'There is a cancer on the presidency.'

[seafan]

That was as true in March of 1973, as it is today, although in different context.






It feels, right now, that we have, as a country, reached the pinnacle of critical mass. It approached crest last weekend and is at a zenith today, and rising. In newspapers, on radio, on tv, even my nonpolitical neighbor yesterday are pushing back against this blatant, calculated thievery against us.

We've already known for decades that republicans are ruthless vultures; the teabagger idiocy are Koch battering rams; now, it is painfully clear that our president is on parallel track with them.


We have been ruthlessly betrayed by a man who captured our hearts, hopes and above all, our imagination, in a time of critical national need, amidst silk-spun rhetoric so eloquently and cavalierly offered to the people, to propel himself to power.


The emperor wears no clothes.


We see a mirage. A dry, cracked oasis. A Nobel Peace laureate who is sending killer drones to rain down bombs on innocents. This is the epitome of the destruction that metastatic cancer signals.





From Think Progress yesterday:

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Absolutely true!

(and IBTL)

[woo me with science]

2. It is not just the Presidency.

I think this episode is opening people's eyes to the level of power the banks and corporations and their obscenely wealthy owners have in our political process, and to the fact that Obama and many of our representatives are not who we thought they were.

Opening eyes, though, can be demoralizing. It is in many ways like waking up to a nightmare, to realize the extent of bank and corporate control in this country. We have been fed a tableau of politics for a very long time that does not reflect what is actually going on. The people may just be starting to wake up to realize that we are, in every sense of the word, "human resources" rather than human beings to these people.

I don't think it's even possible at this point to elect a presidential candidate who is not beholden to the banks and the corporate oligarchy. They have the media, they have the money, and they have restructured the entire political process and much of our society and daily lives to profit themselves already. They have already legislated themselves tremendous power, and they are continually increasing it. Any contender will be smeared and discredited in the press and eliminated in one way or another.

Our best hope has always been to elect principled members of Congress to stand in opposition. But this horrible episode has really lifted the curtain on the extent to which corporate "Democrats" have infiltrated the entire Democratic Party, Congress included.

It is hard to even fathom at this point how we take our country back. I really do think it needs to start at the grass roots, by identifying the REAL problem, which is bank and corporate influence...and finding candidates who have their own money and are willing to take this on. I also think that once the real enemy is identified, we can peel off portions of the group that has always considered itself Republican, and win them to our cause.

We may ultimately find this country in revolution, though...

[alsame]

3. This morning while walking my dog, my 69 year old Republican

neighbor said to me "They're all rich sons of bitches who don't give a damn about the country or the people." He was referring to both parties, to the corruption of the entire govt. Yes, people are opening their eyes.

[woo me with science]

4. Yes, they are stealing from Republicans, too,

Your neighbor is getting it. And I believe more will, as they realize that they are being picked clean, too.

The oligarchy purposely stokes the hatred and divisions between us. It is much easier to subjugate us both and pick both of our pockets, when we are distracted by and screaming at each other.

Robert Reich noted (and even drew a cartoon of) this in his short video on the economy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTzMqm2TwgE

[indurancevile]

7. neither rank & files dems or republicans get what they want. it's all a lot of hot air

& boogeymen while they pass the legislation drafted by the monied class. which is bipartisan.

[tavalon]

22. Hey, I'm middle class

Clearly, they forgot to send the wonderful happy drugs to me. Could I borrow some?

[alsame]

9. Exactly, they are stealing from all of us. My hope is that once we

reach a critical mass of people who realize this, we can overcome party differences and band together. It's a class war, not a party war anymore.

[Little Star]

5. I agree and it is people from both parties who are..

opening their eyes. We've all (both sides) been played like a fiddle!

[fadedrose]

8. You betcha Little Star.

With a Congress like ours, who needs enemies?

I still love the President, and he's the only one I think that came out of this without profit or bragging rights.

[jpak]

6. blah blah blah

and unrec

yup

[ChiciB1]

10. WELL! How Could You Post Something Like This! I Mean Just Because

there are those who actually believe this, it could simply just be an emotional reaction!

PLEASE READ FURTHER... I posted something yesterday and got attacked for being emotional. I had to LAUGH because the reply seemed totally weird, especially since many people post emotional reactions to what is going on. What you just posted I happen to be IN AGREEMENT WITH, but below is part of the reply I got from my earlier post from another Du'er. Read it and see how silly some people have become in their NEED to agree/protect Obama! I AM NOT one of those with blinders on and have felt betrayed for a very long time. Just KNEW I was going to be able to use this response in some way. So read further... these AREN'T my words, just a reply to my post.



"Yes, your reaction is emotional. And not rationally based. You believe something because you have anecdotes for it, not because you have evidence for it. Okay--suppose all your friends agree with you".

Newsflash: your friends are not statistically representative of all Democrats, all liberals, or even just very liberal Democrats.

Your gut instincts and the opinions of your friends have about as much statistical weight as when the global warming deniers point to winter as evidence that global warming doesn't exist: because I see one thing in one place, from my limited perspective, therefore it must be true EVERYWHERE.

It isn't



Me Again: So much for posting an opinion, huh?? I won't say who made the comment, but as I said, I got attacked for my opinion. But then, attacks aren't uncommon these days.

[bpj62]

11. Obama vs Nixon

I will try and stick to the facts as I can recall them from that time. The Nixon Administration was involved in a cover up of a burglary as well as eavesdropping and other nefarious acts against political opponents. By the time this phrase was uttered by John Dean several white house aides were either under investigation or indicted for their roles in the Watergate Cover up. In contrast Obama was trying to the get the best deal he could and quite frankly if he would have invoked the 14th amendment, it would have been challenged in court and god only knows what the Supreme Court would have ruled.

I understand the anger and frustration that some people feel about the debt deal but to compare Obamas Presidency to Nixon's is really a stretch to say the least.

[MilesColtrane]

12. That's nothing.

I've seen posters over the past week or so opining that Obama is worse than Nixon.

Whoever it is that comes up with the lies to peel off votes from the left of the Democratic party is doing a great job.

Anybody seen 'Pigboy' Rove lately?

[XemaSab]

13. Hell, at least Nixon gave us all our environmental laws

:(

[DFab420]

17. Yea and the only things Obama has done is repeal DADT

and increase the reach of hate crime laws to cover sexual orientation and gender identity...

Oh and save the US economy.

[solara]

16. Hear! HEAR!

:applause:

[Octafish]

23. ''...only people Obama has prosecuted are the whistle-blowers.''

What Jane Mayer said in The New Yorker

Oh. And how's that USA PATRIOT Act doin'? Unlimited and unpunished domestic spying? Gov. Siegelman and Scrushy vs. Rove and Bush? Wars without end? Welfare for Wall Street?

Something is sick.

[rdking647]

14. its amazing

how far the left has sunk.. THE FACT IS AMERICA IS NOT A FAR LEFT COUNTRY...
It nevr has been... a far left person cant get elected to the presidency. you might not like it but thats the fact.. If you ant to livr in a far left country i suggest moving becasue this isnt one.

[Itchinjim]

15. Pfffffffft.

Welcome to Hyperbolic Underground.

[Bluebear]

19. Whatever

[cherokeeprogressive]

18. The whole of the US Government, if excised from the United States, would resemble a cancerous lung.

Anyone who thinks any current elected member of the legislative or executive branch of the government has our best interests at heart, or those of our heirs, is absolutely whistling past the graveyard out of their mind batshit crazy. And a little naive.

[indepat]

20. A virulent RW cancer has become so malignant that it has now metastasized in all three branches of

government to such extent that no single branch can any longer perform the duties required by the respective oaths of office to protect and defend: each branch now seems to only protect and defend the interests of the uber-wealthy and large corporations to the detriment and at the expense of all others, as amply demonstrated in the written record. :patriot:

[fadedrose]

21. An accurate assessment ................

and beautifully articulated.....