Bizarro World: Why Was Opposing the Stimulus was good for the GOP Again?

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Saturday February 14, 2009 · 10:02 AM PST

2009/02/14 · 10:02

I apologize if this is too short a diary but I really need help here. I've watched and read an untold number of journalists and talking heads try to convince me that opposing the economic stimulus package was the smart political move for the GOP in the 2010 midterms.

I still don't get it. The assumption is that if the stimulus is ineffective, they can claim they opposed it.

What? I guess they could argue they would have done something different, but in view of the fact that they presided over the period that led to the economic crisis, I just don't see why anyone would be attracted to what they would have done. Thus, it seems to me that even if the economy is still stagnant in 2010, it won't be that difficult to say that congressional Republicans were voting against economic recovery (which they probably were, in truth).

What am I not seeing? Someone help me?

Poll

129 votes Show Results

Repubican opposition to the Stimulus was

129 votes Vote Now!

Repubican opposition to the Stimulus was

Smart in all cases

3 votes

Stupid in all cases

27 votes

Smart if the economy is still bad in 2010

6 votes

Principled opposition but they think it won't work

2 votes

Principled opposition because if it does work conservative domestic policy is discredited for at least a generation

5 votes

There are so few in Congress right now that they all represent highly conservative districts and were playing to their constituents

20 votes

They still believe they can build a big enough conservative base to win elections

15 votes

They are afraid of what Rush will say

51 votes

Noquarterusa.net: fascinating, and truly creepy

Descrates

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Sunday June 08, 2008 · 8:36 PM PDT

2008/06/08 · 20:36

I have to admit that I've been visiting the Larry Johnson's hate site, Noquarterusa.net, over the last couple of days. How to describe that place? It's become a din of rumor, inuendo, bitterness, paranoia, and race-baiting. I can't believe that they could possibly think the candidate they supported would approve of what that place has become. Here are some of the current titles on Noquarterusa's front page--all of them after the Clinton campaign announced that Hillary was dropping out:

"The Incoherent, Unqualified Candidate Cannot Complete a Sentence"

"He is the Selectee, Not the Nominee"

"Obama’s Hypocrisy!"

"Barack Obama: We Know The Deal"

"Obama’s Big Problem And How We Can Inflate It"

"How To Handle an Obamabot: Lesson II"

"An Update on the Michelle Obama Rant"

Descrates

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Saturday May 03, 2008 · 5:09 PM PDT

2008/05/03 · 17:09

"This is Baltimore, gentlemen. The gods will not save you." --Burrell

For those of you who watched the last and final season of The Wire, you know that detectives McNulty and Freamon basically staged a fake serial killer scare in Baltimore in order to turn back on some much needed funding for their investigation of the Stanfield organization. You also know that Kima--after McNulty confessing the caper to her--tells the bosses in the department of their gambit. Who is right?

I've lately been reading through The Cambridge Companion to Hannah Arendt. Her analysis of political evil suggested the question to me: in particular, not just the corrupt or fanatical leaders at the top who set the sinister objectives of a criminal state, but more specifically their bureaucratic enablers who pretend they have no moral responsibility for carrying out these orders.

Descrates

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Sunday April 27, 2008 · 11:13 AM PDT

2008/04/27 · 11:13

Obama's appearance on Fox News today is predictably giving the blogosphere fits. Personally, I don't really care. Fox News isn't going away. Anyone who thinks so is kidding themselves.

Nevertheless, we are seeing the typical bile from the HRC crowd. Exhibit one is Jerome Armstrong's typically bitter response to it. As always, his guiding principle is based on cynicism. "See. Your candidate panders just as much as ours does."

As I see it, there are about two lines of attack on Obama from HRC supporters.

Descrates

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Sunday March 16, 2008 · 4:11 PM PDT

2008/03/16 · 16:11

For those of you interested in seeing what a good victim complex can get you to, check out MyDD today.

First, there's an update on Dailykos writer's strike we're all so broken up about.

Next, we have someone named Mike Pridmore's diary outlining Donna Brazil's continuing subterfuge over the Wright "scandal." Apparently he and his whole church are anti-semetic, leninist, America haters.

After that there's this work of genius which has actually been recommended.

Poll

411 votes Show Results

Which Mass Murderer is Obama most like?

411 votes Vote Now!

Which Mass Murderer is Obama most like?

Stalin

11 votes

Hitler

10 votes

Moa

15 votes

I'm going to watch The Wire DVD's until the General Election

65 votes

Just shoot me now

310 votes

The Democratic Reagan

Descrates

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Saturday February 02, 2008 · 1:10 PM PST

2008/02/02 · 13:10

My background is in political philosophy. Over this election season found it interesting that one could break down the three most promenient candidates roughly into the three competing ideologies of the left over the past 50-60 years.

Edwards would obviously represent the old economic left which has made up such an important part of the Democratic coalition since the time of William Jennings Bryant. Because the left was globally so deeply influence by Marxism, this was the most radical wing of the party through the Depression era. U.S. labor history is unusually violent. The Depression was perhaps the only time America has come close to outright revolution.

Descrates

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Wednesday January 30, 2008 · 11:34 AM PST

2008/01/30 · 11:34

I find it amazing that people in the media think this is likely to John Edwards' last run at the presidency. Isn't McCain pushing 72 right now? Obviously, he's built a huge base of support in the Party--as an Obama supporter, I know I would have perfectly happy with him as a nominee.

Obviously, a governorship is a possibility. But I think the presidency is definitely within his reach. White male southerners are a perinnial hot commodity in Democratic Party presidential politics. In 2016, he'll still be plenty young enough to run again, but still older, an thus seem more venerable. What sticks out to me, though, is 2012. Personally, I think Clinton loses to McCain if that is the match up this year. However, I have a hard time believing that Americans will sign on for 16 years of the GOP. McCain will be getting older--he's even suggested he might not run for a second term. Either way, I think Edwards would end up being our strongest candidate against him.

Any thoughts.

A Hillary vs McCain Matchup is Bad, Bad, Bad

Descrates

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Wednesday January 23, 2008 · 3:07 PM PST

2008/01/23 · 15:07

Follow my reasoning and correct me were I'm wrong here.

Hillary is liked by rank and file democrats, disliked by independents, hated by republicans.

Obama is liked by rank and file democrats, liked by independents, indifferent to Republicans.

McCain is indifferent to rank and file democrats, liked by independents, basically acceptable to Republicans.

Where does this put us in a match up of the two frontrunners?

Jump.

Descrates

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Saturday January 19, 2008 · 4:49 PM PST

2008/01/19 · 16:49

I'm just saying.

If Hillary gets the nomination after she and Bill leverage nasty little wins like New Hamshire and Nevada, she's not going to have much of a base to energize for the general. I personally would be surprised if she even reaches 51%.

The ironic thing is that, despite all the talk about Obama ushering in a realignment election, Clinton-Obama is probably the best shot the Democratic Party has for something like this. Obama solves all her--and Bill's for that matter--problems. He injects all the hope, optimism, and energy of the Obama movement into their ugly, by the book campaign. African-Americans will forgive them for using race to win whites and hispanics in Nevada and California. He is immensely appealing to indepentents and even a certain segment of Republicans. Finally, he brings anti-war cred to two of the most prominent democratic sellouts in the lead-up the Iraq War.

The real question is does Obama take it? Does he consider running at the top of a ticket with Bloomberg? Does he wait till 2016? Something tells me this will be his only shot.

Poll

227 votes Show Results

Obama Supporters, if HRC wins the Nomination will you

227 votes Vote Now!

Obama Supporters, if HRC wins the Nomination will you

Vote McCain

55 votes

Vote for Hillary and Bill

110 votes

Not Vote

62 votes

NPR, ABC: UFO Sighted in Texas

Descrates

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Wednesday January 16, 2008 · 7:02 PM PST

2008/01/16 · 19:02

This is not an Onion article.

NPR

ABC News

Dozens of people in a small Texas town are talking about an unexpected visitor, but the question is, where did it come from?

The residents of Stephenville, Texas, claim to have seen a UFO, described as a mile-wide, silent object with bright lights, flying low and fast. So what was it?

More than 30 residents insist they saw the unthinkable a gigantic UFO.

Poll

293 votes Show Results

Explanations?

293 votes Vote Now!

Explanations?

Obama Conspiracy

6 votes

Clinton Conspiracy

12 votes

Their returning for Dennis Kucinich

123 votes

Its real

93 votes

Gov't's secret technology

59 votes

Where Has My Patriotism Gone?

Descrates

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Monday July 04, 2005 · 1:58 PM PDT

2005/07/04 · 13:58

Note: I've decided to change my screen name to my real name, Jonathan Schwartz. Mainly, because the pseudoname thing just isn't me. I prefer it if people know the real me. Also, I've long since started to feel that a screen that mixed Socrates and Decartes was a little on the presumptious side.

Cross-posted from Moral Questions Weblog.

I'm sitting here right now while, literally, there is one of the biggest Fourth of July parades on the west coast going by my window, and I am amazed at how repulsed I am. Where has my patriotism gone? I can remember that I once truly believed in America, and I that believed in the values it stood for. Well, I still believe in the values, but I'm not sure I believe in America anymore.
Read More

Stuff About Economic Self-Interest

Descrates

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Saturday July 02, 2005 · 12:27 PM PDT

2005/07/02 · 12:27

Note: I've decided to change my screen name to my real name, Jonathan Schwartz. Mainly, because the surname thing just isn't me. I prefer it if people know the real me. Also, I've long since started to feel that a screen that mixed Socrates and Decartes was a little on the presumptious side.

Cross-posted from Moral Questions Weblog.

I picked up the link to this paper by progressive economist, Steve Rose, at Donkey Rising the other day. It's an extensive paper about how much economic self-interest voters actually have in the typical policy prescriptions of old line Liberalism. His basic point is that the safety net in its current form does not take in as many people as is typically thought by most Liberals. Read More

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Bizarro World: Why Was Opposing the Stimulus was good for the GOP Again?

Noquarterusa.net: fascinating, and truly creepy

(Possible Spoiler) Did McNulty and Freamon do the right thing?

On Being Mean-Spirited

MyDD Today: Obama is like Hitler (Seriously)

The Democratic Reagan

JRE's career not over by a long shot

A Hillary vs McCain Matchup is Bad, Bad, Bad

Obama Better Get the VP Slot

NPR, ABC: UFO Sighted in Texas

Where Has My Patriotism Gone?

Stuff About Economic Self-Interest