Journalist Jorge Ramos, who, in new Washington Monthly guy’s words has “has the kind of credibility and trust among his viewers that simply doesn’t exist anymore in the English-speaking media”, thinks Obama’s immigration policy change is a big fucking deal. The 26 years refers to St. Ronnie’s big amnesty deal in 1986.
(h/t Valdivia)
demkat620
Well that’s cause it is. And its about fng time.
This is why we voted for this guy. Change isn’t easy or quick, but it will happen.
Viva Obama!
Davis X. Machina
It took too long, and when it did happen, it only happened because the netroots drove him to it.
(I have this saved as a keyboard macro. Saves time over at DKos.)
Baud
@Davis X. Machina: Ok, that made me LOL. They must love you over at GOS. I’m surprised you haven’t been banned yet.
Davis X. Machina
@Baud: I have a low-three-digit UID, and choose my spots carefully.
General Stuck
About every recent poll on Latino’s and their voting preference between Obama and Romney, has put their preference wildly toward the democrat’s side. With Romney and his wingnuts at or below 20 percent. And this was before the new Obama immigration policy was announced.
I think Latinos and Blacks, as well as other minorities of color in this country, are very sophisticated and versed in the state of play with American politics and the intersection with their issues. Well above the average white voter.
They know who has been blocking legislation for immigration reform, and were going to vote for Obama and dems, no matter.
Though it would be hard to drive much more down their distaste for republican xenophobia and racism at the high degree those things are valued by today’s GOP, this action by Obama should certainly spur more of them to actually go vote than otherwise would.
About the only Latino voters still with the wingers, or most of it, is within the Cuban exile community, and even their young people are dropping the wingnut banner into the future. It won’t matter a whit, imo, that Rubio and now Romney have voiced support for Obama’s actions, because the strain of bigotry runs deep in the GOP, and Hispanics know it full well. Even many of the non Cuban religious ones that have voted GOP in the past, are dropping the wingnuts like a hot rock. Until the nutters stop with the hate, I think Latino voting patterns are headed toward parity with black voters in this country supporting the dem party. Death knell for the elephant in the room.
Well done BO, and great timing.
inventor
NV & NM just got a little bluer and AZ & TX just got a lot more purple. I like it when doing the right thing is good politics.
LaurenceB
“New Washington Monthly guy” is right. An endorsement from Jorge Ramos is huge among Latinos. Nicely done, Obama!
Hill Dweller
@General Stuck: They also know both Rubio’s and Willard’s support for Obama’s executive order is entirely reactionary. Neither of them supported that sort of policy without prompting. Hell, Romney wants all the ‘illegals’ to ‘self-deport’.
arguingwithsignposts
@Davis X. Machina: You left out “Just words,” and “DRONES”!
Valdivia
Thanks for the hatip MetroAbe :)
For those of you who may not know who Ramos is, this WashMonthly feature article was fantastic.
I think I may have mentioned before but Ramos seriously kicks ass. I saw him interview Salinas (Mexico’s ex president and a thief of high order) after he left office and was living the high life in Ireland. Ramos fucking killed him on questions of corruption. No flinching from him. I would love to see our Village do anything even remotely like that with the Republicans.
Jeff Spender
I’ve already heard murmurings of support from Mexican relat-ives who’s support turned a wee bit icy after the announcement about gay marriage. But, what can you do–Catholics, amirite?
It was a good move!
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
@arguingwithsignposts:
__
This only goes to prove that Obama worships Ronnie Raygun and wants to do everything that RR did!
__
Next up: BHO will try to abolish nuclear weapons. The sneaky bastard!
Valdivia
Also, too.
Because Odie Hugh Manatee went Red State diving for us last night, please note that over there they were trying to convince themselves that this would not affect the way Latinos saw the President. Their go to guy is the Diaz Balart brother (read Cuban Republican) who pretends to be a journalist and who heads the news for Telemundo. They were quoting him. Which if you know anything about the Latino community you know it is totally desperate to use him as your go to guy.
Valdivia
If you understand spanish even a little do yourself a favor and go check the video of Ramos confronting Salinas.
Also I have to say after listening to it a bit that even a despicable a-hole like Salinas sounds ten times more astute and on the ball and human than the Romneytron or any of the Republicans when confronted forcefully by Ramos.
eric
@Davis X. Machina: that’s right, mock us for caring you jon stewart wannabe. You are soooooooooo hip that you just new Obama (your man to the end) would come through on his white horse and save us from right wing and left wing extremism. While I typed more innocent people have been killed by unmanned drones — oh but wait, they were men, so that must mean they were terrorists. it is gonna take a lot more respect for the constitution to get my vote. Sheehan/Choi 2012
Amir Khalid
I have no Spanish. My guess at the English translation of the post headline is “This is the best news for the undocumented in 26 years.” Can anyone confirm/correct?
Hunter Gathers
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
The only votes that matter are those cast by white males over 50. I know ’cause the Village keeps telling me so.
arguingwithsignposts
@eric: {golf clap}
eric
@arguingwithsignposts: thx, i was worried that i might have over calibrated the Dkos translator
Yutsano
@Amir Khalid: Close enough for government work. Sayeth the ebil gubmint worker. :)
arguingwithsignposts
@eric: The Sheehan/Choi 2012 was what tipped your hand.
Bubblegum Tate
@General Stuck:
Compare/contrast this attitude with the wingnut opinion that Latinos and Blacks are the REAL racists for voting for Obama in such huge numbers!
Metrosexual Black AbeJ
@Amir Khalid:
Yes, that is right.
General Stuck
@eric:
Hey pilgrim. Trash talk the O, and the drones they will come. Put on Abbey Road, if you have it. Fungalates the laser thingamabob, or something.
Davis X. Machina
@eric: Well played, sir. But even by voting the Sheehan/Choi ticket, you’re still complicit — by voting!
When we have IRV, then you can vote the Sheehan/Choi ticket with a clean conscience, but not until.
TooManyJens
@Davis X. Machina:
I read that as “three-digit-IUD.” I’ve been doing too much work on contraception issues lately.
Valdivia
@Amir Khalid:
Doug got there but yes exactly what you said.
I also see now that Doug had already linked to the Ramos piece. Duh me. hhis.
trollhattan
@TooManyJens:
I was vacillating between IUD and IED when I read it. Still not sure which fits better, but the “three-digit” bit tripped me up.
Eric
@Davis X. Machina: We just have to agree to disagree. A vote for sheehan choi is just like my vote for nader. It tells the bankers that run the democratic party that we are here and they cant have our votes. Lessons must be taught. Viva fidel.
danah gaz (fka gaz)
@trollhattan: The mental imagery that accompanies your statement is fairly profound.
The next logical step up from bra burning?
CarolDuhart2
@Eric: And it’s like masturbation: feels good, but there’s no result that effects the wider world. You are sending a message that nobody will hear. The losers will be us, not the officials that lose because of that vote.
I saw the same thing in 2000. Vote Nader to send a message to Al Gore. All that did was put Shrub in office and put in officials who don’t even care what message you are sending is. And the people you were sending a message to are out of power and unable to do anything about that message.
gogol's wife
@trollhattan:
I definitely read IUD. Especially since I don’t know what a UID is.
OT, I just found out the in the NYTimes the other day that Trollhattan is an actual town in Sweden. Another BJ “Aha” moment.
Yutsano
@gogol’s wife: You just made the Saab owners on this blog cry.
James E Powell
@Davis X. Machina:
You forgot to add that Obama, in his heart, really did not want to do it.
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: Well, cry is a bit much, but I did tear up a little.
James E Powell
I hope I am recalling this correctly, but when GWB was elected, some guy interview Jorge Ramos asked him how he felt about the first American president who speaks Spanish. Ramos replied that Bush was the first American president who thinks he speaks Spanish.
Mino
Why, why, why is the media allowing Republicans to spout shit about Congressional deference without mentioning the fact that the Dream Act would have passed if Republicans had not filibustered! So Congress had their chance and screwed it up. Our press, even teh liberal part of it, has the institutional memory of a gnat.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Yutsano: For the Swedish speakers: Pöpcørn!
trollhattan
@Omnes Omnibus:
It takes some mention of GM to make us really blubber.
Valdivia
@James E Powell:
I had forgotten about that. LOL.
Mino
@Valdivia: Well, shit, before they stole everthing, our elites were smart enough to get their crimes legalized by their pet politicians.
Yutsano
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): And please for the love of all that is holy turn the captions on! That video is HILARIOUS!
Omnes Omnibus
@trollhattan: Fuckers. Saab has been purchased by a company that is looking to develop electric cars. Hopefully, there will be petrol and hybrid models in the meantime. It looks like a possibility.
Valdivia
@Mino:
Latin America has a proud tradition of predatory elites, and in that tradition Salinas de Gortari is probably the champ of them all. And yet you see Ramos in that interview methodically and when called for, calling him out on his bs without any fear. I must say if not for anything else that interview made me be a fan of his for life.
I do agree that here in the US you are finally following out fine regional example and turning to predatory leadership with legal cover.
Chris
@General Stuck:
I think the main difference between them and the average white voter is that they’re still more interested in getting things for themselves than denying them to others. For the average white voter, that hasn’t been true in almost fifty years.
Amir Khalid
@James E Powell:
Ouch. But that barb probably went right over a lot of Republicans’ heads.
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: The captions!
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Yutsano: You want captions?
Mino
@Yutsano: Was that filmed in the kitchen of McArdle or Cole?
Mino
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): They set the goat on fire?
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Mino: Don’t blame the goat.
Corner Stone
@eric:
And you can just go fuck right off, you firebagging buffoon. Oh, you didn’t get your precious pony? Too fucking bad you little baby. Do you even get what you’re saying here? That somehow Rmoney will be better as president? And use less drones, or more decision making according to the constitution? What did you expect Obama to do? Not prosecute the War on Terror like he promised during the 2008 campaign? Personally, I’m fine with taking care of business over there. Sorry if it offends your delicate sensibilities to take out military aged males we might not have identified yet.
You probably just stayed home during the 2010 elections, too, didn’t you? It’s a fucking wonder President Obama has got as much done as he has with simpletons like you “on his side”.
Why don’t you just go back to FDL with the rest of the poutrage whiners, you fucking liberal puke.
Valdivia
@Yutsano:
OMG. The captions! I almost killed my sciatica again laughing at that.
FlipYrWhig
My brother, a good-hearted and pushy activist guy who is all over the protest and direct action scene in the Pacific Northwest, has himself convinced that Obama’s move had something to do with hunger strikers sitting in at Obama campaign offices somewhere. Thereby unironically demonstrating the merit of Davis X. Machina‘s thread-winning comment.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mino: @Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): Are you trying to summon Mickey Kaus?
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Omnes Omnibus: We used the wrong four letter verb beginning with ‘b’ to summon him.
Yutsano
@Valdivia: Muppet Studios had a lot of fun making those vignettes. You will never see Carmen the same way again.
FlipYrWhig
@Corner Stone: Pretty solid ventriloquism there, except for the use of “liberal” as an insult near the end. Usually the debate has each side claiming to be the Real Liberals, it’s just that the other guys are, variously, Corporatists or Purity-mongers.
trollhattan
@Omnes Omnibus:
Interesting. Hadn’t peeked over there for months–it got too depressing/complicated in equal measure. I don’t know who any of these players are.
Given it’s worth bupkis, I’ll keep driving mine until it either breaks outright or requires some unobtainum part. Today’s test: will the AC work in our first serious foray into triple digits.
Fingers crossed.
Speaking of cars, saw a display of Fjord Focus electrics downtown the other day. Didn’t even know they were making one.
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: I am crying.
ETA: And that was before Animal appeared.
FlipYrWhig
@Mino: Of all media people, Erin Burnett, if you can believe it, was calling out Brian Bilbray for kvetching about what Obama did do without admitting that most what he said he wanted instead was in the actual bill. She even closed the bit by saying something like, “well, he acted because you in Congress wouldn’t.”. I was pleasantly surprised. She’s usually vapid and smiley.
Valdivia
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN):
that was too funny and sad.
srv
It’s great when a president does the right thing because he needs the votes.
Mino
@FlipYrWhig: Wow. She’s pretty useless, usually. Guess the blind skweril found a nut.
Valdivia
@Yutsano:
that was genius. First the fondling of the rose, then that walk on cameo to get the third voice, totally insouciant. Brilliant.
Corner Stone
@srv: Yeah, firebagger. And you’re probably still expecting a president to answer questions when reporters are at the event. Geez, pathetic FDL’er.
Don’t peek your head out the window or you might see one of those dreaded DRONES coming after you! HAHA, drones killing people, chuckle chuckle snerk. heh.
Mino
A lot of meters getting pegged today.
Omnes Omnibus
@srv: Okay, assuming arguendo that Obama’s motivations were purely what you suggest, so what? Is it less of a good thing because a politician did something political? Must the right thing always be done for the “right” reason or else it has no value? Does the converse hold? If I fuck things up with all the best intentions in the world, are the things not actually fucked up?
Yutsano
@Omnes Omnibus: It only counts if he risks his entire presidency over it and he does so against popular will. Otherwise it’s just cold political pandering. Or something.
FlipYrWhig
@Yutsano: No, the key is that everything Obama does _could be_ popular if he just talked about it properly. He shouldn’t do anything for political reasons, he should do them because of his liberal values, which if presented correctly would be majority values, which would inadvertently create a political benefit he never actively sought.
AxelFoley
@Davis X. Machina:
ROFL!
General Stuck
@Chris:
I suppose that is one way to view it. Another way would be that they have never needed to worry much that their needs would be unmet, at least outside the margins, as compared to non white citizens. Or, with whatever pie was available, the majority always takes what they need or want. And what is left may or may not be dolled out. Depending on the generosity of any particular white administrative, minus whatever resistance they faced from other whites in a temporary minority in office at that point in time. With every single one of those administrations having been white, as well as their loyal (or not) opposition. Until Obama shows up and turns that equation on its head.
General Stuck
Did somebody stick a firecracker in CS’s southern orifice?
General Stuck
And moreover, in the end, what Obama is doing, is throwing the dice with what is right, as he did with DADT, gay marriage support, the health uninsured, and maybe some other stuff I can’t think of. And taking it on electoral faith that the portion of the white population he needs to win, will take that step for good and right with him, and that minorities of all kinds will also do their part and get off their butts and go vote in higher numbers to offset any votes he may loose from these actions.
The dude likes to shoot craps, albeit calculated for success from positive reaction of his supporters, but letting her fly none the less, by the seat of his pants. Just like the thumbs up to take down OBL. Pure ballsy, with a healthy dose of discretion for the right timing on the meta state of evolution of the country, mostly from the white side, but really, every side, doing their part. People forget the unlikelyhood of any president taking such risks, especially the first one of color. Existential presnit gambling.
General Stuck
You want greatness? Well, here it is in your lap delivered by Barack Obama on the social issue front. With a note that reads.
Now what are you prepared to do?
Corner Stone
@FlipYrWhig:
Agree completely. It’s baffling that these fucking firebaggers continue to somehow believe that when a president gets behind an issue public opinion can change double digits in less than two weeks. What kind of fucking ponycorn shitting ponies are they waiting for? And where’s mine? Waaaaaaaaaa!
Now to duck and hide before they plant some DRONES in my pants! HA! Drrrrrroooooaaaaannnns killing people. Waa! chuckle chuckle snerk. heh.
Chris
@General Stuck:
Also true. Their needs haven’t gone unmet basically since the New Deal, which is why they continue to look back on the fifties as the epitome of all human awesomeness.
FlipYrWhig
@General Stuck: Again, you mean?
Another Halocene Human
@Corner Stone: Yes, what pony popcorn are you waiting for? You’re clearly not a woman, an undocumented college hopeful, or gay, because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Obama’s been on a fucking roll since the beginning of the year here.
mclaren
And this offers an interesting example of the kind of vast powers the president has merely by making use of executive orders.
Permit me to suggest that it’s telling that Obama only unleashed those vast executive powers when he discovered his re-election chances threatened.
Obama could close Gitmo tomorrow, remove all troops from Afghanistan, stop all warrantless wiretapping, end sale of military wweapons like LRADs to local police departments for use against lawfully assembling non-violent political demonstrators, and enormously reduce America’s military budget as well as our out-of-control overseas swahbuckling, merely with a series of curt executive orders.
Obama has chosen not to do so. And it’s because he likes most of those Bush-era policies, and he wants to continue ’em.
mclaren
@General Stuck:
There. Fixed that for you.
Obama is a chronic temporizer. If faced with the Holocaust, he’d negotiate a Grand Bargain in which the Nazis were allowed to murder half the Jews. Then Obama would give an eloquent speech about the vast sanctity of human life, and millions would applaud.
If Obama were in power during Stalin’s starvation of 30 million kulaks, he’d offer a compromise in which the kulaks were starved only to the point where their children were permanently stunted and the kulaks died by age 40. Then Obama would give a glowing speech full of golden words about the supreme importance of avoiding human suffering, and the obots would weep with adoration as they cheered themselves hoarse.
Corner Stone
@Another Halocene Human:
I’m one of those military aged males who deserve to die for going to the local bakery.
Oh wait. Did I commit the ultimate party gaffe of complaining about DRONES?!
HA! Well fuck me sideways. I guess I just want Godzilla to be the next POTUS if I give two shits about something so god damn silly. My bad.
Drrrroooonnnees killing people with no oversight. chuckle chuckle snerk. heh.
mclaren
“On a fucking roll” offers an interesting way of describing the President of the United States deciding which 17-year-old girl to murder each day by picking photos out of a large stack each morning.
Source: “Secret ‘Kill List’ Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will,” The Washington Post, 29 May, 2012.
When an ordinary citizen sits around choosing which 17-year-old girl to murder from a stack of photos, we call the guy “a psychotic serial killer” and send the FBI after him. When the president of the United States sits around choosing which 17-year-old girl to murder from a stack of photos, we call him a hero who is having his “will” tested.
You have to wonder: is that “will” anything like Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will?
Cue the obots to shower with ridicule the notion that it’s a really fucking evil thing for the president of the united to spend his time picking out which 17-year-old girl to murder from a stack of photos that look like “high school yearbook pictures.”
“Awww, look, this wimp can’t stand the thought of the president murdering children! HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW! Those JSOC assassins should cut off those girls’ noses and wear ’em like necklaces! HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW!”
Meanwhile, the rest of us who still have that peculiar vestigial organ known as a `sense of right and wrong’ stare gobsmacked and wonder how in the fucking hell a constitutional scholar like Obama lost his moral compass so badly.
Behold the face of barbarism: depravity, thy name has become America.
General Stuck
@mclaren:
Rock on Motherfucker!!
mclaren
@Yutsano:
Obama’s lies and betrayals and violations of the constitution only count if he fails to make an eloquent speech afterward. Because he’s a such a great guy, and as the most powerful man on earth Obama is totally helpless before the awesome power of the teabaggers, or something.
mclaren
General Crackpot Fake Name’s latest doctor’s prescription?
Yutsano
@mclaren: Wow. Your inability to detect sarcasm is astounding. Unsurprising, but astounding.
mclaren
@Yutsano:
Wow. Your inability to detect immorality in the leaders you praise is astounding. Unsurprising, but astounding.
xian
@srv: it’s such a shame when politicians are political
BruinKid
@FlipYrWhig: Ah, some of my friends who WERE the ones striking outside Obama campaign offices think that too. I’m not sure they were wrong, they actually forced some OFA offices to shut down for the day.