It is not our “Duty” to talk about bullsh*t.
From one of our commenters:
Meanwhile in the real world….Israel is assembling troops for a possible ground attack, the fiscal cliff crisis still looms and that pesky Benghazi investigation is heating up. Has DL gone brain dead since the election?
Let’s talk about this one by one.
1. Israel
Israel is assembling troops for a possible ground attack on Gaza, because apparently all the other previous ground attacks on Gaza and aerial bombardments of Gaza have not worked to stop the terrorists, so of course let’s try it again, and kill more innocent Palestinanian civilians in the process, for surely that will calm them all down and not create ever more terrorists.
Someone once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Thus, Israel, or more accurately, the government of Israel, is insane. Yes, they have an equally insane enemy in Hamas and the other affiliated terrorist organizations, but Israel is not an innocent victim in this ongoing saga. Its leadership has promulgated an apartheid state, occupied the West Bank and Gaza for decades, built illegal settlements and thus stole a majority of the land from the Palestinians in the West Bank, and it has acted in bad faith during any and all peace negotiations since 2000, when the last hope for any peace treaty or a two state solution was dashed by both sides.
So, they keep on killing each other, and round and round this carosel goes. But I got off it years ago, and I say now, let them all kill each other. They seem to want to kill each other so much. Let them. So when I see the news that Israel is going to invade Gaza, I yawn. You, Duty, think it is somehow worthy of our discussion. I am not sure why, for all the reasons I cite. All of this has happened before, and it will happen again.
2. The fiscal cliff crisis still looms…
That phrase probably contains more bullshit than Mitt Romney’s magic boxers. First off, it is not a crisis. Second, it is not a cliff. But it is fiscal, and it is looming. And why is the Fiscal… er ah… slope, or curb… looming? Because the Republicans in the House, the Democrats in the Senate, and the President of the United States reached a debt ceiling deal in August 2011 that required a later agreement, to be negotiated between the various sides that would incude at least $1.5 trillion in spending over the coming 10 years. The deadline for that agreement was in November 2011. They failed to reach an agreement, to the surprise of no one. But the Debt Ceiling Deal, or more accurately the Budget Control Act of 2011, provided for a punishment if everyone did not reach a deal: Automatic sequestation, or spending cuts of $1.2 trillion over the next ten years (2013-2023) to start taking affect on January 1, 2013. The cuts would be across the board, with the one exception of Social Security, and 50% of the cuts must come from the Pentagon, and 50% must come from non-defense programs, including discretionary spending, education, science, transportation and Medicare.
Congress failed to reach an agreement, and the spending cuts, which everyone claims to want anyway, are their punishment. And all this crisis is is Congress, or more accurately, the Republicans in the House, trying to avoid their punishment. In case you have not noticed, I want sequestration to take affect. Congress passed a law and by God, they are going to live with the consequences of that law.
The second part of the “cliff” “crisis” is the expiration of the Bush Tax Cuts. That is not a crisis. It is a campaign promise that the overwhelming majority of Americans want to see happen, at least with respect to the top 2%. The worst case scenario is now actually pretty damn good. The tax cuts expire on January 1, and then President Obama and the Democrats in Congress demand that Congress pass the Obama Tax Cuts for the Middle Class immediately. If the Republicans don’t pass it, the people will know who the hell is hurting them: the Republicans. And the GOP will be routed from office in 2014. And in the meantime, we get some serious revenue to close the budget deficit and pay down the debt. If they do pass them, they are the Obama Tax Cuts. Win. Win.
So as you can see, this fiscal “cliff” “crisis” is neither, but it is fiscal. And if Thelma and Louise are unavailable, then I will be happy to take the wheel and drive off it. It is actually the best policy outcome available. So embrace the “cliff.”
3. That pesky Benghazi investigation is heating up….
I think we are now conflating the Generals With Their Pants Down story with Benghazi. I could give two shits about adultery or a sex scandal, unless General Petraeus betrayed this country by revealing classified information or documents while he was getting fellated. So far, that appears to not be the case, thankfully. So there is not there there.
As for Benghazi, yes, the investigation is proceeding, as the President promised, with briefings, both closed and private and open and public (depending on the nature of the testimony, for classified information would have to be testified to in closed briefings). I would have been nice if everyone who is so concerned about the attack on our consulate in Benghazi, and desiring of an investigation to determine what happened and how best can we prevent such future attacks, would attend these briefings, both public and private. One of the Senators so concerned is Senator John McCain. And he sits on the committee that received these very important briefings yesterday. And he saw fit to not only blow off the hearing, but to instead attend a press conference so he could falsely and libelously attack Ambassador Susan Rice and President Obama.
Duty, since you are so concerned about this issue, I expect today that you will immediately call for the resignation of John McCain from the Senate, for he is in dereliction of his duty. If you do not, you, like McCain, are not to be taken seriously with respect to any issue of national security ever again.
So there, I hope I have satisfied you with discussing these oh so very important and substantial issues.
We can go back to being brain dead now.
Let’s see.
Palestinians attack Israel. Israel attacks back. People die. How many decades has this been going on?
The White House has the fiscal cliff well in hand at the moment. First course of business is posturing by all involved followed by brinksmanship before the House realizes that the tax cut will expire for everyone and will be replaced by a tax cut for the middle class.
Finally, as far as Benghazi goes, the key question was it Broadwell or Kelley or the generals, and was sex involved. Because unfortunately, when it there is a juicy scandal, nothing and I mean nothing else matters. After all we are puritans and there is nothing we like more than illict sex. It’s just so dirty!
“Finally, as far as Benghazi goes, the key question was it Broadwell or Kelley or the generals, and was sex involved. Because unfortunately, when it there is a juicy scandal, nothing and I mean nothing else matters. After all we are puritans and there is nothing we like more than illict sex. It’s just so dirty!”
Erroneous, the sex scandal part is irrelevant to the bigger issue though it is suspicious as to why this all came out after the election and before Petreous could testify today. Could be a little black mail has gone on and Petreous has been a pawn. Everybody claims to know nothing yet the investigation started in May. Another problem would be why Eric Holden would not share with the President that his CIA cheif is unde investigation. Doesn’t add up.
Regardless, Benghazi investigaion is about why the America people were repeatedly lied to when everybody knows it was a terroist attack. Protesters don’t walk around with RPGs in their pockets. Repeatedly blaming a youtube video to cover up is the issue. Susan Rice is not the issue cause she was thrown under the bus and sent out to tell what she was told. The whole mess is ridiculous. If President would have held a press conference the day after and told the truth then there would not have been any fall out. Actually getting tough and pledging to hunt down those responsible would have benefited him. The White House mis-calculated this whole issue cause an election was coming up and they see everything through a political spectrum.
@duty,
Of course the sex scandal is irrelevant, but as we all know, Americans have a prurient interest in the pecadillo of their leaders, celebrities, and other notables.
Then there are those who see conspiracy around every corner…I wonder if that could be called a prurient interest as well?
Coincidence is sometimes just that. Coincidence is far more common than most people realize but conspiracy is far more interesting.
Duty,
You have no proof that the American people were lied to. And you, like John McCain, have no interest in actually investigating what went wrong and what really happened because you just want to attack attack Obama. If McCain was interested in finding the answers, he would have attended that briefing. Since you are interesting in finding the answers, you must, today, unequivocally, call for John McCain’s resignation for dereliction of duty. If you do not, you are nothing but a Republican bomb thrower uninterested in truth or facts.
sure he does. Rush Limbaugh told him. That is all the proof these baggers need. Duty, 4 years from right now, Barack Obama will still be your president. Keep humping these conspiracies all you want, you sound like the “9/11 was an inside job” morons.
DD…. “Republican bomb thrower uninterested in truth or facts.”
redundant.
Yesterday Fox Noise reported that the consulate of Tampa Florida better known as the receiver of threatening E-Mails attended the GOP convention and attempted to do a business deal with the south Koreans. Also last week she told a reporter from Tampa that she was now a diplomat and just had breakfast at the white house. I have attempted to discover if this story is true to no avail. Any assistance in my endeavor would be most helpful.
The whole key to the fiscal cliff is forcing Republicans to make responsible decisions. We now have the ability to do just that, if Dem leaders follow through.
“Someone once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
Hamas touched the hot stove AGAIN and got the same result. Last time they wouldn’t knock off the rocket attacks, they got invaded for their pains, and then played the victim card to obtain a withdrawal and a truce. Unfortunately they used the period of relative calm to re-arm. And on and on. Gaza should come after the rocketeers with pitchforks and torches for drawing return fire.
I say the UN should recognize Palestine including Gaza as a nation, and then let them be accountable for their behavior under the rules of war.
Yes the current government of Israel is crazy, and the US should pressure Israel hard enough to dismantle most of the settlements and force them back to the table. It’s easy for me to judge though because I don’t have rockets exploding randomly in my neighborhood.
duty, Obama won. Get over it.
TT, it sounds to me that both Paula Broadwell and Jill Kelley are both certifiable (and I will clean this up) “professionals.” Especially Paula. Jill is just a high class social “hostess” But Paula is just insane. I read that she wanted to run for the U.S. Senate as a Republican in North Carolina. Seriously.
So I would put little stock in what she says. She was not a diplomat.
They are modern camp followers.
Once again, someone like duty demonstrates that the far right (RWNJs) begin their thought processes (such as it is) with beliefs. They believe something and then seek evidence that it is true, disregarding any and all evidence that does not conform to their belief. Even when there is no evidence, the belief, once it has taken hold in their mind, cannot be exorcised. For something to be true, they merely have to believe it to be true and if Limbaugh says it, that is taken as confirmation of the truth of the matter. Considering their opinion of science, it is no wonder that they fail to employ scientific methods in their thinking.
There indeed could be something more to the Beghazi affair than a lack of on ground information. There could have even been a cover up. But why would one beging with the belief? Why not wait for the evidence to clearly identify the circumstances?
Why are the women involved in these affairs whores? I mean, no… no one has said “whore” but you are saying “professional” and “camp follower” so Man-up and say “whore” if you’re going with that characterization.
Why isn’t Patraeus a pig? why isnt Bill Clinton a sleaze? It isn’t like men cant say “no”. We have no evidence this didn’t start out with the good General reminding the woman who was doing his biography how powerful he was. He seems to be a Gingrich-esqu serial adulterer. Thinking agout it, we dont know all that much about Patreaus. We know what was published in the book…. which is obviously a biased opinion. We know what the media has told us… and I trust them less than his girlfriend. We have no idea who seduced who, what the state of everyone’s marriage is, etc.
remember Mark Sanford? I kinda felt bad for that guy (as bad as one can feel for a GOP hypocritical bagger)…. I dont see much difference between what he did, and a man who, after a few decades of marriage and even a couple kids realizes he’s gay. If this is really “not the big deal” that everyone says it is, shouldnt we just ignore it completely?.
I guess the point of that is, stop calling the women involved in affairs with powerful men, whores. takes two to tango.
also, since Israel has been mentioned (i’ll only ever talk about it if someone else brings it up) the best way America can “support Israel” is to step back until the hawk-government of the Likud party is gone. The most seats in the Knesset are held by the more progressive party, but they are outnumbered by the combined strength of Israel’s version of republicans and teabaggers. If we signal to Israel that we wont support Bibi or Sharon, hopefully public pressure will mount on the shandas that send kids to die while they themselves get religious exemptions form service.
” the best way America can “support Israel” is to step back until the hawk-government of the Likud party is gone”
No, because we have a mutual defense treaty. We are better served by actively keeping them from starting a major war, which we will be involved in.
US policy now though is that Israel is justified in responding to attacks. Which I largely agree with, but it doesn’t solve the problem of the settlements and expansionism being an obstacle to a more durable peace.
Why isn’t Patraeus a pig? He is.
Why isnt Bill Clinton a sleaze? He was.
If this is really “not the big deal” that everyone says it is, shouldnt we just ignore it completely? I would love nothing more than to not talk about it anymore.
I guess the point of that is, stop calling the women involved in affairs with powerful men, whores. Takes two to tango. If that is the case, then Patreaus is not a pig, and Bill Clinton is not a sleaze. It’s all or nothing. Two way street. If Clinton is a sleaze than Jill Kelley and Paula Broadwell are whores. And yes, I am using the actual definition of the word “whore,” and not as some synonym for “slutty” or “loose.” Indeed, it appears to be Jill Kelley’s job description as “hostess.” Seriously.
that’s absolutely right. But if Netanyahu feels, for example… that he’s going to attack Iran, he should be uncertain of out willingness to jump into WW3 with him. He’s a very dangerous person, his whole party and those who share his views are dangerous. Golda Meir said “when the Palestinians love their children more than they hate the Jews, there will be peace” I think that statement is now applicable to many of the people in the Israeli government. Much of what they do “for their safety” is self destructive and counterproductive. I’m very aware of the anti-Isreal sentiment in the world media. Those asses have turned Hamas and Hezbollah into community service groups. It’s disgusting.. that doesn’t excuse the settlements which are just instigation. It doesn’t excuse the occupation. US policy has to change. Think of it like a reckless spender with a line of credit. That line of credit starts to look less reliable, spending habits will be more responsible. As a Jew, i have a lot of support for Israel, but as an American, which i am first, i dont want to be dragged into a war by the Israeli Rumsfeld.
DD, im fine with that. Clinton doesnt have to be a sleaze… Im more venting at the discussion as a whole (beyond just DL) This country isnt mature enough to accept polyamoury or swinging…. not that i think this is what was going on….. but we have such a narrow acceptance of human sexuality and the women usually get blamed. They are all just people reacting to chemical signals from their brains and clearly didnt have the self controll or desire to stop doing what they were doing.
The Cultural Narrative:
Women who like sex are bad and dirty.
Men who like sex are just acting on their natural instincts.
That being said, ALL the people involved with this are married and have children. Assuming their spouses were unaware they are all assholes.
“The Cultural Narrative”
The reason may be as simple as a pedestal. Each gender has it’s crosses to bear and even as we strive to blur the lines, lines remain. Still, as Magic Mike demonstrates, we are all human in our desires, emphasis on the human. And being human means we make mistakes and do things that we regret.
I agree that the Palestinians and the Israelis have been at for decades, but I feel this upcoming attack is different for the fact that Mubarak is no longer leading Egypt. After the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, the Palestinians in Gaza had no real outside support, so they could not seriously threaten Israel.
Just recently, Egyptian president Hosnii sent its prime minister, Qandii, to the Gaza strip. Qandii said that it will back Gaza. Any type of Egyptian support for Gaza would not have occurred before the recent revolution there. This time, there is some chance for a larger conflict. The quote is towards the end of the article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20365074
I don’t believe that Egypt is really in any position to do much more than show “solidarity.” Israel is more than capable of defending itself. Our solidarity is adequately demonstrated by the $3B per year in direct aid. Along with much more indirect aid (R&D contracts, etc.).
Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. aid since World War II. While this is not an enterprise, at some point we should be asking about the cost vs benefit in an area where tribal warfare (yes it is all tribal warfare, whether it is secular, non-secular, or nation-state) is the norm.
Bottom line. What do we get out of the deal? And why not the same arrangement for other nations that might like to have a similar relationship with us?
For future reference, if we are going to call Clinton a sleaze, can we specify first if it is Hillary or William Jefferson? Some of us weren’t born back then, so when you say Clinton, we automatically think of the only one we know: Hillary.
I thought Hillary kind of owned the Clinton moniker now. Bill is just Bill. Hillary is both Hillary and Clinton. Who is in charge of these naming conventions?