Daily archives: January 22nd, 2009

Sideshow Joe Needs to Stop It Already

January 22, 2009
Barack ObamaWhite House
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Sideshow Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States of America, needs to stop it already with the lame attempts at humor, especially while doing anything official.

Biden took a dig at Chief Justice John Roberts today at a White House ceremony to swear in senior staff. Biden said, “My memory is not as good as Chief Justice Roberts.”

President Obama was not pleased.  Watch the video for yourself.

There’s a time and a place for everything, Joe.  You weren’t elected for your delightful sense of humor.  Stop being a sideshow and be a part of history.

Be the Change, Joe.  Not the joke.

Obama to Close Gitmo: Nicely Done, Mr. President

January 22, 2009
AmericaBarack ObamaCivil LibertiesDemocratic NewsPhilosophicalViolenceWhite House
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In one day and a few strokes of the pen, President Obama signed an executive order that will close Guantanamo Bay prison within a year and prosecute terrorism suspects in the United States.

Granted, closing Gitmo is easier said than done:

Underscoring the difficult decisions Obama must make to fulfill his pledge of shutting down Guantanamo, the plan could require the creation of a new legal system to handle the classified information inherent in some of the most sensitive cases.

The issue is only so difficult because the Bush Administration dispensed with Habeas Corpus, and much of the United States Constitution with it.

With a few more strokes of the pen, President Obama banned torture.

To think that in 2009, it would take an act of the President of the United States to ban torture by the United States.

“Both civil libertarians and ex-CIA officials involved in interrogations and detentions policies hailed the changes,” says the Washington Independent.

Under the executive orders issued Thursday, the CIA’s interrogators cannot question detainees using “any interrogation technique or approach, or any treatment related to interrogation, that is not authorized by and listed in Army Field Manual 2 22.3.” That manual was rewritten by the Army in 2006 to reemphasize its compliance with the Geneva Conventions and U.S. laws banning torture. The Bush administration took an unyielding stance toward exempting CIA interrogations from that manual and those laws. But the Obama administration revoked all Bush administration executive orders from September 11, 2001 onward “concerning detention or the interrogation of detained individuals,” and directed the attorney general to conduct a thorough review of all other “directives, orders, and regulations” on the subject issued by the Bush administration that are no longer applicable.

Remember the Geneva Conventions?  They’re worth reviewing.  Seems we have a president who knows them, and desires to uphold them.

We all stand taller today.

Nicely done, Mr. President.

Rush Limbaugh Wants America to Fail

January 22, 2009
AmericaBarack ObamaCivil LibertiesCongressConstitutionEconomyRantRepublicansStrange
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Flaming Comedian Rush Limbaugh

Comedian Rish Limbaugh wants America to fail.

Even before President Barack Obama (love the sound of that) took office, Limbaugh was hoping for his failure.  According to Faiz Shakir at Think Progress, last Friday, Limbaugh told his radio audience, ““I disagree fervently with the people on our [Republican] side of the aisle who have caved and who say, ‘Well, I hope he succeeds.’”

According to Shakir, Limbaugh said he was asked by a “major American print publication” to offer a 400-word statement explaining his “hope for the Obama presidency.”  His response?

So I’m thinking of replying to the guy, “Okay, I’ll send you a response, but I don’t need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails.” (interruption) What are you laughing at? See, here’s the point. Everybody thinks it’s outrageous to say. Look, even my staff, “Oh, you can’t do that.” Why not? Why is it any different, what’s new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what’s gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don’t care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: “Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.” Somebody’s gotta say it.

Really, Rush?  As bad as things are now, you want the president to fail?

If this president fails, America fails.  There is no other alternative.  The country is in an almost unprecedented financial crisis, inches away from another Depression.  The only people not suffering are the filthy rich who lack empathy, like Limbaugh.

Over 500,000 people lost their jobs last week.  That’s right — 500,000 people lost their jobs last week.

There aren’t enough pain pills in the world for them, Rush, even if you donate some of your stash.

The majority of Americans get it — the time for screaming matches is over.  Limbaugh’s audience will fade.  People will see him for what he is: a comedian in search of an audience.  Barack Obama is not the polarizing figure Bill Clinton was at times.  President Obama is an honest, likeable guy.And he’s honest.

It’s going to be tough being Rush the next four years.  And it’s about time.