Saturday, May 29, 2010

What's A Holiday Without Music

by Distributorcap


To all - have a great holiday weekend. I leave you with some music from another time to enjoy this time

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Quote of the Day

By Creature

"I just don’t see how we can have an effective political system when teardrops and children’s stories matter more than years of mismanagement at the Minerals Management Service." -- Balloon Juice's DougJ on our silly, emotion-based political discourse.

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Friday, May 28, 2010

Hatching hypocrisy

By Mustang Bobby.

Via the inimitable digby we learn that Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) is introducing an amendment to the 2005 Stolen Honor Act that would make it a crime to lie about serving in combat in order to win an election.

My amendment would add to this existing statute, making false statements regarding participation in combat operations. It appears to me that individuals make these false claims in order to obtain honorariums, employment, elected office or other positions of authority.

If convicted of this misdemeanor offense, the perpetrator could face 6 months in jail and/or a fine. This is the same penalty for falsely obtaining and wearing awards or medals.

Gee, I wonder who he's going after with that? (Hint: Richard Blumenthal, the Democratic Senate candidate in Connecticut.)

However, this could have some unintended consequences. There are several people who have, to be charitable, stretched the truth about their time in combat. People like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who claims to be "an Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm veteran" when he never left the U.S.; George W. Bush, who said that he "learned some good lessons from Vietnam"; and of course there was Ronald Reagan himself who told people that "as a young soldier in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II, he had filmed the liberation of Nazi death camps." Reagan never left the U.S. during World War II.

I have a counter proposal for Mr. Hatch: make it a crime to lie about someone else's service in combat in order to win an election. I think he might be able to get John Kerry to co-sponsor that one.

(Cross-posted from Bark Bark Woof Woof.)

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Quote of the Day

By Creature

"I guess it's the kabuki of our times. The president has to be In Charge whether he can actually do anything or not." -- Kevin Drum after yesterday's oil-spill presser.

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Thursday, May 27, 2010

DADT

By Creature

Watching Republicans lose their shit today over DADT certainly makes it crystal clear that repeal must be done now and not after the mid-terms. Dems should be given credit, even if the comprise doesn't satisfy all, for seizing their majority on this one.

OK. I realize seizing might not be the best word after much foot dragging, but credit nonetheless.

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No jobs for you

By Creature

Because Democrats are afraid of Republicans calling them names. Sure, deficit spending sucks, but until we're out of this hole there really is no choice.

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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

...one third of the sea became blood... (Revelation 8: 8-9).

by Distributorcap

As I write, Bloody Polluters (BP) is attempting to plug the massive pipeline rupture in the Gulf of Mexico with a process called "Top Kill." I hope it works, but even the best engineers in the world only give this a 50-50 shot.

Even if successful, the damage in the Gulf is already so colossal - wetlands, wildlife breeding grounds, fisheries, beaches and a significant portion of the earth will be ruined and unusable for decades. The pooh-poohers are still out there (oh it is just an "accident", oh they will just clean it up, oh it could have been worse, oh it is only a few dead turtles), but the immense destruction wrought on one of the most important bodies of water on earth will prove to far outweigh the benefits we would have received from the additional oil we would have extracted.

No one should be surprised this calamity is already politicized to the nth degree. That is what politicians do - they are Pavlov's dogs begging for food when the bell rings. Think of all the other tragedies politicized by these mutts - Terry Schiavo, Katrina, even 9/11. If it wasn't politicized, you would think something is amiss. We shouldn't blame the politicians for the bickering (hate would be more apropos) - we should look to the media as the real dividers in this case. Since the rig explosion, the media has carried the torch for those politicians wishing to score points. Partisan finger pointing over gunk filled wetlands sells Tide, engineers talk about capping does not. Sarah Palin saying "drill, baby drill" sprinkles fairy dust in the eyes of all those old white men, environmentalists talking about oil entering the currents brings on the snoring.

There is plenty of blame to go around. the Dept of the Interior, BP, the Bush Administration, the Obama Administration, Congress, John D. Rockefeller, even George Washington if you want. But ultimately the problem is the country's unwillingness to find and expand alternative energy sources.

We accept offshore oil drilling and all of its hazards, because we have no choice - or so we are told. Getting your car to Target will be much more expensive if we get off of Saudi Light. Face it, carbon fuels are inherently dirty and dangerous - there will never be a completely safe way to mine or drill. And with the 'easy' oil quickly running out - the business of carbon based energy recovery will just get more and more destructive.

This country has had other wake-up calls for energy reform before - most notably in 1973 and 1979 - when the Middle East exploded in violence and supplies were shut off. I clearly remember the odd-even days and locks on gas tanks. We are inevitably heading to that (and worse) again. If we had acted back then - there is the likelihood we would not be so dependent on oil and the Middle East as we are today. But when Reagan goose-stepped into office in 1981, any chance of an national energy policy was eliminated. Instead of planning for a future without oil, St. Ronnie forged a closer relationship between big business and government - and a revolving door of people entering one and leaving the other. One big love fest.

But America yawned, since the actor made everything better.

For all intents and purposes the oil companies (with their unlimited funds) are in charge of the US national energy policy. Add to that an infrastructure that is heavily reliant on oil, hundreds of millions of vehicles and pieces of manufacturing equipment dependent on petroleum products and electrical power grids powered by carbon fuels, you have a recipe for disaster.

Oh - and top it off with a country unwilling to sacrifice one iota for the good of the planet.

America has spent the better part of the past 30 years getting everything it wants. Ronald Reagan ingrained in us - that America was the king - we all deserve something for nothing (and the chicks are free). The rest of the world, the sea turtles, the environment - who cares? Well now America is getting some of its blood money delivered in the form of gooey brown gunk washing into the fisheries and wetlands of Republican strongholds along the Gulf. (yes I am going to add to the politicization of this - the Republicans have spent the better part of 30 years dismantling any regulation that could have remotely prevented this). Big Oil, which has made more money that seemingly possible, has been treated with kit gloves by the US government. As a thanks for all that privilege, those same companies have acted like the German blitzkrieg during WWII in their search for the ultimate profit high - all at the expense of the American citizen. Lax laws, waivers, cut-corners, regulators paid off - and what do we end up with. Higher prices and the potential of a dead ocean.

"One third of the sea became blood, and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died." (Revelation 8: 8-9).

Many scientists have said it may take months to stop this gusher. Some are even saying it may never be capped, that it could flow for years. The underground pressure forcing the oil out is so great, it would be like blocking a wind tunnel with a tissue. A relief well (that will take 3 months) will bring some of the oil up through alternative pipes, but it will not stop the leaking.

In addition, by not understanding the meaning of sacrifice (or even conservation) the country has been trained to feel powerless to do anything. The government likes it that way. There is no easy path to a better world - the only path is one fraught with risk and consequence. American society just doesn't know how to deal with risk, consequence, sacrifice or even loss.

One could imagine that something like this tragedy would bring us together as a nation to discuss ways to better ourselves and our planet? Keep dreaming. Even 9/11 really didn't bring us together (it did for about 6 months before Bush decided to play John Wayne), so I guess I shouldn't expect too much from the Gulf tragedy. We have too much vested in us vs. the-other-is. The worse the crises gets, the more the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots of the government march into their own corners to proclaim they have the most facts, the best answers, the least amount of blame and the biggest dicks. We have become some combo of Mean Girls, Heathers and Revenge of the Nerds.

The country has to freeze all off-shore drilling and come with a comprehensive (and open) Energy Policy with strict standards for wind, tar sands, petroleum, natural gas, solar, coal, hydroelectric, biofuels, and nuclear power so we don't turn into Mars or Neptune. All players must meet a strict level of regulations, none of them will be tax exempt, there should be no special treatment for Exxon and funds must be dedicated to non-carbon based fuels. Without a policy that is science driven and not big business driven, this Gulf gusher will only be the tip of the iceberg.

The ONLY good thing that could come of this mess is that the longer it drags out, the more people might see that unregulated markets acting for the common good is a complete and total myth. People (including those Republicans living on the gulf) will witness first-hand the devastating effects of deregulation can have. Total control by corporations is just as bad and dangerous as total control by the government.

Deregulation and corporate control has been the cornerstone of Republicans since Reagan. After all, St. Ronnie said government was very, very bad and American businesses are very, very good. Since businesses are such good citizens (and now people!), we should trust them to regulate themselves. Between the 2008 financial meltdown and the 2010 oil drenched gulf - you don't have to bee a tree-hugging, bleeding-heart liberal to see what a stellar record business has had by regulating themselves.

It is obvious that 30 years of increased self-regulation by the corporations is destroyed this country financially and ethically. Now we can also add environmentally.




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Brilliant BP bashing

By Creature

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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

A book of common preyer

By Mustang Bobby.

David Frum reviews Zev Chafets's biography of Rush Limbaugh and takes a peek into the lifestyle of someone who makes millions of dollars and has no one but himself to spend it on.

"Largely decorated by Limbaugh himself, [his Palm Beach house] reflects the things and places he has seen and admired. A massive chandelier in the dining room, for example, is a replica of the one that hung in the lobby of New York's Plaza Hotel. The vast salon is meant to suggest Versailles. The main guest suite, which I didn't visit, is an exact replica of the Presidential Suite at the Hotel George V in Paris. There is a full suit of armor on display, as well as a life-size oil painting of El Rushbo. Fragrant candles burned throughout the house, a daily home-from-the-wars ritual."

Clearly this is a man with issues, not to mention bad taste by the barrel.

Mr. Frum then proceeds to psychoanalyze both Mr. Chafets's revelations and the subject of the book with a worried look at what Limbaugh represents as the de facto leader of the Republicans.

It might seem ominous for an intellectual movement to be led by a man who does not think creatively, who does not respect the other side of the argument and who frequently says things that are not intended as truth. But neither Limbaugh nor Chafets is troubled: "Over the years, [Limbaugh] has endeavored to carry forward the banner of Ronaldus Maximus, which he always credits as 'Reaganism.' But as time moves on the memory of Reagan fades. It is Limbaugh's voice conservatives now identify with. For millions, conservatism is now Limbaughism."

That is Limbaugh's achievement. It is Chafets's story line. And it is American conservatism's problem.

At the risk of being overly cynical, there really isn't all that mysterious about the success of Rush Limbaugh; history is replete with charlatans and hucksters who have the singular genius to know exactly how to exploit the fears and gullibility of the American people. I may admire him for his skill, but it's obvious from his inability to tolerate criticism or scrutiny that he is nothing more than a schoolyard bully raised to an exponential level. He creates nothing but discord and deception and he preys on others for his own gain. He suspects others of dark motives, deception, conspiracy and conceit because that's all he is capable of understanding. Mr. Frum is right; if this is the future of American conservatism, they are up the creek because fear and bigotry is a beast that needs constant feeding, and it often turns on its own.

A bleeding-heart liberal would say that all Rush Limbaugh needs is to be hugged and nutured. Nah. He needs a hard kick in the ass, and often.

(Cross-posted from Bark Bark Woof Woof.)

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

Sarah d'Arc: Unfair Sandbagging of a Teabagger

by Distributorcap

Bring out the barf bags - 1/2 term Alaska Governor, lousy parent and daughter of darkness Sarah Palin decided to vomit up more of her nonsense today, accusing Rachel Maddow of sandbagging her fellow teabagger Rand Paul during Maddow's interview with Paul last week. St. Sarah accused Maddow of conducting a "prejudiced" interview and being part of the liberal media that cares only about getting a "gotcha" moment.

Last week, Paul, fresh off his victory in the Kentucky Republican Primary, said on The Rachel Maddow Show that he did not believe the Civil Rights Act of 1964 should apply to private businesses - while at the same time professing several times that he was not a racist. His extreme statements set off a firestorm of controversy, forcing even the most conservative and idiotic of the GOP (like Jim DeMint and Eric Cantor) to remain silent or back away.

Days later, Paul cancelled his Sunday morning talk show merry-go-round.

Palin claimed Paul was being subjected to the same type of "media attacks" she had to "endure" during her failed run for the Vice Presidency (you know, tough questions like "what newspapers do you read?").
"One thing we can learn in this lesson that I have learned and Rand Paul is learning now is don't assume that you can engage in a hypothetical discussion about constitutional impacts with a reporter or a media personality who has an agenda, who may be prejudiced before they even get into the interview in regards to what your answer may be. You know, they are looking for the gotcha moment. And that evidently appears to be what they did with Rand Paul, and I'm thankful he clarified his answer about his support for the Civil Rights Act."

According to Sarah d'Arc, if you are challenged on prior statements and you show your true colors, well it's all an evil lefty plot. Always on the offense and perpetually offensive, Palin know she wins everytime she appeals to the basest of the base - the idiocracy.

What Miss d'Arc is stating is that Paul must NOT go onto ANY cable outlet other than Pravda Fox, lest you run into someone who may ask questions that have not been vetted by Karl Rove. Stick to a friendly media vacuum like Fox to proclaim your love of America and hate of immigrants, gays and the Sierra Club. The stepford anchors on Fox are instructed by the grand poobah himself, Roger Ailes, to ask nothing deeper than "how are your kids?" or "how bad is Obama messing up?" After that you are free to lie and mislead with nary a challenge. As for your deep dark secrets and governing philosophies, which could include racism, hate and greed, they will forever remain a secret. All the time the pretty blondes on the set will smile and twinkle at the audience.

Sarah d'Arc is claiming that conservatives like herself are nothing but victims of the mean people in the non-Fox media (attention Sarah, this is an old and tired excuse). For nearly two years, this country has been forced (by that same mean media WHO MADE HER A STAR) to listen to the seriously inane and vacuous crap coming from a complete jackass. The only thing this woman knows how to do is A) blame the left and Democrats for every problem every created and B) make her and ilk appear as martyred victims of a mean, nasty, unfair, biased lefty media machine.

It is obvious to the entire planet (except to the media she is now trashing) that Palin's entire MO is simply to dole out the bullshit to her descamisados and she how much of it sticks. She is like a high-school girl at the cool lunch table telling her wannabes to hate everyone not at her table. Her own sense of martyrdom is exceeded only by her descamisados adoration of her. They love her, they WILL vote for her, and think she should be President of the United States. All because "liberals" like Katie Couric, Charlie Gibson, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow say mean things about her. And of course because she is hot.

What a way to choose a leader. Sarah d'Arc is a joke. But sadly she is our joke. Born in 1964, she entered college (the first of 5) just as Ronald Reagan encouraged the dumbing down of America. Palin, if nothing, has impeccable timing.

Sarah d'Arc may be an intellectual zero, but she is smart enough to know that saying what she (and Paul and others) truly believes will do nothing but ruin the "brand." Silence is truly golden - and in this case, also electable.

Back to Paul. As a follow up to his discrimination-is-good policy, Paul accused President Obama of being too harsh on BP for the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. No wonder Sarah the GOP sent Sarah to the rescue. Time for some of the GOP kool aid, Rand.




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Truth in Comics

By Creature


If it's Sunday, it's Truth in Comics.

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The Reaction in review (May 17-23, 2010)

A week's reactions that deserve a second look:

Michael J.W. Stickings, our Editor, is spending some time in the United Kingdom and sends his greetings.  He also posted a couple of excellent features from the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, adding his own comments:  1) "How the Democrats' health-care reform legislation is already improving the lives of Americans" and 2)  "Big Oil, the GOP, and the screwing of the American taxpayer (and the environment)."

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Friday

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Dances with oil" --
  Duffy's creativity shines in this sardonic post on how Hollywood might save the day with the oil spill cleanup.

By Capt. Fogg: "Let there be -- bacteria" --  Fogg posits why Dr. Craig Venter's scientific breakthrough, regarding the synthetic animation of a cell with chemicals, has escaped the headlines.


Thursday

By Distributorcap: "The Candidate Doth Protest Too Much" --  DC writes an effective argument against Rand Paul's bizarre Libertarian view that racial discrimination should be allowed under the second (free speech) amendment in the Bill of Rights.

By Capt. Fogg: "The will of the Wasp" --  Fogg concludes that Rand Paul's Libertarian defense of racial discrimination is,"pandering to an audience somewhat less rational than Ron Paul's: to an audience whipped into irrational fury by the basic requirements of civilization; too hungry for revenge against a maturing world and too angry and self centered to give a damn what he can do for his country."

By Capt. Fogg: "Cleanup in aisle 4" --  This outstanding piece of writing summarizes the most outrageous and heartbreaking aspects of the BP oil spill now in the Gulf of Mexico -- spreading fast and killing indiscriminately.

By guest writer Nancy Brune, Truman National Security fellow: "While we were sleeping" --  Noting that other nations are moving aggressively to secure their energy needs for the future, the author leaves us with this question regarding the proposed American Power Act: "We now have before us an opportunity to make America less vulnerable to political instability and volatility in global energy markets. . . Will America [act]?"

By Greg Prince: "Things are looking up" -- This helpful post is a fine analysis of how this week's primary elections are good very news for Democrats.


Wednesday

By Capt. Fogg: "No TEA for me, please" -- Taking on the most apparent "delusions" of the Tea Party, the good Captain makes several good points we all tend to forget.

By Peter Henne, regular guest poster and another Truman National fellow: "Outbidding in Waziristan" --
This very worthwhile post is a fine analysis of the possibility of evolving situations among and within terrorist groups, and of the resulting counter terrorism possibilities.


Tuesday

By Capt. Fogg: "Big Top" -- Fogg wonders aloud whether the GOP's tent will be big enough to shelter Donna/Ed Milo, who is opposing U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Broward County Florida's 2010 election.


Monday

By Distributorcap: "Poll Dancing" -- This interesting post evaluates the too widespread use by the media of unreliable political polling, along with how we can better discriminate when looking at useful polling information.

By Capt. Fogg: "Kids in cages" -- With compassion and insight the good Captain discusses the recent SCOTUS decision against prison sentences to life without parole for nonhomicide crimes committed as juveniles.

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Creature Short Features:  On the Gulf oil spill: 5/23/10 and 5/20/10; on Rand Paul: 5/21/10 and 5/20/10; on financial reform: 5/19/10; and on 2010 elections: 5/19/10.

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