From Album 5 David Cay Johnson points to this database compiled by Good Jobs First, which tracks how tax dollars funnel not to the poor, who barely scrape by (particularly if they don’t have children), but the rich, who benefit hugely from subsidies, tax expenditures, etc…to such an extent I couldn’t find a single local project that didn’t obtain some sort of subsidy. To be fair, I don’t necessarily think taxpayer subsidies are a bad idea — but if we’re going to spend public dollars on things that benefit society, then maybe we should look at…things that benefit society…like, oh, … Continue reading Alms For The Not-So-Poor

From Album 5 David Cay Johnson points to this database compiled by Good Jobs First, which tracks how tax dollars funnel not to the poor, who barely scrape by (particularly if they don’t have children), but the rich, who benefit hugely from subsidies, tax expenditures, etc…to such an extent I couldn’t find a single local project that didn’t obtain some sort of subsidy. To be fair, I don’t necessarily think taxpayer subsidies are a bad idea — but if we’re going to spend public dollars on things that benefit society, then maybe we should look at…things that benefit society…like, oh, … Continue reading Alms For The Not-So-Poor

From Album 5 OK, maybe not dead, thank heavens, but once again a large southern city saw cars abandoned on the highway since there weren’t going anywhere anyway. To be fair, there will always be worst-case scenarios, and this might have been one, but a mindset that government is always bad and must forever be cut to the bone can easily turn a difficult but manageable situation into a worst case scenario. And I wonder if that’s what happened…along with a mulish refusal over the long term to consider alternatives to private cars. Well, guess it’s a little late in … Continue reading The Walking Dead, Raleigh NC Edition

From Album 5 OK, maybe not dead, thank heavens, but once again a large southern city saw cars abandoned on the highway since there weren’t going anywhere anyway. To be fair, there will always be worst-case scenarios, and this might have been one, but a mindset that government is always bad and must forever be cut to the bone can easily turn a difficult but manageable situation into a worst case scenario. And I wonder if that’s what happened…along with a mulish refusal over the long term to consider alternatives to private cars. Well, guess it’s a little late in … Continue reading The Walking Dead, Raleigh NC Edition

From Album 5 OK, maybe not dead, thank heavens, but once again a large southern city saw cars abandoned on the highway since there weren’t going anywhere anyway. To be fair, there will always be worst-case scenarios, and this might have been one, but a mindset that government is always bad and must forever be cut to the bone can easily turn a difficult but manageable situation into a worst case scenario. And I wonder if that’s what happened…along with a mulish refusal over the long term to consider alternatives to private cars. Well, guess it’s a little late in … Continue reading The Walking Dead, Raleigh NC Edition

From Album 5 In addition to what Athenae and Adrastos said, I’m always amazed-and-not-in-a-good-way when, after a terribly botched event like what happened Tuesday, you get the inevitable justification of, “well, it’s not as bad as what happened to the victim.” No, maybe it’s not. But crowing about being not quite as bad as a convicted, heinous murderer is…a pretty low bar. Besides, despite the fact that, yes, Clayton Lockett was clearly guilty of a horrible murder, proponents of capital punishment, far from reserving it for, as they claim, strictly the worst of the worst, instead turn it into a … Continue reading Amateur Hour In OK

From Album 5 In addition to what Athenae and Adrastos said, I’m always amazed-and-not-in-a-good-way when, after a terribly botched event like what happened Tuesday, you get the inevitable justification of, “well, it’s not as bad as what happened to the victim.” No, maybe it’s not. But crowing about being not quite as bad as a convicted, heinous murderer is…a pretty low bar. Besides, despite the fact that, yes, Clayton Lockett was clearly guilty of a horrible murder, proponents of capital punishment, far from reserving it for, as they claim, strictly the worst of the worst, instead turn it into a … Continue reading Amateur Hour In OK

OK…for bizarro Republican (but I repeat myself) reactions to Tuesday’s SOTU…in the red corner, swinging (oh, just for the record, searching for “swingers” images on Google brings up some decidedly NSFW content)… swinging Alex Castellanos. Apologies if that image is forever burned into your retinas… From Album 5 While the blue corner brings us Staten Island New York Representative Michael “Maybe He Shoudda Been Named Santino” Grimm… From Album 5 I dunno — take your pick, but either one is/both are…batshit insane…in other words, perfectly representative of your present day GOP. Continue reading Um…

OK…for bizarro Republican (but I repeat myself) reactions to Tuesday’s SOTU…in the red corner, swinging (oh, just for the record, searching for “swingers” images on Google brings up some decidedly NSFW content)… swinging Alex Castellanos. Apologies if that image is forever burned into your retinas… From Album 5 While the blue corner brings us Staten Island New York Representative Michael “Maybe He Shoudda Been Named Santino” Grimm… From Album 5 I dunno — take your pick, but either one is/both are…batshit insane…in other words, perfectly representative of your present day GOP. Continue reading Um…

OK…for bizarro Republican (but I repeat myself) reactions to Tuesday’s SOTU…in the red corner, swinging (oh, just for the record, searching for “swingers” images on Google brings up some decidedly NSFW content)… swinging Alex Castellanos. Apologies if that image is forever burned into your retinas… From Album 5 While the blue corner brings us Staten Island New York Representative Michael “Maybe He Shoudda Been Named Santino” Grimm… From Album 5 I dunno — take your pick, but either one is/both are…batshit insane…in other words, perfectly representative of your present day GOP. Continue reading Um…

From Album 5 Earlier this week the New York Times ran an op-ed by someone who described his transistion from addiction to alcohol and drugs to addiction to money and power in the financial world …and maybe it’s just me, but I think you can see the same pathologies in wingnuttery…with hatred. It’s really become an addiction — not that it was ever particularly useful — but hatred has really become a pursuit in and of itself. With predictably troublesome results. The ride’s going to remain bumpy…for a while. Now if I could only get that song out of my … Continue reading They’re Addicted To Hate

From Album 5 Earlier this week the New York Times ran an op-ed by someone who described his transistion from addiction to alcohol and drugs to addiction to money and power in the financial world …and maybe it’s just me, but I think you can see the same pathologies in wingnuttery…with hatred. It’s really become an addiction — not that it was ever particularly useful — but hatred has really become a pursuit in and of itself. With predictably troublesome results. The ride’s going to remain bumpy…for a while. Now if I could only get that song out of my … Continue reading They’re Addicted To Hate

FromAlbum 5 Most of the chattering class has moved on — if they ever noticed — from the disaster in West Virginia. Andauthorities now say it’s been “fixed.” Yes, after only a week (and people who’ve been stuck without utilities of some kind can assure you even a single day sucks to high heaven), anyway, after a week affected West Virginians have been assured it’s…um, mostly safe.Unless you’re pregnant. Unlessyou’re in one of theoutlying areas. And only after youflush your lines (.pdf). And even after all that…some residents still report odd smells, discoloration…would you drink or bathe in this? Ain’t … Continue reading The Chimes of Freedom Splashing

FromAlbum 5 To add my .000002 cents toAdrastos’ post, whether or not Christie personally knew aboutthis (my guess is some sort of deniability element was baked in); anyway, this ugly, petty, childish, meanspirited, and for some not inconsequential act is perfectly in keeping with Christie himself…which is his appeal to the Republican base. Lee Atwater’s quote aside, there’s an element of wingnuttery that doesn’t even bother with any sort of private-sector-faster-better-cheaper and instead has always been not much more than hey-you-yeah-you-fuck-you. And that’s the problem. Christie is the symptom, not the cause. And, not that I’m holding my breath, but … Continue reading Vindictive Bully Acts Like A Bully — Imagine

FromAlbum 5 Garbage In, Garbage Out —Matt Taibbi on the irony of Karl Rove bemoaning the level of wingnuttery in today’s GOP: Men like Karl Rove and Dick Armey practically invented the politics of stupid … To see these same Beltway Svengalis trapped now in this crazy role reversal, denounced by the far right for being the same kind of condescending establishment snot-bags they themselves spent decades trying to find and campaign against – well, that’s just seriously funny. The situation with Rove is particularly delicious. This is someone who foisted upon the world the eight-year presidency of George W. … Continue reading You Reap What You Sow

FromAlbum 5 OK, I know, it’s not actually somethingakin to the Festivus Feats of Strength ritual, butit IS a holiday, at least for certain parts of the British Empire or its legacy. So have yourself a merry little Boxing Day, Canada and points elsewhere…and on a more serious note, stay warm in places that lost power because of the ice storm. Having dealt recently with electrical issues at ye olde abode (broken main circuit breaker), no electricity — or heat — is no laughing matter. Hope things are back to as normal as possible as soon as possible… Continue reading Happy Boxing Day!

FromAlbum 5 First, it’s not even original. N. Leroy proposedthe same thing some two years ago, and it was just as dumb then. Second, using poor children as props for your asinine wingnuttery is…just plain sick. Finally, poor children hardly need any reminding they’re poor. Some of their less poor classmates very likely tease or taunt them — kids can be like that — which, almost unbelievably, might be the LEAST stressful part of their day. Between crappy neighborhoods and parents who might lash out at them, to limited access to books or toys,physical hunger offset strictly by…school cafeteria food … Continue reading Another GOP Clown Boards The Pro Child Labor Bus

FromAlbum 5 A typical “my-god’s-bigger-than-yours” maneuver from an Oklahoma wingnut Xtian state rep has generated an interesting reaction Members of the world’s oldest faith would like to join a display of religious symbols at Oklahoma’s state capitol, joining a Judeo-Christian tablet and a proposed Satanist monument. The Universal Society of Hinduism plans to submit an application to the Oklahoma State Capitol Preservation Commission for permission to place a statue of Lord Hanuman on the statehouse grounds. “If the Oklahoma State Capitol was open to different monuments, we would love to have a statue of Lord Hanuman, who was greatly revered … Continue reading Don’t Forget The Pastafarians

FromAlbum 5 I’m sureRep. Hunter would correct me and insist not Megadeaths…maybe Kilodeaths, since he’s only advocating “tactical” nukes. Of course, his itching to use nuclear weapons in the first place should be all the proof you need that he’s bugfuck insane, not that our intrepid media will point that out (unless they can “balance” it with an allegedly outrageous quote from, say, Alan Grayson). Oh, and while I don’t know if Hunter gets conniptions about fluoridated water, he sure doesn’t mind some classic stereotyping, insisting that “in Middle Eastern Culture,” lying is “looked upon with high regard.” No word … Continue reading World Targets In Megadeaths

FromAlbum 5 Wherever you are, hope you’ve managed to deal with weather, travel, or anything else. In my neck of the alluvial plain it’s cold but clear…in a few hours I’ll head towards New Iberia with a bottle of wine and a container of chicken and sausage gumbo. Hope your holiday is happy, and a big thanks to everyone. Cheers. Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving

FromAlbum 5 Tomorrow officially marks 50 years since fate and a remarkable set of coincidences met up in Texas. While I no longer believe in any conspiracy theories — I honestly think Oswald had motive and opportunity, and while not exactly of means, he managed to scrape enough together to purchase a rifle and pistol. History has plenty enough similar twists of fate. Anyway, I’ve been enjoying the ride through what’s now, well, the past (not to sound flippant, but some of the television footage looks almost like a cinema verite version of Mad Men). Apast that in some ways … Continue reading Racing Towards a Milestone

FromAlbum 5 After all, if you’re not actually going to drive it, why not buy a Yugo? Bonus joke: Why did Yugos have rear window heaters/defrosters? To keep your hands warm while you pushed. Anyway, while myonly-slightly-less-disappointing-Senator’s proposal is…actually not god-awful terrible, given the circumstances, it’s still worth noting that the “plans” everyone is suddenly so keen on saving…are the Yugos of private health insurance…NOT Fords, Representative Blackburn. The only thing they “provided” was a relatively modest revenue stream to insurance companies — companies that make protection rackets almost look honorable, as anyone who’s ever been jacked around, by, oh, … Continue reading If You Want To Keep ThePlan Lemon You Have

FromAlbum 5 If Ken Cuccinelli wants to behave like a pouting, tantrum-throwing toddler, I’ll portray him as one Modern traditions hold that major-party candidates, after a long campaign, reach out to one another once it’s over, usually over the phone. One graciously concedes, one graciously accepts, and the campaign effectively comes to a formal end. But to appreciate the bad blood in Virginia’s gubernatorial race, note that the modern tradition isbeing ignored. Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) congratulated McAuliffe and pledged a “seamless and smooth” transition. As of late morning Wednesday, Cuccinelli had not called McAuliffe and had no plans … Continue reading All Class — Well, If By Class You Mean Nursery School

FromAlbum 5 When it comes to research, Senator Paul puts the lazy into laissez-faire, not just using Wikipedia butciting it verbatim…and without attribution. He says it’s all a misunderstanding, though as Rachel Maddow pointed out last night, Paul either doesn’t know or won’t acknowledge what plagiarism actually is. Or maybe he’s been told about Joe Biden’s run to obscurity in 1988 after a similar instance (I’ve read Joe was pilloried unfairly for forgetting to reference Neil Kinnock only once, though the Times mentions an additional allegation from law school). My guess is this is likely a staffer writing or editing … Continue reading Wikirandia

FromAlbum 5 This could go a long way in explaining old Tailgunner Ted. I mean, why should youmingle with “minor ivies” when you’re an anointed king? In a sermon last year at an Irving, Texas, megachurch that helped elect Ted Cruz to the United States Senate, Cruz’ father Rafael Cruz indicated that his son was among the evangelical Christians who are anointed as “kings” to take control of all sectors of society, an agenda commonly referred to as the “Seven Mountains” mandate, and “bring the spoils of war to the priests”, thus helping to bring about a prophesied “great transfer … Continue reading Just Plain Creepy

FromAlbum 5 Even the Houston Chronicle is having second thoughts about Ted — who, in the end, couldn’t resist a bit ofcheap grandstanding and ugly demogaugery. Yesterday Paul Krugman wrote about something called “The Backfire Effect,” quoting journalist David McRaney: “When your deepest convictions are challenged by contradictory evidence, your beliefs get stronger,” But what exactly are those convictions? With the wingers, it looks to be…pretty much straight up hatred. They barely bother with any of the standard conservative tropes — faster, better, cheaper, etc. Nope. They want to hurt others, even if it hurts themselves … or maybe they’re … Continue reading The Doctor Will See You Now

FromAlbum 5 Well, there’s no arguing as to the lowlight of the social season — aDick Roast featuring theheartless one himself, along with Scooter Libby, Holy Joe Lieberman, Rummy, John Podhoretz…but no Harry Whittington. I dunno, maybe he got delayed at the airport metal detector. Via. Continue reading Dick Jokes

FromAlbum 5 But it’s too late. They’ve beeneating the monkey brains for a long, long time. Pierce: What we see today is the prion disease manifesting itself in garish symptoms, but, as we mentioned yesterday, the country ate the monkey brains in 1980, when it allowed — nay, celebrated — Ronald Reagan’s spurious anecdotes as works of innate political genius. Sad to say, I’m part of the generation that went whole hog…the generation that produced, interestingly, Barack Obama, but also Sarah Palin–and a host of people who, at an impressionable age, didn’t just drink but bathed in the Kool-Aid of … Continue reading Don’t Eat TheBrown Acid Monkey Brains. It’s A Bad Trip.

FromAlbum4 And imagine these piles across the United States if the Keystone Pipeline project is approved Canada’s oil sand mines will eventually produce up to 2 trillion barrels of oil and what that could mean for the environment has been debated for years. What’s often overlooked though is a coke byproduct that results from refining the tar-like bitumen of the oil sands into oil. Coke is a low-quality type of coal and the Marathon Petroleum plant in Detroit has made overlooking its role in the oil sands debate impossible to ignore. The refinery was built on the Detroit River more … Continue reading Koch AddsLife Slag

FromAlbum4 InJanuary the puke funnel was strictly partisan, but now thecourtier (or if you prefer, courtesan) press is joining in. Sigh. I noted in a comment to Adrastos’ post on a similar article that the only thing missing is some high handed snobbery from Sally Quinn and the reanimated corpse of David Broder insisting that “the Obamas trashed the place, and it wasn’t their place… [pause]…braaaaaaaains.” I also likened Vandehi and Smith to the kind of high school cliques portrayed in movies like Heathers, but that’s really not fair to high school cliques, since most teenagers eventually do grow up. Continue reading Villagers Of The Damned, The Sequel