Archive for February 20, 2024

Rep Talib: Bad Ends Right Means

Posted: February 20, 2024 by datechguy in Uncategorized
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As you might guess I’m not much of a fan of Representative Talib of Michigan. She is an ultra leftist anti-Semite who is wrong on almost every issue out there.

Her defense of Hamas is horrible although to be fair as a Palestinian brought up by Palestinians, I’m less shocked by the antisemitism than most because of what she has been taught all her life. It would be extraordinary if she wasn’t an anti-Semite and frankly coming from the district she represents it she likely would not be sitting in congress if she didn’t have her current opinions on Israel.

But while I strongly object to all of these things this story concerning her suggestion that Michigan Democrat voters protest Biden’s “support” for Israel by voting uncommitted in the Michigan primary is quintessentially American:

It’s early voting time in Michigan. On Saturday, Tlaib was outside a polling place, a civic center, and urged Michigan Democrats to show Biden they condemn his support of Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. The uncommitted movement tracks with her recent votes in Congress. She and fellow Squad member Rep.Cori Bush (D-MO) voted against banning Hamas terrorists from entering the United States. Tlaib was the only vote in the House to refuse to condemn the rape of women by Hamas. 

Any reader of this blog knows that I not only support Israel here but think that the destruction of Hamas is long overdue. I think she’s wrong and dead wrong.

In addition to being dead wrong she is going about advancing her dead wrong position in exactly the right way. In a republic if you have a position you wish political leaders to support what are you supposed to do? You energize a voting block to pressure pols to adopt the position you are trying to advance.

This is exactly how our system is supposed to work and as the Muslim population grows in the US and starts to outstrip other communities these methods are more likely to be effective. The fact that she is pushing for something horrible is not relevant to the method being used. Of course the irony that she is using this democratic method to support a group of people who violently exterminate any internal opposition is likely lost on her but that’s to be expected.

I suspect as the Tom Hagen math continues in Talib’s favor you will see a lot of Democrats walking away from Israel. With luck Hamas will be a footnote in history long before that date.

A litmus test for Biden

Posted: February 20, 2024 by chrisharper in Uncategorized
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By Christopher Harper

Deep within the bowels of The New York Times website is a blueprint of why Joe Biden is in trouble.

It took me a long time to track the analysis down because it got virtually no play on the Times’ opening web page. Maybe that’s because it shows how badly Biden is doing in the eyes of voters throughout the country.

The Times Opinion focus group included 13 undecided, independent voters. “To a striking degree, most of the participants tilted toward Mr. Trump, even though they disliked his personality,” the analysis offered.

“Almost all the voters (who range in age from 22 to 64) were most worried about the economy and how their groceries and other bills were too costly. Some were also deeply troubled by the crisis at the southern border, and some were concerned about the Israel-Gaza war and disliked U.S. aid to other countries,” the report continued.

When asked to describe Biden, the participants seemed particularly worried about his age and competence, using words like “senile” and “unfit.”

“I keep hearing the government say that things are getting better. I’d like to know who they’re asking, because I don’t see the economy getting better. I see us spending more money in our households, in the government. Here in New Hampshire, it’s never been this bad, ever,” said Robin, a 59-year-old retiree from New Hampshire. “They’re spending billions and billions of dollars on stuff that I don’t understand. Where is that going?”

Natalie, a 22-year-old college student in New Jersey, agreed. “I wanted to get my master’s, but it’s like I’m never going to be able to afford it. Where is the government’s money going? It should be going toward stuff like education. I’m never going to see loan forgiveness. I just see myself in debt forever.”

Twelve of the 13 participants said they viewed the economy as the most important issue in the election, while one chose the crisis in Israel and Gaza.

But the focus group also underlined some fundamental issues that Biden faces, particularly among ethnic groups that traditionally support Democrats.

For example, Yalena, a 22-year-old stay-at-home mom in Alabama, described Biden as “disingenuous.” Yalena, a Latina, added: ”I don’t feel like I’m being told the truth. I don’t feel like I’m being told anything upfront. I was just so disappointed — with the ounce of hope I had left — when we just started pouring money into the Israel conflict.”

Although Henry, a 60-year-old black consultant from Georgia, said he plans to vote for Biden, the president is “not inspiring at all.”

Gary, a 64-year-old driving instructor in Michigan, said he plans to vote for Trump but had some advice for the former president: “Stay off Twitter.”

Although the general election is months off, I hope DaTimes continues taling to this set of people who seem to have a better grasp of the state of the country than all of the pundits and talking heads combined.