The Leader of the Homeland

[Jeremy Blackman]

I'm going to ignore the "Obama is worse than Bush" claim because I can't wrap my head around how to even approach that without being obliterated on a molecular level by the sheer power of the anti-logic forcefield.

Nevertheless, I've always been skeptical of Obama, did not vote for him, and think he's mixed at best (though probably for different reasons). I think "he did the opposite of everything he promised" is too reductive and demonstrably false, but he definitely could have done things differently in his first years. Three quick reasons: he's too moderate, too weak with congress, and he gave way too much power to Rahm Emanuel in forming his cabinet.

In other news:

Al Franken: Why I Voted Against the National Defense Authorization Act

Yesterday, the Senate passed a bill that includes provisions on detention that I found simply unacceptable. These provisions are inconsistent with the liberties and freedoms that are at the core of the system our Founders established. And while I did in fact vote for an earlier version of the legislation, I did so with the hope that the final version would be significantly improved. That didn't happen, and so I could not support the final bill.

The bill that passed on Thursday included several problematic provisions, the worst of which could allow the military to detain Americans indefinitely, without charge or trial, even if they're captured in the U.S.

[Pas]

HAHA talk about anti-logic forcefield. ''And while I did in fact vote for an earlier version of the legislation, I did so with the hope that the final version would be significantly improved''
hey I have a better idea, vote against it until it is significantly improved. Also, how would a bill like that could possibly be ''improved''? Indefinite detention without trial for vague reasons, humm yeah it's alright but it could be improved. Makes no sense at all.

What I think really happened is that he was told to vote for it, maybe he didn't even know what it was when he did, didn't really care about it. Thing went big, got HUGE backlash from base for the vote, had to switch.



Also Newt Gingrich... oh man your country is FUCKED.

[Jeremy Blackman]

HAHA talk about anti-logic forcefield. ''And while I did in fact vote for an earlier version of the legislation, I did so with the hope that the final version would be significantly improved''

hey I have a better idea, vote against it until it is significantly improved.

Fair point. However, his method works too. His "yes" vote was obviously not the final vote, so he certainly wasn't voting for the bill to pass the senate at that time. Legislators here do this all the time. They vote for the bill initially and threaten to turn against it if their desired changes are not made. It's a legislative tactic. (I have no idea whether Franken threatened to turn his vote, but he should have.) I do think it's kind of a silly tactic, and I'm not sure why it's better (strategically) than initially voting no, but it's common. Hmm... maybe if you initially vote no, your colleagues have no reason to think you'll change to a yes, whereas threatening to change a yes to a no gives you more leverage. Something like that.

Also, how would a bill like that could possibly be ''improved''? Indefinite detention without trial for vague reasons, humm yeah it's alright but it could be improved. Makes no sense at all.

I assume he was hoping that part would be removed.

What I think really happened is that he was told to vote for it, maybe he didn't even know what it was when he did, didn't really care about it. Thing went big, got HUGE backlash from base for the vote, had to switch.

Could be. Franken is good, but he's not perfect. Even if that's the case, at least he cares what his constituents think.

Can't disagree with that.

[S.R.]

Also Newt Gingrich... oh man your country is FUCKED.

Canada has capped internet!!!!!!!!!

[Pas]

hahahaha your ultimate equalizer!

[Jeremy Blackman]

I was listening to some old podcasts that I hadn't heard yet, and I ran across what is possibly the best opinion I've ever heard about the Occupy movement, in less than 3 minutes:

http://www.mediafire.com/?vemdhdxmdahd7nk

It's Stephen Metcalf from the 10/19/11 episode of Slate's Culture Gabfest.

[Pubrick]

Summarize it for me in less than three paragraphs.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Alright, here I go:

You really should just listen to the clip.

[wilderesque]

How about three hours? (or at least the first 25 minutes, ignore the sensationalist video title)

[Jeremy Blackman]

"Immorality leads to the problem of people wanting birth control." [paraphrased]

Who said this?

Rick Santorum? Newt Gingrich? Romney?

No, it was Ron Paul.

For some reason there's a myth that Ron Paul is a social libertarian. People think Ron Paul is in favor of personal freedom, when in fact he's in favor of giving states the freedom to restrict their citizens' personal freedom. Here's just one example:

http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/02/ron-paul-birth-control

[Sleepless]

All Republicans are against the government interfering in people's lives... unless the interfering has to do with reproductive issues - then they can't get enough odf it.

[Pubrick]

Frothy is out.

Let the Rom com begin.

[BB]

2 percent of voters think Mitt Romney's real name is 'Mittens'

[polkablues]

The centerpiece of the Republican convention was Clint Eastwood haranguing an empty chair. I don't even....

[Jeremy Blackman]

I haven't been able to watch or listen to any of it for more than 2 minutes. I genuinely tried, but everything is so infuriating.