Department of Unfortunate Metaphors: Axelrod says Obama faces “Titanic struggle”
Obama has an everyone problem
The Nation: White liberals ditching Obama = racism. Joan Walsh: Not so fast. John Smart: You are both wrong. Obama ran all the while winking to the liberal base, Clinton ran openly as a DLC moderate and therein, knownothings in the liberal elite, is your answer. Clinton annoyed liberals but did not betray them. Obama betrayed.
Man dies after spontaneously combusting. Authorities rule out repeated exposure to Simon Cowell as cause.
Speaking of Dick Morris (We were speaking of Dick Morris, right?): He asked today – Will Obama pull out?
Pizza man delivers: Cain zips past Perry in new poll.
Obama Fundraising Suffers Huge Drop-off
Here’s where the money might be going: Healthcare costs surge
Top four cities made it through. Vote for 3 today:
Just get thru the ad and watch. Adele is gift from on high.
Obligatory Rick Perry bad lip reading video. This thing had me in stitches even on 2nd viewing.
“Save a Pretzel for the Gas Jets!”
Oh, too funny, Ralph. I needed that at the end of the day!
So, now Dick Morris is claiming the O will step down and predicts Hillary to step in? Why do I always feel queasy when I hear these Republicans making the same grand statements? Notice that Morris looks like an agreeable teddy bear in this clip. He despises Hillary Clinton. Color me suspicious.
And as to the fundraising? I rec’ved an email this afternoon requesting money. Signed ‘Barack’ because we’re such good buddies. The request was for the fundraising deadline on Friday. $3 and up. Guess they’re going to be searching between the sofa cushions on the next fundraiser.
That’s what I get for taking their damn survey, the one that asked ‘how are we doing’ and ‘what does the Democratic Party stand for?’ My answers?
1. You suck
2. Apparently, very little.
Hilarious!
oh dear…hilarious!
Oh, ralphb! That was just the best. I’m going out to find some pretzels right now. My gas jets are revved and waiting. I cain’t wait to share this.
Thank you so much.
This video is DEEEE LIGHT FUL.
Dick Morris posted this also:
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/what-is-bill-clinton-up-to-2/
Hummmmm! When it comes to Bill Clinton, Morris probably knows how the man’s mind works better than most. But Hillary? He has said some ugly, ugly things.
Could get interesting! Very interesting.
Very interesting piece by Morris. He’s right about Clinton’s brain. I’ve thought some of the things bubba has said of late have been telling. But Barry O is going to need a major kick in the ass to get out. He’s addicted to campaigning.
Also not sure I buy that Bill and Hill are always on the same page. Bill wants back in the “House” for sure. This I believe. Part of me thinks Hillary is telling the truth when she says she’s done.
One of my friends has a husband who reminds me of Bill. Very type A, etc.
He’s always planning things that include her, without her consent. He figures that in the end, he can get her to go along, and she often does.
I agree, John. The only way the O steps out is if the leadership forces the issue or a blowout and ego thrashing in 2012 is impossible to deny. I do believe Hillary has had it and wants out. What she would do if Obama stepped aside is questionable. I agree with Morris on one thing–she looks positively exhausted. The nonstop schedule is beginning to show. But then, Bill Clinton doesn’t look very good in my opinion either. He’s suddenly frail looking.
We shall see.
I also think Bill has an interested in and would like to see Obama kicked to the curb for his own reasons. That said I CAN see Hillary coming in for one term. The history of it is overwhelming and she is a domestic policy wonk – the opportunity might be too hard to resist. countering myself again I’ll say the years between now and 2020 or so are going to be brutal on this country. She’s just too damn smart to not know this. Then again: the power elites know it too…and who else can handle the job on the scene right now? Really handle it. Obama’s a nonstarter. Romney is too nice. Perry too dumb. It’s not just wee bloggers that know this. The “they” that runs things know it too.
I hope to god Hill doesn’t run. She’d lose because this is a GOP election. She needs to comeback in ’16 if she wants the WH.
Most of my adult life I have started the day early, usually with a swim, or a walk. Three or four days a week, I attend 7 am Mass. It used to be a comforting and also energizing way to start the day.
It’s my wakeup call. It’s more about an attitude adjustment, than piety, it works for me. Until the last year or so.. I used to be a ‘half full glass’ person, now less so. I am in anguish at times, over the world we are leaving our grandchildren and all children. My generation was raised to know better, but it feels like we went off the rails somewhere..
What will it take to put our country to rights ? I’m running out of money, lighting candles.
That fact that you are lighting candles is the answer, Sophie. and that you KNOW we’ve gone off the rails means half the battle is already won. What’s lovely and valuable about the Mass is it’s insistence that something is larger at play. I think the same goes for any other broadly like minded ritual that allows for the bigger truths. Even ones people invent because it suits them. Reading about physics sometimes sets me right if I’m not feeling overly religious. Those scientists are riding the tiger…Also to add to the obnoxiousness of this comment: I’m utterly dependent on Shakespeare when things get me down. I need to know that someone has been here before…and Shakespeare has been everywhere before. I promise you even if we blow ourselves up the few survivors will find time to put on a version of The Tempest. or As You Like It.
Trudge on, Sophie. That we talk about temporal stuff with passion here – (and other places) because it is important temporally doesn’t mean it’s finally important at all. I walk away from this blog on the weekends for a reason…
And thanks for for the comment.
“…and Shakespeare has been everywhere before.”
True that!
Thanks John.
Sophie, thanks for this. I love how real you can be in this space.
Please recall that we grew up with an ACTUAL threat of nuclear war and major financial crises. And we’re here. The coming generations are going to have problems, and they’ll get through them just as we have. Thassa what I think.
Sophie,
I share your misgivings. Starting out with a morning ritual is a wonderful way to get centered and ready to meet the day. I think very difficult days are ahead for all of us and at times I despair for the futures of my step-son, nieces, nephews and their children. How is it so many people in our generation have been so blind and/or uncaring? Mind numbing.
I used to be a morning person and enjoyed attending early Mass. It was a peaceful, soul-renewing way to begin the day. Since I became ill, mornings are my worst time, so I no longer go to morning Mass. I do say the Rosary every morning and find great comfort in it. Anyone who is familar with the Rosary knows that it is a powerful form of meditation. I still try to go to evening Mass once a week but am sometimes unable to. I always light candles when I go. I also enjoy remembering the silent Friends Meeting for Worship I attended with my Quaker grandfather when I was little. He was a “birthright” Quaker, with roots in the Society of Friends going back many generations. I recall sitting next to him, in total silence, on one of the wooden benches in the simple, small Indiana Friends Meeting House where he was a member. In the summer, the windows would all be open, and it was so quiet, we could hear the hum of the insects and the occasional sound of a nearby farm animal outdoors. Going to Mass, saying the Rosary, and recalling long-ago Meeting for Worship help me to connect to the “bigger truths” that John describes. I believe ritual and spiritual tradition are important. They can help us see beyond the latest “news cycle” because they exist somewhere outside of time. They can link us to the past and give us hope for the future. Real hope.
Jane Austen and Charles Dickens help me, too.
Beata, thanks for sharing your lovely memory of your grandfather. You may identify with the following: A couple of years ago, I went to visit a friend in the hospital. A group of us were waiting outside on some benches. As you might imagine, a few were very distraught. Someone mentioned their rosary, and six women from about 40 to 70 scrambled through their purses, all of us pulled out a rosary. What are the odds ?
My Scots immigrant grandmother, made me promise to read Pride and Prejudice every year as she did, and Thoreau. Good advice.
Thanks Beata. Love the memory you shared.
“Will Obama pull out?” Too bad his old man didn’t.
Ba dump bump.
Oh dear God. Please tell me the ‘Titanic’ struggle doesn’t mean his 2012 is going to be in 3D.
Sophie, that rings true for me as well. For many years I get up very early every morning and swim or walk with the dogs, and some days I stop by our Quaker Meeting House because there I find peace and perspective. I, too, was a glass half full kind of guy all my life until a few years ago. I loved America and Americans so much my father once said my feelings were like a love affair; my heart swelled and I was energized at just the thought of it. Now, just a few years later, my feelings are very different. For a long time I resisted it but then I accepted what’s happening that I can’t change. The anguish was too much, too sad, and, for me, accepting what’s happening has meant I can make preparations for myself and those I love who’ve believed me when I say I see a coming storm.
You and I are around the same age aren’t we?
Zal, I’m 62, I think I’m older. But I think we share memories of a different time,one not so cynical, where young people truly felt they could make a difference, and not by driving to the revolution in the Audi from Daddy. We were hopeful, and despite what our elders thought, very patriotic at bottom.
Actually, Daddy raised us to work hard and buy our own damn car.
I love Joni. Thanks
Love this song and Joni. Thanks Zal. I’m also not too optimistic and preparing.
Sophie, I too am 62 and thus share those generational memories of true activism. I remember JFK’s inaugural address and it really called me to particpate in the political process. He was a true orator unlike the teleprompter reader in office now.
BTW, these “citizen protests” are pointless. They’re too little too late. They would have had some effect in 2003, 2006, 2008, but those of us who protested were dismissed and ridiculed, and between then and now the rich and powerful who are being protested have built their fortresses.
What would be effective today is a revolution. Storming the Palace. But Americans won’t do that today. In line with this era, they’ll wait to do that until it’s too late to do any good.
agree the protests are too little, too late. In lieu of protesting now I stock up the pantry. Lots of dry goods and a generator so we can at least run the well.
Agreed!
To all who responded to my open confession, Thanks so much for your wisdom and comfort, and for sharing your own thoughts. Thanks too, for Joni, one of my heroes. Must go get my ‘snark’ shirt out of the dryer, and put it back on. It’s nice to have so many smart people with which to share the lifeboat.
I totally disagree on the protests. They’re a beginning even though the MSM would like them to go away. And they’re being repeated in Boston, Las Vegas, Chicago and out on the coast. The next organized protest is scheduled for early October in DC. The nurses’ union has been staging their own protests for months. Again, the MSM has shrugged the actions off because the corporate interests would rather we not know. Or even more importantly, not care. The blog entries from NYC has indicated interest and support from the postal workers, teachers’ union, etc. What these people are doing is standing up for themselves and all the others spat upon by the financial sector, the very same group that brought the country and world to its knees and has yet to be held accountable.
I say good for them and I wish them well.
We all wish them well, Peggy Sue. That’s not the point. If wishes were horses beggars would ride.
My comment was about results.
What do you expect will be accomplished with these citizen protests as the citizens of the United States continue to vote into office people like Bush and Obama or a Romney or Perry?
I think I was perfectly clear: it’s a beginning to be followed by more. Dylan Ratigan is running a petition/movement for Getting the Money Out. Eric Schniederman is pursuing his ongoing investigation into the malfeasance that led to the housing collapse. Btw, this up at Naked Capitalism:
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/09/bank-of-america-deathwatch-50-billion-securities-fraud-suit-over-merrill-acquisition.html
It’s a beginning. And yes, it will be led by people of goodwill. And guts.
It’s the beginning of what? Followed by more what? More protests?
Look, I have no problem with these protests happening. Have at it. My point is they’re not going to accomplish anything. Are you from the generation that thinks you deserve a trophy because you joined in the game? That’s what this seems like.
Anon had you pegged from the start. You want to believe that everyone is as disingenuous and negative as you are, go for it. A beginning is just that. Or do you only believe in endings, the bad and bloody kind that you rant and rave about, scare the kiddies and the dog.
Unless your a fortune-teller, you don’t have a flying f**k how things will turn out. So stop pretending you do.
I’m trying to find out what you think will result from these protests. Why can’t you answer that? It’s a reasonable question to ask someone who supports a protest.
When I joined protests against the Viet Nam War, I knew the result we were going for. During our AIDS protests I could easily articulate its intended goal. And on and on, every protest I ever supported.
You say it’s a beginning. Why can’t you say what you believe it’s the beginning of?
It’s a beginning in waking people up, raising awareness. The more people involved, the longer these original 99ers hold on, the more they’ll inspire others to speak out and the harder it will be to ignore. American history is threaded with demonstrations, protests and dissent. It’s in our blood. It doesn’t happen overnight. There’s always a beginning, an initial spark.
We can sit on our hands, dress in sack cloth and ashes and moan how things will never change. Or we can stand up and pushback, even when our efforts are messy, not as organized as some would like.
Btw, I’m not into trophies.
Peggy, If I could email you a trophy I would, you’re a champion in my book.
The fear coming from the priviledged class is that the WS protest has the potential to mobilize the enormous swath of America that believes that greed bastards of WS got off the hook and were even rewarded (WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS) after the market collapse of 2008 and the subsequent bailouts. They believe that the money swindled should be returned to the people. That the thieves, the greedy bastards and con artists who carried their water should be punished. That those who facilited the ripoff of America anywhere along the way, whether they are Politicians, bankers, traders or admin. assistants should be punished,
Me thinks those who protesteth and downplay the power of these particular protests are scared as hell the malcontents might poop in the nest where they hide their golden eggs.
Enough one handed typing for me, carry on
Peace,
Mouse
Yeah.
Well even a poster like run_dmc, whom I don’t think would be characterized as trying to scare the kiddies and the dog, said the other day he believes by mid-2012, which is less than a year from now, our nation will be, in his words, “economic chaos.”
What you’re describing takes years to get a steam up. As I said, if this were happening in 2003, 2006 or even as a response to what happened in 2008 I’d have said let’s lace up our boots and protest. But today it’s too late. Nobody cared then, people like me who warned what was coming were dismissed and ridiculed as negative and debbie downers (pretty much as you continue to characterize me today). So here we are. Circumstances of the decline are way too far advanced for protests of this nature to reverse or even halt.
Those aren’t the only two options.
But since you present them as if they are, I’m curious which of those two you’re doing?
Mouse:
Ain’t gonna happen.
Most that’ll happen will be another Congressional heariing or some such, which will be more taxpayer money spent on another circus, another show.
And anyway we have much bigger problems right now than trying to get those yahoos to make amends for what happened in the past.
One of two things are about to happen: consumers start spending or we sink.
Personally, I’ve never been a fan of our credit based economy, but that’s the one that fuels the engine of America right now, and if it’s not fed it’ll go dark.
Now, if citizens want to protest Wall Street, what they should be protesting is the banks’ refusal to loan money to small business and consumers. Dried up affordable credit is the last straw that’s breaking our economy’s back. Banks are making a fortune on credit card debt and the fools who are still handing over their money to hedge funds and mutual funds and 401Ks, etc, which are all going to crumble into a big pile of dust.
Foolish woman. Those of us who know what’s happening in banks and the stock market took our golden eggs out of that nest already. I don’t have one thin dime in the market any more. I keep trying to tell you, this citizen response is too little too late — the nest they’re trying to get retribution from, or poop in, is already abandoned.
Foolish woman. Those of us who know what’s happening in banks and the stock market took our golden eggs out of that nest already.”
Silly man, History is littered with stories of Oligarchs, Royalty, Monarachs, Rulers of various political stripes, Dictators, Oligarchs, Ruling Class Elitists who couldn’t find a safe place to hide their ill gotten gains when the social order collapsed. Don’t underestimate the discontent of the Middle Class and the working poor. You’re assuming that this will play out as all of the other bitch fests you’ve witnessed, but should this turn into full fledged civil revolt, even URANUS won’t be a safe place to hide your Faberge Eggs.
Good luck!
Btw, Glenn Greenwald has a commentary on the Occupy Wall Street protest. It’s one of his better pieces. Link here:
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/index.html
I’ve never seen a weak piece by Glenn Greenwald before, but this is one.
He clicks off the obvious reasons protests are ridiculed, and does recognize that these protests lack clarity of purpose, organization and marketing strategy, but seems to think if those of us criticizing the value of the protests would just join in they’d let us determine a common purpose, organize them and develop and initiate a marketing plan. Yeah, Glenn, that’s how a younger generation responds to older experienced people coming in to their party.
Not that I think the main problem with these protests is their undefined purpose or absent media savvy, just saying even if Greenwald were right that that’s the reason these protests will achieve nothing, his solution is naive. (Why doesn’t he call them and offer his services?)
Anyway, Glenn Greenwald means well, the protesters mean well, but it won’t change a thing on Wall Street. Greenwald seems to think that doesn’t matter, that protesting doesn’t have to achieve anything besides exposing anger to be worthwhile. I hadn’t realized that anger at Wall Street has been a secret.
marcospinelli September 26th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
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on the fdl article was an amazing theory about ob’s plan all along. to lose the congress on purpose so he could move more right and away from liberal democrats, old school democratic values, basically putting the nail in the coffin of new deal democrat policies. it is an interesting read because this person points to several occurences that lead to exactly this conclusion that is going on right now with his continuing to move right and away from anything truely “democrat”.
I couldn’t nest under the comments, Anon. But I’ve been thinking about you. Hope that shoulder is on the mend. Take care of yourself!
Thank you Peggy…..It’s going to be a slow process, but I’m giving it my all.
You go, girl! :0)
The Faberge Eggs were cashed in when they still had value. They’re not hidden, they’re gone.
I never liked them anyway, too fancy schmancy for my taste. I’m an old New England Yankee, birthright Quaker stock. I prefer eggs fresh from a Rhode Island Red hen.