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abortion, economic theory, economy, GOP, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Rand Paul, school prayer, teabaggers

The jobs numbers came out this morning. Everything is on the uptick. The upturn in the economy continues unabated. This in spite of the naysayers who of course claim that things would be even better if we would do things their way (the business way). They offer no proof of this, but they assure you that if you would just lower corporate taxes to zero and remove all regulations, boards of directors across the country would be voting to “hire as many as will fit in the building” and things will be rosy in no time.

This engenders the usual arguments between Keynesians and Hayekians. If you are not so sure you know who these men are, or what they stand for, well, I have a good place to start.

I am not sure when this came out on PBS, but it is based on the book of the same name written by Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stanislaw. That came out in around 2003 I believe.

It is not for the faint of heart. It’s a six-hour committment. But on the upside, it’s well done and satisfies all the usual desires of one watching a documentary. You can get the DVD or you can watch the entire thing online, and I’ll provide the links at the bottom.

Let me caution you that I don’t at all agree with much of what they say, or at least the inferences they, I think deliberately, urge you to draw. They have a very definite point of view and they avoid a few facts that might cut against their opinion. (Pay especial attention to who is promoting the show at the beginning). That said, it provides a pretty good explanation of what Hayek believed and what Keynes believed. It provides a good foundation to understanding the basics that you will need should you choose to really try to get a handle on what the Krugman’s of the world believe is best for the economy versus the now deceased Milton Friedman.

We’ve only watched the first part, so I’m leaving off any further comments lest I influence your viewing. I’ll post a piece on my views in a couple of weeks or so. So if you are interested, put your feet up and grab a beer or cuppa joe and begin watching. It is entertaining and informative, just not accurate in all respects in my view. Links at the bottom of the page.

Ø

Republicans continue to waste taxpayer money on crap that has nothing to do with economic recovery. Over the Governor’s veto, Arkansas just passed a law making it illegal to abort a fetus after twelve weeks. That’s of course unconstitutional on its face and seems destined to offer the SCOTUS an opportunity to either overturn Roe or restrict it. Idaho’s twenty week law was just struck down by a federal district court.

Meanwhile, in Mississippi, another bastion of free thought, the senate has just passed a bill that would allow school prayer again, most especially before classes start (during morning announcements) and before athletic events. Students would also be allowed to freely discuss religious faith issues during class time. This is also unconstitutional on its face.

What is ironic here, is that the very people who support this crap are the same folks who are hellbent to tell you that Democrats and the present administration have no faith let allow adherence to the Constitution and are violating it every day. Of course, they are not. They are just redressing their grievances that the damn document doesn’t say what they want, and making sure that it’s altered to accomplish that.

It all depends, is their answer to “do you believe we should follow the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court?”

Ø

The water pressure dropped severely yesterday in Washington D.C. as John McCain and Lindsey Graham both spend a long time washing off the icky after finding themselves supporting the black guy in the White House against the strange man from Kentucky, Ru Paul, I mean Randy Paul on the drones issue. Two finer hawks were never born than McCain the man who continually drove planes into the ground, and the Lindsey, a man who one can’t begin to imagine in a uniform except as part of a sexual liaison in the bedroom.

Ø

The best response to anyone who tries to tell you that homosexuality is a “choice” is to ask them what was the date when they “chose” to be heterosexual. What them sputter and try to get out of that dilemma.

Ø

I think Romney’s the right choice for speechifying at CPAC. After watching his interview with Wallace the other night, it appears he’s still living in the delusions that caused his defeat. That should be right up the alley of the teabibbers doncha think?

Ø

This just tickled me. John McCain was quoted as saying this:

“It’s always the wacko birds on right and left that get the media megaphone.”

I mean I hear the Oxford Dictionary calling to get that photo of John to place next to the word: IRONY.

Ø

From Don of Massachusetts:

Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.

– The Buddha

This seems a good place to say, HAVE A GOOD DAY!

Commanding Heights Pt 1

Commanding Heights Pt 2

Commanding Heights Pt 3

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• Would Hayek Have Approved Obamacare? – Reason.com (politicalcrazyness.tumblr.com)

 

Gimme What I Want! Just Give Me A Second to Decide What That Is!

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Arizona, Catholicism, GOP, gun control, Health care, Lindsey Graham, NRA, teabaggers, Virginia

Lindsey Graham Flings his poo

Yes, our little Lord Fauntleroy is having another tantrum. Lindsey has apparently missed the fact that (a) the election is over and his side lost and (b) the tea baggers are not sophisticated to understand that he is no longer a MODERATE and is one of them, (at least until his next election). He continues to wring his hands with plenty of “oh what to do, what to do” as his hankie waves desperately.

Usually it’s enough that Johnny S tells him what to do and Lindsey dutifully says, “yes Johnny boy, whatever you say, oh you cute old grumpy drawers,” but as they say, fear is a powerful thing. Faced with the serious threat of being “primaried” Lindsey has looked down and started to see a Johnson actually peeping out of his nether regions. It may be a tiny Johnson, but according to the pictures he’s seen (on THOSE sites on the Intertubes), he’s pretty sure it’s  a real Johnson all right.

And well, he is in a full-blown episode of the vapors. “Lawdy, lawdy, what ever shall I do without that fine old office to nap in on the Hill?” What would Truman Capote do at a time like this? Write a book?

Anyway, dear old Lindsey is threatening to hold up the nominations of EVERYBODY until he gets his way. After all, he’s can’t come up with anything else to raise cain about since nobody has yet called for him to come down and ride the Queen’s float in the Mardi Gras festivities. It is apparently also insufficient that Lindsey has been named as the proof positive that Darwin was wrong. The Smithsonian has promised his brain front and center status at his demise, or sooner since he has little use for it anyway.

In the end, we see, Republicans are in such a feeding frenzy of their own, that all good people globally need only sit back and watch the festivities. Popcorn anyone?

Φ

Meanwhile, over in the United State of Zooniville (once referred to as Arizona), the good Sheriff of Stupidham, Joe Arpaio, who arms anybody who shows up and calls them “volunteer deputies”, has set aside the important business of birther investigation (well he MIGHT try for a third term ya know), and has taken up the cause of “protectin’ the lit’lins in our scools”. Yes, none other than ACTOR Steven Segal, ACTOR if I forgot to mention, has been called upon  to LEARN the gun-happy volunteers how to strap on up, and catch them some crazy. Maricopa county, Zooniville now has some 3,500 of these folks, loaded with clips and weaponry sneakin’ around every public place, demanding “lemme see your hands! On your knees! Spread ’em”.

If you contemplate a vacation in the area?

NO!

Darwin you LIAR!

Φ

The NRA may be one of the greater collections of sub-human examples of what Darwin got wrong. Beyond La Pee Pee Pierre, there is this delightful jackass who spoke at the NRA Wisconsin State Convention, one Bob Welch.

Welch is mighty darn sure that there will be no gun legislation of any kind, because of course, that can’t happen until it’s okayed by them, and they are not okaying a damn thing except more rhetoric that you all better keep buying every gun in sight, cuz, well, you know why.

We have a strong agenda coming up for next year, but of course a lot of that’s going to be delayed as the “Connecticut effect” has to go through the process. […] What’s even more telling is the people who don’t like guns pretty much realize that they can’t do a thing unless they talk to us. After Connecticut I had one of the leading Democrats in the legislature—he was with us most of the time, not all the time—he came to me and said, “Bob, I got all these people in my caucus that really want to ban guns and do all this bad stuff, we gotta give them something. How about we close this gun show loophole? Wouldn’t that be good?” And I said, “no, we’re not going to do that.” And so far, nothing’s happened on that.

Connecticut effect huh? Human’s call it GRIEF you sick bastard.

And guess what?

And in 1999, you blowheads were ADVOCATING complete and full background checks.

Tell us again that this is not about your conspiracy-under-every-bed ideas that the Black guy in the White House is gonna declare himself king and take away all your guns? Tell us that, huh?

Go do that impossible thing to yourself will ya?

Φ

While we have plenty of examples of private industry attempting to lower the number of hours worked by their employees to under 30 hours so that they can avoid providing health care (Applebees, Olive Garden, etc), the state of Virginia through its budget plan seeks to do the same thing. This appears to be the first incidence of a Republican led state intending to hurt its citizens in order to vent its anger at Obamacare.

As citizens of those states see that their counterparts in other states continue to receive health care, I believe that Mr. McDonnell and his band of Republican light-heads will rue the day they tried this little trick.

Republicans have long forgotten exactly WHY they are elected in the first place.

Φ

I gotta tell ya, my phone has been ringing off the hook ever since the news hit.

What new?

Oh the pope is taking early retirement.

Yeah, he’s heading off to soak up the sun along the Riviera.

Anyway, everyone is begging me to give ’em the scoop on who will be the new Pope.

Seein’ as how I’m Catholic and all, and well Bennie calls me nearly every week. . . .

Well, il papa John Paul II, was an ultra conservative, and while clutching the throne of Peter, he hugely enlarged the College of Cardinals, and made sure that all his new Cardinals were of a similar right-wing persuasion.

So, unless the Holy Spirit jumps into the fray as in Vatican II (now gutted by humans who of course KNOW better than God), expect that the next pope will not be any more friendly than the last two when it comes to contraception, gay marriage, women’s ordination,  or anything along those lines.

You heard it here.

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• Hey, Without the Sarcasm and Prissy Walk, Lindsey Graham is Just Another GOP Jerk (juanitajean.com)
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• Will Lindsey Graham ever accept the 2012 election results? Does he need counseling? (mbcalyn.com)

The Good News Is. . . .

Tags

AIG, banks, climate change, Entertainment, environment, gay rights, GOP, gun control, Lindsey Graham, NRA, right wing nuts, teabaggers

After the bad. I believe in delayed gratification. I told you that a thousand times. Take your medicine and then you can have dessert. So this is your medicine:

This is how we are going to win the war against assault weapons. Bring on this fool along with Mr. La Pee Pee Lapierre and this goose is cooked. I mean, as Commonweal suggested, THIS is all you need to argue in favor of gun control. This fool should never be allowed near a safety-pin let alone a gun.

So you have had your medicine and now you get the dessert:

1. I’m told that according to Rasmussen polling, only about 8% of people now identify with the agenda of the Tea People. That’s great news. The GOP appears screwed however since they have gerrymandered the map so badly that at least on the congressional level they will still be finding these bedbugs crawling out from under the mattress for some time to come. Which means the GOP will continue to act and sound like petulant and really stupid children who need a good paddling, if I were of the persuasion that children should be assaulted physically, which I am not. But it’s worth considering an exception here. No, just kidding. Just pat them on the head and send them to bed without supper.
2. The Washington National Cathedral, home to the diocese of the Washington Episcopal church announced it will be performing same-sex marriage. This is in keeping with the national church’s decisions as I understand it. The national church was on the verge of this I believe when I was still involved with it, a couple of years ago. This is wonderful news to all of us who believe in equality.
3. Lindsey Graham continues to dig out from under John McCain’s shadow and establish that he can be an even bigger douche on his own. Lindsey, terrified of being primaried for 2014, is just throwing tantrums left and right. His latest? He may place a hold on Brennan’s confirmation as the next director the CIA unless he gets answers on Benghazi. Do you hear? Lindsey wants answers. He’s determined to try to prove that the Obama administration changed the facts to help the election campaign, although it is still unclear how that was supposed to work. Lindsey sounds like Julia Child on drugs. And he is still determined to “shut ‘er down” if he doesn’t get some spending cuts and pronto too. This is all Lindsey is saying now, until he gets new directives from the Tea People who depend on 6th graders to transcribe their irrational thoughts onto paper.
4. Nicki Minaj has just signed with KMart to do a line of clothes. I know, I can’t wait either.
5. The military is thinking of offering yoga and meditation classes. This has Tony Perkins of Family Research Council all in a tizzy. It seems to this nut looking for shell, such things are “wacky substitutes” for that good time religion of the fundamentalist flavor.
6. You have heard of the Breitbots haven’t you? Breitbart is deceased. But his followers go on in his name. One of them has written a book. It suggests that after all this time of being so nice to liberals, they just can’t do it any more. It’s time to be uncivil they proclaim. I don’t think if we hadn’t been told we would ever have known the difference. No more compromise with those bullies they shout!
7. Winner of the “YOU DAMN FOOL” award this week goes to Congressman Steve Palazzo, who years after Katrina is still asking Congress for money for his state of Mississippi, didn’t vote for disaster relief for the victims of super storm Sandy. We understand the Congressman has suddenly realized that stupidity has consequences. He now pledges his support. Tea People–stupid is as stupid does.
8. AIG, who in concert with a few others, nearly ruined this country. They were bailed out. They were SAVED from their own stupidity. They have paid the money back. Now they are thinking of suing the US government, kinda of like saying, thanks for saving my life, but dang you tore my expensive jacket in the process–please pay for it. What a bunch of douches. (I need new words to describe these dopes) Just go to jail, and do not pass GO.
9. Move along, no gawking. Nothing going on here. Oh, yes, the US recorded the highest average temperature EVER in the history of counting. EVER. But that is got nothing to do with climate change. There is snow on the ground in the usual places. ‘Nuf said.

I know, you are plum tuckered out from all that dessert. So take a break and move into a mood swing or two.

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And Three Makes a Bowl of Stupid

Tags

Benghazi, humor and satire, John McCain, Kelly Ayotte, Lindsey Graham, Susan Rice, United States Naval Academy

What do an old bitter man and a closeted sycophant need? Why they need a Kelly Ayotte, a literal nobody from pretty much nowhere who can be womanly, albeit white, but at least she protects the dynamic duds from being charged with sexism!

In the ongoing attempt to make  mountains from mole hills or pretty up a pig, the John Sidney and his sidekick nasal Linda, err Lindsey, are blubbering that they are *stamp* *stamp* still not happy with Ms. Rice and well heck, they are just not happy.

Among the things they are not happy about are:

1. John is still not happy that he lost the election in 2008.
2. John is still not happy that he let his super staff choose Sarah (I just wanna be somebody or make a couple of million–either one) Palin as his running mate.
3. John is still not happy that he was a relatively stupid Naval Academy student and graduated bout sixth from LAST, and drove more than one plane into the ground, managed to get captured and spilled his guts relatively soon thereafter and has never been properly rewarded by his country from his point of view.
4. John is still not happy that his father never felt he met expectations.
5. John is still not happy that he has to pretend to be a happily married man when all he really wanted was the money.
6. John is still not happy that he is old, has little hair left, and can’t get even a middle-aged woman to look at him more than once.
7. Lindsey is still not happy that he is unable to accept the fact that he likes men over women, which he definitely doesn’t call homosexuality, but knows that he doesn’t like it one bit.
8. Lindsey is still not happy that everyone knows that he kisses John’s ass for reasons that nobody wants to even guess at because it makes one’s brain hurt and makes anyone to shudder uncontrollable at the mind picture of what that might entail.
9. Lindsey is still not happy that he finds himself not sufficiently conservative enough to stave off a primary challenge in his state in 2014.
10. Lindsey is still not happy that he is named Lindsey–whether he blames his mother or his father is up for grabs.
11. Lindsey is still not happy that he keeps getting personal invitations to speak before the Log Cabin Republicans and all are hand delivered with a *wink* *wink* *nudge* nudge*-know what I mean?
12. Lindsey is still not happy when Joe Lieberman snickers at his straight out of Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire’s Blanche DuBois voice.
13. Kelly is still not happy that they chose her to make up the new Three Amigos.
14. Kelly is still not happy that she is from such a dreary state as New Hampshire which has its own issues with silly accents.
15. Kelly is still not happy that she has to ask John what a “hold” is and why she has to threaten to do it.
16. Kelly is still not happy that she isn’t quite sure who Susan Rice is or why the two men are so mad at her.
17. Kelly is still not happy that Mitch McConnell just laughs uncontrollably when she calls him on the phone.

This is not, never was, and never will be about Susan Rice.

This is about John’s anger, Lindsey’s fear, and Kelly’s new-found idea that she might be able to run for President someday if she gets some name recognition. As you would expect, their behavior is despicable, and the GOP is ill-served by their misdirection. But they, like the lunatics that call themselves Tea People, are too lock-jawed stupid to see beyond their own personal whines.

And so the Democrats need only sit back and watch the circus and call for a soda and some popcorn.

Bring on the clowns!

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While Digging Through the Dumpster, I Found. . . .

Tags

Arizona, drill baby drill, Family Research Council, gay rights, George Rekers, GOP, gulf oil spill, homophobia, immigration, Individual Rights, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Latino rights, Lindsey Graham, Lou Dobson, Michael Brown, Miranda, Phoenix Suns, Republicans, terrorism

Well, it remains true, truth as they say, is stranger than fiction, and Merika is just the gol durned funniest place! I kid you not, and other such terms. Oh boy have we got the dishiest stuff today!

I guess one must conclude that the religious right is just the location where we can find the closeted gay community these days. There seems a never-ending list of homophobic bible thumping “ministers” all doin’ the nasty behind not so closed doors.

Anyway, one George Alan Rekers, co-founder with our good homophobe Lou Dobson, of the Family Research Council, was caught with his baggage hanging out in a Miami airport.

Seems Mr. Rekers, or Pastor Rekers, I should say, was accompanied by a lad hired from Rentboy.com a rather salacious site, noted for pairing youngish “men” with, well who ever is willing to pay. Said “Lucian” accompanied said minister through a two-week vacation in Europe.

Now, Mr. Rekers denies any hanky panky, in mock shock we are told, declaring that although he did hire the boy from Rentboy, he had no idea that it was THAT kind of site. (Odd since the description of said lad was to say the least, rather descriptive of his, err,  nether parts.)

In any case, Mr. Rekers, swears to God, that said Lucian was only there to “carry his baggage” made difficult for Mr. Rekers to do since a surgery hampered his ability in that way. Which all led to this lovely quip over at Unreasonable Faith:

He needed help “lifting his luggage,” if you know what I mean. It replaces “hiking the Appalachian Trail” and “wide stance” as the newest euphemism created by a sex scandal.

I mean, it’s a wacky world out there folks. I can imagine the activity going on at the FRC. Oh to be a fly on the wall!

***

There was a reversal of poles the other day. Don’t know if you noticed or not, but it sure happened. This is near enough to make one’s head implode, and dear, wouldn’t that be messy?

Speaking of gays in the closet–Lindsey Graham (no we did not say that!)  and his stooge friends Johnny and Joey, are at it again, pretending to be grownups and messin’ around in adult conversation.

Johnny and Joey have been arguing that, why heck, American citizens, if suspected of terrorist behavior should be denied their rights. Yep, you heard that right–they should not be Mirandized, but should be turned over the military immediately, for, shall we say, more “serious” interrogation?

Now, we know why Johnny is spouting like a horses ass, since of course his precious door label of S E N A T O R is in jeopardy, but Joey? Have we forgotten the life and times of average Jews in Berlin in the 30’s and 40’s? HUH?  And, well, Lindsey, I guess we KNOW what your issue is, we just don’t know which one of them is your man–unless both.

The cold day in hell when something Glenn Beck said would be sane? Well, it’s that day folks. He DISAGREED with said three simpletons.

***

Well, didn’t ya just know this would happen. The nutso Rethugs have NO idea where the idea came about that THEY were associated with such a blatantly wrong-headed chant of drill baby drill. Nope, no idea. Um…maybe some candidate or other, some minor local election might have used it, but nope, nope, not a REPUBLICAN phrase, of that you can be sure.

Was bound to happen ya know. Short memories, or more likely short minds. But happily, the good editors of the HuffPo, do recall, and do have the footage and do have the transcripts. Ain’t modern technology just grand?

It might just be that the Rethugs won’t find all that mid term election business quite as a much a walk in the park as they had assumed. And worse, we hear tell that the Prez is interested in pushing immigration reform THIS year, and that can hardly make any Rethug begging for a Latino bump feel very happy.

***

Michael Brown oozed out from under his rock to attempt to resurrect himself (meaning he has a book he is trying to sell). While out, he tried to put off his general irrelevance to anything in the world by ‘splainin’ to us that he has the real lowdown on the gulf catastrophe.

According to Brownie, who knows all about bein’ a douche, the president deliberately waited to step in on the tragedy of the oil spill. As the waste product sees it,  

“this is an opportunity for a president who wants to bankrupt the coal industry, and basically get rid of the oil and gas industry, to shut down offshore drilling.” 

Now, get back under that rock Brownie.

***

And now to prove that garbage pickers can find a jewel at times:

The Los Suns did a great thing the other night. It may seem like a small thing, but it was, trust me, great. They gave us reason to hope that this country is not basically too far down the rat hole to retrieve. Read it and be proud.

***

Some days, well, this is how you feel, and it’s okay.  With a H/T to Elizabeth at Telling Secrets:

. . . . I am hellishly angry; I think so-and-so is a swine; I am tortured by worry about this or that; I am pretty certain that I have missed my chances in life; this or that has left me feeling terribly depressed. But nonetheless here I am like this, feeling both bloody and bloody-minded, and I am going to stay here for ten minutes. You are most unlikely to give me anything. I know that. But I am going to stay here for ten minutes nonetheless. Amen.
Harry Williams.

And that’s how it is today. Have a good one.