in re 101 —
Another glowing testimonial from a satisfied customer!
Still waiting for some actual evidence Naked Capitalism is “neoliberal.”

Posted by: rufus magister | Dec 28 2015 0:06 utc | 104

chipnik@55,
comment about massoud assassination then 2 days later etc.,
nope, they didn’t time it like that. it’s certainly true that ubl wanted his ass dead before the projected usian invasion of afganistan after 911, but the ‘journalists’ had been there for almost a month waiting for massoud to take some time off from his schedule. cite: Steve Coll – ‘Ghost Wars’ interview of Massoud’s assistant.

Posted by: sillybill | Dec 28 2015 22:24 utc | 106

@104
My bullsh!t filter is working just fine. Now its telling me that you’re trying to cover your transgressions by attacking me.
Anyone that cares to peruse our interaction on this thread will no doubt come to the same conclusions that I have:

1) You are shilling for Hillary
Your protests (lies) to the contrary don’t negate the evidence that you are: you chose to make the lesser-evil pitch despite knowing of the concerns that Sanders may be a ‘sheepdog’ for the Democratic Party; you now say that you are NOT a Sander’s supporter despite having praised him in the past; you sneer at those that are critical of Hillary / seek real change.
2) You lied about being a socialist
No real socialist would argue that Hillary is a lesser-evil or disparage those that seek real change. And you have admitted that you are not a Sanders supporter, despite having praised him in the past.
3) You have engaged in similar dishonesty in the past
Claiming to support Palestinian rights but excusing Israeli state murder by a similar lesser-evil argument (comparing Israel to the Nazis).
4) You seek to disparage/discredit me as revenge or cover, or both.
That’s not going to work, and its not going to negate what has been revealed.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Dec 29 2015 12:11 utc | 108

in re 110 —
You don’t even qualify as a fucking liberal activist, so please do not lecture me on socialism.
And what is it that you believe in anyway — aside from your own wisdom and importance, that is?
Let’s see, you jump into the thread to fabricate some sort of heresy charge against me, but you’re not the Thought Police? You go through some tortuous “logic” to get to it, e.g. at 109, and mark off acceptable and unacceptable limits to discussion at 100.
Like describing is not endorsing, seeing good in what Sanders is doing is not supporting him.
I’m not seeking to discredit you, you’re doing a fine job on your own. I am trying to find out exactly what are your qualifications to be arbiter of all thought and the embodiment of the spirit of MofA.
You really should consider branching out into conspiracy theory. Your attitude that your opponents are lying on you and only you have any brains plays really well with fans of tin-foil haberdashery. Willful misreadings are useful there, too.

Posted by: rufus magister | Dec 29 2015 13:10 utc | 110

in re 112 —
What a fucking moron.

Posted by: rufus magister | Dec 29 2015 23:36 utc | 112

I nearly forgot why I dropped by — news from the East.
Alexander Mercouris continues to produce top-shelf material for Russia Insider. His latest article reports that the “Appointment of Boris Gryzlov to represent Russia on the Contact Group brings a key Russian decision maker into the heart of the crisis.” It describes him as heavy-weight; he’s a member of the Russian Federation Security Council, with far more means and capabilities to “git ‘er done” than the Russian officials presently tasked.

As for the reasons for Gryzlov’s appointment, it is surely connected to Russian frustration with the deadlock in the Minsk process.
Not only has the Ukrainian government entirely failed to carry out the political commitments it made in February in Minsk, but the military situation in the Donbass is deteriorating once more.

Fort Russ has a number of articles on the Crimean Tatars’ involvement with Turkey and Kiev. Rada member Mustafa Dzhemilev wants to repopulate the Kherson region. He spoke with Erdogan about it.

[W]e are interested in strengthening the Ukrainian presence in Kherson region. There are too many ‘vatniki’ [‘quilted jackets’ – Russians – FR]. Even the authorities keep these “two-headed chickens” in case the Russians come.

That Turkey is Funding a Crimean-Tatar Battalion to Recapture Crimea in not news, nor is the involvement of the Tatars (with Pravyi Sektor) in the recent Crimean blockade. That the formation is growing to battalion size, and is accepting all comers, is news.
Lenur Islyamov, coordinator of the blockade, says “We are open to all citizens — whether they are Turks, Persians or anyone else [read: Islamic terrorists – KR]. He adds that the Ukrainians, Turks, and Tatars are “close to us by blood. We are one people. This is our land.” This may come as a surprise to Slavs and Turks alike.
This additional report has Islyamov saying Turkey is beating the junta to the punch on equipping the battalion. It also has acquired a more formal name. It now commemorates Noman Çelebicihan, a poet who lead a brief attempt by the Tatar minority to proclaim a brief Republic. A traditional tribal assembly elected him President, so it was all perfectly democratic. Except of course for consulting the Russian and Ukrainian majority. The Black Sea Fleet put an end to it.

Posted by: rufus magister | Dec 30 2015 1:44 utc | 114

I see it now! I see how your ‘lesser-evil’ comment was meant to correct FTH. And I also recognize that your saying that Hillary was less ‘fascist’ was less flattering to Hillary than just saying something to the effect that “the media got it right this time”.
When I wrote my initial response to your “lesser-evil” comment, I didn’t know that you were responding to FTH because of the number mix-up. And even when I belatedly discovered that you were responding to FTH, I didn’t at first grasp the full import of that because our interaction on the thread had colored by perception.
Its not my intention to disparage or harass you. I have been expecting Hillary supporters to make a lesser-evil pitch and I thought that you were early (very early) in doing so. In this context, I saw your comment @88 as both confirming and extending a transgression for which there was (actually) no basis.
It was incorrect to say that your protests/denials were covering for your advocacy. And I am sincerely sorry that I didn’t recognize my misunderstanding when you noted @98 that you were responding to FTH (I didn’t read @98 thoroughly at the time).
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
Although you initially set out to correct FTH @39, your comment @88 actually does reflect ‘lesser evil’ thinking. IMO, scoffing at the possibility of “overthrow[ing] capital before the elections next year” implies supporting the lesser evil (Democratic Party) candidate. But it is not actually making a ‘lesser-evil’ case.
And I disagree with your Trump-Hillary comparison. FTH is right that Trump is being LABELED as a fascist by his critics/detractors. Trump has NOT expressed a superiority doctrine – something which I think is necessary for Nazi-style fascism. In fact, he believes that USA has been dumb/foolish in its dealings with the world. Hillary, however, has been supportive of the Neocons, who -do- have a superiority doctrine – exceptionalism. (Aside: in an earlier time, Sanders would’ve unjustly been called ‘proto-Communist’.)
These concerns don’t rise to a level that warrants rebuke.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Dec 30 2015 17:38 utc | 116

in re 117, 118
Your rather unapologetic apology is firmly rejected. It is of a piece of dissembling, especially your account of your little numbering “mistake”. Towards what end it was offered I am totally indifferent.
Your rare foray into facts is of more interest. I can see why you avoid them and prefer straw men and rhetorical tricks.
“Trump has NOT expressed a superiority doctrine,” you write, adding it is “something which I think is necessary for Nazi-style fascism.”
As is typical, you again reveal your willful ignorance of obvious facts. Fascism is a form of conservative, populist nationalism with many variants. The Nazis’ racialism was an extreme version, Mussolini’s glorification of the Italian past was far more typical. Fascism in the Italian or Spanish mode would be bad enough, and far more likely.
Trump certainly qualifies as a jingoistic nationalist. We’ll overlook the obvious message of his “Make America Great Again” hats. But isn’t that the bottom line on “taking our country back,” as our Tea Party friends (warning – this is sarcasm, OK?) so loudly declaim? Those damn minorities, immigrants, city slickers, and unbelievers, who the hell do they think they are? Citizens? Voters? We’ll show them. (Again, sarcasm)
In this, Trump is merely a very loud, vulgar, media-savvy version of American Exceptionalism. I think even you would agree that this default position for bourgeois politicians would qualify as “a superiority doctrine.” But I only have an advanced degree (Soviet History) and 30 years of political activity under my belt, so what the hell do I know? Maybe you’ll accept the analysis of Eric Rauchway, a professor at UC/Davis.
And of course there was absolutely no racism in his proposal to build a wall on the border with Mexico. Or in rejecting Syrian refugees. Nor would critics getting beaten up and thrown out of his rallies have any fascist overtones, right? And a fascist would never, ever claim that someone else’s oil really belonged to us, so let’s bomb the crap out of ‘em and take it, would they?
Plenty of sarcasm in those last two paragraphs; I know you’re irony- and humor-challenged, so pace yourself.
Walsh at Counterpunch offers no proof of any racial animus on Mrs. Clinton’s part in her pursuit of war in the Middle East, where our aims are largely economic and geo-strategic. I see similarities in technique, so not surprising you cited him.
She’s got plenty of blood on her hands, but that’s part of the job description of Senator, First Lady, and Secretary of State, no? It is disingenuous to suggest, as Walsh seems to, that Mrs. Clinton somehow bears sole responsibility for the rise of ISIS. The embargo of Iraq was small potatoes compared to the two Gulf Wars.
There is plenty of evidence for Trump’s reactionary views and political inconsistency. Were his putative foreign policy be put into effect (is it what he really thinks, would his likely cabinet appointees, the apparat, and the Republican Congress go along?), I would still count his domestic effect as extremely damaging and negative.
So I wonder who’s gettin’ the Klan vote? David Duke says, give it to the Donald. Says Trump’s rhetoric is more radical than his own patter these days, as well, and “that’s a positive and negative.” He’s also popular amongst the wider white nationalist ultra-right (i.e., fascists). “Stormfront – which is infamous for being the web’s first major racial hate site – reported that the site sees a traffic increase of up to 40 per cent when Trump hits headlines.” They see him as legitimizing their politics.
Not too surprising, as the Trumps have a little history with racism. Like a 1975 consent decree on discrimination in housing.
Maybe Walsh could tell us where all the Klansmen lovin’ them some Hillary be? Probably the same spot as Trump’s black, Mexican and Islamic voters.
Please do note my care with words – I approved of Butterfield’s description of Trump and his supporters as “proto-fascists,” arguing that more severe crisis is a precondition for the full flowering of this noxious weed.
Neocons as fascists – Christ, is that bloody careless. I don’t like ‘em, I have many words for them, none good, but I wouldn’t use that one. You of course don’t really believe that, right, but thought it made Mrs. Clinton look bad so you could declare victory.
So let’s get freakin’ real – whatever baneful influence they hold over Democratic foreign policy, neoconservative influence is much stronger and more malignant amongst Republicans. I’m sure you’re unaware that Trump himself has named John Bolton (who may be the worst of the lot) as someone he listens to on foreign policy.
Were you really inclined to try to obtain my goodwill, I would suggest a number of steps. First, you could apologize for attempting to get me banned. Second, you could formally and without qualification retract your “class traitor” allegation, and acknowledge that I am not some sort of secret Clintonista, as you seem to suggest. That I might even by some sort of red, as advertised, is probably pushing my luck. Third, you will need to apologize for repeated, baseless accusations of “lying.”
That would go some way to getting your balance of good will out of the red. It would also surprise the hell out of me.

Posted by: rufus magister | Dec 31 2015 3:14 utc | 118

the moment i saw the headline *jp finally offer apology and compensation to sk over the abuse of comfort women during ww2*, i knew whats going on behind the scene, somebody just applied a bit of armtwisting to its squabbling poodles, er, allies !
sure enough, few paras inside there u are, *the unitedsnake was instrumental in getting the two sides to reconcile their difference and move on* .
to what end ?
*to form a united front against the chinese threat* [sic], the reporter helpfully offered.
exactly what i thought.!
unitedsnake the pro arsonist makes its living setting fire on properties , then appeared at the crime scene as firefighter, they dont call it the world’s no 1 shit stirrer for nuthin u know. ?
the one thing that gives unitedsnake sleepless nights is the threat of peace. !
no fires => no income !!
sabotaging peace accord is the stock m.o. of the snake since 1875.
the only time the snake appears to do good is cuz it’s planning something bad !
hehehehe

Posted by: denk | Dec 31 2015 6:15 utc | 120

Happy new year everyone, and thanks for the year past. Good luck and peace in the year to come.

Posted by: Alexander Grimsmo | Dec 31 2015 15:44 utc | 122

Further to 122 —
I must be living right. ‘Cuz when I opened the Grey Lady over lunch, what do I see? A statistical analysis of Trump’s support. Emphasis added.

His geographic pattern of support is not just about demographics — educational attainment, for example. It is not necessarily the typical pattern for a populist, either. In fact, it’s almost the exact opposite of Ross Perot’s support in 1992, which was strongest in the West and New England, and weakest in the South and industrial North.
But it is still a familiar pattern. It is similar to a map of the tendency toward racism by region, according to measures like the prevalence of Google searches for racial slurs and racist jokes, or scores on implicit association tests.

Many of these Republican voters are nominally Democratic. These older, less affluent, less educated voters are also known as “Reagan Democrats” and were converted by Atwater’s “Southern Strategy” of dog-whistling racism. By doubling down with the Donald, “his coalition may augur a bigger challenge for the Republican Party than it does for his own candidacy…. Mr. Trump’s divisive language may make it harder for the party to broaden its appeal. But the G.O.P.’s increasing reliance on older and less educated white voters, often from the South, made this challenging long before Mr. Trump mounted a campaign.”
The piece also discusses the practical difficulties of mobilizing these voters. They are less likely to vote, and many states limit primaries to voters registered with that party. So his poll numbers are unlikely to translate directly into delegates and victories.

Posted by: rufus magister | Dec 31 2015 20:00 utc | 124

And again, further to 122 —
The hits just keep on comin’ — Alternet reproduces Gary Legum’s consideration of why the Republicans are stuck with Trump.
He discusses David Frum’s recent cri de coeur “analyzing the current squabble between the GOP’s elite donor class and its rank-and-file voters….”
Legum calls the issue of racism amongst the Rethuglican rank-and-file not the elephant in the room, but a “herd of elephants that just tore into his office and began stomping all the furniture, upending Frum so that he’s lying on the floor continuing to type into his laptop while his desk splinters and sharpened tusks obliterate the drywall.”
It’s not your father’s white-hooded racism, he says, though as I’ve noted, those cats are all over this like white on rice. “If anything, we’re talking about a racism more subtle and pernicious and backed into the structure of American society, a racism whose existence conservatives so often yadda yadda when the subject arises, a racism that we are forever exhausting ourselves just trying to prove to people like Frum that it exists.”
He concludes as follows.

I keep hearing about this “reformocon” movement to which Frum has attached himself. The racism of today’s conservative movement is something that many of them continue denying. I don’t see how people like Frum and Ross Douthat can continue not reckoning with it if they want their party to pull out of its demographic death spiral. Or even just get through the 2016 election without Donald Trump as the nominee.

I believe this movement is cohabitating with the Bush the Elders “kinder, gentler machine gun hand.” Rock on, David.

Posted by: rufus magister | Jan 1 2016 15:39 utc | 126