Asked why he refused to call out Republicans who, in depressingly large numbers, still believe Barack Obama is not a US citizen, John Boehner said, "It's not my job to tell people what to think." I find that amusing in a clarifying sort of way.
Isn't that what all politicians do, all the time? Tell us what to think? Aren't they pretty much wholly committed to convincing people that their ideas (applying the term generously) are worth adopting? The Speaker of the House, third in line for the presidency, isn't in the business of being a thought leader? On health care, deficits, war, and Planned Parenthood?
Of late, for reasons even more unfathomable than Beckian theories on communists and Egypt, there's been an attempt (I'd say it's out of embarrassment, but I don't think the term applies to the RWS™ or R leaders or teabaggers) to toss off those birther numbers as some sort of left-wing conspiracy. Connecting dots visible only on the inside of their skulls, such people as Debra Saunders (and the occasional commenter here) claim the problem is that liberals are "flogging" the story to make conservatives look "like rubes." Creative. It's not that these people are rubes (a refreshingly archaic term) for believing Barack Obama was born in Kenya; it's that liberals keep pointing it out.
I'm still processing...
What makes that proposition particularly laughable is where we started, with John Boner simpering in his seat, coyly refusing to influence thinking on the matter, perish the thought. If, as Ms Saunders claims, birtherism is somehow a liberal plot, why doesn't the titular head of political Republicans do everything he can to shoot it down? Might it just be that he calculates such foolish flames help stoke the fires of resentment and hatred that got him his shiny new office? What are RWS™ about, if not that?
Birtherism -- its evolution and hyping and relentless promotion by the RWS™ and Fox "news" -- does, however, help me understand another and much more opaque mystery: if a majority of potential Republican voters choose to believe, against definitive and unquestionable proof, that our president is foreign-born, it shouldn't be surprising that they also accept the mythologizing about and reject the failures of Ronald Reagan, to believe he was our greatest president ever.
Now that is testimony to the power of the right-wing propaganda and disinformation media coalition. That's strange we can believe in.
" it shouldn't be surprising that they also accept the mythologizing about and reject the failures of Ronald Reagan, to believe he was our greatest president ever."
ReplyDeleteThat was a mistake, and they've apologised for it now. Don't keep flogging an innocent mistake like that.
BOF: not gonna publish stupid stuff any more, except from Frank, if he ever comes back: he's grandfathered in.
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt you're capable of posting something interesting or new or entertaining. If you ever do, it'll show up.
Dr S - I found the back and forth comment thread between you and BOF interesting. (couple posts down I think) I didn't see what he did that was so awful.
ReplyDeleteHe did have some good counterpoints.
I vacillated between amused and frustrated when I saw that you accused him of being influenced by Beck.
It seems you do that kind of thing when people present valid opposing opinions.
I think you watch the station more than we do. Don't know the last time I saw Beck. Or the others. I will at some point. I enjoy John Bachelor on radio at night.
Anyway, it is disappointing that you will block BOF. There isn't any point in taking time to comment with an opposing view here.
And your Hitler sign tea party claims ...just not true. Fringe people and you can't prove they aren't liberal plants.
I never heard a tea party person make threats about making an ear necklace ..naming each liberal politician or public figure and planning it out according to the size of their ears. THAT is frightening! can you say Hitler signs weren't held up for Bush? And so stupid of the people doing it. Don't care about their stupid sign and they automatically discredit themselves and that goes for both sides. But those people are fringe.
And I haven't heard tea party people spew the violent hatred as the liberal people did *on film recently*, stating Clarence Thomas and his wife should be lynched, his toes should be cut off and fed to him and he should be put back in the fields to work. Where was that covered on all the news channels? Buried! But ...can you just imagine if one of those statements was uttered by 1 tea party person? Why the whole tea party would be blamed. Like you already do.
And ..*I know you and 99% of liberals would never say something like that.*
So why do you keep trying to paint the tea party as violent and hateful? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
I will be surprised if this makes it to your comments. But ..it is true.
I don't know what Obama-Hitler comment you're referring to, Seaspray. Nevertheless there were undeniably plenty of them, and still are. Good idea, though, to say they were liberal plants. I've had a few conversations with people holding them, and if they were liberal, they did a hell of a good job hiding it.
ReplyDeleteI've only rejected a few of BOFs comments, so of course you wouldn't know what he said that was so blockable: they were, you know, blocked. As you may have noticed, I respond to the ones I don't block and have even agreed in part.
You don't think his George Soros comment was influenced by Beck? Who else has been promoting the bilious hatred? Sources, please. When people present opposing views in ways that are actually intelligent, I address them accordingly. It happens fairly rarely, I'll admit. I've spent more time answering your posts than most, even tho you continue to say I don't respond to criticism. I don't usually agree, though, if that's your problem with it.
To repeat: when people make good points, I address them. I'm sure we have differing ideas of what constitutes a good point, but I welcome them on the rare occasion they appear.
I've written here, many times, that both sides do the things they criticize in others. It is, however, mainstreamed on the right. Lots of lefties, including me, decry it when other lefties do it. Ever heard Glenn or Rush or Sean or Ann or any RWS™ denounce it on the right? To the contrary: it's how they make the many millions they make. No comparison.
As to the tea party, it's been a long time since I referred to the tea party as violent and hateful (not sure I ever called them violent). My point is that they're ill-informed, simplistic, and deeply deeply gullible; that they're being used, and that they can't see it; that what they claim to believe in has failed, over and over; that they are destroying the country about which they claim to have a corner on the patriotism market; that the people they've elected are even worse than they are; that they willfully reject information, truth, that disproves their claims. Other than that, we're on the same page about them.
I think the person who said that about Clarence Thomas was a tea party plant. How about you? (In the case of the RWS™, we have actual examples of them faking it like that, matter of fact. But I'm sure you know that. Probably even had your tongue in your cheek.)
And, guess what: it did make it to the comments, and it wasn't true at all.
"Palin Insider: "We Could Normally Expect" Fox "To Repeat Any Coordinated Message We Sent"
ReplyDeleteSeeIt@: http://mediamatters.org/blog/201102220024
Interesting you should mention "Plants" SSWoman; In his conversation with the fake Koch brother (who Neo Fascist Teabagger Gov. Walker thought was real) Walker said his administration had considered "Planting" troublemakers, but had thought it unnecessary.
Seeit@: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/walker-on-koch-phone-call-i-take-phone-calls-all-the-time.php?ref=fpa
Agent Provocateurs are a standard ploy of the Republican playbook - just as you are - you don't see the trick used by democrats; they could never find people scummy enough to order it or do it. Interesting that the idea comes to your mind so naturally though.
By the way, about Mrs. Palin - SS, you said you would reply as to whether you thought Mr.s Palin was lying when She claimed that "We never intended for those X's (surveyor's marks?) on the map to look like crosshairs."
Remember? Then it came to light, that she had bragged about the efficacy, of what she had described, on Twitter, as bull's eyes on the map she posted on her website.
So what do you think SS, did she lie about the "Bulls eyes" hoping that nobody would notice or what?
Still waiting!
EugeneInSanDiego
You Dummy,
ReplyDeleteI'm not a Grandfather, and hopefully never will be, no way my daughters are gonna be America's first Jet Fighter Aces bein pregnant, hurts G-tolerance...
And if you check out the fineprint of those Poll numbers quite a few Democrats don't buy the Presidents(Peace be upon Him)Photo-Shopped Birth Certificate either.
So your tellin me someone as smart as the President(Peace be upon Him) doesnt safeguard important personal documents??? Things you need to get A DRIVERS LICENSE in most states??
Frank
Sid, You Big Dummy,
ReplyDeleteI ain't no grandfather, and if 15+ years of constantly pointing out to my daughters the horrors of pregnancy/children/men doesn't work, I've got other plans..
Anyway, no way there gonna be Americas first XX Jet Fighter Ace with a pregnancy, hurts the G tolerance...
Frank
I like the fact that you took two shots at it, Frankie. I'm left to wonder which one you thought was better.
ReplyDeleteFrank:
ReplyDeleteA Hawaii Certificate of Live Birth is perfectly adequate documentation to get a driver's license, and a US passport. If there was any truth to the birther nonsense, Hillary Clinton would be President, not Secretary of State. Hawaiian officials, including the Republican former governor, have testified to the authenticity and accuracy of the President's birth certificate. Repeatedly.
All you have to do is look at the comments on Saunders's TownHall column to know that the GOP base doesn't need any help at all from the SCLM (so-called 'liberal media') to make themselves look silly, stupid and bigoted.
Hey Sid, your a published "author", knew you'd enjoy seein how a REAL master works..its not like Thomas Jefferson came up with that "All(White)Men are created equal" jazz first time out.
ReplyDelete1: I like "Big Dummy" better than just un-modified "Dummy", its gotta Redd Foxx sound to it..
2: I forgot to use "a'int" in the rough draft, appeals to the Common Folk.
Frank