Saturday, January 31, 2009

Ratzinger Strikes Again

Ratzinger, AKA as "the Pope", has promoted a far-right wing lunatic from the Mel Gibson branch of the Catholic Church just days after reinstating a vile, disgusting Holocaust-denying piece of human garbage and insulting every Jew in the world. This new appointment is a real prize:

Fr Wagner is also notorious for his extreme views - he has accused the popular Harry Potter novels of spreading Satanism, and described Hurricane Katrina as God's punishment for the sinners of New Orleans.

He wrote in a parish newsletter that the death and destruction caused by the hurricane in New Orleans was divine retribution for the city's tolerance of homosexuals and permissive sexual attitudes
.

You see, in Ratzinger's church, spreading anti-Semitic filth about the Holocaust is merely a matter of personal opinion. But the real wrath, the real hatred, is always reserved for the faggots and sluts. You see, they're the REAL sinners.

Not the people who deny anyone was butchered in Auschwitz or the people who celebrate the drowning of other humans. They get promoted.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Limbaugh,The Leader of the Republican Party, Widely Hated and Despised

Since the Republicans have decided to make a loud-mouthed draft-dodging oxycontin-popping disc jockey from southern Missouri their official leader, I thought it would be interesting to note that polling indicates Limbaugh is held in utter contempt by the heavy majority of sane Americans. The numbers are brutal:

...Limbaugh's unfavorable rating among all voters (59%) is higher than any other Republican except George W. Bush, although Sarah Palin (47%) and New Gingrich (48%) earn negative marks that fall within the margin of sampling error of Limbaugh. Nonetheless, it should be clear that Limbaugh has a different image than "conservatives" (34% unfavorable), Fox News (35%) or John McCain (37%).

One reason is the way Republicans perceive Limbaugh. In An earlier Democracy Corps survey, fielded in mid-October, showed that nearly a third of Republicans (32%) give Limbaugh a unfavorable (cold) rating, while just 44% rate him favorabl
y.

In fact, among likely voters, Limbaugh's favorable rating is a wretched 23%, about the same as the percentage of dead-enders who thought Bush did well(!). 

Limbaugh is a despicable coward who vomits out his lies on the radio and never comes out to debate anyone head on. He violated the drug laws with impunity because rich conservatives in America can do anything they want without fear of reprisal. He says anyone who opposes the right-wing lunacy that is KILLING AMERICA is a traitor. 

So I LOVE the fact that Limbaugh is now head of the Republican Party. In fact, I suggest that he do something he's never done: run for national office.

Go ahead, Rush, you walking pus-ball. Let's see how you do when you have to deal with more than the misled, lied to sheep that make up the vast majority of your audience.

But I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.

Once a right-wing coward, always a right-wing coward.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Blago Out--Good Riddance

So, Which Is It, America?

Are you for President Obama--or America's least favorite right-wing drug addict draft dodger, Rush "Anal Cyst" Limbaugh? Various progressive groups are airing ads to pressure Republican Senators (here is an example of one.) asking a version of that very question.

Sen. John Kerry said it well. Since the Republicans in the House refused to be honorable and meet President Obama half way, every one of the Republican-sponsored tax cuts in the House bill should be stripped out by the Senate

In the last two elections, the Republicans have lost 54 House seats, 14 Senate seats, and the Presidency. They're not in any position to demand a DAMNED THING. We won, they lost. Period. America supports US, not them.

It's really pathetic when an oxycontin-ravaged loud mouthed racist disc jockey is the leader of and spokesman for a major political party.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Mr. President, When You Reach Out to the Republicans...

they'll simply slap you right in the face.

The Republican Slogan: Slavish Right-Wing Ideology First, America Dead Last.

Corporate Media Still Pushing Right-Wing Point of View

Think Progress has the story here. And check out this interesting graph:



The excuse used to be, "They're the ones in power." Now it's, "They're the ones out of power." Either way, the so-called "Liberal Media" continues to reek of right-wing stench.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Bank of America Uses OUR Bail-Out Money to Support Anti-Union Fanatics

The whole disgusting story is here. Excerpt:

Three days after receiving $25 billion in federal bailout funds, Bank of America Corp. hosted a conference call with conservative activists and business officials to organize opposition to the U.S. labor community's top legislative priority.

Participants on the October 17 call -- including at least one representative from another bailout recipient, AIG -- were urged to persuade their clients to send "large contributions" to groups working against the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), as well as to vulnerable Senate Republicans, who could help block passage of the bill.



Yes, folks, these reactionary pinheads were using OUR money to organize other reactionary pinheads to screw American working people out of their right to organize a union. You see, right now, in many industries, if someone tries to organize a union by means of an election, the conservative management simply FIRES THE ORGANIZERS. EFCA would block this, which is why the militantly anti-worker conservatives are so dead-set against it, including Home Depot's co-founder, Bernie Marcus, a raving right-wing lunatic and pathological hater of unions.

Surveys show that millions of Americans want the right to join unions but are being blocked from doing so. Bank of America and AIG should be squeezed to pay back every single dime they used to help organize this anti-worker campaign. Because you know what? When it comes to plotting against American workers' rights...

NOT WITH MY MONEY, BABY!

Another Neo-Con Criminal Continues to Drift Upward

In the fine tradition of Bill the Butcher Kristol, who is partially responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Iraq War, Elliott Abrams, noteworthy right-wing criminal whose policies helped facilitate the deaths of countless thousands of people in Central America, continues to be promoted. Ezra Klein has the outrageous story (with superb links) here.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Conyers Subpoenas Rove

House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers has subpoened contemptible criminal Karl Rove to appear before Conyers' committee on 2 February. Conyers has subpoenaed Rove before but the greasy little right-wing Republican pig thumbed his nose at it, fully supported by his friend the now EX-president, George the Wretched. This time, I hope it's different. Rove, an outright cancer on the American political system, will be questioned concerning the politicization of the Justice Department under Bush and the illegal prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.

Mr. President, don't let this criminal and traitor spit on the law again. If he doesn't show up, have him arrested, brought to the House in handcuffs, and FORCED to testify UNDER OATH. I've had enough of these right-wing Republican crooks making their own laws.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

The Disgusting BASTARD That Ratzinger is Rescuing

Andrew Sullivan has the appalling details here. And Ratzinger--the man who goes by the title "Pope"--thinks this SOB should be a prominent figure in the Catholic Church.  Unbelievable.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Anything They Say is a Lie Until Proven Otherwise

John Cole echoes my own sentiments exactly in this post. The Republicans are arguing against President Obama's stimulus program on the basis of a CBO report that doesn't exist, and which apparently was fabricated out of thin air. Cole lays it out just right:

I promised to myself that never again would I be as gullible as I was during the Bush years, but I really don’t know what the appropriate level of skeptical is for Republicans right now. Even after losing their asses in the last two elections, facing numerous crises, here they are just flat-out making shit up on arguably the most important topic of the day.

From now on, anything the Republicans say I am just going to have to assume is a lie, until proven otherwise. I don’t know how else to handle this, as they simply can not be trusted to tell the truth or do the right thing, regardless what the stakes are
.

This Might Be My All-Time Favorite Graph

One-hundred nine historians rate the Bush Administration:



The whole delightful story may be found here.

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

Obama Starts Out Strongly in Gallup

A whopping 68%-12% Approve/Disapprove rating.

Shhh! Don't tell Limbaugh or Hannity. They might have a stroke.

On second thought...

Friday, January 23, 2009

Right Wing Hypocrites, Liars, and Fanatics Already Pouring Hatred on Obama



To paraphrase Jonathan Swift: 

I never wonder to see conservatives wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Halliburton Negligence Kills G.I.

The depressing story is right here.

Of course the accuser is that famous left-wing radical terrorist institution known as the U.S. Army, so conservatives will no doubt denounce them for it.

Poor Little Bushies Angry at Mean Old Obama

For telling the truth, evidently.

And really, why hasn't a pathological liar like Karl Rove simply disappeared into a swirling vortex of pure evil yet?


Wednesday, January 21, 2009

On the Job...

and working for America.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009



Here.

CONGRATULATIONS, PRESIDENT OBAMA!



The full text of President Obama's Inaugural Address:

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom. For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do. Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government. Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint. We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations.

We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true.

They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: "Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]." America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

[Note: And by the way, Mr. President, it's too bad that Chief Justice Roberts bungled the oath of office. But he's a Republican, so what can you expect?]

Monday, January 19, 2009

Our Long, Self-Inflicted National Nightmare Comes to an End

George W. Bush has never achieved anything worthwhile on his own.

Everything he has gotten in this world has been handed to him.

He smoked, snorted, and drank himself into insensibility for years.

He was a failure in any business venture where his family didn't intercede on his behalf. He moved up the ladder despite one screw-up after another. 

He was a worthless governor of a big state where the Lt. Governor has much of the real authority and the state legislature only meets every other year. He claimed credit for other people's good ideas. He sucked up to his cronies and steered favors toward them. He was indifferent to the poor, despite his rhetoric.

He was nominated for president in 2000 only because of his name, not for any "qualifications" he had. 

He "won" because the national media hated his opponent and lied about him at every opportunity. Bush was no slouch in spreading lies himself. He got "elected" by stealing Florida, with the help of right wing thugs and conservative ideologues on the Supreme Court. It was a right-wing coup d'etat.

He ignored every warning about terrorism. When it struck, he cynically exploited it for his own political benefit.

His Administration's corruption spread its tentacles into every area of public life. No-bid contracts proliferated. His friends and allies got fat and rich off of taxpayer money.

There is no area of American life that he did not injure, either through deliberate action or neglect. The environment has been harmed, the economy has crashed, and contempt for our legal traditions has become epidemic. 

He started a war in Afghanistan that needed to be fought and one in Iraq that didn't. The Iraq War was based on lies, manipulated intelligence, propaganda, and horrifyingly bad judgment. There should have been a national uprising in America when all of this became apparent. There wasn't.

Through it all, millions of complacent Americans looked the other way or were misled by a groveling, lapdog press corps that went out of its way to denigrate his opponents and elevate this shocking mediocrity to "heroic" status. And a weak willed Democratic Party didn't show enough courage to stop his outrages when they should have.

Now, finally, eight years overdue, the worst president and the worst vice president in our nation's history are leaving. They leave a country that is on the ropes, one which has finally come to see them for what they are. They're crawling out of office, hated, despised, jeered at, held in contempt, ridiculed, and damned.

Let the curtain finally come down on this sick, perverse melodrama that appealed to every ugly and bigoted instinct in its supporters.

Now, at long last, led his wretched pathetic administration end, and let him fade into the obscurity from which he should never have been rescued.


Saturday, January 17, 2009

A Valuable Civics Lesson!

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Our Long National Embarrassment is At An End

Courtesy of David Letterman:

Friday, January 16, 2009

Eight Years in Eight Minutes

REJECTED

Bush finishes his atrocious presidency with a pathetic 22% approval rating. And War Criminal Cheney finishes with 13%.

The Worst. Ever.

Another Crushing Indictment of Bush

This damning assessment of George W. Bush's incredibly destructive presidency comes from The Economist (in the UK). It is noteworthy because The Economist called for Bush's election in 2000 and is generally conservative in its economic views. Its condemnation of Bush is comprehensive. Highlights:


Mr Bush relied heavily on a small inner core of advisers. The most important of these was Dick Cheney, who quickly became the most powerful vice-president in American history. Mr Cheney used his mastery of bureaucracy to fill the administration with his protégés and to control the flow of information to the president. He pushed Mr Bush forcefully to the right on everything from global warming to the invasion of Iraq; he also fought ruthlessly to expand the power of the executive branch, which he thought had been dangerously restricted since Watergate.

The two other decisive figures were Karl Rove, Mr Bush’s longtime political guru, and Donald Rumsfeld, his defence secretary. Mr Rove was obsessed by pursuing his dream of a rolling Republican realignment, subordinating everything to party politics. Mr Rumsfeld regarded the Iraq war not, like his boss, as an exercise in democracy-building, but as an opportunity to test the model of an “agile military” that he was pioneering at the Pentagon.

The fruit of all this can be seen in the three most notable characteristics of the Bush presidency: partisanship, politicisation and incompetence. Mr Bush was the most partisan president in living memory. He was content to be president of half the country—a leader who fused his roles of head of state and leader of his party. He devoted his presidency to feeding the Republican coalition that elected him.

**********

Relentless partisanship led to the politicisation of almost everything Mr Bush did. He used his first televised address to justify putting strict limits on federal funding for stem-cell research, and used the first veto of his presidency to prevent the expansion of that funding. He appointed two “strict constructionist” judges to the Supreme Court, John Roberts and Samuel Alito, turned his back on the Kyoto protocol, dismissed several international treaties, particularly the anti-ballistic-missile treaty, loosened regulations on firearms and campaigned against gay marriage. His energy policy was written by Mr Cheney with the help of a handful of cronies from the energy industry. His lacklustre attorney-general Alberto Gonzales, who was forced to resign in disgrace, was only the most visible of an army of over-promoted, ideologically vetted homunculi.

The Iraq war was a case study of what happens when politicisation is mixed with incompetence. A long-standing convention holds that politics stops at the ocean’s edge. But Mr Bush and his inner circle labelled the Democrats “Defeaticrats” whenever they were reluctant to support extending the war from Afghanistan to Iraq. They manipulated intelligence to demonstrate that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and had close relations with al-Qaeda. This not only divided a country that had been brought together by September 11th; it also undermined popular support for what Mr Bush regarded as the central theme of his presidency, the war on terror.

Sean Wilentz, a historian at Princeton, remarks how unusual it is for a president to have politicised such a national catastrophe: “No other president—Lincoln in the civil war, FDR in world war two, John F. Kennedy at critical moments of the cold war—faced with such a monumental set of military and political circumstances, failed to embrace the opposing political party to help wage a truly national struggle. But Bush shut out and even demonised the Democrats.”

Read the whole thing--and regret once again that Bush, Cheney, and their thug cronies were allowed to steal the 2000 election.

His Legacy

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Democratic Writer DESTROYS British Bush-Loving Imbecile

Ed Kilgore does it, and it's a thing of beauty.

All kinds of right wing hacks, cretins, liars, and fools are crawling out of the woodwork about now, trying to tell us that we didn't see what we saw and we didn't go through what we experienced. But we know better than these pathetic, malicious propagandists: Bush gravely damaged America and was a disgrace to our country. We're not going to let them tell us this arrogant, smirking, dry-drunk frat boy was anything but what he really was: the most atrocious "leader" in our nation's history.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Jon Stewart: Brilliant Yet Again

Bush, Despised and Reviled, Crawling Out of the White House

Bush finishes his wretched term in office as the least popular outgoing president since Nixon. He leaves with a Gallup approve/disapprove number of 34/61.

Oh, and right-wingers--Bill Clinton's final numbers were 66/29--better than Reagan's.

Heh heh heh. 

Republican Means Ruin

Drudge Will Spread ANY Lie, Part 2,376

A phony dollar figure is circulating claiming that Obama's inauguration will cost $150 million. This is a lie. Naturally, Matt Drudge is spreading this lie in order to make Obama look bad.

I still can't believe that this pathological, right-wing, lying clown Drudge holds the kind of influence he does in this country. It's more evidence of the sickness and corruption the cancerous conservative "movement" has disseminated throughout our discourse.

Bush: A Staggering Level of Failure, Incompetence, and Corruption

The Center for Public Integrity has published a comprehensive list of the Bush Administration's failures over the past eight years. You should read the whole thing, but to me, this section stood out:

MILITARY

False Premise for Going to War
Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal
Mismanagement at National Reconnaissance Office
Poor Health Care for Veterans
Failure To Regulate Security Contractors
Pentagon Office’s Misleading Intelligence
Military Failure To Secure Iraq After Invasion
Lack of Armored Protection for Troops
Pentagon’s Slow Adaptation to a War-footing
Inadequate Planning for Post-Invasion Iraq
Failure To Secure Weapons in Iraq
Mismanagement of Major Weapons Acquisitions
Veteran Disability Claims Languish
Delay in Opening U.S. Embassy in Iraq
Air Force Failure To Maintain Nuclear Weapons Accountability
Taliban Resurgence in Afghanistan
190,000 Missing Weapons in Iraq.

By the way, may I add that TENS OF BILLIONS of dollars allocated for Iraq's rebuilding have simply been STOLEN by Bush-Cheney cronies. This is the consequence of putting criminals in charge of the U.S. government through a right-wing coup d'etat (the 2000 election steal).

In the original, there are detailed links to EVERY item. I am hesitant to go through them all. I don't know if I could take being that angry and that disgusted.

Good riddance to the worst president in American history.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Democratic Underground's Top 10 Conservative Idiots

Ha ha! Enjoy! It's right here. And I just had to reprint my favorite one:

And finally - speaking of Sarah Palin, it seems she's another one desperately clinging to the dying seconds of her fifteen minutes of fame. Last week the governor of Alaska gave a whining, finger-pointing interview to conservative filmmaker John Ziegler in which she reminded America why we're so glad to see the back of her.

It turns out that Palin was not to blame for coming across as a know-nothing imbecile during her interview with Katie Couric, it was in fact Katie Couric's fault for sitting there and watching while she did it. You know who else was to blame? The stupid McCain campaign for letting her do it.

Oh, and it was also Tina Fey's fault for doing an impression of her. Sure, one of Fey's skits did get big laughs by simply quoting Palin word-for-word, but, er, she took Palin out of context. Or something.

You know who else was to blame? The goshdarn liberal media. Why, if Palin were a Democrat, the press would never have been as nasty to her! Yes, I bet if the Democrats had run an unheard-of functionally illiterate moose-hunting former beauty queen with a secessionist husband and a pregnant unmarried teenage daughter for vice-president, the media would have said nothing at all.

I just pray to the comedy gods that Palin gets the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. She made herself a national laughing stock in twelve short weeks - imagine what she could do with a full year.

Here's What the Future Holds for the Republican Party



And I'm guessing those young people in Washington state and Colorado ain't exactly big conservatives either.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Coulter Facing New Vote Fraud Charges

Hey every body! Read all about America's favorite right-wing crack whore's possible new troubles with the law!  Seems Annie has been living in one place and voting in another.

Fraud alert!! Do you think Drudge and Fox "News" will cover it?

From Harper's Magazine: A DAMNING Indictment of George W. Bush (and His Era)

It's from the Harper's Index for January 2009. It requires a subscription to view, but I'd like to give you some of the more shocking highlights:

Total amount the Bush campaign paid Enron and Halliburton for use of corporate jets during the 2000 recount: $15,400

Minimum number of Bush appointees who have regulated industries they used to represent as lobbyists: 98

Date on which the GAO sued Dick Cheney to force the release of documents related to current U.S. energy policy: 2/22/02

Months before September 11, 2001, that Cheney’s Energy Task Force investigated Iraq’s oil resources: 6

Number of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and North African men detained in the U.S. in the eight weeks after 9/11: 1,182

Number of them ever charged with a terrorism-related crime: 0

Minimum number of laws that Bush signing statements have exempted his administration from following: 1,069

Estimated number of U.S. intelligence reports on Iraq that were based on information from a single defector: 100

Number of times the defector had ever been interviewed by U.S. intelligence agents: 0

Factor by which an Iraqi in 2006 was more likely to die than in the last year of the Saddam regime: 3.6

Factor by which the cause of death was more likely to be violence: 120

Chance that an Iraqi has fled his or her home since the beginning of the war: 1 in 6

Portion of Baghdad residents in 2007 who had a family member or friend wounded or killed since 2003: 3/4

Chance that an Iraq war veteran who has served two or more tours now has post-traumatic stress disorder: 1 in 4

Number of all U.S. war veterans who have been denied Veterans Administration health care since 2003: 452,677

Portion of his presidency he has spent at or en route to vacation spots: 1/3

Estimated number of juveniles whom the United States has detained as enemy combatants since 2002: 2,500

Minimum number of detainees who were tortured to death in U.S. custody: 8

Minimum number of extraordinary renditions that the United States has made since 2006: 200

Number of incidents of torture on prime-time network TV shows from 2002 to 2007: 897

Number on shows during the previous seven years: 110

Percentage of Republicans in 2005 who said they would vote for Bush over George Washington: 62

Portion of all U.S. income gains during the Bush Administration that have gone to the top 1 percent of earners: 3/4

Increase since 2000 in the number of Americans living at less than half the federal poverty level: 3,500,000

Percentage change since 2001 in the average amount U.S. workers spend on out-of-pocket medical expenses: +172

Estimated percentage by which Social Security benefits would have declined if Bush’s privatization plan had passed: –15

Number of times FDA officials met with consumer and patient groups as they revised drug-review policy in 2006: 5

Number of times they met with industry representatives: 113

Number of Republican officials who have been investigated by the Justice Department since 2001: 196

Number of Democratic officials who have been: 890

Percentage of EPA scientists who say they have experienced political interference with their work since 2002: 60

Change since 2001 in the percentage of Americans who believe humans are causing climate change: –4

Days after Hurricane Katrina hit that Cheney’s office ordered an electric company to restore power to two oil pipelines: 1

Days after the hurricane that the White House authorized sending federal troops into New Orleans: 4

Portion of the $3.3 billion in federal Hurricane Katrina relief spent by Mississippi that has benefited poor residents: 1/4

Estimated amount Bush-era policies will cost the U.S. in new debt and accrued obligations: $10,350,000,000,000 

Percentage change in U.S. discretionary spending during Bush’s presidency: +31

Percentage change during Reagan’s and Clinton’s, respectively: +16, +0.3

Total value of U.S. government contracts in 2000 that were awarded without competitive bidding: $73,000,000,000

Total in 2007: $146,000,000,000

Amount by which the federal government has underfunded its estimated cost to implement NCLB: $71,000,000,000

Chance that the buyer of a U.S. home in 2006 now has “negative equity,” i.e., the debt on the home exceeds its value: 1 in 5

Rank of Bush among U.S. presidents with the highest disapproval rating: 1

Average percentage of Americans who approved of the job Bush was doing during his second term: 37

Percentage of Russians today who approve of the direction their country took under Stalin: 37

What We'll Be Missing Soon

Saturday, January 10, 2009

The Truth on Taxes, Part One

This post on Democratic Underground neatly demolishes the conservative lie that "the poor don't pay taxes". Taking into account not only the federal income tax but also excise, state sales taxes, and Social Security taxes, the poor contribute in many ways, perhaps even more than their share. 

The phony right wing argument that the poor don't contribute is used as a rhetorical weapon against raising taxes on the "overburdened" rich. We'll be dealing with that separately.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

No, Bush Was NOT a Hero On 9/11--or Afterward

Bob Cesca has ripped into the preposterous mythology surrounding George W. Bush's handling of the 9/11 attacks, especially the actions he took in the months and years after it. Here is a spectacularly good summary:

What I recall is a litany of awful, illegal and destructive responses to September 11 on behalf of the president. I'm thinking specifically about White House-sanctioned torture. I'm thinking about extraordinary rendition. I'm thinking about Abu Ghraib and illegal invasions and interminable occupations. I'm thinking about how a CIA agent tasked with tracking loose nukes was outed as part of effort to lie about the justifications for that invasion and occupation. I'm thinking about 35,000 American military casualties. I'm thinking about post traumatic stress disorder. I'm thinking about a system that allowed many September 11 heroes to die of respiratory-related illnesses. I'm thinking about illegal and unconstitutional searches and seizures. I'm thinking about the USA PATRIOT Act, the Military Commission Act and the "terrorist surveillance program." I'm thinking about known-knowns, "bring 'em on" and "watch what you say" warnings. I'm thinking about orange alerts, duct tape, bottled-liquids bans, cable news animations of exploding airplanes and national waves of hysteria tweaked by well-orchestrated fear-mongering campaigns. I'm thinking about the tens of thousands of terrorist attacks -- some of them on American soil, most of them against American interests and all having occurred despite the lie that the Bush administration has "kept us safe." To that point, I'm thinking about decades of future blowback which historians and foreign policy experts might attribute directly to President Bush's reaction to September 11

Excellent. I would also add that Bush must be held responsible for ignoring warnings from the outgoing Clinton Administration about the danger of Al Qaeda, for ignoring the findings of the Rudman-Hart Commission which found that America was in imminent danger of an attack, and for ignoring the Presidential Daily Briefing  of 6 August 2001 that warned him of an impending attack. (Bush went on vacation for five weeks after telling the person who presented the report, "OK, you've covered your ass.") Bush's actions add up to criminal negligence, and he and his toadying acolytes cannot be allowed to rewrite the history of his shameful, incompetent conduct.

Bush: The Ultimate Gift to Bin Laden. 

Pathetic Loser Coleman Still Trying to Overturn Legitimate Result

This slimy weasel has filed a ridiculous suit to delay the seating of SENATOR AL FRANKEN (D-MN). Coleman was a complete suck-up lackey to George W. Bush and went along with every miserable, failed policy. Now, with the financing and connivance of the criminal organization AKA the national Republican Party, he's trying to overturn the result of a free and fair election and a recount so transparent they did the recounting on TV and posted disputed ballots on the internet!

It will be so good to to watch Normie Boy lose.

Again.

Read 'Em and Weep

Just one of the many appalling summaries of George Bush's atrocious record.

I knew in 2000 that he was going to be a disaster, but I have to admit, I didn't realize just how much of a bloody disaster he really was going to be.

Sunday, January 04, 2009

New Coulter "Book" Packed With Lies from End to End

MediaMatters is on the case.

And, naturally, NBC is giving Coulter a platform to spew her lies and venom. No surprise there. Coulter has appeared on NBC outlets two hundred times to smear and slander anyone she doesn't like.

Coulter is a vicious troll who routinely hopes for the murder of all her "enemies", including her memorable call for the extermination of the entire Iranian nation. She belongs in a asylum for the criminally insane.

Instead, she'll be on the Today Show.

Over My Dead Freaking Body

Daddy Bush wants Jeb to be President.

No.

As in HELL NO.

As in there should be a constitutional amendment barring any member of the Bush family from ever again becoming president. This should include all yet-to-be conceived members of the Bush family, as well as deceased members, to prevent the seizure of the government by Bush zombies.

It's time for these criminals to be barred from power once and for all.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

The Abramoff Scandal is NOT Dead

Go over to Daily Kos and read dengre's fantastic post on the still boiling scandal that promises to engulf countless corrupt Republicans (and maybe some Democrats as well. It's here.

Just trust me on this. It's worth it.

Go ahead. I'll wait.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We finally get rid of Bush and get to say hello to

PRESIDENT OBAMA!

Have a great 2009!