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January 20, 2010· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

How I feel today

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Nothing so revolting as Republican gloating, but I have to hand it to them, they’ve played the whole fear/socialism card beautifully since Inauguration one year ago today. I have friends who still worry about Death Panels and think Obama is personally designing GM automobiles. I have family that goes to Glenn Beck screenings in the movie theater and thinks Sarah Palin is the answer to all of America’s problems. On Facebook, a friend suggested the recession started under Obama and said the Democrats have had control of Congress since Bush was elected. I share this board with people who think global warming is a lie, that it’s just a liberal plot. Last night in class someone suggested Obama would have had more success if he had just reached out to Republicans, as if Republicans even believe that global warming, health care, and financial regulation are problems worth solving. As if Republicans are good faith actors on our national scene.

Hell, it’s even crazy locally. Bob Kellar is willing to wear the title “racist” if it will burnish his anti illegal alien street cred.

I’m sure Republican readers of this site feel just the opposite- the Republic was saved last night, balance has been restored to the force, and the American people woke up to the socialist menace. Given that there is only one reality, how is it we can we believe so differently?

I give up.

Comments (50)

  1. ScottJanuary 20, 2010 at 1:57 pm
    Jeff: would you prefer a one party system? Sounds to me like you and most democrats are not paying attention to the independents.
  2. JeffJanuary 20, 2010 at 2:42 pm
    “would you prefer a one party system? Sounds to me like you and most democrats are not paying attention to the independents.” The Constitution doesn’t require two parties. As for the independents, they are a fickle bunch. They elected obama 15 months ago on a plank of Health Care reform. Now they don’t want it apparently. NickelDime: I disagree. The big question is do nothing or do nothing. Because that’s all the option he has no thanks to the 60 vote rule, which is also something the Founders never intended.
  3. ScottJanuary 20, 2010 at 3:17 pm
    Yes, I agree independents can be fickle. I am one of those. I voted for Obama, and I still think he has the potential to achieve a lot of great things for our country. However, I think the Democrats really did botch the public relations aspect of this whole healthcare mess. If you need a drinking partner, you know I’m always in!
  4. mikecJanuary 20, 2010 at 3:48 pm
    Jeff, the independents, want action. They don’t care about the senate rules…if you don’t deliver they will go the other way and will continue to go back and forth…question is how will the dems move their agenda forward? Also, at the sametime the base of the dem party is upset because a lack of movement on the agenda and are protesting by staying at home…
  5. cashJanuary 20, 2010 at 4:07 pm
    Don’t give up Jeff, accept the reality. Obama sold a bill of no good, cleverly disguised in a light brown wrapper. It would appear that not everyone embraces the Richard Daily or Ted Kennedy style of politics. Obama has introduced deceit and smelly back room deals to the White house. That or we are just now learning to understand what he meant by transparency Obama style. Perhaps Bush was not the dumbest guy in the room. BTW, it is unfotunate Kennedy did not live to see Brown take the peoples seat.
  6. cashJanuary 20, 2010 at 4:25 pm
    You missed the point ND.
  7. PubliusJanuary 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm
    I think alot of it boiled down to economics. MA already has health care. Wy should they pay for more of it. I think they are right.
  8. PubliusJanuary 20, 2010 at 4:49 pm
    Jeff, is that kind of like the Democrats playing the “Republicans are Nazis” card? The above video just kinda made me wonder. “Nothing so revolting as Republican gloating, but I have to hand it to them, they’ve played the whole fear/socialism card beautifully since Inauguration one year ago today.”
  9. JeffJanuary 20, 2010 at 4:57 pm
    Publius that wasn’t the point I was trying to get across. The hitler video is from the excellent film Downfall. That particular scene is now an internet meme. There are hitler scenes discussing everything from Google to the Yankees to Sarah Palin to American Idol.
  10. PubliusJanuary 20, 2010 at 5:17 pm
    Just a casual observation.
  11. John AdamsJanuary 20, 2010 at 5:43 pm
    Jeff, The heathcare reform obama ran on is not what we got! Obama ran in health care, closing guantanamo, ending Iraq, taking Afghanistan seriously, respect for the constitution (in particular 4th and 5th amends and privacy rights), and for a competent white house that was transparent! How is he doing? Obama ran on a healthcare plan that would not be required(he even mocked hillary’s plan in a debate because it did require coverage) He also said hundreds of times that we would see the debates on CSPAN??????So there is 1 strike!… Gitmo? Strike 2 Out of Iraq by this May? Yep that is Strike 3 Tranparency? Strike 4 He also said he would curb spending? Strike 5 Do I need to go on?
  12. FredJanuary 20, 2010 at 5:44 pm
    It’s one of those rare moments when progressive must face truth. By the way, Republicans don’t deny global warming/climate change, it’s Man-made Global Warming that is the lie.
  13. John AdamsJanuary 20, 2010 at 5:57 pm
    Exactly Fred! I bet the earth is getting either hotter or colder every 100-1000-100000 years! That is what it does Someone prove that man is causing it just read where the polor Ice caps on Mars are melting? There are no SUV’s or man made problems there (as far as we know)
  14. Samuel AdamsJanuary 20, 2010 at 6:20 pm
    Maybe the pendulum has reached its farthest point on the left and is beginning to swing the other way?
  15. Bill ReynoldsJanuary 20, 2010 at 6:44 pm
    GREAT SCOTT! Yep, progressives (socilaists) are drinking heavily today. Haha! The irony here is thoroughly humiliating. Haha! Chappaquiddick Teddy must be rolling over in his grave.
  16. Timothy MyersJanuary 20, 2010 at 6:55 pm
    Jeff: There are “progressives” (and one was recently thrown off the Signal editorial pages for plagiarism) who think that any for profit business is a criminal enterprise and that Bush/Cheney would stage a terrorist attack to cancel the elections of 2006 AND 2008. Hubris is a dangerous thing in this country because independents can smack back what they see as overreaching. Repubs should not gloat. It seems that whenever one party gets a leg up they overreach and get smacked back too.
  17. Jim FarleyJanuary 20, 2010 at 7:26 pm
    I agree hubris is a dangerous thing and that Republicans should not gloat. What we are seeing now is less gloating and more a celebration that even liberal Massachusetts saw that Obama and the Dems indeed were overreaching in their attempt to drive us towards socialism. The current conservative movement is not a movement to overreach. It is more rooted in Reagan’s philosophy of “getting government off the backs of the people”. The Republicans have failed horribly in this philosophy since Reagan, but are beginning to adopt it again. This is not an overreach, but a return to fundamental values. Sorry Jeff – Socailism is indeed a menace to our country, Obama’s philosophy is largely socialistic, and America is waking up to that. I can’t wait until November.
  18. mikecJanuary 20, 2010 at 7:31 pm
    I think folks from both sides will be suprised after they see some of the exit polling data regarding yesterday’s election
  19. Timothy MyersJanuary 20, 2010 at 7:53 pm
    Jim: If you were in charge maybe but one can already see the Repubs getting ready to shoot themselves in the foot by opposing financial regulation reform and a heavier hand with the bailed out banks. Brown won because he was attractive, coherent and acted like he really wanted the job, not because of some Messianic Repub dogma.
  20. Jim FarleyJanuary 20, 2010 at 8:26 pm
    Tim: You really think that those simplistic reasons are why he won in a state with 3 Democrats for every Republican??? The win is especially significant is that a Kennedy has held that seat for over half a century. The fact is that Brown ran as a Conservative, not a Republican. If you don’t think this election was a referendum against the runaway agendas of Obama et.al. and specifically against the takeover of healthcare, I think you are deluding yourself. Now I am more sure your predictions of the local council incumbents winning are not going to come true.
  21. Bill ReynoldsJanuary 20, 2010 at 8:27 pm
    GREAT SCOTT! Brown won because America is waking up to Obama’s policies. Two Dem Govs and one Dem Senator down the tubes because people are sick and tired of out of control spending, an ever increasing huge deficit and high unemployment. And now Dems want their deficit increased by another 1.3 Trillion! Whot Tha!? If there’s trouble in Mass. there’s trouble everywhere.
  22. mikecJanuary 20, 2010 at 10:39 pm
    Brown and Obama both ran the same campaign as outsiders.
  23. Timothy MyersJanuary 20, 2010 at 11:05 pm
    Jim: When they come true will you bow down and grovel in my shadow?
  24. Vince HansJanuary 20, 2010 at 11:17 pm
    Brown winning supports Obama’s platform promise for a more bi-partisan govt. He is welcoming his input on the healthcare overhaul instead of trying to rush it through before he is seated.
  25. Fred ButlerJanuary 21, 2010 at 7:15 am
    By-partisan my rear. vince, he made that decision because he is trying to stop the hemorrhaging. He had his opportunity to be “bi-partisan” months ago and hasn’t done anything to demonstrate he is serious about such a position.
  26. MoneyJanuary 21, 2010 at 9:14 am
    What are the two symbols of the Republican Party? An Elephant and old, bitter white guys who are afraid of change.
  27. Bill ReynoldsJanuary 21, 2010 at 9:20 am
    VH, Obama has no choice. Such brilliance, Money. Your change equals socialism. Even Mass. saw that…
  28. scvfanJanuary 21, 2010 at 9:44 am
    Jeff: Why do you see it as “republicans gloating” and not the beauty of a Republic government? The people of MA wanted Brown. They came out in droves, in a storm…and elected who THEY wanted. Obama took MA by a whopping 26 points and then almost exactly a year later the libs lose it. The poll numbers aren’t lying. The American people DON’T WANT government to get bigger, spend more and take over anything else. The people are pissed off! The system worked when they elected Obama. They were pissed off then too….and drunk with affection. Well, now they are sober, have a bitchin’ hangover and are possibly saying, “What have I done?” Furthermore, I agree whole heartedly that socialism is a menace to ANY society… not just our own. Check out history. It’s not just the Republican machine selling the “fear of socialism”. Jeff, you are missing a huge point. Americans by nature, despise large government. It’s a part of who we are.
  29. mikeJanuary 21, 2010 at 9:59 am
    On Tuesday, Obama had a 53-38 approval/disapproval rating in Mass.. I know it will make your collective brain hurt, but I implore the SCV Redneck School of Kneejerk Political Analysis to imagine a more likely hypothesis.
  30. MoneyJanuary 21, 2010 at 10:09 am
    scvfan, where have you been for the past 8 years? Coked-out Bush ruined this country, not Obama.
  31. SCV GuyJanuary 21, 2010 at 10:33 am
    So Bob Kellar says the language one speaks is based on what “race” they are? What a complete moron. Get this blathering idiot out of city council.
  32. JayceJanuary 21, 2010 at 11:23 am
    “Socailism is indeed a menace to our country, Obama’s philosophy is largely socialistic, and America is waking up to that. I can’t wait until November.” Totally agree! Public schooling should not come from tax money. Every parent should get a bill per child per year of the amount it costs to school them. Also when you have to call 911 if your house is on fire or someone is trying to kill you they should get a credit card number and make sure it clears before sending any assistance! DOWN WITH SOCIALISM!!! Also no more regulation! Airline carriers should be able to charge what they want so they can include those olives back in the meal they serve. Oh wait they don’t serve those meals anymore just snack boxes if you buy one. Any way so what if it costs someone >1k to fly across the country to visit family for the holidays. GO TEAM AMERICA! :-/
  33. Drive66January 21, 2010 at 12:05 pm
    Go Jayce!
  34. scvfanJanuary 21, 2010 at 1:13 pm
    Oh Money – I never said Obama ruined the Country. Only ignorant people blame a nation’s demise on ONE elected official. It’s a collection of elected officials, uninformed and lazy voter base and corruption that “ruins” countries. Bush made poor choices, yes. But he didn’t “ruin” the Country. Politicos agree that it’s actually CONGRESS that usually screws things the fastest. They have the check book and made more wide reaching decisions. Furthermore, it usually takes two Presidential cycles to see the effect of certain policies and legislation. Regardless of what side you’re for, this is just a fact. Jayce- your red herring argument, while entertaining misses the point entirely. But – well done.
  35. Kevin D. KorenthalJanuary 21, 2010 at 1:53 pm
    Jeff, if you can’t see that Democrats and Obama misinterpreted the results of the 06 and 08 elections as a mandate to turn America into a Progressive/Liberal utopia, then there really is no point in arguing with you about this. Everything that Obama promised has not been delivered on and instead of ending special interest influences and pork-barrel spending, he changed the party that benefits from it.
  36. John AdamsJanuary 21, 2010 at 2:41 pm
    @ mike How was the Healthcare bill polling in MA last Tuesday? Do you have a link for your obama polling numbers? I would love to see the questions asked
  37. mikeJanuary 21, 2010 at 2:47 pm
    John, of course. Link is below. From the same article, current health care is disfavored in MA 47-51. Scroll down some: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/massachusetts/brown_wins_stunning_victory_in_massachusetts
  38. mikeJanuary 21, 2010 at 2:48 pm
    current health care legislation, I mean
  39. MoneyJanuary 21, 2010 at 2:55 pm
    scvfan: “Bush made poor choices, yes.” Well ain’t that an understatement!
  40. JeffJanuary 21, 2010 at 3:17 pm
    Rasmussen is a GOP polling house.
  41. Bill ReynoldsJanuary 21, 2010 at 5:11 pm
    Rasmussen has a record of being THE most accurate pollster. GREAT SCOTT, what a parlay (to the chargrine of progressives – socialists), eh? Obamacare down in flames, Coakley hit the bricks, McCain/Feingold bill in the toliet, and Air America filing bankruptcy. Hahahaha!
  42. mikeJanuary 21, 2010 at 5:27 pm
    So for the sake of this discussion, Obama’s positive approval in Mass. is no longer in dispute, correct?
  43. Jim FarleyJanuary 21, 2010 at 7:55 pm
    Jayce: Your argument is idiotic. Nobody on the Conservative side says that there is not a role for government in our lives. Of course government needs to run police departments, fire departments, flood control, a national army, etc. That ain’t Socialism comrade. Socialism is when we take money from some to give to others to level out everything in their lives. The basic goal is to make the outcome equal for everybody, not to make the opportunity equal. When nations take on a Socialistic agenda they take away all incentive for hard work to improve your lot in life. But since you appear to have a very simple mind this may be difficult to understand.
  44. SCVFanJanuary 21, 2010 at 10:13 pm
    Jim Farley: That’s why I didn’t even attempt to break down Jayce’s “arguments”. It is a sad attempt to confuse the subject by saying conservatives want people to be murdered unless they have monev… ?? Not worth any breathe at all.
  45. Bill ReynoldsJanuary 22, 2010 at 8:36 am
    Great Scott! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiM6JAQZwHI&feature=PlayList&p=92991DC480548674&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2
  46. John AdamsJanuary 22, 2010 at 8:47 am
    @Mike So the healthcare polling numbers and the actual election numbers were very close? Wow
  47. John AdamsJanuary 22, 2010 at 2:26 pm
    So are you saying the liberals in MA don’t care about anyone else in the country? Or that they have first hand experience with government healthcare?
  48. John AdamsJanuary 22, 2010 at 4:32 pm
    “Why would they vote for money out of their pocket without a perceived benefit to their state”? Are you implying this is fine with you? I mean to say, if other people in other states voted against stuff that really offered no benefit to them or their state, it would be fine with you?
  49. john adamsJanuary 23, 2010 at 7:39 am
    I agree! Do you think the fact that obama has proven to be a serial liar might have anything to do with it? I saw yeterday that he is back in the campaigning mode? Promises-promises (Naked eyes)
  50. john adamsJanuary 23, 2010 at 12:46 pm
    I just figured out who someone is….. http://patterico.com/2010/01/23/ellie-light-obama-astroturfer-or-very-very-very-energetic-but-independent-letter-writer/

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