Today the Olympic torch, having been extinguished and re-lit several times in France, is in San Francisco. I haven’t yet heard what’s going on with it today, but protests are expected, and the IOC is considering scrapping the torch relay in the future.
You probably know that the government of China blames His Holiness the Dalai Lama for causing unrest in Tibet. You probably know this is bullshit. However, the people of China hear only the Chinese government’s side of the story, and they tend to support their government.
Here in the U.S. , wingnuts and the crackpots who lead them continue to promote the idea that either Iran, or al Qaeda (the original one), or both conflated together in John McCain’s addled brain, are the chief culprits behind the violence in Iraq. You probably knew this is bullshit, and if you don’t, Dilip Hiro and John Juan Cole explain it for you.
Republican presidential candidate and war hero John McCain continues to be confused about connections (unlikely) between al Qaeda and Sh’ia Iran. Michael Goldfarb thinks we’re all being picky.
This is getting beyond ridiculous. Sometimes people make mistakes, even liberals–like when Arianna Huffington, in the midst of attacking McCain for just such a gaffe, confused Iran with Syria. Does she really not know the difference between the two? Of course not.
Memo to Goldfarb: Arianna Huffington ain’t runnin’ for President. And McCain keeps making the same mistake.
Clinton supporters believe the Clinton campaign is struggling because media are mean to Clinton. The fact that Senator Clinton’s campaign keeps making big, fat, newsworthy mistakes is not, of course, a factor behind the negative press. Yes, there is some piling on, but she’s giving them so much to pile on about. (See also “Why the Clintons Held Onto Mark Penn.” Interesting read.)
And, as I remember, until the Clinton campaign started losing, the same press had built the Senator and her campaign team into the Most Awesome and Absolutely Unbeatable Political Juggernaut of All Time.
Ezra Klein writes that conservatives have a creative scapegoat for recent economic meltdown — liberals caused the subprime mortgage crisis:
The new line we’re hearing is that the financial meltdown was really the product of the Community Reinvestment Act, a piece of legislation from the late-70s that required federally-insured banks to lend throughout the areas from which they take deposits, including poor neighborhoods, which were being systematically excluded from credit. The legislation, by all accounts, worked. Now, however, conservatives are trying to argue that it’s behind the crisis: If the CRA hadn’t been pushing these banks to make all these unsafe loans, then the birds would still sing and Alan Greenspan could still start each morning by being anointed with the oil of the purest, youngest, olives.
As Robert Gordon shows, however, this is crap.
Well, yes.
Anyway, is there anyone out there actually taking responsibility for something?
i think it is Juan Cole, speaking of mistakes. (gently)
Anyway, is there anyone out there actually taking responsibility for something?
Not on W’s watch.
Ezra Klein has a lovely way with words… thanks for that snip! I’ll go read the Robert Gordon link now. Ought to take me back to the deep-bullshit days of my employment at an S&L (ha! remember those?).
Nothing that is happening is due to mistakes, incompetence, stupidity or accident (MISA Theory). It is by design, by a conspiracy the conspirators insist does not exist, to globalize the planet under totalitarian rule. Once you open your mind to idea that it is possible, you will be able to understand. Cling to the MISA Theory and you will continue to be surprised until the end, at which time there will be no more surprises, just a lifetime under the boot.
This Conspiracy has been around for 125 years, perhaps longer, , by powerful and wealthy people whose families have met in secret for centuries before hatching the current plan, and whose descendants continue in their foot steps. For those with intelligence that is 4-5 SD times higher than those of normal intelligence, with immense wealth that allows them to control media, history, money, and governments, the planning and executing of a conspiracy of this magnitude, while inconceivable to us normal people, is possible. They justify the evil they must do, as means being justified by the end. They take full responsible for their actions, as they have the most to lose.
They will only continue so long as people deny the reality and linger in the illusion they have given you, which you believe is real. Wake up, and they will know since they monitor our perception via the internet and other techniques, and will possibly change course if there is an awakening. They are few, and we are many, so they fear this, since life is good and they do not want to risk what they have to gain more, unless it is a sure thing. Even those who follow them do not fathom their real goals, and may be awakened. It is not what they think, and if they were to be awakened, they would not follow .
Look at it as a battle between the Truth and the Lie. The Truth will set you free, or keep you free, but first you must recognize the Lie, and search for the Truth. Much of what people believe today to be True is the Lie. Once you recognize this, you are 1/2 of the way on the road to the Truth.
Time is runing out though.
is there anyone out there actually taking responsibility for something?
Sure, lots of people. “I take full responsibility” is one of the most common phrases in Washington-speak. Unfortunately, it always means something a little different: “you may no longer criticize me, and I accept no actual consequences for my actions.”
Regarding Penn: I don’t think anyone put events in their proper light. Penn’s firm was fired by the Columbians after he (Penn) suggested that he was not meeting as Clinton’s advisor, but as prez of the PR company he runs. Penn was negotiating FOR a deal that Clinton (publicly) opposes and could be a sensative issue in Pennsylvania. Unions are not in favor of the free trade deal.
The REASON Penn was fired by the Collumbians is that he suggested that he was not representing Clinton, but the Columbians felt that they hired him specifically BECAUSE he promised he had access to the next president. Clinton fired him because the meeting suggested that anything might be possible with Clinton, IF the right people got enough money.
It’s been a long time since there was not a ‘FOR SALE’ sign in front of the White House, with various ‘connected’ brokers offering insider deals.
Regarding the IOC and the torch relay. I think the torch relay would not be a focal point of protests if the OIC will not locate the games in countries with human rights abuses, Unfortuately, that means they can’t conduct the games in China, Russia and the USA.
To summarize an earlier comment about conspiracies – if a “mistake” has a practical benefit, expect it to continue being made.
Mark Penn is the Clintons’ confessor. What more need be said?
McCain is not held accountable for anything he says
Clinton is criticised for inaccuracies in what she says
Obama is called to repudiate whatever his pastor says
Go Figure