Too bad the Democrats are busy devouring their own young and missing the big picture as baseball’s Opening Day augers the start of a summer and the “silly season” that comprises most of today’s “blood sport” of national politics. How can it be both bloody and silly? Just witness that past few weeks events, starting with Preachergate, running through Bosniagate and now into WTF?gate. I’ve said enough already about Jeremiah Wright and what a ridiculous waste of time that was, consuming valuable campaign clock while the cadaverous McCain strutted through the streets of Bagdad all but declaring the end of combat (again).
It was instructive to hear Obama putting a fine point on his overarching socio-economic theme that it is class, not racial, desperation that’s at the heart of our discontent, but most of it was lost outside the university quad or the half-filled pews of Unitarian churches. All most will remember was some clip of some angry black preacher god damning America and saying the CIA invented HIV. Luckily for Barack, along came Hillary to the rescue with her faulty recollection of sniper bullets whizzing past her head while she and comic Sinbad cracked wise on the tarmac in Bosnia a few years back. Forget for a moment that fewer people could locate Bosnia on a map than their ass with both hands, what will be remembered is Hillary Lied (just like that stinking horndog hillbilly husband of hers)!!!!
Much can be said about the origin of the HIV virus and the U.S.’s nefarious bio-weapons program and much could be said about the concept of “peace keeping” in Eastern Europe under the bunting of the United Nations, but in a soundbite world it ain’t gonna happen. Actually it’s to Obama’s credit that the Youtube version of his thoughtful dissertation on race and class became an indie hit.
And, oh by the way, why is the only solution to Democratic fratricide Hillary dropping out of the race? Again, the key is to attack McCain here not below-the-belt shots at each other.
Of course it depends on the nature of the anti-McCain attacks. Libs pounced all over Johnny’s misstatements about Iran supporting Al Qaeda in Iraq (Shiites supporting Sunnis? Hahahahaha!!) but, again, this is an issue for the cyber-wonk cognoscenti, not the Great American Public.
And why did it take Republican Chuck Hagel to call Cheney out on his cavalier reply “So?” when asked about the gross unpopularity of the occupation of Iraq? Dems too busy playing he-said/she-said?
Today my email box and the blogosphere is filled with links to a video purporting to show Bush being booed at the Washington Nationals baseball home opener Sunday night. Forget the fact that it sounded very much to me like he was being loudly cheered (with a smattering of boos), the issue should not be AHA! The President is Unpopular! See? See? See?, it should be “why isn’t this cretin behind bars?”. Grow up, Dems.
BIG PICTURE, people!!
At least the wizard of OZ had the decency to hide behind a curtain.
Al-Qaeda grooming militants who ‘look western’: CIA chief
CIA director Michael Hayden warned Sunday that Al-Qaeda was training operatives who “look western” and could enter the United States undetected to conduct terrorist attacks.
General Hayden said the terror network over the past 18 months has established a safe haven in tribal areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan where they are preparing militants for attacks against the West.
“They are bringing operatives into that region for training — operatives that, a phrase I would use, wouldn’t attract your attention if they were going through the customs line at Dulles (airport near Washington DC) with you,” Hayden told NBC television.
The new recruits “look western” and “would be able to come into this country … without attracting the kind of attention that others might,” he said.
In an annual threat assessment released in February, US intelligence reported that it had detected an influx of new western recruits to Al-Qaeda safe havens in Pakistan’s federally administered tribal areas since 2006.
Hayden said the improved intelligence techniques in the region were due to “good cooperation from a variety of allies” that the CIA has received in Pakistan’s tribal regions.
He also stressed that while he was confident Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden was still hiding out near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the Saudi-born fighter no longer has operational control over the terror network.
This now lies with Egyptian militants, he argued, although he said bin Laden remains an “iconic figure,” and the Central Intelligence Agency is making every effort to “kill or capture” him along with his Al-Qaeda lieutenants.
“Let me use (the term) iconic figure. His presence … gives a certain punch, a certain image, to the global movement,” Hayden said.
“But he’s not operationally involved. An awful lot of the operational force of Al-Qaeda — the Arabic name is the name and then often finished by the country they are from — an awful lot of them are the Egyptians.”
Al-Qaeda’s number two is the Egyptian militant Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who the US director of national intelligence Michael McConnell last September called “the real intellectual leader of Al-Qaeda.”
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Al_Qaeda_grooming_militants_who_loo_03302008.html
This bull shit propaganda by Michael Hayden. Has America been turned into something that would cause our founding fathers severe embarrassment from their graves? We live in a fraudulent capitalist system that even Karl Marx in his wildest dreams would be ashamed to acknowledge out of fear of being branded a lunatic if he would have described what is occurring now buy this unregulated capitalism.
Welcome to Bush’s America the crazier your superstitious religious belief system more creditability is garnered allowing greater access to the national media. A nation of bought off cowardly mindless primates that’s what America is Now so mentality diluted that even the homeless are republicans, the hardcore capitalists are swollen up swine, eating from a socialist bail out troves; pretending they are not hypocrites. The idiots phony ass stimulus package of worthless advance on your next year taxes is going to add whip cream and cherries to the oil companies extortion just a going away gift to the have mores. For god’s sake would Global warming just hurry up and clean this cesspool up it’s not worth saving.
Comment by JesseEast county — Monday, March 31, 2008 @ 9:50 am
In going over your piece with interest and always thinking to my self,”SELF”, Why is the press so willing to recognize a person calling himself “President” just because of the title and giving credence to this piece of flesh is an insult to any living thing. Seeing this group behind bars is all to humain. I too watched, in utter embarrassment, this figurehead, smirkingly toss a ball out in the season opener and to have the announcer praise him for his prowess and skill. ( What a piece of horse puckey) The Dems better get their shit together and stop this childish sand box pushing and shoving, that to is embarrassing. Another thought, Whats with the petition gathering at the Super Market for the “Saving of Marrage?” This crap shows what ignorant, idol worshiping fools we have in this country, Hey People, Concentrate on the big picture of getting us back on the progressive trac to a smart and liveable society in the 21st century. HATS off to the Impeach BUSH gathering at 101 & Encinitas Xing, Thanks!
Comment by knifemaster — Monday, March 31, 2008 @ 10:24 am
And, oh by the way, why is the only solution to Democratic fratricide Hillary dropping out of the race? Again, the key is to attack McCain here not below-the-belt shots at each other.
Calls for Hillary to step aside are unprecedented in the history of our nation. If McCain had the strength to take make use of this time advantage, he would declare a running mate and really kick some Democrat butt. He’s running scared that the American public will lose faith in the war effort before November. His only hope is that the propaganda that the surge is working will hold. The truth is violence and death are a daily occurrence in Baghdad. The troops are powerless to do anything to stop it. Their only capability is to add to the death toll. If there was any infrastructure building going on, wouldn’t that go to contractors anyway? Let’s have another game of soccer with some Iraqi kids and let them keep the soccerballs!
McCain’s second biggest lie, besides that the surge is working is his backpedalling on torture. At least Duke Cunningham never had to endure so burning a shame. Now I hear legal experts on NPR parsing and categorizing which groups of people enjoy the protection of the Geneva conventions. Wasn’t it supposed to be just human beings?
And the immigration reform act which McCain co-sponsored with Ted Kennedy. Now he wouldn’t even vote for it? He defended it as recently as the Republican debate in Colorado. His only friend was Rudy. Tancredo, Romney and Huckabee knew just what to say.
Honestly, I really don’t hold it against somebody that they would lie like hell and say almost anything to get elected. But I believe that McCain is more of the same and worse of this war pig thing as well as a complete imbecile on foreign and domestic policy. He already has met with Bush. What does that tell you?
Comment by Flying Junior — Monday, March 31, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
happy illegal alien day, Stacy
peace!
hugs!!
Comment by lori in pacific beach — Monday, March 31, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
OK Spike…here is a “Big Picture” reality check.
—
This latest Basra fiasco (which controls 80% of Iraqi oil) proves further who is really in control.
Hints: It’s not al-Maliki nor the “coalition forces” (see link below).
The Republican led Bush invasion of Iraq is a complete disaster and waste of human life and our tax dollars.
—
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20080401/cm_usatoday/iraqoffensivebackfiresstrengtheningradicalcleric
—-
Comment by SHRED — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 4:51 am
I got back from the state democratic convention yesterday and the consensus is that we will support whatever democrat gets the nomination, with the exception of the young democrats. One young guy said that if Obama doesn’t get the nomination, the guys will vote for McCain. I actually asked him if he knew how stupid that is and he backed down.
It was the Obama folks that were hostile, but there was no talk about Hillary dropping out voluntarily or otherwise. In fact there was a huge Hillary contingent. Bill spoke and he was charismatic and charming as usual. It’s no wonder the guy can have almost any woman he wants - he is truly sexy. I hope he keeps his pants zippered.
But, as I said before, if we get a democratic super majority in congress, then we don’t need to worry as much about who will become our president. There were several good candidates for congress. If anyone wants to send money to help out, Charlie Brown and Mike Lumpkin are two who can actually win in red areas. They’re both great guys and will do us proud in congress.
Comment by Lorelei — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 8:00 am
Right on, Flying Junior! People who claim that Hillary’s foreign policy will be anything like McCain’s are out in left field.
Comment by Virginia M — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 9:32 am
Stacy T:
Your hypothetical about Clinton getting oodles of small donations does not fit the research found in The Nation magazine. Check out the March 17 issue, article: “The Dean Legacy”. According to Ari Berman in refeence to Trippi book “This Revolution Will Not Be Televised” Change does not happen from the top … Obama has used the new technologies … 90% of his donations have come from drops of $100 or less (page 20).
Meanwhile earlier in the article Clinton’S “candidacy represents the polar opposite of what Dean built … her campaign is dominated by an inner circle of top strategists with little room jfor grass roots input … tends to raise big contributions from a small group of high rollers rather that from large number of small donors …” (page 18).
Clinton is part of the corrupt past. Period–irrespective of her gender.
While no one is perfect Obama at least shows imagination.
The question of Hillary siding with McCain over Obama is a demostration of her awareness that she will unquestionably go war, go Powers-That-Be, and go whatever Israel wants irrespective of Israel’s moral character. Where as Obama is questioned as to whether he might exercise some independence of mind and not automatically stoop to Theocracy and Plutocracy.
Likey Long
Comment by Likey Long — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 9:37 am
To quote Christine Pelosi: “There are show horses and work horses.”
Obama is a show horse, Clinton is a work horse. That’s why I’m standing by my woman.
Comment by Lorelei — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 10:40 am
Hey Stacy: grow up? big picture? You’re coming on a little heavy, aren’t you? Some of us are very focused, which is why I keep preaching that we need a super majority in congress.
Comment by Lorelei — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 11:21 am
Just to add to this discussion, I don’t think Hillary should necessarily drop out at this stage, but she can continue to campaign with civility without tearing down Obama. I think both candidates should focus their energies on old man McCain and what a disaster he would be. With regards to Hillary or Obama supporters voting for McCain should the other candidate get the Democrat nomination, I think it would help greatly for there to be some kind of joint agreement between the two candidates to come out and urge their supporters that either would be better than McCain and to vote for whoever the Democrat nominee is. I know liberals are open minded and are harder to herd than cats, while republicans/conservatives are lemmings who do as they’re told and follow their leader no matter what, but that’s why they almost always win elections. Both Hillary and Obama represent the liberal/Democrat cause well, and unity is what is needed in the Democrat party to actually win for once.
Comment by Sentinel — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Hillary is not going to side with Grandpa Munster and corrupt? In what way? Please be specific.
Comment by Lorelei — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 1:29 pm
HILLARY CLINTON ONCE AGAIN CAUGHT ON VIDEOTAPE IN A LIE! Hillary is a pathological liar. She told Ohio voters and now Pennsylvania voters: “I was against NAFTA from the very beginning”. This LIE helped her win OHIO! The records of her time as First Lady show her having meetings to support NAFTA. This video shows her caught in another LIE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BrPZYbCdJ4
Comment by Raul — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 1:39 pm
Oh please…a pathological liar. Right. She may be getting some bad advice, but that’s about it.
Comment by Lorelei — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
Stacy:
When it comes to criticizing the mainstream media, rather than mostly carping about the Union-Tribune fish-wrap—although certainly the U-T has earned its reputation worthy of being castigated and resented—how about inviting your readers to discuss issues covered on websites specifically created for attention to media reform?
No issue is more critical to our culture than access to truthful information and awareness of deliberate deception.
Here is a list of some important websites:
Accuracy.org
FAIR.org
FreePress.org
MediaChannel.org
MediaMatters.org
NewsHounds.us
NewspeakDictionary.com
Poynter.org
ProjectCensored.org
PropagandaCritic.org
PublicIntegrity.org
ReclaimTheMedia.org
TakeBackTheMedia.com
I understand you are busy and can not possibly keep track of it all, so invite your listeners to read this list on your website and then ask them to become familiar with the content of these websites that provide plenty of insight. For example, recently one of your listeners mentioned a documentary called: War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death not realizing it was first a book by Norman Solomon who is the Executive Director for The Institute for Public Accuracy.
Comment by Johnny Walk — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
the clintons are horrific weasels. while Hitch went round the bend a while ago re: Iraq, I remember the Balkans war.
http://www.slate.com/id/2187780
Jesus, the koolaide comes in two flavors, red & blue…..
Its a false dichotomy (as the college kids usta say) to assert people who would vote Obama would vote McC if the Di….um, Dems are suicidal enough to nominate Clinton. Its far more likely they simply would not, because they COULD not, in good conscience, vote for another Clinton. That line on the ballot would remain blank. as it should. After a while, parsing the lesser of evil gets demoralizing. Why the Dems constantly offer that up (with a few exceptions, McGovern comes to mind) Maybe, someday, the Dems would put up a electable, honest , competant candidate. I thought they were going to, actually. They sure wont by continuin the clinton dynasty. Do you REALLY want to see her machine with all the power Cheney abrogated to the Executive? For what- the promise years down the road youll get taxpayer funded aspirin at $80/pop?
Im supporting Mike lumpkin NOT because he is a Dem, but because he would do a good job. Seeing Dems as uniformly the Good Guys is as blind as seeing Repubs ditto.
Comment by mutt — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
and a critique of Hitch’s column by someone else who remembers the Balkans.
I was tryin to get over there as an ambulance driver, but couldnt develope any connections….(thats for thosewho might say- ‘well, what YOU do about it, Mutt)
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/04/01/the-hillary-bosnia-mystery-cont-d.aspx
Comment by mutt — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
<p>A third American war crime in the making<br />
By Paul Craig Roberts<br />
Online Journal Contributing Writer</p>
<p>Mar 31, 2008, 00:20</p>
<p>The US Congress, the US media, the American people, and the United Nations, are looking the other way as Cheney prepares his attack on Iran.</p>
<p>If only America had an independent media and an opposition party. If there were a shred of integrity left in American political life, perhaps a third act of naked aggression — a third war crime under the Nuremberg standard — by the Bush Regime could be prevented.</p>
Please see http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_3118.shtml for the article.
Pesky Administrator’s Note: © restrictions restrict posting of entire articles. Please LINK articles! Thank you and resume normal programming.
Comment by Project trans parent — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
Check out: http://rattube.com/blog1/2008/04/01/hillary-clintons-nafta-story-exposed/
Hillary Clinton NAFTA story exposed. Is this a woman of great integrity?
Comment by Project trans parent — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/04/01/great_american_hypocrites/index.html
No, its not “dem bashing”, Greenwald lays out a good synopsis (after the first few paras) of how the “Right” controls discourse…..
how weak they actually are, the hole were in , the stakes on the table, and it sums up why Im so very alarmed at the prospect of the Clintons either being nominated or destroying Obama’s chances if he finally gets the nod…..
Comment by mutt — Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
Thank the Lord that Stacy is back on the radio. It’s so depressing to turn on the radio during the commute home and find out he’s not on. I guess he deserves a break now and then.
The prospect I’m most alarmed about is McCain being president. After that, it’s if a Democrat becomes president, but the Dems don’t get a clear majority in Congress.
No matter who it is, I agree that with the hole we’re in, the next Pres is going to inherit an awful awful mess. One thing about the Clintons - The country was in a ton better shape when they left than it was when they started…
Comment by goodguy — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 6:19 am
Something positive in Dem land???
http://www.tnr.com/toc/story.html?id=146ed1c2-2e45-4811-b8c6-a058159770c9
Comment by mutt — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 7:37 am
Just listened to Stacy’s discussion on the poster who used this forum to attack. All I can say is, “good riddance, poster!”
I’m so, so grateful Mr. Taylor’s back on the air — it’s great to have at least one local AM radio host who is NOT a right-wing robot.
Great posts here today, too! Keep it up and keep listening to Stacy, people!
Comment by Vriendje — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
speaking of the Big Picture……..
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/04/feith_only_assholes_fret_about.php
Will these guys just all walk away? Just go on to get rich as “consultants” and “lobbyists”?
My problem with the World Court is that it lacks various safeguards &rights that are part of our unique justice system, even if they are ignored/abrogated far too often.
Bu these guys should hang. And Im opposed to executing people, generally………but Ill make exceptions for crimes against humanity/waging wars of aggression……who sez I can’t compromise?
Comment by mutt — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
Heres food for thought. I say let John McCain win. The guys an idiot and he will inevitably screw things up, possibly worse than Bush. Am I crazy you ask? Well maybe. But hear me out. Every time the Republicans get into office for a period of time and make a total mess of things, the Democrats come to the rescue and turn things around. I say it’s high time the Republicans clean up their own damn mess. There are too many people in this country who still don’t get it. Who don’t give a crap about the war because it doesn’t affect them directly. Still too many people who buy into the conservative mindset. I say let McCain win. Let him start more wars. He will have to reinstate the draft and then maybe people will wake up. Besides you know that if a Democrat is elected, they will get blamed for everything, the economy, the war etc. and Bush and company will just walk away from it all and never pay for their actions which as far as I’m concerned are criminal.
Comment by Cindy Jane — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 3:25 pm
Cindy Jane: While I understand your sentiment, we just can’t afford even four more years of this crap. We’re about bankrupt. It would mean more dead Americans, Afghans, and Iraqis, and now we’d be adding Iranians to the list. We would have no hope for universal healthcare, nor would we have money for proper border security. The republicans won’t clean it up because they don’t see the mess, the poor people, the continuing problems in the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. They don’t even understand the impact of “no child left behind. They don’t see that the Iraq war is a problem. We need to clean this one up now before it gets worse. Of course then they’ll just accuse us of being “tax and spend liberals”…
Comment by Lorelei — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
Two words: LISTENER PARTY! Doncha think??
Lets bug Stacy & Jorge about it. Wear your propeller beanies!!
Comment by mutt — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 5:13 pm
I got back from the state democratic convention yesterday and the consensus is that we will support whatever democrat gets the nomination, with the exception of the young democrats.
Lorelei,
I’m sure I’m not the only one who is proud of you for attending the CA democratic convention. I guess that means you will go on to attend the national conveniton in Colorado? Being an insider, you may be able to shed some light on my question.
Superdelegate or not, isn’t it true that a delegate really has the freedom to cast their ballot any way they see fit? Are they only bound by honor to vote in the way they are committed? My impression is that delegates are awarded in proprotion to the popular vote in the CA primary. What provision is there to reign in unruly delegates? Do any different rules kick in after the first ballot?
I’m excited about Hillary. I really want her to be the next president. But I would vote for Obama over McCain in the general without hesitation. It makes me sick to hear these people say they would vote for McCain. You might as well be voting for Kissinger/Cheney. Don’t these guys get it? It’s really scary how stupid people can be.
Comment by Flying Junior — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 8:55 pm
I am amused that we Americans continue to keep getting screwed in each election cycle by believing in the tooth fairy and that the next candidate is actually going to change things. Slogans like HOPE and CHANGE are silly, the only candidate who has a chance is the one already groomed and selected while we are kept divided, distracted, diluted and deceived. The presidential candidates are nothing more than parrots and puppets, dear people. No wonder they think we are “useless eaters”, we’ve proven our stupidity by buying into the election circus sweepstakes (Presidential Survivor Idol) every 4 years, and we are doomed as we don’t learn from the past (and the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result).
Comment by Darren — Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 11:45 pm
Hi Darren: Just a little bit cynical, doncha think? I beleive that people who run for office, for the most part, really do want to make a difference. What do you propose we do?
Flying Junior: yep, we can vote any way we want on any issue, candidate, etc. There is no mechanism to reign anyone in. However there is a way for us to reign in renegade candidates and we exercised that privilege on Carole Migden in the CA 3rd Senate District by taking away her party endrsement. She’s just too out of control and better we police our own than let the the republicans come after us as a party. We nearly endorsed her opponent Mark Leno, but to do that at at convention takes a 75 percent vote. I did abstain on one big vote because I wasn’t well versed on the candidates. I thought that was the responsible thing to do.
However, having said that, you can lobby your delegates to encourage us to vote the way you want. There is a list of us at the Registrar of Voters. It’s best if you lobby those in your own district. I’m AD 77, SD 36 and CD 52.
I am running to be a delegate at the national convention, but I’m not so sure I will win. It will cost about $2,500 to go and I’m not sure I’ll have a job at that time so I’m actually thinking about dropping out of the race.
Please pray to Ahhhnold, the God of public funding, so that I and many others may keep our jobs. Or, if you feel like it, write him and tell him that Education is the solution and funding should not be cut.
Comment by Lorelei — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 8:04 am
“We need to clean this one up now before it gets worse. ” sayeth Lorelei…….and your evidence it will be “cleaned up” by the democrats, more than willing co-conspirators in these multiple disasters is what, exactly?
Im with your sentiments, I just dont see the Dems as the vehicle as the party now stands. Its been bought & sold too many times to simply make the claim.
But keep bangin away, by all means. YOU aint the problem, thats for sure. I appreciate your enthusiasm…..
Comment by mutt — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 8:12 am
Cindy Jane: We cannot afford to let the Republicans add any more right wing votes to the Supreme Court, as there my be up to 3 justices to be added in the next 4 years.
Comment by Greg in Bonita — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 8:34 am
Thanks mutt, but Grandpa Munster has already said he will keep us in Iraq for 100 years if he needs to. At least Hillary and Barack have said they will start the process of bringing the troops home. If we want our veterans and our citizens to have better health care, we want a democrat too. If I lose my job and I get sick, who is going to pay my medical bills? I haven’t heard the other side even mention health care. Have you? If not the dems, then who?
Comment by Lorelei — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 8:47 am
Well, yes, the Dems “mention ” health insurance, which is something quite different than access to actual health CARE.
Talking about- even talking about! access to actual health care is “off the table” as certain Dems like to say. Transferring wealth to insurance companies is very much ON the table. And it will take the form of a massive pile of regulations & an army of bureaucrats to screw up those already Rube Goldberg, paid for by HMO’s and insurance conglomerates regulations. the dif between Hilbat & Obama on this a matter of degree…..senator Obama, I believe, will facilitate this massive transfer of $ with less angst, hysteria, and posturing.
Comment by mutt — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 9:34 am
I have some difinite doubts about how we operate out of the fix wer’e in. Muckin around in the pig pen of politics is one way, but I have a philosophy that you must be able to make a plan to be self sufficient to survivive and be able to feed yourself, shelter and protect what you have and then have a backup plan in case that one fails. If you can get off the grid, find a means of transportation that requires no fossel fuels and pay cash for what you need or even barter for goods and services, buy locally as much as possible. This is not a pie in the sky idea it’s do-able right now. I have done half of this right now and if I were 40 years younger I would have it done yesterday. You all know that if the total stress of keeping the man happy were eliminated we would live a lot longer, less fat and less sickly. This government is so intrenched in graft and corruption it’s almost imperiative we start fresh, HOW? WHEN? WHO? Thats up to you, I’m not going to be around that long to find out. GOOD LUCK!! ( you’re going to need it) Jssie of east couny, You think your synical, take that
Comment by knifemaster — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
The big picture is a New World Order. Maybe I’ve been reading too many blogs but that is the picture that keeps getting clearer.
-The Americans, as a whole, are sitting idly by while Israel wipes out Palestine.
-We are bailing out the financial institutions with tax payer money while the stockholders of these institutions aren’t even American citizens or taxpayers.
-The government lies, cheats and steals and there is no action by anyone to stop them.
-Our media tells us lies or half truths. And television dumbs us down and reprograms our ways of thinking and acting.
Our election process is being manipulated right before our eyes and no one does anything.
What are we afraid of?
I’m starting to think like Roberta, now from Northern Arizona, buy lots of land (on water), grow your own food, make your own energy.
When the shit hits the fan what would you rather have money (worthless pieces of paper), gold or food and water?
Comment by nobody special — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
-We are bailing out the financial institutions with tax payer money while the stockholders of these institutions aren’t even American citizens or taxpayers.
Nobody Special that is a very good point. The beneficiaries of this are not the taxpayers. This is the Bush II version of the Savings and Loan bailout. That was where Republican cronies loaned out money to other Republican cronies and left the taxpayer to bail out the depositers via the FDIC with our money.
Comment by Virginia M — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
I’m actually thinking about dropping out of the race.
Lorelei, May I give you an opinion? If you have the chance to go, do go.
Comment by Virginia M — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
Hillary is a F$KKKING WHORE
Tell me something I don’t know; any one that jumps in the sack with Rupert Murdock and Richard Mellon Scaife surely is there for some quid pro quo. Mater of fact both New York Senators are sell out WHORES.
Comment by JesseEast county — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
AT LAST!! a cogent explanation of the “derivitives” scam, leading to the mortgage meltdown. Revel in the joys of the free markets invisible hand, unleashed! (no oversight was permitted in the making of this disaster)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89338743
Comment by mutt — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
Hi ^Lorelei^…I don’t mean to be so cynical and apathetic. It seems to me that our candidates at the top (especially presidents) are now manufactured, groomed, selected, marketed and processed, and we are told we elect them. If one considers we have what, 300 million people in America and our choices boil down to 2. Of course the sweepstakes or American President Idol-Survivor show has been in full progress of regurgitation since early 2007.
I agree, many people in lower level politics want to make a difference. It seems contrary to Starbucks physics, the crème does not always rise to the top, but the gunk ends up on top. It seems the process of ladder climbing for career politicians provides them with too much power and not enough accountability.
How can Hillary do her clowning around backpedaling on Iraq, when she voted for the war but now tries to say she would not have voted for it if she knew where we’d be today. Funny, I was not getting NSA, CIA, NSC, DOD, and think tank reports like she was, and I was against the Iraq War. I knew prior to 9/11 they’d construct some kind of reason to go to Iraq, and then on that old versus new age colliding day of 9/11, it was a no brainer to me that Iraq would be on the hit list after Afghanistan, even though there were/are absolutely no connections/associations between 9/11 - Iraq; Al-Qaida - Iraq; Al-Qaida - Saddam; Saddam - Osama; Saddam - 9/11. I knew that yet Hillary in her compromised and colluded fashion, did the parrot and puppet imitation of all the other senators who voted for war on innocent Iraqis. Is Hillary going to tell the families of 4,000+ on-the-books military people killed that she would not vote for the war again? Is she going to go on a mission to Baghdad and to a town hall debate to explain to Iraqis that she feels bad that 600,000 - 1-million Iraqis died from our illegal, immoral, unjust, evil and unconstitutional invasion/occupation, but that if she could, she would not vote for the war if given a second chance.
In answering your question about what do we do, unfortunately my prescription is too depressing for many people to handle, but I do not see any way out of the decline (Roman Empire version 3.3). The only way one saves a bad tooth is to either pull it or drill out the decay and perhaps do a root canal. There is no way we can go to Washington and perform the equivalent: Lobotomies. Therefore, expect much more of the same, but even worse than the son-of-a-Bush, no matter if Obama or Hillary get in, or McCain. What’s the chances that our focus (distraction?) had been kept on Osama for years, and now we potentially might be electing the selected…Obama. Of course if I let my paranoia (a heightened level of awareness) go unchecked, I am nervous an event(s) far eclipsing 9/11 could be on our event horizon, prior to Bush-II cleaning out his desk, and if you know about the continuity of power, it might mean King Bush would keep the dictatorship going.
I recommend everyone read a copy of: The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein.
Comment by Darren — Thursday, April 3, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
Hi Darren: I completely understand where you’re coming from, but I still choose to try to make a difference - even as Rome is burning. As for Hillary and her bad decision on going into Iraq, and I’m not going try to convince you or anyone else to vote for her. However, I think she thought Little Georgie would do what his daddy did and then leave - not that that’s an excuse. Obviously votes have consequences, some unforseen. Bill learned that during his presidency. (Have you ever read his book, “My Life”? The name makes me think of Hitler’s book, “Mein Kampf,” which actually translates to “My Fight.” But, I digress.) Bill admits to his mistakes in the book and because of that I think Hillary has the best adviser in him since he’s already had many triumphs and failures. I don’t want to defend Hillary, so all I can say is that she’s smart, hard working and I believe she’ll work to do what’s best for the country. And, she’s not a bitch or a whore (Randi Rhodes). She’s actually very nice, and charismatic.
Just please, don’t vote for McCain. What congressional district are you in?
Comment by Lorelei — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 8:09 am
In reference to Darrell’s call about an article in a recent Nation article–in which he said the author was referrring to his “anger” and “stubborness” issue and his penchant to not brook dissent–a tendency toward anger of itself is not that big a deal; however when you have an anger and dogma issue coupled with being the dullest knife in the drawer then it does become a serious issue.
Somewhere it was reported that John McCain scored in the lowest 10 individuals of a graduating cadet class of 800+ at Annapolis. This is documentable as fact.
When he talks beligerently and states as “fact” that there will be more wars he has already signed on to the Neo-Con-Artist program.
John McCain seems to be like the kid in highschool that others have egged on into beating up someone else just for show and giggles. With his lack of intellectual acuity he is deeply manipulable–in a country that has way too many stupid people whose prejudices are equally manipulable.
When you have a nation whose people are dumber than the Germans were in the 1930s combined with a Napolean with brains–you have a recipe for disaster.
Mccain–take note: The word “loose” means to be set free to go on to other pursuits. Your really do not want to destroy your family’s historical reputation because you are willing to work for advisors who are more cunning than you realize.
The three cents view.
Comment by Nickle Wood — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 8:12 am
As for Randi Rhodes, she broke a cardinal rule of the sisterhood - we don’t call eachother whores. I understand that she doesn’t like Hillary, and she has every right to her opinion, but she was at a work event and if I were her boss I would have suspended her, or maybe even fired her. We women should revoke her membership to our club.
Comment by Lorelei — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 8:12 am
Note that was suppose to say” Napolean “without” brains spells trouble.
Three Cents
Comment by Nickle Wood — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 8:15 am
she broke a cardinal rule of the sisterhood - we don’t call eachother whores.
I got so where I couldn’t listen to her anymore. I never really liked the accent and I didn’t like the way she cut off her callers and talked over them. Why bother to take a call at all? I agree with you that she crossed the line. She needs to sober up.
Comment by Virginia M — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 8:55 am
when you have an anger and dogma issue coupled with being the dullest knife in the drawer then it does become a serious issue.
OMG Nickle Wood, I couldn’t agree more! I am so desperate to have someone anyone with BRAINS in the White House. I am actually worried for poor old grandpa McCain. If he picks the right (or is that wrong?) vice president he might not last that long.
If I were him I would pick someone that the righties like even less than him.
Comment by Virginia M — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 8:59 am
Yeah Virginia, Randi lost me a long time ago too. Do you remember when she had Joseph Wilson on and she wouldn’t let him get a word in? Plus, I don’t like how she tells her callers they’re wrong when she didn’t even hear them out. She’s kind of a bully.
Comment by Lorelei — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 9:57 am
Hi ^ Lorelei ^,
I respect & appreciate your positive spirit for change, or to personally affect change. That is a positive attribute. You don’t have to worry, I would not vote for McCain. I have not trusted McCain for a long time. He puts his wet finger into the wind to see where it’s coming from, then adjusts his principles and values accordingly. I’m surprised he does not shape-shift too. His 100-year war is not a good thing for the world.
What scares me about both Obama and Hillary, is will they just carry on the policies for the same handlers King Bush-Boy reports to? Remember, these puppets & parrots are simply errand boys to the grocery clerks.
Take care! Darren
Comment by Darren — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 11:16 am
offishul unka Stacy Foil lined Beanie? check. High Speed Propeller Bearings Oiled? Check
Triple cocktail? Check. Listener Party???????????
Yay!
Comment by mutt — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
Where’s the listener party mutt?
Comment by Lorelei — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
i dunno- stacy aint told us yet…..i heard good things about Rumors, in normal hieghts, but Im just guessin…….
ill be on Peace Cootie Duty at trader Joes…..
Comment by mutt — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 3:00 pm
Since we are truth telling I couldn’t stand Al Franken either! Or Big Eddie! I liked Stacy, though.
Comment by Virginia M — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
OK, see you Sunday.
Comment by Lorelei — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
Al Franken was boring, but I do like Ed Schultz. He’s now on KGIL 540 AM Saturday afternoons. I wish they carried him five days a week. They carry Michael Jackson at 9 a.m. weekday mornings, when Ed Schultz would be live. I like Michael Jackson’s politics, but his show is as boring as Al Franken’s was. They carry Lou Dobbs in the afternoon and he’s a joke.
Comment by Sentinel — Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 6:05 pm
I must be the only person on earth who liked Al Franken. I think he’s funny. The others I can live without.
Comment by Lorelei — Saturday, April 5, 2008 @ 7:48 am