Don't Just Hit Send or I'll Just Hit You

POSTED BY JHW22

I received an email from someone just showing me what's going around -- no one is stupid enough to send me this crap as if it's true -- and I made that person PROMISE to send my response to the woman who sent the email. Here is my response, followed by the text of the email. All of my comments are in italics and blue.

When I see emails like this I have three options. I can ignore them. I can pass them on without checking any of the information within. I can reply with facts. As a responsible citizen who cares about this country I choose option 3. It's intolerable that emails like this circulate without people taking the time to check data, facts, original sources and so on. It's bad for the country that people so willingly believe/trust, an email written by a stranger that's been passed on so many times you don't even know anyone who knows anyone who knows the person that wrote it.

So I started addressing each of these one by one (all of my comments are in blue in the original email below). It took me a LONG time. It takes hard work figuring out where the initial claim originates so as to verify the facts. And once that initial claim is somewhat located in some sense of reality, it takes true effort to articulate and cite sources to show where the original email is 100% wrong or has the facts so twisted that it may as well be 100% wrong. So no wonder people add a little sentence of fear and hit send. It's so much easier to do that than to actually seek the truth.

But I got worn out from debunking this stuff. I spent HOURS doing the right thing of finding information. And it occurred to me: why? People who pass these emails around don't want truth. They want to pass on crap as truth because it makes them feel angry and they want others to join them in their anger. And I joined in that anger. But my anger is not at the lies in the email, but at those who pass them on to their friends and family. My anger is at the people who act like they love America as they divide it into those who want to be afraid over lies and those who want to find out the truth.

We just went through eight years where a President said he was a fiscal conservative while creating the very tax cuts that were known to have been bad for the deficit. And now the same party wants to pretend that the effects of those tax cuts weren't so bad and want to blame Democrats for saying they only want to extend the cuts to the middle class. We had an administration who lied about WMD's, thus throwing us into a lie-based war that further added to the deficit. So why, why on Earth, do we allow the people who supported those policies continue to spread lies and manipulate facts to the point of pathetic emails that don't cite sources, leave key sentences out of quoted paragraphs and make sweeping generalizations about fractions of an issue while ignoring the overall benefit of the bigger picture, to pass on lies without a fight?

So even though I ran out of steam and didn't address each issue in this email, I can proudly say that I tried. I did the work. I spent the time finding the truth. Perhaps the people who pass these emails on will take the time to do a reasonable and honest amount of research on their own (and Googling phrases doesn't count because with emails like this, you'll see it plastered all over the internet and the same text repeated 5,000 times is still the same text and not 5,000 supporting documents). But I have a feeling that no one else will take the personal responsibility of researching because perhaps they are afraid they will find out that emails lie. That people who start them have an agenda. That people who just forward them would rather believe an unreliable email than actually take part in the civic duty of being properly informed.

Here is what the President said today (it says a lot about his agenda, the state of the Republican party and the people who would rather read an email and believe it, than find out what's really happening in America):

"And there’s currently a jobs bill before Congress that would do two big things for small business owners: cut more taxes and make available more loans. It would help them get the credit they need, and eliminate capital gains taxes on key investments so they have more incentive to invest right now. And it would accelerate $55 billion of tax relief to encourage American businesses, small and large, to expand their investments over the next 14 months.

Unfortunately, this bill has been languishing in the Senate for months, held up by a partisan minority that won’t even allow it to go to a vote. That makes no sense. This bill is fully paid for. It won’t add to the deficit. And there is no reason to block it besides pure partisan politics." 

I hope that this email will be shared as a reminder that our Founding Fathers didn't take the easy route. They didn't copy and paste or pass on someone else's fact as theirs. No. They were the elite of the elite. They were intelligent and serious and had more integrity in their discourse. They believed in doing the hard work of thinking and writing at levels Americans can't comprehend today. In honor of them, I implore people to DO THE WORK. READ. LEARN. And for Pete's sake, don't just hit send!

Jennifer

ORIGINAL EMAIL ADDRESSES DELETED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT AND THE STUPID

Just want ALL to be informed………………………CHANGES are coming very sooooooon.
In just six months, the largest tax hikes in the history of America will take effect. They will hit families and small businesses in three great waves on January 1, 2011:
First Wave: Expiration of 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief
In 2001 and 2003, the GOP Congress enacted several tax cuts for investors, small business owners, and families.
These will all expire on January 1, 2011:

First of all, these taxes, which are set to expire were designed to expire because they were so bad for the deficit. They used the dreaded reconciliation process to get votes on the tax cuts but because of reconciliation rules, the cuts had to expire after ten years unless renewed. President Obama has said that he will ONLY ALLOW the cuts to expire for the top 2% of income earners. Therefore all those expiration listed are as Republicans drafted but NOT how President Obama has said (while campaigning and as President) he will allow it to work. IF he allowed the entire set of taxes to expire, the first part of this ridiculous email would be true. HOWEVER, President Obama has committed to extend the tax cuts for those making less than $200k. This email is disingenuous to say the least. In fact, Obama wants to make the cuts PERMANENT for 95% of Americans.

Here is a link that is far more honest than this email as to the tax cuts. And the guy isn't an Obama lover.

Personal income tax rates will rise. The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed). The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent. All the rates in between will also rise. Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as higher marginal tax rates. The full list of marginal rate hikes is below:
- The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15% - The 25% bracket rises to 28% - The 28% bracket rises to 31% - The 33% bracket rises to 36% - The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%
Higher taxes on marriage and family. The “marriage penalty” (narrower tax brackets for married couples) will return from the first dollar of income. The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child. The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level. The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.
The return of the Death Tax. This year, there is no death tax. For those dying on or after January 1 2011, there is a 55 percent top death tax rate on estates over $1 million. A person leaving behind two homes and a retirement account could easily pass along a death tax bill to their loved ones.
Higher tax rates on savers and investors. The capital gains tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 20 percent in 2011. The dividends tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 39.6 percent in 2011. These rates will rise another 3.8 percent in 2013.
Second Wave: Obamacare
There are over twenty new or higher taxes in Obamacare. Several will first go into effect on January 1, 2011. They include:

Since I think links are important, here is a link to the health care bill as finalized as well as a summary provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The “Medicine Cabinet Tax” Thanks to Obamacare, Americans will no longer be able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin).

FSA won't cover OTC meds NOT prescribed by a doctor. They never should have. I think it's funny that we don't want big government but people want to take a tax credit for buying pain reliever or allergy medicine. The abundance of OTC meds that are store brand or so cheap to produce that they cost pennies means that you would have to buy a boat load of vitamins and aspirin to even make a dent in a dent in a dent in the FSA. What this email doesn't point out is that anything like Claritin OTC which does cost more than the average OTC can actually meet the FSA requirements because you CAN have a doctor write a prescription for it. You CAN have a doctor write a prescription for aspirin. I wish everyone on this email chain would calculate how much they actually spend on OTC meds and then calculate how much of a tax savings they get now for paying for it out of an FSA. They'd be shocked at the fraction of a dent this makes in their lives -- especially if they have doctor's orders to use it.

The “Special Needs Kids Tax” This provision of Obamacare imposes a cap on flexible spending accounts (FSAs) of $2500 (Currently, there is no federal government limit). There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children. There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education. Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington, D.C. (National Child Research Center) can easily exceed $14,000 per year. Under tax rules, FSA dollars can be used to pay for this type of special needs education.

The FSA was changed to include a limit in part because of the small number of people who actually utilize it or maximize the dollars they withhold. What this email fails to mention is that companies have historically set limits on their own even though the fed govt didn't require them to do so. This email makes it appear as if all families could withhold $14,000 when the actual average is $5,000. By the way, as of 2009, "Health care flexible spending accounts are offered by 27 percent of all employers but 85 percent of those with 500 or more employees. The average employee contribution is $1,424, well below the $2,500 cap that has been suggested in health reform proposals." 

Also, families won't be able to put the same amount in the FSAs HOWEVER they will be able to take a deduction on the money spent as childcare and medical expenses. So they may not get to use pre-tax dollars to pay for a daycare or special school for special needs kids or doctor's appointments or medication but they will be able to add all of that to their out-of pocket childcare and medical expenses for the year. On that point alone it's a wash in the end. Let's also not forget that a lot of special needs kids don't have health insurance or fairly priced insurance. The ObamacaresAboutAmerica Health Care Law will lower premiums and copays and cover preventative care, thus for many families making the FSA cap moot. In fact, the OVERALL health care law will likely end up saving more money for these particular special needs families. Oh, and let's not forget that in his 2011 budget, Obama asked to DOUBLE the child care tax credit for families making less than $85k/year in addition to more funding for child care programs, thus lowering the financial burden on families with children. I guess, if you think about it, the only way to prevent that from happening would be to vote against Obama's budget.

The HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike. This provision of Obamacare increases the additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent.
Third Wave: The Alternative Minimum Tax and Employer Tax Hikes
When Americans prepare to file their tax returns in January of 2011, they’ll be in for a nasty surprise—the AMT won’t be held harmless, and many tax relief provisions will have expired. The major items include:
The AMT will ensnare over 28 million families, up from 4 million last year. According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center, Congress’ failure to index the AMT will lead to an explosion of AMT taxpaying families—rising from 4 million last year to 28.5 million. These families will have to calculate their tax burdens twice, and pay taxes at the higher level. The AMT was created in 1969 to ensnare a handful of taxpayers.

Now let's look at this WHOPPER of a claim. Yes, the "left-leaning Tax Policy Center" said that AMT taxpaying families will rise from 4 million to 28.5 million. They said it in 2007!! They ALSO said, "Two primary culprits are responsible for this impending explosion: the failure to index the AMT for inflation and the 2001–2006 tax cuts." The original email didn't include a link, so I will provide one here. 

The CBO did say the same thing THIS year: "If current law remains unchanged, the role of the AMT in the tax system will expand rapidly over time. With the expiration of a temporary increase in the AMT’s exemption amounts, the number of taxpayers affected by the AMT will jump from 4 million in calendar year 2009 to 27 million in 2010." They also said, "series of reductions in the regular income tax enacted starting in 2001 would have caused even more returns to be subject to the AMT were it not for the series of temporary adjustments (often called 'patches') that lawmakers made to the alternative tax" -- meaning that we are constantly needing patches. The patches are why emails like this circulate every year scaring people about the AMT because each year the patch from the year before expires.

So let's look at what the "left-leaning" Tax Policy Center said THIS year in regards to the 2010/2011 budget presented by Obama: "The president proposes to make permanent the 2009 AMT parameters—exemptions, rate brackets, and phaseout thresholds—and index them for inflation. That would remove a significant source of uncertainty about taxation and prevent inflation from pushing large numbers of taxpayers onto the AMT in future years. Most of the benefits of the change would go to taxpayers with relatively high incomes: about three-fourths of the tax cut in 2012 would go to households with income over $100,000. Over half of taxpayers with income between $200,000 and $500,000 would see their tax bills drop by an average of over $1,800, raising their after-tax income by more than 0.9 percent." 

Small business expensing will be slashed and 50% expensing will disappear. Small businesses can normally expense (rather than slowly-deduct, or “depreciate”) equipment purchases up to $250,000. This will be cut all the way down to $25,000. Larger businesses can expense half of their purchases of equipment. In January of 2011, all of it will have to be “depreciated.”

It's harder addressing a claim when there is no basis for the claim, no link, law, article, nada. So the best I can figure is this is in reference to the H.R.2847 Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act which DOUBLES deductions on property MAKING the deduction up to $250k. This bill DOUBLED the original limit of $125k and is set to expire by 2011. So the claim that "businesses can normally expense" is based on NOW which is a doubling of the "normal" $125k. Here is what the IRS says:

"HIRE and Section 179 Deduction

A qualifying taxpayer can choose to treat the cost of certain property as an expense and deduct it in the year the property is placed in service instead of depreciating it over several years. This property is frequently referred to as section 179 property.

The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act of 2010 extends the dates of the IRC Section 179 temporary increase in limitations on expensing of depreciable business assets.

Under HIRE, qualifying businesses can continue to expense up to $250,000 of section 179 property for the 2010 tax year. Without HIRE, the 2010 expensing limit for section 179 property would have been $125,000.

The $250,000 amount provided under the new law is reduced, but not below zero, if the cost of all section 179 property placed in service by the taxpayer during the tax year exceeds $800,000." 

You can find the HIRE bill here.

Now, let's address the "This will be cut all the way down to $25,000" claim and ask, "WHAT?" Again, this is why claims that have zero back-up documentation are such a pain to address. Where did that dollar amount come from? Can you tell from reading that paragraph? No. Because the person who wrote it wants to scared and angry rather than informed. So let's take a stab at it and see if one of these two options makes sense (Both of these potential sources behind that mysterious $25,000 amount are from the IRS's explanation of the Section 179 Deduction on depreciation):

1) "You cannot elect to expense more than $25,000 of the cost of any heavy sport utility vehicle (SUV) and certain other vehicles placed in service during the tax year." ("However, the $25,000 limit does not apply to any vehicle:

Designed to seat more than nine passengers behind the driver's seat,

Equipped with a cargo area (either open or enclosed by a cap) of at least six feet in interior length that is not readily accessible from the passenger compartment, or

That has an integral enclosure fully enclosing the driver compartment and load carrying device, does not have seating rearward of the driver's seat, and has no body section protruding more than 30 inches ahead of the leading edge of the windshield.")

2) "Example. In 2009, you bought and placed in service a $275,000 tractor and a $25,000 circular saw for your business. You elect to deduct $225,000 for the tractor and the entire $25,000 for the saw, a total of $250,000. This is the maximum amount you can deduct. Your $25,000 deduction for the saw completely recovered its cost. Your basis for depreciation is zero. The basis for depreciation of your tractor is $50,000. You figure this by subtracting your $225,000 section 179 deduction for the tractor from the $275,000 cost of the tractor."

And what exactly IS depreciation? According to Business.gov it means:

"If property you acquire to use in your business is expected to last more than one year, you generally cannot deduct the entire cost as a business expense in the year you acquire it. You must spread the cost over more than one tax year and deduct part of it each year on Form 1040, Schedule C. This method of deducting the cost of business property is called depreciation." That's all. It just means you take the deduction over time -- the time you USE it.

Taxes will be raised on all types of businesses. There are literally scores of tax hikes on business that will take place. The biggest is the loss of the “research and experimentation tax credit,” but there are many, many others. Combining high marginal tax rates with the loss of this tax relief will cost jobs.

When someone tells you there are "literally scores of tax hikes: shouldn't the "literally" list "scores" and their sources? It is "literally" annoying that they don't. And if you think about it, one definition of "scores" is: A grievance that is harbored and requires satisfaction. Well, I require satisfaction on that claim that I harbor grievance over. Since there is a vague reference to "the loss of ... research and experimentation tax credit" let's see what that could possibly mean. Well, again I will refer to Obama's 2011 budget in which he requested the R&E tax credit be made PERMANENT as well as fund "scores" of R&D opportunities. I guess, if you think about it, the only way to prevent that from happening would be to vote against Obama's budget.

Tax Benefits for Education and Teaching Reduced. The deduction for tuition and fees will not be available. Tax credits for education will be limited. Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses. Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut. Employer-provided educational assistance is curtailed. The student loan interest deduction will be disallowed for hundreds of thousands of families.

Again, no citations. In a statement about education, you would think the person who wrote this email would do what every teacher told him to do: "Show your work", "list your resources", "support your claims". But nope. The writer of this email scares you while giving you no way to confirm whether the claims are fact or fiction. You could search the internet for days and never prove a negative. But let's give it a shot. Oh, yeah. The writer is making the ASSumption that Obama and Congress are going to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire for ALL Americans. Again, you would have to buy into the myth that Obama is going to allow all of Bush's tax cuts to expire which there is absolutely no support for. None. Obama has said and continues to say that he will extend the Bush tax cuts for those making less that $200k. That's all that this is based on.

Charitable Contributions from IRAs no longer allowed. Under current law, a retired person with an IRA can contribute up to $100,000 per year directly to a charity from their IRA. This contribution also counts toward an annual “required minimum distribution.” This ability will no longer be there.
PDF Version Read more: http://www.atr.org/six-months-untilbr-largest-tax-hikes-a5171##ixzz0sY8waPq1
Now your insurance is INCOME on your W2's......
One of the surprises we'll find come next year, is what follows - - a little "surprise" that 99% of us had no idea was included in the "new and improved" healthcare legislation . . . the dupes, er, dopes, who backed this administration will be astonished!

Starting in 2011, (next year folks), your W-2 tax form sent by your employer will be increased to show the value of whatever health insurance you are given by the company. It does not matter if that's a private concern or governmental body of some sort. If you're retired? So what; your gross will go up by the amount of insurance you get.

You will be required to pay taxes on a large sum of money that you have never seen. Take your tax form you just finished and see what $15,000 or $20,000 additional gross does to your tax debt. That's what you'll pay next year. For many, it also puts you into a new higher bracket so it's even worse.

This is how the government is going to buy insurance for the 15% that don't have insurance and it's only part of the tax increases.

Here is a research of the summaries.....

On page 25 of 29: TITLE IX REVENUE PROVISIONS- SUBTITLE A: REVENUE OFFSET PROVISIONS-(sec. 9001, as modified by sec. 10901) Sec.9002 "requires employers to include in the W-2 form of each employee the aggregate cost of applicable employer sponsored group health coverage that is excludable from the employees gross income."

Joan Pryde is the senior tax editor for the Kiplinger letters. Go to Kiplingers and read about 13 tax changes that could affect you. Number 3 is what is above.

This is my favorite part because it's big and bold and yellow and WRONG. In regards to the Kiplinger's article the email says to go read, it's funny that the person who wrote the email left out a key sentence from Ms. Pryde's article: "3. A requirement that businesses include the value of the health care benefits they provide to employees on W-2s, beginning with W-2s for 2011. The amount reported is not considered taxable income." That's right: NOT CONSIDERED TAXABLE INCOME!! Why would they leave that out of the email? Because they know most people will NOT go to the article itself. They rely on people being scared and lazy and just passing on an email without digging deeper. This alone should have been the one reason to not counter each myth or distortion but it was fun doing it anyway. Since the original email didn't provide a link, I will.

Early New Year's Resolution

POSTED BY JHW22

Right here and now I swear -- on my keyboard -- that for each article, video clip, speech, etc, from or about the negatives of the right, I will read or watch an article, video clip, speech, etc, from or about the positives of the left. I refuse to allow the anger I feel take priority over the hope and pride I feel for the President, hard-working Democrats and Americans working for a future I believe in.

Now, let's see if I can actually do that.

Religious, right?

POSTED BY JHW22

In his book, "The Great Awakening", Reverend Jim Wallis said, "Ironically, despite how the Religious Right has discredited the role of faith in politics in recent decades, faith is now coming back to life as a force for progressive social change." And Reverend Welton Gaddy and his Interfaith Alliance often say, "The Religious Right is neither."

These two men consistently speak to what should be good about Christianity. They remind listeners, readers and watchers that the messages of Christianity are about helping your neighbor live the best life they can, reaching out your hand and helping them up when they are down, seeking those in need and providing them with opportunity, and simply caring. These two men speak to my heart and mind despite the fact that I am an atheist. They speak to me deep inside because we share the same values. My values are those of a Christian's and a Jew's and a Muslim's and a Buddhist's. I am an atheist but I care about humanity. And that is why I am also a Democrat.

After watching what Glenn Beck presented as some mock revival I felt a mix of emotions. Disgust and anger over this fraud he is perpetuating on people desperate for something missing in their lives. Sadness for those people who don't realize that they can find what is missing if they'd stop looking for it to come from charlatans. I felt laughter for the ridiculousness of all that is Glenn Beck. But what came through most intensely for me was a great sense of relief that I am confident in what I believe and what my values are. I am more sure each day I see the likes of Beck and Sarah Palin that my principles are embedded so deeply in me that I don't need to seek answers from an entertainer masquerading as a beacon of inspiration. My anger is at people like them trying to confuse so many. But my pride is in the fact that I am one of the millions who see it for what it is -- a sham.

And so I choose to listen to Reverend Gaddy's weekly internet radio show and read Reverend Wallis's books, Sojourner's, and essays. I don't need to be a Christian to know that these men consistently, honestly and humanely speak about true values for the right reasons and not for the right's reasons.

Too Close To Ground Zero?

Ben Goodwin of the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department confirmed to CBS Affiliate WTVF that the fire, which burned construction equipment at the future site of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, is being ruled as arson.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 700 miles away from Ground Zero.

...Still too close?

Freedom and Liberty! ...But Not For All

Since the Tea Party was "born" from Rick Santelli's yap and Freedom Works' wallet, we've all heard the rants of less government, taking my country back, less government spending and my personal favorite, "keep your government hands off my Medicare."

But ask the same people what they are for, and they really can't give you specific answers. They certainly know what they're against, but I've never heard them articulate how to achieve what they are for. Take our country back from whom? Less government in what respects? Politicians? Public services like highways or parks?

Steve Benen makes some great points in his latest post because he points out that, sure, we're all for liberty, freedoms and rights. And so is the Tea Party crowd... that is except if you're "different."

This is about "freedom."

Well, I'm certainly pro-freedom, and as far as I can tell, the anti-freedom crowd struggles to win votes on Election Day. But can they be a little more specific? How about the freedom for same-sex couples to get married? No, we're told, not that kind of freedom.

This is about a fight for American "liberties."

That sounds great, too. Who's against American "liberties"? But I'm still looking for some details. Might this include law-abiding American Muslims exercising their liberties and converting a closed-down clothing store into a community center? No, we're told, not those kinds of liberties...

...Labor unions created a movement. Women's suffrage was a movement. The fight for civil rights is a movement. The ongoing struggle for equality for gays and lesbians is a movement. In each case, the grievance was as clear as the solution. There was no mystery as to what these patriots were fighting for. Their struggles and successes made the nation stronger, better, and more perfect. 

The folks who gathered in D.C. [on August 28th] were awfully excited about something. The fact that it's not altogether obvious what that might be probably isn't a good sign.

WTF?!

At the Beck rally...



Completely. Clueless.

See some more teabaggishness here.

Clueless

Ricky Thomas, 43, a SWAT team police officer from Chesapeake Beach, Md., brought his 10-year old son Chase to the Beck rally. "I wanted my son to see democracy in action," Thomas said.

He said he wants government to stay out of people's lives. He acknowledged that he works for government, but said it's "a part of government that helps people when they are in trouble."

I wonder if Ricky Thomas' was one of the jobs saved by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act? If so,  I can only imagine what he'd be saying had the government stayed out of his life?

Media Whore

Like mother, like daughter.

..."The final straw was him flying to Hollywood for what he told me was to see some hunting show but come to find out it was that music video mocking my family," [Bristol Palin] says [of Levi Johnston]. "He's just obsessed with the limelight and I got played."

That was then... this is now.

We can report to you exclusively that Sarah Palin's 19-year-old daughter Bristol Palin has been cast on the 11th season of ["Dancing With The Stars,"] set to premiere Sept. 20.

Doesn't the "Stars" part of the show title constitute contestants being "stars" in the first place?

Must Reads

David A. Graham: America The Ignorant

BooMan: Loonies Win The Night

Bob Cesca: The Summer of Republican Race-Baiting

Timothy Egan: Building a Nation of Know-Nothings

Joan Walsh: Beck Has a Scheme

driftglass: The Persistence of Mediocrity

Jason Linkins: Congressional Budget Office: Sometimes Wonks Have To Explain Their Work To Morons

Linda Greenhouse: Nine Justices and Ten Commandments

Will Christie Apologize to Obama?

Just a few days ago, we found out that New Jersey lost out on a $400 million federal education grant due to piss poor management and last minute changes in the application insisted upon by Governor Chris Christie in what amounts to a clerical error. A $400 million error.

While taking "responsibility" for it, Christie said no one would be fired for the lack of oversight but also blasted the Obama administration for not catching the mistake and said that "[t]hat’s the stuff that drives people nuts about government, and that’s what the Obama administration should answer for.”

Now comes word that Jabba the Governor has fired Education Commissioner Bret Schundler over the mistake that cost New Jersey badly needed education funding. And as far as answering for the beauraucratic red tape Christie was whining about? Well, it looks like the Obama administration did just that.

The latest evidence came Thursday, when the federal Department of Education released a video that flatly contradicted the governor’s harangue against the Obama administration earlier this week.

In a press conference Tuesday, the governor claimed that Schundler had tried to submit data needed to win a $400 million grant through the federal Race to the Top initiative during an interview a few weeks ago, but that the feds had refused to accept it. Instead, reviewers deducted five points from New Jersey’s application and knocked the state out of the running.

The video shows the governor’s statement was flatly untrue. Having poked his finger in the president’s chest, he now looks reckless and uninformed. And this comes on top of the loss of the $400 million, already the most embarrassing misstep of the governor’s term.

Schundler may not be at fault in this latest episode. The governor is the one who made the false claim. He says he was told that the numbers were presented and rejected, but we have not heard Schundler’s version of events. It’s possible the mistake was the governor’s.

Excerpt of N.J.'s Race to the Top interview shows officials with no budget answer

Boy, I didn't see that one coming.

So now that Chrissy The Cannoli has revealed himself to be reckless and a liar, do you think he'll call the White House and apologize to those he maligned?

Yeah, me neither.

President Obama's Weekly Address - August 28, 2010

The End of Combat Operations in Iraq

Quote of the Day

"...And more important than anything else, they are lies. Whopping big, wild, dumb lies so easily debunked that it has really made me rethink my position on Net Neutrality for trailer-trash (Maybe if it took hours instead of seconds to upload this horseshit they'd get bored, give up and go back to cousin-fucking.)"

~driftglass on the barrage of wingnut smear e-mails any given day.

Jon Stewart on Beck: I Have A Scheme

Christie Blows It For State Education Grant

Well, I literally just moved to the state of New Jersey not three months ago, and already I got a Republican fucking me in the ass.

Chris "The Cannoli" Christie, new Republican governor of New Jersey couldn't stand the thought of actually cooperating with the teachers' union, so he undercut his Commissioner of Education, Brett Schundler, after he'd hammered out an agreement with the union just days before a grant application for federal education funds was due. They had a weekend to redo a 1000+ page application. And they wound up sending out the application with what amounted to a small clerical error in a crucial area.

The result? Jabba the Governor lost a $400 MILLION education grant for New Jersey. And the real kicker? After admitting his mistake, he decided to take shots at the Obama Administration for not catching it.

In a lengthy news conference on Wednesday, Governor Christie, a Republican, said he took ultimate responsibility for the error, which “believe me,” he said, “I am not thrilled about.” But he said no one would be fired over the matter, then he assumed his signature anti-Washington tone. The Obama administration, he said, should have called, or checked the state’s Web site, when it discovered the error, which was on just one page of a 1,000-page application.

“That’s the stuff that drives people nuts about government, and that’s what the Obama administration should answer for,” he said. “When the president comes back to New Jersey, he is going to have to explain to the people of the state of New Jersey why he is depriving them of $400 million that this application earned them, because one of his bureaucrats in Washington couldn’t pick up the phone and ask a question.”

I'll tell you what President Obama will say you dumb shit: he'll say, "Well, if Christie wasn't such a fuckwad and paid attention to detail instead of where his next dessert was coming from, he wouldn't have shorted the state of New Jersey $400 million in education grants. Did you ask for do overs when you failed a test in school too? Or was a jelly donut stain a good enough answer on your multiple choice tests?"

Gee, I hope one of those bureaucrats at the IRS gives me a call and ask a question to correct my tax file the next time I make a mistake.

Adding insult to injury, had Chrissy the Cannoli just left things the way they were with the first application, the point rating system used to calculate the application would have awarded him an extra 15 points or so regardless of the "clerical error," far exceeding Ohio's final score, the last state to beat out New Jersey for the grant.

Heckuva job, Christie.

Rachel explains it all so very well.

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

Hasselbeck Said What Now?

I saw this headline in passing and didn't think twice about it...

Hasselbeck supports gay marriage, calls Obama a ‘cool guy’

... but a friend of mine brought it to my attention hoping I would comment on it and saying it needed my "wry sense of realism."

So here I am thinking, hell, what with a new baby, my wifey returning to work this week after her maternity leave, my softball team winning the league championship this season (yours truly manning 1st base and managing), making the familial rounds showing off the new progeny and scraping spare time together to do the occasional handyman jobs necessary to maintain a 90-year old house that we just bought, I guess I need to produce something for the semi-neglected blog. I'm trying not to completely ignore it but's not like I've been burning up the keyboard lately either.

So Hasselbeck.... Hasselbeck... uh, nope. I got nothing.

You see, the thing about The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck is that I really don't give a rat's ass what she has to say, either for or against President Obama, gay marriage, abortion rights or anything else for that matter.

Why should I care that she thinks Obama is a "cool guy" when she campaigned for Sarah Palin? Why should I listen to someone's view on abortion rights after she said the morning after pill is the same thing as "birthing a baby and leaving it out on the street"? Does it matter to me that she needed a "mani-pedi to prepare" for an interview with the leader of the free world instead of preparing by, you know, actually researching facts and statistics?



It doesn't matter. And do you know why?

The woman is a dolt. I mean, her claim to fame is eating bugs on the Survivor reality TV series while her hair fell out for God's sake. So why would I care that she should shift her views as the wind blows?

If one minute she says she thinks the morning after pill is akin to leaving a baby in the street, but also believes the government shouldn't tell a woman what to do with her body, how can you take her seriously? If she says she supports gay marriage but is a Sarah Palin supporter, I would think she is, at the least, confused about her beliefs. So why would I give a shit about her thinking President Obama is "cool"?

You know what would be cool? If we stopped elevating not ready for prime time players like Elisabeth Hasselbeck on the same level of a Barbara Walters simply because she happens to be on the same show.  Even Walters can make casting mistakes.

Who's next? Snooki?

Colbert Is A Terrorist! Follow The Money

Classic.

My Response to a Wingnut

POSTED BY JHW22

After a long back-and-forth with a Republican who showed no grasp of facts or staying on a subject, I was done with the jerk. But then he had to bring up ACORN, the Black Panthers and something else (which I'm not about to go back to check on for fear of blowing my top). To that I responded the following -- which you are free to copy and paste as needed:

OK, so I was about to counter each one of your questions regarding ACORN and the Black Panthers, etc. But then I realized that you are a member of the party of personal responsibility so you should take responsibility and do your own research. I can tell you that I know the answers to all of those questions and I can tell you that the answers are not what Fox wants you to think they are. You will be so disappointed.

So I am not going to do the legwork for you, you should be a grown-up enough to handle that on your own. But I will give you some big tips (they're good ones so write them down):

1) When you see multiple sites support a claim, make sure the multiple sites don't use the exact same language. If you find 5 sites that pick up the same exact text, it only counts as one site.

2) Check dates. You may think you're reading something new, when in fact the story may have taken place earlier and is being presented as something it isn't. Make sure you know who was President during the events in question (this is especially helpful on the Black Panther case).

3) Check parties involved for conflicts. Just because someone USED to be a liberal Democrat, doesn't mean they still are. So don't let labels (because I know you don't like them) sway you into accepting what they say as fact.

4) Don't rely on articles. Check court documents, press releases, financial statements, interviews, speeches, etc. Articles and blogs are rarely a true representation of what actually happened.

5) For a broader picture, it's good to also research similar situations (for example, how many Republican voter registration organizers have been sentenced to prison -- good for balance and just to be fair).

6) It's also good to know definitions. For example, the difference between voter fraud and voter registration fraud is a doozy. And be sure to read all policies and actions (say for ACORN) taken within an organization to catch, prevent and report those things to the authorities.

7) It's good, when video (say of a fake pimp) is involved to see the whole video or to at least read court documents that show what REALLY happened when footage was edited. (Shirley Sherrod wasn't the first black person edited to look like she was saying something she wasn't.)

I guess that's about it. For now, anyway. See, I have spent months and years researching shit like you mentioned and I have learned that it takes more than reading comments on blogs and watching TV to understand the whole story. In fact, I have learned that anyone who thinks any of those issues can be addressed in less than 30 seconds doesn't really want to know the whole story.

Sooo.... because I think you need to learn this all on your own and I don't want to waste the time and energy I have spent learning more about these BS claims than you probably ever will, then I am not about to share with you what I have learned. You can be a responsible citizen all on your own. And until then, ask yourself this question: are YOU prepared to learn that Fox and stupid emails, that float around as if it's in an email it must be true, are wrong? Because they are. And you're going to have to face that all on your own time.

Quote of the Day

"After months of promising a look at his party agenda for his plans for America, his chief proposal, when you look at it, apparently was that the president should fire his economic team. Very constructive advice and we thank the leader for that."

~Vice President Joe Biden regarding House Minority Leader John Boehner's touted economic plan

Fox: The Parent Company Trap

Another awesome Jon Stewart segment.



So, do Fox News employees know that Murdoch's Newscorp partner is funding Park51 or are they really that fucking stupid? My guess is depending on the show, it's the former with a little bit of the latter. The little bit being the hosts of Fox and Friends.

How Childish

Via Oliver Willis:



Kudos to the man recording the video for not backing down. What, did Sarah and the First Dude think they were going to intimidate him by taking pictures with their BlackBerries? If this idiot has higher aspirations in 2012, I have no idea how she's going to handle the media, let alone your average man on the street with a camera every day for an 18 month campaign. But I still think she won't bother, because it's too much work and she's too lazy.

Cartoon of the Day

Hannity: America Caused Muslim Hostilities? NO WAY

Sean Hannity doesn't understand why some believe that American actions in the Middle East has caused anti-American sentiment.

Via GottaLaff:



Convenient time to cut to a commercial after four consecutive legitimate questions from a Frank Luntz focus group in opposition to what Hannity is desperately trying to push.

Obviously, Hannity is not so naive to believe that US foreign policy has absolutely nothing to do with anti-American sentiment by jihadists and terrorist (not "Muslims"), but when your agenda is such that you have to push the GOP/Newscorp line and are laughing you way to the bank because of it, you just act stupid and shrug your shoulders in disbelief.

ADDING... Gee, I wonder what gives the outside world the idea that America is so frightened that it rages against an entire religion?

Quote of the Week

So virulent is the Islamophobic hysteria of the neocon and Fox News right — abetted by the useful idiocy of the Anti-Defamation League, Harry Reid and other cowed Democrats — that it has also rendered Gen. David Petraeus’s last-ditch counterinsurgency strategy for fighting the war inoperative. How do you win Muslim hearts and minds in Kandahar when you are calling Muslims every filthy name in the book in New York?

~ Frank Rich

Must Reads

Bob Cesca: Ground Zero Mosque Opponents Have a Lot of Work to Do

Eugene Robinson: Republicans pander over 'Ground Zero mosque'

Todd Purdum: Washington, We Have a Problem

David Weigel: Today In Journalism

BooMan: Your Daily Dose of Right Wing Stupid

Rude Pundit: You Hate America If You Are Against Park 51

Dick Cavett: Real Americans, Please Stand Up

Maureen Dowd: No Love From the Lefties

Gladstone: 3 Reasons the “Ground Zero Mosque” Debate Makes No Sense

The Ecomonist: What the Arab papers say

And so may other good editorial cartoons today...
John Sherffius, Stuart Carlson, and Mike Luckovich.

President Obama's Weekly Address - August 21, 2010

No Corporate Takeover of Our Democracy

More Tabloid Rag Ranting

I know I've been a little obsessed with the inanity that are the local papers, specifically the Daily News here in New York City, first with sports columnist Mike Lupica's op-ed piece, because we all want to know what a sports writer thinks about the Not-At-Ground-Zero-Not-A-Mosque, and then raging over the ridiculous editorial that takes credit for forcing President Obama to make a statement regarding HR847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, as if somehow the president was secretly against it because he hadn't commented on it.

Usually I don't bother with their crappy coverage, but I stopped by to see if my letter had been published (...heh...) and caught a couple of letters written by others in the Daily News' "Voice of the People" section. I suppose the editors don't bother fact checking anything written by their readers before publishing because what I read was pretty appalling.

Here are a few goodies:

Move the mosque

Fairfield, N.J.: Mayor Bloomberg has it wrong. Today's soldiers are not fighting for our country's religious freedoms but to keep Islamic terrorists out. Respect is a two-way street. The mosque builders should build somewhere else.

Beth Evans

Really, Beth? So I suppose the soldiers don't mean it when they say, "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..." in the first line of their oath?

Sickened by health plan

Brooklyn: Besides President Obama's support for the Islamic center and not giving seniors the $250 raise promised, there might be an even worse controversy awaiting him. Although promising that his health care reform wouldn't impose any new middle-class taxes, buried in the law it states that workers' health care premiums paid for by employers must be declared on W-2 forms starting in 2011 and be taxed. This would put many middle-class workers and retirees into higher tax brackets. Our taxes would rise by thousands a year. Nice going, Mr. Obama!

Myron Shulman

Oh, Myron. You really must stop believing everything Rush tells you, or what you see on Fox News.

If Myron had just taken 30 seconds to fact check his claims (like I did), he'd know he was dead wrong. 750,000 checks have already been sent out to alleviate the Medicare donut hole written into the law back in 2003 (what party was in Congressional majority at that time? Please remind me, Myron) with another 3 million checks estimated to go out over the next fiscal year.

And while it is true that employer health care premiums will be added as an informational line on your W-2s, it will not be considered taxable income. By the way, as FactCheck.org notes...

Those who followed the 2008 presidential campaign may recall that it was Republican candidate John McCain who proposed to make the value of employer-sponsored health insurance taxable. Democrats hated that idea; Barack Obama ran an ad claiming, falsely, that it would be the "largest middle-class tax increase in history."

So it is ironic that some of President Obama’s critics now claim that the bill he signed would do what his opponent proposed and he denounced. Ironic, but false.

It took 30 seconds, Myron. Check your facts before assuming the smear e-mails you're receiving are true.

An open wound

Sunnyside: We are not saying they can't build their mosque. We are saying they can't build it there. We will never fully heal from 9/11. I still cry.

Lynn Ward

We know what you're saying, Lynn, and it's still wrong. As long as they are abiding by zoning laws and city ordinances, it's perfectly legal. As I've said before, would you prevent the Roman Catholic church from building near the Oklahoma City bombing site because Timothy McVeigh was raised Catholic?

Over his head

Monroe, N.J.: President Obama's lack of experience is showing. He has taken a bad economy and made it much worse. Now he's in favor of the "victory mosque" at Ground Zero. America has proven that it's not a racist country by electing him, but he is not meant for this job.

Tom Scott

The economy is bad, but in my opinion, President Obama hasn't made it worse. Although we are technically out of a recession (GDP growth for two consecutive quarters), unemployment continues to hover between 9.5 and 10%. However, had it not been for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we could be currently looking at an unemployment rate of up to 16%.



Red lines: Bush's job "growth" in his last 13 months in office. Blue lines: Obama's first 15 months. Although we're not out of the woods yet, it looks like positive job growth to me. But all you have to do is read the "victory mosque" comment to know where Tom Scott's head is, and no matter how hard he looks, he's not going to find any common sense up his ass.

You see where I'm headed with all this so I'll stop now and there are more than a few common sense letters in this "people's editorial" section. But what's the point of publishing them if they're not fact based? There are not two equal sides to every argument. Sometimes, actually most times, one side is right and one side is wrong. I just wish there were more vetting by the common man before deciding which side they chose to believe.

Parody NY Post Commericial

NSFW - Here's an awesome response to the New York Times "Weekender" commercials brought to you by a very funny group at Funny or Die. It's funny because it's true.

The NY Post's (unofficial) response to the New York Times Weekender commercial - watch more funny videos

The Stupidest Member of Congress

Michele Bachmann? Virginia Foxx? Steve King?... Patrick McHenry?...

...uh... John McCain?...

BEHOLD! Louie Gohmert!

NY Rag Takes Credit For WH 9/11 Responder Bill Comment

I am speechless. Well, almost speechless or I wouldn't be writing with fury right now.

I just came across this headline in the New York Daily News:

Wham! And thanks, Bam: At last, Obama backs health bill for 9/11 responders

It seems that the editors at this bastion of journalistic excellence are taking credit for what they see as putting pressure on President Obama with the headline, "9/11 SLAM ON BAM," to make a statement in favor of a bill providing health care and compensation to sickened Ground Zero rescue and recovery workers. Yes, the same bill that the Republicans in the House voted against on procedural grounds. The same bill Rep. Anthony Weiner freaked about when co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Peter King, accused the Democrats of playing politics with the bill, while not bothering to whip up votes for his own legislation.

Are the Daily News editors high, stupid or both? Every Democrat save four voted for the bill. We have a Democratic president. 12 out of 178 Republicans voted for it. Logic would dictate that the White House would obviously be in favor of the bill and would sign it into law. But that would mean that logic would have to enter into the minds of these hapless editors.

Oh, they do acknowledge that the Republicans should have the "decency" to stand for what is right and vote in favor of the bill... in the very last line of the piece. Up until then, no comment from the White House meant an assumption by the Daily News that, for some insane reason, President Obama wouldn't be in favor of such a measure. After all, he spoke about the Not-In-Ground-Zero-Not-A-Mosque, why didn't he weigh in on this?

Maybe because legislation passed by a Democratically led Congress on such an issue is a no-brainer and ANY president in Obama's position would be committing political suicide if he vetoed it. But then again, why educate the reader when you can stir up faux controversies to sell your rags?

New Poll: Majority of Americans Are Idiots - UPDATED

18 percent of Americans say that President Obama is a Muslim, an increase of seven points since Pew Research last asked the same question in March 2009. 40% aren't sure. Only 34% know he is Christian. So 58% of Americans are basically morons.  ... Sounds about right.

Immediately I'm hearing pundits blaming the White House for its lack of message on the issue. Seriously? Are we expecting the White House to put out a statement saying that presently, President Obama is still a Christian and we'll be updated weekly as to his religious status? It's too bad they didn't have a Bush Denomination of the Week update.  But hey, he was a white guy so he couldn't have been a Muslim, right?

UPDATE (8:20pm): I truly don't know what to say. I think I'm living in BizarroWorld.

Jen Psaki, White House deputy communications director:  

President Obama is a committed Christian, and his faith is an important part of his daily life. He prays every day, he seeks a small circle of Christian pastors to give him spiritual advice and counseling, he even receives a daily devotional that he uses each morning. The President's Christian faith is a part of who he is, but not a part of what the public or the media is focused on everyday.

The poll's findings are not surprising given the scope of the issues we are focused on-a recovering economy, bringing troops home from Iraq, putting healthcare and financial reform implementation in place. The President's strong Christian faith is what guides him through these challenges but he doesn't wear it on his sleeve.

I guess we really will see a weekly faith status update. And I can only shake my head in embarrassment.

(H/T Bob Cesca)

Too Dumb To Tweet

So according to Sarah Palin, Dr. Laura can say anything she wants because it's her right to freedom of speech, but if she is criticized for her comments by others using their right to freedom of speech, they're actually being "Constitutional obstructionists" and are "trying 2silence" her...

Huh... I guess Trig really is her son after all.*


UPDATE (9:23am): Joan Walsh weighs in.

UPDATE (8/20/10, 7pm):

* I was approached privately by a friend wanting clarification on the last line of this post regarding Trig.

In no way was my intention to make fun of Trig. I was insulting Sarah's intelligence. When publishing this post I thought I might be treading on thin ice by making that comment and some might misconstrue what I meant. I was saying Sarah Palin is an idiot. But either way you look at it, it was insensitive on my part. So for that, my apologies.

From now on, I'll just come right out and say Sarah Palin is a moron.

NY Daily News: Letter to the Editor

Dear Editors:

I used to be a Mike Lupica fan, that is until I read his column in your Monday, August 16th, 2010 edition, "Ground Zero mosque debate is about common sense, sensitivity to 9/11 vics, not religious freedom."

In and of itself, the title alone shows that Mr. Lupica could not be more wrong. I would write to him myself but he doesn't have the courtesy to leave leave an e-mail address or provide a comments section for responses as do most other opinion columnists.

Where do I begin?

If we are to make this issue about "common sense" and about "sensitivity" as Mr. Lupica states, then how much more common sense do we need to demonstrate than showing the world, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, that regardless of the tragedy of September 11th and its victims, regardless of the scar that remains a gaping hole in downtown Manhattan after nine long years, that our country and the resolve of its citizens is strong enough to refuse to allow our emotions to cloud our judgement and compromise our principles? How do we stand tall in the eyes of the world and more importantly, how do we look at ourselves in the mirror if we decide to abandon Constitutional rights of our fellow Americans when it is emotionally convenient?

There is no contradiction in President Obama's statements, as Mr. Lupica would lead us to believe. There was no walkback of his stance. President Obama was affirming our First Amendment rights when he said, "I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country." Whether or not it's a good idea is not for him to say, as it ultimately doesn't matter. Not commenting on the "wisdom" of the decision is irrelevant as it is a local decision. I find it interesting how those in favor of limited government and states' rights look for a federal response or intervention when it suits their needs.

If we forego our rights just this one time for sensitivity's sake, what is the next step? Do we forbid the building of a Roman Catholic church near the Oklahoma City bombing site because of Timothy McVeigh's religious upbringing? Should we prevent Muslims from worshipping just two blocks further north than the proposed site, as they've done for the last 40 years? Is that still too close and insensitive? Do we shut down the mosque at the Penatgon? After all, it's not two blocks away but in the very building that was hit on 9/11. Is Mr. Lupica suggesting we base our decisions on mob rule and not the rule of law? Is that how we should conduct trials as well? Should we have the families of rape or murder victims pronounce sentencing for sensitivity's sake?

The government has no authority or right to tell any religion where they can or cannot build places of worship as long as they adhere to local laws and ordinances. Not a church, not a synagogue and not a mosque. It's been this way since the founding of the country. It should be this way now.

And again, let's call this construction plan what it actually is: this is a community center equivalent to a YMCA, complete with a basketball court and culinary school, with Muslim prayer rooms in its upper two floors. It is not a mosque.

But where Mr. Lupica flies off the rails is in comparing the opinion of Obama's thoughts on LeBron James to defending a religious group's First Amendment rights. You know, because they're so equivalent. Maybe the President should create March Madness pool with all the world's religions and decide who'll be in the Final Four? We can call it  Mecca Madness.

But the topper has to be his last sentence.

Everything Bloomberg and Barack Obama say about this sounds right. But if the only constituency that matters here - the ones left behind by the victims of Sept. 11 - think they're wrong, they are.

So according to Mr. Lupica, two plus two equal four unless a majority disagrees, and because they're the only ones "that matter" (we'll just forget about the hundreds of American Muslims that died on 9/11) they'll just insist the answer is wrong. And Lupica will agree with them.

Stick to the sports pages, Mike. You'll embarrass yourself a little less.

Combat Troops Leaving Iraq NOW

All combat troops are leaving Iraq as I watch MSNBC. Richard Engel is in the back of the last truck in the convoy that will cross into Kuwait any moment. Rachel Maddow is reporting from Baghdad. Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews are in-studio. They are the only network covering this historic moment. It's as awe-inspiring as the invasion was shock-inspiring.

50,000 troops will stay one more year as training and security forces. But all combat troops are coming home RIGHT NOW.

This Is Madness

When even Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan (PAT BUCHANAN!) gang up on Newt Gingrich, you know there's a problem.

Dr. Laura Wants Her Rights "Back"

Why is it when someone is expressing their First Amendment rights in disagreeing with someone else's bigoted, racist, insanely stupid comments, it's mistakenly perceived as an infringement of the latter's First Amendment rights? Nobody stopped "Dr." Laura Schlessinger from shouting "nigger" in a crowded radio station, and no one is stopping others from saying she's an asshole for doing so and complaining to the station and her sponsors. See? She spoke freely. Listeners responded freely. First Amendment rights for all! So where were her rights infringed upon?

"Dr." Laura, Sarah Palin and every other moron who waves Constitutional rights in peoples' faces without knowing what the hell they are should realize that exercising their First Amendment right to freedom of speech does not make them immune to the consequences and repercussions of whatever idiotic thing spews from their mouths.

So Much For The Libertarian

Isn't Rand Paul for limited government? Well, yes, unless it's politically convenient to side with Tea Party know-nothings who pick and choose which Constitutional rights apply to whom.

Kentucky Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul says that he opposes developing plans for a mosque to be built in close proximity to "Ground Zero" in New York City.

Great job, hypocrite.

Quote of the Day

"Kebabs do not threaten our way of life." 

~ Eugene Robinson on the Republican politicization of the not Mosque not on Ground Zero

Bobby Thomson Dies at 86

NY Times: Bobby Thomson, who hit “the shot heard round the world” — an epic home run for the New York Giants against the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds on Oct. 3, 1951, to climax baseball’s most memorable pennant drive — died Monday at his home in Savannah, Ga. He was 86.