Submitted to a Candid World
Archive for August 13, 2008
Solidarity with Georgia, and a Rare Compliment for McCain
As Russia continues its assault on Georgia, our thoughts here are with the Georgian people and their quest for secure democracy. Shame on CNN for politicizing this tragedy by asking the Georgian president to pick a side in America’s election. Mikheil has bigger problems.
But if they’re going to politicize this, so will I. John McCain is handling this catastrophe with grace and skill, and I congratulate him. I also urge Senator Obama to call off his vacation. Resting in Hawaii while democracy burns on the Black Sea sends a horrible message, and gives strength to the claim of his inexperience. If Obama wants to be able to take a vacation as President, he needs to end this one and stand for Georgia. Doesn’t matter how, as long as he does something. It’s the best option for him, and for the world. Joining McCain in calling for Russia’s ejection from the G8 would be a start.
“Obama Nation” and McCain Tax Cuts
This week, Jerome Corsi’s political hit-job, “The Obama Nation,” will hit the New York Times top ten bestsellers… But not because of its inherent quality. McCain junkies have bulk-bought the book’s way onto the list, to mass distribute it and game Amazon rankings. Democrats, don’t despair: it’s only popular because the Choir is trying to make it seem so.
Also, reported elsewhere, 2/3 of American corporations do not pay taxes, making McCain’s plan to cut taxes to stimulate the corporate sector ring a little hollow.
Fool Me Once…
Early sales of “The Obama Nation,” by Swiftboat Vets architect Jerome Corsi, prove that some American conservatives like being lied to. The book’s central allegations – that Obama is a drug-using Muslim – have been disproven hundred of times, and discounted by McCain himself, and Corsi himself is a well-known liar. Apparently, though, some American conservatives would rather live in a world where lib’ruls beset them through a million untenable conspiracy theories, as opposed to grappling with their opposition on the merits. As our friends would say, don’t mistake denialism for debate.
Hilarious side note – Corsi is a member of the American Constitution party, whose stated mission is to create an America based on Biblical common law. His divorce from reality goes deeper than we even know.
Hillary PUMAs – Handmaidens of John McCain, or Weaponized Disappointment?
I confess that I’m continually baffled by the popularity of “Hillary PUMAs” – those (alleged) Hillary partisans who value her victory even over the victory of Democrats, both at the presidential level, and downticket. I’ve asked myself time and time again, what makes them tick? Why potentially sacrifice a Democratic presidency just to make a point? In the following post, I assume that the PUMAs have a rational goal, which they’re pursuing rationally, attempt to pinpoint that goal, and in the end abandon the presumption to arrive at their true motivation: anger, weaponized & exploited by the McCain camp. While it’s not fair to characterize PUMAs as puppets or affiliates of John McCain, one can at least perceive his barely-visible hand.
Make no mistake, PUMAs – you’re being exploited, albeit indirectly, and coerced into undermining your own dearly held beliefs.
Carnival of the Liberals LXXI – Talking Points Edition
If the last eight years have taught us anything – a conclusion I assume, because the proof would be difficult – it’s that, if your argument can’t fit in one crawl of the Fox News ticker, or can’t be said by Rush Limbaugh without him having to take a codeine break, it’s too complex & elitist to be correct. Bringing liberalism to the masses, then, is this edition of Carnival of the Liberals: talking points edition, with each entry boiled into a sentence-sized blurb, for your mass consumption convenience! More explanations follow each, of course…
(Entries below the line, this one’s long – when I had just a few entries, I endeavored to create long summaries for each, a strategy which backfired when the deluge came… also, ranked in tenuous order of my favorites).
Republicans for Obama
McCain has PUMAs – an overinflated and angry web movement – and Obama has the “Obamicans,” a group of high-profile Republicans, including Lincoln Chafee, in his corner, speaking to real turmoil in the Republican ranks. This group needs to be out there, visibly in ads and on the trail, pushing for Obama, and proving his confluence with broad-based American values. Thanks to Senator Chafee especially, who suffered in the Bush years as his beloved moderates’ coalition was splintered and picked off by Cheney, for standing up against the Republicans’ rightward turn.
