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NY Times editorial: President Obama’s announcement on Friday that the last American soldier will leave Iraq by year’s end signals a welcome end to a war that was started under false pretenses and went on far too long – killing more than 4,400 Americans and many more thousands of Iraqis and costing $1 trillion over nearly nine years.
When Mr. Obama took office, there were about 142,000 Americans fighting in Iraq. The president deserves credit for fulfilling his campaign promise to bring the conflict to a close.
…. The announcement triggered some foolish criticism from neo-conservatives – who remain shamefully unapologetic for their role in unleashing this war – accused Mr. Obama of abandoning Iraq now. Mitt Romney said Mr. Obama “unnecessarily put at risk” hard-won victories. Like most of what Mr. Romney says about national security, that was absurd. Would he have Washington ignore the desires of Iraq’s democratic government and stay in Iraq forever?
Oil-producing Iraq is a major regional actor. The United States, which has an embassy with thousands of employees in Baghdad, must remain actively engaged diplomatically, through development and economic cooperation. But Iraq will be in the hands of Iraqis, as it should be.
Full editorial here
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It was completely brilliant to see BWD post at The Only Adult In The Room yesterday, on what was a very special day. Looking forward, so much, to see her coming back in the months ahead – meanwhile, make sure you follow her on Twitter
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You saw this:
Now there’s this:
Good to see Firebagger fraud Uygur being challenged when trying to use OWS for his own promotion. It’ll be interesting to see how much he’ll profit personally from his new PAC. As much as Hamsher and Greenwald did from theirs?
🙄
More on Uygur here and at Wikipedia
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We’ve nearly reached our target….
Thank you everyone 😉
If you can help: link
The Obama Diary 
Good morning all. . .
To make your day. . . http://twitpic.com/740qg6
😆
I HAVE THAT SHIRT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got it from Spencer’s I believe. I can’t wear because I’m a tech schooler at Keesler AFB and I don’t want to cause any unnecessary problems but I’m wearing it when I get home.
That is the greatest picture!!!!!
BONJOUR!!!!
Sorry I’ve been so spotty on poking in….. so much every day STUFF lately –
– My show (I met JoJo!!! How fraking AWESOME IS THAT???) Wish we could get a bunch of us toghether and have our own TOD OFA meeting somewhere like, I don’t know – VEGAS!!!
– Upgraded my OG iPhone that I’ve had for FOUR YEARS to the shiny new iPhone 4Steve and have been tae hostage by Siri (seriously insane, please see http://shitsirisays.com/ )
– Today I have a Post Poe meeting to sort what’s up for next year….
– And there’s a geek convention in Anaheim that I must admit I peek at online because I’m a closet WoW player. 😳
I miss you guys!!! ***HUGS***
Hi Tally!
That sounds like fun….OFA meeting in Las Vegas.
Hey Tally!! Good to see ya!!
I have an old iPhone and planned on replacing it with this new version but they are sold out in CA at the moment. The Siri stories are hilarious!!
Someday, we TODers will all have to meet up somewhere and create our own TODville convention.
HI!!!! Never been to Vegas…I’d be good with that:)
ROAD TRIP!!!!!
Good to hear from you Tally. 🙂
Vegas sounds good; have rapid rewards — will travel! Haven’t been to Vegas since June 1982.
Hi Tally, good to see you again. I was thinking of you last evening. You are busy for sure. Sure hope the very best for you. HZ
You’ll be really surprised by how much it’s changed! Like a completely different place. TOD meetup sounds good!
I like the idea of Vegas. It’s cheap to fly and stay I’d love it.
About the obstructing GOP senators and backstabbing Democrats on the AJA I have an idea that is non-conventional.
Is it possible for ordinary citizens to start a state by state signature collection to recall these people who think they can get away with voting no just because they think their names will not be on the ballot.
Case for senators’ recall would be that most of these critters run on jobs and by voting no their have not lived up to their promises and are instead obstructing economic growth during a time of national economic crisis.
I suspect that recall elections especially for those who are in swing states would get their attention an would help change the calculation of some of these people who think they do not have to run until a number of years from now. It would also help PBO by changing the number of seats that are in play this election cycle and hopefully we can win back a few that slipped through like IL, PA, OH
Especially Ben (D-Asshole) Nelson.
I mean, Ben (D-No Public Option) Nelson.
Nelson has been a pain but I don’t see in deep red Nebraska getting a more liberal democrat. He’s wrong on this one but has backed The President on a lot of key issues. I’d like to see Nebraskans set aside the ideology and force him to do the right thing right now. Same with Tester and Pryor. Imo a recall in those states would only backfire and we’d get stuck with a Republican.
“50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.”
– Cesar Romero Ocean’s 11
Actually, we got one electoral vote from Nebraska 08!
Omaha is blue!
Thanks for that Jovie. But that’s only going to get you so far in regards to the rest of the state.
It is real hard here in MT. We are a real purple state. Tester only won by 2,000 votes when he beat Conrad Burns. This year he is running against Denny Rehberg who is currently our only Rep. He is an A….hole. Rehberg had lots of money and there are lots of tearepubs here in Montana. It is going to be a very tight race here.
There was an event last night for Tester I was suppose to go to but I had 3 other events to attend and was still too mad at him. I will vote for him because I couldn’t handle the alternative. I will work to see that he is elected but it is hard having both Tester and Baucus as Senators.
I don’t even think you need a “more liberal democrat” to replace Ben Nelson. Even Republicans – thinking ones, if there are any left – have to be shocked at how radical the current crop of Republicans have become. They are completely insane. i think to replace Ben Nelson, you would just need a non-greedy person, who uses common sense and not just politics. Anyone who puts the country first and takes their responsibility to the American people seriously would be better than this traitorous bugger. These people need to justify and explain and be held accountable for their vote against the American Jobs Act.
Tally, your original assertion was correct. He is Ben (D-Asshole) Nelson. He’s acting like a jerk because Nebraska has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. It’s about 4.2%-4.7% I believe, so it’s pretty much at full employment. I hope Nebraskans send him letters, emails, tweets or whatever and tell him to do his job. The American Jobs Act is good for every state in the union and Senators like Pryor, Nelson, and Lieberman need to to get their heads screwed on straight because every poll shows that a majority of the public wants them to pass the bill.
“I hope Nebraskans send him letters, emails, tweets or whatever and tell him to do his job.”
This!!
You mean BN …I simply refer to him as Big Nose. He is in the wrong party, and he frequently takes the Democrats hostage.
Tally sent This in a tweet to Ben Nelson;
@SenBenNelson;Isee you got your Bribe check last night and it cleared the bank so you could vote NO again on putting Americans back to work.
I sent the morning after his vote.Tried to call line was busy.have a great day
HAHAAHHA!! Love that tweet wesleya17. Ben NULLson is an arse…
Members of Congress are not subject to recall, unfortunately.
there is always a first time
Believe there has been a court ruling affirming no recourse via recall. If I remember correctly, the rethugs tried to recall Sen Menendez (NJ)
i did not know that, I am wondering though if a state can simultaneously put a consititutional amandement on its ballot to enable recall of senator and then add on that recalls a particular senator?
Members of Congress (Senators and Representatives) are governed by the U.S. Constitution and there for are not subject to State Constitutions like the governors and members of state legislatures.
Very good point.
Unfortunately, U.S. Senators and U.S Representatives cannot be recalled. Only two way to get them out of office: voting against them when they are up for re-election or having their fellow members of Congress in each chamber expel them. I say lets put our efforts on organizing to defeat Republicans and finding credible Democrats to challenge the “backstabbing” Democrats in the primaries.
Just saw Mitt, who spent two years as a Mormon missionary in France during the Viet Nam era, on MSNBC laughing about President Obama having been a community organizer. People do not realize that Willard is a disgusting pig. Love it that President Obama has received more campaign contributions from Bain Capital than Willard.
And Weekend Today Show, following in the footsteps of the All Repub All The Time weekday Today Show, thought it was an excellent and smart idea to ask Romney’s campaign chairman to give his “deep thoughts” on President Obama’s announcement about the finality of the Iraq War. Mittens campaign chairman thought it was a bad idea and that Obama’s bad. And then Weekend Today started reporting on Lindsay Lohan or some such junk which has no significance or value to anyone, other than Lohan, in its contribution to the dumbing down of America. It’s pitiful, especially the rt. wing turn on all NBC news programming.
Remember, when Obama was President- elect, Comcast took over GE.
That was a design, to placate conservative viewership!
Notice, the far left programming are Libertarians!
They are doing the “community organizer” crap again? I’m guessing since the repugs got nothing we are all going to have to relive the “08 election. Next, we will be hearing about Bill Ayers, Rev Wright, and Tony Rezko.
For a Mormon French missionary draft dodger to laugh at a community organizer in Chicago is beyond belief. At least Willard has not called President Obama a neo-anti-colonialist secular Muslim yet. That will come.
Willard in his insanity has forgotten that what can be added to Barack Obama’s community organizer record is the fact he’s been THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD since January 2009. As Herb Cain would say to Willard, “Apples and oranges.”
Incredible dolts, all R candidates.
They are grasping at straws. Anytime you can get them to go back to this tired meme or whine about the bus that POTUS is riding to tell people about AJA, you know these people are just wallowing in a bucket of silly putty.
If the media pretends as it is apt to do and begin pushing that stupid community organizer foolishness, I will take to twitter and blast whoever it is that spews it. I am so glad for twitter. It gives you the opportunity to speak directly to these imbecils. And believe me, they don’t take too kindly to being justifiably called out.
Laugh away you asshats. Our community organizer, has become a nation organizer, and I might dare say a WORLD organizer. We will have the last laugh!
Yes he has Sue! And will go down in the History books as one of our GREATEST Presidents!
That’s such a good point. I encourage people to re-read President Obama’s Cairo speech, officially titled “A New Beginning” and think about the Arab Spring which started shortly after that speech. He’s basically saying, “Hey y’all, you feel like going for it? We got yer back this time. It’s different now with me as President.” And that’s just what they did and are still doing across the Arab world:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/NewBeginning
It’s especially amazing that just a couple years ago, President Obama was hosted by and was thanking Hosni Mubarak for his hospitality at the beginning of the speech. Wow. The WORLD’S Organizer indeed. Repubs and their friends that own all the MegaMedia are like rats in a corner right now, and lashing back with all they got. Won’t be too much longer (historically speaking another decade or so) that this movement President Obama helped spark around the world, will eventually steamroller over the trickle-downers hopefully once and for all. FIRED UP!
Like Brian Williams said after Mubarak fell, that speech was in the DNA of the entire movement.
I think the Community Organizer role that PBO had has added the most unique part of his past background to his arsenal. Being able to organize others to help themselves has gotten most of us involved. It also has gotten many Americans to call their legislators. It has gotten the world’s citizens to step up and fight for their own rights instead of us needing to go in and do everything for them and end up being hated as occupiers.
Wise words Obama Grandmama~ agree with you so much.
Yes, that’s what I’ve always thought OG.. Obama’s community organizing skills have only made him a better president on Day One. Then it was the community he was organizing and now it’s the world.
palin was the first one who tried to make fun of PBO’s community organizing and she failed and now whichmitt has thrown himself into that ilk.
“….whichmitt….” 😆 😆 😆
Great idea for a tee shirt…….’ world’s greatest “community organizer” ‘……you guys give your take on this!
“Bill Ayers, Rev Wright, and Tony Rezko.” -And that’ll be from the self-described “true progressives,” just as last time.
It will not work and it will back fire on the GOP just like the birthcertificate I do not think the people are
that stupid . If the GOP want to re-live the past Bill Ayers, wright, and Rezco the GOP would look
desparados.
Only a stupid fool would laugh at someone going to the inner city helping those who had no help, who had no voice, who were treated less than human, this is when the media suppose to step forward and ask Willard Mitt the flip flop Romney what was so funny about helping people in the inner city, the ghetto.
Barack Obama was helping Americans, he wasn’t running to France to dodge the draft. I am willing to bet if Barack Obama was old enough he wouldn’t have dodge the Vietnam war. Hear me Willard.
When BO was asked about why he didn’t join the military he replied at the time he got out of college we were in a peace time and he probably would have joined if we were in a war time.
Mitt should understand and honor PBO’s work helping the poor more than a lot of people with the mission of his Mormon church. It just goes to show that there is no value he holds tightly if he can criticize helping the poor.
this is what Romney tweeted yesterday.. I just went after him for it, I hope others will too: .@BarackObama’s astonishing failure to secure an orderly transition in Iraq has unnecessarily put at risk victories won at great sacrifice.
Hes a sorry pos.
I believe so. Not with that veteran Grandpa of his who PBO says taught him HOW to salute as a very young boy
And what was Martin Luther King, Jr. but a community organizer, now esteemed even by his contemporary critics?
Mitty and all of the ‘toilet heads” are full of it. Lets flush the toilet on all of them in 2012. Sorry, but I am sick of these s…disgusting bullies. STFU, all of them. Leave my President alone. I am sick up them all. We will show you in 2012.HZ
HZ you are such a gracious lady….’toilet heads’ made me laugh out loud. Allow me to be crass and just call them for what they are ….SHITHEADS! Fully agree we need to flush them out of our system!
I thought the contempt for community organizers was Palin’s line. Is Mittens using her for inspiration now? I certainly hope so. How can anyone go wrong following in the footsteps madam quitter? Mittens has always been about money, money and more money. The thought that anyone could work for no other reason than to help people through community action is utterly foreign to him. Help people? What’s that?
Rudy also mentioned it at the 2008 Republican convention.
Good Morning Chips,I really understand about starting late.I’m winding down for the long road trip of 5,637 miles.this my lazy week coming to blog a little and read.have a great day.
Whoa! I just refreshed the page and Chipper has put together a wonderful jib jab for us all!
Good Morning TOD family
Here’s a good idea
The Next Big Thing In The Electric Vehicle World: Retrofits Of Gas Guzzlers
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/10/next-big-thing-in-electric-vehicle.html
The news on retrofits is fantastic. What will they come up with next? There is so much innovation going on. I love to visit your blog.
Cenk Ugyur is the scum of the earth. He’s an arrogant blowhard who was simply a bully and espoused principles of Reaganism when he had a temporary gig on MSNBC. He’s no progressive. He’s a republican/libertarian who’s found the latest gig to fleece people. I’m glad he and RATigan – another effing scumbag and wall street shyster – were called out by OWS (one good thing they actually did). Now Cenk is establishing a PAC ala Firebagger Hamsher and asshole Adam Green. The greedy depth creatures like them will sink to, continuously stuns me. Just when you think they couldn’t sink lower, they do.
Bravo Kenny Mack.
Those people in that video are as gullible as anybody in the Tea Party. Not one of them said to Uygur what the sam hill do you think you’re doing. Instead they just prattled on like useful idiots not caring they were being used for one individual’s self promotion scheme.
Bet he laughed all the way back to his car. Bet he’s still laughing.
yup. OWS what are they truly accomplishing?
I never knew all that stuff about his background. Total sleazeball. Makes me sick to see these self-serving jerks leading these groups.
Milt Shook at Please Cut The Crap makes a good point about what I’d call “megaphone lefties”—their legitimacy and their advocacy style:
But doesn’t it seem strange that so many of the most prominent and loudest voices within “the professional left” used to be right wingers? I’m not talking about just leaning a bit to the right, mind you; these folks were right wingers. You don’t work for the guy who wrote the strongest anti-choice legislation of the last 40 years if you’re just a little conservative.
So, here’s the question; when such bloggers above promote ideas and memes that actually undermine the progressive cause on a fairly regular basis, why shouldn’t more of us take exception. And given the frequency with which many of them take a position and claim anyone who doesn’t think the same way is not a “good progressive,” why shouldn’t more of us be pissed. I have been happily progressive since I was in sixth grade; who the hell are these former right wingers to tell ME I’m “not progressive enough”?….
On the other hand, “the professional left” tend to act like right wingers. They simply react to something that happens (usually something small), offer up a pointed opinion about it, and demand that everyone who read their incredible wisdom simply accept it as gospel, because they said it. That wouldn’t bother me so much if most of the assertions they make weren’t completely out of proportion to reality. Everything about what they write seems to be designed to piss people off. Again, they’re applying the right wing mentality to left wing politics, and it’s killing us.
For some reason, this small, loud cadre of progressives has decided that the best way to make liberalism successful is to “fight” the way the right wing does. As a lifelong progressive, I can assure you, it doesn’t work. If you doubt me, look at the 32 years since progressives abandoned Carter and allowed Ronald Reagan to win. Attacking others is not an effective political strategy for rational people. The current “base” of the Democratic Party isn’t rational; why would you adopt their rhetorical style?
http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2011/10/ode-to-the-professional-left.html
I read that article and others. Milt Shook speaks truth to power, IMO.
Thanks Fancieful for sharing this excellent article. Milt Shook was spot-on in highlighting the damage being done to the progressive movement by the PL.
A more charitable thought for the semi-professional left who were Republicans might be that they are undergoing the zeal of the convert. Newly-naturalized immigrants tend to be stronger flagwavers than those whose families have been in-country for generations. Converts to a religion are fertile grounds for missionaries — consider Saul of Tarsus turning into the Apostle to the Gentiles. Why should politics be immune to zeal and enthusiasm?
That said, Cenk Uygur’s attempted hijack of OWS for his own PAC is despicable.
Another SunShot Success: GE to Make PrimeStar Solar Panels at New Colorado Plant
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/10/another-sunshot-success-ge-to-make.html
I am glad someone is pushing back on the PL who truely want to make money off the OWS movement. Cenk is no different than Arianna Huff n Puff…two peas in a pod – ex-republicans looking to make a buck. I dislike people (GOP) or (DEM) who want to be “king” makers. If they get enough money backing them then they can get the sheep to follow. That is what supposedly what this movement is against.
next they should be focusing on Moore.
And it was so blatant. He wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it. Uygur may as well have grabbed a bullhorn and shouted “Hey stupids come here I need to exploit you for a couple of minutes.”
I agree with UT. Bravo Kenny Mack.
Intervention in Libya cost: No American lives and no American dollars. Libya has said they will pay back the billion we used. And that wouldn’t be an idle promise. They will be able to pay it back using the billions that Gaddafi had squirreled away all over the world.
Just like down in the Gulf with the BP oil fiasco; Obama makes sure the tab is paid by the parties responsible.
forus50…I heard that they were paying all that money back last night on Bill Maher…Rachel said it. However, I can’t find a link for that info. Do you have one? Thank you….important info:)
Good morning TOD family
I find it ironic the GOP & the FOX propaganda ECHO MACHINE are lambasting President Obama about bringing home the troops when it was former President GW BUSH’S SOFA agreement that hailed the passing of the agreement between the two countries.
The U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (official name: “Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq”) is a status of forces agreement (SOFA) between Iraq and the United States. It establishes that U.S. combat forces will withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and all U.S. forces will be completely out of Iraq by December 31, 2011
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.%E2%80%93Iraq_Status_of_Forces_Agreement
If the GOP & Tea Baggers had any sense they would lambast their party members for not wanting to pass the AJA bill. That would be a war worth fighting.
Everyone have a beautiful day.
Do they really think Americans are upset that we’re leaving a country we had no business invading in the first place?
Talk about out of touch.
derbingle, can I answer that question? Hell No we are not upset. All those right wing nuts who are upset, tell them to pack up their kids and send them to Iraq.
I would pay to ship all of them out except we both know the Iraqis have suffered enough.
derbingle, I’m willing to help too. Bake sale, lemon aide, car wash, I’ll do whatever I can.
LOL!!! Where’s Jerry Lewis when you need him to host a telethon?
How many grown kids do Romney and Perry have? Let them go over to Iraq and stay, if McCain, Lieberman, Graham are so upset, let them go too. Let these big mouth right wing conservatives go too, Limbaugh can get off his fat ass and go to Iraq.
Willard has five sons and he said in 2008 that they were serving the country by campaigning for him. Perry has a son who just resigned his bank job, which Mrs. Perry said he was forced to do so by President Obama’s banking laws, so he could form a consulting firm to capture some of Rick’s campaign funds.
And the old coot McCain’s daughter can go fight in Iraq instead of being a celebrity.
Stop being so eager to send other folks sons and daughters into war. Most of them are poor and middle class kids.
My wife and I protested the war in Iraq,we were geting a lot’s of information regarding WMD they were
saying there are none, it was an excuse to attack the wrong country.
I remember that during the ’08 election campaign BO was talking about ending the war in Iraq and most everyone else talked of that being irresponsible. Then the Iraq President picked up on it and made an agreement with Bush which at the time was not mentioned much in the news. I had wondered the motives of Bush agreeing to it at the time.
The GOP is full of crap. If they were so against SOFA, why didn’t they protest when George Bush signed it. They weren’t “concerned” about the generals opinions then. No, this is just something else that they think they can tie around the Presidents neck. The GOP is throwing everything up against the wall just to see what sticks.
Whenever the R’s oppose bringing home the troops for the holidays, they are flying in the face of the way real human beings feel and think and showing, once again, that they are out of step with the American people. When the R’s tried to make everything about the deficit at the beginning of the year, they seemed to be holding a strong card that people understood–we’re spending too much money. But PBO preempted that issue by offering to out do them on spending cuts. They thought they were going to put the president in a defensive position and he went on the offense. Then he completely changed the subject to jobs and now no one is talking about the deficit and the R are playing defense on an issue that matters most to Americans. Then the president pivots to foreign affairs –the R’s weakest suit–and makes his critics look like heartless fools for wanting to prolong a war that people are sick of. The GOP is visibly flailing, unable to keep its balance in the swiftly changing winds that PBO is directing.
My thoughts exactly, Jackie. Beautifully said.
Hi Jackie
Best damn analysis I seen! Thanks
I followed the lead from another TODer yesterday and told my Republican senators that every time they filibustered or voted no to obstruct the President and hurt this country that I would give a donation to the President’s campaign. It felt SO GOOD!
I’m not going to be the one to know how to do this, but I think this would make a great Twitter or Facebook campaign. Get people to donate $5 to Obama when the GOP filibusters or votes down a good bill. It would show up in the stats and it’s fun to do at the same time. Or maybe donate to the DCCC when Boehner and the House vote against the President and donate to the President when the Senate filibuster’s/votes against. I’d like it to be clear, but as long as people are telling the GOP what they are doing then they will get the message. I have a Republican representative and I’m going to let him know every single time.
Is there already somethng out there like this? What do you think?
By the way, Chips, love the posts this morning. I agree with the President. This is as good a time as any to do this. The Iraqi people have gone through so much trauma from Saddam Hussein and then the long war, they will have to find their way. God bless them. I certainly think Iran would think twice about crossing this President by an open invasion of Iraq.
Loved seeing Cenk get his ass kicked, too.
Great idea, Suzanne!
This is a good idea IMO, Suzanne. I hope Chips &/ Donna D and Rocky (?) -twitter grand master – add some wings to it. I think it would be effective IF the word got out that people are donating ‘$5 to Obama when the GOP filibusters or votes down a good bill, or to the DCCC when Boehner and the House vote against the President..’ and if this kicked up donations in a big way.
Don’t forget Bobfr….Twitter master as well:)
With you on this- I have one repub senator and a repub rep.. will happily tweet them letting them know I’ll donate everytime they vote no on POTUS’s AJA initiatives.. and I agree that it would be awesome for all of us with Chips to push this together. I’m In.
Me too:) I think I’ll let McCain,Kyl and Quayle know…TODAY! We could have over a million people doing this…everytime they pull one of these stunts…this will show them we mean business…when they don’t listen to the American public, there WILL be hell to pay!
oops…forgot to login.
That was me that posted that….
I have 2 Republican Senators …I e-mailed them yesterday.
It would be great if someone could put something together where we can donate each time they vote NO so we can watch the donations rise and e-mail them every time the dollar amount go up.
I really like that idea!
Suzanne—This is what I said in my e-mails and tweets yesterday to McConnell, Cantor and that ass Toomey. I think we could use the TOD diary Obama/Biden donation site. Everytime one of the R idiots says something stupid or holds up the AJA, those who can do so, donate something–even $5.00. Then we write and tell our own senators and McConnell what we’ve done, or, if it’s a House action, Boehner and our reps. We could build quite a nest egg on this site, but it would only be effective if we informed our reps everytime they we do it. Eventually, they would get the point that every time they open their mouths to obstruct the president, they make his re-election campaign stronger. It’s worth a try.
I think this is a spectacular idea! And should be isolated from other donations to drive the point. We all know money talks in politics, this would serve to remind them that it is a two way street.
I donated to PBO’s reelection campaign on Tuesday night during the republican debate because I got sick of hearing them talk about abolishing ObamaCare and offering nothing to replace it. Something similar to this was done in 2008, Suzanne. I could only donate$10 Tuesday night because I had to pay the real estate taxes on my house, but it felt good to do it. IIRC, the donation amount in 2008 was $5.00, as you’re proposing.
The enthusiasm is wonderful! I’d like to see a specific place for this purpose so that the count would be a “vote” in response to the GOP votes or filibusters — not mixed in with other contributions.
We could tweet it when there was a filibuster or no vote on AJA, but also use it for other bills. It could be a place anyone could tweet or blog about if they wanted to respond to House abortion bills or anything else that isn’t in America’s interest.
I have been talking to my Republican senators all along, but it was a real pleasure to tell them I’m donated to the President for their no votes.
PRES. OBAMA’S UNCANNY STRATEGY
I have been thinking about the President’s actions these past six weeks and my lightbulb went off about a genius strategy that appears to be at play here. Hear me out and tell me what ya’ll think
I think PBO is constructing a giant sinkhole for not only Republicans but the entire Permagov class in the beltway that will hurt the puppetmasters regardless of what happens to him in the election next Nov. And these puppetmasters like Rove are beginning to sense something is afoot, only they can’t exactly tell what.
1) IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID:
The Republicans and their 1% puppetmasters have placed their entire bet on defeating PBO on the hill of Economic angst; that they think voters will reward Repugs for a stagnating economy. I think PBO is calculating based on the current mood of the American populace that fine, if that is what Repugs want then he is going to make sure they reap worse than what they sow — a truly angry populace boosted with the ranks of large numbers of UNEMPLOYED returning Iraq veterans that cannot be quieted with the usual GOP pablum.
PBO will bank on the usefulness of Occupy Wall Street’s infrastructure for potential massive civil unrest, the likes of which the GOP cannot fathom, still. There’s a reason that Romney is flummoxed. He is sensing that PBO is laying a trap for him whose contours he cannot yet fathom, hence his flustered lash outs at PBO. In other words PBO is turning REpug’s poison meant for him into hemlock that GOP itself will have to drink if they should win in 2012. PBO is giving Karma or the boomerang a hefty assist.
2) CUTTING OFF THE MILITARY SPIGOT:
Pres. Obama’s actions on the foreign policy and military front are also setting up a very shrewd dynamic. He is shutting down the war machine and imperial adventurousness. What does this mean? Well, should the GOP get into power, PBO is making sure that he is not gonna leave behind any OPEN military/foreign policy vessels for the GOP to fill with their nefarious content. If they want war or foreign entanglements they are gonna have to start from scratch and make the case to the American people themselves. And he is betting that in this economic climate the GOP will find that case very hard to make. The only way the Neocons can indulge their expansionist fantasies is if there is an existing hobby horse that they can ride while hoodwinking the American people.
So, the GOP’s screams against PBO’s actions have to do with a lot more than jealousy or partisan potshots. It is a fear that PBO is closing the barn door to easy and UNSEEN funneling of defense dollars to the military money trough. Bush’s wars gave cover to siphoning those monies to wingnut cronies. Look at how difficult it has been to shut down Halliburton & Xe (formerly Blackwater) and other shadowy MIC interests? So PBO shuts down the wars instead, and fights missions (e.g. Libya) that does NOT need the services of wingnut hogs. Listen carefully to Lindsey Graham’s pained statements about both Gadhafi’s demise and Iraq withdrawal. his concerns are not about “America’s strength and power”. No, he is concerned about PBO slamming $$$ doors in the face of his cronies. Damn right!!! No HIDDEN rides. Quite a nightmare if you ask me. The smart Repugs know this and have thrown Romney out there to indulge his vanity.
So no matter what happens next Nov, PBO will have a glorious 2nd term or post-presidency where he’ll be hailed and in hot demand globally for his foreign policy successes, while Repugs sweat it out with a super-angry electorate that will not be appeased with Koch bamboozlement, and certainly not SS/Medicare cuts, or flat tax, or Wall Street bailouts, or deregulation. A win-win proposition for PBO. Ha!
And if the GOP are smart, they will let the man win his second term unhindered and regroup for 2016. But who am I kidding? They want power NOW, and PBO is simply making sure that if they get it they will rue it. Of course we who are not called Pres. Barack Obama will suffer badly if the GOP get their wish, so let’s make sure that nightmare does not happen.
What say ya’ll?
Excellent comment, zizi. President Obama has been putting policies in place that will effect the long term. You are correct that he is making it difficult for republicans if they get back into power. I was disgusted by Lindsey Graham’s talk of making money off the people of Libya. Just imagine what PBO can do to turn the tide of greed in a second term!!!
HEAR HEAR!!!!
zizi, you are spot on 🙂
Our President is a uniquely shrewd & gifted politician who also happens to be a caring decent human being. What a RARE combination!!
Hopefruit2 Our President comes from the roughest political climate in this country Chicago South side and the Daley style.Where they get down and dirty a lot.So these Republicans don’t understand that.They are use to the Money buys everything politics and the good old boy network.Where the Chicago style is you use your Brain and coalitions and as they say organize it to the hilt.Then go out and fight and win.
Interesting analysis, zizi. The point about cleaning out the remnants of wars is spot on. I expect a complete afghan pull-out just before GE.
Great thoughts, Zizi
I share all of them! I would add one more dimension to what you suggested….He will use the defense department money he is saving for the Pentagon to develop their own “full employment” for veterans which does not have to be approved by the maniacs in Congress. I bet Panetta is already on board.
Any thoughts?
Excellent, excellent analysis Smilingl8dy
🙂
Interesting. If war money can be diverted in helping vets get jobs, it a triple axle triumph for PBO and a great boon for both the vets and the economy.
That’s what I was thinking. He could redeploy the soldiers to work on our infrastructure. wouldn’t that be great?
you are awesome, zizi
Ya make me blush Rik
bringing home the troops also puts the GOP in another bind, since they will be home by Christmas. POTUS has already committed to making sure employment for our returning troops is high on his list.
I’ve been watching the debate and fight on the AJA, and I like it. not that I thought the GOP would pass it, but by making them vote ON EVERY POINT, it’s as if the WH is reading the polls. the ‘ generic’ AJA has support, but the SPECIFIC PARTS have across the board support that is OFF THE CHARTS. it’s as if the WH is making sure that the DNC has all the ammo it needs for ads against the GOP in 2012.
and, oh lord, let them have to vote on a ‘ getting employment for the troops’ Bill. I would love to see them dance on that.
JOBS FOR RETURNING MILITARY
This was a great segment on the Rachel Maddow Show last night on the ending of the Iraq war. We will have very highly trained military personnel that will need jobs when they get home. They will be a tremendous asset to the workforce. The timing is just perfect.
The political, economic landscape changes with the Iraq withdrawal. Making war for choice is over.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#44995972
THE IRAQ WAR BOONDOGGLE
=========================
zizi, truer words were never spoken, this was the Iraq war boondoggle. Two wars fought using a credit card. And the neocons got to feed at the trough. There was no oversight and no accountability. It was a free for all just like Wall Street.
—————————
It is a fear that PBO is closing the barn door to easy and UNSEEN funneling of defense dollars to the military money trough. Bush’s wars gave cover to siphoning those monies to wingnut cronies.
————————–
Brilliant analysis, Zizi! Yes indeed, we must do everything in our power to “make sure that night mare” you laid out “does not happen.”
Bingo zizi. My thinking exactly. The bringing-the-troops-home, ending-of-the-war protestations are about those MIC dollars that will be no more. They mad and has a sad because their free/easy money spigot is about to dry up.
I agree. And though I want badly for him to win reelection I sometimes wonder if he might be more effective after his Presidency ends. He will be free to speak his mind without the constraints he has now. I am looking forward to supporting this President for the rest of my life. Whether it’s 2012 or 2016 he will be the one who is remembered for challenging the status quo.
The only thing that makes me sad is how the GOP is able to hold back his brilliance with their petty mindedness. We all see how successful he is when given a free reign. The country really made a huge mistake by letting the GOP gain a majority in the house.
Here’s something light and entertaining to start your day: my favorite PBO parody artist (he’s a big Obama fan), Alphacat.
He has a new song about PBO’s 2012 campaign: “I’m Gonna Win.” It’s brilliant and funny. Michelle and Joe Biden make appearances, as do the GOP clowns Cain, Perry and Romney.
Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY-agNiOFNA&feature=feedu
First stanza:
Hey, America. Hey, hi, how ya derin’?
It’s Prezzy B. Bama here to say that I ain’t scurred
Of these trash talking newbies. They need to come better.
All they do is whine, I should call ’em Martha’s Vineyard.
Dont get it twisted, I’m campaign gifted.
Polls good or bad,when I speak they all get shifted.
I keep my cool while y’all have diarrhea of the mouth
But when it counts then I go H.A.M. and I’ll debate my brains out.
You ain’t had a Prez like me, you probably won’t again.
But count me in for two terms cause I’m gonna win.
You can’t while I’m living, I’ll plank on competition.
I don’t care about who’s running, cause I ain’t even tripping!
I’m gonna win, I’m gonna win, I’m gonna win! And Imma win hard!
😆 😆 😆
Hey, it worked…woot!
Lol! This is good!
OMG, PoliticalJunkessa, absolutely delightfully hilarious. THANK YOU!
Hope all you FBers and tweeters get er done!
We need to get this guy to meet the president.
No kidding yea I think PBO would like this guy the president himself is very funy maybe somebody can send
this vidio th the WH. it’s done very well funy and tastefully.
You are so right PJ, he made me smile & laugh.. I love that guy..he’s my favorite Obama impersonator… this line cracked me up: “I’m Campaign Gifted” 🙂 🙂 will tweet this too~
He’s so talented. He needs to be on SNL instead of whoever it is they have on there — he’s a horrible Obama.
He’s gonna win hard!!! Thanks PJ.
Yeah, derbingle, I think he’s gonna win. Hard!
That was pretty fun, PJ! Loved the “House of Pain”!
I loved it! He’s definitely gonna win hard!
I love Alphacat’s videos. 🙂
That’s SWEEEEEET! Thanks for sharing PJ!
Thanks for that, PJ! I think Iman Crosson is the cutest thing! I love his latest vid as PBO..”I’M A GONNA WIN!”
Ha!! thanks for this. I needed it! He’s gonna win! I love this guy, he’s the BEST Obama impersonator.
Glad you all enjoyed…have a great afternoon, everyone 😀 !
Hahaha……you know, I can actually see FLOTUS dancing to this. She’s got mad moves 😀
Good on KennyMack1 (I see his followers have gone from 54 last night to 68 today, including me) – Cenk disgust me, he was a constant negative writer of POTUS on dkos and full of sh*t.. he’s a smug sob, imo. In the second video up there.. interesting how it’s WE WE WE.. as if he’s some leader of the ows.. and folks follow this nonsense. Pathetic. Will the ows people follow anyone who shows up out there?? As far as I’m concerned Cenk, Markos, Arianna- are all still Republicans.. and to create a PAC is such a joke.. one more scam artist… read PALIN.
Hi TOD I’m headed to West Virginia 4 the fall festival. Going
2 get me some pumpkins and apple cider and fruit and veggies. Have a great day everyone!
Hey donna dem, have a great day. Will you be looking for any big, white pumpkins, a la the Obamas’?
There is currently a false meme propagated in certain segments of the Left blogosphere and “progressive” Cable TV that President Obama’s intention was to keep the troops in Iraq indefinitely, but that plan was thwarted by the Iraqi government who declined to grant immunity to troops remaining in Iraq beyond the end of this year. According to the proponents of this meme, the administration had been waiting on the decision by the Iraqi government, which was made at some point this month (October 2011) which then prompted Obama to make his troop withdrawal announcement yesterday.
If you look at this video very carefully, first you will observe that it was filmed somewhere around PBO’s 50th birthday (August 4) and loaded on to YouTube shortly after (Aug 16). Second, around the 1:40-1:48 minute mark, The video clearly and unequivocally shows the President stating that all the troops would be out of the US by the end of this year. Yet according to the PL meme, that decision for complete withdrawal was made only after the Iraqi government declined troop immunity in October 2011. How could the President in August 2011 be speaking with such conviction on a decision for which he supposedly had not made until October 2011?!?!?
Let’s get our facts straight. Barack Obama is a good decent caring man, but he’s also a politician. He had to play it in such a way as to give both (US & Iraq) sides “input” so that the troop withdrawal could be seen as a win-win for both countries, thereby enhancing good will and maintaining positive ties for future foreign relations. The whole troop immunity was a political maneuver that was probably discussed between PBO and the Iraqi government long before August 5th. Yet the PL simply cannot accept that possibility and need to cast the President in the worse light possible.
Just 2 weeks ago I heard him say all of our troops will be coming home. I was happy to hear Richard Engle say that is was one group of Iraqis who wanted us to stay, but others said no. Of course the MIC would have been happy to stay there. It just had to play out.
“Yet the PL simply cannot accept that possibility and need to cast the President in the worse light possible.”
That’s it right there. It’s officially a psychosis now. I started leaving a big “pure progressive” blog around the time President Obama took office. I remember saying at the time how bizarre it was that 95% of the people there could not say one single positive thing about President Obama…before he was even sworn in! It was so weird.
I think we all know a lot of it started from deep racism in a lot of these supposed Liberals, but just as I was warning would happen to them back at that time, this constant drumbeat of negativity and complete ignoring of the incredible positives will spread to other more reasonable Democrats, which I’d say has happened to a certain extent now. Oh well, it’s probably better in the long run to weed out the infiltrators and wishy-washy Dems anyway, as we build the movement into a sustainable, strong force for the future generations without so much of the racial baggage of the past. READY TO GO!
I sooo agree with this! I was saying something similar on Twitter yesterday (in response to Keith O’s snarky tweet about WH spin about ending the war) because I remembered reading an Aug. article from The Atlantic with Joe Biden saying that we were pulling out at the end of the year because we gave the Iraqis a deadline (in July) and they couldn’t meet it. But everyone took Panetta’s word as gospel. Frankly, I think he was only pushing to build up his credibility with the military. Remember how he did that with the CIA? I don’t think Biden or PBO had any intention of letting troops stay in Iraq past this year but now they have political cover and can say they kept a campaign promise.
___________________________________
Biden: ‘I’m In Charge, Not Panetta’
By Joshua Green
Aug 3 2011, 2:28 PM ET 14
On Monday afternoon, I spoke to Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who’d just come from a heated Democratic caucus meeting in which Vice President Joe Biden had sought to allay concerns about the debt-ceiling deal. Most of our conversation was about the particulars of that deal — he voted against it, although he was pleased about the military spending cuts — but Frank also shared an interesting exchange he’d had with Biden and Jack Lew, that sheds some light on tension within the Obama administration over the drawdown in Iraq. The main tension appears to be between Biden and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. Here’s Frank’s description of the exchange (remember, “today” is Monday):
One other big story from [the caucus meeting] today, Biden was at the caucus, and I said I was upset about Afghanistan and Iraq. So Jack Lew says, “Well, we’re winding them down.” I said, “What do you mean, you’re winding them down? I read Panetta saying that he’s begging the Iraqis to ask us to stay.” At which point Biden asserted himself and said — there’s clearly been a dispute between them within the administration — “Wait a minute, I’m in charge of that negotiation, not Panetta, and we have given the Iraqis a deadline to ask us, and it is tomorrow, and they can’t possibly meet it because of all these things they would have to do. So we are definitely pulling out of Iraq at the end of the year.” That was very good news for me. That’s a big deal. I said, “Yeah, but what if they ask you for an extension?” He said, “We are getting out. Tomorrow, it’s over.”
For more on Biden’s place in the national security firmament, see my colleague Steven Clemons’s piece from two weeks ago.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/08/biden-im-in-charge-not-panetta/243008/
________________________
I also remember PBO saying we would be out by the end of the year – numerous times. It drives me crazy that neither the right or the left (PL) can give our president a victory. It’s sick but I know PBO knows what he’s working with and as one of MSNBC’s expert generals said the other day, this is a win-win for the president either way. So suck on it hatas!
No question some very powerful people within the defense establishment ( Pentagon brass and defense contractors) didn’t want to get out of Irak completely. I think President Obama and VP Biden have out-manouevred them. What really gets to me is the simplistic view some “lefties” have of the administrative apparatus. If they think Barack Obama can easily control everything they’re delusional. The “permagov”, like zizi calls it, is pretty powerful.
So true. I think PBO and VPB knew that the Iraqis would never be able to get it together to put things in order so a few troops could stay so it blunted what the “permagov” folks wanted.
Yeah, I tweeted Keith Olbermann also. He was as ungracious as the Republicans. But what do you expect? He’s a fan of Cornel West – showing Cornel playing to the camera because he got himself arrested. They are so phoney. I think a lot of people are seeing them for what they are. I know Ed Schultz caught hell for having West of his show telling lies and disrespecting the President. AngryBlackLady has an article about West and Smilely that is a must read. Man does she pull the covers off of both of them.
Hopefruit, I think these PL types with their constant undercutting of the president end up talking to themselves. In my opinion, people heard one thing: all American troops in Iraq are coming home for the holidays. After that there was so much joy and weeping, they could care less about the hows, whys and wherefores. If they bother to catch the Republican comments on tv, I bet the first reaction is: Are you kidding me? The numbers of people who care what a few disaffected people on Libertarian sites say about the withdrawal is so miniscule as to be ludicrous. People want to feel good about the troops coming home, they want to feel we left with our flags flying and our heads head high as PBO said we didi. People want and need good news occasionally sometime and they don’t want to be fussed at with a lot of negative nonsense.
Thanks so much for posting this. I have seen it reported that it was all about the immunity issue and that we were basically forced out of Iraq against our will, which is ridiculous. The agreement was put in place years ago and it was also a promise that PBO made. I’m so glad to have this evidence, because there is so much nonsense out there and competing conspiracy theories and outright lies. No wonder people have trouble making good decisions. This video can be used to fight back with the truth. It’s always good to have hard evidence.
I am excited about:
*This amazing president
*more excited for the troops
*seeing BWD break her silence
I am disappointed that:
*that the public did not pour into the streets for congrats to PBO for Libya victory or Iraq closure which allows repugs to attack him.
*that “media” still giving Bush credit and claiming PBO is not a good negotiator! I HATE THE PRESS & THE SILENT DEMOCRATES WHO DID NOT SPEAK A WORD TO SUPPORT HIM!
That’s alright because there is a growing army of Obots, that’s starting to strike back!
Well said, Smilingl8dy!
HAHAHA! one of Bachman’s campaign staffers joined Perry’s campaign.
Again proving perry is not the brightest bulb in the box.
CENK UYGUR SHUSHES OWS PROTESTER and GET’S HIS ARSE HANDED TO HIM
Occupy the Professional Left!
October 21, 2011
By Marion
=======================
You don’t get two bigger mouths (or asses) than Dylan Ratigan and Cenk Uygur. When Ratigan cockily remarked to a protester that he was putting all his resources into getting a Constitutional Amendment passed that would make Election Day a public holiday, he got handed his corporate ass by the man whom Ratigan thought his celebrity would impress.
No, it didn’t. The protester called him out for the liar that he was. What annoyed Ratigan was the fact that the protester said what he said when Ratigan’s cameras were rolling. Bad thing to have such a strident voice for the Professional Left called out for the hypocrite that he is.
And notice former corporate lawyer and recent Republican convert Cenk Uygur – you know, the one who calls the President a moron. Cenk just “happens” to be there, decked out in his Young Turks tee-shirt, obviously advertising his new show on Current. Cenk’s the one, who – when the gentleman’s protest was getting too loud – condescendingly pursed his lips and shushed him, in such a way as an adult might shush a child or a pet.
The protester refused to give an inch, ending by telling Cenk and Ratigan in no uncertain terms that when they entered a public place and started spouting lies, they should be expected to have those lies refuted. Publically.
So in the spirit of the “Occupy” movement that’s sweeping the country at the moment, and in view of the fact that no less than Politico has recognised that supporters of the President are joining forces to push back and push back hard against the lying rhetoric and undermining agenda of the so-called Professional Left, I am calling all Obamabots to unite and …
OCCUPY THE PROFESSIONAL LEFT!
======================
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/22/opinion/end-date-for-iraq.html?_r=2&src=tp
Here’s the correct link to the Addicting Info post…
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/10/21/occupy-the-professional-left/
bachmann – as clueless as ever
Rep. Michele Bachmann said she was surprised to hear that her entire New Hampshire campaign staff had quit en masse today, even though they “had not been paid for a month,” one of the departing staffers told ABC News.
Hours after initial reports of the mass exodus, Bachmann told Iowa Radio this afternoon that she was unaware that her staff had quit and said the reports were not true.
“That is a shocking story to me,” the Minnesota congresswoman said. “I don’t know where that came from. We have called staff in New Hampshire to find out where that came from and the staff have said that isn’t true, so I don’t know if this is just a bad story that’s being fed by a different candidate or campaign. I have no idea where this came from, but we’ve made calls and it’s certainly not true.”
But a staffer confirmed to ABC News that they had indeed quit.
All of the paid staff has already been offered jobs at competing campaigns, the staffer said.
One staffer, Southern New Hampshire Field Director Caroline Gigler, has already accepted a new job with Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign, according to a report in the National Journal.
As first reported by ABC affiliate WMUR, the outgoing staff include: Gigler, Nicole Yurek, Tom Lukacz, Director of Operations Matt LeDuc and longtime Bachmann friend radio-host Jeff Chidester.
The departures are the latest in a string of high-profile exits from the campaign and do not bode well for a candidate who spent more money than she raised in the most recent quarter, according to FEC filings released last week.
Among those to leave so far were campaign manager Ed Rollins, deputy manager David Polyansky and pollster Ed Goeas. Soon after those departures, longtime adviser Andy Parish left the campaign to return to work in Bachmann’s Washington congressional office, and spokesman Doug Sachtleben quit.
In addition to a failure to pay staff salaries, some departing staffers had told the media that they were leaving because they were unconvinced that Bachmann was making a serious play to win New Hampshire.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/10/fed-up-bachmann-staff-unpaid-for-a-month-candidate-caught-unaware-of-departures/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
It’s a pity that the state of american politics has sunk to that level that bachmann types are even in the race.
Eggzackly- she had no business running for President… and this begs the question: Just what kind of person runs for President of the entire country while NOT even Paying her employees??? Sickening, but much joy in seeing her crazy ass go down. Now Minnesota needs to put her out to pasture permanently.
Bachman has been to busy bashing PBO instead of taking care of her own affairs. Like Shejir said, the fact that someone like this would disgrace this country by running for president is shameless. It gives the office of the Presidency a bad name. I don’t even want to think about any of those candidates being the leader of the free world. Romney would bring all of Bush’s old cronies back.
I am soooooo glad to see Bachmann’s constant stream of lies beginning to be addressed. For far too long she has been able to use lies and a false sense of strength to push her lies, with an assist from Fox News and the rest of the MSM GOP water carriers. She should have never been sent to Congress in the first place. I hope the hits against her keep coming so that Americans will realize that a Bachmann presidency would be like a Bush II presidency on major steroids. We’d be at war with the entire Muslim world–with a special focus on Iran, the economy would go into a Great Great Great Depression with her tax cuts and subsidy giveaways, and we would take the first step toward an American theocracy.
I LOVE THIS!!! Good for you, John and Dorothea Bon Jovi!!
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BON_JOVI_CHARITY_RESTAURANT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
SO ALL MAY EAT
Thanks for posting ds. This is really heartwarming. Bon Jovi is an absolute doll. It just makes sense that he was at the White House working with the Council on Community Solutions.
This story reminds of a similar restaurant called the SAME (So All May Ear) Cafe in Denver, Colorado. Their motto is good food for the greater good. Instead of a cash register, a donation box is available for one to pay what they felt their meal was worth, or to leave a little more and help out someone less fortunate.
http://www.soallmayeat.org/
Thanks for that info, Ladyhawke….THIS is what true America is all about:) I wish that more and more of these would pop up around the country…people helping people is who we really are. The climate we’re in now has lost sight of that…but this is heartwarming and hopeful.
Great story – God bless Jon Bon Jovi & his wife!
Thanks df 🙂
Welcome, GGail:) Pretty cool, huh?
Way cool !
Iraq By The Numbers: The World’s Costliest Cakewalk
The Obama administration’s announcement of a withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of the year offers the possibility of a definitive conclusion for the U.S. military’s involvement in Iraq. But while the return of all U.S. service men and women by Christmas is a cause for celebration, the costs of the war are only beginning to be fully understood. The “cakewalk” to Baghdad, as George W. Bush adviser Kenneth Adelman infamously wrote in February, 2002, has been anything but. The Iraq War, and the faulty premise that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction, has had a staggering humanitarian and economic cost.
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2011/10/21/350368/iraq-by-the-numbers-the-worlds-costliest-cakewalk/
These numbers are stunning!! Bush, Powell, Rice, Rumsfell, Feith, et al should be tried at the Hague for Crimes Against Humanity! They are just as bad as Charles Taylor! They just did it in our name and used the military. I am just sick with anger.
This comment from the New York Times editorial today says it all. Exactly how long are we supposed stay in Iraq to satisfy these people?? It’s really astonishing that THEY are dragged out to comment on the Iraq war ending when they have no credibility at all.
————————————-
The announcement triggered some foolish criticism from neo-conservatives – who remain shamefully unapologetic for their role in unleashing this war – accused Mr. Obama of abandoning Iraq now.
————————————-
Wonder why they think PBO would want to be a part of their crime. He is shutting it down!!!
All these “anonymous” officials are probably form the Pentagon who are pissed PBO drew the line.
Yep.
well now heres a tweet someone just posted from Piers Morgan:
piersmorganPiers Morgan by splendidhammer
Obama said he’d get #BinLaden and he did. He said he’d get #Gadhafi and he did. He said he’d end #Iraq war, and he has. Impressive.
We’d better keep an eye on Morgan, he’s definitely playing both sides of the fence and can no way be trusted.
Do you wonder why the PL never mention the Americans #Gadhafi killed?
IRAQ DRAWN ALLOWED REFOCUS
Unfortunately, the importance of this sentence from President Obama’s weekly address will be lost on the media and the hawks in the Republican Party. But it gets to the heart of the matter.
=============================
The drawdown in Iraq allowed us to refocus on Afghanistan and achieve major victories against al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.
=============================
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/22/weekly-address-bringing-home-our-troops
It’s because this President was against the Iraq war. Even Bachman embraced this war, and basically called the President irresponsible! Meh!
It also blunts Barney franks criticism of the President, who often was critical if the President in Iraq!
No statements from Barney of joy yesterday. He did not get on all major networks and praise the President for the Iraq decision!
Makes you wonder if Barney had other motives?
“I’M OPPOSED TO DUMB WARS”
Obama rewrites end to Iraq war
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/44995887#44995887
What a great juxtaposition: the young state senator speaking up against a war, to the President declaring an end to that same war, nine years later. It really makes those who claim “he didn’t really want to leave Iraq” look ridiculous!
Folks,
Behold your super GENIUS President Obama!!! Iraqi Prez. Al maliki has come crawling back to PBO. Ha! Reuters ( http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/22/us-iraq-usa-maliki-idUSTRE79L1C720111022 ) is reporting that Iraqi’s and Al Maliki fear the potential for instability.
You see folks, one angle that our dearest stenographers did NOT consider in their regularly scheduled one-size-fits-all Obamasux GOP ass-kissing narrative, was that Pres. Obama’s announcement yesterday of troop withdrawals was also a case of calling Al Maliki’s bluff, who thought he could embarrass PBO by loudly refusing to grant US troops immunity.
Note how PBO came to the White house Press briefing room IMMEDIATELY after talking to Al Maliki and holding a press conference with the US stakeholders (which press conference Boehner arrogantly refused to join, then complained later when he realized the news was big). I am guessing that during the talks, Al Maliki thought that PBO would BEG him to let the troops stay. Wrong move, cuz PBO just said “fine, we’ll leave” then instantly comes out to LOUDLY declare it to us. PBO knew his base would cheer the news wildly, and also counted on the usual Repug contrariness to amplify the news.
Now Al maliki is caught flatfooted. As the proverbial mafia boss says in the movie “Come to Papa”!!! So we have Reuters reporting today that Maliki wants negotiations
So whose calling the shots now? Checkmate. Any negotiations will now have to take place on PBO’s terms and are gonna cost Iraq lotsa $$$, cuz our troops will be back home on US soil, and all of us are gonna eyeball those glorious optics of disembarking troops stateside. And Al Maliki thinks they’re gonna get back on a plane to Iraq?
Oops, I meant “teleconference” instead of “press conference”
Oh that PBO and his Chess moves!
Negotiation 101:
Never bluff if you can’t handle the call.
Corollary:
Never try to bluff an opponent who has an incentive to walk away.
Remember I think that PBO follows a Chinese philosophy that says something “let your enemy kill themselves”!
Isn’t it time for the people over there to take care of themselves? Stop depending on us to give our young men and women ‘s lives for them. I hope the President bring them home.
The Iraqis people I mean.
WTF? Really?
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Afghanistan would support Pakistan in case of military conflict between Pakistan and the United States, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in an interview to a private Pakistani TV channel broadcast on Saturday.
The remarks were in sharp contrast to recent tension between the two neighbors over cross-border raids, and Afghan accusations that Pakistan was involved in killing the chief Afghan peace envoy, former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani, by a suicide bomber on September 20.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE79L19Z20111022?irpc=932
That is something. He fraudulently uses US tax payer money for his own delight, and then he turns around and backs Pakistan because Hillary went off in them yesterday.
Good- looks like another out-
I really despise Karzai.
Here’s the most recent tweet from Newt “Mankini” Gingrich:
// # //
Lisa Jackson says, the GOP has averaged 1 vote everyday to gut the EPA!
Go politico headlines- Obama is alone in the bus.
GOP
Obama coming to Colorado this month
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama is making his second Western swing in about a month.
A White House official says Obama will visit three states later this month: Nevada, California and Colorado.
He’s expected to make stops in the Las Vegas and Los Angeles areas on Oct. 24, in San Francisco on Oct. 25, and in Denver on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26.
Obama visited some of those cities on a trip to the West Coast in late September.
The president’s travel comes as he is campaigning for both his jobs bill and his re-election bid.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the trip has not been formally announced.
Jay announced this yesterday at the presser. I wonder why they are saying that the official spoke on the condition of anonymity?
Because the creep who wrote this AP article inserted the LIE about “campaigning for his re-election bid.” So of course he had to cover his dirty smelly arse with that fake anonymous WH “official” who does not exist.
Democrats pushed back on their heels by a wave of GOP-enacted voting restrictions are looking to an old-fashioned saving grace to lift their electoral hopes: the mailman.
In states across the country that allow what’s commonly called no-excuse absentee voting — submitting votes by mail for any reason — Democrats are expanding efforts to sign up voters who will receive and return their ballots by mail.
Continue Reading
POLITICO 44
In most cases, the efforts won’t ease access for voters who may find voting at the polls harder, thanks to a raft of new state laws, such as those mandating photo IDs — measures that Democrats worry target their most loyal constituencies, like minorities and young voters. Now, they hope snail mail will at least increase turnout elsewhere and make a dent in the daunting electoral math.
“Anyone who casts a ballot early is one person off our list, so it makes the overall get-out-the-vote operation easier,” said Norm Sterzenbach, executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party.
“It doesn’t address the crackdowns on voting we’ve seen. But it does yield other benefits,” said Wendy Weiser, who directs the Democracy Program at New York University’s liberal Brennan Center for Justice. “There are lot of people who would otherwise have a hard time participating, unrelated to this recent crackdown, [who] would benefit from expanded use of absentee voting.”
In swing-state Ohio, Democratic volunteers canvassing ahead of a fall ballot referendum on tough new public-employee restrictions are carrying along with them vote-by-mail applications that voters can fill out right at their own doors. In Florida, Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson is working with churches to increase home voting in her critical Broward and Miami-Dade County district.
Happy Saturday, TODers. Spending my day deep cleaning and organizing my office. Boy does it need it. Taking breaks to lurk here and on Twitter. Reading Cenk’s Wiki entry, I was so struck by this:
“While in college, he wrote a column in the Daily Pennsylvanian decrying the lack of affirmative action recruiting for white Christian students at the university and suggesting that all students should be “judged on their merits rather than their physical characteristics.”[8] He supported the pro-life position on the abortion issue, criticized aspects of the feminist movement, and felt Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was treated unjustly during his Senate confirmation hearings.[15] He also criticized organized religion as based on mythology and as a divisive force between peoples.[16]”
This paragraph says it all about him. He has animosity towards black people, women and religion.
Creep.
Brought this over from Politicusa about the strategy of Teapublicans. I don’t agree with everything in the article but there is a lot of speaking truth to power, IMO.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/gop-punish-america
I agree with most of the article, if not all. Thanks Shahidah.
The President is golfing today, at Andrews.
I have golfed there before, it has three courses that overlap each other.
When we were done, we crossed over onto the wrong course, and the golf Ranger let us know about it. Lol!
Interesting. How many holes did he play? If it was only nine, based on previous experience, somebody better stand the “f” by…
Tee hee. Didn’t he just issue a statement telling somebody to step down? They better hurry up.
Yeah he told Saleh of Yemen to step down.
He played golf last Sunday and Mark Knoller was snarkily tweeting about it….But today, Knoller was quiet.
Pres. Obama heads to the links with David Katz, Eugene Kang and Marvin Nicholson to “play 18 holes”. 🙂
Tsk Tsk Tsk, is he playing golf again? What about the optics of President Obama playing golf on a beautiful Saturday afternoon with so much drama going on in the Middle East and around the world. I mean you would think he had a busy week or something. Sheesh….
He’s playing golf…….is there another dictator on his way down?????
Line up Yemen. I think that is the next one in line
You see the Obama ad in the top of this page? It directs you to campaign events.
http://mobile.boston.com/art/22/sports/football/patriots/articles/2011/10/22/new_england_patriots_ron_brace_starts_anew_after_pup_activation/
Cool!
The President is minus 6 today in Gallup- 2 days ago, he was minus 12!
What gets me about some of the supporters of President Obama (i.e. Kathy Bates, Juan Williams, etc) They do not realize this “special” president can not afford to act out in anger or kick azz and take names later mode. He will be decried as the angry “half” black man. He has to always appear to take the high road in everything and stay focused. I don’t know why seemingly well informed people are clueless about the history of what the “brotha” can do. Plus he has never shown the capacity to be like that anyway…a thinking man in every way. But I can tell from seeing him rock to the beats in and feeling the song when Aretha sang that spiritual the other day….he got it in him to go there ;o)
Please do not count Juan Williams among President Obama’s supporters given what derisive comments he has made previously about the First Lady and how she is a black radical.
Juan WIlliams is about Juan Williams. If any one else had said what he said about muslims and instead inserted the word black, Juan Williams would have seen what an insult it was. For years African Americans have commented about how hurt we are when people of other races cross the street, hang on tight to their purses, follow us in the department stores, or stop us when we drive expensive cars etc, just because they suspect us of being criminal due to our race. how is this different from what Juan Williams said???/
You got no beef with me…I have heard him say a few encouraging words in my day….hence that is why I wrote that and the video shown on the site.
Opps, sawry…I posted this comment to the wrong thread ;o(
From his lips to God’s ears:) Let’s make this happen!
http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2011/10/22/sen-harkin-dems-will-hold-majority-in-senate-may-win-back-house-in-2012/
Seems like Mitt is not the only Republican who flip flops on the issues, this video has 4 examples
Republicans Walk Back Their Comments On Occupy Wall Street
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/10/republicans-walk-back-their-comments-on.html
And THIS???!!!! http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2011/10/22/joe-biden-in-2016/ Make me smile:)
What will you be for Halloween. . .
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00267RVUC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=polf-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00267RVUC
Plethora of labor news http://crooksandliars.com/kenneth-quinnell/labor-news-and-notes-round-3
Chips I am trying to catch up with all the reading since I was away with family for a few days.
I was happy to see the TOD donation page for PBO so I just made a donation which helps me
to say Thank You so much for all you do,while at the same time donating to re-elect this great man.
Wow, so much major news stories to read, I’ll be up all night…gladly 🙂 Thanks for archiving
everything. It’s so good to know that it is all here, once we get back from handling life.
I admired Steve Jobs ability to inspire and execute technological innovation immensely.
I am writing this on a MacBook Pro. I can view this on my iPhone. I have an iMac desktop and an iPod that I keep by my side constantly. I have worked on a Mac for as long as I can remember. To say I am a fan of Apple would be an understatement.
What I am not a fan of is this:
“You’re headed for a one-term presidency,” Steve Jobs reportedly told President Obama during their first official one-on-one meeting in October 2010….
Jobs apparently told Obama that his administration wasn’t friendly enough to business. He pointed to China as a model of a place without as many “regulations and unnecessary costs.”
http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/steve-jobs-told-obama-hed-be-a-one-term-president.php
Really? China is the model?
“Thirteenth employee at China’s iPhone factory attempts suicide amid row over working conditions”
By MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE
Last updated at 2:31 PM on 28th May 2010
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1282163/China-Foxconn-iPhone-factory-crisis-13th-suicide-bid-employee.html#ixzz1bY88DPUi
I bring this up because this “one-term President” quote is starting to get some play in the media, as it is one of the juicy quotes from a soon to be released biography about Steve Jobs.
I think that it is important that his quote be considered in proper context.
The position that Steve Jobs took is particularly disturbing in the context of what happened at FoxConn and what happened to Apple in August 2011:
“Apple finally overtook Exxon today as the most valuable public company in the world, closing with a market capitalization slightly above the oil giant.”
And this:
“Corporate profits aren’t just rising in absolute terms — they’re rising in relative terms. Corporate profits as a percentage of GDP are back up to nearly record highs.”
http://www.theroot.com/buzz/commerce-department-corporate-profits-back-nearly-record-highs-1
I don’t know what infects the minds of our current crop of corporate chieftans but it is sad and disappointing that their raison d’etre seems to be only looking out for what is best for corporations. Period.
Even the Robber Barons of the past left a legacy of philanthropic gifts; even Henry Ford, who was no angel, knew that he had to pay his workers enough to be able to afford his automobiles.
What is going on with this new school of profiteers? They have accumulated $2 trillion in profit. Their profits are currently at record highs under this President and yet they want to make him a one-term President and want to watch their countrymen stay unemployed until they can get more, more, more. They want the U.S. as de-regulated as China.
Our fight is bigger than just Democrats vs. GOP. We’re fighting a well-financed pathology that puts profits over people and it’s a war we’re going to be waging a long time. And when I think about how much I have personally invested in Apple and really pay attention to the mentality of its visionary, I realize that on some level I am war with myself. As Jesse Jackson would say, it’s time to teach our dollars, some sense. These guys running the top companies have completely lost their way.
Very insightful.
IMO, profits ahead of people is such an upside down equation. That equation desperately needs to be brought into balance and proper perspective.
I think this alleged quote by Steve Jobs may have been taken out of context by our GOPMEDIA.
Absolutely spot on FiredUp…
That is why the OWS is growing…..people are feed up with greed. I was disappointed that the young AA man who lives next door to me got into UCLA and he wants to go into finance.
Guadalupe river bridge construction almost complete:
http://blog.recovery.gov/2011/10/19/guadalupe-river-project-wraps-up/
The President is going to Colorado on Tuesday, so, Dan Balz of the Washington Post writes a hit piece about his chances there.
Front page shit, too.
Is this news?
The race hasn’t even begun but these idiots have their marching orders. 2008 redux. All the headlines of the last couple of weeks – ever since it became crystal clear that the GOP candidates couldn’t tie their own shoes without help – have become completely stupid and laughable. Very brazen takeover by the extreme right.
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2011/10/president-obama-keeping-his-promises-to.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FlpjFg+%28Smartypants%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
Loved this article and this video: (Sorry, there’s a commercial first.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/44993039#44993039