A grateful nation

Thank you.

Desperate for Failure

Reminiscent of '93-'94, Republicans are exclaiming once again for the impeachment of the President of the United States. Normal people would have learned after their disastrous attempts to remove the last Democratic president from office. But we aren't dealing with normal, rational, sane people here. We are dealing with Republicans. These are the same people who gave us 8 years of George Bush. Who took the largest surplus in history and turned it into the largest deficit known to mankind. These are the same people who still to this day think Iraq had something to do with 9/11. Basic Sanity is not one of their traits.

For more on The Fold Blog's guide of the Republican Movement to impeach Obama see here.

War, More War, Thank God for Glorious War!

From WSJ:

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate Thursday approved a key procedural hurdle on a roughly $60 billion bill to pay for the war in Afghanistan through the remaining four months of fiscal 2010, setting up a possible final vote later in the day.

The measure also contains money for Haiti and FEMA.  The House bill is $84 billion for the next four months.  The bulk of both bills, however, is money to pay for Obama's surging war in Afghanistan.

I read somewhere that the state is only good at two things.  Taxing and war.  In other words, spending other people's money and murdering.  We've done a tremendously good job with those two things these last 9 years.

Senate Committee Votes to End DADT

An amendment bringing to an end the 1993 Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy passed the Senate Armed Services Committee, 16-12.  One step closer to equality.  Many more to go.

*Update:

House passes amendment, 234-194.

Don't Doubt This At All

CNN is reporting that government scientists have labeled the BP oil spill the worst in U.S. history and possibly the world. Estimating more than twice the oil has been leaked than the Exxon Valdez spill.

Such a tragedy. No excuse for any of it.  I really hope the president rethinks his stance on drilling expansion.  And I hope the president holds BP accountable.  Then I hope we can finally have a sustainable 21st century plan to alleviate ourselves from our oil addiction.

Ouch! KY Libertarian Party Says Rand Paul Is No Libertarian

Of course he isn't. And neither is his dad. They are Republicans. There is very little about either of them that can be classified as libertarian. I have just as much libertarian tendencies as Rand Paul does and I in no way consider myself one.

Fox News Invents Growing Debt Crisis, Can't Get Enough Tea Baggers

Over the past weekend more than 35,000 protesters turned out to organize against the incumbent Governor of New Jersey. That's a medium sized protest by anyone's count. Nothing to scoff at.   I suppose you could say that's a lot of tea baggers in one place protesting Democrats, right? Wrong. The protesters weren't tea baggers or even people purportedly against government spending. They were mainly school teachers and their supporters protesting cuts made by Republican Chris Christie.  The Saturday protest quickly turned into one of the largest in New Jersey's history.  Yes, substantially larger than the tea bagger protest that drew about 400 people earlier in the month.

Which protest do you think Fox News covered and helped promote?  Well the Patriotic Freedom Fighters who shaved their nuts and showed up en masse to protest the very government services they so receive.  Of course Fox News would.  Whatever supposedly helps the Republican cause is what they are for.

To demonstrate just how much Fox loves the tea baggers, they are once again today promoting them on their front page.

Frustration with the growing debt crisis???  They are a deranged people supported by a psychotic media organization.  It's worth noting the $13 trillion debt Fox and the tea baggers are now so concerned about is largely the result of Republican Ronald Reagan, Republican George H. W. Bush and Republican George W. Bush.  The three fiscally conservative Republicans account for 80% of the national debt.  The "growing debt crisis" didn't by any stretch of the imagination just now begin.  And no where throughout the history of the last 30 years was there a single tea bagger in the street or any concern from Fox News until now.

I'll try to make it slightly easier for Republicans to understand.  8 years of Reagan the debt increased by $2.7 trillion.  4 years of King George I the debt increased by 1.5 trillion.  8 years of King George II the debt increased by $6.2 trillion.  Compare that to 9.5 years of Clinton and Obama the debt increased by $2.6 trillion combined.  The combined total of two Democrats doesn't even equal Reagan, the Republican poster boy for "fiscal conservatism." 

Just like how 400 people protesting is worthy of their promotions but 35,000 doesn't get a single mention, running up $10 trillion of debt by Republicans never garnered a single second of attention by Fox News or the tea baggers.  Now that Republicans aren't in control anymore, Fox News and the tea baggers have them some concerns.  Lying about it, of course, isn't one of them.

Dems Certainly No Strangers to Wackos

I confess, I spend 99% of the time on The Fold Blog writing about Republicans. For a Party that prides itself in morals, family values, and conservatism, they just make it so easy. If a Democrat, oh I don't know-- let me go out on a limb here-- gets a blowjob in the Oval Office, it just doesn't have the same media shock that it does if a Republican does the same thing. That's precisely because Democrats do not portray themselves to the level of self-righteousness that Republicans do.  So when it happens to Democrats, it's mostly no big deal.  For Republicans, who claim to Walk With God and lead with values, morals and uprightness, it stings like a sunburn.

The most obvious thing to do to keep sex/moral scandals from intruding upon your time in office is to quit with the self-morality.  It's that easy.  Quit with the moral keystone cops and you too can enjoy the one-day story of a sex scandal versus having the whole party ripped apart by them.  Humans are humans and we all fall short.  Don't worry about everyone else's sins and go about your own business.  Republicans can't and won't do that, however.  Meaning The Fold Blog will never have a shortage of posts.

But Democrats have no shortage of nutjob conspiracy theorists either.  Take Democratic congressman Eric Massa as Exhibit A.  In an interview with Esquire magazine, the disgraced congressman claims he has insider knowledge of Dick Cheney plotting with Gen. David Petraeus to run for president in 2012, or what Massa refers to as a coup d'etat. 

Being Dumb Means Never Having to Admit You're Wrong

We've been learning a lot these last two weeks just how ignorant of history the Republican Party really is. From declaring the Civil Rights Act unconstitutional and that private businesses should be exempt, to sternly demanding the U.S. never declared war on Germany in WWII. Either example should classify as being routinely stupid. But not for the Republican Fantasy World. It only means you should double down and insist we never talk about it again. It's how they want the world to work.

Former GOP Congressman and current tea bagger challenger to John McCain in Arizona, JD Hayworth embodies this Republican attraction to stupid in nearly every way.  Last week he infamously stated we never declared war on Nazi Germany.  To his credit he did state that people should check on it to find out if he was right.  Of course he was wrong as wrong could ever be.  But his subsequent statement after he realized he was mentally retarded doesn't say a word about him being wrong.

"In a give and take session with members of an audience, Congressman Hayworth was asked about the current conflicts the U.S. is engaged in. He said that the United States did not declare war on Germany during World War II, and agreed with the gentleman asking the question that additional research might be needed. Hayworth instructed his researcher to look into it and we found that on Dec. 11, 1941, Germany declared war on the United States and President Roosevelt wrote 'I therefore request the Congress to RECOGNIZE a state of war between the United States and Germany and between the United States and Italy.'"

Congress agreed in resolving "That the state of war between the United States and the Government of Germany which has been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared."

He conveniently leaves out that words, I was wrong.  Why can't he apologize for being wrong and admit the questioner was right?  And for the McCain campaign to point out how stupid he is, Hayworth tries to claim former POW McCain is using veterans as a "political tool."  You can't fix stupid.

FITS Clears the Air and So Should We

Will Folks and his blogging partner Nancy Mace have a new post up this afternoon claiming to clear the air about why Folks came forward with his admission of having an "inappropriate physical relationship" with S.C. rep and GOP candidate for governor Nikki Haley in 2005 and the media storm that has followed. In short, they claim Folks had to because a South Carolina newspaper was going to publish the story any way; and that they were in contact with the Haley campaign the whole time.

Folks probably did the right thing and now so should The Fold Blog.  It pains me to admit this but in 2001, during a weak and very dry spell (dude you've had one too), I too had an "inappropriate physical relationship" with Will Folks. He will deny this, and I'm prepared for that.  But what I won't tolerate is any personal attack on this blog by Folks.  Don't judge me people.  Just know that God has forgiven both of us. I'll have no further comment, unless I keep writing new blog posts about it.

Dem. Pat Murphy: We Have Votes to Overturn DADT

If this happens, it will be a milestone achievement for what is already the biggest progressive era this country has witnessed maybe since the 13th Amendment.

FITSNews Walks Around With a Boner

Here at The Fold Blog we are fans of FITSNews. We even like the man behind the blog, Will Folks.  Sure he can get a little eccentric and caught off guard sometimes.  Like the time he tried to hang with me on facts rather than the dreamland he chooses to live in.  My comments on FITSNews generated Folks to do a full page post on how he is not a Republican per se, that he just votes for them.  None of that did anything to get Folks to enter reality but at least it did put him on record as being the king of talking in circles.

Now it seems Folks is once again garnering some attention in his home state of South Carolina.  As a fresher, Will Folks used to work for Governor Mark "mad humper" Sanford as a communications specialist or something like that.  Folks left the staff and started his own consulting firm and a website that we all love, FITSNews.  At least that's how I follow the whole saga, so I could be off on some of the titles and time frames.  Nevertheless, Folks has been around, in more ways than one, South Carolina politics.

Since the Mad Humper is not seeking reelection, there is an open gubernatorial race this year. One of the top names for the GOP nod is S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley. Things seemed to be going pretty well for Nikki until Will Folks decided for some obscure reason to write on his blog that he had an affair with her in 2005.  Folks wasn't married at the time but Nikki was and still is.  As you can imagine, the family values, moral crusaders in the GOP don't take to such accusations too well.

Why in the world Folks would feel the need to write such things is puzzling.  I'm sure it's just a way to have his name in the media again.  Such attention is like a drug and Folks is addicted to being the center of attention.  Other than that, there's no other reason to let the whole world in on something you've kept a secret, even from your own wife, for half a decade now.  Nikki is of course denying the whole thing.  Judging from Folk's '05 mugshot for domestic battery, who can blame her.  The Fold Blog wouldn't even admit to doing something like that.  Even during our '00-'01 dry spell I don't think we would have even sunk that low.  And it's a good thing too cause Folks would have told the whole world and then we would be in the same boat as Nikki Haley.

*Update:

Will Folks posts today that he has years worth of emails, phone calls and text messages to back up his claim he let Nikki Haley touch his penis.  Looks like Little Nikki, I guess you could say was a sex fiend, how could Folks resist once he saw little Nikki grind??

*Editor's Note:

It's not that we don't believe Folks, it's this hard stance for telling the truth that we are against.

Yes, They Are That Dumb

Another Republican U.S. senate candidate, this time in Arizona, also has a little problem with American history. Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), who is challenging Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary, said that the United States did not formally declare war on Germany in World War II. His factually inept statement was a response to a questioner at a GOP event in which Hayworth was quizzed about executive power and our modern mindset of the declaration of war.

Hayworth responded:

"But I would also point out, that if we want to be sticklers, the war that Dwight Eisenhower led in Europe against the Third Reich was never declared by the United States Congress," said Hayworth. "Recall, the Congress passed a war resolution against Japan. Germany declared war on us two days later. We never formally declared war on Hitler's Germany, and yet we fought the war."

And this guy wants to be a U.S. Senator?  What's next, a Republican stating the Civil Rights Act wasn't necessary and could have been handled locally??  Yes we declared war on Germany.  We also declared war on Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.  How he could not know this is beyond me.

This Is How It's Supposed to Work

Watching, reading and listening to the right wing uproar about Randy Paul being faulted by the media and the public for his views on civil rights, freedom and his vision of America, it reminds of how Republicans want the world to work.

The other day I wrote something about how Paul doesn't want to be questioned about policy or anything of substance. He just wants to talk about how scary Big Government is and how he will shrink it, control spending and rein in the deficit. No specifics, just trust him. If you want to beat him in a political race, make him talk. Keep him jittery. Force the issues and the policy with him. I almost make myself sound way too smart by saying this a full day before the Paul nosedive began:

The big unknown so far with Paul and his campaign is will the general election be about issues and policy or will he be able to keep the narrative about the generic Big Government vs. You. If he does, he wins. If he's forced to explain to the people of his state why he wants to do away with farm subsidies, a state that received $300 million last year, and why he wants to trash the Americans With Disabilities Act, repeal Health Care Reform but keep Medicare payments to doctors (interesting since he's a medical doctor), and do away with federal state aid to a state that received just over $1.5 billion in 2008, then he could be forced to do something unexpected like talk about how government does serve some necessary functions.

One of those necessary functions Big Government provides is the Civil Rights Act. A law Rand Paul does not support.  Like I said, he doesn't want to talk about those.  And really, neither does the GOP. 

Deep Thought

You know it's bad when Rupert Murdoch has to fact check Sarah Palin.

*Update:

Dang, and he has to chastise Rand Paul too!!

Obama Seeks Another Executive Power

The White House is reporting this morning that President Obama will send legislation to Congress asking for special budgetary power that would allow the Executive Office to scrutinize pork spending projects and send his recommendations back if necessary.  Yawn...

I personally like the idea of a line-item veto for the president.  But that's not what this is.  The way I read it is the president would simply be a second set of eyes watching over pork projects.  Items he disagrees with he sends back to Congress of which can enforce them with a simple majority vote.  So it's not a veto, it's actually giving the Executive an overseer role.  I'm not sure what the point of that would be.  It's Monday, so this gets another yawn...

Deep Thought

Mondays suck

The Truth About Libertarianism

Paul Krugman concisely sums up the biggest problem with Libertarianism and why the federal government has to play a larger role than most subscribers to Rand Paul's faith care to see. His little paragraph says more than I could write in an entire book.

I’m sure that in his own mind Rand Paul sees himself as a principled libertarian, applying the same standard of personal responsibility to everyone. In practice, however, it’s only the poor and powerless who get held to that standard; when it’s a big coal or oil company — and we already know that both Massey and BP were severely negligent — well, “sometimes accidents happen.”

Funny how that works.

Paul knows nothing about being poor and powerless.  But that doesn't make him unsympathetic.  It does, however, make him unaware that poor and powerless is the same thing as discrimination.

Blame the Messenger Forum

You gotta love the newest Republican line about Randy Paul's horrible performance: He shouldn't have went on Rachel's show because you don't see Democrats going on Fox News during elections.

Uuuuhhhhhh yes you do.  In fact, Obama went head on with Fox News' super tough macho Republican Bill O'Reilly.  And guess what?  Obama won.

In the Republican Fantasy World, this never happened:

A Little Too Randy

The Trinity-- Rand Paul (Libertarian, Republican, Tea Bagger)-- really considers himself smarter than everybody else. That's fine because I've never met a politician that wasn't egotistical, and that includes Barack Obama.  Dealing with egos is just part of it.

Randy thinks he is so smart that he doesn't have to explain himself. What he says is gospel and not to be questioned, only followed. It's when you get him to focus on what he really believes, like the Civil Rights Act being unconstitutional, do you see just how inaccurate and lunatic fringe he really is. This morning Sir Rand gave us another example when he said President Obama was "un-American" for criticizing British Petroleum.

Yes boys and girls let's get this right. It's "un-American" for an American to criticize a foreign company that is responsible for the largest man-made oil spill in history. An oil spill caused by a foreign company right off our shores. We aren't allowed to criticize it and if we do, we are worthless as an American. There really is no difference between Rand Paul and George Bush ideology. Protect Big Business, keep rich people rich and anyone who questions you or your special interest groups that keep you in power, is "un-American."  I'm glad to see this whole libertarian-Republican fringe finally coming out, however.  Their connection is something I've been telling my friends that now claim to be Libertarian because they are mad at the GOP track record of fiscal irresponsibility and huge government.  They are one in the same.

Rand Paul Now Supports Federal Power Over Private Business (3 Updates)

Boy is the internet flooded with Rand Paul's caveman talk, and it should be. Greg Sargent is reporting that Paul's campaign has now clarified their clarifying statement on what he meant by his comments to Rachel Maddow last night.

Asked for further clarification, Jesse Benton, a spokesman for the Paul campaign, confirmed that Paul does in fact think the Federal government should have the power to ban private businesses from commiting racial discrimination.

As GS notes:

That's a reversal from what Paul said last night on Rachel Maddow's show. Maddow asked Paul to clarify his previous expressions of doubt about parts of the Civil Rights Act, querying: "Do you think that a private business has the right to say we don't serve black people?"

"Yes," Paul answered, repeatedly decrying racism but saying he was reluctant to "limit their speech."

So first we have Randy Paul saying that he thinks the Civil Rights Act goes too far and subsides in areas that local governments should control.  Then he "clarifies" those remarks by saying he supports the Civil Rights Act but only for the "public sphere."  And now he is saying that he fully supports the federal government and its power to ban private businesses from committing racial discrimination.  Three very different answers indeed.  This guy is a perfect Republican.  They couldn't have chosen anyone that sums them up better than Rand Paul.  I hope he stays in the race.

*Update:

Greg Sargent is also sure to mention that it was only after a "raging national media controversy" did Paul finally admit that he thinks the federal government has the right to force private businesses to serve black people, or other non-whites.  This is very accurate.  And this is what I meant yesterday and earlier today when I said make Paul talk issues.  Make him talk policy.  Let's have this national debate about the fundamental powers and role of the federal government.  In the end, Paul can only do two things.  He can either lie about how he really feels, which is what he's doing with what is now his third statement trying to clarify, or he too can enter the debate and see how many voters will agree with him that the federal government has no role in ensuring civil rights.  If he's so sure of his ideology he'll gladly debate it.  But right now, he is on record as supporting the federal government's power over Main Street USA.

**Update:

Gets even better for Rand Paul.  Goes on CNN and decides that he would have voted for the Civil Rights Act had he been around back then.  Complete circle for the self-professed conservative-libertarian, all within 24 hours.  According to Rand, just a few minutes ago, everything he said on his appearance on the Rachel Maddow Show last night was a lie.  Moreover, even though he has stated numerous times that the Act went too far and that the feds should not intervene in instances were matters can be handled locally, he would have voted for a bill that did the very thing he thinks should never happen.  Brilliant!  Welcome to politics Randy.

***Update:

Given Paul's complete 360 today on the powers of the federal government, this debate isn't about to disappear any time soon.  By coming full circle, Paul has at least allowed his campaign to continue for the time being.  One thing I'll add is the problem with Paul's stance that government cannot regulate private business stems from the very same wrong line of reasoning most libertarians use all the time, the understanding of freedom.  Paul seems to confuse freedom with discrimination and outright racism.  The federal government telling private establishments that they can't discriminate is, to Paul, limiting their freedom.  But discrimination is not freedom.  It is the element used to take freedom away from others.  Living his entire life as a white, wealthy, son of a congressman, it's a part of sociology that Rand Paul knows nothing about.  That's why it's imperative government upholds those rights Paul so loves to enjoy to those less fortunate than himself. 

Ed Shultz Radio and Me

I was just on the Ed Shultz radio show talking about the very post below concerning why there was a need for the federal government to step in and pass the Civil Rights Act in the first place. IT WAS BECAUSE ALLOWING LOCALITIES TO GOVERN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FAILED MISERABLY. And that's the system Rand Paul says should have been left untouched by the feds. Paul isn't even trying to argue facts. He's simply trying to pretend history never happened. The free markets Paul so likes to talk about, do not weed out social injustices.  Why?  Because they are inherently biased.

The same mentality as Rand Paul today existed during the early republic.  The Founders, and many people of the era, thought slavery would eventually run its course and die off.  It didn't.  It took the federal government stepping in to ensure that everyone was created equal.  A hundred years after that, the feds had to step in again to force local governments to abide.  There is no sane reason to go back to the system Paul is advocating.  It was barbaric and it failed.

Rand Paul Not Scoring Any Points

I've always said the Libertarian Party is a place Republicans flee when they're disgruntled with their establishment. I'm sure the ranks of the Libertarians rose dramatically during the Bush years. As I'm also sure if you poll those claiming to be Libertarians, you'll find they love to vote Republican. Ideologically speaking, the two parties have nothing in common. Frankly speaking, the two parties aren't even on the same radar. But Republicans think libertarianism means small government and that's enough for them. Hence why we get people like Rand Paul being able to claim he's libertarian simply because he opposes certain realms of government but runs on the GOP ticket. He also gets to claim he's a tea bagger and it's not questioned either. He's like the Trinity, all three in the same. It's the modern Republican movement, get used to it.

Also something Republicans think they inherit from their libertarian nature is their opposition to legislation that fundamentally changes our nation's social structure. Take the Civil Rights Act for instance. Rand Paul went on Rachel Maddow last night where he stated that he thought the decision of businesses to serve certain people like blacks is better left to the privacy of the business establishment.  In other words, he doesn't support the Civil Rights Act and business should be the ones to decide who they allow in or not.  Paul's reasoning is he feels local government serves a better function of protecting a basic equality.  Such things like allowing blacks to eat at the same restaurant as whites should be handled locally.  Or as he also stated on NPR yesterday:

A lot of things that were actually in the bill I’m actually in favor of,” said Paul. Hinting at what he doesn’t “favor,” Paul added that “a lot of things can be handled locally.”

There's so many problems with super smart guy Paul's answer mindset that it's hard to know where to begin.  Real quickly, a Libertarian would believe that everyone is equal and that government exists for the very reason to ensure that equality-- most specifically at the federal level.

Moreover, the very reason for the 1965 Civil Rights Act was because local governments were doing a lousy job of protecting people's basic rights-- rights that are federally guaranteed to us in the Constitution.  By leaving it up to local governments we created things like Jim Crow and other fundamentally flawed laws like sundown laws.  Allowing private businesses to answer locally failed.  It failed miserably.  There's no reason to go back to it.  And there's no reason to suggest it worked and overriding was unnecessary.  It's hard to believe that someone who believes the Civil Rights Act is not supportable is still seeking national office this day and age.  I'm not sure I can quite fathom it.  I thought we were so far passed it that I would never see it in my lifetime.  Republicans just keep wanting to pull us back in, however.

Like I said yesterday, the best way to beat Randall Paul is to make him jitter.  Make him talk, he loves to talk so it shouldn't be hard.  Don't let him talk only about generic labels of Big Government versus Freedom.  Make him go specific, make it about issues and policies.  A nod to Rachel Maddow for the interview and NPR for pressing him on specifics.  It seems, too, that his opponent Jack Conway is doing exactly what he needs to do, keep him jittery.

Speaker Pelosi Makes Strongest Statement Yet on DADT

A much overlooked aspect of the Democratic majority is repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell. It's also one that I think needs to be accomplished if Democrats want to hold onto their majorities. I think the Speaker feels the same:

“I don’t have any doubt that ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ will be a memory by the end of this year,” she said.

It's time. It's so past time.

YouCut Votes Are In

The fiscal conservatives in the GOP have ended their first week of allowing Patriotic Freedom Fighters the chance to stick it to the government by voting on what spending item they want to see cut from the budget. And the winner is... Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund. Those danged welfare recipients. All they want to do is sit at home and collect checks from the government. This will teach 'em.

Republicans called the program a "backdoor way to undo" welfare reform. Coming from the Party of Larry Craig, Ted Haggard, and George Rekers I'd say that know what they're talking about.

Rand Paul: The Outsider's Insider

Randall Paul's U.S. Senate campaign has thus far been nothing unexpected or even outside the ordinary. The son of a 17-term incumbent congressman, two-time presidential candidate and one-time U.S. Senate candidate portrays himself as a Washington outsider that is anti-establishment. Actually if you think about it, it's quite common for political dynasties to behave in such a manner. Evan Bayh did the same thing in Indiana for years. So did Al Gore in Tennessee. And who can forget George Bush in 2000 running as a political outsider?

Living so close to Kentucky I was able to see a lot of Paul's commercials.  They were creative and some of the best I've seen in a while.  They almost didn't appear as a campaign ad.  They were the typical scary Big Government is coming for you so be very afraid unless you vote for me plot.  But that's okay, because, again, that's nothing unexpected from Paul.   His catering to tea baggers is also nothing unexpected.  They are the only motivated portion of the GOP.  So if you want to get votes, cater to those in your party that are excited about voting in the next election.  It's not rocket science.

The big unknown so far with Paul and his campaign is will the general election be about issues and policy or will he be able to keep the narrative about the generic Big Government vs. You.  If he does, he wins.  If he's forced to explain to the people of his state why he wants to do away with farm subsidies, a state that received $300 million last year, and why he wants to trash the Americans With Disabilities Act, repeal Health Care Reform but keep Medicare payments to doctors (interesting since he's a medical doctor), and do away with federal state aid to a state that received just over $1.5 billion in 2008, then he could be forced to do something unexpected like talk about how government does serve some necessary functions.

*Update:

I was just reading TPMDC's take on the upcoming general election between Rand Paul and Jack Conway.  I'd have to say they are spot on in suggesting the KY senate race will be the national melting pot of right vs. left.  But only if Democrat Conway makes it that way.   Paul is more than comfortable talking about Big Government and Freedom but his policies to achieve his version of America are anything but popular.  Sure nobody likes an overbearing federal government that misspends tax dollars but is Kentucky really ready to do away with billions of dollars of federal aid?  Is Kentucky really in support of dismantling Social Security and Medicare (except for payments to doctors)?  Conway has a hill to climb and keeping Paul jittery is the only way to do it.

Tuesday Tops the Headlines

Not since South Carolina's Republican governor went hiking the Appalachian Trail has The Fold Blog seen such a busy news day.  Primaries, special elections, Disciples of God having affairs in state parks, A Marine getting a little slap happy with his service record and much more for this wacky Tuesday.  To make sure everyone catches all the big stories of the day here's a quick rundown.

• Maybe the biggest news of the day, Sestak beats Specter in the PA Democratic Primary.
• 8-term Republican Congressman Mark Souder-- and moral values champion and traditional marriage protectorate-- is forced to resign after admitting affair with staffer.
• Conn. Attorney General and Democratic candidate for U.S.Senate has to recant previous statements about his false service in the Vietnam War.  Shame.
• Not a big surprise but Republicans will paint it as some sort of Revolution!, Rand Paul wins KY Republican Senate Primary.
• GOP puts the breaks on Financial Regulation.  Who could have guessed that?
• A high school math teacher in Alabama was paid a visit by the Secret Service for using an example of shooting President Obama to explain a question about angles.  Huh?
• GOP candidate for Congress in MA has some more explaining to do for his role in strip searches of teenage girls when he was a police officer.  Double huh?
• Democrats retain John Murtha's seat in PA.
• And finally, the Dow has another triple digit loss.

I'd have to say that's a month's worth right there.

Souder Video Doesn't Discredit Abstinence, Actually Merits It

I first came across this video earlier this morning and didn't really care about posting it. It's pretty well known that Congressman Mark Souder thought of himself and publicly portrayed himself as being a good moral values Christian that revered God and all the other touchy-feely things Republicans like to talk about. No one propped him up more than he did. So the video, though being comical, wasn't really all that important to The Fold Blog.

Then I learned that Souder's mistress is actually the person in the video he is having a conversation with concerning abstinence education.  Well, then, that changes everything.  Not only is it comical, it's disturbing.



In Souder's defense, abstinence only education means waiting until you're married.  Souder and his mistress were married, just not too each other.  After watching the video, I don't see anywhere in it that Souder says extramarital activities interfere with abstinence education.  So please kids.  Wait until you're married and then go and get a hump buddy.  It's what God (and our Founding Fathers) intended.

*Update:

Souder releases a statement that has some truth to it, given the circumstances and all:

"I sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff.  "In the poisonous environment of Washington, D.C., any personal failing is seized upon, often twisted, for political gain. I am resigning rather than to put my family through that painful, drawn-out process... by stepping aside, my mistake cannot be used as a political football in a partisan attempt to undermine the cause for which I have labored all my adult life."

It's true Souder rode the 1994 Republican Moral Values wave for all it was worth.  But when it came to judging other politicians, such as Bill Clinton, Souder did exactly what he says above.  He refused seizing upon personal failures for twisted political gain in 1998 and voted against the three articles of impeachment.  Good for him.

As a champion of traditional values and marriage, Souder is not so honest.  And when it comes to abiding by his word, Souder couldn't quite live up to the standard he wanted to set for everyone else.  Upon taking office in 1994, he signed a pledge limiting his time in Congress to two terms.  God must have told him to break that pledge because in 2008 he was elected to his 8th.  This is why it's best to take the low road rather than the holier than thou road.  Just saying.

Deep Thought

Remember when not funding the troops was anti-American? Those were the days.

AP: Kagan Not a Bleeding Heart Anti-Military Liberal

What is this?? The AP fact checks GOP smears about SCOTUS nominee Elena Kagan and concludes she "is no ivory-tower peacenik" Are you kidding me? She played softball for goodness sake! And she voted for Obama! You expect me to believe this tripe? Pink commie rag.

Walk With God Meet Solid Thud

Self described evangelical Christian, moral values champion, family values crusader, traditional marriage protectorate and abstinence only believer Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), will resign today after admitting affair with staffer.

Just like with nearly every issue Republicans claim to care about, be it fiscal responsibility or their derangement with moral values, in practice they could careless about any of it. All they want to be able to do is go around the country talking about all of their so-called principles and demand from everyone that they too adhere to them or be labeled an enemy of the state. It's the same old tune, fiddle and guitar.

Vote for Rep. Joe Sleestak: Although I may hiss, at least I don't snarl!

Several weeks ago, I wrote a dairy in which I stated that I'd support Marco Rubio over Charlie Crist in the GOP primary in Florida. We all know how that turned out. Basically, my rational can be distilled to being anti-establishment, by proxy.

Now it's Pennsylvania's turn to be the subject of WWT>SD?

If Crist is the same type of guy that's been sent to the U.S. Senate for the last million years then you can probably guess how that aspect is going to go for the guy who has actually been sent to the U.S. Senate for that long. By that measure, Specter must go.

No use snarlin, Arlen, I'd vote for the green humanoid (D-Lost City) over your fair weather ass.

Only Affirmative Action Could Have Allowed Her To Win

Republicans are as correct as they've ever been. The only viable reason this girl won Miss USA was because of affirmative action.

There can be no other reason.

They Are For Whatever Returns Republicans To Power

One of the lesser known platforms of the Tea Bagger crowd is their support to repeal the 17th Amendment. Effectively the repeal would strip voters from the ability to elect U.S. senators.  But Tea Bagger support for repeal is much more cynical.

Back in the old days, when cavemen ruled the world, state legislatures elected white men (yes only white men) to serve in the U.S. senate. Citizens did not directly elect members of the senate. That is how the Constitution was framed. The purpose was to give state government's more power and federal oversight. And when only land owning white men could vote, having state assemblies elect other land owning white men really was not that big of a deal. It worked well, for the elites at least.  Then came this silly notion that people were responsible and slightly literate.  Crazy I know.

The charge to repeal the 17th Amendment mainly stems from the notion that we have moved too far away from the Founder's original intent.  It's a leading battle cry from Tea Baggers and so-called conservatives.  My answer to that and to them is yes thankfully we have.  The Founder's intent was for blacks to be property, to have no rights and no claim to the Constitution.  Should we go back to that too?  The Founder's intent was for women to be second-class citizens with very little rights and no right to the vote.  Why not repeal the 19th Amendment while we are at it?  Well, actually, keeping blacks and women from voting are subsidiary stances of the Republican Tea Bagger faction as well.  It is their reason for existence.

Lest we forget...

Back in February at the Republican Tea Bagger conference, former GOP representative Tom Tancredo stated we should go back to invoking literacy tests before allowing people to vote.  Anyone with half a brain would realize literacy tests were the backbone of Jim Crow.  The tests were effective impediments to preventing blacks from voting.  More importantly, and the real reason Tea Baggers are for repeal is that blacks largely vote Democratic so let's go back to Jim Crow and closer to our Founder's intent.  It's a simple step in their minds.

Since women overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama, we should limit their contribution too.  Don't forget either that the current Republican Governor of Virginia actually believes that women with jobs destroy the family.  And needless to say, one of the leading Republican "thinkers" of our day proudly believes women should not have the right to vote because it is bad for society.

Returning to the Founder's intent, they believe, will restore federalism and the proper alignment of society.  But most of all, they want to return to what they believe to be the Founder's intentions because they think it will benefit Republicans the most.  That's their true cause.  These are people that believe anyone who disagrees with them is an enemy.  That the president is an illegitimate and illegal occupant of the office.  And that everything under the sun is a conspiracy to keep them from returning to the good ol' days our Founders created.  Just so long as it keeps them in power that is.

The Obama Doctrine

In a move reminiscent of Bush era power grabs, the Obama administration is planning to ask Congress to delay terror suspects' probable cause hearings as a way to allow interrogators additional time for questioning before the individual is informed of their rights or shown to a judge.

Congress is expected to go along with the change.

Who's to say the administration, or any administration since this will be a power every president will cherish, won't label any person or group they disagree with as terrorism? Aren't those on the right wing who want to remove Obama from office or believe he isn't a legitimate citizen terrorists, or at least can easily be labeled that way. What would prevent the administration from "delaying" them of their Constitutional rights guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment?

The line between public safety and executive power cannot be so blurred that the Oval Office gets to decide how individual cases will be treated by the justice system. Why don't we just repeal the Fifth Amendment and be done with this whole episode?

Did Tea Baggers Really Shave Their Balls For This?

MA Sen. Scott Brown, who Tea Baggers like to think they helped propel his candidacy, decides Elena Kagan is not anti-military and says he has no problem with her explanation for ignoring military recruiters.  Look out Scott Brown, sacks will be flying your way.

Fiscal Conservatism Back Again, Check It to Record and Let's Begin

The pretend return of fiscal conservatism to the GOP began roughly around Jan. 2007 when the new Democratic Congressional majority was sworn in. The urge for Republicans to endlessly talk about budgets, deficits and spending suddenly reappeared in their vocabulary. It was like magic. Then in Jan. 2009, when the Democratic majorities were expanded and Barack Obama took over the White House, a full fledged return to so-called principles of fiscal conservatism entailed.

Today we see the manifestation of this Republican metamorphosis in Eric Cantor's new website gimmickry that will supposedly allow Patriotic Americans to go online and vote what programs they want to cut the most.  Then next week, House Republicans will Patriotically force a vote to cut the program that gets the most votes.  It's like interactive democracy or an American Idol transformation of democracy.  Well except for the fact that the GOP has decided what programs will be up for vote.  Only five items totaling a whopping $13.5 billion and you only get to pick one.

Since they are in the minority, House Republicans can't do much of anything when it comes to trimming budgets.  They know this.  This is merely a way for Republicans to keep the focus on their faux concerns for fiscal conservatism.  It's all for pretend.  They are like children playing house.  As proof look at what Republicans did when they were in the majority and had total control over government-- you know the time period when they had the perfect opportunity to showcase their conservatism.  It seems during this period, they had not a care in the world about budgets, deficits or cutting programs.

In 2002, the first year Republicans can take credit for the implementation of the budget, a completely controlled Republican government took a budget surplus and turned it into a $157 billion deficit.  Now keep in mind, these are "fiscal conservatives" doing this.  The same people who today are whining about deficits.  As a percentage, Republicans increased the deficit in their first year by 233%.  Compare that to 9% for President Obama and his party's now control of government.

I guess the facts really shouldn't surprise any of us.  After all, these self-labeled "fiscal conservatives" are also the ones who produced an alternative numberless budget last year.  And how can we forget their budget busting alternative plan that proposed to cut $5 billion a year from the budget versus the Obama administration's puny $17 billion a year.  In their world 5 is greater than 17.  What a bunch of wienies.  

Specter Can't Have it Both Ways

Last May I wrote that I felt something was disingenuous about Arlen Specter's party switch.

Maybe Specter can be summed up as being his own man, and if you include that to mean all the self-serving perks along with it, then I would agree with you. Right now I'd like to see Specter get beat in the Democratic primary. I'm also willing to bet Specter is either going to support the president's agenda or not even bother with that primary.

I still wouldn't mind seeing him get beat in the primary.  Though I don't really care either way.  But one thing Specter did do was he became one of the champions of President Obama's agenda.  I think he would continue that support if he were to be reelected in November.  The disingenuous part really shines when his Democratic credentials are put on display.  Kudos to Chris Matthews for reminding everyone you don't just wake up one morning and decide your entire career shouldn't be a model for how you should be judged today.



Then again, imagine if Matthews or anyone in the media had been this grilling during the run up to invasion of Iraq or about the massive deficits the Bush administration had created.

200,000 Gallons Per Day

Bradley Byrne Makes God His Running Mate

You know it's bad that in order to survive an election as a Republican you have to go on television to confess you believe the earth is only 6,000 years old.

Meanwhile In Iraq

Since the anniversary of the end of the war in Iraq came and left without much fanfare, now is a good time to reflect upon what is no doubt the greatest redistribution of wealth in world history.

Estimates place the costs of the war in Iraq at unprecedented levels.

To date:

• 4,394 American service men and women have lost their lives
• Over 30,000 wounded American military
• Iraqi civilian deaths are +100,000
• Total war deaths (civilian plus military) +110,000

Monetary Costs:

• Cost of invasion and occupation so far: $748 billion
• At home costs (veteran's health care) +$422 billion

If the war ended today we would have already spent $1.17 trillion on Iraq. Staggering amounts no matter how you phrase it.  Of course the war won't end today and we will for years to come keep spending money occupying and rebuilding Iraq. And we will also for an entire generation pay for the veteran's health care here at home.  The $1.17 trillion is just a starting number.

This was a war of total choice by the Bush administration; people who pride themselves at being fiscal conservatives mind you.  Not one thing they ever told us about the war was true.  The reasoning, the invasion or the costs all of it was lies. Iraq did not have WMD.  Iraq did not have ties to 9/11.  It did not take a matter of weeks. Iraq did not pay for itself.  And we were not and have not liberated anything. Iraq has proven to be a blunder of epic proportions.  The ultimate consequence-- with far greater burdens than we even realize-- was that it turned our attention and resources away from the people responsible for 9/11 effectively leaving America in a state of perpetual war since 2001.  The result allowed those responsible for killing thousands of innocent Americans to escape with impunity.  Meanwhile, we now own Iraq.

Though violence has wained in Iraq-- just Monday over 120 people were blown up in the streets-- a sudden urge of war, occupation and sectarian hatred still grasps the country.  Cataclysmic failure all around.

Fox News Decides

Want to take a stab at the talking points from Fox News about Elena Kagan? SHE'S A SOCIALIST!!!! No one could have guessed that, huh?

In all fairness, Fox News is painting her as a book banning socialist who also engaged in Bush bashing.  I guess the Republicans at Fox News forgot the whole world bashed Bush and that he also left office with the lowest approval ratings in history.  No need for facts though.

Sad Day For America

God's disciple who once led a crusade against homosexuality until he was mistakenly accused of renting a gay prostitute to travel with him to Europe, resigns from NARTH (National Association for Therapy and Research of Homosexuality), the very organization George Rekers used to save queers from hell. This is a fundamental shift in the direction of our country.  One day the whole world will be suitcased and Rekers will do the carrying.

You Know You Failed When...

One of the ways to learn just how much the Bush years irked Republicans is to watch their endless attempts today to relate them to the current administration.

• Health care reform to Bush's huge expansion of Medicare.

• Oil spill to Bush's handling of Katrina.

• Elana Kagan to Harriet Miers.

It's obvious Republicans struggle every day with trying to explain how bad they failed at governance. In their World, Bush's huge unfunded trillion dollar expansion of Medicare is comparable to health care reform that is entirely paid for and helps shrink the deficit; a reaction to a storm that had days for Bush's huge expansion of FEMA to prepare for to a man-made disaster at an oil rig; and a high court nominee that fortnightly admitted she was ill informed of the law in which one GOP Senator said she "flunked" to a nominee that is a professor of  con-law and has argued six cases before the Supreme Court.  But all we hear from Republicans is "isn't this Obama's Harriet Miers?," "isn't this Obama's Katrina?," "isn't this Obama's Medicare moment?"  They so wish it was.  Honestly, though, who could blame them?

Learning More About Kagan and a Defective Constitution

Before we hear from the wing-nut controlled GOP about how Kagan is the most liberal person in the world except when she stands next to the president, there are a few clues as to her political leanings.

One that stands out, to me at least, is her answer to Sen. John Cornyn's question about gay marriage.  Yes the same John Cornyn that is so concerned with life issues that he called health care reform a "gulag" and numerous times said it would create "death panels."

Question: Do you believe there is a federal constitutional right to same sex marriage?

Answer: There is no federal constitutional right to same sex marriage.

Wow, what a liberal!!!  Remember, though, Lincoln said the same thing about the Constitution and slavery.  And we all know what he did.  He freed those dang slaves.

I don't see many of her opponents focusing on that, however.  What they will do is follow their Leader Rush Limbaugh's Patriotic lead and scorch her for agreeing with Justice John Marshall that the Constitution in its original drafting was "defective." Not a real smart argument either but it's so wing-nut oriented the GOP will surely jump all over it.

Of course the Constitution was defective in 1787.  The Framers knew this, which is why they allowed for amendments.  Through the amendment process the original drafting of the document has been corrected many times.  Most importantly to ban such things as slavery and Jim Crow.  And to also add other basic rights like women's suffrage.  Very defective items in every sense of the word.  Barbaric is also another word to describe the original intent of the Constitution.  Foresight is a great word to describe Article V and thank God for that.

Republican Rep Slams Government Spending With Tax Payer Funded Mailer

Most times Republicans make it way too easy. There's really no thought that has to go into making this look stupid. With nearly every issue the GOP claims to stand for-- moral values, fiscal responsibility, tough guyism, it's all the same-- there's nothing in their past, present or future to suggest they ever live up to their self proclaimed principles.

Oklahoma Congresswoman, Mary Fallin, sends out tax payer funded mailer to bash government spending.  Makes a lot of sense doesn't it?  To Republicans it does.  The Oklahoma Citizen picks up the story:

First thing's first - this whole thing, this card, the printing, the design, the mailing was all paid for by you and me. Our tax dollars that Fallin wants to cut paid for this mailing. The MASSIVE government spending that Fallin says we must end - was just used to mail out God only knows how many of these things to Oklahomans.

Is that the kind of fiscal responsibility that Mary Fallin represents? Cut spending except for her spending, cut taxes except for the taxes that pay for her stuff, and outline policies for "prosperity" that can only be done from a Federal office that she is vacating.

As with all things Tea Bagger or Republican, they are not against government spending.  They are only against government spending money on items that don't go directly to them.  On matters as convenient as her largest campaign donor receiving millions of dollars from the government she fully supports.  But here's how this one will go.  Fallin will get portrayed by the very liberal media as a staunch small government conservative only trying to do her part in reining in the government.  Mark my word, that's exactly how her charade will continue.

Deep Thought

Is it wrong to say Tiger "morning" Woods withdrawals?

Should Have Bet Money on It

President Obama selects Elena Kagan to fill Justice Stevens' seat on the Supreme Court. She was my least favorite choice. Should have known she would be his pick. And dear God is she ugly. Yes I'm being as superficial as possible.

Quickies

• U.S. economy adds jobs-- the most in 4 years-- but unemployment jumps to 9.9%
• What is going on with the populist wave to audit the fed?  Looks like it falls flat in the senate and will be a one time audit instead of an annual and will only target new programs.  That's not an audit.  That's smoke and mirrors.
• Did Neanderthals hump humans?  That's what the NY Times is telling me.  I wonder if it was consensual.

Very Scary People: Tea Baggers Meet Birthers

Somehow I missed the new ABC News/WaPo Poll last week. Not sure how that happened. Maybe they conducted it last week and are just now getting the data out. Nevertheless, what I've read so far is incredibly unnerving.

The take from the poll is the GOP is crowded with conspiracy theorists.

• Thirty-one percent of Republicans that responded to the poll said they believed President Obama was born in another country.  That is an amazingly high number.

• An overwhelming number of people who claimed to support the tea baggers identify themselves as Republican or GOP leaning.

• Of those who identify as being tea baggers, 72% claim they do so in opposition to President Obama's policies.  And what is their biggest motivator?  85% claim a concern for the economy.

Way Behind

The big news this morning from Europe besides the economic meltdown, is the Conservative Party's victory in the British election. Somehow whack job Republicans are going to spin this as a victory for the GOP. They will claim this proves President Obama's unpopularity and that other governments are trying to go in the opposite direction of the US. Considering the Tories would be labeled as "liberals" by today's GOP elite and Fox News, I would have to say this is just more delusion settling in. The British Conservative Party fully supports universal health care, has a steadfast commitment to minimizing global warming, supports gay marriage and really didn't like George W. Bush. This is a victory for Republicans?? It always is.

Makes you wonder just how much today's GOP is holding America back if those views are considered "conservative" in the home of America's greatest ally.

In the Trenches of Sin He Was

Rentaboy.com escort now tells the Miami New Times that he and George Reker did have sex on their European trip. This really doesn't change the story any. Just proves the lengths a true man of God went to heal a sinner from homosexuality. One day people will realize the Lord's work is seldom glamorous but never in vein.

Where Were You in 2004?

I just read an entirely boring article in the Times about the young and dangerously good looking Obama staffers who are taking over the DC scene. The article just so happens to be written by one of the staffer's girlfriend's roommates, Ashley Parker. Though Ms. Parker does make a full disclosure in the article. That is probably the highlight of the entire story, however.

Reading it reminded me how much I don't miss working in government. The long hours, the days on end without a day off. The no time for friends or family. And most of all, the cell phone that constantly rings. I don't miss any of that. I do miss the rush and the feeling of actually making a difference. In my circumstance, I always felt like one never really had time to make a positive difference. I was always spending my time catering to this person or that or being sure not to make this or that person mad. Once I finally got past all that, there was very little time in left in the day to do anything that might actually be considered positive. So as much as I would love to be Reggie Love or Jon Favreau, I don't envy them at all.

Another thing that had me yelling at my monitor was when it mentions these young and buff staffers are skeptical of the high level staffers that were not on the campaign trail. Parker writes:

There is real tension between those who joined the campaign on Day 1 and the perceived interlopers who came later, especially among the people who felt that they worked hard on the trail and weren’t rewarded with top posts. Jobs in the West Wing, with their close proximity to the Oval Office and “the action,” are considered the best. “They don’t make TV shows about the Department of Energy,” a young aide said.

My question to them is where were you in 2003 and 2004? We turned Barack Obama into the best thing since sliced bread in Illinois back then without Eric Lesser or Herbie Ziskend. There would not have been the 2004 Boston speech at the Democratic Convention. Nor would there have been a presidential run had it not been for 2004. All I have to say is, you're welcome.

Who Of Us Can Question Jesus??

Yesterday The Fold Blog did some quick time reporting on a prominent conservative, Christian Right, Republican who innocently took a gay prostitute he had rented online to Europe for a whirlwind trip.  It's really no big deal. That's the thing to do now for anti-gay Republicans. Go on gay escort service websites and rent you a boy to take on lucrative trips. All the fluff types are doing it these days. What disappointed me about the whole thing is George Rekers, the man who is the focus of the whole story, admitted he had taken a male along with him on the trip but did so because he recently had surgery and needed someone to carry his luggage.  No where in yesterday's article did Reker say anything about Jesus.  And being a Christian this upsets me.

Today, however, Reker finally tells us that he rented the male escort to take to Europe so he could lovingly witness to him the saving message of Jesus Christ.  Thank you Pastor Reker.  Amen.  Nothing to see here people.  Lets move on.  Saving souls even on vacation.  Sainthood anyone?

Joe the Plumber Launches Revolutionary! Electoral Win

I distinctly remember a while back that Joe The Plumber (aka Samuel Wurzelbacher)-- who is not a licensed plumber-- claimed to have never really been a Republican and then claimed to have left the Party he was never really a part of.

Well all that has changed now.  Okay, not all.  He's still not a plumber and his name still isn't Joe but he is now officially a Republican and an elected one at that.  Yes Sam Joe ran and won in the Republican Party Central Committee election in Ohio yesterday, 38-23.  Some might call that a landslide, but for Sammy Joe it's a mandate baby!

Seems just like yesterday that Sam Joe was merely just a struggling author, turned Fox News correspondent, turned war correspondent, turned GOP economic adviser, turned public speaker.  My how things have changed.  This can only mean one thing.  The GOP is the most popular political party ever established by God Almighty.  Let the Revolution! begin.

Another Religious Right Leader Walking With God

There is absolutely nothing wrong for a prominent Christian conservative and co-founder of Family Research Council to take a ten-day European vacation with a callboy he met through RentBoy.com, especially when the said callboy's rental profile describes himself as "smooth, sweet, tight ass" and "perfectly built 8 inch cock." Nothing wrong with this at all. Perfectly normal behavior for any straight, Christian man that loves his family.  Their Walk With God just keeps getting straighter.

Tea Bagger Is So Fitting

My buddy Josh Marshall makes light of the recent self promoted victimization of tea baggers being called tea baggers by the public. I thought it was common knowledge that tea baggers first called their deranged movement tea baggers. But I guess that's a part of history the nut slappers would soon like to forget, you know like they have the majority of the last decade.

My hold up with this is not the preciseness of the term because after all we are dealing with people that want government out of Medicare and who are largely dependent upon government welfare programs and simultaneously claim to protest Big Government.  There's no reasoning with them.  But the big hold up is these are people who carry signs calling the president an islamofascistsocialist enemy of the state.  Who at every possible moment want to proclaim their Great Patriotism and question every body elses. Worrying about hairy nut sacks or legitimate acceptance seems..., well, very petty.  If it's derogatory then so be it.  I happen to find everything they hypocritically stand for to be derogatory.

Deep Thought

When are we going to waterboard Shahzad?

*Update:

Surely this is an oversight on behalf of Fox News:  Terror Suspect Talks and Talks and Talks...

They must have omitted the phrase after being waterboarded teh Terror Suspect Talks and Talks and Talks...  We all know there is no other way to gain information from terror suspects other than torture.  Slight miscue by Fox News I'm sure.

You're a Douche Eric Cantor

The delusion that has set into the GOP is mind-numbing. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) has prepared remarks today to blame President Obama for being lax on terrorism. Some of his remarks via Greg Sargent:

To be clear, the president deserves credit for not caving to those on the left who called for a withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. And behind the scenes we have made progress eliminating al Qaeda through drone attacks in the Afpak region. But these efforts unfortunately have been the exception rather than the rule.

They just don't get it.  War is a video game to them.  Our very presence in Iraq and Afghanistan fuel terrorist behavior.  It causes people like Shahzad to do what he did.  But since we are being clear like Cantor wants to be, let's get a few things really clear.  Iraq had nothing to do with terrorist attacks of September 11.  It was a war of choice by a Republican administration that has done nothing but fuel Islamic extremism and robust hatred toward America.  It's a war that has cost a trillion dollars and still ongoing.  It has cost thousands of American lives and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives.  It was a course of utter failure laid out by the very party Eric Cantor so happily belongs to.  Their thirst for endless war is disgustingly breached only by their quench for a return to power here at home.

Terrorist Nabbed

Federal agents arrest man at JFK airport trying to flee to Dubai. The man, Faisal Shahzad, is a United States citizen of Pakistani descent.  Attorney General Eric Holder described the failed car bombing attempt as a deliberate terror attack intent on killing Americans.  Much more to come.

*Update:  Despite what lunatic Republicans may think, yes we have to read people who have been arrested their rights.  Is it a tough macho manly thing to suggest we should send suspects directly to the electric chair bypassing our legal system?  I don't get it.  What is it with Republicans who keep bringing this up?  Shahzad is an American citizen and whatever his crimes may be, he has certain rights.  It's called the Constitution.

**Update:  Before all the Republican conspiracy theories get in full swing today, I want to especially note the superb job law enforcement officials did on this case.  You did your jobs very well.

You Don't Have to Agree, But It's Not Always An Attack On Our Nation

Matt hits on a point here that reminds me of a conversation I was having with a friend the other day about the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Not to get too far into that conversation, it seems to me that so-called conservatives are always talking about a strict reading or a Founder's intent reading of the Constitution to ridicule something they don't support. The Affordable Care Act being one of the many examples.

What Matt links to is a joke by another blogger asking where in the Constitution does it give congress the power to cap oil spills. It's a joke of course. But it's very contextual. Take for instance a strict reading of the 2nd Amendment. There is no doubt the Founder's didn't mean everyone has the right to own a bazooka. If we use a strict Founder's intent reading, one of the most precious right wing causes gets wiped out.  Yet it's the Amendment the right wants to paint as broadly as possible.

In the end, it really doesn't matter what I think is unconstitutional or not.  It really only matters what the Supreme Court thinks.  I happen to think the War Powers Act is unconstitutional; however, unless and until the Supremes decide to take it up it's as legal as a ban on cell phones while driving.  I don't agree with that law either. Fortunately or unfortunately the Constitution rests such verdicts with the Supreme Court and not with me.  That's the essence of our system, not an abuse of it.

Deep Thought

Dang it's hot.

Who Could have Predicted It?...spewing oil edition

Just throw me in the "shouldn't have listened to Grand right wing ideas" group once again. I don't know why I keep making this stupid mistake but it seems to be a condition I have. I should know better. Iraq should have been a lesson for all of us.

In March I reiterated my support for more offshore drilling; a position the Obama administration used to maneuver itself while anticipating the upcoming summer debates. But this isn't about the White House. It's about me. After having supported more drilling both offshore and onshore for years now, I gotta admit it was mainly because of greed to bring down oil prices. I want cheaper gas. It's that simple. I rarely considered the environmental consequences. I knew they existed but I didn't care. I was wrong.

It's not worth it. The environmental affects are not worth the risk. Yes the associated catastrophes are rare, but when they happen it puts it all in perspective. And it will happen again, there's no denying that.  Our only option is to move away from oil energy and to do so as soon as possible. Given what's happened off the coast of Louisiana, I can no longer support more drilling just so I can get cheaper gas and oil companies can get richer and richer and thus donate to Republican campaigns and even in some circumstances put one of their own in the White House.

I hope I have finally learned my lesson.