Saturday, June 07, 2008

Progressive Obamites... Sucker!

After all, he doesn't see the region much differently than President Bush does.

In the heat of the Democratic primary campaign, some on the left were inspired to believe that Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) offered a far-reaching transformation of U.S. foreign policy, "the most sweeping liberal foreign-policy critique we've heard from a serious presidential contender in decades," as one particularly breathless article in the American Prospect put it. Yet, when Mr. Obama opened his general election campaign this week with a major speech on Middle East policy, the substantive strategy he outlined was, in many respects, not very much different from that of the Bush administration -- or that of Republican Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). (emphasis mine)
Mr. Obama's Middle East - Editorial - Washington Post
David Seaton's News Links
I really can't understand how anyone can be a passionate Democrat... It's like being a devoted fan of one of those transient, itinerant American baseball and basketball teams like the Boston-Milwaukee-Atlanta Braves or the Utah "Jazz"... ("Utah"... "Jazz"?)... I've put the logo of the Brooklyn Dodgers as a symbol of betrayal... I don't think any team in the world, not even Real Madrid, Manchester United or FC-Barcelona -- to name some of the most fanatic -- ever had more loyal fans than the people of Brooklyn, but the management, flipped them the finger and moved to LA.

Like the man said,
"The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. It ... has left remaining no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest, than callous “cash payment”
Nothing better than the story of the Dodgers to illustrate that paragraph.

Compared to the story of the Brooklyn Dodgers, I suppose Barack Obama's selling the Palestinian people downriver pales in comparison, but it does raise a few awkward questions about the brand, doesn't it?

"Coca Cola sells shoe polish"... the phrase jars on the ear doesn't it? A shoeshine is, or is not a "pause that refreshes"? A brand stands for something or it isn't a brand.

The Republicans are easy to figure out, the old British phrase sums up the underlying values perfectly.
Bugger you Jack, I'm alright!
To be more inclusive, things like guns and God and "the right to life" (of fetuses, not actual people) are tacked on, but basically its about possession and stinginess. Certainly you know what you're in for with the GOP. If you are "alright" they offer a coherent program and a way forward.

But what in God's name do the Democrats stand for if not for collective masturbation. DS

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Pace yourself Mr. Seaton. There are still 150 days to go until the general election, please save some vituperation for October.
And now, since you have definitely chosen to do whatever it takes to defeat Obama, for those who still live in the US, are you counselling
McKinney or Nader, or even the newest version of McCain? Inquiring minds seek wisdom.