ITEM: here are the stories on the Politico homepage:
The summer of liberal discontent
Still waiting for Obama
Pols cash in on the debt debate
TPaw's connected Iowa consultants
Has Obama betrayed the Left?
DNC head: GOP could spark 'chaos'
Biden, McConnell look for way out
Podestas lead FEC bundling list
McCain: Tea-party freshmen 'foolish'
Tea Party founder blasts Boehner
Freshmen coalesce around Boehner plan
GOPers chant 'fire him' at staffer
Boehner quiets rebellion on right
Perry put out feelers on Fox debate
Yeah, I know; it's Politico. Still, are they not nominally adult men and women paid to follow domestic politics? Do we need twenty-five stories which say the same thing, none of which has anything to do with any "reality" that doesn't have "political" in front of it? We've done this shit for thirty years. The greatest acting performance Ronald Reagan ever gave * was his histrionic hissy fit at raising the Debt limit to $1.4 trillion, on his way to more than tripling that. We've lowered taxes, cut programs, and demonized the poor for three decades, and we're worse off than ever. This is not a part of the story?
Weigel. (Seriously, I toyed with the idea of just saying "Weigel"):
Eight months ago, in an interview Democrats love to send around even more than they like to call Republicans "extremists," Boehner predicted that the vote on the debt limit increase would be the "first really big adult moment" for new Republican members of Congress. Democrats read that as Boehner saying that Republicans would have to suck it up and raise the limit. Instead, it's turning out to be an entirely different kind of adult moment: Movement conservatives are seeing the value of playing politics, and trying to convince themselves that pure partisanship can be principled, too.
Down with the Tyranny of Meaning, Comrades!
Look, I turned 21 at the tail end of the first Nixon administration. So I lived through two Reagan and three Bush administrations as an adult. These people don't scare me anymore, because they've already done their worst; I'd just like to know why a regular paycheck and some cadged drinks convinces them they don't need to look any further than their own reflections. A handful of connected financial institutions stole from practically every American in the country, and no one seems to give a fuck so long as he's got a plasma teevee. House Republicans now object to raising the Debt Ceiling to pay for programs they--minus the eight or ten new ravening ideologues every high-water Republican election brings 'em--voted for, simply because they feel they now have carte blanche to blame all that on the President. As well they should, because he's the guy who keeps insisting they can be reasoned with. [I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the little Which President Said This About The Deficit (Surprise Answer: Ronald Reagan) moment in his speech the other day, since, 1) I was trying to imagine what audience his speechwriters thought that would work on; and 2) I love the idea that a professed Christian thinks you can shame believers by quoting holy writ.] And some fuck calls this "principled" on the grounds, apparently, that it's possible to put words together in that order and still have them recognized as English.
There are clear, calm, level-headed solutions to our economic problems. Those three adjectives insure that they're not going to be listened to. And this apparently disturbs no one at Politico, or Slate, or anywhere else all our Iraq War-flogging geniuses hang their shingles these days.
Listen: my Social Security taxes went up during the Reagan administration in order to solve the "insolvency" "problem". Take it away from me now. I'm ready. But at least one of you fucks is dying in the gutter before I go.
___________
*Yes, it's a new record for Steep Grading Curve.
9 comments:
Yeah, I know; it's Politico. Still, are they not nominally adult men and women paid to follow domestic politics?
Point of order, Chairman Doghouse!
These people are paid to copy Drudge.
~
I already spend too much time over at Alicublog, but this is some fine work you're doing here. Thanks. I'll be back much more frequently than I should be ;-)
On my Doghouse, Driftglass Alicublog, World O'Crap, Hunting of the Snark are right there on myBookmark Bar, along with "serious" blogs like KOS & Firedoglake and of course, The Rude Pundit.
I just cannot read the "serious" blogs or news without a dose of the witty, clever writers. I'd go insane.
clear, calm, level-headed...
That's a euphemism for Moe, Larry, Curly these days.
Take it away from me now. I'm ready. But at least one of you fucks is dying in the gutter before I go.
Pray sign me the fuck up. Only, could we work on some kind of multiplier effect?
And could drinks be involved, as well? No reason not to party-fy it.
Take it away from me now. I'm ready. But at least one of you fucks is dying in the gutter before I go.
Pray sign me the fuck up. Only, could we work on some kind of multiplier effect?
And could drinks be involved, as well? No reason not to party-fy it.
I'm staying around to take care of my parents for some years (I'm as old as you, Doghouse, so they're really getting up there). Once that's done, if I still have enough wherewithal, and the borders haven't been sealed Soviet-style (i.e. not to keep people out, but the reverse), I'm planning to move to New Zealand. I figure the Exceptional Empire has about reached the equivalent of Rome circa AD 400-450, and the devastation when it finally collapses will be worst here at the epicenter. Best to be under the shadow of the Chinese economy then, maybe survival won't be so painful. And, this would have the added bonus of keeping me from joining you in seeing that "at least one of you fucks is dying in the gutter before I go."
A handful of connected financial institutions stole from practically every American in the country, and no one seems to give a fuck so long as he's got a plasma teevee.
That's not quite true. Obama pointed this out and his response was roundly mocked. He pointed out that people don't think they'll get *anything* good from the social compact any more. No one is going to be on their side. So, where do people go for a voting strategy? They listen to the guys who say "we believe in God! Vote for us!" or "we'll protect your gun rights! Vote for us!" or they'll say "BOOGA BOOGA! Gay people, coming to kill us all! Illegal immigrants, coming to kill us all! Vote for us, we'll protect you!"
That's what they vote based on, because no one's offering them anything different.
They're not satisfied. They're angry as hell. But no one's giving them anything to do with their anger.
And let me emphasize one very important thing. No politician is going to offer that. Politicians are all cowards. Republicans pretend to be brave, but that's because they've got some ultra-safe, poll-tested, focused-group positions to fall back on. Everything can be solved by lowering taxes, removing regulations, or doing nasty things to undesirables.
Democrats haven't got any big media conglomerates to protect them, so they look cowardly.
If you want change, it's going to have to come from everyday folks pushing it, and building the safe platform for the politicians to rest on.
Take it away from me now. I'm ready. But at least one of you fucks is dying in the gutter before I go.
Can I get that on a T-shirt?
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