Mario Piperni dot Com

I had to write something about Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment.  Actually, I need to thank the former Illinois Governor for keeping me amused for the last number of weeks and more important, for giving the professional comedians out there such a rich source of material to draw from.

I think I can best sum up Blagojevich’s performance by offering you a segment of MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann’s show from last night.  Watch for the second half of this clip where Olbermann plays the highlights from this week’s late night television shows portrayal of Blagojevich.  It’s hilarious, especially the Mother Teresa, Ghandi and Stephen Colbert segments.

Recipe for creating a 60 seat majority in the Senate.

• Elect yourself a base of 56 Senate seats. (done)
• Get 2 independents to caucus with your majority.  (done)
• Hope that Al Franken is victorious in his court battle with Norm Coleman for Minnesota’s senate seat.
• Appoint a Republican Senator from New Hampshire (Judd Gregg) as your new commerce secretary.
• Pray that the Democrat Governor of New Hampshire appoints a Democrat to replace Gregg.

Alright, let’s add those numbers up: 56 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 60 !

If President Obama offers the commerce position to Gregg, you can bet that Republicans will plead with the New Hampshire senator to turn it down.  Interesting stuff politcs.

For anyone who has paid attention for the last 8 years and were repulsed by the display of arrogance and smugness by the Republican party, you can’t help but smile these days.  The GOP is a party in disarray with no vision, no soul and no direction.

In an article in the Washington Post – For GOP, a Case of Misshapen Identity – Republicans speak of a need to redefine themselves and set a new course for the future.   They speak of their party being “broken“, in a “rebuilding time“, “trying to figure out who we are” and “soul searching“.

It is refreshing to hear some Republicans finally understand that the party’s “deeds did not match its words. Did not rein in spending. Did not rein in earmarks” and that “In many ways we got what we deserved“.

You’re damn right you did!   Bush and his minions made a mockery of not only the democratic process but of his own party as well.

All that said, let’s all hope the Republican party does, in time, become a principled political force focused on the needs of the country and not on those of a select few.  One party rule for too long a period of time is unhealthy and dangerous for any country.

So while I hope the GOP does eventually find itself, for now I’ll delight in watching them wander in the desert of mayhem and lost identity.  It sort of puts a smile on my face.

I understand that politics is what it is and Republicans are playing the opposition game but how funny to hear them now claim they have the answers as to how to get the economy moving.  This is from a party which held the levers of power for 8 years, six of which they had complete control of both the White House and Congress.

What they fail to understand, I think, is that people voted for change.  If they wanted the same fiscal policies which drove the economy into the ground, they would have voted for John McCain.  As for President Obama, he is obviously doing his best to get a bipartisan bill but at the end of the day, it’s going to be a Democrat bill.  Republicans are not about to roll over for Obama no matter how much their partisanship further hurts the country.

My daughter, Cristina, sent me an email today directing me to a website called Urban Dictionary.  Wikepedia had this to say about Urban Dictionary:

“Urban Dictionary is a Web-based dictionary of slang words, phrases, and names based on user submissions. As of January 27, 2009, the site claims “3,661,117 definitions written since 1999.” Submissions are regulated by volunteer editors and rated by site visitors.”

So I checked it out and was curious as to what the entry for my favorite person had to say.  Of course I speak of George W. Bush.  There’s a lot of silliness in the definitions submitted, both in favor, and not, of the 43rd president.  There was one I did find interesting.

“…and so he led the country to fascism. A fascist country is one that runs mostly using military power, with a strong sense of nationalism…much like a dictatorship…he used propaganda to discriminate against a certain scapegoat – usually a country or religious group.”

-History textbook
“The Rise of Hitler”

Right off the bat, allow me say that comparisons between Bush and Hitler are ridiculous. Whatever criticism we might have of Bush’s policies, comparing him to the most evil individual of the 20th century is just plain wrong and it’s not my view nor is it a discussion I’d ever enter.

What I did find interesting was the comparision of Bush’s presidency to fascism.  No, I don’t think America was a fascist state under Bush but did it have fascist tendencies?  Absolutely.  For an intelligent, balanced view of the US and fascism, see Matthen N. Lyons article, ‘Is the Bush Administration Fascist?‘

Wikipedia, in part, defines fascism as such:

“Fascism is an authoritarian nationalist ideology focused on solving economic, political, and social problems that its supporters see as causing national decline or decadence.  Fascist governments typically seek to prepare a nation for armed conflict with other nations, to defend itself or to expand its state to allow for the growth of a nation.”

For anyone who has an understanding of the Bush administration’s neoconservative wing’s concerted policy of lies and deceit in taking the US to war in Iraq, the above definition is not lost on them.

Also, if there exists any group in the US which has an ideology which claims that America is in a decadent decline which can only be solved through authoritarian political means, it’s the Republican party’s Christian right base.

Food for thought.

Sarah Palin's new website

Cartoon character, Sarah Palin, is setting up for a 2012 run at the presidency by setting up a website which will solicit donations from her empty-headed followers.  This move is similar to the HillPac website set up by Hillary Clinton in 2001 in preparation for her 2008 run.

As noted previously, I pray Palin will run.   One simply can’t get enough laughter in life.

“…to terrorists, I say, we will hunt you down…to the broader Muslim world what we will offer is a hand of friendship.”

Those words were spoken by the President of the United States…a refreshing change in tone and intelligence of which we have not heard for the last 8 years.

Yesterday, President Obama conducted an interview with Al-Arabiya , an Arabic news channel.  In a coherent, articulate and pragmatic 17 minute interview, President Obama laid out his administration’s new approach to the Middle East conflict and dealings with the Muslim world.   While speaking of being decisive in going after terrorists he spoke also of mutual respect in regards to US-Muslim world relations.  Obama demonstrated clearly that he understood that Islamic fundamentalist terrorism does not equate to Islam in general.  He stated he understood that the vast majority of Muslims are simply seeking to live better lives and that the new dialogue must be a “language of respect“.  President Obama’s message was that promotion of US interests while listening to concerns from the Muslim world need not be mutually exclusive.

If any approach can stop the complete demonetization of America by Muslims,  I need to believe it will be Obama’s approach.  We have finally emerged from the swampland of ignorance which have marked the Bush years.

A new ad by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was submitted to NBC for airtime during the Super Bowl XLIII telecast.  NBC responded to PETA, essentially saying, “I don’t think so!“  Actually, NBC wrote that the ad “depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards.” You can read their full response here.

‘Veggie Love’: PETA’s Banned Super Bowl Ad

Interesting. Almost makes one want to be a vegetable…errr…a vegetarian.

Think what you may about PETA but no one can criticize them of not being a creative bunch.  They undoubtedly knew their ad would be rejected but submitted it anyway in full awareness that they’d get the attention they wanted.  And this without having to dish out a zillion dollars to NBC for advertising time during the Super Bowl.  Smart.

Hey, it’s OK to be a Democrat.

A series of Gallup polls conducted in 2008 give Democrats an 8 point advantage over Republicans when Americans were asked to identify with a political party.  This is the largest margin for any party since Gallup started this specific poll in 1988.

Gallup’s Jeffrey Jones noted, “Clearly, much of the Democratic momentum in recent years has been the result of dissatisfaction with the way the Republicans were governing the nation. The Republicans, in turn, will attempt to regroup as the minority party and win back some of the support they have lost in recent years.’”

When Americans were asked which party they identify with or lean toward, Democrats polled at 52% compared to 40% for Republicans.

There is hope for all of us.

Original Photo: Amanda Rivkin/AFP/Getty Images
Modified Image (below): Mario Piperni/mariopiperni.com

There’s a movie in this somewhere.

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, four hours before his impeachment trial was to begin, appeared on The View to defend himself against charges of corruption. Aside from wrongdoing in selecting a successor to Barack Obama’s Senate seat, Blagojevich has been charged with trading contracts and jobs for contributions to his campaign.

In the last few days, Blagojevich has (or will) appear on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View and Larry King Live. In defending himself and crying out that his trial will not do him justice, Blagojevich has compared his sorry plight to that of Nelson Mandela’s as well as Ghandi’s.

Delusional thought does not get any deeper than this.