We previously discussed how the White House opened admitted that it was delayed the increasingly unpopular immigration plan until after the election. Now it appears that another radioactive issue is being slow marched until after the election. The Army has completed its investigation into Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s disappearance from his base in Afghanistan five years ago. However, Pentagon sources have said that any release will have to come after the election and there is no guarantee that the findings will be made public.
There is significant evidence that Bergdahl may have planned to leave his post — resulting in search missions where fellow soldiers were put at risk. Some allege soldiers were killed on missions that included searches for Bergdahl.
The swap for Taliban leaders clearly violated federal law, as we have discussed. The Democrats are already facing a worsening situation with an extremely unpopular president but also very low polls for Democrats generally. Bergdahl is the last thing that voters need.
In Kentucky, the senate candidate has effectively denounced Obama and has turned the race into something of a referendum on Hillary Clinton, which may be only marginally better with most voters. Clinton has called Alison Lundergan Grimes the candidate of change — something many may find curious from the ultimate insider figure in American politics.
However, I remain fascinated, as I was with the immigration issue, that such issues are openly delayed to prevent voters from factoring them into their votes. There is very little outrage over such gaming of the system, which has obviously been done by both parties historically.
Paul-When did you switch allegiance from Mickey Mouse to “None of the Above”?
Tom Nash – I have no choice but to go with Mickey the Mouse right now, however I think None of the Above would be the best choice with all candidate disqualified if that won and a new race called for. I can think of several candidates in Arizona who probably would not survive such a ballot, John McCain is one. Under my system the Electoral College would also be free to vote for anyone but the candidates on the ballot. This could really screw up some elections. 🙂
It would be fun to hear a clip of him talking about himself in the third person. A nice youtube of that would help to undermine support or his reckless theories.
Aridog,
I believe your intent is sound but the weak link in our system is with the electors and not the elected. Survival in politics is predicated on meeting the expectations of one’s constituency. If they continue to reelect a dysfunctional government (at a nearly 90% clip), then what does that say about the qualifications and motivations of the electorate? I’ve posted this quote in other threads but it is certainly relevant here:
“Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature … If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.” – James Garfield 1877
Olly – I would agree with you if the whole electorate elected the whole Congress, but they don’t. They are only responsible for one Representative and two Senators for each state. That is their culpability.
Evidently, Krugman speaks very highly of himself and generally refers to himself in the third person. If that is true, it certainly says a lot.
slohrss29 – of course Krugman speaks very highly of himself, who else would?
aridog,
The bigger problem than choices and even filibusters and secret holds is money in politics. If you do not remove money from politics, nothing will improve. And we are quickly becoming an oligarchy as the Koch brothers and corporations and secret money has flooded the political process. Follow the money.
Nick…how will “more choices” make anything better if, in the end, each house is run by one man? The British parliamentary system sucks and I cannot for the life of me figure out why we’d want anything like that here. Nothing stops a third, or fourth party from forming here now, other than the Congressional Rules that make it pointless. Change those rules as I have suggested and you will have what you want. Multiple collaborative interests working together to actually achieve a democratic republic.
Open up the voting rules in Congress and you can have as many “parties” as you want, each with a say before a vote…a vote not dictated by two men or women.
This is a measure of the level of power and control which has been gained by those in power. They no longer even have to pretend. They can openly lie to Congress and to us because they no longer have to maintain the illusion that we are in control.
BFM, LOL!
Good questions Jill. I didn’t read the whole thing, but the Krugman piece–and I thought for sure it was a joke too until I looked–sounds like your basic propaganda piece. People need to demand more. The network news is just the propaganda arm of the government and defense industry.
There are some categories that I cannot take the Nobel committee seriously in, the Peace Prize to begin with. Economics is another. I am iffy on Literature, but what the heck, somebody has to get it.
Politics as usual are so frustrating.
We deserve the truth. I really wish politicians would stop treating us as sheep. Are we so naive that we can be fooled when these damaging issues are postponed until after an election?
In order for a democracy to work, the people must be informed. The govt. has done everything in its power to keep us stupid, uninformed and at each other’s throats. I believe it is way past time to speak out against all these abuses of our citizens.
We are not allowed to see the pictures of torture at Abu Ghraib because Obama says it will be upsetting. We are not allowed to know what toture he is ordering in Gitmo and Bagram. Torture victims can get no justice from this president.
We cannot see the bodies of our dead soldiers. We cannot know about Cheney’s energy task force and Bush’s spying. We cannot know about massive, illegal spying on our citizens occurring right now. We are not allowed to see the report of Syria’s chemical weapons, which oops, turned out it wasn’t the govt. (but that wasn’t good for Obama’s war mongering).
I’m listing only a few things people aren’t allowed to know. Yet information is what allows people to make good decisions. We go to war on lies. Democrats say nothing as “their” president tortures people. How did it come to this point in our nation?
More importantly, when are people going to speak up and demand the truth?
BFM, incredibly, the Krugman piece is not parody.
@Nick: ” incredibly, the Krugman piece is not parody”
Well…. when it comes to political analysis, Krugman is one of the truly great economist or our time….. which is, of course, an entirely different field.
“A Choice- Not An Echo”. 1964.
Whose verbage was that? What candidate were they talking about? What was the first name of that candidate? Much of what our present Barry says and does jives with that Barry but people forget. We get all these Bush offspring. Is there not a Goldwater grandson or granddaughter out there? We need a choice.
@Nick: ” Paul Krugman’s piece in Rolling Stone calling Obama the most successful president EVER. ”
This is a joke…. right???
bfm – Krugman’s a joke, but I don’t think he has self-realization yet.
Aridog, We disagree. I think we need more choices.
BFM, It was a joke. Hopefully.
@Nick: “The WH just announced they will be suspending habeas corpus, but not until after the elections.”
Now you have me confused.
Will they be suspending habeas corpus after the election or will they be announcing they suspended habeas corpus it after the election?
Not to be too critical or put too fine a point on it, but sometimes you do toss facts around like like your were tossing bales of hay down from the loft.
Aridog–I thought that Ron Paul thing audit the fed got on the list… has the been postponed as well?? I have been interested to see where all those checks go! What about Fort Knox, thought they were going to audit that as well. Think there’s any gold in there??
Opinions are much more effective if rendered is a scholarly, respectful voice. Plenty to beat down on Krugman without bringing in his lack of endowments.
Nick, I get the same impression of Krugman. His eyes betray him.