Friday Talking Points [346] -- Is That Your Final Answer, Jeb?
Jeb Bush, is that your final answer? Sure you wouldn't like to phone a friend, or maybe just get the audience's reaction first?
Heh. OK, we fully admit that we didn't come up with that snarky line ourselves. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post took the prize in the "snarky ways to describe Bush's awful week" contest (runner-up: Heather "Digby" Parton for using the old standard "between Iraq and a hard place"). Jeb Bush, in case you haven't heard, spent the entire week coming up with a believable answer to one question. In other words, when that proverbial 3:00 A.M. call comes, we can expect Jebbie to get back to us by next Thursday.
After watching Bush twist in the wind this week, we can't help but wonder if the 2016 Republican nomination race is going to closely resemble the 2008 Democratic nomination fight. Let's see, we've got a candidate who is sure that raising gobs of money is going to scare everybody else off, and who would really be fine with just holding a coronation rather than that whole messy primary elections calendar, and who sees himself as the inevitable candidate. This should sound at least glancingly familiar. Jeb just announced he'll be skipping the Iowa straw poll as well, which only goes to further the image of Bush's disdainful attitude.
But we've already written about Bush's woes this week (twice, in fact, including one which uses the hilarious Fawlty Towers quote: "Don't mention the war!" for a headline), so let's move along from Bush-bashing and instead take a look at some of the other news from the Republican campaign trail. The Republican Party seems to be conducting a straw poll of its own over on its official site, with a whopping three dozen candidates to choose from -- including people who have already said they're not running, people who are never going to run, and people nobody's ever heard of before. Most notable among that last group: former I.R.S. commissioner Mark Everson, who was forced out of the job of running the Red Cross because of an "inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate." Oh, and Sarah Palin and Donald Trump are also on the list, for some reason. So if you're dying to let the Republican Party know how much you'd like to see any one of their 36 candidates, head on over and vote!
In specific Republican candidate news, Mike Huckabee made a bold pronouncement that he was jes' regular folks because he didn't get any money from taxpayers (a subtle jab at Bill Clinton's pension, we suppose?). Unfortunately, that whole "governor of Arkansas" thing seems to have slipped his mind, since Huckabee still gets his own "taxpayer-funded" pension from the state (one he didn't even have to contribute any of his paycheck towards, in fact). So much for that talking point, Huckster!
Ben Carson made some news last weekend when he seriously began advocating that the rest of the government start ignoring the precedent set back in 1803 by Marbury v. Madison. This was the case where the Supreme Court essentially made a power grab and decided to crown itself ultimate arbiter of whether any laws are constitutional or not. Carson is right, in an academic bull session sort of way, that this power is not actually granted by the Constitution to the Supreme Court. But ignoring over 200 years of precedent on this matter is a pretty insane thing to contemplate these days, even if the court does go ahead and rule that gay people should be fully equal under the law later this year. Carson will, obviously, be the go-to guy in the Republican field when news organizations are looking for a quote from the Crazy Town Express that is the Republican field (and with three dozen contenders, that is indeed saying something!).
Not to be outdone, a staffer for the Rand Paul campaign actually licked a camera filming Paul this week, for reasons which surpass understanding. Feel free to make your own "my staffer can lick your staffer!" playground jokes.
Over on the Democratic side of the race, Hillary Clinton is so far keeping her powder dry on the whole trade deal fight happening in Congress. She's in a tough spot on this one, since much of the deal was negotiated while she was secretary of state, but she knows there are many Democratic voters who (rightly so) have a healthy chunk of suspicion when it comes to free trade agreements. When the big debate begins on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement begins (later this year), she's going to have to weigh in one way or the other, though.
The committee investigating Benghazi for the eighth time (or possibly ninth... we've lost count...) got caught in a "Washington gaffe" this week (defined as: "inadvertently telling the truth"), when it put out a notice on its official website inviting people to watch a press conference from the "Select Committee on Secretary Clinton Emails." The committee is actually supposed to be the "Select Committee on Benghazi," but maybe they should just go whole-hog and call it what it has always been intended to be: the "Select Committee For Partisan Attacks On The Democratic Presidential Nominee."
And finally, Sweden showed the world how to creatively solve an international problem this week. After Russian subs had been detected in Swedish waters, a Swedish peace group amusingly decided to launch a deterrent... of sorts. They created a huge neon billboard and sunk it in the water. The billboard has a scantily-clad sailor on it and the message "Welcome to Sweden, gay since 1944." It also broadcasts, via Morse code, the message: "this way if you are gay." Given Vladimir Putin's "no homosexual propaganda" law, it seems like a pretty easy way to keep the Russian seamen away. So to speak.
Two quick Honorable Mention awards to hand out this week. The first goes to Harry Reid, who reacted to the flood of news over the "deflategate" penalties with his own poignant comment on Twitter: "I find it stunning that the NFL cares more about how much air is in a football than it cares about a racist franchise name." Good point, Harry!
Our second Honorable Mention goes to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, for rolling out his own 13-point plan this week, as a model campaign platform for Progressives to run on. It's being compared to Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America," and is actually called "The Progressive Agenda to Combat Inequality." It's got plenty of good stuff in it worth supporting, including national paid sick and family leave laws and a $15-per-hour minimum wage. Hillary Clinton's own positions aren't all that far away from this document, so it'll be interesting to see what impact it has both on her campaign and on the official Democratic Party platform document next year.
But our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week is Senator Elizabeth Warren, for winning a solid victory in the Senate. She won this victory largely against Barack Obama (whom I'll get to in a moment). The White House wanted a bill granting "fast-track" authority on trade negotiations. The Senate, led mostly by Warren, balked. Because the trade agreement Obama wants (the T.P.P.) still has some glaring weaknesses, Warren essentially demanded a few proactive measures (on things like retraining displaced workers and cracking down hard on currency manipulation) be passed before the fast-track bill.
In the end, Warren prevailed. The fast-track bill was momentarily halted, and the package of other bills was allowed to proceed (all of which were then overwhelmingly passed by the Senate). Now the fast-track bill will move forward, and we'll see what the House does with all of these bills.
But for standing up for what she believes in and for not just allowing a trade deal to sail through without also plugging some gaping loopholes, Elizabeth Warren clearly emerged as the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week. When the fight moves on to the actual T.P.P. bill itself (expected later this year), we will be looking for what Warren has to say about it (once the deal's text becomes public). For now, we applaud Warren for what she achieved this week.
[Congratulate Senator Elizabeth Warren on her Senate contact page, to let her know you appreciate her efforts.]
In related news, our Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week this week was none other than President Barack Obama.
Now, we do realize that being in the Oval Office means you view trade deals differently. You also tend to view giving the executive branch more authority and power differently, as well. President Obama has every right to fight for either or both, as we would expect most presidents to do in similar situations.
But what earns Obama the MDDOTW award this week wasn't so much that he fought for his trade deal and fast-track authority, but for how he fought this fight.
Obama's fight with Warren was an unfair contest from the beginning, because (as Warren tirelessly pointed out) the details of the trade deal are still a classified secret and even members of Congress have to go into a room to read the drafts without the ability to even take notes on paper. They aren't allowed to speak of the details of the deal because they are classified secrets right now. So Obama can claim anything he wants about the deal, and the rest of us have no way of checking who is closer to the truth.
But even that's not reason enough to give Obama the MDDOTW award. The reason he's been most disappointing in this fight is the language he's been using to describe both Warren herself ("a politician like everybody else") and her positions on the T.P.P. deal. Obama even has the gall to say "her arguments don't stand the test of fact and scrutiny," when he knows full well that we cannot apply those tests to her arguments yet, because the facts are still secret.
We are reminded by this recent episode of nothing more than the way the Obama White House handled "the professional Left" during its first few years in office -- ironically enough, the years when Obama could have gotten a lot more accomplished if he had embraced Progressives (this was when Democrats overwhelmingly held both houses of Congress). Why is it that President Obama saves has most disdainful rhetoric for Democrats? Where are such cutting and condescending remarks when he's in a scrap with Republicans? Are we really on our way back to the Rahm Emanuel days at the White House?
Obama insists that the fight is not personal. This was after the first vote in the Senate, where all but one Democrat voted to support Warren instead of the White House.
Elizabeth Warren is not some marginal figure. She is not some gadfly to be dispensed with by swatting her arguments away. She speaks for millions, in fact. The sooner Barack Obama and the White House realize this fact, the better things will be. Please -- for the love of all that's holy -- let us not return to the Rahm Emanuel playbook!
[Contact President Barack Obama via the White House contact page, to let him know what you think of his actions.]
Volume 346 (5/15/15)
OK, before we get to the talking points, a few odds and ends need linking to.
The first is another link to that Progressive Agenda to Combat Inequality. This document is not only comprehensive and well done, it is also a monument to creating good talking points. It's not a heavy read, in other words. Short, simple declarations of the goals to be accomplished, and a worthy list of goals to shoot for. I could have just used some of the best for this week's talking points, if there weren't so much else to get to, so go take a look.
The second is an excellent article from Geoffrey R. Stone on what the Supreme Court could look like ten years from now, and how radically different this outcome could be depending on the next two presidential terms. If you need a reason to care about next year's elections, this is it. The court could be anywhere from a 6-3 liberal advantage to a 7-2 conservative edge. It's some sobering math to contemplate.
And finally, just a cool page that didn't fit anywhere else. Bloomberg has a great page of graphics which show the pace of social change in America, on issues ranging from marijuana legalization all the way back to Prohibition and women getting the vote. It's a fascinating look at how some of the most contentious issues played out in the past century or so. I highly recommend it (and thank the reader who drew it to my attention), even if it doesn't have anything to do with this week's news.
OK, enough of that, let's get on with this week's talking points. As always, use responsibly.
This is obscene
President Obama used this fact in a recent speech, and the Washington Post has a good graphical representation of the situation.
"You want to know why income inequality is such a big deal? Here's a fact for you: the top 25 hedge fund managers in the country make more money than all American kindergarten teachers combined. That means that 25 people were paid more money in total than 158,000 kindergarten teachers. In fact, they weren't just paid more, they were paid over three billion dollars more. Now, I ask you, which group contributes more to American society, 25 hedge fund managers or over 150,000 kindergarten teachers? Adding to this obscenity is the fact that the kindergarten teachers are probably paying a higher tax rate than the hedge fund managers. That, to me, shows why income inequality is a big deal."
Talk about the wrong track
There was a tragic Amtrak crash in Philadelphia this week. Republicans, of course, had a great idea to solve such problems in the future.
"The day after -- that's the day after -- a train accident which could easily have been prevented with new safety technology, House Republicans voted to cut funding for Amtrak. Yes, you read that right. President Obama asked for $2.45 billion for Amtrak, a significant boost from the $1.4 billion Congress spent last year. But House Republicans astonishingly cut $252 million from last year's budget levels. John Boehner then said it was 'nonsense' to link Amtrak's budget with safety problems and the crash. I agree with Chuck Schumer, though, when he responded, quote, to deny a connection between the accident and underfunding Amtrak is to deny reality, unquote."
What flag indeed
A rather weak clause in the upcoming Pentagon appropriations bill was supposed to make it easier for undocumented immigrant children (the "Dreamers") to serve in the American military. Who could be against that? They love this country so much, they're willing to put their lives on the line for it, so why not let them honorably serve? Of course, Republicans didn't agree, since they now seem to be in full retreat from even any veneer of "Latino outreach." So the provision got voted down in the House. Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler had the best response, from a speech she gave on the House floor:
If someone through their merit and their hard work earns acceptance into that elite fighting force, where they could die defending you and me, then I leave you with this question: What country's flag would you have draped on the casket of that brave soul?
Then as farce...
OK, this one is pure tragicomedy. We've been at war with the Islamic State for over nine months now. Congress has yet to vote on any Authorization for the Use of Military Force (A.U.M.F.) which would approve the war actions Obama has taken. So Democrats decided to try again, in the debate on the Pentagon budget bill (the National Defense Authorization Act, or "N.D.A.A."). Republicans balked, taking the position that voting a war authorization while authorizing the Pentagon budget was somehow unrelated (even though they're actively trying to redefine our international legal relationship with Israel in the same bill). Republicans, in fact, reduced the entire thing to a joke Peter Sellers told over a half a century ago. Don't believe me? Here's what House Democrat Adam Schiff had to say during the debate:
Last night, the Rules Committee voted down an amendment I offered to the N.D.A.A. in the form of a limited and narrow authorization against ISIS. The majority's objection was that the defense bill was not the place to debate the war. Perhaps not, but if not here, where?
Even better was what Jim McGovern had to say about the farcical nature of banning war authorization from the Pentagon budget:
This is the N.D.A.A. This is the bill. This funds the wars. This notion that this doesn't belong here, well, where the hell does it belong? We treat war as if it's nothing. We have men and women in harm's way.... This is disgraceful.
Which brings us to that Peter Sellers joke, from the incomparable film Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb:
Gentlemen! You can't fight in here! It's the War Room!
Not supporting the troops, again
Why do Democrats let Republicans get away with this stuff? If the shoe were on the other foot, just imagine the outrage!
"While Republicans are afraid of admitting that we are at war with the Islamic State in the new Pentagon budget bill, I see that they're still fighting hard -- even though it was defeated two weeks ago -- to include the right of predatory lenders to continue preying upon America's service members. That's right -- Republicans are fighting hard for companies that rip off soldiers with payday loans at what can only be called loan shark rates, so that a few unscrupulous businesses can walk away with millions of dollars for another year. Why can't Republicans stand up and support our troops? Why are the rights of loan sharks more important than the rights of our brave fighting men and women? It defies belief, and it is downright disgraceful."
GOP follies
Two state-level Republican leaders bit the dust this week. So point it out!
"I see that the state senate majority leader of New York, Republican Dean Skelos, just announced he'll be stepping down from his leadership position after being federally indicted for rampant corruption. No word yet on whether he'll step down from office completely, though. Over in Missouri, John Diehl, the Republican speaker of the state house chamber, has now resigned from both leadership and his office after his sexually-themed texts with a college intern were revealed. Nothing like those good, old-fashioned Republican family values, eh folks?"
GOP Latino outreach, R.I.P.
Here's a question to ask a few Republican presidential candidates.
"I'd be interested in hearing your reaction to what happened recently at the South Carolina Freedom Summit, when a woman said the following into the microphone: 'People are coming in this country across the borders like rats and roaches in the woodpile.' Specifically, I'd like to hear what you have to say about the fact that this woman's statements were actually cheered by the audience? Is it really so hard to understand why Republican candidates struggle to get Latino votes when this sort of thing is not just tolerated, but actually cheered by a group of Republicans?"
-- Chris Weigant
All-time award winners leaderboard, by rank
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground
Cross-posted at: The Huffington Post
Program Note:
That has a double meaning, tonight. I was informed by an old friend of the site (does anyone remember our "resident cartoonist"?) that my Wednesday column ("A Third Dubya Term?") was used as a graphic background on tonight's "The Big Picture" television show, hosted by Thom Hartmann on the RT America network.
AT the beginning of the "Big Picture Rumble" segment, they "show the headline as a graphic, and also zoom a quote from the first paragraph as a graphic below the headline. Unfortunately the graphics covered your photo/name in the
backdrop, and the article is not mentioned otherwise."
So, not earth-shattering news, but hey, even a headline of mine being on TV is kind of cool, I have to admit.
Anyway, if you can find a re-run of tonight's show, check it out.
We now return you to your regularly-scheduled comments...
-CW
But House Republicans astonishingly cut $252 million from last year's budget levels. John Boehner then said it was 'nonsense' to link Amtrak's budget with safety problems and the crash. I agree with Chuck Schumer, though, when he responded, quote, to deny a connection between the accident and underfunding Amtrak is to deny reality, unquote."
Exactly what "safety problems" caused the Amtrak crash???
It was human error, pure and simple...
OK, this one is pure tragicomedy. We've been at war with the Islamic State for over nine months now. Congress has yet to vote on any Authorization for the Use of Military Force (A.U.M.F.) which would approve the war actions Obama has taken.
Obama's fine with using Bush's AUMFs....
What's the beef??
"While Republicans are afraid of admitting that we are at war with the Islamic State in the new Pentagon budget bill,
Oh come on.. It's Democrats who refuse to call it a war...
"I see that the state senate majority leader of New York, Republican Dean Skelos, just announced he'll be stepping down from his leadership position after being federally indicted for rampant corruption. No word yet on whether he'll step down from office completely, though. Over in Missouri, John Diehl, the Republican speaker of the state house chamber, has now resigned from both leadership and his office after his sexually-themed texts with a college intern were revealed. Nothing like those good, old-fashioned Republican family values, eh folks?"
Do you REALLY want to go toe to toe on corruption and sex issues??? :D Especially when you consider the latter and who is the Democrat's chosen queen... :D
"I'd be interested in hearing your reaction to what happened recently at the South Carolina Freedom Summit, when a woman said the following into the microphone: 'People are coming in this country across the borders like rats and roaches in the woodpile.' Specifically, I'd like to hear what you have to say about the fact that this woman's statements were actually cheered by the audience? Is it really so hard to understand why Republican candidates struggle to get Latino votes when this sort of thing is not just tolerated, but actually cheered by a group of Republicans?"
My reaction??
The woman called a spade a spade... No political correctness whatsoever..
I don't see the problem??
Without illegals, California would not be having a water shortage problem..
Without illegals, thousands of Americans would still be alive today..
Without illegals, thousands of American women would not have been raped...
No matter HOW one tries to spin it, these people are criminals..
The woman got cheered because she spoke facts to power..
Michale
So, not earth-shattering news, but hey, even a headline of mine being on TV is kind of cool, I have to admit.
Anyway, if you can find a re-run of tonight's show, check it out.
http://rt.com/shows/big-picture/
I couldn't find the show... Any idea???
Michale
And in other news...
What do you call the Boston Marathon Bomber being sentenced to death??
A good start!
Michale
But House Republicans astonishingly cut $252 million from last year's budget levels. John Boehner then said it was 'nonsense' to link Amtrak's budget with safety problems and the crash. I agree with Chuck Schumer, though, when he responded, quote, to deny a connection between the accident and underfunding Amtrak is to deny reality, unquote."
Exactly what "safety problems" caused the Amtrak crash???
It was human error, pure and simple...
Correction..
It was possible human error or human intervention... There are reports that the train was struck by some sort of projectile just prior to the crash...
Regardless, there was no "safety issue"...
Boehner is right..
Schumer has his head up his arse...
Michale
Why is it that President Obama saves has most disdainful rhetoric for Democrats?
The question is, why do the Left laugh and gloat when Obama treats Republicans that way, but whine and cry and bitch and moan when Obama treats Democrats that way??
What ya'all don't realize, what I have been trying to tell ya'all for going on 5 years now is that THIS is Obama.
THIS is who Obama is..
The one that is ALWAYS right.. The one who simply CAN'T disagree with anyone without making it personal..
Obama is always right and everyone who disagrees with him has a political agenda. Or is ignorant.. Or is lying..
Democrats have simply gotten a taste of what Republicans have been dealing with for years....
I have no sympathy for Democrats...
"Go cry in your coffee but don't come bitching to me.."
-Bill Joel, BIG SHOT
:D
Michale
For those who want to keep hammering on Jeb for Iraq, just keep in mind one thing.
Jeb never voted to go to war in Iraq..
The Iraq issue hurts HILLARY a lot more with the Professional Left than it hurts Jeb with the Professional Right..
So, by all means.. Keep Iraq in the conversation.. :D
Michale
I have no sympathy for Democrats...
"Go cry in your coffee but don't come bitching to me.."
-Bill Joel, BIG SHOT
If anyone is looking for a response to this, might I suggest:
"It's no big sin ta stick your 2 cents in if ya know when to leave it alone...
But you went over the line, you couldn't see it was time to go home."
-Billy Joel, BIG SHOT
Just thought I would help ya'all out... :D
Michale
What do you call the Boston Marathon Bomber being sentenced to death??
A missed opportunity.
For what??
http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/S7wo02QWFqBKbySa2RsxiA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTM2MDtpbD1wbGFuZTtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz00NTA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2015-05-15T191111Z_1_LYNXMPEB4E0YB_RTROPTP_2_BOSTON-BOMBINGS-TRIAL.JPG
Michale
Michale wrote:
"Without illegals, California would not be having a water shortage problem..
Without illegals, thousands of Americans would still be alive today..
Without illegals, thousands of American women would not have been raped..."
And those statements right there, as long as they are held by a majority of either the Republican party or Republican politicians, shows exactly why they will never win the White House again.
For one, the California drought is due to the weather. For another, most of the water in California is used by big agribusiness farms for growing crops, a lot of that for export. If 77 percent of the water wasn't being used for agriculture, there would be no water shortage.
The other two statements are so racist, prejudiced and bigoted, they are contemptible enough to not have to comment on further.
However if you don't think it is ironic for Republicans to obsessively focus on Mexicans slipping over the border, given that illegal immigration from Mexico is way down, has been falling now for years, and Obama has deported more of them than Bush has, while wealthy Chinese tourists come to California in droves for the sole purpose of giving birth to American citizens slips entirely under their radar, there must indeed be something wrong.
<I.And those statements right there, as long as they are held by a majority of either the Republican party or Republican politicians, shows exactly why they will never win the White House again.
Wanna put some quatloos where yer mouth is?? :D
Many MANY said similar things prior to the mid-terms.
"With that attitude, the GOP will NEVER win the Senate!!"
Guess what??? The GOP *DECIMATED* the Democrats...
Regardless, WHO CARES about the political/politically correct aspects of it??
Not I....
It's a stone cold fact and that is all that concerns me..
For one, the California drought is due to the weather.
I am not talking drought.. I am talking water shortage...
The drought would not have the effect on California it is having if it weren't for the millions and millions of illegal immigrant criminals using resources...
This is fact...
The other two statements are so racist, prejudiced and bigoted, they are contemptible enough to not have to comment on further.
How so???
Did the Hysterical Namby Pamby Left finally get "criminal", "rapist" and "murderer" designated as a new and protected race???
Color me shocked.. {/sarc}
If you want to claim that I am "bigoted" against criminals, that's a label I will wear proudly..
I am also bigoted against child molesters and terrorists...
Do you have a problem with that as well??
No matter how you want to spin it with the namby pamby liberal koom-bye-ya crap, illegal immigrants are criminals...
This is fact...
However if you don't think it is ironic for Republicans to obsessively focus on Mexicans slipping over the border, given that illegal immigration from Mexico is way down, has been falling now for years, and Obama has deported more of them than Bush has, while wealthy Chinese tourists come to California in droves for the sole purpose of giving birth to American citizens slips entirely under their radar, there must indeed be something wrong.
WOW.. A lot of spewage, but not a single relevant fact in there at all..
Amazing.. :D
Michale
Next thing you'll be saying is that not all *illegal* immigrants are criminals.. :D
Mind-boggling... :D
"By and large, illegal immigrants obey the law"
-THE Stupidest Comment Ever Made In The Illegal Immigrant Debate
:D
Michale
Let's face reality here, JM...
The *ONLY* reason the Democrat Party is so gung ho for illegal immigrant criminals is that they overwhelmingly vote Democrat...
If the illegals overwhelmingly voted GOP, then ya'all would feel EXACTLY the same way about illegal immigrant criminals as I do and ya'all would be making the EXACT same arguments I am making...
Michale
For what??
Oh, just for showing how much better America is than are its enemies in the Middle East and most of its friends there, too.
Why is it that President Obama saves has most disdainful rhetoric for Democrats?
Because they deserve it?
As I recall, that "professional Left" jab was directed toward all those "progressives" who said there wasn't any difference between Obama and his esteemed predecessor. Enough said.
Update:
OK, here's the link.
It's right around the 1:00 minute mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzE5Jmm3vY0
:-)
Look, Ma, I'm on the teevee...
-CW
Ah, the silent treatment. Real mature ...
:-)
Since we're on the subject of insane Bush family "mistakes" that were made, I think Jeb should tell us whether he'd re-tyrannize the Schiavos if he had a chance to do it all over again (hypothetically of course).
8 Trans fat provides no known health benefit and there is no safe level of consumption of artificial trans fat.
Oh, just for showing how much better America is than are its enemies in the Middle East and most of its friends there, too.
America shows that each and every day...
There is nothing uncivilized about putting down a rabid animal that kills innocents with impunity...
Michale
Update:
OK, here's the link.
It's right around the 1:00 minute mark.
Awwww, it's the HuffPoo page! :(
I thought it was your CW page..
Oh well, it's still a big plus.. Congrats.. :D
Michale
When the big debate begins on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement begins (later this year), she's going to have to weigh in one way or the other, though.
That's right. She'll have to decide whether to promote progress (like a real progressive) or opt for America getting left behind.
Anyone who is considering applying for the office of the leader of the free world needs to opt for positive change and be able to recognize it when they see it.
The White House wanted a bill granting "fast-track" authority on trade negotiations. The Senate, led mostly by Warren, balked. Because the trade agreement Obama wants (the T.P.P.) still has some glaring weaknesses, Warren essentially demanded a few proactive measures (on things like retraining displaced workers and cracking down hard on currency manipulation) be passed before the fast-track bill.
It never ceases to amaze me how well-intentioned and well-positioned people can be and yet, seemingly, not understand the first thing about how to get things done.
I'm talking about Obama and Warren, just to be clear.
I'm sure there are more than a few problem areas inherent in the negotiation and, hopefully, what will be in the final agreement of the Trans Pacific Partnership. But, are they problematic enough to derail the process and shouldn't they be issues that are dealt with on their merits outside of the trade deal by the individual nations involved?
And, how are the "glaring weaknesses" you allude to going to substantially affect the US economy one way or another, in view of all of the other factors that affect it, whether the TPP survives or not?
I think it's time to talk about why it is in the best interests of the US to not only be involved in the TPP but to effectively lead it.
When the big debate begins on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement begins (later this year), she's going to have to weigh in one way or the other, though.
That's right. She'll have to decide whether to promote progress (like a real progressive) or opt for America getting left behind.
Anyone who is considering applying for the office of the leader of the free world needs to opt for positive change and be able to recognize it when they see it.
Michale,
America shows that each and every day...
I need no convincing on that. But, this could have been a great opportunity to show America's strength through the power of its example in ways that go beyond the every day ...
When the big debate begins on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement begins (later this year), she's going to have to weigh in one way or the other, though.
That's right. She'll have to decide whether to promote progress (like a real progressive) or opt for America getting left behind.
Anyone who is considering applying for the office of the leader of the free world needs to opt for positive change and be able to recognize it when they see it.
There is no question that Hillary knows all the right words to say..
She epitomizes the saying, "The key is sincerity.. Once you can fake that, you have it made.."
The only question is will the Professional Left actually buy what she is selling???
I bet ya a million quatloos that they will...
But, this could have been a great opportunity to show America's strength through the power of its example in ways that go beyond the every day ...
I am at a loss to understand how showing compassion to a depraved and psychotic scumbag such as Tsaernev proves anything but weakness??
"Sometimes ya gotta fight, when yer a man.."
-Kenny Rogers, COWARD OF THE COUNTY
Michale
I am at a loss to understand how showing compassion to a depraved and psychotic scumbag such as Tsaernev proves anything but weakness??
Who said anything about compassion!? I'm talking about justice.
Who said anything about compassion!? I'm talking about justice.
You mean justice like Tsaernev advocated???
An Eye For An Eye
The scumbag terrorist being put to death IS justice....
And common sense as well...
Michale
You mean justice like Tsaernev advocated???
Whaaat??? We're done here.
Another lost opportunity for an interesting discussion. I'm beginning to think it can't happen. Because, I'm a very, very slow learner.
You mean justice like Tsaernev advocated???
Whaaat??? We're done here.
You'll have to clarify what exactly you mean by "justice"...
Justice means many different things to many different people..
The scumbag terrorist said "justice" was "an eye for an eye"..
I see no problem with applying his idea of justice to himself...
You ever read SUM OF ALL FEARS??
Michale
I'd rather see him spend the rest of his days in prison with the possibility of him, perhaps, changing his ideas or at least thinking about the monster he became and why.
I'd rather see him spend the rest of his days in prison with the
OK... So, you would rather see him caged like a rabid animal so he can't harm anyone else..
I would rather see him put down like a rabid animal so he can't harm anyone else..
I actually think my way is more humane.. :D
changing his ideas or at least thinking about the monster he became and why.
Monster's don't think.. Do you think Timothy McVeigh would have thought about why he became a monster if he would have been allowed to live??
Michale
As I said above.. Democrats may not want to make Iraq so prominent..
Iraq's Anbar in 'total collapse', on brink of falling to Islamic State
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/islamic-state-overruns-more-ramadi-besieges-key-iraqi-140007702.html
Regardless of the wisdom of going into Iraq, Bush was the POTUS who won Iraq...
Obama will go down in history as the POTUS who lost Iraq to islamic fanatics...
Michale
Michale,
I think history will show that, if Iraq ends up lost to the violently deranged Islamist barbarians then it will be due primarily to the fact that there is an extreme paucity of political leadership in Iraq and that Iraqi leaders do not believe in democratic principles.
Let's put some blame where it actually belongs, for a change, shall we?
I think history will show that, if Iraq ends up lost to the violently deranged Islamist barbarians then it will be due primarily to the fact that there is an extreme paucity of political leadership in Iraq and that Iraqi leaders do not believe in democratic principles.
Let's put some blame where it actually belongs, for a change, shall we?
Obama is blameless??
Michale
"... Unfortunately the graphics covered your photo/name in the backdrop, and the article is not mentioned otherwise."
Actually, the name is clearly legible in the Youtube video, and the picture (although too small to be easily recognizable) is visible as well. They do get covered when the quote is displayed, but at least their visible before.
The reason I ask is that Iraqi leaders had the EXACT same problems under Bush..
But THEN it was all Bush's fault...
So, you can understand my confusion... :D
Michale
That is true, Michale.
But, you shouldn't be confused.
Because, history will show that the decision to invade Iraq in 2003 with a woefully inadequate number of troops and without a political strategy for the aftermath, was terribly ill-advised and destined for disaster from the get-go. And, for that, GWB is hardly the most blame-worthy.
Finally, merely for purposes of setting the record straight ... at no point since the onset of the 2003 US led invasion of Iraq was Iraq ever "won".
When it comes to US policy in Iraq, Michale, President Obama is not blameless in how events have unfolded there.
But, I hold Vice President Biden far more responsible because he is the one who understood what was happening in Iraq and what was needed to resolve the situation and he should have used his influence in a more effective manner beginning in January 2009.
<I.When it comes to US policy in Iraq, Michale, President Obama is not blameless in how events have unfolded there.
Common ground.. :D
I do AGREE with you, however... The Iraqi leadership sucks and do bear the brunt of responsibility..
But President Obama KNEW that the Iraqi leadership sucked. He should not have moved troops out of Iraq so fast...
But he wanted to please his base more than he wanted to do what's right for the country...
In other words, his agenda was more important than what was right for the country..
That's a common theme throughout Obama's entire presidency..
Michale
Well, in any event, the most important question now is not what would you have done in Iraq but rather what should be US policy now, in Iraq and throughout the wider region.
I think the Obama administration has the right guiding principles but I worry that it is going to be hard to resist the urge to get more heavily involved militarily when the opposite is what should be happening.
I say let the Middle Easterners figure out what their strategy should be to defeat the barbarians at their gate.
A more important question still is what should inform US policy toward Iran, particularly if negotiations over Iran's nuclear program fail to reach an agreement.
but rather what should be US policy now, in Iraq and throughout the wider region.
President Michale's Iraq policy would be simple.
We broke it, we fix it...
A more important question still is what should inform US policy toward Iran, particularly if negotiations over Iran's nuclear program fail to reach an agreement.
President Michale's Iran policy is equally simple...
"Give up your nuclear program or we nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.."
:D
I say let the Middle Easterners figure out what their strategy should be to defeat the barbarians at their gate.
If the US and the rest of the Western world didn't have strategic interests in the area, I would agree with you..
But we do...
Unless all you Lefties are ready to give up your cars and your lights and your computers and your IPADs and everything else based on a fossil fuel economy.. :D
Michale
Michale,
We broke it, we fix it...
That usually makes a lot of sense. But, not in this case. Because the US and its western allies have proven that they are not capable of fixing this mess even though they created it.
"Give up your nuclear program or we nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.."
Non-serious.
Unless all you Lefties are ready to give up your cars and your lights and your computers and your IPADs and everything else based on a fossil fuel economy.. :D
Now, you may be on to something there ...
That usually makes a lot of sense. But, not in this case. Because the US and its western allies have proven that they are not capable of fixing this mess even though they created it.
That's because there has been no political will to do the right thing..
The US has proven time and time again that it CAN do well in nation-building when there is the political will to do it right..
"Give up your nuclear program or we nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.."
Non-serious.
But totally hilarious.. :D Com'on.. I know it made SOMEONE smile.. :D
Michale
Unless all you Lefties are ready to give up your cars and your lights and your computers and your IPADs and everything else based on a fossil fuel economy.. :D
Now, you may be on to something there ...
Why, thank you...
It's why I get so frustrated with environmentalist fanatics.. They go on and on about how we MUST save the planet, yet they use private jets like taxi service, they drive when they could walk and they use electricity like it comes from the air..
Fossil fuels powers our lives.. This is fact..
If environmental fanatics want us off fossil fuels, why don't they lead by example??
They simply want everyone ELSE to pay the price.. Gods forbid THEY should actually have to alter their lifestyle..
Ever read RAINBOW SIX by CLANCY??
THAT is the best way to deal with environmental whackos...
Michale
And in more Clinton news...
Newly Released Documents Indicate Key Hillary Clinton Claim on Emails Was Not True
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/05/18/newly-released-documents-indicate-key-hillary-clinton-claim-on-emails-was-not-true/
We come to find out that Hillary was lying when she said she only used one email address...
So much for the "convenience" excuse, eh?
She lied..
Color me shocked... {/sarc}
Michale
And it's not just Republicans who are coming down on HRC...
When Hillary gets an unexpected spanking
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/18/editorial-hillary-clinton-takes-a-beating-from-all/
When powerful Democrats start coming down on Hillary, ya'all just HAVE to know there is something there...
Michale
Oooooo The hits just keep on coming!!!
Judicial Watch: Defense, State Department Documents Reveal Obama Administration Knew that al Qaeda Terrorists Had Planned Benghazi Attack 10 Days in Advance
http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-defense-state-department-documents-reveal-obama-administration-knew-that-al-qaeda-terrorists-had-planned-benghazi-attack-10-days-in-advance/
Hillary is eye-ball deep in this Benghazi mess...
Who knew that Benghazi would still figure prominently so long after the 2012 POTUS election...
Oh... wait.... :D
Michale
And in other news...
Do you want to know what happens when the ignorant start arresting cops for doing their jobs to appease a lynch mob????
Alarming Surge In Murders And Shootings In Baltimore
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/05/18/alarming-surge-in-murders-and-shootings-in-baltimore/
Cops say, "Frak it!! These people hate cops?? They can call a crack head when they get into trouble!!!"
While it's never an attitude I would take, nor is it an attitude I would condone, I can readily understand and empathize with the cops who DO have that attitude..
Michale
Liz,
Here's some good news for ya.. :D
Are You Ready for President Biden?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/05/19/are-you-ready-for-president-biden.html
If it's a choice between Biden and Hillary for POTUS, it's no choice..
Biden...
Michale
Michale,
Stop making me click on links like that!
The comments sections always kill me ... death by a thousand cuts ...
Geesh.
hehehehe
Yea, people can be so cruel...
Biden wouldn't be my first choice for POTUS...
But dammit, I like the guy!!! :D
Give me someone who makes me laugh over someone I don't trust any day of the week and twice on Sunday!! :D
Michale
Biden is one of the best presidents you never had.
And, that's all I'm gonna say about that.
Well, for now ...
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/05/tpp-elizabeth-warren-labor-118068.html#.VVvH0lVVhHw
How do you like Obama now???
Michale
That's just one person's opinion, Michale.
Has Obama done everything right? Of course, not!
Has he done anything right? Absolutely, positively, unequivocally!!!
As for the TPP, and foreign policy in general, I offer up an analogy for your consideration ...
It's a baseball analogy. There was a pretty good center fielder. Let's call him George. One day, George made a glaring error in center field and, consequently, the game was lost. The manager didn't think much of it as George has been a pretty good center fielder.
The next day, George made another big error and, the next day, too ... the manager decided to sit him down for a game or two and replace him with an equally fine center fielder. We'll call him, Pete.
So, Pete, picking up where George left off, commits a number of disastrous errors in center field and the manager sits him down and asks what on earth is going on - why are you making so many uncharacteristic errors out there!?
Pete responds, George messed up center field so much that nobody can play it anymore.
That is such an apt analogy that it is literally scary to contemplate ...
<I.Has Obama done everything right? Of course, not!
Has he done anything right? Absolutely, positively, unequivocally!!!
Has he done anything wrong??
You see, that is EXACTLY the problem with the Left and Obama...
It's like that cartoon about Obama's polls..
"Would you say Obama is awesome, REALLY awesome or TOTALLY awesome??"
Obama has done some good. No question.. We are in complete agreement..
Obama HAS royally scroo'ed the pooch... This is also fact...
But can I get anyone here to concede that??
It's a baseball analogy. There was a pretty good center fielder. Let's call him George. One day, George made a glaring error in center field and, consequently, the game was lost. The manager didn't think much of it as George has been a pretty good center fielder.
The next day, George made another big error and, the next day, too ... the manager decided to sit him down for a game or two and replace him with an equally fine center fielder. We'll call him, Pete.
So, Pete, picking up where George left off, commits a number of disastrous errors in center field and the manager sits him down and asks what on earth is going on - why are you making so many uncharacteristic errors out there!?
Pete responds, George messed up center field so much that nobody can play it anymore.
That is such an apt analogy that it is literally scary to contemplate
And yet, when we go out in center field, there is nothing wrong.. It's the same smooth grassy field it's always been...
Remember, Pete has absolutely NO EXPERIENCE playing center field whatsoever. He was the bat boy before the coach voted him to play centerfield..
Seems to me that Pete is just a luser who can't play center field for shit. But Pete can't admit that..
For Pete, EVERYTHING is George's fault... He has absolutely no responsibility in the fact that he can't play centerfield..
It's all George's fault...
Now, getting back to the real world, Bush made some mistakes.. But we had a great relationship with our allies and our enemies feared and respected us..
Obama has totally scrooed that up.. Under Obama our allies don't trust us and our enemies laugh at us..
THAT is Obama's Foreign Policy legacy..
And THAT is ALL on Obama...
Michale
Would you like to know Obama's biggest Foreign Policy screw up??
His Syrian "red line"... That, more than anything else, totally screwed up US prestige in the region..
It directly led to Putin's annexation of The Crimea and directly gave rise to ISIS plus a whole host of other very bad things in the region and beyond...
And THAT was all totally, completely and unequivocally Obama's fault..
No Bush whatsoever...
Michale
And yet, when we go out in center field, there is nothing wrong.. It's the same smooth grassy field it's always been...
Are you kidding me!!??
Are you kidding me!!??
I don't think so...
How, exactly, did "George" mess up center field so as to make it un-playable??
Michale
George invaded Iraq and he did so with too few troops and NO POLITICAL STRATEGY for the aftermath.
Iraq and the Middle East have never been the same and never will be again.
You know this, Michale.
George invaded Iraq and he did so with too few troops and NO POLITICAL STRATEGY for the aftermath.
Bush went in with the amount of troops that the military experts thought were necessary..
They were wrong..
Bush HAD a political strategy for the aftermath.. But that was negated by the too few troops issue previously mention, PLUS the fact of Democrats like Harry THE-WAR-IS-LOST Reid doing everything they could to subvert Bush..
Nevertheless, Bush DID succeed in winning the Iraq war only to have the victory thrown away by Obama and the Democrats...
Regardless, Iraq is simply one blade of grass in centerfield...
The reason why Pete couldn't play centerfield is because Pete had only been the water/bat/towel boy and never actually PLAYED baseball at all..
How, exactly, is that George's fault??
Michale
Let's face reality here..
The BIGGEST problem that the Left had with Bush was Bush's domestic surveillance and Patriot Act-based policies...
Policies, I point out, that Obama has expanded beyond all belief..
In those areas, Bush is a nascent second-story man compared to Obama...
Yet, under Obama, the near totality of the Left is virtually silent in those areas...
I can respect a person that stays true to their principles, even if those principles are completely whacked....
But when the Hysterical Left let's their "moral" outrage be determined by whether there is a '-D' or a '-R' after the person's name??
What's to respect??
Am I wrong???
Michale
Bush went in with the amount of troops that the military experts thought were necessary..They were wrong..
Oh, they were wrong, alright. And, they knew it or they were incompetent. Shinseki knew how many troops would be needed and he was summarily fired for his truth-telling.
Michale, you really should face reality and soon because if you think the Iraq war was ever won, then you are going to be in for a very rude awakening should war with Iran ever materialize.
Lessons need to be learned here and they might as well start with you!
Michale, you really should face reality and soon because if you think the Iraq war was ever won,
At the end of Bush's term, Iraq was stable...
Well, as stable as possible given the circumstances...More work needed to be done, for sure...
But the US excels at such work, when the political will to do the right thing is there...
Sadly, once Obama took office, he was more concerned appeasing his base than he was about doing what's best for the country...
In foreign policy, Obama is incompetent. This is well documented...
The White House had to micro-manage everything.. This is also well documented..
Advisors had absolutely NO EXPERIENCE in military matters.. Also well documented..
War is too important to be left to a bunch of ignorant civilians...
Michale
Shinseki knew how many troops would be needed and he was summarily fired for his truth-telling.
McChrystal was also fired for his truth-telling...
Michale
But the US excels at such work, when the political will to do the right thing is there...
Not since WWII.
Michale wrote:
"The *ONLY* reason the Democrat Party is so gung ho for illegal immigrant criminals is that they overwhelmingly vote Democrat...
If the illegals overwhelmingly voted GOP, then ya'all would feel EXACTLY the same way about illegal immigrant criminals as I do and ya'all would be making the EXACT same arguments I am making..."
No, Actually I wouldn't!
Also, you still have absolutely no proof that illegal immigrants even vote in elections in any significant number to make any difference whatsoever.
Michale wrote:
"Guess what??? The GOP *DECIMATED* the Democrats..."
In an off year election, where the Republicans were able to turn out their base in large numbers, while the majority of the electorate stayed home and Democrats had a very low turn out. Which exactly proves my point. It's not something the Republicans can continue to count on into the future.
Do not be surprised to see a very different outcome in the 2016 Presidential election year. I would not be surprised to see the Republicans trounced and the Senate flip back to being Democratic.
But the US excels at such work, when the political will to do the right thing is there...
Not since WWII.
We did (and continue to do so) pretty good after the Korean War.. :D
Kuwait?? Pretty good there as well...
Michale
JM,
Also, you still have absolutely no proof that illegal immigrants even vote in elections in any significant number to make any difference whatsoever.
Actually, I have posted proof several times when this same point was brought up..
The fact that it was ignored proves my point...
In an off year election, where the Republicans were able to turn out their base in large numbers, while the majority of the electorate stayed home and Democrats had a very low turn out. Which exactly proves my point. It's not something the Republicans can continue to count on into the future.
Funny.. That wasn't the story BEFORE The Great Nuclear Shellacking Of 2014...
Back then, it was Pelosi and Reid saying, "We got this in the bag..."
Regardless of that, failure to vote is a de-facto vote...
Do you HONESTLY believe that HILLARY is going to motivate people???
Seriously!?? :D
Michale
JM,
No, Actually I wouldn't!
Sure ya would...
You're trying to tell me that you would help people who would then turn around and vote Republican???
Come on!
Remember..
AT night...
Not LAST night... :D
Michale
Do you HONESTLY believe that HILLARY is going to motivate people???
Seriously!?? :D
Allow me to re-phrase..
Do you HONESTLY believe that a HILLARY CORONATION is going to motivate people???
Seriously!?? :D
Michale