2/8 Quote Of The Day

"The ads in the Super Bowl had a strong discourse about masculinity for married fathers. Some, such as the Dodge Charger ad, saw marriage and fatherhood as an imposition - worthwhile, but making a man deserving of masculine compensation in the form of a muscle car. Others, though, took a more positive view of marriage and fatherhood, more as a challenging adventure. The Google ad, 'Parisian Love', did this cleverly, through a series of queries that implied the life course of a man from pre-courtship to wedding and child. My favorite ad was for Dove. The galloping romp through a man's life from boyhood to responsible, happy marriage and fatherhood is charming. I was particularly interested to note that they suggest having three kids, rather than the customary two of earlier ads. And the conclusion is that married fatherhood is not an imposition, but a great life." — William Weston, sociiology professor and moderate Democrat

To comment on "2/8 Quote Of The Day", click here.

CLIFTON B. COMMENTARY: Scapegoat Time: Obama's Bipartisan Health Care Summit

The conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey isn't feeling President Obama's latest political strategy: "Talk about a transparent maneuver. Obama is planning a bipartisan Healthcare Summit for later this month. He even wants it televised on C-SPAN finally... Does anyone actually believe that Obama is looking for a real solution here? This summit (a mere half day meeting) isn’t about advancing the healthcare debate; instead it is design[ed] to get Republicans involved so they can blame them for the death of ObamaCare."

Mr. B. continues his commentary: "All of last year, the Democrats and the Democrats only worked on healthcare reform. The current death of healthcare reform comes strictly at the hands of Democrats. Up to this point Republicans have clean hands, they were not allowed input into the process and were powerless to stop it. Therefore, Democrats are desperate for someone other than themselves to blame for the bill’s failure and an entire year wasted. Enter the Healthcare Summit and a way to involve Republicans."

More: "Republicans know that this bill needs to go all the way back to the drawing board. Obama has already signaled that starting over is not an option. So by participating in the summit, Republicans are left with two choices; compromise and help to pass a still s___y bill or reject it completely and give the Democrats the scapegoat they desperately need. If Boehner and McConnell have any sense, they will begin now to work on a strategy to avoid these consequences. A possible way will be to use the C-Span coverage to showcase the Democrats irresponsibility in wanting such an expensive proposal at a time like this."

To comment on "Scapegoat Time" post, click here.

Neoafricain on Super-Condi

The French bookerista praises the recent foreign policy speech that Condoleezza Rice (pictured) gave at Oklahoma State University (commentary in French): "Thank you to Booker Rising for posting this information. This gave me an opportunity to rediscover how Condoleezza Rice, the former national security adviser and secretary of state to former President [George] W. Bush, was qualified to analyze and judge today's risks to the U.S. I agree with her view: Ten years after the horrible September 11, 2001 attacks, the world (especially historians) will judge the acts of the Bush administration to provide stability and hope to the world after this tragedy. It needed a strong president and a strong administration to hold the  shaky world at this time. As to those 'humanist' actions in the world, most people are wrong in only considering the Iraq and Afghanistan interventions. It [the U.S. government] has been very active in the Darfur crisis and has significantly helped poor African countries. Bush's last tour on the continent and the warm welcome he had received was the best example. Perhaps in this area is where 'compassionate conservatism' has found its full expression."

Neoafricain continues his commentary: "Regarding today's risks, Iran is clearly on top of the agenda. The latest news from Tehran indeed confirms to the world and this strategic region about the danger posed by the ayatollahs! Finally, she returned to neo-conservative foreign policy principles. Unlike other conservatives and of course the pseudo-pacifists and other isolationists; they [neo-conservatives] have the strong conviction that the United States are at high risk (the tragic proof was given on September 11) when they allow unstable states headed by tyrants to proliferate. Democracy has brought many benefits to the States, it's the best form of government and the U.S. has a duty to promote it everywhere else. And she said they should do it as much for moral reasons than for their own [national] interests. This imperative requires great courage and dedication, two qualities that left the White House with President [George] W. Bush!"

More: "Condoleezza Rice recalls several things about which most Obamamaniacs have amnesia or are obtuse: 1) The Bush Administration was composed of people of great talent; 2) There were Blacks in key positions of that administration (an argument which counters those who often invoke the supposed racism of those years); and 3) it had the advantage of having a doctrine that has preserved their country's fundamental interests and the free world and caused great harm to their enemies. She [Condoleezza Rice] outperforms the very quiet and very faded current Secretary of State (Hillary Clinton, for those who have forgotten) and has a consistency that is not found today. The current administration is torn between the naive-apprenticeship of an 'Attorney General' who wants to try all terrorists on American soil, the kind who wanted to close Guantanamo at any price (it was Condi who said there was no credible alternative) and leave Iraq to the wolves, and another faction that wants to offset the weakness displayed by the president wherever they can. Super-Condi truly has her place in future national destiny!"

To comment on "Neoafricain on Super-Condi" post, click here.

Snowmageddon: Start Of A Sore Back

DarkStar, a moderate Republican blogger in Maryland, took this photo near his home. I'm sooooooo glad right now that I live in the Midwest - we have virtually no snow on the ground here in Chicago - because that is a ridiculous amount of snow!

Heck, even the federal government was shut down today in D.C., which cost $100 million in productivity. Apparently the Mid-Atlantic region is to get another snowstorm - with up to 10 to 20 inches of more snow - beginning tomorrow afternoon. Ooh boy....stay warm & safe, folks.

How are my affected readers coping with Snowmageddon?

To comment on "Snowmageddon" post, click here.

Tim Wise: Most Hated White Man In America

So says Jim Collier, a moderate blogger in California, who reacts to a recent lecture on racism and white privilege by liberal author and commentator Tim Wise (pictured) that he attended in Oakland, Calif.: "I will first clarify that I am not 100% aligned with his argument on the White-man’s recent history of exploiting people of color. Nevertheless, his delivery of facts sure beats the hell out of whoever would call him a liar. Unfortunately, he makes the grave mistake of many before him, with shallow analysis of the plight of Blacks limited to the last 400 years of White dominance, against thousands of prior years of development. This limitation allows Whites and others to easily turn a deaf ear to him. In ignoring earlier times of human history and evolution, including that of race itself, he lessens his power and influence, except for the people in his 'choir', mostly Blacks and guilt-sensitive Whites. To the contrary, and aided by many external factors over a much greater time period, Whites and Blacks are complicit in the race dynamic and plights we reflect today. In any event, I agree with Mr. Wise that talking about race is the only way for things to get better. I would simply lengthen the period of review to 5,000 years."

More: "This leads to my second mention. Wise is on the money when he criticizes Obama for being race-neutral. He postulates that in order to get elected Obama had to be palatable to a large number of racist Whites – I assume he means ‘soft’ racists - who were willing to vote for an exceptional Black man, the same way they have one Black friend as proof they are not racist. However – and I throw in my own Amen – a President who continually ducks racism, under the cover of political expedience, is actually doing great harm to any long-term goal of uniting disparate people. Wise offers that Obama, by example of his refusal to recognize racism, thrown at his presidency, Harry Reid-style, is pushing it into the closet and closing the door."

Final thoughts from Mr. Collier: "Even with the shortcomings of his macro-lens view on America, Wise is a strong and intelligent voice for bringing race discussions to the foreground. Some will like him, others will hate him, but you will know where he stands. My greatest concern with his presentation is that it implicitly encourages Whites to feel guilty and Blacks to feel like victims – not a recipe for success. In doing this he ignores duality. Balance is lost, as he does not challenge Blacks, or validate Whites. His words aptly encourage people to confront the ‘system’ of White privilege, but he hardly pushes on Blacks to embrace advancing avenues before them, rather than simply pointing out White obstruction. This makes him the flip-side of his accusation of Obama’s mono-focus on self-responsibility and the White majority. Wise desperately seeks/protects a palatable status with Black America, which limits what he is willing to say. In his world, Black salvation is forever dependent on White redemption – the status quo solution too concerned with the souls of White folk, quite biased, and quite impossible."

To comment on "Tim Wise" post, click here.