Pushing Rope

Newt Gingrich: Moon Man

2012-01-27T16:39:00.001-05:00

Only Newt Gingrich with his crazy idea colonize the moon could make Mitt Romney seem like the voice of reason. Gingrich's moon colony nonsense just makes Jon Stewart's job easier.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-26T17:33:00.003-05:00

"(And then he called me a crazy person with not that many followers. I have almost 1000 more than you, fucker.) HAHA #childishtweet #p2"

Angry Black Lady, fighting with John Aravosis of Americablog.

It is alway nice to get a lecture on maturity from a woman who brags about how many followers she has and calls another blogger "fucker." To top it off, ABL has a NSFW Twitter background of an ass.

ABL has waged Twitter wars with Glenn Greenwald, Empty Wheel, Nicole Sandler and a host of other A-list bloggers. The attack on Sandler was disgraceful. ABL's idea of discourse with anyone who disagrees with President Barack Obama's policies on indefinite detention or fiscal matters is to call them emoprogs.

ABL went on a tear on popular progressive bloggers, who pointed out that Obama's concessions to Republicans during the debt ceiling crisis was politically and fiscally wrong. Tas and I asked her on Twitter to explain what Obama's strategy was. We were asking a serious question. ABL explained she didn't have time to school us. ABL did have the time to get into a Tweet war with Empty Wheel. I pointed this out to her. No response. The best way to silence her is to actually have her explain her political viewpoints.

ABL can no more explain why she supports Obama's policies than Glenn Reynolds can explain why he backed President George W. Bush. ABL and Reynolds aren't people passionate about policy. They are partisan cheerleaders. To them politics is Red Sox v. Yankees.

As for ABL's Twitter followers: Charlie Sheen has more. People follow Sheen because they like watching a train wreak. I follow ABL for the same reason. I guess by ABL's logic, we should take the political ramblings of Sheen more seriously because he has more followers. If that is the case then Sheen's views on nuclear profileration should be treated as the gospel truth. Fortunately, Twitter followers doesn't automatically give credibility. That has to be earned. Picking fights would popular lefty bloggers is a good way for ABL to get attention. It won't earn credibility.

Side note: Aravosis angered transgender supporters. There are tweets going back and forth. I'm not sure how it started. I know from history that Aravosis tends to dig himself a deeper hole. Aravosis was defending Dan Savage. Avavosis went over-the-top by calling certain members of the trans community the "trans mafia." The comment gave ABL an opportunity to attack Aravosis. Aravosis has often been critical of Obama.

Where is the GOP Youth Vote

2012-01-26T17:11:00.004-05:00

Look at how old the people are at a New Gingrich rally in Mount Dora, Florida. Republicans have given up on young voters, blacks and alieniating Hispanics. Exactly who is going to be the GOP base in 10 years? Big business and Christian fundamentalists are the obvious answer. The question will be is that enough. Of course, Democrats often find ways to implode. Just look at the 2010 elections in Florida and how the Florida Democratic Party was able to do nothing with a registered voter advantage.

Side note: the young Ron Paul supporters will check out in the general election. Paul will not be the nominee. If Paul runs as an independent in the general election, Paul will likely pull some Republicans unsatisfied with their nominee. Paul can't play kingmaker. But he can hurt the GOP nominee in swing states. It would serve Republicans right for ignoring young voters.

Write A Caption: Rick Scott

2012-01-25T20:04:00.003-05:00

I'm glad the governor's image makeover, of a warmer and gentler Rick Scott has been a success.

JD Alexander Fighting to Keep Private Prison Costs Secret

2012-01-25T17:51:00.005-05:00

The Orlando Sentinel asked J.D. Alexander if questions on if privatized prisons would save Florida money were valid. Alexander, Senate Budget Committee chairman, had an amazing answer.

"I don't think the it's genuine criticism," Alexander said.

Not that Alexander has heard a lot of "criticism." Alexander allowed only two citizens the opportunity to speak to the committee. One of the speakers was a lobbyist for Florida Tax Watch, a group that supports the privatization of prisons.

Another point of the matter: the Senate Budget Committee has done no studies of whether private prisons would save Florida money. In fact, Alexander is one of the sponsors of SB 2036. The bill forbids the Florida legislature from collecting economic data on private prisons. SB 2036 would exempt private prison from given states economic data for the first five years. Under current law, any outsourced or private run state program must provide cost data for the first five years of its existence. Alexander can't say criticism about cost is unjust, since he has no idea what the cost is. Alexander is making sure no one else finds out what the cost will be.

For someone who claims to be trying to save taxpayers money, Alexander only allowed the budget committee 3 minutes to debate. The debate dealt with amendments. There was no serious policy discussion detailing costs. Sen. Mike Fasano questioned to committee about costs. The Orlando Sentinel doesn't say if this produced any answers. Fasano has been against the privatization plan.

The Sentinel article notes that Corrections Corp. of America and the Geo Group would likely be awarded contacts, if the privatization plan passes (which is highly likely.) CCA and the Geo Group have donated lavishly to Florida Republicans. Privatization of prisons may not make sense for Florida taxpayers. But it makes a whole lot of sense for the Florida Republican establishment.

Quote of the Day: Rick Santorum

2012-01-25T15:35:00.009-05:00

"I believe and I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created - in the sense of rape - but nevertheless a gift in a broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given you. As you know, we have to, in lots of different aspects of our life. We have horrible things happen. I can't think of anything more horrible. But, nevertheless, we have to make the best out of a bad situation."

Rick Santorum

Santorum actually believes women are receiving a gift by being raped and impregnated by their attacker. In Santorum's world being raped is something women should put on their Amazon.com wishlist. Santorum then tells condescendingly tells women to tough it out and carry the fetus to birth. This man is insufferable.

Reactions from the feminist blogosphere.

Jill Filipovic

The thing is, we don't just "accept what God has given us" in a whole lot of circumstances. Like when God gives us cancer. Or when God gives us problems with a wanted pregnancy. We try to counteract the things that are physically or psychologically harmful to us, or things that we don't want to happen. And plenty of women do choose to give birth when they're impregnated by rape - that's a totally valid choice. But it's not one that should be forced on any woman, rape or no rape.

Robin Marty

Most candidates, when questioned on whether they could honestly force their family members to carry a pregnancy to term after rape, will at the very least hem and haw a little over the issue.

But not former Pennsylvanna Senator Rick Santorum. He says the baby is still a gift, and he would council his daughters to believe the same.

If you think Santorum has an empathy problem then you aren't the only one. Amanda Marcotte notes that Santorum has spent his career trying to deny the medical rights that saved his wife's life.

Most of us, when we suffer from a traumatic situation, find that it increases our empathy with others in similar circumstances, and many of us are driven to become activists fighting to make life easier for people in similiar situations. But for Rick Santorum, trauma drove him in the other direction: It decreased his empathy for others in similiar situations, and caused him to want to increase their pain and suffering. That's the lesson to be drawn from a profile of Santorum in the New York Times, which explains that after his wife Karen, got sick at 20 weeks of pregnancy and was spared the the spontaneous abortion/early delivery (the distinction is more cultural than biological), Santorum got busy making sure other couples in the same situation could never have the options and speedy medical care that helped saved Karen's life.

Santorum has no problem allowing women to die to please his religious worldview. No wonder Santorum views rape as a minor nuisance to women.

Scott's Health Care Reform is About Profit

2012-01-25T14:26:00.005-05:00

"I can't make any sense of that," said Ron Hytoff, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital.

Hytoff made this comment to the Tampa Bay Times. Hytoff was asked about the hospital rating system proposed by Gov. Rick Scott. The "rate bands" would benefit hospitals that mostly cover patients who can pay for their health care. These are usually for-profit hospitals such as Scott's former company Hospital Corporation of America. The for-profit hospitals that make a profit would receive more Medicaid funding. Hospitals that treat the uninsured with see a decrease in Medicaid funds.

Scott is the former CEO of Columbia/HCA. A Justice Department investigation found that Scott behaved highly unethically.

However, federal investigators found Scott took part in business practices at Columbia/HCA that were later found illegal -- specifically, that Scott and other executives offered financial incentives to doctors in exchange for referrals, in violation of federal law, according to lawsuits the Justice Department filed against the company in 2001.

The doctor payments were among 10 different kinds of fraud identified by the Justice Department in its 10-year probe of the company, records show. Three years after Scott left Columbia/HCA, the company admitted wrongdoing, pleading guilty to 14 felonies -- the most committed during Scott's tenure -- in addition to paying two sets of fines totaling $1.7 billion.

Scott left because the board of Columbia/HCA forced him to resign. Columbia/HCA admitted to falsely billing Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE.

Scott likes to attack government health care. Scott has no problem receiving tax dollars when he CEO of Columbia/HCA. As Florida's multi-millionaire governor, Scott only pays only $30.00-a-month for government health care. That is amazing hypocrisy for a man who burst on the national political scene railing against government health care.

Scott's rating system would punish hospitals that treat the uninsured. Scott's answer is less funding for emergency room visits. Sick people are still going to go to the emergency room. What Scott's policy proposal would do is help financially sink health care centers like Tampa General Hospital. The worst case scenario is only the for-profit hospitals would remain. Scott's idea of health care reform is forcing all patients to go to a few for-profit institutions. Of course, Scott has no interest in regulating health care costs of these for-profit hospitals. Scott will tell Floridians that less hospitals employing health care workers is creating jobs.

Mr. Hytoff may not be able to make any sense out of Scott's rate band system awarding profitable hospitals more tax dollars. To me it makes perfect sense to me. Fortunately, Scott's rating system is too radical for the conservative Florida legislature.

State of the Union Live Blogging

2012-01-24T20:16:00.048-05:00

Here is an excerpt of tonight's State of the Union address. The President Barack Obama that wanted to cut entitlements is not present. Obama is targeting his speech at the 99 percent.

“Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded. “
…
“….The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them.”
…
“As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.”
…
“Let’s never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same. It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.”

What is interesting is that Obama says he will fight Republican obstruction. Hopefully, Obama's naivety that Ryan Lizza showed in internal White House memos is gone. The sheer stupidity of Obama's assessment of the Republicans is staggering.

In Obama's world he equates Nancy Pelosi to convicted felon Tom Delay. In Obama's world, religious fundamentalists that discriminate are the same as gay rights activist. In Obama's world, the award-winning New York Times is equal to the political propaganda of Fox News. Obama stated so in his book the "Audacity of Hope."

Tom DeLay or Nancy Pelosi, big oil or greedy trial lawyers, religious zealots or gay activists, Fox News or the New York Times.

Obama is not a smart man.

8:52 Gottalaff wasn't kidding. John Boehner is really extra orange tonight.

8:53 Ladies, Mitch McConnell is in the house. Control yourselves.

8:55 Secretary Tom Vilsack is the one cabinet member not at the SOTU.

8:56 Gabby Giffords gets a standing ovation.

8:59 Joe Biden and Michelle Obama wave at each other. Matt Drudge should post a rumor in about 5 minutes.

9:00 Good God! More Brian Williams. I had enough of him last night.

Benjamin Kirby is live blogging.

9:06 Obama is in the house.

Peter Schorsch makes note about how political followers like to turn the SOTU and debates into a drinking game.

It's getting to the point where there is a political drinking game every damn night of the week.

Schorsch is live blogging the debate.

9:13 Obama points out that Osama bin Laden is dead. Big cheers. Obama will hammer Republicans on that.

9:14 After last night's Republican debate, it is interesting to hear the striking gap the GOP candidates have with Obama's speaking skills.

9:18 Obama bashing Wall Street. This is the Occupy Wall Street election.

9:19 Obama should not brag about the watered-down Dodd-Frank bill.

9:20 Cash for Clunkers did work. I was against it.

9:22 This speech is Obama being defensive. Obama is saying the economy is rebounding. Believe that when I see it.

9:26 Obama is selling in-sourcing of businesses.

Funny tweet from Kevin Drum.

Sort of amusing watching Boehner's painfully reluctant applause.

9:30 Obama: "It's time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system." Who know Obama was Bob Dylan?

9:33 Am I the only one who notices that the Republicans are on their best behavior?

9:34 Obama talks about work study. I was on a work study program in high school.

9:36 Obama bringing up the Dream Act. This is bold the risk adverse Obama. Republicans boo. GOP, kiss Hispanic votes goodbye.

9:37 Obama: "Women should earn equal pay for equal work." Are the Obamabots going to say they love deficit commission era Obama better?

9:42 Both parties are starting to fall to sleep listening to Obama talk about car batteries.

9:43 Yes! Get rid of the oil subsidies!

9:46 Obama is pitching infrastructure projects. The Republicans will not support it because building highways is socialist.

9:47 Obama say the banks have a "deficit of trust."

9:48 Both parties about to shit themselves when Obama talks about new regulations on banks. Those banks are who Congress represents.

9:51 I'm fearing that Obama truly believes that Dodd-Frank would prevent another market crash.

9:54 No applause from either party for Obama's proposal of financial crimes unit. Congress really hearts the banks.

9:55 Obama: "Do we want to keep these tax cuts." Republicans will fight tooth and nail to keep the Bush tax cuts.

9:59 Ginger Lee makes fun of the likely Republican response.

13.9% is fair, Barry. Stop trying to take money away from people that didn't work hard for it!

10:01 Obama gets booed for wanting to ban insider trading in Congress. Hysterical.

10:05 Obama talks about the Arab Spring and Libya regine change. Republicans are going to have problems attacking him on foreign policy.

10:09 Jill Filipovic's reaction to inexclusive Obama surprised me

"Christians, Muslims and Jews." Um... crap.

It comes off as pandering but the SOTU is all about pandering.

10:12 Standing ovation for the "people in uniform."

10:13 Obama proposes a Veterans jobs corp to employ military vets.

Please no.... Obama making his pitching for bipartisanship. Give it up.

State of the Union over.

Peter Schorsch is wrong about this being Obama's worst SOTU speech. It was a good speech. Most over all it was a great campaign speech. Obama is staking a clear contrast between himself and the GOP candidates. With the exception of the end, Obama didn't try to triangulate. Obama has learn that the Dick Morris strategy doesn't work.

John Boehner looks extremely uncomfortable as Obama proposes legislation on lobbying and members of Congress owning stocks in companies they regulate.

10:30 Mitch Daniels starts the SOTU response by saying nice thing about Obama. Daniels admits that Obama didn't start the economic crisis. Smart move politically.

10:31 Daniels compares America's economy to the European Euro crisis. The Daniels answer is less regulation.

10:33 People are rightly pointing out that Daniels had horrible policies as President Bush's budget director. Daniels can hardly brag about his fiscal conservatism by preceding over record deficits.

10:37 Daniels talks about bipartisanship and then attacks Obama. A true bipartisan statesman.

10:38 Mitch Daniels sound like a David Brooks op-ed.

10:39 Daniels is talking about cutting entitlements. The Republicans want to run against Obama on cutting Social Security and Medicare. This is what happens when a party goes to the extreme right. They think the American peoplke are the tea party.

Marco Rubio Hearts Mitt Romney

2012-01-24T18:56:00.004-05:00

I wonder how tea party members are going to justify Marco Rubio backing Mitt Romney.

Said Rubio: "Mitt Romney is no Charlie Crist. Romney is a conservative. and he was one of the first national Republican leaders to endorse me. He came to Florida, campaigned hard for me, and made a real difference in my race."

Rubio is well aware that Romney was once pro-choice and backed gay rights.

Rubio's endorsement says more about Rubio than Romney's conservative credentials. Rubio is an establishment Republican. Rubio attended tea party rallies to get elected. In the Senate, Rubio called the Senate Tea Party Caucus a "little club." Rubio knows Senate Republicans will become a smaller club if Gingrich is on top of the ticket. Conservative values take a back seat to winning.

4 Health Care Stories to Watch for in 2012

2012-01-24T15:41:00.005-05:00

This is a guest post by Darden Rice, Communications Director of Know Your Care/Protect Your Care. KYC and PYC are sister 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations. Pushing Rope is not affiliated with KYC or PYC. This blog does want to hear progressives voices talk about policy.

Below is Rice's article. Hit the + button of the Scribd document to make the text bigger.

4 Health Care Stories (3) 1

Scott Walker Tribute Song

2012-01-23T23:29:00.002-05:00

Stand With Governor Walker by Glen Shulfer is a gloriously cheesy and over-the-top song. A sample of the lyrical brilliance the song provides.

When we faced an uphill climb, with a future not too bright,
there was one man for the time, who was promising to fight.
He would stand up for "us all" when he tamed the status quo.
Now he's standing 10-feet tall from Ashland to Monroe.

Those "us all" that Walker supposedly stands for doesn't include the people so upset that they ended up protesting at the capital.

These lyrics make no sense.

He took on the deficit, and asked the union folks to pay
just a teeny-tiny bit, to make it fair in every way.
A balanced budget, he can claim without taxing you and me.
And in the end it wasn't shame, but a total victory.

Walker is facing a recall election. I would hardly call that "total victory."

USF GOP Debate Live Blogging

2012-01-23T19:46:00.051-05:00

My understanding is the Marshall Center at USF is shut down for the Republican debate.

Drink every time a candidate mentions Ronald Reagan's name.

The Ron Paul supporters are out in force by the Marshall Center.

Video of the scene outside the Marshall Center. The media is on the second floor in the ballroom.

State of Sunshine blogger Jim Johnson said he estimates there are about 200 Ron Paul supporters.

The Tampa Bay Times has a photo gallery of the protest outside the Marshall Center. Occupy Tampa is present.

The USF Oracle has a photo of the Occupy Tampa protesters at USF.

Jim Johnson will be live blogging the debate.

My understanding is that Peter Schorsch will be live blogging. Check his blog at 9:00 PM.

Tas just sent me this awesome tweet.

There's another fucking debate tonight? I thought it was on Thursday.

It feels like there have been debates since the day after Obama's inauguration. What makes matters worse is these debates have been substance-free.

9:00 Brian Williams introduction and sweeping music.

9:02 Gingrich brings up Herbert Hoover to make the case he is electable. Good God.

9:05 Romney hits Gingrich twice on him "resigning in disgrace."

Romney declaring his love for the Paul Ryan plan is a great general election sound bite for Democrats.

Romney hits Gingrich for working on Freddie Mac. Romney is coming out swinging because he is in trouble.

9:10 Newt defending himself on House ethics reprimand. Newt attacking Romney on false facts. What part of ethics reprimand and fine does Newt not understand. Newt won't fess up to anything.

9:13 Man is Rick Santorum boring.

9:17 Is Gingrich and Paul having an onstage bromance?

Jim Johnson picks up on the bromance vibe.

Ron Paul praises Gingrich, and might support Newt. Gingrich returns some of the favor.

Ginger Lee thinks Newt brushed off Paul.

'Rick Perry said I'm cool, fuck the other dude from TX'-What Newt really meant.

9:22 Newt wants a 15 percent flat tax and zero capital gains tax. Next Newt will say he will balance the budget.

9:24 Short answer: Mitt lifted himself up by his designer boot straps.

Peter Schorsch sums up Santorum's electability. Remember, Santorum lost his Senate race.

“I lost by 18 points but it was only because I was a terrible candidate.”

9:27 Shorter Gingrich: "I didn't lobby. I told Freddie Mac how to lobby."

9:28 Romney hits Gingrich on the infamous "historian" defense. That was the best b.s. answer during the debates.

Jim Johnson thinks that Romney needs to stop the Freddie Mac attack. Romney has no choice. He is in trouble.

9:33 Isn't Brian Williams suppose to be moderating? Romney and Gingrich have been arguing forever.

9:37 Santorum blaming the entire foreclosure crisis on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie and Freddie were part of the problem. Santorum won't name the major banks that sold the majority of the mortgages.

9:41: BHAH! HA! HA! HA! HA! Romney said Pam Bondi is cracking down on illegal foreclosures. Wrong.

Ginger Lee pointed out the stupidity of the debate.

Holy hell, we're arguing about Castro going to heaven or hell?

Candidates can't be accused of getting bogged down in wonkery.

9:50 Gingrich is attacking Obama on foreign policy. Obama backed Libya bombing and killed Osama bin Laden.

9:52 Romney wants to keep troops in Afghanistan longer. Afghanistan is a losing proposition.

Commercial break: Do Romney and Gingrich truly believe sending more troops to war and accusing Obama of being weak on national security will win in the general election? It won't.

9:58 Adam and Beth Reinhard in the House to help Williams give candidates non-questions.

9:59 Santorum is making same argument on Iran that Bush administration did with Iraq.

10:02 Shorter Rick Santorum: Offshore oil drilling helps tourism. Nothing prettier than seeing an oil rig off the beach.

10:04 The bashing the Spanish language should continue to repel Hispanics from Republicans.

10:06 Gingrich supports citizenship for military service.

10:07 Romney proposes that immigrants would turn themselves for self-deportation. This took 30 seconds for Romney's staffers to think up.

I agree with Ezra Klein on this.

I bet watching Newt Gingrich run for president makes Bill Clinton want to run for president sooooo bad

Commercial break saves America from the boredom. None of these candidates have anything resembling charisma.

Reactions to Mitt's "self-deportation" immigration policy. People are wondering what the hell is Romney talking about.

Jim Johnson

Adam Smith continues on immigration. Romney says the best plan is self-deportation… what?

Ginger Lee

Is 'self deportation' just a fancy word for leaving? Because it sounds like it.

10:18 Gingrich saying that Terri Schiavo cased wasn't reviewed by the courts. It went up to the federal courts. The Supreme Court rejected hearing the Schiavo case.

Gary Fineout points out that Gingrich won't let facts get in the way.

Newt Gingrich says there should have been a judicial review of Schiavo decision. Well, there was.

10:23 Romney harps so much on "the Space Coast" that it is obvious he was coached for his debate prep. Problem is that Romney makes it obvious.

10:25 Sorry Newt, but most economist don't agree that the Bush tax cuts helped the economy.

10:30 Brian Williams asked what Romney did to further conservatism. Romney says he raised a family and worked in business. Tons of people have done that who aren't conservative or political.

10:33 Shorter Newt: I got Ronald Reagan elected and won Congress. So modest.

10:34 Rick Santorum disses Obama on cap and trade. Cap and trade was the idea of Congressional Republicans.

10:36 The question to Paul should be how he furthered the libertarian movement.

1037 Romney lying about never saying that Romneycare should not go national. Romney said his health care program should go national.

Side note: Pam Bondi's name mentioned several times. Rick Scott's name not mentioned once.

Side note: The Newt Gingrich campaign press release on Mitt Romney's conservative accomplishments is hysterical.

Jim 'Bathroom Sex' Naugle Endorses Santorum

2012-01-23T19:30:00.004-05:00

Former Fort Lauderdale Jim Naugle went on one man crusade against gay bathroom sex. Naugle become so bizarre that the Fort Lauderdale City Commision distance themselves from him. It should be no surprise that Naugle has endorsed Rick Santorum.

Registered Democrat Naugle isn't going to pull votes from the Left. Florida's Republican primary is closed to Democrats.

Here is Naugle at the Santorum rally. Notice that Naugle sounds nothing like a Democrat.

Rick Santorum Wrong on Recess Appointments

2012-01-23T18:47:00.004-05:00

Let's ignore the lady telling Sen. Rick Santorum that President Barack Obama is a Muslim and not a citizen. If tea partiers want to keep ranting birther conspiracy theories they will just repulse ordinary Americans. What I do want to touch upon is Rick Santorum's claims that the recess appointments made by Obama were unconstitutional.

“He uniformly ignores the Constitution,” Santorum said, not correcting the woman on Obama’s religion. “He did this with these appointments over the, quote, recess that was not a recess, and if I was in the United States Senate, I would be drawing the line.”

The Senate took a 20 day recess. Pete Yost of the Huffington Post points that out that "five presidents have made recess appointments during recesses of 14 days or less." President Obama also has legal precedent on his side. United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit decision on Evans v. Stephens

The court next found that the Senate break during which the President appointed Judge Pryor constituted a “recess” within the Recess Appointments Clause. The court stated the arguments that Judge Pryor was not appointed during a constitutional recess “are not so strong as to persuade us that the President’s interpretation is incorrect. . . . given the words of the Constitution and the history, we are unpersuaded by the argument that the recess appointment power may only be used in an intersession recess, but not an intrasession recess.”

Short answer, if the Senate isn't in session for 14 days then the president has the power to make a recession appointment. Congress cannot say they are not in recess when in actuality they are in recess.

Santorum will say that he is a strict constitutionalist. There is nothing in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution that states how long the Senate must be on recess to make a recess appointment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

Santorum doesn't know what he is talking about. The sad thing is that he is an attorney.

Side note: Santorum's legal claim to fame was defending the World Wrestling Federation against steroid regulations. Now that is a true less government conservative.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-23T15:17:00.005-05:00

"Conclusion: When three women want to sign on for life with a man who is now running for president, I worry more about whether we'll be clamoring for a third Gingrich term, not whether we'll want to let him go after one."

Dr. Keith Ablow, on Gingrich's marital history.

Ablow is a frequent Fox News pundit. Ablow is best known for authoring the book "The 7:Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life" with Glenn Beck. What wasn't known to now is Ablow's huge man crush on Gingrich. You can buy a copy of this literary masterpiece on Amazon.com for $1.97.

Ablow's column reads like an op-ed from The Onion. That is what haapens when a news organization is writing propaganda for a political party. If Ablow framed his argument that Gingrich's personal life should be viewed seperate from his private life, that would be a valid argument to make. Instead, Ablow claims Gingrich's infidility makes him more qualified to be president. I would never make that argument in Bill Clinton's defense because it would be assinine.

My Jerusalem - 66

2012-01-22T23:39:00.002-05:00

This cover was recorded for an Afghan Whigs tribute album. Jeff Klein, the lead singer of My Jerusalem, has played in Dulli's band the Twilight Singers.

66 is the greatest pop song Dulli has ever written. Klein's cover is actually better than the Afghan Whigs version. This is coming from someone who is a huge Afghan Whigs fan.

Rick Santorum Launches CUM

2012-01-22T19:39:00.002-05:00

Rick Santorum already has a Google problem. Santorum should have kept that in mind before launching a fundraising drive with the initials CUM.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-22T19:31:00.002-05:00

“I want to beat Barack Obama. I don’t want to give the Democrats a nice little present of having multiple releases.”

Only a horrible candidate like Mitt Romney would be stupid enough to admit that he has damaging information in in tax returns on national television.

Gingrich's Xenophobia and End Times Prognostications

2012-01-22T01:04:00.005-05:00

If you think that title is a reach, look at the trailer for a film produced by the new front runner for the GOP nomination: "America at Risk: The War With No Name".

This almost makes me want to scream "Vote for Mitt!" There's no telling how Newt will use the military if he becomes president -- and I certainly don't trust anyone who implies (at the end of this trailer) that we're in the "end times" with the keys to the world's largest trove of nuclear weapons.

Wingnut of the Day: Judge Michael Malihi

2012-01-21T18:34:00.004-05:00

Via Gottalaff: Georgia Duputy Chief Judge Michael Malihi has ordered President Barack Obama to appear in court. Malihi wants the president present at a hearing. At issue is the citizenship of Barack Obama. A complaint has been filed to take the president off the Georgia ballot.

Courts have repeatedly struck down the birther claims. Maihi has plenty of legal ruling to use. President Obama even held a press conference to show his long form birth certificate. I could go on and on about how this is utter nonsense

I guarantee that Glenn Reynolds and Michelle Malkin won't write posts about Malihi being an activist judge. That is because Reynolds and Malkin see the world with partisan blinders.

The Great Sports Swindle Redux

2012-01-20T22:16:00.005-05:00

It is rare when I actually agree with Florida Sen. Mike Bennett. This may be the only time ever. Bennett and Florida House Rep. Frank Artiles are attempting to get professional sports stadiums that have received state tax revenue to return money. The reason is to sports facilities were suppose to be used for the homeless, on nights when there wasn't an event.

These organizations have failed to follow the law for over 20 years," said Artiles, in a statement. "This is simply the State of Florida holding them accountable."

Sunlife Stadium (home of the Miami Dolphins) has received $37 million. American Airlines Arena (home of the Miami Heat) has received $27.5 million. Both venues are citing as violating the law. I am positive that the Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not used their facilities to house the homeless.

The law is stupid for countless reasons. I have written repeatedly on this blog on the needs of the homeless. That said, why did lawmakers believe that using private businesses to house the homeless would be a good idea. These venues are built for sports and concerts. Furthermore, it was stupid to believe tax incentives would convince sports teams to house the homeless. These teams would just take the money and ignore the law. Which is exactly what they did.

I have written repeatedly on economic studies that find that sports venues have either zero or negative economic impact to their communities. Corporate welfare to sports teams are just a drain on tax revenue. The state legislator could have built several homeless shelters with the money they gave to pro teams.

Why SB 2036 Isn't Fiscally Conservative

2012-01-20T19:43:00.007-05:00

Senate Bill 2036 would rewrite state law so no data would be collected to see if private prisons save the state of Florida money.

An act relating to the outsourcing or privatization of agency functions; amending s. F.S. 216.023, F.S.; providing that certain information relating to the outsourcing or privatization of an agency function that is expressly required by law is not required to be included in the agency's legislative budget request until after the contract for such functions is executed; amending s. 287.057, F.S.; providing that procurements for outsourcing or privatizing agency functions that are expressly required by law are exempt from the requirement that they are evaluated for cost-effectiveness, and efficiency; amending s. 944.105, F.S.; providing that certain requirements that apply to the Department of Corrections' contract do not apply to contracts for outsourcing or privatizating the operation or maintenance of correctional facilities which are expressly required by law; providing an effective date.

If the bill becomes law, the state would not be allowed to evalulate the performance of private prison contractors. Contractors could not be legally mandated to provide reports detailing prision health or safety issues.

Another issue that proves that that Republicans are not fiscally conservative. The state would have no idea if they are saving money under private prisons. Which is exactly why Senate President Mike Haridopolos is trying to fast track this bill. Haridopolos and other Republicans know for-profit prisons will cost the state more. The rush is because private prison companies have given $400,000 to Florida Republicans during the last election cycle.

Last session, Dr. Michael Hallett sent a letter to Sen. Mike Fasano warning him about giving private prisons too much power.

"It renders the state subject to captivity once the contract is awarded, by giving one corporation so much power and control over such a significant segment of the state budget," he said. "You can't turn this around on a moments notice."

Fasano is the chairman of the Criminal and Civil Appropiations subcommittee. All legislation on the state suppose to go through Fasano's subcommittee. Haridopolos decided to have SB 2036 go through the rules committee. The bill is so bad that no senator will take credit for being its author.

Haridopolos and other Republicans create red tape that makes it hard to collect unemployment or children to be enrolled in Kidcare. They do this under the claim that they are fiscal conservatives. Yet, these same Republicans are writing legislation intended to forbid them from finding out if there are cost overruns with private prisons. When a politician says he or she is a fiscal conservative, what that poll really means is he or she corporatist who doesn't give a shit about the taxpayers' money.

Update: Via Twitter: Sen Paula Dockery informed me that the sponsers of SB 2036 are John Thrasher, Don Gaetz, and J.D. Alexander.

The Gainesville Sun has come out strongly against SB 2036.

Senate Bill 2036 is an invitation to corruption. If lawmakers are arrogant enough to pass it, Rick Scott should veto it It stinks.

Scott is leading to push to privatize prisons. Scott has no intention of vetoing SB 2036.

Write A Caption: Justin Bieber

2012-01-20T17:24:00.000-05:00

This picture is priceless. Thank you internet.

Stephen Colbert on Morning Joe

2012-01-20T16:18:00.002-05:00

Stephen Colbert appeared on Morning Joe. Colbert defended Newt Gingrich by saying Gingrich was enough of a Southern gentleman to ask his second wife if he could "bang" someone else.

President Obama Sings

2012-01-20T16:07:00.002-05:00

I have stated repeatedly on this blog my problems with President Barack Obama's neoliberal policies. However, I have never doubted Obama's skills as a retail politician. Obama sings a snippet of Al Green's Let's Stay Together, and well. No Republican politician running for president has the charisma to pull this off.

Friday Wolf Blogging

2012-01-20T15:43:00.002-05:00

It is rare for a wolf in captivity to be this docile. The video should give you an idea of how big wolves are. Wolves are dogs on steroids.

Thoughts on SOPA Protest

2012-01-19T20:06:00.005-05:00

I am quoted by Eric Deggans in his article on the SOPA protest yesterday.

"The blackout scared (legislators)," said Michael Hussey, editor of the Tampa Bay area political blog Pushing Rope, who paticipated in the protest. "It worked."

Marco Rubio didn't suddenly become a champion of the internet. Congress was flooded with angry emails and phone calls. Online web sites Google, Wikipedia and Facebook made people aware of the overreach of SOPA, and the Senate bill PIPA. Rubio and other Republicans weren't worried that web sites could be shut down for only providing a link to a web site that provided a link to pirated material. (Guilty by link assiociation.) Congress was worried about angry constiuents with pitchforks.

The internet is a powerful form of communication that the members of Congress have no understanding of. Billions of Americans use Google every day. The search engine reaches more people then a Republican talking to Rush Limbaugh on AM radio.

SOPA would require Facebook and Twitter to delete every questionable link that may lead to pirated material. Someone can just say that Twitter and Facebook lead to pirated material. No burden of proof is needed. It is literally impossible to go through the internet and delete every link. I have a hard enough time monitoring spam comments left on this blog. This just goes to show how clueless Congress is.

Rupert Murdoch hysterically attacked internet companies for lobbying Congress against SOPA and PIPA. Murdoch has given massive amounts of money to Republicans. Murdoch's hypocrisy is not surprising. If you don't think that Murdoch would not use SOPA to crush his internet competitors then you are in denial. Mudoch was just forced to pay 37 people for his company News of World hacking private phones. Murdoch uses technology in the most Orwellian of ways.

Joel Award: Rush Limbaugh

2012-01-19T15:52:00.003-05:00

It is time to give out the Joel Award. The award goes to any celebrity, pundit, blogger or politician that purposely contradicts himself or herself.

Rush Limbaugh apparently has become a supporter of sexually open marriages.

LIMBAUGH: I got a great note from a friend of mine. "So Newt wanted an open marriage. BFD. At least he asked his wife for permission instead of cheating on her. That's the mark of character, in my book. Newt's the victim. We all are. Ours is the horniest generation."

Actually, Newt Gingrich did cheat on his previous wife. Gingrich ended end marrying his mistress Callista. That hardly qualifies Newt as a victim.

Rush is paid to be a Reopublican spokesman. In the past Limbaugh has publicly trashed feminists and gays. Limbaugh made his career out of mocking Bill Clinton's sexual affairs. However, if it is a Republican, Limbaugh suddenly becomes a fan of the swinger lifestyle. Limbaugh earns himself a Joel Award for this hysterical piece of hypocrisy.

STOP SOPA

2012-01-18T13:33:00.010-05:00

Litbrit and Jim Johnson have blacked out their blogs in protest of SOPA. The English edition of Wikipedia is taking part in the black out. Johnson talked about the black out with Eric Deggans of the Tampa Bay Times.

All five people who hit my website in a day probably won't be disappointed enough to call their Congressman," admitted Johnson, a software consultant for a Tampa firm. "But Wikipedia has enough clout that they can get everyone involved."

SOPA and PIPA is an government overreach of the internet supported by people like Ruport Murdoch. Media moguls such as Murdoch would benefit from the government. An internet provider could decide to take any web site off its search engine under the claim that site is hosting pirated content. No proof is needed on the part of Google. Fortunately, Google is against the current forms of the SOPA and PIPA bills.

The legislation is unenforcibly. I cannot image Twitter and Facebook going through millions of updates looking for pirated content to delete. It is not possible. This is legislation created by members of Congress who have no understanding of just how vast and complex the internet is.

The protest is working: Sen. Marco Rubio has pulled his support of PIPA.

I have decided to withdraw my support for the Protect IP Act. Furthermore, I encourage Senator Reid to abandon his plan to rush the bill to the floor. Instead, we should take more time to address the concerns raised by all sides, and come up with new legislation that addresses internet piracy while protecting free and open access to the internet.

Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) and Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) have dropped their support for SOPA.

When the going gets tough politicians fold. Rubio, Terry and Quayle have not suddenly become fans of free speech. They are scared of voter backlash against the bills. Politicians want campaign donations from movie and music corporations. Campaign dollars don't mean a thing if they cannot get re-elected.

Side note: Rubio, Terry and Quayle are suppose to be less government conservatives. Internet piracy is already illegal. How is it conservative to make unenforcable laws that could have a financially negative impact on Google, Pay Pal and MSN conservative? The answer is it isn't. The wise thing to do is hire more federal government employees to enforce the anti-piracy laws that are already in place.

Update: There was a SOPA protest outside the offices of Sen. Charles Schumer or Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Andrew Rasiej, chairman of the New York Tech Meetup, told the New York Daily News that not only would SOPA and PIPA open the door to censorship of the Internet, but the laws would also have negative effects on the ability of the U.S. to remain a leader in the global tech industry.

"Because a new innovation by a start-up could be interpreted by a judge unfamiliar with how the technology works as infringing on copyright, investors and entrepreneurs would be discouraged from moving forward with a start-up due to a significantly increased risk of legal entanglement," Rasiej told the New York Daily News. "This in turn would dampen job creation and future opportunities for New Yorkers and Americans as a whole."

Schumer and Gillibrand are the co-sponsors of PIPA.

The Young Turks on Ruport Murdoch's support of SOPA.

Update: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg posted why he is against SOPA and PIPA.

The internet is the most powerful tool we have for creating a more open and connected world. We can't let poorly thought out laws get in the way of the internet's development. Facebook opposes SOPA and PIPA, and we will continue to oppose any laws that will hurt the internet. The world today needs political leaders who are pro-internet. We have been working with many of these folks for months on better alternatives to these current proposals. I encourage you to learn more about these issues and tell your congressmen that you want them to be pro-internet. You can read more about our views here: https://www.facebook.com/FacebookDC?sk=app_329139750453932.

There are some people angry that Zuckerberg didn't shut down Facebook for the day like Wikipedia. However, that is an inside the internet story.

Update: Matt Yglesias tweeted this.

Obama campaign just sent out an anti-SOPA fundraising email. #bandwagoning

President Obama wouldn't send out that email unless it was safe to oppose SOPA. It's official. People hate SOPA and PIPA. Politicians are running away from this legislation.

Update: Elizabeth Warren released a statement pertaining to SOPA and PIPA.

Illegal piracy should be punished, but I have serious concerns with SOPA and PIPA. We need to deal with piracy without chilling the innovation, diversity, and free exchange of ideas that define the Internet and have shaped our increasingly interconnected world.

Update: Daily Kos has a SOPA petition you can send to your Senator.

Update: President Barack Obama has come out against SOPA.

On Saturday, the White House announced that the Obama administration will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression or undermines the dynamic, innovative global internet.

As Congress works to address the very real issue of online piracy, we must guard against the risk of online censorship of lawful activity—and we must not inhibit innovation by businesses large and small.

Online piracy hurts our economy, threatens middle-class jobs, and undermines the work of some of our most creative companies and entrepreneurs. The President has called on all parties to work together to find solutions that address the problem of online piracy while remaining true to our values.

Update Video of State of Sunshine blogger Jom Johnson being interviewed on Action News.

Mitt the Ripper Ad

2012-01-17T19:45:00.002-05:00

Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart have had great fun pointing out the legal loopholes set up for Super PACs. Colbert's Super PAC released an attack parody that compared Mitt Romney to a serial killer. The attacks in ads are often over the top. Colbert and Stewart. What is funny about this ad is it would not be surprising if a Republican opponent of Romney's did compare him to Jack the Ripper. I'm surprised that Newt Gingrich hasn't thought of it first.

Rick Scott To Endorse?

2012-01-17T11:14:00.003-05:00

Republican presidential candidates beware. Gov. Rick Scott may endorse one of you.

“If I’m going to endorse, clearly I’m going to do so in the next week or so,” he said.

I would so love to see Mitt Romney doing a photo-op with Scott. The Obama campaign would use that photo-op against Romney in a attack ad.

Comic Strip of the Day

2012-01-17T10:53:00.002-05:00

Comic strip by Bruce Plante.

Check out the Facebook page Dogs Against Romney.

Romney Runs From Man In Wheelchair

2012-01-14T15:52:00.003-05:00

Mitt Romney is asked by a sick man in a wheelchair, if Romney as president would have patients and doctors arrested for using and prescribing medical marijuana.

"I'm not in favor of medical marijuana," Romney states and quickly rushes away.

Another man asked if Romney will finish answering the wheelchair-bound man's question. Romney said he did, as he tries to escape. Romney did not answer if he would arrest patients for using medical marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Republican Chris Christie had a more rationale approach. Christie allowed the state law allowing patients to be able to use medical marijuana to go forward.

“I have been struggling, as has my administration, to find a way to accomplish what I’ve wanted to accomplish, which is to provide compassionate treatment to people who are suffering in a way that wouldn’t expose them, the operators of our dispensaries or the employees of the state of New Jersey to criminal liability,” Christie said. “That is a lot easier said than done.”

In Christie's defense, New Jersey could face possible federal prosecution for letting doctors prescribe medical marijuana. Christie is correct in that terminally patients should not risk jail time for trying to provide relief from their pain. Romney couldn't even look a man in the eye and say he would prosecute him.

Side note: the video is proof of Romney's strongest liability. Romney has no empathy and cannot connect with people. Obama's ability to look a person in the eye and connect is one of his strongest assets as a politician. Barring an a scandal, Obama is going to slay Romney in the general election. Any conservative blogger who thinks that Romney is a better retail politician than Obama is either in denial or full of shit.

Hunter Thompson's Letter to the Vancouver Sun

2012-01-14T15:25:00.003-05:00

In October of 1958, Hunter Thompson wrote a letter to Jack Scott of the Vancouver Sun Thompson used his infamous honesty when asking Scott for a job as a reporter. Thompson informed Scott that his last employer would not provide a good reference.

I didn't make myself clear to the last man I worked for until after I took the job. It was as if the Marquis de Sade had suddenly found himself working for Billy Graham. The man despised me, of course, and I had nothing but contempt for him and everything he stood for. If you asked him, he'd tell you that I'm "not very likable, (that I) hate people, (that I) just want to be left alone, and (that I) feel too superior to mingle with the average person." (That's a direct quote from a memo he sent to the publisher.)

Boing Boing has the entire letter. I highly recommend reading it.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-13T21:32:00.003-05:00

"On occasion scientists working on the nuclear program in Iran turn up dead. I think that's a wonderful thing, candidly."

Rick Santorum

Let's put aside whether the assassination was necessary for Israel's and the United States' national security. That is the subject of another post. Santorum reminds people that he he "pro-life." However, Santorum says that an Iranian scientist being killed is a "wonderful thing." What Santorum is saying that he doesn't value the life of someone he opposes. That isn't the view of a Christian. Santorum isn't a Christian. He is a fanatic.

Unintentionally Hysterical Sunshine State News Article

2012-01-13T17:20:00.004-05:00

Peter Schorsch is on a roll, as far as write blog post headlines are concern. I am still laughing after reading this.

SSN’s Nancy Smith may have the Scoop of the Year: Bob Graham NOT running for Governor!

Schorsch is right to mock Nancy Smith's article.

Despite increasing speculation that Bob Graham is mapping out a run against Rick Scott in 2014, the former U.S. senator and two-term governor emphatically denied he has any further personal interest in the governor's office.

Where is this "increasing speculation" coming from? I haven't heard one person mention Graham's name as a candidate. The source for Smith's article in someone she met a a dinner table. I'm serious.

One political consultant's assistant, eating dinner at a table for eight, said to guests around her, "Bob Graham has been so visible lately. He's been up here (from Miami) more than once and he's always looking for the cameras. He's running, no question about it."

Never mind that Graham hasn't hired potential campaign staffers. Graham looked at a camera. That is all the proof needed that he is running.

Smith makes this sound mysterious.

Brannon Jordan, communications director for the Democratic Party of Florida, did not return phone or email requests to confirm or deny the possibility of a Bob Graham candidacy.

The Florida Democratic Party does not talk to the Sunshine State News. There is some bad blood there. But that is another story. What probably happened is Jordan had to put down the phone because he was laughing so hard.

I look forward to Smith writing an article on how the Florida Democratic Party is going to hire a necromancer to bring Lawton Chiles back from the dead, so he can run in 2014.

Friday Cat Blogging

2012-01-13T16:54:00.001-05:00

A bobcat grooming a domestic cat. I wonder how the two will get along when the bobcat gets bigger.

Newt's Attack Ad on Mitt Romney

2012-01-12T19:25:00.003-05:00

Newt Gingrich is willing to destroy his party's chances of winning re-election just to get payback for the attack ads Mitt Romney ran in Iowa. Gingrich's ad uses Romney's infamous Ted Kennedy debate quote of being against Ronald Reagan. The ad even shows Romney speaking French. Republicans have long had a strange fixation with being anti-French. The ad is devastating.

Barring a scandal, Romney is going to win the nomination because his opponents are too incompetent to win. The time to attack Romney's venture capitalist background and flip-flopping was several months before Iowa. Romney's opponents misread the 2012 election cycle and kept trying to please the dying tea party. Gingrich and Rick Perry are now making attacks against Romney that wouldn't sound out of place at an Occupy Wall Street rally. These guys didn't figure out that populism wins elections until after they lost Iowa and New Hampshire.

Romney is forced to reflexively double down on his one percent rhetoric. We have already being seeing examples of this. Romney cannot become Woody Guthrie because he has no understanding of what a life without priviledge feels like. Romney's idea of empathy was telling voters in Tampa that he is unemployed.

"I should tell you my story. I'm also unemployed."

Part of Romney's story is he is worth $200 million and isn't working because he is financially stable. Romney is a man who think it is a good idea to take a picture with his friend holding cash. There is also the image of Romney getting a shoe shine that is spreading across the internet. It is as if Romney is intentionally trying to make himself into the real life version of Gordon Gekko.

Most Bogus Rick Scott Poll Ever

2012-01-12T18:52:00.003-05:00

I looked at the Florida Chamber of Commerce poll showing Mitt Romney at 35 percent with some skepticism. I don't doubt that Romney leads with Florida Republican voters. I do doubt that Romney is polling at 35 percent. The numbers are similar to a Quinnipiac poll. The problem the Florida Chamber of Commerce uses the less than credible Republican polling firm Cherry Communications. You will not find a single Democratic politician or organization on Cherry Communications' list of clients. The fact the the Florida Chamber used this polling firm should tell you about where its loyalties lie.

I then saw Peter Schorsch run this headline.

Shocking! Florida Chamber says its poll shows Governor Scott’s job approval on the rise

The Florida Chamber and Cherry Communications are claiming that Go. Rick Scott has a 48.31% approval rating. I couldn't type that last sentence and keep a straight face. There is a greater chance of the Indianapolis Colts building their team around Curtis Painter than Scott polling near 50 percent.

The Florida Chamber puts out this poll to give Scott the appearance of popularity. The media runs the poll without actually fact-checking the numbers. Which is exactly what The Buzz did. The media needs to properly vet polls. If a polling service has been repeatedly unreliable than news organizations should not mention those polls. Instead, The Buzz treats the Chamber poll as if it is the gospel truth.

Write A Caption: Mitt Romney

2012-01-12T18:27:00.003-05:00

This is a screen shot from the Newt Gingrich PAC film When Mitt Romney Came to Town.

Hat tips to GottaLaff and Litbrit.

Update: A reader reminded me that the photo was of a TSA screening.

FLA Legislature's No Shame on Lobbyists

2012-01-12T17:23:00.005-05:00

The elected leadership in both parties in Florida don't even hide their incestuous relationship with lobbyists. They hold luncheons for lobbyists to hand them checks and then brag about it the the media.

"We thought this would be an easier way to get everybody together in one place," Saunders said. Asked why business lobbyists would donate to Democrats when they often are in disagreement and Democrats have little influence over legislation, Saunders said: "For one thing, we've been supportive on some of their issues. But the other thing is, committee votes are not always partisan. I think they'd like to have a voice. What I tell people is, 'Contributions don't get you a vote. They get you an open door and an open mind.' "

Lobbyists bearing gifts came and went throughout the lunch hour at the Doubletree.

"I guess you would call it access, the ability to come and educate you on the issues," said Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach. "They would do it whether they gave you money or not, but I think they feel that since they have a relationship with you, that it would be easier to get to you."

I can't believe that Gibbons actually said, "I guess you would call it access." It is access. That is the whole point of inviting lobbyists to hand you money. Does anyone believe Saunders statement on dollars not equaling votes?

The Republicans weren't going to be outdone. They held a pass-the-hat-to-the-lobbyist event at the Governor's Club. Beer distributors held a fundraiser for Republican Jeff Brandes. (Saint Petersblog editor Peter Schorsch has worked as a consultant for Brandes.) As a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Thrasher was publicly reprimanded for lobbying a state board for the Florida Board of Medicine on behave of the Florida Medical Association. Lobbyists know that dollars buy Thrasher's vote.

Thrasher has worked as lobbyist. Former state Sen. Ron Klein worked as a lobbyist while in the legislature. The web of lobbying is too tangled in the legislature. State laws need to forbid elected officials from working as lobbyists.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-12T15:46:00.005-05:00

"He's avoiding the handcuffs."

Reed Brody, attorney for the Human Rights Watch, on President George W. Bush cancelling his visit to Switzerland.

Bush was scheduled to speak to at a Jewish charity event. Criminal complaints about Bush's use of waterboarding were lodged in Geneva. Under the Geneva Conventions laws, waterboarding is considered torture. Bush has admitted in interviews and his book Decision Points that he approved the use of waterboarding on detainees.

Detainee Manadel al-Jamadi was tortured to death at Abu Ghraib. Jamadi was hung from his wrists for several hours and beaten. Jamadi's death was ruled a homicide by the U.S. military pathologist.

There is a documented of a Navy dog phyically attacking a detainee in Abu Ghraib on Dec. 12, 2003. The dog bit the detainee.

There has been no proof provided by conservatives that torture provided intelligence. Defense Sec. Leon Panetta informed Sen. John McCain that none of the intelligence used to find Osama bin Laden came from torture.

From a short period of time President Bush has went from the most power man on the planet to a fugitive from international law. Amazing.

Update: Litbrit pointed out to me that the story is from February of 2011.

Jim Johnson on Mitt Romney

2012-01-11T21:56:00.004-05:00

My favorite Republican Jim Johnson has returned to blogging. Johnson wrote a post on how the pundits are wrong about Romney's victory in Iowa.

The pundits are theorizing this is bad for Romney. Romney has been polling at 25% for a really long time. And he received 25% of the vote Tuesday night. "No traction" is what a lot of people are saying. The GOP is still searching for the "Anti-Romney."

Hogwash.

He held serve.

I will go a step further than Jim.

Romney had no business winning Iowa. The voting in Iowa is propelled by grassroots activists. In 2008, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee won. The establishment candidates were Hillary Clinton and John Mccain. Clinton and McCain went on to win New Hampshire. Romney had such low expectations for Iowa that he didn't even attend the Iowa Straw Poll. The Iowa is made for a candidate like Rick Perry. That fact that Romney won is a testiment to incompetence of the other Republican candidates. Rick Santorum only did well because he was the last candidate that the tea party flirted with before the primary.

Karen O, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Immigrant Song

2012-01-11T21:16:00.001-05:00

The spectacular opening sequence to the movie The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I actually like the cover version by Karen O and Trent Reznor better than the original Led Zeppelin version.

Sexual Harassment Charges Against Alcee Hastings

2012-01-11T19:00:00.004-05:00

Alcee Hastings has long been a magnet for controversy. As a federal judge, Hastings was convicted by the U.S. Senate in relations to a bribery scandal. Amazingly, the Senate did not forbid Hastings from running for public office. This shows how much members of the Senate respect the integrity of public office.

Roll Call reports that Hastings with House committee staffers. Never a good idea. Hastings told the Office of Congressional Ethics this nugget.

Hastings also allowed that he had wondered aloud during bar-time chitchat how members - especially females - can wear the same underwear for an entire day on the Hill but added he did specifically comment to Packer.

Who the hell say things like that out loud around co-workers?

I usually stay away from sex-related scandals. The reason I am blogging about this is because Winsome Packer has filed a discrimination against Hastings, and Helsinki Commission staff director Fred Turner. The OCE released a report stating the Winsome claims that Hastings and Turner engaged in "unwelcome sexual advances, sexual comments, and unwelcome touching." Judgement should be reserved to all the facts are gathered. However, the allegations should be treated seriously.

The OCE found that some of Winsome's claims have been corroborated by evidence. The OCE has found enough evidence to continue investigating. This is quite different than the write up given by Roll Call.

Turner is listed in the repiort as a non-cooperating witness. Turner has refused to hand over his laptop. Marlene Kaufman turned in her laptop with the hard drive erased. Hastings is listed as a cooperating witness.

According to the report, Hastings took Packer to a business dinner to discuss the commision position on Nienna. Hastings told Packer that when she moved to Vienna he could come visit her at her apartment. Hastings later called Packer at her Virginia home and asked if he could come over. Hastings continued to press Packer about staying with her in Vienna.

Packer told Turner that she was not in a relationship with Hastings. Apparently, this took Turner by surprise. Turner told Packer that he would talk to Hastings.

Packer told an FBI agent that Hastings would use group settings as an opportunity to hug her. Packer also told the FBI agent that Hastings called her from a hotel lobby and told her he was waiting for her.

Hastings asked Packer about her underwear. Hasting told the OCE he often makes comments wondering how staffers can stay in the same underwear for 16 hours. In what work setting is this comment proper?

Packer again complained to Turner about the behavior of Hastings. It appears Turner did not have that talk with the Congressman.

The OCE report has emails and notes written by Packer. This could sink Hastings career

Disgust of the Day

2012-01-11T17:32:00.005-05:00

Politifact fact-checked Gov. Rick Scott on how many donuts were sold during his fake work day at Nicola's Donuts. Scott said during his State of the State speech that 240 dozen donuts were sold by 8:30 AM.

Waatti and workers told Politifact Florida the number was definitely above the 65 dozen they originally baked for the shop and was probably around 80 dozen. That's probably at least 240,000 calories at breakfast, but it's not the "more than 240 dozen" bragged to legislators about.

Politifact has the audacity to rate Republicans wanting to end Medicare the Lie of the Year. Politifact seriously damaged their credibility as a fact-checking news service. Fact-checking Scott's donut sales doesn't build confidence that Politifact is going to provide muckraking reporting and take its responsiblity as a member of the Fourth Estate seriously. The bigger question is why should we take Politifact seriously.

Update: Benjamin Kirby takes exception to Politifact rating Scott's donut claim mostly false. For the life of me I can't figure out how Politifact came to that conclusion. Scott did not talk about the calories of the donuts during his State of the State speech. Politifact doesn't provide a quote or link to a Scott quote on the total calories of all the donuts sold. The fact-checker rated Scott's claim on calories true. The bigger question is why is Politifact wasting time checking the amount of calories in donuts.

Frank Luntz Rips Bachmann & Perry

2012-01-10T17:03:00.002-05:00

GOP pollster Frank Luntz compared Michele Bachmann to the Glenn Close character in Fatal Attraction. Luntz goes on to say that Rick Perry is President George W. Bush minus the intellect. Ouch.

Compassionate Conservatism: Rick Scott & FLA Legislature Edition

2012-01-10T15:50:00.005-05:00

Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald politial reporter Mary Ellen Klas has an article implying that Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida legislature are ignoring the problems of foreclosures, homelessness and unemployment. Scott and Republicans haven't ignored the situation. They have worked hard to make the problems worse for working class Floridians.

Scott publicly told the Florida Bar that he wants to make foreclosures faster for banks to process. There have been numerous cases of homeowners illegally foreclosed upon because of fraudulent legal documents. The Florida legislature set up the infamous "rocket docket" courts with judges who do not even read the foreclosure paperwork. In Rick Scott's world, the foreclosure industry is overregulated.

A true patriot, Scott vetoed $12 million for the National Veteran's Homeless Support Group. The funding would have been used to provide housing for veterans. Scott also vetoed $1 million in legal aid funding that goes to help to homeless and victims of domestic violence.

Scott signed into law a cut in unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 20. To receive unemployment, one must submit to a drug test. The drug test part of the law has been struck down by the courts.

The question is exactly whose life is suppose to get better under the bill that Scott has signed into law? Scott gives lip service about caring. Can anyone cite a policy from Scott that has helped Floridians in need?

TransCanada Whistleblower: Keystone XL unsafe, will have catastrophic oil spills

2012-01-02T15:00:00.003-05:00

Cf.

In a bold and timely op-ed, Mike Klink, a civil engineer--and inspector with TransCanda during earlier phases of the Keystone project before his constant pointing-out of dangerous shortcuts, cheap materials and shoddy workmanship, and mind-blowingly poor siting choices got him fired--blows the whistle.

Actually, "whistle-blowing" seems like such a diminutive phrase to describe what he's doing. To my mind, it's more like grabbing a spare LRAD cannon from one of the ~~violent, authoritarian thugs~~ riot policemen at the latest stop-the-XL demonstration in Washington DC, packing it to the brim with weapons-grade truth, and firing it at the sleepy public.

If this doesn't get Americans' attention and make them scream at their government, night and day and all week long, and not stop until the President drives a final stake into the tarry heart of the Keystone XL Pipeline project, nothing will. To wit:

Despite its boosters' advertising, this project is not about jobs or energy security. It is about money. And whenever my former employer Bechtel, working on behalf of TransCanada, had to choose between safety and saving money, they chose to save money.

As an inspector, my job was to monitor the construction of the first Keystone pipeline.I oversaw construction at the pump stations that have been such a problem on that line, which has already spilled more than a dozen times. I am coming forward because my kids encouraged me to tell the truth about what was done and covered up.

When I last raised concerns about corners being cut, I lost my job — but people along the Keystone XL pathway have a lot more to lose if this project moves forward with the same shoddy work.

What did I see? Cheap foreign steel that cracked when workers tried to weld it,foundations for pump stations that you would never consider using in your own home, fudged safety tests, Bechtel staffers explaining away leaks during pressure tests as "not too bad," shortcuts on the steel and rebar that are essential for safe pipeline operation and siting of facilities on completely inappropriate spots like wetlands.

Go and read the whole thing. Then call or e-mail President Obama, as well as your senators and representatives, and get busy with the Twitter and Facebook buttons. There isn't much time, and if President Obama's actions to date are anything to go by, his next thumbs-up for a wealthy, powerful interest--with an attendant thumbs-down to our dying hope for a sane energy policy and green future--is likely a foregone conclusion. In fact, I don't doubt that he'd have already signed it if it weren't for all those aforementioned pesky protesters, with their rag-tag signs about pending environmental disasters and their reams and reams of scientific evidence.

Also at Litbrit.

Onward to 2012: "We're all in this together, kid!"

2011-12-31T12:11:00.003-05:00

Very well, I'll say it: Terry Gilliam's Brazil is simply my favorite movie of all time. I'll often say things like "Brazil is in my top five favorite films", just to give myself a little wiggle room, because I also adore Gilliam's 12 Monkeys. And a number of other cinematic masterpieces by a number of other brilliant, visionary men and women. Okay, so maybe there are more than five on my list of favorite movies--let's say ten.

Still: Brazil. Good Lord, what an amazing and crystalline metaphor it is, from start to finish; what a chillingly prescient story; what a visually stunning, emotionally affective, and politically damning work of art.

Every time I watch this film, I come away with more to think about. Have you ever seen an actual terrorist?

I absolutely love the scene in the above clip, as it gives face and form (with no small amount of dark humor) to my hope for the coming months and years: that we can join together--and tackle and overcome in ways that are truly fitting and just--the monster that is any society so riven with fear and controlled by bureaucracy, its very fibers and ducts and veins and brains threaten to deliver it to its own doom.

So perhaps I am a dreamer. But I'm not, as Lennon said, the only one.

Never give in, never give in, never give in. Me, I'm not giving in to this fascistic shit, and I'm not going down without a fight. Are you? Didn't think so.

Long may we fight, and dream, together.

Also at Litbrit.

Caption it!

2011-12-23T10:18:00.002-05:00

Dancing through the news on Iraq

2011-12-23T07:30:00.002-05:00

[Cross-posted from The Middle Everything]

The Guardian:

A wave of at least 14 bombings ripped across Baghdad on Thursday morning, killing at least 60 people in the worst violence Iraq has seen for months.

Radio Free Europe:

The fear now is that today’s attacks, which have occurred amid a rapidly unraveling political situation and the withdrawal of U.S. military support, could signal a return to that sectarian strife.

How pervasive is this sectarian strife?

Russia Today:

Tariq al-Hashemi [Iraqi Vice President] is accused of paying his bodyguards to target government officials in 2006-2007, and was banned from leaving the country on Sunday. But by Monday, when the warrant was issued, Al-Hashemi had already moved to Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The move provided the VP with significant immunity to the arrest warrant, given the region’s special status.

Let’s backtrack for a second to put this into perspective. Tariq al-Hashemi is a leading Sunni politician in Iraq’s central government that seeks to bring together the country’s majority Shia Muslim population with the minority Sunni Muslims and Kurds.

Before World War I, “Iraq” was three provinces within the Ottoman Empire: Sunni, Shia, and Kurd. After becoming a country and being forced to live together, a strongman Sunni ruler named Sadaam Hussein came to power and committed massacres against both the Shia and Kurd populations. The Kurd’s still want their own country (hence the “semi-autonomous Kurdish region” in northern Iraq); the Shia and Sunni always seem to have trouble living together.

Iraq’s current Prime Minister, Nouri al-Malki, is a Shiite. And the Sunni VP al-Hashemi apparently contracted out hits on Shia politicians. After al-Malki issued an arrested warrant for the country’s vice president, al-Hashemi fled for safe haven in Kurdistan, which is supposed to be part of Iraq and, BTW, is also part of Iraq’s central government in Baghdad.

So, besides issuing an arrest warrant for a sitting member of that government, what else is happening with Iraq’s central government? Glad you asked.

The Guardian:

The claims about Hashimi, made on state television, which aired the alleged confessions of three of his guards, have inflamed already high tensions between Sunni politicians and the Shia-led government of Maliki, which last week ordered a second prominent Sunni figure, deputy prime minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, to stay away from parliament.

The Sunni-dominated Iraqiya bloc, which has 91 seats in the 325-seat parliament, has flagged a boycott from the legislature by many of its members. Three Sunni provinces have made unilateral declarations of autonomy.

And, of course, massive bombings — right after the last US troops pulled out of Iraq. The timing of all this is peculiar, because…

Russia Today:

The scandal follows the departure of the last remaining US troops from the country, leaving behind what US President Barack Obama called a “sovereign, stable, and self-reliant Iraq.”

Looks like that $808 billion spent on the Iraq war — instead of infrastructure repairs, improving the US economy, and social services — was a complete and total waste.

New Radiohead & Guided By Voices

2011-12-19T16:14:00.002-05:00

NPR is streaming the new Guided By Voices album Let's Go Eat the Factory. The new GBV record comes out January 1, 2012.

Radiohead has released two new songs on their web site. The new songs are Daily Mail and Staircase. I am really loving Daily Mail.

Quote of the Day

2011-12-19T15:05:00.003-05:00

But here's my point, the point I was making earlier is that if he is, if Christopher Hitchens is, in fact, in Hell, he's there because God loves him. Not because God hates him but because God loves him. And I explained what I mean by that. What I mean by that is that God loves us enough to, in the end, give us what he insist on having. If we are determined to have our own way then God, in the end, is going to give us what we insist on having, because that's what you do for people you love."

Bryan Fischer, of the American Family Association.

The God that Fischer and many Christian conservatives wants atheists, gays, minorities and liberals to go to hell. This is why we hear tea party Christian cheer executions at Republican debates. Fischer wouldn't know what God's love is since he has no love in his heart.

John Boehner is William Wallace

2011-12-19T14:53:00.005-05:00

Imagine John Boehner screaming "freedom at the end of the (highly overrated) Braveheart.

Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey wants Americans to imagine Boehner as a sword-wielding kilt clad warrior.

“I’ve got a flight out of [Georgia] in about two hours. We’re all coming back, that’s what everybody told Speaker Boehner on the conference call Saturday when we heard about this fiasco of a two-month extension voted on by the Senate,” Gingrey said. “We were literally shocked.”

“Out of 75 responses, there may have been one person that thought it was OK that we would put the fight off until two months from now,” he continued. “Everybody else said, 'Look, this is a 'Braveheart' moment. You, Mr. Speaker, are our William Wallace. Let’s rush to the fight. Get us back to Washington, let’s get to our work and we’re doing that.' "

Last week, Republicans and Democrats brokered a deal that overwhelmingly passed the Senate; it would extend the payroll tax cut two months. Lawmakers had been unable to agree on how to pay for a yearlong extension.

House Republican based their economic decision-making on the debt ceiling by watching a violent scene in the Ben Affleck movie The Town. Senate Republicans are less than thrilled about House Republicans rejected the payroll tax cut. Scott Brown is behind to Elizabeth Warren in the polls. Brown called the House Republicans rejection of the payroll tax increase "irresponsible and wrong." Sen. Richard Lugar is another Republican up for re-election who has spoken out against the House Republicans payroll tax vote down. Republicans are getting blamed for the gridlock in Washington. Voting against a tax cut for working class people is political suicide.

House Speaker John Boehner has lost control of his caucus. This was evident during the debt ceiling. Many of these tea party Republicans have more interest in being seat warmers than actually passing legislation. Boehner's 112th Congress has passed only 62 bills. Most of the bills either have no chance in the Senate are merely pointless. One bill was to move a post office. Another bill was to amend a section of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. Boehner and his caucus aren't less government. They are lazy government.

Wingnut of Day: Judson Phillips

2011-12-19T11:52:00.006-05:00

Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips is found of conspiracy theories that have no basis in reality. Phillips contends that President Obama 2009 presidential campaign was funded by Hamas. From a Phillips post on Tea Party Nation web site.

The party of treason has never been shy about taking foreign cash, even though it’s illegal. In 2008, Obama even received campaign contributions from Gaza (I.e. Hamas). So where does a corrupt, unpopular President from the party of treason go for reelection cash? China, of course.

Phillips provides no proof. The wonderful thing about being a conspiracy theorist is that proof is never ended. When a conspiracy theorist like Phillips is challenged, he will demand that you prove that Obama did not receive campaign contributions from Hamas.

Phillips is a member of the birther movement that claim President Obama was not born in the United States.

After Obama released his long form birth certificate, Phillips wrote a post on how the American Bar Association should give Orly Taitz an award.

The American Bar Association frequently gives awards to lawyers who show a commitment to justice. Unfortunately, the ABA is about as far left as the Communist Party, so those who usually get those awards are lawyers committed to socialism, not freedom.

Orly Taitz has waged an almost one-woman war on the eligibility issue. She is absolutely convinced that Barack Obama is not legally qualified to be President. She had endured insults, threats, some from Judges, fines and every roadblock the Obama regime could throw her way. Had she been as tenacious on a similar issue with George W. Bush, she would be the toast of the legal community.

Orly probably does not want an ABA award, but she may be getting closer to something of great importance to her. It is the “holy grail” of the eligibility movement.

Taitz is one of the cartoonishly hysterical conservatives. There are several Youtube clips of Taitz going batshit insane on cable news programs. Taitz is the living version of a character in a Saturday Night Live sketch.

This is the woman that Phillips think should get an ABA award.

Phillips sent out an email for a post on his web site written written by anonymous Ayn Rand fan Jane Galt. This less than clear-headed blogger claims that Obama faked the assassination of Osama bin Laden.

This incident with Iran getting one of our top secret military drones, has been puzzling me since it happened. It's vaguely reminiscent of the alleged killing of Osama Bin Laden, with no evidence shown to the American people. ( Personally, I think he's been dead since around 2003, have seen no evidence otherwise, and think Obama staged the incident just so he could take credit. People prove they're alive by showing up, and he hadn't shown up in any way, in years. )

Phillips actually felt this post merited sending out to his readership. I am not shocked that Phillips is not acquainted with reality. What is sad is the Republican Party takes Phillips seriously.

To those who muse about "Spreading Democracy", revisited (Kim Jong-il version)

2011-12-19T11:06:00.012-05:00

During an acute famine in the 1990's, starving North Korean refugees--often accompanied by human traffickers--attempted to cross the Tumen River into China; death by freezing was commonplace

And who, while decrying the dictatorial splinter in the collective cornea of yet another palm-tree-lined nation* doing us no harm, all the while ignoring the beam lodged in their own myopic eye; and who, to this day, and despite mounting evidence to the contrary, tell the citizenry that promoting freedom is what they've been doing all this time, even as the blood and treasure belonging to their own people continue to spill unabated while those occupied but not yet dead face an uncertain (but certainly violent) present and future; and who persist, inexplicably and without remorse or fear of reproof, in sanctioning further curtailment of that selfsame freedom with the suspension of habeas corpus and with every presidentially-approved, unconstitutional wiretap and illegal invasion of citizens' privacy, I offer the words of another notable Latin American:

THE DICTATORS

By Pablo Neruda

An odor has remained among the sugarcane:
a mixture of blood and body, a penetrating
petal that brings nausea.
Between the coconut palms the graves are full
of ruined bones, of speechless death-rattles.
The delicate dictator is talking
with top hats, gold braid, and collars.
The tiny palace gleams like a watch
and the rapid laughs with gloves on
cross the corridors at times
and join the dead voices
and the blue mouths freshly buried.
The weeping cannot be seen, like a plant
whose seeds fall endlessly on the earth,
whose large blind leaves grow even without light.
Hatred has grown scale on scale,
blow on blow, in the ghastly water of the swamp,
with a snout full of ooze and silence.

[* Upon learning that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il had died, my thoughts returned to Pablo Neruda's poem, to its vital and crystalline truths and how they live on. I had a similar reaction to the one shared above when Cuban dictator Fidel Castro stepped down in 2008. Plus ça change...]

Also at Litbrit.

Quote of the Day

2011-12-18T17:27:00.001-05:00

"That's one of the things that I like about him -- because he's been consistent since he changed his mind."

Christine O'Donnell, stating her reason for endorsing Mitt Romney.

The Blasters - Just Another Sunday

2011-12-17T17:13:00.002-05:00

Just Another Sunday by The Blasters on Grooveshark

The Blasters were arguably the band that started the L.A. cowpunk scene that spawned X, Lone Justice and the Divine Horsemen.

The Tax Shift is Back

2011-12-17T15:47:00.003-05:00

Florida satae Sen. Paula Dockery pressed Sen. Stephen Wise on how the teacher Merit Pay plan was going to be paid for. Wise stumbled and eventually admitted that the Florida legislature wasn't going to budget a penny for merit pay.

Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, pressed Wise on where the money would come from, and if the $700 million the state is receiving as part of federal stimulus money and part of the Race to the Top program would leave the state's education funding in the lurch after the federal money dries up.

"We need to be accountable to taxpayers. How far will the $700 million go?" Dockery asked.

Wise said that state statutes already require school districts to create their own year-end tests, and that money for the creation of new tests and for raises included in the bill would come from state's traditional funding mechanism for local school districts, the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP).

What Wise did with his bill is what I have called in the past a tax shift. Here is what I wrote about how former Gov. Jeb Bush forced local communities to raise property taxes to make up for the state's education cuts.

Wayne Garcia has noted that Floridians are displeased with higher taxes (see here and here.) Voters have reason to be. What Garcia fails to mention is this is a tax shift. By that, I mean local communities are forced to make up the money they would have gotten from the state. In 2005, Florida adjusted spending to $6,492 a year for each student. That was $1,200 less than the national average.

Jeb Bush has refused to adjust taxes to properly deal with growth and inflation. This had more to do with electability than ideology. Bush saw his father not get re-elected by breaking his "no new taxes" pledge. Sure Jeb has a distain for teachers' unions and public education. He's not honest enough to admit it. He knows he would have never done a second term. His vouchers program is so unpopular that only 700 students paticipate. He believes in the FCAT so much that he refused to have private schools tested. Bush has also manipulated graduation rates (see here and here.)

The Palm Beach Post also noted this in an op-ed.

In other words, school districts that already face budget cuts for next year - about $53 million, in Palm Beach County's case - will have to find money for a program they didn't want. If the districts don't find the money, the Legislature will blame them for failing to support good teachers, blocking education reform and undermining Florida's economic future. Or worse.

It's typical Tallahassee, which supports public education right up the point of paying for it.

Republicans in the Florida legislature force counties to raise property taxes and then tell voters what fiscal conservatives they are. It is disgusting.

Why the Occupy Wall Street Movement Exists

2011-12-17T15:11:00.004-05:00

CNN Money reported this staggering figure on the bonuses of Standard & Poor 500 companies.

After two years of lower pay packages, chief executives at the nation's major companies enjoyed a 36.5% jump in pay last year, according to a leading survey of CEO compensation.

In the other America, census data reports more Americans are no longer middle class.

About 97.3 million Americans fall into a low-income category. Together with the 49.1 million who fall below the poverty line, they number 146.4 million, or 48 percent of the U.S. population.

The majority of Americans live below the poverty line. Meanwhile, CEO bonuses are getting bigger. This is why the Occupy Wall Street movement exists. Both political parties and the conservative base want to protect the status quo. The tea party movement claims to be founded to protest the bailout. The truth is they love corporate power. Cue Tim Nerenz, Ph.D.

You can’t be for the poor and against the things that end poverty.

You can’t be against the corporations who create the jobs they need to care for themselves. You can’t be against the Walmarts and Targets who sell quality goods at prices they can afford. You can’t be against the drug companies who treat their chronic diseases.

You aren't for the poor if you support government handouts for corporations and are against a safety net for the poor. Nerenz's libertarian heart would love nothing more than to end Medicare and Social Security. However, Nerenz goes on about how awesome the rich are. Never mind that the rich don't create the jobs he claims they do.

You can’t hate the rich and be for the poor. It is not your place to tell another how many steps forward out of poverty you will allow before you punish the next - nobody made you Simon. Each person decides for himself/herself how much is enough, how much to give back, who to give it back to, and in exchange for what. If you are unhappy with how your sister spends her millions, make millions of your own and do with them as you see fit.

Don't go hating Goldman Sachs for selling their investors garbage and then betting on their investors to lose. Goldman Sachs is creating jobs by laying off their own employees.

Side note: Nerenz got his PH.D from the online school Athabasca University. If I was Nerenz, I wouldn't brag about that PH.D.

Update: a comment says that Nerenz got his PH.D from Northcentral University. I will note that Northcentral University is also an online school with a worse reputation.

In 2011 the US Department of Education determined Northcentral was one of 75 institutions that had failed its 2009-2010 financial responsibility test, and would be required to post a letter of credit in order to for students to receive federal financial aid.

Along with Northcentral University, other schools that failed were Academy for Five Element Acupuncture, Biblical Theological Seminary, Florida Christian College and a host of other Christian schools. Remember this when Republicans say intelligent design should be taught in K-12 school.

Short answer: Nerenz is posing as a conservative intellectual with a garbage education.

Patrick Murphy Statement On Allen West

2011-12-17T13:44:00.003-05:00

Congressional candidate Patrick Erin Murphy released this statement on Allen West's comments comparing Democratic messaging to Joseph Goebbels.

Statement by Patrick Erin Murphy:

My opponent, Allen West, said today that Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels would be "very proud" of the Democrats. These remarks belittle the Holocaust, insult the Jewish community and the millions of American veterans who fought the Nazis in WWII.

Unfortunately, it is only the latest example of how Allen West is simply out of control.

Equating Democrats and the media to Nazis inflames an already hostile environment for political solutions to develop.

West must apologize immediately.

This is the statement West made.

"If Joseph Goebbels was around, he’d be very proud of the Democrat Party, because they have an incredible propaganda machine."

West reiterated the comparison in a letter to Congressman John Conyers.

“Mr. Conyers, The Democrat Party does indeed have a vicious propaganda machine. It espouses lies and deceit and the Master of deceptive information would truly be proud,” West said, referring to Goebbels. “I have been personally attacked and denigrated on countless occasions. I do not appreciate your letter … Truth is Powerful Sir! Steadfast & Loyal, Allen.”

West then accused the media of falsely reported that he compared the Democratic Party to Hitler's Minister of Propaganda. West isn't interested in governing. West is interested in playing to his tea party base.

The Twilight Singers - Number Nine

2011-12-16T16:33:00.002-05:00

Mark Lanegan and Petra Haden perform live with the Twilight Singers. Lanegan and Haden sang on the studio version of Number Nine.

Friday Cat Blogging

2011-12-16T15:36:00.001-05:00

House cat and bobcat meet. House cat makes it known that he doesn't want to be friends with the bobcat.

Rick Perry's Bogus Retirement Raise

2011-12-16T14:36:00.002-05:00

Gov. Rick Perry officially retires as a Texas state employee. The catch is that Perry will remain as the governor. Someone should explain the definition of "retiring" to Perry. If this seems unseemly that is because Perry receives a raise for his retirement.

“Perry makes a $150,000 gross salary as Texas governor. Now, thanks to his early retirement, Perry, 61, gets a monthly retirement annuity of $7,698 before taxes, or $6,588 net. That raises his gross salary to more than $240,000.”

Perry is one of the few politicians whose net worth went up while in office.

Occupy Tampa Protesting the National Defense Authorization Act

2011-12-16T13:40:00.004-05:00

Sen Carl Levin said on the floor of the Senate that President Barack Obama asked Congress to write language into the National Defense Authorization Act that would give the President the power to detain people indefinitely without a trial. The military will have the power to detain United State citizens on American soil.

In the video, Levin says that the President asked that the language to exclude United States citizens from detention by the military on U.S. soil.

LEVIN: The administration asked us to remove the language which says U.S. citizens and lawful residents would not be subject to this section. Is the Senator familiar with the fact that it was the administration asked us to remove the very language which we had in the bill? Which passed the committee, and that we removed it at the request of the administration...

How much clearer can Levin be?

Here is the language in the bill that allows for indefinite detention of U.S. citizens.

The language in the bill says "indefinite detention." According to Levin, the Obama administration objected to the language that would have legally protected the Fifth amendment rights of American citizens.

Amendment 5

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

The Iraq war is officially over. We have a timetable to leave Afghanistan. Exactly how does President Obama and Congress justify holding U.S citizens without due process?

Update: Occupy Tampa will protest in Ybor City at 5 o’clock at Centro Ybor today. WMNF has a report on the upcoming protest.

Quote of the Day

2011-12-16T11:25:00.005-05:00

"If Joseph Goebbels was around, he’d be very proud of the Democrat Party, because they have an incredible propaganda machine."

Rep. Allen West

West was condemned by Democrats for comparing the party to Adolf Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda. Hitler was responsible for the Jews murdered during the Holocaust and the deaths of millions of American soldiers.

West then attacked the media was quoting him.

"Once again, you guys will take whatever I say and you will spin it to try to demonize me or demagogue me,” West added. “What I'm talking about is a person that was the minister of propaganda. And I'm talking about propaganda. So please. I'll be prepared to wake up tomorrow and you guys make up some crazy story. Whatever."

For someone who like portraying himself as a tough guy, West does a lot of crying. If West want to get better press than he can start by using less inflammatory rhetoric. Remember West's attack on Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.

"You are the most vile, unprofessional ,and despicable member of the US House of Representatives.

West's reason for calling Wasserman-Schultz names was because the DNC chairwoman correctly pointed out that West support Medicare cuts. It wasn't like Wasserman-Schultz said something about West's Mama. West's idea of being a tough guy is picking a pointless fight with a breast cancer survivor. What a big man.

Update: West cries to the media about how he was not comparing the Democratic Party to Joseph Goebbels. West then sends a letter to Rep. John Conyers comparing Democrats to Goebbels. West just can't help himself.

“Mr. Conyers, The Democrat Party does indeed have a vicious propaganda machine. It espouses lies and deceit and the Master of deceptive information would truly be proud,” West said, referring to Goebbels. “I have been personally attacked and denigrated on countless occasions. I do not appreciate your letter … Truth is Powerful Sir! Steadfast & Loyal, Allen.”

I guarantee that West will go to Fox News and cry about how Democrats and the media are picking on him for correctly quoting his words. West will not point out to Fox News that a study by Fairleigh Dickinson University found that viewers less informed after watching the conservative news network. West doesn't mind "deceptive information" from a news network, if the network in question gives him positive coverage.

Write A Caption: Callista Gingrich

2011-12-15T15:28:00.002-05:00

People are already going photoshop happy with this photo of Callista Gingrich.

'Progressive' Mitt Romney

2011-12-15T12:04:00.002-05:00

An old video surfaced of Mitt Romney labeling himself his "views as progressive." Romney labeled himself a moderate/progressive. Romney gave this interview when he ran against the late Ted Kennedy. The last candidate who tried running as a moderate/progressive was Kendrick Meek. If you ever hear a candidate label himself a moderate/progressive that is a sure sign the person is full of shit.

Parodies of Rick Perry's 'Strong' Ad

2011-12-08T23:19:00.003-05:00

Rabbi Jason Miller does a parody of Rick Perry's gay bashing campaign ad.

Second City takes the atheist point of view to skew Perry.

The song remains the same

2011-12-08T23:09:00.003-05:00

Whenever you read a good piece of liberal journalism, or watch a liberal documentary, the facts are always pristine, but the classic conclusion is a call to action that is just left dangling out there, with nothing following it. A summary of most conclusions is “We must rise up and fight against this!”, but there is hardly ever an activist organization formed that can follow through, continuing to work against the problems detailed. Sometimes the authors will make a half-heartered attempt and give a link to a website where you can continue the discussion, but that’s not organizing a movement.

I wrote that when I finished reading Barbara Ehrenreich's book “Bait and Switch”, which coincidentally coincided with the beginning of the Occupy movement. Subconsciously, as a veteran of liberal/socialist protest movements that went nowhere, I think I reviewed Ehrenreich's book so -- when Occupy was inevitably shut down by our freedom-lubbing gubermint -- I could compare and contrast Occupy with past movements.

And I hate to be negative, especially when standing in the still smoldering embers of a movement that did more to change the national conversation about greed and inequality that the Democrat Party has done in a generation, but I'm still left with that familiar sour taste in my mouth.

I tasted this sourness after Nader and the Green Party didn't get 5% of the national popular vote in 2000 (which would have given the Greens access to federal funding in the 2004 election) and Bush blatantly stole the election.

I tasted this sourness after the anti-globalization protesters shifted their focus to anti-war protests in 2002 and 2003, yet we didn't stop the still ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I tasted this sourness in 2004 when nearly half a million people marched in the streets of midtown Manhattan to protest the Republican National Convention.

I tasted this sourness when I took my activism to blogging from 2003 - 2006, ending my run feeling like I was just uselessly wanking about politics to an ever-decreasing audience after my popularity had peaked.

And now that the Occupy movement has all but concluded at this point, that familiar feeling is welling up in the back of my throat.

"A summary of most conclusions is 'We must rise up and fight against this!', but there is hardly ever an activist organization formed that can follow through..."

Where do we go from here? What's the plan? What, exactly, are we going to do?

Will anyone ever answer these questions?

Occupy Tampa March

2011-12-08T19:55:00.002-05:00

Occupy Tampa will have a march in downtown this Saturday.

When: Dec 10, 2011 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Where: Curtis Hixon Park
600 N Ashley Dr
Tampa,FL 33602
USA

The march starts at Curtis Hixon Park.

GOP Foreign Policy Attacks Won't Work On Obama

2011-12-08T17:46:00.004-05:00

President Barack Obama was questioned during a press conference about Republicans attacking his foreign policy as "appeasement." Obama's answer was too the point.

Obama: Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 other out of 30 top al-Qaeda leaders who have been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement.

If this was basket ball this would be Obama slam-dunking on the Republican presidential candidates. Michele Bachmann thinks we have an embassy in Iran. Herman Cain had no idea about Obama's Libya military policy. Rick Perry has the unqualified Liz Cheney as a foreign policy adviser. It will be hysterical for the Republican nominee to attack Obama on appeasement.

Update: Rick Santorum is attacking Obama on not keeping the death of Osama bin Laden classified. I would love for nothing more than for the Republicans to use that attack in the general election.

Joe Walsh Runs From OWS

2011-12-08T17:20:00.003-05:00

Tea Party-supported Congressman Joe Walsh ran for office claiming to be anti-establishment and for the people. Occupy Wall Street protesters from Walsh's district came to talk to the first term Congressman. Walsh's response was to run out the back door. What a man of the people.

Black Flag - Slip it in

2011-12-07T23:58:00.004-05:00

A blast from the past. The video for the Black Flage classic Slip It In. Mainstream radio in the 80s would not touch Black Flag with a ten foot pole.

Occupy Tampa Facing the Cold Weather

2011-12-07T23:25:00.003-05:00

Occupy Tampa needs blankets and tarps. They are in Curtis Hixon Park tonight. The best thing to do is bring any blankets or tarps you may have to the park. I have no idea if anyone is on blanket duty. I seriously doubt. The occupy movements have no leadership structure.

Conpassionate Conservatism: Rick Santorum Edition

2011-12-07T22:44:00.002-05:00

This stupidity of Rick Santorum knows no bounds.

“If hunger is a problem in America, then why do we have an obesity problem among the people who we say have a hunger program?” Santorum asked.

People that cannot afford food because of poverty and unemployment aren't hitting all-you-can-eat buffets. Obesity is a separate issue. One thing I can guarantee is Santorum won't pay for a national exercise program if he is president. Santorum is following the Republican narrative of attacking the poor. Republicans will tell voters that the poor are Lucky Duckies and poverty has blessed them with great wealth. The Wall Street Journal took this argument to its extreme.

Who are these lucky duckies? They are the beneficiaries of tax policies that have expanded the personal exemption and standard deduction and targeted certain voter groups by introducing a welter of tax credits for things like child care and education. When these escape hatches are figured against income, the result is either a zero liability or a liability that represents a tiny percentage of income.

The Wall Street Journal took the Lucky duckies op-ed offline. Santorum attacking poor people trying to survive by eating won't fly far politically.

Dennis Baxley Stands Up Florida's Horrible Voting Laws

2011-12-07T22:03:00.006-05:00

I wish Republicans such as state Rep. Dennis Baxley would justify the new restrictive Florida voting laws by claiming that Mickey Mouse was registered to vote. Politifact check the allegations of Florida's favorite rodent being being a voter and found the claim to be false. The entire Florida GOP argument for making voting more restrictive for the poor, minorities and young people is a bogus claim that a fictional character was registered to vote.

Al Sharpton took Baxley to task for the lack of voter fraud cases. Baxley claimed that the new voting laws are to combat voting fraud.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

“You didn’t have laws after hanging chads and other means disrupted this country in 2000…Is it really because young people and minorities started voting and registering in big numbers and this is the new way that you’re going to try and restrict people’s voting rights?” an incensed Sharpton demanded.

“I don’t see why you have to impugn other people’s motives. You may not like some of the content…but I think it makes…people more secure,” a relaxed Baxley, R-Ocala, said. (Baxley later corrected Sharpton – Florida lawmakers enacted a slew of new voting laws in the aftermath of the protracted 2000 election.)

“If it wasn’t broke why are you fixing it other than this is some political game?” Sharpton persisted.

Baxley said the new laws will protect elections from “from mishap and mischief” and pointed out that “Mickey Mouse” had registered to vote in Florida.

That only provoked Sharpton.

“If you’ve got to get Mickey Mouse to make your case…then believe me you’re trying to take all of us to Disney World for a ride,” he said.

Baxley is being disingenuous. Early voting has been cut down by hours. County supervisors of elections have said they do not have the money to stay open on later hours due to to moving from 14 days to 8 days. Baxley failed to provide extra funding to the county election offices. Imagine that.

Quote of the Day

2011-12-07T20:19:00.002-05:00

"The only way to explain the White House position on the Plan B pill is that Plan A is getting reelected."

Andy Borowitz

The politics is actually bad. Voters rejected bans on abortion in Mississippi and South Dakota. Abortion isn't the winning issue for Republicans that the Democratic establishment have told themselves. If Republicans can't get Republican voters to ban abortion then you know Democrats are handling this wrong. The Obama administration is making a decision on women health issues based on faulty political thinking.

Wingnut of the Day

2011-12-07T19:19:00.006-05:00

Next time the Right-wing media cries about liberal media bias, remember Les Kinsolving of World Net Daily asking White House Press Secretary Jay Carney the repeal of DADT legalizes bestiality. This is the utter conspiracy nonsense that WWD thrives in. Remember that this web site contends that President Barack Obama is not an American citizen. Jake Tapper and other members of the media are literally laughing at the stupidity of the question.

[MR. CARNEY]: Let’s go to the back. Lester.

Kinsolving: Oh, my goodness.

MR. CARNEY: Can you believe it? (Laughter.) I’m in the holiday spirit.

Kinsolving: In the holiday spirit. The family research –

MR. CARNEY: Is everyone okay? (Laughter.)

Kinsolving: The Family Research Council and CNS News both reported a 93-to-7 U.S. Senate vote to approve a defense authorization bill that, quote, “includes a provision which not only repeals the military law on sodomy, but also repeals the military ban on sex with animals, or bestiality.” Does the Commander-in-Chief approve or disapprove of bestiality in our armed forces?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have any comment on — I don’t have any comment on that.
Let me go to another question.

Kinsolving: Does the President believe this will be approved by all animal support groups, such as –

MR. CARNEY: Let’s get to something more serious. Yes, Jake.

Jake Tapper: You sure you don’t want to ask Lester another question? Give him another opportunity? (Laughter.)

MR. CARNEY: I’ve learned my lesson, Jake. (Laughter.)

Tapper: Just one –

MR. CARNEY: Lester, I think we’ll — we’ll let everybody get a chance here. Go ahead, Jake.

Tapper: Are you sure you don’t want to take any more questions on bestiality? (Laughter.) You don’t want to comment on that?

To show just how ridiculous Kinsolving is, here is video of him asking former Press Sec. Robert Gibbs a birther question.

Universal Orlando Tries to Get Lower Property Taxes

2011-12-07T17:58:00.003-05:00

This is rather amusing. Universal Orlando was to go in front of the Orange County Value Adjustment Board to ask for a reduction in their property taxes. Representatives for Universal Orlando bailed when they found out that a reporter from the Orlando Sentinel would sit in on the hearing. The representative for Universal Orlando and Loews Hotels told the magistrate they did not want to discuss their "business data" in front of a journalist. The was magistrate unswayed and turned down the request to lower the property taxes.

After the hearing, Universal Orlando and Loews Hotels refused to provide a comment for the Orlando Sentinel. What is clear is that profits have increased from the Universal Orlando and Loews Hotels partnership.

The three hotels are owned by a joint venture between Universal and Loews, which then pays ground rent to Universal Orlando based on a percentage of hotel revenue. The joint venture paid Universal approximately $13.3 million in 2010, according to regulatory filings — an increase of more than 600 percent from $1.9 million in 2009 and a 10.7 percent increase from $13.2 million in 2008. (The payments plummeted in 2009 because the hotels did not meet a contractual cash-flow threshold.)

Anyone know know Loews cash flow problems in 2009?

Obama's War On Reproductive Rights

2011-12-07T17:12:00.003-05:00

President Barack Obama signed an executive order strengthening the federal restrictions on federal funding for abortions. The Hyde amendment already prohibited federal funds for abortions. The Obama administration went one step further in restricting reproductive rights. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled the FDA on the morning after pill.

NARAL sent out a press release.

NEW YORK—Today the FDA announced the Secretary of Health and Human Services – for the first time ever – has invoked her authority to overrule the agency’s decision to approve the emergency contraceptive pill Plan B One-Step for full over-the-counter sale, which would have removed what was widely recognized to be a politically motivated age restriction on its access. This is the first time in history the Health Secretary has ever used this power to overrule an FDA decision. Had the FDA decision gone into effect, women of all ages would have been able to purchase this back-up birth control method without a prescription and without delays at the pharmacy counter.

“This is a deeply disappointing betrayal from an Administration that had pledged to promote the health and well-being of women and families and be guided by science and medicine,” said Andrea Miller, President of NARAL Pro-Choice New York. “The evidence is clear, the FDA has done more than its due diligence, and women across the nation deserve ready access to a safe, effective second chance to prevent an unintended pregnancy. The decision to overrule the FDA is reminiscent of a troubling era, when the Bush Administration routinely allowed politics to trump science, especially in its interference with the FDA’s deliberations over this product.”

The FDA first approved Plan B as a prescription product in 1999. Seven years later, in 2006, the FDA approved over-the-counter access to Plan B for those eighteen and older – an age restriction later deemed by the Government Accountability Office and federal courts to be politically, not scientifically, motivated. In response, the age restriction on the over-the-counter product was lowered to seventeen the following year.

Does the Obama political team think that the Tea Party and the Christian Right (which is one and the same) is suddenly going to vote for Democrats because of restrictions on Plan B? This is a political decision that does nothing to win the mythical middle.

Obama apologists will defend this as part of the President's 3D chess game with Republicans. The debt ceiling disaster proves that Obama isn't that politically astute. What we do know by Obama's actions is that he is not passionate about protecting the reproductive rights of women. People can write commentary about how Obama actually cares about women. These same people will ignore Obama's actions on reproductive rights. Tell a woman after she has been sexually violated that the reason she can't get the the Plan B pill is because Obama cares. I dare you to try it. I will be suprised if the woman doesn't slap you in the face.

Rick Scott Meets The Daily Show

2011-12-07T16:07:00.005-05:00

This is awesome. The Daily Show correspondent Aasif Mandvi asked Gov. Rick Scott to pee in a cup during a press conference. Scott signed legislation requiring drug tests for unemployment compensation, welfare recipients and state employees.

The reporter, Aasif Mandvi, stood up in the middle of the governor’s questioning, and asked Scott if he would be willing to take the test since he too was using hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars” in carrying out his job.

“I’ve done it hundreds of times,” the governor responded.

Encouraged by the answer, Mandvi then tried to get other reporters to pass a pee-cup up to the governor, drawing a few complaints from executive staff.

“I hate to keep harping on this, but would you pee into the cup?” he asked repeatedly.

Scott then returned to questions from other reporters, and never took the cup.

It is not a surprise that Scott isn't willing to live by the standard he sets for others. To be fair, Scott was asked to pee in a room a media people.

The testing of people applying for unemployment compensation has been temporarily blocked by Judge Mary Scriven. The drug testing of state employees has been suspended after the ACLU issued a legal challenge. Drug testing people without probable cause has been shot down by the court. In 2008, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that Wahkiakum School District could not require all students participating in extracurricular athletic activities to take a drug test. The Supreme Court decision Chandler v. Miller found that candidate for state Georgia state office cannot be required to take a drug test. The Supreme Court found that testing candidates violated their Fourth amendment rights. Scott should be happy that the Supreme Court ruled he isn't required to pee in a cup.

Update: Here is video of the press conference.

Mule - Mississippi Breaks

2011-12-04T23:38:00.002-05:00

There is no doubt that PW Long's band Mule influenced fellow Detroit native Jack White. The White Stripes sound almost exactly like Mule.

Side note: Mule formed and released the albums before the White Stripes released their first record.

Cain to Endorse Gingrich

2011-12-04T22:27:00.002-05:00

FOX 5 Atlanta reports that Herman Cain will endorse Newt Gingrich on Monday. That should seal up the adultery demographic. The other Republican candidates better have an affair ASAP to compete with the Gingrich-Cain combo.

Cracking Up

2011-12-04T21:52:00.001-05:00

A handy guide to street terms relating to crack cocaine. I used to live in Suitcase City. So I know the terminology well.

Lara Logan Wins the Whole Truth Award

2011-12-04T21:46:00.003-05:00

The Women Media Center bestowed the the 2011 Whole Truth award to journalist Lara Logan. WMC President Carol Jenkins interviews Logan about the award and the sexual assault she survived.

John Danforth on Crowds at Republican Debates

2011-12-04T20:25:00.002-05:00

Former Sen. John Danforth points out the obvious. It isn't very Christian for the crowds at Republican debates to cheer torture, the execution of inmates in Texas and Mexicans being fried by Herman Cain's imaginary electric fence.

DANFORTH: What have been the big applause lines in these debates? Well, a statement that the governor of Texas is responsible for killing 234 people on death row. Or that we favor torture. Or that we’re creating a fence on the Mexican border that electrocutes people when they try to cross it. Or when people show up at the emergency room at hospitals and they’re not insured don’t treat them. And that, I mean these are the big applause lines, people just hoop and holler when they hear all that. [...]

It doesn’t have anything to do with the republican party that I was a part of. This is just totally different. And all of these people who are saying this, y’know, and claiming that, y’know, they’re for all this stuff, they also sort of ostentatiously say, “Oh, we’re very religious people. We really, we’re just very pious, Christian people.” They were for torture, and electrocution of the people on along the border and all of that. That doesn’t have anything to do with, is contrary to the Christianity that I understand.

The crowds going to the debates aren't New Testament Christian. These people are Old Testament "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" Christians. You aren't going to see these so-called Christians volunteering in soup kitchens. Ever.

GottaLaff has a shorter version of the Danforth interview with the segment about the debate crowds.

Quote of the Day

2011-12-03T17:26:00.002-05:00

"I’m going to be the nominee."

Newt Gingrich

Does Newt realize that Democrats are hoping that Newt and his self-destructive impulses will win the GOP nomination?

The Gingrich Ego Rises

2011-11-27T20:49:00.003-05:00

Newt Gingrich is getting cocky. Gingrich says that he will let President Barack Obama use a teleprompter during their debates. We haven't even had the Iowa caucus and Newt is declaring himself the Republican nominee. Gingrich then plays to the birther elements of the base by declaring that Obama hasn't studied American history.

Gingrich and other Republicans (such as Marco Rubio) love to question Obama's intelligence. My first thought is this is the party that had President George W. Bush as their leader. The second is Republicans fail to mention that Obama went to the House Republicans retreat in 2010. Obama answered questions from the Republican caucus. Obama out-debated the Republicans so badly that Fox News cuts away. Obama could debate the entire House GOP membership. Gingrich is really full of himself if he thinks he can beat Obama in a debate.

Black Friday

2011-11-27T14:22:00.001-05:00

Capitalism at its worst. Patrons of a Wal-Mart destroy a display and crush each other during Black Friday.

La Pepperica

2011-11-21T12:03:00.002-05:00

[Lots of other good ones here.]

"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." -- Thomas Jefferson

So which is it, President Obama? Which is it going to be?

This much is certain: No-one in my sons' history books is quoted as having said, "Give me tyranny or give me death."

Visitors will not line up to visit a Statue of Tyranny any time soon.

"With tyranny and justice for all..." is a contradiction in terms.

And good luck trying to convince idealistic young men and women that they're being sent to fight and die in OPEC theatres because it's vitally important to protect Americans'...tyranny.

Methinks a re-write is in order:

My country 'tis of Them--

Sweet tyrants to the end.

For Them, we toil.

Land where our sick ones died,

Banks ruled, and leaders lied;

From ev'ry mountainside:

"Let them eat oil!"

Also at Litbrit

Quote of the Day

2011-11-20T20:39:00.002-05:00

"All the Occupy movement starts with the premise that we owe everything. They take over a public park they didn't pay for, to go to nearby to use bathrooms they didn't pay for, to beg for food from places they don't want to pay for, to obstruct those who are are going to work to substain the bathrooms and to substain the park, so they can self-rightously explain they are the paragons of virtue to which we owe everything.

"This is a pretty good symptom of how much the left has collapsed as a moral system in this country, and why you need to reassert something by saying to them, 'Go get a job right after you take a bath.'"

Newt Gingrich, on Occupy Wall Street.

I find it hysterical that Newt Gingrich bought $500,000 in jewelry from Tiffany without paying. Yet, Gingrich has a problem with taxpayers using public parks to assemble. The hypocrisy is standard Gingrich.

If you have ever followed Gingrich's political career you know he always picks the losing side. Gingrich lost the government shutdowns and impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Gingrich was such a disaster that his own party forced him out of Congress. Members of the Clinton administration made off-the-record quotes about being sad about not having Gingrich to kick around, anymore.

A smart politician would try to please the base and not alienate the majority of general election voters that sympathize with the positions of OWS. You can believe that supporting the tax cuts for the rich and bank bailouts will not play in this economy. Gingrich is too politically tone deaf to understand this. The fact that Gingrich supports such economically unpopular positions means that OWS is winning. You can bank on Gingrich being on the losing side of this debate.

Occupy UC Davis is Peaceful

2011-11-20T16:56:00.006-05:00

Little Tboca blogged this highly inaccurate post on Tea Party Nation.

Could Van Jones with the able assistance of Soros and friends be paying us back for not so gently removing him from our White House? Van Jones, Obama's ex-green CZAR is threatening Americans, saying if we think the OWS Protest movement is bad now, "You haven't seen anything yet." The question being is this just idle rhetoric or is this just the beginning of total destruction to our Country and Americans?

Actually Van Jones knows plenty about this protest movement and he's been doing some back seat driving in an attempt to keep the fire fueled. President Obama, the Democratic Party and the "Occupy Wall Street" mobs are right on target as they follow Lenin's formula in organizing a Socialistic economy.

What we're seeing is the centralization of force by the Democrats, Unions, and Soros and as Lenin said, the "useful idiots" which pretty much describes the OWS. They have had some violent acts and are making threats of violence, which if allowed to continue will turn into blood on our streets.

Conservatives have quoted Lenin calling the Left "useful idiots." The fact is no one has been able to find this quote in Lenin's writings. It is a made up talking point used by the Right to discredit the Left. Conservative columnist William Safire did research and could not fine the quote in Lenin's writings.

Little Tboca types "CZAR" in big letters with the suggestion that the Russians czars were communist/socialist. As I wrote before, the Russian czars were not aligned with Lenin. The Lenin-led Bolsheviks overthrew and executed Nicholis II. There was never another czar in Russia after Lenin came into power. Little Tboca and other Tea Party activists really need to read more history and stop believing everything Glenn Beck utters as the gospel truth.

The nonsense about OWS wanting to spill blood is easily disproved. Like the Iranian protests, the power of video is delivering the truth to the whole world. OWS peacefully protested. Campus police officers responded by pepper-spraying the protesters in the face at point blank range. Near the end of the video, the protesters tell the police to peacefully leave. The police complied. So much for blood in the streets.

Two officers have been placed on administrative leave.

UC Davis Chanceller Linda Katehi held a press conference. Students assembled outside. Katehi stayed in the building and implied to the media that it was unsafe for her to venture outside. Students met with Katehi and told her they would not stop her from leaving. The video below shows the students clearing a path for Katehi.

Facts are stubborn things. Videos on the internet show police using needless violence against OWS protesters. The people against OWS say they are against socialism. However, these same conservatives are silent about the socialism of the bank bailouts. The Tea Party say they originally formed to protest the bailout but have never marched on Wall Street or the Treasury Department. Bailouts are anti-free market. The Tea Party like socialism. Just not for the majority of American people. Useful idiots, indeed.

Quote of the Day

2011-11-18T22:38:00.004-05:00

"How do you say 'delicious' in Cuban?"

Herman Cain, in Miami.

Cubana speak Spanish. There is no Cuban language. I wonder if Cain thinks Klingon is a real language.

Yes, Star Trek geeks. I know someone with far too much time came up with a Klingon language. No one who has had sex before the age of 30 years-old speaks Klingon.

Police Brutality At Occupy Oakland

2011-11-18T21:05:00.004-05:00

Occupy Oakland protester Kayvan Sabehgi is an Iraq war veteran. The video shows Sabehgi being severely beaten by several police officers. Sabehgi suffered severe injuries, including a lacerated spleen. Police did not get Sabehgi to a hospital until 18 hours after his arrest. This is police brutality. Pure and simple.

I wish President Barack Obama would hold a press conference and show the media footage of these horrible beatings. My dream would be for Obama to ask the media why they were not reporting these episodes of police violence. I would want Obama to then say that we cannot have Americans being beaten to protect the bonuses of Wall Street CEOs. It is time for serious reform of the financial market. Unfortunately, this is a President that thinks Lawrence Summers is a genius. True reform will have to come from the people. This is what the Occupy Wall Street movement is all about.

Friday Cat Blogging (With Patti Smith)

2011-11-18T18:29:00.001-05:00

Patti Smith sings to her cat.

Tampa Police Department Has Corporate Sponsors

2011-11-17T22:38:00.002-05:00

Seriously. Check out the corporate logos on an armored TPD police vehicle. When did the TPD start getting corporate sponsors like NASCAR. The photo was taken by Occupy Tampa.

TPD just drove by our camp in a tracked armored personel carrier. PLEASE COME OUT TONIGHT and bear witness to our militarized police state. WE WILL NOT BE MOVED!

Herman Cain Heckled in Florida

2011-11-17T21:37:00.004-05:00

Herman Cain's visit to Florida yesterday did not go well.

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain dove into his stump speech at a campaign stop in Florida yesterday, telling the crowd that we are a “nation of crises.” After listing the nation’s many “crises,” Cain declared, “we’ve got a moral crisis!”

This Republican field is like watching a season of Last Comic Standing.

Another OWS Female Protest Pepper-Sprayed

2011-11-17T20:47:00.002-05:00

This is an Occupy protester being hit with pepper spray by the police. Another woman, 84 year-old Dorli Rainey, was pepper-sprayed by police at an Occupy Seattle protest. I have a hard time believing an 84 year-old woman is a threat to armed police officers.