Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts Official Video

The Other Party

Democrats are “the other” party in this country and always start out the gate behind the republicans. Americans much prefer, the idea of having republicans run the government. And when they turn that idea into reality, and vote the GOP into power, then another reality takes up competition with “that ideal” as the leading faces that look mostly like there faces, faces that have studied the magic words the majority wants to hear to complete the fantasy. A fantasy that quickly turns into a governing nightmare, that becomes real when the well scrubbed populace realize somebody is stealing from them, in all sorts of creative ways.

And it is not by accident, that seemingly, and accurately, the only times democrats have the opportunity to get elected and gain power, is when the patriotic republican fantasy turns everything to shit via the round peg in square hole approach of conservative ideology deployed to govern a liberal democracy. And during the confusion, the hucksters and charlatans make off with the loot for their plutocrat employers, and when the dust settles, Barrack Obama gets elected president, and Nancy Pelosi makes Speaker of the Peoples House and the country cries for help from that “other party”.

For awhile, and sometimes a short while, like with the 2010 election, when patience runs thin once more with that “other party” and the worried minds of the average voter opens itself to the old lies and memes, and eyes turn to that “other party” with it’s faces of color and lack of magic words, and doubts of trust make a return, and the cycle of reconnection to the familiar begins all over again.

The good news is, this is slowly but surely changing in this country, and the election of Obama proves that. But it is in fits and spurts, and the clock is ticking.

Season's Greetings

Merry Christmas all, and a Happy New Year.

Van Morrison - Sometimes we cry - live with Chris Farlowe

"more" Wikileaks

As I have always maintained, I am full square for leakers and publishers to bring to light of day, government lawbreaking and general malfeasance regardless of the source. And in any case would likely become an urban guerrilla if the government were to take punitive or other coercive methods against our news providers to prevent them from publishing the Assange Files.

But I have no time for anyone leaking classified info for the sole general purpose that they don’t like the US and want to harm it in any way they can. And I believe that the government can request any time they want, that Amazon, a private company to consider the situation and decide to not publish these ill gotten files. It happens all the time, even for serious and substantial leaks, the government requesting news folks to not publish this or that material, and new papers make their own judgments in the cause of public service, versus malicious intent, and sometimes do not publish classified materials.

The point is, there is a line where stealing and publishing such material serves the public good, or it does not and causes, or could case malicious harm.

wikileak

The thing about the nexus of what actually ends up happening in governance, and the details of the processes that led to the creation of that reality in governing, for me is only as important as is my agreement with that policy. Republicans have an entirely different set of values and preferences.

I want to see how a lie is formed when shit happens that doesn’t make sense, like with the entire Iraq misadventure. A wingnut may want to know if Obama had a seance to contact the collectivist spirit of Karl Marx for instruction on how to pass “gubmint run healthcare”.

The point is that secrets are only malevolent as what they lead to, and their essence mitigated by things we can see with out own eyes that is relative to ideology and personal values.

I think the state department leaks of cables, and government workings, not matched up with a suspicion of a specific bad policy is at best a flailing “attack” on my country and authority in general. Leak to me the decision making and interactions that lead to torture becoming the official American policy with detailed infrastructure to carry it out. Give me names and address of those making illicit plans that made mockery out of the law. I am not interested in the scattershot fire of foreign anarchists and America haters, especially in the arena of the single agency we have that can promote peace in the world. The US State Department.

I do hope Assange and company gives us the inside skinny on the banksters, it will be a downpayment toward forgiving the bullshit released so far.

Dolphins Funning With Funhouse Mirror

Liberal Heroes?

Why can’t progressives have their own George Bush or Ronald Reagan?

Progressives often stand in awe of the ability of Republicans to communicate their message in simple stories. Usually that begrudging admiration is focused on the ability of conservatives to so effectively make progressives the villain. To the extent that progressives have even attempted to use narrative, their efforts have often zeroed in on how to return the favor by demonizing Republicans

Liberals and progressives cannot have such heroes, because they are fickle and think independently. That has it’s drawbacks for sure, but if we weren’t like that, we would be republicans, and Obama would get credit for what he has accomplished. With Libs/progs, not even the perfect gets a pass, if it did in fact exist. We want things, always. It is a matter of personal nature, that doesn’t end until it’s time for the long drink of embalming fluid.

I think this is a good thing, all things considered. Without it, social evolution is not possible. But it is not painless.

AMY DA LAURA

The Messenger

I am watching a movie on SHOtime about two soldiers informing families that their children and spouses have died in war. The movie is intense and brutal. It makes me think how insulated the majority of Americans are related to the realities of war. Ex-President Bush is on TV and in the press hocking his book. No mention of the fact that he sent Americans to war without cause. Because, again, the realities of that decision do not matter. Guess what, men and women have died. Men and women have suffered life-long injuries that you and I cannot imagine, but injuries that have consequences for them and their families. But the fact that decisions have consequences, and the decision to invade Iraq without just cause, has had profound consequences for many American families is lost in the narrative that surrounds Bush and his supposed come back. Is Obama tough enough? Was Bush so incredibly patriotic that sending soldiers to war without cause is proof of his patriotism? It is so bizarre and twisted, and emblematic of today's discourse.

My life -- Kitty Part 3

My day starts at 7:00am sitting on the floor with cat food Yuk in my hand, begging my beloved kitty to eat. I plead and plead, finding I go between telling her she is so loved and I want her to live longer to I hate you and if you don't want to eat, than I will kill you myself.

With each choice -- she rejects several -- I finally get her to eat a bit of one. At that point, I have yuk in my fingers and yuk on the floor. Her brother is walking back and forth knowing that if she doesn't eat, he will reap the benefits of what she has rejected.

Then I email our vet -- love the guy because he gave me his email. I tell him that if we can't solve this soon, I will go through several cases of wine and probably a bottle or two of scotch.

We are caught in a loop. She has a thyroid issue -- hyperthyroidism -- that has to be under control before we can deal with her eating issue -- which is more related to needing a good dental intervention. She does try to eat, but something in her mouth hurts, so when she tries to chew, she stops, her paw touches her mouth, she gets frustrated and stops.

However, apparently, they can't put her under to do the dental cleaning until the thyroid issue is controlled, which means she has to eat. She can't eat because something in her mouth hurts.

Finally tonight I figured out that if I mush her food -- making it easier for her to eat if she doesn't have to chew -- she eats a little. For how long, I don't know.

I truly love this little girl, and it kills me that she has taken to climbing in my lap, just like she did as a kitten but hasn't done for a few years and looks to me as if to say -- figure this out, take care of me, and please, please, do it quickly.

Smrda my kitty, part 2

Well for a week or so, Smrda was doing better. I managed to put the thyroid medicine in ear -- relatively easy, and she was eating again. However, last Sunday she stopped eating. Wednesday I took her back to the vet. We decided to take her off the medicine, and they gave her an appetite stimulant to get her to eat. Wednesday night she happily ate, still only out of my hand.

Well, today she stopped eating again. I tried giving the apetite stimulant in her food, but since she's not eating that tactic didn't work. Then I decided to try and squirt some in her mouth. Always difficult with her when there is only one person, but she is not an easy cat.

Anyway, while chasing her through the house, I managed to spill the remaining stimulant on the kitchen floor and to squirt myself instead of her.

So I figure in about 20 minutes I will be eating several pizzas, a steak, two hamburgers and probably a cake. The good news is that at least one of us will be eating!

:-(

Mental Health Break - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

Mental Health Break - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

Pretty awesome!

The Doors - The end

What we do for our darling pets

A break from political crap. Smrda our kitty who was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism is doing better. We were caught in a loop -- she went to the vet for teeth issues, but we found out that she has this condition that could kill her if not treated -- it could lead to heart failure. We can't treat the teeth until we get the thyroid under control. This has meant daily squirts of liquid in her mouth. But, as anyone who has a cat knows, even daily squirts in the mouth can be difficult and painful for the squirtee. And, Smrda does have a few anger issues. So the procedure was that I held her and her paws while my husband squirted. I became the bloodied one.

Unfortunately, as usual, my husband is off on one of his 5 week trips. No way could I hold her and squirt. So our vet -- who is one of the most awesome people ever -- gave me some cream to put in her ear daily. So far, not too bad. Once got her head instead of the ear and once got her butt.

But, we still have the eating issue. We took her to the vet initially because she seemed to have problems eating -- this from a cat who once was 20lbs. Clearly a tooth or gum issue.

We have to wait a month before we can give her a teeth cleaning. Our vet didn't want to put her under until we dealt with other issues.

Well, our darling Princess, with the anger issues, has decided that she CAN eat, but only if I put the wet, yuk food in my hand. No eating out of cans or bowels for her. Only my hand. So every morning and every evening, I sit on the floor, with wet, yuk food in my hand, and she happily eats and eats and eats.

I now have prunes for hands -- to get the smell out I have been washing my hand with dish soap. If I could put my hand in the dishwasher I would.

All for love.....

Paula Cole-Where have all the cowboys gone

Dumber Than Spit

Catch Sarah signing a US Flag, desecration NO NO. And are these motherfuckers dumb, or what? Jeebus.

The Right Hand Threatens the Left One

More tea party patriot fun. While the big whig wingers plot to steal elections with unlimited secret cash, the white trash wing keeps up their end with racist threats to those registering minorities to vote.

A group trying to register voters in Houston received threats and emails containing racist slurs after being targeted by a local tea party group accusing it of "voter fraud."

In emails obtained by TPM, the group Houston Votes was accused of being "a bunch of white guilt ridden assholes, NIGGERS and greasy mexican spics," "fraudulent Marxist pigs," and "American hating A-holes."

Nope, those white real Americans ain't racist, dontcha know.

via TPM

And So It Begins

via- NYT'S


As the consequences of the SCOTUS Citizens United begin to form into into organized cadres of rich interests to buy our elections and power, this years meager increases into Dark Money politicking will seem like child's play. The plutocrat's will begin having secret meetings in none other than playground of the rich and powerful Palm Springs, CA, to divvy up the cash for all sorts of seedy, and completely secretive operations to defeat democrats beginning in the presidential race of 2012.

A secretive network of Republican donors is heading to the Palm Springs area for a long weekend in January, but it will not be to relax after a hard-fought election — it will be to plan for the next one.

Not surprising that The Koch industries will be leading the pack for undermining 70 years of progressive initiatives from environmental protections to the social safety net. It is what the SCOTUS wingnuts planned when they equated money with speech, to outflank liberals and dems projected demographics gains into the future, fairly near future. It will be The Robber Barons part Deuxe and the bullshit will flow like manna from hell.

Koch Industries, the longtime underwriter of libertarian causes from the Cato Institute in Washington to the ballot initiative that would suspend California’s landmark law capping greenhouse gases, is planning a confidential meeting at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa to, as an invitation says, “develop strategies to counter the most severe threats facing our free society and outline a vision of how we can foster a renewal of American free enterprise and prosperity.”

Awwe yes, that American standard of "American Free Enterprise and Prosperity". Sounds pretty, doesn't it. But between the lines are more BP oil spills, dirtier air and drinking water, and global warming on steroids. And that is just arena. If you thought politicians were bought and paid for now, it will get much much worse, the pandering to corps for campaign cash, and the ever elusive quid pro quo will overtake any and all efforts to contain it. The goal posts will be moved to another planet, as campaign cash, and it's strings attached, will jigger around every politician who seeks reelection like so many plutocrat puppets. It is going to get very ugly, and along with our enormous problems already caused largely from corporate money in politics will run the profit train right over this country and especially the middle class. Which after all is the only stalwart against full frontal oligarchy. Goodbye American, nice to have known you.

The Kochs also seek to cultivate Americans’ growing concern about the growth of government: at the most recent meeting, in Aspen, Colo., in June, some of the wealthiest people in America listened to a presentation on “a vision of how we can retain the moral high ground and make the new case for liberty and smaller government that appeals to all Americans, rich and poor.”

The Barnum and Bailey approach for suckers born every minute. With the boilerplate "appeals to ALL Americans, rich and poor. A plan that has worked out so well, the country is broke, and those lucky enough to have a job, and stuck with stagnated wages while big corps have seen record profits for the past two or more decades.

Yeh, Annie's Kitty Is Going To Be Okay

From her comment on Balloon Juice

My cat came back from the doctors, and it is her thyroid. I feel like shit because we did not recognize the signs earlier. It seems that as cats approach 12 years it is not uncommon to develop thyroid problems. If caught early, the condition is curable.

Yipee!!
Good news indeed!!!

Great News From the Institute For A Meaningful Apocalypse!!

America's favorite wingnut shows us all how we can make a buck on the coming Obama Holocaust, first horde all your Gold, and, by golly, eat pretty good also too.

If you ever find yourself in a post-nuclear holocaust environment and come across people eating beef stroganoff, odds are they'll be Glenn Beck fans.

You may have heard about Beck's relationship with Goldline International, which urges people to buy gold and stay safe from the supposed inevitable devaluing of the dollar. Now meet Food Insurance, which sells survival kits of freeze-dried food and other items to help people live from two weeks to 12 months, depending on the plan purchased (and post-apocalyptic conditions). Beck has promoted the company's products, is featured prominently on the company's website, and a banner ad for the company, bearing Beck's image, was spotted on his website Monday.

via TPM

Country On the Brink

Here we are, only 2 weeks out from another mid term election, and no one really knows how it will turn out. The CW from polling points to a republican landslide. But how can that be? Only two years ago the country resoundingly showed the door to the GOP, that left the country bankrupt, mired in two unpopular wars, one conducted for no rational reason, and now voters say they plan to hand back congress to the wingnuts. It is a disconnect that has pretty much sent me into the don't give a shit mode, that I truly hope will make me look silly on election day, when democrats retain the majorities in congress. I don't pretend to know what is going on in this country right now, as we have witnessed one of the most productive legislative sessions in the nations history, passing universal health care reform, we are down to 50 thousand troops in Iraq, and headed for the door there. There is the unpopular now war in Afghanistan, and a temporary escalation, but with an expiration date of next summer where we will begin to leave there.

I know the old adage "It's the economy stupid", and that has certainly been a mixed bag for Obama and dems. Staving off a depression collapse we were teetering on just two years ago. Though we are not experiencing a quick bounce back from that severe downturn, we are also not standing in soup lines. I don't know what to think of the American voter, and it's attention span of a grasshopper, and seemingly bottomless pit of willingness to believe the most vapid lies of the Republicans, who have nearly completely abandoned any effort to participate in governing the past 2 years. And have not proposed any new ideas past the ones that led to the current mess we are in. Offering nothing much but conspiracy theories about our first black president, often crossing the line into rank racism.

It is a sad state of affairs for sure, and the activist left seems to be the right wings best ally, validating some of the worst bad faith critiques from the right, and even offering some of their own. Our politics right now just makes me ill, and blogging about them a painful chore that is more like howling at the moon for some sanity and perspective. I have resigned myself to voting and other than that just watching what happens in this apparent crumbling democracy. Seems too late to save to me. Hope I am wrong about that.

America's True History of Religious Tolerance

America's True History of Religious Tolerance

Good article. Great for a lazy Sunday afternoon and as a reminder that despite their attempts to supress sound scholarship and replace it with their version of religious truth and conservative worldviews, good stuff is still out there.

JK Wedding Entrance Dance

Pavarotti "nessun dorma"

KT Tunstall - I Want You Back (Jackson 5 cover)

Samuel Barber: Agnus Dei (Adagio for strings) Choral version

John Hiatt - Have A Little Faith

You Want to See Something Really Scary?

I don't know a lot about the internal workings of the religious right culture, and I do believe it is a separate culture with it's own constitution of sorts being the bibles, or it's interpretation by various nuts. I have been keeping tabs when I can on the Dominionist Movement as it attempts to weedle into what we would consider the status quo of the religious right. And from everything I've learned about them, makes the current godbotherers look like second tate dweebs in the radical religious department. Even folks like the late Jerry Falwell and the remnants of his Moral Majority that lingers on, cannot match their crazy ideology.

These people are truly scary, much more than any Sharia Law taking over being the current right wing hysteria. They are true believers in every sense of that term, and violence is part and parcel to their belief system. And come as close to any, a messianic fervor that is uncompromising and total in it's fundamental view of Christianity and The Bible.

via RWW

C. Peter Wagner is widely regarded as the man responsible for the New Apostolic Reformation which gave rise to the self-proclaimed prophets and apostles like Lou Engle, Cindy Jacobs, Jim Garlow, Lance Wallnau, Rick Joyner, Chuck Pierce, and the other Dominionist/7 Mountain advocates who are slowly working their way into the Religious Right mainstream.

For months, I have been trying to hammer home the point that when these activists refer to themselves as "prophets" and "apostles" on par with Jesus, they mean that literally.

And just to drive home that point, here is audio of Wagner speaking during the Generals International webcast earlier this month as he explains how, through the Holy Spirit, people like himself can perform miracles that outshine even Jesus Christ himself:

They are actually, not only a fanatical believers in God, but take that further of actually being God, or His Apostles of sorts. It is vaguely similar to the Tea Party whackadoos taking over the GOP, and seems to also be southern based. A truly theocratic mindset, possibly being in control of something like 80 millions Evangelicals in this country, who are currently floundering around looking for leadership, with an already proven record of following that suitable leader without much question. It is a distillation of sorts, to the essence of fundamental religious belief, that already ranks The US Constitution running second to The Bible. I don't think it is a far reach to see them merge or meld with the tea party faithful, and become a powerful and frightening political force in this country.

Cool Cats

The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

This was a joke, right?

From the Washington Post, an editorial by Tony Perkin, conservative Christian head of the Family Research Council entitled "Christian compassion requires the truth about harms of homosexuality."

Writes the wise Mr. Perkins:

"Where bullying has occurred, the blame should be placed on the bullies themselves--not on organizations within society who clearly oppose bullying. I suspect that few, if any, such bullies are people who regularly attend church, and I would not be surprised if most of the "bullies" did not have the positive benefit of both an active mom and dad in their lives. Religious faith and a return to traditional family values are more likely to be a solution to the problem of bullying than a cause."

Where to begin? First, Tony, you cite no evidence to your claim that bullies do not attend church and do not come from traditional families, with moms and dads. Second, where do children usually get messages about hate and bigotry? Often from listening to their moms and dads rail about "the gays," "the blacks" "the Jews" "the Muslims,"and any other group not to their liking. Just watch any tea party rally, most attended by moms and dads who represent "traditional family values," and especially observe how many bring their children. And, regarding churches, how many Sundays do Ministers preach against gays, single parents, feminists, progressives, and any other group they believe is stealing their converts. No messages of hate are ever preached in churches under the guise of Christian love. Right. I love how Tony sneaks a return to traditional family values in the message.

Then, dear Tony goes on to say:

"However, homosexual activist groups like GLSEN....are exploiting these tragedies to push their agenda of demanding not only tolerance of homosexual individuals, but active affirmation of homosexual conduct and their efforts to redefine the family."

Tony, Tony, Tony. It warms my heart to know that conservative Christian groups NEVER try to exploit tragedies to push their agenda....The fact is that conservative Christian groups will use any circumstance to exploit their agenda...Does anyone remember the non-controversy of store employees wishing people Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas? Conservative Christian groups excel at exploiting most circumstances to push their agenda. Conservative Christians as the ultimate "victim" has too commonly become part of the American narrative.

As for GLSEN efforts to redefine the family -- guess what Tony, the family already has been redefined. It started when interracial couples married, against the preaching of many conservative Christian churches, who used the Bible to promote the separation of races. It continues with same-sex families, where parents want to raise their children free from hatred and bigotry. It continues in single parent homes, where mothers and fathers also want to raise their children in loving and tolerant environments.

To assume that "bullies" only are the product of life outside "traditional families" and "traditional family values," to me is one of the worst forms of hatred and bigotry. To assume that children from "non-traditonal" homes cannot learn moral and ethical practices denies how often traditional families have produced children who are violent and intolerant.

Morons

Morons, morons, morons. The Virginia tea party just held its "convention" this past weekend. They really don't know what they are for and what they are against. Having Ginie Thomas a featured speaker -- a woman who will receive government provided health care for life, while her affirmative action husband has his government provided job for life -- railing against big government, entitlements, and the Kenyan President's socialist agenda. And, then giving sweet Ginie money to support her "liberty" foundation, which means she can enjoy a perfectly worry free life, while these morons help pay for it....

And, then cheering for Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, an advocate of using the power of government and tax payer funds to attack scholars, whose scholarship he opposes. Mr. Cuccinelli believes it is okay to use the power of his office to pursue a personal agenda. Way to go small government. Yes, let's have the government approve all scholarship, and we can then sit back and watch China, India, and other countries move forward with green technology, while we go back to horse drawn wagons, and horse drawn carriages for the rich. Yes, let's use the power of the government to put "creation science" in all science classes, while tossing evolution to the wind. That should surely produce an informed next generation of scientists and doctors ready to prescribe prayer in place of medical science. At that point, we won't have to worry about health care or health insurance, because those with resources will go abroad for sound medical services, and those without resources will just die.

The Littlest Werewolf

Hold On Just One Minute

Democrats Close the Gap

A new Rasmussen survey shows Republicans leading Democrats in the generic congressional ballot by just three points, 45% to 42% -- the smallest gap between parties in roughly a year.

It is a testament to our volatile politics these days, we have Rasmussen, a notorious GOP leaning polster showing democrats doing better, and Gallup still has some likely voter scenarios showing them doing badly.

Rasmussen, in my experience, is a very good polster in the last month or so before an election, when their reputation is on the line for being close to the final outcome. Not so much other times, when they give republicans better and dubious numbers.

So I will take this as a good sign that democrats are deciding in larger numbers to go vote. Probably for several reasons, but I suspect, from all the press and polling claiming the repubs will win back congress. They will still lose seat, no matter, but maybe not a wipeout shifting control of congress, or one chamber to the wingnuts.

Christine Odonnell's "I"m not a witch ad"

I am starting to like this woman. Not for the US Senate, but for the comic self parody for someone so young.

Donald Duck Meets Glenn Beck in Right Wing Radio Duck

via Rawstory

Hate Takes a Holiday

TPM PHOTO GALLERIES
Progressives Gather For One Nation Under Blue Skies

Rin Tin Charlie

It's All About the Bidness

A new trend is starting of cities and counties contracting to private companies to run formerly public libraries. Ordinary citizens are rebelling at the practice in several California cities, and others around the country. fearful that a trusted source of community cohesion is being coopted by the profit model.

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — A private company in Maryland has taken over public libraries in ailing cities in California, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas, growing into the country’s fifth-largest library system.

Can a municipal service like a library hold so central a place that it should be entrusted to a profit-driven contractor only as a last resort — and maybe not even then?

It should be obvious that yes, a service like a library is held so central to a place it should not be entrusted to a profit-driven contractor. There are several reasons why this is a bad idea, and among them is certainly a sense of community free from the competitive wrangling people do during their work lives. But much more obvious is the library being a source, and sometimes a primary source of objective information, free from possible, or probable ideological corruption of information. Which is rampant and increasing as conservation alternate realities are on the rise to install right wing dogma in government and about everywhere else. Such as the war on science and substituting religious concepts and morality that are bible based and highly subjective. The smearing of the science of evolution is a prime example of this.

But mostly for me, it is the ethos of capitalism and profit worship above all else, in service to wealth and power becoming the first value leading this country into fear and ignorance of other values, such as art and literature and the like, that is most alarming. This God of Profit almost always is followed by other right wing misinformation contrived to dumb down our national reality and discourse, and needs to remain in the realm of the economic rather than allowed to infect the realm of broad knowledge and objective information.

“A lot of libraries are atrocious,” Mr. Pezzanite said. “Their policies are all about job security. That’s why the profession is nervous about us. You can go to a library for 35 years and never have to do anything and then have your retirement. We’re not running our company that way. You come to us, you’re going to have to work.”

Of course, it is the disease of liberal laziness as the culprit, polluting our precious bodily fluids, and if the pointy heads would get a real job then libraries could become what they should be. Just another source of business jesus keeping folks in line.

It's all about the code. The right wing code.

Conflict

I have been thinking about this for several days. The conservative narrative is that Muslims are somehow unique when it comes to violence. That their religion compels them to kill those who are not Muslim. That the central precept of their religion propels them to commit violent acts. What the conservative narrative fails to admit is that all religions have individuals who commit violence in the name of their faith. Take Northern Ireland -- a relatively recent conflict. Roman Catholics against Protestants. Since the 1970s more than 3,000 individuals have died, with more individuals severely injured. Political murders, car bombings, and "human bombs" were all undertaken in the name of keeping the faith. If we follow the conservative narrative, we could argue that their faith is violent, and their faith compels them to undertake violent means to accomplish their goals. That the evidence of violence in the name of faith means that moderates who want peace are acting against what their faith teaches them.

soul coughing rolling

Yes, let's have her advise our children

Several video have shown Christine O'Donnell advising young students about virtue, integrity, honesty, and sexual purity. Is this really the person we want advising our youth? What else can she tell them. That virtue, integrity, and honesty only applies to not having sex before marriage. That when it comes to how one lives ones life, these values do not apply. Given her past, particularly her illegal use of campaign funds for personal expenses, including paying family members for dubious work, what exactly is Christine's message? Don't finish college and just lie about it. Pretend that you were accepted into a prestigious University (Princeton) for graduate school, when clearly that never happened. Don't hold a job for long. Clearly her message to young people is that working hard in college, finding and working hard at a job, living within one's means, and using public funds legally are not worthy values. Clearly her message is that professing a set of core values is fundamentally more important than actually living these same set of core values. That is what brings success.

Sadly, Christine embodies conservatives and tea partiers. Individuals that profess a set of core values in public, but not even close in practice. And, they claim the right to lead the next generation, as well as the country.

Politics of the Damned

It’s kind of darkly ironic, that for the last year, the media and the wingnuts have been droning on about the deficit and too much spending, so here we are dems worried about being seen as not extending tax cuts that would greatly expand the deficit and the wingnuts talking out of both sides of their mouths about more and more tax cuts, and extending them also too for rich people all the while grinning like evil clowns while dems lurch around trying to negate the wingnut debauchery that always seems to take hold, at least with the white and anxious middle class majority who never learn that the wingnuts they elect to represent their tribe do not have their best interest in mind, but insist on swallowing their bullshit whole served up by a servile press. It would be nice to hold a pre election vote to extend upper income tax cuts for pol theater in dems favor if wingers played along, but with blue dog help, these cuts for the rich would likely pass the House, and remember that repubs are not against mc cuts, they just want the rich ones too, so those would pass as well. It is a setup for Murphy’s Law for dems to try to hard too play the wingnut game of lies and deception. They are not very good at it, which to me is a good thing when it comes to the politics of governing. So what’s a good libtard to do? Unfortunately, at least in the short term, it is what is always their only route. And that is doing what is right for the country, and taking whatever unfair criticism that comes their way, because at the end of the day, if dems don’t do what’s right, then who will?

There is an opportunity for Obama and dems to take the initiative here, again doing the right thing, for them to propose their own tax cuts for the mc only, and announce the truth that the temp Bush ones have run their course. And tailor those DEM cuts to dem priorities and tell the rich to suck an egg, and the wingnuts. Rather than stage a phony vote that could well backfire on them in the end. The lizard brain is good at flanking such maneuvers from their prey.

When the right filibusters its own ideals to death

When the right filibusters its own ideals to death

From Salon. More evidence that conservatives and tea partiers have no other agenda than to get rid of our black President.

This One's For You Christine O'Donnell

Unskilled labor

Tried to link video from Huffington Post, but couldn't. But, it is worth a look. Former Senator Al D'Amato (R-NY) blasts a fellow Fox Business News guest Jack Burkman about his racist comments that the US Postal Service only hires unskilled labor, particularly "Nigerians" who should be driving taxis.

Putting aside issues of the Postal Service and the fact that the internet has drastically changed how we communicate and conduct business, Burkman's comments about unskilled labor were stunning.

Apparently conservatives -- through the tea partiers -- have no problem supporting unskilled individuals to lead our states and even the country. Talk about unskilled labor. Christine O'Donnell and Sarah Palin could easily fall under the category of "unskilled labor." Yet, they are being promoted as the answer to America's future.

If you are a person of color genuinely trying to make an honest living to support your family and community you don't deserve a chance. If you are white and stupid, but profess Christian values and spout vacuous slogans, you are worthy to lead.

The tea party movement is nothing more than cover for racist individuals to exercise their racism under the guise of supposedly patriot Americans concerned with the country's direction.

From the Mouths of Crazy People

Everyone seems to be focused on the Delaware GOP tea bag senate hopeful Christine O'Donnell and the nutty stuff she says, but there is another tea bagger who is trying to out wingnut her. Glen Urquhart is the wingnut tea partier who won the GOP nomination to replace the defeated senate hopeful Mike Castle. He pulls out the Godwin card and trips over it backtracking. Mr. Urquart gives voice to neanderthals everywhere on the separation of church and state in America.

"Do you know, where does this phrase 'separation of church and state' come from?" Urquhart asked at a campaign event last April. "It was not in Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists. ... The exact phrase 'separation of Church and State' came out of Adolph Hitler’s mouth, that's where it comes from. So the next time your liberal friends talk about the separation of Church and State ask them why they’re Nazis."

You can likely get away with that in South Carolina, but in Delaware some explaining is in order, so Mr. Urquart doubles down and follows with the "out of context" card.

According to Delaware Online, "Urquhart says the statement was taken out of context and that he did not explain his point very well. If he could do it over, he said, he would add more historical context and explain why he rejects Hitler's take on the relationship between government and the church."

"I didn't mean to suggest -- and I am not suggesting -- that people who are liberals are Nazis,"

Oh yes you did dumbfuck. The internet never forgets, nor forgives.

Huckabee, Let Them Eat Cake and Die

Mike Huckabee at the Value Voters summit, defines what "Values" really means. Dollars and cents and lot's of prayers for the dying. But that's all they get, cause why waste profit on a "burned down house" aka sick people with pre-existing conditions. Your compassionate conservatism at work.

"It sounds so good, and it's such a warm message to say we're not gonna deny anyone from a preexisting condition," Huckabee explained at the Value Voters Summit today. "Look, I think that sounds terrific, but I want to ask you something from a common sense perspective. Suppose we applied that principle [to] our property insurance. And you can call your insurance agent and say, "I'd like to buy some insurance for my house." He'd say, "Tell me about your house." "Well sir, it burned down yesterday, but I'd like to insure it today." And he'll say "I'm sorry, but we can't insure it after it's already burned." Well, no preexisting conditions.

Christine O'Donnell: Con Artist | Video Cafe

Christine O'Donnell: Con Artist Video Cafe


And today O'Donnell is speaking at the Family Research Council's Values Summit, not doubt explaining to the group that a "leader should be above reproach," and therefore, she is stepping down as the Republican candidate for Senator.

Or not.........

We are all stupid now

Read a really funny comment about O'Donnell. Someone wrote that O'Donnell won because she is just like us....So I guess, in this person's infinite wisdom, we are all stupid now.

Poster Child

O'Donnell is the poster child for everything wrong with our political system now. Catch her bullshit on an old Politically Incorrect episode. (You can see it on Little Green Footballs. I tried to link but didn't manage).

Watch it. It is revealing. If the Democratic Party in Delaware can't destroy her with her own words, than they deserve to loose. She states that "leaders should be beyond reproach." This was during a discussion on lying. Considering she has a past littered with lies, I guess she would consider herself incapable of leading. She basically admits that she is unworthly of the position she seeks without even realizing it. She lied about her college degree; she lied about her supposed admittance to Princeton, and she lied about her financial expenses, charging her household expenses to her campaign.

Karl Rove Surrenders to General Malkin

If anyone thinks that the tea party and it's promoter's in the wingnut pundit world don't now rule the GOP roost, even Karl Rove has been brought to heel after speaking some truth, rare for him, on the "nutty" new gooper Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell, whose various causes include a Jihad against masturbation, and calling for Bill Clinton to be investigated for murdering Vince Foster.

Ms. O'Donnell, you see is the darling mini me for Sarah Palin, the perky prophet to lead the wingnut tribe out of the wilderness of mainstream republicanism, into the promised land of real America. That would be the mainstream GOP of Karl Rove and George Bush and Dick Cheney, and the chamber of horrors they inflicted on the nation for 8 long years, including bankrupting the country, torture, invasions of countries for no good reason, But most importantly, and likely primary to their real cause, the old vanguard losing all power and letting a darkie Muslim move into the White House.

But there is no indication they now oppose the worst of the policies of George Bush, but more like he didn't go far enough with right wing authoritarianism, and had his precious bodily fluids drained by crypto socialist advisers, like maybe Rove, who knows? And didn't deal with the scourge of masturbation on his watch. And assorted other creepy shit under the banner of "real America" and "taking back OUR country"

But never mind, Mr. Rove has been shown the light by the real leaders of the GOP, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, and Palin.

Since he made that comment, commentators from Michelle Malkin to Sarah Palin to Rush Limbaugh have called Rove everything from incompetent to traitorous. The end result? Rove has come to embody the "establishment" in discussions about O'Donnell. And as anyone knows, this year, the "establishment" label on a Republican resume is about as popular as a meat dress at a PETA meeting.

So perhaps it's no surprise that Rove buckled under the pressure of his right-wing critics, rushing onto Fox this morning to change the narrative. How can you call me establishment? he asked. I supported Sharron Angle for goodness' sake! And as to that whole "the GOP Senate majority is doomed" thing, Rove is now claiming that not only does he think O'Donnell can win, he actually orchestrated sending NRSC money to her campaign.

It seems for the GOP these days, no one there gets out alive. Either you kiss the Dragon ring, or off with your head. With the taking down of high once guru of republican politics, humbled into formation by the triad of RINO hunters, the deal is closed, signed sealed and delivered to the grave of Richard Nixon, who started all this "southern strategy" shit.

Conservative Principles

Let me see if I have this right.


Michelle Obama's campaign against obesity is an attack on personal choice and individual rights and responsibilities. But, O'Donnell's campaign against masturbation is not.

Charlie on the Trail

I am sick

I know that Christine O'Donnell's winning the Delaware Republican primary is potentially good for the Democratic Party, but it still makes me sick that voters would choose her. Part of the conservative legacy will be the "dumbing down" of the country. Republicans chose a woman who has made a career out of lying, never really held a job, has financial irregularities (using campaign contributions to pay her rent and other expenses), and who has some crazy ideas related to sex and sexuality. Exactly what in Christine's past equips her to lead her state? Her lying about her college degree and her non-admittance into Princeton? Her lack of a professional resume? Her fundamental Christian beliefs? What?

Conservatives are the first to say that they want to return to traditional values. Since when do traditional values means fidelity to incompetence? Even given that our past excluded blacks and women from basic rights, as well as political, economic and educational opportunities, I remember that our parents, communities, and government valued hard work and education as a means to creating a better society, community, and family life.

Now, we have conservatives equating incompetence, lying, and lack of education and a professional profile with good governance. Are conservatives candidates really the way forward when other countries are promoting good education, technical skills, and innovation as a means to generating strong economies and solid markets?

We are going backwards. Supporting poor candidates that cannot even hold a job as somehow our leaders for the future.

Conservatives the message you can give your children is that lying, stealing, cheating are today's values. Just make sure that your lying, stealing, and cheating are masked in conservative Christianity, and you, too, can become the next candidate for Senator.

I am really sick.

'Tea party's' Dick Armey: A GOP majority would take up abortion fight - CSMonitor.com

'Tea party's' Dick Armey: A GOP majority would take up abortion fight - CSMonitor.com


Why when old white Congressmen are voted out of office do they think that they can still control the national political and social agenda and that they still speak for the majority of Americans. Armey is using tons of money to keep himself out in front and relevant. If he wasn't funding the tea baggers, they would have faded away. But, he is funding them and having a group of crazy followers is giving him the allusion that he still matters.

I truly believe that no matter what happens in November, his more than 15 minutes of fame are going to be over shortly after the elections. The tea party movement is bankrupt, with not one good idea coming out of all of these rallies and marches, etc. If the GOP retakes Congress, the lack of ideas and their inability to govern will become evident. And, then it will be our turn.

Stink Bugs

I have spent the last hour reading about Stink Bugs. Actually, I didn't know these little critters were called Stink Bugs until I complained to my neighbor that I was finding these things around my doors, and recently in my house. She knew what these bugs were called and is having similar problems with them. So far, I have managed to grab the ones I have found inside with a paper towel and a quick flush down the toilet. I didn't even realize that upon contact they emit an ordor and can bite

They apparently love gardens, hate the cold, and now that fall is coming, they are looking for warm spaces to spend the winter.

Since I am not renting any rooms in my house, I really want them to move south -- I am thinking that since Virginia gets more conservative the more south one goes, and since apparently they "stink" upon contact, Southern Virginia is a perfect location for an invasion.

Authentically Dishonest

Since Newt called our President "authentically dishonest," the phrase has stuck in my mind, and I have decided to borrow it for a bit.

Today's "authentically dishonest" award goes to Attorney Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, for speaking at the 9/12 March on DC about fighting against the "elites."
Can't even make this stuff up.............

Difficult discussion

My community progressive group is having a long dialogue on Israeli-Palestinian relations. Tensions are high. I stayed out of the debate until tonight when I sent an email to the group expressing both my reflections and frustrations. After rereading my post, I feel I may have come off as an apologist for Israel. This was not my intent. Rather, my fundamental point is that the narrative has to change. The old narrative is not working. I do believe there are "victims" on both sides. While I acknowledge that the current Israelis administration is a monster, I also am tired of the simplistic narrative that paints Palestinians as just victims. Both sides have wasted historical moments that could have brought peace, and Palestinians have been ill-served by those that have spoken on their behalf, particularly the Arab world that in their own countries treat Palestinians as slave labor and have used their cause to mask their own treatment of their own people.

Also, one member of our group stated that being a progressive means being anti-Israel, where Israel is with equated with Zionism.

Anyway, here is my post for discussion.

I am entering this dialogue rather late, but I do have some impressions -- several of which may be uncomfortable or controversial. Let me start by saying that I have worked in the Middle East. Last year my work was in Beirut. Also, let me say upfront that I am Jewish and my husband is a Bosnian Muslim. He also has worked in Palestine, so my thoughts and impressions are the result of my work, discussions within our family, and dialogue among friends and colleagues. I am a progressive, and I feel strongly that my views are progressive -- as I understand the political position and my own thoughts and political beliefs.

First, I do take exception to calling Israel a "Zionist State." Israel is far too complex to label it with a right wing banner. There are Israelis that want peace and accommodation with Palestinians, as well as crazy far right religious Jews that share more with fundamentalists of all religions than many thoughtful Israelis.

Second, not all Israelis are evil, as not all Palestinians are saints. Both sides through the years have wasted opportunities to bring peace and reconciliation to the troubled area. Billions of dollars have been used and abused on both sides. Continuing the conflict on both sides has become an excuse and a rationale for geopolitics.

Third, the far right in Israel has received much to much support from the far right in the US, while Palestinians have been used by the Arab world as an excuse to hide their own treatment of their own people.

Fourth, rehasing the history of Israel to me serves no purpose. Both sides, and all sides, can and to interpret history and create narratives that support their own "victimization." We see this now in the US, with white Christians playing the victim card as one more attempt to retake the White House, impose a Christian culture on the US, and try and establish a state-sponsored religion that somehow skirts the Constitution.

Fifth, I confess to being tired of the old narratives -- Israel vs Palestine -- as a way forward. We will never have a way forward until the right in Israel stops professing ignorance of their atrocities, and Palestinians stop denying that they, too, have a hand in their own oppression. It is time to create new narratives that acknowledge that Jews in Israel aren't going away, and that Palestinians are ill-served by those supposedly leading them. I was shocked while in Beirut at how both Muslims and Christians are tired of having their country used and controlled by outside influences. The old narratives haven't workd, and the world is getting tired of supporting hatred on both sides.

Six, I am not denying that the current Israeli government is a monster. However, again this doesn't reflect the views of many Israelis, many American Jews, as well as past Israeli governments that have been more than willing to reach some accommodation. Corruption exists on all sides, and to me, the first step to real reconciliation is to recognize this salient point.

Progressive Jews and Palestinians are the way forward -- with both sides acknowledging that they do not represent genocidal impulses and truly want to work together to resolve this continuing tragedy.

____________________

Anyway, I am awaiting the responses of my group. I am not sure the responses will be supportive of my call for new narratives!

SnugBug Charlie (click pic for large)

Back to the Stone Age

Nature magazine has a new article lambasting the American right wing assault on science and scientists. Those of us who follow politics closely have seen this happening for quite some time. It is a dumbing down of political discourse that seems to be a result of a political party with no workable ideas on how to successfully govern a country, with an insatiable appetite for power, so it must attack it's institutions and constitution to create some sense of impending doom that only they can thwart, usually by religious antidote, false flag attacks on liberty by phantom collectivists we call liberal, and a whole host of smears and lies directed at the opposition's leaders. And they have a well oiled PR machine to blast the American psyche day in and day out with this nonsense. And if anyone in the main stream media questions them, or the veracity of their garbage, out comes the liberal bias card. And leading that propaganda juggernaut is the fat man on radio down in Florida.

“The four corners of deceit: government, academia, science and media. Those institutions are now corrupt and exist by virtue of deceit. That's how they promulgate themselves; it is how they prosper.” It is tempting to laugh off this and other rhetoric broadcast by Rush Limbaugh, a conservative US radio host, but Limbaugh and similar voices are no laughing matter.

The blather by Fox and Limbaugh and all the other screamers of fear and doom from the right sometimes, or often seems so crazy, it is hard to believe that many Americans will believe it. But right now before the coming election in November, republicans are poised to make big gains in government via congress.

And as Nature notes, it couldn't come at a worse time, the assault on science.

The anti-science strain pervading the right wing in the United States is the last thing the country needs in a time of economic challenge.The right-wing populism that is flourishing in the current climate of economic insecurity echoes many traditional conservative themes, such as opposition to taxes, regulation and immigration. But the Tea Party and its cheerleaders, who include Limbaugh, Fox News television host Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin (who famously decried fruitfly research as a waste of public money), are also tapping an age-old US political impulse — a suspicion of elites and expertise.

Ah, the dread nameless faceless elites, looking to suck out the precious bodily fluids of god fearin' capitalistic American's. This is an old tried and true trick from the right wing, that since WW2 and The Cold War, centers on fears of collectism, aka, Communism, Socialism etc.../ Thus the concentrated attacks on Obama for HCR, bailouts, Finreg and all the steps that were taken to actually save our economy from republican governance the past eight years, and really the past 30 years of installing conservative ideas into the economic engine, that nearly killed it in 2008. Nevermind, that any rational person would not consider scientists and educators as actual elitists of malevolent intent.. Those, for a thinking person with average intelligence, would be Wall Street Bankers, and torture loving Dick Cheney.

This country is screwed up right now. Up is down, wrong is right, but black still is black. God help us in the near term. We are in for some very very rough sledding in this country, and our 4th estate media does not seem to see fit to do their constitutional duty and call bullshit bullshit on a daily basis.

We can be next

Conservatives exploiting both the Muslim community center in NY and the Koran book burning, as well as all the hate speech against Muslim Americans, should make all Jews pause. Even the fact that we know refer to Americans by their religion -- ie., Muslim Americans not Americans who choose to be Muslim -- should make all of us as Americans pause.

Starting with the controversy over the community center and now the media frenzy over the Koran burning to me indicates how fragile our country has become and how willing conservatives are to toss American values to the wind for political gain. The tea partiers love to carry the Constitution to rallies, yet when a real Constitutional issue hits us in the face, they happily revert to anti-Constitutional rhetoric and, with a hatred that is astounding, throw other Americans under the bus. The reason our founding fathers created the system they believed in was exactly to prevent what is happening now. They created a document and a political system that protected those whose religious beliefs went against the majority, stating without a doubt that religious belief was a matter of personal conscience, not something imposed by an ignorant majority or an equally ignorant government.

Jews in America should be scared with the rhetoric of the right, and Jews should be at the forefront of support for Americans choosing to practice their Muslim faith. Jewish history should tell us that it is easy to demonize a minority. That religion can be used by political opportuntists to create division among groups should be familiar to us.

The irony of saying that all American Muslims are somehow responsible for 9/11 goes against history. Do Jews and other Americans hold the Catholic Church responsible for 6 million Jews being exterminated in the Holocaust even though evidence indicates that the Church protected Nazis before and after the end of the war?

No. Christianity, including the Catholic Church, holds a prominant and privileged position in the country and a strong position in conservative politics. 6 million, not 3,000. While every life lost to politics and extremists is horrifying, I can't help but reflect on past history and think how certain groups and religions have been absolved of the mistakes their pasts.

Muslims, Jews, Christians, and non-believers died in 9/11. But, Republicans and conservative Christians smell blood in November and are willing to demonize other Americans in their hope for victory. For Jews, that should be a red flag. History should tell us how easily it is to demonize a group and that it has happened before. That this time it is not happening to us should not stop us from speaking out.

Jon Stewart: Weekend at Burnies

Jon Stewart: Weekend at Burnies

Wingnut Stump Speech From Hell

It;'s Hard Work Being a Cute Doggie

Dear President Obama: More of this, please | Crooks and Liars

Dear President Obama: More of this, please Crooks and Liars

Dog Blogging Tuesday

Obama and Dems Problem

If anyone wonders why dems are in trouble this coming November, a new AP poll spells it out pretty clearly. Mid terms are all about enthusiasm and what side's voters are the most motivated to get off their couches and go vote in historically low turnout elections. This is not new, and the level of trouble for the presidents party mostly comes from the opposition angry at the laws he has passed. In Obama's case, The Stimulus and HCR leads the charge spurring the republicans aching to repeal or mitigate those ideological gut punches delivered by Obama to the right wing. Since Obama still enjoys historic high approval from dem voters, the challenge for dems is to counter complacency that comes with this satisfaction and lack of focus on the danger enraged to vote wingers pose.

A new AP-GfK Poll finds that Americans "with the strongest opinions about the country's most divisive issues are largely unhappy with how President Obama is handling them, an ominous sign for Democrats hoping to retain control of Congress in the fall elections."

In nine of 15 issues examined, "more Americans who expressed intense interest in a problem voiced strong opposition to Obama's work on it, including the economy, unemployment, federal deficits and terrorism."

These people also say they will vote for the Republican candidate in their local House race this fall. Only those highly interested in the environment lean toward the Democrats.

via Political Wire

Let the games begin

The first time I actually laughed while driving home listening to conservative Christian radio. While the commenters were careful to couch their "concerns" in praise for Glen Beck's White Fest, they started to question his religious principles. Of particular concern is the fact that Beck is a Mormon. Mormon's are not real Christians, and one call-in voiced real concern that not enough people attending the rally know where to "draw the line."

The irony is that not one commenter or call-in raised any Constitutional issues regarding taking the country back for "real" Christianity. That the founding fathers and our founding fathers supported a Christian nation was taken as a given. That those who call themselves Christians get to pick and choose who is pure enough. And, that yes we have freedom of religion, as long as we recognize that conservative Christianity trumps all other religions and has a priviledged place in our culture, and hopefully, for some (too many) in our government.

So as far as I can tell, the rules of the game are this. Carry the Constitution, preach a return to basic Constitutional values and precepts, but don't actually read what the Constitution says, or value how our founding fathers struggled to ensure a secular government. And, don't ever mess with our ability to carry guns.

Charismatic Leaders

There is a theory that in times of economic distress, a charismatic leader is able to come forward and essentially maintain that your economic difficulties are a result of "those others" that are preventing you from moving forward. That is the message of Beck. He is able to couch his beliefs in religious language, all the while making people believe that their problems are a result of the "others."

Bullshit

Robert McCartney has a column in today's Washington Post that wasn't too bad, until we got to this point:

"However, I found little or no evidence of racial hatred in the interviews I conducted. Morever, the people heaped praise on King's legacy - or at least on part of it. They loved his call to judge people not by race, but by personal qualities. In contrast, they didn't want to talk about his support for social justice...'We are here to honor Martin Luther King's legacy. He believed it wasn't about skin color, that it's about the content of your character, honesty, integrity, hard work, care for your family..."

WTF. Saying MLK's legacy is not about race and social justice is like saying that the Holocaust had nothing to do with Jews.

Beck has managed to steal MLK's legacy for White people, who feel they are the victims of entitlements and perks for Blacks. The subtext of the quote above is that if skin color doesn't matter, than Whites would be doing better -- because they value character, honesty, integrity, hard work, care for the family, etc...Beck and those attending his White Fest have managed in one afternoon to completely twist MLK's words to justify their own racism, and perserve their own sense of privilege. He has managed to take a message of unity and use it to further promote division.

Of course, those in attendance would heap praise on MLK's legacy. Because through Beck, they managed to pick and choose portions of MLK's vision to support their own ends. Of course those in attendance would refer to part of a speech that said "...to judge people not by the color of their skin..." By choosing that small part of a larger speech, the implicit message of the day was that if organized, Whites can reclaim their position in society, and MLK would agree.

The New Mormon Billy Graham

There is both a comical element and an ominous one as well with Glenn Beck's new revivalist tea bagger schtick. It seems the glibertarian Beck persona has given way to a new baby jeevus one, mixed with politics and some kind of insidious spoofery of this country's civil rights struggle led by Martin Luther King circa some fifty years ago. Beck scheduled his wanker palooza for idiot xenophobes the same day King gave his famous "I have a dream" speech some 47 years ago on The Mall in DC, in front of the Lincoln Memorial, whilst he and his growing band of racist fools disparage at every chance, the first black president. If that irony is too much to stomach, this will turn it inside out.

"This guy's on secular radio and television," Land said Saturday, "but his shows sound like you're listening to the Trinity Broadcasting Network, only it's more orthodox and there's no appeal for money ... and today he sounded like Billy Graham."

That's right, the leader of the Southern Babtist Evangelicals just compared Glen Beck to Billy Graham.

On Friday night, Beck held a religion-focused event at the Kennedy Center that was billed as Glenn Beck's Divine Destiny.

Beyond creepy, because there are just too many idiots in this country that will glom onto this messianic nonsense, at least so long as a black man occupies the WH. It is surreal lie pile onto surreal lie that could well catch on in a country currently undergoing major economic transition and all the fear that brings to the table.

Beck's speeches around his "Restoring Honor" rally have brimmed with religious language: "God dropped a giant sandbag on his head" to push him to organize the rally, he said Friday.

I doubt God dropping anything but his jaw at this weird shit, and that sand was in that bag.

via CNN blog

Just 2 Stay at home moms....

Bristol Palin on "Dancing with the Stars." Sarah Palin flying around the country, appearing on Fox News and county fairs. When do these two stay home and actually care for their children?

Mike Huckabee Brings the Gay Bashing

One woman issue

I know I post about the religious right -- I have to get my frustrations out after listening to religious radio. Why do I do it? Because so much of what is said on religious radio ends up as part of the Republican/conservative narrative. They feed off of each other. I can't believe the
number of times I have read something said on Fox, and it ends up as part of the religious right narrative. And, how often there is a rant on religious radio, and it becomes part of the daily rant of idiots on Fox. Except of course the fact that the parent company of Fox is 7% owned by the Saudis.

If Republicans/conservatives were not married to the religious right, and if some much of what is said by them wasn't filtered through the supposed tenets of Christianity, the utter corruption of the Republicans in Congress would be visible.

And, we would be having a completely different debate nationally. The birthers, the tea partiers, religion, the community center in NY, etc., are all filtered through the lens of the religious right, lapped up by Republicans.

They will gain seats in November, not because Republicans can govern, or even have the interests of the country at heart, but because the religious right wants to regain power -- the type of power and accessibility to government they had under Bush. They want what they believe is their God-given and Constitutional right to control the social agenda of Americans, even as they chant limited government, individual responsibility, etc. The religious right only wants limited government as it relates to free markets and deregulation. They want government intervention as it relates to some of the most intimate decisions individuals and families make.

Like the Birthers, Here Come the Baptizers

Right Wing Watch has a rundown on what appears to be the next phase of the right wing concern troll assault on Obama's religion. I call it the "Where's the Faith" option. The "Birthers" got no traction, and Obama coming out for equal rights and freedom of religion concerning The Cordoba House, a Muslim community center, where, EGADS! Muslims might pray to Allah, has brought on the godbotherers to parse and mince Obama's REAL religion, or lack of it, hard to tell

Where's the faith? The wingnuts can't take on faith that Obama has faith. Lordy sakes alive, as my dear departed Granny used to say

The current president has neither a church, nor, to my knowledge, even a denomination. When I'm asked questions about his faith, by sincere people not looking to attack, I sincerely can't give a good answer. It's a problem I didn't have with any of the Bushes, the Clintons, Reagan, Carter, and on and on.

Of course, it shouldn't be difficult to rectify misperceptions. Throughout American history, presidents have been asked about their faith and sat for lengthy interviews sharing their thinking, explaining precisely what they believe. Why doesn't Obama simply do the same? This isn't rocket science ... Obama's problem isn't a tiny fringe that believes he faces Mecca to pray five times a day, but an increasingly large number of Americans that aren't sure what he believes. Until he makes that clearer, confusion will understandably reign.

But of course, Obama has explained his faith in interviews and elsewhere.


Google tells us so in many ways, but never mind, these guys are doubt sowers like little Johnny Appleseed tosses out seeds of Apple trees, these guys do it with heartfelt concern and bewilderment. To grow Obama into a stealth Muslim, which is there aim, the same way a pride of lions work often in tandem to get the prey running into traps set by other lions down the way.

Then there are the Obama may be Christian, but so what concern trolls. A little passive aggressive who knows wordplay always comes in handy with this type of godbotherer. Raises questions in the mind of those looking for them already, right?

In the aftermath of Obama's unsolicited, controversial dictates over the Ground Zero mosque debate, White House image-makers are now trying to convince the public he is a devout Christian. Specific to that point, he may not be a Muslim, but I'm convinced he isn't a Christian, either.

OR

As evidence of his devoutness, the White House has entered into evidence that he allegedly prays every day. Let me be clear – praying every day no more makes one a Christian than walking across a stream makes one a fisherman.

Prayer, like anything else, can be faked, of course, especially, did you hear, Obama supports A MOSQUE at ground zero. What more doubt do you need for proof to wonder to just what God Obama prays to. Proves nothing, right? And quoting a little bible speak is always a good cherry on top to highlight a point. And that point of course is, OBAMA MUST BE A MOOOOSLIM!!

And finally, we get to the kicker. A new updated version of "show us the birth certificate, Obama" "what are you hiding"?

he phrase, “having been baptized,” is apparently based on Obama’s claim about being baptized. Our major media haven’t questioned the claim.

Miller went on to say, “His baptism presents its own problems. The senior pastor at Trinity at the time of Obama’s baptism was the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., the preacher who was seen damning America on cable TV…”

Notice the formulation, “at the time of Obama’s baptism.” She carefully does not say that Wright performed the baptism. In fact, there’s no evidence it was a baptism in the traditional sense that it was performed by Wright or anybody else. It looks like Obama walked down the aisle and made a profession of faith. That is not a Christian baptism.

And there you have it. The circle is squared, allegation cloaked in mystery, that google easily solves, followed by "he may be Christian, but what does that mean really?" I mean, anybody really KNOW whether Obama prays, and to whom whatever? Finalized by, hints of documented proof of being dunked in the river of baptism, signed sealed and delivered by a righteously acceptable vessel of the lord, no short form accepted, nor photo copies, or any other proof but the original parchment in real time. The anatomy of a right wing smear. Televised by Fox soon.

via Right Wing Watch

Stimulate Me

Reuters has this interesting report on the actual success of the stimulus, widely panned from the right to the professional left.

The massive stimulus package boosted real GDP by up to 4.5 percent in the second quarter of 2010 and put up to 3.3 million people to work, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said on Tuesday.

However, economists don't believe it.

The massive stimulus package boosted real GDP by up to 4.5 percent in the second quarter of 2010 and put up to 3.3 million people to work, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said on Tuesday.

But the CBO reports that the stimulus had a stabilizing effect on halting the slide of the economy over the depression cliff. I call that a success, and it saved and created quite a few jobs. Would a new stimulus do the same, probably, for a while. But the problems in our economy run deep into structural problems and how long can we keep it propped up with borrowed money? It is now a political non starter, a new similar sized stimulus, so the natural contraction will begin and there will be much pain. This can be alleviated quite a bit by keeping the safety net funded and the states solvent with federal dollars, but to keep throwing gasoline on a fire long in coming, and arguably necessary for long term economic stability, there would have to be political appetite with the public and politicians, and that just isn't there.

The massive package of tax cuts, construction spending and enhanced safety-net benefits was passed in February 2009 in the midst of the deepest recession since the 1930s.

It raised employment by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million jobs during the second quarter of this year, CBO estimated.

Measured another way, CBO said the stimulus increased the number of full-time equivalent jobs by up to 4.8 million, as part-time workers shifted to full-time work or employers offered more overtime work.

CBO said the package, officially known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, would cost $814 billion, down from its previous estimate of $862 billion. The lower figure was thanks largely to health-care subsidies that cost less than anticipated. CBO initially estimated the bill would worsen budget deficits by $787 billion.

My head is spinning

Listening to religious wingut radio makes my head spin. Apparently, religious liberty only extends to Christians. While Jews are not mentioned (that would be political suicide), today's menu consisted of an interpretation of Islam. While the broadcasters were careful to couch their musings in the Constitution -- freedom of religion -- there was some discussion over whether Islam qualifies as a religion. Good punt! We can crucify (pun intended) Islam by deciding that Islam is not a religion. Therefore, we can prove how American we are, how we bless the Constitution, and still ensure that America remains a Christian nation.

Back to the Jews. As the wingnuts were going on and on about how only through Jesus will we reach salvation, and Islam clearly doesn't fall in line, there was no mention that Jews are more aligned with Islam than Christianity. We, too, don't acknowledge Jesus. Go figure. Yet, somehow being American, and believing in religious freedom, means being Christian because our Constitution affords Christianity a prominant place in our distribution of rights because the Constitution promotes freedom of religious, which if you are a true American that would mean a belief in Christianity.

I have a headache. Not even copious amounts of wine can get passed all of this rhetoric. No one mentioned that the Saudis own 7% of Fox News. BUT, there was a lot of talk about how we should investigate the Saudi funding of the projected community center in NY.

I did understand that free markets extend to Christian businesses and community centers, but apparently the free market does not extend to Muslims interests. Except Fox News.


So to sum up, freedom of religion is a valued American ideal, as long as the religion is Christianity. Not Islam, and never, ever mention the Jews. Free markets extend to Christian enterprises, and not to Muslims, and never, ever mention the Jews.

So now I know what it takes to be pro-American in these times.