Deadlines

Here's a piece which takes us through the give and take leading up to yesterday's MLB self imposed trade deadline.

Unless you have been living under a rock you don't need to be reminded about the acrimony leading up to the US government's self imposed debt ceiling deadline.

Would that our politicians acted as decently as our MLB teams.

Leanderthal

Mercy Knows No Religion

It's not often that we hear about this level of foregiveness.

Leanderthal

Preaching to the Choir

"Preaching to the Choir" might just be an appropriate blog title as "A Voice Crying in the Wilderness".

If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?

If a voice cries in the wilderness, and there is no one there to hear it.
does it make a difference?

Thanks to the few of you who have made a difference.

Leanderthal

First, Let's _______All The Fanatics

I was going to target the Zealots, but decided against it because its definition referred to a group of early Common Era Jews. I don't want to go there.

Nevertheless I can't help but think of the fanatics in our political system as zealots, whether sectarian or secular.

Here's how my online dictionary defines zealot. Note that the word fanatic is a synonym.

Here's how that dictionary defines fanatic. Note the words "extreme" and "uncritical".

I left the verb word blank in the title of this post. Why? Because I was tempted to quote the Bard on what he suggested we do with lawyers.

I abhor capital punishment, and resist using the word "kill", even though I suspect that the Bard might have been using that word metaphorically, to get rid of or isolate what he viewed as the pernicious influence of the lawyers of his day.

What word would you choose to fill in that blank? "Vote them out of office" is not
an option in the solution of today's crisis.

Ridicule
Embarrass
Expose
Your word

Leanderthal

Don't Be So Sure

Here's a report that humans crowded out Neanderthals, resulting in their extinction.

Sorry to disabuse you of your assumptions, but
you missed some, at least one; that of a mutated strain:-)

Leanderthal

War Is A Racket

Here is an essay that should be taken seriously, but won't be because it's all about human nature which is embedded in our DNA and our mythologies.

This is likely the most prophetic message of a Voice Crying in the Wilderness.

Leanderthal

Tom Toles, the Cartoonist, Writes a Blog

Here's Tom Toles, the cartoonist's, blog on Gridlock.

The best line, and the God's truth, is the one about what it takes for Congress to tie its shoes in the morning.

I don't let Obama off the hook for being willing to give away the store. Nobody likes an appeaser.

But the GOPHER goal is to make him a one term president, openly stated by the Senate Minority Leader.

When someone is determined to take you down they're hard to stop. All stops are being pulled to get him, and the workings of the Congress are devised to make that happen. Blue Dog Dems are a huge part of the posse.

Leanderthal

Fooling Some of the People All of the Time

Here's an interesting opinion piece by Bernie Sanders on the need for a third choice in politics.

However appealing it might seem, the desire is not likely to be matched by the commitment of huge money needed to finance such a so-called populist movement. It is not likely to attract the financial support required to pay for the campaign, e.g. media ad placement, etc..

"Populist movement." That name which previously had been the property of the liberals has been bought and paid for by the adherents of the so-called Tea Party, what seems to me to be a kind of cult in the GOPHER party. What might be the most misunderstood phenomenon of the Tea Party is that it seems to be made up of a wider assortment of people than the Dems have been willing to acknowledge.

The genius of the Far Right's strategy, as illustrated by the huge power of money from the Koch brothers, is that it grabs and holds people by the short hairs of their reality: I'm out of work, I can't pay my bills, I'm losing my house.

People in that situation, condition and state of mind are the most vulnerable to black versus white propaganda, and are the most easily recruited to the ranks of us versus them.

They fall prey to those who, for their own greedy and manipulative purposes, take advantage of their so-called populist constituency by preaching and repeating that it's a bad thing to actually think about and consider the possibility that all is not so easily separated into the good and the bad,the positive and the negative, the black and the white.

George W. Bush famously said, "I don't do nuance".

It's been my observation that the purveyors of such fallacious propaganda come from the ranks of the wealthiest Americans, who will do almost anything to protect that wealth. Their motto is" I got mine, get your own". They have been joined by the dim witted who have been lured aboard the Tea Party wagon, financed by the Koch brothers and their ilk.

What drives me crazy is the willingness of such people to vote against their own interests.

More Crying in the Wilderness.

Leanderthal

GOPHERS: POLITICAL PARTY OR RELIGIOUS CULT

Here's is an interesting essayson the current behavior of the GOPHERS.
And here's another.

Tell us what you think readers.

I, for one, would be interested in any defense of the GOPHERS against these accusations.

I will publish any and all comments which pass the test of decency.

Leanderthal

Makes Me Want to Scream!!!

I've often wondered just how low politicians will go to protect their asses, their cushy jobs, and ignore the needs of the people.

Today I found out. There's no bottom to how low they will go.

Here's a report revealing that Harry Reid has given in to the GOPhers' demand that huge cuts in spending be made, but with no new revenues, meaning no increased taxes on the super rich who own Congress.

It just makes me sick, viscerally. It's not only immoral; it's illogical, without reason. It redefines extortion.

And it validates my identifying with A Voice Crying in the Wilderness.

Leanderthal

David Brooks' Road Not Taken

Here's David Brooks on the road the GOPhers have chosen not to take, and why that has made
all the difference.

It's rare that I agree with this neocon columnist, but he seems to have identified the worst of the GOPhers and what they are doing to block any reasonable progress in D.C.

Leanderthal

Moody's: Eliminate Debt Ceiling

Here's the confirmation I was looking for that the U.S. is one of only a few countries which has a law establishing a debt ceiling.

Galbraith, as seen in my post yesterday, provided the history of how and why it happened here. The law is not essential, and as Moody's says, it causes periodic problems, like panic, in the financial markets.

Leanderthal

Galbraith on Debt Ceiling Nonsense

This essay should be required reading for all registered voters.

Though I can't seem to find it right now, I'm quite sure that I read,
I thought in this essay, that we are the only developed country with
a debt ceiling law.

Galbraith tells why we have one, and dates from the Civil War, and then
WW I, to assure all that our leaders will be prudent in the use of debt.

As it's said these days about the Internet, this piece should go viral.

Leanderthal

Enough!

This is the best news I've heard coming out of D.C. in a very long time. And also here.

Leanderthal

Israel Can Do No Wrong?

Bullshit!

This is the kind of political pressure which makes me sick.

Ed Koch actually accuses Obama of not being an Israel supporter. What would he think of Obama if the president had the balls to tell the Israelis that they don't get a free pass to do anything they want to do? As it was, is now, and seemingly ever shall be, Israel can do no wrong.

Getting re-elected, which means getting as much Jewish support and big campaign contributions as possible, always seems to trump doing the right thing.

I guess I'll never totally understand how a group which constitutes just 3-4% of the American population, can exercise such power. Actually perhaps I do understand. I wonder what the percentage of wealth in the Jewish population is compared to all Americans. Likely a lot higher than 3-4%.

That Jews might have more wealth on average than other Americans is not the problem. I defend anyone's right and admire their having the smarts to become wealthy. I do suspect that a large segment of American Jews believe that they should support politicians which will support Israel, unconditionally.

It's the unconditional piece that should be unacceptable to anyone who believes in justice and fairness.

AIPAC should be required to register as an agent of a foreign government, but that's another, though related, story.

I expect that these thoughts will offend my Jewish friends. Sorry about that, but Ed Koch's hubris and arrogance on this issue really pisses me off. He's rubbing Obama's face in the dirt of
bought and paid for politicians.

Leanderthal

A Loud Yes! Heard Round the World

Here's a report of a Human Rights watch calling on all governments to prosecute the main players in the Bush/Cheney administration for war crimes.

Yes, Yes, and more Yes!

Leanderthal

SecDef, Leon Panetta, Continues the Bush Lies

This is inexcusable!

Leon Panetta spouts even more lies in his new capacity as SecDef.

It doesn't seem to make a difference for which party you vote anymore,
at least with regard to Espionage and War Making.

Leanderthal

Glenn Greenwald's Troublesome List

Here is the most complete list I've come across of actions and policies attributable directly to Obama, in many cases a continuation or escalation of what I used to call abhorrent Bush policies.

It's become more and more difficult for me to be supportive of Obama, and this essay lists the reasons why.

I will vote for him because otherwise it would be Send in the Clowns.

Leanderthal

Orin Hatch: The Poor Should Do More

Redefining Out-of-Touch, Cynicism, Hypocrisy and just plain meanness.

Here's Orin Hatch's answer to the debt problem.

It's breathtakingly ____________.

(Fill in the blank with a word or words which work for you.

Please leave it as a comment. Go to the bottom of the post and

click on the icon to leave it as a comment.)

In a democracy we have to trust that the overall opinions of its citizens, as measured by

their votes, will be good for the democracy. I'm actually pleased that statements like this

one from Orin Hatch are made public. To the extent that this dinosaur represents the GOPhers,

surely decent people will reject him and them at the polls.

Leanderthal

And Why Not? It's Already a Three Ring Circus

Here's a report that David Duke might run for president in 2012.

Might as well. It would simply add to the long list of clowns already running or talking about it.

The more clowns the better for Obama. He'll come off as the only normal human being in the race.

Leanderthal

Thems What Has Gets: SCOTUS

This essay by E.J. Dionne is all about the Right Wing Supreme Court siding with the powerful, moneyed interests in our land.

It's nauseating. Essays like this should go viral.

Leanderthal

Tom Engelhardt on Why I'm So Disappointed with Obama as president.

Here's an essay which discusses the part of Obama policy which is the source of my most serious disappointment in the man I strongly supported for president; his being had by the Pentagon/military industrial complex.

Leanderthal

Aiding and Abetting Criminals

Here's a Glenn Greenwald Salon essay on Obama's shielding the powerful from being brought to justice for "enhanced interrogation", the euphemism for what is commonly known as torture.

One aspect of law holds that aiding and abetting criminals is itself a crime.

Obama continues to disappoint.

Leanderthal