Tim4change's Open Salon Blog

Is the Obama Mojo Gone? A Slightly Different Perspective

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 22:11:17 -0500

I've made some comments on other blogs having to do with yesterday's elections. I have felt I had to comment as so much of what I've seen others write and so much of the TV noise has, in my mind, gotten it 180 degrees wrong. So here is a quick and dirty of my view, should anyone stumble on this post.

Two gubernatorial races, New Jersey and Virginia, won by Republicans. One particular special election in New York state (the 23rd Congressional) won by a Democrat, where the apparent Republican vote was split between right and way fuckin' Sarah Palin type right. Somehow these races have all the goofy-assed Democrats and the blow dried pundits wringing their hands at what went wrong. All in all, the question seems to be "Is the Obama mojo gone?"

Here's my take. You can take it or leave it. You know what they say about opinions. My take is that yesterday was good news for Vertabrate Democrats. Of course, they are listed in the new National Geo channel special "100 Heartbeats" about species that are down to perhaps 100 members on Planet Earth, but that's not the subject of this rant.

This is why. New Jersey and Virginia typically go opposite in these off years regarding whichever party is in the White House. New Jersey has the additional onus in this post-bailout year of running a governor who obscenely spent to keep his seat, and the money flowing out of his pockets flowed in there originally from Wall Street. Sure Obama stumped for Corzine but Obama seems to have lots of Wall Street masters these days. However, New Jerseyans for the most part are sick of seeing all their money flow across the Hudson to lower Manhattan. And they are tired of being bought and sold like some cheap derivative by those greedy scumbags across the river. Hell, even the New Yorkers, who had way more money (per voter) poured on them very nearly rejected their Wall Streeter. That's saying something because short of the 3rd term, Bloomberg is popular.

Virginia should give the Democrats hope. McDonnell ran as a centrist Republican and won big. Now, no one north of the Mason-Dixon or west of the Mississippi (excluding Texas of course) gives the ol' south high marks for intellectual ability and what many of us see is the fact that McDonnell is not centrist. He is a neo-con (why has that name been forgotten?). So what the McDonnell victory (or Deeds defeat, as by all accounts he ran a lousy campaign) shows is that the right wing cannot get elected if they show their stripes!

Case in point, NY 23rd. Palin and Pawlenty write off the republican nominee for being, well, what most republicans were before the rise of the Norquist mob; moderate, with a penchant for less governmental intrusion into the personal lives of ordinary Americans. [As an aside, I wonder where Jindahl was? Is he still learning to tie his shoes and they wont let him out until he can? So much for the great not-so-white hope of the neo-cons] They throw their (considerable?) weight and charm behind a "Conservative" party candidate. The republican drops out of the race and the democrat wins. Why? Because when the neo-cons (remember to use that name liberally, those who it applies to want it forgotten) run without their sheep's clothing, even the blind can see the wolves.

So ~ when you hear the TV types of all stripes questioning "Was this a referendum on Obama" you may answer a resounding NO. Obama was a non-factor yesterday. What happened was that a small piece of the electorate came out and said unequivocally "We are still tired of George Bush and the Can't Shoot Straight, but Will Shoot Anyway at Anything" crowd. The Neo-cons. Say it with me again. The Neo-Cons. Don't forget it. They lost again yesterday, but that doesn't mean they went away. They just got a reminder that says if they run unmasked, they lose. Watch what they do in 2010. They aren't stupid (well, except Palin).

The Return of Benedict Arnold

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:10:53 -0400

He was a born and raised in Connecticut. As a youth, legend holds that he heard the sound of drums and dreamed of a military life, which his mother prevented him from having. When he came of age, he did join the military and set out to face the French invasion from Canada, but was prevented in seeing battle by the defeat by the French at Ft. William Henry. He served perhaps two weeks. This was not the end of his military career.

For now, he would settle into life as a merchant in New Haven, as a bookseller and pharmacist. But young Ben had bigger horizons in mind, and began the life of a trader, often in command of one of the three ships he owned. Because British taxes threatened his livelihood, he joined a subversive group known to use violent acts and continued to smuggle goods in contravention of the legitimate government’s laws. He married the daughter of a local sheriff who used his position to shield Ben when it was necessary.

War broke out, and Ben found he could no longer be just a smuggler. He was elected as a Captain in the Connecticut militia and soon found that he was rising quickly through the ranks. In short order he was a Brigadier General, although his accomplishments were few. In fact, he was ordered to be arrested for stealing military goods during wartime. Yet even this did not prevent him from being appointed to the command of West Point. But as much as a year before, he had already plotted to change sides, for which the name “Benedict Arnold” has become synonymous with “traitor” in the American lexicon.

October 27, 2009 brings us to the tale of treason again by a man from Connecticut. This one goes by the name of Joe Lieberman, but there are more than a few similarities between these two men. Joe was the darling of the disaffected Democrats in 2000. He had been amongst the first legislators, and in fact was the first Democrat to publicly challenge Bill Clinton for his ethical lapses. This made him an easy choice for Vice President on the ticket with Al Gore, the sitting VP who was trying to distance himself from the President. Joe’s tale of treason begins however in the election of 2008. Elected as an Independent in 2006 after losing the Democratic primary, Joe continues to caucus with the Democratic Party and even retains a chairmanship (Homeland Security, where he has done nothing to investigate Blackwater ~ but I digress). He made open love to John McCain and Sarah Palin against the Obama-Biden ticket. But given the spinelessness of the Democrats in control of the Senate, even this could not cost him his position in the “Council of 60.”

Today, October 27, Joe has committed treason again. He has threatened to become the first Senator of a majority party to join the minority to filibuster a bill. Am I comparing this to Benedict Arnold, that other well-known treasoner from Connecticut? You bet I am! Why?

Benedict Arnold showed signs of being only on the side of himself even while on active military duty. He stole military goods and then, when passed over for a promotion he though rightfully his, he sold his soul to the devil for money and position. This is no different from Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut Senator who has taken in his career over 13MILLION dollars from health care companies. Although he promised to abide by the party’s rules in a primary challenge, which he lost, he still ran - and won- largely funded by those corporate health-care dollars. And today, Connecticut Joe paid them back. For $13million, Joe just threatened to side with those who seek to continue to kill Americans by denying coverage and health care.

Joe Lieberman is a traitor, not to the Democratic Party, but to the American People. He sold his vote. Benedict Arnold sold his commission to the British for £20,000 (in 1780 money) and had he been successful, who knows how many more Americans would have died, or if there would have even been an America. Joe Lieberman sold his senatorial vote for $13,000,000.00. We know that on average 122 Americans die EACH DAY due to lack of insurance.

I’ll say it again because I cant say it enough. Joe Lieberman is a traitor, just like that other infamous Connecticut man, Benedict Arnold. His words and his plans enrich only himself and cost Americans their dignity, their freedom and their lives.

I love it! The Weasel from Connecticut, when asked if he would be willing to lose his Chairmanship over this, answers "Oh God, No!"
A man of convictions wouldn't you say?

Let's bomb the Moon!

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 23:10:55 -0400

How exciting is this? Tomorrow we bomb the moon!

Check it out!

Sorry, but this just tickles the hell out of the nerd in me. When I think of all those summer nights this little 7 year old sat in the backyard watching the moon move across the sky, then July 20, 1969 and now this!

Water! There might be water on the moon! We could live there! Vacation there! Have a little cottage on Lake Luna, sit up all night drinking Tang and watching the earth rise! Oh I was born too soon!

UPDATE _ FRIDAY MORNING

Here is the 3 1/2 minute video of the hit. Not as much fun as watching precision bombing during the First Gulf War, but way more fun for us nerdy types.

UPDATE SATURDAY MORNING

^{Photo from Astonomy of the Day site}

The Dangerous Times We Live In

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 13:09:42 -0400

Here is a quiz. No awards for getting it right, but it is one single question you need to know the correct answer to:

“What is the single most dangerous thing facing American democracy today?” (Waiting as the Syncopated Clock theme from Jeopardy plays in the background)

Time's up. Turn over your cards.

You on the left – answer “Right wing lunatics bringing guns to public rallies.”

Sorry, wrong answer.

Right – you on the right, you answered “Creeping socialism”

Sorry, wrong again.

Centrists? “Global warming.”

Nyet. Oh sorry, that seems like a throwaway to those on the right. At least I didn’t answer “nein” and get the jackboot wackos all worked up.

Audience members – those of you who can be heard against the background noise of birthers, 9-11 truthers, grassy knollers (ok, I’m with you there) and alien abductees, please don’t shout. Don Pardo will walk the audience with a microphone.

The answer to “the most dangerous thing” question? Fascism. Not Islamo-fascism (whateverthefuck that is) Real live fascism. Coming to a government near you!

“When” you ask timidly?

As soon as the Supreme Court, lead by one of the leading corporate attorneys in the country, John Roberts, rules on Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission. For those of you less inclined to read the deeper materials, here is the Wiki for the case.

“Aw, come on, this cant be as important as stomping out the Taliban, can it?”

Yes, I am afraid it can. And it is.

“Why? How come?”

Because your vote will mean nothing (which, incidentally, is less than it means today), and your voice will be drown out. I am talking about your First Amendment voice. Fascism as described on the Library of economics and Liberty site is “socialism with a capitalist veneer.” Or perhaps you prefer the Wiki definition “Fascism comprises a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology and a corporatist economic ideology.”

In a nutshell, the Roberts Court has asked to review issues that have been settled precedent for some time now regarding corporate money in politics. The case revolves around a film made by a conservative group titled “Hillary: The Movie” which was an attempt to denigrate then Senator Clinton and influence the upcoming presidential elections, back when she was the expected nominee. The reason this is the most dangerous issue in America today is that you cannot find a single case where Roberts has ever ruled in favor of an individual against a corporation. And with a 5-4 conservative majority (I am sorry, Conservatives, to have to co-opt your name to be used with the far right fascists, but it is up to you to reclaim it) there is no real mystery where this one will come out.

Rather than rewrite the whole case, I’ve tried to provide a few links to help you understand this for yourself. Watching how much corporate money has flooded into the health care debate, and the effect it has had, I don’t think you can make a credible argument that corporations have an “equivalent level” of free speech as individuals. Corporate money in the political arena is corrosive. And if the health care debate doesn’t convince you of this, just wait until you see the energy lobby gear up for the next round of ads to defeat any meaningful alternative energy and global warming policies.

“A fascist is one whose lust for money or power is combined with such an intensity of intolerance toward those of other races, parties, classes, religions, cultures, regions or nations as to make him ruthless in his use of deceit or violence to attain his ends.”
Henry A Wallace, VP to FDR in 1944.

The Accidental Blogger

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:08:43 -0400

A little more than a year ago I tripped across Open Salon and its many fine writers. I have not regretted the time spent here cheering on, saluting, being pissed off, questioning and being entertained by so many.

My own writing, however, has left me a little cold. You see, I never intended to try to write, I just wanted to read and comment as I had been doing on so many other politically oriented sites. But OS is different, as different as there are stories to tell and storytellers to tell them. Once here, its hard not to want to try your hand.

Along with trying to keep my company afloat, finding time for my home life, taking classes and exploring vast quantities of wine, I have experimented with a few pieces of my own. They have mainly been political, as that's where my interest in communicating with a wider audience than my circle of friends lies, but there have been a few of a personal nature as well.

Because I joined thinking it was just to comment, I created this little play on my name, becoming Tim 4 Change rather than Time 4 Change (as some have referred to me as). This was not to hide my identity ~ rather it was just to refer to my overall feeling about the times we live in. A few of you with whom I have communicated or met know the name given to me by my dearly departed parentals.

Now, however, with the economy choking my business life, and no relief in site, with the start of another semester working towards the elusive degree that escaped me 35 years ago, and the realization that I cannot expect to really focus on writing worthwhile pieces for mass consumption (does 20 occasional readers equal mass consumption?) I have to admit that it is time for me to put this plaything away.

I intend to keep commenting. After all, being a commenter is like being a guerilla fighter; I can pick and chose where I plant my flag while husbanding my resources. And it will give me a reason to check in from time to time on my favorites (and they are legion! this is really a quality joint Joan & Kerry put up). But I am ending my blogging career, accidental that it was, until and unless the muses tell me otherwise.

Thanks to all who have read, and to all who have commented. Thanks even more to those of you who have contributed and/or continue to contribute your own pieces. I will still be reading.

_Ciao