The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

I'm not kidding about my book recommendation from yesterday. You really need to read it. And to chill out.

It's been very amusing to watch both sides talk right by each other today.

You seriously need to wrap your head around the idea that Ty and Wonk (and I) just look at the world in a fundamentally different way from you.

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

Your point was that the media are whores in search of a story. If that were the case, one would think they would be, on the whole, equally critical no matter who was in office. Why then, was there not a constant drum beat of "Clinton Lied" when he said that the troops would be home by Christmas. One would expect that to be the case under your theory.

And I don't do strawman. Strawwomen, perhaps.

What to do
 

Yes.

What to do
 

All good questions.

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

Actually, his point was that the media is pro-whomever is in office.

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

You dissapoint me. This is a board for arguing politics. If we just accept that we look at the world differently that would be the end of the board. Join the fray if you want but we don't really need any mediators.

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

Let me rephrase, then. It's funny how the arguments that you, Bilmore and Club present are as completely predictable as they are ludicrous, as they are all based on an outdated and ultimately doomed vision of an ideal patriarcal family. You guys are preprogramed to see the world only through a narrow perspective.

However, proponents of that worldview have become very good over the past 30 years at selling to America. Liberals, are, however, finally catching on and catching up. I only hope we do so before you manage to get us all killed.

Better?

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

Club, what were you smoking from 1992 to 2000? The media beat the shit out of Clinton repeatedly. Whitewater was a NYT expose that they chased from New Hampshire through the end of his presidency. Maureen Dowd's Clinton-bashing columns won her a Pulitzer. "Wag the Dog" accusations when he bombed Iraq and sent cruise missiles into the Sudan and Afghanistan.

He had horrible press -- sometimes deservedly so, of course.

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

And that truly was the last time Maureen Dowd was funny.

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

This is funny, since I'm actually a woman.

Adam's Rib
 

Oh, p'shaw, my dear. She was funny then, and she is funny now.

The Dems have hit on a strategy
 

I probably should scroll than post, but I do not think we can yet know this.

Overconfidence has played a big role in losing many wars; had Johnson in particular taken a more measured and strategic approach in Vietnam, and had he set attainable goals rather than pursuing outright and total victory, we might have had a much different outcome. Had Napolean decided to stop at Poland, he might have dominated Europe for a generation more. Had the Soviet Union been willing to negotiate reasonable terms early on in Afghanistan, the recent history of that country might be much less tragic.

We will know in ten years whether the President's confidence is overconfidence or justified. I, like many people, have become increasingly convinced that he focuses too much on the rosy scenarios and too little on the risk.

In the meantime, if the troops feel he is divorced from reality and not aware of their real situation, his statements may well be harmful. A good example is the "Mission Accomplished" fiasco. That was simply outright regreatable in hindsight, though I have no trouble understanding and sympathizing the jubiliation at the time. Similarly, I am told that the Thanksgiving trip over there was poorly perceived, because the press was Bush with the troops having a big Thanksgiving dinner, at a time when most of the troops were not getting Turkey with all the fixings.

A certain amount of bravado is fine, and inspirational (as long as he doesn't behave like Dean in Iowa). But right now he is looking out of touch to me.

Government is not the solution it is the problem.
 

Yes and no. I prefer limiting government's role where it is not necessary, but there are social goods we have determined will be government funded that do not need to be. Education, healthcare for the indigent, public works projects ranging from subways and roads to urban renewal - all have become collective efforts. Saving Chrysler was a collective effort, too.

However, I worry that there is much to fear from government involvement, and particularly so in the media, and I also believe the media is different because of the first amendment. Media is a place where it is particularly dangerous for government to go.

I personally think government involvement in education shares some of the dangers, and that it is essential to have a separate private school system as an alternative and to develop new ideas.

Adam's Rib
 

So, you'd say she's evenly matched with Linda Cohn in the fight to suck your dick?

Adam's Rib
 

No, she was sharp and on-point then, and now, she's unfortunately spouting nonsense half the time and just bitter-sounding (and I hate it when people say women sound bitter - it's such an easy bs insult...but in this case it is true...and at least I didn't say shrill or harpy-like). Honestly, I think she is out of her depth commenting on foreign affairs - she did much better with bedroom (or couch, or office) affairs.