This is a test of the self-hypocritical network. Repeat, this is only a test.

Well I have seen some people comment that we are not allowed to critique Markos’s current Newsweek article, I wonder if this is not the same blind worship much derided on progressive blogs when it comes to Republicans unwaivering faith in George Bush. The second Markos decided to leave the safe confines of Daily Kos for a gig Newsweek, he became a public figure independent of Big Orange.

If some users feel it is out of bounds to culturally critique the massive of Markos, least we offend Daily Kos, are not unlike the purple-fingered Republicans who say you can’t disagree with the President because he is also Commander-in-Chief. How dare people purpose we practice self-censorship least we offend that user’s political meme leader. How dare people flirt with subjectigating free speech in the name of one blog’s sense of purity.

How dare people suggest we cannot disagree with Markos just because he started a liberal blog. If he had written this piece on Daily Kos, that’s private commentary, since he will tell you its his blog, his rules. But when he stepped out into the public domain of Newsweek, he stepped right into the line of fire for critique.

And here is mine. This is not against Daily Kos, which I am sure some users will try to hanger me with, it is about the Markos and his piece at Newsweek:

Man, so I knew Markos’s style was a bit dry, but this is grandma’s turkey style. Come with me as we see Markos make sweet love to the Republican meme while giving it a reach around:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/70653

The Road Less Taken (WTF? Can we please contact the Cliché Department and get a real title. Who the fuck does Markos think he is, the Robert Frost of meta?)

George Bush wants another $50 billion for the Iraq war. Can the Democrats stand up to him this time?

Nice framing Markos. Instead of saying the Democrats must stand up to him this time, you know, make a fucking stand with the space Newsweek has given you, you yourself help feed the “Democrats are pussies” meme. Seriously, I thought Karl Rove was on the Conservative side of this Point-CounterPoint.

Moving on:

For a party that won historic gains in 2006, the Democrats have proven surprisingly reluctant to deliver on their chief campaign promise: forcing George Bush and his Republican Party to change course on their disastrous war in Iraq.

Anti-war sentiment among the American people is now approaching 70 percent, but Congress has proved incapable of action. Twice now, the Democratic-controlled House and Senate have caved on Iraq funding bills, giving the unpopular Bush everything he has demanded. Now the Democrats are reportedly ready to tackle this Sisyphean task once again tomorrow, when they consider a fresh $50 billion for Bush’s wars.

Nevada’s Harry Reid claims the Senate bill will establish a December 2008 “goal” for the end of combat operations. If Bush vetoes, the Senate majority leader says, “then the president won’t get his $50 billion.” The words sound tough, but we’ve heard them before.

Words sound tough. Words sound tough.

If this was a seventh grade civics paper, that would have cost him points. Not mention that Kos has no problem using his website as an ATM for the same Democratic Party that has turned its nose up at the campaign promises from 2006. In fact, he is one of their biggest enablers. Funny how he forgot to mention this.

Yet a mere two weeks later, in mid-May, both chambers signed that proverbial blank check-and congressional approval numbers collapsed from a two-year high of 40 percent during tough-talking April to 24 percent in weak-kneed June. Some polls peg congressional approval in the teens.

Again, horrific writing. Yet a mere six years of writing daily for his blog, Markos still has no sense as to what prose is.

Special points for showing how Democrats are “flip-floppers” and “weak-kneed”. Jesus, Rove is gonna have tough time countering this! And why are polls pegging teens? Isn’t there a law against statutory polling?

At the time, faced with a rebellion from anti-war Democrats and independents, the Democratic leadership promised new timeline legislation for September. Beltway pundits-and even some GOP members-predicted that chastened Republicans would return to D.C. eager for compromise after facing angry constituents during summer recess. Observers like me joked about a “magical September,” seemingly more in tune with the realities in D.C. than the so-called experts, and our skepticism was justified. Democrats talked a good game but took little action in the face of Republican obstruction. Rather than force a true filibuster, Democrats caved quickly, blaming the need for 60 votes. Republicans didn’t even have to break a sweat.

Again with the weak Democrats, but as a covert Reagan Conservative, we know he is typing this with much glee. Newsweek has to be patting themselves on the back, they got a “liberal” willing to do a “conservatives” dirty work.

And does Kos think we are stupid, and/or don’t know what the Google is? Funny how he revised last summer’s history into how he was skeptical about September. He,and his crony admins, would beat people over the head with that meme, “wait till September.” And when that didn’t pan out, now he is saying he knew it was all a farce? I expect this kind of revisionism from Rove, but Markos, it looks a little silly, like his hair cut.

As much as Republicans and the media like to talk about the 60-vote threshold for any anti-war legislation, the fact is that if no legislation gets passed, there’s no money for war. A tough and principled Democratic caucus could force compromise on this legislation and, if none were forthcoming from the GOP, then see the war defunded by default. Either way, the public would cheer.

Der Fuhrer of Naranjastan demands anti-war cake for the people! Already Kos has become a pundit, with this key parsing right here: “the public would.” Only people who think they are above the masses rights that way, why would he cheer as well? Because he know fancies himself as part of the pundit class.

But then again, his family had a lot of practice acting like they are better than the peasants back in Latin America, so this should come as no big surprise.

If they yield they will reinforce perceptions of Democratic weakness. Worse, they will be siding with an unpopular president and an unpopular Republican Party over an unpopular war, and their own popularity will suffer as a result.

The options to those of us outside of the Beltway are so obvious it’s truly unfathomable that we are still left wondering which path the Democrats will take.

So cute, Markos doing the Republicans work for them in framing. So now Markos has framed the Democrats, if they fail, they are weak. And right wing pundits can point to the supposed “liberal” of Kos as their reference point. Jesus, Kos, I knew you were selling out, but did you have to sell your soul to the MSM for just a web-exclusive?

I like how he makes it a point to show he is outside the Beltway, when his whole goal is to control the media class inside the Beltway. It’s obvious, Markos, very obvious and truly unfathomable that you have gone under the radar with your conservative agenda this far.

Which is why I am wondering about which path you have decided to take, and just how far to the dark side you plan on going.