the third clinton amdminastartion

[Sir Stewart]

I dont get all the praise that he gets for his campaign, yeah it was amazing but so what.

[Basil II]

Our high water mark is now in the South China Sea........we just don't know it yet.

 

 

 

 

-Robert

[uncool2pillow]

Who wants a guy with the judgment to wear this toupee in charge of the federal budget?

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Hey, he's frugal!

[Guest Speed Racer]

Hey, he's frugal!

 

A frugal person wouldn't pay for fake hair!

 

If PANTHER is the type of person we can look to as the source of American third party ideals, the Dems and GOP better hold onto their hats in 2012.

[Spawn's dad]

Hasn't he said he is committed to ending the war in Iraq? What makes you think he is deciding not to now?

 

Basically because no plan to end the war has been floated that makes sense, and high ranking military officials

don't agree with a simple pull out strategy. The idea that we're not going to be there for a long time to come

is so utterly fucking ridiculous it discredits intelligent and thought out positions by otherwise sane people.It's a

mess. The democrats helped get us there. And we, the people, are going to be screwed over by those decisions

for a long long time.

[JUDE]

Basically because no plan to end the war has been floated that makes sense, and high ranking military officials

don't agree with a simple pull out strategy. The idea that we're not going to be there for a long time to come

is so utterly fucking ridiculous it discredits intelligent and thought out positions by otherwise sane people.It's a

mess. The democrats helped get us there. And we, the people, are going to be screwed over by those decisions

for a long long time.

This is not the change we need

[LouieB]

I just love how the pundets, both right and left have decided that the Obama administration is a disaster and the guy isn't even president yet. I was listening to Democracy Now and they were freaked out too. I would rather take a wait and see attitude before freaking out. Sure some of the same folks are back in play, but that always happens in government. Did people really think it wouldn't? Pretty naive.

 

LouieB

[MattZ]

Sure some of the same folks are back in play, but that always happens in government. Did people really think it wouldn't? Pretty naive.

 

I dont think it's naive that people would be upset about Obama appointing Clinton to be his SoS. Many people voted for Obama as a rejection of the Clintons. Not to mention, a vote for Obama over Clinton could have been the direct result of their different foreign policy positions (and Clinton's vote for the Iraq war). And now Obama appoints her to be the face of his foreign policy?

 

I am not freaking out because I like HRC, but man, I could understand why people would be upset. And yes, even before he becomes president. It could certainly be viewed as a troubling development.

[LouieB]

I dont think it's naive that people would be upset about Obama appointing Clinton to be his SoS. Many people voted for Obama as a rejection of the Clintons. Not to mention, a vote for Obama over Clinton could have been the direct result of their different foreign policy positions (and Clinton's vote for the Iraq war). And now Obama appoints her to be the face of his foreign policy?

 

I am not freaking out because I like HRC, but man, I could understand why people would be upset. And yes, even before he becomes president. It could certainly be viewed as a troubling development.

Barack is the boss. And a whole ton of Clinton supporters (both Bill and Hil) voted for Barack as a sign of unity. As I recall Hil campaigned on the platform of getting the hell out of Iraq also, despite giving some support to Bush initially. In fact she was more in favor of getting out sooner than Barack was initially. Let's get real for a minute. I want out of Iraq as badly as the next person, but it isn't going to happen in January. You simply can't dump a hundred thousand troops into a country, distrupt the entire political process and pull out without a thoughtful way to do it. I do believe Obama will get us out (hell the Iraqi's want us out, what better reason to get the fuck out...??), and maybe it actually will happen in 16 months as promised. How long would we be in Iraq if McCain had won?

 

Frankly some of the economic team is more worrysome to me, but then again, Obama isn't even President so let's not freak out.

 

LouieB

[Lammycat]

Let's not freak out, but let's not blindly concede, either.

[Lammycat]

Here are the keys to the palace. I believe everything you've said. Because I voted for you.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I just love how the pundets, both right and left have decided that the Obama administration is a disaster and the guy isn't even president yet. I was listening to Democracy Now and they were freaked out too. I would rather take a wait and see attitude before freaking out. Sure some of the same folks are back in play, but that always happens in government. Did people really think it wouldn't? Pretty naive.

 

LouieB

 

 

I wish I could say I was surprised at the brewing hubub.

 

If I were a dick, I'd say I told you so.

 

...and they'll hurt you if they think you've lied...

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

The only halfway surprise so far is HRC, and many people thought she'd have some cabinet post offered. His economic appointees, so far as I can tell, are very similar to his advisors from the campaign.

[explodo]

I applied for a job in the third Clinton Amdminastartion. Wish me luck.

[LouieB]

Rumor out this morning is my boss, the state superintendent of IL schools is on the transition team. I was going to ask him to take me to Washington with him, but I doubted he would be asked. How wrong I was...

 

Well I am fine with people being skeptical of some of these appointments. Some of them are obvious and others are troubling, but there just is no way after a widespread and hard fought campaign that some of the jobs aren't going to wind up in the hands of long time advisors, friends of friends, and a few adversaries. Frankly I would have been shocked if Barack had NOT offered some high ranking postion to Hillary. After slighting her on VP, what the heck, why wouldn't he want to keep her closer than the Senate?

 

LouieB

[Lammycat]

It's true, Louie. But does it not smack of "same ol', same ol'?"

[MrRain422]

I expected Hillary to be offered some high position, but it's still surprising that it's State, since foreign policy was the area where they disagreed most.

[bjorn_skurj]

I think Obama is doing fine. He's appointing people who know what the f that they are doing. Amy Goodman would freak out at anything less than the appointment of Ernesto "Che" Guevara as secretary of state. I did not like it when the righties were in charge, and while I would probably like many things about the lefties being in charge, many more people would not, and we are at a point in American history where we all really need to be on board if anything of substance is to be accomplished. The only way to do that is to play it pretty much down the middle. So free drugs, rock 'n' roll and fucking in the streets will have to wait a bit.

[LouieB]

It's true, Louie. But does it not smack of "same ol', same ol'?"

Actually it smacks of the same ol different ol. With the exception of the Bush holdovers, of which there will be very few, most of these folks have not worked for the current administration. The fact that they did work for Clinton and other admiminstrations is really not so unusual, or that they worked for Obama or someone else in IL government

 

I know everyone has looked at this whole thing as a whole NEW power structure, but that in itself is naive too. As someone who works for a government I have seen the same players pass in and out of offices for the better part of two decades. Many retire and come back as consultants and contract workers. People fall into positions because they worked on campaigns or fall out of the sky because someone knows someone. I wish it were otherwise myself. Hell I have alot of experience and opinions about shit (obviously) and would love to be tapped to take a postion in the Obama administration, but guess what?? I am a fucking NOBODY and haven't given a ton of money or worked as an advisor or been in a postion of power etc., so no job for me. Every administration goes to what is a relatively small pool of what they consider talent and pick from that. Of course me wanting a job is BS, right? Right!! Who knows how these things work and have a track record to back it up?? People who have worked for other administrations. And the closest Barack has to picking someone for his posts are folks from the Democratic pool which includes a ton of Clintonistas, including the Clinton's themselves. The other pool is the Chicago/IL connection. Lots of those folks. Who knows, Bill Daley could end up back in Washington if he isn't appointed to Barack's Senate seat (another small pool of the usual sycophantic politicians...) which I doubt he will be (look for Jesse Jackson Jr. perhaps...) No one wants me to fill Obama's seat, nor anyone else without a ton of connections so look for some hack or other before that piece of business is done.

 

I never had much expectation that the players would be that unique. I just hope we get some gross policy shit overturned, some new legistlation and policies that actually helps poor and middle income folks, the environment, jobs etc., get the fuck out of Iraq before the end of Obama's first term and maybe not get into any more stupid ass wars we don't need.

 

And don't say I am cynical, this is reality. After listening to Democracy Now yesterday and hearing the lefties complain, I thought, yea, you are correct, but really what did you expect? For me, the best part of this election is that McCain/Palin is not president and we broke a racial barrier that can not be undersestemated as important. The rest is icing on a cake, long left out in the rain.

 

LouieB

[MattZ]

The fact that they did work for Clinton and other admiminstrations is really not so unusual, or that they worked for Obama or someone else in IL government

 

I know everyone has looked at this whole thing as a whole NEW power structure, but that in itself is naive too. As someone who works for a government I have seen the same players pass in and out of offices for the better part of two decades. Many retire and come back as consultants and contract workers. People fall into positions because they worked on campaigns or fall out of the sky because someone knows someone. I wish it were otherwise myself.

 

Lou - no one is arguing otherwise (I don't think). The point is that even though you speak the truth, this may not be what people thought they were getting when they voted for Change. And, arguably, it isn't what people were led to believe. Naive or not, everyone's definition of Change is different, and Obama's brilliance was to play on that word. I can't fault people for feeling a bit misled.

[Lammycat]

Lou - no one is arguing otherwise (I don't think). The point is that even though you speak the truth, this may not be what people thought they were getting when they voted for Change. And, arguably, it isn't what people were led to believe. Naive or not, everyone's definition of Change is different, and Obama's brilliance was to play on that word. I can't fault people for feeling a bit misled.

Thank you, Matt. Succint, as always.

[LouieB]

I expected Hillary to be offered some high position, but it's still surprising that it's State, since foreign policy was the area where they disagreed most.

Actually as I pointed out in another post, that is not entirely true. Both advocated during the campaign a fairly quick withdrawal from Iraq and in fact Barack may be more hawkish on Afganistan than Hillary.

 

 

I think Obama is doing fine. He's appointing people who know what the f that they are doing. Amy Goodman would freak out at anything less than the appointment of Ernesto "Che" Guevara as secretary of state. I did not like it when the righties were in charge, and while I would probably like many things about the lefties being in charge, many more people would not, and we are at a point in American history where we all really need to be on board if anything of substance is to be accomplished. The only way to do that is to play it pretty much down the middle. So free drugs, rock 'n' roll and fucking in the streets will have to wait a bit.

You got that right comrade.....this is a highly divided country. To shift too far left at this juncture is playing with fire. it is not like even 60% of the actual popular vote went to Barack. While the electoral college is pretty much a sweep, it is deceiving. As Barack said during an interview a week or so ago "I'm not stupid, man, that's how I got elected President." He was talking about his mother in law, but the same could be said for whatever he does. In two years his approval ratings will be in the 40%, because everyone gets dis-enchanted easily. Sadly it is the folks on the left who get even more quickly disenchanted than those in the middle. And those on the right are more than happy to see Barack stumble and fall. (A few may even wish him dead.....) Those on the leftish of center should at least wait until he gets to make a real decision before freaking out. (To me, closing Gitmo down is the first and most important decision he has to make when the time comes. If he can do that, he's got my vote...)

 

LouieB

[MattZ]

Also, I'd like to say that I've had just about f*cking enough of reading news stories about "credible" "Al-Qadea" "threats" about "attacks" on the NYC subway system. I didn't want to add fuel to this fire by starting a new thread about it, and I didn't know where else to put this rant, and this has become a pseudo-political thread so here it goes.

 

If someone decided that the cure for our intelligence system missing the warning signs to 9/11 is to highlight every threat we get on CNN every few months STOP IT. It doesn't make things better. I still have to take the train to and from work every day. There's nothing I can do about it. My wife and loved ones have to also. Warning me about threats 20x a year doesn't allow you to say after the fact, "well, we couldn't prevent it, but we told you so." We get it. There are threats. Stop trying to scare people. What the f*ck does "credible" mean? If it's really so credible why isn't it the lead f*cking story on every news outlet all over the world? STOP IT.

 

/rant

 

(sorry)

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Anyone notice that the percentage he won by has crept up to almost 7%?