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The Transitive Property of Marginalization, and the Unconscious Statism of Pundits Who Like Presidents
Salon Editor in Chief Joan Walsh, while getting President Obama's back on the health care debate, tries to make a tremendously significant and complicated policy overhaul mostly about the political party not in power:
I know Obama has a nearly impossible task, dealing with Blue Dog Democrats and crazy Republicans -- from Wild Bill Kristol, chickenhawk, telling the GOP to "go for the kill" and do whatever it takes to defeat Obama on healthcare, to Sen. Jim DeMint's similarly sinister prediction that if Republicans defeat Obama on healthcare "it will break him." GOP zealots are clearly more interested in killing or breaking President Obama -- politically, of course; I don't think they are assassins, personally -- than helping Americans get the healthcare they need. It's a little creepy, but once you've watched a crazy "birther" hector moderate Republican Mike Castle about Obama's birth certificate and other related delusions -- well, then nothing Republicans do can surprise you.
Though Walsh would surely bristle at the label, I think she's demonstrating here (even in half-jest) what Jesse Walker memorably coined as "the paranoia of the centrists." By portraying Republicans as "crazy," "nearly impossible" to deal with, "interested in killing or breaking Obama," and obsessed with "Obama's birth certificate and other related delusions," she is attempting to marginalize the minority national party away from the Adult's Table, in much the same way that pro-war Republicans at the height of George W. Bush's popularity aimed to tar anti-war Democrats as being "on the other side." Put another way, what does a (mostly) fringe obsession with Obama's birth certificate have to do with Obama's health care plan? Precisely nothing.
Democrats and their supporters,
like any temporary majoritarian with hands on the wheel of state,
need to remember an important point: The burden of proof
is not on the minority party (or other citizens) who say "no" or
even "hold on a sec." The burden of proof is on the politician who
wants to make a major change in public policy and the use of
taxpayer dollars. (And for the record, I say this as someone who
finds much of our current health care system to be disgraceful.) It
wouldn't matter a bit what Bill Kristol thought (or whether he, uh,
served in the military?) if the Obama administration had crafted a
health care plan that passed the smell test for 60 percent of the
population, or even all of his own party's senators. I know it's
irritating and all, but you really do have to convince the rest of
us sometimes, instead of just pressing the "Do Something"
button.
Having opened fire on the minority, Walsh then turns her scope onto the media:
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Obama had to move his Wednesday press conference, which is expected to zero in on the importance of serious health care reform, an hour earlier, because three of four national networks balked at preempting their top-rated shows. According to THR: "Fox declined to air the press conference outright. NBC and ABC fell into line late Monday after the White House shifted the event's time from the previously announced 9 p.m. to the lesser-watched hour of 8 p.m." What shows were they worried about? "America's Got Talent," "So You Think You Can Dance," "Wipeout" and "I Survived a Japanese Game Show!"
Now, I love my reality TV, but that's a disturbing, indelible picture of how skewed our media priorities are.
How did Salon react when "media priorities" forced President Bush to reschedule his prime-time press conference about Social Security reform in 2005? Like this.
[Link via Ann Althouse]
|7.22.09 @ 12:32PM|#
"Salon Editor in Chief Joan Walsh, while getting President
Obama's back on the health care debate, tries to make a
tremendously significant and complicated policy overhaul mostly
about the political party not in power:"
IOW, he's a HUGE fan of the Ed Show.
Kyle Jordan|7.22.09 @ 12:32PM|#
"Now, I love my reality TV, but that's a disturbing, indelible
picture of how skewed our media priorities are."
No, it's a sign that people are starting to tire of the verbal
diarrhea that Obama continuously spews forth about his idiotic
plans to save the universe.
This woman is an insipid cunt.
|7.22.09 @ 12:35PM|#
I know Obama has a nearly impossible task, dealing with Blue
Dog Democrats and crazy Republicans
Yes, it's terribly difficult when you have a nearly
filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and total domination of
both houses. Poor Obama, he must struggle so valiantly...
|7.22.09 @ 12:36PM|#
Does anyone see the irony of this post following another one of those "look at those crazy, out of touch Republicans" articles by Mr. Suderman?
Paul|7.22.09 @ 12:39PM|#
I have to admit it's taken a little longer than I thought, but I predicted that the Obamatrons would find some obscure GOP congressman from a 'safe district' to be the source of Obama's problems.
Paul|7.22.09 @ 12:42PM|#
Does anyone see the irony of this post following another one
of those "look at those crazy, out of touch Republicans" articles
by Mr. Suderman?
ON the surface, yes. However, talking about crazy, out of touch
Republicans in the scope of merely analyzing the party itself is
perfectly normal. Blaming the crazy, out of touch minority which
wields little or no power as the source of your majority party's
problems and your failure to enact your mandate... that's a little
different.
Paul|7.22.09 @ 12:42PM|#
I know Obama has a nearly impossible task, dealing with Blue
Dog Democrats and crazy Republicans
And that fucking proposition 13...
Mad Max|7.22.09 @ 12:49PM|#
Defending the health bill on the grounds that Bill Kriston dodged the draft will certainly be easier than defending the bill on its own merits. So I understand Walsh's approach.
|7.22.09 @ 12:57PM|#
Well, I'm just happy to see that Bill Kristol is more willing to use his veto than President Bush was.
|7.22.09 @ 12:58PM|#
Pual said - "Blaming the crazy, out of touch minority which
wields little or no power as the source of your majority party's
problems and your failure to enact your mandate... that's a little
different." - I agree.
But that's not what I read Matt as saying in this article:
To quote Matt "she (in this case Suderman) is attempting to
marginalize the minority national party away from the Adult's
Table"
That's why I found it ironic.
JB|7.22.09 @ 1:01PM|#
But doing something makes her vagina feel better. You just don't have enough empathy to understand.
Gilbert Martin|7.22.09 @ 1:24PM|#
"No, it's a sign that people are starting to tire of the verbal
diarrhea that Obama continuously spews forth about his idiotic
plans to save the universe."
I was more than tired of it before he ever got elected.
He has a way of talking that suited to an emporor or Rome than it
is to a United States president - full of grandiose and unilateral
pronouncements.
One of the most irritating is when he starts off with "Make no
mistake...". Which of course means that anything he says after that
is flat out lie.
Invisible Finger|7.22.09 @ 1:53PM|#
What shows were they worried about? "America's Got Talent,"
"So You Think You Can Dance," "Wipeout" and "I Survived a Japanese
Game Show!"
Why diss these shows? A speech from Obama is usually just a text
version of "Ow My Balls!"
Obama|7.22.09 @ 1:55PM|#
You're going to destroy my presidency.
Well, I be damned, failure is an option after all.
|7.22.09 @ 2:00PM|#
GOP zealots are clearly more interested in killing or
breaking President Obama...than helping Americans get the
healthcare they need.
Joan Walsh, on the other hand, is more interested in rooting for
her idealized Savior than in the actual content and effect
of his plan.
There are no credible actors in this drama.
|7.22.09 @ 2:33PM|#
Seward, my vote goes to Invisible Finger @ 1:53 pm.
Ya know, there is absolutely no reason why any goddam speech or
press conference or event needs to be on more than one channel. If
you want to watch it, there it is. Having the Administration expect
it's dog and pony shows to saturate the airwaves is vaguely
totalitarian.
ed|7.22.09 @ 2:33PM|#
Democrats and their supporters, like any temporary
majoritarian with hands on the wheel of state, need to remember an
important point: The burden of proof is not on the minority party
(or other citizens) who say "no"...The burden of proof is on the
politician who wants to make a major change in public
policy.
It's so adorable when the Democrats in power, and their obedient
lefty "journalist" bedmates, attempt to subvert their own precious
fable of "democracy" by whining over and over again that, "We won,
we're in charge now, get over it, insane Republicans (The Party Of
No©) with your nutty Sarah Palins and your evil Dick
Cheneys!"
They've had a good chuckle these past six months, but the American
citizenry, Allah bless 'em, might not be as stupid as they think.
I'm not saying we're a nation of geniuses, but maybe we're just
smart enough to recognize a scam when we see one (eventually).
|7.22.09 @ 2:34PM|#
If I owned a TV network, the Enjoy Every Sandwich network would
never air a presidential news conference live. If,
by some one-in-a-million chance, the president said something
important that was substantially different from what he had said in
the last thousand or so speeches/appearances, then it would get 10
seconds coverage on the news.
Yeah, I know what some of you are thinking: "Ooh, he's the
PRESIDENT!!! Of these Yoo-knighted States!!! Leader of the Freeeeee
World!!! How can you disrespect like that?"
Pfah, as easily as a fat dog farts.
Jim Treacher|7.22.09 @ 2:36PM|#
Remember when "obstructionism" required the ability to actually obstruct anything?
Jim Treacher|7.22.09 @ 2:39PM|#
What shows were they worried about? "America's Got Talent,"
"So You Think You Can Dance," "Wipeout" and "I Survived a Japanese
Game Show!"
Every single one of which will get better ratings than tonight's
episode of "Who Wants to Be on Obamacare?" Not that Joan Walsh
would know anything about a media entity actually earning a
profit.
max hats|7.22.09 @ 2:47PM|#
Reason fail
from this post:
By portraying Republicans as "crazy," "nearly impossible" to deal with, "interested in killing or breaking Obama," and obsessed with "Obama's birth certificate and other related delusions," she is attempting to marginalize the minority national party away from the Adult's Table
From the post IMMEDIATELY
ABOVE THIS ONE on the blog
The comment came last Friday while Senate Republicans were discussing Obama's healthcare plan. "If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him," said the senator. Now, there is speculation that that comment will hurt any chance for bipartisan support of the healthcare legislation. . .
The "Democrat congressman" remains anonymous, but this insider's tip is quite interesting and could alter the debate. If Obama himself is this worried about his public option, Republicans and moderate Democrats are a lot less likely to support it. Maybe Obama's having second thoughts about hanging his presidency on health care reform. Here's hoping Senator DeMint has some more clever comments up his sleeve.
Seriously, the kitchen-sinkness here is getting out of hand. Last
weeks comedy was seeing side by side posts, one deriding Obama for
not being honest about how bad the economy is while the other
commemorated the malaise speech, and said Obama was basically doing
the same thing. But this, this tops it. "Hoping for the Obama
presidency to break? Why, that sir is marginalization and I won't
stand for it." moments pass. "Man I hope it breaks." Editors. Do
you have them?
Paul|7.22.09 @ 2:48PM|#
Seward, RC Dean,
We have a split decision. According to my judgement, Mad Max wins
the thread with this:
Defending the health bill on the grounds that Bill Kriston
dodged the draft will certainly be easier than defending the bill
on its own merits. So I understand Walsh's approach.
BakedPenguin|7.22.09 @ 3:12PM|#
One irony is that the network that is least likely to
air the president is the "public" network.
I mean, pre-empt Barney or the fucking Antiques
Roadshow? FSM Forbid!
Prime Time Shrugged|7.22.09 @ 3:17PM|#
"Listen to Mr. Obama's report on the world crisis, July
22!"
"To counteract the fears and rumors spread by the enemies of the
people, Mr. Obama will address the country on July 22 and will give
us a full report on the state of the world in this solemn moment of
global crisis."
"Don't forget Mr. Obama on July 22! Mr. Obama will tell you the
truth!"
|7.22.09 @ 3:43PM|#
Libertarians, on a libertarian website, mocking not only
Democrats, but Republicans?
Run for your lives!
|7.22.09 @ 4:15PM|#
Oh yeah, Invisible finger wins the thread. (and probably every
thread I've ever read on this site)
I'm still laughing as I type this.
James Taggart|7.22.09 @ 5:53PM|#
"Listen to Mr. Obama's report on the world crisis, July
22!"
"To counteract the fears and rumors spread by the enemies of the
people, Mr. Obama will address the country on July 22 and will give
us a full report on the state of the world in this solemn moment of
global crisis."
"Don't forget Mr. Obama on July 22! Mr. Obama will tell you the
truth!"
|7.22.09 @ 6:52PM|#
Editors. Do you have them?
A silly complaint at Reason, for sure, but sauce for the
goose is sauce for the gander, considering all the "OMG, two people
at NRO's The Corner are disagreeing with each other, one is less
libertarian than the other" posts here by Reason contributors.
|7.22.09 @ 7:46PM|#
Statist c-words like her are a good argument against the 19th Amendment. Women like this literally have no idea how the world works.
|7.22.09 @ 10:49PM|#
The governor of Texas purposely appoints creationists to the school board in order to appeal to the "fringe." The way to seem sane and adult is to hold the crazies at arm's length. It is major GOP politicians who cater to creationists, GOP radio hosts who give dollops to the birthers, and GOP fund raiser who call everyone to their left a Marxist that make it seem the crazies are quite a bit more than a fringe group.
|7.22.09 @ 11:38PM|#
...instead of just pressing the "Do Something"
button.
Progressive 'batin? How long between presses?
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