Ok he didn’t actually say that. But he ain’t too far off:
Transcript:
LIMBAUGH: As the economy performs worse than expected, the deficit for the 2010 budget year beginning in October will worsen by $87 billion to $1.3 trillion. The deterioration reflects lower tax revenues and higher costs for bank failures, unemployment benefits and food stamps. But in the Oval Office of the White House none of this is a problem. This is the objective. The objective is unemployment. The objective is more food stamp benefits. The objective is more unemployment benefits. The objective is an expanding welfare state. And the objective is to take the nation’s wealth and return to it to the nation’s quote, “rightful owners.” Think reparations. Think forced reparations here if you want to understand what actually is going on.
According to ThinkProgress, Racist Rush was endorsing a Republican party leader, NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions’ (R-TX) and his claim that President Obama is intentionally trying to “‘diminish employment and diminish stock prices‘ as part of a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy to consolidate power.” Right…
Janeane Garofalo just laid it out. Made it plain. I totally agree with her that what’s at the heart of these protests and name-calling is fear of a black president. IMO, all this ballyhooing calling Obama “fascist” and “socialist” and “communist” adds up to a bunch of ignorant, frightened white people (and that’s all there was at these poorly attended tea parties it was plain to see) who, en masse, see a big black man who happens to be president crossing the street near their collective cars and have decided to roll up their windows and lock their doors. And call the cops. Terms like socialism and collectivism equal nothing more than a ridiculous, sad and unjustified fear that: “A black man is president and he’s going to take away my money and social privilege and give it to niggers who don’t deserve it. Eeek!”
CNN reporter Susan Roesgen has taken some flack, but she’s my hero. She bravely exposed the hypocrisy, artifice, paradox and poor logic behind what the tea party protestors were saying. She never got an answer to “why do you think Obama is a fascist”? That’s because there is no answer. These people know it’s socially unacceptable to espouse racism openly and so all of this, ALL OF THIS, is an elaborate canard intended to allow expression of fear, ignorance and hatred safely.
It’s helpful to see white people begin to acknowledge this, too. That’s ultimately what will push back the surging tide of hatred because there are still some white people in America (ahem, tea partiers) who only believe other white people when it come to labeling racism. Janeane is so worth watching. Go on girl.
Comedienne Janeane Garofalo held nothing back while discussing the “tea parties” with Keith Olbermann last night. Though the parties’ organizers claim they’re protesting taxes, Garofalo insists they’re nothing but “tea-bagging rednecks” who are simply motivated by “hating a black man in the White House.” She went on to say that participants “will believe anything you tell them, as long as it’s not the truth.” The truth, she claims, “confuses them.”
Remember that adorable, brave little girl sitting next to Michelle Obama during Barack’s first State of the Union address? She wrote in movingly, hauntingly to ask that her falling-down “school” provided by the state be brought up to code.
South Carolina Governor and professional racist Mark Sanford’s decision to turn down $500 million in education funds means that 7,500 teachers in SC will get laid off and schools like Ty’sheoma’s where classes have to stop several times a day when the train rolls by, shaking and rattling the school ain’t getting fixed anytime soon. Sanford is planning to turn down $700 million dollars of Recovery Act funding in all for reasons that just don’t make sense. Watch the video above from CNN covering the story. It’s one thing to make a political point. It’s another when the future of kids like Ty’sheoma — who deserve much more than they’ve gotten from SC so far — hangs in the balance. It’s not just their future at stake; education will make or break America’s ability to compete in the global marketplace. Why would Sanford shortchange his own citizens’ children for political purposes?
Pete Pillow, spokesman for the state’s education department told ThinkProgress yesterday that if Sanford’s decision holds up, “then we’re in a real world of hurt because of all the cuts that are going on. And it isn’t going to get any better. It’s not like the economy’s going to turn around in the next year. Not in this state anyway.”
Van Jones is an emerging leader who happens to be black and who has also successfully promoted the concept that we can address climate change, save our economy and create good jobs (especially in struggling communities) all at the same time. Obama and his team actually cribbed Van’s signature theme during their push on the economic stimulus package: “We need to give the work that most needs to be done to those who need the work most.” Simple, no? The first time I heard Van speak in person was at Netroots Nation last year (really, you should go!). Van is one of the most amazing and inspiring speakers you’ll ever hear — and I am including Barack Obama. If you don’t know who Jones is, you will someday real soon.
Dayam, y’all! See that’s what I love about Color of Change: they ain’t playin’. And they got the cops involved. Read below for details. Let it be known to those who attack Obama and Black America = we are prepared to come over to your house and look you in the eye. And dump 100,000 angry letters on your doorstep in a maneuver that will only make your doorman hate you more than he probably already secretly does. We gotta stay vigilant, MLK-style non-violent but direct in demanding accountability and action.
OK, I added that last part about the begging for mercy. But you and I know that if we had not risen up against hatred in such a strong visible way, i.e. taking to the streets, raising our voices, sending in tens of thousands of emails, and talking about boycotts — shoot, you KNOW we wouldn’t be seeing the man himself come down from the mountain to say this:
As the Chairman of the New York Post, I am ultimately responsible for what is printed in its pages. The buck stops with me.
Last week, we made a mistake. We ran a cartoon that offended many people. Today I want to personally apologize to any reader who felt offended, and even insulted.
Over the past couple of days, I have spoken to a number of people and I now better understand the hurt this cartoon has caused. At the same time, I have had conversations with Post editors about the situation and I can assure you – without a doubt – that the only intent of that cartoon was to mock a badly written piece of legislation. It was not meant to be racist, but unfortunately, it was interpreted by many as such.
We all hold the readers of the New York Post in high regard and I promise you that we will seek to be more attuned to the sensitivities of our community.
If I had time, I’d deconstruct this apology line by line, but let’s just say that crotchedy old ultra-conservative Rupert appears to have gotten our message and maybe some calls from pissed off black people he actually knows. Good for them. This is a much more appropriate apology than their first back-handed and defiant attempt. I don’t expect them to admit to their threatening and dehumanizing racism: people rarely do so. I do expect them to apologize for it and do better — so I appreciate the last sentence greatly. Though the subtext is clear — black people: please stop the protests, calls, emails. We hear you.
