November 26, 2010

Grandma's Confused

According to 20% of us, at least:

The revelation that his 88-year-old Kenyan grandmother Sarah Omar prayed for him to switch faiths follows a poll which found one in five believes he is a Muslim.

Mrs Omar was on a pilgrimage to Mecca with her son, Mr Obama’s uncle, Saeed Hussein Obama. During her visit, she reportedly told a Saudi newspaper: ‘I prayed for my grandson Barack to convert to Islam.’

Can we take the word of a grandmother, at least?

After all, if a story is in a paper overseas, it's open to massive speculation and repetition here at home, right?

November 25, 2010

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Chris covers most of it for me:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

To be honest, I don't have one of the buzzers to tell me to turn the lights off on the car.  Don't need one with my model.

I do understand the sentiment, though...

November 24, 2010

The Gasbag Loves His Internal Combustion

Chris Hayes highlights Rush's idiocy:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I've got to admit that Chris' geekdom with his "FTW" at the end nearly sunk the segment, but it worked for him...

November 23, 2010

We DO Do As We're Told...

Tom has a point to make here:

Click for Full and Sad Entertainment!

By the end of the cartoon, the name Milgram should come to mind.

Oh, and you should feel depressed about humanity in general...

Extended Thought for the Day

Bob Herbert:

Kennedy’s great gift was his capacity to inspire. His message as he traveled the country was that Americans could do better, that great things were undeniably possible, that obstacles were challenges to be overcome with hard work and sacrifice.

I don’t think he would have known what to make of the America of today, where the messages coming from the smoldering ruins of public life are not just uninspiring, but demeaning: that we must hack away at the achievements of the past (Social Security, Medicare); that we cannot afford to rebuild the nation’s aging infrastructure or establish a first-class public school system for all children; that we cannot bring an end to debilitating warfare, or establish a new era of clean energy, or put millions of jobless and underemployed Americans back to work.

Kennedy declared that we would go to the moon. Chris Christie tells us that we are incapable of building a railroad tunnel beneath the Hudson River.

Whatever one thinks of the tragically short Kennedy administration, we’d do well to pay renewed attention to the lofty ideals and broad themes that Kennedy brought to the national stage. We’ve become so used to aiming low that mediocrity is seen as a step up. We need to be reminded of what is possible.

I'm beginning to wonder if we're allowed to have those dreams anymore at this point, but I know that we should...

November 22, 2010

Disappointment

Yellow Dog brought this fact to my attention:

More liberal facts with which to go on rhetorical offense during Thanksgiving:

No, rethuglican victories do not mean that rethuglicans persuaded independents, much less a single Democrat, to vote for them. It means that Democratic voters stayed home.

*

In congressional rematches, republican candidates who lost in '08 and won in '10 got the same number of votes this time as last, but the Democratic candidates got substantially fewer votes.

In other words, the rethuglicans did not "convert" democrats or independents, but rather the Democratic and independent voters who gave Democrats their winning margin in '08 just stayed home in '10.

And, yes, it is good news on a great many levels.

I can't help but feel a bit of disappointment on the low turnout, however.

I guess that's the way I am, but I don't know many other ways to be...

Parachutes and Showers

They can both be golden...

Wisdom from the guy that has enough money to tell the truth and realizes it:

I do have to correct Warren on one statement, however.  When he states the 'trickle-down' has not worked for...10 years.

My brain tells me that it was 30 years ago that the scum started lying about the fabulous times that would 'trickle' down on us.

It's only recently that more people are noticing the ammonia-like smell...

November 21, 2010

Consider the Following

An interesting thought experiment:

Imagine you actively disliked the United States, and wanted to deliberately undermine its economy. What kind of positions would you take to do the most damage?

You might start with rejecting the advice of economists and oppose any kind of stimulus investments. You'd also want to cut spending and take money out of the economy, while blocking funds to states and municipalities, forcing them to lay off more workers. You'd no doubt want to cut off stimulative unemployment benefits, and identify the single most effective jobs program of the last two years (the TANF Emergency Fund) so you could kill it.

You might then take steps to stop the Federal Reserve from trying to lower the unemployment rate. You'd also no doubt want to create massive economic uncertainty by vowing to gut the national health care system, promising to re-write the rules overseeing the financial industry, vowing re-write business regulations in general, considering a government shutdown, and even weighing the possibly of sending the United States into default.

You might want to cover your tracks a bit, and say you have an economic plan that would help -- a tax policy that's already been tried -- but you'd do so knowing that such a plan has already proven not to work.

Does any of this sound familiar?

It should.  Especially if you have been paying attention since January 20, 2009.

Consider the example provided by the latest version of Reagan's START Treaty:

Why would Republican senators, without reason or explanation, oppose a nuclear arms treaty that advances U.S. national security interests? When the treaty enjoys support from the GOP elder statesmen and the Pentagon, and is only opposed by Iran, North Korea, and Senate Republicans, it leads to questions about the party's intentions that give one pause.

That's a heckuv'an Axis the GOPers have joined...

November 19, 2010

The Beck is a Stain

Personally, I don't know how Rachel manages to keep her lunch down listening to Lonesome Roades:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

To be honest, I didn't have much respect for the man before this segment.

I now realize that this blip of protoplasm isn't even worth the effort of hatred.

Please visit IAVA and help them however you can.

The Way of the Teahadist

Scott Meyer is a smart cartoonist:

I'm not saying that all teahadists are ignorant, but a lot of them are.

And selfish, whiney, children to boot...

November 18, 2010

Re-Branded Treason

If we want to continue being a country in the first place:

We, the People fought to build this democracy with its laws and institutions and protections. This fight brought us a middle class with weekends off, good wages, worker protections and some degree of protection of our environment. "Free trade" deals let companies move factories across a border to escape those protections and pit exploited workers with few rights and no means of improving their condition against us and the protections we fought for. This scam enriches a few while putting the rest of us in a race to the bottom.

Americans have come to realize just how much this scam is hurting us. Pollsters have found that the public hates what "free trade" treaties like NAFTA and letting China into the World Trade Organization have done to our economy and our jobs. So business and administration bigwigs are "re-branding" the hated words "free trade" into "rules-based trade." So expect to be hearing less and less about "free trade" and more and more about "rules-based trade." Don't be fooled.

Just so we're clear on the terms...

November 16, 2010

As Expected

Some local letter-writers seems to comprehend the endgame of the ideological hack that now represents me in Congress:

At least give U.S. Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack credit for being honest. He made it pretty clear during the campaign that he was more interested in pursuing an ideological agenda than representing the needs and interests of Northeastern Minnesota. And he wasted no time in fulfilling this promise. Within 24 hours of winning his seat in Congress, Cravaack announced his opposition to such important local projects as the new terminal at the Duluth International Airport and the cross-town recreational trail (“Cravaack would put brakes on train and trails,” Nov. 4).

Cravaack may be fine with seeing our federal transportation dollars spent elsewhere, but personally I’d like to see some of our tax dollars spent here in Duluth. I also find it interesting that the only transportation project he deemed worthy of his support is near Sandstone in the southern part of the district.

We need to start looking for a new congressional representative now. And this time, let’s make sure we choose someone who actually is interested in representing us.

Joel Sipress

Duluth

In case you're wondering, I don't use the term 'ideological hack' as one of endearment...

November 15, 2010

Wrong Oath, Apparently...

The "I got mine" generation continues, as evidenced (today) by incoming freshman Andy Harris (Really Big A**Hole-MD):

According to Glenn Thrush of Politico, Harris created a stir at the orientation meeting by demanding to know why he had to wait a month after he was sworn in in January for his government-subsidized health care to kick in. After responding in a huff, he even asked if there was some way he could buy into the government care in advance, seemingly thinking there might be a government program similar to the so-called 'public option' championed by progressive Democrats in 2009.

According to an unnamed congressional staffer quoted by Thrush, Harris stood up at the meeting "and asked the two ladies who were answering questions why it had to take so long, what he would do without 28 days of health care."

One option would be to D*** and quickly.  Another would be to not get sick.  A third option would be make sure no American has to ask that question ever again.

So many options, really.

Personally, I would love to see the lameduckery push through a plan named The Andy Harris Public Option.  Quick, dirty, and taking effect 28 days after the moran takes office.

November 12, 2010

The Common Theme

When you think of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, it's important to remember what it is.

After looking at the recommendations that were released (unexpectedly) on Wednesday, a common theme emerges.

Here's that theme in Krugman-speak:

...as so often happens in modern Washington, a process meant to deal with real problems has been hijacked on behalf of an ideological agenda. Under the guise of facing our fiscal problems, Mr. Bowles and Mr. Simpson are trying to smuggle in the same old, same old — tax cuts for the rich and erosion of the social safety net.

Seems clear enough there, but here's another way to put it, thanks to Atrios:

As we all occasionally forget, it's important to remember that all of the Social Security reform talk is about letting rich people steal from the Social Security trust fund.

The next time you hear the term "class warfare" used in a talk format, try to notice who (and what party) protests the loudest.  It's a telling sign.

Me?  I listen to the guys without a reason to bullsh*t.

One of those guys is a very rich American:

There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war, and we're winning.
                                                 - Warren Buffett

Have a nice day...or something.

Synchronicity by Wiley

Occasionally, I am hounded by the little coincidences in life.  Once you start noticing them, they happen more and more and more until, for some reason, you're doin' the bear dance. (Link added for clarity...Ha!)

I'm feeling much better, now.

Thanks.

BUT, yesterday as I was shuffling things around on the desk and reading several thousand pages of the internet as I am wont to do, I noticed how much the term "Catfood Commission" came up.  It hasn't been a quiet subject lately.

Then I noticed my Non Sequitur Page-A-Day Calendar and was awed by another little coincidence.  Unless Wiley is extraordinarily good with the planning...

For the life of me, I don't see how more people don't get the joke around here:

Click for Oversized Inanity!

Maybe it's too subtle...

November 11, 2010

It Was Armistice Day

A long, long time ago:

Click to Embiggen!

And we used to use our soldiers for higher purposes:

In the 19th century, West Point was a great foundry of nation-building. Established by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802, the academy provided the best engineering education in the United States. The first superintendent was Jonathan Williams, an engineer and former aide to Benjamin Franklin.

Most of the classroom time at West Point was spent on scientific pursuits, rather than the study of battles. A British writer predicted that, “In a short time, the United States, though with a very small army, will be able to boast of a much larger body of scientific and well-educated officers than any other country in the world.”

...and we've moved from that to no-bid contracts to feed our soldiers for little other reason than to enrich private contractors.

...and we've learned how to become the invaders.  From Korea to Vietnam to Grenada to Afghanistan to Iraq.

...and, oh, how we've learned to kill.  Almost randomly from 30,000 feet based on what is euphemistically called intelligence.

I used to contemplate the military as a career.  I remember feeling honored to receive a pamphlet telling me that West Point was an option of mine, a long, long time ago.  Being young(er) and (still) foolish, I decided to take another path.

I still remember reading a lot of WWII-based war comics (DC) and remember the MWNM button appearing on the pages of some of them.  That used to make sense (and still does to me...) unless we, as a nation, decided that we want endless war.

Are we better off as a nation with that as our goal?  It's a valid question.

A question that I will ask myself on a daily basis until my nephew is 40 years old...

November 10, 2010

Thirty-Five Years Ago...

Lake Superior proved how unpredictable it can be and launched the the idea for a haunting folk tune that will be replayed a lot today:

Just so you know your history...

Lameduckery!

I don't have much hope for the upcoming lameduckery, but I have to admit that Rachel lifted whatever spirits I may have:

FSM knows too many corporatists have taken hold of seats in congress to hope for much, but I have to at this point...

It's pretty much all that's left.

November 8, 2010

Whistling Past the Graveyard

The NTTimes editorial makes a good point, of course:

The damage done to the political system this year by misleading, drive-by ads should be evidence enough. The requirement that candidates take responsibility for their ads is intended to reduce outright lies (though it hardly prevents them) and provide accountability. But all accountability is lost when secretive groups with fuzzy names like the American Future Fund lumber into a campaign, falsely accusing Democratic House candidates of supporting a mosque at ground zero.

These unrestrained outside groups became one of the crucial factors in the election.

And the chances of these factors changing with the beneficiaries of said factors in control of the house?

That much should be obvious...

November 5, 2010

Fox: The Professional Storytellers

With the apparent double-standard of the butthurt Phil Griffin, a lot of people have compared MSNBC to Fox again.

Not a good plan, I would think, when you consider how good they are with their narrative.

For example, when Jon Stewart interviewed Chris Wallace on Wednesday night, it was odd to hear Wallace laugh in agreement (apparently, since there was no protest...) when Jon made a slightly insulting remark:

00:21:07 You have a clear narrative.

00:21:09 >> Is it the truth?

00:21:10 >> Jon: No.

00:21:15 [Laughter]

Color-coded for you convenience and thanks to Livedash for the transcript.

If I were an actual newsman, I would take offense at a comedian telling me that I wasn't telling the truth.

Of course, Fox isn't actual news, is it?

The Obviousness is Glaring

Johann Hari , from way across the pond, knows us better than a lot of us are willing to admit when it's time to discuss the teahadists:

It’s the Tea Party spirit distilled: pose as the champion of Joe America, while ripping him off.

Of course, an American - John Cole - can tell us what the crude product that underwent that distilling is/was (highlighted):

It’s almost as if the tea party isn’t really a libertarian minded grass roots uprising calling for more personal freedom, fiscal conservatism, and limited government, but actually might just be a slick re-branding of the lunatic wing of the GOP by wealthy billionaire businessmen to be used to propel the GOP back into power.

Get the idea?

November 4, 2010

Possible Karma in Alaska

The con(stitutional) teahadist, with his teahadist ways, is locked in a ballot-counting waiting game with traditional GOPer Mer-cauws-kee for now.

The idiot is about to whine about government and the rule of law again:

Write-in votes for Joe Miller in the Alaska Senate race won’t count toward the GOP nominee’s tally.

So says Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell.

Campbell, who oversees elections, tells The Associated Press that because Miller’s name isn’t on the official list of write-in candidates, any ballots with "Joe Miller" written in won’t be credited to the tea party favorite.

This, frankly, has the potential to be the biggest laugh of the election.

My only hope is a full count of all the ballots being made available...

I Haz A Sad

I have, however, rationalized the reason for my personal electoral sadness.

Jim Oberstar was my congresscritter with a whole bunch of seniority which gave him the chairmanship of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

He has a history of bring home a lot of projects for his district.  That fact was used against him, but he did the job rational people expected of him.

Now I have a freshman representative with the (personally nauseating) name of Chip.  Who thinks the government has the right to force his opinion on women's medical issues, has already gotten through a big part of his life with a government job, and is yet another politician who isn't from the state.

My representation used to be a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Now it may as well be on Mars...

(Funny, but the one "original" constitutional idea that I would agree with is representation.  When the current version of congress was started, we had less than a hundred members representing about 4 million people.  That's a better ratio than we'll ever have again.  Maybe that makes me a teabagger, but I don't think so...)

November 3, 2010

It's Better Now

Actually, I'm better now is more accurate.  It remains to be seen if anything gets better.

I'm still tired, of course, but the initial shock of yesterday was tough to get through.

I may have been too tired for email correspondence Wednesday morning, but I still think I had a point when it was pointed out that this, too, shall pass:

At this point (now that bribery has been legalized!) I have my doubts.

Of course, with the ADHD voters, they may toss him out if no one gets a rainbow-farting unicorn within the week...

Of course, it is kind of nice to have my license to bitch renewed ever couple of years...

November 2, 2010

Election Day

03:21 - Minnesota will probably have a recount or two, but here's a final reaction from me:

FSM-Dammit, anyhoo...

I'm just sayin'

02:05 - How can news outlets be getting vote info faster than the MN SoS?  Keeping in mind that there's no reason at all to believe exit polling...

01:00 - Again with the DNT Livebloggery:

12:54  Cautionary note on those results - I believe we're still waiting to hear from most if not all of St. Louis County

12:54  Minnesota House

District 8

393 of 804 precincts - 49 percent

Chip Cravaack, GOP 68,166 - 48 percent

James Oberstar, Dem (i) 66,937 - 47 percent

Timothy Olson, Inp 6,012 - 4 percent

Two quick posts on his blog and he manages to cause me to hiccup...FUN!

00:34 - Duluth News Tribune election night liveblog:

12:25

[Comment From David: ]
The CNN numbers still only indicate that 22% of Saint Louis County has been counted. I'm thinking that the race will swing in Oberstars favor once more of St. Louis County is added, but can't be certain. if the 22% is Duluth or Chisholm, or Hibbing, then the rest of the county may be closer.

I refuse to cross my fingers, but here's hoping!

00:11 - Not very visible, but visible enough!  A merry prankster hold up what should be Michele Batshi*t's new book - Going Crazy - up next to her head!

Again, I apologize for the MN 6th... 

23:46 - Between this and work, work takes priority, of course.  The mystery that is Sharron Angle will, apparently, remain a mystery, it seems.  Congratulations to Harry in any case!!

23:39 - It's not really fair, but it's true that whatever little respect I had for the cheeseheads walked out at the same time Russ Feingold was defeated tonight.

23:25 - There's little like the work intermission to wrap up a few more of the Minnesota precincts, is there?

So as it stands now, Mark Dayton has a 8-point lead.  That's good.

James Oberstar has a 126-vote lead with approximately 30k votes!  Yike!

And, in Chuck's interests, Tim Walz continues to surprise with a 6-point lead.

So far, so good, I guess.  Right now I can only hope that Lindstrom-area precincts have reported and the range area has yet to relay their information, as has happened in prior elections.

I admit that the MN 8th race will continue to hold my interest tonight.

What else could be going on, after all........

Travel Intermission

20:58 - twitter won't even come up on the screen right now...I don't know if I'll be able to post this, but it's time to get ready for work now...

20:45 - First look at MN 8th District results (with 0.87% reporting) has James L. Oberstar with a 21.5% lead!  Woot!

20:42 - Any guesses on the subject of the deposition?

20:29 - And now according to @CNNLive, Rubio is a governor...

20:24 - Have I been bamboozled by the RNC?  For this long?

"Democrats still have a great shot," RNC chair #Tim #Kainesays. 

20:24 - Reason #546 (I can never make it as a politician because:) The gagging/choking sounds would give my feelings away whenever I attempted to invoke their god...

20:09 - I was going to listen to RAND PAUL's delusional idiocy, but I looked at my options and took a **** instead.  Followed up quickly with a silent thanks to the FSM for never living anywhere near KY...

20:05 - Cripes!  I just realized that Minnesota polls are closing now!  I'm wondering who would really have the best results other than the SoS official website...

19:49 - Remember what Yellow Dog said:

Jim Inhofe said just last week that republicans would pick up 14 seats in the Senate. Back in the summer, House minority whip John Boehner predicted that repugs would pick up 100 Democratic seats in the House of Representatives.

It would seem that the election has been a massive failure for the GOPers, wouldn't it?

19:40 - I realize that there's not supposed to be any good news tonight, but West Virginia and Connecticut did good things, dang it!

19:33 - Blanche never got to as good at being a republican as an actual GOPer...

19:25 - And now the crappy satellite internet is getting crappy & spotty...and @Kirkrrt is apparently lost in GA:

I don't know where I am.

The punchline, of course, has to be the google map linked to his tweet...

19:11 - Dammit, Georgia!!

19:09 - Has someone started the stopwatch for how long it will take FOX to sign the witch?  Or me or whomever she is today?

18:59 - A bright note?  Even Indiana can't tolerate a nazi, according to Tom:

Nazi uniform guy loses.

18:53 - Over an hour to go here in Minnesota and it's frustrating to continue to watch the zeroes on the MN SOS site...

18:49 - Getting the DISCLOSE Act would be nice dream but it will remain a dream for now...

18:29 - The joke at some point would be that I picked the wrong day to quit drinking.  Still a funny joke when you're watching Airplane!, I admit, but I also have to admit that nights like this would have really popped my brain...

18:21 - I would like to point out (with a bit of pride, actually!) that I haven't called anyone a jackass yet tonight, regardless of a number of tremendous jackasses around...

18:12 - Larry!!!

18:10 - Wow.  Fineman tells us that RAND PAUL will continue to be a petulant brat as a senator.  It's amazing!!

18:01 - RAND PAUL gets to continue embarrassing KY for six years...

17:40 - Wouldn't you like a nice sticker like this?

I'm going to be grumpy, however, and tell you to get you own...

17:17 - Why should this kid have a job like this...?

16:59 - I just caught myself giggling as Tweety talked about "getting stuff done..."

The only thing done with a GOPer House is attempting investigation and multiple attempts to get Obama to testify to anything under oath...

16:39 - Not Minnesota Nice:

According to one complaint posted on the site by a volunteer, a poll worker in St. Paul told a Hispanic voter, "I think everyone should have to show their ID at the polls." Minnesota does not require voters to show ID cards at the polls, but conservative activists have been lobbying to push such a law by raising fears that non-citizens would try to steal elections.

Mini-Fascists making their own law and killing America step by step...

With thanks to @SuzyKhimm!

16:28 - I wish I could get excited about Senate races this early, but Minnesota's skipping that bother this year.

Of course, I will soon wish some loser idiots would just shut up...

16:10 - Goodgawdahmighty, the good news begins as I start the daily perusing!  ABC News decides to violate Andrew's right for the good of the many...

16:04 - Due to the nature of the day's events, this will be a rolling entry as things start to happen.  All times are CST.

#8 in Minnesota's Eighth...

I was able to walk right through the process and vote in 15 minutes.

The optical scanner told me that I was Voter #8.  (My friend Chuck was #7 about 250 miles south of here...)

There's another 11 hours to go in Minnesota, so...VOTE!

It's Almost Time To Vote!

Soon, I will leave work to cast my vote.

If you live in Minnesota, your polls will be open in 40 minutes.

Within an hour, I will be verifying who I am for our local election officials.

Honestly, they will probably recognize me as I walk in the door.

I'll take my little sticker and feel good about it all day.

I can only hope that you take this opportunity to do likewise.

My Personal Thanks

To Lawrence O'Donnell as he runs through the list of bullsh*t charges that continue to dog one of my favorite senators.  What's really amazing is how the charges continue to fly on rightwingnutcase radio here in Minnesota.  Amazing when you consider the amount of effort it takes to weep about the victimization of the poor loser Norm who holds the distinct honor(?) of losing to the jackhandle Jesse and the comedic writer Al.

Plus, some very kind (and true) words on the balloting system here in Minnesota:

Almost time to vote, right?

November 1, 2010

A Pre-Vote Explanation

I do get the feeling that not enough people understand the teahadists, so here's an instructional video:

With thanks to Tod for bringing this to my attention!

Have you planned your vote yet???

Quote of the Day (So Far)

John Cole, in a post that reminds me that justice can be poetic:

When Republicans sweep to power in the next 48 hours, this site is a no sympathy zone. Everyone of you jackasses who complained about how there was no difference between the two parties better find another website for your tears as the cold, cruel reality of wingnut rule becomes clear. There will be no sympathy here. Have fun, protest people. Now you really have something to protest about, and you don’t have Rahm to kick around any more.

Have you planned your vote yet?

Sunday Night Geekery

In case you missed last night's edition, there was all kinds of fun:

Did you know that you get a chance to vote on Tuesday?  You should really plan on voting on Tuesday.

I'm just sayin'