Shelby tries to blame Obama for bank bailouts that happened last fall.

[babylonsister]

Run time: 00:50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3-d1wxcrHo   Posted on YouTube: June 07, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: June 07, 2009 By DU Member: babylonsister Views on DU: 1917

 
What a box of rocks.

[shotten99]

1. Ironic

Shelby argues that we're on a slippery slope to socialism, but his entire argument is a slippery slope.
If this is socialism, Marx and Engels are thrashing in their graves.

[boomerbust]

2. Bull

He forgot to mention all the government handouts to foreign auto companies relocating in places like Alabama and Miss. These southern pukes have but one agenda, UNION BUSTING.

[Gedankenaustausch]

3. Ouch

Speaking as someone who pays their bills because of Mercedes operating in Alabama, I would like to say that sometimes the government "handouts" to companies like Mercedes work incredibly well. Did you really expect Mercedes or other companies to built plants in Michigan or other states that have been controlled and destroyed by union activity? Hyundai, Mercedes, and Honda have all built plants in Alabama because it is easier for them to generate profit. The auto unions served a great purpose years and years ago, but now will suffer the same fate as the Big Three, that is, being an old overinflated dinosaur operating in a new advanced world. All three companies here in Alabama provide excellent jobs, pay better than most other employers in the state, and provide benefits like no other. They have been able to do this by utilizing good business practices. If they were having to pay their employees the overinflated prices that unionized workers make in states like Michigan as well as making the stupidest, lowest quality, most unsuccessful products on the market they would be in the same situation as the Big Three. But, they aren't. The auto workers here don't need to rely off of a union because the companies actually do what they are supposed to do. They are able to do this because they don't have to blow tons of cash on the bloated salary of someone that has been working there for 30 years and puts lugs on wheels. There have been layoffs in the auto industry here in Alabama because of the automotive downturn, but Alabama isn't half as bad off as other states. Auto employees in Alabama make good salaries, and they also make actual good products that people want to buy, not things that mindless Americans go out and buy just because they think they have to. Typical American consumer: "I need a car, I know nothing about cars because I never research anything that I buy, and I have been duped into buying American for so many years because it is supposed to be better. I know, I will buy a new Chrysler Sebring because I am a stupid, stupid person and will buy a car that even Chrysler Executives leaked memos that said it was one of the worst cars ever made." I'm not saying unions are the problem, but they are definitely part of a huge problem with the auto business works in the the US. As for Senator Shelby being a "Southern Puke" I do not like him but for other reasons than lobbying a company to locate in Alabama because it provides a workforce and turns profit for the company, plus it pays my bills.

[bulloney]

6. Gedankenaustausch, you know darned well that if Mercedes, et al didn't have wages on par

with the Big Three, it would be their ticket to unionization. And the foreign automakers try to avoid unions like the plague.

The beef many of us have with Shelby is that he opposed any kind of a bailout for the Big Three from the beginning, throwing out the argument that the government should not be in the business of subsidizing corporations. But here's Shelby and his Republican cronies in their respective states handing out subisidies left and right to the foreign-based automakers in an attempt to lure them to their states. Typical RW hypocrisy at its best, in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I've had a beef with GM products and will not buy another one again until I'm convinced they've cleaned up their act and are producing quality products that don't fall apart within two years after purchase. I've owned five GMs over the years and have had to rebuild the engine or transmission on four of them. Each of them had less than 80,000 miles at the time of the repair. I take care of my cars and don't beat on them.

Don't throw out that simiplistic argument that the foreign automakers are in better financial shape because they are putting out a better product while paying their labor good wages out of the goodness of their heart. Probably the biggest reason why the foreign automakers in the South are not in the financial condition of the Big Three is because they haven't been here as long and therefore, don't have the legacy costs of the Big Three.

[Gedankenaustausch]

8. Oh, believe me Shelby is not loved in my book either.

I have the same beef with him. I also share your experience with GM. I didn't mean to make that my argument, esp the part about the goodness of their hearts LOL I mean we are talking about companies here, and as we know business doesn't have a heart... or at least I don't think so. However, having spent many years in Europe I will say with the utmost honesty and fact-worthiness that GM and Ford make BETTER products for Europe while they stick Americans with the crap. Go to Europe, take a ride in a cheap car and tell me that an american cheap car is as well made. I remember the first time I drove a Ford Festiva in France, I was blown away. I couldn't believe that Ford made such a great car. I believe this happens because Americans settle for second rate because we think it is the best. We spend so much time being concerned with ourselves that we don't stop and look around at the rest of the world. We settle for sub par cars because less than 10 percent of Americans have passports and haven't taken the time to see what the rest of the world has to offer. We settle for sub par customer service in stores because a long time ago our parents stopped demanding the best because it was just easier and more "polite" not to say anything. Americans settle. That's the bottom line, cars are just the tipping point. We have become a nation of aspiring mid-level managers, we stopped demanding the best because we became complacent. Away with the soapbox about americans though.... back to unions. I really strongly believe that unions caused a great deal of this crap storm with the automotive industry. Unions at one time stood up for the little man and all of those other great american taglines, however I think they became as greedy as the companies and when that happened the market in the US just couldn't support the old bloated dinosaur anymore.

[Infinite Hope]

4. He caught himself and said it actually started with the Bush admin. n/t

[Hulk]

5. God, Alabama has some ignorant SOB's representing them....

I would be so embarrassed to be from so many of these southern states with the ass hats that are serving ON THEIR BEHALF in Congress. If they truly reflect their constituents, that is one head-up-your-ass-ignorant part of the country.

[bulloney]

7. I think the Shelbys of Congress listen to Rush, Hannity, etc all the time and parrot them often.

During Goofy's administration, they blamed everything on Clinton. Already, they're blaming everything bad on Obama. Shelby forgot he wasn't addressing a group of his knuckledragging, mouth-breathing base who believe every word from the Limpballs and Insanitys at home and had to correct himself as a means of damage control. As it is, he's being lampooned for letting out the mistake.

[boomerbust]

14. This is what really pisses these people off

African American YANKEE President

Even some so called Southern Progressives

[Gedankenaustausch]

9. How Rude!

I don't like Shelby. I didn't vote for him. But I don't appreciate your comments about my part of the country. I know plenty of people that vote for people like Shelby. They aren't "head-up-their-ass-ignorant" people. They may have different political ideas but they don't deserve your "head-up-your-own-ass" comments. What a rude thing to say for such an open-minded place of ideas.

[Hyper_Eye]

10. I live in district 5 and know a lot of Shelby and Sessions voters as well.

Most of them are ignorant and have their heads up their ass. I have lived in this place for most of my life and it is a backwards-ass place. Most people in Alabama live with low wages, crappy homes, crappy cars, and ridiculous politicians. But still they vote for the gun toting and bible thumping politician every single time. It doesn't matter that the same guy consistently supports legislation that cuts taxes for a tax bracket well above these voters bracket while leaving these voters behind. It doesn't matter that they support corporations over workers and consumers. The constituents will actually argue why these positions are the right ones when the very same positions are screwing them. But Rush told them they were good and so they must be. Their church told them these candidates were right so they must be. In their eyes this country was headed towards socialism and Obama was the driving force behind it before the election even happened. For 8 years everything that went wrong under Bush was Clinton's fault and everything that went right was because of Bush's greatness. The moment Obama stepped into office every single negative thing was his fault and Bush is still responsible for anything good that happens. These people are idiots. Just because I live here doesn't mean I can't acknowledge the lunacy of the people surrounding me. If you walk around here and ask five people if Obama is the anti-christ it is likely at least one will say yes. These people are hopeless.

For anyone else that lives in Alabama and wants to talk to people who are actually like-minded, progressive, and pulling for Democratic candidates in AL check out: http://www.leftinalabama.com

[Gedankenaustausch]

17. What are you doing to help?

If you hate it so much, you must be doing something to help our state right? Or, are you a typical district 5er? you know the one's that hate on the rest of the state, fancy themselves as being in the north, and doesn't like being associated with the rest of the south. And they especially don't get out and do anything to support the party. A buddy of mine working out of Huntsville during the 08 election said that he could not believe that in a district with the highest education level and highest level of white collar workers as well as solid democratic support (there hasn't been a republican elected from there since reconstruction right?) there wasn't more people willing to get out and help. I'm 24 and I have been doing something, volunteering with elections, working on campaigns, distributing pamphlets every year since I was 18, and thats in district 2. I would hope that you have done something besides state bash on DU? And I hope you aren't the typical district 5 dem?

[Hyper_Eye]

18. I have attended campaign lunches with local candidates, contributed money...

I have provided support to local candidates. That is more than what 99% of everyone else does. Most people around here could not conceive of giving their hard-earned money to a candidate. Well I put my money where my mouth is and I provide campaign contributions. I display campaign materials on my vehicle and all over my lawn. And every time one of the signs is stolen off my lawn I replace it. For some reason you can't keep a sign for a progressive candidate on your property around here without someone driving by and taking it. I also freely tell anyone that is interested who I support and why.

But none of that is important. I am a constituent and one that has been here for a long time. I am the rare constituent who not only pays attention to candidates that are running and votes knowledgeably but one who pays attention to what they do once elected. I actually look at how they vote on key legislation and that goes a long way towards whether or not I can support them again. Politicians in Alabama talk out both sides of their mouths and it shows in their votes. Whether they are R's or D's politicians in AL are full of crap. Parker Griffith is a perfect example. After all the bad votes he has made so far I wonder if Wayne Parker would have been any worse. At least Wayne Parker would talk the way he votes. If Griffith doesn't support the health care bill he will have shown his true colors and I will be involved in any campaign to primary him.

People here have been generous and said that there is something wrong with the politics here but the people are good. I disagree. The problem is with the people. They are the most hardheaded people on the face of this planet. They never change their minds about anything. It doesn't matter if evidence to the contrary is slapping them in their faces. You can't talk to them. Anything contrary to their strict belief system is offensive. If you wear a shirt for a progressive candidate into a Waffle House you better be prepared to be approached and it won't be to have a nice debate. It will be to tell you how much of a sissy moron you and your candidate are. If you try to have any civil discourse with someone they will put out nonsense and start spouting off about socialism and a racial plot to make whites minorities. Questioning the war can be fighting words around here because supporting our troops means supporting everything a Republican President asked them to do. Of course anything a D asks them to do is a guaranteed failure as far as they are concerned. Facts don't concern these people. They believe what they were told to believe from the moment they were born and they never consider the possibility that it might be worth finding out on their own what the truth is. Their world is made up of very distinct walls that they understand, are familiar with, and are comfortable with. Anything outside those four walls is a direct threat to their existence as they know it to be. They will fight to maintain it.

Now that they have become further and further separated from the rest of the country they are starting to accept radical ideas as something to cling to. These people love listening to Rush and Glenn Beck is the greatest thing to come along since sliced bread. They have bought so many guns and so much ammo this year that the stores have trouble staying stocked and the prices have gone through the roof. If anything crazy happens my house will go on the market and I will hike tail it out of here because sometimes I worry about my family. Nobody outside of the south can possibly understand the current tension in the south. I find myself talking about my politics less and less. I used to freely declare my atheism when asked but now I refuse to state my religious beliefs much of the time. Things are different than they were a few years ago. I am pretty certain that politics in AL are not about to move left. These voters are preparing to drive it as hard to the right as they can get it. I don't think there is a single thing we can do to stop that. All of the upcoming and just passed special elections are to replace D's. The last one was held but lets see how many we lose.

The bottom line is that nobody was insulting you. If you are working to change things and get the South on the right track that is great. The attack was levied against the South in general and it is absolutely deserving of it. As long as the biggest idiots in Congress are coming from here we can't say people are wrong about the South. BTW, do you not realize that you just levied the exact same sort of attack against the fifth district? You just lobbed a general statement that bashed the 5th district even though it so offended you for someone to lob the same thing at Alabama itself. You are no different. But you are right that the fifth district is one of the best educated districts in AL and has one of the highest concentration of engineers in the country. I'm one of them. But that obviously isn't enough because district 2 (the one you are in) is voting in the exact same kind of candidates. If you look at Griffith's voting record and Bobby Bright's voting record you might think they were the same person and you would think they were a party-line voter... on the Republicans side of the aisle. They have consistently voted like Republicans. What are we supposed to do when even our D's are Republicans? I supported Griffith knowing this was a possibility and now I can't wait to primary him. Our districts voted practically the same in the Presidential election though and they did terribly there. So, no I am not what you consider a "typical" 5th district constituent. I would have to say that your idea of what is typical here is crazy though. I feel like I couldn't be any further South. The 5th district is better than any other district in AL? Yeah right.

[Gedankenaustausch]

19. Thats good to know

Keep fighting the good fight. You should be more involved in your local party hq than just giving money. You can get better results from being directly involved in politics. I personally feel that donations, unless its a huge amount, have little to do with influence over a local politician. If you volunteer at your local party hq, you will start to be respected, and your opinions will esp start to be respected. Then just keep influencing. Host debates, go to meetings, there's tons more you can do than just throwing some cash around.

I think you have had a bad run of luck when talking politics though, I have never faced such blind belief. I have found that people, especially southern people, are always willing to talk about politics. They may say something totally stupid, but they will talk. I have never had someone criticize me outright in public for wearing a certain shirt, or having a sign in my yard. I guess there is a big difference in the people in your district than in mine. But, I would predict that it would be the opposite, but i guess I would be wrong.

Sorry about being offended. It really pisses me off, especially when northern dem friends of mine start bashing the south like some kind of po dunk political wasteland. They have never been here, they have never known what it's like here, but the judge and judge often. It also upsets me when dems from alabama gripe about the politics here in the state but they do NOTHING about it. As long as you aren't either person, we have no problem.

I do disagree with you on how people here make their decisions. Yes they love their neo-con talk shows and FN, but... I think you overestimate the amount of control they have over people. The main problem with Alabamians is that they have never heard a contradictory viewpoint against what they were raised with. If people dismiss you as being a crazy lib loon, you have to move on. Chances are they probably don't even vote. Their significance to society is miniscule. But there are some people who will change their views. I promise. I, myself, am example of one of those people who can change their views. But, you have to be really careful when you talk about those people because if you put them off the way you were speaking about them in your last post, you will NEVER convince them of anything. And those people know how dems bash them. Just like we know how rep's bash us. You can't have such a negative attitude about it. You have to talk to people, and if you talk to them in a respectful manner you can accomplish a lot. Yes, some will outright try to shout you down, but let them go. You can accomplish something by talking to others. Don't let the big picture get you down. There is a fight to be won in Alabama, and you have to take it day by day.

As far as Bobby Bright, he was the far better choice from Jay Love, and I am proud to say I voted for him. But, he's not the typical democrat, it was just a thing he did so he could avoid the primary between jay love and harri ann smith. That's the only reason he is a dem. I wouldn't be surprised if he switched sides. And if you look at the make up on district 2, his voting pattern comes as no surprise.

[Hulk]

11. Some times the truth hurts. You tell me?

What states are these big embarrassments from? Lamar Alexander, Saxby Chambliss, Tom Boburn, Juan Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, James Inhofe, Mitch McConnell, Jeff Sessions, Richard Shelby and David "diaper-boy" Vitter.

Now you tell me...do you see a trend here? These are some of the biggest bumpkins in the Senate today, and without going into the House, I think it isn't just a matter of being "rude", but a matter of calling out some states for how they CHOOSE to be represented.

I've been through the Southeast, and I realize the radio stations are DOMINATED by the right wing and evangelical nut cakes. The people are great...but something is rotten in that part of the country...and if the shoe fits, wear it! or do something about it!

[Gedankenaustausch]

15. I'm doing something but not name calling.

I am doing something about it. But calling people ignorant asses or whatever you said isn't the way to change people. There actually has to be a dialogue. Oh, and i'm glad you have been "through" the southeast and got a chance to listen to the radio stations so now you can comment about southern politics. You should actually delve deeper into politics than what you see on the news or are able to sample on the radio as you are passing through the south. I'm sorry but your comments really upset me. It seemed to be the typical American "i think all regions besides where I'm from are where stupid people are" type comments. And from my experiences, the entirety of the United States especially the Left-leaning Americans categorize the South as the same, they always neglect the south as some country wasteland that they're not sure why it's even considered in the US, which really shows their stupidity. It is the same as the typical right wing southerner saying that they don't like the north.... even though they have never traveled 50 miles away from home. I wish you could have felt my disgust with other Americans when they ask me "Do you ride horses?" or "Do you know where Greenbow Alabama is?" or "Are you in the KKK?" I hope that you aren't that type of person. If you aren't then I'm sorry I misunderstood your comment as attacking all southerners. And I give you a tip of the hat for being one step ahead of the common know nothing American.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

13. I grew up in Lousiana and Mississippi

I saw it all too often, it would be one thing if the people that vote for the likes of Shelby and Vitter were in the top 2% income wise, I could almost see voting for those corporate whores, at least I would know they were looking out for my best interests. But that isn't the case the desperately poor states in the southeast with horrible education, underfunded social programs and abject poverty are being represented by these guys and the idiots continue to vote for them time and time again. Voting against their own interests because Rush and the Church tell them to do so. Eschewing their own self interests and voting because of God, guns and gays. They are idiots and I am calling them out on it. If you cant deal with it sorry.

[pauldg0]

16. He is a dumb sounding..

......and looking fucking toad, isn't he?

[quidam56]

12. Shelby also said we have the best health care system in the world

I personally know what is deemed, defended and supported as 'THE ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS OF HEALTH CARE' in East Tennessee and southwest Virginia. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 Clearly PROFIT CARE is more important than PATIENT CARE.