Site Presented By
Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Ezra Klein made a similar observation about the inclusion of Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson who is to deliver the Sunday invocation on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
This is, incidentally, why it's useful for progressives to criticize the president. Politicians respond to incentives. To noise. To anger. Warren, on some level, was a response to the loud protestations of evangelicals who believed the Democratic Party had no place for them. It's hard to see Robinson is anything but a response to progressive activists who sense that Obama was more willing to risk cross those who supported him than those who opposed him. Erase the anger from either side and it's not worth Obama -- or any president -- taking the risk to placate them. But this is a step in the right direction. This is genuinely inclusive. If it was the plan all along, the Obama administration sure did a good job keeping the secret. And if it wasn't, then equality activists have something to be proud of this morning. They changed the incentives.
[Emphasis mine.]
http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=01&year=2009&base_name=openly_gay_bishop_to_deliver_i
To make the claim that Obama "...made no mention..." of closing gitmo asap is factually incorrect.
I didn't say he made no mention of closing Guantanamo ASAP. I said he made no mention that he'd sign an Executive Order on the very first day in office directing that it be closed. That's what was leaked for the NYT article.
Saying you want to closing Gitmo "ASAP" is meaningless. Bush officials said that frequently.
Glenn wrote:
Do you think that those who want the CIA to retain "robust" interrogation and who want the federal surveillance state maintained, or want a hard-line towards Iran and a continuation of our Middle East policies, or who want to maintain corporate-lobbyist-domination of Washington, are sitting back saying: "it's not right to pressure Obama too much right now; give him some time"?
That's the best point I've seen made on the need to remain continuously vocal. There are lobbyists getting paid a lot of money to live in Washington DC and do this 24/7. They will do it behind the scenes... they will do it in the editorial pages of newspapers, and television news. They will get "weasel words" put into AP news stories to convey their messages to the people. They aren't going to let up, so why should anyone else?
The price of decent government is eternal vigilance by the people it serves. It is otherwise TOO EASY for politicians to skew policy in favor of those who pay to play.
I find it disturbing that people place all their naive hopes for re-shaping all national policies, from foreign to domestic, on one man
Indeed. I don't expect Obama to do anything without being forced - if it is truly the right thing to do. If it is the wrong thing to do, ie, status quo or obey the neocon masters of the universe (which is virtually the same thing as the Israel lobby as far as policy) he will have no problem doing that. In fact, Obama WILL do that as the default unless forced to do otherwise.
I don't trust any political criminal (they are ALL criminals in their core). At this point, I only trust in gold, bullets, and food stores. Anything beyond that, if it goes ethically/properly, is a surprise and probably happens by accident rather than original intent.
When I stated that the "reasonable application of appropriate pressure was unquestionably appropriate how did you get from that I was demanding that "Obama not critized?"
Let me be as clear as possible, I am advocating full-throated criticism of the Obama administration, when warranted. But it should be done soberly. Haven’t we had enough jumping up and down without empirical facts for the last eight years?
Apologies to all Obama (and Bush) justifiers--I'm pathologically cynical.
For instance--did anyone else note Bush's statement/answer about how he inherited a recession and he's leaving with a recession, like that was a badge of honor.
He failed to remember the budget had a surplus left by Clinton (oh, that was because Clinton gutted the defense budget, I hear).
Will the real Obama come forth, I'm worn out and jaded from too much teeth-chattering fear and snarling from the Bush era.
for a President who actually listens to people. It'll be a welcome change. Ramen!
Saying you want to closing Gitmo "ASAP" is meaningless. Bush officials said that frequently.
Absolutely. In fact, we already have a "new" Gitmo over in Afghanistan: the prison at Bagram Air Base. There are people being held there that were illegally kidnapped in other countries (US government criminals and their fellow travelers call it "rendition") and shipped into Afghanistan in order to try to avoid any oversight. They use the claim that the area is in an active combat zone so all the prisoners are legit war prisoners.
Bullshit. Anyone hauled in from outside the actual theater of combat ops is a political prisoner, NOT a combatant, illegal or otherwise. Be very suspicious. If Obama seems to easily segue into closing Gitmo, suspect it is pure political theater and that he is doing so only because he knows we still have at least another Gitmo (more likely several) in SW Asia.
Thanks for not only the quotes but the full context. Now that I know that FDR made that statement, so important to our current crises, to a bunch of Socialists, I feel much better about being called a leftie by the Obama team.
His "fear itself" quote needs a bully pulpit again, too. As does the document Eleanor pushed through at 3:00AM, six hours after the Convention Against Genocide became the first modern human rights covenant. The one that begins,
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,...
(my emphasis)
Now we need to make them do it.
This year, on August 12th, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 turn 60. May we get back to strengthening their hold, after a long period of neglect and abuse.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
219 Democrats and one Republican join in favor of the legislation, which passed by a narrow margin
Salon headlines in your mailbox
