House of Eratosthenes

[A] complete victory here would ruin them. Their public-relations methods have everything to do with showing us how wonderful they are, what a pristine, elevated, superhuman Mount Olympus they have up there above the clouds.

The membership is defined by elitism. Without a terracing of the human landscape, Mount Olympus could not exist, because nobody would be left out of it…You have to leave people out before you can leave people in.

I can be prescient when I wanna be…it seems. For all of this comes before this gem from the Holy Lips of He Who Walks on the Water and Argues With the Dictionaries:

I really have no response…because last I checked, Sarah Palin’s not much of an expert on nuclear issues.

What a devastating question it would have been, to follow up with something like “Tell us please, Mr. President: How do you go about checking?”

Because the last time I checked — which I do by reading — it doesn’t seem to me you need much of a background in order to know what you’re taking about, when you make comments like these.

No administration in America’s history would, I think, ever have considered such a step that we just found out President Obama is supporting today. It’s kinda like getting out there on a playground, a bunch of kids, getting ready to fight, and one of the kids saying, “Go ahead, punch me in the face and I’m not going to retaliate. Go ahead and do what you want to with me.”

Is there something in there that went zipping over my li’l head — something to do with the half-life of Uranium 238? Fission versus fusion? The Manhattan Project? It looks to me like some reasoned opinion about human behavior.

President Obama’s breezy dismissal of this sincere concern from a private citizen is certainly the death knell of His presidency. Or would be — if He were a white guy. Yeah, I said it; let’s face it. Without the benefit of some impenetrable shield of oppressed-minority-status, is it really possible to dismiss such frankly stated concerns from an unappointed, unelected every-woman…without dissing everything human & female that ever walked the earth?

Call me paranoid, but I can just see the dust-up if a President Freeberg said that about, let’s say, Patricia Ireland, Former First Lady Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton. “Last I checked, she was no expert.” No really, let that one play out in your mind a bit. Picture the headline in the next morning’s New York Times. Washington Post. L.A. Times. Chris Matthews and Keith Olby.

The President just told so-and-so to shut her girly mouth and get her fat ass in the kitchen, men are talking.

There would be waves of criticism, at least three weekends of wall-to-wall armchair quarterbacking on the Sunday talk shows. And I gotta believe somewhere in there, the point would be made — rightfully — that President Freeberg was elected President to represent all of us, whether he likes it or not. He’d better damn well get used to it or go back to being tucked in a back room writing computer code. Am I right or am I right? Now then…back to reality.

Barry already has a history with this stuff. And I’m afraid things have devolved to the point where, if our nation’s President doesn’t have a problem discrediting Himself by indulging in this kind of behavior, it certainly does no credit to the nation’s governed to continue tolerating it. Sarah Palin occupies no political office whatsoever; she is a private citizen saying she’s got a beef with what our elected official is doing — she’s certainly not the only one thinking this — and the elected official took the time to say her opinion doesn’t matter because she’s stupid.

Which means nobody else’s opinion matters either; they/we are a bunch of dumbasses too. We’re so uncool. Unless, that is, we happen to agree with the administration’s policies.

I got a sneaking suspicion that if Palin was out there cheerleading the President’s announcement rather than pointing out the flaws in it, suddenly President Obama would respect her expertise just fine. Then He’d have to find some other woman to belittle…since you can’t have anyone in the club unless you leave someone out out it.

Right about now, it’d be kinda nice to have a President who at least makes the effort to represent all of us. Wouldn’t it?

Cross-posted at Right Wing News.

Update: Didn’t want to post the video until I’d taken the time to watch all 27 minutes of it. It’s all good. In fact, tell me something you anti-Obama Palin-bashers: Is there some dashing-white-male saying this stuff somewhere?

This country is full of “Keep The Change” folks; I get compliments on my anti-Obama tee shirts pretty much everywhere I wear ’em. Some of these people occupy positions of high honor and trust, and their names are well known. But sad to say, even at this late date Sarah Palin is the only one with any recognition who isn’t a craven pussy.

One reservation: I have much greater confidence in President Obama than in Palin, when it comes to pronouncing the word “nuclear.” Once that menial chore is accomplished, though…well, the video speaks for me, and so does this.

[…] On Obama’s Nuclear Policy Itself Barry Has a Problem With Women Doctor Lays Off Employee Who Voted for Obama? Buy Some Extra Rounds “Who Are You Better […]
- House of Eratosthenes | 04/10/2010 @ 08:04
One reservation: I have much greater confidence in President Obama than in Palin, when it comes to pronouncing the word “nuclear.”

Excuse me? Surely we are not talking about the same Obama, the one who couldn’t pronounce corpsman properly and has all the oratorical skills of a newborn?

And no, I wouldn’t want Obama to pull a Clinton and triangulate us, because I want him to destroy his own presidency. If he was an actual politician and not a Leftist radical, he could actually be damn near impossible to beat. Let him continue to shoot himself in the foot, it will help us to take him down later on, though we will more than likely have to contend with Republican cowardice at the same time.
- KG | 04/10/2010 @ 09:04
No, I’ve really had it with that hideous butchering “nukular.” I didn’t like it when Carter did it either. It’s just plain wrong.

But of course I’d take a bastardized pronunciation over a bastardized policy any day of the week.
- mkfreeberg | 04/10/2010 @ 09:57
Palin’s stale, Morgan. Time to bring on the Perry, he’s already running for your attention.
- Daphne | 04/10/2010 @ 20:51
Palin is about as far from me on the personality scale as you can get. Basketball star who marries her high school sweetheart and sits behind an anchor desk so she can look pretty on the teevee, electric personality that can light up a room. She and I are not two peas in a pod; if anything, my support of her is the healing of a rift.

It’s a matter of priorities, cupcake. If you’re voting Republican because you think the whole thing about fighting terrorists as a violation of the Constitution and you think Michael Moore had it right about “there is no terrorist threat,” you should vote for Ron Paul. If the homosexual agenda is what’s keeping you up at night you should vote Huckabee. If you think the democrats have the right ideas but just aren’t administering to them properly, your choice is between Romney or McCain.

If you’re just tired beyond all measure of the bullshit, then Palin is the only shot you have. She is just the logical choice of those who were never on-board with the “Let’s Get The World To Like Us By Apologizing For Our Very Existence” bandwagon. The fact that she can fill a stadium or send the line at a book store around eight blocks, without giving away free beer, is just a bonus.
- mkfreeberg | 04/11/2010 @ 06:35
“If you think the democrats have the right ideas but just aren’t administering to them properly, your choice is between Romney or McCain.”

That’s the money quote, right there.
- HoundOfDoom | 04/11/2010 @ 07:45
Menchen-
As democracy is perfected, the Presidency represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
- jamzw | 04/11/2010 @ 08:54
[…] President Obama is NOT a Socialist Best Sentence LXXXVIII On Obama’s Nuclear Policy Itself Barry Has a Problem With Women Doctor Lays Off Employee Who Voted for Obama? Buy Some Extra Rounds “Who Are You Better […]
- House of Eratosthenes | 04/11/2010 @ 19:45
Morgan, that was most shallow response I’ve ever seen you write. I can’t believe you dared to flip that stale GOP shit at me.

I think you have a warm, brilliant mind and I’m convinced that you care deeply about this country, but I think you’re misguided about the intentions of the Republican party. They are a huge part of the problem we’re currently facing, playing the fool on their culpability or issuing abject apologia is beneath your intellect. Stirring Michael Moore into the mix is simply stupid.

I don’t want to hear the usual complaints on liberals anymore, can we please deal with our own conservative house in honest terms without stirring up that outhouse?

For once, I’d like to have a rational discussion on our failings and the means to fix them without reference to liberals or our own in-house partisan politics. We can do better than what’s on tap, if we’re willing to walk outside of party lines and claim our country back.

Palin isn’t running, Morgan. Get over it. I couldn’t give a flip if she’s the white Oprah. The woman is unfit for the presidency, no matter how hot she stirs the male conservative voting pot. The rest of your list is abysmal and completely unacceptable to any classical liberal (aka true conservative) voting.
- Daphne | 04/12/2010 @ 17:59
I’ll fall back on the stock answer — she’s not going away ANYTIME soon, and that’s just a fact.

As far as telling me who’s exciting, who’s stale, who’s crackers and who’s sane, the time has come for you to watch the mandatory video — http://www.peekinthewell.net/blog/our-funny-name/. This is The House of Eratosthenes, not House Of Some Gullible Pussy Guy Who Can Be Told What To Think. If you peek into the well and see something different from what we see…we’ll listen. Bring your evidence.

But Ron Paul is a nutcase. He’s a Truther asshole and probably an antisemite to boot. As of the minute I’m writing this, everyone who is promoting anything of any cause that could be called “conservative,” besides Palin, is a craven fucking pussy. Maybe that is because she has no office she’s holding and has nothing to protect…that could very well be. Whatever. I’m just as sick of the bullshit as you are, and the FACT is nobody is fighting it except for the fish-gut-covered Eskimo whore. That’s what I see when I peek in the well, so the greenbacks go to her.

I must say though, that if the day comes you’re going to throw your hat in the ring, I’d like to know about it. Just sayin’.
- mkfreeberg | 04/12/2010 @ 18:43
Ron Paul is probably one of the few sane minds serving the GOP at this time, at the very least he’s not corrupted by corporate donations or fouled with the dogmatic stupidity that fills the ranks of the Republican members who ushered in our current state of insolvency and wholeheartedly supported a legislative program of bigger, better government over the reigning Bush years, paving way for the bucket full of vomit we’re having to swallow today.

By the way, did you take notice of the House and Senate republican leadership demurring a roll back of the health care bill, even if they win the necessary seats?

Stop buying the bullshit and do some research, Morgan. Paul isn’t a Truther and he isn’t an anti-Semite. He’s just not a republican and he’s most certainly not a neocon. Get a grip, toss off the crap you’ve swallowed and take a clear look. The man is trying to get us to look at some hard truths and the powers that be will do anything to keep you from you looking at it in a clear light. That includes the party you and I have supported for most of our lives.

You need to get over your Palin fetish. She’s a nice, competent, good woman. She gives a good speech and gets people jazzed, but she doesn’t have the experience, vision or balls to put this country back on the tracks. Palin is not the answer and neither is the Republican party as it stands.

Morgan, I have great love for you. I think you are a truly wonderful man in every sense of the word and I know you care deeply about the future of our country.

I would just ask, very humbly, that you look outside the box occasionally for the answers that might better serve your goals.

xxxooo
- Daphne | 04/12/2010 @ 21:09
Daphne,

Our mutual friend in Seattle has it a hundred percent right, I’m afraid. In fact I will go even further and say: You cannot declare yourself to be an enemy of capitalism or “corporatism” and a friend of America at the same time.

Let us stop apologizing for making money. Stop apologizing for breathing oxygen. Stop apologizing for, by simply existing, inserting a demand into the free enterprise market…for food, water, energy, office supplies, beef, yummy barbeque sauce, succulent waitresses young enough to be my daughter or granddaughter in skimpy shorty-short outfits.

And emit just as much carbon as our little hearts desire.

Looking at it from that perspective, Dr. Paul looks much the same as Prof. Obama. They both want us to stick to a little teeny tiny footprint; the only difference between the two of ’em, is that one of them likes to jibber-jabber about something called “Arugula.” Me, I belong to a different world. I think if life is worth living, it’s worth living proudly…grandly. And I think you’re on my side, although you don’t realize it just yet.

You’re doing much greater damage to your cred by associating yourself with Dr. Paul, than I am to myself by associating with Ms. Palin, I think. How say you?
- mkfreeberg | 04/12/2010 @ 21:32
I followed the link and belatedly set about learning of the original Eratosthenes. It seems he became blind at 81 and starved himself to death a year later. Not a fellow to be trifled with.

Palin and Paul. It is an interesting link indeed.

Henry Adams autobiography is a moral, one that tells of a learned and accomplished man who, at the end of his life, determined that he had been wrong about the men and the reasons for almost every navigable point of his existence. Not that he had been wrong about every event, but about people and reasons. That is what Palin and Paul represent to me–a flawed effort to find the right way through.

We land ourselves on that side of flawed before the side of Obama and Ginsburg, but it is not satisfying because they do not know or cannot articulate how to separate us from this game that we are clearly losing, the game of which McCain and Romney are enthusiastic supporters.
- jamzw | 04/13/2010 @ 10:28
The point is to see things for yourself. Don’t take the word of others, don’t be cynical about “corporations” just because the Paul-bots tell you to. Honest to Pete, Daphne, some days the only difference I see between that deranged loon and Jerry Brown is the letter in back of his name.

Another thing I see as I look around and decide for myself what’s going on: Obama is still in the White House through 2012. So think this one out: Republicans win huge this year and in 2011 send Obama some legislation that repeals ObamaCare. Chairman Zero vetoes this…then what? There won’t be 67 senators next year, that’s mathematically impossible. So your beef is with people who aren’t over-promising on what they can deliver. What can be considered, for next year, is limited to creatively sloppy stuff like this.

I do like the way Dr. Paul treats the Constitution as a hard legal barrier — get as many people to agree with you as you want, and you still can’t do stuff if it’s outside the limits laid down by that document. He’s got that much right. But that doesn’t by itself make him non-crazy, or non-truther-y, or non-Hamas-sympathizer-ish, or non-communist-y. Listen carefully to his bile against “corporations” and it becomes clear he’s got just as big a beef against private citizens making a profit, as President Soetoro. Really, I don’t know why they let him into anything with the word “Republican” on it.
- mkfreeberg | 04/13/2010 @ 11:26
Apologies for the late response, Morgan. Life got in the way.

Where to start? You sure know how to fill a plate, my friend.

First off, I have never met, donated, campaigned or voted for Ron Paul. He has never been, isn’t now and will never be electable to the White House, in my opinion.

In fact, I’ve never voted for a Libertarian candidate and don’t see myself as a “bot” or water carrier for that party. There are many aspects of Libertarianism that I adhere to, but not being a doctrinaire Libertarian myself, we part ways on a number of important issue, immigration and culture being the foremost of those differences.

I have no fear nor do I despise capitalism, free markets or corporations. On the contrary, being a Misean, I would like to see government almost entirely removed from regulating or interfering with the free market. What I do despise is the corrupting influence that corporate money has over our elected legislators and the resulting “people’s” legislation generated by that influence. Yes, I know that they should be free to buy the votes they want, it is more of a systemic political problem and a pox on the easy corruptibility of politicians who are gladly bought.

I’m not going to give you a song and dance regarding your opinions (wrong though they may be) of Ron Paul, but I will hit a few bullet points and suggest that if you’d like a clearer picture of his actual positions you can visit his House web page.

Current and Past Recent bills sponsored by Ron Paul:

*To end membership of the United States in the United Nations.

*Repeal of the personal health insurance mandate recently passed by Congress.

*To prohibit any Federal official from expending any Federal funds for any population control or population planning program or any family planning activity.

*To provide that human life shall be deemed to exist from conception, and for other purposes.

*To repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 and amendments to that Act.

*Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to deny United States citizenship to individuals born in the United States to parents who are neither United States citizens nor persons who owe permanent allegiance to the United States.

*To reduce the price of gasoline by allowing for offshore drilling, eliminating Federal obstacles to constructing refineries and providing incentives for investment in refineries, suspending Federal fuel taxes when gasoline prices reach a benchmark amount, and promoting free trade.

*Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.

Those bills don’t strike me as nutty, in fact they seem to be right on target and I wonder why the Conservatives-In-Name-Only Republicans, who dominate the party, don’t put their gilded Republican bona fides on the table and submit or endorse this type of legislation. Paul pushed it all through the Bush years and not a bit of support was found on “our” side of the aisle.

As far as the smears go, which you’ve so easily listed, I would suggest you look at the source before you give them serious credence. (Hint, check the elites who are crafting, massaging and spreading the Republican policy message. The Weekly Standard would be a good start.) They have a lot to lose if their public decided Paul maybe wasn’t so crazy.

On the 2012 race, at this moment I’m liking Gary Johnson. If Palin, Huckabee, or Romney are the choices I’m given at the end of the day, I will stay home. I’d rather watch this country hurry up and burn so that we can start over rather than endure the slow slide of Liberal Light that traditional republicans offer as a panacea.

I seriously doubt that you’ll see any turn around legislation taking place after a republican win this November, lots of loud noise, hot air and red meat posturing, but they ultimately love things just the way they stand in this country; them in the catbird seat and us in the bowl.
- Daphne | 04/14/2010 @ 11:04

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Recent

Items of Interest

Monthly Archives

What They Say

Links

Barry Has a Problem With WomenSaturday, April 10th, 2010

Barry Has a Problem With Women
Saturday, April 10th, 2010