vildemose

AO - compared to the 80's Moral Majority! YES.

But, as I said, there are still pockets who subscribe to all three.

Of course, NRA always sticks to Guns, and many republican candidates still bring up the decline of moral fortitude in the US society as well as carrying NRA cards.  But, compared to the 80's Moral Majority crowd such as Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson..... there is a substantial decline.

AO W didn't get his SS reform through either in his 1st or 2nd

Social Security reform was W's campaign promise like healthcare and Obama but he didn't get it through.  He actually didn't get anything through other than that tax cut which BTW ends in December.

I think for the 2 years that Obama has been in charge he's done a lot.  I'm not disagreeing with many of your points, I'm just saying there is more good than bad in him in what he has done so far, much more good.

The elitist sticker sticks to only Beck/Palin/Hannity group and not the main stream, in my opinion.  One of Palin's lines which I thought was hilarious was when she said "You know President Obama, the American people gave you 2 years to get this right but you didn't ..."  Whoa! 2 whole freaking years!  And she forgets Presidency is 4 years not like the WHOLE 2 years for a US Congressman.  TWO YEARS! 

Everything is sacred

MM, you think that God, Guns and Gays has faded away?!!

What do you think the Tea Party is all about?  It's the Moral Majority in a cheap tuxedo (or a cheap Benjamin Franklin wig for that matter).  

Anonymouse

Obama couldn't get his party in line because he didn't put his foot down and say "I want this done", like Bush did with his horrendous tax cuts for the rich back in 2001 (before 9/11).  Had he done so, his party would have gotten the courage to back him up.  The minute he showed the slightest sign of compromise, his party fell apart, and along with it the plan.

Also, he should have been stronger in defending himself and his plans.  As Hitchens points out, his "poo pooing" of what was said about him made him come across as an elitist, which is something that is also resented by the Joe Six pack American.   

Bavafa: I too have been

Bavafa: I too have been wanting to move. I love to move to Berlin.

MM: spot on. However, I

MM: spot on. However, I don't think the economy is going to turn around anytime soon. This time there is no pendulum. The rot is irreversible.

2012 Elections

will be the one to follow. Who will the GOP nominate?

- Romney?

- Palin (yikes)

- Mike Hukabee - The American Velayat-e Faghih?

Or some other yet unknow "rising Star" who'll save Ameirca from the grips of socialism? The one who'll save America...blah..blah...?

In any case, it's gonna get ugly.

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IRAN FIRST

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I visited that part of the world a few years back

Nice to visit but not so much to live, at least for my interests.

On the subject of American politics and its future… I believe this country is doomed. We have become too greedy, too lazy, too polarized and one thing is none existence any more is accountability. We have become a nation of borrowers and living beyond our means. This is both reflective of government and individuals.

it has been a few years now that I have been campaigning to my wife to agree to move. New Zealand is my first choice, only if she would have agreed to it.

Mehrdad

Vildemose - election results is a knee-jerk reaction 2 economy

The election results we just went through is, first of all, a knee-jerk reaction to a bad economy.  I quote a famous line from Bill Clinton's adviser, James Carville, "Its about economy stupid".

Secondly, the democrats, unfortunately, do not emphasize their accomplishments, and instead, let the other side define them.

Lastly, we have seen similar groups as "the Tea Party" in the 80's in the rise of the Moral Majority.  Remember them and their famous platform of GGG (God, Guns, Gays) which gradually faded in the dust-storm of time?  Well, some remnants remains, though.

The true nature of the TeaBaggers will also be exposed to the American voters after the anger over the economy has subsided and we will see how incompetent and narrow-minded they are.

Cambodia is actually a nice place to visit.

Cambodia and Southeast Asia is sort of like going through Europe.  You can visit the Killing Fields and then the rest of Cambodia's landscape.  Here's a photo essay about Cambodia.  And then you can take a tour to Vietnam,Hong Kong or Thailand.  I'd like to visit that area some day.  

Everything is sacred

Beloved escapee! You're

Beloved escapee! You're exhibit number one  that even Cambodia is not far enough to get away from right wing loons. Don't you have to kill some people somewhere to feel FREE??

Monda jan thanks. On a second thought, I think Cambodia is not far enough to get away from the teabagger's "movement"? Do you have a better suggestion?

Here is what happens almost in every election cycle: 

1. The conservative electorate practically always votes. Whether they are rich or middle-class, they have a cause (the rich to prevent socialism i.e. higher taxes, the others because they hate gays, blacks, atheists, foreigners, etc.) that makes them energized and very disciplined voters.

2. The organized part of the moderate/ liberal electorate usually votes (they are afraid of conservative extremism, and have some hope in change for the better)

3.  The poorer, less educated part of electorate usually does not vote. They don't understand or don't care for electoral politics. They don't believe in change.

I'll go with you Vildemose

But why Cambodia?! You wrote a nice blog, thank you.

I think you will be disappointed

 Cambodia is probably a little too free for you.

AO ramming it down GOP's throat was not that easy.

There were just too many variables and too many calculations to consider to think that the healthcare bill could have been rammed down their throat!

For one there were the blue dog Democrats who were all antsy and drama queens who wouldn't vote yes and in the end Democrats won the vote by about 9 or 10 votes.

On the Senate side Senator Byrd had to be wheeled in in his wheelchair on Christmas eve to cast the "deciding" vote!

In the end the bill that became law wasn't the one that usually comes out of a reconciliation chamber.  House HAD to approve the Senate bill, by even less votes than earlier.  The lone Republican changed his YES vote and sadly he lost his re-election bid :-(

As Obama himself noted in his interview(s) with 60 minute he knew the political consequences but he decided to go along with it because this was just too important and if it didn't get done now it'd have been delayed by decades.

I also don't agree that Americans necessarily want to vote for Presidents who is a cowboy and a knucklehead.  That comparison can be made to Bush and possibly Reagan.  But in the case of W he lost the popular vote in 2000 and in 2004 he squeeked another one.

I do agree that Obama could've said alittle more about the accusations of being a Marxist and Muslim, but just a little more.  I don't think a President should respond to all the junk that is said.  I leave that to Ahmadi to be said to his face as being a mini Dictator in Columbia U or a lunatic in Faux News and all the other ones in between!

I think Obama is on the right track for his Presidency and as long as he keeps Healthcare funded and on schedule he's accomplished far more than any recent president.  I also believe he'll be re-elected and am very happy that for the past 2 years I did not have to witness the dumbass W making stupid remarks or McCain/Palin for that matter! 

W said to Hannity that America didn't elect Shakespeare!  Was Shakspeare responsible for saying you're doing a great job Brownie, or Mission Accomplished?! 

Everything is sacred

Bavafa jan

Politics is a vicious game and Politicians are M... F ..ers.. excuse my Swedish there. They will tell you anything you wanna hear justto get your votes and that should be clear by now!

Can't unring the bell

The Republicans started this whole "tea party" bull crap.  They are the ones that feed on peoples fears and anxiety and yes racism.  It is the same tatic used by white supremacists.  They target the poor white man who is angry, unemployed, scared, bigoted, etc...  The flame existed but now it gets stoked a little.  

When people at the McCain /Palin rallies were calling President Obama a "Muslim" and a "terrorist".  That was the beginning, it was smoldering, being fanned by Sistah Sarah.  She continues to fan the fire.

Some one is going to get hurt, and bad, before this is over.  Sharon Angle warned of it with her "second amendment remedies".

 The republican guard are not going to be able to control these people.  They have Fox fanning them 24x7.  They feel righteous and indignant.  To be so bold as to make such a racist remark to Congressmen in their own building., " Tea Party members to 2 Hispanic Congressmen: 'Why don’t you go back to Mexico?

//www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/10/919084/-Tea-Party-members-to-2-Hispanic-Congressmen:-Why-dont-you-go-back-to-Mexico

Unfortunately that is what usually happens during economic downturns. The poor and unemployed  get dumber and more racist.

Aghaye Doctor Mohandes

what do you call a person who is repeatedly "fooled by the most irrelevant of slogans"????

But I agree completely with AO observation and the recent history of American politics is the best witness/example of this assessment.

Mehrdad

Wow Vildemose

Will you be visiting the Killing Fields?

As for American politics, I give up! This country is changing demographically, and the majority Right wingers (ie the "angry" white males) do not get it. They forget that the only constant thing is change!

This country spends more on defense than 27 other countries combined and 26 of them are American allies - Almost $900 Billion. Now the Right wants to cut the Endowment for the Arts, around $170 million dollars,  a very small fraction of total budget - Wow...such effective measure, NOT!

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IRAN FIRST

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Bavafa Don't generalize

It is not the AMerican people in general who are dumb when it comes to politics. We the "immigrant' population in the states who consider ourselves to have certain rights and want to be "represented" need to realize that sooner rather than later. and refrain from using that term when talking about the Americans.

There are voters who vote for the wrong agenda and fooled by the most irrelevant of slogans.

Sign of weakness

As a lifelong Democrat, I can tell you that Democrats STILL do not have a grip on the American psyche when it comes to politics.  The American people do not want to see a president who is intelligent, articulate and a bridge builder.  They want a cowboy as president.  They adore and admire strength and resent weakness, and they see compromise as weakness.  

Americans liked George W. Bush because he was a "my way or the highway" kind of guy, even when his approval ratings were the lowest ever and even when he had lost control of the Congress.  I bet you if Obama had stuck with his original healthcare plan and had rammed the public option down the Republicans' throats (as he should have), Democrats would be controlling the house now.  

Another problem--which again goes to his conciliatory nature-- is that he really didn't get down and dirty when the Republicans were calling him everything under the sun, including accusing him of being a "Marxist" (and Hitler at the same time).  Christopher Hitchens had a good analysis on the issue on Slate.  Here it is:

 //www.slate.com/id/2273158/

Two things baffles me the most

1- The level of dumbness of American people when it comes to politics

2 - When are Americans going to wake up from this freefall

Having said that, Obama aside, I don't think Democrat lawmakers are much better then Republicans, it has increasingly been hard to differentiate between the two.

Mehrdad