Ishmael Reed NYT OpEd

[BFrank]

The President of the Cool

[Dan Gould]

Odes to Obama are supposed to be in the Politics Forum.

Oh that's right, it doesn't exist anymore.

[mjzee]

This thread should be titled "Yet another pro-Obama op-ed in the New York Times."

[JSngry]

I see no overt politicism in the article, just a reflection on the man's personal style relative to a jazz paradigm, same as we had scores of articles about Reagan's personal style relative to Hollywood, cowboys, etc.

Believe me, if Ishmael Redd wanted to get "political", this is not what it would look like.

[Dan Gould]

Yes, except for the ridiculous assertion about California's Insurance Exchange

Maybe it was because our state’s health-insurance exchange, Covered California, demonstrates how well the Affordable Care Act works when implemented correctly: My youngest daughter got a silver plan that drastically reduces her monthly premiums within an hour of applying.)

I'd dissect this comment in great detail but that would really tip it into politics.

[mjzee]

All I'll say in response is: Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all members of the board.

[JSngry]

Good for Reed's daughter, and we all know that results are inconsistent, but that's "political" only in the sense that it would be if I said that I like the whole mandatory electronic medical records thing because when I go to a variety of doctors, I don't have to lug papers or otherwise get delayed by hard copy bog-dom. Ok, some people are getting freaked out about that because of perceived privacy issues, and some people are bummed out by it because they have doctors whose ability to work with anything network-y is at best...limited. I understand on both counts, but all I can say is that it works for me, or has so far. I don't think that's as much "political" as it is I'm just recounting my personal experience, not trying to start or end a debate. Somebody asks, hey how are you, well, if I just got done at the doctor and everything was coordinated like it's supposed to be then hey, just fine, had a good experience at the doctor, thanks for asking, how about you? Don't tell me I'm not fine when I am, and I'll not tell you you're fine when you say you're not. Then it would be political, or even worse, meddlesome.

[BFrank]

Sorry - I didn't see it as a political statement. But I guess anything having to do with the President, no matter WHO he or she is, is perceived as 'political'.

If a moderator wants to move it, that's fine with me.

[Brad]

I thought it was a rather stupid article.