Dec 3rd, 2011
Wow. And we thought it looked bad up close. Mark Pitzke writes for Der Spiegel:
"Africa is a country. In Libya, the Taliban reigns. Muslims are terrorists; most immigrants are criminal; all Occupy protesters are dirty. And women who feel sexually harassed -- well, they shouldn't make such a big deal about it.
Welcome to the wonderful world of the US Republicans. Or rather, to the twisted world of what they call their presidential campaigns. For months now, they've been traipsing around the country with their traveling circus, from one debate to the next, one scandal to another, putting themselves forward for what's still the most powerful job in the world.
As it turns out, there are no limits to how far they will stoop.
It's true that on the road to the White House all sorts of things can happen, and usually do. No campaign can avoid its share of slip-ups, blunders and embarrassments. Yet this time around, it's just not that funny anymore. In fact, it's utterly horrifying.
It's horrifying because these eight so-called, would-be candidates are eagerly ruining not only their own reputations and that of their party, the party of Lincoln lore. Worse: They're ruining the reputation of the United States."
That these folks are not just damaging their party's brand but the country's is an ominous sign. It would serve the GOP voters well to remember that the President's primary obligation is to lead internationally as our Commander in Chief.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
The Cain Train Officially Derails
Dec 3rd, 2011
A few weeks ago, I publicly declared we weren't going to seriously follow the Cain campaign anymore. I am breaking that vow for obvious reasons. Today, in a performance as obtuse as it was narcissistic, Herman Cain announced that he was "suspending" his bid for the American Presidency.
Over the course of what Rachel Maddow called his "performance art" campaign, Cain did provide the nation with two valuable contributions; We discussed widely, and for the first time in the broader critical community, the possibility of implementing a "flat tax." His "999" plan helped educate the American people to the fact that flat tax proposals are little more than schemes to benefit paternalistic, crony Capitalism and to further the creation of an American aristocracy. They always have been. What's more, Cain's run allowed the voters of this country to see just how vicious the "family-values" party is willing to be (as shown HERE, HERE,HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE) when they aren't exploiting the peccadilloes of liberal womanizers when their predations are made public.
That the final straw for the GOP base seems to have been an alleged consensual extramarital relationship and not the allegations of harassment and possibly even sexual assault against numerous women should give us all pause. Barbara J. Risman addresses this HERE.
Cain still refuses to take any responsibility whatsoever. He just can't seem to "blame himself."
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
A few weeks ago, I publicly declared we weren't going to seriously follow the Cain campaign anymore. I am breaking that vow for obvious reasons. Today, in a performance as obtuse as it was narcissistic, Herman Cain announced that he was "suspending" his bid for the American Presidency.
Over the course of what Rachel Maddow called his "performance art" campaign, Cain did provide the nation with two valuable contributions; We discussed widely, and for the first time in the broader critical community, the possibility of implementing a "flat tax." His "999" plan helped educate the American people to the fact that flat tax proposals are little more than schemes to benefit paternalistic, crony Capitalism and to further the creation of an American aristocracy. They always have been. What's more, Cain's run allowed the voters of this country to see just how vicious the "family-values" party is willing to be (as shown HERE, HERE,HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE) when they aren't exploiting the peccadilloes of liberal womanizers when their predations are made public.
That the final straw for the GOP base seems to have been an alleged consensual extramarital relationship and not the allegations of harassment and possibly even sexual assault against numerous women should give us all pause. Barbara J. Risman addresses this HERE.
Cain still refuses to take any responsibility whatsoever. He just can't seem to "blame himself."
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Romney Watch - A Problem With The Base
Dec 3rd, 2011
Nate Silver examines Mitt Romney's failure to score stronger numbers in the pre-primary polling of Republican voters. Although Silver asks whether or not the candidate has a "moderate problem," what really jumps out is the chart below. The driving force in the race so far has been the extreme, social conservative wing of the GOP. Their dominance explains a lot.
Nate Silver examines Mitt Romney's failure to score stronger numbers in the pre-primary polling of Republican voters. Although Silver asks whether or not the candidate has a "moderate problem," what really jumps out is the chart below. The driving force in the race so far has been the extreme, social conservative wing of the GOP. Their dominance explains a lot.
Quote Of The Day - Collapsing Euro Edition
Dec 3rd, 2011
"If Merkel gets her way, Europe is on the edge of a major deflationary spiral. What this could do to the euro area, the entire EU (Britain is by no means immune), and the US is alarming. If that were to happen alongside the euro disintegrating, we have the most serious crisis in Europe since the Second World War."
-- Andrew Sullivan on the continuing collapse of the Euro and the possible results of Angela Merkel's schemes.
"If Merkel gets her way, Europe is on the edge of a major deflationary spiral. What this could do to the euro area, the entire EU (Britain is by no means immune), and the US is alarming. If that were to happen alongside the euro disintegrating, we have the most serious crisis in Europe since the Second World War."
-- Andrew Sullivan on the continuing collapse of the Euro and the possible results of Angela Merkel's schemes.
"The World's Dumbest Loanshark"
Dec 3rd, 2011
Jon Stewart has some comments on the revelations that while we were all under the impression that TARP was roughly $700 billion, the bailout actually put the taxpayers on the hook for another staggering $7.7 trillion.
Jon Stewart has some comments on the revelations that while we were all under the impression that TARP was roughly $700 billion, the bailout actually put the taxpayers on the hook for another staggering $7.7 trillion.
The Euro - A Matter Of Days?
Dec 3rd, 2011
The pronouncements and dire warnings are coming at a rapid clip...
England is drawing up "emergency plans" in the event of the currency's collapse while Austria's Finince Minister speaks of "vicious" solutions. All eyes, however, are still on Germany where discussions have coalesced around Chancellor Angela Merkel's insistence that the answer to the Euro question lies in the nearly total sacrifice of member state sovereignty.
The pronouncements and dire warnings are coming at a rapid clip...
England is drawing up "emergency plans" in the event of the currency's collapse while Austria's Finince Minister speaks of "vicious" solutions. All eyes, however, are still on Germany where discussions have coalesced around Chancellor Angela Merkel's insistence that the answer to the Euro question lies in the nearly total sacrifice of member state sovereignty.
Wacky GOP Frontrunner Madness
Dec 3rd, 2011
So, Cain is out as of a few hours ago and I suspect this will give Gingrich a tremendous bump... at least through the next several hours. The wild and wacky ups and downs of this primary season are unlike anything we've ever seen.
Peter Suderman of Reason reflects on what is driving the phenomena while commenting on a remarkable interactive graph over at TPM tracking the ups and downs of the candidates in Iowa polling (screen-capped below):
"Fear the boom and bust, indeed.
The national polling is similarly contorted, and it suggests that the Republican party is in a bit of a pickle: They think they can win against Obama in 2012. But they don’t have a candidate they think they can win with.
Try talking to Republicans about Mitt Romney, and you’ll find two things: First, a lot of them don’t want to talk, and when they decline they frequently stress the need for maintaining a good working relationship should Romney become the nominee. Those who do talk tend to say a few cautiously nice things about him. He’s a decent guy. He’s a good manager. He’s intelligent. He knows business. But it’s hard to find party insiders or activists who are genuinely enthusiastic about his candidacy. The people who like him best—self-styled moderates and business folks who shy away from the rougher edges of the party’s activist base—are merely comfortable with him, because they see, or think they see, a familiar type of individual."
"Fear the boom and bust, indeed.
The national polling is similarly contorted, and it suggests that the Republican party is in a bit of a pickle: They think they can win against Obama in 2012. But they don’t have a candidate they think they can win with.
Try talking to Republicans about Mitt Romney, and you’ll find two things: First, a lot of them don’t want to talk, and when they decline they frequently stress the need for maintaining a good working relationship should Romney become the nominee. Those who do talk tend to say a few cautiously nice things about him. He’s a decent guy. He’s a good manager. He’s intelligent. He knows business. But it’s hard to find party insiders or activists who are genuinely enthusiastic about his candidacy. The people who like him best—self-styled moderates and business folks who shy away from the rougher edges of the party’s activist base—are merely comfortable with him, because they see, or think they see, a familiar type of individual."
Fox News Vs... The Muppets?
Dec 3rd, 2011
Yes, indeed. Eric Bolling is warning against the insidious anti-oil industry bias that apparently runs amuck throughout the new Muppets film. We aren't making this up.
Yes, indeed. Eric Bolling is warning against the insidious anti-oil industry bias that apparently runs amuck throughout the new Muppets film. We aren't making this up.
Quote Of The Day
Dec 3rd, 2011
"It is because nations tend towards stupidity and baseness that mankind moves so slowly; it is because individuals have a capacity for better things that it moves at all."
-- George Gissing
Friday, December 2, 2011
Fox Lie Of The Year Nominee
Dec 2nd, 2011
Wow. This one is whopper. Nearly on par with the imaginary costs of the President's trip to India, which you may recall did not require $250 MILLION a day, Fox News' Brian Kilmeade claimed this morning that the proposed Keystone XL project would create "250,000 permanent jobs."
So provable is this lie, as shown HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, that this does rate as one of the worst acts of propaganda in Fox history. But why listen to me? Listen to the TransCanada official who admitted, on camera, that the total number of "permanent" jobs after the completion of construction would be at most in the "hundreds." That's it.
Wow. This one is whopper. Nearly on par with the imaginary costs of the President's trip to India, which you may recall did not require $250 MILLION a day, Fox News' Brian Kilmeade claimed this morning that the proposed Keystone XL project would create "250,000 permanent jobs."
So provable is this lie, as shown HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, that this does rate as one of the worst acts of propaganda in Fox history. But why listen to me? Listen to the TransCanada official who admitted, on camera, that the total number of "permanent" jobs after the completion of construction would be at most in the "hundreds." That's it.
The Battle For The Conservative Soul, cont...
Dec 2nd, 2011
David Jenkins is justifiably gobsmacked by a recent Bret Stephens column conflating global warming science with "doomsaying prophecy and faith in things unseen":
"Mr. Stephens, in one fell swoop, is equally dismissive of religion and science. What kind of hubris causes one to have no use for either the knowledge gained from empirical evidence or the faith that has pushed mankind to rise above his base instincts?
This type of egotism seems to be running rampant among those—particularly in the right-wing media—who profess to be conservative. I believe this unfortunate phenomenon is the by-product of traditional conservatism being shoved aside by a radical, libertarian-inspired ideology that is deeply antithetical to traditional Burkean conservatism.
This ideology elevates personal freedom and financial gain far above all other values, and in doing so, empowers its followers to dismiss or even belittle anything that does not directly serve those parochial ends."
If the conservative movement doesn't right itself, no pun intended, with a strong push against the kind of thinking exhibited by Stephens, they risk total marginalization in the arena of ideas.
David Jenkins is justifiably gobsmacked by a recent Bret Stephens column conflating global warming science with "doomsaying prophecy and faith in things unseen":
"Mr. Stephens, in one fell swoop, is equally dismissive of religion and science. What kind of hubris causes one to have no use for either the knowledge gained from empirical evidence or the faith that has pushed mankind to rise above his base instincts?
This type of egotism seems to be running rampant among those—particularly in the right-wing media—who profess to be conservative. I believe this unfortunate phenomenon is the by-product of traditional conservatism being shoved aside by a radical, libertarian-inspired ideology that is deeply antithetical to traditional Burkean conservatism.
This ideology elevates personal freedom and financial gain far above all other values, and in doing so, empowers its followers to dismiss or even belittle anything that does not directly serve those parochial ends."
If the conservative movement doesn't right itself, no pun intended, with a strong push against the kind of thinking exhibited by Stephens, they risk total marginalization in the arena of ideas.
Fear And Loathing In Wisconsin
Dec 2nd, 2011
More very shady behavior by supporters of the embattled Wisconsin Governor is coming to light.
More very shady behavior by supporters of the embattled Wisconsin Governor is coming to light.
Erik Prince Is Back
Dec 2nd, 2011
Not in the literal sense, but he is in the news again and in typically loathesome fashion.
TPM reports:
"Jan Schakowsky says that former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince has "attempted intimidation" of her in response to Schakowsky’s campaign to reduce U.S. reliance on private military contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Schakowsky (D-IL) spoke on the House floor Wednesday about a letter from Prince’s attorneys, dated October 7, 2011, that was delivered by hand to Schakowsky’s office. The letter accuses Schakowsky of making "false and defamatory" statements against Prince."
That Mr. Prince is in the news rather than prison continues to defy human decency. We will be watching this closely.
Not in the literal sense, but he is in the news again and in typically loathesome fashion.
TPM reports:
"Jan Schakowsky says that former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince has "attempted intimidation" of her in response to Schakowsky’s campaign to reduce U.S. reliance on private military contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Schakowsky (D-IL) spoke on the House floor Wednesday about a letter from Prince’s attorneys, dated October 7, 2011, that was delivered by hand to Schakowsky’s office. The letter accuses Schakowsky of making "false and defamatory" statements against Prince."
That Mr. Prince is in the news rather than prison continues to defy human decency. We will be watching this closely.
Preparing To Fight The Hawks
Dec 2nd, 2011
As substantial (not to mention long overdue) cuts the U.S. defense budget loom, Kevin Drum takes aim at one of the more dubious arguments against them.
"Defense hawks like to insist that we should judge the Pentagon budget as a percentage of GDP. The Bill Kristol contingent, for example, claims that we should never allow defense spending to fall below 4 percent of GDP. But is this a sensible way of looking at things? For some programs it is. Social Security and Medicare, for example, are both inherently tied to population growth and living standards, so as those go up so will outlays. But in other areas this doesn't make so much sense. Do we need more embassies overseas just because our GDP has grown? Not really. There will be some increase in wages that's tied to economic growth, but that's about it."
As substantial (not to mention long overdue) cuts the U.S. defense budget loom, Kevin Drum takes aim at one of the more dubious arguments against them.
"Defense hawks like to insist that we should judge the Pentagon budget as a percentage of GDP. The Bill Kristol contingent, for example, claims that we should never allow defense spending to fall below 4 percent of GDP. But is this a sensible way of looking at things? For some programs it is. Social Security and Medicare, for example, are both inherently tied to population growth and living standards, so as those go up so will outlays. But in other areas this doesn't make so much sense. Do we need more embassies overseas just because our GDP has grown? Not really. There will be some increase in wages that's tied to economic growth, but that's about it."
A "Glitch"?
Dec 2nd, 2011
That is what Apple says is behind the now widely discussed behavior of the Siri iPhone app.
Seriously.
A "glitch."
As Raw Story noted a few days ago, the app can't find an abortion clinic in New York city but, if you ask it where to dump a body, it will direct you to "a smelting plant in New Jersey."
That's some "glitch."
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| Image via |
Seriously.
A "glitch."
As Raw Story noted a few days ago, the app can't find an abortion clinic in New York city but, if you ask it where to dump a body, it will direct you to "a smelting plant in New Jersey."
That's some "glitch."
Quote Of The Day - Here and Now Edition
Dec 2nd, 2011
"Sept. 11 didn’t succeed because we granted the terrorists due process. The attacks did not succeed because al Qaeda was so formidable, but because of human error. The Department of Defense withheld intelligence from the FBI. No warrants were denied - the warrants weren’t requested. The FBI failed to act on repeated pleas from its field agents, agents who were in possession of a laptop with information that might have prevented Sept. 11.
These are not failures of laws. They are not failures of procedures. They are failures of imperfect men in bloated bureaucracies. No amount of liberty sacrificed on the altar of the state will ever change that."
-- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), still fighting hard against the frightening Levin/McCain provisions in the NDAA
"Sept. 11 didn’t succeed because we granted the terrorists due process. The attacks did not succeed because al Qaeda was so formidable, but because of human error. The Department of Defense withheld intelligence from the FBI. No warrants were denied - the warrants weren’t requested. The FBI failed to act on repeated pleas from its field agents, agents who were in possession of a laptop with information that might have prevented Sept. 11.
These are not failures of laws. They are not failures of procedures. They are failures of imperfect men in bloated bureaucracies. No amount of liberty sacrificed on the altar of the state will ever change that."
-- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), still fighting hard against the frightening Levin/McCain provisions in the NDAA
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