Much has been made of Obama's supposedly weak support among working-class whites with less than a college education. This from Alan Abramowitz, Washington Post, Sat May 10:
". . . Racial attitudes have changed dramatically in the United States over the past several decades, of course, and overtly racist beliefs are much less prevalent among white Americans of all classes today. But a more subtle form of prejudice, which social scientists sometimes call symbolic racism, is still out there -- especially among working-class whites. Symbolic racism means believing that African American poverty and other problems are largely the result of lack of ambition and effort, rather than white racism and discrimination. Who holds symbolically racist beliefs? A relatively large portion of white voters in general and white working-class voters in particular, according to the 2004 American National Election Study, the best data available on this topic. A few answers underscore how widespread these attitudes are: · Almost 60 percent of white voters agreed with the statement that "blacks should try harder to succeed." A startling 43 percent of white college graduates nodded at this one, along with 71 percent of whites with no college education. · Fully 49 percent of white voters disagreed with the statement that "history makes it more difficult for blacks to succeed." Forty percent of white college graduates disagreed with it, along with 58 percent of whites with no college education. "
". . . Racial attitudes have changed dramatically in the United States over the past several decades, of course, and overtly racist beliefs are much less prevalent among white Americans of all classes today. But a more subtle form of prejudice, which social scientists sometimes call symbolic racism, is still out there -- especially among working-class whites.
Symbolic racism means believing that African American poverty and other problems are largely the result of lack of ambition and effort, rather than white racism and discrimination. Who holds symbolically racist beliefs? A relatively large portion of white voters in general and white working-class voters in particular, according to the 2004 American National Election Study, the best data available on this topic. A few answers underscore how widespread these attitudes are:
· Almost 60 percent of white voters agreed with the statement that "blacks should try harder to succeed." A startling 43 percent of white college graduates nodded at this one, along with 71 percent of whites with no college education.
· Fully 49 percent of white voters disagreed with the statement that "history makes it more difficult for blacks to succeed." Forty percent of white college graduates disagreed with it, along with 58 percent of whites with no college education. "
These numbers are very disturbing, but can also be overcome with a lot of hard work.
Some Headlines I'm Hoping to See Someday:
"Republican Party Crashes & Burns. Entire GOP Goes Down in Flames""Karl Rove Has Spiritual Transformation - Opts to Scale Mt Everest Barefoot & Wearing Only Loincloth to Repent for Past Sins."NYT, January 2014. "Ex-President Bush Fails in Speaking Tour Bid; Drinking & Carousing Lead to Divorce, Destitution, Downward Spiral; Secures Job Clearing Brush in Montana under Obama Sustainable Public Lands Program."
More coming soon! Add your own!
Friends,
Last night on the Open Thread (Thurs May 8) there emerged a Critical Issue that HQ would be well-advised to address as expeditiously as possible - the difficulties experienced by visitors to the Obama Website who have a dialup connection to the Internet. The connections are too slow to load up the Blog pages, and a Thread with 800 or 1,000 comments freezes up folks's computers, effectively SILENCING people who want to participate in the Blog but can't because of technical limitations. There MUST be a simple technical fix for this problem. HQ, it seems to me that you ignore this issue at your peril . . . . .
IT REALLY IS POSSIBLE • That the American People Really Have Finally Woken Up from their Long Political Torpor • That a Critical Mass of the Electorate Really Have Seen through the Crap • That Alternative Media Really Do Make Mainstream Media Vulnerable to Subversion & Displacement • That We Really Can Mount an Effective Challenge to the Richest & Most Powerful Interests on Earth • That this Nation's Long Downhill Slide over the Past 30 Years Really Can Be Arrested & Even Reversed • That a Critical Mass of Young People Really Have Actually Begun To Care About Politics & Public Life • That Divisions of Race & Class & Gender & Religion & Culture & Politics Really Can Be Bridged • That this Nation's Future is Not Bleak but Promising • That in the Next Eight Years under an Obama Presidency We Really Can Remake American Democracy and this Nation's Place in the World
Thank You INDIANA!!! Thank You NORTH CAROLINA!!!
IT REALLY IS POSSIBLE.
ObamaFamily --
In the coming weeks, as we Churn Inexorably toward the Democratic Nomination, thousands & thousands of visitors & new supporters will be flocking to the ObamaBlog. In the spirit of Barack's campaign, the Blog Community wishes to cultivate in the BlogSpace a Positive & Welcoming Spirit of Cooperation & Common Purpose. We also want to help Obama supporters who are relative Newcomers to the Internet, by making accessible some simple but very handy tricks & tips. This *FINAL DRAFT* of a set of Community-Generated Guidelines & Tips for ObamaBloggers is intended to help us along that path.
Please offer any suggestions for changes, revisions, additions, whatever!
Though the document will continue to evolve, the next step will be to Petition HQ to make these Guidelines & Tips more readily accessible to the Blogging Community – preferably as a New Page linked to a New Button on the right-hand side. If you think that's a good idea, leave a comment that says something like: "HQ – please create a new button & page!" A cavalcade of such comments will hopefully prove compelling, but HQ isn't likely to Smile Upon the Idea unless a Critical Mass of Bloggers ask for it. Target date for bringing the Proposal to HQ is early next week (wk of May 12; hopefully it'll be implemented by late spring or early summer; this is a long-term project. PS – if you made a suggestion but don't see it included then My Bad - please make again?) [ PS - HI HQ!!! Looky what we're doing!!! Organizing Ourselves!!! Look forward to Collaborating soon! ]
GUIDELINES & TIPS FOR OBAMABLOGGERS1. GENERAL CONSENSUS GUIDELINES ON OBAMABLOG CUSTOMS & ETIQUETTE • Tone and Spirit • Public Profiles • Replying • ALL CAPS • White Space • For Long & Repeat Posts • Spamming • Hijacking • Trolls • Dissent • Cussing & Swear Words • Derogatory Labels & Ephithets & Stereotypes • Intellectual Property Rights 2. TECHNICAL TIPS A. THE BASICS • What is the ObamaBlog? How does it work? • How to Make a Public Profile • MyBO Individual Blogs • Read More" Function on MyBO • Copying & Pasting • Putting Links in a Comment • Searching for your Comment or a Specific Word in a Blog • Right-Clicking • Checking Profiles B. MORE ADVANCED • Bold, Italics & Underlining • Special Characters • Being FIRST!3. BLOGGING LEXICON & VOCABULARY Please click "Read More" to view the full DRAFT.
GUIDELINES & TIPS FOR OBAMABLOGGERS
1. GENERAL CONSENSUS GUIDELINES ON OBAMABLOG CUSTOMS & ETIQUETTE
• Tone and Spirit • Public Profiles • Replying • ALL CAPS • White Space • For Long & Repeat Posts • Spamming • Hijacking • Trolls • Dissent • Cussing & Swear Words • Derogatory Labels & Ephithets & Stereotypes • Intellectual Property Rights
2. TECHNICAL TIPS
A. THE BASICS
• What is the ObamaBlog? How does it work? • How to Make a Public Profile • MyBO Individual Blogs • Read More" Function on MyBO • Copying & Pasting • Putting Links in a Comment • Searching for your Comment or a Specific Word in a Blog • Right-Clicking • Checking Profiles
B. MORE ADVANCED
• Bold, Italics & Underlining • Special Characters • Being FIRST!
3. BLOGGING LEXICON & VOCABULARY
Please click "Read More" to view the full DRAFT.
I am Reddy! One word sums up probably the responsabilaty of any vice president and that one word is "To Be Preppared!" Plus I love Washhington DC I mean almost Grew Up in Feenix!
You Know Who You Are.
Obama-Blog-Reader-Who-Makes- Not-A-Peep.
Intrigued by Barack Obama, Ardent Supporter or Just Plain Curious, you Visit this Blog. You Survey the Chatter. You Read what's Interesting. You Laugh at Obamacrat's Jokes.
For Every Active Blogger there are 100 of You. Maybe more. You Read. You Think. You Reflect.
You Remain Silent.
Well Consider This, O Silent One: Your Silence is Just Fine. Obama is Captivating, and You and Your Inquisitive Truth-Seeking Mind are Most Welcome Here. It is a Remarkable Place as you know, its Posts & Conversations Fascinating and Delightfully Riotous in their Variety - Informative & Deep & Comical & Profound & Hopeful & Endlessly Interesting. Your Silence is your Choice, and it is a Good Choice.
Now Reflect on This, O Silent One: Barack Obama's Campaign depends on Millions & Millions of Small Donors. Millions of Droplets of Cash of $5 and $10 and $20 drizzling drizzling drizzling to make this Campaign of Hope possible. A Flood of Droplets of Cash from People Just Like You.
You know the critical issues -- • Jobs Bleeding Overseas • HOUSING CRISIS • the Iraq Disaster • HEALTH CARE • Political Rancor & Division & Partisanship & Gridlock • POLITICS OF SMEARS & FEARS • Corruption By Special Interests & Lobbyists • SKYROCKETING GAS PRICES • Obscene Oil Company Profits • AL QAEDA, IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN • Climate Change • VENAL & INCOMPETENT LEADERSHIP • Education & Schools • GOVERNMENT SECRECY • Tax Breaks for the Super-Rich • SKY-HIGH DEFICITS & DEBT • Rising Unemployment • GROWING ANTI-AMERICANISM WORLDWIDE . . . and so much more . . .
You KNOW Barack Obama is a TRUE LEADER the likes of which comes along only once every Generation or more. You FEEL the Optimism & Hope that Saturate this Site. You SEE how Barack Obama is Transforming American Politics by Wrenching Our Democracy Away from the Corrupting Influence of Lobbyists & Special Interests.
You KNOW it's an Uphill Fight. That the Odds are Against him. You see it now with the Flag-Pin distraction & the Rev-You-Know-Who distraction & more. You Feel you should Do Something.
Well here's my suggestion: Listen, O Silent One. Listen to the Drizzle. Listen & become a Drop in the Flood!
♪ ♫ $5 ♪ ♫ $10 ♪ ♫ $25 ♫
♫ ♪ Be a Drop in the Drizzle of Hope ! ♪ ♫
Care
Learn
Act
* LINK *
Click Here Now & Help Heal the Nation & World • Obama '08 •
♪ ♫ See a dollar pick it up ♪ ♫
This Note Is Legal Tender for All Debts, Public and Private . . . Public? . . . Private?
PUBLIC ARTPUBLIC DEBTPUBLIC SPACEPUBLIC PARKSPUBLIC LANDSPUBLIC ACCESSPUBLIC SPHEREPUBLIC BEACHESPUBLIC INTERESTPUBLIC SERVICESPUBLIC AIRWAVESPUBLIC LIBRARIESPUBLIC FACILITIESPUBLIC BUILDINGSPUBLIC SIDEWALKSPUBLIC SANITATIONPUBLIC WATERWAYSPUBLIC BROADCASTINGPUBLIC THOROUGHFARESPUBLIC ISSUES & DEBATESPUBLIC RADIO & TELEVISIONPUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONSPUBLIC COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIESPUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCINGPUBLIC INFRASTRUCTUREPUBLIC TRANSPORTATIONPUBLIC AUTHORITIESPUBLIC WATERFRONTPUBLIC ASSISTANCEPUBLIC EDUCATIONPUBLIC MEETINGSPUBLIC SUBSIDIESPUBLIC UTILITIESPUBLIC SERVANTSPUBLIC HOUSINGPUBLIC SCHOOLSPUBLIC DOMAINPUBLIC STREETSPUBLIC HEALTHPUBLIC SECTORPUBLIC VIRTUEPUBLIC WATERPUBLIC GOODPUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE PUBLIC PRIVATE
PUBLIC: Government. State Apparatus. Law. Courts. Bureaucracy. USA: Federal-State-Local Levels. Based on Social Contract of CITIZEN & STATE: Citizenship, Civil Rights. Taxes & Loyalty in Exchange for Protection of Life, Property, Rights. PUBLIC creates infrastructure for PRIVATE: Constitution creates Rights, Law, Property. PUBLIC densely woven with PRIVATE from the get-go.
PRIVATE: Property. Capitalism: Production & Exchange. Markets. Families. Homes. Worship. Faith. Businesses: Small, Medium, Large. Small Business: Cannot Compete: Disadvantaged in Globalized Economy: Startups, Failures. Big Business: Dominate: Big Fish Eat Little Fish: WalMarts Eat Mom&Pops. BIG MegaCorporations: Sole Purpose: Maximize Profits. Nothing Sacred but PROFITS: Not Land, Water, Air, Earth, Human Life. BIG PRIVATE INTERESTS: Corrupt PUBLIC Sector: Big Money Buys Public Power: Lobbyists, Special Interests. Immense Power, Resources: Ruthless Pursuit of Profit. Military-Industrial-Media Complex: NYT 4.26.08 * Joe Ruwe's War Machine *Joe's Blog *
WHAT'S TRUE
• Proper Role of Government is Pursuit of PUBLIC GOOD by Balancing Public & Private • Public & Private Sectors Interwoven since the Founding • Today: Public Sphere Deeply Corrupted by BIG Business • Charges of Communism & Socialism are like FlagPins: Distractions • Big Business: Deeply Opposed to Obama Presidency: Working to Destroy • Common Decency & Basic Fairness are Essence & Core of PUBLIC GOOD • A question of BALANCE
OBAMA SEEKS TO RE-BALANCE PRIVATE INTERESTS & PUBLIC GOOD
OBAMA SEEKS THE PUBLIC GOOD
Care Learn Act * Give! * to Rebalance Public & Private GoodClick Here Now and Help Rebalance the World • Obama '08 •
Learn Act * Give! * to Rebalance Public & Private Good
Act * Give! * to Rebalance
* Give! *
to Rebalance
Public & Private Good
Click Here Now and Help Rebalance the World • Obama '08 •
.
I think we should Boycott Sponsored Internet "Polls". They're a bad idea and we shouldn't play into Sponsored Faux Polls unless it's purely for sport - like shooting clay pigeons or catching waterbugs or something. Otherwise they're counterproductive and Should Be Boycotted.
Why? First, they're totally worthless statistically. They don't mean anything in the realm of statistics or science. We can get into that but it's just true.
The only other arguments for them are (a) they're fun, and (b) they're part of the "battle of perceptions". Reason (a), okay, go for it. Reason (b): Participating & voting because of "the battle of perceptions" plays into a System that represents the Old Politics and plays into the hands of our Enemies.
Why? At least Three Reasons.
First, our Enemies are Nefarious Demons, and they have Oodles & Oodles of Resources. Reason 1 is that Our Enemies have more Power & Resources than We do, and they are using those Resources to undermine Obama's candidacy every second of every day. Faux Polls are a small part of their arsenal.
Second, whose "perceptions"? Considering the Vast Sea of Relative Indifference covering most of North America, and the super-abundance of Real Polling Data, all Sponsored Polls do is add to the background noise. They clutter & confuse perceptions, not clarify them.
Reason 3: Imagine the Opposite. Imagine if We Didn't Play. Imagine if we BOYCOTTED FAKE POLLS. We would get 10% in the Faux News Polls. Obviously worthless. Rush Limbaugh would have to call out his shock troops to boost our numbers.
It would be totally obvious. "Look!! the Internet "Click-N-Vote" Polls say Obama 10% but Gallup & Rasmussen & other Reputable Polls say 58% ! ! DUH! Which is Real? Which should I believe?"
It's the Wrong Game to Play. Why?
Because it Plays to our Enemies' Strengths. It gives Them the Field. They have the Money and Power, people. They can BURY us with their resources. We do not have POWER. Yet.
Our Enemies Can Buy More & Bigger Faux Polls Than We Can.
So let's not play by the Rulebook given us by our Enemies! Unless you feel like voting in these things is like catching waterbugs & tadpoles in the springtime - something done for the Pure Joy of it. If that's the case, who am I to stomp on someone's fun?
Otherwise I think it's in the interests of the Obama campaign that Obama supporters Boycott Faux Polls.
Please sign on if you agree - or make suggestions about what types of Faux Polls to participate in and which types to to boycott - this is directed mainly at the "Hillary vs. Obama" Faux Polls - here on the ObamaBlog we get dozens of postings every day encouraging people to vote on these things and to my mind it's a waste of good effort & good BlogSpace.
Thanks for listening.
Excerpt from "ObamaBloggers: Political Communities of Hope & Change at the Dawn of the Digital Age, 2007-2016" (Basic Books, 2025). Chapter 4. Toward the Nomination The twenty-four hours around the April 22 primary in Pennsylvania illustrate the growing size, energy, coherence, and incoherence of the ObamaBlog Community. In rapid-fire sequence of New Threads, HQ's wizards posted 24 threads in 24 hours – a new record. Interest in the First! Game dwindled as attention riveted on the crucial Pennsylvania contest . Polls opened at eight o'clock Tuesday morning. In the 24 hours after ten o'clock Monday night, Bloggers posted some 12,000 comments – one every seven seconds – nearly twice the average in the previous weeks. Long announcements, solicitations, and link-lists were replaced by clipped one-liners– Barack on CNN! – YES WE CAN! – Hillary on the ropes – OBAMA'08! – Barack on Jon Stewart *Link*. Several scuffles and shouting matches broke out on various threads. Most were quickly smoothed, but the Community's nerves were clearly frazzled. Over the course of this 24-hour period, the intensified chatter focused on polls, projections, speculations, Hillary-thumping, and ObamaCheers, while blogspace was peppered with prayers, poems, analyses, reports from the field, and personal testimonies of volunteers and supporters. The long-awaited moment sparked an outpouring of emotion across the board. Two separate dances broke out spontaneously on Christopher Hass's afternoon Blog announcing the endorsement of 29 North Carolina state legislators. Wild enthusiasm and predictions of smashing victory were tempered by appeals to prudence and patience. Ever-helpful Lace continued her Troll-patrols; Joe Ruwe paused in his blistering critiques of a failed Iraq policy; SaSa fluttered about squelching rumors and offering reassurances. The six weeks were finally over, and the Community's attention focused laser-like on Pennsylvania. That evening, as the magnitude of the MSM's reported 10-point defeat began to sink in, the day's earlier optimism yielded to commiseration, appeals to faith, and reminders to keep things in perspective. "Hello?" "need a hug," read the first two posts on Tuesday's Election Thread II. "((((hugs)))) to all," read the third. "I feel your pain.. here is a big hug from NY." "I need a beer," shrugged Altar Eggo; "I need (another) cheesesteak" confessed MtnMom. The frowny-faced chatter continued until Patrick in NM's sharp rejoinder – "Come on people! Get up, Stay up!" So it continued through the night and next day – reflections on (and incessant challenges to) the MSM's reported 10-percent margin of defeat; reminders of the previous weeks' dramatic gap-closing; calls for Hope & Belief as well as organizing, strategizing, and action. The next major caches of delegates came in the May 6 primaries in Indiana – where polls showed the race neck-and-neck – and North Carolina, where Obama was expected to score a major victory. The Community drew together in the aftermath of the Pennsylvania defeat, mirroring the days after New Hampshire. Donations skyrocketed, reaching a staggering all-time high in April, . . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Let's Make History People! Let's Truly Turn the Page on the past 28 years of conservative Republican domination! This is The Moment, and Our Time Is Now!
Excerpt from "ObamaBloggers: Political Communities of Hope & Change at the Dawn of the Digital Age, 2007-2016" (Basic Books, 2025).
Chapter 4. Toward the Nomination
The twenty-four hours around the April 22 primary in Pennsylvania illustrate the growing size, energy, coherence, and incoherence of the ObamaBlog Community. In rapid-fire sequence of New Threads, HQ's wizards posted 24 threads in 24 hours – a new record. Interest in the First! Game dwindled as attention riveted on the crucial Pennsylvania contest . Polls opened at eight o'clock Tuesday morning. In the 24 hours after ten o'clock Monday night, Bloggers posted some 12,000 comments – one every seven seconds – nearly twice the average in the previous weeks. Long announcements, solicitations, and link-lists were replaced by clipped one-liners– Barack on CNN! – YES WE CAN! – Hillary on the ropes – OBAMA'08! – Barack on Jon Stewart *Link*. Several scuffles and shouting matches broke out on various threads. Most were quickly smoothed, but the Community's nerves were clearly frazzled.
Over the course of this 24-hour period, the intensified chatter focused on polls, projections, speculations, Hillary-thumping, and ObamaCheers, while blogspace was peppered with prayers, poems, analyses, reports from the field, and personal testimonies of volunteers and supporters. The long-awaited moment sparked an outpouring of emotion across the board. Two separate dances broke out spontaneously on Christopher Hass's afternoon Blog announcing the endorsement of 29 North Carolina state legislators. Wild enthusiasm and predictions of smashing victory were tempered by appeals to prudence and patience. Ever-helpful Lace continued her Troll-patrols; Joe Ruwe paused in his blistering critiques of a failed Iraq policy; SaSa fluttered about squelching rumors and offering reassurances. The six weeks were finally over, and the Community's attention focused laser-like on Pennsylvania.
That evening, as the magnitude of the MSM's reported 10-point defeat began to sink in, the day's earlier optimism yielded to commiseration, appeals to faith, and reminders to keep things in perspective. "Hello?" "need a hug," read the first two posts on Tuesday's Election Thread II. "((((hugs)))) to all," read the third. "I feel your pain.. here is a big hug from NY." "I need a beer," shrugged Altar Eggo; "I need (another) cheesesteak" confessed MtnMom. The frowny-faced chatter continued until Patrick in NM's sharp rejoinder – "Come on people! Get up, Stay up!"
So it continued through the night and next day – reflections on (and incessant challenges to) the MSM's reported 10-percent margin of defeat; reminders of the previous weeks' dramatic gap-closing; calls for Hope & Belief as well as organizing, strategizing, and action. The next major caches of delegates came in the May 6 primaries in Indiana – where polls showed the race neck-and-neck – and North Carolina, where Obama was expected to score a major victory.
The Community drew together in the aftermath of the Pennsylvania defeat, mirroring the days after New Hampshire. Donations skyrocketed, reaching a staggering all-time high in April, . . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let's Make History People! Let's Truly Turn the Page on the past 28 years of conservative Republican domination! This is The Moment, and Our Time Is Now!
This is the *DRAFT* of a set of Community-Generated Guidelines & Tips for ObamaBloggers. The goal is to improve & enhance the ObamaBlog experience for individual Bloggers and the entire ObamaBlog Community.
Please click on "Read More" to see the full *DRAFT* and leave Comments & Suggestions in the Comments section.
Thanks!
GUIDELINES & TIPS FOR OBAMABLOGGERS1. GENERAL CONSENSUS GUIDELINES ON OBAMABLOG CUSTOMS & ETIQUETTE.2. TECHNICAL TIPS. (A) THE BASICS. (B) MORE ADVANCED.3. BLOGGING LEXICON & VOCABULARY. Please click "Read More" to view the full DRAFT.
1. GENERAL CONSENSUS GUIDELINES ON OBAMABLOG CUSTOMS & ETIQUETTE.
2. TECHNICAL TIPS. (A) THE BASICS. (B) MORE ADVANCED.
3. BLOGGING LEXICON & VOCABULARY.
Well like everyone else I'm still trying to wrap my head around what this Internet Revolution means for the Great American Democratic Experiment that started 221 years ago this summer. The Big Issue, o'course, is Campaign Financing - Giant Rivers of Cash from FatCat Donors being displaced by Endless Streamlets of Cash from Millions of Donors (that's us!!). The emerging system has the potential to profoundly subvert the way American Politics has functioned since the invention of the Railroad - say, the 1840s.
So that seems Kinda Big. Closer at hand, because I'm strangely addicted to them, are these ObamaBlogs. It's weird. We all zip along on these Blogs like it's the most natural thing in the world to chat & exchange ideas with thousands of people scattered across the Planet. We have instant access to an astonishing array of information that we constantly share & exchange. We create and re-create a virtual community that swirls around the Sharing of Information that we hope will help lead to an Obama presidency. Needless to say, none of these things have ever existed in the History of the Human Species. We're in uncharted waters here, folks.
What does all this mean? What kind of community are we creating? Where are we going with it? Who knows?
Given the state of things in the world today, and the extraordinary interest the Obama candidacy has sparked internationally, it's likely that the ObamaBlogs are among the most heavily trafficked blogs on the Planet. If so it shows. It's like the Wild West in here, a relentless cavalcade of chatter & cheers & insights & ads & screeds & rants & laments & troublesome trolls & avalanches of information zipping past and then - NEW THREAD! and it starts all over again - nonstop, 24/7, day after day, month after month. Will it continue after Obama's elected? Hope so, but who knows?
The vast bulk of the traffic stays completely invisible, as ObamaFriend Dale Tucker's very interesting experiment of 4/19 showed. For every semi-regular contributor there's at least 100 people out there, watching, listening, paying close attention & never making a peep.
We're smack in the middle of creating something here, ObamaFamily, and we're not even sure what it is. It's cluttered & confusing & constantly changing & we're all part of it, somehow.
But despite all the confusion, some things seem clear. For one, we all agree we're creating a community infused with a certain sensibility based on the broad principles laid out by Barack Obama. These include -- Integrity in Government. Truthfulness. Honesty. Deepened Democracy. Bridged Social & Class & Racial & Political Divisions. Environmental Sanity. Peace & Cooperation Abroad, to the extent possible in today's global environment. And, we all mostly agree that Barack Obama is an Honest & Smart & Inspiring Leader with sound principles that focus strongly on the Public Good. These seem the vortices around which these Blogs swirl. Basic principles upon which we all agree. So that part's easy. Mostly.
Second, we DO stuff. Lots of what goes on here is organizing events, expanding phone calling, gathering donations. We do real, concrete, boots-on-the-ground stuff here. That's a large part of what these ObamaBlogs are all about. Action. Integrating Web-Action and Street-Action. It's a huge part of what makes Obama's campaign so powerful – the integration of Web & Street.
Third, a certain spirit infuses these Blogs, a shared sensibility that's focused on notions of the PUBLIC good. A set of principles & values that focuses on the Collective well-being, while at the same time protecting & defending Individual rights & privileges. Collective in the sense of, hey -- We're All In This Together. The Spirit infusing these Blogs is a Fight-the-Good-Fight spirit. It is a Truth-Justice-Peace spirit. It saturates everything. There's even a Consensus Policy on Troublesome Trolls. Lace is the point-person on that.
So sure the Blogs are raucous and crowded and we're elbow-to-elbow jostling each other around, and people get shoved out of the way in the race to be FIRST! on the NEW THREAD! but we're also courteous & kind & watch out for each other & do favors & go stand in corners and have great conversations about all kinds of stuff.
There are so many aspects to this Internet Wild West – and I got to thinking how the American Revolution originated in the Correspondence Societies that emerged in the wake of the Seven Years' War & especially from the early 1770s – Patriots who "Corresponded" with each other in the major cities & towns up & down the Atlantic Seaboard, in opposition to British rule. In other words, Networking & Correspondence were at the core of the American Revolution. Exchanging Letters & Ideas leading to sharpened Public Debate and the organizing of actions, boycotts, meetings, and the like. So here we are, in 2008, Networking & Corresponding & creating new kinds of Correspondence Societies, new kinds of Communities. Of course so are all the Hate Groups, as Jim in Arizona pointed out the other day. Somebody should write a thesis on all this stuff.
So I throw these musings out as a kind of Provocation, an Initial Blurt-Out in what I hope might become a wider conversation.
There's a Cluster of Questions Here, ObamaFamily, and you are invited to comment on any or all of them: - What are YOU doing here? What do the ObamaBlogs mean to YOU?- Are you addicted to blogging here? Why? What do you find especially compelling about these Blogs?- What do you see as the "Animating Spirit" of these Blogs? What Blog-Community values are most important to you?- What kind of a Community are we creating here? What binds us together, and what has the potential to divide & fragment us?- What kinds of changes or modifications would you like to see in the structure of the site?- Where do YOU think the site is headed, or should head - in the short term, medium term, and long term?- What do YOU think we're doing here?- Any other questions or topics that the foregoing sub-questions elide or ignore.IN SHORT, FRIENDS -- WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?Your job is to SEIZE any of these questions & make them your own!
There's a Cluster of Questions Here, ObamaFamily, and you are invited to comment on any or all of them:
- What are YOU doing here? What do the ObamaBlogs mean to YOU?
- Are you addicted to blogging here? Why? What do you find especially compelling about these Blogs?
- What do you see as the "Animating Spirit" of these Blogs? What Blog-Community values are most important to you?
- What kind of a Community are we creating here? What binds us together, and what has the potential to divide & fragment us?
- What kinds of changes or modifications would you like to see in the structure of the site?
- Where do YOU think the site is headed, or should head - in the short term, medium term, and long term?
- What do YOU think we're doing here?
- Any other questions or topics that the foregoing sub-questions elide or ignore.
IN SHORT, FRIENDS -- WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
Your job is to SEIZE any of these questions & make them your own!
Please click on READ MORE to see the dialogue generated thus far. I will be adding people's comments to the "READ MORE" section as time passes, copying-and-pasting from the "Comments" section. I'm hoping that the compilation that results from these efforts, which may run into hundreds or even thousands of comments, might be of some small help to this Web community in the wider process of its own Self-Creation.Thank you for participating & for being part of this Community!
Please click on READ MORE to see the dialogue generated thus far. I will be adding people's comments to the "READ MORE" section as time passes, copying-and-pasting from the "Comments" section.
I'm hoping that the compilation that results from these efforts, which may run into hundreds or even thousands of comments, might be of some small help to this Web community in the wider process of its own Self-Creation.
Thank you for participating & for being part of this Community!
Friends! -- You are all cordially invited to contribute to this comprehensive accounting of all the positive accomplishments of the two Bush Admistrations - a list that just seems to grow longer by the minute! Thanks for all your creative ideas! (Purpose - to generate some ammunition for when the race turns to McSame).
NOTE: In the unlikely event you've developed selective amnesia about all the "accomplishments" of the past 8 years, you might wish to review the following YouTube videos: Bushisms [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGRYPYuFZLk], Bushisms II [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA9tOE-2ej8&NR=1] and Best Bushisms [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K05KMqyKk88&feature=related] - hell, just search "Bushisms" on YouTube & it's guaranteed to roil all those dormant brain cells & stir up all those repressed memories.
WARNING! Viewing these videos & participating in this compilation means you might actually start remembering what it's been like.
The Bush Years: Comprehensive List of Accomplishments 1. Kept the brush down in Crawford TX. (Michael in MI)2. Showed that children's books can be read upside down. (Sally)3. Created alot of new assignments and jobs for English grammar teachers as they tried to edit their jobs. (GlobalCitizenLinda) 4. Provided stand-up comedians with an abundance of laughlines. (GlobalCitizenLinda)5. Promoted job growth among manufacturers of rally protest signs. (GlobalCitizenLinda)6. Made Gulf War I look much better, along with the rest of his father's time in office. (SaSa)7. Created many new & useful words like "strategory". (Nancy "Hope" B from PA) 8. Turned Al Gore into a deity. (Suna Z) 9. Prompted many Americans to come to their senses and become Democrats. (WomanOver60)10. Yep. (Joe Ruwe)11. . . . .12. . . . . PLEASE CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW TO SEE THE ENTIRE LIST!
The Bush Years: Comprehensive List of Accomplishments
1. Kept the brush down in Crawford TX. (Michael in MI)
2. Showed that children's books can be read upside down. (Sally)
3. Created alot of new assignments and jobs for English grammar teachers as they tried to edit their jobs. (GlobalCitizenLinda)
4. Provided stand-up comedians with an abundance of laughlines. (GlobalCitizenLinda)
5. Promoted job growth among manufacturers of rally protest signs. (GlobalCitizenLinda)
6. Made Gulf War I look much better, along with the rest of his father's time in office. (SaSa)
7. Created many new & useful words like "strategory". (Nancy "Hope" B from PA)
8. Turned Al Gore into a deity. (Suna Z)
9. Prompted many Americans to come to their senses and become Democrats. (WomanOver60)
10. Yep. (Joe Ruwe)
11. . . . .
12. . . . .
PLEASE CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW TO SEE THE ENTIRE LIST!
Please submit any suggestions you might have in the comments. Thank you.
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ Ode To ABC News ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫Well They Did Them a 'Debate' down at ABCNot Worth a Puddle o' Donkey Pee!Mop-Head Georgie-Boy & Charlie-Nothin'-NewNot Worth a Pile o' Donkey Doo! "FlagPins, Bombings, t' Guns They Cling"That Georgie-Boy's Neck I surely wanna Ring!An' there's Doofus-Charlie Askin' Questions Like a DorkStraight Into His Backside I wanna Stick My Fork! Mop-Head Georgie-Boy Stephalopo-LameAskin' Questions Like His Viewers They ain't Got No Brain!Charlie-Nothin'-New, he'd be Tweedle DeeDissin' All the Voters that'd be You & Me! Y'got Fat-Cat Sponsors Pullin' all the StringsTellin' y'all jus' what Song To Sing! They Say "Jump!" 'n y'all ask, 'How High?'A Pack o' Faithful Lapdogs Barkin' Lies! Y'say, 'Our Viewers? hah! They got Heads o' Wood!So we c'n ignore that pesky varmint called the Public Good'! Y'got Mop-Head Georgie-Boy Spoutin' DiarrheaSo y' can't be su'prised when all y'ur Viewers say 'See Ya!' Well They Did Them a Debate Down at ABCNot Worth a Puddle o' Donkey Pee!Mop-Head Georgie-Boy & Charlie Nothin'-NewNot Worth a Pile o' Donkey Doo! Repeat All part of the venting process. Thank you for your indulgence.
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ Ode To ABC News ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫Well They Did Them a 'Debate' down at ABCNot Worth a Puddle o' Donkey Pee!Mop-Head Georgie-Boy & Charlie-Nothin'-NewNot Worth a Pile o' Donkey Doo! "FlagPins, Bombings, t' Guns They Cling"That Georgie-Boy's Neck I surely wanna Ring!An' there's Doofus-Charlie Askin' Questions Like a DorkStraight Into His Backside I wanna Stick My Fork! Mop-Head Georgie-Boy Stephalopo-LameAskin' Questions Like His Viewers They ain't Got No Brain!Charlie-Nothin'-New, he'd be Tweedle DeeDissin' All the Voters that'd be You & Me! Y'got Fat-Cat Sponsors Pullin' all the StringsTellin' y'all jus' what Song To Sing! They Say "Jump!" 'n y'all ask, 'How High?'A Pack o' Faithful Lapdogs Barkin' Lies! Y'say, 'Our Viewers? hah! They got Heads o' Wood!So we c'n ignore that pesky varmint called the Public Good'! Y'got Mop-Head Georgie-Boy Spoutin' DiarrheaSo y' can't be su'prised when all y'ur Viewers say 'See Ya!' Well They Did Them a Debate Down at ABCNot Worth a Puddle o' Donkey Pee!Mop-Head Georgie-Boy & Charlie Nothin'-NewNot Worth a Pile o' Donkey Doo! Repeat
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ Ode To ABC News ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫Well They Did Them a 'Debate' down at ABCNot Worth a Puddle o' Donkey Pee!Mop-Head Georgie-Boy & Charlie-Nothin'-NewNot Worth a Pile o' Donkey Doo!
"FlagPins, Bombings, t' Guns They Cling"That Georgie-Boy's Neck I surely wanna Ring!An' there's Doofus-Charlie Askin' Questions Like a DorkStraight Into His Backside I wanna Stick My Fork!
Mop-Head Georgie-Boy Stephalopo-LameAskin' Questions Like His Viewers They ain't Got No Brain!Charlie-Nothin'-New, he'd be Tweedle DeeDissin' All the Voters that'd be You & Me!
Y'got Fat-Cat Sponsors Pullin' all the StringsTellin' y'all jus' what Song To Sing! They Say "Jump!" 'n y'all ask, 'How High?'A Pack o' Faithful Lapdogs Barkin' Lies!
Y'say, 'Our Viewers? hah! They got Heads o' Wood!So we c'n ignore that pesky varmint called the Public Good'! Y'got Mop-Head Georgie-Boy Spoutin' DiarrheaSo y' can't be su'prised when all y'ur Viewers say 'See Ya!'
Well They Did Them a Debate Down at ABCNot Worth a Puddle o' Donkey Pee!Mop-Head Georgie-Boy & Charlie Nothin'-NewNot Worth a Pile o' Donkey Doo!
Repeat
All part of the venting process. Thank you for your indulgence.
David Westin, President of ABC News April 17, 2008Dear Mr. Westin,We write to thank you for your ABC News "Debate" of April 16. This "debate" served an important public function by showing ABC News to be fundamentally craven, insipid, inane, and an insult to the intelligence of every American who cares about this country's future.As you know, many Americans believe that the "MSM" (Mainstream Media) serves the interests not of viewers or voters, but of corporate sponsors and its own bottom line. Many also suspect that Barack Obama, in calling for an end to the power of "lobbyists & special interests" in Washington, represents a direct threat to the Mainstream Media's continuing power, profits, and capacity to influence public opinion.Last night's "debate" provides powerful evidence in support of these beliefs & sentiments. Indeed, there are certain "moments" in history when the essence & core of an individual or institution suddenly become crystal clear – such as Bill Clinton's "I did not inhale" prevarication, or the Bush Administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. In these singular moments, the truth of things suddenly becomes clear. The same was true of the April 16 "debate". The "debate" exposed with uncommon clarity the essence & core of ABC News - that it has no interest whatever in serving the public good. As a symbol of "how things really are," the "debate" also reminds us of the events in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. As you know, in their struggle for civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the SCLC hoped that the city authorities of Birmingham would respond with violence, thus revealing the essence of Jim Crow – ugly, violent, and morally indefensible. The strategy worked. Bull Connor & his police dogs & water-cannon, trained at thousands of peaceful demonstrators, gave the Civil Rights Movement exactly what it needed at that critical juncture - proving to ordinary Americans, and to the world, the violence & evil at the core of Jim Crow.On a much lesser scale, your "debate" served a similar public function. It demonstrated with stark clarity that ABC News has no interest whatever in promoting substantive public discourse on the issues facing American voters. Instead, by focusing on "flag-pins," "bitterness & guns & religion", and a host of other irrelevant & distracting non-issues, ABC News revealed its essence & core - a "news" organization whose only interest is in securing its own profits and advancing the interests of its sponsors, and with deep antipathy toward the prospect of an Obama presidency. We therefore thank you for revealing with such clarity the truth about the core mission & values of ABC News. We also thank you for providing us with a symbol around which we might rally in our struggle against the interests your "news" organization serves and the values it espouses.Sincerely,Goal: 100 signatories.(Sign on in the comments)
David Westin, President of ABC News April 17, 2008
Dear Mr. Westin,
We write to thank you for your ABC News "Debate" of April 16. This "debate" served an important public function by showing ABC News to be fundamentally craven, insipid, inane, and an insult to the intelligence of every American who cares about this country's future.
As you know, many Americans believe that the "MSM" (Mainstream Media) serves the interests not of viewers or voters, but of corporate sponsors and its own bottom line. Many also suspect that Barack Obama, in calling for an end to the power of "lobbyists & special interests" in Washington, represents a direct threat to the Mainstream Media's continuing power, profits, and capacity to influence public opinion.
Last night's "debate" provides powerful evidence in support of these beliefs & sentiments. Indeed, there are certain "moments" in history when the essence & core of an individual or institution suddenly become crystal clear – such as Bill Clinton's "I did not inhale" prevarication, or the Bush Administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. In these singular moments, the truth of things suddenly becomes clear. The same was true of the April 16 "debate".
The "debate" exposed with uncommon clarity the essence & core of ABC News - that it has no interest whatever in serving the public good. As a symbol of "how things really are," the "debate" also reminds us of the events in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. As you know, in their struggle for civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the SCLC hoped that the city authorities of Birmingham would respond with violence, thus revealing the essence of Jim Crow – ugly, violent, and morally indefensible. The strategy worked. Bull Connor & his police dogs & water-cannon, trained at thousands of peaceful demonstrators, gave the Civil Rights Movement exactly what it needed at that critical juncture - proving to ordinary Americans, and to the world, the violence & evil at the core of Jim Crow.
On a much lesser scale, your "debate" served a similar public function. It demonstrated with stark clarity that ABC News has no interest whatever in promoting substantive public discourse on the issues facing American voters. Instead, by focusing on "flag-pins," "bitterness & guns & religion", and a host of other irrelevant & distracting non-issues, ABC News revealed its essence & core - a "news" organization whose only interest is in securing its own profits and advancing the interests of its sponsors, and with deep antipathy toward the prospect of an Obama presidency.
We therefore thank you for revealing with such clarity the truth about the core mission & values of ABC News. We also thank you for providing us with a symbol around which we might rally in our struggle against the interests your "news" organization serves and the values it espouses.
Sincerely,
Goal: 100 signatories.
(Sign on in the comments)
Some Tips on Being FIRST! 1. Carve out a couple hours’ free time.2. Click “Refresh” or "Blogs" every few seconds when you think it’s about time for a new Blog to pop up. If you click "refresh" make sure you're on the main page and not inside one of the blogs, otherwise you'll never know a new thread's popped up till you read a post that says "New Thread!". 3. Keep clicking “Refresh” or "Blogs" till your finger’s about to fall off.4. KEEP SHARP! Stay fresh, remembering every second what you'll do in case a new blog actually does pop up. Go through the steps in your mind. Where do you click next? Paste next? Are you sure? DON'T DAYDREAM!5. Meantime compose whatever it is you want to say in a word processer. In the view of many authorities, this is very important step. This is called the "Have Something to Say" school of thought on Being FIRST! If you subscribe to this school of thought, write something then copy it (highlight-Control-C). If you subscribe to the "Just Holler Into the Microphone" school of thought, don't worry about it.6. When the new Blog pops up, Move Like Greased Lightening! DO NOT HESITATE! Move at 0.9 percent the speed of light through all the necessary steps, NOT HESITATING a nano-second at any step along the way. If you "Have Something To Say," quick paste your comment into the box (Control-V), dash off a Title in the Title Bar, and QUICK CLICK SUBMIT!6. Sit back, sip your coffee, smile smugly, and enjoy your 15 Minutes of Fame!Warning: These Tips are Copyrighted. Any effort to copy and paste them will be detected and thwarted. They must be memorized and then forgotten. Only then, Grasshopper, will you Truly Be First.
Some Tips on Being FIRST!
1. Carve out a couple hours’ free time.
2. Click “Refresh” or "Blogs" every few seconds when you think it’s about time for a new Blog to pop up. If you click "refresh" make sure you're on the main page and not inside one of the blogs, otherwise you'll never know a new thread's popped up till you read a post that says "New Thread!".
3. Keep clicking “Refresh” or "Blogs" till your finger’s about to fall off.
4. KEEP SHARP! Stay fresh, remembering every second what you'll do in case a new blog actually does pop up. Go through the steps in your mind. Where do you click next? Paste next? Are you sure? DON'T DAYDREAM!
5. Meantime compose whatever it is you want to say in a word processer. In the view of many authorities, this is very important step. This is called the "Have Something to Say" school of thought on Being FIRST! If you subscribe to this school of thought, write something then copy it (highlight-Control-C). If you subscribe to the "Just Holler Into the Microphone" school of thought, don't worry about it.
6. When the new Blog pops up, Move Like Greased Lightening! DO NOT HESITATE! Move at 0.9 percent the speed of light through all the necessary steps, NOT HESITATING a nano-second at any step along the way. If you "Have Something To Say," quick paste your comment into the box (Control-V), dash off a Title in the Title Bar, and QUICK CLICK SUBMIT!
6. Sit back, sip your coffee, smile smugly, and enjoy your 15 Minutes of Fame!
Warning: These Tips are Copyrighted. Any effort to copy and paste them will be detected and thwarted. They must be memorized and then forgotten. Only then, Grasshopper, will you Truly Be First.
The Truth Sucks.
You people keep talking about the Truth. Well let me tell you something: I'm sick and tired of the Truth. The Truth is Ugly & Depressing & Troubling & Sad. The Truth bums me out & pisses me off. The Truth reminds me of how bad things are. And I don't want to feel bad. Who does?
So I watch TV. Rent movies. Go to the bar & drink with my buddies. Engage in mindless chit-chat. Talk about sports. Football. Funny commercials. Beer commercials especially. Did you see the one with the talking frog? Hilarious!!
Fact is I work hard to avoid the Truth. Don't read. Don't look at the newspapers. Don't watch the TV news. Try not to think. Don't listen when politicians start squawking about what they call the "Truth." You'd have to be an idiot not to know they're all a pack of lying dogs. Who can believe a word they say?
So I close my ears. Walk away. Change the channel. Grab a beer. Drive to the liquor store. Roar around on my speedboat. Blast off on my snowmobile. Go fishing. Head to the firing range. Listen to my iPod. Play with the kids. Tumble in the sack. Go to the AOL chat rooms. Futz around in the workshop. Change my oil. Rent another movie. Watch reruns of Gilligan's Island. Sleep.
The Truth Hurts. It is Painful. Ugly. Troublesome. Depressing. Think I want to hear about the sub-prime mortgage mess? How we're losing in Iraq? Climate change? I need to think about "climate change" like I need a hole in the head.
I get enough trouble from my bosses every day, thank you very much. At two different jobs. More like two and a half. The wife too. A constant struggle to pay the rent & put food on the table. Heating bill almost doubled last year. Gas costs a fortune. Troubles? I got plenty. And now you want me to think about the Truth? What do you think I'm a masochist or something?
I'm done talking now. My head hurts from thinking about it. The Truth Sucks. Pass the remote, I'm watching the talking frog again.
BUSH SIGNS TRUTH BILL, SLAMS DEMS. Washington, April 11 (Foxx News)Standing amid dappled sunshine in the White House Rose Garden today, President Bush signed into law the God, Truth, and Freedom Law requiring that all presidential utterances be considered by all Americans as God's Truth. "There's been some confusion about whether some of the things coming out of the White House are, you know, true," said President Bush, flanked by 41 of his leading generals, 2,008 fluttering American flags, and a battery of 43 nuclear-tipped missiles. "Well, that confusion is now a thing of the past. With this law, all Americans who love God and freedom, and their children and grandchildren, can rest assured that everything their president says is God's Truth."Opposition congressional Democrats reluctantly agreed to the measure after a series of focus groups and polls revealed that a solid majority of Americans love God, freedom, and truth. The measure calls for a series of detention facilities to be built in eastern Montana on 1.5 million acres previously devoted to cattle grazing. The facilities are expected to house upward of 3 million Americans, the number expected to violate the law next week, according to preliminary studies. Because the law suspends habeas corpus and mandates indefinite detention for suspected violators, there is little likelihood that implementing the new law will clog the courts, experts say. After signing the measure, President Bush slammed Democrats for their nagging criticism of his Iraq policy. "The surge is succeeding, there's not a doubt in my mind, and that's the Truth," said Bush. "Part of my job as Decider is deciding what's True. And what's True is we're winning." The Democratic leadership had no comment on Bush's claim.The first detention to result from the measure took place in St. Louis, Missouri, where 12 year old Sammy Johnson, playing baseball in Southside Park, remarked that Bush was a "friggin liar." A passing military satellite picked up the remark, and minutes later the Missouri Branch of the Truth & Freedom Enforcement Squad converged on the area. Johnson is not expected to be heard from again. A Presidential Task Force commissioned to identify additional locations for detention facilities have focused most of their attention on remote regions of Nevada and Utah, sources say.
BUSH SIGNS TRUTH BILL, SLAMS DEMS. Washington, April 11 (Foxx News)
Standing amid dappled sunshine in the White House Rose Garden today, President Bush signed into law the God, Truth, and Freedom Law requiring that all presidential utterances be considered by all Americans as God's Truth. "There's been some confusion about whether some of the things coming out of the White House are, you know, true," said President Bush, flanked by 41 of his leading generals, 2,008 fluttering American flags, and a battery of 43 nuclear-tipped missiles. "Well, that confusion is now a thing of the past. With this law, all Americans who love God and freedom, and their children and grandchildren, can rest assured that everything their president says is God's Truth."
Opposition congressional Democrats reluctantly agreed to the measure after a series of focus groups and polls revealed that a solid majority of Americans love God, freedom, and truth.
The measure calls for a series of detention facilities to be built in eastern Montana on 1.5 million acres previously devoted to cattle grazing. The facilities are expected to house upward of 3 million Americans, the number expected to violate the law next week, according to preliminary studies. Because the law suspends habeas corpus and mandates indefinite detention for suspected violators, there is little likelihood that implementing the new law will clog the courts, experts say.
After signing the measure, President Bush slammed Democrats for their nagging criticism of his Iraq policy. "The surge is succeeding, there's not a doubt in my mind, and that's the Truth," said Bush. "Part of my job as Decider is deciding what's True. And what's True is we're winning." The Democratic leadership had no comment on Bush's claim.
The first detention to result from the measure took place in St. Louis, Missouri, where 12 year old Sammy Johnson, playing baseball in Southside Park, remarked that Bush was a "friggin liar." A passing military satellite picked up the remark, and minutes later the Missouri Branch of the Truth & Freedom Enforcement Squad converged on the area. Johnson is not expected to be heard from again.
A Presidential Task Force commissioned to identify additional locations for detention facilities have focused most of their attention on remote regions of Nevada and Utah, sources say.
"In fact, this is a potential turning point for Obama's campaign," writes Mike Allen on Politico (Saturday, April 12) in response to the "bittergate" controversy.
Yes Mike, and in fact the Moon is potentially made of green cheese. And you are potentially an Android from Planet Zortex. What the hell does that mean, Mike? "In fact a potential"? I guess if you say something's in fact a potential that makes it possibly potentially true.
Which in essence means NOTHING AT ALL.
I'd like to thank you, though, because you provide an exquisite example of how the punditocracy & talking heads & MSM work to manufacture reality with their constant rhetorical sleights-of-hand.
Think about it, Mike. ANYTHING is "in fact a potential". The Universe is cram-packed full of potential. Zillions & zillions of potentialities out there. Gobs & gobs of 'em. Fact is, Bullwinkle is potentially my squirrel-headed Uncle Nellie.
The Plain Fact is, Mike, it's downright infuriating to encounter fabrications like yours. You're spinning a narrative out of whole cloth & presenting it as real.
You were also, as we now know, proven wrong. The "potential" fizzled before it even became one.
So kudos to you, Mike, for a potentially brilliant piece, and for providing a superb example of ONE of the things that's profoundly wrong with the Mainstream Media today.
It's snowballing as we speak. In corporate boardrooms & five-star restaurants & politicos' offices coast-to-coast. The counter-revolution against Barack Obama has commenced.
We don't know what they're whispering, exactly. We know their basic weapons of Smears & Fears – he's ultra-liberal, black-and-angry, elitist, out of touch, a snob, effete, cocky, one of "those". But we can't know the full gamut of twisted narratives until they start coming at us.
The Plain Truth is that Barack Obama is poised to become President of the USA, and some of the most powerful people & interests on the planet don't want it to happen. So they'll pour billions of dollars & millions of staff-hours into destroying his candidacy & agenda. They have no morals, no scruples. Anything goes. They absolutely will not stop until they grind his Agenda for Change into the dirt or die trying.
Revolutions breed counter-revolutions – that's just how it works. The US Patriots had the Loyalists, the French Jacobins the Royalists; the Bolsheviks (Reds) had the Whites, and the Sandinistas the Contras; FDR's enemies were legion, as were MLK's.
Who's Obama's core oppositional constituency? He calls them "special interests & lobbyists." What he means is the rich & powerful – those with Washington in their hip pockets: Oil & Gas & Coal & Auto Industries, Insurance & Finance Capital & Big Pharma & AMA & Defense – some of the most powerful economic entities on Earth.
All whispering & organizing & plotting & scheming about how to stop Barack Obama. No, it's not a vast conspiracy. It is a vast & powerful confluence of interests. Of rich & powerful people who aim to keep power at any cost.
We can't know exactly how they'll attack. We know they'll fabricate & distort & twist & lie. We know their two main strategies: Scare 'Em & Fool 'Em We know they'll be relentless.
What can we do? Exactly what we've been doing. Talking to people. Canvassing neighborhoods. Registering voters. Making calls. Sponsoring fundraisers. Spreading the word. Never forgetting about the magnitude & nature of the opposition.
Always mindful that our Two Most Powerful Weapons in this battle are the Truth, and the document that begins
"We the People".
The counter-revolution will not be televised. It never is.
