The Politics of Spite »
Posted By Progressive 1 month, 3 weeks ago in Political Opinion
There was what President Obama likes to call a teachable moment last week, when the International Olympic Committee rejected Chicago's bid to be host of the 2016 Summer Games.
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Progressive
There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating: people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing. -- Oscar Wilde
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deathray1 month, 3 weeks ago
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you beat me to this.the politics of obstruction and attempted destruction from the right we've seen described in various articles and opinion pages is like cutting the nose off the nation to spite ourselves...tantamount to shooting the nation in the foot with intent simply for political gain. if this is not party over country i dont know what is.
fta:
'“Cheers erupted” at the headquarters of the conservative Weekly Standard, according to a blog post by a member of the magazine’s staff, with the headline “Obama loses! Obama loses!” Rush Limbaugh declared himself “gleeful.” “World Rejects Obama,” gloated the Drudge Report. And so on.
So what did we learn from this moment? For one thing, we learned that the modern conservative movement, which dominates the modern Republican Party, has the emotional maturity of a bratty 13-year-old.
But more important, the episode illustrated an essential truth about the state of American politics: at this point, the guiding principle of one of our nation’s two great political parties is spite pure and simple. If Republicans think something might be good for the president, they’re against it — whether or not it’s good for America.'-
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Progressive1 month, 3 weeks ago
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We no longer need to worry about being destroyed by any foreign forces when it's so obvious the wingnuts are bent on implosion.
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CNN's Carville blasts Beck as "nuts" and a "blatant hypocrite" for giddiness over Chicago losing Olympics (video):
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200910050006 -
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hyperbola1 month, 3 weeks ago
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It is misleading to attribute this to "republicans".
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Those "celebrating" most loudly belong to israel-first, ultra-zionist circles (e.g. Weekly Standard) and the "extremist wingers" that the ultra-zionists finance and organize.
The israel-firsters (and their hirelings) are of doubtful loyalty to America and mostly interested in propagating anything that they think will advance zionist crimes against humanity in Palestine.
An important question (now that the ultra-zionists have made a two-state solution in Palestine inviable) is whether Americans and especially American jews will begin to support very different groups of jews and israelis.
How US tax breaks fund terrorist Israeli settlers
Israeli peace activists are planning to ratchet up their campaign against groups in the United States that raise money for settlers by highlighting how tax exemptions are helping to fund the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank.
The campaign is designed to increase pressure on Barack Obama, the US president, to demand action from Israel on his repeated calls -- so far largely ignored -- to end settlement building. Last week, Israel announced plans to build 455 new homes in West Bank settlements and 500 apartments in East Jerusalem....
Gush Shalom said it was not divulging details of the organisations it will target next month to ensure an element of surprise. But Mr Keller said all of the 120 main settlements, which are illegal under international law, benefit from fundraising operations in the US.
...Gush Shalom also hopes to increase pressure on the funding of organisations by encouraging civil litigation in the United States from Palestinian victims of settler violence in a bid to characterise the attacks as “terror activity”.
In the coming months the group plans to highlight the links between the settlements and such large international Zionist organisations as the Jewish National Fund and the World Zionist Organisation.
Gush Shalom also suggests exposing the Israeli government’s support for US lobby groups, such as Stand With Us and the Israel Project, that are engaged in what it calls “propaganda” on behalf of the settlements.
http://www.propeller.com/story/2009/09/17/how-us-t...
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Progressive1 month, 3 weeks ago
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...and let's not forget FOX noise's Hannity: "Maybe if Obama" hadn't been going "around the world criticizing the U.S.," the Olympics might have picked U.S.
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http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200910050010 -
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CRYMTYPHON1 month, 3 weeks ago
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There are those who oppose the policies of the current
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president, and yet acknowledge him as a person.
But for the true Obama-haters:
He is not actualy a harvard graduate.
He did not really write those best sellers.
He is not truly a Christian.
He is not really President.
He is not really an American .
If the President of France were to insult him;
- they would side with France.
For some, the only explanation of this insane hate is racism.
For others, the anti-obama people are simply ignorant.
I prefer to believe they are jealous.
They remind me of Cinderella's stepsisters
sneering how inferior she is;
and predicting her marriage to
Prince Charming will end in disaster.
Let them hope so;
- they won't be dancing at the wedding anyway. -
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beavith11 month, 3 weeks ago
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what is with you guys?
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Krugman, a nobel prize winning economist is talking gossip and you guys (and Krugman) jump on it as some sort of proof of something bad.
newsflash: there are people out there that play national politics as a zero sum game. look at Obama's presidential campaign. it was attack and innuendo wrapped in hope and change. the democrats are far from immune from all the charges that Krugman (and you) make in the posts above.
and, frankly, who gives a rats a$$ if we win the olympics (again) when there was a whole continent of a umpty hundred million people that have never hosted one?
the image of a pig comes to mind.
eating up the republican party from within? Crym. i never thought you would be susceptible to hyperbole.
can we tone it down a bit? Krugman should never have this whining whine printed. it makes him look like a bigger crybaby than he normally does.-
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hyperbola1 month, 3 weeks ago
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Frankly we should begin to investigate strongly who finances the ultra-zionist hate campaigns and why/how they are given unmerited "play" in our corporate media. Krugman of course must "resist" that obliquely without saying what is really going on.
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But, to see things a little more relatively, Los Angeles has competed 9 times to win two Olympic Games. -
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Progressive1 month, 3 weeks ago
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"and, frankly, who gives a rats a$$ if we win the olympics (again) when there was a whole continent of a umpty hundred million people that have never hosted one?"
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I agree--given that so many of Chicago's citizens were opposed to hosting anyway--and Rio seems a deserved choice, but it's the spiteful glee of Americans politically opposed to Obama that is the subject of ridicule here, much like rooting for your home team to lose just because you don't like the team captain. -
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StevieGee1 month, 3 weeks ago
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The article is posted under political opinion. Maybe we just happen to agree. Obama (and McCain for that matter) ran one of the least negative campaigns in recent history. Sure there's lots of room for improvement but, hey, politics is an ugly business. He's appointed a bipartisan cabinet and tried to work with Republicans in Congress in spite of majorities in both houses. He hasn't pushed for investigations into the crimes of the previous administration and still get's nothing but obstructionism from the GOP. This is the GOP tactic. Do anything possible to stop our country from functioning until you can get power and then run roughshod over everything and everybody when you do. It's amazing that moderate Republicans in Congress don't stand up for their country but they seem to fear the ire of their Great Sage and Eminent Junkie, Limbaugh. (With apologies to Stephen King)
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Beau78901 month, 3 weeks ago
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beavith, the Olympics were an example of how the Republicans oppose any and everything Obama does, despite whether the principles behind their opposition are Republican principles or not. And Krugman moved on from that example after the first few paragraphs, admitting himself that the Republicans' criticism "didn't do any real harm."
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Newsflash: Democrats don't oppose all Republican initiatives simply to keep them from winning and without regard to the good of the country...just as Krugman says.
One need only look at Bobby Jindal's insipid rehash of the supposed Republican healthcare reform in a column also on the NYTimes's op-ed page today. He calls the Democrats' plan "government takeover of healthcare" while proposing a ten-point plan of his own (supposedly).
Eight of those ten points are already covered by every reform bill the Democrats have put before Congress. At least one of the other two are already included in three of the five bills. -
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Poulenc1 month, 3 weeks ago
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You know, both sides indulge in "shoot-first" and/or ad hominem attacks.
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One's response to same of course depends upon whom one favors or dislikes.
Krugman, however, is pointing out how such an MO, when "institutionalized," can cause the wheels of government to slow if not stop altogether.
Of course, as the matter of health reform goes "to the floor," this is precisely what foes of O. want to happen. Sad, though, when such sniping is the best the--or any--"loyal opposition" can do.-
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Beau78901 month, 3 weeks ago
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Speaking of institutionalized opposition that's destructive to the country, I found this article posted a couple of days ago by ameliog, the most egregious example of how the Republicans are working:
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http://www.propeller.com/story/2009/10/03/the-gop3...
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avoth1 month, 3 weeks ago
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"There was what President Obama likes to call a teachable moment last week"
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I think it's pretty self-evident that you cannot teach when the minds are closed. But it should be equally obvious that you cannot teach when it's your mind that's closed. Labeling the lesson plan, "The politics of spite", is going to open anyone's mind?-
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Progressive1 month, 3 weeks ago
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"Labeling the lesson plan, "The politics of spite", is going to open anyone's mind?"
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Obama might call it "a teachable moment", but I see nothing inappropriate with Krugman titling his opinion piece "The Politics of Spite".
If reasonable conservatives (and there are a few still out there) can acknowledge that the over-the-top wingnut anathemas do not further the GOP's agenda, perhaps some minds will have "opened".
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lovemylibs1 month, 3 weeks ago
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When I think of Paul Krugman and "the politics of spite", I think of this article:
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http://select.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/opinion/14kru...
Two years ago he wrote: "To understand what’s really happening in Iraq, follow the oil money, which already knows that the surge has failed."-
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Progressive1 month, 3 weeks ago
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From your link:
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"What all this means is that the next president, even as he or she tries to extricate us from Iraq — and prevent the country’s breakup from turning into a regional war — will have to deal with constant sniping from the people who lied us into an unnecessary war, then lost the war they started, but will never, ever, take responsibility for their failures." -
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donald511 month, 3 weeks ago
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love, the goal of the surge was to get security so the politicians(of the different factions) would cooperate with eachoher.... they didn't and Iraq is closer to becoming a shia religious state like Iran!
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Dumya' s dad knew this was likely and stopped the '91 war... Dumya and the wreckless neocons may have lost two more wars for us! Let Afghanistan go for a fruitless preemptive war on Sadam!
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Albmore1 month, 3 weeks ago
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I am sorry but I also did not think Chicago should get the olympics. I think it was a conflict of interest on Obamas part. I think the American people with all the major issues on the table now want to see a president that is deling with them and not bringing the olympics to his home area.
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On the other hand I think NOT getting the olympics will help Obama more than the accusations that would arise once money started flowing into Chicago.-
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outlawinexileComment removed: Hard Banned4 Replies
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oneironaut4201 month, 3 weeks ago
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"I think it was a conflict of interest on Obamas part. I think the American people with all the major issues on the table now want to see a president that is deling with them and not bringing the olympics to his home area."
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And I think he couldn't win either way. If he hadn't tried, he'd have most likely been accused of turning his back on his hometown. When he does try, he's accused of a conflict of interest.
And yet, none of this conservative outrage seemed to EVER be directed at Bush for ANYTHING he did during 8 years...I literally have yet to see a single staunch conservative on this site admit to even ONE mistake made by Bush. The hypocrisy is stunning and sad. 8( -
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sinophil491 month, 3 weeks ago
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albmore - Your reasoning and your writing are truly bizarre.
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"think it was a conflict of interest on Obamas part. I think the American people with all the major issues on the table now want to see a president that is deling with them and not bringing the olympics to his home area."
What conflict of interest?
Bringing the Olympics to Chicago would generate thousands, if not millions, of jobs for Americans. From architectural firms, construction, plumbing, electronics firms, communications, security and police jobs, hotel and restaurant jobs, taxicab drivers, bus and tram manufacturers, dancers and entertainers, horse trainers, clothing and shoe manufacturers, sod growers, food suppliers, truckers - the list goes on and on.
Creating jobs is what our president is supposed to do.
Why are Republicans rejoicing over the lost opportunity to gain all these jobs? This is absolutely disgusting! -
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Endoscopy1 month, 3 weeks ago
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Listen to the liberals howl. Obama CHOSE to put the office of president on the line to be a salesman. He obviously does not understand the job a salesman is to do.
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A salesman goes in and tells the prospective buyers why they should chose what he is selling. He should lay out the reasons for them to chose in this case Chicago by telling them all of the advantages and benefits of choosing that location. Both he and his wife chose instead to talk about themselves instead of the location they were selling. They were flat out failures as salesmen.
I worked side by side with salesmen for my company. So I learned how it is done. Obama obviously never learned.-
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Radiofreeeuropa1 month, 3 weeks ago
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The presentation wasn't about Obama or his wife. It was a fine presentation.
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Rio's case was more compelling. Plain and simple.
There are reasons one might choose DTV over cable regardless of what the salesperson says or who he is. If Obama had no "sales" skills you'd be having hissy fits about president Hillary Clinton instead of long shot President Obama. -
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mesodude1 month, 3 weeks ago
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"Obama CHOSE to put the office of president on the line to be a salesman. "
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--Wow...He put the Presidency on the line? Who told cons that? If you had brains you'd know that what he was doing was FOR our country. He didn't put anything on the line. You clowns are outrageously bitter and demented. Calm down and stop being a sore loser.
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rumple4skin1 month, 3 weeks ago
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outlawinexile says - 'No doubt part of the reason Obama felt compelled to hustle for Chicago was to reward his supporters back home.'
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Sorry, The President did not hustle for Chicago. He was trying to garner jobs for the city ... thousands of them. Your suggestion that he was trying to payback local supporters reeks of BS.
The President was and is in this situation: he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
Regardless of what he does or proposes Repubs will be in opposition until the next election. He will not have a moment of political peace because these repub assh**es are determined to make his term the most miserable they can. -
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jovial1 month, 3 weeks ago
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The battle began in earnest right after the Democratic nomination. The idea was and always has been from Republicans to smear the opponent. Swift boat him. It worked on Kerry, so why wouldn't it work on any candidate the Democrats had to offer? Well they (R) underestimated his charisma. They underestimated his speech making abilities. That's one of the first attacks they made on him. The old teleprompter attack. They wanted people to believe they had an empty suit. A person without wisdom or intelligence, but could only read a teleprompter. That didn't work so well, so they start with Muslim and birther baloney, Still not working and they are getting desperate. So they pull a "hail Mary" and nominate Palin for VP. They see a bump and they continue the birther muslim thing while continuing to praise Palin. Even when Palin was flustered on questions, many conservatives lamented that the interviewer was being too hard on her. They were picking on her! The election became a Palin vs. Obama election. McCain was moved to the sideline. The circus that led up to the election never stopped. The Republicans are in election mode. They have never stopped to recognize this President as being legitimate. We found in our Congress people sympathetic to birther conspiracies and Obama is a Muslim crap. I remember when the President spoke out against Limbaugh, the conservatives were asking for equal time for a rebuttal. It has never dawned on many of them yet that the election is over. It's not just people on the street, it's some of our Senators and Congressmen and women. Time has stood still for these people. It's still Oct. 2008 for them. And they still think they have a chance to elect their candidate, whomever that may be. For the first time in the history a black President has been elected. It may have been to soon, because a lot of people weren't ready for it yet. The people that were ready for it didn't expect it to happen. They need to get over the cognitive dissonance, get out of denial, and accept that Obama is the President of the United States and the election is over.
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tchef1 month, 3 weeks ago
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Whether or not Chicago got or deserved the Olympics is not the point of this article. The point is the glee that the rabid right is displaying over what they consider a failure by the President. These people don't care about this country at all. They only care about their party. The same party that ran this country into ruin. The same party that lied us into a war while abandoning a justified war and allowing the perpetrator of the worst attack on the US since WWII go free.
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sinophil491 month, 3 weeks ago
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beavith - The only created boogyman is Obama as portrayed by the Republicans. Just because he wanted to address the children of America to exhort them to work and study hard, he became to Republicans an indoctrinator of children to his Communistic agenda.
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Come on. That is so old. Doing everything nasty that you can possibly think of and then blaming the opposition for doing so. You're like the 5 year old kid who pulls out an apple from the bottom of the pyramid in a grocery and causing the whole pyramid to roll down to the floor and then blaming your baby sister for the apples all over the floor. -
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Radiofreeeuropa1 month, 3 weeks ago
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http://chattahbox.com/health/2008/06/17/fda-adds-w...
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Be careful with that stuff now. -
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