BUZZFLASH NAILS IT! This Morning's Extraordinary Headline Editorial:

[Totally Committed]

We have the most partisan, incompetent, elitist, manipulative, sleazy, dishonest, corrupt White House in memory, and the Democrats get scared that they might be called partisan!

Excerpt:

After presiding over the biggest federal government failure in memory, in which American citizens needlessly suffered and died -- the Democrats are backing off because Rove sent the message point down from on high: "It's not time to play the blame game." It's not about blame; it's about competence, accountability, honesty, transparency in government, and the equal treatment of all Americans regardless of race.

If the Democrats can't pummel Bush into a shunned oblivion with this one, they might as well give up as an organized party. As Jon Stewart said (paraphrasing), "If someone says it's not time to play the blame game, they are the ones to blame." And he said this after showing several Bush surrogates repeating this exact same message point, including Poppy Bush.

>snip

The Republicans -- and Bush in particular -- hand the Democrats GOP political vulnerabilities on a silver platter, day after day. But the Democrats retreat as soon as Rove sends out his message points of the day. "Oh, we don't want to be perceived as blaming the President and appearing partisan." Are they nuts? We have the most partisan, selfish, manipulative, sleazy, dishonest, corrupt White House in memory, and the Democrats get scared that they might be called partisan!

Message to the Democrats: you should be defending the interests of the United States of America and its citizens, not worried about how Karl Rove is going to define you. Define him and Bush first. While the Busheviks were implanting the "It's not time to play the blame game" mantra in the media (which we can be relatively sure was tested out in an overnight Frank Luntz focus group), the Busheviks were simultaneously blaming local and state officials for the New Orleans recovery disaster. As usual, they took a public "above the fray" posture, while they were knifing people in the back by trying to evade responsibility.

Oh, there's LOTS more:

http://www.buzzflash.com/index.php?story=Quote

And, please... consider this article, by George Lakoff to be Supplemental Reading:

http://alternet.org/katrina/25099/

TC

[SHRED]

1. Nominated...Thanks!

[sendero]

2. The silence is deafening..

... and very telling.

[Tesla]

3. Maybe it's time for a letter to our party cheifs........

asking why they are so silent.....

I know Dean is a big mouth, why isn't he screaming his butt off right now.

He is the one that is our voice?

Do they think we won't be remembering this in 14 months?

Hilary??

Com'on, KAREN HUGHES IS THEIR FEEL-GOOD SPOKESPERSON!!!

[ikojo]

35. No, people wont remember this in 14 months

There are many on this board who will say "this is the most important election of our lifetime" and insist that we vote for anyone with a D after their name, regardless of how conservative that D is.

[Totally Committed]

4. And, this from Lakoff:

"The cause (of Katrina disaster) was political through and through -- a matter of values and principles. The progressive-liberal values are America's values, and we need to go back to them. The heart of progressive-liberal values is simple: empathy (caring about and for people) and responsibility (acting responsibly on that empathy). These values translate into a simple principle: Use the common wealth for the common good to better all our lives. In short, promoting the common good is the central role of government."

We need to stop listening to the DLC-middle-play nice BULLSHIT and start hitting them with well-framed, ballsy, and to-the-point TRUTH... bam, bam, BAM! -- until they can't see straight. If we let Bush and his admministration off the hook this time because we were afraid to go out tell the truth at the top of our lungs, WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED!

TC

[OzarkDem]

23. Pelosi deserves credit

for finally speaking out and challenging R's. Lets hope its not an isolated incident. Repitition is the key, repitition.

[Totally Committed]

24. I sent her a supportive e-mail, and thanked her for her courage.

I hope everyone who thinks there needs to be more of the same will. If we do not support and defend those who do come forward, when they do (if they do:( ), we should not be surprised of the status quo is all we get from them!

TC

[brainshrub]

5. The Lakoff article is the best I've read in months.

It summs up what happened perfectly:

The right-wing conservatives now in power have the opposite values and principles. Their main value is Rely on individual discipline and initiative. The central principle: Government has no useful role. The only common good is the sum of individual goods. It's the difference between We're all in this together and You're on your own, buddy. It's the difference between Every citizen is entitled to protection and You're only entitled to what you can afford. It's the difference between connection and separation. It is this difference in moral and political philosophy that lies behind the tragedy of Katrina.

[Totally Committed]

6. This should be our MANTRA.. the MAIN talking point! :

"The right-wing conservatives now in power have the opposite values and principles."

"The right-wing conservatives now in power have the opposite values and principles."

"The right-wing conservatives now in power have the opposite values and principles."

"The right-wing conservatives now in power have the opposite values and principles."

"The right-wing conservatives now in power have the opposite values and principles."

Over and over until all Americans think that automatically.

TC

[blondeatlast]

26. How about: "The RW has declared war on the poor."

short, simple, memorable, and to the point. No need to explain--did they tie themselcves in knots explaining "the culture of life"?

[Totally Committed]

27. Say, that's GOOD!

"George Bush doesn't like Black People," and now, "The RW has declared war on the poor."

Simple... straight to the point. And, sadly, true. Let's get these memes out there!

TC

[blondeatlast]

28. I came up with it accidentally in another thread, but even I thought

it worked pretty well. Feel free to spread it far and wide.

[jokerman93]

39. How about...

The right wing has declared war on the constitution, representative democracy and the American people.

or more succinctly,

The right wing has declared war on America.

[flpoljunkie]

7. Lakoff, they rely on greed and cronyism, calling it individual initiative.

What is it is a rigged game, more and more to those who have the most, and screw everyone else whenever possible.

[ElectroPrincess]

8. I'm NOT voting for any more DINOs! ... this cowardice seals the deal :P

[Peace Patriot]

9. Time to throw Diebold and ES&S election theft machines into 'Boston...

...Harbor'!

[Cocoa]

10. why wouldn't an editorial like this mention Nancy Pelosi?

if they feel so strongly about this, why wouldn't they point to what Pelosi has said and done, as an example of what they're calling for.

They even mention the poltically-connected contracting, but they leave out the fact that Pelosi has already started working on a watchdog commission to oversee the contracting.

[Totally Committed]

11. Cocoa: whay don't you e-mail them, and ask that!

It's a good point.

But, there is no way around the fact that this is an awsome editorial, imo.

TC

[Cocoa]

13. I submitted Pelosi's press release to their "news tips"

with a snarky message attached from me about their omission. :-)

[Seabiscuit]

12. Great article. A must read!

Nominated again!

[bluedawg12]

14. Accountability : it's NOT a game

the President should not worry about gamesmanship at a time like this. ( And add?? --> this is not a polo match )

Turn "game" into gamesmanship.


Hit accountability hard, over over.

[SeanQ]

15. It's wake up moments like this

that make me fear our only hope may be a new party. And how the hell would we do that in this day and age? We wont most elected Dem's stand up and fight. If we look week on defense, it's not because of our policies on national security and foreign policy, which are better IMHO; it's because most elected Dem's wont or can't defend themselves or their own party, or even have the courage to stand up to the GOP when the administration has failed so miserably!

:cry:

[welshTerrier2]

16. a great quote from Anais Nin

"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom." - Anais Nin

the latest buzzword i've noticed all over the net is "tipping point" ... well, Democrats have yet to reach theirs ...

and it's not that some haven't offered ideas on a variety of subjects ... to say there are no plans being proposed isn't quite right ... Feingold and Clark, and even the hideous Hillary Clinton have provided suggestions about Iraq ... Kerry made a pretty good speech about the nation's energy policy ... so Democrats have not gone mum ...

what does seem like a major problem, however, is that Democrats as a Party seem to have no way to reach a consensus ... we remain a Party of ad hoc ideas and shoot-from-the-hip individuals ... and once again, it seems like we will wait until the critical hour to pick our candidates and push their, rather than our, positions on the issues ...

so perhaps the real issue is not only Democratic fears about being labeled unfavorably by the right-wing; perhaps the real problem is we have failed to build a process that could lead to a consensus ... and perhaps it will not be possible to do so ... perhaps the big tent is too large to hold the disparity of opinion in the Party ... the DLC continues to try to push out the left; perhaps, though, it is time for the DLC to go ...

the Democratic Party may win an election or two due to the absolute bankruptcy of the neo-con ideology ... and i'm sure we'd all be happy if they did ... but real "regime change" cannot be built on transitory factors like today's headlines or any given candidate ... Democrats must build a more long-term vision of their beliefs to become a majority party again ... this will not happen if we continue to toss our gladiators, one at a time, against a movement that's been developed over more than 30 years ...

Democrats will learn, sooner or later ... as each day goes by and grows darker and darker, something will stir and they will indeed find the courage to bloom ...

this thread is RECOMMENDED ...

[PATRICK]

18. Tipping point?

A plane almost took out the unprotected capitol on 9/11. Paul Wellstone. Character assassination. But nothing is of a scope of what the PEOPLE have endured and the nation has lost because the "leaders" think myth and procedures and GOP talking points is their Alamo wall instead of a shameful hole for one's head in the ground. Who is losing their civil rights? Who are losing their lives? What Armed Forces is being gutted and privatized? Whose money and heritage is being looted? Whose homes and future and education are in constant peril and under a roving death sentence?

Is losing an election because of bad manners and PR(not fraud, they can't grasp that yet) worse than what awaits all their constituents? Are they made of the right stuff?

John Glen in his pilot days was absolutely heroic. In the political game the shrank into the man being lectured by a lobbying crook into voting for S&L catastrophic favors. Is it the Potomac water? Is it the schmoozing camaraderie, the system? Sometimes we hear excuses like a dogcatcher defending his inability to round up strays.

Those most outspoken are those most past being listened to. or dead like Wellstone. Or defeated. What wisdom or prudence is there in waiting out our destruction. Is it THAT easy to sleep at night because, by God, I have not offended Rove too much today?

Yet this is ever the way with decent leadership when perplexed by extreme evil in its civil midst. Moral right makes one strong not fearful. A leader does not behave this way. Populists should not MOST OFTEN be represented by millionaires. These are the poles of insanity: Bush and the pragmatic evils of "centrist" corporate reps.

We are looking for true metanoia, not tipping points. For hardened softies to actually take down these pitiful thugs we need a miracle- or our own massive voice. We are on board a hijacked plane and everyone is sitting still.

[Totally Committed]

19. "hardened softies"

I LOVE IT!

Thank you, Patrick!

"We are on board a hijacked plane and everyone is sitting still." -- PATRICK

Great post.

TC

[hvn_nbr_2]

17. Don't play the blame game. Blame Blanco and Nagin.

That seems to be Rove's message. But the Dems are too dumb or too kowtowing to point it out.

[PATRICK]

20. When you start out to meet the devil halfway

you might check where the center will end up vis a vis the gates of hell. If you are counting on God to rescue the innocent who engage on such a dubious pilgrimage I wish you well.

Accused by the ones whose taint was part of the path to rescuing the people? We are letting the crooks define the law and the damned define morality.

The main charge against Jesus by the established religion was blasphemy and law breaking. Technically he did by the "authorities" viewpoint. The charge by the state was vaguely and brutally a sort of insurrectionist- i.e. a troublemaker their puppets wanted dead. Both accusers played off responsibility against each other as Jesus was punished. He should have been what exactly? Invisible? A carpenter? The whole thing partnership fell apart in the Jewish rebellion as it would have without Jesus trying to provide another Way. The Empire fell despite the aid of the religion it tried to stamp out.

Such is the model for the human drama in such matters. The sandal fits.

Of course we had fond hopes for a bit of unscrupulous cunning political skill on our side once in a while, especially when the other side is not the Roman legions or an ancient religious institution but a bunch of failed chickenhawk businessmen suffering from multiple hopeless delusions allied to shallow cults. And the doom is scientifically discernible to a world wide network of rational people. No one escapes.

[Totally Committed]

21. Some other threads on General Discussion: Politics

echo some of the themes in this thread. You might want to check out the following threads:

Im getting more and more disgusted with the Dems in power. If...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2083667

The system is totally diseased.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2083751

Hillary Clinton prepares for presidential run by expanding her 'White-Hous
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2081659&mesg_id=2081659

the "invisible war with China" - can Democrats save America?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2082328&mesg_id=2082328

There's no such thing as a "good" Republican
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2070576&mesg_id=2070576

Did Kos ever implement his plan to crumble the Democratic Party?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2081063&mesg_id=2081063

Michael Moore Letter to those who voted for Bush
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2081906&mesg_id=2081906

did From ever implement his plan to save the Democratic Party?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2082905

When GOP was "out of power"--they kicked Clinton and Carter ass.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2083841

Some party reforms I'd still like to see.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2083923

We always take the high road & get kicked in the ass for our efforts
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2081668&mesg_id=2081668

TC

[Gregorian]

22. They played pansy softball in the elections, too!!!

I remember seeing the Democrats in the "debates" and in the entire election processes playing footsie and being ever so polite when they should have been smashing, slamming, swinging a club with a nail in the end of it. This has been going on long before the last two elections. This started when reagan was in office, at least. What the hell is with Democrats? Are they affraid they'll lose their job? Is that it? Maybe it should be less of a job, and more of a service to the public.

So right now we have a handful of politicians who will stand up for us. McKinney, Conyers, Kucinich... It ain't too many. Certainly not enough.

What are we going to do? How are we going to do it? I certainly don't know.

Do we really have to play hardball?

Right now our softball politicians have allowed the dark cloud of dishonesty and disgrace of the Bush Club to take over and cause great permanent damage to the United States. That's where our softball got us, and we knew it was going to.

[wiggs]

29. Remember certification of Ohio electoral votes?

Again...not taking advantage of opportunity time after time.

[wiggs]

25. Right on. Important editorial. nt

[Gloria]

30. Good people at Buzzflash....

send them a few bucks.....

[Totally Committed]

31. For the last two Christmases, I did a lot of my shopping

at BuzzFlash! They have great stuff for sale year-round, with a portion of the price going to them, so it's a good every day, but with many lefty friends, and not a lot of disposable income, gifting at Christmas is how I do it.

Bless BuzzFlash! Send, like Gloria said, send 'em some $$$$$. Or, but some of their books, DVDs, or other great stuff!

TC

[Stand and Fight]

32. Bookmarking this for once I get home. n/t

[melody]

33. Dems afraid they'll be Wellstoned probably

[Kailassa]

34. why Kerry?

I'm an Australian, frequenting this board now because I'm very concerned about the actions of the Bush government and the way they are impacting on the whole world. And I've carefully followed what has happened in New Orleans, horrified at what the people trapped there have been put through and how they are being treated by the media. http://www.nola.com/newslogs/tporleans/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_tporleans/archives/2005_09_12.html#078937

You guys are spouting a lot of attitudes and ideas I agree with, but I see no evidence that the party you support is doing you justice. Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to knock the Democrat Party, but I figure this is the place to come to learn what it has going for it. So please tell me, because I want to learn, not argue. Why do you believe Kerry and the Democrat Party could lead America well, why you believe they would look out for all Americans rather than just the rich, why they would not be bought out by the Washington lobbyists, and is there any evidence of any of them having the guts to stand up to the Republicans?

In Australia, many of us could have cried when Kerry agreed that Bush had won the frightfully rigged election. Our only comfort, though it was more a complete absence of hope, was that Bush and Kerry were tarred with the same brush, and it would make no difference who was in power.

So please guys, prove that notion wrong, or consider starting a new party.

[passy]

37. Why Howard?

Is the debate the same in Oz?
Why in hell would Australians reelect that scumbag who sent the country on some imperialist war?
I say blame Murdoch!
Anyway how is the Labor party doing nowadays?

[applegrove]

36. I agree with the caracterization of the WH. But Dems are not the ones

who need to answer questions. Yesterday people were going off on Obama because he didn't answer the question "should Brown be fired".
It is not Obama who needs to answer that question.

Total projection.

Bush never answered it and now Brown stepped down. So Bush will never answer that question.

Dems are doing a fine job of letting the experts and the witnesses and the victims & the people discuss what happened.

[PurityOfEssence]

38. They'll shriek about partisanship whatever we do, so we should hammer them

Playing nice is ridiculous. Look at Clinton: he's been sucking up to them and trying to not be divisive and they ritualistically fuck him at every turn.

They're going to accuse us of being knee-jerk obstructionists no matter what we do, so it's best to knock out the chocks and get rolling. There's so much evil that these thugs have wrought that getting it out there would cause them to have to explain themselves. It might actually wake some people up to hear some of this crap.

[zann725]

40. The Dems might begin their defense by exposing TRUE number of 'dead'

in N.O.

It's amazing how the number just keeps dwindling down daily...from a ridiculously low...to outright absurd. As if a low body count will somehow justify FEMA's outright incompetence and obstruction. Today THEY want us to believe that only a few 'hundred' died...in a city of 500,000... WITHOUT food or water for 5+ days, extreme flooding, and overwhelming heat and humidity.

[Totally Committed]

41. People who died after the storm from lack of medical attention,

dehydration, heat stroke, drowning, starvation.... whatever!.... should be considered Katrina deaths. They are deaths on Bush's sould and their blood is on tehir hands no matter how they are counted, anyway!

TC