Raw Story: In an appearance on “Up with Steve Kornacki” on Saturday morning, Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen (TN) said that after their repeated attempts to interfere with the functioning of the U.S. government, members of the tea party have shown themselves to be the real “domestic enemies” of the American people.
“If we look ahead to the immediate future, these next few months,” Kornacki asked Cohen, “these two new deadlines that are now sort of on the calendar, do you think things will play out differently in the next round of budget negotiations, in the next round, when it comes to funding the government? Do you think the Republicans will have a different posture this time?”
“You know, you’d think they would,” said Cohen. “If a child puts its finger on a burner, they’re not likely to go to that burner again, but I’m not sure if some of these people don’t like the heat. They seemed to enjoy shutting down the government, they reveled in it. They got a lot of energy out of it.”
“A lot of those members are rabid,” he said of the House Republican conference. “They’re sophomoric in terms of Congress. They’ve never worked in politics before,” but “they think they’re some kind of guerrillas there to strike a blow for freedom. I think they’ll try to pull this off again.”
As U.S. Representatives, Cohen said, “We take an oath to support the country against all enemies foreign and domestic, and these are the domestic enemies.”
Here's the deal... In this country we make and/or change policy through elections and legislation. Laws. You don't get to impeach, shut down, default, or destroy the government just because you lost the election and can't deal with it. Anybody who doesn't get that really doesn't understand what it means to be an American and probably doesn't belong here.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Concern Troll
Raw Story: CNN Crossfire host S.E. Cupp pushed back at criticism of the National Football League’s Washington franchise on Friday by insinuating it was a distraction from other issues facing Native American communities.
“Native Americans have real problems,” Cupp told Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). “Poverty, domestic abuse, high suicide rates.”
So it's ok to heap a little cheap racism on them as well? Idiotic argument from the dumbest conservative on TV. Thanks though for the fake concern for minorities and the disadvantaged. But better yet you stop constantly advocating policies that push them under the bus in favor of your transnational billionaire masters.
“Native Americans have real problems,” Cupp told Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). “Poverty, domestic abuse, high suicide rates.”
So it's ok to heap a little cheap racism on them as well? Idiotic argument from the dumbest conservative on TV. Thanks though for the fake concern for minorities and the disadvantaged. But better yet you stop constantly advocating policies that push them under the bus in favor of your transnational billionaire masters.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
National Debt Hustlers
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| history is a bitch |
Nobody should ever let any Republican complain about the deficit or the national debt without immediately punching them in their metaphorical mouth. They don't give a rip about that stuff. In fact our problems in this regard are almost entirely their doing. The historical record is devastatingly clear.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
They We're Planning It All Along
WASHINGTON — Democrats have seized on video of Rep. Chris Van Hollen angrily confronting Republicans on the House floor over changes to the chamber’s rules as proof Republicans purposefully pushed the nation into a government shutdown and crisis over extending the nation’s debt limit.
Normally, any member of the House can force a vote on legislation which the Senate and House are unable to agree on. Although it is a rarely used mechanism, House Republicans were taking no chances in the days leading up to the shutdown.
Republican leaders were nervous about the possibility that the Senate’s clean spending extension bill would pass the chamber on the strength of Democratic votes — or worse, that it would fail, taking it off the table permanently as a solution.
That concern appears to have driven the decision to change the rules to allow only Majority Leader Eric Cantor to force a vote on the Senate plan.
Look, in this country if you want to change policy you win elections and then you pass laws. You legislate. If you don't understand that, you don't belong here. It's dangerous to have you here. It's destructive and expensive (this one apparently cost 24 billion just to start). If that's you, you need to change your philosophy on this very important matter, or you need to get the fuck out of the country.
Monday, October 14, 2013
One Heartbeat Away From The Presidency
TPM: Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin accused President Barack Obama on Monday of coming dangerously close to "impeachable offenses."
Right, well, she's an idiot. Everybody knows that. The scary part is the Republican party vaulted her right to the top just because she's a MILF.
Right, well, she's an idiot. Everybody knows that. The scary part is the Republican party vaulted her right to the top just because she's a MILF.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
March To The Sea
Think Progress: Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) offered a curious analogy this weekend, comparing the impending default to the American Revolution. Actually, it's more like the civil war. And once again his side is trying to destroy the United States.
Southern conservatives already betrayed the country once. The confederacy lost. Trying to re-fight that war by shutting down the government and destroying the full faith and credit of the United States is simply not acceptable.
There's never a General Sherman around when you need one.
Traitors
Raw Story: Tahoma High School in Maple Valley, WA suspended two 16-year-old boys for wearing Confederate flags to school. According to Seattle’s KIRO Channel 7, school officials said the boys were wearing the secessionist flags in protest of a classmate’s choice to wear a rainbow flag in celebration of LGBT Pride month.
One of the two students — known only a “Grady” — told KOMO that he was just wearing the rebel flag to honor his southern heritage.
Which is of course mostly.. slavery.
Today however conservatives fly the confederate flag to symbolize their opposition pretty much all the American ideals, equality, multiculturalism, tolerance, upward mobility due process, devotion to the constitution, and democracy. They're hostile to all of it.
So we're actually grateful when they chose to wear the symbol of their betrayals, the celebration of their treason, their hatred of the United States on their sleeve (or chest). That way we can know who they are.
One of the two students — known only a “Grady” — told KOMO that he was just wearing the rebel flag to honor his southern heritage.
Which is of course mostly.. slavery.
Today however conservatives fly the confederate flag to symbolize their opposition pretty much all the American ideals, equality, multiculturalism, tolerance, upward mobility due process, devotion to the constitution, and democracy. They're hostile to all of it.
So we're actually grateful when they chose to wear the symbol of their betrayals, the celebration of their treason, their hatred of the United States on their sleeve (or chest). That way we can know who they are.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Deport The Republicans
Politico: A reality is beginning to dawn on — and eat away at — many House Republicans: They aren’t at all sure of their party's strategy to re-open government and lift the debt ceiling.
After forcing leadership to pick a fight it didn’t want to pick, sitting through hours of meetings with lots of internal hand-wringing and failing to force Democrats to negotiate, the path to avoid a prolonged government shutdown and the first debt default in American history is completely uncertain.
Attention Republicans: Rather than burning down the country, why don't you do us all a favor and leave. Just get the hell out. Move to Somalia. You'll love it. No government, lots of guns, no regulation, no taxes.
Of course they don't have any sewage treatment either, so go there and wallow is shit for a while. Let's see what that does for your worldview. Hey, send a postcard when you get there (actually sorry, you won't be able to do that. They don't have a postal service).
After forcing leadership to pick a fight it didn’t want to pick, sitting through hours of meetings with lots of internal hand-wringing and failing to force Democrats to negotiate, the path to avoid a prolonged government shutdown and the first debt default in American history is completely uncertain.
Attention Republicans: Rather than burning down the country, why don't you do us all a favor and leave. Just get the hell out. Move to Somalia. You'll love it. No government, lots of guns, no regulation, no taxes.
Of course they don't have any sewage treatment either, so go there and wallow is shit for a while. Let's see what that does for your worldview. Hey, send a postcard when you get there (actually sorry, you won't be able to do that. They don't have a postal service).
Monday, October 7, 2013
Destruction
WASHINGTON -- With the government shutdown in its fifth day, many Republicans have conceded the fight is no longer about Obamacare. Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) added his name to the list on Saturday, saying the matter now boils down to "pride."
Proverbs 16:18: Pride goeth before destruction.
And destruction is where we're heading with the GOP shutting down the government and causing us to default on our debt. Look, we can't have people in our government who will threaten our future, our standard of living, our families - over pride, or holding out for billionaire "healthcare" executives or whatever. We just can't have it. These people have to got to respect the electoral process and work within our democratic system to change policy by majority rule. Anything else is just political terrorism.
Honestly, what's going on here as much as anything else, is the Republicans are seeing things getting better and they don't like it. Once again Democratic public policy is improving things. The economy is improving, the housing market is improving, the job market is improving, and Obamacare is about to start working. And politically speaking, that's very bad for them. So rather than allow things to continue on as they are they figure they don't have much to lose by burning it all down.
Proverbs 16:18: Pride goeth before destruction.
And destruction is where we're heading with the GOP shutting down the government and causing us to default on our debt. Look, we can't have people in our government who will threaten our future, our standard of living, our families - over pride, or holding out for billionaire "healthcare" executives or whatever. We just can't have it. These people have to got to respect the electoral process and work within our democratic system to change policy by majority rule. Anything else is just political terrorism.
Honestly, what's going on here as much as anything else, is the Republicans are seeing things getting better and they don't like it. Once again Democratic public policy is improving things. The economy is improving, the housing market is improving, the job market is improving, and Obamacare is about to start working. And politically speaking, that's very bad for them. So rather than allow things to continue on as they are they figure they don't have much to lose by burning it all down.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Boehner Threatens To Shoot The Hostage
TPM: Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) insisted Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that he won't bring up a "clean" debt limit increase under any circumstances, warning that the U.S. will default on its debt unless President Barack Obama agrees to make policy concessions.
(credit to Huffingtonpost for that title) Attention America, you're the hostage. Your 401k is the hostage. Your ability to borrow money for a car, or a house, or a business is the hostage. The value of your dollars is the hostage. Your standard of living is the hostage. Your future is the hostage. And the Republicans have just threatened all of it. Whatever you do America, whatever ends up happening, don't ever forget this.
(credit to Huffingtonpost for that title) Attention America, you're the hostage. Your 401k is the hostage. Your ability to borrow money for a car, or a house, or a business is the hostage. The value of your dollars is the hostage. Your standard of living is the hostage. Your future is the hostage. And the Republicans have just threatened all of it. Whatever you do America, whatever ends up happening, don't ever forget this.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Shooters
Daily Kos: Is there some damn law that says congressional Republicans have to be assholes? Is "not being a gigantic prick to anyone you meet" one of the now-countless things that will get you kicked out of the party? Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX, because of course he is), come on down. Show the little people how being a grandstanding self-important ass is done.
In an astounding confrontation that took place yesterday at the World War II Memorial in DC, a Tea Party congressman from Texas appeared to blame the Park Service for denying veterans access to the facility — and then made a Park Ranger apologize for the shutdown. "How do you look at them and ... deny them access?" Rep. Randy Neugebauer asked the unidentified Ranger in an incredible exchange that was caught on camera by NBC Washington.So they shut down the government, then run down to yell at the park ranger because the government is shut down. We suppose that's rather like shooting somebody in the back and then berating them for bleeding on the carpet.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Immigration
Raw Story: Although they’re unlikely to win the legislative fight to kill the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have already succeeded in keeping millions of Americans from getting health insurance.
A New York Times analysis of census data found that two-thirds of the poor black people and single mothers and more than half the low-wage workers who don’t have insurance coverage have been left out of the vast expansion of Medicaid because they live in states controlled by Republicans.
So we would definitely recommend that if you're looking for affordable heath care you leave these states that are controlled by Republicans.
It's already the case that the states that are controlled by Republicans are the welfare states. That is to say that due to inferior economic activity and a general lack of competitiveness they take more from the federal coffers than they contribute. A steady flow of workers and families out of these states will no doubt exacerbate that situation. But it can't be helped.
A New York Times analysis of census data found that two-thirds of the poor black people and single mothers and more than half the low-wage workers who don’t have insurance coverage have been left out of the vast expansion of Medicaid because they live in states controlled by Republicans.
So we would definitely recommend that if you're looking for affordable heath care you leave these states that are controlled by Republicans.
It's already the case that the states that are controlled by Republicans are the welfare states. That is to say that due to inferior economic activity and a general lack of competitiveness they take more from the federal coffers than they contribute. A steady flow of workers and families out of these states will no doubt exacerbate that situation. But it can't be helped.
Friday, September 27, 2013
JAP
Daily Kos: Former Congressman Allen West is leaving his job at Pajamas Media after an altercation with a female staffer in which he allegedly called her a “Jewish American princess,” BuzzFeed learned on Thursday.
Yep, the bigotry is strong in base Republican party politics. Even with the one black guy they had in congress. Which is strange since he's black, and the main racism in GOP land comes from white resentment of blacks. You know, the whole confederate flag thing, southern strategy, segregation, etc... His latest submission is however right in line with the neo Nazi-wing of the Republican party. Which is also big on the confederate flag, so we're not sure where that leaves Allan West exactly. A petty bigot in sea of Republican racism.
Yep, the bigotry is strong in base Republican party politics. Even with the one black guy they had in congress. Which is strange since he's black, and the main racism in GOP land comes from white resentment of blacks. You know, the whole confederate flag thing, southern strategy, segregation, etc... His latest submission is however right in line with the neo Nazi-wing of the Republican party. Which is also big on the confederate flag, so we're not sure where that leaves Allan West exactly. A petty bigot in sea of Republican racism.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
It's Your Heritage Jim!
TPM: As Jim DeMint sees it, Mitt Romney precluded Republicans from truly campaigning against the Affordable Care Act in last year's election.
“Because of Romney and Romneycare, we did not litigate the Obamacare issue,” the Heritage Foundation president told Bloomberg Businessweek's Joshua Green in a story published Thursday.
Presumably because it was Romney's idea... What the TPM piece doesn't say, and Jim DeMint for sure doesn't say, is that before Romney, the idea actually came out of... wait for it... wait for it... yes, the Heritage Foundation. Of which Jim DeMint is now president. And if all that's not enough, DeMint himself is on record supporting the idea. So uh, yeah.. whatever.
Here's the fine point of it: if these people are against something just because the president is for it, even if it was their idea in the first place, they're by definition not motivated by what's best for the country.
“Because of Romney and Romneycare, we did not litigate the Obamacare issue,” the Heritage Foundation president told Bloomberg Businessweek's Joshua Green in a story published Thursday.
Presumably because it was Romney's idea... What the TPM piece doesn't say, and Jim DeMint for sure doesn't say, is that before Romney, the idea actually came out of... wait for it... wait for it... yes, the Heritage Foundation. Of which Jim DeMint is now president. And if all that's not enough, DeMint himself is on record supporting the idea. So uh, yeah.. whatever.
Here's the fine point of it: if these people are against something just because the president is for it, even if it was their idea in the first place, they're by definition not motivated by what's best for the country.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Ted Cruz Is Going To Smash Hitler!
TPM: During a floor speech Tuesday aimed at reviving the already-dim prospects for his effort to defund Obamacare, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) likened his doubters to Nazi appeasers.
Sure. Because passing a law that provides more affordable healthcare is just like gassing 6 million Jews. And Obama is just like Hitler.
This guy Ted Cruz is a real piece of work. And make no mistake, he is the new face of the Republican party.
Sure. Because passing a law that provides more affordable healthcare is just like gassing 6 million Jews. And Obama is just like Hitler.
This guy Ted Cruz is a real piece of work. And make no mistake, he is the new face of the Republican party.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Owned
Buzzfeed: A small group of conservative Republicans have forced their leaders John Boehner and Eric Canto to toe the ideological line..
Which apparently includes defaulting on the debt, shutting down the government, and who the fuck knows what else, secession probably. Look, if you believe in government by the people, if you're not a fan of chaos in government, if you believe in science, if you find the things that come out of the far right-wing of the Republican party scary, you have to vote, indeed you have to work to make sure the Republican party has no power. Because if they do, as you can plainly see, they're owned by the crazy in their party and the crazy in their party can't help themselves but to burn it all down.
Which apparently includes defaulting on the debt, shutting down the government, and who the fuck knows what else, secession probably. Look, if you believe in government by the people, if you're not a fan of chaos in government, if you believe in science, if you find the things that come out of the far right-wing of the Republican party scary, you have to vote, indeed you have to work to make sure the Republican party has no power. Because if they do, as you can plainly see, they're owned by the crazy in their party and the crazy in their party can't help themselves but to burn it all down.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Live By The Gun, Die By The Gun
TPM: Louisiana State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R) is urging conservatives to boycott Starbucks and instead go to coffee shops that have "gun friendly" owners.
Yes because everybody is going to love getting shot in the head after an argument at the local coffee house.
Yes because everybody is going to love getting shot in the head after an argument at the local coffee house.
Corruption Kills
Headline: Background checks on Snowden and Navy Yard shooter done by same private company
We need to stop Republicans from selling our government by the people to their crony Republican corporations. It ends up costing us three times more to get half as much and it's getting people killed.
We need to stop Republicans from selling our government by the people to their crony Republican corporations. It ends up costing us three times more to get half as much and it's getting people killed.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Liars Preaching To Idiots
Daily Kos: From Ted Cruz's statement on House passage of his defund Obamacare scheme:
Two Dems out 200 voted for this bill. Anybody who calls that bipartisan is a liar. Anybody who calls it a strong bipartisan majority is fucking joke who should never again be taken seriously. How stupid does he think his base is to believe that crap? Wait, don't answer that. It's the Republican base. We answered our own question.
As for the GOP threats to shut down the government over Obamacare, like the president says, that's extortion. Like the president says, he just beat the guy who promised to get rid of the Obamacare in a national election. Badly. If they shut down the government and throw the country and the economy into chaos because they're not getting their way on this, they should forever be punished by the electorate.
Today, the House of Representatives did what Washington pundits only a few weeks ago said was impossible: a strong bipartisan majority voted to defund Obamacare. This is a victory for House conservatives, and it is a victory for Speaker Boehner and Republican leadership.Amen! And it's also a victory for whatever math/civics professor taught Ted Cruz that when 2 Democrats join 228 Republicans to cast a vote opposed by 47% of the House and 94% of Democrats that you've attained not just a bipartisan majority, but a strong bipartisan majority. (Worth noting: One Republican voted against the Cruz plan, so that means there was significant bipartisan opposition to it, by his logic.)
Two Dems out 200 voted for this bill. Anybody who calls that bipartisan is a liar. Anybody who calls it a strong bipartisan majority is fucking joke who should never again be taken seriously. How stupid does he think his base is to believe that crap? Wait, don't answer that. It's the Republican base. We answered our own question.
As for the GOP threats to shut down the government over Obamacare, like the president says, that's extortion. Like the president says, he just beat the guy who promised to get rid of the Obamacare in a national election. Badly. If they shut down the government and throw the country and the economy into chaos because they're not getting their way on this, they should forever be punished by the electorate.
Bedroom Regulations
Raw Story: Michigan’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage is necessary to “regulate sexual relationships,” argued attorneys representing the state and its Republican governor.
Regulate the big banks and investment firms so they can't loot the economy? No way. Regulate toxic polluters so they can't maximize their profits by giving us cancer? Forget it. But when it comes to regulating your sexual relationships, they're all for it. That ladies and gentleman is your Republican party.
Regulate the big banks and investment firms so they can't loot the economy? No way. Regulate toxic polluters so they can't maximize their profits by giving us cancer? Forget it. But when it comes to regulating your sexual relationships, they're all for it. That ladies and gentleman is your Republican party.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Eat The Rich
WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives on Thursday approved sweeping reforms to the nation's food stamp program that would cut some $40 billion in nutrition aid over 10 years and deny benefits to millions starting in 2014.
Attention Republicans: Jesus hates you. No, really. You're going to hell.
Attention Republicans: Jesus hates you. No, really. You're going to hell.
Real Simple
Fox's Brian Kilmeade on Starbucks banning guns in their stores: "Real simple - if you have a gun, go to Dunkin Donuts."
Yep. And if you don't want to be around a bunch of angry, armed, crazy people, don't. How do you feel about that Dunkin Donuts?
Yep. And if you don't want to be around a bunch of angry, armed, crazy people, don't. How do you feel about that Dunkin Donuts?
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Not Liberal, Not a Journalist
Crooks and Liars: MSNBC host Chuck Todd said Wednesday that when it comes to misinformation about the new federal health care law, don't expect members of the media to correct the record.
During a segment on "Morning Joe," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) speculated that most opponents of the Affordable Care Act have been fed erroneous information about the law. Todd said that Republicans "have successfully messaged against it" but he disagrees with those who argue that the media should educate the public on the law. According to Todd, that's President Barack Obama's job.
"But more importantly, it would be stuff that Republicans have successfully messaged against it," Todd told Rendell. "They don't repeat the other stuff because they haven't even heard the Democratic message. What I always love is people say, 'Well, it's you folks' fault in the media.' No, it's the President of the United States' fault for not selling it."
Actually it is the journalists job to aggressively seek and report the truth. It's their responsibility. It's their duty as guardians of the 4th estate. So we have two things for Chuck Todd: 1) tell the God damn truth or get out of journalism, and 2) when one entire party is outright lying about everything all the time, that's news. Report it. Tool.
During a segment on "Morning Joe," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) speculated that most opponents of the Affordable Care Act have been fed erroneous information about the law. Todd said that Republicans "have successfully messaged against it" but he disagrees with those who argue that the media should educate the public on the law. According to Todd, that's President Barack Obama's job.
"But more importantly, it would be stuff that Republicans have successfully messaged against it," Todd told Rendell. "They don't repeat the other stuff because they haven't even heard the Democratic message. What I always love is people say, 'Well, it's you folks' fault in the media.' No, it's the President of the United States' fault for not selling it."
Actually it is the journalists job to aggressively seek and report the truth. It's their responsibility. It's their duty as guardians of the 4th estate. So we have two things for Chuck Todd: 1) tell the God damn truth or get out of journalism, and 2) when one entire party is outright lying about everything all the time, that's news. Report it. Tool.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Shit For Brains
Think Progress: The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday in favor of seceding from California to form a new state called “Jefferson.” Siskiyou also plans to invite nearby counties in California and southern Oregon to join with them in casting off the bonds that have tied them to their fellow Californians and Oregonians for generations.
Residents attending the supervisors meeting were virtually unanimous in supporting the predominantly Republican county’s secession. According to the Redding Record Searchlight, a local paper, one member of the board of supervisors raised a laundry list of complaints related to “regulation, restriction of rights, lack of representation, regionalism and restoration of limited government.”
...
Such an outcome is unlikely, however, as the Constitution provides that “no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.”
Better they just get the hell out of the country. If they want limited government they can move to Somalia. In Somalia the government is as limited as they come. There is no regulation. There are no taxes. Of course there is no sewage treatment either. So they should go there and wallow in shit for a while. Let's see what that does for their worldview.
Residents attending the supervisors meeting were virtually unanimous in supporting the predominantly Republican county’s secession. According to the Redding Record Searchlight, a local paper, one member of the board of supervisors raised a laundry list of complaints related to “regulation, restriction of rights, lack of representation, regionalism and restoration of limited government.”
...
Such an outcome is unlikely, however, as the Constitution provides that “no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.”
Better they just get the hell out of the country. If they want limited government they can move to Somalia. In Somalia the government is as limited as they come. There is no regulation. There are no taxes. Of course there is no sewage treatment either. So they should go there and wallow in shit for a while. Let's see what that does for their worldview.
The President's Men
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) on Tuesday announced he would support strikes against Syria in response to the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons earlier this month, urging a substantial number of his skeptical Republican colleagues to follow suit.
"I appreciate the president reaching out to me and my colleagues in the Congress over the last couple of weeks. I also appreciate the president asking the Congress to support him in this action," Boehner told reporters after a meeting with the president and other congressional leaders at the White House.
"This is something that the United States as a country needs to do," he added. "I'm going to support the president's call for action. I believe my colleagues should support this call for action.
Bloody hell. Well never let it be said the Republicans oppose everything the president wants just because he's a Democrat, or black, or whatever. Turns out all he had to do was offer to drop some bombs on Arabs and they're right on board.
"I appreciate the president reaching out to me and my colleagues in the Congress over the last couple of weeks. I also appreciate the president asking the Congress to support him in this action," Boehner told reporters after a meeting with the president and other congressional leaders at the White House.
"This is something that the United States as a country needs to do," he added. "I'm going to support the president's call for action. I believe my colleagues should support this call for action.
Bloody hell. Well never let it be said the Republicans oppose everything the president wants just because he's a Democrat, or black, or whatever. Turns out all he had to do was offer to drop some bombs on Arabs and they're right on board.
Too Soft John
TPM: Secretary of State John Kerry erupted at Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) after the congressman charged that the Obama administration cannot be trusted to carry out an attack on Syria due to mistakes made in Benghazi and controversies involving the IRS and NSA programs.
"I cannot discuss the possibility of the U.S. involvement in the Syrian civil war without talking about Benghazi," Duncan said, questioning Kerry at a Wednesday hearing.
"The administration has a serious credibility issue with the American people, due to the unanswered questions surrounding the terrorist attack in Benghazi almost a year ago. When you factor in the IRS targeting of conservative groups, the AP and James Rosen issues, Fast and Furious and NSA spying programs, the bottom line is that there is a need for accountability and trust-building from the administration," he said. "The American people deserve answers about Benghazi before we move forward in Syria's civil war."
Somebody should send Jeff Duncan a memo - all those fake scandals turned out to be nothing more than GOP efforts to frame this administration. And as for holding up that picture of somebody that died at Benghazi, Kerry should have told him that if he gave a damn about those people he shouldn't have voted to cut funds for diplomatic security as soon as Obama was elected. Prick.
"I cannot discuss the possibility of the U.S. involvement in the Syrian civil war without talking about Benghazi," Duncan said, questioning Kerry at a Wednesday hearing.
"The administration has a serious credibility issue with the American people, due to the unanswered questions surrounding the terrorist attack in Benghazi almost a year ago. When you factor in the IRS targeting of conservative groups, the AP and James Rosen issues, Fast and Furious and NSA spying programs, the bottom line is that there is a need for accountability and trust-building from the administration," he said. "The American people deserve answers about Benghazi before we move forward in Syria's civil war."
Somebody should send Jeff Duncan a memo - all those fake scandals turned out to be nothing more than GOP efforts to frame this administration. And as for holding up that picture of somebody that died at Benghazi, Kerry should have told him that if he gave a damn about those people he shouldn't have voted to cut funds for diplomatic security as soon as Obama was elected. Prick.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Base Republicans Are Crazy
TPM: A significant chunk of Louisiana Republicans evidently believe that President Barack Obama is to blame for the poor response to the hurricane that ravaged their state more than three years before he took office.
The latest survey from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, provided exclusively to TPM, showed an eye-popping divide among Republicans in the Bayou State when it comes to accountability for the government's post-Katrina blunders.
Twenty-eight percent said they think former President George W. Bush, who was in office at the time, was more responsible for the poor federal response while 29 percent said Obama.
This closely mirrors the 24% of Republicans that believe Obama just may be the anti-Christ. This 20-30% of Republicans is the GOP base. They're crazy. Well and truly crazy. Now, you can vote with crazy people if you want to, but unless you're after crazy public policy, it's really not a good idea.
The latest survey from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, provided exclusively to TPM, showed an eye-popping divide among Republicans in the Bayou State when it comes to accountability for the government's post-Katrina blunders.
Twenty-eight percent said they think former President George W. Bush, who was in office at the time, was more responsible for the poor federal response while 29 percent said Obama.
This closely mirrors the 24% of Republicans that believe Obama just may be the anti-Christ. This 20-30% of Republicans is the GOP base. They're crazy. Well and truly crazy. Now, you can vote with crazy people if you want to, but unless you're after crazy public policy, it's really not a good idea.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Get The Government Out Of My Food Safety!
Daily Kos: What could something like this...
Federal authorities are struggling to explain why 600 people in 22 states have fallen ill from a foodborne parasite rarely seen in the United States....possibly have to do with the sequester? Simple: It takes money to investigate and prevent the spread of diseases—and the whole point of the sequester was spend less of that money. And the flip side of spending less money is that investigations like this can take longer to solve. According to the deputy director of the CDC division responsible for investigating the outbreak, "budget priorities" are playing a role in the delay. Specifically:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has had to slash $285 million at a time when food and health experts say disease detection needs more funding as these type of food outbreak cases become more complex and widespread.If you eat, and you vote Republican, you're an idiot.
Down With Self Rule!
GILBERTON, Pa (AP) — Police Chief Mark Kessler expects to be fired for posting incendiary videos in which he ranted obscenely about the Second Amendment and liberals while spraying machine-gun fire with borough-owned weapons.
But Kessler, whose pro-gun videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views online, has no intention of going away quietly.
With an Internet radio show, speaking invitations to gun rallies around the country and a newly formed “Constitution Security Force” that he claims already has chapters in 45 states, the 41-year-old coal miner-turned-cop said his message — that the federal government is too big, too powerful and wants to grab guns — is resonating with a segment of the public that believes as he does.
Putting aside for a minute that this right-winger is advertising his treason and admitting he intends to make war on the United States, anybody who's been brought to a place where he's devoted his life to less self rule is a useful idiot of the transnational corporation. Government by the people is a good thing. Anybody telling you different is dangerous. This guy is one of the more obvious examples.
But Kessler, whose pro-gun videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views online, has no intention of going away quietly.
With an Internet radio show, speaking invitations to gun rallies around the country and a newly formed “Constitution Security Force” that he claims already has chapters in 45 states, the 41-year-old coal miner-turned-cop said his message — that the federal government is too big, too powerful and wants to grab guns — is resonating with a segment of the public that believes as he does.
Putting aside for a minute that this right-winger is advertising his treason and admitting he intends to make war on the United States, anybody who's been brought to a place where he's devoted his life to less self rule is a useful idiot of the transnational corporation. Government by the people is a good thing. Anybody telling you different is dangerous. This guy is one of the more obvious examples.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Can We Get Some Real Americans Please?
Daily Kos: So, first the bad news: In the wake of revelations that he was in fact a citizen of both Canada and the United States, Ted Cruz has made his choice. And, sadly, it's not our neighbors to the north.
And he's not the only one.
Democracy is one of the core American ideals. Obviously Ted Cruz is not a real American. And neither are his buddies in the Republican party.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) announced Monday evening that he will renounce his Canadian citizenship, less than 24 hours after a newspaper pointed out that the Canadian-born senator likely maintains dual citizenship. “Now the Dallas Morning News says that I may technically have dual citizenship,” Cruz said in a statement. “Assuming that is true, then sure, I will renounce any Canadian citizenship. Nothing against Canada, but I’m an American by birth and as a U.S. senator; I believe I should be only an American.”I guess this puts Cruz in a similar position as Michele Bachmann, who renounced her Swiss citizenship last year—and once again, we are the losers, because we keep on getting stuck with lunatics who say things like this:
Asked about the possibility of impeaching President Obama, Ted Cruz did not rule it out. In a question and answer session following a speech he gave at a Montgomery County GOP dinner last night, an audience member asked Cruz, “Why don’t we impeach him [Obama]?”
“It’s a good question,” Cruz responded, “and I’ll tell you the simplest answer: To successfully impeach a president you need the votes in the U.S. Senate.”A nice question from the GOP base, eh? A real American (or just somebody who's devoted to democracy), would have answered that question thusly: "We don't impeach people for no reason because if we did, that would undermine our democracy. It's just not the American way."
And he's not the only one.
Democracy is one of the core American ideals. Obviously Ted Cruz is not a real American. And neither are his buddies in the Republican party.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Devils
During a question and answer session at the meeting, Molina stepped up to the microphone and, with a quavering voice, asked, “Mr. DesJarlais, I have papers, but I have a dad who’s undocumented. What can I do to have him stay with me?”
Rather than make any attempt to assuage the girl’s fears, Desjarlais said, “Thank you for being here and thank you for coming forward and speaking,” but “the answer still kind of remains the same, that we have laws and we need to follow those laws and that’s where we’re at.”
The tea party crowd whooped and applauded wildly as the little girl took her seat, head down. Progressive Populist reported that Josie Molina’s father is currently in the process of being deported and that the girl is seeing a child psychologist in order to cope with the stress and anxiety.
Desjarlais is a former physician and anti-choice crusader who was fined $500 by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners after it came to light that he had engaged in multiple extramarital affairs with female patients. When one woman became pregnant, the staunch anti-abortion conservative pressured her into terminating the pregnancy. Another patient charged that Desjarlais prescribed narcotic painkillers to her for recreational use and frequently smoked marijuana with her.
“I know God has forgiven me” for the transgressions, Desjarlais told a conservative radio host in an interview in December of 2012.
Doubtful. We'll actually leave the serial cheating, impregnation, and forced abortion to him, his wife, and his God. But as far as he and his and his Euro American Tea Party crowd gleefully cheering against a frightened 11 year girl, to her face, there's no doubt the whole rotten bunch is going straight to hell.
Friday, August 16, 2013
No Debates For You!
TPM headline: RNC Unanimously Passes Resolution, No Debates For NBC Or CNN
They have decided the way to minimize the damage from the fact their party is full of crazies, racists, corporatists, and theocrats, is to not show it to people that aren't crazy, racist, corporatist or religious zealots. They way they indend to do this apparently, is to limit their debate broadcasts to Fox News.
And as if this was not as pathetic as it could be already, they're doing this on direction of their leader, Rush Limbaugh (note from the link that he decreed it should be so last week).
They have decided the way to minimize the damage from the fact their party is full of crazies, racists, corporatists, and theocrats, is to not show it to people that aren't crazy, racist, corporatist or religious zealots. They way they indend to do this apparently, is to limit their debate broadcasts to Fox News.
And as if this was not as pathetic as it could be already, they're doing this on direction of their leader, Rush Limbaugh (note from the link that he decreed it should be so last week).
Thursday, August 15, 2013
The Most Republican Thing Ever Said
Daily Kos: I'm just going to throw this one out there because it really needs no explanation.
He doesn't think rape is a crime either. Which is unfortunate because his party has been fucking us without our consent for decades.
There’s no such thing as financial crime, according to Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA). At a town hall meeting in El Dorado Hills, California on Tuesday, a constituent asked McClintock for his “stance on Wall Street criminal practices.” The congressman responded, “Well first of all, for a criminal practice there has to be a gun. It’s pretty simple.”You know something? I am 100 percent sure that McClintock actually believes this. If there's not a gun involved, it's not a crime. No matter what. And it wins the day for most Republican thing said by any Republican, ever.
He doesn't think rape is a crime either. Which is unfortunate because his party has been fucking us without our consent for decades.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
The Vote Suppressionists
Think Progress: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a tea party senator with a long history of opposition to civil rights laws, told an audience in Louisville, Kentucky on Wednesday that there is no evidence of black voters being excluded from the franchise. According to local NPR host Phillip Bailey, Paul said that he does not believe “there is any particular evidence of polls barring African Americans from voting,” during a speech to the non-partisan Louisville Forum.
If Paul is not aware of the evidence indicating widespread efforts to prevent African Americans from voting, then he must not be looking very hard. During the 2012 election, black and Hispanic voters waited nearly twice as long to cast a ballot as white voters. In Florida, lines of up to six hours led an estimated 201,000 people to become frustrated and leave the polls. These lines existed largely because of a voter suppression bill signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) which reduced early voting hours in the state. After the election, top Republicans admitted that the purpose of cutting early voting was to reduce Democratic turnout. One Republican operative conceded that early voting was cut on the Sunday proceeding Election Day because “that’s a big day when the black churches organize themselves.”
The Republican party wants to steal elections by robbing all manner of poor, disabled, elderly, young, and minority Americans of their ability to vote. Their efforts are nationwide and ongoing. National studies put the anticipated number of disenfranchised at over 5 million. And that was before the Republican repeal of the voting Voting Rights Act.
It's no wonder Paul wants to plead ignorance. To admit the obvious means he's an anti-democratic, anti-american, corrupt piece of shit. But the reality is, of course these laws suppress the black vote and the Democratic vote in general. If they didn't, the Republicans wouldn't be bothering.
If Paul is not aware of the evidence indicating widespread efforts to prevent African Americans from voting, then he must not be looking very hard. During the 2012 election, black and Hispanic voters waited nearly twice as long to cast a ballot as white voters. In Florida, lines of up to six hours led an estimated 201,000 people to become frustrated and leave the polls. These lines existed largely because of a voter suppression bill signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) which reduced early voting hours in the state. After the election, top Republicans admitted that the purpose of cutting early voting was to reduce Democratic turnout. One Republican operative conceded that early voting was cut on the Sunday proceeding Election Day because “that’s a big day when the black churches organize themselves.”
The Republican party wants to steal elections by robbing all manner of poor, disabled, elderly, young, and minority Americans of their ability to vote. Their efforts are nationwide and ongoing. National studies put the anticipated number of disenfranchised at over 5 million. And that was before the Republican repeal of the voting Voting Rights Act.
It's no wonder Paul wants to plead ignorance. To admit the obvious means he's an anti-democratic, anti-american, corrupt piece of shit. But the reality is, of course these laws suppress the black vote and the Democratic vote in general. If they didn't, the Republicans wouldn't be bothering.
Ayatollah Cuccinelli?
Think Progress: Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R), his party’s nominee in this November’s gubernatorial election, unveiled a 12-point education plan Tuesday. Among his proposals: Virginia should amend its constitution to allow public funding for religious education.
Hey, Ken, we here in America have something called separation of church and state. If you don't like it, get the hell out of the country. Leave. Move to Iran. You can live in a place where they're not interested in such ideals.
Hey, Ken, we here in America have something called separation of church and state. If you don't like it, get the hell out of the country. Leave. Move to Iran. You can live in a place where they're not interested in such ideals.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Team Meeting
Rep. Paul Ryan, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez secretly spoke to wealthy donors at the Koch brothers’ recently concluded summer gathering on the outskirts of Albuquerque.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Hard To Swallow, Tough To Breathe
Headline: Maine Moves To Opt Out Of Longstanding Anti-Smog Regulations
Brought to you by the Republican governor on behalf of the industrial polluters in his state.
Particulate air pollution kills 34,000 Americans every year. Republicans would rather protect corporate profits than protect the lives of Americans. It's rude to say, but it's true. So you better start saying it.
Brought to you by the Republican governor on behalf of the industrial polluters in his state.
Particulate air pollution kills 34,000 Americans every year. Republicans would rather protect corporate profits than protect the lives of Americans. It's rude to say, but it's true. So you better start saying it.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Whitewater 24/7
Bachmann rips Obama: Accusing GOP of creating 'phony scandals' is insulting.
Truth hurts, eh? Well look, it should be insulting. We're accusing you of creating phony scandals to the detriment of the country. It's immoral, counter productive, and in some cases, criminal. It should be cause for removal from office at the very least. Certainly it should give anybody pause before even thinking about voting GOP.
Using taxpayer time and money to deliberately fabricate Benghazi emails, setting up the IRS to try and frame the president, and prosecuting Democrats on trumped up charges is the stuff of banana republics. They use that crap as a political weapon to weaken Democrats and distract people from the fact they only serve the 1%.
And on a more personal note Ms Bachmann, you're crazy.
Truth hurts, eh? Well look, it should be insulting. We're accusing you of creating phony scandals to the detriment of the country. It's immoral, counter productive, and in some cases, criminal. It should be cause for removal from office at the very least. Certainly it should give anybody pause before even thinking about voting GOP.
Using taxpayer time and money to deliberately fabricate Benghazi emails, setting up the IRS to try and frame the president, and prosecuting Democrats on trumped up charges is the stuff of banana republics. They use that crap as a political weapon to weaken Democrats and distract people from the fact they only serve the 1%.
And on a more personal note Ms Bachmann, you're crazy.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Cancer - R
Daily Kos: Determined to smash the Environmental Protection Agency any way they can, Republicans on the Appropriations Interior and Environment subcommittee voted along party lines Tuesday to chop $2.9 billion off the agency's 2014 budget, leaving it with $5.5 billion next year. The 35 percent cut in H.R. 1582 would leave spending for EPA at what it was more than 35 years ago.
Republicans will give you cancer if they can make a buck for their big business backers. That's not an exaggeration, that's not hyperbole, it's just the cold, hard, horrible truth.
Republicans will give you cancer if they can make a buck for their big business backers. That's not an exaggeration, that's not hyperbole, it's just the cold, hard, horrible truth.
Monday, July 22, 2013
The Confederates
Rush Limbaugh:
If you have any doubt about which side is which, Google "the southern strategy" and read all about how Rush's modern GOP deliberately built its base with racists. If you have any doubt, notice that to this day the modern Republican parrty has its political and philosophical power base in the confederate south. And if you still have doubt, go there, and see if GOP base doesn't prefer the confederate flag to the American flag.
If any race of people should not have guilt about slavery it’s Caucasians. The White race has probably had fewer slaves and for a briefer period of time than any other in the history of the world. [...]
Despite all that, no other race has ever fought a war for the purpose of ending slavery, which we did. Nearly 600,000 people killed in the Civil War. It’s preposterous that Caucasians are blamed for slavery when they have done more to end it than any other race and within the bounds of the Constitution to boot. Yet white guilt about slavery is still one of the dominating factors in American politics.Ok, yeah... see the problem is that "we" did not fight a war for the purpose of ending slavery. Conservatives in the south fought that war to keep slavery. We progressives, we northerners, we non-confederates, fought that war to end slavery. And today Rush is on the side of the confederates.
If you have any doubt about which side is which, Google "the southern strategy" and read all about how Rush's modern GOP deliberately built its base with racists. If you have any doubt, notice that to this day the modern Republican parrty has its political and philosophical power base in the confederate south. And if you still have doubt, go there, and see if GOP base doesn't prefer the confederate flag to the American flag.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Scandalmania!
Conservative pundit Dana Loech on President Obama's race speech yesterday: "It’s a combo protest diversion from scandals and attempt to weaken laws protecting right to self defense."
Ah yes, the "scandals" you don't hear anything about anymore. The reason you don't hear anything about them anymore (Loech's most recent dry heave not withstanding) is because they were all fabrications and set ups by the GOP. In Benghazi the emails were doctored, with the IRS it turns out Issa and his Republican hacks at the IRS tried to frame the President, and the spying thing, well, Loech used to love that stuff when Bush was doing it.
So... she can go straight to hell (and she should rest assured her Republican party will be right behind her).
Ah yes, the "scandals" you don't hear anything about anymore. The reason you don't hear anything about them anymore (Loech's most recent dry heave not withstanding) is because they were all fabrications and set ups by the GOP. In Benghazi the emails were doctored, with the IRS it turns out Issa and his Republican hacks at the IRS tried to frame the President, and the spying thing, well, Loech used to love that stuff when Bush was doing it.
So... she can go straight to hell (and she should rest assured her Republican party will be right behind her).
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Kill The Public School System
TPM: A Republican lawmaker in Utah outlined a proposal last week to abolish compulsory education in the state.
State Sen. Aaron Osmond (R) argued that certain "parents act as if the responsibility to educate, and even care for their child, is primarily the responsibility of the public school system."
In a country ruled by Republicans there is no public eduction. You better know that.
State Sen. Aaron Osmond (R) argued that certain "parents act as if the responsibility to educate, and even care for their child, is primarily the responsibility of the public school system."
In a country ruled by Republicans there is no public eduction. You better know that.
Working For The People Of New York
Think Progress: Health care premiums on the individual market will tumble by at least 50 percent as a result of the Affordable Care Act, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. The state joins Oregon, Montana, California, and Louisiana in reporting lower than expected rates in the law’s new health care marketplaces.
In states that have allowed Obamacare to be implemented premiums are falling. In these places Obamcare is working on behalf of the citizens of this country, just as it was designed to do. If you're unlucky enough to live in a red state however, Republicans are fighting implementation of the law and trying to sabotage it as much as possible. So no affordable healthcare for you.
This is because Republicans legislate on behalf the ridiculously rich people who run big for-profit corporations and not you. You can die in the gutter or go broke trying not to for all they care, as long as Steven J Helmsly is happy.
In states that have allowed Obamacare to be implemented premiums are falling. In these places Obamcare is working on behalf of the citizens of this country, just as it was designed to do. If you're unlucky enough to live in a red state however, Republicans are fighting implementation of the law and trying to sabotage it as much as possible. So no affordable healthcare for you.
This is because Republicans legislate on behalf the ridiculously rich people who run big for-profit corporations and not you. You can die in the gutter or go broke trying not to for all they care, as long as Steven J Helmsly is happy.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Sad State
MoveOn.org petition:
But Move On makes a good point. Zimmerman walked because of Republican-NRA-ALEC-right-wing laws. And these laws are being pushed in over 30 states. You and your family are at risk in all of them.
Florida is not a safe place to take your family for vacation as long as Florida law permits a citizen to shoot or kill you for merely looking suspicious, and to do it with impunity. Boycott Florida tourism until this dangerous law is overturned. If the murder of Trayvon Martin isn't enough to get lawmaker's attention, maybe a loss in revenue to the state would be.Given what just happened, that's really not hyperbole. Go to California instead.
But Move On makes a good point. Zimmerman walked because of Republican-NRA-ALEC-right-wing laws. And these laws are being pushed in over 30 states. You and your family are at risk in all of them.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Their Flock
Headline: Tea Party Republicans flocking to appear Monday at white nationalist-connected march.
Because they know who their core constituency is, after all.
Because they know who their core constituency is, after all.
Monday, July 8, 2013
NOT - YOUR - TEAM
Think Progress: Americans for Prosperity — a conservative group funded by the Koch brothers — is spending millions on ads that aim to turn Americans against the Affordable Care Act, just as government officials prepare to enroll the uninsured in the law’s new health care exchanges beginning on October 1. The campaign will eschew attacks on President Obama in favor of a new non-ideological tone that could appeal “young women” who watch the Food Network, “Law & Order,” and “Good Morning America.”
That's pretty strange. The election is over. But anyway, if you believe these billionaire industrialists are out for your best interest, and give a half a rip about your healthcare (other than getting rich off it) go ahead and believe what you will hear in this disinformation campaign. If you believe that, vote Republican. If you don't, then you understand why it's beyond ridiculous for anybody who's not an billionaire industrialist to vote GOP.
That's pretty strange. The election is over. But anyway, if you believe these billionaire industrialists are out for your best interest, and give a half a rip about your healthcare (other than getting rich off it) go ahead and believe what you will hear in this disinformation campaign. If you believe that, vote Republican. If you don't, then you understand why it's beyond ridiculous for anybody who's not an billionaire industrialist to vote GOP.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Can't Serve Both.
CAIRO — Egypt's new president moved to assert his authority and regain control of the streets Saturday even as his Islamist opponents declared his powers illegitimate and issued blood oaths to reinstate Mohammed Morsi, whose ouster by the military has led to dueling protests and deadly street battles between rival sides.
But underscoring the sharp divisions facing the untested leader, Adly Mansour, his office said pro-reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei had been named as interim prime minister but later backtracked on the decision saying consultations were continuing. A politician close to ElBaradei said the reversal was due to objections by an ultraconservative Islamist party with which the new administration wants to cooperate.
They're having the same problems in Egypt as we have here with the Republican party here at home. The fact of the matter is religious conservatives can't be allowed to serve in a democratic government. They're allegiance is to God's laws as they see it and not the laws of the people or the constitution upon which they are based. For them to profess otherwise would be an affront to the God they claim to serve.
But underscoring the sharp divisions facing the untested leader, Adly Mansour, his office said pro-reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei had been named as interim prime minister but later backtracked on the decision saying consultations were continuing. A politician close to ElBaradei said the reversal was due to objections by an ultraconservative Islamist party with which the new administration wants to cooperate.
They're having the same problems in Egypt as we have here with the Republican party here at home. The fact of the matter is religious conservatives can't be allowed to serve in a democratic government. They're allegiance is to God's laws as they see it and not the laws of the people or the constitution upon which they are based. For them to profess otherwise would be an affront to the God they claim to serve.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
American Taliban
Think Progress: The North Carolina legislature is advancing a package of stringent abortion restrictions that appeared in the Senate this week without any public notice. The anti-abortion measures popped up on Tuesday night, tacked onto a controversial measure to ban Sharia law, and caught women’s health advocates completely off-guard.
Ironic they're using an anti-Sharia law (which is ridiculous enough by itself) to violate the basic human rights of women in the state of North Carolina. If they want to subjugate women under the color of religion like that they should just move to a Muslim country and practice Sharia law.
Ironic they're using an anti-Sharia law (which is ridiculous enough by itself) to violate the basic human rights of women in the state of North Carolina. If they want to subjugate women under the color of religion like that they should just move to a Muslim country and practice Sharia law.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Scumbags
Raw Story: The bombshell IRS audit released in May omitted information about liberal groups at the request of House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA), according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s office.
A spokesman for Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George told The Hill on Tuesday that Issa had requested investigators “narrowly focus on tea party organizations.”
This whole thing has been a set up. What Issa and his Republican colleagues in the house are doing is a disgrace. They're not fit to hold public office. Republicans can't be trusted. It's a simple as that.
A spokesman for Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George told The Hill on Tuesday that Issa had requested investigators “narrowly focus on tea party organizations.”
This whole thing has been a set up. What Issa and his Republican colleagues in the house are doing is a disgrace. They're not fit to hold public office. Republicans can't be trusted. It's a simple as that.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Just The First Poll Tax
TPM: Texas is wasting no time capitalizing on the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Voting Rights Act.
Shortly after the high court issued a sweeping 5-4 decision Tuesday striking down a centerpiece of the historic 1965 law, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) vowed to immediately implement a controversial voter ID law in the Lone Star State that was blocked last year by the now-gutted preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act.
Well that didn't take long. What was that 4 hours? Granny better find her birth certificate.
This is but one way they're making it harder for the poor, the elderly, the disabled, minority, young and Democrats in general to vote. Others ways include but are not limited to making it impossible for college students to cast ballots on campus, limiting the number of voting machines in urban precincts so Democratic base groups have to wait hours in line to vote (many will abandon their effort), while ensuring there are plenty of machines available in suburban Republican precincts, keeping felons off the voting rolls, even after they've paid their debt to society, creating voter ID laws so restrictive, that even drivers licenses aren't good enough to vote and imprisoning people for registering voters.
This strikes at the very heart of our democracy. There's only one way to correct this outrage. We have an election in 2014. Work to elect a Democratic majority in congress and the ability to vote to vote will be returned to everybody the very next day. Keep the GOP in power and it could be your vote they take away next.
Shortly after the high court issued a sweeping 5-4 decision Tuesday striking down a centerpiece of the historic 1965 law, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) vowed to immediately implement a controversial voter ID law in the Lone Star State that was blocked last year by the now-gutted preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act.
Well that didn't take long. What was that 4 hours? Granny better find her birth certificate.
This is but one way they're making it harder for the poor, the elderly, the disabled, minority, young and Democrats in general to vote. Others ways include but are not limited to making it impossible for college students to cast ballots on campus, limiting the number of voting machines in urban precincts so Democratic base groups have to wait hours in line to vote (many will abandon their effort), while ensuring there are plenty of machines available in suburban Republican precincts, keeping felons off the voting rolls, even after they've paid their debt to society, creating voter ID laws so restrictive, that even drivers licenses aren't good enough to vote and imprisoning people for registering voters.
This strikes at the very heart of our democracy. There's only one way to correct this outrage. We have an election in 2014. Work to elect a Democratic majority in congress and the ability to vote to vote will be returned to everybody the very next day. Keep the GOP in power and it could be your vote they take away next.
Gonna Party Like It's 1964
TPM: South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson (R) praised the Supreme Court's ruling on the Voting Rights Act Tuesday, claiming that a provision struck from the legislation had "imposed an extraordinary intrusion into state sovereignty."
Yeah, they said the same thing when we forced them to end slavery. In fact, the Voting Rights Act was a direct response to conservative efforts to answer the end of slavery with a massive terror campaign designed to among other things, keep black people from voting.
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the union in order to fight for slavery. Given that a return to slavery is out of the question, it stands to reason they would again want the right to keep black people from voting. We understand why conservatives do what they do, but that doesn't make them any less putrid and disgusting.
Yeah, they said the same thing when we forced them to end slavery. In fact, the Voting Rights Act was a direct response to conservative efforts to answer the end of slavery with a massive terror campaign designed to among other things, keep black people from voting.
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the union in order to fight for slavery. Given that a return to slavery is out of the question, it stands to reason they would again want the right to keep black people from voting. We understand why conservatives do what they do, but that doesn't make them any less putrid and disgusting.
Traitors To Democracy, Civil Rights, America
Huffingtonpost: The Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act on Tuesday, the provision of the landmark civil rights law that designates which parts of the country must have changes to their voting laws cleared by the federal government or in federal court.
The 5-4 ruling, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts joined by Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, found that “things have changed dramatically” in the south nearly 50 years after the Voting Rights Act was signed.
What hasn't changed at all is the movement represented by the 5 conservatives on the USSC, the five who voted to gut the voting rights act, the conservative movement - the Republican party - wants to steal elections by robbing all manner of poor, disabled, elderly, young, and minority Americans of their ability to vote.
The Voting Rights Act was the crown jewel of the Civil Rights laws. So basically, you can kiss the Civil Rights Act goodby as well. It seems congress no longer makes law in this country. At least no law the conservatives on the USSC don't like.
But back to the Republican party, they know that if all eligible voters vote, they lose. So they try to keep all eligible voters from voting. It's a simple as that. Remember that the next time you have the opportunity to vote (assuming they haven't already struck you from the rolls).
The 5-4 ruling, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts joined by Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, found that “things have changed dramatically” in the south nearly 50 years after the Voting Rights Act was signed.
What hasn't changed at all is the movement represented by the 5 conservatives on the USSC, the five who voted to gut the voting rights act, the conservative movement - the Republican party - wants to steal elections by robbing all manner of poor, disabled, elderly, young, and minority Americans of their ability to vote.
The Voting Rights Act was the crown jewel of the Civil Rights laws. So basically, you can kiss the Civil Rights Act goodby as well. It seems congress no longer makes law in this country. At least no law the conservatives on the USSC don't like.
But back to the Republican party, they know that if all eligible voters vote, they lose. So they try to keep all eligible voters from voting. It's a simple as that. Remember that the next time you have the opportunity to vote (assuming they haven't already struck you from the rolls).
Monday, June 24, 2013
Wire Hanger Republicans
TPM: One Texas GOP state representative is apparently confused about what "rape kits" are used for.
While the Texas House debated an anti-abortion omnibus bill for 15 hours Sunday night, Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D) called for an exemption for victims of rape and incest, the Associated Press reported. Rep. Jodie Laubenberg (R) objected, saying "rape kits" make that exemption unneccessary:
Rep. Thompson made her case for a rape and incest exemption while a wire hanger hung from her podium's microphone, a symbol of pro-choice protests like the one recently held in Wisconsin.
As we've said before, Todd Akin and all these other Republicans are not saying these crazy things because they think they know something about how the female body works or because they believe whatever bullshit they conjure up about rape kits. They say this stuff because it's a plank in their party platform that abortion should be illegal even in the case of rape, incest, and danger to the mother. They then have motive to minimize pregnancy by rape because most Americans recoil in horror at the notion of being forced to have a rapists baby.
While the Texas House debated an anti-abortion omnibus bill for 15 hours Sunday night, Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D) called for an exemption for victims of rape and incest, the Associated Press reported. Rep. Jodie Laubenberg (R) objected, saying "rape kits" make that exemption unneccessary:
"In the emergency room they have what's called rape kits where a woman can get cleaned out," [Laubenberg] said, comparing the procedure to an abortion. "The woman had five months to make that decision, at this point we are looking at a baby that is very far along in its development."
Her apparent confusion about "rape kits" — a phrase generally used to describe the equipment used by medical personnel during forensic examinations to gather physical evidence following allegations of rape or sexual assault — sparked widespread ridicule on social media sites. Laubenberg then simply rejected all proposed changes to her bill without speaking until the end of the debate.Republicans in the Texas House passed the bill this morning, after hundreds flooded the state legislature to oppose the measure which would place new restrictions on how, when and where a woman could obtain an abortion in the state.
Rep. Thompson made her case for a rape and incest exemption while a wire hanger hung from her podium's microphone, a symbol of pro-choice protests like the one recently held in Wisconsin.
As we've said before, Todd Akin and all these other Republicans are not saying these crazy things because they think they know something about how the female body works or because they believe whatever bullshit they conjure up about rape kits. They say this stuff because it's a plank in their party platform that abortion should be illegal even in the case of rape, incest, and danger to the mother. They then have motive to minimize pregnancy by rape because most Americans recoil in horror at the notion of being forced to have a rapists baby.
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