Thursday, September 10, 2009

Headlines - Thursday

In case you missed it, Wonkette live-blogged President Obama's speech here
 
Best line:
 
"Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple."

You listening Caribou Barbie?
 
This classy guy yelled out, "You lie!" during the speech: 
 
image content
 
Daily Kos suggests chipping in to help his opponent (he's already raised $93K since last night).  
 
Digby speculates that just a few years ago, yelling at the president in that setting would have been considered treason and the Democrats who did it would have been waterboarded.
James Joyner explains how it is Obama's fault Joe Wilson yelled out during the address
 
Erick Erickson tells us who the hero of the night was.
 
AllahPundit takes a Wilsonian view of things too.
 
fnc090909204439

After 8 years of telling everyone they were traitors if they didn't wear flag pins and address George W. Bush as "dear leader", these lunatics support having Congressmen heckle the president.

Idiots.

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Obama 2008 vs Obama 2009

"Yes we can!" – Barack Obama, 2008

"I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn't, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch." – Barack Obama, 2009

Obama 2008: Change We Can Believe In
Obama 2009: An adjustment to the status quo so Republicans will stop yelling

Barack Obama has shifted from grand promises inspiring hope in fundamental changes to make things better, to pragmatic speeches in which he tries to get us excited about technical adjustments that might save us a little bit of money.

Barack Obama once promised us, the entrepreneurial uninsured and underinsured, that there would be an affordable, government-provided source of health care. Tonight, Obama told us that he's just going to try to create a new marketplace for getting health insurance, with the hopes that the outstandingly high premiums we have to pay for health insurance as self-employed people might be reduced a little.

Oh, and we'll get a tax credit. You know, like the ones that are already in place. Tax credits that go to insurance companies, which will motivate them to raise their rates even higher, given that they'll be able to count on a big government check.

Furthermore, this change won't even start to be put into place until four years from now. That's after the next presidential election. How convenient.

In the meantime, there will be a band-aid solution only available for gravely ill low-income Americans. Swell. Should I hope for cancer, and an end to my work, so that I qualify?

2008: Hope that if Barack Obama gets elected, he'll make strong moves in favor of universal health care.
2009: I hope that I'll get more ill, so that I can get coverage.

.......

So, it looks like I'll be left without a reasonable expectation of affordable health care, along with a new legal requirement that I pay for it. What is Obama going to do if I can't pay for health insurance without losing my house? Is he going to throw me into a special prison for the uninsured?

Read the rest: http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2009/09/09/obama-2008-vs-obama-2009/

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According to court documents from a trial related to the 2007 Baghdad massacre, in which Blackwater contractors killed 17 Iraqi civilians, at least one of the contractors involved had bragged about his disregard for Iraqi civilian life and said he wanted revenge for September 11.

The contractors' defense was that they decided that a slow moving Kia sedan was probably a car bomb, and opened fire on a crowd of civilians in a "pure and simple case of self-defense." The documents were part of prosectors' efforts to prove that the contractors had motives for the attack.

The attack was a key part of Iraq's decision to revoke the license of Blackwater to operate as contractors in the nation, and the company later renamed itself "Xe" in hopes of escaping the infamy it had gained over its Iraq escapades.

Despite the ban, Blackwater has continued to operate in Iraq as contractors for the State Department, much to the chagrin of Iraqi officials. The State Department insists Blackwater's planned replacement simply isn't ready to take over for them. 

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"Once upon a time, the Senate was a shining beacon of at least semi-intelligent discourse - living, breathing, debating proof of the success of America's experiment in democracy. It was Rome, when Rome was in its heyday. These days it's more like Rome right before the fall of the empire - brimming with arrogance, stupidity, influence-peddling
and near-constant partisan hackery, and overrun by self-serving clowns drunk on their own grandiose sense of importance and always on the lookout for the next illicit sexual encounter."
 - Chez Pazienza  Link

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Hiking the 'ol Appalachian trail with a lobbyist

h/t to Tim for bringing to our attention yet another shining example of Republican family values

OC Assemblyman In Bed With Lobbyist . . . No, Literally In Bed http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/breaking-news/oc-assemblyman-in-bed-with-lob/

Update: Mike has resigned. Did he apologize for being a married stalwart "family values" Republican who was conducting two simultaneous affairs? For stepping out on his wife or for being a raging fat-assed hypocrite? Nope. 

He apologized for shooting off his big mouth within range of a microphone. He was apologizing for violating the First Commandment of Politics: Thou Shalt Not Get Caught. Which, come to think of it, is the first commandment for every criminal enterprise.

Let's see if his wife does a "Jenny Sanford" and kicks his ass out of the house.

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Tonight, President Obama will give his big speech to save healthcare reform. All the networks will broadcast a presidential address to a joint session of congress -- with the exception of FOX. They'll serve the American public by airing So You Think You Can Dance?. That should be gripping and historic. Watercooler conversation ought to be interesting tomorrow, with most people talking about the Obama address, while others will be talking about how they can't believe that one guy dropped that chick during their Funkytown routine. Hope she has healthcare. That was quite a tumble.

For his part, the president will be abondoning the negotiations on which he had pinned his hopes. Sen. Max Baucus's Finance Committee has failed to create a bipartisan bill after their weeks-long snipe hunt. Republicans pretended to be interested in bipartisanship, to slow the process down, but the truth is that it seemed impossible that Democrats would agree to a deal lousy enough to satisfy the GOP. Not that Baucus hasn't tried. After everything finally went all to hell, Max went ahead and wrote his own legislative turd. I guess the idea here is that it looks bipartisan, even if it isn't.

And it looks bipartisan because it's completely awful. Of all the proposals, his is the worst. There is no public option; instead, there are non-profit co-ops. This is an idiotic concession, since Republicans don't like the co-ops either. And co-ops are insurance reform in the same way that credit unions are banking reform -- i.e., they're not. Baucus's plan has almost no safety net, but would fine people for not being insured.
Associated Press reports that, although the bill includes tax credits to help pay for insurance, people who "don't sign up would face hefty fines, starting at $750 a year for individuals and $1,500 for families. The maximum penalty on individuals would be $950."

Keep reading:
http://griperblade.blogspot.com/2009/09/make-it-hair-trigger.html 

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Glenn Beck and his 912 principle of flamboyant ultra-white god hollerin'

Glenn Beck
912 Project

Dear Mr. Beck,

I just finished reading the 9 principles upon which you founded the 912 Project, and I have to say, Hallelujah!" I was particularly moved by Principle Two:

I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
God "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained." from George Washington's first Inaugural address.

I love it. It's so true. Flamboyant God hollerin' is about as patriotic an act as a man can perform. You just can't be a true patriot without a big honkin' load of God in your rifle. Heck, you can't be a true American, either.

Same goes for being white. I mean that's
what we're really all about. It's what motivates us at our tea parties. It's what will get us out on Saturday for your 912 Project events. It's the source of all our anger.

There was a time when being white was enough. We didn't need to be smart or skilled or decent or anything. A pale pallor was our ticket to power.
Like Shaun Conley, no matter how wretched a white man may be, he could take solace in knowing that at least he wasn't the brown.

Then the civil rights laws were passed and the advantage of being white was stolen from us. Sure, things got a little better when Our Leader George ignored them, but now he's gone, and being white is, once again, nothing special.

That should be one of your principles, shouldn't it? It's as important to the movement as flamboyant God hollerin', don't you think?

I'll even write it for you:

I am white and that makes me special.
White Supremacy "If slavery be wrong, it is justified by the example of all the world." Founding Father,
Charles Pinckney

Heterosexually yours,

Gen JC Christian, patriot

.....

Here's another one from the General:

Pastor Anderson: Tea Bag Martyr: http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2009/09/pastor-anderson-teabag-martyr.html

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Glenn Beck, who has previously said he hates the families of 9/11 victims, is now using the day to make political hay for his 9/12 anti-Obama march. As Think Progress reports: "This Saturday, right-wing protesters will gather in Washington DC for a march to oppose health reform and President Obama. The event, scheduled intentionally on September 12 to coincide with the anniversary of the day following the September 11 terrorist attacks, was conceived largely by Fox News' Glenn Beck. However, most of the day-to-day organizing has been orchestrated by a now familiar set of lobbyists and Republican operatives who helped plan anti-Obama 'grassroots' tea party events since February. In addition, a set of far-right groups are supporting the event, bringing along their members to join in on the Obama-bashing." Noting that many of the groups involved worked on the tea party and town hall protests, Think Progress also found, "For the 9/12 march, there appears to be a shift towards a more radical coalition. The official sponsorship list reveals a subterranean, extreme element of the American right in attendance." More details at Think Progress.

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Blue Dog who claimed "victory" for preventing vote on health reform bill, wants liberals to stop being mean.

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I missed this one ....

School that banned Obama speech will bus kids to go see Bush (because Bush would never, ever promote propaganda).

chimpy-and-the-plastic-turkey-1

A Texass school which refused to air President Obama's classroom address is planning to bus students to see incoherent moron Drinky McDumbass.

Denied the chance to view a peptalk from the historic President of the United States, fifth graders will be taking time off from school to listen to gibbering drooler Tokie McCokespoon, who will appear with his wife Pickles Stepford and that manly example of all that is good in America:
greasy, arrogant asshole and criminal-coddler Jerry Jones.

Bush will be speaking alongside several Dallas Cowboys players and prominent Texas business leaders.

At least one local church is up in arms.

"I
do not understand the duplicity in this situation," Dwight McKissic Sr., the senior pastor of Arlington's Cornerstone Baptist Church said in a news release quoted by NBC. "I believe the students and the public deserve and need to have these differences explained."

The Arlington school district, like many in North Texas, decided not to broadcast the president's speech live after some parents expressed concern about its content.
Yeah. Instead, maybe Bunnypants can joke about looking for WMDs under Mr Jones' ego.

 
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He is a douchebag who .....
 
wilson
 
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US Forest Service warns against campers drinking Tecate beer, eating tortillas, and playing Spanish music
 
smokey

The Wonk Room reports that the US Forest Service issued and then retracted a Labor Day warning advising hikers to beware of campers in national forests speaking Spanish, drinking Tecate beer, eating tortillas, spam or tuna, and playing Spanish music because "they could be armed marijuana growers." Polly Baca of the Colorado Latino Forum accused the U.S. Forest Service of racial profiling and said the warning is discriminatory. Julien Ross, Executive Director of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, added:

All Coloradans, and in particular elected lawmakers, should restrain from blaming entire communities for the acts of a few individuals…lawmakers concerned about the drug trade would be better served focusing on lessening the demand for drugs in their local district than scapegoating immigrants.

Hank Kashdan, associate chief of the U.S. Forest Service, later apologized on behalf of his colleagues.

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School kids react to Obama's speech

Sarah Loftus, 17:

Education is a matter that affects every single person in this country regardless of age, skin color, wealth, or political views, so why should this message be heard less clearly by people with opposing political views from Obama? It shouldn't. To say that his speech forced socialist ideas into students' minds is ludicrous. His speech addressed an important matter that all students across the country regardless of upbringing should have listened to and taken seriously.
Rachel Lubitz, 17:
What I would most like to applaud President Obama on is taking the time to look at this new generation from ages 5 to 18 and letting us know that he cares. Obama was also able to make the right wing news media whine and moan on for weeks and weeks about a speech about staying in school and succeeding. He made them look like overreacting schoolgirls jealous of the cheerleader with the quarterback boyfriend, and anyone who can do that has a friend in me.
Justin Jones, age 16:
Obama's speech was just dripping with socialist values, especially when he told kids "I hope you'll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.."

Oh, and the part about students setting goals for their education and asking for help when they worry they won't succeed? He is stealing the words right out of Karl Marx's mouth.

The main message — don't give up. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

In these hard times, there is no better advice that the president could give to children. Unless, of course, he tells them they better share all the profits they get from that lemonade.
Liz Nordlinger, 18:
[T]he country should be proud that we have a competent President who can talk to students without making mistakes and sounding like an idiot.
Awesome. More here.

 
 
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Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has apparently read The POLITICO's major investigative breaking news scoop about Obama's "czars." He thinks Obama should keep Russian oligarchs OUT of our schools and hospitals, and McHenry would like these czars to divulge their responsibilities to Congress. All 30 of them. Or all 44 of them, if there are 44. However many czars there are, that's how many should be begging Patrick McHenry to not send them back on a trans-Atlantic steamship to the Hermitage whence they came. More here.

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"Inside the pages ....uhhh, mind of Mark Foley"

The disgraced repuglican who made headlines sending sexually explicit emails to underage congressional pages is getting his very own radio talk show.

Foley is set to debut his radio show entitled "Inside the Mind of Mark Foley" on Sept. 22 on West Palm Beach radio station WSVU 960am. In between the gay gay gay musical stylings of Barry Manilow and Barbara Streisand, Foley, who resigned way back in September of 2006, will discuss "the inner workings of DC and how things are being decided and what the process is."
Processes like what lotion to use, which brands of towels are best, and asking callers if they got handjobs over the weekend or if they spanked it themselves. 

 

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