Displaying 631 To 660 Of 732 Comments Good work cher. The GOP House is acting as well; those people may think that they are serious ( and, it is possible that they think that they are serious); but, they are part of a black comedy. There seems to be that some people in the USA have a “misery loves company” syndrome. They got a raw deal; and they want those union people to suffer like they are suffering. There seems to be a fair bit of that. » Posted By agrippa On April 19, 2011 @ 8:26 am You may be right. The demographics are working against the GOP. But, people have to pay ateention and take notice of GOP policies. » Posted By agrippa On April 18, 2011 @ 2:59 pm Cher, I have never known very many people who even try to “keep up” with politics/government/current events. Presidential elections get barely half of eligible voters. » Posted By agrippa On April 18, 2011 @ 2:56 pm I think that many in the GOP did decide that it was time to launch all out war on the new Deal and the Great Society. That may be the driver for Ryan and those GOP governors. If it is, and it is a logical explanation for their behavior, I think that will pay for it. In the 2012 election, I doubt that Obama will have any problem getting re elected. The issue for me is Congress: the HoR and Senate. The Democrats, for once, will have to get their act together and send those RW radicals home. I do see problems with getting very much done: I do not see this country having a working majority, as far too many people pay no attention at all to politics and government. And, of those who vote ( and only half do vote), we are pretty evenly split between GOP and Democrat. The left has no real leverage, as unions are weak and we have few social democrats or socialists to put on real pressure. The best that we are going to get are half measures. » Posted By agrippa On April 18, 2011 @ 8:47 am The GOP misunderstood what happened in Nov 2010. Most of the people who voted for them did not understand what they would be getting putting the GOP in power. The GOP acts as if it has have a big mandate for big changes. People were voting out of frustration. There is, of course, no guarantee that the GOP thought it through. I expect that they did not not. It looks to me that the GOP saw an opportunity to reward their friends and punish their enemies. The GOP does put out a lot of rhetoric about “balanced budgets”; but, at the end of the day, they will never produce one. Look to what they do. The big fight will be down the road: the 2012 budget. I think that the debt ceiling will be raised after a great deal wailing and knashing of teeth. The 2012 budget shoud be a big fight. » Posted By agrippa On April 18, 2011 @ 8:26 am That is another good article by Fukuyama. I think that the latter part was very good, with his explanation of the reasons. Which I f Rockstroh’s article is good. In the South, shame can be an important social control; and surface politeness is important. Under that surface, there may not be politeness. The two – shame and surface gentility/politeness – go together. The turbulence below the surface of the politeness is related to the shame. » Posted By agrippa On April 16, 2011 @ 7:38 am THe “media” does not understand Obama; and, yes, they are describing themselves – they are not describing Obama. » Posted By agrippa On April 15, 2011 @ 12:27 pm I am afraid that I consider the distinction between a “democracy” and “representative republic” artificial, to be pedantic about it. There was, in classical times, in Athens, a flawed and partial “pure democracy”. In the great run of things, that did not last long. A democracy, nowadays, is a representative democracy. In such a system, you vote on the basis of the judgement of the people that you elect. They do not have a set of orders from the electorate which they have to obey. » Posted By agrippa On April 15, 2011 @ 12:18 pm Dissected? I do not think so. The fact is that I think that the “MSM” does not understand him at all. And, they really do not understand that he does not care what they think. Obama will allow the GOP to hang itself. He does not really need to do very much to see to it that happens. Right or wrong, that is what I think that he did with the last Congress. He left it to Reid and Pelosi to run their own house. The Nov 2012 election is very important; and, new people are badly needed, especially on the Democratic side. » Posted By agrippa On April 15, 2011 @ 10:35 am As for Wisconsin, Walker, and his friends, are on a mission to save ____. Those people will consider the consequences tomorrow. If then. These issues, as Obama says, will be settled in the election. As for the commentariat: Some of them, at times, make sense. But, making sense is a happy accident when they do. Most of it is tub thumping; or, polemical. Consider the source. Fukuyama’s article made sense to me. I consider making sense to be a major accomplishment. » Posted By agrippa On April 15, 2011 @ 7:02 am WATCH LIVE: Pres. Obama Speaks On Fiscal Policy – 10:35 am PDT I doubt that he did read it. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 2:21 pm “Make me do it” is a good way to put it. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 2:18 pm I expect that few will read it. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 2:12 pm I expect that this really dates me; but, years ago that polemic by Josh was called: “speaking the truth to power”. Josh is making a statement; he has no intention of making a law. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 1:22 pm HP is fatuous » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 12:59 pm If your enemy is intent upon cutting off his own head with that machete, you stand back and watch him do it. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 12:56 pm well, adlib, how about pundits making an honest effort at rational analysis. You know, the marshalling of fact and logic to make an argument that makes sense? That, I guess, is too much to ask. Easier to pander and fulminate. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 12:53 pm I agree. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 12:49 pm adlib: hear hear! » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 12:47 pm Abbyrose, the commentariat is paid to be that way. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 11:40 am Cher, Obama is excellent. One of the very few actual adults in Washington. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 11:38 am Adlib: It does describe Greenwald. It does not describe Obama. The Dems paid for their mistakes in the last Congress, and lost in Nov 2010; the GOP, I expect, will pay for the mistakes that they will make in this Congress, in Nov 2012. And, mistakes they will make. Now, the task at hand is the Nov 2012 election: electing a liberal majority to Congress. That is how you get liberal legislation passed. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 10:46 am I say that Ryan did not produce a “serious proposal”. I consider it to be partisan boiler plate. If Ryan thinks that it is serious, he is not a serious person. Truth is completely right about Obama. He is positioning himself for re election; and, there is a lot of damage control on his part. He needs to do damage control, as any rational actor would need to do in these circumstances. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 10:22 am foxisms, that is about what it comes to. I think that we, as country, have to rely on the good sense – the wit and wisdom – of ordinary people to “muddle through”. » Posted By agrippa On April 12, 2011 @ 12:22 pm It does not matter whether or not Obama “believes in something”. Very few people in Washington are listening to Obama anymore than they listen to Krugman. Which, I suspect, is what Krugman is really saying. » Posted By agrippa On April 12, 2011 @ 9:48 am foxisms, this does seem to be a zero sum game; and, it has been so for a long time; or, perhaps, a dialog of the deaf, to put it more kindly. Much of the general public seems to mostly disengaged/detached. My main reading of this situation is the Washington political class are locked into this game, and they will have to play it out until they no longer can. That can take years. I do not know what Obama can do about it. All sides seem determined to do whatever it is they are determined to do. And, I am not sure if many of them have a good idea of what they intend. » Posted By agrippa On April 12, 2011 @ 9:43 am I think that Krugman is correct on economic matters most of the time. But, he is heterodox and has very little influence in either washington or the field of economics. I think that is unfortunate, as I think that his ideas would be pretty effective. » Posted By agrippa On April 12, 2011 @ 7:12 am I agree that step 2 will be difficult for the GOP, as they do not actually have a “mandate”. Nov 2010 was, in large part, a vote based upon economic comditions. It is unfortunate that the GOP does not see that. They seem to be going ahead with whatever they are going ahead with. They will find out whether or not they know anything at all about government. Elections do have consequences. Those people were voted into power. The country will now deal, as best it can, with the consequences of electing blind kittens or hacks to office. The 111th Congress did not do what was necessary; this is the reward. » Posted By agrippa On April 12, 2011 @ 7:02 am GOP Economics – How to Become Taller by Digging Holes The WH and DNC must be gearing up for the 2012 election. » Posted By agrippa On April 13, 2011 @ 4:25 am yes, the GOP does have that! I don’t really see the Dems creating a counterweight to it though. » Posted By agrippa On April 12, 2011 @ 9:11 pmComments Posted By agrippa
Matters are moving along in WI. Walker overplayed his hand; his dramatics ( politics and acting are closely related) are OTT. I think that the GOP may pay for that. What he is doing has nothing to do with the budget.
So, the GOP can, quite easily, get away with their games; due to ignorance and apathy/cynicism of the general public and the GOP’s ability to use wedge issues to influence those who do vote.
ound to be on target.
A Democracy does not have to be a republic ( viz, UK or Spain) ;a republic need not be a democracy ( Egypt or Syria). What we have is a democratic representative republic.
Obama strikes me as the kind of man who is interested in what people think. He has no iinterest in their approval. He has no need for approval.
What the Democratic party and liberals have to do is clear: Organize. Recruit good, competent and honest candidates for HoR and Senate. Get them nominated. Get them elected. 218 in the House; 51 in the Senate.
In 2012, you “make” Obama do it by electing the Congress that you need to have to pass the laws that you say you need.
Obama seems to be hated by elements of the left and the right.
The present situation is mostly about damage control for Obama; the GOP did win the Nov 2010 election.
The tea party is being gamed by their own party. Which is no surprise.
I agree with Truth.
He is center left; and all the imprecations that are hurled at him by his enemies on the right and the left tell me an awful lot about them, and next to nothing about him.
The political class – the pros and the commentariat – are all very weak.
I can see that from the imprecations hurled from both the RW and the LW at Obama. I have come to the decision that this will have to played out; Washington will have to learn the hard way – if they ever learn – that this zero sum game will have bad consequences.
There do seem to be a few people – people such as Sanders – in washington who have some sense; but, as you say, they are ignored.
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