Mike Lofgren recently argued that the super-rich have seceded from the United States. That’s obvious, but read to the end of his article to see how deeply he appreciates the implications of their secession. More here.
Tag: Barack Obama
Michelle Obama, we know how you felt
If your husband had taken up with a bimbo – that sort of betrayal you could have done something about. But this was much worse. He was being bullied and bamboozled by the likes of Rahm Emmanuel and maybe Lawrence Summers, formidable sleazeballs, way too strong for you. More here.
Israel’s loose cannon targets Iran
This should be interesting. How will Barack Obama react if Benjamin Netanyahu tries to start World War III?
President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are engaged in intense maneuvering over Netanyahu’s aim of entangling the United States in an Israeli war against Iran.
Netanyahu is exploiting the extraordinary influence his right-wing Likud Party exercises over the Republican Party and the U.S. Congress on matters related to Israel in order to maximise the likelihood that the United States would participate in an attack on Iran.
Obama, meanwhile, appears to be hoping that he can avoid being caught up in a regional war started by Israel if he distances the United States from any Israeli attack.
New evidence surfaced in 2011 that Netanyahu has been serious about dealing a military blow to the Iranian nuclear programme. Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, who left his job in September 2010, revealed in his first public appearance after Mossad Jun. 2 that he, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) chief Gabi Ashkenazi and Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin had been able to “block any dangerous adventure” by Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.
The Hebrew language daily Maariv reported that those three, along with President Shimon Peres and IDF Senior Commander Gadi Eisenkrot, had vetoed a 2010 proposal by Netanyahu to attack Iran…
Orwell as antidote to Obama
Obama enjoys making vague declarations of faith in the system — “The strongest democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate…” — but his style of rhetoric is exactly what George Orwell warned against in “Politics and the English Language.” More here.
For New Year’s, maybe I’ll shoot you
Where would we be without the right to bear arms and pretend we’re homesteaders, defending our sod houses and log cabins against surprise attacks by West Indians and gangsta rappers? More here.
Obama’s see-no-evil supporters
Progressives who decide to vote for Obama should at least admit their complicity in Obama’s betrayal of views that used to be considered crucial to the progressive perspective. More here.
Politicians and celebrity suckers
Daniel Craig recently sounded off about politicians who pretend to be hip and progressive in order to win the favor of liberal-minded celebrities. Matt Damon was even more blunt. More here.
Joe Conason, meet Karl Rove
A resolution for 2012: Don’t read opinion pieces by knee-jerk Obama supporters who profess to be liberals. At the moment, I’m thinking of Joe Conason’s smear of Ron Paul. More here.
Credit where it’s due on mercury ruling
David Roberts of Grist does a nice job of summing up the importance of the new EPA rule regarding the emission of mercury and other toxins from coal- and oil-fired power plants:
… This one is a Big Deal. It’s worth lifting our heads out of the news cycle and taking a moment to appreciate that history is being made. Finally controlling mercury and toxics will be an advance on par with getting lead out of gasoline. It will save save tens of thousands of lives every year and prevent birth defects, learning disabilities, and respiratory diseases. It will make America a more decent, just, and humane place to live.
More here.
Obama to issue NDAA signing statement
OK, but it’s still unclear what effect this will have on the law regarding detention of American civilians:
Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed speculation Wednesday that President Barack Obama would issue a signing statement when he makes the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and its controversial detention provisions law.
“We made really substantial progress in moving from something that was really unacceptable to the administration to something with which we still have problems,” Holder said in response to a question from the Wall Street Journal’s Evan Perez. “But I think through these procedures, with these regulations we will be crafting, we can minimize the problems that will actually affect us in an operational way.”
Holder said the language of the NDAA had been moved in a “substantial way” from some of the original language which led the president to issue a veto threat.
“So we are in a better place, I think the regulations, procedures that will help, and we’ll also have a signing statement from the president” which will help clarify how they view the law, Holder said.