Comments on: Political roundup http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/ Same old blog, brand new place Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:24:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/comment-page-1/#comment-96085 Doc Searls Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:42:08 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/#comment-96085 I don't see Obama supporters as monolithic. They range from disaffected Republicans to moonbeam Democrats, with deviations from the wavy line between those two points. Some, such as I, see him as what Colin Powell called a "transformational" figure. That is, a constructive and responsible "none of the above" who might actually get elected, do a good job at a bad time, and restore some of America's lost stature in the world. I also think the GOP needs to return to its reasonable small-government roots, and drop the big-spending pro-war neocon Christianist moralizing. Others just see Obama as a better choice than the cranky bastard that McCain seems to have become. In any case, I can't wait until it's over. I don’t see Obama supporters as monolithic. They range from disaffected Republicans to moonbeam Democrats, with deviations from the wavy line between those two points. Some, such as I, see him as what Colin Powell called a “transformational” figure. That is, a constructive and responsible “none of the above” who might actually get elected, do a good job at a bad time, and restore some of America’s lost stature in the world. I also think the GOP needs to return to its reasonable small-government roots, and drop the big-spending pro-war neocon Christianist moralizing. Others just see Obama as a better choice than the cranky bastard that McCain seems to have become.

In any case, I can’t wait until it’s over.

]]> By: Ed Brenegar http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/comment-page-1/#comment-96005 Ed Brenegar Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:19:41 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/#comment-96005 Every time I think it is going to be close, one of my Obama supporter friends says something that tells me we are living in the surreal. These are people who don't have any interest in politics, and yet, Obama is who they want to discuss. I'm becoming convinced that Obama will win this election, and based on what my friends tell me, will not be the typical President. I wonder if the Democrats realize that yet. Will they long for the days of Bill and Hill just as the old country club Republicans longed for the days of Eisenhower when Reagan took office? The question is whether he plays to his past base, liberal Democrats, or establishes a broader, more centrist base that changes the landscape of governing. I was going to go vote in the morning, I think I'll wait a couple days and see what happens. Every time I think it is going to be close, one of my Obama supporter friends says something that tells me we are living in the surreal. These are people who don’t have any interest in politics, and yet, Obama is who they want to discuss.
I’m becoming convinced that Obama will win this election, and based on what my friends tell me, will not be the typical President. I wonder if the Democrats realize that yet. Will they long for the days of Bill and Hill just as the old country club Republicans longed for the days of Eisenhower when Reagan took office?
The question is whether he plays to his past base, liberal Democrats, or establishes a broader, more centrist base that changes the landscape of governing.
I was going to go vote in the morning, I think I’ll wait a couple days and see what happens.

]]> By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/comment-page-1/#comment-95889 Doc Searls Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:53:09 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/#comment-95889 Julian, The greatest and most effective movements on behalf of social justice in the history of the U.S. were nonviolent ones. Sadly, nonviolence as a political and social strategy died with Martin Luther King in 1968. What the Weathermen did was evil and wrong, even if it was for a worthy cause: opposing the Vietnam war and oppression in general. I was part of the counterculture back then, such as it was. I had no desire then to make the Weathermen cultural heroes, and see no need to reconstruct them in that role today. I also think the McCain campaign is trying to win by smearing its opponent rather than burnishing its own candidate. This, of course, is typical. And it has worked many times in the past, most notably for both the Bushes. I'm hoping it fails this time. But I'm not so sure. I think the election is going to be close. Julian,

The greatest and most effective movements on behalf of social justice in the history of the U.S. were nonviolent ones. Sadly, nonviolence as a political and social strategy died with Martin Luther King in 1968.

What the Weathermen did was evil and wrong, even if it was for a worthy cause: opposing the Vietnam war and oppression in general.

I was part of the counterculture back then, such as it was. I had no desire then to make the Weathermen cultural heroes, and see no need to reconstruct them in that role today.

I also think the McCain campaign is trying to win by smearing its opponent rather than burnishing its own candidate. This, of course, is typical. And it has worked many times in the past, most notably for both the Bushes.

I’m hoping it fails this time. But I’m not so sure. I think the election is going to be close.

]]> By: Julian Bond http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/comment-page-1/#comment-95856 Julian Bond Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:02:52 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/#comment-95856 What if you consider The WeatherMen to be cultural heroes? Turn On. Tune In. Drop Out. And Fight The Man. Time for some postmodern deconstruction of the memes I think as this election takes on mythic proportions. What if you consider The WeatherMen to be cultural heroes? Turn On. Tune In. Drop Out. And Fight The Man. Time for some postmodern deconstruction of the memes I think as this election takes on mythic proportions.

]]> By: Don http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/comment-page-1/#comment-95835 Don Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:51:05 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/#comment-95835 Your round up reminds me of one thing this election year. Just when I thought it could not get any weirder, wilder, etc. another day dawns and reveals more political news, spin and intrigue. Your round up reminds me of one thing this election year. Just when I thought it could not get any weirder, wilder, etc. another day dawns and reveals more political news, spin and intrigue.

]]> By: Blissful Ignorance » Blog Archive http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/comment-page-1/#comment-95794 Blissful Ignorance » Blog Archive Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:57:58 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/10/19/political-roundup/#comment-95794 [...] Searls led a political wrap up with this Rush Limbaugh quote- ““Would somebody explain to me how it is that you make [...] [...] Searls led a political wrap up with this Rush Limbaugh quote- ““Would somebody explain to me how it is that you make [...]

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