Bag Productions

[H2O Man]

“Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please

“He wear no shoeshine he got toe-jam football
He got monkey finger he shoot coca-cola
He say "I know you, you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me

“He bag production he got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease
Come together right now over me

“He roller-coaster he got early warning
He got muddy water he one mojo filter
He say 'One and one and one is three'
Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now over me.”
--John Lennon; Come Together

Many years ago, when Timothy Leary was considering entering the contest for governor of California against Ronald Reagan, John Lennon of The Beatles wrote the above campaign song. It ended up not being used as such.

When I hear or read things, ranging from VP Joe Biden's recent comment to some of the angry threads on the Democratic Underground, I tend to think the song should be re-issued for the 2012 Democratic Party Theme Song.

We need to continue to fight the Good Fight. That includes exercising our right to vote. I will not attempt to convince anyone here who to vote for. I trust everyone to decide for themselves. I'm not in favor of attempts to scare people with images of Sarah Palin; nor do I think it wise to underestimate the ability of the radical republican right to get lots of votes out in November. I recognize that “blue dog” democrats are not much different than moderate republicans; yet I fully appreciate that republican majorities in either house of Congress will increase the amount of suffering, fear, and hatred in our nation.

I do not think that many of the forum members who express anger and frustration with the democrats in Washington, DC – including President Obama, or those expressing a fair degree of satisfaction with the progress made since January, 2009, including support for President Obama, are actually here to disrupt. I think that the vast majority are expressing their sincere beliefs, based upon their interpretation of events in America as they experience them.

I do not subscribe to the belief that everyone here can or should be friends with everyone else. There are people here who I do not like a bit. Likewise, there are people who find me to be arrogant, vain, and obnoxious – proving that while we will never be friends, there are still things we can agree on.

I think that our nation is in very serious trouble. Electing democrats will not resolve many of the most pressing problems, if any at all. But it keeps the door slightly open, providing a small chance that will allow the potential for the required, radical changes necessary. Allowing republicans to be elected, on the other hand, closes that door.

Peace,
H2O Man

[spanone]

1. . k&r.

[RKP5637]

2. Agree very much!!! Especially with your last paragraph, "I think that our nation

is in very serious trouble. Electing democrats will not resolve many of the most pressing problems, if any at all. But it keeps the door slightly open, providing a small chance that will allow the potential for the required, radical changes necessary. Allowing republicans to be elected, on the other hand, closes that door."

I learned decades and decades ago there is not a perfect politician, but there are many severely detrimental to the well being of this country that would not only close that door, but lock it forever.

[H2O Man]

12. Right.

Even the greatest political figures in our nation's history were flawed. Certainly, the majority of democrats in DC today are great only in the context of flaws. But they are, at least, less-worse than the alternative.

The democratic left needs to work hard to create a foundation from which we can bring about serious primary contests. That should be our focus.

[NYC_SKP]

3. K&R. (nt)

:thumbsup:

[Tatiana]

4. I think the progressive left got under the President's skin. I think that was a good thing.

The President is speaking with more enthusiasm and more fire than he has in a long time.

He's actually explaining part of the strategic process that led up to some of the (compromise) decisions the administration made.

Part of this administration's problem was that they forgot to address an important part of the coalition that elected them: the so-called liberals (or "progressives"). I honestly do believe they took them for granted, because as Rahm Emanuel says "where else do they have to go?"

We didn't elect a liberal. We elected a center-left politician who has a relatively healthy ego. I think the President was genuinely angered and hurt when his repeated attempts to reach out to the Republicans were met with automatic rejection. I think the President was further frustrated by the stalling of his nominees. For a while there, literally, nothing moved in Congress (specifically, the Senate... Pelosi did her job in the House as evidenced by the almost 400 bills passed by the House but waiting for a vote in the Senate). So Rahm advises the President to do what he's always done... make a deal, even if it's with the (corporate) devils to get a health care bill passed. The votes are not there for the public option. The President trusts Rahm's judgment. There is an interesting article in the New Republic about David Axelrod. I get the feeling Mr. Axelrod was uncomfortable with this decision when they had campaigned on the public option.

The HCR bill passes. Everyone around the President lauds the accomplishment. Knowing the opposition he faced, the President feels like he accomplished something no other administration has done. He's stung when progressives do not like the bill that was passed.

I think about certain statements the President has made such as "they talk about me like a dog." I think in some ways, he does feel as though he's put himself out there and doesn't have the support behind him necessary to do many of the things the "left" want him to accomplish. But he's too prideful to come out and say that. Instead, he wants to tell us that the half-measures earned are exactly the change we need.

That's insulting the intelligence of many progressives. I think the President should have dropped the attempt at machismo for a moment and been honest: he wished more could have been done, but he didn't have the votes to do it. It was either something less desirable or nothing at all and he chose something.

The tone and tenor of the WH after these midterm elections will tell us what to expect for the upcoming years. I don't think it's coincidence that Summers is leaving, nor do I believe Summers is leaving of his own volition. I also don't think that Rahm is leaving in such an abrupt manner because he wants to be mayor of Chicago with all his heart and soul. It's a good gig, don't get me wrong, but better than arm-twisting and crafting national policy? And then there's Axelrod, who is very loyal to Obama going back to Chicago as well. He does have an ill child, but I also find the timing of all these departures very curious.

There is an ideological struggle within the President's circle. I think the helpful criticism from some on the left have really caused the President to take a good look at where he's going and how he's going to get there. I don't know what the outcome will be, but I am encouraged by the President's hiring of Elizabeth Warren.

This will certainly be an interesting next couple of years.

[cilla4progress]

6. Wow - thank you H2O Man

and Tatiana for these two very thoughtful and eye-opening posts! I agree with much of what both of you say, and am enlightened by the rest. Thanks very much!

[OneGrassRoot]

11. I second this thanks to both! :) K&R n/t

[Kalun D]

8. Correction

""We elected a center-left politician""

we elected a president who talks center-left but governs center-right

he's further right than Nixon.

[H2O Man]

9. Very well said.

I appreciate the thought that you put into your response.

It was difficult for Obama to talk Rahm into joining his administration; Rahm had a career goal in mind that involved staying where he was. It's interesting to try to identify how serving as mayor would fit in, except as a very temporary way.

[Tatiana]

13. It wouldn't surprise me if he became Speaker of the House one day.

I don't always agree with him, but Rahm's personality is such that he gets things done. Period. It might not be the way you wanted it to be done, but he takes pride in getting things done. My grandmother is one of his constituents and she loves him. She doesn't care about his personality, his abrasiveness or his ego. All she knows is that when she or any of her friends have ever called his office, he's solved the problem (whether Medicare, Medicaid, or disability related). He brings that sort of energy and aggressiveness to the table.

I think the President thought it would be a good thing. He wanted people who were good at what they did -- academics and competent professionals. I don't think enough attention was paid to the team chemistry or values that members of the President's circle held. I can totally see the President not caring about someone's ideological values as long as they were capable of doing the job he asked of them. I don't think he considered the fact that perhaps the values that certain members held would directly affect their job performance (and perhaps influence his policy in a detrimental way).

I'm by no means thrilled by the way things have been going, but there are some encouraging signs. Just like we complain when the administration makes poor decisions, we need to provide encouragement when they get it right (something Keith O and Rachel M do very well - which is why Mr. Burton praised them even though they are two of the President's toughest critics; the President understands most of their criticism is well-earned).

[Tsiyu]

5. Hold your nose

and pull the D lever

The alternative stinks far worse....

[Lilith Velkor]

7. What a breath of fresh air this post is.

K to the mothafuckin' R.

[annabanana]

10. Thank you H2O Man. Republican majorities, esp in the House

will encase the current gridlock in cement and enshrine it, possibly permanently, but at least for the remaining tenure of any Obama administration.

WE cannot count on another candidate half as good as he is to come rolling up in 2016.

[blondeatlast]

14. Thank you, H2OMan, nt

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Voting is like breathing. It must be done.

Everybody's got to vote. Got to. Always.
Tim Leary dosed me with the internet. Yes he did. He spiked the room with the world wide web back when it was new and arcane. I think this is a flashback.