Tuesday’s primary victories will allow Hillary Clinton to get busy
planning her “big tent” general election crusade against racism and
incivility, in the person of Donald Trump. It will be a corporate
Democrat’s dream campaign, with the prospect of the party garnering
majority white support for the first time since 1964. Clinton will allow
Bernie Sanders’ delegates to craft much of the language of the party
platform, in Philadelphia – a meaningless exercise designed to convince
the Sandernistas that there is still hope to transform the Democratic
Party “from below.” Clinton – who is permanently primed to lie on any
subject, at any time, in the interests of the Lords of Capital – may
give forked-tongue service to a Sanders-inspired platform, especially if
Trump continues his hype on jobs losses to “China” because of “bad
deals.” But, Wall Street will have little to worry about. Clinton’s
central project will be to build an historic Democratic super-majority
by appealing to all “decent” Americans to reject “bigotry” and embrace
“fairness” and “tolerance” – by which she will mean nothing more than
that they reject Trump.
Such civil rights-sounding rhetoric will signify to Black voters that
their faith in the party, and the Clintons, has been bounteously
rewarded; that the campaign is really all about them. They will be reassured of the continuity of Barack Obama’s policies under Hillary – as if that were a good thing, and as if Obama and the Clintons were not political triplets all along, rooted in the same right-wing of the party.
-- Glen Ford, "Hillary Wants a Crusade to Defeat Trump’s “Bigotry” – and Leave Her Bankers Alone" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
Monday, March 21, 2016
Truest statement of the week II
Typical is the comment last week by Paul Krugman, a longtime defender
of the Obama administration. Krugman argues against those anti-Trump
Republicans who claim that there is no social basis for the anger among
white workers. He points to recent reports documenting the sharp rise of
mortality and other signs of distress among middle-aged white
Americans. “[T]he Republican elite can’t handle the truth,” Krugman
writes. “It’s too committed to an Ayn Rand story line about heroic job
creators versus moochers to admit either that trickle-down economics can
fail to deliver good jobs, or that sometimes government aid is a
crucial lifeline.”
Notably absent in Krugman’s analysis is any mention of the role of the Democratic Party in creating the social catastrophe facing the entire working class, of all races. Regions where Trump has been able to win support are those that have been devastated by decades of deindustrialization, overseen by both Democrats and Republicans, aided and abetted by the trade unions.
Obama, the candidate of “hope and change,” bailed out Wall Street at the expense of American workers, extended the wars and attacks on democratic rights of the Bush administration, and presided over continued deterioration of the conditions of life for the vast majority of working people.
-- Patrick Martin, "Trump and the Democratic Party" (WSWS).
Notably absent in Krugman’s analysis is any mention of the role of the Democratic Party in creating the social catastrophe facing the entire working class, of all races. Regions where Trump has been able to win support are those that have been devastated by decades of deindustrialization, overseen by both Democrats and Republicans, aided and abetted by the trade unions.
Obama, the candidate of “hope and change,” bailed out Wall Street at the expense of American workers, extended the wars and attacks on democratic rights of the Bush administration, and presided over continued deterioration of the conditions of life for the vast majority of working people.
-- Patrick Martin, "Trump and the Democratic Party" (WSWS).
A note to our readers
Hey --
A Monday.
First, we thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:
The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen,
Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
And what did we come up with:
Peace.
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.
A Monday.
First, we thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:
The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen,
Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
And what did we come up with:
Another truest for Glen Ford.
And another truest for Patrick Martin.
The 'casual' approach to the Iraq War today says a great deal.
Ava and C.I. provide the perspective on NETFLIX's first outright failure.
Hillary loves her some Bully Boy Bush.
John Kerry can't help himself.
Nor can the paper of (mis)record.
Says it all.
John Kerry can't help himself.
So many have.
Not really.
Repost of IAVA.
Repost of Sanders campaign.
Peace.
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.
Editorial: The increasingly forgotten war
On the 13th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, another US service member died in Iraq.
The Combined Joint Task Force issued the following:
March 19, 2016
Release #20160319-02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Operation Inherent Resolve Casualty
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve can confirm the death of a Coalition service member in northern Iraq today as a result of enemy action.
Further information will be released as appropriate.
It is CJTF-OIR policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.
It could have been the hook for multiple news stories.
But too many forgot that the Iraq War began on the night of March 19th in the United States.
You had US news outlets and US voices insisting the Iraq War started on March 20th.
That's how little it matters today.
You only had to see the pathetically small turnout at the NYC protest to really get how little the Iraq War matters.
The Iraq War continues.
Here on the left, far too many of us ignore it except to whine about Bully Boy Bush -- who, for the record, left the White House in January 2009.
Is the war on autopilot?
Or are too many just too cowardly and craven to criticize Barack Obama?
The Combined Joint Task Force issued the following:
March 19, 2016
Release #20160319-02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Operation Inherent Resolve Casualty
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve can confirm the death of a Coalition service member in northern Iraq today as a result of enemy action.
Further information will be released as appropriate.
It is CJTF-OIR policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.
It could have been the hook for multiple news stories.
But too many forgot that the Iraq War began on the night of March 19th in the United States.
You had US news outlets and US voices insisting the Iraq War started on March 20th.
That's how little it matters today.
You only had to see the pathetically small turnout at the NYC protest to really get how little the Iraq War matters.
Heartfelt condolences go out to the family of this fallen Marine, killed Saturday in an ISIS attack in Iraq. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2016/03/20/marines-identify-staff-nco-killed-isis-rocket-attack-iraq/82048930/ …
Andrew deGrandpre
The USMC just released a photo of SSgt Louis Cardin, KIA Saturday in Iraq. RIP Marine. http://militari.ly/1pCZauG
The Iraq War continues.
Here on the left, far too many of us ignore it except to whine about Bully Boy Bush -- who, for the record, left the White House in January 2009.
Is the war on autopilot?
Or are too many just too cowardly and craven to criticize Barack Obama?
TV: NETFLIX's epic fail
NETFLIX has its first real turkey.
And it's not hard to understand how this happened.
Karen Valentine.
ROOM 222 ran five seasons and she won an Emmy for her performance in the sitcom. True, her own sitcom follow up, KAREN, lasted only a few months but that didn't hurt her TV career.
Fred Silverman did.
He had a plan.
He didn't really share it. Nor did he implement it when he took over ABC (1975 to 1978) and then NBC (1978 to 1981).
But it left Karen in a holding position for years.
This isn't the NETFLIX story though.
Christian Slater would be closer to that.
Slater infamously failed starring in an NBC program (MY OWN WORST ENEMY), an ABC program (THE FORGOTTEN), a FOX program (BREAKING IN) and yet another ABC program (MIND GAMES).
From 2008 to 2014, he was given the chance to star in four failed series.
That doesn't happen often.
Generally speaking, two turkeys in a row and the entertainment industry is, at best, leery.
That's a little like the NETFLIX story except for the fact that Slater was a film star, a name.
Maybe Tyler Labine would be a better example?
Tyler Labine has never been a star.
Nor has he ever been mistaken for photogenic or attracitve.
He failed in ABC's INVASION, THE CW's REAPER, FOX's SONS OF TUCSON, CBS' MAD LOVE, NBC's ANIMAL PRACTICE and now HULU's DEADBEAT.
How does he keep working?
It's a question that could easily be asked of Will Arnett.
After his minor role in the critically acclaimed (but little watched) ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT on FOX, it was decided he was a star.
The people of America didn't make that decision, some network honchos did.
And, goodness, were they wrong.
First up was FOX's RUNNING WILDE which only proved he lacked chemistry with females. Then came (for American audiences) UP ALL NIGHT on NBC. In season one, the sitcom was hilarious and a hit. But little Will wasn't happy playing a stay-at-home dad (he wasn't happy with much of anything -- hence the separation from his wife Amy Poehler around this time) and wanted more of the focus on him and not on Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph.
The show was retooled to feature him more heavily for season two -- which is when the viewers began fleeing.
Having destroyed that show, he next attempted stardom with CBS's hideous THE MILLERS.
Having flopped with a sitcom on three of the four major networks, it was over for him.
All the man-tan in the world -- no matter how generously he applied it -- could cover up the look of failure.
The actor was at best a bit player.
His only real success had come from a series of guest spots on 30 ROCK where he wasn't required to interact with females believably (he was attracted to Alec Baldwin's character) and where he was a smarmy villain which actually allowed his into-the-hand acting to work (he throws lines away, unable to create a character).
Despite all of that, NETFLIX wrongly thought Will Arnett was someone to build a show around.
Hence FLAKED -- their first real disaster.
Eight long, l-o-o-o-n-g episodes that are said to be less than thirty minutes a piece tend to feel like four hours a pop.
Paul Lynde probably couldn't have pulled it off but it does seem the sort of role he'd play -- a vain, self-centered, talkative type.
Will Arnett should be believable in such a role.
Should be.
But he really can't act.
He's never been able to.
His skill is almost good enough to carry a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit -- almost. Not a series of skits, mind you, just one.
He can deliver lines.
Not convincingly, but he can deliver them.
Always in the same manner.
It's as though he's before a microphone on a stage doing stand up as other actors wander through the club.
Other actors?
The really bad news is Kirstie Alley, Annabeth Gish, Heather Graham, Lina Esco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.
They are wonderful.
They deliver the goods.
But it's as though they're playing catch and every time they toss to Arnett, he drops the ball.
Will Arnett is not Christan Slater, he's never been a star.
FLAKED should be his last attempt at starring in a sitcom.
He's failed on NBC, on CBS and on FOX.
It's really time to stop wondering where the problem is.
It's with this 46-year-old man (46 in May), with thinning hair and sporting too much foundation, who can't act and can't deliver an audience.
Some idiots at NETFLIX are going to spend years explaining this one -- how -- or even why -- they thought anyone would watch.
But only the out of shape Will Arnett can answer the question as to why he thought anyone needed to see his pudgy body shirtless in so many scenes.
Arnett's the man who's deluded himself that he's attractive when, in fact, he's not.
Arnett's the performer who's deluded himself that he can act when, in reality, he should have gotten an acting coach years ago.
Mainly, Arnett's the mashed potatoes accidentally left out overnight on the table and now needing to be quickly disposed of.
NETFLIX would be smart to do the same with FLAKED.
And it's not hard to understand how this happened.
Karen Valentine.
ROOM 222 ran five seasons and she won an Emmy for her performance in the sitcom. True, her own sitcom follow up, KAREN, lasted only a few months but that didn't hurt her TV career.
Fred Silverman did.
He had a plan.
He didn't really share it. Nor did he implement it when he took over ABC (1975 to 1978) and then NBC (1978 to 1981).
But it left Karen in a holding position for years.
This isn't the NETFLIX story though.
Christian Slater would be closer to that.
Slater infamously failed starring in an NBC program (MY OWN WORST ENEMY), an ABC program (THE FORGOTTEN), a FOX program (BREAKING IN) and yet another ABC program (MIND GAMES).
From 2008 to 2014, he was given the chance to star in four failed series.
That doesn't happen often.
Generally speaking, two turkeys in a row and the entertainment industry is, at best, leery.
That's a little like the NETFLIX story except for the fact that Slater was a film star, a name.
Maybe Tyler Labine would be a better example?
Tyler Labine has never been a star.
Nor has he ever been mistaken for photogenic or attracitve.
He failed in ABC's INVASION, THE CW's REAPER, FOX's SONS OF TUCSON, CBS' MAD LOVE, NBC's ANIMAL PRACTICE and now HULU's DEADBEAT.
How does he keep working?
It's a question that could easily be asked of Will Arnett.
After his minor role in the critically acclaimed (but little watched) ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT on FOX, it was decided he was a star.
The people of America didn't make that decision, some network honchos did.
And, goodness, were they wrong.
First up was FOX's RUNNING WILDE which only proved he lacked chemistry with females. Then came (for American audiences) UP ALL NIGHT on NBC. In season one, the sitcom was hilarious and a hit. But little Will wasn't happy playing a stay-at-home dad (he wasn't happy with much of anything -- hence the separation from his wife Amy Poehler around this time) and wanted more of the focus on him and not on Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph.
The show was retooled to feature him more heavily for season two -- which is when the viewers began fleeing.
Having destroyed that show, he next attempted stardom with CBS's hideous THE MILLERS.
Having flopped with a sitcom on three of the four major networks, it was over for him.
All the man-tan in the world -- no matter how generously he applied it -- could cover up the look of failure.
The actor was at best a bit player.
His only real success had come from a series of guest spots on 30 ROCK where he wasn't required to interact with females believably (he was attracted to Alec Baldwin's character) and where he was a smarmy villain which actually allowed his into-the-hand acting to work (he throws lines away, unable to create a character).
Despite all of that, NETFLIX wrongly thought Will Arnett was someone to build a show around.
Hence FLAKED -- their first real disaster.
Eight long, l-o-o-o-n-g episodes that are said to be less than thirty minutes a piece tend to feel like four hours a pop.
Paul Lynde probably couldn't have pulled it off but it does seem the sort of role he'd play -- a vain, self-centered, talkative type.
Will Arnett should be believable in such a role.
Should be.
But he really can't act.
He's never been able to.
His skill is almost good enough to carry a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit -- almost. Not a series of skits, mind you, just one.
He can deliver lines.
Not convincingly, but he can deliver them.
Always in the same manner.
It's as though he's before a microphone on a stage doing stand up as other actors wander through the club.
Other actors?
The really bad news is Kirstie Alley, Annabeth Gish, Heather Graham, Lina Esco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.
They are wonderful.
They deliver the goods.
But it's as though they're playing catch and every time they toss to Arnett, he drops the ball.
Will Arnett is not Christan Slater, he's never been a star.
FLAKED should be his last attempt at starring in a sitcom.
He's failed on NBC, on CBS and on FOX.
It's really time to stop wondering where the problem is.
It's with this 46-year-old man (46 in May), with thinning hair and sporting too much foundation, who can't act and can't deliver an audience.
Some idiots at NETFLIX are going to spend years explaining this one -- how -- or even why -- they thought anyone would watch.
But only the out of shape Will Arnett can answer the question as to why he thought anyone needed to see his pudgy body shirtless in so many scenes.
Arnett's the man who's deluded himself that he's attractive when, in fact, he's not.
Arnett's the performer who's deluded himself that he can act when, in reality, he should have gotten an acting coach years ago.
Mainly, Arnett's the mashed potatoes accidentally left out overnight on the table and now needing to be quickly disposed of.
NETFLIX would be smart to do the same with FLAKED.
She's in love with the boy
War Hawks of a feather flock together.
The Hill
Photo of Hillary Clinton hugging George W. Bush at Nancy Reagan's funeral goes viral: http://hill.cm/UT6buS0
- The Troubling Friendship of Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush http://bit.ly/1TZb4v2 #WeAreBernie #ImWithHer
Guerrilla Socialists 
3/20/03 #Iraq = million deaths tortured prisoners billion cash missing trillions spent & US oil fields #WhichHillary
Please don't sniff the guests.
A highly aroused John Kerry attempts to sniff Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen. State Department staffers later pull him off Jensen following Kerry's attempt to hump the Foreign Minister's leg.
THE NEW YORK TIMES can't stop lying about Iraq
Doubt it?
Check out this Tweet from the paper on March 20, 2016:
See the problem.
It's the March 20, 2003 front page.
The Tweet says the war started March 20th.
No.
In the US, it was the night of March 19, 2003 which is how it was a headline on the morning of March 20, 2003.
Even on the smallest detail, the paper of (mis)record can't stop lying about Iraq.
Check out this Tweet from the paper on March 20, 2016:
New York Times OTD 
See the problem.
It's the March 20, 2003 front page.
The Tweet says the war started March 20th.
No.
In the US, it was the night of March 19, 2003 which is how it was a headline on the morning of March 20, 2003.
Even on the smallest detail, the paper of (mis)record can't stop lying about Iraq.
Tweet of the week
Veterans For Bernie
.@BernieSanders got Iraq right. Hillary didn't. Judgment matters. We need leadership! #Vets4Bernie all the way!
