I had kinda hoped for an anti-DOMA, but his willingness to actively be passive (if that makes sense) and let Iowa and Vermont and such like seek the path of rightness for themselves is heartening.
On the other hand, the systematic coverup of the Previous Occupant's torture regime and violations of civil liberties WRT domestic wiretap, and the fact that the whole TSA travel issue hasn't changed much if at all, is really starting to piss me off.
Of course, the refusal of the Republican party to turn the right wingnuts into so much barbecue is *also* starting to piss me off. It's one thing when Rush is the voice of the party. When he becomes the *brains* of the party, the party is OVER.
We *need* a real opposition here. We don't have one. It's funny. Things flip-flopped between 1964 and 1968, when the Democrats went from being arch-conservative to radical liberal, and the GOP ended up being what produced Dick Nixon. Now things are going totally skew. In 2004 the Democrats were totally ineffectual and could barely think their way out of a wet paper bag. They woke up... and I think stole the brains of the Republicans, who are now wandering around like headless chickens while the DNC is at least on some things plowing ahead without them.
But the fix is still in on wiretaps and war criminals, and this has to stop, here and now.
I wouldn't give up hope yet on his non-prosecutions of the previous regime.
He's not going to spearhead it because he's attempting to model non-partisanship (which doesn't mean neutrality on *issues*- which is the bad news for the Right).
Instead, I think he's going to pretend to be dragged into it, and then let Congress and the People (and eventually the Justice Dept) tell HIM that this has to happen. Makes his office and conduct alot more legitimate *and* keeps the prosecution actually cleaner.
In the meantime, all the bad stuff is still being dismantled, even if it's not on a good timetable, and the longer the "torture regime" is dragged thru the news and the worse it gets as more is exposed, the more likely it is that there won't be backlash to put the old bosses back in 'cause they're being oppressed and targeted. It also keeps the Right in check that only the worst of them can credibly defend the progressively worse allegations that just keep bubbling up very naturally.
Be patient. I think that there's a real non-zero chance of prosecution happening.
Actually we have an opposition, of sorts. The political caucus right now is tending toward centrist, DLC-ish Democrats vs. leftist, Howard Dean Democrats. The Republicans are sliding further and further into irrelevancy; once Al Franken is seated, and when Specter sides with the Democrats on cloture motions, the Republicans become almost irrelevant. Which, given the current direction they are taking, is what they should be.
As for torture prosecutions, I think Obama will be happy to take the credit if (hopefully when) prosecutions begin, and avoid the blame if they don't. He's a pragmatist, not an ideologue, and going after the previous administration would make him look ideological, no matter how much we might like him to do so.
I like the idea of "That's what we should be doing. Now get out there and make me do it." Things will get done a lot faster and a lot smoother if the American people put the wind in his sails.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 11:45 pm (UTC)On the other hand, the systematic coverup of the Previous Occupant's torture regime and violations of civil liberties WRT domestic wiretap, and the fact that the whole TSA travel issue hasn't changed much if at all, is really starting to piss me off.
Of course, the refusal of the Republican party to turn the right wingnuts into so much barbecue is *also* starting to piss me off. It's one thing when Rush is the voice of the party. When he becomes the *brains* of the party, the party is OVER.
We *need* a real opposition here. We don't have one. It's funny. Things flip-flopped between 1964 and 1968, when the Democrats went from being arch-conservative to radical liberal, and the GOP ended up being what produced Dick Nixon. Now things are going totally skew. In 2004 the Democrats were totally ineffectual and could barely think their way out of a wet paper bag. They woke up... and I think stole the brains of the Republicans, who are now wandering around like headless chickens while the DNC is at least on some things plowing ahead without them.
But the fix is still in on wiretaps and war criminals, and this has to stop, here and now.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-30 02:48 am (UTC)He's not going to spearhead it because he's attempting to model non-partisanship (which doesn't mean neutrality on *issues*- which is the bad news for the Right).
Instead, I think he's going to pretend to be dragged into it, and then let Congress and the People (and eventually the Justice Dept) tell HIM that this has to happen. Makes his office and conduct alot more legitimate *and* keeps the prosecution actually cleaner.
In the meantime, all the bad stuff is still being dismantled, even if it's not on a good timetable, and the longer the "torture regime" is dragged thru the news and the worse it gets as more is exposed, the more likely it is that there won't be backlash to put the old bosses back in 'cause they're being oppressed and targeted. It also keeps the Right in check that only the worst of them can credibly defend the progressively worse allegations that just keep bubbling up very naturally.
Be patient. I think that there's a real non-zero chance of prosecution happening.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-30 03:22 am (UTC)As for torture prosecutions, I think Obama will be happy to take the credit if (hopefully when) prosecutions begin, and avoid the blame if they don't. He's a pragmatist, not an ideologue, and going after the previous administration would make him look ideological, no matter how much we might like him to do so.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-30 03:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-01 03:54 am (UTC)