The Same People Hated George Washington

[Jefferson23]

By M.J. Rosenberg - April 17, 2010

Any reasonable person has to be appalled by the increasingly vicious nature of the attacks (and incitement to violence) Congressional Republicans, Tea Partiers, Fox News, and radio hate-mongers hurl at President Barack Obama.

A new element to the chorus of hate are right-wing "pro-Israel" types who are furious at Obama for his opposition to Israeli settlement expansion.

Here is one example. It's extreme but typical of what is appearing these days in the Weekly Standard, National Review, Commentary and other neoconservative mouthpieces.

This one merits attention not only because it is so over-the-top but also because its author, Edward I. Koch, is no anonymous Commentary blogger but was, for twelve years, the mayor of New York City.

In his syndicated column yesterday, Koch wrote:

I weep as I witness outrageous verbal attacks on Israel. What makes these verbal assaults and distortions all the more painful is that they are being orchestrated by President Obama.


in full: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/17/the_same_people_hated_george_washington/#more

[virgogal]

1. Ed Koch has his opinions,I have mine. That's the way it is. IIRC

Bush had quite a few critics also.

Freedom of speech.

[Jefferson23]

2. Opinions can be valid and based on substantial information, or they

can be based on bullshit, like Koch here. MJ Rosenberg, just pointing that out...free speech and all.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. Right wing fundies pray for god to torture to death 19 million Jews...

so about 180,000 Jewish male virgins will fight the last battle against Satan on the fields at Megido. I don't take them seriously. They are not pro-Israel. It is just a useful tool in their end of world scenario.

[aranthus]

4. Maybe Rosenberg isn't aware of this,

but Koch is a Democrat, not a Republican, and certainly not a tea bagger. His claim that the tea baggers and conservatives are saying these things might carry some weight if he cited an actual conservative.

[cali]

5. Kich is a democrat the way zell miller was

and he has more than a little in common with the disgusting baggers.

[Jefferson23]

6. Exactly!

[azurnoir]

7. this snip from the OP sums the current situation

in our Legislative branch today with respect to Israel and Obama for the most part

Washington was particularly incensed by a "swiftboating" story in the pro-Jefferson Aurora (widely read in opposition circles) claiming that, as Continental Army commander, he was on the British payroll all along. He was a Benedict Arnold who had never been caught!

Washington knew the smears were ridiculous. And he didn't take his critics' motives at face value either.

Those who criticized his lack of devotion to France were phonies. They "had no more regard for that Nation than for the Grand Turk" but would have used any issue "to facilitate the destruction" of his administration.

As for the attacks on taxation and the federal government by people very much like the tea partiers and the right wing of the GOP, Washington said that these "self created societies" were simply dedicated to the proposition that "every man can cut and carve for himself." In other words, they put their pocket books before their country.


http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/17/the_same_people_hated_george_washington/#more