Going Underground

On November the 8th, the Occupy Wall Street movement polled as being nearly twice as popular as the Antoinettes.  By November 17th, 43% had a higher opinion of the Antoinettes as opposed to 37% for OWS.  Three little words:  what the fuck?

One would have to assume the clearing of Zuccotti Park was probably going to happen eventually (as well as other locales), but the numbers cited above sure had to hasten the actions of the police state, as well as make the powers that be's coordinated actions against the various Occupy movements seem less nefarious.  Conservatives favorite Liberal media whipping boy, The New York Times, immediately went into typical traditional media chickenshit mode and sanitized the military raid on peaceful, Constitution following protestors.

That Chris Hayes reported that a lobbying firm for Wall Street is planning to spread their usual bullshit and make Democrats pay for Occupy Wall Street support--so republicans can do what they do best:  fellate the 1%--also doesn't come as a surprise.  Nor is it a surprise that Antoinette media is lying out its ass with its dirty hippie schtick--one would think some enterprising son of a bitch in the tradtional media would point out that the 60's are long over and that most of us (i.e., those with a brain) have realized that enjoying sex is a good thing, it's okay for women to work, and the Viernam War really was a fiasco.

Look, I agree with Matt Taibibi--one of the true joys of watching the OWS movement is that it is a bunch of ordinary Americans who are just sick and tired of politicans who don't care and everything being just another product to be sold to all of us.  I'm glad the OWS protestors in New York City didn't give up and came back fighting to shut Wall Street down.  But I think we are absolutely kidding ourselves that we're going to Ghandi our way to success with this movement.  For one, the movement lacks a Ghandi (or an MLK)--larger than life leaders are the backbone of any movement.  For another, as this last week illustrates, the 1% have the money, own the media, own the police, have just enough dimwit Antoinettes willing to eat the fatty scraps from their tables, and have no qualms about outright lying or cheating to gain and keep their economic domination.

For fuck's sake, at least Ghandi and MLK only had to overcome hate--we've also got to fight our way through an irrationality that's like Dante's Inferno on steroids.

Peace,
emaycee

A cold, cold heart

From Michigan republican Senate hopeful Clark Durant:

"In regards to the Occupy Wall Street movement, Durant said the protesters should 'go find a job.' In regards to the wealth gap the movement decries, Durant said, 'I think it should be wider.'"

While I think the radical legislation struck by Gov. Snyder and the state gop have improved Senator Stabenow's re-election odds immeasurably (and President Obama's chances here in Michigan as well) by firing up unions and the Democratic base (note that Karl Rove--don't like him, but no political dummy--isn't spending money here, at least yet), it doesn't hurt when republicans like Durant (don't think the republicans here in Michigan are nutty enough to elect him) say things that really serve to underscore the differences between the parties.

People like me and you just don't matter to republicans--they wouldn't pee on you if you were on fire unless they were taking your last nickel as payment.

Peace,
emaycee

Somehow not a great notion

"Both parties have something to be excited about," said Nathan Gonzales, political editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report. "The results point to an extremely close situation ahead of the election in 2012."

I kind of like the fact that the traditional media is pushing its nonsense that both Democrats and republicans were winners in last Tuesday's elections.  Frankly, after the debacles in '09 and '10, it wasn't just a good night for Liberals, it was a stellar night.

For the Dems:

• Total ass kicking in Ohio on SB5--collective bargaining rights for public workers upheld.
• Personhood amendment in Mississippi (pissed off that they're nanobot to the left of Oklahoma) is also crushed.
• Easily hold the state Senate in Iowa.
• Gain a state legislature seat in New Jersey.
• Election day registration restored in Maine.
• Hold Kentucky governor's office with ease.
• State Rep. Paul Scott (republican) becomes the first Michigan legislator recalled since 1983.

For the gop:

• Win share of Virginia Senate--quite a comedown when the republicans are happy with a Senate split in a state that was very recently solid red.
• Hold onto governorship in Mississippi.  In other news, moon still revolving around earth.
• Won some goofy referendum on Obama's health reform mandate--which Ohio voters will change their minds about once it's properly explained to them.

While I don't think the elections of 2012 will be anything like the wave elections of 2006, the traditional media did not foresee the Democratic gains then, and I think they're going to be just as prescient in 2012.  The gop overreached, and there's bound to be some blowback (as well as some Dems reluctantly coming home--the alternative is a bit more scary than frustration should allow).

The longer republicans believe they're invincible, the better for us.

Peace.
emaycee

Workers of the world, rejoice!

A big victory for working men and women last night--SB5, the Ohio bill which stripped public workers of their collective bargaining rights was soundly rejected by voters.  Why is this important?

Because this is your wages without unions:

Any questions?

Peace,
emaycee

A good caining

I only saw a few minutes of Herman Cain's press conference today, but my response was (actually said aloud), "You're a fucking liar." (Followed by me frantically looking around the break room to make sure no one else was in there with me.)  I mean, really, one accuser and you might be willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.  But five?

And you have to love the bullshit about how it was orchestrated by the Democrats.  Really?  Because I can pretty much guarantee that the Obama re-election campaign staff from top to bottom is praying Herman Cain is the candidate they face in November 2012.

But what really kills me is this idea that somehow this is firing up the republican base because it's all a plot by the "mainstream media and the Liberals."  Horsehit.  Sex sells--Bill Clinton brought on much unwanted media exposure in his tryst with Monica Lewinsky.  And they're just defending their flavor of the month--fair enough (not like we didn't defend Bill Clinton, though in fairness to us Clinton's sexcapades were consensual) but skip the phony persecution complex.

Herman Cain is a pervert--don't blame bogeymen for an inconvenient fact.

Peace,
emaycee

The wrong side of history

One of the most important stories not being given the heft it deserves by the traditional media is the republican war on voters' rights.  They can't win enough elections on the merit of the arguments (since about 70% either aren't sure or are convinced the republicans are completely full of shit), so they'll suppress Democratic voters.  In a word, cheat. 

And--surprise, surprise--their main targets are the least of their brothers:  the poor and minorities.

George Bernard Shaw famously said, "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history."  One has to wonder if the famously dim republicans responsible for draconian voting restrictions thought very much about Indonesia under Sukarno, South Africa under apartheid, Egypt under Mubarak, Libya under Qaddafi, or hell, the American colonies under King George.  Disenfranchising people who have absolutely nothing to lose is a recipe for disaster--as all of the above eventually found out.

Peace,
emaycee

A classic

A reader of Digby's posted this on Hullaballoo today:

"From FDR to Reagan--We hire you, you work hard, we prosper, you prosper.

From Reagan to present--we hire you, you work hard, we prosper."

It literally says it all.

Peace,
emaycee