Well, that’s a useful maxim once you realize you’re in a war. Most people thought we were in still in a political era of competing parties, not in a virtual civil war.

It was a lot more apparent to some (and sooner) than to others that everything/anything Obama proposed, even if based almost entirely on conservative models and ideas, would be so relentlessly opposed. There was a time when most would have expected both parties to “do the right thing” when the economy is collapsing, when there are 25 millions un- or under employed, etc. Politics used to “stop at the waters’ edge,” etc.

But in the last ten years or so, the idea of a “loyal” opposition died. When did this become obvious? Well, it took until three months ago for “centrists” like Mann/Ornstein to realize it and say it publically.

There have always been destructive crazies, but until 2010, it wasn’t obvious that they could completely seize one of the two major parties and so totally intimidate their leaders that they would purposely hurt citizens in their own states just for ideological spite. I haven’t seen anything like this in my lifetime.

One would think Democrats would at least learn from this painfully obvious lesson, but they clearly have not since they still refuse to eliminate the filibuster.

It’s not that the Democrats can’t learn, they choose not to learn. The sooner this pathetic excuse for a party leaves the political stage, the better.

But in the last ten years or so, the idea of a “loyal” opposition died. When did this become obvious?

It became obvious in January 1995 when Newt Gingrich and his Golden Horde rode into Washington, D.C. Even the nominally intelligent Bill Clinton appeared not to have figured it out.

I haven’t seen anything like this in my lifetime.

Nor I. I wonder where it originated?

The D’s don’t seem to understand that the other party is now in the hands of Authoritarians bullies. Obama thinks he can deal with these people, because he shares many of their values. He’s wrong and his failure to see that will probably cost him a second term and doom America to 8 more yrs. of GOP mis-rule.

A Democratic president seeking to raise the Medicare eligibility age, cutting food stamps, setting his baleful gaze upon social security, and “pivoting” to the deficit hysteria instead of running around the country like his hair was on fire when he might have actually been able to do something about the dire unemployment or financial fraud situation. “I haven’t seen anything like this in my lifetime” indeed. And don’t even get me started on Obama’s lethal authoritarian policies with regard to the “War on Terror.”

The Republicans, being more of a true opposition party than the Democrats have ever tried to be, are simply going the only direction right-wing Obama has left them.

Puerile.

This is all kabuki.

Real model is O hiding behind Rs to accomplish his goals.

Wake up Walker.

Makes sense, but I think the Tea Party and the right wing funding of it drove this home. I think those people were used by the conservatives for their own ends. I think people like the Kochs and Adelson want things their way or no way at all. Citizens United unleashed a fury on us. We have likely not seen the end of it yet. It is a fearsome movement that could truly hurt a lot of innocent people and already has.

Interesting thing about the employed/unemployed. Bill Mitchell wrote a piece saying that we are now 41 months of over eight percent unemployment. That is the longest streak since they started measuring it in 1948. Next closest was 27 months starting in 1981. He also noted that since April 2005 total employment has not increased at all, net net. Now who do you really blame for that when congress will do nothing, nothing at all.

Bill Press would beg to differ, on the basis that O sucks less.

I suppose it is appropriate to complain about an inadequate fire department. But, only if you do not forget there is a special place in hell for the arsonists.

Yes, he should indeed have ran around with his hair on fire. Then we would know at least that he was on our side. As it is we are left with him or the Kochs.

Yeah, even Jon Walker has adopted Nixon’s e-word. “What a world” — Raymond Chandler.

Oh Jon, Jon, Jon. So shrill! So not bipartisan! So, so … unserious!

Obama is looking at you with that deep, plaintive gaze that means he is very, very disappointed in you.

Also too: Lilyledbettersupremecourtbecauseshutupthatswhy.

“One would think Democrats would at least learn from this painfully obvious lesson, but they clearly have not since they still refuse to eliminate the filibuster. This means the only way they can achieve success in the Senate is to be completely dependent on their enemies helping them…”

This is beyond absurd. The GOPers are not the Democrat’s “enemies”. They’re allies. Appearances to the contrary are contrived kabuki bullshit, a Potemkin village that’s the basic con of the phony “2 party” system.

Arsonists are not infrequently firefighters.

Not to mention that all fires are not arson.

Agree. Obama is getting an outcome he is comfortable with. The Dem party leadership is taking their cues from the corporate donors; the donors to the party and candidates. The Dems are playing a role to assigned as to keep the $$$ flowing. It’s the Grand Kabuki.

Yeah well, this fire was started by arsonists. I don’t want a special place in hell for them just yet, a nice small cell at a federal prison would do nicely until they check into better accommodations in hell.

No, it’s corruption, the kind of thing you hear about in Afghanistan.

I think it might be appropriate to follow the evidence & prosecute where it leads.

But then I dream.

Someone said in a thread several months ago that the gov’t is being run like a criminal enterprise and I agree. That’s really all it is.

Me too. useless.

I agree also

Which is why I seldom comment anymore.

Oh I know that feeling as well. What is the point?

Given the money it is hard to say otherwise.

The Washington Generals are an American exhibition basketball team, best known for their spectacular losing streak in exhibition games against the Harlem Globetrotters…. The Generals provided deliberately ineffective opposition as a foil for the Globetrotters’ comedy routines. The Globetrotters’ acts often featured incredible coordination and skillful handling of one or more basketballs, such as passing or juggling balls between players, balancing or spinning balls on their fingertips, and making unusual, difficult shots. The Generals on the other hand would try to play a game of “serious” basketball in return….

The Reds [previous name of the Generals] defeated the Globetrotters 100-99 on January 5, 1971 in Martin, Tennessee. It ended a 2,495-game winning streak.…Reds player Roy Kieval later said Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein threatened his team over the event. As this was theater basketball, it is uncertain how much, if any, of the upset story was an angle created to promote Globetrotters games. Both teams claimed that all their exhibitions were real, competitive contests.

Wikipedia: Washington Generals

Jesus Marie.

K, I’ll say this slow.

THEY.

ARE.

ON.

THE.

SAME.

TEAM.

All this presumes that the Dems WANT to do the right thing but are just too feckless to go about accomplishing their goals. WRONG!!! They are doing just what they’re paid to do–maintain the status quo for their wealthy benefactors. All the rest is bullshit.

And where was the fire chief with the bully pulpit to drown out the inflammatory language? Obama needed that right wing rhetoric. It’s like a magician who has himself locked in chains and thrown in a tank of water with burning oil at the top. People cheer much louder when he gets out. Obama was silent when he could have taken on talk about “death squads.” He got the stimulus he asked for. He didn’t say “My advisers tell me this may not be enough. If it isn’t I’ll be back for more.” He was too busy proclaiming his bipartisan triumph complete with 3 Republican votes, depending on how you want to count Specter.

It is these “rabid” people out there who enable the Bill Press’s of the world to demand that you vote for Obama to save the country from rabid people. If they didn’t exist, he’d have to invent them. Truth be told, he helped to invent them.

Say it at any speed you wish. You are wrong.

Do you bite your nails over professional wrestling matches too?

I thought you revealed not too many days ago that you are a lawyer.

So surely you understand conclusory statements.

Yes, and elemental logic, too.

“If you want to succeed, don’t make your success dependent on your enemies helping you.”

He hasn’t. Their successes are his because it’s all just one party and they all serve the same 1% masters.
Don’t give him an out for his behavior. You’re just buying into the kabuki. But so be it, it’s your brain.

“It would seem this piece of advice would be rather self-evident, but even now it appears to be a basic piece of wisdom neither Congressional Democrats nor President Obama has been able to grasp.”

No, they grasp it just fine. Repeating the same failed failures over and over again … except they’re not failures. He, who loves Reagan so much, planned on this and succeeded. That’s why his masters will give him another term. Only O has a shot to privatize SS. Romney has no chance. With O, most Dems will clap as he guts SS. They will applaud and cheer, just like with Osama’s assassination. Or with the Insurance Co. bailout bill.

Why does anyone, who’s not a complete Obot, buy into this bull. Reconciliation can not work, … Reconciliation can not work, … Reconciliation can not work, … Reconciliation can not work, … Reconciliation can not work, … Oh wait, it does … when the 1% want their bill passed.

He has no power, he’s only the pres., not a king …
He has no power, he’s only the pres., not a king …
He has no power, he’s only the pres., not a king …
He has no power, he’s only the pres., not a king …
He has no power, he’s only the pres., not a king …
Oh wait, he seems to do just fine with executive orders to kill people.

If you’re going to buy into the kabuki, then you must also buy the rest.

Alchemy?

?

Who own the insurance company.

It’s called capitalism.

Yeah, don’t hold your breath, comrade.

Don’t Make Your Success Dependent on Your Enemies’ Cooperation

So fundamentally true that even a school boy should know this. The ONLY thing that one can do is to manipulate ones opponent into using their power against themselves. As in the martial arts.

This should be the cardinal rule for anyone on the left.

One group of people is for X. Another group of people is against X. By definition, as to X, these two groups of people are not on the same team.

Now, if you want to discuss the relative merits of X ( A/K/A ACA), I am fine with that. But, to argue the Dems and the GOP are on the same team when it comes to the ACA makes no sense.

Who is arguing that?

As a usual troll, you present a meme that is not relevant.

ACA and GOP are same is well documented. See Heritage.org website,

But Obama claims he didn’t want the ACA. He wanted single payer but took it off the table as a bargaining chip for undisclosed reasons. Then he wanted the public option. But he gave that away in a series of secret meetings with the health care and pharmaceutical industries while continuing to tell the public how much he was for it. Then he hid out when polls showed a majority of Americans wanted the public option until the rabid people pounded it into what some cynic might suggest he wanted all along.

It’s only after his heroic battle with the rabid people that he produced the ACA, which, although it isn’t everything he hoped it would be, is still the greatest achievement in domestic politics since Medicare and possibly the New Deal.

We are talking about the bill the Heritage Foundation wrote and Bob Dole introduced right? I’m not saying all the rabid people know they are being manipulated. I’m saying Obama intended to get TPB their ACA and he delivered. If he gets a second term, the odds are that he’ll deliver their Grand Bargain cutting social security and Medicare. Oh there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth over the modest increases in taxes on the 1%.

Remember to console yourself with thoughts of how much worse it would have been if it hadn’t been for Obama.

Well, since you have resorted to name calling, on the merits it seems I have won this argument.

I haven’t called you anything. I’m waiting for your reply.

At your pleasure.

You never seem any need to explain yourself.

Kewl with me. I note for the record.

Look, I answered your point at comment # 39.

At the present time the GOP is fighting against the ACA with everything they have. I do not understand how you can argue at this time that they are somehow in favor of it.

No, you didn’t answer my point at # 39. You attacked an argument of your own creation, with modest success.

My point is that your point is irrelevant because the relevant question is whether the powers that be get what they want. With Obama and Boehner they do. (The failure of this term’s Grand Bargain is a notable exception.)

Being a working stiff I have to go to bed now. In the future please don’t define my arguments for me and declare yourself the winner.

Good night to all.

I explain myself here as much or more than anyone.

You may not like the explanations, but that is a different matter.

For the 25,000th time:

Democrats are NOT incompetent. They are filthy corrupt liars. The problems with the healthcare act exist because the Democrats wanted them to be there and for no other reason.

Perhaps we need to cut a deal with the devil – like in WWII when we allied with Stalin to fight Hitler – but cut the lie that the Democrats did anything other than what they intended.

The Devil wears a face on the back of it’s head as well.

The GOP cannot overtly support their own idea, the ACA, as they’ve cast themselves as the heroes bravely fighting the socialist Kenyan to energize their racist white base. They thus must oppose anything Obama does, overt bipartisanship is incompatible with the narrative they sell to their base. There’s is not an actual ideological objection- they essentially wrote the plan- but merely a pro forma reactionary one to stay in character. The Democrats play the reasonable role as moderates willing to compromise for the greater good which is a role that appeals to their own center-right base who fancy themselves progressive and “swing voters” who are conjured up to rationalize their constant failure to advocate progressive policy. The pro rasslin’ analogy is a good one, the two putative opponents must sell a conflict narrative but they are both cashing checks signed by the same boss. The corporate status quo PTB are the Vince McMahon, and the partisan politicians are the actors pretending to be opponents and playing their predestined roles in the drama. The dimmer actors on both sides may not even realize the roles they play in the farce, but that just makes the show appear more authentic.

Excellent post.

the only reason to skim walker’s dkos caliber 0bot bullshit is see who is trashing him and how.

rmm

I personally would think that it’s about time for these partisan hacks to finally learn the lesson that the Democrats and Republicans are working together… against the American people. But nooooo. We still have to read bs articles like this from time to time.

Enemies?? I think the real problem is that the Democrat’s big corporate donors are not much different than the Republican’s big corporate donors. As a result, neither party is allowed to enact much progressive legislation. That is why when we elected Obama with a big majority, they were tripping over each other trying to avoid doing anything truly progressive. The excuses were beyond lame. Crony capitalism was on display for all to see. The longer the two parties control the game, the further right we will drift.

I rise to be slammed down again:

The larger problem is the universal denial, from far right to far left, of that-which-the-country-refuses-to-accept, much less face. Those of us who are willing to speak it are vilified and a blanket thrown over us as too stupid to breath.

Whether admitted or not, the problem IS racism. Anything not white in the White House had better be a servant or a very temporary guest. The country will destroy itself rather than accept otherwise.

Racism caused Obama to be a doctrinaire neoliberal?

Whether admitted or not, the problem IS racism. Anything not white in the White House had better be a servant or a very temporary guest. The country will destroy itself rather than accept otherwise.

Really? No, not really. Racism is a tired excuse. Obama supporters have been pulling it out since the 2008 primaries when even Bill Clinton was being labeled a racist, or at least accused of using “coded racist language” or otherwise appealing to racism. Was wrong then and is wrong now. After all, Obama won. Too bad he was never what his supporters claimed he was. The dude’s a conservative. He has to go. And liberals need to be the ones to take him down.

“A tired excuse”?? I’ve heard that more than “some of my best friends are colored”. It would be funny if it wasn’t so not.