MBryant's Comments (149)

“Like Arnold Schwarzenegger I was not born in the United States - so I cannot be president. So I am formally announcing my non-candidacy. And I challenge Gov. Schwarzenegger, former Gov. Palin, Senator Lieberman, former Mayor Guiliani, and everyone remotely related to an former President named Bush or currently working as a talk show host or broadcast pundit to join me in this non-candidacy. May the best non-candidate not win!”

“I've voted dem for twenty years and I consider myself a liberal. That said. I see the same spirit of "Our teams is better than your pukey team" partisanship that fuels Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin all over the forum posts on Huffington Post. If we want reasoned government and civility in the public discussion, we need to look in the mirror too and point out hoohaa foolishness among our allies as well as our opponents. Pick any piece about Palin or Beck or Limbaugh in Huffington Post, look at the forum comments and you'll see the right has no corner on cattiness that approaches hate speech.”

“Fame is a two edged thing it seems.

Letterman's goal is that by addressing this on the national TV on his show - anything else from here on out on this story is old news/back page stuff - the front page story is over. This story for him should die now. And that's what he wants. On the other hand, John Edwards who doesn't seem to know how to handle media has spawned an industry watching him. And Sarah Palin and her male alter ego Levi Johnston are soaking every bit of their 15 months->15 years of fame that they can.

I agree in a way Letterman's affairs are none of my business - actionable as harassment perhaps, but none of my business - but I don't have him in my bedroom as part of my life every day as hundreds of thousands or millions do. They may feel that his character and personality aren't irrelevant, that they trust him because of who he is and if he betrays trust he betrays theirs.

He wins with celebrity - he gets hurt by it - it's the rules... Celebrity it not a job - it is a way of life in America and no one should know this better than Ms. Curtis - baroness, pitchwoman, actress, model, psuedo author, etc....”

“I remember distinctly back in the Clinton years, Bill Bennett (moralizer, Republican pontificator, and gambling addict) saying the difference between Republicans and Democrats was that Reps see the world as it is and the Dems see the world as they want it to be. Republicans were "pragmatic".

But oh those seeds that Reagan planted. They grew and now from Mark Sanford's romantic e-mails to Sarah Palins waxing poetic about the "Denali, the Great One" and "Going Rogue" to any Republican who has a secret love and a secret mission to save America - it is clear the GOP is now dominated by dreamer/romantics. These people do not see the world as it is or as they want it to be, but they see it as they saw it as teens on action movies of the 80s (Chuck Norris, Seagall, etc...) and they want it to be as they saw on tv shows of the 60s (Father Knows Best, Andy Griffith) when they were even younger.

They yearn for myth and they find good ones from their youth And then they want to shape policy by it. Meanwhile, some of them, and of course some Dems too - just want to make some money off the whole thing... You could think of it as a religious movement with The Beaver as the father and Rambo at his right hand... sort of Beaveramboism.”

“Let's be clear on this, we already have these reforms and Republicans have voted for them, even proposed them in some states.
Public Health Care = VA hospitals
Single Payer = Medicare - we already have this for people 65 and older
Public Option -= most states have ALREADY passed children's public optional health care programs (we have one in Texas - proposed and passed by Republicans)

So - obviously these programs - and we aren't even talking about the first two - are not evil or wrong for America. In fact many would say these are the things which are most right about our health care system. These programs cover among the poorest and most health vulnerable Americans in ways which we seem to be able to afford and which have acceptable, even popular quality.

So why is it such a problem to bring these programs to everyone/anyone else. It is simple.. because the everyone else is largely made up of employed people whose employers PAY for health care. And if these programs came to those people some financial interests would be hurt because the government would displace private industry or compete against it. I'm not saying that's better - I just want to clairfy the debate. Unless Republicans are ready repeal VA Hospitals, Medicare and Children's health insurance ON PRINCIPLE. Then they must concede this is not about health care at all.

It's about money. Follow the money.”

“Monopoly businesses that the government is in, which we percieve provide service to it's people:
- delivering mail to mailboxes
- building roads for free public use (all roads could be toll roads)
- the lottery
- passenger rail service
So why is it absurd and game changing socialism for the government to get into the heatlh care insurance business?

The only way to explain inconsistent, selective idealism of public health care critics is to realize they are influenced by the propaganda of those who stand to lose money from public health care. The VA hospitals and Medicare serve the most medically vulnerable among us and if you ask those who are served, sure - they could see way to improve it, but they would not give it up - not for a capitalist alternative.

Public health care works. The United States is already a socialist democracy of sorts. The recent financial crises proves our government is ( a little ) more functional than our capitalism - which is deeply flawed and not anything like a healthy marketplace.
There is no perfect health care. There are much better alternatives than the one we have now..”

“Bill is brilliant. I must agree that we didn't vote for change so that President Obama could try to be like a "regular guy President". We had a regular guy as President last go 'round and it was not a good thing for us. Obama should be his Chicago living-hoops playing-surf swimming-wonkish self and not try to look "presidential" in all ways. It could cloud his thinking....

Bill is also right on about factory farming. The meat industry is America's greatest shame. in 1960 there were nearly a million pig farms in the U.S. Now there are just over 1200 much more intense ones and this is not a good thing for the pigs...”

“Although lobbying and campaign finance demands have crippled our democracy, and electronic voting and the fairly rapid decline of an objective, reasoned, and objective press loom over it's troubled fate, I believe it may be sadly true that our democracy is healthier than our capitalism.”

“Exactly

Sarah Palin's credibility originated from being elected by the million or so people who live in Alaska and by John McCain's selection of her to be his running mate.

She has denied the former and squandered the latter with scandals and personal contreversy.

She never was all that bright or had real expertise in much.. She was a good lobbyist for Wassilla and then Alaska for awhile, without really having any grasp of the nuances or skills of governing or larger scale politics...

Now her cred is not too different from Levi Johnston's.. Her credibility comes from being covered by the press - because she is contreversial and way hot. Her "common" nature - intelligence, family life, etc.. resonant while her uncommon beauty attracts, but there is nothing there...

She's like a dream come true for Fox News - the real Anne Coulter - who has a good looking husband and children (even a special need baby!) and yet is "real" - she has problems (look at any tabloid). And somehow people think she knows something about health care, and energy, and politics...

Sarah Palin would have fallen off the radar of any responsible media. As it is - she is the village idiot who could be queen.

Ignore her and she'll go away - but then we just can't bring ourselves to ignore her can we?”

“I consider myself an animal rights activist of sorts and have written and spoken out on factory farming and other animal cruelty issues. However I'm also an American.

What Michael Vick did was horrifyingly immoral, but if our laws say he's paid his debt to society, I've got to say I don't have to like the man, but he has a right to work. If I had to work with him, I'd do so civilly.

If his crime had been a crime against the integrity of the game: gambling on games he played in or steroids I think a lifetime ban can be appropriate. But this is a separate issue. Just because I feel passionately about it, doesn't mean it isn't separate.”

“Why should they spend all of their time criticizing each other? How many people other than media bloggers watch both shows?

It just winds up making them both irrelevant.”

“Jimmy Carter is one of the truly great Americans and a personal hero. I worked for his presidential campaign in 1976 and that experience and his nobility are perhaps the only thing that keep me engaged in a process which often seems hopeless. He continues to be both a statesman and an inspiration and although he remains a proud American, his compassion and leadership knows no boundaries.

In fact, I believe Carter and his Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains left the SBC back in 2000 over this issue. Many moderate bapbist churches in the South have left the SBC over the last decade.”

“Does this mean I can rob banks to help AIDS patients and arts programs for schools and then not be punished because I "mean well". I won't keep any of the money for myself...

George Bush and Dick Cheney's administration resulted in illegal torture, illegal wiretapping, and the unecessary deaths of thousands of American troops and tens or even hundreds of thousands of Iraquis. I'm a little worried if Cheney's daughter and/or Bush's brother make it into high office we may have a return of these disastrous neocon policies. I have no greed or personal benefit in this worry.

If I do something to prevent this - can I get off because I .. "mean well"?

Might as well use the "Twinkie Defense" Marty.

I say "Throw the book at 'em"”

“The operative words are "FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES" ... not former vice presidents. The Veep choice is appropriately considered the first truly Presidential decision that a Presidential candidate makes. It is not spin or proposals or promises. It is an irreversable commitment that effects not only government but history. Voters appropriately weigh it heavily in their decisions.

From a partisan point of view it may be obvious which candidate to choose, but independent moderates look to this choice as a key indicator.

I think it is obvious that these veep decisions have weighed heavily with voters. from a Moderate Independent point of view - Gore chose well in 2000, much better than Bush and won the popular vote. In 2004, Kerry - not a great candidate himself, chose someone who looked "slick" and "underdeveloped" and he lost. In 2008 - with the race very close - Obama picked someone reassuring and McCain -proved himself the gambler by selecting someone scary and Obama won handily...

Choosing/vetting Veeps another way would remove one the key measures we have a potential president's mettle.”

“Jackson had it all.
- a great performer / dancer - high energy live entertainer fine singer
- a genius level musical sense - a stylist - who could make a song soar
- the saavy to work with really good people - he recorded with many of the greats of his time

"The King" was in so many ways more significant, iconic, and artistic than Elvis - he deserved the title for his age...

Although he has seemingly been derailed as an artist for fifteen years - I'm remembering his greatness today by listening to his vocalising "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin. Wow! He rocked and ruled in the day.”

“Are we now in the situation where MN Gov Pawlenty (R) can sign the certificate and end this? Does anyone know exactly what Pawlenty's situation is?

At this point - it is Pawlenty and Sen Cornyn (TX-R) that are the problem. Cornyn is finding money for Coleman and Pawlenty is stalling..”

“Actually, Carrie Prejean said Adam Lambert should have won!

Of course Adam's orientation was in question for everyone except Bill OReilly and presumably Kris Allen (who had probably had to sit is roomie down for a little talk).

Prejean is no right-wing Christian zealot. She's just opportunistic. She found someone to pay for her boob job and only had to lie a little to get into a pageant that she won. She got put on the spot by Perez Hilton and then realized however she answered - it could be leveraged to longer lasting effect than runner-up and Miss Calif. So she started working her own agenda. She got fired, but for some kinds of celebrities - there is no such thing as bad news - all publicity is good...

On a practical level, she's probably a bigger fan of Adam Lambert than Jesus, but maybe she took a lesson from Bush the younger and decided taking advantage of Conservative Christians (they'll pay for my legal and pay me for speaking engagements and get me on Fox News...) is a way up....”

“That David Letterman should not be fired for a joke is exactly why we should not vote for him.

Letterman is a comedian, an entertainer - sure - he can say Sarah Palin has a "slutty flight attendent" look. If Rahm Emmanuel or Andersen Cooper said the same thing they may not be able to apologise enough to keep their jobs. There is a different standard for comedians than for office holders and reporters and there should be. Palindoesn't seem to know this - she should ignore Letterman or laugh along. Stewart and Colbert represent are comedian entertainers who are acting like reporter. but I think it is clear they are comedians first (they are on the COMEDY CHANNEL). Olberman seems to be a reporter first and he frequently steps out of line.

Of course there are two comedian/entertainers who have an recent changed situation.

Al Franken was an entertainer/comedian for many years and now presumably, he will soon become a U.S. Senator. Senator Franken is an intelligent man who seems to grasp his changing role and this should not be a problem.

Why is the discourse in the G.O.P. so "off course" - because they are being led by an entertainer. Rush Limbaugh is the acknowledged if not official leader of the party and he is an entertainer. He doesn't get the higher standard implied by his new role and he exaggerates and goes for the joke. It's a problem.”

“Whether or not anyone should want to be governor - it seems some excellent people do.

California has three fine candidates for governor in Mayors Villagorossa and Newsom and former Gov. Jerry Brown. I can't imagine that any of them won't be a big improvement over the well meaning, but inconsistent (even bumbling) Schwarzenegger or the "I'll just do it myself" micromanager Gray Davis. The California legislature has always required a lot of leadership. Calfiornia is like four states: SoCal/SW, Desert?SE, High Plains/NE, Pacific Coast/NorthW and only strong leadership can get them all pulling together.

California has four very strong key industries with big futures in the United States: Agriculture, Entertainment/Tourism, Shipping/Finance/Import Services and Biomedical research/manufacturing. It has wonderful weather and many, many great people. California is still one of the world's great cultural engines and trendsetters.

The Golden State has every opportunity to come out of this golden with some good leadership.

(By the way, I like Jerry Brown for governor, but as I said - California really can't lose this time around).”

“What was amazing was how many times the writers wrote great parables and sayings of Taoism directly into the script of "Kung Fu." Think of Hollywood script writers writing bible scripture directly into a show - wouldn't happen - but the charm of Kung Fu allowed for it. The writers were great real writers -some of them worked on the original Star Trek show scripts and the "Playhouse" and "Theater" dramatic TV showpieces before that.

Kung Fu will always be my favorite show - I can't imagine it being displaced. It was perhaps the spiritual show ever on TV and pretty good entertainment.”

“Cheney is the clearest statement of the problem...

People who are suspicious of homosexuals - don't know any homosexuals

I was suspicious of homosexuality, I was working with some people "everyone said was gay" but that doesn't count. "Hidden" orientation only reinforces people's suspicions. And then - I began doing church work that brought me in close volunteer work with some great people - now I'm a sort of activist. I'm helping my friends...

I'm not arguing more sexual identity needs to be brought into the work place - but the process of straight people getting to know gay people socially is very slow..

People don't fear their friends - they fear the unfamiliar - the faceless people on the other side of the world with different clothing and language... the faceless people in some other town in the news who have different desires...”

“If Palin agrees with Gingrich on many things and reads or listens to him and occasionally recognizes him - and if they are allies and he would or does offer support and permission for her to use some of his phraseology. Why is this level of usage plagiarism and not developing an language or dialogue?

Journalistically - it is interesting to point out that Palin is using Gingrich as a source more often. It seems a little dishonest and mean-spirited to try and stretch this into a plagiarism claim.”

“Frankly, although for political leadership and foreign policy I'd give Obama a tentative "A" on his work so far. For economics I'd give him "C" - and it would be lower except that his general optimism helps a lot. The stimulus included far too little infrastructure and construction/blue collar job money and too much social and creative, white collar, enterpreneural "fun" money. Jobs are the hemorrhage that must be staunched for the body to heal.

And Obama missed the opportunity to nationalize the banks to recapitalism them in a new, tax protected but managed market with low turnover. We should have never put the banks on wall street - they should be capitalized in a separate over the counter like market that isn't driven by minute by minute trading and quarter to quarter earnings but is patient and safe. We didn't fix anything when we had the chance - we just broke out a lot of band-aids...”

“In their use of signing statements, their contempt of congress in the matter of congressional supbeonas, in domestic wiretapping, in the fabrications they developed to mislead this country and other countries into the war in Iraq, the Bush Administration showed contempt that we cannot allow to stand and cannot excuse for
the rule of law

The Bush Administration so expanded the powers of the Presidency - so developed the Nixonian "If the President does it is not illegal" ethic, that our constitutional checks and balances are in peril.

We teeter on the edge of a gang-like democracy - or serial elected monarchy - where whoever gets elected does whatever they want - unchecked. And the "correction" comes when the other power comes to power by election - and only then. The problem with this is that both parties are very influenced by large corporate donors (although sometimes different ones) and they are left unrestrained by regime change.

This is a constiutional issue. The Democrats have been co-dependent too long and must enforce the law ... or lose it.”

“OMG! someone actually has A PLAN for
- economic recovery
- dealing with Iraq & Guantanamo & the Middle East
- health care
- climate change response

Other than "Shock & Awe" and "Stay the Course"
(and cash in while nobody's looking)

Sounds like socialism to me...

Planning - bad, bad, Democrat”