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Peter Savich (Los Gatos, CA)

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Since late 2004, I have been predicting an impending nation-defining crisis in America. In late 2006, I predicted that Obama would win the presidency this fall. I hope that latter one comes true.

It's the Bankrupt Economy, Stupid

By Peter Savich - Jul 7th, 2008 at 4:00 pm EDT

Also listed in: President Obama, Please Get FISA Right

Here's my latest blog post: It's the Bankrupt Economy, Stupid

Bottom line is that, this morning, Obama's campaign has shifted its focus squarely onto the economy (a set of issues that unites all Americans). McCain's staff are saying they will stick to those issues through November.

So this 3-week diversion of the Obama campaign into the foul waters of a historically dead "conservative" illusion is thankfully over. It's like a 3-week dangerous fever that has finally broken. Hallelujah!

Of course, that's no solace to the FISA experts in this group.

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Obama Strategy: Issues that Unite = Win; Issues that Divide = Lose

By Peter Savich - Jul 5th, 2008 at 11:16 pm EDT

Also listed in: President Obama, Please Get FISA Right

I think I've hit on the language that fits Obama, and that can articulate some of the outrage coming from the FISA group, and more broadly, from people horrified by Obama's clumsy "move to the political center" in June.

It's pretty simple, really. Sometime around mid-June, on the advice of his campaign managers, Obama embarked on a two week tour of historically divisive issues in American politics. Issues that over the past 40 years have demarcated the old divide between "left" and "right".

These divisive issues include the relationship between state and church, gun control, crime and punishment, "Islamo-fascist" "terror", "welfare queens" and absentee black dads, Israel, Iraq War, to name a few that Obama's advisers had him weigh in on the last two weeks of June.

Unless we can perform some kind of intervention, I dread what words his too-clever-by-half campaign staff will now put in his mouth about abortion, gay marriage, and drilling in the Alaskan wilderness. Read More »

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Pandering to an Imaginary Right Wing is Beneath You. Please Cut it Out.

By Peter Savich - Jul 5th, 2008 at 5:08 pm EDT

Also listed in: President Obama, Please Get FISA Right

I just submitted the title of this post as a proposed group. Something tells me it might get dinged. So let me take this opportunity to define it:

1. Pandering = taking positions after you clinched the nomination in June that not only contradict your previously long-held positions, but that collectively all line up nicely as purporting to "serve" a certain political constituency

2. Right Wing = the last 28 years of American politics, and perhaps last 44 (as some people count), have been dominated by the "right wing", "conservatives", Republicans. They've been interested in issues like evangelical religion, guns, anti-gay, "Islamo-fascism", drug war, anti-welfare, etc. Read More »

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By Peter Savich - Jul 4th, 2008 at 8:37 pm EDT

Also listed in: President Obama, Please Get FISA Right

DIO = Do It Ourselves. Reading some of the posts on the FISA group got me wondering: Are we ready for Do-It-Ourselves government?

I read the "what else you can do page" for this group and noticed a common theme among many suggestions: contact somebody in government or the media and ask them to act for us.

It just seems to me that with the web, and the advent of web-as-community technologies (like this community blog), the barrier to DIO government has fallen.

I realize that the essence of government is the legal use of coercive force -- in contrast with coercive force by vigilantes which is a crime. Read More »

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Obama Could Still Save American Poltics

By Peter Savich - Jul 4th, 2008 at 6:51 pm EDT

Also listed in: President Obama, Please Get FISA Right

FISA is just one of many issues on which Obama flipped in the latter half of June. But here's the thing: He flipped in words only, not in his heart. Get on YouTube and watch his most recent speeches. Boring, man! Dull. Defensive. Stilted.

This is the most inspiring politician the nation has seen in over 40 years. And you're telling me he can't muster one measly goose bump in us on a speech on patriotism in the days before the 4th?

I'll tell you why: because in that speech, his advisers had him stab MoveOn.org in the back. Why do I say his "advisers" made him do it? Again, because he was boring in that speech. He's boring when he says stuff even he doesn't believe. How about that faith-based initiative speech? Boring!

All he needs to do to revolutionize American politics is just come out and say it: "My advisers made me do it." He can plead fatigue from the primary process. He can take Axelrod out back behind the woodshed.

He's gotta do it next week. Time is short. Read More »

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Obama as Gorbachev

By Peter Savich - Jul 4th, 2008 at 5:49 pm EDT

Also listed in: President Obama, Please Get FISA Right

I have my own blog at http://duckandgather.wordpress.com/. I just posted a three-part series of posts entitled "Obama as Gorbachev".

Before late June, I was ready to vote for Obama as the savior of American politics. But after Obama's reversals of late June -- including on FISA -- I'm still going to vote for him. But for a different reason now. That different reason is that I now see Obama as the Gorbachev of American politics.

Not quite as good as "Savior", to be sure. But not too shabby either. After the Soviet Union collapsed, Gorbachev was quite the hero. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Gorbachev#Honours_and_accolades

I'm not saying America or its Constitution will collapse. But maybe it is time for our political system to go the way of the Soviet empire. Read More »

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