Quickies

• This is something I was discussing with a friend the other day. Since 2007 Democrats have been in control of Congress and guess what? They've actually accomplished quite a bit. More than any Congress post-WWII actually. There's the minimum wage increase, stem cell research expansion. There's also the stimulus bill, the CHIP expansion, regulation of tobacco, credit card holder's bill of rights, and a huge reform to defense contracts. That's a lot really. For more, here's a good read.


• I'm beginning to like David Weigel more and more. This time he's way ahead of the next Republican conspiracy theory: Hillary will challenge Obama in 2012. It's so crazy Fox News will surely help talk it up.


• Republicans are regretting allowing the president to take their questions, which I'll say again, was unprecedented in American history.

Barack Obama, for an hour and a half, was able to refute every single Republican talking point used against him on the major issues of the day. In essence, it was almost like a debate where he was front and center for the majority of it. … One Republican said to me, off the record, behind closed doors: “It was a mistake that we allowed the cameras to roll like that. We should not have done that.”

• The best Republican demand of how President Obama could be more bipartisan and demonstrate to everyone that he is Serious about Republican ideas: He should meet with Republican Rep. Tom Price (GA) every week for a year! Completely insane. I bet the president's lead advisers don't even get to meet with him every week. Who does Price think he is???? This is the haughtiness of the GOP, however. Did George Bush meet with Barney Frank every week for a year? Would he have even considered it? No way. It really must suck to be Republican. Get over yourselves.

Um, About Those Deficits Fox News

There's no doubt Fox News went out of their way yesterday to ensure the Republican Fantasy World would be safe from reality. Not only did they cut away from Obama's truth letting when he was unprecedentedly questioned by Republicans of which he handled superbly. They also have tried to cover up any glimpse that Republicans looked like total fools for even trying to suggest Obama is remotely responsible for the massive deficit or is running monthly deficits larger than annual deficits run by the previous Bush administration. All that has been totally whitewashed by Fox News and this morning on their homepage Fox gives complete credit for Obama's focus on reducing the deficit to Republicans.

The front page lede is an AP wire that describes the president's efforts to actively combat the deficit, click to enlarge:

If Republicans supposedly hammered the president, they were shot down by Obama's factual answers. He is not running monthly deficits equivalent to Bush's annual deficits. That's pure lie. If you actually read the AP story, it too leaves out quite a bit.

Obama said "pay-as-you-go" rules that were in place in the 1990s led to surpluses at the end of the decade. But after Congress eliminated the rules, Obama said the result was the $1.3 trillion deficit he faced upon taking office in January 2009.

Um, about those rules. Guess who eliminated those rules? It was the very conservative and fiscally responsible REPUBLICANS! Guess who is responsible for the deficit? REPUBLICANS. The Obama administration had nothing to do with the $1.3 trillion deficit that was in place when he took office. That deficit, the one that Republicans and Fox News are now so concerned about came directly from, um, REPUBLICANS.

So yeah Fox News, let's talk about the deficit. Let's talk about who it is that is trying to rein in spending. Let's talk about how it is totally insane to think the very people responsible for all of it are now the ones "hammering" the president to force him to take measures to reduce it. Um, yeah, let's do this. Quit with your lying and quit with your force fed Fantasy and take responsibility because you aren't doing any favors. Where were you when REPUBLICANS ran up the largest deficit in human history??? You sure weren't running front page stories about reining in spending. Bunch of freakin' pansies.

Fox News Cuts Away From Obama-GOP Session (amazing I know)

In order to ensure its Fantasy World, a world where its viewers don't get to hear or see factual reality, Fox News cut away from Obama's truth letting to begin their commentary. And of course it's commentary full of Obama-bashing and lies like how Republicans care about fiscal matters.

This is amazing stuff no doubt. Like I said in the post below, and this absolutely quantifies everything I said. Republicans are amazed and angered when they hear things like Obama has not tripled the deficit or is not running monthly deficits larger than anything Republicans did on an annual basis. In total awe because right when truth begins to broadcast across their network, Fox pulls the plug and immediately jumps to their Republican talking points. It's the only way they can keep the sun shining all day long. Mental rejects I'm telling ya.

Fox will never air the full footage and will continue to insist that anything other than what they broadcast is anti-Americanism.

Historical Moment for America

Say what you want about the Obama administration. God knows I've been down on him lately as well. Do whatever you want with your tea bagging circle jerks and your freedom fighting patriots, and all your tough macho manly talk about small government and fiscal conservatism. Take it all, shine it up and stick it as far up there as you can. Make sure it feels good cause when a Republican president, or any elected Republican from any office, actually goes to the opposition party (i.e., a place where people don't agree with you) and lends them the common courtesy of being part of government by fielding questions and giving them a chance to air out their frustrations, when that happens with a Republican as it did today with President Obama it will be a cold, cold day.

An awesome event. Truly historic.

*Update:

You know watching the videos of Obama being directly questioned by Republicans, and I'm sure I'll have more at-length commentary as the weekend progresses, it's that I'm initially struck at how clueless Republicans really are.

Take the following question by Republican Jeb Hensarling for instance. I really think it's the first time Republicans have ever heard the budget was $1.3 trillion before Obama even took office. I really don't think Republican realize this because Fox News and Rush Limbaugh never tell them.



In their world, Fox News tells them George Bush inherited a deficit that was bigger than the one Obama inherited, when in reality Bush inherited the largest surplus ever. Or lies like Obama has tripled the deficit in 8 short months. That's just not true but it appears on their Fox News teevee sets all day long and it's all they know.

So when they hear Obama tell them that his monthly deficits are not equal to their annual deficits, it's truly the first time they have ever heard it. When they hear such answers from Obama their first reaction is anger that Obama is not stroking their Fantasy World. They're angry that Obama isn't repeating what they hear on their drug-addicted radio. Instead of actually checking to see if the president is being truthful, they immediately blame his anti-Fantasy World answer on him being an enemy wanting to take over the world. They are mental rejects who can't fathom something that's not a conspiracy theory.

Get Ready For the Apology

Yesterday Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) rightfully stated that while in the minority had Democrats behaved the way Republicans are, they would have been tried for treason.

"Some of the votes [Republicans] cast -- we would be on trial for treason if we had voted against defense appropriations in the midst of a war," he told reporters on his way to the Senate chamber. Durbin was referring to GOP members who tried to block the defense bill out of concern that a hate crimes bill was attached to it.

There's no denying Durbin is absolutely right. But it goes further than that.

True, Republicans treated any disagreement with them as anti-Americanism or as aiding the enemy and ruled their majority with little wiggle room. But, but, they still do it now. It's not that they only acted that way while in power, they are still doing it. And it's all because the Democrats let them do it.

Republicans still claim anything and everything that doesn't come from their Super Patriot caucus as being enemies of the country. That's why they constantly refer to the president as an enemy, as a tyrant, as a socialist; it's because nothing has changed. They are not held to their rhetoric and are allowed perfect impunity to frame debates around conspiracy theories and patriotic revolutions. It's very possible that Democrats today-- even with their huge majorities-- could still be tried for treason by a Republican minority for simply not giving them what they want. Possible might even be an understatement.

The last time Durbin spoke out with such candidness he was forced by the GOP to give a tearful apology on the senate floor. Start the countdown cause I'm sure he'll have to do the same if he wants to keep his good graces in the MSM. Start the waterworks senator.

*Update:

I find it excruciatingly stupid how Democrats whimper away from actual debates with Republicans. Something I find even stupider are the comments left on The Hill article I linked to above. It seems everybody from Illinois is from Chicago.

-- "Durbin is an evil clown creep from the Chicago thug machine in Illinois."

-- "Hey Chicago thug… the IMPUNITY comes from US, the American people!If you do the right thing, you will have impunity too!"

The Chicago comments go on and on. Durbin is from the Metro East of Illinois. Or East St. Louis. That's the polar opposite of Chicago. The two regions hate each other. It's Cardinals vs. Cubs and Durbin is by far a Cardinals fan. Durbin is the farthest thing from a Chicago politician that you could find. He owes nothing to Chicagoland and holds what is considered the "downstate" senate seat-- a seat that belonged to my former boss Sen. Paul Simon.

Not only do the comments show the stupidity of most political junkies, it also demonstrates just how well-greased the Republican conspiracy machine really is. Durbin has nothing to do with Chicago, idiots.

Economy Grows 5.7%

Economic stimulus is working. The economy grew at a faster-than-expected 5.7 percent pace in the fourth quarter, the quickest in more than six years, as businesses made less-aggressive cuts to inventories and stepped up spending. But a double-dip recession is very possible.

Look for a readjustment in a few weeks to a growth rate around 4.5%. Still nothing to scoff at, however. The worst thing we could do right now is slow down federal stimulus spending.

Tea Baggers Taking It On the Chin

You know it's bad when Michelle Bachmann won't even touch it. Next up: Sarah Palin?

*Update:

The day's best comment on Sarah Palin's decision to freedom fight or not to freedom fight:

"Tough choice for her. She likes the limelight, she likes the money, but she also likes quitting."

**Update:

So far the word is Sarah Palin is still on for some tea bagging. But she wants the GOP and the tea baggers to orgy together so they can overcome their differences. I just wonder if she knows there is such a thing as blue balls.

Shimkus Response Disgraceful

The last time President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress, Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) stood up and walked out. This disrespectful action by Shimkus was overshadowed by Joe Wilson's rude shout down of "you lie!" to the president as he was discussing federal money and illegal immigrants. Wilson stole the show that night but no doubt Shimkus would have been the main attraction had Wilson kept his mouth shut.

Last night both Shimkus and Wilson kept to themselves and appeared to be on their best behavior. Shimkus, at least, waited until after it was over before he yet again made a fool of himself.

Shimkus is a West Point graduate. He has served his country faithfully for nearly his entire adult life. Everything he has ever done or ever striven to do has been to help make this country a better place. That's why his recent behavior is so mind numbing, especially this statement.

The best thing we can do for our nation is to get everyone back to work. It is our businesses that employ our citizens, and we need to stop scaring them with proposals to nationalize healthcare, take over the energy infrastructure, raise taxes, and expand burdensome government regulations.

It's something very telling of modern politics that someone who has devoted his entire life to this country like Shimkus has could stoop so low as to actually believe his own words. To actually believe that his country, his boss, his Commander in Chief, is actually an enemy. All because of health care, it's so ridiculous and beyond time someone spoke up.

Let's make this clear. Neither the senate or house bills actually nationalized any industry much less health care. In order for there to be "nationalization" or "socialization" of health care, the federal government would have to own the means of production of the health care industry. Let's use an example Shimkus should be very familiar with.

Nationalization would mean the federal government owns the hospitals and pays all the people that work in them. Such as is the case with the VA. All the doctors, nurses, clerks, janitors, everyone employed by the VA is a federal employee. The federal government controls what goes in and comes out of every VA in the country. Supplies are purchased through the GSA and/or a government bidding process. Even the people cleaning the toilets are federal employees and receive federal benefits. It is the complete beginning and end of what a government-run health care system would look like. Now here's the kicker. Nobody, absolutely nobody, is talking about doing that to private sector health care.

The senate bill does not turn hospital ownership over to the feds. The house bill, even with a public option health insurance, does not make any doctor, nurse or janitor a federal employee. What either of the two bills would do is give people greater access to health care. Health care in the private sector. Only in the public option version would the insurance (the application of health care) be run by the government. The administration of the care, the hospital, the doctors, the nurses, the very bed you lie in would all be private sector owned and operated. There is no nationalization of health care. The federal government would own none of it. In no way shape or form does any of this have to do with nationalization. And Shimkus knows it.

The whole debate is confusing enough without the lies and right wing conspiracy theories that has hijacked this debate. Rep. Shimkus knows the difference between nationalization and reform. Instead he has chosen to forsake his life's work, his calling for which he has so purposefully fulfilled like few ever have for crackpot talking points dreamed up by drug addicted right wing psychopaths that get paid millions to breathe hot air over the radio and smile on tv.

You were a good man John. Is it really worth all this just because your political party isn't in power anymore?

Purity Test in Doubt

GOP chairman Alan Keyes Michael Steele says Republican purity test would make Reagan ashamed. That's probably because Reagan could not even pass the test. None of them could.

The whole thing is just another sign of how far right-wing and how out of touch the Republican Party has become. They are actually considering a purity test for future candidates based on a questionnaire that even the person they named it after couldn't even pass. Talk about crazy.

SOTU Reaction

As I said yesterday, I did not watch the SOTU. What's the point? I've seen Obama give enough speeches to last me a lifetime. Heck I've been with him driving around Southern Illinois as he gave speech after speech all on the same topic. It gets rather boring. And frankly, I'm tired of the rhetoric. It seems all he wants to do is give a speech and then everyone should jump. It's a great way to campaign but not for governance.

I did read the text this morning and thought it wasn't much out of the ordinary of the last 1,000 he's given. I noticed he said very little about DADT and as I saw on GMA this morning he did get a jibe in about the Supreme Court. Yes pee off the Supremes because that's about the only group whose leash he hasn't jerked. Sounds like a great plan to me.

I'll try to get some reactions up this afternoon but as for my analysis it pretty much ends by saying blah, blah, blah.

Quickies

• The new iPad looks very cool.


• When Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) says credible economists think Obama's stimulus isn't working, he means economists that are paid by Fox News.


• Since last time when the President of the United States spoke before Congress he was heckled, booed and walked out on, any bets on who throws the first shoe?
  


• Newest Republican Conspiracy Theory: so-called "conservative" filmmakers arrest happened just in time to turn attention away from ACORN.


• Did President Obama finally get the message that people who voted for him really want something he promised while campaigning? Axelrod tells CNN the president will push for DADT repeal. I have no doubt doing this last summer would have kept the MA senate seat. But even with tonight's push from the prez, there's no reason to believe it will happen anytime soon. Just more hot air as far as I'm concerned.

*Update:

I love when people comment on my posts by re-posting it on a discussion board so only people who agree with them can reply. If they are so sure of themselves and of my inabilities, comment in here. Judging from the pages of comments it appears Republicans have a very hard time at reading comprehension and actually understanding that I'm not narrowly defining anything to only apply to one party or one person. Tough guys, come in here or quit re-posting. Not everything you do is a Freedom Fighting Revolution, trust me.

Deep Thought

Yeah not a chance I'm going to watch the speech tonight.

Rolling Over

I can't think of anything more ridiculous than the latest Obama administration's "spending freeze" proposal.

First off, wasn't it John McCain that was laughed off the stage for proposing a very similar idea during a presidential debate in 2008. Watching Obama narrowly fillet the GOP's trump card that night was one of my greatest moments in voting for the guy. He completely dismantled his opposition and was in the process of leading America away from the much failed conservative line of a fiscal doomsday. Why go back there?



Secondly, Republicans are not going to support anything this president does. So why even try? Why even give them the satisfaction of trying? The best way to get a Republican to oppose their very own policy is to have a Democrat propose it. They aren't going to support it and will always say the "spending freeze" (i.e., the 'conservatism') doesn't go far enough. As if they know anything about fiscal responsibility. But remember, they get to play fiscal conservatives on teevee, and we are all forced into believing it. Why go along with the script??

With all things in perspective, it's not even a "spending freeze." How can you call something a freeze that doesn't halt stimulus spending and/or defense? It's a gimmick at best.

This is the most ridiculous thing I can think of and it caps off an already disappointing 10 days in an administration that seems to have lost its marbles.

Dollars and Nonsense

I don't know if this is, in part, a result of Obama admitting the political landscape has changed and wants to lure some Republicans. Or if it's a small part of a much larger fiscal overhaul by the administration that has very little to do with bipartisanship.

Either way it doesn't really matter because Republicans won't support it and will always claim they want more and more freezes and cuts. Republicans have never cut spending or froze anything; nevertheless, they will get to pretend, and the media will surely follow, that they are truly fiscal conservatives and have always been. It's like Groundhog Day.

If it is part of the Obama administration trying to be more bipartisan then he's completely stupid.

Fits Can't Hang

Oh no, I've got the big bad boys at Fits News all mad at me over calling them out on their double standard of the Republican record of governance.

Their big come back? Saying I have multiple chins! These are some super tough guys. I better watch out. Their keyboard is oh so tough!!

*Update:

It looks like Fits has no answer to actual facts. That's a shame too cause I know he's been poking around this site from the visiting IP's. Oh well. Reading through the comments piling up on the thread it's the same old Republican tripe. Obama is a socialist, Obama has failed, quit blaming Bush, it's been a year already, Obama bailed out the banks, Bush isn't running anymore, Obama is unpopular, blah, blah, blah. It's been the same for years now. They are delusional.

When you say things like, Obama socialized medicine, has exploded the deficit and garbage about federal bailouts, and ran his campaign opposite of any of it, at least back it up. Especially when the guy you voted for twice created the very deficit you now complain about, socialized this country more than any president ever has, bailed out more private industry than any president in history, and left office the most unpopular president in human history. No more pretending, just own it.

Did He Really Say That, South Carolina Edition

Did South Carolina's Lt. Gov. really compare people on government assistance to stray animals?

"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed. You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that. And so what you've got to do is you've got to curtail that type of behavior. They don't know any better," Bauer said.

I think that's all fine and dandy. Think what you will about people living off the government. It's rare anymore that we see elected officials being so candid about how they really feel. It's also rare that we see elected officials being so candid while not hiding behind party gatherings. This was said in public with plenty of reporters and non-Republicans present. I guess he thought he was at another Tea Bagger protest but he wasn't.

Taking this for what it is, let's consider for a split second that the Governor of South Carolina has been for years using tax payer money to cheat on his wife and have unbridled, passionate sex (at least that's what he tells us it was) with a woman in Argentina amongst others. It's like Bauer says, if you provide the means then you facilitate the problem. All things being equal, there is no difference between someone using tax payer money to fly around the world to bone women or someone who uses it to buy lunch. Yet I've always been told there is no such thing as a free lunch even if she's hot.

*Update:

Usually an apology is at its most sincere when you don't do the same thing again. Andre Bauer's "not highly educated" grandmother obviously didn't teach him that. It's obvious because Bauer tried to apologize for comparing poor people to animals and then, in the same breath, did it again.

'"There's no way that I was trying to tie animals to people, but what I was trying to talk about is the dependency culture, and just like when you feed an animal, you create a dependency,'" he said."

That's the same thing you idiot. You just said you didn't mean to compare people to animals and then compared them to animals a second time.

So Bauer tried it again with CNN and still could not quit comparing people to animals.

"If you have a cat, if you take it in your house and feed it and love it, what happens when you go out of town?" he asked, adding that he is "not against animals."

This dude lacks a chromosome.

How Fox Rules the World

Since Democrats only have a 78 seat majority in the House and an 18 seat majority in the Senate for a combined 96 seat cushion in Congress, the largest in modern history, Fox News warns that President Obama must be conciliatory and agree to compromise with the minority party or face alienating the "center." Incredible, it really is.

I love it, absolutely love it. Republicans pick up their first seat in 6 years with a special election and still have the smallest Congressional minority in recent memory; nonetheless, it means they now control the agenda in Washington. In what world can that be true?? Sadly, the one we live in.

This Fox News story will be picked up all over America. It will flood the net via Druge and talk radio via the Fox News Republican line up. It will take hold within the media elite that a 96-seat majority is actually powerless because Republicans believe they are Freedom Fighters from middle America. No one will ever question it. Not even the Democrats who have larger majorities than George Bush ever dreamed of and it wasn't until his second term did he get told no. Everyone will eventually believe Republicans have been revived and are now in charge because they picked up one special election.

People, like me, who question not only the math behind what constitutes majority rule, but the evident attempt by a media network to promote a political party, will be laughed off, portrayed as not serious and, as always, "anti-American." When can we start this over?

Reaction From the Week's Events

It seems my utter disappointment with President Obama and the Democratic handling of HCR, has left some personal friends and other readers of the site with some mixed feelings.

From a congressional staffer out of Indiana:

Chris, understand your pain. I moved my family out here to take this job knowing full well nothing is ever in stone in DC. 6 months ago my guy looked safe. Now we have a battle on our hands with reelection all because of health care. Nobody here likes what's going on, not even members. What you aren't understanding is bashing your party is going to result in some of your friends without jobs. We did what we could do with what we had to work with. The reality is no one wants a major overhaul. Its great for campaigns but when it's time to do it it's not sexy. The best thing you can do is keep your faith and understand we are still working hard and don't believe everything you read.

From a senate staffer out of New York:

Just relax it's not the end of the world. Adding fuel to stir up the base will not get this done any faster. Maybe you are right and this was never going to happen in the first place. Then why are you so upset? The lack of direction from the WH and the constant extreme behavior from the GOP is ground zero of this debate. It's not the end of the world, there are other matters to tackle.

This from a former senate staffer now turned family man:

I feel your pain bro. Changing the world isn't easy. We all went to dc to do just that. Good things have happened and more will in the future. Focusing squarely on hcr at this time when so much other is going on will only cost dems in Nov. Let's live to fight another day.

Fox News Dynasty Gets Key Support From Terrorists

The second largest shareholder of News Corp, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud of Saudi Arabia (the largest terrorist supporting state in the world) endorsed Rupert Murdoch's son to carry on the Republican media organization's dynasty.

Couldn't imagine the story Fox News would be running if CNN or MSNBC just got a ringing endorsement from a terrorist. But since it's Fox and it's Republican, it will go totally unnoticed by the very Patriotic network.

If It's Republican, It's a Revolution

Within minutes of Brown's senate victory in MA., Über Patriot Sean Hannity declared it a Revolution!

Just like I said yesterday, it does not matter if the GOP wins or loses cause everything they do is victory.

Republicans pick up one senate seat of which the Dems still control by 18 seats and it's a Revolution! Interesting to note when the Democrats took back Congress in 2006, and then increased their majorities in 2008 to levels not seen in a generation and reclaimed the White House, Fox News portrayed it as an enemy occupation of the country. It's only when Republicans win does Fox News portray it as anything to do with freedom and America.

As always, Fox News talking heads know nothing about actual revolutions where real people fight, bleed and die. It's all about the big Freedom Fighting talk. Hannity has never fought for anything his entire life. He's paid millions of dollars by Fox News to glorify the feign existence of a political party.

Minority Rules

Having overwhelming majorities for an entire year has only resulted in delay after delay on anything from presidential appointees to legislation. The only conclusion I can draw from it is Democrats did not want to pass reform. A long-time senate staffer seems to confirm this very point expanding upon a comment I made yesterday:

The worst is that I can't help but feel like the main emotion people in the caucus are feeling is relief at this turn of events. Now they have a ready excuse for not getting anything done. While I always thought we had the better ideas but the weaker messaging, it feels like somewhere along the line Members internalized a belief that we actually have weaker ideas. They're afraid to actually implement them and face the judgement of the voters. That's the scariest dynamic and what makes me think this will all come crashing down around us in November.

I don't think they ever wanted to do it in the first place. Sixty votes were never required to pass HCR and not one single Republican ever had to be included. Suggesting either of those routes can only mean wanting to purposely delay the outcome if not kill it altogether.

So I called a friend working in Sen. Durbin's office to get his take. Why did Dems insist on 60 votes and why has it taken 10 months to get to this point? His answer was "that's what the White House wanted." To paraphrase him he said the White House wanted reform to be as bipartisan as possible, to ruffle as little feathers as possible when it came to including the opposition. And to keep Members happy because they needed support on future legislation like an energy bill and/or a jobs bill.

I told him by doing it that way, the Democrats made the largest majority in Congress since WWII an official minority party. He didn't deny it.

Health care reform was never a possibility with this Congress. They are too afraid they might be responsible for doing their job. I've never seen anything like it. It's a dereliction of duty and a profound case of incompetence. Inexplicable and totally without reason.

Always Victory

It would not matter-- not in the least-- if the GOP would have won last night or not. When they lose they win. And when they win it's a Revolution! ordained by spiritual intervention.

Kind of reminds me of 2006 when the Dems won both the House and Senate. Republicans then tried to argue it was a 'victory for conservatism.' I remember my little chat with a few fellow bloggers back then who went on and on about how the Democratic Blue Wave was proof of a conservative victory for America. In 2008, when the Dems picked up even more seats in the House and Senate and won the White House, Republicans again tried to credit "conservatism" for the win even going so far as to claim Obama's victory was because he ran as a conservative, even absurdly calling Obama a Reaganite!

In April of 2009 when Specter defected to the Dems, Republicans went on the airwaves praising it as evidence of a GOP comeback!

Even as recently as November 2009 when the Repubs lost NY-23, they tried to claim it was yet another victory for their movement.

Everything they do is a victory for conservatism. As delusional as they are, I suppose if you keep repeating it long enough you eventually get to pick up a seat, something they haven't done since 2002. The only thing that allows the Republican absurdity of "always victory" to continue is that I think Democrats believe it more than Republicans.

Headline of the Day!

Scott Brown Wins Mass. Race, Giving GOP 41-59 Majority in the Senate
Excellent. That pretty much sums up the entire year for the Obama administration. Throughout the year, Obama and the Democrats have had anywhere from a 15 to 19 seat majority in the senate. That's double anything George Bush ever had. With this super-majority the Democrats were able to hold off passing health care reform for 10 months. It almost makes you wonder if the Dems ever wanted to pass reform in the first place.

What goes unmentioned in the headline is that no president has ever had to govern with a 60-vote threshold. The rule that forces 60 votes to advance legislation was made up in 2007 when the "Permanent Majority" Republicans lost control of Congress. And for some stupid reason, Democrats have continually agreed to abide by the rule. There's no reason why losing one senate seat when you still have an 18 seat margin should do anything to hamper the ruling party's agenda. Only in the Democratic Fantasy World does an 18-seat majority in the Senate and a 78-seat majority in the House and control of the White House equal complete impotence.

Deep Thought

Al Franken is a U.S. senator and Ted Kennedy's seat belongs to a Republican. Any questions?

Seriously?

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs today acknowledged that President Obama "was both surprised and frustrated" with how hotly contested the Bay State special election has become.

Are you kidding me?? I'm surprised and frustrated that he's surprised and frustrated. Look, this is simple. There was absolutely no reason for liberal Dems in MA to rush to the polls today to secure the further advancement of an agenda that has totally neglected them. If the president is "surprised and frustrated" then he's a lot less politically inclined than I've been giving him credit for.

I've always said the Democratic liberal wing could screw up a wet dream but this is one time I don't blame them for being narrow minded. Health care reform was the last straw for liberals. Yes the senate bill accomplishes a lot but it falls short from being something wingers can tolerate. The three issues that matter most to liberal Democrats: Gitmo, DADT and health care, have all succumb to Republican fear mongers who shout boo and send the president and his party running scared.

Probably the most shocking of it all, is that Democrats will still have an 18 seat majority!!!! If you can't pass a bill that pleases your base with an 18 seat majority then you don't need to be in power. This is elementary politics and one the Democrats have been schooled on tonight. Good luck with the rest of this year. I hope the largest majorities any president has had in a generation looks good on paper because that's all it's good for.

Stewart Plows Dems for MA

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mass Backwards
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

"Republicans are playing chess and the Democrats are in the nurse's office because, once again, they glued their balls to their thighs."

Inexcusable. It really is.

This One Could Sting

Heading into tomorrow's special election in MA to fill Ted Kennedy's seat, it's looking like a not so good day for Democrats.

It doesn't matter if the Dems keep this seat by one vote or lose it by thousands. The damage is done for this election. The most liberal seat in America is arguably favoring a Republican at the moment and that in itself is incredible. And I can't say that I blame MA Dems either if they sit this one out. There's a lot taking place and we all know HCR is the giant elephant in the room.

Rasmussen has Coakley by 2 points. We shall see.

Karen Hughes: Socialism Rescued the Economy

This is one of those things Republicans just aren't going to have both ways.

Yesterday on Meet the Press, Bushie Karen Hughes claimed-- with a straight face-- George Bush rescued the economy with TARP.

And I, I have to disagree with you, Mark, about rescuing the economy, I think that happened before President Bush left office when they took the action that they did on TARP, and the banks have now repaid much of that money, but that's what stabilized the economy and prevented the collapse of the financial system.

If that's the case then George Bush rescued the economy with a huge socialist policy. In other words, according to the Bushies, the largest socialist policy ever enacted in American history saved us. And these are the people who get to parade around the country as small government, fiscal conservatives and call people socialists when they don't agree with them. You can't have this one both ways.

Moreover, even after Bush's socialist takeover of private industry, the economy was still in free fall. It wasn't until after Obama's stimulus package did the economy stop sliding and begin to grow again. In addition, Hughes' comment about bank money being repaid fails to mention that it was President Obama that forced the banks hands at repaying tax payer money. In order to pay their executives huge bonuses Obama forced the largest repayment with Bank of America. The money is being repaid because of the president and not because of TARP.

And finally, TARP is but one part of a huge socialist agenda put in place by the GOP. Months before TARP became a reality, Bush had already socialized Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG and Citigroup to name a few. No president in history has ever assumed so much control over the free market or redistributed more wealth. These are simple facts. So if you are going to claim their success, then you don't get to tiptoe around the true nature of what happened and what it all really amounts to.

When Repubs Attack

And he just might take Ted Kennedy's seat? Wow!

What if what Brown says is true. Who really cares? Does it matter if Obama's parents were married, had a one night stand or used artificial insemination? The last thing Republicans are qualified to do is question other people's family values. They are awash in sin. Besides, It's not as if any of us can help what our parents did before or while we were born. What Brown is saying is of course a complete lie. It's just the other half of the birther faction found nestling in the Republican Party. Whatever they can do to avoid reality and portray themselves as morally perfect; there's no lie they wont' tell.

Quickies

• Terrible mailer by the MA Democratic Party. I understand the importance of the MA seat. It's a must win one for the Dems and would be terrible to lose a seat that's been held since 1960. I also understand the frustration from Dems when they see Republicans running around the country yelling "death panels" and "socialist takeovers" and it's treated like a serious alternative and condemned very little by the MSM. Stooping to their level isn't worth it, trust me. Poor choice for a mailer.
  
• WaPo is reporting HCR breakthrough that might bring a vote next week.
• Fox News lies about President Obama's bank tax by multiplying it by 100.
• Of all the major networks, Fox covers the crisis in Haiti the least.
• Remember when Republican Tea Bagger Glenn Beck said he hated 9/11 & Katrina victims and called their families scumbags?
  

Beck: Acting Rapidly to Crisis is Dividing Nation

GLENN BECK: I also believe this is dividing the nation…to where the nation sees him react so rapidly on Haiti and yet he couldn’t react rapidly on Afghanistan.

Yes because in the Republican Fantasy World presidents react slowly to a crisis. That's what all great presidents do. That's what George Bush did and Beck never once criticized his slow reaction to Katrina.

Moreover, Obama reacted quicker to the failed Detroit bomber than Bush did to the failed shoe bomber, two very similar instances. And what does he even mean by reacting slowly to Afghanistan? That's Bush's mess plain and simple. Doing nothing for 8 years is about as slow as anyone can react to a situation. Yet ignoring a catastrophic event and doing next to nothing for 8 years is exactly what people like Glenn Beck cheer on. And then have the gall to criticize somebody for not cleaning up your mess quick enough is miserably stupid if not slightly retarded.

No one with half a brain would ever listen to this guy.

Hold the Presses...

...Sarah Palin just queeved!!!

Sad Day for College Basketball

USI player dies from on-court fall. Southern Indiana's head coach is former Southern Illinois (my alma mater) assistant coach Rodney Watson. This is his first year as head coach of USI. The Fold extents its condolences.

The Disconnect That Purposely Goes Unnoticed

It will be interesting to see if anyone actually notices the "conservative" Washington Times released an EXCLUSIVE today chronicling President Obama's success at shrinking government and spending cuts.

The administration says Congress accepted at least $6.9 billion of the $11.3 billion in discretionary spending cuts Mr. Obama proposed for the current fiscal year. An analysis by The Washington Times found that Mr. Obama was victorious in getting Congress to slash 24 programs and achieved some level of success in reducing nine other programs.

In all Obama was able to cut about $7 billion of discretionary spending or roughly 60% of his targeted cuts. This is really nothing to brag about in terms of the size of the overall budget. But it's way more than Republicans have ever done. Tripled with Obama's tax cuts, his determination to get TARP money repaid, and his pay as you go management, there is no doubt the country is fiscally better managed than it was under Bush. So why do Republicans and people who supported Bush still get the small government/"conservative" label??

Or maybe Steve Benen is says it better:

"For all the complaining from the Tea Party crowd, there's an odd disconnect. These folks applauded a Republican president who increased the deficit and increased the size of government, but they literally take to the streets to denounce a Democratic president who has cut taxes, cut spending, and makes sure his proposals are paid for. Why throw a fit over the more fiscally responsible president?"

They truly are disconnected and it's something the MSM will never pick up on. More importantly, though, the crazy tea baggers will never know any of this is going on because Fox News and Rush Limbaugh will never tell them.

Great Moment of Republican Reasoning

Bail out the banks with tax payer money and you are punishing Main Street. Demand the banks return the money and you are taxing the American people. Make sense?

It should be noted, it was George Bush that instituted TARP, not Barack Obama. It was a Republican president that ordered hundreds of billions of tax payer dollars to be used to socialize the American lending industry. When a Democratic president demands a return of the losses they are, according to Great Republican Thinking, doing it to strengthen their "liberal agenda." Doling out tax dollars to private industry and you are the greatest president ever. Forcing the recipients to pay it back and you are a socialisttyrantliberal. Wheeee!

More Dementia

Republican Paul Broun of Georgia keeps the crazy alive and well in the GOP.

This health care plan can tell us what kind of car to drive, whether we can own guns or not to protect ourselves in our home, whether we can teach our children the way that we as parents believe our children ought to be taught. This is the largest takeover of liberty and freedom this country has ever seen.

There's really no need to go through the list again of the last 8 years of Republican rule. Suffice it to say small government or an increase in personal liberties are no where to be found.

It's really something the way Republicans have hijacked the health care reform debate in this country. Anyone who has been alive these last 8 years would think the last thing Republicans would want to complain about is Big Government, personal liberties or socialism. There has been no political party in American history to do more to increase the size of government, take away more personal liberties or socialize this country than the GOP. Not to underestimate their crazy is probably the thing I've learned the most from all this, however.

No Room for Denial

As we all know, Tea Baggers are pure Patriotic Freedom Fighters. Their struggle is real, their intentions are genuine, and their nut sacks are loaded. They are mainstream America gone mad that we were duped into electing an islamofascistterroristliberalcommie as president. Proud we all should be. So why in the world would Massachusetts' Republican U.S. senate candidate say he is "unfamiliar" with the Tea Bagger movement when he clearly attended several of their circle jerks and cheered them on with both hands on his cock? How could you deny your patriotic duty to this country like that?

*Update:

Prompting a push back from the Brown campaign, the actual audio of the exchange where Brown was said to deny knowledge of the Tea Baggers shows just the opposite. Reading the transcript, it doesn't appear to me that Brown says he's unfamiliar with the extremist group, just that he doesn't believe in labeling the group in such a way. Read it for yourself and see.

Tea Baggers Get Hosed

If there is anything that can be said about Republican Tea Baggers, it's that they are morally sound, fiscally conservative and organizing merely to Freedom Fight their way back to national dominance. There's really no denying any of that. When you consider the last 40 years of a Republican record that is full of nothing but shrinking government, slashing spending and bottoming-out deficits, it makes this new revelation that the Tea Bagger convention organizer set the group up as a for-profit corporation with a pay-pal account wired to his wife's personal bank account so terribly upsetting.

This can only mean one thing. Another Republican conspiracy to pretend none of it is their fault.

Palin Admits to Asking About Iraq-9/11 Links

Sarah Palin admits that in 2008 she questioned whether or not Saddam had something to do with 9/11.

PALIN: I did talk a lot to Steve Schmidt about the history of the war, could there have been any connection to Saddam? So I admit I asked questions about it.

O’REILLY: But you weren’t blaming 9/11 on Saddam Hussein?

PALIN: No.

In 2002-03 I'll admit to being a chickenhawk war supporter. I couldn't fathom why invading a country would be a catastrophic mistake, especially one that could supply terrorists with WMD. I'm assuming millions supported it along with me, more for the WMD threat than anything else. But by the end of 2003 and definitely by summer 2004, there was ample evidence to prove Iraq did not have WMD and had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11. More importantly, the U.S. government knew this before they ever invaded, including the fact the 9/11 connection was always weak and left as a backup reason for invasion by the government more than anything else.

The only people left in 2008 still questioning Saddam's connections to 9/11 were Fox News viewers and wing nut conspiracy theorists. Even by that time, George Bush was admitting Iraq had nothing to do with it, though his VP was still lurking around the country throwing curve balls out there about the villainous connections of Saddam and al Qaeda.

So no doubt by 2008, five years after the invasion, the whole world knew Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11 and no WMD existed. Yet the Republican Vice Presidential candidate-- the person proposed to be 2nd in charge of our country-- was still questioning Saddam's role. Not only is that on the far side of crazy, it's unbelievable to think she was that close to the White House, that Republicans actually thought she was mentally prepared for the job, that thousands today still think she is great and that she has now been given a loudspeaker by Fox News to deliver her voice to millions more. Is there any other place where lunatic nut jobs get rewarded more than Fox News and the GOP?

More Sketchy Stimulus Job Numbers

WH claims stimulus spending has already created or saved 2 million jobs. If anyone actually believes this call me cause I've got some property to sell you.

Game Changing Quotes

Crazy things happen when people write books: they get taken out of context. Unbelievable I know. The Bill Clinton debacle in the "Game Change" book is a perfect example. Here's the citation in question:

The day after Iowa, he phoned Kennedy and pressed for an endorsement, making the case for his wife. But Bill then went on, belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said, A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.

If you read it real carefully the supposed Clinton quote isn't in quotes. That means it's not an actual statement from him. If you read it even closer it's a third or fourth person account of something Clinton said on the phone. It's hearsay at best.

Let's suppose, though, for a moment that Clinton actually said it. I don't think he was meaning Obama would be getting them coffee because he was black. It's a reference to Obama's experience. He would be getting them coffee because compared to the Kennedy's and the Clinton's, Obama has entry level political experience. Bill Clinton is not a racist and even if he said the inferred sentence, it's more of a experience slur than a racial one. The only way you can make it a racial statement is on purpose. But the larger point is it's a not a quote the authors of the book directly attribute to Clinton.

Fox News: Where Republicans Go When They Lose Elections

Add another Republican to the Fox News lineup. Sarah "The Quitter" Palin signs on. I have no idea why people who watch Fox News get upset when the network is called out for their dedication to the GOP.

*Update:

This has been a tremendous day for Sarah Palin. It's also been a great day for Republicans as we learned their quasi tea bagging former VP candidate and half-term governor of Alaska has accepted a job in their media relations department. Really it's a been a great day for the country as whole.

But nothing can be better news for Republicans than some of the quotes coming out of the "Game Change" book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann about the 2008 presidential election. I think we've all heard, seen or read the quotes contained in the book from Harry Reid. The firestorm from that is still simmering. The wonderful items about Palin are still gaining traction and are sure to strengthen their base:

• McCain's staff found her on an internet search engine
• She did not know why there are two Korea's
• She did not know what the Federal Reserve did
• She believed Saddam had something to do with 9/11
• She had to be explained in detail about WWI, WWII and the Cold War
• The McCain campaign thought she was "mentally unstable"

These are just a few of the wonderful things Republicans will be cheering as they pretend none of it ever happened.

In my own personal opinion, I believe Palin has set the GOP back 40 years. Thus allowing the Republican Party to be controlled by secessionists, racists, religious quacks, conspiracy theorists and other nutjobs. But this is great news for Republicans, it always is.

Repubs Still Pushing for Revisionist Post-9/11 History

Yet again another Republican refuses to acknowledge reality when it comes to American history and the George Bush era. This time it's Republican Haley Barbour who pretty much summed up Giuliani's lies from earlier in the week.

"One of the things the American people appreciate about the Bush administration, after Sept.11, not one time did the terrorists who tried to kill us and end our way of life, not one time were they able to attack the mainland United States again."

That's just a flat out lie. Time and time again it's been proven to be a lie. And the media let it all go unchecked and with ease. It doesn't matter that Barbour was on Fox News when he said it. It wouldn't matter if he was on CNN or MSNBC or muff diving Barbara Walters, the media allow Republicans to do and say whatever they want. They can rewrite history and pretend things never happened, and then in the same breath criticize anyone who questions them. They have free reign to eclipse anything that doesn't fit into their Fantasy World. A world we are all forced to live in thanks to our wonderful media elite.

Insert Foot

What an idiot. If a Republican had said what Reid did the media would be all over it. It's way past time Reid steps down.

Layoff This One

I really think it's stupid when liberals, progressives and people at Think Progress constantly make a big deal about every politician that references God. TP does this way more so to Republicans than Democrats but all it does is alienate those of us who actually believe in God and do believe God has a purpose and a plan.

We all know Michael Steele is a couple sticks short of a bundle but his faith is his faith. If he invokes God for his accomplishments in life then that's between him and his God. Leave it at that. Not every Republican is a theocon and not every person of faith is naive or small minded. I'm sure President Obama would acknowledge God's role in his life and for the accomplishments so few people in this world have ever embarked.

Giuliani Re-Remembers 9/11

Leave it to Rudy Giuliani to screw up our time line below of when the president finally assumes the office of the president. After facing robust criticism from people living on planet earth, the mayor of the only American city to ever suffer mass causalities from an unprecedented terrorist attack, was forced to admit on CNN this afternoon that he now remembers 9/11 and that it did happen on Bush's watch. Quite a confession for the GOP considering they have tried their hardest to deny any responsibility or the actual happenings thereof.

If only it was that simple, however.

In trying to reword his statements from this morning on GMA, Giuliani refused to acknowledge attacks that happened after 9/11. Actually, he tried to say that the anthrax attacks don't count as terrorism because they can't be traced back to Islam. Interesting enough to point out that Saddam Hussein cannot be traced to any acts of Muslim extremism either but that's a different interview altogether I suppose. But what about the 2002 DC sniper? He was a Muslim? What about the 2001 shoe bomber? He was a Muslim. What about the LAX shooting where a Jewish airline was targeted and two people were killed. He was a Muslim and has been classified as an official act of terrorism. Even in 2006 a Muslim killed nine people in North Carolina specifically to "avenge the murder" of Muslims around the world. If a Muslim acting in an extreme manner to avenge the deaths of other Muslims isn't an act of Islamic extremism then I don't know what is.

Why do we have to pretend those attacks didn't happen? Maybe because it would totally undermine Republican talking points about President Obama's record on keeping the country safe.

When the President Becomes the President

It's still a little sketchy, but I am glad we now know that true time period that it takes for the president to take full responsibility for his administration and the country as a whole.

As we have seen from the latest Republican rhetoric if something happens, say a successful terrorist attack that kills thousands, 8 months into your term it's the other guy's fault. But if an unsuccessful attempt happens 11 months into your term it's totally your fault.

So somewhere between 8-11 months into his job the president becomes in charge. Like I said, it's still a little sketchy as to when the transfer of power actually occurs but we do know that sometime within a three month window the president goes from clueless to supreme being. I'm being told by some close Republican friends that somewhere around Nov. 10th the president wakes up from a nap and realizes he's the most powerful person in the world. Plus or minus a few days that is.

This is good to know so that we better understand the workings of our precious government.

Giuliani: 9/11 Was Imaginary

I watched Rudy Giuliani this morning with George Stephanopoulos lie through his teeth. That part doesn't surprise me in the least. It's that the media continues to enable the Republican Fantasy World that irks me.

Giuliani actually claimed there were no domestic terror attacks during Bush's two terms. He's a complete idiot. But such lies are standard Republican reasoning. Last month, former Bush spokeswoman Dana Perino claimed no terrorist attacks ever happened on Bush's watch. She must be smoking crack because on Bush's watch thousands of innocent people were blown up by terrorists right here on our soil.

When Republicans do admit that the worst terrorist attack in world history did actually occur, they claim it was inherited. So in their world, the attacks never happened, but if they did, it was because of Bill Clinton.

It has been a staple of the lunatic Republican Party to want to deny history. The last 8 years never really happened. Or at least it didn't happen the way reality recalls. The GOP did not run up a $1.3 trillion deficit, they did not leave Obama with two on-going endless wars, they did not cause the financial crisis and they did not increase the size of government more than any administration in history. All of that is just basic Republican history. And thanks to the spineless media, we are all forced to live in it.

*Update:

Forgetting 9/11 is crazy in its own right. Expecting the entire world to believe your delusion is another thing totally. Yet it seems the media is perfectly fine with allowing Republicans to pretend that 9/11 never happened, or that if it did happen, that they exhibit no responsibility for it whatsoever.

**Update:

Media whipping boy, Georgie Stephanopoulos, admits on his blog he made a mistake by not pressing the only mayor of a large metropolitan area to have 3,000 of its people blown up by terrorists when he made the comment that "we had no domestic attacks under Bush."

It seems even with his "my fault" admission, Georgie still can't do his job.

Later in the day, Giuliani issued a clarifying statement that he misspoke and meant to say that we didn't have any domestic terrorism on Bush's watch but now have since Obama took office. Again, Giuliani is lying. We indeed had plenty of domestic terrorist attacks after 9/11 and completely under Bush's watch. In fact, some were even committed by MUSLIMS!! And once again, George did not press him on it.

Blog Update

Sorry everyone, took a hiatus for a couple days. Should get things flowing today.

Deep Thought

Dang it's cold!

At Least They're Consistent

It's been a while since I poked around at the America-hating blog known as Right From Left. Readers will recall a few months ago self-described patriots Jaz and Kent teamed up to tag team some Revolutionary! freedom fighting. I would have to call their efforts a huge success at continually failing to live up to their very own rhetoric when it comes to "patriotism" and what they both deem to be "supporting the president."

To briefly refresh, Kent proudly wrote while Bush was president that any dissent should be done in private and that if it was done in public, it only aided our enemies and was "anti-American." To be fair, Jaz didn't say any of it. He merely cheered Kent on coming to his rescue when an "anti-American" (aka someone who didn't vote for George Bush) left a comment on the post. When the Glorious Reign of Bush ended, I brought it to Kent's attention that he was doing a lousy job of living up to the standard he had set for everyone else. And again Jaz came to his rescue. Such defense can only leave me to assume Jaz supports RFL's stance, a blog he now writes for, on criticizing the president. Or in the least, wishes Kent had never wrote it. It's an assumption I know, but one I have.

Well, looking through what can only be labeled as a pitiful excuse for anything remotely to do with America or patriotism, I see Kent and RFL has declared President Obama to be "an enemy of the United States." Multiple times actually. In a way it's good to see Republicans are only getting crazier and that they really no longer matter. But it's also sad to see two intelligent people so caught up in a web of political polarization that they just can't spin themselves out of it.

Limbaugh Gives HCR Big Endorsement

After having spent some time in a hospital in Hawaii for what was probably a drug overdose induced arrhythmia or perhaps for popping too many Viagra pills while on another sex romp, the Leader of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh, commented on his America-hating radio show that the U.S. health care system was "just dandy." Further stating the "treatment I have received here was the best the world has to offer."

Strong words and I do have to say I almost agree with him. Our health care system is the best in the world. It's our access to health care that is so terrible. Drug boy would have no clue about access to health care since he is a multi-millionaire. In fact his comments highlight exactly the disparity that exists in this country between the upper-class and everyone else. Fat Boy isn't quite smart enough to figure all this out, however. He thinks his comments push along more Republican talking points to help squash reform. Uuuummm no, his comments actually demonstrate the need for reform and fully endorse socialized medicine.

As Bob Brill makes note:

What Limbaugh, a powerful and outspoken opponent of the Obama Health Care Plan, failed to mention is the medical system in Hawaii is as close to socialized medicine as there is in the United States, and, much of the Democrats reform bill is based in the Hawaii system.

Moreover, the Democratic bill just passed by the Senate is modeled after the health care system in Hawaii that was implemented in 1975!! And what did Limbaugh have to say about socialized health care, endorsed by Hillary Clinton, and passed by a Democratic senate? Look for yourself:

"The treatment I received here was the best that the world has to offer," Limbaugh said. "Based on what happened here to me, I don't think there's one thing wrong with the American health care system. It is working just fine, just dandy."

Limbaugh must have still been high when he made that comment because it is a total contradiction to everything he spouts while doing his tough guy, super macho, conservative American impersonation on the radio.

No Memories and Giant Balls

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Terror 2.0 by Yemen
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Which is why I've got their nut sacks on my sidebar. Take a look, those are some giant balls.

When Good Cops Go Bad

I'm not sure if Raymond Martin was ever a good cop or not. I've met him a few times and for a number of years I've heard abuse of power/corruption stories about his job as Sheriff of Gallatin County located in deep southeastern Illinois along the Kentucky border. Since I'm not in the drug trafficking business I have no idea what's happening. Coming from a family of police officers, I can tell you the dude is in some deep trouble and rumors about his activity have been around for years.

Since this story is getting national attention and it's right in my backyard, I thought I would at least mention that small town/rural sheriffs can become very powerful people. But why it's a front page story for TPM is beyond me. Is it because Martin is a Democrat? Or is it because Martin and his now murder-for-hire scheme is part of a larger national epidemic among police power?

GOP House Candidate: Democrats are Bigger Threat to this Country Than Terrorists

It pretty much can be summed up by saying Republicans, no matter if they are elected officials or just party supporters-- because the line separating the two is completely blurred-- view Democrats as enemies. The opposite of all this, of course, is that Republicans are true American Patriots. Only they can ensure the future survival of this country. This line of crazy Republican reasoning can be found throughout as is excruciatingly evidenced by their Tea Bagger faction. That's why it gets especially exciting for us at The Fold when we get to point out again just how insane they really are.

Allen Quist, a Republican candidate in Minnesota for the U.S. House, proudly proclaims terrorists got nothing on Democrats.

"It's because I, like you, have seen that our country is being destroyed. I mean, this is -- every generation has had to fight the fight for freedom. This is our fight. And this is our time. This is it. Terrorism, yes -- but that's not the big battle. The big battle is in D.C., with the radicals. They aren't liberals, they're radicals. Obama, Pelosi, Walz -- they're not liberals, they're radicals. They are destroying our country. And people all over are figuring that out."

Quist is such a Super Patriot that despite being of prime fighting age during Vietnam he conveniently never served. So when he says "every generation has had to fight the fight for freedom," he has no clue what that means. He's never fought for anything. Certainly not for anything that includes actual fighting and dying or the defense of freedom. Yet like Dick Cheney, and the rest of the chickenhawk Republican war cheerleaders, Quist sees himself and everyone who agrees with him as being on the front lines of the battle for freedom.

Such lethargic behavior is a sickness that plagues the Republican Party. The sickness is perpetuated by parasites like Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, who daily remind their listeners that Democrats are enemies that must be destroyed. It's impossible to argue anything against them because they live in an alternate universe that is cushioned by an entire media apparatus that feeds them Freedom Fighting news every day.

*Update:

They just can't help themselves.

Everything they do is a Freedom Fighting Revolution! I mean absolutely everything.

A Republican candidate for governor in Idaho [Rex Rammell] who joked about hunting President Obama over the summer is calling for God to save the U.S. Constitution.

To think that we can save the Constitution without God's help when the government of the United States is corrupt is absurdity," he said. "We are in America's second Revolutionary War to save our freedom, which we paid for with blood. We need God's help and I'm not ashamed to ask for it.

Who's blood Rammell? You haven't fought for anything. Just like with Dick Cheney, or Quist mentioned above, Rammell has never seen an ounce of combat his entire life. He prefers that others do the fighting for him so that he can travel around the country bragging about spilling blood for the sake of freedom while he calls the President of the United States an enemy and jokes about killing him. They are deranged to their core. And this is our supposed minority opposition party in America? God help us all!

There is no return to basic sanity. It's either you are a Republican that loves God and fights for your country or you are an enemy that must be destroyed. Nothing has changed since 2001. Political identification is a struggle between freedom and tyranny, just don't bring up anything from the last 8 years and it all makes perfect sense.

Deep Thought

It's all fun and games until one of them gets squirted in the eye.

When Republicans Rule

There's something that must be said about the economic conditions of this country when Republicans are in charge. It goes a little bit more than charts and graphs, but it doesn't hurt to take a peak at one.

Now let's say it again in case pictures don't do it for you. The last decade saw zero net job creation. That's a telling statistic considering Republicans ruled for 80% of the last decade, 60% of which Republicans were in total control.

Neil Irwin from WaPo puts it this way:

The past decade was the worst for the U.S. economy in modern times, a sharp reversal from a long period of prosperity that is leading economists and policymakers to fundamentally rethink the underpinnings of the nation's growth.

I'm not sure how anyone can't take that as some form of repudiation of Republican economic policies, especially so when Republicans are in total control. When Republicans rule, as they just did, the nation suffers big time. Actually, worse than it ever has in three-quarters of a century.

With all things considered, this will not come as a shock to Republicans. Not at all. Precisely because none of it ever happened. In their world, Fox News tells them that George Bush created 10 million jobs. Literally, Fox News absolutely tells their viewers such things. Republicans will never hear nor read that they never once shrunk government, never even came close to lowering the deficit, never acted fiscally responsible and never led with morals and values. Instead they will get to pretend that these last 8 years were glorious times and that only when Republicans are in power do we experience true fiscal sanity. It's a total different planet, I'm telling ya.

Fox News Again Brings Up Obama Madrassa Lie

It wouldn't be Fox News if it wasn't full of lies. Once again, Fox News allows the madrassa lie to be spouted on its network. There's no excuse for any of this stuff. It's purely shameful and anti-American.

Dow Finishes Year With Almost 19% Gain

Very nice gains for the Dow and not a shabby way to begin an economic recovery.