Bellicose Bumpkin

In another IM chat with my buddy Mike we discuss the role that racism plays in national politics since the election of President Obama.

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Mike: Obama getting back on track article
Mark: Hmm,,, I’m not so sure that article is saying very much. Rather vague.
Mike: I suppose… I think the crux of it is that Obama needs to stop playing Mr. Nice Guy (which I totally agree with). His comment about the Reps landing on shore and burning the boats leaving no option but moving forward seems about right. I whole-heartedly want Obama to do that too… I may not like everything he decides to to, but trying to please everyone will never work. I think he should scale back is objectives for health care too… do it in a series of changes that people can stomach one at a time.
Mike: I think it’s a fair question to ask: Why was Bush able to get through so much with only 50 senators, and the Dems are complaining about having only 59 now and treating it like the apocalypse.
Mark: I think the answer is that the Democrats are more willing to play ball with the Republicans than vice-versa. This started in earnest with the Gingrich/Contract with America crowd
Mike: Right. I don’t disagree with that. It might be time for the Dems to stop playing two-hand-touch and start playing full contact NFL style football.
Mark: This says it all and is right on:
http://www.liberalvoices.com/2009/09/rightwing-effort-to-bring-down-obama.html
Mike: I suppose… but consider the source… with a name like "Liberal Voices", of course they’re going to see that. However, the story I sent you a link too is by Roland S. Martin. a liberal, and supporter of Obama’s, acknowledging the deficiencies and pointing the way forward rather than just pointing the finger at the other side. If someone from a conservative site had written what you sent, it’d have more teeth.
Mark: I get these pseudo racist things all the time – they are flying all over the ‘net
Mike: what pseudo racist things?
Mark: Like this
Mike: OK… there’s nothing pseudo about that… it’s downright offensive. Even if I don’t agree with Obamacare, I respect my President, his intelligence, and his motives. That shit just pisses me off.
Mark: This stuff is EVERYWHERE which is why I say that there was a racist component in the Brown victory. Did you see the video of him questioning whether Barack was born out of wedlock? Pure pandering to white fears of the single black mother.
Mike: No, I never saw that, and if had, it’d have bothered me.
Mark: homophobe – check
teaparty donations – check
racist innuendo – check
teabagging homophobe racist – check
Mark: who was that numbnuts that said in some phone meeting with constituents that if the Republican could kill healthcare, Obama would be finished.?
Mark: The Republicans want to BRING HIM DOWN – JUST LIKE CLINTON. That’s why I have NO USE for them.
Mike: I’d have to see the whole video IN CONTEXT before I’d agree. He’s not a homophobe (we’ve had that discussion). He doesn’t believe in gay marriage. Honestly, I don’t believe in marriage at all, as far as civil law is concerned. We need to wipe it completely out of the law books. Give everyone a Civil Union, and leave marriage as a religious ceremony that ends up with a Civil Union, which you can get with a judge also.
Mark: look at the video in comment number 4: http://nemasket.net/coakley-brown-and-fox-fud/
Mike: Interesting that the video cut out right when he was going to clarify his statement. I don’t know what he said after that, but I’d have to take that video with a grain of salt.
Mark: Regardless. Pointing out the Obama’s mother was young(18) and implying that she was unmarried is an INTENTIONAL effort to play in the fears of white people about the black welfare mother., No doubt in my mind.
Mark: And then there’s this numbskull shouting out "shove a curling iron up her butt" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28u3vPExxp4
You see these sorts of antics all over the place being staged by the tea baggers.
Mark: Check out the beginning of this where the young girl apes and calls obama the monkey from tarzan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vagD-4AH4Vc – it’s everywhere
Mike: Right… just to be clear… I have absolutely NO USE for the tea baggers (which, I think is an absolutely hilarious moniker. )
Mark: toward the end of this – calling obama an arab http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6YKOkfFsE
Mike: Well… that’s beyond stupid. It’s like the people that demand to see his birth certificate…. it’s a non-issue… if you do a little research.
Mike: First, he was born in the US to a US mother.
Mark: and the n-word at palin rally http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9T0FI2axbU I could go on and on but you get the idea
Mike: BUT, if you say he was born in Nigeria, it doesn’t matter. His MOTHER is a US Citizen at birth, and therefore, according to law, it doesn’t matter where he was born, since she is, so is he.
Mike: PERIOD.
Mark: Don’t you have to be born on US soil to be president?
Mike: NO.
Mike: That is a complete falacy.
Mike: fallacy
Mike: Read through this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_born_citizen
Mike: Here’s the important piece that everyone points to: No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President;
Mike: However, NOWHERE is Natural Born Citizen defined in the constitution. It wasn’t defined until later with some legislation.
Mike: "Congress first recognized the citizenship of children born to U.S. parents overseas on March 26, 1790, stating that "the children of citizens of the United States, that may be born beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural born citizens"
Mike: So, the whole issue is a red herring. It is COMPLETE IRRELEVANT.
Mark: Provided, That the right of citizenship shall not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States
Mark: Current U.S. statutes define various categories of individuals born overseas as "citizens at birth," including (for example) all persons "born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents both of whom are citizens of the United States and one of whom has had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions, prior to the birth of such person[s]."[14]
Mark: So there seems to be a requirement that both parents are US citizens. Agreed?
Mike: According to an April 2000 report by the Congressional Research Service (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Research_Service), most constitutional scholars interpret Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution as including citizens born outside the United States to parents who are U.S. citizens under the “natural born” requirement. This same CRS report (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Research_Service_Report) also asserts that citizens born in the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are legally defined as "natural born" citizens and are, therefore, also eligible to be elected President.
Mike: So, I suppose, but it’s never been tested.
Mike: Besides, you can see his birth certificate on his page.
Mike: So again, it just doesn’t matter.
Mike: It’s some of that pseudo racism you’re talking about. And it’s disgusting.
Mark: They’re just being racist assholes trying to make trouble. Right.
Mike: BUT, of course we knew this was going to be the case as soon as he got elected (and even during the campaign). There are definitely racist people in the United States (as there are EVERYWHERE), but that does not make this a racist country, or even make the Republicans a racist party… it just makes the racists… to quote you, complete maroons.
Mark: So – while Olberman was way out there – there is quite a lot of truth there …. and it was funny as hell.
Mark: I don’t think for a minute that everyone who opposes obama or votes republican are racists. But there is a component of racism in SOME of the anti-Obama sentiment
Mike: agreed.
Mark: This is pretty funny – why white people shouldn’t be allowed to vote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtIYpBGlv1U
Mark: You just got a "go mike" comment on my blog.
Mike: hehe

These are heady days to be a Democrat. Obamas first 100 days would have to be chocked up as a success. Arlen Specter has switched over to the good guys, and Franken will probably win the Minnesota Senate race.

100 down, 7+ years to go
From the Huffington Post on how the Obama administration did in it’s first 100 days:

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According to the American people, pretty damn good. Not only does 69 percent of the public approve of the job Obama is doing, but last week, for the first time since January 2004, more Americans felt the country is headed in the right direction than in the wrong direction (48 percent to 44 percent). Remarkably, this “right direction” number has been steadily rising even as the economy has been steadily falling.

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While things are far from perfect, most reasonable people would admit that the Obama administration has done pretty well especially given the unusual challenges the country is facing as it tries to unwind 8 disastrous years of Dubya.

Remember – I said “reasonable”.

Spectre of Sanity
Sanity has broken out in Pennsylvania:

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Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) is becoming a Democrat.

“I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary,” said Specter in a statement. “I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my candidacy for re-election determined in a general election.”

“Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.”

The move will give Democrats a filibuster-proof 60 vote majority in the Senate, presuming Minnesota’s Al Franken is eventually seated.

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Since the days of Reagan’s big tent, ultra conservatives and the religious right have caused the big tent to be downgraded to a two-man pup tent as people flee to the moderate Demoractic party.

Franken v Jackass
In the disputed Minnesota Senate race, Democrat Al Franken leads Norm Coleman by 312 votes. Coleman, a sue-happy jackass who has watched Franken’s lead widen with each recount, will finally find out that he lost on June 1st when the Minnesota Supreme Court hears the case.

The title of this book never fails to crack me up. The main title is funny enough but it’s that “And Other Observations” subtitle that really gets me.

Meanwhile Franken is assuming victory and has hired Drew Littman as his chief of staff.

NATIONAL DAY OF RENEWAL AND RECONCILIATION, 2009

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

As I take the sacred oath of the highest office in the land, I am humbled by the responsibility placed upon my shoulders, renewed by the courage and decency of the American people, and fortified by my faith in an awesome God.

We are in the midst of a season of trial. Our Nation is being tested, and our people know great uncertainty. Yet the story of America is one of renewal in the face of adversity, reconciliation in a time of discord, and we know that there is a purpose for everything under heaven.

On this Inauguration Day, we are reminded that we are heirs to over two centuries of American democracy, and that this legacy is not simply a birthright — it is a glorious burden. Now it falls to us to come together as a people to carry it forward once more.

So in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, let us remember that: “The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 20, 2009, a National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation, and call upon all of our citizens to serve one another and the common purpose of remaking this Nation for our new century.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

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All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days; nor in the life of this Administration; nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

- JFK inaugural address

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A while back, I blogged that Obama would pick Jim Webb as his VP candidate. Clearly I was wrong on that one – or rather my source was. Thanks a lot you-know-who!.

But I’m right about every other post I’ve made.

Biden is a sensible pick with plenty of experience though maybe lacking a certain… I don’t know what … je ne sais quoi.

Michelle Obama gave a solid speech at the convention last night though I think the delivery was better than the content. She came off as strong, smart, and confident. Michelle, of course, is getting some of the same attack treatment that Obama is getting and judging by this speech, she’s not going to slink into the shadows any time soon.

Michelle at convention – part 1

Michelle at convention – part 2

Michelle at convention – part 3

Jessie Jackson, appearing on Fox News, was caught making a disparaging comment about my buddy Barack Obama. Forgetting what he said – which was bad, I question Fox releasing this video at all. The comment was clearly part of an off-air private conversation with another guest.

This is yet another reason that I will not be appearing on Fox – with the first reason being that I will probably never be asked to.

Good ‘ol Bill O’Reilly seems so magnanimus and fair minded in his report. Let’s see how he behaves when he thinks he’s off the record:

WARNING: The following clip is laced with profanity

WARNING: The following clip is a spoof on the last clip and is laced with even more profanity

Webb for VP?
A little bird told me that Jim Webb is a shoe-in or at least on the very short list of VP candidates for Obama.

The individual pointed out this article on Jim Webb.

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Sen. Jim Webb is everywhere these days, in that kind of politician-as-celeb way that makes people ask “so what’s he running for?”

Oh sure, the Virginia Democrat is hawking his new book, but that begs the age-old chicken-egg question: Is he out there because he wrote a book or did he write a book to get out there because he has an agenda and that agenda includes at least making Barack Obama’s short list of vice presidential contenders?

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I’m going on record as saying that I’m against Jim Webb as VP candidate strictly because I don’t like the look of him and because he’s got a funny looking head.

And if Obama does pick him – I’m sure it’s because he’s got great positions, would help him get elected, and nothing to do with the fear of what his giant head would do if he wasn’t picked for VP.

So what does this have to do with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribal casino being planned for Middleboro, Massachusetts in a deal that was negotiated by Adam Bond and supported by the Casino Study Group including CSG chairman Brian Giovanoni and also backed by Hal Brown editor of casino-friend?

Absolutely nothing. I just figured the previous paragraph would trigger several dozen google alerts and get me a few more hits on my blog. Hi guys. You really must stop googling for yourself. It’ll just drive you nuts.