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Really they do.

This is really just excellent writing, Frank. Really.

The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet. Winston Churchill

by r------ on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 11:47:54 AM EST
Many thanks, but I think my piece may have been at least subliminally inspired by yours on Nobody's crying for you, America..  Because I think the American people are being screwed as much as many others around the world, and it gives me no pleasure whatsoever to see this happening.

When I see McCain taking the lead in Presidential polls I really wonder sometimes what it will take to wake people up.  Only Americans can end the hypocrisies and the exploitations, but it would be wrong to say that Europeans do not sympathise with them in their plight.

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 01:05:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
You have been making similar points in your comments to various threads recently, so this reads like a synthesis you have been brewing for some time.

It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 04:59:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Well if it is, you are more prescient than I.  I just sat down and wrote it in one big splurge in half an hour, with little idea of what I was going to write beyond a vague sense that brilliant and all as Obama's patriotism/race speech was, there was an elephant in the room that the candidates did not seem to be addressing.  Why bail out the bankers when you can't even look after the basic needs of your own people?

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 07:48:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Well, there is this comment of yours to TBG's diary yesterday:

Frank Schnittger:

Contrast that with the sense of entitlement that Hilary seems to exude:  Its our turn as Democrats, and as Women, and as Liberals she seems to be saying.  It's about HER, not about YOU.

What is remarkable is that financial America is falling apart at the seams - and yet Obama gives it barely a thought.  Military America is suffering humiliation in Afghanistan and Iraq - he doesn't go there.

But you have one comment from 10 days ago in which the theme is already present in a form closer to that of this diary:

Frank Schnittger:

What I find strange about this crisis is the seeming disconnect with what passes for political debate in the US Presidential election.  Have McCain, Obama, Clinton et al given the slightest indication that they understand the magnitude of what is going on?  Does winning the Presidency depend on reflecting the voters apparent denial/ignorance of what is going on?  It seems that the reality of the financial meltdown and the failure of the "reform" ideology is so far out of sync with the comfortable cliches of politics-as-you-were that we are in danger of providing a democratic mandate to Neroism - a collective fiddling while Rome burns.


It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 21st, 2008 at 03:55:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Touche - I'd forgotten I wrote that.  Somehow I always consider comments to be more in the way of instant response, throwaway, or fun remarks which I don't keep a separate physical or mental record of - whereas a diary is, or should be, more in the way of a considered view which you might have to stand-by, justify, or admit as mistaken some time later - the sort of thing that can come back to haunt you if a stranger googles your name.

This particular diary came out of the blue, whereas I have perhaps 20 others planned which I may write if time and inspiration permits and if I can do the necessary homework to feel I can say something worthwhile.  Maybe sometime I should do a "meta diary" on all the topics I would like to write on but don't yet feel able - and invite everyone else to chip in their topics - and then perhaps a few collaborative diaries might emerge.

Anyway, many thanks. I feel honoured that anyone would read and recall my comments so closely  - I'd better be more careful about what I say in the future!

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Mar 21st, 2008 at 08:11:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Well, I'm behind in my reading and I was just catching up on some recent comments to Jerome's diary, so I had just recently reread your old comment.

However, regarding comments, at least on this site comment threads are as valuable and valued as diaries. I have a tendency to develop ideas in comments over time, which sometimes results in a synthesis diary.

It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 21st, 2008 at 01:06:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I don't keep up with all the US election discussions so this may have been said elsewhere but I can't help wondering if Americans consider Bush to be the problem rather than the Republican way itself?  

Maybe the line of thought with some Americans is that McCain isn't Bush so things couldn't possibly be as bad if he were President and there is a failure to realise that McCain isn't offering any solutions to the problems Bush has caused.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sat Mar 22nd, 2008 at 04:29:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I think there is a lot to that, particularly as McCain has been on the opposite side to Bush on certain key debates such as that on torture.  The larger problem is that American politics is very personalised and often very much revolves around the issue of the "character" of the candidates themselves.

Unlike France, where there is a strongly held view that a candidate's private life is his own business, his/her character is often of the essence in the US.  Thus Elliot Spitzer had to resign as New York Governor for engaging a call girl service without almost no consideration of the key role he has been playing in exposing corporate malpractice in Wall Street.  Surely the most important current issue in that state.

The debate about the Presidential candidates - McCain, Clinton and Obama almost always revolves around their personal qualities rather than around their policies and party/business/political affiliations and the interests they represent.  Part of this is a media creation - it is very hard to interview an abstract concept like an "interest" and most people are bored by the minutae of policy debates.

The personal hatred and vitriol which accompanies "political" debates on US blogs and media is quite shocking to an outsider more used to the concept that people are people and what matters is policy, allegiances and competence.

I also can't help feeling that a lot of this has to do with the very individualistic form of religion which has evolved in the US where it is all about having a personal Saviour and about your personal responsibility and moral probity - as if all else follows from that.  Thus Bush was really only doing God's work...

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Sat Mar 22nd, 2008 at 04:48:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Frank Schnittger:
Unlike France, where there is a strongly held view that a candidate's private life is his own business
You mean there was before Sarkozy came along.

It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Mar 24th, 2008 at 11:48:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Well yes and no - Sarkozy has certainly made an exhibition of himself, but it is anything but clear that the French electorate approve

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Mon Mar 24th, 2008 at 01:08:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
If the press get used to it (and Sarkozyś friends own the press) then it will set the expectations of the press for the next Presidential term.

It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Mar 26th, 2008 at 03:24:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Once you let the genie of public prurience out of the bottle, it is very hard to put it back in again.  Even if the public wanted to maintain the tradition of respect for privacy, it is not in the interests of the media to respect this.  So you are probably right, Sarkozy has changed the ball game - and probably for ever, if not for good.

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Wed Mar 26th, 2008 at 05:27:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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