motherjones.com — All of us who write about politics for a living understand that 90% (at least) of what we do is just shadow boxing. Controversies are invented, then debunked, then invented all over again, and debunked. Sometimes the inventors know perfectly well what they're doing, while other times they've talked themselves into actually believing their own nonsense. In either case, these things are mostly just proxies for the issues that really matter
Jan 30, 2012 View in Crawl 4
cosmicsurferJan 30, 2012
Thank you Kevin Drum. The regurgitated talking points blaming FNMA & FHMC for the housing crisis have absolutely no basis in reality but yet we hear it constantly played over and over by the willfully ignorant and scared. No bother to check the veracity of any statement as long as it is ranted by some corporate pig in a suit running for President or some morally bankrupt arrogant prick claiming to be conservative and godly yapping at his heels in the primary of the primarily corrupt clown show called the GOP.
Then we have the same effluent waste painting the Tea Party upon early co-option, feeding their frenzy since that first super coach picked them up on the grand fake tax day tour.
Just as bad, the Blue Dogs pick it up as code, to the perpetually angst driven, in order to claim that they are part of the club.
REALITY, guys, ain't that scarey. It just means that one has to admit to themselves they are all lying, either by design or intent, and we may be lying to ourselves by buying it.
The US people lying to themselves? Always, in order to sleep at night.
We have to finally admit that we have allowed ourselves to be conned for decades as we let the Wall Street mighty 400 create the game and keep it running - everything else has to be judged on the basis of THAT reality.
Once one accepts the simple truth, with a little vigilance, research and a sense of humor, the rest starts falling into place
skews13Jan 30, 2012
I don't write about politics for a living. I point out the Bulls**t for those that do write about it for a living. Sometimes that means getting right in the face of those that perpetuate bulls**t. When i first came to digg it was nauseating seeing Progressives constantly arguing from a defensive position, while their Conservative counterparts were arguing from an offensive position. I knew right then and there that had to change. Now for the first time in my political experience, that has changed. You don't defeat the evils of Conservatism by debating with them on their terms. You crush their talkingpoints with the same extremism they use to promote them. I'm happy to see that many Progressives i talk to on multiple websites have found their spinal chords, and have begun to use the rightwings own tactics against them. But just like being in the ring, once you get the opponent on the ropes. You knock their ass out. This isn't a time for rational debate, but hopefully that time will come. It''s time for unrelenting ruthlessness, on a scale they can't recover from.
geejayeJan 31, 2012
"This isn't a time for rational debate, but hopefully that time will come. It''s time for unrelenting ruthlessness, on a scale they can't recover from."
Great point. It is tough - they can be so mean, heartless and cruel - your heart weeps for America.
And - they will answer this comment with "but liberals do it too", but Obummer is...", but, but, but.......
You know in your heart that if you could just sit down at a table with them, that they would agree with the core morals: goodness, kindness; providing the ability to work a good day for a good day's pay; giving a child the ability to make it in this world if they try; to not let people starve to death; to not let Americans die due to pollution; to hold those that would keep us in low-wage slavery accountable; to not let the multi-national corporations win, etc, etc, etc - we would agree.
But then, their solutions are only based on the wedge issues - but, an embryo is a person; but why should we fund contraceptives; why shouldn't we have as many guns as we want; why can't we bully the gays to death; why can't we shove our Christianity down your throat - because we are so right.
So - we fight on the wedge issues while, meanwhile, the multi-nationals take over America - laughing all the way to the bank at how they hoodwinked us all.
sattireattireJan 31, 2012
As a conservative, i agree with everything you say. The difference isn't the outcome, the difference is in the method.
After reading half of your statement, things were good. then i read the other half, and you are just another judgmental far left leaning jerk. you think all conservatives are so and so and blah and blah.
There are moderates from both sides out there. unfortunately, you are not one of them.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
jhbarrJan 31, 2012
Please tell the NYT that is their job, because they're not sure.
http://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/should-the-times-be-a-truth-vigilante/
stang966Jan 31, 2012
You call it bulls**t, but I say reality has well-known liberal bias.
jimijamJan 31, 2012
Why doesn't Drum name names? Who are the chronic, obsessive bulls**tters who pass the made up memes and narratives along? How about Dowd, Collins and Matthews? Kristol and Williams? That clown Wilson who just had an editorial in WaPo? Or Dean Baker who gives him a pass? et alii, etc etc
I'm feeling bitter about the whole thing.
crashdvisJan 31, 2012
Definition of irony: motherjones posts an article titled "fighting bulls**t." Now if that isn't hysterical. Motherjones, alternet, and politicsusa are responsible for 99.99999999999% of the BS on Digg.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
alanocuJan 31, 2012
Awwww. it's almost like the Mothers at Jones are crying and feeling sorry for themselves. I think I'll send them a box of lollipops so they can cry themselves to sleep with a sucker in their mouths. Poor dears. Wipe your eyes, honey. You'll feel better in the morning, you poor, mistreated, souls.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.