Gettin' It Done - 4

I seem to remember something coming from the pie holes of the NeoCons about how the US military leaving Iraq would mean the whole place turns into a giant puddle of shit - as if it wasn't a giant puddle of shit because we were there in the first fuckin' place, but hey, what's a giant puddle of shit between friends?  We are friends again, right?

4. Ended the War in Iraq: Ordered all U.S. military forces out of the country. Last troops left on December 18, 2011.

Gettin' It Done - 5

Nothing saves money like not wasting lives.  We have a better chance to accomplish our Foreign Policy goals (in practically every case) when we don't have our uniformed military in a country killing their people and blowin' their shit up.

5. Began Drawdown of War in Afghanistan: From a peak of 101,000 troops in June 2011, U.S. forces are now down to 91,000, with 23,000 slated to leave by the end of summer 2012. According to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the combat mission there will be over by next year.

Gettin' It Done - 6

It's not a good idea to celebrate the violent destruction of a fellow human being, and it's not in keeping with the high concept of Due Process just to hunt a guy down and kill him, but if there's ever a good reason to make exceptions, Osama bin Laden was it.

6. Eliminated Osama bin laden: In 2011, ordered special forces raid of secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in which the terrorist leader was killed and a trove of al-Qaeda documents was discovered.

Gettin' It Done - 7

"Saved the US car business" may be overblown hyperbole and graceful understatement all at once.  Government shouldn't be in the business of propping up failing enterprises.  There is such a thing as a life cycle, and it applies to companies and to whole industry sectors as well as to people (also to countries, but that's a different post).  So I'm always worried that throwing tax dollars at a business problem is just postponing the inevitable.  It's a really tough call, but sometimes you have to pull the plug.  All that said, if you don't have the capability to produce stuff that you can sell, then you don't have an economy.  Lose your manufacturing base and you're on your way to losing it all.  Not understanding that concept was one of the hugest mistakes we made in the 80s and 90s.

I'll admit right now that I was all for Free Trade agreements like NAFTA,et al - thinking it'd be good for us if American businesses had to compete just like everybody else; if we couldn't build better refrigerators than the Japanese, then we should get our butts kicked - damned unions blah blah blah.

I was wrong.  Not so much wrong about Free Trade - if you do it right, then the whole free trade thing really is a good idea.  But that's just it: "if you do it right".  About all we've managed to accomplish is to turn Ross Perot into a prophetic messenger - and you start to get an idea of the monumental-ness of your fuck up when that happens.

So the very stark difference in the basic instincts of Obama vs Romney when it came to making a decision on what to do about Detroit tells me most of what I need to know about these guys.  Obama sees what's happened and understands that we have to do some things aimed at leveling the field so we're not always playing up hill.  Romney sounds like he's stuck in 1989, still thinking (like I did) it doesn't matter if we don't make anything here anymore, because the workforce will just retrain itself and become managers; or everybody'll borrow some money and go back to school; or they'll finally open that shoe store their mom always wanted them to try.

7. Turned Around U.S. Auto Industry: In 2009, injected $62 billion in federal money (on top of $13.4 billion in loans from the Bush administration) into ailing GM and Chrysler in return for equity stakes and agreements for massive restructuring. Since bottoming out in 2009, the auto industry has added more than 100,000 jobs. In 2011, the Big Three automakers all gained market share for the first time in two decades. The government expects to lose $16 billion of its investment, less if the price of the GM stock it still owns increases.

I still don't like bailouts, but you have to know how to make the better choice from a very short list of shitty options.

This Is How Ya Do It

Whatever it is you're trying to do, you get your ass out there and you sell the fuckin' thing.



"I refuse to see us live on the accomplishments of another generation."

"The business of government is the business of the people, and the people are right here."

Gettin' It Done - 8

Personally, I kinda like having an economy that works; even one that's not great, but still manages to limp along at a 1 or 2% growth rate, in spite of all the best efforts of a certain opposition party in Washington.

8. Recapitalized Banks: In the midst of financial crisis, approved controversial Treasury Department plan to lure private capital into the country’s largest banks via “stress tests” of their balance sheets and a public-private fund to buy their “toxic” assets. Got banks back on their feet at essentially zero cost to the government.

One of the biggest problems we have right now is that Obama hasn't gone after many of the worst offenders - the banksters (et al) who helped blow up the mortgage bubble that blew up the financial system.

It would be monument-worthy badass if the Prez took on Wall Street and beat 'em into submission - ala JFK in '61 against Big Steel, and again in '62 when he actually put a few Big Utilities execs in jail on charges of collusion and price-fixing.

It's a much different time now, of course, so Obama has to do things in a way that doesn't feed the anti-gubmint mindset of the rubes.  Here's hopin'.

Gettin' It Done - 9

It may well be impossible to create the "perfect union", but our founding documents require us to keep trying.  And until we all have the full compliment of rights and privileges due us under the law, we're all 2nd class citizens in one way or another.  

9. Repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: Ended 1990s-era restriction and formalized new policy allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military for the first time.

Gettin' It Done - 10

Kinda continuing with the theme from yesterday's post (Gettin' It Done - 11).

This one really seems to stick in Willard's craw - or more accurately, in WIllard's advisors' craw, cuz that guy seriously has no tho'ts of his own on Foreign Policy.  Anyway, they first tried to slam Obama for "leading from behind", but then they found out nobody supported direct US involvement.  Next, they tried to slam him for "following the French", but then they found out that all that "French-ified leadership" was depending on American-supplied intel (which everybody called indispensable), and without which, (eg) they'd still be talking about the Slaughter in Benghazi.  And on and on and on.

10. Toppled Moammar Gaddafi: In March 2011, joined a coalition of European and Arab governments in military action, including air power and naval blockade, against Gaddafi regime to defend Libyan civilians and support rebel troops. Gaddafi’s forty-two-year rule ended when the dictator was overthrown and killed by rebels on October 20, 2011. No American lives were lost.

You can argue that last bit: "no American lives were lost", and connect it to the 4 dead Americans in Benghazi last month, and then try to score a few points about how Obama's policies are unravelling and blah blah blah.  But when Condi Rice comes out and defends Clinton's State Dept, saying in effect that foreign service is some dangerous shit and you don't conduct proper diplomacy by hiding in a bunker - well I have to think the translation is something like, "You really don't know what the fuck yer talkin' about, Willard".

One of the things we never hear is that Qaddafi was aware of the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie - at least aware of it, if not very closely involved.  Ya gotta know that if Willard was in charge when Libya went down, they'd be naming buildings and parks and high schools after the prick for his "stalwart efforts to bring the Islamofascists to justice!"

So lemme see, when Sadam has nothing to do with 9/11, we pretend he did so we get ourselves into a supremely stoopid war that goes on for 8 years and gets more Americans killed than actually died on 9/11, and costs us a trillion dollars.  But when Qaddafi actually does have something to do with hundreds of dead Americans and he finally gets what he deserves for it, then we just shrug - meh - and make like it's no big deal; plus we get to listen to Repubs piss and moan about how Obama didn't do it right, or some other fuckin' nonsense.

These people have no soul and no honor.

Gettin' It Done - 11

In the last "debate", Willard said something like "we don't dictate to the world, Mr President, we help people overthrow the dictators", it was an Etch-A-Sketch moment for the ages.  He said it with great confidence and authority, as if he believed in his heart of hearts that the noble GOP still somehow held a clear advantage on Foreign Policy issues.  And he said it as if he really expected all of us to have forgotten completely that Obama helped out in Tunisia; and had knocked over Qaddafi; and is still applying constant pressure on Saleh; and is pushing Assad, and...

11. Told Mubarak to Go: On February 1, 2011, publicly called on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to accept reform or step down, thus weakening the dictator’s position and putting America on the right side of the Arab Spring. Mubarak ended thirty-year rule when overthrown on February 11.

Whatever sounds good for his argument right now is what Willard says.  The heat of the moment is all that matters.  If he can move you just a little with a snappy 10-word bumper sticker - that's all he seems to care about.  And if it goes against easily verifiable events of history (like something that happened last year, or several months ago, or fucking yesterday), well - whatever - it's not like the idiots he's talking to actually know anything; not about history anyway.  And as long as he's got that solid 25% who never venture outside The Bubble, WIllard can say whatever he wants and let DumFux News do the rest.

Gettin' It Done - 12

Yeah, I know - Obama didn't do a lot of the things he should've done: Gitmo and Military Commissions and Black Sites and Drone Attacks and Habeas Corpus and and and.  All true, except that he's also been pretty busy issuing Exec Orders to the effect: "while the legal authority exists for us to do all these really shitty things that are totally unconstitutional or extra-judicial or straight up illegal, I'm directing members of the Executive Branch not to do them - if you guys think that's possible."

I think Obama's been trying to get some political cover (duh); both so he can use the tools he's got to go after the bad guys, and to defend himself from the shit-slingers.  So he doesn't get good marks for closely following the law, but since he's "my guy", I'll have to cop to believing I can trust him more than I'd trust "their guy".  

12. Reversed Bush Torture Policies: Two days after taking office, nullified Bush-era rulings that had allowed detainees in U.S. custody to undergo certain “enhanced” interrogation techniques considered inhumane under the Geneva Conventions. Also released the secret Bush legal rulings supporting the use of these techniques.

I hate the feeling that I'm constantly having to choose from a list of lousy options - imagine what it must be like in the Oval Office every fucking day.

Gettin' It Done - 13

Unfortunately, a double-digit percentage of Americans still believe the Apology Tour bullshit.  Which fits perfectly with the double-digit percentage who still think Sadam had something to do with 9/11, and the double-digit percentage who think Climate Change is a hoax, and and and.  Sometimes, it's really hard for me not to say, "fuck 'em".  I'd like to think I could write them off and forget about them because they'll never change and so it's not worth trying.  And sometimes, I do say that, but as mushy as it sounds, they're my neighbors and my friends and my in-laws.  So, since I'm not planning to murder them, I guess I just need to keep hammering away, and hope I can get one or two to listen.  That's what I'm thinking today anyway.

13. Improved America’s Image Abroad: With new policies, diplomacy, and rhetoric, reversed a sharp decline in world opinion toward the U.S. (and the corresponding loss of “soft power”) during the Bush years. From 2008 to 2011, favorable opinion toward the United States rose in ten of fifteen countries surveyed by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, with an average increase of 26 percent.

Gettin' It Done - 14

One of the things that didn't work out so well when everybody was busily hacking away at "all that Washington red tape that strangles commerce" was that we ended up boondoggling the financial sector to the point that we might as well have nationalized the banks.

It's interesting to me that the "conservatives" are always accusing their opponents of hiding a socialistic agenda, when they're the ones making it impossible for banks to operate without a guaranty of government help.  The banks borrow money from the government at ridiculously low rates to begin with, and then If the borrower defaults, Uncle Sugar steps in to pay off the loan.  So who the fuck is the socialist in all of this?

14. Kicked Banks Out of Federal Student Loan Program, Expanded Pell Grant Spending: As part of the 2010 health care reform bill, signed measure ending the wasteful decades-old practice of subsidizing banks to provide college loans. Starting July 2010 all students began getting their federal student loans directly from the federal government. Treasury will save $67 billion over ten years, $36 billion of which will go to expanding Pell Grants to lower-income students.

If you ask me what I think of American Capitalism, I'd have to answer - I think we should try it.  (the good ones know what to borrow, and the great ones know what to steal)

Gettin' It Done - 15

I think it's a good idea whenever you put real money into public schools.  But I don't like things like privatization and high-stakes testing.  I'm fairly sure the people advocating for Race To The Top mean well - people who dive in and fuck things up always mean well - I just don't think you improve the schools if you don't improve the neighborhoods.

15. Created Race to the Top: With funds from stimulus, started $4.35 billion program of competitive grants to encourage and reward states for education reform.

Gettin' It Done - 17 & 16

This one means there's a fair probability that my cost for for a fill-up won't increase by much.  That is, of course, as long as Big Oil allows the Free Market to work the way it's supposed to work (always a little iffy).

16. Boosted Fuel Efficiency Standards: Released new fuel efficiency standards in 2011 that will nearly double the fuel economy for cars and trucks by 2025.
 

I'd forgotten about this one.  There's plenty to worry about when it comes to trying to put out a fire by pouring several hundred tons of money on it, but sometimes all you can do is take the least bad option on a menu filled with really shitty alternatives.  I just wish I felt more assured that Obama's team is doing something to make the next meltdown less likely to happen, and less damaging when it does.

17. Coordinated International Response to Financial Crisis: To keep world economy out of recession in 2009 and 2010, helped secure from G-20 nations more than $500 billion for the IMF to provide lines of credit and other support to emerging market countries, which kept them liquid and avoided crises with their currencies.

Gettin' It Done - 18

I don't like spending more money than we've got, and I don't like debt and I don't like thinking we're losing control of the size of government, and I don't like all the things that everybody else doesn't like about the economic pickle we're in.  But this is so simple it's stupid - if nobody's spending money, you don't have an economy.

18. Passed Mini Stimuli: To help families hurt by the recession and spur the economy as stimulus spending declined, signed series of measures (July 22, 2010; December 17, 2010; December 23, 2011) to extend unemployment insurance and cut payroll taxes.

Gettin' It Done - 19

Dunno what to say about this one except that you gotta know where to put your resources.  So maybe I'll just shut up and let the guy work.

19. Began Asia “Pivot”: In 2011, reoriented American military and diplomatic priorities and focus from the Middle East and Europe to the Asian-Pacific region. Executed multipronged strategy of positively engaging China while reasserting U.S. leadership in the region by increasing American military presence and crafting new commercial, diplomatic, and military alliances with neighboring countries made uncomfortable by recent Chinese behavior.

Gettin' It Done - 20

Jim Webb led the efforts in the Senate, and he credits the White House for smoothing the way; sometimes by not doing much- or seeming not to do much.  'Cuz sometimes just staying outa the way and working the back channels is how you get things done.

This is one of those things that totally sticks in the GOP craw.  A mainstay of Repub-Think  is that Dems hate soldiers and all things military, and it just kills "conservatives" to consider even the remotest possibility that a Dem could do something good for veterans.

20. Increased Support for Veterans: With so many soldiers coming home from Iraq and Iran with serious physical and mental health problems, yet facing long waits for services, increased 2010 Department of Veterans Affairs budget by 16 percent and 2011 budget by 10 percent. Also signed new GI bill offering $78 billion in tuition assistance over a decade, and provided multiple tax credits to encourage businesses to hire veterans.

So where are we now?  Lemme see.

Handle the Economy = Dems
Domestic Agenda = Dems
Effective Foreign Policy = Dems
Kill Osama bin Laden = Dems
Veterans Affairs = Dems

A coupla more days like yesterday and today, and the question becomes clearer and clearer - what is it we need Repubs for again?

Gettin' It Done - 21

In some ways, violence is violence.  And it doesn't matter if you're dropping bombs from 50,000 feet, or launching air-to-ground missiles from unmanned drones, or damaging the prospects of school kids by depriving them of healthcare or food or opportunity or whatever.

One way or another, we're waging war against the Iranian people.  War is always about the people.   We can comfort ourselves by saying we're doing these things because the Iranian government is mistreating its citizens, but the effect - the intent, in my opinion - is that we're making things hard on the people in order to move them to change their government.

21. Tightened Sanctions on Iran: In effort to deter Iran’s nuclear program, signed Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act (2010) to punish firms and individuals who aid Iran’s petroleum sector. In late 2011 and early 2012, coordinated with other major Western powers to impose sanctions aimed at Iran’s banks and with Japan, South Korea, and China to shift their oil purchases away from Iran.

The problem is that I don't know what else we're supposed to do.  There is, of course, an awful lot going on that we don't see, but while sanctions are risky, they're at least a bit less risky than goin' all Stoopid Cowboy on 'em and just shootin' the place up.

What I really don't think anybody needs is for Romney to put the NeoCons back in charge, which is exactly what he'll do, given what we know about his Foreign Policy team.  eg: I've seen way too much of Dan Senor lately, and it's just astounding to me that this guy even has a job now.  Senor is the fucking genius who kept telling us in about 2004 or 2005 that things were going just peachy in Iraq.

Let these pricks in the door again and we're right back in the shit.

Professional Left Podcast Episode 149

(My rather poor attempt at decoding the html at Driftglass's blog, as I try to embed the podcast)

The Undecideds

Best thing I've seen on the subject in a long while.