Indefinite Detention? But I Have Soccer Practice at 4: U.S. Politics 2012

Drum vs Greenwald on imprisonment of a Yemeni journalist

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/03/barack-obama-murderous-sociopath

U.S. attacks within Yemen might be bad policy. The entire war on al-Qaeda might be bad policy. What's more, Obama — along with the entire security apparatus of the United States — might be specifically wrong about Shaye. But I don't believe that they're simply making this story up because of a basically inconsequential piece that Shaye wrote two years ago. That just doesn't add up.

Helpful instructions for if you've been targeted for a drone assassination.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Bert2.png

But which do I find more likely? That Shaye is indeed affiliated with al-Qaeda based on evidence that hasn't been made public? Or that Barack Obama is a sociopath who pressures foreign leaders to keep innocent journalists in prison based on the fact that they very slightly annoy him? Call me what you will, but I have to go with Door A.

journalism!

that is truly incredible

I've always wondered how these polls would work out if it were like

"what is barack obama's religion? you get $100 if you answer correctly."

like how much is barack obama ~rhetorically~ a muslim for these people and how many people actually believe he practices islam?

― iatee, Monday, March 12, 2012 2:12 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I also imagine that calling Obama a muslim is also sometimes like public support for Palin; a way to annoy liberals and befuddle pollsters.

Hmmm...

http://electionlawblog.org/?p=31583

that is worrisome to me

You're not to be blamed for thinking that.

The crazy caucus actually gives Boehner et al. leverage to force the Dems to further compromise.

you have this backwards. Boehner can't even control his caucus - ergo there is no point in negotiating with him because any deal that he may strike he can't actually deliver on.

and GOP can't just pass stuff themselves, they need at least some Dem votes. so whoever can hold their caucus together better (ie, Pelosi) wins.

life is unbearable.

But that's not true: even if the Dems hold their caucus together, they can't just pass things while the Republicans sit things out or argue. They need to make an effort to snag one or two Republicans to get things through. However, because the Republicans are disunited, they have no will/power to cooperate, and are therefore more or happy to go the nihilist route and screw things up. That is, the Republicans don't need or want the Democrats, but the Dems frequently want the Repubs, and sometimes even need them. Ergo, the Dems are more willing to compromise their already compromised legislation to suit the handful of Republicans even humoring them (see: the past three years).

uh all of that is wrong...? the Dems are not in the majority, the GOP are the ones bringing bills to the floor. and they can't pass them unless they get some Dem votes. So Boehner, who can't hold his caucus together AT ALL, either has to find some common ground between Tea Party GOPers and conservative Democrats (which Pelosi is going to fight tooth and nail to prevent) or Boehner has to compromise and make concessions to the Democrats to get some votes while losing some Tea Party votes. Dems have the upper hand here.

fwiw the House hasn't passed jackshit in three years, the GOP have no legislative accomplishments to speak of. The biggest deal they had was this budget ceiling-triggered cut thing and Pelosi totally fucked them on it. Which they are now dealing with.

well another important thing is the senate, which also exists

that thing about the yemeni journalist:

The U.S. government insists that Shaye is no mere journalist. "Shaye is in jail because he was facilitating Al Qaeda and its planning for attacks on Americans and therefore we have a very direct interest in his case and his imprisonment," says Gerald Feierstein, the U.S. ambassador to Yemen. Is that true? I have no idea.

is this the entire statement on this? because presumably that's exactly what you would say if you'd just kept the guy imprisoned so his reportage wouldn't radicalize yemeni villagers who don't necessarily watch charlie gibson. it doesn't even really imply there's Super Secret Al-Qaeda Knowledge. drum seems to think obama's only political interest here is domestic.

well another important thing is the senate, which also exists

right and which the Dems control (at least technically lol). McConnell and Reid know how to cut deals. Boehner does not.

This is not only one of the most unpopular congresses ever but it's done very, very little and is likely to continue to do little. All there is to fight for now is who to blame most, so expect both parties to basically do nothing but manoeuvre. I think Shakey's basically right. If Pelosi keeps discipline and Boehner can't, which party is going to look more responsible, more rational and more concerned with ordinary voters' problems?

well it's not even really that they 'know how to cut deals' it's that they have fewer totally insane people to deal w/

If Pelosi keeps discipline and Boehner can't, which party is going to look more responsible, more rational and more concerned with ordinary voters' problems?

wasn't congress fairly responsible, rational, conerned with ordinary voters' problems before the 2010 elections?

fwiw the House hasn't passed jackshit in three years,

more accurately, the House hasn't passed jackshit in two years, since the GOP took over. Pelosi's legislative record as Speaker was actually pretty good (her problem was things dying in the Senate)

xp

wasn't congress fairly responsible, rational, conerned with ordinary voters' problems before the 2010 elections?

lol well played. altho tbf I think their approval ratings were higher prior to the 2010 elections.

my main point is that I don't think anyone could do substantially better than boehner's doing right now cause his problems are more due to the structural problems that come with an increasingly radicalized party than personal shortcomings

related to how I don't think there could be a strong gop pres candidate today or will be anytime soon

My point is that as de facto spoiler in chief, Boehner is doing just fine doing nothing. All he has to do is crow about all the stuff that hasn't been passed and he not only gains cred but judo flips the blame onto the Dems. You know, for not getting things done under his watch. And of course, since the Dem majority (ha) senate can't exactly pass laws without the House, Boehner's obstructionism by absentia makes him out to be the plug on the deficit genie lamp. Or something. His lack of achievement - besides introducing or encouraging batshit bills that won't go anywhere, even if they make it to the senate to die - is an achievement in and of itself in a climate where doing nothing is considered an attribute by millions.

well it's considered a bad thing by even more millions, which means it's not a very good long-term strategy for controlling congress

I dunno if Boehner's "doing just fine" - he has people visibly gunning for his job (Cantor), a sizable portion of his caucus doesn't like or listen to him, the congressional GOP's approval ratings are in the toilet, and the "throw the bums out" sentiment that swept them into power in 2010 is even more pronounced this time around.

Yeah, but he's doing fine for a fuck-up. And really, long-term strategy does not seem to be a concern on the right these days.

Like, I think public sentiment is throw all the bums out, literally vote out the entire Congress, which of course is not going to happen. So people will vote for the usual fuckers. Again. ANd a few new fuckers will slip in, promising cheap gas, an end to Iran's meddling in Mexico, no birth control for people who have sex with animals, and the repealing the sun.

I don't think boehner's 'doing just fine' I think anyone in his position is fucked, cantor would be too

But there he is. Again, we're not talking long-term strategy here, because these dudes don't look past tomorrow.

Boehner has a good chance at retaining the position of Speaker of the House

I don't think the Dems will retake the House but it's possible Boehner's speakership will be challenged from within if the GOP ranks shift enough

No way to know what the caucus will look and ACT like should the GOP lose in November.

Back to the detaining Yemeni reporter story, another Mother Jones columnist differs with K*vin Drum, who thinks in print about the views, and then sticks with his original take

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/03/obama-and-shaye-will-white-house-explain-its-actions

if boehner hangs on in his post AND obama loses in november, boehner suddenly becomes pretty powerful. if both of those happen and the GOP flips the senate, even more so. nobody looks good running a minority.

if both of those happen and the GOP flips the senate, even more so

huge longshot imho

I don't think it's going far out on a limb to suggest that if Boehner keeps his post, repubs keep the house, repubs win the senate and also win the white house, that he's "doing just fine." The rest of us, on the other hand, will be doomed.

suggest that if Boehner keeps his post = possible
repubs keep the house = likely
repubs win the senate = not so likely
and also win the white house, = SO NOT GONNA HAPPEN

shitty GOP prez candidate will depress GOP voter turnout, which will dim their chances of retaking the Senate. House is probably secure tho.

Which means the next four years will be just like the past four, no?

oh if Obama wins and the GOP retains the House it's safe to assume even less will get done. only accomplishments will be pulling out of Afghanistan and other foreign-policy-related stuff

Which is sweet! I can't wait to post more indignant Bam-aims-drones-at-citizens stuff!

texas responds to the DOJ's objection to its voter id law by amending its complaint: the Voting Rights Act is (partly) unconstitutional! it “exceeds the enumerated powers of Congress and conflicts with Article IV of the Constitution and the Tenth Amendment.”

http://electionlawblog.org/?p=31583

lol gtfo

good luck, texmerica

Oh yay, Rush is on Twitter

“I’m not going to be hanging on Twitter 15 hours a day and tweeting, ‘Just had breakfast, have a wonderful day! Bye! Here’s a picture of me eating some cornflakes!’ None of that stuff,” he said

lol like Rush eats cornflakes without frosting

“Just things I want people to see and there’s a really good one today that I want people to see, and I’m going to tweet it out.”

Definitely do not need to see Rush tweeting one out

What's frosting? Is that some new painkiller all the kids are doing?