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Complaints About Blogger Partisanship

By TChris, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 03:06:02 PM EST
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by TChris

Noting that bloggers on the left have lately been more vigorous in their pleas to elected Democrats to protect our country from Republican assaults, the Washington Post reports a "rift" between "liberal activists" and Democrats who want to appeal to a centrist electorate. The Post quotes Gov. Kaine: "You can get a lot done if you're not bitterly partisan."

Oh really? On the federal level, where bitterly partisan Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the Presidency, what can Democrats accomplish by remaining sweet and nonpartisan?

Liberal bloggers are echoing a centrist view: we do not want our Supreme Court to undergo a dramatic change of direction. We want our Court to adhere to a traditional understanding of the Constitution, one that safeguards individual liberties while maintaining an appropriate balance of power among the branches of government. We expect Democrats in the Senate to share that same concern, and to exercise their power to protect the Court and the Constitution. Preserving Justice O'Connor's seat for a centrist jurist is the immediate duty of Senate Democrats.

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    • Complaints About Blogger Partisanship | 20 comments (20 topical)
    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 03:19:16 PM EST
    Stand up Dems. Stand up and fight back. Get to your Senators and ask them to be Americans. Filibuster Alito and then impeach them ALL.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#2)
    by swingvote on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 03:25:38 PM EST
    We want our Court to adhere to a traditional understanding of the Constitution, one that safeguards individual liberties while maintaining an appropriate balance of power among the branches of government. I agree wholeheartedly. No more Ruth Bader Ginsburgs. Ever.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#3)
    by squeaky on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 03:55:28 PM EST
    Wonder if WaPo's position has anything to do with the recent Howell smackdown? MYDD has a good take it starts with a bit about the writer of the article
    Jim VandeHei of The Washington Post, whose wife Hanna used to work for Tom DeLay and whose house is reportedly adorned in wingnut finery
    Who would have ever guessed? markos adds this
    There's nothing "extreme left" with demanding Democrats act like Democrats, no matter how much these out-of-touch and self-important beltway insiders think it is.
    via atrio who names VandeHei wanker of the day.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 03:57:45 PM EST
    "You can get a lot done if you're not bitterly partisan." you just can't get done any of the things that you might want done.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#5)
    by squeaky on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 04:06:59 PM EST
    This is a must read on the subject by Matt Stoller Here is a tidbit
    I explained the joke of calling a 'blogger ethics panel', that we often see bizarrely high demands for ethical behavior in the blogs, and bizarrely low demands for ethical behavior offline, usually from the same group of people. Ā (An example I didn't go into was Jerome working for Dean, which of course meant payola even though he wasn't blogging at the time, versus Chris Matthews pulling down 20K-50K per speech talking in front of trade associations with clear political agendas, which just means that they are 'respected'). Ā 
    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 04:16:45 PM EST
    From the article:
    Many Democrats say the only way to win nationally is for the party to become stronger on the economy and promote a centrist image on cultural values, as Kaine did in Virginia and as Bill Clinton did in two successful presidential campaigns.
    It also might be helpful to have a vision, articulate it, and fight for it.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 06:07:55 PM EST
    Trying to be nonpartisan in response to the Bush administration is a joke. Nevertheless, I can't blame Kaine for making the comment.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 07:13:24 PM EST
    It seems outrageous that this is the topic the Post focuses on when Ann Coulter has "joked" about poisoning SC Justice Stevens.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#9)
    by Lww on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 07:35:27 PM EST
    The strident posts from people who seem seriously fringe(anti-everything) are hurting the democrats. I don't want to generalize but I will. The typical nutbag leftwinger(wingnuts in reverse) is single,maybe with kids, cats everywhere, thinks abortion is the best option and sees religion as a scourge. Alien to me and to most people. Hopefully you get more vocal.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#10)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 07:57:02 PM EST
    Hmmmm, seems like you guys have a new BOSS.
    Mr. Elmendorf almost got it right. The trick, in reality, is to stop appearing like our Democrats are held captive to sleazebag amoral lobbyists. Here's notice, any Democrat associated with Elmendorf will be outed. The netroots can then decide for itself whether it wants to provide some of that energy and money to that candidate.
    "The netroots can then decide..." Not, "We netroots...." How does it feel to be so thoroughly and casually dismissed? ;-)

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#11)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 08:12:40 PM EST
    Squeaky - Any trade association that pays Mathews anything gets what it deserves. punisher - The question is, does a majority of the voters want it done?

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#12)
    by swingvote on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 08:16:36 PM EST
    The typical nutbag leftwinger(wingnuts in reverse) The term is Wangnut, LWW. It's a yning and yang kind of thing, you see.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jan 29, 2006 at 03:28:59 AM EST
    It took the Republicans decades to learn that they would remain the minority party unless ā€ˇtheir voices were heard. Democrats have been passive for a little over a decade now. How ā€ˇmuch longer do our elected officials intend to wait before they begin to understand? ā€ˇ The shrill voices of religious fundamentalism have created an evil paradox in America. ā€ˇThey don't believe in God --- they worship an Antichrist who created evil, demanded ā€ˇnudity, denied knowledge, and has punished them for eternity because Adam and Eve ā€ˇcommitted the sin of modesty (aka naked shame). Morality, altruism, compassion, ā€ˇgenerosity, tolerance, and unbiasedness are the words that define liberal. Indeed, as ā€ˇLiberals we espouse the very same values embraced by Jesus Christ --- without ever ā€ˇmentioning his name! ā€ˇ For the sake of humanity it's time we let our voices be heard before more people are ā€ˇkilled in the name of God. Religious fundamentalists monopolize God because they ā€ˇhaven't the capacity to understand realities beyond their own. Evangelicals honestly ā€ˇbelieve if born in the middle of Islam to rabid Muslim fundamentalists that they would ā€ˇstill be Christians (who are always ready to crusade for THEIR rights to dominate God). ā€ˇ We have a choice; we can fight with our voices for individual rights, liberty, justice, and ā€ˇreligious freedom or we can remain in a world of sophistic insanity where casual and ā€ˇpernicious displays of malevolence and cruelty rules

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jan 29, 2006 at 05:33:27 AM EST
    I sense a wave of empowerment running through the progressive blogisphere! For too long we have had a omnipresent undercurrent of ineffectiveness bearing down on us. Being in the minority and under the thumb of an oppressive and immoral opposition is rather depressing. I hope this will not be a short bursts of effective activism but the first seeds of a ever growing and more and more effective opposition. You must admit it does feel good to tweak the nose of these self important traditiona media types.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jan 29, 2006 at 07:39:34 AM EST
    A big problem is that so many of the major Dems spent the better part of their political careers in the majority and their instincts were formed and are constrained by that experience. It's hard to shake off ingrained habits of mind. You're certainly not going to do it by listening to the same consultants you were listening to the whole time you were losing your electoral advantage. Last time I checked, Elmendorf's own candidate didn't, y'know, actually win or anything useful like that. B.t.w., LWW, nice cartoon you draw there. I always find sneering, obnoxious caricatures to be a highly productive addition to intellectual discussion, don't you? Funny, the one post on the thread so far that really seems as irrational as the kind of thing you're condemning is your own. Have anger issues much?

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#16)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Jan 29, 2006 at 07:59:33 AM EST
    lespool writes:
    For the sake of humanity it's time we let our voices be heard before more people are ā€ˇkilled in the name of God. Religious fundamentalists monopolize God because they ā€ˇhaven't the capacity to understand realities beyond their own.
    The question is, how do we prevent the radical Moslems from killing? And by asking this I am pointing out that the west has no group that has declared jihad on Moslems, and that no one from the west was waging war against Moslems in December '79, '93 or at any other point since then until 9/11/01. From my view, Islam as a religion has not been reformed, and no Martin Luther is on the scene, or for that matter, on the horizon. The fact remains that Christanity was founded by a prophet preaching peace and goodwill who surrendered to the authorities and was cucified. Islam was founded by a military conqueror. The difference is, no matter how you look at it, significant.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 12:50:41 AM EST
    Have you heard Pat Robertson lately? Or perhaps you've heard of Anne Coulter? She's ā€ˇthat moderate "spokeswoman" for the "American people," according to cable news ā€ˇentertainment. But of course, when she spews intolerance, ā€ˇhate, and death to America's ā€ˇenemies she aims for American democrats, American ā€ˇliberals, and an American Supreme ā€ˇCourt justice. Ironically, while America's unpatriotic ā€ˇpundits in the MSM have ā€ˇacknowledged her as a reasonable intelligent person, worthy of ā€ˇbeing heard, she and her ā€ˇand faithless flocks of Christians are crusading for the death of ā€ˇdemocracy with our ā€ˇconstitutional rights in tow.ā€ˇ ā€ˇ... Although I've managed to distract myself, citing two irrelevant examples delighting in ā€ˇā€ˇthe death of others while Christian fundamentalists look upon them with amused ā€ˇā€ˇadoration instead derision and chagrin --- you're technically wrong, Jimaka. Call it ā€ˇwhatever you ā€ˇlike, but it's a simple matter of semantics. Bush, as the President of the US ā€ˇhas declared ā€ˇwar against all nations and people he deems as part of an "evil axis." If this ā€ˇdoesn't ā€ˇqualify as a general analogy of "jihad," then perhaps we'll agree to define Bush's ā€ˇā€ˇdeclaration of war against "all those against us," as a rather incredulous conundrum (for ā€ˇā€ˇthe American people, unfortunately) --- that's very, very close but not quite jihad. ā€ˇ We were attacked by bin Laden's terrorists and we sought justice for his horrendous ā€ˇā€ˇcrimes in Afghanistan. But our passion for justice was never delivered and our righteous ā€ˇā€ˇindignation shattered when American troops were pulled from Afghanistan in order to ā€ˇā€ˇinvade Iraq --- Bush's real priority, even before 9/11. Bin Laden was never the issue and hence remains free, ā€ˇthanks to our president.ā€ˇ Nevertheless, if "Christianity was founded by a prophet preaching peace and goodwill ā€ˇā€ˇwho surrendered to the authorities and was crucified," then Christians should follow the ā€ˇā€ˇpath of their (--- prophet? You're not a Christian, Jimaka)... Christians should follow their ā€ˇā€ˇLord, Jesus Christ instead of warriors like Mohammad who invaded and conquered ā€ˇā€ˇnations, forcing his will and religion on others. --- Despite Bush's success at invasion, he ā€ˇā€ˇwill never succeed to conquer as he is still having trouble clearing brush in Texas that's ā€ˇā€ˇawful hard to control. But of course, Mohammad lived at a time when savages ruled the ā€ˇā€ˇworld. Surely, we have evolved by now... Or have we? ā€ˇ The point is, as individual human beings, as Americans, or as a nation, we have never ā€ˇbeen ā€ˇable to completely stop people from killing people, terrorists from attacking ā€ˇcivilians, or ā€ˇnations from invading other nations --- including our own. But it is essential ā€ˇthat we bring ā€ˇmurderers to justice without allowing a sitting president to distract us with ā€ˇirrelevant ā€ˇdespots to avenge his family's legacy (for reasons I know not which) and reap ā€ˇthe spoils ā€ˇof oil (that he also failed to do). And it is imperative that we condemn all ā€ˇreligions that ā€ˇuse and monopolize God to further narcissistic agendas, whether their ā€ˇpurpose is murder or defamation. ā€ˇ Muslims are not the religious majority in America's democracy, Christians are. And ā€ˇā€ˇEvangelicals would love to recreate a Christian theocracy in the US, like the Muslims ā€ˇā€ˇhave in the Middle East. Listen to their pernicious voices and vicious attacks that incites ā€ˇhate ā€ˇand ridicule, destroying the reputations of good decent people. They're not following ā€ˇthe path of tolerance that Jesus espoused. These ā€ˇpeople love their religion --- not God! If ā€ˇthey can deliver immoral intolerance that ā€ˇdisgraces the name of their very own Lord what ā€ˇmakes you think they're benign. Until ā€ˇChristians begin holding Christians morally ā€ˇaccountable for casting judgmental boulders ā€ˇwith malicious disregard for other human ā€ˇbeings, then they have no right to call ā€ˇthemselves Christians. ā€ˇ

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#18)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 07:25:34 AM EST
    lespool - Ann Coulter and Pat Robertson aren't known as "moderates." They also don't have a cadre of converts willing to kill others. The actions of Christians as compared to Jesus is meaningless except to point out the goals of the two religions, and how those goals are to be accomplished. You are correct that Moslems are not in the majority in the US. Based on demonstratable evidence if they were there would be no freedom of religion, no education of women, gays would be prosecuted as well as all other faiths.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 07:46:40 AM EST
    They also don't have a cadre of converts willing to kill others. I wouldn't want to be the one to test out your theory.

    Re: Complaints About Blogger Partisanship (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 12:26:08 PM EST
    Jimaka,ā€ˇ The fact that the MSM would allow such people to spew hatred on their broadcasting ā€ˇstations or over the airwaves has legitimatized racism, misogyny, malevolence, and ā€ˇintolerance that have culminated in casual death wishes and threats by self-proclaimed ā€ˇChristians. And we must not forget about the revered Mr. Falwell, a Christian Antichrist ā€ˇwho has been very busy lately teaching his little devils to manipulate and incite anger ā€ˇamongst their eager but easily ruffled flocks. These are not the actions of devoted ā€ˇfollowers of Jesus Christ. These are people who worship their Antichrist. They are evil; ā€ˇit's as simple as that.ā€ˇ By the way, Mr. Jimaka I would advise you study Christian rhetoric before pretending to ā€ˇbe one. --- Christians would NEVER refer to Jesus as a prophet... This is blasphemy you ā€ˇspeak! Christ IS God, for God's sake!ā€ˇ

    Complaints About Blogger Partisanship | 20 comments (20 topical)