tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post8691669980132458833..comments2024-03-16T09:24:45.474+01:00Comments on 22 Billion Energy Slaves: The Best is Yet to ComeJason Heppenstallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17886109260870545074noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-77543354178415568752012-11-12T09:54:31.347+01:002012-11-12T09:54:31.347+01:00Interesting. Here in Sweden, we see much the same ...Interesting. Here in Sweden, we see much the same thing, with ridiculous levels of coverage and with a clear consensus that the Democratic candidate would be good and the other bad. Despite the rhetoric, Denmark and Sweden aren't all that different.<br /><br />JohanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-45084331624475746382012-11-11T20:46:42.543+01:002012-11-11T20:46:42.543+01:00Anon,
Your reasoning regarding how to vote swayed...Anon,<br /><br />Your reasoning regarding how to vote swayed me to check Obama even though I'm in a solidly blue state (Washington). Yes, the Obamacare farce, the failure to prosecute those who engineered and benefited from the financial collapse (and hiring two of them to direct recovery efforts), and the frightening drone wars out of all the science fiction I read as a kid are significant black marks. But Romney would have been another dumb puppet as bad as W, and who knows whose hand would have been in him at any given time. So, just to be safe, I voted for him instead of Green, like I usually do. My usual maxim--if you're going to throw your vote away, make it count--gave in to realpolitik, which is ultimately fear.<br /><br />All politics are indeed local. By Washington passing gay marriage and legalizing pot, we have some movement to beat back the troglodytes. In fact, Washington completely rejected the Right's advance here: even with all the money pouring in from secretive superPACs, all but one or two Republican candidates were defeated. <br /><br />Derek<br />dex3703.wordpress.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-72476021066244223772012-11-11T17:38:00.693+01:002012-11-11T17:38:00.693+01:00I voted for Obama. There, I said it. I almost vo...I voted for Obama. There, I said it. I almost voted Green. But I went with the Democrat. I know where our civilization is headed, and I know there's nothing any national politician can do to change the basic trajectory. But I'm still thinking that the way down can be bumpy or very bumpy, and maybe a Democrat won't resist it all quite as strongly or flail about so much. And then, to counter Matt Stone somewhat, I hate Democrats, but I really f****** hate Republicans...<br /><br />Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-39548205189381052092012-11-10T18:56:57.974+01:002012-11-10T18:56:57.974+01:00My father has always voted for the opposition as i...My father has always voted for the opposition as it 'keeps them on their toes'. That may be so but that viewpoint has now become redundant in the US certainly, and is becoming more and more so in the UK.Clydenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-30402337470082188362012-11-10T14:06:58.621+01:002012-11-10T14:06:58.621+01:00clyde, I was going to say as much.
Awakened peopl...clyde, I was going to say as much.<br /><br />Awakened people talking about American politics has confused me for quite some time now. Same with state sponsored economics. It's all a crock of shit, and we all know it's a crock of shit. How could you be awake and believe any of it? Don't get me confused, I'm not advocating any conspiracy, just that...well...they don't count your damn votes. They don't care what you think...they=the corporatocracy. <br /><br />As far as Iraq/afghanistan/libya/any other middle eastern country we are occupying, it has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with oil. It really is that simple. I'd like to hear somebody reading a blog titled "22billionenergyslaves" argue the point. <br /><br />For the record: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeMGqTwWA6U<br /><br />at 1:40 he begins making my point...it's a George Carlin clipLuciddreamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02128676983998762432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-89586249251518526252012-11-10T03:00:54.478+01:002012-11-10T03:00:54.478+01:00You may not get murdered in your bed but you are m...You may not get murdered in your bed but you are mocked and pilloried in the media and social media for deigning to question the status quo. <br /><br />It's the principal I believe that matters.<br /><br />I use the term loosely but the American 'actress' Stacey Dash copped a monumental amount of abuse for supporting Mitt Romney during the recent Presidential election.<br /><br />I don't know if it was because she is <br /><br />1. Black<br />2. A woman <br />3. An actress<br />or all of the above that attracted this vitriol. <br /><br />Potentially is it because all three should have guaranteed her allegiance to the Obama Cult of Personality.<br /><br />I am reminded of the famous comment attributed to pastor Martin Niemöller about the inactivity of the German people following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of those they deemed to have contrarian views to their own.<br /><br />First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.<br /><br />Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.<br /><br />Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.<br /><br />Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. <br /><br />Some readers may question why I have this particular opinion. I am not German but spent a considerable part of my childhood living in West Germany while The Wall existed. My parents had many friends who had escaped from the DDR and I listened to many discussions regarding life in the DDR. One friend of my parents told me that it was not the threat of being beaten up by the Stasi that crushed peoples spirit, but rather the fact that you were told what you will think and say and any deviation from this would not be tolerated.<br /><br />It is a terrible thing not to be able speak your mind.<br /><br />Before fellow followers of this blog wish to attack, contradict or demean my opinion, I would like to point out that the profile I have chosen to use is Anonymous and are you critizing me for questioning Obama or because you disagree with the principal of my comment.<br /><br />Think about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-63681322357326256302012-11-09T21:22:47.596+01:002012-11-09T21:22:47.596+01:00Ed - well, maybe. Like most people in Europe the r...Ed - well, maybe. Like most people in Europe the relationship to the US is one of patronising smugness, combined with fervent worshipping. As Facebook would say 'it's complex'.<br /><br />But yeah, the news media here is very simplistic when it comes to foreign stories. Everything is basically cast in terms of 'Good' and 'Bad'. And Obama is still seen as something of a saint, compared to the Republican devils.<br /><br /><br />Jason Heppenstallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886109260870545074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-65187443837526856512012-11-09T21:15:28.883+01:002012-11-09T21:15:28.883+01:00Who was it who made a pun on 'white heat' ...Who was it who made a pun on 'white heat' changing it to 'the white bread of American politics'? <br />Jason Heppenstallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886109260870545074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-71798372660944525432012-11-09T21:13:29.602+01:002012-11-09T21:13:29.602+01:00Well, at least in the US you don't get murdere...Well, at least in the US you don't get murdered in your bed for not liking the leader.<br /><br />Most people are brainwashed these days, some by marketing and some by patriotic nationalism - and some by a mixture of both. We live in complex times and a lot of people can't see how manipulated they are. That's my simple take on it, anyway.Jason Heppenstallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886109260870545074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-12282979919692974652012-11-09T21:09:30.856+01:002012-11-09T21:09:30.856+01:00"You argue that there is no difference betwee..."You argue that there is no difference between Romney and Obama and that it makes no difference who wins. That's a little facile."<br /><br />Maybe, but from an outsider's perspective, there will be very little difference in foreign policy - perhaps none. Anyway, I apologise if it was a little facile - it was meant in that way because I gave up being serious about politics years ago.<br /><br />In any case, I'm sure that everyone realises there are many enlightened and clever people in the US - just not the critical mass that is needed to make a difference. Same as everywhere, really.Jason Heppenstallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886109260870545074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-77967090269925067962012-11-09T21:02:25.398+01:002012-11-09T21:02:25.398+01:00Too true. I only mentioned it in a 'scales fal...Too true. I only mentioned it in a 'scales falling from my eyes' kind of way. Still, at the time, GWB getting elected really did feel like something seriously bad had happened. And it did.Jason Heppenstallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886109260870545074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-71979126424892205042012-11-09T19:06:25.650+01:002012-11-09T19:06:25.650+01:00Had Gore won his election I doubt very much that t...Had Gore won his election I doubt very much that the world today would be any different. The same forces that control the world, and especially US politics, today controlled the world then and no-one could have altered that.<br />Peak resources, wealth disparity, climate change, demographics, pollution, are all forces beyond our political control.Clydenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-32357765607248997112012-11-09T18:35:36.189+01:002012-11-09T18:35:36.189+01:00Are Danes really that weird and out of touch? Wow...Are Danes really that weird and out of touch? Wow.<br /><br />Actually, in the real world turnout was down. Obama appears to have won with 8 million fewer votes than in 2008, plus a reduced margin, and his major party opponent was a corporate raider with enough ethical questions about his business practices to probably disqualify him for office.<br /><br />Admittedly, the gap between what the "mainstream" (which means mainly broadcast) media and what is actually happening has grown to the point where just being reasonably informed means going out of your way to avoid conversations about politics with "normal" people. My last years as office fauna myself were getting more difficult in this regard. Its a real problem.Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-3892466650709395992012-11-09T07:12:58.461+01:002012-11-09T07:12:58.461+01:00I recently watched two videos on Youtube.
https:/...I recently watched two videos on Youtube.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pKw2iXBG2M<br /><br />Some of the people in the Obama video make statements, full of fervour like.<br /><br />"He's just great, the policies are great"<br /><br />"I'm so excited, health insurance"<br /><br />"Obama, Obama, Obama"<br /><br />In the second video we have a massive North Korean rally.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ33V-lNoOA<br /><br />The North Korean stand in regimented lines and act in a very North Korean manner. With stoic fervour, if such a thing exists. <br /><br />My question is, who is more brain washed the Americans or the North Koreans?<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-19937869168871564542012-11-09T05:56:23.217+01:002012-11-09T05:56:23.217+01:00Hi Jason,
I'm an American expat. I share your...Hi Jason,<br /><br />I'm an American expat. I share your feelings about the recent election for the most part. I voted for Obama the first time around, but I grew disgusted with him during his first term. He fulfilled NONE of his campaign promises. Worse still, he didn't even try. His signature piece of legislation, the health care "reform" package commonly known as Obamacare, was a huge giveaway to the corporate health insurance industry and was intended as a means of preempting meaningful health care reform. But more troubling was his signing of the NDAA bill, which gives the president the authority to murder anyone in any place on the earth, including American citizens within the borders of the United States. I won't bother going into the rest of the tired litany of his failures except to briefly mention his expansion of the drone war in the Middle East, his utter failure to prosecute the Bushies for their crimes, his massive bailouts for bankers, his failure to close Guantanamo, and his failure to put his weight behind worldwide efforts to combat global warming.<br /><br />The fact is, most Obama supporters, both within and outside the United States, have been totally duped by the hype surrounding Obama. Let me be clear: Obama's victory in both elections represented the triumph of appearance over substance. <br /><br />That said, I should point out that, sadly, the alternative to Obama was significantly worse. You started your piece with a quote from Noam Chomsky. I should point out that Chomsky is on record as saying there are significant enough differences between the Democratic and Republican parties to warrant voting for the Democratic Party. <br /><br />I chose not to vote because I did not want to condone the murderous and unconstitutional acts of Obama, and also because I did not want to participate in a system that I consider corrupt and illegal. But, I am registered to vote in a strongly blue state, so I knew that I could sit out the election without any untoward consequences. Had I lived in a state like Ohio, I would have faced a dilemma and I probably would have held my nose and voted for Obama. This is simple realpolitik. <br /><br />You refer to the "election" of GWB in 2000. Well, 35,000 people in the state of Florida chose to ignore the rules of realpolitik and voted for Nader in that election. The margin of victory for Bush in that state was less than 500. Had those voters voted for the only left-leaning (or centrist) candidate with any chance of winning (Gore), then Bush would have not been in a position to steal the White House with the help of the criminal Supreme Court. And, I would argue that the world would now be a radically different place had Gore won. I believe that 911 would not have happened, America would not be mired in occupations of Iraq and Afganistan, and quite likely the Global Financial Crisis would not have occurred.<br /><br />You argue that there is no difference between Romney and Obama and that it makes no difference who wins. That's a little facile. True, in terms of foreign policy and the economy, it really does make little difference: either way, America will continue its militarist policies and only the 1% will be represented in government. But, Obama will likely nominate at least one Supreme Court justice, maybe two, and he'll nominate a center-right justice, rather than a far-right justice, as Romney would have done. That will have lasting and meaningful impacts in America and in the world. Also, image and identity is important. Had Romney won, it would have empowered and encouraged the Teabaggers and other regressive right-wing elements in the United States. Also, by electing Obama, the American people sent a message to the world saying: "We stand for change, openness and inclusivity." It's too bad that Obama won't actually work for those things, but it's important that the world can see that America has at least as many relatively enlightened folks as bitter lunkheads. As any psychologist or doctor will tell you, attitude and faith are important. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5584699251999622098.post-8582974193521265232012-11-09T02:04:28.286+01:002012-11-09T02:04:28.286+01:00Yeah (yawn), same-old, same-old. As much as the m...Yeah (yawn), same-old, same-old. As much as the media cheerleaders tried to hype the crowd into something resembling a frenzy it was all pretty staid and we ended up pretty much status quo.<br /><br />Me? I voted Green, as if it would make a difference (it did to me), in a county that elected Romney but in a state that went abundantly for Obama. Go figure.Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04410439088299142773noreply@blogger.com