Dick Morris Comes Out and Says It

[paft.livejournal.com]

Dick Morris on Sean Hannity, 2/28/11:

We may at long last have a way to liberate our nation from the domination of those who should be our public servants but instead are frequently our union masters and free our politics from their financial power…What is at stake here really is freeing our schools so that we could keep good teachers and fire bad ones, freeing our state government so we don’t have high local taxes (and exactly how are those good teachers going to be paid?) and obliterating the financial power base of the Democratic Party.

The money quote is underlined above. This attack on collective bargaining is not about helping kids. It’s about establishing what amounts to a one-party system. Eliminate the power of unions and the G.O.P., with its corporate backing, gets to run things pretty much unopposed.

These people do not grasp the most basic principle of an open society – equal access to the political process as a voter and as a candidate.

Crossposted from Thoughtcrimes

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Comments

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Nobody uses the term oligarchy properly. It just means corporations or "not me" now.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Which is amusing as hell, because the 2010 results could arguably be the least oligarchic results in recent times.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

You're giving credit to Obama then? ;)
And what's the criteria by which you define "more oligarchic - less oligarchic"?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

You're giving credit to Obama then? ;)

In that he fucked up badly enough for the rest of the nation to wake up? Sure!

And what's the criteria by which you define "more oligarchic - less oligarchic"?

In that the Tea Party was the truest grassroots movement we've had in a long time, and their power helped broaden the power base.

The folks who think we're anything resembling an oligarchy either don't know what an oligarchy is, don't understand how the US works, don't understand who the players in the US are, or some combination thereof.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

- In that the Tea Party was the truest grassroots movement we've had in a long time, and their power helped broaden the power base.

HAHAHAHA! You made my day. :))

LOL some of the guys who I've heard saying this about you being an oligarchy have actually lived under oligarchy for decades. Try another argument.

I guess a US-born Nobel economics prize laureate for example doesn't know shit about how US works, amirite?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHA! You made my day. :))

You don't actually buy the nonsense that it's some sort of front, do you?

LOL some of the guys who I've heard saying this about you being an oligarchy have actually lived under oligarchy for decades. Try another argument.

I have my doubts, to be blunt. And if they've lived under one and can't recognize it, all the worse for them.

I guess a US-born Nobel economics prize laureate for example doesn't know shit about how US works, amirite?

Depends on what they're talking about.

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

the Tea Party was the truest grassroots movement we've had in a long time, and their power helped broaden the power base.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Oh?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Yes, I suppose a movement funded by billionaires and pushed to the point it was arguably created by a news organization run by a foreigner could be the "truest grassroots movement we've had in a long time." If that is so, it is the most damning verdict on the USA imaginable.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Except the Tea Party movement existed long before any billionaires got on board, and even then is so decentralized that I'm sure the individual groups would love to see some of that cash come in so they could get some work done.

Seriously, man.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

In that the Tea Party was the truest grassroots movement we've had in a long time, and their power helped broaden the power base.

ahahahahahahahahahahah

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

No, they use it properly. But then in Europe liberals are actually right wingers......

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Now you're hyperbolizing. They're right-center.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

OK, right-of-center. What precisely differentiates them from the more 'regular' Right?

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

LOL you're asking me what's the difference between right-centrist and right-wing.

Oh wait. You're American. You're forgiven. :p

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am because I'm not entirely sure from a European POV. From a US POV, what ya'll call conservatives would be Democrats here.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Really? So how is luvdovz misusing the word "oligarchy" then?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

They never answer direct questions, even to BS an answer. You should know better.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Hope springs eternal, and all that happy horseshit.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

You're correct. Not one explanation on why Luvdovz' use of the word is wrong, and no explanation on why her examples were wrong. Hope was squished yet again! *WEEP*

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

There are lots of types of oligarchies. When I read the discussion I didn't see either really define. BUT from her examples and "source" we do not have an oligarchy. I would think a case COULD be made that the U.S. is heading into one, but you would have to believe in some conspiracy theory involving corporations (well no not you specifically, since I'm pretty sure you already believe it ;) )

[telemann.livejournal.com]

You didn't say one thing that illuminated exactly why her use of the word is wrong, or why her examples are wrong, and then capped it off with a zinger! Well played.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Well I couldn't very well speak for Jeff could I?

I'm sorry, I'm really tired, and was trying to make myself laugh. I'll just excuse myself for the rest of the evening and go read a book or something.

(oh, but before I slink off, I will point out that from what a read about the Russian Oligarchy I really don't see it as the same, which explains my "zinger", which was actually only meant as a little tease.....we have got to have an evening in a Starbucks some time so we can learn each other's nuances :D)

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

I don't believe in any particular conspiracy theory because I'm not a teenager any more; and yet I can clearly recognize the very visible signs of oligarchic structure in your society, even from this distance. Maybe the distance is the key, who knows.