It's time to Break It Down!
To call Howard Dean a distinguished public servant would understate his varied and notable accomplishments. He spent six terms as Vermont’s 79th Governor, he was a 2004 candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, and Dr. Dean, a physician by training, also served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2005-2009. Historians will note he was one of the architects of the Democratic Party’s successful 2008 national campaign, winning control of both Houses of Congress, and electing a Democrat president.
That would be considered an impressive trifecta under any circumstances. Of course, Dean’s role will warrant a special place since Barack Obama won, breaking the color barrier associated with ascending to the Office of the President.
During his twelve years serving as Governor of Vermont, Dr. Dean fashioned an impressive array of deliverables, including:
• Serving as chairman of the National Governors Association
• Establishing policies and programs that enabled Vermont to pay of much of its public debt
• Crafting a balanced budget 11 times in 12 years
• Lowering income taxes twice
• Expanding the "Dr. Dynasaur" program ensuring universal health care for children and pregnant women in the Vermont
Not too shabby!
A couple of weeks ago, I penned a post about the so-called Professional Left. More aptly, the piece described how Robert Gibbs, the President’s Press Secretary, chided Left-Leaning Democrats for being obtuse, and in reality:
1. Failing to give credit to this President’s notable list of accomplishments
2. Not recognizing the import and impact if the schism they are creating by registering their complaints, loudly, publicly…and frequently
This internal Party dust-up drew a fair amount of heat and light for a couple of days, and then appeared to subside. Not so fast, Kemo Sahbee! Fast forward two weeks, and The Professional Left finds its voice, in one Howard Dean. Yes, the same Dean who was instrumental in helping Team Obama lease the keys to the Oval Office.
Interestingly, Dr. Dean did not eviscerate the President. In fact, he seemed to craft his remarks, carefully, so as to convey the sentiment that while the President still has his finger on the pulse of what’s going on outside Washington, DC and the Beltway, his people are slow on the uptake. There are members of the Animal Kingdom who eat their young and others who cannibalize the weak and defenseless. While neither side of this tiff is appropriately characterized as either young or weak and defenseless, this slow-to-develop exchange does foster the notion of an organization at conflict with itself; caught in a classic “Enemy Within” state.
At a glance, albeit, a very quick one, admittedly, the aspect of Dean’s retort that I find most interesting is not that there are qualms with this President; that actually seems quite natural. This POTUS, like all Commanders-in-Chief, especially Democrats, must find a way to satisfy his base. This is always a challenging assignment. Republicans are finding this out, and they are not even the Party in power, so to speak.
The GOP struggled and failed to concoct the magic formula during the ’08 General Election. Voila, the Tea Party emerged to challenge the conservative credentials of Republicans, the ideology of Democrats, and everything about President Obama, from his birthplace to his religion.
Democrats, at their best, value diversity, and find strength in it. But the Party is composed of so many elements, ranging from the Blue Dogs, whom some would call ultra-conservatives in Democrat’s clothing to the so-called Professional Left. It is an absolute certainty that at times there will be subsets among the various groups who not only promote competing objectives, but who find themselves unalterably opposed to tenets and desires of other Party members.
This is the nexus at which Mr. Gibbs, Dr. Dean, and their respective proponents find themselves; a bona fide sticky wicket. The November General Election is 10 weeks from yesterday. While the two sides spend valuable time jousting with each other, the clock is ticking, November 2nd is approaching, and the intellectual capital that would be better used, were it consolidated, and preparing to take on the opposing Party, seems primed for an extended bout of internal combat. The November success of the Democratic Party seems the most likely casualty of this ill-advised tactic. So, The Empire Strikes Back: The Professional Left Speaks!” This exchange has a distinct Trojan Horse feel to it. In other words, if the opposition were designing an ideal end game for Democrats to execute that would result in ensuring Republican success in November; this might very well be it.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Dean
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gibbs
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4318138/howard-dean-on-the-attack/?playlist_id=158139
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/howard-dean-obama-out-of-touch-gibbs-professional-left-healthcare/2010/08/22/id/368117
http://www.politicususa.com/en/dean-obama-america
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/23/howard-dean-obama-advisor_n_690975.html
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/08/22/howard-dean-i-cant-shake-the-feeling-that-obamas-advisors-are-out-of-touch-with-the-country/
http://www.mediaite.com/online/howard-dean-people-around-obama-have-no-idea-what-happens-outside-of-washington/
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/115311-dean-obama-aides-need-some-time-outside-washington-
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/howard-dean-white-house-out-of-touch-should-spend-some-time-outside-washington-101262114.html
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/08/22/howard_dean_obama_misjudged_what_goes_on_in_the_country.html
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/08/howard-dean-i-can%E2%80%99t-shake-the-feeling-that-obama%E2%80%99s-advisors-are-out-of-touch-with-the-country/
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
"The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave"
It's time to Break It Down!
Have you ever heard of the “Defence of Fort McHenry?” Sure you have; but probably by another name. That was the original title of the poem Francis Scott Key wrote in 1814, that would eventually become our national anthem. And yes, that is the way Defense was spelled.
Key wrote the poem to depict what he saw during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the Chesapeake Bay, which occurred during the War of 1812. The Navy recognized “The Star-Spangled Banner” for official use in 1889. The Office of the President began using it in 1916, and in 1931, President Hoover signed a congressional resolution, making it the national anthem. And you thought the Depression was the only notable occurrence in the Hoover era.
Land of the free and the home of the brave has long said a lot about who we (believe we) are, as well as to who we aspire to be. Over the last several days, however, I have been forced to ask, “Are we also The Sanctuary of the Hypocritical?”
Have you ever heard of The Cordoba Initiative? Sure you have; but probably by another name. The Cordoba Initiative is the effort designed to build an Islamic Community Center in Lower Manhattan, often referred to pejoratively as The Ground Zero Mosque; at the very least somewhat a misnomer. The facility would include a Mosque, but is not just a Mosque, nor would it serve predominately in that capacity.
Two hundred twenty years ago today, George Washington, responding to a proclamation from the Jewish Community of New Port, Rhode Island, on the occasion of his visit to their local Synagogue wrote, “For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.”
That commitment to freedom from bigotry, religious and otherwise, seemingly declared inviolable at that moment, by the nation’s 1st Commander-in-Chief, seems to be for some today, a concept made noteworthy, only by its transitory nature. Friday, the nation’s 44th Commander-in-Chief cited the U.S. Constitution, and its religious freedom protection as a reasonable basis for accepting the local decision to allow the Cordoba House to be erected two blocks from Ground Zero. Based on the reaction of some to his statement, one may have thought he made a Heil Hitler salute, and broke out in a Goose Step.
In fact, one detractor, Newt Gingrich, who happens to be a potential challenger to Mr. Obama in 2012, used a Nazi reference to enunciate his opposition to the project. He argued, that “Nazis don't have the right to put up a sign next to the holocaust museum in Washington." Interestingly, perhaps ironically; maybe just without recalling, Mr. Gingrich made this analogy, even though, just a year ago, a guard at the museum was killed by a white supremacist trying to enter the museum with a gun.
Mr. Gingrich, like many contemporaries in his ideological camp often fashions his opponents as reflections of some previous American arch-enemy. He recently authored a book in which he alleged Mr. Obama and his fellow Democrats were “secular socialists” who represented as great a threat to America as Nazis or the U.S.S.R. did at one time.
Numerous reasons have been advanced, in opposing to the Cordoba Initiative. Let it be clear, a recent CNN Poll showed that 70% of Americans oppose this project; only 29% favor it. New York Mayor Bloomberg appears to be in the early stages of negotiating the selection of an alternative site. A number of analysts theorize that locating the project at 45-51 Park Place (Park 51), two blocks from Ground Zero, will never happen.
Perhaps it will not. But in ceding to often bombastic demagoguery, instead of fostering reasoned discourse and civil debate, are we as Americans honoring our stated values…or trampling them? It is clear, the principal of religious freedom has taken a huge hit, and if the project is relocated, that blow will be all the more debilitating. What of the next time the issue arises, for some other faith tradition?
Much of the heat and light attached to the issue has centered on the sacred nature of Ground Zero. There are twin considerations that at warrant inclusion in any discussion about Ground Zero as a location, as well as any conversation about the concept of the site being sacred.
First, while it may not be clear from the arguments that abound, the project is not located at Ground Zero. It is not located across the street from Ground Zero, it is not located around the corner from Ground Zero, and it is not even located just a block away from Ground Zero. The site in question is in “the neighborhood,” two blocks away.
Second, the contingent of debaters arguing that Ground Zero, or more appropriately the neighborhood around it, is sacred has clearly and conveniently redefined the term sacred. The Ground Zero Neighborhood (GZN) is a typically diverse city area that covers approximately 12 city blocks. Included in the GZN are numerous establishments, including, but not limited to:
• 18 Banks
• 17 Pizza shops
• 11 Bars
• 10 Churches
• 3 Synagogues
• 1 Buddhist Community Center
• 1 Hare Krishna facility
• 1 Mosque
The GZN is also home to two strip clubs, an adult lingerie shop, and an Off Track Betting Parlor. Some of these establishments are as close to Ground Zero as the proposed Cordoba House.
In the final analysis, I believe the people of Manhattan should decide whether to locate the Cordoba House in the GZN. I have no compelling argument from afar that contends this is either the only location acceptable, or even the best one. Rather, I make instead, a clarion call to those who stand proudly to proclaim that here in America, we live in “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave,” to also insist, just as proudly, passionately, fervently, and frequently, that we support all the freedoms accorded by our Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. I am convinced that for one to do otherwise is to act as a hypocrite...of the highest magnitude.
I’m done; holla back!
PS. This post marks the Third Anniversary Edition of "Break It Down!" It has been a truly amazing ride.
If you have been around frequently, or sporadically since 2007, I hope you have witnessed an organic and ever-evolving web log. I am confident it is not what it will be, but certain it is not what it was. To all whom provided thoughtful suggestions and/or criticism, thank you. If you have ever provided feedback about the blog to me directly, via an e-mail, or on the comment page, I appreciate your contribution to my growth as a blogger, and to the content and quality of my posts. If you have read the blog, but never commented, thanks for returning to check out this issue. If this is your first time receiving or reading the blog, thank you for tuning in.
To every one, enjoy; feel free to weigh in, and tell a friend about "Break It Down!"
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Scott_Key
http://www.cordobainitiative.org/
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/name-that-mosque-ground-zeros-other-neighbors/19590651
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/16/2010-08-16_a_sea_of_filth_near_ground_zer0_mosque_gets_all_the_press_but_porns_around_corne.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia
http://www.newser.com/story/98257/ground-zero-bars-strip-clubs-abound.html
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/08/newt-gingrich-compares-ground.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7949530/The-battle-over-the-mosque-at-Ground-Zero.html
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/todays-question/archive/2010/08/would-the-construction-of-a-mosque-near-ground-zero-dishonor-those-who-died-there.shtml
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/08/obama-president-bloomberg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose-step
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS390&q=heil+hitler&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=JW1rTJGHBcKC8gaOxpigAw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDYQsAQwAw&biw=1259&bih=490
Have you ever heard of the “Defence of Fort McHenry?” Sure you have; but probably by another name. That was the original title of the poem Francis Scott Key wrote in 1814, that would eventually become our national anthem. And yes, that is the way Defense was spelled.
Key wrote the poem to depict what he saw during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the Chesapeake Bay, which occurred during the War of 1812. The Navy recognized “The Star-Spangled Banner” for official use in 1889. The Office of the President began using it in 1916, and in 1931, President Hoover signed a congressional resolution, making it the national anthem. And you thought the Depression was the only notable occurrence in the Hoover era.
Land of the free and the home of the brave has long said a lot about who we (believe we) are, as well as to who we aspire to be. Over the last several days, however, I have been forced to ask, “Are we also The Sanctuary of the Hypocritical?”
Have you ever heard of The Cordoba Initiative? Sure you have; but probably by another name. The Cordoba Initiative is the effort designed to build an Islamic Community Center in Lower Manhattan, often referred to pejoratively as The Ground Zero Mosque; at the very least somewhat a misnomer. The facility would include a Mosque, but is not just a Mosque, nor would it serve predominately in that capacity.
Two hundred twenty years ago today, George Washington, responding to a proclamation from the Jewish Community of New Port, Rhode Island, on the occasion of his visit to their local Synagogue wrote, “For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.”
That commitment to freedom from bigotry, religious and otherwise, seemingly declared inviolable at that moment, by the nation’s 1st Commander-in-Chief, seems to be for some today, a concept made noteworthy, only by its transitory nature. Friday, the nation’s 44th Commander-in-Chief cited the U.S. Constitution, and its religious freedom protection as a reasonable basis for accepting the local decision to allow the Cordoba House to be erected two blocks from Ground Zero. Based on the reaction of some to his statement, one may have thought he made a Heil Hitler salute, and broke out in a Goose Step.
In fact, one detractor, Newt Gingrich, who happens to be a potential challenger to Mr. Obama in 2012, used a Nazi reference to enunciate his opposition to the project. He argued, that “Nazis don't have the right to put up a sign next to the holocaust museum in Washington." Interestingly, perhaps ironically; maybe just without recalling, Mr. Gingrich made this analogy, even though, just a year ago, a guard at the museum was killed by a white supremacist trying to enter the museum with a gun.
Mr. Gingrich, like many contemporaries in his ideological camp often fashions his opponents as reflections of some previous American arch-enemy. He recently authored a book in which he alleged Mr. Obama and his fellow Democrats were “secular socialists” who represented as great a threat to America as Nazis or the U.S.S.R. did at one time.
Numerous reasons have been advanced, in opposing to the Cordoba Initiative. Let it be clear, a recent CNN Poll showed that 70% of Americans oppose this project; only 29% favor it. New York Mayor Bloomberg appears to be in the early stages of negotiating the selection of an alternative site. A number of analysts theorize that locating the project at 45-51 Park Place (Park 51), two blocks from Ground Zero, will never happen.
Perhaps it will not. But in ceding to often bombastic demagoguery, instead of fostering reasoned discourse and civil debate, are we as Americans honoring our stated values…or trampling them? It is clear, the principal of religious freedom has taken a huge hit, and if the project is relocated, that blow will be all the more debilitating. What of the next time the issue arises, for some other faith tradition?
Much of the heat and light attached to the issue has centered on the sacred nature of Ground Zero. There are twin considerations that at warrant inclusion in any discussion about Ground Zero as a location, as well as any conversation about the concept of the site being sacred.
First, while it may not be clear from the arguments that abound, the project is not located at Ground Zero. It is not located across the street from Ground Zero, it is not located around the corner from Ground Zero, and it is not even located just a block away from Ground Zero. The site in question is in “the neighborhood,” two blocks away.
Second, the contingent of debaters arguing that Ground Zero, or more appropriately the neighborhood around it, is sacred has clearly and conveniently redefined the term sacred. The Ground Zero Neighborhood (GZN) is a typically diverse city area that covers approximately 12 city blocks. Included in the GZN are numerous establishments, including, but not limited to:
• 18 Banks
• 17 Pizza shops
• 11 Bars
• 10 Churches
• 3 Synagogues
• 1 Buddhist Community Center
• 1 Hare Krishna facility
• 1 Mosque
The GZN is also home to two strip clubs, an adult lingerie shop, and an Off Track Betting Parlor. Some of these establishments are as close to Ground Zero as the proposed Cordoba House.
In the final analysis, I believe the people of Manhattan should decide whether to locate the Cordoba House in the GZN. I have no compelling argument from afar that contends this is either the only location acceptable, or even the best one. Rather, I make instead, a clarion call to those who stand proudly to proclaim that here in America, we live in “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave,” to also insist, just as proudly, passionately, fervently, and frequently, that we support all the freedoms accorded by our Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. I am convinced that for one to do otherwise is to act as a hypocrite...of the highest magnitude.
I’m done; holla back!
PS. This post marks the Third Anniversary Edition of "Break It Down!" It has been a truly amazing ride.
If you have been around frequently, or sporadically since 2007, I hope you have witnessed an organic and ever-evolving web log. I am confident it is not what it will be, but certain it is not what it was. To all whom provided thoughtful suggestions and/or criticism, thank you. If you have ever provided feedback about the blog to me directly, via an e-mail, or on the comment page, I appreciate your contribution to my growth as a blogger, and to the content and quality of my posts. If you have read the blog, but never commented, thanks for returning to check out this issue. If this is your first time receiving or reading the blog, thank you for tuning in.
To every one, enjoy; feel free to weigh in, and tell a friend about "Break It Down!"
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Scott_Key
http://www.cordobainitiative.org/
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/name-that-mosque-ground-zeros-other-neighbors/19590651
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/16/2010-08-16_a_sea_of_filth_near_ground_zer0_mosque_gets_all_the_press_but_porns_around_corne.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia
http://www.newser.com/story/98257/ground-zero-bars-strip-clubs-abound.html
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/08/newt-gingrich-compares-ground.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7949530/The-battle-over-the-mosque-at-Ground-Zero.html
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/todays-question/archive/2010/08/would-the-construction-of-a-mosque-near-ground-zero-dishonor-those-who-died-there.shtml
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/08/obama-president-bloomberg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose-step
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS390&q=heil+hitler&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=JW1rTJGHBcKC8gaOxpigAw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDYQsAQwAw&biw=1259&bih=490
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Short-Changed: The Lament of the Professional Left
It's time to Break It Down!
Over the weekend I had the occasion to participate in wide-ranging discussion that spanned the 72-hour period from Friday through Sunday. The gist of the discussion was based on the fact Dr. Cornel West, a noted social activist, critic, Democratic Socialist, and liberal-elite college professor expressed concerns about some of the positions held and tactics executed by President Obama. Moreover, Dr. Boyce Watkins, social commentator, and also a liberal-elite college professor, agreed with Professor West. In summary, the two professors suggested President Obama was too loyal to individuals for whom his best interest is not a primary concern, and that he is overly beholding to groups that have not earned his support; in fact, they consistently oppose him and work to undermine his initiatives.
The conversation was spirited, intense, but generally cordial; almost respectful, in an upper chamber (Senate) kind of way. I would tell you more about the specifics of the discourse, but alas, then I would have to hunt you down, one by one, and render you amnesiacs, via Vulcan mind-meld, or some other equally uber-effective telepathic manipulation model. I know we do not want that!
But that exchange was the perfect segue for Press Secretary Robert Gibbs rant on the Professional Left, yesterday. Secretary Gibbs expressed frustration that the far left was too critical of President Obama, and that they consistently failed to credit him for the administration’s successes. While the apparent row between Dr. West and President Obama was a small potatoes affair, in the grand scheme of things, the Press Secretary stirred up a hornet’s nest of resistance and reaction with his perceived affront to the political Left.
Interestingly, Mr. Gibbs’ meltdown is subject to have the impact of adding another piece of kindling to an already smoldering blaze of discontentment among various elements of the President’s political base. Less than 90 days before the Mid-Term elections, two months and three weeks to be exact, the last thing Democrats, who appear to be a party under siege, need, is a veritable implosion.
The Left, especially the hard charging Far Left, was probably the contingent of the Party that was most energized by candidate Obama’s promise for change. They had sky high hopes, and if possible, even higher expectations. Many feel they have been disappointed early an often by a President whom at times comes across (to them) as transfixed by the art of compromise; not the least bit interested in fighting the erstwhile “good fight.”
After a not so surprising torrent of responses from the “Professional Left,” Mr. Gibbs, in an equally unsurprising move, “walked back” his stunning rebuke. In a message delivered by Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton, Gibbs called his own remarks “inartful,” and suggested that Democrats, including himself, should focus on reuniting to focus on the job at hand.
While all this makes for compelling headshots, and dramatic network voice-overs, it should at least be noted that The Administration does boast a number of significant accomplishments, including the Stimulus Bill, Health Care Reform, Banking Reform, The Financial Bailout, The Automobile Bailout, Unemployment Insurance Extension, to name just a few.
While each of these bills fell short of the scope the Far Left preferred, the bare-knuckled political fact is, the Obama Administration was constantly under attack from a lock-step aligned Republican Party, which on some issues offered not a single vote for the President’s proposals. That he managed to get any of them passed was shocking to some observers; delightful so to Democrats, and disappointing Republicans.
It is understandable that the Far Left is not happy. But the reality of Politics 101 is, to get what they want, not only must they elect a Candidate for Change to the Presidency, they must send more of them to Congress as well. The “Professional Left,” as Gibbs called them, railed, and they did so because:
• Health Care Reform did not include a Single-payer or a public option
• Guantanamo is still open
• Don’t ask don’t tell is still in effect
• The Stimulus was not large enough
• Financial Reform was not tough enough
• Too many troops are in Afghanistan
The loyal opposition, as the party not in power is called traditionally, unconstrained due to the lack of a Democratic Super Majority (60 votes), threatened filibuster at every turn, and did so on a number of occasions. Mitch McConnell, Senior Senator from Kentucky/Senate Minority Leader, John Boehner, Ohio Congressman/House Minority Leader, Michael Steele, Republican National Committee Chairman, have not always won, but they have made every single initiative a challenging initiative. Meanwhile, as the Far Left bemoans the Administration’s anemic (in its opinion) response to the orthodoxy of the Left, the Far Right has painted the President as the single greatest force for Socialism the world has ever known.
So how are Left-wingers responding? They have accused Mr. Obama of Corporatist Capitulation, and arguing that the President has not lived up to the progressive ideals upon which he campaigned. After navigating two terms, 8 years, of the George W. Bush vision, the left-leaners are primed for the change the President-to-be promised, while he on the campaign trail.
It is clear at this juncture, the frustration is palpable…and mutual. Also evident is the fact that to get what ultra liberals want, the electorate must not only throw the rascals, I mean Republicans, out; they must also replace the Blue Dogs! Otherwise, prepare for a stark shift in the power curve; Republicans are poised to rise in November. Should that occur, there will be no need to question; no reason to debate, “Short-Changed: The Lament of the Professional Left,” will have become a self-inflicted reality.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/10/gibbs-walks-back-criticisms-of-professional-left/#more-117211
http://drboycewatkins.com/scholarshipinaction/?p=86
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gibbs
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4307318/gibbs-voices-frustration-with-far-left/?playlist_id=158139
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/08/robert_gibbs_was_right_to_crit.html
http://www.mediaite.com/online/wh-deputy-press-secretary-explains-robert-gibbs-comment-on-professional-left/
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20100810/robert-gibbs-blasts-the-left-100810/
http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/100407439.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUgOy9cP3DieyckcUsI
http://leftword.blogdig.net/archives/articles/August2010/10/Gibbs__People_who_are_upset_with_Obama_don_t_live_in_real_America__didn_t_help_get_Obama_elected.html
http://features.rr.com/article/0ePygtNaEbe7p?q=Barack+Obama
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/08/robert_gibbs_concedes_attack_o.html
http://www.progressive.org/wx081010.html
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/08/11/gibbs_is_right_about_the_professional_left_106705.html
http://www.tellingthoughts.com/asides/obamas-90-accomplishments-email-list
Over the weekend I had the occasion to participate in wide-ranging discussion that spanned the 72-hour period from Friday through Sunday. The gist of the discussion was based on the fact Dr. Cornel West, a noted social activist, critic, Democratic Socialist, and liberal-elite college professor expressed concerns about some of the positions held and tactics executed by President Obama. Moreover, Dr. Boyce Watkins, social commentator, and also a liberal-elite college professor, agreed with Professor West. In summary, the two professors suggested President Obama was too loyal to individuals for whom his best interest is not a primary concern, and that he is overly beholding to groups that have not earned his support; in fact, they consistently oppose him and work to undermine his initiatives.
The conversation was spirited, intense, but generally cordial; almost respectful, in an upper chamber (Senate) kind of way. I would tell you more about the specifics of the discourse, but alas, then I would have to hunt you down, one by one, and render you amnesiacs, via Vulcan mind-meld, or some other equally uber-effective telepathic manipulation model. I know we do not want that!
But that exchange was the perfect segue for Press Secretary Robert Gibbs rant on the Professional Left, yesterday. Secretary Gibbs expressed frustration that the far left was too critical of President Obama, and that they consistently failed to credit him for the administration’s successes. While the apparent row between Dr. West and President Obama was a small potatoes affair, in the grand scheme of things, the Press Secretary stirred up a hornet’s nest of resistance and reaction with his perceived affront to the political Left.
Interestingly, Mr. Gibbs’ meltdown is subject to have the impact of adding another piece of kindling to an already smoldering blaze of discontentment among various elements of the President’s political base. Less than 90 days before the Mid-Term elections, two months and three weeks to be exact, the last thing Democrats, who appear to be a party under siege, need, is a veritable implosion.
The Left, especially the hard charging Far Left, was probably the contingent of the Party that was most energized by candidate Obama’s promise for change. They had sky high hopes, and if possible, even higher expectations. Many feel they have been disappointed early an often by a President whom at times comes across (to them) as transfixed by the art of compromise; not the least bit interested in fighting the erstwhile “good fight.”
After a not so surprising torrent of responses from the “Professional Left,” Mr. Gibbs, in an equally unsurprising move, “walked back” his stunning rebuke. In a message delivered by Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton, Gibbs called his own remarks “inartful,” and suggested that Democrats, including himself, should focus on reuniting to focus on the job at hand.
While all this makes for compelling headshots, and dramatic network voice-overs, it should at least be noted that The Administration does boast a number of significant accomplishments, including the Stimulus Bill, Health Care Reform, Banking Reform, The Financial Bailout, The Automobile Bailout, Unemployment Insurance Extension, to name just a few.
While each of these bills fell short of the scope the Far Left preferred, the bare-knuckled political fact is, the Obama Administration was constantly under attack from a lock-step aligned Republican Party, which on some issues offered not a single vote for the President’s proposals. That he managed to get any of them passed was shocking to some observers; delightful so to Democrats, and disappointing Republicans.
It is understandable that the Far Left is not happy. But the reality of Politics 101 is, to get what they want, not only must they elect a Candidate for Change to the Presidency, they must send more of them to Congress as well. The “Professional Left,” as Gibbs called them, railed, and they did so because:
• Health Care Reform did not include a Single-payer or a public option
• Guantanamo is still open
• Don’t ask don’t tell is still in effect
• The Stimulus was not large enough
• Financial Reform was not tough enough
• Too many troops are in Afghanistan
The loyal opposition, as the party not in power is called traditionally, unconstrained due to the lack of a Democratic Super Majority (60 votes), threatened filibuster at every turn, and did so on a number of occasions. Mitch McConnell, Senior Senator from Kentucky/Senate Minority Leader, John Boehner, Ohio Congressman/House Minority Leader, Michael Steele, Republican National Committee Chairman, have not always won, but they have made every single initiative a challenging initiative. Meanwhile, as the Far Left bemoans the Administration’s anemic (in its opinion) response to the orthodoxy of the Left, the Far Right has painted the President as the single greatest force for Socialism the world has ever known.
So how are Left-wingers responding? They have accused Mr. Obama of Corporatist Capitulation, and arguing that the President has not lived up to the progressive ideals upon which he campaigned. After navigating two terms, 8 years, of the George W. Bush vision, the left-leaners are primed for the change the President-to-be promised, while he on the campaign trail.
It is clear at this juncture, the frustration is palpable…and mutual. Also evident is the fact that to get what ultra liberals want, the electorate must not only throw the rascals, I mean Republicans, out; they must also replace the Blue Dogs! Otherwise, prepare for a stark shift in the power curve; Republicans are poised to rise in November. Should that occur, there will be no need to question; no reason to debate, “Short-Changed: The Lament of the Professional Left,” will have become a self-inflicted reality.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/10/gibbs-walks-back-criticisms-of-professional-left/#more-117211
http://drboycewatkins.com/scholarshipinaction/?p=86
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gibbs
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4307318/gibbs-voices-frustration-with-far-left/?playlist_id=158139
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/08/robert_gibbs_was_right_to_crit.html
http://www.mediaite.com/online/wh-deputy-press-secretary-explains-robert-gibbs-comment-on-professional-left/
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20100810/robert-gibbs-blasts-the-left-100810/
http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/100407439.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUgOy9cP3DieyckcUsI
http://leftword.blogdig.net/archives/articles/August2010/10/Gibbs__People_who_are_upset_with_Obama_don_t_live_in_real_America__didn_t_help_get_Obama_elected.html
http://features.rr.com/article/0ePygtNaEbe7p?q=Barack+Obama
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/08/robert_gibbs_concedes_attack_o.html
http://www.progressive.org/wx081010.html
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/08/11/gibbs_is_right_about_the_professional_left_106705.html
http://www.tellingthoughts.com/asides/obamas-90-accomplishments-email-list
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
"The Blacker The Berry!"
It's time to Break It Down!
I remember 49; Happy Birthday Mr. President!
Mr. Obama has made history in numerous ways; many which have been recounted here in “Break It Down!” One of the early, debatably minor controversies of Team Obama and the tenure of Number 44 was whether the Commander-In-Chief (CIC) would be able to negotiate retaining his BlackBerry. As most of us know, POTUS prevailed in that skirmish.
BlackBerry, and its Canadian developer, Research In Motion, commonly know as RIM, now face a different challenge. The telecommunications giant has been presented with a gnarly dilemma. Last Sunday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), threatened to block access to e-mail, web browsing and text messages on the popular Smartphone beginning Monday, October 11 if RIM, doesn't provide government access for security investigations. In addition, Tuesday, the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission asked mobile communications companies in Saudi Arabia to halt BlackBerry service in the kingdom beginning August 5, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
So, it could be argued that, in a very real sense, “The Blacker the Berry, the Tighter the Security." After all, that is what this really story revolves around. A number of countries, including, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and India, have raised issues with RIM about its encryption service, which is in essence a secret code; one that apparently has proved too complex for these sovereign subdivisions to break.
To put it mildly, this is a dilemma RIM did not need. It may be surprising to some to learn, despite the flood of publicity that has accompanied Apple Inc’s 4th Generation iPhone, and the 3 that preceded it, and the more recent entry into the marketplace of Google’s Android products, BlackBerry is comfortably ensconced as the global market leader in the Smartphone business.
But for some time, critics have been noting a number of cracks in RIM’s armor. In fact, juxtaposed aside this still developing quagmire, RIM announced yesterday in New York City the introduction of the new BlackBerry Torch 9800 in tandem with its new Operating System, BlackBerry 6 OS. Why all the light and heat from the recognized Market Leader?
In a word, cachet! The iPhone has it. No, allow me to put that differently. The iPhone has “It; and the “Droid” family of Smartphones is developing “It,” quickly. The twin engines that drive iPhone and Droid have been the dual anchors around Blackberry’s virtual neck; a dynamic web browser and limitless applications. As a result, iPhone and Droid are trending upward, while RIM’s BB has been stagnant, and quite possibly poised for a downward spiral.
The Torch 9800 and BB 6 OS were supposed to at least stem the tide. The Torch is the first RIM product touted as intending to compete directly with the iPhone. Scheduled for release on August 12, its competitive spirit is expected to be augmented this fall (November) by the release of the BlackPad, to counter the iPad. Cue the tape; enter the intransigent Gulf States, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Now, instead of taking on it chief business competitors, RIM will have to contemplate, devise, rollout, and execute a strategy for dealing with 2 Middle Eastern nations which have stated their intentions to deprive RIM of its one previously unparalleled advantage; security beyond breach.
On the surface, this may seem like a story devoid of urgency; a sort of flight of fancy for elitist phone snobs. After all, President Obama does carry a BlackBerry, right?
Nothing could be further from the case. Consider the far-reaching implications of such move. Surely you know other countries will follow suit. You may not be planning to visit UAE or Saudi Arabia, but if you travel outside the U.S. for business or pleasure, this “culture shift” could have a direct effect on you. Moreover, this heretofore rock solid security was not just RIM’s unparalleled advantage, it was the silver bullet that attracted and retained the business market. The key basis for RIM maintaining the leading position in the Smartphone marketplace is its Enterprise Market; the commitment by businesses, worldwide, based on their comfort, confidence, and trust that they could conduct transactions in a secure environment, using the device.
Any diminution of this trust factor; a Cardinal Principle for conducting business, will serve to degrade further an already unstable atmosphere for the economy here in America, and around the world. RIM partnered with AT&T to introduce BlackBerry 11 years ago, in 1999. A week from tomorrow, AT&T will again help launch a critical RIM product, the BlackBerry Torch 9800, in tandem with the BlackBerry 6 OS Operating System. The device will feature a beefed up web browser, and a greater array of applications than have been available in the past.
These are certainties. What is not assured is whether RIM will navigate and negotiate an agreement acceptable to UAE prior to October 11th, or to Saudi Arabia’s satisfaction, by tomorrow. The stakes are high. We will see soon whether, “The Blacker the Berry, the Tighter the Security” is still an accurate depiction of RIM’s place in the Smartphone market.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lu8fTYsuas
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/03/limbaugh-tomorrow-is-obam_n_669081.html
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/08/02/blackberry.uae/index.html?hpt=T2
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/08/03/saudi.arabia.blackberry/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://www.switched.com/2010/08/02/uae-saudi-arabia-to-implement-blackberry-bans/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100803/wl_csm/317726
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=378010&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16
http://www.slashgear.com/blackberry-threatened-with-uae-and-saudi-arabia-ban-0296037/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/blackberry/7923334/US-to-push-for-lift-of-BlackBerry-ban.html
http://unplugged.rcrwireless.com/index.php/20100802/news/2371/saudi-uae-to-ban-blackberry-services/
http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=49012
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/aug/02/uae-blackberry-crackdown-will-affect-visitors-too/?latest
http://mobile.venturebeat.com/2010/08/02/uae-and-saudi-arabia-to-ban-some-blackberry-functions-due-to-security-concerns/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Venturebeat+%28VentureBeat%29
http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100527042318/Kuwait%3A%20BlackBerry%20ban%20proposal%20facing%20stiff%20opposition
http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/Various/BlackBerry+Torch+9800/news.asp?c=22589
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20012426-266.html
I remember 49; Happy Birthday Mr. President!
Mr. Obama has made history in numerous ways; many which have been recounted here in “Break It Down!” One of the early, debatably minor controversies of Team Obama and the tenure of Number 44 was whether the Commander-In-Chief (CIC) would be able to negotiate retaining his BlackBerry. As most of us know, POTUS prevailed in that skirmish.
BlackBerry, and its Canadian developer, Research In Motion, commonly know as RIM, now face a different challenge. The telecommunications giant has been presented with a gnarly dilemma. Last Sunday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), threatened to block access to e-mail, web browsing and text messages on the popular Smartphone beginning Monday, October 11 if RIM, doesn't provide government access for security investigations. In addition, Tuesday, the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission asked mobile communications companies in Saudi Arabia to halt BlackBerry service in the kingdom beginning August 5, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
So, it could be argued that, in a very real sense, “The Blacker the Berry, the Tighter the Security." After all, that is what this really story revolves around. A number of countries, including, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and India, have raised issues with RIM about its encryption service, which is in essence a secret code; one that apparently has proved too complex for these sovereign subdivisions to break.
To put it mildly, this is a dilemma RIM did not need. It may be surprising to some to learn, despite the flood of publicity that has accompanied Apple Inc’s 4th Generation iPhone, and the 3 that preceded it, and the more recent entry into the marketplace of Google’s Android products, BlackBerry is comfortably ensconced as the global market leader in the Smartphone business.
But for some time, critics have been noting a number of cracks in RIM’s armor. In fact, juxtaposed aside this still developing quagmire, RIM announced yesterday in New York City the introduction of the new BlackBerry Torch 9800 in tandem with its new Operating System, BlackBerry 6 OS. Why all the light and heat from the recognized Market Leader?
In a word, cachet! The iPhone has it. No, allow me to put that differently. The iPhone has “It; and the “Droid” family of Smartphones is developing “It,” quickly. The twin engines that drive iPhone and Droid have been the dual anchors around Blackberry’s virtual neck; a dynamic web browser and limitless applications. As a result, iPhone and Droid are trending upward, while RIM’s BB has been stagnant, and quite possibly poised for a downward spiral.
The Torch 9800 and BB 6 OS were supposed to at least stem the tide. The Torch is the first RIM product touted as intending to compete directly with the iPhone. Scheduled for release on August 12, its competitive spirit is expected to be augmented this fall (November) by the release of the BlackPad, to counter the iPad. Cue the tape; enter the intransigent Gulf States, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Now, instead of taking on it chief business competitors, RIM will have to contemplate, devise, rollout, and execute a strategy for dealing with 2 Middle Eastern nations which have stated their intentions to deprive RIM of its one previously unparalleled advantage; security beyond breach.
On the surface, this may seem like a story devoid of urgency; a sort of flight of fancy for elitist phone snobs. After all, President Obama does carry a BlackBerry, right?
Nothing could be further from the case. Consider the far-reaching implications of such move. Surely you know other countries will follow suit. You may not be planning to visit UAE or Saudi Arabia, but if you travel outside the U.S. for business or pleasure, this “culture shift” could have a direct effect on you. Moreover, this heretofore rock solid security was not just RIM’s unparalleled advantage, it was the silver bullet that attracted and retained the business market. The key basis for RIM maintaining the leading position in the Smartphone marketplace is its Enterprise Market; the commitment by businesses, worldwide, based on their comfort, confidence, and trust that they could conduct transactions in a secure environment, using the device.
Any diminution of this trust factor; a Cardinal Principle for conducting business, will serve to degrade further an already unstable atmosphere for the economy here in America, and around the world. RIM partnered with AT&T to introduce BlackBerry 11 years ago, in 1999. A week from tomorrow, AT&T will again help launch a critical RIM product, the BlackBerry Torch 9800, in tandem with the BlackBerry 6 OS Operating System. The device will feature a beefed up web browser, and a greater array of applications than have been available in the past.
These are certainties. What is not assured is whether RIM will navigate and negotiate an agreement acceptable to UAE prior to October 11th, or to Saudi Arabia’s satisfaction, by tomorrow. The stakes are high. We will see soon whether, “The Blacker the Berry, the Tighter the Security” is still an accurate depiction of RIM’s place in the Smartphone market.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lu8fTYsuas
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/03/limbaugh-tomorrow-is-obam_n_669081.html
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/08/02/blackberry.uae/index.html?hpt=T2
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/08/03/saudi.arabia.blackberry/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://www.switched.com/2010/08/02/uae-saudi-arabia-to-implement-blackberry-bans/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100803/wl_csm/317726
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=378010&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16
http://www.slashgear.com/blackberry-threatened-with-uae-and-saudi-arabia-ban-0296037/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/blackberry/7923334/US-to-push-for-lift-of-BlackBerry-ban.html
http://unplugged.rcrwireless.com/index.php/20100802/news/2371/saudi-uae-to-ban-blackberry-services/
http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=49012
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/aug/02/uae-blackberry-crackdown-will-affect-visitors-too/?latest
http://mobile.venturebeat.com/2010/08/02/uae-and-saudi-arabia-to-ban-some-blackberry-functions-due-to-security-concerns/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Venturebeat+%28VentureBeat%29
http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100527042318/Kuwait%3A%20BlackBerry%20ban%20proposal%20facing%20stiff%20opposition
http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/Various/BlackBerry+Torch+9800/news.asp?c=22589
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20012426-266.html
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