Snow Day

c/o Ari Melber

Did You Get Anything From The State of the Union Speech?

I didn't. He said what he was expected to say... but beyond that, he really didn't address any pressing issues for the non-wealthy - issues concerning me. I was invisible. Post-SOTU interviews done by NPR of St. Louis listeners reflected my view... and confirmed that it wasn't just me. I am resigned to the fact that I will continue to be invisible to this Administration.

I would have loved to hear something about a bailout for the working class....and even the middle class. I would have loved to hear about some sort of relief for college graduates who can't find meaningful work, who are drowning in student loan debt and can't afford to make payments (because of America's corrupt profit driven system of higher education that leaves students in debt for much of the rest of their lives....slaves to financial institutions before they even have a chance to start families). I heard nothing about helping Americans pay for higher education.

In terms of jobs, I really didn't hear much about a robust job creation plan and how he would make it happen. We only heard a vision and a rough outline.... not much else. The outline was fairly good.... but it is about 18 months too late. I was calling for the kind of job creation that he mentioned 2 years ago. More of the stimulus money should have been directed towards green energy projects and R&D to encourage innovation and job creation. But I guess it's better late than never.

It is clear to me that the world that he sees and the world that working people see are two different images. He thinks he is rolling out a wonderful plan....with perfect timing for the election cycle... while working people on the ground - who have been talking about jobs for at least the past year - see a man who is a good year to year & a half late in terms of recognizing the issues facing real people. It's as if he woke up one day last week and realized jobs and the economy were the real issues. Of course that's not the case, but (not surprising considering how horrible the image problem is in this Administration) that's how the President often looks to political observers like myself. It just looks like he ends up devoting quite a bit of time & energy playing catch up. How often does he go to rural & urban areas to sit down with real people? I'm not talking about staged productions and photo opportunities at auto assembly plants... but really getting in touch with people and learning about what it's like to live on incomes that don't amount to living wages.

Realizing what Americans voted for last November, and understanding that nothing of real significance is going to get done over the next two years in terms of Progress and good legislation directly benefiting ordinary folks, I found it hard to be excited or remotely hopeful about anything from this SOTU.

See commentary from around the net.

State of the Union: Winning The Future

Does More Civility Mean We Stop Telling the Truth?

Why Republicans Won't Really Change Their Tone

I have been annoyed by the commentary over the last few weeks regarding the tone of the political discourse in America. The mass shooting in Arizona set off a huge debate in this Country, much of it dishonest, about what was/is to blame in general when these events occur. It is true that we don't know what exactly set off Tucson shooter Jared Loughner. However, it is dishonest to say that it was just an isolated incident and the ugly political debate, especially on the right, plays no part in contributing to an atmosphere that makes it more conducive for these sorts of events to happen. This is just intellectually and morally dishonest on a grand scale.

Something else that gave me a headache was this effort by those on the right to make the false equivalence claim - that "both sides are doing this equally".... "both sides are guilty".... yada yada yada. They are attempting to whitewash the last two years, and rewrite history to fit their own narrative post-Tucson. Almost as annoying... the media is playing right along with Republicans/Conservatives who make this argument. Of course both sides say things that are inappropriate... that cross the line, etc. But this idea that all sides are somehow equal in doing so is just laughable. There is no equivalence whatsoever in terms of the number of occurrences, the level of ugliness or seriousness of threats, or the outcomes. Clearly right wing pundits and politicians are at the top in all three of those categories...by far. I have been watching in awe as the media has pretended otherwise....playing right along, as if they are being told what to say. Time and time again I have seen/heard hosts....whether on CNN, NPR, or my local AM news station KMOX - St. Louis (the defacto voice of the Right in the midwest) play along with Conservative guests when the equivalence argument is made...failing to challenge the right in any way.... no follow-up questions...nothing. Beyond ridiculous.

Let's review shall we...

This is not simply about the comments that are being made over the national airwaves, it is also about the context...or the backdrop in which the comments are made. It is the context that matters more here.

And what has been the context over the last two years? Well, this most recent political context took shape in 2008 (and you could probably go as far back as 2007) during the Presidential campaign. Over that period (2007-2009) we know of two major reports that news organizations put out regarding the changing attitudes & changing tone in the Country. One was about the Homeland Security assessment regarding the rise of Right Wing extremism in America, due to the recession and the introduction of a Black President...or Candidate who actually had a real shot. The other report came from the Secret Service, describing the fact that threats against Obama were at unprecedented levels, with 2-fold & 3-fold more threats than his white predecessors. So knowing this.... you would think that the responsible thing for politicians (regardless of Party affiliation) would be extra careful about language and tone, right? But we know that is not what happened. Politicians on the right lost their minds...and the tone got out of control. Open racism was allowed to take root at Republican rallies in Pennsylvania, Ohio & throughout the Country. Despite these reports of increased threats, Palin continued to be irresponsible throughout the campaign. Instead of challenging followers behaving inappropriately...by telling them to stop racist comments.... Palin seemed to ignore them. Instead... she whipped up Republican followers and seemed to focus on a certain part of her base by using certain buzz words that challenged not only Obama's right to run for President...but questioned his citizenship and loyalty to the Country during a time of conflict and deep social/political division. By demonizing Obama & stripping him of his right to be a "real American", taking away his Americanness, suggesting he was a traitor & a terrorist, suggesting he was a socialist, and by dehumanizing him...in a way gives the green light to any number of lone nuts. Remember the context we were (and still are) in.

Everyone is suggesting that after Tucson.... pundits and politicians (especially those on the right) are suddenly going to play nice and behave in a much more civil and respectful manner. But if history is our guide... that is probably not going to be the case. This goes back to this attempt by right wing pundits and the media to frame Tucson as an isolated incident. People are acting as if Tucson was the first incident where a nut engaged in some sort of political violence or targeted a political figure. How media pundits do this with a straight face is a mystery to me. How they get away with it is even more perplexing. Just in the last two years, the number of high profile incidents of a political/ideological/religious nature...or influenced by the national debate at some level, has been unprecedented.

Just in the last 2 years or so... we have had the following (and keep in mind...we have already established the context.... and we STILL had folks taking guns to political events, and politicians suggesting 2nd Amendment remedies... the context...the reality of how volatile the Country was didn't stop those on the right from continuing their madness.)


♦ Jim Adkisson - shot up a Unitarian church in Tennessee. Fueled by Right wing talk show pundits. The rhetoric didn't stop.

♦ Raymond Hunter Geisel - threatening Obama. Republicans didn't stop. Just an isolated incident?

♦ Richard Andrew Poplawski - killed Police officers in Pittsburgh because he internalized rhetoric on the right that told Americans that Obama was coming for their guns. Just an isolated incident? Oh yeah... Republicans didn't stop their rhetoric after this either.

♦ Scott Roeder - Killed Dr. George Tiller (nicknamed "The Baby Killer" by the right). Isolated incident? Republicans didn't stop their rhetoric after this incident either.

♦ James Von Brunn - launched terrorist attack at the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C. Isolated incident? The violent rhetoric didn't stop.

♦ Joseph Stack - out of work, anti-government activist flew plane into IRS building in Texas. Isolated incident? The rhetoric didn't stop. In fact, one GOP politician seemed to sympathize with the terrorist, who killed at least one IRS worker in the incident.

♦ Byron Williams - Was stopped by police in Northern California while enroute to attack Liberals. Fueled by Glenn Beck and others in the Right wing media. Isolated incident? Republicans refused to change their tone.

♦ Danny Ray Tollett - Brutally attacked Muslim convenience store workers in Louisiana. Shot 2 Muslims at close range...in cold blooded attacks. Fueled by anti-Muslim theme carried by Right wing media. Isolated incident? Republicans failed to change their tone.

♦ The Denver Plot - see specifically counts 9, 11 and 12 - White supremacists planned to harm candidate Obama. Attack foiled in planning stage. Isolated incident? Republicans continued with their rhetoric.

♦ Daniel Cowart and Paul Schlesselman - Allegedly planned to harm President. Isolated incident? Republicans failed to stop their rhetoric.

♦ Michael Enright - Stabbed NYC Cabbie in the neck because he was Muslim. Ahh what the Hell... just another isolated incident. Republicans continued on with their madness (particularly about the "Mosque at Ground Zero" which really didn't exist...but they knew that framing it that way would scare the Hell out of a lot of people...so they went with it...almost costing a father...a family man...his life).

♦ Charles Habermann - Charged just recently with threatening Rep. Jim McDermott. Just an isolated incident? Republicans carried on.

♦ Gas line intentionally cut at Congressman's home, after wrong address is posted online...with blogger encouraging followers to 'pay a visit to the victim'. Just an isolated incident? Republicans refused to stop their rhetoric that whipped followers into a frenzy over Health Care Reform.

♦ Travis Corcoran - Another right wing radical... praised the shooting of Giffords. Just an isolated event?

♦ Just in the past week, we have the backpack bomb found along the MLK commemorative parade route in Spokane Washington. Luckily...the device failed to detonate. An isolated incident?

♦ Now Conservative pundit/blogger Erick Erickson JUST THIS WEEK suggested that he may use a shotgun to threaten U.S. Census workers...gloating about it on the airwaves. An isolated incident? No condemnation by other Conservative media figures. So this is the change in tone that the goofballs on the news programs have been talking about over the past two weeks? Give me a break!

With the exception of the last three...these are incidents that took place before Tucson. So Tucson didn't happen in some vacuum... There is an abundance of context. This is what makes the behavior of those on the right so vile. And this is not even a full list.... there were threats against Pelosi....and arrests in several other cases. The list is long. Again...as I mentioned...the last two years have been unprecedented in terms of threats of political violence or actual incidents, which matches up with what the U.S. Secret Service has stated regarding their data on the increase in threats.

At what point can we stop using false equivalencies and stop suggesting these events are somehow "isolated incidents" separate from the volatile atmosphere created primarily by those in the world of right wing Conservative media?

I see nothing that would lead me to believe that some magical shift towards civility is going to take place after the tragedy in Tucson Arizona. Republican/right wing pundits are not going to stop what they have been doing for the past few years. This is their bread and butter (getting their followers riled up.... feeding them misinformation, and manipulating people). This is a key part of Republican strategy. Giffords & all the others are considered collateral damage to those on the right. Republicans can't afford to be civil because they have grown so dependent on a certain kind of volatile, ugly rhetoric to maintain media success & energize their political base. It has worked for them (unfortunately). And I see them continuing with that approach. Just this week... Rush Limbaugh... the Supreme Leader of the Republican Party & Conservative movement in America, engaged in more ugly behavior... joking about the way that the Chinese President Hu Jintao spoke during his official State visit to the U.S. Of course the media ignored this...just like it practically ignored the MLK bomb case in Spokane.

By allowing the pundits, bloggers and talk show hosts (the unofficial but true leadership of the Conservative movement) to spew the ugliest rhetoric and lies, the official political leadership and the so-called "stars" within the Republican party can get away with using the plausible deniability argument...and that's exactly what they have done here. predictably, they have used the Hell out of this argument since the Tucson attack. I have mentioned several times, including on my right wing media information page, that this is how the right operates. Of course, no one is actually suggesting that anyone on the right has given direct orders to any extremists or extremist groups.... but they have created an atmosphere conducive to violence...and in some cases, they have indirectly given a wink & nod approval for such actions (in some cases, simply by their silence when violence or threats of violence occur. Silence in this context...after they have worked so hard to rile the crazies up... equals tacit approval).

A few people on Social media (twitter to be exact) suggested that the Right has somehow been let off the hook by Obama after his call for civility. I initially wanted to agree with that. I think that the media at large may let Republicans off the hook, and networks may continue to play the false equivalence game. But I don't think Obama's speech in Tucson means that we shouldn't tell the truth. I plan to continue stating what needs to be said.

Looking Back on the Past Year

Is Barack Obama a ------g Idiot, Naive, or Am I Just Imagining Things?

Rhetorical question.... I already have my opinion on this.

Book smart, eloquent, charismatic, knowledgeable about public policy and government, Ivy League educated and a technocrat... but lacks wisdom.

He has lost me.

That is all.

Obama and the Democrats Still Don't Get It - Fix the PR & Messaging, and Pick the Right Battles

The Midterm (S)elections ended pretty much as expected. Confused Americans tired of gridlock in Washington DC, voted for more gridlock. This is frustrating because I know many of those white Republican voters are poor working class and middle class people. Many have been greatly impacted by the economy. I don't understand how they believe Republicans will make their lives any better. Afterall, a Republican White House was at the helm when the economy crashed. Republicans will aim to cut projects and services that many of their own constituents depend on... food stamps, medicare, unemployment insurance, S-chip, infrastructure investments, money for Police and Teachers...you name it. The next two years will be very constraining for President Obama, due to a Republican House of Representatives that will block his remaining agenda.

I have been annoyed and dejected about politics and the direction of the Country (still going in the wrong direction) over the past several weeks and have not been motivated to write anything. Voters and the Country have been disappointing more often than not over the past several years. Things started to go downhill politically in the late 1990's when Republicans and Ken Starr turned the Clinton affair into a circus. Then the U.S. made a number of foreign policy mistakes... under Clinton, which didn't help the U.S. at all...and caused more harm. That was followed up by the 2000 elections. A year later... we had the 9/11 catastrophe. The U.S. hasn't been the same since. Every major negative event that happened after 2000 and 2001 can be traced back to the major events of those two years (the Election of Bush/Cheney, and 9/11)....every major negative event. The nation is still licking its wounds from 2000 and 2001.

What annoyed me most about the Democrats, Post-election, was the fact that there didn't seem to be any effort whatsoever to understand what helped lead to the sharp losses. There was no recognition at all of Progressive/Democratic Party strategy. It was back to business as usual. The first major sign that the Democrats didn't get it was the fact that they chose Nancy Pelosi to continue as the Party's leader in the House of Representatives. This would have been a good opportunity to start fresh with a new leader. Pelosi, in my view, was never very effective as Speaker. Not only does the choice of Pelosi provide more motivation for Republicans over the next two years, but it sends the signal that Democrats are, to some extent, tone deaf. Democrats never seemed to have their finger on the collective pulse of the American public. Despite the need to focus on jobs and the economy.... Democrats chose Healthcare. That in of itself was not the fatal blow. It was the way that they went about selling Healthcare Reform that sunk them. Democrats never seemed to understand the importance of messaging and PR... how to grab and maintain the initiative in the information war. As a result, they lost the information war early on and were never able to regain control of the debate. Democrats also failed to grasp the fact that the U.S. is a centrist to center-right nation, and that governing may sometimes require a centrist approach. However, this is also a nation, as centrist as it may be, where people like populist ideas...some of which are Progressive ideas. In other words...large complicated bills that few people understand are often frowned upon due to costs and the image of too much government. But when you separate Progressive ideas into smaller slices, Americans often like them.... the populist side of the Country kicks in. Democrats failed to exploit the way that Americans understand and perceive policy. It's as if Democrats didn't bother gauging public sentiment at all to determine the best strategy for proceeding.

They were able to pass a bill....many observers, including myself, predicted that. But the cost was probably too high...politically and otherwise. A better strategy might have been passing the bill in pieces which would have been less confusing. They should have focused on passing (and branding) the popular aspects of reform....making it difficult for Republicans to confuse and misinform voters.

President Obama himself doesn't seem to get it. Not only doesn't he seem to understand the larger issues that I mentioned regarding Democrats... he also doesn't seem to understand how his position and approach as President will have to change. During his post-election press conference, the President once again extended an olive branch to Republicans and talked bipartisanship. This was after (Speaker elect) John Boehner and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, made it clear that they had no intentions on pursuing a bipartisan approach.

"This is not a time for compromise, and I can tell you that we will not compromise on our principles," Boehner said during an appearance on conservative Sean Hannity's radio show.

McConnell made similar statements, basically saying that his priority would be to make sure that Obama is defeated in 2012. The only way to do that is to sabotage the remaining two years of Obama's Presidency....which is exactly what they plan to do. It's the same approach that they used during his first two years in office.

The Republican plan is basically to continue the approach of obstruction...and run out the clock on Obama's time in office. They don't want to allow Obama to claim credit for anything positive. They are even reluctant to allow Obama to sign the New START Treaty. The START Treaty is part of a family of Treaties going back to the SALT Treaties under Ford and Carter. They have been the cornerstone of arms control & arms reduction between the U.S. and Russia for four decades. Senate approval of these treaties is usually a formality. All out delays, opposition, sabotage & interference is extremely unusual... not just over the past four decades, but throughout the history of the Republic.

Is Obama tone deaf? He doesn't seem to understand that Republicans have declared war on his Presidency. He also doesn't seem to understand that Democrats/Progressives are in the midst of an information war...and they are losing. I can understand his desire to remain cordial. That's the professional thing to do... but behind the scenes he has to have a two track strategy if he wants to avoid being a one term President.

There is a way that Obama could minimize Republican obstructionism and even put pressure on Republicans. I'm not very optimistic, because the Obama strategy team and the strategy approach of the Party as a whole has been so ineffective over the past two years. But he could position himself to be competitive in 2012, if (along with the Democratic Party) he takes the following approach:

1. Vastly improve the messaging and PR. This has been dismal lately. Work to establish a media infrastructure and communications network for Progressives that could rival the Republican media apparatus (which dominates TV news, and Talk Radio, and has a growing presence on the net). The Democrats and the Obama Administration also must understand the importance of branding. Also, re-establish the PR response effort that was in place during the 2007-08 campaign. Dismantling this after the election was a huge mistake. Put the PR war room back in place.
Without making strides in the information war... Obama's re-election could be in doubt. You can have the best ideas in the world.... but if you have no way to get your message out... no way to compete on the airwaves, no way to combat and prevent distortions... then it doesn't really matter.

2. Keep making efforts to work with Republicans, but behind the scenes, rely on a two track approach. The real approach should be to cut out Congress altogether when necessary.... earlier than usual. Instead, talk directly to the American people about proposals. Talk to Americans during prime time (yes... interrupt them) once or twice a month to provide regular status updates. Tell them what legislation you want/and that the nation needs and point out when Republicans are blocking those efforts. Focus on popular pieces of legislation at least initially. This could work to basically turn the tables on Republicans and force them to govern ...and make tough decisions. Call their bluff on debt issues... make them explain the painful cuts to programs that people depend on. Make them explain why tax cuts for the rich were more important than a poor family's unemployment benefits or food stamps... down to earth, real world programs that people depend on to keep food on the table. Programs that people are depending on more than ever now...ironically due to an economic collapse that took place under a Republican President. Some of those people that will be impacted by Republican cuts are going to be white, working class Republicans. If Republicans block everything (even popular, sensible legislation)...the hope is that American voters will notice and at the very least give Obama another four years. Not that i'm a huge Obama fan (never was)....although I am proud. The reality is... there is no alternative. The idea of a President Romney, Gingrich, Barbour or the ultimate nightmare Sarah Palin, scares the daylights out of me.

3. Obama has to bring in a more effective, more creative strategy team. It's almost a full month after the elections and I see no improvement on the media/PR front.

4. Democrats have to choose their battles more carefully...concentrating on issues that the American people are most concerned with, keeping their fingers on the collective pulse of the nation, and choosing battles that would give them a chance to be effective and to win. Once a battle is chosen... stand up and fight for the Democratic/Progressive position....but be open to compromise when practical and sensible, and when the other side is acting in good faith (which is almost never). But the hope is...by choosing populist positions, the public will be on the side of Progressives, making Republican obstructionism much more difficult. This is why it is important to explain proposals in terms of how they would make life better for average Americans.... how a proposal would create jobs...etc. Speak in terms that middle America can understand.

5. Democrats/Progressives should invest heavily in a public/voter education initiative, both through public school curriculum's and through not-for-profit groups. Such a campaign should be a sustained long term effort, lasting years.

Why Did Americans Jump on the Republican Bandwagon?

1. Republicans are much more effective when it comes to PR and branding. Republican marketing/PR is so strong that they could sell just about anything. It's all in the packaging. Republican strategists understand how to use information or misinformation to change, and control public opinion. Yes, it's manipulative....but it works for them. They were basically able to convince enough voters that the economic pain that they were feeling was somehow the fault of President Obama (not because of the jackasses who came before, who were asleep at the wheel for 8 years). Yes, the Party controlling the White House typically loses seats in Congress after Midterm elections, however, the losses this year were made worse by deliberate efforts by the GOP (and its allies) to confuse and misinform voters.

2. Well I will let Pollster founder Charles Franklin say it. Sadly he's right. He basically says what I have been pointing out for years. I don't bring this up as a way to make fun of voters. Quite the contrary. I don't believe it's necessarily their fault. It's easy to fall victim to misinformation, especially in the digital/internet age. It's that much easier to fall victim when you may not have all the tools to navigate through the nonsense and lies, and to determine what good information is vs. bad information. Public School systems and colleges don't put enough emphasis on basic civics, government, political science, history, geography, and cultural instruction. This is why voter education has to be a fundamental part of the Democratic Party's strategy.

President Obama's Post Election Press Conference

And he's still talking about bipartisanship. I'm not quite sure that he gets it.

Pondering

President Barack Obama waits in the Green Room before being introduced at the White House Summit on Community Colleges, Oct. 5, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Excellent Commentary on state of American Politics

A must read, courtesy of John Cole at Balloon Juice -- You Are Blind as a Bat, And I Have Sight

Birthers Won't Go Away - Now They Want DNA

There seems to be no end to the crazy.

Cracks Already Forming in Healthcare Reform Law

I didn't think this would be happening so soon.

Tavis Smiley & Dr. Cornel West Talk Politics on New Show

Tavis Smiley & Dr. Cornel West launched a new radio program this weekend branded as "Smiley & West". I actually enjoyed the commentary. It was interesting to hear Dr. West on the other side of the microphone.

Tavis Smiley fell out of favor with me over the past couple of years. His rantings and attacks against President Obama regarding a "Black agenda" represented the last straw. I thought then, and still believe, that his position was somewhat misguided, especially considering the existing political realities. I think we need a class discussion rather than a discussion that is framed in terms of race. If you always make race the issue....you lose the nations attention. Five decades ago MLK understood that the next battle would be economic justice and that it had to be framed in the context of class. This was why he pushed his poor peoples campaign.... it was not just a "Black peoples campaign" (although Blacks were a main focus)...but a poor peoples campaign. MLK's vision was so great that it allowed him to be far ahead of his time when it came to issues like poverty and economic justice. How Tavis Smiley and Cornel West so easily miss this point is a mystery to me.

But in the radio program, it sounded as if Smiley was reluctantly beginning to recognize his mistake. I still don't care much for his style or his political approach... but he is still an excellent interviewer. I see the new show being useful.... as long as he doesn't allow his personal views to pollute the program.

Listen to the first show: (5 minute interlude...program picks up again @ 6 min. mark).

A Conversation With Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Hear an extensive interview with Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. (A Must Listen).

Direct Audio Link

The topics cover race, Obama's otherness being used against him as a weapon by the Republican Tea Party, post-racial America, anthropology, genealogy...etc.

Great discussion. A couple of Tea Partiers even call in....resulting in some interesting exchanges.

I could caption this one, lol.

President Obama's Town Hall Meeting on the Economy

Highlights of the CNBC Town Hall

Also see Backyard Town Hall Meeting in Virginia

My Take:

He should have been doing nationally televised Town Halls months ago. In fact, he should have been doing these events on a monthly basis from the time he took office. If he would have been doing these back in April.. (just go back to Spring and Summer) the Democrats would be in much better shape right now in terms of public opinion. Instead, they have allowed the conservative media to control the national debate...even to the point of rewriting history to fool and confuse voters, and that has worked for the Republicans very well so far.

But in just the past week, since Democrats decided to fight back (somewhat), their standing has improved. I know this is campaign season.... but some of the strategy that the Democrats are using now should have been used much earlier in the year. I have mentioned Town Halls countless times. One of the big mistakes that Obama made when he won the Presidency was that he disbanded his fact-checking/debunking/ communications teams. The war room of fast reacting staff and volunteers who kept up with much of the lies and misinformation being told about the President during the campaign could have been put to good use during the first 2 years of his Presidency (and beyond). For some reason, President Obama assumed that all would be well after January 2009. But the truth is... on the Republican side, things were just getting started.

I still don't think he completely gets it. The frustration expressed by the guests at the Town Hall was exactly the kind of frustration that Republicans wanted them to have at this point. The GOP wanted to block as much as they could, so that the Presidents own supporters would be frustrated enough to lose faith, give up, and stay home. They definitely were successful at peeling away crucial support from independents. That's why if the Presidential election were held today... it would look more like 2000 or 2004 than the landslide of 2008. And Obama would likely end up on the short end like Gore and Kerry.

But recent polling suggests that when Progressives actually fight back... that when Progressive ideals are put side by side with Tea Party Republican ideals.... that when Progressive plans are compared with Conservative Republican plans, Progressives tend to do a little better in the Court of public opinion. A common sense Progressive vision is much better than what the Tea Party has in mind. Americans are receptive to Progressive views when you break things down into policy and explain it to them in a way that they can comprehend. Why can't Obama and Co. figure this out? Why can't they figure out how to develop a long term strategy that would allow them to compete in the information war?

Their rotten PR annoys me. It's like seeing a superior product being marketed by an atrocious salesman. Companies like this often fail, despite having better stuff.

Republican Policies Would Be Worse For The Economy

A newsweek article from last week didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know. But it is a good read, and it dealt with Republican claims point by point.

Estimates Say Fewer Jobs, Larger Deficits if Republicans Were in Charge
Newsweek
Andrew Romano 
August 27, 2010

Nothing is more important to Republican politicians these days than jobs and the deficit—at least according to Republican politicians. As House Minority Leader John Boehner put it in a "major economic address" on Tuesday, President Obama is "doing everything possible to prevent jobs from being created" while refusing to do anything at all "about bringing down the deficits that threaten our economy." Elect Republicans in November, Boehner assured his audience, and we will put an end to this insanity.

There's only one problem with Boehner's message: so far, the things that Republicans have said they want to do won't actually boost employment or reduce deficits. In fact, much the opposite. By combing through a variety of studies and projections from nonpartisan economic sources, we here at Gaggle headquarters have found that if Republicans were in charge from January 2009 onward—and if they were now given carte blanche to enact the proposals they want to—the projected 2010–2020 deficits would be larger than they are under Obama, and fewer people would probably be employed.

The math is pretty straightforward. Let's start with the deficit. According to the Congressional Budget Office, Obama's stimulus plan is projected to increase budget deficits over the next decade by $814 billion. That's a big number. But Republicans opposed the legislation refused to provide an alternative, and now insist that it's been a total failure. So let's be generous and subtract it from their side of the equation. The Obama deficit: $814 billion. The GOP deficit: $0.

Next up is health-care reform. Obama passed it; Republicans want to repeal it "lock, stock, and barrel." The reason, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell explained in July, is that "we all know that it's going to increase the deficit." Unfortunately for the GOP, though, nonpartisan experts tend to disagree. Just this Tuesday, for example, the CBO released a letter saying that Obama's health-care-reform legislation would "reduce the projected budget deficit by $30 billion over the next 10 years,” while repealing the law would generate "an increase in deficits ... of $455 billion ... over that [same] period." Factor those figures into the equation and the Obama deficit falls to $784 billion. The GOP deficit, meanwhile, rises to $455 billion. Getting warmer.

Read the rest here...

Obama Wants To Ban Bullets? Another Republican Talking Point (Lie) Has Been Destroyed

Another Republican Right wing media talking point has been knocked down. I first heard about this one about two weeks ago when listening to one of the local Republican mouthpiece radio stations in St. Louis (yes I listen to them to entertain myself and to find out what kind of lies they are spewing). Republican radio stations and blogs were pushing the lie that the Obama administration was planning to ban lead in bullets as a backdoor way to ban guns or to interfere with gun rights. The claim (without the true context) was that the EPA, on its own, was considering ways to ban lead in bullets. The truth is... the EPA & the Obama administration were not involved in initiating an effort to ban guns through some backdoor plot. The fact is, the EPA conducted a review based on a formal petition from environmental groups. It was part of a normal process. But right wing media took that, twisted it around, and made it appear as if the EPA itself was pushing to have lead bullets banned. That was never the case. In fact, I knew all along that the EPA would have little jurisdiction to ban bullets. The result of the review? The EPA rejected the proposal.

Just another example of the nonsense put out by Conservatives.

Since Obama has actually been so quiet on guns since taking office, the right wing nuts have resorted to making up stories to fit their narrative.

Disgusted with politics, the state of the country, and just about everything else

I had to step away from blogging and the news for a few weeks...and will be doing so again off and on through the Fall. I don't enjoy blogging like I did 5 years ago when I started. Writing has started to become a chore, and I don't get much of anything out of it anymore. Readership doesn't really justify the effort that goes into it. But it's still cathartic on some level, which is why I eventually find the motivation to post.... eventually. More emphasis this time on "eventually".... because my posting will be spotty from here on out.

What's the point in blogging right now anyway? The country has collectively lost its f___ing mind. I have never seen anything like it in my lifetime. New forms of McCarthyism are springing up....and politically, the nation is becoming a failed State. Misinformation (propaganda) has poisoned the citizenry to such a degree that nothing makes sense anymore. And it doesn't help that the American population was already ignorant about the World, about its own history, about their own Constitution, about culture & religion...and have therefore been ripe for being taken advantage of by Right wing media, Faux News (Radio Rwanda) and some of the biggest con artists in the Country. Ignorance has replaced reason, logic and informed debate. And its all part of a larger decline in America that I have been noticing. With a gridlocked government, a system that was designed to move slowly, an economy that is still in trouble, a political system that is inherently corrupt, growing income inequality, class rifts opening even wider, mounting debt, and not to mention two wars... the U.S. will continue to lose its place in the World. Add to that big corporations & con artists masquerading as real news organizations & journalists who are actually waging an all out misinformation campaign against their own fellow citizens (misinformed Americans especially) and you have an unfolding disaster IMHO.

With the economy in the toilet, and with many Americans (especially White Americans) being convinced - because of the growth of minorities - that their way of life is under threat, people are beginning to fall back into their comfort zones. Xenophobia, Islamophobia, racism, hate and ignorance are coming to the surface in ways not seen since the 1960's. I hate to think that this is human nature... that when under times of collective stress or social/political/economic strain (factual or just perceived strain) people become more ethno-centric, nationalistic, go into racial cocoons, express more racism and circle the wagons, but it seems to be happening in the U.S. at the moment. This has been true in many Countries all over the World throughout history during periods of strain or upheaval. But it's not supposed to happen in a modern Western country that bills itself as the greatest and most tolerant nation on earth (and I even hate the word tolerance... it assumes that "different" means something evil that has to be tolerated as opposed to accepted as part of a complex multi-ethnic, multicultural nation). I hate to think that these are the base instincts of people...but for many, this seems to be the case. We have people in this Country who want to turn back the clock historically to take us back to a period when there was no 14th amendment, no labor rights, no racial equality, when Jim Crow laws had to be honored, when the right to vote was not guaranteed to all.... etc. Backwards.... what kind of Country wants to go backwards?

Americans are throwing facts out of the window. Instead, people are turning to their prejudices. For the most part, people vote based on their family traditions, racial identity, religious identity, basing their votes on things like...who they wouldn't mind having a beer with... they are falling into all the nonsensical traps that they should be trying to avoid. This seems to be really apparent for folks on the Right (although I see it on the Left as well). Unfortunately, I think 2008 was an aberration in American politics. Most of the gains made then have already been wiped away.... the changing of the political landscape, etc... at least for the time being. It will take another 15-20 years for things to really start to turn around.... in a more positive and progressive direction. By then... there will be more young voters.... or young potential voters who may bring a less divisive and more logical world view. The problem is... #1) Will they fall victim to the same brainwashing from Faux, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, their parents, and therefore not be the positive force that they have the potential to be? They are being bombarded by the same propaganda machine that the rest of the Country is being bombarded with everyday. #2) Can the U.S. afford to wait that long?
With the anti-tax, anti-collective action, anti-government, and anti-Progressive sentiment sweeping the Country... I don't see how the U.S. can even begin to tackle the major problems that it faces now...and will face over the next few decades.

Progressives have already lost the information battle. They have lost the argument/the national debate on the future of the Country... and they really never showed up to fight Post-election. After election day... they packed up and went home, not realizing that they would have to fight and win an information and ideological war for the hearts and minds of Americans. They didn't even seem to know that there was a war.

President Obama? I don't even want to think about his fumbling over the last 18 months. I am disgusted with him too. He has failed on so many levels. By taking his eye off the ball (the economy) a few months after taking over the Presidency by diverting his attention to issues that were not top priorities for "most" Americans, he has created exacerbated problems for himself and for his Party politically.... as I had predicted. At least look like you are trying to do something to help the economy (should be on TV everyday with sleeves rolled up... organizing job strategies, pushing new programs....for sustainable job growth, etc.... he should at least look busy). In addition to that... his team should be highlighting all instances of Republican obstruction. If that means interrupting people's dinner or prime time TV every week for a fireside chat... then damn it... dinner should be interrupted. Use the office of the Presidency to inform the people about what the Hell is going on. Don't allow Faux (and the legitimate news organizations that take their lead from Faux and frame their reporting based on Conservative narratives) to tell the Country what's going on. Obama has been a thorough disappointment. Keep in mind, I am someone who never bought into the euphoria of his election....or the nonsensical idea that everything would be great once he became President. My expectations were somewhat low to begin with. Obama was never my first choice. But he has performed below even what I had envisioned. How many vacations can you take in the span of 6-8 weeks? Did he/the family set a new record? I counted something on the order of 4 vacations... all of this while Americans are suffering? To be a great President, it is crucial that you have your finger on the pulse of the nation at all times. It just appeared to me that he didn't have a clue. It also became clear to me that President Obama & The White House don't have anyone managing the image/PR issues or he simply ignores/perhaps does not seek such advice. That is absolutely clear to me at this point. But this will come back to haunt this Administration and Democrats (and the rest of us, unfortunately).

So all of this.... the Country going completely nuts, Obama/Progressives providing borderline shameful leadership, the direction of the Country, Glenn Beck successfully defecating on the memory of a prophet & icon and on the history of an entire people...not to mention my own problems and stress (I am completely overloaded and overwhelmed) - I have been a little dejected and disgusted with everything. Went to the dentist a few months back and got a blood pressure reading of something in the neighborhood of 175-180 over 110. Not the first time that I have had high blood pressure readings. I have high bp that is going untreated (has been for years) because I have crappy health coverage from a deplorable job that I absolutely hate. Needless to say, my life completely sucks.... and nothing has worked to change that in years.

So I will have to step away, unplug from the N(oise)ews more often, and concentrate on other things. I never completely unplug... I am a news/information junkie... I need NPR at least 4 days out of the week...and love the BBC, and many other outlets (too many to list) use Twitter, and I blog surf... but I don't rush to blog about every event in the world. Don't have the time to do that anymore. Unplugging has definitely been good over the past 3 weeks.

I will post some goodies later on.... (what I think are goodies anyway).

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I'm not the only one disgusted. (although I don't quite agree with everything in his commentary... I can relate to feeling dejected).

Gil-Scott Heron - Ain't No Such Thing As Superman

Ain't No Such Thing As Superman
Gil-Scott Heron & Brian Jackson

Lyrics:

You have understood
The riddles of the ages

Yes and you have understood
The universal mind

You have placed your footprints on
The everlasting sands of time

Yes so tell me why
Can't you understand that there ain't no such thing as a superman?
There ain't no such thing as a superman

You was on the Nile
You went to see great Egypt fall
It fell down to the ground

Yes, and you was out there on the corner
When being cool went blind
Oh, you alone understand that if we gonna win
We've got to get together, stay together, be together, stick together

So tell me why, can't you understand
That there ain't no such thing as a superman
There ain't no such thing as a superman

You alone consider mercy after it seems like all you get is pain
It seems to me that you have found the courage that others could not find
You alone have the wisdom to take this world and make it what it needs to be, wants to be, will be, someday you'll see

The day, the day you understand
That there ain't no such thing as a superman
There ain't no such thing as a superman