Infuriated mama offers Democratic Party free clue
Shannon Drury (who, in addition to being an infuriated mama, is also the president of Minnesota NOW):
I’m currently of the opinion that the Affordable Health Care for All Act, in its current form, is an embarrassment and ought to be death paneled immediately……Minnesota state senator (and ’10 gubernatorial candidate) John Marty told me of an essay he just wrote in which he admonished progressives for being stupid enough to put up with this crap. As he puts it:
If 21st Century Progressives led the 19th Century Abolition Movement, we’d still have slavery, but we’d have limited it to 40 hour work weeks, and we’d be so proud of the progress we’d made.
“RIGHT ON!!!” Cathy (of Cathy & the PUMAs fame) and I raved. I am OVER compromise. I am DONE with bipartisanship. I will NO LONGER be told I have to take my health care medicine like a good little girl. Barackistan Obombya will NOT get my vote in 2012 unless he has the sense to pull this Titanic away from the iceberg–nor will Amy Klobuchar if she doesn’t show some loyalty to the women who worked so hard to make her Minnesota’s first woman Senator.
Tell it, sister.
I personally don’t expect Obombya (love that) to save the healthcare ship; I’m sure he’s too busy planning troop surges and lobbying for the Patriot Act renewal. Well, maybe by 2012 we’ll have some other options. A lot of folks seem to be waking up.
On the other hand, this is what denial looks like:
After all, the reason we don’t have universal health care is that Americans keep electing Republicans, and a big reason Americans keep electing Republicans is that conservative pundits endlessly beat the sexism-and-racism drum, scaring angry white men into voting for Republicans, who they (correctly) see as their allies in the war on female liberation and anti-racism.
Is Amanda the only person in the country who doesn’t know that we have a Democratic president and overwhelming Democratic majorities in the House and Senate?
She’s right, though, when she observes that “hatred of female sexuality” is a key problem:
Misogyny is a powerful political force in our culture today, which is why politicians like Stupak and Nelson make it their go-to strategy when looking to derail progressive efforts to help all people. Without misogyny, we’d be much further along in this health care reform process. Without misogyny, it’s arguable that we would have had universal health care a long time ago.
Unfortunately, Amanda thinks the best way to fight this sexist disdain for women is to refer to the 2008 Republican candidate for vice-president as “Bible Spice” and “Caribou Barbie.”
This is also what confusion looks like.
37 Responses to “Infuriated mama offers Democratic Party free clue”
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octogalore says:
I remember the Caribou Barbie comments. She also went out of her way to slam HRC gratuitously.
With friends like these…
December 7th, 2009 at 8:09 pm EST -
Violet says:
I debated whether to even mention Amanda’s post, but it’s such a perfect example of the kind of confused self-deception that clogs up people’s brains. It came up in my sidebar in the Feminist Blogs feed, and I just couldn’t help but laugh. Yeah, the Republicans are making this happen. With their evil mind-meld death rays.
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Toonces says:
Not too long ago, Amanda dedicated an entire post to what a horrible asshole Madonna is for… adopting David from Malawi and becoming involved in trying to inform people about what’s going on there. I can’t find the post (not that I would want to boost her traffic) but yeah, that “feminist” has issues with women.
According to Alexa users, Pandagon’s readers are mostly male anyway:
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Adrienne in CA says:
Timely, considering that Sen. Harry Reid made a somewhat different comparison between health care and slavery just today.
*****A
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Sandra S. says:
You’ve got to love the logic on this stuff. The Republicans are using sexism to fight progressive attempts to help all people. And the way to win is to keep swallowing- to let them heap as much misogyny as possible onto the bill and then pass it anyway. And what will the end result be? A bill that’s so weak and lame that a decade from now they’ll be using it as evidence that the government can’t do anything right.
I think the republicans want this bill to pass, just so they can hold it up and show everyone what a piece of shit it is. “Look how bad we suck! Small government! Less intervention!”
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Shannon Drury says:
I am floored to be featured in your blog, Violet. Thank you. I should have mentioned, though, that “Barackistan Obombya” is a line I lifted from the Facebook page of Minnesota’s own Coleen Rowley, famous whistleblower and tireless peace activist.
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Grace says:
This Amanda person reminds me of Camille Paglia, a columnist who also demonized HRC and Sarah Palin in 2008. To me it sounds like a mixture of sour grapes, envy, and self-hate. Also, this thing about blaming the republicans doesn’t make any sense, of course.
In psychological terms, it’s a displacement of anger and frustration at having been fooled by the fairy tale, but they don’t want to hold Obama accountable because that would make them feel, well…like they were fooled, almost as if somebody seduced you into having sex with the promise of eternal love but instead never called you back after that.
So, the way they try to deny this is by attacking everybody else but him. And this is understandable since they invested so much in this man and got so carried away emotionally that they lost any capacity for critical thinking and objectivity. They supported Obama with their “tingling” (remember Chris Mathews?) genitalia instead of their brains.
Another example of this displacement of anger is an article published in “New Republic” referring to the “Secretary of State’s gaffes” because Hillary was supposedly not parroting Obama as she should (doesn’t she understand that she is just a “subordinate”and workhorse to the Messiah?). Oh…and keep blaming Bushie and Sarah Palin too, because they are so stupid and unsophisticated, and Baracki is so bright, handsome, good orator, blah, blah, blah….
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Aspen says:
Sorry to be OT, but toonces: is there an easy way to explain how that Alexa site knows the sexes, ages, etc of site visitors?
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Toonces says:
People download a browser plugin. I guess they fill out a survey and hopefully they don’t lie on it. It’s not exactly scientific but most sites seem to match up reasonably well with the demographics you’d expect. Definitely take it with a grain of salt, though.
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Aspen says:
Ah, I see. It’s voluntarily supplied by the users. Thanks.
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Violet says:
My pleasure, Shannon. I loved your post.
Hey, how’s the fundraising going up there? Last I heard you were scrambling to keep your doors open.
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Violet says:
You guys are bumming me out with the “browser plugin” talk. I thought it was telepathy.
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Aspen says:
Why are you calling me paranoid? I never said I was paranoid. You’re the one who’s paranoid. And defensive. Stop calling me defensive.
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Toonces says:
You’re kicking Pandagon’s ass in Alexa’s site rank, especially in the US.
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madamab says:
Oh my goodness, I heart Shannon Drury!
Imagine if our feminist foremothers, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, had given up on “votes for women.” They worked tirelessly for decades and never even lived to see it happen! But it did happen because they never, ever compromised. NEVER! That’s how you win.
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myiq2xu says:
The ironic part is that despite all the support that women’s groups have given the Democrats over the years, the Republicans are positioned to portray themselves as the party that really supports equality for women.
If the GOP nominates Palin the progressive blogger boiz won’t be able to restrain themselves. They can’t hardly control themselves now – if she runs it will be like having a few thousand Andy Sullivan clones on steroids running amok in the blogosphere.
All the Republicans have to do is nominate her – the Democrats will do the rest.
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lambert strether says:
Stop whining! Now you slaves can buy your shackles on Shackle Exchanges! Over the Internet!
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alwaysfiredup says:
This Amanda person reminds me of Camille Paglia, a columnist who also demonized HRC and Sarah Palin in 2008.
Camille may have had issues with HRC, but she’s always defended Palin.
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Sameol says:
Didn’t Amanda try to justify her support for Obama by basically conceding that HRC was better on pretty much every domestic issue, but maintaining that none of that mattered as the only relevant issue was the war?
Convenient that a few days after that rationale was definitively obliterated, she now cares about health care. I wonder if Republicans forced Obama to run the infamous Harry and Louise redux ads.
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Violet says:
Did everybody see Chris Hedges’ column today?
It’s good. But the hilarious thing is the reaction at Firedoglake: http://firedoglake.com/2009/12.....s-useless/
Basically they just put up a picture of Sarah Palin and said “Boo!” Oh, and also ridiculed Cynthia McKinney and anyone who votes third-party.
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RalphB says:
When I read Chris Hedges today I wanted to stand and cheer. A gloriously righteous rant!
ps: FDL showed their uselessness while endlessly whipping for a damn slogan, instead of reform.
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Kookaburra says:
re: fire dog lake link
Oh, good grief. Are the naysayers seriously that IDIOTIC? Do they know NOTHING about how to bargain and negotiate? Can people really be THAT obtuse?!I liked the comment that called them out on congratulating themselves on merely delaying the destruction of our society by politicians, instead of actually voting to fix it. Arrrrrrgh.
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PolyisopreneCollum says:
lambert strether says:
Stop whining! Now you slaves can buy your shackles on Shackle Exchanges! Over the Internet!
Lambert strether, I want to remind you of the spirit of what what myiq2xu said the other day in the Justice Party thread.
Since this effort is so young, it is vulnerable to being portrayed by its enemies for ANYTHING that we say or do. If I thought that your analogy comparing yourself to a slave was offensive, then our enemies will surely try to make something of it. Don’t give them an excuse to cry racist. I think that as myiq2xu said, allowing some questionable people to carry the PUMA banner last summer really cost us a lot of credibility in the end.
Please don’t repeat the mistake. Be careful, because what you say will be intentionally misinterpreted.
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Nadai says:
I love this bit from the FDL post:
The notion that voting for Ralph Nader or an even more ridiculous figure like Cynthia McKinney is an effective strategy to move the country in a more progressive direction was thoroughly discredited by the 2000 election.
Maybe so, but than again, voting for a corporate shill as a strategy to move the country leftward was thoroughly discredited by the 2008 election. I’m not really seeing FDL as having much of a leg to stand on here.
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votermom says:
Yeah, the Republicans are making this happen. With their evil mind-meld death rays.
The Dems are acting so co-dependent … it’s the Repub’s fault because the Dems’ job is to keep the Repubs happy. Riiiight.
Truth is the real job of both Dems & Repubs is to keep the lobbyists happy while scapegoating the other party. Sickening.
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votermom says:
I just read Hedge’s column and commented that Liberals are worse than useless, they are actively evil. And that from now on I would only vote for a woman for president even if she has 666 tattooed on her forehead.
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Shannon Drury says:
I’m sorry to say that MN NOW is still in trouble. I hate to continue the Titanic analogy, but it’s only too apt. Former national leaders (who need not be named here) took their hands off the steering wheel, perhaps to do some star-gazing, and rammed us into a damned iceberg, leaving the new leadership and state chapters running for the lifeboats. I have hope, however, for my very dear friend (and former MN NOW prez) Erin Matson is the current Action VP and if anyone can kick this ship back into ship-shape shape, it’s her!
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teresainpa says:
I love you votermom. I too am only voting for a woman….for anything that a woman is running for.
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scott says:
On the other hand, go to Cogitamus to be told “here child, finish your nothing!” and go to bed like good little children, only not before donating to and voting for the same cast of characters that got us in this mess. Only half-jokingly, they entitle their latest lecture to us to get with the program “More Condescending Thoughts on the Essence of American Politics.” Ian Welsh and others join in the comment thread, but get told that they’re utopians and absolutists. Denial, denial, everywhere, but not a thought to think.
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scott says:
Oh, linkage, if you want it:
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murphy says:
amen votermom and teresainPA. Your comment about 666 tattooed on her forehead is silly though. Everyone knows Palin’s mark of the beast is tattooed on the back of her neck. Hillary’s on her inside left ankle.
btw, Palin is within striking distance of obama’s approval rating:
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lambert strether says:
Warren/Coakely 2012! Vote the JP ticket!
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lambert strether says:
Move along people, move along. There’s no story here.
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Adrienne in CA says:
Thanks, Lambert. Clicked through to Arthur Silber’s “The Ravages of Tribalism” series and now my brain’s all happy.
*****A -
SYD says:
Barackistan Obombya.
OMG!
I don’t care who first made that one up… they deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, not Obombya. (Or, O’Bombya as they say in me olde country…)
ROFLOL.
Thanks Violet.
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propertius says:
“Without misogyny, it’s arguable that we would have had universal health care a long time ago.”
I just don’t buy it. Yes, I think misogyny is an endemic and pernicious flaw in American society – but I think the lack of universal healthcare has a lot more to do with sheer avarice than anything else.
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lambert strether says:
Adrienne: Yes, tribalism is huge.
* * *
But there are times when I feel it’s too huge.
