A couple of weeks back, some conservative commenters directed me to a story about Ashwin Madia campaign workers taking down Erik Pauslen yard signs. It seems there was a dispute over whether the property was public or private so it may or may not have been out of line.
There's also been a lot of talk recently in comments about how Democrats are just as bad as Republicans when it comes to playing dirty. That may have been true at one time in our country's history...in fact, I would say that Democrats were dirtier on a multitude of levels for a much longer period of time...but it is not true today. The Republicans, in their current form, are complete scumbags.
Take a look at this story from KARE 11. A recent attack ad (see: Willie Horton) against Aswhin Madia show that his skin was purposefully darkened to make him look....what?....more evil? Because people with darker skin are more evil?
Aswhin Madia does have darker skin, being the son of immigrants from India, but what does it say about a party that wants to exaggerate that?
Of course, I could call it racist but the right has been very successful at being able to deflect accusations of racism combining "Who? Me?" faux innocence with their usual fervent vitriol.
Whatever you want to call it, that's a pretty far cry from lawn sign tom foolery.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Really?
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Time For The Smelling Salts
Each day as the election draws nearer, the wing nuts on the right become more and more rabid. Like the madmen being quietly lead into the asylum, frothing at the mouth and screaming about socialism, their time to be put out to pasture is near. I think someone needs to stick some smelling salts underneath their collective noses in the hopes that they will come back to some level of sanity.
A recent column by Michael Malone perfectly illustrates this. It was brought to my attention in comments so I checked it out. The "golden" tidbit that has arisen from his column is a story about a video that the LA Times refuses to release showing Barack Obama having "dinner" with and praising PLO supporter and "radical" Rashid Khalidi, who happens to be one of them Marxist professors at Columbia University (aka Communist University). The blog sphere of loonies is screaming about the liberal media, communism, and every single mom's apple pie being shit on by a bunch of dirty Arabs.
The LA Times won't release it due to confidentiality of a source. Well, I say the LA Times should release the video. People need to see exactly what happened at these dinners...with all these smart people and stuff...talking about smart things...and trying to make the world...smarter. Yeah, let's see some of that shit.
And while they're at it, why don't they talk about the International Republican Institute of which John McCain still chairs? You know the one I am talking about. The organization that gave Center for Palistinian Studies, WHICH RASHID KHALIDI FOUNDED, about a half a million dollars in 1998. Yeah, let's talk about that as well.
But, hey, let's not stop there. Why don't we take a little trip in the way back machine and revisit this oldie but goodie.
I wonder...what would happen if a picture of Barack Obama holding hands with the Saudi Crown Prince came out? Hmm....just think about that one for a little bit.
All done? I know...I know...some right wingers reading this are probably having the EEP-ZAP--QUARK--BLURP going on right now in their brains. It can't be...Obama terrorist....McCain gave money....no...Bush holding hands...ZIP--QUARK-BLURP-ZAP--EEP
You get the picture. Pretty pathetic at this point, isn't it?
So, if you folks on the right want to talk about associations with people and organizations that you find objectionable, please let's talk about them.
C'mon, I fucking dare you!
A recent column by Michael Malone perfectly illustrates this. It was brought to my attention in comments so I checked it out. The "golden" tidbit that has arisen from his column is a story about a video that the LA Times refuses to release showing Barack Obama having "dinner" with and praising PLO supporter and "radical" Rashid Khalidi, who happens to be one of them Marxist professors at Columbia University (aka Communist University). The blog sphere of loonies is screaming about the liberal media, communism, and every single mom's apple pie being shit on by a bunch of dirty Arabs.
The LA Times won't release it due to confidentiality of a source. Well, I say the LA Times should release the video. People need to see exactly what happened at these dinners...with all these smart people and stuff...talking about smart things...and trying to make the world...smarter. Yeah, let's see some of that shit.
And while they're at it, why don't they talk about the International Republican Institute of which John McCain still chairs? You know the one I am talking about. The organization that gave Center for Palistinian Studies, WHICH RASHID KHALIDI FOUNDED, about a half a million dollars in 1998. Yeah, let's talk about that as well.
But, hey, let's not stop there. Why don't we take a little trip in the way back machine and revisit this oldie but goodie.
I wonder...what would happen if a picture of Barack Obama holding hands with the Saudi Crown Prince came out? Hmm....just think about that one for a little bit.All done? I know...I know...some right wingers reading this are probably having the EEP-ZAP--QUARK--BLURP going on right now in their brains. It can't be...Obama terrorist....McCain gave money....no...Bush holding hands...ZIP--QUARK-BLURP-ZAP--EEP
You get the picture. Pretty pathetic at this point, isn't it?
So, if you folks on the right want to talk about associations with people and organizations that you find objectionable, please let's talk about them.
C'mon, I fucking dare you!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
There Goes The Fear
I wasn't quite sure what to write about this week...been feeling under the weather the last couple of days. But then I got this email, from a conservative fan, which perfectly illustrates the meltdown of the conservative hard drive.
Subject: Fw: This Will Scare You
How can you vote for this???? This goes against everything you have ever told me about your want for the strength of this country???
Just curious. I have probably opened up a can of worms but I am at a loss.
Subject: Fw: This Will Scare You
PLEASE READ COMPLETELY!!!
This doesn't scare me - It horrifies, terrifies and pisses me Off!!!!!!!! As I have told many of my friends, how can we elect a president who doesn't LIKE the USA!!!!
No wonder he's got the endorsement of Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran & the Nation of Islam!
Subject: This Will Scare You
|
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Jimmy...:)
Normally I'm not a big fan of James Carville but this line is freakin' Hi-larious!
The reason the Republicans found Joe the Plumber was to find someone hanging around a toilet other than Larry Craig.
Mega.
The reason the Republicans found Joe the Plumber was to find someone hanging around a toilet other than Larry Craig.
Mega.
Friday, October 24, 2008
This Is SOOOOOO True
I just got this email from a reader. Hilarious:)
Don't you have to give McCain credit? For a man who graduated at the bottom of his class he married a woman worth 100 million and has been a US Senator for years. Wouldn't you have to say that he has done remarkably well?
Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around?.....think about it. Would the country's collective point of view be different? More importantly, how do you think the "liberal media" would paint this picture?
Ponder the following:
Educational Background:
Barack Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in
International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude
Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)
John McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899
Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism
Don't you have to give McCain credit? For a man who graduated at the bottom of his class he married a woman worth 100 million and has been a US Senator for years. Wouldn't you have to say that he has done remarkably well?
Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around?.....think about it. Would the country's collective point of view be different? More importantly, how do you think the "liberal media" would paint this picture?
Ponder the following:
- What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage, including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?
- What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
- What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?
- What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?
- What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?
- What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?
- What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
- What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?
- What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five?
- What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?
- What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?
- What if Michelle Obama's family had made their money from beer distribution?
- What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?
Educational Background:
Barack Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in
International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude
Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)
John McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899
Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Buh-Bye
Well, you probably thought I'd never say this but I have to...thank god for the Republican Party. Apparently someone in their congressional re-election campaign has some sense of decency as they have pulled their funding for TV ads for Michelle Bachmann in MN-06. Her comments were completely ludicrous and it gives me hope that some on the right are calling her on her bullshit.
Maybe we are finally starting to turn the corner...
Maybe we are finally starting to turn the corner...
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A Clever and Fiendish Plot
Yesterday, MN-06 Rep Michelled Bachmann offered what is probably the best we are going to get, in the way of an apology, in regards to her comments about Barack Obama having anti American views. She said she was wrong for what she said but that it was a "trap" laid by evil media liberal Chris Matthews and she made the mistake of walking into to it.
Notice, once again, how we see that it is never the fault of the conservative entirely. Oh no. That can't ever be possible. There is always someone else to blame (see: the non victim victim culture of douche bag land) in this case the liberal media.
Take a look at the clip below. Her comments come 5 minutes and 34 seconds into the interview. Tell me exactly how she walked into a trap. She was excited and...dare I say it...jubilant at the idea of answering Matthews' question.
So much for a group of people that tauts taking responsibility for their actions.
Notice, once again, how we see that it is never the fault of the conservative entirely. Oh no. That can't ever be possible. There is always someone else to blame (see: the non victim victim culture of douche bag land) in this case the liberal media.
Take a look at the clip below. Her comments come 5 minutes and 34 seconds into the interview. Tell me exactly how she walked into a trap. She was excited and...dare I say it...jubilant at the idea of answering Matthews' question.
So much for a group of people that tauts taking responsibility for their actions.
Monday, October 20, 2008
The End
Last Friday night on Hardball on MSNBC, Chris Matthews asked his guest, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann from MN-06, if Barack Obama had anti American views. She answered yes and then went on to call for an investigation, by the media and Congress, of people in government who have anti American views.
48 hours after her remarks, her Democratic opponent in MN-06, Elwyn Tinklenberg, raised $640,000. While Tinklenberg was raking in the coin, General Colin Powell made a comment about her, right after he endorsed Barack Obama on Meet The Press, saying that sort of divisiveness accomplishes nothing and is simply flat out wrong.
I think someone needs to go knock Congresswoman Bachmann on the noggin and tell her that it is not 1952 and she is not Joe McCarthy.
The year is 2008, folks, and I have to say that it warms my heart to see the tactics of the right, long discussed on this blog, falling completely flat. The American people aren't listening. They aren't listening to the robo calls from the McCain campaign saying that Obama pals around with terrorists. They aren't listening to Sarah Palin as she continues to flog a dead horse by bringing up Obama's anti-American "associations." (Which is very odd, considering her husband belongs to the Alaska secessionist movement who are quite clearly anti American). They aren't listening to the conservative douche bag machine as they play the fear and race card simultaneously.
Just like with Joe McCarthy, the American public is starting to wake up. Thank God. There was awhile there when I wondered if we had it in us. The polls haven't changed. The donations keep rolling in for Senator Obama and Democrats around the country. And, although the election is still two weeks away, I think it is safe to say that we have seen the end of Rovian politics. When our country is as divided as it is, things get really fucked up. Guess what? Things are pretty fucked up right now and the American people are sick of the negativity.
Barack Obama rolled the dice and stayed positive. He had pundit after pundit telling him to go really negative but he didn't. He stayed on task and spoke to the problems our nation faces. These are serious problems that need to be addressed by dedicated people with deep intellect and compassion.
In other words, him.
In all honesty, it may be the end of the Republican Party as we know it. Party leaders hitched their wagon to a volatile and decaying star. Much of the base are ignorant, bitter, and angry people whose only goal in life, seemingly, is force their dogma down people's throats. The convention in St Paul and the attacks against Senator Obama in the weeks since have exposed them for what they truly are...horrible and willfully ignorant people who exist only to hate and divide.
One of the best things about this nation, which is the main reason why I love it as much as I do, is that we always find a way to deal with the Michelle Bachmanns of our country. We've taken a few steps down the path of anger and fanaticism in the past. We always manage to come back, though, and show the people of the world what we are truly made of.
We're just about to do that again.
48 hours after her remarks, her Democratic opponent in MN-06, Elwyn Tinklenberg, raised $640,000. While Tinklenberg was raking in the coin, General Colin Powell made a comment about her, right after he endorsed Barack Obama on Meet The Press, saying that sort of divisiveness accomplishes nothing and is simply flat out wrong.
I think someone needs to go knock Congresswoman Bachmann on the noggin and tell her that it is not 1952 and she is not Joe McCarthy.
The year is 2008, folks, and I have to say that it warms my heart to see the tactics of the right, long discussed on this blog, falling completely flat. The American people aren't listening. They aren't listening to the robo calls from the McCain campaign saying that Obama pals around with terrorists. They aren't listening to Sarah Palin as she continues to flog a dead horse by bringing up Obama's anti-American "associations." (Which is very odd, considering her husband belongs to the Alaska secessionist movement who are quite clearly anti American). They aren't listening to the conservative douche bag machine as they play the fear and race card simultaneously.
Just like with Joe McCarthy, the American public is starting to wake up. Thank God. There was awhile there when I wondered if we had it in us. The polls haven't changed. The donations keep rolling in for Senator Obama and Democrats around the country. And, although the election is still two weeks away, I think it is safe to say that we have seen the end of Rovian politics. When our country is as divided as it is, things get really fucked up. Guess what? Things are pretty fucked up right now and the American people are sick of the negativity.
Barack Obama rolled the dice and stayed positive. He had pundit after pundit telling him to go really negative but he didn't. He stayed on task and spoke to the problems our nation faces. These are serious problems that need to be addressed by dedicated people with deep intellect and compassion.
In other words, him.
In all honesty, it may be the end of the Republican Party as we know it. Party leaders hitched their wagon to a volatile and decaying star. Much of the base are ignorant, bitter, and angry people whose only goal in life, seemingly, is force their dogma down people's throats. The convention in St Paul and the attacks against Senator Obama in the weeks since have exposed them for what they truly are...horrible and willfully ignorant people who exist only to hate and divide.
One of the best things about this nation, which is the main reason why I love it as much as I do, is that we always find a way to deal with the Michelle Bachmanns of our country. We've taken a few steps down the path of anger and fanaticism in the past. We always manage to come back, though, and show the people of the world what we are truly made of.
We're just about to do that again.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Powell Endorses Barack Obama
Today was a truly magnificent day. General Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama for president. I'm certain there will be a lot of talk about race...about how Powell is a traitor and an America hater...or about how he is secretly a socialist/communist/fascist/terrorist.
While all this talk is going on, the right will be exposed for what they truly are...or what they have allowed themselves to become: a large group of angry, ignorant, purposefully unintelligent psychotics. I have already received three emails from readers saying basically that Powell is a traitor. In this case, and I REALLY mean this...I hate being right.
Pretty fucking sad, huh?
While all this talk is going on, the right will be exposed for what they truly are...or what they have allowed themselves to become: a large group of angry, ignorant, purposefully unintelligent psychotics. I have already received three emails from readers saying basically that Powell is a traitor. In this case, and I REALLY mean this...I hate being right.
Pretty fucking sad, huh?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Last Night's Debate
Contrary to the polls, I thought McCain did the best job of all the debates. He got a little testy at the end and seemed physically uncomfortable throughout but, for the most part, I thought he did well.
Obama seemed a little flat...like he was coasting. I kept hoping for him to really make some zingers about right wing ideology, regarding the economy, and how it has all folded like a wet taco. Instead, he chose to make some quiet points which I think made him look a little weak.
The next three weeks are going to be fucking nasty. Not so much from McCain himself but from Palin and the base (Arabic translation: Al Qaeda). I'm starting to get a little nervous for Senator Obama's safety. Even though he has Secret Service protection, I don't really feel all that comfortable. The base is starting to spontaneously combust due to the fact that their leader, George W. Bush, has nationalized some banks (aka all humans everywhere being boiled into a pit of sewage). This is not sitting well with them and they are a powder keg ready to explode.
How will it happen?
Obama seemed a little flat...like he was coasting. I kept hoping for him to really make some zingers about right wing ideology, regarding the economy, and how it has all folded like a wet taco. Instead, he chose to make some quiet points which I think made him look a little weak.
The next three weeks are going to be fucking nasty. Not so much from McCain himself but from Palin and the base (Arabic translation: Al Qaeda). I'm starting to get a little nervous for Senator Obama's safety. Even though he has Secret Service protection, I don't really feel all that comfortable. The base is starting to spontaneously combust due to the fact that their leader, George W. Bush, has nationalized some banks (aka all humans everywhere being boiled into a pit of sewage). This is not sitting well with them and they are a powder keg ready to explode.
How will it happen?
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Uh Oh.
The subject of ACORN and some voter fraud came up in comments recently so I thought I would share this photo that I just got from Robo Cam Guy.Yep, that's right. It's John McCain attending an ACORN rally.
So, should his link to ACORN be as scrutinized as Barack Obama's?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
One More Time....
Not much popping out of my head today so I'll let Andy at Electoral-Vote.com take it away again...
The Republican Party is going to have to do some serious self actualization if they lose as much as people think they will. This is going to be a near impossible task because how little reflection they are capable of. To admit that they could be wrong about something is tantamount to the end of the universe as we know it.
Do they really want people yelling 'terrorist' and 'kill him?' at rallies? I would hope not. I hope that some of you now realize what I have fucking been saying for the last eight years...it isn't the fringe element....IT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE BASE!!!
Palin Whips the Base into a Frenzy
The decision to pick an unknown evangelical governor as John McCain's running mate has succeeded beyond Steve Schmidt's wildest dreams. Way beyond. Sarah Palin has perfect aim when throwing red meat to partisan crowds and whipping them into a frenzy to the point when people at rallies yell: "terrorist" and "kill him" about Obama. Then Palin can conveniently say she did not say that but the point is made anyway. Of course when this happens she could say: "Somebody grab that guy and drag him out of here. I don't want people like that at my rallies" but she never does. She winks and basks. The trouble for Palin and now McCain is that this frenzy has been widely reported and condemned and it is turning off crucial independent voters in droves. The featured commentary at intrade.com is about Palin, saying: "Rove's creation has turned into a mob baying for blood." Even leading conservative columnists don't like this. Kathleen Parker has called for her to drop off the ticket. The bettors agree that Rove III is not working. Ten shares of McCain stock cost $23 this morning. This means that if you are absolutely convinced McCain will win, you can invest, say, $23,000 now and collect $100,000 in 3 weeks if McCain wins.
The consequence of this whole campaign could be far reaching. If Obama wins and the exit polls show independents voted overwhelmingly for him, the pundits are going to lay the blame at Palin's high heels and advise the GOP to forget the evangelicals and run candidates with financial expertise (like Mitt Romney) in the future. Needless to say, the evangelicals, who finally got one of their own on the ticket.The Republican Party is going to have to do some serious self actualization if they lose as much as people think they will. This is going to be a near impossible task because how little reflection they are capable of. To admit that they could be wrong about something is tantamount to the end of the universe as we know it.
Do they really want people yelling 'terrorist' and 'kill him?' at rallies? I would hope not. I hope that some of you now realize what I have fucking been saying for the last eight years...it isn't the fringe element....IT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE BASE!!!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Polifact Debunks Obama-Ayers Connection
From electoral-vote.com...
Couldn't have said it better myself...
The McCain campaign and the RNC are still using ads that link Obama and 1960s radical William Ayers. Now Polifact has examined the ads closely and concluded that the claim that Obama and Ayers ran a radical education foundation together is a "pants-on-fire" lie. While it is true that Obama was the nominal head of the foundation in question, Ayers never had a paid position on the foundation's staff, never was on the board, and never had a vote on anything. His connection to Obama was attending some board meetings that were open to the public, and this 20 years after his radical days, by which time he had reformed enough to get a Ph.D. in education from Columbia University and was able to win Chicago's "Citizen of the Year" award in 1997 for his work for nonprofit organizations. In short, while Ayers was a despicable person in his youth, the McCain campaign's relentless harping on the close relationship between Obama and Ayers is very misleading. They weren't close at all.
Couldn't have said it better myself...
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Holy SheeeIt!
Christopher Buckley, son of the late ultra conservative William F Buckley, has endorsed Barack Obama for president.
I am beginning to feel comfortable.
I am beginning to feel comfortable.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Ash in the Lead
Apparently, the pilfering of lawn signs isn't high on the minds of the folks in my home district. (MN-03). A new Survey USA poll (Oct 5-6) shows Aswhin Madia (D) ahead of Erik Paulsen 46-43 points. To be certain, this is still within the margin of error. Figure in the fact that it is an a R+1 district and that Ash is a newcomer to politics compared to Paulsen, 13 years in Minnesota State Legislature and House Majority Leader from 2003-2007, and it is incredible.
The real thing to watch now is how the 11 percent undecided break. If you know anyone like this, start talking to them about how Ash is a fiscal conservative and would be a much more responsible steward of spending than Pauslen. Start by clicking here for where he stands on this issue. He's not full of crap when he says this stuff.
He is a marine, after all :)
The real thing to watch now is how the 11 percent undecided break. If you know anyone like this, start talking to them about how Ash is a fiscal conservative and would be a much more responsible steward of spending than Pauslen. Start by clicking here for where he stands on this issue. He's not full of crap when he says this stuff.
He is a marine, after all :)
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Debate II Post Mortem
I watched the debate last night with my friend Marc at Lone Spur. My first impression was that it was terribly boring. Both candidates repeated the same points they have made on the trail. The chief cause of this was this format. Questions were know by both men ahead of time, they were not allowed to talk to each other, and the audience was not allowed to follow up. Lame...
John McCain did not go "there." His campaign probably felt that the Ayers-Rezko-Wright thing would best be showcased in negative ads that will be coming soon to a theater near you. He was pretty weird though. When moderator Tom Brokaw asked him who would be the next Treasury Secretary in a McCain administration, he replied, "Not you, Tom." Huh? Was that supposed to be a joke. And the "that one" comment was just plain silly. McCain looked like a grandpa scolding his grand child.
Barack Obama had a couple of good moments (bomb bomb Iran and North Korea jibes) but essentially repeated his stump points and did not get into specifics. I guess that is alright, given time constraints, but he really has some great specifics on his web site. Couldn't he have showcased one or two?
I am left thinking that the last debate, regarding domestic policy, will be nauseatingly repetitive. That's all we have been talking about. Given the fact that they are going to talk about the economy again, I'd really like to hear some new material.
John McCain did not go "there." His campaign probably felt that the Ayers-Rezko-Wright thing would best be showcased in negative ads that will be coming soon to a theater near you. He was pretty weird though. When moderator Tom Brokaw asked him who would be the next Treasury Secretary in a McCain administration, he replied, "Not you, Tom." Huh? Was that supposed to be a joke. And the "that one" comment was just plain silly. McCain looked like a grandpa scolding his grand child.
Barack Obama had a couple of good moments (bomb bomb Iran and North Korea jibes) but essentially repeated his stump points and did not get into specifics. I guess that is alright, given time constraints, but he really has some great specifics on his web site. Couldn't he have showcased one or two?
I am left thinking that the last debate, regarding domestic policy, will be nauseatingly repetitive. That's all we have been talking about. Given the fact that they are going to talk about the economy again, I'd really like to hear some new material.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Tonight's Debate
So, what is going to happen tonight? Will John McCain "go there?" I suspect he will and I predict it's not going to work as well as he thought. First of all, Americans have more on their mind than Reverend Wright, Bill Ayers, and Tony Rezko. Second, McCain has his own skeletons in his closet. For the record, though, I think he is telling the truth about the whole Keating Five deal. It was bad judgment but I don't think he broke the law.
What I am really looking for tonight is a substantive discussion between the two of them on where they want to take this country and how they are going to solve our mammoth problems. I probably shouldn't hold my breath, huh?
What I am really looking for tonight is a substantive discussion between the two of them on where they want to take this country and how they are going to solve our mammoth problems. I probably shouldn't hold my breath, huh?
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Their Tool Kit
I tune in to Bill Maher every Friday night and, for the most part, look forward to laughing most of the time. After the first interview, I didn't really feel much like laughing and found myself to be thoroughly discouraged and quite depressed for the rest of the show. There were some funny things said but I didn't fell like laughing.
In this first segment, Bill interviewed Bob Woodward, famous Washington Post reporter and author of the new book The War Within. The book is the fourth in a series of books on the Bush Presidency, specifically the United States' involvement in Iraq. Woodward was allowed unprecedented access to President Bush to the point of where he has actually been given a National Security clearance and not allowed to discuss certain aspects of the meetings he attended.
One meeting he could discuss was a 2007 meeting between Admiral Fallon, Commander of US Central Command at the time, and President Bush. Woodward relates an extremely disturbing conversation between the Admiral and the president.
Admiral Fallon: Mr. President, what is our strategy going to be with Iran?
President Bush: They're assholes.
If any conversation can sum up the last eight years of US foreign policy, it's this one. I've always known that our foreign policy has been, at best, the product of a fifth grade intellect. But the above exchange really drove it home. I know there will be some of you who will be deluded enough to rip me for being "elitist" but I demand more from my president when dealing with a country like Iran. I want a president who is going to use his intellect and figure out, to the best of his ability, how to neutralize a country like Iran from every possible angle. Take a look at both the candidates we have right now and tell me who best fits that description.
As if this conversation weren't enough to depress the hell out of me, Bill and Bob discussed a statement made by Ayman Al Zawahari, co-leader of Al Qaeda, in 2000. He said that Al Qaeda's only hope of defeating the United States was to get it to beat itself economically. I look at where we are at right now and I have to say, we've done a pretty good job of realizing his dream.
Combine the bail out with the cost of the Iraq War and you're looking at 2 trillion dollars. That's how much we...as in you and I...OWE other people. When you owe other people that much, you don't have a dick anymore. And essentially, that's the problem with America today. We have no authority in the world at all. Sure we might have the best military but even the cracks are starting to show in that. The two people directly responsible for the attacks on 9-11 are living in a luxury villa in Pakistan? And John McCain doesn't want to bomb Pakistan because they are our ally? It's true...we have no dick.
Other countries are moving past us and engaging in diplomacy without us. We saw this last summer with Syria and Israel. We see it every day with Iran because George Bush and John McCain don't understand the difference between appeasement and talking. We are probably going to see more of it if McCain becomes president. If, for some reason, Sarah Palin becomes president, it will be official: The United States will be the joke of the planet.
Some say we already are. And I really haven't felt like laughing about it lately. I have been racking my brain to figure out how we got here. In fact, the search for the answer to this question is why I started this blog. I have come up with something that I think defines the problem. And by "the problem" I mean conservative ideology. Liberals have no problem taking the blame for problems. There is no doubt in my mind that liberals/Democrats have a good deal of responsibility in the mess we are in right now. Conservatives would, of course, agree.
But when it comes to reflection of their own flaws, conservatives balk, thump their chests, and call their examiners liars and traitors. They are incapable of self actualization. Or, in this case, group actualization. In looking at the fact that conservative ideology has been driving the agenda in this country for the last 28 years, one can honestly say that the results don't match the promises. Why?
When they only tool in your tool kit is a hammer, everything is a nail.
In this first segment, Bill interviewed Bob Woodward, famous Washington Post reporter and author of the new book The War Within. The book is the fourth in a series of books on the Bush Presidency, specifically the United States' involvement in Iraq. Woodward was allowed unprecedented access to President Bush to the point of where he has actually been given a National Security clearance and not allowed to discuss certain aspects of the meetings he attended.
One meeting he could discuss was a 2007 meeting between Admiral Fallon, Commander of US Central Command at the time, and President Bush. Woodward relates an extremely disturbing conversation between the Admiral and the president.
Admiral Fallon: Mr. President, what is our strategy going to be with Iran?
President Bush: They're assholes.
If any conversation can sum up the last eight years of US foreign policy, it's this one. I've always known that our foreign policy has been, at best, the product of a fifth grade intellect. But the above exchange really drove it home. I know there will be some of you who will be deluded enough to rip me for being "elitist" but I demand more from my president when dealing with a country like Iran. I want a president who is going to use his intellect and figure out, to the best of his ability, how to neutralize a country like Iran from every possible angle. Take a look at both the candidates we have right now and tell me who best fits that description.
As if this conversation weren't enough to depress the hell out of me, Bill and Bob discussed a statement made by Ayman Al Zawahari, co-leader of Al Qaeda, in 2000. He said that Al Qaeda's only hope of defeating the United States was to get it to beat itself economically. I look at where we are at right now and I have to say, we've done a pretty good job of realizing his dream.
Combine the bail out with the cost of the Iraq War and you're looking at 2 trillion dollars. That's how much we...as in you and I...OWE other people. When you owe other people that much, you don't have a dick anymore. And essentially, that's the problem with America today. We have no authority in the world at all. Sure we might have the best military but even the cracks are starting to show in that. The two people directly responsible for the attacks on 9-11 are living in a luxury villa in Pakistan? And John McCain doesn't want to bomb Pakistan because they are our ally? It's true...we have no dick.
Other countries are moving past us and engaging in diplomacy without us. We saw this last summer with Syria and Israel. We see it every day with Iran because George Bush and John McCain don't understand the difference between appeasement and talking. We are probably going to see more of it if McCain becomes president. If, for some reason, Sarah Palin becomes president, it will be official: The United States will be the joke of the planet.
Some say we already are. And I really haven't felt like laughing about it lately. I have been racking my brain to figure out how we got here. In fact, the search for the answer to this question is why I started this blog. I have come up with something that I think defines the problem. And by "the problem" I mean conservative ideology. Liberals have no problem taking the blame for problems. There is no doubt in my mind that liberals/Democrats have a good deal of responsibility in the mess we are in right now. Conservatives would, of course, agree.
But when it comes to reflection of their own flaws, conservatives balk, thump their chests, and call their examiners liars and traitors. They are incapable of self actualization. Or, in this case, group actualization. In looking at the fact that conservative ideology has been driving the agenda in this country for the last 28 years, one can honestly say that the results don't match the promises. Why?
When they only tool in your tool kit is a hammer, everything is a nail.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Post Mortem On VP Debate
As I predicted, both candidates did fine. They also did pretty much what I said they should do and looked strong overall.
Palin had a couple of comments that I completely agreed with. Much to the hyper consternation of the free market fundamentalists, she blamed predatory lenders and greed for our current situation and not the government. Good answer because it is the truth. She also seemed pretty honest on her position on gay marriage and showed tolerance as well as a desire to make sure that all Americans have equal rights.
She did seem weak on foreign affairs, though, and I don't think we need another person in such a high position of power that has such a low level of knowledge in the rest of the world. She did seem much stronger in this area than she has in the past few weeks but that's mostly because she repeated the party line.
Biden looked like he had just done a bong hit before the debate...which was a good thing because he was tres chill. His strong moments were in the foreign policy segment, when he talked about raising his family, and his closing statement. He was rough in the beginning, looking at Gwen Ifill while Governor Palin looked in the camera. When he started looking in the camera, he seemed stronger.
Now that the side show is over, we can get back to who this election is really about: Barack Obama and John McCain. Town hall format on Tuesday night. It should be fun!
Palin had a couple of comments that I completely agreed with. Much to the hyper consternation of the free market fundamentalists, she blamed predatory lenders and greed for our current situation and not the government. Good answer because it is the truth. She also seemed pretty honest on her position on gay marriage and showed tolerance as well as a desire to make sure that all Americans have equal rights.
She did seem weak on foreign affairs, though, and I don't think we need another person in such a high position of power that has such a low level of knowledge in the rest of the world. She did seem much stronger in this area than she has in the past few weeks but that's mostly because she repeated the party line.
Biden looked like he had just done a bong hit before the debate...which was a good thing because he was tres chill. His strong moments were in the foreign policy segment, when he talked about raising his family, and his closing statement. He was rough in the beginning, looking at Gwen Ifill while Governor Palin looked in the camera. When he started looking in the camera, he seemed stronger.
Now that the side show is over, we can get back to who this election is really about: Barack Obama and John McCain. Town hall format on Tuesday night. It should be fun!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
The Big V
Allow me to introduce myself. I am a traitor and an idiot. Also, my mother should have aborted me and left me in a dumpster, but since she didn't, I should "off" myself.
Sound familiar? It should because it sounds exactly like something I would write here on Notes From The Front demonstrating clearly and accurately the type of attitude I get every day from conservatives. It might surprise you to know that the person who wrote the above statement is none other than Kathleen Parker, CONSERVATIVE columnist for the National Review and Washington Post.
Ms. Parker recently wrote a piece in the National Review which called for Sarah Palin to quit the VP slot on the ticket due to her complete lack of experience and knowledge regarding...just about everything. "She's out of her league," wrote Parker last week week, "she doesn’t know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion." I urge you all to read it as she points out several quotes which demonstrate that Palin has no clue what she is talking about.
After the article went up, Ms. Parker received about 8000 emails. According to Parker, they had the general tone of the first paragraph of this post. She goes on...
Some of my usual readers feel betrayed because I previously have written favorably of Palin. By changing my mind and saying so, I am viewed as a traitor to the Republican Party -- not a "true" conservative.
The fierce reaction to my column has been both bracing and enlightening. After 20 years of column writing, I'm familiar with angry mail. But the past few days have produced responses of a different order. Not just angry, but vicious and threatening.
And she's surprised about this? It's what I have been saying all along about the right. It's not just the crazies, folks. That IS their base. Total vindication. The Big V, baby!
But what is a true conservative? One who doesn't think or question and who marches in lock step with The Party?
Anyvone who disobeys our vill will be liquidated. Seig Heil!
Some of Palin's interview responses can't even be critiqued on their merits because they're so nonsensical. But even that is someone else's fault, say Palin supporters. The media make her uncomfortable.
Someone on the right FINALLY recognizing the "non victim" victim culture just like me.
The picture is this: Anyone who dares express an opinion that runs counter to the party line will be silenced. That doesn't sound American to me, but Stalin would approve.Readers have every right to reject my opinion. But when we decide that a person is a traitor and should die for having an opinion different from one's own, we cross into territory that puts all freedoms at risk. (I hear you, Dixie Chicks)
OK, now I just love Kathleen Parker and want to read every one of her columns now forever and ever. Yes, she is a conservative. Yes, I disagree with her on many issues. But at least she is finally seeing the same insanity that I have been seeing for eight years: the Republican Party has been hijacked by lunatics.
I'm sure it is coincidence that, upon the Palin column's publication, a conservative organization canceled a speech I was scheduled to deliver in a few days. If I were as paranoid as the conspiracy theorists are, I might wonder whether I was being punished for speaking incorrectly.
Now, I hope all of you can see how ridiculous Jonah Goldberg (and Kool Aid drinkers) look right now.
As far as tonight's debate goes, look no further than the post below for my thoughts.
Sound familiar? It should because it sounds exactly like something I would write here on Notes From The Front demonstrating clearly and accurately the type of attitude I get every day from conservatives. It might surprise you to know that the person who wrote the above statement is none other than Kathleen Parker, CONSERVATIVE columnist for the National Review and Washington Post.
Ms. Parker recently wrote a piece in the National Review which called for Sarah Palin to quit the VP slot on the ticket due to her complete lack of experience and knowledge regarding...just about everything. "She's out of her league," wrote Parker last week week, "she doesn’t know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion." I urge you all to read it as she points out several quotes which demonstrate that Palin has no clue what she is talking about.
After the article went up, Ms. Parker received about 8000 emails. According to Parker, they had the general tone of the first paragraph of this post. She goes on...
Some of my usual readers feel betrayed because I previously have written favorably of Palin. By changing my mind and saying so, I am viewed as a traitor to the Republican Party -- not a "true" conservative.
The fierce reaction to my column has been both bracing and enlightening. After 20 years of column writing, I'm familiar with angry mail. But the past few days have produced responses of a different order. Not just angry, but vicious and threatening.
And she's surprised about this? It's what I have been saying all along about the right. It's not just the crazies, folks. That IS their base. Total vindication. The Big V, baby!
But what is a true conservative? One who doesn't think or question and who marches in lock step with The Party?
Anyvone who disobeys our vill will be liquidated. Seig Heil!
Some of Palin's interview responses can't even be critiqued on their merits because they're so nonsensical. But even that is someone else's fault, say Palin supporters. The media make her uncomfortable.
Someone on the right FINALLY recognizing the "non victim" victim culture just like me.
The picture is this: Anyone who dares express an opinion that runs counter to the party line will be silenced. That doesn't sound American to me, but Stalin would approve.Readers have every right to reject my opinion. But when we decide that a person is a traitor and should die for having an opinion different from one's own, we cross into territory that puts all freedoms at risk. (I hear you, Dixie Chicks)
OK, now I just love Kathleen Parker and want to read every one of her columns now forever and ever. Yes, she is a conservative. Yes, I disagree with her on many issues. But at least she is finally seeing the same insanity that I have been seeing for eight years: the Republican Party has been hijacked by lunatics.
I'm sure it is coincidence that, upon the Palin column's publication, a conservative organization canceled a speech I was scheduled to deliver in a few days. If I were as paranoid as the conspiracy theorists are, I might wonder whether I was being punished for speaking incorrectly.
Unfortunately, that's the way one begins to think when party loyalty is given a higher value than loyalty to bedrock principles.
And what do we call that, Ms. Parker?
Now, I hope all of you can see how ridiculous Jonah Goldberg (and Kool Aid drinkers) look right now.
As far as tonight's debate goes, look no further than the post below for my thoughts.
Tonight
The VP debate is tonight and, by all indications, it's going to be a dandy. The build up has been extraordinary with an enormous amount of pressure on Sarah Palin to....say something intelligible. There is also a lot of pressure on Biden to not look like he is beating up on a girl. Here's what should happen and what I think is going to happen with each candidate.
Every single time Biden opens his mouth to criticize Sarah Palin it should be prefaced with John McCain's name. So, if Palin says, "We need to stay in Iraq and get the job done," Biden says, "John McCain and Sarah Palin have the wrong policy in Iraq. We need to...blah blah blah." He will look like he is beating up on her or look like he is making her look stupid if he says anything intelligent...and we all know what happens when conservatives see someone smart saying smart things...they tap into their inner rage, make up something moronic, and get ten more eligible idiots to believe it. Election lost. So Biden should have one word on his mind at all times: McCain.
Sarah Palin needs to do what she did in the Alaskan gubernatorial debate: be herself. Speak from her heart and let the base know what her values are. If asked a question that she doesn't know the answer to, which may be many knowing Gwen Ifill, the highly respected journalists and moderator for tonight's debate, simply respond with a canned conservative answer. Continuing to drone on about various things that have been crammed into her head by the McCain team is not going to work. Biden will just get to sit back and win. She did a fine job in that debate in Alaska.
That being said, I think she will do just fine tonight now that expectations have been lowered so much. I think Biden will say one or two really stupid things but at the end of the night, it will be a draw and the polls won't move too much. People are thinking about the economy right now and this is just a side show.
Every single time Biden opens his mouth to criticize Sarah Palin it should be prefaced with John McCain's name. So, if Palin says, "We need to stay in Iraq and get the job done," Biden says, "John McCain and Sarah Palin have the wrong policy in Iraq. We need to...blah blah blah." He will look like he is beating up on her or look like he is making her look stupid if he says anything intelligent...and we all know what happens when conservatives see someone smart saying smart things...they tap into their inner rage, make up something moronic, and get ten more eligible idiots to believe it. Election lost. So Biden should have one word on his mind at all times: McCain.
Sarah Palin needs to do what she did in the Alaskan gubernatorial debate: be herself. Speak from her heart and let the base know what her values are. If asked a question that she doesn't know the answer to, which may be many knowing Gwen Ifill, the highly respected journalists and moderator for tonight's debate, simply respond with a canned conservative answer. Continuing to drone on about various things that have been crammed into her head by the McCain team is not going to work. Biden will just get to sit back and win. She did a fine job in that debate in Alaska.
That being said, I think she will do just fine tonight now that expectations have been lowered so much. I think Biden will say one or two really stupid things but at the end of the night, it will be a draw and the polls won't move too much. People are thinking about the economy right now and this is just a side show.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
The Usual Crap
I've gotten a flurry of emails and have engaged in pretty much the same debate, with conservatives, over the last week or so regarding the current financial crisis. There have also been a few posts in comments that were of the same general theme so I thought I would bring this out front to really chew on it.
The basic conservative line is that our current financial crisis was caused by the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 and by government quotas, place on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to give loans to low income customers. Essentially, it's the fault of government, affirmative action, and poor people. All the people on Wall Street and the corporations in America were innocent and victims of "gubmint."
This is a complete load of shit.
The CRA was signed into law in 1977. How would a law 30 years old cause lending problems now? Yes, Clinton changed the law but that activity that resulted from those changes came to an end in 2001. The real thing they fail to see is that the CRA only applies to banks and thrifts. It's stated in the law.
The Community Reinvestment Act (or CRA, Pub.L. 95-128, title VIII, 91 Stat. 1147, 12 U.S.C. § 2901 et seq.) is a United States federal law that requires banks and thrifts to offer credit throughout their entire market area and prohibits them from targeting only wealthier neighborhoods with their services, a practice known as redlining. The purpose of the CRA is to provide credit, including home ownership opportunities to under served populations and commercial loans to small businesses.
The vast majority of the sub prime loans in the last 8 years did not originate from banks or thrifts. Half of them came from places beyond the reach of CRA. Another quarter came from subsidiaries. The final quarter of sub prime loans came from CRA and that kind of debt just doesn't seem to be enough to drive our economy off the cliff.
In regards to Fannie and Freddie, Freddie Mac Chairman and CEO Richard Syron recently said that the GSEs have been hit by a "100-year storm" in the housing market, accentuated by some higher-risk mortgages that they were forced to buy to meet government affordable-housing targets.
From Barrons.com
The latter contention is more than disingenuous. A substantial portion of Fannie's and Freddie's credit losses comes from $337 billion and $237 billion, respectively, of Alt-A mortgages that the agencies imprudently bought or guaranteed in recent years to boost their market share. These are mortgages for which little or no attempt was made to verify the borrowers' income or net worth. The principal balances were much higher than those of mortgages typically made to low-income borrowers. In short, Alt-A mortgages were a hallmark of real-estate speculation in the ex-urbs of Las Vegas or Los Angeles, not predatory lending to low-income folks in the inner cities.
Couple this with the fact that Rick Davies, McCain's campaign manager, was paid 30K a month by Fannie and Freddie , for five years, to remove government restrictions. Now either he did a terrible job (possible) or they are lying because they don't want everyone to know how much they fucked up (probable).
Bottom line? The government fell asleep on this one, winked and did nothing, or was completely incompetent at enforcing even the most basic of oversight. It was probably all three.
The information that I have listed above is completely ignored by the right and, hilariously, once again we see the "anti victim" culture behaving like victims. It's always someone else's fault...never the fault of any of their beliefs or actions because, of course, they are perfect and you are not allowed to question them nor is there any need for reflection.
Does anyone out there think it is possible to look at the actual causes of this crisis?
The basic conservative line is that our current financial crisis was caused by the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 and by government quotas, place on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to give loans to low income customers. Essentially, it's the fault of government, affirmative action, and poor people. All the people on Wall Street and the corporations in America were innocent and victims of "gubmint."
This is a complete load of shit.
The CRA was signed into law in 1977. How would a law 30 years old cause lending problems now? Yes, Clinton changed the law but that activity that resulted from those changes came to an end in 2001. The real thing they fail to see is that the CRA only applies to banks and thrifts. It's stated in the law.
The Community Reinvestment Act (or CRA, Pub.L. 95-128, title VIII, 91 Stat. 1147, 12 U.S.C. § 2901 et seq.) is a United States federal law that requires banks and thrifts to offer credit throughout their entire market area and prohibits them from targeting only wealthier neighborhoods with their services, a practice known as redlining. The purpose of the CRA is to provide credit, including home ownership opportunities to under served populations and commercial loans to small businesses.
The vast majority of the sub prime loans in the last 8 years did not originate from banks or thrifts. Half of them came from places beyond the reach of CRA. Another quarter came from subsidiaries. The final quarter of sub prime loans came from CRA and that kind of debt just doesn't seem to be enough to drive our economy off the cliff.
In regards to Fannie and Freddie, Freddie Mac Chairman and CEO Richard Syron recently said that the GSEs have been hit by a "100-year storm" in the housing market, accentuated by some higher-risk mortgages that they were forced to buy to meet government affordable-housing targets.
From Barrons.com
The latter contention is more than disingenuous. A substantial portion of Fannie's and Freddie's credit losses comes from $337 billion and $237 billion, respectively, of Alt-A mortgages that the agencies imprudently bought or guaranteed in recent years to boost their market share. These are mortgages for which little or no attempt was made to verify the borrowers' income or net worth. The principal balances were much higher than those of mortgages typically made to low-income borrowers. In short, Alt-A mortgages were a hallmark of real-estate speculation in the ex-urbs of Las Vegas or Los Angeles, not predatory lending to low-income folks in the inner cities.
Couple this with the fact that Rick Davies, McCain's campaign manager, was paid 30K a month by Fannie and Freddie , for five years, to remove government restrictions. Now either he did a terrible job (possible) or they are lying because they don't want everyone to know how much they fucked up (probable).
Bottom line? The government fell asleep on this one, winked and did nothing, or was completely incompetent at enforcing even the most basic of oversight. It was probably all three.
The information that I have listed above is completely ignored by the right and, hilariously, once again we see the "anti victim" culture behaving like victims. It's always someone else's fault...never the fault of any of their beliefs or actions because, of course, they are perfect and you are not allowed to question them nor is there any need for reflection.
Does anyone out there think it is possible to look at the actual causes of this crisis?
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