Stop Me Before I Vote Again

It does look rather like parody.

Never liked this guy.

I was kinda sorry I didn't go, but now not so sure.

The plenaries appeared to be a maudlin DSA dog-and-pony show, all the more a nostalgic exercise in 1980's navel-gazing given the political tides of late.

felt forum ???

http://www.dead.net/show/december-4-1971

also there
http://stopmebeforeivoteagain.org/images/flanders.jpg

and i'm told in a far fetching outfit too

clashing plaids and cowgirl boots
all under a massif of stiff over hanging talking head telegenic hair

ahh but them fetlocks

laura you can dictate felt-left policy lines
to me .....any time

Chris Hedges also warned beforehand against the Act IV that would be enacted at this talking shop. Looking forward to your '12 writeup. If should be better than your take on the kosniks what with all the intellects around.

and err
i'm told the everwhere presence of ....
jowly menace
of the wasp-ivy dis-establishment
boy henwood

kill joy
trans nat hypno-mole
and all purpose tubby elbow

http://www.truthdig.com/images/staff/henwood_350.jpg

Is all fair in love and war, opie? If not, let's see your torso shot...

Actually, I *would* have gone to hear Henwood, and done so with pleasure. He's a contrarian who often contraries off in a sense contrary to my own, but he always gets me thinking.

Having Owen for a friend is like having a pit bull in your house. He's loyal, intelligent, affectionate, good with the kids, and a terror to burglars -- all around, a credit to the canine genus. But just try bringing a strange economist into the house, and you've got a fur-flying Donnybrook on your hands.

Down, Owen, down! Here's a nice Porterhouse for you.

I have to confess I haven't worked up the courage to watch the video clip yet; I've always respected Smiff's reviews of stuff like this, though I suppose I should just slam down a couple of margaritas and get it over with.

I last heard West speak at a Nader/Green Party rally in DC, at the Emma Goldman Arena (formerly MCI Arena), and he was quite good that night; the phrase "fearful Liberals" sticks happily in my head. He also looked younger and way better then. Now he looks like Don King Meets Jerry Garcia (no offense, Jerry). Also, while it's a pointless and increasingly annoying diversion from the failings of the Democrats and establishment Liberalism, still -- nobody enjoys a good cheap laff at the expense of Glenn Beck and the Teabaggers more than I do. The Dems and Liberals may be even more detestable, but they just can't bring the crazy like Beck and the Teabaggers.

Btw, the '71 Felt Forum dates are considered historic; I strongly urge folks to buy/download a copy if they can, as they probably are more inspiring and make more sense than the above mentioned establishment Pwog strokefest.

I was there and had fun!

BTW: how are the leftie-liberals coming down on the current US intervention? Any embarassment yet? Any pale fire of indignation?

The powerful wage class war, we....run conferences!

Though I don't the antipathy for my blessed-brother-from-another-mother Doctor Professor West. Haven't watched the above clip yet, but do love his eloquence. And he's been hammering away at the second black president regularly of late, "bearing witness, speaking Truth to Power" and so forth.

Sen: I hear you. Don't plan on being warmed by those indignant fires anytime soon.

Mike F: "Don King Meets Jerry Garcia"

Shit, that does about nail it though.

Brother West supported Brother Obama in '08. And I'm taking bets right now that he'll support him again in '12, predator drones an' all.

With all of the invective directed at Bro. West's style (which I can take or leave), I'm a bit taken aback that there has been no mention of one point of its substance-namely the throwaway line at (14:06) that "I supported (Obama). You did too".

Well, yes, unfortunately that is the case if he is referring to the speakers on the Left Forum plenary. It does not, however, apply to me, Fr. Smith or a significant silent/silenced minority (maybe even majority) on the left.

Alas, I wouldn't bet against that MJS. Though he has been making noises about wanting third and fourth parties and whatnot, and begging his Dear Beloved Brothers Russ and/or Bernie to "primary" Brother O.

But, yes, yes, I know, you're probably right.... We're in the midst of the inevitable period of "criticism," which will just as inevitably give way to, "Are you kidding? Do you really want to throw away your vote to President Palin/Huckabee/Trump...."

OP -- Is Laura's speech on Youtube somewhere? I couldn't find it, and believe me, I looked. I was desperate for some bright spot -- at least, something charming and decorative -- amid that sad parade of Pwog palookery.

At an Obama fest in Seattle in 2008, I saw Cornell on the corner, and I yelled at him from my car window to reverse this, his stated course of action: Vote for Brother Obama and pray for Brother Nader.

Op, Ms. Flanders could dictate to you all night and day, and you wouldn't mean a thing to her, unless there is going to be a replay of that awful "Kids are Alright" Hollywood lesbos-should-lesbos schmaltz.

Flanders speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmklq7RKRuY

chomskyzinn writes on 03.22.11 @14:31:
We're in the midst of the inevitable period of "criticism," which will just as inevitably give way to, "Are you kidding? Do you really want to throw away your vote to President Palin/Huckabee/Trump...."

Don't look now, but Lewis Black made a very good case for Trump on the Daily Show last night -- despite the fact that I've paid nearly AbZero attention to the Daily Show in a dog's age, and it wouldn't be worth close to anything even remotely resembling a shit if not for Lewis Black.

Halle:

...

Well, yes, unfortunately that is the case if he is referring to the speakers on the Left Forum plenary. It does not, however, apply to me, Fr. Smith or a significant silent/silenced minority (maybe even majority) on the left...

Yup. That about covers it. The Lefties who are sick and tired of the appeasers in our midst are simply rendered non-existent in the eyes of people like West, Moore, Ehrenreich, and all. Until somebody needs to be bashed for not clapping hard enough in order to save Tinkerbell/Obama. Then, magically, we spring into existence once again-- however fleetingly. It's amazing!!

Just registering that the objectification of women here continues to disturb me.... It's really not even a step removed from "hubba hubba." I really think the left should have been past this shit even in the '60s. It's alienating.

West seemed to be going more for "inspiration" than for "analysis" or "praxis" or whatever, and I would have appreciated the opposite. (I half-listened to about eight minutes of it while doing something else, then gave up; I would have rather skimmed a transcript.) I don't know whether that's what plenaries are supposed to be or what.

Also, as glue said (I think), what's the point of focusing on what West looks like? What did Marx look like, what did Lenin look like? Seriously, what do we look like? I'm not about to post a picture here.

But, StO, it's so hip and edgy to make "lesbo" jokes! Don't you want to be hip and edgy?!

StO is correct in the last paragraph - at least if this is a reputable place. If SMBIVA is, however, a drive-by sort of broken-down site, then all is fair in spiteful calumny. I do agree, that points can be made about content without little juvenalia about beards and fetlocks, but I think I speak for about 98% of all clicking male typists who would love, love love a little "objectification" aimed their way.
No "lesbo" jokes from me - unless directions to watch "Portlandia" count. I was simply pointing out the foolish male hubba-hubba directed towards an out and proud L - while getting in a shot at the anti-sex lib-Hollywood nonsense foolishly titled TKAA.

Ms. Xeno, you absolutely rule around here.

Lastly, I downloaded parts of the Left Forum preacherfest, and I take it we can all go home now, the revolution has landed, Marx was reborn in Wisconsin - it's going to be Socialist Utopia morning, noon, and night in Amerika now and forever, boyee! Can I get an amen?

ms_xeno:

I gave up on hip and edgy after a failed attempt in middle school and high school; it was never going to happen. Reassuring to know a female regular is also bothered. I'd be curious what any others thought.

mjosef:

I wasn't talking about your comment. I didn't remember Flanders was gay, so I read the first part of your it as "She's out of your league, op." The second part didn't make any sense to me at all, because I'm culturally illiterate and never saw that movie.

"I think I speak for about 98% of all clicking male typists who would love, love love a little 'objectification' aimed their way."

That's probably right. But if, say, wolf whistles make most men feel grateful for the attention, that's not really an argument that most women should feel the same. That would only make sense if there was a sort of symmetry there that there really isn't.

About the Left Forum, I don't know. Your description is certainly a contrast to the left I know, which is, to overgeneralize, perpetually depressed because the good guys are getting owned by capital, and it usually seems like the situation is getting worse. I have to admit to myself gradually becoming suspicious of any optimism. But maybe it's just the opening has to be like that; I read through the schedule to one a few years ago, and a lot of the panels seemed interesting.

"the objectification of women here continues to disturb me"

as well it might oocyte

considering ME as exhibit A :

http://www.impactlab.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/pig-man-380.jpg

what a horrible creature
of slobbering
unrecovered darkness i can be

you have my sympathy

"That would only make sense if there was a sort of symmetry there that there really isn't"

how true ...how true

I can't tell from that picture whether you are a chauvinist pig-man or an unjustly objectified pig-woman. Either way, I am so sorry: I cannot imagine what it was like for you growing up. Children can be so cruel — adults too, actually.

I take both your comments as mockery of what you see as my oversensitivity. Is that right? Or am I reading too much sarcasm into it?

Wow, stO, you see too much "depression" in the AmLeft? Everything I listen to, everything I read, that emanates from our left spokemodels' tiny little hole is so much professional snake oil hopey mcchange. There may, in the reality of our parlous times, be a massive split in this razor-thin slice of humanity of the left: PUBLIC optimism/uplift, PRIVATE it's all over, get me my Valium, how's my portfolio...
Depression is no way to live, but honest nihilism is about our only method of coping with social reality. To sit like some sort of early 60's extra listening in mute seal-like devotion to the professional graders at the Left Forum - you have to be nine-tenths lithiumized to have done so.
The horrific self-regard of Laura Flanders, the over-the-topness that tops itself three times in every sentence of Cornel West, and an emeritus prof type actually trotting out Charles Dickens' "It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of times" (referred to by Jay Williamms, a Duke graduate, on ESPN as Charles DARWIN's "Tale of Two Cities) in the Opening Plenary had me ready to revoke my guest pass in this here pious fraud left and only download numbers.
Oh, but Paul Street says there is a "peoples' revolutionary movement" breaking out across our blighted tundra. Fantastic! I'll go down to the Dollar Left store downtown and wait with the rats for it to come.

" Is that right? Or am I reading too much sarcasm into it?"

no and yes

in fact i was charmed

i'm many oddly stained
and tattered things
but not often sarcastic

as a stalinist sleeper unit
i'm drilled to throw acid
straight in the target's face

that is
when i can

"The horrific self-regard of Laura Flanders"

have you no balance lil joe ??

"honest nihilist ???"

can you really be sure you're honest ???

i 'm a convicted fraudster myself

honesty :

it was the best of policies
and the worst of policies

nihilism :

tends to spoil itself
like jarred insight
with a broken seal

my report on the felt left forceps
comes from generation nexters

my common law son in law
did a panel on "organizing the unemployed"
and
my daughter found
howard sherman delightful ...delicate ..."cockatiel like "

http://absoluteraleigh.com/blog/uploaded_images/cockatiel-739731.jpg

all together hardly a downer for them

i suspect that generation expects much less
of Clio

they've seen too much
of my generation the world changers
still lashed to the podium
to now do more then laugh to themselves
when we gabble on and on ...and on

we 've blown so hard
and carried such a crooked little stick

OP -
1. Generation Next was raised to be Jesus chillen -
you ever heard them gas on and on? - it's called Twittering, I believe.
The laugh's on them - the bloviators are the ones with the 401(k) and the Wellfleet compound and the tenure, while all Generation Tuition get is barista T-shirts and unearned senses of technological superiority.
2. Honest - yup, I'm honest. A straight-shooter. Shane. Whatever frauds I'm engaged in, I blame other folks for.
3. Nihilism - I've never seen it go bad. Any examples of it ever being incorrect, spoiled, rotten? I don't know where exactly my jar came from, but I spread it on just about everything I eat, and after a rough beginning, I eat damn well.
4. Balance? Okay, the horrific self-regard and self-promotion of every single last Name and attendee at the Felt Forum preachfest.
5. See you at Dollar Left - might be 2 for 1 on bird dropping spatulas today!

mrjosef:

...but I think I speak for about 98% of all clicking male typists who would love, love love a little "objectification" aimed their way...

Then I'd have to say that 98% of you are idiots, or else you lack any understanding of what most women mean when we complain about being objectified. When you live with this shit your whole life and don't get to decide when and where it goes away, it stinks on ice. Trust me.

StO:

...I gave up on hip and edgy after a failed attempt in middle school and high school; it was never going to happen. Reassuring to know a female regular is also bothered...

Not bothered enough to leave, no. But, yeah, it's pretty fucking annoying. Someday I'll get my magical sparkle ponies and my hope and change and my awesome political website where people know that Democrats stink, but they can say so without being "edgy" knuckle-draggers. Oh, and I'll get a lifetime supply of Parisian macaroons, too. And eat them in the faces of the humorless Diet Police. Laughing all the way.

"When you live with this shit your whole life and don't get to decide when and where it goes away, it stinks on ice. Trust me..."

i can only imagine ...

a site "where people know that Democrats stink, but they can say so without being "edgy" knuckle-draggers"

there has to be many such sites

what about marisacat
or ioz for that matter ??

"The laugh's on them - the bloviators are the ones with the 401(k) and the Wellfleet compound and the tenure,"

beware
boomer's ghost

--note the punk a doodle doo hair
quite an eternal punishment that ---

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FdEdvFQfwAU/ST6roe0fhaI/AAAAAAAAIxg/QesW4DzPHwg/s400/Jeff_as_Marley.jpg

joe

"Nihilism - I've never seen it go bad"

your personal anti-satori

your nothingness moment

a personal kick no doubt

like a big sniff of freon

but its not
" the negation of the negation "

perhaps you mistake it for that
in your moment of rush
but you can't go out into the world
and see it emerging
the opposite out of itself

Of course I use the shiny term "nihilism" loosely - I got tired of it used by every tinpot neoliberal intoner as some sort of unassailable epithet like "Scrooge" or "buzzkill," and have put in about five dollars worth of work to rescue the fin de siecle word from its convenient usage as a target by prevaricators.
Never having inhaled freon or much in the way of good drugs except Dilaudid after kidney stones, I grant you that positive nihilism is a ruse, easily dropped.
However, if you want to substitute the blase term "pessimist" for it, and smack that one into your beloved Clio's (whoa - no objectification allowed here), um, Clio's, um, help me out here - okay, nothing is emerging but the negation of a workable social reality. How many times is that confirmed?

Why is the left nothing now but a dashed dreamland? Why doesn't the liberal rich start making jobs for unemployed rebuilders? Why doesn't Sean Penn build Sean Penn's low-cost housing?

nice comment joe
i think i see where you're coming from

I don't really understand the objectification thing.

It seems to me that my liking for Laura Flanders and my dislike for Cornel West are both intensely personal -- purely personal, in fact; neither of them had a blessed thing to say worth listening to, at least at Left Forum, but I find Flanders engaging and appealing and West unendurable.

Partly no doubt this is because Flanders is well-turned-out and nice-looking and doesn't have weird brain-tumorish mannerisms like West; but which of us is indifferent to that sort of thing? Should we be? Can we be?

Whether Flanders digs with the other foot or not I don't know; this comment thread is the first I've heard about it. I find that the idea doesn't diminish my liking for her at all.

Rachel Maddow, on the other hand, affects me like chalk screeching on a blackboard, even though she too is nice-looking and well-turned-out and does not comport herself like a circus clown with a snootful of diet pills. Go figure.

All this stuff would no doubt provide rich material for the analyst's couch; but where's the objectification in it?

A counterpunch essay came from Ms. Flanders' partner, a rough n' tough Brooklynite, referencing Ms. Flanders as her partner, about a few months ago.
Objectification? You'd have to check with RObert Jensen about that: I was being completely sarcastic with the 60s term.
You find Ms. Flanders "engaging and appealing"?
Above our other objet d'snark, M-H the former L?
'Cause I got 'em tied.

Rachel Maddow is a pure face forward talking head sensation

in profile she's a whole different story

and a bad one at that

the full long thick lizard like neck
that spells appetite head on
turns against her
from the side it geeks her

and her visage and coiffe
becomes truly and dully
little league monosexual

best pic i found

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/44395/thumbs/s-RACHEL-MADDOW-large.jpg

as to laura

i found this picture
of her and my cousin perkins paine

yes the once well regarded folk singer

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2476811054_c675d6119d.jpg
yes quite a story there
but perkins is fine now ..or so i'm told
we haven't spoken since he stole a girl friend of mine back in 1972