First: More pics from my walks here. Second: It’s Labor day weekend and you know what that means! Meantime – vote in the poll below – No picture I.D. needed! Dead people can vote too!
- Radiohead: Regular commenter and radio show guest Anna Belle launches her own show tonight – Listen here at 8pm Pacific.
Have a great Labor Day!
Thanks for the plug! I’ll be on again Sunday. Watch P&L for details.
Fight on!
John, how ’bout an open thread during the game? Oh wait, only you and I would be interested and we’ll be watching together. Just under 5 hours. Are you nervous?
I’m not nervous this week… it’s a first. Fight on!
I think this has to be the Best Political Candidate Bio I’ve seen – in my lifetime:
Yes, it’s very good indeed. Screams good character and dependability. Let’s hope it’s at least 30% true.
There have been a number of challenging posts over the last week, basically asking the question of how Hillary supporters could even be Thinking of voting the dreaded ‘R” word. That is a fair question which deserves some thought.
I would compare it to hiring an auto mechanic to bake a fancy birthday cake, not the most practical idea. The mechanic would take too long and likely produce an inferior product.
This election is about pragmatism, and Hillary is nothing if not pragmatic, who wants to bet she may not vote for O either ?
Romney may not fix social issues, but O won’t either, count on it. Social issues are much more ‘fixable’ in a solvent country anyway. The poorest countries are usually the most repressive. O cannot afford to upset his base, and social issues definitely upset most of them. Since no one can know his post-presidential plans, we have to assume he will not offend the Black community in a second term, he still needs them to buy his books and attend his lectures, at the very least.
Am still confused about the upcoming election, but know Obama must go, for the good of the country, and while a third party vote may provide a momentary rush, in the end, I think it benefits Obama.
I am dubious that R and R can fix a broken and corrupt economy, even if they wanted to, but I don’t think they would work toward making it worse.. Obama wouldn’t Intend to make it worse, but imo, he would, simply because he has to keep his cronies happy at all costs, and also because he has no idea what he is doing. I think he reads balance sheets as a cure for insomnia, they put him to sleep in no time.
Voting for a third party candidate this year is not for ‘a rush’: it’s the first step in ending the Uni-Party cartel.
Here’s how I view a Romney presidency: an amputation is pretty horrible, but it beats gangrene.
Speaking for myself and using this as another attempt to have you and others understand what I’ve been saying – because you keep mischaracterizing it.
Others may have but I’ve never questioned how Hillary supporters could vote Republican. I voted Republican in ’08 and wanted to do it this year.
What I’ve questioned is Hillary supporters actively advocating for Romney/Ryan with the argument that R/R economic policies will be what our country needs to set us in a better direction. Not only is it ideologically at odds with Clinton’s philosophy but everything about Romney/Ryan’s behavior, careers and proposals have Train Wreck For The Middle Class stamped all over them.
My attention to the candidates’ position on social issues is not because I think anybody is going to overturn DOMA or Roe v Wade, or push for the Federal recognition of same sex marriage. Ideological positions on social issues affect a lot of other issues, notably but certainly not limited to economic policy and the funding of all kinds of social safety net programs. I’ve been clear in the past (especially in arguments with Mouse) that I think these programs need to be reformed, there’s a lot of waste and gaming of the system, but that’s not what the R/R mindset has in store; their philosophy here, to a pragmatic Hillary Clinton, would be titled Throwing Out the Baby With the Bathwater.
I’ll get no rush, momentary or otherwise, voting third party. I don’t like that it’s come to this, as a lifelong Democrat from a family of politically active Democrats I’m sick about it. Yesterday, talking to a friend about election day, she complained about having to bring ID to vote and I said that’s nothing I expect to have to bring tranquilizers just to pull the lever for third party. But the notion that it benefits Obama is backwards thinking some of us have been struggling to un-brainwash ourselves of, and you really should give it a lot of consideration Sophie. Listen to Tam and Senneth, they’re being wise about this. My vote benefits the person I vote for. Period. Thinking of it as benefitting The Other (Obama in this case) is something the Dem and Rep party machines have ingrained in our brains for their benefit, so they maintain power.
You are wrong about this. I don’t think it, I know it. The same way I knew the kind of President Obama would be. Look at their histories, look objectively at their choices, their life experience, their behavior, their plans and proposals, and the nature of the corruption of our economy. Mitt Romney comes from the belly of the beast. The way he’s lived, the professional choices he’s made, are all steeped in major elements of what’s wrong with our economy. Absolutely no question about it. And I think you know I don’t mean his being wealthy. I was born into a wealthy family and then in mid-life created my own wealth (mine is nothing close to the Romney level of wealth, we’re comfortable as they used to say); I’m a dyed in the wool believer in capitalism and I love the benefits of wealth. Love them. I love our beautiful house and grounds and our large Manhattan apartment, I love travel, love beautiful art, love our ridiculously expensive swimming pool and fun fully appointed pool house, I love that I can decide I want a small farm and have the means to build it, I love fine wine and the best food and I love to share it all with friends. It’s a good life and not only do I not think it’s the problem in America, I think the more who have wealth the better our country. What I’m talking about with Romney is the grotesque level of wealth, how he earned it, which helps the wealthy and exploits the middle class until they’re tossed under the bus, the legally cheating way he contributes so little to our government coffers (only to give it to the Mormon church), and the selfish entitled thought process, which eventually erases their empathy for the have-nots, that that type of financier ends up with. I know these people, Sophie; coming to these conclusions was painful recognition of what I’d have preferred to, tried to, excuse. But it is the truth. Romney/Ryan will make it worse; they are blood muscle and bone part of the corruption that led to the financial crisis of ’08 and is right now leading to the next crisis that’ll be much worse.
I agree with Tamerlane and Zal. While Obama is horrific – liar, cheat, participates in fraud, etc, etc. Romney/Ryan are going to privatize the commons and destroy the social safety net. The environment, already on life support, is going to get more polluted. What’s happening in Brazil with the Amazon rainforest is coming to a theater near us if R/R get voted in.
A third party is the ONLY choice we have if we want to create another paradigm. And the only way that voting third party can work is if we all commit to it and stop supporting the kleptocracy in the form of both political parties.
Sophie, you are one of the commenters I always like to read. I hope you think very hard and long about what may happen to our country and this planet should R/R get into office.
Zal, when you’re good, you’re really good. Loved this comment above, minus the third party idea which I still can’t make sense of for myself.
Having just read Taibbi’s Romney / Bain article, your comments about WHY Romney would be a bigger disaster than anticipated finally ring true. (Sorry — I can’t make many decisions based on the ideas expressed by anonymous commenters on a blog. I needed a source that I trust and now that I have it — you’re right about him.)
Adding that I started voting third party in ’94, when Greens qualified in California. There’s no “rush” to relegating yourself to insignificance, but I vote my conscience. As Tamerlane has mused, same here: I often disagree with the Greens, but I do agree that 3P numbers must increase to fight the two-party status quo. I don’t vote GOP (or Dem) for candidates promoting our corporate stranglehold. Since I also live in gerrymandered 90% Dem (not that L.A. has a lot of Republicans left) Latino districts, any challenge to the powers-that-be appears better than the cabals. Complexions may be more varied, gender balances tipping up, but where I live, we’re taken for granted. If not now, when? If not me, who? (I quote rabbi Hillel and wish you all shabbat shalom.)
Thanks Jay – I was going to skip the Tiabbi piece (five pages of a story I already know, which is depressing, just seemed masochistic!) but I read it on your recommendation.
It’s excellent.
I’m glad you found the information delivered in a way and from a source you can believe.
FWIW, you probably wouldn’t have believed me even if I posted under my name, even if you knew me in person. Although I’m right about 95% of the time about people and the truth lurking in shadows and hiding beneath facades (happens to be one of my strengths, and believe me I’m well aware of my weaknesses, which are many more than you and others here see and comment on) few people believe me until they hear it from another source. I’m just one of those kinds of people, and you may think it’s because I don’t use my real name here or because my presentation can be arrogant and condescending but that’s not it. I’ve used pseudonyms and my real name and I’ve tried presenting all kinds of ways, including nice and charming believe it or not, over the years, always with the same result. Some liars are believed, some truth tellers are not. I’ve never figured out exactly why, though I’ve looked into it in some depth and I have observed that it’s not presentation, it’s some kind of essence within the speaker, something that occurs as a consequence of events early in childhood or in-born, and everyone about whom this is true is an empath. A Cassandra-ish thing: some of us see the truth and no matter how we behave, no matter what we say or do, no matter how much evidence we present, no matter often we’re proved right, we’re not believed last time, this time, or the next time – except by very very few.
Happily, though, some liars are exposed and some truth tellers (like Tiabbi and Glenn Greenwald) are believed by many.
It’s a mixed up muddled up shook up world.
sorry, sophie/conner above
zal, thanks for such a thoughtful response.. Maybe I’m extrapolating too far out there, but do you think Romney wanted obscene wealth so he could give it to his church ?
He has been painted as such a charitable person, could he be trying to carry the whole Mormon Church on his back ? Sounds crazy, I know, but how much money do his progeny need ? Maybe third party is the answer, but only if it helps pry Obie out of the Oval.
No. If that’s what he’d wanted, that’s what he’d have done.
He’s stingy and greedy and it’s all about him. And he’s heartless as Obama is. These are severely damaged human beings who lack the empathy that people like you and I assume is part of the human experience. Going from Bush to Obama to Romney is a continuum from bad to worse to worser.
If that dog-on-the-car-roof story were in Obama’s past, those here who dismiss it would think it’s right to the point revealing about the man’s character. There is something very wrong with Mitt Romney (and Paul Ryan) that would do great harm to our nation, specifically lower income and middle class will suffer significantly; if you examine his actions, and the Tiabbi piece Jay mentioned is a good place to start, you’ll find that truth inescapable.
I have also thought about entitlements, and agree with Simpson/Bowles, they must be means
tested, in order to survive for those who need them. In a civil society, we all contribute to institutions and programs we may never use, so what ? Although first, all programs should be tested for too much bureaucracy and cheating. Clean them up first, then re-visit the issue,imo.
Our military budget should be needs-tested.
Our military budget should be means-tested AND shrunk. Obscene for a republic to have such a large standing army. That said, I’m no dove. But, a huge military-industrial complex is not my cuppa tea, if only because it’s necessarily pro-war (to sustain its raisin d’etre).
Hmm. I used to think you were a bright voice. You are now a scroll by.
^ That was supposed to go under AngieNC’s latest snark. No idea where it is now!
Voting for a third party candidate this year is not for ‘a rush’: it’s the first step in ending the Uni-Party cartel.
Here’s how I view a Romney presidency: an amputation is pretty horrible, but it beats gangrene
Or flesh eating bacteria.
I just wish I knew which is which. I don’t, so third party for me-first time, ever.
Amen Tamer and Sue
Reading Matt Taibbi’s Rolling Stone piece about Romney and Bain Capital. I was giving Bain the benefit of the doubt. But now I have more facts.
Bain is an eighties style abomination. Read the article. Romney’s a psychopath — which seems to be a required trait for any Presidential nominee these days.
I dunno, Jay. I don’t think I could take Rolling Stone as a neutral source. I found the article, and then before reading it went to the Politics section. It consists only of hit pieces on Romney, and the one article on Obama says that HE should be going after Romney’s tax records rather than Reid. I also recall Bill Clinton’s characterization of Romney’s tenure at Bain (I believe the word he used was ‘stellar’).
I loved Rolling Stone years ago – they had great interviews with musicians. But they seem a little biased about politics.
I am “Anonymous” above ^
I trust Matt Taibbi. See no reason not to. He speaks truth to power more than anyone in the popular media that I’m aware of.
Matt Taibi’s credibility is undercut by the fact that he’s an Obama junkie. He’s also a wee bit anti-capitalist.
Well NES, are you saying that he’s not telling the truth about the way Bain worked and Romney’s part in it? I believe him. Why would I not?
Did you read Taibbi’s dissection of Obama’s signature of the NDAA?
Jay — I was just blowing it out my a _ _ — I haven’t read that particular article. I suppose I should, and I guess I will. I just have a visceral reaction to any Obama junkie — one of the lasting effects of 2008 is that I doubt the intelligence, judgment and credibiltity of all fervent Obama supporters (including friends, family and professional colleagues).
P.S.: No, I haven’t read Taibbi’s NDAA piece. I’m assuming you’re saying that I should because it shows he has the ability to criticize O; right?
NES — the NDAA article isn’t ‘critical’ of Obama. It rips him in two. That’s why I was scratching my head.
I haven’t found Taibbi to be a wee bit anti-capitalist. He, like me, is a wee bit anti-what-capitialism-has-become.
…or try this one:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/why-obamas-jobs-act-couldnt-suck-worse-20120409
OK, I’ll read Taibbi’s Bain piece; have printed it out for later reading (weary at work right now). Here’s a link for anyone who’s interested in taking a goo:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829?print=true
Working… on a Labor Day Weekend Saturday… I either want to urge you take better care of yourself or vote for you.
Hilarious, Jay! Thanks for the sentiment. Happy Labor Day weekend to you.
(P.S.: I’d have a huuuge birth certificate issue if I ran for the highest office. With respect to every other office, I’d be burdened by the assumption that I was on the wrong track if a majority of voters agreed with me.)
Matt Taibbi — he who wrote that Hillary Clinton was the “new Nixon” right after the Iowa primary (among his many, many hit pieces on her that year in Rolling Stone) is now a trusted source?
Sad to see so many who saw through Obama in 2008 re-assimilate to the borg in the first place, but to turn around & call Matt Taibbi — one of the the first & most vile in his attacks on Hillary Clinton to destroy her run in order to prop up Obama — a “trusted source” for anything that helps Obama in any way is just laughably ridiculous.
Your comment, which addresses nothing in the article in question, is not laughably ridiculous. It is sad.
From the guy who trusts Matt Taibbi this is the *ultimate* compliment. Thank you.
Although I do wish you could have been more original than to just use the exact same words I did & think that’s some kind of retort to *my* point (which, of course, went right over your head as this article in particular is irrelevant to the credibility of Taibbi on anything — logic is so dang hard!). Next time go with the “I know you are, but what am I?” or the slightly more complex “I’m rubber & you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me & sticks to you” retort. Same basic effect as the rebuttal you’re attempting to make, but at least you wouldn’t be cutting & pasting what I wrote.
You’re just snarking at me, rather than refuting the article that we’re talking about. Kind of a waste of energy.
That’s like refusing a firetruck while your home’s burning down because George W. Bush is the fireman.
Taiibi makes several, specific points about how the type of leverage buyouts Bain engaged in are odious. Refute those one-by-one, if you like, but don’t just dismiss them out of hand because once upon a time, Taiibi did a ‘hit piece’ on Saint Hillary.
sophie — For what it’s worth, I think you should ignore the siren-song of a second-BO-term will be better than a first-MR-term, and vote for the latter. You’re going to vote in FL — the state that MR probably must get to win — which is why all the commenters here are trying to persuade you. (It seems the majority of those that comment here live in Red or Blue ‘safe’ states and we all have real-vote envy.) I sense you’ll do the right thing.
(This subject relates more to the last thread, but I’ll paste this here, in a shorter thread.)
For those wondering whether Clint Eastwood’s little skit hurt or helped Romney, one poll says it helped, and not insignificantly. (I thought it would. Also, AngieNC had posited that it’d appeal to elderly voters…that too seems to be borne out.) (I’ve spent all of 3 mins. perusing the attached, so do jump in if you disagree with my summary conclusion.)
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=b9dd16fe-4fad-4218-a638-fbda08c8d518
(I can hear the gnashing of teeth in Hollywood.)
Very interesting. Is surveyusa any good? I don’t know anything about them. I do see that MR is getting huge rock star crowds in Ohio. This makes me happy to the exact degree that I assume it makes Obama crazy.
Not quite sure about the creds of that particular polling company; I’ve certainly seen poll analyzers cite it, and haven’t heard that it’s been discredited. But, I defer to Tamerlane on the credibility of the poll and the pollster.
haven’t read the new Taibibi piece yet – but he’s been rough on Obama in the past. I do not think he’s a Obama Pod at all. He’s a renegade journalist like we don’t have anymore. He did seem to think Occupy was a serious movement far after it was evident that is was a bad joke. This attitude mystified me among some otherwise smart lefties.
I am very interested in reading the piece. The Bain attacks – all coming from Obama so far – have left me cold.
for those who are reading Taibibi article, for balance you may want to consider reading the interview John Cusack did with Jonathan Turley
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11264-john-cusack-and-jonathan-turley-on-obamas-constitution
imho…it says volumes about the state of the “progressives”…they have virtually gone silent on issues that were front and center when we went after the republicans in the last administration…not to mention that O sold out to Wall St…remember how he quickly cast campaign finance reform aside and took in the most money of any candidate as was the “darling of Wall St donations”
Obama more than anyone else has essentially destroyed any chance of ‘campaign finance reform’ …he was basically against it before Citizens United…
the hypocrisy of the left and their O hero worship is mind boggling…it shows a complete lack of principles…and believe me, their misogyny and use of the race card was not lost on Hillary supporters…
Always enjoy your pix, John.
Thanks socal… I do believe if I had the “financial space” I’d buy real camera stuff and do nothing but practice taking pictures. I wish i wasn’t so shy about snapping people…
NES, thanks for posting that link.
i also love your pics john! thanks for posting them. i have only been in l.a. one time and it was next to a bunch of food places and the freeway. it wasn’t interesting at all, but my guy was living in a hotel so that was the best his company could do at the time. he was working on cleaning up a landfill disaster. maybe next time i visit i will see the best parts of l.a.
Kanaughty, L.A. is an impossible, difficult city in many ways. The experience you had is, sadly, a lot of L.A. Unlike NYC one has to seek out L.A. even when you’re in the middle of it. I took the four legger with me on an errand today, decided to pull into an old cemetery for a walkabout. It’s a glorious place, but you’d never know it as it is behind the most ghastly and endless strip mall you’ve ever seen, buttressed on the other end by the last real movie studio actually in Hollywood. Great spot. Totally invisible.
(BTW – Dogs and grave yards – not a good idea. Bob lifted his leg and I realized he didn’t know peeing on tombs was disrespectful to the dead and was likely to pee on any number of the final resting places of old hollywood’s finest . He did not care a lick. I was mortified. I snatched him up and we split.)
Regarding Los Angeles: last nite (Friday) we were comped tix to a club in Hollywood to see some great music. It was on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, one of those clubs that looks like a plain office bldg on the outside, and you have to find the entrance from the back and down stairs and weird corridors, then you’re through a door and voila, a lovely club where you would have never expected. (I know all big cities have clubs like this btw, but it just reminded me of John’s comment.)
Speaking for the older voters; Eastwood had some zingers in his skit, “we’ll still let you use a plane,” was my favorite.. NES thanks for the confidence that Fl. will do the right thing.. All I know is that a vote for Obama is definitely the wrong thing, but all here have known that for a long time, haven’t we.?
I read the Taibbi articles and found them disturbing on a whole other level.. Having a large family myself, it’s hard to square that situation with unbridled greed and ambition, those usually would have fallen by the wayside a long time ago, if they are what motivates Mr. Romney. Making that much money eats up a lot of time he shouldn’t have had.
He acknowledges that his wife basically had to raise their sons. Not sure what your point is there, Conner.
Just finished reading it. Holy shit.
Jay, It’s hard to describe but raising 5 or 6 children to be good people and decent students is all consuming, or should be. Granted it is expensive, but not Romney-expensive.. I think less of him if he left his wife to do most of it alone, I also wonder what screw she has loose for putting up with it.
I can’t put my finger on it, but I think his extreme need for wealth is tied up in his church somehow.
Jay, I did not hear the statement about his wife doing all the parenting. During the convention he was portrayed as a hands on involved parent.
My point was that raising 5 or in our case, 6 kids is truly all consuming.. or should be .It does cost a lot, but I don’t get Romney’s obscene need for riches beyond measure, unless it’s mixed up in his religion somehow.
Hmm.
I know so little about LDS. Don’t Mormons believe that men, if they meet certain criteria, can become Gods?
No Zal. That’s not the Mormons. It’s the gays who think that way.
“No Zal. That’s not the Mormons. It’s the gays who think that way.”
PRICELESS!
Browsing through blog comments the past half hour, my favorite (found at TCH) was a response to the NBC report that Paul Ryan admitted to another lie — um, “misstatement.”
The comment: “The more he lies, the more I like him.”
Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
I think my comment went in the spam filter?
I think my comments Should go in the spam filter. I post, it doesn’t appear, post again, and then two appear.. I give up…
Zal, It seems the LDS have become more moderate over the years, but at one time they believed that the Deity was a flesh and blood person, who live on a planet far from Earth. LDS, I think, means that they consider all humans capable of being prophets or apostles, which sounds very flattering and is sure to garner converts..I had Mormon neighbors long ago, and they were the nicest, most helpful people one could wish for. They were also extremely good looking, which seems to be a common trait..They were definitely quite sane, and also well off financially.. Of course, they eschew caffeine, spirits and any form of tobacco, which probably helps them concentrate on making money. At least that’s my theory, and I’m stuck with it.
sohie/conner above, as usual
Did you guys read the Rolling Stone piece yet? Its mind blowing. I can’t believe our horrible government would let such evil practices be legal, and I can’t believe that most of us are too uninformed to know this has been going on since the 80s.
…still getting the hang of how to reply here…
again, for those reading RS article, please also take a look at what Obama is doing in “current time”…O took the worst of Bush…and as only he could do, O made that worst than Bush…
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11264-john-cusack-and-jonathan-turley-on-obamas-constitution
Hey s-angel –
If you’re new around here, i can catch you up on something. It’s mostly stipulated within the Smart blog population that O is a corrupt corporate whore who’s about as ‘liberal’ as a piranha at feeding time.
And I can’t (in good conscience) believe Matt Taibbl. He crucified Hillary Clinton, and that was enough for me
So Anthony, your position is that he’s a liar?
Don’t know how you got that out of my comment, but no I don’t think he’s a liar. I just don’t think he’s without bias. Big difference.
“And I can’t (in good conscience) believe Matt Taibbl.”
If you don’t believe him it seems like you must be saying that he’s lying. Otherwise, you believe him. That’s how I got what I got from what you said.
OK, Jay – “I can’t believe his account to be non-biased in that article” Thought that was apparent when put in the context of his hit piece on Hillary Clinton.
That’s a fine line there, mister. I believe his account of how Bain works and Romney’s part in it.
Jay, I had no doubt that you believed Taibbi. You’ve been clear about that from the get go. I have a different opinion, and that is perfectly OK. I’m not trying to change your mind -I’m just clearly stating my take on the article with a good reason why I am suspicious of his motivation in writing that piece.
I will leave you with something I heard from a family member when I was a child: “If two people think exactly alike, then one of them is completely un-necessary”
Love the family quote, dislike that you can’t benefit from the information in the article about Romney because a few years ago the writer did not trust or like Hillary. I dug the ‘Nixon’ article up and his points were sound then, too, even though they were not flattering to a woman that I to this day support. The only thing that rang false in that article, as I recall, was that Taibbi judged Hillary’s ‘tears’ moment to be a political construct. Though I don’t think it was, she’s a politician and I wouldn’t say it’s impossible.
for a little fun…
http://emptychairoftheus.blogspot.com/
S-Angeltour– Those pics are hilarious! Thanks for the laughs.
A new excuse…worse than the old ones…http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/02/Obama-Blames-Washington-Gridlock-Partisanship-On-Family-Daughters
What I don’t get is how can anyone can enthusiastically vote for either of these train wrecks?
I can see maybe feeling you should vote for one or the other and holding your nose. I don’t see how anyone can be thrilled to do so and vigorously urge others as well.
Bush 2, Obama , and now Obama 2 or Romney,( whoever gets in ) are diffrent phases of the same disease. If one feels things were better under Bush, it’s because the disease wasn’t as advanced . It needed time to get where it is today …and is now posed to speed forward regardless who is installed. The policies that got us here will seamlessly go on as they have for the last 12 years.