Pres. Obama is hoping that we're goddamn idiots out here, still cowed by talk of 9-11

[BainsBane]

191. Use my imagination?

That suffices for action for you? False dichotomies and comparisons? That was YOUR comparison, not mine. You chose it. You spoke admirably about Reagan, not me.

There are two possible avenues that I can think of for dealing with war crimes: 1) sign on to the International Criminal Court, which requires ratification from the Senate. 2) a Justice Department investigation and prosecution, which if the President supported (and we have known for six years he does not), speaking about it from the "bully pulpit" would compromise such a prosecution.

None of that seems to concern you, however. You can't as much as bother to think about how an investigation or prosecution could proceed, which suggests to me that is far less important to you than having your rage validated.

I also find strange this notion that the President is supposed to validate people's emotions and bestow upon them everything they want, while they do absolutely nothing to work toward effecting change themselves. This notion of government as Santa Claus is counter-factual and counter-historical. That is not change occurs. You can rant and rave online until time immemorial and nothing will change. it gives the appearance of dissent, however, and that seems to matter more to people than political action.

I don't know who you voted for. If you did vote for Obama, you voted for him knowing he was a criminal. The fact this appeared on your TeeVee yesterday doesn't change the fact that his position on not prosecuting Bush has been clear for six years. If you only figured it out because of the speech yesterday, that is a serious failing on your part.

If Obama is a "criminal," why would you twice vote for a "criminal"? And why would you want a criminal to use the bully pulpit? Knowing Obama is not going to act on torture, the question is do you want to actually do anything about It?

Then there is this rather stunning comment.

I said use Reagans political tactics not his policies or philosophy...which is good advice after seeing the corporatists in our party make it more spineless and cowardly with each passing year.

Emulate Regan because of corporatists. And you deride my intelligence? How on earth is a politician's saying what you want to hear going to change the influence of money on politics or the fact that under our capitalist system the state functions to promote capital?

Signing on to the ICC strikes me as the most likely means to bring about prosecution of war crimes, either from the period of the Bush administration, US action in Latin America during the 20th century, or anything since. That proposal was defeated during the Bush administration but could be restarted. That is something all of us on this site could participate in rather than simply being angry that Obama hasn't acted. He hasn't acted, and it is clear he will not. The question then becomes do you want to actually do something bout it or just remain pissed off? Is the goal to bring about prosecution of war criminals or to exist in a continual state of anger over this and future Presidents?