Las Vegas Gleaner

Hollering psychopaths, idiots, demagogues, scoundrels: American patriots on parade

Six in ten Americans have thrown up their hands in disgust over the Iraq invasion and occupation (the remaining four Americans must be Bush, McCain, Sheldon Adelson and Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nevada) and 90 percent of the citizenry thinks the economy is doomed, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Fortunately, the people who preen in front of cameras for ABC, as opposed to the people who conduct polls for it, know full well that the real issue Americans care most about is neither the catastrophic fallout from insane military adventurism nor an economic collapse so debilitating that it threatens not only people's ability to pay their bills but society's very capacity to function.

No, the most important issue facing America today is Barack Obama's "patriotism."

Against that backdrop, the lowly Gleaner would like to render a modest observation: Fuck patriotism.

Oh, if by "patriotism," one means love of one's country, and in particular some of its more magnificent principles such as equal justice under the law, a nation of laws not men, open and fair democracy, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the freedom to say "fuck patriotism," etc., well, that's one thing.

But when the word "patriotism" is thrown around by politicians, media and other assorted scoundrels and cads, that's not what they're talking about at all. They're talking about magnetic ribbons on SUVs imploring everyone to "support the troops" (after more than six years of war accompanied by an exhaustive search, a significant or even identifiable group of sane people in the United States who "oppose the troops" has yet to be unearthed, so the sheer diligence and persistence of those drivers of magnet-adorned vehicles has to be admired). They're also talking about exploiting a widely held but nonetheless thoughtless adherence to vacuous slogans for political gain. And they're talking about who is and who isn't sporting pins of the American flag on their lapels.

The 18th century man of letters Samuel Johnson is attributed with saying "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Ever since, an assortment of people have come forth contending that Johnson was terribly wrong — it's not the last refuge, it's the first.

H.L. Mencken, who harbored some despicable views but who also could throw the high cheese like nobody's bidness, wrote that Johnson's aphorism ...

" ... has some truth in it but not nearly enough. Patriotism, in truth, is the great nursery of scoundrels, and its annual output is probably greater than that of even religion. Its chief glories are the demagogue, the military bully, and the spreaders of libels and false history. Its philosophy rests firmly on the doctrine that the end justifies the means—that any blow, whether above or below the belt, is fair against dissenters from its wholesale denial of plain facts."

Though more concise, a couple judgments from George Bernard Shaw are no less damning. "Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy." Good one. "Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." Even better.

Characters in Shaw's plays would occasionally quote, or deliberately misquote, Voltaire, so it's safe to assume that the former knew that the latter wrote "It is lamentable that to be a good patriot one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind."

But enough of these French Philosophes, Irish socialists, snooty Brits and easterners who openly despise the rabble. Let's turn to someone Nevadans can trust, someone whose down-to-earth common sense is as American as, well, jingoistic patriotism, and whose work in the state would lead to veneration and admiration 'round here forevermore.

"Man is the only Patriot," wrote Mark Twain...

"He sets himself apart in his own country, under his own flag, and sneers at the other nations, and keeps multitudinous uniformed assassins on hand at heavy expense to grab slices of other people's countries, and keep them from grabbing slices of his. And in the intervals between campaigns he washes the blood of his hands and works for 'the universal brotherhood of man' — with his mouth."

Twain, ever helpful, also offered up a short definition that while not as famous or perhaps as profound as Johnson's saying, is no less applicable to the scoundrels of today who are posturing and braying over Obama's flag pin (or lack thereof): A "patriot," Twain said, "is the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about."

People and the media wondering whether the absence of a flag pin on Obama's lapel equates to an absence of patriotism in Obama's heart could just as easily pull "patriotism" from their lexicon and use "nationalism" instead. It wouldn't make the discussion more relevant. But it might at least make it more accurate. While Obama's love of and even loyalty to the country is under fire by some of the most ignorant American voters and its creepiest commentators, the attacks also stem from Obama's perceived unwillingness to drink the ideological kool-aid that reduces one's love of country and its heritage and its institutions to a mere doctrine and an "ism," and one that often as not is founded not on nobler principles such as national self-determination but also a sense of chauvinistic superiority.

But the nation can't switch "nationalism" for "patriotism" in the public dialog because doing so would expose just how asinine and absurd is the entire discussion over things like, sigh, flag pins — as can be seen if "patriotism" is replaced with "nationalism" in some recent items in the news:

• "Doubt's about nationalism could hurt Obama's chances" (Boston Herald)
• "As Obama's nationalism is questioned, he's starting to look more and more like John Kerry in '04" (Newsweek)
• "Senator Obama, I have a question, and I want to know if you believe in the American flag. I am not questioning your nationalism, but all our servicemen, policemen and EMS wear the flag. I want to know why you don't." (Question posed by voter Nash McCabe during ABC News debate)

Or imagine, if you will, one of those gushy giggly exchanges between overpaid wingnut propagandists — any two will do, but let's use, say, Sean Hannity and Newt Gingrich as representative samples. After several minutes of amazing each other with unbelievable stories of how un-nationalistic Barack Obama is, Hannity closes the segment by saying "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, you're a great nationalist." To which Gingrich replies, "Well, thank you Sean, but none of us will ever be as great a nationalist as you." Somehow that just doesn't seem to be the kind of send-off likely to boost either extremist's book sales.

All of which creates an exceedingly rare opportunity to put Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich and Albert Einstein in the same sentence, as it was Einstein who said "Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind."

Miniglean

• Hoping to convince a huge majority of Nevada voters that the electorate's better judgment and collective common sense notwithstanding, now clearly is no time to raise the gaming tax, the gambling industry starts a website. Yup. That oughtta do it.
• Howie Dean says all the superdelegates need to shit or get off the pot — now (CNN). Apologies for the icky expression. That's how all us liberal elitists used to talk in the trailer court, and it seemed to fit.
• Shit you not (trailer court expressions are like potato chips, can't settle for just one), the former first lady unveils a new campaign slogan: "She's not as bad as you think!" (WaPo). Unfortunately, in the same speech, she praised McCan't yet again, providing a modest reminder but a reminder nonetheless that she is, in point of fact, every bit as bad as you think.
• "Charlie was not a religious man." Dang, probably should have got to know long-time local Democratic Party poohbah Charlie Waterman better. RIP. Sun

Small, ain't she

Karl Rove and George W. Bush must be grinning ear to ear.

What could be a finer testament to the lasting legacy of their wedge-issue politics of distraction than watching their techniques not only get swallowed whole as legitimate by a teevee news company (again), but also get embraced and employed by a presidential candidate from the other side, and a Clinton, no less, during a nationally televised debate?

The former first lady's transparently cynical and blazingly calculated attempts to pretend to deeply share so-called heartland values, her feigned concern that someone — perhaps even her! — was offended by the bitter clingy thingy, and most gloriously of all, her taking a page straight from the Limbaugh-Hannity-O'Reilly playbook and making a wild-ass (and pathetically failed) guilt-by-association gambit based on another one of Obama's acquaintances from the Assisted Living Center for Retired Radicals — all in all and taken as a whole, the disgusting senator from New York delivered a truly despicable performance.

You know how there's that disturbing grumbling out there that if Clinton somehow manages to acquire the nomination, people will just stay home? Wouldn't be a bit surprising if that sentiment peaked out at its all-time high during the debate in Philadelphia.

Miniglean: Chock Full O' Assclowns Edition

• Claiming it's impossible to tell where Sheldon Adelson ends and the National Republican Congressional Committee begins, House Democrats are filing a Federal Elections Commission complaint against Freedom's Watch, the bitchy little area megalomaniac's propaganda arm. Politico 
• That doctor who owned the clinics that tried to kill every man, woman and child in Southern Nevada also was a board member of a bank (RJ), which for some reason serves as a reminder that his clinics, just like all the other for-profit health care facilities 'round here, are yet another group of bidnesses that profit handsomely but don't pay any significant taxes in this state.
• No wonder some profiteer wants to buy the disgraced doctor's cash-cow clinics and start the horrifying but lucrative practices all over again. RJ
• Speaking of Nevada's dysfunctional, irresponsible and unresponsive political system (surely someone must have speaking of that), there should at least be a special session of the Nevada Legislature to rearrange the deck chairs. Ralston/Sun
• Hard to believe that in a story headlined "States Tackle Foreclosures In Absence of Federal Help," there's no mention of Nevada's pro-active hands-on governor or his innovative and ground-breaking public service announcements designed to make it look like he's doing something. And Nevada being a foreclosure leader, too. Snooty eastern media. WaPo
• ...at least the big city newspaper didn't totally ignore Nevada — it noted that the Silver State is a national leader when it comes to the increase in the number of bankruptcies. WaPo
• John McCain apologist and Sig Rogich promoter Sig Rogich finds a back-benching War Party senator from South Carolina to whore out for him and attack the proposal for a high speed train between Las Vegas and civilization. Oh. Because Sigmund is whoring out for the low-speed alternative. (RJ)
• RJ bean counter in chief Sherm Frederick (remember how the other day Gleaner was saying one needn't live in the sticks to be a bumpkin? Sherm's a case in point) professes to be embracing the cutting edge of newspaper management techniques by ... asking writers to do more for the same money (Friess). Please. That's so 1999. Outsourcing the reporting to India, now that would be impressive.
• Andrew Martin challenges Robert Daskas to a debate on the economy. Yes, zzzz, indeed.

The comedic stylings of Harry Reid

While meeting with reporters Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was asked if the ongoing campaign between Barack Obama and whatsherface would hurt the party.

"It makes me bitter," Reid said.

The Politico, which reported the item, then observes that Reid doesn't look very funny.

Showing that she also has a sense of humor, or maybe it's just a sense of desperation, the former first lady is clinging to Obama's belaboring of the obvious as if his remarks were her god or her gun, and running an ad. Which Obama is answering with an ad of his own.

And since you know you were wondering what the socialists are saying:

The response from the American media, once his remarks were published, was immediate and hostile. Obama was guilty of a “blunder,” he had “offended” rural America, he faced “a full-blown political disaster.” A commentary on the influential web site politico.com said, “this is a potential turning point for Obama’s campaign,” one that could result in the loss of the Democratic nomination to New York Senator Hillary Clinton.

It is instructive to compare this reaction to the treatment of the speech on race relations that Obama delivered last month in response to controversial comments made by the ex-pastor of his Chicago church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The bulk of the media treated Obama’s address favorably—an indication that in the America of 2008, class divisions are a much more sensitive issue than race.

Plus, Obama left out Iraq, the socialists noted, all Gleaner like.

Tax Day — time for quiet, self-supressing Americans to pony up for more war

Time for the working class and the middle class, or what's left of it, to get out there and pay their taxes, if they haven't already. As always, it's particularly important that those folks step up and do their part, because of course you just can't count on the rich to pay their fair share.

Some people seem to think all those tax dollars would be better spent on something other than Iraq (for those wondering "How much is too much to spend on the war in Iraq," there's a YouTubes for that). They'll be rallying at Sunset Post Office, 1001 E. Sunset Road, at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday.

"Invest in America not in War!" implores a release from Americans United for Change announcing the rally. "As the War in Iraq drags into its 6th year and as Nevada families brace for recession at home, it’s time for Rep. Jon Porter to abandon the failed Bush policy of spending over $10 billion a month keeping U.S. Troops stuck in the crosshairs of a religious civil war."

Yeah, umm, according to the talking points distributed by the vast secular left conspiracy, that's supposed to be "the failed Bush-McCain policy."

By tying the rally to the regressive tax burden, event organizers might be able to rekindle some interest in the Iraq invasion and occupation. Tough sell, though, inasmuch as most of America has totally tuned out and quit paying attention to our nation's catastrophic military aggression. On the one hand, jeepers, fatigue. But lying just beneath the easily understandable veneer of war weariness is the persistent, nagging self-realization among a growing number of the American citizenry that they themselves were bloodthirsty and that their own eagerness to go a-warring back in the day facilitated the idiots of both parties who signed off on the fiasco. It's easier to supress all that guilt over their own complicity if they just don't think about the war at all. And so nobody went to see that great Tommy Lee Jones movie.

Miniglean

• What with the economy on the precipice of structural default, the planet drying up and blowing away and entire regions of the world mired in intractable and bloody geopolitical chaos, naturally the one thing that's bound to rouse the rabble is a return to the 1990s and those wonderfully stimulating discussions about term limits (AP, Neff/RJ, Ralston/Sun, editorial/RJ). What — guns, god and xenophobia no longer hitting the spot? Wake us up when the discussion turns to broadening term limits so they apply to lobbyists.
• If your neighbors know you're carrying a gun then wouldn't you pretty much be forced to shoot them? RGJ
• After taking control of the county convention process to assure that the do-over, too, wasn't a complete fiasco, the Obama and Clinton campaigns and the Nevada Democratic Party allowed disgraced Clark County Democratic Party Chairman John Hunt to lead the applause at the end of the day. So that was nice. Sun
• At the bottom of the RJ convention story, it is reported that NV Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley supports Obama. Did you know that? Gleaner didn't know that. Anyway, you'd think she'd be a superdelegate. But she ain't. Oh well.
• Local bitchy little megalomaniac Sheldon Adelson is, well, a bitchy little megalomaniac, NYT learns. Who knew?
• Former Pres. Jimmy Carter's plan to talk with Hamas prompts objections from Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Tel Aviv. AP

What's the matter with Barack Obama?

It's unseemly to watch Democrats use War Party tactics to belittle other Democrats.

But an exception should be granted in the case of Barack Obama scoffing at Hillary Clinton's recent enthusiasm for gun-nuttery and making fun of her for acting like she's "Annie Oakley ... packin' a six-shooter" (CNN). After all, Hillbot's response to Obama's observations about the bitterness of bumpkins was in full accordance and synchronized with the interpretive trail blazed by Fox News and the McCain campaign, so she deserved it.

Still, Obama was wrong on at least two counts for suggesting in the course of verbalizing a What's the Matter With Kansas moment that people in small towns compensate for their sense of helplessness and inferiority by turning to god, guns and xenophobia.

First, he left out all that enthusiasm for naked military aggression and the whole "kick their ass steal their gas" mentality that has so emboldened the nation's political leadership to go a-warmongering. The heartland turned to militarism in a really big way, especially earlier in the decade, to fill the mawing void, so that's a pretty glaring omission.

Second, people who "cling" to guns and god need not be income-strapped denizens of America's economically dying small towns. There are untold thousands of well-off Hummer-drivers in the city — take Las Vegas, for instance — whose outlook on public affairs is equally misdirected on (and by) hot-button distractions. And that outlook, in turn, is cynically exploited by War Party politicians and their financiers to thwart social and economic progress and saddle the nation with pernicious policy.

Which is to say one needn't live in the sticks to be a bumpkin.