My Blog Post That America Blog Editors Didn't Want You To See

The other day I wrote a blog post based on the premise that the blogosphere is somewhat overly gay-centric. The thinking is that many major gay bloggers are in a snit over the failure of Obama to move legislation dealing with gay civil rights forward quickly enough, and this bad feeling has spilled over into a general bashing of the President for anything they perceive as failure or lack of leadership by the White House on other major issues of the day. Apparently. an observation that Im not alone in wondering about after seeing this post on Open Left this morning.

I posted a comment on a America Blog story that was bashing the president one more time with a link to my blog story. My comments were subsequently removed and are now lost forever.  I believe it is because the people at America Blog didn't like what I was saying in the linked blog post not the comment itself because it didn't agree with their views or hit a little close to the heart. I realize that it's their blog and they can accept or delete whatever comments they wish. They accused me of bashing the editor John Araviosis and only posting a link to my blog to gain traffic. Two things I deny. I think it was rather heavy handed given that the thrust of my post and link was on point with their story and what could be their possible motivation for their continued slamming of Obama.

Update: Found the comment posted under my facebook username Ricky Cresciend'o that started the brouhaha:

"Ricky wrote a comment on AMERICAblog via DISQUS: "Mr. Aravosis could you please stop bashing the President. The has become more then just worthwhile or productive criticism. It actually helps Republicans and in the end you will get nothing accomplished that improves the situation. For more of my opinion about what's really going on here please reference: http://artistdogboy.blogspot.com/2009/09/does-gay-centric-blogosphere-exist-and.html"

As you can see although my comments were blunt they were far from anything over the top in my opinion. My complaining has now got me blocked from posting any further comments..... on America Blog. I think I'll slit my wrists, not.

What If Everyones Wrong And Substantial Health Care Reform Is At Hand

The left is in a snit over the possibility of no public option. The right hopes the summer of teabagging the health care town halls has won the day. But what if both are completely wrong. What if substantial reform of health care is really on the doorstep and the overly partisan forces on both sides have only been yelling at each other from inside their respective echo chambers?

President Doesn't Back Off Public Option In Labor Day Speech

In spite of all the negative chatter about the President dumping the public option when it comes to health care reform. It didn't sound that way in his Labor Day speech at a Cincinnati Labor Day rally today. To quote the President, "I continue to believe that a public option within that basket of insurance choices will help improve quality and bring down costs".

Does The Gay-Centric Blogosphere Exist And Has It Had It With Obama?

Lately you can hardly find a major left leaning blog that’s not busy bashing President Obama. Whether it’s calling him a wuss for allowing the narrative on the Health care debate along with the so call public option to go off the rails or for his failing to immediately address and deal with LGBT community poster child issues of don’t ask don’t tell and gay marriage civil rights.

Only six months ago everyone on the left was totally ecstatic about the election results. It was the dawning of a new era of change. Maybe Obama raised our sights to high with his lofty rhetoric or made promises that in reality were not achievable even within his first term, given the unseen and now well known failures by the Democratic Party’s new control of Congress. Congress’s failures are not necessarily the responsibility of the President I would argue. So, In other words thank Senator Baucus and Harry Reid if the public option fails, don’t blame Obama.

America Blog’s openly gay John Araviosis was posting so much on gay issues, especially DADT and gay marriage civil rights, he had to create a separate blog just so the flagship blog would be actually reporting on anything else. Now a day doesn’t go by without Aravosis in someway slamming Obama as incompetent or worse. Why so much venom? There is something else going on here. It’s not politically correct and the elephant in the room and surely I will be thought of as a dick for saying this. But, is there a gay-centric bias prevalent in the lefty blogosphere and media, and is it fed up with Obama because of its disappointment with him over not addressing gay-centric political issues? Has this spilled over into a general tendency by these pundits to trash the President whenever the going gets tough on other major political initiatives?

By this I mean that often issues that involve gay rights appear to be getting more attention then other major issues of the day that are systemically more important when it comes to setting national priorities for change and for the continued vitality of our republic. Are LGBT civil rights issues, although vitality important, as important as many leading bloggers, pundits, and major media types think they are when compared to issues that more directly effect everybody else in society. If tomorrow you had the power to choose between health care reform and repealing don’t ask don’t tell, which would you choose? You can only pick one. Ending the war in Afghanistan or passing laws creating marital civil rights equality for gays?

These are in effect the types of priority battles that the President must choose to take on each day.

Dare I say that I believe what’s at the heart of this negativity is not so much disapproval or the lack of clarity coming from the White House on the major issues of the day. But, rather I think what’s at the heart of this disappointment is a gay-centric blogosphere and liberal media with a axe to grind. The sentiment and thinking I believe is based on a belief that because the President has not immediately and decisively moved gay civil rights issues to the head of the line, where the LGBT believe they belong, he is suddenly not the same Barack Obama they remember electing. Because of this thinking there is a tangible snit going on. There is the tendency to avoid looking at the bigger picture, and a backlash of negativity and even talk of a failed presidency, and this after only 9 months in office.

Gay bloggers, writers and media pundits are pissed about the lack of action on issues they hold dear and I think this is clouding much of their thinking about the President’s progress and priorities or lack of it in general. I think gay influence on the blogosphere and media is real and profound. I also think it’s good except when it effects your overall vision of the world and fails to realize that most of the world is not gay and arguable not seeing every issue based on the personal experience of being gay.

So is the President misguided for not championing major LGBT community issues and giving them top priority? It is not he alone that governs after all. He has an indecisive, muddled and Reid and Pelosi led Congress to convince and like someone said, “it’s like being Michael Jordan on a bad team”. So he must pick his battles carefully no matter how righteous the cause may seem to you personally. If anything the attacks should be aimed at the Congress not the White House. This nonsense of calling the president incompetent only emboldens the Republicans and weakens progressives in the end. As important as LGBT concerns about civil rights are they simply do not out weigh the need for other major initiatives in the long list of national priorities.

How soon we forget the past and how counterproductive this type of mind set becomes will be important in the immediate future in determining what type of government we get in the end under Barack Obama. Obama inherited a complete mess and here we are only 9 months down the road and people are acting like nothing has been accomplished. Much of this negativity I believe is centered in the above mention disappointment over the fact that Obama did not on his first day in office strike down all laws, and institutions that affront gay rights. A power he doesn’t really possess individually. You can also blame it on short-term memory loss and the all American spoiled need nowadays for instant gratification.

In the end I believe that gay civil rights issues will by address by the President to the general satisfaction of all those concerned about these inequities. His inability to do so now will be forgotten. In the mean time lets get our priorities strait and stop unfairly blaming him for everything that's wrong with the process.

Jackson Brown's Tribute to Harry Bridges

From the PBS special From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Docks. The story of Harry Bridges and the ILWU

My Ode To Labor Day Save The Economy By Buying Shit You Don't Really Need Made By Slave Labor

One of the major reasons we are in a protracted and recurring economic downturn is that we don't really make anything in this country anymore. All those union wage manufacturing jobs got shipped off to China, Mexico or some other free market third world country. Some American home grown capitalist who's commercial makes you all warm and fussy about being American and who use to make things here can now make even bigger and more scandalous profits on the backs of the powerless workers in the many sweat shops of the world, just to sell it back to you here in la la land. Along with the jobs goes the flow of capital to the corporate masters and governments of other countries while America is left swimming in debt.

It may not be as simple as just creating more manufacturing jobs again, though. As the Springsteen song Your Hometown says,"these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back". But working people can certainly demand better wages and working conditions which can give them more buying power which will increase consumer spending which will lift the economy. The labor movement can play a major role in the recover. That's why the proposals like The Employees Free Choice Act could be crucial in creating an atmosphere where workers can be on a level playing field with employers should they wish to join a union. Paul Krugman made this point in a open letter to the President in January citing approval of card check and real health care reform as crucial to a overall plan for economic recovery.

You don't see it that way I know. You think that it's neat that most of the wealth in this country is concentrated among a relatively small number of rich people. Leaving only the income crumbs for the rest of the workers who, by the way, produce that wealth in their be thankful you have a job, job. It's all the better that way to keep you from complaining about it. Thinking all the time that somehow your going to be the one that breaks the mold. Maybe that could happen if we realized they have more in common with the working class then chasing a delusional dream that I'm better then being just working class.

Rather snobbish and condescending I'd say. This of course flies in the face of the belief that either your a person who is working class and therefore the real salt of the earth one who makes their living with dignity and honor or a your a moron who has no initiative. Common corporate induced stereotypical propaganda themes. It's not enough to be contently producing wealth for oneself, your family and the boss. Isn't it a truism that material possessions have little to do with real happiness in an enlightened society. So what's the point in compiling lots of stuff anyway?

Making people think there's a simple or less effortless way to be happy is the key to the man keeping you in the everlasting mode to buy cheap shit that you don't really need that has a 9 out of 10 chance that it was made in China or Mexico by some poor stiff who's working for close to slave labor wages. The false belief is that there's no actual work involved, it's just a matter of finding the silver bullet short cut to a wonderful life that awaits for those without love handles or labor union membership.

Okay you go to Walmart, who's reputation for exploiting their workers is well documented, because you can't figure out that your caught up in the wasteland lifestyle that is an American in bred tendency of not giving a shit about the long term effect of your misguided consumerism or how it effects other workers in this world.

Still in that dead end job? That's the plan that someone forgot to explain to you when you bought hook line and sinker that American dream. Your in debt up to your eyebrows beholden to the credit card industry or your bank and looking for some way to forget. They've got you right where they want you. Broke, desperate, demoralized, and driven by fear. How much more of a capitalistic whore can you be? Shopping for cheap shit to get that temporary endorphin rush hoping it fills that empty spiritual hole in your freaking soul that you don't realize or deny even exists, and I'm not talking about the corrupt spirituality of organize religion here.

Well, at least if your going to work in a job you don't really like you deserve fair paid, real health insurance reform, better working conditions, a secure retirement and lots of time off to workout with your thigh master or to buy more unneeded crap. Maybe you should considering joining a union which may be the ticket to all that plus regaining your dignity while helping the economy and showing some solidarity with other workers in this world. Most of us are in the same boat after all.

O'Reilly The Ugly American Idiot Blowhard Trashes Amsterdam

Bill O'Reilly once again proves he's a moron. This is a common problem with many Americans. Being morons, they criticize European culture but have no direct experience gained by actually living or visiting there.

The truth is most European Union nations, and Canada next door, have social and government institutions that are superior to those provided in most of the US. Let's take crime rates, health care, environmental protection, education, a strong social safety net, and even the success of the so called nuclear family unit. I like the quote O'Reilly spouts, "the way they do statistics in the Netherlands is different", when one of the Fox News blond bimbo talking heads presents statistical feedback that he maybe fucking wrong.

Must See Bill Maher Interviews Bill Moyer On Health Reform

Bill Moyer can articulate the issue of health care reform better then most. The interview from Bill Maher's Real Time Show last Friday is compelling and informative.

All The Kings Men

I remember sitting on the floor of my Uncle's house on his farm just outside CleElum, WA on the summer night in 1960 when John F Kennedy was nominated by the Democratic Party to be their presidential candidate. As a rather impressionable 13 year old Irish Catholic boy I considered it quite a moment in time. We rarely were allowed to watch Television. So it was special. My Uncle, an Italian, was an Eastern Washington farmer, gypo-logger and a Democrat. A rare find in Eastern WA today.

Many of my ilk didn't believe it could happen then. But the Kennedy guile made Catholics and especially those who considered themselves mostly Irish proud of our heritage. A heritage, I may add, that was the backbone of the American Labor movement, and gave us many of the social reforms and protections working class people take for granted today in America. The Kennedy brothers were a extension of that progress.

This was the begining of the Kennedy brothers long legacy in American politics. Although the Kennedy's were imperfect, rich and mortal most of the time they were also champions for weak, poor and the working class. Their idealism, oratory, and wit inspired us. With the passing of Teddy today the final Kennedy brother of that generation is now gone. Teddy had his flaws, his boozing, his womanizing, but he still seemed to never forget that he was an important voice for the middle class, the common folk and the vulnerable everywhere. I think in many ways the Kennedy's imperfections and their absolute zeal for living is what endeared them to many Americans. People recognized in the Kennedys their own imperfections and most reasonable people often forgave the brothers for theirs.

Like his brothers before him, Edward Kennedy fought for civil and human rights, dignity for all, and organized labor and he especially fought for health care reform. A battle he lead for nearly 49 years. It is too bad that he will not be here with us to see that chapter in his life successfully completed. But, maybe his passing will become the impetus or spark that will make enough people and their representatives realize that real health care reform's time has come in this nation in spite of the demagoguery and lies of the Republican Party, their corporate numskulls or the loony of the radical right.

National Sick Out For Heath Care Reform October 9th

Is the health care reform debate making you sick?. Then call in sick on October 9th to show your support for health care reform and a viable public option.

This is my attempt to start a grass roots based action that will give people a vehicle to show that they are sick of insurance companies and their duped politicians and crazies controlling the debate. I believe the majority of Americans support health reform with a strong and viable public option, but they feel somewhat impotent about what to do about it. This could be their chance.

I need your help spreading the word. Post this link to your facebook, myspace or twitter account. Lets show the health insurance industry that we mean business with a national day of action.

Here is the website I've just put up.

Danny O'Brien

What The Hell Are We Doing In Afghanistan?

I think many on the left have a sinking feeling about America's present strategy in Afghanistan. This Robert Greenwald film does little to quell that feeling. Maybe it's time for a reboot before we escalate the situation into another American nightmare.

I'm A Jeffersonian Asshole

How many crazy town talking points does it take to make you a twit.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Sarah Here's A Reality Check On Health Insurance Reform

The white house new website with some great videos addressing the major wingnut myths about health insurance reform.

It’s Time To Put Nick Licata Out To Pasture

He maybe the sweetheart of the fussy, knee jerk echo chamber occupying artsy-fartsy lefties and to the hipster writers at the SLOG who cream their jeans all over their computers at the thought of their champion. Apparently they support Licata’s feeling groovy ideology rather then for any known major civic accomplishment over the last 11 years. Most of Nick's accomplishment tend to be a subtraction rather then a addition to the vitality of the city I think.

He’s well meaning and probably a real nice guy, but its time to put Nick Licata’s parochial, vision less obstructionism and phony political posturing on the Seattle City Council to an end. 12 years of keeping Seattle from being visionary or obstructing meaningful progress and projects whenever he can should be enough.

Change is good people! Especially in a city known for taking as much time as possible to get anything meaningful done, also known as the Seattle process. At the center of that process stands one Nick Licata, chief civic bullshitter and mouse milker.

Licata said it himself in 1989 when he pushed for a two-term limit for City Council members. Believing at the time that allowing 3 terms would produce bored, lazy and unimaginative lawmakers. Well I don’t know about the bored or lazy part, but Licata has nailed the unimaginative part almost every time some big challenge or issue faces the city. It's just say no Nick. That’s fine if you want to live in Hicksville, but it doesn’t pay the rent if you want to act and be a metropolitan worldly world-class city.

Let’s look at some of the record. Licata fought light rail in favor of buses. He favored the reconstruction of a new even bigger monstrosity of a viaduct. He opposed the Mariners and Seahawks stadiums, now both successes. While president of the Council he opposed the Olympic Games 2012 bid, effectively helping to kill it. Meanwhile Vancouver, BC will welcome millions in tourist dollars next year by staging the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Much of the money Vancouver is getting to underwrite and build for their games will be Canadian federal funds that will leave long term civic infrastructure improvements once the games leave. As it was in Salt Lake City when they hosted the winter Olympics. But Licata didn't see that opportunity when Seattle wanted to step up to the plate. Instead, he wanted to ban circus animals from the city limits in a classic snobby, condescending, example of social engineering and overreach of his role. He led the charge that drove the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Hey basketball and NCAA tournament fans remember that? I only hope you remember to vote on August 18th.

Licata has done some good things. He been a advocate for the homeless, housing and supporting the arts. But I just don't think his record warrants making him practically a Seattle City Council member for life.

Many think driving the Sonics out was a good thing. The effect of their loss on the city will be “next to zero” Licata told Sports Illustrated at the time of the debate. Well tell that to the merchants, nightclub operators or their former employees on lower Queen Anne, or to basketball fans. Not to mention the potential lost tax revenue and the harm it did to the city in the way of our image as a city that could get and keep it’s shit together enough to save the franchise.

He opposed the SLUT streetcar saying it only benefited Paul Allen. He is often anti-business in favor of elements of the community that are consumers rather then those that produce jobs and business tax revenue. There has to be a balance for a city to be viable folks. We don’t need a Council full of members who are forever caught up only in their own tired mostly anti-business ideology, a Licata specialty, because you won't have a place to freaking work and earn a living people.

But, the most annoying thing about Licata is his penchant for posturing and obstructing on an issue up until he sees that it’s politically advantages to flip flop. Usually after irreparable damage has been done. This was especially evident on the viaduct replacement and transit issues. Licata often supports the status quo or is seldom for something, just mostly against. His positions and policies seemed like they are aimed at returning Seattle permanently to Podunkville. It’s time we had some different and hopefully visionary leadership on the council. Seattle could be a player not a city known for not being able to get big things done as it has become with Licata muddling up the works.

My endorsement goes to Jessie Israel because I think she's the best of the two candidates running for his seat, and I think the effect of loss of Licata will be as he himself put it, “next to zero”.

Note: Licata is opposed in the August 18th primary for City Council position 6 by King County Parks Manager Jessie Israel and Architect Marty Kaplan.

Crazy for God Author On Town Hall Hooligans... "The Election Broke Their Brains"

The video below I think this is one of the most precise and insightful interviews I seen on TV about what is going on behind the hooliganism and violence we see at town halls across the country and what part talk radio and to a certain extent the religious right are playing.

It's a violence prone and dangerous gambit.

He points out the people showing up at the meetings are white people who are not well informed or educated who have bought into the lies about the health care system and reform. "The election broke their brains". The people showing up and closing down any real discussion are mainly pawns in a elaborate right wing game. Many of them have been dupped into doing something that isn't good for their own personal interest.

Appearing on Rachel Maddow show on Friday Frank Schaeffer, a co-founder with his father Francis Schaeffer of the modern evangelical movement and author of the best seller Crazy for God, stresses that the right has crossed the line by associating Obama with Hitler.

They are "un-American, and want the country to fail." He also points out that he thinks the right wing talkers like Beck and Limbaugh and others are "bad Americans" who are, "leaving a loaded gun on the table and saying the first person who comes along who wants to use this, be our guest". Schaeffer denounces the right for fermenting hatred and facilitating the phony rage and shout down battles that block the real debate on health care reform policies. Their goal is only to stop reform. It's not really about reform of the health care system at all but a violence promoting attempt to maintain the power of the insurance companies and health industry.

Ironically, he believes the tactics used by the right and the corporate backers of the hooligans are akin to the brown shirts of Nazi Germany. A minority who used many of the same tricks to break up popular political meetings and suppress dissent in Germany in the late 1930's. It's the pot calling the kettle black.

Jewish Groups Don't Like Conservatives Comparing Obama's Policy Agenda to Hitler's

Jews should know. Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and a few other crackpots new wrinkle the last couple of days is trying to sell the half baked conspiracy theory to their ignorant hardcore listeners that somehow health care reform and other Obama policies amount to some new form of the Third Reich's National Socialism.

What the fuck does reforming the health care system, lowering the cost of coverage or saving the economy have to do with Hitler? Answer is nothing. If nothing else Obama's policies are more centrist and mainstream American then most on the left would like to see. Limbaugh and Beck like to prey on the misinformed masses out there in an effort to improve their ratings and feed their egos. Much of this crap is far off point of course, but it muddles or blocks the real debate. In the fifties it was the commies are coming to get us. Now our brains are being taken over by some unseen Nazi agenda to place computer chips in your soon to be ethanized granny's head.

White House Fires Back At Drudge False Claims On Health Care

The White House, is responding to a misleading and out of context Drudge Report linked video that catches Obama in 2003, that's six years ago, talking about how he would favor a single payer plan. Well good for him I'd say. But to the wingnuts it just more fuel for the socialist conspiracy mind meld takeover bullshit.

The rebuttal features Linda Douglass, formerly an ABC News correspondent and now a White House official, showing Drudge’s homepage on the screen of her office computer.

Keith Olbermann On Why Some In Congress Are Selling You Down The River On Health Care Reform

It's a battle to the death people.... I know this has been posted lots of places, but it just too good not to get posted one more in hopes that someone who may not of seen it, will.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Teabagging The Townhall Healthcare Reform Comics

click on image to enlarge

I hope Norman Rockwell and FDR will forgive me.

Saturday...

Tron Legacy