And not a moment too soon!

Elizabeth Warren's "growing clout could shift the caucus to the left" (via The Political Carnival)

The Hill has a post about Senator Elizabeth Warren's "growing clout" that should make many a Progressive smile and nod. It may even send a thrill up some Democratic legs. Clout coming from the left can do that. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has emerged…

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Same as it ever was . . . .

(Via Atrios)

Whatever the merits of ACA, it is now something the Dems own. For decades I've watched Dems try to run away from things which have been surgically implanted on any politician with a D next to their name. It's always bizarre and pointless. You're the party of gay marriage, abortion, and Obamacare whether you like it or not, and it's better to convince your constituents that you're going to do good things for them than to try to convince them that you're not a real Democrat.
They can already vote for someone who isn't a real Democrat. He or she is called a Republican.

Instead of walking back the already compromised ACA, why don't Democrats push to fix it and make it better? (Single Payer Healthcare anyone?) And pin the blame on the problems right where they belong: on Republicans who have done everything they could to undermine it. Ah, but that would require some spine . . . . .

I eagerly await our alien overlords . . . .

I haven't written that much lately (actually for quite some time), contenting myself with posting photos of nature and short posts of graphics or quotes from other sources. Frankly, the current events as of late have been so discouraging that I just have had to step back from paying too much attention to the world outside my family and small town.

That being said, I have to say that our country seems bent on destroying itself in an orgy of self-gratification and self interest, with an appalling lack of compassion or empathy.  The so-called "Tea Party" (self proclaimed defenders of the "American Way" which is in reality an astroturf front for the interests of wealthy America, bent on distracting an ill informed portion of the populace from their own interests) is out to prove how cruel and mean spirited they are capable of being, and the Republicans are riding that horse for all they are worth. The Democrats seem by-in-large to want to show that they, too, are able to cut the social safety net and spy on American citizens, in the name of bipartisan bargaining and being tough.

We may be closer to a totalitarian dictatorship than we think. And the dictatorship is coming in the guise of "keeping America safe" and "protecting our freedoms". Freedom to die due to a lack of health insurance, or safe enough to murder unarmed children because they dare to be black? I shudder to think where we are headed if this continues to get worse.

Anyway, that's why it has been quiet at the birdhaus lately.  I can't afford to indulge the defeatism which seems to afflict me so easily, and yet I see no action I can take to escape from the morass. Not a very positive message, I realize, but I also know that things do change.

Soon, I hope, and for the better . . . .

What a fucking mess!

Watching the clown show that has become the current political scene is more nauseatingly awful all the time. And, like clowns can be to kids, it is increasingly scary. That Rick Santorum (or Newt Gingrich, or Ron Paul) are considered serious candidates is just unbelievable. And the the best that the Republicans could come up with is Mittens is pretty pathetic.

I have to say that Obama's presidency has been majorly disappointing to me (remember closing Guantanamo? Single payer health care? etc., etc., etc. . . . .), as he has compromised to the radical fringes of the Republicans time and time again, with the compromises looking an awful lot like capitulation.

That being said, there appears to be no alternative on the horizon. Will Obama go "gangsta" in a second term, as Chris Rock has predicted? I don't know. Hell, I don't know if he has it in him to hold the moderate ground. But god help us all if Romney (or worse yet, Santorum) winds up in the Oval office.

Citizens United and their ilk are doing their best to ensure that America becomes an oligarchy, paid for by the only folks who are benefiting from the rigged pyramid scheme that masquerades as Capitalism. Free Market, my ass---it's goddamn expensive, and those in the 1% who are raking in their ill-gotten gains are utterly invested (pun intended) in seeing that power always flows upwards.

This is why I haven't been writing as much in this blog lately. It's freaking depressing, and I am not such what actions are available to the citizens of our country anymore. Maybe this is just a downer rant, but it is where I'm at today.

Anyone out there see something I'm missing?

Trying to get good

It is hard to observe the state of governance in America right now for me without becoming full of rage and disgust. There seems to be such an utter disconnect between the focus of our politicians and the effect it is having on the majority of our people. The whole debacle around the debt ceiling debate, and the lesser known but just as maddening FAA mess, these point to the new reality that it seems that Republicans for the most part DON'T GIVE A SHIT about the chaos they are creating. There is no sense of being of service to our society---the main goals of these folks is to bash the other side and to get re-elected.

I am no fan of the false equivalence that seems so popular in the media right now, but where is the outrage from the Democrats over what the Republicans are doing. Sure, some Dems like Al Franken or Sherrod Brown occasionally get to speak out about the idiots on the right, but where are people like Obama about this? Since when did it become impolite to point out when your opponents are bat shit wrong? Or that the policies they are espousing are pushing us closer to crashing and burning?

As our country is being cut into saleable pieces and people are dismissed as just another natural resource to be fracked by the highest bidder, I find myself needing to step back from the discourse and take a break from time to time to keep from going nuts.

Our country is like an addict in denial about his disease. At this point, unless it is willing to admit it has a problem, it is heading for disaster.

Hell in a handbasket

 

The Republican definition of freedom seems to be pretty simple: if you are a corporation or rich, you can do whatever you want. Fracking for fun and profit? Go right ahead. Spending ungodly amounts of money to sway elections in favor of the people who will kiss your ass regardless of how that affects the rest of the country? Be our guest. Perpetrating fraud and Ponzi schemes to enrich yourself even more than you have already done? Hey, that's just fine.

But if you are NOT rich, you're fucked. Freedom of choice when it comes to abortion or contraception? Not for you. Freedom to get healthcare without going bankrupt to do it? I don't think so. Freedom to join a union so you have protection from the whims of capricious employers? Not the Amerikan way, Jack.

This is one of the most disgusting times I can ever recall. These hypocritical monsters aren't even pretending to care about the middle class as it shrinks, or the increasing number of impoverished people as the struggle to get by. Nope, their masters are the wealthy corporate cannibals who wish to consume all in their path. I only wish the Democrats would stand up and fight the battle more strongly on the side of the people who need it most.

I guess we're all on our own.

Social Security in trouble? Bullshit!

Sam Seder lays it on the line once more:

What Happened?

Here's the deal, real plain and simple:

Millions of people gave and worked and voted to get Obama elected President.

Joe Lieberman gave and worked and voted to KEEP Obama from being elected President.

The people want a public option and Medicare buyin for those 55 or older.

Joe Lieberman doesn't.

Joe Lieberman gets what he wants.

The people get screwed.

And Rahm Emanuel is a royal cocksucker.

Pretty simple, eh?

Quote for the Day (Democrats with Backbone Division)

“[Republican's] idea of health care reform would be to allow you to take your gun to the doctor’s office.” -Rep. Alan Grayson

Olbermann on Healthcare

The Keithster talks calmly, reasonably, and clearly about the heathcare reform craziness in this country. He hits the nail on the emotional head: this is about death, and the fears and uncertainty we express are as much about that as about any political opinions..

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I've heard some people criticize Keith for his righteous anger and soapbox oratory, but this avoids all that by making it personal. He cuts to the heart of the matter by opening his own. A real gem.

Matt Taibbi on Healthcare: Sick and Wrong

One of the few people actually delving into the deeper causes and effects of our health care crisis (and make no mistake, it IS a crisis), is Matt Taibbi, writing now for Rolling Stone magazine. Listen to him in this excerpt from the Rolling Stone site.>

(Edit: Okay, that automatically opening player was pretty obnoxious. check it out here.)

There's more to it, of course, with an article that requires some real commitment and critical thinking to read. But isn't this issue worth it?

Check it out.

My "WTF" moment:

As a member of the constituency that has an ever shrinking influence on the powers that be in this country—namely, the actual citizens of our fair land—I have to say that I am growing increasing disillusioned with the Democratic Party, and in particular with our President. I worked hard and gave money to see that he defeated the Republican Party, only to see him court and cater to that same party for virtually nothing in return. What the fuck?

The stirring rhetoric and bold intentions seem to be dim memories now, as we, the people, become extras in a drama that seems to involve the politicians, the corporations, and the main stream media, but not us. And who will be paying the price for this about face? Those self-same extras (US), as we become another natural resource for the captains of the financial industries to exploit and harvest as they see fit.

We have heard so much about how bad Socialism is, but what the hell is so great about Capitalism? No matter who is in charge, unless you have some capital, you do not count. The stark contrast between the quick action in the bail out (helping the monied few) and the slow travesty which is health care reform (potentially helping the many with true needs) is very clear, and very disheartening.

Please, Mr. Obama, prove me wrong!!! Make true Health Care Reform your moment to deliver the "hope" and "change" you promised as you sought our support. Or, I'm sorry to say, I may just sit out the next election.

Hunks of thinking meat

Something that is becoming more and more clear in the heath care struggle and the other economic upheaval we are going through: people only count insofar as they vote for politicians and give money to the corporations (by buying goods and services) or the government (through taxes). The people who are in government and corporate America don't really care about us, the citizens who make less than enough to be considered rich, except as hunks of thinking meat to manipulate through the media or exploit through fear and advertising in all its forms.

That sounds so simple, yet runs so counter to the idea that we live in a representative democracy. And, by the way, from what I can see there is no difference---or so small a difference as to be irrelevant---between the Democrats and the Republicans on this.

The majority of the populace wants single payer health care similar to Canada's current system, and it is not ever part of the discussion. How much does this contradict the idea that we have a say it the issues by which we are most affected? That one of the elements of the current health care bill is a mandate REQUIRING that citizens buy health care from private insurers is a clear indication of who is really important in this country, and it ain't the ones who will be footing the bill for the stupid wreck of a "reform" bill that will fail miserably. We will jack up the profits of the insurances companies, but how much do you wan to bet we will still be denied insurance when we need it?

"We the people" are no more to these oligarchs than a natural resource to be strip mined and used up like any other.

Some perspective here, please

(Via Talking Points Memo)

The Democrats stripped funding out of the defense appropriations bill for the winding down and dismantlement of the Gitmo detention facility. And the background issue is the refusal to bring accused terrorists or possibly at some point convicted terrorists into the US for incarceration. And I'm hearing this senator or that one from this or that state, saying hey, don't bring any of these terrorists to Maine! or maybe, don't bring them to Arkansas or Kentucky or wherever.

But, c'mon, I'm assuming these guys aren't going to be deposited at the county jail in Baltimore or Baton Rouge. We've got an incredibly secure and incredibly hellish Super Max facility in Florence, Colorado. And it seems clear that that's where these guys would end up. (That's where Ramzi Yousef, mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, now resides, along with a bunch of other high-profile terrorists.) So can't we at least stop fools from Texas and Idaho from pretending these guys are coming to their state?

Apparently not. When did America become such a nation of scared people and fear mongers? Do we really think our prisons, which we must be expert at since we have so many of our people in them, can't handle these inmates? Or are we only good at incarcerating marijuana smokers and drunk drivers?

Actually, living by the principles this country was founded on may take more balls than America has any more.

The Republicans were poor winners, now they are poor losers

(Via Fox News [no, I'm not kidding!])

Barack Obama's designated chief of staff -- responding to Republicans' concerns that his tough, partisan approach might run at odds with Barack Obama's administration -- said it's up to the new president to set a bipartisan "tone."

Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, appearing Sunday on ABC News' This Week, dismissed such charges by saying Obama will maintain his pledge to govern in a bipartisan manner.

Last week, the Republican National Committee put out a press release calling Obama's choice of Emanuel, "Obama's Broken Promise" because the Illinois politician has a reputation for being "hyper-partisan."

And Republican House leader John Boehner called Emanuel "an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center."

Now, it doesn't take too much to see the irony of the party of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove whining about "partisanship". The horror stories over the last years of Democratic committee members not informed of important votes or being locked out of hearing rooms aren't all THAT ancient. But really, where the hell do these people get off?

I also remember Bush calling his 3% win over Kerry a "mandate" (he can only be forgiven for this because he really doesn't speak English all that well), while Conservative pundits like Robert Novak pull things out of their ass like: "He may have opened the door to enactment of the long-deferred liberal agenda, but he neither received a broad mandate from the public nor the needed large congressional majorities." A 7% lead in THIS race is not a mandate? What would be a mandate? Is there a separate, partisan way of defining mandate?

I'm just askin' . . . .

Don't touch That Dial

(Via Darkblack)

Unbelievable!

The whole flap over what Obama said in Pennsylvania is so ridiculous. The worst part is seeing Hillary yapping like a Wingnut over the supposed "meaning" of what Obama said. Here's the quote given a little context (Via truthout.org):

"Here's how it is. In a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long, they feel so betrayed by government that when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it.

"... Our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when there's not evidence of that in their daily lives. You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

I see nothing demeaning in these words. In fact, the demeaning thing is Clinton and McCain trying to say that this is not true. That there is nothing wrong here, that these people haven't been exploited and discarded by the establishment. That they aren't pissed off. As Bob Shurm said in the Huffington Post:

"Ironically, Obama's the one raised by a single mother. He's the one who only recently finished paying off his student loans. He doesn't know what it's like to have $100 million. The opponents who are attacking him are the ones who inhabit that financial neighborhood."

Clinton or McCain calling Obama elitist is the pot calling the kettle a pot. Come on, this is so transparent as to be laughable. Clinton just keeps declining in my estimation, while Obama keeps rising.

Bowling vs the future of our country

(Via Glenn Greenwald)

In the past two weeks, the following events transpired. A Department of Justice memo, authored by John Yoo, was released which authorized torture and presidential lawbreaking. It was revealed that the Bush administration declared the Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights to be inapplicable to "domestic military operations" within the U.S. The U.S. Attorney General appears to have fabricated a key event leading to the 9/11 attacks and made patently false statements about surveillance laws and related lawsuits. Barack Obama went bowling in Pennsylvania and had a low score.

Here are the number of times, according to NEXIS, that various topics have been mentioned in the media over the past thirty days:

"Yoo and torture" - 102
"Mukasey and 9/11" -- 73
"Yoo and Fourth Amendment" -- 16
"Obama and bowling" -- 1,043
"Obama and Wright" -- More than 3,000 (too many to be counted)
"Obama and patriotism" - 1,607
"Clinton and Lewinsky" -- 1,079

It is becoming more and more evident, as if it wasn't already, that as citizens we cannot depend on the media to show us the important issues. It is incumbent on us to search out the truth, as the press is far to enamored with the sound of its own voice to decide that for us. Maybe this is really the way it is supposed to be, anyway, but God help us all if we can't see that destroying our Constitutional rights is more important than Obama's bowling score.

One other point to note about all of this is that these fixations are as skewed as they are vapid. Barack Obama is an exotic elitist freak because he went to Harvard Law School and made $1 million from his book. Hillary Clinton can't possibly have any connection to the Regular Folk because her husband, who grew up dirt poor, became quite wealthy after being President. John Kerry was completely removed from the concerns of the Regular People because his second wife was rich.
By contrast, George W. Bush was a down-home, salt-of-the-earth Man of the People despite being the grandson of a U.S. Senator, the son of a President (who greatly magnified his riches in his post-presidency), and the by-product of an extremely wealthy, coddled life. Ronald Reagan was pure Americana despite spending most of his adult life as a very wealthy Hollywood actor (and converting his post-presidency into far greater riches still). And John McCain is as Regular a Guy as it gets, even though he dumped his first wife (the mother of his three children) after she was disfigured and disabled by a near-fatal car accident so that he could marry his much younger, much prettier, and extremely wealthy heiress-mistress, whose family riches then launched his political career and sustained a life of luxury for almost three decades (that's how McCain's rustic "Sedona cabin" -- i.e., his sprawling compound -- came to be).

It would be bad enough if our political press were obsessed with such trivialities. The fact that they do so in such a Republican-leader-worshiping manner makes it only that much worse, particularly given that it's this dynamic, more than anything else, that determines the outcome of our elections

It seems that to the media, torture is fine, but don't you dare get a low bowling score. What a load of crap!

Democratic, or Republican-lite?

(Via Eschaton)

Clinton can stay in the campaign as long as she likes, but I do wish she'd have focused her fire on McCain, instead of arguing that he's so awesome that Obama couldn't beat him.

This is exactly right, and one of the reasons I really have a HUGE problem with Clinton (other that James Carville's slimy presence.) She has made it sound at times as if she is campaigning for McCain, and that if she doesn't get the nomination the voters should support him. What the fuck kind of message is that?

We need a Democrat who is not afraid to stand for Democratic and progressive ideals, even when it may cost the votes of a few bigots or the cprporate overlords. Obama may not be perfect in this regard, but he make Hilary look positively reactionary.

Turn out the old, bring in the new:

(Via Huffington Post) Arianna Huffington:

As luck, and poor scheduling, would have it, Barack Obama and John McCain gave their Super Tuesday victory speeches at roughly the same time last night, causing cable news directors across the dial to go split-screen, then finally jump from the tail end of McCain's speech to the first part of Obama's. (Hillary Clinton, her campaign a well-oiled machine, had given her speech earlier in the night, when she had the cameras all to herself.)

Watching Obama and McCain speaking side-by-side, I couldn't help but think to myself: if this is a preview of the general election, bring it on!

(SNIP)

The overlapping oratories could not have been more dramatically different. One soared; the other plodded. One caused goose bumps; the other caused eyelids to flutter shut. One felt newly minted; the other could have been given by Herbert Hoover (and maybe was).

For some reason, I kept picturing a singer like Perry Como standing in the wings during the old Ed Sullivan show, watching the Beatles hit the stage, and thinking: "What do I do now?" or "Oh. My. God." or "The world just changed, didn't it?" or "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

I'll leave it to you to decide which Super Tuesday speech was "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and which was pure Perry Como.

The Beatles vs Perry Como? I love it!