Re: Maybe we were all fooled – and President Obama really is just the best Republican President in the last 50 years.

It seems to me that the far right not only took over the republican party, they have taken over the democratic party as well.

A friend of mine reminded me that Clinton said "We are now all Eisenhower republicans". It also seems to me that In effect, Clinton was saying the democratic party was now a branch of the republican party.

I need to modify my own post. 'Tell the Republicans they have' should be replaced with 'Tell the Presdent and Congress that Americans want them to vote for one of'

So the choices are for all those involved to support Americans!

What if, knowing that the Republicans will be against anything the president supports, that is why the Pres is approving of the gang of 6 offerin? That way he looks like he is willing to negotiate, yet the Republicans will stubbornly refuse to agree to anything he agrees to.

Just a thought

Rupert's propaganda machine was instrumental in building the support required in the USA and UK to allow Bush and Blair to fight their illegal war in Iraq. In hindsight it was a Murdoch/FOX war. Peace

A modest proposal -

Given that the Tea Partiers oppose "wealth redistribution" and given that much of the federal tax wealth is re-distributed from the wealthier Blue states to the poorer Red states, let's add a restriction to the current negotiations that requires that federal funds are distributed in proportion to their collection. Let's make the tea partiers put their money where their mouth's are.

And let's give it an apple-pie name like: "The Ending Unfair Wealth Redistribution Act"

Dear God, please raise our country up more than she can be!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofYrt9ymTRo

I wouldn't say he's a Republican, but my 97 year old mother may well have been right when she said he was cool and detached. The way I see it, in 2008 America wanted a Captain Kirk. Someone of action who would take big steps to turn this country around. Instead we got a Mr. Spock. This is a man who mistakenly thinks logic and reason can win emotionally-based arguments.

Wow, did you express this well! Thanks. I also wonder why the Progressive Caucus budget is not getting more press. It has the endorsement of so many respected and diverse individuals/organizations. Hey Thom, I know your listening.

I've been saying for years that Clinton was the best Republican since Eisenhower and if the above quote is right, I am the least suprised guy in the room.

Both parties are selling us down the river. Obama could have stopped all this bs years ago by consistently trashing the Bush /Cheney Presidency . He should have had an attack dog threatning to arrest the two lying bastards. That would have kept the Republicans at bay and prevented them from taking over Congress at the mid term election.

As I said before the Obama election of 08 on my now world famous bumper sticker

"Salt and Pepper

or Vinagar and Crackers"

we loose both ways.

Sorry, but I told you so

2020Whalen

I have always said that Bill Clinton was our best Republican president in my lifetime. I definitely think that Barack Obama has him beat. We the American people, are obviously better able to agree than the corporate politicians. That really does scare them. If only we will get a Candidate and a majority to agree to the basic steps necessary for average Americans ( the vast majority) to thrive. Then WE can primary him/her. We must find a basic cohesiveness and a will to rally. We can agree on the important things. Please lets "get rid of the bums" and build upon that. No more money in politics is a great start and our best chance.

"Maybe we were all fooled – and President Obama really is just the best Republican President in the last 50 years."

Right on, Mr. Hartmann, Right on!!

I truly wish it wasn't so but how many times do you have to kick a dog before that dog realizes his master is not his friend. Obama may be owned by his masters but the rest of can see what is plain as day that he is being used in the class war against the majority of Americans. Wouldn't it really be something if Obama surprises us all and decides not to seek reelection?

Gary Green: Can't we all just....get along? I'm an atheist and I can take it. Gerald is not our enemy...we have one very important thing in common...we are on the same side of the class war that is being waged against us.

The history of this country has been nothing but class war. The politicians (R or D) are all playing to their constituents, and so we must defend both. They've been good about keeping us happy by providing us with false promises. However, capitalism is cannibalistic in nature, it is like an addict who will do anything for that next fix. Apparently, many wells have run dry and now they're after the retirement money! What the people of this country (not GE or Verizon, etc...) pay for with tax money. Boycott is a great idea, but much more will have to happen in order to get satisfying results like: health care for all, the end to our oversea wars, the end to the drug war, a fully functioning and vibrant education system, and a home (Earth) that is safe and clean and can provide life and joy to the generations to come. But, like I said, this is going to have to be a struggle for the history books.

The idea just occurred to me that...what if Obama really is...on our side...and his big master plan is to go along with the Republicans..knowing that it will lead to such ticked off people that they will be compelled to even riot in the streets and, perhaps, start boycotting or doing something more active than just voting every 4 years and complaining. This may be giving Obama way too much credit...but it would be pretty devious and brilliant IF the alternative way of butting heads with the Repubs all these years would not have gained much. But, aside from that flight of fancy, I digress back into my original beliefs which seems to be what a lot of people are starting to believe...that Obama has just been selling us out.

levin.the.dude: ". Boycott is a great idea, but much more will have to happen"
Agreed...but you gotta start somewhere...and without getting into too much violence...in fact, none at all...a boycott is a lot better than just complaining. It is doing something that puts the visceral hurt on the people who are hurting us.

I agree that they have tried to keep us all happy and entertained (diverted)...the Romans used to keep their people diverted from their problems by throwing people to the lions in the Colosseum and Gladiators killing each other in the arena. Maybe our ruling elite will get around to that sooner or later as well. Nothing like watching someones bowels being ripped apart by a lion to make you forget about your little problems...like hunger...or where you will find shelter for the night. But I guess Nancy Grace will have to do for now!

Al-Kubra wa Al-feel (The Lark and the Elephant)
from an ancient Persian Tale:
One day an Elephant, thinking he was so big and powerful that he ruled without question, trod down a path not particularly watching where he was going. As he often staggered off the path, he managed to destroy the little animals and birds that he couldn't help stepping on. He didn't care because he was king and he was heartless as the little things cried out in agony.

Every day he would take this path to the watering hole and along the way he carelessly stepped on other little birds and animals.

One day he stepped on the nest of a mother lark who had laid her newly hatched eggs in with cheeping little ones awaiting the mother's return to feed them.

The horrified mother Lark was horrified and really, really ticked off and began making her plans to do something about this lumbering, arrogant, murdering bastard of an elephant. She called all the animals and birds together and they made their plans.

The next day, they were ready. As the elephant came down the path, the crows launched their attack..and pecked out his eyes blinding him. The elephant continued down the path and thinking he was at the water hole, because the frogs had been stationed around the hole rather than the pond, fell into a deep hole dug by the beavers and gophers. The Lark flew over and spoke to the Elephant...you thought you were too big and powerful and that we were too weak...what do you think now, Mr. Elephant?

The moral of the story...You are really not too big to fail! Just look at Rupert Murdoch now! Let's do the same thing to those who believe they are too big to fail. But lets first use one that thinks it is too big to fail as a tool to squash those other right-wing businesses. Yes, it will certainly help Walmart, in the short term, till the laws are brought back and enforced... which will eventually force even Walmart to comply.

Well, that was a kind of bastardized version from what I could remember. The actual story is part of a larger work of ancient related Persian and/or Indian tales (Panchatantra) that found it's way into Arabic literature in the Tales of Kalila wa Dimna that are recursive in nature...IE: one tale seems to lead to another and then makes references back to previous characters in previous tales...tales within tales. Found a copy.
Here's a more accurate version:
http://www.sunna.info/Lessons/islam_1353.html

Palindromedary: Due to the intense heat I delayed my after work-workout and was briefly online early hoping it would cool down.....notttttt.....anyway I survived! I like your boycott idea and would also encourage everyone if they have any savings or equitys to deposit into local nonprofit credit unions.

What about organizing more recalls across the country? I'm thinking about getting a group together to run a big ad in the local paper to expose how my tea-bag rep "Hanna" has voted against all of our best interests and then try to get a recall going as soon it's possible to do it. I wish I had more time, I really think thats one factor that really helps the rich guys, they know most of us working people are too busy to fight back.

Yeah, I think Obama is playing chess while the republicans play checkers. Problem is, Obama is playing chess against US, not against the republicans. The problem is, if he finishes this game and screws us out of social security, medicare, and medicaid, how many Americans will ever trust the government again? How many people will quit voting democrat? Lots. And how many of the people who quit voting democrat, will vote republican? Almost none, because the republicans are clinically insane. So, where does that leave us? What choices are they leaving us? Starve to death while being homeless and sick and not able to afford medical care or drugs? That sounds like a good option for loyal, patriotic Americans. The rich can watch us die on tv, from their gated communities. That should amuse them.

America and Americans would benefit more from being like Ian.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Play-of-the-day-Selfless-young-fan-returns-ball?urn=mlb-wp13421

Here is one of the Beatitudes.

Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. Is my life on this earth focused on the life to come?

Hopefully, born again Christians may want to read the Bible more carefully.

Liar's Poker, maybe!

The State of Florida must have very stupid people. The Orlando district let this man go from public office.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-grayson/how-to-save-2-trillion_b_905066.html

He is a man for all seasons with ideas!

For answers to our problems we need to turn our eyes upon Jesus!

http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_6682/alan-jackson/tpx_1158430

2959-10k: Just don't know, of course, until it comes out...if it ever does...or if there is anything to come out. Most people are not without fault for something that others are very ready and willing to condemn. There are not too many people who can be the Jesus-like cult figure of perfection that is expected of a politician. In the US, as in a lot of Levant-inspired or leaning countries where guilt is a big part of their mentality, the bar is set pretty low for what is acceptable and what is not. But then this creates many hypocrites who seem to relish condemning others for things they also do..or can't do...or are too meek to do themselves..and are jealous of those who have...but then relish that those who have...are going to burn in hell. It is quite unfortunate, however, in my view, that our attention is diverted so much by these high-expectations...but once the guilt or shame mechanism is used by one side it is bound to be used by all the other sides without end. Some people are more relativist but still, out of self preservation, are forced to into the more moralistic public facade. Look at what happened with Bill Clinton....Many of us progressives are not happy that he buckled under to the Republicans in the Glass-Steagall repeal...but many of us were/are not so condemning for his sexual actions.

The Republicans, big hypocrites that they are, made such a fuss that they managed to trumpet pornography-like news media to many younger ears that they, under other circumstances, had someone else done it, would have burned anyone to a stake for having done the same thing.

There's a lot of seething, tempestuous, hatreds and condemnations afoot by a lot of small-minded, moralistic, quid nuncs who get their jollies by ruining other people. I know I get mine every time I fantasize Bush being convicted of War Crimes...but then being responsible for the mass murder of so many people by lying us into a needless and illegal war, and the deprivation of masses of fellow Americans by wrecking the economy is far, far greater crime than some little sexual tryst in the White House...which really wasn't a "crime" at all.

I am through with Obama. It is true that I define myself as a Social Democrat, however I am fiscally conservative, with several viewpoints that are center and even right of center. In other words, I am well educated, thoughtful, well informed and I verify my facts unlike many from the other side.

That being said from the very beginning I have been cautious and concerned regarding Obama due to early remarks he made when he was running back in 2007 like that he greatly admired Ronald Reagan; specifically he admired his framework for cutting the government that had grown too large and unaccountable. Of course for progressives and liberals and most real economists around the world we all know that Ronald Reagan's approach which has been carried out now for about 30 years has been a disaster for the majority of the population of this country and the world. This is not the first time we (and many others), have tried this ridiculous theory, (this theory was responsible for the Panic of 1896 to name just one), and all real economists and businessmen know that to make profits one has to have customers with MONEY TO BUY YOUR PRODUCTS. Unfortunately every society, once mature, gets an upper class that is both greedy and incompetent and ultimately either becomes responsible for the societies destruction or for civil war/revolution. This was exactly the case with our country and England and now we are right back in the same situation again.

Obama has said most of the right things in this debt ceiling farce like the Bush tax cuts need to expire as was promised by the Republicans when they originally passed them (a vow incidentally they made to the American people but they have no problem breaking as opposed to the vow the made to one man, Norquest, who they hold MORE IMPORTANT and above ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS COMBINED evidentally). But Obama has (like his "Idol" Reagan wanted to cut the social safety net which as I stated above is the WRONG thing to do in this and any economy since if people have less money they cannot buy products from business and business fails. Econ 101. But cutting the safety net in not what the population, the majority wants. We are a Democracy and therefore even more than other governmental systems the politicians are supposed to do what the majority wants or at least what is best for the majority. But both parties are no longer nor have they been for some time serving the interests of the people. They are instead serving the corporations and their Board Members which is the true & original definition of Fascism. This government, judicial branch, media giants, corporate giants, law enforcement, attorney generals, insurance companies, banking systems etc., are unbelievably corrupt. We the people have no voice. Our leaders do not listen to us. Our leaders do not prosecute themselves nor their corporate counter-parts for their many crimes. Our media consistently misleads or outright lies. The corporations do not pay taxes but consistently tell us they're paying "too much." The rich keep telling us they need to pay less and get more so they can give us more jobs and pay and benefits when all those things have been consistently decreasing for 30 years for us (98%) but increasing for them.

Obama promised to but hasn't: stopped the Iraq & Afganistan wars; closed Guantanamo Bay; stopped the Bush Tax Cuts: Stopped CIA Rendition; protected Social Security, Medicare, Medicade; got us Single Payer; Protected low medical insurance costs; stopped the highly illegal Patriot Act; protected Insurance payments (ERISA legislation has been rendered completely lame by new legislation that allows insurance companies to stop any payments for any reason and even a jury or a judges decision is not enough to override the Insurance Companies decisions); has not prosecuted ANY bankers, mortgage companies, politicians, oil companies, coal companies, media companies, politicians, judges, just to name a few of the many clearly corrupt, criminal "entities" that have surfaced over the last 3 years.

Obama is no better, in fact, I argue he may be worse than Bush due to the fact that many think he his fighting for them he just always somehow fails to deliver at the last minute. It is time for thoughtful Progressives to organize a third party. The Democrats are only Republican "lite." They are just as corrupt as the other party just not as obvious. This country needs to be completely overhauled NOW. In a decade or two the infrastructure of this country will be that of a third world country and is already there in some cases. But the Republicans, Democrats & Corporate Leadership are intent on ensuring that 85% -90% of this country are impoverished which means there will be zero funds to rebuild the infrastructure which is what we should be doing NOW. Do you think these greedy, incompetent, rich, upper class "non-leaders" who are stealing us blind now and raking in record profits but refusing to pay a single dollar in taxes are going to start magically paying in ten or twenty years when our bridges, roads, and electrical systems are failing? No. they will simply move their business' to a more profitable country.