ouch (from Canada)

[kpete]

[KansasVoter]

1. Wow!

[Toucano]

2. OMFG!

If only Obama were as effective at pushing through his "radical" agenda! ;-)

Then again he didn't hit the trifecta like Bush did.

[BlueIris]

3. Yikers.

And how true.

[ProSense]

4. Wow

There are morons in Canada too.

[MedicalAdmin]

33. That may be true.

But Canada is, as combat pilots would say, a much less target rich environment for idiocy.

Your post is a case in point.

[Matariki]

5. Wow. It's a week of Laugh or Cry?

[ncrainbowgrrl]

8. You beat me to it by a second...

Same thoughts!

[The Doctor.]

24. Personally, I've been holding at 'borderline mortified'.

The fact that Obama has failed or otherwise been unable to make real changes speaks more to his circumstances than his intentions.

This was a person who worked hard to make life better for Chicago neighborhoods, not someone who went into community service because it padded the resume.
Every step he took put him in a new place where he could get nothing done, so he kept taking the next step up the ladder only to find that the higher he climbed, the less he could accomplish.

I had hoped that he could baffle the PTB. I still hope he plans to do more. The fact that he has had to cave in so much tells me they are more powerful than I had hoped.

We're in deep shit, and it was not Obama that brought us here. Unfortunately, it's looking less all the time like he can get us out.

[Jackpine Radical]

28. Yes, I've speculated along those lines.

That is, that he may have come in with good intentions but found himself stymied in making real change so that he had to settle for bills with progressive-sounding titles and little progressive content.

[Capitalocracy]

67. Not how I would've played it.

If the Republicans and Republidems block good legislation, I wouldn't give bad legislation a good name. I'd call it what it is and tell people that's why you need to elect better representatives, not claim to have passed a health care bill that was just as important as the civil rights act or the new deal (as Obama did on the Daily Show). That's a great way to send the message that you're full of it and that you're really really excited about the legislation that the American people see as half-assed, and if you're that excited about it, it's surely the kind of thing you'll continue to do.

[Lorien]

93. +1. nt

[bobburgster]

118. It's all in the message....

or lack thereof. that is what they need to fix....quickly.

[laughingliberal]

131. +1000 nt

[shireen]

30. excellent point

i've been perplexed about it, and your explanation makes a lot of sense. I think you're right. Well, i'm feeling somewhat less angry at him now.

But the problem remains, what can we do besides grudgingy support him?

:(

[MedicalAdmin]

36. That is likely true.

This is what the logical outcome of investing your hopes in a guru or leader figure. What we need to do is take action ourselves and radicalize our own areas.

As Dr. Dean showed, a 50 state strategy is a winning strategy and I would go farther to say that we need a strategy that takes it to the fascists region by region, district by district all the way down to the dogcatcher level. As the late great P. Moynahan said, all politics is local.

[xxqqqzme]

48. Couldn't agree more.

In March my assembly district asked me to be the Democratic Party name on the ballot. I agreed. I got quite an education by being a candidate. I had friends that ran for city council & college district trustee(non-partisan). Those local elections were more important to me than my own campaign because those positions affect my community directly. An assembly seat is a step away. They won byw.

[12AngryBorneoWildmen]

65. That's Tip O'Neill's Phrase nt

[drmeow]

44. Sadly the biggest barrier

has been his own party.

[BrklynLiberal]

56. VERY, VERY well said.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[ncrainbowgrrl]

6. Laugh or Cry... Laugh or cry... Laugh or Cry?

I'm not sure which to do...

[Catherina]

80. Cry. Inside, it's a long, hurtful cry. n/t

[CakeGrrl]

142. Nothing to laugh about either way

It's telling how many are posting LAUGHS about even the implication. But not surprising considering some of the sources.

[EFerrari]

154. I know. But I suspect the truth is any president

from here on out is going to scan just like that.

[TexasObserver]

7. Powerful and scary.

[Bonobo]

9. Ooooof! nt

[Fleshdancer]

10. holyfuckingcrap

It's one thing for me to briefly think this, but for other countries to say it?? Ouch.

[MedicalAdmin]

37. It shouldn't surprise you.

Unlike American's, many citizens of other countries are both interested and aware of what is happening around the world.

[dbmk]

148. Countries?

One cartoonist is Canada?

Do you know who drew this? What his political views are? Who he works for? Was it commisioned or not?

You can do better.

[Name removed]

155. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

162. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[uppityperson]

174. psst, 1 cartoonist is not a whole country.

"but for other countries to say it?" It is a cartoonist who is saying this, not a country.

[burrowowl]

11. VERY GOOD!

[XemaSab]

12. The burn!

It BURNS! :o

[RKP5637]

13. Ohhhhhhh!!! n/t

[alittlelark]

14. I wanna laugh and cry.....

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. My oh my....

Revealing indeedy.

[whatchamacallit]

16. Satirists seem to have a better grasp of reality. K&R (nt)

[UrbScotty]

140. Reality?! There's almost NO comparison between those two.

[highprincipleswork]

145. Really?

I was so offended when Fred Armisen started doing his Barack imitation on Saturday Night Live.

I've just recently started thinking he may not be so far off. The ineffectual intellectualizing. The canned quality of the speeches, meaning they don't stand up with the heart and soul and intention that brings them to concrete action.

No, I feel swindled, so far. Very willing, however, to become surprised at how effective he will become. But still waiting for the moment when he can lead this nation out of its very present troubles into some very real solutions that ordinary people can see and feel.

I thought when Velma Hart confronted the President - that was a crucial moment. We have all had such high hopes for this man. And yet his administration keeps doing the wrong-headed Democrat tactics of capitulation, weakness, poor messaging, and getting blamed for things even like TSA - which manages to piss of everyone of all political stripes just about equally.

Ham-fisted? I'm afraid this President and his administration have some very, very big problems. How do I know that? Lifelong Liberal and Democrat, and I've never been more angry and sometimes despairing than I am right now.

[nofurylike]

17. unrec

[Tesha]

149. Can you "unrec" reality? Does that work? (NT)

[nofurylike]

158. why, where is some? Obama=*shrub sure is not it. nt

[Name removed]

164. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nofurylike]

172. you think that was subtle? wow. i am fully aware of what has

taken place here, and in this country, and of how mistaken so many here are.


i won't be back to reply further, so don't be troubling yourself with looking further than you already do.

thanks!

[Tsiyu]

18. One cartoon says it all

I feel no hope.

I see no change.

All i see is average Americans getting screwed left and right, while guys like Chertoff make millions in their entitlements.

We "little folks" are only their playthings.

I cannot adequately express how disgusted I am...


IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS WAY UNDER A DEM PREZ.

[Greyhound]

27. Not playthings, livestock. n/t

[54anickel]

58. Still nothing but fodder units...n/t

[woo me with science]

108. "Human resources."

A relative was talking about that term the other night.

[bvar22]

116. Talk about cattle...

Wait until 2014 when 40+ Million Americans are herded into the "Exchange Pens" where the For Profit Health Insurance Cartel will divide up the herd, and commence with The Great Mandated Shearing.

They won't be happy being forced to come out of their pocket to BUY Insurance they can't afford to use (High Deductible/High Co-Pay).
They WILL blame the Democrats....and rightly so.

ALL the Republicans have to do is sit back and say, "Yep. We opposed it."
Democrats will be unelectable for a generation.

[MissDeeds]

40. Well said

I agree completely. "IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS WAY UNDER A DEM PREZ." Truer words were never spoken.

[The Doctor.]

19. Of Course! Obama is EXACTLY the same as Bush!

Nothing could possibly make more sense!

He was born into money and power, failed upwards his entire life, was a C student, a womanizer, an alcoholic coke-head, a PNAC puppet installed in office for the sake of launching wars in the Middle East, a personal embarrassment to the US in every foreign nation he made a diplomatic faux-pas, the vast majority of the world despises him, he has blown off warnings about terrorsts entirely, corporations and their minions LOVE him, he has helped funnel billions of dollars to his cronies' and father's business interests, he is inarticulate, intellectually incurious, and can't pronounce the word 'nuclear'.

Can't even tell which one I'm talking about, can you?
:eyes:
Sometimes you people are just children.

[Tsiyu]

25. You describe the past

How about the now?

Bush couldn't be happier with a Dem POTUS who won't prosecute war crimes, who won't undo the Patriot Act, who won't end the wars, who won't end the War on Drugs (his DEA is still attacking medical cannabis dispensaries) who appoints every conservative Repuke he can find to important positions, who appointed the lovely CatFood Commission that is about to screw us all over. Bush absolutely drools over a DEM POTUS Who loves reagan and disses FDR, who expects us all to just take the TSA atrocity (if it's only "frustrating," why doesn't the entire First Family go through the TSA lines and get molested? Oh Wait! That's only for us Little people!) He lets corporations and bankers get away with fucking us over more and more a until soon we will have nothing in this nation worth fighting for.

Why the hell spend trillion on "fighting them over there" if over here is just one vast shithole for the majority of us?

Big differnce between the two? So Obama can enunciate better?

that makes it all better . Gag me....

[Goldstein1984]

29. You could say Obama is worse because...

He doesn't remember where he came from.

At least Bush was faithful to his class.

Obama sold out the people who elected him by becoming what they were voting against.

[FrancisTreptoe]

64. Exactly

Excellent post sir.

[Lorien]

97. It's the perfect cover for continuing an unpopular far Right agenda

The people were desperate for change after eight years of Bush, so how does one continue his disastrous policies without a huge outcry from the masses? Run a charismatic candidate who promises Change and wears the (D) behind his name, but who actually intends to Change little to nothing. The Right will scream that he's "too Liberal" no matter how Right/ Authoritarian his policies are and push him even further right, and the Left, divided, will cheer him on and even adopt his hard Right policies as their own-or object and be labeled as "traitors", "purists" and "fucking retards". With such confusion stemming from branding the wealthy elite can continue their looting and plundering unhampered by any real opposition. It's time that all Americans-Left, Right and Center- wake up the the game and do all they can to put an end to it.

[FiveGoodMen]

109. Exactly.

Just fucking exactly.

I don't think there's any room for doubt anymore.

[howmad1]

123. Barack Hussein Obama.

Best thing that ever happened to the rethuglican party.

[immoderate]

45. Wonder why George Bush doesn't criticize Obama?

--imm

[The Doctor.]

46. He doesn't know HOW.

Bush would have to have some kind of policy stance of his own. He doesn't. He just wants to sell books and watch baseball.

Comparing Obama to Bush as though there were anything more than circumstantial similarities, as though there were fundamental similarities, is an exercise in deliberate ignorance.

[immoderate]

52. Granted Obama is a different kind of tool of the plutocracy.

All of his policies accidentally benefit the rich, where Bush did it on purpose. I'm convinced.

--imm

[JoeyT]

81. Yep, completely circumstantial.

Well, except for the complete disregard for civil liberties. And the military misadventures. And the war crimes. Can't forget the tax cuts for the rich either.

Now that I think of it, that was mostly what we were pissed at Bush for. I didn't give a shit that he couldn't say "nuclear", I cared about secret prisons, PATRIOT Acts, "collateral damage", bankrupting the country with war, torture, and the "Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the rest!" attitude. All of which are still going on with at the very least grudging support from the current administration. Sometimes the support is quite enthusiastic, even if it means having to tell liberals to shut up.

But yeah, it's all different because....because...Just because. Because it's our guy doing it, so it doesn't matter that we're being asked to support war crimes, torture, war for profit, and a boot on the neck of anyone that isn't in the top 5%.

[The Doctor.]

89. Ok, Obama is as bad as and identical to Bush. You Win.

I can't argue with hyperbole.

[Name removed]

94. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Doctor.]

104. I'd ask you to explain yourself, but since your statement is irrelevant

I doubt you'd have much to say.

I'll explain my point though; Bush and Obama are only alike to people who deliberately IGNORE the stunning and almost entirely diametrically opposed differences between them.

Therefore, considering them similar in any significant way requires deliberate ignorance.

Any similarities exist coincidentally to the position. Are there such similarities? Sure. But to consider them fundamentally similar is an admission of deliberate ignorance.

Now, I understand that any sophomore can slap some Latin in a post and feel clever about it, so I'll leave you with this;

"Cata Morio argutia vapide"

There's a joke in there if you read close enough.

[Name removed]

113. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Doctor.]

141. That's twice you've said nothing relevant, yet I'm the 'joke'?

Twice you've commented on me rather than on the points in question.

Twice, 'Catherina', you've resorted to ad-hominem attacks and utterly avoided making a point, yet seem convinced of your superiority.

So do you have anything of value or import to say?

[galileoreloaded]

54. Why would he make fun of him or criticize? Obama is CASH MONEY to these guys.

Where you been?

[Edweird]

78. As I understand it, it's considered very poor form to do so.

[immoderate]

92. That is true. But we're talking about W Bush.

Actually, I think it's a result of strong advice from his family and friends. At least the dictum to "remain silent and be thought a fool rather than speak out and remove the doubt" would apply here.

So I admit there may be something more than Obama adopting Bush's policies at play here.

--imm

[bvar22]

119. LOL...Strawman.

Nobody is saying that Bush & Obama are the same.
Even the cartoonist is NOT saying that.
He clearly shows them as being quite different on the outside.

The fact that there ARE differences does NOT negate the fact that in surprisingly many areas Obama continues with Bush policy, especially in Foreign Policy, Foreign Trade, and Foreign WARS.

[The Doctor.]

167. Nobody is saying it except the OP... and yes, the cartoonist is clearly stating

that they are the same in every way but cosmetic.

"He clearly shows them as being quite different on the outside."

Right; they are superficially different. That means they are profoundly similar according to the OP.

The 'similarities' you point out, the VAST majority of them were thrust upon Obama by the fuck up of Bush.

Believing otherwise means being ignorant of the dynamics of the situation that you can research and look at with your own eyes that Bush dumped on Obama.

Apologies, but since I can never be sure whether I'll be wasting my time trying to educate the deliberately ignorant or the earnestly interested, I'll refrain from doing the research for you.

If you like learning, then try this;

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-10-10/tom-donilon-and-obamas-war-with-the-pentagon/

Obama and Bush the same? When Bush disagreed with the Pentagon, he wanted escalation.

How is that 'the same'?

[leeroysphitz]

126. They both tried to take our Social Security...

[The Doctor.]

144. When did Obama do this?

I'm really quite curious. One of us is not living in reality at the moment. If it's me, I'd like to know.

[leeroysphitz]

150. You're right.

Alan Simpson was put on the cat food commission to make sure S.S. remains untouched. I must have forgotten.

:eyes:

[The Doctor.]

165. So that constitutes a past attempt to take away social security by Obama?

Ok, so when did Alan Simpson attempt to take away SS?

[avaistheone1]

163. I don't remember Bush sending the TSA down our pants.

Yes, in several significant ways Obama is worse than Bush.

[mdmc]

20. ..

[Little Star]

21. Tooooooooo funny!

[Vinca]

22. Ouch is right. Sure hope the POTUS sees it.

[TBF]

23. Very nicely done. nt

[Odin2005]

26. LOL!

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[swilton]

34. We can't see the forest through the trees

Sometimes it takes an outsider to point out the obvious.

[Stellar]

35. Let me see......

The question is, would I rather be felt up or blown up.....

[MedicalAdmin]

38. Now featuring false analogies.

Next up, red herrings.


Care to try again. Your supposition that getting felt up while less that 20% of cargo is even scanned or searched means that we are safer is a huge FAIL.

[liberation]

47. Zee good American has spoken...

... nice to see Dems now using the old republican meme of "if you don't have anything to hide..." in a new and improved bullshit quick fallacy.

[awoke_in_2003]

128. the major difference....

between bush and Obama- if these "enhanced" pat-downs occurred on bush's watch, we would be 100% against it (same thing with the patriot act and military surges and occupations).

[Lucky 13]

69. Those who would give up their freedoms for temporary security deserve neither.

[rug]

75. What's the likelihood of being blown up versus being felt up?

And does the feeling up eliminate the likelihood of you being blown up?

[JoeyT]

84. If you're that afraid of being killed by something that has less than a one in

a million chance of killing you over the course of your lifetime, then I suggest professional therapy.
Especially if you're so terrified you'll demand people forfeit any say in what happens to their bodies.

So by all means, let them feel you up, but don't ask that others allow the same.

[Romulox]

39. Nailed it. nt

[bigwillq]

41. ha ha

:rofl:

[n2doc]

42. ouch (From the USA)

[blackspade]

43. EEEOUCH!

In the context of the police state apparatus, sadly accurate....

[cleanhippie]

49. BAM!

[Stoic]

50. This is SO innacurate

Bush NEVER was a groveling Bipartisan.

[FrancisTreptoe]

72. As true as that may be

With the current crop of incoherent GOP leaders, what does Bipartisanship even offer anyways? It's not like the GOP brings any intellectual substance to the table anyways. His compromises have left some of GB's policies in place( ex. DADT/Gitmo bay/the wars), thus the reasoning for the cartoon.

[mlevans]

86. There is no bipartisanship.

Only buy-partisanship and bought-partisanship.

[woo me with science]

110. +1000 nt

[awoke_in_2003]

129. That post deserves a rec. nt

[KarenS]

105. +1000 for this statement!!!! n/t

[LWolf]

51. k&r

[colsohlibgal]

53. Too Close To The Truth

I so wish it was not so but so far change I can believe in....not so much.

[BrklynLiberal]

55. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

:wow:

A cartoon is worth a million words....

[SourFlower]

57. Ouch, indeed.

Thanks for posting!

[Dinger]

59. Ouch Indeed K & R (nt)

[leftstreet]

60. oh ouch

[felix_numinous]

61. I believe President Obama is surrounded by the old guard,

remembering what they did when Carter was president, how they ruined his public image. Although I disagree strongly with how our country is sliding to the right, I am thankful to have President Obama in the WH. Really who could do better than him? Dennis Kucinich's message is thwarted by a successful character assassination campaign, all of the representatives on the left are like salmons swimming against a torrential current.

We have a choice of moving slower to the right with the Democratic Party in the WH, or flying at warp speed toward a police state with the Republican Party in the WH. With Republicans in office we have NO voice, and it would be open season on all people other than the rabid right.

If we have any chance at all to thwart big money control of our government, it will be during a Democratic administration. They are the place holders while we work from the grassroots up. This is how I see things. I think we can disagree with public policy without destroying our chances in 2012.

[Lucky 13]

70. So those are our choices? Moving quickly to the right vs. moving slowly to the right?

Fuck no to both those choices.

[felix_numinous]

120. I don't like it either

but it looks like that is what is going on, unless it changes. And if we cannot change things through petitioning, calling, voting and demonstrating, I cringe at the alternative.

[tomp]

125. that is what's going on unless it changes? forgive me but....

....DUH! of course what is is until what is changes.

you may not realize it but you have completely summed up what the democratic party offers the people. please try to realize, the more you perpetuate these memes the more you are part of the problem.

cringing at the thought of revolution never stopped a revolution, it only perhaps delayed it.

and besides, peaceful revolution is possible, but it will take extremely creative leaders, who seem to be absent at the moment.

[awoke_in_2003]

130. if we had an informed...

and dedicated public, the only thing that would be needed is a general work strike. Shut the mother fucker down for one week and action would occur. Too bad we have become soft. As much as a lot of dumbass Americans hate France, they are an excellent model.

[felix_numinous]

147. I agree

the art of civil disobedience is an art--and to do it with Fox news and teabaggers around would require special skills.

[frazzled]

62. Except 36 Canadian airports use full-body scanners, too

And their pat-down procedure apparently allows feeling inside the waistband of trousers or skirts.

So, um ... put Stephen Harper, the Candian PM on there too?

[Lucky 13]

71. So if Canada does it...

So now because a handful of other countries do it, we should do it too? That's an awful slippery slope. BTW check the american version of this cartoon upthread. Can't pin that to Canadian hypocrisy.

[frazzled]

87. No, I'm just saying Canada has no room to criticize

That is all.

[Lucky 13]

101. When you compare Canada's 36 machines and no genital grabbing pat-downs

to our current system... Yeah... they got some room to criticize.

Don't you see it's because we hold ourselves up as an example of "freedoms" and "civil liberties", but have quickly moved to a totalitarian police state mentality. This latest round of infractions started with BUSH and the Patriot Act, but OBAMA is pushing it one step further. In that respect they are the same. They are following the same trajectory.

Why can't some people admit that this administration CAN AND IS behind a bad policy? Can you admit that Obama can make a mistake? Have you agreed with EVERYTHING he's done? This whole thing is fucked up and you know it. And if you don't know it, that's shocking.

[frazzled]

122. Not 36 machines: 36 airports -- all Canadian airports

And I also said that pat-downs can be invasive there, too.

Please read.

[Lucky 13]

159. See, for me, the difference is the genital grabbing...

Checking the waistband sucks too, but not nearly as horrible as getting your genitals fondled by a total stranger in front of a crowd.

But hey... That's just me. If you're cool with getting your junk or lady junk grabbed, or watching it happen to you wife and young children, well then I gotta hand it to you... You are a much less sensitive individual than I. I'll let you enjoy your groping in peace.

Really though the cartoon has absolutely nothing to do with Canada. It's merely a comparison of these two u.s. administrations' policies. In this regard Obama is similar to Bush... Actually worse. I never got my genitals grabbed when bush was president. BO just took it all one step further.

So here's my question for you... Is it the message you have a problem with or the messenger? Cause there's an American version of this cartoon as well. Removing your perceived Canadian hypocrisy, can you admit that the message us scathing... And accurate?

[frazzled]

166. WIse up, bub --there's no genital grabbing the the whole thing is a ...

Koch Brothers, lobbyist-generated, fraud. Read and feel ashamed of yourself

http://www.thenation.com/article/156647/tsastroturf-washington-lobbyists-and-koch-funded-libertarians-behind-tsa-scandal

[Lucky 13]

169. My my! Your screen name so accurately reflects your personality!

However, I'm afraid your affectionate nickname for me: "bub", does not accurately capture my essence. Is it short for Bubba? Bubbela? Bubble gum? Bubbly? I'm confused. Please clarify!

Anywho... I enjoy the Nation quite frequently, but must disagree with them in this case. Yes, I have ZERO doubt that there are those out there with alterior motives for being angry about this and will latch on to any reason to be angry at Obama's and Pelosi's government.

However, unlike those conspiracy nuts, I do not take my cues from the media, the corporatocracy, or the republican establishment. I am well-educated and can think for myself quite nicely, thank you.

I issue with the prospect of allowing strangers to see my naked body or having my genitals touched in front of a crowd of people. That's not really my style. (If you're down with it... more power to you Fraz! I'm not one to judge!) These things are MOST CERTAINLY happening. Trying to say it isn't happening should make YOU be ashamed of YOURSELF and your unwillingness to be sensitive to the experiences of your fellow citizens.

We are guaranteed a few basic rights in this country. One of them is the restriction on our GOVERNMENT (TSA, CIA, FBI, ATF, local police, etc.) to not subject its citizens to search and seizure without cause. I am upset with this violation of my constitutional right, just as I am upset with wiretapping, reading of private emails and correspondence, abandonment of habeus corpus, and a thousand other little erosions that have happened since 2001 and probably before that.

If you are fine surrendering your rights fought so hard for us by our forefathers, that's cool. Follow the sheep. Don't think too much. Do what you're told. Obey. Comply. Trust the government want what's best for us. But if you give half a fuck about the erosion of personal freedoms, you'll wake the fuck up and see that this is not a republican-democrat issue. This is much bigger than that.

And it is my DUTY as an American citizen to voice my objection to this.

Hope you have a fabulous, safe, genital grabbing free Thanksgiving!

[inna]

177. actually, it is you who should "feel ashamed of yourself":

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/11/24/tyner/index.html

[Jed28]

115. But.....

...that cartoon doesn't represent Canada. Like the United States, people in Canada have different opinions on a varied number of contentious issues. Just like there are some people in the U.S. who think Mr. Obama is "Bush lite" because he hasn't fulfilled their expectations, some people in Canada, and the rest of the world, have similar opinions.

Ultimately, we all live on the same patch of dirt we call Earth. It's the same bit of dirt that our children and grandchildren will inherit. Bad policies are bad policies, wherever they come from.

[CreekDog]

135. why not? i criticized Harper when we had Bush --why the hell not?

:wtf:

[Lucky 13]

160. Shut yer trap boy! Here in Amerka we don't take kindly to foreigners criticizing out shit.

Seriously, if it's not an echo chamber of praise for prez, they don't want to hear it... Not from Americans, French, canadiens, or anyone else that has a damn opinion.

[Jed28]

73. Harper is a Neo-Con

"In Harper, Flanagan finally had his dream candidate to carry the neo-conservative torch: an alter ego whose benign boyish good looks belied the radical agenda they shared. Says Cooper: “Tom understands that Stephen is a guy who has the capability of changing what the country looks like.” "


http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/the-man-behind-stephen-harper-tom-flanagan/9/


"But back in Alberta, Ted Byfield, the unabashed voice of the West since the Calgary School’s professors were pups, sees it another way – in terms Leo Strauss might have approved. “All these positions which Harper cherishes are there because of a group of people in Calgary – Flanagan most prominent among them,” Byfield says. “I don’t think he knows how to compromise. It’s not in his genes. The issue now is: how do we fool the world into thinking we’re moving to the left when we’re not?”"

http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/the-man-behind-stephen-harper-tom-flanagan/10/


An interesting read if you are inclined.

The Harper Government is following the same model Republicans have been following since W. was elected. Like W., Harper blew a surplus that the previous Liberal leaning Government left him. Cut taxes. Run up deficits. Gives tax breaks to Corporations that don't need it. Spend billions on jets, G-20 meetings, mega-prisons, etc... Run up the National Debt. It's only a matter of time before we'll be told that public health care and social programs are unsustainable, etc...

The only reason we have weathered the recession better that others is because of a regulated financial system that was in place well before the Harper Government was elected. Certainly not because of anything the Harper Government has done.

[CreekDog]

134. Canadians do view Stephen Harper as their version of Bush --where have you been?

:eyes:

[Beacool]

63. Oh, my............

:rofl:

[HipChick]

66. Could be construed as racist..

Chimp pic..hence obligatory TSA person of color

[Lorien]

88. That's one hell of a reach. nt

[Lucky 13]

102. I hope you are kidding.

Otherwise, completely ridiculous...

[HipChick]

132. Nope...apparently its making the rounds in RW racist emails...so I was surprized to see here

as a laughing point on DU..

[Ganja Ninja]

68. Nailed it. n/t

[Swampguana]

74. So this how we look?

[slay]

76. Wow

that's sadly way too close to the truth.. :(

[Initech]

77. Ouch indeed!

[skyounkin]

79. OH SNAP!!

That is a fucking snap and a half!

WOW!

Bwhahahahahahahah!!

[AllyCat]

82. I have given up all illusion that anyone other than the corporations run this country

I keep calling, writing, and talking to neighbors and coworkers, because I cannot give up, but ultimately, they run it all. And we keep asking for it.

[MShakely]

83. The policies

certainly do have continuity.

Obama has always been a pretty conservative politician and certainly sent out many signals to the electorate that his administration would be in keeping with the desires of big business.

Good to see a place on the web where Obama is seen for what he is.

[Lorien]

91. Welcome to DU MShakely!

:hi:

He's seen for what he is by most of us here, but if you take a peek into General Discussion: Presidency you'll see that he also has an avid fan base here who will gladly alter their positions on the issues when directed to by this White House. There are also a few professionals who work 24/7 to push the entire party to the hard right, but they have little success here.

[Lorien]

85. The truth hurts

boy, does it ever! :-(

[Chimichurri]

90. Great cartoon. Sad reality.

[Catherina]

95. Ouch indeed but right on the money. n/t

[asdjrocky]

96. For sure.

They are all the same and they all tow the same company line, they just change up the words a bit so they can get people to vote.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

98. Transparency in Government. Or, Transparency of Government. K&R

[ut oh]

99. LOL! n/t

[mzmolly]

100. Or, Ouch from the "Gore = Bush" crowd.

I'm sorry to see some in Canada taking the bait.

This is the last straw for me. 160 recs for this?

Enjoy the new Third-Party Underground.

[Lucky 13]

103. Bye

:hi:

[Bobbie Jo]

121. Going somewhere?

Or were you just being a jerk?

[Lucky 13]

157. No, see the poster seemed to indicate he/she was parting ways from DU.

I just was saying goodbye cause it seemed the neighborly thing to do.

And dear me, no I am not going anywhere! Things just seem to be heating up and damn if I don't have a lot of opinions I love sharing with you all. Thanks for you concern though!!

:hi:

[Bobbie Jo]

168. It was a rhetorical question, of course.

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply (e.g.: "Why me?")

Rhetorical questions encourage the listener to think about what the (often obvious) answer to the question must be. When a speaker states, "How much longer must our people endure this injustice?", no formal answer is expected. Rather, it is a device used by the speaker to assert or deny something.

At any rate...thanks for the confirmation. :hi:

[Lucky 13]

170. Ah! I HAD considered that!

"Frequently, a rhetorical question is a tool people use in debate to avoid making an outright declaration, but at the same time still being able to make a point. If called out on the point later, or shown that it was not accurate, the speaker can then claim it was only a question."

Just to be on the safe side, I thought I'd best answer your question honestly in the slim chance it was asked from a place of concern and not sarcasm.

Ironically, this has made me realize you and I have something in common: We are BOTH jerks!

:hi:

[Barack_America]

106. Make that 166 recs.

Thanks for the reminder that I had forgotten to rec it!

[Lucky 13]

112. I see you around here a lot...

and have noticed we agree on many topics, particularly in opposition to decisions Obama has made recently and I was just wondering...

Do you ever regret your screen name choice? Or are you ok with it? Do you ever want to change it? Weird question... I know...


I defended him to the teeth up until about May or June of this year, when he just lost me. It took quite a bit to get me to that point considering how vested I was in him. But there was a point I couldn't make excuses for him anymore. But despite my severe displeasure with how he has chosen to run things, I have yet to take the Obama/Biden sticker off my car. I don't know why. It's like that sad little oval sticker is the last tangible thing linking me to all the hope I had for him and the country back in 2008. It's like I still WANT him to do good... I still WANT to believe in him... and I don't want to admit it's completely in the shitter... even though my head tells me different.


Anyway, weird tangent. Just wondering if you felt anything similar with your screen name...

[Barack_America]

117. I like my screen name now.

I like to think it demonstrates the true supporters Obama has lost with his actions, which is exactly what happened with me. And hey, none of the fervent supporters can ever accuse me of never supporting Obama!

But there was definitely a time when I regretted it. People seemed to be confused by and suspicious of many of my posts due to the screen name behind them. That was frustrating.

It sounds like our understanding of the reality of the situation took a similar course. I went from giddy enthusiasm of the many changes sure to come...to anger towards the Republicans and conservative Democrats who were interfering with Obama's plans...to blaming the "bad influences" he had around him...to realizing Obama probably actually was the driving force behind this crap (when the public option was killed)...to wondering whether Obama ever really believed anything he campaigned on...to the awareness that he was certainly no liberal and "Obama '08" was just a brilliant marketing scheme.

I've pretty much gotten over the anger of being made a fool of and am mostly just left with a great sorrow for what might have been. We had a real chance to change the course of history. What a terrible opportunity to waste.

[UrbScotty]

139. Indeed. I'd expect more DUers to base their opinions on reality.

What a damn shame that so many, don't.

[Name removed]

107. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[woo me with science]

111. K&R nt

[RufusTFirefly]

114. Help! We need a bigger bus!!

Gotta have something large enough to throw all of Canada under it.

[leeroysphitz]

124. FTW

Except that we all lose.

[Honeycombe8]

127. A sad day, when this is considered funny on DU. Vote Republican, is what you're saying.

No difference.

Well, we may get to see what Republican is all about soon. We saw what it was all about from 2000 through 2008.

Both parties are beholden to special interests, it's true. But there are clear differences between the parties.

[hay rick]

137. The pictures are similar, not identical.

And the difference between Obama and Bush is the difference between bad and worse. And I don't consider the cartoon "funny haha" or even funny- just devastatingly true.

[Honeycombe8]

171. How sad...for DU, for the Democrats, for you. That you have forgotten so soon...

what it was like for 8 years under Bush, and the 8 years under Reagan.

Well, you may get to re-live it.

There are clear differences between the parties (that is, between Bush and Obama).

Obama is an environmentalist, and supports the Dem. Party platform, which is lower taxes for the middle class, safety net for the poor, helping the poor and middle class with education costs, supports repealing DADT, is against deporting illegal immigrants, women's rights, minority rights, science, etc., etc.

The Republican Party platform (that is, Bush) is very different from the Obama (Democratic Party) platform.

You have forgotten.

[Scurrilous]

133. Unrecc.

[NYMdaveNYI]

136. ZING! nt

[UrbScotty]

138. The CONTEMPT on DU for our very successful President... it's disgusting!

Thanks to this President, I can stay on my parents' insurance for a few more years.

Thanks to this President, countless jobs have been created or saved.

Thanks to this President, no insurance company can deny my family coverage based on a pre-existing condition.

If it was up to Bush, chances are, more of us would be DEAD.

Thank goodness our current President

How this President bears ANY resemblance to his predecessor, is beyond me.

It's sad to see this kind of ignorance slip across the border.

Wanna bash Obama? At least have something credible to bash him on.

[CakeGrrl]

143. Red meat for the long-time hate and derision crowd - they're lovin' it. n/t

[uppityperson]

175. Yup. eom

[Canuckistanian]

146. And that's from my local paper

Normally a rightish kind of rag.

But I'm sure they'd get a kick out of American lefties commenting on it like this.

[Scurrilous]

151. CanWest = Rightwing neocon trash.

And look at the 'liberals' lapping it up.:puke:

[HEyHEY]

152. I'd say they're more incompetent than neocon

[Name removed]

153. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[HipChick]

156. Yep...I was ridiculed for saying it was RW crap ...it's being forwarded around in racist RW emails

[Quantess]

161. Nobody likes this "enhanced" TSA screening.

Just because Obama endorses it does not mean we have to like it.

[MrScorpio]

173. Isn't the Ottawa Citizen as rabid right wing rag that was own by Conrad Black?

I know that "The enemy of my enemy is my friend", but I'm not comfortable that a winger paper is so celebrated around here.

[Canuckistanian]

176. Sure is

It's hardly a paper that champions left-wing causes.