For those who don't know what Obama Derangement Syndrome (OBDS) it's like pornography: maybe you can't define it but you know it when you see it. Yesterday's announcement that the President is proposing chained CPI got him a lot of criticism on the Left unsurprisingly. Yves Smith pounced:
"There is no more pretense possible. As we’ve warned for some time, Obama is eager to put a notch on his belt by being the President that rolled back the New Deal programs that helped create broad-based middle-class prosperity and dignity. He’s cast himself as an adult inflicting discipline on profligate Americans. But in reality, the profligacy was most concentrated among elite financiers who used leverage on leverage vehicles to stoke liquidity that led to worldwide underpricing of risk. They paid themselves record bonuses in the years immediately preceding the crisis, and then in a grotesque display of ingratitude, did so again in 2009, able to do so only thanks to massive taxpayer support, alphabet-soup special borrowing programs, and the tax on savers known as ZIRP. And the direct result of their looting exercise that produced the crisis was the explosion in government deficits, due to a collapse in tax revenues and a rise in payments under countercyclical programs such as unemployment insurance and food stamps.
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/04/obama-proposes-chained-cpi.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DiaryOfARepublicanHater+%28Diary+of+a+Republican+Hater%29
Aha! We've been right about Obama from the beginning! Now the Obots must do their mea culpa dance!.
If this is what they're looking for I'm sure to disappoint them. Indeed, I did. Turns out they're not fans of mine.
Get a load of commentator Michael if you want OBDS in action:
"Pretty sure Obama is a classic sociopath. Martha Stout’s The Sociopath Next Door really lays out the character of such persons, and one thing they tend to do is to seek out and punish those who are smarter or better than them. Their treachery knows no bounds as they are incapable of feeling guilt but they truly enjoy knocking other people down. For people who they consider inferior or not worth it, sociopaths will often be the nicest people in the world."
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
"There is no more pretense possible. As we’ve warned for some time, Obama is eager to put a notch on his belt by being the President that rolled back the New Deal programs that helped create broad-based middle-class prosperity and dignity. He’s cast himself as an adult inflicting discipline on profligate Americans. But in reality, the profligacy was most concentrated among elite financiers who used leverage on leverage vehicles to stoke liquidity that led to worldwide underpricing of risk. They paid themselves record bonuses in the years immediately preceding the crisis, and then in a grotesque display of ingratitude, did so again in 2009, able to do so only thanks to massive taxpayer support, alphabet-soup special borrowing programs, and the tax on savers known as ZIRP. And the direct result of their looting exercise that produced the crisis was the explosion in government deficits, due to a collapse in tax revenues and a rise in payments under countercyclical programs such as unemployment insurance and food stamps.
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/04/obama-proposes-chained-cpi.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DiaryOfARepublicanHater+%28Diary+of+a+Republican+Hater%29
Aha! We've been right about Obama from the beginning! Now the Obots must do their mea culpa dance!.
If this is what they're looking for I'm sure to disappoint them. Indeed, I did. Turns out they're not fans of mine.
Get a load of commentator Michael if you want OBDS in action:
"Pretty sure Obama is a classic sociopath. Martha Stout’s The Sociopath Next Door really lays out the character of such persons, and one thing they tend to do is to seek out and punish those who are smarter or better than them. Their treachery knows no bounds as they are incapable of feeling guilt but they truly enjoy knocking other people down. For people who they consider inferior or not worth it, sociopaths will often be the nicest people in the world."
"Unfortunately, I have a pet theory that Democrats are easily exploited by sociopaths. Sociopaths tend to seek out and manipulate those with a conscience, or a highly developed superego. The right, we know, possesses nothing of the sort. But Democrats carry a lot of empathy and are more concerned about right and wrong (and, consequently, less certain about whether they are right or wrong because they see issues as muddy, which they are of course)."
"Anyways, this has gotten a bit offtrack, but essentially there is absolutely no way to deal with Obama, he simply doesn’t care, he’s pretty much just trying to mess with your heads. He has a ton of contempt for progressives because they are better and generally smarter than him. He knew a lot of smarter people and has an inferiority complex, he probably often wonders worries that his minority status got him into places that he shouldn’t be. And as a result, we get this absolute and utter mess, caused by an empty vessel of a person who perhaps shouldn’t be called human, as he just doesn’t feel the pain that he causes."
"Reading Stout’s book it just read like a case study of Obama (and surely Clinton- I am less certain about recent Republican presidents, because I think the are legitimately poisoned by some awful ideologies and are sincerely trying to be good because what is good is so warped for them)."
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
Here was my answer to "Michael"
"Honestly you sound quite deluded yourself. Let me get this straight. Obama is the worst human being ever to live basically. He’s a “sociopath” and “just doesn’t care.”
"Democrats, however, are empathetic-accept Obama and Clinton who are both “sociopaths.” Apparently then Democratic Presidents are not empathetic."
"Republicans are good people. They aren’t to blame because they just happen to believe in a horrible ideology."
"I stand my diagnosis. This is what OBDS sounds like."
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
Yves Smith herself upbraided me for that comment! I'm actually honored!
"Straw man plus ad hominem. Saying Obama is probably a sociopath is NOT saying he is the worst person out there."
"Lots of research shows sociopaths tend to do well in advancing themselves in organizations and society and are overrepresented in leadership ranks."
"You really need to do better to be taken seriously here."
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
"Lots of research shows sociopaths tend to do well in advancing themselves in organizations and society and are overrepresented in leadership ranks."
"You really need to do better to be taken seriously here."
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
Here was my response to the Yves Smith in the flesh:
"Yves, I don’t need to be taken seriously here if this kind of talk is what is taking seriously here. I actually do quite like your site for it’s economic analysis."
"I mean calling him a sociopath who cares about nobody is pretty strong language. Whether or not that means he’s the “worst peorson” ever or just one of the worst people ever is a distinction not really worth parsing."
"I mean you say you can’t take me seriously but I have a hard time taking such parsing seriously. The claim is he’s a very very bad guy. Apparently the commentator doesn’t think other politicians are such bad guys. Most Dems have empathy he says. Republicans aren’t bad people just misguided by an awful ideology. But Obama and Clinton are very, very bad guys."
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
"I disagree with you on Obama. I don’t think this makes either of us bad people but maybe you feel differently. I knew I proabably shoudn’t have gone here but I couldn’t resist. It reminded me of the good old days when I would hang out at Jane Hamsher’s."
"I mean calling him a sociopath who cares about nobody is pretty strong language. Whether or not that means he’s the “worst peorson” ever or just one of the worst people ever is a distinction not really worth parsing."
"I mean you say you can’t take me seriously but I have a hard time taking such parsing seriously. The claim is he’s a very very bad guy. Apparently the commentator doesn’t think other politicians are such bad guys. Most Dems have empathy he says. Republicans aren’t bad people just misguided by an awful ideology. But Obama and Clinton are very, very bad guys."
"I find this psychoanalysis absurd. So if it’s what gets you taken seriously I don’t need it. Again, You may not like me or maybe you’ve figured out that I’m now a sociopath as well. It seems that once you tell O bashers you like Obama there’s nothing they want to hear from you. I mean I’ve already been accused of supporting chained CPI when I actually don’t support it-just understand that Obama has to play the whole board and play the hand that’s been dealt."
"I actually do quite like your site, though. In the future I may just stick to reading as I realize expressing my opinion on this subject around here is spitting into the wind. I could have discussed monetary policy as I have in the past and gotten no hate."
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/now-its-official-obama-sells-catfood-futures-um-social-security-and-medicare-cuts.html#y6R3376JQcyrs640.99
There really are better things for me to do. I don't usually say this because but in this case. I shouldn't get into these discussions with Obama haters as it's all they care about-how terrible Obama is supposed to be. Sometimes, I can't resist. I mean this is what it devolves into so quickly. Still one commentator made my point by her approvingly leaving this link for "the way forward"-which turns out to be a party founded around the single issue of protecting Social Security.
This is an amazing idea. It perfectly crystallizes my entire critique of firebaggers: they basically refuse to see the forest for the trees. In 2011 they were supposedly going to start a party that was about nothing but defeating Obama in 2011-they called this star-crossed episode the "New Progressive Alliance."
The front page is still from early 2012. It's a truly quixotic sight seeing it now.
Now Social Security will be the one issue that beating Obama turned out not to be. All their ideas amount to attempting to be the Dr. Frances Townsend of today-who ended up being joined by everyone from Huey Long on the Left to Father Coughlin on the Right all marshaled against the same FDR that firebaggers now evoke so much to reproach Obama with.
I can never get along with firebaggers as they and I have different objectives. I want to actually see the country overcome it's problems and succeed; they prefer theatrics and hand wringing about how God darned awful it all is. The firebaggers are Zizekean.
Again, Obama has made an offer. It doesn't mean he'll necessarily have to sign it. He's made it clear it's not his first choice-ideally he wouldn't prefer chained CPI which is also my position.
In 2011 the Dems offered the GOP ending the Bush tax cuts just for those over $1 million dollars. The GOP said no way and ended up having to eat a deal where they ended for those over $450,000. The GOP's strategy of My way or the highway has not really worked for them until now. Politics is not about single issues but the whole board. The firebaggers don't get that and so they jsut don't get it. Arguing with them is mostly futile but can be entertaining-for me anyway. Still I wasted a lot of time on it. Guess it really does go fast when you're having fun.
It does bother me to hear Clinton and Obama described as evil. They're successful politicians, with all the limitations that description implies.
ReplyDeleteBut you're wrong to say the My way or the highway strategy hasn't worked. The level of retrenchment since the New Deal and Great Society is, viewed over time, an astounding success for the right and its program.
The rejected deals you cite would have done nothing to stop the momentum of this rightward drift.
We can fight over control of the whole board, but it is a fundamentally different board now that a generation ago, in ways that should be truly frightening (in my opinion).
While we laugh at the antics of the right, never forget that they are the architects of our brave new world, and that Obama's politics don't envision a turnaround.
It hasn't really worked for the GOP at least as a party. In 1995 they demanded that Clinton do all the budget cuts they want or they'd shutdown the government. Ultimately they'd get all the blame for this brinksmanship and with a few years their leader, Newt Gingrich was out of politics with the GOP losing 5 seats in 1998's off year election-which is unheard of.
ReplyDeleteIn 2011 they again demanded "My way or the highway" and the had big looses in 2012 election, actually losing 2 seats in the Senate even though they only had 10 Republicans up for election opposed to 21 Democrats.
In 2011 during debt ceiling chicken the Democrats offered a deal that would raise taxes on those who earn more than $1 million per year. They ultimately were forced to accept a much lower starting point of $450,000.
Recent polls show that the GOP continues to be hurt with their image of not being willing to compromise.
So I don't see that it's helped them as a party. It surely won't help liberals to play a single issue game. If Obama can play and negotiate the whole board there'll be better deals that in the long term will be better for SS and Medicare as well.
I disagree with a lot of people on Obama's time in office. I think he's been much more successful than may give him credit for.
Mike, just so you know, I added a comment to yours over at Yves... we'll see if anybody takes it seriously!
ReplyDeleteCool.
ReplyDeleteLOL I just read it Tom. I had finally given up on that post but I loved your comment. Nothing that goes wrong anywhere is anyone's fault but Obama's.
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