Author Topic: Change II - Electric Bugaloo  (Read 12897 times)

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Brugdor

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Re: Change II - Electric Bugaloo
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2008, 03:06:49 PM »
So let's talk about Blago in regards to Obama.

FIrst, everything that's come out so far indicates Obama and his people did the right thing. It appears his people were asked to pony up a job for Blago if Blago appointed a person Obama preferred to his old senate seat and they rebuked Blago by turning him into the feds. So kudos to them if all of that turns out to be true.

However, Obama and his folks have already been caught in a lie over whether Obama had talked to the governor or not about who would take Obama' seat. Obama said yesterday that he hadn't talked to the governor. Senior adviser Axelrod (Obama's Karl Rove) said on Nov 23rd in a video interview on Fox that Obama had talked to him. I credit this to Obama immediately going into the same CYA tap dance that he's done everytime his ties to questionable people have been brought to light. It's his immediate reflex to pretend that people who have been friends for years are people he barely knows. In other words, there's nothing to the story that's particularly damaging to Obama. He was just being Obama.

However as the investigation into Blago and his people goes forward it will be interesting to see exactly how far the spider web of corruption spreads. Some of the people indicted have pled guilty which means they'll be singing for shorter sentences. It is possible for a politician that came up through the system in Chicago to come out of the other side of an investigation like that looking squeaky clean? We may soon find out.

Lastly, another mistake by Axelrod definitely has him looking like Karl Rove.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16395.html

In a 2005 op-ed, Axelrod argued, in effect, that trading political favors – including jobs – is part of the grease that makes government work.

He ripped Fitzgerald at the time for trying “to use the criminal code to enforce (his) vision” of “entirely remov(ing) politics from government.”


More at link

"When planning a new picture we don't think of grown ups and we don't think of children but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall." - Walt Disney

Hoopy Frood

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Re: Change II - Electric Bugaloo
« Reply #16 on: December 10, 2008, 08:47:56 PM »
Yeah, being from Illinois it's really interesting.

I think the main issue Barack has is that he is from what could be argued to be the most corrupt state political system in the nation. Which means there is no way he can be squeaky clean even if he tries. He has to lie down with dogs because it's part of the job. He's going to be waking up with fleas. It's unavoidable. However, the matter is, how hard did he try to avoid the fleas, or did he embrace the fleas.

In other words, you could be the most honest person in the world, and there is no way you can avoid the filth that is Illinois political pool. However, you can definitely try your damndest to stay in the shallow end. It'll be interesting to see what happens. I'm leaning toward's Obama's feet being able to touch ground in this, but I won't be overly shocked if he's revealed to be treading water or actively drowning.

Now I don't think any politician is squeaky clean anyway. So an Illinois politician at there best, is little worse than any other politician. But an Illinois politician at their worst, is something to be afraid of.
All right, I’ve been thinking, when life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade! Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons! What am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager! Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the man whose gonna burn your house down – with the lemons! I'm gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!

Brugdor

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Re: Change II - Electric Bugaloo
« Reply #17 on: December 10, 2008, 11:46:53 PM »
Now I don't think any politician is squeaky clean anyway. So an Illinois politician at there best, is little worse than any other politician. But an Illinois politician at their worst, is something to be afraid of.

You know the funny thing I was talking to my mother about last night is that Blago did very little that was different from every other politician we have in this country. All of them expect these "favors" to be passed to them in exchange for votes, support of policies, appointments, etc and so on. Blago was just a bit more forceful about it and happened to be caught on tape.

Not that I think all of that is ok like Axelrod said in the link I provided. I think it sucks and should be illegal no matter how forceful the person getting the kickback is.

Also, I was shocked when my mother turned on Rachel Maddow (sp?) last night and she brought up Axelrod's contradictory statement in that interview. I've never watched her show but I was very pleased to see it wasn't completely one sided like Olbermann's is.
"When planning a new picture we don't think of grown ups and we don't think of children but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall." - Walt Disney

Brugdor

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Re: Change II - Electric Bugaloo
« Reply #18 on: December 26, 2008, 06:33:35 PM »
*looks at this cartoon and signals a touchdown*
"When planning a new picture we don't think of grown ups and we don't think of children but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall." - Walt Disney

Brugdor

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Re: Change II - Electric Bugaloo
« Reply #19 on: February 06, 2009, 06:15:32 PM »
The new White House Press Secretary sounds a lot like his predecessors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-4qEz1vea0

Transparency? Not so much.
"When planning a new picture we don't think of grown ups and we don't think of children but just of that fine, clean, unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall." - Walt Disney