"A black sheriff?!": The Official Topic of Obama and New Era American Politics

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

This is why the GOP is dooooomed for the foreseeable future.  Sure, lol it's a post on kos, but it's chock full of freepers and redstaters freaking out that Michael Steele and Cantor would dare, DARE I say question the wisdom of the almighty Rush.  As long as these people are allowed to dictate the direction of the party, the GOP is fucked.

I love the in-fighting between the GOP.

[Dickie Dee]

This is why the GOP is dooooomed for the foreseeable future.  Sure, lol it's a post on kos, but it's chock full of freepers and redstaters freaking out that Michael Steele and Cantor would dare, DARE I say question the wisdom of the almighty Rush.  As long as these people are allowed to dictate the direction of the party, the GOP is fucked.

The best thing about GOP's full embrace of Rush is that it used to be that they'd be willing to cut off their own nose just to spite the dirty fucking hippies. This seems to have morphed into their number one priority is to have their 35% be hated on by the other 65% to maximum effect. They somehow feel that if they don't come across as inhuman lizards they somehow have shown weakness. Which as 300 taught us, is unforgivable.

I was honestly was hoping for an implosion, but my hunch they'd reject any semblance of sanity they might have still held and become the official ratfucker party and actually believe that this is their path out of the wilderness is progressing beyond my wildest dreams.

[Human Snorenado]

Yeah, it was pretty funny.  I could see what Obama and co. were doing by making the Rush set the unofficial/official voice of the Republican party as soon as they did it, even if dimwits like Chris Matthews were saying "why is Obama putting someone like Rush on his level?  This doesn't make sense!"  And of course Rush reached for the bait... bait that didn't even have oxycodone in it, surprisingly.

[Phoenix Dark]

[youtube=560,345]W4EWB0Wc4wQ[/youtube]
"I'm the de facto leader of the republican party" 

Rush's response

"So I am an entertainer and I have 20 million listeners because of my great song and dance routine," Limbaugh said. "Michael Steele, you are head of the Republican National Committee. You are not head of the Republican party. Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the Republican National Committee...and when you call them asking for money, they hang up on you."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/02/steele-takes-on-rush-limb_n_171135.html

ether

[Cheebs]

Rush had the biggest reception at his speech at the CPAC convention in it's history I read. Even bigger than when Reagan went there when he was running for President.

 

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

well the CPAC has probably quintupled in size since then anyway, so that doesn't really mean anything.
and in other CPAC news, holy shit.

YOU BE DA MAN!  YOU BE DA MAN!!!

At first I thought this story was a joke, when in fact it actually turned out to be 20% true.

[Eric P]

"sup nicca?" - Bobby Jindal to Michael Steel 2010

[Cheebs]

The Republicans are basically lurching right and purging anyone who doesn't agree. Do they actually think that is a way to win back the public? Did they at ALL pay attention to Dean's 50 state strategy used in 2006 and by Obama in 2008 where they focused growing the party rather than purifying it?

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

The Republicans are basically lurching right and purging anyone who doesn't agree. Do they actually think that is a way to win back the public? Did they at ALL pay attention to Dean's 50 state strategy used in 2006 and by Obama in 2008 where they focused growing the party rather than purifying it?

Who cares?  Let them move far enough to the right to total irrelevance.

If Rush is their pied piper, that will ensure a nice Democratic supermajority until 2020

[Phoenix Dark]

That's what Rush wants. The longer the GOP is in the wilderness the more Rush's influence grows.

    A man who is aggressive and bombastic, cutting and sarcastic, who dismisses the concerned citizens in network news focus groups as “losers.” With his private plane and his cigars, his history of drug dependency and his personal bulk, not to mention his tangled marital history, Rush is a walking stereotype of self-indulgence – exactly the image that Barack Obama most wants to affix to our philosophy and our party. And we’re cooperating! Those images of crowds of CPACers cheering Rush’s every rancorous word – we’ll be seeing them rebroadcast for a long time.

    Rush knows what he is doing. The worse conservatives do, the more important Rush becomes as leader of the ardent remnant. The better conservatives succeed, the more we become a broad national governing coalition, the more Rush will be sidelined.

http://newmajority.com/ShowScroll.aspx?ID=d22fe4c9-6f8c-4c0d-93af-aed79ad3b467


Also...FoC...
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/03/ron-pauls-earma.html

[siamesedreamer]

Ron Kirk, nominated as U.S. Trade Representative in the Obama administration, owes an estimated $10,000 in back taxes from earlier in the decade and has agreed to make his payments, the Senate Finance Committee said Monday.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-kirk-taxes,1,6611614.story?xid=rss-page


"Ultimately it's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules. You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes."

This guy must be uniquely qualified too.

[Eric P]

jesus christ

how hard is it to pay your fucking taxes?

[Van Cruncheon]

if you're a congressthing, paying one's taxes forces one to reveal one's alternate sources of income

but yeah, you really gotta wonder how many self-entitled wealthy americans don't pay their fuckin' taxes regardless

[Phoenix Dark]

Steele backs down, apologizes to Rush
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19517.html

Is this guy totally oblivious to the fact that he's nothing more than a face, to be discarded the minute the "diversity" plan doesn't work - the personification of lip stick on a pig? Or maybe he realizes it and just doesn't care.

[Cheebs]

He probably saw Howard Dean and assumed he'd be that. Party chairmen rarely ever wield power. Dean was one of the few who actually had real control over what the Democrats did. While Tim Kaine his replacement is just a figurehead.  Steele is even worse than that, he is just a talking head the GOP sticks out on cable news to make the party seem "progressive" and then slap down when he does anything out of step with what they want. It's painful to watch him on CNN and stuff, he tries to seem black as hard as he can by using really stupid 1980's black slang that just makes you cringe.

Although nothing will top Mitt Romney putting his arm around a bunch of black teens for a photoshoot and then saying "Who let the dogs out?" last year.

[Cheebs]

From NY Times:

The spreadsheet released by Taxpayers for Common Sense shows that six Republican senators are among the top 10 earmarkers, with Mr. Cochran, the senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee in the lead.

So...Republicans are for small govt. and fiscally sound budgets eh?

[AdmiralViscen]

Why is Howard Dean being dissed so bad by the party? I saw a headline today where he was whining about being overlooked for HHS

[Cheebs]

Why is Howard Dean being dissed so bad by the party? I saw a headline today where he was whining about being overlooked for HHS

Dead was on the outs soon as Rahm came in as Chief of Staff, Rahm hates Dean with a passion and Rahm is basically second in command in the White House after Obama (he seems to have a lot more influence and power than Biden).

[recursivelyenumerable]

Is there a reason the tax stuff is coming out for Obama nominees in particular, though?  I don't remember this happening with previous Prezzes, it was all nanny stuff.  Are they under increased scrutiny for some reason?

[Dickie Dee]

Rahm was in charge of the DCCC which coordinates with the DNC with getting Democratic Congressmen elected, but also competes with them for campaign funds. Rahm was always against Dean's 50 state strategy and was a frustrated that Dean was neglecting big DC donors in favor of many small donors (which ironically got his boss into the White House)

[Cheebs]

Rahm was way off about the way to campaign and raise money and glad he no longer has a job in that arena, but I am glad he is Chief of Staff. He is probably the toughest and most cutthroat dem there is, it is the perfect job for him.

[Phoenix Dark]

It's sad that Dean sowed the seeds for the dem dominance we've been seeing recently and is getting shat on now. I'm sure the big bloated dems aren't happy with Obama making big donor/special interest donors irrelevant, but he's probably less of an asshole about it than Dean was

[ToxicAdam]

That's politics though. Don't worry, they will dust off old Dean in about 6 years and he will be relevant again.

[Cheebs]

That's politics though. Don't worry, they will dust off old Dean in about 6 years and he will be relevant again.

Dean is lucky he got such a huge role 2005-2008 that he did, most candidates would fade away after such a laughably bad primary showing.

[Mandark]

When Steele originally made the "off the hook" comment I didn't realize that he'd be making it into his personal schtick.  I figured it was going to be a one-off thing.

Anyway, it reminded me a bit of this.

[youtube=560,345]GoBHLCfpSZA&ap=%2526fmt%3D18[/youtube]



PS Question open to the panel:  Which is dumber, Newt's 10 12 ideas to save the GOP, or Rudy's 12 commitments from the campaign?

(edit: They match up numerically!  That should make it much easier.)

[Human Snorenado]

That's a tough one, Mandark.  Half of Newt's ideas were basically just tax cuts... but then again it's always fun to hate on Rudy.  But it will make TA angrier if I say Newt, so Newt.

[Human Snorenado]

[Dickie Dee]

[img]http://www.balloon-juice.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/palin_limbaugh1.png[img]

Palin can see Limbaugh from her house 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

cuz he's fat

[close]

[Cheebs]

Republicans confuse me. They trash the media nonstop but they go absolutely batshit insane in devotion over media figureheads, far more than liberals. You'd never see Democrats acting the same way about Olbermann, Maddow...etc the way Republicans treat Rush.

[Mandark]

That's a tough one, Mandark.  Half of Newt's ideas were basically just tax cuts... but then again it's always fun to hate on Rudy.  But it will make TA angrier if I say Newt, so Newt.

If we were trolling, this is how I'd approach it:

1. Payroll Tax Stimulus.
2. Real Middle-Income Tax Relief.
3. Reduce the Business Tax Rate.
4. Homeowner’s Assistance.
5. Control Spending So We Can Move to a Balanced Budget.
6. No State Aid Without Protection From Fraud.
7. More American Energy Now (Energy exploration).
8. Abolish Taxes on Capital Gains.
9. Protect the Rights of American Workers (from… Unions)
10. Replace Sarbanes-Oxley.
11. Abolish the Death Tax.
12. Invest in Energy and Transportation Infrastructure.

That's a reworded list from a biased source.

bubububu the source.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

The kicker is that the list isn't reworded.  Outside a couple parentheticals, Cole was quoting Newt's plan verbatim.  Whoopsie!

[close]

[Dickie Dee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUl-eNDzUE

 

[Phoenix Dark]

Republicans confuse me. They trash the media nonstop but they go absolutely batshit insane in devotion over media figureheads, far more than liberals. You'd never see Democrats acting the same way about Olbermann, Maddow...etc the way Republicans treat Rush.

Eh, I don't think that's a good comparison at all. Is there anyone on the left comparable to Rush?

Mamacint: I see that and raise you:
[youtube=560,345]4h3cJQJkc_o[/youtube]

[etiolate]

i watched a bit of Rush's speech, his 'address to the nation' on Fox today

It was rather weird to see. I know he doesn't want to ever be officially a part of politics. He doesn't want a position or seat. He always seemed to fear the accountability mixed with the compromising. He likes the influence he has and the safety of faltering back on being a DJ. Yet, to get defensive about being called an entertainer is a switch from his status quo. His longeviety is starting to make him have this entitlement of importance and the fact that the conservatives are willing to actually have him be their leader is just bizzaro. The man makes parody songs for his job.

[Cheebs]

Right America Feeling Wronged was great. I love Alexandra Pelosi's docs. All of them are very funny.

[ToxicAdam]

Any  person that listens to Rush after 1991, 2000 or more recently 2006 is a distinguished mentally-challenged fellow. In 1991, he spent an entire year lambasting Bush Sr. about his tax increases and etc .. then coddled up to him in the primary because he was invited to the White House (a move that signified his importance in the party). Right there should tell you the guy has zero principles about what he believes.

In 2000, he constantly attacked McCain as "not being conservative enough" and championed GWB as the best candidate in the field. There is no doubt he was a deciding factor in some the key southern states that carried Bush to the win.

Then in a (not so) amazing turn of face, after the humiliating defeat in 2006, he admits that he has been "carrying the water" for GWB and he will not do it anymore. He has not supported them for quite some time and doesn't believe in him. Basically, telling his audience that he lied to them the entire time just so they would go out and vote. How anyone could take this buffoon seriously after this, just boggles my mind.

That's not even touching all his hypocrisy on the drug issue or other moral failings he has. Which should be a concern to any moralists still in his audience.

[Human Snorenado]

Yeah TA, I'm not so sure rigorous thinking is big with the dittoheads.  They fucking call themselves dittoheads, for the love of Christ.

[Cheebs]

I am still shocked at Steele. What he said on the weekend was right, but then he groveled to Rush. He is playing right into the Democrats hands.

Do they realize the Democrats are over-joyed Rush is seen as the head of the party? Do they think it is useful to play into that stereotype? All it does is make them seem more extreme and unstable as a party and scares the shit out of moderate swing voters.

[archie4208]

Rush and Hannity are both dirty hypocrites.  I remember them both blasting McCain during the primaries but then doing a 180 and essentially begging their audience to vote McCain in the general election.

[siamesedreamer]

Rush is the new Fox News for the left. I imagine his listenership is sky rocketing.

[Human Snorenado]

Rush is the new Fox News for the left. I imagine his listenership is sky rocketing.

...

...

...

You realize how this "paint Rush as the head of the GOP and demonize him" thing is WORKING FOR Obama, right?  RIGHT?

[Human Snorenado]

But yeah, we're a center right nation.

[Phoenix Dark]

Right America Feeling Wronged was great. I love Alexandra Pelosi's docs. All of them are very funny.

Not really. Funny I suppose, but I dunno if it was a "documentary" as much as it's smug liberalism shining a light on the dumbest people it can find, edited to biased perfection.

[Cheebs]

Right America Feeling Wronged was great. I love Alexandra Pelosi's docs. All of them are very funny.

Not really. Funny I suppose, but I dunno if it was a "documentary" as much as it's smug liberalism shining a light on the dumbest people it can find, edited to biased perfection.

She talks to media people in it as well and shows off towns and people getting emotional and crying not just dumb comments. Her doc from 2000 "Journey's With George" was her best work. Bush chatted with her a lot and took an active part in it.

[Phoenix Dark]

Media people ie the suit n tie liberals?

The doc shows off a small percentage of the republican base and tries to make them speak for everyone. Right America my ass

[Cheebs]

Media people ie the suit n tie liberals?

The doc shows off a small percentage of the republican base and tries to make them speak for everyone. Right America my ass

wtf? She never makes the claim they speak for everyone in the party.

[siamesedreamer]

President Barack Obama's Treasury secretary says the administration will unveil a series of rules and measures in the coming months to limit the ability of international companies to avoid U.S. taxes.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96MN08G1&show_article=1

I want to know what policy they are going to put in place to limit the ability of Obama appointee's from avoiding their taxes.

[Human Snorenado]

I would like to get rid of Geithner.  At first I was kind of cautiously optimistic about him because he was supposed to be a more reasonable, moderate Larry Summers.  Turns out he's a more timid, pussy Larry Summers.  Fire his ass and hire Galbraith, which would make sd insane but would be awesome.

Also, sd did you catch Breitbart's tongue bath of Rush after the cpac speech?  It was... disturbing.  Rich Lowry-Sarah Palin levels of disturbing.

[siamesedreamer]

I don't pay attention to Rush or anything associated with him.

[Fragamemnon]

Geithner fucking sucks and needs to go. Today's trial balloon of government subsidizing loans so that people can buy toxic assets for more than they are worth with no risk is the same sort of "socialize the losses" mindset (as Krugman's blog points out) that they've been doing since Hanky Panky I. It is getting absurd at this point how badly disconnected Geithner and crew are from reality and how many times they are trying to repackage the same shit in a different form.

Banks lost a ton of fucking money and need a real reckoning with some closure. Some will be OK, some will need some help, and some will have to be sold off or nationalized. Why on earth is this such a hard thing to admit to? The only explanation I can see is that Geithner just can't bring themselves to do the necessary since it would harm the "financial services sector" he has been in and around for far too long.

[Crushed]

http://www.dccc.org/content/sorry

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Media people ie the suit n tie liberals?

The doc shows off a small percentage of the republican base and tries to make them speak for everyone. Right America my ass

in interviews she's given she said the footage shown was a representative sample of the people she filmed.  She was carrying a camera, she would speak to whomever would talk to her, and I'm guessing the people most willing to talk are usually the ones that shouldn't be.

The people who attend the conservative rallies are likely to be the most conservative people in that particular area.  I don't find it absurd at all that a high percentage of the people she talked to were radicalized.  In fact it would be the ideal situation to catch the most of them.

[FlameOfCallandor]

Im not a huge fan of Cramer, but this is pretty funny.

Cramer on Obama’s Handling of Economy: ‘It’s Amateur Hour at Our Darkest Moment’
 

http://polijamblog.polijam.com/?p=2499

This is awesome. In 50 years Obama will be the Jimmy Carter, but at a FDR level.

[Human Snorenado]

Considering all the things Cramer has said that turned out to be absolutely, dead on WRONG (about 90%+, really) I think we can rest assured that Obama will turn out to be the greatest President of all time, ever, and that in 50 years we'll all be enjoying socialized medicine and taxing the rich. 

[Van Cruncheon]

mmmm, universal health care and the rich footing the bill for the society that supports them

[Brehvolution]

ON a lighter note, i was listening to Howard Stern ans co. talk about the National address the other day.

Howard noted, "Obama should have 'Made it rain' at the end of his speech."

I lol'd *shrugs*

[FlameOfCallandor]

mmmm, universal health care and the rich footing the bill for the society that supports them

We dont take kindly to rich people. Why dont they take their capital and their business some place else.

[FlameOfCallandor]

Obama will turn out to be the greatest President of all time,

Keep on living the dream my friend...

[Van Cruncheon]

mmmm, universal health care and the rich footing the bill for the society that supports them

We dont take kindly to rich people. Why dont they take their capital and their business some place else.

why don't they go find their workers, protectors, and consumers someplace else

[Brehvolution]

mmmm, universal health care and the rich footing the bill for the society that supports them

We dont take kindly to rich people. Why dont they take their capital and their business some place else.

What?  

They wouldn't be here otherwise.

[FlameOfCallandor]

Wow I still cant get over the fact that faggy ass liberals think that society supports providers. Wow, god damn you people are stupid.