'Alas poor Thomas Jefferson! I knew him well, Horatio.'
'I thought we would find him spinning 100mph in his grave, my Lord...'
Some thoughts on where Obama and the Democrats are (less than eight months from a serious drubbing in the 2010 mid-term Congressional elections would be a pithy answer) from Limey expats Andrew Stephen and Alex Cockburn.
Glenn Greenwald goes for the Democrats messing around in Congress over healthcare 'reform'. I am reminded of this.
I have also come across an interesting rant (Hat-tip: Brad S!) from Charlie Davis about 'My Democratic Party/Obama, Right or Wrong' brigade. Somewhere in the back of my mind a good old rant is brewing about the same situation here on Airstrip One, where whatever faecal matter is dropped on people from a great height by the Labour Party, people on the 'Left' are told 'Vote Labour, or the Tories will get back in'....Suffice to say for the moment, politics should not be treated as a sports match. Of course, the same processes take place on the 'Right', where the 'Tea Party' movement is rapidly being brought under the wings of the Republican Party; a situation Libertarian Thomas Knapp discusses. BTW, there is something about the aesthetics of Tea Party movement that intrigues me. I am not an expert on the American Revolution/War of Independence, but I do know the Boston Tea Party was a major incident in the run up to the conflict starting. I also know that many of the protestors in 1773 dressed up as Red Indians/Native Americans/First Nations warriors, as the picture below illustrates:
However, in last year's Tea Party protests and marches not many participants seem to dress in Native American garb, although a fair few dressed up as members of George Washington's Continental Army.
Are there no Village People fans in the States opposed to Obama, 'socialist' healthcare systems and taxes?
Glenn Greenwald goes for the Democrats messing around in Congress over healthcare 'reform'. I am reminded of this.
I have also come across an interesting rant (Hat-tip: Brad S!) from Charlie Davis about 'My Democratic Party/Obama, Right or Wrong' brigade. Somewhere in the back of my mind a good old rant is brewing about the same situation here on Airstrip One, where whatever faecal matter is dropped on people from a great height by the Labour Party, people on the 'Left' are told 'Vote Labour, or the Tories will get back in'....Suffice to say for the moment, politics should not be treated as a sports match. Of course, the same processes take place on the 'Right', where the 'Tea Party' movement is rapidly being brought under the wings of the Republican Party; a situation Libertarian Thomas Knapp discusses. BTW, there is something about the aesthetics of Tea Party movement that intrigues me. I am not an expert on the American Revolution/War of Independence, but I do know the Boston Tea Party was a major incident in the run up to the conflict starting. I also know that many of the protestors in 1773 dressed up as Red Indians/Native Americans/First Nations warriors, as the picture below illustrates:
However, in last year's Tea Party protests and marches not many participants seem to dress in Native American garb, although a fair few dressed up as members of George Washington's Continental Army.
Are there no Village People fans in the States opposed to Obama, 'socialist' healthcare systems and taxes?
Which one is Joe The Plumber?
However, I feel there is some hope on the US political scene, while I can see little at the moment on the English/British political landscape (I am willing to be persuaded...!). One reason is that there are interesting political figures outside the Far Centre and Raving Right there, who have something substantial to say. Dennis Kucinich, Ron Paul and Jesse Ventura come to mind. I am well aware leaders can betray, and all heroes have feet of clay, but when was the last time a British political figure said anything that made you sit up and think?
Dennis Kucinich in Congress on Afghanistan.
Ron Paul in Congress on Afghanistan. He might be a social conservative/reactionary, but he's bang on the money about the American Empire.
Ron Paul with Rachel Maddow. If the battle for the soul of the Republican Party is to be fought between Ron Paul and Sarah Palin, there's no doubt who I'll be rooting for!
Jesse Ventura with Larry King. Anyone who sees through that loudmouth pseudo-populist fraud Rush Limbaugh is okay with me. See here for more evidence of Rush's hypocritical healthcare tourism. (hat-tip: Steve Cooke- some of you might like his music!). Mr. Ventura is also the man who said: 'you give me a water board, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.'
Anyway, I'll leave it there. I suppose next time I post I may well have to discuss the forthcoming General Election here. Oh joy of joys...
Ron Paul in Congress on Afghanistan. He might be a social conservative/reactionary, but he's bang on the money about the American Empire.
Ron Paul with Rachel Maddow. If the battle for the soul of the Republican Party is to be fought between Ron Paul and Sarah Palin, there's no doubt who I'll be rooting for!
Jesse Ventura with Larry King. Anyone who sees through that loudmouth pseudo-populist fraud Rush Limbaugh is okay with me. See here for more evidence of Rush's hypocritical healthcare tourism. (hat-tip: Steve Cooke- some of you might like his music!). Mr. Ventura is also the man who said: 'you give me a water board, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.'
Anyway, I'll leave it there. I suppose next time I post I may well have to discuss the forthcoming General Election here. Oh joy of joys...
