Posted on 11/09/2008 7:35:54 AM PST by SJackson
House Minority Leader John Boehner and other Republican insiders in Washington are griping about President-elect Barack Obama's selection of Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel to serve as White House chief of staff. Emanuel, they complain, is too partisan.
If only that was the case.
Partisan true believers stand strong for the ideals and principles of a party; they want to follow the dictates of the platform and stay in tune with grass-roots activists.
That's not a description of Rahm Emanuel.
In fact, Emanuel is the opposite of a partisan. He is someone who has worked very hard for a very long time -- first in the Clinton administration and then in Congress -- to change the Democratic Party into a more cautious, centrist and compromised institution. As head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006, he actually undercut efforts by progressive candidates who had a chance to win in order to advance the candidacies of more conservative candidates who lost.
Why? Because on the most vital issues -- economic and trade policy, war and peace, civil liberties -- this true believer in the worst compromises of the Clinton era has frequently been at odds with labor and progressive forces within the party.
So how worried should Democrats who want change they can believe in be about Obama's decision to make Emanuel the face of the transition process?
Emanuel is best understood as a disappointing choice rather than a definitional selection.
If Emanuel was in line for a key Cabinet position (Treasury, Commerce, Labor or Agriculture), or for the job of U.S. trade representative, there would be every reason to fret. In fact, it might well be appropriate to openly and aggressively challenge the appointment of someone so at odds with Democratic values and policy goals to any of those posts.
But a White House chief of staff is not, traditionally, a policymaker or implementer. Rather, the chief of staff is the member of the president's inner circle who gets things done. A chief of staff who goes against the president's instincts or goals, or who cannot work with people who hold views different from his own, does not last long.
Rahm Emanuel -- whose selection owes more to shared Chicago connections than to shared ideology -- is not being brought on to define the Obama administration.
It is Barack Obama's job to do that. Emanuel's job is to make sure that what the president wants done actually gets done. He's good at that, and that is why the new president picked the congressman from his hometown.
Obama wanted someone he knew well, someone he had worked with in the past, and someone who he was sure could get the job done to serve as his chief of staff.
He gets all that with Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff. But Emanuel is not going to be the president, Obama is. And if this administration adopts Emanuel's compromised positions, it will not be the fault of the chief of staff. It will be the fault of the president.
waaaaaaaa!!! obama didn't pick john nichols to be CoS! waaaaaaa!!
truth is heads need crackin' in dc, and rahm is known for crackin' heads. how else is obama going to undo 8 years of bush?
Rahmbo is just one piece of the picture.
Let's see what happens next.
My only hope is that BO doesn't chose too many people who are tainted by the Clinton administration.
Clinton gives me the creeps. Or should I say 'the willies.'
Formerly on the Board of Freddie Mac & the German Dresdener -Klineworth Bank, part of the syndicate that includes JPMorgan , Morgan Stanley & Barclays, the Rothschild Bank who recently bought Lehman, Mr. Obama's choice of the Jewish Banking zealot Mr. Emanuel, who is known to have sent a dead fish to an opponent & after an election stabbed a knife into his plate of food, naming names of enemies & after each screaming, Dead ! Dead ! Dead ! speaks volumes as to what Mr. Obama is REALLY about. That is why I didn't Vote. That is also why Mr. Obama Voted FOR a $700 Billion theft of taxpayer money to fork over to Bankers & their cronies on Wall Street. It is no wonder Mr. Obama doesn't question the Official 9/11 Story. A REAL investigation would lead to the Central Banks. Much easier to investigate drunks. Follow the Money. The 9/11 planning meeting was the second week of January in Malaysia. The special meeting of the Central Bank International Board of Governors, the BIS Bank, ALSO took place in the 2nd week of Jan. in Malaysia. What a coincidence. Yes we can , suckers. The choice of Mr. Emanuel is only disappointing if one had any expectations.
Clinton didn't create the surplus. The surplus came from Reagan's policies and the contract with America. The credit you can give Clinton is that he didn't screw it up. He had to work with a Rep congress after '94 and they did a lot of good. He tried coming out way left with Don't Ask Don't Tell and Hillarycare and that blew up in his face. Once he decided to govern from the center he was able to partner with the Reps and get stuff done.
Too bad we now have all the power with one party. Only bad can come from the libs if they try to push through their tax and spend policies. Hopefully they will realize they can't do this given the current situation and they will work to fix our problems. Or they can push us into a deep recession/depression. It's what has happened in the past when the dems have been drunk with power. Let's hope cooler heads prevail. That's a tall order with Pelosi and Read in charge.
The Chicago machine has started its move east.
You were all warned. Don't put a Chicagoan in the White House---Dem or Repub-- too many debts owed, too many hands in the pocket.
I wish the author of the editorial would define Progressive and Democratic ideals and principles.
Rahm isn't partisan according to the author? He voted straight party line on more than 90% of his votes. I'd call that partisan. He has also been quoted as saying 'Effe the Republicans.' That sounds a bit partisan to me.
Community Comments
Fri. Nov. 7, 2008 9:39 am
Drew Hunkins says:
The biggest problem with Emanuel is that he's essentially a legislator for Israel. Emanuel's a gigantic and rabid Zionist. With him at the helm there's absolutely no chance the Palestinians will get full sovereignty over their occupied lands, and hence little chance the Middle East and the United States will know peace.
It's curious that the CapTimes failed to point out Emanuel's greatest flaw: his dual loyalty.
Unlike Bush, Sherlock Holmes didn't jump to conclusions & grab the first suspect. He followed the clues. Personally, I am like Spock on Star Trek. Britany Spears might have masterminded 9/11 but clues don't lead in that direction. We seem to have clues pointing to a cartel of Bankers & Oil executives 1 ) They made Trillions 2. ) Credible Video interview from Aaron Russo saying Nick Rockefeller had prior knowledge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nD7dbkkBIA 3) In 2000 David Rockefeller sat on the Board of the Peterson Institute with George David , Peter Peterson, Lord Mandingly & Victor Pinchuk . Exxon, Interpipe , BP, Lehman, Rockefeller , Warburg Banking Trusts & United Technologies all represented in the same room 4) United Technologies operated the Otis Elevators in the WTC & made Boeing Drones & Tactical Lasers. United Technologies uses the same attorney as Larry Silverstein, owner of WTC. 5) BIS Central Bank had special meeting in Singapore the same week the alleged hi-jackers had the planning meeting in Malaysia. 5. Video of 'light ' on WTC prior to impact possibly laser hot enough to melt steel. 6. General Myers now on the Board of United Technologies. 7. The MOST compelling evidence : Everyone won't look into the possibility it WAS a Cartel of the Super-Rich using Drone aircraft ,laser technology , hired decoys from Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden is said to have wished to bankrupt America. The Central Banks seem to be doing a much better job of it.
To be honest I can\'t remember it being that bad with Bush 1. I remember that "read my lips" thing but it seems like we were all a little more civil with each other. I don\'t recall anything comparable to the "Why do you hate America?" quotes until Clinton\'s term.
Maybe I misremember. There was a divorce and a bankruptcy and a toddler and several years\' worth of crap jobs and an injury from one of them, till I got back on my feet during the Clinton years. I wasn\'t concentrating on politics. Maybe the first Bush got the same treatment the second one did and I missed it.
I love how the libs seem to forget about 9/11. They love to blame Bush for everything, but then forget to mention a few things.
No economic catastrophy after 09/11. It waited until the Dems took over Congress and continued to feed off the Fannie and Freddie teet while Bush and other Reps called for regulation.
No subsequent attacks on U.S. soil. You don't know how many plots have been foiled. How many close calls we've had. If you did you would have a different perspective. Fortunately, W.'s admin just did their job, did what's right and didn't blow their own horn.
I shudder to think what would have happened in this country had Al Gore been in the Oval Office.
You really think that back in the 1700's they even had ideas of Healthcare, wealfare, other social programs? Did they even have the power to implement them?
Almost all of them wrote on freedom but still owned slaves, as did a lot of wealthy back then.
That's not a good arguement to say they were not meant to be supplied by the government because they are not in the Consitution.
We are the most powerful and suppose you could say wealthy country in the world...the fact that our healthcare/etc programs are such a mess is a complete joke and due to the greed in this country.
Greed can be good, it can cause businesses to boom, ideas to become inventions/etc. But it can also bring about bad things (Wall Street recently, insurance companies influence on the healthcare system, etc)
You can Vote in Cuba as well. So, to Vote for Castro is to participate in the process & acknowledge Castro's system. Exactly the point. NOT to Vote in Cuba is the heroic thing to do. Same here. The Democratic & Republican machines are as dictatorial as Castro's Cuba. Cuba gets ONE choice. Here there are TWO choices. Whoopie. Pop the Champagne. Both are middle of the road capitalist indebted to the Central Banks & controlled by the Mass Media. It is an election of the wealthy, for the wealthy, and by the wealthy. Nothing more. Not ONE Network even MENTIONED the results of the other candidates. When ALL the Candidates are ' allowed' to debate, when ALL Candidates are given equal Media access , in a REAL Democratic election I will Vote. To participate in this fraud is an insult to Democracy.
I agree Rahm Emmanuel has actively worked to undermine progressive candidates in Democratic primaries, and I am certainly not a fan of his leadership career in the Congress, I can't say I would extend my dislike of Emmanuel into criticism of his appointment as Chief of Staff.
For starters, it gets Emmanuel out of the House and off the leadership list as he was thought by many to be the next Speaker of the House whenever Pelosi's tenure ends.
And second, Emmanuel's job will be to herd the Obama staff like kittens to make sure they are all working for the same goals and ends. His role is not policy development, it is pressing the establishment to adopt Obama's agenda. In that capacity I do feel Emmanuel would be effective in advocating Obama's agenda.
So I do understand Nichols basic point on Emmanuel, I can't say I agree with his conclusion that progressives should be dismayed at Obama choosing him for Chief of Staff.
Afterall, Pelosi has gone out of her way already to dampen down liberal expectations for change arguing that she would lead from the 'center'. Obama and Pelosi are both icing progressives and that has nothing at all to do with an Obama presidency.
When Republicans rule they pander to their base. When Democrats rule they run from their base. No change there.
I would argue 2008 is not nearly the transformative 'change' expected by the Democratic base. Obama proved he is a reflexive centrist when he backed right wing amendments to the FISA bill.
Moon landing= real , John Lennon= killed by lunatic.
Kennedy = another story. John McCloy was the mastermind behind the Kennedy assassination, working for I.G. Farben . McCloy was a Nazi operative who was the second President of the World Bank. He was an attorney for I.G. Farben & was photographed in the Box with Hitler during the 1936 Olympics. He was the man responsible for getting Hjalmar Schacht, Hitler's banker, off at Nuremberg. Hjalmar Schacht was also Director of Dresdner Bank, the same Bank Rahm Emanuel went to work for after leaving the White House. What a coincidence.
What's a nice Jewish boy doing in a Bank like that !
McCloy apparently got Sam Giancana of Chicago to do the hit. Perhaps that was done by G.H.W. Bush & the CIA taking the heat off Giancana for a while. Who knows. Oswalds best friend George deMohrenschildt was an Oil Geologist who worked for Bush's Humble Oil. Poppy Bush's name & address were found in his address book. DeMohrenschildt, who British intelligence had warned the U.S. was a Nazi operative when he arrived in the Country, apparently set up Oswald who was apparently what he claimed to be, a patsy. McCloy was put on the Warren Commission by Johnson who probably arranged for the driver to slow down,etc. They all met at a Party in Dallas the night before. It was all about the Nazis who infiltrated the U.S. Banking system in the 1930's taking control of the Government. Have a Nice Day :)
“But a White House chief of staff is not, traditionally, a policymaker or implementer. Rather, the chief of staff is the member of the president’s inner circle who gets things done. A chief of staff who goes against the president’s instincts or goals, or who cannot work with people who hold views different from his own, does not last long.”
This is BS, because nothin’ these turds do is goin’ to be “traditional.”
“The biggest problem with Emanuel is that he’s essentially a legislator for Israel. Emanuel’s a gigantic and rabid Zionist.”
aha...only a matter of time before the lefties would go nuts
Bump for later...
LOL! The Madistan Capital Times naturally would think that Rahm Emanuel is not partisan enough...
Paper of record for the Marxists on Mendota attempts to calm the fears of The Faithful that Obama might not be early demonstrating satisfactory revolutionary fervor.
I think their definition of a “rabid Zionist” is anyone who thinks Israel’s first priority should be “not getting wiped out.”
OK, NO MORE CAPITAL TIMES Posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bad commie commie bastard, bad commie bastard,,,,S.O.
B.
Rahm Emanuel is a hyper partisan whose roots are in Chicago and Clintonian politics. He is a good choice for Obama and a bad news for us because he will play cutthroat politics while Republicans play compassionate bs. That’s the truth of the matter.
Is this the Madison Wisconsin Capital Times?
If so- disregard anything that Communist part of the state says.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.