Some smart son of a bitch should put together a three minute video, set to some memorable tune, that has Willard Romney repeating his greatest gaffes (the $10,000 bet, corporations are people, my friend, etc,).
The smart son of a bitch could also indude this doozy, showing that Willard just can't get that silver spoon out of his mouth. Seems that magnanimous bastard thinks all of our young folks should have all the education they can afford. Not the education that could help them succeed, not the education that will help America compete in the global economy, but the education they can afford.
So if you happen to be an A student who's poor, better get used to using that brain of yours to serve Willard and his pals their lattes, because a high school diploma is probably all you're going to get (if that with that hateful Paul Ryan calling the budgetary shots). And better get used to that "shot at a dream" life Willard says you can have, you know, living in that one bedroom apartment, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and slapping your feet on the highway as you ride your Flintstones mobile to work.
Do people understand what republicans are telling them? "The American dream is over and we don't give a fuck about you or your family. We aren't about to tax millionaires and billionaires so your fucking dumb ass kids can go to school. We'll just set fire to your bodies when you start dying in the streets--it'll kill the stench. Get over it."
It's only through the grace of God that no one has started executing these assholes yet.
Peace,
emaycee
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Saturday in the park
A sampling, two days into the SCOTUS decision on Obamacare:
As schizoid, bonkers, inane, idiotic, and mind-boggling as the above points are, they will be a classical concert in the county park compared to how far out into space republicans are going to go this November if President Obama wins re-election. And judging from the numbers at 538, that's looking--though it's still early--more likely by the day.
Yes, indeed, we might have quite the show this November--we could call it "The Poorest Losers."
Peace,
emaycee
- John Roberts was strung out on epilepsy medicine.
- President Obama is the moral equivalent of Hugo Chavez
- Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana compares the SCOTUS decision to 9/11.
- Sen. Rand Paul (and how fucked up are they in Kentucky that they gave this idiot six years in office?) says the Supreme Court isn't the arbiter of what's constitutional.
- Gov. Bobby Jindal (supposedly a "serious" player in 2016--guffaw, guffaw--should Willard lose) says the ruling means the guv'mint could make us eat tofu.
- A New Hampshire Antoinette leader hopes the five Justices who voted to uphold get colon cancer (what they hell good would that do? they've all already have great health insurance).
- An Antoinette leader in Mississippi calls for open rebellion (so did a Michigan republican, but I'm not linking it because the republicans have already embarrassed the state enough this summer).
As schizoid, bonkers, inane, idiotic, and mind-boggling as the above points are, they will be a classical concert in the county park compared to how far out into space republicans are going to go this November if President Obama wins re-election. And judging from the numbers at 538, that's looking--though it's still early--more likely by the day.
Yes, indeed, we might have quite the show this November--we could call it "The Poorest Losers."
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, June 29, 2012
Well, so much for that
So I'm all prepared with my stats for why ruling Obamacare unconstitutional will be a disaster for America, I've got my Antoinette quote ready to go, I've got my future strategy all ready to go...and the Supreme Court upholds (most of) it.
As my father used to say, Fuck me to tears.
I'm sure the number of books, articles, and blog posts that will be written about why Chief Justice Roberts joined the court Liberals will be able to fill libraries eventually, and there are many people who have a much greater understanding and have done much further study on the law than I, but I think quite simply, the Court knew from the get-go they had to uphold this to prevent a legal quagmire over exactly what Congress can do, Roberts won a great concession with turning it into a tax question, and that Roberts took one for the team, like good leaders do (and gave Justice Kennedy's ass a rest as he's usually the one that has to side with the Liberals on social issues).
In the end, I'm not sure it matters. It's good (from a perception standpoint), though not great, for Obama's re-election chances, but even more importantly, as even the often caustic Digby noted in her somewhat muted reaction, it helps millions upon millions of Americans to get better and more healthcare.
Amen.
Peace,
emaycee
As my father used to say, Fuck me to tears.
I'm sure the number of books, articles, and blog posts that will be written about why Chief Justice Roberts joined the court Liberals will be able to fill libraries eventually, and there are many people who have a much greater understanding and have done much further study on the law than I, but I think quite simply, the Court knew from the get-go they had to uphold this to prevent a legal quagmire over exactly what Congress can do, Roberts won a great concession with turning it into a tax question, and that Roberts took one for the team, like good leaders do (and gave Justice Kennedy's ass a rest as he's usually the one that has to side with the Liberals on social issues).
In the end, I'm not sure it matters. It's good (from a perception standpoint), though not great, for Obama's re-election chances, but even more importantly, as even the often caustic Digby noted in her somewhat muted reaction, it helps millions upon millions of Americans to get better and more healthcare.
Amen.
Peace,
emaycee
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Only for so long
Digby linked to a post earlier this week wherein the central claim was that republicans are throwing so much money into this campaign (reportedly, the Obama campaign expects to be outspent 3 to 1--and that's saying something considering Obama will probably come close to raising a billion dollars) not only to win it, but to demoralize Democratic activists and everyday voters who they hope will come to believe that fighting back against so much money is futile.
I suppose there's a germ of possibility here for republicans--moreso with everyday voters than Democratic activists. I voted for Mondale in '84 knowing full well he was going to get routed, same for Dukakis in '88, and I didn't get demoralized. I believed there was a significant difference in the two parties and continued to vote. Digby also raises a good point with the fact that there are only so many ads voters can see in a day (not to mention that everybody, even zealots like me, eventually start tuning them out) and inundating the airwaves with their republican bullshit could backfire.
In the end, though, the republican strategy of demoralizing their opponents and the undecideds might win out in the short term, but I don't think it's in the American character to give up. After all, this country was founded when people got fed up with the bullshit of King George III, and it had to be somewhat demoralizing knowing that the lowly colonists were taking on the greatest military power in the world with little money and a ragtag army (and a politically divided colonial states as well). Still, we told him to go fuck himself and eventually opened up a can of whup ass on the redcoats.
And a billion dollars won't buy shit if there's guerilla warfare on the streets of America.
Peace,
emaycee
I suppose there's a germ of possibility here for republicans--moreso with everyday voters than Democratic activists. I voted for Mondale in '84 knowing full well he was going to get routed, same for Dukakis in '88, and I didn't get demoralized. I believed there was a significant difference in the two parties and continued to vote. Digby also raises a good point with the fact that there are only so many ads voters can see in a day (not to mention that everybody, even zealots like me, eventually start tuning them out) and inundating the airwaves with their republican bullshit could backfire.
In the end, though, the republican strategy of demoralizing their opponents and the undecideds might win out in the short term, but I don't think it's in the American character to give up. After all, this country was founded when people got fed up with the bullshit of King George III, and it had to be somewhat demoralizing knowing that the lowly colonists were taking on the greatest military power in the world with little money and a ragtag army (and a politically divided colonial states as well). Still, we told him to go fuck himself and eventually opened up a can of whup ass on the redcoats.
And a billion dollars won't buy shit if there's guerilla warfare on the streets of America.
Peace,
emaycee
That's right, that's right
The main reason I enjoy reading The Daily Kos, well, daily, is that every once in a while its founder Markos Moulitsas gives us a glimpse of his acerbic views on the state of all things Liberal/Democratic. Yesterday was another in a line of his posts maligning our side for just being too goddamned nice--that taking the high road has led to too many defeats.
It we don't win, we can't change the rules to suit our ideals. Period.
On a side note, if you want to read something really depressing, read the comments on Moulitsas' post. For Christ's sake, talk about arguing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin....
Peace,
emaycee
It we don't win, we can't change the rules to suit our ideals. Period.
On a side note, if you want to read something really depressing, read the comments on Moulitsas' post. For Christ's sake, talk about arguing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin....
Peace,
emaycee
Just don't get it
Of all the political races going on this year, the one I get the least is the Elizabeth Warren/Scott Brown U.S. Senate campaign in Massachusetts. In a year that promises to be difficult for incumbents, Brown, a republican in the bluest of states, is running even with Warren in the latest PPP poll (somewhat worrisome, too, that PPP trends Democratic, meaning that Warren could actually be trailing). It's not as if Brown has distinguished himself as a standout Senator--he's pretty much towed the republican line and hasn't really added anything to his resume that would make anyone think his best days were ahead of him. According to the Kos post, his best quality is that he's likeable. That's right--one of the best Democratic candidates we have this cycle is currently tied in the race for Class President.
Frankly, this race should be like Sen. Gillibrand's in New York--polls consistently show her getting over 60% of the vote to her potential opponents 30%.
It could be the Super Pac money--we cannot compete with republicans for special interest cash, and one has to figure having a Senate seat in bluer than blue Massachusetts is the kind of rub it in your face talking point the republicans love to have, and would be well worth the money to them. It's also been noted that Warren is saving her big push for after Labor Day, which could be the right move--no one outside of goofballs like me really cares much for the 2012 campaigns now.
Still...other than President Obama, it's hard to envision a more bitter defeat for the Liberal wing of the Democratic Party than Warren losing to Scott Brown.
Peace,
emaycee
Frankly, this race should be like Sen. Gillibrand's in New York--polls consistently show her getting over 60% of the vote to her potential opponents 30%.
It could be the Super Pac money--we cannot compete with republicans for special interest cash, and one has to figure having a Senate seat in bluer than blue Massachusetts is the kind of rub it in your face talking point the republicans love to have, and would be well worth the money to them. It's also been noted that Warren is saving her big push for after Labor Day, which could be the right move--no one outside of goofballs like me really cares much for the 2012 campaigns now.
Still...other than President Obama, it's hard to envision a more bitter defeat for the Liberal wing of the Democratic Party than Warren losing to Scott Brown.
Peace,
emaycee
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
A little help over here
It's not that I don't think Digby and her cohort at Hullaballoo, David Atkins are wrong. Digby's piece notes that we're making small but sure strides to get progressives elected but that it's going to take time (she notes it took the Antoinettes 40 years to get where they are) and that we have to keep slogging forward even though it isn't always exciting. Mr. Atkins notes that, again citing the "it isn't exciting but we need to do it anyways" motif, we need to get a lot more involved at the city and county, or local, level because that's where change starts. To Mr. Atkin's credit, he also notes that we won't be doing ourselves any favors by not turning out for President Obama, something Digby seems to be unable to voice, perhaps because she's too busy patting herself on the back for being one of about three Liberals who aren't surprised that Obama didn't embrace our entire agenda.
My question, though, is...what exactly are we supposed to do for the next forty or so years we're building this progressive majority? I mean, we have exactly one unabashed Liberal in the Senate (Sanders) and maybe a dozen or so who are with us 90-95% of the time, which leaves us about 48 short of what we need. The House has maybe 75 members who are solid Liberals, leaving us about 150 short. Hell, even at the state level, the Michigan State Senate couldn't even be won back by Democrats, let alone Liberal Democrats, in the Democratic wave elections of 2006 and 2008.
How much farther can our wages and benefits fall before we're underwater? How much more shredding of the government's safety nets can we stand? A lot more damage can be done in forty years. I mean, Digby notes that we cannot be sidetracked again by a charismatic leader (that means you, President Obama!), but frankly, I think it's our only hope. FDR and LBJ accomplished a lot in a short period of time--and I admit that may not be possible in this day and age of republican obstructionism.
But I shudder to think of the damage that could be done--and my college educated kids working for pauper's wages in a nation that bears an economic resemblance to say, Somalia--while we're busy building this Progressive Majority.
It doesn't have anything to with excitement--it has everything to do with survival.
Peace,
emaycee
My question, though, is...what exactly are we supposed to do for the next forty or so years we're building this progressive majority? I mean, we have exactly one unabashed Liberal in the Senate (Sanders) and maybe a dozen or so who are with us 90-95% of the time, which leaves us about 48 short of what we need. The House has maybe 75 members who are solid Liberals, leaving us about 150 short. Hell, even at the state level, the Michigan State Senate couldn't even be won back by Democrats, let alone Liberal Democrats, in the Democratic wave elections of 2006 and 2008.
How much farther can our wages and benefits fall before we're underwater? How much more shredding of the government's safety nets can we stand? A lot more damage can be done in forty years. I mean, Digby notes that we cannot be sidetracked again by a charismatic leader (that means you, President Obama!), but frankly, I think it's our only hope. FDR and LBJ accomplished a lot in a short period of time--and I admit that may not be possible in this day and age of republican obstructionism.
But I shudder to think of the damage that could be done--and my college educated kids working for pauper's wages in a nation that bears an economic resemblance to say, Somalia--while we're busy building this Progressive Majority.
It doesn't have anything to with excitement--it has everything to do with survival.
Peace,
emaycee
Good intentions
I once toyed with writing a post about how republicans would respond if the movie Dumbo had been released in the last twenty years--unwed mother, underage drinking, positive modeling of hallucinations--but decided against it in light of Dumbo becoming a gazillionaire at the end because of his ability to fly with his ears. The end of the movie would fit nicely into the republican worldview that being born with a gift most of us don't have (a la the silver spoons in the mouths of Bush the Lesser and Romney) is somehow inherently the fault of the poor bastard living paycheck to paycheck. After all, if he'd been born with jumbo fucking ears perhaps his life wouldn't have been so miserable.
Ahem.
This is the kind of piece we Liberals write that I hate railing against because a) the author, Alyssa Rosenberg, is most assuredly right, and b) it's a thoughtful and well-written piece. Still, rail against it I will because it's just another example of Liberals getting off track and looking silly.
Ms. Rosenberg's central thesis is that we should not judge a woman's sexuality by her gender performance, i.e., a woman who enjoys athletics is no more likely to be gay than a woman who enjoys gardening. A+ for accuracy, right? Unfortunately, Ms. Rosenberg uses the movie Brave (haven't seen it) as an exemplar of this, mostly in anger from a piece written by some joker from Entertainment Weekly. (Note to Ms. Rosenberg: People who write for magazines like EW suffer from a common malady known to common folks as "Lack of Brains and Talent"--who starts college thinking, "You know what I want to do when I grow up? Watch and write reviews of '2 Broke Girls!'"--and it's best to ignore them.)
Look, I'm the parent of a seven-year-old, and now that school is out for the year, the only things he's interested in are the Wii, "Phineas and Ferb," and Legos. If perchance we take him to see Brave (and we might, it looks entertaining from the nine thousand or so commercials we've seen on The Disney Channel over the course of the last month) the only things he wants is a few laughs, some exciting scenes, a few moments to talk about on the ride home, and his share of the popcorn and soda. And as a parent, the only thing I'm looking for is a little above average entertainment for our son (or a little cat nap if it's below average) and a little family time with a fun outing that we all recall fondly a few months from now when we're buying the DVD. Sexuality? Gender performance? Fine and wonderful things, but not looking for them in a theater full of kids, mostly ten and under, who are making mental notes for their "What I Did Last Summer" essays when school starts back up in September. (Note I also have a grown daughter and would feel exactly the same had this occurred when she was seven.)
I appreciate Ms. Rosenberg's passion and intelligence, but sometimes it's best to remember that if something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. And sometimes a children's movie is just that, a children's movie.
Peace,
emaycee
Ahem.
This is the kind of piece we Liberals write that I hate railing against because a) the author, Alyssa Rosenberg, is most assuredly right, and b) it's a thoughtful and well-written piece. Still, rail against it I will because it's just another example of Liberals getting off track and looking silly.
Ms. Rosenberg's central thesis is that we should not judge a woman's sexuality by her gender performance, i.e., a woman who enjoys athletics is no more likely to be gay than a woman who enjoys gardening. A+ for accuracy, right? Unfortunately, Ms. Rosenberg uses the movie Brave (haven't seen it) as an exemplar of this, mostly in anger from a piece written by some joker from Entertainment Weekly. (Note to Ms. Rosenberg: People who write for magazines like EW suffer from a common malady known to common folks as "Lack of Brains and Talent"--who starts college thinking, "You know what I want to do when I grow up? Watch and write reviews of '2 Broke Girls!'"--and it's best to ignore them.)
Look, I'm the parent of a seven-year-old, and now that school is out for the year, the only things he's interested in are the Wii, "Phineas and Ferb," and Legos. If perchance we take him to see Brave (and we might, it looks entertaining from the nine thousand or so commercials we've seen on The Disney Channel over the course of the last month) the only things he wants is a few laughs, some exciting scenes, a few moments to talk about on the ride home, and his share of the popcorn and soda. And as a parent, the only thing I'm looking for is a little above average entertainment for our son (or a little cat nap if it's below average) and a little family time with a fun outing that we all recall fondly a few months from now when we're buying the DVD. Sexuality? Gender performance? Fine and wonderful things, but not looking for them in a theater full of kids, mostly ten and under, who are making mental notes for their "What I Did Last Summer" essays when school starts back up in September. (Note I also have a grown daughter and would feel exactly the same had this occurred when she was seven.)
I appreciate Ms. Rosenberg's passion and intelligence, but sometimes it's best to remember that if something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. And sometimes a children's movie is just that, a children's movie.
Peace,
emaycee
Paranoia strikes deep
Why is it that it's almost always some Southern numbnuts--usually someone you wouldn't trust to take care of your pet when you went away for the weekend, let alone vote on legislation that affects your being--who calls some Democrat "stupid" or "idiot" (such amazing vocabularies these Antoinettes have!) when they are in truth, being political?
Take Rep. Trey Gowdy (please!) from South Carolina (the state that puts the backward ass hick in backward ass hick) calling Nancy Pelosi "mind-numbingly stupid" for saying the republican assault on Attorney General Eric Holder is motivated by Holder's fighting back against republican voter suppression efforts. Though I like Pelosi's reasoning, it seems to me to be a bit beyond their usual M.O. Frankly, republicans like red meat and Holder is black, and the "Fast and Furious" controvery involves guns. What more do the Antoinettes need?
And while we're being petty, as an FYI to Rep. Gowdy...Andy Warhol called and he wants his fucking haircut back.
Peace,
emaycee
Take Rep. Trey Gowdy (please!) from South Carolina (the state that puts the backward ass hick in backward ass hick) calling Nancy Pelosi "mind-numbingly stupid" for saying the republican assault on Attorney General Eric Holder is motivated by Holder's fighting back against republican voter suppression efforts. Though I like Pelosi's reasoning, it seems to me to be a bit beyond their usual M.O. Frankly, republicans like red meat and Holder is black, and the "Fast and Furious" controvery involves guns. What more do the Antoinettes need?
And while we're being petty, as an FYI to Rep. Gowdy...Andy Warhol called and he wants his fucking haircut back.
Peace,
emaycee
The Chamber of...Horrors
Well here's something we never could have seen coming--seems the Chamber of Commerce, that organization that bends over backward to fuck the working class (but still gets a seat at the traditional media table), is seven for seven so far this year in cases it backed before the Supreme Court. Since the makeup of the Court is reliably conservative on economic issues one can't be surprised that the Chamber keeps pushing its anti-America agenda through the courts (a 68% success rate under the Roberts court). The Supreme Court--the best justice money can buy.
It's hard not to laugh when the traditional media throws in the monetary influence of labor unions when decrying the problem of too much money in our politics, especially when they're being outspent by corporate friendly groups by 15-1. So not only can they fuck us at work, they can fuck us politically by buying politicans and judges who enshrine that fucking into law.
It's hard not to be cynical about the Obama administration, but one of the most important aspects of this year's election is that, for all its faults, Obama's presidency continuing beyond 2012 is the only thing between those of us who work for a living and those of us who who leech off the labor of others to get wealthy looking at a 6-3 or even 7-2 conservative majority on the court.
What kind of a chance do you suppose those of us who work for a living stand with those numbers?
Peace,
emaycee
It's hard not to laugh when the traditional media throws in the monetary influence of labor unions when decrying the problem of too much money in our politics, especially when they're being outspent by corporate friendly groups by 15-1. So not only can they fuck us at work, they can fuck us politically by buying politicans and judges who enshrine that fucking into law.
It's hard not to be cynical about the Obama administration, but one of the most important aspects of this year's election is that, for all its faults, Obama's presidency continuing beyond 2012 is the only thing between those of us who work for a living and those of us who who leech off the labor of others to get wealthy looking at a 6-3 or even 7-2 conservative majority on the court.
What kind of a chance do you suppose those of us who work for a living stand with those numbers?
Peace,
emaycee
Hey, what's goin' on?
It's enough to make you want to holler--it's being reported again this week that profits for corporations in America are at record levels, and yet wages are at an all-time low. And how does it follow that extreme poverty (defined as income less than half the federal poverty line) in the United States has increased by 50% since 2000--from 4.7% to 6.7%? (On a related note, how can anyone not be bothered by the fact that at least 1 out of 20 Americans lives in extreme poverty in the richest nation on earth? Other than Antoinettes, I mean....)
I know plenty of others are reporting on this, but still, you have to feel for all the young folks who still have lifetimes of dealing with corporate America knowing that they're pretty much guaranteed to draw the short end of the stick when it comes to benefits and wages. There was a time when all Americans shared in corporate prosperity, but those days have disappeared.
We are traveling in uncharted waters, not such as those searching for the New World, but those that seek out the evil creatures of the deep. It's downright scary.
Peace,
emaycee
I know plenty of others are reporting on this, but still, you have to feel for all the young folks who still have lifetimes of dealing with corporate America knowing that they're pretty much guaranteed to draw the short end of the stick when it comes to benefits and wages. There was a time when all Americans shared in corporate prosperity, but those days have disappeared.
We are traveling in uncharted waters, not such as those searching for the New World, but those that seek out the evil creatures of the deep. It's downright scary.
Peace,
emaycee
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Lunkhead of the week
Leave it to old Nolan to come up with the harebrained op-ed this week. Old Nolan isn't much at this whole election prognosticating--a while back he opined that Thaddeus McCotter might just be a dark horse for the republican nomination for the Presidency...except that Thaddeus pretty much turned out to be a doofus who couldn't even last until the Iowa Caucus. In fact, Thaddeus couldn't even run his congressional seat campaign--seems that coming up with competent personnel who could find 2000 signatures to get his name on the ballot was too tough, too. Hell, they only missed it by 1800 signatures.
Now old Nolan's telling us that my home county here in Michigan, Oakland, may be the county that holds the key to Willard Romney winning the Presidency this November. That, who knows, we just might be the folks who put him over the top.
Nate Silver at 538 armed with polls and relevant stats (and being the most correct prognosticator the last two Presidential elections) has Obama as an 81% likelihood victor in Michigan. I'm willing to grant that we have a little more than four months before the election, but let's face it, to win Michigan Romney is going to need an utter collapse of the economy (in which case we're all fucked) or to spend an ungodly sum of money here at the expense of other states (in which case Romney is fucked). Keep in mind, though, that I'm not convinced an economic collapse helps Romney--more and more Americans are seeing the republicans as being obstructionist when it comes to the economy and their lack of effort could hurt them as much as Obama if the economy collapsed. I am willing to give Finley the benefit of the doubt on Romney winning Michigan--I know it's not likely, but I still hope Obama takes North Carolina again.
Finley's idiocy, though, comes in the reasoning that he thinks will lead to Romney winning Oakland County. First, ask Bush the Lesser how many times being born in Connecticut lead to his winning Connecticut. Romney's birthplace will more than likely win him zero votes. Second, Finley ignores that Oakland has been trending leftward the last several elections, and note that even in the republican wave of 2010 Rep. Gary Peters still held his seat (a Conservadem, but he won). Third is the willingness to buy into the whole get out the vote campaign as envisioned by Oakland County republicans--if all the organizations in Wisconsin who e-mailed me claiming to have been winning the battle to get out the vote for the recall had been correct, Tom Barrett would be the Governor of Wisconsin. They weren't, and he isn't. Finally, and perhaps most foolhardy, is Finley claim that Oakland County moderates are going to see Romney, after he ran a primary so far to the right as to make Reagan look like a commie, as some kind of middle of the road candidate is utterly delusional.
My guess is it's just a diversion as the glow begins to wear off the Romney campaign.
Peace,
emaycee
Now old Nolan's telling us that my home county here in Michigan, Oakland, may be the county that holds the key to Willard Romney winning the Presidency this November. That, who knows, we just might be the folks who put him over the top.
Nate Silver at 538 armed with polls and relevant stats (and being the most correct prognosticator the last two Presidential elections) has Obama as an 81% likelihood victor in Michigan. I'm willing to grant that we have a little more than four months before the election, but let's face it, to win Michigan Romney is going to need an utter collapse of the economy (in which case we're all fucked) or to spend an ungodly sum of money here at the expense of other states (in which case Romney is fucked). Keep in mind, though, that I'm not convinced an economic collapse helps Romney--more and more Americans are seeing the republicans as being obstructionist when it comes to the economy and their lack of effort could hurt them as much as Obama if the economy collapsed. I am willing to give Finley the benefit of the doubt on Romney winning Michigan--I know it's not likely, but I still hope Obama takes North Carolina again.
Finley's idiocy, though, comes in the reasoning that he thinks will lead to Romney winning Oakland County. First, ask Bush the Lesser how many times being born in Connecticut lead to his winning Connecticut. Romney's birthplace will more than likely win him zero votes. Second, Finley ignores that Oakland has been trending leftward the last several elections, and note that even in the republican wave of 2010 Rep. Gary Peters still held his seat (a Conservadem, but he won). Third is the willingness to buy into the whole get out the vote campaign as envisioned by Oakland County republicans--if all the organizations in Wisconsin who e-mailed me claiming to have been winning the battle to get out the vote for the recall had been correct, Tom Barrett would be the Governor of Wisconsin. They weren't, and he isn't. Finally, and perhaps most foolhardy, is Finley claim that Oakland County moderates are going to see Romney, after he ran a primary so far to the right as to make Reagan look like a commie, as some kind of middle of the road candidate is utterly delusional.
My guess is it's just a diversion as the glow begins to wear off the Romney campaign.
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, June 22, 2012
Can I get a witness?
It's not surprising that Bain Capital invested heavily in corporations shifting jobs overseas during Willard Romney's tenure there--republicans are great at wiping their lips with a napkin while swearing to you it was somebody else who stole your lunch. What is surprising is that it was a traditional media outlet, The Washington Post, that reported it.
And now my question is...does anyone outside of the liberal blogs pick this up and question Romney's entire economic message? Or does it die on the Daily Kos et al as other media outlets let it wither and fade away so that uninformed Independents go to the polls believing Willard really has a plan that will be better than Obama and the Democrats?
Probably know the answer to that one, but a fellow can hope.
Peace,
emaycee
And now my question is...does anyone outside of the liberal blogs pick this up and question Romney's entire economic message? Or does it die on the Daily Kos et al as other media outlets let it wither and fade away so that uninformed Independents go to the polls believing Willard really has a plan that will be better than Obama and the Democrats?
Probably know the answer to that one, but a fellow can hope.
Peace,
emaycee
Whitewater, Part II
As the republicans play out their conspiracies on the "Fast and Furious" controversy (led by the morally and intellectually challenged Darrel Issa and the increasingly addled Chuck Grassley), it has come to remind me of the Whitewater investigations instigated in the 1990s to slow down the increasingly popular and successful Clinton administration. When all was said and done, nothing much came of the Whitewater claims--a bunch of republican bullshit, little of substance.
The bad news about the current republican mamufactured controversy is that it will take even more time away from anything the Obama administration wants to accomplish through even more republican obstructionism, much as Whitewater wasted the good that could have come from the economic boom we were enjoying.
The good news, though, is that Whitewater had no discernible effect on the 1996 election other than to help Clinton to a landslide victory and the Democrats to pick up a few lost seats thanks to the republicans looking like the booby hatch babies they were. It certainly didn't help with independents who typically hate these kinds of chilidsh displays of much ado over nothing. The other good that came of the Whitewater investigations is that it engaged and re-engaged (such as moi) Democratic partisans who were angry that so much time was wasted on what was nothing more than an attempt to usurp power by the republicans, and also proved, as we've seen again and again, that the brand name "republican" is much more important to those of the conservative ilk, than the very country they claim to love.
Peace,
emaycee
The bad news about the current republican mamufactured controversy is that it will take even more time away from anything the Obama administration wants to accomplish through even more republican obstructionism, much as Whitewater wasted the good that could have come from the economic boom we were enjoying.
The good news, though, is that Whitewater had no discernible effect on the 1996 election other than to help Clinton to a landslide victory and the Democrats to pick up a few lost seats thanks to the republicans looking like the booby hatch babies they were. It certainly didn't help with independents who typically hate these kinds of chilidsh displays of much ado over nothing. The other good that came of the Whitewater investigations is that it engaged and re-engaged (such as moi) Democratic partisans who were angry that so much time was wasted on what was nothing more than an attempt to usurp power by the republicans, and also proved, as we've seen again and again, that the brand name "republican" is much more important to those of the conservative ilk, than the very country they claim to love.
Peace,
emaycee
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Slip out the back, Jack
In the summer of 2002, I was at mass one Sunday when the priest began a sermon in which he excoriated then Democratic nominee for Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm for being a pro-choice Catholic. I listened politely for a few moments, until it became increasingly clear that the priest was telling the flock for whom to vote (not Granholm). At which point I stepped out of the pew, genuflected, and left.
I have never been back.
Since the Catholic Cardinals elevated John Paul II to the papal throne the Church has drifted ever rightward unabated. I have never understood the need for progressive Catholics to remain in the Church fold hoping for some miraculous change to be enacted in the Church. If the Cardinals electing the even more conservative Pope Bendict XVI wasn't the final catalyst, maybe these utterings by Catholic League leader Bill Donohue should be. Donohue (he of the misogynistic, racist, homophobic wing of the Church) says he would be more than happy, and Bendict agrees, and that the Church would be better off if the roughly half of its parishioners who do not fall in strict line with Catholic Doctrine were to be booted out of the Church.
What more motivation could progressive Catholics possibly need to leave that increasingly irrelevant organization? Get out the door already, for Christ's sake--stop tacitly supporting a Church that doesn't even want you.
Peace,
emaycee
I have never been back.
Since the Catholic Cardinals elevated John Paul II to the papal throne the Church has drifted ever rightward unabated. I have never understood the need for progressive Catholics to remain in the Church fold hoping for some miraculous change to be enacted in the Church. If the Cardinals electing the even more conservative Pope Bendict XVI wasn't the final catalyst, maybe these utterings by Catholic League leader Bill Donohue should be. Donohue (he of the misogynistic, racist, homophobic wing of the Church) says he would be more than happy, and Bendict agrees, and that the Church would be better off if the roughly half of its parishioners who do not fall in strict line with Catholic Doctrine were to be booted out of the Church.
What more motivation could progressive Catholics possibly need to leave that increasingly irrelevant organization? Get out the door already, for Christ's sake--stop tacitly supporting a Church that doesn't even want you.
Peace,
emaycee
No, no, no--a thousand times no
So it seems some wise Dem supporters have begun following the Romney campaign and heckling his supporters and events, much like Willard's supporters have done at Democratic events. So why the fuck would David Axelrod--he of the, "I helped to take Barack Obama from possibly being a transformative President along the lines of FDR or LBJ into an average President at best" Obama advising corp--say they should stop their attacks on Romney: "Shouting down folks is their tactic, not ours."
Why the fuck isn't it ours? Could it be because of pantywaists like Axelrod? When are these so-called Democratic leaders going to realize that this is a war and we can't keep fighting cannons with bb guns? Why didn't the Antoinettes hurt their cause with all the fuss they raised? Seems like that election in 2010 turned out lot better for them than it did for us--I don't care how unpopular the Antoinettes are in polls, I care about winning so we can forward our agenda.
Because frankly, when we sit around whining about republican tactics we end up looking like wimps, and while they might look like lunatics, they also look like they at least have the courage of their convictions.
Peace,
emaycee
Why the fuck isn't it ours? Could it be because of pantywaists like Axelrod? When are these so-called Democratic leaders going to realize that this is a war and we can't keep fighting cannons with bb guns? Why didn't the Antoinettes hurt their cause with all the fuss they raised? Seems like that election in 2010 turned out lot better for them than it did for us--I don't care how unpopular the Antoinettes are in polls, I care about winning so we can forward our agenda.
Because frankly, when we sit around whining about republican tactics we end up looking like wimps, and while they might look like lunatics, they also look like they at least have the courage of their convictions.
Peace,
emaycee
You really should be writing that book you've always dreamed of
It's not so much that the conservative drivel in this piece by Mark Judge about that bastion of conservative ideology, nineteen-year-old Washington National's outfielder Bryce Harper, is so noxious. Hell, I read the hopelessly deluded Nolan Finley in the Detroit News and the factually challenged Mackinac Center in the Free Press virtually every week. It's not so much that if you'd read his piece before you became a baseball fan that you never would have fallen in love with baseball--ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" has about as much baseball acumen as Mr. Judge. It's not even that the writing is so bad--I mean they have bad writing contests yearly and those people actually try to write as badly as Mr. Judge.
No, it's the fact that this hack has published a book. His book, A Tremor of Bliss, purports to be a discussion of Catholicism, sex, and rock and roll. What the fuck Catholicism has to do with sex and rock and roll--let me repeat that--what the fuck Catholism has to do with sex and rock and roll is completely beyond any rational human being. Aren't the terms pretty much mutually exclusive? (And judging from the reviews on Amazon, Mr. Judge's book is as well written as "Bryce Harper, conservative hero.") Either Mr. Judge has a parent who runs a publishing company, or those goofy bastards are printing books by anybody these days.
Damn, I have to get back to that novel....
Peace,
emaycee
No, it's the fact that this hack has published a book. His book, A Tremor of Bliss, purports to be a discussion of Catholicism, sex, and rock and roll. What the fuck Catholicism has to do with sex and rock and roll--let me repeat that--what the fuck Catholism has to do with sex and rock and roll is completely beyond any rational human being. Aren't the terms pretty much mutually exclusive? (And judging from the reviews on Amazon, Mr. Judge's book is as well written as "Bryce Harper, conservative hero.") Either Mr. Judge has a parent who runs a publishing company, or those goofy bastards are printing books by anybody these days.
Damn, I have to get back to that novel....
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, June 15, 2012
Shucks, folks, I'm speechless
Nothing I can add to this to say it more succinctly:
"Well I'd hate government too if I totally sucked at it."
— @JohnFugelsang via Twitter for iPhone
Peace,
emaycee
"Well I'd hate government too if I totally sucked at it."
— @JohnFugelsang via Twitter for iPhone
Peace,
emaycee
Doing my part
E. J. Dionne wrote a piece this week in which he opines that Democrats need to do a better job of explicitly stating that Government is the solution, not the problem. (Unfortunately, this has the same problem I stated earlier this week of who exactly is going to express this message...nonetheless....)
It was Government, after all, who bailed out the economy after Wall Street fucked up beyond its own repair. It was Government, after all, who bailed out the auto industry (saving a million jobs). It was the Government stimulus, after all, which created 3 million jobs and helped the private sector to begin to hire again. It is the Government, after all, who provides teachers, soldiers, police, and firefighters for those of us who could not afford private services of such professions. It is the Government, after all, who keeps our nation's seniors out of poverty. It is the Government, after all, who provides healthcare for those who cannot afford it.
Frankly, I'm sick and tired of the republicans lies and distortions. The problem with America is republicans. The solution is Government.
Peace,
emaycee
It was Government, after all, who bailed out the economy after Wall Street fucked up beyond its own repair. It was Government, after all, who bailed out the auto industry (saving a million jobs). It was the Government stimulus, after all, which created 3 million jobs and helped the private sector to begin to hire again. It is the Government, after all, who provides teachers, soldiers, police, and firefighters for those of us who could not afford private services of such professions. It is the Government, after all, who keeps our nation's seniors out of poverty. It is the Government, after all, who provides healthcare for those who cannot afford it.
Frankly, I'm sick and tired of the republicans lies and distortions. The problem with America is republicans. The solution is Government.
Peace,
emaycee
A rope for the drowning
It seems that, according to the Federal Reserve, American families lost 40% of their wealth between 2007 and 2010, dropping them to levels not seen since 1992.
It's hard to feel sorry for most of them--far too many are not informed, far too many have abandoned unions, far too many suffer from class envy instead of realizing that the better middle income jobs pay, the more money that 99% of us make. It appears that this every man for himself mentality worked out about as well as it did on the Titanic.
And it's only going to get worse until a majority of us realize, quite like the young woman in this article, that we need unions now more than ever. I really don't think she's exaggerating when she warns that we as a nation are in danger of becoming a country of worker drones ruled by feudal lords.
Eventually we've going to have to fight to make what's right.
Peace,
emaycee
It's hard to feel sorry for most of them--far too many are not informed, far too many have abandoned unions, far too many suffer from class envy instead of realizing that the better middle income jobs pay, the more money that 99% of us make. It appears that this every man for himself mentality worked out about as well as it did on the Titanic.
And it's only going to get worse until a majority of us realize, quite like the young woman in this article, that we need unions now more than ever. I really don't think she's exaggerating when she warns that we as a nation are in danger of becoming a country of worker drones ruled by feudal lords.
Eventually we've going to have to fight to make what's right.
Peace,
emaycee
Speaking of maggots
You know, it's not surprising that some psychopath passing himself off as the CEO of JPMorgan gets treated like a Faberge egg by Senate republicans during his testimony--hell, those numbnuts would blow the Koch brothers and let them post the video on Youtube for a fucking nickel. But other than Sens. Menendez and Merkley, the Democrats were equally feckless. Don't suppose it has anything to do with the money JPMorgan has given the Banking Committee members (republicans got $265,000, Dems got $252,000), do you? For a party of the working man (and woman), it was a pretty pathetic performance by the Dems, and is a fine case in point for why Dem enthusiasm doesn't equal that of the republicans.
More pathetic, though, was Jamie Dimon offering to get an apartment in D.C. to help Congress with banking regulations. I can often be a sarcastic smart ass on this blog, but I say this with all seriousness: I would truly, truly rather entrust banking regulations to Charles Manson than Dimon and his cronies. At least, 99% of us can agree that Manson is out of his mind--Dimon actually has people who believe he's good at what he does and isn't the cancer on society that he is. After the fiasco that was 2008 on Wall Street, it's utterly amazing to me that people like Dimon even have a seat at the table.
Peace,
emaycee
More pathetic, though, was Jamie Dimon offering to get an apartment in D.C. to help Congress with banking regulations. I can often be a sarcastic smart ass on this blog, but I say this with all seriousness: I would truly, truly rather entrust banking regulations to Charles Manson than Dimon and his cronies. At least, 99% of us can agree that Manson is out of his mind--Dimon actually has people who believe he's good at what he does and isn't the cancer on society that he is. After the fiasco that was 2008 on Wall Street, it's utterly amazing to me that people like Dimon even have a seat at the table.
Peace,
emaycee
Thursday, June 14, 2012
STFD and STFU
It's not bad enough that pigs like billionaire (as in $65 billion) Carlos Slim underpay us so they can live a life of decadence, that they've cut our benefits so they can have another nickel in the bank, that they've corrupted our democracy and buy votes so they can have even more, that they're responsible for more misery in our world than cancer, that everything that's evil and morally wrong about our world lands at their feet...now, now it's not enough that we can retire after 45 years, but this motherfucking pig wants us to work another three years on top of that based on completely faulty reasoning.
There are plenty of simple-minded millionaires, but no one gets to be a billionaire by being stupid. I am positive that Slim knows damn good and well that the bullshit he's spouting is just that--bullshit. And I'm also positive that the only reason he's pushing this bullshit is because he stands to get even richer--like $65 billion isn't enough.
How much more meat and bread can the mother fucker throw in his trough?
Peace,
emaycee
There are plenty of simple-minded millionaires, but no one gets to be a billionaire by being stupid. I am positive that Slim knows damn good and well that the bullshit he's spouting is just that--bullshit. And I'm also positive that the only reason he's pushing this bullshit is because he stands to get even richer--like $65 billion isn't enough.
How much more meat and bread can the mother fucker throw in his trough?
Peace,
emaycee
Where's the outrage?
A perfect example of what is so fucked up about America is captured in the defense industry threatening to send out layoff notices prior to this fall's elections if the defense budget is cut per the deal Democrats and republicans made on the debt ceiling.
Can somebody please explain to me why when an average American who has fallen on hard times seeks help from the government he or she is a lazy moocher, but when those titans of capitalism and free enterprise come with their hands out we're all too willing to hand over my hard earned tax money to people who are just too fucking lazy to find another way to make more money?
These people are enough to make a maggot puke.
Peace,
emaycee
Can somebody please explain to me why when an average American who has fallen on hard times seeks help from the government he or she is a lazy moocher, but when those titans of capitalism and free enterprise come with their hands out we're all too willing to hand over my hard earned tax money to people who are just too fucking lazy to find another way to make more money?
These people are enough to make a maggot puke.
Peace,
emaycee
Gutless Wonders
Jase Bolger and his merry band of bozos can spin their bullshit all they want, but today's actions in the Michigan House to silence women critics of their anti-women agenda are nothing more than the flailings of desperate cowards. This has nothing to do with the use of the word vagina or supposed temper tantrums. Bolger and his minions have been shoving an agenda down Michigan citizen's throats for the past eighteen months, and with the help of Governor Gutless, Rick Snyder, have set the state back decades. This is merely their version of Officer Brady on "South Park": "Move along--nothing to see here!"
Republicans are already getting their clocks cleaned among women voters, and Bolger and his bozos are gaming the system to keep it from getting any worse. Michigan Democrats have an outside chance to take back the House this November, but if Bolger and his bozos keep this up, our odds are going to get a lot better.
Peace,
emaycee
Republicans are already getting their clocks cleaned among women voters, and Bolger and his bozos are gaming the system to keep it from getting any worse. Michigan Democrats have an outside chance to take back the House this November, but if Bolger and his bozos keep this up, our odds are going to get a lot better.
Peace,
emaycee
Monday, June 11, 2012
Political laughter
So President Obama's election committee sends out, just days after the most discouraging single election loss Democrats have had probably since Kerry lost to Bush the Lesser in 2004, a letter asking for money because, of all things, it shows how the republicans can outraise us in campaign contributions and President Obama needs help to fight back.
Fight back against what? Near as I can tell (even though politically it may have been the smart move to not taint his campaign with such a huge defeat), President Obama didn't raise so much as a shaken fist in the Wisconsin recalls, nor did he have national Democratic election organizations help in the fight to recall a radical republican governor who stands diametrically opposed to everything Democrats are supposed to be fighting for.
And now he wants us to have his back? Really?
Too funny.
Peace,
emaycee
Fight back against what? Near as I can tell (even though politically it may have been the smart move to not taint his campaign with such a huge defeat), President Obama didn't raise so much as a shaken fist in the Wisconsin recalls, nor did he have national Democratic election organizations help in the fight to recall a radical republican governor who stands diametrically opposed to everything Democrats are supposed to be fighting for.
And now he wants us to have his back? Really?
Too funny.
Peace,
emaycee
Who?
Meteor Blades hits the nail on the head with this piece--we should be hammering Tom Harkin's Rebuild America Act at every opportunity. Unfortunately, he neglects to tell us exactly who should be using the bullhorn to spread this information far and wide.
Because it seems to me if we don't have it out before the elections this fall, it's not going to help much. Not to mention, this isn't exactly the kind of plan that has the time to ferment for a few years before taking off--we need jobs now. Mind you, I'm not talking about getting it to pass--just getting the information out as what we Democrats are offering, what distinguishes us from Romney and his circus clowns.
So...as we've seen over the past few years, President Obama the Centrist Wonder is pretty much out. And the major media outlets, too--fewer and fewer are reading newspapers and Rachel Maddow and the MSNBC gang don't have that many followers. I think Harry Reid is a possibility, though the Senate Dems that would support it (like our Senators, Levin and Stabenow) are not likely to be able to make enough noise. Nancy Pelosi is likely the best choice, but even at that, she doesn't have that strong of a caucus.
I truly believe Sen. Harkin's Rebuild America Act is the best economic vision I have seen from the Democrats in years. But as all too often in the past, it will turn out to be mere wishful thinking because we can't get the information to the mass of Americans it needs to be successful.
Because if preaching "Isn't this cool?" to the already converted were a successful strategy, a whole hell of a lot more of your high school classmates would have been in the Chess Club.
Peace,
emaycee
Because it seems to me if we don't have it out before the elections this fall, it's not going to help much. Not to mention, this isn't exactly the kind of plan that has the time to ferment for a few years before taking off--we need jobs now. Mind you, I'm not talking about getting it to pass--just getting the information out as what we Democrats are offering, what distinguishes us from Romney and his circus clowns.
So...as we've seen over the past few years, President Obama the Centrist Wonder is pretty much out. And the major media outlets, too--fewer and fewer are reading newspapers and Rachel Maddow and the MSNBC gang don't have that many followers. I think Harry Reid is a possibility, though the Senate Dems that would support it (like our Senators, Levin and Stabenow) are not likely to be able to make enough noise. Nancy Pelosi is likely the best choice, but even at that, she doesn't have that strong of a caucus.
I truly believe Sen. Harkin's Rebuild America Act is the best economic vision I have seen from the Democrats in years. But as all too often in the past, it will turn out to be mere wishful thinking because we can't get the information to the mass of Americans it needs to be successful.
Because if preaching "Isn't this cool?" to the already converted were a successful strategy, a whole hell of a lot more of your high school classmates would have been in the Chess Club.
Peace,
emaycee
The art of lying
Forget the talk about Thaddeus McCotter's boneheadedness in costing himself his congressional seat (not to mention that McCotter always struck me more as a somewhat eccentric loyal soldier as opposed to any kind of real leader)--the important part of this week's "Politically Speaking" column comes at the end, when John Truscott tells Jill Alper that Scott Walker's $31 million to $4 million spending advantage in the Wisconsin recall election was offset by Union spending. Truscott didn't get where he got in life by being an idiot and I'm pretty certain he's well aware of this claim's utter absurdity--but he did get where he got by being shrewd enough to know the republican base (not the brightest bunch) would swallow it hook, line, and sinker. I would fully expect this to be the line of reasoning for republicans as they continue to buy votes for the rest of this election year--they're just trying to keep up with the Unions.
And another fine example of what Laura Clawson noted yesterday--republicans have completely warped the role that Unions play and the major media outlets (that would be you, Detroit Free Press) have acted as their personal enablers with their lazy journalism.
We could only wish that Unions truly had the power the republicans claim they do.
Peace,
emaycee
And another fine example of what Laura Clawson noted yesterday--republicans have completely warped the role that Unions play and the major media outlets (that would be you, Detroit Free Press) have acted as their personal enablers with their lazy journalism.
We could only wish that Unions truly had the power the republicans claim they do.
Peace,
emaycee
Ground control to Major Tom
Anybody who actually believes the bullshit in the headline in this piece by Laurence Lewis ("The GOP war on science should be the Democrat's greatest political weapon"), shouldn't be let near any Democratic campaign other than before the most uber-liberal of voting blocs.
Forty-six percent of Americans don't believe in evolution. Half of all Americans in the most Christian nation on earth can't name the writers of the four gospels. Twenty-five percent of all teachers in America believe that dinosaurs and humans co-existed.
This entire theme of somehow convincing the American voting public through reasoning and intelligence has been a loser for as long as I can remember. And this doofus thinks, in a nation absolutely getting its clock cleaned in science by other industrialized nations, in a nation where we practically are begging children to go into scientific fields, that this is going to somehow, miraculously, garner the Democrats votes.
Good fucking luck with that one.
Peace,
emaycee
Forty-six percent of Americans don't believe in evolution. Half of all Americans in the most Christian nation on earth can't name the writers of the four gospels. Twenty-five percent of all teachers in America believe that dinosaurs and humans co-existed.
This entire theme of somehow convincing the American voting public through reasoning and intelligence has been a loser for as long as I can remember. And this doofus thinks, in a nation absolutely getting its clock cleaned in science by other industrialized nations, in a nation where we practically are begging children to go into scientific fields, that this is going to somehow, miraculously, garner the Democrats votes.
Good fucking luck with that one.
Peace,
emaycee
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Silver lining
For all the bitching I've done about the Tuesday Night Massacre (and I've actually been nice--every big Liberal being pushed as a saviour like Eric Griego and Norman Saloman got beat, too), after today I do see a silver lining. I noticed in several comments sections that republicans are, as usual, overplaying their hand. Many of them have been crowing the last couple of days (in fairness, had Barrett won I'd have flown to California and danced on Reagan's grave), and now seem to think that victory is possible in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
No, it's not--the polling aggregates are showing safe leads for Obama in all three states, and the average voter is going to be taking the summer off from politics (with family vacations and the kids out of school most folks are already busy enough) which gives the republicans exactly two months to try to reduce those leads.
So please, by all means, go ahead and pour millions into losing ventures--it's just money that won't be going to states you might win.
Peace,
emaycee
No, it's not--the polling aggregates are showing safe leads for Obama in all three states, and the average voter is going to be taking the summer off from politics (with family vacations and the kids out of school most folks are already busy enough) which gives the republicans exactly two months to try to reduce those leads.
So please, by all means, go ahead and pour millions into losing ventures--it's just money that won't be going to states you might win.
Peace,
emaycee
Why?
Can someone please explain to me why, after the Wisconsin recall was over, we had polls which showed us that up to 60% of Wisconsin voters didn't like the idea of a recall and we didn't know it? I know it's easy to second guess the captain after the Titanic sinks, but for fuck sakes, Francis, all the political operatives we had up there and no one thought to find this out beforehand? I mean don't you think it might have changed the strategy? Or forced us to rethink the recall?
I'm probably being too hard, and maybe there really was no reason to suspect it, but 60% seems like a huge number to be missed.
Peace,
emaycee
I'm probably being too hard, and maybe there really was no reason to suspect it, but 60% seems like a huge number to be missed.
Peace,
emaycee
Red meat
I completely agree with Digby on the nature of this tweet--it's heinous, that the Heritage foundation would find its author worthy of an award is inhumane...and I'd bet a dollar to a doughnut that it did more to fire up the republican base than a thousand pieces by Digby whining about it does to fire up ours.
David Atkins makes a nice point--in a much nicer way than I do--that we are not normal, and that most voters do not share our passion or knowledge. He also notes that we need to trust the polls--I learned my lesson in 2010, when several of the sites I frequent were trying to make the case that the elections might not be as bad as the polls showed. They weren't--they were a lot fucking worse. And that's why a few days out I boldly stated that Walker was going to win easily--the polls were not in our favor and they weren't going to be. And like Atkins notes, we may have wasted a lot of time and effort on a lost cause.
I'm not picking on Digby--I admire her greatly and am thrilled that she's on our side. But she's not alone in this wing, or subsect, of Liberals who think we're going to point out how odious republicans are and it's going to win us support. George W. Bush was a horrendous human being, but the only reason Barack Obama won in 2008 was because the economy collapsed before our very eyes (we tend to forget that when Lehmann Brothers collapsed, McCain was ahead in the polls) and McCain reacted like a scared school girl.
Example: "Romney's time at Bain shows that he'd cut his wife's heart out with a scissors to make a buck." Truth be told, it has no more truth to it than the numbnuts above tweet about Sandra Fluke. But it's an image that will remain, rightly or wrongly, in voters minds.
Republicans accepted long ago that like Vince Lombardi said, "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing." We'd be wise to follow suit--righteous indignation won't put food on the table.
Peace,
emaycee
David Atkins makes a nice point--in a much nicer way than I do--that we are not normal, and that most voters do not share our passion or knowledge. He also notes that we need to trust the polls--I learned my lesson in 2010, when several of the sites I frequent were trying to make the case that the elections might not be as bad as the polls showed. They weren't--they were a lot fucking worse. And that's why a few days out I boldly stated that Walker was going to win easily--the polls were not in our favor and they weren't going to be. And like Atkins notes, we may have wasted a lot of time and effort on a lost cause.
I'm not picking on Digby--I admire her greatly and am thrilled that she's on our side. But she's not alone in this wing, or subsect, of Liberals who think we're going to point out how odious republicans are and it's going to win us support. George W. Bush was a horrendous human being, but the only reason Barack Obama won in 2008 was because the economy collapsed before our very eyes (we tend to forget that when Lehmann Brothers collapsed, McCain was ahead in the polls) and McCain reacted like a scared school girl.
Example: "Romney's time at Bain shows that he'd cut his wife's heart out with a scissors to make a buck." Truth be told, it has no more truth to it than the numbnuts above tweet about Sandra Fluke. But it's an image that will remain, rightly or wrongly, in voters minds.
Republicans accepted long ago that like Vince Lombardi said, "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing." We'd be wise to follow suit--righteous indignation won't put food on the table.
Peace,
emaycee
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Spin the bullshit
Eight thousand fucking e-mails, god only knows how many blog posts, and NBC calls the Wisconsin recall in less than one fucking hour for Scott Walker. And the spin has already begun.....
It was the money--probably the best argument, but won't change in the future. Obama won the exit polls--whoopee, they only have five months to pour a zillion dollars into making him look like the second coming of Ted Bundy. It's a long tough slog and we have to keep our noses to the grindstone--been hearing this bullshit for the last thirty years and we just keep losing. Barrett was a lousy candidate, the Dems only had a month to prepare...whatever, whatever, whatever.
A little more than a year ago the Dems had thousands of demonstrators in the capital of Wisconsin--and they still managed to lose this election. There is no good spin coming out of this--republicans are going to rightly celebrate and the theme for Democrats will continue to be that we're incompetent boobs. There is nothing good that can be said about Scott Walker--he's done a horrible job creating jobs in Wisconsin, half his staff is being investigated for corruption, he'll probably be investigated for corruption, and it's not as if he's God's gift to campaigning politicians. Hell, the guy isn't even likable. And still we fucking lost.
You know Kos posted this picture earlier today--I don't know if it was to show how nutty republicans are or how passionate they are, but say what you will, I'll bet the sign the idiot is holding did a lot more to fire up republicans than a thousand blogs by our brainiacs. We are losing this war and we are losing it badly, and if we continue to think we're going to win it by going all Martin Luther King with the nonviolence and that we're going to reason with voters to get them to see our point we are going to continue to lose, lose, and lose.
There are no fucking moral victories in elections--there are candidates that are going to take care of the poor and the middle class, and there are those that aren't. And if we can't figure out a way to get into voters hearts on this, we are going to continue to get our asses handed to us.
Coupled with last Friday's unemployment numbers, this is an utter disaster.
Peace,
emaycee
It was the money--probably the best argument, but won't change in the future. Obama won the exit polls--whoopee, they only have five months to pour a zillion dollars into making him look like the second coming of Ted Bundy. It's a long tough slog and we have to keep our noses to the grindstone--been hearing this bullshit for the last thirty years and we just keep losing. Barrett was a lousy candidate, the Dems only had a month to prepare...whatever, whatever, whatever.
A little more than a year ago the Dems had thousands of demonstrators in the capital of Wisconsin--and they still managed to lose this election. There is no good spin coming out of this--republicans are going to rightly celebrate and the theme for Democrats will continue to be that we're incompetent boobs. There is nothing good that can be said about Scott Walker--he's done a horrible job creating jobs in Wisconsin, half his staff is being investigated for corruption, he'll probably be investigated for corruption, and it's not as if he's God's gift to campaigning politicians. Hell, the guy isn't even likable. And still we fucking lost.
You know Kos posted this picture earlier today--I don't know if it was to show how nutty republicans are or how passionate they are, but say what you will, I'll bet the sign the idiot is holding did a lot more to fire up republicans than a thousand blogs by our brainiacs. We are losing this war and we are losing it badly, and if we continue to think we're going to win it by going all Martin Luther King with the nonviolence and that we're going to reason with voters to get them to see our point we are going to continue to lose, lose, and lose.
There are no fucking moral victories in elections--there are candidates that are going to take care of the poor and the middle class, and there are those that aren't. And if we can't figure out a way to get into voters hearts on this, we are going to continue to get our asses handed to us.
Coupled with last Friday's unemployment numbers, this is an utter disaster.
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, June 1, 2012
Now that you mention it...
I always get a bit queasy when candidates for elective office--even Democrats--tout their business experience as a good reason to vote for them. After 30 years in business, it's been my experience that most business leaders aren't that bright, aren't that scrupulous, are very selfish, and have the people skills of Ted Kaczynski. Seriously--given the choice between dealing with one and a month long case of jock itch, you'd take the jock itch. And feel lucky for it.
One of the many reasons I don't write for The New York Times (let me count the ways) is that I don't put my distaste for business leaders as political leaders as succinctly as the gentleman (though my ego likes to think I do it a bit more humorously) does here. Two of the worst Presidents in American history are Bush the Lesser and Herbert Hoover, also two with the most business experience. After the disaster that was GWB, I really don't think the U. S. economy can afford another business leader like him.
And one would hope we'd learned our lessons from 2004 and 2004--electing a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth and business success earned from Daddy's name is not a recipe for a thriving U. S. economy.
Peace,
emaycee
One of the many reasons I don't write for The New York Times (let me count the ways) is that I don't put my distaste for business leaders as political leaders as succinctly as the gentleman (though my ego likes to think I do it a bit more humorously) does here. Two of the worst Presidents in American history are Bush the Lesser and Herbert Hoover, also two with the most business experience. After the disaster that was GWB, I really don't think the U. S. economy can afford another business leader like him.
And one would hope we'd learned our lessons from 2004 and 2004--electing a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth and business success earned from Daddy's name is not a recipe for a thriving U. S. economy.
Peace,
emaycee
Shitski
Well the May employment numbers are in and it definitely isn't good news for the good guys--the unemployment rate ticked up to 8.2% and only 69,000 new jobs were created. Willard immediately jumped on them--fortunately, he's not particularly adept at explaining it; unfortunately, the "liberal" media is equally inept at explaining how wrong Willard is (though I did enjoy--and was a bit surprised by--the angry reaction in the comments section).
Props to President Obama for being proactive and getting right out there and advocating for a jobs bill. The President has exactly the right prescription--the nation is in desperate need of a boost to the economy to get the job market headed back in the right direction. Too bad that thanks to the republican party and all its minions being more interested in shoving their agenda down our throats rather than doing what's best for the America people, the President's jobs bill has as much chance of passing as I do of walking on my hands from Detroit to San Francisco. Truth be told, my odds are probably better.
While I still think the Electoral College maps favors the President, I do have to admit that I had the same thought as Digby after reading the employment numbers--we just might lose this election. And I don't think it can be overstated how big of a disaster that will be for America's poor, America's middle class, and the nation as a whole.
Peace,
emaycee
Props to President Obama for being proactive and getting right out there and advocating for a jobs bill. The President has exactly the right prescription--the nation is in desperate need of a boost to the economy to get the job market headed back in the right direction. Too bad that thanks to the republican party and all its minions being more interested in shoving their agenda down our throats rather than doing what's best for the America people, the President's jobs bill has as much chance of passing as I do of walking on my hands from Detroit to San Francisco. Truth be told, my odds are probably better.
While I still think the Electoral College maps favors the President, I do have to admit that I had the same thought as Digby after reading the employment numbers--we just might lose this election. And I don't think it can be overstated how big of a disaster that will be for America's poor, America's middle class, and the nation as a whole.
Peace,
emaycee
Idiots in the Free Press
We're being subjected to our yearly torture with the Public Policy Conference on Mackinac--the Free Press breathlessly reports on the conjectures of those steeped in opulence. For those not familiar, think of business leaders and mostly right leaning politicians with all the gravitas of Daddy Warbucks and the emotional maturity of Richie Rich. This--and I mean every fucking year--seems to be lost on the dolts that run the Free Press.
But the Free Press has really outdone itself this year. At a conference full of men and women who put the con in conservative, the Free Press reports on a straw poll put together by someone with an IQ of fucking 12 that the attendees support the Emergency Manager Law (read union-busting) by a 78%-22% margin. In another surprising result, the attendees are against a constitutional amendment for collective bargaining rights by 77%-23%.
If the purpose of the Free Press publishing the results of these polls was to show how completely and totally out of touch they are, they have succeeded quite magnificently. Well done!
Peace,
emaycee
But the Free Press has really outdone itself this year. At a conference full of men and women who put the con in conservative, the Free Press reports on a straw poll put together by someone with an IQ of fucking 12 that the attendees support the Emergency Manager Law (read union-busting) by a 78%-22% margin. In another surprising result, the attendees are against a constitutional amendment for collective bargaining rights by 77%-23%.
If the purpose of the Free Press publishing the results of these polls was to show how completely and totally out of touch they are, they have succeeded quite magnificently. Well done!
Peace,
emaycee
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