Bobo went all in on the ACORN-caused-the-financial-crisis today.
I’m sure someone with less sympathy for leftist revolutionaries dissected this in detail somewhere on the internets today.
by DougJ| 90 Comments
This post is in: David Brooks Giving A Seminar At The Aspen Institute, We Are All Mayans Now
Bobo went all in on the ACORN-caused-the-financial-crisis today.
I’m sure someone with less sympathy for leftist revolutionaries dissected this in detail somewhere on the internets today.
by Kay| 34 Comments
This post is in: Election 2012
The people pictured work for Al Franken. They don’t have anything to do with the question and answer period with the WH communications director, but they’re optimistic, great people and really fit Minnesota (and Al Franken) so I thought I’d take their picture.
I took notes on the conversation between Kaili Joy Gray (aka Angry Mouse) and the WH communications director, but, honestly, everyone here knows the factual policy information and/or plans they discussed.
We’ve known for 6 months that Congressional Democrats and the WH hoped to get a series of jobs provisions passed rather than a larger jobs bill. We’ve known for two years that the approach is to “focus on things that can actually get done”, and that hasn’t changed. Obama’s position on marriage equality is well-documented, and nothing has really changed on either WH rhetoric or (ostensible) plans on Iraq and Afghanistan. Even on Libya, we know the response: the President said it wouldn’t become a wider war when he launched it, so that’s the “guarantee” it won’t become a wider or larger war. We can argue if any of these statements are TRUE, or SINCERE, but they aren’t new, nor did I expect the WH spokesperson to say anything new.
So what it comes down to, again, is a question of tactics and tone. Is the President going to be more aggressive and less compromising with Republicans?
It’s funny, because this is exactly what happens at the local level at these things, in my experience. We’ll invite a state or national Ohio politician to meet with the most engaged locals, for “policy discussions” and we find that anyone who attends already knows all about, say, Sherrod Brown’s position on trade, and instead we end up talking about tone and tactics.
There’s nothing wrong with that, tone and tactics are as good and worthwhile a subject as anything else, but what I saw happen at this event always happens here when we do Q and A sessions like this. It was very familiar to me.
by Kay| 56 Comments
This post is in: Daydream Believers
Pictured are the We Are Ohio folks at Netroots, with the final signature tally behind their heads there. 714,000.
The goal was 500k, so that went well. Now the battle over ballot language begins, and then, of course, we have to win the repeal vote. Thanks to all the BJ readers and commenters who signed or circulated a petition.
Jordyn Rush (the woman on the left) is the deputy director of operations for We Are Ohio and she approached me yesterday to thank Balloon Juice for promoting the cause. She’s smiling today.
One other quick observation: John Cole is going to have to appear publicly at a political event, or post a picture, or throw up a line-drawing portrait, or something.
Every single Balloon Juice reader I have spoken to asks, first thing: “Where is John Cole? Is he here?”
by John Cole| 28 Comments
This post is in: Open Threads
Kay has scheduled a meet-up at Netroots Nation #11 at 6:30 at Brit’s Pub at 1110 Nicollet Mall.
Be there or be square. Tell your friends.
by John Cole| 35 Comments
This post is in: Our Failed Media Experiment
Oh, look. Guess who is making shit up again?
This post is in: Open Threads, Manic Progressive, OBAMA IS WORSE THAN BUSH HE SOLD US OUT!!
I’m not at Netroots Nation this year, so I have to rely on reports to have an idea of what the largest gathering ever of self-described ‘progressive bloggers’ is trying to accomplish. A review of news reports indicates that the gathering is a depressing assembly dedicated to fist shaking and expressions of impotent rage.
The take-away from these reports is that the left should be demoralized, frustrated, filled with rage and a real sense of betrayal–especially when it comes to President Obama and Democrats holding any elective office. Naturally this “Democrats is disarray” meme is irresistible candy for the political press and media outlets:
ABC leads with: Fear & Loathing In Minneapolis: Progressives Vent Frustration With Obama At Netroots Nation.
The WSJ joyfully jumped in with: At Netroots Nation, Progressives Decry Obama Policies.
NPR is going with: Liberal Bloggers: Obama ‘Not Our Boyfriend Anymore’.
Huffington Post is breathless with excitement as their page screams: IT’S OVER. Progressives ‘Break Up’ With Obama.
Politico celebrates with: Liberals’ frustration on display at Netroots.
Joel Connelly of the Seattle PI reported that: Liberals have no love for Obama.
TPM gives this tired old meme its due with: Progressives Still Fighting Obama, Democrats At Netroots 2011.
And Dave Weigle offered: Netroots Nation: The Sadness of Crowds.
There were many more examples and new stories celebrating the meme are being filed every hour. And I’m not even linking to the predictable examples of this “Manic Progressive” meme from FDL or the auto-outrage Diarists over at Big Orange.
I’ve been to Netroots Nation before and I know that there is far more to the event than these reports hyping “Angry Left” and “Democrats is disarray” memes seem to suggest. A lot of great discussions are being had, connections are being made and some real organizing for future victories is being done. But these reality based stories of the conference will not be how Netroots Nation is described to folks beyond the walls of the convention center. Control of that message has been surrendered.
By Sunday, the “Manic Progressives” meme will be one of the non-stories in competition to replace Weinergate as the side show du jour. This notion that Right and Left both hate Obama in equal measure will help to keep any discussion or review of the madness of the Republican Confederate Party and Wingnutopia policies off the front pages and away from the public. It will feed the both sides are extreme and therefore the same story line. It will make the never-ending series of hostage negotiations with the GOP a bit more difficult. It will do nothing to help progressives win a single victory. And yet, this “Manic Progressives” message will be the one that defines Netroots Nations for most people who hear anything about it. So it goes.
It would be nice if Netroots Nation was in control of their message, but they are not. From the news reports it seems to be a gathering of the Left stading in solidarity with the Right to shout to the rest of the Nation that Obama is destroying America.
And there were folks who said that the Right and Left could never agree on anything…
by John Cole| 77 Comments
This post is in: Clown Shoes
I remember when I was a poly sci undergrad, and all my friends who were not going to law school or academia but destined to go on and be suit types were all applying to McKinsey- it was kind of the gold standard for them all. They all wanted to work there, because it was the place and it seemed to have a sterling reputation. This was the early 90’s, and maybe they were hacks then, but that was the perception and I generally never paid enough attention to change my opinion about them. If you had asked me about them, I would have told you I really don’t know about them, but my general understanding is that they were reputable.
At any rate, if you have been following this ridiculous mess they seem to have gotten themselves into, you have to wonder how much money they were paid to just trash their reputation like this doing the bidding of their Galtian paymasters? I’ll never think of the same way, that is for sure. They’ve damaged their brand, and you can’t buy that back for a few coins.
Just horrible judgment. I wonder if they will ever come clean with the study internals, and I wonder if anyone will get fired?
*** Update ***
A quick perusal of Wikipedia shows me my perceptions about McKinsey were wrong. They look rotten to the core.