There's a fascinating opinion piece over at the Times. Deju vu all over again. Or, as William Faulkner put it, "The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past." Right now the country is being held hostage by a small gang of neo-Confederates threatening to burn the place down -- this time by defaulting on our debt, which this interesting piece points out, is a very clear violation of the Constitution. But nobody, least of all the President, is point that interesting fact out. Instead, the Rebel-yelling barbarians at the gate have swaddled themselves in American flags, declaring that they're saving the Republic.
History shows otherwise. The GOP, as it's presently configured, is unfit to govern.
Take a gander.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/opinion/obamas-options.html?
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
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14 comments:
..and neither are the democrats.
There is simply no honest leadership in the current makeup of this government. Too many activists polarizing the USA.
Original idea that I have not yet seen on any news report. Makes total sense.
This whole shutdown thing is sickening. I wonder if the story about the families of the soldiers killed over the weekend and not getting the death benefits made it onto Faux "news?" If it did, I suppose that would be Obama's fault too.
I don't like bullies and I see this Tea Party stunt (I won't say Republican) as pure stupidity. The statement that not raising the debt ceiling won't be a problem to the world economy really points out the deficiencies in the American education system going back 30 years. (Been reading "That Used To Be Us" by Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum.)
I am saddened that the sane majority of the R. party can't seem to reel this nut wing in.
On a local level, the meeting at SBCC yesterday to give input to scoping the new Habitat Conservation Plan, Julie Vandewier from the US Fish & Wildlife Service was not there as she ordinarily would have been. (I hope more showed up for the evening meeting, the afternoon one was very poorly attended).
I usually admire tenacity in holding on to a position you believe in, but when it only goes to prove how fanatical you are rather than point out your politics, it is time to stop. Addiction is when you can't stop and I don't know who could step in and do an intervention (the American Psychological Association maybe?)
Very interesting read, Ann. The most compelling point is that the president can invoke emergency powers to protect the Constitution, which is now very clearly threatened by the Republican swine. Let's see if Obama has the cajones to do it.
Of course they would try to impeach, but I say have at it. I'd rather see that drama unfold than see my IRA pissed down the proverbial drain by the extortionists that threaten a default.
It goes far beyond the fact the Repugs are unfit to govern. They're terrorists. At this point they're no different than thugs flying planes into buildings.
Nice! Exactly why this town, county, state and country are so screwed up, uncaring folks with assinine thoughts like Billy Dunne!
Anon 2:56,
Uncaring about what exactly? Sounds like he cares about the millions with no health insurance. Do you?
It sounds like he would like a pure communist dictatorship so there would never be a difference of opinion.
Would you consider the Billy Dunne comments conservative, moderate or extremist?
Do the Dunne kind of comments do anything to bring together all people or just further divide the population?
I'd call them extremist. And they probably do nothing to bring people together. Kinda like the references to nazism coming from the right the past, oh, 5 years or so. Or the constant subversive rhetoric from Hannity and Limbaugh and Ingraham and the entire Fox echo chamber. But as is so typical of the right, they can dish, but god forbid you dish back, then you're not "bringing people together."
Yuck.
Sorry anon 4:36. I calls them the ways I sees them.
Dunne, You're probably stuck still trying to stop any sewer in LO also.
Dunne, you're a petty, childish wantabe player. You have not offered anything constructive, just emotional bleating instead of being a responsible citizen. I am truly disgusted with both ends of the extremist spectrum, that's both Republicans and Democrats.
If this government had any true leadership, on both sides, then there could be a genuine meeting of the minds for the common good of America. Won't happen with only extremists not giving ground.
Ann and Billy Dunne, your words put you both right in fringe of extremism!
The funniest part of your post, anon, is that, along with Lynette, I've been the biggest supporter of the county project on this blog. Do some research my baffled friend. I'm on record as having nothing but disdain for the no sewer/move the sewer/not THAT sewer malcontents. I have a very special distaste for those people that is rivaled only by my distaste for.......you guessed it....tea swilling republicans!
Not sure what a childish wantabe player means, but I know what an extremist is: one who doesn't believe that this is a country of laws. Laws are the bedrock of our democracy. And if you don't like a law, you work to change it. If you can't change it, you try to elect like-minded representatives who will help you change it. But if you can't succeed in any of that, what you DON'T do is attempt to extort those changes by shutting down the government and defaulting on all our loans. In other words, putting a gun to my head and the head of every other living American who looks to the government for services from burying their war dead to receiving their social security checks.
I'm all for putting our heads together for the common good of America. But in this instance I'll have nothing to do with that false equivalency bullshit. The Repugs and repugs alone have shut down this government in an attempt to extort changes to a oft-litigated, constitutionally upheld law of the land, and for that they should all rot in hell.
But dude, really, if anything, get your facts straight on my sewer stuff. Thinking I don't have anything but contempt for the sewer-as-religion fanatics who embarrass this community constantly is the cruelest cut of all. (:
God bless America.
Can anyone in this community suggest a realistic solution instead of hurling insults?
The realistic solution would be actual facts and a clarity of mind to see them. But when people only look to sources of news that support a position they already hold, it is difficult to find a solution.
Interesting to hear about Fidelity dumping all the T bonds they held......
The Huffington Post at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-zuesse/how-the-kochs-and-their-f_b_4040698.html fascinating story (also in New York Times) of how the Koch Brothers engineered this whole gov shut down years ago. The whole "tea party" is an astroturf group financed by the Kochs and Dick Army and other right -wing groups. As with all things, follow the money. Who benefits from a limited government with most everything "privitized," and government regulations reduced to absolutely minimum or done away with altogether (after all, who needs rules, let the market rule) -- who benefits from that kind of country?
You're seeing this unfold. And with the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on McCutcheon case, unless Roberts hold a fragile line on campaign spending and money as free speech, this country is in real danger of becoming a true Oligarchy. It's the Koch Bros wet dream. And as for the shills and "little people" who fell for their phony politics, well, too bad for them. They can eat cake.
If it weren't so tragic it would be funny.
I am astounded the way the Kock brothers back away from their part in this, "Oh no, it wasn't us who caused the shutdown!" How stupid do they think we are? Well, don't answer that, their plan has worked pretty well so far.
The planned Republican take-over of the government started with Newt Gingrich's GOPAC way back, and was taken up by Karl Rove during the Bush years and various of the conservative think tanks and ALEC and other privately funded groups bankrolled by people like the Kochs and others. Their handiwork can be seen in the carfull ALEC-led gerrymandered districts that allowed this present-day Barbarians-at-the-Gate group to monkey-wrench the entire country. Their plan was to gain control of both houses of congress, get a Republican president elected who would then appoint a conservative when an opening came on the Supreme Court -- Done and done! Then they would rule forever.
Oddly, they were well on their way to doing just that when things began going kerflooey. I guess God looks out for drunks, small children and the United States of America. I can only hope that enough people are now catching on and will be paying attention. lord knows the Republican's plans weren't secret, plenty of reporters had been writing about this for years, it just kept staying under the radar until it was nearly too late.
What too many Americans don't understand is this: Our democracy is an incredibly fragile thing that can be lost in a heartbeat, and lost to the extremes on either side of our politics. Power corrupts, power seeks it's own consolidation, and without checks and balances, we're finished.
It really does take eternal vigilance and a willingness not to be willfully stupid.
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