"When asked to stand guard at the doors that duty was turned over to the Wisconsin State Patrol because our deputies would not stand and be palace guards. I refused to put deputy sheriffs in a position to be palace guards."
Dane County, Wisconsin Sheriff David Mahoney on his decision to pull officers guarding the Madison Capitol building.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Quote of the Day
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Grand Oil Party
One simple question: why are the leading oil companies, whose profits topped $485 BILLION in a 5-year span, receiving tax subsidies from the government?DCCC: Despite the need to cut spending and reduce the debt, today House Republicans voted against cutting taxpayer spending on subsidies for Big Oil companies making record profits. Last week, House Republicans voted to slash education, research and public safety budgets that would lead to more than 700,000 jobs lost nationwide.
Here we sit, with the Tea Party protesting that we're taxed enough already, Wisconsin union members fighting to keep their collective bargaining rights after banksters sucked state pension funds dry, $14 trillion in debt, states laying off workers in the public sector in an attempt to keep their heads above water while dragging down unemployment numbers and the economic recovery in the process, and we're allowing massive oil corporations making record profits to get away with huge tax breaks. Or rather, the fiscally responsible Republicans (and handful of DINOs) are allowing it to continue. How is that remotely acceptable?
I Am a Wisconsinite
A have a friend who's been marching and protesting in Madison, Wisconsin for the last couple of weeks, trying to protect his union rights to collectively bargain. We met more than a few years ago working on a show together for an out of town tryout in Denver, and then again in New York City. He has since moved back to his native Madison to take an industry job and raise a family.
He wrote a stirring post on his Facebook page and gave me permission to repost it here.
I AM A WISCONSINITE.
I was born and raised in Wisconsin. At the time I did not think that made me very lucky. After I graduated from UW-Madison I moved to NYC and immediately considered myself a New Yorker. Even after moving back to raise a family I would, for a time, tell people I lived in Madison but just moved back from NYC because I felt it sounded cooler. I was wrong. There is nothing cooler than being a Wisconsinite.My family has always been politically active in Wisconsin politics and labor movements. I feel like my sisters and I spent a good portion of our childhoods at the Labor Temple on Park St. or handing out flyers at Farmer's Market. It didn't dawn on me at the time what it was I was involved in. My parents always worked for the community. They always fought for workers and those that stood to protect them. For me... it was just another rally or picnic. I didn't understand the fight that it took just to maintain what had been taken for granted by many.My mother spent over 10 years working at the WEAC headquarters in Madison where she also served as a union representative. It was something she was proud of. A little over a year ago she was diagnosed with brain cancer, the treatment of which has left her unable to work or even care for herself. That responsibility has landed mostly on my dad who is retired. Without the benefits that she worked and fought for we would not have been able to afford to treat or care for her now. She was a public worker. She was a union member. I grew up in the same house and can promise you, she did not bring home lavish pay.
This is not about money and numbers. It is about people. This is about the teachers that spend as much time with your kids as you do. It is about the nurses that care for you and yours when ill. It is about law enforcement and fire fighters. It is about the people of Wisconsin that make the state what it is.
The events of the last few weeks have been inspiring to the world. It has given me new respect for the people I have chosen to live with. It has given me faith in the power of the people. It has given me an opportunity to march with my father on one side and my son on the other. I know it means nothing to him now but some day he may look back at it as his first memory of the power of the people. We must fight on for him.
I am from Wisconsin. I always have been. Pretty cool huh?
James Uphoff, Madision, Wisconsin
Pro-Life Clowns
Via GottaLaff:
Look, I can completely understand being an advocate for one side or another, but stupid stunts like this make the pro-life advocates look idiotic. And these are most likely the same people that agree with tort reform because they believe medical malpractice suits are are a "frivolous" waste of taxpayer money. Well how much money is being wasted on this debacle of a hearing?In support of a bill that proposes banning abortions after the first heartbeat (something that can happen within eighteen days of conception), the anti-abortion group Faith2Action has scheduled a nine-week-old fetus to testify as a legislative witness before Ohio’s House Health Committee.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Jane Russell Dies at 89
LA Times: Jane Russell, the dark-haired siren whose sensational debut in the 1943 film "The Outlaw" inspired producer Howard Hughes to challenge the power and strict morality of Hollywood's production code, died Monday at her home in Santa Maria, Calif. She was 89.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Duke Snider Dies at 85
NY Daily News: Hall-of-Famer Duke Snider, the last surviving regular of the 1950's "Boys of Summer" Dodgers, whose prolific home runs and center field defensive prowess earned him royalty status in Brooklyn and immortalization in song in Terry Cashman's famous baseball ballad, died Sunday in the Valley Vista Convalenscent Home in Escondido, Ca. He was 85.Snider had been in ill health the last couple of year from diabetes.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Rumsfeld Interviews
Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has been doing the book circuit to sell his new memoir, Known and Unknown, and made a stop along the way to The Daily Show for a sit down interview with Jon Stewart.
I knew I wouldn't be home in time, so I recorded it and watched it the next day. And I have to say that initially I was disappointed. I had hoped Stewart would be a little more forceful with Rumsfeld and a little less deferential. It was incredibly frustrating listening to Rumsfeld's hemming and hawing about an exact word or phrasing of a question before answering it. And doubly frustrating to have Stewart stop, take a moment to regroup and rephrase in order to get through to an attempt at an answer.
But after letting it sit for a couple of days, I watched the complete, unedited interview posted on Comedy Central and have changed my mind about my overall take. I watched and listened intently to the questions and answers and I have to give Stewart credit for A) asking some tough questions and B) being incredibly patient under the circumstances. In hindsight, I'm glad that it was a serious interview and there wasn't crosstalk that you might find in, oh, I don't know, an Obama/Bill O'Reilly interview. Showing respect while disagreeing with someone is much harder than blustering over an answer you don't want to hear, and that's the last thing I want to see from a Stewart interview.
I also have to give credit to Donald Rumsfeld for having the guts to go out and expose himself. Yes, I know he's doing it to sell books, but kudos for not taking the safe route and remaining in friendlier confines like Sean Hannity's studio or Fox and Friends. And although some, including myself, may not like his answers, at least he's not in hiding like his incurious, lazy former boss. I also came to the realization that the reason Rumsfeld would object to certain ways questions were framed was because he's conditioned himself over his incredibly long career to prevent from falling into "gotcha" traps, whether it's a soundbite trap or not. He's not going to answer a question that, in his mind, he doesn't think is fairly phrased.
My overall opinion is that Rumsfeld, although taking responsibility as he must in his former position, is still too easily passing the buck on the faulty intelligence on which they relied. And while history shows that there was a run up to the Iraq War that, as Stewart says, was "arrogant in it's certainty," I think he sincerely believes that the decisions made weren't in haste, that there was a lot of effort of forethought, but he can't connect the forethought with the lack of followthrough as a mistake.
Here's the entire interview. You can judge for yourself.
Here, on the other hand, is Rumsfeld calling in to the Opie and Anthony Show to whore his book. Comedian Louis C.K. (one of my favorites) is a guest host (my assumption) and throws respect out the window immediately, asking Rumsfeld about the rumors that he and Dick Cheney are "alien lizards who eat human flesh" and would he take the opportunity now to deny that. He also asked, "How many guys do you think you've met that have died by hanging?"
Through it all, Rumsfeld kept a good natured sense, but he deserved this kind of treatment for being naive enough to go on this particular radio show. Some appearances aren't worth it and if I were him, I would fire his agent or publicist. Enjoy!
Must Reads
The Rude Pundit: In Brief: Scott Walker Is America's Asshole
Eugene Robinson: Starving Wisconsin's Unions
David Cay Johnston: Really Bad Reporting in Wisconsin: Who 'Contributes' to Public Workers' Pensions?
Keith Olbermann: Wisconsin and “The Union”
Nicole Belle: Why Did Paul Broun Laugh Off Supporter's Town Hall Comment: "Who Is Going To Shoot President Obama?"
JHW22 recommends...
Brad Reed: Greed is Good... Unless You're Teaching My Kids Math!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Take some damn personal responsibility!!
POSTED BY JHW22
No, you should not take responsibility for a jack-ass who asks, "Who is going to shoot President Obama?" but you should take responsibility for not telling that man, and the audience who LAUGHED at the question, that not only is the question inappropriate but also DANGEROUS AS HELL!!!
HELLO! We still have a member of Congress recovering from being SHOT IN THE HEAD. Today is the birthday of one of her staffers who died, Gabe Zimmerman. One of her other staffers returned to work on Wednesday, Pamela Simon. Political violence is real even if it's a crazy man who pulls the trigger. And it's the crazy person we should all keep in mind when violent words are spoken.
And no, a belated lame-ass statement IS NOT accepting personal responsibility for allowing a violent question to go unaddressed. We do not accept changing the subject, allowing people to laugh without being told to stop and without a significant statement AT THE TIME calling that language UNACCEPTABLE.
I think a proper way to show personal responsibility is for Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) to resign. That way the message is loud and clear -- Americans DO NOT THREATEN THE PRESIDENT.
He's Not Al Sharpton
If politicians actually did everything they said they'd do while on the campaign trail, the world would be a better place. But we live in reality, don't we? If someone running for president says he'd don "comfortable shoes and walk a picket line" in support of workers and unions, and then actually won the office, would you seriously expect him to do it if it came to pass?
But that's exactly what has happened and now there are pundits who are wondering if President Obama is going to Wisconsin to walk with the protesters. He's already said everyone has to tighten their belts and knows that the Wisconsin labor unions have conceded the financial point and are willing to acquiesce to Governor Walker except when it comes to giving up their collective bargaining rights, but it seems like "an assault on unions."
But, come on, guys, seriously? Walk the picket lines? He's the fucking President of the United States, not Al Sharpton!
Unserious Boobs
This is why right wing pundits and Fox News models are completely unserious when it comes to matters of discussing political policy. Here's Fox News' Megyn Kelly and Monica Crowley discussing the decision of the Obama administration to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act it deems to be unconstitutional.
Now, you may agree or disagree with the decision as is your right. But is it necessary to call the President of the United States "Mubarak Obama"? Really? Is that being a serious journalist, if that's how you define yourself? And Crowley then chose to go the route of, "Well, if Bush did this..." Remind me again how the right was all up in arms when the Bush administration gave the thumbs up on waterboarding and other torture tactics in direct violation of countless treaties and military codes of conduct. A nation of laws indeed, Monica.
In the blogosphere, Andrew Sullivan points out that Matt Drudge decided to go with this lovely headline in the midst of the protests in Libya:
Well if that's the case, Drudge, WND, Malkin and her minions, and the rest of those loons should be headlining how the protesters in Libya are just drug-addled people who were taken advantage of by Osama Bin Laden. I mean if Gaddafi said it, it must be true, right? Very serious."GADDAFI: OBAMA IS A FRIEND," reads the banner headline on his [Drudge's] website right now. The link goes to a year-old interview Gaddafi gave with a London-based newspaper...So Drudge is now taking Qaddafi's insane ramblings at face value?... Drudge isn't alone. A blogger at Malkin's place picks up a loony World Net Daily article suggesting that Qaddafi, Jeremiah Wright, and Obama are all in cahoots.
ADDING... A correction, or rather a further explanation of the Justice Department's DOMA statement. The White House and the DoJ has decided not to defend the constitutionality of DOMA in appeals, not the enforcement of the law itself. So that makes the Fox clip above even more asinine.
Also, how many different ways can you spell Gaddafi? Khaddafi? Qaddafi?
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Walker/"Koch" Tapes: The Definition of Numbnuts - UPDATED
Wisconsin Governor, Tea Party darling and conspiratorial union buster Scott Walker took a call today from who he thought was David Koch. Interesting who Walker's willing to speak with after saying he would speak with no one. "And so Walker, believing himself to be on the phone with his patron, seems to have had a long conversation about busting Wisconsin's unions." But it wasn't Koch. It was Buffalo Beast editor Ian Murphy.
Their conversation included trashing MSNBC, dividing the public sector and private sector unions, and the domino effect this would have in busting other unions in other states. Silly me. Taking Gov. Walker at his word, I thought this was all about balancing Wisconsin's budget and had nothing to do with union busting.Buffalo Beast Publisher Paul Fallon told The Huffington Post that the audio is "absolutely legit." That the call took place as described by the Beast has been confirmed by Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie."Basically what happened was, yesterday morning [Murphy] was watching television about this Wisconsin stuff and he saw a report where he saw Walker say he wasn't going to talk to anybody," Fallon said. "And he said, 'I bet he would talk to somebody if he had enough oomph behind him.'"
And in admitting the conversation took place, spokesman Werwie said nothing they spoke about isn't something Walker wouldn't say in public. Unless of course that something is strategy on how to force the Wisconsin Democratic Senators currently AWOL back to the floor, including stopping direct deposit of their paychecks.
UPDATE (2:45pm): A member of the Wisconsin 14 responds:
Nice going, Scotty.A member of the crew of 14 Democratic state senators who fled Wisconsin to prevent passage of a sharp anti-union measure, said a revealing prank phone call involving Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has strengthened the resolve of those breaking the quorum and pushed them even further away from the negotiating table... [calling] Walker "cocky" and "gullible" for believing that David Koch, the billionaire conservative bankroller, would call him up to discuss political tactics....The part that really had my eyebrows up is the idea that he would trick us to come back for a compromise and use that as an excuse for passing it," said [State Sen. Chris] Larson. "He is such a hypocrite because he is saying what we are doing is an affront to democracy and then he is going to trick us into coming back?""To anyone who was thinking, 'Well they wouldn't try anything shady,' this puts an end to that idea," he added.
Gay Marriage
POSTED BY JHW22
This just in...
The Obama Justice Department has decided that part of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and will not defend it in court.Woo hoo!
Let's Compare!
POSTED BY JHW22
The emphasis is mine. The words are Sarah Palin's in her State of the State Address in 2009 -- two days after Michelle Obama became First Lady and 18 days before the First Lady launched her "Let's Move" initiative to accomplish the same things Sarah Palin laid out in her plans and speech. Sarah Palin quit her job about 5 1/2 months later, whereas Michelle Obama is still working her butt off to accomplish these goals.We have alarming levels of heart disease, diabetes, childhood obesity--and all of these maladies are on the rise. Now, I won't stand here and lecture--for very long--but health care reform on an individual basis is often just this simple: we could save a lot of money, and a lot of grief, by making smarter choices.It starts by ending destructive habits, and beginning healthy habits in eating and exercise. In my case, it's hard to slack when you have the ever-present example of an Iron Dogger nearby. But many of us could use a little more time in our great outdoors--and when you live in the Great Land, there's no excuse.Protecting good health is largely a matter of personal responsibility, but government policy can help. Our new Alaska Health Care Commission will recommend changes that affect the well-being of Alaskans far into the future.
What does the First Lady force on Americans through her "Let's Move" initiative?
How does Sarah Palin interpret that?Helpful tips and step-by-step strategies for families, schools and communities to help kids be more active, eat better and grow up healthy.
Considering the "Let's Move" agenda sounds just like Palin's agenda as governor, the question is, why she isn't claiming the First Lady stole the plan from her, just as Palin claimed Obama stole the "Change" messaging from her?"And I know I'm going to be again criticized for bringing this up, but instead of a government thinking that they need to take over and make decisions for us according to some politician or politician's wife priorities, just leave us alone, get off our back and allow us as individuals to exercise our own God-given rights to make our own decisions and then our country gets back on the right track."
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Breast Pumps
POSTED BY JHW22
Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin have a beef with boobs. Since I consider those two women boobs, I guess I do, too.
But seriously, folks, MB and SP are mad that Michelle Obama is encouraging women to pump their breast milk AND take the tax exemption a breast pump now qualifies for as a medical expense. Now, you'd think that Grizzly Mama, family values lovin, baby-havin, women would be with the First Lady on this issue. And because they aren't, you KNOW they're just grasping at straws.
Here's why MB and SP should support the First Lady:
Breastfeeding is good for the baby and the mom.
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months has many benefits for the infant and the mother. Chief among these is protection against gastro-intestinal infections which is observed not only in developing but also in industrialized countries. Early initiation of breastfeeding, within one hour of birth, protects the newborn from acquiring infections and reduces newborn mortality. The risk of mortality due to diarrhoea and other infections can increase in infants who are either partially breastfed or not breastfed at all.Breast milk is also an important source of energy and nutrients in children 6 to 23 months of age. It can provide one half or more of a child's energy needs between 6 and 12 months of age, and one third of energy needs between 12 and 24 months. Breast milk is also a critical source of energy and nutrients during illness and reduces mortality among children who are malnourished.Adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, as well as lower rates of overweight, obesity and type-2 diabetes. Breastfeeding also contributes to the health and well-being of mothers; it reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer and helps space pregnancies -- exclusive breastfeeding of babies under six months has a hormonal effect which often induces a lack of menstruation. This is a natural (though not fail-safe) method of birth control known as the Lactation Amenorrhoea Method.
Pumped breast milk is good for the baby and the dad (hey! don't go there!)
A breast pump helps the family by allowing the mom to go back to work sooner to help pay all those new bills that come with a baby.Hooray for Hands-on- Dads! Three cheers for helpful grandparents, relatives and friends! Hats off to day care providers! With mom pumping and you giving the baby bottles of breast milk, you're giving your baby the best nutritional start and following The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that babies ideally receive breast milk for the first year of life. Not to mention being hands on with your baby and saving both time and money. Pumped breast milk is low cost compared to formula and you can't even compare the quality. Don't forget that a breast pump is a one time only investment; if you buy formula it can cost you as much as $2000.00 a year.
Really, families who make a lot of money are the ones who can claim the deduction (since the standard deduction makes the breast pump deduction moot) and we KNOW MB and SP love rich people.
Don't Republicans always WANT tax deductions?
And hey, if there's a breast pump, there's a baby. A breast pump means the woman didn't choose an abortion. That right there should be reason enough to get on board with the First Lady's encouragement of breast feeding and buying breast pumps!
EDITOR'S NOTE: I wanted to add a couple of things on this subject.
First, here is the new information for the dedcution:
Now there will probably be debate from those who think this a frivolous deduction, or whether all breast pumps should be included. A hand breast pump goes for around $50. A electric/battery operated breast pump can cost upwards of $350 and some much higher. So is someone taking advantage of the tax deduction by purchasing the more expensive pump?The IRS ruling on the tax deduction savings states that the new deduction "will allow mothers to use pretax money from their flexible spending accounts to cover the cost of breast pumps and other supplies. Those without flexible spending accounts may deduct breast-feeding costs if their total unreimbursed medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of their adjusted gross income and they itemize."
The short answer is no. While it may seem a luxury to get a double pumped electric model with leather seats as a opposed to a single shot Model-T version with roll down windows, the fact is that the time, efficiency and effort saved is well worth the money. And from experience, as you can throw your back out cranking up that old Model-T, you can actually cause carpal tunnel flareup or repetitive motion injury using a manually operated breast pump.
And let's not forget that 7.5% threshold for the deduction. They more money you make, the less likely you'll be eligible for the deduction.
Secondly, does hypocrisy know no bounds? Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, both mothers of five, should be the last people to criticize Michelle Obama's support of breastfeeding. While breastfeeding isn't for everyone, we all know the benefits of it. So did a certain governor just 3½ short years ago (emphasis mine):
Just further proof that Palin and Bachmann are unserious goofballs who will oppose anything that arises from the Obama administration for the sake of being contrarian just to stoke their base, even disagreeing with philosophies and ideals with which they were once proponents.WHEREAS, breastfeeding is recognized as an unequalled means of providing food for infants.WHEREAS, throughout their lives, breastfeeding can offer children protection against serious health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Breastfeeding also saves lives by reducing the incidence of life-threatening cancers in women and preventing premature death in infants.WHEREAS, breastfeeding forms the most basic bond between mother and baby and is a foundation for lifelong health and wellness.WHEREAS, government and community organizations have a vested interest in protecting and promoting breastfeeding as a means of preventing infant malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality.WHEREAS, during October, organizations throughout our state will promote the importance of breastfeeding. This year, in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week - October 1 through October 7 - the State of Alaska will support networks that encourage and promote breastfeeding in all communities.NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim October 2007 as:Breastfeeding Awareness Month
- Broadway Carl
D & C
POSTED BY JHW22
I won't link to an offensive speech on the House floor last week, where a man decided he knew what was in a woman's heart and ranted and raved about abortion -- speaking for women, about women and to women. I won't link to it because he was wrong, cruel and arrogant.
So it took a woman to speak out and call his speech what it was -- insulting. Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) was eloquent and honest in discussing her personal story as a woman who HAS had to make a decision and choose a traumatic procedure that the man had no place in discussing.
But the woman I most want to hear from on this issue, wrote this in her book:
At the beginning of my second trimester, I went in for my monthly exam.The woman who wrote about the pain of the same procedure Ms. Speier passionately conveyed in her speech should speak out and stand with a woman who shares her experience -- despite their party differences.
...
The doctor said, “There’s nothing alive in there”....
She went on to explain that I could go home and let "it" pass naturally. Or I could have a D & C....
When the doctor’s bill arrived in our mailbox, it came with a typo. In the box describing the procedure, someone had typed "Abortion.” Instead of starting over with a fresh form, they painted it over with a thin layer of White-Out, and retyped, "Miscarriage." For some reason it just felt like salt in the wound.
Sarah Palin, where are you? The word abortion was salt in the wounds of your D & C. So why aren't you defending other women who suffer the same grief?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Wisconsin State Troopers Association Regrets Walker Endorsement -UPDATED
From Tracy Fuller, Executive Board President of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association, posted on WLEA website:
UPDATE (2/21/11 12:45am): Fuller has removed his statement from the WLEA website.Feb. 16, 2011
I am going to make an effort to speak for myself, and every member of the Wisconsin State Patrol when I say this.I VALUE THE CAPITOL POLICE, AND THE U. W. POLICE. I VALUE ALL OF THE POLICE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS OF ALL OF THE AGENCIES IN OUR UNION, AND THE STATE TROOPERS, AND THE INSPECTORS OF THE STATE PATROL. I VALUE “ALL” OF THE SUPPORT STAFF OF ALL OF THE AGENCIES AROUND THE STATE. I DON’T KNOW HOW ANY OF US COULD FUNCTION WITHOUT ANY OF US AROUND THE STATE WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER.I VALUE THE BUREAU OF FIELD SERVICES, FIELD AGENTS OF LOCAL THREE, NO LESS THAN ANY OF THE OTHER MEMBERS IN THE UNION. I AM HERE FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THIS UNION AND ALWAYS THOUGHT I HAD BEEN UNTIL THIS WEEK.I SPECIFICALLY REGRET THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE WISCONSIN TROOPER’S ASSOCIATION FOR GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER. I REGRET THE GOVERNOR’S DECISION TO “ENDORSE” THE TROOPERS AND INSPECTORS OF THE WISCONSIN STATE PATROL. I REGRET BEING THE RECIPIENT OF ANY OF THE PERCIEVED BENEFITS PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNOR’S ANNOINTING.I THINK EVERYONE’S JOB AND CAREER IS JUST AS SIGNIFICANT AS THE OTHERS. EVERYONES FAMILY IS JUST AS VALUABLE AS MINE OR ANY OTHER PERSONS, ESPECIALLY MINE. EVERYONES NEEDS ARE JUST AS VALUABLE. WE ARE ALL GREAT PEOPLE!!
"I am in no position to speak for the Troopers Association on any issue, other than just being -- I am a member, that's the truth. Because the reason that I am a member, and I'll give you this piece of information, the Troopers' Association does a lot of beneficial things in this state."...Fuller's quick decision to pull down the statement is a further sign of the tensions in organized labor in Wisconsin and the rapid pace of events in the unfolding crisis. Divisions within Fuller's union are due to Walker having exempted the State Patrol but not other WLEA members from his budget proposal to remove most collective bargaining rights and place other heavy restrictions on public employee unions.
Why Are State Pension Plans Broke?
Matt Taibbi might give anyone who blames state public employees' unions for their deficit plight a more realistic answer.
So who are the real freeloaders?
A friend of mine just said this, which I tweeted (I didn't want to take credit for it):
Try to say this with a straight face: "We're running a deficit because the teachers and police make too much money."
Ed Schultz Responds To Limbaugh's "Freeloaders" Comment
To Rush Limbaugh, the 70,000 protesters in Madison, Wisconsin who are fighting for their rights to collectively bargain, the teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, sanitation workers and others, who are exercising their Constitutional right to redress grievances, those people are just "freeloaders" as if they didn't work for their money; as if they didn't pay taxes on their salaries.
Ed Schultz had a response for Limbaugh as he stood with the crowd in Madison.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Must Reads
Suzi Parker: In Haley Barbour's Mississippi: Civil War Looms Over License Plates
Maximillio: How Ending Social Spending Will Destroy Our Economy (and Country)
Jason Linkins: Obama Faring Poorly Against Imaginary Candidate
E.J. Dionne: Deficit Hawks and The Games They Play
Will Bunch: A Reagan Litmus Test for 2012 GOP Hopefuls
Bob Cesca: Most Americans Are Closeted Big Government Spenders
Eugene Robinson: Haley Barbour's Silence Speaks Volumes
Zach Carter and Elise Foley: Republican Amendment Would Strip Funds For Obama 'Czars,' Plus Elizabeth Warren
Jamison Foser: Facts Weren't Invited To CNN’s Stimulus Birthday Party
Elvis Dingeldein: Palin Flushes Base Down Toilet
Paul Krugman: Willie Sutton Wept
ADDING:Joshua Holland: Joe Klein's Cluelessness on Wisconsin Uprising Highlights the Corporate Media's Contempt for Working People
Friday, February 18, 2011
Serious Republicans
Currently, there are over 500 amendments being added to the proposed budget in the House. FIVE HUNDRED?! Why so many? Well, here's a reason:
This is some very serious politicking, huh? I suppose you get the government you voted for, don't you...On Monday, [Representative Steve Womack (R-AK)] attempted to tack on an amendment to the proposed budget that would prohibit the president’s Teleprompter from receiving financial support.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Len Lesser Dies at 88
HuffPo: Len Lesser, the veteran character actor best known for his scene-stealing role as Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld," died Wednesday. He was 88.Lesser's family said in a statement that he died in Burbank, Calif., from cancer-related pneumonia.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!
Lose them? So be it.
This is the same John Boehner that was whining "Where are the jobs?" while pointing at President Obama in the perpetual unemployment blame game during the campaign. This is the same John Boehner that was going to do the bidding of the American people, "do the people's work" and stop wasting time on health care battles and work on job creation.
And now the Not-So-Ready-For-Prime-Time Speaker of the House shrugs his shoulders at the potential loss of jobs in the federal workforce; the same federal workforce that has been dragging down the monthly employment numbers and stagnating the unemployment rate. While private sector jobs have slowly been coming back, local and state governments have been shedding jobs. But hey, firefighters, police officers, teachers, sanitation workers, those aren't real people, right?
Meanwhile, the same John Boehner supported an alternative engine for the military's F-35 fighter jet, an engine that the military didn't want or need. Couldn't be that the engine is produced in the Speaker's home state, could it? The bill was soundly defeated in the House today, practically evenly split among Republicans. How many more defeats can Boehner sustain before becoming completely insignificant?
Run, Haley! Run!
Not a chance? We'll see about that. They sure like to top each other in the Idiot Department over at the Grand Ol' Party, don't they?In the latest racially charged incident in his home state, Haley Barbour on Tuesday drew fire when he refused to condemn a proposal honoring a Ku Klux Klan leader and Confederate general on a state license plate."I don't go around denouncing people. That's not going to happen," Barbour, who is considering a run for the White House in 2012, said when asked about the plate, the Associated Press reported. "I know there's not a chance it'll become law."
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Dumbass Quote of the Day
"I believe that the videos we saw of ACORN accurately reflected the activities of ACORN and the culture of ACORN, and the videos we have seen of Planned Parenthood accurately reflect the culture and the activities of Planned Parenthood." On the funding battle, King pledged a "smackdown vote to shut down every dollar going to Planned Parenthood."......"Harry Reid can defend those ghoulish and ghastly and gruesome practices that Planned Parenthood is advocating along with child prostitution and illegal immigration. He can play defense on that. They didn't do very well in the Senate when they tried to defend ACORN. I don't think they'll do any better this time."~Rep. Steve King (R-Doucheland) in the GOP's attack on Planned Parenthood to further restrict health services to women.
Kenneth Mars Dies at 75
NY Times: Kenneth Mars, an actor best known for his over-the-top performance as a German playwright in the original movie version of “The Producers,” died on Saturday at his home here. He was 75.The cause was pancreatic cancer, his family said.In “The Producers” (1968), written and directed by Mel Brooks, Mr. Mars played Franz Liebkind, a Nazi enthusiast whose play “Springtime for Hitler” is the basis for a scheme by two conniving showmen (Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder) to bilk investors by putting on a sure-fire Broadway flop.
George Shearing Dies at 91
NY Times: George Shearing, the British piano virtuoso who overcame blindness to become a worldwide jazz star, and whose composition “Lullaby of Birdland” became an enduring jazz standard, died on Monday in Manhattan. He was 91.The cause was congestive heart failure, said his manager, Dale Sheets. Mr. Shearing had homes in Manhattan and Lee, Mass.
Monday, February 14, 2011
I Hope He Loses His Shirt
Breitbart is going to attempt hiding behind the First Amendment, saying that he "categorically rejects the transparent effort to chill his constitutionally protected free speech and, to reiterate, looks forward to exercising his full and broad discovery rights."Shirley Sherrod has filed a lawsuit against Andrew Breitbart over a video released by the conservative personality that lead to her ouster as an official at the USDA....The video first gained widespread public attention when it was posted on Breitbart's BigGovernment.com. The two-minute, 38-second clip was widely received as an admission by Sherrod, who is African American, that she had discriminated against a white farmer. Under immediate pressure from the Obama administration, Sherrod resigned from her position as the USDA's director of rural development in Georgia.When a full 43-minute copy of the video surfaced, additional context turned the story into one of reconciliation. Sherrod had actually saved the man's farm and started a lifelong friendship.
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't think slander and libel are protected by the Constitution.
Let's not forget that the Obama administration and the NAACP were quick to judge Sherrod as well, their sole basis being the edited video on Breitbart's website. But if Breitbart were actually a journalist and looked deeper into the matter instead of a vainglorious nutbag, he wouldn't be claiming he was duped. He knew exactly was he was doing and didn't care about the consequences - the rubes only get to know the first half of any tainted story before pulling out their pitchforks and torches.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
CPAC's Big Tent
"Hey, are you Herman Cain?" the young man asked Williams, referring to another African American conservative running for federal office and attending CPAC.I asked Williams if that happened a lot."Not really," he told me. "A lot of people think I'm a waiter."Williams blamed the confusion on his trademark bowtie...A friend with him said that on more than one occasion, people had asked him to get them a drink."I think it's really because of the bowtie," Williams explained.
Yeah... I'm sure it's about the tie.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
CPAC Straw Poll Is In
So the crazies at CPAC, you know, the ones who cheered and chanted for Dick Cheney, voted for their Republican nominee preference. Here are the results:
Ron Raul: 30%
Mitt Romney: 23%
Gary Johnson 6%
Chris Christie 6%
Newt Gingrich: 5%
Tim Pawlenty 4%
Michele Bachmann 4%
Mitch Daniels 4%
Sarah Palin: 3%
Herman Cain 2%
Mike Huckabee 2%
Rick Santorum 2%
John Thune 2%
Jon Huntsman 1%
Haley Barbour 1%
Must Reads
The Rude Pundit: Welcome to the Monkeyhouse, GOP
Karoli: Clarence Thomas "Forgot" 20 Years of Disclosure? Really?
Bob Herbert: When Democracy Weakens
Sam Stein: Mitt Romney Supporters Working To Paint Him As The Anti-Palin
Evan McMorris-Santoro: It's Hard Out There For A Black Candidate At CPAC
Bob Cesca: The Republican War Against Women
Rachel D'Oro: Sarah Palin Reality Show Could Be Taxpayer-Subsidized
BBC News: 'Moby Dick' Captain's Ship Found
JHW22 recommmends...Ruben Navarrette Jr.: Teaching Arabic is No Cause For Fear
Eric Alterman: Think Again: The 'Problem' of Liberal Academics, Again
This Man Is Nuts
Listen to Beck play the communist card like a fiddle. Asked to elaborate on what groups make up One Nation, the supposed organization that will bring down the US, he answers, "the labor unions, communist organizations and the Green movement." Labor unions, that were created to stop employer abuses of its workers, AKA the Average American. The Green movement and their hateful ideas to protect our environment and develop a new revenue source of green jobs in the country to save energy and control waste. He lumps them in with "communist organizations" but doesn't mention any one specific group. Way to scare the rubes there, Glenn. Of course, if you're intellectually lazy and don't bother looking it up for yourself, why not just take his word for it? Also, buy some overpriced gold coins while you're at it - Glenn wouldn't rip you off, would he?
Here's One Nation's summarized mission statement:
Good jobs, equal justice and quality public education... ooooh, those evil commie bastards!One Nation Working Together is a social movement of individuals and organizations committed to putting America back to work and pulling America back together. Coming from a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences, beliefs and orientations, we are determined to build a more united country with good jobs, equal justice, and quality public education for all.
Seems like everyone who does not agree with Beck is apparently a communist. It also seems like spreading democracy in the Middle East is a good thing when a Republican is in charge. Where was Beck when we were deposing dictators by force and propping up banana republics?
Oh, and by the way, Bill, it's "foment" not "forment."
President Obama's Weekly Address - February 12, 2011
"It's Time Washington Acted as Responsibly as Our Families Do"
Friday, February 11, 2011
Fractured GOP Indeed
No one is safe, not even at CPAC.
I don't know what's worse, the jingoism displayed by those in the room, the fact that they were awarding Donald Rumsfeld an award called "Defenders of The Constitiution" or the screams of approval for former VP Dick "Five Deferments, Face Shooter, Undisclosed Location" Cheney.
Luckily, some kept their heads and protested the guests standing in front of them, shouting "war criminal" "Where's Bin Laden?" "murdering scum," and "draft dodger." Ron Paul supporters walked out... and yet they still think going to CPAC every year is worth their time and money.
Down Goes Mubarak! Down Goes Mubarak!
Breaking News: Crowds in Egypt go wild as Vice President Omar Sulieman makes a brief announcement that President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down and has delegated the Supreme Council of Military Forces to guide the country.
MSNBC's Richard Engel reports the crowd is in jubilation at the news.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Mubarak Refuses to Step Down. Release The Cracken!
While everyone waited with bated breath Egyptian President Mubarak's announcement that he would step down tonight as hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Tahrir Square, as we watched in anticipation of this generation's Berlin Wall, Mubarak came out and threw the meanest curveball I've ever seen.
According to reports, the frustrated protesters immediately began chanting, "Leave! Leave! Leave!", tore down the screen that was used to project Mubarak's address in the square and began marching towards the Presidential Palace....Mubarak announced he is handing his powers over to his vice president, Omar Suleiman, and ordered constitutional amendments. But the move means he retains his title of president and ensures regime control over the reform process, falling short of protester demands...."I have seen that it is required to delegate the powers and authorties of the president to the vice president as dictated in the constitution," Mubarak said near the end of a 15-minute address on state TV. The article is used to transfer powers if the president is "temporarily" unable to carry out his duties and does not mean his resignation.
How much longer are these protests going to remain peaceful? Soon afterward, Egyptian law scholar, diplomat and opposition opponent Mohamed ElBaradei tweeted: "Egypt will explode. Army must save the country now."
Nicholas Kristof reports:
This is going to get ugly really fast. Perhaps Mubarak's trying to make his statement of dying in Egypt a self-fulfilling prophecy.This is of course manifestly unacceptable to the Egyptian people. Mubarak’s speech was a striking reminder of the capacity of dictators to fool themselves and see themselves as indispensable. If he thinks that his softer tone will win any support, he’s delusional. As he was speaking, the crowd in Tahrir was shouting “Irhal!” or “Go!” And the Egyptian state media — from television to Al Ahram, the dominant newspaper — have been turning against Mubarak, so he’s losing control even of his own state apparatus.
GOP Feeding Frenzy
They smell blood in the water and are getting excited.
She's just so presidential.Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took a minute Wednesday to counter an earlier claim by Rick Santorum that she might be skipping the annual Conservative Political Action Conference this week because she had more lucrative options on the table.While she prefaced her comments with the disclaimer that earlier reports about the former Pennsylvania senator's statement may have been slightly overblown, as Santorum himself contended, that didn't stop Palin from getting in a jab. The former vice-presidential candidate said she wouldn't call Santorum "the knuckle-dragging neanderthal that perhaps others would want to call him, I'll let his wife call him that."
Mubarak Expected To Step Down
MSNBC has been covering Egypt nonstop on news that sources expect Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down tonight. No one knows what the reaction of millions in the streets will be if the named successor is not to their liking, namely recently appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman.
According to the ticker, NBC is reporting that Mubarak will indeed step down tonight, tanks and razor wire are being used to secure Mubarak's palace, the military council says Mubarak is to meet the protestors' demands and are stepping in to "safeguard" the country.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Chris Lee Resigns
Here's why.
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 9, 2010
Statement from Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26)
"It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Western New York. I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents. I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness.
"The challenges we face in Western New York and across the country are too serious for me to allow this distraction to continue, and so I am announcing that I have resigned my seat in Congress effective immediately."
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Patriot Act Extension Fails! - UPDATED
Breaking News:
The vote was 277-148. With a two-thirds vote necessary, 290 votes were needed to pass the legislation. Welcome, Tea Party, to the fractured GOP. More to follow.
UPDATE (2/9/11): From Raw Story:
Now here's the bad news.The House voted 277 to 148 for the PATRIOT Act extension... short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass it under a procedure that allows bills that aren't controversial to pass quickly.But it appears the bill was controversial enough to convince some two dozen tea party-backed Republican freshmen to join a majority of Democrats in voting against it, The Hill reported.
The measure is now expected to return to the House floor for a regular vote that would require a simple majority to pass. If House members vote then as they did Tuesday, the extension will pass easily.
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