Does Anyone Know How to Write, “God Bless You” in Chinese?

A friend of mine wrote a letter to the editor of New Mexico's Carlsbad Current-Argus about the hijacking of the Republican Party by the extreme right and asked if I would include it on the blog. I don't know if or when it may be published, so here it is.

Does Anyone Know How to Write, “God Bless You” in Chinese?

The President of the US Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, recently extolled the virtues of outsourcing American jobs, while accepting donations from foreign corporations, including ones from state controlled companies in Russia, India, and Abu Dhabi. The Chamber blames Democrats for job loss while promoting outsourcing those same jobs. It should be clear that these foreign corporations donate to the Chamber because they want more American jobs. The US Chamber of Commerce recently pledged $75 million to attack Democratic candidates across the country.

Alas, the Republican Party is no longer the GOP. Barry Goldwater and William F. Buckley must be rolling over in their graves. The party has been hijacked by their ignorant conservative wing and moderate Republicans have been largely silent. Even the Arizona Maverick seems to now be one of them. The Tea Baggers seem to be calling the shots. This wing constantly carries on a smear campaign against the Democrats in general and the President in particular that is ill mannered, full of lies and downright unpatriotic. This wing slanders our elected President, promotes armed rebellion and invents nonissues to energize their base. It is now so crazy in the Republican Party that Karl Rove, a frequent Republican spokesperson on FOX News and often called “Bush’s Brain,” has endorsed a candidate that believes scientists have developed human brains in mice.

It is amazing that anyone would trust this hijacked party with resolving this recession. Republicans/Tea Baggers don’t know anymore about the economy than they do about manners or patriotism. Republicans tell us that we must eliminate the deficit. They then tell us that we must pass all of the Bush Tax Cuts, which they know and admit, would add trillions to the deficit. Republicans tell us that regulations are killing recovery when lack of regulation and oversight caused this recession. They rail against stimulus spending then beg for that money to be spent in their district. I am reminded of a Will Rogers quote:” If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?”

So Americans, continue to buy those Toyotas and vote Republican and all of our jobs will soon be gone. We can all stand on the corner and beg. Does anyone know how to write, “God Bless You” in Chinese?

Forrest in NM

Behold! The Tea Party Darling!

Christine O'Donnell doesn't know what's in the First Amendment of the Constitution the Tea Party claims it wants to return to.



The saddest part about the whole exchange is that smirk that comes across O'Donnell's face when the audience reacts. She thinks they're laughing with her, not at her.

I Wonder How Hannity Feels About This?

...according to two top GOP insiders, [Christine O'Donnell] said at a strategy meeting with DC types last week: "I've got Sean Hannity in my back pocket, and I can go on his show and raise money by attacking you guys."

Who am I kidding?! Sean knows she's right.

Sarah Palin Redux?

I haven't been able to watch very much of last night Christine O'Donnell/Chris Coons Delaware Senatorial Debate, but from the little I've seen, it's deja vú all over again.

Was Katie Couric moderating? When asked what recent Supreme Court cases Witchy-Poo disagrees with, she couldn't think of one but promised to put it up on her website.



Why Wolf Blitzer would try to bail her out with his Roe v. Wade comment is beyond me, but let's just chalk it up to being part of the most trusted name in news.

Then there's this whole fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 80's and 90's?  Uh, no. We funded the mujahideen through covert CIA operations, but we didn't have any troops in Afghanistan, which is what O'Donnell definitely implied.



At some point, someone she is debating has to call out the stupidity. When Christine "I would've been a Hare Krishna but couldn't give up the meatballs" O'Donnell called Coons a Marxist, why did he rebut with his love of Capitalism? Why didn't he just say something like, "Gee Christine, I'd be offended if I thought you knew what the definition of Marxism was." That's how you fight the stupid. With a little belittling remark. Maybe a follow up asking her to explain what Marxism is.

And I love that some pundits have such low expectations of O'Donnell that, because she didn't go out there and bray like a mule, she is automatically declared formidable and some say, won the debate! Ridiculous. It's Sarah Palin all over again.

O'Donnell is Not a Witch

Christine O'Donnell can't get a break, nor does she deserve one.

Did O'Donnell Even Go To School? - UPDATE

Another university is bringing Christine O'Donnell's self-professed education history into question Wednesday, as Claremont Graduate University, a school that the Delaware Senate candidate claims she attended, has told Talking Points Memo that they have no record of her being there.

Is she just another grifter? A Sarah Palin copycat? Although credit where credit is due, O'Donnell has been a professional campaigner for the last five years, long before The Thrilla from Wasilla was dumped into the national spotlight.

UPDATE (9/30/10 1:50pm):

Delaware Republican Senatorial candidate Christine O'Donnell has responded to accusations that she overstated her education in her resume by insisting that a LinkedIn profile erroneously stating she went to Oxford University wasn't authored with her knowledge.

But now a new website has surfaced listing the same erroneous biographical information. And a website spokesman claims that O'Donnell entered the data herself.

Oops. I'm waiting for "the dog ate my homework" excuse next.

S#*! Sarah Palin Says (Pants On Fire Edition)

In the aftermath of Christine O'Donnell's black magic coming out party, she has canceled a scheduled appearance on Face The Nation tomorrow morning. You'd think that a rising star like O'Donnell would take advantage of the national exposure and show her prowess in front of the camera, speak the courage of her convictions in her stance on the issues and garner even more support and donations for her campaign.  But, no. Delaware needs her, she says.  Or maybe she's heeding the advice of a certain someone who suggested she go on Fox News to let viewers know what she stands for.

So leave it to the Mama Grizzly herself to defend her Eve Harrington with a Tweet attack against CQ Politics.



The nerve of CQ Politics to railroad Christine O'Donnell like that. I mean, who could have advised her to go on Fox News? Oh... right. It was SARAH PALIN.



Granted, she didn't say "only" Fox News, but she didn't mention that she should go on other networks or even "lamestream media" in general.  Easier than shooting moose in a barrel.

ADDING... O'Donnell has also canceled an interview on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.

[Campaign spokeswoman Diana] Banister said she was unaware of the previous commitments when she booked O'Donnell for the shows. She said she canceled with Fox News late Friday and with CBS early Saturday.

"We felt really bad," she said, adding the campaign apologized profusely for canceling at the last minute. Banister said O'Donnell would be pleased to appear on any Sunday news shows in the future.

Well played, Christine. Obviously, if Delaware needs you, you can't be available for Fox after canceling with Bob Scheiffer.  I'm eagerly awaiting her first Sunday appearance.  Any takers on when that might be?

She's A Witch! Burn Her!

Via Intoxination:

Coward

Karl Rove spoke the truth for a change... and found the wingnut backlash so objectionable to his sensitivities, he caved to them and endorsed the nominee he thought was unelectable just hours earlier.

Karl then.



Karl now.



Heckuva job, Turdblossom.

Biden to Progressives: "Get In Gear, Man"

Rachel Maddow's interview with Vice President Joe Biden.

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

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

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

How Does the Tea Party Help Republicans?

I've been mulling this question over while watching Republican incumbents in primary after primary fall to the Tea Party candidates and I can't see that they help the Republicans at all. In fact, the whole GOP is tacking to the right to embrace the Tea Party for fear of extinction. So why is it that all the polls and pundits are convinced that the Democrats are doomed on Election Day 2010?

It's all really a matter of common sense. The Tea Party is basically an extreme, conservative group to the right of the Republican Party. Regardless of the spin they try to put on the demographics of the movement - that they are equal parts Democrats, Republicans and Independents who are tired of the status quo in Washington - we know better. The chance that even conservative Democrats in the general election would flock to vote for a Tea Party candidate is slim to none. And knowing that Freedom Works is basically behind the Tea Party movement, I view it as the political equivalent of the Frankenstein monster.

If anything, we are witnessing angry Republicans not only fearful of the evil, Kenyan, socialist, Marxist, Nazi Obama, but upset with their own party and knocking them off in the Republican primaries with candidates who are at the least inexperienced, and at worst, the fringiest of the fringe who think Social Security is unconstitutional and continue the myth that Social Security is bankrupt, want to privatize Social Security and Medicare, because as you know, Wall Street bankers will protect your assets, and forward blatantly racist, anti-Obama emails.

And yet we keep hearing (literally just now I heard this as a bumper on MSNBC) that "the Tea Party is proving it can shape the political landscape and will have a huge impact on the midterm November elections."

Let's face it, Democrats will mostly likely vote for Democrats. Republicans will most likely vote for Republicans, even if that means they have to cast a ballot for Christine "Masturbation Is Bad" O'Donnell or Carl "Humans are Racist" Paladino. But the Independent voter, the voters that swung for President Obama in 2008, don't normally ride the crazy train.  And I don't think they'll punch a ticket for it this time either.  Hell, even the GOP party chairman said O'Donnell has no business running for dog catcher, let alone US Senate. And evil spawn Karl Rove is calling some of her comments "nutty" for which he is getting backlash from Wingnuttia.

So maybe the Tea Party really is reshaping the political landscape for the November midterms, but in my opinion it's coming at the peril of the Republican Party. Eight of the Republican Party backed establishment candidates lost to the Tea Party challenger. And although Republicans have no choice but to support the primary winners (even after saying they wouldn't) the fracture in the GOP is clearly visible.  They have just as much to lose as any Democrat in office.

Yes, anti-incumbent rage might cost some Democratic seats in the House and Senate just like it does after every midterm against the majority party incumbents whose party controls the White House, but I don't believe it'll be anywhere close to the devastation that the pundits are predicting, because the one thing all the talking heads keep dismissing in all of the analysis is the quality of the candidate.

Adding... Maybe all the wingnuts winning Republican primaries are just what the Democratic doctor ordered to gin up the base and finally get some enthusiasm rolling.