Dude, We Just Vealed That Agenda
Posted on June 24th, 2010 by Gavin M.
There’s one; set for stun.
Larry O’Connor, Big Government:
Obama’s Radical Agenda Revealed
- A group supports Obama. And he supports them!
‘Shorter’ concept created by Daniel Davies and perfected by Elton Beard. We are aware of all Internet traditions.™
Notes:
1 The day might already have arrived on which someone could publish a conservative column made up wholly of banal observations like “socks go on feet,” and “gee, it looks like rain,” and have anger rise to the boil.
I suspect Obama may be an incumbent who wants to win re-election. No doubt the moonbats will say I’m a conspiracy theorist.
Well, we have already had a Federal judge smack the President down for daring to say, “Since we don’t know what-all happened on the Deepwater Horizon, we shouldn’t be drilling the same kind of wells until we do know something”.
That’s a whole lot like “socks go on feet”. Maybe even more, like “First the socks, then the shoes”*.
*With thanks to Gary Larson.
No government socks on my feet!!
Stay in the boat:
Holy crap, they’re like teabaggers, except they’re organized!
THIS SHALL NOT STAND!
Just fucking die, WP.
Do you know who else liked to put socks on his feet? WAKE UP SHEEPLE!
No government socks on my feet!!
But shoes for industry!
Do you know who else liked to put socks on his feet?
Mitt Romney, that’s who!
Do you know who else liked to put socks on his feet?
Well, the Red Hot Chili Peppers made a whole lot of ruckus when they… oh wait, feet.
Why do these clowns hate democracy so much?
Oh. Right.
Never mind.
Bill Clinton?
Oooh, good one, justme.
HA HA I have devealed your agenda and replaced it with mushrooms. Now it is a vegetarian agenda.
Coke™ Agenda™ – it’s the veal thing.
Longer shorter Larry O’Connor:
The kindergartners! They’ve got amazing stage effects. Pyrotechnics and what have yous. Why, it’s a regular feast for the eyes! ….We’re never gonna outdo them now.
No, he answered your objection in the column:
If you think this is just a normal political action committee or run-of-the-mill political activist organization, you’re wrong. This group is not only highly mobilized, they are fanatical and engaged. Hundreds and possibly thousands in YOUR state are meeting and getting these emails with these talking points. They are being encouraged to contact their friends, neighbors, and first time voters about these issues as well as find new voters every week.
They’re fanatical about being organized and engaged! They’re also in your states, reading their talking points and sending emails!
Will no one stop them?! They might hold a coffee party or phone someone!
Larry hides in the basement when the Jehovah’s Witness stormtroopers come rounding up heathens. Those pamphlets are only a ruse to get you to open the door.
I don’t know how you read it but it seems to me he’s complaining that his team sucks at organizing. Ya know, like the Cubs.
This group is not only highly mobilized, they are fanatical and engaged.
Isn’t that what makes teh Tea-baggers teh awesome?
These beasts from the future are using some kind of ELECTRONIC MAIL.
The fact is, when conservatives and tea bag party people get together it is spontanueoes and honest and in defense of freedom, when liberals do, there is always a tyrant behind it.
When Adolf Hitler came to power, he also was organized and made good speeches, sound familiar? We are on to you.
When Adolf Hitler came to power, he also was organized and made good speeches,
Careful observers will note the use of “organized”, which cleverly omits St. Ronald “Puddin’head” Wilson Reagan from eligibililty to the Hitler Club.
They might hold a coffee party
Or a tea party!
Someone seems surprisingly disturbed at the prospect of a bottom-up political movement driven by the enthusiasm of individuals.
The fiends! Asking their people to do something is clearly socialist.
However, I’m still puzzled: What could be the source of their organizing power?
These beasts from the future are using some kind of ELECTRONIC MAIL.
The Beast from the Future features in the biblical Book of Velation.
Reveal=born-again calf?
Wow. I mean … wow. They’re “organized” and support the president? That’s all they’ve got?
Wow.
They really miss ACORN I guess. They destroyed SPECTRE and now they’re fresh out of supercriminal organizations to hyperventilate about.
This is a juicy mango that makes the tigers worth the risk:
These guys make AMWAY sales leaders look like kindergarten teachers. They are organized, they are motivated, and they have the tools and resources to make a huge impact.
(Sc)Amway of course being founded by Dick Devos, a HUUUUUGE Republican funder, one of the long list of shadowy right wing billionaires that dwarf whatever George Soros gives the left, but that sites like Big Government studiously ignore in their deranged ravings.
We’re in yur neighborhood, organizin’ your Blacks.
These people are so silly. Everyone knows it’s Mary Kay who poses a true threat to democracy.
You know, guys…really? I thought I was paranoid about power-hungry douchebags taking over this country–I even believed that there might be an October surprise prior to the 2008 election (though, really, it turns out that wasn’t such an irrational fear)–but fucking seriously? Are you serious?
f you think this is just a normal political action committee or run-of-the-mill political activist organization, you’re wrong. This group is not only highly mobilized, they are fanatical and engaged. Hundreds and possibly thousands in YOUR state are meeting and getting these emails with these talking points. They are being encouraged to contact their friends, neighbors, and first time voters about these issues as well as find new voters every week.
Well, I’m glad to see someone concerned about the goddamn TeaPartiers. Oh, wait….
Ummmmmmm, do they really want to go there? Do wingnuts ever meet a forwarded email or talking point they don’t immediately make furious love to and repeat to everyone in earshot?
I need a nap already this morning.
WAKE UP SHEEPLE!
What?! Is it noon already?
“We need to make that viral as well. They know it is key. We need to cultivate over all Democrats from the ground up.”
Why does this make it sound like becoming a Republican is like acquiring herpes?
It’s worse than you imagine!
Everyone knows it’s Mary Kay who poses a true threat to democracy.
What about all those armored Swanson trucks I see? Why would you need to protect a truck so much if you were just delivering ice cream? I mean, unless it was in LA?
You know who else had a fleet of armored vehicles?
Oh, the Onion. You’re getting entirely outpaced by the people you’re mocking. Soon the only thing left for you to do is make fun of Philadelphia sports fans.
Why does this make it sound like becoming a Republican is like acquiring herpes?
If by “herpes” you mean “Spastic Colon Syndrome”, it is practically the same thing. At least herpes goes away for long stretches and is a lot more fun to catch.
Erm… so I hear.
Strawberry Shortcake? Wait…no…that’s not right…
You know who else had a fleet of armored vehicles?
Nay friend, when fascism arrives in America, it will be delivered by the brown shirted thugs of the United Parcel Service who have not only an armoured vehicle fleet, but an air force.
Know who else started out his military career as a messenger?
If by “herpes” you mean “Spastic Colon Syndrome”, it is practically the same thing. At least herpes goes away for long stretches and is a lot more fun to catch.
The man has a point.
Hermes?
Hermes?
Why, thank you. I’ve been wanting a pair of leather gloves…
Oh, the Onion. You’re getting entirely outpaced by the people you’re mocking
I keep waiting for the day when the Onion’s front page just links to something like this Big Government piece and just says “fuck it, we quit. You win, retards.”
Who could blame them? This must feel like the people trying to print the currency in hyperinflation Weimar Germany.
“Jahwol, we’ve started production on the 100,000 mark notes boss.”
“Nein, they’re nearly worthless. Begin printing 1,000,000 notes.”
(phone rings)
“Ok, totally new currency, redesign all the bills and start over at 1, 5, 10 and 100…”
“1000”
“10,000”
“Fuck it, hey this Hitler guy has some neat ideas. Living space and racial purity huh…”
?If you think this is just a normal political action committee or run-of-the-mill political activist organization, you’re wrong. This group is not only highly mobilized, they are fanatical and engaged. Hundreds and possibly thousands in YOUR state are meeting and getting these emails with these talking points. They are being encouraged to contact their friends, neighbors, and first time voters about these issues as well as find new voters every week.
OMFG THERE IN ARE BASE BUTFUCKIN ARE DOODZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!oh shit!!!!!!!!
Who could blame them? This must feel like the people trying to print the currency in hyperinflation Weimar Germany.
This is a terrifyingly accurate analogy.
Know who else started out his military career as a messenger?
Hermes?
Adam Ant?
“We have evidence of a well-organized, well-funded series of operations designed specifically to undermine our message, depict our past performance in a negative light, and drive Republicans out of office,”
Yes, and they go by the name “The Republican Party”.
Though I don’t think they make them in red, so never mind…
make furious love to and repeat to everyone in earshot?
VmoneyshotR
It doesn’t appear entirely unintentional, VS.
*plink, plink eye blink* What? I am innocent.
VmoneyshotR
Ew. Not in the ear!
There’s a swimmer’s ear joke in there, too, but I’m too lazy to try and tease it out.
They really miss ACORN I guess. They destroyed SPECTRE and now they’re fresh out of supercriminal organizations to hyperventilate about.
Ah but it must make them feel all fallicky (I know, but I wanted it) and all knightly to come to the defense of the poor BP. These clowns think BP is the poor white woman being raped by the black marauder.
lol…that was the first thing that popped into my head, too.
Whenever anyone says something funny, I IMMEDIATELY picture it in my head. Which is why I’m always getting my lulz-juice all over this site.
“OMG, I HATE THEM SOOOOO MUCH!!!” springs to mind. rofl…
There’s a swimmer’s ear joke in there, too, but I’m too lazy to try and tease it out.
1) Sounds like the voice of experience
2) VfluffingR
You two are owning the V_R Category this morning.
Let us recall with pleasure that this is “Sesame Street Freakout Guy”.
I’m wondering who Breitfart will bring down next. Planned Parenthood? Move On? I reckon those’ll be tougher because I’m betting there are a fair of white, upwardly mobile folks who support those organizations.
1) Sounds like the voice of experience
Nah. Your mom just told me about it.
2) VfluffingR
DON’T TEASE THE PANTHER!
You two are owning the V_R Category this morning
You should hang out in the T&U household sometime. Most of our morning conversation consists of remarks related to the news on the radio being turned into veiled references, like, “I’ll fire your McChrystal,” or “I’ll cap your gusher,” or whatever. Most of them don’t actually make as much sense as the second one, though.
that reminds me of a complaint I read in a 1968 magazine (New Republic) that complained that Gene McCarthy was “inciting” people to vote…
(FWIW, while I do remember the 68 election, I read the article in question while in school in the 80s doing a class paper on the election)
Let us recall with pleasure that this is “Sesame Street Freakout Guy”.
The Butthurt is strong in this one.
actually the German hyper-inflation was in 1923, 10 years before Hitler came to power. The Weimer Republic was probably at its strongest in the years right after the hyperinflation ended. This doesn’t mean that the hyperinflation had no effect on the German political system, but it was not a direct precursor to the Nazi’s.
Apparently the right wing considers it dangerous when a political group has meetings and e-mails talking points. Who knew?
This doesn’t mean that the hyperinflation had no effect on the German political system, but it was not a direct precursor to the Nazi’s.
Ya know who else knew a lot about German history?
Apparently the right wing considers it dangerous when a political group has meetings and e-mails talking points. Who knew?
Talking points in emails? We need to find the memo! The vault copy!
Apparently the right wing considers it dangerous when a political group has meetings and e-mails talking points.
They get all theirs through their Rusty Limbaugh™ butthurt decoder rings.
I don’t know how you read it but it seems to me he’s complaining that his team sucks at organizing. Ya know, like the Cubs.
The Cubs are great at organizing. It’s just all the other stuff they have trouble with: hitting, pitching, fielding and baserunning.
that was the first thing that popped into my head, too.
Oh my!
Ya know, like the
CubsFrench.Fzt for extra insult.
I know, I know!
Sadly,No: come for the lulz
Stay for the ear sex
The Cubs are great at organizing. It’s just all the other stuff they have trouble with: hitting, pitching, fielding and baserunning.
They’re good at filling positions with incompetent people and that’s called good organizing?
Stay for the ear sex
Baby, back those lobes up here. Dayum!
ear sex? Why does that remind me of the YO-HO” song?…
I put my hand upon her toe, yo ho, yo ho….
They’re good at filling positions with incompetent people and that’s called good organizing?
They’re not incompetent. They are probably good at something like fly fishing, macrame, or clog dancing for example. They just suck at baseball.
I AM SO READY TO CRAP MY PANTS IF THAT’S WHAT’S CALLED FOR HERE
MY state? You mean my state of confusion? Where’s the big reveal? That they’re being encouraged to contact friends, neighbors and first time voters, instead of enemies, former sex partners, and children too young to vote like the Republicans usually do?
So, they signed up for the Organizing for America email list, then posted some emails they got? And then sort of translated the emails received into Winglish, for the benefit of people who consider this a major work of journalism?
Indeed, well done again Berners-Lee & Co. …without the internet this klan-destined meeting of ignoramus…would never see the light of day.
Oh hell, one more mango for the road. You know, for Jesus.
“What does the lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?” — The Old Testament
I AM SO READY TO CRAP MY PANTS IF THAT’S WHAT’S CALLED FOR HERE
I am so not supposed to break out laughing with my boss sitting ten feet away.
It’s totally not called for, also. And so on.
I love how the right thinks “statist” is some kind of slur. Uhm, yes, I like government. Will I have to testify to Joe McCarthy and give names of friends and colleagues who like driving on paved roads and having their children be taught to read?
And I am going to
stealborrow that.It was worth getting off the boat, not for the column, which merely restates some old news, but for this info from Larry’s bio:
Now, I know what you’re thinking–don’t look at me like that, oh yes you did–but the important thing to take away from this is that Larry is married, to a woman, and has had four freakin’ kids with her, by having sex with her, normal sex the way that normal people do, by putting his penis in her v… in her va… in her vuh-vuh-vuh-look, let’s just call it a front-butt, OK? Now, if you’ll excuse him, he has an audition for a community theater musical to go to and he can’t miss it because that bitch Justin will be there too, she thinks that she’s God’s gift to tenors, I swear.
Show tunes are a dead giveaway, as is an inexplicable hatred for Sesame Street. GAY.
I AM SO READY TO CRAP MY PANTS IF THAT’S WHAT’S CALLED FOR HERE
Didn’t you get the memo?
You know what outfit is really sinister? Little League. They’re everywhere in America, dressing kids all alike, teaching them to use wooden clubs…Sometimes, they even call and ask for money!
And don’t get me started on the Girl Scouts.
OT, but Awesome:
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, invited as one of 10 non-G8/G20 leaders from African, Caribbean and Latin American nations to participate in the dual summits, was among the first to arrive at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
The picture is pretty much what anyone named “Goodluck Jonathan” should look like IMO.
The picture is pretty much what anyone named “Goodluck Jonathan” should look like IMO.
the saluting Mountie was bonus.
Wait, I get OFA e-mails. Does that mean I am a Obamunist Chicago Thug? Cool!
Wait, I get OFA e-mails. Does that mean I am a Obamunist Chicago Thug? Cool!
DOOOD! SSHHH! It’s a secret! It’s an organizating organization that doesn’t admit it exists.
Sheesh.
I mean, the PANTS CRAPPING will never end.
Oh, guess whooooooooooooooooooooo???
Arbeit Macht Frei was a popular “progressive” slogan on the road to serfdom.
Doesn’t this shit get boring for him after a while?
There’s a swimmer’s ear joke in there, too, but I’m too lazy to try and tease it out.
ROFL! I nearly posted “VealedBukakiReference”, but decided I was being weak and trying too hard. *
You can NEVER understimate this crowd!
*Not a VeiledLowJizzReference
Oh, and FYWP
“Arbeit Macht Frei was a popular “progressive” slogan on the road to serfdom.”
Wait, I thought we were all too lazy to work. It is so confusing being an Islamocommunofascosocialist.
You can NEVER understimate this crowd!
Related: You mis-spelled “bukkake.”
“Stay for the ear sex.”
Aural sex?
I blame the Japanese.
That’s our Jonah, still fucking that chicken after all this time.
What would we do for fun around here, if it weren’t for him?
Am I the only one here who thinks the Goddamn Batman should get his own comic book series? I imagine it might be a little more thoughtful interpretation than the fanboys are used to.
Hey, now, let’s not get bu-cocky about it.
OK, maybe thoughtful wasn’t the right word.
That’s our Jonah, still fucking that chicken after all this time.
I know. It’s almost adorable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbeit_macht_frei
Surely this Diefenbach character is a leftist!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenz_Diefenbach
You know who else wrote a book?
It genuinely made me laugh out loud, as only the crack above comparing The Onion‘s editorial staff to the mint managers in Weimar Germany has done today.
Like so many on the right, if Jonah were trying to be a complete moron to make people point and laugh, he could not do a better job.
but Arbeit Macht Frei was a popular “progressive” slogan on the road to serfdom.
Don’t step in that! You’ll track that it all over the house.
that it?…not enuf kaffee
Like so many on the right, if Jonah were trying to be a complete moron to make people point and laugh, he could not do a better job.
Sometimes I wonder if these people are engaged in some sort of high performance art examining the absurdity of ideas and the pointlessness of life…
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, I’m pretty sure Victoria Jackson is doing performance art. I’m not joking.
http://blog.al.com/live/2010/06/lots_of_sharks_and_lots_of_oil.html
Check out the flag photo. Awesome.
Victoria Jackson is doing performance art. I’m not joking.
I wish. I really do. But she occasionally did nut-job commentary even a decade ago. I’m pretty sure she really is just stupid.
Sometimes I wonder if these people are engaged in some sort of high performance art examining the absurdity of ideas and the pointlessness of life…
My current theory is that having killed off satire, they are now showing up the left wing art community on surrealism too. It’s all part of the grander version of that “no empirical reality” thing Rove told Suskind way back.
…enemies, former sex partners, and children too young to vote…
When making lists, it is more common to enumerate things that are somehow different from each other.
HTH,
-WC
Arby’s makes great fries is Jonah’s slogan.
My current theory is that having killed off satire, they are now showing up the left wing art community on surrealism too. It’s all part of the grander version of that “no empirical reality” thing Rove told Suskind way back.
It’s interesting how something rooted in the elitist, academic left–post-modernism–has become the jumping-off point for what qualifies as most rightwing thought these days.
When making lists, it is more common to enumerate things that are somehow different from each other.
I’d also like to say that this cracked me up.
Empirical reality is unkind to them and their ideas. Democracies don’t vote for systems that openly favour a small few and deprive everyone else, so they seek refuge in whatever they can.
This is why any kind of functioning media actually is “left wing” in a manner of speaking in that it would necessarily have an operational effect of hurting the right. If you report reality at all accurately, then right wing policies are shitty stupid things that don’t work for the great bulk of humanity.
It’s only when you convince everyone there is no empirical reality, no truth, nothing but relativistic opinions, spin and perception that you can possibly hide 1% of the country holding 40% of the wealth, and 80% holding only 15% of it.
I’m forming neighborhood conversation groups to talk about the Skookum cast.
TTF = well summarized.
This is why any kind of functioning media actually is “left wing” in a manner of speaking in that it would necessarily have an operational effect of hurting the right. If you report reality at all accurately, then right wing policies are shitty stupid things that don’t work for the great bulk of humanity.
Also any kind of functioning scientific institutions. Or university institutions. Or the intelligence community and military. Which is why they politicize the hell out of all these things instead of letting the professionals do their jobs.
Billionaires and media excursions: I smell a hit!
normal sex the way that normal people do, by putting his penis in her v… in her va… in her vuh-vuh-vuh-look, let’s just call it a front-butt, OK?
I probably shouldn’t have been reading while eating a brownie, so I suppose it’s my fault that a piece of said brownie came out of my nose… MMMM… chocolatey sinuses! Yummy!
It’s only when you convince everyone there is no empirical reality, no truth, nothing but relativistic opinions, spin and perception that you can possibly hide 1% of the country holding 40% of the wealth, and 80% holding only 15% of it.
This peculiar linking together of opposites – knowledge with ignorance, cynicism with fanaticism – is one of the chief distinguishing marks of Oceanic society. The official ideology abounds with contradictions even when there is no practical reason for them. Thus, the Party rejets and villifies everything for which the Socialist movement originally stood, and it chooses to do this in the name of Socialism. It preaches a contempt for the working class unexampled in centuries past, and it dresses its members in a uniform that was at one time peculiar to manual workers and was adopted for that reason. It systematically underminues the solidarity of the family, and it calls its leader by a name which is a direct appeal to the sentiments of family loyalty. Even the names of the four ministres by which we are governed exhibit a sort of impudence in their deliberate reversal of the facts. The Ministry of Peace concerns itself with war, the Ministry of Truth with lies, the Ministry of Love with torture and the Ministry of Plenty with starvation. These contradictions are not accidental, nor do they result from ordinary hypocrisy: they are deliberate exercises in doublethink. For it is only by reconciling contradictions that power can be retained indefinitely. In no other way could the ancient cycle be broken. If human equality is to be forever averted – if the High, as we have called them, are to keep their places permanently – then the prevailing mental condition must be controlled insanity.
the BP oils pill
i am editor hear me rore
My current theory is that having killed off satire, they are now showing up the left wing art community on surrealism too. It’s all part of the grander version of that “no empirical reality” thing Rove told Suskind way back.
My true fear in life is I’ll finally make it to my deathbed, after decades of living through the insane rhetoric of the right-wing, only to discover it was all one extended Situationist Internationale prank.
As if they all decided to outdo the one guy who dressed up as a priest in Notre Dame and proclaimed God wasn’t real, by creating an entire political faction made up to fuck with the people who were actually taking it seriously.
Wow! You mean to tell me that Organizing For America, a group formerly known as Obama For America … is organizing … FOR OBAMA?!?!
ZOMG I CAN HEAR THE JACKBOOTS TROMPING ON THE COBBLESTONES! FLEE!
Kind of a comedown for Larry after the Moonies-on-angel-dust Kulturkampf magic of “Ernie & Bert = Marx & Engels, Elmo=Lenin” … but hell, you can’t expect the guy to hit a home-run like that every time at bat, right?
In fact, the GOP has good reason to be filling their Depends. They’ve been relying on killing turnout to win for a long long time now, but more & more voters are getting clued in to the importance of exercising their franchise whenever possible … if you’re Steele or Boehner, that just HAS to suck ass. I’m pretty sure their “Plan B” in this situation involves gnomes & underpants.
The brand-new Golem of Teabaggerism that they hatched from John Birch’s crypt isn’t making things any easier, either … as candidates, if they join the GOP they make 7/10 voters either cringe or LOL, but if they don’t, almost all the (not-too-swift butthurt white guy) votes they’ll get are “leaning-Republican” – so it’s essentially an army of tiny Ross Perots chewing at their ankles like a pack of Colonial-Cosplay jackals.
WWVFD?*
———————————
*What Would Victor Frankenstein Do?
Well, okay. That’s not entirely true. My true fear is I’ll discover that only when Ashton Kutcher shows up in a trucker cap to point out I’d been punk’d.
RUSH: Why do you listen to this program? Well, there are many countless reasons, but among the reasons you listen to this program is that we do not do conventional wisdom. We do not march in lockstep. I don’t care where you go today. Right now turn on any network, go to any Drive-By Media website, and you’re going to see luxurious praise of Obama of all the courage it took to do this, “To stand up for what is right, even if it means blowing the Afghanistan policy wide open and causing some problems temporarily. This was a courageous, gutsy move. Why, this was right in the line of duty along with Lincoln and McClellan. It was right in line with Truman and MacArthur,” and it’s none of that. That’s BS. I wish I could say the word. It is total BS. We have an incompetent little child who’s got a giant chip on his shoulder about this country running it.
The essence of this today, getting rid of McChrystal and replacing with Petraeus? Let me again read to you from Vanity Fair: “When Senator Obama’s turn came to question General Petraeus” during the week that MoveOn.org ran the Betray Us ad. Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, all these Democrats calling Petraeus a liar, and today they embrace him? That’s the story. And here’s Obama: “When his turn came to question Petraeus, Obama lectured Petraeus on the futility of his mission, the surge in Iraq. He used up his entire seven-minute allotment, giving the general no chance to respond to anything he said. Among the things Obama said to Petraeus: ‘We have now set the bar so low that modest improvement in what was a completely chaotic situation’s considered success, but it’s not. This continues to be a disastrous foreign policy mistake.'”
The whole war, Petraeus’ surge, were pronounced by Obama an utter mistake. Chaos. No chance of success. Today, who does Obama hire to run the same kind of operation in Afghanistan? The very man he lambasted as a senator during hearings! He essentially called him a liar, agreeing with Hillary Clinton and Harry Reid and others, and then saying that his policy wouldn’t work, and no basis in fact. Today, he hires him. Everywhere else in the media, I don’t care who it is, “What a courageous move! This puts him in the league of Harry Truman.” There’s no such comparison. MacArthur was trying to change US policy. MacArthur, one way of looking at it, really was wanting to go rogue. Well, he wanted to win. You know, Patton did the same thing. Patton didn’t want to stop with the Germans. Patton said, “If we don’t take care of these Russian…” (Chuckles) Well, he had a word. Patton had a loose tongue.
“If we don’t take care of these SOBs right now we’re going to have to deal with them down the road. I’m here. I’m here, Ike! Let me go get ’em, Ike!” “No. Come home.” And he was right. MacArthur might have been right, too. The point is, there’s no comparison between those two guys and what McChrystal did. Read this Rolling Stone piece when it comes out. You’re not going to find any criticism of Obama from McChrystal. But it wasn’t just Obama who lambasted Petraeus to his face. “We have set the bar so low,” Obama said to General Petraeus, “modest improvement in what was a completely chaotic situation is considered success, and it’s not. This continues to be a disastrous foreign policy mistake.” Yet he hires him today to basically replicate his success in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meet the Depressed, September 9th, 2007, Tim Russert interviewed Joe Biden. Question: “Joe Biden, welcome back from Iraq. What did you see, what did you hear, what did you learn?”
BIDEN: Well, what I, uhh, I saw heard and learned is a little bit what you heard, uhh, from the general just a moment ago. Uhh, there’s a big disconnect between, uhh, the truth of the matter and the reality. I mean the truth of the matter is that, uhhh, the America — this administration’s policy and the surge are a failure and that, uh, the surge, uh, which was supposed to stop sectarian violence, uh, long enough to get political reconciliation… There’s been no political reconciliation.
RUSH: Surge is a failure. Today’s vice president, Vice President “Bite Me,” says that this was a failure. The surge, the policy, are a failure. That surge has been an utter failure. The vice president, Joe “Bite Me,” Meet the Press, September 9th, 2007. So Tim Russert said, “Well, Senator [Bite Me], General Petraeus said in a letter to his troops, ‘We have not had the political reconciliation they thought we would have at this time. It’s been much slower, but there’s some hope,’ and then he added this: ‘My sense is that we have achieved tactical momentum and wrested the initiative from our enemies in a number of areas in Iraq. We are, in short, a long way from the goal line, but we do have the ball, and we’re driving down the field.’ Is that what you expect him to say tomorrow?”
BIDEN: I expect him to say that. I think he’s dead, flat, wrong. The fact of the matter is is that, uh, this — this idea of these security gains we made have had no impact on the underlying sectarian dynamic. None! None whatsoever! Can anybody envision a central government made up of Sunni, Shi’a, and Kurds, that’s going to gain the trust and respect of 27 million Iraqis? It’s not going to happen.
RUSH: It did happen! It did happen. Let’s don’t forget Senator Bite Me was the guy who wanted to divvy up Iraq into three different countries, basically: “Sunni, Shi’a, Kurd.” Because they would never unify and we were going to be the reason why. We were going to be the reason why it would never happen. So here you have today’s president and today’s vice president ripping General Petraeus a new one in every forum they had the opportunity to appear, and today they hire him and sing his praises. “But, Rush! But, Rush! Don’t you think it means they’ve learned?” No, it doesn’t mean anything of the sort.
It means that they’re a bunch of lying sacks of you know what back during the hearings when Petraeus was talking about the surge. It means that they were entirely political. They were putting their own party’s political future ahead of the US military’s victory in Iraq. It was despicable, it was dishonorable, and it’s dishonorable today to have these two people running the show. And yet, wherever you go, we’re hearing nothing but praise, accolades. “Obama, wonderful! Oh, he has the same temperament and abilities as Truman and Lincoln.” That is why you listen to this program, among many other reasons. Petraeus, I don’t know why he accepts it. He’s been called to duty; that’s why he accepts it. He’s been called to duty. He’s a bigger man than Senator Bite Me and President Obama combined, put together, quadrupled.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Let’s not forget, folks, our glorious and wonderful State-Controlled Media, Chris Matthews, called Petraeus’ appearance before the Senate and House committees on his surge in Iraq a dog and pony show. He said it a dozen times. We played a montage of him saying it over and over again, calling Petraeus’ appearance a dog and pony show. That’s the real essence of the story. Petraeus was a dog and pony show, now all of a sudden he’s a hero, now all of a sudden General Petraeus has most favored military status among the American left and the American media? They hated his guts when he worked for Bush. They said his surge wouldn’t work, it was a waste of time, and he was nothing but chaotic. Today he’s hired to replace McChrystal.
Now, about that, General Petraeus is the head of CENTCOM, and now replaces the four-star who reported to him. McChrystal reported to Petraeus. Now, that means we are still short a four-star general here at CENTCOM because McChrystal’s gone. And a four-star general is not a part-time job. I don’t know what this means for Iraq if the head of CENTCOM is now spending all of his time in Afghanistan. There has to be more to come on this. You just don’t get rid — and you people in the military I’m sure understand what I’m talking about — you don’t just get rid of a four-star and not replace him. And especially the four-star who was reporting to Petraeus is gone so now Petraeus goes to Afghanistan to replace the guy reporting to him, you gotta vacuum of four-stars now. And Petraeus was in charge of Afghanistan and Iraq, as the four-star in charge CENTCOM, so now what? Now do we pull out of Iraq? There has to be more to come on this. This is disastrous.
There are some smart people out there who said that Obama would not get rid of McChrystal for this very reason, that we’re on the verge of implementing the full force of McChrystal’s strategery, we’re on the verge of implementing it. You kick the four-star leader out of this, the effect on the troops, morale, everything else, can’t possibly be good. I don’t know how negative it is, but they love this guy. This guy was Special Ops in Iraq. This guy was down in the tunnels and the trenches with them. He didn’t hang back in the air-conditioned quarters. He went out there with them. McChrystal I mean. So now we’ve put on a roller coaster the whole Iraq policy, and nothing against Petraeus here, I mean he’s a general, he accepts the command, but this is an absolute circus. It is a circus all to project the supposed political acumen and leadership characteristics and qualities of our man-child president. Yeah, he’s not going to take any guff, he’s not going to be insulted and dissed by a four-star, not our guy, not Barack Obama, he’s not going to take any of this. Fine. We’ll sit around and wait to see what the policy initiatives are.
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, this is Bob. Great to have you on the program, sir. Hello.
CALLER: Hello, Rush. Rush, I have a couple things. Number one, I’m a Vietnam vet, senior citizen, and a tea party advocate. I regurgitated at Obama’s speech today about McChrystal. He just really doesn’t understand it. When you hear it all and look at it and listen to it, you’ll say, “My God, how could the guy lie like this?” I am glad that McChrystal did not join the Chicago mob that he’s not in power now.
RUSH: You’re happy he resigned, you mean?
CALLER: Oh, I’m happy he resigned in the sense I’m sure he was forced to resign. There’s no question. You cannot do that to The Messiah.
RUSH: Exactly. Because nothing is bigger than Obama.
CALLER: I did listen to your program about the corporate generals the other day, and to put this in perspective, I served with generals in Vietnam, and it is a shame that we have to go through this. One other question when you were just talking, one other point, this is Obama’s way of downsizing the military. He might not replace him. Look at all the savings he’s got.
RUSH: All the savings he’s got. He’s not going to save that much with one absent four-star. Downsize the military. Look, I have no doubt that’s coming but not because of this. The reason the downsizing the military is coming is budgetary. Oh, yeah, you make book on it, folks, before Obama’s gone, all these deficits, all the debt, all the spending, all his entitlements, these are things for people, these are good, we’re going to have to honor these commitments, we’re going to have to cut back on military spending, we’re just going to have to. That’s what the left has been wanting to do ever since I’ve been alive. And here now in their minds is a legitimate opportunity to do so. (interruption) Yes, what’s the question? Hm-hm. Hm-hm. Okay. The question: who do I think is the bigger hero to the people in Afghanistan, McChrystal or Obama? You mean the average, ordinary citizen? Oh, our troops. Who’s the bigger hero to our troops in Afghanistan, Obama or McChrystal? (laughing) Come on. That’s not even a question. Well, I don’t know. Petraeus better win this whole thing in a year because we’re gonna start withdrawing next July, July 2011 we’re going to start drawing down. We’ve given a time frame. So Petraeus has a year to pull this off.
Bob in Kalispell, Montana, great to have you on the EIB Network. Hello.
CALLER: Hello, Rush. Big Sky dittos from the entrance to Glacier National Park.
RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much.
CALLER: I have a comment here about — I guess I’m the only one that has thought about this. A few years in the Marine Corps didn’t really make me a military expert, but seems to me that taking the CENTCOM commander and replacing the Afghan commander is a big demotion for Petraeus.
RUSH: Well, in a sense, in a sense it is because a CENTCOM commander, he’s in charge of both Iraq and Afghanistan. Now you’re sending him to Afghanistan to explicitly lead that effort, we’re a four-star short. Demotion, yeah, I can see where you could look at it that way. But I don’t know why Obama would want to demote Petraeus, unless he wants to saddle a loss on Petraeus, unless he wants this thing to be lost and have it be Petraeus’ fault. Well, yeah, you might be asking yourself or he might, Obama might be saying who else can I trust. I don’t know why he trusts Petraeus. I’m not a military guy so I don’t know, but if I had been told that I’m a liar to my face and I think Petraeus is a warrior general. If Petraeus is a corporate general, I was discussing earlier this week, then he’d play in the game and go along with it as it needs to be played, but I always thought Petraeus was a warrior general, his purpose to go out there, kill people and break things, kill bad guys and emerge victorious, that’s what he did with the surge.
And to me the proof that he was a warrior general was the attacks on him by the likes of Obama and Bite Me and Harry Reid and all the others when he showed up to give a preliminary report. Before he even said a word we had that General Betray Us ad from MoveOn.org. There was a vote to condemn that ad, and I’m not sure — no, Obama did not vote to condemn it. That’s right. Obama did not vote to condemn the Betray Us ad. He didn’t vote. He called in sick, or as they say, voted “present.” Hillary voted against the condemnation of the ad. I don’t know what Senator Bite Me did, but there was a vote to condemn the ad, Obama didn’t vote on it. So now Petraeus runs the show and we are a four-star general short at CENTCOM.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I’ll tell you what the spin of Obama is going to be, ’cause we have it here from Chris Matthews. We have what he said prior to Obama speaking this afternoon announcing the fate of General Petraeus, and it’s right along the lines of what I’ve been saying. You’re going to be hearing it all afternoon and all night on cable TV: “What a magnificent guy. He rose to the occasion, Obama did! I mean, he is a huge leader. Why, he is in the same category as Truman and Lincoln. Why, he’s taken control of the situation.” Here’s the spin. This is Chris Matthews. He’s asked by Andrea Mitchell, “Should Obama have even gotten involved in this? Shouldn’t the Pentagon brass have dealt with this McChrystal thing? Why did Obama get involved in it?”
MATTHEWS: The president may benefit here. There is a question that’s been raised in his handling, uh, of the oil spill about chain of command and executive, uh, authority. And here’s a chance for him in a — in a somewhat way or somewhat in a per– in a personnel matter to insist on his role as commander-in-chief in a way that hasn’t been so clear, uhh, during this whole oil spill matter. BP has been the front, uh, institution, not the United States government in this whole horror down there in the Gulf, and I think it’s hurt the president’s standing.
RUSH: “Yeah, he’s let BP run show so now, now he’s on top of things! He took care of McChrystal. It’s going to help him out here. He’s looking like a leader now.” That’s what the spin’s going to be. “Obama finally takes control, Obama finally kicking ass, Obama finally asserting his authority here.” Here is… Let’s see. I don’t want to play this. Well, let’s do it. Here’s a little bit of what Obama said, talking about the resignation of McChrystal. We have some bites. Here’s the first one…
OBAMA: War is bigger than any one man or woman — whether a private, a general, or a president.
RUSH: How big of you.
OBAMA: As difficult as it is to lose General McChrystal, I believe that it is the right decision for our national security. The conduct represented in the recently published article does not meet the standard that should be set by a commanding general. It undermines the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our democratic system, and it erodes the trust that’s necessary for our team to work together to achieve our objectives in Afghanistan.
RUSH: Oh, give me a break. If there’s anything eroding the trust of the team working together it’s you and your administration. Talk to anybody in the military who is a warrior and not some corporate military person, and you’ll hear that exact assessment. Here’s some more of what Obama said…
OBAMA: It is my duty to ensure that no diversion complicates the vital mission that they are carrying out. That includes adherence to a strict code of conduct. Our democracy depends upon institutions that are stronger than individuals. That includes strict adherence to the military chain of command and respect for civilian control over that chain of command. I’ve just told my national security team that now is the time for all of us to come together.
RUSH: Now?
OBAMA: Doing so is not an option but an obligation. I welcome debate among my team, but I won’t tolerate division. All of us have personal interests, all of us have opinions, our politics often fuels conflict, but we have to renew our sense of common purpose and meet our responsibilities to one another and to our troops who are in harm’s way and to our country.
RUSH: Now is the time for all of us to come together? Why are you not together, is the question. Why do you have to come together? Has McChrystal exhibited this kind of rogue behavior before in his career, before Obama came along? Do we know? Here’s another exciting presidential sound bite…
OBAMA: General Petraeus fully participated in our review last fall —
RUSH: Yeah.
OBAMA: — and he both supported and helped design the strategy that we have in place.
RUSH: Stop the tape. It’s the exact strategy that you condemned when it was implemented in Iraq! Recue this. It was the exact strategy you condemned and Hillary Clinton condemned and accused Petraeus of lying when he implemented it for Iraq. And now all of a sudden today he praises it and nobody’s pointing this out. They’re all on the same page. “What a wonderful leader! Obama’s wrested control. He’s finally exhibiting his authority. We’ve finally got him doing what he want, acting like an adult,” blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Well, the real story is here: What the hell is changed about Petraeus? How come Petraeus is the savior now? Back in 2007 he was a worthless loser. Now all of a sudden he can take over the gig!
OBAMA: General Petraeus fully participated in our review last fall, and he both supported and helped design the strategy that we have in place. At his current post at Central Command he has worked closely with our forces in Afghanistan, he has worked closely with Congress, he has worked closely with the Afghan and Pok-ee-stahn governments and with all our partners in the region. He has my full confidence.
RUSH: Yeah, when did that start? No, I want to know. When did that start? Because Obama didn’t say anything indicating he had any confidence in Petraeus back during the Iraq war. Here’s the last bite. I think it’s the last bite we have. Yes thankfully it is the last bite that we have.
OBAMA: We cannot impose a military solution on what has effectively become a civil war, and until we acknowledge that reality, we can send 15,000 more troops, 20,000 more troops, 30,000 more troops. Uh, I don’t know any expert, uh, on the region or any military officer that I’ve spoken to privately, uh, that believes that that is gonna make a substantial difference on the situation on the ground.
RUSH: Well, it made a big difference to McChrystal. That’s a big difference. He didn’t get the boots on the ground that he asked for. He didn’t get the rules of engagement that he was saddled with. But we elected the guy so we live with it. Yip yip yip yip yahoo. Da-da ta-da ta-da.
WWVFD?*
Oh, if only we could exile them and their creation to an isolated North Atlantic iceberg.
Only when a billionaire offers his entire cable-news network to flack your activities and ideas 24/7, do you have a legitimate non-sinister grassroots movement.*
*VcowpieR
Apocalypse Now! Fucking New York Times copies Sadly, No! business model. Gail Collins snarks up McChrystal tweets and it’s actually pretty good! Richard Cohen on danger watch.
Steele/Boehner 2012!
Steele/Boehner
Steele Boehner is totes my new porn name.
Please stop infringing my client’s copyright.
Steele Boehner is totes my new porn name.
Mmmm, no. That one’s taken, sweetheart.
Well, it’s finally over. 70-68.
Mmmm, no. That one’s taken, sweetheart.
Really? I’m sure “Steel Boner” is, but Steele Boehner? Dammit.
Really? I’m sure “Steel Boner” is, but Steele Boehner? Dammit.
We’ll see what my attorney has to say about that.
If human equality is to be forever averted – if the High, as we have called them, are to keep their places permanently – then the prevailing mental condition must be controlled insanity.
There’s only one problem. By definition, you can’t control insanity.
The elites doing the spin and perception don’t realize it, but they’re playing a very dangerous game. Conservatives in the 1930s (both inside and outside Germany) thought they could control Nazism, but they couldn’t. The West thought it could control the crazy fascist regimes in South America, but (Falklands War) that wasn’t completely true either. The foreign corporations and big landowners who created the AUC in Colombia thought they could control it too, but it’s been off the reservation for a while as well.
You can’t just drive people mad with fear and paranoia and then expect them not to react irrationally just because you tell them not to. The politicians, pundits and big money in the GOP have been building the “controlled insanity” thing for the last forty or fifty years, but can they control it forever?
‘Scuse me, but did Rush Limbaugh really say “yip yip yip yip yahoo” on air? WTF?
‘Scuse me, but did Rush Limbaugh really say “yip yip yip yip yahoo” on air? WTF?
I do not know, nor do I want to know.
I do not know, nor do I want to know.
It was at the tail end of the Troofus post… but smart reaction just the same.
‘Scuse me, but did Rush Limbaugh really say “yip yip yip yip yahoo” on air? WTF?
Kind of funny watching the wingers make a big deal of a general who banned Faux News from the TV sets in his HQ.
Kind of funny watching the wingers make a big deal of a general who banned Faux News from the TV sets in his HQ.
I didn’t know that until I read it on PJTV this morning (“waaaa, he was a liberal, well serves him right!”) What was the reason? I mean, I can think of a million good reasons, but what was the official excuse he gave for cutting them out of the loop?
You can’t just drive people mad with fear and paranoia and then expect them not to react irrationally just because you tell them not to. The politicians, pundits and big money in the GOP have been building the “controlled insanity” thing for the last forty or fifty years, but can they control it forever?
I think they can control it as long as they control the message. The problem they’re having now is with all of this corporate malfeasance (world class euphemism right there), the more sane of the right leaning people are wising up to the idiotic idea that trusting a corporation is fiscal suicide. This is the Reagan Revolution blowback, in my opinion. They took it too far, and now we’re suffering the consequences of creating a modern nobility and destroying the middle class. As people figure out that they’ve been ground through the gears of the corporate machine, they start to fall away–net result, Barack Obama. Now they’re left with only the dumbest of the group supporting them, and their attempts to keep that system alive require more and more insane rantings about socialism and the black boogeyman trying to take away their guns and money. In short, no, they can’t control this. If they had backed off before it came to this, they stood a chance. They went all in, and when the cards are shown, they’re going to lose in an ugly way.
I don’t know about on the air but when I get Rush on all fours and start ridin’ his fat white ass, pullin’ his thin hair, and just slappin’ them giant thighs, Yip Yip YIP YIP YAHOO!!!! is something he loves to say.
So he makes me wear a cowboy hat and call him daddy. Wev, I’m making 10k a visit and all the Oxy I can stand.
I didn’t finish that point–when you agitate the gun strokers, that message tends to take a life of its own. Once that message control is gone, trouble invariably ensues. They’ve had a hard time with this since the idea of divine right was debunked–circa 1789. I think it’s time to add a picture of a guillotine to our letterhead.
You can tell rush is gay because he gets a giant boner when he’s blowing Boehner.
And Chris; Start a blog.
Steele Boehner said,
June 24, 2010 at 19:42
Well, I *was* going to eat this Pad Thai…
Surely, T&U, you’ve learned by now not to read the site at lunch time?
I even got out of the boat to look along the straggling conservatives, lining up to the dock looking for work.
That comment section has to NOT be read to be believed.
Well, I *was* going to eat this Pad Thai…
Feel free to pass it over here.
Conservatives in the 1930s (both inside and outside Germany) thought they could control Nazism, but they couldn’t. The West thought it could control the crazy fascist regimes in South America, but (Falklands War) that wasn’t completely true either. The foreign corporations and big landowners who created the AUC in Colombia thought they could control it too, but it’s been off the reservation for a while as well.
Another chilling example of this is the Interhamwe in Rwanda. We ignore that at our peril – the eliminationist rhetoric on the Right is really scarily similar.
From the scroll-trollin’:
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
For the love of Chthulhu, please!
/really wish I had trusted the dancing Badgers.
Surely, T&U, you’ve learned by now not to read the site at lunch time?
I suppose that would be much more reasonable than demanding that everyone avoid posting anything disgusting between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.CDT in case I may be eating.
What? I have erratic eating patterns.
At last, the GOP’s secret strategy to win decisively in November has been revealed:
“Yip yip yip yip yahoo. Da-da ta-da ta-da.”
Bookmark it, libs!
This is the Reagan Revolution blowback, in my opinion. They took it too far, and now we’re suffering the consequences of creating a modern nobility and destroying the middle class. As people figure out that they’ve been ground through the gears of the corporate machine, they start to fall away–net result, Barack Obama. Now they’re left with only the dumbest of the group supporting them, and their attempts to keep that system alive require more and more insane rantings about socialism and the black boogeyman trying to take away their guns and money. In short, no, they can’t control this.
Awful lot of stupid people out there, though. And they’ve tried to keep control of the message by mixing anti-corporate and anti-big-government rhetoric for the last year and a half, by ranting against the bailout and HCR. Look for all the slogans against “big money Democrats” and whatnot.
Thing is, Obama’s reforms and remedies have been moderate enough and accomodating enough towards business that there’s not much of a counter-message from the left. Plus, the bailout perversely stopped the economy from sliding into a depression, which means people still haven’t tasted the real rock bottom of capitalism the way they did during the Depression, and thus, aren’t nearly as mad as they were then. Are these things enough for the right to be able to maintain control of the message? I hope not, but they definitely have a shot.
Here we seem to be coming back to the irony that FDR didn’t destroy capitalism, he saved it, and them from themselves. The malefactors of great wealth were heading toward a gibbet themselves, yeah FDR cut their wealth in half and left them merely affluent instead of burning $100 bills to light cigars, but that’s better than being the first against the wall.
I just need to say, the Goddamn Batman just keeps getting better and better. Just as we may never see “Peak Wingnut”, we may never see “Peak Goddamn Batman”.
Plus, the bailout perversely stopped the economy from sliding into a depression, which means people still haven’t tasted the real rock bottom of capitalism the way they did during the Depression, and thus, aren’t nearly as mad as they were then. Are these things enough for the right to be able to maintain control of the message? I hope not, but they definitely have a shot.
I’m not sure that hitting rock bottom would necessarily make a difference, especially since I think the fascism machine has been primed and readied. If there’s enough ideological commitment to the concept of poor people and brown people taking jobs and destroying the economy by buying houses, it’s not inconceivable that the backlash against capitalism wouldn’t be against the elites, but against the people the elites have been loudly dehumanizing for decades.
Just as we may never see “Peak Wingnut”, we may never see “Peak Goddamn Batman”.
Let’s hope not.
Thing is, Obama’s reforms and remedies have been moderate enough and accomodating enough towards business that there’s not much of a counter-message from the left.
And, yes, if Obama’s remedies are considered to be lefty-ish, even when they’re not, people are going to be less likely to support left-leaning economic policies in the future. People *are* dumb, and ill-informed, and may choose to veer to the right because they think all these “socialist” policies aren’t working.
This is why I get super-pissy about everything. It’s not because I’m some sort of purity troll–it’s because I think the stakes are even higher than some people think.
I’m still trying to talk myself down from this point, BTW, because it makes me feel like a fucking loon and it depresses me, but I haven’t been able to yet.
OFA members are encouraged to do “something” to promote the agenda of the President every week. Emails with the subject, “What are you doing this weekend?” and, “What did you do this week?” are routine….
The elections in November of this year are going to be hard races and a large and dedicated group of people are already engaged in the battle. Are you?
FANATIC!
HA HA I have devealed your agenda and replaced it with mushrooms. Now it is a vegetarian agenda.
So THAT’S why my papers keep falling out!
“We need to make that viral as well. They know it is key. We need to cultivate over all Democrats from the ground up.”
I think he means culture.
I didn’t know that until I read it on PJTV this morning (“waaaa, he was a liberal, well serves him right!”) What was the reason? I mean, I can think of a million good reasons, but what was the official excuse he gave for cutting them out of the loop?
Don’t recall ever seeing an official reason, but this guy was SpecOps and placed a lot of importance on understanding the Afghan population, so one can see how having senior officers watching FN might not promote that agenda.
I’m not sure that hitting rock bottom would necessarily make a difference, especially since I think the fascism machine has been primed and readied. If there’s enough ideological commitment to the concept of poor people and brown people taking jobs and destroying the economy by buying houses, it’s not inconceivable that the backlash against capitalism wouldn’t be against the elites, but against the people the elites have been loudly dehumanizing for decades.
Oy, good point. They do have a way of voting for things, watching them fail and then blaming them on “these people” (who most generally voted against them).
And, yes, if Obama’s remedies are considered to be lefty-ish, even when they’re not, people are going to be less likely to support left-leaning economic policies in the future.
Yeah, that’s probably what drives me craziest. To hear Obama called a socialist when he’s to the right of most 20th century presidents is driving me insane. HCR was a choice between a far-right status quo and a center-right “reform” which owes more to Lieberman than it does to Obama and in which almost every liberal reform was scooped out by right-wingers before it was allowed to pass. There never was a liberal bill, so the whole “this is a terrible bill and it proves liberals suck” thing is beyond nuts.
I’m still trying to talk myself down from this point, BTW, because it makes me feel like a fucking loon and it depresses me, but I haven’t been able to yet.
Let me know if you manage, I’d like to talk myself down too. So far it’s not working.
especially since I think the fascism machine has been primed and readied
That whole business of “Dems gonna ban our guns” was really just a beard for “Race Riots and Civil WAR BITCHEZ!!!11!”
I’m seeing gun shops with signs announcing the reappearance of .380 ammo after a long absence. Google ammo shortage and see who shows up.
They fully & honestly expected First Brother Barry X to go 10 point plan on the nation and they looked forward to it with glee.
The Road: A Wingnut Utopian Travelogue.
And, yes, if Obama’s remedies are considered to be lefty-ish, even when they’re not, people are going to be less likely to support left-leaning economic policies in the future.
Yeah, Obama is not nearly liberal enough for me but I know that he and his policies are how the majority of the country will rate “liberalism” for the rest of their lives. 80% of the country (note: figure pulled from ass) has no conceptual idea what “liberal” and “conservative” mean and can only judge based on real world examples of people they know exemplify these things.
It will suck being in the “yeah the Democratic trifecta of 2008-20XX was a real failure but it’s because they weren’t liberal enough!” camp of no-true-scotsman because it’s what all failed ideologies do when they fail.
Even though it will be true. Liberals wanted a bigger stimulus. An end to the wars. Universal health care or at least a decent public option plan. Banks turned back into stable and boring utilities instead of high stakes casinos. Big business compelled to stop wrecking shit. A fix for climate change. The problems that could fuck society’s shit up won’t be because we made progress in any of these areas, but because we didn’t make enough progress in them.
But it will be all liberalism’s fault it wasn’t able to clean up conservativism’s fucking mess.
Oy, good point. They do have a way of voting for things, watching them fail and then blaming them on “these people” (who most generally voted against them).
Yeah, and the right-wing propaganda machine is a serious, serious problem here. I mean, when a large portion of people believe that it’s an irrefutable fact that the housing collapse was engineered by Democrats who wanted to give loans to irresponsible poor people, it’s not that hard to imagine a political system that scapegoats them for even more severe economic failures.
Let me know if you manage, I’d like to talk myself down too. So far it’s not working.
I will. I get a “holy fuck, the future is going to be a completely apocalyptic shitshow” feeling at least once a day, and it’s not particularly good for my mental health.
So you’re saying she’s not just really dedicated to her craft… 🙁
I get really depressed about this kind of thing, too. I mean, I’m glad Obama’s prez and all, but the fact is that the American people are–by and large–lazy, stupid and uninformed. They also have short attention spans. This makes a perfect breeding ground for soundbite politics, which–I’m sorry–conservatives have always mastered. It’s only a matter of time before they bamboozle the public again. I mean, look at the havoc they caused during the healthcare debate…I keep thinking this country is evolving. Sometimes I’m not so sure.
VS, it’s not just soundbite politics. It’s the effective, albeit completely distorted, renaming of things, as in “death tax” and “right to life.”
First, I second the recommendation of Chris starting a blog — dude always has great insights and love reading his stuff.
Now, on topic (a bit):
The problem is that they keep preaching the message to the already converted—even if the message changes depending on whether or not the GOP is in power (e.g., “Deficits don’t matter!” from 2001 – 2008, to “WE MUST STOP SPENDING!!” in 2009 – 2010).
But what’s most useful in controlling their message is to ensure most folks pay no attention to politics whatsoever. The upper class knows that if people start paying attention—to how the top 1% have continually horded wealth, how the gap between rich and poor has grown since the Reagan Idiotic Economic Ideas began, etc.—then the upper class is screwed.
So they have to keep everyone occupied with “Dancing with the Stars,” “American Idol,” the latest missing white girl, etc. It’s the Shiny Object Syndrome, and they use it well.
The shows on TV haven’t gotten dumber on accident, nor has lessening the focus on real education in favor of pointless testing.
They want Americans to be stupid—it’s the only way they can protect their power and income.
80% of the country (note: figure pulled from ass) has no conceptual idea what “liberal” and “conservative” mean and can only judge based on real world examples of people they know exemplify these things.
This is the genius of dismantling the public education system, dominating alternative media, and neutering mainstream newsmedia…sure, there are plenty of nasty short-term effects, but the long-term effects are what are really destroying our democracy.
And, again, this is why I get pissy at moderate Dems who want me to sit down and shut up and follow the party line. They’re considering the elections, the immediate future, and the importance of incremental progress…which is reasonable, but I can’t help feeling it’s wrong.
I just realized I haven’t talked about my boobs for, like, three days. Weird.
Oh yeah. Outright lies, black is white, up is down…. *bangs head on desk*
VS, it’s not just soundbite politics. It’s the effective, albeit completely distorted, renaming of things, as in “death tax” and “right to life.”
The shows on TV haven’t gotten dumber on accident, nor has lessening the focus on real education in favor of pointless testing.
They want Americans to be stupid—it’s the only way they can protect their power and income.
Yes. And again, I’m probably going to sound crazy, but I don’t think I’m wrong. This shit isn’t some accident. It isn’t just disagreements among reasonable people. It’s a widescale attempt at destroying democracy and any semblance of equality in this country. Another thing I’m not sure a lot of reasonable moderates get
Christ, start a blog!!! Give in to the peer pressure! All the cool kids are doing it. (Or in the case of my pal Breitbart and me, all the fucking idiots are doing it.)
Whoops. Meant “Chris.” I’m sure Jesus is busy doing other stuff like making sure America wins the World Cup.
Thing is, Obama’s reforms and remedies have been moderate enough and accomodating enough towards business that there’s not much of a counter-message from the left. Plus, the bailout perversely stopped the economy from sliding into a depression, which means people still haven’t tasted the real rock bottom of capitalism the way they did during the Depression, and thus, aren’t nearly as mad as they were then. Are these things enough for the right to be able to maintain control of the message? I hope not, but they definitely have a shot.
Obama is as good as complicit in this whole goddamn thing. He starts at the center and lets those dumbfuck sockpuppet congress members drag him right back to Reaganomics. There was never any talk of health care reform. There was battlefield first aid and a shot of morphine given to health care, and that’s the extent of it. It was also left on the field to take an errant mortar round in the future, which I predict it will, fairly soon.
The problem is plainly and simply guts. There IS no countermeasure employed against these people because there is no conduit for such a measure anymore. I often wonder how bad it has to get before people decide that big business is not their friend, and that people who talk a big game and don’t deliver don’t need to be coddled and shielded with bullshit excuses and fear of provoking a violent response. I don’t know why we don’t hear on a daily basis that things like Enron, the financial collapse, the BP spill, WorldCom, Comcast–all a DIRECT result of deregulation. People still think that regulation hurts all businesses. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that regulation protects the consumer and honest businesses–like the small businesses that politicians love to lick and stroke and then assfuck with no reacharound.
Obama is as good as complicit in this whole goddamn thing. He starts at the center and lets those dumbfuck sockpuppet congress members drag him right back to Reaganomics.
Reaganomics are the center these days, darlin’.
And, again, this is why I get pissy at moderate Dems who want me to sit down and shut up and follow the party line. They’re considering the elections, the immediate future, and the importance of incremental progress…which is reasonable, but I can’t help feeling it’s wrong.
Oh god, I hear you there. Moderate is just another name for opportunistic bullshit artist. Calling oneself a moderate is hanging a for sale sign around the neck. I don’t buy this incremental bullshit for a fucking second. I’d call it cowardice, but then why would these assholes bite the hand that feeds them? The retribution from that hand it pretty devastating when it decides to strike.
look, let’s just call it a front-butt, OK?
OK!!
It was also left on the field to take an errant mortar round in the future, which I predict it will, fairly soon.
Um, yeah. Because this? NOT FUCKING SCARY ENOUGH.
It’s a fucking joke. And we can blame Republicans for hijacking the process all we want, but this “reform” not only was TERRIBLE, but also politically retarded, at least in the long run. (Yes, fuck you Rahm. It was retarded).
Reaganomics are the center these days, darlin’.
Fucking disgusting. You’re right.
Obama is as good as complicit in this whole goddamn thing. He starts at the center and lets those dumbfuck sockpuppet congress members drag him right back to Reaganomics
Totally. The entire year that the HCR debate was going on, the image going on in my head was that of being at those open-air street markets in the Arab world; you never ever start by offering the price you actually want. Always start ridiculously low, and then haggle your way up to the price you actually wanted (or thereabouts).
Turning HCR over to Baucus was starting at the center, which is why I was banging my head against the wall and going “does this idiot know anything about politics AT ALL?”
I just realized I haven’t talked about my boobs for, like, three days. Weird.
My god, you’re right. I apologize to your neglected boobs.
Moderate is just another name for opportunistic bullshit artist.
Yeah, but see…now they’re calling themselves liberals and progressives…
They may not be “moderates,” they may just be Obama taint-lickers, but I can’t be arsed to determine the difference.
Oh god, I hear you there. Moderate is just another name for opportunistic bullshit artist. Calling oneself a moderate is hanging a for sale sign around the neck. I don’t buy this incremental bullshit for a fucking second. I’d call it cowardice, but then why would these assholes bite the hand that feeds them? The retribution from that hand it pretty devastating when it decides to strike.
Some are, but plenty are people who really don’t think shit is that bad, and another 8 years of Clinton style DLC centrism is all it will take to repair the “moderate” damage the Bushies did. You know, a few regulatory tweaks, a few less crazy judges, maybe raise taxes on the richest 0.1% by 0.1% and we’ll be fine.
They are the nearly boiled frogs, but if we can persuade them to start hopping we might get somewhere.
Um, yeah. Because this? NOT FUCKING SCARY ENOUGH.
I like that–Obama “warns” them.
Their response: Or else what, bitch?
Totally. The entire year that the HCR debate was going on, the image going on in my head was that of being at those open-air street markets in the Arab world; you never ever start by offering the price you actually want. Always start ridiculously low, and then haggle your way up to the price you actually wanted (or thereabouts).
NO YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU’LL RUIN EVERYTHING BY DEMANDING MORE THAN YOU WANT.
And maybe we’re just all beaten down and afraid because of the hell that was the Bush years. But really? Not a fucking excuse.
My god, you’re right. I apologize to your neglected boobs.
Hey, no big deal. It was just…something was off, you know?
They are the nearly boiled frogs, but if we can persuade them to start hopping we might get somewhere.
Perhaps we can find new ways to “motivate” them.
Keeping the Star Wars theme…
The only differences between Obama and Bush are oratory style, and whether it’s the wingnuts or liberals who call him Hitler *or* refuse to criticize him (because that would help THE OTHER SIDE!!!1OMG)
Obama is escalating the war on Afghanistan – the longest war in American history – is giving trillions from your pocket to the big banks – and is letting BP get away with the worst environmental disaster in American history.
This kind of evil – above and beyond what Bush ever did – is possible because voices of dissent was co-opted by Obama’s marketing campaign, which won “Marketer of the Year” award.
Oooh, errant comma splice up there. Probably some other shit, too. My grammar goes out the window when I get cranky…
(because that would help THE OTHER SIDE!!!1OMG)
Yeah, um, politics aren’t a fucking team sport, folks, at least not in my world.
Hey, no big deal. It was just…something was off, you know?
I hope it’s your shirt
Perhaps we can find new ways to “motivate” them.
I don’t share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
I don’t share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
I would so hate to be that guy. I want to be Obama’s Darth Vader.
I hope it’s your shirt
Yes, but I have two sad-face pasties on to indicate the neglect my boobs have felt.
I don’t share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
Um, yeah, me neither. And I’m going to bring up the moderate purity troll argument I made a couple of weeks ago–they’re just as firm in their belief that they’re right as any hardcore rightwinger, and things would have to be SUBSTANTIALLY worse and probably affect them personally in order for them to realize what’s going on.
I would so hate to be that guy. I want to be Obama’s Darth Vader.
I want Obama to have a Darth Vader. Alternatively, I also want to be Darth Vader (for whoever). Ever notice him doing the Bill Clinton liberal thumb gesture in the second movie?
that was the first thing that popped into my head, too.
Oh my!
Prick up your ears, indeed.
HA!
I just realized I haven’t talked about my boobs for, like, three days. Weird.
But they were always on my mind…they were always on my mind.
TruculentandUnreliable said,
they’re just as firm
Are we still talking about boobs?
Not a VeiledEarmuffReference, sadly.
The Ten Point Plan, slightly adujsted:
1 WE WANT FREEDOM. WE WANT POWER TO DETERMINE THE DESTINY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
2 WE WANT FULL EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE.
3 WE WANT AN END TO THE ROBBERY BY THE CAPITALISTS OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
4 WE WANT DECENT HOUSING, FIT FOR THE SHELTER OF HUMAN BEINGS.
5 WE WANT DECENT EDUCATION FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT EXPOSES THE TRUE NATURE OF THIS DECADENT AMERICAN SOCIETY. WE WANT EDUCATION THAT TEACHES US OUR TRUE HISTORY AND OUR ROLE IN THE PRESENT-DAY SOCIETY.
6 WE WANT COMPLETELY FREE HEALTH CARE FOR All PEOPLE.
7 WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND MURDER OF All PEOPLE INSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
8 WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO ALL WARS OF AGGRESSION.
9 WE WANT FREEDOM FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE NOW HELD IN U. S. FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, CITY AND MILITARY PRISONS AND JAILS. WE WANT TRIALS BY A JURY OF PEERS FOR All PERSONS CHARGED WITH SO-CALLED CRIMES UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY.
10 WE WANT LAND, BREAD, HOUSING, EDUCATION, CLOTHING, JUSTICE, PEACE AND PEOPLE’S COMMUNITY CONTROL OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY.
And it better be Ciabatta, bitches.
Bloody Romans. What have they ever done for us?
But they were always on my mind…they were always on my mind.
That’s sweet, albeit creepy.
10 WE WANT LAND, BREAD,* HOUSING
*GLUTEN-FREE FOR THOSE WHO REQUIRE IT.
Fixoooored!
That’s sweet, albeit creepy.
(it was an Elvis song reference)
Just the vibe I like to give!
(/stares at a point about 4 inches to the side of your head)
Oh, I think you are throwing away a lot of stuff that you could be recycling.
I always sum up my political aspirations with simply a healthy, educated and free society.
None of that includes much of what has happened in the last 30 years since it has become fashionable to be a subhuman idiot redneck asshole.
11) WE WANT SOME HOOTERS ON THOSE NYMPHS!!!
And it better be Ciabatta, bitches.
Yes….
See, that doesn’t sound unreasonable to me.
I’m sure Jesus is busy doing other stuff like making sure America wins the World Cup.
I love soccer Jesus.
The reality of the situation is, history is full of leaders who people considered smart, like Hitler. So when leftist supporters of Obama say that their leader is smart, it is important to remember that leftist supporters of Hitler said the same thing.
Intellectuals often times want to see the downfall of a country, and this is one of those times. Stupid people are often jealous of successful people, and it is important to note that Hitler used these people to do evil deeds. Supporters of Obama may be leading people down this same path.
(it was an Elvis song reference)
The voice in my brain was Willie Nelson, sorry.
Hooters, nymph
(it was an Elvis song reference)
Heh. I know. And actually, I’ve always thought the song itself was creepy, anyway.
Oh, I think you are throwing away a lot of stuff that you could be recycling.
Hey, while you’re going through my trash, do you mind checking to see if there’s a parking ticket in there? I think I accidentally threw it out.
Point well-made, sir!!! Supporting Obama is exactly like supporting Hitler!
make furious love to and repeat to everyone in earshot?
VmoneyshotR
I fail to see what this has to do with stolen currency.
Tom Sowell said,
June 24, 2010 at 21:36
VHAT IS THIS MAN DOING HERE!?!
BAAAAHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stupid people are often jealous of successful people, and it is important to note that Hitler used these people to do evil deeds. Supporters of Obama may be leading people down this same path.
Oh just stop, Obama is not using you for your jealousy. It’s for your sweet ass.
The voice in my brain was Willie Nelson, sorry.
Especially the Willie Nelson version.
Oh just stop, Obama is not using you for your jealousy. It’s for your sweet ass.
I thought Obama was only into throats…
Hooters, nymph
This always reminds me of a review of the film “Sirens” (starring Elle Macpherson) that suggested “Hooters” as a more appropriate title.
10 WE WANT LAND, BREAD,* HOUSING
20 GOTO 10
…sorry, old Commodore PET flashback there.
I thought Obama was only into throats…
Like Hitler, he’s willing to anschluss any target.
Tom Sowell said,
Intellectuals often times want to see the downfall of a country
Dammit, that was supposed to be a secret. Who talked about Fight Club?
I remember that film! My dad became a bit of an Elle MacPherson fan after seeing it.
The working class and the employing class have nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things of life.
Oops.
Obviously, I’m having trouble getting the hang of this whole “changing nyms” thing. Somehow “retard” now seems oddly fitting.
The reality of the situation is, history is full of leaders who people considered smart, like Hitler. So when leftist supporters of Obama say that their leader is smart, it is important to remember that leftist supporters of Hitler said the same thing.
That’s why it’s important for both supporters and critics of a political leader to regard said leader as stupid.
OMG! I understand wingnut logic now.
Head.hurts.
Must.lie.down.now.
10 WE WANT LAND, BREAD,* HOUSING
20 GOTO 10
…sorry, old Commodore PET flashback there.
NERD!
But seriously, I snorted.
Intellectuals often times want to see the downfall of a country musician.
That’s why it’s important for both supporters and critics of a political leader to regard said leader as stupid.
OMG! I understand wingnut logic now.
Head.hurts.
Must.lie.down.now.
That, and the fact that I’ve seen as much criticism of Obama here and on other left wing blogs (including from prominent liberals like Paul Krugman) as I’ve seen from any wingnut. I’ve certainly seen more intelligent and perceptive criticism here than I have from any wingnut. (And this is a humor site).
Contrary to their perception, we don’t have any qualms at all about criticizing the man we voted for when we think he’s wrong. It’s only the right that endlessly equates criticism of the C-in-C with treason, aid and comfort, and all the rest of that shit.
You know, Hitler was known far and wide as a biped. If they were serious about fighting fascism they would cut off a leg. Or grow another one, that would work too I guess.
And your big, sexy, accommodating throats.
Say what you will about Hitler, but the man did have a fetching sense of style.
This always reminds me of a review of the film “Sirens” (starring Elle Macpherson) that suggested “Hooters” as a more appropriate title.
Much like the film adaptation of The
InterminableUnbearable Lightness of Being, I couldn’t help but think, “This is a tit-flick, masquerading as an art-house drama.”Years later, I couldn’t help but think the same thing about The Dreamers– when I saw it in the theater, I thanked my lucky stars that my girlfriend decided what movie to see (I had figured The Triplets of Belleville would have been a safer bet).
That, and the fact that I’ve seen as much criticism of Obama here and on other left wing blogs (including from prominent liberals like Paul Krugman) as I’ve seen from any wingnut. I’ve certainly seen more intelligent and perceptive criticism here than I have from any wingnut. (And this is a humor site).
Contrast that with the continual wingnut fellating of Bush, even after the shit was up for “compassionate conservatism”.
*snort*
Say what you will about Hitler, but the man did have a fetching sense of style.
But that mustache was ridiculous. Stalin, now there was a man with a classy mustache. And a classier uniform than Hitler’s too. Actually, a much more elegant person in my opinion.
(Yes, I know. I’m a communist).
I forget which novel it was of P.G. Wodehouse’s but there was a line “Hitler, they thought, had reached a crossroads. He must either grow out a full mustache or shave it off.”
But that mustache was ridiculous
Hey!
So Sowell is advocating for stupid leaders? Fits.
So Sowell is advocating for stupid leaders? Fits.
Sowell has a disdain for intellectuals. Which makes sense if you follow the progression of his thought process:
A) Sowell is employed as an intellectual at the Hoover Institute.
B) Sowell hasn’t had an original or compelling thought in years (or ever).
C) Therefore, all intellectuals are equally worthless.
That’s another thing. The health care debate proved that conservatives (and libertarians) have absolutely nothing of value to add to any civic debate on important policy questions. The useful debate was between the Yglesias/Klein/Silver centre-lefties and the FDL/Ian Welsh/Michael Moore leftie-lefties as to the specifics of the plan, how it work, where it might fail, how to improve it ect.
As a matter of political strategy we ended up with something right of/worse than the Yglesias wonk types would have done, but still the only worthwhile debate in HCR was the “Single payer vs subsidized market” debate.
Same goes for climate change. Carbon tax vs cap and trade is a useful debate and neither is acceptable to conservatives, so they’re again uselessly mired in “it isn’t happening so why solve it” hysterics.
Not a VeiledEarmuffReference, sadly.
I know that Kliban cartoon.
Same goes for climate change. Carbon tax vs cap and trade is a useful debate and neither is acceptable to conservatives, so they’re again uselessly mired in “it isn’t happening so why solve it” hysterics.
Yeah, I mean…not changing anything? Not a solution. There seems to be this insane belief that if we keep doing what we’re doing, but even in a purer form, then everything will be solved magically. Or, you know, they don’t give a fuck about solving anything, which is equally likely.
The health care debate proved that conservatives (and libertarians) have absolutely nothing of value to add to any civic debate on important policy questions.
I haven’t seen any serious offering of solutions from conservatives to ANYTHING this country’s faced since January 2009. It certainly amazes me that a whole past administration full of oil men (plus the sefl-proclaimed oil expert, Sister Sarah) have absolutely nothing to offer to solve the problem in the gulf. Unlike Sister Sarah, Bush at least has had the decency to STFU.
I bring that up because one of the things that makes me grit my teeth is seeing liberals who write “yes well it’s unfortunate today’s conservatives are so crazy because sensible thoughtful conservatives are needed to provide a counterpoint to liberals…”
No, they’re really not and there really never were any sensible thoughtful conservatives to speak of. To the extent they ever exist, it’s because the overton window constrains them to try and look sane. Even Eisenhower was bitching about stupid people trying to kill social security in his day, which was also the era of Joe McCarthy and Vice-President Nixon.
The left is fractuous and contentious enough to provide plenty of debate and disagreement without having raving lunatics propose giving pilots guns to prevent hijackings or whatever variant of burning the village to save it they’re in favour of that week.
I bring that up because one of the things that makes me grit my teeth is seeing liberals who write “yes well it’s unfortunate today’s conservatives are so crazy because sensible thoughtful conservatives are needed to provide a counterpoint to liberals…”
DING DING DING DING DING! I don’t mind having a debate as long as it’s not about, you know, DUMB FUCKING SHIT.
It’s like saying, “Yeah, even though we’re trying to roll up our sleeves and build shit, we have three-year-olds telling us about their dogs and their poopies. What we really need is Aspie 12-year-olds interrupting constantly to talk about Boba Fet. Hey, they might be willing to hold the hammer every once in a while for us while they yammer on about pointless shit.”
It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not only for everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on production when capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.
No, they’re really not and there really never were any sensible thoughtful conservatives to speak of. To the extent they ever exist, it’s because the overton window constrains them to try and look sane.
Only just enough to appear that they have table manners when they attend Georgetown parties.
Related: I like the word “shit.”
And, let’s be honest: it’s not just that conservatives are batshit and without solutions, it’s also that they’re generally ill-informed, shallow thinkers. It’s not just that they’re constrained by ideology from coming up with solutions–it’s that they’re often not smart or well-informed enough to come up with solutions. It is, by far, much easier to say, “DECREASE TAXES!” during any discussion of economics than it is to, like, you know, *read* shit or, even worse, admit you don’t know WTF you’re talking about.
I’ve always thought the song itself was creepy, anyway
I don’t know about creepy, but kind of pathetic. It makes me think of the guy going back to his faithful second choice when the chick he was after moved on.
Though I bet any number of women have hummed it to themselves while making excuses for their man’s bad love.
So yeah, that makes it creepy.
But still not as creepy as “I’ll be watching you”, though it is an awesome song.
do you mind checking to see if there’s a parking ticket in there?
Erm, its sort of become a centerpoint for your shrine. But, and I hope I’m not crossing any lines here, I can assure you that cop will NOT make it to court when you contest it!
I hope everyone’s checked out Roy Edroso’s latest find.
I haven’t seen any serious offering of solutions from conservatives to ANYTHING this country’s faced since
January 2009.the beginning of written history.Fixed!
But still not as creepy as “I’ll be watching you”, though it is an awesome song.
Quite true.
Erm, its sort of become a centerpoint for your shrine. But, and I hope I’m not crossing any lines here, I can assure you that cop will NOT make it to court when you contest it!
Hey, that’s cool…I just wanted to make sure my car didn’t get towed. It’s quite reasonable that any shrine dedicated to me would include parking tickets. And empty inhalers.
How quickly we forget the Infant Candy Confiscation Act.
By organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.
Marxist chest-bursters!
I hope everyone’s checked out Roy Edroso’s latest find.
Amazeballs.
This is, like, say the what now???! ” I think it was David Brooks who once remarked that all college towns are the same place. He was thinking of the identical feeling that one gets in places from Berkeley, California, to Madison, Wisconsin—the similar coffee shops, the carbon-copy bookstores, the indistinguishable attitude of smug correctness.”
As opposed to suburbia, where there are all sorts of quaint restaurants and independently-owned establishments, such as Applebee’s and Toys R Us. Or rural areas, where there are fast food joints, junk shops, and, if you’re lucky, some weird diner with no non-smoking section that serves frozen pie.
Also, “Bottum.” Heh.
How quickly we forget the Infant Candy Confiscation Act.
Good point! How is a baby ever going to become a Randian Superman (or at least become attractive enough to marry one) when it is being coddled all the time. And if it was wanted to have candy, it would have done its due dilligence and made sure to be born to rich parents who could protect its candy. It should not be rewarded for its laziness.
How quickly we forget the Infant Candy Confiscation Act.
Even that they only did because the dental lobby bought them off in hopes of drumming up new customers.
Why do you think they’re so against flouride in the water? Damn dentists. Worse than a tobacco company run by Hitler.
Bottum is totes cribbing from Tom Wolfe, by the way.
Jesus Christ, that book was a fucking hunk of shit.
College let her down.
um, maybe it was the lack of proper sex ed?
Y’know, like where babies come from and how to use a condom?
If she’d studied harder she would have found out about the gay abortions.
um, maybe it was the lack of proper sex ed?
As a former naive girl from the windswept plains who made it to college, had sex, and managed not to get “knocked up,” I’d say that’s probably the case.
You know what makes me saddest? I’ll bet the sex she had to get pregnant wasn’t even any good anyway. Depressing.
See, that doesn’t sound unreasonable to me.
Apparently that is now called Hitlersocalisms. No longer reasonable, meaning national security and global workplace competitiveness, entrepreneurship, advancement of ideas and thought, peace and justice are also Hiltersocelism.
She knew enough not to have an abortion—the pro-life creed is almost the only one that kids get, anymore, even out in the rural areas—but she didn’t have the sense or the character to keep it from happening in the first place, and nobody else was looking after her.
Apparently they don’t learn about contraception, either. He’s pretty callous to dismiss her as senseless and without character, but if she is, whose fault would that be – are wingnuts now letting parents off the hook? “Nobody else looking after her” – where are her parents, did she not attend a church and have a spiritual adviser?
The cost of a small state school’s embarrassment, of its hunger to be just like everywhere else
Oh, horseshit!! It’s called tailoring your product to your market!
the knocked-up, messed-up young women who were thrown to the wolfish boys, unconstrained by either manners or morals.
So, wait, the student body was composed of naive young girls from the ranches and wolfish boys. Where do the wolfish boys come from? I would presume they come from the same ranches the naive young girls come from, at a small-town Lutheran college in a conservative Western state? With the same upbringing, I would presume.
So I guess what he’s saying is that Conservative child-rearing principles have drastically failed the young people they are raising.
I think any idea that is imbued with any sense of compassion is Hitlersocialism. AmIrite?
Sounds like this person doesn’t think too highly of boys. See how misogyny often manages to insult both sexes?
Even out at a minor western state university, there’s no supervision, no moral code, no help.
And no parental or personal responsibility because hey, COLLEGE TOWN.
College would have been so much better if I’d had my parents following me from class to class.
Even out at a minor western state university, there’s no supervision, no moral code, no help.
Outside world! Scary!
I think any idea that is imbued with any sense of compassion is Hitlersocialism. AmIrite?
That’s thinking with your goat…se
Absolutely.
(Historical trivia time: Stalin was once arrested in drag, hopefully without the mustache. He was trying to disguise himself while attending a benefit for Pravda in 1913.)
That’s hot.
Btw…new episodes of Futurama start tonight on comedy central. Anyone else as giddy as I am?
See how misogyny often manages to insult both sexes?
Thinking about this, it occurs to me that this is true of all forms of bigotry. Good observation.
Absolutely. And athankee.
I think any idea that is imbued with any sense of compassion is Hitlersocialism. AmIrite?
Yeah, you are. But you don’t even HAVE to look at it in a compassionate sense. It’s a matter of national security and competitiveness in the market place.
If you’re not down with health and education, then we can just forfeit to the other rapidly developing nations.
I hope that insulting both sexes does not in itself make me a form of bigotry.
There is a second position?
Going back on what I’ve missed –
I haven’t seen any serious offering of solutions from conservatives to ANYTHING this country’s faced since January 2009. It certainly amazes me that a whole past administration full of oil men (plus the sefl-proclaimed oil expert, Sister Sarah) have absolutely nothing to offer to solve the problem in the gulf. Unlike Sister Sarah, Bush at least has had the decency to STFU.
Yes.
I bring that up because one of the things that makes me grit my teeth is seeing liberals who write “yes well it’s unfortunate today’s conservatives are so crazy because sensible thoughtful conservatives are needed to provide a counterpoint to liberals…”
No, they’re really not and there really never were any sensible thoughtful conservatives to speak of. To the extent they ever exist, it’s because the overton window constrains them to try and look sane. Even Eisenhower was bitching about stupid people trying to kill social security in his day, which was also the era of Joe McCarthy and Vice-President Nixon.
Yes. And
And, let’s be honest: it’s not just that conservatives are batshit and without solutions, it’s also that they’re generally ill-informed, shallow thinkers. It’s not just that they’re constrained by ideology from coming up with solutions–it’s that they’re often not smart or well-informed enough to come up with solutions. It is, by far, much easier to say, “DECREASE TAXES!” during any discussion of economics than it is to, like, you know, *read* shit or, even worse, admit you don’t know WTF you’re talking about.
another yes.
“If you’re not down with health and education, then we can just forfeit to the other rapidly developing nations.”
I think you’re right. And I also think wingnuts would happily see this country become third world if they could preserve their own status. Heck I think some would even suffer before they approved of anything that might benefit the many.
Btw…new episodes of Futurama start tonight on comedy central. Anyone else as giddy as I am?
I am, but its mostly from spinning around in circles in my chair. Wheeee!!!
Or maybe its the glue.
Anyway, hopefully I will get to see it after volleyball.
Have you seen Archer yet?
I have. I’m a big H Jon Benjamin fan. Good stuff. 🙂
Republican Party history, after Lincoln’s death, is pretty much shit all the way through. There was a brief three decades (1952-1980) in which they accepted the New Deal, and yes, you can look back fondly on that if you want. But when the only productive thing a party’s done in the last hundred and thirty years is to adopt (temporarily) the platform of the other party, I think it’s fair to say that party is completely out of things to contribute and needs to quit.
(Besides, during those thirty years as TTF points out, they still managed to bring us McCarthy and Nixon, as well as the “let’s start overthrowing democracies in the third world” platform. And unbelievably, they actually abandoned civil rights, the only good part of their platform).
It’s become a cliche, but yes, let’s have two parties; the Democrats, and a left-wing party. The Dems are to the right of almost every other mainstream-right party in the free world, so I don’t think it would upset the balance.
QOTD, on how to detect a broken economy:
I think you’re right. And I also think wingnuts would happily see this country become third world if they could preserve their own status. Heck I think some would even suffer before they approved of anything that might benefit the many.
What would it take? Being a servant in the home of a benefactor of their “please rape my butt” politics? Probably not–servants tended to have it slightly better than the rest of the peasantry. They would ride this mentality straight to hell.
This one’s been making the rounds in Socialest Blogistan: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/21/2033746/party-of-parasites-author-took.html#ixzz0rhby8h4l
I’d call it hypocrisy, but I think that hypocrisy has to have some shadow of self-awareness.
“And I also think wingnuts
would happilyare doing everything they can to see this country become third worldif they couldcause they think it’s the best way to preserve their own status.”Fixed.
This one’s been making the rounds in Socialest Blogistan: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/21/2033746/party-of-parasites-author-took.html#ixzz0rhby8h4l
Yeah, I saw that. Fucking Raytown. Jesus Christ.
re: Unbearable Lightness of Being, one of my favorite literary smackdowns ever:
(I think the book’s not that bad, FWIW; apologies for the long copypasta.)
And so you lend her books that are funny, playful, and good subway reading, but also complex enough to hint at your Hidden Depths.
Yet Samuel Beckett’s “Murphy” did nothing!
Or so I hear.
This is because Bush really doesn’t give a fuck. About anything not directly involved with massaging his large, turgid, fully erect, ego.
Yeah, I saw that. Fucking Raytown. Jesus Christ.
Talking Pants Memo has it up. I think it’s a good thing to hammer these closet socialists as much as possible, no?
About anything not directly involved with massaging his large, turgid, fully erect, ego.
The “doesn’t give a fuck” I agree with. But ego? I think it was more about serving the royal families he grew up amongst. That boy was an aristocratic toady through and through, all that brush clearin’ aside.
About anything not directly involved with massaging his large, turgid, fully erect, ego.
Actually, I think Bush was about ego, but not a massive, turgid fully erect one. I think inside Bush is a scared little man, always wondering why Mom liked Jeb better.
I think inside Bush is a scared little man, always wondering why Mom liked Jeb better.
Fair enough. And, yes, a little man of little substance. Perfect toady material.
300th?
300th?
Oh, just look at you, Mr Importantpants.
Oh, just look at you, Mr Importantpants.
I know… bites that I couldn’t think of something clever to say about Sparta or some shit.
Good luck with Xerxes, Xecky. All the Konservative Keyboard Kommandoes will have your back.
I think his constant rushing to get through doors before other people always perfectly illustrated his vastly inflated sense of self-importance.
And his very small tool set.
Milan Kundera is the Dave Matthews of Slavic letters
OK, so what is the hatred of Dave Matthews in the hipster circles? Once upon a time there were songs I didn’t like because of his high voice in them, but those eventually grew on me. He writes great, original pieces, complex lyrics and themes in the lyrics, and mixes up the rhythms in his songs in a way I wish more people would. The Dave Matthews Band is full of excellent musicians that can shift styles easily.
So what gives? Did it just become cool to hate on him?
Note this is solely based on The Dave Matthews Band, not any of the solo stuff.
BREAKING!!
Mickey Kaus Update:
I don’t hate Date Matthews but I certainly don’t get Dave Matthews.
Most of his songs to me sound like they should be background music at a frat party.
Most of them have been.
He’s a really nice guy, and has some amazingly talented players in the band. I can watch Carter play all day long. Solo. Drums.
That said, a lot of it does seem like wankery sometimes, even if it’s very well made wankery. Not Kenny G grade wankery, though.
Heh. Many moons ago, I lent a copy of Pynchon’s V to a lass I fancied. The next time I saw her, a week or so later, on the street, she sort of stopped mid sentence, reached into her purse, produced said volume and started beating me with it about the face and neck while yelling “It was you! You gave me this!”
I don’t think I’ve so much as recommended that book since.
Inre: Dave Matthews
A few years ago, the most popular band in Athens, the biggest draw – home of R.E.M., the B-52’s, Widespread Panic, Pylon, the Drive-By Truckers, Vic Chesnutt and Of Montreal – was a Dave Matthews cover band. The band’s name? The Dave Matthews Cover Band. They sold out the Georgia Theater every time, two nights a weekend. I saw ’em once ’cause, at the time, it was my job to watch bands. They weren’t all that good, but the guy singing did sound like Dave Matthews.
Let me tell, there was never a more hated band. Seriously, the music scene in Athens fucking hated this band. But the kids didn’t care, so it all worked out.
and, if you’re lucky, some weird diner with no non-smoking section that serves frozen pie.
There was a time when all that would be redeemed by the jukebox. Maybe not so much now.
she sort of stopped mid sentence, reached into her purse, produced said volume and started beating me with it about the face and neck while yelling “It was you! You gave me this!”
I imagine that actor212 has some similar stories involving medical reports.
Just no non-smoking section is redemption enough.
Donkey Dick. (Y’know, PENIS!)
The next time I saw her, a week or so later, on the street, she sort of stopped mid sentence, reached into her purse, produced said volume and started beating me with it about the face and neck while yelling “It was you! You gave me this!”
Well, at least she wasn’t battering you with a baby. That was an awkward meet-up.
Well, at least she wasn’t battering you with a baby. That was an awkward meet-up.
It’s almost impossible to get baby batter out of your hair.
The next time I saw her, a week or so later, on the street, she sort of stopped mid sentence, reached into her purse, produced said volume and started beating me with it about the face and neck while yelling “It was you! You gave me this!”
As an avid Pynchon fan, that seems like a less enthusiastic review than I would expect. Did she offer any specific criticisms?
So what gives? Did it just become cool to hate on him?
I am not a hipster, but as a member of the indie rock/alternageek/post-punk late 90’s/early aughts college attendee contingent (though I am admittedly on the young end of this), I feel I can answer this with some authority. Please forgive me if I come off as bitchy–this isn’t in judgment of anyone in particular, but just my feelings about Dave Matthews in general…
First, Dave Matthews conjures up images of pukka-shelled, homophobic white frat boys who listen to them because they give them some sort of sensitivity cred that helps them get laid. They also seemed to think that they were somehow counter-cultural or alternative or cool because they listened to them.
Second, while I think that all the musicians are technically talented, I find their music to be boring and rather shallow. And, yes, totally wanky. But, you know, I’m much more interested in a band that’s less talented (to a certain extent, anyway) than a band that may be technically talented but doesn’t have much originality or anything that speaks to me. And Dave Matthews does not speak to most people like me…and I find his voice really fucking annoying.
So, you know, I don’t think it’s about them being “uncool,” (though that may be part of it for some people). It’s about them not being meaningful AT ALL to the aforementioned contingent. But if you like them and they speak to you as a band, more power to ya!
I imagine that actor212 has some similar stories involving medical reports.
This made me chortle loudly on the bus, Smut. Even the guy with Tourette’s stared at me.
Even the guy with Tourette’s stared at me.
I DID NOT FUCKING STARE AT YOU I JUST GLANCED OVER AND THAT WAS IT BUT NICE FUCKING TITS!
I DID NOT FUCKING STARE AT YOU I JUST GLANCED OVER AND THAT WAS IT BUT NICE FUCKING TITS!
WHY THANK YOU I THOUGHT YOU ONLY LIKED 13-YEAR-OLD BOYS!
NOW I’VE KILLED THE GODDAMN FUCKING THREAD AND IT’S ALL TSAM’S FAULT AND NOT MY FUCKING FAULT AND GODDAMN I WISH I WERE AN ASPIE CAUSE MY VOCAL CHORDS HURT FROM ALL THE FUCKING SHOUTING.
OMFG FRIDAYS ARE SO BORING HERE.
Wait. Why am *I* shouting?
OT – Don’t Taze My Granny!
WTF is threatening about an 86 y.o. bedridden lady?
I think they should have their batteries taken away, kinda like Barney not having bullets in his gun.
Maybe *you’re* the guy with Tourette’s, and this whole thing about you having boobs has been an elaborate put-on. Also, fuck shit cockwipe blizzard fuck.
NUH-UH. I AM THE GUY WITH TOURETTES. CAN’T YOU TELL BY ALL THE MOTHERFUCKING GODDAMN SHOUTING? WHAT’S THE FUCKING MATTER WITH YOU ANYWAY AND THIRTEEN YEAR OLD BOYS LOOK A LOT LIKE FUCKING GIRLS SO SHUT UP AND HOW DO I BECOME AN ASPIE? TROOFIE? A LITTLE HELP?
WTF is threatening about an 86 y.o. bedridden lady?
Jesus Christ. Those things should be fucking illegal.
Maybe *you’re* the guy with Tourette’s, and this whole thing about you having boobs has been an elaborate put-on.
I checked three times, and they’re still there, so I think you might be wrong…
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/is-europe-awakening-to-islamist-threat/
Groan.
We know racist rhetoric was the way the right wing became the dominant group over here. I wonder if elites in Europe are contemplating the same thing, using anti-immigrant hate to get themselves elected and tear the EU and the welfare state down that way?
They’ve got more obstacles over there than we do here, but still…
*Walks in, looks around, backs out slowly*
On the way out, mysticdog; The hatred for Dave Matthews is for the same reason your typical hipsters hates anything. They got too popular and trendy, and ruined the whole “I don’t listen to shit on the radio” facade that hipsters seem to enjoy so much. At one time, DM was huge among hipster types–as well he should be. He’s an absolutely brilliant musician.
Hi T&U. Nice boobs.
That is all.
I checked three times, and they’re still there, so I think you might be wrong…
Hmmm… Maybe I’d better have a look.
I got scared cuz Tourettes dude seems angry and I heard my name mentioned.
Wet dream fantasy from a commenter at Chris’s link:
Kind a violence-centered Tourette’s affliction.
Groan.
Groan is right. Unfortunately, their governments seem to be even more chickenshit than ours in confronting and debunking this racism. Some of them have stakes in our wars too, it appears.
Wet dream fantasy from a commenter at Chris’s link:
Hey Looch; If you go back, would you leave a “go to hell and die” admonishment there for me? Thanks!
I got scared cuz Tourettes dude seems angry and I heard my name mentioned.
Don’t worry tsam. Tourettes dude was another regular commenter here.
Um, a friend of mine.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100624/ap_on_en_tv/us_immigration_take_our_jobs
THIS is HILARIOUS.
Shorter farm workers; “Hey, do you mind? We’re growing your fucking food here, you whiny, entitled, sniveling little pussies.”
Hey Looch; If you go back, would you leave a “go to hell and die” admonishment there for me? Thanks!
Na ga happen. Feel icky all over now.
Shorter farm workers; “Hey, do you mind? We’re growing your fucking food here, you whiny, entitled, sniveling little pussies.”
One of my present jobs* is working on a friend’s farm. Most of his field labor are immigrants, mostly from Spanish-speaking countries. You don’t see white folks lining up to get these jobs, at his farm or any other here in the Pioneer Valley. NONE.
*It would appear I may have another PT job, working as an investigator with a local PI doing criminal defense work. It could turn into full-time work at some point. YAY!
“laborers” would probably have been a better choice.
Carry on.
Ah, the PJTV commenter’s utter detachment from reality;
Ever wonder why those attacks took place in Madrid and London, but never in Paris?
Just a theory; it might be because the French weren’t involved in a bloody war in Iraq.
Hi T&U. Nice boobs.
Thanks. But you’re still wrong.
I think you’re getting “hipsters” and “hippies” confused here.
Most people I know (and this includes musicians) hate that band because we hate it. Not because it’s on the radio. I mean, a musician can be technically talented, but his/her music can still suck (see also: Eddie Van Halen).
Not that the “it’s too popular so I’m not going to listen to it” phenomenon isn’t an issue, but really, it is quite possible to hate Dave Matthews Band beyond just trying to preserve hipster cred. I mean, I still love U2, FFS.
Sorry about the blockquoting being off.
I’m going with hating DMB cause it sounds to my ear like a bunch of whiny elevator music.
Don’t worry tsam. Tourettes dude was another regular commenter here.
Um, a friend of mine.
Ok. All caps scares the tsam–enough so that he begins to refer to himself in the third person without the benefit of the awesomeness that is the goddamn Batman.
I’m going with hating DMB cause it sounds to my ear like a bunch of whiny elevator music.
Um, yeah. This is pretty much shorter me.
Shorter farm workers; “Hey, do you mind? We’re growing your fucking food here, you whiny, entitled, sniveling little pussies.”
The thing about people who are anti-immigrant–they also tend to be the people who bitch and moan about food prices and buy their produce at Wal-Mart. Have you ever thought about why the fuck your disgusting, watery, vomit-inducing out-of-season tomatoes are so cheap, people?
PS: I’m a fucking snob.
Most people I know (and this includes musicians) hate that band because we hate it. Not because it’s on the radio. I mean, a musician can be technically talented, but his/her music can still suck (see also: Eddie Van Halen).
Not that the “it’s too popular so I’m not going to listen to it” phenomenon isn’t an issue, but really, it is quite possible to hate Dave Matthews Band beyond just trying to preserve hipster cred. I mean, I still love U2, FFS.
This was an anecdotally based rant on my part. I am a musician and I like Dave Matthews’ stuff. I’m not afraid to say that U2 is in my top 5 of all time favorite bands when I close my eyes and pretend that they quit after Rattle and Hum. I also can’t stand a single song Eric Clapton ever made.
So why DO you hate Dave then?
Oh–I see you’ve already answered that question.
First, Dave Matthews conjures up images of pukka-shelled, homophobic white frat boys who listen to them because they give them some sort of sensitivity cred that helps them get laid.
Hey! It’s hard out here for a pimp. I tried the pukka shells, and I even put a visor on upside down and sideways. I tanned. I tried acting like the biggest douche bag on Earth. I practiced every high-5 known to man endlessly, and still couldn’t get laid. I need all the ammo I can get. Nawmean? You chicks are puzzle wrapped in a soft, sweet smelling gorgeous enigma. Since my personality is made up entirely of shit, I need tricks and gimmicks to pick off the dumber and slower of your kind.
Tsam, sorry. I’m cranky. I just hate “hipper than thou” people and don’t like to be lumped in with them. 🙂
Oh–I see you’ve already answered that question.
Yeah, I mean, they just do nothing for me.
Looch, could you bring back Tourettes Guy? I might have killed this thread at 8:03PT.
Since my personality is made up entirely of shit, I need tricks and gimmicks to pick off the dumber and slower of your kind.
Oh! I meant to say when I wrote this that Dave Matthews was basically the John Mayer of my age group…hence the reflexive distaste…
“…’socks go on feet,’….”
Surely this is some kind of insidious, liberal fascist, Ethiopian usurper propaganda. How dare you!! I AM ENRAGED!!! I AM OUTRAGED!!! My anger has risen to a boil!
You are a bunch of Commie Socialists!11! Get a clue. Morans.
RE: Lamb Chop
Yours Truly,
I’ll, um, send him an email.
Yeah, I mean, they just do nothing for me.
Fair enough. I’d get cranky if someone tried to tie me in with that ultra-hipster group too.
Don’t be sorry. I’m sure I put some stupid-assed generalizations in there that didn’t belong.
Don’t be sorry. I’m sure I put some stupid-assed generalizations in there that didn’t belong.
It’s okay. It’s not your fault you’re old…
It’s okay. It’s not your fault you’re old…
Reliably truculent today…
Reliably truculent today…
I almost put a wink to soften the blow, but I figured you knew I was joking.
YOU NEVER FUCKING WINK AT ME ON THE GODDAMN BUS.
There are many theories for why very conservative Republicans seem to be doing so well lately, taking their party’s Senate nominations in Florida, Kentucky and Utah, and beating Democrats head-to-head in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. Some attribute this to a generalized anti-incumbent mood. Others say it reflects the tendency of parties in power to falter in midterm elections. Recently it has been fashionable to ascribe right-wing success to the Tea Party movement.
But the most obvious explanation is the one that’s been conspicuously absent from the gusher of analysis. Republican success in 2010 can be boiled down to two words: Rush Limbaugh
Mr. Limbaugh has played an important role in elections going back to 1994, when he commanded the air war in the Republican Congressional victory. This time, however, he is more than simply the mouthpiece of the party. He is the brains and the spirit behind its resurgence.
How did this happen? The Obama victory in 2008 left Republicans dazed, demoralized and leaderless. Less than six weeks after the inauguration, in a nationally televised keynote address to the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Mr. Limbaugh stepped into the void with a raucous denunciation of the new president’s agenda and a strategic plan based on his belief that real conservatism wins every time. He reiterated his famous call for Mr. Obama to fail and urged the party faithful to ignore the siren song of bipartisanship and moderation and stay true to the principles of Ronald Reagan.
Democrats responded by branding Mr. Limbaugh — whom they considered self-evidently unattractive — as the leader of the opposition. The day after the conservative conference, Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, went on “Face the Nation” and described Mr. Limbaugh as the “voice and the intellectual force and energy” of the G.O.P.
Mr. Limbaugh loved being tossed into this briar patch. He mocked the notion that he was the titular leader of the Republicans even as he was becoming the party’s top strategist and de facto boss.
His strategy was simple. With Democrats controlling Congress, Mr. Limbaugh saw that there was no way to stop the president’s agenda. He dismissed the moderates’ notion that compromising with the president would make Republicans look good to independents. Instead he decreed that the Republicans must become the party of no, and force Democratic candidates — especially centrists — to go into 2010 with sole responsibility for the Obama program and the state of the economy. And that is what has happened.
Mr. Limbaugh was not just the architect of this plan, he was (and continues to be) its enforcer. Dissenters like Arlen Specter, whom Mr. Limbaugh disparaged as a “Republican in Name Only,” found themselves unelectable in the party primaries. Moderates like Michael Steele, the party chairman, were slapped down for suggesting cooperation with the administration. When Representative Phil Gingrey of Georgia had the temerity to suggest that Mr. Limbaugh was too uncompromising, he was met with public outrage and forced into an humiliating apology.
When the Tea Party movement emerged, Mr. Limbaugh welcomed it. The movement’s causes — fighting against health care reform, reducing the size and cost of government, opposing the Democrats’ putative desire to remake America in the image of European social democracies — were straight Limbaughism. A very high proportion of the Tea Partiers listen to Mr. Limbaugh. Sarah Palin’s biggest current applause line — Republicans are not just the party of no, but the party of hell no — came courtesy of Mr. Limbaugh. (Ms. Palin gave the keynote address at the first national Tea Party convention.) Glenn Beck, who is especially popular among Tea Partiers, calls Mr. Limbaugh his hero.
So why the lack of attention? Mr. Limbaugh has studiously refrained from claiming credit for the movement. His only intervention thus far has been to quash talk about the Tea Party becoming a third party. He wants a unified, right-wing G.O.P. in 2010, and by all appearances he is going to get it.
Rush Limbaugh came along after the age of Ronald Reagan. He has never really had a Republican presidential candidate to his ideological satisfaction. But if the party sweeps this November under the banner of Real Conservatism, Mr. Obama will find himself facing two years of “no” in Washington and, very likely, a Limbaugh-approved opponent in 2012.
I almost put a wink to soften the blow, but I figured you knew I was joking.
I’ll take that wink now, in any case.
Are we bothering with addressing the trolls’ hallucinations anymore?
THE COPYPASTA TROLL MAKES ME LOOK FUCKING WONDERFUL I LOVE HIM BECAUSE NOW YOU MIGHT JUST FUCKING TALK TO ME TO AVOID HAVING TO FUCKING TALK WITH HIM CAUSE HE REALLY IS A FUCKING SHITHEEL.
Rush Limbaugh came along after the age of Ronald Reagan. He has never really had a Republican presidential candidate to his ideological satisfaction
Ronald Reagan would have been to his satisfaction?
Can I assume, then, that Limbaugh would be okay with terrorism being treat as a crime and not as a military matter? Can I assume he’d be okay with an amnesty for illegal immigrants? Can I assume he’d be okay with paying ransom to governments that have officially been declared terrorist states? Can I assume he’d be willing to “talk” to
the Soviet UnionIran and North Korea?Are we bothering with addressing the trolls’ hallucinations anymore?
Sorry, I just can’t resist this:
“Republicans are not just the party of hell no, but the party of hell”!
YOU HAD ME AT “HELL NO!”
Reagan raised taxes multiple times.
So, uh, how long before Weigel’s gone?
Aw fuck it–it’s quiet today…
First let me compliment you on your impeccable copy/paste skills. I’m still working on that, and someday I hope to be as good as you.
Hmmm…To summarize your diatribe here, Limbaugh is leading the charge to purge the Republican party of
moderatesarguably sane people and replace them with teabagging psychos who see a terrorist immigrant darkie lurking around every corner to take their freedoms away. That’s fine if that’s where you want to go, but let’s wait to congratulate Rush on the success of his genocide campaign until the votes are counted, shall we? Kthxbai.YOU NEVER FUCKING WINK AT ME ON THE GODDAMN BUS.
MAYBE I WOULD IF YOU WEREN’T TOO BUSY POUNDING YOUR DISCMAN WITH YOUR FIST AND YELLING AT IT.
But probably not.
IT HASN’T WORKED IN YEARS THAT’S WHY I KEEP POUNDING IT AND FUCKING YELLING AT IT LIKE NO FUCKING DUH
THE COPYPASTA TROLL MAKES ME LOOK FUCKING WONDERFUL I LOVE HIM BECAUSE NOW YOU MIGHT JUST FUCKING TALK TO ME TO AVOID HAVING TO FUCKING TALK WITH HIM CAUSE HE REALLY IS A FUCKING SHITHEEL.
Yes–I now realize that screaming obscenities is still less scary and screaming psychotic visions of fascist domination of my beloved America.
Fascist?
Progressivism=Fascism=Communism
IT HASN’T WORKED IN YEARS THAT’S WHY I KEEP POUNDING IT AND FUCKING YELLING AT IT LIKE NO FUCKING DUH
Can’t you get an iPod like a normal person?
Progressivism=Fascism=Communism
Ah, there we are! You know, it’s actually refreshing to be called a commie after the last year or two. I mean at least it makes some kind of sense since communism is the extreme end of left-wing ideology.
Fascism, it’s like. Okay. Umm what? That’s so random it doesn’t even make sense. Liberal fascism? Yeah, okay, let me just put out a paper about “Muslim Christianity” and then we can start being on the same plane.
Can’t you get an iPod like a normal person?
IF I WERE A FUCKING NORMAL PERSON PERHAPS I FUCKING COULD BUT NOOOO
Fascism is just a little less extreme left than Communism is.
One the hammer and the sickle, the other the swastika, but they all want “social justice”.
http://www.empirenotes.org/
August 18th, 2009: Weekly Commentary – “Death Panels and the Paranoid Style.”
[…]
Along the way, we’ve seen threatening mobs at town hall meetings, people carrying guns to presidential addresses, and swastikas painted outside the offices of congressmen. Strangely, since this is America, those swastikas are not statements of belief by the right-wing lynch mob but rather statements about the putative beliefs of the congressman (a Blue Dog Democrat, as it happens). Never mind the fact that it is precisely the people who might believe in a crazy notion like death panels who are susceptible to beliefs like perhaps that the Jews control society — and, indeed, they are the lineal descendants of people who did and do.
The Washington Times, whose owner Sun-Myung Moon of the Unification Church was once a member of the World Anti-communist League, a rogue’s gallery of former Nazi and Ustashi, Romainian fascists, Franco-supporters, and right-wing Latin American dictators, has twice compared this proposal to offer counseling to people facing death to the Nazi T4 Aktion program of euthanasia for the disabled, retarded, and chronically ill.
One more;
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/what-ever-happened-to-commie/
It cracked me up when Krugman posted this back in November (honorable mention to the comment “You’ll always be a commie to me, Paul.”)
The word’s enough of an epithet on the right (today) that they really have no idea what it means, but for the rest of us it’s truly funny to watch a leading Jewish economist being accused of “fascism.”
Progressivism=Fascism=Communism
No, it doesn’t. Progressivism is a logical extension of liberalism, the basis of the ethos of our founding fathers. This was the product of the Enlightenment, which eventually disposed of dominant monarchical central governments in Europe. All of our basic rights are a direct result of this liberalism.
Your ideas of purging undesirables (Illegal immigrants for example, or even those in your party who aren’t a perfect ideological match with the central theme), is fascism at it’s base. If you’d actually read a history book or two (not the ones in the children’s section of the library), you’d come to understand that.
IT LOOKS LIKE TROOFIE IS NOT ENROLLED IN ANY FUCKING SUMMER CAMPS THIS WEEK
Fascism is just a little less extreme left than Communism is.
Um, no. Fascism is the far end of the right wing. Anyone with a high school education would know that. Have you never wondered why fascists and communists hated each others guts during the 20th century? That hatred is one of major reasons why that century was, by far, the bloodiest in history.
Also love the “social justice” reference throw in, because it gives you an idea just what their warped priorities are.
The rest of us hate fascism because it started wars of aggression, persecuted and exterminated its own minorities, treated both its citizens and foreign ones without due process, abolished democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
On the right, they “hate” it because it had universal health care. Yep. That was the big crime of Nazi Germany.
Also, their “anti-fascism” would be a lot more credible if they didn’t clap, cheer and whistle every time a fascist party in Europe gained a few seats in the polls.
Um, no. Fascism is the far end of the right wing. Anyone with a high school education would know that.
Yeah see that’s the problem man, high schools are liberal and you can’t trust anything they say. I mean seriously, you don’t still believe in the Pythagorean Theorem, do you?
All those conservatives like Henry Ford who admired Hitler, Franco and Mussolini were sadly misinformed as to what they were supporting I guess. Jonah Goldberg understands 1930s ideological movements much better than the actual conservative leaders of the day. Clearly.
Henry Ford was a supporter of “progressive” Woodrow Wilson.
Yeah see that’s the problem man, high schools are liberal and you can’t trust anything they say. I mean seriously, you don’t still believe in the Pythagorean Theorem, do you?
Oh hell no. Every time I’d “plug in my variables”, I could feel myself succumbing to the gay agenda. It resulted in dirty buttsex. I haven’t been the same since.
Hitler threw socialists in jail.
Ford even ran for Senator from Michigan on a “progressive” platform, on the Democrat ticket in 1920.
He threw Socialists and Communists in jail because they were his biggest competitors! They were trying to occupy the same “space” on the ideological spectrum.
International Socialism (Communism), National Socialism, and Progressivism….all the same ball of wax…
All those conservatives like Henry Ford who admired Hitler, Franco and Mussolini were sadly misinformed as to what they were supporting I guess.
Don’t leave out Charles Lindbergh. (http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/2009/08/25/charles-lindbergh%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Caviation-geography-and-race%E2%80%9D/)
Don’t leave out William F. Buckley, either.
(http://1-800-magic.blogspot.com/2010/01/william-buckley-on-general-franco.html).
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand, Dave Weigel just resigned. Fucking bullshit.
Fascism is just a little less extreme left than Communism is.
One the hammer and the sickle, the other the swastika, but they all want “social justice”.
Yeah, if there’s one thing that comes to mind when one is thinking of Hitler, it’s justice.
I’m really pissed.
I wonder if elites in Europe are contemplating the same thing, using anti-immigrant hate to get themselves elected and tear the EU and the welfare state down that way?
LOL. Seems to me they went down that road a few times. However, most of that generation is dying now, it may be time for them to relearn that lesson.
Honestly, I am vaguely anti immigration to the US. Its not because I don’t like foreigners, actually they tend to be nicer than the natives (though there is a lot more mysogeny in the rest of the world). I just don’t think there is enough here for everyone anymore, or anywhere, really. There are too many people on the planet in general, and much of our country only functions because of incredibly wasteful energy and water diversion. Most of our western cities would die if they had to cut back to something sustainable. The city I live in is rather small and on a river, but it must import most of its food from other states and drain its aquifer unsustainably.
There is a quality of life here that is better than most places, even for the impoverished. It is already being eroded by our economic system. And we are probably reaching a point technologically where our workforce is going to permanently shrink because of “efficiency” that requires fewer people to do the same work, allowing the capital owners to pocket the savings (very little has been passed on).
Basically, I favor reducing real immigration because we are already fucked, lol. The whole world needs fewer people, and training more people to live like Americans is the last thing the world needs for sustainability. Even though there are a lot of good social characteristics we can pass on as well.
I bitched about this on facebook once, after Newt Gingrich called Chavez a dictator. One of my friends posted the following;
“Chris, methinks you watch FoxNoise too much. Besides, we all know that “dictator” in their parlance means “whoever we don’t like.” Which in turn points to their own dictatorial tendencies. Newt is just sore that his pony lost, and we see that sore winners make sore losers as well.”
I was really surprised because she’s pretty unideological and usually stays above the fray of facebook/politics wars. But it was still one of the simplest and most spot-on explanations for conservative politics. There’s the Party of Ayn Rand, and there’s the Party of People We Don’t Like Who Are All The Same Because They’re Not Like Us.
I’m really pissed.
I’m just really amused. Troofus has posted infuriating things before, but this? This is just weak. I know he can do better, but this is funny.
I’m just really amused. Troofus has posted infuriating things before, but this? This is just weak. I know he can do better, but this is funny.
Dude, no. I’m pissed that Dave Weigel has been forced into resignation. WTF?
He threw Socialists and Communists in jail because they were his biggest competitors! They were trying to occupy the same “space” on the ideological spectrum.
Ok, you don’t see how those who occupied the same area of the spectrum didn’t become “good Nazis”? Come on, man. If you want to debate something like this, think through what you say before you puke it all over my monitor.
Progressivism = Fascism is a complete lie. You KNOW it. Anecdotal evidence of rich assholes (who would suspect?) having gay fantasies about a power mad dictator doesn’t support the idea in the least. You also know about the In Name Only idea of opportunistic politicians riding the coat tails of a popular movement to get themselves, surprise, more POWER. Ford thinking Hitler was just dreamy doesn’t reflect on progressivism in the least.
re. DMB
It figures the frat boys ruined it 🙂 If you ever get a chance, see the college episode of The Upright Citizens Brigade.
but let’s wait to congratulate Rush on the success of his genocide campaign until the
votesbodies are countedYeah, Weigel being forced out over this shit is pretty stupid. I’m with John Cole, the fucking little coward who leaked this shit should drink bleach.
Basically, I favor reducing real immigration because we are already fucked, lol. The whole world needs fewer people, and training more people to live like Americans is the last thing the world needs for sustainability. Even though there are a lot of good social characteristics we can pass on as well.
I don’t think this would be such an issue if 95% of the wealth of this nation didn’t sit in the offshore bank accounts of 5% of the elite wealthy. Sustainability is a huge issue as it pertains to crowding, but population growth is just something we have to figure out how to mitigate.
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
It would be irresponsible not to spread this far and wide as evidence of Weigel’s dastardliness.
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
I’m with John Cole, the fucking little coward who leaked this shit should drink bleach.
Me, too.
And Matt Drudge *should* fucking set himself on fire.
Rush Limbaugh came along after the age of Ronald Reagan. He has never really had a Republican presidential candidate to his ideological satisfaction.
Didn’t stop him from shilling for those substandard GOP candidates, though.
Awhile back, Dave Neiwert assembled a great roster of actual fascism scholars to critique “Liberal Fascism” (ie tear it to little bitty pieces in sober academic prose). It’s something fun to read for all the glaring omissions Goldberg’s cherry picked shoddy research and inadequate sourcing reveals.
Jonah responded in his usual “technically true but collectively nonsense” intellectually bankrupt fashion and one of the scholars challenged him to a debate. Goldberg did not reply.
Jonah responded in his usual “technically true but collectively nonsense” intellectually bankrupt fashion and one of the scholars challenged him to a debate. Goldberg did not reply.
Yes, that was a thing for the ages.
“Fascism is definitely and absolutely opposed to the doctrines of liberalism, both in the political and the economic sphere,” Mussolini, The Doctrine of Fascism, 1932
Damn it, onion rings in my cheeseburger. I keep forgetting to tell them to hold those.
Ew, what’s that about? I think they’d get all soggy.
I’ve burned through all my fury at the Washington Post and now I’m bored.
I don’t think this would be such an issue if 95% of the wealth of this nation didn’t sit in the offshore bank accounts of 5% of the elite wealthy.
Oh, I agree it wouldn’t be as bad in terms of wealth, and we could do a lot more to take care of people and create opportunity, but even then most of that would involve burning up resources and energy unsustainably.
So far I see nothing going on that would allow wealth to be more equitably shared within this country, and while I don’t worry so much about immigrants taking jobs, I do think that bringing in foreigners that see anything above subsistance living as an improvement just allows the wealth in this country to flow even faster upwards into the hands of the business owners. While it may reduce the cost of goods to some degree, much more of the savings is not passed on, but is instead passed up.
Its not a priority to me, it doesn’t break the top 10 on my list of things that threaten our country/world, and I see it more of a symptom of those things that do.
I’m pretty sure that most of the countries that are exporting immigrants have even worse wealth inequality.
Oh, K-Lo. Could you possibly be a better parody of yourself?
OMG. I hadn’t read the comments section at that Dutch immigration thing I posted earlier, but third from the top;
They’re not even trying anymore. I don’t know if it’s having a black guy in the White House or what, but they’ve given up on even pretending to believe in things as basic as human equality. It’s full-blown fascism from here on in.
I’m pretty sure that most of the countries that are exporting immigrants have even worse wealth inequality.
Bingo. That’s why they keep coming.
The factors that make people come up north (lack of jobs, extreme poverty, governments that don’t respond to the will of their people) are the exact same factors that allow our corporations to prosper down there. In other words, if you want to stop immigration, vote for a leftist. But try explaining that to the WalMart crowd…
Did somebody bring me a chew-toy? Oh yes they sure DID.
Advocating social progress is exactly like renewing feudalism under a corporate model which is exactly like collectivist control of the state & economy?
Hint: those paint-chips you’re huffing? Not a vitamin after all, no matter what Warrior-Princess Sarah Palin told you in a dream.
LOLWUT
I’m going to give you a mulligan on “left” because if I don’t I’m just looking at total gibberish – so let’s (very generously) interpret this to mean “fascism isn’t as extreme as communism.” Now it’s not Vogon Erotic Poetry any more … but it’s almost as bad.
Eurocommunism in the 70s was only a bit to the left of the Social Democrats – & a lot of doctrinaire communists considered them to be tarnishing the name of their glorious revolutionary vanguard with their concessions to the market … but there is no analogous “Fascism Lite.” Soft communism exists, be it ever so wacky or abstruse – soft fascism is a contradiction in terms. Fascists don’t do compromise, they do permanent & monolithic obedience OR ELSE. You either march in step or you’re the enemy & are marked for slave labor or death – period.
Commies & socialists endlessly debate EVERYTHING up to & including the color of the doilies at their potlucks … fascists don’t debate jack-shit, & any of them stupid enough to try it out usually wind up becoming a human pinata for their “comrades” – because it’s taken as a given that either you take orders from your leader/s & obey them without question, or you GTFO.
Did Stalin or Mao kill more people than Hitler? Damn straight … but it’s non-trivial that most of the dead were victims not of psychopathic bloodlust but of lethal idiocy (never forget: a fool is always more dangerous than a knave) & they had a hell of a lot more people to inflict it on. Give Hitler as many hundreds of millions more to rule & the same amount of time to rule them, & he’d’ve made either of them look like an amateur.
As opposed to all the good wholesome folks out there advocating social injustice, you mean?
Logic & rhetoric were originally taught as seperate subjects for a reason, & this is it.
Snarking on this shit is starting to feel like punching a kitten – awfully easy but not so rewarding – so can you please try harder in the future? MUCH harder? Pretty please? The whole “Cuntpaste My Limbaugh Transcripts Ad Nauseam, Then Channel His Spirit With My Magic Lightsaber Of Doooom To Vex The Nefarious Liberal Hordes” schtick is getting seriously fucking tired. I’m pretty sure you can express about as much semantic content as you have in this thread simply by throwing beanbags at your keyboard.
Listen, I’m sure this bullshit feels REALLY FUCKING AWESOME to type, & I know that to you it “just sounds so right” – but that does nothing to mitigate the reek.
Have you tried macrame?
“Newt is just sore that his pony lost, and we see that sore winners make sore losers as well.”
I call what the voices of the right wing are practicing now “Team Politics.” It’s all about rooting for your team. So if the other team supports something, your team has to oppose it, even if, as in the case of most of the provisions in the Health Care bill, your team once supported it – or even thought it up in the first place.
It colors everything in their world-view. If the other team’s quarterback likes Dijon mustard on his hamburger, that kind of mustard is now a bad thing. If your team’s quarterback likes Cheez Whiz on his sandwich, the other team’s quarterback is a pussy because he likes a different kind.
Your team’s quarterback brought back dignity and ceremony to the White House by throwing state dinners and attending Kennedy Center events. The other team’s quarterback is wasting the taxpayers’ money by throwing state dinners and attending Kennedy Center events.
“Team politics” thinking aligns everyone in the world in terms of the team. If a non-partisan public figure – Michael J. Fox – comes out on one side of an issue, he’s suddenly a full-fledged team-mate or else on the opposing team.
You also have the benefit of aligning anything you don’t like on the side of the other team, so as James Dobson and lunatics like Pastor Swank
proclaim, distasteful personal habits like eating icecream in public and not training your dog become the hallmarks of the Other Team.
It makes for hilarious confusion – I remember the consternation on the right when the president of Whole Foods spoke out against Health Care. Yeah, the left was pissed and decided to boycott the company – not the idea of organic food, but the particular company. So then the Right had to launch a Buy-Cott to support a brand-new team member who, unfortunately, happened to embody one of the hallmarks formerly identified with – gasp! – Liberals!
This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
I just wanted to see that again.
They’re not even trying anymore.
1900 to 1945 Europe again. That ended well.
So then the Right had to launch a Buy-Cott
Where the fucks all the twinkies?
“This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.”
Lighter-fluid & matches available on request.
All this jibber jabber about lifestyle brands like Dave Matthews and Obama. It’s not important whether you like Pepsi or Coke, Obama or McCain. These are just marketing terms for “sugar water” and “corporatism.” If you self-identify with any marketing term, you are a child.
A fan blog for Obama’s party is a fan blog for corporatism. This is amoral but understandable when money is at stake. A volunteer fan blog for corporatism, though – well that’s hilarious.
Hilarious Confusion Index: EXTREME.
Rupert Murdoch is advocating full amnesty for undocumented immigrants … & suddenly Beck has lost the need for Vick’s Vapo-Rub to get his emo thang on.
Poor Doocy – he wants to put “illegal” between “undocumented” & “immigrants” so bad it burns, but it’s obvious the Big Boss told him to can the standard xenophobia this time. Probably needed an extra hummer from Greta afterwards just to keep his wig from blowing off.
Ya think people should go full metal teatard and start mailing him matchbooks?
I mean seriously, you don’t still believe in the Pythagorean Theorem, do you?
Hells, no! That whole A squared + B squared = C squared needs to be replaced by Randian Geometry:
A=A, motherfuckers!
Eurocommunism in the 70s was only a bit to the left of the Social Democrats – & a lot of doctrinaire communists considered them to be tarnishing the name of their glorious revolutionary vanguard with their concessions to the market … but there is no analogous “Fascism Lite.” Soft communism exists, be it ever so wacky or abstruse – soft fascism is a contradiction in terms. Fascists don’t do compromise, they do permanent & monolithic obedience OR ELSE. You either march in step or you’re the enemy & are marked for slave labor or death – period.
You could argue that Franco in Spain, Salazar in Portugal, and all those crazies in South America were “fascism lite,” as they had the same basic ideology but never took it nearly to the extremes that Hitler and Mussolini did (e.g. the Holocaust and World War Two). There’ve been a lot of fascists since the Big Two died – all bad, none nearly as deranged.
OTOH, within a given country, all fascists tend to goose-step together – fascism may mean different things in different countries, but never within the same political environment. Take the French; their far left is divided into a ton of splinters (French Communist Party, Left Radical Party, etc), but there’s only one far party (National Front) that speaks for the far right. And there’s a huge cult of personality around its leader, Le Pen, with no one comparable on the left. So you’re right about their inability to debate and compromise.
Also, you could argue (I do) that a lot of the conservative base is itself fascism lite. Specifically; when a large popular movement is rallied around conservatism through the use of racist and nationalist rhetoric, that’s the seed of fascism being planted. When that popular movement has a falling out with the elites and goes into politics for itself (like after the Great Depression), the seed blossoms into full-blown fascism.
Rupert Murdoch is advocating full amnesty for undocumented immigrants … & suddenly Beck has lost the need for Vick’s Vapo-Rub to get his emo thang on.
Wait – Wait – Wait a minute!
WHAT???
Rupert Murdoch is advocating full amnesty for undocumented immigrants
The Republican party recognizing the ‘Crazy vote’ just isn’t enough.
OTb, hubbuddawhuggudda-Whaaaa?
http://cofcc.org/2010/06/fox-news-owner-rupert-murdoch-calls-for-amnesty/
That’s from the Council of Conservative Citizens, who think Rupert’s a hard core leftist.
You could argue that Franco in Spain, Salazar in Portugal, and all those crazies in South America were “fascism lite,”
Those would be called “authoritarian” governments, thank you very much.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to shut the door to my crypt. It’s awfully drafty in here.
Freedom is not the right to choose. Freedom is the result of right choices. True freedom is achieved with restraint, responsible behavior and self-control.
From the Antichrist character in the Chronicles of Narnia, of all places;
“You don’t understand what freedom is. You think true freedom means doing whatever you want? Well, it doesn’t. True freedom means doing what I tell you.”
I don’t recall that the Ayatollah Khomeini had to make up some bullshit about freedom to sell his program.
…suddenly Beck has lost the need for Vick’s Vapo-Rub to get his emo thang on.
Holy shit. For the at least monthly win! In competition for the all time win.
Nice one, Jim.
COFCC? Reallllly?
Council OF? Conservative Christians.
They really can’t help themselves can they?
True freedom means doing what I tell you.”
Compliance shall set you free.
Freedom is not the right to choose. Freedom is the result of right choices. True freedom is achieved with restraint, responsible behavior and self-control.
To the authoritarian fundies, what you call liberty is licenciousness. To achieve liberty, you must submit to the will of God (as interpreted by authoritarian fundies).
“Submission“, sounds familiar, where have I heard that before?
It’s not such a bad thing to be the Milan Kundera of frat rock!
Ew, what’s that about? I think they’d get all soggy.
Did I say onion rings? I’m sorry, I meant onion. I mean, they certainly look like rings, and they’re onions, so I guess that accounts for the slip of the tongue. No, it’s just onion, but I don’t like that in my cheeseburger either.
“Submission“, sounds familiar, where have I heard that before?
Even a bunch of waste case Brits had that figured out in 1977.
Hey, reading some of the recent comments, I think a dream blog match-up would be Chris and jim… Chris can be the sober, wise superego to jim’s bitch-slapping id.
MAKE IT SO!
MAKE IT SO!
Always more of a Kirk fan myself.
Poor Doocy – he wants to put “illegal” between “undocumented” & “immigrants” so bad it burns, but it’s obvious the Big Boss told him to can the standard xenophobia this time. Probably needed an extra hummer from Greta afterwards just to keep his wig from blowing off.
Shall we have a pool betting on who the first Fux Noose personality huffs away in disgust after the painful realization that their demigod has veered left and wants to bring that Aussie style socialism to US America? My vote is definitely on Doocy. The angry blonde hottie is sure to follow.
And I’d have to be sober, when I get drunk, I get sleepy. It’s really boring, actually. People like me should be designated drivers. We get just as much of a laugh from watching everyone else being drunk, and there’s the added bonus that we remember it the morning after.
Shall we have a pool betting on who the first Fux Noose personality huffs away in disgust after the painful realization that their demigod has veered left and wants to bring that Aussie style socialism to US America? My vote is definitely on Doocy. The angry blonde hottie is sure to follow.
PJTV, collectively. (Unless they find some way to rationalize it, or the man apologizes).
BTW, one of my friends just read a book called “Let Them In” written by Wall Street Journal people. Basically, the conclusion is that we should let all the immigrants in because they make a freer market and fuck up the minimum wage and all these uppity union types who depend on it.
BTW, one of my friends just read a book called “Let Them In” written by Wall Street Journal people. Basically, the conclusion is that we should let all the immigrants in because they make a freer market and fuck up the minimum wage and all these uppity union types who depend on it.
That’s old news, really. That’s why Reagan granted something like amnesty. Big business does not want that ultra cheap labor to go away. You take a flooded labor market, people who will work for practically nothing and be happy to get it, you got yourself some pretty good leverage against those lazy US American Labor thugs who are trying to take away our freedoms with living wages.
Via Jonah, here’s who we hate the most.
Always more of a Kirk fan myself.
I refuse to wear a rug!
Shall we have a pool betting on who the first Fux Noose personality huffs away in disgust after the painful realization that their demigod has veered left and wants to bring that Aussie style socialism to US America?
I dunno, to them, it’s all about the money. They’d carry water for whatever Rupert espouses before ever getting real jobs.
That, of course, ties in well with the idea of raising the retirement age to like 130 or so. I really believe this bullshit idea of privatizing Social Security is a mean to that end as well.
Labor shortages are like nuclear plant meltdowns for corporate America.
That’s old news, really. That’s why Reagan granted something like amnesty. Big business does not want that ultra cheap labor to go away. You take a flooded labor market, people who will work for practically nothing and be happy to get it, you got yourself some pretty good leverage against those lazy US American Labor thugs who are trying to take away our freedoms with living wages.
Yeah, it just kinda shocks me to see them come out and say it in public. Especially when they know how much their base hates the idea (not for any job-related reasons; they just hate the darkies).
Via Jonah, here’s who we hate the most.
I wonder if I can get that list in a booklet form for portability and quick, easy reference.
Via Jonah, here’s who we hate the most.
Add Tom Coburn and my mortal enemy to that list, and it’s actually pretty comprehensive…
Hey substance, can you give me the executive summary for the people who refuse to give Glenn Beck any web traffic?
Yeah, it just kinda shocks me to see them come out and say it in public. Especially when they know how much their base hates the idea (not for any job-related reasons; they just hate the darkies).
Yeah, it is a little strange. Although the presentation (from an Australian national with a known affinity for teabagging) sort of leaves room for plausible deniability outside of the Fox newsroom itself. Look for the coded language and dogwhistles to kick into high gear on Fox, and I would guess a brutal bashing from his highness Rushbo. This is, of course, assuming that anyone involved with that shit is able to formulate a plan like this. Lately their plans have all looked like America Freaking Out, which might be the ultimate footbullet.
“THEY HATE YOU, PATRIOT!” (not fixing PDF typos or formatting)
Tom’s #52.
I wonder if I can get that list in a booklet form for portability and quick, easy reference.
I’d rather see it as a short video… maybe two minutes.
Tom’s #52.
D’oh! I meessed him. Thanks.
Palin’s anti-feminist brand of feminism…
Huh?
Via Jonah, here’s who we hate the most.
I’m going to use the word cute because I can’t think of a better way to convey the sentiment:
I think it’s cute how the wingnuts think we just reflexively hate people like they do. More cute, we don’t have to invent reasons to hate them. They crank those out faster than we can snark them to pieces.
This is genius:
I think it’s cute how the wingnuts think we just reflexively hate people like they do.
They just can’t wrap their heads around the fact that it’s pity that we feel.
Oh, and scorn.
Nymstradamus is Hitler.
Jonah made #62 and I just can’t hate the least competent advocate for his team outside Renew America.
Palin’s anti-feminist brand of feminism has redefined the scope of “women’s issues”
I guess “narrowing” is one way to “redefine” the scope of women’s issues.
“Submission“, sounds familiar, where have I heard that before?
Here.
Nymstradamus is Hitler.
Vielleicht.
“Grassroots” defined:
As a conservative working woman and
dedicated mom, Palin’s anti-feminist brand
of feminism has redefi ned the scope of
“women’s issues” and shed light on blatant
liberal hypocrisy.
We didn’t support an unqualified, demonstrably incompetent, patholgically lying, drop-dead stupid bitch, therefore we hate women. Got it.
A conservative friend of mine was getting all excited a while back about Bobby Jindal because “ooo, he’s gonna be our Obama!” They really do see Obama as “the black guy” and figure ooo, if they put up a darkie, then all the darkies are going to vote for them too! What cunning!
Nymstradamus is Hitler.
Not exactly. Used to be.
Who?
A note for those who refuse to give Glenn Back traffic:
Or you can support ripping off Townhall by reading it at Beck’s site.
They really do see Obama as “the black guy” and figure ooo, if they put up a darkie, then all the darkies are going to vote for them too! What cunning!
That explains their Thomas Sowell entry:
He’s one of the smartest
men in America,
conservative and—gasp!—
black. Sowell’s columns are regularly among
the most popular for Townhall.com readers
and his books have provided important
economic and political lessons for countless
young conservatives.
This “Uncle Tom” has been a bit uppity as
far as the Lef” is concerned, but try as they
might, they’ve never been able to shut him
down.
This “Uncle Tom” has been a bit uppity as
far as the Lef” is concerned, but try as they
might, they’ve never been able to shut him
down.
Jesus fucking H.
Leftists, it seems, are unable to fire right-wing mouthpieces from right-wing thinktanks who get published by right-wing editors. What a country.
This “Uncle Tom” has been a bit uppity as far as the Lef”
There is an actual “t” at the end of “Left” in the entry. Yet somehow their format fail makes this more amusing than it otherwise would be.
There is an actual “t” at the end of “Left” in the entry. Yet somehow their format fail makes this more amusing than it otherwise would be.
Ha. I didn’t notice that. Yes, yes it does.
I believe that was only 3/5 of a crying jag.
that’s what she gets for marrying
someone who dared to believe the authors
of our Constitution might have gotten it
right when they wrote it more than 200
years ago.
Well, that and a loss of voting and property rights
Democrats’ visceral attacks brought
Alito’s wife to tears during his Senate
I hope some of those Democrats were charged with bodily assault.
Leftists, it seems, are unable to fire right-wing mouthpieces from right-wing thinktanks who get published by right-wing editors. What a country.
After the Glorious Revolution, they will be “re-educated” in the FEMA camps.
I think the internet has made me retarded. I can’t sit and write something for more than two minutes without having to do something else.
Hey–I don’t claim these morons. They’re using my name in vain.
This “Uncle Tom” has been a bit uppity as
far as the Lef
I can picture Sowell in his bathroom, sighing as he gazes ponderingly at a bottle of sleeping pills.
Each and every morning.
I can picture Sowell in his bathroom, sighing as he gazes ponderingly at a bottle of sleeping pills.
Well, him and I have something in common.
Hot damn, Jeff Goldberg’s a douchebag.
(See what I mean? I’ve been working on this shit for, like, a WEEK and it should probably only take me about thirty minutes total).
Ah, I see! It’s all about love.
Substance McGravitas said,
June 25, 2010 at 22:01
The formatting makes it look like some sort of freaky free-verse conservative poetry.
America’s in love with what?
The Galt’s Gulch we pull from our butt.
The formatting makes it look like some sort of freaky free-verse conservative poetry.
I was thinking the same thing… it would be better as a series of haikus.
They really hate Beck
he makes Americans love
their homeland again.
We’ve kept truth from them
Americans are hungry
It’s OLIGARHY.
try as they might, they’ve never been able to shut him down.
Somehow, the right thinks mockery = “trying to shut him down.”
Patriots awake
To a Glenn Beck teabagging
That’s love of country
Thanks to Beck, Americans are waking up to what
our government is up to and are hungering for the real
story of their nation—the one that the progressive
movement, using the schools and universities, has
tried to keep from them.
We are falling in love with our country again.
That is why the Left hates him.
I’m so fucking tired of this narcissism. We’re stuck in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, our working class is hanging on by its fingernails while our middle class is shedding people by the daily truckload, our foreign policy is a clusterfuck of unwinnable wars, and the state of our educational system is guaranteeing us a not-so-slow fall behind Europe, China, and the rest of the countries who aren’t constrained by things as childish as “but I don’t want evolution and global warming to be true!!!”
Still the only things those motherfucking idiots can think about when they go to the polls is “but he makes me feel good.”
This isn’t the time to be feeling “good.” With the country in the deepest clusterfuck it’s been in in eighty years, this is the time to look in the mirror and honestly ask “okay, what are we doing wrong, and how do we fix it?” Simply bleating “we’re not doing anything wrong, all these mean people are just being mean to us because we’re so awesome” isn’t going to fix jack shit. How many more fuckups are we going to have to go through before we can have an adult discussion on the floor of Congress again?
Thanks to Beck, Americans are waking up to what
our government is up to
that commie art from the 1930s!!
Chris, why do you hate America?
Glenn Beck’s courageous
He tells the truth George Soros
Has suppressed for years.
No arguments about the “most recently” part.
They really hate Beck
he makes Americans love
their homeland again.
He’s a loser, baby…
This “Uncle Tom” has been a bit uppity as
far as the Lef” is concerned, but try as they
might, they’ve never been able to shut him
down.
no, but it’s OK to shut down Dave Weigel for thinking Drudge is a jerk.
What’s she done to make me hate her lately? OR DID WE SHUT HER DOWN?!?!?
the real story of their nation—the one that the progressive
movement, using the schools and universities, has
tried to keep from them.
Hm, what story might THAT be, Mr. Author?
Oh right, the story doesn’t work without a blackboard full of abstract, irrelevant images tied together with a chalkline, manages to make Obama the real Hitler only not as dead as Hitler. I forgot that chalklines are the real reality.
You know, it occurs to me that Larry is likely assramming that Stormtrooper. Now I understand the look on the Stormtrooper’s face. It’s not the face of an angry killing machine, but a reaction to an angry ass pounding.
I’m not going to click on
that Jonah link, but I must
ask why he’s formatting it all
as crappy freefo
rm poetry.
Love of Country
Hurry, may not be there long (&, of course, may not have worked, in which case, ha ha, suckah.)
Hurry, may not be there long (&, of course, may not have worked, in which case, ha ha, suckah.)
*sniff*
No, didn’t work, don’t bother, sorry, blah blah …
COPYRIGHT IS MURDER! (Theft too.)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100625/ap_on_re_us/us_arizona_governor_immigrants
Another barely concealed dog whistle from the racist running Arizona. Oy, what is this country coming to…
Is there as epic of a douche as “Vodkapundit”?
There are apparently at least a hundred.
Yes.
Anything to say that might contradict him, or are we chalking that up as a fair observation?
New government regulation; VodkaPundit is hereby forbidden from going outside and setting himself on fire, as are all employs of Pajamas Media.
Wait for the inevitable civil disobedience movement…
Epic douchery indeed: That moron’s Nazi banner, w/ mudflap wymym.
I mean what the fuck?
Note pro-Israel sentiments from this morning’s PJTV email:
Slicing and Dicing the Israeli Salami
by David Solway
Devouring a nation, one slice at a time.
Israel Blockade Getting in the Way … UNRWA Says
by Stephanie L. Freid
Could Israel fully ease the blockade while at the same time implementing security measures that could guarantee safety? PJM interviews the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s spokesman in Gaza.
And then VodkaP, whose logo is him as human swastika!
“Submission“, sounds familiar, where have I heard that before?
DKW’s mom?
Ole Wodkapundit is pretty far down the list of THOSE TO BE HATED but if he feels an urgent need to self-immolate then I will not attempt to interfere. And I could probably find some accelerants if he wanted assistance.
Anything to say that might contradict him, or are we chalking that up as a fair observation?
Crap on a crutch, I’ve been reading/stealing from DW for over a yr., & if anything he’s bent over backwards (No VWhateverR!) to be fair to & about reactionaries, & in general seemed to have treated & quoted them well enough that he was practically the only reporter some of them would talk to.
But there’s no reason to take Drunky Boy seriously.
Devouring a nation, one slice at a time.
PJTV making a report about the Israeli annexation of Palestine?
How timely.
How appropriate.
How uncharacteristic. I must have read that wrong…
Ooops: PJ Media, not TV, if it makes a dime’s worth of difference.
Heh. Funny comments at the HuffPO story about Rand Paul touting an underground electrified fence for the border:
“Wouldn’t an underground electric fence just ground itself out?”
not to mention:
“How would you get them to wear the collars?”
Slicing and Dicing the Israeli Salami by David Solway
That ain’t kosher…
the one that the progressive movement, using the schools and universities, has tried to keep from them.
Education — hiding the truth since 1868!!
WTF is threatening about an 86 y.o. bedridden lady?
Jesus Christ. Those things should be fucking illegal.
I thought your right to own bedridden grannies was constitutionally protected.
(yes, I’m way behind, sorry)
The first time I heard his name on BBC radio a while back I actually had to look it up, ’cause I was sure that I wasn’t hearing it right…
And I think this Venn diagram pretty much sums up the music hate…
But WTF do I know, I’m listening to a Paul Butterfield Blues Band anthology right now…
When wingnuts say freak out we ask, how hard?
If that isn’t an unveiled reference, I don’t know what is…
I thought your right to own bedridden grannies was constitutionally protected.
It is these very rights that are under constant attack. Obambi wants to take our bed-ridden grannies away, & make us pay his Chicago-style slush fund to “care” for them.
Constitutional protection comes from the barrel of a gun.
I used to like Paul Butterfield …
Hitler.
The fact is, why are liberals always trying to force Real Americans to do things there way?
The fact is, isnt that just what Hitler did, and what hed make the hole world do if the Forces of Freedom had not stopped him?
The fact is, who will stop The Usurper? Freedom.
I also agree..i used to like paul butterfield….!
“The fact is, who will stop The Usurper? Freedom.”
Gary’s CCR cover band sucks.
From Jonah’s latest poop:
Projection like that can show movies on the moon.
We “wish Michael Steele ill”? I can’t remember the last time I felt anything other than vague pity for him.
Did you hear the news that growth in the first quarter has been revised downward from 3.2 to 2.7%?
Looks like more taxes, more spending, more debt, and more regulations isn’t good for the economy. Gee, who could have predicted THAT?
More taxes? Maybe a Moran Tax imposed on you.
Hey Common Sense, get some. The operative word is growth.
Gary’s CCR cover band sucks.
All the cowbell in the world won’t save it.
~
The Bush tax cuts are set to expire this year, and Steny Hoyer raised the specter the other day of not extending any of the tax cuts, not just the ones on “the rich”.
Did you hear that my scale has been repaired, and it turns out I lost 15 pounds instead of 20?
Looks like eating healthy, jogging, lifting weights, and getting lots of rest won’t help me lose weight. Gee, who could have predicted THAT?
A wise man once said that common sense wasn’t common.
An even wiser man said, common sense is what tells us the Earth is flat.
Troofie, why do you hate America?
Steny Hoyer can raise my specter anytime he pleases. Rowr.
How many net jobs has the stimulus created? I mean real jobs, not census jobs or jobs in congressional districts that don’t exist.
“raised the specter”
Veiled Honorable Gentleman from PENISylvania reference.
At which point Weigel would let me know that the bar might be a much nicer place if I were on the outside of it. And set myself on fire.
Aw, is he admitting he too has an emotional problem or is he just feeling left out? Or maybe he’s so fucking stupid he can’t tell the difference between private email comments about a third party and remarks aimed at a social companion?
The fact is, isnt that just what Hitler did, and what hed make the hole world do if the Forces of Freedom had not stopped him?
By Forces of Freedom, I presume you meant Stalin and that socialist FDR.
and Steny Hoyer raised the specter
What two consenting adults do in private is nobody else’s business.
How many net jobs has the stimulus created?
You can blame BP for the loss of “net” jobs.
jobs in congressional districts that don’t exist.
We must stop the spread of nonexistent congressional districts NOW!
Obviously Badger here missed the story about Joe Biden’s recovery.gov website saying they had created jobs in places such as the “15th Arizona Congressional District” or the “20th Virginia Congressional District”, places that don’t even exist!
That’s government for you! Can’t trust them on anything.
Unless it’s a Republican.
In which case, not trusting them on everything is a sign of political treason, punishable by deportation or execution if the untrusting sort which even now saps our precious national essence refuses to leave.
How many net jobs has the stimulus created? I mean real jobs, not census jobs or jobs in congressional districts that don’t exist.
As a former census worker, bookmark this; census jobs are fucking real. Temporary though they (like quite a few jobs) may be, twenty bucks an hour is nothing to spit at; in a city like DC, it’ll hold you over for a couple of months even after you’re done, and you can do a lot with just a couple of months.
Hey Arlen-back the fuck off! He’s mine!
If they wanted census workers to produce, they should be paid like waiters–a very basic wage plus “tips” for the amount of respondents you can get in one day. This would incentivize productivity and we could save taxpayer money by getting the Census done quickly at the same time!
IOW pay for productivity, NOT hours worked.
Obviously Badger here missed the story about Joe Biden’s recovery.gov website saying they had created jobs in places such as the “15th Arizona Congressional District” or the “20th Virginia Congressional District”, places that don’t even exist!
All the more reason to stomp the imaginary districts before all sorts of stimulus created boggarts, Orcs, and Blue Meanies come pouring out to enslave us.
Fight the Power, Troofie!
$20/hour is a big waste of taxpayer money and encourages slowness and laziness in the public employees.
Troofie was a doofus to most,
But he never meant shit to me.
Straight-up closet homosexual that sucka was, plain to see
(Man, muthafuck him and Gar-y!)
Census workers should be productive like me, who has no job and trolls liberal comedy blogs because I have gay crushes on half the regulars.
Can you imagine what kind of terrible customer service we’d get it we paid other unskilled people, like waiters or fry cooks or barristas, $20/hour?
Badger, I fear that orcs are frighteningly real.
Why, there’s one in this thread right now. And he’s looking for MANFLESH!
Meanwhile, Sarah Palin discovers that America has its own Fort Knox… in Alaska!
Didn’t keep any of us slow or unproductive. But then, the people I worked with were all concerned with actually doing their jobs, something Troofie wouldn’t have the first clue about.
By the way, I love how when we’re talking about middle class and working class job, the logic is “pay them as little as possible and let them earn scraps, otherwise they’ll be unproductive.” When you’re talking CEOs and the other people at the top of the food chain, suddenly the logic switches to “pay them as much as possible, otherwise they’ll be unproductive.”
What was that about setting clocks to double standard time?
If they wanted census workers to produce, they should be paid like waiters–a very basic wage plus “tips” for the amount of respondents you can get in one day.
I believe there’s a specific term used in cases when you give government workers “tips”.
What’s that word? Oh yeah…Graft
there’s one in this thread right now. And he’s looking for MANFLESH!
Well, can you blame him? He ain’t had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!
No, idiot, the government would pay them based on how many forms they completed per day, the citizens wouldn’t “tip” them (except through their taxes, of course).
CEOs take all the risk, that’s why they’re paid so much. And they worked their way up the food chain.
It’s about the customer, and the business owner. They’re all that matters. And if we’re talking about government workers, the taxpayer is the only one that matters.
The worker should be grateful he/she has a job and do it well, especially if they’re unskilled or majored in something useless during their college “education”. Serves them right for not taking any initiative in their lives.
Yeah, I sure took all the risks back when I ran all them companies! I’m a self-made man, I am!
We got a report an unemployed troll was chiding imaginary people for not taking any initiative?
I look at Sadly NO! Chuckle, think a little (sometimes not enough) and make a comment (that I rarely edit like I should) and put it into space. It sticks on the comment section, most of the time.
Maybe its the eighth, or the eighteenth, or the eightieth or like now, the Five Hundred and Thirty-odd something one.
Sometimes I read the comments and time slips by and responsibilities go unattended, battles are fought and won or lost, ships sink, people die and some are born, seeds sprout, the sun slips out of sight, darkness commences, then light again…
Then I wake up from my Sadly No! reverie and enter the world outside and engage with others, assume duties just recently nearly abandoned or forgotten for the sake of reading about the possible re-application of Godwin’s Law or the finer details or wingnut lunacy.
But outside no one cares, they live their lives as if it doesn’t what Thomas Sowell says or why Sara Palin is still getting news coverage. No one discusses it.
But Glenn Beck still yammers incessantly, children starve, billionaires contrive new ways to rob the common idiot, injustice spreads and corrodes humankind like a creeping poison ivy.
And I wonder why, why?! Why do we still suffer so? Why does no one understand? Why hasn’t the revolution commenced yet?
Then I realize after glancing over five hundred and some-odd comments, that the intelligentsia, the revolutionaries, the modern Salon class, is consumed in the minutia of the moment over at Sadly No!
I think its a plot.
Yeah, I sure took all the risks back when I ran all them companies! I’m a self-made man, I am!
Yeah, really.
Take a look at how skill’s rewarded in society sometime. There’s a reason why on average, kids who do badly in school but come from rich families do better in society than kids who do well in school but come from poor families.
No, idiot, the government would pay them based on how many forms they completed per day, the citizens wouldn’t “tip” them (except through their taxes, of course).
Then “tip” is the wrong word since it implies a gratuity i.e. A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service.
Then “tip” is the wrong word since it implies a gratuity i.e. A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service.
And “waiter” was the wrong person to compare it too. Fortunately, if you’re conservative, your position gets to change the moment it’s no longer convenient.
tooTO. With apologies to the language police.And I’m not unemployed, I’m a small business owner who makes his own hours. I’m successful enough to.
And running a real business is a hell of a lot harder than making lattes or census work.
“rony Police said,
June 26, 2010 at 5:38
We got a report an unemployed troll was chiding imaginary people for not taking any initiative?”
Yes officer, over there, the soft one over there with the cheeto dust on his Ed Hardy shirt.
Oh, okay. You’re a male prostitute. Well, I guess we’ll arrest you for that, then.
I’m a small business owner who makes his own hours.
Except when the library closes and they kick you out of the computer pod.
For once,
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100625/ap_on_re_eu/eu_netherlands_decoy_jews
Pretty funny idea, actually. At some point down the line, it’d be nice if they also had cops go undercover posing as hajji-looking people and take a look at what that gets them.
But if nothing else, seems like a good idea as a deterrent.
Honey, selling yourself in the men’s bathroom at Citgo is not a small business. Honestly dear, why didn’t you go to college? Why couldn’t you just ignore all the “liberal elitists” who were being mean to you?
sob
And running a real business is a hell of a lot harder than making lattes or census work.
No doubt. Though probably less difficult than growing food on a farm for jobs that every “real American” considers themselves too good for. (See link way way above).
We should use prisoners to fill the jobs illegals do on farms.
Bring back the chain gangs!
“#
Common Sense said,
June 26, 2010 at 5:41
And I’m not unemployed, I’m a small business owner who makes his own hours. I’m successful enough to.”
Big damn deal, I’m a business owner too, in fact I own two businesses and my sense of responsibility and desire to achieve has me working all hours instead of lounging around at home whining about how its so hard to make a buck these days because of all the lazy loungers in society who have their wives washing their nappies and doing their books for free while they ride to the lake in their financed truck pulling their business expense boat to do some “I got so much free time because i’m self employed and successful because I got credit.” high quality bass fishing.
I’m always impressed with that level of self employed stupid and love to work circles around them.
And you thought that buzz was just mosquitoes around your giant lump of a head.
There’s actually a truly interesting piece of empathy going on here. See, the troll assumes most people are like him and so would attempt to game the system if they were being paid by the hour. Now, this could be right or wrong, depending on where one’s level of pessimism towards the ethical standards of humanity goes.
Mind, I’ll post up the amount of possible fraud going on in census taker paychecks against the cost it takes to keep the standing army the troll loves so much around, and see which one’s the bigger money pit.
And let me say something else–there’s no bigger pleasure in the world than firing a lazy menial worker and seeing the look on his face!
maggoty bread
Kwitcherbitchin: Protein & carbs.
“#
Common Sense said,
June 26, 2010 at 5:46
We should use prisoners to fill the jobs illegals do on farms.
Bring back the chain gangs!”
And how about this? Let’s call them PLANTATIONS!
Holy Shit what an idea! ‘Cept I have a feeling that most of the Peckerwoods down south might resent the implication just a bit, which might make running a day or two of the experiment, just worth the fun to watch.
Just saying.
Back on the chain gang
~
I’m successful enough to.
To what?
And yes, most people would game the system. Humanity is basically fallen, selfish, and immoral, and conservatism assumes that.
Marxists and “progressives” believe we’re good little angels and “society” makes us evil.
“#
Common Sense said,
June 26, 2010 at 5:50
And let me say something else–there’s no bigger pleasure in the world than firing a lazy menial worker and seeing the look on his face!”
You’ve never fired anyone and you are a menial worker.
Stop fantasizing and try to wind down with some teevee time. The night shift at McD’s can get you pretty wound up I’m sure.
And let me say something else–there’s no bigger pleasure in the world than firing a lazy menial worker and seeing the look on his face!
At least there’s no bigger pleasure I’ll ever get to experience apart from that.
God what an idiot.
I’m going back to work, I’ve got a job to finish to meet a deadline.
DEADLINE.
I’m sure you have no idea what that is commoner.
Not only do they assume that, but they try their damnedest to prove it.
There’s actually a truly interesting piece of empathy going on here. See, the troll assumes most people are like him and so would attempt to game the system if they were being paid by the hour. Now, this could be right or wrong, depending on where one’s level of pessimism towards the ethical standards of humanity goes.
Yeah, always thought that was interesting. People won’t work for free, but most of them do take pride in doing a job they think is important, and doing it right. But the idea of a professional ethic that goes beyond a mere search for financial compensation is always lost on people like this.
I’m a small business owner who makes his own hours.
That “work at home and make thousands without effort” scam really does net some suckers, doesn’t it.?
Humanity is basically fallen, selfish, and immoral, and conservatism assures that.
Fixed.
Yes, I’m sure your “Modern Inteperative Art” class at Liberal Arts U is sooooooooooooooooooooo stressful, kate!
Lol.
And yes,
most peopleSarah Palin would game the system.And let me say something else–there’s no bigger pleasure in the world than firing a lazy menial worker and seeing the look on his face!
I know he’s just having a laugh, but the idea that “the biggest pleasure in the world” would involve causing pain to someone else, no matter how well deserved the pain is…
Let’s take this to the extreme; if, say, you killed a man like Robert Mugabe or Kim Jong Il, would you lose sleep over it? Probably not. But would you honestly list that as “the biggest pleasure in the world,” ahead of getting married or watching your kid grow up or any of that stuff?
Because if so, that’s a pretty pathetic comment on your life.
Looks like I pushed some buttons with that statement, which was the intent.
Really, pissing of liberals is one of THE biggest pleasures, at least!
And let me say something else–there’s no bigger pleasure in the world than firing a lazy menial worker and seeing the look on his face!”
You know, I’ve had to fire someone – once – and it was one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do – and the person wasn’t even a permanent employee with an expectation of long-term employment. I know other managers who’ve had to fire higher level people, and it’s agonizing. And HR policies being what they are, you really have to be very careful when you have that conversation.
Someone who would write something like this quote? is either a liar or a psychopath.
or someone who’s never ever served in a supervisory role.
Enh. Selfish you can make a good argument about. Well, not you because you’re a fucking idiot, but there’s smarter people out there who could make an argument.
Fallen is dependent upon a religious reading (unless you’re saying that we’re all descended from the monkey that fell out of the tree, instead of simply getting out of it), and so isn’t actually verifiable from a secular perspective.
Immoral? I won’t go so far as to say this also depends on a religious reading (although the proper statement would probably be “unethical”), but if we are, it’s hardly reserved to the menial working classes. Therefore punishing them while rewarding others is itself immoral and unethical.
And actually, thanks to the failures of systems such as the Leninist-Marxist methodology of doing things, a lot of Marxists would have far bleaker images of humanity than you would credit us for. This doesn’t prevent us from believing the idea can be improved by taking into account the likelihood of corruption, however.
Really, pissing of liberals is one of THE biggest pleasures, at least!
Well, that’s a step down from “the biggest pleasure,” at least.
Common Sense, is it hard being dead inside. I ask because it’s an appropriate question whether you’re a troll or not.
Again, the comment was just to push some buttons…and it looked like it worked.
Mad?
Really, pissing of liberals is one of THE biggest pleasures, at least!
fucking pathetic. What a douche.
Really, pissing of liberals is one of THE biggest pleasures, at least!
The raison d’etre of the conservative movement.
There are no more barriers to cross. All I have in common with the uncontrollable and the insane, the vicious and the evil, all the mayhem I have caused and my utter indifference toward it I have now surpassed. My pain in constant and sharp and I do not hope for a better world for anyone. In fact I want my pain to be inflicted on others. I want no one to escape. But even after admitting this there is no catharsis. My punishment continues to elude me and I gain no deeper knowledge of my self. No new knowledge can be extracted from my telling. This confession has meant nothing.
The raison d’etre of the conservative movement.
Yeah, and another somewhat tragic commentary on a person’s life if pissing off someone is considered one of the highest things on his list of pleasures.
Really, pissing of liberals is one of THE biggest pleasures, at least!
Whoops, I miss-read.
What, do you hang out in public toilets? Jeesus, what a pervert!
Not pissing SOMEONE off, pissing off a liberal, and that’s only because of the irreperable harm they’ve done to this country, in only 18 months (since January 2007 if you count the Pelosi Congress).
Hmm, when DID things start going to hell? Around 2007….when the Democrats took Congress…hmmm…
There are no more barriers to cross. All I have in common with the uncontrollable and the insane, the vicious and the evil, all the mayhem I have caused and my utter indifference toward it I have now surpassed.
You really think so?
Like I posted earlier today, I’ve seen him do much better than this. He’s not really on his game. Well, anyone can have a bad day.
Common Sense, is it hard being dead inside
It hasn’t been hard for quite some time, now that you mention it.
Hmm, when DID things start going to hell? Around 2007….when the Democrats took Congress…hmmm…
Ironically, that’s just about when things started looking up in the Iraq war. Another hmmm…
Not pissing SOMEONE off, pissing off a liberal,
Actually, Trolly Truffus gets off on pissing. “pissing of liberals”
Creepy, man. I sure as hell hope I don’t encounter Troofus in public bathrooms.
“Hmm, when DID things start going to hell? Around 2007….when the Democrats took Congress…hmmm…”
Are you sure? I thought things improved, just like you said they would when you said
“Here is how it will go down next week. First, the results from Virginia and North Carolina will come in, and they’ll be declared for McCain. You’ll be disappointed, but “no big deal, change can’t come overnight” will be your comment. Florida will go red, and a little nervousness will creep in. The usual suspects will fall into the usual categories. As the night drags on, Ohio, Colorado, and (much to your horror) Pennsylvania will be too close to call.
My advice at this point to you will be to go to bed. You will wake up to a McCain presidency and the Great Liberal Freakout will be on.
Bookmark this, liberals, as this is exactly how it is going to go down. You will be wonder how the hell I was able to call this.”
Shut up, Kounty! Shut the fuck up!!
“I sure as hell hope I don’t encounter Troofus in public bathrooms.”
*I*, on the other hand…
Yeah, and another somewhat tragic commentary on a person’s life if pissing off someone is considered one of the highest things on his list of pleasures.
Especially if it’s a list of highest attainable pleasures.
But even after admitting this there is no catharsis. My punishment continues to elude me and I gain no deeper knowledge of my self.
Buck up, Troof. There’s always cheetos.
Oh, heavens. Are these the fabled Motherfucking Horns?
No, they are the vuvuzuelas.
St. Kid from Kounty Meath said,
June 26, 2010 at 6:10
Good Lord, he’s never going to live that down, is he?
We’ll see who is laughing this November and in 2012.
Is the implication here that it is in fact you who will be laughing, as you undoubtedly were when you wrote
“Here is how it will go down next week. First, the results from Virginia and North Carolina will come in, and they’ll be declared for McCain. You’ll be disappointed, but “no big deal, change can’t come overnight” will be your comment. Florida will go red, and a little nervousness will creep in. The usual suspects will fall into the usual categories. As the night drags on, Ohio, Colorado, and (much to your horror) Pennsylvania will be too close to call.
My advice at this point to you will be to go to bed. You will wake up to a McCain presidency and the Great Liberal Freakout will be on.
Bookmark this, liberals, as this is exactly how it is going to go down. You will be wonder how the hell I was able to call this.”
CEOs take all the risk, that’s why they’re paid so much.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH
AHHAHAHA
Fuck you.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
We’ll see who is laughing this November and in 2012.
We’ll be sure to bookmark it.
We’ll see who is laughing this November and in 2012
Even if (perish forbid) the GOP wins in 2010 and 2012, how does that make you less laughable?
To be fair, it’s quite possible he’s right. And if not in 2010 or 2012, then he will be right at some point down the line again, at which point he’ll come here and SCREAM his victory…
… and then, a few years later, we’ll win again, and he’ll be nowhere to be found. And so on, and so forth. This is how politics works, especially in a country as bipolar as the U.S.
He’s like a little kid on a see-saw going “Ha! Now I’m higher up than you! … You just wait! I’ll be higher than you again!”
Who runs around saying things to piss people off and pat themselves on the back for it. What is it about trolls that make them so impressed with themselves.
Even if (perish forbid) the GOP wins in 2010 and 2012, how does that make you less laughable?
I expect Jon Stewart and every other comedian in America is on their knees praying for a Palin presidency. A gold mine of material even better than George W. Bush, it would be.
“He’s like a little kid on a see-saw going “Ha! Now I’m higher up than you! … You just wait! I’ll be higher than you again!”
You know, I’d be willing to bet Troofie actually spends a substantial portion of every day literally doing that. This is before the cops see his picture in The Database, of course.
I’d pray for a Winky McAlso presidency just for her reaction when she found out she couldn’t make it illegal to make fun of her.
He’s like a little kid on a see-saw going “Ha! Now I’m higher up than you! … You just wait! I’ll be higher than you again!”
I’ll be permanently higher for 50 years!
I expect Jon Stewart and every other comedian in America is on their knees praying for a Palin presidency
I dunno-there are some things you can’t do even for the sake of art.
You know, I’d be willing to bet Troofie actually spends a substantial portion of every day literally doing that. This is before the cops see his picture in The Database, of course.
I laughed out loud. Am I a bad person?
So, anyway. The troll, in its roundabout way, has brought up a good question in my mind.
The depiction of the conservative/liberal divide is often depicted as the conservatives being the steely-eyed realists and the liberals being optimistic sorts.
Now, before I started hanging out around Sadly, No! I was always being pegged as a fatalistic sort, certain of doom and catastrophe. In a certain way, I reflected a “conservative” view of the world, that things will continue on as they always have, which would be ugly and depressing, but still livable.
Weirdly, as I’ve talked with you folk, I often feel like I’m shoring up the front lines of optimism around here. Now, one could chalk this up to there’s no greater cynic than a heart-broken romantic, but then what to make of the stereotype?
You then have the troll and even many of the conservative hacks constantly making great proclamations about how the light is coming at the end of the tunnel, that the great liberal freak-out will soon begin. In itself, a terribly optimistic thing to say considering the amount of power they’ve invested in our ability to destroy everything.
And then you have the contradictions. If the conservatives believe truly the world is full of nothing but shit that has to be dragged out of its own crapulance by the strong guiding hand of the Father, what to make of their constant crowing of small-government? Likewise, if the liberals believe the better angels of our nature will right things, why would we be saddled with the idea of big government, an ideal which would be redundant if we believed humanity was fine on its own?
I’m probably babbling here, but it strikes me as an odd series of positions, that the optimists don’t trust people, the realists trust people inherently, and in either case, humanity seems to just continue chugging along, doing good or bad as it pleases.
STPA,
I always thought it was the other way around, but maybe that was just my own political journey. Conservatives are the starry eyed idealists with the notion that all you have to do is leave people completely to their own devices and everything will fall into place (see Pangloss, for the philosophically inclined). Liberals are the realists who watched that notion fail the people completely during the Gilded Age and realized that you needed to set up ground rules to prevent the train from going completely off the tracks.
(Course, I’m talking about small-government conservatives at their best, back when they were still guided by ideals rather than the seething ball of hate and resentment they are today, so we’re talking nineteenth and early twentieth century).
I’ve heard it exactly the other way, Trotsky, that conservatives are the ones who have faith in people and liberals hate humanity and want to keep it under their control. The Rush Limbaughs of the world will pull out whichever one is convenient at the time.
Parsing Troofie’s brainfarts is akin to looking for artistic value in a pile of cat vomit, but I don’t think it’s fair to call him “optimistic” at all when all the things that get him off, and all the things he’s basing his “great proclamations” on, are the failures and disappointments of others. He doesn’t care about the oil spill or the economy except the effect it has on the Republicans gaining power. That’s not optimism, just cynical self-interest.
Me, I don’t think either group has a monopoly on any of the Big Things: Freedom, optimism, humility, honesty, etc. There are always exceptions to general principles, but I’m not the sort of person who thinks that’s a bad thing.
I think both ideologies have optimistic and pessimistic styles. Arch-conservatives think satan and non-whites are going to drag us back to the dark ages. And neo-conservatives think we’re just one war away from a democratic peace golden age.
ROFL!!! I think the funniest part about the trolls that come here is that they can’t tell they are being laughed at! I assume it is the lack of a sense of humor that conservatives are afflicted with that prevents them from understanding.
Trots, you positivist, you! The conservative/liberal divide is often depicted as the conservatives being the steely-eyed realists and the liberals being optimistic sorts.
That there depiction is usually promulgated by reactionaries, & as such is a textbook example of projection.
Progressives want a gov’t. able to protect most decent humans from the few among us who are savage greedy predators, & to do what can be done by gov’t. more efficiently than any of the fantasies of free-market something or other that reactionaries cling to, despite all evidence to the contrary.
So who’s the steely-eyed realist?
So who’s the steely-eyed realist?
Is it… is it Stalin?
Have you seen the Daniel Pink video on what actually motivates people?
How unimportant financial compensation is to peoples’ happiness with their jobs/life (beyond a certain point, around $65K US a year) is lost on almost everybody.
Absolutely. GlaxoSmithKline (Or some damn Pharma outfit) had an advert w/ a lady scientist describing the heartbreak of dementia’s effects on her aunt, & how she’d dedicated her life to finding a cure, yada.
Always found that amusing when told by a glibertarian that medical innovation would stop if obscene profits were trimmed.
Really, pissing of liberals is one of THE biggest pleasures, at least!
A hilarious Freudian slip- I bet he’s in the 69th Teabaggers’ Division, Golden Shower Brigade.
He’s probably rubbing one out now, imagining President Obama ***CENSORED FOR THE CHILDREN’S SAKE***
Won’t somebody think of the children?!?!?
Actually, I’m a bit worried that Toofless is thinking about them…
I also like how he thinks that this statement pissed anyone off:
And let me say something else–there’s no bigger pleasure in the world than firing a lazy menial worker and seeing the look on his face!”
I find it hilarious, because it’s an admission that he’s never actually fucked anyone- any fucking he has done is purely metaphorical.
Not only that. What it fairly screams to me is projection and envy. I wonder just how often Troofy has been canned for being too lazy to carry out his assigned menial tasks, like swabbing up at the local peep-o-rama.
Oh, I forgot. He’s a successful business owner. With a hot wife. And stuff.
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Just one last comment on the job front; out of the people I know, I find it mildly funny that the people who bitch the loudest about their jobs by far are the conservatives. Oh, my boss doesn’t understand me, my coworkers are mean, I’m not getting paid enough, I deserve better than this, the world’s taking a big shit on me! Etc, etc, etc.
The reason conservatives jump on Troofus’ “Fuck the unskilled” train is because they all think they’re qualified to be rocket scientists, and the market can’t possibly fail to recognize and reward that. Then they go out into the real world and find out it doesn’t share their inflated opinion of themselves. But they still can’t imagine that they were wrong, so instead they grow old and bitter bitching that they could have been rocket scientists if those damn darkies weren’t stealing their jobs with affirmative action and immigration…
I’m a small business owner who makes his own hours.
Ha ha, and obviously “actually working” doesn’t make the cut in very many of them. And like g said, no one who’s ever really had to fire people in real life enjoys it. Anyhoo, I hope all your papers got delivered, enjoy the rest of your day.
“And let me say something else–there’s no bigger pleasure in the world than firing a lazy menial worker and seeing the look on his face!”
..other than raping their children, right? 😉
Uncommonly Dense, could you please avoid fapping to that mental image while posting, please?
Of course, I thought Troofie was going to enlist (again) once his commander in the Bunched Panties National Guard Unit h¥gave him permission to. Or was it after he finished cleaning up his basement, or finding his penis again.
Hard to keep all his stories straight…