Lately, three things have made us not want to be a Democrat: Michael Moore, MoveOn and NPR (which we still for some reason listen to in the morning even though those smug, eco-conscious voices make us want to throw the radio out the window). They're a perfect trifecta of shrill predictability.We like being pleasantly surprised by people who genuinely want what's best for the country and who are willing to acknowledge how complicated everything is and how hard it is to figure out the right thing (all hail Jerry Sanders).
Is pulling out of Iraq the right thing to do? Well, no. Is staying a good idea? Certainly not. All that's left is to pick the lesser of two great evils, and to never forget that George "What Me, Worry?" Bush got us into this hideous Catch-22. He has the blood of tens of thousands of innocent civilians and thousands of American troops on his hands. May he go down in history as the worst president we've ever had and may someday we be forgiven for allowing him to take power and wreak havoc.
Meanwhile, how lame is it that the Senate and Bush suddenly have all this time on their hands to attack a boorish, inconsequential ad by a group whose mandate has gotten far too all-encompassing?
When we were in high school, our friends started an activist group to protest the first Iraq War (which now seems downright holy compared to this one). It was called S.A.W., Students Against War. And then when the war ended (so fast! remember that?), we all wanted to keep making out with each other after school and coming up with clever poster slogans, so we became kind of a catch-all anti-all-bad-Conservative-stuff group. It didn't last.
MoveOn, founded in 1998 as a PAC to get progressive candidates into Congress, reminds me of that. Now they're just sort of anti-all-bad-Conservative-stuff. And Petraeus may be a yes-man, but he doesn't seem bad the way, say, Cheney seems bad.
That ad was a distraction, and a typical example of the way shrill liberals can alienate the huge number of Americans who just want the country to be a fair and decent place but who are understandably prickly about liberal-arts majors making lame, accusatory puns about the military.
Obama was right not to vote; like he said, it's a stunt.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 7)
1. Aren't all Democrats "anti-all-bad-Conservative"? Name one thing that the parties agree on. They find fault in everything a conservative American believes in. I've always found it interesting that the Democratic party whom teaches/preaches tolerance of all races, creeds, thoughts and ideals does not have the slightest tolerance for Republicans or traditional ideology in general. That's pretty hypocritical. Just my opinion. All that being said, I wholeheartedly agree with you -- Michael Moore, MoveOn.org and let's add Celebrities with verbal diarrhea -- they DO make Americans with Democratic ideals look very very bad and a little ridiculous.
PDH at 10:39AM on Sep 22nd 2007
2. While I agree with the general premise of this article I have always wondered why all liberals are painted with the same brush? A lot of racist are also Conservative Christians but you never hear liberals attacking all Conservative Christians as racist. To say all Democrats are "anti-all-bad-Conservative" is childish (I'm not liberal or a Democrat by the way) and seems to me to be a way to dismiss all arguments against your beliefs without having to mount a credible defense. I think we are in a time in our history where we would be better served in attacking the serious issues that face us, not the labels on our political positions... Geo
Geo at 2:43PM on Sep 21st 2007
3. Wow. Your comments about your little high school club are just so....... high-schoolish. I was in high school at about the same time you were. I now have worked in federal law enforcement for approximately 10 years after college. One thing is for sure: high schoolers don't know crap. How can they? They have experience in nothing. High schoolers (and even college students) are a bunch of followers who have been spoon fed liberal idealism (does the Communist phrase "useful idiots" ring a bell?)
You were AGAINST the first gulf war while in high school? Why? Saddam Hussein invaded an innocent neighboring country. Are we to stand by and do nothing? Let's say you took an isolationist stance. Stay out of it. It's Kuwait's problem. Then what about Darfur? Should we get involved THERE? Did you also protest President Clinton's sending of American troops into Somalia? Bosnia? If you didn't, well, then you are a hypocrite.
And speaking of hypocrites, would some liberal please explain how your ideologues claim to be "open minded, tolerant, willing to respect diverse ideas", but in reality, anyone who questions or challenges your "ideas" is shouted down, called names, or worse?
The crowd of tolerance and diversity is not so tolerant, now, is it?
-Critical thinker and questioner of liberalism.
Keith at 3:10PM on Sep 21st 2007
4. While I do not agree with the Moveon.org ad (as a Democrat), why should Congress take this up as an issue? Moveon.org is a private organization. The Democrats in Congress did not place the ad there. Moveon.org does not speak for all Democrats...
To say they do, is to say then that James Dobson and his "Focus on the Family" or Pat Robertson speak for all Republicans. Where was the outrage from Republicans when Jerry Falwell said 9/11 was caused by gay people? Republicans were silent...they dare not speak out against right-wing organizations like The family Research Council and others who have said ridiculous things.
David S. at 3:14PM on Sep 21st 2007
5. Basically, whatever General Petraeus had to say, the Republicans wanted to find something--anything--to divert the country's attention from the ongoing fiasco in Iraq. So, they beat the bushes and came up with this rather silly ad. And it worked--all this verbage is being spilled out over the ad, and not over the avoidable disasters that make up this war.
Bruce Peterson at 5:30PM on Sep 22nd 2007
6. Anyone that know history would be against the first iraq war, as it is well known that our government made it look like iraq was invading Kuwait so we could get in to get the oil! Sadam was our ally but then he started thinking for himself, bad mistake.
a few corporations own all the media in this country but think for yourself, what about this country? You are a patriot? What about America?
Our corporations and MIC make money from wars, they can dream up never ending wars and actually have, think for yourself, do you want to fight in the next police action?
james at 3:56PM on Sep 21st 2007
7. There comes a time chronically when conserving the old ways and finding new ways lose their meaning. When some issue changes the new conseritives might be called liberal. Conservitive and liberal are poor terms to describe a political platform.
When a debate falls from consideration to sensetional journalism the viewers expect irrational outbursts. I prefer rational honest discusion on political issues.
phillchip at 3:45PM on Sep 21st 2007
8. I agree that MoveOn gave the conservatives needless ammunition and I wrote them an e-mail protesting their foolishness a couple of days ago. They criticize Bush for making political attacks taking the focus off the war, but their attack on Petraeus took the focus off the war also.
However, I love NPR! They give both sides of every issue and I have heard many positive reports on things happening in Iraq. Conservative stations are not that unbiased in their reporting. Are you so insecure that intellectuals can cause that reaction?
Marjorie Lloyd at 3:50PM on Sep 21st 2007
9. MOVEON IS A USEFUL IDIOT. THANKS GUYS!
Bill at 4:01PM on Sep 21st 2007
10. this is a stunt but is not a one of a kind.
David McCool at 4:08PM on Sep 21st 2007
11. ITS AMAZING THE EXCUSES LIBS MAKE FOR EACH OTHER AND THEIR OWN GROUPS WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT WITH THEIR FOOT IN THEIR MOUTH. ITS PROOF "THEY" CANT AND WONT ADMIT MISTAKES, THE SELF RIGHTEOUS LOT OF 'EM. JUST WATCH ALLAN COLMBS ON HANNITY AND COLMBS. HE TRIPS OVER HIS "FAST MOVING" TONGUE WHEN TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU THAT SO AND SO SAID THIS BUT MEANT THIS...WHAT? I HEARD WHAT THEY SAID AND DONT HIM TO TRY TO CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
CONNIE at 4:09PM on Sep 21st 2007
12. I LOVE Move On, Michael Moore, Ralph Nader! I love anybody who has the courage to speak up and go against the flow. We need these people and there aren't enough of them.
Betsarama at 4:35PM on Sep 21st 2007
13. Right on, Ada. This is exactly what I have been thinking. I am a liberal and a Democrat, and I have felt like MoveOn has lost its center and its extremism is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I want rational voices searching for solutions to existing problems, not shrill politics for the sake of politics.
Michelle Zimmerman at 4:51PM on Sep 21st 2007
14. "Goebbels was in favor of freedom of speech for views he liked, so was Stalin...(There are) two positions you can have on freedom of speech and you can decide which position you want." - Professor Noam Chomsky, the world's most quoted living author.
As Professor Noam Chomsky has pointed out, one either believes in the right to free speech or one doesn't. You can't draw a line anywhere, otherwise you don't you don't believe in freedom of speech. So, all you Tucker Carlson, Bill O'Reilly, and Mike "the Mouth" Savage brown nosers out there, perhaps you ought to start thinking for yourselves. I'd like to see ol' Bow Tie Carlson over there in Iraq, or in one of our prisons since he supports the Drug War which has given us more prisoners per capita than any nation on Earth, whilst nicotine (the most addicting drug known to humankind) and alcohol (the most destructive), remain perfectly legal. How many wealthy people are fighting overseas? Apart from Webb, most of the Senators should shut their mouths and start working for the people. - Dr. Kenneth J. Hildebrandt - http://majormediabypass.com
Dr. Ken Hildebrandt at 4:54PM on Sep 21st 2007
15. Conservative republicans will find any excuse you feel that they have been disrespected. Shall I get you all a tissue now while you continue to whine like babies??. Have you heard of the First Amemdment? It is because of the verbal protests that we finally got our soldiers out of Vietnam. The Republican Gung Ho mentality is a very sick one that requires psychotherapy at the very least. I am sure Freud could probably diagnose the condition as one of a superiority / inferiority complex.
I am a conservative and respect the fact that we are free to voice our opinions right or wrong, left or right. The senate needs to get on with more important matters and avoid censuring our First Amemdment right of Free Speech.
Get off your Pity Pots Guys.
ronandlane at 5:06PM on Sep 21st 2007