Thanks to E.A. Blair for suggesting this wonderful new product...and illustration. We're planning on introducing more of your favorite wingers on Flakies boxes because...well, because every wingnut deserves the recognition.
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The best of late night political humor via Daniel Kurtzman’s Political Humor.
Happy Friday.
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Item 1:
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One of Romney’s aides, deflecting questions about his boss’ gaffes, told reporters as they were leaving the Polish Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, “…kiss my ass.”. That led to the following:
A Political Syllogism*
Premise 1: W. Mitt Romney has been acting like an ass on this trip**.
Premise 2: Rick Gorka is Romney’s employee.
Premise 3: Rick Gorka invited reporters to “kiss his ass”.
Conclusion 1: Since Romney has been acting like an ass, and Rick Gorka is his man, technically that makes Romney Rick Gorka’s ass.
Conclusion 2: Rick Gorka was inviting reporters to kiss Romney.
Hey, the reasoning is as good as anything I’ve seen from the wingnuts.
Another major difference between the two parties is Democrats lack of class. Making references to kissing the ass of the man who might be your next president is rude. Try showing the same degree of respect that conservatives afford Obama. And don’t bother mentioning Birthers. They are a fringe group and are not reflective of 99% of Republicans who are able to remain classy even while they watch the country being destroyed by the socialist policies of this president.
I’ve tuned in to Fox as well as MSNBC. Both sides lack class but my unbiased opinion is that Democrats get down and dirty far more often then Republicans. Look no further than the right hand column of this web site. You’ll find an illustration of Newt Gingrich with a condom over his head, no doubt a reference to dickheads. I find it amusing and clever but can you call it classy?
A few classy Republican quotes for you redStategirl;
“And many of the [Hurricane Katrina refugees] in the [Houston Astrodome], you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them.”
~Barbara Bush
“If the president does it, that means it is not illegal.”
~Richard (Tricky Dickey) Nixon
“We’re going to keep building the party until we’re hunting Democrats with dogs.”
~Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)
“Homosexuals want to come into churches and disrupt church services and throw blood all around and try to give people AIDS and spit in the face of ministers.”
~Pat Robertson. (I have a gay son who says he doesn’t know anyone who wants to do this.)
“We don’t have to protect the environment; the Second Coming is at hand.”
~James Watt (Former Secretary of the Interior and a Republican)
“The New York Times and Washington Post are both infested with homosexuals themselves. Just about every person down there is a homosexual or lesbian.”
~Jesse Helms
“George Bush was not elected by a majority of the voters in the United States, he was appointed by God.” ~Republican Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin
“I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down”
~Republican Bill Bennett
Yep redStategirl, when it comes to class the Republicans have it all.
I don’t see how any of Charlie’s quotes are examples of Republicans being unclassy. You might agree or disagree with the statements but they’re not disrespectful to anyone.
redStategirl, “And many of the [Hurricane Katrina refugees] in the [Houston Astrodome], you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them.”
~Barbara Bush
You really don’t think this quote shows callous disrespect for the poor? A little less than classy.!
As far as “Respect for Republicans” goes, I agree with this guy:
“Until conservatives once again hold Republicans to the same standard they hold Democrats, they will have no credibility and deserve NO respect. They can start building some by admitting to themselves that Bush caused many of the problems they are protesting.”
Bruce Bartlett – (served as a domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan and as a Treasury official under President George H. W. Bush.)
1. Immigration policy shift which gives 1 million illegals resident status. This thinly veiled ploy guarantees Democrats more votes down the road and is a direct assault on our constitutional republic.
2. Obamacare is the first step to a single payer system – the core of every socialist society.
3. Fight the recession by rejecting austerity measures. Obama’s plan is to spend our way out of the recession by way of trillion dollar stimulus packages and growing government.
4. Increase taxes for the wealthy.
5. More regulation for the financial and oil industries which will choke them and stop job growth in its tracks.
6. Focus place on renewable energy and green jobs to the detriment of traditional American jobs.
Charlie, I was referring to conservatives being disrespectful to Obama. The only example I’ve seen here is Joe Wilson’s “You Lie”. And even that is debatable. Obama was lying.
I guess someone forgot about the time that Dick Cheney, acting in his role as president of the senate, told Senator Partick Leahy of Vermont “Go fuck yourself!”. That was real classy, wasn’t it? And when he was asked about it later, he said that Leahy “…merited it at the time…”.
Republican representative Steve LaTourette of Ohio today announced his resignation from congress citing the lack of willingness to compromise and the deteriorating level of civility among his party members. If the Republicans are becoming too obnoxious even for their own, maybe it’s time for them to go the way of the Whigs. In a videotaped statement, Rep. LaTourette also mentioned that he found it far easier to get along with his Democratic peers in the House than his own Republicans.
And then there’s this:
“Making references to kissing the ass of the man who might be your next president is rude. Try showing the same degree of respect that conservatives afford Obama.”
I did not make reference to kissing Romney’s ass. I called Romney an ass (a very different thing) and suggested that Rick Gorka was inviting preorters to kiss the former governor. What portion of Romney’s anatomy they choose to kiss is up to them.
And if I afforded the same level of respect to Romney that conservatives offer the President, my language would not be acceptable even here, where the occasional well-deserved profanity is acceptable.
1) Immigration policy shift (of course, prior to this shift, Obama had already deported more than Bush did during his entire 8 years — but you’ll not hear about that on Faux). As for the shift – this is an executive order that ONLY lasts as long as Obama remains President (I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear that!) and gives no one a path to citizenship — which would be required in order for them to vote. The only persons who benefit are those under 30 who were brought here as children (before age 16) and who have been in the country continuously for 5 years — the order provides that will will only receive a two-year deferral from deportation, if they have been successful students or served in the military (gee, you’d think those willing to enlist and go to war for us would get a break, but apparently, they’re only good enough to be cannon fodder, not citizens). They can also apply for a work permit — making them legal employees, rather than illegal workers which most of them already are.
This is a very watered down version of the Dream Act that, I might add, was first introduced as a bi-partisan bill co-sponsored by Dick Durbin and Orin Hatch in 2001. It has been introduced several times since and up until recently was supported by both Democrats and Republicans. The Dream Act does provide a path to citizenship.
George W. Bush supported immigration reform and the Dream Act. If Republicans want to gain in a share of potential votes if and when any of these immigrants gain citizenship, there is nothing stopping them from voting for the act. And since our “constitutional republic” provides for Congress to make laws regarding immigration (which they have done since the founding) I’m hard pressed to determine how this is an “assault” on it.
I guess Reagan, who gave pretty much blanket amnesty in the 80s (and made Republicans for life out of many of them — until the GOP started going off the rails) was unconstitutional? Oh please.
2. Obama – I mean RomneyCare? Obamney Care? Since the SCOTUS has upheld the mandate, enacting a national single payer program will now be much harder. Of course, states like Vermont who is choosing to do a single payer system can proceed under the law. Others can do exchanges, and still others can elect to do cooperatives. Considering all that’s wrong with the health care system (I am a health care fraud investigator, so I have a better understanding of the problems than most), a single payer system makes the most sense, but our politics will prevent that for some time to come — at least until the cost of insurance becomes unaffordable to the vast majority. So when YOU can no longer afford health insurance, you’ll probably change your mind. Obama NEVER EVER claimed that he was attempting to enact a single payer system. Not during the campaign and not since then. Hell, we couldn’t even get him to stand pat on the public option. Now THAT would have been a pathway to single payer. So this is a made up BS argument that simply has NO merit, as much as you’d like to think it does. But, if you’d like to debate the problems with the health care system, just let me know. I’ll be happy to accommodate you
3. We’re seeing what austerity measures have done in Europe. Thanks, but no thanks. Unemployment rates for the larger countries:
Italy 10.2
Ireland 14.9
Spain 24.63
France 10.2
Germany 5.4
Greece 22.6
Portugal 15.2
United Kingdom 8.1
Even hapless Herbert Hoover managed to increase spending more than Obama has.
Here are the facts, according to the official government statistics:
• In the 2009 fiscal year — the last of George W. Bush’s presidency — federal spending rose by 17.9% from $2.98 trillion to $3.52 trillion. Check the official numbers at the Office of Management and Budget.
• In fiscal 2010 — the first budget under Obama — spending fell 1.8% to $3.46 trillion.
• In fiscal 2011, spending rose 4.3% to $3.60 trillion.
• In fiscal 2012, spending is set to rise 0.7% to $3.63 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of the budget that was agreed to last August.
• Finally in fiscal 2013 — the final budget of Obama’s term — spending is scheduled to fall 1.3% to $3.58 trillion. Read the CBO’s latest budget outlook.
Over Obama’s four budget years, federal spending is on track to rise from $3.52 trillion to $3.58 trillion, an annualized increase of just 0.4%.
The 2009 fiscal year, which Republicans count as part of Obama’s legacy, began four months before Obama moved into the White House. The major spending decisions in the 2009 fiscal year were made by George W. Bush and the previous Congress.
Just how many people do you think would be standing on the streets today asking for a handout WITHOUT the stimulus package — one that would have been MORE effective, if the GOP hadn’t demanded over 1/3 of it be tax cuts?
Just how much larger do you think Bush made government — think Homeland Security — the biggest agency ever created — and created using government contractors, not government employees.
4. You think the wealthy shouldn’t pay a mere 3% more? Pray tell why not? Until Bush (and some Democrats) gave them a tax cut between 2000-2003, they were paying 3% more. You seem to be very worried about the debt, since you’ve complained about Obama “growing government” and the stimulus expenditures. Bush is the only President in history who ever signed tax cut bills while we were at war. You do realize SOMEBODY has to pay for the cost of these two wars, right? Since it was the companies and their CEOs/Boards who benefited from the profits made from these wars, don’t you think they should help pay for them? How about the bankers to trashed the economy, don’t you think they should pay more so we can clean up after the mess they created? (I’d prefer orange jumpsuits and huge fines, but I’ll take what I can get…until those investigations are done — however, most of what they did was perfectly legal thanks to a bunch of Democratic and Republican idiots who think voodoo economics and deregulation were the thing to do. A bunch of Ayn Rand cranks who bought into the greed is good mantra and the only person who matters are themselves. Since the vast majority of Americans have had stagnant wages for the last 30 years, you’re not going to squeeze blood out of that turnip.
If we’re going to get out of this hole, we need revenue. Cutting services will not do it. We have a whole bunch of troops who were wounded that are going to need a lifetime of care and someone is going to need to contribute to those costs. BTW – VA healthcare is totally socialized medicine – whereas Medicare is not — only the payment side is socialized with the insurance dollars we contribute to the system each payday. But it keeps the seniors insured, since insurance companies were not willing to insure them for a reasonable price — making Medicare the only option for seniors at the time it was enacted.
You do know that historically, the tax rate was as high as 90% during WWII — to help pay for the war and to get us out of the deep depression the greedy put us into back in ’29.
5. Duh, haven’t you figured it out yet that it was DEREGULATION of the financial system that put us in this mess? As for the oil companies — based on what we saw out of Minerals Management Service, there is not much regulation there either. I guess polluting the land, water, air and oceans is okay with you? Did you hear about the 2 year clean up of the river in Ohio from the oil spill they didn’t even know had happened for days before it was discovered?
I’m betting those 11 people killed (and their families) on the Deepwater Horizon rig would have been happier if there had been more regulation. Hey, at least they’d still be alive, right? For companies whose “growth has been choked off” they sure have experience some record profits.
The huge earnings this quarter for four of the companies follow the big five companies’ record profit of $137 billion in 2011—amounting to $375 million per day—thanks again to high oil and gasoline prices. ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips were the first-, second-, and 13th-most profitable public U.S. companies in 2011, respectively.
What are these companies doing with this treasure? Some of these funds provide their $72 billion in cash reserves. And these five companies used 31 percent of their 2012 profits to buy back their own stock, which enriches shareholders but doesn’t add to oil supplies or investments in alternative fuels or other new technologies. ExxonMobil spent 42 percent of their profits repurchasing their own stock. Even with these huge earnings and large cash reserves, however, these companies produced 6 percent less oil than one year ago. (see table)
Enough profits that they’re buying back their stock. Now that some real hamstringing!
As for the financial sector, they’re not doing badly either:
Kathleen Madigan had an important post on Friday, showing financial profits roaring back to more than 30% of all domestic US profits. As she says, “that’s an amazing share given that the sector accounts for less than 10% of the value added in the economy” — and makes it “hard for banks to cry poverty” when it comes to things like debit-card interchange legislation.
Madigan gave us the percentage chart, which shows the finance industry taking an even greater share of total corporate profits than it did during most of the boom year of 2006.
So it sounds to me like you approve of socialism for the wealthy and their corporations, but the rest of us can just go bugger off, right? When they get tax breaks and deregulation, it’s the rest of us who get to pay for the lost revenues and the clean up when they screw up the economy or the environment. You’ve heard of superfunds right? What do you think they do? Who do you think has paid for them? If you think all these businesses are responsible corporate citizens, think again.
6. How are renewal energy and green jobs detrimental to “traditional American jobs” — what jobs would those be — service sector jobs? Was the same thing said about the automobile when Ford and the Dodge brothers started replacing the horse and buggy? They were detrimental to traditional American jobs like saddle makers and farriers? Or the telephone replacing the telegraph, putting telegraphers out of work? This is a joke right? New technology replaces old technology. It happens every day. And since the Koch brothers funded scientist has finally agreed that global warming is man made, don’t you think we need to get our act together and find alternatives to fossil fuels before the damn planet burns up and our food supply is no longer capable of feeding us. If it’s not too late already.
As for the disrespect shown to Obama – someone has listed the top 10 here.
I’m guessing nothing of what you’ve stated can be backed up with facts from recognized sources (that doesn’t cover Faux News and right wing bloggers who wouldn’t recognize a fact, if it hit them in the eye.)
I’d suggest you take a course in research so you can post factual information, OldWorldNew, rather than just a bunch of talking points someone made you believe were true. Don’t you guys ever look up information for yourselves to see what’s true? Do you seek information from non-profit non political sources? Or credible news sources? I recommend you avoid commentary or self-serving op-ed pieces. If you want to dig into some real facts, try the Congressional Research Service – they do the research for Congress. Or the GAO, or the Offices of the Inspectors General.
Impressive Ms. McGinness. I read your entire post and applaud you for being as thorough as you were even if some of what you wrote is inaccurate. Blaming the Gulf oil spill on deregulation is hogwash. All the regulations in the world cannot prevent human error from occurring and that is what caused the spill, human error.
My original argument still stands. In spite of what you wrote, you have not shown that all of those policies I listed do not constitute a socialist agenda. They do. Obama is determined to turn us into a socialist country along the lines of Europe.
Sorry OldWorldNew – you don’t HAVE an argument – you have no facts to back up anything you stated.
And regards to BP – they wouldn’t have been doing deep well drilling in the first place without the deregulation that allowed them to. Drilling for which they were woefully unprepared when disaster struck.
I suggest you take off the tin foil hat; it’s getting too tight and cutting off the oxygen supply to your brain.
In spite of what you wrote, you have not shown that all of those policies I listed do not constitute a socialist agenda. They do. Obama is determined to turn us into a socialist country along the lines of Europe.
There you show your ignorance. The countries listed above are NOT Socialist countries. Like America, they are countries with Democratic governments that have various social programs designed to give opportunity to the masses. It is just a matter of degree. They tax (VAT) and redistribute that money to programs that benefit the society as a whole. We do the same thing here. China is a socialist country.
Would you get rid of Social Security?
How about MediCare?
This pisses me off because I have Republican friends who think it is ok to call Obama a Socialist because the Republican media says it. Well I find it very offensive and ignorant and it makes me want to find new friends.
Republicans – STOP EXAGGERATING. That is what is polarizing this country and crippling our ability to fix our problems. Use your words and analytic ability. And stop repeating what you hear on FOX, it just makes you sound stupid.
Before you despair, Diane, because you put out a thoughtful, researched and accurate post – and the response was the typical ignore-the-facts-presented-and-go-back-into-talking-point-mode – I did a copy & paste to send to a relative that votes R. His response was promising. He called to say he was rethinking his choices. He promised to listen to something else more balanced than Faux. So, your post did some good, even if the entrenched-thinking meatheads don’t listen.
Here’s the sad thing, the most balanced “news” programs I could give him were The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert, not CNN. I was afraid MSNBS would turn him off – it’s too big a step for now.
I don’t despair – well, okay, at times I do — but more often than not I just get ticked at the ignorance (not stupidity) of some. The mindless following of the authoritarian, failing to use critical thinking skills to reach your own conclusions, not the propaganda that (at times) both parties have been known to do.
As a citizen, I feel an obligation to seek truth. For far too many years, I did cursory research before making voting decisions. 9/11 changed all that for me.
Our media spoon feeds us what they want us to know and most of us are just too busy working and raising families to take the time to dig up the facts. Unlike Canada, we don’t have a law about the media distorting truth and telling lies. Last year, Harper tried to get that law overturned so that Faux North could move into Canada. The citizens of the country rose up and demanded the law NOT be repealed. They understood what the lying media has done to us and they want none of it up there. And we now know Roger Ailes hatched the idea of the Faux/GOP propaganda machine while working for Nixon.
I appreciate your passing my post along to someone who is considering it. Sometimes, it does seem pointless to spend the time I do on these things, but if only one heart and mind is changed to at least CONSIDER the facts, then it is worthwhile.
Thank you.
BTW – on the Affordable Care Act – I failed to include the fact that there is no government insurance company being created in these exchanges (the only controls are regulations that prevent them from charging women more than men, providing certain services without a co-pay, providing pre-existing coverage insurance, lifting the caps off coverage, so people with serious diseases don’t run out of coverage, and a host of other rules that are consumer friendly). The insurance provided through the exchanges will all be provided by private carriers. You just can’t get any less socialist than that. And even the AMA has signed off on it.
Not to forget, the original bill was written by Bob Dole (along with the Heritage Foundation – I pulled a copy of their 12 page report before they pulled it from their website) outlining the basics of what became Romeny’s health care bill and now the ACA.
From their white paper
April 11, 1994
HOW THE CLINTON AND NICKLES-STEARNS
HEALTH BILLS WOULD AFFECT AMERICAN WORKERS
The second goal should be for as many Americans as possible—ideally all—to carry at least catastrophic insurance. In a sense, Americans already have a form of catastrophic protection, since hospitals are legally obligated to provide emergency acute care, even if an individual does not have the means to pay for it. So trying to reach the goal of universal catastrophic insurance protection would in large part be to protect society from the potential cost of an individual with adequate means who refused to buy insurance. In other words, it would be a form of liability insurance, paid for by each individual, to protect the rest of society for uncompensated care costs.
Anyone interested in reading the entire paper, just let me know, I’ll be happy to send it to you.
I dare anyone to call the Heritage Foundation a bunch of “socialists.” What they are are a bunch of liars who put out a bunch of BS today and fail to acknowledge they were the original idea factory for the ACA. They pulled the paper from their site and last time I checked they’ve had everyone who had a copy posted pull it off the net. Luckily, I pulled my copy from their site before they took it down, so I have the proof of their involvement.
I just love the cornucopia of information you provided. The wealth and wisdom of your words should be copied and kept by everyone who has ever battled the closed minds of the deluded right wing.
I share the frustration stated by Cheryl and yourself in trying to present facts and truth to members of the GOP only to have them discarded for their latest Fox News talking points.
It occurs to me that these people do not want facts they want to hear and repeat what they want to believe no matter what. A symptom of the delusional mind !
Please continue to provide the truth, for as ironically, a Republican President once said:
“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts. ” – Abraham Lincoln
If I lived in your district you would certainly have my vote Diana. Congress needs people with not only heads on their shoulders but heads with brains in them. I am also, like one of my literary idols the recently deceased Ray Bradbury, a feminist and for the same reason.
“Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and binds eternity. They live inside the gift, know power, accept, and need not mention it. Why speak of time when you are Time, and shape the universal moments, as they pass, into warmth and action?”
~Bradbury from Something Wicked This Way Comes
Bradbury also stated in a Playboy Interview twelve years ago that for the new millennium he would like to see more women in positions of world power, he thought that several thousand years of mostly testosterone rule had left the world in pretty bad shape.
What a wonderful passage, Charlie. I thank you for sharing it with me and your vote (if you could)!
I agree there should be more women in Congress – particularly with the Teanuts coming to D.C. — I’m getting pretty fed up with a bunch of men who spend their days voting to limit a woman’s freedom of choice while the country burns up literally, right along with the right to vote. These people are attempting an overthrow of our government from within the system. If the GOP wins the Senate and the Presidency and keeps the House, the 99% of us in the country are going to get screwed. Bigtime.
And I will say this – if they do gain control and our taxes are increased so they can give yet more tax cuts to the wealthy, there had be one damn big tax revolt in this country by the 99%
My two complaints are this – Democrats who turn to the Green Party (or Independence) because they have some disagreement with the policy.
And moderate Republicans who are bailing out of their party instead of standing up to the crazies.
Both are doing themselves and the rest of us a disservice. If you don’t like where your party is headed, then stand up and push back.
This is what the Teanuts did — only they’ve changed it for the worse. And the moderates in their party don’t have the balls to stand up against them. For all that GOP bluster about freedom and the other BS they spout, they are nothing more than a party of bullies and wimps and the wimps are bailing leaving the bullies to be in charge.
The Dems play nice – and they’d better get over that, because these people DON’T play nice. They’re playing for keeps. And the American public needs to wake up to that fact soon.
Wait until he gets to Israel and complains that there is no ham.
Do you guys make anything besides those sausages?
Cheryl….from the dark side, I see him leaning toward Bebe and exclaiming:
“I’m your new BFF…now let’s go have some fun and “John McCain” IRAN.
One of Romney’s aides, deflecting questions about his boss’ gaffes, told reporters as they were leaving the Polish Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, “…kiss my ass.”. That led to the following:
A Political Syllogism*
Premise 1: W. Mitt Romney has been acting like an ass on this trip**.
Premise 2: Rick Gorka is Romney’s employee.
Premise 3: Rick Gorka invited reporters to “kiss his ass”.
Conclusion 1: Since Romney has been acting like an ass, and Rick Gorka is his man, technically that makes Romney Rick Gorka’s ass.
Conclusion 2: Rick Gorka was inviting reporters to kiss Romney.
Hey, the reasoning is as good as anything I’ve seen from the wingnuts.
*If you don’t know what a syllogism is, look it up in The Devil’s Dictionary.
**So much so that the parties should swap mascots.
Another major difference between the two parties is Democrats lack of class. Making references to kissing the ass of the man who might be your next president is rude. Try showing the same degree of respect that conservatives afford Obama. And don’t bother mentioning Birthers. They are a fringe group and are not reflective of 99% of Republicans who are able to remain classy even while they watch the country being destroyed by the socialist policies of this president.
Republicans are classy??????????? You are one delusional dumbass redstategirl. If I wasn’t a polite, caring liberal I’d ask you to kiss my ass.
“Democrats lack class?” What are you? 12 years old? Have you ever tuned in Fox News?
I’ve tuned in to Fox as well as MSNBC. Both sides lack class but my unbiased opinion is that Democrats get down and dirty far more often then Republicans. Look no further than the right hand column of this web site. You’ll find an illustration of Newt Gingrich with a condom over his head, no doubt a reference to dickheads. I find it amusing and clever but can you call it classy?
On MSNBC you find Rachel Maddow’s show (9pm east coast, 6pm west coast). She has enough charm, intelligence and class for a whole network.
A few classy Republican quotes for you redStategirl;
“And many of the [Hurricane Katrina refugees] in the [Houston Astrodome], you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them.”
~Barbara Bush
“If the president does it, that means it is not illegal.”
~Richard (Tricky Dickey) Nixon
“We’re going to keep building the party until we’re hunting Democrats with dogs.”
~Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)
“Homosexuals want to come into churches and disrupt church services and throw blood all around and try to give people AIDS and spit in the face of ministers.”
~Pat Robertson. (I have a gay son who says he doesn’t know anyone who wants to do this.)
“We don’t have to protect the environment; the Second Coming is at hand.”
~James Watt (Former Secretary of the Interior and a Republican)
“The New York Times and Washington Post are both infested with homosexuals themselves. Just about every person down there is a homosexual or lesbian.”
~Jesse Helms
“George Bush was not elected by a majority of the voters in the United States, he was appointed by God.” ~Republican Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin
“I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down”
~Republican Bill Bennett
Yep redStategirl, when it comes to class the Republicans have it all.
I was overwhelmed with the pure class Joe Wilson showed, when he yelled “You Lie!” in the MIDDLE of a State of the Union speech by the President.
I have never seen that kind of disrespect for a sitting president before.
I don’t see how any of Charlie’s quotes are examples of Republicans being unclassy. You might agree or disagree with the statements but they’re not disrespectful to anyone.
redStategirl, “And many of the [Hurricane Katrina refugees] in the [Houston Astrodome], you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them.”
~Barbara Bush
You really don’t think this quote shows callous disrespect for the poor? A little less than classy.!
As far as “Respect for Republicans” goes, I agree with this guy:
“Until conservatives once again hold Republicans to the same standard they hold Democrats, they will have no credibility and deserve NO respect. They can start building some by admitting to themselves that Bush caused many of the problems they are protesting.”
Bruce Bartlett – (served as a domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan and as a Treasury official under President George H. W. Bush.)
What socialist programs has Obama enacted? What socialist policies does he want to enact?
Do tell, redState. This I gotta see.
Obama’s socialist agenda:
1. Immigration policy shift which gives 1 million illegals resident status. This thinly veiled ploy guarantees Democrats more votes down the road and is a direct assault on our constitutional republic.
2. Obamacare is the first step to a single payer system – the core of every socialist society.
3. Fight the recession by rejecting austerity measures. Obama’s plan is to spend our way out of the recession by way of trillion dollar stimulus packages and growing government.
4. Increase taxes for the wealthy.
5. More regulation for the financial and oil industries which will choke them and stop job growth in its tracks.
6. Focus place on renewable energy and green jobs to the detriment of traditional American jobs.
Well stated Oldworld.
Charlie, I was referring to conservatives being disrespectful to Obama. The only example I’ve seen here is Joe Wilson’s “You Lie”. And even that is debatable. Obama was lying.
I guess someone forgot about the time that Dick Cheney, acting in his role as president of the senate, told Senator Partick Leahy of Vermont “Go fuck yourself!”. That was real classy, wasn’t it? And when he was asked about it later, he said that Leahy “…merited it at the time…”.
Republican representative Steve LaTourette of Ohio today announced his resignation from congress citing the lack of willingness to compromise and the deteriorating level of civility among his party members. If the Republicans are becoming too obnoxious even for their own, maybe it’s time for them to go the way of the Whigs. In a videotaped statement, Rep. LaTourette also mentioned that he found it far easier to get along with his Democratic peers in the House than his own Republicans.
And then there’s this:
I did not make reference to kissing Romney’s ass. I called Romney an ass (a very different thing) and suggested that Rick Gorka was inviting preorters to kiss the former governor. What portion of Romney’s anatomy they choose to kiss is up to them.
And if I afforded the same level of respect to Romney that conservatives offer the President, my language would not be acceptable even here, where the occasional well-deserved profanity is acceptable.
Okay, OldWorldNew, here goes:
1) Immigration policy shift (of course, prior to this shift, Obama had already deported more than Bush did during his entire 8 years — but you’ll not hear about that on Faux). As for the shift – this is an executive order that ONLY lasts as long as Obama remains President (I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear that!) and gives no one a path to citizenship — which would be required in order for them to vote. The only persons who benefit are those under 30 who were brought here as children (before age 16) and who have been in the country continuously for 5 years — the order provides that will will only receive a two-year deferral from deportation, if they have been successful students or served in the military (gee, you’d think those willing to enlist and go to war for us would get a break, but apparently, they’re only good enough to be cannon fodder, not citizens). They can also apply for a work permit — making them legal employees, rather than illegal workers which most of them already are.
This is a very watered down version of the Dream Act that, I might add, was first introduced as a bi-partisan bill co-sponsored by Dick Durbin and Orin Hatch in 2001. It has been introduced several times since and up until recently was supported by both Democrats and Republicans. The Dream Act does provide a path to citizenship.
George W. Bush supported immigration reform and the Dream Act. If Republicans want to gain in a share of potential votes if and when any of these immigrants gain citizenship, there is nothing stopping them from voting for the act. And since our “constitutional republic” provides for Congress to make laws regarding immigration (which they have done since the founding) I’m hard pressed to determine how this is an “assault” on it.
I guess Reagan, who gave pretty much blanket amnesty in the 80s (and made Republicans for life out of many of them — until the GOP started going off the rails) was unconstitutional? Oh please.
2. Obama – I mean RomneyCare? Obamney Care? Since the SCOTUS has upheld the mandate, enacting a national single payer program will now be much harder. Of course, states like Vermont who is choosing to do a single payer system can proceed under the law. Others can do exchanges, and still others can elect to do cooperatives. Considering all that’s wrong with the health care system (I am a health care fraud investigator, so I have a better understanding of the problems than most), a single payer system makes the most sense, but our politics will prevent that for some time to come — at least until the cost of insurance becomes unaffordable to the vast majority. So when YOU can no longer afford health insurance, you’ll probably change your mind. Obama NEVER EVER claimed that he was attempting to enact a single payer system. Not during the campaign and not since then. Hell, we couldn’t even get him to stand pat on the public option. Now THAT would have been a pathway to single payer. So this is a made up BS argument that simply has NO merit, as much as you’d like to think it does. But, if you’d like to debate the problems with the health care system, just let me know. I’ll be happy to accommodate you
3. We’re seeing what austerity measures have done in Europe. Thanks, but no thanks. Unemployment rates for the larger countries:
Italy 10.2
Ireland 14.9
Spain 24.63
France 10.2
Germany 5.4
Greece 22.6
Portugal 15.2
United Kingdom 8.1
Obama spending binge never happened
Just how many people do you think would be standing on the streets today asking for a handout WITHOUT the stimulus package — one that would have been MORE effective, if the GOP hadn’t demanded over 1/3 of it be tax cuts?
Just how much larger do you think Bush made government — think Homeland Security — the biggest agency ever created — and created using government contractors, not government employees.
4. You think the wealthy shouldn’t pay a mere 3% more? Pray tell why not? Until Bush (and some Democrats) gave them a tax cut between 2000-2003, they were paying 3% more. You seem to be very worried about the debt, since you’ve complained about Obama “growing government” and the stimulus expenditures. Bush is the only President in history who ever signed tax cut bills while we were at war. You do realize SOMEBODY has to pay for the cost of these two wars, right? Since it was the companies and their CEOs/Boards who benefited from the profits made from these wars, don’t you think they should help pay for them? How about the bankers to trashed the economy, don’t you think they should pay more so we can clean up after the mess they created? (I’d prefer orange jumpsuits and huge fines, but I’ll take what I can get…until those investigations are done — however, most of what they did was perfectly legal thanks to a bunch of Democratic and Republican idiots who think voodoo economics and deregulation were the thing to do. A bunch of Ayn Rand cranks who bought into the greed is good mantra and the only person who matters are themselves. Since the vast majority of Americans have had stagnant wages for the last 30 years, you’re not going to squeeze blood out of that turnip.
If we’re going to get out of this hole, we need revenue. Cutting services will not do it. We have a whole bunch of troops who were wounded that are going to need a lifetime of care and someone is going to need to contribute to those costs. BTW – VA healthcare is totally socialized medicine – whereas Medicare is not — only the payment side is socialized with the insurance dollars we contribute to the system each payday. But it keeps the seniors insured, since insurance companies were not willing to insure them for a reasonable price — making Medicare the only option for seniors at the time it was enacted.
You do know that historically, the tax rate was as high as 90% during WWII — to help pay for the war and to get us out of the deep depression the greedy put us into back in ’29.
5. Duh, haven’t you figured it out yet that it was DEREGULATION of the financial system that put us in this mess? As for the oil companies — based on what we saw out of Minerals Management Service, there is not much regulation there either. I guess polluting the land, water, air and oceans is okay with you? Did you hear about the 2 year clean up of the river in Ohio from the oil spill they didn’t even know had happened for days before it was discovered?
I’m betting those 11 people killed (and their families) on the Deepwater Horizon rig would have been happier if there had been more regulation. Hey, at least they’d still be alive, right? For companies whose “growth has been choked off” they sure have experience some record profits.
Enough profits that they’re buying back their stock. Now that some real hamstringing!
As for the financial sector, they’re not doing badly either:
Chart of the day: US financial profits
So it sounds to me like you approve of socialism for the wealthy and their corporations, but the rest of us can just go bugger off, right? When they get tax breaks and deregulation, it’s the rest of us who get to pay for the lost revenues and the clean up when they screw up the economy or the environment. You’ve heard of superfunds right? What do you think they do? Who do you think has paid for them? If you think all these businesses are responsible corporate citizens, think again.
6. How are renewal energy and green jobs detrimental to “traditional American jobs” — what jobs would those be — service sector jobs? Was the same thing said about the automobile when Ford and the Dodge brothers started replacing the horse and buggy? They were detrimental to traditional American jobs like saddle makers and farriers? Or the telephone replacing the telegraph, putting telegraphers out of work? This is a joke right? New technology replaces old technology. It happens every day. And since the Koch brothers funded scientist has finally agreed that global warming is man made, don’t you think we need to get our act together and find alternatives to fossil fuels before the damn planet burns up and our food supply is no longer capable of feeding us. If it’s not too late already.
As for the disrespect shown to Obama – someone has listed the top 10 here.
I’m guessing nothing of what you’ve stated can be backed up with facts from recognized sources (that doesn’t cover Faux News and right wing bloggers who wouldn’t recognize a fact, if it hit them in the eye.)
I’d suggest you take a course in research so you can post factual information, OldWorldNew, rather than just a bunch of talking points someone made you believe were true. Don’t you guys ever look up information for yourselves to see what’s true? Do you seek information from non-profit non political sources? Or credible news sources? I recommend you avoid commentary or self-serving op-ed pieces. If you want to dig into some real facts, try the Congressional Research Service – they do the research for Congress. Or the GAO, or the Offices of the Inspectors General.
The truth will set you free, as they say.
Impressive Ms. McGinness. I read your entire post and applaud you for being as thorough as you were even if some of what you wrote is inaccurate. Blaming the Gulf oil spill on deregulation is hogwash. All the regulations in the world cannot prevent human error from occurring and that is what caused the spill, human error.
My original argument still stands. In spite of what you wrote, you have not shown that all of those policies I listed do not constitute a socialist agenda. They do. Obama is determined to turn us into a socialist country along the lines of Europe.
Sorry OldWorldNew – you don’t HAVE an argument – you have no facts to back up anything you stated.
And regards to BP – they wouldn’t have been doing deep well drilling in the first place without the deregulation that allowed them to. Drilling for which they were woefully unprepared when disaster struck.
I suggest you take off the tin foil hat; it’s getting too tight and cutting off the oxygen supply to your brain.
There you show your ignorance. The countries listed above are NOT Socialist countries. Like America, they are countries with Democratic governments that have various social programs designed to give opportunity to the masses. It is just a matter of degree. They tax (VAT) and redistribute that money to programs that benefit the society as a whole. We do the same thing here. China is a socialist country.
Would you get rid of Social Security?
How about MediCare?
This pisses me off because I have Republican friends who think it is ok to call Obama a Socialist because the Republican media says it. Well I find it very offensive and ignorant and it makes me want to find new friends.
Republicans – STOP EXAGGERATING. That is what is polarizing this country and crippling our ability to fix our problems. Use your words and analytic ability. And stop repeating what you hear on FOX, it just makes you sound stupid.
Before you despair, Diane, because you put out a thoughtful, researched and accurate post – and the response was the typical ignore-the-facts-presented-and-go-back-into-talking-point-mode – I did a copy & paste to send to a relative that votes R. His response was promising. He called to say he was rethinking his choices. He promised to listen to something else more balanced than Faux. So, your post did some good, even if the entrenched-thinking meatheads don’t listen.
Here’s the sad thing, the most balanced “news” programs I could give him were The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert, not CNN. I was afraid MSNBS would turn him off – it’s too big a step for now.
I don’t despair – well, okay, at times I do — but more often than not I just get ticked at the ignorance (not stupidity) of some. The mindless following of the authoritarian, failing to use critical thinking skills to reach your own conclusions, not the propaganda that (at times) both parties have been known to do.
As a citizen, I feel an obligation to seek truth. For far too many years, I did cursory research before making voting decisions. 9/11 changed all that for me.
Our media spoon feeds us what they want us to know and most of us are just too busy working and raising families to take the time to dig up the facts. Unlike Canada, we don’t have a law about the media distorting truth and telling lies. Last year, Harper tried to get that law overturned so that Faux North could move into Canada. The citizens of the country rose up and demanded the law NOT be repealed. They understood what the lying media has done to us and they want none of it up there. And we now know Roger Ailes hatched the idea of the Faux/GOP propaganda machine while working for Nixon.
I appreciate your passing my post along to someone who is considering it. Sometimes, it does seem pointless to spend the time I do on these things, but if only one heart and mind is changed to at least CONSIDER the facts, then it is worthwhile.
Thank you.
BTW – on the Affordable Care Act – I failed to include the fact that there is no government insurance company being created in these exchanges (the only controls are regulations that prevent them from charging women more than men, providing certain services without a co-pay, providing pre-existing coverage insurance, lifting the caps off coverage, so people with serious diseases don’t run out of coverage, and a host of other rules that are consumer friendly). The insurance provided through the exchanges will all be provided by private carriers. You just can’t get any less socialist than that. And even the AMA has signed off on it.
Not to forget, the original bill was written by Bob Dole (along with the Heritage Foundation – I pulled a copy of their 12 page report before they pulled it from their website) outlining the basics of what became Romeny’s health care bill and now the ACA.
From their white paper
April 11, 1994
HOW THE CLINTON AND NICKLES-STEARNS
HEALTH BILLS WOULD AFFECT AMERICAN WORKERS
Anyone interested in reading the entire paper, just let me know, I’ll be happy to send it to you.
I dare anyone to call the Heritage Foundation a bunch of “socialists.” What they are are a bunch of liars who put out a bunch of BS today and fail to acknowledge they were the original idea factory for the ACA. They pulled the paper from their site and last time I checked they’ve had everyone who had a copy posted pull it off the net. Luckily, I pulled my copy from their site before they took it down, so I have the proof of their involvement.
Thanks, again, Cheryl.
Diana McGuiness FOR CONGRESS YAAA !
I just love the cornucopia of information you provided. The wealth and wisdom of your words should be copied and kept by everyone who has ever battled the closed minds of the deluded right wing.
I share the frustration stated by Cheryl and yourself in trying to present facts and truth to members of the GOP only to have them discarded for their latest Fox News talking points.
It occurs to me that these people do not want facts they want to hear and repeat what they want to believe no matter what. A symptom of the delusional mind !
Please continue to provide the truth, for as ironically, a Republican President once said:
“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts. ” – Abraham Lincoln
Thanks GS. I’m waiting for our incumbent to retire! LOL
If I lived in your district you would certainly have my vote Diana. Congress needs people with not only heads on their shoulders but heads with brains in them. I am also, like one of my literary idols the recently deceased Ray Bradbury, a feminist and for the same reason.
“Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and binds eternity. They live inside the gift, know power, accept, and need not mention it. Why speak of time when you are Time, and shape the universal moments, as they pass, into warmth and action?”
~Bradbury from Something Wicked This Way Comes
Bradbury also stated in a Playboy Interview twelve years ago that for the new millennium he would like to see more women in positions of world power, he thought that several thousand years of mostly testosterone rule had left the world in pretty bad shape.
You go girl!!
What a wonderful passage, Charlie. I thank you for sharing it with me and your vote (if you could)!
I agree there should be more women in Congress – particularly with the Teanuts coming to D.C. — I’m getting pretty fed up with a bunch of men who spend their days voting to limit a woman’s freedom of choice while the country burns up literally, right along with the right to vote. These people are attempting an overthrow of our government from within the system. If the GOP wins the Senate and the Presidency and keeps the House, the 99% of us in the country are going to get screwed. Bigtime.
And I will say this – if they do gain control and our taxes are increased so they can give yet more tax cuts to the wealthy, there had be one damn big tax revolt in this country by the 99%
My two complaints are this – Democrats who turn to the Green Party (or Independence) because they have some disagreement with the policy.
And moderate Republicans who are bailing out of their party instead of standing up to the crazies.
Both are doing themselves and the rest of us a disservice. If you don’t like where your party is headed, then stand up and push back.
This is what the Teanuts did — only they’ve changed it for the worse. And the moderates in their party don’t have the balls to stand up against them. For all that GOP bluster about freedom and the other BS they spout, they are nothing more than a party of bullies and wimps and the wimps are bailing leaving the bullies to be in charge.
The Dems play nice – and they’d better get over that, because these people DON’T play nice. They’re playing for keeps. And the American public needs to wake up to that fact soon.