Kagan's nomination and certain confirmation are a disaster for liberty, for reasons Daniel Larison and Radley Balko explain.
Obama's overall record on civil liberties has been surprisingly terrible for a constitutional law professor. I don't have time right now to elucidate on all his slights, but I'm done making excuses. I expected this to be one of his stronger areas, and instead he's turned out to be worse than I would have expected from, say, Hillary Clinton.
I believe this is the turning point. As Radley put it in 2008:
Here’s why I preferred Obama to McCain: The GOP gave up all pretense of any limited government principles. They’re no longer trustworthy on the issues where they’re supposed to agree with me. Obama, on the other hand, made some promises about government transparency, hinted at a less bellicose foreign policy, and I like what he said about Guantanamo, torture, and executive power. In other words, he was better on the issues where Democrats are supposed to agree with me. It’s really that simple.Yet we no longer agree where we were supposed to agree.
I'm throwing in my towel and will not support Obama in 2012.
(A Republican candidate will have an even steeper hill to climb to earn my support, but as of now: a plague o' both their houses.)
"I'm throwing in my towel and will not support Obama in 2012."
ReplyDeleteMmm, the force is strong in you it is. A crazy Ron Paul supporter who was once dependent on the government once told you this, mmm. Better that it is that you come to realize this, mmm'hhmm. Better you will do now.
I cant stop laughing over that comment I left because I was actually doing yoda's voice when I typed it. I know you're a trekkie and I hate them both, but I cant stop laughing.
ReplyDeleteThe root of all societal problems are in the people, no government can solve that problem. Philosophy (almost dead) and religion (which I hate) are the binding factors that society well. Everything begins from the bottom on up and as economy's grow people become spellbound by systems and statutes that through the use of government are able to combat crazy cult forces from damaging society E.G. religion. However, this creates a power system that attempts to hold society together like a rubber band for the people who have previously established power.
I have a fun little "trick" that I used several times when people were arguing that Obama was not born in the United States. It was this; Arnold Swarchenegger was born in Austria, but as a conservative; do you believe he should not be electable as president? Every single conservative I spoke to said that he should have a right to be president but could not succinctly tell me why.
Here is reality; the two party system is a psychological trick to allow people in power to try to control society in a way that meets their own agenda. Why would a republican like George W. Bush - who built his campaign on conservatism - bail out Amtrak and the Airlines? Never mind the banks, they own this place anyway... Uh oh, I'm starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist.
I better build a bigger tinfoil hat :)
I have to say one last thing as a observationalist. As you, and so many others, support or disdain government officials I feel like I'm watching American Idol.
ReplyDelete