Where have all those Obamenthusiasts who were so visible in 2008 been hiding this year? In this New Republic article Lydia DePillis seems to think that the problem is that Organizing For America has been run as a top-down organization, rather than as a bottom-up movement, giving the folks out there no sense of ownership. She asks, "Can a grassroots organization run in the top-down style of a political machine really accomplish much--let alone change the terms of debate on any given issue?"
I think there's something more going on here. Many Obamenthusiasts were thrilled by the idea of putting Obama in and getting George W. Bush out. They achieved their goal a year ago. What more is left? Did these people really expend all this energy to reduce the percentage of people without health insurance? "We are the change we are seeking," Obama said during the campaign. Well, the Obamenthusiasts got that change. Now they can go back to gardening or Sudoku. If this view is right, it doesn't matter much whether Organizing for America is lodged in the Democratic National Committee or not, or whether it's run top-down or bottom-up--the issues DePillis considers critical. If people aren't motivated to do an unnatural thing--and engaging in political activity is for most people an unnatural thing--they won't do it.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/02/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Well, lots of people (term used for purposes of reference) thought that once USA has a black president, the Millennium will come.
#4
I think a lot of Bambi's supporters are experiencing "buyers remorse" now that they see how his administrarion is raping our economy and Constitution.
#9
SPERO NEWS > OBAMA'S WAIT-N-SEE STRATEGY HISTORICALLY LEADS TO WAR.
ARTIC > among other, DURATIVE WORLD EMPIRES are those whose creation is mainly UN-INTENTIONAL - STRONGMEN OF ANTIQUITY WHOM PURPOSEFULLY SEEK TO CREATE PERMANENT OR LASTING EMPIRES EITHER FAIL OFFHAND, OR ELSE THEIR EMPIRES LAST ONLY A BRIEF TIME.
Also, US STRATEGY is histor most similar to GREAT BRITAIN'S [followed by ROME]. US POWER IS DECISIVE > iff it doesn't create peace amongst opposing or warring nations, it wreaks devastating havoc upon same vee US-specific Power.
VARIOUS MIL FORUM POSTERS > IFF [backward = 11th century] MUSLIMS = ISLAM CANNOT JOIN THE MODERN WORLD, THERE WILL BE NO PEACE [Evar!]; + INDIA is facing DE FACTO INTERNAL COLLAPSE IFF IT CANNOT STOP OR QUELL ITS EVER-RISING/ESCALATING MAOIST, etc. INSURGENCIES.
* PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > HILLARY WANTS [military] ACTION BEYOND WAZIRISTAN. PAK must attack and destroy ANY EACH AND ALL MILIT-TERR GROUPS WITHIN ITS TERRITORY, BIG + SMALL, NOT JUST THE TALIBAN, AL QAEDA, ETC.
Also, INDIA IS PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE WAR WITH CHINA AND PAKISTAN!? RECENT INDJUH-RUSS ARMS DEAL, wid New Delhi seen as ultimat intending vendor RUSS to serve as GEOPOL HEDGE AGZ CHINA???
#4
Islam is the religion of perpetual warfare, without it, it loses it's purpose.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
11/02/2009 10:55 Comments ||
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#5
To expand a little on Richard's comment - it appears as if the Caliphate only thrived as long as it had an constant intake of slaves and loot from fresh conquests, and dhimmi's paying disproportionate taxes. When they had conquered all that they could and squeezed it dry, and many of the dhimmis converted (and no longer had to pay jizaya), Western nation-states began to fight back against constant slave-raids - and being no longer able to utilize the skills of the newly conquered (not having internalized any of those skills themselves) - that's when the Islamic world began to wither on the vie. Rather like a shark - it had to keep moving, and continue conquering to survive.
#6
Wither on the vine, that is.
Curiously enough, I have read recently that the Third Reich was also economically dependent on conquest and fresh supplies of loot and slave-labor.Without fresh infusions of loot - they would have caved economically, if they hadn't been collapsed militarily.
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by Michael Barone
