Former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel (NE) can’t muster any praise for his Republican colleagues’ behavior in Congress over the past few months. In an interview with the Financial Times, Hagel blasted GOP leadership for their “irresponsible actions” during the debt ceiling debacle, noting that “I think about some of the presidents we’ve had on my side of the aisle — Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr., go right through them, Eisenhower — they would be stunned.”
“Disgusted” with the debt ceiling negotiations, Hagel called it “an astounding lack of responsible leadership by many in the Republican party, and I say that as a Republican.” “Does anyone not believe what’s happened here the last couple weeks in the market was not a complete, direct result of the lack of confidence that came out of that folly, that embarrassment?” he asked. Watch it:
Asked about Tea Party influence, Hagel said the Republican party is too captive to a movement that is “very ideological” and “very narrow.” “I’ve never seen so much intolerance as I’ve seen today,” he said. Later surveying the GOP 2012 field, Hagel said the party may need to rebuild, agreeing that Republicans are now “too far to the right.”
Come on, Progressive Democrats! Swallow your pride! Just ask this decorated Vietnam veteran and revered ex-Senator to come out of retirement and serve his country for six more years. He's not perfect. But everything that comes out of Nebraska is relative.
Robert Reich has worked in a lot of big white buildings -- in the Senate, as an intern to Robert F. Kennedy; in the office of then-Solicitor General Robert Bork; in the Ford and Carter administrations; and as labor secretary to President Clinton. He is currently teaching at UC Berkeley. His course is entitled "Wealth and Poverty". Patt Morrison published an interview with professor Reich in todays' Los Angeles Times. His answers rang true to me.The Occupy Wall street has had a huge effect on the national conversation.
President Obama's speech [in Kansas] focused on precisely the themes the Occupiers have been emphasizing: the concentration of income, wealth and political power at the top, the failure of big corporations and Wall Street to keep the economy going for the rest of us. I don't think this sort of speech would have happened had it not been for the Occupy movement and the change in public debate it's created.
Class is becoming less and less a dirty word in our lexicon.
Polls show most Americans today don't believe their children are going to live as well as they do. A large percentage feel the game is rigged against them. Upward mobility is now far more difficult to achieve. So the issue of class has emerged as very real and very tangible. For most of us, the America we knew was one in which anyone could make it with enough gumption and guts and drive. We truly believed that America was a place where there were no class distinctions, although we saw the plight of the poor, particularly poor minorities. What's new is this sense that a relatively small number of people have rigged the game or loaded the dice in such a way that their positions of power and privilege are entrenched.
Many wealthy conservatives equate capitalism with democracy, but in fact they are not related.
We think of ourselves as a nation that practices democratic capitalism, but sometimes capitalism and democracy pull in opposite directions .... Essentially, every time the excesses of capitalism threaten to destroy it, we save capitalism from itself. We did it in the Progressive era, we did it in the New Deal, and hopefully we are at least beginning to do it now. Ironically, it's progressives and Democrats who take the lead in saving capitalism from itself.
The question is how bad things have to get before average people begin mobilizing.
What happened to cross-party relationships like your good friendship with Wyoming Republican Sen. Alan Simpson?
Newt Gingrich. When Gingrich came to town as speaker, he brought in a group of people who were far more ideological and frankly unpleasant. The tone of Washington changed abruptly in January of 1995.
I had never seen anything like it, and remember, I [came] to Washington in 1967. It was as if a dark cloud had descended over Washington and it's still there. I blame Gingrich -- not entirely, but he led the charge.
Will we ever recover economically?
We can't go backward, but the economy of the 1950s, '60s and early '70s was far more equal, and America grew faster in those years on average than it's grown since. If you look at Germany over the last 10 years, until the past year, you see rapid growth combined with a far more equal distribution of [the] gains and very high wages going to average working people. What's the secret? Two things: Germany has focused intensively on public education, particularly skills that are relevant for the new high-tech world economy; and secondly, Germany has a much stronger labor movement than the United States.
There's huge skepticism, if not downright cynicism, about any large institution today. Yet the questions being asked are moral questions about what we Americans owe each other as members of the same society, what we should expect from the major institutions of our society, how to reverse trends that seem to reward the wrong people, often for malfeasance or nonfeasance. These are all moral judgments about how lopsided our economy and our society has become.
Are we entering a "Kumbaya" period like the 1960's?
The anti-Vietnam War movement, the civil rights movement -- those were not "Kumbaya" moments. Those were hard challenges. A friend of mine was murdered in Mississippi for trying to register voters. This was the opposite of "Kumbaya."
Mickey Schwerner. I was always very short for my age and older guys help[ed] protect me from the bullies, and Mickey was one of my protectors. When he was killed by the real bullies, it was a transformative experience for me. It opened my eyes to how important it is to give people the power to stop the bullies. I date my commitment to these issues to that summer of '64.
Hey, Vig: I need help. Perhaps you or your readers can show me the way to solve my longing.
I want to be able to talk straight with Republicans about the origins of today's nasty political climate. We are, as Chris Hayes recently pointed out, "living in the Age of Newt". I want to see and hear and participate in a dialogue that names without putting the other person on the defensive. I long for a way to truth-tell that might sting, but doesn't drive away the other person who sees our current situation differently.
The thing I'm struggling with is how can I, and we, talk to our fellow citizens about who is really doing what to whom and why?
The Republicans have absorbed Newt Gingrich's strategy for winning politically in America. In the 1980's, Newt used to send out "How to Run Successful Political Campaigns" to his fellow Republican politicians. Newt recommended using positive words to describe oneself: "entrepreneur"; "forward thinking"; "being creative".
When referring to Democratic opponents, Newt exhorted his fellow politicians to call their opponents "corrupt", to "create a scandal" - whether there was evidence of such behavior, or not. This strategy was supplemented by Newt's daily issuance of the "Daily Talking Points" that were to be repeated throughout the day, preferably into a microphone, eventually imprinting upon one's unconscious, even when it was recognizable as merely empty rhetoric.
This conscious demonization of members of the "Loyal Opposition", the Democrats in Congress, consists, too often, of scurrilous attributions of wrong-doing that have no factual basis in reality and which the MSM (main stream media) never bothers to fact-check, having long-ago abdicated their responsibility to hold the powerful accountable to the citizenry.
Because they are never questioned, nor the true facts publicly stated, the Republican Party's Spin Meisters and their constant litany of lies are unchallenged - eventually becoming accepted political history. Worst of all, the incessant repetition of the day's "Talking Points" further cement the new reality.
Today's pale remnants of the once honorable profession of journalism, instead, focus on the "Titillation Factor" that will sell papers. In this age of "fair and balanced" news, the innuendos and the lies are permitted to stand unchallenged - eventually becoming accepted political history. Worst of all, the incessant repetition of the day's "Talking Points" further cement the new reality.
The Republicans speak their distortions and lies with one clear, clever voice. Democrats quibble over minutia, cowering on the sidelines of power they refuse, with one or two notable exceptions, to speak of the "elephant in the room".and fearfully avoid calling out the Republicans. The Democrats, still seem shell-shocked at how the Republicans can so glibly spin their fabricated lies and demonization's of them...picture Lucy snatching away the football after Charlie Brown has committed to kicking it.
Too many Democrats still don't "get it" - the Republican strategists have decided they will send this country into bankruptcy before they will cooperate with Democrats and work together to solve America's pressing problems that are growing worse and more urgently in need of creative and constructive solutions achieved through negotiations and compromising with every passing day.
Newt, and his cohorts, are poised to steal our Democracy from under our noses. The Republican strategizers have scrupulously followed their plan to destroy our government, because to them, government is the problem, not the solution.
Elected to Governorships and state offices by promising to create jobs, what have these Republican governors done with their powers? They have systematically attempted to defund any regulatory body that remains at all viable, to deny a woman the right to control her own reproductive rights, to dismantle all unions, and are arduously scheming to deny the right to vote to as many young people, older people, and all others whom they fear might vote democratic, as possible - this after the debacle of the unregulated banks drove America in its knees, and after sending our sons and daughters into two unfunded and unwinnable wars.
Our beloved country is mired down in mistrust and fury at our elected congressional members who do nothing to acknowledge that our country's government is terribly broken. Nothing is getting done - the tea party circuses blame the growing economic gulf on "lazy people who just want us to pay their way through life"; Boehner, Cantor, and McConnell tell the 99% of us to just "eat cake"and get a job because their fat cat contributors need to have ever more tax breaks to salt away in mattresses so the 99% had better pay their taxes; and the Democrats quibble over which song to play as they stand, fiddle in hand but silent, watching our beloved country go down in flames.
The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who loves his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair.
Reverend G R Gleig, survived the First Anglo-Afghan War to write in 1843:
...a war begun for no wise purpose, carried on with a strange mixture of rashness and timidity, brought to a close after suffering and disaster, without much glory attached either to the government which directed, or the great body of troops which waged it. Not one benefit, political or military, has Britain acquired with this war. Our eventual evacuation of the country resembled the retreat of an army defeated.
Open Thread April 26, 2024
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Yesterday, catching up on my email, I came across the comment (about
Trump**) that “None of his family has showed up to support him.” Not that
this is the ...
Fri, April 26
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1986—Murphy’s Law at Chernobyl: Ukrainian real estate values plummet,
northern Earth is irradiated, and thousands are condemned to death.
1970—When the Lou...
Tweets of the Week: 24 April 2024
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I saw this sequence and thought it was time to log off Twitter, that I had
seen the day’s best post: Then, minutes later, this spectacular banger
showed up...
Come the Nightmare
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Truthfully, this country has been on this nightmarish political path for
decades. Personally in my head I can trace back the events leading to the
Orang...
It's True
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If there is any person here in Puerto Vallarta who does not greet you or
return a greeting it will be a white man first and foremost. All of them
fucking a...
Ride Of A Lifetime
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https://shockandaweonamerica.blogspot.com/?m=1
This article was written by the Author of the newly released book titled
"Shock and Awe on America" which ...
Perhaps What We Need are "Thoughts and Prayers"
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Today, our President will commemorate the real attack on our Democracy that
took place on 9/11/2001. He'll speak during a brief stop-over in Alaska.
No b...
Money for Nothing
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The tributes, tears and general outpouring of support for the royal family
over the death of Elizabeth Windsor is absolutely ridiculous. I won’t even
...
Are Red States Fudging Their Covid-19 Data?
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Print Accusations some states have manipulated Covid-19 data to make
themselves look better and support political objectives date to the
earliest days of...
What to Look for in a Gun Safe
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People buy gun safes and lockers for many different reasons. However, the
most common and common-sense intended purpose is for the protection of
young lo...
Final Report GDAMS 2019
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This report presents a summary of 2019 Global Days of Action on Military
Spending, including an overview, highlights, materials and a compilation of
all ...
“THIS IS McCARTHYISM!”
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*Ironic words uttered by a man who represents the epitome of McCarthyism,
Donald Trump protests and projects too much. He intends to finish as he
began .....
America Finally Stops Being Israel's Bitch
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Don't worry; it's just temporary. When the new Sheriff takes over next
month, America will bend over for Israel once again.
Today the U.N. Security Counci...
Right Wing Limits
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I've been following Sam Harris' work for a few months. I'm interested in
his criticisms of religion and his dedication to absolute honesty in
dealing with...
Easy Healthy Dinners 2015
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At the end of every year, people usually make a list of resolutions they
intend to push through with the coming year. A healthy lifestyle is
something a lo...
Resting In Peace
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It falls upon me to make the following sad announcement: Anne ("Lil'
Bill") Warburton has passed on peacefully, one week short of her 92nd
birthday. She w...
Testing testing 123
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Wow, what a mess… spam all over the place!! Must do MASSIVE house cleaning,
then figure out how to work WordPress again… everything’s different now. I
gues...
A Nation at War With Itself
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On my last piece about Tennessee Current Events, one of my good blogging
buddies offered up some sound advice to help bring me out of the doldrums:
"get th...
With "Friends" Like Yemen's, No Enemies Needed
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In early January 2011, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
landed in Sana'a to manage the autocratic habits of a useful ally in the
war agains...
This blog is not currently active.
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It was used for many years but I now blog at leftwingnutjob.net. Check it
out. But this one is only a warehouse for old posts.
Sorry about that!
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To anyone who is still trying to visit this site: I'm so sorry that it has
been allowed to go fallow. I'm FURIOUS with the asshats at Echo for having
lost ...
on getting tough with God
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Have ya ever wondered where God is when you Really need Him?
Ever get Really mad and say - Where is God in this time of My Great Need?
If you have ever fou...
Dodgers Now blog redesigned, has new address
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The L.A. Times Dodgers Now blog has been redesigned, and with our new duds
we're rolling out a new URL. So if you've been a loyal follower of Steve
Dilbeck...
Great Depression II
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From a N.Y. Times commenter:
I'm... an independent who could not bring myself to vote for any of these
republican candidates. In fact, I believe they would...
"Failure" of the Super Committee??
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This concept has been kicked around for a few days, but TPM boils it down
nicely -- if Congress were to do nothing, then deficits would go WAY down.
Now, ...
In case anyone is still visiting this blog ...
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I stopped updating this blog last year, and I am no longer writing for Mad
Mike's. You can now find my volunteer prose poetry and musings at RoundTree7,
wh...
WE ARE FAR TOO TOP-HEAVY!
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*"Corporations are NOT people! Money is NOT free speech!" - TomCat,
www.politics.plus.org -*
*"Advertising is legalized lying." - H.G. Wells -*
Big bu...
Michael Moore: America Is Not Broke
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Speech delivered at Wisconsin Capitol in Madison, March 5, 2011America is
not broke.Contrary to what those in power would like you to believe so that
you'l...
Money Talks
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*Corporations Become Humans and Curse Their Creator*
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in* Citizens U**nited v. Federal
Election Commission*, gave corpor...
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A New Day
*To Mac's cherished readers and fellow bloggers:*
While living life to it's fullest, Mac always had an optimistic view for
tomorrow. "Tomorro...
Kit, Unwired
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My life is in transition, and my daughter Casie and I are in the process of
moving. We've looked at a few places, from rooms to rent to apartments and
may...
Justifiable Police Brutality
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If I reacted to being stopped and cited for jay-walking in this manner, and
resisted arrest, I would expect to get a pop in the nose. Or something.<i...
Matthew Alexander
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Matthew Alexander (a pseudonym) is a former senior military interrogator
and author of How to Break a Terrorist: The U.S. Interrogators Who Used
Brains, No...
Racism in China
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Lou Jing sings Shanghai opera and speaks fluent Mandarin, but when she
competed to be China's next reality TV pop star, it was not her voice that
was crit...
We Are Closing Down
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This is our last post. MMA has been open since 2010, but it’s time to
close. I want to thank all my loyal readers. My stories and articles,
updated daily, ...
My once-great country's only hope was to remove Bush from office before his term expired to permit the early repair of the devastation he created. Now the USA is on life support.