Disqus - Latest Comments for runasim

Re: John Avlon: McCain’s Negative Ads Could Lose Independent Voters

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:29:51 -0000

I'm not independent in this race, as Obama is the president i've been waiting for, for most of my life. Although Obama has clear policy positions, he is more about process, off a better, more inclusive and more intellgient way to arrive at conclusions and resolutions. That's what I've been waiting for, and now it looks like I may never see it come to pass.

Regardless how I voted in the past, I never actively disliked the other guy (except for '04, by which time I was allergic to GWB). McCain, in particular, was a man I respected, and was sorry that some very primary policy issues would keep me from supporting him, Obama or no Obama).

With this campaign, however, the respect is gone for good, not because he might well defeat Obama, but because he brought politics back to that dirty arena which we were hoping to leave forever. He had a chance to deliveer on his promise to conduct a respectful debate about issues. Instead, he has delivered a campaign of nonstop attacks, distortions and promises he knows very well he can't keep.

I'm unspeakably disappointed in McCain, in our election process and the gullibility of the public.
At this point, I wouldn't vote for McCain if he was runnning for dog catcher.

Re: Jon Stewart Unleashes on McCain

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:24:54 -0000

Poor Hillary, so abused and misunderstood, when all she did was a little thing like give McCain his talking points. Ah, the humanity!

But I'm glad her name came up, because it just points out the similarities in political style between her and McCain: anything goes.

Anyone who fails to see the racial angle fails to realize that it's not aimed at those without racial prejudice. The targets are those in many parts of he country where the sight of a black man and white woman together is deeply disquieting. Even in cosmopolitan NYC, a bi-racial couple can be, and often is, the subject of undue attention. The sophistication just keeps reactions under wraps, that's all.

Re: Wal-Mart Warns Store Managers Of Democratic Party Win

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:48:13 -0000

On the subject of the post, I would give credence to the denials by Wal-Mart brass, but not more so than to the original leaks.
This wouldn't be the first time Wal-Mart played fast and loose with what it divulges about its behind-the-scenes activities.

I would also note, that Wal-Mart, like all corporaitons, knows extremely well how to work the system to their benefit. They get tax breaks and subsidies to do the 'righ thing', and that good fortune is funded by taxpayers, even their own employees.

Many a fortune has been built on the backs of the workers who want to unionize for self protection.

Re: Wal-Mart Warns Store Managers Of Democratic Party Win

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:37:55 -0000

When jwest speaks, it's child's play to guess the sources of her one-sided information. and lack of ablity to see beyond the interests of that one side. Anything outside the box is suspicious evil, etc. etc.

Unions, in their heyday, became corrupt and overstepped the bounds of what is equitable and now corporations are doing the same, in spades. But after all the broohaha, we are back at he age-old struggle between labor and management.
Because labor is currently week, this just points to the need for unions. There have to be two parties at the negotions table in order to have our economy make sense to more than the privileged and wealthy. Without upward mobility, our democracy is destroyed, and we become a banana republic.

So, let's stop with the rants and accept that we need more equitable agreements between labor (via unions) and management (via their money power).

Interestingly, universal health care would take much pressure off both sides.

Re: Gary Hart Wakes Up and Smells the Energy Coffee

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:44:49 -0000

Neocon,

Seeing that your family is in the oil business, your 'crises at the pump' nonstop advertisng should require a disclaimer on every transparently prejudiced comment.
I wish you and your family well, but not to the extent of being blind to your
self-interest.

Just like Sil's repeat comments with the same message eventually become overwhelmingly tiresome without becoming more convincing, so do yours.

Re: Fission, Fusion, Tomato, Tomahto, let’s call the whole thing off.

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:28:02 -0000

The one thing we can be sure of, I think, is that Iran is aiming to be a major power worldwide and a dominant power in the region.
To determine what their plans are to achieve that goal involves too much guessing, for my taste. All the analyses seem to assume either that they think like we think, or that Iran is incapable of strategic blunders, like we are.

With due deference to daveinboca's expertise and experience, sometimes a surplus of knowledge in one area (a tree) can lead to losing sight of a broader perspective (the forest). To the degree that it inspires an arrogant faith in one's own conlusions, it blinds to other sources of knowledge and other conclusions.

My own strong position is: I don't know.
They manage to keep their secrets very well, something more difficult to do in Western democracies, and that's their trump card in this game of 'chicken'.

Re: Arianna on The Huffington Post

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:52:02 -0000

"a site that, much like its namesake, exists more to promote itself than deliver real reporting."
describes the site and the lady exactly.

As for her politics, if the money were better in another camp, she would be writing a new book and joining her latest new cause in a heartbeat.

She's a sharp marketer, but not a deep thinker in other areas.

Re: Gary Hart Wakes Up and Smells the Energy Coffee

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:39:44 -0000

Jazz,
Aside from drilling, which part of McCain's energy policy do you find to be 'fleshed out'?
I would say his mention of alternative energy is much the same as the lip service GWB has been giving to this and related subjects througtout his presidency. To me it sounds like a strategy of deny, delay and starve, with the occasional verbal sop thrown in to appease the gullible multitudes.

Am I wrong, or are you seeing more fleshing out than there is?
This is sincere, not a rhetorical, question, btw.

Re: Gary Hart Wakes Up and Smells the Energy Coffee

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:48:58 -0000

The push for drilling makes no more (or less) sense after the 10th posting or article than it did after the first.

The effect of drilllling on gas prices remains as iffy and as small as it ever was. Gas prices are determined in global markets, by global supply and demand. Associating the price of gas directly with drilling in US territory is deceptive from the start and all the way to the end.
That it's being propogated by those in the business or those whose investment portfolio values depend on the oil business should be ringing a few alarm bells, but the most well intentioned commentators seem to lose their thinking caps when the energy issue comes up. The grip that the tobacco and auto industries had on US politics in the past are the prototypes for the grip the oil business has on US politics now. We don't learn much from the past, apparently. And we don't learn much from the government's own studies, which bear me out about the relation to gas prices.

McCain's conversion to drilling was a political decision driven by the urge to win, not by the impetus to develop a sound energy policy. By the magiciam's trick of associaitng pocket books (gas price) with drilling, he is swaying the public. The same public also thinks the US was attacked by Saddam of Iraq, resists accepting evolution, and has only the haziest knowledge about our own history and past policies. In fact, McCain is depending on the stupidity of the public, and it's working.

I had hoped that, for once, the intelligent, strategic policy would win, but I see that I'll be disappointed yet again. Money talks and oil money is flowing into McCain's campaign coffers and it will continue to flow whereever it needs to go to dominate policy decisions and to stifle competition.

Drilling itself isn't a bad thing, The side effects are dangerous, however.
We are at a cross roads, each direction leads to a long future, way past the first curve, after the territory of current conditions. We are already behind in developing alternative sustainable energy sources, so the first bad effect of drilling is that it detracts and distracts from what we should really be doing to prepare for the future. It lulls people into a false sleep of security. When they finally wake up, it may be too late. What about the costs involved for being late?

McCain's comprehensive energy policy will go the way of Bush's energy policy: all on the side for oil, and lip-service for alternatives, conservation or environmental concerns. I predict that because I don't see signs that he even understands his own policy. What is the effect of cap and trade on prices, for instance?

Go ahead, America, do the easy and dumb thing, instead of the hard and intelligent thing.

Re: Republican Opportunism

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:43:28 -0000

"What followed was a humanitarian mission to help Iraq establish a stable government free of terrorist and radical Islamic influence."

I can't believe this is a serious comment.
We smash someone else's country to smithereens, and then, out of the pure goodness of our hearts, we stick around to shovel some of the rubbish under the rug.
That rubbish includes terrorist and radical elements that weren't there before we broke the country, mind you.
How kind of us!

You know, if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.

Re: Republican Opportunism

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:31:56 -0000

if existing land leases are so useless for drilling, why were they sought and taken, and why haven't they been relinquished?

The drilling broohaha is a political trojan horse. And yes, the American people are stupid enough to fall for it. After all, they voted for Bush twice, supported a war without paying for it, gorged themselves on SUV's and personal debt and now demand cheap gas so they can do more of the same.

The flim-flam man wins every time.
The American people demand their own doom, and they'll likely get it.

Re: Republican Opportunism

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:19:47 -0000

"Some of us believe he did it in order to protect the country from a growing threat in a volatile area of the globe"

Increasing the threat is not the smartest way to protect against it..
Meanwhile, the threat was growing in Afghanistna, Paksitan, etc. it helps if you can read maps. .

Re: McCain Needs Version Two-and-a-Half Smear Ad

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:50:04 -0000

While McCain was preparing alternate attack ads involving the troops, the questions, again, are all about Obama.

Why isn't anyone here questioning the propriety of Mccain using the troops as foils for his campaign of smears? How is that honoring the troops McCain claims to love so much?

In this surreal juxtaposition of facts on the ground, I suppose if McCain shot Obama, it would be Obama's fault for getting in the way of the bullet..

Some folks need to get their own atttack mode minds in logical order.

Re: McCain Needs Version Two-and-a-Half Smear Ad

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:36:15 -0000

Marlowecan said:
"Obama made a judgment and it was not so good of a judgment."

Knowing that this was shaping up to be a political firestorm, instead of visit of respect to the troops, this was the most gentlemanly decision possible.
To honor the privacy of the troops, they had to be kept out of it.

I'm really sickened by the commentary treating this like a horserace. event.
if this is about the troops, Obama seems to be the only one thinking about the troops.

Re: Even if Bush isn’t impeached…

runasim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:13:31 -0000

About us, I agree with Loviatar. It's a surreal experience to read and hear Americans defending torture. How did we sink so low?

About Europe, I disagree with Marlowecan. The world is not so clearly divided between Left and Right, as he would always have it. Europe is a complicated patchwork of the left and the right, the past and the present, national ties and foreign inluences, shifting powers and alliances, dreams and fears. Russia is a real and present power, which can threaten and does so. Russian aristocrats (hardly members of the left), have been admired members of European society, and no one has ever asked them how many peasants slaved and died to provide the family jewels they inherited.

About Bush & Co., I think we would bring further shame on ourselves if we couldn't clean up our own mess in some fashion. Some manner of formal accounting has to take place - by us. But, as I stressed before, it shouldn't be done as punishment for individuals. It should be done as a restoration process for the office of he presidency, the primacy of the Constitution, and the reafirmation of the three equal branches of government. Deterrence is the watchword.

Re: Federal District Judge Rules White House Aides Are Not Immune from Congressional Subpoena

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:07:32 -0000

jwest,
I can't believe that you believe your own talking points.

This is just silly: "the democrats want to eliminate the concept of separation of powers"
As you well know, they want to restore three EQUAL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT, They wnat to ensure that not even a Democratic president can establish the kind of unitary execuitve that Bush-Cheney did. They want more transparency and less lawyerly smoke screens, no matter who the succeeding presidents turn out to be

"Ousting anyone with even the appearance of impropriety" only started when the GOP lost control of both houses, and their dirty linen was costing them votes. This came about the sane time the GOP disscovered fiscal responsibility and obstruction by filibuster.

Are Dems inherently better people? No. They screw up, too. .
But don't feed me silly lines that are fact checkable.
,
.

Re: Guest Voice: Honestly, is this the best that the liberals can do?

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:16:28 -0000

"Is this the best liberals can do?

Better question; is this the worst you could find.?
If so, you haven't been browsing blogs very dilligently.Try some on the Right, for a change of menu..

Re: Federal District Judge Rules White House Aides Are Not Immune from Congressional Subpoena

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:23:01 -0000

jwest,
What's your point? That every administration should be given a pass on accuntablility?
Is there any principle you care about higher than party loyalty?
That's a sad state to contempalte. :

BTW. the GOP already demonstrated what it would do for the sake of an attempted political assassiantion. Your threats come a tad too late.

if you'll notice, the Dems haven't come anywhere near playing tit-for-tat, much to their credit. Be grateful. Be very grateful.

Re: As Reagan was to Carter …

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:04:54 -0000

I love Obama's push back line.
Very clever and appealing.

Re: The Conservative Reformation: Final Thoughts … for Now

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:54:47 -0000

Pacatrue,
I feel we, the commenters on Pete's posts are on a carousel, going around and around the same concerns and quibbles.

To wit; wouldn't mandating your 'basic federal requiremsnts' also be a form of central government's intervention?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I read the DNS plan to be very fluid, with carrots and sticks interceding between mandatory requirenments and the laissez-faire of 'our inept government'.
Maybe reading a copy of Nudge would help, as well.

Re: The Conservative Reformation: Final Thoughts … for Now

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:33:46 -0000

Thanks, Pete!.

I wonder if Pat Buchanan would have dismissed the founding of the USA as 'just an ideological construct' and 'not rreal', if he'd been around at the time. His comments made me laugh.

It sounds like a good beginning for a good plan. If I'm not swooning, it's only because I've seen too many good ideas run up against insurmountable obstacles, and I've grown leery of new disappointments.

I especially like how the roles of central government and the members of the network are defined and interrelated.
It's really this final installment that explained the first two.

I'm still not sure how Goldwater fits in. I see him as the inspiration for the developtement of this current model, not as its prototype.

Re: Question: How Does Average Joe Deal with a Recalcitrant Media?

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:44:50 -0000

I think all the meida and most blogs have stopped caring what's right and what's wrong. .
What they like is attention and the revenues that generates. The best way to get attention is to stir up and maintain controversies.

Re: Why I’m still a great big fan of Cass Sunstein

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:29:35 -0000

"As for Kucinich and the fringe nuts -- there are better things they can do to themselves with their impeachment materials."

"Fringe nut' is an intellectually lazy insult that can be hurled at anybody, even the one making the above statement. Who but a fringe nut would take breaking Constitutional .law less seriously than swiping a candy bar at the deli.?
.
How times have changed! When Nixon was impeached, his own party broke ranks to do the right thing. Now, the right thing is defined purely by whether it hurts friend or foe, benefits me or someone else.

The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire has such poignant parallels.
Consider the Fall stage.

Re: Why I’m still a great big fan of Cass Sunstein

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:12:03 -0000

Loviatar.
First, I said :"Greenwald AND many progressives" . clearly making a distinction between them. I don't know where he is in the political spectrum.

Second, if you follow the source material and my comment. you will find NO CLAIM that .calling for adherence to Constitutional law and accountability are symptoms of being in a polarizing political box. That's either your misunderstanding or your invention.

The topic for discussion is how to go about it. Many a noble pursuit has brought ruin and destruction because of a misguided manner of execution.
Unforseeen consequences can occasionally be excused, but in this case, there are clearly foreseeable and detrimonious consequesnces that could and should be avoided.

Articles of Impeachment, as they pertain to an individual, are allegations. To have a successful impeachment, you need clear, irrefutable proof. The proof must be so strong that it can overpower the inevitable defense arguments, and those there would be many, believe me.
After all, Bush had lawyers advising him at every step.
When arguing law, things are not as clear as we would think, btw. That;s why there are 9 in the SCOTUS , not 8 or 10. Even the Constitution is subject to interpretation.

Impeachment is about as serious an undertaking as there can be for a country.
To try and fail would be devastating, and that's why extre care and caution are necessary instead of a hot-headed rush into the fray.

Even assuming, a successful impeachment of Bush while he is in office, what would be the result? Either Cheney would serve out the term or Cheney, too, could be impeached, causing a crisis of goverment of unprecedented proportions. Those are not very good prospects for a country fighting two wars, contemplating a third and gripped by such partisanship that it is ripping the country apart as it is.

If an impeachment is to do more good than harm, it can't be approached as revenge against individuals. It has to be handled as the resittution of the proper role of the the presidency and the three equal branches of government.

The importance of not having even the appearance of political partisanship is that this being the second impeachment in a row, we could easily enter into a sequence of successive impeachments as political revenge. The law can always be twisted by political hack lawyers to justify such actions, just like it was twisted by Bush's lawyers. to justify what he did.

No. This takes very careful thinking through all the way to future consequences, not only the immediate. And that's where Greenwald and the progressives fail, IMO.They don't' give enough consideration to the HOW and the consequences of a particular strategy.

It can be done, but only with the proper care and caution, or we could all regret it. .

Re: Denver? Or is this Tombstone?

runasim — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:26:34 -0000

I don't quite trust Hillary.
I saw a video clip of her on a progressive blog (not a PUMA, but the blogger is a woman) and her message was: It's me. I'm the one, the only one, taking care of you. .
She purposefully encourages a kind of neurotic dependence on her.
The responses were sickening, like little girls with a crush on their gym teacher.

That's the opposite of what feminism should inspire: not dependency, but a can-do spirit. There is something deeply, deeply wrong with some of Hillary's female fans, and I'm not sure she's above exploiting them for her own benefit.