A must-read by Ambers. This sentence is beautifully under-written:
On some level, this isn't really about health care: it's about anxiety and anger at government, and at the Obama administration.
Month: August 2009
The Case Against Conservatism
A reader's riposte to 
Is This The Birther Source?
Dave Weigel has the scoop.
Clearing Things Up
The president addresses the Birthers. He's clearly a cylon.
Whitey
A reader writes:
What's most striking to me about the Obama-as-Joker posters is the white face. WHITE FACE! I'm not sure if the irony is intentional (I very much doubt it), but still. It's priceless.
It's graphically striking, but politically obtuse. The Joker is a wild man; Obama is no-drama; the Joker is an anarchist; Obama is a community organizer. Obama's careful politicking, his almost painful resistance to emotionalism, are worth lampooning, because they at least show an understanding of him, which is essential to successful mockery. But portraying him as an anarchist white terrorist recently made famous by Heath Ledger? To prove what exactly? Or is even asking for a reason at this point a silly thing to do?
The Right To Be Human
Irish Times columnist John Waters claims "there is no 'human right' to be married." Norm Geras pounces:
Waters might like to consult Article 16 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It is, of course, true that many people never get married, but this no more shows that there is no human right to marry than the fact of there being large numbers of atheists shows there is no freedom of worship. The right to marry is not a claim right – such that you can insist on someone somewhere being obliged to marry you. But it is a liberty right; it entitles adults to get married if they can find willing partners. Gays are today claiming this right, and to deny its very existence is as feeble a form of opposition to their claim as you'll find.
Face Of The Day
These anonymous posters have been popping up around Los Angeles. It seems to be a new variant of “Obama is a terrorist” – or at least that he’s very, very scary. But as Robert Dougherty points out, the messaging gets a bit muddled from there:
The Joker was many things, but was hardly a socialist. In fact, the Joker is the polar opposite of a socialist, and anyone who watched The Dark Knight would know that.
Socialism is the result of an all powerful central government that runs every aspect of life – but the Joker subscribes to anarchy, one of socialism’s polar opposites. If the Joker was a socialist, he would be destroying Gotham in the name of an all powerful state. Instead, the self-described “agent of chaos” nearly brought down the state itself, and all of its most cherished institutions, so that nothing could bring order to Gotham.
Photos of the posters in action:
Obama’s Summer Dog Days
Not as bad as Romney‘s or Palin’s.
A Fundie Fumble
Something very strange happened when Khamenei announced Ahmadinejad the victor of the farcical “election.” They approached … and then:
Footage broadcast on state television shows the Supreme Leader and the President standing up. Ayatollah Khamenei passes Mr Ahmadinejad a letter confirming his election to a second term. The two men advance towards each other, smiling. The Supreme Leader’s hand is held out towards Mr Ahmadinejad but it is unclear if he withdraws it or the President ignores it. Mr Ahmadinejad ends up kissing Mr Khamenei’s robe somewhere near his left shoulder.
Which is somewhere near most people’s knees, by the way.
Qaeda’s PR Campaign
I guess they don't have George W. Bush to make their life easier any more.
The Dish 