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News & ArtsWednesday, March 11, 2009
Politics Re: Try to Contain Your Shock
Posted by Charles Mudede on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Bristol actually broke up with Levi more than a month ago, is not attending school and rarely lets her baby daddy see their young son. Mercede also says Bristol even told him that she hates him and, when she learned she was pregnant, wished the baby wasn't his.
The split is not a minor matter; it is a considerable part of the wreckage that's piling up to the sky for the GOP. We must not laugh at the Bristol/Levi situation but take it very seriously and, ultimately, use it to add even more pressure to the contradictions that are stressing the GOP's hegemonic bloc. The party itself is going to split between those who know what it is really about—which is not Christian values, or patriotism, or bootstrap capitalism—and those who never even cared about those values in the first place, and were far more concerned about maintaining a connection between political power and the power of the rich. Without the GOP, the rich have no direct access to political power in its democratic form—but the base of the party, the political power, the demos, is more and more out of touch with the current source of economic power, the global economy. And so what we have is a party that is not about Christian values, the moral majority, and all of that nonsense, but, as Palin's loud and obnoxious rallies exposed this fall, white isolation. The Bristol/Levi situation shows that the whole value thing is nothing more than a cover for some very ugly and primal politics; and the rich are going to find it harder and harder to associate their power with that kind of politics, particularly in a world that has globalized its wealth. The split of the GOP will be a good thing for the whole world.
1
Of course, if white isolation ever finds an articulate spokesperson for its grievances, we could be in trouble again. It's not quite Palin, and it's not quite Limbaugh, but it's somewhere in between. Never underestimate the power of pent-up grievance. And, unfortunately, American have no memory or attention span, so they can be and will be tricked again, and again, and again.
2
"Without the GOP, the rich have no direct access to political power in its democratic form"
Are you really that stupid, negro? Do you mean to imply that Obama, Biden, Pelosi, and every other democrat in the federal government actually are not multi-millionaires? Are you trying to say that all those Hollywood liberal actors and film directors are not multi-millionaires?
How are you even smart enough to wipe your own ass?
Are you really that stupid, negro? Do you mean to imply that Obama, Biden, Pelosi, and every other democrat in the federal government actually are not multi-millionaires? Are you trying to say that all those Hollywood liberal actors and film directors are not multi-millionaires?
How are you even smart enough to wipe your own ass?
3
"white isolation" - well, since blacks, who make up only about 13% of the USA, are responsible for over 52% of all murders and over 34% of rapes, then "white isolation" starts to sound like a pretty good idea.
4
The republican base could care less that these kids didn't get married or stay together. It was never about "family values". It was about not having an abortion. That is one of only two (2)values that this wacked-out constituency has: Never-ever getting an abortion, and opposition to gay rights. That's it. That's all they have. Good luck with that.
8
honestly bristol palin's life has nothing to do with the splitting of the GOP. I hope my sarcasm meter needed to be turned on.
9
I'm getting so sick of the fucking racists here. COMMENT REGISTRATION NOW, PLEASE. Like you've had on Blogtown for almost a year now!
10
@3, i'm a marxist not a democrat, one; two, a look at the recent history of the republican party and labor unions will show you why i'm smart enough to wipe my ass.
so, please, do not mess with a thinking negro. get that in your head.
so, please, do not mess with a thinking negro. get that in your head.
12
@4, or at least lying about ever having an abortion yourself or about your daughter having one - and then doing everything in your power to make it illegal for everyone else, because you know what's best for all of womankind.
13
kesh@6, other old timers:
Here's my theory. Some fucked up right wing web site linked to the SLOG a ways back- probably during "Dumbledore=Gay," which was the first time I saw all these mouthbreathers. And having discovered the motherlode of all that they hate (liberal, urban, gay, you name it) they now take a sadomasicistic delight in posting here. Perhaps if we link to something even more liberal, more urban, and/or more gay they'll move on to that?
Here's my theory. Some fucked up right wing web site linked to the SLOG a ways back- probably during "Dumbledore=Gay," which was the first time I saw all these mouthbreathers. And having discovered the motherlode of all that they hate (liberal, urban, gay, you name it) they now take a sadomasicistic delight in posting here. Perhaps if we link to something even more liberal, more urban, and/or more gay they'll move on to that?
14
I don't buy the idea that the GOP is the only party of the wealthy, but for many years it basically was an alliance between regressive taxers and reactionary populists.
The Democratic Party also answers to the wealthy and connected, and I'm sure most of us (I don't include the trolls in "us") have many problems with specific policy issues. But the implosion of the right that Mudede sees in this bit of gossip is definitely demonstrating the voting bloc the Democrats have never sought: the reactionary, pitchfork-carrying brigade of fearful citizens.
The Democratic Party also answers to the wealthy and connected, and I'm sure most of us (I don't include the trolls in "us") have many problems with specific policy issues. But the implosion of the right that Mudede sees in this bit of gossip is definitely demonstrating the voting bloc the Democrats have never sought: the reactionary, pitchfork-carrying brigade of fearful citizens.
15
@ 10 Oh yes - Marxism will work one day, when the right LEADERS are put in to power! Tens of millions of dead victims of Marxism and its ideological children were just the stepping-stones to getting the right LEADERS, because everyone knows we need LEADERS!
16
The dumbass denial of you naive Seattleites only makes me harder.
Go hang out at 23rd and Jackson or move to Detroit.
Go hang out at 23rd and Jackson or move to Detroit.
17
I'm pro-abortion because it means millions less black future criminals brought into the world every year.
18
Uh...I thought that blatantly racist comments would be deleted? Can someone in tech support please delete this filth?
19
There clearly is an implosion going on right now; I'm just not sure I can identify exactly why it happened. There's more to the story than the fact that they've lost two elections in a row - badly. It's the underlying reason why they've lost two elections in a row.
They're out of touch with the majority of this country on so many levels that I don't even know where to start making the list. Abortion, drugs, distribution of wealth, hypocrisy, religion, God, it just goes on and on.
Yes, there are rich Democrats, but you don't hear them screaming about the tax increase, now, do you?
As for the trolls, I hope they continue hanging around. They might actually learn something.
They're out of touch with the majority of this country on so many levels that I don't even know where to start making the list. Abortion, drugs, distribution of wealth, hypocrisy, religion, God, it just goes on and on.
Yes, there are rich Democrats, but you don't hear them screaming about the tax increase, now, do you?
As for the trolls, I hope they continue hanging around. They might actually learn something.
20
Yeah, somebody get rid of @2,3,5,16, and 17 ...
Methinks they see their own hypocrisy and lack of personal morals in the mirror and are trying to project their self-hate onto others, Charles.
Methinks they see their own hypocrisy and lack of personal morals in the mirror and are trying to project their self-hate onto others, Charles.
23
Charles,
I do disagree with you (I don't see why the Bristol Palin/Levi Johnston affair is relavent at all to the GOP. I'm also dubious of the source). But, I find the invective racial or otherwise hurled at you quite deplorable. Keep writing.
I do disagree with you (I don't see why the Bristol Palin/Levi Johnston affair is relavent at all to the GOP. I'm also dubious of the source). But, I find the invective racial or otherwise hurled at you quite deplorable. Keep writing.
24
@20 methinks someone is trying to deny reality because they are a naive sheltered white liberal Seattleite living in one of the whitest cities in the USA.
25
@2 and others in the "rich" argument: If you really think that actors or public servants with a few million are "the rich", you are just as deluded as those with the real money and power in this country want you. Those folks have pocket change compared to the real money in this country and, more importantly, outside of this country but exercising their power here in order to keep business running as they need it to.
Does this sound like some sort of Illuminati conspiracy theory? Yes. But it's true.
Does this sound like some sort of Illuminati conspiracy theory? Yes. But it's true.
26
19 Republican politicians have suffered deserved reversals because they have strayed from the core principles of the GOP you cite.
No Democratic President for half a century has been elected or successful unless he accommodated those values and moved toward the center. Clinton was a master. Carter not so much (his perceived Moderate Southernness got him elected, his refusal to govern that way led to his failures) Obama will be successful to the extent he learns the lesson, so far he shows signs of being a slow learner.
The GOP will recover when he returns to it's core values. Until it does it will and deserves to stay in the wilderness.
27
OK, Stranger, please tell me you have another source of information for this story other than fucking Star magazine. What does the Weekly World News have to say about it?
28
@ 25 - you obviously don't even realize that you just destroyed your own argument. These super-rich you refer to have absolutely no need for "direct access to political power." They ARE the power. The politicians NEED them. Not the other way around.
29
@24
Seattle Liberals are comfortable with the idea of Negroes as long as they don't personally have to deal with the reality.
Seattle Liberals are comfortable with the idea of Negroes as long as they don't personally have to deal with the reality.
30
The country is in the midst of remaking itself. It is first time in fifty years that we have a chance to put a few things right that have been askew. Like all the money at the top and the rest of us without decent healthcare. Or fewer people to put in prison because of the elimination of unworkable and draconian drug laws. Or stopping religion from undermining peoples rights in the name of "morality" which is nothing more than a phony, money grubbing scam. Republican's are in a tizzy because nobody believes their lies anymore. Obama will prove he's up to the job and defy the naysayers and right wing gasbags that are trying to undermine him and our country. And YES, Republican's are racist and have been appealing to racists and for that reason they will fail.
31
@28: So long as we have a democracy -- and I think we came a hair's breadth away from losing that with Cheney and still could with the way the Repubs are doing all in their power to submarine the democrats' attempt to get the country back on track -- even the super-rich have to jump through some political hoops. They may buy off a bunch of pols, but it's not their ball yet.
32
If you look at the recent history (past 100 years about) of this country's politics, it looks like a cycle of:
1. The republicans letting corportions get so powerful that they trash the whole economy.
2. At which point the democrats have to step in and clean up the mess.
3. Then people start complaining about taxes and try republican again.
And go back to #1.
1. The republicans letting corportions get so powerful that they trash the whole economy.
2. At which point the democrats have to step in and clean up the mess.
3. Then people start complaining about taxes and try republican again.
And go back to #1.
33
You are all a bunch of naive retards if you think that Obama is not run by the same people who ran Bush.
34
"Without the GOP, the rich have no direct access to political power in its democratic form"
Really, the idea that Democrats are immune to the influence of wealth and power is horribly naive. We may have a populist leader now (though I wouldn't say he's immune to it either) but you can't say that the party isn't also heavily influenced by wealth. Not to the extent of the GOP but certainly heavily influenced. When Obama's gone in 8 years or if he starts to bend the Dem's will fall into it just like the GOP did. Don't get complacent on holding politicians to account just because the politicians are now Democrats.
@#5,
your suggesting isolation as a cure for isolation. The post was implying that more integration would be a good thing, not less.
Really, the idea that Democrats are immune to the influence of wealth and power is horribly naive. We may have a populist leader now (though I wouldn't say he's immune to it either) but you can't say that the party isn't also heavily influenced by wealth. Not to the extent of the GOP but certainly heavily influenced. When Obama's gone in 8 years or if he starts to bend the Dem's will fall into it just like the GOP did. Don't get complacent on holding politicians to account just because the politicians are now Democrats.
@#5,
your suggesting isolation as a cure for isolation. The post was implying that more integration would be a good thing, not less.
36
"You haven't posted on Elena Basescu yet?"
Yeah, she's white, and looks like she might fuck horses. Sounds right up your alley, Mudikde!
Yeah, she's white, and looks like she might fuck horses. Sounds right up your alley, Mudikde!
37
Didn't anyone hear that Bristol caught Levi having sex with her mom Sarah and freaked out. That's what caused the breakup. I got sources inside.
39
This sentence: "The party itself is going to split between those who know what it is really about—which is not Christian values, or patriotism, or bootstrap capitalism—and those who never even cared about those values in the first place, and were far more concerned about maintaining a connection between political power and the power of the rich." makes no fucking sense.
What does the phrase "those values" refer back to, if the three examples are negated between the dashes?
What does the phrase "those values" refer back to, if the three examples are negated between the dashes?
42
Maybe if we post the ip addresses, we can get a vigilante gang together and go burn their house down and kill them! Too bad if it turns out to be someone jacking their unprotected wireless signal, or their dumb 13-year-old son, or something like that. Kill!!!
43
Kill anyone who states the fact that blacks commit the most violent crime in the USA! They should be killed for calling blacks violent!
44
Sigh. So little brain power, so much free time. I'm sorry, Charles. Come to Slog Happy and I'll talk intelligently with you.
45
Sigh. No way to argue against the facts of reality. I'm sorry, Charles. Come to Slog Happy and I'll suck your dick and kiss your ass.
46
History suggests that we might not be "better off" if the GOP splits and white, racist, dominionist ignoramuses become politically isolated. We would find ourselves in the situation of having a politically voiceless, large (20-30% of the population), well-armed, and well-organized (think Megachurch) minority who are convinced they are the "real Americans." And that the world will end soon anyway. And that it's ok if they die because they'll get to sit on Jesus' lap in heaven.
This is a scenario not to be taken lightly. If even 15% of the population is willing to kill or die to get its way...the whole country goes to hell.
This is a scenario not to be taken lightly. If even 15% of the population is willing to kill or die to get its way...the whole country goes to hell.
49
Wow, when did SLOG become Stormfront?
BTW, I'm a liberal and I live in an American city that has a 45% non-Hispanic white population and I love my city.
BTW, I'm a liberal and I live in an American city that has a 45% non-Hispanic white population and I love my city.
52
Depends which parts of Oakland you mean. Some parts are really nice.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but I've lived in parts of the country that were fairly diverse and very nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were fairly diverse and not so nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were mostly white and nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were mostly white and not so nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were largely non-white and were nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were largely non-white and not so nice.
The common denominator among all these places was that the nice places tended to have better educated and/or law-abiding people and the not so nice places tended to have less well educated and/or trashier people. So really, it's more about about class, in a social/economic sense, than ethnicity.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but I've lived in parts of the country that were fairly diverse and very nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were fairly diverse and not so nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were mostly white and nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were mostly white and not so nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were largely non-white and were nice and I've lived in parts of the country that were largely non-white and not so nice.
The common denominator among all these places was that the nice places tended to have better educated and/or law-abiding people and the not so nice places tended to have less well educated and/or trashier people. So really, it's more about about class, in a social/economic sense, than ethnicity.
53
@49: It's the same two guys posting under a bunch of different names. They're tiresome, but like cockroaches, resilient.
54
49% of the US population is men yet men commit over 90% of murders and over 99% of the rapes. Over 95% of the prison population is men. PUT THEM ALL IN CAMPS.
55
@53
Yeah, I do think it really is time to have everyone actually sign up to post here. That way assholes like this can get blocked.
Yeah, I do think it really is time to have everyone actually sign up to post here. That way assholes like this can get blocked.
56
@26: The GOP got its teeth down firmly on its core values with Nixon's Southern strategy in 1968 and never let go. And Reagan further refined the mission to its current incarnation, as expressed by my favorite blogger: Leaving flaming bags of dogshit on the doorstep of liberalism.
58
The genuine racist comments suck, no doubt, and there should be no room for personal invective, but all the calls for deletion have the uncomfortable whiff of PC censorship, frankly. Are we allowed to talk about crime statistics, even if they seem to point to uncomfortable conclusions? Can we mention the United Negro College Fund or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or have certain words been declared official slurs by the PC Blog Police?
I'm not a racist, honest. I'm a flaming liberal Obama supporter. But I do think we on the left turn a blind eye to censorship when it comes from people who are on our side. Just my two cents.
I'm not a racist, honest. I'm a flaming liberal Obama supporter. But I do think we on the left turn a blind eye to censorship when it comes from people who are on our side. Just my two cents.
59
Listen, i'm a genuine racist AND an asshole, ok...but I would never post my shit here. so other racist, quit being a dick.
60
Charles, all I can say to that is, YEP.
People need to start using their real names on the internet so it doesn't turn into a complete garbage can.
"Gainin' on ya!"
People need to start using their real names on the internet so it doesn't turn into a complete garbage can.
"Gainin' on ya!"
62
There will always be racist, there always has been racist. But atleast you can respect the ones who aren't cowards and hide behind computer screen names.
63
@2, etc.
Its funny how the racists will spew the most disgusting garbage imaginable about blacks yet refuse to use the word "nigger". Because that would be racist.
Why is that? Just say it you pussies, I know you're thinking it. Or would that reveal something about you that even you might be uncomfortable with?
Its funny how the racists will spew the most disgusting garbage imaginable about blacks yet refuse to use the word "nigger". Because that would be racist.
Why is that? Just say it you pussies, I know you're thinking it. Or would that reveal something about you that even you might be uncomfortable with?
64
confirmed!
***UPDATE 8:44PM*** The AP has confirmed that Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin have broken up...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/11…
***UPDATE 8:44PM*** The AP has confirmed that Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin have broken up...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/11…
66
@ racists, etc:
yeah, I've hung out on Jackson up past 14th ave plenty. I go to that area 2-3 times a week for an extended period of time, where I walk around, buy beer, run errands, interact with people, avoid people, whatever. yeah, it can be uncomfortable. yeah, I've had 11 year old black kids yell "I hate white people!" at me when I'm in my friend's front yard. yeah, a gang member shot out the windows in the same friend's car last year in an unrelated shooting. and yeah, I've lived in a not great part of Oakland where a lot of friends got mugged and/or jumped.
and yet, I continue to live in South Seattle and go about my life. why? because me and most of my friends are poor and not working cushy system analyst jobs that afford us comforts like condos in Kirkland and plenty of time to use the computer to troll for crime statistic that anyone who doesn't engage in lying to thenselves as a pasttime understands. and because I usually don't get fucked with in neighborhhods where white people aren't the majority because I'm not acting like a fucking pasty, virginal cracker with cognitive learning disabilities unable to understand the differences in socialization between races and ESPECIALLY between classes and what can go wrong within the stratas. I've been jumped by bored rich white kids from gated communities who got everything they ever wanted far more than I've been beaten up by a black person or Latino, and I practically grew up in Mexico.
shut up. we aren't going to censor you. you are irrelevant.
yeah, I've hung out on Jackson up past 14th ave plenty. I go to that area 2-3 times a week for an extended period of time, where I walk around, buy beer, run errands, interact with people, avoid people, whatever. yeah, it can be uncomfortable. yeah, I've had 11 year old black kids yell "I hate white people!" at me when I'm in my friend's front yard. yeah, a gang member shot out the windows in the same friend's car last year in an unrelated shooting. and yeah, I've lived in a not great part of Oakland where a lot of friends got mugged and/or jumped.
and yet, I continue to live in South Seattle and go about my life. why? because me and most of my friends are poor and not working cushy system analyst jobs that afford us comforts like condos in Kirkland and plenty of time to use the computer to troll for crime statistic that anyone who doesn't engage in lying to thenselves as a pasttime understands. and because I usually don't get fucked with in neighborhhods where white people aren't the majority because I'm not acting like a fucking pasty, virginal cracker with cognitive learning disabilities unable to understand the differences in socialization between races and ESPECIALLY between classes and what can go wrong within the stratas. I've been jumped by bored rich white kids from gated communities who got everything they ever wanted far more than I've been beaten up by a black person or Latino, and I practically grew up in Mexico.
shut up. we aren't going to censor you. you are irrelevant.
67
How did a discussion about the fickle relationships of teenagers (and how that fickleness is an embarrassment to the GOP) become a thread about racism in America?
68
"Without the GOP, the rich have no direct access to political power in its democratic form"
your characterization of the gop is spot on, but
dude, what planet are you living on? It takes over $100,000 to run a fucking measly ass state house campaing.
your characterization of the gop is spot on, but
dude, what planet are you living on? It takes over $100,000 to run a fucking measly ass state house campaing.
70
The next person that conflates moderating an internet forum or blog comments with government censorship should be slapped repeatedly with a wet trout. It's not censorship anymore than being escorted out of someone's house for standing in their living room screaming curses at them is censorship.
Morons.
Morons.
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