Odds and Sods

Pete Townshend turned 65 last week--sixty-fucking-five! Man, am I getting old....

An interesting couple of weeks:

Apparently, the rumors of our demise are a bit premature...seems we won a congressional race in PA we weren't supposed to win, Sestak took out Specter, and Halter has forced Lincoln into a runoff. Hell, even the MSM had an inkling on this one--seems the polls they are-a-changin'. I have no doubts we'll lose seats, but it may (key word) not be as bad as once thought. I've always had difficulty accepting the narrative of deep Dem losses this November (though I know it could happen)--people's memories aren't that short (Bush, Repugs 2002-2006), and you have to give voters something to vote for that isn't merely whining (see also, Tea Party). Plus, Rand Paul (and maybe Sue Lowden in NV) seems to be the gift that keeps on giving--there's no way we should win in KY (or Nevada for that matter), and yet we might. Good times....

Seems the not so great state of Tex-ass(holes) has gone ahead with their plans to rewrite American History. Nice pieces by tristero and the King laying out just how ridiculous this all is--if ever, of late, there has been a what the fuck? moment, this is a what the fuck? moment. Thank God for state assemblyman like Leland Yee (D-SF, what a surprise, still the gutsiest liberals in America)--let's hope there's plenty more like him.

There's so much wrong with this piece that I would almost swear it was written by an internet company lobbyist (funny, too, that I received an e-mail from my congressman, the corporate loving, working folks hating, Republican, Mike Rogers, that echoed many of the same points). Business knows best? Really? Kind of like the banks and their derivatives? Kind of like the auto companies and their failures to modernize? I also like the way they refer to the "'net netrality' regime." Regime? Please let's exaggerate when in desperation. The FCC should step in as soon as possible and Congress should let them. If not, we're going to end up with internet service providers who are as inept as our cable providers. Piss poor service, exorbitant rates, and less choice--by all means, yes, let's let the internet service providers reign. Can't fucking wait.

From a recent letter to the editor in the News: "Tea Party members are much closer to the center of the political spectrum than those extremists who seek to discredit them." Wow--who knew? I mean, I had absolutely no idea that those in the political center of this country carried posters of President Obama looking like Hitler, or that used the n-word, or thought Sarah Palin was a brilliant thinker. Please--this is just another in a long line of bullshit letters to the editor that have popped up of late linking the movement to Moms, blacks (must have got the one African-American in Michigan that is stupid enough to buy their bullshit to send that one), or Democrats (only in an alternate universe) that are little more than propaganda to make the Tea Party look more mainstream (think "compassionate conservatism"). Editorial boards may be that ignorant, but the rest of us are not: they are like a sledgehammer to subtlety, the radical right wing. Period.

Holy shit--Wonk almost gets one right. Too bad he had to throw in the usual bullshit "While Democrats are hardly blameless for this ongoing mess, which is manifest in both Washington and Lansing...." How so? Just once I'd like to see some pundit point out exactly--with facts, not Republican talking points--how Dems are responsible for the poisoned atmosphere. What, because we won and Republicans hate democracy? We water down bills, we try to get them to the table, and still they vote no. Is calling them on being the party of no unfair? Hardly--sometimes the truth hurts. The one thing that amazes me is that approximately thirty percent of Americans and Michiganders still believe their bullshit.

Too Little, Too Late, Dept.: This from the campaign brochure that Mike Rogers sent to my home (note to Mr. Rogers--save the taxpayers money and skip my house next time--if the Virgin Mary came down and told me herself that you were right, I still wouldn't believe your bullshit)..."I know times are tough (obviousman strikes again!). The last thing we need is an out-of-control Washington, DC spending money we don't have and sending the bill to our kids and grandkids...." Right...Democrat spending on jobs and healthcare bad, Republican spending on misguided wars and tax cuts for the wealthy good. Because that worked out so well the first time around, Mr. Rogers. Save it for the disciples--those of us with an ounce of sense don't believe you. And I have to live with this pinhead at least until he retires (he's not losing unless he pulls a Souder--and even that wouldn't hurt that much since he's single, last I heard).

Speaking of Souder, it couldn't happen to a nicer fellah. I spent one hellaciously bad year of my life in Fort Wayne, being represented by this buffoon. Good bye and good riddance. A question (and admittedly this is somewhat childish): how in the hell does a guy who looks like the closest he should get to nookie is internet porn end up bedding a pretty darn attractive woman like his mistress? Must be something to that whole power thing....

Final note: the only way the Dems win the governor's race in our beautiful Michigan this year is if a week before the race the Republican nominee is caught, on film, molesting a child. And then just maybe. Therefore, if we're going to get our ass kicked anyway, can we at least give ourselves a chance to not get completely embarrased and nominate the real Democrat, Ving Bernero, and send the Republican lite Andy Dillon home? Thank you....

Peace,
emaycee

And I say it's all right

Not a bad few days for the good guys... Do I have the coolest Senator or what? I heard Senator Levin say "shitty" at least five times. Do I think this was done to get people's attention? You betcha! But if there's a word a good chunk of the American public understands, it's "shitty." Some smart and talented son of bitch ought to do one of those will.i.am type videos for this.... Could the Dems be developing cojones? This strategy is actually brilliant--though somebody should be running all kinds of national ads on the Repugs voting against financial reform again and again. Just beat it into Americans' brains: Dems against big banks, Republicans for. Not only that, unlike healthcare reform, they have a real chance to make it even stronger--bonus! Amidst all the blather about the Dems getting crushed in November, I've often had the same thoughts as Digby mentions here (which is why she's Digby and I'm just a putz from Michigan). In the end, Democrats are going to vote for Democrats, Republicans are going to vote for Republicans, and Independents will have to make a choice. While I'm sure some will opt for change for the sake of change, I'd imagine there's a greater number who are going to ask, "Just what am I going to get for this vote?" and when they look at the record (Republicans zero ideas, total lack of bipartisanship) may have their doubts. And let's not forget that Republicans racism is the gift that keeps on giving. One supposes if they're happy enough to lose 90% of the African-American vote, they must be shooting for similar numbers in the Latino vote. Well done (white) gentlemen! Not sure I understand this post's logic at all. Frankly, the people making comments seemed to be much more perceptive than the poster--unless it's one of those Chicken Little warnings to scare Dems into giving more money and getting out to vote.... What the fuck? I mean seriously, what the fuck? Because what America really needs is drunks carrying guns. Can we please make sure the people introducing this bill never get anywhere near a .38 and a beer? Adding stupid to the mix spells disaster. Peace, emaycee