Mike's Blog Roundup
David Seaton's News Links: A good question and a good answer
cab drollery: The hazards of wasting a vote on Ralph Nader, Ross Perot, Ron Paul, et al
The Satirical Political Report: GOP defends Spitzer's prostitution activities, but slams him for doing it with "undocumented hookers."
The Brad Blog: The insidious nexus between phony GOP charges of "voter fraud" and the U.S. Attorney Purge scandal will finally explored in a Senate hearing this week.
WTF is going on? Anatomy of a scam.
ANNALS OF JOURNALISM: This explains everything...An Ombudsman stumbles around...A politician actually speaks sensibly on security and fraidy-cat authoritarianism, while a store-bought GOP shill just lies...McCain BBQ and our insipid press corpse...Violent framing...Cancer scare tactics...News you may have missed...like our press keeps missing stuff
When all else fails lower your standards.
We like our Conglomerate-Monopoly just fine thank you.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Electric Co Chief Executive Jeff Immelt will this week make his most definitive statement that he has no plans to sell the company's NBC Universal media unit, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
Shouldn't that be spelled "anals of Journalism"?
Eliot Spitzer had made many enemies as governor in his role as the sheriff of Wall Street, and many are thrilled with the news of his involvement with a prostitution ring.
"He actually believes he's above the law," said Ken Langone, a former New York Stock Exchange director who now heads a small investment-banking firm. In his role as prosecutor, Mr. Spitzer sued Mr. Langone for his role in doling out the large pay package of former New York Stock Exchange CEO Dick Grasso. "I have never had any doubt about his lack of character and integrity -- and he's proven me correct."
LMAO
Another good example of the fun you can have with middle-aged eyes.
At first I thougth cab drollery said cat droolery.
Here's the cab I'd like to hail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D44pyeEvhcQ
cab drollery is falling into the same undemocratic, unamerican, and ahistorical trap that has made fools of many before.
but, by all means cab drollery, this is america and you are free to make yourself look foolish, so continue.
the hubris of uber-partisans is both revolting and humorous.
the notion that a liberal/progressive/independent is somehow voting against america's interest by NOT voting for a democratic candidate--even though some of our democratic elected officials have actually hurt the causes so many liberals and progressives are passionate about--is a nonstarter, and fully insulting.
maybe, just maybe, if democratic politicians were to actually buck the corporatocracy, see past neoliberalism, work to end our military empire, change the economic policies skewed to favor the rich, etc., etc., etc. then candidates like nader wouldn't garner support.
i watched nader a couple of weeks ago on MTP, and i had a hard time finding anything he said that wasn't accurate.
cab drollery sounds more like a democratic strategist, a la james carville or tad devine. (take that as a compliment, although I mean it as an insult)
Spitzer is history, but McAdulterer keeps popping up in the news.
Obama supporters accidentally get into Hillary's HQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zde91xbjv3w
Samson- @ 6:
So close your eyes and dream, if you believe with all of your heart then your dreams will come true! Yes dream my little babies dream. In the mean time I can't make my own reality. I have to judge things as they are not how I think they should be.
I wanna live in Pepperland
Ain't gonna happen though.
Walter G @ 7:
Ever wonder all Wall Street sharks he was getting closer to putting away are cheering today?
I'm glad Samson saw Nader a couple weeks ago. A Nader spotting is a rare thing. An actual, serious campaign for the highest office in the land requires a bit more than just getting up on your hind legs every four years and announcing your candidacy. I admire his consumer advocacy, but his phony-ass runs for president are the acts of a narcissist.
Walter G @ 7:
Silda has to take some of the blame here for not keeping his hormones in check.
LOL
RayC @ 9:
You're much more eloquent than me. I usually just respond with . .
get. real.
you are never "wasting" a vote on ron paul, nader, or anyone.
if it is who you believe will best serve the country, vote, and hope others share your sentiment.
in a democracy, you pick who you WANT. thats how it fucking works. its that counter-mentality that leads us to the "well i guess i HAVE to pick this asshole instead" decision and we end up with a luke-warm president every year.
L.A. Confidential @ 11:
So he fucked a prostitute, Wall Street's runnin' a train on the country. Capitol Hill's gettin' sloppy seconds.
My God, a politician had sex with a woman. Unheard of in repuglican circles.
Mickey Finn @ 12:
He's the Osama bin Laden of presidential politics. One huge act of destruction followed by isolation in the wilderness and sporadic messages to an ever-decreasing group of loyal fanatics.
Ryan From Portland @ 15:
You mean to say that's how it works for you. Some of us are making our selection based on who we DON'T WANT.
RayC @ 9:
wow... that speaks volumes to me.
thus, i repeat:
the hubris of uber-partisans is both revolting and humorous.
but, by all means, keep suckling at the tit of your corporate masters.
if i had to sum up your argument it would be: no matter who the democrats roll out as their candidate, and no matter how willing they are to do the bidding of corporations, no matter how much they adhere to imperialism, no matter how much they give only lip service to the people you will vote like a mindless automaton, nary an independent thought rattling around up there.
why even follow the issues rayc? why? your vote is simple, if you see a "D" you pull the lever. you don't vote, you salivate when you hear a bell.
this is why democracy will fail. i know i am a minority here (being a true indep and free thinker), and it is revealing to see just how similar GOP and DEM uber partisans can be. actually more sad than anything.
EliteLemming @ 16:
Yeah let's just keep bailing out the criminals on wall street and take the rest of the country down in the process.
What a plan!
Samson- @ 20:
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Fate is kind
She brings to those to love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
With regard to the Anals of Journalism it has ever been so. The Great and Powerful do not permit a journalist to sniff around their rectims unless the journalist is willing to give it a lick.
Was that i instead of u except after poo? Or vice versa?
L.A. I think you misstook me? Or were you agreeing?
RayC @ 22:
Here's mine:
Whatever happened to Fay Wray
That delicate satin draped frame
As it clung to her thigh
How I started to cry
Cause I wanted to be dressed just the same
Give yourself over to absolute pleasure
Swim the warm waters
Of sins of the flesh
Erotic nightmares beyond any measure
And sensual day-dreams
To treasure forever
Can't you just see it
Whoa-ho ohhh
Don't dream it, be it
Don't dream it, be it
Don't dream it, be it
Don't dream it, be it
Don't dream it, be it
Don't dream it, be it
Don't dream it, be it
DR. SCOTT
Ach! We've got to get
Out of this trap
Before this decadence
Saps our wills
I've got to be strong
Und try to hang on
Or else my mind may well snap
Und my life will be lived
For the.... thrills!
Don't dream it, be it
BRAD
Its beyond me help me mommy
JANET
God bless Lily St. Cyer
As I say at cabdrollery - which actually sometimes does get drooled on - if Nader hadn't convinced many voters with his lie that there was no difference between Dems and GoPervs, we would not be at war. More specifically, Al Gore would be in the WH. And as noted, supporters of his have strong ties to the NRC, no surprise there.
Ruth @ 27:
again, this is not accurate.
this simplistic and mindless assessment does nothing to help your party.
i wish those solely basing their vote on partisanship could debate the issues...
instead we get the same tired partisan rhetoric and, ironically, quotes from disney. the partisans need to regroup, the democratic party could be great if its members would honestly address the failings and try to make the party into what a lot of its members hope that it could be.
discuss the democratic adherence to neoliberalism. address the democratic adherence to our roman-esque/proconsul/military empire. address the democratic dependence on corporate funding. address the democratic failure to be more progressive. address the democratic failure to hold the bush admin responsible for anything.
that is, if you can.
but, please, don't misconstrue my intention. i loathe the GOP, and their legacy of death and destruction. i just happen to think the dems have lost their way and until the party truly rethinks the "centrist" and "new democrat" path they have been on since the 90s they are bound to become more and more irrelevant as time goes on. and the only votes they will get will be form the dwindling partisans and those who are simply voting against the GOP, not FOR dems.
i await, and expect, the sophomoric insults... but long for a reasoned and intelligent debate.
ysbaddaden @ 5:
Ah man...that's good stuff there! I think I may be developing a Tweetyesque mancrush on you, lol!
Samson @ 20: I can admire Nader as a consumer advocate and muckraker without supporting his candidacy. I tend to agree with Mickey Finn @ 12, especially since it looks like Nader isn't mounting a real campaign again. I don't dismiss your views as crazy dreams, and I know many Dems who agree with your concerns about corporations, which is one of many reasons your statement: "i know i am a minority here (being a true indep and free thinker)" is insulting, inaccurate BS. I'm a firm believer in voting one's conscience, and conscience will dictate different actions to different people. In my case, conscience also means considering the consequences of my actions. Liberals dissatisfied with the Democratic Party essentially have the choice of trying to reclaim and reform the party, starting a third party, or dropping out of the fight. America would benefit from a viable third and fourth party. It would also benefit from lobbying reforms, campaign finance reforms, electoral college reforms, stronger voting rights and voting machine standards and a host of other measures. Unfortunately, none of that will occur before November. Look at the GOP and Dem votes in the Senate. The Republican Party currently is almost purely obstructionist and harmful, even in a minority position. And make no mistake, it's not as if most of them are casting those votes out some principle, other than avarice for power. As bad as the Dems are, there are still meaningful differences between the parties, most of all on Iraq, the economy, judicial appointments, health care, reproductive freedom, general cronyism, and then there's the conservative war on science. We can't afford a third Bush term, nor can we afford any president or Congress who isn't held accountable There's the short term game and the long term game, or as some liberals have recently written, transactional politics versus transformational politics.
I love how when Democrats fail the more progressive members of the party we are accused of spoiling and wasting a vote. Why should we vote for Democrats when they have accomplished nothing (except grandstanding) since winning the majority of congress, and are as much of a corporate imperialist party as the repubs?
I'm not a Nader fan or anything, but as a black male, and a progressive I don't feel that the Democrats are entitled to my vote, they have to earn it.
Samson @ 28:
Samson, do you read this site regularly? Do you read the other major liberal blogs? Are you aware that many of them address your supposed concerns? Are you aware that many oppose imperialism regardless of who's in charge? On the one hand, you decry partisanship, but then you go one to decry centrism. Read the link in my previous comment. "Bipartisanship" as preached by the GOP, the press and the DLC crowd means acquiescing or even pushing a conservative or even radically far right, authoritarian agenda. As for who's going to get the Democratic vote, you're mixing up partly loyalists with liberals. In case you hadn't noticed, neither of the remaining presidential candidates is courting the liberal vote.
Sorry, comment cut off... to finish from 32:
In case you hadn't noticed, neither of the remaining presidential candidates is courting the liberal vote. Meaningful reform is much more difficult without accurately diagnosing the dynamics.
Meanwhile, If you don't want name-calling, how about you retract and apologize for your "true indep and free thinker" smear? Your tone as well as the omissions in your framing tend to preclude exactly the sort of discussion you supposedly want.
Alex @ 31:
Not only should they earn your vote, but mine, and every other progressives vote also.
But lets get the neo-cons out first, then we can rip into the dems.
Batocchio @ 30:
well, first off, thanks for the reasoned and honest response.
the point of my posts was not a vote for president nader, but a strong defense of his right, as an american, to run for office. and a refutation of the meme that nader kept gore out of office. i agree with you, a viable 3rd and 4th party would be beneficial to our democracy. i happen to think that nader's views are spot-on, and his assessment of the state of the dem party is accurate, but that is just my opinion.
there are some difference between the parties, granted. but it has lessened a lot over the years, and candidacies like nader's can help to address the diminishing differences. and, like i said in my #28 post, the dems owe it to themselves to right their ship as it lists to the right.
but, again, until the dems come out against the washington consensus, against our imperial foreign policy and against a favoritism of the rich they will be a flawed party, in my eyes.
there are scores of people like me--in that we are left leaning but do NOT trust the democratic party--and i would be willing to bet that if the dems were to reject neoliberalism, market fundamentalism, imperialism and the DLC they could reinvigorate and grow the party.
finally, my comment about 'free thinkers' was ill advised and retracted. there are a tons of open minded people on C&L, i overstepped. apologies.
So don't vote for the guy with brains and principals (Ron Paul) vote for the guy who speaks nice, looks good and makes my equality bell tingle (O'bama)
Samson @ 35: I agree that Nader has a right to run, and he can raise important issues, although I think he can sometimes be condescending, because his agenda is generally the same as that of the liberal section of the Democratic Party, and it's not as if anyone who doesn't vote for him is blind. I certainly agree the Democrats are deeply flawed, as many liberal bloggers do. You're also right that there are Democrats who are still shilling a pretty imperalist foreign policy, and that is a major cause for concern, because there are some prominent bloggers (and more importantly, many elected Democrats) who don't seem to get that part of the equation. You may enjoy checking out Sadly, No! and A Tiny Revolution if you don't already, since they often hammer away at that point. And thanks for the retraction.
Cheers, and see ya in other comment threads.
Samson and Batocchio....
Your posts are the kind we need to see more of in here.
Kudos to ya both.
Samson- @ 35:
If you are serious about achieving your goals then you need to find someone to advance them for you besides Nader. Whether you like it or not, whether you think they're wrong or not, there are millions of people who will never forgive him for 2000. I'm one of them. I vow to bash him in any given forum until the end of time. He brought it on himself. Hell, I think he wanted to bring it on himself, because of his martyr complex.
Seriously, the guy's an albatross. Dump him and you might get somewhere with your ideas. I say that as constructive advice.
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