Glenn Greenwald in various ways is a strong voice that speaks truth to power and has stuff to back it up. In other ways, he is a blowhard, who when you point out the excesses of his rhetoric calls you a Obama bootlicker. I found this repeatedly when doing so, along with commenter after commenter calling me names and ignoring the substance of my comment or pathetically taking a specific criticism to mean across the f-ing (it is really pissing me off) board that I support everything he does. Mature adults don't do this sort of thing. This is not the "reality based community."
To take an example. GG was simply appalled when Harold Koh testified in Congress during its investigation of the Libya "hostilities" (sic) that some single thing Obama said as a candidate taken on its own would be a wrongful stance of the current legal understanding on executive power to use military force. I found this amazing. It is somehow a problem when an executive official forthrightly states that something a candidate said might be too simplistic, particularly if we (as GG does too often) have a myopic focus on the bald statement alone? I pointed this out and comment after comment (including GG who misleadingly "loved" certain things I said, in his tedious attack boy mode) ignored my critique to call me names or accuse me of thinking someone I repeatedly think is flawed could do no wrong.
The latest for GG is this headline:
It is therefore rich for GG to frame Obama as some sort of hypocrite or fraud for being the sort of "centrist" (these days more right leaning given how far the lines have moved in the last few decades) that would push for some sort of cuts as part of a larger effort to promote an overall progressive agenda. I really don't know what is so shocking here. We are in an economic mess at the moment. When the average person has money problems, s/he sometimes cuts back general spending that involves less money for food and medical care. You know, more pasta dinners and such than meat or going to the dentist once a year instead of two.
I need to see the cuts and balance this off with the expansion of spending (or tax cuts for those who need it) in other areas, including the expansion of health care that the "Obama is no better" crowd selfishly (since it doesn't matter to them) or stupidly (since it often does) ignores. Finally, it is notable that Republicans control 1/2 of Congress and the balance of power in the Senate are Blue Dogs. I know some hate to admit this, but it is actually realistic to realize that a somewhat fiscally conservative approach will pass.
If we want a different equilibrium in this country we need to maturely address the current situation. GG and his lackeys (comments are tediously slanted) in their passionate advocacy miss the point and in the long run are counterproductive since you need to know the nature of the situation before you can change it. Their tedious smarmy over the top tone (if emotionally pleasing at times) is tiresome but ultimately this is the ultimate problem I have with their approach. Sadly, I think GG might have jumped the shark. I find him too hard to take of late.
To take an example. GG was simply appalled when Harold Koh testified in Congress during its investigation of the Libya "hostilities" (sic) that some single thing Obama said as a candidate taken on its own would be a wrongful stance of the current legal understanding on executive power to use military force. I found this amazing. It is somehow a problem when an executive official forthrightly states that something a candidate said might be too simplistic, particularly if we (as GG does too often) have a myopic focus on the bald statement alone? I pointed this out and comment after comment (including GG who misleadingly "loved" certain things I said, in his tedious attack boy mode) ignored my critique to call me names or accuse me of thinking someone I repeatedly think is flawed could do no wrong.
The latest for GG is this headline:
Reports: Obama pushing for cuts to Social Security, MedicareObama supporters, at least those who lean progressive or left, are supposed to be shocked at this given they voted for someone who would move in another direction. Like those clueless sorts who thought the person who wanted to expand our fight in Afghanistan is some type of peacenik, "give me a break" comes to mind here. It was rather apparent, which is why many Republicans and Republican leaning "independents" voted for the man, that he has various "third way" tendencies that would support compromises in the promotion of general principles. Like it or not, that is who you were getting in '08.
It is therefore rich for GG to frame Obama as some sort of hypocrite or fraud for being the sort of "centrist" (these days more right leaning given how far the lines have moved in the last few decades) that would push for some sort of cuts as part of a larger effort to promote an overall progressive agenda. I really don't know what is so shocking here. We are in an economic mess at the moment. When the average person has money problems, s/he sometimes cuts back general spending that involves less money for food and medical care. You know, more pasta dinners and such than meat or going to the dentist once a year instead of two.
I need to see the cuts and balance this off with the expansion of spending (or tax cuts for those who need it) in other areas, including the expansion of health care that the "Obama is no better" crowd selfishly (since it doesn't matter to them) or stupidly (since it often does) ignores. Finally, it is notable that Republicans control 1/2 of Congress and the balance of power in the Senate are Blue Dogs. I know some hate to admit this, but it is actually realistic to realize that a somewhat fiscally conservative approach will pass.
If we want a different equilibrium in this country we need to maturely address the current situation. GG and his lackeys (comments are tediously slanted) in their passionate advocacy miss the point and in the long run are counterproductive since you need to know the nature of the situation before you can change it. Their tedious smarmy over the top tone (if emotionally pleasing at times) is tiresome but ultimately this is the ultimate problem I have with their approach. Sadly, I think GG might have jumped the shark. I find him too hard to take of late.