Dog, meet bone,….from a cynical, cynical mind

[zeemike]

Now I see that the media story of the week will be DADT….And I just realized that this is a bone for the progressives to chew on. And I ask perhaps the unpardonable question of why.
Why now does Obama bring this up but fore to keep us interested or occupied with obtaining some victory in the midst of many devastating defeats?

My cynical mind says that this is all image that is being created to distract us from the process of disposing of any meaningful reform and minimize the damage created when they do it.
And this is a perfect storm for the right and the GOP…it solidifies it’s base by raising gays as an issue, and keeps the progressives busy fighting windmills while the Neo-cons plan the victory of 2010.

So please talk me out of my cynical mind if you will, but this is truly how I feel and I am not proud of it, nor would I dispute the fact that I might be crazy, because even Winston Smith had his doubts.

[TexasObserver]

1. disagree

[zeemike]

2. Thanks for the kick. n/t

[Toots]

3. Pretty much the same arguments during Civil rights era..

Didn't buy them then and don't buy them now.

[zeemike]

6. This is not about civil rights for anyone.

this is about how we are played with our emotions.

[Toots]

10. Not about Civil Rights??

Are you kidding me? That is exactly what this is about...Get a clue..

[zeemike]

15. Then you did not read or understand the OP

Just because I used DADT in it does not mean that is what I am talking about.
I am talking about the creating of images and how we are played by them.

[Mari333]

4. its all PR...there are soldiers being blown to bits and civilians being bombed

I have a feeling that after the Brown win in Mass. there was a huddle of PR people making sure a few bones were tossed to the left of the party. DADT should not take a fcking yr to think about. it can be done in a week.
in the meantime, it's a PR bone..

[zeemike]

8. And they will milk it for all it is worth.

and it can be worth a lot.

[Mari333]

9. look over here!! a puppy!! dont look at the death and destruction

in afghanistan and iraq! dont look at the money we spend on the Pentagon! here, have a bone.

[zeemike]

11. And I imagine that the pentagon will find some profit in it.

Perhaps it will further the goal of privatizing the military even more.

[upi402]

5. You will get flamed

But it is a fact that there are many issues that will seriously harm a much higher percentage of the population than this. It's good to address 'don't ask don't tell' and it's good politics to regain the trust of the left who Obama has betrayed. But it's playing into the right's hands in the end.

We are so toast. We can't begin to be pragmatic about recovering democracy. No investigations into war crimes and election fraud. Now we have corporate election buying on whiskey throttle.

Let alone health care. Anyway :popcorn: I'll get ready for the blinky-eyed altruists and true believers now.

[zeemike]

7. Yep that is what I am saying.

But we are not toast if we act...we have to take back the media somehow, but that will be difficult to do unless we can persuade our liberal organizations to help us.

[Mari333]

13. I am in complete cynicism at this point

I have yet to see these occupations covered in depth. I have yet to see the news media whores cover the obscene amounts of monies being spent on the bullshit war on terra.
suddenly , the PR personnel around Obama start throwing bones to the left merely to get a few people fired up.
in the meantime, people are suffering and dying as the public option is ignored and we are blowing our own children to bits to secure oil company contracts in occupied lands.
surely the news can cover more then one thing.
so far, its like PRAVDA.

[upi402]

19. Media whores are traitorous, IMHO

Until the propaganda organ of the corporatists is bridled, I think we are truly toast. I've fought it for decades and it only gets more entrnched. It has taken the democracy out of the Democratic Party and I really don't see a way out unless leaders lead and tame that beast.

I agree with you 100%
PRAVDA, but with 'New and Improved' corporatism!

Do corporatists see they're proving Karl Marx right?

"Democracy is the road to socialism."

"Sell a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man how to fish, you ruin a wonderful business opportunity."

"The rich will do anything for the poor but get off their backs."


Are we necessarily compelled to sell our hangman rope here?

[Mari333]

14. people who are starving will take a half chewed bone, it seems

I just admit I am starving. I refuse to let the overlords throw crumbs at me.

[sufrommich]

12. DADT is an important civil rights issue. That's like saying

women and minorities in the 60s should have waited their turn until after the Viet Nam war was over. Civil rights are not a "bone to throw to progressives".

[zeemike]

16. And so is killing people.

And people being kicked out of their homes so that bankesters can cart away the Treasury. And the SCOTUS making legal the purchase of our democracy to the highest bidder...but then I guess I just see destruction much more serious than DADT.

[sufrommich]

17. I'm not making the argument that those aren't serious problems.

I'm making the argument that there isn't a waiting line where injustices are given numbers based on their "seriousness". Based on that thinking,the Viet Nam war was way more important than women's rights,equal education opportunities,voting rights,civil right,etc. There isn't a To-Do list where one problem has to be crossed off the list in order for another problem to be solved.

[zeemike]

18. And I am saying that all of those things are tied together.

And civil rights was tied to the Viet Nam war.
But this is about creating distractions by appealing to emotional issues that are not really issues anyway...It could be solved by just instructing the military not to pay any attention to sexual orientation.
But no they want it to become a much more emotional response from the general public than that.

[pipi_k]

20. Well, it's only "not really issues anyway"...

if one is not personally involved in the issue.

To those men and women who are serving in the military under DADT, it's likely a hugely important issue.


I dunno...it's sort of discouraging, you know? Progress starts and people are either, "It's not that important" or "It's not happening fast enough".

Seems like people want what they want, and they want it NOW, with no thought as to how the issues they think are unimportant might be very important to someone else.

[zeemike]

21. And one easily solved by telling the military not to pay attention

to sexual orientation....that should work if we control the military, but not if they control us.
And if they control us then we have a problem here that needs a lot more attention than that.

But i am depressed today and this is a somber topic because I guess my cat died last night and she had been with me for 19 years....but never the less it is a topic that needs to be thought about ....just what is important and how to avoid being manipulated.

[riderinthestorm]

25. And now they have to take a year to "study the problem" which gives them a LOT of time to chew on it

and create distractions and make everyone all ramped up and crazy....

I'm pretty depressed about it all too. What a farce.

And I am so sorry about your cat. :hug:

[zeemike]

26. Thanks n/t

[zeemike]

27. thanks n/t

[riverdale]

22. You are so DEAD ON!!

I knew I would find something insightful if I looked for a negatively recommended topic! Yes, this is exactly what is going on. The oligarchs that run this country love it when we all are distracted by insignificant bullshit (sorry but I put gay marriage in this bucket). That way it's so much easier for them to STEAL ALL OUR MONEY. No one's looking! Misdirection - oldest magic trick in the book.

[zeemike]

23. Well I expect to be less than zero

Because this is saying things that most people don't want to talk or think about....and I don't blame them.
But some one needs to say it if only to be thought of as crazy or stupid, or just a turd in the punch bowl.

[bvar22]

24. I gave this a K&R.

The choreography & marketing of Brand Obama is superb.

If you take a couple of steps back and look at Campaign 2008, and the first year in office (2009), the scripting & timing of the Kabuki Theater has been masterful.

The marketing of the "Never gonna be REAL" Public Option was brilliant.
Lieberman, Reid, Obama, and Pelosi deserve awards for their individual performances.

Even the appearance at the Republican Retreat last week a 5-Star Performance.
It produced a bounce in the polls, the critics (TV Talking Heads) are raving, the low information (Jerry Springer) Democrats are energized, calling it a "smackdown" and other WWF descriptions.....
But WHAT did the American Working Class GAIN in POLICY?
.
.
NADA. :shrug:

DADT will cost the Ownership Class NOTHING, and can be trumpeted as a Liberal victory while the MONEY continues flowing to the Ownership Class in ever increasing volumes.

In American politics today, it REALLY is "All in the Marketing".
"You sell the SIZZLE, not the steak."


Razzle Dazzel
(from the Musical, "Chicago") (How ironic is THAT?)

"Give 'em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle Dazzle 'em
Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give 'em the old hocus pocus
Bead and feather 'em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?
What if your hinges all are rusting?
What if, in fact, you're just disgusting?
Razzle dazzle 'em
And they;ll never catch wise!


Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Give 'em a show that's so splendiferous
Row after row will crow vociferous
Give 'em the old flim flam flummox
Fool and fracture 'em
How can they hear the truth above the roar?
Throw 'em a fake and a finagle
They'll never know you're just a bagel,
Razzle dazzle 'em
And they'll beg you for more!


Give 'em the old double whammy
Daze and dizzy 'em
Back since the days of old Methuselah
Everyone loves the big bambooz-a-ler
Give 'em the old three ring circus
Stun and stagger 'em
When you're in trouble, go into your dance
Though you are stiffer than a girder
They'll let you get away with murder
Razzle dazzle 'em
And you've got a romance


Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Show 'em the first rate sorceror you are
Long as you keep 'em way off balance
How can they spot you've got no talent
Razzle Dazzle 'em
And they'll make you a star!"

[zeemike]

28. But I feel compelled to say that I still think Obama is a good guy

But as the saying goes, good guys finish last...at least in this world.
And I think that Obama still could do and would do if he could.

[leftstreet]

30. 'DADT will cost the Ownership Class NOTHING'

:applause:

[The Midway Rebel]

29. Here is cynical for ya'---

Sometimes in politics you take what you can get. MMMM....yummy, yummy bone.