Demockracy At Home And Abroad
[ Comments Off ]Posted on June 20, 2009 by admin in Politics
Saturday, June 20th, 2009Recent events in Iran should remind us to Vote Early, Vote Often.
I find it amusing that the American press seems so up in arms over the possibility that an election was (gasp!) stolen in Iran. I mean, even before we took all that democracy over to Iraq back in 2002, we were running pretty low on the stuff ourselves. The irony of anyone in the US calling shenanigans on an election in Iran is, of course, completely absurd. The current holocaust-denying megalomaniac that just got “re-elected” may have stolen the election, but his people probably learned from the best. Remember, it was the US that facilitated a coup d’état with the help of actual Nazis back in 1953, prior to installing the dictatorial but pro-western Shah of Iran. If you really want to steal an election, just go into politics. It’s just kind of how things work around here. There are plenty of guide books available
Tanks For The Memories
[ Comments Off ]Posted on June 6, 2009 by admin in Politics
Saturday, June 6th, 2009Tiananmen, 20 years later. Maybe we could learn something about social change from the Chinese.
The man in the iconic photo here should be a reminder of the fact that those who rule only do so because the masses let them.It rarely occurrs to most of us, but the only thing that makes a rich man rich and a poor man poor is a social contract. Through more elaborate manipulations of social contracts, the rich man may persuade other men to align their beliefs with his, which gives the illusion of power, but this is simply another social contract. Which is why it astounds me that in difficult economic times, when many people are in fear daily that they may not be able to keep their homes or feed their children, or indeed are homeless or hungry, that other people continue to live in luxury. This is perhaps most appalling when those “other people” are the people we’ve elected to manage our civil and economic affairs, and they happen to be failing miserably at their jobs. What keeps this decomposing social fabric together? Our complacency and acceptance, I guess. This might be a good time to remember the bravery and fortitude of those who were involved the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 which lasted several months and were finally put to an end by the Chinese military in early June 20 years ago. When was the last time we saw this kind of self-respect and action amongst the populace of the United States? Probably not since 1776 or so. Boston.com has some great photos looking back at Tiananmen, 20 years later.
I’m Not A Democrat, But I Play One In The Voting Booth
[ Comments Off ]Posted on May 12, 2009 by admin in Politics
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009White House Press Correspondents Dinners Haven’t Been This Much Fun Since Stephen Colbert Greeted His Paisan Justice Scalia With The Fangul
In spite of having some liberal mamby-pamby attitudes here on Dissociated Press, we hardly go easily on President Obama. In fact the last few posts about him expressed a lot of doubt about the job he’s doing. Well, being typical Americans, in only takes one good media event to sway our opinion. If you haven’t seen clips from the White House Correspondents Dinner last Saturday, take some time to watch (left). This event hasn’t been this much fun since Stephen Colbert stunned the audience into appalled, squirming silence back in 2006, adorning his performance with flourishes like giving Justic Scalia the Fangul and wrapping things up with the infamous Helen Thomas Chase Scene. It’s refreshing to see the POTUS’ intelligence and ability to laugh equalling that of the stand-ups and the press. In fact, his performance was probably better-pitched than Wanda Sykes’. Gobama!
Same Oldbama?
[ 1 Comment ]Posted on March 15, 2009 by admin in Politics
Sunday, March 15th, 2009Is Obama The Next Jimmy Carter?
On occasion recently I’ve missed the simple message of terror and paranoia served up on a regular basis by the Bush administration. At least you felt like you knew where things stood. Although I got a definite kick out of the Democratic Party’s brief dalliance with making Rush Limbaugh the new GOP leader, it ultimately just smacks of politics as usual, and as a friend of mine pointed out yesterday, a candidate isn’t likely to get elected in this country unless they’re playing pretty nice with the existing (and frankly corrupt) Washington bureaucracy. All of which leaves me a little disillusioned; although my gut tells me that Barack Obama is a good man with good intentions, can those good intentions survive in the cesspool that is our nation’s capitol (and guidance from a guy like Rahm Emanuel who offers parenting advice like this), or will Obama end up being another Jimmy Carter?
McCain Grows A Moustache
[ Comments Off ]Posted on November 14, 2008 by admin in Politics
Friday, November 14th, 2008This is considered news around here.
With nothing else to do but sit back and laugh as the press devours his former running mate with plastic forks and knives, John McCain has decided to grow a moustache (see creepy image, left*). “Chicks dig it”, he is quoted as saying – according to an anonymous staffer – allegedly emphasizing his point by making a “V” gesture below his mouth and making a “lah-leh-lah-leh” noise with his tongue. Although he has reportedly been offered a position in the new administration, insiders quoted him as saying “C’mon my friend…who ever heard of a WHITE lawn jockey?” The administration expressed disappointment, but is moving ahead with their cabinet decisions. In other political news: well, let’s face it. There is none. In fact, Dissociated Press is rumored to be announcing the end of their Politics section altogether, as well as their political comic strip. As the site’s chief editor and writer put it: “Bush and Cheney? Now that shit’s funny before you pick up the pencil, but Obama? We’re actually planning to just redirect our domain to the White House so we can get to work for the man.”
*Which is actually a Schick™ ad campaign