President Obama, You would be wise to Clean House....TONIGHT!

[bvar22]

...and do everything you can to separate yourself from the snowballing debacle that has ensnared your administration, and publicly condemn those responsible.

If you have ANY "hope" of saving your legacy from the International Perfect Storm headed your way, you NEED to distance yourself from this entire group of NeoCon/DLC, Free Trading Globalist Assholes with which you have surrounded yourself.

You would be well advised to FIRE ALL these Neo/Con Imperialists assholes TONIGHT,
and go humbly, Hat-in-Hand to the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party,
apologize for ridiculing and ignoring them,
and beg them to step in and save your Presidency.

I KNEW we were in trouble when you did THIS shortly after your election:
The DLC New Team
Progressives Need NOT Apply
[/font]
(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)

I was all "What happened to the "Team of Rivals" shtick?
Couldn't you find ONE Liberal Democrat to give you
traditional Democratic Party guidance and support?

NOW, those chickens are coming home to roost.
This latest outrage in Europe only escalates the problem,
and your Administration is quickly becoming an object of World Wide Ridicule and Condemnation.

I genuinely believe that you are one of the Good Guys who has fallen in with the Wrong Conservative World Domination 1% Crowd. You STILL have time to save yourself by [font size=3]Throwing These Evil Bastards OUT of YOUR House,[/font] like Christ cleansing the Temple, but the clock is ticking.


President Obama,
IF you continue to STAND with those Anti-Democratic Authoritarian (mostly Republican) Assholes,
you WILL go down with them too.
PLEASE, for YOUR sake and OURS, CLEAN HOUSE TONIGHT!

These people have done you NO favors!
You CAN Come Home Again,
back to the Traditional Democratic Party Working Class Values that made our Party GREAT,
but time IS quickly Running Out!!!

tick...tock...tick...tock

---bvar22



[font color=firebrick][center]"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone [/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]

[babylonsister]

1. THE SKY IS FALLING!!!1#!! nt

[dkf]

2. It kind of is...

It's getting ridiculous.

[DonCoquixote]

58. I love it when people that advocate the right wing of the Democrats

Austerity pushers and all, then leap onto liberal complaints abotu Obama, as if they were still not planning to support the right wing.

[dkf]

62. Nope. I'm to the left of center in terms of authoritarianism.

Not right wing at all.

[DonCoquixote]

64. OH, so you have no problem with social spending

because THOSE are Democratic values, regardless of whether the Clintons believe so.

[dkf]

67. Safety nets are necessary. You cannot have people starving in the streets in a civil

Society.

But eternal support is no way to live, giving the bare minimum and an unpleasant existence. People need education and training, businesses need incentives, not disincentives, government should be supportive to these goals.

[Katashi_itto]

194. Agree. However I really have no problems staying home and holding my vote.

Maybe thats what needed to wake our Dem party up. Letting a lunatic into office.

[CrispyQ]

204. You are not alone in that thinking.

Our vote is being taken for granted. Even on DU we are asked, "Who else are you going to vote for?" This is what voting for the lesser of two evils has gotten us.



I'm almost with you, in holding my vote.

[Katashi_itto]

213. Exactly. I think a real lunatic in office

might be the wake up needed

[oldandhappy]

220. oh wow, this is good

Thanks for the cartoon. Says it all very well.

[BobbyBoring]

216. Well..............

We did that in 2010 and let a shitload of lunatics into office. That didn't work out too well!

[Katashi_itto]

218. Maybe we didnt allow enough in. Let them turn the govt into a smoking crater

Allowing the resulting blowback to destroy the right wingers once and for all. After all if the RW really follows thru with their lunatic schemes,it would bring guillotines back into style.

[cheapdate]

231. Everywhere in the world where boycotting elections

Last edited Thu Jul 4, 2013, 07:42 PM - Edit history (1)

has been tried as a strategy, it's led (predictably) to no gains whatsoever and to even greater marginalization.

The next president will appoint quite a few judges to the federal courts, including probably at least one Supreme Court appointment. A Republican president will of course appoint strongly ideological judges. Invade Iran? Why not. Maybe we should withdraw from the START treaty with Russia, investigate Muslim communities and mosques for terrorist links, or put an end to the "job killing" enforcement activities of the Environmental Protection Agency.

These are of course only possibilities of the kinds of crazy, stupid, harmful things a Republican government might do.

I live in a state (Tennessee) under complete Republican control of both the governorship and strong majorities in both legislative houses. Let's see, we have a constitutional amendment "defining marriage as between one man and one woman", it's against the law for a public school teacher to use the word "homosexual" or to even discuss the subject, Tennesseans can bring their loaded firearms into bars and employers may not prohibit workers from bringing their guns onto the business' property, state colleges and universities that receive any student aid may not require open, non-discriminatory membership policies in student organizations, local governments may not impose diversity requirements for businesses wishing to do work for the government, etc., etc.

These are only some of the asinine laws that the Republicans have passed in Tennessee since they gained complete control of the government.

I really don't agree with your idea of boycotting elections. I don't think you fully appreciate just how much harm Republicans would do given the opportunity. But if you are really serious, why not take the next logical step and just vote Republican? You know, if it's a good thing to have a crazy Republican as the leader of the country, why not help make it happen?

[pam4water]

69. +1

[kardonb]

78. ridiculous

is the word here , all this hysterical " outrage " about pseudo scandals .

[dkf]

82. Ridiculous we are ready to antagonize other countries for a mistake.

[fasttense]

166. Exactly dkf it kind of is...

Not just about this NSA contractor spying scandal. But about the awful economy, the prerogative to kill anyone on a hit list, the failure of the justice system to prosecute banksters and torturers, the Supreme court turned into a tool of corporations, the creeping fascism everywhere.

Obama seems to talk like a liberal but acts like Cheney. He is getting advice and following the authoritarians down into a hole we may never get out of.

[panzerfaust]

174. Propaganda is that branch of lying which often deceives your friends ...

... without ever deceiving your enemies.
~ Walter Lippmann

[bvar22]

236. "Obama seems to talk like a liberal but acts like Cheney."

That is harsh,
but ,unfortunately, too close for comfort.

There is some legitimacy to the claim that the Republicans have been obstructing the White House,
but that doesn't explain the appointments President Obama has made to high positions of authority and power.
NOBODY forced him to choose those people.
He picked the people HE wanted.


[font size=3]James Clapper: Obama stands by intelligence chief as criticism mounts[/font]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/12/james-clapper-intelligence-chief-criticism

President Obama should have run from Clapper as fast as he ran from Acorn.



You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS,[/font]
not by their promises or excuses.

[COLGATE4]

4. +1

[Summer Hathaway]

6. Again?

This is at least the fourth time this week - and it's only Wednesday.

[Whisp]

17. There's plenty more skies where those came from. n/t

[Bobbie Jo]

190. ROFL!

DUzy.

[sabrina 1]

196. I guess you sky is okay then? But for the millions on whom the sky has already fallen

(if you are not aware of them, I'll be happy to help) it is already too late. Obama's Republican Cabinet members are no doubt influencing policies we voted to CHANGE.

How do you feel about all those Republicans he has appointed to his cabinet? Are there no Democrats who could have filled those positions? I don't know about you, but I didn't work to put Republicans back in power by supporting Democrats. But we get them back anyhow.

The sky is falling every day on more and more people both here in this country, in the countries where we are still killing people, and in every country that is under the thumb of the Neo-cons/liberals who crashed the world's economies, with not one of them held accountable, and who started all these wars and turmoil around the world, without one of those war criminals being held accountable.

We'd like to stop any more sky from falling on any more people anywhere.

But it is nice, really, to know that some people are so well taken care of they are not even aware of what has and is happening to so many others. I mean that, sometimes it's best not to know or think about all the wrongs that are going on and just enjoy your own, protected little corner of the world.

[Summer Hathaway]

219. You know NOTHING

about my personal life - NOTHING. In fact, based on your assumptions about my life, I'd say you know LESS than nothing.

So you can take your smug "your own protected little corner of the world" attitude and put it in the same place you extracted your Snowden knew he was being spied on, that's why he posted about social security recipients being moochers theory from.

[sabrina 1]

232. And you know nothing about mine, or anyone else's here. The sky HAS fallen on millions of people

so it's too late to come along with that kind of flippancy. Millions of Iraqis are DEAD, I would say the sky can't fall any harder than that. Anyone who still has a roof over their heads in this country, which includes me, thankfully, has no clue what the sky falling really means.

[Summer Hathaway]

233. That's right, I don't know anything about anyone here

other than what they might choose to disclose about their personal lives. That's why I don't talk to people who disagree with my views as living in their own protected little world.

There are people here who live with crippling disabilities, people who live with discrimination due to their race, or their religion, or their homosexuality. There are people who live with physical pain on a daily basis, or the emotional scars of having survived a hellish childhood, or a violent marriage.

There are people here who live in constant fear of losing their jobs, their homes; people who could be financially wiped-out by even a single, expensive emergency.

These people know firsthand what the sky falling feels like - it's fallen on quite a few of them more than once.

Your arrogance in telling people that if they don't agree with your world view, it's because they live in their own protected little world and obviously have no cares, is beyond deplorable.

[sabrina 1]

243. My comment was about exactly what you just posted, all the people upon whom the sky HAS

fallen. The reason for my comment to your post #6 was your agreement with comment #1 directed to the OP in this thread:

THE SKY IS FALLING!!!1#!! nt

To which you responded:

Again?

This is at least the fourth time this week - and it's only Wednesday.

I find it odd that if someone understands that the sky IS falling for so many people they would have any objection to this OP.

Mocking people who care about others is not exactly the way to convey agreement with the fact that millions of people are suffering as a result of policies Democrats voted to CHANGE.

[bvar22]

239. Well Said, sabrina 1.

I stand with you.

....and like Rorschach Ink Blots,
a great deal can be determined about an individual from the substance, opinions, and information from what that person chooses to post to an anonymous Discussion Board.
One can immediately tell what that person considers important,
and what lenses he/she uses to justify or rationalize their World View.
Most people disclose much more about themselves than they are aware of,
especially if they have several thousand posts to the same board.

Happy Freedom Day to you!

[sabrina 1]

242. Same to you, Bvar!

[Number23]

23. Happy Fourth of July, Babylonsister!

[babylonsister]

28. Hey!

Thanks, and I just responded to you as well! Happy 4th!!

[Dustlawyer]

31. He is bought off like MOST of the Democrats and ALL

of the Republicans! Our system is broken. The corporations have exploited our election system to control the politicians and us. People are finding it hard to believe this, but they will come around eventually. We need publicly funded elections to right the ship. Unfortunately, they will not be caught off guard again after OWS.

[BobbyBoring]

217. That's the sad truth

Obama is doing what he's told.

[JDPriestly]

32. It is. Do you read German? I do. It's pretty bad.

Everyone will kiss and make up on the outside -- for public show. But this surveillance program hits really hard on people in Germany and Austria and some of the other countries that suffered through the Angst of the cold war with Soviet tanks ready to cross over.

This program is reminiscent of the long history of sectarian wars, spying, surveillance and fear in Europe. It is a huge, giant step backwards for a continent that is still struggling to recover from the blow that Wall Street greed dealt it during the Bush era.

The checkmarks are adding up. Obama has a serious problem here. He has to reign in the extremists in his administration.

[stevenleser]

41. You have it reversed. The outrage on the outside is for show. German Intelligence, the BND is every

bit as aggressive as the NSA and CIA.

There is a German document in Wikileaks that details a 2006 collaboration between the BND and Germany's media to identify media sources and provide coverage. Germany is planning to invest $130 million over the next 5 years in its own online Surveillance program.

When not doing press conferences, privately, the governments in Europe are non-plussed.

Edited to add: http://www.dw.de/germany-also-profits-from-us-british-spying/a-16916837

Germany also profits from US, British spying

Public outcry has emerged over British and American monitoring of global communications. But the German government has so far been reserved in its criticism, partly because the country receives data from such monitoring.

"The topic of commensurability is important" in any imperative to gather information - that was the extent of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's criticism with regard to the Prism spying program during US President Barack Obama's visit to Berlin last week.

Merkel has reason to limit her criticism on the topic. Although the fact that large parts of Internet communication are being monitored was known necessarily known to the general public, the chancellor was unlikely to have been surprised.

German spies have also been sniffing around online - and on a large scale, not just in cases of concrete suspicion. The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is legally allowed to rifle through up to 20 percent of the communication between Germany and other countries, and monitor certain Internet search terms.

[MADem]

81. Gee, is this in line with the considerable "plus up" that French Intelligence also got

in their budget (something like thirteen percent) in the last few years? It's all EU, after all....!

[truedelphi]

83. If you indeed have quoted the money figures correctly,

Then you have not proven your point. If Germany plans on spending only One Hundred Thirty Millions of dollars on surveillance, it is in no way at all close to what our government is doing. Much of the US military budget will eventually be diverted to prop up surveillance. We are talking about tens of billions of dollars - if not hundreds of billions of dollars. Monies we well could use to "green" our society, to offer decent education to everyone, and forgive student loans, to quit having our Political Class members demand austerity cuts etc. We could even scrap the ACA with all its pitfalls, and have Universal Single Payer, like they have in Europe.

If we had that "Peace Dividend" some politicians spoke of back in the nineties, instead of this endless war against terrorists, I bet we could even afford to have some bridges re-built so we don't have them collapsing on us.

[malokvale77]

96. ^^^This^^^

[ctsnowman]

193. Yup.

[JDPriestly]

144. The German people are very upset.

So are the Austrians. Austria's Interior Minister acknowledged that fact to the newspaper, Der Standard, while Morales was waiting in the airport.

[Amonester]

115. Why give much credence to a bunch of hypocrites?

I mean, cut the crap. They either feign outrage or they're just a bunch of ignorants of their own government's spying programs.

[sibelian]

141. Whether or not *you* give them credence isn't the issue.

THEIR POPULATION will give them the credence, for sure.

[Jackpine Radical]

179. "Ignorants of their own government's spying programs--"

Yup. Just like us.

I'm sure the governments in the German-speaking countries kept their people in ignorance of their spying and surveillance, but the public at large is very, VERY unhappy over what they're discovering. Remember the furore over Google Maps and street-level images? Maybe this current Shitstorm (I capitalize since that is now an authentic German word ) will wake them up to what their own governments are doing; nevertheless I'm sure the US surveillance system is far ahead of them in both practice and capabilities.

[Amonester]

191. It's a possibility, but I'm sure you *knew* about the warrantless wiretappings, Jack.

Since at least 2006, if not earlier, like we all did know it here.

Look, in this day and age, with all these electronic gimmicks available, I say anyone, anywhere, who never saw any James Bond movies and still believes spying on everything from the inside out is not happening in the real world, is very, very naïve.

I'm not saying it's a good thing, I'm just saying it like water is wet... IOW: REALITY is like... hmmm... reality.

[Jackpine Radical]

212. It's not the illegalwiretapping, etc., it's th magnitude of scale involved

that is surprising. In the 60's we used to joke about the hypothetical FBI guys on the line & asked them to send our regards to J. Edgar.

But it is surprising to me that they are storing EVERYTHING & searching it at will.

Like the photographing of EVERY piece of mail that goes through the Post Office.

Sure, I always assumed there was targeted surveillance, legal or otherwise, but not the potential for what amounts to universal surveillance. I think that's what's got the Germans freaked out.

[sabrina 1]

245. And we elected Democrats to begin the job of ending those Bush policies. What we did

was not the answer, obviously. So like those other populations, we were kept ignorant of the sheer scale of what was going on and the fact that NOTHING was done, since we scored, or so we thought, such a big victory in 2008 to begin the dismantling of these policies, in fact things are far worse than they were then. And we don't know the half of it yet.

[Amonester]

248. I agree that it's very disapointing for everyone who thought voting for the Democratic candidate

automatically meant the beginning of the "dismantling of these policies" after he won, but do you really believe the alternative then (mcWorse), and again in 2012 (rmoney) would have done better? Or even worse?

Look, the sad Reality is, there are better choices, but as it stands (private-sector money buys politicians) they have absolutely no chance at all to ever get elected, because they don't have the cash it would cost them to get even close from competing on a leveled field.

That's What The Current Reality Is.

And I don't believe, but just hope, that sad Reality will ever change until the day after private-sector money will be banned from politics by Law (i.e., Voted and Signed by the politicians who Benefit from it!).

In the meantime, I will tell you that I will applaud every policy that will advance our progressive goals.

Of course, it would be Nirvana to have ALL of them in one or two terms, but it obviously won't be the case.

So I will prefer keeping Obama/Biden in charge over any other possible alternative, like an impeachment by a probable super-majority of repukes in Congress in 2015, for example, that would replace them by orangeman/turtleman (yeah, that would be just great, eh? ).

[sabrina 1]

249. No, I agree with everything you said. Of course it would have been worse with Romney, but only

because they have to keep up the illusion that we have a choice. Now that we understand the game, it is better to go along, to pretend because when they let 'us' win they allow a few things to happen, things that don't affect their agenda but we get a few 'ponies'. If the other side wins, they get the rewards, just a few also, but enough to keep the illusion going.

We had to see the full circle to understand the game. It is so diabolical really, the average person could not conceive of it until we saw it. They ARE getting bolder, giving us less and less, both sides.

We have been focusing on the wrong things, devoting all our energies to the WH races, encouraged by the Corporate Media. We SHOULD be putting all that energy into Congress, using whatever resources we have to back ONLY Progressive candidates, not falling for the lies that a 'Progressive can't win here or there'. Then call them Independents, whatever it takes.

But we can't go on repeating the same mistakes expecting different results, or being satisfied with crumbs. NOW it is up to US to be as devious and as committed, as they have been.

Let them think we still believe the game, while gathering OUR resources, which are considerable and which they know, to start chipping away at the foundations they've been building for decades. Yes, let's take what we can get, but ONLY as long as we never take the focus off the goals and do not fall for the propaganda we've been falling for over the past number of years.

There are more of us than of them. That's a good place to start. They know this which is why they are afraid of the people, the people united is their worst nightmare. Stop allowing THEM to lead the way, WE need to do that now.

[Progressive dog]

36. +1

[Sheepshank]

85. It appears Obama should jump at very conspiracy

that Rove, McConnell and the Kock's can trow out for human consumption.

Even if short term history is dismantling every-single-one-of-them.

Can we possibly wait for a real crisis to be actually, you know, a real one first?

[Android3.14]

167. I'd be happy

if Obama just started to behave like he takes his oath to protect the Constitution seriously.
The OP is correct.
+1

[bvar22]

241. Very Nice Deconstruction of the Strawman!

Happy Freedom Day.
Isn't it wonderful living in a nation where our Constitution forbids that government from doing what our government is doing!

[SidDithers]

91. Do people who write shit like this...

actually believe it?

Sid

[Hekate]

139. There's every possibility...

... that they do.

OTOH, as someone said here the other week, "Those votes won't suppress themselves."

Hekate

[rhett o rick]

95. No, the Republicans have everything under control. Clapper, Mueller, Bernanke, will take very

good care of you.

As will Tim Geitner, Lawrence Summers, William M. Daley, Jeff Immelt, Alan Simpson, Dave Cote, Jeb Bush, Robert Gates, Gen Stanley McChrystal, Jacob Lew, Jeremiah Norton, Gen Petraeus, John Brennen, Chuck Hegal, Michael Taylor, James Comey

I dont trust Republicans, do you?

[Ash_F]

164. That list makes me sad.

You would think the Dems lost an election or something.

[rhett o rick]

182. Or that Those In Charge are bigger than the President. nm

[sabrina 1]

195. Wrong, it HAS fallen for millions of people all over the world. But don't let that bother you if

you have more important things on your beautiful mind. In fact we are far too late to do much about those who have lost their lives, their homes, their jobs. We waited far too long and allowed the sky to fall on so many people who did not deserve it.

And now all over the world, the people are trying desperately not to allow any more of the sky to fall, on any more people.

[rhett o rick]

208. I dont think you can penetrate the denial bubble. nm

[bvar22]

240. The Conservative Bubble:

[font size=3]
[font color=white]..................[/font][font size=3]Its NOT Just for Republicans anymore!

[rhett o rick]

247. Please dont tell me I cant trust my government. Please dont tell me I have to

work to maintain democracy. I so love the comfort of living in my bubble, having faith that my Big Brother will watch out over me.

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Exquisite

[Roy Rolling]

157. Excellent Post

It's also sobering to experience the disappointment that money in politics can make Democrats bend to the will of neo-cons.

Excellent points by bvar22, but what a bummer! And it reads more like a literary tragedy than a story with a happy ending

I thought we won this battle on the late-60s early-70s. It makes you realize neo-con exploiters are like cockroaches---they live in filth and require perpetual remediation.

[MADem]

5. Yeah...sorry...UNREC. "Chickens coming home to roost?" Really? You're gonna play Malcolm here? nt

[JDPriestly]

34. Do you read or understand German? Have you ever lived in Germany or Austria?

[MADem]

40. I've lived in Iran--I know all about "shitstorms." nt

[leftstreet]

71. Yes, because diplomatic ties with Iran are so crucial n/t

[MADem]

79. Actually, they are. Why do you think the newly-elected president is being allowed to say the

the things he is saying about manteau/hijab matters and internet freedom, to say nothing of reaching out beyond the borders of Persia?

The situation in Iran is unsustainable. The ulema know this and they know they must adjust their thinking and their world view if they are to retain what they love most, and that is power.

Most of the citizens of Iran were not even alive when Shah was overthrown--all they know is this oppressive regime, but they are smart enough to know what is out there, beyond their borders, and they want MORE.

[stevenleser]

42. See my #41 above nt

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

161. That you dont see the irony of dismissing legit concerns with Germany is good with spying on everyon

It is certainly telling of the present mindset that today's totalitarians possess, openly and unashamedly... and a sad lack of awareness, and sensitivity of recent history, that is downright alarming, considering the implications, to say the least!

Your censorship, by omission, yep, that's exactly what you are doing to present a false narrative, by leaving out the actual German people, and just using the elite, to ignore or coverup, is downright deceitful, too, since Germany, which refers to a whole country, not just their elite, isn't represented in your post, and therefore incredibly misleading.

Now maybe your intentions were not that, but again, that's how it comes off when you only take into account what the establishment thinks, and from what I've been reading, doesn't seem to be quite accurate either.

:shakes-head:

[stevenleser]

185. LOL. As usual, you missed it entirely. The OP has to do with international relations. We dont have

an issue there. The Germans, French, etc., all spy. They are going to outwardly express milquetoast outrage to satisfy their own citizens, then all will be back to normal.

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

186. I think I made myself pretty clear, as you did as well

[Cleita]

7. K&R

[WillyT]

8. Yep... So Much For "No Drama" Obama...

Most of the planet is pissed at us by now...

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. I step away from my desk for one lousy hour...

[babylonsister]

13. DUZY!

[Th1onein]

94. LOLOL!

[ProSense]

10. He's going to lose the election.

"President Obama, You would be wise to Clean House....TONIGHT!"

Why bother? Isn't the empire dying?

[JDPriestly]

37. As he left the Vienna airport, Schwechat, Evo Morales warned Europeans that the

era of Empire has ended. That was the last paragraph of an article from Austria's Die Presse that was posted online here.

Apparently, the American ambassador to Austria instigated the hullabaloo that set off the delay in Morales' travels from Russia back to Bolivia.

I wonder what kind of oil and gas deal, Morales went to Russia to discuss and negotiate?

The Snowden scandal has overshadowed that. But I heard the rumor that both Morales and Venezuela's new president were in Moscow on matters concerning oil and gas. We are not the only nation in the world that knows how to write a check. We need to become more realistic.

Charm and gracious behavior wins more friends than bullying. And we Americans, especially Obama can be genuinely charming and gracious when we decide to stop bullying. We should stop the bullying right now. Obama knows better. He is a charming and gracious man. Who is pulling his strings? He needs to cut them off.

[MADem]

44. Morales, like Maduro and a shitload of others, was there for a meeting.

Planned well in advance--not a secret, not a mystery:

http://www.aawsat.net/2013/07/article55308120
No wondering involved. No rumors. It was a meeting of like-minded industry leaders, a counterpart to OPEC, but for gas types. They want to set the prices so that they all make a nice chunk of change.

[bvar22]

45. Precisely.

Cut the strings, publicly disavow them,
and DISTANCE himself from these people and their policies as fast as he can.

[ProSense]

60. We'll see

As they say, the story is evolving. It always does.

Remember when many people were waving the fake travel document and snark by Ecuador's President Correa as the last word?

Ecuador to US: Go f*** yourself.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/27/1219373/-Ecuador-to-US-Go-f-yourself

Within days, the story unraveled.

Ecuador threatens legal action against leaker of invalid travel document for Snowden
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023114430

Ecuadoran President Correa Gives VP Biden An Earful
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023130093

Ecuador

No. The president, Rafael Correa, said he was not considering Snowden's asylum request. In an interview with the Guardian, Correa said Snowden would have to reach Ecuadorean territory before the country would consider any asylum request. The US has cancelled Snowden's passport, and Correa said his government would not give Snowden an authorised travel document to extract himself from Moscow airport. "The right of asylum request is one thing, but helping someone travel from one country to another – Ecuador has never done this."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/02/edward-snowden-nsa-asylum-application-list-countries

Ecuador Defends Domestic Surveillance

<...>

Cléver Jiménez, a member of Ecuador’s legislature who was sued in 2011 for libeling President Rafael Correa and was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison for the same offense, released a statement on Thursday criticizing the government for its involvement with Snowden and WikiLeaks in light of its own surveillance practices, calling them an “attack on civilian security and the human rights of Ecuadoreans.”

Jiménez called the situation with Snowden and Julian Assange, who has been living at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for over a year, a “smokescreen to distract the world and the country from the serious corruption of the government.”

Jiménez criticized Correa’s government for the documents published by BuzzFeed, finding the letter related to a possible drone deal to be most alarming.

“An alarming detail is that this last purchase is for the creation of drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, which are used for surveillance programs,” Jiménez said.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/ecuador-defends-domestic-surveillance

The Errors of Edward Snowden and His Global Hypocrisy Tour
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002311287272

Here we go again.

Why are countries still cooperating with the United States on Snowden?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023156720

[n2doc]

11. He is who he has shown himself to be

100% wholly-owned corporatist. He will ride over this firestorm with his cool, detached demeanor. And further refine the security state.

[proverbialwisdom]

155. That's one possibility, here's another. Insufficient evidence to reach definitive conclusions, IMO.

WARNING: Sorry, this material is ugly to contemplate except on threads like this. Just skim it fast.

http://whowhatwhy.com/2013/06/11/why-obama-cannot-undo-the-surveillance-society-but-we-can/

By Russ Baker on Jun 11, 2013

<>

From his first moments in office, as we have reported in the past, Obama has been sent plenty of unsubtle messages himself about the need to tread carefully. (See this and this.)

Once you read those, please think about why the establishment invests so much effort in persuading us that anyone who dares speculate on these matters, or inquire, is a nut to be shunned, ridiculed, penalized.

Why do you think rich people own media outlets, or befriend or seek to influence the owners? Because they are in a perfect position to tell the masses what to worry about, what not to worry about, what they might aspire to change, and what must or will be left as it is.

The preferred and most comfortable roles of the media, Hollywood, publishing, and academia are to get us to focus on individuals and personalities, and to exaggerate their significance—not to focus us on recurring patterns that render those individuals largely irrelevant.

Guess Who “Has the Power”? Surprise!

<>

Remember this and this

[OilemFirchen]

12. Just for you...

I put in a call to Obama and told him that bvar22 was very, very upset and is demanding immediate action.

He informed me that he's canceling his holiday plans to attend to this right away.

I also asked him for a Samsung Galaxy 4 and he told me I'd have to clear it with you first. I know we've probably never met, but I could really use that phone. Howsabout helping a brother out?

[bvar22]

30. Thanks!!!

I was hoping for some help.
He really needs to "evolve" on this issue,
and quickly!



[/font]

[Whisp]

119. little brother looks like he got a dirty face.

[BlueCaliDem]

158. Zing!

[Whisp]

162. He got mud on his face, the big disgrace

Kickin' his can all over the place.

We will, we will mock him.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

88. Just wait until ProSense hears about this. n/t

[ruffburr]

14. Wellstone-

Paul Wellstone was / is the only politician of recent times that one can truly call a hero, The murder of Sen. Wellstone and his folks is a travesty of justice.

[kentuck]

15. I do think we have to be very careful...

..not to antagonize the entire continent of South America. We don't need enemies in our hemisphere also. The Middle East and Asia is quite enough, thank you.

[A Simple Game]

25. We don't seem to be helping our standing with Europe either.

They get confirmation that we are spying on all of them and then we bully them into looking bad to all of South America. How to win hearts and minds.

[dkf]

27. Or China.

[bvar22]

52. Yep!

We really need to stop doing things like questioning their transparent, verifiable, democratic elections,
and stop supporting the few remaining Right Wing Police State Governments like Colombia,
NOW the beneficiary of a Brand New "Free Trade" Deal from the Obama Administration.

This short sighted and ill conceived foreign policy is quickly chasing an entire continent in the welcoming arms of Russia, China, and Iran.
QED

[FiveGoodMen]

16. Sadly, I don't think he wants to fix any of this.

I think he intends to cement all of it in place.

I think that was the entire point of his trojan-horse candidacy.

[pa28]

39. +1

[Civilization2]

48. +2

[leftstreet]

73. +3

[Octafish]

104. + 4

The wasted mandate and majorities in both chambers were signs.

[populistdriven]

109. +5

[dflprincess]

123. +6

[countmyvote4real]

128. +7

[LittleBlue]

133. +8

[WCLinolVir]

136. Sad, disgusting, enraging, but true.

[kath]

138. Yeppers, you've got that right. Nt.

[sibelian]

142. +9

[tex-wyo-dem]

145. +10

There are several things that have happened since he took office in 2008 that made me go wtf? At first I gave him the benefit of the doubt knowing he had come into the presidency with the country in terrible shape, particularly economically, and felt he needed all the cooperation he could get from the rethugs.

But after nearly 5yrs, there appears to be a pattern forming, and it ain't what we hoped for.

[RedCappedBandit]

146. +11

[woo me with science]

152. +12

[mrdmk]

160. +13 (I hear thirteen is a very good number)

Always judge a politician by what he does, not what he says!

So far, very concerned by what President Obama does...

[Ichingcarpenter]

169. +14

[nashville_brook]

192. +15

[duffyduff]

200. Yep. It took a genius to promote his candidacy in the first place.

He was inoculated from all criticism thanks to having a "D" after his name.

[L0oniX]

203. +16

[Enthusiast]

207. +17

Sorry to say.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

215. +18

[bvar22]

224. +19

Hey, I can march in this parade too!
Happy Freedom Day, Everybody!
Thank GAWD we live in a country where the Constitution FORBIDS the government from doing what is is doing!!!
(Irony Alert)

[Fantastic Anarchist]

225. "You are free to do what we tell you."

Happy Freedom Day to you and the rest of 'Merika.

[mimi85]

246. -20

n/t

[RudynJack]

18. I'm sure he'll give your advice

all the consideration it deserves.

[Hydra]

21. If he did, we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with!

But we can thank our entirely "legal" gov't for outing itself today in this absurd attempt to catch Snowden. They wouldn't stick their necks out like this to get him if he hadn't stuck a nerve.

[Divernan]

168. Struck a nerve is absolutely right. Recall J. Edgar Hoover's legendary secret files?

Hoover remained as Director of the FBI for 48 years because he had secret files on presidents and members of congress - nobody dared fire him or attack him. He had Martin Luther King, Jr.'s bedroom bugged. He documented Bobby Kennedy's meetings with Marilyn Monroe. He documented illegal abortions, adulterous affairs, homsexuality, drug usage and Mafia ties of members of congress and their families. Lyndon Johnson said of Hoover, "I'd rather have him inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in."

If Hoover, with the primitive technology available to him, was able to intimidate Presidents and members of Congress, one can only imagine the near total control the NSA has over those same office holders today.

"Hoover is the inventor of the modern American national security state. Every fingerprint file, every DNA record, every iris recorded through biometrics, every government dossier on every citizen and alien in this country owes its life to him. We live in his shadow, though he's been gone for 40 years. As they always told the agents at the FBI academy when they were training, 'An institution is the length and shadow of a man.' "
http://www.npr.org/2012/02/14/146862081/the-history-of-the-fbis-secret-enemies-list

The article I cite from below is an interview with author, Ronald Kessler about his book Secrets of the FBI. Here are Kessler's creds:

Ronald Kessler is the New York Times bestselling author of eighteen nonfiction books, including In the President’s Secret Service, The Terrorist Watch, Inside the White House, and The CIA at War. A former Washington Post and Wall Street Journal investigative reporter, Kessler has won seventeen journalism awards including the George Polk Award for national reporting and for community service.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/08/02/fbi-director-hoover-s-dirty-files-exc

“The moment Hoover would get something on a senator,” said William Sullivan, who became the number three official in the bureau under Hoover, “he’d send one of the errand boys up and advise the senator that ‘we’re in the course of an investigation, and we by chance happened to come up with this data on your daughter. But we wanted you to know this. We realize you’d want to know it.’ Well, Jesus, what does that tell the senator? From that time on, the senator’s right in his pocket.”

Lawrence J. Heim, who was in the Crime Records Division, confirmed to me that the bureau sent agents to tell members of Congress that Hoover had picked up derogatory information on them.

“He [Hoover] would send someone over on a very confidential basis,” Heim said. As an example, if the Metropolitan Police in Washington had picked up evidence of homosexuality, “he [Hoover] would have him say, ‘This activity is known by the Metropolitan Police Department and some of our informants, and it is in your best interests to know this.’ But nobody has ever claimed to have been blackmailed. You can deduce what you want from that.”

Of course, the reason no one publicly claimed to have been blackmailed is that blackmail, by definition, entails collecting embarrassing information that people do not want public. But not everyone was intimidated.

Reading the Official and Confidential files that survived makes it clear they could have been gathered for no other purpose than blackmail. For example, on June 13, 1958, the head of the Washington field office informed Hoover that, prior to marrying a member of Congress, the member’s wife had been “having an affair with a Negro [and] also at one time carried on an affair with a House Post Office employee.” More recently, the report said, the congressman’s wife “endeavored to have an affair with [an] Indonesian, who declined.”

In response to this tidbit, Hoover wrote back on June 25 that it was “certainly thoughtful of you to advise me of matters of current interest, and I am glad to have the benefit of this information.”

“This was a way of putting congressmen on notice that we had something on them and therefore they would be more disposed to meeting the bureau’s needs and keeping Hoover in power,” says John J. McDermott, who headed the Washington field office and eventually became deputy associate FBI director.

Hoover let presidents know that he had dirt on them as well. For example, on March 22, 1962, Hoover had lunch with President Kennedy. Hoover told him that through bugs and wiretaps, the FBI had learned that Jack was having an affair with Judith Campbell Exner, a twenty five-year-old divorcée. Hoover informed the president that Exner was also having an affair with Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana. Because Hoover knew such tidbits, no president would fire him.

[Hydra]

184. I haven't delved into that part of history particularly well

I was aware that he was doing this, and the kind of mindset it requires to do it successfully, but it's chilling reading it on paper.

Information really is the greatest power...and the NSA has almost all human knowledge at its disposal.

[SammyWinstonJack]

68. And I am sure that he won't give it any of the consideration it deserves.

[RudynJack]

147. You really think the President of the US

should give 1/1000th of a seconds notice to some blowhard on an internet message board? You think he should consider firing everyone this self-aggrandizing yahoo finds unacceptable?

It's ridiculous on its face.

[bobduca]

187. Empty reply

Pointless, personal attack, a reply typical of a New Democrat ™ who supports Obama's Republican appointments and their right policy.

[RudynJack]

234. You're funny.

[dflprincess]

237. He'd be better off listening to Bvar than he is listening to the Republicans he holds so dear.

Sure, if he cleaned house his real bosses might get upset and he wouldn't wind up making the kind of money Clinton has since he left office but he might be remembered as the president who represented the 99% instead of the 1%.

[MuseRider]

114. Cute. Old "hold my feet to the fire" Obama

has no intention of listening to the little people of this country.

It took a shit load of badgering to get him to even consider doing something about equality for gods sakes. He is on his own path and we will not sway it.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

238. Yep. And deep-pocketed liberal Hollywood put the screws to him.

That's the ONLY reason he *evolved.*

[Amonester]

121. For that, he would have to read it first.

It's not likely to happen anytime soon.

[HooptieWagon]

19. Obama looks like a fool and impotent bully.

Its self-inflicted. Not only has his Surveillence State been exposed, but the petulant bullying of a head of state has only served to expose the fact that the US is also monitoring communications of foreign embassies and diplomats. The US was sooooo sure Snowden was on Morales's plane. He wasn't. Obama was played.
My, what a fall in just 4 years....from respected world leader to being a petulant, thin-skinned, wanna-be. On the bright side, his fall from position of respect will make his horrendous free-trade agreements less likely, as any attempts at more war.

[JDPriestly]

38. Obama was played big time. I wish everyone could read German.

I have several theories about what was going on. None of them make Obama look good. But they do make Morales look like a hero.

[truedelphi]

89. Say more, if you have the time, about what is being said in the German Press.

Inquiring minds want to know.

[reusrename]

112. This didn't hurt Snowden's stature either.

You know it could be some 17 dimensional chess being played by the master.

[treestar]

173. lol you've spent this whole thread bragging you can read German

Is that to tell us we should not think anything on this subject but what you direct?

[Divernan]

189. Der Spiegel available online in English - here's the link

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/spd-demands-investigation-of-nsa-head-as-spy-scandal-enters-campaign-a-909469.html

Letter from Berlin: Spying Scandal Shakes Up German Campaign

German Social Democrats are demanding that Berlin investigate top managers at the American intelligence agency NSA for alleged espionage. It's just the latest example of how the vast spying scandal is making waves in the German election campaign.

I was in Berlin in the fall of 2008, after Obama's triumphant visit there, and before the election. They adored him. A cabdriver asked me if I was Canadian or American. When I replied, "American", he slowed down, turned and said "I hope you be voting Obama." I flipped my backpack around and showed him my honking big Obama button. He smiled, turned off his meter, and gave me a free ride to the airport. I keep close track of news from Germany, and can tell you there is massive disappointment with Obama's performance - opinions now rate him no better than Bush, and are more bitter, because he raised their hopes. Which is pretty much how I feel about Obama. Anyone who doesn't understand that or is surprised by that is really clueless about German history and current attitudes. Research East Germany and STASI, and educate yourselves.

Start reading international news sources, instead of White House press releases. That is not directed at you, JD Priestley, but at the true believers still posting uncited, undocumented claims that Obama's popularity is still high in the EU.

The following quotes were published in Der Spiegel:http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/quote-gallery-europe-reacts-to-nsa-spying-fotostrecke-98595-6.html

Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, in an interview with broadcaster France 2.

"We need more precise information. But if it is true, it is a huge scandal. That would mean a huge burden for relations between the EU and the US. We now demand comprehensive information."

"I was always sure that dictatorships, some authoritarian systems, tried to listen ... but that measures like that are now practiced by an ally, by a friend, that is shocking, in the case that it is true."

German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, in a June 30 statement to the media.

"If media reports are correct, then it is reminiscent of methods used by enemies during the Cold War. It defies belief that our friends in the US see the Europeans as their enemies. There has to finally be an immediate and comprehensive explanation from the US as to whether media reports about completely unacceptable surveillance measures of the US in the EU are true or not. Comprehensive spying on Europeans by Americans cannot be allowed."

Peer Steinbrück, the center-left Social Democratic Party's candidate for Chancellor, in an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE on June 30.

"The government must clear up the facts as quickly as possible. If the accusations are confirmed, it would go far beyond legitimate security concerns. That would mean that friends and partners were spied on. That would be completely unacceptable."

Luxembourgian Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn on June 30.

"If these reports are true, then it is abhorrent. It would seem that the secret services have gotten out of control. The US should monitor their own secret services rather than their allies."

"The US justifies everything as being part of the fight against terrorism. But the EU and its diplomats are not terrorists. We need a guarantee from the very highest level that it stops immediately."

[JDPriestly]

214. Thanks. Please post that as an OP.

We need to correct the misunderstandings. All countries use wiretaps. But they don't wiretap as many people as we do. It is just astounding that the NSA thought they would be able to hide this and that the news, once out, would not incite a huge backlash.

Americans may not know that Angela Merkel is conservative, very conservative by German standards. She faces an election in September. This will be one of the issues.

[Civilization2]

54. +1

[ChiciB1]

20. Bravo....

Very well said & demonstrated. I'm already thinking about hanging myself upside down for a while to see if anything looks better that way!

And, OMG... I got a horrible birthday present on the day Paul Wellstone died. October 25th! Loved that guy!

[L0oniX]

22. "You are not of the body"

[Corruption Inc]

159. "Landrew, save us"! I loved that episode of Star Trek

I've thought of it recently too.

[zeemike]

24. Well the reality might be

That he can't fire them but they can fire him.
The PTB may literally own him.

[mick063]

26. I gotta get one of this Guy Fawkes masks

It seems to unleash tremendous power similar to the mask that Jim Carrey wore.

By the way, I must (+1000) your post OP.



Really, how can you let your cabinet pull a "Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings" on you? Perhaps the President actually is ideologically aligned with those folks? He has a Harvard Law degree. He can't be that dumb. No, he is philosophically in bed with them.

Don't let him still fool you with a few words. Watch his actions. And don't let the folks here tell you that you are part of the "Professional Left" trying to bring down the Progressive movement. You actually see no clothes on the Emperor. Believe your eyes. He really is naked.

[George II]

107. "I gotta get one of this Guy Fawkes masks"

Unfortunately, the DUers most critical of President Obama feel the need to hide behind masks.

[mick063]

110. good lord

This from a mysterious keyboard typist.

[WCLinolVir]

137. Said the kettle to the pot. Uh, the flag to the mask.

[Fire Walk With Me]

29. I agree with every single word excepting "I genuinely believe that you are one of the Good Guys".

Search "NDAA section 1021". And "NDAA 2014 section 1061". And consider these:

Corporate Profits Have Grown By 171 Percent Under Obama -- Highest Rate Since 1900
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/corporate-profits-have-grown-171-percent-under-obama-highest-rate-1900

"Average annual corporate profit growth under Obama is the highest since 1900, whereas profit growth declined during both Bush presidencies. As a share of the economy, corporate profits have never been higher.
Unfortunately, this profit deluge has not been shared by workers, whose wages as a percentage of the economy have fallen to all-time lows. Workers also got dinged by the recent increase in the payroll tax, which was large enough to wipe out a minimum wage increase in some states."


8 Huge Corporate Handouts in the Fiscal Cliff Bill
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/8-huge-corporate-handouts-fiscal-cliff-bill

"Throughout the months of November and December, a steady stream of corporate CEOs flowed in and out of the White House to discuss the impending fiscal cliff. Many of them, such as Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs, would then publicly come out and talk about how modest increases of tax rates on the wealthy were reasonable in order to deal with the deficit problem. What wasn’t mentioned is what these leaders wanted, which is what’s known as “tax extenders”, or roughly $205B of tax breaks for corporations. With such a banal name, and boring and difficult to read line items in the bill, few political operatives have bothered to pay attention to this part of the bill. But it is critical to understanding what is going on.

5) Subsidies for Goldman Sachs Headquarters – Sec. 328 extends 'tax exempt financing for York Liberty Zone,' which was a program to provide post-9/11 recovery funds. Rather than going to small businesses affected, however, this was, according to Bloomberg, 'little more than a subsidy for fancy Manhattan apartments and office towers for Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Corp.' Michael Bloomberg himself actually thought the program was excessive, so that’s saying something. According to David Cay Johnston’s The Fine Print, Goldman got $1.6 billion in tax free financing for its new massive headquarters through Liberty Bonds."


The Untouchables: How the Obama administration protected Wall Street from prosecutions
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/23/untouchables-wall-street-prosecutions-obama

Yes, Virginia, the Rich Continue to Get Richer: the Top 1% Got 121% of Income Gains Since 2009
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/02/yes-virginia-the-rich-continue-to-get-richer-the-1-got-121-of-income-gains-since-2009.html

U.S. banks in 2012 post highest profits since '06
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/26/us-usa-fdic-earnings-idUSBRE91P0N820130226?utm_source=Daily+Digest&utm_campaign=de8376aab3-DD_2_27_132_27_2013&utm_medium=email#.US5jjkXSlU8.twitter

This Year’s Subsidy to Wall Street = the Amount of This Year’s Sequester Cuts
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/02/this-years-subsidy-to-wall-street-the-amount-of-this-years-sequester-cuts.html#.US_yiFwwnHY.facebook

Don’t Blink, or You’ll Miss Another Bailout
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100466032

America faces more than a dozen deadlines, all caused by billionaires and wealth transfer
http://americablog.com/2013/02/america-faces-more-than-a-dozen-deadlines-all-caused-by-billionaires-and-wealth-transfer.html

Bank Bailout 2: Obama Lets Mortgage Abusers Off the Hook
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/02/09-5

[truebluegreen]

35. +1000 n/t

[Civilization2]

63. thanks a bunch for the links,. lot'a great info. here!

+1

[truedelphi]

92. Same here. And the continual militarization of America's police

While Obama insists we are on the road to needed austerity cuts is a telling thing as well.

How is it we need to cut back seniors' Social Security, CPI wise, yet the fed government can offer up Bearcat Tanks to counties in California, at a cost of close to a million a piece. 67 have already been given to counties in this state. Meanwhile our roads are in the gutter and bridges are in bad shape.

[Fire Walk With Me]

97. The answer of course, is follow the money, to the tune of $1 trillion (taxpayer dollars) per year:

Meet the Contractors Turning America's Police Into a Paramilitary Force

http://www.alternet.org/meet-contractors-turning-americas-police-paramilitary-force?paging=off

January 30, 2013 |

The national security state has an annual budget of around $1 trillion. Of that huge pile of money, large amounts go to private companies the federal government awards contracts to. Some, like Lockheed Martin or Boeing, are household names, but many of the contractors fly just under the public's radar. What follows are three companies you should know about (because some of them can learn a lot about you with their spy technologies).

L3 is everywhere. Those night-vision goggles the JSOC team in Zero Dark Thirty uses? That's L3. The new machines that are replacing the naked scanners at the airport? That's L3. Torture at Abu Ghraib? A former subsidiary of L3 was recently ordered to pay $5.28 million to 71 Iraqis who had been held in the awful prison.

Oh, and drones? L3 is on it. Reprieve, a UK-based human rights organization, earlier this month wrote on its Web site:

“L-3 Communications is one of the main subcontractors involved with production of the US’s lethal Predator since the inception of the programme. Predators are used by the CIA to kill ‘suspected militants’ and terrorise entire populations in Pakistan and Yemen. Drone strikes have escalated under the Obama administration and 2013 has already seen six strikes in the two countries.”

(More at the link.)

[Duppers]

130. Great post!!!

I had already read 2 of these links, but thanks for so much more info which proves our President's intent is far from helping the 99%.

[LovingA2andMI]

148. Boo-Yaa!!

Perfect and thanks!!!

[senseandsensibility]

197. I can hardly stand to read your post

What a cruel waste. There was so much potential for good with this administration.

[Enthusiast]

209. PLUS ONE! nt

[BobbyBoring]

227. Yeah!

Obama hates business!

[Blue_In_AK]

33. You're such a dreamer, Bvar22.

Good idea, but it'll NEVER happen.

[bvar22]

43. Hi, Blue!!! One can have "hope".

"You may say that I'm a Dreamer,
but I'm not the only one."

Thanks for the very pleasant ear worm.

[scarletwoman]

47. Hah! I didn't read your post before I wrote my own reply to Blue.

I've got the same earworm, too!

[scarletwoman]

46. You may say he's a dreamer, but he's not the only one...

[Blue_In_AK]

55. Okay, I'm convinced. :)

Honestly, nothing would make me happier than to have president O follow Bvar's advice; I'm not going to hold my breath, though.

[bvar22]

59. Thanks!

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

49. Frodo has failed

the corporations have the ring.

[progressoid]

50. I'm alerting this racist, paulbot post.

Kidding.

Just thought I'd kick it -

[heaven05]

51. +1

won't happen tonight or any time soon. I am very disappointed in this administration and it's choices of cabinet and others. Sad.

[The Straight Story]

53. Ain't that his wife's job?

[ProSense]

57. WTF? n/t

[ProSense]

56. Obama should

resign!!! Series!!!

Howard Dean: Mandate Delay Begins Shift To Government-Financed Health Care System
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023162211

[upi402]

65. If Wellstone were not murdered

and he were the President...
Imagine

kick and rec

[Recursion]

66. Sigh

[pam4water]

70. "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss... Then I get on my knees and pray. We don't get fooled

again!"

The Who "Won't Get Fooled Again" 4 u younin's

[YOHABLO]

124. I hear yuh ... young people listen to some crap today .. our generation was so lucky.

[cascadiance]

72. Americans are getting the right kind of "glasses" to see these bums for what they are!

Unfortunately "They Live!" with Obama too much now! Time for that to end!

[ucrdem]

74. Is it Twelfth Night already?

Because this is really foolish.

[George II]

75. I seriously doubt that PRESIDENT Obama needs advice from the likes of you.

[pam4water]

102. If you keep up like this you son George the third will lose the colonies. :P

[DisgustipatedinCA]

108. Here in the US, we like to think that our grievances may receive redress

You may wish to focus on your own domestic affairs, unless of course you'd like to talk about the NSA's spying on Canada.

[Union Scribe]

129. Another awoken account.

Canadian this time? I guess there's something to be said for variety.

[George II]

222. WTF is that supposed to mean?

[durablend]

180. As yes, the typical

"I already gots your vote now shut the hell up and GET BACK TO WORK YOU DIRTY SERF" response.

[stupidicus]

76. me too

his appointing Rahmbo was my first disappointment and indication where he/we were headed

[forestpath]

77. I wish. But they're doing what he wants...because he's one of them.

[Mojorabbit]

80. K and R nt

[sheshe2]

84. Oh my~

[bvar22]

202. For America's Working Class, the Sky IS Falling.

76% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck
http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/24/pf/emergency-savings/index.html


New Rule (Passed by Congress and signed by President Obama) signals Kiss of Death for Pensions
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100694955

Wealthy win lion's share of major tax breaks
http://www.boston.com/business/news/2013/05/29/wealthy-win-lion-share-major-tax-breaks/Ua0UyYle21EUXub7g1suCI/story.html

Half of America is in poverty, and its creeping toward 75%
http://www.alternet.org/economy/real-numbers-half-america-poverty-and-its-creeping-toward-75-0

Wealth gap widens as labor's share of income falls
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wealth-gap-widens-labors-share-income-falls-1B6097385

As the Economy Recovers, the Wealth Gap Widens
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2013/03/11/as-the-economy-recovers-the-wealth-gap-widens

Top One Percent Captured 121 Percent Of All Income Gains
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/top-one-percent-income-gains_n_2670455.html

Corporate Profits Hit Record High While Worker Wages Hit Record Low
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/12/03/1270541/corporate-profits-wages-record/?mobile=nc


These things ^ do NOT happen by accident.
They take careful planning, preparation, marketing, buying the right politicians, message control, and the marginalization of any opposition.

This trend is ALSO Unsustainable,
and NOTHING is being done to reverse it.
So, yeah. The Sky Is Falling
on The Poor,
those about to become poor,
and those barely hanging on by their fingernails.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

221. Excellent post. Thanks for sharing.

"Don't you know talking about a revolution, it sounds like a whisper." - Tracy Chapman

[Zorra]

86. Too late, the damage is way beyond already done.

Austerity, privatization, globalization, plutonomy, oligarchy...these are just a few of the neoliberal conservative chickens that have come home to roost.

Our only hope for progressive change is 2016, and I fear the neoliberal conservatives have effectively sabotaged that.

The next logical step for neoliberal conservatives is to simply insure that a repubican is elected President in 2016, (see sabotage, above), sealing the deal for their Bankster benefactors.

[liberal N proud]

87. So many non-scandals ---- Oh my!

[SidDithers]

90. LMAO...

Sid

[MannyGoldstein]

122. Happy Independence Day, Sid

[L0oniX]

205. LMFAOROTF

[kelliekat44]

93. Grow up please.

I really don't think President Obama is in this for his legacy. I actually think he feels he is in this for the country. As far as I can tell he does what he thinks if right for the country and does admit mistakes and changes when he thinks he needs to change. The real problem is with us...we want perfection, we want all that we want when we want it and give no place to the ideas and thoughts of others...in short WE are most like Republicans.

[babylonsister]

101. I'm just tired of reading all the angst!

I agree, Obama is not the bad guy, but he is! Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Enthusiast]

211. I'll tell what we don't want. We don't want the TPP.

We don't want this NSA surveillance. We don't want Republicans in key positions after we voted against them.

[Safetykitten]

98. It is too late. We will have nothing but scandal and reaction till he leaves office.

What a sad legacy.

[felix_numinous]

99. I like this dream

and wish it would happen too. I have wanted President Obama to separate from these people who are setting this administration up and ruining his foreign and domestic standing.

I know how you feel Bvar22

[obxhead]

100. excellent post.

4+ years late, but I agree.

Edit to add:
The Obama 12 sticker on my car was replaced last week with a new sticker:
If you liked Bush
You should love Obama

[Coyotl]

103. The hyperbole around DU lately is too much for rational discourse to even be possible.

Maybe DU is completely out of touch and Obama is a great centrist. I'll place my political bets on the President, not a bunch of reactionaries hiding behind assumed names on a web forum.

[sibelian]

120. Centrism is adopted *first*

... and evidence for its validity selected *second*.

[tiny elvis]

135. the word

reactionary does not, in any usage, mean what you intended

[graham4anything]

177. +1

[Skip Intro]

105. Dear America, it wasn't me, it was my administration.

Really? I think that would be the final straw for many.

It would look like he is some hapless simpleton who can be easily led.

That would be scary if true, not reassuring. But we know it isn't true.

He is the guy in charge. These types of things don't happen without his say-so. The buck does stop with him. Trying to pass it would not be good political strategy, imho.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

106. Looks like this is my cue

for an unexpected vacation from DU. This is just getting........weird.



Hopefully, there will still be a DU left after we get done eating each other..............

[underthematrix]

111. I haven't been here for awhile. It looks like

I need to stay away. I think Obama hate is so childish and ignorant. Do people really believe that the world and the choices are so simple? Geez!!

[KoKo]

113. Let it ALL COME OUT...or "LET IT ALL HANG OUT!"

Well Stated!

[HardTimes99]

116. Obama could start by firing the two perjurers Clapper (DNI) and Alexander (head of NSA). Just

whacking those two clods would send a good message.

Do I think he will? No.

Why not? I think the NSA has him over a barrel with stuff they're blackmailing him with from back in 2004 and forward.

I'll probably never be able to prove this nor see it proved. But I prefer this explanation of his behavior(s) to other more nefarious ones like he's a liar or a bankster or 1%er.

[Whisp]

117. clean your own damn house first

and don't order him around like he was your hireling.

the disrespect is intolerable.

[Pholus]

127. Yes, as a civil servant how DARE we act like we employ him.

Maybe these two quotes explain your position better?

“If this were a dictatorship it would be a heck of a lot easier... as long as I'm the dictator. Hehehe.”

― George W. Bush

or is it Monty Python

"Arthur: I am your king!

Woman: Well I didn't vote for you!

Arthur: You don't vote for kings."

[Union Scribe]

131. He is our fucking employee.

He, and his fanbase, needs to remember that.

[Whisp]

132. then he has got a Lot of crappy bosses!

[Union Scribe]

134. Sadly those are the ones he's listening to.

He does have crappy bosses--the ones whispering in his ear about the threat of "terra!" and the benefits of "free trade!" and "chained CPI!" and how the U.S. has the right to bomb, spy, and force our will all over the world. Basically, the same agenda whispered into the ear of each of his predecessors for decades now.

[LovingA2andMI]

149. Speak It, Tell It!!

You would think that President Obama is a King and instead of America being a so-called Democracy, we are an Monarchy and "King" Obama can't be criticized or OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!

Thank GOD the right to Free Speech, even though its' being data-mined by President Obama Administration, still exist in our U.S. Constitution anyway.

[woo me with science]

151. A-fucking-men. nt

[treestar]

175. He's your employee but not ours?

Or for that matter, not the freepers' employee?

He's the President of the USA not the employee of the emoprogs.

[woo me with science]

150. He works for us. nt

[Egalitarian Thug]

153. Oops, you let it slip.

[99Forever]

172. He IS our "hireling."

Perhaps you should take a few civics courses.

And respect is earned, not demanded.

[treestar]

176. Civics courses

might show you that the POTUS is not your employee. It's a very stupid analogy.

He'd also be "the employee" of people who did not even vote for him.

Politics is not the same as private business.

[bvar22]

226. Oh MAN... I can NOT believe you just said that....

and on the 4th of July,
celebrating a government OF the People, BY The People, and FOR The People.

Do you think that our PRESIDENT is above petitions from a mere peasant with dirt under his fingernails?
Would you be happier if we had NOT declared independence from a Royal Monarchy
where the peasants were forced to bow before the King and keep their mouth shut?
Sounds like it.

[bigtree]

118. wheee! feet to fire! patriot!

. . . self serving, nonsense.

. . . 'object of World Wide Ridicule and Condemnation?'

[blkmusclmachine]

125. Watch it. BHO might take it to mean firing the remaining token DEMS.

[MannyGoldstein]

126. Words fail

Perfect.

Thanks.

We're screwed.

[ucrdem]

140. Fruit Loops, not just for breakfast anymore.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

143. bvar

you and I might get along together :0

[BillyRibs]

156. Big Broom,

Clean sweep, Oh yeah, use a little bit of Bleach in the mop up bucket too.

[zeeland]

163. Great advice. After witnessing the photo op of Obama and W

along with Michelle and Laura Bush in Africa, I think we have our answer.

[temmer]

165. Here's a funny picture with Obama and Merkel

courtesy of Spiegel

[Babel_17]

170. Making things happen

Leading your administration is about making things happen. The tried and true way of starting that is to go with people who are embedded into the system. So it's not that surprising who's been getting picked. Disappointing, yes, surprising, no.

Think back to when the administration wanted to tap Daschle for an important post. Progressives screamed and talked about why he was discredited and a poor choice. His name eventually got dropped. Daschle became a non-starter, using him wasn't the way to make things happen. So he was tossed aside as a prospect.

What suggest itself here is that progressive Democrats need to make themselves a larger part of the process of picking who serves in the administration.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Daschle#Obama_administration_nomination

But as we saw in the Daschle confirmation process, it's the truth that gets us free of bad picks to the administration. So, here's to more truth to power. Here's to transparency. Here's to the disinfectant power of the public spotlight. It's tiresome and not very rewarding work initially but we need to get the facts out there. We need to let it be known that there's no more free passes in choosing from Wall Street and the banking industry or any group friendly to continuing the process of enriching the 1% at the expense of the rest of us.

[AnnieK401]

171. OK, I'll agree with this post. Yes, some of the seemingly endless Obama bashing

gets to me, but you have a point, bvar22. Not sure why he chose the advisers he did. Although, I am afraid this goes far beyond the perceived weakness of one man and who he (supposedly) chose to surround him. I think it is an entire system that is flawed. I'm not totally convinced that surrounding Obama with new cabinet members, or even replacing him, would solve the problem(s). We might even find that things get much worse.

[Doctor_J]

178. I too think he is one of the good guys,

who fell prey to the evil forces who now run our world. I think he really believed during 2008 that he could change the trajectory. Then some time right before or right after he took office, someone told him the truth - that he didn't have any more say in things than your average homeless person. His job was to read from a script written by the real shot-callers - PHARMA, Big Insurance, the NRA, the MIC, and so on. So while your post is admirable and good advice, it won't happen. The real shame is that he has dragged millions of previously good people with him into the dark side. All the formerly liberal Dems who now go along with every right-wing move.

K/R

[brooklynite]

181. Snowballing debacle...international perfect storm...neo/con imperialists

Pretty impressive hyperbolie.

[tomp]

183. with all due respect---a useless entreaty.

occupy washington in the millions for a sustained period and organize a progressive third party! that might change the game.

[sulphurdunn]

188. I understand what you're saying, but

if the President has surrounded himself with these "evil bastards" inadvertently, then he is too weak to be the President and could not throw them out even if he wanted to. The other scenario (and the one most supported by reason) is that he is one of the "evil bastards" and is either their leader or their front man.

[ProSense]

198. I'd go with

"he is one of the 'evil bastards' and is either their leader or their front man. "

Nailed him!

Still, I'll admit that "he is too weak to be the President" is a strong possibility.

The hyperbole is getting thick.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023163029

[duffyduff]

199. Where is Arne Duncan in that picture?

He is the WORST cabinet appointment in the history of the United States.

Interesting that turd, the worst of the bunch, isn't in that picture.

[gtar100]

201. It would seem that a lot of what you wrote goes without saying but after reading some of the replies

here it looks like there are people who believe that either Obama has assembled a good group of people who are working in the best interest of the country in the face of difficult odds or they believe he is powerless to choose other people but Obama himself is really awesome and deserves no criticism. Either way, it's a different brand of Democratic than I am willing to support.

[Enthusiast]

206. Oh, baby!

I have yet to read the replies to this OP. Should be as many fireworks as......the 4th of July!

Great post, bvar22!

[proverbialwisdom]

210. Will Pitt: 'To Be We the People Once Again'

RECOMMENDED: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023166369

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/17378-to-be-we-the-people-once-again

To Be We the People Once Again

Thursday, 04 July 2013 09:02
By William Rivers Pitt, Truthout | Op-Ed

The public is the backstop, not any single individual.

[grahamhgreen]

223. Can't kick high enough!

[chervilant]

228. You know you've hit a nerve,

so to speak, when the usual suspects start ad homineming, or stomping their widdle feets. I say this primarily because it seems no one can criticize our Great Leader without receiving rude, condescending retorts. We'd better learn to hang together, or most assuredly we'll hang apart.

(The deer ate my green beans, but my tomatoes look great!)

[kentuck]

229. DU has become Egypt...

Get rid of the "Muslim Brotherhood"?

[liberal_at_heart]

230. also throw out Duncan and Holder! Great post bvar22.

[blackspade]

244. +1000