A must read

[MinnMs]

Aug
10

Black Like Him: Obama's Narrow Path to Reelection

By Charles P. Pierce
at 9:05AM

Are you sitting down? Because this might come as a shock. Yes, it's true: Barack Obama is black. But the more shocking thing is that we have fooled ourselves into believing it doesn't matter.





These are some things the president of the United States cannot say but that I can say about him. Because he is a black man, he has an obligation to be grateful to the white people who voted him into office. Because he is a black man, he has an obligation not to use the full powers of his office in such a way as to alienate any of the white people who so graciously voted him into office. Because he is a black man, he has an obligation not to use the full advantages of his office in his effort to get those white people to reelect him as their president for another four years. Because those white people voted him into office, his primary job as president is to make sure his entire presidency is a demonstration of how far we've come as a nation on race, and that means he is not allowed to do anything or say anything that the white people who elected him can perceive to be divisive, because his primary function is to make them feel good about themselves. In theory, at least, all presidents are servants of the people who elected them. In the case of Barack Obama, it has seemed from the start that the idea as applied to him was more than mere metaphor. He is the first president in my lifetime whom the country felt obligated to remind that he know his place.

The rules of the office changed on him just about the second that his hand came off the Bible in January 2009. Every benefit of every doubt that ever was given to every president, good or bad, was not given to him. Now, as he campaigns for reelection, Durham, New Hampshire, kicks up a ruckus because of the amount of money it will cost if he campaigns there. His signature accomplishment, a fundamental restructuring of the nation's health-care system, survived in the Supreme Court, and he was cautioned by voices on both sides of the aisle not to "spike the football," as though what ordinarily would be run-of-the-mill campaign tub-thumping of his primary legislative achievements would be, in his case, unseemly boasting. Imagine someone advising, say, Lyndon Johnson not to campaign on what he'd accomplished as president. You'd need dental records to identify the guy.

It's not the naked racism that's so disturbing — the witch-doctor signs and the postcards featuring watermelons on the White House lawn — or even the carefully coded language of opposition by which some woman from Alabama goes on TV and, weeping, says, "I want my America back," and everybody knows what she means. None of that could surprise anyone who lived through the two campaigns Jesse Jackson ran for president in the 1980s, when it was all out in the open to the point where the artist David Hammons produced a portrait of Jackson as a blond, blue-eyed Nordic and titled it How Ya Like Me Now? (The answer was not very much. The original artwork was destroyed by vandals.) What's made Obama's presidency so difficult, and what has been used against him to considerable effect by those people who are much too civilized to depict him with a bone through his nose, is the tyranny of other people's sanctimony.

Part of it is his fault. He deliberately set himself up as a conciliatory figure. The speech that launched him as a national figure, his keynote at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, presented him as a figure of unity to a country that was coming unglued and would continue to come unglued throughout that election and the four years following it. (The prose in that speech couldn't have been lovelier. The politics of it couldn't have been more naive.) He rang changes on that speech throughout the campaign that made him president in 2008. He offered himself as proof of the nation's greatness and as proof of the nation's atonement for its original sin. And the nation took him up on it. The people who liked him took him up on it and the people who didn't took him up on it. The problem is that once elected, he had to be president, which meant he had to be a politician, which meant he had to offend or anger somebody somewhere, and that is not what we expect our walking absolution to do. Consequently, now that he is running for reelection, he has to run against not only Willard Romney and the Republicans and the naked obvious racism that still exists but also against the sanctimony of the people who thought he was doing them a favor by offering himself up as proof of the country's essential goodness. We must be doing something right. We let a black man be president.

I do not envy him trying to walk this narrow path. In many ways, this president reminds me of the truck drivers in The Wages of Fear, trying to get the nitroglycerine over the mountains without blowing themselves all to hell and gone. In so many ways, he is still outside of things. In so many ways, he is still the flyer the country took in 2008. In so many ways, the path he has to walk to reelection is similar to the path he has had to walk through his life. It was hard not to notice the subtext present in all those earnest warnings about wounding the tender feelings of our financial titans. The president was stepping out of his place. The president was being uppity again



Read more: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politic...#ixzz23CMCsueA

[pattycake]

I couldn't slog through past the first half of the deep, deep $hit.
Not to mention the lack of paragraphs that made my eyes hurt.

[Koi]

Three paragraphs.

Deep, deep ...t? Really?

[pattycake]

Yes really. It's a pile of shit.

[SJR]

Originally Posted by pattycake

I couldn't slog through past the first half of the deep, deep $hit.
Not to mention the lack of paragraphs that made my eyes hurt.

I will put paragraphs in it for you!

[pattycake]

No thanks. I read enough to know it's just a pile of crap.

[crowjane]

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.
It's a little in your face, but it makes some excellent points Patty, try to get through it.

[MinnMs]

Seriously, PC isn't going to bother with anything that might give pause for thought re:her convoluted views of Obama.

[DecoMom]

Truth: People believe exactly what they want to believe. Doesn't matter if someone else's experience or perspective is diametrically opposed to theirs.

[pattycake]

I refuse to give credence to any essay that is based upon the faulty notion that Obama's detractors base their opinion on the fact that he's an uppity black man. That is a false premise that makes it too easy for Obama himself to fall back on "they don't like me because I'm black" rather than "they don't like me because of my policies." One can be changed, one is just an excuse. Of course there are racists in this country, but that is not the basis for the Anti-Obama agenda for the majority. But it sure makes it an easy excuse for him. I don't like Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, or Joe Biden either. Does that mean I just don't like women politicians or Mormons or morons?

[pattycake]

Well, 1 out of 4 is true. I don't like morons.

[Miss Priss]

Obama has not encountered any more resistance to his policies than Clinton did. Just because he's black, he can't use that as an excuse for half of America disagreeing with him.

As a matter of fact, Obama isn't using it as an excuse. He's holding his head high, and acting like a president. It's only the narrow minded conspiracy theorists who decide on the truth, then work dilligently to make the facts fit that truth.

[Opera_Redhead]

Our President is a trailblazer and he has handled the pressure of that burden very, very well in my opinion. Yes, racism is a factor...despite his best efforts to ignore "it".

[MinnMs]

There is more than ample evidence that racism is very much a factor in those who are not voting for Romney, but against Obama.
I have been doing phone banking for several weeks , and those who are opposed to Obama, with the exception of one old crank, will not discuss why. It is very apparent they don't object on policies. At least, he admitted he'd never vote for a minority.

[Koi]

Not treated differently?
What exactly was the Anglo-Saxon comment The Twitt made in England (not in Great Britain)?

[Aunt Bea]

Racism is alive and well here in the deep South. You bet your boots that people don't like it one single bit that there's a black man in the white house and can't wait to oust him.

Only trouble is, in addition to being racists, they are also 'born again' evangelicals who believe Mittie's religion is a cult. They're between a rock and hard place; "gee, do I vote for a black man" or one of Satan's own. It's pretty funny, really. Hope they all stay home on election day....

[Marina]

And now Mitt has chosen a Catholic for VP. Catholics aren't too welcome either to the fundies, although there is the agreement on abortion. A Mormon and a Catholic. Neither one is considered Christian by a lot of the fundies who prefer to elect a nice born again like GW or Sarah.

[Koi]

Is Sarah Who born again?
I thought she was witchcraft re-in-somethinged.

I know people not in the South who consider Mormonism to be a cult. Please, good people, do some research on the founding of Mormonism. It is strange, to say the very least. And do check the political motivations behind Mormonism.
And let us not forget that until quite recently Mormonism was highly racist. They can't all have changed from that point-of-view.

[pattycake]

Originally Posted by Koi

Is Sarah Who born again?
I thought she was witchcraft re-in-somethinged.

I know people not in the South who consider Mormonism to be a cult. Please, good people, do some research on the founding of Mormonism. It is strange, to say the very least. And do check the political motivations behind Mormonism.
And let us not forget that until quite recently Mormonism was highly racist. They can't all have changed from that point-of-view.

strange? politically motivated? racist? Why, it almost sounds like Islam. Well, except for the fact that they don't behead people for being gay or stone women for committing adultery. I guess you'd have a hard time voting for a Muslim if you're afraid a Mormon isn't American enough for you.

[Koi]

Where exactly did I state that a Mormon isn't American enough
It is a frickin' weird religion. It is based up a visiting angel's leaving gold tablets writ in an unknown language and miraculously translated as the Lost Books of the Bible and then buried and forgotten where. Maroni only came once.
And--before you and others state that most religions are based upon perhaps odd beginnings, Mormonism only goes back about a century and three-quarters. Not so long ago.
I'd have no trouble voting for a Muslim. I do have problems voting for a religion that has a stated goal of transforming this country into a Mormon stronghold, run by Mormon beliefs. That is why this nation has separation of state and church. It is not run by Christian beliefs either. Our government was created by Deists and that's as far as they went. They deliberatly kept religion out of the government; not like today with wingnut evangelical Baggers afoot.

And I will thank you in advance not to make personal comments directed toward what I would or would not do. That is way out of line. I don't get personal with you. I disagree with you. Refrain from getting personal with me.

[pattycake]

It makes absolutely zero sense to say you wouldn't vote for a Mormon but you would vote for a Muslim.

[maude]

Originally Posted by pattycake

It makes absolutely zero sense to say you wouldn't vote for a Mormon but you would vote for a Muslim.

I honestly don't know why anyone bothers to respond to this person.
He/she is totally lacking in intellectual or moral integrity.

Dialog with such a person is fruitless and
a complete waste of energy.

[pattycake]

Originally Posted by maude

I honestly don't know why anyone bothers to respond to this person.
He/she is totally lacking in intellectual or moral integrity.

Dialog with such a person is fruitless and
a complete waste of energy.

Yeah and you're just the pinnacle of politeness and personality aren't you?

[Opera_Redhead]

I think the real point here is: who gives a crap if they worship God, Allah, the angel Moroni or a rock? I DON'T as long as they keep their beliefs properly separate from governance. Our problems started when religious zealots of all ilks achieved power.

[texasgal]

Regarding the original post, I call bull crap! He doesn't get to cry racism if he doesn't get reelected! He is dragging this country further and further into debt and something has to change!

[McDawn]

Originally Posted by Aunt Bea

Racism is alive and well here in the deep South. You bet your boots that people don't like it one single bit that there's a black man in the white house and can't wait to oust him.

Only trouble is, in addition to being racists, they are also 'born again' evangelicals who believe Mittie's religion is a cult. They're between a rock and hard place; "gee, do I vote for a black man" or one of Satan's own. It's pretty funny, really. Hope they all stay home on election day....

They really ARE in a pickle, aren't they?

[McDawn]

Originally Posted by pattycake

It makes absolutely zero sense to say you wouldn't vote for a Mormon but you would vote for a Muslim.

Who said that?

I think a Mormon has only a slighty better than a Muslim of getting elected president. It's not just Southern fundamentalists who consider Mormonism to be a cult. I've heard it right here in the Great Lakes region.

Right, wrong or indifferent - many Americans dish up their vote with a healthy dose of religion.

[Marina]

Hi, McDawn! I don't think I have seen you before, at least your other 2 posts. Welcome!

[MinnMs]

He is dragging this country further and further into debt and something has to change!

Pretty short memory on how we got there in the first place.........an unjustifed war, unfunded Medicare prescription benefit, and those big ole tax cuts for the "job creators", who seem to have just plain disappeared with their bags of money.
But, hey, vote for the same clowns who got us there. I'm sure things will work out better a 2nd time around .

[Opera_Redhead]

Originally Posted by MinnMs

Pretty short memory on how we got there in the first place.........an unjustifed war, unfunded Medicare prescription benefit, and those big ole tax cuts for the "job creators", who seem to have just plain disappeared with their bags of money.
But, hey, vote for the same clowns who got us there. I'm sure things will work out better a 2nd time around .

Yep.

[Koi]

Yep. Too dumb to have learned the error of "trickle down" from Hoover.
Didn't learn it from the recession of "supply-side" by RRR.
Still hasn't learned it from that fool W.

I'd say that's a trifecta of stupid.

What would make anyone think that I haven't already voted for a Muslim? There are decent of every religion around and about and in politics on all levels.

[pattycake]

Except Mormons?

[carswell]

Originally Posted by Koi

Yep. Too dumb to have learned the error of "trickle down" from Hoover. ...

"Trickle-down theory; the less than elegant metaphor that if one feeds the horse enough oats, some will pass through to the road for the sparrows."

- John Kenneth Galbraith

[Marina]

Originally Posted by carswell

"Trickle-down theory; the less than elegant metaphor that if one feeds the horse enough oats, some will pass through to the road for the sparrows."

- John Kenneth Galbraith

Oh, I like that!

[LoreD]

Although I would not normally use this source (A Ron Paul advisor; NewsMax), but it does show the belief, by evangelicals, that they are being shut out of political power by other religious groups:

http://www.newsmax.com/DougWead/Romn...8/11/id/448266

Romney's Is First Ticket Without Protestant
Saturday, 11 Aug 2012 04:34 PM
By Doug Wead

"Gandhi once said, "He who says that politics and religion don't mix, understands neither one."

Mitt Romney's pick of congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate is truly historic. If confirmed by the delegates at the Republican National Convention, Romney, a Mormon, and Ryan, a Catholic, will represent the first time in American history that a major political party has chosen a ticket that has no Protestant in either position.

It represents both the decline of the evangelical vote and the continuing rise of the so-called "Movement Conservatives," which is overwhelmingly Catholic.

Stop and consider that the U.S. Supreme Court now has six Catholics and three Jews. The election of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as president and vice president would mean that there would be no Protestant in the top positions of the executive and judicial branches of government.

With Romney's appointment of Catholic Paul Ryan, one can now expect President Barack Obama to make a vibrant appeal to evangelical voters in the upcoming general election. There will be another, newer version of "the Joshua project" which he launched last time. The Obama team will hope that evangelicals just stay home. The Mormon-Catholic ticket of Romney-Ryan will have to hope that evangelicals vote against Obama, if not for them.

Protestants are not done. Evangelical Christian numbers, for example, are bigger than ever. A recent Gallup places the number of born again Christians in America at more than 40 percent, double what it was when such surveys began in the 1950s.

It is partly why 2008 presidential nominee Sen John McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate. It is how President George W. Bush won and maintained power during the eight years of his presidency. And it is credited by some for Barack Obama's crossover appeal to young Republicans in the contest against McCain.

But Evangelicals have been increasingly divided as their political leaders fight over mailing lists and the right to "lead," often selling their own voters to the highest bidder.

Increasingly, the highest bidders have been Movement Conservatives and all of them Catholic. Evangelical leaders James Dobson, Gary Bauer, and Tony Perkins all endorsed Catholic Rick Santorum in the past presidential race. Their own Evangelical candidates — Gov. Rick Perry, Rep. Michele Bachmann and Sen. Tim Pawlenty were spurned. The local Iowa leader of the Family Research Council endorsed Santorum.

A similar phenomenon happened to evangelical Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008. After Huckabee pulled a surprise upset win in Iowa, a South Carolina victory would have pushed him over the top. But some of the same evangelical leaders who went with Santorum over fellow evangelicals this time, jumped on then candidate Sen. Fred Thompson. It split Mike Huckabee's showing in South Carolina and allowed John McCain to win the state and eventually the nomination.

Catholic "Movement Conservatives" were always a small, but powerful engine helping to drive and lead the larger conservative movement. Bill Buckley, Pat Buchanan, Phyllis Schlafly, Brent Bozell, Paul Weyrich, Richard Viguerie, and Ed Feulner have given way to Bill O'Reilly, Anne Coulter, Sean Hannity and other modern leaders, all Catholic. But this time, it is the power of Fox News that has made them transcendent.

Catholic pundits on Fox News have been primarily angling for Catholic Gov. Chris Christie this cycle. During the last cycle they had talked up fellow Catholic, Rudolph Giuliani. Neither candidate went any place. But in Paul Ryan, their back-up man, they may have a winner. He is already being touted on the network as the "next Reagan" and indeed, win or lose, Paul Ryan has a future.

If nothing else, Romney's appointment has guaranteed that Fox News will be fully engaged. (Was there any doubt.) And if he loses? In 2016 you can expect a showdown between the "Movement Conservatives" and neocons promoting Paul Ryan and the liberty, or constitutional wing of the GOP promoting Sen. Rand Paul.

The evangelicals? Sadly, they will be for sale."

Doug Wead is a presidential historian and a senior adviser to the Ron Paul presidential campaign. He is a New York Times best-selling author, philanthropist, and adviser to two presidents, including President George H.W. Bush.

© 2012 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

LoreD

[Marina]

That was interesting. I hadn't even thought about the lack of protestants. I bet there were some conservative churches whose preachers were having conniptions during the sermon today.

[KeeKee]

"But this time, it is the power of Fox News that has made them transcendent"

I just saw today on Fox an advertisement that they now have (or will so not sure) have a Spanish station. Guess they decided they needed to start working on the Latino vote?
It's my understanding that most Latinos are Catholic.

I would guess this would rule out the Muslim take over would it not?

[chickypea]

Racism NOT an issue- pshaw!!! I have had people on the phone (while phonebanking) who out loud said, "They wouldn't vote for a n___" I have seen signs, billboard size say "It is up to us to vote The Other out"...no racism- gimme a f-king break.

[SJR]

Originally Posted by KeeKee

"But this time, it is the power of Fox News that has made them transcendent"

I just saw today on Fox an advertisement that they now have (or will so not sure) have a Spanish station. Guess they decided they needed to start working on the Latino vote?
It's my understanding that most Latinos are Catholic.

I would guess this would rule out the Muslim take over would it not?

Romney just kissed bye bye to minorities.

Paul Ryan Unlikely To Play Well With Latino And Black Voters, But Matters Of Race May Not Disappear

[crowjane]

The church Mitt grew up in didn't think black people, or any people of color, should be ordained as priests until 1978.
Now see according to mormon Scripture, God changed the color of Native Americans and Hispanics skin dark to punish them for their moral and spiritual inferiority.

In the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 5:21 we find the following:

And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. [See Appendix page A—1]

But for black folks, it was the curse of Cain

For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.
And Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of Adam; and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it was the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.

Now Mittens grew up, spent his formative years, believing this reDing this and incorporating this into his spiritual life as a part of a leading Mormon Family.
So I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise, he's not picking a person of color as his sidekick.

What's that adage?
You can take the racisim out of the book of Mormon, but you can't erase prejudice incited by the book.


JMHO

[McDawn]

Originally Posted by Marina

Hi, McDawn! I don't think I have seen you before, at least your other 2 posts. Welcome!

Hi, Marina! Thank you.

I've been doing more reading than posting - still getting a feel for things.

[LoreD]

What I find interesting is that if Romney won the election, the religious affiliations of the leadership positions in the three branches of government would be:

Romney: Mormon

Ryan: Catholic

Reid: Mormon

Boehner: Catholic

Supreme Court: 6 Catholics / 3 Jews

I'm just saying that I think that grassroots evangelicals may have a problem with this lineup.

LoreD