Friday, July 22, 2011

Good News, Boehner Walks

Hallelujah! Boehner left the budget talks. Why is this good news? Glen Ford explained in Black Agenda Report.

"In other words, when the debt-limit showdown arrives, pray for gridlock, which would at least mean there is still resistance to Republican extortion."

So cheer up! Obama can't, in Glen's words, ". . . face down and brow-beat the remaining defenders of the social safety net in his own Democratic Party, who have always been the most immediate dangers to his grand center-right coalition."

Let's hope Boehner never comes back to the table.
Diet Soap Podcast

I love being a guest on Doug Lain's Diet Soap podcast. Here is the latest.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Debt Ceiling? Budget Cuts? Arthur Silber Explains It All

Arthur Silber is one of my favorite bloggers. His insights are amazing and make sense of the madness we are subjected to on a daily basis. Unfortunately, he has been very ill and doesn't always post on a regular basis. This week he is back and in great form.

While other commentators make the budget discussions seem confusing, Arthur spells it out simply. The ruling classes are behaving as they always do, terrifying us into accepting our own demise. Obama and his friends who have helped him raise $86 million, one full year before the election, are putting us in our places, convincing us that our safety net and anything else tht helps us ought to be expendable.

"Your national leaders are terrorists. Look on the bright side: they aren't shooting at you or sending drones into your neighborhood. Not yet. You still have that to look forward to, you fortunate idiots.

But most Americans can't or won't acknowledge the fact that terrorists rule them. The ruling class counts on that, and they're absolutely right. Are there millions of Americans camped out in Washington, or even thinking about it? Don't make me laugh."


Obama is telling us to accept cuts in medicaid and medicare so that he can make a deal with the republicans. He could fight back and tell his supporters he will defy the republicans, but that doesn't get you $86 million in the campaign bank and in any case, he isn't interested. Obama could give a sh*t. Or is that couldn't give a sh*t? Whatever.