Right Wingers are now rooting against America!!???

The only city that made sense from a profitability standpoint was Chicago. They had more of their infrastructure in place than the other choices, and the only other country with a stable enough economy (though less in the way of facilities) was Japan, whose bid was also precariously high. Chicago actually had the lowest cost bid.

The IOC does not always award the Games based on ability to pay for them. Montreal and Athens are particularly apt examples. Athens made no sense logistically, but the opportunity to celebrate the Modern Olympics centennial in the city where the original concept was born (as well as the site of the first games ) was too good to pass up.

This doesn't mean that the Olympics are a financial disaster, but rather that the IOC doesn't pick their choices based on the lowest cost bid. If independent contractors did the same thing they'd be drowning in red ink too.

Incidentally some quotes from TPM on conservative reaction. The most blatant examples of glee with an American defeat IMO:

I should note that the Weekly Standard changed their story after posting, since "Chicago Loses! while we cheered" isn't exactly a "go USA" headline. And just out of curiosity, can anyone point me to a time where these guys were against the Olympics before? Did they complain when Mitt Romney led the SLC Olympics? Did they insist that NYC shouldn't try to host them in the midst of global war? If they did, I missed it. It sounds a lot like (as usual) they only object when it's a Dem doing it.

I will grant this: I was not pleased with the way Obama handled this vote. I think he should have done one of two things. Either commit fully to schmoozing and spend a week in Denmark, the same as every other country vying for the Games, or don't attend at all. Flying in the day of the speech, going directly from the airport to the convention, chatting for less than an hour, and then racing from the podium to Air Force One before the vote is even held (telling the IOC to just call you on the plane and tell you the results of the vote) was a halfassed strategy, frankly. Either go all in or don't bet IMO. I would also agree that this shows hubris on Obama's part (thinking he didn't have to try, just show up), and I hope he learned from this.

Here's the thing. To me, Obama didn't lose in Copenhagen. America lost. Similarly, if Chicago had won, Obama wouldn't have won -- America would have. Obama didn't build Soldier Field or the L Train system to move people around during the Games. He did not personally convince 3 million people from every country on earth to move to Chicago and recreate their lives in a new land. He is not the one that has been working for five years to bring the Games to America again. Hosting the 2016 Games would have been an honor for every American, and an opportunity for all of us to show our national pride. I do not understand the conflation of Party with country, and it honestly disturbs me how prevalent the mindset is among some on the right. I don't recall liberals saying that Atlanta or SLC shouldn't get the Games in 2000. To the best of my memory, no one argued that America should lose because Atlanta was a corrupt cesspool of redneck racists, or that Utah is nothing but religious whackos. But the right happily disparages Chicago. Because to them, Chicago isn't really America. It's Communist, like San Francisco or anywhere north of Virginia. Since Chicago isn't really American, it's ok to root for them to fail. I don't agree with this mentality at all.

I've heard this mindset among some on the left as well (although never from anyone with the influence of those disparaging certain Americans on the right). At another board I'm a member of the left's posters were happy to rail against Texas when Rick Perry went on his Secession kick. The libs response on the board was "Good. Take Mississippi and Alabama with you." I was livid about their blithe dismissal of a huge swath of this country. I was angry that they could so easily disparage millions of people as not being American enough, and I told them so. I am doing the same thing here.

I am not going to fault or mock someone for trying and falling short. While Phoenix or Wasilla may not be my favorite American towns, I guarantee you if they are going against the rest of the world head to head, I'm picking the one that flies Red, White and Blue over a foreign nation.

 

By the way I'm fairly certain the Winter Olympics are way more of a money drain than the Summer Games. The TV ratings are dramatically lower anyway. I ask again: who was complaining about the profit potential in 2002?

 

no its not - there is a difference b/t pointing out the failures of a president's agenda and straight-up hoping that a president fails.

nobody w/ any credibility said "i hope bush fails" - many pointed out that his policies were failing and there is a difference. but oxycoityn-boy can say "i hope obama fails"? teabaggers cheer when chicago doesnt get the olypmic nod? and these were the very same people who called anyone who criticized any of bush-cheney's policies anti-american terrorist-sympathizers.

again, there is a huge difference b/t criticizing something someone actually does and hoping for someone to fail.

 

ridiculous - there is a huge difference b/t 'rooting against success' and pointing out the lack of success.

 

So... what you're saying is that the Olympics are always profitable when held in the United States? (see: Atlanta, Los Angeles)

This doesn't exactly support your position.

 

first WOI<>WOT

next, link pls. TIA

 

These right-wingers love America.

They love it like that girl you love who dumps you and then starts dating another guy. You realize that you love her so much that you strangle her to death because if you can't have her then nobody can!

 

yep wait the the ex gf gets into a mixed race relationship

oh wait..

 

First of all, Chicago was a terrible pick for the Olympics. I was not surprised at ALL that it lost, there is not enough of an international draw to warrant its nomination. The overwhelming majority of Republicans and Democrats do not want America to fail, but in the realm of politics in order to be elected again you need the alternative party to fail, it's the nature of the business. I am a republican, I do not want Obama to fail, I want America to prosper, I want the world to recognize us as a great nation that is fair and just, but I don't agree with some policies that Obama has initiated or is attempting to initiate. Republicans used it when Bush was in office, so it is only fair the Democrats use it now, but I find it hard to believe that either side is truly rooting against America, that is our only common link, it the common denominator that allows for at least SOME bipartisanship.

Politics is a dirty game, candidates and incumbents spend so much time and effort focusing on being elected or re-elected that they stop focusing on the problems their constituencies face and focus on broader party politics. It is to be expected with a democratic system that is 2 dominate party system, the two parties are vastly different and it is important for the future that this system of party politics changes to accommodate the shift to a more moderate voting base.

Back again to the original discussion and a note to liberals on this board. Do not take anything the conservative press says to be the word of every conservative, just as I do not believe everything that every CNN pundit says, again I am sidetracking, but it is important to do your own research on every issue that you feel is important, more informed voters are necessary to make any social/political changes in the future.

 

The bold part is the part that's different these days... post W in the obama years. The rhetoric may be selling out for ratings, but it's pretty prevalent among the conservative media leaders, and that quote from Rush says it all... it doesn't matter if a policy is the best thing ever, he and his cronies are thrilled if it fails. They see this as a victory for them in multiple ways, and quite frankly it's sickening.

No, I don't think they speak for all republicans or conservatives, but I do think they influence many of them, and they (beck, limbaugh etc.) are the prevailing bullhorn that's been rallying people to causes or against causes not due to their value or merit, but due to who's in charge or who initiated them. There is no common denominator there. It's spiteful and petty, and to think they will prosper if the nation fails is the most ridiculous platform I can imagine.

Yes, by all means, people should research the issues on their own and form their own opinions, but that's the problem with the Limbaugh/Beck phenomenon, they don't want what's best, they want the current administration to fail in all it does... and they will mislead misinform and misquote anyone or anything to spread that influence... keeping people uninformed or misinformed if it gets them their way. Are they the only ones? No, it goes on in politics, but they are DOMINANT in shaping the ideas of conservatives these days. That is the difference... this is not some fringe thing that someone dug up... it's prevalent. These guys are the pulse of active conservatism today whether everyone who would label themselves with them agrees with them on all issues or not.

It's a dangerous thing, what they're doing, and I suspect it will backfire on them and the party they are trying to prop up. That quote from Rush alone should make people realize they can't rely on him to represent what is best for We the People... whether they agree with some of his views or not.

 

QFT. I cannot for the life of me fathom what America winning the 2016 Olympics has to do with Obama's domestic agenda being passed. ("For those of you ... who are upset that I sound gleeful, I am. I don't deny it. I'm happy," Limbaugh said. "Anything that gets in the way of Barack Obama accomplishing his domestic agenda is fine with me." ) It doesn't seem like Atlanta getting the 1996 Olympic victory in 1990 helped GHW 2 years later. It is the personalization of a national issue, and it is done out of selfishness and greed. They don't care if they are poisoning public discourse -- they just want eyeballs.

 

My fiance is from Canada near Vancouver and she's been saying that Vancouver is being renovated to hell because of the upcoming Fall Olympics. Last time I visited, the traffic there was worse than usual. Apparently the construction being done has deterred consumers from going to blocked up shopping districts and small local businesses are subsequently going out of business. And so far they are caught in a fairly deep debt from the Olympics and are hinging on its success to make up for it and hopefully attract more business for them in the long run.

 

because rush limbaugh and the rest of his ilk/their followers are ****ing r****ded and should be lobotomized?

just a guess.

 

rooting against America?

More like plotting against America --

REPORT: ‘We Will Overthrow The Government’ — Calls For Violence Repeatedly Stoked By Conservative Voices

Last week, the right-wing media outlet Newsmax — which receives 4 million unique monthly visitors and 130,000 print subscribers — published a column by conservative author John Perry arguing that a military coup could “resolve” the “radical left…Obama problem.” After being widely criticized, Newsmax retracted the column. However, the column appears to have encouraged an already angry group of anti-Obama radicals who have been plotting violence against the government.

While discussing the Newsmax column on his XM Sirius radio show last week, Michelangelo Signorile heard from a caller, “Jim from Oklahoma,” who explained that the idea of a coup is already being planned by a group of at least 200 people:

Jim confirmed that he was “dead serious.” Although he was coy about specific details, Jim said that he was motivated by homophobia and an interest in bringing back slavery. A second caller confessed that her own mother has been scheming against the government because she has been captivated by racist thoughts and a belief that “Jesus is coming to overthrow Barack Obama.” She pleaded for people to recognize the extremist threat against Obama.

While the intentions of these anonymous calls are difficult to confirm, they are indicative of a pattern of violent rhetoric being voiced by unrepentant conservative figures:

There have already been incidents of violence motivated by right-wing hate-speech. Richard Poplawski, who killed three police officers in April, posted videos of Glenn Beck on neo-Nazi websites and had said he was scared of the government. The Southern Policy Law Center has documented a steady rise in militia activity, and today reported on a new ominous YouTube video warning President Obama: “If you stay…‘We, The People’ will systematically dismantle you, destroy you and reclaim what is rightfully ours.”

 

jesus that's just scary.

 

Color me unsurprised if this country goes through some violent dissolution.

Such is the course of history.

 

Well, I am glad that they seek publicity for their little coup.

I'd be willing to bet that at least 10-15 of the 200 participants are FBI agents.

 

Sorry to nickpick, but you can pretty much cross off Beijing. The Chinese government wanted to make the Beijing Olympics as spectacular as possible. It probably made a loss, but getting a deficit was the least of China's worries, as it could pump in whatever was lost back in anyway.

just looked it up, apparently it didn't make a loss (although this is from China Daily...)

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-06/19/content_8302950.htm

 

This is scary as hell.

I'm starting to think I need to stock up on guns. Not to overthrow the government but to protect myself from these morons.