Barack must be desperate for voters...

[spence]

Originally Posted by scottw

no...sounds like she understands the "frustrations" of the OCCUPY idiots pretty damn well...which makes perfect sense...

Polls seem to show the majority of Americans agree with the Occupy movement on core issues, distribution of wealth, corporate influences on government etc...

based on her reception at NASCAR, I'd say "middle America" has got her figured out

Perhaps they're just watching too much FOX News and are misinformed?

Fox News viewers less informed about current events than those who don’t watch news at all, study finds

Read more: Fox News viewers less informed about current events than those who don?t watch news at all, study finds#^& - NY Daily News

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

Polls seem to show the majority of Americans agree with the Occupy movement on core issues, distribution of wealth, corporate influences on government etc...

SPENCISM "majority of Americans"......

the best you can do in a poll is a CBS stretch at 43%...most are in the 30% range which we know that for you means "Most Americans"

you are probably citing another obscure poll from the "Public Religeon Research Institute" claiming 67% but you forgot to either read or mention the caveat in the report or consider the dubious source

Perhaps they're just watching too much FOX News and are misinformed?



-spence

and speaking of obscure polls

"Fairleigh #^&#^&#^&#^&inson University on Monday found that people who get their news from Fox News know significantly less about news both in the U.S. and the world than people who watch no news at all.

In a survey of 612 New Jersey natives......."

a Fairleigh #^&#^&#^&#^&inson poll of 612 New Jerseyites is confirmation that Fox news viewers are misinformed/less informed?

I guess you really have to dig deep these days to continue the farce



Why blacks aren’t embracing Occupy Wall Street - The Washington Post

[spence]

No, I said agree on the core issues...not do you support the "movement" which would include methods as well as a broader spectrum issues.

The CBS poll you've cited recorded 66% agree wealth should be distributed more evenly, a core issue for OWS.

The ABC poll done just after goes further, 61% not only saying wealth should be distributed more evenly, but that the federal government should take action.

Washington Post-ABC News Poll (washingtonpost.com)

The majority also seem to want corporations to have less influence in Washington, for instance 62% in this Gallup poll from earlier this year.

In U.S., Majority Still Wants Less Corporate Influence

It's time to really ask who's interests is Congress looking after. Yes, that was a rhetorical question...

-spence

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

But given the situation it's also a quite reasonable thing to believe, the energy around Obama's candidacy was like something I know I've never seen in American politics.

The reversal, that this is the first time she's ever been proud of her country as an adult is really quite a silly thing to believe when you put a little thought into it, especially considering how the Obama's have remarked that their story would be impossible anywhere but the USA. Yes it fits ScottW's tin-foil hat Alynsky obsessed fantasy of commies trying to undermine America, but outside of that, it's just a clumsy remark that was blown out of proportion by a well coordinated effort to tear Obama down.

-spence

"But given the situation it's also a quite reasonable thing to believe, the energy around Obama's candidacy was like something I know I've never seen in American politics."

Spence, stop the spin, OK? If Michells said "gee, I've never seen this kind of enthusiasm", than your justification would have merit. That's not remotely what she said. She said she had never before been proud of this country.

"The reversal, that this is the first time she's ever been proud of her country as an adult is really quite a silly thing to believe when you put a little thought into it"

OK, so according to you, it's silly and thoughtless for me to believe that she meant what she said?

Spence, when Bush put his foot in his mouth, did you bend over backwards to excuse it? Or did you hold him accountable for it?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

Polls seem to show the majority of Americans agree with the Occupy movement on core issues, distribution of wealth, corporate influences on government etc...


Perhaps they're just watching too much FOX News and are misinformed?



-spence

"Polls seem to show the majority of Americans agree with the Occupy movement on core issues"

What polls are you referring to , polls done by The Daily Worker or Pravda?

Most Americans are opposed to handouts, defacating in public, anarchy, and putting cops in the hospital. Most Americans want to be left alone, not to be harassed on their way to/from work.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

Remember, his effectiveness will be judged relative to the challenges he's faced and the anticipated effectiveness of his challenger.

A tanking economy, two wars, 10 natural disasters etc...hell, this would have been tough first term for anyone.

The fact that we didn't slip into a depression, that we're exiting Iraq, that we've killed a heck of a lot of terrorists including OBL, expanded health care coverage, a lot of positive financial and military reforms, restrictions on lobbyists, incentives for small businesses etc...

There's a lot to sell the independent voter on. Obama's bigger worry should be that the left (and younger voters) feel he has led from the middle and might not mobilize like they did in 2008. But, it's looking like the GOP might have a similar problem getting the religious right to the polls as well.

In the end I think it's going to be a very tight race. Obama is a good debater and the debates will probably decide the election.

-spence

"The fact that we didn't slip into a depression"

You're giving Obama credit for something that is literally impossoble to prove. His explosion of the debt may yet push us into that depression, but you don't care about that...

"we're exiting Iraq"

According to the strategy put in place by the previous administration...

"we've killed a heck of a lot of terrorists including OBL"

Thanks to the programs put in place by the previous administration...

"Obama is a good debater and the debates will probably decide the election."

I pray you are right,particularly if Gingrich is the nominee. Obama is a horrible debater, he's good at deflecting attention away from his actual record, and instead focusing on some mythical boogeyman, which in 2012 will be successful white people. That works against a poodle like John McCain, who was too afraid of being called a racist to attack Obama in a debate. An angry pitbull like Newt will have no such concerns, and it will show loud and clear.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

No, I said agree on the core issues...not do you support the "movement" which would include methods as well as a broader spectrum issues.

The CBS poll you've cited recorded 66% agree wealth should be distributed more evenly, a core issue for OWS.

The ABC poll done just after goes further, 61% not only saying wealth should be distributed more evenly, but that the federal government should take action.

so let's follow this to it's logical conclusion...A new report (pdf) from the Tax Policy Center breaks it down. In 2011, about 46 percent of households won’t pay income taxes(Ezra Klein's blog WaPo for a little liberal credability). So I'll give you the 46%(and then you can dream that another 20% or so of Americans are currently socalists) who have no federal tax liability might agree to have the federal government redistribute wealth through higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations, they can only gain, right?.......and how exactly does the distributing take place? More government services, government jobs, just start making out checks to all of those who currently have no federal liability till all of the distributing is done and things are even.....?? I'm pretty sure that many of those 46% are already getting a nice check...
.
the actual question was

18. Do you think the federal government should or should not pursue policies that try to reduce the gap between wealthy and less well-off Americans? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

you seem to assume that means taxing the wealthy and redistribution, which makes sense coming from you, some of us might see that as pursuing policies that will allow the economy to flourish again which would be the fastest way to close that gap


The majority also seem to want corporations to have less influence in Washington, for instance 62% in this Gallup poll from earlier this year.

In U.S., Majority Still Wants Less Corporate Influence

It's time to really ask who's interests is Congress looking after. Yes, that was a rhetorical question...if Congress were less busy doing things that it was never charged to do.... it might be better able to focus on the "interrests" that it is supposed to focus on.....

-spence

you are on a roll today MSNBC, NBC, CBS, WashPOST

I don't think it's a shock that people want to see less influence in Washington by Corporations...particularly when you see the debacles by this administration with tax payers money doled out to questionable corporations who just happen to be well connected...my guess is that many corporations would like to have much less to do with Washington thus having less "influence" but they have to, in many cases, pay to play, and cooperate in the protection schemes and rackets set up by Washington elites or else become a victim of Washington's whims....

how is Washington, the "Federal Government taking action" by increasing Federal taxes on the wealthy and corporations, going to result in a "more even distribution of wealth"? Particularly for those that currently have no federal liability...the fact is that this has nothing to do with spreading the "wealth" around to the bottom but everything to do with further funding a behemoth government, the "bottom" might have a few scraps thrown their way but the redistributing is from the wealthy and corporations to the Federal government to satisfy and further fund the enormous appetite of the Federal bureaucracy....nothing more...

a "core issue" without a lot of thought behind it

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

OK, so according to you, it's silly and thoughtless for me to believe that she meant what she said?

Yes.

Spence, when Bush put his foot in his mouth, did you bend over backwards to excuse it? Or did you hold him accountable for it?

I have plenty of criticism for Bush, but I don't believe I've ever questioned his love of country or even his personal integrity.

-spence

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

What polls are you referring to , polls done by The Daily Worker or Pravda?

ABC, CBS, NYTimes, Washington Post...all those radical liberal media outlets.

Most Americans are opposed to handouts, defacating in public, anarchy, and putting cops in the hospital. Most Americans want to be left alone, not to be harassed on their way to/from work.

You're confusing the actions of a few with the beliefs of the many.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

ABC, CBS, NYTimes, Washington Post...all those radical liberal media outlets.

they're pretty liberal

You're confusing the actions of a few with the beliefs of the many.

funny how things change

-spence

more than a few Spence

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

You're giving Obama credit for something that is literally impossoble to prove. His explosion of the debt may yet push us into that depression, but you don't care about that...

Well, the CBO certainly seemed to think the stimulus has a positive impact. If Bush gets to take credit for keeping Americans safe post 9/11 you'd think Obama would get credit for keeping us out of a depression (and no attacks also :hihi)

According to the strategy put in place by the previous administration...

Thanks to the programs put in place by the previous administration...

If Obama was the idiot you claim he had plenty of chances to screw up the timeline for an Iraq withdrawal. As for terrorism, Obama certainly wasn't following the Bush playbook.

An angry pitbull like Newt will have no such concerns, and it will show loud and clear.

Yep, at the voting booth. People don't want to elect an angry pit bull president.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

l. As for terrorism, Obama certainly wasn't following the Bush playbook.

-spence

ThinkProgress Sept. 2011

Ex-CIA Lawyer: Obama Has Changed ‘Virtually Nothing’ From Bush’s Counter-Terror Policies | The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a report yesterday on the erosion of civil liberties in the post-9/11 era, which concluded that the Obama administration has continued many of the controversial policies of the Bush administration. Covering the ACLU report, the progressive radio show Democracy Now! interviewed former top Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) lawyer John Rizzo. The Obama administration had changed “virtually nothing with respect to existing CIA programs and operations,” Rizzo said. “Authorities were continued that were originally granted by President Bush beginning shortly after 9/11. Those were all picked up, reviewed and endorsed by the Obama administration.”

Progressive News Daily
August 26, 2011
Obama’s Illegal Assaults
How once-controversial ‘war on terror’ tactics became the new normal

BY Glenn Greenwald

Barack Obama has continued virtually all of George W. Bush and #^&#^&#^&#^& Cheney’s once-controversial terrorism and civil liberties policies, a fact now recognized across the political spectrum. Even the right wing acknowledges these policies have continued under the Obama presidency, which is interesting, because for decades Republicans have made political hay by accusing Democrats of being weak on national security (or “soft on terrorism” in this age of terror).

This premise that the Obama administration has reversed the terror policies is wrong. The new administration has copied most of the Bush program, has expanded some of it and has narrowed only a bit. All of the Obama changes have been at the level of packaging, argumentation, symbol and rhetoric. -Jack Goldsmith

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

.

The CBS poll you've cited recorded 66% agree wealth should be distributed more evenly, a core issue for OWS.

The ABC poll done just after goes further, 61% not only saying wealth should be distributed more evenly, but that the federal government should take action.

It's time to really ask who's interests is Congress looking after. Yes, that was a rhetorical question...

-spence

so "it's time to really ask who's interests Congress is looking after".... by giving them more money to "redistribute"?

that makes sense, like handing the guy that is robbing you a gun and inviting him back next week..isn't it?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

Well, the CBO certainly seemed to think the stimulus has a positive impact. If Bush gets to take credit for keeping Americans safe post 9/11 you'd think Obama would get credit for keeping us out of a depression (and no attacks also :hihi)


If Obama was the idiot you claim he had plenty of chances to screw up the timeline for an Iraq withdrawal. As for terrorism, Obama certainly wasn't following the Bush playbook.


Yep, at the voting booth. People don't want to elect an angry pit bull president.

-spence

" If Bush gets to take credit for keeping Americans safe post 9/11 you'd think Obama would get credit for keeping us out of a depression "

Spence, what color is the sky in the world you live in? It is irrefutable fact that Al Queda did not successfully attack us after 09/11, as long as Bush was in power. You assertion that Obama similarly "saved" the economy is literally impossible to prove.

" and no attacks also"

Again, I have to question your grip of reality. ever hear of Ft Hood? And the bomber on the Detroit plane only failed because he was incompetent.

"As for terrorism, Obama certainly wasn't following the Bush playbook."

No? Really? When did Guantanimo Bay get shut down? when did the Patriot Act get repealed? When did Obama stop using predator drones to kill terrorists? I give Obama a fair amount of credit on the terrorism front, and all of his successes, from where I sit, are because he largely left the Bush administration's policies work as intended. The one change Obama made was to to try and make other nations like us more. What has that gotten us? ZIP.

"People don't want to elect an angry pit bull president."

You said the debates would decide. You said that, not me.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Spence, what color is the sky in the world you live in? It is irrefutable fact that Al Queda did not successfully attack us after 09/11, as long as Bush was in power. You assertion that Obama similarly "saved" the economy is literally impossible to prove.

How do you know how many times they may have tried? How do you know we weren't headed to a depression?

The reality is, who's in charge often gets credit or blame. But like people understand Bush wasn't responsible for 9/11 the people alo know Obama inherited a mess of an economy. While this is going to drag on his campaign, Republican efforts to label it the "Obama Recession" will likely fail. Obama though has to be able to articulate the value of his policies better than he has.

Again, I have to question your grip of reality. ever hear of Ft Hood? And the bomber on the Detroit plane only failed because he was incompetent.

Clearly the intent of my comment was about Americans being harmed domestically due to a successful terror attack, otherwise I would have noted Richard Ried...

The Ft Hood shooting while tragic wasn't classified as an act of terrorism. The investigation seems to have shown that Hassan acted alone and had no terrorist links to an outside group. More likely his mental health issues and a reluctance to deploy sent him over the edge.

He's charged with premeditated murder, not terrorism.

No? Really? When did Guantanimo Bay get shut down? when did the Patriot Act get repealed? When did Obama stop using predator drones to kill terrorists? I give Obama a fair amount of credit on the terrorism front, and all of his successes, from where I sit, are because he largely left the Bush administration's policies work as intended. The one change Obama made was to to try and make other nations like us more. What has that gotten us? ZIP.

Obama hasn't closed GTMO because we can't find other nations to take who's left. Didn't he sign an order to have it closed his first day as president? That Obama hasn't closed GTMO yet isn't at all an endorsement of Bush policy, it's another one of Bush's messes he's been left to clean up.

As for the Patriot act, the big issue has always been oversight. As the Senate couldn't get amendments to the bill to a full vote, Obama signed it's renewal and is providing stronger enforcement through the Department of Justice. Again, a departure from Bush policy.

As for predator drones, Obama has again departed from the Bush policy to use drone strikes very selectively in sensitive areas and instead use them as a primary means to go after the enemy where they actually are...like in Pakistan and Yemen.

Obama certainly doesn't share the Bush policy for selective use of torture or remote detention facilities.

Obama certainly doesn't share the Bush tendency for unilateral action.

I'd say they've both shared a desire to promote democracy, but while Bush did it through massive military action, Obama has chosen to lean into opponents and let the local people have more influence over their future.

I'd say their approaches to foreign policy have some similarities, but mostly on inherited issues. For new events Obama has handled them perhaps in a dramatically different manner.

You said the debates would decide. You said that, not me.

I think the debates are very important to sway independent voters.

It's why Gingrich pushes for the Lincoln Douglas format so he can get into long-winded academic responses to weave philosophy with his deep knowledge of history. It's something he's very talented at...unfortunately it doesn't necessarily show leadership.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

The Ft Hood shooting while tragic wasn't classified as an act of terrorism. The investigation seems to have shown that Hassan acted alone and had no terrorist links to an outside group. More likely his mental health issues and a reluctance to deploy sent him over the edge.

-spence

right

ABC NEWS

By RHONDA SCHWARTZ, PIERRE THOMAS (@PierreTABC) and MARTHA RADDATZ (@martharaddatz)
July 28, 2011

A U.S. serviceman is in custody after he allegedly admitted he was planning an attack on his fellow servicemen at the U.S. Army base at Fort Hood, Texas, the same base where 13 people were killed in a 2009 terror attack.

U.S. officials told ABC News an AWOL soldier, identified by the FBI as a Private First Class Naser Jason Abdo, was arrested Wednesday after making a purchase at Guns Galore in Killeen, Texas, the same ammunition store where Maj. Nidal Hasan purchased the weapons he allegedly used to gun down 13 people and wound 32 others on Nov. 5, 2009. According to one senior official, Abdo has also mentioned the name of high profile al Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki -- the same man investigators said inspired the previous Fort Hood attack along with other potentially deadly terror plots in the U.S. -- though no direct link between Abdo and Awlaki has been found.

When Army Pfc. Naser Jason Abdo, accused of plotting planning a deadly bombing and shooting attack on soldiers at Fort Hood, made his first appearance in court in Waco, Texas, today, he yelled the name of accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Hasan.

Hasan is facing the death penalty for allegedly killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 in an assault on Fort Hood in November 2009.

Like Hasan, Abdo may have taken some of his inspiration from Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical American-born Islamic cleric who is among the leaders of the Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). One senior U.S. official told ABC News that after Abdo was arrested at a Killeen, Texas hotel Wednesday, Abdo mentioned the name of al-Awlaki.

Nidal Hasan had exchanged emails with Awlaki, according to U.S. authorities. Al-Awlaki is believed to have inspired several other terror plots in the U.S. as well, including the bungled Christmas Day underwear bombing of Northwest flight 253.

ABC notes that Abdo was likely inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki, who has repeatedly called for American Muslims to fight the United States.



just a coincidence and not terror juuuuuuust "tragic"

[spence]

Your own article mentions no direct link, what, you run out of bold?

Besides, Jim and I deal with facts. The fact is the investigation didn't turn up evidence to warrant terror charges. All you have is speculation.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

The Ft Hood shooting while tragic wasn't classified as an act of terrorism. The investigation seems to have shown that Hassan acted alone and had no terrorist links to an outside group. More likely his mental health issues and a reluctance to deploy sent him over the edge.

-spence

Spence, is there any limit to the lengths you'll go to ignore facts that don't happen to serve your agenda? The Ft Hood shooter called himself a soldier of Allah, he believed that's the cause he was advancing. That makes it an act of terrorism. They all have mental health issues, if that was the litmus test, none of them could be called terrorists.

Unbelievable.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

Your own article mentions no direct link, what, you run out of bold?

Besides, Jim and I deal with facts. The fact is the investigation didn't turn up evidence to warrant terror charges. All you have is speculation.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

speculation............

Abdo’s motel room was stocked with gunpowder, firearms, and ammunition. Officials told ABC News that an article from al-Qaida’s “Inspire” magazine entitled “How to Build a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom” was also found in his room.

According to one official, the magazine mentioned al-Qaida cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, the same man investigators believed was the inspiration behind the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.


probably lots of people stock their hotel rooms with gunpowder, firearms, ammunition and al -Qaida magazines on their way to cause "tragedies"

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Spence, is there any limit to the lengths you'll go to ignore facts that don't happen to serve your agenda? The Ft Hood shooter called himself a soldier of Allah, he believed that's the cause he was advancing. That makes it an act of terrorism. They all have mental health issues, if that was the litmus test, none of them could be called terrorists.

Unbelievable.

Agree, he certainly appears to have mental health issues. Do they ALL? That's a generalization you can't support with your facts.

-spence

[spence]

Originally Posted by scottw

speculation............

Abdo’s motel room was stocked with gunpowder, firearms, and ammunition. Officials told ABC News that an article from al-Qaida’s “Inspire” magazine entitled “How to Build a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom” was also found in his room.

According to one official, the magazine mentioned al-Qaida cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, the same man investigators believed was the inspiration behind the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.


probably lots of people stock their hotel rooms with gunpowder, firearms, ammunition and al -Qaida magazines on their way to cause "tragedies"

I would think that anyone considering such an action would surround themselves with material to support their objective. If there was an Islamic edition of the Anarchist Cookbook I'm sure that would have been there as well.

Face it, the guy was nuts. To call it terrorism you have to show deeper motive and/or affiliation which investigators who are a lot closer to this case than you or I haven't found.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

Face it, the guy was nuts. To call it terrorism you have to show deeper motive and/or affiliation which investigators who are a lot closer to this case than you or I haven't found.

-spence

yup...probably just an isolated incident...who will you be defending next week....Sandusky?...also rhetorical...I'm sure the answer is yes

ABC NEWS
Alleged Plot Against U.S. Military Base In Seattle Is Eighth in Two Years

June 24, 2011

In the latest planned assault on a U.S. military installation – at least the eighth such conspiracy in the past two years -- two Islamic converts have been arrested for allegedly plotting a Fort Hood-style attack on a Seattle center for new military recruits.

The alleged ringleader of the plot, 33-year-old Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, a convicted felon once known as Joseph Davis, has posted a number of videos on-line attacking the U.S. military, as well as comments praising al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki, who has been linked to accused Ft. Hood shooter Nidal Hasan. According to the FBI, Abdul-Latif and accused coconspirator Walli Mujahidh, formerly Frederick Domingue, sought to determine "how they could kill the most military personnel and escape or die as martyrs" during a planned July 5 assault on the Military Entrance Processing Station.

The men discussed using "fragmentation grenades" in the facility's cafeteria as a way of maximizing casualties, say authorities, and were arrested after they allegedly purchased automatic weapons from an informant for the planned attack.

There have been at least eight attacks or alleged plots against military installations since 2009, including the November 2009 Fort Hood massacre, in which 13 people died at the Texas Army base. Palestinian-American Army Major Nidal Hasan, who had exchanged emails about jihad with Anwar al-Awlaki, is currently awaiting trial on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. Just this week, Marine Reservist Yonathan Melaku was charged with shooting at military sites, including the Pentagon, after he was arrested in Arlington National Cemetery with a backpack full of inert ammonium nitrate. Melaku allegedly videotaped himself shouting "Allahu Akbar" while shooting at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico and had a list of bomb-making materials in his home.

The FBI say Abdul-Latif hoped the attack on the Seattle processing center would inspire other Muslims to carry out similar assaults on enlistment centers. According to the criminal complaint filed Thursday, Mujahidh told FBI agents that he wanted to die a martyr, and said the purpose of the attack was to kill U.S. military personnel so they could not be deployed to Islamic lands.

Abdul-Latif referred admiringly to the 2009 Fort Hood massacre, according to a confidential informant who is quoted in the criminal complaint. Abdul-Latif allegedly said that "if one person could kill so many people, three attackers could kill many more" and that if he was killed in his own attack, his son would be proud he had fought the "non-believers."

[spence]

You should do an understudy with Dougles Feith, you guys seem to share the same passion for conspiracy theories.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[scottw]

no conspiracy, just facts and more of what we've come to expect from this administration...if Hasan or the others were non-muslim, former military and had something that could be construed to be a "right-wing militia" magazine in their apartment...they'd be "terrorists"....a "lone wolf terrorist"

"And the White House, to avoid offending the Muslim community, has opted for the general term “violent extremism” to describe the threat of Islamic radicalization.
“The administration is understandably apprehensive about identifying Islamist extremism as the primary extremist threat to the United States for fear that the broader Muslim community will take offense,” said terrorism expert Jonathan Kennedy."



In a recent CNN interview, Obama shared:

"The risk that we're especially concerned over right now is the lone wolf terrorist, somebody with a single weapon being able to carry out wide-scale massacres of the sort that we saw in Norway recently. You know, when you have one person who is deranged or driven by a hateful ideology, they can do a lot of damage, and it's a lot harder to trace those lone wolf operators."

and

Acknowledging the threat

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, in an interview on ABC News last week, said one of the biggest challenges she had seen as DHS secretary, “is movement toward the home-grown violent extremist. The person who, for whatever reason, decides to attack his fellow citizens.
She warned citizens to be vigilant of “the lone actor that we may not know about, who may already be in the United States and so it requires us to be vigilant and the public be vigilant.”

President Obama is relatively unconcerned with violent flash mobs, terrorists sneaking across the open border, homegrown Muslim extremism in the US, Iraqi and Mexican drug rings in California, or guns in the hands of Mexican drug cartels provided by misguided sting operations.

In the 2009 unclassified government report entitled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," the DHS warned that "prolonged economic downturn -- including real estate foreclosures, unemployment, and an inability to obtain credit -- could create a fertile recruiting environment for rightwing extremists." However, to date, exactly zero unemployed pro-life Iraqi war veterans living in foreclosed homes have taken to the streets armed with AK-47s.

UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Page 2 of 9

(U) Key Findings

(U//LES) The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific information that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence, but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about several emergent issues. The economic downturn and the election of the first African American president present unique drivers for rightwing radicalization and recruitment.

— (U//LES) Threats from white supremacist and violent antigovernment groups during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts. Nevertheless, the consequences of a prolonged economic downturn—including real estate foreclosures, unemployment, and an inability to obtain credit—could create a fertile recruiting environment for rightwing extremists and even result in confrontations between such groups and government authorities similar to those in the past.

— (U//LES) Rightwing extremists have capitalized on the election of the first African American president, and are focusing their efforts to recruit new members, mobilize existing supporters, and broaden their scope and appeal through propaganda, but they have not yet turned to attack planning.

(U//FOUO) The current economic and political climate has some similarities to the 1990s when rightwing extremism experienced a resurgence fueled largely by an economic recession, criticism about the outsourcing of jobs, and the perceived threat to U.S. power and sovereignty by other foreign powers.

— (U//FOUO) During the 1990s, these issues contributed to the growth in the number of domestic rightwing terrorist and extremist groups and an increase in violent acts targeting government facilities, law enforcement officers, banks, and infrastructure sectors.

— (U//FOUO) Growth of these groups subsided in reaction to increased government scrutiny as a result of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and disrupted plots, improvements in the economy, and the continued U.S. standing as the preeminent world power.

(U//FOUO) The possible passage of new restrictions on firearms and the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.

[scottw]

I wonder if Obama and Napolitano are "especially concerned" about this?



Terrorist Bill Ayers to Teach on Radical Theory at Occupy Harrisburg
November 25, 2011

On October 20th, 2011 the Obama-endorsed Occupy Chicago activists invited unrepentant domestic terrorist turned University of Illinois professor, Bill Ayers, to lead a “teach-in” on the virtues of confrontational tactics. The teaching session was dubbed “non-violent disobedience” in the anti-capitalist revolution.

Bill Ayers told the young leftists about how he met with the North Vietnamese to discuss fomenting revolution in America. The meeting was held on the street in downtown Chicago. The young activists lapped it up.

Occupy Harrisburg invited Ayers to lead a teach in and discussion at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore on December 14th. He is also expected to visit the ongoing Occupation of the State Capitol steps. Ayers, a 1960s radical, was a founding member of the Weather Underground in the 1960s and has admitted helping to bomb official sites, including the U.S Capitol and the Pentagon. In the years since he has earned a PhD and is a former university professor.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by spence

While divisive politics certainly have a long history, it would seem as though the 1990's saw the current track we're on today really take hold.

Sure, the Dem's have had their moments, but the Republican efforts to maintain authority and destroy Clinton and Obama really has no equal, even considering left wing desires to impeach Bush for misleading the country into the Iraq war.

Obama might appear detached, but I don't think his attitude is a problem. From everything I've read he's completely engaged and works his ass off.

-spence

you're really nuts. Serioulsy. GWB never once responded to the deluge of criticisms on him from Iraq to Katrina while he was president. He never pointed fingers or whined. He acted above all the noise. "O" has lashed out time and time again on the right wing media, talk radio, critics, GOP, etc. He referred to the republicans as ENEMIES when making a latino campaign add. Whine and point fingers and this has done nothing but widen the divide. I dont care how hard he works, his actions and comments have led to a wider divide in this country,.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

you're really nuts. Serioulsy. GWB never once responded to the deluge of criticisms on him from Iraq to Katrina while he was president. He never pointed fingers or whined. He acted above all the noise. "O" has lashed out time and time again on the right wing media, talk radio, critics, GOP, etc. He referred to the republicans as ENEMIES when making a latino campaign add. Whine and point fingers and this has done nothing but widen the divide. I dont care how hard he works, his actions and comments have led to a wider divide in this country,.

Dead-on, RIJIMMY. Harry Reid, the majority leader of the Senate, called Bush a "loser". Bush was insulted again and again, and he never responded in kind, he was too good a guy (to his detriment, in my opinion). For someone to suggest that conservatives have cornered the market on boorish behavior is, as you said, "nuts".

But you have to be like that to buy into the liberal ideology. You have to be willing to see only what you want to see, and to frequently ignore that which doesn't serve your agenda, even if what you're ignoring is hard, irrefutable, fact. Lefties viciously attacked the tea party (who almost never misbehaved), and compliment the occupiers (who have descended to violent anarchy almost everywhere).

"his actions and comments have led to a wider divide in this country"

There is no doubt we're more divided now, and Obama has done NOTHING to mitigate this. He has repeatedly shown that he has no time for anyone who isn't inclined to kneel down and kiss his ring.

I thought for sure he'd be a shoe-in for re-election. Hell, there was a time when I relished the thought of only 8 years of him, because I was afraid he'd re-write the constitution and anoint himself president for life. It's amazing to me that with the entire media (except for Foxnews) in his pocket, that his numbers have sunk to this level. His incompetence makes him very vulnerable.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Whine and point fingers and this has done nothing but widen the divide. I dont care how hard he works, his actions and comments have led to a wider divide in this country,.

it's calculated

"An organizer must stir up dissatisfaction and discontent... He must create a mechanism that can drain off the underlying guilt for having accepted the previous situation for so long a time. Out of this mechanism, a new community organization arises....
"The job then is getting the people to move, to act, to participate; in short, to develop and harness the necessary power to effectively conflict with the prevailing patterns and change them. When those prominent in the status quo turn and label you an 'agitator' they are completely correct, for that is, in one word, your function—to agitate to the point of conflict." Saul Alinsky


it's going to get ugly in 2012

[spence]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

you're really nuts. Serioulsy. GWB never once responded to the deluge of criticisms on him from Iraq to Katrina while he was president. He never pointed fingers or whined. He acted above all the noise. "O" has lashed out time and time again on the right wing media, talk radio, critics, GOP, etc. He referred to the republicans as ENEMIES when making a latino campaign add. Whine and point fingers and this has done nothing but widen the divide. I dont care how hard he works, his actions and comments have led to a wider divide in this country,.

This isn't about criticism, it's about coordinated attacks.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

You should do an understudy with Dougles Feith, you guys seem to share the same passion for conspiracy theories.

This isn't about criticism, it's about coordinated attacks.

-spence

Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

ohhh, right...the Vast RIGHTWING CONSPIRACY