tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post5022486583187396046..comments2024-03-29T05:30:01.292-04:00Comments on the daily howler: Von Drehle profiles "Putin's brain!"<b>bob somerby</b>http://www.blogger.com/profile/02963464534685954436noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-14042481427937622212022-03-24T16:00:00.148-04:002022-03-24T16:00:00.148-04:00I have done this several times in the past but I&#...I have done this several times in the past but I'm not spending my time that way any more. You can do a search through the blog's past entries yourself by putting in relevant search terms, such as Flint and Maddow and "lock up," since he was upset with her for wanting to lock up people. Or try Roy Moore and 18. Or look at what he said about Rittenhouse, who he thinks merely did something foolish because of his youth. Boys will be boys. Not a rodenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216459357112547141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-16752698915304028822022-03-24T14:13:17.253-04:002022-03-24T14:13:17.253-04:00I find your comment ironic.I find your comment ironic.Krazy Katnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-11687755934792236512022-03-24T12:00:43.107-04:002022-03-24T12:00:43.107-04:00Repeating Right-wing nonsense memes is the new iro...Repeating Right-wing nonsense memes is the new irony, apparently.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-87360309120661902862022-03-24T10:40:46.894-04:002022-03-24T10:40:46.894-04:00It would be pointless respond to commenters' p...It would be pointless respond to commenters' paraphrases and characterizations of Somerby's past comments. Because Somerby's writing is often drenched in irony, it needs to be evaluated in context.<br /><br />The only direct quote above is "We long to get the Others locked up" and I have explained exactly what that means.Krazy Katnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-16464938214430894702022-03-23T19:55:06.994-04:002022-03-23T19:55:06.994-04:00Tricia can I trouble you to please provide sources...Tricia can I trouble you to please provide sources for the claims you made here?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-75439300424419322932022-03-23T18:11:50.859-04:002022-03-23T18:11:50.859-04:00He said that he didn't think those in Flint wh...He said that he didn't think those in Flint who polluted the water supply should have been prosecuted. He has said that Roy Moore shouldn't have been prosecuted. He didn't like it when they were trying the Republican Governor of Virginia for misuse of funds. This is one of his ongoing complaints and he routinely defends Republicans.Not a rodenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216459357112547141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-36933957539166438612022-03-23T18:09:23.911-04:002022-03-23T18:09:23.911-04:00Krazy, what do you think it means when Somerby say...Krazy, what do you think it means when Somerby says we on the left are too quick to lock people up?<br /><br />Today he says: "We long to get The Others locked up!"<br /><br />This is a variation on his ongoing theme. He has also said that for himself, doesn't like to see anyone locked up. These statements are the evidence of his attitude about punishing crimes (and not just minor ones). Somerby has said he doesn't think Ethan Crumbley's parents should be prosecuted, most recently. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-36001555420288786072022-03-23T17:44:08.902-04:002022-03-23T17:44:08.902-04:00Somerby claims to think protest is bad, and that r...Somerby claims to think protest is bad, and that racism is not an ongoing concern. He thinks society is overly punitive, particularly when it comes to right wingers. He goes on and on about this.<br /><br />Putin fucked up and is now in a world of shit. Putin is personally responsible for engaging in a genocidal imperial invasion. Those that have read TDH long enough can see Somerby is toying with the notion of blaming those he calls "liberals" for the Ukraine mess. Were Somerby to possess a functioning moral compass, he would quickly disabuse himself of such nonsense.<br /><br />Somerby too has fucked up, he thought he could manufacture ignorance, but it did not work, his claims are too easily debunked. He does have his small cadre of fanboys, though it is hard to tell if they are shrinking or just changing their names. whateverAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-84752459364423351192022-03-23T17:16:14.867-04:002022-03-23T17:16:14.867-04:00"(Somerby) apparently thinks that... all mino..."(Somerby) apparently thinks that... all minor crimes, especially those committed by Republicans, should be overlooked."<br /><br />Somerby thinks liberals spend too much time obsessing over the minor crimes of the Others. There is no evidence he thinks minor crimes shouldn't be punished.Krazy Katnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-44072965178217945262022-03-23T15:48:30.204-04:002022-03-23T15:48:30.204-04:00"Do you accept a fee for making sure Bob neve..."Do you accept a fee for making sure Bob never really sizes up the right spectrum of the political media?"<br /><br />What would Mao do if Bob did? Allude to and remind him of the blackmail materials?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-45783093449429329712022-03-23T14:30:07.710-04:002022-03-23T14:30:07.710-04:00ma0 ma0 * ,!, ,!,ma0 ma0 * ,!, ,!,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-2626761157404985752022-03-23T14:29:16.601-04:002022-03-23T14:29:16.601-04:00Calling Dugin "Putin's brain," impli...Calling Dugin "Putin's brain," implies that Putin cannot think for himself and is some sort of mindless puppet. It makes more sense to call him Putin's strategist.<br /><br />Putin's intentions can be read from his actions. The desire to build a cross-continent empire is nothing new. It was Hitler's vision too. <br /><br />The main problem for the USA is that Dugin's vision seems to have infected our own right wing. But we cannot blame Putin's actions on Dugin, when Putin has sought his advice and followed his suggestions. Putin is the leader, not Dugin, and the buck stops with Putin. Similarly, our own right wing is responsible for its actions.<br /><br />Somerby is not big on holding anyone accountable for anything. His other essay today was about why Tucker Carlson's childhood caused his current behavior. Now Somerby wants to excuse Mark Meadows and his wife for breaking voting laws.<br /><br />He apparently thinks that with major baddies such as Dugin on the scene, all minor crimes, especially those committed by Republicans, should be overlooked. Somerby reduces this to "the left wants to see the Others locked up" instead of recognizing that the integrity of our voting system is worth defending, no matter who breaks the rules. And for some reason, it is mostly Republicans committing voter fraud and trying to rewrite our election rules to avoid fair elections. Recall that Pamela Moses received a six year sentence for mistaken trying to register to vote. What sentence should Mark Meadows and his wife receive for their worse crime of deliberate voter fraud?<br /><br />This voter fraud story has more direct relevance to American readers than a story about the megalomania behind Putin's dreams of conquest.<br /><br />But Somerby thinks it is important to chide liberals for thinking that those convicted of crimes should be locked up. Is Somerby aware that guys like Dugin would hang or shoot wrongdoers, because authoritarian dictators aren't big on due process? And this is who the Republicans have been supporting, allowing to meddle in our elections big time, and propping up Trump in office so that he can do their dirtywork!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-55142180033678600522022-03-23T14:21:45.044-04:002022-03-23T14:21:45.044-04:00Also, they did a good recap of Von Drehle's pi...Also, they did a good recap of Von Drehle's piece on MSNBC on the off hours where Bob probably wasn't watching. Sometimes MSNBC is awful, sometimes it's not. That's why a lazy person like Bob, throwing all liberal misdeeds into the sins of "our tribe:" is too lazy to be doing this job. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-51215617967549367152022-03-23T14:15:13.702-04:002022-03-23T14:15:13.702-04:00I found it much more useful to research Hungary, o...I found it much more useful to research Hungary, on this blog's recommendation. <br /><br />Hungary, Ukraine, and several other countries have anti democratic movements supported by Putin. They coordinate leaks during elections and shout about gas prices. Things like that. <br /><br />Really, the anti democratic forces rally people to oppose real "kitchen table" problems, but they don't do so with any genuine intention of helping. They're opportunists. <br /><br />Now, there seems to be evidence they're justifying this to themselves with a beautiful tale of ethnic bravery. But these aren't wide eyed idealists, whatever grand theories they have, the actions are calculated to achieve immediate political goals. Sometimes they don't work, but they still try. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-89061243979864652902022-03-23T14:14:52.990-04:002022-03-23T14:14:52.990-04:00Do you accept a fee for making sure Bob never real...Do you accept a fee for making sure Bob never really sizes up the right spectrum of the political media?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-47611718416736129422022-03-23T14:12:29.366-04:002022-03-23T14:12:29.366-04:00Hey, looks like I beat Mao. I better get some help...Hey, looks like I beat Mao. I better get some help myself. Anyway, Bob. Donald Trump, lying about the results of the election in 2000 in the same manner he hide lied about his popular vote loss in 2016, attempt to use his victory to overturn the 2000 election. An odious and unforgivable assault on Democracy. You are a very weak and stupid person, Bob, so F@ck you. -Greg Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-88104623848279269922022-03-23T14:10:20.926-04:002022-03-23T14:10:20.926-04:00Jeez, dear Bob. If you really want to know "D...Jeez, dear Bob. If you really want to know "Dugin's worldview" (that, we would venture to guess, has nothing whatsoever to do with Dark Lord Putin) why don't you just read some shit Mr. Dugin himself wrote?<br /><br />We find it curious that while you're bravely denouncing <i>some</i> hate-mongering narratives of your tribal shamans, some other of their hate-mongering narratives you're perfectly happy to swallow, hook line and sinker... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com