Obama Nominates Merrick Garland for SCOTUS

[Wrangor]

Why do you insist that the republicans play according to rules you know the Democrats would not follow if the roles were reversed? This isn't a moral issue, and, at this point at least, you don't gain anything by inventing right and wrong and then playing by what you have said is right.

Because at some point someone has to be a grown up. If I want Obama to be a better man than I have to hold my own party to the same standard. We need to forge a different path as a political entity. We need more Kasich and less Cruz.

 

[dartsndeacs]

Obama has fantastically failed to live up to the hype.

 

[bobknightfan]

A little comic relief from the New Yorker's Andy Borowitz......but that last paragraph really nails it:

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/boro...nything-for-next-three-hundred-and-forty-days

G.O.P. Warns Obama Against Doing Anything for Next Three Hundred and Forty Days

By Andy Borowitz

In a television appearance on Sunday, the leading Senate Republican warned President Obama “in no uncertain terms” against doing anything in his remaining three hundred and forty days in office.

“The President should be aware that, for all intents and purposes, his term in office is already over,” Mitch McConnell said on Fox News. “It’s not the time to start doing things when you have a mere eight thousand one hundred and sixty hours left.”

While acknowledging that the President has eleven months remaining in the White House, McConnell said that he and the President “have an honest disagreement about how long eleven months is.”

“The President believes it is almost one year,” he said. “I believe it is almost zero years. I’m not a mathematician, but I believe I am right.”

As for how Obama should spend his remaining time in office, McConnell said, “If the President has trouble doing nothing, we will be more than happy to show him how it is done.”

 

[PhDeac]

That is actually exactly why he was murdered.

More evidence that the whitewashing of history has been successful.

 

[JuiceCrewAllStar]

 

[Wrangor]

More evidence that the whitewashing of history has been successful.

He was murdered by racist white people who were angry that he was bringing the races together. He was murdered because he had the audacity to believe that black people were equal to white people.

"we must learn to live together or perish together as fools".

MLK was murdered because he wanted to bring the races together.

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend"

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear"

Get out of here with that nonsense that MLK wasn't aiming to bring people together.

 

[Deacon923]

He was murdered by racist white people who were angry that he was bringing the races together. He was murdered because he had the audacity to believe that black people were equal to white people.

"we must learn to live together or perish together as fools".

MLK was murdered because he wanted to bring the races together.

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend"

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear"

Get out of here with that nonsense that MLK wasn't aiming to bring people together.

As long as you get out of here with that nonsense that Obama doesn't have the same aim.

MLK certainly was never required to surrender to the views of his passionate and devoted opposition in order to earn a reputation as someone who aimed to bring people together. Read "Letter from the Birmingham Jail". "Justice delayed is justice denied". But if Obama doesn't do whatever the Republicans want, he's a divisive outsider race-baiting agitator who wants to destroy America.

 

[PhDeac]

Antonin Scalia Dead at 79

He was murdered by racist white people who were angry that he was bringing the races together. He was murdered because he had the audacity to believe that black people were equal to white people.

"we must learn to live together or perish together as fools".

MLK was murdered because he wanted to bring the races together.

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend"

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear"

Get out of here with that nonsense that MLK wasn't aiming to bring people together.

More evidence that the whitewashing...ah you get it.

King was a much more divisive and disruptive figure than history tells. "Brining the races together" involved supporting policies that aggressive sought to advance the causes of black Americans and the poor in ways many white people weren't and aren't ready for.

Now if you want to call that "bringing the races together," fine but that's really obscuring his message particularly his pro-labor and anti-war stances.

 

[Strickland33]

Why do you always tell me my opinion. He hasn't been what I wanted him to be. You telling me what to think isn't going to change my mind.

Because your characterization of MLK is wrong? The "I Have A Dream" guy had turned into an anti-war socialist by the time that he lost his housing desegregation campaign in Chicago and had moved to supporting public sector unions in Memphis.

Political persuasion aside (Obama is moderate-left and King was becoming radical-left), their views on race and social mobility evolved quite a bit.

Also, how in the hell is Obama like Sharpton? Concrete examples please. You're a smart guy, but I have no idea where you're going with that.

 

[Strickland33]

As long as you get out of here with that nonsense that Obama doesn't have the same aim.

MLK certainly was never required to surrender to the views of his passionate and devoted opposition in order to earn a reputation as someone who aimed to bring people together. Read "Letter from the Birmingham Jail". "Justice delayed is justice denied". But if Obama doesn't do whatever the Republicans want, he's a divisive outsider race-baiting agitator who wants to destroy America.

And then there was the man that King became:



Republicans would have considered this brilliant man to be a "race baiter," the Great Divider, a socialist (they wouldn't be wrong, though), etc.

 

[Deacfreak07]

As long as you get out of here with that nonsense that Obama doesn't have the same aim.

MLK certainly was never required to surrender to the views of his passionate and devoted opposition in order to earn a reputation as someone who aimed to bring people together. Read "Letter from the Birmingham Jail". "Justice delayed is justice denied". But if Obama doesn't do whatever the Republicans want, he's a divisive outsider race-baiting agitator who wants to destroy America.

Better yet, read the letter from white clergy in Birmingham first. That call for "patience" was the focus of his response. He was not "creating" tension, but bringing the pre existing tension to the surface. There is a bizarre reality in how MLK is remembered by history that depicts a vocal minority in opposition to the CRM. Make no mistake about it, King was probably one of the 10 greatest leaders of the 20th century. He was certainly a unifying figure in some aspects. He was successful in gaining support from moderate folks of all races, but he was not one for compromise short of his goals.

 

[Strickland33]

He was murdered by racist white people who were angry that he was bringing the races together. He was murdered because he had the audacity to believe that black people were equal to white people.

Good lord, man.

He was assassinated because he was a black man invoking black nationalist and communist ideology, critiquing social inequality along axes of race and class, and invoking radical pro-labor and anti-war rhetoric with enough followers that the powers that be were worried that he would incite a revolution. When the distance between Martin and Malcolm's politics began to narrow, the white establishment became extremely nervous about the possibility of a black nationalist and communist revolution. This is well documented in a range of texts written from a variety of political perspectives. It's information that's readily out there if you don't non-reflexively consume propaganda.

 

[PhDeac]

Antonin Scalia Dead at 79

King is remembered primarily for one speech he gave several years before his death that was tailor made to be acceptable for a white audience but still echo consistent themes from the movement.

It's like remembering your favorite subversive counter culture band for their one radio hit.

 

[Wrangor]

If I actually thought ya'll were interested in debating this topic (which you are not) I might make a sincere effort, but I'll give you the summary. Obama has spent his entire presidency angling for political wins over true progress on anything. He is always playing the angle. His campaign in 2008 promised a different kind of president, and he simply hasn't been it. Bush was an idiot compared to Obama as a president, but at least he accomplished some bipartisan things before he was done, and that was because he wasn't always playing to destroy his opposition. Obama's game plan is always inflict damage, acquire power, use power to advance agenda. That is not the platform he ran on. He ran on a platform of conciliation and unity, and he has implemented nothing but divisiveness. Congressional Republicans have played their equal part, but the only way out of this is someone taking the high road, and even being willing to take a political loss for it. So that is how Obama has dissapointed. That is how he is like a guy such as Sharpton. OBama's political interests always dominate his strategy much like Sharpton.

All of this has very little to do with Scalia. I would love to see Obama take the stage and be the better man. Ask the Republicans to meet with him and discuss the issue. To say that he doesn't care that they have made it a point to stop him from nominating anyone, that he wants to work with them anyway. That would earn real respect. He won't do it, and the Republicans won't play nice with the nomination. I would love to see the Republicans take a different strategy as well. If it were me I would give the nominee an honest shot and vote based on qualification not ideology. I am not in the Senate, and I will be dissapointed if they drag this out. I understand both sides playing hard ball, I just wish one of them take the road less traveled.

By all means continue to attack. I am just trying to have a discussion and everyone gets their panties in a wad because I don't completely follow your ideology. Everyone opinion of yours is fact, and those who disagree with you are merely misinformed and naive. Ya'll are truly impossible. You wonder why there are very decent conservative posters left, it is because you run them all off with your attack dog mentality.

 

[PhDeac]

Wrangor, you make no sense. Why is it on Obama to be conciliatory? And you miss the fact that he was conciliatory and he stopped because taking the high road got him nowhere with Pubs.

 

[Wrangor]

Of course PH. Of course. Night.

 

[Deacfreak07]

Antonin Scalia Dead at 79

Wrangor, I would love for the liberal attack dog Obama you're describing. The left is disappointed in a moderate conciliatory Obama that the right describes as Che Guevara. I've always found that odd.

Is it standard practice for a POTUS to ask for dialogue from the opposition telling him who to nominate? I honestly don't know, but I doubt it. How does that dialogue go? The GOP in the Senate gives a list of conservative names, Obama says "no", and then the finger pointing begins.

 

[Strickland33]

Obama's game plan is always inflict damage, acquire power, use power to advance agenda. That is not the platform he ran on. He ran on a platform of conciliation and unity, and he has implemented nothing but divisiveness. Congressional Republicans have played their equal part, but the only way out of this is someone taking the high road, and even being willing to take a political loss for it. So that is how Obama has dissapointed. That is how he is like a guy such as Sharpton. OBama's political interests always dominate his strategy much like Sharpton.

Hysterics and cliche aside, this seems to be the crux of your position. Let's talk about this.

I'd like to see evidence of your initial claim that Obama's game plan has always been to inflict damage, acquire power, and use power to advance an agenda. We both are disappointed in this president, but I really don't think there is any evidence to support your initial claim. From the moment that Obama took office, he was met with every political obstacle imaginable from politicians questioning his legitimacy on the basis of his race (tacitly) and nationality (explicitly) to staunch obstructionism aimed at every attempt to compromise. Furthermore, he has exercised fewer executive orders (using power to advance an agenda) than past presidents, including "bi-partisan W." It's just such a horrible comparison because there is ample evidence that this president did try to bridge the gap. He never had a chance, though, and has since become more bullish as a president. Frankly, even if I don't like many of his policies, I understand completely why he leads the way that he does now.

As to the rest, Sharpton is an advocate and critic. Obama is a president and frustrates a lot on the far and radical left with his lack of activist-oriented critique. He only seems to advocate for issues when it becomes pretty clear that the other side will not move and this lack of movement is morally unacceptable. His comments in support of gay marriage, for instance, are not remotely radical. The opposition to critics of equal rights amounted to pointing out (rightfully) the dehumanization of American citizens and criticizing the state-sponsored denial of their basic civil rights. That is not letting political interests dominating strategy. That is morality in action from the most powerful man in the world.

 

[ThinkingWithMyDeac]

Basically wrangor wants Obama to be Jesus.

 

[ONW]

Because at some point someone has to be a grown up. If I want Obama to be a better man than I have to hold my own party to the same standard. We need to forge a different path as a political entity. We need more Kasich and less Cruz.

+1