The Republi-CON Party of Terrorist

UPDATE II: Read Huffington Post, Christine O'Donnell Tells GOPers: 'I've Got Sean Hannity In My Back Pocket'.

Actually, she's got that bass ackwards.


UPDATE: BTW, the Saudis are hypocrites like the Republi-cons. For example, a "Saudi prince on trial for allegedly killing his assistant in London." At trial:

The jury also heard evidence that the prince is homosexual and was a client of gay sex workers during his time in London.

The murder itself, Laidlaw said, had a sexual element.

The prosecutor outlined the findings of the post-mortem examination, which revealed the ferocity of the violence Abdulaziz had experienced. It included beatings to the face, swelling and bruising of the brain, and fractured ribs and neck. There were also signs the victim had been bitten on the face, ears, and arm, which, in Laidlaw's words, carried an "obvious" sexual connotation.

First Hedgehog News bought a stake in the Republi-CONs when parent News Corp. donated $1 million to Republican Governors' Association. Then News Corp. contributed $1 million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "the business lobby that has been running an aggressive campaign in support of the Republican effort to retake Congress." But more shocking, "every major contender for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination who isn’t currently holding office and isn’t named Mitt Romney is now" on the payroll of Hedgehog News.

Hedgehog News owns the Republi-con party.

And who owns Hedgehog News

"Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal owns a 7 percent stake in News Corp . . . making him the largest shareholder outside the family of News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch." As a result, Hedgehog News does the bidding of the Saudis and censors its broadcasts so as not to offend the bosses.

And it is no secret that "Saudi Arabia is hub of world terror," funding Islamic 'charity' organizations that are "hotbeds of anti-Western, and especially, anti-American, indoctrination."

Ergo, the Republi-cons are the party of terrorist.

It's Déjà Bircher All Over Again

Paranoid politics is nothing new. Read The New Yorker, Confounding Fathers, The Tea Party’s Cold War roots.

There's no denying the power of fear, anger and hatred,

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6:00 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line.

Topics:

Follow-up: TBD;

Local and regional: health care lawsuit, the first loss for the states;

Nation and international: free speech, can you say anything?; quickie told ya so, help reelect Obama, vote Republi-CON; how do you know when a Republi-CON is lying?; watch what you wish for, you might lose your job; Republi-CON nirvana -- everyman for himself (pun intended); Economic Mess for Non-Dummies, the movie; W. v. H. who was worse; it's not the GOP it's the RPT (Republi-CON Party of Terrorist); welcome to the age of everyman for himself; exposing Republi-CONism; U.S. has a sad history of religious intolerance; DC road rally, who wants to go; test your religious hypocrisy; and sed quis custodiet ipsos cutodes;

Fun stuff: Foot Loose, a mash up of dance clips; Not So Little Red Wagon; did ya'll take the Yankee or Dixie Quiz; and how big is your pumpkin?

and

Donate to a good cause: this month support Pace FL's Woodbine United Methodist's Ray Of Hope Wheelchair Ramp Ministry, as reported recently at the Pensacola News Journal, Ramping it up: Pace church makes wheelchair ramps for people in need.

I'll discuss anything, but expect a no mercy take down if you are a party hack pandering to fear, anger and hatred, because the truth sure makes it hard out there for the party pimps.

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle some ass kickin' discussion of politics and current events.

And remember: I'm still God's favorite Gulf Coast talk show host, just ask the capped well!

How Do You Know When a Republi-CON is Lying?

That begs the question, when does a Republi-con not lie to win election?

Read the Washington Post, Rove, Chamber ads widely debunked as false or misleading, which outlines the "scope of the dishonesty and distortion that's flowing from the conservative side . . . a massive disinformation campaign flooding airwaves across the country that could change the outcome of major races and shift the balance of power in Congress, funded by money from undisclosed sources, justified with still more falsehoods and disinformation. "

Is W. The Worst

UPDATE VI: $10+ T national debt, $1.2 T deficit this year, 2.6 M jobs lost in the last year swelling the ranks of the unemployed to more than 11 million people, failing economy, mortgage crisis, incompetent leadership, overstretched military, an unnecessary and disastrous war, politicized government, torture as government policy, Chinese ascension, Russian resurgence, oil addiction (did I miss anything). How soon we forget. Read CNN, Was Bush better president than Obama?

How will history judge George W. Bush's presidency?

Bush certainly has no regrets. Read Washington Post, Regret-Me-Not and watch the interview at Camp David by ABC's Charles Gibson.

There has even been an Oxford-style debate of the proposition "Bush 43 Is the Worst President of the Past 50 Years," in which Karl Rove defended Bush.

See also NPR, Is Bush The Worst President Of The Past 50 Years?

And answer the poll on the right and tell me what you think.

UPDATE: A Wall Street Journal poll (question 27), when asked to compare Mr. Bush with the past several presidents, two percent of respondents said he was one of the best; 18 percent said he was better than most; 30 percent said he was not as good as most; and 48 percent said he was definitely worse than most.

UPDATE, Part II: Certainly some Iraqis aren't happy with Bush. During Bush's surprise visit to Iraq in December, an Iraqi journalist denounced Bush as a 'dog' and threw his shoes at the President, an insult in Islamic society. (You might remember Iraqis beating the statue of Saddam with shoes after it was toppled 5 years ago.)

UPDATE, Part III:






UPDATE Part IV:






































Somebody should have told Bush that the President of the United States takes an oath to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

UPDATE V:



















Don't forget to vote in the poll.

Exposing Republi-CONism

UPDATE III: And there is also the family values (NOT) of Arizona House candidate Ben Quayle, a/k/a Brock Landers, the fictional sidekick to porn star Dirk Diggler in the film "Boogie Nights,", and real-life son of former vice president Dan Quayle


UPDATE II: Lest you forgot, there is also the serial adulterer, now Republi-con South Carolina gubernatorial candidate. Read the Washington Post, Blogger details alleged tryst with SC gov nominee.


UPDATE: First a candidate who loves pornographic emails while lecturing about family values and cashing rent checks from gay clubs, now a candidate who enjoys wearing Nazi attire. Who will the Republi-con nominate next? Read The Atlantic, Why is This GOP House Candidate Dressed as a Nazi? and the Washington Post, Candidate rejects criticism of Nazi uniform.

Nobody is a better Republi-Con Myth Buster by mocking the Republi-CON created reality than Stephen Colbert. Watch as he keeps fear alive and explains why America should fear Muslims:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Word - It's a Small-Minded World
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

And he wants the little one to grow up Republi-con, with suggestions for new coloring book to teach kids Tea Party values, such as Christine O'Donnell's Masturbation Alternatives and Down on the Farm with Carl Paladino, which cites his "racist and pornographic emails, some of which featured bestiality videos":

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Tip/Wag - Tea Party Coloring Book & CALM Legislation<a>
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

Judge for yourself, view the emails if you dare (<-WARNING: this link contains extremely graphic material). And don't forget his roast of Bush at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner.

Restore Truthiness

UPDATE II:



If you can't be there, watch it live on Comedy Central or streamed live online.


UPDATE: Not one but two rallies.

First, the Rally to Restore Sanity, where "rational people will gather on the National Mall in DC to spread spread a timely message -- take it down a notch for America":

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Rally to Restore Sanity
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

And if that is too serious for ya, there is the March to Keep Fear Alive, "to fight Jon Stewart's creeping reasonableness and to restore truthiness":

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
March to Keep Fear Alive
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

Who wants to make a road trip to DC in late October?

Time to mock the Republi-CON created reality, support the Restore Truthiness rally, because "[t]here's no way to have a logical public discussion with the teabaggers. The best we can do is mimic them."


P.S. Don't know what Truthiness is? Then watch this:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Word - Truthiness
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

And nobody is better at mocking the Republi-CONs than Colbert. Remember his roast of Bush at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner.

Everyman for Himself

UPDATE II: Banksy might blame them all.

Watch the graffiti artist and provocateur's take down of corporate greed and labor out sourcing by the corporation that owns the Republi-con party, 20th Century Fox, in this opening scene of the MoneyBart episode of The Simpsons:




UPDATE: What is to blame for the rise in income inequality? Technology changes, globalization, industry deregulation, the decline of unions, social changes that make income inequality acceptable, or increased corporate power? Read the Washington Post, The costs of rising economic inequality.

And vote in the poll.

How much money is enough, and when do greed, ambition, and betrayal of friends, partners and principles harm society in the long term?

"The film about Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, can be viewed as a cautionary tale or something to applaud." Read The New York Times, Film Version of Zuckerberg Divides Generation.

And consider that a society where it's everyman for himself would be a brutal, ugly place to live.

Not So Little Red Wagon

Now this is a Radio Flyer:

Test Your Religious Hypocrisy

Another test of your religious literacy:

Which holy book stipulates that a girl who does not bleed on her wedding night should be stoned to death?
a. Koran
b. Old Testament
c. (Hindu) Upanishads

Which holy scripture urges that the "little ones" of the enemy be dashed against the stones?
a. Book of Psalms
b. Koran
c. Leviticus

For the answers, read The New York Times, Test Your Savvy on Religion.

Religious fanatics are all alike, they emphasize the best parts of their own religion and vilify the worst parts of any other.

Foot Loose

A mask up "of dance clips from almost 40 movies from dance movies to comedies, from Fred Astaire to Micheal Jackson," set to the tune of Kenny Loggins - Footloose. Enjoy, as you try to name the clips (list below):




Did you recognize these movie clips: "Dirty Dancing, Flashdance, White Nights, Perfect, Saturday Night Fever, Blue Skies, Pulp Fiction, High Fidelity, Clerks 2, American Pie, Billy Elliot, Footloose, True Lies, Grease, Honey, Phantom of the Opera, Step up, Step up 2, Moonwalker, West Side Story, Moulin Rouge, Mary Poppins, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Strictly Ballroom, Happy Feet, Singing in the Rain, Fame, Fame2009, Save the Last Dance, Mamma Mia, Mask of Zorro, Coyote Ugly, Wild Hogs, Get Smart, Airplane, A Knights Tale, High School Musical, and Austin Powers"?

For the Pimps of Fear, Anger and Hatred

UPDATE: The U.S. has a sad history of religious intolerance. "The protests against Park51 closely mirror Protestant opposition to the oldest Catholic church in New York State, the pastor says." Read The New York Times, 200-Year-Old Echoes in Muslim Center Uproar.

The article reminds our most 'pious' ones that on "Christmas Eve 1806, two decades after the church was built, the building was surrounded by Protestants incensed at a celebration going on inside — a religious observance then viewed in the United States as an exercise in “popish superstition,” more commonly referred to as Christmas. Protesters tried to disrupt the service. In the melee that ensued, dozens of people were injured and a policeman was killed."

Religious fanatics are all alike, they emphasize the best parts of their own religion and vilify the worst parts of any other.

"Test your religious literacy:

Which sacred text says that Jesus is the “word” of God? a) the Gospel of John; b) the Book of Isaiah; c) the Koran.

The correct answer is the Koran. But if you guessed the Gospel of John you get partial credit because its opening passage — “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God” — is an implicit reference to Jesus. In fact, when Muhammad described Jesus as God’s word, he was no doubt aware that he was affirming Christian teaching.

Extra-credit question: Which sacred text has this to say about the Hebrews: God, in his “prescience,” chose “the children of Israel … above all peoples”? I won’t bother to list the choices, since you’ve probably caught onto my game by now; that line, too, is in the Koran."

Read The New York Times, The Meaning of the Koran.

The truth sure makes it hard out there for the party pimps.

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6:00 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line.

Topics:

Follow-up: oil spill claim BS, a server at Angus steak house gets $10,000;

Local and regional: Happy 200th Birthday to the Republic of West Florida;

Nation and international: free speech, can you say anything?; does Obama win in 2012 by losing in 2010; watch what you wish for, you might lose your job; the tea party, how it's become just a Billionaires’ coup camouflaged a populist surge; it's not the GOP it's the RPT (Republi-CON Party of Terrorist); welcome to the age of everyman for himself; who wants to go to DC for the rally to expose Republi-CON-ism; Palin told ya so and Keynes told ya so; and sed quis custodiet ipsos cutodes;

Fun stuff: Lingerie Football, is it a sport?; did ya'll take the Yankee or Dixie Quiz; and how big is your pumpkin?

and

Donate to a good cause: this week support Pace FL's Woodbine United Methodist's Ray Of Hope Wheelchair Ramp Ministry, as reported recently at the Pensacola News Journal, Ramping it up: Pace church makes wheelchair ramps for people in need.

I'll discuss anything, but expect no mercy if you are a party hack pandering to fear, anger and hatred, because the truth sure makes it hard out there for the party pimps.

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle some ass kickin' discussion of politics and current events.

And remember: I'm still God's favorite Gulf Coast talk show host, just ask the capped well!

Keynes Told Ya So

Think Keynesian economics is bunk. Not China. "No country has taken better advantage of free trade than China, with its controlled currency and strong industrial policies, including huge public investments in renewable energy technologies." Read The New York Times, What Would Keynes Say Today?

Another told ya so!

The Yankee or Dixie Quiz

To find out how much Southern blood your speech shows, take this test.

Ya'll come back ya hear!

So Long Suckers!

"The Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP [its legal authority expires on Sunday], may have staved off financial disasters, but it treated too gently the people who presided over the disaster, an economist writes." Read The New York Times, TARP, the Long Goodbye.

Taxpayers were suckered big time, but don't believe those Republi-con fairy tales denying blame for the mess.

Will Crist Win?

UPDATE VII: More than a month til election and "Rubio commands a double-digit lead among likely voters in Florida's U.S. Senate race, harnessing a split among Democrats over their nominee Kendrick Meek and independent Gov. Charlie Crist." Read The Associated Press, Rubio leads Crist big in Fla. Senate race.


UPDATE VI: More on those Florida Republi-CON fiscal CONservatives. Read the Sarasota Herald Tribune, Senate hopeful Rubio plagued by money problems and the Sunshine State News, Audit Nails Charlie Crist, Jim Greer For 'Inappropriate' Spending.


UPDATE V: "Florida's three-way Senate race between former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R), Gov. Charlie Crist (I) and Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) is one of the marquee contests of the 2010 election cycle.

It also appears to have moved in Rubio's favor since the Aug. 24 primary and, as a result, we are moving the Senate contest from "toss up" to "lean Republican".

Read the Washington Post, Florida Senate race moves to "Lean Republican".


UPDATE IV: "Gov. Charlie Crist is the man in the middle in Florida's high-stakes race for the Senate, a candidate without a party whose hopes of moving from Tallahassee to Washington depend on his ability to fend off a squeeze play from his Democratic and Republican rivals. " Read the Washington Post, Florida Senate race starts without a clear favorite.


UPDATE III: Support is dwindling for Crist. Read the Pensacola News Journal, Crist losing ground in Senate race, poll shows.


UPDATE II: Who will Crist's opponents be? Read the Pensacola News Journal, Poll: Scott, Greene lead in races.

It would be ironic if he rode the national anti-incumbent, anti-establishment wave to D.C.


UPDATE: The title says it all. Read Reuters, Crist leads 3-way Senate race in Florida.

As I said before, Crist's decision to run as an Independent might be a wise move. Read the Washington Post, Will Charlie Crist be Florida's Arlen Specter?

Lingerie Football, Is It a Sport?

"[B]uxom young women wearing little more than René Rofé lingerie (tight-tight boy shorts, fringe-cut sports bras), shoulder pads, garters and small helmets with clear plastic visors across the face." Read the Washington Post, Baltimore Charm, a new Lingerie Football League team, plays up sheer talent.

Doesn't surprise me in a country where DWTS is considered entertainment.

Sub Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Usually on Thursdays you can listen to me, the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- no political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

But I can't make it today. I'll be back next week to deprogram you. Until then, have a laugh.

School of One

UPDATE II: The "new documentary 'Waiting for Superman' for ratcheting up the interest level" in education. But charter schools are not the whole answer. A "study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that only 17 percent did a better job than the comparable local public school, while more than a third did 'significantly worse. . . The best charter schools are laboratories for new ideas. But the regular public schools are where American education has to be saved. " Read The New York Times, Waiting for Somebody.

And Randy, the article also notes that "there’s no evidence that teachers’ unions are holding our schools back. Finland, which is currently cleaning our clock in education scores, has teachers who are almost totally unionized. The states with the best student performance on standardized tests tend to be the ones with the strongest teachers’ unions. "


UPDATE: And another article about education. Read The New York Times, Studying Engineering Before They Can Spell It.

For Randy, and anyone else concerned about modern education. Listen to Freakonomics Radio, How Is a Bad Radio Station Like the Public School System?

It reviews the New York City Department of Education pilot program 'School of One,' which "re-imagines the traditional classroom model. Instead of one teacher and 25-30 students in a classroom, each student participates in multiple instructional modalities, including a combination of teacher-led instruction, one-on-one tutoring, independent learning, and work with virtual tutors."

Choose your modality!

Don't Fall for the Balance Budget Bull

UPDATE II: "There’s a big difference between Republicans who have pledged to cut the deficit and true fiscal conservatives." Read The New York Times, Imagining a Deficit Plan From Republicans. The article includes a graph showing the magnitude of the problem:




UPDATE: "Banana republic, here we come." Read The New York Times, Downhill With the G.O.P., which confirm what I've said, "the only way to balance the budget by 2020, while simultaneously (a) making the Bush tax cuts permanent and (b) protecting all the programs Republicans say they won’t cut, is to completely abolish the rest of the federal government: 'No more national parks, no more Small Business Administration loans, no more export subsidies, no more N.I.H. No more Medicaid (one-third of its budget pays for long-term care for our parents and others with disabilities). No more child health or child nutrition programs. No more highway construction. No more homeland security. Oh, and no more Congress.' (Quoting Howard Gleckman of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.)

America's political meltdown, the road to poverty.

"Explore the various facets of the government's budget and see how revenues and spending have changed over time." See the Washington Post, Taking apart the federal budget.

Is It All For the Common Good, or Everyman For Himself?

UPDATE: Of course, it begs the question, what is the common good? Read the Washington Post, When do rules for the common good cross the line?

Bush's chief speechwriter and senior policy advisor from 2001 until June 2006, has some advice for having a little fun with your favorite Tea Party extremist this election, ask her/him the following questions:

Do you believe that Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional?
Do you believe that American identity is undermined by immigration?
Do you believe that gun rights are relevant to the health-care debate?

I suggest another question: is Obama "secretly a Muslim, or born abroad, possibly in outer space?" Read the Washington Post, Why the Tea Party is toxic for the GOP.

Let the fun begin!

Sed quis custodiet ipsos cutodes

Or as Socrates said "Who will protect us against the protectors?"

A staff sergeant in the Maryland Air National Guard and a computer systems engineer thought his helmet video camera would. But after "he taped a Maryland state trooper who stopped him for speeding on I-95 using a camera mounted on his helmet [and then] posted the video on YouTube" he was arrested, charged with violating the state's wiretapping law, and jailed for 26 hours.

Many states have laws against 'wiretapping. In Florida, it a crime to intercept or record a "wire, oral, or electronic communication" unless all parties to the communication consent. But it is not a crime where "the parties do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the conversation."

In the Maryland case, the judge ruled "that police have no expectation of privacy in their public, on-the-job communications." He wrote "Those of us who are public officials and are entrusted with the power of the state are ultimately accountable to the public. When we exercise that power in public fora, we should not expect our actions to be shielded from public observation. 'Sed quis custodiet ipsos cutodes' ('Who watches the watchmen?')." Read the Washington Post, Charges dropped in cyclist, trooper taping.

It's open season on recording elected officials, at least in Maryland.

The Republi-2010 Election Pledge-CON

UPDATE II: "Will the rhetoric of the House Republicans’ Pledge to America win over Tea Party members?" Read The New York Times, The Seduction of the Tea Partiers.


UPDATE: Jon Stewart on GOP déjà vu:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Postcards From the Pledge
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

"Extravagant promises and bluster are the stuff of campaign rhetoric, but the House Republicans’ “Pledge to America,” which promises a lot but is devoid of tough policy choices, goes far beyond the norm." Read The New York Times, The G.O.P.’s ‘Pledge’.

Cheer Up Monday

From a friend -- the 10 best caddy replies:

# 10 -- Golfer: "Think I'm going to drown myself in the lake."
Caddy: "Think you can keep your head down that long?"

# 9 -- Golfer: "I'd move heaven and earth to break 100 on this course."
Caddy: "Try heaven, you've already moved most of the earth."

# 8 -- Golfer: "Do you think my game is improving?"
Caddy: "Yes sir, you miss the ball much closer now."

# 7 -- Golfer: "Do you think I can get there with a 5 iron?"
Caddy: "Eventually."

# 6 -- Golfer: "You've got to be the worst caddy in the world."
Caddy: "I don't think so sir. That would be too much of a coincidence."

# 5 -- Golfer: "Please stop checking your watch all the time. It's too much of a distraction."
Caddy: "It's not a watch - it's a compass."

# 4 -- Golfer: "How do you like my game?"
Caddy: "Very good sir, but personally, I prefer golf."

# 3 -- Golfer: "Do you think it's a sin to play on Sunday?"
Caddy: "The way you play, sir, it's a sin on any day."

# 2 -- Golfer: "This is the worst course I've ever played on."
Caddy: "This isn't the golf course. We left that an hour ago."

# 1 -- Best Caddy Comment.... Golfer: "That can't be my ball, it's too old."
Caddy: "It's been a long time since we teed off, sir."

It Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Lady Gets a Job

UPDATE XI: "Instead of addressing the dismal unemployment picture during Wednesday’s press conference, Ben Bernanke bent to the inflationistas." Read The New York Times, The Intimidated Fed, which notes:

"Lately the inflationistas have seized on rising oil prices as evidence in their favor, even though — as Mr. Bernanke himself pointed out — these prices have nothing to do with Fed policy. The way oil prices are coloring the discussion led the economist Tim Duy to suggest, sarcastically, that basic Fed policy is now to do nothing about unemployment 'because some people in the Middle East are seeking democracy.'

But I’d put it differently. I’d say that the Fed’s policy is to do nothing about unemployment because Ron Paul is now the chairman of the House subcommittee on monetary policy."

UPDATE X: Another told ya so (originally posted in April 2009). "While data zealots have declared the end of the Great Recession, its pain is still very real for millions of Americans." Read The New York Times, We Haven’t Hit Bottom Yet.


UPDATE IX: In the future, will this time be known as 'The Great Unemployment?' Read The Atlantic, How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America.


UPDATE VIII: "Those in the lower-income groups are in a much, much deeper hole than the general commentary on the recession would lead people to believe." Read The New York Times, The Worst of the Pain.


UPDATE VII: From the Washington Post, Digging out of a deep hole:



And who dug the hole, Bush or Obama?


UPDATE VI: The unemployment rate jumped to 10.2 percent in October, the highest since 1983. Read The New York Times, U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 10.2%, Highest in 26 Years.

But "the truer measure of unemployment -- a total count of everyone who should be working full time but is not -- hit 17.5 percent in October, the highest level in modern times."


UPDATE V: From The New York Times, Comparing This Recession to Previous Ones: Job Losses;



But thank God we saved Government Sachs.


UPDATE IV: Pity the non-government worker, unemployment is still bad, bad, bad. Read The New York Times, A Scary Reality.


UPDATE III: If Obama don't watch out, the unemployed fat lady might crush his presidency. Read the Washington Post, Shaky Economy May Dislodge Obama's Footing.


UPDATE II: How come the fat lady still ain't got a job? Cause there ain't none to be had, unemployment rose last month to 9.5%, and that number is probably an understatement. Read the Washington Post, Job Losses Dampen Hopes for Recovery.

Obama shouldn't have given all the money to the robber banks.


UPDATE: The fat lady still ain't got a job, and her prospects ain't good. Read The New York Times, G.M.’s Latest Plan Envisions a Much Smaller Automaker and Workers Walk the Plank. The later article notes that "[w]hile Wall Street is breaking out the Champagne, the rest of the economy is beyond terrible, and will be for the foreseeable future."

You can thank those Republi-cons and their war on the middle class.

Are happy days here again? Is the economic mess behind us?

There is an old saying, it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, which means that one shouldn't assume the outcome of some event until it has actually finished.

(FYI: The phrase refers to the final scene of German composer Richard Wagner's opera Der Ring des Nibelungen, aka the Ring cycle, a full performance of which could take place over four nights with a total playing time of 15 hours, in which a heavy-set woman dressed like a valkyrie (Brünnhilde) rides into the funeral pyre of her lover (Siegfried), while singing of course because it is an opera, as the the set collapses and the entire cycle ends up in the Rhine river, where it started.)

Read The New York Times, As Stocks Surge, Fears Linger About the Economy.

After the looting and robbery of the treasury of trillions of dollars, the government has succeeded in propping up the stock market. But the stock market decline wasn't the problem, it was just a symptom.

The real event was an economic downturn, which was caused by massive fraud on Wall Street that was facilitated by deregulation and lack of government oversight, all part of a larger Republi-con decades-long war on the middle class, but that is a subject for another post.

Bottomline, the trillions were a mere band aid to hide the gaping wounds of the economic downturn. And my bet is, it ain't over.

More State Republi-Con Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy

UPDATE II: Rubio's defense for charging personal expenses to the state Republi-con party credit card, he "spent less in 4 years than Sansom did in 2." Read the Miami-Herald, Marco Rubio charged $4K in home remodeling work on GOP credit card.

You remember Sansom -- over 2½ years, a 25-year-old junior Sansom staffer, who was given a party American Express card, spent nearly $1.3 million. Thousands were spent "on jewelry, sporting goods and in one case $15,000 for what's listed as a monthlong stay at a posh Miami Beach hotel." The Florida Republi-cons spent "$650,000 in lodging, $60,000 in airfare — mostly commercial airlines — and $66,000 for charter planes."

According to a former supporter, Rubio never met a perk he didn’t like and is "ust another career politician looking to line his own pocket."

Now you know why I call them Republi-Cons!


UPDATE: What will he do when he gets a hold of the federal government credit card? St. Petersburg Times, Marco Rubio charged kitchen flooring on GOP credit card?

Another Republi-con fiscal CONservative with money problems. Read the Washington Post, Republican's financial woes recast Ga. race.

He's got a lot in common with Rubio and O'Donnell.

What is Your BrandPrix?

Take the Smart Marketing auto IQ test.

What was your score?

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6:00 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line.

Topics:

Follow-up: held hostage to the Republi-CON reaction to Nuts and their pimps of fear, anger and hatred;

Local and regional: the big health care lawsuit showdown begins; and Happy 200th Birthday to the Republic of West Florida;

Nation and international: a Republi-CON civil war told ya so; is Palin a 'Democratic double agent'?; the race to November is on; will Crist win?; will it be déjà Miller the Republi-Con Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy all over again?; not one, not two, but three Republi-con fiscal CONservative with money problems; who wants the Nuts to rule?; those racist Republi-CONs; who wants a religious war?; American political meltdown, the road to poverty; don't furlough, cut federal government pay and benefits; road trip anyone, liar, liar, are your pants a liar?; and are you ready for some football!

and

Donate to a good cause: this week support Pace FL's Woodbine United Methodist's Ray Of Hope Wheelchair Ramp Ministry, as reported recently at the Pensacola News Journal, Ramping it up: Pace church makes wheelchair ramps for people in need.

I'll discuss anything, but expect no mercy if you are a party hack pandering to fear, anger and hatred, because the truth sure makes it hard out there for the party pimps.

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle some ass kickin' discussion of politics and current events.

And remember: I'm still God's favorite Gulf Coast talk show host, just ask the capped well!

For the Fed BS'ers

For a good review of the purpose and importance of the Federal Reserve, read The New York Times, The Fed, Innovation and the Next Recession.

The writers conclusion is somewhat unsettling:

"The 1920s opened with an 18-month recession, an eerie parallel to the 2007-9 experience. It ended with the Great Crash of 1929."

Down-Waisting

UPDATE" Clothing makers lie because people don't want to knowe the truth, "[t]wo-thirds of people in this country are overweight or obese; about a third of adults — more than 72 million — are obese, which is roughly 30 pounds over a healthy weight." Read USA Today, USA is fattest of 33 countries.

As I said before, to pay for the health care cost associated with obesity, tax fats, sugars (especially high fructose corn syrup), processed/prepared foods, and alcohol to pay for basic health care for all.

Politicians do it. Advertisers do it. Cheating spouse do it. Now even your pants do it. Read Esquire, Are Your Pants Lying to You? An Investigation.

Giving new meaning to liar, liar, pants on fire.

Happy 200th Birthday to the Republic of West Florida

Republic of West Florida Flag

"In the early morning hours of Sept. 23, 1810, 75 armed rebels slipped into the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge, and in what was described as a ''sharp and bloody firefight,'' subdued the garrison. They lowered the Spanish flag and raised the Bonnie Blue Flag -- a single white star on a blue field -- that had been adopted for the new nation they called West Florida." Read The New York Times, Little Known Republic in La. Celebrates 200 Years.

For more information, see Southeastern Louisiana University, West Florida Bicentennial Celebration.

Local Republi-Con Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy

UPDATE: Will it be déjà Miller the Republi-Con Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy all over again? Could there be another Miller in congress who "who believes the federal government is on the brink of bankruptcy and has called for an end to the 'welfare state,' received federal farm subsidies for land that the fiscal conservative owned. . ." Read the Washington Post, Miller acknowledges getting farm subsidies.

If so, it will be "just another hypocritical politician with one set of rules for himself and one for everyone else."

At Rick's Blog, publius wrote:

"why is there something wrong with not being on the stimulus bill? led by our congressman, there is a proud tradition of pensacola not taking federal handouts–for example, not getting any katrina/rita money (although northern alabama did). Our congressman, who represents us, has railed against the stimulus as wasteful spending. Same for health insurance for poor chldren. Let Miller take a stand. If he’s against it, and he’s at the federal level, then the money shouldnt come here."

publius, you say that Congressman Miller is not in favor of "taking federal handouts" and "has railed against . . . wasteful spending." Surely you jest.

See the list of USDA subsidies in 1st district of Florida, which totaled totaled $184 million from 1995-2006.

Review the list of recipients, including:

1	Griswold Farms ∗	Milton, FL 32571	$3,503,019
2	Walker Farms ∗	Mc David, FL 32568	$2,331,538
3	Diller Farms ∗	Walnut Hill, FL 32568	$2,136,600
4	Jerry Jones	Jay, FL 32565	$1,888,322
5	Paul M Griswold	Milton, FL 32570	$1,850,718
6	Doyle M Hunter	Jay, FL 32565	$1,594,075
7	J W Bauldree Estate	Jay, FL 32565	$1,544,569
8	Hendricks And Son Inc ∗	Jay, FL 32565	$1,503,484
9	B D Hendricks	Jay, FL 32565	$1,494,659
10	Robert G Evers	Baker, FL 32531	$1,423,623
11	Alesia Griswold	Milton, FL 32570	$1,403,854

Know that Congressman Miller is married to the former Vicki Griswold.

Remember that even Congressman Miller got farm subsidies until he thought it might look bad when he ran for public office.

Think Republi-con hypocrisy.

Promise to stay better informed by visiting NoBullU more often.

Class dismissed.

The Race to November is On

UPDATE II: "Republicans are threatening to force a tax increase on the middle class unless they get paid off with tax breaks for the wealthy. It’s an offer Democrats must refuse. . . [Democrats] need to highlight their differences with the G.O.P. — and it’s hard to think of a better place for them to take a stand than on the issue of big giveaways to Wall Street and corporate C.E.O.’s." Read The New York Times, The Tax-Cut Racket.

Time to call the Republi-con bluff!


UPDATE: "Contrary to popular belief, this week’s Tea Party victories haven’t hurt the electoral prospects of Republicans in November. . . [their] damage is all in the future. Right now, the Tea Party doesn’t matter. The Republicans don’t matter. The economy and the Democrats are handing the G.O.P. a great, unearned revival. Nothing, it seems, is more scary than one-party Democratic control. " Read The New York Times, The Backlash Myth.

Not yet anyhow.

And therein lies the Naive-crat election strategy.

Will the Republi-CONs win big in 2010? In order win by "the earth-shattering, upside results that Republicans are dreaming about — they will need for three basic things to happen. First, they will need a solid majority of independent voters to select their candidates. Second, they will need the Democratic base to be disinterested in the election. And third, they will need their own base to be enthused."

And for that to happen, the party establishment and their subsidiary, the Tea Party, will need to make nice, nice.

And therein lies the Naive-crat election strategy.

A Republi-CON Civil War Told Ya So

UPDATE II: What effect will this civil war have in November? Will independent voters abandon the Republi-con party? Not so says one pundit.

"Contrary to popular belief, this week’s Tea Party victories haven’t hurt the electoral prospects of Republicans in November." Read The New York Times, The Backlash Myth.


UPDATE: For more analysis of the meaning of the last group of primary election read the Washington Post, Republicans ride the tea party tiger, Righty pundits on 'suicide' watch, and Bill Clinton: New-look GOP makes Bush look liberal.

Today's top election story is Christine O'Donnell beats Rep. Mike Castle in Delaware Republican Senate primary, which finds this primary outcome "the latest in a string of embarrassments for the Republican establishment this year, underscoring the civil war that continues to rage in the party." As a result, in Delaware Senate race "the Republicans went from being extremely likely to win the race to extremely likely to lose it."

But I (and others) foresaw the civil war.

From an October 2008 post: "Suddenly, the conservative writers are discovering that the very anti-intellectualism their side courted and encouraged has begun to consume their movement." -- Is The Unholy Alliance Coming Apart (which quoted Washington Post, Civil War on the Right)

Other posts and updates over the past year regarding the Republi-con civil war:

A Preview of the 2010 Republi-CON Cat Fight

Are You Ready for Some Republi-CON Smack Down

But the Republi-con know they risk losing in the general election if they don't reach out to independents and moderate Republicans. Look how Rubio has 'veered from the Tea Party script.'

Is it possible the Naive-crats retain control of the House and Senate?

Who Wants the Nuts to Rule?

UPDATE III: Watch the absolutely hilarious Colbert Report on Tuesday's primary results:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Libertea
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

As unlikely as a reasonable person might think, O'Donnell may win in November. She is "poised and telegenic, with a sparkle that her Democratic opponent, Chris Coons, will be hard-pressed to match. She has mastered what should be called the Sarah Palin Affect -- the perkiness, the folksiness, the religiosity, the occasional flash of bared fangs -- and she performs it well."

God help us all.


UPDATE II: And how would the Tea Party rule? "Tea Party candidates this year have voiced opposition to masturbation, support for prohibition and a fear that bicycle-sharing would lead to world government. " Read the Washington Post, The Tea Party: More than just white tea?


UPDATE: This week marks end of primary season, with seven states voting. And not everybody is happy about the way it is ending. "Victories in Republican primaries on Tuesday by Tea Party-backed candidates may complicate Republican efforts to gain control of Congress." Read The New York Times, G.O.P. Braces for More Discontent in Final Primaries.

Also read Politico, Charles Krauthammer rips 'irresponsible' Palin and the Washington Post, The Tea Party: From rebellion to absurdity, with a great quote -- "I could buy a parrot and train it to say, 'tax cuts.'"

Pretty much sums up the Republi-cons.

What is the Tea Party? A "loose agglomeration of right-wing insurgents, libertarians, conservatives, evangelicals, survivalists, gun-rights crusaders, anti-tax protestors, deficit hawks, anti-government zealots, militia members, Ayn Randers, Limbaugh “ditto heads,” Glenn Beck fanatics, birthers, Birchers and supporters of Sarah Palin and Ron Paul." So writes Will Bunch in his new book, The Backlash: Right-Wing Radicals, High-Def Hucksters, and Paranoid Politics in the Age of Obama.

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

UPDATE: Show canceled, ask Mike why!

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6:00 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line, courtesy of Cyber Smart Computers.

Topics:

Follow-up: held hostage to the Republi-CON reaction to Nuts and their pimps of fear, anger and hatred;

Local and regional: the big health care lawsuit showdown begins;

Nation and international: a Republi-CON civil war told ya so; is Palin a 'Democratic double agent'?; the race to November is on; who wants the Nuts to rule?; those racist Republi-CONs; who wants a religious war?; Third World America; Restore Truthiness, liar, liar, are your pants a liar?; and are you ready for some football!

and

Donate to a good cause: this week support Pace FL's Woodbine United Methodist's Ray Of Hope Wheelchair Ramp Ministry, as reported recently at the Pensacola News Journal, Ramping it up: Pace church makes wheelchair ramps for people in need.

But I'll discuss anything. Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle some ass kickin' discussion of politics and current events.

And remember: I'm still God's favorite Gulf Coast talk show host, just ask the capped well!