In the new issue of Time (5/13/13), columnist Joe Klein is glad to see Barack Obama getting angry. The occasion was the failure of the Senate to pass a gun bill. But Klein saw Obama’s righteous fury as especially useful in that (to him at least) signaled a militant, outraged center in American political life, tired of the extremists on both sides:
Obama’s anger served a larger purpose. It was directed at the plague affecting–no, paralyzing–our public life: the ability of well-funded extremist groups to thwart the will of the overwhelming majority. This is a problem that goes well beyond the gun issue. It has infected liberal and conservative lobbying groups alike. Their constant screeching defiles the mass media and drowns out voices of sanity…. It is well past time for political moderates to speak as forcefully as the snake-oil salesmen who are hijacking our democracy.
How surprising–the gun lobby distorts a debate over guns, and the lesson is that…both sides do it!
So who exactly are the outrageous voices on the “other” side who are thwarting the majority? Klein explains:
I include among the demagogues Democrats like Jim Dean–former Gov. Howard Dean’s brother–who recently sent out a fundraising letter titled “Disgusted,” which began with this subtle enjoinder: “President Obama’s budget has left me absolutely disgusted.” Really? Why? Because the president has called for very modest cuts in old-age entitlements.
But those “modest” cuts to Social Security and Medicare are overwhelmingly unpopular; Dean’s not defying the will of the majority, he’s representing it.
Klein does identify the counterpart to the NRA when he denounces
the gun lobby–obviously–and its liberal doppelganger, the civil-libertarian lobby. Innumerable other groups fester, waiting for the chance to raise funds off the paranoia of their supporters.
What exactly has the festering “civil libertarian lobby” done to offend Joe Klein? He doesn’t say. Since the column is about the NRA’s gun victory, surely there must be some comparable outrage that these purists have won by forcing their will on Washington and defeating the will of the public. It’s so obvious, in fact, that Klein doesn’t even need to name it. The point is that both sides are extremists, and the middle of the road–where Obama and Klein live–is where you’ll find the righteous kind of anger.
My God, that man is a hack.
You mention the ability of well-funded extremist groups to thwart the will of the overwhelming majority(!). And where does our civilian-killing, drones-a-bombin’, war-funding, county-abandoning, corporation-loving, Goldman-Sachs-funded president do the same? Let’s review: Monsanto protection; $2 billion to Mexico; $very many billions to Israel; and $unknownb? billions to who else; military secret actions getting exposed all across the board; Guantanamo; and let’s just say it out loud — killing children, women, civilians with impunity and the backing of fooled, ignorant Americans who collectively refuse to share the world we all live on.
“Thwart the will…”, right. “Terrorist” is the word, and don’t forget, you lousy pacifists, your taxes are collected to build bombs, too, so sorry. Oh well? No. Stop being silent. I’m a lousy pacifist, Barry, no matter what kind of wool you pull over those who let you. The good things you sprinkle in will not cover up your lies, torture, and military atrocities.
I guess that, in Joe Klein’s world, civil liberites have not been curtailed and are really not that important anyhow.
Seems like Klein just doesn’t like activism!
If Joel Klein wasn’t rich, he would understand that most older Americans need everything that Social Security offers and more.
In Ohio, the ACLU published a report about debtor prisons in Ohio.
Here is the link:
http://www.acluohio.org/the-outskirts-of-hope
The acknowledgement of an industrialized private prison system feeding on the poor while the government legitimizes it. Remember those 2 judges in Pennsylvania that was putting boys into private institutions who were poor and had an overworked public defender or no defender at all??
Don’t think it could not happen again.
Publically popular…..Publically unpopular?So the changing attitudes of the public should sway our constitution this way and that like the tides of the ocean?Bucking it back and forth ,up and down,round and round.And groups like the NRA ,or the tea party who stand their ground should be attacked in favor of those who would bend with every political consideration based on short term gain?Bullshit.Thank God above for the NRA and the tea Party and any other force drawing a line in the sand against those who mean to circumvent what they cannot change.I gauge how well this country does with how often Obama gets angry -for NOT getting his way.When he does get his way(healthcare)Lookout!
I’ll never understandy right-wing wonkazoids who trash civil liberties. These are THEIR rights, too! Their families’ and friends’ rights! You’d think they’d hold them near and dear. But I guess they’re too short-sighted and greedy to see the Big Picture.
“Thank God above for the NRA and the tea Party and any other force drawing a line in the sand”
It was Muammar Gaddafi who originally “drew a line in the sand.”
klein – in the middle – you gotta be kiddin – he’s a frickin hack for the tea baggers
When referring to “tea baggers” I think you should always add this tag….”you know those people who believe in the constitution of the United states”
Tea Party types have a special view of the Constitution/Bill of Rights and it doesn’t fit anyone else’s interpretation of it.
Here we go again with a false analogy and dichotomy drawn to support the Right Wing side. Corporate Conservative Press. Where are the Liberals? Try to find them, it isn’t easy.
Actually, the ACLU substantially concurred with the NRA on Reid’s “background checks” senate bill and on NSA surveillance. The ACLU is like the NRA because both are defending constitutional rights and both are correct.