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May 21, 2013
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 Seven Republican DwarfsPosted on Jun 15, 2011
They assumed the stance of the Seven Dwarfs, not as a matter of physical but rather intellectual stature. Not one of the candidates for the GOP presidential nomination who debated Monday night rose to a point of seriousness in addressing the nation’s grievous problems. Instead, they ever so playfully thumbed their collective noses at any possible meaningful government reaction to the mess that we are in. It was Herbert Hoover warmed over, leaving Barack Obama secure in the mantle of FDR whether he deserves that tribute or not. Obama, who has been inconsistent and weak in reining in the Wall Street greed that got us into this deep economic morass, is now under no pressure from the opposition to improve his performance. The Republican knee-jerk reaction—government bad, big business great, and don’t dare say that the Wall Street scoundrels who created this crisis need a timeout—gets Obama off the hook from legitimate criticism he needs to hear. As The Wall Street Journal headlined the non-debate: “Candidates Run Against Regulation.” It’s as if the sound government regulation of the financial industry implemented in response to the Great Depression—not its polar opposite, the radical deregulation fueled by Republican free market zealots—was the source of our banking meltdown. How dare these Republican candidates en masse ignore the truth that it was precisely the legislation that their party pushed through Congress, and that Democrat Bill Clinton shamefully endorsed, that launched the era of unregulated credit default swaps and mortgage-based securities that came close to destroying the entire economy. The failed policies involved are the cause of the 50 percent run-up of the national debt, 9.1 percent unemployment, an all-time high in poverty and the prospect of 50 million people being driven from their homes. The Republican debate dashed any expectation that some populist candidate would rise from that side of the aisle, and in an honest way tap into voter resentment over the deep hurt that the Wall Street superrich have put on ordinary Americans. Instead, the candidates made regulation the enemy, rather than the misdeeds that responsible legislation is intended to curtail. Advertisement “Republican presidential hopefuls on Monday pressed for the dismantling of government regulations drawn up over 40 years, using a candidates’ debate here to call for the scaling back or elimination of environmental, labor, financial and health-care rules.” The stakes in the next election couldn’t be more important, and the danger for Obama and the country is that he might continue his practice of compromising instead of courageously challenging entrenched corporate power. If the choice is between him and any one of the Seven Dwarfs, it will be no contest as to who is the lesser evil. If Mitt Romney, the current front-runner by a wide margin for the GOP nomination, represents the best chance the Republicans have of putting up a sensible leader, Obama will be under no stress to improve his performance. Romney won’t even defend the very minor health care reforms that the Republicans deride as “Obamacare,” even though those reforms are based on a state program Romney championed when he was governor of Massachusetts. The only candidate who has had the temerity to concede that the Republican vision of health care is “right-wing social engineering” was Newt Gingrich, and he has been backing away from that assertion ever since he made it in May. At Monday’s debate, Gingrich felt the need to balance that earlier bit of reason with an absurd call for abolishing the National Labor Relations Board, as if it is the unbridled power of trade unions rather the mammoth corporations that is responsible for the downsizing and outsourcing of once well-paid American jobs. The smug arrogance of these Republican candidates, preening with their concern for the masses of Americans oppressed by the chains of Social Security, minimal rights to health care, and environmental protection, leaves Obama as the only serious adult in the room. These folks even want to reverse the Sarbanes-Oxley law, designed to prevent the accounting fraud associated with the collapses of Enron and WorldCom that cost so many their jobs and savings. With the president facing opponents such as these, the danger is that our national politics will once again be traumatized by a lesser-evilism, in which Obama will be given a free ride relieved of the pressure to perform better in dealing with an economy that is in deep trouble. It would be all too easy for him to make the case that he inherited rather than created the economic debacle, and that his palliatives, including the stimulus and mild regulation, may have not solved the problem but it would be a lot worse if the do-nothingness—that traditional bane of the GOP—had been the order of the day.
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Too Soon to Tell: The Case for Hope, Continued
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By Ron Harvey, June 15, 2011 at 2:30 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The cost to operate the vindictive is breaking as
much as possible, including the bank. Test of wit in
a method to insult intelligence lacks more than a
media in which to express the occurrence in which
those insults by other intelligence, as it stages the
day for competition in making our health and survival,
is not merely a political matter. Sometimes the
operations are patently criminal as in predatory.
Personally, there should be no regrets by the sincere who have supported and pursued Outer Space Justice who others are apparently to be convinced are the greatest enemy since war itself.
Report thisBy Steve E, June 15, 2011 at 2:28 pm Link to this comment
Romney and Bachmann, that’s the ticket for 2012. Start kissing ass now all you
Report thisprogressives and so called liberals. “Hope and change” died on the vine along with
transparency and “no one is above the law”.
By Cliff Carson, June 15, 2011 at 2:11 pm Link to this comment
prisnersdilema was protesting the performance of our so called Government and why not. Well I decided to go to the Real Time Debt Clock ( at 3:43 PM) and he sure is right.
Here is what I found at that time:
45,017,408 on food stamps
24,262,025 unemployed
$699,492,862,135 for Wars and Defense
$817,192,950,203 spending on Medicare & Medicaid
$716,868,256,525 spending on Social Security
The Seven Dwarfs spent their time claiming the way to save America was to cut out the spending on Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security which is the largest expenditure showing here. But there is a catch:
Those are the only expenditures on the list that actually pays anything toward their cost. In fact
the Government collects more than they pay out for these programs. So these programs don’t cost the Treasury a dime. And yet these are the very programs the Seven Dwarfs want to get rid of the most while at the same time giving huge Tax cuts and breaks to the Rich and Corporations.
And while giving the fat cats Filet Mignon they want to get rid of Unemployment and Food Stamp benefits. Those seven dwarfs have a distinct distaste for the poor.
But by God there is one thing they scream at the top of their lungs to keep - Wars and defense spending. A war of choice never ever turned a profit except for undertakers and the War Industry.
Yes I have a phrase for the Seven Dwarfs - “Evil and dangerous”.
And for those ordinary people who would vote for them- “Dumber than a Stupid Rock”
Report thisBy BR549, June 15, 2011 at 2:05 pm Link to this comment
If Ardee and BigB are so paranoid about Ron Paul, I suppose they have alternative candidates with as clean motives.
I, personally, don’t think Ron Paul is up to date with the abortion issue. I think his stance is a noble one. He isn’t one of those bible-thumping crazies willing to kill abortion clinic owners in the name of God. That stance may be well and good at some point when our society is ready to truly care for the offspring that certain members of that society haven’t grasped yet, but we’re not there yet. Until we mature enough as a culture, this abortion issue should be a woman’s choice. Hopefully, some day, women will all be partnered with loving mates and will be able to accommodate the necessary changes to love those new citizens, but we’re not there yet.
Needless to say, Ron Paul and I are at different ends of the fence on that one. We may see the same goal on the horizon, but we also see different paths to get there. That, however, is no reason for me to bail on his philosophies. Paul may be a libertarian at heart and wishing for deregulation, but if you think he would chance deregulating things to the point where opportunist politicians would take further advantage of the American people, you’re more naive than you think he is.
Report thisBy THX 1133 is not in the movie..., June 15, 2011 at 1:55 pm Link to this comment
TAO Walker, June 15 at 10:49 am Link to this comment
Report thisThis must be the “farce” portion of the “history
repeats itself” play-bill.
=======================
Its pretty funny but Comedy Central it is not…
The masses need a couple of years of prepping before
they get to vote; which is the real joke in all the
madness…
By ardee, June 15, 2011 at 1:19 pm Link to this comment
I would second the comments of Big B regarding Paul’s candidacy. He might very well be the most dangerous of all the GOP candidates as he is capable of framing the irrational and the deadly in intellectual terminology that sounds like great ideas. Further, he has become very careful about speaking to much of his libertarian position, dwelling rather upon his anti war position, which, when examined, prove to be isolationism rather than pacifivism.
If what you seek is a nation without entitlements of any kind, Social Security, Medicare, Welfare, a nation completely free of any regulatory power over the likes of Exxon Mobil, BP, Halliburton, Goldman Sachs or any other corporation with a track record of corruption and greed then by all means vote for Paul.
I do not wish to imply that Ron Paul is a venal and evil man, far from it. I do state that Libertarianism is a curse and not a blessing. It is a political philosophy for those who believe in fairy tales and mandatory happy endings. While Paul is the best of a bad lot they are all still just that, a bad lot. As is Obama frankly.
Report thisBy Big B, June 15, 2011 at 12:18 pm Link to this comment
Keep in mind, all you “ron paul” people out there, he is by and large, a libertarian. That is, he still believes that we should de-regulate everything, not tax anybody, and this will lead us all to prosperity. Forget that he is against the war (anyone with an once of sense should be) and remember that he, and others of his ilk, are just old school pro-corporate repugs, the same ones that helped run the nation over a cliff, and then critisize everyone who didn’t have a parachute.
The repugs have a guy that can win, but since he is a “hokey” mormon, his show will never play in neo-conservative Peoria. The repug majority will never support someone who believes that Jebus met their ancestors on a mountaintop, told them they were better than everybody else, and gave then rules to live by. That’s just fucking crazy talk.
No, look for the king of the neo-con lunatics to step forward by this fall, and unscrew the hat from his pointed head and throw it into the ring. Gov. Perry, clad in a white sheet and carrying a christian bible and a six shooter, will lead his dim people to the promised land.
Report thisBy KC, June 15, 2011 at 11:54 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
How original, another pro-Obama, anti-GOP piece. It’s too early to tell who will be elected on the GOP side….some of the contenders aren’t even in the race yet. Rest assured unless a miracle happens in the economy, Republicans will prevail. Obama has a dismal, indefensible record on practically everything. As long as his opponents focus on that, history says they will win.
Report thisBy BR549, June 15, 2011 at 11:52 am Link to this comment
ITW,
I know Ron Paul appears somewhat of a Casper Milquetoast. That’s who he is, but I’d rather have someone like that, who is honest, than have to constantly second guess the continuous stream of well-coiffed, over-dressed, and pseudo charismatic liars that have parade themselves to us as efficient population managers.
I liked your analogy except I would have described Bush as a sophomoric dunderhead ne’er-do-well goat roper still trying to gain acceptance from daddy and his classmates. He’s driving the company truck too fast down a bumpy gravelly road; just a good ole boy having a good ole time, oblivious to the fact that all the supplies he was sent to town to pick up were bouncing out the back onto the road. And in the middle of a loud “Hiyyyyhaaaa!”, crashes the company truck into a tree.
Obama would be the smooth talking insurance agent who shows up to pretend to give an intelligent assessment of the damage only to remind the employer that his policy renewal was overdue, and, once he had the signature, deny the original claim and give himself a raise.
This has nothing to do with not liking our form of government or wanting to overthrow it, as they would so conveniently try to spin it to be. It has everything to do with being disgusted by corrupt parasites and immoral people. They are BOTH sleazebags.
Report thisBy gerard, June 15, 2011 at 11:36 am Link to this comment
Mommy, why do the candidates have debates on television?
So they can reach the largest number of voters without anyone asking serious questions or walking out on them.
Report thisBy Jenn Mott Redd, June 15, 2011 at 11:01 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Arrogant, greedy, corrupt FOOLS with too much power & no heart. Elitist
Report thispigs. Dwarfs indeed. Peons. POWER TO THE PEOPLE! We must unite for
change! We need revolution. Anyone with me?
By TAO Walker, June 15, 2011 at 10:49 am Link to this comment
This must be the “farce” portion of the “history repeats itself” play-bill. Though
‘The Gipper’ really liked to rub “We-The-People”‘s runny noses in the dead-
certainty that, “tragedy”-wise, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”....a throwaway line if
ever there was one.
So the “silly season” that IS political theater just keeps getting extended (like
“daylight savings time” and the “school year,” and several professional sports
schedules)) in both directions. Soon it will become, if it isn’t already (and to
borrow a trope from Gore Vidal) , a “perpetual” campaign for “perpetual” office.
Robert Scheer does ask (but only rhetorically) “How dare….” the latest bunch of
Reaganauts genuflect so faithfully to the nihilist credo St. Ronald preached (but
only as a mouthpiece for its behind-the-scenes ‘producers’/‘directors’). Maybe
some clear-eyed, strong-stomached analysis, instead, of just exactly how it
has come to be that they DO dare, and that those “across-the-aisle” dare-not
say them “nay,” would not only better serve the ostensible purposes of
“truthdig,” but the actual organic interests of ALL-concerned, as well.
Prob’y much easier, and more “self”-satisfying and safer, though, to go-along
with the charade by pretending to poke some sophomoronic fun at a few of the
“self”(and media)-styled “players”....truthscratch-the-surface, as-usual.
HokaHey!
Report thisBy John R., June 15, 2011 at 10:42 am Link to this comment
From this corner of the very very obviously few, comes a vote of no confidence.
Since all of the candidates (except R. Paul) are not addressing the real issues.
They stand only as puppet faces, debating on how best to manipulate the lies that
are televised, the lies that float as clouds of change only to disappear once elected into office.
Yes. A most definite vote of no confidence. Our system is broken, buried, and
Report thisforgotten.
By question, June 15, 2011 at 10:39 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Dopey, Batty, Sleazy, Stuffy, Doc, Dreary & Doozy.
Report thisHowever John King did make a lovely Snow White.
By omop, June 15, 2011 at 10:25 am Link to this comment
Dwarf # 1. { Bachmann ] Claim to fame pronouncment…..“If the US
turns its back on Israel, “a curse” will be placed on the land.
As proof, she cited Genesis 12:3, in which God says to Abraham, “The
one who curses you I will curse.” It was an uncommonly explicit
blurring of policy and theology.
Dwarf #2. [Santorum] Claim to fame pronouncment…..” Abortion will in
time ruin Social Secuitry”.
Dwarf #3. [Cain] Claim to fame prounucment…..” I would rather have
gays work for me than Muslims”.
Dwarf #4. [Gingrich] Claim to fame pronouncemnt…..” what the US
needs is Capitalist engineering”.
Dwarf #5. [Pawlenty] claim to fame .....“plenty of nuttin”.
Dwarf #6. [Romney] claim to fame….” if its Tuesday. I must be
somwhere else”.
Dwarf #7. [Paul] claim to fame….” no Repuclican wants to address the
state of the USA”.
The state of the US according to several leading experts is in dire
shape. Wars that have been going on for over 20 years costing
trillions…increased unemployment… some say its actaully 18%....others
say there are over 34 million Americans on food stamps and the
neocons are calling for nuking Iran, invading Syria and occupying
Yemen, Somali and Libya.
Calling six of those indivduals Republican Dawrds is is an insult to
Report thisdwarfs. Its time for Krusty the Clown.
By markus, June 15, 2011 at 10:20 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
You hit the nail on the head Robert. Deregulation is what caused this mess were
Report thisin and if the GOP gets their way, it will be more of the same mess. I said it before
and I’ll say it again for those who didn’t read the NAFTA Bill. Bill Clinton said,” I
sign this Bill with THREE STIPULATIONS”. (1) DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH OUR
ECONOMY. (2) DOES NOT AFFECT OUR JOB EMPLOYMENT. (3) DOES NOT AFFECT
OUR ENVIRONMENT. With that said, all Stipulations have been breached. So who
has the testicles large or small, to Repeal NAFTA? In the early months, President
O’Bama touched briefly on getting rid of US. Corporations being able to deduct
Foreign Expenses on their US.Income Taxes, That and cheap Labor is what drove
many of our Good Jobs away from US citizens. Republicans made that Corporate
deduction. It’s too late now to correct, the damage is done.Lobbyist win again.
As far as Foreign Aid goes, why don’t we Give instead of money, coupons to be
used only from US. Goods. That would spurt our unemployment.
By Wounded and Dangerous, June 15, 2011 at 10:09 am Link to this comment
I don’t have much faith in American politics at this stage in the game. Can anybody really point to any essential differences between a Democratic or Republican candidate for president of the USA?
As far as I can tell the only dissimilarities are cosmetic. Obama got elected on the big mantra of ’ Change You Can Belive In. ’ Well, did America get the change it wanted and deserved? No, it didn’t. In fact, it got much more of the same as previously offered by President George Bush - it got everything that George Bush delivered - and more. The wars and National Debt have been expanded and the gangsters on Wall Street continue to ply their trade with the freedoms that they have always enjoyed. America is a basket case, a nation addicted to war, and it will not recover anytime soon.
These are hard times and there are hard lessons aplenty for the American citizen. It simply doesn’t matter who the president is. This individual is now only a figure head and one who takes orders and is held in check by powers much greater than that of a president. If you want to watch these Republicans playing their game of ” I Want to Be Your President ” then be my guest. Pick the pretty one or the good speaking one. What does it matter in the end anyway? None of these people, whether they are Republican or Democrat is capable of producing the goods for honest and hard working Americans. They are playing a different game and they are simply not on the same team as the average American.
Report thisBy michael8000, June 15, 2011 at 9:51 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Greed puppets on parade, the new TV reality series!
Report thisBy Gmonst, June 15, 2011 at 9:44 am Link to this comment
I couldn’t get myself to watch much of the debate. Quite frankly I found most of what I saw to be nauseating. They seemed like a bunch of idiots. I even recall one them saying “thats how you get real trickle down” and Bachman calling the EPA the “job killing agency.” These people are trying to feed us the same poisoned food that made us sick with an evil smile, assuring us this time it will work. Hogwash.
The one exception I saw (and I don’t understand why Scheer ignores him) is Ron Paul. I might not agree with him on everything but he is definitely not your average republican (or politician for that matter) saying the same lines as all the other people. He at least seems like he has sound ideas and proposals and seems to be grounded in the real world. Quite frankly I don’t completely understand the stuff he talked about the fed and money supply. However, it seemed real and thoughtful, real ideas for real problems. All the others seemed like clowns in comparison to him. His foreign policy stances are very appealing to me. There are quite a few little things I disagree with him, but I respect him and would possibly vote for him over Obama if for nothing else his anti-interventionism. I would love to see Obama and Paul debate, a serious real debate.
Report thisBy BOB A, June 15, 2011 at 9:36 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
It is amazing how Ron Paul is lumped together with the GOP wrecking crew.
Ron is the ONLY candidate from either side that makes any sense for America. Obama has continued the policies of George Bush.
And I thought I found a sensible website here…
Report thisBy rollzone, June 15, 2011 at 8:47 am Link to this comment
hello. while i agree the debate was underwhelming, i
Report thisthought the softball tactic was welcoming. the
discourse being directed by the media is more
troubling than the players. the economy is the issue.
money is important, when you can not buy comfort.
government economic involved used to be taboo, with
Constitutional meaning. government for profit was
illegal. what about the roles of the CIA, NSA, and
alphabet agencies in our lives; and what their roles
should be around the world? what about internet
censoring? what is a coherent energy policy? should
we begin to abolish nuclear energy (absolutely)? i
thought of this public display (with the background
grunter) as just a cordial togetherness invitation to
begin paying attention.
By Kalpal, June 15, 2011 at 8:34 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
By looking at the picture and reading the comments about the debates I conclude that the debators were six conservative pu**ies and one right wing c**t, who have no solutions to any problems but will gladly make promises that will never be kept because the evil nasty Democrats won’t let this nation become a right wing dictatorship.
Report thisBy ksos, June 15, 2011 at 8:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
“The stakes in the next election couldn’t be more important, and the ?
danger for Obama and the country is that he might continue his ?
practice of compromising instead of courageously challenging ?
entrenched corporate power.”
Oh dear.
You are really worrying that Obama “might continue his practice of
compromising?” You think that’s the ?danger we’re facing? That he
“might” keep compromising? Really?
When has Obama ever indicated that anything would make him ?
challenge corporate power? When has he ever indicated that he is a ?
courageous man, just waiting for the right moment to step forward and ?
fight the good fight? Why do you think, after all the evidence we have, ?
that he has ever really “compromised” rather than purposefully enacted
a clear strategy of giving all the power and wealth of the country to the ?
corporate elite? How on earth can you present him as a real alternative
?to the Republican agenda?
It is a complete disservice and insult to your readers to portray Obama
as someone who just needs the right kind of pressure and will then
magically begin to do right by this country rather name him for the ?
corporate shill he is and always has been.
Have you not noticed that any time the Republicans “apply pressure”,
his response has never once been to stand and fight, using the bully
pulpit to boldly defend clear democratic values? Never. Instead, he
always takes advantage of the situation to move ever more to the right ?
—almost like that might be happening by design.
The distinction between Republicans and Democrats at this point is ?
meaningless. The election is nothing more than political theater
designed to keep us believing that we have choices and a voice in our ?
government, and so, passive.
Our passivity is the point. Passive and agreeable as we march onward ?
toward more entrenched fascism. That is the danger we face, not
whether Obama “might” continue to compromise.
Think of it: everyone working to be good citizens as we watch the
debates, weigh the options and argue with each other over the alleged
differences between the candidates and at last resign ourselves to
voting for the lesser evil —what better way to keep us distracted,
depressed and quiet while the government screws us three ways from
Tuesday?
Columns like this one perpetuate the myth of choice and voice in the ?
Report thispolitical process and so directly help the corporate cause. And frankly, ?
reading this on TruthDig is surprising—have you not been reading what
your fellow columnist Chris Hedges has been saying? You might ?want
to take a look.
By David J. Cyr, June 15, 2011 at 8:32 am Link to this comment
QUOTE, Robert Scheer:
“The stakes in the next election couldn’t be more important”
______________
There they go again. (D) progressives never need to learn any new tricks, because their old tricks keep on working every time.
We are where we are, with there being no possibility for elections to serve any good purpose, because the progressive liberals were so successful in persuading too many millions of people to always vote for evil and never “waste” any vote voting for any good, back when elections could have possibly been used for a good purpose.
The progressive liberals have always insisted that every **THIS** election was “too important” to not choose between evils. They’ve always insisted that people must wait for the **NEXT** election, if they want to vote for any good.
It is the deeply depraved Democrat apparatchik progressives who have made elections not serve any good purpose.
The liberal progressives have spent their whole lives choosing between fascists; and in doing so, the liberal progressives have succeeded in making America’s fascism sustainable… a perpetual plutocracy facilitated by routine popular vote mandated installations of interchangeable corporate party politicians solely serving the needs of the Market-State.
Report thisBy DavidByron, June 15, 2011 at 8:27 am Link to this comment
Wow. What nonsense.
Worse than usual.
Put pressure on Obama but of course all vote for him. Democrats and Republicans have the same corporate serving policies, but of course this election (like all others) is the most important ever.
Did it ever occur to Scheer that it is precisely BECAUSE Obama needs cover, that the Republicans are acting up? Precisely to make him act like he is in subservience to Obama?
It’s called good cop / bad cop. But the good cop isn’t actually “good” or even the lesser of two evils. The good cop is the very same evil. Its two roles being acted out with the same objective. Sometimes (rarely) you even see them switch roles. It’s just an act.
Is this really so hard to comprehend?
This article is utter dross. Self-contradictory and has its head up the ass of “conventional wisdom” (ie propaganda image of the way the US government works). When is Truthdig going to live up to its name?
Report thisBy BobZ, June 15, 2011 at 8:06 am Link to this comment
Watching more than two minutes of this stupid seven was agonizing. Hard to
Report thisbelieve any of these clowns deem themselves ready to become president. It is
just too ridiculous to take any of these candidates seriously. Obama looks like
Einstein compared to the Republican group. All they can talk about are the
same old nostrums that got us into a hole in the first place. They still believe in
the same old supply side economics that have been a disaster for this country.
All they can think of is new ways of rewarding the already rich at the expense of
the rest of us. How many American’s are really concerned about the estate tax?
It applies to fewer than 7000 people a year. Corporate taxes are the lowest they
have ever been and corporations are still not hiring. Income taxes are the
lowest ever and still no trickle down, unless you call it getting urinated on.
Obama has been a disappointment for sure but that’s what happens when we
think we are going to get another FDR and he turns out to be a black Bill
Clinton. But that’s way better than anybody the Republican’s can put up to bat.
By Ed of the Delta, June 15, 2011 at 7:52 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Obama is insured a 2nd term if the Republicans are going to field a canadate team like this one. The problem with the Republicans is that they are totally focused on defeating Obama and nothing else.
The Republicans should be addressing issues like employment, health care, and our engagements in mid-eastern wars. None of them have came up a any definitive plan to address these issues.
When John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate showed me the intellectual depth of Republican leadership.
I shudder to think of Ms Palin dealing with US foreign policy, not counting the domestic issues, had she and McCain been elected in 2008. Had McCain became incapacitated as the Chief Executive and Palin took over the Oval Office — well I will let you surmise what a nightmare this would have turned into.
Report thisBy Buzz Baldrin, June 15, 2011 at 7:27 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
“If the choice is between him and any one of the Seven Dwarfs, it will be no contest as to who is the lesser evil.”
Looks like there will be a lot of blood on Scheers’s typing fingers for voting to keep our bomber in chief in power.
Not the case with voting for Ron Paul, a vote that would add to the numbers of antiwar Americans.
Not the case with voting for an antiwar third-party candidate, as European Greens do with much success.
Regrettably, Scheer not only carries polluted water for one of the war party’s candidates, he does it to give cover to antiwar progressives wishing to sellout.
Report thisBy D.R. Zing, June 15, 2011 at 7:20 am Link to this comment
We’re playing those mind games together
Pushing the barriers, planting seeds
Playing the mind guerrilla
Chanting the mantra, peace on earth
We all been playing those mind games forever
Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil
Doing the mind guerrilla
Some call it magic, the search for the grail
Love is the answer and you know that for sure
Love is a flower, you got to let it, you got to let it grow
So keep on playing those mind games together
Faith in the future, outta the now
You just can’t beat on those mind guerrillas
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind
Yeah we’re playing those mind games forever
Projecting our images in space and in time
Yes is the answer and you know that for sure
Yes is surrender, you got to let it, you got to let it go
So keep on playing those mind games together
Doing the ritual dance in the sun
Millions of mind guerrillas
Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel
Keep on playing those mind games forever
Raising the spirit of peace and love
Love…
(I want you to make love, not war, I know you’ve heard it before)
—John Lennon “Mind Games” from Mind Games
Report thisBy madisolation, June 15, 2011 at 7:16 am Link to this comment
Thank you, Paul_GA, for writing:
“For what it’s worth, Dr. Paul is the only Repub I’d vote for, because he clearly sees what needs to be done, particularly vis-a-vis foreign policy. If Mr. Scheer wishes to ignore Dr. Paul, that’s his privilege, but I’d say he’s making a big mistake in doing so.”
It seems most people (i.e., columnists and bloggers on the left) lack any courage at all when it comes to Ron Paul. Their ignore him just like the corporate media does, and it’s time for people to acknowledge that Ron Paul’s anti-war, anti-NAFTA, and pro-Constitutional views are the only hope left for this country.
Report thisMany, many people on the left are still nitpicking him and his views (as if Obama offers something better). People are going to be very sorry if when they look back at this election and realize they didn’t even try to bring this country out of the quagmire it’s in, because—once again—they were blinded by their left-/right mindset.
It’s time for people—especially leading bloggers—to come out and endorse Ron Paul. It’s tiring to hear them complain about the war, our loss of civil rights, and our loss of jobs through NAFTA, when they won’t even discuss the one man who wants to change our dire condidtions: Ron Paul.
What will the rest of the world think of us if we don’t support the only one who wants the wars to end? Shame on us if we allow our selfishness (“I just won’t vote for anyone then! That’ll show ‘em!”) to get in the way of peace.
By Inherit The Wind, June 15, 2011 at 7:15 am Link to this comment
I heard a wonderful analogy after the “debate”:
George W. Bush drove the bus off the road. Obama’s the inept tow-truck driver who can’t pull it out, yet he’s being blamed for the crash.
The biggest “Winner” was Michelle Bachmann, who increased her “stature” simply by not appearing her normal flat-out bat-shit crazy.
Santorum is full of “santorum”. Actually, they all are. It’s scary that the best and most reasonable of them, in fact the ONLY one that resembles a sane person is that lying scumbag Romney.
2012 should be a slam-dunk for Obama, but the GOP has a secret weapon: The morons and cowards running the DEMOCRATIC Party.
Report thisBy RY25L, June 15, 2011 at 6:47 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The GOP is playing an elaborate and successful game light years out from the 2012 elections in November of that year. What we have here is a constant attempt to suck the oxygen out of the media atmosphere and they have been doing this since the night of general elections of 2008. In fact entire MSNBC lineup Monday through Friday spends 95% of each show covering this GOP mockery…they are obsessed with the GOP no matter what candidate…and no matter how many times they drop in and drop out of this sorry field of idiots. But you know, it’s working, isn’t it. We hear nothing on these programs each night about REAL NEWS….like the wars we have raging around the world…like how Obama is stomping on Federal employees in a unilateral way that makes Gov. Walker of Wisconsin look like Samuel Gompers….We have no idea what kinds of legislation the Democratic Party is interested in ..we NEVER see teams of Democrats crowded around a mic each and every day but the media certainly snaps to attention whenever and wherever Republicans crowd around a mic at the U.S. Capitol…..This huge group of GOP candidates are being sent out en mass on purpose and the media just follows them to the ends of the earth giving them way more attention than any of them rate compared to other news going on in this country and the world. MSNBC is the worst of the lot giving coverage and focus on people nobody has heard of and nobody cares about ..and there is no counteracting amount of time given to any Democrat for any purpose whatsoever. Maddow and Matthews and O’Donnell spend 95% of their shows following this mass of GOP humanity for what purpose??? It is not news…it won’t be news until maybe next winter. The Democrats own the Executive Branch..and they are the majority party in the Senate…but hell…you’d never know it!!!! Obama is the worst Democrat in recent history and panders to the GOP and gladly hauls their water and has been for two years. While Wisconsin is shredding union workers rights, where does Obama weigh in on what’s going on there? Why are we still in Iraq and Afghanistan? Really the GOP already has their best candidate ..it’s Obama….he’s a joke of a Democrat. His policies are more right wing than Bush and Cheney but he does it with his signature put on big photo op smile that he can snap into instantly….. Democrats need to replace Obama ...they need to get Pelosi out of any leadership role..and Reid needs to give it up….The GOP has their best candidate already in residence in the White House. But Maddow & company will continue to pretend that this circus parade of GOP wannabees is serious business and worthy of them spending entire shows ranting and raving about all of them…night after night…week after week…month after month…MSNBC is nothing but the GOP on Parade.
Report thisBy BR549, June 15, 2011 at 6:27 am Link to this comment
FRT,
I agree that Ron Paul was the only one of the bunch that had any handle on the problems we have, but how does one have a discussion about something as complex as astrophysics when the mentality of the audience and the other speakers is on a par with a grape?
I can understand why Ron Paul must have been totally out his element. All the other bozos up there are laughing up a storm, happy in the delight that they wouldn’t be having to show to the mindless cattle in the audience that they were as stupid as they were. Here, these guys took an oath and at the VERY LEAST they should be brought up on charges of malfeasance or misfeasance.
The questions about Elvis or Johnny Cash, and American Idol or Dancing with Stars, only show that the so-called “professionals” have NO CLUE how to fix the problems they helped to create.
We might actually have something to hope for if every one of those sleazy bastards (Ron Paul being the one exception) were hard at work discussing the destructive power of the banks on national TV and then having testicles large enough to actually do something about the problem when they were OFF TV. The population needs to see the light and these clowns are running around intentionally turning the lights off.
Leno or Letterman? How about the gas chamber or a firing squad?
Report thisBy BR549, June 15, 2011 at 6:23 am Link to this comment
FRT,
I agree that Ron Paul was the only one of the bunch that had any handle on the
problems we have, but how does one have a discussion about something as
complex as astrophysics when the mentality of the audience and the other
speakers is on a par with a grape?
I can understand why Ron Paul must have been totally out his element. All the
other bozos up there are laughing up a storm, happy in the delight that they
wouldn’t be having to show to the mindless cattle in the audience that they
were as stupid as they were. Here, these guys took an oath and at the VERY
LEAST they should be brought up on charges of malfeasance os misfeasance.
The questions about Elvis or Johnny Cash, and American Idol or Dancing with
Stars, only shows that the so-called “professionals” have NO CLUE how to fix
the problems they helped to create.
We might actually have something to hope for if every one of those sleazy
bastards (Ron Paul being the one exception) were hard at work discussing the
destructive power of the banks ON national TV and then having testicles large
enough to actually do something about the problem when they were OFF TV.
Leno or Letterman? How about the gas chamber or a firing squad for these
Report thisassholes?
By Rixar13, June 15, 2011 at 6:05 am Link to this comment
Why would the G-NO-P, the creators of the mess our country is in change course now?
Report thisFunny analogy though - Seven Republican Dwarfs - Smile
By Paul_GA, June 15, 2011 at 6:04 am Link to this comment
For what it’s worth, Dr. Paul is the only Repub I’d vote for, because he clearly sees what needs to be done, particularly vis-a-vis foreign policy. If Mr. Scheer wishes to ignore Dr. Paul, that’s his privilege, but I’d say he’s making a big mistake in doing so.
Report thisBy konst, June 15, 2011 at 6:01 am Link to this comment
Sorry Mr Scheer but your diagnosis and solution to the 2008 depression is incorrect.
What the laws passed over the passed 100 years and especially in recent times have done is to remove risk from the players in the market and transfered that risk to the public. The public pays for the corporatists’ mistakes while the corporatists benefit.
Perhaps it’s instructive to read about what happened in Iceland since it’s more apparent there.
Please read the following book (free in digital or pdf form , or hardcopy is $12.00 USD)
Deep Freeze: Iceland’s Economic Collapse
In summary:
“In Deep Freeze, economists Philipp Bagus and David Howden demonstrate that the real cause of the calamity was bad central bank policy. Rates were way too low, banks were too big to fail, housing was implicitly guaranteed, and banks were borrowing short term from abroad to finance long term bonds.
The authors discuss the implications of this maturity mismatching and zero in on the central bank policies that encouraged unsound practices. They demonstrate the cause and effect without a shadow of a doubt, using vast amounts of data and a detailed sector-by-sector look at the economy of Iceland. ”
Report thisBy JJW, June 15, 2011 at 5:54 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
A two party system? Sure can see it from my back porch. Big O is to the far right of Reagan and he is proud of it. He wants a billion dollars as pay back for turning the middle class into indentured servants of the banksters.
Report thisBy FRTothus, June 15, 2011 at 5:47 am Link to this comment
This assumption in paragraph 8 is at the root of the
flaw in any Scheer analysis: “Obama as the only
serious adult in the room”
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men have
strings that are pulled by people we never hear
about, those whose power of capital brings what
should be sovereign people forming a sovereign nation
to its knees with debt. Ron Paul is the only one
talking about the power of inflation and deflation
that the corporate central bank controls, Ron Paul is
the only one talking about sound money while the
dilution runs in the trillions and our money is made
more and more worthless. The reason why bad things
happen and people are poor is because rich people
make money by it being so. This has to be covered
up, it has to be made to sound nice where it can’t be
ignored. The rich can buy people to do this. History
suggests that many popular leaders, those who pursue
the general welfare, are ever the victims of
assassination plots arranged by men with money to
lose. The issue of a central bank was THE critical
factor in the attempt to establish a nation separate
from the Crown’s Bank of England. It is the critical
factor today, and Paul is the only one talking about
it.
It seems that the US Constitution is still too
radical a document, Jefferson’s (and Jackson and
Lincoln, and so forth) warnings unheeded, for ANY
candidate apart from Ron Paul. This is not an
endorsement, but an observation, and I feel, an
important one.
There is no one single solution, but nibbling around
the edges with attempts to first, portray financial
crime as isolated incidents or anomalies and then,
suggest some adjustment or other completely ignores
the system-wide viciousness of capitalist predation.
It is systemic. It is structural.
We cannot control policy if we do not have control of
OUR OWN, sound money.
If being an adult means being rational and adhering
Report thisto the Constitution, then Paul is the only adult in
the race from any Party.
By bogi666, June 15, 2011 at 5:24 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The 7 stooges. No wonder that the Utah Governor declared his Presidency the day after, seeing the 7 stooges. Not that he will be any better, he will just be the 8th stooge. The debate, not one topic of any substance was even mentioned. The new “N” word, Obama was used liberally by all the candidates. ObamaCare is the code word for “N"Care. That’s what it means. The Stooges declared the Repubican Party war on the USA’n people as their own.
Report thisBy prisnersdilema, June 15, 2011 at 5:16 am Link to this comment
Does anyone in their right mind think that those that created this mess are going to
resolve it? Hold onto your butt, because things are about to get much worse.
This so called government spent over three trillion dollars, and delivered us 17 percent
under and un employment. All the ex Goldman sacks employees who Obama put in
place running our finances have turned our currency into trash.
During our current depression, the corporations have continued sending jobs overseas,
laying off American workers in the millions to increase their profits to record highs, and
schemed to cut fat deals for government welfare for themselves.
The Rethuglican party touts Free Enterprise as the solution for everything, but the
corporate crooks who give them the money to run for office, have created a plutocratic
system that turned the people of this country into debt slaves.
You what free enterprise? Then take the monopoly exemption away from the insurance
Report thiscompanies. If we don’t they wii soon become too big to fail, with taxpayer bailouts on the
horizon while they ship jobs overseas, and murder Americans with their incompetence
and greed.
By JJW, June 15, 2011 at 4:49 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
There isn’t a two party system. Both are funded by they same oligarchs. Obama started throwing us under the bus as soon as he won the Democratic Party which really tells you all you need to know about who he truly is.
Look we all need to understand people can say anything and they just lie, pull the bamboozle and hoodwink, without shame during elections. Really, it is who can BS the best and that gives us the worst Presidents. A junior high popularity contest. So the true measure of what they will do, if elected, is their record.
If we wanted a real debate, we would demand that the League of Women Voters control the debates, not some corporate puppets.
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