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| From Album3 |
For a while I've been thinking the political divisions in the US are less left versus right and more reasonable and intelligent versus bugfuck stupid.
Add grown-up versus scary infantile. Good heavens.
to First Draft
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| From Album3 |
For a while I've been thinking the political divisions in the US are less left versus right and more reasonable and intelligent versus bugfuck stupid.
Add grown-up versus scary infantile. Good heavens.
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| From Album3 |
Miss Me Yet?
Good advice for the Obama administration here -- don't bring a knife to a gun fight and especially don't think you can rely on sober logic when facing off against gun-crazed lunatics, i.e., your modern Rethuglican party.
There's a reason why they do their best Mark McGwire impersonations and refuse to talk about the past eight years: they were a disaster. An unmitigated disaster that by any measure destroyed the credibility of not only idiot George and evil Dick (who needs to be reminded that anything he says these days can and SHOULD be used against him), but the credibility of the conservative movement generally. They shat the bed, they screwed the pooch, they burned the house down...they fucked it all up.
Their attempts to bury the past -- aided and abetted by their elite media enablers -- can be pretty easily countered, particularly given the selective way in which they insist on the relevancy or non-relevancy of history. From Jimmy Carter to St. Ronald Patron of the Laffer Curve to September 11th, Rethugs spend quite a bit of time dwelling in either the past or a laughably naive mythical realm, and are wide open to ridicule on the basis of hypocrisy if not stupidity...provided we don't let them control the narrative.
Bill Clinton, cheesy as it sounded, seized the future ("Bridge to the 21st Century"). Obama can do likewise. He can also explicitly seize the concept of global leadership, which Republican "leader" Newt Gingrich stupidly rejected not that long ago (as if one can claim world leadership while rejecting world citizenship.)
There's a reason why Rethugs don't want to bicker and argue about the legacy of their steely eyed hero -- they'd lose. That's why they and the elite media have insisted the tea party nonsense is something new, and not the same rehashed, tired old discredited face of The Bush Era...
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| From Album3 |
OK, likening Tom Tancretin and Newt to night riders is a little mean...but not at all without justification, particularly when one, you've got evidence, and two, the Republican Party has decided that rhetorical fire bombs and buzzword politics are just fine by them.
Well, sometimes you fight fire with fire.
Tom and Newt both decided that regression to the early 20th century, if not the 19th, was right up their alley this past week as the former embraced a pillar of segregation -- literacy tests as a voting requirement -- while the latter insisted that the only effective way to deal with terrorism was the lynch mob, even as the media were distracted from this thanks to his 'facts are stupid things' moment re: Richard Reid's citizenship.
So why not liken them to night riders? Wingers call Obama a socialist...as if "socialist" has any meaning in a global economy (other than "kill the n*****"), they've derided the health care bill for being 1000 pages long (.pdf)...um, have you ever looked at your own health care policy? Mine's a hundred pages long, and I'm single, with no dependents, and am in an HMO...
Allowing the Christmas Day bombing suspect the rights of an accused criminal is somehow soft on terror because "it's a war"? How more cynical, sinister and Orwellian can you get? Wingers demand "war" without the slightest understanding of what "war" actually means, and certainly without calling for all that a genuine war requires...you know, conscription, rationing, price controls, etc., oh, and war taxes to pay for an extraordinarily expensive departure from civilized norms.
Wingers want war to be the ultimate can of whup ass/salve to relieve their inner impotence.
Their "vision" for the broader society, if not the globe, isn't that far removed from your average prison yard.
Traditionally, the media would function as a voice of reason and call these asshole out on both their abject stupidity and moral degeneracy...and if more in the media were like Athenae, maybe they would...but, for the most part, at least the elite media seem to have traded status for dinner party invitations even as they "report," with a straight face, things like Karl Rove's ugly crack about "liberals wanting to offer therapy to terrorists" (something the Bush adminstration alledegly DID) while publishing effluvia about the same liberals allegedly being "condescending" towards conservatives.
So, sometimes the proper and even correct reaction to not only the media, but to idiots like Tancretin and Gingrich is, "Fuck you, you fucking fucks. You fucking racist creep fucks."
Aside from having evidence to prove what yes, is a very harsh allegation, it puts these creeps on the defensive, which is a good thing. In politics, when you're defending, when you're explaining, you're losing.
And both Tom and Newt have a lot of explaining to do.
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| From Album3 |
A moran, reduced to pathetic allegations when it comes to acknowledging that gays and lesbians, OMG, serve in the military. Gee, who would've thunk that it would all lead to drinking beer...or adultery, Senator McCain? Or, even worse...body art?
But beyond the immediate matter of righting a particularly stupid wrong, gay rights issues are an excellent example of how progressives can lead, and well, win...provided we don't go around apologizing for being right. Look at how the political landscape has evolved from as recently as 2004, when gay marriage was allegedly a wedge issue and (as always) "good news for Rethuglicans." These days, the trend is towards tolerance. When even a football player--New Orleans Saint Scott Fujita (Geaux Saints!)-- publicly states his support for gay rights--it's difficult to deny that change is in the air.
This is not to say gays and lesbians enjoy equal rights or that things are just fine. Not at all. However, there's been a definite change, and one that serve as a blueprint for more progressive ideas being accepted as not only right, but beneficial to us all.
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| From Album3 |
So, the latest is that it allegedly wasn't even a case of P Liddy or Ti Liddy (note: in parts of Cajun Louisiana, "ti" is a diminutive), but more like third rate "I'm-not-a-journalist-but-play-one-in-my-homemade,-amateurish-videos" for O'Keefe and his pals. Saying they were a gang that couldn't shoot straight is an insult to gangs that really can't shoot straight.
Regardless of what eventually happens to the little creep--my inner schadenfreude wouldn't mind seeing them learn first hand about the harsh realities of federal prison, my inner cynicism thinks between IOKIYAR, first-time offender status, and whatever other connections they might have, a suspended sentence, probation, and the possibility of seeing their records vacated (see Limbaugh, Rush) wouldn't surprise me--anyway, regardless of what happens, I'd be nice if the real lesson learned, at least as a matter of public/political consciousness, is that this sort of stuff is standard wingnut. It's neither journalism, nor particularly enlightening...but exactly what you find throughout the right-wing media circus, going all the way to the top (POX News et al.)
And THAT'S a real problem.
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| From Album3 |
Sure, losing what you assume is a safe Senate seat sucks, but the reaction of some Tuesday night and yesterday made me, well, embarrassed to be a progressive.
Now that reality's hopefully set in, maybe the Dems can grow up and move on.
Oh, this too. And...no, maybe it's not "nice," but part of me wishes that a few good sized union folks would go beat the shit out of James DeMint. He deserves it.
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| From Album3 |
Nah, why bother?--maybe it'll knock some sense into him.
Anyway, I'm sure everyone already knows the literal substance of his remarks, and here's some background on Robertson's, um, interpretation...
Of course, this actually reveals far more about the Reverend himself--his projection of god is, in the whole scheme of things, rather puny, prone to nursing grudges across generations...and not without sympathy for...slave owners.
Not my idea of a supreme being...
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| From Album3 |
Just a quick post here on a busy day, but I've been thinking: despite the VERY legitimate criticism of the Obama administration from a progressive perspective, I've gotta believe the alternative -- literally liars...or worse, their even more demented tea bagger alter egos -- would just. be...
Well, I don't even wanna think about it.
So, sigh: Obama is merely a lesser of evils...but goddamn if the greater evil isn't, well...evil.
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| From Album3 |
Gee, who knew that Karl Rove was actually projecting when he accused Democrats of wanting to offer therapy to terrorists...
Anyway, if nothing else, 2009 was the year the Bush presidency officially ended. Sure, we're going to pay -- for a LONG time -- for eight years of monumentally epic stupidity, but you've gotta start somewhere, and sending this clown out to pasture was step one.
Happy 2010...
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| From Album3 |
Louisiana State Capitol, original picture taken December 11, 2008, slightly modified in Photoshop. Here's to a wonderful holiday season for everyone.
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| From Album3 |
As to the latter, we'll always have Paris Bachmann, the small comfort I'll take in light of the remnants of Health Care "Reform" is that, despite the cretinous efforts of the puny minded (Lieberman, et al), I'm still optimistic...if nothing else, the global market has already addressed the issue of health care, and the United States' system is recognized for the pathetic boondoggle it is.
And I'll also take small comfort in the knowledge that history paints with a broad brush, and that when all is said and done these same self-important clowns will one day be as obscure as Champ Clark or John Taylor Robinson or other "giants" of any particular era. About the only real difference between them and others will be the harsh glare of history that will judge them for the vainglorious creeps that they are...
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| From Album3 |
Secular Humanists of the world, unite...we have nothing to lose but ridiculous and meaningless Congressional resolutions.
Happy Holidays -- and I mean exactly that. Happy holidays, whatever you decide to call it (personally, I prefer solstice.)
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| From Album3 |
Um, literally. Thanks to I guess a chance encounter some twenty years ago, tv viewers are treated to what's gotta be one of the weirdest reality shows ever (and thanks to Oyster for reminding me to watch this train/boat wreck of a show.) Stephen Seagal doesn't just play a sheriff's deputy on tv, but actually is one for Jefferson Parish, which for non Gret Stet'ers is suburban New Orleans (Metairie, Kenner, the West Bank, etc. -- my personal favorite moniker was always "Fat City."
Part bizarro morality play, part "Cops," part Kung Fu meets Popeye's Fried Chicken (at least a half a dozen references to his "lifetime of martial arts training" in the two half hour episodes), this was toothache television at it's finest, to paraphrase the late, great Bill Hicks (who described watching "Cops" as like having a toothache that you can't stop touching.)
By the way: for all the lifetime of martial arts training ("akido -- the way of love" is how I recall his description), it sure seems as if tasers get quite the workout. And, maybe the exception that proves the rule, or maybe that even the vastest television wastelands aren't entirely bereft of anything worthwhile (ok...but...) you can certainly get an idea of just how hopeless vast swaths of the suburbs are...and I get the feeling that similar areas exist all around the country, not just in New Orleans.
One such location leads to an encounter that should serve as a reminder that the police experience sure is different for some: three young black men are pulled from a vehicle, ostensibly for violating open container regulations (in suburban NOLA, for crying out loud, plus the bottle was capped, just not sealed) and held while id's and a weapon (the latter not at all uncommon in these parts) are checked with headquarters via the radio. All are clean...but I wonder what would happen if the kids were wealthy Tulane students and the location was uptown...just saying.
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| From Album3 |
...patron saint of, like, you know, the Barnes & Noble at the mall? OK, so much for trying to imply a mall rat accent, and also, yes, my graphics have lately had a religious theme, which is part random chance...and part to note a certain religious, um, interpretation I don't find particularly useful or enlightening.
Anyway, is it just me, or were the "crowds" gathered to express their adoration rather...homogenous? Additionally, the percentage of people who consider her qualified for high office is remarkably similar the percentage of people who in the end approved of the previous administration, which I don't think is coincidental. And I'll bet (I'll betcha!) if you looked closely, you'd see people who've genuinely BEEN left behind (which might explain at least in part the popularity of the Left Behind books), people who feel victimized (hmmm...just like their patron Saint Sarah), people seething with resentment and filled with a super-sized desire for revenge...
And, another you betcha, Pox News is playing it for all it's worth. Now, thankfully, I don't have to actually watch them (and right now I couldn't afford a new teevee, which I'd need after kicking the screen) -- The Daily Show 's been doing that quite well, and yesterday chronicled a fair number of 'real Americans versus effete-librul-snob-elites' remarks on the network...maybe not quite "us against the rootless cosmopolitans," but damn close enough.
In other words, full metal culture war.
The numbers still suggest, thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster, that this "movement" doesn't comprise anything close to a working majority...but it's plenty big enough to do some real damage if they consider that an acceptable consolation prize...
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| From Album3 |
Certainly the Supreme Being would hedge a little bit here and there, short his insurer if necessary -- right?
But you do have to wonder just who Lloyd Blankfein thinks the Supreme Being is...
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| From Album3 |
You might think that what amounted to (no pun intended) a wash in an off year election, not to mention a rather sound rebuke of the idea that local issues are merely "parochial" and should never get in the way of a good old fashioned ideological witch hunt/purge wouldn't be subject to the sort of spin cycle that, if not inducing motion sickness, at least makes your teeth sore.
But...that's not how the new GOP, aka, the party of "Abby Normal," sees things. "Up is down" would actually represent a return to something more logical, at least on these days' highly relative/curved scale.
What's weird is watching the media play along...it's one thing to not want to be perceived as "librul," twisting yourself into a pretzel to avoid getting tagged by Abby Normal speaks volumes, and not in a good way.
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| From Album3 |
...on your motivational speaking tour.
And maybe subtitle it with something like, "And then Pass ALL the Problems You Created on to Your Successor."
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| From Album3 |
It doesn't surprise me that long time hacks like Lamar Alexander and Sean Hannity would go into concern troll/hissy fit mode re: the Obama administration stating the obvious, neither does it surprise me that professional prissies like Jake Tapper would haul water with such enthusiasm...but listening to librul NPR parroting the line was a bit of an eye opener for a provincial like myself.
Geez, what a bunch of, I was going to say good losers, but good losers almost implies some kind of fight, at least initially. This is more like the political equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome, with long term librul Villagers vying solely for the title of who can say "Nixonian" loud and long enough.
Wussies.
Shit, attacking Pox News is as close to a sure thing as you can get, at least if you're not hopelessly trapped in perpetual inside-the-beltway loserdom, which seems to be their default position/mode...even AFTER progressives (more or less) won, resoundingly, TWO national elections. First, it's VALID criticism, it rallies the base, it sets a tone, it puts Pox on the defensive, it's also a tried and true tactic. The fact that the librul Villagers don't understand this is testament to their having been a little too comfortable for a little too long, even as they've inculcated a perpetually subordinate mindset.
They're totally blind to the fact that the wingers whom they envy are now despised by most of us out here...
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| From 2Millionth Web Log |
So I thought why not Jesus, Texas Ranger (or Walker, Son of God) as the officially approved and licensed "Conservative" Savior...no meek shall inherit the earth/submit to the humiliation and excruciating (literally) pain of crucifixion him...
And if Chuck Norris can have a website devoted to "facts," why not the Son of Man?
ConservaChrist didn't stone the adulteress...but he threatened her with his fists of stone if she ever sinned again.
For ConservaChrist's loaves and fishes, the loaves were meat loaves, made from a wildebeest He personally hunted down armed solely with a sharp, pointed stick. And there would've been way more than two fish but for the stupid librul limit on the local lake (which He would've hauled in using grappling hooks held in His bare, sacred hands.)
Feel free to add more "facts" in the comments.
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| From 2Millionth Web Log |
Mmmmmm...tasty. Best of all, it comes with a choice: half a loaf, or no loaf at all.
In other news, Diaper Dave's got an ACORN fetish. Go figure.
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| From 2Millionth Web Log |
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| From 2Millionth Web Log |
But that's not for a lack of trying as Diaper Dave does his dance. Dave's also keeping up the death panel/scare the shit out of grandma nonsense, as if we needed any additional confirmation that he's not just a lying scumbag but also holds his own constituents in the deepest possible contempt.
Meanwhile, I think Charles Boustany received a nice little participation trophy before being escorted off-stage to the back bench where he belongs...along with Congressman Joe Wilson, who proved there is such a thing as bad publicity.
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| From 2Millionth Web Log |
Good grief--when an innocuous message to stay in school and keep up with your studies is twisted into the mother of all pretzels, maybe it's time to ask what the hell the likes of the Jim Greers of the world are thinking.
And this is just the latest in a long march of dumb -- the birthers, the deathers, the American Taliban-ers, the show us your gun-ers..not even counting true nuts like Michele Bachmann or Pat "My Second Childhood is as a member of the Hitler Youth" Buchanan.
Neither did I mention What's the Matter With Kansas redux...but what I WILL note, and I've been saying this more and more, is that it's no longer a left versus right political conflict in this country...it's the adults versus idiot brats with the mental age of a nine year old...a nine year old with issues.
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| From 2Millionth Web Log |
Meanwhile, if you want to read something that underscores the reality of the flood, in all its tragedy, complications, and nuanced shades of gray, that is to say, the way an adult understands and interprets, this article is lengthy but worth reading. Real life is far more complex than Neal Boortz will ever comprehend with his own outlook pretty much permanently set at the level of a remedial Nancy comic. My guess is that his idea of a difficult decision is waffle or English muffin when he sits down to breakfast.
And so it goes.
