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Nominated to a White House job, legal scholar Cass Sunstein has become a victim of the very thing he writes books about: conspiracy theories and paranoid rumors.
This summer has felt at times like an accidental romp through the mind of a mad man, with a new conspiracy theory surfacing every day: the birthers, the Democrats-will-euthanize-granny crowd, and so on. And now, in perhaps the greatest irony of the season, a respected legal scholar who has written extensively about these sorts of paranoid rumors has fallen victim to them himself.
The rumors that have prompted Republican senators to put a hold on Sunstein’s nomination allege that he will curtail gun rights and allow pets (pets!) to sue their owners.
This spring, Cass Sunstein, a Harvard professor and friend of Obama’s from their days teaching at the University of Chicago, was nominated to run the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a little-known but powerful White House department in charge of reviewing federal regulations. The Wall Street Journal quickly seconded the nomination, calling Sunstein a “savvy choice” and praising his restrained approach to financial regulation. On the left wing, environmentalists and others fretted that he would be too conservative.
But no one disputed his academic achievements. Sunstein has written some 350 articles and 34 books, including the recent title Going to Extremes, about the spread of fringe politics and conspiracy theories. His latest book on this topic, On Rumors: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done, will be published in September. It could easily have included Sunstein’s own stalled nomination as a case study.
The rumors that have thwarted Sunstein’s appointment for seven months, prompting Republican senators to put a hold on it not once but three times, allege that he will curtail gun rights and allow pets (pets!) to sue their owners. Like many conspiracy theories, these have grown from small seeds of fact—Sunstein has in the past said and written some provocative things about animal rights and hunting. Most notably, he suggested in a 2004 book, Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions, that humans should be allowed to sue, on behalf of animals, other people who violate existing animal-protection laws.
Asked about these arguments by senators at his May 12 nomination hearings, however, Sunstein explained that he is a strong believer in the Second Amendment, and he promised that he will not promote litigation on behalf of animals. Nevertheless, shortly after those hearings Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) put a hold on Sunstein’s nomination, citing the very concerns the nominee had addressed in his testimony. Meanwhile, sinister accusations about Sunstein’s radical left-wing agenda were whipping around the blogosphere, fueled by Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck on Fox News.
Sunstein met with Chambliss to allay his concerns and then wrote a letter to the senator that very same day promising (again) that he would do nothing to dismantle gun rights or promote animal lawsuits. Shortly afterward, Chambliss released his hold and entered the letter into the Congressional Record.
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ElLamer
Good piece.
I have found it quite effective to confront conspiracy believers only with the fewest but most provable facts at first.
-Hawaiian law prohibits an origional birth certificate to be released so Obama can't produce more that he has already. -He has produced his certificate of live birth and many people, including the republican govenor have seen the origional birth certificate and verify its valid and on record.
Thats enough. Wait for the person to accept it or keep steering them back to it untill they do. Only take the conversation further or add more info after they seem ready.
The tendency is to say too much including somehting which is not so quickly provable. Like "Its the republican party funded by energy companies who are using fox news and the right wing echo chamber to hype this nonesence in order to stop real climate change legislation". There are plenty of things in there for the average conspiracy theorist to jump on and the conversation will probably go nowhere.
Also in Blogs try not to be so aggressive. Even though these people piss me off too at the end of the day they are probably not going to listen to someone who is calling them an idiot from the get go. Provide facts but don't yell at them, the more they are integrated into mainstream society the less crazy they will end up.
nickatdabeach
This isn't a paranoid rumor: It's with total sincerity that I say I truly believe citizens should demand & begin impeachment proceedings against this sitting President of the United States. There are entirely too many gaps in Barack Hussein Obama's history left unexplained. Two autobiographies are too convenient and cannot be left unchallenged. I don't think our once-great country can tolerate another 3.5 years of this man's so-called leadership. I do not suggest this action lightly.
Hemmingplay
I can't tell... Are you trying to be funny? I assume so, but these days...
DnFMcKnnn
Ahem.
Your sincerity is the problem. Paranoid people are ALWAYS sincere--they believe truly and unshakeably in their delusions. The pathology is in being unable to see the forest for the trees. I should know. I work with mentally ill people for a living.
djanimaequeen
Your a tool and a crazy one at that. Please seek medical attention.
MariosRight
You are a paranoid rumor monger. Cut and paste is all you know how to do.
Cymatic
Jeez - Mr. Cut and Paste again... sigh.
AuntBarb
Beck and Hannity, again. Exploiting the gullible adult children of America, and laughing all the way to the bank.
nickatdabeach
Obozo traveled to Pakistan in the 80s on an Indonesian passport. How does an American citizen get an Indonesian passport? Anyone know?
Hemmingplay
Any proof of that, outside of the echo chamber you apparently live in? You need to provide proof when you make inflamatory statements like that -- proof that would hold up in a court of law, preferably -- or keep quiet.
I heard a rumor that you have this thing for horses. Can you prove otherwise?
MariosRight
Its your fantasy. You tell us!
TK798999
Under Hawaii law, Pres. Obama is the only person who can request a copy of his original birth certificate. Obama can lay this issue to rest instantly if he would only produce the original birth certificate. His failure to do so only fuels the fire of questioners and begs the question why won't he just produce the orgininal birth certificate?
Left wing and right wing fanatical fringies are annoying. The vast majority of Americans are moderate, center right leaning, fiscally responsible citizens who expect the same of their government.
Obama promised transparency and has failed to deliver it. Obama has failed to deliver on most of his campaign promises, such as ending the wars, instead he's escalating, his campaign pledge that "no lobbyists will work in his administration", oh except for the dozens he wants to work in his administration, 5 day internet posting and public comment period before he would sign any legislation, failure to honor that pledge, deficits? trillions? need I say more?
Obama needs to stop choosing so many nominees from Harvard and University of Chicago. They are liberal cesspools out of step with mainstream America. Obama needs to cast a wider net to have an administration that better reflects the population of the United States so he can better serve it's citizens.
Obama needs to stop talking everyday. He's overexposed and has nothing new to say. Obama needs to spend more time in the White House at least to give the impression he's actually working on the important issues of the day.
The DNC made an enormous mistake in betraying the brilliant Clintons for the unqualified Obama. Hillary shines and is the only bright spot in this otherwise pathetic administration. Rectify the mistake in 2012.
Hillary 2012!
BasPos
2016
Give it up. Hillary ran an inept campaign. Joining the birthers?
Really, now.
mcmchugh99
To hell with Hillary 2012 or any other time. I loathe the Clinton's and their whole generation.
incognito-ergo-sum
TK, if Obama requested the release of the original, Hawaii could still say no. If he did, the birthers would ask for more, and more. Giving in to requests like this is the same as trying to explain that "death squad" business.
It never ends if you try to satisfy people who hate you. Never!
I have tried to answer you kindly, but the body of your post shows me that Obama can only please you by resigning.
Am I right? be honest now.
kickerofelves
The University of Chicago is a 'liberal cesspool'? LOL. I'm sure Scalia, Milton Friedman and a few others from the 'Chicago School' might want to quibble with that description.
roger37
Another PUMA wacko, this one willing to join the Birthers. Give it up.
mcmchugh99
Now, any nominee who lets himself be influenced by paranoid rumors doesn't deserve a nomination.
Obama is too smart to let Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck set the agenda for his administration. I hope to God he is, anyway.
mcmchugh99
Saxby Chambliss has a name right out of William Faulkner, a name that sounds like some bloated Bible salesman/KKK leader in Cracker Town.
Natural-Selection
Obama set the precedent with unscrupulous people that he nominated. Now, we're forced to take a close look at everyone to make sure they've been vetted properly....he clearly isn't doing as well as he should.
tomdownie
Like the horrorshow of a poorly vetted VP nominee whose harridan-like railings we have to endure on a near daily basis nearly a year after the election (that she lost - not McCain) is over? The Republicans should just let Obama have a pass on this one, really... hell, they owe the Democrats about twenty passes for that one...
TK798999
Pres. Obama can access his original birth certificate at any time. He's the only one who can according to Hawaii law. I believe he was born in Hawaii, it's not an issue with me. It would be politically prudent for Obama to release the original certificate and lay this lingering question to rest. The question remains, why won't he? I wish he would so we could lay this issue to rest. It does hurt the credibility of the Democratic party and the media lapdogs who did not properly vet Barack Obama before the election. This issue won't die until Pres. Obama produces the real deal on the birth certificate. He's the only one who can.
I think the use of the terms "birthers" and "pressers" (for press conferences) is silly and they aren't even real words.
No, I don't want Pres. Obama to resign, I pray for his safety, I don't want him to run for re-election. Obama has been a disappointment and has failed to keep his campaign promises. I still believe he's unqualified to be President. Bush was bad and Obama is proving to be far worse. I remain a staunch Hillary supporter and believe it was foolish for the DNC to betray her. I do want to see her elected President in 2012.
I am a very disappointed, moderate, fiscally responsible Democrat who believes my party should replace it's faltering leadership in Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, DNC Chair Tim Kaine and President Obama, none of whom I believe is demonstrating real leadership.
One look no farther than last week to see former President Bill Clinton and former VP Al Gore and Secretary Hillary Clinton to see what real leadership looks like, smart, skilled and unmatched.
Obama may watch and weep. He will never be their political equal.
As for his nominees like Sunstein, they need to man-up and woman-up and this writer needs to stop whining.
Politics is a dirty business. As wise former President Harry Truman said "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen". Nuff said.
I
djanimaequeen
Failed to keep his campaign promises? The man has not been in office for a year! To grade his leadership now is moronic. Your racist. Admit it.
elderlydoc
Cass Sunstein is one of the 5 or so best potential Supreme Court nominees in terms of intellect and character.Another is Chicago's Richard Posner- a conservative whom Obama admires, but is now to old.But the Senate is run by a small group of Confederates for whom intellect is a disqualification.
unclelew
another idiotic birther who won't take real evidence for an answer. please get psychotherapy soon from your leader, Oily T'aint.
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