The Republicans attempt diplomacy on their own

[Cyborg Girl]

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2 ... won-t-last

by directly bypassing the President and his advisers, and sending their own open letter to the Iranian leadership.

I find this absolutely terrifying.

[Rommie]

I find it utterly fucking insane just because if you were truly worried about Obama acting weak on Iran this is just about the best way to show that American leadership is weak. Which is probably what they wanted to go for, ie that Obama is too weak to "control" them, but is far more damaging in the long run than anything IMO.

[Swift]

I find it utterly fucking insane just because if you were truly worried about Obama acting weak on Iran this is just about the best way to show that American leadership is weak. Which is probably what they wanted to go for, ie that Obama is too weak to "control" them, but is far more damaging in the long run than anything IMO.

Of course that is what they wanted.

The Republicans seem obsessed to do anything they possibly can to fuck over Obama, even things that are self destructive to themselves and to the US. Even when he adopts their position, they go against it. It is so pathological that I am forced to assume this is beyond even ideology and approaches some sort of psychosis. It traces all the way back to the birthers and has stayed that crazy since then. I am forced to believe at its root is fundamental racism and they just have to do everything they possibly can to destroy that uppity nigger.

And no, none of that was meant as a joke.

I did write to my Republican Senator (Portman), who signed the letter, and essentially called him a traitor (though I don't technically think they are guilty of treason; just stupidity).

[Rommie]

Yeah it's not really treason so much as sedition.

I think you're really right when it comes to the anti-Obama stuff in that the root is in racism for the criticisms he gets. I do also think (perhaps as a result of not wanting to address the insane crazies) Obama/ his administration does a bad job of explaining their plans, which does not help matters.

[SciFi Chick]

Yeah it's not really treason so much as sedition.

I think you're really right when it comes to the anti-Obama stuff in that the root is in racism for the criticisms he gets. I do also think (perhaps as a result of not wanting to address the insane crazies) Obama/ his administration does a bad job of explaining their plans, which does not help matters.

The thing is - Obama's no worse than any other politician when it comes to communication, and when it comes to speechifying, he's one of the best. They really are just racist. It's quite disappointing to discover that racism is still so embedded in the circles of power.

[pumpkinpi]

Is this true? Did the 47 just get pwned by Iran?

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/03/11 ... op-letter/

[Sigma_Orionis]

NPR seem to think so

Here's the response from Iran, direct from the horse's mouth.

Dr. Zarif`s Response to the Letter of US Senators

[Rommie]

Yeah it's not really treason so much as sedition.

I think you're really right when it comes to the anti-Obama stuff in that the root is in racism for the criticisms he gets. I do also think (perhaps as a result of not wanting to address the insane crazies) Obama/ his administration does a bad job of explaining their plans, which does not help matters.

The thing is - Obama's no worse than any other politician when it comes to communication, and when it comes to speechifying, he's one of the best. They really are just racist. It's quite disappointing to discover that racism is still so embedded in the circles of power.

To me, though, that implies that he should double down and work harder at explaining things (and not just in speeches). Does it suck that there are racist douchebags who require you to sell yourself all the more? Of course it does, just as much as it sucks that many women in my field need to work much harder just to be considered equal to guys. But you need to take these realities into account.

I will also stand by my original assertion- that his administration has not communicated well (which isn't necessarily to do with his own personal oratory skills, though they of course help). They actually admitted as much in the 2010 elections when the tea party first got into Congress, ie the fact that they did a way better job rallying their base pre-election. But honestly, voter turnout in the mid-term elections (especially the most recent) were phenomenally bad not so much because people were switching parties so much as those who originally voted for Obama weren't turning out to vote. Presumably these people aren't racist jerks if they voted for him once before (or even twice!), and sure mid-terms are always rough, but there was a lack of connection based on the sheer numbers who didn't come out to vote.

[Swift]

I will also stand by my original assertion- that his administration has not communicated well (which isn't necessarily to do with his own personal oratory skills, though they of course help).

I have to agree strongly with Rommie on this. Overall, the Obama administration has done a fairly mediocre job on communications. That is even more surprising given how excellent an orator Obama can be. He's recent speech on the 50th anniversary of the Selma march was inspirational, for example.

But overall I think they've done a poor job on communicating positions to the general public. Maybe a C+ overall.

The fact that the RNC and Fox News deliberately lie to undermine him just makes things even worse.

[bogdweller]

The Republicans seem obsessed to do anything they possibly can to fuck over Obama, even things that are self destructive to themselves and to the US. Even when he adopts their position, they go against it. It is so pathological that I am forced to assume this is beyond even ideology and approaches some sort of psychosis. It traces all the way back to the birthers and has stayed that crazy since then. I am forced to believe at its root is fundamental racism and they just have to do everything they possibly can to destroy that uppity nigger.

Indeed, when I think about how the republicans used to queue up to suck Bill Clinton's ****, it's hard to reach any other conclusion. But, I am glad your own credentials in the area of race relations are so impeccable, because, as you said in a thread about a Cuban-American politician you don't like, karma's a bitch.

So that brings me to the reason I have actually taken the extraordinary action of signing up at this board and talking to you. I need the help of someone like yourself, who has expertise in determining who is and who is not a racist. You see, here in Asia, a lot of people are convinced that your country is full of racists, and they're not just talking about republicans. Let me give you a few examples, one ancient and two modern, which might help you understand why so many people here feel that way.

First, perhaps you remember the 1980s, when your country was swept up in a mass hysteria about Japan. At that time, Japanese firms were competing successfully against American firms in many industries, the uppity yellow bastards thinking they were actually entitled to compete on equal terms with good white people. Furthermore, many people in your country, despite living in a land with one of the highest income levels in the world, were perpetually bankrupt, because they spent all their money instead of saving it. The Japanese, many of whom saved some of their money, were therefore able to buy a number of landmark properties in your country, and even outbid Americans for some very famous pieces of art. The news were full of stories of how the Japanese were buying up America. Of course, nobody went into a panic over the British buying up America, even though British investment in the US was twice the level of Japanese investment. So, a lot of people around here think the reason for that is, that most British people are white, and most Japanese people are not.

Second, your president recently gave a speech in which he expressed his regret that a terrorist campaign of his killed two people in Pakistan. Now, those acting at his direction have killed more innocent civilians than al-Qaeda can dream of, so people around here can't help but wonder why he apologised for murdering these two, and not thousands of others. They can't help but notice an odd coincidence; the two who got the apology (but who remain just as dead as they were before the apology) are white westerners, and most of the others are not. They see this, and can't help but wonder if the victim of racism in your narrative, is not motivated by racism himself.

Third, if one cruises the internet, one might find message boards like this one. At such boards, one finds some rather interesting characters. For example, I came across an American who reports an income which places him the top few percent in the world, far above where most Asians are. This individual, despite being close to the top of the global economic pyramid, is rather bothered by the fact that some people are even richer than he is, and has explained in some detail what he would do to correct this gross injustice. But, lest any Asians get the idea that his largesse extends to them, in the very same thread, he complains about the world's other great injustice, that his firm might actually hire Asians to do the job instead of him. So people around here see someone far richer than they are, whining about the existence of people who are even richer, and simultaneously whining about how his position near the top of the global pyramid is under threat from uppity Asians who don't know that, although it's perfectly OK for them as consumers to buy Coca-Cola, Levi jeans, and Boeing airplanes, when it comes to production, their proper place is in the world of subsistence farming, not competing against Americans.

So it's stories like these that cause Asians to think many Americans are racist. But, I figured an American would be a better judge of who is and who is not racist than a bunch of ignorant Asians. So what do you think? Are the people in the three stories above motivated by racism?

[geonuc]

So that brings me to the reason I have actually taken the extraordinary action of signing up at this board and talking to you.

You signed up on an internet discussion forum to post an inflammatory screed? Truly extraordinary. You're a trailblazer.

Instead of what you actually posted, you might try doing so without implying intent and motivations not in evidence. For example, you conclude with

But, I figured an American would be a better judge of who is and who is not racist than a bunch of ignorant Asians.

strongly implying that Swift carries himself as an expert in race relations and also considers Asians to be ignorant. Neither is even remotely close to being accurate.

You obviously have an opinion. My opinion is that you'll do better to express yourself here without stupidly attacking another member.

[SciFi Chick]

What geonuc said. And, quite frankly, I wouldn't be at all surprised or concerned if swift just ignores you altogether.

Normally, we welcome new people to the board, but unless you show something other than inflammatory, illogical, rants, you probably won't be welcome here. And it has nothing to do with whether or not you're white.