tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post7223943142597356791..comments2024-03-28T16:08:29.578-04:00Comments on Sardonicky: Damned Demagoguing DemocratsKaren Garciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-1680278312498745452011-05-27T19:33:27.653-04:002011-05-27T19:33:27.653-04:00With the lack of a Recess Appointment of Liz Warre...With the lack of a Recess Appointment of Liz Warren from Obama, and his cowardice at putting her through the appointment process in the first place, I have to assume Obama's "cool" stems more from cowardice and corruption than politeness. Disappointment doesn't begin to describe how I feel. I feel spurned and I am angry as hell about it. I feel like I am in the midst of the five stages of grief. Right now I hate Obama almost as much as I hate Clinton. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. They give us the illusion that they are on our side all the while cutting us off at the knees.Valerie Long Tweedienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-21725440236149532122011-05-27T13:22:27.227-04:002011-05-27T13:22:27.227-04:00I forgot to add "Jay - Ottawa" to my ple...I forgot to add "Jay - Ottawa" to my plea for less cool.Jay–Ottawahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10360356126450612113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-84594417708670421402011-05-27T12:49:34.877-04:002011-05-27T12:49:34.877-04:00Cool should be handled as carefully as fire. You ...Cool should be handled as carefully as fire. You youngsters love cool, even those of you who -- pardon my old fashioned phrase, which is here intended as a compliment -- thirst for justice. <br /><br /> A political campaign is an argument. College debaters know, or soon learn, it's not enough to lay down the facts, sit back and fold your arms. Art, timing and a steadfastness to argument are also important. Give me the hammering style of a Teddy Roosevelt any time, as distinct from, say, the Kerry/Obama above-the-fray response to an attack, fair or foul, personal or over policy, by their opponents. A champion with fire in his belly is not likely to give it all away before breakfast every morning for the sake of quiet. For the sake of cool.<br /><br />Obama has the Art part (his eloquence) down perfectly. That alone does not make him a champion for justice or, if you prefer, for progressivism. What Obama does lack from my trio of debating qualities is hair-trigger Timing and a Commitment to stick by and push hard his side of the argument under debate. That last element, which deals with substance, is the most important quality.<br /><br />I once supported Obama because of what he declared he stood for in the campaign debate. As soon as he attained office, he decided to step out of the debate mode. That moment was to have initiated the real debate, the one with consequences if won or lost. Three years into Obama's first term, I cannot think of one major commitment that Obama has seriously fought for in a timely way. <br /><br />"By the sweat of your brow,,,," used to be accepted as the inescapable condition for getting anything worthwhile accomplished. Cool has displaced passionate commitment. Cool hides cowardice, laziness or dishonesty, but makes them acceptable. The opposite of cool is not a Fox food fight. Not all theater is fake and not all political theater is demagoguery. A fire in the belly just might yield results. Haven't we had enough of cool?Jay–Ottawahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10360356126450612113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-34200303375975931882011-05-27T10:36:15.474-04:002011-05-27T10:36:15.474-04:00VLT, you hit it again! Great post. I share your fr...VLT, you hit it again! Great post. I share your frustration with Obama, et al, not fighting back. I could never understand John Kerry not standing up for himself either. I understand that he preferred (being a gentlemen--what a quaint old term) to take the high road and refuse to even answer such absurd claims, but this simply won't work in our cable "news" mentality of a society. Good people will be vindicated in the long term, but many opportunities are lost in the short term.Janet Camphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03645361065385918800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-48322068558515407612011-05-26T20:47:17.054-04:002011-05-26T20:47:17.054-04:00I always think of a demagogue as someone who stirs...I always think of a demagogue as someone who stirs up a crowd (often to violence) by lying and appealing to prejudice, ignorance and frustration. The only demagogues I see are on the Republican side and are appealing to the Tea Party crowd. The psychological description of Hitler is scary because it reads like the Republican play book. Lies like WMDs, Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11, John Kerry wasn't a hero in the Viet Nam War. Obama is a foreign born Muslim, Obama is like Hitler are a few of the lies that were repeated endlessly until they became accepted truth to many Tea Partiers and even mainstream Republicans. People like Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Breitbart, etc. are demagogues. They lie and appeal to their irrational and frustrated viewers and direct them to a scapegoat to focus their anger upon.<br /><br />But I have to call the Democrats out on this too. The Prez has the bully pulpit and he needs to name names and call people out on their lies - if not the Fox News crowd at least the politicians - so do all the Democrats. By not standing up for the truth, the Democrats are giving the impression that the lies are true – at least on some level. <br /><br />I recall it was suggested that John Murtha was unpatriotic for his statement that it was time to pull out of the Iraq War. He came back with some fiery reply, "I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done. “ The next day Bush was all over himself saying something to the effect, that no one’s patriotism was being questioned. Calling people out on their lies works!<br /><br />If Democrats like Obama don’t want to lose their temper and fight back, then they need to study Elizabeth Warren and emulate her. She stands up for herself and the truth, calls misinformation what it is, makes sure that the truth is out there for people to see, in simple and clear terms, and never loses her cool.Valerie Long Tweedienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-81970014031381518572011-05-26T17:14:12.073-04:002011-05-26T17:14:12.073-04:00Great post, great photo--why the h**l couldn't...Great post, great photo--why the h**l couldn't the Times have hired you instead of Bruni?Marinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-82760162794994775702011-05-26T16:59:43.002-04:002011-05-26T16:59:43.002-04:00And worst of all is Lady DemaGaGa.And worst of all is Lady DemaGaGa.4Runnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582762546159637023noreply@blogger.com