Sunday Reflection - Remembering The Forgotten

"There’s only one thing worse than enduring brutal conflict, escaping your homeland, leaving behind everything you know, abandoning your dreams, risking your life, becoming destitute, being abused, fragmenting your family, watching your children suffer and losing loved ones, and it is this: arriving at a place you think is a haven only to be told you will likely be sent back. No one is sure when. No one is sure where. That is the definition of futility — and it’s cruel. Because no one chooses to be a refugee. Refugees are refugees because the alternative used to be death. Now, there’s a worse option: a living death. That is what I saw on Lesbos."  -- Queen Rania of Jordan on the world's "deafness" toward Syrian refugees after visiting a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos recently. Sometimes we become distracted or hardened to the suffering of people we don't see or hear, except perhaps fleetingly on our televisions.  But the question remains, what do we do?  For that, Fareed Zakaria has some suggestions for U.S. policymakers.

Thanks to our dear friend and big-hearted person P.E.C. for focusing us.

The Hypocrites Of Thanksgiving

Harold Meyerson tells us why on Thanksgiving, our "holiday of refugee commemoration," a certain party began to lose the spirit of the day long ago:

In Trump, the Republicans’ Southern Strategy — pioneered by Barry Goldwater and perfected by Ronald Reagan — has hit bottom. Just as the Southern economic elites found they could count on the electoral support of the region’s largely impoverished white working class by steering those workers’ resentment at their lot toward even more impoverished African Americans, so today’s Republicans look at their own (no longer just Southern) white working-class supporters — whose jobs have been offshored and whose paychecks have been shrunk by indifferent financiers and corporate executives — and steer their resentment toward immigrants and minorities.

Trump’s distinctive contribution to this decades-long process has been the rawness of his racism, the thuggish tone of his speech and the huge growth of anti-minority police powers that he has championed. In proposing to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants and their U.S. citizen children, in suggesting that the government monitor mosques , he has positioned the Republican Party much closer to fascism than to the libertarianism toward which some mistakenly believed the GOP was headed.  [snip]

It’s all a far cry from the spirit of the holiday we celebrate today. For today’s Republicans — including Trump’s rival candidates afraid to call him out for what he is — celebrating Thanksgiving is an act of high hypocrisy.  (our emphasis)

Meyerson is right about the historical antecedents, but we don't think there's much hope for the post- truth Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid/ Crazy Party to steer in a different direction.  This is a party, ubiquitous right-wing media, and "conservative movement" that has for decades trafficked in lies, racism, sexism, nativism, homophobia, etc. ad nauseam -- in all, presenting a perverted vision of what America means and what it means to be an American.  This is part of their DNA, it's been their ticket to power, and it's not going to go away because a candidate or Republican graybeard calls it out today, tomorrow, or the next day.

Even cancelling out "Rump" Trump, you might have in his place a more clever and dangerous demagogue =cough= "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz =cough= or a slick cipher whose views don't stray all that far from Trump's =cough= Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio =cough=.  No, steering in a different direction isn't going to happen this election cycle, at the very least.

Elsewhere on the once great Washington Post's Bezos Bugle's editorial page today, the editorial board references the novel "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis - a fantasy about how fascism came to America during the depths of the Great Depression - as a cautionary tale for our times.  Of course, it didn't happen in the 1930's because, thanks to the leadership of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Americans' faith in democratic institutions was strengthened.  However,

That faith in government has eroded in recent times, and the United States’ commitment to toleration is being tested by would-be leaders who seem to find it an impediment to their ambitions. But the truth is that our society relies on the kind of gratitude we express today — specifically on a “grateful acknowledgment” of the respect we owe to one another and to the principles of fairness, decent governance and free expression that underlie our good fortune in living here.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Biden "Sets The Record Straight" On Refugees, ISIS And American Values

With President Obama wrapping up his overseas trip, it was left to Vice President Biden to do the Weekly Address, and we must say "way to go, Joe!"

Let's Pause To Laugh At Republican Charlatans (Then Let's Defeat Them)

The nightly shows are hitting the bed- wetting Republicans on their craven, politically opportunistic approach to Syrian refugees.  Let's see Seth Meyers and Steven Colbert do their things.



A little fact checking on the claims that billions/ millions/ hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees are headed here (per pathological liars "Snarly" Carly Fiorina, "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz and Rump Trump):  the number proposed is actually 10,000).



Satire exposes the charlatans and crackpots for what they are.  But we must not forget that there will be real victims should this Republican onslaught (abetted by some spineless, awful "Democrats") continue.  Too many -- what's the nicest way to put it -- low-information Americans are all too susceptible to Republican appeals to fear and hatred.  The response to this from us must be strong and relentless if there's any hope of salvaging our sense of "what we're about" as a Nation.

In case there's any question whether the Syrian refugee issue is one of principle or a political hatchet for Republicans, there's this:

Republicans say they'll use the vote on the House bill in political ads during next year's presidential election.

"We'll crucify them," said a senior House GOP aide.

That's the vicious nihilism that needs to be defeated.

Morning Reading - The Party Of Fear And Loathing

As we note in the post below, the rhetoric on the right has surpassed ugly and has entered darkly dangerous territory.  Here are a few worthwhile takes on this phenomenon (more here).

Paul Krugman on Republicans fleeing into their panic rooms:

What explains the modern right’s propensity for panic? Part of it, no doubt, is the familiar point that many bullies are also cowards. But I think it’s also linked to the apocalyptic mind-set that has developed among Republicans during the Obama years.

Think about it. From the day Mr. Obama took office, his political foes have warned about imminent catastrophe. Fiscal crisis! Hyperinflation! Economic collapse, brought on by the scourge of health insurance! And nobody on the right dares point out the failure of the promised disasters to materialize, or suggest a more nuanced approach.  [snip]

The context also explains why Beltway insiders were so foolish when they imagined that the Paris attacks would deflate Donald Trump’s candidacy, that Republican voters would turn to establishment candidates who are serious about national security.

Who, exactly, are these serious candidates? And why would the establishment, which has spent years encouraging the base to indulge its fears and reject nuance, now expect that base to understand the difference between tough talk and actual effectiveness?  (our emphasis)

Since they're indulged in their fears and don't understand the difference between political posturing and effectiveness,  the Republican base's fear and loathing pleasure points will continue to be deep- massaged by the despicable charlatans running for president on their side.  Meanwhile, the Richmond Times-Dispatch tells those who would react in such a way to "get a grip:"

Americans like to think of themselves as brave and strong. But a good portion of them are acting very weak and frightened.

In response to the Paris attacks, many want to bar entry by Syrian refugees — all of them, including even (as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie put it) orphans under 5. This despite the fact that refugees undergo exhaustive scrutiny before being permitted on U.S. soil.  [snip]

Never to be outdone in the lunacy Olympics, Donald Trump is leaving open the possibility of forcing Muslims — including not just refugees but U.S. citizens — to register with the government as such, and perhaps even carry special ID. (No word on whether that might be a yellow star or crescent.)

Instead of taking those suggestions, perhaps America should — oh, maybe stop the bed-wetting, for example. Then pull up its big-boy pants — and get a grip.  (our emphasis)

It's gotten so bad even a Christian right leader is shocked:

Russell Moore, the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, told BuzzFeed News on Thursday that he was shocked by the “overheated” rhetoric being employed by high-profile politicians in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris.

“Donald Trump is saber-rattling about shutting down mosques in this country, which, as somebody who works every day on religious liberty, I’m astounded that we could have a presidential candidate of either party speaking in such a way,” Moore said

“Evangelicals should recognize that any president who would call for shutting down houses of worship … is the sort of political power that can ultimately shut down evangelical churches."

Moore was also critical of candidates like Ted Cruz who are now arguing that the U.S. should only accept Christian refugees from Syria, not Muslims.

“I don’t think we ought to have a religious test for our refugee policy,” Moore said...

With the cooperation of attention- seeking, puerile media at all levels, Republicans are likely to continue to play to the fears of the public (it's guaranteed that, if you are watching even your local news, it's been featuring those "how safe are we?" pieces).  Irresponsible behavior is expected on the right;  for them, it's all about changing the narrative, driving down poll numbers for Democrats and fatuously adopting the mantle of the national security party (with dumbasses like Trump and Carson? "Tailgunner Ted?"  J.E.B.!?  please).  It's clear that indulging this fear mongering and intolerance is both factually and morally wrong.  Will they get away with it?  We'll see who has the courage to stand up and face them down.

Craven Democrats Join Despicable Republicans, Pass House Bill Discouraging (Muslim) Refugees

(click on image to enlarge)

(Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

You can amend that logo on Rob Rogers' lifeguard chair above, because there are despicable, craven Democrats playing into ISIS' hands, too:

Forty-seven House Democrats broke with the White House on Thursday to vote for a bill aimed at pausing admittance of Syrian and Iraqi refugees by adding requirements to an already lengthy screening process, and putting pressure on intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security officials to act with caution.  [snip]

The bill passed 289-137 --  with enough support to override a veto, should there be one.

Makes you proud.  Another reason we don't contribute to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee - you might actually help one of these unprincipled cowards get re-elected.

(In case you missed the connection, here's the tragic picture the cartoon was based on.)

UPDATE:  Here are the 47 (in italics).

Yet Another Reason Why Chuck Schumer Should Never Lead Senate Democrats

Following his backstabbing of President Obama on the Iran nuclear agreement, Wall Street protector Sen. Charles "Up Chuck" Schumer (Likud-NY) is now backstabbing President Obama on the resettlement of Syrian refugees:

Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), the third ranking member of the Senate Democratic leadership, on Tuesday said it may be necessary to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States.

Republicans immediately seized on Schumer’s comment, which breaks with other Democrats who have argued against halting the program.

How much of this are Senate Democrats going to take from the man who is in line to be Senate Minority Leader once Harry Reid retires?  Will it all be about how much money Schumer put in their campaign war chests, or will it be about principle? 

Dick Durbin may not be perfect, but he's a whole lot better than this schmuck.

(Photo:  Please stick that digit where the sun doesn't shine, Sen. Schumer.)

Today's Face Asking To Be Punched

Smarmy demagogue Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz (R-Calgary), a man whose face was made for radio and whose voice was made for silent movies, is imagining that the President somehow noticed his grubby little campaign:



Of course, the President mentioned none of the knuckle dragging Republicans by name in his remarks.  Being a desperate, lying demagogue, Cruz needed to pull himself up several dozen notches to a level where he, fierce orphan- and widow- battler "Tailgunner Ted," could go mano a mano with President Obama.  As David A. Hopkins put it:

Obama was clearly referring to multiple Republicans; if his remarks responded to any particular candidate, it was Chris Christie, who had earlier explicitly ruled out accepting "orphans under the age of five" for resettlement in America. Today, however, it was Ted Cruz who acted as if Obama had attacked him personally. [snip]

It seems clear from his statement that Cruz was ready to jump on any opportunity to start a fight with Obama, even if Obama had failed to do him the favor of mentioning him specifically. I have previously suggested that the popularity of Donald Trump and Ben Carson in the current Republican nomination race is a reflection of the formidable power of anti-Obamaism in the contemporary GOP. Cruz's potential path to the nomination almost certainly requires attracting a significant fraction of the Republican vote that is currently parked behind Trump and Carson, so it is in his particular interest to distinguish himself as an Obama antagonist in order to appeal to those voters if and when the Trump and Carson candidacies fade.

That's Today's Face Asking To Be Punched (figuratively speaking, of course).

President Obama Comments On Cowardly Republicans Feeding The Terrorist Narrative

More, please:

“When you start seeing individuals in positions of responsibility suggesting that Christians are more worthy of protection than Muslims are in a war-torn land, that feeds the ISIL narrative,” the president continued. “It’s counterproductive, and it needs to stop.”

“When candidates [Chris "Krispykreme" Christie] say, we wouldn’t admit three-year-old orphans — that’s political posturing. When individuals [J.E.B.!, Rupert "Aargh" Murdoch, and "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz] say that we should have a religious test and that only Christians — proven Christians — should be admitted — that’s offensive and contrary to American values.” 

“These are the same folks oftentimes who suggest that they’re so tough that just talking to Putin or staring down ISIL, or using some additional rhetoric somehow is going to solve the problems out there,” he said.

“But apparently, they’re scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America as part of our tradition of compassion. First, they were worried about the press being too tough on them during debates. Now they’re worried about three-year-old orphans. That doesn’t sound very tough to me.”  (our emphasis)

If there's anything more revealing of the sham "Christian," racist, xenophobic, small bore Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid/ Crazy Party, trying to score political points off of wretched refugees (the vast, vast majority of whom aren't even coming to America) has to be the clincher.  This, from the group of chickenhawk neo- cons who bungled us into Iraq, paving the way for ISIS.

Giving credit where due, some right- wing Republican scribes aren't happy with their party's ugly stance:  see here, here, here and here.

UPDATE:  Waaaaah!  The wittle wepublican babies are cwying!

Today's Dispatches From The Stupid Party - On The Road From Damascus Edition

The caucus of crazy, racist demagogues calling themselves the Republican Party are responding as expected to the terrorist attacks in Paris.  You can get a summary of their ugliness here, so we're just going to focus on a few representative comments from one of their never- going- to- be- President candidates, the Albert Schweitzer of the Ozarks and "Christian" minister (!) former Gov. Mike "Huckster" Huckabee (American Taliban- AR):

"It's time to wake up and smell the falafel...What we saw in Paris was the result of open borders in Europe."  -- to Fox "News'" Bret Baier.  No, Jethro, it was not the result of open borders; they were largely homegrown terrorists.  Nice dig with the "falafel," though.  We're surprised you even know about that.

Wait, there's more:

“Can you imagine bringing in a bunch of Syrian refugees who’ve lived in the desert their whole lives that are suddenly thrown into an English speaking community? Where it’s maybe in Minnesota where it is 20 degrees below zero? I mean just I don’t understand what we possibly can be thinking.” -- on the John Gibson show.   They're called coats, Jethro.  You put coats on, and boots.  Also, if you lived in an urban area like Damascus or Aleppo, you were hardly living in the desert.  Finally, you might want to consult with the Hmong people who were transplanted from subtropical Southeast Asia nearly 40 years ago to Minnesota;  they appear to have survived the ordeal, you bulbous cornpone jackass.

Make it stop - our brains hurt.

The Human Tide From Syria

The mounting humanitarian crisis of Syrian refugees trekking across central Europe has been unevenly responded to by EU members.  Of the countries with transiting refugees, Hungary has been the least welcoming, mobilizing police to keep them moving quickly and providing no meaningful aid as they continue to Austria and on to Germany, which is proving to be the most willing to accept them in addition to Sweden, France and the UK, which have agreed to accept tens of thousands.

In the immediate region of Syria, Lebanon stands out as a haven for the displaced:  nearly one out of four people in Lebanon is a now Syrian refugee.  Turkey and Jordan have also taken in thousands, and their humanitarian aid resources are straining under the sheer numbers.  In stark contrast, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, and Egypt have taken in none or very, very few Syrian refugees, so it appears that Saudi Arabia and other reactionary Muslim states care far less about the suffering of their fellow Muslims than the people of Europe.

Here in the U.S., beyond offering financial and logistical support to countries hosting the refugees, the political reality consists of a Islamophobic / Trumpian party that will take up arms rather than allow one Syrian family in the U.S.  Maybe that will change, but not before other Aylan Kurdis perish in this inhuman situation.