The Commentariat -- Sept. 22, 2013
We probably can’t defeat or get rid of Obamacare.... I will continue to lead the fight until we win. I will not vote for any CR that funds Obamacare and if there is one penny for Obamacare I will vote no. -- Sen. Rand Paul (RTP-Ky.) ...
... I will shut down the entire federal government to make a political point about a hopeless cause. -- CW Translation
It’s rather extraordinary, if you think about it, that there are efforts under way to prevent Americans from getting benefits that they lawfully could enjoy and should enjoy. -- Jay Carney, presidential press secretary ...
... Michael Shear of the New York Times: "Starting this week, the White House will kick off a six-month campaign to persuade millions of uninsured Americans to sign up for health coverage as part of insurance marketplaces that open for business on Oct. 1. If too few people enroll, the centerpiece of the president's Affordable Care Act could collapse. But instead of offering the kind of grudging cooperation that normally follows even the most bitter of legislative battles, Mr. Obama's foes have intensified their opposition, trying to deepen the nation's anger about the health insurance program, which both sides often call Obamacare." ...
... CW: I try to avoid giving any space to Sarah Palin unless she does something really newsworthy -- like quitting the governor gig -- but her opinion piece in Breitbart is an excellent summation of Tea Party anti-ObamaCare rationale. Sadly, millions of Americans believe this nonsense. Not sure who wrote the headline: "... Bombs Away on Obamacare; Cruz Is over the Target," but it is certainly consistent with Palin's past use of violent imagery aimed at Democrats. Also, didn't know Texans were smaller than Alaskans.
Joe Picard of the Hill: "President Obama phoned Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Friday to tell him he will not negotiate with Republicans on the debt ceiling...."
"SNAP Judgments." Paul Krugman: "The idea that food stamps represent a problem -- not a small blessing that has made this ongoing economic disaster marginally less awful -- represents an awesome combination of ignorance and cruelty." Krugman provides a chart, demonstrating that the food-stamp program is far from "out of control," as Republicans claim. CW: But, hey, what are facts to MOCs who have watched Fox "News"'s Lobster Boy "documentary"? Somebody please send those nasty idiots DVDs of "A Place at the Table." And make them take a pop quiz to prove they watched it. ...
... Josh Barro of Business Insider: "Yesterday, House Republicans voted overwhelmingly for a plan that cuts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by 5% over the next decade. But 15 Republicans voted no, and some of them are explaining why." CW: I told you there were some decent Republicans. They'll probably be primaried back to civilian life. But don't worry; they'll become well-paid lobbyists. Thanks to Jeanne B. for the link.
Charles Arthur of the Guardian: "A major American computer security company has told thousands of customers to stop using an encryption system that relies on a mathematical formula developed by the National Security Agency (NSA). RSA, the security arm of the storage company EMC, sent an email to customers telling them that the default random number generator in a toolkit for developers used a weak formula, and they should switch to one of the other formulas in the product. The abrupt warning is the latest fallout from the huge intelligence disclosures by the whistleblower Edward Snowden about the extent of surveillance and the debasement of encryption by the NSA."
Robert Reich in the New York Times: economic inequality, with most Americans on "a downward escalator," explains the anger that accompanies the ideological divide.
Maureen Dowd takes a field trip to Georgetown U. where Warren Buffett gives a lecture. Fairly interesting. Nancy Pelosi apologizes for being late: "We were busy taking food out of the mouths of babies."
Congressional Race
Apocalypse Now. We are witnessing the end of a Western Christian empire. -- Dean Young, Tea Party candidate in an Alabama Congressional race
... Campbell Robertson of the New York Times: "... the outcome of Tuesday's [Republican] primary [in Alabama's First Congressional District], though likely to be a function of turnout here, may provide some hints on how much further the Republican shift to the right might go."
News Ledes
Washington Post: "Gunmen stormed a popular high-end shopping mall in the Kenyan capital Saturday afternoon, lobbing \ grenades and firing weapons in an attack that left at least 59 people dead and more than 150 injured, Kenyan officials said. On Sunday morning, nearly a full day after the initial assault, the attackers, strapped with grenades and wielding machine guns and AK-47 rifles, remained holed up with scores of hostages within the Westgate Premier Shopping Mall, exchanging gunfire with Kenyan police andsoldiers."
New York Times: "Bo Xilai, the pugnacious Chinese politician whose downfall shook the Communist Party, was sentenced to life in prison on Sunday after a court found him guilty of bribetaking, embezzlement and abuse of power in a failed attempt to stifle murder allegations against his wife."
New York Times: "A suicide attack on a historic Christian church in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 75 people on Sunday, in one of the deadliest attacks on the Christian minority in Pakistan for years."
Guardian: "Germany goes to the polls on Sunday in elections whose outcome will be vital for Europe's future.... While [Chancellor Angela] Merkel's party is expected to once again emerge as the most powerful force in the new Bundestag, the German chancellor will be anxiously watching the performance of the anti-euro Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, which could enter parliament for the first time if it gains more than 5% of the vote."
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Reader Comments (11)
Digby has an excellent piece on Klein's post-mortum of the Summers fail. I say excellent because I agree with it.
http://www.digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/do-liberals-really-agree-with-president.html
It’s rather extraordinary, if you think about it, that there are efforts under way to prevent Americans from getting benefits that they lawfully could enjoy and should enjoy. -- Jay Carney , presidential press secretary
The Ds are throwing a lot of words at the Rs: crazy, irresponsible, waste of time, deluded, reckless, hostage-takers, terrorists, etc. Yes, the Rs are all those things, but that misses the point, because the the main thing they are is DISLOYAL. And that is the word which would change everything. I suggest that we start saying it out loud. [The President, interestingly, has come the closest, with his 'hostage-takers' language. Of course, none of our brilliant 'journalists' has made the crystalline inference.] -- Keith Howard, in a Reality Chex comment yesterday
When he was Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich sent out "language lessons" to Republicans, guiding them on extremely negative words & terms to use in describing Democrats & Democratic policies: -- words like "radical," "sick," and "traitors."
To my knowledge, Democratic leaders haven't developed such specific messaging guidance to members of Congress, & I doubt that if they do, they suggest calling Republicans "sick" or "treasonous."
Now note the construction of Carney's remark. "There are efforts...." Carney doesn't provide a clue as to who is preventing Americans from getting benefits they have a right to enjoy. Not a clue. Carney not only eschews strong language to call out Republicans; he doesn't even name them.
Carney is only following his boss's lead. During his first term, President Obama would not name Republicans, either. He gave speech after speech -- while Republicans were fighting him tooth-&-nail, using every sleazy tactic they could -- & he would describe them as "some people in Washington." We of course knew who those "people" were, but the average person, catching a moment of the evening news, probably wouldn't make the connection.
So when President Obama calls Republicans "hostage-takers," that's a huge rhetorical leap. Only 18 months ago, he wouldn't even call them Republicans. He should tell Carney to catch up.
Marie
Maybe the reason Obama doesn't call out the "hostage takers" by name is that it would take over the whole of the speech–-you know, that loooong list of loonies. I have heard him castigate, if I can use that word to describe how Obama puts down anyone, Ryan and his crony budget and during his bid for a second term Mr. Orange was given some roughing up. Personally, as much as I'd like our "friends from across the aisle" outed, I think that's a job for the media, journalists and Democrats themselves. It might be perceived as unseemly for a president to name names, especially for this administration which holds tight so much to their chest.
My favorite "put down" from Obama was during the health care debate's long table discussion that was televised when McCain was going on about the this and that problem and Obama stopped him and said, "John, that's over. I won."
Re: Moose pie. Sarah Palin is a bad 'reality show'. I read her article and it's an odd mix of anger, fear and ignorance. Back stabbing, shives (does she know what a shiv is? and why would she know? Prison time?) and the implied "they are coming to get you in your bed" darkest fears. She's rallying the troops for a battle against demons unknown but very scary indeed. There's a bragging bravo about her that appeals to guys in basements holding on to their dicks and guns.
If you have the stomach I recommend reading some of the responses to her essay. The intelligence gulf between her followers and the people that comment here is; how to put it, mind boggling? Tragic? Humorous? Disturbing? How about down right fucking unbelievable?
Finally, crude is what brought Texas to Alaska, black gold, and back in the day when Alaskans were not sucking on Big Oil's hind teat the bumper sticker read, "Happiness is a Texan headed south with an Okie under each arm." Cruz Palin; the reality show. Perfect.
"Don't let the government play doctor." How ironic, coming from right-wing vaginal probers.
@Marie: "radical, sick, treasonous" and Keith's DISLOYAL all fit the Republicans. Why not call them that?
@JJG: I didn't have stomach to read Sarah or the commenters on her post, but I believe every word in your post. ""Downright fucking unbelievable" fits, too.
Thanks to everybody who wrote responses to my remarks yesterday. Among many good points, Marie's musing this morning is notably just. But there is another distinction which I want to point out more bluntly. Here is what I wrote a friend earlier today:
Good morning. It's a rather melancholy meditation, thinking about the Rs. Various commenters have resisted my use of the word 'disloyal' as beyond the pale, bomb-throwing, name-calling. I realize that such language would cross a line. That is because disloyalty is a moral failing, not just an arguable tactic. I am saying that the R politicians are bad people, not just misled yahoos. Deliberate cheating and lying are immoral. It is immoral to wreck the institution you were elected to work within in order force a result you cannot reach by legitimate means. It is immoral to betray an oath of public trust.
We used to have the concept of a loyal opposition. When did you last hear that one? The Rs are simply thugs. Our formal democratic institutions are certainly not all we could wish, but they are all we have. To destroy them from within is disloyal.
I want the side of reason and sense to win, and I've long been frustrated that the Democrats are so slow to use the language of morality. If this is naivete, I plead guilty. Others will say that good (effective) politicians don't permanently vilify their antagonists, and I agree. Obama has certainly turned the other cheek. But is this prudence, finally, when your opponent uses a knife to "win" a chess game?
Enough. The year turns toward winter.
Keith Howard
Keith, matches my melancholy perfectly. "The year turns toward winter". Beautiful.
I tried but I could not force myself to read Palin's piece on Obamacare. My stomach started churning on the first paragraph.
Finally broke down and read the sarah palin piece (of shit) and could
not get over the fact that there were over ten thousand loving commenters supporting her mediocrity, hyprocrisy, IQ of forty-
something. I personally believe these are the same sampling of
millions of low lifers who think health insurance isn't a necessary
part of life. Why are my premiums so high? Because these lovers
of sarah are the ones we see going to emergency for treatment that
could be covered by a health insurance policy. And guess who is
paying for all of those ER visits; those of us who are paying for
health insurance.
Sarah Palin represents those people too dumb to realize that a check for $900 doesn't cover the added utility costs for heat and light to live in the "Great Land". 'Ignert' and proud will sometimes only listen to a bigger stick and a wooping. If you compare her with Jay Hammond or any other governor of the Alaska including Wally Hickel, the teabaggers would only approve of her. Ignert and proud.
In the land of air conditioning, automobiles and never needing to interact with your neighbors, do you want to make nice with people you agree with on 85% of the issues or is it 100% or screw you? The beauty about living in a smaller town is that if you flip somebody off or shout at them or their kids you will be seen and recognized at the grocery store. There is no substitute for public ostracism and public shaming. The Talking Heads because of their remove from society never need fear public humiliation.
I had a teacher once who said that a test where you answer all questions correctly is not a test. Do you want everyone to agree with you, even on the big questions, or do you like or appreciate the 'spice' of difference?