Very, very dangerous appeasement

[MannyGoldstein]

I'm hoping that Obama's call to be nice to Republicans was simply a function of the occasion, and that he and the Democrats follow up with action to end their hateful insanity.

If you hand a daisy to a rabid pitbull, it'll bite your hand off.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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

[jaxx]

3. He didn't just mean be nice to the pubs, he meant be nice to everyone.

The country was bigger than pubs and Dems tonight, it was all inclusive.

Don't lose the message in the denial.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[vaberella]

5. Jesus Christ. WTF?! Ugh man. n/t

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Empowerer]

7. Whoosh!

(The sound of a cogent message whizzing right over your head . . . )

[bemildred]

8. When your enemies want to create strife and unrest, what do you do to thwart them?

The last thing the pubbies want is for the USA to pull together behind our President. He did the right thing.

[babylonsister]

17. + a brazillion. :) nt

[bemildred]

28. Hey Sis.

:hi:

[babylonsister]

31. Hello, bemildred!

Seeing you always puts a smile on my face! :hi:

[JohnnyLib2]

9. Tonight's speech was a hell of an assignment--

He needed to address the families, the community and the world. I'm glad his words put priority on those lost and their families and others directly affected. That's more appropriate compassion than appeasement, IMO.

[dkf]

10. Well I guess he could have gone Sarah Palin on us.

Personally I'm glad we have President Obama.

[Mass]

11. May be that he has some decency and some compassion for the victims and their families

and contrarily to others, does not want to turn the memorial into a political arena.

I thought the speech was excellent, and what was needed.

[mtnsnake]

24. I think you nailed it. n/t

[Kahuna]

12. Oh please... He acted like a president tonight. He's always going

to act like a president, not a street thug the way you apparently want him to act. He's always going to be a gentleman and gracious. That's who he is, that's what he does. Get over it.

ETA, too bad you don't recognize a good sucker punch when you see one.

[jefferson_dem]

13. I'm sorry, Manny.

I hope you rest well.

[mtnsnake]

22. lame

[jefferson_dem]

26. Yes, it is...

And not worthy of a respectful reply. Rather sad, really.

[stray cat]

14. The hatred on the left occasionally mimics the right....

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jenmito]

16. +1000! n/t

[JoePhilly]

18. Epic BS.

[Bobbie Jo]

19. Unrec.

[CakeGrrl]

20. Dayum. Must be exhausting. n/t

[Whisp]

21. the sickness.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[chieftain]

25. Very, very predictable post.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kahuna]

29. + 10,000

:rofl:

[old guy]

30. The timing of this thread certainly leaves much to be desired.

Having said that, I do think the poster has a point that we all should keep in mind. Our thoughts and feelings about tonight are not going to be shared by the right as much as we would like to believe. So I am going to cut him some slack and not judge too harshly because he may just be correct.

[kath]

38. Second that.

While the title of the OP may be hyperbolic,the rest of the post was right on. The events of the last 5 days have not at all changed the fact that a LOT of damage has been done to this country (or continued) by Obama being all "reach across the aisle". Huge opportunities, which won't be available again for decades, were utterly wasted. His refusal to take a stand against Republicans and give some straight talk about how much damage they did to this country in the past decade actually REHABILITATED the Republican Party in this past election cycle -- they should have been out in the wilderness for DECADES after the atrocities they committed during the Bush administration. By continuing Bush's policies, he legitimizies them.

Reality check - Has any of that changed in the past 5 days? At all? Do we want him to continue to be all "bipartisan" while throwing progressives under the bus, over and over again? Is one good speech supposed to wipe everything else away? Really?

And yes, "If you hand a daisy to a rabid pitbull, it'll bite your hand off". The Prez seems incapable of learning this lesson. Tonight was not the time for him to demonize the Repugs, but many of us would like him to LEARN THAT FREAKIN' LESSON, but despair that he will ever do so.

[denem]

32. A hit & run post Manny? Defend yourself

if you have an ouch of integrity.

[rufus dog]

33. Group Hug

Come on over Manny
:pals: :loveya::grouphug: :loveya: :pals:
:pals: :loveya::grouphug: :loveya: :pals:
:pals: :loveya::grouphug: :loveya: :pals:
:pals: :loveya::grouphug: :loveya: :pals:
:pals: :loveya::grouphug: :loveya: :pals:
:pals: :loveya::grouphug: :loveya: :pals:

Of course you may think this represents a DU smothering session.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cali_Democrat]

35. Wuh?

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Peace Patriot]

37. I loved Obama's speech but I just rec'ed your post because I appreciate an alternative view .

I also think you have a point. It may be that our Democratic Party leaders' "niceness" in the face of rightwing incivility, threats, bullying and rude and offensive rhetoric and behavior helped to bring on this violent attack. Bullies have to be put in their place. You can't really be "nice" to them. And if you don't stand up for yourself and others, in the face of bullying, you are asking for trouble. The Republicans have been escalating their bullying rhetoric, name-calling and domineering attitude for some time now, culminating in the most bully-like, aggressive and violent administration we have ever seen in this country--the Bush Junta. The far rightwing has taken their cue from the Bushwhacks and possibly also from the Democratic response, which has too often been to be afraid of the rightwing and of their support in the media--to back down, to cower, to cringe and to change policies to suit the right and then the far right--for instance, backing down, or fudging around, on women's rights and gay rights. Social Security is now on the chopping block. Will the Democrats defend this essential last vestige of the "New Deal" or will they cower and dissemble, and start cutting benefits that are already grievously inadequate and chipping back future generations' access to Social Security (raising the retirement age, etc.)?

Well, what do you think they will do, based on recent experience? I think it's pretty obvious. And the right and the far right see their opportunity to start destroying Social Security and looting it and privatizing it--in this "niceness"--"let's all talk about it"--posture of Obama and the Democratic Party leadership. In truth, the Democrats should be saying, "No!", "No!" and (very loud) "NO!" "You will NOT fuck with Social Security! We will rouse the whole country against you!" Fiery language, inspiring language, FDR's language: "Organized money hates me--and I welcome their hatred!"

I sure would like to have seen this from our Democratic Party leaders on the 'TRADE SECRET' voting machines, now owned and controlled (largely) by one, private, far rightwing corporation--ES&S (which just bought out Diebold). But they are either frightened or in collusion on the matter. I have been absolutely shocked by this. How come our own party leaders are not fighting for--insisting upon!--transparent vote counting in the public venue?

I DO see your point, MannyGoldstein--I am so bloody sick of this compromising attitude!--but I don't think this was the right occasion for coming out with boxing gloves on. The people there were hurting. We're all hurting. I have lost someone to this kind of shooting spree--I've been hurting. It was NOT the right moment for fighting words, or, at least, it was Obama's judgement that it wasn't and I respect that decision in this case. I don't like his "let's all sit down and talk" attitude in a lot of other circumstances, where "we the people" are losing to our corporate rulers and war profiteers, big time. Damn, I wish he would fight back! I can't believe he couldn't have gotten a public option on health care from a Dem Congress, if he had fought harder against rightwing politicians and media. And now ES&S has done its thing and we have a far rightwing Congress. We're going to lose some more and God knows how badly.

But it was a reasonable judgement for the President to speak mainly for the AZ victims and NOT to the far rightwing political climate that fostered such horror and mayhem--for the moment. It would have been very, VERY difficult to find the right balance between the two, if he had attempted to do both. It was a MEMORIAL not a policy forum--in a state where incendiary rhetoric has been prominent. People were crying. The dead are hardly buried yet and the wounded are still in the early stages of recovery. Very tricky business to use such a situation to address the larger problem--rightwing intolerance and insane anti-government ravings--with the strength that that subject requires. Maybe he will never do it. But it would have been a highly perilous course to do it on this occasion and could very easily have backfired.

Perhaps you are reacting to Obama's judgement and behavior on these others things, such as those I've mentioned--our "common good" policies-- or other things--war, the national security state, loss of civil rights--in wanting him to come out swinging? I'm just saying, don't dump all that on this occasion.

[Honeyporter735]

39. I thought he did a wonderful job, but...

event didn't seem like a memorial to me, perhaps they should hace done it sooner. But moreover, I thought the t-shirts given out stuck me as tacky and had a campaign feel it.

[flpoljunkie]

40. The university organized the event. The t-shirts were an attempt to unite the citizens of Tucson

after this horrific tragedy.



The University Of Arizona did not immediately respond to requests for more information on the shirts, which are drawing fire in the conservative twitter- and blogosphere tonight. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. A person familiar with the event confirmed the university put the event together, and was responsible for t-shirts, tickets, fliers, etc.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/conservatives-criticize-free-tshirts-at-tucson-service.php?ref=fpblg

[Peace Patriot]

45. I want one!

"...the shirts, which are drawing fire in the conservative twitter- and blogosphere tonight."

----

These people are not "conservatives." There is nothing "conservative" about them. They are radical fascists. "Conservatives' CONSERVE--whether it's careful use of other peoples' money--private money and public money--conservation of community and (true) family values, public spaces, democratic processes, history, art and other common goods, or conservation of the environment. The Bushwhacks and other radical fascists oppose and are actively trying to DESTROY all of this, in the interest of multinational corporations and war profiteers. They have been utterly reckless with other peoples' money, to point of ruination of the economy and the banking system and bankruptcy of the federal and state governments. They are NOT "conservatives." And I wish that political writers and all of us would STOP GIVING THAT WORD AWAY TO THEM.

[dionysus]

41. oh manny, this may be your most epic of fail...

:rofl:

[JTFrog]

42. Kevin James posts at the new DU?

He's still a fucking tool.

[Sheepshank]

43. Sarah and her ilk have shown what hate, fear mongering and negativity can do to a nation.

I have ALWAYS wanted Obama to continue the civility, the reaching out, showing that the attempt to work together is ALWAYS better that dehumanizing and belittling. Compare the Obama and Palin speeches side by side and it's clear the message of working together prevails and trumps the message of "me, my needs, my wants, my hurt". The other side has not reached out and may never rach out, but between Obama's way and Palin/Boehner's way.....the choice is very easy.

[Kahuna]

44. Right. What all the bleaters fail to recognize is that, the President

promised, change. He himself is the change. No matter how many times the repukes rebuke him, he will continue to reach out to them. Is it because he's stupid, naive and a glutton for punishment?? Hell no! Obama has their number and has had it all along. If he were to start acting strictly partisan like bush did, what kind of change is that.

No one can make other people change. He knows that. But he can continue to operate in a way that he can look his self in the mirror and know that he did not give in to petty, political games when our country is in dire need of leadership.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jakes Progress]

48. Just amazing how many didn't get it.

They say that the progressive left is too naive. It appears that the centrists are dyed in the wool Pollyannas.

[WellsStreetHell]

49. I agree

Unfortunately, Obama is weak in the face of those who would try to destroy him, so as usual we get calls (ho-hum) for bipartisanship and false equivalencies. I am stunned that Obama didn't just come out and blame the "left" for for the whole damn thing.

[Politicub]

50. You must have seen something else, because

what I heard was far from appeasement.

He was calling on all Americans to channel our better selves.

And to me, he made the right look so small and childish. It was beyond an attack; he brushed their criticisms away with a wave of his hand.