Month: June 2008

Jude, Political Crack9 Comments

My Humble Suggestions for Changes to the Political Discourse

To start with, carry one of these at all times. So. The pendejo-in-chief went to Israel and compared Barack Obama’s idea of negotiating with Iran (you know, a sovereign nation-state that has divergent interests from ours, which makes them eeeeeevil) to, and I’m not kidding, the appeasement of Hitler in the 1930’s. That’s right. Let’s look at what Bushactually read off of the TelePrompTer. First, he said this crazy shit: My only regret is that one of Israel’s greatest leaders is not here to share this moment. He is a warrior for the ages, a man of peace, a friend. … Continue reading My Humble Suggestions for Changes to the Political Discourse

War in Iraq1 Comment

Cheney’s Idea of Flowers and Candy

Oy. BAGHDAD, Iraq — One U.S. soldier was killed and five others were wounded today in a bizarre shooting incident near the town of Salman Pak, south of Baghdad, according to U.S. and Iraqi authorities. Iraqi authorities said a member of the town council, which is part of the U.S.-allied Iraqi government, carried out the shootings, An Iraqi police captain, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the incident, said local council member Raed Hmood Ajil opened fire on the U.S. troops for unknown reasons and was killed at the scene by American forces. The account could … Continue reading Cheney’s Idea of Flowers and Candy

Holden's Obsession with the Gaggle3 Comments

Today On Holden’s Obsession With The Gaggle

Welcome Back, Ms. Peroxide MS. PERINO: Hello, everybody. I don’t have anything to start off with, so — Q The stock market is down, the oil prices are up. I take it that this wasn’t the outcome you would have wanted from the energy summit. Q Yes, things are going to hell in a hand basket. MS. PERINO: Will attribute that to Bill Plante. (Laughter.) Look, look back to what we said going into the conference, which is that this is going to take a long time for us to deal with. There’s no magic wand, it’s not going to … Continue reading Today On Holden’s Obsession With The Gaggle

Terrorism4 Comments

His Most Awesome Responsibility

Morelaw-breaking from the Bush Assministration. Ten months after Congress passed a law establishing a White House coordinator for preventing nuclear terrorism, President Bush has no plans to create the high-level post any time soon, according to the National Security Council. The provision – suggested by leading members of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks – was contained in 2007 legislation designed to improve homeland defenses. Congress passed it by a wide margin, with bipartisan support. Some congressional leaders said Bush’s failure to fill the job nearly a year later marks an outright evasion of the law, … Continue reading His Most Awesome Responsibility

War in Iraq1 Comment

There’s A Stunner

Look. I drove home yesterday from a picnic in a rainstorm, listening to the radio simulcast of the60 Minutes program on this. Very instructive in some ways (seriously, of course nobody speaking Arabic would monitor this thing, actual knowledge of anything that could prove useful is a drawback in this administration), very annoying in others, in that everybody involved just seemed shocked as hell that an American propaganda channel was viewed by its audience as … an American propaganda channel. How dare those Arab rubes not swallow the freedom we so generously feed them? How dare they be aware of … Continue reading There’s A Stunner

Political Crack13 Comments

With It or Upon It, Bitches

Got a rep on this list? You know what to do. And don’t bother telling me it won’t make a difference. I can sit here, do nothing, and it won’t make a difference, or I can write to the Illinois congresscritters on the list (mine voted the right way, bless his perpetually elected and mostly oblivious heart) and tell them I’m angry, and disappointed, and their primary challengers will be getting my money. Which might not make a difference. But the uncertainty is enough to make the ten minutes it’s going to take worth it. I got ten minutes to … Continue reading With It or Upon It, Bitches

Uncategorized14 Comments

We’re Going To Have To Get Back Up

I am tired. And annoyed. And tired. In Crack Den comments, res ipsa responded to a commenter saying, “they’ll still call you a liberal, Barack,” with “twice as often and twice as loud.” Which, yeah. I’m not denying there have been times in the past when I’ve critically underestimated Obama, when I’ve considered him to be making some incredibly boneheaded centrist blunder when actually he was doing something smart, but in this case, if this was an attempt to seem reasonable, I don’t think it’s descending into the madness of “woe is me” ism to say that it ain’t gonna … Continue reading We’re Going To Have To Get Back Up

Uncategorized5 Comments

Few in Midwest had flood insurance

In apost below I wrote of the problems with flood protection including the National Flood Insurance Program or NFIP. ViaSlabbed (a great blog BTW) is an article informing us that few people in the Midwest had flood insurance through the NFIP. (NFIP provides flood insurancebecause most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding). In that article, titled“NFIP Expects Few Claims From Midwest Flooding” a spokesperson for the NFIP reported there were“fewer than 700 policies” in force in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Here is an explanation… Much of the flooding, Mr. Kinerney noted, has gone over the levees and other antiflood measures designed to … Continue reading Few in Midwest had flood insurance

Terrorism11 Comments

You’ve Got Someone To Blame

Thanks. Thanks a million. A comment exchange over at the Great Sherbert Satan I found interesting: [At any rate, it’s the Blue Dogs, not Pelosi] who should be blamed, and maybe not even Hoyer, from what I can see. What’s the matter with those guys – how could they possibly want to let this slip by without action against the violators? This is like a big fat completely undeserved gift for Bush and Cheney. Did you notice that even the Republicans were surprised they were able to get so much in the negotiations? Disgusting. The blame for this absolute travesty … Continue reading You’ve Got Someone To Blame

Holden's Obsession with the Gaggle2 Comments

Today On Holden’s Obsession With The Gaggle

Let’s Drill For Oil InTony Farto’s Head Q Durbin said on the floor the other day that there’s oil leases on millions and millions of acres offshore that are just not being used and not being tapped. Why not — MR. FRATTO: There are lots of reasons. I mean, one is that you don’t just drop a drill into — whether it’s offshore or on property — and hope that oil comes out. It takes years and years of geological study, environmental impact regulations that you have to deal with. You want to make sure there is actually oil there … Continue reading Today On Holden’s Obsession With The Gaggle

Diary5 Comments

Friday Ferretblogging: I Haz A Home Edition

Riot in the magnificent ferret condo: We first got the condo for the late Fox, who outgrew his “starter” Fox Box about a year after we brought him home. When the Original Three were living in it it was a little crowded; it’s about the perfect size for two. The animals are really only in the cage when they’re asleep, when they’re REALLY misbehaving, or when we’re gone, but we still wanted them to have enough space to avoid one another if they wanted, or jump around a bit if they got bored while we were at work. A. Continue reading Friday Ferretblogging: I Haz A Home Edition

Your President Speaks

Your President Speaks!

Yesterda, inIowa City, Iowa Gives Out Wrong URL One of the things that happens in a disaster such as this is that citizens from around the country want to know how they can help. They see the picture of this kind of flooding on TV and they know that people are hurting and they want to know how they can participate in helping the rebuilding. Well, one way that the people can do is they can go on their computers and dial up volunteer.org.* * website iswww.volunteer.gov Thanks For The Hugs And I really again want to congratulate the local … Continue reading Your President Speaks!

Congress11 Comments

Preznit Sez

Nice job, Steny, you suckhole. Did I miss a meeting? Are the American people clamoring for protection for the phone companies? Did Bush’s approval rating shoot through the roof while I was mopping my floors this morning. What the hell, guys? Have Republicans suddenly surpassed, say, beastial perverts in the esteem of the average U.S. citizen? Whence cometh this unholy haste to compromise with a dickhead nobody likes, on an issue nobody who goes by the name of Joe Sixpack really cares about, in the direction of being utterly fucking useless? I mean it, I’m never cleaning my house again, … Continue reading Preznit Sez

So Called Liberal Media3 Comments

Smartest Man in Media Crit

He’s not an Obama fan, but I don’t really care, because he’sso fucking good: Consider the editorial “Web Enables Obama To Confront Rumors Head-On” in the Dim One today. By that title, you’d think this would be a piece appreciating the use of the Web to combat scurrilous smears – a tool not available to, say, those smeared by Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s; or to poor Edmund Muskie in 1968, who, like Hillary Clinton, never really cried; or to Nixon’s enemies in the 1970s and Michael Dukakis in the 1988 campaign and so on. But no. This, instead, is … Continue reading Smartest Man in Media Crit

Uncategorized3 Comments

Links or patties?

Well links of course… Dearth of Ships Delays Drilling of Offshore Oil Mr. Bush called on Congress Wednesday to end a longstanding federal ban on offshore drilling and open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration, arguing that the steps were needed to lower gasoline prices and bolster national security. But even as oil trades at more than $135 a barrel — up from $68 a year ago — the world’s existing drill-ships are booked solid for the next five years. Shift of Federal Protective Service to DHS called ‘lethal’ House lawmakers have expressed concern that the Federal Protective … Continue reading Links or patties?

Uncategorized1 Comment

CNN: Floodwaters surge over Midwest levees

From CNN: (CNN) — Water spilled over two levees on the Mississippi River on Wednesday, surging into west-central Illinois, covering fertile farmland and pushing residents from their homes, officials said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Mississippi Valley said water flowed over the top of one levee, but local officials had a different account, reporting that the levee — near Meyer, Illinois — breached in two places about 6:20 a.m., pouring water into Hancock and Adams counties. Let’s just roll it all into oneinvestigation Continue reading CNN: Floodwaters surge over Midwest levees

Political Crack9 Comments

FIGHT

On a stick with dipping sauce: The thing aboutleadership is that, inherently, you must be aleader. Unfortunately, the poll-hacks think there is a magic formula of stances that equals victory. Total horse-shit. To lead requiresstanding up for beliefs, not backing down…running and hiding. Polls don’t tell us what issues to choose, they tell us how well we are doing in the fight for each issue. If an issue Democrats care about polls poorly, it means our leaders aren’t leading enough — we aren’t doing a good enough job. Leaders drive polls, they don’t follow. But, before a voter looks at … Continue reading FIGHT

Uncategorized1 Comment

Our Tena Gets Ink!

Allison Hantschel

Since she’s way too modest to post it herself, let me be the first to congratulate my debateblogging partner on being published in the Dallas Morning News. What did you watch? Re: “Great Debate – Bush wins by not losing,” Friday Editorial. “Bush wins by not losing?” Is this what America wants or needs: a pass/fail presidency? John Kerry was specific and concrete with facts and figures, to which George Bush’s only answer was: “Well, it’s hard work.” Mr. Kerry made it clear that he’s a straight-talking man concerned with our security. He made it clear that he understands the … Continue reading Our Tena Gets Ink!

Holden's Obsession with the Gaggle1 Comment

Today On Holden’s Obsession With The Gaggle

ShorterTony Farto: It’s Clear! No, It’s Not Clear! Wait, Mommie!!!!! Q On the President’s offshore oil statement today, it didn’t seem like he really wanted to cooperate much with Congress. He’s calling them obstructionists, and blaming them for the high price of oil. Where do you come up with the idea earlier that he wanted to work closely with Congress on this? MR. FRATTO: No, we certainly do want to work closely with Congress. And I think the point is, the only way to get this done, to get the moratorium lifted so that we can begin drilling in the … Continue reading Today On Holden’s Obsession With The Gaggle