Just a Quick Thought Regarding Texts, Books, and Textbooks.

Does anyone have the funds to freely distribute A People's History of the United States around Texas high schools? I do believe that history writing - and textbook writing - is a 'selective editing' process, yet what is going on in Texas these days is just ridiculous. Or it would be ridiculous if it wasn't so sad. 

Glenn Beck Tells Us To Run Away - from Jesus?

Every time I think the crazy surrounding certain U.S. media figures like Glenn Beck reached its climax, they manage to lower (or raise, depends on how you look at it) the bar once more. I almost missed this: 

When Glenn Beck told listeners of his radio show on March 2 that they should "run as fast as you can" from any church that preached "social or economic justice" because those were code words for Communism and Nazism, he probably thought he was tweaking a few crunchy religious liberals who didn't listen to the show anyway.

Not that people who actually listen to Beck read this blog, but: 

Christians, turn Glenn Beck off as fast as you can.

Giuliani: No Domestic Attacks

Being in the opposition apparently does weird things to you and your memory. For example, you claim that there was no domestic terrorist attack in the US during George W. Bush's rule, despite the fact that your international claim to fame is that you were the mayor of a city that experienced the largest domestic terrorist attack - on September 11, 2001.

(Un)favorability.

The anniversary of his election is coming up, time for a litte Obama related quiz.
A recent poll shows 2 variants of his favorability-unfavorability rating:
a) 28-67
b) 68-23

Guess which rating is for the Southern states.

Via marbury.

Nevermind the Bollocks, Here's the Birthermercial.

The infamous birther conspiracy movement has now spawned a late night infomerical. The woderful Rachel Maddow takes 'em on:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Wow, White Middle-Aged Males Do Not Need Maternity Care.

Dialog of the day from Feministing:

[US Senator John] Kyl: "I don't need maternity care" in my benefits package.
[US Senator Debbie] Stabenow fires back: "I think your mom probably did."

Yeah.. This also shows how incredibly 'valid' the claim was that women/people of color, e.g. "wise Latinas", speak from a heavily biased position but white, Middle-aged men are totally neutral in their thoughts and decisions.

To Work a Crowd.

Al Franken, former comedian and author, now the Junior Democratic Senator for Minnesota, actually managed to have a calm, intelligent, constructive, productive discussion on health care with a group of tea party protesters.

via.

The President's Opinion.

To complete my little US health care hat-trick here, a link to a op-ed piece from the New York Times, by Barack Obama himself*:

This is what reform is about. If you don’t have health insurance, you will finally have quality, affordable options once we pass reform. If you have health insurance, we will make sure that no insurance company or government bureaucrat gets between you and the care you need. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. You will not be waiting in any lines. This is not about putting the government in charge of your health insurance. I don’t believe anyone should be in charge of your health care decisions but you and your doctor — not government bureaucrats, not insurance companies.

The long and vigorous debate about health care that’s been taking place over the past few months is a good thing. It’s what America’s all about.

But let’s make sure that we talk with one another, and not over one another. We are bound to disagree, but let’s disagree over issues that are real, and not wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that anyone has actually proposed. This is a complicated and critical issue, and it deserves a serious debate.

Anybody volunteer to spray this on every house wall?


* Or at least published under his name. You never now these days. Nor do I care, really.
Image: wikipedia.org

Health Care Snaps.

The video of Barney Frank is all around the internet, but I just had to include it here as well:

I have few issues with this video. Of course, there is the entirely crazy Hitler-Obama comparison. Then there is the discussion of whether these protesters are "liberals" (in new American meaning: leftists) or right-wingers. Apparently the young lady in the video - who looks suprisingly normal - is a LaRouche supporter. Ehm.
Concerning Nazi comparison from the left and the right: I attended a lecture by Dr. Michael Butter here in Freiburg a few weeks ago, the topic was the use of Hitler in North American literature since the 2nd World War. After being used for war time propaganda, several war protesters (from the left) took up the comparison to protest the Vietnam War. And finally, the practice shifted to the right, in order to frame any opponent as quintessentially evil after the end of the Cold War - the absence convenient commies made the Nazi comparison 'necessary'. Which brings us to the current 'discussion', or rather screaming at townhall meetings. And to Barney Frank.
As much as I appreciate his response to this nonsense, and personally like the arrogant-fun way he responded, I would've prefered it if had taken the lady more seriously. Do state that the comparison is ridiculous and extremely offending, but don't talk down to her. Otherwise you'll appear like a out-of-touch, arrogant D.C. elitist, or in other words, just as that 'evil' figure that the crazy right-wingers, including all the pundits, want to see in you. I think the response was good, because somebody finally had to find a few strong words, but I don't think they were the perfect strong words.

And now excuse me, I have to go back to pretending to live in a world where Fox News isn't the leading new channel in the country I still quite fancy.

Worrying about Health.

The numbers that stuck the most with me this week come from a poll in this weeks Time magazine:

33% - percentage of people who are worried they could lose their health insurance in the next 12 months
11% - percentage of people currently not covered by any form of health insurance or health-care plan

Now, I do understand that health insurance and the health care reform are incredibly complex and difficult issue and that I have to do a lot of catching up on this before I can even start a qualified, in-depth criticism. I also understand that our German system might not be the most effective, best or even perfect system and that here a lot of people, i.e. self-employed people, artist, also have to worry about their health insurance.
But still - those numbers are way to high for the world's superpower, the City on the Hill. I just don't get it - more than 1 out of 10 Americans has no coverage, and every 3rd American feels like he or she has to worry about it. I also just don't understand why a "Washington bureaucrat" should be any worse than a corporate bureaucrat.

I just don't get it.

(image source: Library of Congress via pingnews)

American Heritage.

Like in any country - or even more so - the question of cultural foundation, identity and tradtion is a difficult one, a contested notion, up for interpretation and (re-)definition. By chance, I found two items on the net that examplify how odd and/or difficult this negotiation can be, especially when one tradition or definition of identity is preferred, for example (but not limited to) by people from the right wing.

First, TPM reports that Rep. Steve King (R-IA)says that he "opposed yet another bill to erect another monument to slavery," because Democrats had used it as a bargaining chip with Republicans who wanted to secure the depiction of the words "In God We Trust" in the Visitors Center -- that America's Judeo-Christian heritage was being held hostage."

Then there is this nice cartoon on immigration in the US:

Al the Policy Wonk.

I used to be a fan of Al Franken. I enjoyed his "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them", his appearances on talk shows and even listened to his Air America show once in a while. (Air America is a good breeeding ground for intelligent commentary. If you haven't seen Rachel Maddow before, do so now) I liked his well-researched, intelligent and angry comedy. I did not think he had a real chance to win the Senate seat in Minnesota, but am quite pleased that he did win it. I would've preferred a clear, ealry decision on election day and not a month long battle through the courts, but hey. Anyway, I'm looking forward to his input in the Senate, and am not suprised at all by this comment from Paul Krugman:

Second, Al Franken’s dirty secret is that … he’s a big policy wonk.

I used to go on Franken’s radio show, all ready to be jocular — and what he wanted to talk about was the arithmetic of Social Security, or the structure of Medicare Part D.

In fact, the only elected official I know who’s wonkier than Al Franken is Rush Holt, my congressman — and he used to be the assistant director of Princeton’s plasma physics lab. (The campaign’s bumper stickers read, “My Congressman IS a rocket scientist.”)

So what will Franken do to the level of Senate discourse? He’ll raise it.

Obama is Cliff Huxtable.

Once again proving that they offer the most precise commentary on US politics, Wyatt Cenac convincingly argues that Barack Obama = Cliff Huxtable of The Bill Cosby Show.

Indecision	An Indecision Exclusive!
Barack Obama Is Cliff Huxtable
indecisionforever.com
Funny Political Video Political Games Joe Biden Jokes

US Economy Saved - Recall of all US Dollar Notes

Ah, the Onion again.


Treasury Department Issues Emergency Recall Of All US Dollars

Teabag Update

Rachel Maddow (and Ana Marie Cox) on the - hehe - teabagging in the conservative movement.

Ah! History, 'Tis A Tricky Thing.

In a class on the Sixties I took last term we saw a video showing a student protest - in a Fox News frame, oddly enough. I guess this particular YouTube video wanted to show how Fox News would've portayed it. Most of the class did not notice that it had to be a "fake" video - Fox first aired in 1986, Fox News in Oct. 1996. Yet it seems like we often take a media institution as granted that we tend to 'forget' that it hasn't been around all that long.

Seems to be true not only for people engaged in a discussion in a 8 a.m. class but also for anchors on the very network:

[Fox News anchor and commentator] Neil Cavuto claims Fox News is covering teabaggers* in same fair and balanced way it covered the Million Man March in 1995

Teabaggers in this case refers to conservatives protesting the Obama administrations every step, trying to link with the Boston tea party.

Yeah, well.

Stop War

Stefan Benchoam: "Protest piece done in Bloomington, Indiana, amidst the War in Iraq, 2005"

via rebel:art

The First 100

The Onion "tracks" President Obama's first 100 days in, well, The Onion style.

DAY 16: Obama's "First 100 Days Dilbert Desk Calendar" still on day five.
DAY 14: Taco Tuesday
DAY 13: President Obama meets with Vermont governor Jim Douglas and is saddened to find that he is not the creator of Garfield.

via the still great marbury

The 30 Second Commute.

Even though Obama - and the reporting about President Obama - should be shifting away from personal, celebrity gossip to actual policy and hard work, there is a pretty interesting bit on nyt.com about the new management and the President's attempt to combine work an family:

“Even as he is sober about these challenges, I have never seen him happier,” Mr. Axelrod said. “The chance to be under the same roof with his kids, essentially to live over the store, to be able to see them whenever he wants, to wake up with them, have breakfast and dinner with them — that has made him a very happy man.”

"Are Poems True?"

Stephen Colbert discusses meaning, metaphores and J. Alfred with "inaugural poet" Elizabeth Alexander:

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Elizabeth Alexander

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

(via Silliman's)