Sunday, April 12, 2009

The Case for Distrust

Here's something to chew on as you digest your fancy Easter dinner, complete with too many rich foods that you know you shouldn't have eaten, but were just too delicious to pass up. And, I'm a pagan for Goddess' sakes. (Good grief, I have leftovers, too)

Do you trust the Obama administration, or not? For progressives, in many ways this is the fundamental economic and political question of our times.

For example, it isn't difficult to find Nobel laureates, distinguished, progressive blog-friendly economics Ph.D.s, and even people who saw the financial crisis coming who think that the Obama administration's Wall Street bailout plan is a good idea that will probably work. At the same time, it isn't difficult to find Nobel laureates, distinguished, progressive blog-firendly economics PhD.s, and people who saw the financial crisis coming who think the Obama administration's bailout plan is a bad idea. As such, faith in the bailout plan really isn't a question of analytic and scholastic ability, having clean hands on the financial crisis, or whether or not someone comes from an elite world of Villagers. It is simply a matter of trust in the people executing the plan.

Much the same can be said for the Afghanistan escalation, long-term social investment spending, torture and detainment policies, the new defense budget, the value of post-partisanship, the degree of progressivism in Obama administration appointments, and much more. The debate within progressive circles we are experiencing over these issues is primarily based on a question of trust, and only to a lesser extent on analysis, research and facts. It is a debate with which almost anyone who consumes progressive media is familiar: give President Obama a chance, aka trust the Obama administration and stop criticizing it, versus make him do it, aka President Obama's administration will only pursue a progressive policy direction if it is forced to do so by popular pressure. Within progressive circles, these attitudes are demonstrative of either a fundamental trust or distrust of the intentions of the Obama administration.

by Chris Bowers at Open Left

1 comment:

Greenconsciousness said...

DJF

DO YOU SUPPORT ABANDONING AFGHAN WOMEN? Because the peace corp cannot fight the Taliban -- are you aware of what the Taliban is doing to women in Pakistan right now?

(Pakistan) Minor girl married off to 50-year-old moneylender to clear debt
-- eight year old girl Zamiran
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/minor-girl-married-off-to-50yearold-moneylender-to-clear-debt
(Pakistan) Islamabad: Police drafts new rules to bar violence on women
-- "Women Victim Support Officer (WVSO) will be appointed"
http://www.geo.tv/4-22-2009/40393.htm
(Gaza) Nahid Abu T'eima: "Silence on the murder of Palestinian women is complicity"
http://www.stophonourkillings.com/?name=News&file=article&sid=3544

The policy of the US is not to recognize women fleeing Islam as political refugees but to deport them as Canada does while admiting male Muslim theocrats to vote away women's rights.

From: International Campaign Against Honour Killings
Sent: Apr 21, 2009 2:09 PM
To:
Subject: ICAHK Action Alert: CANADA: Stop the deportation if Roohi Tabassum

Hello,
Roohi Tabassum faces deportation to Pakistan in just seven days, where she is at risk of so-called 'honour' killings, as was reporetd recently in the Toronto Sun.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/04/03/8986241-sun.html

Roohi's supporters are asking you to contact the following people and organisations and tell them "Do not deport Roohi Tabassum to her death".

Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship/Immigration/ Multiculturalism:

Minister@cic.gc.ca
The Canadian Embassy:
The Embassy of Canada
501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC, USA 20001
Phone: 202-682-1740 or 202-682-1755
Fax: 202-682-7726 or 202-682-7738
Immigration Fax: 202-682-7689
Public Affairs Fax: 202-682-7791
http://www.canadianembassy.org

Case Processing Center, in Ontario:
2 Robert Speck Parkway,
Suite 1200
Mississauga, ON
L4Z 1H8
Fax: 905-803-7392

The Consul General in Detroit:
The Consulate General of Canada, Detroit
600 Renaissance Center, Suite 1100
Detroit, Michigan, USA 48243-1798
Telephone: 313-567-2340
Immigration: 313-567-2085
Fax: 313-567-2164
http://www.detroit.gc.ca dtrot@international.gc.ca