Showing posts with label Here Come da Judge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Here Come da Judge. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Fight or Perish

To continue.... Progressives best get mad as hell and not take it anymore. Otherwise 'leaning conservative' will be the new 'very liberal' (actually, it already is. See 'President', 'Health Insurance Bill', 'Everything that's happened since 2008', etc).

Death by a thousand pragmatic and long-view cuts of our own making.

Daley is a reflection, not a cause - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com:
"Why, angry progressives seem to be asking, would Obama ignore the views of his so-called 'progressive base' while seeking to please those who are his political adversaries?

But it's perfectly rational for Obama to do exactly that. There's a fundamental distinction between progressives and groups that wield actual power in Washington: namely, the latter are willing (by definition) to use their resources and energies to punish politicians who do not accommodate their views, while the former unconditionally support the Democratic Party and their leaders no matter what they do. The groups which Obama cares about pleasing -- Wall Street, corporate interests, conservative Democrats, the establishment media, independent voters -- all have one thing in common: they will support only those politicians who advance their agenda, but will vigorously oppose those who do not. Similarly, the GOP began caring about the Tea Party only once that movement proved it will bring down GOP incumbents even if it means losing a few elections to Democrats."

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That is exactly what progressives will never do. They do the opposite; they proudly announce: we'll probably be angry a lot, and we'll be over here doing a lot complaining, but don't worry: no matter what, when you need us to stay in power (or to acquire it), we're going to be there to give you our full and cheering support. That is the message conveyed over and over again by progressives, no more so than when much of the House Progressive Caucus vowed that they would never, ever support a health care bill that had no robust public option, only to turn around at the end and abandon that vow by dutifully voting for Obama's public-option-free health care bill. That's just a microcosm of what happens in the more general sense: progressives constantly object when their values and priorities are trampled upon, only to make clear that they will not only vote for, but work hard on behalf of and give their money to, the Democratic Party when election time comes around.
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Not funny but sadly true.

A Cartoon—By Mr. Fish (Harper's Magazine)

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Yup.

Exclusive: DoJ veteran sees ‘dangerous precedent’ in letting Bush officials walk | Raw Story:
"Hebert said he believed that in wanting to appear nonpartisan, they instead weakened the Justice Department, sending a consequential message to the American people.

“It’s one thing to want to appear like you’re above the political fray and your cases aren’t motivated by politics,” Hebert pointed out. “But it’s another to not hold people accountable and to not bring justice.”"

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"Hebert said he believed that in wanting to appear nonpartisan, they instead weakened the Justice Department, sending a consequential message to the American people.

“It’s one thing to want to appear like you’re above the political fray and your cases aren’t motivated by politics,” Hebert pointed out. “But it’s another to not hold people accountable and to not bring justice.”"
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What Atrios says:

Eschaton:
"LEAVE RICH CRIMINALS ALOOOOONE

I'm sure the Very Serious People response to anti-rich people leaks to wikileaks will be the same as their response to leaks embarrassing powerful people in governments. It's just wrong to hold powerful people accountable for anything.

Look forward people!"
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Let the teabaggers deal with it so we can watch their heads explode trying to figure out which one is baby jeebus:

Earth must prepare for close encounter with aliens, say scientists | Science | guardian.co.uk

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Monday, August 23, 2010

Cheap Labor Republicans

Time to rough up the nutjobs and give the pussies a break for a day.

Too easy to bash Republicans, but it must be done.

Alan Grayson: True American Patriot.

Grayson slams mosque ‘distraction’: Talk about admin that ‘let’ 9/11 happen instead | Raw Story:
"“If we are going to talk about 9/11, why don’t we talk about how not so much the people who died on 9/11 were disgraced by the possibility of an Islamic athletic center several blocks away; how about the fact that they were disgraced by a president who let it happen?' he asked. 'Who went on vacation for the entire month of August after he was warned in writing that Osama bin Laden was actually finding targets in NYC and learning how to take these planes and do terrible things with them? The thing itself said ‘hijacking’ and they did nothing about it.'"
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For that poor dear and brutal victim of the liberal media that made her say n*gger repeatedly on national radio, Dr. (not really) Laura:



Dr. Laura to end radio show, blames ‘Media Matters’ | Raw Story

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Good read and spot on. Cheap Labor Republicans.

Defeat the Right in Three Minutes | Conceptual Guerilla:
"'Cheap labor'. That's their whole philosophy in a nutshell – which gives you a short and pithy 'catch phrase' that describes them perfectly. You've heard of 'big-government liberals'. Well they're 'cheap-labor conservatives'.

'Cheap-labor conservative' is a moniker they will never shake, and never live down. Because it's exactly what they are. You see, cheap-labor conservatives are defenders of corporate America – whose fortunes depend on labor. The larger the labor supply, the cheaper it is. The more desperately you need a job, the cheaper you'll work, and the more power those 'corporate lords' have over you. If you are a wealthy elite – or a 'wannabe' like most dittoheads – your wealth, power and privilege is enhanced by a labor pool, forced to work cheap."
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Tweetie finds a nut.

Matthews: Birthers trying to ‘assassinate’ Obama with lies | Raw Story:

'Are they, no matter how much they claim to be patriotic, really the most un-American of people because they really do want to destroy this president, not because of what he does but because of who he is? Not because of where he was born, but because what his race was when he was born?'

'Or this the big lie they dare not to admit? They know full well he's an American. That they're simply out to destroy him personally. Yes, assassinate him with their lies,' Matthews concluded."
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That is mighty fair and balanced.

News Corp Donates $1 MILLION To Republican Governors Association

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They have to cheat at everything. Everything!

Massive Censorship Of Digg Uncovered � OOO:
"A group of influential conservative members of the behemoth social media site Digg.com have just been caught red-handed in a widespread campaign of censorship, having multiple accounts, upvote padding, and deliberately trying to ban progressives. An undercover investigation has exposed this effort, which has been in action for more than one year."
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Funny how reasonable the get once they get booted from the party.

Confessions of a Tea Party Casualty | Mother Jones

And, again:

Reagan insider: GOP destroyed economy Paul B. Farrell - MarketWatch

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Strict Constitutionalists... oh, wait...

The Washington Monthly:
"By my count, Republican leaders, including George W. Bush, endorsed six different new amendments to the Constitution over the last decade: (1) prohibiting flag burning; (2) victims' rights; (3) banning abortion; (4) requiring a balanced budget; (5) prohibiting same-sex marriage; and (6) allowing state-endorsed prayer in public schools. Jon Chait runs a similar list today, and notes a few I missed, including amendments to require legislative supermajorities to raise taxes, a 'parental rights' amendment, a term-limits amendment, and in one instance, an amendment to give Washington, D.C., a single voting representative."
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Yup

Dan Maes, Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate, Warns Of U.N. Plot To Destroy America With Bike-Sharing Programs

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Obama should recess, but won't.... sorry. Suppose to stick to the Repukes today. But, still....

Republicans block Bay Area judicial nominees:
"Senate Republicans have blocked confirmation votes on two Bay Area judicial nominees, Goodwin Liu and Edward Chen, and returned the nominations to President Obama, who must decide whether to resubmit them when Congress returns from recess next month."
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Fucking scary. Kudos for the 100 that didn't attend.

Troops: Refusing to attend Christian concert got us into trouble | Raw Story

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The horror!

The Daily Mash - OUTRAGE OVER PLANS TO BUILD LIBRARY NEXT TO SARAH PALIN

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Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Breathe

I'm trapped between this....

Be Grateful for President Obama – Lenny Kates – Pittsfield Massachusetts – Failure magazine

...and this:

Daily Kos: CLAP LOUDER or Tinkerbell WILL DIE and Obama's approval rating will drop

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The military can no longer be some sacred cow. I support troops/boots on the ground, but the military industrial complex has been raping this country for too many years. Teat needs to be cut and military leadership needs to be put into their proper place.

The American Military Fetish

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Would have never seen this coming. Can we just go ahead and admit to ourselves that BP will be let off the hook and no body will be prosecuted.

We simply don't do accountability in the United States.

AP IMPACT: Many Gulf federal judges have oil links - Yahoo! News

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I've done 32(US). I've always thought about doing 31.... hmmm.

World's Best Places to Live - Yahoo! Real Estate:
"European cities take seven of the top 10 spots for quality of life, thanks to their relative safety, political stability and cultural offerings. As for the U.S., Honolulu, at No. 31, has the best quality-of-life record and the continental U.S. makes its first appearance on the list at 32, with San Francisco tying Adelaide, Australia. Boston came in at No. 37, Chicago and Washington, D.C. tied for 45th place, and New York ranked 49. Philadelphia and Dallas were ranked for the first time this year, landing spots 55 and 61 on the list, respectively."
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As a diver, this is amazing. I could watch this all day:

Guillaume Nery Base Jumping UNDERWATER At Dean's Blue Hole (VIDEO)



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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Long Conversation

So.....

Alabama Teacher Gives Geometry Lesson Using Assassination As Example | TPM LiveWire:
"A student in the class described the lesson: 'He was talking about angles and said, 'If you're in this building, you would need to take this angle to shoot the president.''

The district superintendent told the News that the unnamed teacher will not be disciplined."
...'will not be disciplined'.

Oh, Alabama. The digital age, you just don't get.

You are being watched.

Legal Schnauzer: Anti-Obama Teacher Is Placed on Administrative Leave in Alabama:
"An Alabama teacher who used the assassination of President Obama as an example in a high-school geometry class has been placed on administrative leave.

Gregory Harrison is on paid leave and faces possible termination, Jefferson County School Superintendent Phil Hammonds said. Hammonds originally said Harrison would not be fired and would face no disciplinary action other than a 'long conversation.'

Hammonds apparently changed his mind after phone calls flooded his office yesterday, coming from as far away as New York, California, and Wisconsin."
Changed his mind, indeed.

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Later fake Dem Specter.

Joe Sestak: Pennsylvania Senate 2010 Election BREAKING News

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Wow! Drudgico using 'GOP' and 'Failure' in the same headline.

Somebody is getting fired.... or will have to apologize to Rush.

The GOP's special failure - Jonathan Martin and Charles Mahtesian - POLITICO.com:
"All the evidence pointing to monster Republican House gains this fall—the Scott Brown upset win in Massachusetts, the scary polling numbers in once-safely Democratic districts, the ever-rising number of Democratic seats thought to be in jeopardy—was contradicted Tuesday.

In the only House race that really mattered to both parties—the special election to replace the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha in Pennsylvania’s 12th District—Republicans failed spectacularly, losing on a level playing field where, in this favorable environment, they should have run roughshod over the opposition."
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Like the sound of this:

Kagan: In Bush v. Gore, Court Was Affected By Politics And Policy

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Irony is so totally lost on these people.

Don’t shoot: NRA bans guns from its annual meeting | Raw Story

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Nothing to see here folks.... except the slow decimation of an entire way of life.

Tar balls found along shore in Key West - Gulf Oil Spill - MiamiHerald.com

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At least somebody is doing some good in our waters.

Whales, oceans, wildlife rescue: Gray whale is freed from web of nets, swims off - latimes.com

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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Conservative' Judicial Activism

Well, howdy Mr. President! Keep up this kind of talk and translate it into action, and good things might happen.

Conservative-Activist judges are destroying this country one ruling at a time. They are not concerned with justice. The goal is to implement their ideology.

I harp on this book a lot, but read The Handmaid's Tale for conservative's vision for America.

Obama Supreme Court Warning: 'Conservative' Judicial Activism Is 'What You're Now Seeing':
"WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, preparing to make his second nominee to the Supreme Court, warned Wednesday of a 'conservative' brand of judicial activism in which the courts are often not showing appropriate deference to the decision of lawmakers.

Obama made clear that his views on judicial restraint are not the only basis he will use in choosing his next nominee for the high court, a decision expected over the next few weeks.

But his comments underscore just how much he thinks courts are being vested with too much power and are overruling legislative will, a factor that will influence his nominee choice."
Case in point:

Supreme Court overturns objection to cross on public land

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Maher's last line nails it to a T-bag:

Bill Maher Blasts Tea Baggers For Ignoring Defense Spending (VIDEO)

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Yes.

Have Conservatives Gone Mad? - Politics - The Atlantic:
"The issue, to put it in terms that even I can understand, because I didn't study philosophy much in college: has the conservative base gone mad?

This matters to journalists, because I really do want to take Republicans seriously. Mainstream conservative voices are embracing theories that are, to use Julian Sanchez's phrase, 'untethered' to the real world.

Can anyone deny that the most trenchant and effective criticism of President Obama today comes not from the right but from the left? Rachel Maddow's grilling of administration economic officials. Keith Olbermann's hectoring of Democratic leaders on the public option. Glenn Greenwald's criticisms of Elena Kagan. Ezra Klein and Jonathan Cohn's keepin'-them-honest perspectives on health care. The civil libertarian left on detainees and Gitmo. The Huffington Post on derivatives."
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However.... to be all 'fair and balanced'.

Rendell: Democratic Party Is Soulless, 'Cowering Behind The Shower Curtains':
"'I don't think we have a battle for our soul -- I think we have lost our soul,' he said. 'We have been cowed into [sic] stop talking about the things that made us Democrats in the first place; that we believe the government can and should make a difference in people's lives; that we can protect the most vulnerable in our society; that we can, in fact, give opportunities to people who haven't had it. And that government can be an important catalyst -- they can't do it by itself -- but they can be a catalyst for growth.'

That's what we believe in. But [Republicans] have us cowering behind the shower curtains,' he concluded.

The Huffington Post approached Rendell after the affair and asked him to elaborate on what, exactly, he meant by saying the Democratic Party is soulless.

'We have been out-spun and we are scared,' he said. 'And when you are scared, you can do one of two things: you can circle the wagons and hide inside or under the wagon, or you can get out and fight for what you believe in. I think we are starting -- President Obama started when he went to the Republican caucus -- to fight back and for what we believe in. If we do that, I think our losses will be much less [in 2010] than what anybody suspects.'"
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All of the Tea-bag cross burnings have effected the children in a drastic way. Won't someone PLEASE think about the children.

Indianola Testicle Attack? Teenagers Allegedly Hazed 14-Year-Old

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This kinda smelled fishy when I posted it earlier. Lying: The Way of Corporate America.

GM's phony loan repayment | Video Cafe

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Too cheap for whom? (I know, I know, but frack them).

Daily Kos: Wind's latest problem: it ... makes power too cheap:
"windmills (...) operators in Europe may have become their own worst enemy, reducing the total price paid for electricity in Germany, Europe’s biggest power market, by as much as 5 billion euros some years

The wind-energy boom in Europe and parts of Texas has begun to reduce bills for consumers.

Spanish power prices fell an annual 26 percent in the first quarter because of the surge in supplies from wind and hydroelectric production"
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This came out of a discussion on the old Ninebullets board. Great read. We really haven't progressed that much in the good old U.S.A.:

The Hanging of Mary The Elephant | Blue Ridge Country

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Thursday, April 15, 2010

"Race" Means "Class"

Of all the domestic gripes that I have, Obama's foreign policy and counter-terrorism efforts have been excellent.

You won't hear about it on the TV or read about it dead tree news. They're too busy covering 3k Tbaggers flinging spittle and drawing silly mustaches on pictures of Obama.

The Washington Monthly:
"I realize conservatives don't want to talk about this story, which is probably why major media outlets aren't paying much attention to it.

But that's a shame because when it comes to counter-terrorism, this is a big f'in deal. Here we had a serious terrorist threat -- arguably the most important since 9/11 -- and an al Qaeda recruit who was poised to kill a lot of people. Obama administration officials thwarted Zazi's plan, took him into custody, read him his rights, and gave him a lawyer.

And the results couldn't have been better for the United States. Zazi will spend the rest of his life behind bars, but only after cooperating with federal officials and becoming a valuable source of intelligence.

If Republicans really want to debate the efficacy of Obama's counter-terrorism policies, we can start right here."
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Back to domestic issues.

Damn right! A VERY liberal SCJ. I don't think Obama can screw his base any more without effectively ending his presidency. Enough is enough with the cutesy-by-half baby splitting.

Elections have consequences. We've yet to reap any of those consequences.

Daily Kos: Anything short of a liberal Supreme Court nominee is unacceptable:
"Sorry, but progressives are owed big time for electing a Democratic majority in both houses of Congress and sweeping Obama into the White House. After being brushed aside, and certainly after seeing the damage that extremists on the Supreme Court have done, another 'well qualified nominee' who doesn’t further progressive causes is completely unacceptable and should be viewed as nothing short of giving the finger to progressives.

On the flip side, it is a GREAT way to use political capital in a way to motivate a base that is becoming more apathetic as each blow-off occurs."
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Noted:

Democratic Strategist:
"The Republican right has a deeply disturbing covert extremist agenda for the Supreme Court – end the separation of church and state, undermine the legality of Social Security and Medicare and give individuals the right to ignore any laws they choose."
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Anyone who doesn't think it is a GREAT idea to try these bastards in the city of New York is simply not being genuine.

NYC deserves to try these SOBs. In a civil court, dammit.

Holder says NYC not ‘off the table’ for trying 9/11 suspects | Raw Story:
"'New York is not off the table,' Holder said. 'The Southern District of New York, for instance, is a much larger place than simply Manhattan.'"
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Of course. Teabaggers don't really have a problem with the green as much as they have a problem with the black.

You Don't Really Hate Paying Your Taxes:
"For all the grousing about taxes these days, a new survey concludes that it's doing taxes rather than paying them that really rankles.

A plurality of Americans think they're paying about the right amount in taxes, and a significant majority say they're paying the fair amount.

There is widespread agreement that the rich and corporations are paying too little in taxes. And a majority of Americans think the Bush tax cuts helped the rich the most and should be eliminated

Americans are also vastly more concerned right now about unemployment and the economy than they are about taxes -- or deficits, for that matter."
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Daily Kos: New York Times: "Race" Means "Class":
"Their fierce animosity toward Washington, and the president in particular, is rooted in deep pessimism about the direction of the country and the conviction that the policies of the Obama administration are disproportionately directed at helping the poor rather than the middle class or the rich."
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NY Tea Party gov. candidate sent videos of bestiality, pics of Obama as pimp | Raw Story

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Way to taint your brand, Discovery/TLC.

Cenk Uygur: Discovery Channel Insider: Sarah Palin's Show Is "a New All Time Low for Discovery":
"Last week Discovery had its annual sales conference for ad buyers for all of its 13 networks. The presentation showcases all of their new shows across the different networks. That night the presentation was on Sarah Palin's Alaska.

Our source says 'the whole thing [was] comical.' Apparently the ad buyers were not impressed. This Discovery insider said, 'When the promo was over, people (employees and buyers) were rolling their eyes, snickering, and even laughing. People were laughing and it's not even a comedy. No one took it seriously.'

This person was concerned that given the lack of interest from ad buyers that Discovery would have to dump the show to 'a crappy time slot' to cut its losses. They added, 'Bottom line everyone thought it was a new all time low for Discovery. My guess is the show is going to tank big time.'"
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Monday, March 29, 2010

Uncivil War

Can't wait to see what kind of mental gymnastics the fine assholes as FAUX News come up with to explain away the 'not being swarthy and Muslim' part of this group of Conservative Christian Domestic Terrorists.

Militia members charged with police-killing plot - Yahoo! News:
"WASHINGTON – Nine suspects tied to a Christian militia in the Midwest are charged with conspiring to kill police officers, then attack a funeral in the hopes of killing more law enforcement personnel, federal prosecutors said Monday."
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A Marine has a message for these Christian Conservative Domestic Terrorists.

Newsvine - An article I wish I would never have to write - To those calling for a civil war, this Marine wants you to stop, and think...:
"Secondly, Regardless of your political ideology, you've earned the right as US Citizens to say your piece - no matter how wrong it may be. That is your right, and I will give my life to protect it.

But this government of ours is a democracy. We vote for our representatives, and they vote in our interests. Sometimes, the votes don't go our way. That's life, better luck next time. Exhaust your legislative options, and then focus on gaining the required votes and/or seats to achieve your desired legislative vote next election time. That's the way things work.

But the SECOND you start committing acts of violence and vandalism, then you've usurped that Constitution. You in a way have assaulted it. And then you and I (I being every servicemember who has sworn to defend said Constitution) will have a MAJOR PROBLEM."
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Whatever they (Republicans) are blaming others of doing, they (Republicans) are the ones actually 'doing'.

It really is quite simple.

Janine R. Wedel: Shadow Elite: March to War -- The Neocon Playbook, Straight from the Soviet Bloc

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Prepared to be more shocked.

Daily Kos: Is Future Shock And Grief At The Heart Of The Tea Party?:
"Let’s take a look at who the Tea Party members are. It is true they are overwhelmingly white, but they are also overwhelmingly male, and have attended college. They also tend to be from more rural parts of the nation and skew older. Basically, you can describe them as the conservative wing of the Baby Boomers.

All this leads me to wonder, is the Tea Party Movement a Future Shock reaction? For those who don’t know, Future Shock is the idea of Alvin Toffler. He came up with this idea in 1970, and it states that as the pace of change accelerates folks become unable to absorb more change and become 'future shocked'. Toffler predicts that people who become future shocked will act out in bizarre ways; they will be unable to assimilate new information and will, in general, try to retreat from the massive pace of change.

This sounds surprisingly like the actions of the Tea Party members, doesn’t it? For the conservative Baby Boomers this pace of change, a black president, a seeming repudiation of the Republican Party’s war and economic policies, coupled with the economic melt-down and the continuing deterioration of the assumption that white men will run this nation is too much for folks who grew up in a time when change ran slower."
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The Twilight of the Elites - 10 Ideas for the Next 10 Years - TIME:
"In the past decade, nearly every pillar institution in American society — whether it's General Motors, Congress, Wall Street, Major League Baseball, the Catholic Church or the mainstream media — has revealed itself to be corrupt, incompetent or both. And at the root of these failures are the people who run these institutions, the bright and industrious minds who occupy the commanding heights of our meritocratic order. In exchange for their power, status and remuneration, they are supposed to make sure everything operates smoothly. But after a cascade of scandals and catastrophes, that implicit social contract lies in ruins, replaced by mass skepticism, contempt and disillusionment."
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Amen. I've always thought this was one of our more awful local practices.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: End Local Judicial Elections:
"WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is endorsing an end to the election of judges at the state and local levels."
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Daniel Firger: Why We Need a New Bull Moose Movement

A century ago, Roosevelt explained the need for his third-party candidacy:
The old parties are husks, with no real soul within either, divided on artificial lines, boss-ridden and privilege-controlled, each a jumble of incongruous elements, and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly what should be said on the vital issues of the day.
These words ring truer today than they have in quite some time. Trillions of taxpayer dollars are propping up a financial sector bloated with profits; but Congress, looking ahead to the midterm elections, is too paralyzed to act decisively and help relieve ordinary Americans suffering through the recession. To make matters worse, the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United overturned a century's worth of campaign finance law, giving corporations more influence in elections than they've had since Teddy Roosevelt delivered his Bull Moose speech in Milwaukee.

During Roosevelt's presidency, a conservative Supreme Court comprised of railroad lawyers consistently blocked dozens of progressive federal and state legislative proposals. The pro-corporate Supreme Court appointments of Roosevelt's successor, President Taft, who filled six vacancies, did nothing to temper progressive outrage. True to form, Roosevelt jumped into the fray, decrying the Supreme Court's out-sized role as a barrier to social justice. In his Progressive Party convention speech, Roosevelt declared:


The American people, and not the courts, are to determine their own fundamental
policies. . . . The stick-in-the-bark legalism, the legalism that subordinates equity to technicalities, should be recognized as a potent enemy of justice.
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I lived in this neighborhood for a short period of time, pre-transformation. Place doesn't even look the same.

How we roll:

Hayes Valley: A Former Freeway Turns into a Farm - Look - GOOD:
"The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake left many of San Francisco's urban freeways structurally unsound. (Back then, there were many, carving up the core of the city.) But the flipside was a boon: The teardown of broad segments of elevated road has led to the revitalization—the reinvention, really—of neighborhoods like Hayes Valley. It has also given the city chunks of unused space, including the stretch between Laguna, Octavia, Oak, and Fell Streets, where ramps to the old Central Freeway haven't led anywhere in years."
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FAUX is trying to sign a deal for this to replace 24.... but, for real this time.

Fake TV Game Show 'Tortures' Man, Shocks France : NPR:
"The hostess and a chanting audience urged the players — who had levers in front of them — to send jolts of electricity into the man in the box when he gave an incorrect answer.

Even when the player screamed out in pain for them to stop, 80 percent of the contestants kept zapping him. In reality, the man in the electric chair was an actor who wasn't really being shocked — but the players and the audience did not know that.

The documentary makers say reality television relies increasingly on violent, humiliating and cruel acts to boost ratings. They say they simply wanted to see if we would go so far as to kill someone for entertainment."
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Book Claims CIA LSD Experiment Made French Town Crazy - ABC News

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Again, The Onion writes a piece of satire which quickly turns into the reality of the situation.

Pope Forgives Molested Children | The Onion - America's Finest News Source:
"VATICAN CITY—Calling forgiveness 'one of the highest virtues taught to us by Jesus,' Pope John Paul II issued a papal decree Monday absolving priest-molested children of all sin."
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This is an excellent video on how fucking stupid bottled water is.



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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A Big F*cking Deal

Happy Birthday, Patterson Hood. Thank you!

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It is, Joe. It really is:

Biden: Passing health reform ‘a big f*cking deal’ | Raw Story

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My, my winning sure does changes the narrative, don't it. Gotta keep this ball rolling, but November is looking a LOT brighter.

Can't pull up, though.

Obama, Democrats Begin Reaping Political Benefits Of Reform - Yahoo! News:
"According to a Gallup/USA Today poll conducted the day after health care legislation passed the House of Representatives, 49 percent of the respondents think the passage of reform is a 'good thing,' compared to the 40 percent who think it is bad. The numbers are a welcome relief for a party and a presidency that had been bleeding popular support over the course of the past six months.

Democrats didn't just get a health-care-related boost in the realm of public opinion. The Democratic National Committee reported raising more than $1 million in donations on Tuesday even without making a direct ask. The money is expected to pour in for other campaign committees as well."
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Last throes? Doubt it. Crazy motherfuckers (and I mean that in the worst possible way).

Vandals hit at least five Dem offices nationwide, threaten to ‘assassinate’ children of pro-reform lawmakers.

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GOP fans flames of health care reform hatred:

"For the record, House Republican leader John Boehner, GOP Chairman Michael Steele and the organizers of the Tea Party rally condemned the slurs. Steele suggested the movement and the party should not be linked with 'idiots out there saying stupid things.'

Stupid things? Try Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas, shouting 'baby killer' when Rep. Bart Stupak, an anti-abortion Democrat from Michigan, was outlining his conviction that the bill would not result in federal funding of the procedure - and right after unruly House members had been admonished to stop yelling during the debate. Neugebauer claimed Monday that his exact words were 'it's a baby killer,' and were directed at the measure, not at Stupak - which would make his outburst less stupid only by slight degree.

Stupid things? How about the House Republicans who cheered two hecklers who were ushered out of the public gallery by Capitol Police on Sunday. Or the GOP lawmakers who kept going to the House balcony during the debate to wave clenched fists and handwritten signs at the crowd and helped ensure it remained whipped into a frenzy.

Stupid things? How about the steady stream of rhetorical excesses during the debate. They warned of the death of freedom, of a coming era of totalitarianism, of a 'fiscal Frankenstein.'"
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These people are certifiably fucking insane. Trying to work with them is unpatriotic. They live in a different, crazy world.

Just oozing with racism.

‘Scary’ Harris poll: 24% of Republicans think Obama ‘may be the Antichrist’ :
"Birthers, deathers, now, apparently, there are Antichristers on the Obama warpath.

The Daily Beast's John Avlon writes, 'On the heels of health care, a new Harris poll reveals Republican attitudes about Obama: Two-thirds think he's a socialist, 57 percent a Muslim—and 24 percent say 'he may be the Antichrist.''"
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Palin's "Real America".

Op-Ed Columnist - An Absence of Class in the G.O.P. - NYTimes.com:
"For decades the G.O.P. has been the party of fear, ignorance and divisiveness. All you have to do is look around to see what it has done to the country. The greatest economic inequality since the Gilded Age was followed by a near-total collapse of the overall economy. As a country, we have a monumental mess on our hands and still the Republicans have nothing to offer in the way of a remedy except more tax cuts for the rich.

This is the party of trickle down and weapons of mass destruction, the party of birthers and death-panel lunatics. This is the party that genuflects at the altar of right-wing talk radio, with its insane, nauseating, nonstop commitment to hatred and bigotry."
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This is awful. Congress really needs to do something about this. Fucking activist neocon Supreme Court assholes.

First Corporate Campaign Ads Appear After Supreme Court's Citizens United Decision:
"A Texas company recently took out a political ad in several local newspapers, making it one of the first corporations to do so in the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that lifted restrictions on corporate political spending."
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Gee, wonder how that happened. Enjoy all of your eggs in that unsustainable basket.

Bush speechwriter: Republicans ‘work for Fox’ :

"Republicans originally thought that Fox worked for us and now we're discovering we work for Fox," Frum told ABC's Terry Moran. "And this balance here has been completely reversed. The thing that sustains a strong Fox network is the thing that undermines a strong Republican party."

"Frum's view of the GOP's electoral prospects seemed dim. 'Nobody ever won an election by spitting on his political opponents,' he said, evidently referring to the incident this past weekend when anti-health reform protesters spat on Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver."
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Shut the fuck up.

Tebow's pre-Wonderlic prayer request falls flat | ProFootballTalk.com:
"At the Scouting Combine, the Wonderlic exam is administered to players in groups. The 12-minute test is preceded by some brief instructions and comments from the person administering the test.

Per a league source, after the person administering the test to Tebow's group had finished, Tebow made a request that the players bow their heads in prayer before taking the 50-question exam.

Said one of the other players in response: 'Shut the f--k up.' Others players in the room then laughed."
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I was far more disgusted by the hiring of Fleischer than I was by any whore Tiger fucked.

Think Progress � Ari Fleischer quits PR job for Tiger Woods because his legacy was so bad it harmed Tiger’s rehabilitation.:
"The AP gives no reason for Fleischer’s departure, but FoxSports reports that Fleischer “fell on his sword because he felt he was becoming the story“: “Fleischer’s legacy, whether fairly or not, remains propagating Bush/Cheney myths — like Saddam Hussein attacked America on Sept. 11, 2001 — which Americans don’t want to hear. Having him in behind the curtain gave the impression Woods had something to hide, and that words were being fed to him.”"
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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Chillbilly

This is the very definition of 'Oh Snap'.

Grayson ABUSES V-PILF.

"Smartest Republican leader since W".

Must read the entire smack down. Do not fuck with Grayson. God, I wish we had a Senate and House full of Graysons.

Grayson goes for the jugular: ‘Alaskan chillbilly’ smartest GOP leader since W. | Raw Story:
"Grayson said that the Alaskan chillbilly was welcome to return to Central Florida anytime, as long as she brings lots of money with her, and spends it. 'I look forward to an honest debate with Governor Palin on the issues, in the unlikely event that she ever learns anything about them,'"
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But, but, but Rendell! Rendell's wife doesn't engage in overt, partisan politics supported financially by a decision her husbanded handed down, ignoring 100 years of law, on the Supreme Court.

Michael Kieschnick: How to Bribe a Supreme Court Justice:
"Ponder that for just a moment. The wife of a Supreme Court justice has organized a political non-profit linked to Tea Party activists whose activities can be supported to an unlimited extent by corporations whose donations need not be disclosed to the public. Similarly, Mrs. Thomas is under no obligation to disclose her compensation to anybody.

None of this appears to be illegal in part due to the recent Citizens United court ruling by the Supreme Court that freed corporation contributions from certain key restrictions. That radical and controversial decision passed by a 5-4 vote, and surprise, Justice Thomas voted yes.

When the Times asked Mrs. Thomas about this interesting situation, she responded with the traditional right wing charge of the media imposing a double standard on conservatives, pointing out that the elected governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, is married to a federal judge. She conveniently left out that any political contributions to Mr. Rendell are both limited and fully disclosed under Federal law, and that Judge Rendell scrupulously avoids any political activities."
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Horrible people only concerned with putting money in their pocket. Freedom of speech my ass.

Turley criticizes Justice’s wife for ‘injudicious’ Tea Party activism:
"Constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley on Monday assailed the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas for her growing role in Tea Party political activism.

'It's, in a word, injudicious,' Turley, a professor of law at George Washington University, said on MSNBC's Countdown With Keith Olbermann. 'The fact that this is news is an example of the self-restraint used by most spouses [of Supreme Court Justices] previously.'"
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Boogity-Boogity!

Then watch his Texas shuffle after he already knows the damage has been done.

Worthless, manipulative fucks.

Texas Republican Gohmert: Demons Have Invaded The Capital:

"Speaking shortly after he riled up a crowd at Tuesday's Tea Party protest, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) declared that 'demons' - yes, demons - have invaded the capital (and likely the souls of Democrats), forcing lawmakers to mislead the public about the content of the health care bill.

'Well it would take a demon to be this dishonest about a bill,' the Texas Republican told the Huffington Post. 'If they would just read the bill, they would see what they are saying is dishonest.'

Asked to expand a bit more on what he meant, Gohmert stepped back a bit from a literal interpretation, though still floating the possibility that Democrats were possessed. 'Well, somebody is making people be dishonest and it is a play on words, too,' he said."
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Oh, yeah. Highway's mean.

List ranks best, deadliest U.S. roads - CNN.com:
"Meanwhile, Alabama was ranked as the deadliest state for speeding, followed by Mississippi and South Carolina."
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Yawn.

Is California Becoming a Third World Nation? - Japhy Grant - California Stars - True/Slant:
"The rest of the nation has a tendency to overstate the troubles of California when it’s doing badly and understate its successes when it does well. 13% of the U.S. GDP comes from California. Alone, it would be the world’s 5th largest economy. However, the real sin committed by the other 49 states is a failure to acknowledge the primacy of California in the national economy.

A quick tour through recent history proves my point. The first tech boom of the 90s, the second tech boom, and the real estate bubble all not only started in California, they ended there, too. The nation’s fortunes rise and fall with California’s in a way know other state (ok, maybe Texas on a bad day) can match."
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A small, children's tea party.

DNC mocks tea party numbers - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com: "
Tea Partiers planned to 'flood the halls of Congress' to protest health care legislation, a plan that prompted Democratic leaders to instruct their members to respond with politeness and Twinkies.

The 10 a.m. Washignton, D.C. rally, though, wasn't quite on the scale of some earlier events. The communications director for the Democratic National Committee, Brad Woodhouse, emails that his count is 300 attendees.

'I've been to birthday parties that drew more people,' he emails. 'More people attended my wedding than went to the tea party kill the bill rally on the hill."
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Promising

Daily Kos: Breakthrough: artificial photosynthesis:
"Plants take CO2 and water to create sugars, using sunlight as the energy source, in a process called photosynthesis. Scientists have been trying to replicate photosynthesis in the lab for a long time.

It looks like they've finally succeeded – and the artificial process is a lot more efficient than the natural one. This may have major implications for energy and food production, as well as carbon capture and storage, a way to mitigate climate change."
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The very definition of 'Shit out of luck'.

Tra-la-la.... beautiful day at the beach, cool tunes on, endorphins kicking in from the run. Nothing could be more perf-WHACK.

The Associated Press: Plane kills jogger in SC beach emergency landing:
"HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — A 38-year-old father of two was jogging and listening to his iPod when he was hit from behind and killed by a small plane making an emergency landing on the beach, officials said Tuesday.

Robert Gary Jones of Woodstock, Ga., died instantly Monday evening when he was hit by the single-engine plane, which had lost its propeller, said Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen. The pilot's vision was blocked by oil on the windshield.

Jones apparently did not see or hear the plane, which was 'basically gliding,' the coroner said."
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Monday, March 15, 2010

Rewriting History or NeoCon Bastards

It is hard to track Republican hypocrisy. Hard work, I say.

So, here's a handy-dandy cheat sheet to help you out:

The Washington Monthly:

"Obstructionism," for example, only refers to Democratic minorities opposing Republican proposals.

"Tyranny" is found when an elected Democratic majority passes legislation that Republicans don't like.

"Reconciliation" describes a Senate process that Republicans are allowed to use to overcome Democratic "obstructionism."

"Terrorism" refers to acts of political violence committed by people who aren't white guys.

"Bipartisanship" is found when Democrats agree to pass Republican legislation.

"Big government" describes a dangerous phenomenon to be avoided, except in cases relating to reproductive rights or gays.

"Treason" refers to Democrats criticizing a Republican administration during a war.

"Patriotism" refers to Republicans criticizing a Democratic administration during a war.

"Fiscal responsibility" is a national priority related to keeping our deficit in check, which only applies when Republicans are in the minority.

"Parliamentarian" is a seemingly independent official on the Hill who Senate Republicans are allowed to fire when the GOP disapproves of his/her rulings.

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Amen. But god forbid we ever elect an effective Democrat to anything.

Maher: Obama’s ‘mistake’ was not telling Republicans to ’suck on it’ | Raw Story

"I think the biggest mistake that he has made in his first year was to put bipartisanship ahead of fixing the country," Maher declared Wednesday on MSNBC's Countdown With Keith Olbermann.

He said Obama should have "com[e] in with all the energy from the election and saying, you know what, we're in a crisis mode, I won this election by a sizable mandate -- here's what we're going to do; if you don't like it, Republicans, you can suck on it."

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Horrors of horror. How can a state that gives me Best and Johnson and Austin foist this revisionist horseshit upon the entire nation.

Plain and simple, this is the rewriting of history before our eyes.

Texas Textbook MASSACRE: 'Ultraconservatives' Approve Radical Changes To State Education Curriculum

But just when you thought is couldn't get worse....

"Likely to test"?!? Are you fucking kidding me? Legitimizing the politicization of the Supreme Court?

We are totally fucked. Back to my Mandarin lessons.

Justice's wife launches 'tea party' group - latimes.com:
"Justice's wife launches 'tea party' group The nonprofit run by Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is likely to test notions of political impartiality for the court."

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Stupid is as stupid does and, boy, do American ever does.

Home school textbook market dominated by books skeptical of evolution.:
"“Those who do not believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God will find many points in this book puzzling,” says the introduction to “Biology: Third Edition” from Bob Jones University Press. “This book was not written for them.” The textbook delivers a religious ultimatum to young readers and parents, warning in its “History of Life” chapter that a “Christian worldview … is the only correct view of reality; anyone who rejects it will not only fail to reach heaven but also fail to see the world as it truly is.”"
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Channeling the true spirit of Disney.

Florida Lawmaker Attempts To Deny Tax Credit To Movies Filmed With Gay Characters:
"“Think of it as like Mayberry,” Precourt told the Palm Beach Post News. “That’s when I grew up — the ’60s. That’s what life was like. I want Florida to be known for making those kinds of movies: Disney movies for kids and all that stuff. Like it used to be, you know?”"


Full out onslaught of NeoCon history rewrite.

NYT columnist peddles ‘post-modern illusions’ and ‘propaganda’ to varnish Bush legacy | Raw Story:
"'My three cents,' began Andrew Sullivan, blogging for The Atlantic. '[No] president in the twentieth century did as much damage to this country as Bush: in terms of unfathomable debt, unwinnable wars, political cynicism, the dangerous fusion of politics and religion, the integration of torture into the DNA of America, the squandering of American soft and hard power, the lost years on non-carbon energy, the trashing of constitutional balance, and the immiseration of most ordinary Americans, he was a disaster. The only way in which Fish is correct is that the damage was so deep and so intractable that Obama, perforce, cannot undo it overnight and so cannot help but be tarred with its consequences, including a brutal recession."
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B/C deep down, you know they loves them some child abuse.

GOP: Law banning child abuse in schools will lead to ‘government takeover’ | Raw Story:
"A proposed law designed to prevent child abuse in schools has been lauded by children's protection advocates, and slammed by House Republicans as an unnecessary expansion of federal government power."
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Don't worry, Bart.....

Bart Stupak: Democratic Leaders Are 'Ignoring Me':

You aren't being ignored....

Democratic activist to challenge Stupak for seat | detnews.com | The Detroit News:

"Washington -- A Democratic activist announced today she's challenging Rep. Bart Stupak out of her frustration that his hard line on abortion funding threatens to derail health care legislation pending in Congress.
And those like you are not being ignored:

Labor On Dems Who Block Health Reform: We'll 'Take Them Out'

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Hurry the fuck up and take me out of the shit hole.

Anyone who doesn't believe in science is not allowed.

Mars In 40 Days: New Rocket Engine Could Make Quick Space Travel Possible
"After years of underinvestment in new technology and unrealistic budgeting, the President's plan will unveil an ambitious plan for NASA that sets the agency on a reinvigorated path of space exploration," the White House said in a statement.
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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Suck It, John Roberts

Did you hear about this on the news? Of course you didn't.

Judge says gov’t must allow funding for ACORN:
"A federal judge retained her position that it is unconstitutional for Congress to prevent funding for the activist group ACORN after a government request that she reconsider.

U.S. District Judge Nina Gershon cemented her earlier decision in December and made the injunction permanent against government intervention permanent, asking all federal agencies to spread the word that money to ACORN be allowed without delay.

The judge wrote that it was 'unmistakable that Congress determined ACORN's guilt before defunding it.' Congress may investigate ACORN but cannot 'rely on the negative results of a congressional or executive report as a rationale to impose a broad, punitive funding ban on a specific, named organization.'"
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Did you see this rally that was 10 times larger than most TeaBagger orgies plastered all of the TV screens?

Of course you didn't.

Fuckin' liberal media sucks.

10,000 Turn Out In DC To Attack Insurance Co. Profits; Network News Ignores Them | Crooks and Liars:
"It got a brief mention on some of the cable channels, but the only major TV network that carried live coverage of this healthcare reform rally in D.C. yesterday was Fox - and then, only to ridicule it:"
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My problem is we dirty fucking hippies said this would happen and to avoid bipartisanshit at all costs.

No body listens to the dirty fucking hippies... until it is too late.

Sanders: ‘One year later, the White House gets it’:

"Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Wednesday assailed the White House for purportedly wasting a year vying for Republican votes on health care reform, alleging that the protracted debate weakened the bill and damaged the party’s standing among progressives.

“We have wasted month after month negotiating with people who do not support serious reform,” he said at a progressive media summit on Capitol Hill. 'It's been a year now and I think the White House finally got that message.'"
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Goddamn right. Labor Unions fucking rock and could be the only thing that saves this country.

Labor On Dems Who Block Health Reform: We'll 'Take Them Out'

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So do you think it was the faux-pragmatic compromise Democratic monkeys that forced this or the fire breathing, hell raising, never compromise REAL Democrats that forced this?

Yeah, hell raisers. What I like to call a little Act-Right.

But this is GREAT if they actually do it and don't rig it. Later Baucus/Nelsons/Lieberman, you pieces of shit.

Democrats To Upend Seniority System In Senate: Brown:
"Senate Democrats intend to elect the chairs of committees when the next Congress convenes, which could upend a tradition that prioritizes seniority over party loyalty, legislative effectiveness or any other merit-based criteria.

During a question-and-answer session with progressive media, video blogger Mike Stark asked lawmakers why the Democratic caucus hasn't yanked Sen. Blanche Lincoln's chairmanship of the Agriculture Committee, considering her opposition to Democratic legislative efforts. In Arkansas, her gavel is a top selling point as she battles a progressive primary challenge.

'We're going to elect committee chairs next year,' said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). 'The current chairs that are sitting there now understand that we'll be electing chairs next year,' he added, saying the idea had been cleared with Senate leadership."
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John Roberts is a partisan, Neo-Conservative asshole who shouldn't be anywhere near the Supreme Court.

The Very Troubling Partisanship of John Roberts | Crooks and Liars

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Funny how balls sprout when you are in serious danger of getting your ass kicked back home in the next election.

Too little, too late Harry. I'll be glad to see you go.

Harry Reid Slams Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy For Campaign Finance Decision:
"The president and his aides aren't the only Democrats throwing unusually sharp and public jabs at the conservative members of the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he was 'so disappointed' with the Court's swing vote -- Justice Anthony M. Kennedy -- for enabling the court's rightward, corporatist tilt. As for Chief Justice John Roberts, the majority leader castigated him as being out of touch and completely detached from political reality.

'Do you think John Roberts knows or cares how people get elected?' he said, referring to the role the chief justice played in crafting the court's Citizens United decision."
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Drudge has always been a carrier of egg-born diseases.


Exclusive: Websites like Drudge can spread viruses, ‘non-partisan’ techie warned Senate | Raw Story:
"The Senate's environment committee has warned Capitol Hill staffers to avoid the Drudge Report and some other sites over suspicions of viruses, a spokesperson for the committee confirmed to Raw Story Tuesday.

The Drudge Report denied the allegations and mocked the committee in a prominently-featured story, but a CNET report on Tuesday notes that readers have complained about suspicious malware on the site today."
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Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Funny Ha-Ha

Two excellent pwnages by Stewart and Tom Hanks. Must see TV... on your computer.

Jon Stewart Exposes Fox News 'Balance,' Goes After Sarah Palin And Megyn Kelly (VIDEO)

Daily Kos: Tom Hanks is much smarter than you, Mika! (And a lot more)

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And I promise that pink puppies appear when I poot.

Obama promises progressives he’ll revisit public option after bill passes:

'Revisit'. Such a lovely word.

Hey Obama, if you hadn't started at 'Cave the fuck in' then we wouldn't need to 'revisit' jack shit. We'd already have a Public Option on the books.

Obama: Continuing the Democratic tradition of compromising our beliefs into oblivion.

"Obama told the group of House members he thought the public plan didn't have the votes this time, but reportedly assured them he'll revisit it after the bill's passage, warning that failure would imperil the issue for a generation."

So scared Republicans will say mean things. Man the fuck up, Obama. Jesus, this is getting sad.

Try these motherfuckers in an American Civilian Court in NYC just like we would anyone else. If our judicial system is so fucked (see Supreme Court for an argument 'for') then our nation is fucked regardless. Might as well stick to the Republicans regardless.

In reversal, Obama aides eye 9/11 military trial: report:
"In reversal, Obama aides eye 9/11 military trial: report In a U-turn, White House aides are poised to recommend holding military tribunals for the alleged co-plotters of the September 11 attacks, the Washington Post said Friday."
Caver in Chief.

Matthew Yglesias � Obama Prepping KSM Cave-In:

"I’m not going to attempt to defend this. I’ll merely note that it’s hard enough to have any kind of civil liberties in this country when the opposition party is pushing for them. When what you have is an opposition that’s pressuring incumbent officials to seize more power for themselves the incentive structure is nuts and the constitution is going to be shredded.

As recently as the 1990s, Congressional Republicans liked to stand up for civil liberties against some of the (tame, by post-9/11 standards) power-grabs by the Clinton-era Justice Department. But the dynamics of the Obama Era are toxic, especially because Democrats are so used to losing on national security that they can’t tell when they’re winning. It’s a depressing situation all around. And anyone in the White House who thinks the right-wing can’t just gin up some new “soft on terror” talking point is living in a dream world."
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I really hate blogging about this dip-shit, but her hypocrisy is truly a stunning thing to behold.

44 - Palin says her family went to Canada for health care when she was young:

"Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, a fierce opponent of Democratic health-care reform efforts who has said America under President Obama is headed toward socialism, told a Canadian audience her family used to go to Canada to get medical care when she was growing up.

'My first five years of life we spent in Skagway, Alaska, right there by Whitehorse. Believe it or not -- this was in the '60s -- we used to hustle on over the border for health care that we would receive in Whitehorse. I remember my brother, he burned his ankle in some little kid accident thing and my parents had to put him on a train and rush him over to Whitehorse and I think, isn't that kind of ironic now. Zooming over the border, getting health care from Canada,' Palin said a speech Saturday night, according to the Calgary Herald."
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Really? Wonder why?

Admiral Mullen: foreign policy is too dominated by the military / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com:

Oh yeah:

Blackwater RNC Fundraiser: RNC Will Hold Fundraising Meeting At Contractor's Compound:
"The Republican National Committee plans to hold an April fundraiser at a Moyock, N.C. compound owned by the military contracting firm formerly known as Blackwater, Politico reports."
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Not funny at all. They do not 'do' comedy. Humor starts with the truth then is twisted it into the absurd. Conservatives start with a lie and end with a lie. Not so much of the funny there.

The Zaz � The Conservative Comedian Challenge!:
"The Smothers Brothers? No liberal comedy since then? Please. Liberals fucking own comedy bitches.

If you don’t like it, don’t watch and read our shit. Go watch Glenn Fucking Beck and his testicle retracting comedy tour. Maybe George Will is doing the Def Comedy Jam at The Apollo. Why do I feel the need to even write that which is self-evident? Why must I use an allusion to The Constitution I know Tea-Baggers won’t get in the latter sentence? Do they even understand the difference between the words, former and latter? I know that confuses the little fuckers."
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Thursday, January 28, 2010

Home-Run Obama

Excellent job by our President last night.

Speech didn't soar or get too lofty. Very practical and he took some folks to task who needed it.

I support the President (though not blindly or quietly) and I support the House Dems.

The entire Senate can suck it. Those fuckers are a real problem. We must get rid of the filibuster.

News Analysis - Obama Delivers Confident Speech to a Skeptical Audience - NYTimes.com:

"He pleaded for patience and understanding. “I campaigned on the promise of change; ‘change we can believe in,’ the slogan went,” he said toward the end of the address. “And right now, I know there are many Americans who aren’t sure if they still believe we can change — or that I can deliver it.

“But, remember this,” he went on. “I never suggested that change would be easy, or that I can do it alone. Democracy in a nation of 300 million people can be noisy and messy and complicated. And when you try to do big things and make big changes, it stirs passions and controversy. That’s just how it is.”"
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But, surprise, here's my problem.

I hope Obama's continued talk of Bipartisanship is only for show. He MUST realize that to forsake all progress in the name of bipartisanship is a horrible decision.

These people will, never, ever, ever, fucking work with you Obama.

Do whatever Kabuke you feel you need, but if it appears that this will be your actual governing strategy, I'll work my ass off to have someone primary you in 2012.

These people hate you. They hate that you are a black man. They do not see you as a legitimate president. There is no reason to legitimize them back.

Obama Emphasizes Bipartisanship: Dems And GOP Unite In Displeasure:
"And at the same time, his continued emphasis on bipartisanship worried Democrats, while failing to appease Republicans.

Some Democrats expressed concerns Wednesday night that he had failed to learn one of the key lessons from this first year in office: that efforts to find bipartisan consensus invariably lead to watered-down legislation that still doesn't get the GOP votes.

'It is fine if he wants to meet with Republicans once a week, but I hope he doesn't think those meetings will produce anything,' Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster who worked on the losing side of the recent Massachusetts Senate race told the Huffington Post. 'I hope he understand that bipartisanship won't work and it won't produce the results he wants.
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What Jon Says.

Jon Stewart Warns Dems: Republicans Are "F**king With You!" (VIDEO):
"Shocked that the Dems would make such concessions, Stewart asked, 'Don't you get what the Republicans are doing? They're fucking with you.' He then compared the ploy to the 'Wonder Years' where Fred Savage's character would repeatedly attempt to get into a station wagon, only to have his brother Wayne drive off. Stewart warned that giving into Republican agendas would be fruitless: 'No matter what you do, the Republicans are not going to let you into the station wagon.'

Correspondent Aasif Mandvi joined Stewart, going as far to say that Democrats should abandon their unrealized agenda and revert to Bush-era policies. To top it off, he unveiled a new logo for the DNC: a lifeless possum. Explained Mandvi: 'It says, 'You can't hurt us anymore. Because we're already dead.''"
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He did stick to the assholes last night.

Obama Takes Crack At GOP For Not Applauding Tax Cuts (VIDEO):
"The Republican lawmakers in attendance sat on their hands while the president discussed policy provisions that, ostensibly, are very much in their philosophical wheelhouse. At one point, Obama turned to the GOP leadership with surprise: 'I thought I'd get some applause on that side,' he said.

So, apparently, did others. A Democratic strategist quite pleased with the chilly Republican reception emailed the Huffington Post the following: 'Footage of every Republican sitting when Obama talked about bank tax is going straight into every 2010 ad.'"
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What Kerry says. I've been saying it all along.

Best get outraged and louder than the teabaggers toot sweet.

One EVERY issue.

Think Progress � Kerry tells climate advocates to get as angry as Tea Partiers.:

"Kerry told the assembled crowd that if “the Tea Party folks can go out there and get angry because they think their taxes are too high,” then even more people “ought to get angry about the fact that they’re being killed and our planet is being injured” by fossil fuel pollution:"
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2nd place asshole of the night:

Chris Matthews on Obama: ‘I forgot he was black tonight for an hour’ | Raw Story

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Super-Duper Republican ASSHOLE of the century:

Alito Mouths 'NOT TRUE' At State Of The Union (VIDEO)

Daily Kos: Greenwald on Alito: "A Serious And Substantive Breach Of Protocol":
"By contrast, the behavior of Justice Alito at last night's State of the Union address -- visibly shaking his head and mouthing the words 'not true' when Obama warned of the dangers of the Court's Citizens United ruling -- was a serious and substantive breach of protocol that reflects very poorly on Alito and only further undermines the credibility of the Court. It has nothing to do with etiquette and everything to do with the Court's ability to adhere to its intended function,"

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Monday, January 25, 2010

Of His Own Making

Daily Kos: Posted without comment:

"Dear President Obama,

As someone who has been active in Democratic politics for decades and as someone who supported and worked to elect you both to the Senate and the presidency, I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I have been by your performance.

From your selection of staff (Rahm Emanuel), and cabinet members and advisors (Geithner, Summers, et.al.), you have chosen to surround yourself with those with deep histories of favoring corporations and Wall Street over the average citizen.

The result is now clear to see: a year of work on your claimed biggest priority, health care reform, going down the drain. How sad and embarrassing, not to mention devastating, to those millions needing health care and to the Democratic Party and our hopes for 2010....."
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Of his own making

Op-Ed Columnist - After the Massachusetts Massacre - NYTimes.com:

"Obama’s plight has been unchanged for months. Neither in action nor in message is he in front of the anger roiling a country where high unemployment remains unchecked and spiraling foreclosures are demolishing the bedrock American dream of home ownership. The president is no longer seen as a savior but as a captive of the interests who ginned up the mess and still profit, hugely, from it."
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Sanders nails it. Obama just hands his ass over to the crazies because of some bipartisan fetish.

Blueprint for Dems

Instead of making it clear that the first two years of the Obama administration would be about digging the country out of the incredible mess that Bush's eight years left us in, (deep recession, financial collapse, record-breaking deficits, disintegrating healthcare system, two wars, lack of respect from the international community, neglect of the environment), Obama, incredibly, has enabled tens of millions of Americans to now believe that Bush's failures are his as well.

Unlike FDR in 1933, who consistently denounced Hoover's Republican policies as the cause of the country's perilous condition, Obama appears very reluctant to be partisan and point out to the American people the cause of our current crises. Can one imagine Obama, for example, telling the American people as Roosevelt did in 1936, "I welcome" the "hatred" of the "economic royalists" whose greed has devastated the country?

In response to Obama's genteel and bipartisan outreach, the Republicans have undertaken an unprecedented campaign of rhetorical savagery. The Right-Wing Echo Chamber of Fox News and talk-radio has implied that Obama is an "illegitimate" president not born in the United States, that he is a friend of terrorists, that he is an antiwhite racist, that he rules unconstitutionally and that his administration reeks of Chicago-style corruption. And those are the respectful attacks!

In the overwhelmingly Democratic Senate the situation has been equally dismal. There, the Senate Finance Committee created a Gang of Six that included three Republicans--two of whom (Grassley and Enzi) are extremely conservative--to determine the shape of healthcare reform. Amid cries of "death panels," "socialized medicine" and "government takeover of health care," the meetings dragged on and on.
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More.....

Ed Schultz to Robert Gibbs: ‘You are full of sh*t and losing your base’ | Raw Story:

"'I told him he was full of sh*t is what I told him,' Schultz said. 'And then he gave me the Dick Cheney f-bomb the same way Senator Leahy got it on the Senate floor. I told Robert Gibbs, I said, 'I'm sorry you're swearing at me, but I'm just trying to help you out.'

'I'm telling you, you're losing your base,' he continued. 'Do you understand that you're losing your base? And that the American people don't want public option, the American people want single-payer!?''"
....Democrats.....

"'We are still in an ideological fight for the country,' he barked. 'We gotta make sure that President Obama gets the message. We're with you, but you gotta be with us.'"
...Like this please dear god.

"'I probably wouldn't make a very good candidate,' Schultz admitted. 'I don't believe in bipartisanship. After the way (Republicans) ran the country into the ground for the last 8 years what the hell you want me to work with them on?'"
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Yeah, I've been kinda hoping for the reemergence of Plouffe but his initial barkings have been far more President Obama than candidate Obama.

Hopefully he's the one to marginalize Rahm et al and take back this presidency.

The Fix - Plouffe stepping up role as adviser to White House

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Here's your activist fucking judges. 5 of the motherfuckers. I'm straining but I'm don't hear any teabaggers crying about activist judges? Must have their mouths full.

Worst SCOTUS decision since Dred v. Scott.

The Supreme Court's Citizen United Decision Is Terrifying:
"If you're looking for a concise way of capturing today's Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, how about: 'We are all royally, hopelessly fucked for the rest of recorded time'? It's coarse, I know, but it really does the trick."
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Doug Kendall: Citizens United: The Problem Isn't the Law, It's the Court:

"That is because today, the Court's conservative majority re-wrote the Constitution to give corporations -- never mentioned in the Constitution -- the same right to influence the electoral process as 'We the People.' As the NYT's Adam Liptak explains, 'Sweeping aside a century-old understanding and overruling two important precedents, a bitterly divided Supreme Court ... ruled that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections.' The justices did what many progressives feared for months it would do: hold that long-standing restrictions on corporate campaign spending violate the First Amendment."
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How will Obama respond? With bipartisanship, of course. So, yes, we are royally fucked.

Can't wait to be owned by the Saudis who will purchase the Republican party wholesale.

Critics: ‘Destructive’ Supreme Court decision ‘empowers corruption’ | Raw Story:
"With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans.

This ruling gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington -- while undermining the influence of average Americans who make small contributions to support their preferred candidates.

That's why I am instructing my Administration to get to work immediately with Congress on this issue. We are going to talk with bipartisan Congressional leaders to develop a forceful response to this decision. The public interest requires nothing less."
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The fruits of Bush's labor. But, let's be bipartisan with these motherfuckers. Kumbahya and all.

GOP-linked company tracks online users’ ‘loan-worthiness’ | Raw Story:

"Everything a person does publicly on their social-networking accounts can be found by market researchers if the user's privacy settings allow it. Researchers are now looking at a person's online conversations, the groups they join, products they look at and even who their friends are to determine loan-worthiness."
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Uhhhh.

Holiday Inn location in London offers 'human bed warmer' service - a staffer to warm up your sheets:
"Guests who don’t want to hop into a cold bed at one English hotel now have a novel way to warm up: by enlisting a staff member to do it for them."
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