Archive for January 26, 2009

The press and Obama

Posted: January 26, 2009 by datechguy in Blame Bush, opinion/news
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Nordlinger’s column and the new Blame Bush catagory has prompted me to promote this from comments:

As far as the press goes I actually think that there is a chance that the worm might turn on this one. This president has already made it clear that he is above the press by his actions. It is as if he is royalty and bestowing his favors on his faithful subjects. I can’t believe that the members of the press are going to be willing to take this treatment for long. Oh they will keep their mouth’s shut for a while. Their resentment will be whispered and building, but it will take only one prominent reporter on the left to say it aloud and it will come pouring out. I actually have an opinion as to which two reporters/opinion journalists will do it. But I’m keeping that to myself for now.

It will be hard for the press to re-direct their anger to conservatives when we have so little power. Of course as we get nearer to an election their dislike of us may override their abuse, just like the fear of being alone will sometimes keep an abused woman with a violent husband. I think it can’t last for the full four years but it might make it through two. I could be wrong of course. We will see.

The whitehouse will use the Blame Bush stratagem to deflect this when it comes but I think it will come.

Two quotes from Nordlinger

Posted: January 26, 2009 by datechguy in Blame Bush, opinion/news
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Haven’t talked about Jay Nordlinger lately. In his Impromptus column today he as always makes great point but has two in particular that need to be quoted at once:

“Don’t listen to Rush Limbaugh,” say the Obamas and the Powells and some other people. They are giving “free advice” to the Republicans. Well, since when has the GOP listened to Rush? If it did, we would not have nominated Senator McCain last year (for all his virtues, which are considerable). Moreover, Rush did not ask for many of the policies of the Bush administration, particularly in the domestic realm.

Rush says what he regards as true, political consequences be damned. He is not a party strategist, or a party anything. He’s a man with opinions, and they are sound, and that’s why so many people are drawn to him, and them.

Keep it up, Rush—and stay “in their heads.”

The second touches on something I wrote:

The question was raised in our office late last week, “How long will the Obama administration be able to blame George Bush for every problem under the sun?” And the answer is, Indefinitely—because the media will permit it, and abet it: participate in it (given that so many in the media share the worldview and attitudes and style of the new administration).

Is that too dark and cynical a view? Well, I hope so. Maybe we should revisit this subject at regular intervals.

I think that’s a great idea, I’m going to create a Blame Bush Category to cover that from this point on.

Why the net is awsome!

Posted: January 26, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news, tech
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…because we don’t have to rely on talking heads and the government to know what’s in the stimulus bill. We can just check online at ReadTheStimulus.com.

Not only can we read the bill but we can search it to find particular things that are hidden within it.

This means we have no excuse for ignorance and puts the blame for inaction on our part squarely on us.

Peter Robinson notes something:

Although I thought I’d already grown numb to the statistics, this one very nearly brought a fresh tear to my eye: In its present form, the bill, which contemplates spending about $825 billion, runs to 940 pages. That comes to about $877 million per page.

Hey we’re paying for this bill.

Why does this not surprise me?

Posted: January 26, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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As I recall Mark Foley text messages resulted not only in resignation but was as far as the media was concerned THE scandal of the 2006 election.

Too bad for Foley he didn’t represent Portland Ore:

In a surprise move (not), Democratic gay mayor Sam Adams told reporters this weekend that he would not step down after lying about having sex with a teen intern who was 17 when they first met.

Hey it’s not like he was TEXTING!

Two points here first in general we’ve already seen that particularly on the federal level scandal is not grounds for any democrat to resign, (Dodd, Rangel, Jefferson and of course Blago), hell we’ve had the president that violation of federal tax laws are not grounds to keep someone out of the office of Tresurary Secretary. I would say if a democrat resigned due to scandal it (Spitzer) THAT would be the surprise.

In particular we’ve already have the precedent that sex with an intern and lying about it are not grounds for removal for office and the precedent that any kind of Gay illicit sexual activity when done by a democrat is not grounds for resignation (Studds and Frank in Massachusetts) unless directly related to security (McGreevey remember was involved like Blago in pay for play he “came out” to play the discrimination card).

The bottom line is gay or straight this is not acceptable behavior for a public official, but if the people of Portland decide that it is not a big deal, it’s their mayor and its on them.

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