Tag Archives: pride and prejudice

And the Republicans are swiftboating, just as Nero played his lyre as Rome burned.

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Usually, I roll my eyes at Republican tactics.  I didn’t even focus on the viciousness of the swiftboating of Sen. Kerry. 

Why am I so riled and appalled now?

Because just a few months ago, our economy was about to fall off a precipice.  And whither the economy goes, so goes the social fabric that binds us.  And so go the dreams and aspirations and our children’s childhoods.  Now we are a few steps back from the edge of the precipice, but we are not yet safe in our beds.

I was a hard-working and productive worker.  Now, I sit in my office and wonder when I will lose my job or get a further, steeper pay cut.  I wonder whether my practice will ever come back.  I wonder whether I can give to my child all the opportunities I had.  We are at a crossroads.  We need to make the right choice after vigorous debate on the issues.  Fair and honest debate toward a common goal of restarting our economy, our dreams, and optimism.

And the Republicans are swiftboating, just as Nero played his lyre as Rome burned. 

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Don’t quibble about the cigarettes

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If that is Obama’s vice while he deals with the most insurmountable problems of three generations, well, we are just going to have to get over it.

Clinton and JFK were philanderers.  Reagan had Alzheimers and his admininstration kept us in the dark.  Bush II was a “recovered” alcoholic and chose  to let others make decisions for him. 

News flash:  Obama is mortal with flaws.  Not a great example for the kids, but it is a lot better than what most Americans do: slam down some whiskey shots, take sedatives, take out their problems on other people, etc. 

So, everyone, chill.  We gave GWB a lot of slack.

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First, Crowley and Gates, then O’Donnell and Trump?

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USREPORT-US-OBAMA-RACEObama hit the BIG KUMBAYA with Officer Crowley and Professor Gates.

Even those commentators who rail against Obama actually complimented him.  I don’t really know how I feel about it because the president cannot settle every dispute and he is not the Referee-In-Chief.  So, maybe it was a teachable moment in do-it-yourself mediation, preferably with some form of social lubricant or liquid confidence.

So, here is the lesson.  IT WASN’T ABOUT OBAMA.  It is about two people who need and WANT a forum to work things out.  And that makes Officer Crowley and Professor Gates the true stars of this summit.  This was a racially/socially/politically charged event and the two in the middle reached across the divide and set an example for a nation.

So, in that vein, Rosie O’Donnell made an overture to the Donald, which he turned down in a way in his typical fashion.  He was offensive.  Rosie, nice gesture, but don’t wait for Donald. He doesn’t have the right stuff.

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I am still outraged at Sen. Graham’s behavior

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but I am glad he voted for Judge Sotomayor in committee so she could stand for a full senate vote on confirmation.

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Thought for today, July 30, 2009

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Of course Obama’s ratings are going down.  The real issues facing our nation are complicated and the choices are hard.  And good compromise means no person or constituency gets everything he or it wanted.   Including the President and the Republicans.

The debate should be about facts.  Not scare tactics.  Glenn Beck called President Obama a racist.  Why, because he had a visceral reaction to an incident involving Professor Gates?  Glenn Beck had a visceral reaction to President Obama’s statement.  Let’s look at this:  Obama’s reaction caused him to say that police acted “stupidly”.  Glenn Beck’s reaction is to call Obama a racist. Who over-reacted?  Hmmmmm.

But all this did was divert attention from the issues. We don’t have time for this nonsense.  But at least Glenn Beck’s reaction shows that the right can’t counter President Obama’s plans and policies on the facts.

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Sunday night dinner chez nous

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When we are not subverting nature, the social fabric of this country and the Word of G-d, my partner and I have (together with our son) have my sister, my brother-in-law and my dad over for Sunday night dinner.  Sometimes, my cousin joins us and, in the non-summer months, my partner’s father comes, too.  (Both our mothers are now of blessed memory.)

My brother-in-law and my son look at books that contain facts about lots of different things in the ways that big boys and little boys do.  So far, not subversive.  But wait, they are reading about pre-historic animals and their presently existing descendants, if any.  Ok, evolution and not creationism or intelligent design (has anyone holding the latter view ever looked at these scary ugly beasts?) Check the subversive box.

We gather around the table for dinner.  A summertime fare.  No chilled white wine from the Napa Valley.  So, ok so far. Wait, watercress, roasted pine nuts and pasta in the pasta salad.  Effete eastern liberals.  My dad and partner have camomille tea.  AAAAArgh. Check another subversive box.

We talk about world events.  Concerned citizens.  Good sign.  OH, NO, we are talking about health care and end of life care and how not every test is necessary and, even under orthodox doctrine, a procedure can be rejected if it prolongs the function of an organ but not the functioning of the person.  Crazy liberals using orthodoxy against those who would preserve life at all costs (except when these same people condone capital punishment).  Oooh, looking like a strike out, but since we caught the “pro-life; pro-death penalty” group in its own hypocrisy, let’s call that a foul tip. No check in the subversive box.

It is 7:45pm and time for our son to have a bath, read a story and go to bed and for me to do the dishes.  Sounds a little Cleaver-like.  We all hug and kiss at the door and our son yells, “family hug!” so three generations huddle together in a big hug, squeeze and many kisses.  Uh, oh, hippie commune.  Strike three. Big check in the subversive box.

Guess we’ve clearly drank the Obama kool aid.  It tastes good, so I think I’ll get more.  And for the record, my partner and I have had Saturday night dates since our son was a 1 year-old (he is 7 now). So, if POTUS and FLOTUS need some date night ideas, they should feel free to have their staff members ask us.

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Obama’s comment

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I, for one, cannot imagine what it is to be racially-profiled or black in America.  So when No Drama Obama says something out of character, it may come from a place that I have never been and can never understand.  And I am grateful never to have been “there”.  So, I don’t judge the comment.

At his news conference, President Obama spoke almost entirely about health care until the last question.  The 24-hour news recycle only focused on his answer to that last question, the one about Professor Gates.

Here is a man who is handling crises at home and on every continent every day and who is juggling numerous policy initiatives toward a stronger country (many may disagree with his approaches, but not his commitment to this country).

Whether or not he needed to apologize, he did apologize.  SO, LET IT GO and get back to hitting him hard on the issues that matter — economy, Iraq, Iran, N. Korea, healthcare and where Michelle and he are going for their next date night.

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Birther conspiracy theorists and Obama’s Mama

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I miss the Jon and Kate plus 8 drama.  I never watched them, never cared about their marriage issues, her diva episodes or his new girlfriend.  Now I am sad that they don’t even hit the summary page on Yahoo anymore.

Why? Because now we read about the birthers, the ones — including GOP congressmen — who think that President Obama was actually foreign born and uses a fake Hawaiian birth certificate.  To be fair, on The Chris Matthews’ show, a congressman said that if John McCain had been elected, we would be talking about him in this way, as well.

So these birther conspiracy theorist would have had a field day over a white male Vietnam War hero born to a Navy admiral living on an American base in the Panama Canal Zone?  Let’s ponder this.  Hmmm.  I think not.

Barack Obama was born in Hawaii to a mother who was a US CITIZEN.  So, what these people are really talking about is President Obama’s MAMA.  Now, if you talk about someone’s mother, be prepared for yours to be dragged into the fray.

If we all go back far enough, one or more of our grandparents or great grandparents were born somewhere outside the United States.  I am not an immigration scholar, but if my mother who was born in, and a citizen of, the United States gave birth to me in Toronto, Canada, while on vacation, wouldn’t I still be eligible to be a sitting president?

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President Obama and health care

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I watched the President’s press conference last night.  The commentators seemed disappointed that the President is a mere mortal.  Asking for guarantees as one reporter did requires a crystal ball and the reporter posed an unanswerable question.  There are no guarantees.  There are only projections and good faith efforts to fix a problem that has lingered too long.

Let’s support a global, cogent plan to make an efficient system with improved services and work toward making that plan a reality.  We have to change the system.  There will be sacrifices.  But there are already sacrifices now.  Inefficient, costly and below average care for too many people.  We can’t let the system stay as is.  Those who only say “no” need to get out of the way.  Either come up with a plan or shut up.

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The Hypocritic Oath

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Senator McConnell says Judge Sotomayor lacks the objectivity he wants in a justice. He says he is worried that her opinions would shape rulings from the bench.  Senator McConnell lacked objectivity by bashing her record before she got to the hearings. 

How does he get away with hypocrisy.  Do GOP lawmakers need to take the Hypocritic Oath in order to serve?

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