tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post6979627236259298140..comments2024-03-28T16:08:29.578-04:00Comments on Sardonicky: Obama's Grotesque Nightmare SpeechKaren Garciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-45997861111475878282013-09-01T14:22:24.842-04:002013-09-01T14:22:24.842-04:00re microsrfr @ What would you have accomplished as...re microsrfr @ What would you have accomplished as POTUS?<br /><br />1. Debt jubilee. As part of a national economic reorganization plan, I would have canceled home mortgage debt, forgiven student loans, and declared a debt jubilee for poor people, working-class and middle-class folks. <br /><br />http://systemicdisorder.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/debt-jubilee/<br /><br />2. Medicare or other single payer healthcare system for all. The health of the American People is too important to hand off to private industry. The two largest exporting nations have universal healthcare, Germany and China. U.S. companies are at a competitive disadvantage when they must pay extra-ordinary rents to a protected private healthcare industry. Also see Bernie Sanders - U S Healthcare Held Hostage by Corporate Fraud .<br /><br />http://youtu.be/zs7ds9x2z9I<br /><br />Also see Public Healthcare http://youtu.be/RSM8t_cLZgk<br /><br />3. End the military empire. In dealing with a war criminal like Assad, I would evacuate the war zone and let the dictator reign over an empty city or county. Then enforce a blockade, cut off the dictator’s food, water, and power. When the war criminal makes a run for his life, arrest him under international law, such as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Yes, ICC is flawed, but it is a step in the right direction. <br /><br />http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/legal%20texts%20and%20tools/Pages/legal%20tools.aspx<br /><br />The refugees can be relocated during the meantime. Perhaps a plan like the Slattery Report, which included a proposal to move European refugees, especially Jews from Nazi Germany and Austria, to four locations in Alaska, including Baranof Island and the Mat-Su Valley. <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slattery_Report<br /><br />4. Return the Nobel Peace Prize. Rather than fight terrorism with US military-style terrorism, I would offer our aggrieved brothers and sisters a legitimate way to exercise a right to petition the government for redress of grievances, either their own government, or ours.<br /><br />The right to petition the government for redress of grievances is the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one's government, without fear of punishment or reprisals. The Article 44 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union ensures the right to petition to the European Parliament. The right can be traced back to the Bill of Rights 1689, the Petition of Right (1628), and the Magna Carta (1215). <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_petition<br /><br />The Osama bin Laden’s of the world have grievances. Give them a way to peacefully resolve those grievances. <br /><br />5. Develop a trickle-up economy. This is not a new concept. Henry Ford believed in what may be called Trickle-Up Economics. Ford paid his workers top wages, and in turn the workers spent the money buying cars and creating economic activity. <br /><br />http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/10/1035007/-Trickle-up-economics<br /><br />Daily Kos: "In 1914, Henry Ford paid his workers $5 a day, that was double the average wage for manufacturing jobs at the time. He did this because he wanted his workers to buy his cars."<br /><br />6. Establish a right to legal aid, as proposed by Gabriela Knaul, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). See "Legal aid, a right in itself" – UN Special Rapporteur<br /><br />http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13382&LangID=E<br /><br />So that’s what I would try to accomplish as POTUS. Thanks for asking.Neil Gillespiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12580744990628852454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-22341018398605800522013-09-01T11:40:01.273-04:002013-09-01T11:40:01.273-04:00Since when does contacting our Congressmen or even...Since when does contacting our Congressmen or even protesting have any effect? You mean the wealthy elite have suddenly stopped calling the shots? When did that happen? <br /><br />And since when does the USA pass up an excuse to go to war, especially when there is a perfectly good excuse? Even when Congress refused to authorize military action in Libya, Obama went ahead anyway. There were no repercussions. <br /><br />Obama now has more time to beef this up into something more muscular to make a bigger impression on the world about our seriousness and military might. You can Bank on the support he will get, despite our protestations. AIPAC has over a week or more to work their lobbying charms as does the entire MIC lobby. The final vote will be close, but you can bet there will be votes from just enough Democrats (who aren't in vulnerable districts) for it to pass. It's the game they play to fool us. <br /><br />Obama will now also have more time to enlist the support of the corporate media in his pro-war propaganda campaign. He will also mobilize his personal propaganda army, the OFA. That was formed specifically to advance his agenda. Just call him Generalissimo Obama. <br /><br />Public pressure might effect a non-authorization but it won't stop the war. Even if Congress somehow miraculously declined to authorize this military action, it would be with a wink and a nod. Obama has already made clear he doesn't need their authorization because of his usual unique interpretation of the Constitution. No one is going to seriously consider impeachment over something so noble, worthy, and all-American as war. <br /><br />Obama's ego demands military action. His credibility(?) demands it. His war profiteering puppet masters demand it. Israel demands it. His favorite constituency, the Republicans, demand it. Patriotic Christians demand it. Loyalist Democrats will demand it too. <br /><br />Come Hell or high water, Obama will take us into another war, but it may have a far different impact than he expects. Thanks largely to Edward Snowden, the world sees the USG through different eyes. Trust is gone.annenigmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-7397093538755892152013-09-01T10:40:18.956-04:002013-09-01T10:40:18.956-04:00@Jay:
I do indeed think that Obama is hoping for ...@Jay:<br /><br />I do indeed think that Obama is hoping for a "Cameron."<br /><br />As for urging my Congresscritters to oppose bombing Syria, already done.<br /><br />Sen. Tom Udall is already on record as opposing it.Zeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-30845647738785790862013-09-01T09:42:32.367-04:002013-09-01T09:42:32.367-04:00Off the MLK topic and back to Syria.
Do you think...Off the MLK topic and back to Syria.<br /><br />Do you think Obama is hoping for a Cameron?<br /><br />Parliament turned down PM Cameron on the UK's striking Syria. Just maybe, Obama now wants to walk back from his own threats against Syria. He needs Congress to tie his hands and thinks he won't look so weak backing away from bombing Syria if Congress says no to a Syrian attack.<br /><br />If senators and representatives, before they reconvene in about a week, get swamped by calls and emails from Americans opposing a strike on Syria, then maybe Congress, like the British Parliament, will say no to war, thus giving Obama the cover he needs to back down.<br /><br />Can you give it 15 minutes of your time at the keyboard? Then 10 minutes more to enlist your contacts in the effort?Jay–Ottawahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10360356126450612113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-54476639154180797022013-09-01T00:43:20.194-04:002013-09-01T00:43:20.194-04:00@microsrfr--
Oh, and regarding what Will said--
...@microsrfr--<br /><br />Oh, and regarding what Will said--<br /><br /><i> Moi, aussi! </i>Zeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-34905824115438079112013-08-31T13:51:32.459-04:002013-08-31T13:51:32.459-04:00@mcrosrfr--
I didn’t vote for Barack Obama, so I ...@mcrosrfr--<br /><br />I didn’t vote for Barack Obama, so I would hardly be expected to defend him. But I think that I understand the outrage of those in this forum who <i> did </i> vote for him, and feel utterly betrayed.<br /><br />First, let’s look at the so-called “Affordable” Care Act. A “success story?” Hardly. As I look at all the arbitrary waivers and delays that Obama has handed out to his pals, at what even Obama’s labor supporters are calling the “end of the 40-hour work week in America,” the <i> huge </i> premium increases that some citizens will experience even after their subsidies are factored in, and the fact that for-profit insurance companies will <i> still </i> be in control of our health care, I can understand why my Progressive friends are sickened.<br /><br />Hell, I’m sickened too.<br /><br />He has two years during which his party had control of both the Executive and Legislative branches of the Federal government, and that was the <i> best </i> he could do?<br /><br />And, in fact, it’s the <i> ONLY </i> thing that he accomplished during those two years of what should have been “liberal paradise.” <i> Nothing </i> on immigration reform, <i> nothing </i> on gay and lesbian rights, <i> nothing </i> to speak of on the reform of our financial system, <i> etc., ad nauseum </i> <br /><br />The only thing that Obama the Amateur has proven to be good at is speechifyin’. He seems to view his job description principally as “Cheer-Leader-in-Chief,” assuming that if he just pontificates enough, someone else will do the heavy lifting. And, as with the ACA, he assumes that Congress will read his mind and come up with legislation that matches his sweet dreams. But left to its own devices, Congress comes up with nightmarish legislation, instead; the notion that he might have to actually work to achieve his dreams--assuming that he had any to begin with--never occurs to him. It’s just “Let the chips fall where they may.” <br /><br />Finally, let’s look at Obama the militarist. As a senator, Obama railed against Bush’s involvement of the United States in wars without Congressional approval. Now, he’s shown that he can’t wait to “one-up” Bush, first with his Libyan adventure, and now, with a face-saving, piddly-assed bombing of Syria that will solve nothing, and may send the whole region up in flames. What a lying hypocrite!<br /><br />Obama entered office with the hopes of much of the world pinned on him--to the point that he was given a Nobel Peace Prize purely “on spec.” Now, having been utterly betrayed, the rest of the world either merely disrespects him as the rank amateur that he’s proven to be, or outright hates him.<br /><br />“[Karen’s] criticism of President Obama goes too far[?]” Methinks it doesn’t go nearly far enough.<br /><br />PS: I believe that it was Jimmy Carter who created the Department of Energy in 1977, which has proven to be a pretty worthless bureaucracy, itself. What has changed <i> significantly </i> for the better with respect to our nation’s energy situation since 1977 that can be <i> directly </i> attributed to DOE?Zeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-27513612051351491512013-08-31T13:24:38.452-04:002013-08-31T13:24:38.452-04:00Okay, even I'm sick of myself by now, so I'...Okay, even I'm sick of myself by now, so I'll be brief:<br /><br />1) Microsfr's post is so absurd that I actually enjoyed reading it. Twice.<br /><br />2) Everywhere I look lately I see or hear the word "grotesque." This is not a good thing. Willnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-30265521903159983902013-08-31T09:04:40.236-04:002013-08-31T09:04:40.236-04:00Your criticism of President Obama goes too far. W...Your criticism of President Obama goes too far. What would you have accomplished as POTUS? <br /><br />I believe that Obama, just like any politician who has the political tools to become President, will not show his true feelings if he knows it will compromise his ability to get any shred of progress through Congress. <br /><br />We need to thank him for pulling off passage of the ACA which had been proposed unsuccessfully by presidents from Harry Truman onward, despite pundits declaring his quest impossible all along the way.<br /><br />When it comes to war, I worry about any president, especially leading up to reelection. If their domestic plans are neutered by congress, there will always be the temptation to pull the war lever just because its the only one left and also because the candidate can "fire up" tribalism and rap themself in the flag as the leader/saviour. <br /><br />Obama has consistently stated that we, the people, must lead the charge and demand change. The media-anethesized populace has yet to respond. Under that type of pressure, Nixon created the EPA and the Energy department while the constant clammering outside the Whitehouse moved him to end the Vietnamese War (but he was stopped by Kissinger).microsrfrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-82545746817193540662013-08-30T16:14:55.679-04:002013-08-30T16:14:55.679-04:00One more thing. Here's comedian/activist Lee C...One more thing. Here's comedian/activist Lee Camp with his take on the impending war with Syria. Interesting. (As always, strong language. Make sure the kids are outside or something.)<br /><br />http://youtube.com/watch?v=N3qrR1AVMNUWillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-52660041167850318362013-08-30T14:26:33.980-04:002013-08-30T14:26:33.980-04:00I believe it's Hermann Goering infamous quote ...I believe it's Hermann Goering infamous quote time again here at Sardonicky. Have a nice holiday weekend, everybody. <br /><br />"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked ,and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."Willnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-40907366493368198582013-08-30T10:41:08.799-04:002013-08-30T10:41:08.799-04:00It strikes me that Obama is acting out of the same...It strikes me that Obama is acting out of the same mindset as a slavemaster plantation owner. He considers all the world to be colonial plantation properties, countries are slaves to the master's demands, and when countries don't do as commands, he has his military enforcers whip them into submission or has his legal enforcers imprison them in the Big House. 'Just because he can'* <br /><br />It is a mindset that others have no value except as tools for the plantation's crops of oil and other valuable commodities and the accompanying profits and power. Dr. Cornel West often talks about blacks being on the Obama Plantation, but I believe that could be expanded further to everyone in the world that aren't fellow plantation owners - the 99%. It's ironic that the first black President has embraced such oppression. I'm sure he thinks that he treats The Help well though and that they're lucky to be on the Plantation. <br /><br />It just goes to show you don't have to be white to to aspire to, and become, a slaveowner. It's a mindset and part of the character of the man. As MLK reminded us, we should be judged by the content of our character and not by the color of our skin.<br /><br /><br />*Clinton's explanation for his affair.annenigmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-1732651097810640412013-08-29T23:10:47.292-04:002013-08-29T23:10:47.292-04:00A few weeks ago I removed my Obama bumper sticker....A few weeks ago I removed my Obama bumper sticker. I also took down my adorable Surfin' Obama Hawaii bobble head from dash. I am so utterly disappointed in this President. Now, in his second term, he has real power to do what he said he was going to do. But will he? Not so far.<br /><br />His war mongering with Syria is the latest calamity. I hope that the lack of international support and the letter from Congress to send the decision to them gets through to the man that the plan is not that simple nor free from hazards. It is madness. And yes, I'd like to see the bastards responsible for gassing people to death in their sleep wiped from the face of the earth. But it's not going to happen with 'strategic strikes.'<br /><br />tarahttp://my86400sec.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-7446821792848040822013-08-29T22:24:30.651-04:002013-08-29T22:24:30.651-04:00@Karen and @All--
I have never known poverty, I c...@Karen and @All--<br /><br />I have never known poverty, I certainly have never lived in a deep, urban ghetto, and I have never experienced racism. <br /><br />So, coming from a white-bread, upper-middle-class upbringing, I'm hardly one to give advice or to claim to “understand” about urban poverty and violence. <br /><br />But one thing that I recall from going to public schools—which gave me <i> and </i> my parents the “good life”—is that I generally felt <i> safe </i> whilst doing so. <br /><br />Yes, we had bullies, but somehow they always seemed, in the end, to get their come-uppance. I don't know if it was the teachers, a concerned administration, or just fate, but that's how it seemed to work.<br /><br />I think that it is different in the inner-city. <br /><br />I don't have any real answers as to how to “un-do” the calamitous consequences of living, generation after generation, in hopeless poverty in, say, Detroit or any other [fill in the blank] collapsing big city.<br /><br />Part of the answer may be simply <i> giving </i> money to the current residents of the inner cities and begging them to finally stop killing each other as a simple <i> quid-pro-quo </i> for a generation of peace, while the next generation tries to rejoin civilization.<br /><br />But that next generation still needs an opportunity to “break free” of its past, murderous, culture. It seems to my Neanderthal, Conservative mind, that safe, quality schools are an important link in this process.<br /><br />The cycle of poverty in the inner city will not change until those who <i> want </i> to educate themselves have schools—with quality teachers—to which they can safely walk or to ride a bus, safe schools in which they can learn, and schools from which they can safely walk or ride the bus home to do their homework and be encouraged by their parents. <br /><br /> And here, I'm not talking about safety from “terrorism” or insane gunmen, but simply safety from those around them who would undermine their efforts to escape poverty and the ghetto. <br /><br />If you don't understand what I'm talking about, well, Juan Williams, Shelby Steele and Bill Cosby <i> will. </i> <br /><br />Again, I don't know that dozens or even hundreds of yellow-vested, “Safe Passage” guards will make a difference in keeping the next generation of inner-city children safe to escape the ghetto but will hundreds of police in the neighborhood, 24/7 help either?<br /><br />Remember, the schools in Little Rock were desegregated by Federal troops, after all. Maybe that's what it will take to keep inner-city schools safe for the next generation, pooh-pooh though we will those who would wish see the kids safe to and from school. <br /><br />What's the answer?Zeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-57965206258986627742013-08-29T12:56:00.541-04:002013-08-29T12:56:00.541-04:00Says ditto for James Traynor's comment. Yeste...Says ditto for James Traynor's comment. Yesterday, as much as I was moved to tears by the MLK comments and Mahelia Jackson urging him to "tell them about the dream," I personally give two shits for Mr. President Peace Prize. The man is an unmitigated disaster and continues aiding and abetting the trainwreck that AmeriKa is becoming.<br />Like my new decal, read about on this very sight - "I am much happier now that I have given up all hope." It will eventually get taken down and put in a box with all my George Bush shit. I am focused on my raised beds, my 15-month old puppy, and attempting to re-localize the Brandon, VT economy, since the country is going to hell in a hand basket and community will be the only thing we have.Ste-vonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-1941930142590724202013-08-29T11:37:26.550-04:002013-08-29T11:37:26.550-04:00Karen, I'm glad I have you to listen to this s...Karen, I'm glad I have you to listen to this shit. I can't abide it. How you do is beyond me. If I did I'd wind up like poor Hedges. Even second hand, being a long time shit house, it gives me the fantoms.James F Traynornoreply@blogger.com