Obama Gives Firebaggers 86 Million Reasons Why They Don’t Matter ~ politicususa.com

[mzmolly]

Remember those far left progressives who threatened to withhold donations to President Obama’s reelection campaign? After raising $86 million, the President and his supporters have proven their irrelevance.

The far left was outraged that President Obama would fathom reforming entitlements. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) sent out an email to their supporters in April asking their supporters to tell the White House, “President Obama: If you cut Medicare and Medicaid benefits for me, my parents, my grandparents, or families like mine, don’t ask for a penny of my money or an hour of my time in 2012. I’m going to focus on electing bold progressive candidates — not Democrats who help Republicans make harmful cuts.”

That sure sounds spooky. I’ll bet it had Obama For America quaking in their boots.

Well, maybe not.

The Obama campaign had 552,462 donors who made more than 680,000 donations. 98% of the donations were for $250 or less, and the average donation was $69.

The point is that groups like the PCCC and others who shall remain nameless get lots of media attention, but they really don’t represent Obama’s base. ... They make for good TV, but are they relevant to the President and to the rest of us on the left?

The short answer is no.

Too many in the media have been fooled into believing that the firebaggers speak for the left. They don’t. The media’s behavior also feeds the illusion that the firebaggers are relevant to Obama and 2012. They aren’t.

More at http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-firebaggers-86-million">politicususa.com

[FSogol]

1. The firebaggers will have to eat their peas too.

:shrug:

[Kahuna]

7. Plenty of peas to go around. nt

[Major Hogwash]

10. With a butter knife!

Smeared with butter so the peas will stick to it!!

Mueha-ha-ha!!

[bluestate10]

64. No. Eat their peas with a steak knife. nt

[MineralMan]

29. They may eat whatever shit they please, as far as I am concerned.

That is all.

[kenny blankenship]

75. They go better with catfood.

[Scurrilous]

2. Ouch!

:P

[MadHound]

3. Who are firebaggers, and why are we using such a stupid suffix again,

It's like using the suffix -gate for every single scandal since Watergate. Can't you be at least a little more creative?

[mzmolly]

4. I prefer the bagger suffix to the bot suffix,

;)

[TheWraith]

13. It's a term for the people who made common cause with Grover Norquist and the Tea Party

To try and defeat healthcare reform, and destroy Obama. Mostly acolytes of FireDogLake, which has been smearing Obama since he started running for president.

[CakeGrrl]

24. Judging from your OP,

I think you know who they are.

;-)

[MineralMan]

31. You know perfectly well what firebaggers are.

You may disdain the term, but you understand it perfectly well, I'm quite certain.

[Kahuna]

68. Killjoy!

;(

[polichick]

5. WTF is a "firebagger" - hopefully not something one Dem calls another.

[EFerrari]

9. Right, just as Democrats usually don't claim money trumps speech.

lol

[mzmolly]

16. I don't think the article suggests we have to make that choice.

eom

[EFerrari]

17. No, but you did. n/t

[mzmolly]

23. Where?

n/t

[mzmolly]

11. I don't consider firebaggers Democrats. They're actively working against the Democratic Party.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1489914&mesg_id=1489914

[polichick]

12. Where did that name "firebagger" come from?

[TheWraith]

15. The FireDogLake/Grover Norquist/Tea Party alliance to defeat healthcare reform. nt

[polichick]

18. Thanks!

[CrossChris]

28. What about the DLC/Third Way/Genghis Khan/Stubbed Toe/Rainy Day/Frowney Face alliance?

Since we're making up associations.

[TheWraith]

55. Uh, you know Jane Hamsher publicly teamed with Grover Norquist for that purpose, right?

They were doing joint TV appearances about how evil Obama was for trying to take over healthcare.

[CrossChris]

71. No, they wanted to investigate Rahm Emanuel for malfeasance at Fannie & Freddie

Show me proof of what you're saying.

[Luminous Animal]

79. Prove it.

[madinmaryland]

53. Ok. Thanks!

[Luminous Animal]

78. There is no such thing. The fact that you repeat this over and over again

will never make it true. I know that the Bush admin liked to claim that they could rewrite history but history is proving them wrong. Similarly, you have been proved wrong.

[11 Bravo]

85. Hamsher went on Fox and Friends and railed against Obama and the Health Care Reform Act.

You can't wish that away. Do you deny that Norquist and the Teabaggers are also working toward the same end? If not, then give it up.
Jane is all about Jane ... always has been ... always will be.

[Luminous Animal]

86. The person I responded to claimed that Ms. Hamsher TEAMED UP with Norquist

and Teabaggers. She did no such thing. I am not wishing away anything. A person can dislike Jane's political ideology and tactics without flat out telling lies.

By the way, Obama did not propose a Health Care Reform Act. What was ultimately proposed and passed was a scheme to make some premiums low enough to force low-income people into the health insurance system. The correct title of the act is: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

[dflprincess]

91. No, the correct name is (or should be) Insurance Company Profit Protection Act

that scam has no more to do with affordable or access to care than Bush's "Clear Skies Initiative" had to do with improving air quality.

[Kahuna]

73. They are planning to primary the president. In the absense of that

foolish idea catching on (Cornel West...really???), I hear they are considering backing ron paul.

[mzmolly]

74. Ron Paul? How very

progressive. "Firebaggers" seems more apt by the minute.

[Luminous Animal]

81. They aren't. That is a bald faced lie.

[Luminous Animal]

80. Prove that they are backing Ron Paul.

[madinmaryland]

52. First time I've heard of it, also.

[LiberalAndProud]

6. I'm loving the namecalling today.

Obamabots and Firebaggers

I hate you
You hate me
We're a disfunctional party

With a nick nack paddy wack
Throw away the bone

[CrossChris]

8. Oooh, "firebaggers", that's catchy. That oughta sweep the nation

of 20-30 people on here who swarm and attack Jane Hamsher every chance they get.

I hope Obama uses that in his 2012 election speeches. "Folks, I've angered the Teabaggers, and the Firebaggers. I must be doing something right."

[MineralMan]

37. No, not really. The number of people who even know who

Jane Hamsher is or what FDL is is minuscule, compared to the population. She and her noxious site don't even intrude on the nation's collective consciousness, frankly. Irrelevancy can still pay off, though. Jane and that closet Republican Huffington are the perfect proof of that.

[Luminous Animal]

82. I'm adding "Proud Firebagger" to my signature.

[Capn Sunshine]

89. Common vernacular these days

I suppose if you don't spend any time at Democratic Party websites or other simpatico places, you might miss the reference. Since you're new here, you're forgiven for missing it.

[Marr]

14. So your point is that liberals who put the well being of programs like SS and Medicare ahead of

personality politics are irrelevant and can be ignored?

Ok. Just don't come crying after the elections, blaming liberals for the Democratic losses. They're either irrelevant or they are not.

[mzmolly]

19. The point of the article is that those who make up false reasons to fear

Obama, suggesting that donations will cease if Obama doesn't take note of their bullying, have been proven wrong.

[Missy Vixen]

20. It's good to know SS/Medicare/workable health care supporters are

persona non grata to the President and his advisers. After all, I'm happy to deal with the races in our community, where the pittance of cash I can squeeze out of our budget to donate will actually do some good.

:eyes:

[mzmolly]

21. Why the

straw man? The false choice between Obama and protecting SS is just that.

[EFerrari]

26. Yeah. The genius that came up with this ad

still hasn't figured out who he's supposed to be working for or that telling voters they don't matter is stupid.

[frustrated_lefty]

22. Good for OFA.

Because not one thin dime is coming from this household.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

25. Too many in the media, and elsewhere, believe that Obama speaks for the left. He doesn't.

[damntexdem]

27. Good for him -- but he'll be doing it without my small donations.

And work.

And if he really does go after SS and/or Medicare, without my vote.

[mzmolly]

32. I think Hamshire will need your donations.

https://secure.firedoglake.com/page/contribute/louisianafdl

[whatchamacallit]

30. Cool, when does Obamacorp announce an IPO?

:thumbsdown:

[girl gone mad]

33. Doubling down on the "punch the hippie" tactic, I see.

Good luck, chumps. You'll need it.

[mzmolly]

35. Punch the hippie?

:rofl:

[MineralMan]

39. One Enchanted Meme-ing,

You may see a Hamsher...


I will not extend the parody further, to the relief of one and all.

[mzmolly]

46. : )

:popcorn:

[Kahuna]

62. LOL! Some people never give up with that tired attempt to

coin a phrase. :rofl:

[Major Hogwash]

56. Well, shit, there's another one.

For MineralMan.

Hippie/hippy.

Hippy as in old political foe of Nixon.

Hippie as nickname of hippopotamus.

[MineralMan]

60. I'll have to consider that one.

You have to be careful with the word "hippy." I got cold suppers for a week once after using that word around my ex-wife. :rofl:

[Maven]

34. Flamebait

[mzmolly]

36. If the President isn't above critque and his supporters can be called

"Obamabots" by heroins of the Firebag movement ... :shrug:

[Maven]

38. The term "Obamabot" is not permitted here.

Nor are other slurs against fellow dems, AFAIK.

And no, the President most certainly is NOT above critique.

[MineralMan]

40. Jane Hamsher is not a Democrat.

Problem solved.

[Maven]

43. Oh, OK. So any Democrat who reads her and agrees with anything she has to say

is not a Democrat either?

Are you now, or have you ever been, a browser of FireDogLake?

:rofl:

[MineralMan]

44. I did not say or imply that.

I have not visited FDL since 2008. Thanks for asking. I do see some postings here from that site, however, and that has continued to keep me from visiting it.

[Luminous Animal]

84. Hamsher is a Democrat. Problem still exists.

[mzmolly]

41. Neither are Firebaggers.

Who recently referred to Obama supporters as "Obamabots."

[lame54]

42. Sounds like he is doing great...

no need for me to contribute

[mitchtv]

76. that's the message i get

unlike the messages I get in the mail, daily

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ichingcarpenter]

47. 'The Far Left' .... 'Progressives'.....'and others'

Boy does that sound rather quaint
and Rahmian in its verbosity..

[mzmolly]

48. "...who threatened to withhold donations"

key portion of the commentary.

[Ichingcarpenter]

49. The HOuse and the Senate should be Democrats concern

Obama will do just fine with money and will win, with or without my financial support.

Real change will only come from changing

Congress

[mzmolly]

51. The House and Senate should be progressive

concerns. So, we agree that congress needs to change.

[TheKentuckian]

50. Glad to know my money and effort isn't needed. More for down ticket

[mzmolly]

54. Me too, given many threaten to

withhold support, on a regular basis.

[TheKentuckian]

61. That is what happens when your guy like pursuing the opposite ends of why

many became Democrats.

If he cuts the safety nets then not only won't I contribute, make a single call, or knock on doors or approach strangers, not only will I be writing in Jeremiah Wright, I will flat out oppose him because that would be the same as tearing out the foundation and still trying to sell me the house.

[mzmolly]

65. He has not said he plans to cut safety nets Kentuckian.

Not once.

[LiberalAndProud]

57. Do you think this is helpful to Obama?

I really don't. The Obama campaign is not telling us that we (the Left) don't matter. The article is and you are. (And Rahm did, but he's gone, so I'll let that go.) Who's purpose do you serve by posting this, mzmolly? I understand firing back at Hamsher's drek (I have no use for it, as I posted in another thread), but I think this post is divisive and dismissive. It's not helpful to Obama. It produces nothing except infighting and bitter feelings, and that's not what Obama needs or our party needs as the next election approaches.

I do think that there are trolls who are feeding well on our infighting. Is Hamsher one of them? I have my suspicions. But I learned early on that it's best to starve them whenever possible.

[mzmolly]

66. I think it's more helpful than Jane Hamshire

is.

[Forkboy]

58. You know I love you, but you and others need to decide if the far left is irrelevant or a threat.

It can't be both, yet that's the position numerous people here take, including your OP here. If they are so irrelevant why the need for an article like this at all? If the president doesn't need them, why the endless concern over how they're going to vote in 2012? If they were truly as irrelevant as you and others are saying they are we wouldn't even be having this conversation. :shrug:

[mzmolly]

67. Sending love back your way FB. But,

I consider myself as left as it gets when it comes to my ideal policy positions. I don't like when Hamshire/Greene etc. surmise that they speak for people like me.

IMHO, the article wasn't insulting the far left per se, it was going after those who, like Hamshire, suggest fund raising will dry up if they don't get their way on every nuance regarding policy.

:pals:

Peace my friend.

[Forkboy]

69. That didn't answer the most important question I asked, however.

It's not that I took the article as insulting, it just raises a question that no one has ever answered for me, here or elsewhere. Is the far left irrelevant or a threat? I asked this exact same question in both '96 and 2000 when Nader ran. Didn't get any answers then either. Right here on DU I've seen posters argue that Nader's 3% is to blame for all the world's ills since 2000, and I've seen these exact same posters mock that very same 3% as irrelevant. As I say, it simply can't be both.

As for people speaking for us, we tend to like people speaking for us when we agree and dislike them when we don't. For instance, you seem to agree with this article and have no problems with that writer speaking for you. Some people feel the exact same way about Jane Hamsher because they agree with her. Very few on either side are willing to step out of their comfort zones and try to understand why the other side might feel the way they do. I understand why the left is frustrated...I've been that way since friggin' Reagan defiled the office. I also understand why people such as yourself get frustrated by the amount of criticism lobbed Obama's way. We latch onto personalities and ideas that we tend to agree with instead of taking each article/idea by said personality on it's own merits. There are some people who hate Obama with the heat of a thousand suns, and there are some who hate Hamsher equally. I have no use in my life for this seemingly endless all or nothing, binary thinking. I agree with Obama on some things and not on others. I agree with Hamsher on some things and not on others. DU and the Dem Party always pushes people to one extreme or the other...love fully or hate fully. It's tiring, not to mention totally counterproductive. The more ideas we incorporate into our thinking the better chance we have of finding an answer.

We always brag about how much smarter liberals are than the Republicans, yet we're just as guilty of kneejerk reactions as they are. People see Hamsher and stop reading. People hear Obama and stop listening. There's examples of both right here in this thread. This lack of any desire for intellectual thinking isn't confined to one party, and it's embarrassing that so many on the left choose willful ignorance.

And just for the record..... :hug:

[mzmolly]

72. I'll do my best to address your questions from my perspective.

Disclaimer: I've had four hours sleep and I tend to spell 'fonetickly' when that happinz. ;)

I don't think of "the far left" as a monolith. In fact, the author of the article above attempts to clarify which segment of the left, he's speaking about, above. "Remember those far left progressives who threatened to withhold donations to President Obama’s reelection campaign?" The far left is comprised of pragmatic leftists and those who demand absolute perfection, or else. The later group also wishes to decide what perfection is. And, they use images of s-election 2000, to suggest they'll take the country hostage if they don't get their way. This is why the term Firebagger is so appealing to me. It's a specific way to separate the Jane Hamshire's from the Paul Wellstone's. Paul Wellstone was a pragmatic leftist. I would suggest that Dennis Kuchinich is also pragmatic in a sense, given he has said he's not planning to take on the President.

As for Nader, he was a threat in 2000. He was a spoiler who, according to various reports, said he wanted to "punish democrats". He promised donors he'd run in "safe" states, as many were concerned about him aiding Bush. He broke that promise and look at the mess the country is in today. That said, I feel personally indebted to Mr. Nader given he formed Public Citizen etc. FYI - I grew up in a household where Nader was considered a hero. Several family members strongly considered voting for him. I managed to convince three out of four, the stakes were too high. Nader still appeals to my political soul on a primal level. I love his fighting spirit. However, when fighting entails flailing your fists about, and never landing a punch against the ultimate bully, you're not winning the greater battle for progress. Nader is great at throwing punches. But in order to get land a meaningful jab, you have to find yourself in the ring at some point. - Pardon the boxing analogies. :crazy:

"I agree with Obama on some things and not on others. I agree with Hamsher on some things and not on others. DU and the Dem Party always pushes people to one extreme or the other...love fully or hate fully."

I agree with the first portion of your statement, but not the later. I agree with Obama on some things, not on others. I imagine I agree with Hamshire on many things as well. However, what I take issue with is the fact that Jane Hamshire claims to take up the banner of "the base" and will make statements about how I will vote or who I will donate to if Obama doesn't please her every whim. She does this, at the same time she claims that Obama shouldn't aid Republicans in their agenda. It's perverse. It's childish. And, it's hypocritical. I haven't a problem with her disagreeing with the President on a given issue. I do have a problem with her claiming that Republican values are so against her sensibilities, that she'll do her best help them win, if she can't control how the President approaches every issue. I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.

To your greater question, is the "far left" irrelevant? No. Are some who claim to speak for the far left, irrelevant? Absolutely.

And just for the record ... :loveya:

Disclaimer, the mumbo jumbo above is simply my opinion. Peace once again FB.

[Forkboy]

87. Pretty good reply for four hours sleep.

I have a couple of minor disagreements, but bad medical news today has me rather anxious and not thinking to clearly at the moment (ok, that's not really anything new lol).

:loveya:

[mzmolly]

88. I'm so sorry about the bad medical news.

:( I don't want to be intrusive, but I hope the news isn't serious?

I'll be thinking of you, lighting candles and saying a prayer, in hopes that someone is listening somewhere.

:hug:

[krabigirl]

59. lol at "firebagger". Sooooo original!!

[bluestate10]

63. I love the term "firebagger". No better description for a loser. nt

[whatchamacallit]

70. Then

wear it proudly.

[bluestate10]

90. After typing the term, I washed my hands incessantly with soap.

And washed my head for thinking that a firebagger was a loser. A loser would be insulted to be called a firebagger. Why should people be encouraged to look down on a loser when there is someone further down the hierarchy?

[Erose999]

77. I suppose I could make 86 million if I abandoned my core principles as well....

The difference is that I'd be taking that money from the megacorporations and "too big to fail" banks with a ski mask and a shotgun, and Obama is doing it with a smile and a handshake.

[Rex]

83. Yes it really is all about money today.

Obama will hit his billion dollar mark...no doubt.