Monday, February 28, 2005
The Elections
FrankSpace
Well the election is long past now. I don't want to read a lot of theories about how Bush 'won'. I'm not interested unless someone has proof, but I felt like putting my thinking down. We knew from election 2000, and the run up to 2004 that the Republicans wouldn't stint from anything to win. We knew that there was reason to believe that new electronic voting machines could be used to change the outcome of the elections. We knew that the head of the company Diebolt was going to "do whatever it takes" to deliver Ohio to Bush. Finally we knew that exit polls have historical been very accurate predictors of victory at the polls.
When a cop drawing a salary of $100,000 a year lives a $300,000 a year lifestyle, you may not be able to prove he is on the take, but that doesn't make it unreasonable, conspiratorial, or crazy to suppose he is.
Well the election is long past now. I don't want to read a lot of theories about how Bush 'won'. I'm not interested unless someone has proof, but I felt like putting my thinking down. We knew from election 2000, and the run up to 2004 that the Republicans wouldn't stint from anything to win. We knew that there was reason to believe that new electronic voting machines could be used to change the outcome of the elections. We knew that the head of the company Diebolt was going to "do whatever it takes" to deliver Ohio to Bush. Finally we knew that exit polls have historical been very accurate predictors of victory at the polls.
When a cop drawing a salary of $100,000 a year lives a $300,000 a year lifestyle, you may not be able to prove he is on the take, but that doesn't make it unreasonable, conspiratorial, or crazy to suppose he is.
The best definition of Facism I've seen
FrankSpace
Found on Orcinus http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2005/02/fascination-with-fascism.html
I think you've got it backwards when you say the problem is the followers, not the leaders. You said earlier that the followers have always been with us, but you don't seem to have noticed the corollary: they are always with us, in the good times and the bad. So it follows that they aren't the thing that's different this year: what's different is the leaders.
I would go so far as to say it isn't appropriate to call the followers fascists at all. Haters, yes, but a fascist is a leader, not a follower-- a leader whose power base consists of haters. Fascism is the philosophy of gaining and holding political power by harnessing the inchoate resentment of that hating portion of the population who are always there.
derek | Email | Homepage | 02.26.05 - 1:52 am | #
link
Found on Orcinus http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2005/02/fascination-with-fascism.html
I think you've got it backwards when you say the problem is the followers, not the leaders. You said earlier that the followers have always been with us, but you don't seem to have noticed the corollary: they are always with us, in the good times and the bad. So it follows that they aren't the thing that's different this year: what's different is the leaders.
I would go so far as to say it isn't appropriate to call the followers fascists at all. Haters, yes, but a fascist is a leader, not a follower-- a leader whose power base consists of haters. Fascism is the philosophy of gaining and holding political power by harnessing the inchoate resentment of that hating portion of the population who are always there.
derek | Email | Homepage | 02.26.05 - 1:52 am | #
link
Sunday, February 27, 2005
The Poor Man
Google bomb sean hannity
FrankSpace
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Daily Howler doesn't get it
FrankSpace
I wasn't going to write you although I disagreed with your latest, but I saw a letter that I agreed with. I just want to add that the Gannon story seems a real life parable for our times. A real whore in the press room filled with fake whores. Kinda sad he was forced to leave. He raised the tone there.
I'm a big fan of the Daily Howler and was SHOCKED to to read Friday's piece on Gannon. Bob can't believe Boehlert is taken in by this non-story that liberal bloggers are typically latching on to. I'm wrote him:
Bob,
I read the Howler everyday Monday to Friday and enjoy it. You nail the subject matter with enough anger and exasperation to make me feel I'm not alone out there. Thanks for that.
I was surprised and disappointed with your take on the Gannon story - a first for me where the Howler is concerned. It's not about a little nobody who asked Bush one dumb question that pissed off the liberal bloggers. It's about a little nobody set up in the White House press room these last two years, by nobody knows who, shilling under a pseudonym for what appears to be a well connected Texas GOP organization. GOPUSA/TalonNews is owned by Bobby Eberle, who appears to have Bruce Eberle and even Rove's fingerprints all over him. It's about a nobody who got himself involved in the Valerie Plame investigation. A nobody who takes and gets a good bit of credit for helping to sway the tight Daschle - Thune race, with the help of two bloggers secretly on Thune's payroll (one of them is now on his staff). This nobody appears to have been, until recently, a military style male prostitute who had some clients who were themselves military officers around DC. The possible blackmail angle on that alone is cause for concern.
The names I've seen associated with this story so far have been:
Bobby Eberle
Bruce Eberle
Karl Rove (Bobby thanked "his friend" on his now defunct Talon News website last Christmas)
Scott McLellan
Ari Fleischer
Joe Wilson
Valerie Plame
John Thune
Tom Daschle
I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting.
As I said, I enjoy and follow your columns every day. They are a sharp knife that cuts through the crap. I'd ask you to reconsider why Boehlert would think this story is important, in a time when we no longer know what is actually the news anynore. Maybe we never really did. This story could use your help.
I agree 100%
I wasn't going to write you although I disagreed with your latest, but I saw a letter that I agreed with. I just want to add that the Gannon story seems a real life parable for our times. A real whore in the press room filled with fake whores. Kinda sad he was forced to leave. He raised the tone there.
I'm a big fan of the Daily Howler and was SHOCKED to to read Friday's piece on Gannon. Bob can't believe Boehlert is taken in by this non-story that liberal bloggers are typically latching on to. I'm wrote him:
Bob,
I read the Howler everyday Monday to Friday and enjoy it. You nail the subject matter with enough anger and exasperation to make me feel I'm not alone out there. Thanks for that.
I was surprised and disappointed with your take on the Gannon story - a first for me where the Howler is concerned. It's not about a little nobody who asked Bush one dumb question that pissed off the liberal bloggers. It's about a little nobody set up in the White House press room these last two years, by nobody knows who, shilling under a pseudonym for what appears to be a well connected Texas GOP organization. GOPUSA/TalonNews is owned by Bobby Eberle, who appears to have Bruce Eberle and even Rove's fingerprints all over him. It's about a nobody who got himself involved in the Valerie Plame investigation. A nobody who takes and gets a good bit of credit for helping to sway the tight Daschle - Thune race, with the help of two bloggers secretly on Thune's payroll (one of them is now on his staff). This nobody appears to have been, until recently, a military style male prostitute who had some clients who were themselves military officers around DC. The possible blackmail angle on that alone is cause for concern.
The names I've seen associated with this story so far have been:
Bobby Eberle
Bruce Eberle
Karl Rove (Bobby thanked "his friend" on his now defunct Talon News website last Christmas)
Scott McLellan
Ari Fleischer
Joe Wilson
Valerie Plame
John Thune
Tom Daschle
I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting.
As I said, I enjoy and follow your columns every day. They are a sharp knife that cuts through the crap. I'd ask you to reconsider why Boehlert would think this story is important, in a time when we no longer know what is actually the news anynore. Maybe we never really did. This story could use your help.
I agree 100%
Saturday, February 26, 2005
still more from AmericaBlog
FrankSpace
If you want a good laugh, go to jeffgannon.com. This is the definition of hubris. "So feared by the Left that it had to take me down."
No, James, you've been going down plenty all on your own.
Lord Humongous | Email | Homepage | 02.25.05 - 4:04 pm | #
If you want a good laugh, go to jeffgannon.com. This is the definition of hubris. "So feared by the Left that it had to take me down."
No, James, you've been going down plenty all on your own.
Lord Humongous | Email | Homepage | 02.25.05 - 4:04 pm | #
more from americablog
FrankSpace
A weekend with Jeff Gannon on the presidential yacht: $1200
Bottle of Viagra for Jeff: $150
Tip for Jeff on Sunday night: $100
Watching the christian right squirm, spin, wash, rinse, repeat: priceless.
Jacko the Wacko in Arizona | Email | Homepage | 02.25.05 - 6:14 pm | #
A weekend with Jeff Gannon on the presidential yacht: $1200
Bottle of Viagra for Jeff: $150
Tip for Jeff on Sunday night: $100
Watching the christian right squirm, spin, wash, rinse, repeat: priceless.
Jacko the Wacko in Arizona | Email | Homepage | 02.25.05 - 6:14 pm | #
Found on AmericaBlog
FrankSpace
In retrospect the difference between Guckert/Gannon and Spongebob is obvious. With Spongebob, if true, his homosexuality is a personal issue and therefore it is a moral issue.
But with Guckert/Gannon, it is his business, and no morality needs to apply.
It is just logical Republican thinking.
Rick B | Email | Homepage | 02.25.05 - 5:45 pm | #
In retrospect the difference between Guckert/Gannon and Spongebob is obvious. With Spongebob, if true, his homosexuality is a personal issue and therefore it is a moral issue.
But with Guckert/Gannon, it is his business, and no morality needs to apply.
It is just logical Republican thinking.
Rick B | Email | Homepage | 02.25.05 - 5:45 pm | #
Lawyers, Guns and Money
Lawyers, Guns and Money
Yow, I just discovered you through Brad DeLong. You are entirely too smart. I am going to steal your post for my pitiful blog.
Amazing
I have to say, I'm awestruck by the beauty and the simplicity. The enemy (Osama Bin Laden, the AARP, the Democratic Party, John Kerry, Dan Rather) hates America and loves gays. Essentially, the entire conservative argument on every issue is captured by this single ad. The details of the particular question are irrelevant; we know who the enemy is and what he believes.
The Republican Party of 2005: Love America blindly and hate the queers. Please don't ask about what happened to your social security check.
Yow, I just discovered you through Brad DeLong. You are entirely too smart. I am going to steal your post for my pitiful blog.
Amazing
I have to say, I'm awestruck by the beauty and the simplicity. The enemy (Osama Bin Laden, the AARP, the Democratic Party, John Kerry, Dan Rather) hates America and loves gays. Essentially, the entire conservative argument on every issue is captured by this single ad. The details of the particular question are irrelevant; we know who the enemy is and what he believes.
The Republican Party of 2005: Love America blindly and hate the queers. Please don't ask about what happened to your social security check.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Narratives
FrankSpace
The daily howler makes a good point here:http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh022505.shtml
"Conservatives keep making a joke of your discourse. These groups keep trying to treat us like fools. The controlling point for the liberals was obvious: There they go again, dear viewers!"
I think appropo of my last post an important narrative is that Republicans are animated primarily by hate.
The daily howler makes a good point here:http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh022505.shtml
"Conservatives keep making a joke of your discourse. These groups keep trying to treat us like fools. The controlling point for the liberals was obvious: There they go again, dear viewers!"
I think appropo of my last post an important narrative is that Republicans are animated primarily by hate.
Rush Limbaugh and hate.
FrankSpace
There is an interesting conversation at obsidian wings
http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2005/02/hatred_is_a_poi.html#more
I was in the US Air Force at the end of the 80s. One of the shops I worked at in Germany (Ramstein) played Air America all the time. So I listened to Rush Limbaugh at least a couple of hours a day. I disagreed with what he was saying a lot, but he sounded fairly reasonable at the time.
When I got out of the Air Force I went back to College. A friend there was a big Rush fan and told me about the TV show. So I set up my VCR to tape it. (it was on in the middle of the night.) After watching perhaps 5 shows I realized what was bothering me. Rush Limbaugh's show was all about getting people angry. Really he was just mobilizing peoples rage and hate.
He's is really brilliant at what he does. Now he has many disciples.
Thats really about the best I can do to explain why. I'm sure there is some deeper reason, having to do with backlash and the diminishing of the middle classes, but I think Rush has accomplished a lot in terms of getting the people to align behind the Republican program.
There is an interesting conversation at obsidian wings
http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2005/02/hatred_is_a_poi.html#more
I was in the US Air Force at the end of the 80s. One of the shops I worked at in Germany (Ramstein) played Air America all the time. So I listened to Rush Limbaugh at least a couple of hours a day. I disagreed with what he was saying a lot, but he sounded fairly reasonable at the time.
When I got out of the Air Force I went back to College. A friend there was a big Rush fan and told me about the TV show. So I set up my VCR to tape it. (it was on in the middle of the night.) After watching perhaps 5 shows I realized what was bothering me. Rush Limbaugh's show was all about getting people angry. Really he was just mobilizing peoples rage and hate.
He's is really brilliant at what he does. Now he has many disciples.
Thats really about the best I can do to explain why. I'm sure there is some deeper reason, having to do with backlash and the diminishing of the middle classes, but I think Rush has accomplished a lot in terms of getting the people to align behind the Republican program.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Awesome post
Propagannon
FrankSpace
AppalledModerate makes an interesting point.
*sigh* I remember the good old days, when a scandal was a politician caught with a mistress, selling arms to our enemies to finance an guerilla war, politically motivated firings, the gathering of enemies lists, endorsing the racist presidential campaigns of the past
Now, it's just letting an ex-prostitute ask the President stupid questions.
The thing is we tried to make scandals out of the facts that the administration was torturing people and lying us into wars. No one cared.
The hope that drives PropaGannon is that if we can prove Bush likes to take it up the tailpipe some people might get interested.
Not that liberals have anything against that you understand, but we aren't trying to communicate to liberals.
AppalledModerate makes an interesting point.
*sigh* I remember the good old days, when a scandal was a politician caught with a mistress, selling arms to our enemies to finance an guerilla war, politically motivated firings, the gathering of enemies lists, endorsing the racist presidential campaigns of the past
Now, it's just letting an ex-prostitute ask the President stupid questions.
The thing is we tried to make scandals out of the facts that the administration was torturing people and lying us into wars. No one cared.
The hope that drives PropaGannon is that if we can prove Bush likes to take it up the tailpipe some people might get interested.
Not that liberals have anything against that you understand, but we aren't trying to communicate to liberals.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Women bloggers: Threat or Menace
FrankSpace
Kevin at the Washington monthly did his usual quarterly "Where are the women bloggers" post a few days ago. There was quite a bit of criticism of him for raising the issue without doing anything about the "problem." Go to . to see him get some FMBs in the fundament. While I enjoyed watching that probably almost as much as the women posters did, I was left slightly unsatisfied by the resulting discussion.
Many of the comments were angry with Kevin for pretending not to know about the many good blogs penned by women, saying essentially that if he linked to women bloggers more often, their scores on this:http://www.truthlaidbear.com/ecosystem.php would be higher. As a good liberal Kevin is required to take this abuse in good humor of course. I doubt he will do anything about it, as that might interfere with his next quarterly post wondering where the women are.
I am not a good liberal. I voted for John Kerry its true, but just because I am not an idiot that doesn't mean I have to play nice with anyone. The arguements that many women seem to be making is that if women aren't getting half of the top spots in the bloggosphere it is somehow the fault of men. The funny thing about it is they are complaining to a liberal. I suppose they know a conservative would never care what they had to say, but it still seems silly. The first blogger was a woman. The internet is an absolutely level playing field. If men have shut women out by not linking to them, women could do exactly the same to men. If you have a problem and it can be fixed either by changing your behaviour or getting someone else to change theirs which option do you think is more reasonable/likely to work? I might sympathize with women about Larry Summers but no way about this. Whatever the reason, the fact that women don't have the most popular blogs is their own damn fault.
Kevin at the Washington monthly did his usual quarterly "Where are the women bloggers" post a few days ago. There was quite a bit of criticism of him for raising the issue without doing anything about the "problem." Go to . to see him get some FMBs in the fundament. While I enjoyed watching that probably almost as much as the women posters did, I was left slightly unsatisfied by the resulting discussion.
Many of the comments were angry with Kevin for pretending not to know about the many good blogs penned by women, saying essentially that if he linked to women bloggers more often, their scores on this:http://www.truthlaidbear.com/ecosystem.php would be higher. As a good liberal Kevin is required to take this abuse in good humor of course. I doubt he will do anything about it, as that might interfere with his next quarterly post wondering where the women are.
I am not a good liberal. I voted for John Kerry its true, but just because I am not an idiot that doesn't mean I have to play nice with anyone. The arguements that many women seem to be making is that if women aren't getting half of the top spots in the bloggosphere it is somehow the fault of men. The funny thing about it is they are complaining to a liberal. I suppose they know a conservative would never care what they had to say, but it still seems silly. The first blogger was a woman. The internet is an absolutely level playing field. If men have shut women out by not linking to them, women could do exactly the same to men. If you have a problem and it can be fixed either by changing your behaviour or getting someone else to change theirs which option do you think is more reasonable/likely to work? I might sympathize with women about Larry Summers but no way about this. Whatever the reason, the fact that women don't have the most popular blogs is their own damn fault.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Wow
my very own blog. Just to make a post.
