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News & ArtsSunday, October 25, 2009
Politics The Obama Hangover
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 11:05 AM
People have been talking about it for weeks—disappointing poll numbers in the mayoral race, the King County executive race, for 1033 and 71. Where have all the liberals gone? We did good and voted for the black guy, they're thinking. We can sit this one out.
Meanwhile, the conservatives are all fired up and fixing to extract some revenge for 2008.
And, according to the lead story in today's LA Times, the problem is national.
2
Don't give up on the "we voted for the black guy" excuse. You can write to your local priest.
A cardinal from Ghana was just appointed a very high position at the Vatican, perhaps next in line for Pope.
A cardinal from Ghana was just appointed a very high position at the Vatican, perhaps next in line for Pope.
3
Oversimplify much? Dur...
Red versus Blue. Check. Race card. Check. Local politics. Check. Smart sounding statistic. Check.
In three paragraphs or less. Nice.
Try for haiku next time. That shit is difficult.
Red versus Blue. Check. Race card. Check. Local politics. Check. Smart sounding statistic. Check.
In three paragraphs or less. Nice.
Try for haiku next time. That shit is difficult.
4
Re #3: Oops... You skipped the smart sounding statistic, so have to take credit back for that. Here's one.
On average, with a slight margin of error, every American has one breast and one testicle.
On average, with a slight margin of error, every American has one breast and one testicle.
5
Except the GOP is as popular as a bucket of Ebola right now. I agree there won't be the same 2008 electricity next year, but the GOP won't get close to a 1994 revenge move.
The GOP will probably will pick up a few seats, but they will still be at the cultural/political kids table when it comes to power.
The GOP will probably will pick up a few seats, but they will still be at the cultural/political kids table when it comes to power.
6
Obama promised us the world much more effectively than any liberal politician in my lifetime and probably better than anyone to come in the near future. We were stoked; shit, we celebrated in the streets on Nov 4th last year.
What has happened so far? Nothing. Disappointment across the board. Disappointed in the right wing for not caring about running a country effectively as they remain entirely focused on fucking up Obama's mojo; disappointed in the left wing for being all talk and completely ineffective at the end of the day; disappointed in the media for fueling the fires of polarization instead of calling the world as it is; disappointed in the American people for surrendering themselves to groupthink ideologies and becoming pawns of large organizations (Fox News, Huffington Post, take your pick).
What's going to happen this year? I voted for McGinn. Do I expect him to do absolutely anything that will have a real effect on my day to day life anytime in the near future? No. Do I expect to really notice any difference if the city attorney is replaced by a new guy? Shit, I've been promised the world enough by politicians to know they are about 98.9% bullshit. If Obama can manage to disappoint for an entire year, what's a dude with a bike and an iPhone going to accomplish?
It's like going to your favorite store and being told you can have anything you want for free as long as you throw it in the mud as soon as you get outside. I'm sick of throwing nice things into the mud.
What has happened so far? Nothing. Disappointment across the board. Disappointed in the right wing for not caring about running a country effectively as they remain entirely focused on fucking up Obama's mojo; disappointed in the left wing for being all talk and completely ineffective at the end of the day; disappointed in the media for fueling the fires of polarization instead of calling the world as it is; disappointed in the American people for surrendering themselves to groupthink ideologies and becoming pawns of large organizations (Fox News, Huffington Post, take your pick).
What's going to happen this year? I voted for McGinn. Do I expect him to do absolutely anything that will have a real effect on my day to day life anytime in the near future? No. Do I expect to really notice any difference if the city attorney is replaced by a new guy? Shit, I've been promised the world enough by politicians to know they are about 98.9% bullshit. If Obama can manage to disappoint for an entire year, what's a dude with a bike and an iPhone going to accomplish?
It's like going to your favorite store and being told you can have anything you want for free as long as you throw it in the mud as soon as you get outside. I'm sick of throwing nice things into the mud.
7
And this is different from every other year-after how?
Love the breast and testicle stat, Ackham. I'll be using that one.
Love the breast and testicle stat, Ackham. I'll be using that one.
8
With a non stop screeching of the right wing noise machine amplified by the "balance" requirement to repeat this crap is it any wonder that some of the shine has come off?
If you hear enough bad things about someone even if none of it is true you start to believe that there must be something to it. Human nature, if even on the lowest level.
If you hear enough bad things about someone even if none of it is true you start to believe that there must be something to it. Human nature, if even on the lowest level.
10
Brendan, look at polls that measure favorability outside the South for the Republican party -- the numbers are catastrophically bad. Dems may lose some seats here and there in Congress or governorships, but it's not going to be 1994. Stories like this from the LA Times are just sweet nothings from Republican operatives to their friends in the Beltway media with the intention of putting the brakes on progressive legislation.
11
Yeah, sucks doesn't it. To the disappointment of many, the Kool-Aid effect was not permanent, eh?
I did my part and voted for McGinn, but Mallhan will have much more effective and experienced advisors -- and who knows, he might actually get some shit done.
I did my part and voted for McGinn, but Mallhan will have much more effective and experienced advisors -- and who knows, he might actually get some shit done.
12
Reports suggest that Obama's right now actively working behind the scenes to kill the public option. Anyone feeling enthusiastic about the benefits of busting ass to get people elected?
13
1. The election hasn't happened yet. Unless you possess psychic abilities (which you may, I'm not privy to that info), the elections haven't been decided yet.
2. The 24-hour talking head cable news-making (as opposed to news-reporting) continuous stream of self-referential crisis talk may be getting to you. Remember the dire predictions for a McCain landslide? How "popular" Sarah Palin was with the heaving masses? And yet here we are, with the black man as prez.
3. Outside of the South, the GOP is about as desirable as a case of the clap. There are certainly those willing to risk a case of the clap for the thrill of the encounter (plus those who are ignorant of the clap, which is entirely possible given the failure of the U.S. education system to do much of anything except to teach each individual that s/he is the most important, smartest, beautiful, self-absorbed creation on Earth), but by and large most of us are choosing to abstain, or wearing a condom. Meaning, the GOP isn't going to get very far in the coming election.
4. The teabaggers have had their tantrums, which have been well publicized. However, the vast majority of Americans did not partake in these events, a fact that was ignored by the MSM chasing a "story". Polls show that most of us favor a public option, and numbers show that 99 something % of us did not take part in teabagging demos (this is my own scientifically-binding data). The MSM cable news loves a good drama if they think it will attract viewers, regardless of the merit of the story.
5. I know you're the theater critic for the Stranger and not a "journalist", but I can't believe that someone even has to explain all this to you.
6. I am DRUNK at 1:30 in the afternoon (special circumstances) so feel free to disregard everything I've said.
More...
2. The 24-hour talking head cable news-making (as opposed to news-reporting) continuous stream of self-referential crisis talk may be getting to you. Remember the dire predictions for a McCain landslide? How "popular" Sarah Palin was with the heaving masses? And yet here we are, with the black man as prez.
3. Outside of the South, the GOP is about as desirable as a case of the clap. There are certainly those willing to risk a case of the clap for the thrill of the encounter (plus those who are ignorant of the clap, which is entirely possible given the failure of the U.S. education system to do much of anything except to teach each individual that s/he is the most important, smartest, beautiful, self-absorbed creation on Earth), but by and large most of us are choosing to abstain, or wearing a condom. Meaning, the GOP isn't going to get very far in the coming election.
4. The teabaggers have had their tantrums, which have been well publicized. However, the vast majority of Americans did not partake in these events, a fact that was ignored by the MSM chasing a "story". Polls show that most of us favor a public option, and numbers show that 99 something % of us did not take part in teabagging demos (this is my own scientifically-binding data). The MSM cable news loves a good drama if they think it will attract viewers, regardless of the merit of the story.
5. I know you're the theater critic for the Stranger and not a "journalist", but I can't believe that someone even has to explain all this to you.
6. I am DRUNK at 1:30 in the afternoon (special circumstances) so feel free to disregard everything I've said.
14
Why does it seem that for the left there is always a monumental uphill struggle to gain an inch of progress while the conservatives seem to win elections and pass measures with effortless ease? That's not really a thoughtful analysis on my part, just my feelings.
15
@14
"The most important difference between America's Democratic left and Republican right is that the left has ideas and the right has discipline." Robert Reich
"The most important difference between America's Democratic left and Republican right is that the left has ideas and the right has discipline." Robert Reich
16
I believe what you are looking for is "The Audacity of Hype". Yes, we all knew that Obama wasn't going to solve all of our problems but let's face it; he hasn't fucking solved ANY of them or shown any real progress on anything yet. Health insurance reform is going to be a boon to the insurance companies, the banks got the second half of the TARP money WITHOUT even a single piece of banking reform legislation in place (FDR reformed the banking system his first damn week in office!!) oh and remember the two land wars we're fighting? Yeah, we're still there and Obama will probably increase troops in one of those lovely vacation spots very soon.
These aren't your grandparents Democrats: those liberals had balls of steel coated with diamonds and held together by titanium rods. Todays Democrats are scared of the wind given off by their own shadows.
Enjoy the final collapse of America into a third world power folks. Ain't nothing stopping us now!!!
These aren't your grandparents Democrats: those liberals had balls of steel coated with diamonds and held together by titanium rods. Todays Democrats are scared of the wind given off by their own shadows.
Enjoy the final collapse of America into a third world power folks. Ain't nothing stopping us now!!!
17
@16 Your posts are made all the more interesting if I take the time to imagine Seth McFarlane's in-character voice.
18
@16 I know, right? GW Bush in a measly 8, repeat MEASLY EIGHT years started two (unending) wars, ruined the economy, gutted the judicial system, and trashed the entire office of the presidency, and here comes this uppity niggrah and in a mere 10 months it's just such an abysmal failure. It's a mystery! I mean, seriously, JINKIES. It took GW EIGHT YEARS to ruin tha world, and the niggrah only TEN MONTHS. Why, I can hear the angels comin' down to carry us off right now, since tha niggrah has rooind tha world, and it's tha armageddon RIGHT NOW. Oh, mercy. You bettah pray hard, misseh, 'cus I knows you ain't no Chrischun, and yu'z goin' ta hell in yo mamma's handbaskit, yo. At list you goin' fain som dem hard ballz der ta kip you com'pny on yo jo'ny down souf.
19
@18, racist much? I mean seriously shouldn't you be firebombing a church with some children in it right now?
20
Wherever you stand on this one, do yourself a favor and see "Obama On My Mind" at Langston Hughes Ctr.
A little something for everyone -- deflating the hyperbole, revalidating the idealism, and recalling all the temporarily insane characters (but you weren't one, were you?) you rubbed elbows with in that campaign or any other campaign.
And Kiley -- this means you.
A little something for everyone -- deflating the hyperbole, revalidating the idealism, and recalling all the temporarily insane characters (but you weren't one, were you?) you rubbed elbows with in that campaign or any other campaign.
And Kiley -- this means you.
22
FDR reformed a very different banking system; it wasn't global and it didn't have it's claws into every part of society. I can't think of any other distinction between what Roosevelt and what Obama had to contend with, but they're there; you can think of them. In sum, it's not comparable. None of it, because these Dems aren't your grandparents' (my parents") Dems either. These Dems are what the Republicans used to be when they were actually human.
"It's like going to your favorite store and being told you can have anything you want for free as long as you throw it in the mud as soon as you get outside. I'm sick of throwing nice things into the mud."
That's the most apt, and the saddest, comment I've heard yet. Good writing, Swearengen.
"It's like going to your favorite store and being told you can have anything you want for free as long as you throw it in the mud as soon as you get outside. I'm sick of throwing nice things into the mud."
That's the most apt, and the saddest, comment I've heard yet. Good writing, Swearengen.
23
"I'm sick of throwing nice things into the mud."
It's called being a grown up. Me? I don't want to pay 70% tax like gramps did under FDR.
It's called being a grown up. Me? I don't want to pay 70% tax like gramps did under FDR.
24
@13, "Remember the dire predictions for a McCain landslide? How "popular" Sarah Palin was with the heaving masses? "
There were never any predictions of a McCain landslide. Obama led by big margins in every single poll worth thinking about. The best McCain could do in a handful of them was squeak out a narrow victory, but no one, not even the kooks, were saying "landslide".
And Sarah Palin was never popular. At no point did she ever attract more than a tiny fringe of voters, and her effect on the McCain campaign's chances was immediate, large, and negative. Palin KILLED McCain.
There were never any predictions of a McCain landslide. Obama led by big margins in every single poll worth thinking about. The best McCain could do in a handful of them was squeak out a narrow victory, but no one, not even the kooks, were saying "landslide".
And Sarah Palin was never popular. At no point did she ever attract more than a tiny fringe of voters, and her effect on the McCain campaign's chances was immediate, large, and negative. Palin KILLED McCain.
25
Hmmm, why aren't liberals excited about going to the polls? Because we went to the polls last November and voted in a huge Democratic majority then found out that they're all a bunch of pussies that couldn't push a bill through a wet paper bag if they were the only person in the government! We've learned that the only reason to vote for Democrats is to hold a seat that would otherwise have a Republican in it and it's worth voting for a worthless pussy to avoid having an extremely productive evil shithead in the seat.
Maybe it's just got us a little depressed and unmotivated. Maybe if the Democrats would FUCKING ACCOMPLISH JUST ONE FUCKING THING WE SENT THEM FOR we'd get a little more motivated.
Maybe it's just got us a little depressed and unmotivated. Maybe if the Democrats would FUCKING ACCOMPLISH JUST ONE FUCKING THING WE SENT THEM FOR we'd get a little more motivated.
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