Lurking and occasionally commenting is a good way to gauge the climate within any community, DKos is no exception. I miss being a more active member than just posting the odd comment here and there. However, until recently, I didn't have the focus or impetus I needed to keep up with things. That is, until today.
In a short, special "Grand Re-Opening" edition of Current Events, there are simply two diaries here that are being woefully ignored. So, here comes another squeaky wheel to see if we can get this lightning greased.
Join me below the fold, just like old times, won't you? It's time for Ace Nelson's Current Events.
19 August, 2011 (Friday): Failure to Learn from History
The first part of today's commentary comes from one of those diaries that is important, yet quickly overshadowed by the bigger news of the day.
Fellow Kossack davej has brought attention to a worrisome Presidential turning of the other cheek in the form of Pres. Obama backing off of Dominionist nutjob and presidential hopeful Rick Perry (douche-kebab - TX) after said nutjob threatened Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke. First, Rick Perry's threat:
“If this guy prints more money between now and the election, I dunno what y’all would do to him in Iowa but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas. Printing more money to play politics at this particular time in history is almost treasonous in my opinion.”
You see, in the diary linked above, davej already made a very chilling and understandable analogy comparing Perry's rhetoric the rhetoric that lead to the assassination of JFK... Or, the day that JFK was treated "pretty ugly" down in Texas. Which makes this, from President Obama downright intolerable:
"Mr. Perry just got into the presidential race. I think that everybody who runs for president, it probably takes them a little bit of time before they start realizing that this isn't like running for governor or running for senator or running for Congress, and you've got to be a little more careful about what you say," Obama responded.
"But I'll cut him some slack. He's only been at it for a few days now," he said.
Cut him some slack? Mr. President... ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING? Cut him some slack!? SLACK!? It was the loud, cacophonous barking of the likes of Bill O'Reilly that played a part in the numerous assaults on Dr. Tiller leading to his death just last year.
One could say that Kansas treated George Tiller pretty damn ugly over the past decade or so.
Oh, how about some more recent history for you? Remember the vote on the debt ceiling a little over a week ago? You remember the uplifting return of a certain Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)? Oh, wait. She would've been there from the start to debate the issue and cast her vote anyway if not for the fact that things like the old "crosshairs map" from political quitter Sarah Palin (TP-Twitter) helped influence Jared Loughner to shoot Rep. Giffords, damn near killing her.
One could say that Arizona treated Gabby Giffords pretty damn ugly back in January.
And you. Mr. President, want to cut that bastard Perry SLACK!? Simply because he's a fucking campaign ROOKIE!?
No, sir.
Your White House comment line has already heard from me, and will hear from me again. The fact of the matter is that if you have a national platform with the potential to influence millions of people, then you better be careful with what you say from day one. I don't care if you're a presidential candidate, a political pundit... I don't give a shit if you're Gandhi! And letting this kind of rhetoric slide, even after everything that's happened because of domestic terrorists influenced by Fox News and the extreme Right... It's just plain intolerable. It. Cannot. Stand.
24 August, 2011: AT&Tea... Wait, what? Dems, too?
Oh... That guy... Well, this particular Kossack has just let the cat outta the bag in regards to the impending anti-trust nightmare that is the attempt by AT&T to buy out T-Mobile. The major talking point utilized by AT&T toward the media and the people at large is that they need T-Mobile to expand the coverage of their LTE network from 80% of the US to 97%. Well, in the diary above, dear readers, you'll find links to the DSLReports.com article and the partially-redacted letter from AT&T that blows that talking point to smithereens.
What really makes this big is the fact that there are, unfortunately, 66 Democratic congresscritters whom have issued a letter of support for the AT&T-Mobile merger. That is, after receiving campaign contributions from AT&T. Whether or not this is coincidence, I urge you. Go to the diary, find your congresscritter on that list and call them. Let them know that encouraging a near-monopoly that will cost thousands of American jobs cannot and will not bode well.
I gotta admit, I have skin in the game, as I am a longtime T-Mobile customer and, generally enjoy my service. Even so, knowing that AT&T only wants to buy T-Mobile for the purposes of diminishing market competition and ensuring that Sprint completely goes under... I can't, out of good conscience, stay quiet on this.
Well, that wraps up another edition of Current Events. I'm glad to be back and I hope that all of you reading this are continuing to enjoy the ride.
This is Ace Nelson, coming to you from partly cloudy, late-Summer Bellingham, WA. Thanks again for joining me, and I'll see you next time.
Peace.