Obama A Socialist? Really?

From Greg Gutfield, host of Red Eye:

Posters of President Obama made up as Heath Ledger’s Joker with “socialism” written below have been showing up around Los Angeles and it’s being greeted with outrage-y outrage from the typically outraged.

Some are calling it racist, others are calling it “dangerous”; I’m calling it: “Steve” — which is Greg for “boring.”

The Web site Newsbusters points out that — after all — that former President Bush had been portrayed as everything from Dracula to the Joker to worse: a Texan! And, while media hacks point out that criticizing Obama is unfair because he’s only been on the job for six months, that’s bat poop.

Hatred for Bush began the moment he took office and Sarah Palin was only around for a few weeks before lefties were wearing T-shirts with her face and a vulgar word beneath it (hint: It rhymes with bunt.)

And besides, this Obama Joker face only elevates his hip persona and it’s honest. Seriously, we live in a culture where anti-heroes have replaced heroes — hence Ledger’s joker is far cooler than Bale’s Batman. (At least the Joker didn’t yell at his mom at the premiere.)

The Joker scoffed at tradition, reveled in post-modern humor and, more importantly, was played by a dead guy. You can’t get any cooler than that, even if, like me, you do Pilates wearing only body paint.

Finally, as so many Obama-lovers point out, our president is more than a president, he’s a pop culture icon — and you can’t go more than five feet without seeing a shirt, a button or a jock strap with his face plastered on it

At least with these new posters, the media has a message.

Another cultural pop-shot on Obama. If this poster was designed to be a smear campaign for Obama, I would have to say EPIC FAIL. Reportedly, Obama had one of the highest percentages of young voters…ever.

Excuse me? Was anyone awake for Halloween last year? Did you not see millions upon million of people 13-35 dressed as Heath Ledger’s Joker?

Really, I could get into the rant again about how I’m a huge fucking socialist, but why bother when you can read it here.

Honestly, I think it’s pretty sweet. I wish people were able to have a Socialist government without spazzing the fuck out. And did you ever notice that it’s always the well-to-do who bitch about Socialism? The trickle down theory has obviously worked SO WELL, let’s keep it up! Yeah, it’s worked so well, for the already rich.

You know, even with this whole health care situation at the moment…Adam and I were sitting on the couch watching the news one morning last week and there were talking about it. If it meant that every American would have health insurance, I would gladly take a percentage out of my paycheck. If taking money out of my paycheck gives health insurance to people like say, my husband, or the vast majority of my family who does not have health insurance, I’d jump on it in a heartbeat. I live paycheck to paycheck (if my paycheck lasts that long). Think about it, take ONE percent of everyone’s paycheck and with all the money grubbing-greedy bastards out there, that would end up being a lot. Like, a whole lot. If it means my husband has health insurance, PLEASE take that one percent. I’ll tell you what, I’LL take the one percent and MAIL IT TO YOU, okay? I’ll even pay for the envelope and postage!

People are now bitching about the Clunkers fo Cash For Cars program, saying that we’re just dumping our debt onto the next generation. WTF do they think has been happening for the last hundreds of years? If the goverment was so great before, can you tell me why I have no fucking Social Security?

Jesus. Every president will be worse than the last to someone. Every. Single. Time. What ever happened to working together? What I see is a lot of people complaining and not one single person proposing other options.

It’s easy to tell someone when they’re wrong, but that doesn’t make you right!

And then, there’s this. There should just be an audio clip with children shouting, “HOORAY CAPITALISM!”.

American Reporters Freed From North Korea /slash/ Current TV

As I’m sure you all know, American reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee have been released from captivity in North Korea and have returned home. From BBC News:

US journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee told their families they had no intention of entering North Korea when they went to the border with China to report on the plight of North Korean refugees.

Laura Ling (L) and Euna Lee (R) looked very relieved to be leaving Pyongyang

But on 17 March they were seized by North Korean border guards and accused of illegally entering the country to carry out “hostile acts”.

After more than four months in captivity, a high-level visit from former US President Bill Clinton secured their release.

Euna Lee and Laura Ling are journalists with San Francisco-based Current TV, a media venture co-founded by former US Vice-President Al Gore.

Ms Ling, a 32-year-old California native, has experience covering the conflict in Sri Lanka, Brazilian slave labour and Iran’s underground youth culture.

Ms Lee, a 36-year-old South Korean-born US citizen, is an editor with Current TV.

From the time they were captured, the two women’s families urged the authorities in Pyongyang to release them, saying they were worried about the “mental state and wellbeing” of the pair.

In a joint statement, the families said Ms Ling suffered from an ulcer and that Ms Lee had a four-year-old daughter who was “displaying signs of anguish”.

“We believe that the three months they have already spent under arrest with little communication with their families is long enough,” the statement said.

While I am trying to remain hopeful, each day becomes harder and harder to bear. I am so lonely and scared Laura Ling, in a letter home

Ms Ling’s husband, Iain Clayton, appeared on US TV networks and read out a letter she had written from captivity: “While I am trying to remain hopeful, each day becomes harder and harder to bear. I am so lonely and scared.”

Their hopes appeared dashed in early June when a quick trial saw them convicted and sentenced to 12 years of “reform through labour”.

‘Smear campaign’

Initially, there were denials from the American side that they had gone into North Korea – and both South Korean media and diplomatic sources said the North’s guards had crossed into Chinese territory to arrest them.

But a few days after their trial, the North’s state media said the two had admitted entering the North and accepted their sentences.

Official news agency KCNA also said they had admitted getting footage for a “smear campaign” about North Korea’s human rights.

Their sentences could potentially have seen the two women working in a prison labour camp in North Korea’s notoriously brutal penal system.

It seems, however, that the two were well-treated and kept in a Pyongyang guest house, with access to consular services provided by Sweden’s embassy in North Korea and allowed to make several phone calls to their families in the US.

North Korea and China share an 880 mile (1,400 km) border

It was during these phone calls that the pair said Pyongyang had suggested that a visit by Mr Clinton could secure their freedom, US officials have said.

Analysts say they were probably being kept as bargaining chips to wrest concessions or direct talks with the United States.

But the US has said Mr Clinton did not discuss any other issues other than the women’s freedom during his trip to Pyongyang.

The reporters’ families, and officials in Washington, had urged that Pyongyang keep this case separate from the nuclear issue bedevilling relations between North Korea and the US.

Washington insists it will only hold bilateral talks on the nuclear stalemate with Pyongyang under the auspices of the stalled six-party negotiations – which also include South Korea, Japan, China and Russia.

Tensions in the region have soared in recent months, as North Korea has conducted a nuclear test and fired a long-range missile, drawing widespread international condemnation.

Out of all of this, what totally blows my mind? Al Gore is the chairman of Current TV!? I fucking love Current. Not that I dislike Al Gore (except for the saving the polar bears part. Seriously, fuck polar bears), but now I just feel weird. How did I not know this before? Well, I guess they’re not going to cut into a show and just be like, “HEY! Al Gore owns us”!

Current is still freaking awesome though. In case you’ve missed the boat on that one, Current TV is an alternative news channel with a great deal of viewer created content. Everything from news to podcasts to commercials…they do it all.

Check it out sometime. It’s a nice change of pace from the regular news.

Current TV
BBC News Story