Foreshadowing...

[Okla-homey]

of the future? Just food for thought. Not meant to denigrate, but merely to provide unique insight and to spawn civil discussion:

:pop:


Barack Obama, Fabian Socialist
Jerry Bowyer 11.03.08, 12:32 PM ET

Barack Obama is a Fabian socialist. I should know; I was raised by one. My Grandfather worked as a union machinist for Ingersoll Rand during the day. In the evenings he tended bar and read books. After his funeral, I went back home and started working my way through his library, starting with T.W. Arnold's The Folklore of Capitalism. This was my introduction to the Fabian socialists.

Fabians believed in gradual nationalization of the economy through manipulation of the democratic process. Breaking away from the violent revolutionary socialists of their day, they thought that the only real way to effect "fundamental change" and "social justice" was through a mass movement of the working classes presided over by intellectual and cultural elites. Before TV it was stage plays, written by George Bernard Shaw and thousands of inferior "realist" playwrights dedicated to social change. John Cusack's character in Woody Allen's "Bullets Over Broadway" captures the movement rather well.

Arnold taught me to question everyone--my president, my priest and my parents. Well, almost everyone. I wasn't supposed to question the Fabian intellectuals themselves. That's the Fabian MO, relentless cultural and journalistic attacks on everything that is, and then a hard pitch for the hope of what might be.

That's Obama's world. He's telling the truth when he says that he doesn't agree with Bill Ayers' violent bombing tactics, but it's a tactical disagreement. Why use dynamite when mass media and community organizing work so much better? Who needs Molotov when you've got Saul Alinski?

So here is the playbook: The left will identify, freeze, personalize and polarize an industry, probably health care. It will attempt to nationalize one-fifth of the U.S. economy through legislative action. They will focus, as Lenin did, on the "commanding heights" of the economy, not the little guy.

As Obama said, "the smallest" businesses will be exempt from fines for not "doing the right thing" in offering employer-based health care coverage. Health will not be nationalized in one fell swoop; they have been studying the failures of Hillary Care. Instead, a parallel system will be created, funded by surcharges on business payroll, which will be superior to many private plans.

The old system will be forced to subsidize the new system and there will be a gradual shift from the former to the latter. The only coercion will be the fines, not the participation. A middle-class entitlement will have been created.

It may not be health care first; it might be energy, though I suspect that energy will be nationalized much more gradually. The offshore drilling ban that was allowed to lapse legislatively will be reinstated through executive means. It may be an executive order, but might just as well be a permit reviewing system that theoretically allows drilling but with endless levels of objection and appeal from anti-growth groups. Wind and solar, on the other hand, will have no permitting problems at all, and a heavy taxpayer subsidy at their backs.

The banking system has already been partially nationalized. Bush and Paulson intend for their share purchases to be only non-voting preferred shares, but the law does not specify that. How hard will it be for Obama, new holder of $700 billion in bank equity, to demand "accountability" and a "voice" for the taxpayers?

The capital markets are not freezing up now, mostly because of what has happened, although community organizers' multidecade push for affirmative-action mortgages has done enormous harm to the credit system. Markets are forward looking.

A quick review of the socialist takeovers in Venezuela in 1999, Spain in 2004 and Italy in 2006 show the same pattern--equity markets do most of their plummeting before the Chavez's of the world take power. Investors anticipate the policy shift in advance; that's their job.

It's not just equity markets, though; debt markets do the same thing. Everywhere I turn I hear complaints about bankers "hoarding" capital. "Hoarding" is a word we've heard often from violent socialists like Lenin and Mao. We also hear it from the democratic left as we did during the 1930s in America. The banks, we're told, are greedy and miserly, holding onto capital that should be deployed into the marketplace.

Well, which is it, miserly or greedy? They're not the same thing. Banks make money borrowing low and lending high. In fact, they can borrow very, very low right now, as they could during the Great Depression.

So why don't they lend? Because socialism is a very unkind environment for lenders. Some of the most powerful members of Congress are speaking openly about repudiating mortgage covenants. Local officials have already done so by simply refusing to foreclose on highly delinquent borrowers. Then, there's the oldest form of debt repudiation, inflation. Even if you get your money back, it will not be worth anything. Who would want to lend in an environment like this?

Will Obama's be the strong-man socialism of a Chavez, or the soft socialism that Clement Atlee used to defeat Churchill after WWII? I don't know, but I suspect something kind of in between. Despite right-wing predictions that we won't see Rush shut down by Fairness Doctrine fascists. We won't see Baptist ministers hauled off in handcuffs for anti-sodomy sermons. It will more likely be a matter of paperwork. Strong worded letters from powerful lawyers in and out of government to program directors and general mangers of radio stations. Ominous references to license renewal.

The psychic propaganda assault will be powerful. The cyber-brown-shirts will spew hate, the union guys will flood talk shows with switchboard-collapsing swarms of complaint calls aimed at those hosts who "go beyond the pale" in their criticisms of Obama. In concert with pop culture outlets like The Daily Show and SNL, Obama will use his podium to humiliate and demonize those of us who don't want to come together and heal the planet.

You've heard of the bully pulpit, right? Well, then get ready, because you're about to see the bully part.

Jerry Bowyer is chief economist of Benchmark Financial Network and a CNBC contributor.

[TUSooner]

Is that what you'd call a "worst-case scenario"?

[Vaevictis]

So, in other words, just a lefty version of 8 years under GW Bush.

Okay, we'll see. :)

[olevetonahill]

Some How I doubt this will end up a Civil Discussion.

[Vaevictis]

Some How I doubt this will end up a Civil Discussion.

Clearly, you've spent more than a little time on the SO ;)

[mdklatt]

Stupid me, I thought the fearmongering nonsense would stop once the election was over. :rolleyes:


BTW, who voted to all but nationalize the banking industry again?

[olevetonahill]

Clearly, you've spent more than a little time on the SO ;)

a few Hrs :D

[tommieharris91]

Stupid me, I thought the fearmongering nonsense would stop once the election was over. :rolleyes:


BTW, who voted to all but nationalize the banking industry again?

Yea, but swift natonalization like what GWB did is a bad thing.

[batonrougesooner]

I see it.

I understand it.

But I don't know what to do about it.

The People have spoken. I just hope we really understand what we have spoken for.

[KC//CRIMSON]

FEAR!!!!

[mdklatt]

Hear ya go (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=oklahoma+city&daddr=pembina,+nd&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=48.719961,-96.223755&sspn=1.605416,3.460693&ie=UTF8&ll=49.04687,-96.638489&spn=0.797487,1.730347&z=9), right wingers! I think they reelected their Bush Mini-Me PM a few weeks ago, so you'll be more comfortable up there.

[Okla-homey]

Hear ya go (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=oklahoma+city&daddr=pembina,+nd&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=48.719961,-96.223755&sspn=1.605416,3.460693&ie=UTF8&ll=49.04687,-96.638489&spn=0.797487,1.730347&z=9), right wingers! I think they reelected their Bush Mini-Me PM a few weeks ago, so you'll be more comfortable up there.

Naw, we just need to knuckle-down and engineer taking our country back.;)

American politics is like a pendulum. It swings right, then it swings left.

I'm old enough to remember the Contract With America (the left called the Contract On America) that swept GOP majorities into the Congress during WJC's first mid-term.

Most people will give BHO a chance. He'll have a brief honeymoon, and then it will all begin anew. This country is just as ideologically polarized today as it was before the election. That's a tough row to hoe.

[Jerk]

Hear ya go (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=oklahoma+city&daddr=pembina,+nd&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=48.719961,-96.223755&sspn=1.605416,3.460693&ie=UTF8&ll=49.04687,-96.638489&spn=0.797487,1.730347&z=9), right wingers! I think they reelected their Bush Mini-Me PM a few weeks ago, so you'll be more comfortable up there.

Yes! We can encourage all the right-wingers to move to Canada, and lose a sizable portion of the tax-base needed to fund socialism. Grand idea!

[TUSooner]

Hear ya go (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=oklahoma+city&daddr=pembina,+nd&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=48.719961,-96.223755&sspn=1.605416,3.460693&ie=UTF8&ll=49.04687,-96.638489&spn=0.797487,1.730347&z=9), right wingers! I think they reelected their Bush Mini-Me PM a few weeks ago, so you'll be more comfortable up there.

North Dakota is invading Manitoba ?!:eek:

[StoopTroup]

I think the Football Forum might have edged out the SO now.

[Sooner_Havok]

North Dakota is invading Manitoba ?!:eek:

No dummy, Canada has invaded North Dakota. You just didn't read about cause the Canadian troops where very polite :D

[tommieharris91]

I think the Football Forum might have edged out the SO now.

Hold on a sec, I'll go tell everyone there we can't pass texass in the BCS rankings without them losing.

[TUSooner]

No dummy, Canada has invaded North Dakota. You just didn't read about cause the Canadian troops where very polite :D

They said they were just coming over to visit their doctors.

[Sooner_Havok]

They said they were just coming over to visit their doctors.

:(

Never trust a canuck!

[Okla-homey]

FEAR!!!!

Okay, Election over. You don't get to color critical thinking and analysis as fear-mongering anymore. Unless that's the way the Obama-nation is gonna roll.

In contrast to the post at the head of this thread, here's an example of fear-mongering heard by yours truly on a local talk radio program this morning: <paraphrasing>Obama is the anti-christ. The fact he won proves it. See, the anti-christ must win and rule for a time until the Lord returns.

I just include that caller to help you see the difference and stuff.

[mdklatt]

Okay, Election over. You don't get to color critical thinking and analysis as fear-mongering anymore.




Wind and solar, on the other hand, will have...a heavy taxpayer subsidy at their backs.


Anybody who says this with a straight face and claims to know what they're talking about deserves to be ignored. Oil has subsidized by our foreign policy and military for a long, long time, not to mention the denial of all of it's environmental costs. And this guy complains about wind and solar subsidies. What a tool. That is neither critical thinking nor analysis.

[olevetonahill]

Told Ya Homey .
It aint gonna Be Civil.

[Okla-homey]

Told Ya Homey .
It aint gonna Be Civil.

I just hope they don't start playing the race card on those who would dare be critical of President BHO's policies. but that's prolly next

[olevetonahill]

I just hope they don't start playing the race card on those who would dare be critical of President BHO's policies. but that's prolly next

Ya Know Its gonna be .:(

[King Crimson]

it's truly bad faith (or self-delusion) to post an article like that (an alarmist opinion piece based in a set of assumptions that are more than questionable--Obama=Socialist strategy or violent Leninism, the familiar use of "Rush", sci-fi nightmare dystopias of cyber brown shirts, Pravda style mass media and totalitarian propaganda "machines" as scapegoat).....and then parade around as the moderator of "civil discussion"....and faux distress at national "polarization" when one is clearly a product and agent of that sort of polarization on the board.

[KC//CRIMSON]

I just hope they don't start playing the race card on those who would dare be critical of President BHO's policies. but that's prolly next


Well, when you say stuff like "spinners on the presidents limo and purple shutters on the White House" what do you expect?


Hey-O!

[Jerk]

Well, when you say stuff like "spinners on the presidents limo and purple shutters on the White House" what do you expect?
Don't forget, he said that the rose garden would be replaced with a water melon patch.

[KC//CRIMSON]

Don't forget, he said that the rose garden would be replaced with a water melon patch.


He also said this: Nope. Until he's elected, he's just a extremely liberal scam artist. If he wins a majority of the Electoral College, under our system, he's The Man and I STFU.- Okla-homey posted July 3, 2008


and that still hasn't happened....

[Okla-homey]

it's truly bad faith (or self-delusion) to post an article like that (an alarmist opinion piece based in a set of assumptions that are more than questionable--Obama=Socialist strategy or violent Leninism, the familiar use of "Rush", sci-fi nightmare dystopias of cyber brown shirts, Pravda style mass media and totalitarian propaganda "machines" as scapegoat).....and then parade around as the moderator of "civil discussion"....and faux distress at national "polarization" when one is clearly a product and agent of that sort of polarization on the board.

I didn't write the dang piece. It was posted on the msnbc website for crying out loud. And if you can't recognize proponency of Fabian socialism, or at least chilling parallels when you see them, you need to focus. And last time I checked, a 52-48 split in the popular vote, broken down on regional lines = polarization.

Your guy won. Be happy. But know this, he isn't going to get a pass. He's the president-elect. The office deserves respect, despite the left's ongoing efforts to rip that to shreds as evidenced by the people standing outside the WH last night holding signs that stated "Why Wait? Evict Bush Now!" BHO has my support because he's my president-elect. He'll have my support in January when he's inaugurated, but know this, in the end, BHO's candidacy has sown the wind. It's gonna blow. He better be ready.

[olevetonahill]

Homey Bro
The Hard Left Libs aint gonna let it Be Civil .
I hoped after the lection that we could all Go Back to being Friends .
Guess I was wrong :(

[Okla-homey]

He also said this: Nope. Until he's elected, he's just a extremely liberal scam artist. If he wins a majority of the Electoral College, under our system, he's The Man and I STFU.- Okla-homey posted July 3, 2008


and that still hasn't happened....


the Electoral College meets in January as I recall.

But more importantly, we need to clarify, can we not be critical of a presidential policy while remaining loyal to the Office of the President and our government? Because if we can't, someone needs to put out a memo or something.

[King Crimson]

But more importantly, we need to clarify, can we not be critical of a presidential policy while remaining loyal to the Office of the President and our government? Because if we can't, someone needs to put out a memo or something.

this is some great stuff. you sure as heck couldn't do it on here in 02 or 03 without being called "anti-american"; but, now, the true defenders are here to reclaim the right of dissent. :rolleyes:

i voted 3rd party BTW.

[Okla-homey]

this is some great stuff. you sure as heck couldn't do it on here in 02 or 03 without being called "anti-american"; but, now, the true defenders are here to reclaim the right of dissent. :rolleyes:

i voted 3rd party BTW.

I don't know if the search function here is up to the task, but can you find where I posted that being critical of governmental policy or a "dissenter" is unAmerican?

Except of course for "dissent" that is characterized as publicly and loudly calling for the pull-out of US troops in SWA amidst ongoing combat operations, because that emboldens the enemy and gets our kids hurt. I may have called that kind of thing unAmerican or disloyal a time or two. If I didn't, I should have.

And for the record, I wasn't here in 02 (Asscrackistan) and 03. I was still in uniform. Thus, I wasn't allowed political opinions.

[47straight]

I'll throw something out there:

Boy Scouts and several orthodox (little "o") Christian denominations lose their tax-exempt status.

[OklahomaTuba]

Yeah, cause the left has been VERY classy & patriotic in their criticism of Bush et al.

[OklahomaTuba]

I'll throw something out there:

Boy Scouts and several orthodox (little "o") Christian denominations lose their tax-exempt status.

Maybe Rev. Wright will be the new race relations czar or something???

Bill Ayers would be a great Sec. of Defense. He knows all about bombs and
the Pentagon.

[Harry Beanbag]

In contrast to the post at the head of this thread, here's an example of fear-mongering heard by yours truly on a local talk radio program this morning: <paraphrasing>Obama is the anti-christ. The fact he won proves it. See, the anti-christ must win and rule for a time until the Lord returns.

I just include that caller to help you see the difference and stuff.

Well, his term does dovetail nicely with the end of the Mayan calendar. :)

[Vaevictis]

Except of course for "dissent" that is characterized as publicly and loudly calling for the pull-out of US troops in SWA amidst ongoing combat operations, because that emboldens the enemy and gets our kids hurt. I may have called that kind of thing unAmerican or disloyal a time or two. If I didn't, I should have.

It might be wrong. It might be stupid, misguided, or foolish.

But if you have a good faith belief that it's in America's best interest, it's not disloyalty.

[olevetonahill]

It might be wrong. It might be stupid, misguided, or foolish.

But if you have a good faith belief that it's in America's best interest, it's not disloyalty.

it is if it gives hope to the enemy, ala Hanoi Jane .:mad:

[Vaevictis]

it is if it gives hope to the enemy, ala Hanoi Jane .:mad:

That is your opinion, and you have a right to it. It is my opinion that disloyalty requires actual disloyal intent.

Absent disloyal intent, disloyalty is impossible; the act is simply erroneous, stupid, etc.

[TUSooner]

I'm cautious but hopeful. I think Obama's got a first-rate mind and temperament and that he loves our country. That's the "good." I also think he'll actually be pretty good at foreign relations - friendly and calm but tough underneath (I hope) and not some dovey wuss. That's the "pretty good."

What worries me some is the economics. Because the "capitalists" certainly appear to have had sexual relations with a pig (sans lipstick) in this mortgage & credit cluster****, some people are gonna be hurtin and mad. And hurtin mad people don't care a hoot about conservative political theory and the glory of free markets (true though it is). So there might well be an acceptance of some socialistic crap that we or our children will regret. That would be the "bad."

On the other hand, if he has some good economic advisors (as I think he has but don't really know), and if he's not really a closet Lenin (or even a linen closet), he might just - with his inteligence - come up with reasonable actions to help the free economy and confidence people have in it. That's the "hopeful caution part."

On the whole, I think we ought to be optimistic unless it become obvious he wants to nationalize everything from ***holes to zymurgy.

I'm certainly no expert on diddly, but that's kinda how I'm thinking.

[sooneron]

The author's basis for the article is this?


Barack Obama is a Fabian socialist. I should know; I was raised by one.

[SoonerJack]

zymurgy - noun
the study or practice of fermentation in brewing, winemaking, or distilling.
ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greek zumē ‘leaven,’ on the pattern of metallurgy.

Obama gets no free pass just as Bush got no free pass. Expect criticism to be frequent and malicious.

[stoopified]

If the Libs arte this bad in Oklahoma where Obama was throughly beaten,I am glad I don't live in a blue state.

[A Sooner in Texas]

I'm cautious but hopeful. I think Obama's got a first-rate mind and temperament and that he loves our country. That's the "good." I also think he'll actually be pretty good at foreign relations - friendly and calm but tough underneath (I hope) and not some dovey wuss. That's the "pretty good."

What worries me some is the economics. Because the "capitalists" certainly appear to have had sexual relations with a pig (sans lipstick) in this mortgage & credit cluster****, some people are gonna be hurtin and mad. And hurtin mad people don't care a hoot about conservative political theory and the glory of free markets (true though it is). So there might well be an acceptance of some socialistic crap that we or our children will regret. That would be the "bad."

On the other hand, if he has some good economic advisors (as I think he has but don't really know), and if he's not really a closet Lenin (or even a linen closet), he might just - with his inteligence - come up with reasonable actions to help the free economy and confidence people have in it. That's the "hopeful caution part."

On the whole, I think we ought to be optimistic unless it become obvious he wants to nationalize everything from ***holes to zymurgy.

I'm certainly no expert on diddly, but that's kinda how I'm thinking.



ahh...I was wondering when the critical thinking and analysis would finally show up. :)

[olevetonahill]

zymurgy - noun
the study or practice of fermentation in brewing, winemaking, or distilling.
ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greek zumē ‘leaven,’ on the pattern of metallurgy.

Obama gets no free pass just as Bush got no free pass. Expect criticism to be frequent and malicious.

He was Talking about the OVJ

[Sooner_Havok]

If the Libs arte this bad in Oklahoma where Obama was throughly beaten,I am glad I don't live in a blue state.

No, you live in the only state that was solid red. I think that explains why so many people on here are so upset, and think that all libs think Bush is the anti-Christ. Most don't agree with his policies and decisions, but few would call him a horrible person for being wrong. Saying he has been a bad president does not equate to saying he is a bad person. Unfortunately, when you are surrounded by like minded people, any dissent seems to be stupid and unfounded.

Places like Vermont and Hawaii are this way in reverse. They are surrounded by people that think libz are good and patriotic and conservatives are wrong. Perspective, it's a bitch.

[Harry Beanbag]

It might be wrong. It might be stupid, misguided, or foolish.

But if you have a good faith belief that it's in America's best interest, it's not disloyalty.

Do you honestly think the usual suspects in the Dem party behaved the way they did in good faith or was it simply for political reasons? That would be disloyalty and borderline treason in my book.

[SoonerJack]

He was Talking about the OVJ

I nominate OV as our nations Zymurgy Czar! :twinkies:

[Vaevictis]

Do you honestly think the usual suspects in the Dem party behaved the way they did in good faith or was it simply for political reasons? That would be disloyalty and borderline treason in my book.

I'm quite certain that there are at least some who didn't do it in good faith, and thereby qualify as being disloyal.

My main issue is that there is a certain element that is very, very quick to break out terms like 'disloyal', 'terrorist-loving', 'traitor', etc, when it is rational to believe that the people that they are labelling thus are acting in good faith and simply disagree with policy.

Labelling people as 'disloyal' when they are acting in good faith is a damn good way to screw up our country, IMO, and I wish people would take more care in doing it, and stop using the tactic to score political points.

[JohnnyMack]

The article seems like a lot of speculation to me.

[Harry Beanbag]

I'm quite certain that there are at least some who didn't do it in good faith, and thereby qualify as being disloyal.

My main issue is that there is a certain element that is very, very quick to break out terms like 'disloyal', 'terrorist-loving', 'traitor', etc, when it is rational to believe that the people that they are labelling thus are acting in good faith and simply disagree with policy.

Labelling people as 'disloyal' when they are acting in good faith is a damn good way to screw up our country, IMO, and I wish people would take more care in doing it, and stop using the tactic to score political points.


I don't disagree with you on this point, but I don't believe any politician as far as I can throw them, and that's not very far. The cynic in me doesn't believe politicians are capable of acting in good faith. The current fad of being loyal to your party first is being disloyal to your country, that is not arguable at all.

[Harry Beanbag]

Here's some more food for thought...



Saul Alinsky Takes the White House

Conservatives may not realize just how difficult it might be to recover from this week's elections.

The day after the big defeat, the conservative chatter everywhere was about how the "movement" and the Republican Party (two different things) could finally unshackle themselves from the bad old habits that brought them down, and about how the ability to draw a sharp contrast with the Obama/Pelosi/Reid triumvirate would allow us to focus attention, rally the faithful, and re-storm the castle in 2010 and 2012.

Fat chance.

Too many conservatives think we've seen all this before -- in 1964 and 1974 and 1992 -- and that we know how to handle it. Fly, meet ointment: We're not dealing with the same sorts of opponents. These New Alinskyites who are taking over the White House, combined with the most leftist congressional leadership in memory, will not let us play by the same rules under which conservatives recovered from those earlier debacles. They will try to drastically tilt the playing field, seed our side of the field with land mines and, in short, rig the process to make it next to impossible for the political right, or Republicans, to recover. And they are likely to succeed in at least some of these designs.

It will begin with their efforts to secure a filibuster-proof majority of 60 senators (including the two independents). Right now the libs (and yes, all the Democratic senators, with the possible exception of Nebraska's Ben Nelson, are libs) have 56, with three Republican moderates and one conservative leading their races but awaiting recounts or runoffs. Watch for the Alinskyites to try stealing all four, and to succeed in at least two. We've seen this game before. They did it in Indiana's "Bloody Eighth" congressional district in 1984. They almost succeeded in 2000 in Florida. They did succeed, outrageously so, in the Washington State governor's race in 2004. Those are just the most obvious of many similar examples (http://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Elections-Revised-Updated-Threatens/dp/1594032246). And now they are even more ruthless, more lawyered-up, and in a more powerful position to pull it off than they were in any of those instances.

Next, watch what happens if they regularly can't peel off enough Republicans (or hold their own semi-fairminded people like Nelson and Joe Lieberman) to overcome whatever filibuster attempts Republicans do mount. Watch for an assault on the filibuster itself. Watch how they use as precedent the GOP "nuclear/constitutional option" on judges in 2005 -- except instead of just using it for judges, watch them use it against all filibusters. It's easy: Make the ruling from the chair that the filibuster is out of order for some reason. Instruct the parliamentarian to rule in their favor. Win the appeal of the parliamentarian's ruling by simple majority vote. And watch the courts pronounce it an internal matter of the legislative branch and thus outside of courtroom purview.

Watch a cheerleading establishment media -- the Fourth Estate as a veritable Fifth Column -- actually back these lefty maneuvers. It's all in the name of one-man/one-vote democracy, dontcha know? The filibuster once served its purpose, they'll say, but as a vestige of Southern "massive resistance" to integration it is now being used for massive resistance to the first black president, which invalidates it (suddenly) as a legitimate tool.

Watch the left use these tactics and others to pass even more liberalized voting laws -- an open invitation to even more fraud that is more creative, easier to hide, and less challengeable in court.

Watch what Michael Barone called the Obama "thugocracy" use the Justice Department to stifle dissent. Anybody who complains about vote fraud will be charged with "vote suppression." Anybody who complains about DoJ's actions will be charged with interfering with an investigation. Anybody who denies having interfered will be charged with perjury. Likewise, anybody who peacefully protests abortion clinics or the use of state-sponsored racial quotas will be charged with a civil rights violation. And the accused won't be able to look to the Supreme Court for help: Anthony Kennedy's "evolving standards" of justice will evolve to match the new zeitgeist, providing a 5-4 majority for the administration. Meanwhile, of course, Obama's other appointments will be filling up the rest of the judiciary at a rapid clip, with nobody able to stop them.

Other ways the Obama axis will tilt the playing field: "card check" legislation to eliminate secret ballots in unionizing and to force union victories in contract negotiations. Provision (http://www.examiner.com/a-1507513~The_trial_bar_goes_on_the_offensive.html,) after provision (http://www.triallawyerearmarks.com/) giving favors to the trial bar so it can sue enemies into submission. Copious new regulations, especially environmental, to be used selectively to ensnare other conservative malcontents. Invasive IRS audits of conservative think tanks, other conservative 501 organizations, and PACs.

What Ohio officials did in rifling through so many of Joe Wurzelbacher's files will serve as ample precedent. (Just watch, by the way: Nobody ever will be effectively disciplined for the violation of Wurzelbacher's rights.)

And, only when the time is right and the ground (or air) has been well prepared, will come the grand-daddy of all fights, the re-enactment of the misnamed "Fairness Doctrine."

Oh, they'll be clever. They'll pick their spot. They'll wait until Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity or Mark Levin says something innocent they can twist out of context and call "hate speech" -- and then they'll highlight some schoolyard fight where a member of a "victim group" gets the worst of it as if the "attack" were caused by talk-rad…no, make that "hate radio," which will be the new moniker the Fifth Column/Fourth Estate hangs on the talkmeisters.

(Even before imposing the Fairness Doctrine, they'll use the Federal Communications Commission in other ways to put a muffler on their opponents (http://www.reason.com/news/show/129228.html).)

And, always, a few carefully calibrated street demonstrations, splashed with just the right headlines across the East Coast newspapers and captured by just the right camera angle on CBS News, will be used any time, on any issue, to make the point that civil unrest would be the price of resistance to the benevolent desires of the Obama regime.

The erosions of conservative rights will be incremental. Each one will have its own justification. Each one will be supported by the establishment media. Each one will be timed so as to allow the general public to become accustomed to it, to accept it as unremarkable, or even to come to regard it as a public good for the sake of keeping conservative "troublemakers" from fomenting disorder.

And the Obamessiah, still speaking frequently to stadia full of admirers, will provide a tone of reasoned moderation, combined with further appeals to hope, in order to justify it all.

These are the sorts of things Alinskyites do. These are the sorts of tactics used by ACORN, at whose conferences Obama himself regularly taught seminars on "power." These are the sorts of policies favored by the academic left, Obama's old milieu -- the policies that favor speech codes and stolen campus newspapers and the firing of faculty for "offensive" remarks.

Conservatives have fought things like this for years already, of course. But they've never fought it while the left controlled so many of the levers of power, and certainly not when the left was led by such a charismatic and near cult-inspiring leader who was so smart, so well steeped in these stratagems, and so fully supported by a Fourth Estate up whose legs warm feelings run every time he waxes eloquent.

It will take very focused, very intelligent, very skillful action by conservatives to stop this creeping subversion of a free society. This is a whole different political battlefield than any on which we've fought before. And we haven't yet found our Omar Bradley.


http://spectator.org/archives/2008/11/06/saul-alinsky-takes-the-white-h

[King Crimson]

the author of the spectator linked article didn't seem to read the linked article about the Fairness Doctrine (not coming back) and the FCC. If he was loyal to his source, i don't think he could justify using the phrase "they use", characterizing the FCC as an instrument of socialist policy....since the article mainly speaks to changes in industry that Obama won't personally enact (BHO says no to the FD as well*, sorry paranoiacs)....not the Obama master plan. It certainly doesn't fit with his alarmism.

*possibly because as i've posted a zillion times it's not really legally a strong argument you can make.

[Vaevictis]

Next, watch what happens if they regularly can't peel off enough Republicans (or hold their own semi-fairminded people like Nelson and Joe Lieberman) to overcome whatever filibuster attempts Republicans do mount. Watch for an assault on the filibuster itself. Watch how they use as precedent the GOP "nuclear/constitutional option" on judges in 2005 -- except instead of just using it for judges, watch them use it against all filibusters. It's easy: Make the ruling from the chair that the filibuster is out of order for some reason. Instruct the parliamentarian to rule in their favor. Win the appeal of the parliamentarian's ruling by simple majority vote. And watch the courts pronounce it an internal matter of the legislative branch and thus outside of courtroom purview.

Did I not ****ing tell you it was a bad idea to try to weaken the fillibuster?

[TUSooner]

I'll be disappointed if the gubment goes hell-bent for leftness. We could see a real power scrap -- and me joining the RWR zombies crew. :D

But I think more people - especially on the right! - will be more disappointed if Obama fails to morph into Leon Trotsky by June.

[Okla-homey]

I'll be disappointed if the gubment goes hell-bent for leftness. We could see a real power scrap -- and me joining the RWR zombies crew. :D

But I think more people - especially on the right! - will be more disappointed if Obama fails to morph into Leon Trotsky by June.

It may not be as bad as all that after all. I'm encouraged by BHO's pick for WH chief-of-staff. BHO's selection of the "Iron Ballerina*" as his chief of staff (a guy who went to Israel in '91 and served in the IDF during Gulf War I) and an ex-Clintonista, may signal he's practical about the degree of "change" that is actually feasible.

Emmanuel will be setting the agenda for the administration as all WH chiefs of staff do, and he's generally considered center-left. Like I said, it will be fascinating to watch unfold. Of course, it must be said, that sort of center-left thing, if it comes to pass, will result in criticism from the hard right and the hard left.

* he was talented ballet dancer, studied dance at Sarah Lawrence College where he got his undergrad, before going on to Northwestern for a more conventional masters.

[JohnnyMack]

It may not be as bad as all that after all. I'm encouraged by BHO's pick for WH chief-of-staff. BHO's selection of the "Iron Ballerina*" as his chief of staff (a guy who went to Israel in '91 and served in the IDF during Gulf War I) and an ex-Clintonista, may signal he's practical about the degree of "change" that is actually feasible.

Emmanuel will be setting the agenda for the administration as all WH chiefs of staff do, and he's generally considered center-left. Like I said, it will be fascinating to watch unfold. Of course, it must be said, that sort of center-left thing, if it comes to pass, will result in criticism from the hard right and the hard left.

* he was talented ballet dancer, studied dance at Sarah Lawrence College where he got his undergrad, before going on to Northwestern for a more conventional masters.

If he keeps Gates or tabs Hagel you might just **** yer shorts. :D Word is Dick Lugar is in the SOS running and that former Clintonite Eric Holder could be AG.

Socialist my ***.

[olevetonahill]

Yer *** Is socialist ?:eek:

[BudSooner]

FEAR!!!!


http://www.ugo.com/games/metal-gear-history/images/the_fear.jpg:D

[JohnnyMack]

Here's some more food for thought...




http://spectator.org/archives/2008/11/06/saul-alinsky-takes-the-white-h

You get a little bit scarier, a little bit more tin foil hat-like every day.

Sad.

[Okla-homey]

If he keeps Gates or tabs Hagel you might just **** yer shorts. :D Word is Dick Lugar is in the SOS running and that former Clintonite Eric Holder could be AG.

Socialist my ***.


Dare conservatives hope it might just be that BHO tricked his own supporters into believing in his message of Hope-n-Change when in actual fact, he's merely the first black Bill Clinton? (politically and ideologically speaking of course -- while more sophisticated, no Arkie corn-pone, and lacking all the Clinton baggage and seckshual peccadilloes) If that comes to pass, I'm quite sure HRC's head will explode.

[olevetonahill]

You get a little bit scarier, a little bit more tin foil hat-like every day.

Sad.

Yes , Yes you are Bro .:(

[47straight]

If he keeps Gates or tabs Hagel you might just **** yer shorts. :D Word is Dick Lugar is in the SOS running and that former Clintonite Eric Holder could be AG.

Socialist my ***.

Yes, yes. Point to AG and SOS selection as evidence that he isn't a socialist because those two cabinet positions are indeed directly responsible for domestic economic, taxation and spending policy.

I didn't jump on the socialist bandwagon until I read Obama's quote that he wants to break free of the founders' restraints for economic policy.

[SoonerProphet]

Rahm's pop was a member of the Irgun. Wonder if the usual crowd will yap about his ties to "terrorism". Prolly not cause it does not advance their political agenda.

[Vaevictis]

Rahm's pop was a member of the Irgun. Wonder if the usual crowd will yap about his ties to "terrorism". Prolly not cause it does not advance their political agenda.

Nobody wants to hear about that. The Democrats don't want to talk about it because he's a Dem, and the Republicans don't want to talk about it because it would mean admitting that hey, maybe just maybe the issue of Israel is more complex than they want to admit.

[SoonerProphet]

Nobody wants to hear about that. The Democrats don't want to talk about it because he's a Dem, and the Republicans don't want to talk about it because it would mean admitting that hey, maybe just maybe the issue of Israel is more complex than they want to admit.

Right, I'd hate for honesty and the understanding that a hypocritical foreign policy is counterproductive creep into the national debate.

[Vaevictis]

Right, I'd hate for honesty and the understanding that a hypocritical foreign policy is counterproductive creep into the national debate.

I've tried to make the point before, and the rough response was "Nya Nya Nya, I can't hear you!"

[King Crimson]

the last 4 posts in this thread are about the best i've read in months.

props.