The GOP still thinks it has control of Congress... and they do as long as we foolishly let them think they do.
As recent legislative events will attest to, the Republicans in Congress aren't opposing President Barack Obama because there's a good reason for it, nor to protect or help our nation’s economy in any way. In my opinion, they're just nitpicking, verbally distracting, and trying to delay majority legislation because they’ve discovered that they still can.…
Article comments
176 - Cobra
LOL. I don't make "Skinhead" and "Klan" comments. I simply post the actions and comments of Skinheads and Klanners next to the actions and comments of so-called conservative blog posters to remind the readers where the last exit on the right wing Highway to Hell leads. Engaging in even a mild level of bigotry is no virtue. Diet Coke is still considered soda.
Baronus,
Well, I would wager that the contemporaries of Jefferson, Wilson, Nixon, Carter, and Clinton (especially the latter two) didn't consider any of them "geniuses" in their first days of office.
That being said, Obama's academic credentials are unquestionable. Both his writing and eloquence are extraordinary, and even has people who hate him complaining that "he relies too much on the teleprompter", which is silly, because the teleprompter's mostly his OWN words, (he does have a speechwriter on payroll, like most Presidents) Hell, even Lincoln READ his own handwritten Gettysburg Address, which is viewed by most historians to be the most pivotal Presidential speech (albeit only 269 words.)
Another point would be to look at what those who wouldn't be considered "infatuated" with Obama has to say about his intellect:
David Brooks:
Brooks also spent time praising Obama's intellect and skills in social perception, telling two stories of his interactions with Obama that left him "dazzled":
Obama has the great intellect. I was interviewing Obama a couple years ago, and I'm getting nowhere with the interview, it's late in the night, he's on the phone, walking off the Senate floor, he's cranky. Out of the blue I say, 'Ever read a guy named Reinhold Niebuhr?' And he says, 'Yeah.' So i say, 'What did Niebuhr mean to you?' For the next 20 minutes, he gave me a perfect description of Reinhold Niebuhr's thought, which is a very subtle thought process based on the idea that you have to use power while it corrupts you. And I was dazzled, I felt the tingle up my knee as Chris Matthews would say.
David Broder:
So for several years, I have been arguing that there are traits much more important to the success of a president than his brainpower. Self-confidence, curiosity, an eye for talent, the ability to communicate, the temperament that invites collaboration " all these and more rank higher on the list of desirable presidential traits.
I am not ready to abandon that view. But I am struck at how lucky this country is, at the moment, that the president-elect of the United States is a super-smart person like Barack Obama.
Both Christopher Buckley and Charles Krauthammer describe Obama as having a "first-class intellect."
Now, does that put Obama on the same "genius" track as Thomas Jefferson? I don't know, but the latter "genius" was also a slave-owning hypocrite, so I'll leave that one be. My point is this, when your "enemies" describe you like Obama's have, it's not a hard stretch to believe we've elected somebody who's pretty darn special.
--Cobra
177 - Cobra
"Our standards"...LOL
Here, is an example of the "genius" of Thomas Jefferson:
"I advance it therefore as a suspicion only, that the blacks, whether originally a distinct race, or made distinct by time and circumstances, are inferior to the whites in the endowments both of body and mind. It is not against experience to suppose, that different species of the same genus, or varieties of the same species, may possess different qualifications. Will not a lover of natural history then, one who views the gradations in all the races of animals with the eye of philosophy, excuse an effort to keep those in the department of man as distinct as nature has formed them? This unfortunate difference of colour, and perhaps of faculty, is a powerful obstacle to the emancipation of these people. Many of their advocates, while they wish to vindicate the liberty of human nature, are anxious also to preserve its dignity and beauty. Some of these, embarrassed by the question 'What further is to be done with them?' join themselves in opposition with those who are actuated by sordid avarice only. Among the Romans emancipation required but one effort. The slave, when made free, might mix with, without staining the blood of his master. But with us a second is necessary, unknown to history. When freed, he is to be removed beyond the reach of mixture.
Jefferson was not only racist by his OWN words, but a hypocrite by his OWN words, because he himself engaged in wholesale "mixing" with his black female child slave. (When Tommy met Sally) The Y chromosone DNA evidence has put all the debate to rest.
But, given the context of this current blog thread, I can easily see how at least some of Jefferson's beliefs posted above would fit in with this narrative. I would ask a question to those who defend or revere Jefferson: Tell me what the great difference is between the above piece and the ones I posted back up-thread from David Duke, the CC of C, and James L. Hunt?
Given a choice between the two, I'm riding with Obama.
Yes I can.
--Cobra
178 - Hope and Change?
Based upon post 178..Ill repeat the obvious...
"One can see how much our standards have been lowered when we see moronic posts such as the one above!"
179 - Hope and Change?
Geee...Jefferson quote a coupel of hundred years old..differnt world but here is one form a few weeks ago....
BBC News - January 26, 2009
Witchdoctors defy ban on selling albino parts
Police in Tanzania have recently arrested almost 100 people suspected of murdering albinos and/or selling their body parts to witchdoctors. Apparently the limbs, hair, and even genitals are used in some folk medicine. The government has responded by pulling the healers' licenses to practice. The healers are reportedly ignoring the ban.
"We have so many patients and clients who depend on us," (herbalist Haruna Kifimbo) told the Citizen (newspaper). "I believe it would have been better if the PM had consulted us before announcing the ban."
In the most recent case last Wednesday an albino man - named as Jonas Maduka - was killed in Sogoso village in the north-western Mwanza region.
He was reportedly eating dinner at home when some people called and asked for his help.
When he went outside he was strangled, before his assailants chopped off his leg and made away with the limb.
Hmmmmm...lets use Cobras own logic... gee..In 2009 ....African Doctors are killing people and prescribing the the dead guys balls to their patients.
Yes it is clear...a very advanced race very advanced...
H&C...hey isnt Barry a Kenyan? Is that close to Tanzania? Hmmmm look out for healthcare reform!
180 - El Bicho
Based upon almost any of your posts, H&C, it's rather obvious there are no standards
181 - Cobra
You see readers? H&C can't refute anything that I posted. If anything, he continues to prove my point about the reactionary right.
I only brought up Tommy Jefferson because Baronous cited him as an example of genius. I reprinted an excerpt from Jefferson's Letter to the State of Virginia where he proclaimed the racial inferiority of Blacks.
What does our friend H&C do? He states:
"Geee...Jefferson quote a coupel of hundred years old..differnt world"
Then H&C proceed to cut and paste a bizarre story from the BBC about the barbaric practices of some witchdoctors in Africa, adding his own closing quote:
"African Doctors are killing people and prescribing the the dead guys balls to their patients.
Yes it is clear...a very advanced race very advanced..."
Basically, readers..after dismissing the Black inferiority quotes by Jefferson as "two centuries old" and from a "different world", H&C procedes to post anecdotes about individual minorities with problems and build a guilt-by-association case ENDORSING Jefferson's racist position, and by comparison, those of David Duke, the CC of C and James L. Hunt.
H&C did exactly what I TOLD him to do back in Post #171. He stepped up his extremist game. He's taking the racial rhetoric to the next level.
By all means, don't stop now, H&C! Keep on posting, brother! Oh no...let it flow!!!
You're the DREAM of every liberal Democrat like me, as you validate many of my claims about the far right. All I have to do is point you out as a prime example of the Conservative Movement in America, and many independent, moderate and undecided readers of this blog will recoil in disgust and make my side and positions seem a helluva lot more palatable.
I sincerely thank you for your continued support.
--Cobra
182 - handyguy
Cobra, pleeeez, don't taunt him back to life. We have had a few blessed hours of silence.
I like your posts, though. Just don't direct them toward He Who Must Not Be Named.
183 - Roger Nowosielski
How about H&C, Archie and Al - the dynamic trio!
184 - Dave Nalle
Add Cobra to the list, he's just as bad only from a different perspective.
Dave
185 - Hope and Change?
"I sincerely thank you for your continued support."
Cobra what support welfare, food stamps or public housing?
Cobra did exactly what I TOLD him to do back in Post #179. He stepped up his extremist game, proved that he is "dim of wit". He's taking his anti-white racial rhetoric to the next level and believing he is accomplishing meaningful by his silly posts on BC.....aint he a genius!
Thank you for your support!
Hope and change = entitlement mentality
PS = Cobra, do albino balls cure dandruff?
186 - Arch Conservative
Did anyone see the new presidential rankings that came out yesterday? They put W. in the bottom 10. I have no problem with that but how Carter escaped the bottom ten is beyond me. Maybe they just feel sorry for him and don't want to hurt his feelings by giving him an accurate ranking until after he kicks off.
I also don't understand the fascination with JFK, Camelot and all that bullshit baby boomers seem to cling to that puts JFK in the top ten. He didn't really accomplish anything in his brief time in office other than banging Marilyn Monroe.
And it will probably be another hundred years or so before historians can gain some true perspective and Regan rightfully's assumes the number 3 position behind Washington and Lincoln.
187 - Christopher Rose
I'm assuming you mean Reagan, but seriously? Reagan in the top three US presidents? For what?
188 - Hope and Change?
If JFK wasnt killed he would be remembered as a foot note in US and World history...
Oh wait...he would be remembered as the guy responsible for escalting the Vietnam war...
189 - Ruvy
Well, it looks like electing a black man to the White House did not exactly cure all the racial disputations in the United States.
OK kids, let's put it this way. And remember, this is a socialist talking - a real live leftist who believes in social equality and equity talking. I'm not some damned slave-owning "liberal" or some stone-age fool who does not believe in the basic things that every civilized country should have - a policy of nationally subsidized health care, a policy of nationally subsidized PAID vacations for all workers, social insurance, child allowances for mothers, etc., and who is willing to pay the taxes needed (and who does pay the taxes needed) to provide all these things.
It is wonderful that the United States elected a black man to the office of president, in that it helped off-load some of the racism inherent in American society. It's just a damned shame that the black elected was this black man, as opposed to Alan Keyes, for example. This black man is a man who hung tight with crooked Chicago pols, who learned dissimulation at the feet of a subversive, Saul Alinsky, who worked for one of the smelliest "community" organizations in the States, ACORN, and who is a liar who is unwilling, for reasons of his own, to come clean about his birth, and place of birth.
Barry Obama has something to hide.
This is not the man who should be running the United States, or who should have his finger on the nuclear button. This man can be blackmailed.
But, this is the man you are stuck with. One can argue that this is the man you deserve, but I'm not going there for the moment.
Yes, Obama is a brilliant speaker - when he has what to say. He is very good at PR. He is young enough to have enough energy to deal with the office of president.
But the negatives far outweigh the positives - and, to boot, he will not get you out of the economic mess you are in, as he is part of that mess. I have never heard of the man who tips over his own rice bowl.
190 - Hope and Change?
"Obama is a brilliant speaker"
CORRECTION
"Obama is a brilliant READER"
As the great Joe Biden said about our Barry...
"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,”
nuff said
191 - Dr Dreadful
Chris @ #187:
Archie is invoking the little-known and understandably little-publicized fact that due to a typo on the ballot papers, Treasury Secretary Donald Regan was in fact accidentally elected President of the United States from 1981 to 1989...
Which may explain that vacant, unpresidential demeanor Ronnie so often had!
;-)
192 - Baronius
Arch - Thanks for the heads-up about that survey. Pretty interesting. Some of the results made no sense - like Clinton moving up 5 places in "moral authority". And what's with Truman now ranked below Kennedy in "policy vision"? Or were the atomic bomb, the Marshall Plan, and the Cold War so much less visionary than the Bay of Pigs? Still, lists like this are supposed to start arguments.
193 - Cobra
It's just a damned shame that the black elected was this black man, as opposed to Alan Keyes, for example. This black man is a man who hung tight with crooked Chicago pols, who learned dissimulation at the feet of a subversive, Saul Alinsky, who worked for one of the smelliest "community" organizations in the States, ACORN, and who is a liar who is unwilling, for reasons of his own, to come clean about his birth, and place of birth.
Ok, Ruvy...you're obviously one of those folks who can't accept that Barack Obama won convincingly and above board. I mean, sure, Obama could get away with a falsified birth certificate with every angry right winged news organization and opposition researchers from both the RNC and the Clinton machine digging through every facet of his life since he was a zygote. Suuuure.
Hey, I've got some Elvis concert tickets for next Friday--third row orchestra for a good price...
ACORN helps poor, inner city residents, so I can see why right wingers hate them so much, but hey since this group engaged in Ponzi schemes, war profiteering, Southeast Asian child sweat-shop labor and doing business with Iran through off-shore subsidiaries...
Oh, I'm sorry. That's not what ACORN does. Ruvy, could you tell us what they do that's as bad in comparison?
Alan Keyes….
Alan Keyes?!?
B-B"Bwahahahahahaha!
Alan Keyes Arrested!
The “Logic” of Alan Keyes
The PINNACLE of Alan Keyes’ Political Career
You want THIS guy to be President of the United States of America? Thank God, Obama obliterated Keyes in 2004 70%-27%: the biggest landslide in Illinois Senate History. Obama even won 40% of the REPUBLICAN vote.
The third video is quite telling, as you get a glimpse of the daughter Alan Keyes kicked out over her sexual orientation.
But hey, this is Blogcritics, and I’m sure right wingers will think that's just swell, too.
And ain't that a beautiful thing?
--Cobra
194 - Ruvy
Cobra,
For starters, I'm no right winger - for that, you need to talk to someone else. Second - and you may have missed this point - I supported Obama's election - though not for your benefit, but for mine.
I sought work as a community activist as a young man, and from time to time interviewed at ACORN. Every single time I interviewed there, I kept getting this feeling in my gut that these were hustlers and hucksters - and learned to stay away from their ads and from them. They talk a great game.
You don't like Alan Keyes? Fine - even Colon Bowell would have made a black American president of integrity - even though I do not agree with his policies (as you may have guessed).
Finally, let's face it. Anybody who pals around with Hot Rod Rodney of Illinois is no honest man. And from his behavior regarding his school records and birth certificate, this is a man with something to hide.
195 - Roger Nowosielski
Ruvy,
I tried to peg you on another thread. I know you're not a right winger, but Alan K is a joke. Obama may be too, but he's trying to measure up. I would too, and so would you.
I was more against him than you can imagine. But I'm trying to be fair. He's trying.
196 - Cobra
Birth certificate?
It's posted online for all to see. From Factcheck.orq, the link:
"In June, the Obama campaign released a digitally scanned image of his birth certificate to quell speculative charges that he might not be a natural-born citizen. But the image prompted more blog-based skepticism about the document's authenticity. And recently, author Jerome Corsi, whose book attacks Obama, said in a TV interview that the birth certificate the campaign has is "fake."
We beg to differ. FactCheck.org staffers have now seen, touched, examined and photographed the original birth certificate. We conclude that it meets all of the requirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship. Claims that the document lacks a raised seal or a signature are false. We have posted high-resolution photographs of the document as "supporting documents" to this article. Our conclusion: Obama was born in the U.S.A. just as he has always said.
Update, Nov. 1: The director of Hawaii’s Department of Health confirmed Oct. 31 that Obama was born in Honolulu."
President Obama graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School. U.S. Senators often talk to the Governors of the States they're from.
There are legitimate philosophical and governance issues to argue with President Obama about. When the subject goes to birth certificates and school transcripts, it honestly sounds no better than the extreme left going after Bush over drug use and college abortions.
It's irrelevant.
--Cobra
197 - Jet
I'm just getting around to my mail and the responses to this latest article.
I appreciate your input
thanks...
Jet
198 - Jet
Re-8: Arch, you are aware (aren't you?) that the word "congress" includes the house and the senate?
I'm pretty sure there is more than one in there somewhere...
Of course I've been wrong before...
199 - Jet Gardner
Can someone please tell me why the press is still quoting this loser?
Cheney Says He Favors Limbaugh Over Powell as Model Republican
Bloomberg - ?21 minutes ago?
By Elliot Blair Smith May 10 (Bloomberg) -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Republicans are better served by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh than by former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
200 - Bliffle
It tells you how bad Cheneys judgement is and has been. And he was the power behind the throne in the Bush administration!