Thanks to Jane for starting this wonderful site (Firedoglake; farewell!) for people like me, a place where the Democratic Party may be necessary but is unfortunately not enough in our world. Thanks to Kevin Gosztola for grabbing and lifting the torch (Shadowproof, welcome!) on behalf of all that's
(SP will appear here in the blogroll on the left as soon as I can construct an entry for it.)
Jane is an amazing human being. I remember we started out about the same time and use to correspond frequently and even made plans to meet when she made her way down the coast on her journeys to LA. Then after a few years her blog exploded big time and she just seemed to drop out of sight and never wrote again. We were surprised by that, but she was a major media professional and spun out again for one last spectacular time. It was always a pleasure seeing her on the TV on occasion. We wish her well. Stay healthy Jane....... much love MandT.
ReplyDeleteM, I've never met Jane. I've been to California only three times in my life; will that do? :-)
DeleteI am generally willing to forgive a blogger's becoming famous if I agree with the reason for the fame, which in this case I do. Maybe I'd just like to think some blog made some progressive difference at some time in American history. As far as I can tell, the jury is still out on that one...
Firedoglake was an enthusiastic participant in the suppression of single-payer health insurance and the marketing of the Obamacare cuckoo's egg. Never been able to forgive that.
ReplyDeletePJ, somehow I never caught that, but I have to admit I did not read FDL on the subject of healthcare on a daily basis. You are usually right; I'll give you the benefit of the doubt... especially considering the slack that has entered my own mental processes over the past decade regarding many important issues. I would not be able to forgive that either; maybe it's time for me to retire.
DeleteWell I enjoy compliments, but I'd never advise anyone to regard me as an authority on much of anything and I'd be the first to admit that the healthcare situation in this country and the politics around it have driven me half crazy -- it's personal as well as ideological. Even so, I honestly don't understand how anyone can fail to see that Obamacare's primary purpose is to prevent anything better from ever happening.
ReplyDeleteSince WW2, healthcare reform moments only come around every 30 years or so. Now that Obamacare's in place, I don't expect to see another before I die -- probably early from lack of healthcare access. That by itself is enough reason for me to despise both the Clintons and Obama for what I regard as deliberate sabotage.
PJ, for all that I was vexed with LBJ during his one term, I see in retrospect that most "reform moments" in just about any area of US governance happened during his presidency. I'd be delighted if anything were truly reformed every 30 years or so. But I doubt I'll be breathing 30 years from today...
DeleteWas Obamacare the best Obama could get? I don't know. Was it the best any president could have gotten at that time? was raw, unbridled racism by the GOPer caucus the obstacle that prevented his doing more? was the president's unfortunate Rodney King attitude ("Can we all get along?") what prevented his getting more? I don't know.
I am not enthusiastic about Mr. Obama's track record, but I have to admit I can't be sure about all the things that have faced him. To the extent that he seems inclined to cave eventually to "whatever the Chicago School would have wanted," I am truly vexed with him, and his tendency to say one thing about environmental matters and then do another (Shell drilling in the Arctic? gimme a break!) is just unacceptable to me.
Has Mr. Obama simply abandoned those of us who brought him to the dance? I welcome your opinion on this...