A Message from Diop Olugbala
What About the Black Community, Obama? On Friday, August 1st I led a contingent of the Uhuru Movement into Barack Obama’s town hall meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida to raise the question, “what about the black community, Obama?” Without the benefit of a big media budget, our organization attempted to bring the serious issues experienced by African working class people across this country into the national political debate.
These issues include the targeting of African and Latino communities with predatory “sub-prime” mortgages – a scheme that has made millions for people like Obama’s chief financial advisor Penny Pritzker, while stripping black families of billions of dollars, the greatest loss of wealth our community has suffered since being brought in chains to this country. We also challenged Obama to take a stand against the police shootings of unarmed African people, and explain why he has publicly defended the judge’s acquittal of the NYC police who murdered Sean Bell.
He has said that he cannot speak out on behalf of those who have been historically oppressed for fear of offending other people. Yet in Miami, he promised the Jewish community, which considers itself a historically oppressed community, that he supports turning all of Jerusalem over to Israeli control, despite the internationally enforced sharing of that city with the Palestinians. When Obama speaks to black audiences, he attacks us, attributing our community’s poverty, not to systemic oppression, but to bad culture and lack of work ethic.
Barack Obama has criticized African fathers for abandoning our children, although a recent study showed that black fathers stay more involved with their children after a split from the mother than white fathers. And Obama says nothing of the unjust imprisonment of 1 in 9 black men of child-bearing age, the overwhelming majority of whom are locked up on minor drug or other non-violent economic violations stemming from conditions of desperate poverty. He has failed to achieve any meaningful program of economic development for the African community. In speaking to a group of black legislators, Obama said “a good economic development plan for our community would be if we make sure folks weren’t throwing their garbage out of their cars.”
Barack Obama wants to increase military spending and praised Clinton for abolishing AFDC and welfare. He has reversed his position opposing the death penalty and speaks out against reparations. He wants to escalate the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and has threatened Venezuela and Iran with military aggression. He has upheld the FISA, supporting wire-tapping and government spying on citizens. He receives unprecedented financial backing from Wall Street. His close advisors and potential cabinet members include war criminal Richard Clarke, Tri-lateral commission founder Zbigniev Brzezinski, Madeleine ‘it’s worth the price of 1 million dead Iraqi children’ Albright, and Free Trade advocates Jason Furman and Austan Goolsbee.
Some argue that we must support Obama or else we are supporting McCain. We in the Uhuru Movement don’t believe our community should restrict our political options to a choice between one white ruling class party or another. In fact, the black community’s most recent experiences in the U.S. electoral arena have resulted not only in the Republican Party’s theft of our votes, but prior to that we suffered some of the worst attacks on our community at the hands of the Democratic Party administration of William Jefferson Clinton, who put 100,000 more police on our streets to murder our people, privatized the prisons to exploit our unpaid labor, and discontinued the public subsidies for impoverished children and families that had been won by African people as a concession to our movement of the 1960s.
African people’s experiences with these last several elections and the desperate conditions facing our community have created a willingness by our people to seek independent political alternatives. In response to this crisis, the white rulers put forward Barack Obama – a pied piper taking African people back into clutches of the Democratic Party. If anyone looks seriously at the positions, programs and advisors of Barack Obama, they will see that he does not stand for any kind of real change, but for the defense of the same old status quo, with a new face. America is in an economic crisis and the white ruling class hopes to save itself by deepening the exploitation of African people in the U.S. and on the continent of Africa, where the world’s biggest reserves of oil and precious minerals lie. How better to do it than with an African face at the head of state?
Our success as a people requires that we achieve our own independent political agenda. African people’s votes should be contingent on the willingness of a candidate to support and fight for that agenda. The International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement has invited Barack Obama, John McCain and Cynthia McKinney to attend our annual convention on September 27-28 in St. Petersburg, Florida to clarify their position on the question, “what about the black community?’ Based on their response, we will consider endorsement of a U.S. presidential candidate.
Diop Olugbala is the International Organizer for the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement
www.inpdum.org
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Diop Olugbala and the International Peoples Democratic Uhuru Movement
"What about the black community?" That simple question from a Florida protester gave the sainted one a case of the jitters. It is high time he had some.
Never heard of Olugbala or his group, but they gave Obama the only true smack down he has gotten this year. All hail Olugbala and the Uhuru Movement! I have never seen Obama stutter and stammer the way he did when confronted by protest. Be still my heart. I'm going to post the You Tube videos, hopefully. I have been having problems with that lately.
Olugbala's words are simple, but speak volumes about Obama and his decision to ignore black people because he knows that he can.
"So my question is, in the face of the numerous attacks that are made against the African community or the black community by the same U.S. government that you aspire to lead, we are talking about attacks like the subprime mortgage that you spoke of that wasn't just a general or ambiguous kind of phenomenon but a phenomenon that targeted the African community and Latino Community.
Attacks like the killing of Sean Bell by the New York police department and Jevon Dawson right here in St. Petersburg by the St. Pete police and the Jena Six and Hurricane Katrina. The list goes on.
In the face of all these attacks that are clearly being made on the African community why is it that you have not had the ability to not one time, speak to the interest and even speak on behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community or the black community in this country?"
"What about the black community?" That simple question from a Florida protester gave the sainted one a case of the jitters. It is high time he had some.
Never heard of Olugbala or his group, but they gave Obama the only true smack down he has gotten this year. All hail Olugbala and the Uhuru Movement! I have never seen Obama stutter and stammer the way he did when confronted by protest. Be still my heart. I'm going to post the You Tube videos, hopefully. I have been having problems with that lately.
Olugbala's words are simple, but speak volumes about Obama and his decision to ignore black people because he knows that he can.
"So my question is, in the face of the numerous attacks that are made against the African community or the black community by the same U.S. government that you aspire to lead, we are talking about attacks like the subprime mortgage that you spoke of that wasn't just a general or ambiguous kind of phenomenon but a phenomenon that targeted the African community and Latino Community.
Attacks like the killing of Sean Bell by the New York police department and Jevon Dawson right here in St. Petersburg by the St. Pete police and the Jena Six and Hurricane Katrina. The list goes on.
In the face of all these attacks that are clearly being made on the African community why is it that you have not had the ability to not one time, speak to the interest and even speak on behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community or the black community in this country?"
Monday, July 28, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
More Conservative Than Thou
How true. Cartoon is courtesy of Minuteman Media. Hat tip to Norman Finkelstein.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Dream On
"He is much better than others because he is black and black people were tyrannized in America. I think he will feel our suffering."
Overly Optimistic Iraqi
"He is much better than others because he is black and black people were tyrannized in America. I think he will feel our suffering."
Overly Optimistic Iraqi
Wish I'd Said That, but Michael Hudson Said It First
The last issue of Black Agenda Report featured a KPFA interview with Dr. Michael Hudson on the subject of the fictitious economy. If you want to understand junk bonds, endangered pension funds, Chicago School corrupt politics, why Democrats are as bad as Republicans or how CEOs pay themselves, you must listen to this eye opening interview. Hudson drops quite a few incredible quotes. He is an economics professor and a former advisor to former presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich. It figures. Smart birds of a feather do flock together. Here are some of the Hudson statements that made me sit up and take notice and created a series of " a ha" moments.
"Classical economics defined a free market as one that is free of overhead charges, free of unnecessary charges of production, free of watered stock. Today a free market means that predators are free to extort any price from the public, they are free to deregulate, free to lie to consumers, free to exploit, free to load any company they want down with debt, and basically lead (us) to a world of debt peonage... So the whole concept of freedom has been turned upside down by the Chicago school and by the Bush administration."
"Because hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to mislead people and to endow business schools and universities to stop teaching the history of economic thought, to stop teaching the classical economists, and essentially to brainwash students, so that those with a sense of realism simply drop out of the field of economics and go into some other field."
"Now the companies were in such financial stress, having to pay the bondholders so much money that they were facing bankruptcy. So they went to their workers, as General Motors did a year ago, and as one company after another has gone to their labor force and said, 'Look, we're gonna go bankrupt, and if we go bankrupt that's gonna wipe out your entire pension fund,' because the law says you're at the end of the line, as far as collecting from us. The basic rule in America is that the rich get paid first and normal people get paid last... the richer you are, you're at the head of the line, the poorer you are you're at the back of the line. We owe so much money to our bondholders and bankers who lent us the money that there's not enough money to pay them and to to pay you workers.
The labor unions said wait a minute, we agreed to lower our current wages (in years past) so you could pay these pensions later. The bosses replied 'Well, we don't care about that, the law is on our side, we've bought the congress, we've bought the courts, our lobbyists give congressmen and the lawmakers a lot more money than yours do, so you lose.' "
"Foreign countries essential will have to isolate the United States and go their own way. There is no sign of that happening yet. When countries do go their own way, such Iran, Iraq and Venezuela, the United States threatens to go to war with them."
"There is a naive view that somehow everything will be different if the Democrats get back into power. The last time the Democrats were in power they were to the right of the Republicans. Clinton basically was a right wing Republican and did more antilabor, prowealth policies than essentially the Republicans could have done.That is basically what the Democratic party is for. The Republicans are viewed as the anti labor party, so if you are going to double cross labor, if you are going to really hurt the economy it has to be a Democratic that does it, not a Republican. And so it looks to me like Wall Street is all for the Democrats coming in, hoping that Oboma will turn out to be another Clinton. . ."
"The crisis we're going into may be so severe that people will be willing to back new politicians. It may be that the Democratic party will finally be split and most of the Democratic politicians will join the Republicans where they belong and a new party will essentially come out. I don't see much of a recovery until that occurs because the two parties are so similar right now." (We can hope).
"[depression] Certainly inevitable for the U.S., not inevitable world wide. All the other countries have to do is cut themselves lose from the dollar. In this country America has no way of paying for its trade deficit and no way of paying for its military spending abroad. So if something has to give America would prefer to impose a very deep depression than give up one penny of military spending. So I expect a very sharp increase in unemployment, people are talking that real prices have another 30% to fall at least and that is only as far as the eye can see, and large scale foreclosures, bankruptcies while military spending will increase."
I could go on and on. Just listen to the entire interview. Hudson answers questions you haven't even asked yet.
The last issue of Black Agenda Report featured a KPFA interview with Dr. Michael Hudson on the subject of the fictitious economy. If you want to understand junk bonds, endangered pension funds, Chicago School corrupt politics, why Democrats are as bad as Republicans or how CEOs pay themselves, you must listen to this eye opening interview. Hudson drops quite a few incredible quotes. He is an economics professor and a former advisor to former presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich. It figures. Smart birds of a feather do flock together. Here are some of the Hudson statements that made me sit up and take notice and created a series of " a ha" moments.
"Classical economics defined a free market as one that is free of overhead charges, free of unnecessary charges of production, free of watered stock. Today a free market means that predators are free to extort any price from the public, they are free to deregulate, free to lie to consumers, free to exploit, free to load any company they want down with debt, and basically lead (us) to a world of debt peonage... So the whole concept of freedom has been turned upside down by the Chicago school and by the Bush administration."
"Because hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to mislead people and to endow business schools and universities to stop teaching the history of economic thought, to stop teaching the classical economists, and essentially to brainwash students, so that those with a sense of realism simply drop out of the field of economics and go into some other field."
"Now the companies were in such financial stress, having to pay the bondholders so much money that they were facing bankruptcy. So they went to their workers, as General Motors did a year ago, and as one company after another has gone to their labor force and said, 'Look, we're gonna go bankrupt, and if we go bankrupt that's gonna wipe out your entire pension fund,' because the law says you're at the end of the line, as far as collecting from us. The basic rule in America is that the rich get paid first and normal people get paid last... the richer you are, you're at the head of the line, the poorer you are you're at the back of the line. We owe so much money to our bondholders and bankers who lent us the money that there's not enough money to pay them and to to pay you workers.
The labor unions said wait a minute, we agreed to lower our current wages (in years past) so you could pay these pensions later. The bosses replied 'Well, we don't care about that, the law is on our side, we've bought the congress, we've bought the courts, our lobbyists give congressmen and the lawmakers a lot more money than yours do, so you lose.' "
"Foreign countries essential will have to isolate the United States and go their own way. There is no sign of that happening yet. When countries do go their own way, such Iran, Iraq and Venezuela, the United States threatens to go to war with them."
"There is a naive view that somehow everything will be different if the Democrats get back into power. The last time the Democrats were in power they were to the right of the Republicans. Clinton basically was a right wing Republican and did more antilabor, prowealth policies than essentially the Republicans could have done.That is basically what the Democratic party is for. The Republicans are viewed as the anti labor party, so if you are going to double cross labor, if you are going to really hurt the economy it has to be a Democratic that does it, not a Republican. And so it looks to me like Wall Street is all for the Democrats coming in, hoping that Oboma will turn out to be another Clinton. . ."
"The crisis we're going into may be so severe that people will be willing to back new politicians. It may be that the Democratic party will finally be split and most of the Democratic politicians will join the Republicans where they belong and a new party will essentially come out. I don't see much of a recovery until that occurs because the two parties are so similar right now." (We can hope).
"[depression] Certainly inevitable for the U.S., not inevitable world wide. All the other countries have to do is cut themselves lose from the dollar. In this country America has no way of paying for its trade deficit and no way of paying for its military spending abroad. So if something has to give America would prefer to impose a very deep depression than give up one penny of military spending. So I expect a very sharp increase in unemployment, people are talking that real prices have another 30% to fall at least and that is only as far as the eye can see, and large scale foreclosures, bankruptcies while military spending will increase."
I could go on and on. Just listen to the entire interview. Hudson answers questions you haven't even asked yet.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Obama, Racism and the New Yorker
How do I feel about the New Yorker cartoon depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as machine gun toting followers of bin Laden who wear big afros and burn flags and use fist bumping terror signals? I have just a few words of advice for the New Yorker. Leave satire to the Onion, they do it better.
I get that it was supposed to be a parody of the email smear campaigns and the Fox News endless lies spread by the racist, right wing dead enders. Yet if the intent was to parody those people, the cartoon should have depicted them and their delusional hate. It should not have depicted the Obamas at all.
America is a nation full of very stupid people who don't have the capability to think seriously about anything, much less understand satire. Add endemic racism to the mix, and snarkier than thou satire ends up being nothing but stereotyping a still despised group of people.
But it must be pointed out that defending Barack Obama from racist attacks is not so simple. Part of Obama's appeal to many white people is his own denunciation of black demands for justice, or even the memory of past injustice. Ask Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama denounced him and officially left his church because Wright had the gall to state the truth of America's history of white supremacy, wars of empire and glorification of manifest destiny and the mass murder that goes along with it. My friend and fellow blogger Arthur Silber hit the nail on the head when he dissected the Wright episode and racism directed at Obama.
"This places Obama's would-be defenders in an unusual predicament: they want to defend Obama on an issue about which Obama refuses to defend himself. Obama has told us there is nothing of any significance he needs to defend himself against. In this way, Obama has removed the weapon from his defenders' hands. He has told them -- as he has told Wright -- to shut up and keep quiet about it. Obama doesn't want Wright to discuss it, and he doesn't want you to discuss it.
This is a monumental problem. Because Obama seeks the highest elective office in a society which is based on and still revolves around the myth of American exceptionalism in numerous and often complex ways, it is probably the case that he has to deny the truth. That does not change what the truth is. If you choose to defend him against viciously discriminatory attacks, and if you go so far as to suggest that those attacks are systemic and widespread, you call into question certain of the critical premises underlying Obama's campaign (that he is the "post-racial" candidate and similar claims).
He doesn't want you to defend him too strenuously on this issue, if at all."
Obama still continues his campaign of denouncing all black people and making us the fall guys and girls for all of the country's ills. At the NAACP convention yesterday he had this to say.
"So yes, we have to demand more responsibility from Washington. And yes we have to demand more responsibility from Wall Street. But we also have to demand more from ourselves. Now, I know some say I've been too tough on folks about this responsibility stuff. But I'm not going to stop talking about it." (Aren't we lucky.)
"It starts with teaching our daughters to never allow images on television to tell them what they are worth; and teaching our sons to treat women with respect, and to realize that responsibility does not end at conception; that what makes them men is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."
Good advice to be sure, but does any of it ever apply to white people? Are white girls victimized by negative media imagery? Do all white boys respect women? Are all white men good fathers? Will white people ever get the responsibility speech? No, they won't. There is no political advantage in pointing out white people's flaws, so they are safe from Obama's finger pointing. The New Yorker spread negative stereotypes about the Obamas and about all black people, but Barack Obama has made a career out of doing the very same thing.
So don't cry for him too much. His campaign is a thing of marketing beauty and will overcome any and all attacks. He will be president and black people will have more denunciation to look forward to.
How do I feel about the New Yorker cartoon depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as machine gun toting followers of bin Laden who wear big afros and burn flags and use fist bumping terror signals? I have just a few words of advice for the New Yorker. Leave satire to the Onion, they do it better.
I get that it was supposed to be a parody of the email smear campaigns and the Fox News endless lies spread by the racist, right wing dead enders. Yet if the intent was to parody those people, the cartoon should have depicted them and their delusional hate. It should not have depicted the Obamas at all.
America is a nation full of very stupid people who don't have the capability to think seriously about anything, much less understand satire. Add endemic racism to the mix, and snarkier than thou satire ends up being nothing but stereotyping a still despised group of people.
But it must be pointed out that defending Barack Obama from racist attacks is not so simple. Part of Obama's appeal to many white people is his own denunciation of black demands for justice, or even the memory of past injustice. Ask Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama denounced him and officially left his church because Wright had the gall to state the truth of America's history of white supremacy, wars of empire and glorification of manifest destiny and the mass murder that goes along with it. My friend and fellow blogger Arthur Silber hit the nail on the head when he dissected the Wright episode and racism directed at Obama.
"This places Obama's would-be defenders in an unusual predicament: they want to defend Obama on an issue about which Obama refuses to defend himself. Obama has told us there is nothing of any significance he needs to defend himself against. In this way, Obama has removed the weapon from his defenders' hands. He has told them -- as he has told Wright -- to shut up and keep quiet about it. Obama doesn't want Wright to discuss it, and he doesn't want you to discuss it.
This is a monumental problem. Because Obama seeks the highest elective office in a society which is based on and still revolves around the myth of American exceptionalism in numerous and often complex ways, it is probably the case that he has to deny the truth. That does not change what the truth is. If you choose to defend him against viciously discriminatory attacks, and if you go so far as to suggest that those attacks are systemic and widespread, you call into question certain of the critical premises underlying Obama's campaign (that he is the "post-racial" candidate and similar claims).
He doesn't want you to defend him too strenuously on this issue, if at all."
Obama still continues his campaign of denouncing all black people and making us the fall guys and girls for all of the country's ills. At the NAACP convention yesterday he had this to say.
"So yes, we have to demand more responsibility from Washington. And yes we have to demand more responsibility from Wall Street. But we also have to demand more from ourselves. Now, I know some say I've been too tough on folks about this responsibility stuff. But I'm not going to stop talking about it." (Aren't we lucky.)
"It starts with teaching our daughters to never allow images on television to tell them what they are worth; and teaching our sons to treat women with respect, and to realize that responsibility does not end at conception; that what makes them men is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."
Good advice to be sure, but does any of it ever apply to white people? Are white girls victimized by negative media imagery? Do all white boys respect women? Are all white men good fathers? Will white people ever get the responsibility speech? No, they won't. There is no political advantage in pointing out white people's flaws, so they are safe from Obama's finger pointing. The New Yorker spread negative stereotypes about the Obamas and about all black people, but Barack Obama has made a career out of doing the very same thing.
So don't cry for him too much. His campaign is a thing of marketing beauty and will overcome any and all attacks. He will be president and black people will have more denunciation to look forward to.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Democrats Help Bush Break the Law
"What is most striking is that when the Congress was controlled by the GOP -- when the Senate was run by Bill Frist and the House by Denny Hastert -- the Bush administration attempted to have a bill passed very similar to the one that just passed today. But they were unable to do so. The administration had to wait until Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats took over Congress before being able to put a corrupt end to the scandal that began when, in December of 2005, the New York Times revealed that the President had been breaking the law for years by spying on Americans without the warrants required by law."
Glenn Greenwald
Iran Tests Missiles
Good! Just to be clear, I don't want any nation to launch missiles on any other nations. I do think it is good for Iran to remind the U.S. of one important thing. Opening a can of whupass insures that an ass whuppin' will emerge.
Good! Just to be clear, I don't want any nation to launch missiles on any other nations. I do think it is good for Iran to remind the U.S. of one important thing. Opening a can of whupass insures that an ass whuppin' will emerge.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Obama Hearts Rumsfeld and Bush
Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in the mainstream. Who said that? Was it Karl Rove? Perhaps it was Dick Cheney. No, it was Barack Obama. He didn't turn into Mr. Two-faced Democrat in Name Only overnight. He has obviously been planning a presidential run for a long time and never passed up a chance to suck up to the powerful people who could get him into the White House.
Way back in 2001 when Bush was announcing his cabinet choices, state senator Obama said that Rumsfeld and the rest of the Bush gang were just A-OK with him. Read it here and listen to the Rumsfeld statement here.
" 'The proof in the pudding is looking at the treatment of the other Bush nominees,' Obama said. 'I mean for the most part, I for example do not agree with a missile defense system, but I dont think that soon-to-be-Secretary Rumsfeld is in any way out of the mainstream of American political life. And I would argue that the same would be true for the vast majority of the Bush nominees, and I give him credit for that.'
'So I don’t want to be pegged as being far left simply because I find certain aspects in John Ashcroft’s record to be divisive or offensive,' Obama continued. 'I think it’s legitimate for me to raise that. As I said before, if he brought before us a nominee who didn’t agree with me on affirmative action and yet said that, you know, I do think that and showed a history for showing regard and concern for racial justice, if he came before us and said I oppose a woman’s right to choose, or I oppose abortion, I find it religiously offensive, and yet I do respect, for example, the notion that we shouldn’t be solving these things with violence, historically, if that had been what was said, then I don’t think I would object. And I think that’s a fair position to take.' "
What on earth is he saying? I have yet to see an opponent of affirmative action have a "concern for racial justice." What is the bar for this concern? Is it not being overtly racist? Is it being pleasant to black people? What is Obama's standard for these good hearted people who can oppose justice but still get his support? Supporting affirmative action does further justice, and justice comes only with a struggle and a willingness on the part of a president to join in those fights. Oh wait, I forgot. Obama will put an end to partisan bickering. Damn. I guess we're just screwed.
His comment on abortion opponents is similarly troubling. Apparently he won't fight for abortion rights as long as religious belief is the reason for opposition and those opponents don't burn down clinics. We can say good-bye to abortion rights in an Obama administration.
Progressives who don't pay attention to what Obama says are responsible for this mess we now find ourselves in. From FISA to Iraq to Moveon to Wesley Clark, Obama has thumbed his nose at people who supported his campaign. Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill said it best, progressives should have been players and not cheerleaders during the nomination battle. They weren't. They had no guts for a fight and now we are stuck with Senator Testy who gets hot under the collar when anyone dares to ask him what it means to "refine" his Iraq policy.
If your little political heart is now broken, don't complain. You just weren't paying attention. As Obama would say, "So long suckers."
Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in the mainstream. Who said that? Was it Karl Rove? Perhaps it was Dick Cheney. No, it was Barack Obama. He didn't turn into Mr. Two-faced Democrat in Name Only overnight. He has obviously been planning a presidential run for a long time and never passed up a chance to suck up to the powerful people who could get him into the White House.
Way back in 2001 when Bush was announcing his cabinet choices, state senator Obama said that Rumsfeld and the rest of the Bush gang were just A-OK with him. Read it here and listen to the Rumsfeld statement here.
" 'The proof in the pudding is looking at the treatment of the other Bush nominees,' Obama said. 'I mean for the most part, I for example do not agree with a missile defense system, but I dont think that soon-to-be-Secretary Rumsfeld is in any way out of the mainstream of American political life. And I would argue that the same would be true for the vast majority of the Bush nominees, and I give him credit for that.'
'So I don’t want to be pegged as being far left simply because I find certain aspects in John Ashcroft’s record to be divisive or offensive,' Obama continued. 'I think it’s legitimate for me to raise that. As I said before, if he brought before us a nominee who didn’t agree with me on affirmative action and yet said that, you know, I do think that and showed a history for showing regard and concern for racial justice, if he came before us and said I oppose a woman’s right to choose, or I oppose abortion, I find it religiously offensive, and yet I do respect, for example, the notion that we shouldn’t be solving these things with violence, historically, if that had been what was said, then I don’t think I would object. And I think that’s a fair position to take.' "
What on earth is he saying? I have yet to see an opponent of affirmative action have a "concern for racial justice." What is the bar for this concern? Is it not being overtly racist? Is it being pleasant to black people? What is Obama's standard for these good hearted people who can oppose justice but still get his support? Supporting affirmative action does further justice, and justice comes only with a struggle and a willingness on the part of a president to join in those fights. Oh wait, I forgot. Obama will put an end to partisan bickering. Damn. I guess we're just screwed.
His comment on abortion opponents is similarly troubling. Apparently he won't fight for abortion rights as long as religious belief is the reason for opposition and those opponents don't burn down clinics. We can say good-bye to abortion rights in an Obama administration.
Progressives who don't pay attention to what Obama says are responsible for this mess we now find ourselves in. From FISA to Iraq to Moveon to Wesley Clark, Obama has thumbed his nose at people who supported his campaign. Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill said it best, progressives should have been players and not cheerleaders during the nomination battle. They weren't. They had no guts for a fight and now we are stuck with Senator Testy who gets hot under the collar when anyone dares to ask him what it means to "refine" his Iraq policy.
If your little political heart is now broken, don't complain. You just weren't paying attention. As Obama would say, "So long suckers."
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Obama Is Worse Than I Thought
I will go into more detail later, but here is a letter I wrote to Salon in response to Glenn Greenwald's latest on Obama and FISA.
Greenwald is half right and half wrong
Glenn is doing great work, truly righteous work about Obama's FISA flip flop. But he is wrong about Obama's chances for victory. Obama is the corporate favorite and there is near universal revulsion against the Republicans and the obviously psycho McCain. The combination of Republican unpopularity and Obama's creepy appeal will propel him to victory and he will be as bad as Bush if not worse.
His campaign shows how he will govern. He has unnecessarily tossed Wesley Clark and Moveon under the back wheels of a Greyhound. The Moveon Petraeus story was so last year. His disparagement of the group that cooked their own books to endorse him was gratuitously mean spirited.
Glenn must start focusing on the nightmare of an Obama presidency and stop saying that we can't compare him to Bush and McCain. We can. He didn't just say he would keep the faith based initiative, he said he would expand it.
How does Obama differ with the Republicans? He won't end the Iraq occupation, he is willing to kill thousands of Iranians, and he will maintain illegal, warrantless surveillance.
It is only July. What will Obama say in October? I can barely stand to think about it.
I will go into more detail later, but here is a letter I wrote to Salon in response to Glenn Greenwald's latest on Obama and FISA.
Greenwald is half right and half wrong
Glenn is doing great work, truly righteous work about Obama's FISA flip flop. But he is wrong about Obama's chances for victory. Obama is the corporate favorite and there is near universal revulsion against the Republicans and the obviously psycho McCain. The combination of Republican unpopularity and Obama's creepy appeal will propel him to victory and he will be as bad as Bush if not worse.
His campaign shows how he will govern. He has unnecessarily tossed Wesley Clark and Moveon under the back wheels of a Greyhound. The Moveon Petraeus story was so last year. His disparagement of the group that cooked their own books to endorse him was gratuitously mean spirited.
Glenn must start focusing on the nightmare of an Obama presidency and stop saying that we can't compare him to Bush and McCain. We can. He didn't just say he would keep the faith based initiative, he said he would expand it.
How does Obama differ with the Republicans? He won't end the Iraq occupation, he is willing to kill thousands of Iranians, and he will maintain illegal, warrantless surveillance.
It is only July. What will Obama say in October? I can barely stand to think about it.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
"It’s obvious by now that Barack Obama is treating black Americans like one treats a demented uncle, brought out from his room to be ridiculed and scolded before company from time to time, the old Clinton Sistah Souljah strategy borrowed from Clinton’s first presidential campaign when he traveled the country criticizing the personal morality of blacks and wooing white voters by objecting to what he considered anti -white lyrics sung by rapper Sistah Souljah."
Ishmael Reed, former Obama supporter
"It’s obvious by now that Barack Obama is treating black Americans like one treats a demented uncle, brought out from his room to be ridiculed and scolded before company from time to time, the old Clinton Sistah Souljah strategy borrowed from Clinton’s first presidential campaign when he traveled the country criticizing the personal morality of blacks and wooing white voters by objecting to what he considered anti -white lyrics sung by rapper Sistah Souljah."
Ishmael Reed, former Obama supporter
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
A Beautiful Thought from George Carlin
"There are two ways to think about this existence we have. One of them is that it's Wednesday and it's three fifteen and we're talking here in my home, and at four o'clock I have to leave for another meeting. Now, that's a reality. But there's another reality. We're in the solar system of a second-rate star, three quarters of the way out on a spiral arm of an average galaxy in a thing called the Local Group. And ours is only one of billions of galaxies, each of which has billions of stars. Some star systems are binary, and there could be a planet that revolves around a center of gravity between two binary stars. So you'd have two sunrises and two sunsets every day. One could be a red giant, the other a white dwarf; two different-sized, -shaped, and -colored suns in the sky. And there might be other planets and comets. In other words, fuck Wednesday, fuck three fifteen, fuck four o'clock, fuck the United States, fuck the earth. It's all temporal bullshit. I like thinking about being out there and not thinking about the corporate structure, not worrying about freedom, and not worrying about guns. I chose a life of ideas. That entertains me. That nourishes me."
"There are two ways to think about this existence we have. One of them is that it's Wednesday and it's three fifteen and we're talking here in my home, and at four o'clock I have to leave for another meeting. Now, that's a reality. But there's another reality. We're in the solar system of a second-rate star, three quarters of the way out on a spiral arm of an average galaxy in a thing called the Local Group. And ours is only one of billions of galaxies, each of which has billions of stars. Some star systems are binary, and there could be a planet that revolves around a center of gravity between two binary stars. So you'd have two sunrises and two sunsets every day. One could be a red giant, the other a white dwarf; two different-sized, -shaped, and -colored suns in the sky. And there might be other planets and comets. In other words, fuck Wednesday, fuck three fifteen, fuck four o'clock, fuck the United States, fuck the earth. It's all temporal bullshit. I like thinking about being out there and not thinking about the corporate structure, not worrying about freedom, and not worrying about guns. I chose a life of ideas. That entertains me. That nourishes me."
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Regina Thomas for Congress
She needs your support. Obama is backing her opponent, the conservative incumbent.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Told You So
"Does it make sense to want a black president? Will we feel better seeing a black president even if he can't find the right time to leave Iraq, institute single payer health care, end mass incarceration, or fight for affirmative action? In the future, we will again see a black presidential candidate claiming that there is no black America. If we adhere to the belief that a black face in a high place is always good, that throwaway line in a speech might just take on a more ominous meaning."
Sorry if quoting myself is considered bad manners, but the above words of wisdom come from yours truly. I said that in my Black Agenda Report column in May of 2007 and was I ever right.
On Sunday Barack Obama insulted black people by spewing hate speech against black men and by the end of the week he announced that he would support the FISA bill cooked up by Pelosi and Hoyer that would give immunity to telecoms who spied on us illegally. When he was in the throes of a knock down drag out fight with Hillary Clinton, he was pressured to do the right thing.
“To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.”
No Hillary, no pressure. Now he says he supports the compromise.
As they used to say on late night television commercials, "But wait, there's more." Not only did the double talking bastard find a way to justify criminality perpetrated on the American people, but he endorsed a white conservative Congressman, John Barrow, in his primary fight against a black progressive state legislator, Regina Thomas.
"Barrow cynically waited until after Obama's sweeping primary victory in Georgia to endorse him. He did so only once he saw that Obama would likely be the nominee and obviously with the hope of having Obama encourage Barrow's sizable African-American constituency to support him. And now Obama turns around and intervenes in a Democratic primary on behalf of one of the worst Bush enablers in Congress -- not in order to help Barrow defeat an even-worse Republican, but to defeat a far better and plainly credible Democratic challenger."
You can contribute to Thomas' campaign here through Act Blue, but I digress. We all know what will happen to Thomas now. Black voters will go with Massa Obama. They will do what he says and his stab in the back to Thomas will be explained away or ignored outright. No one cares except me and ten other people, and I know them all by name.
This is a sad time for black people and for democracy, the little that is left of it.
"Does it make sense to want a black president? Will we feel better seeing a black president even if he can't find the right time to leave Iraq, institute single payer health care, end mass incarceration, or fight for affirmative action? In the future, we will again see a black presidential candidate claiming that there is no black America. If we adhere to the belief that a black face in a high place is always good, that throwaway line in a speech might just take on a more ominous meaning."
Sorry if quoting myself is considered bad manners, but the above words of wisdom come from yours truly. I said that in my Black Agenda Report column in May of 2007 and was I ever right.
On Sunday Barack Obama insulted black people by spewing hate speech against black men and by the end of the week he announced that he would support the FISA bill cooked up by Pelosi and Hoyer that would give immunity to telecoms who spied on us illegally. When he was in the throes of a knock down drag out fight with Hillary Clinton, he was pressured to do the right thing.
“To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.”
No Hillary, no pressure. Now he says he supports the compromise.
As they used to say on late night television commercials, "But wait, there's more." Not only did the double talking bastard find a way to justify criminality perpetrated on the American people, but he endorsed a white conservative Congressman, John Barrow, in his primary fight against a black progressive state legislator, Regina Thomas.
"Barrow cynically waited until after Obama's sweeping primary victory in Georgia to endorse him. He did so only once he saw that Obama would likely be the nominee and obviously with the hope of having Obama encourage Barrow's sizable African-American constituency to support him. And now Obama turns around and intervenes in a Democratic primary on behalf of one of the worst Bush enablers in Congress -- not in order to help Barrow defeat an even-worse Republican, but to defeat a far better and plainly credible Democratic challenger."
You can contribute to Thomas' campaign here through Act Blue, but I digress. We all know what will happen to Thomas now. Black voters will go with Massa Obama. They will do what he says and his stab in the back to Thomas will be explained away or ignored outright. No one cares except me and ten other people, and I know them all by name.
This is a sad time for black people and for democracy, the little that is left of it.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
What Obama Has Wrought
According to this Oliphant cartoon, black men are all lazy and irresponsible (with incredibly large feet and lips too). Oh, and they don't vote either.
The saddest thing of all is that most black people ate up Obama's Fathers Day speech. We do vote, and 99.99% of us will vote for this man who conjures up the most awful images about us. It is now acceptable to confirm and spread stereotypes, thanks to Obama and his hate speech.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Obama Lies
I have to thank Arthur Silber for linking to this Earl Ofari Hutchinson piece on the myths about black fathers. It seems that Mr. Brilliant Speech Writer and Law Professor can't research simple facts that were presented in Newsweek magazine.
"A month before Obama made this stereotypical and plainly false assertion, Boston University professor Rebekah Levine Coley, in a comprehensive study on the black family, found that black fathers who aren’t in the home are much more likely to sustain regular contact with their children than absentee white fathers, or for that matter, fathers of any other ethnic group. The study is not an obscure study buried in the thick pages of a musty academic journal. It was widely cited in a feature article on black fathers in the May 19, 2008 issue of Newsweek. There was no excuse then to spout this myth. The facts are totally contrary to Obama’s knock."
Who needs facts where black people are concerned. Glen Ford said as much in today's issue of Black Agenda Report.
"But there are large regions of the white body politic in which it is not only acceptable, but damn near required, that politicians demonstrate their impatience with the alleged moral shortcomings of Black people. Barack Obama trolls for votes in those foul waters, at the cost of Black people's dignity."
That statement isn'treally surprising. Glen's most important points are about the the sick relationship between Obama and black voters.
"African Americans are expected to circle the wagons at the merest hint of racist threats to the candidate. Any slight to Obama, real or imagined, must be met with massive Black response, while Obama's disregard of Black priorities and sensibilities is endlessly forgivable. At the commonsensical level, the entire Obama-Black folks relationship is so bizarre as to seem insane. The candidate has been imposed on the African American polity by corporate forces in the Democratic Party, of which he is a loyal, Harvard-vetted operative. He constantly swears fealty to the white American civic religions of American Exceptionalism and Manifest Destiny, both rooted in race supremacy. He has proven his devotion to this ghastly Euro-American mythology and worldview, through public denunciation of liberation theology and ritual separation from one of its major institutions. He bows to imperial power and its endless expansion, fully aware that, as Dr. Martin Luther King phrased it 40 years ago, the military will 'draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube, draining all hope for creation of a just society.' "
Seem insane? Glen is being too kind. It is insane. Black people applauded Obama's speech far outside the walls of that church. Most of us just don't care what he says or does. We will support him as he leads us to war or to jail or the unemployment line or the poor house or to the gates of hell itself.
There is nothing but more pathology to come between now and November. I can barely stand to think about it.
I have to thank Arthur Silber for linking to this Earl Ofari Hutchinson piece on the myths about black fathers. It seems that Mr. Brilliant Speech Writer and Law Professor can't research simple facts that were presented in Newsweek magazine.
"A month before Obama made this stereotypical and plainly false assertion, Boston University professor Rebekah Levine Coley, in a comprehensive study on the black family, found that black fathers who aren’t in the home are much more likely to sustain regular contact with their children than absentee white fathers, or for that matter, fathers of any other ethnic group. The study is not an obscure study buried in the thick pages of a musty academic journal. It was widely cited in a feature article on black fathers in the May 19, 2008 issue of Newsweek. There was no excuse then to spout this myth. The facts are totally contrary to Obama’s knock."
Who needs facts where black people are concerned. Glen Ford said as much in today's issue of Black Agenda Report.
"But there are large regions of the white body politic in which it is not only acceptable, but damn near required, that politicians demonstrate their impatience with the alleged moral shortcomings of Black people. Barack Obama trolls for votes in those foul waters, at the cost of Black people's dignity."
That statement isn'treally surprising. Glen's most important points are about the the sick relationship between Obama and black voters.
"African Americans are expected to circle the wagons at the merest hint of racist threats to the candidate. Any slight to Obama, real or imagined, must be met with massive Black response, while Obama's disregard of Black priorities and sensibilities is endlessly forgivable. At the commonsensical level, the entire Obama-Black folks relationship is so bizarre as to seem insane. The candidate has been imposed on the African American polity by corporate forces in the Democratic Party, of which he is a loyal, Harvard-vetted operative. He constantly swears fealty to the white American civic religions of American Exceptionalism and Manifest Destiny, both rooted in race supremacy. He has proven his devotion to this ghastly Euro-American mythology and worldview, through public denunciation of liberation theology and ritual separation from one of its major institutions. He bows to imperial power and its endless expansion, fully aware that, as Dr. Martin Luther King phrased it 40 years ago, the military will 'draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube, draining all hope for creation of a just society.' "
Seem insane? Glen is being too kind. It is insane. Black people applauded Obama's speech far outside the walls of that church. Most of us just don't care what he says or does. We will support him as he leads us to war or to jail or the unemployment line or the poor house or to the gates of hell itself.
There is nothing but more pathology to come between now and November. I can barely stand to think about it.
Monday, June 16, 2008
No Good, Shiftless, Lazy, Baby Making Black Men
According to Barack Obama, that is the sum total of the black fatherhood experience. He never mentions black men specifically without bringing all of them down to the lowest, most mean spirited stereotypes. Beating up on black men is the low hanging fruit of politics. As the New York Times put it, his speech yesterday was meant to ". . . resonate among white social conservatives in a race where these voters may be up for grabs."
Hopefully the Senator will get around to acknowledging the black men who fulfill their responsibilities, only to have states take their hard earned money away from their kids. As reported in this New York Times (sometimes they get things right) last year "Mothers Scrimp as States Take Child Support".
"The collection of child support from absent fathers is failing to help many of the poorest families, in part because the government uses fathers’ payments largely to recoup welfare costs rather than passing on the money to mothers and children.
Close to half the states pass along none of collected child support to families on welfare, while most others pay only $50 a month to a custodial parent, usually the mother, even though the father may be paying hundreds of dollars each month."
Obama did mention obliquely that money shouldn't go to bureaucrats, but that was buried well into the speech, after he referred to black adult males as "boys acting like men."
Is it possible for Obama to talk about men who are doing well, to highlight their successes in spite of struggle, or is he just going to make jokes that black men are happy with 8th grade educations and steal lines from Chris Rock? Perhaps Mr. Smart Politician can find a group of black men to praise publicly. Dream on. That doesn't make for the cheap applause line.
As for black people, what can I say? We have lost all self respect. We express unending devotion to a politician who calls black men boys. We cheer him when he brags that he will have a foreign policy like Ronald Reagan, a president few of us liked. We defend him when he states that he will continue America's violence around the world and kill people in Gaza or Iran or wherever the pro-Israeli lobby and the military industrial complex say that someone must die at the hands of Uncle Sam.
He will get applause every where he goes, from white people who will be reassured that he won't represent the needs of black people, and from black people who will be happy to see him sworn into office, no matter what he says about them. As I said in Black Agenda Report, Obama's victory will mean the end of truth telling in the black community. "It turns out that Obama's hand on the bible next January will be historic in more ways than one. Almost all of black America will have decided to sell their souls in order to witness this scene. That will certainly be a change, but it isn't anything we should believe in."
According to Barack Obama, that is the sum total of the black fatherhood experience. He never mentions black men specifically without bringing all of them down to the lowest, most mean spirited stereotypes. Beating up on black men is the low hanging fruit of politics. As the New York Times put it, his speech yesterday was meant to ". . . resonate among white social conservatives in a race where these voters may be up for grabs."
Hopefully the Senator will get around to acknowledging the black men who fulfill their responsibilities, only to have states take their hard earned money away from their kids. As reported in this New York Times (sometimes they get things right) last year "Mothers Scrimp as States Take Child Support".
"The collection of child support from absent fathers is failing to help many of the poorest families, in part because the government uses fathers’ payments largely to recoup welfare costs rather than passing on the money to mothers and children.
Close to half the states pass along none of collected child support to families on welfare, while most others pay only $50 a month to a custodial parent, usually the mother, even though the father may be paying hundreds of dollars each month."
Obama did mention obliquely that money shouldn't go to bureaucrats, but that was buried well into the speech, after he referred to black adult males as "boys acting like men."
Is it possible for Obama to talk about men who are doing well, to highlight their successes in spite of struggle, or is he just going to make jokes that black men are happy with 8th grade educations and steal lines from Chris Rock? Perhaps Mr. Smart Politician can find a group of black men to praise publicly. Dream on. That doesn't make for the cheap applause line.
As for black people, what can I say? We have lost all self respect. We express unending devotion to a politician who calls black men boys. We cheer him when he brags that he will have a foreign policy like Ronald Reagan, a president few of us liked. We defend him when he states that he will continue America's violence around the world and kill people in Gaza or Iran or wherever the pro-Israeli lobby and the military industrial complex say that someone must die at the hands of Uncle Sam.
He will get applause every where he goes, from white people who will be reassured that he won't represent the needs of black people, and from black people who will be happy to see him sworn into office, no matter what he says about them. As I said in Black Agenda Report, Obama's victory will mean the end of truth telling in the black community. "It turns out that Obama's hand on the bible next January will be historic in more ways than one. Almost all of black America will have decided to sell their souls in order to witness this scene. That will certainly be a change, but it isn't anything we should believe in."
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Arthur Silber
"Margaret Kimberley is one of only a handful of bloggers entirely exempt from the condemnation that follows. Not only is she, together with Chris Floyd, exempt: if I had the power to bestow medals of honor that genuinely recognized what the word "honor" is intended to convey, she and Floyd would be the first two recipients."
I admire Arthur tremendously, and he seems admire me too. The mutual admiration society will definitely continue. And I love being lumped in with Chris Floyd too.
Arthur gets all starry eyed because I try to tell the truth about the way our system really works. I recently came across this great quote, which if I may be so bold, is a central theme of Silber's writing too.
"The two greatest obstacles to democracy in the United States are, first, the widespread delusion among the poor that we have a democracy, and second, the chronic terror among the rich, lest we get it." - Edward Dowling
I don't know who Edward Dowling was, but he certainly hit the nail on the head. I saw this quote in an article about Barack Obama and his support for the American empire. No, there will not be change coming from him. As always change will come from us, or not at all. Actually I take that back. Good change will come from us. There is going to be change, the only question is whose and who will it benefit.
"Margaret Kimberley is one of only a handful of bloggers entirely exempt from the condemnation that follows. Not only is she, together with Chris Floyd, exempt: if I had the power to bestow medals of honor that genuinely recognized what the word "honor" is intended to convey, she and Floyd would be the first two recipients."
I admire Arthur tremendously, and he seems admire me too. The mutual admiration society will definitely continue. And I love being lumped in with Chris Floyd too.
Arthur gets all starry eyed because I try to tell the truth about the way our system really works. I recently came across this great quote, which if I may be so bold, is a central theme of Silber's writing too.
"The two greatest obstacles to democracy in the United States are, first, the widespread delusion among the poor that we have a democracy, and second, the chronic terror among the rich, lest we get it." - Edward Dowling
I don't know who Edward Dowling was, but he certainly hit the nail on the head. I saw this quote in an article about Barack Obama and his support for the American empire. No, there will not be change coming from him. As always change will come from us, or not at all. Actually I take that back. Good change will come from us. There is going to be change, the only question is whose and who will it benefit.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Wish I'd Said That Part II
"This is the way it always works - before the presidential election, they say: 'well, we can't risk losing the presidential election. It's too important. We have to wait until after the election.'
Then, if Obama wins, we'll hear: 'We can't risk losing our Congressional majority in the 2010 midterms. Bill Clinton overreached in his first two years and it led to Newt Gingrich. We can't risk that. So we have to wait until after the midterm election.'
Then, after the 2010 midterm elections, we'll hear: 'well, we can't risk losing Obama's re-election in 2012. It's too important. We have to wait until after the election.'
Repeat endlessly.
The only thing that can break that cycle is if a person gets into power who is transformative rather than a status quo caretaker devoted to the perpetuation of his own power. People have different views, of course, about whether Obama is such a figure. I don't think people who claim he is -- including Obama himself -- really know."
"This is the way it always works - before the presidential election, they say: 'well, we can't risk losing the presidential election. It's too important. We have to wait until after the election.'
Then, if Obama wins, we'll hear: 'We can't risk losing our Congressional majority in the 2010 midterms. Bill Clinton overreached in his first two years and it led to Newt Gingrich. We can't risk that. So we have to wait until after the midterm election.'
Then, after the 2010 midterm elections, we'll hear: 'well, we can't risk losing Obama's re-election in 2012. It's too important. We have to wait until after the election.'
Repeat endlessly.
The only thing that can break that cycle is if a person gets into power who is transformative rather than a status quo caretaker devoted to the perpetuation of his own power. People have different views, of course, about whether Obama is such a figure. I don't think people who claim he is -- including Obama himself -- really know."
I have to disagree with Greenwald here. Anyone paying attention knows that Obama is "a status quo caretaker devoted to the perpetuation of his own power." As Greenwald said, repeat endlessly.
Wish I'd Said That
"I ask this literally, not rhetorically: can someone identify even one meaningful event from the past 18 months that would have been different had the GOP retained control of both houses of Congress? Just one." - Glenn Greenwald
I can't. I dare anyone else to try. Greenwald is venting his spleen about the great FISA treason committed by Pelosi, Hoyer and Silvestre. They are planning to give Bush everything he wants, i.e. warrantless surveillance and retroactive immunity for telecoms who broke the law.
Here is the really sad part. Greenwald and anyone else who is paying attention will be asking the same question about President Obama. Trust me. Change is not coming, not anytime soon.
"I ask this literally, not rhetorically: can someone identify even one meaningful event from the past 18 months that would have been different had the GOP retained control of both houses of Congress? Just one." - Glenn Greenwald
I can't. I dare anyone else to try. Greenwald is venting his spleen about the great FISA treason committed by Pelosi, Hoyer and Silvestre. They are planning to give Bush everything he wants, i.e. warrantless surveillance and retroactive immunity for telecoms who broke the law.
Here is the really sad part. Greenwald and anyone else who is paying attention will be asking the same question about President Obama. Trust me. Change is not coming, not anytime soon.
Kucinich Presents Articles of Impeachment
Thank goodness for Dennis Kucinich. He is still standing firm and demanding that Bush and Cheney be impeached.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
"Listen up, Obama, you cheap, lying fraud: the United States government launched a criminal war of aggression against a nation that never threatened us. It continues a bloody, murdering occupation which does nothing but worsen the agony of the Iraqi people. We have no right to be in Iraq at all. We never did. The actions of the United States government have led to a genocide of world historical proportions.
Genocidal murderers and those who support and enable them -- as you do, Obama, since you vote to fund this continuing crime -- do not get to "ask" one single goddamned fucking thing of their victims. Not. One. Single. Goddamned. Fucking. Thing.
Get it, you pathetic little asshole?" - Arthur Silber
"Listen up, Obama, you cheap, lying fraud: the United States government launched a criminal war of aggression against a nation that never threatened us. It continues a bloody, murdering occupation which does nothing but worsen the agony of the Iraqi people. We have no right to be in Iraq at all. We never did. The actions of the United States government have led to a genocide of world historical proportions.
Genocidal murderers and those who support and enable them -- as you do, Obama, since you vote to fund this continuing crime -- do not get to "ask" one single goddamned fucking thing of their victims. Not. One. Single. Goddamned. Fucking. Thing.
Get it, you pathetic little asshole?" - Arthur Silber
Can Rebecca Walker Please Shut Up
Rebecca Walker is really mad at her mother, writer Alice Walker. She is so mad that she has made an entire career out of her anger. The younger Ms. Walker doesn't really have much to say, but what the hell. If she wasn't Alice Walker's daughter she would never have been able to make a living as a writer in the first place. Why not use mom's name to make money and then use resentment at her to keep making a good living?
Several years ago I read, or rather tried to read, Black, White and Jewish, her autobiography. I couldn't finish it because Ms. Walker really had very little to say, except that she was mad at her parents. It is interesting that she doesn't use her father's last name, Leventhal, instead of her mother's. Like I said, you don't get a book deal from being Mel Leventhal's daughter.
Mother and daughter are estranged and that fact is unlikely to change. The younger Walker penned a piece for Britain's right wing Daily Mail, How My Mother's Fanatical Views Tore Us Apart, in which she lambasts her mother and all feminists for her difficult childhood.
I won't argue with Rebecca Walker if she says her mother did a bad job. I will take her word for it. But she has become quite tiresome and needs to discuss her issues with a good therapist so she can stop using her mother's fame to punish the rest of us. You see we have to keep hearing about her bad her mother was, and then Salon and other media outlets picks up on it and now her personal family dysfunction becomes fodder for useless talk about a mediocre talent.
Right now endless screeds about Alice Walker are boring and make Rebecca Walker look bad. Trust me. No one is wondering about Alice Walker's parenting. They wonder why her daughter can't find something else to say.
Rebecca Walker is really mad at her mother, writer Alice Walker. She is so mad that she has made an entire career out of her anger. The younger Ms. Walker doesn't really have much to say, but what the hell. If she wasn't Alice Walker's daughter she would never have been able to make a living as a writer in the first place. Why not use mom's name to make money and then use resentment at her to keep making a good living?
Several years ago I read, or rather tried to read, Black, White and Jewish, her autobiography. I couldn't finish it because Ms. Walker really had very little to say, except that she was mad at her parents. It is interesting that she doesn't use her father's last name, Leventhal, instead of her mother's. Like I said, you don't get a book deal from being Mel Leventhal's daughter.
Mother and daughter are estranged and that fact is unlikely to change. The younger Walker penned a piece for Britain's right wing Daily Mail, How My Mother's Fanatical Views Tore Us Apart, in which she lambasts her mother and all feminists for her difficult childhood.
I won't argue with Rebecca Walker if she says her mother did a bad job. I will take her word for it. But she has become quite tiresome and needs to discuss her issues with a good therapist so she can stop using her mother's fame to punish the rest of us. You see we have to keep hearing about her bad her mother was, and then Salon and other media outlets picks up on it and now her personal family dysfunction becomes fodder for useless talk about a mediocre talent.
Right now endless screeds about Alice Walker are boring and make Rebecca Walker look bad. Trust me. No one is wondering about Alice Walker's parenting. They wonder why her daughter can't find something else to say.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Thanks Electronic Intifada
Electronic Intifada is one of my favorite websites. I am very proud that they posted my most recent Black Agenda Report column, Slow Death in Gaza.
Thanks EI.
Electronic Intifada is one of my favorite websites. I am very proud that they posted my most recent Black Agenda Report column, Slow Death in Gaza.
Thanks EI.
Rogue Nation Threatens Nuclear Terror
"Undoubtedly, nuclear weapons in the hands of an irresponsible regime with a long record of war crimes and crimes against humanity poses the most immediate and serious threat that the world and the region are facing."
What is the country in question? If you said North Korea you are wrong. If Pakistan came to mind you are still wrong. Israel? Bingo!
The above quote comes from Mohammad Khazaee, Iran's representative to the United Nations. He made this statement in response to Israeli cabinet minister Shaul Mofaz's assertion that an attack on Iran was "unavoidable." Khazaee got straight to the point about the threat that Israel poses to the world.
"Such a dangerous threat against a sovereign State and a member of the United Nations constitutes a manifest violation of international law and contravenes the most fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and, thus, requires a resolute and clear response on the part of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council."
Lots of luck Khazaee. Even if the Security Council took action, the United States would use its veto power and once again let Israel off the hook. Israel is free to attack Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza and exact collective punishment on civilian populations, all because it is Uncle Sam's client state.
John McCain and Barack Obama have both pledged to continue America's subservience to Israel, so Iran will always have its sovereignty and its very existence threatened. So much for change.
"Undoubtedly, nuclear weapons in the hands of an irresponsible regime with a long record of war crimes and crimes against humanity poses the most immediate and serious threat that the world and the region are facing."
What is the country in question? If you said North Korea you are wrong. If Pakistan came to mind you are still wrong. Israel? Bingo!
The above quote comes from Mohammad Khazaee, Iran's representative to the United Nations. He made this statement in response to Israeli cabinet minister Shaul Mofaz's assertion that an attack on Iran was "unavoidable." Khazaee got straight to the point about the threat that Israel poses to the world.
"Such a dangerous threat against a sovereign State and a member of the United Nations constitutes a manifest violation of international law and contravenes the most fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and, thus, requires a resolute and clear response on the part of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council."
Lots of luck Khazaee. Even if the Security Council took action, the United States would use its veto power and once again let Israel off the hook. Israel is free to attack Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza and exact collective punishment on civilian populations, all because it is Uncle Sam's client state.
John McCain and Barack Obama have both pledged to continue America's subservience to Israel, so Iran will always have its sovereignty and its very existence threatened. So much for change.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Samuel Sheinbein Yes, Norman Finkelstein No
The government of Israel has had its revenge on Norman Finkelstein. The former college professor is a courageous critic of the Israeli government. That is how he came to be a former professor. Alan Dershowitz and other pro-Israel propagandists waged a successful scorched earth campaign to deny him tenure at DePaul university last year.
Finkelstein is Jewish and an American citizen and as such should have had no problem entering Israel. Not only was he denied entry into Israel last week, but he was banned from entering for another ten years. If Israel doesn't like being compared to apartheid era South Africa, it shouldn't act like it.
Israel's Law of Return gives Jews the right not just to visit Israel, but to show up at any moment and get citizenship. I guess the law doesn't apply to critics of that government.
It does however apply to cold blooded thrill killers. In 1997 Samuel Sheinbein told friends he wanted to rape or murder someone. When Alfredo Tello got into a fight with his friend Aaron Needles, Tello became the object of his violent fantasy. Sheinbein and Needles murdered Tello and dismembered and burned his body.
To make a long story short, Sheinbein got away with murder. Sheinbein's father was an Israeli citizen and Israeli courts saw fit to bestow the same right on the fugitive son too. At the time Israel did not permit its citizens to be extradited to any nation on earth, not even to the United States, their patron and partner in crime.
Sheinbein now walks freely in Israel, without fear of ever being brought to justice. If Sheinbein is acceptable and Finkelstein isn't, Israel has reached a new low.
The government of Israel has had its revenge on Norman Finkelstein. The former college professor is a courageous critic of the Israeli government. That is how he came to be a former professor. Alan Dershowitz and other pro-Israel propagandists waged a successful scorched earth campaign to deny him tenure at DePaul university last year.
Finkelstein is Jewish and an American citizen and as such should have had no problem entering Israel. Not only was he denied entry into Israel last week, but he was banned from entering for another ten years. If Israel doesn't like being compared to apartheid era South Africa, it shouldn't act like it.
Israel's Law of Return gives Jews the right not just to visit Israel, but to show up at any moment and get citizenship. I guess the law doesn't apply to critics of that government.
It does however apply to cold blooded thrill killers. In 1997 Samuel Sheinbein told friends he wanted to rape or murder someone. When Alfredo Tello got into a fight with his friend Aaron Needles, Tello became the object of his violent fantasy. Sheinbein and Needles murdered Tello and dismembered and burned his body.
To make a long story short, Sheinbein got away with murder. Sheinbein's father was an Israeli citizen and Israeli courts saw fit to bestow the same right on the fugitive son too. At the time Israel did not permit its citizens to be extradited to any nation on earth, not even to the United States, their patron and partner in crime.
Sheinbein now walks freely in Israel, without fear of ever being brought to justice. If Sheinbein is acceptable and Finkelstein isn't, Israel has reached a new low.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
"Of course, the guy is an Obama supporter, which apparently gives him the freedom to question the motivations of blacks who complain just a bit too much about racism. Stop whining and assimilate!, he more or less told them through me. White people are sick and tired of listening to your crap! It was an astonishing moment, as I had not until that instant guessed that this guy harbored such feelings. But it further underlines my belief that Obama is the perfect candidate for race-challenged liberals, since Obama makes them comfortable in their grayish-pink skins, and does not pester them with tales of racism and oppression. This will become more evident now that Obama has nailed down the nomination."
Dennis Perrin, A Red State Son
"Of course, the guy is an Obama supporter, which apparently gives him the freedom to question the motivations of blacks who complain just a bit too much about racism. Stop whining and assimilate!, he more or less told them through me. White people are sick and tired of listening to your crap! It was an astonishing moment, as I had not until that instant guessed that this guy harbored such feelings. But it further underlines my belief that Obama is the perfect candidate for race-challenged liberals, since Obama makes them comfortable in their grayish-pink skins, and does not pester them with tales of racism and oppression. This will become more evident now that Obama has nailed down the nomination."
Dennis Perrin, A Red State Son
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Kudos from Floyd and Silber
Aside from Black Agenda Report, my two favorite web sites are Chris Floyd's Empire Burlesque and Arthur Silber's Once Upon a Time, Power of Narrative.
Today Silber did me the great honor of quoting from a column I wrote last year. The subject of that column was the the book Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present. Floyd in turn quoted Silber, and thus my name is linked with greatness in not one, but two places.
Silber and Floyd are heroes of mine because they tell the truth. They tell the truth about Bush, and Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. They spare no one and they have no allegiance to either of our dreadful political parties. I am truly honored that Silber would give me some attention and put my name alongside that of Jeremiah Wright.
Wright is being pilloried because he is a truth teller. Black Americans used to be the most consistent truth tellers in the country, but the ascendance and possible presidency of Barack Obama has changed all that. That will be the subject of my next Black Agenda Report column to be published this Wednesday.
Thanks again Chris and Arthur. I truly appreciate you both in so many ways.
Aside from Black Agenda Report, my two favorite web sites are Chris Floyd's Empire Burlesque and Arthur Silber's Once Upon a Time, Power of Narrative.
Today Silber did me the great honor of quoting from a column I wrote last year. The subject of that column was the the book Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present. Floyd in turn quoted Silber, and thus my name is linked with greatness in not one, but two places.
Silber and Floyd are heroes of mine because they tell the truth. They tell the truth about Bush, and Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. They spare no one and they have no allegiance to either of our dreadful political parties. I am truly honored that Silber would give me some attention and put my name alongside that of Jeremiah Wright.
Wright is being pilloried because he is a truth teller. Black Americans used to be the most consistent truth tellers in the country, but the ascendance and possible presidency of Barack Obama has changed all that. That will be the subject of my next Black Agenda Report column to be published this Wednesday.
Thanks again Chris and Arthur. I truly appreciate you both in so many ways.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Sami al-Hajj speaks of his Guantanamo ordeal - 02 May 2008
Sami al-Haj was an al-Jazeera camera man imprisoned on Guantanamo since 2002. He was never charged with a crime, he was interrogated more than 200 times.
Wright and Obama
"Almost every politician lies, and most politicians lie repeatedly. Yet in one sense, Obama's speech is exceptional, rare and unique -- but not for any of the reasons offered by Obama's uncritical, mindless adulators. It is exceptional for this reason: it is rare that a candidate will announce in such stark, comprehensive terms that he will lie about every fact of moment, about every aspect of our history that affects the crises of today and that has led to them, about everything that might challenge the mythological view of America. But that is what Obama achieved with this speech. It may be a remarkable achievement -- a remarkable and detestable one, and one that promises endless destruction in the future, both here and abroad." Arthur Silber
I didn't weigh in on the latest Obama/Wright contretemps because my personal life has been much too busy of late. You can as always check out Black Agenda Report, which keeps it very real as always. "In order for his race-neutral strategy to appear sane, Obama must constantly paint a picture of an America that does not exist. This cannot be accomplished without mangling the truth, assaulting the truth-tellers, and misrepresenting America's past and present."
I'll keep it short. Obama is still bad news for the nation and for the world. He wouldn't be a worse president than Hillary "we'll obliterate them" Clinton. But he wouldn't be any better. He is pledged to continue the dominance of the ruling class and the ever growing American empire. The best that can be said of him is that he will be no worse than anyone else who is acceptable to the ruling class.
But for black people he will be worse. Hillary Clinton would have been taken to task if she had said she would have a foreign policy "like Ronald Reagan's." Obama was allowed to get away with that and other outrageous remarks and it doesn't bode well. He will do what he said he would do. He will keep the empire intact, he will keep government lawlessness intact. After all, he still sees no reason to impeach Bush or Cheney. Obama will be very bad news indeed.
Remember you read it here first.
"Almost every politician lies, and most politicians lie repeatedly. Yet in one sense, Obama's speech is exceptional, rare and unique -- but not for any of the reasons offered by Obama's uncritical, mindless adulators. It is exceptional for this reason: it is rare that a candidate will announce in such stark, comprehensive terms that he will lie about every fact of moment, about every aspect of our history that affects the crises of today and that has led to them, about everything that might challenge the mythological view of America. But that is what Obama achieved with this speech. It may be a remarkable achievement -- a remarkable and detestable one, and one that promises endless destruction in the future, both here and abroad." Arthur Silber
I didn't weigh in on the latest Obama/Wright contretemps because my personal life has been much too busy of late. You can as always check out Black Agenda Report, which keeps it very real as always. "In order for his race-neutral strategy to appear sane, Obama must constantly paint a picture of an America that does not exist. This cannot be accomplished without mangling the truth, assaulting the truth-tellers, and misrepresenting America's past and present."
I'll keep it short. Obama is still bad news for the nation and for the world. He wouldn't be a worse president than Hillary "we'll obliterate them" Clinton. But he wouldn't be any better. He is pledged to continue the dominance of the ruling class and the ever growing American empire. The best that can be said of him is that he will be no worse than anyone else who is acceptable to the ruling class.
But for black people he will be worse. Hillary Clinton would have been taken to task if she had said she would have a foreign policy "like Ronald Reagan's." Obama was allowed to get away with that and other outrageous remarks and it doesn't bode well. He will do what he said he would do. He will keep the empire intact, he will keep government lawlessness intact. After all, he still sees no reason to impeach Bush or Cheney. Obama will be very bad news indeed.
Remember you read it here first.
Sami al-Haj is Free
Sami al-Haj has been freed from Guantanamo and is now in his home country, Sudan. He was a camera man for al-Jazeera who was seized by Pakistani officials and turned over to the U.S. in 2002. al-Haj went through more than 200 interrogations, and was subjected to forced feeding. His family say that the 39 year-old now looks like a man in his 80s.
His interrogators offered al-Haj freedom if he would agree to spy for the U.S. but he always refused, hence the 6 years behind bars. Obviously goodness and nobility have nothing to do with his release. The U.S. government must have seen some advantage in releasing him now.
Sami al-Haj is a living witness to the criminality of the American government. His brother, Asim al-Haj, said it best. "Today, I'd like to urge the United Nations, international human rights organizations and the international press to bring a serious investigation into the case of Sami al-Haj, because we really have no idea what happened to Sami al-Haj while he was at Guantanamo." Asim al-Haj might have added the United States Congress to that list of investigatory bodies. Of course they will never investigate anything because that would mean taking some sort of action, like impeachment.
Sami al-Haj has been freed from Guantanamo and is now in his home country, Sudan. He was a camera man for al-Jazeera who was seized by Pakistani officials and turned over to the U.S. in 2002. al-Haj went through more than 200 interrogations, and was subjected to forced feeding. His family say that the 39 year-old now looks like a man in his 80s.
His interrogators offered al-Haj freedom if he would agree to spy for the U.S. but he always refused, hence the 6 years behind bars. Obviously goodness and nobility have nothing to do with his release. The U.S. government must have seen some advantage in releasing him now.
Sami al-Haj is a living witness to the criminality of the American government. His brother, Asim al-Haj, said it best. "Today, I'd like to urge the United Nations, international human rights organizations and the international press to bring a serious investigation into the case of Sami al-Haj, because we really have no idea what happened to Sami al-Haj while he was at Guantanamo." Asim al-Haj might have added the United States Congress to that list of investigatory bodies. Of course they will never investigate anything because that would mean taking some sort of action, like impeachment.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Oh No He Didn't
"The world owes Bush a huge debt of gratitude." - Gordon Brown
Watch it, if you can hold down your lunch.
"The world owes Bush a huge debt of gratitude." - Gordon Brown
Watch it, if you can hold down your lunch.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Bilal Hussein is Free
We have to rejoice when there is some justice in this world. Pulitzer prize winning photojournalist Bilal Hussein is now a free man. Hussein was held by the U.S. military in Iraq for more than two years without ever being charged with a crime. He was one of more than 25,000 Iraqis who shared that fate.
Hussein became a target of Uncle Sam's wrath because he told the truth about the occupation. Apparently a picture is worth 1,000 words. Hussein's photos of the destruction of Fallujah were the final straw and he was arrested.
Before he was arrested he was the target of right wing bloggers such as Michelle Malkin who told outright lies about him. The military in fact told Malkin they had Hussein in custody before they told his employers at the Associated Press.
Malkin is always a villain, but so are the corporate media. None of them bothered to do any serious reporting on Hussein's case. The New York Times hired liar Bill Kristol while never telling readers about the injustice committed against Bilal Hussein.
If there is any real justice in this case Bilal Hussein will act like a good patriot American and get a lawyer. A law suit against Michelle Malkin would be the perfect ending of this story.
We have to rejoice when there is some justice in this world. Pulitzer prize winning photojournalist Bilal Hussein is now a free man. Hussein was held by the U.S. military in Iraq for more than two years without ever being charged with a crime. He was one of more than 25,000 Iraqis who shared that fate.
Hussein became a target of Uncle Sam's wrath because he told the truth about the occupation. Apparently a picture is worth 1,000 words. Hussein's photos of the destruction of Fallujah were the final straw and he was arrested.
Before he was arrested he was the target of right wing bloggers such as Michelle Malkin who told outright lies about him. The military in fact told Malkin they had Hussein in custody before they told his employers at the Associated Press.
Malkin is always a villain, but so are the corporate media. None of them bothered to do any serious reporting on Hussein's case. The New York Times hired liar Bill Kristol while never telling readers about the injustice committed against Bilal Hussein.
If there is any real justice in this case Bilal Hussein will act like a good patriot American and get a lawyer. A law suit against Michelle Malkin would be the perfect ending of this story.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
"Get out of that seat. You have no right to be here."
Who does not have the right to testify before government representatives? I thought every American had that right, but noooo. I was very wrong.
Last week Robert Sherman, a candidate for a seat in the Illinois state legislature, was testifying before the State Government Administrative Committee to oppose the governor's decision to grant a Chicago church $1 million to rebuild after a fire. Sherman argues that the allocation to Pilgrim Baptist Church is unconstitutional. Not only is the grant in all likelihood unconstitutional, but the money that was supposed to help rebuild instead went to fund a school housed in the church. Governor Blagojevich claims it was all a "bureacratic mistake." Well, the mistake is considerable because the school is more than a little shady.
The grant came as state and federal authorities were trying to collect thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes from the school, the Tribune reported Wednesday. Other potential roadblocks also were cleared to make the grant possible: The governor gave a rare and swift pardon to the school's director, a convicted felon; the school registered as a charitable organization for the first time in its 25-year history; and the school filed three years' worth of required state tax documents in one day.
But I digress. Representative Monique Davis could not contain her rage when an atheist dared to show up and ask questions about the use of the public's money. "And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!" She told Sherman he had no right to testify and tried to show him the door.
Where does one begin? The ignorance spewed by Davis is just astounding. The transcript is bad enough, the audio which clearly indicates that she was getting exhortations of "amen" are even worse.
So it comes to this. Christians can't bear to even know that atheists exist? Shameful.
Who does not have the right to testify before government representatives? I thought every American had that right, but noooo. I was very wrong.
Last week Robert Sherman, a candidate for a seat in the Illinois state legislature, was testifying before the State Government Administrative Committee to oppose the governor's decision to grant a Chicago church $1 million to rebuild after a fire. Sherman argues that the allocation to Pilgrim Baptist Church is unconstitutional. Not only is the grant in all likelihood unconstitutional, but the money that was supposed to help rebuild instead went to fund a school housed in the church. Governor Blagojevich claims it was all a "bureacratic mistake." Well, the mistake is considerable because the school is more than a little shady.
The grant came as state and federal authorities were trying to collect thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes from the school, the Tribune reported Wednesday. Other potential roadblocks also were cleared to make the grant possible: The governor gave a rare and swift pardon to the school's director, a convicted felon; the school registered as a charitable organization for the first time in its 25-year history; and the school filed three years' worth of required state tax documents in one day.
But I digress. Representative Monique Davis could not contain her rage when an atheist dared to show up and ask questions about the use of the public's money. "And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!" She told Sherman he had no right to testify and tried to show him the door.
Where does one begin? The ignorance spewed by Davis is just astounding. The transcript is bad enough, the audio which clearly indicates that she was getting exhortations of "amen" are even worse.
So it comes to this. Christians can't bear to even know that atheists exist? Shameful.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Obama's Lies
Nearly two weeks have passed since Barack Obama gave a speech on race. I never knew why so many people fainted, wept or saw God when they heard it, but then again I don't get the appeal of Obama at all.
I am stuck on an Obama truth telling mission and I don't want to stop. So, not to beat a dead horse or anything, but these statements emanating from the Jeremiah Wright controversy just stuck in my craw. I had to share my dismay at the outright lies and slanders that came out of Obama's mouth when he was a guest on The View last week.
"The statements that were made were rightly offensive. What they spoke to was a brilliant man caught in a time warp where he grew up and didn't have a good enough sense of how America's changed."
"Imagine someone compiled the 5 stupidest things you ever said, and then played them over and over again for weeks."
"I spoke to Rev Wright after this episode, and I told him I felt badly he's been characterized in this one way. But he was my pastor. I think people overstate his role as my mentor or spiritual advisor."
I shouldn't be speechles and yet I am. Rev. Jeremiah Wright is a stupid old uncle, caught in a time warp, who was a pastor but not really a mentor or advisor or anything. So much for the question of whether or not Obama threw him under the bus. Wright has tire marks all over his body.
I have never thought that ignorance was in any way blissful, so I will see you in the time warp. That time warp is called reality and I like living there.
Hat tip America Blog
Nearly two weeks have passed since Barack Obama gave a speech on race. I never knew why so many people fainted, wept or saw God when they heard it, but then again I don't get the appeal of Obama at all.
I am stuck on an Obama truth telling mission and I don't want to stop. So, not to beat a dead horse or anything, but these statements emanating from the Jeremiah Wright controversy just stuck in my craw. I had to share my dismay at the outright lies and slanders that came out of Obama's mouth when he was a guest on The View last week.
"The statements that were made were rightly offensive. What they spoke to was a brilliant man caught in a time warp where he grew up and didn't have a good enough sense of how America's changed."
"Imagine someone compiled the 5 stupidest things you ever said, and then played them over and over again for weeks."
"I spoke to Rev Wright after this episode, and I told him I felt badly he's been characterized in this one way. But he was my pastor. I think people overstate his role as my mentor or spiritual advisor."
I shouldn't be speechles and yet I am. Rev. Jeremiah Wright is a stupid old uncle, caught in a time warp, who was a pastor but not really a mentor or advisor or anything. So much for the question of whether or not Obama threw him under the bus. Wright has tire marks all over his body.
I have never thought that ignorance was in any way blissful, so I will see you in the time warp. That time warp is called reality and I like living there.
Hat tip America Blog
Players, Not Cheerleaders
"There is no question that the Bush administration has proven impervious to public pressure. That's why it's time for the anti-war movement to change tactics. We should direct our energy where it can still have an impact: the leading Democratic contenders.
Many argue otherwise. They say that if we want to end the war, we should simply pick a candidate who is not John McCain and help them win: We'll sort out the details after the Republicans are evicted from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Some of the most prominent anti-war voices--from MoveOn.org to the magazine we write for, The Nation--have gone this route, throwing their weight behind the Obama campaign.
This is a serious strategic mistake. It is during a hotly contested campaign that anti-war forces have the power to actually sway U. S. policy. As soon as we pick sides, we relegate ourselves to mere cheerleaders."
Thank goodness someone gets it. In this case those persons are Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill. They seem to have figured out what ought to be obvious to everyone. Neither Clinton nor Obama are serious about ending the Iraq occupation. If the anti-war movement had acted strategically earlier, there might have been a possibility to move the agenda and have a true anti-war nominee.
The most basic rules of political strategy have been ignored in this campaign. Politicians respond to pressure. They don't respond to adulation. Actually I have to take that back. They do respond to adulation. They respond by treating the idol worshippers like chumps.
Moveon and The Nation have done great damage to the progressive cause by backing Obama without demanding anything from him. Now he has no reason to do as they want on any issue. Of course, I could be giving progressives too much credit. Many of them don't really want change either. Some are tired, some are cynical, some just want invitations to the White House.
Hillary Clinton could have been useful, in spite of her ham handedness and blatant lies. She might have been used strategically earlier on when it counted, despite her weaknesses. Obama might have been forced to stop the double talk and truly promote an agenda for change.
Now we are left with a nomination that is all but decided, and a probably nominee who won't end the occupation. The 2008 election will go down in history as an enormous wasted opportunity.
"There is no question that the Bush administration has proven impervious to public pressure. That's why it's time for the anti-war movement to change tactics. We should direct our energy where it can still have an impact: the leading Democratic contenders.
Many argue otherwise. They say that if we want to end the war, we should simply pick a candidate who is not John McCain and help them win: We'll sort out the details after the Republicans are evicted from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Some of the most prominent anti-war voices--from MoveOn.org to the magazine we write for, The Nation--have gone this route, throwing their weight behind the Obama campaign.
This is a serious strategic mistake. It is during a hotly contested campaign that anti-war forces have the power to actually sway U. S. policy. As soon as we pick sides, we relegate ourselves to mere cheerleaders."
Thank goodness someone gets it. In this case those persons are Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill. They seem to have figured out what ought to be obvious to everyone. Neither Clinton nor Obama are serious about ending the Iraq occupation. If the anti-war movement had acted strategically earlier, there might have been a possibility to move the agenda and have a true anti-war nominee.
The most basic rules of political strategy have been ignored in this campaign. Politicians respond to pressure. They don't respond to adulation. Actually I have to take that back. They do respond to adulation. They respond by treating the idol worshippers like chumps.
Moveon and The Nation have done great damage to the progressive cause by backing Obama without demanding anything from him. Now he has no reason to do as they want on any issue. Of course, I could be giving progressives too much credit. Many of them don't really want change either. Some are tired, some are cynical, some just want invitations to the White House.
Hillary Clinton could have been useful, in spite of her ham handedness and blatant lies. She might have been used strategically earlier on when it counted, despite her weaknesses. Obama might have been forced to stop the double talk and truly promote an agenda for change.
Now we are left with a nomination that is all but decided, and a probably nominee who won't end the occupation. The 2008 election will go down in history as an enormous wasted opportunity.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Progressives for Obama?
". . . my foreign policy is actually a return to the traditional bipartisan realistic policy of George Bush's father, of John F. Kennedy, of, in some ways, Ronald Reagan, . . ."
I just don't get it. Why would anyone who calls him or herself progressive support someone who vows to emulate Reagan or Bush? What a joke.
There is no progressive in this race. Get over it. Admit it. Obama is no progressive and his habit of channeling Ronald Reagan whenever he needs white conservative support ought to prove it. Progressives for Obama should put themselves out of business.
"However, the fact that Barack Obama openly defines himself as a centrist invites the formation of this progressive force within his coalition. Anything less could allow his eventual drift towards the right as the general election approaches." No s_ _ t. Because Progressives for Obama give support without making demands, he will move further and further to the right. He said so himself in the Pennsylvania hinterlands.
It is amazing. Obama can praise Republicans and still get progressives to believe that he will listen to them. There is no convincing people who are naive, cynically jumping on the winning bandwagon, or just plain stupid.
No matter. Someone has to keep speaking truth to the powerful and to the deluded too. I think Progressives for Obama are in the deluded category.
". . . my foreign policy is actually a return to the traditional bipartisan realistic policy of George Bush's father, of John F. Kennedy, of, in some ways, Ronald Reagan, . . ."
I just don't get it. Why would anyone who calls him or herself progressive support someone who vows to emulate Reagan or Bush? What a joke.
There is no progressive in this race. Get over it. Admit it. Obama is no progressive and his habit of channeling Ronald Reagan whenever he needs white conservative support ought to prove it. Progressives for Obama should put themselves out of business.
"However, the fact that Barack Obama openly defines himself as a centrist invites the formation of this progressive force within his coalition. Anything less could allow his eventual drift towards the right as the general election approaches." No s_ _ t. Because Progressives for Obama give support without making demands, he will move further and further to the right. He said so himself in the Pennsylvania hinterlands.
It is amazing. Obama can praise Republicans and still get progressives to believe that he will listen to them. There is no convincing people who are naive, cynically jumping on the winning bandwagon, or just plain stupid.
No matter. Someone has to keep speaking truth to the powerful and to the deluded too. I think Progressives for Obama are in the deluded category.
Obama Praises Bush 41 and Reagan
"The truth is that my foreign policy is actually a return to the traditional bipartisan realistic policy of George Bush's father, of John F. Kennedy, of, in some ways, Ronald Reagan, and it is George Bush that's been naive and it's people like John McCain and, unfortunately, some Democrats (read Hillary) that have facilitated him acting in these naive ways that have caused us so much damage in our reputation around the world."
He hasn't channeled Reagan in a while. Now he is trying to win over red neck Pennsylvania, so the GOP love is back. Can't say I didn't tell you so. Read Black Agenda Report. We always tell you so, whether you are ready for the truth or not.
"The truth is that my foreign policy is actually a return to the traditional bipartisan realistic policy of George Bush's father, of John F. Kennedy, of, in some ways, Ronald Reagan, and it is George Bush that's been naive and it's people like John McCain and, unfortunately, some Democrats (read Hillary) that have facilitated him acting in these naive ways that have caused us so much damage in our reputation around the world."
He hasn't channeled Reagan in a while. Now he is trying to win over red neck Pennsylvania, so the GOP love is back. Can't say I didn't tell you so. Read Black Agenda Report. We always tell you so, whether you are ready for the truth or not.
Friday, March 28, 2008
"His Fingerprints Are Smeared All Over The Case"
Don Siegelman
There is good news to start the weekend. Don Siegelman was released from prison pending an appeal of his bribery conviction. Siegelman was the former Democratic governor of Alabama who was victimized by Bushite selective prosecution under the direction of head henchman Karl Rove.
Not only was he convicted of a bribery that never took place, but he was immediately jailed and his appeal was delayed by the suspiciously slow production of a trial transcript.
He is out and he is scheduled to testify before Congress. Sometimes there is a little bit of justice, but as Siegelman said today, “I wish I could say it was over. But we’re a long way from the end of this.”
Don Siegelman
There is good news to start the weekend. Don Siegelman was released from prison pending an appeal of his bribery conviction. Siegelman was the former Democratic governor of Alabama who was victimized by Bushite selective prosecution under the direction of head henchman Karl Rove.
Not only was he convicted of a bribery that never took place, but he was immediately jailed and his appeal was delayed by the suspiciously slow production of a trial transcript.
He is out and he is scheduled to testify before Congress. Sometimes there is a little bit of justice, but as Siegelman said today, “I wish I could say it was over. But we’re a long way from the end of this.”
Karl Rove - Free Don Siegelman!
Karl got his wish. Funny! Today Don Siegelman was released pending an appeal. There is sometimes a little bit of justice after all.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
"Barack Obama had a plan. He knew that the only way a Black man could possibly stand a chance of becoming president of the United States was to pledge allegiance to the national white historical narrative, or religion – the Big Lie that says God wanted all those Indians dead and Africans enslaved, for some higher purpose that will be worked out sometime in that sweet by-and-by."
Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report radio
"Barack Obama had a plan. He knew that the only way a Black man could possibly stand a chance of becoming president of the United States was to pledge allegiance to the national white historical narrative, or religion – the Big Lie that says God wanted all those Indians dead and Africans enslaved, for some higher purpose that will be worked out sometime in that sweet by-and-by."
Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report radio
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
Yesterday Glenn Greenwald had an excellent post in Salon about the media black out of foreign policy experts who opposed the occupation of Iraq. Greenwald used the Charlie Rose program as an example of this corporate media censorship policy. One letter writer, eastriver, said the following in response.
"Charlie Rose lives and tapes in NYC, where I happen to reside. For all of the Big Apple's leftward-leaning politics, there is a large, monied, and very influential segment of the population that cares greatly about the US staying in Iraq; forever. Because if the US has an army in Iraq, Israel is considerably safer from foreign invasion.
Sure, terrorists attacks will still happen, and the Palestinian situation will remain unsolved, but there will be absolutely no fear of Syria, Egypt, or Iraq attacking with an army.
Charlie Rose is a sociable guy. He goes to lots of parties, and runs into lots of people. I'm sure he's not immune to a coordinated effort to influence his guest list. For these kinds of seminal, landmark shows (which only roll around about once a year, anniversary-like), it wouldn't be too hard to jiggle things.
Just a respectful observation. And a little inside knowledge of how things work in the un-real world."
Thank you eastriver for putting the nail squarely on the head. Israel wants the U.S. to destroy Arab nations. Israel's allies make sure that government gets its way. Sadly there will be no change from the policies that have made this country the United States of Israel. No one can raise $130 million (Clinton/Obama) without strictly adhering to the constant demand to do what Israel wants.
That is part of the reason that thousands of Iranians are about to be killed by our government. Israel, the outpost of pax Americana in the Middle East, wants it to happen.
Yesterday Glenn Greenwald had an excellent post in Salon about the media black out of foreign policy experts who opposed the occupation of Iraq. Greenwald used the Charlie Rose program as an example of this corporate media censorship policy. One letter writer, eastriver, said the following in response.
"Charlie Rose lives and tapes in NYC, where I happen to reside. For all of the Big Apple's leftward-leaning politics, there is a large, monied, and very influential segment of the population that cares greatly about the US staying in Iraq; forever. Because if the US has an army in Iraq, Israel is considerably safer from foreign invasion.
Sure, terrorists attacks will still happen, and the Palestinian situation will remain unsolved, but there will be absolutely no fear of Syria, Egypt, or Iraq attacking with an army.
Charlie Rose is a sociable guy. He goes to lots of parties, and runs into lots of people. I'm sure he's not immune to a coordinated effort to influence his guest list. For these kinds of seminal, landmark shows (which only roll around about once a year, anniversary-like), it wouldn't be too hard to jiggle things.
Just a respectful observation. And a little inside knowledge of how things work in the un-real world."
Thank you eastriver for putting the nail squarely on the head. Israel wants the U.S. to destroy Arab nations. Israel's allies make sure that government gets its way. Sadly there will be no change from the policies that have made this country the United States of Israel. No one can raise $130 million (Clinton/Obama) without strictly adhering to the constant demand to do what Israel wants.
That is part of the reason that thousands of Iranians are about to be killed by our government. Israel, the outpost of pax Americana in the Middle East, wants it to happen.
Krugman and Obama
Back on December 19, 2007 Talking Points Memo Election Central interviewed New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. Krugman has consistently asked tough questions about Barack Obama's policies. He should. All progressives ought to look askance at a Democrat who says there is a social security crisis or who describes the 60s and 70s as "excessive." The Obama cult don't like Krugman, but so what. They don't like anyone who questions their great saint. There is no reason for eveyone to suspend disbelief.
Hillary Clinton will not get the nomination, despite an expected victory in Pennsylvania. The trends are going in Obama's direction, so it is important to remember why Obama is so problematic. Hopefully someone, somewhere will have the guts to ask him tough questions before November.
"EC: What other things gave rise to your current critique of Obama?
PK: When Obama used the word "crisis" about Social Security it gave me a little bit of a sense of, "Hmmm -- I'm a little worried that my initial concerns were more right than I knew."
To have Obama sort of sounding like the Washington Post editorial page really said among other things that he just hasn't been listening to progressives, for whom the fight against Bush's Social Security scare tactics was really a defining moment. Among the Dems he seems to be the least attuned to what progressives think.
It's a tone thing. I find it a little bit worrisome if we have a candidate who basically starts compromising before the struggle has even begun."
Amen Krugman. Obama is either terribly naive or a complete cynic. Whatever. The end result will be disaster if he wins and governs the way he says he will. There is no compromise with Republicans. Compromise with them means just one thing. Assume the position. Please.
Back on December 19, 2007 Talking Points Memo Election Central interviewed New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. Krugman has consistently asked tough questions about Barack Obama's policies. He should. All progressives ought to look askance at a Democrat who says there is a social security crisis or who describes the 60s and 70s as "excessive." The Obama cult don't like Krugman, but so what. They don't like anyone who questions their great saint. There is no reason for eveyone to suspend disbelief.
Hillary Clinton will not get the nomination, despite an expected victory in Pennsylvania. The trends are going in Obama's direction, so it is important to remember why Obama is so problematic. Hopefully someone, somewhere will have the guts to ask him tough questions before November.
"EC: What other things gave rise to your current critique of Obama?
PK: When Obama used the word "crisis" about Social Security it gave me a little bit of a sense of, "Hmmm -- I'm a little worried that my initial concerns were more right than I knew."
To have Obama sort of sounding like the Washington Post editorial page really said among other things that he just hasn't been listening to progressives, for whom the fight against Bush's Social Security scare tactics was really a defining moment. Among the Dems he seems to be the least attuned to what progressives think.
It's a tone thing. I find it a little bit worrisome if we have a candidate who basically starts compromising before the struggle has even begun."
Amen Krugman. Obama is either terribly naive or a complete cynic. Whatever. The end result will be disaster if he wins and governs the way he says he will. There is no compromise with Republicans. Compromise with them means just one thing. Assume the position. Please.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Keep Kucinich in Congress!
"The United States has to not only end this war but reject war as an instrument of policy."
Dennis Kucinich is probably the only member of Congress who would make that statement. He was the only presidential candidate who acknowledged 1,000,000 Iraqi deaths and who advocates for a complete end to occupation.
Help Dennis out at www.kucinich.us
Saudis Prepare for Nuclear Fallout from Iran
I think we can stop asking if Bush will attack Iran. This little gem was reported by the German news service DPA.
"The Saudi-based King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology has prepared a proposal that encapsulates the probabilities of leaking nuclear and radiation hazards in case of any unexpected nuclear attacks in Iran, the Okaz Saudi newspaper said."
Well, that little NIE report last fall was just a minor inconvenience. Bush and Cheney know that if they keep lying they get their way. They also know that the Democrats will do nothing. John Conyers swears that he really, really means it this time. He claims he will hold impeachment hearings if Bush attacks Iran. Puhleeze. Spare us. The Democrats will do nothing and Bush knows it.
I for one can't stomach being an accomplice to a war crime. Not enough people feel the same way, so many thousands of Iranians are about to die.
Hat tip to Chris Floyd.
I think we can stop asking if Bush will attack Iran. This little gem was reported by the German news service DPA.
"The Saudi-based King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology has prepared a proposal that encapsulates the probabilities of leaking nuclear and radiation hazards in case of any unexpected nuclear attacks in Iran, the Okaz Saudi newspaper said."
Well, that little NIE report last fall was just a minor inconvenience. Bush and Cheney know that if they keep lying they get their way. They also know that the Democrats will do nothing. John Conyers swears that he really, really means it this time. He claims he will hold impeachment hearings if Bush attacks Iran. Puhleeze. Spare us. The Democrats will do nothing and Bush knows it.
I for one can't stomach being an accomplice to a war crime. Not enough people feel the same way, so many thousands of Iranians are about to die.
Hat tip to Chris Floyd.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Wright was Right
"But the common and ordinary wisdom of Black America is inadmissible in mainstream US discourse. In the reality-defying bubble of US corporate media, one does not speak of the genocide and dispossession of Native Americans as “terror”. Comparing the atomic bombings of hundreds of thousands of civilians in World War 2, the snuffing out of two million Vietnamese lives in the sixties and seventies or one million plus Iraqis in the current war is, in mainstream media, strictly off-limits. And any suggestion that US imperial policies in the Middle East, Africa or elsewhere might provoke resistance or retaliation is deemed beyond-the-pale anti-American hate speech." Bruce Dixon, Black Agenda Report
"For this is where we are in the United States, nearing the end of the Year of Our Lord 2007: the truth is not merely unpleasant, an uninvited guest who makes conversation difficult and awkward. Truth is the enemy; truth is to be destroyed. To attempt to speak the truth on any subject of importance requires a deep reserve of determination, for to speak the truth requires that one first sweep away an infinite number of rationalizations, false alternatives, and numerous other failures of logic and the most rudimentary forms of thought -- as well as the endless lies."
Arthur Silber, Power of Narrative
There you have the Jeremiah Wright story in a nutshell. The truth of America's genocidal beginnings and its imperial atrocities must not be told. Anyone who does manage to break through the bubble and speak truthfully is ground into the dirt.
I don't know why Jeremial Wright thought that his association with Barack Obama could continue or that it should. An association with a presidential candidate should have been anathema to this man who has spent his life speaking truthfully. Was he blinded by the the thought of going to state dinners at the White House? Did he believe Obama when he whispered sweet nothings in his ear?
Wright knew or ought to have known that speaking truthfully and becoming president are simply inconsistent. Truth tellers are not allowed anywhere near the presidency. They can't raise money, they aren't allowed to debate and consequently are erased from memory. Just ask Dennis Kucinich.
Wright was not mistaken in his comments. The United States has terrorized people across the globe. The killing of Americans on 9/11 is no worse than killings anywhere else on earth. All of these things are true.
Wright's only mistake was believing Obama's hype. Anyone else who wants to speak the truth and also join the Obama band wagon should remember this lesson and decide now. Will you follow Obama or will you tell the truth? You can't do both.
"But the common and ordinary wisdom of Black America is inadmissible in mainstream US discourse. In the reality-defying bubble of US corporate media, one does not speak of the genocide and dispossession of Native Americans as “terror”. Comparing the atomic bombings of hundreds of thousands of civilians in World War 2, the snuffing out of two million Vietnamese lives in the sixties and seventies or one million plus Iraqis in the current war is, in mainstream media, strictly off-limits. And any suggestion that US imperial policies in the Middle East, Africa or elsewhere might provoke resistance or retaliation is deemed beyond-the-pale anti-American hate speech." Bruce Dixon, Black Agenda Report
"For this is where we are in the United States, nearing the end of the Year of Our Lord 2007: the truth is not merely unpleasant, an uninvited guest who makes conversation difficult and awkward. Truth is the enemy; truth is to be destroyed. To attempt to speak the truth on any subject of importance requires a deep reserve of determination, for to speak the truth requires that one first sweep away an infinite number of rationalizations, false alternatives, and numerous other failures of logic and the most rudimentary forms of thought -- as well as the endless lies."
Arthur Silber, Power of Narrative
There you have the Jeremiah Wright story in a nutshell. The truth of America's genocidal beginnings and its imperial atrocities must not be told. Anyone who does manage to break through the bubble and speak truthfully is ground into the dirt.
I don't know why Jeremial Wright thought that his association with Barack Obama could continue or that it should. An association with a presidential candidate should have been anathema to this man who has spent his life speaking truthfully. Was he blinded by the the thought of going to state dinners at the White House? Did he believe Obama when he whispered sweet nothings in his ear?
Wright knew or ought to have known that speaking truthfully and becoming president are simply inconsistent. Truth tellers are not allowed anywhere near the presidency. They can't raise money, they aren't allowed to debate and consequently are erased from memory. Just ask Dennis Kucinich.
Wright was not mistaken in his comments. The United States has terrorized people across the globe. The killing of Americans on 9/11 is no worse than killings anywhere else on earth. All of these things are true.
Wright's only mistake was believing Obama's hype. Anyone else who wants to speak the truth and also join the Obama band wagon should remember this lesson and decide now. Will you follow Obama or will you tell the truth? You can't do both.
WINTER SOLDIER: U.S. Marines Fire on Mosques Unprovoked
Why do they hate us? Why do they think we are making war on Islam? Hmmm, maybe it is because we are.
By the way, attacks on houses of worship are in direct violation of the Geneva Conventions. Ooopsie. I forgot. Those rules don't apply to the U.S. anymore.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan
Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupation
Watch and listen to testimony from Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The Winter Soldier hearings give detailed accounts of the atrocities committed in an occupation. If you don't feel like a German in the 1930s you ought to.
Wednesday, March 19th, will be the fifth anniversary of theIraq occupation. Remember. Protest. Your country is committing a crime against humanity.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupation
Watch and listen to testimony from Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The Winter Soldier hearings give detailed accounts of the atrocities committed in an occupation. If you don't feel like a German in the 1930s you ought to.
Wednesday, March 19th, will be the fifth anniversary of theIraq occupation. Remember. Protest. Your country is committing a crime against humanity.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
U.S. Not Planning to Attack Iran, Says U.S Iran War Czar
Leave it to the Onion to give us the real scoop.
"We're simply taking every precautionary measure we can to maintain the peace between the two countries, such as making sure we have enough cruise missiles to carry out that peace, taking comprehensive aerial photographs of Iranian bombing targets, and calculating how many lives would be lost if we did invade Iran, which we're not going to do."
Many a truth is said in jest.
U.S. Not Planning to Attack Iran, Says U.S Iran War Czar
Leave it to the Onion to give us the real scoop.
"We're simply taking every precautionary measure we can to maintain the peace between the two countries, such as making sure we have enough cruise missiles to carry out that peace, taking comprehensive aerial photographs of Iranian bombing targets, and calculating how many lives would be lost if we did invade Iran, which we're not going to do."
Many a truth is said in jest.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Republicans Still After Kucinich
Congressman Dennis Kucinich won his primary race last week, but just barely. The race was close in part because Ohio permits same day changes in party affiliation. More than 10,000 Republicans voted in the Democratic primary under these rules. Dennis defeated Joe Cimperman by about 20,000 votes, which is too close for comfort.
Do what you can to help Dennis. They aren't done trying to get him out of office.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
"Wendell, I’m under strict instructions, and have been from the beginning, to not talk about the dollar, and I’m not going to get fired to satisfy your question."
Dana Perino, White House Press Secretary
Don't talk about that elephant in the room.
"Wendell, I’m under strict instructions, and have been from the beginning, to not talk about the dollar, and I’m not going to get fired to satisfy your question."
Dana Perino, White House Press Secretary
Don't talk about that elephant in the room.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Silda Wall Spitzer Before
Silda Wall Spitzer After
A picture is worth 1,000 words. Why, why, why at this late date in history do wronged political wives still show up at the contrition press conference?
I can't imagine what she is going through now, but if she didn't do anything else she should have told her husband to face the music on his own. Mrs. Spitzer is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and the founding chairperson of a children's charity. She is accomplished in her own right, and shouldn't have to publicly deal with the humiliation her husband heaped upon her.
I guess it isn't easy to think at a time like this, but for once could the wife let the husband face the press alone? He went to see hookers alone. If he left her out then, he should have left her out today.
Eliot Spitzer, Soon to be Ex-Governor
“I never saw the other side, that the man (Spitzer) doesn’t think straight, that the man has a quirk in his mind. There is something wrong with his mind. He doesn’t think like most. He’s two-faced. He does not tell the truth. He looks you in the eye and tells you something that is totally untrue.” - Joe Bruno, New York State Senate Leader
As of this moment, Eliot Spitzer is still the governor of New York. By tomorrow he will not be. He is toast. This afternoon the New York Times broke the story of Spitzer's involvement with a prostitution ring. Spitzer held a brief press conference with his wife at his side and apologized for hurting his family. He didn't resign, but it is only a matter of time. The story can only get worse and Spitzer has no friends left to go to bat for him.
When I first read the above quote from Joe Bruno, I dismissed it because it came from a man who hates Spitzer and who Spitzer hates right back. As a Democrat I am no fan of Bruno's, but I have to say that Spitzer was more at fault in creating this rift. He did everything wrong after he was inaugurated last January.
He couldn't get along with Democrats or Republicans. As Attorney General of New York he acted as a prosecutor of the malefactors of great wealth and did a great job busting corporate crooks. Sadly, he didn't know how to stop prosecuting and he made enemies, even within his own party, when he got to the capital.
Once again we have an example of a zealot who had skeletons in his own closet. I should have known. The finger pointers usually live in glass houses and throw stones anyway. I also see that Bruno's comments may not have been just venom coming from an enemy. It is hard to keep secrets in one area of life without it showing up in another. Compartmentalizing is a lie. It never works. Everything comes out eventually, especially phone calls to prostitutes.
In New York, the Governor and the leaders of the Assembly and Senate are known as "the three men in a room" who horse trade and make things happen. Because Spitzer was busy making enemies with Bruno, the two of them couldn't stand to be in the same room together. Nothing has been accomplished since Spitzer came to office.
Spitzer investigated Bruno's use of state helicopters and may have broken the law doing it. He and Bruno don't speak, and their relationship is so bad that Bruno felt comfortable calling Spitzer out in the pages of New York magazine.
Now Lieutenant Governor David Paterson will become Governor. If Hillary Clinton were to be elected President, Spitzer had the power to appoint Paterson to her seat. It is now a moot point, Paterson will be Governor, the first black governor in New York state. He had a long history as a progressive when he served in the State Senate for 20 years. He will be a better governor than Spitzer. Once the shock and scandal subside, New York politics will be much better with Paterson at the helm.
“I never saw the other side, that the man (Spitzer) doesn’t think straight, that the man has a quirk in his mind. There is something wrong with his mind. He doesn’t think like most. He’s two-faced. He does not tell the truth. He looks you in the eye and tells you something that is totally untrue.” - Joe Bruno, New York State Senate Leader
As of this moment, Eliot Spitzer is still the governor of New York. By tomorrow he will not be. He is toast. This afternoon the New York Times broke the story of Spitzer's involvement with a prostitution ring. Spitzer held a brief press conference with his wife at his side and apologized for hurting his family. He didn't resign, but it is only a matter of time. The story can only get worse and Spitzer has no friends left to go to bat for him.
When I first read the above quote from Joe Bruno, I dismissed it because it came from a man who hates Spitzer and who Spitzer hates right back. As a Democrat I am no fan of Bruno's, but I have to say that Spitzer was more at fault in creating this rift. He did everything wrong after he was inaugurated last January.
He couldn't get along with Democrats or Republicans. As Attorney General of New York he acted as a prosecutor of the malefactors of great wealth and did a great job busting corporate crooks. Sadly, he didn't know how to stop prosecuting and he made enemies, even within his own party, when he got to the capital.
Once again we have an example of a zealot who had skeletons in his own closet. I should have known. The finger pointers usually live in glass houses and throw stones anyway. I also see that Bruno's comments may not have been just venom coming from an enemy. It is hard to keep secrets in one area of life without it showing up in another. Compartmentalizing is a lie. It never works. Everything comes out eventually, especially phone calls to prostitutes.
In New York, the Governor and the leaders of the Assembly and Senate are known as "the three men in a room" who horse trade and make things happen. Because Spitzer was busy making enemies with Bruno, the two of them couldn't stand to be in the same room together. Nothing has been accomplished since Spitzer came to office.
Spitzer investigated Bruno's use of state helicopters and may have broken the law doing it. He and Bruno don't speak, and their relationship is so bad that Bruno felt comfortable calling Spitzer out in the pages of New York magazine.
Now Lieutenant Governor David Paterson will become Governor. If Hillary Clinton were to be elected President, Spitzer had the power to appoint Paterson to her seat. It is now a moot point, Paterson will be Governor, the first black governor in New York state. He had a long history as a progressive when he served in the State Senate for 20 years. He will be a better governor than Spitzer. Once the shock and scandal subside, New York politics will be much better with Paterson at the helm.
Tony Blair Teaches Religion?
This is all too sick and disgusting for words. Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair will teach religion at Yale University. That's right. The man responsible for giving Bush cover in occupying Iraq and killing one million people will be affiliated with the Yale University Divinity School. I hope someone at Yale has guts enough to denounce this travesty.
It isn't surprising that Blair can only get a job like this in America, or that the Bush family alma mater is the place where he landed. Will he ever stop sucking up to Bush? I guess not. When he tried to establish a similar arrangement at the London School of Economics faculty and students said no thank you. The British have sense enough to be embarassed by his presence. Only the Bushies would make the case for this awful man to have a decent job. If there were any justice in this world Blair would be permanently unemployed and friendless.
Blair, like Bush, is a war criminal. He shouldn't be allowed anywhere in polite society, certainly not in a classroom with impressionable young minds. But we all know what will happen. The ambitious student will clamor to be in his presence because his courses will look good on an American resume. A letter of reference from a former British Prime Minister will look even better.
So the worst criminals in this world, government leaders, once again get a pass. Blair thinks that killing thousands is fine as long as a government run by white people does the killing. If you think I'm being harsh look at his own words.
"British troops are risking their lives trying to prevent the killing. Why should anyone feel angry about us? Why aren’t they angry about the people doing the killing?"
Gee Tony, maybe people are mad because Britain is doing some of the killing. There is more death in Iraq post occupation than there was under Saddam Hussein, and that is no mean feat.
Like his pal George Bush, Tony Blair is a terrorist. Warfare is the ultimate act of terror with the biggest body count. There is no terror group with the killing capacity of a government. Just ask Rev. Blair. He can explain it all to you.
(Hat tip to Chris Floyd)
This is all too sick and disgusting for words. Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair will teach religion at Yale University. That's right. The man responsible for giving Bush cover in occupying Iraq and killing one million people will be affiliated with the Yale University Divinity School. I hope someone at Yale has guts enough to denounce this travesty.
It isn't surprising that Blair can only get a job like this in America, or that the Bush family alma mater is the place where he landed. Will he ever stop sucking up to Bush? I guess not. When he tried to establish a similar arrangement at the London School of Economics faculty and students said no thank you. The British have sense enough to be embarassed by his presence. Only the Bushies would make the case for this awful man to have a decent job. If there were any justice in this world Blair would be permanently unemployed and friendless.
Blair, like Bush, is a war criminal. He shouldn't be allowed anywhere in polite society, certainly not in a classroom with impressionable young minds. But we all know what will happen. The ambitious student will clamor to be in his presence because his courses will look good on an American resume. A letter of reference from a former British Prime Minister will look even better.
So the worst criminals in this world, government leaders, once again get a pass. Blair thinks that killing thousands is fine as long as a government run by white people does the killing. If you think I'm being harsh look at his own words.
"British troops are risking their lives trying to prevent the killing. Why should anyone feel angry about us? Why aren’t they angry about the people doing the killing?"
Gee Tony, maybe people are mad because Britain is doing some of the killing. There is more death in Iraq post occupation than there was under Saddam Hussein, and that is no mean feat.
Like his pal George Bush, Tony Blair is a terrorist. Warfare is the ultimate act of terror with the biggest body count. There is no terror group with the killing capacity of a government. Just ask Rev. Blair. He can explain it all to you.
(Hat tip to Chris Floyd)
Friday, March 07, 2008
Let's Attack Venezuela! (and Ecuador too)
(Hat tip to Greg Palast)
Did you know that Hugo Chavez paid Colombian rebels $300 million to make dirty bombs? You didn't know? Good, because if you do hear that you ought to know in advance that it is all a lie.
This is scary. Colombia invaded Ecuador, a sovereign nation by the way, in hot pursuit of FARC rebels who want to over throw that government.
Colombia claims to have found a laptop belonging to a FARC leader they killed, and claims that it contains hard evidence of a Hugo Chavez plot to buy uranium and make dirty bombs.
“… With relation to the 300, which from now on we will call “dossier,” efforts are now going forward at the instructions of the boss to the cojo [slang term for ‘cripple’], which I will explain in a separate note. Let’s call the boss Ángel, and the cripple Ernesto.”
300 what? That is the question you should be asking and the answer is not millions of dollars, it is 300 people in a hostage exchange. Chavez was working on the exchange as part of an agreement he had with the government of Colombia.
“To receive the three freed ones, Chavez proposes three options: Plan A. Do it to via of a ‘humanitarian caravan’; one that will involve Venezuela, France, the Vatican[?], Switzerland, European Union, democrats [civil society], Argentina, Red Cross, etc.”
Hostage exchange or millions of dollars? You be the judge. But wait, there is more.
To bolster their case, the Colombians claim, with no evidence whatsoever, that the mysterious “Angel” is the code name for Chavez. But in the memo, Chavez goes by the code name … Chavez.
While Latin American nations are in an uproar over this violation of international law, Bush is ecstatic that his guy, Colombian President Uribe, has stabbed Chavez in the back and created turmoil in Latin America. That is not surprising but Clinton's and Obama's support for Uribe ought to be. Here is Hillary's take:
Rather than criticizing Colombia's actions in combating terrorist groups in the border regions, Venezuela and Ecuador should work with their neighbor to ensure that their territories no longer serve as safe havens for terrorist groups. After reviewing this situation, I am hopeful that the government of Ecuador will determine that its interests lie in closer cooperation with Colombia on this issue.
Is Obama any better? You decide.
"The Colombian people have suffered for more than four decades at the hands of a brutal terrorist insurgency, and the Colombian government has every right to defend itself against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The recent targeted killing of a senior FARC leader must not be used as a pretense to ratchet up tensions or to threaten the stability of the region.
Well, he is nothing if not consistent. If "targeted killing" is OK for Israel it should be OK for anyone else.
It is a disgrace that both Democratic candidates think it is acceptable for Ecuador's sovereignty to be violated. As we say at Black Agenda Report, they are in fact political twins. Actually they sound like McCain and Bush. They are all political quadruplets.
(Hat tip to Greg Palast)
Did you know that Hugo Chavez paid Colombian rebels $300 million to make dirty bombs? You didn't know? Good, because if you do hear that you ought to know in advance that it is all a lie.
This is scary. Colombia invaded Ecuador, a sovereign nation by the way, in hot pursuit of FARC rebels who want to over throw that government.
Colombia claims to have found a laptop belonging to a FARC leader they killed, and claims that it contains hard evidence of a Hugo Chavez plot to buy uranium and make dirty bombs.
“… With relation to the 300, which from now on we will call “dossier,” efforts are now going forward at the instructions of the boss to the cojo [slang term for ‘cripple’], which I will explain in a separate note. Let’s call the boss Ángel, and the cripple Ernesto.”
300 what? That is the question you should be asking and the answer is not millions of dollars, it is 300 people in a hostage exchange. Chavez was working on the exchange as part of an agreement he had with the government of Colombia.
“To receive the three freed ones, Chavez proposes three options: Plan A. Do it to via of a ‘humanitarian caravan’; one that will involve Venezuela, France, the Vatican[?], Switzerland, European Union, democrats [civil society], Argentina, Red Cross, etc.”
Hostage exchange or millions of dollars? You be the judge. But wait, there is more.
To bolster their case, the Colombians claim, with no evidence whatsoever, that the mysterious “Angel” is the code name for Chavez. But in the memo, Chavez goes by the code name … Chavez.
While Latin American nations are in an uproar over this violation of international law, Bush is ecstatic that his guy, Colombian President Uribe, has stabbed Chavez in the back and created turmoil in Latin America. That is not surprising but Clinton's and Obama's support for Uribe ought to be. Here is Hillary's take:
Rather than criticizing Colombia's actions in combating terrorist groups in the border regions, Venezuela and Ecuador should work with their neighbor to ensure that their territories no longer serve as safe havens for terrorist groups. After reviewing this situation, I am hopeful that the government of Ecuador will determine that its interests lie in closer cooperation with Colombia on this issue.
Is Obama any better? You decide.
"The Colombian people have suffered for more than four decades at the hands of a brutal terrorist insurgency, and the Colombian government has every right to defend itself against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The recent targeted killing of a senior FARC leader must not be used as a pretense to ratchet up tensions or to threaten the stability of the region.
Well, he is nothing if not consistent. If "targeted killing" is OK for Israel it should be OK for anyone else.
It is a disgrace that both Democratic candidates think it is acceptable for Ecuador's sovereignty to be violated. As we say at Black Agenda Report, they are in fact political twins. Actually they sound like McCain and Bush. They are all political quadruplets.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Brattleboro Upholds the Constitution
Yesterday the citizens of Brattleboro, Vermont voted to indict GeorgeW. Bush and Dick Cheney for committing "crimes against the constitution." Brattleboro is willing to do what Congress will not. They have declared that our president and vice president have committed crimes in violation of international and American law.
If we had the Congress we ought to have, localities would not have to make these decisions. Brattleboro has given us democracy at its very best. No lobbyists, no check bundlers, no elected officials played any part in this important declaration. That is what makes it so wonderful.
Yesterday the citizens of Brattleboro, Vermont voted to indict GeorgeW. Bush and Dick Cheney for committing "crimes against the constitution." Brattleboro is willing to do what Congress will not. They have declared that our president and vice president have committed crimes in violation of international and American law.
If we had the Congress we ought to have, localities would not have to make these decisions. Brattleboro has given us democracy at its very best. No lobbyists, no check bundlers, no elected officials played any part in this important declaration. That is what makes it so wonderful.
Kucinich Wins
That is the best news from yesterday's primaries. Dennis Kucinich defeated his primary opponents and is likely to be re-elected to Congress in November.
A Kucinich defeat would have been a terrible blow to progressive politics. Kucinich is the most vocal congressional supporter of impeachment and of the occupation of Iraq. If he had lost, all of those issues would have been easily dismissed.
The national Democratic party will now be obligated to fully support an incumbent Congressman. Nancy Pelosi will have to get over it, and so will the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Kucinich is back for one more round.
That is the best news from yesterday's primaries. Dennis Kucinich defeated his primary opponents and is likely to be re-elected to Congress in November.
A Kucinich defeat would have been a terrible blow to progressive politics. Kucinich is the most vocal congressional supporter of impeachment and of the occupation of Iraq. If he had lost, all of those issues would have been easily dismissed.
The national Democratic party will now be obligated to fully support an incumbent Congressman. Nancy Pelosi will have to get over it, and so will the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Kucinich is back for one more round.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Israel Kills Palestinians
"The girl's family had called an ambulance but it came under fire and was not able to reach the house.
When he tried to carry the girl out of the house, under a white flag, he said troops in an Israeli tank fired warning shots above their heads forcing them to dive for cover. Shortly after that Safa died in her father's arms."
This is supposed to be a day full of big changes. If Barack Obama wins the Ohio and Texas primaries as expected, change is allegedly in the air.
Nothing changes for the Palestinians. Israel still kills them, men, women and children, with impunity. Twelve year old Safa Abu Seif was one of approximately 100 who have been killed by Israelis soldiers in Gaza in recent days.
No, there isn't any change coming, not with Obama or Clinton or McCain. Israel will always have Uncle Sam's support and can keep killing whenever and wherever it wants.
"The girl's family had called an ambulance but it came under fire and was not able to reach the house.
When he tried to carry the girl out of the house, under a white flag, he said troops in an Israeli tank fired warning shots above their heads forcing them to dive for cover. Shortly after that Safa died in her father's arms."
This is supposed to be a day full of big changes. If Barack Obama wins the Ohio and Texas primaries as expected, change is allegedly in the air.
Nothing changes for the Palestinians. Israel still kills them, men, women and children, with impunity. Twelve year old Safa Abu Seif was one of approximately 100 who have been killed by Israelis soldiers in Gaza in recent days.
No, there isn't any change coming, not with Obama or Clinton or McCain. Israel will always have Uncle Sam's support and can keep killing whenever and wherever it wants.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wish I'd Said That
"The principal difference between Obama and Bush is of a tactical, not a principled, character. It is not over whether the United States must maintain access to oil and control of strategic territory, but over what methods should be used."
Patrick Martin, World Socialist Web, "The Circularity of Hope: The Nation Endorses Obama"
"The principal difference between Obama and Bush is of a tactical, not a principled, character. It is not over whether the United States must maintain access to oil and control of strategic territory, but over what methods should be used."
Patrick Martin, World Socialist Web, "The Circularity of Hope: The Nation Endorses Obama"
Wish I'd Said That
"Mass social movements aim to alter relations of power. They are impolite and sometimes operate outside of or in defiance of the law. They make impossible, reckless, irresponsible demands, like respect, human rights and the vote to people who didn't have them - like stopping an unjust war, halting foreclosures and gentrification, like guaranteeing the absolute right to organize a union, to strike and to win a living wage. But the Obama “movement” demands nothing from the candidate except to get elected. There are no yardsticks, no demands placed upon Obama by his constituents, no goals that have come from independently organized meetings or other processes in Black America."
Bruce Dixon, Black Agenda Report, "Obamarama: Is it a movement? Or is it marketing?"
"Mass social movements aim to alter relations of power. They are impolite and sometimes operate outside of or in defiance of the law. They make impossible, reckless, irresponsible demands, like respect, human rights and the vote to people who didn't have them - like stopping an unjust war, halting foreclosures and gentrification, like guaranteeing the absolute right to organize a union, to strike and to win a living wage. But the Obama “movement” demands nothing from the candidate except to get elected. There are no yardsticks, no demands placed upon Obama by his constituents, no goals that have come from independently organized meetings or other processes in Black America."
Bruce Dixon, Black Agenda Report, "Obamarama: Is it a movement? Or is it marketing?"
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