Why is it that when the democrats talk about bipartisanship, it really means that they cave and grovel and do what the repubs tell them to do. when the repubs talk about “bipartisanship”, they really mean that the democrats should do their bidding.
IN OTHER WORDS…..
“Bipartisanship” doesn’t exist! It’s a facade.

Well Mr. President, of course your going to say that, because, your not about to admit what a liar you are..

And like all liars everywhere it’s dificult for others, to stand against lies, because lies can never really be defeated when they are told often enough.

Illusions, don’t exist, so they can never be beaten in a confontation. That’s what mental illness is all about.

Re: By Lafayette, December 24 at 3:34 pm

Lafayette wrote:
“Yes, this country has far too many elitists plutocrats. But, instead of bitching-in-a-blog about it, it seems more pertinent to discuss what we can do about that sad fact.”
——————————————————————————-
Lafayette,

Unfortunately, instead of discussing “what we can do about that sad fact”, you ended doing just the same, which is bithching-in-blog about it, without any ideas or suggestiions, whatsoever???!!
I am not a philosopher or a social scientist to know what to do about that sad fact, however several fundemntal steps have to be taken to start in the road to reform which are:
1) Public financing of elections.
2) Closing the revolving door between government and corporatocracy which is fundemental source of corruption and dereliction of duty.
3) The news media have to be free from ithe nfluence and ownership of the super-wealthy elite.

Re: By Lafayette, December 24 at 3:10 pm

Lafayette,

I would have been hanging in tree if I claimed that what I wrote was a prophecy of me the “oracle”.
Of course, I could be wrong, but my main thrust was that “nobody is better than Obama serving “THEM” and implimenting their wishes”, so they will keep him.
In my humble opinion, what I wrote was not “a mindless bunk and waste of bandwidth”, but contained, especially for the naive and uninitiated, many insighful points to ponder about!!

CONNIVING CAPITALISM

td3: The elite will keep Obama and he will “win” the next election.

Yes, for as long as the middle-America dorks keep electing elitists to Congress.

It is greatly amusing to assume that the plutocrats control everything. They manipulate, yes. But we allow them to manipulate us when we enter the voting booth on election day.

Yes, this country has far too many elitists plutocrats. But, instead of bitching-in-a-blog about it, it seems more pertinent to discuss what we can do about that sad fact.

And so far, all that can be seen in this forum is the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Great as catharsis, but absolutely useless to change the situation.

Just what is necessary to put a fire under the fat, dumb and happy American public with its naive belief that “free enterprise” (as personified by the present far too aggregated market behemoths) is the panacea for unlimited growth and jobs for everyone?

Bigger is better? Is that the consequence of our present economic oligopoly? Bigger simply means:
* Market concentration, which means
* Diminished competition, which means
* Price fixing and rent-seeking industries and commerce.

Which does not necessarily provide either the kind or quantity of jobs the American economy needs at present. But, it’s just fine for maintaining profit levels.

POST SCRIPTUM

And we believed that we were participating in “free enterprise” by playing the stock market, cashing in on its unending rise in equity values? Until that sad month of September 2008, when the house of cards came tumbling down around our ears. (As it usually does sooner or later when self-feeding - Ponzi-scheme - equity bubbles burst.)

They were feeding us the crumbs off the table. But why? Because they could ... and get away with it. After all, who decides the after-profit take that manipulates equity values? The Golden Boys on the Board and their henchmen at Goldman Sachs (et al).

What fools we are to believe that sort of conniving-capitalism.

NB: Capitalism does not have to be that way - it’s just the way we operate it in America.

Who will be better than Obama, ” a so called Democrat and progressive!!!”, to start the destruction of Social Security and Medicare, make Bush’s obscene tax cuts that favoured the super-wealthy permanant, bail-out Wall St.

I would not want to be hanging in a tree until all that comes around.

Mindless bunk and a waste of bandwidth.

Re: By Maani, December 23 at 8:30 pm

Manni,

Initially I thought along your line of thinking, but then I realized that the ruling elite will never find someone better than Obama to continue implimenting their policies.
Who will be better than Obama, ” a so called Democrat and progressive!!!”, to start the destruction of Social Security and Medicare, make Bush’s obscene tax cuts that favoured the super-wealthy permanant, bail-out Wall St. and the banks AGAIN, within the next three years, let the states governments go bankrupt with the result of privatizing or selling most of their assets and functions to private investors etc etc…. !!.  You ain’t seen nothing yet!.
The elite will keep Obama and he will “win” the next
election. Probably the elite will put Sara Palin against him and probably at the right momoent, a skelton or two will be found in her closet.

Here’s Obama’s two-year record:

?$ 3,400,000,000 or $ 3.4 BILLION in ‘loans’, bailouts and guarantees given to
Wall Street from the public coffers.

And
The largest shift of debt (i.e. losses) from the private sector to the public in
American history.?And
?Billionaires enjoying all the benefits of our country, but pay only 15% on their
incomes (carried interest).
And
100’s of 1000’s of ‘mandated customers’ brought to the insurance industry and
guaranteed the industry will get to keep 15-20% of the ‘premiums’ received
from the new ‘mandated customers’ (oh, if a ‘mandated customer’ cant afford to
pay the insurer, taxpayers will pay the insurer , but the insurer can still keep
15-20%). Only 80% of your and my premium has to be spent on actual health
care services.
?And
?Afghanistan, pre-emptive war (starting wars to avoid wars), torture, renditions,
etc continued.
And
?Non-reform of the financial industry (six largest banks still too-big-to-fail,
and investment and commercial banking functions still greyed - so, your and
my deposits are at risk).
And
The system manipulated so banks can borrow from the government at 1%, to
buy government bonds that pay banks 3.4%; thus, ‘making’ 2.4% by simply
shuffling paper. (This is a great trick! And illustrates clearly why a huge finance
industry provides nothing to the nation)
And
The budget will be ‘balanced’ on the backs of the middle class while tax
gimmicks will persist for the wealthy and corporations.
Rejecting what American voters wanted:
1 The American people wanted a government administered plan like Medicare -
for everyone. (72% - CBS/New York Times poll June 2009)
1A. Democrats gave private sector insurers a windfall: mandated customers,
with a taxpayer-paid overhead rate of 20% for ‘mandated customers’ (20% of
our premium spent on administration, CEO salaries, bonuses, sitting on Boards
to set rates and decide who’s covered, lobbying for the insurers’ benefit,
advertising and propagandizing to redefine more and more as ‘health care
service’ while delivering fewer and fewer services—- essentially, we’re just
giving our tax money to insurers to do with it what they will).
2 64% of the American people opposed expanding the war in Afghanistan and
wanted to disentangle from Bush-era ‘War on Terror’ and ‘preventive war’
policies.?2B. Democrats gave us an expansion of the war in Afghanistan.
3 The vast majority of Americans opposed the transfer of taxpayer wealth to
cover private company debt – the bailout.
3B. Democrats kept the 6 too-big-to-fail banks – now bigger than ever; kept
deposits at risk by maintaining huge grey areas between commercial and
investment banking; didn’t ‘punish’ the financial industry - now even more
profitable, with bonuses among the biggest ever.
Then, to obtain this new ‘bi-partisanship’, Obama over saw the clobbering of
the Democrats in House, Senate and State races. Now, Obama has comfortable
backing from the Republicans to support many of the policies he has favored,
e.g. cutting taxes for the wealthy, cutting programs for the middle class and
building a strong government-sponsored infrastructure to subsidize private
corporations with tax payer dollars.
NO. Obama has not ‘re-invented’ his Presidency. President Obama has favored
Republican policies his entire Presidency, extending Bush-era policies and
opposing the vast majority of Americans on key policies, while bending toward
the financial industry, insurance industry and Wall Street.

Of course, the Repugnicans could afford to show a little holiday spirit by allowing the passage of three of the four major pieces of legislation on the table during the lame duck session (DADT, New Start, 9/11 health (though eviscerated); only the Dream Act remains…a dream): they got their way on the estate tax and tax cuts for the wealthy - which just happen to expire again almost literally on the eve of the 2012 elections - which will make it an issue during the campaign cycle.  In this way, they have (brilliantly?) planned their chess game a few moves ahead.  The Muslim-in-Chief wants to end DADT?  Sure!  The Immigrant-in-Chief wants to reduce nuclear weapons?  Fine!  The Usurper-in-Chief wants to give extra health benefits to those who sacrificed on 9/11?  No problem!  (Though we’re not gonna give them all of it.)  Not only does it make us look like “nice guys” at the end of the year (good PR!), but it sets up the Manchurian Candidate-in-Chief for a no-win situation during the 2012 campaign!  Yay!

This whole lame duck dance has been the best demonstration ever that the government of this country is completely disconnected (and doesn’t give two shits) about the will of the people!

Passed in the eleventh hour was legislation that 60-80% of the people wanted! If the strategy of John Stewart is not continued - calling out people who are full of shit - shining light on the people who are funded by special interests (Republicans and Democrats), there should be a revolt of the greatest magnitude.

The Republicans shoot their mouths off, making up their own facts… and the Dems stand there with their finger in their ear, whining, “We can’t do anything, we don’t have 60 votes! WAH!” Who’s kidding who, here? Seems like neither of these groups are on the PEOPLES TEAM!

The ludicrous, DADT, is the best example of the ridiculous nature of government - waiting ‘til the bitter end to kick something like that to the curb!

It is time for REAL change in Washington! If the spineless Dems can not handle it, they need to be replaced! AND, not with Trailer Trash from the Tea Party!

Works like a charm everytime- tell a lie, then just keep repeating it until it becomes truth. Josef Goebbels knew exactly what he was talking about.

I cringe hearing him speak.  Best republican I ever voted for.