Contra O'Reilly

Bush (43), The Great Financial Deregulator?

2012-02-16T14:21:00.001-08:00

"The Bush Administration's eight long years of failed deregulation policies have resulted in our nation's largest bailout ever, leaving the American taxpayers on the hook potentially for billions of dollars." This, folks, is what former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said in 2009...........................................................................................Hm, kind of matches up nicely with conventional wisdom, doesn't it; a big, bad Republican President laying the hammer down, bringing the country down with him? The only problem, of course, is that it's total bullshit. Yep, folks, you can blame President Bush for a whole litany of things (2 unnecessary wars, out of control discretionary spending, burgeoning deficits, etc.) but deregulation flat-out just isn't one of them...........................................................................................a) The main pieces of deregulation most frequently cited; the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Commodities Futures Modernization Act, were both passed and signed into law before Mr. Bush ever became President, b) the budget for financial regulation actually went up and up significantly (the SEC budget, for example, went up from 357 million to a whopping 629 million - this, according to a study by Washington University, St. Louis and George Mason University) under the fellow, c) the codes of Federal regulation actually reached an all-time high of over 75,000 pages during Bush's tenure, and d) Mr. Bush supported and signed into law, Sarbanes-Oxley, a highly REGULATORY piece of regulation. NONE of any of this points to Mr. Bush as a deregulator.....................................................................................................The bottom-line here, people, is that Mrs. Pelosi is either lying or she's an idiot. And, please, get this, too. Pelosi was actually one of the 153 House Democrats who voted for Gramm-Leach-Bliley back in 1999. She frigging voted for it!...I mean, come on, does it get any better than this or what?

They FOOLED Me, Jerry

2012-02-15T20:07:00.000-08:00

Here it is, folks, from Wikipedia, the final stages of the legislative process on the Commodities Futures Modernization Act. Nothing WHATSOEVER on the Republicans tricking the poor, unsuspecting Democrats into voting for it. Nada, bubkas, didn't happen, etc.. But, please, feel free to paranoiacally delude yourself into thinking it so. It is, after all, still a free country............. "After Congress returned into session on December 4, 2000, there were reports Senator Gramm and the Treasury Department were exchanging proposed language to deal with the issues raised by Sen. Gramm, followed by a report those negotiations had reached an impasse.^[65] On December 14, however, the Treasury Department announced agreement had been reached the night before and urged Congress to enact into law the agreed upon language.^[66]

The “compromise language” was introduced in the House on December 14, 2000, as H.R. 5660.^[67] The same language was introduced in the Senate on December 15, 2000 as S. 3283.^[68] The Senate and House conference that was called to reconcile differences in H.R. 4577 appropriations adopted the “compromise language” by incorporating H.R. 5660 (the “CFMA”) into H.R. 4577, which was titled “Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY 2001”.^[69] The House passed the Conference Report and, therefore, H.R. 4577 in a vote of 292-60.^[70] Over "objection" by Senators James Inhofe (R-OK) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN), the Senate passed the Conference Report, and therefore H.R. 4577, by “unanimous consent.”^[71] The Chairs and Ranking members of each of the five Congressional Committees that considered H.R. 4541 or S. 2697 supported, or entered into the Congressional Record statements in support of, the CFMA. The PWG issued letters expressing the unanimous support of each of its four members for the CFMA.^[72] H.R. 4577, including H.R. 5660, was signed into law, as CFMA, on December 21, 2000.^[73]"

On Noam Chomsky

2012-02-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

His department at M.I.T. is funded by the Pentagon. He makes people pay for his "property rights". He hangs around and sympathizes with Holocaust deniers. He constantly denigrates Israel while giving Islamic oppressors (this bullshit currently going on in Syria, for instance) a total pass. He's accused our current duly elected President of being a war criminal who should be dragged in front of a Nuremberg caliber tribunal. He often refers to himself as an "American dissident" and compares himself to dissidents of the old Soviet Union. He's expressed admiration for the type of socialism practiced in Vietnam. He was a bald-faced apologist for the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia. And he presently lives in a community that has a minority population of 1%. Oh, yeah, the shit's a total national treasure.

Get This, Folks

2012-02-13T21:05:00.000-08:00

Even as late as 2007, just prior to the bankruptcy of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Mr. Bernanke was actually suggesting FURTHER increases in the percentage of CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) loans to be purchased by Fannie and Freddie (this, in an effort to help fulfill their CRA obligations). Seriously, can somebody PLEASE explain to me why this horse's ass is still employed at the FED?......................................................................................P.S. And, no, I'm not accusing Mr. Bernanke of treason. That, my friends, is strictly Governor Perry's insanity.

A Pox Up Both Their Poop-Shoots

2012-02-13T20:12:00.000-08:00

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act passed 90-8 in the Senate and was signed into law by a Democratic President. The Commodity Futures Modernization Act (considered by many economists to be the far more deleterious of the two pieces of legislation) passed 292-60 (50 Republicans and 10 Democrats) in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate and was also signed into law by a Democratic President. Ergo, folks, even if you've committed yourself fully to the deregulation argument pertaining to what in fact caused the financial crisis, the reality remains the inconvenient same; i.e., that the financial meltdown of 2008 was a completely and totally BIPARTISAN fiasco. I mean, I'm sorry about it and all, but it is what it is.

Fair Thee Not

2012-02-13T14:42:00.001-08:00

If you listened strictly to mainstream blogs and the media, you'd think that it was only the Republicans who were being intransigent these days. And to a certain extent, they'd be right (the Republicans' boneheadedness regarding taxes, for instance). But, I'm telling you here, I saw something on C-Span the other night in which the Democrats looked like the unreasonable team.........................................................................................The Republicans, folks, are putting forth a proposal in which people who get a subsidy for health insurance (at a rate determined by the Affordable Care Act), if in fact their income goes up precipitously during the year, have to pay a small percentage of that subsidy back. For example, if a family starts off at $50,000 a year and gets a $8,000 subsidy, but one of the family members goes back to work and/or gets a huge raise up to, say, $80,000 a year (in which the subsidy goes down to $1,000 - approximately), under the Republicans' proposal, that family would have to pay $700 back to the government (a paltry 10%)..........................................................................................I mean, I don't know, maybe I'm missing something here. But how, pray tell, is it fair for a family that makes $80,000 a year for 11 months to get a significantly better subsidy than a family that makes $80,000 a year for 12 months? The Democrats are always talking about fairness, no? How in the hell is that frigging fair?

Noam Comsky on President Obama

2012-02-12T20:39:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mA4HYTO790&feature=related..............Oh, this (the responses) is gonna be good, really good.

Top 5 All-Time Favorite Jethro Tull Songs

2012-02-12T19:58:00.000-08:00

5) Living in the Past.............4) Hymn 43.............3) Nothing is Easy.............2) Locomotive Breath.............1) Teacher.

The Democratic Folks in Congress, Um, Not So Much

2012-02-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJiQRe8Mqao&feature=related

Ron Paul Got it, And so Did Peter Schiff

2012-02-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz_yw0kq3MM&feature=related

On a Bachman Versus Grayson Presidential Race

2012-02-12T14:40:00.000-08:00

It would be extraordinarily humorous, I think (not to mention the material reaped by peeps such as Stewart, SNL, etc.).

Top 5 All-Time Greatest Spice Combos (IMHO)

2012-02-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

5) Coriander and cardamom (allspice, an alternative).............4) Garlic and turmeric.............3) Cinnamon and star anise.............2) Fenugreek and dill weed.............1) Ginger and cilantro.

On Keynesian Economics 2

2012-02-11T15:45:00.000-08:00

Now, is this to say that government spending CAN'T help an economy to recover? Nope, it doesn't mean that at all. It just means that we have to shift our paradigm a trifle. Instead of thinking of government spending as something which "primes the pump", you think of it more as something (done intelligently, of course) which gives us a competitive edge...............................................................................................I.E., we invest in such things as infrastructure (I like the Kerry-Hutchinson proposal of an investment bank, myself) and charter schools in an effort to entice prospective investors to build and do business here (this, as opposed to spending willy-nilly, placating the teachers unions, etc.). I mean, I know that it's kind of a subtle distinction (this, as opposed to a full-throated denunciation of Keynes) that I'm making here and all but I also think that it's an important one; intelligent and targeted spending as opposed to this pissing in the desert approach of fellas' like Krugman.

Nancy Pelosi on Medicare

2012-02-11T15:44:00.000-08:00

"We have a solution for Medicare. It's called 'Medicare'."

George Will on Medicare

2012-02-11T14:49:00.000-08:00

"Paul Ryan isn't killing Medicare. Arithmetic is."

My Top Four Democratic Legislators (As of Today)

2012-02-11T14:40:00.000-08:00

Dick Durbin, Kent Conrad, Chris Van Hollen, and Ron Wyden - the first two for their work on and vote for the Bowles-Simpson proposal, the third for his willingness to use said proposal as a good first step in budget negotiations, and the fourth for his reaching across the aisle and working with Paul Ryan on a Medicare compromise..............................................................................................P.S. An honorable mention should probably go out to Senator Kerry for his work with Kay Bailey Hutchison on a proposed infrastructure bank.

On Keynesian Economics 1

2012-02-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

The more that I learn about Keynesian economics, the more that it flat-out perplexes me. I mean, just the very notion that massive deficit spending (a lot of it seemingly haphazard at times) can somehow lead an entire nation to prosperity seems itself quite ludicrous (the robbing of Peter to pay Mr. Paul, yada yada).............................................................................................And then, of course, there's the increasingly spotty record of the theory as it's practiced. Herbert Hoover, probably the original Keynesian pol (he of the beneficent hand); that blankety-blank practically taxed and spent the United States into oblivion. FDR (who actually WASN'T a disciple of Keynes) continued along these lines and actually added to it with his own brands experimentation, micromanagement, etc. (the NRA, his act to make bank branches illegal, his insanely high increasing of excise taxes, etc.). The end result was a 12 year long depression (it wasn't until Truman came along and loosened up price controls, trade restrictions, taxation, etc. that the American economy truly recovered)..............................................................................................A much more recent example of Keynesianism failing to deliver would obviously be the Japanese fiasco. From 1990 to 2005, Japan had no less than 10 fiscal stimulus programs (infrastructure, etc.) at a cost of over 100,000,000,000,000 yen and the only thing that they had to show for it was a massive debt (at one point, a 130% of GDP!) and countless boondoggles............................................................................................Of course, you always have the usual suspects/apologists such as Krugman saying what they always seem to say, "The Japanese just didn't spend ENOUGH money." But, really, folks, I ask you, isn't that getting just a little lame; that whole "it just wasn't massive enough" argument? I mean, it's certainly getting lame from my perspective.

To George Jefferson or Not to George Jefferson, That is....

2012-02-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Black racism, does it exist? One side of the argument asserts that groups such as African-Americans who've consistently been the objects of prejudice and discrimination de facto cannot be racist. The other side asserts that basically anybody can be a bigot and that prior career contingencies are quite immaterial........................................................................................What's my assessment on it? I would probably have to lean more toward the latter opinion if pressed. I mean, yeah, I could see how certain African-Americans of a specific age (the Jeremiah Wrights of the world) and/or socioeconomic status (inner-city kids with limited options) might have some justifiable hostility toward white people. But when you have a guy like Roland Martin (a man who's frequently accused other people of bigotry) making anti-gay comments and African-Americans, en masse (57-70%), voting for Proposition 8 in California, it's majorly difficult to explain away THAT. It's like, really, what in the hell did gay people ever do to Roland Martin to make him be so insensitive to THEM.....................................................................................Yeah, folks, I'm afraid to say that bigotry doesn't have any hard and fast boundaries.

How 'Bout THESE "Dots", Rachel Maddow?

2012-02-09T21:05:00.000-08:00

1) From 1990 to 2009, Steven Rattner contributed more than $800,000 to Democratic candidates/the Democratic National Committee.............2) In 2004, Mr. Rattner contributed heavily to Mr. Obama's Senate campaign.............3) In 2008, he donated the maximum to Mr. Obama's Presidential campaign.............4) After the election, he contributed an additional $5,000 to Mr. Obama's transitional team.............5) Mr. Rattner is selected to be President Obama's "Car Czar" (seriously, a car czar) - this, despite the fact that the man had had no experience running an industrial company/building autos.............6) Mr. Rattner's wife, Mo, just happens to be the DNC's Finance Chair.............I'm just sayin'.

Thoughts From One "Moderate Extremist" About Another

2012-02-09T19:18:00.001-08:00

I like Juan Williams. I do. I find him to be reasonable and about as nonpartisan as you can get these days. But I also think that the fellow takes a dive from time to time. Like on Hannity the other night. He had Mr. Hannity on the ropes when he quite correctly told the host that you really couldn't blame Mr. Obama for the heavy job losses during the first 6-8 months of his Presidency (this, in that they occurred prior to his programs being enacted and were probably the result of an inexorable downturn that no doubt would have also occurred under a President McCain). He had him there and then he let him off. Now, granted, perhaps Mr. Hannity's shouting of him down had a little something to do with it and all but, still, you gotta get your point across. You gotta........................................................................................P.S. I suppose that I'd be remiss here if I didn't include at least a mention of just how wickedly that the left has treated this guy, Mr. Williams; the fact that he's been called a traitor and an Uncle Tom, etc.. This and, yes, folks, all because the dude has had the unmitigated audacity to not feel the need to tow the party-line and to somehow think for himself (some blogger named "Kid" said that he didn't like Williams because he was friends with - yes, people, friends with - Clarence Thomas). Morning in America again? Yeah, right!

On Roland Martin

2012-02-09T19:09:00.000-08:00

Living proof that an African-America (a liberal one, at that) indeed CAN be a bigot (this in reference to his recent disgusting anti-gay "tweets").

On Rachel Maddow 2

2012-02-09T15:53:00.000-08:00

Sean Hannity with a half-baker's-dozen more neurons.

The New Bart Conner of Politics

2012-02-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

It's officially become excruciating for me to watch Mitt Romney. The shear volume of mental and verbal gymnastics that the fellow has to go through just to make himself seem palatable....TO HIS OWN FRIGGING PARTY is scary.........................................................................................One of the more recent examples of this is his "explanation" for his having voted for Paul Tsongas in 1992 (Republicans and Independents were able to vote in the Democratic primary). Instead of simply saying, "Yeah, I liked Paul Tsongas. He was a moderate Democrat who was pro-business and who also had some interesting ideas about reforming entitlements and defense spending", he put forth this cockamamie and absolutely ludicrous line about how he was only trying to stick it to Bill Clinton (at that point, still a relative newcomer). I mean, it was almost frigging laughable........................................................................................Of course, the entire situation has as well a rather sad component. And that's the fact that the Romney of 1994 and 2002 would more than likely be a reasonably decent general election candidate. Not only would the fellow get the rank-and-file Republican vote, he'd also quite possibly get a fair amount of Independents and Democrats. Granted, the religious-right and tea partiers would probably bolt but, still.....

Another Rough Night for the Newtster, Eh?

2012-02-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

Let's see here, folks, a third-place finishing in Colorado, a fourth-place finishing in Minnesota, and a did not participate in Missouri. Is it safe to say NOW that, if Mr. Gingrich doesn't get out of the race, he is in fact running strictly out of spite? Have we ultimately and finally reached that threshold?

On Why Electric Cars Might Not be the Panacea that Bureaucrats and Well-Connected Crony Capitalists Constantly Make Them Out to Be

2012-02-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

1) The fact that a large percentage of the electricity will probably come from coal-fired power-plants (one of the dirtiest forms of energy).............2) Nearly half of the world's known lithium reserves resides in one country, Bolivia. Their President has said that, while he would be willing to sell the lithium, the Bolivian government in fact would a) continue to legally "own" it, b) seize 60% of the earnings before the lithium has even left the country, and c) insist that the batteries and cars be made only in Bolivia.............3) The fact that they'd be a major inconvenience for people who don't a garage.............4) The fact that they would drive up the price of electricity and drive down the cost of gasoline and thereby negatively impact upon the poor and elderly.............5) The fact that they will drive up the price of lithium and therefore the price of other products; lap-top computers, cell-phones, glass, ceramics, and concrete.............6) The potential damage caused by the mining of lithium to an environmentally sensitive area; Bolivia's Unuyi salt-flats.............7) The fact that the American people apparently don't care for them.............8) Two words; crony capitalism (the constant push by big businesses for more and more subsidies)...........................................................................................P.S. This, of course, isn't to say that electric cars don't have a potential future. Maybe they do. But the fact that the government is continuing to play the role of kingmaker here, without as much as even a nod to the unintended consequences of their actions, is, at the very least, troubling. I mean, seriously here, how many more things do they have to get wrong?

Green with Craziness

2012-02-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

Darryl Hannah is no doubt a very charming, talented, and decent woman. And I don't doubt for a second her commitment and sincerity as a staunch environmentalist. But what the woman said on O'Reilly recently was about as close to bat-shit crazy as you can get. According to Hannah, T. Boone Pickens failed (to the tune of two billion dollars, mind you) intentionally with solar energy in an effort to push forward his true agenda, natural gas. I mean, I know that Mr. Pickens is a shrewd businessman and all; a man who isn't afraid to lose money in order to make MORE money but, come on! I don't think that even HE would want to fritter away two BILLION............................................................................................P.S. One of the reasons that Mr. Pickens failed in his solar endeavor was a lack of sufficient power lines. My question is, why in the hell wasn't this addressed in the stimulus package? $862,000,000,000 and they couldn't even think to do this basic thing. Unbefrigginglievable, huh?

A Prism of Her Own Making

2012-02-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

Why is it that Rachel Maddow only likes to connect some of the dots and not all of the dots? I mean, is it simply because she's a partisan stooge? Or is it more the fact that she's a lunatic and/or a bald-faced liar? I mean, there's gotta be something going on here..........................................................................................Let me provide you an example. Back in 2009, Ms. Maddow made a big deal over the fact that Dick Armey (admittedly, an asshole) and his group, Freedom Works, were opposing Mr. Obama's health-care bill. She also noted that Mr. Armey's law firm, DLA Piper, had done some work for a pharmaceutical firm called Medicine's Company. Her assertion (absent even a scintilla of evidence, mind, you) was that somehow the drug companies were calling the shots here and that Mr. Armey was more than likely shilling for them.........................................................................................Yeah, well, guess what, people - WRONG! Not only was Medicines Company not opposing the heath-care bill, they actually supported it to the tune of causing a breakup between Armey and the law firm. If Ms. Maddow had done even a modicum of research on this issue, she would have concluded that the health-care bill was actually a bonanza for the drug companies and that Mr. Armey's views on health-care reform were NOT those of his by then FORMER law firm and their big corporate client. Nope, folks, those folks were on President Obama's side. Go figure, huh?..........................................................................................P.S. How 'bout this for a radical suggestion? Instead of putting these partisan ramrods like Maddow, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc. into the positions of hosting these shows, we put some, you know, ACTUAL JOURNALISTS AND REPORTERS into them? I mean, sure the lackeys can still come on and spew their drivel and shit but, no, not to the point where they can continues to dictate story-lines/content and spred conspiracy theories. We'd be controlling the mayhem, in other words.

Oh Yeah, He's Got Fumes Alright

2012-02-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, how did you respond last night when you hearda CNN analyst refer to the present state of Mr. Gingrich's campaign as 'running on fumes'?"

That Ground-Breaking Shoot-'Em-Up at the Beginning of Sam Peckinpaugh's Classic, "The Wild Bunch"

2012-02-07T14:34:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what's your all-time favorite on-screen violence/mayhem?".........................................................................................P.S. A strong tip-of-the-cap would also have to go to Martin Scorsece's baseball bat bludgeoning of Joe Pesci at the conclusion of "Casino".

A Cartel, Unquestioned

2012-02-03T19:19:00.000-08:00

There's one aspect to the health-care problem that nobody, NOBODY, is talking about. And that's the fact that medical doctors (M.D.s and D.O.s) have a virtual monopoly on providing health-care to people. I mean, yes, you can see a chiropractor for a bad back, an optometrist for a vision exam, and a podiatrist for bunions but for most basic medical issues you still have to see a doctor............................................................................................So, why is that a bad thing, you ask? It's bad because for the vast, vast, majority of ailments (colds, backaches, etc.) that you're presently going to a doctor for, you could just as easily (not to mention, effectively) go to a nurse-practitioner, a physicians assistant, a physical therapist, a person trained in in kinesiology and exercise science, etc.. This is especially true when these individuals have doctorates and multiple years of patient experience UNDER A DOCTOR........................................................................................I mean, I know that we're conditioned to think that doctors are gods and that only doctors can cure us but, I'm telling you here, I have worked in human services and health-related fields for my entire career and some of the smartest people in the galaxy are nurse practitioners and doctoral level therapists. I would have absolutely zero qualms about seeing either of them for my medical needs. Seriously........................................................................................P.S. This obviously dovetails into another serious medical issue; i.e., the doctor shortage, a shortage that will clearly become even more pronounced once the health-care bill really kicks in. Hopefully the stars will all align some day and officials connect the dots.

"Zany", Indeed

2012-02-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

Mr.s Gingrich and Romney have both put forth a fair number of gaffes. Which of the two has made more of them, I couldn't say (that, and they've both done a lot of flip-flopping, too). What I could say, however, is that Mr. Romney seems to be the far more stable of the two. Like in terms of foreign policy, for instance - yes, Mr. Romney HAS been popping off a little. But in terms of his ultimate action, I really think that he would be far more deliberate and measured. I mean, I obviously could be wrong here and all, but, still, there's just something about this Gingrich fellow - something, yes, that frightens me.

Note to Mr. Gingrich/Resident Historian

2012-02-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

Give the money back, Newt. You took 1.6 million from a company that needed $154,000,000,000 worth of taxpayer money simply to stay afloat. That, and the fact that you really didn't do anything for it (or maybe you did and you're concealing it), for Christ! I mean, come on, dude. Do it; the right thing, for once in your life.

Miscellaneous 113

2012-02-01T20:17:00.000-08:00

1) I've heard it from a good source that Paul Krugman actually burns incense at the base of a John Maynard Keynes statue.............2) He also chants, I've heard.............3) Harry Truman thought that John Maynard Keynes was full of shit. Hm, let's see here; the crank, Paul Krugman or Harry S. Truman, quite possibly the greatest U.S. President since 1865, yeah, that's a tough one - NOT!!............4) I have to admit it here. I'm getting a little tired of all these people bitching about "negative equity". I frigging had negative equity FOR DECADES (yeah, that's right, I bought my condo at the peak of the condo craze in Connecticut and I still don't think that it's worth what I paid for it in 1987)! And NEVER ONCE, folks, did I even contemplate walking away from my obligation (according to a recent "60 Minutes" piece, that's exactly what a lot of people are presently doing - walking away from the loan and leaving it to the bank). I mean, come on! Have we really and truly become THAT pathetic of a nation in which we think that we're entitled, absolutely, to a return on our investment? Seriously.............5) The Republicans have a golden opportunity to take back the White House AND THEY'RE BLOWING IT. They're putting up these tweedle-dumbs and tweedle-dees and Mr. Obama is looking sane strictly by comparison. I'm telling you, folks, if I wake up on election day all frigging torqued, I just flat-out MIGHT vote for Johnson.............6) Put THAT in your political apple-cart.

Krugman Wrong Again

2012-01-31T20:14:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q046lonbv2o&feature=related.......@ 2:43 of the video.

Talents Deserving MUCH Wider Recognition

2012-01-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

Teresa Wright, Jean Simmons, and Joan Fontaine, folks. Eight Oscar nominations and two statues between the three of them. And not exactly brutal on the eyeballs, either, are they?

Gingrich at His Combustible Hypocritical Finest

2012-01-30T16:54:00.001-08:00

"I would love to be civil, but I’m running against a maniacal liar."

Rusty, Is This You? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU08_lG2plU&NR=1&feature=endscreen

2012-01-30T15:28:00.000-08:00

"Wasserman-Schultz is a sleazy big government thug clown puppet. With an IQ of a pine cone and the looks of a deranged drug addled homeless woman. This bitch ain't fooling anyone, except brain dead liberals who foam at the mouth when you mention the Constitution, and who march blindly along with the Democratic party no matter what, since they can't formulate an independent thought."

Empire, Heal Thyself

2012-01-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

There's this one issue that seems to unite liberals, progressives, moderates, and even some libertarian-leaning conservatives. And that's the issue of wasteful /unnecessary defense spending. These people (rightly, in my estimation) point specifically to the burgeoning military industrial complex, the crony capitalism that's now associated with it, and the fact that we continue to see it as our responsibility to nation-build, be the policeman of the planet, etc......................................................................................................Yeah, well, guess what, I have a suggestion. We currently have some 900 foreign military bases - a fair amount of them in totally unnecessary locations such as Aruba. What do you say that we (to start, I'm saying) close a good hundred of them down? Fifty of them we could close altogether and the other fifty we could relocate to our shores and borders to work on homeland security. a) We'd reduce the deficit (a good 5-10 billion, I would think) and b) we'd actually be stimulating OUR economy and not the economies of other nations. So, what do you think? I bet that I could get Mr.s Paul and Kucinich on board.

An Attempt on My Part to Broker a Tax Deal Between Jerry and Heathen Republican

2012-01-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

a) Lower the overall rates for everybody A TAD (an amount to be arrived at through intense negotiations between the three of us).............b) Completely eliminate the special exemption for capital gains (i.e., treat it as regular income).............c) Index capital gains for inflation (government often creates inflation and, because of that, the taxpayer shouldn't be penalized).............d) Reduce the cap on mortgage interest deduction from $1,000,000 to $500,000.............e) Reduce the top corporate tax rate from 35% to 20-25% AND eliminate ALL loopholes.............f) Gather around the campfire and sing Kumbaya.

Miscellaneous 112

2012-01-28T16:06:00.001-08:00

1) Hillary Clinton was treated like garbage in 2008....BY LIBERALS! It started when you had clowns like Chris Matthews and David Shuster cheap-shotting her; Matthews saying that the only reason that she even had a political career was because her husband cheated on her, Shuster saying that she was "pimping" her daughter. That, of course, was followed by even more disgusting rants against her by Randy Rhodes (yes, she was shnockered when she did it) and the reverend Jeremiah Wright and Keith Olbermann basically running Mr. Obama's campaign from MSNBC. The whole sordid episode was flat-our disgusting, in my opinion.............2) Oh, and let is not forget, either, the way that the hard left vilified Mrs. Clinton when she didn't immediately concede. I mean, it was almost as if they wanted her to cry, "uncle" - never minding, of course, that Reagan never conceded to Ford in 1976, or that Kennedy never conceded to Carter in 1980 (I still remember poor Carter chasing Kennedy around the stage). It's like, what, a woman needs to know her place in politics or something?............3) Guarding Jason Terry (even at the ripe old age of 34)? Seriously?...I would rather guard Christ than Jason Terry, for Christ. I mean, I hate to be so sacrilege about it but, come on!............4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWPSU8R-Yss.....A brief but definitive tribute to the beautiful and talented Eva Marie Saint (replete with footage of her kissing Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Warren Beatty, Paul Newman, and even Bob Hope!).

The Progressive Spin Machine, Central Tenets 3

2012-01-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

g) George W. Bush must not be viewed in any favorable light whatsoever. h) Mr. Bush's motives must always be viewed perniciously. i) Rinse and repeat X3.

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/06/federal-spending-by-the-numbers-2010

2012-01-28T12:10:00.001-08:00

According to the historical tables from the Office of Management and Budget, federal social spending has increased markedly from 2000 to 2010. Here are the respective increases (adjusted for inflation) from specific areas; Medicaid and SCHIP 87%, Veteran's benefits 107%, Welfare and other income security programs 91%, Education 155%, Health resources and regulation 69%, Natural resources and the environment 47%, Unemployment compensation 559%, Medicare 81%, Housing assistance 108%, Food assistance 139%, WIC 52%, Child nutrition 47%, Child tax credit payments 2,155%, and the Earned Income Tax Credit 48%..........................................................................................Now, granted, some of these increases have accrued during the first two years of the Obama administration. But, as the previous table from the previous post clearly enumerated, Mr. Bush was hardly a piker when it came to a) entitlement spending and b) non-defense discretionary spending. Ergo, I can definitely see why the conservative didn't like him domestically and all but the liberals, it has to be more about the tax-cuts, I'm thinking.

Non-Defense Discretionary Spending Under George W. Bush

2012-01-27T16:58:00.000-08:00

Over My Dead Body You Will

2012-01-27T16:32:00.001-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what would you say if your kid told you that he wanted to play football at Alabama under Lou Saban, or at USC under Lane Kiffin?"

Word Association, Cable News/Talk Radio Edition

2012-01-26T19:59:00.000-08:00

1) Ed Schultz - unhinged.............2) Sean Hannity - idiotic (with apologies to disrespectful).............3) Rachel Maddow - snarky.............4) Rush Limbaugh - blowhard.............5) Keith Olbermann - creepy (with apologies to paranoiac).............5) Glenn Beck - conspiratorial (to the nines!).............6) Anderson Cooper - professional.............6) Bill O'Reilly - arrogant (though, no, not as pronounced as it was before).............7) Geraldo Rivera - gonzo!............8) Shepard Smith - fair.............9) Chris Matthews - volcanic (with apologies to smarmy).............10) Fox and Friends - mindless.............11) Joe Scarborough - mavericky.............12) Greta Van Susteren - irritating.............13) Nancy Grace - bobbynoxious.............14) Lawrence O'Donnell - tolerable.............15) Dr. Drew - surprising (this, in that I like him and didn't think that I would).............16) Michael Savage - carnivorous.............17) Mike Huckabee - Gomer (with apologies to Goober).............18) Laura Ingraham - screechy.............19) Randy Rhodes - disgusting (that drunken rampage directed at Hillary, for example).............20) Wolf Blitzer - competent.............Bonus) No, he's not in broadcasting anymore but (drum-roll, please) Alan Keyes - berserk (with apologies to ranting, raving, and frothing).

Another Example of Say it Enough....?

2012-01-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

President Obama has been beating a steady drumbeat over the fact that Warren Buffet's secretary has apparently been paying a higher percentage on her taxes than Mr. Buffett has, the fact that most of Mr. Buffett's present income comes from capital gains and is thus being taxed at only 15%. And it seems to be an effective form of messaging, too; the fact that it appeals to the public's sense of fairness, etc.. The only problem with it is that is that it may not be necessarily true. My colleague, Heathen Republican, has put forth an absolutely brilliant analysis and I'd like to share it with those who may not frequent his blog with the regularity that I do. Here, my friends, is a little bit of it.......: "With the recent release of Mitt Romney’s tax returns, there’s a lot of talk about how little he pays in taxes compared to the rest of us. Knowing that he pays 15% on most of his income – the capital gains rate – do you think you pay more than Mitt Romney?

The likely answer is no, you don’t pay as much as Romney, even with his 15% rate (to compare to Romney, you’ll need to calculate your effective tax rate, which is your actual tax divided by your gross salary). Sure, you and I have to worry about multiple tax brackets at 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35%, so naturally we’re paying more, right? Because each tax bracket is a marginal rate, we’re only paying the top tax rate on a fraction of our income.

For example, if you are single and earned $35,000 in 2011, you’ll first subtract the $5,800 standard deduction, then pay 10% of the first $8,500 and 15% on the remaining $20,700. In the end, you’ll pay $3,959 in taxes for an effective tax rate of 11.3% (IRS source). Romney has a 33% higher effective tax rate than you do, which is pretty progressive.".......................................................................................................Interesting, no? I mean, at the very least Mr. Obama is oversimplifying the matter (that, and hopefully he's not being disingenuous). Now, does this change my mind on the issue? No, no it doesn't. I'm still in favor of doing away with the special consideration for capital gains. In fact, my proposal is significantly bolder than the President's. This, in that I would do away with the exemption completely. The deficit, people, is much too massive and Mr. Obama's so-called millionaire's surcharge would only close the budget shortfall by 30-40 billion a year (this, according to CNN's Erin Burnett). It's a pittance and we clearly need to raise more revenue. Unfortunately here, the President is playing election year politics and implying that this problem of ours will somehow be painless (yes, the Republicans are doing it, too). So much for that whole "Obama is a new type of politician" mumbo-humbo.

Tis the Season, I Guess

2012-01-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

I agree with President Obama that we should do away with the special consideration for capital gains (I make up for it with conservatives by reducing the corporate tax rates significantly). But, if he's trying to portray this act as some sort of great deficit reducer, then he's wholly incorrect. Erin Burnett (smart AND good looking) on CNN last night said that this proposal would only reduce the deficit by 30-40 billion - a pittance. Methinks that this was much more a reelection ploy than it was any sort of substantive policy overture.

The Progressive Spin Machine, Central Tenets 2

2012-01-26T08:32:00.001-08:00

d) Follow the money. e) Except when it involves a Democrat, then you don't follow the money. f) Rinse and repeat again.

Miscellaneous 111

2012-01-25T21:31:00.000-08:00

1) I'm still not entirely sure what Newt Gingrich did to "earn" that 1.6 million from Freddie Mac. The historian explanation certainly didn't make sense and his subsequent attempts at justification have been even more convoluted. But even if he actually did do something, don't you think that he should give the money back? a) The taxpayers had to bail those miserable sons of bitches out and b) Mr. Gingrich in fact DID lobby for them. An honest person would no doubt give the money back.............2) Mr. Obama is trying to initiate some type of Visa reform. He wants to make it easier for people from emerging markets such as India, Brazil, and China to be able to come to America as tourists. To which, I say, bravo. I mean, seriously, can you even begin to imagine the voltage that this would provide to the economy, millions of people coming to vacation here; the hotel industry, the restaurant and cafe industry, local artisans, the car rental industry, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., etc.. I'm telling you here, folks, if Mr. Obama can succeed on this one, it won't simply help the U.S. economy. It'll help him, too.............3) I've conceded on many occasions that Bush was a bad President. His two unnecessary wars (I was in favor of the Afghan conflict until it became an occupation/propping up of Karzai) and reckless deficits are two things in particular that harmed the country. But I do think that there's one thing in which he's gotten a bad rap for; a common held notion that he ONLY did things which benefited the wealthy. Yes, he did cut taxes and the top two percent benefited handsomely. But, so, too, did the middle-class. Of the 370 billion that the tax-cuts cost the treasury, more than 80% of it went to the middle-class (yes, it's a larger population but 80% is 80%). And it wasn't just with tax-cuts that he helped the non-wealthy. Discretionary domestic spending also skyrocketed under Bush. For example, H.U.D. spending skyrocketed under Bush, transportation spending skyrocketed under Bush, educational spending skyrocketed under Bush, and H.H.S. spending (most of which goes to the poor and disadvantaged) really skyrocked under Bush. To say that the fellow only cared about the well-to-do really and truly doesn't seem to be the case.

Analysis Via Bromide

2012-01-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, how would you personally describe what passes for political punditry on prime-time cable these days?"

Pamphlets and Prisms

2012-01-24T20:06:00.000-08:00

There are basically two ways to interpret political history. One is through folklore, the other through facts (though, yes, I suppose that a combination of the two is possible, too).................................................................................................For example, just take a look at how the various elements view in hindsight Hillary Clinton's attempt at health-care reform. Those on the far-left continue to see it as a noble attempt at reform that was largely derailed by big industry. Contrasted, those on the far-right continue to see it it as a government takeover of the private insurance industry. AND THEN THERE ARE THE FACTS. a) Big business DID NOT oppose Hillarycare. Yes, the smaller providers opposed it in that they wanted a more market-oriented approach but conglomerates such as Prudential, Cigna, Aetna, Met Life, and Travelers (all of which by that time had become HMOs) - they were all basically behind it! And, b) because they were basically behind it, it was also unfair for the demagogues on the right to denigrate it as a big government takeover. It was what it was, in other words; yet another example of big business and big government enriching each other and maybe, MAYBE, the public benefiting from it.

On Ed Schultz Versus Anderson Cooper

2012-01-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

Ed Schultz couldn't carry Anderson Cooper's pencil if it was stapled to his palm, his paper clips either. Technical knockout, first round.

The Fact That Edward G. Robinson Was Never Nominated EVEN ONCE

2012-01-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what, in your opinion, is the darkest cloud that still haunts the Oscars?"

Matthews's Saving Grace

2012-01-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

Proclaim what you want about Chris Matthews (i.e., that he's crazy, divisive, smarmy, etc.), the guy DOES come out with good ones. On tonight's show, for instance, he gave a little advice to Mitt Romney going into tonight's debate. He told him flatly, "don't get into a peeing contest with a skunk." Suffice it to say that I laughed out loud and am smiling still.

Miscellaneous 110

2012-01-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

1) While we I agree with Newt Gingrich that that question about his ex-wife was an inappropriate one to start a Presidential debate with, his response that it was "as close to despicable as anything that he could imagine" was at least a tad over the top as well. As despicable as anything that the dude could imagine? Seriously? More despicable than child sex trafficking ? More despicable than serial killing? More despicable than dealing drugs to kids? More despicable than terrorism? More despicable than ethnic cleansing?....More despicable than genocide? Methinks here, folks, that Mr. Gingrich protested a bit too much and was mugging for the audience.............2) Under my tax proposal (a 40% top tax rate of everything over $400,000 a year, a doing away of the special consideration for capital gains, and a reduction pertaining to the cap on mortgage interest deduction from 1 million to $500,000), a person making 10 million dollars a year living in Allegany County New York, with a million dollar home in that jurisdiction, and a second million dollar home in Marblehead Neck, MA, would probably pay about half of that money back to the government; state, local, and federal. That, in my opinion, is fair. I certainly don't think that the government should get significantly more than half. That much I do know.............3) I'm not a major fan of Fox News (Sean Hannity and Fox and Friends, especially). But at least they put forth a quasi credible showing the other night (their primary coverage, I'm saying). The had Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly as hosts (no, not perfect, but certainly far less biased than Rachel Maddow) and, while, yes, there was the obligatory stooge siting (Karl Rove, for example) throughout the evening, the overall presentation (which included quite solid reporting by Ed Henry, Carl Cameron, and the recently acquired John Roberts) was far less ideological than that which MSNBC put on the air. Hopefully, they can continue to deliver coverage like this and, yes, maybe get a little credit for it, too.

Miscellaneous 109

2012-01-21T19:36:00.001-08:00

1) Boy, does that Newt Gingrich ever have chutzpah. The dude's lost two consecutive contests to Rick Santorum (finishing behind him in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary) and he's saying that SANTORUM should get out of the race. Talk about some ballsiness, huh?............2) Conventional wisdom is that 1930s screen goddesses, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, a) didn't know each other and b) never even met. It isn't the sole/unanimous opinion, however. This, in that tabloid journalist and reporter, Diana McLellan, alleges that not only did they know each other they actually had a love affair back in 1925. According to McLellan (this, from her 2000 book, "The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood"), the two women (Garbo was 19 at the time, Dietrich 23) met on the set of the movie, "The Joyless Street", and proceeded to have a torrid six week love affair. McLellan also goes on to say that the relationship ended quite acrimoniously (Dietrich was allegedly jealous of Garbo's meteroric success) and that the two basically lied for 60 years that they had never even met each other. Youza, huh? Now, is it true? I'd certainly like to think so, no?............3) You'd think that it would be hard to steal any movie in which your costars were Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Jean Simmons, and Carroll Baker. But that's exactly what Burl Ives did in the 1958 epic western, "The Big Country" (directed by the great William Wyler). Ives's turn as the uncouth, quasi moral rancher, Rufus Hannassey, is such a scene stealer that you almost forget about the star power in the film. And apparently his Hollywood peers agreed with this by awarding him an Academy Award that year. Pretty decent, huh? I guess that hard work, excellence, and determination can pay off after all.

The big Decision

2012-01-21T15:53:00.000-08:00

So, who am I going to watch for election coverage tonight; CNN with Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer, David Gergen, Gloria Borger, Candy Crowley, Jessica Yellin, and John King, or MSNBC with Rachel Maddow, Ed Schultz, the Reverend Al Sharpton, Chris Matthews, Lawrence O'Donnell, David Corn, and Eugene Robinson? Gee, I don't know, that's a real tough one.......LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Miscellaneous 108

2012-01-20T15:45:00.000-08:00

1) The sad thing about Romney is that once upon a time the dude probably would have made a pretty decent general election candidate. Unfortunately, he's since then made far too many irrational and divisive comments for that to have even remotely stuck and he presently looks like nothing more than a partisan piss-ant. Man, oh, man, do I ever hate partisan politics.............2) I fully agree with the Democrats (and some Republicans) that revenues need to be a part of any deficit equation compromise. But I also agree with my colleague, HR (Heathen Republican), that this whole "the rich need to pay their fair share" rhetoric really needs to stop. It's divisive. It's demagogic. And it's deceptive (the top 1% make 20% of the adjusted gross income, but pay a full 38% of all income taxes). If I were to advise the President on this one, I would have him focus more on the need to reduce the deficit and how raising taxes on the affluent is one of the lesser disruptive ways to do that, and skip that nastier singling out rhetoric of his.............3) I'm also pretty pissed at Obama for his walking away from a deal (purportedly) that had 800 billion in revenue in it. I guess that he heard that the Gang of Six (which I also supported) plan had 1.2 trillion in revenue and decided to move the goalposts. Not a classy move by the President, in my opinion.............4) I was watching C-Span the other night and the always interesting Tom Friedman was on. I always learn a lot from this fellow but what I learned last night was especially gratifying. It seems that one of my all-time favorite movies is also one of his favorites; Orson Welles's groundbreaking "Touch of Evil". We even apparently have the same favorite scene in the movie; the part where Welles's character goes up to Marlene Dietrich and messes up the cards that she's reading for somebody else. Remember it? He says to her, "What's MY future?" and she goes (with that eerily deadpan Dietrich delivery), "You haven't got any." Now, Mr. Friedman was obviously making an analogy here. But I didn't care. I was just amped that the dude liked "Touch of Evil".

The Fact That He Gave a Bunch of Pro-Ethanol Speeches in Iowa

2012-01-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, how do you KNOW that Mr. Santorum is a typical pol?"

Miscellaneous 107

2012-01-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

1) While it's fair to say that I don't speak for ALL swing-voters, I can say that when Mr. Gingrich throws around that "Obama is a food stamps President" line, this particular swing voter does in fact cringe. And I'm not even saying that it's a racist sentiment necessarily - just that it a) doesn't sound right in general and b) what in the hell was Mr. Obama supposed to do, let the people go hungry during a recession that he himself didn't create (yes, one could argue on the merits of his policies, and whether or not these policies made the recession worse, etc.)? I'm telling you here, folks, if Mr. Gingrich does get the nomination (still an extremely unlikely scenario), and talks like this during the general election, he'll more than likely get annihilated.............2) Two more huge gets for N.C. State skipper, Tom O'Brien. Desmond Owino (the 20th ranked player regardless of position in North Carolina - phenomenal in that the dude only started playing football about a year ago) and Kenderius Whitehead (the 25th ranked player regardless of position in the talent ladened state of Georgia) have both given their verbal commitments to play for the 'Pack in Raleigh. The latter commitment is especially significant in that Mr. Whitehead apparently also had an offer from (the University of) Georgia. For the 'Pack to have gone into the SEC's backyard and gotten not not just a leftover but a blue-chipper is extremely impressive. Hopefully, such coups can continue.............3) Here's a question for my conservative friends/colleagues. How in the heck could the "individual mandate" go from being a conservative Heritage Foundation idea to a radical European socialistic idea in less than two decades? I mean, is it simply because Obama and the Democrats are championing it now? Please, explain (and, no, I'm necessarily defending it here - I'm just confused) this to me.

Eva Marie Saint, Folks Circa 1959

2012-01-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

Yeah, huh? Strong consideration or what.

On the New Subway Pastrami Sandwich With Pickles, Mustard, and Cheese

2012-01-18T15:31:00.000-08:00

Methinks that there might be some sodium in that bad boy.

Question for Paul Krugman 1

2012-01-17T20:13:00.000-08:00

So, dude, is it ever possible to have a stimulus package that is TOO massive? I mean, seriously, that doesn't seem to be what you're saying. Of course, I also have to give you some credit for constructing such a fool-proof argument. I.E., if the stimulus package succeeds, you tell everybody, "See, I told you so", and if it doesn't work, you say, "Oops, it just wasn't big enough." Kind of brilliant (albeit, in a sleazeballish kind of way), if you're asking me.

The All Douche-Bag Team - The Nonpoliticians Edition

2012-01-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

Bill O'Reilly, Keith Olbermann, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs, Ed Schultz, Glenn Beck, Mike Malloy, Charles Krauthammer, Paul Krugman, Markos Moulitsis, John Gibson, Michael Savage, Mark Levin, Chris Hayes, Eric Alterman, Neil Boortz, Bill Kristol, Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore, George Soros, Steve Doocy, Brent Bozell, Jonah Goldberg, Bill Maher, Eric Bolling.......

The Final Peabody Award Score-Card

2012-01-16T22:58:00.000-08:00

South Park - 1 Keith Olbermann/Bill O'Reilly/Sean Hannity/Ed Schultz (yes, the radio station where he once worked has won one but that was more IN SPITE OF HIM than it was because of him)/Glenn Beck - 0.

A National Disgrace

2012-01-16T20:21:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of things in this country that divide us; left, right, and center. But could I PLEASE get an amen on this one, just on this one?

Miscellaneous 106

2012-01-15T19:24:00.000-08:00

1) I'm going to be honest with you, folks. I never, even for a minute, bought into that Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy analogy. I mean, don't get me wrong here. Mr. Obama in fact IS a good and decent man who truly inspires. But that, I'm afraid to say, is where the comparison ends. Mr. Kennedy had served 8 years in the Senate, 6 years in the House, and was also a war hero who saved his crew in the South Pacific. Add to that the fact that his Presidential accomplishments are now quite legendary; his heroism during the Cuban missile crisis, his starting up of the Peace Corps, his work in laying the ground work for the 1964 Civil Rights Act, his strenuous record of cutting taxes, his visionary commitment to NASA, etc.. Now, this isn't to say that Mr. Obama won't eventually be a great President and leader himself. But as of now, JFK HE IS NOT.............2) Hey, I heard that there was an actual Haley Barbour siting the other day. I'm kind of surprised, to be honest with you. This, in that I really thought that the fellow would try and lay low for a while. And, you know what, based upon what he ended up saying to people, he probably should of. It seems, folks, that Mr. Barbour has somewhat of a soft-spot in his heart for people who commit "crimes of passion" (in these instances, men who blew their wives away). They're the least likely of all criminals to re-offend (this, according to Mr. Barbour), and, besides, Mr. Barbour knows these men from their work at the Governor's mansion and can attest to the fact that they've been rehabilitated (he never once thought that these convicts were buffaloing him, apparently). I mean, I almost wanted to give the guy a frigging shovel, for Christ. That, and the number of a good public relations firm.............3) After a slow start on the field/recruiting trails, Tom O'Brien and his N.C. State Wolfpack are truly finishing strong. They won their final three games of the season and are now in the upper half of ACC schools in terms of recruiting for 2012. Amongst the bell-ringers that they currently have oral commitments from include Pennsylvania quarterback Manny Stocker, Georgia running back Shadrach Thornton, South Carolina defensive end Tyler Knox, Maryland safety Marchez Coates, and a bevy of players from his own backyard; offensive lineman, Bryce Kennedy, safety Majid Salahuddin, and defensive tackle K'Hadree Hooker (all among Rivals's top 30 players from North Carolina). Couple that with the fact that very few of his current players are graduating and it's easy to see why Mr. O'Brien, normally an extremely stoic dude, currently has a smile on his face.

On Rick Santorum and Pork-Barrel Spending

2012-01-15T16:31:00.001-08:00

One more dollar of it and he would have started oinking.

Delaying the Obvious Via the Oblivious

2012-01-14T22:59:00.000-08:00

I think that we all know what the final deficit reduction compromise is ultimately going to look like. It's going to resemble something very similar to the Bowles-Simpson/Domenici-Rivlin/"Gang of Six" proposals. It has to. It has to because there's a) no way that we can simply tax our way out of it (even if we taxed everything over $250,000 at 100%, we'd still have a deficit) and b) no way that we can simply cut our way out of it (that moronic Tennessee Congresswoman, Marsha Blackburn, seems to think that we can reach a balanced budget simply by cutting non-discretionary defense spending). We have to do both. WE HAVE TO DO BOTH......................................................................................................And, yes, it's going to be painful, too. This whole progressive schpeel that we can somehow create prosperity by taxing the shit out of a certain small segment of society is ludicrous (and, yes, the very type of thinking that, in a far saner society, would probably get you locked up).........................................................................................................Thankfully, folks, we DO have some sane politicians who are actually interested in addressing this issue; Mike Crapo and Tom Coburn on the Republican side, Dick Durbin, Kent Conrad, and Ron Wyden on the Democratic side (hell, folks, even the fairly progressive Chris Van Hollen has stated that the above-mentioned plans are probably where we're ultimately going to end). Unfortunately, as long as we still have idiots like Marsha Blackburn, Nancy Pelosi, and Michele Bachmann to deal with, the can will probably continue to be kicked down the road.

The Fact That Madonna's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Jethro Tull Isn't

2012-01-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what, in your opinion, is the clearest evidence of a disordered universe?"........................................................................................................P.S. This, in that, while, yes, Jethro Tull was at times quite pretentious and odd, their earlier work such as "Locomotive Breath", "Hymn 43", "Teacher", "Nothing is Easy", "Fat Man", and "Living in the Past" were absolute classics AND that, for those songs alone, they thoroughly belong in Cleveland.

Rebound and Determined

2012-01-14T10:13:00.001-08:00

Dallas Mavericks' owner, Mark Cuban, is either the smartest guy in all of professional sports, or the dumbest. He's certainly a gambler - that's for sure. I mean, how in the hell else could you describe a guy who allows his best defender and rebounder, Tyson Chandler, to get scarfed up, absent resistance, by the Knicks - THE KNICKS!? The ONLY thing that I can think of here (other than that the guy is totally nuts, of course) is that Cuban is trying to create some salary space so he can go out and sign Dwight Howard in the off-season. That, and he probably figures, "Hey, I still got Nowitski and Jet (Jason Terry), and with the recent addition of Lamar Odom, who the hell knows, maybe I can tread some water for a while." And, plus, who in the hell am I to question him? The frigging guy is worth over a billion and I'm sitting here talking to you knuckleheads.

Miscellaneous 105

2012-01-13T14:22:00.000-08:00

1) My progressives colleagues want what from me exactly - to admit that George W. Bush screwed up? Wow, that's an easy one. George W. Bush screwed up. The dude started 2 idiotic wars and an expensive entitlement program that wasn't at all paid for. But, the thing is (and I don't know whether or not my colleagues have fully recognized this still) - he isn't the fucking President anymore!!! Obama is. And it's HIM who's currently playing footsie with big business and bankrupting the country with out of control deficit spending. HELLO!............2) And I also want to challenge my colleague to follow the money. The vast, VAST, percentage of it (the stimulus spending) went to mega business and hardly any of it went to mom and pop. I think that we all just have to face it here, people. This guy is every bit as much of a crony capitalist as Mr.s Bush and Clinton were. He's just better at getting away with it.............3) Hey, I got some good news on the Haley Barbour fiasco front. It now appears that several of those convicted murderers that the dude just recently pardoned were actually black. Hm, maybe the dude isn't a racist after all. Maybe he's just simply an idiot.............4) "I don't think that President Obama 'understands' America." This is what Mitt Romney apparently thinks these days. Or at least that's what he's saying. Wow, huh, talk about offensive. I mean, who in the hell is he to use such coded language? Not that I was necessarily going to vote for him anyway; the fact that he's such a flaming phony, opportunist, etc. but to hear the guy talk like a Glen Beck clone like this is especially obnoxious. This, my friends, is one independent swing-voter who ISN'T impressed.

Miscellaneous 104

2012-01-11T20:47:00.001-08:00

1) Have you ever considered as to why President Obama and others in his administration (a fellow by the name of Rham Emanuel comes to mind) gave up so easily on the "public-option", and why they didn't even consider a single-payer approach? I think that I might have the answer for you. According to opensecrets.org, back in 2008, then candidate Obama received 3 times as much money as his opponent, Mr.McCain, from HMOs, 3 1/2 times as much from pharmaceutical giants, and 4 times as much from hospitals and nursing homes. Yes, folks, it was payback - pure and simple payback.............2) Of course, the more penetrating question here is, where in the hell was the media on this? I mean, you've got this candidate who's absolutely eviscerating the health-care industry and, at the same time, filling his coffers with money from them. This did not in any way seem peculiar? It's like, seriously, were they THAT in frigging love with the fellow?............3) After two consecutive piss-poor performances, is it now safe to say that Mr. Gingrich is officially toast? I mean, he certainly isn't going to run simply out of spite and vengefulness is he? IS HE?............4) WHAT WAS HALEY BARBOUR THINKING? I mean, did he really think that pardoning 17 convicted murderers wasn't going to make it in the news or something? Uh, duh! Of course, the fact that this asshole is going straight back in lobbying......

The Progressive Spin Machine, Central Tenets

2012-01-11T15:33:00.001-08:00

a) Anything good that happens during Obama's tenure, credit is given him. b) Anything bad that happens during Obama's tenure, blame George Bush. c) Rinse and repeat.

To All of Those Who Want to Blame George Bush Solely for Solyndra, This

2012-01-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

"The results of the Congressional probe shared Tuesday with ABC News show that less than two weeks before President Bush left office on January 9, 2009 the Energy Department's credit committee made a unanimous decision not to offer a loan commitment to Solyndra."......ABC News 9/13/11.............And this from Wikipedia - "The Department of Energy began evaluating Solyndra's application on January 9, 2009 and determined that the project had merit but that additional issues would need to be resolved before approval could be granted.^"

No Maturity

2012-01-07T19:03:00.001-08:00

Here, folks, is a perfect example of why I can't stand Keith Olbermann. Remember back when that centrist, nonpartisan group, No Labels (a group of disaffected moderate Democrats and Republicans whose sole purpose was to try and get the two parties to work together and knock off the bullshit), was formed? Remember how everybody (myself included) was essentially amped by it? "Finally", we said, "a few individuals out there who actually want to get some things done and not be destructive about it." Yeah, well guess what, folks, not Mr. Keith Olbermann. Nope, he went up and put 'em on his "Worst Persons" list. Let's just say that THAT was the final straw for me - him essentially saying that he wanted all the toys or nothing.

So Much So That's it's Coming Out His Nose

2012-01-06T13:34:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, just how much DOES Newt Gingrich hate Mitt Romney?"

Closing Down for Surgery

2012-01-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

Hopefully back by the weekend. Commenter moderation activated because of the troll.

Their Marked Inability to Comprehend (Never Mind Appreciate) Nuance

2012-01-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what's the thing that frustrates you most about extremists?"

Dear Rachel Maddow

2012-01-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

I oppose using the budget reconciliation process to pass heath-care reform and climate legislation. As one of the authors of the reconciliation process, I can tell you that the ironclad parliamentary procedure it authorizes were never intended for this purpose.......Sincerely, Senator Robert Byrd West Virginia.

Robert Mitchum's Reverend Harry Powell From the Charles Laughton Classic, "The Night of the Hunter"

2012-01-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, who's your all-time movie villain?"...........................................................................................P.S. Number two would probably have to be Henry Fonda's Frank from Sergio Leone's epic masterpiece, "Once Upon a Time in the West".

A Question Pertaining to the Palestinians 1

2011-12-31T19:36:00.000-08:00

If Western Palestine (i.e., what we presently consider to be Israel) had such a long-standing population of indigenous "Palestinians" residing there for centuries, then why did the United Nations Relief and Work Agency feel the need to alter their definition of "refugees" to include all of those who had lived in Palestine for only a minimum of TWO YEARS prior to the 1948 conflict? Hm, could it possibly be due to the fact that they wanted to hide the reality that a great number of these so-called refugees had originally come from Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Albania, Transjordan, Cyprus, and dozens of other countries? That's kind of what I'm thinking that it was.

Despicable Alan

2011-12-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

Former Florida Congressman, Alan Grayson, in one of the most despicable campaign ads in U.S. history, referred to his opponent, Daniel Webster, as "Taliban Dan". I mean, I know that it was hyperbole and all and that, yes, Mr. Webster evidently IS a Bible-thumper of sorts, but to compare him to the Taliban was not only vile but abjectly stupid.............................................................................................For instance, Mr. Webster has never advocated that women wear burqas. He's never said that they shouldn't be able to work. He's never said that they shouldn't be allowed an education after the age of eight. He's never said that they shouldn't be allowed to be treated by male doctors (not that there ARE any female doctors) unless accompanied by a male chaperon. He's never said that they should face public floggings and executions for breaking religious laws. He's never advocated for forced marriages or the marriages of girls under 16. He's never advocated that women not speak loudly in public. He's never advocated for a severe restriction of movement for women. And he's never advocated that women not be allowed on radio, television, or at public gatherings. For Mr. Grayson to have even intimated that the admittedly doltish Mr. Webster (I'm afraid that you're going to have to call him Congressman Webster now) is analogous to these vile creatures was completely/totally over the line, IMO............................................................................................P.S. And, yes, Mr. Grayson absolutely DID splice tape. He took some isolated words from what was an essentially benign speech by Mr. Webster and made it sound as if he was saying something far more sinister. Mr. Grayson tried to justify it by pointing to other speeches by Mr. Webster and his voting record. But even if in fact that's true, you still don't splice and dice and engage in sleaziness. Nope, you take the ACTUAL words from the ACTUAL speeches and laws and attempt to make your point from those. You do it the old-fashioned honest way, in other words.

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=588619

2011-12-30T20:52:00.000-08:00

An interesting article on the new Rhode Island voter ID bill. You just might want to check it out.

Miscellaneous 103

2011-12-29T15:22:00.000-08:00

1) Ed Schultz is insane. The man actually thinks that CNN's Anderson Cooper ( a person whose pencil Mr. Schultz couldn't even carry) and GQ Magazine are conspiring against him. And he doesn't just think it, folks, he says it (on the frigging air, no less)! HE SAYS IT!! How anybody could give even an ounce of credence to this Hannityesque lunatic is astonishing.............2) And, no, splicing tape in order to make a person who you happen not to like look bad (as Mr. Schultz and his staff absolutely did to Governor Perry) isn't an "error" or a "mistake". It's a willful act of character assassination and Schultz should have apologized (not to his audience, I'm saying, but to Mr. Perry) IMMEDIATELY.............3) Hm, let's see here, who do I pick; the Thomas Edisons, Steve Jobses, Henry Fords, Walt Disneys, Eli Whitneys, Oprah Winfreys, Dorothy Gerbers, Alexander Graham Bells, Clarance Birdseyes, Samuel McIntires, Robert Fultons, William Randolph Hearsts, Charles Goodyears, and John D. Rockefellers of the world, or the idiots who gave us the Alien and Sedition Act, the Missouri Compromise, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Enlarged Homestead Act, Strategic Hamlet (not to mention the Vietnam War in general), Prohibition, Watergate, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, ethanol subsidies, the Shah of Iran, Amtrak, nation-building in Iraq and Afghanistan, Cash for Clunkers, Fast and Furious, Solyndra, etc., etc., etc.?....Ah, yeah, that's a really tough one. NOT!............4) Look, folks, I'm not saying that there isn't a role for government in the economy. There definitely IS a role, a significant role. But it has to be more along the lines of a facilitator and collaborator, not along the lines of a dictator....At least that's the way that I see it anyway.............5) As I was watching Sean Hannity lob one softball after another at Rick Perry and Ed Schultz doing something very similar to one of his guests, I couldn't help but lament out loud, "Man, do I ever miss Tim Russert." Yeah, huh?

On the Current Mess in North Korea 1

2011-12-28T19:00:00.001-08:00

I'm still waiting for a Kim Jong Dung.

My New Favorite Dennis Miller Joke

2011-12-27T16:43:00.000-08:00

On Barnie Frank - he's Nancy Pelosi with a spittle problem.

The Skeptics 1

2011-12-26T20:11:00.000-08:00

1) Ivar Giaever - Nobel Prize winner for physics.............2) Dr. Joanne Simpson - atmospheric scientist, first woman in the world to ever earn a PhD in meteorology.............3) Dr. Kiminon Itoh - environmental physical chemist.............4) Dr. Jarl Ahlbeck - chemical engineer Abo Akademi University of Finland.............5) Dr. Pal Brekke - solar physicist and senior adviser to the Norwegian Space Center in Oslo.............6) Victor Manuel Velasco Herrera - researcher at the Institute of Geophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.............7) Geoffrey Duffy - professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering University of Aukland.............8) Dr. William Briggs - climate statistician at the American Meteorological Society's Probability and Statistics Committee.............9) Andrei Kapista - Russian geographer and Antarctic ice-core researcher.............10) Dr. Will Happer - physicist Princeton.............11) Dr. Miklos Zagoni - Hungarian physicist.............12) Dr. David Gee - geologist Uppsala University Sweden.............13) Dr. Philip Lloyd - nuclear physicist and chemical engineer.............14) James Peden - atmospheric physicist and formerly of the Space Research and Coordination Center in Pittsburgh.............15) Dr. Phil Chapman - astronautical engineer and former NASA astronaut/M.I.T. physics professor.............16) Delgado Domingos - environmental scientist and founder of the Numerical Weather Forecast Group.............17) Dr. Takeda Kunihiko - vice chancellor of the Institute of Science and Technology Research Chuba University Japan.............18) Dr. Eduardo Tonni - paleontologist at the Committee for Scientific Research in Buenos Aires.............19) Dr. Art Douglas - atmospheric scientist Creighton University.............20) D. Patrick Frank - more than 50 peer reviewed articles.............21) Jack Schmitt - astronaut (Apollo 17)/geologist and formerly of the Norwegian and U.S. geological surveys.............22) Dr. Richard Keen - climatologist University of Colorado.............23) Dr. G. LeBlanc Smith - Principal research scientist with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.............24) Dr. Arun Ahluwalia - geologist Purijab University India.............25) Dr. Roy Spencer - climatologist University of Alabama (formerly of NASA).............26) Dr. Richard Lindzen atmospheric physicist M.I.T. 27) Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds more..............................................................................................Look, folks, I'm not saying that there isn't global-warming, or even that man hasn't played a role in it. I'm just saying that MAYBE we need to show a little bit of prudence, for Christ (the fact that Boone Pickens couldn't make a go of it with windmills, the fact that even with an $8,000 tax credit nobody really wanted those crappy electric cars, Solyndra, etc.).

Michael Crichton on "Scientific Consensus"

2011-12-26T15:46:00.001-08:00

"Let's be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus. Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world. In science, consensus is irrelevant. What is relevant is reproducible results. The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with consensus."............This, to all of the people out there who think that the global-warming debate is settled.

Angelina JoWHO?

2011-12-24T20:47:00.000-08:00

Faye Dunaway, circa late 60s - early 70s.

College Football Tidbits 1

2011-12-24T18:36:00.000-08:00

1) Finally some decent news for beleaguered Maryland football coach, Randy Edsall. The fellow actually struck it rich on the recruiting trail this week. Abner Logan (the 24th best outside linebacking prospect in the country/3rd best prospect overall from the state of Massachusetts), in a move that fully surprised everybody, said NO to N.C. State and verbally committed to Maryland. It was a humongous get for Mr. Edsall and it apparently gave him some major mojo, too....Yeah, you got, it later in the week, he landed yet another bell-wringer. Dallas Griffiths (an awesome name for a baller, no?), a heat-seeking missile of a linebacker out of Tallahassee Florida, also committed to Maryland. Two major gets in one week. Maybe Randy Edsall CAN recruit after all.............2) Looking for a sleeper for next year's Heisman Trophy race? You just might want to take a look at T.C.U. quarterback, Casey Pachall (pronounced Paul-Hall)? The dude (who'll only be a junior next season), in what was only his first year as a starter, was absolutely sensational this year. He ended up passing for 2,921 yards (a 66.5 completion percentage), 25 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions. He also led the Horned Frogs to an 11-2 record, a Mountain West Conference championship, and, YES SIR, even a victory over Boise State, AT BOISE (the frigging Broncos hardly ever lose at home). If Mr. Pachall can duplicate these accomplishments next year, don't be surprised to see him in New York City next January.

"Alan Keyes Is Foaming at the Mouth" (With Apologies to "Alan Keyes's Head Is Exploding")

2011-12-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, would do you think that Mr. Keyes's program SHOULD have been called?"

On Me and My Preoccupation With All Things Alan Keyes 1

2011-12-23T20:02:00.000-08:00

Let's just refer to it as a cottage industry of sorts.

On Rachel Maddow 1

2011-12-23T19:13:00.001-08:00

Her uncritical acceptance of anything that Paul Krugman and other stoogely Keynesians say is borderline frightening.

On Sean Hannity 1

2011-12-23T19:08:00.001-08:00

He makes Gomer Pyle sound like a cross between Alfred North Whitehead and Karl Popper.

"Alan Keyes Is Making Sense"

2011-12-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what, in your opinion, is the most inappropriately titled program in television history?"

On the Job Straining

2011-12-21T20:33:00.001-08:00

Let me start off by saying that I like President Obama. I think that he's both a good and decent family man and a patriotic American (he's especially proven effective at smoking terrorists). And, no, I don't think that he's been nearly as bad a President as some of my conservative colleagues have alleged. But I do think that he's been hampered by at least a couple of factors this term. a) The fellow had zero experience as an administrator (he's never, for example, been a governor, a mayor, or an executive of any kind) and b) he had perilously little experience in the private sector. In my opinion, had he had these experiences in his background, he probably would have been far better capable of marshaling a significantly better health-care plan, stimulus package, etc.......................................................................................................Now, is this to say that John McCain, or even Hillary Clinton, would have done a better job had they been elected? No, not at all (Mr. McCain especially seemed erratic back then). It just means that maybe, just maybe, a little more seasoning (I mean, really, what in the heck was he; a college professor, a community organizer, a state senator, a victor over the idiot, Alan Keyes?) wouldn't have hurt.

On Ron Paul 1

2011-12-20T19:00:00.001-08:00

I just wish that there was a "Ron Paul Lite" out there (i.e., a person who shared Mr. Paul's positions on foreign policy and civil liberties but one who wasn't quite as draconian in terms of scaling back the social safety-net and regulations).

Now THIS Was a "Power Trio"

2011-12-20T13:49:00.001-08:00

I mean, I don't know about you folks, but I'll take Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, and Frank Sinatra over George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon ANY DAY.

Republican Candidates and Whether or Not I Trust Them With the Nuclear Button 2

2011-12-19T19:58:00.001-08:00

Daniels (had he gotten in) - yes. Haley Barbour (had he gotten in) - yes.