Mitt Vs. Newt! Republicans Who Voted Against Newt

The latest ad from Mitt Romney. I'm still having trouble believing this is a race between guys named "Mitt" and "Newt." Unbelievable.

Grover Norquist Tries Blackmailing President Obama

I ask for the hundredth time, who the f**k is Grover Norquist? Why is this unelected, irrelevant asshole given any attention by anybody at all? And to have the nerve to threaten the President with impeachment? The gall. Honestly, he's not a Congressman. He has no ability to make good on this blackmail threat unless he also does the same to some GOP Senators or or Representatives, or at least has them at his beck and call.

Image from source, Addicting Info

I don't want to pay higher taxes any more than you do. But I do know that the "Bush tax cuts" were designed to sunset. They've been extended once, and are due to end at the end of the year. By any real measure, they should all be allowed to expire. But President Obama and the Democrats want to keep those for the middle class in place (whether that is a good idea or not, it is good politics). Grover Norquist isn't upset about that, he's only pissed because rich people would lose their tax cut. It isn't technically even an increase. It is reverted to its original rate, and expiring one year after it was supposed to expire! 

On a side note, I predicted more than three years ago that there would be those in the GOP (and its base) who would attempt to impeach President Obama, or at least make noise about it. As it was with Clinton, it is an impeachment in search of a reason. Any reason--even lying about a blow job--will do. You'd think that since Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Obama let Bush, Cheney and the rest of that corrupt bunch off the hook, they'd cut him some slack, but no.

[Excerpt]

Grover Norquist To Obama: Extend Bush Tax Cuts Or Be Impeached 

You almost have to admire the chutzpah of Grover Norquist. For a man with no elected office and lacking the billions of the Koch brothers, Norquist exerts a phenomenal amount of influence on American politics. From his ability to force the entire GOP to pledge not to raise taxes under any circumstances (except on the Middle Class and poor, of course) to his latest act of arrogance in essentially threatening the President of the United States, Norquist is quite sure of himself. . .

Read more at: Addicting Info

In Case You Missed It: Over Time with Bill Maher, January 27, 2012

Ep. 235: January 27, 2012 - Overtime

I'm Partying Again

No posts today, because we've been readying the joint for a birthday dinner for a friend. I'll be back later, provided the festivities do not get out of control!

Elizabeth Warren on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell

I dislike Newton Leroy Gingrich almost as much as I do Karl Rove, or anybody named Cheney. But I like Elizabeth Warren exactly as much as I dislike them. I'd vote for her for whatever she runs for. People talk about President Obama adding Hillary Clinton to his ticket, which is a cool idea. But I'd be more excited if he recruited Warren. Okay, done gushing now.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mike in Raleigh: Janfinger!

Another great Mike in Raleigh bit, heard on The Stephanie Miller Show. This one is based on Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's exaggerated "argument" with President Obama. Enjoy!

The Return of Ferris Bueller?

I have no idea, but it's a heckuva tease!

Are Conservative Beliefs, Prejudice and Low Intelligence Linked?

I don't remember Forrest being a
racist conservative!

I'm going to tread lightly here. I could go nuts with this one, right? Instead, I'll just say that I'm not sure what the difference is between having been a lower intelligence child and currently being a prejudiced social conservative. . . Are they still lower intelligence adults? That part seemed to be left out. Anyway. . .

[Excerpt]


Low IQ & Conservative Beliefs Linked to Prejudice

There's no gentle way to put it: People who give in to racism and prejudice may simply be dumb, according to a new study that is bound to stir public controversy. . .

Read more at: Live Science

Wisconsin Gov. Walker's Aides Caught, Illegal Campaigning

Image from source, JSOnline

Soon to probably be recalled Governor Walker has all sorts of problems these days. He's sort of the walking definition of "political overreach." And now, the people who got him where he is are in trouble too. It's so terribly (chuckle) sad.

[Excerpt]


Two ex-Walker aides charged with illegal campaigning

Two staffers who worked directly for Gov. Scott Walker while he was county executive were charged Thursday with illegally doing extensive political work while being paid by taxpayers to do county jobs.

One of the two, Darlene Wink, cut a deal with prosecutors under which she has agreed to provide information in a related investigation about the destruction of digital evidence and to aid in further prosecutions. This is the first indication that the multifaceted John Doe investigation may be pursuing charges of evidence tampering. . .

Read more at: JSOnline

Rachel Maddow: PolitiFact, You're Fired!

Agreed. When their "lie of the year" turned out not to be, the writing was on the wall. Rachel Maddow took them to task on Wednesday night and again on Thursday. Here's her first piece, to be followed by the new one when it is posted.



And here is the followup.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Blogger Break!

Sorry nothing new is posted for today. Partying and revelry last night! I'll be back later today!

Herman Cain Gives Tea Party Response to State of the Union

What? The "Tea Party," a loose amalgamation of conservatives who really, really don't like President Obama, gave another response to a State of the Union Address? A leaderless movement with a dwindling presence and decreasing relevance is responding to the President's address why exactly? And they picked Herman Cain, former GOP presidential candidate/performance artist to do it? Why?

Well, at least it isn't Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann, looking into the wrong camera this time.  


[Excerpt]


Herman Cain Delivers Tea Party Response To State Of The Union 




At the National Press Club tonight, former presidential hopeful Herman Cain delivered the official State Of The Union rebuttal on the behalf of the Tea Party, marking the second time the nascent conservative movement has fulfilled that role. But while Herman Cain improved on the performance of his predecessor, Michele Bachmann, and managed to deliver the standard Tea Party talking points against the Obama administration, he didn't do much to prove the necessity of a Tea Party rebuttal. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Gingrich Lives for Applause

Possibly the least likeable candidate who's gotten this far.
Image from Raw Story.

Well, there was no doubt that Newt Gingrich had an ego, was there? But Newt's love of applause is beside the point. In many of the previous debates (in this seemingly endless series), the participation of the audience became the story. And it was a decidedly unflattering--if illustrative--story at that. They booed a gay soldier. Cheered executions. Whelped with approval at the notion of letting a sick man die if he has no insurance. It hasn't been pretty.

But you know what else isn't pretty? A Republican debate with no feedback. Sure, this is how it was always done in the (not so) old days. Debates were supposed to be a very serious, somber affair. They were kind of dull sometimes, but that's just how they were. Now that we've gotten accustomed to the crass noises from the GOP crowds, an installment without them is deathly dull. Betcha they're back in the next debate.

Image from Mother Jones

[Excerpt]


Gingrich threatens to boycott debates without applause

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Tuesday warned that he might not participate in future debates if moderators didn’t allow his fans to cheer.

NBC News had asked the audience at Monday night’s debate in Florida to hold their applause until the commercial breaks — and Gingrich was perceived to have done significantly worse than in previous debates. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Birthers Score a Victory of Sorts

The birthers just won't go away. They started with President Obama's birth certificate, claiming it wasn't the "long form" or the "certificate of live birth." They insisted that the long form be released, and while they waited, they came up with endless loopy theories. When they ran up against 1961 birth announcements in two Hawaii newspapers, a bunch of birthers bailed. I mean, it takes a hell of a tinfoil hat to try to spin a theory that explains that one away. Still, some birthers have heavy duty foil and lots of time. Some still think Obama was born in Kenya or Canada or elsewhere.

Orly, with the of an equivalent of an "I'm with stupid"
sign. The arrow should go both ways. Image
from ThinkProgress.org.

Then, Obama released the danged long form, and the birthers gave up.

Just kidding. That probably peeled off quite a few more of them, but the true nuts are still on board. They said the long form was fraudulent, and had many "experts" "prove" it, by dissecting the "layers" in the White House's scan of the document. Let me say that again, this was the scan of the document, not the document itself that the birthers were examining. Zooming in, talking about pixels. . .it was insane. And I proved them wrong here.

Since the birth certificate thing just makes them sound nuts, the after-birthers arrived. They've mostly ditched that issue, and the issue of the President's birthplace, in favor of a variety of technical issues that they believe will retroactively disqualify Barack Obama, and send him packing. Things like Obama's dad having been born in Kenya, obscure legal theories on the term "natural born citizen," among others. They really think they're going to bounce Obama on a technicality.

They got a tiny glimmer of hope from a daft Georgia judge, who thinks he can compel a sitting President into his courtroom, so that Orly Taitz can go on a fishing expedition on this and other issues (she insists he's had several invalid Social Security numbers, among other things). Obama obviously will not go, and nothing is likely to come of this. But they'll keep tilting at that windmill, you can count on it.


[Excerpt]

Georgia Judge Thinks Obama Needs To Testify In Birther Case 


In a decision that broke with every other judge to consider the issue, including at least one judge who effectively fined birther queen Orly Taiz $20,000 for pressing the absurd claim that President Obama is not a citizen eligible to serve as president, a Georgia administrative law judge sided Taitz and several of her clients’ in an effort to force President Obama to testify in a birther case. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

President Obama's Third State of the Union Address

I liked the speech. I thought it was funny watching John Boner Boehner try to figure out when to clap by watching his side of the audience. It was a lot easier to watch than any of Dubya's, that's for sure. But it wasn't quite a barnburner. And I thought it was odd that the Republicans disliked it so much. This was far from a lefty liberal moonbat speech. It was quite centrist, in my opinion.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rude Pundit Takes Newt to the Woodshed

I rarely litter the blog with words worse then damn or hell (though I've been known to sneak a few shits and fucks through!). But truth be told, I often censor myself. I've hit the delete key, and replaced a colorful word with one that is less so. Truth be told, I wouldn't mind taking that self-imposed restriction off a little more often. The world today often calls for it. But even if I did, I'd be unable to match the flair and the organic profanity of The Rude Pundit. With or without expletives, he's always on point.

[Excerpt]


Gingrich Wins South Carolina as the GOP Embraces the Devil

. . .The idea that Newt Gingrich is positioning himself as some kind of Washington outsider is so laughable that it's pathetic. He has physically lived in the DC area for over 30 years. That meeting with members of Congress in 2008 wasn't some kind of anomaly: it's what he's been doing since he was whipped out of Congress by the members of his own party, not by Democrats, not by the elite media he so derides and uses as a safe foil for his own arrogance. The idea that a multimillionaire can position himself as the poor man against Romney is mind-boggling. The idea that he can keep berating the press without anyone in the press calling him on it is just depressing. . .

Read more at: The Rude Pundit

Mitt Romney Finally Releases Tax Records

Laugh it up, Mittens! Image from Raw Story

And as Raw Story said on their Facebook page: "Boom."


[Excerpt]


Romney’s released tax return reveals 13.9% rate, holdings in foreign ‘tax havens’

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney released tax records on Tuesday indicating he will pay $6.2 million in taxes on a total of $45.2 million in income over the years 2010 and 2011.


Bowing to increasing political pressure to provide more detail about his vast wealth, the former private equity executive released tax returns indicating he and his wife, Ann, paid an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent in 2010. They expect to pay a 15.4 percent rate when they file their returns for 2011. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Paul and Romney Go After Newt's Ethics

It is not, of course, only Newt Gingrich's competition for the GOP nomination that are pointing out his rather considerable flaws. And it isn't just them and Democrats, but Republicans, like George Will, Mike Murphy and even New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Keep tenderizing him guys. If he's going to be the nominee, we need him pulpy. Thanks.

[Excerpt]


Ron Paul, Mitt Romney Open Fire On Newt Gingrich Over Ethics Charges 

Ron Paul tore into Newt Gingrich early in Monday night's debate, claiming that he had left the speakership due to lack of support from his conservative colleagues, not voluntarily -- as Gingrich has suggested -- following the GOP's poor performance in the 1998 elections. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Come to the Caymans, Mitt Romney!

Mike in Raleigh, famous Stephanie Miller Show contributor, strikes again!

In Case You Missed It: Over Time with Bill Maher, January 20, 2012

Forgot to post it earlier. A good panel. Enjoy.

Ep. 234: January 20, 2012 - Overtime