This spells trouble for the public option. The GOP will exploit the usual cavalcade of lies whenever Big Money might - just might - sustain even a minor hit for the good of the majority.

    Some lies a coming:

    -You won't get to chose your doctor- false AND this really only matters to upper and upper middle class folks anyway. Working stiffs want to know their doctor is competent and don't care if he/she is charming and nice. On my current plan my choices are already limited. I used it recently to see a dermatologist for flea bites I thought were something more grave. He chortled, showed me his flea bites, told me fog my place, "Advantage" Bob Barker and prescribed some lotion. I didn't need to establish a relationship with him or be his pal. I needed him to know his job. That's it. The same holds true for all doctors. Dr. Smith is just fine if Dr. Jones's services mean you lose your house. "No choice of doctors" is the strawiest of strawmen. Most people don't want to choose the doctor they see so much as they want to know they can choose to see a doctor.

    - The public option will destroy private insurance. Again, false. There are public options through out the American economy and the private competition does just fine - in fact they often are forced to do better. Insurance companies should be forced to compete fiercely. This is about health not mousetraps or cars. Private insurers ought to provide a better product. As it stands now they engage in a kind of blackmail because no one has called them out and there is, in effect, no real competition.

    - We can't afford it. True enough. But take away 2% of the Pentagon's budget and we've got a fine start on health care for all. The U.S. military accounts for 50% of the world's expenditure on defense. WTF? Yet 50 million have emergency rooms as there "chosen" doctor. This is not about affordability so much as priorities. We can't afford not to find the money. The system as it exists now has caused a 40% rise in medical costs in 9 years. 40%. Meanwhile the "evil" socialized medicare system has seen costs rise 3% during the same period. Insanity vs. Sanity.

    - Health care will be rationed...yeah...so? Health care is ALREADY RATIONED. 30 million get the best on the planet, 120 million or so get some, and 50 million hold on tight and hope they stay healthy. Watching GOP Senators who get the best health care imaginable - on our dime - froth about rationing makes me...well...sick. Remove even part of their benefit package and I wonder how quickly real reform would pass?

    We all don't need Gregory House when we break a bone or are afflicted with some disease. We need care. Care that doesn't destroy us financially. We can afford it.

    The public option is a pathetic replacement for single payer - but it is the only replacement "on the table." Without it there is no reason to bother with a health care bill. What we will get sans the public option is mandated purchases of BIG INSURANCE with nominal penalties for those who don't. In other words: We will go from an unfair system that values the corporate bottom line over individual health to an unfair system YOU MUST BUY into.

    Talk about a cash cow. Talk about a redistribution of wealth.

    The sad thing here is that I am no guessing it is an even bet Obama will flinch on the public option. He loves being loved too much and the Mega Insurance noise machine will be ramped up big time. The last Obama promise I had some hope for might be gone by August. Polls already indicate that the Big Corporate Insurance Cabal will win the day.

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