It was only a matter of time, really, before some member of the far-right fringe performed an overt act of racism in their mindless fury about Barack Obama. Who could have guessed it would have oozed from an outlet owned by Rupert Murdoch?
On the left, pundits are incensed (and somehow shocked) about the New York Post's depiction of Obama as a chimpanzee that had been shot by police, conflating the stimulus package with a news story out of Connecticut. It is disturbing.
Cartoonist Sean Delonas made the usual half-assed apology, in the event that anyone was offended, and tried to say the chimp actually represented, um, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Mere words cannot adequately sum up what sort of man Delonas is; some bodily functions will suffice.
Conservatives, on the other hand, are up in arms about remarks recently made by Attorney General Eric Holder, who called Americans "cowards" for not facing up to whatever aspects of race relations he has in mind. This is also disturbing, but for all the white noise, it still does not make racism a two-way street.
In school, we were asked to consider whether America was truly a melting pot, the stuff sociologists' dreams are made of, or whether it was more of a "salad bowl" - a bunch of ingredients tossed together in hopes of well-roundedness. We still don't know.
Lost amidst it all is everything that matters. Racism is alive and well... Look at the recent jump in Klan enrollments. It's nothing new. Even so, Obama's election itself shows that the majority of the country has progressed to a better place, as one might expect seven score and four years after the Civil War.
Both Delonas and Holder would do better to lean in the direction of those prevailing winds. There is no need for Americans of any background to go kicking and screaming into the post-racial era. Fortunately, this ugly societal affliction seems to be fading with each generation, as most ugly societal afflictions tend to do.
It can't end, however, without a scuffle. The NAACP is now coming after Murdoch, not only to spank his Big Apple tabloid, but to break up his monopoly on television and radio as well. Again, opinions will differ as to whether this constitutes an attack on free speech or a long-past-due correction in media balance.
Looks like we're about to find out.
pH 2.23.o9
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Splurge
President Obama was in town today, to the delight of the minority of Arizonans, to discuss his plan to resuscitate the housing market. This bothers some conservative commentators, who accuse of him of continuing his campaign, as opposed to staying in Washington. They cluck about the burden on the taxpayers who have to pay for this whistle-stop American tour.
As usual, they have their shoes on the wrong feet. After all, Obama's predecessor did set the record for the most vacation time ever taken by a sitting president; at least the gentleman from Illinois is getting some work done.
However you may feel about his policies, Barack Obama has achieved one remarkable thing, that being the way we no longer think about the war in Iraq. Bush had "the surge". Obama has "The Splurge".
Whether the surge worked or not, Republicans will always seek to claim credit for success in the war in Iraq. (If a kid flunks third grade three times, should his parents throw him a party when he finally graduates?) Conversely, to the extent that it works, Democrats will be able to own The Splurge. The GOP, remember, wanted no part of it.
With this first stimulus bill being signed into law, the United States has committed more money to our flagging economy than we've spent on the war in Iraq in nearly six years. The shock and awe of that reality ought not distract us from Bush's disastrous errors.
Our troops are still being forced to act like cops, kicking in doors, handcuffing the bad guys. That's a waste of resources - let the Iraqis do that. The surge worked, remember? Get out of there already, and if their society can't deal with freedom after this much time has passed, is that really our fault anymore?
We should not be slogging through our seventh year of a pointless occupation of Iraq, and Afghanistan's significance is fleeting as well (at least as far as our national consciousness is concerned). Let the neighbors of those countries bear responsibility for their respective regional security, with clear consequences attached.
Whatever else Obama does with regard to our military, another thing should also be clear: The Commander in Chief calls the shots. Anyone in uniform who wants to argue policy differences with the White House, even if his name is David Petraeus, should be shown the door.
Americans overwhelmingly support a drawdown of troops in Iraq. We're funny that way. Call it "The Urge", and put in on top of the pile in our new president's in-box.
pH 2.18.o9
As usual, they have their shoes on the wrong feet. After all, Obama's predecessor did set the record for the most vacation time ever taken by a sitting president; at least the gentleman from Illinois is getting some work done.
However you may feel about his policies, Barack Obama has achieved one remarkable thing, that being the way we no longer think about the war in Iraq. Bush had "the surge". Obama has "The Splurge".
Whether the surge worked or not, Republicans will always seek to claim credit for success in the war in Iraq. (If a kid flunks third grade three times, should his parents throw him a party when he finally graduates?) Conversely, to the extent that it works, Democrats will be able to own The Splurge. The GOP, remember, wanted no part of it.
With this first stimulus bill being signed into law, the United States has committed more money to our flagging economy than we've spent on the war in Iraq in nearly six years. The shock and awe of that reality ought not distract us from Bush's disastrous errors.
Our troops are still being forced to act like cops, kicking in doors, handcuffing the bad guys. That's a waste of resources - let the Iraqis do that. The surge worked, remember? Get out of there already, and if their society can't deal with freedom after this much time has passed, is that really our fault anymore?
We should not be slogging through our seventh year of a pointless occupation of Iraq, and Afghanistan's significance is fleeting as well (at least as far as our national consciousness is concerned). Let the neighbors of those countries bear responsibility for their respective regional security, with clear consequences attached.
Whatever else Obama does with regard to our military, another thing should also be clear: The Commander in Chief calls the shots. Anyone in uniform who wants to argue policy differences with the White House, even if his name is David Petraeus, should be shown the door.
Americans overwhelmingly support a drawdown of troops in Iraq. We're funny that way. Call it "The Urge", and put in on top of the pile in our new president's in-box.
pH 2.18.o9
Friday, February 13, 2009
Death By a Thousand Cuts
As the last round of voting on the economic stimulus bill drew to a close, Americans came to realize that the Republican Party was perfectly satisfied with a broken economy. No matter how the majority bent to their childish will, it would never have been enough, and that might also be the case by the time the rubber hits the road.
The Democrats carefully negotiated their steamroller through the obstacle course, relying on three Senators from across the aisle to put the deal together. One was Arlen Specter, who just thinks there's a magic bullet for every problem. The other two were Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both moderates from Maine, who must have enjoyed the limelight after being kept in the dark for so long as to sprout growths.
The House vote reflected a familiar trend, with all 176 Republican members refusing to be part of the solution, just as they did in the first go-round. However, they bristle at the notion that they are the "Party of No". They're standing on their principles, they say, and they sound as sincere as they did about weapons of mass destruction all those years ago.
What they clearly stand for, in debate after debate, is tax cuts. That's what makes the stimulus vote such a curiosity since it was loaded with all sorts of procuratory relief. It must not have been the "right" kind (i.e., tax cuts for big corporations and top-one-percenters).
Observing their actions over the years, one can see that this elephant herd wil go to great lengths to reduce the amount of revenue collected by the federal government. For instance, over a million Americans have lost their jobs in the last couple of months. That's a tax cut. And wages have lost considerable ground to inflation in the last three decades. Shing!
Moreover, home values across the land have fallen, by more than half in some markets. That means lower property taxes. More than four thousand American troops have been killed in Iraq. That's a tax cut as well as a reduction in military spending. (Smaller government, remember?)
Closing the detainee prison at Guantanamo Bay will also save the taxpayers a bit of pocket change, but Republicans really don't like that. Forgive their discombobulation. It was a change election, and by their nature, they don't handle that well.
Americans, therefore, will be more likely than ever to tune out their loud and tired arguments. There's really no reason to listen anymore. These people refuse to compromise - they see it as a sign of weakness. They have no ideas other than the bad ones that put us in the hole in the first place.
The Democrats reached out so much that they had to have their tailors extend the lengths of their sleeves. Having been met with sheer obstruction and disdain, they can feel free to ram any legislation down the wide throats of the opposition, who simply will not have it any other way.
pH 2.13.o9
The Democrats carefully negotiated their steamroller through the obstacle course, relying on three Senators from across the aisle to put the deal together. One was Arlen Specter, who just thinks there's a magic bullet for every problem. The other two were Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both moderates from Maine, who must have enjoyed the limelight after being kept in the dark for so long as to sprout growths.
The House vote reflected a familiar trend, with all 176 Republican members refusing to be part of the solution, just as they did in the first go-round. However, they bristle at the notion that they are the "Party of No". They're standing on their principles, they say, and they sound as sincere as they did about weapons of mass destruction all those years ago.
What they clearly stand for, in debate after debate, is tax cuts. That's what makes the stimulus vote such a curiosity since it was loaded with all sorts of procuratory relief. It must not have been the "right" kind (i.e., tax cuts for big corporations and top-one-percenters).
Observing their actions over the years, one can see that this elephant herd wil go to great lengths to reduce the amount of revenue collected by the federal government. For instance, over a million Americans have lost their jobs in the last couple of months. That's a tax cut. And wages have lost considerable ground to inflation in the last three decades. Shing!
Moreover, home values across the land have fallen, by more than half in some markets. That means lower property taxes. More than four thousand American troops have been killed in Iraq. That's a tax cut as well as a reduction in military spending. (Smaller government, remember?)
Closing the detainee prison at Guantanamo Bay will also save the taxpayers a bit of pocket change, but Republicans really don't like that. Forgive their discombobulation. It was a change election, and by their nature, they don't handle that well.
Americans, therefore, will be more likely than ever to tune out their loud and tired arguments. There's really no reason to listen anymore. These people refuse to compromise - they see it as a sign of weakness. They have no ideas other than the bad ones that put us in the hole in the first place.
The Democrats reached out so much that they had to have their tailors extend the lengths of their sleeves. Having been met with sheer obstruction and disdain, they can feel free to ram any legislation down the wide throats of the opposition, who simply will not have it any other way.
pH 2.13.o9
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Waiting to Inhale
One has to wonder what will be the next inculcation from the bluenoses of America. God knows they're going to have a hard time selling anything like "Winners Don't Use Drugs" anymore, with that pothead Michael Phelps having won 14 gold medals in just two Olympiads.
By now the photo of Phelps sucking on a bong at a party somewhere in South Carolina has been viewed worldwide. He had to apologize, of course, especially with so much cash on the line in the form of endorsements.
The people at Kellogg's, though, are not into forgiveness. They were the first company to sever their relationship with this exceptional athlete. That's fine as long as Kellogg's understands that, with some 40 million Americans guilty of the same thing as Phelps, they might well be facing a boycott of their own.
After all, this is a company that produces sugary foods, like Froot Loops and Pop Tarts. They market these things to little kids in the exact same fashion that put Joe Camel in purgatory - colorful cartoon characters pushing stuff that's bad for you. They've also been reprimanded repeatedly by the U.K.'s Advertising Standards Agency for overstating the health benefits of some of their products.
Half of those who compete in professional sports, by the estimates of some athletes, partake in reefer madness. Standing tallest among them would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with six championship rings and six MVP trophies, the highest-scoring player in NBA history. What was that line about "winners"?
It bears mentioning that our last three presidents each smoked marijuana (as did, in all likelihood, many of the Founding Fathers). Bill Clinton was a Rhodes scholar. Barack Obama graduated first in his class from Harvard Law. Dubya, well, two out of three ain't bad.
None of this helps Phelps, who has been slapped with a token three-month suspension by USA Swimming. This comes just six months after they basked in his glory as he stood on a pedestal wrapped in freedom's flag.
They're probably worried about what the International Olympic Committee thinks. That'd be the same IOC that has been wracked by fraud and doping scandals in the recent past, whose list of corporate sponsors includes such prominent health-nuts as McDonald's and Coca-Cola.
And now the local redneck sheriff in this particular segment of South Carolina (the 7th unhealthiest state according to the latest CQ Press study and whose paramount cash crop is tobacco) wants to prosecute the world's greatest competitive swimmer. It is senseless, ridiculous, like the entire argument against cannabis has always been.
All of these people who are throwing stones at Michael Phelps today should really make better use of their glass houses. I'm thinking indoor gardening.
pH 2.o7.o9
By now the photo of Phelps sucking on a bong at a party somewhere in South Carolina has been viewed worldwide. He had to apologize, of course, especially with so much cash on the line in the form of endorsements.
The people at Kellogg's, though, are not into forgiveness. They were the first company to sever their relationship with this exceptional athlete. That's fine as long as Kellogg's understands that, with some 40 million Americans guilty of the same thing as Phelps, they might well be facing a boycott of their own.
After all, this is a company that produces sugary foods, like Froot Loops and Pop Tarts. They market these things to little kids in the exact same fashion that put Joe Camel in purgatory - colorful cartoon characters pushing stuff that's bad for you. They've also been reprimanded repeatedly by the U.K.'s Advertising Standards Agency for overstating the health benefits of some of their products.
Half of those who compete in professional sports, by the estimates of some athletes, partake in reefer madness. Standing tallest among them would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with six championship rings and six MVP trophies, the highest-scoring player in NBA history. What was that line about "winners"?
It bears mentioning that our last three presidents each smoked marijuana (as did, in all likelihood, many of the Founding Fathers). Bill Clinton was a Rhodes scholar. Barack Obama graduated first in his class from Harvard Law. Dubya, well, two out of three ain't bad.
None of this helps Phelps, who has been slapped with a token three-month suspension by USA Swimming. This comes just six months after they basked in his glory as he stood on a pedestal wrapped in freedom's flag.
They're probably worried about what the International Olympic Committee thinks. That'd be the same IOC that has been wracked by fraud and doping scandals in the recent past, whose list of corporate sponsors includes such prominent health-nuts as McDonald's and Coca-Cola.
And now the local redneck sheriff in this particular segment of South Carolina (the 7th unhealthiest state according to the latest CQ Press study and whose paramount cash crop is tobacco) wants to prosecute the world's greatest competitive swimmer. It is senseless, ridiculous, like the entire argument against cannabis has always been.
All of these people who are throwing stones at Michael Phelps today should really make better use of their glass houses. I'm thinking indoor gardening.
pH 2.o7.o9
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Note to McCain: Stimulate This!
Here's an interesting clip:
“This compromise is being blocked by the Senate (Minority) Leader who has refused to allow Senators to move forward and vote on amendments to this bill,” said the president. “I call on the Senate Minority Leader to end his blocking tactics and allow the Senate to do its work..."
Does that sound at all familiar? Perhaps Barack Obama is taking his struggle with the GOP over the stimulus package directly to the people, hmm?
No, that was actually George W. Bush a couple of years ago, when the 109th Congress was trying to get a comprehensive immigration bill passed. It was ironic then, given the roughshod treatment of Democrats through the first six years of his reign, but it's something worse than that in today's context.
Most folks already know this, but in case the paper-boy can't reach your penthouse, let me be the one to tell you that the U.S. economy is stuck in the privy. The important work at which our representatives now toil is being held up by those same Senate Republicans. The worst offender, naturally, is John McCain.
Like many of his partisan colleagues, Arizona's senior senator whines that Democrats are ignoring the reservations of his Party. He also accuses them of using the stimulus bill to go hog-wild on spending, and claims to be working on an online petition, cheerfully titled, "Vote No On The Stimulus".
It seems to me, as a constituent of his, that Americans already signed a big petition last year, called, "Vote No On John McCain" (and, by association, the Republican Party). He means well, but Obama is reaching out to a pack of snarling dogs - who don't have to be fed if they don't like the hand that does the feeding.
Sure, everyone wants to feel wanted, but being human speed bumps is at this point in time unacceptable. Since every overture is met with insincere conservative melodrama, the Democrats should go ahead and give them a trillion or so things to really cry about.
As for McCain, if his deliberate stonewalling bothers you (and it should), go ahead and tell him about your frustration. Ordinarily, I would advise you to be respectful to anybody in public office, but he's a Navy man. He can take it.
His office telephone number is (2o2) 224-2235.
pH 2.o3.o9
“This compromise is being blocked by the Senate (Minority) Leader who has refused to allow Senators to move forward and vote on amendments to this bill,” said the president. “I call on the Senate Minority Leader to end his blocking tactics and allow the Senate to do its work..."
Does that sound at all familiar? Perhaps Barack Obama is taking his struggle with the GOP over the stimulus package directly to the people, hmm?
No, that was actually George W. Bush a couple of years ago, when the 109th Congress was trying to get a comprehensive immigration bill passed. It was ironic then, given the roughshod treatment of Democrats through the first six years of his reign, but it's something worse than that in today's context.
Most folks already know this, but in case the paper-boy can't reach your penthouse, let me be the one to tell you that the U.S. economy is stuck in the privy. The important work at which our representatives now toil is being held up by those same Senate Republicans. The worst offender, naturally, is John McCain.
Like many of his partisan colleagues, Arizona's senior senator whines that Democrats are ignoring the reservations of his Party. He also accuses them of using the stimulus bill to go hog-wild on spending, and claims to be working on an online petition, cheerfully titled, "Vote No On The Stimulus".
It seems to me, as a constituent of his, that Americans already signed a big petition last year, called, "Vote No On John McCain" (and, by association, the Republican Party). He means well, but Obama is reaching out to a pack of snarling dogs - who don't have to be fed if they don't like the hand that does the feeding.
Sure, everyone wants to feel wanted, but being human speed bumps is at this point in time unacceptable. Since every overture is met with insincere conservative melodrama, the Democrats should go ahead and give them a trillion or so things to really cry about.
As for McCain, if his deliberate stonewalling bothers you (and it should), go ahead and tell him about your frustration. Ordinarily, I would advise you to be respectful to anybody in public office, but he's a Navy man. He can take it.
His office telephone number is (2o2) 224-2235.
pH 2.o3.o9
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