A camel walks through the eye of the needle.

"My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice."  --Warren Buffett

People are Corporations, My Friend

Maybe RomneyCorp would be more human if he were less incorporated.

Almost an Asshole

Rick Perry said Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, would be "almost treasonous" if the Fed released more money.

Tax Reform for the 1,400-odd Millionaires Who Didn't Pay Taxes

Pay your fair share.

Michele Bachmann's Spam

"I hate Pork!  Where's my farm subsidy check?!"

You Ain't My Constit'ency?--Mitt and Choice

Mitt continues to make his nomination more and more unlikely, this time by refusing to sign a pro-life pledge when most of the other GOP candidates have, alienating the GOP.  Sometimes, I wonder if he understands the GOP nomination process.

The Courage of Santorum--Choosing Your Enemies

The first liberal heavyweight Rick Santorum chose to engage in debate as a new GOP Presidential candidate...Miley Cirus.  Way to set the bar high, Dick.

The Morality of Newt: Why has thou forsaken me?

Newt's senior campaign staff just resigned en masse.

Say No to VoucherCare!

It's just another Republican-orchestrated government bailout of the medical insurance industry.

Weiner now a Democrat with Apologies

Rep. Weiner was forced to issue an apology today.  And I was forced to remove him from the "Democrats without Apologies" page.  

Guys, a quick note-- it really pisses off the Progressive Grassroots when you give the Republicans all the ammunition they need to keep their little media circus going and our substantive issues out of the spotlight.  

I suggest that the DCCC have some remedial training for all Congressmen, explaining the difference between the US House of Representatives and Jersey Shore.

It was and is a amateur, rookie mistake.  Dumb sumbitch.  Grow the f*** up.  

Sigh. 

Or possibly an extreme excess of hyperbole emergency in the GOP...

"We have a severe deficiency of leadership crisis in the White House."--Herman Cain.

The Courage of Santorum--A New Campaign Slogan

Courage.*

*to not use the works of Langston Hughes for your campaign slogan

You Ain't My Constit'ency?--Mitt and Global Warming

"I believe the world is getting warmer, and I believe that humans have contributed to that."  - Mitt

I don't understand why, but...

Republicans hate your Grandma.

The Title of Governor Goodhair

Should Rick Perry, Mitt Romney or Sarah Palin hold the title of "Governor Goodhair"?

Viva Obama! An old favorite from '08...

DingDangDoo Haiku

Perry prays for rain.
An extra session for schools,
but still no funding.

The Duality of Mitt, Book IV: Choice

Old Mitt:  Promised to "protect a woman's right to choose."

New Mitt: Believes that states should have the right to legislatively overturn Roe v. Wade.

But they still won't raise taxes 3% for people earning above $250K...

Threatening to bankrupt the government if we don't take healthcare away from our grandparents is extortion.  Pure and simple.

Palin's Common Sense Conservatives

If Sarah Palin represents a "common sense" approach to government, I vote for using experts.

After which, Republicans tried to throw Grandma off the cliff

"Let's just stipulate that nobody is trying to throw Grandma off the cliff." --Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell 

Potentates of Vassal States

I'm tired of tin-pot dictators and Republican governors loudly declaring that our President has arrogantly ignored their state's sovereignty, before demanding another huge US government hand-out.  

In addition to Medicare...

I will give you my Social Security when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

A personal note...

I really miss the Ragin' Cajun.  I hope that James Carville plays a much bigger role in 2012, particularly in the South.

Why requiring a photo ID at the voting booth is irrelevant

An absentee ballot doesn't care what the color of your skin is.

Texas...It's a lot like Kenya

A suggestion to Texas Democrats:  if y'all would hurry up and declare independence, we could start the rumours about Perry being a foreign-born Methodist.

President DingDangDoo, the Secessionist

Gov.  Perry is apparently considering running for President.  He also believes Texas has the right to secede from the United States of America.

So, hypothetically, if Texas were to secede after he was elected, would he still be President?

I'll get you, my pretty ... and your little dog too!

You'll know when Palin enters the race: first, the flying monkeys will land in your yard...

Right-Wing Social Engineering IV: Voter Identification and the Poll Tax

Requiring registered voters to spend $20 to obtain a picture ID from an unrelated government agency is a poll tax.

The Governor of Oz

Rick Perry, the Governor of Oz and bouffant afficionado, makes Sarah Palin look like the Glinda, Good Witch of the North.

The Evil of Two Lessers

In 2007, John McCain ultimately chose Sarah Palin over Pawlenty to run as McCain's VP candidate.  What does this say about Pawlenty?

The Morality of Newt: the Eigth Commandment

“Any ad which quotes what I said Sunday is a falsehood.”  --The Newt


Brilliant.

The Duality of Mitt, Book III: Gun Control

Old Mitt:  Was a proponent of gun control who supported the Brady Bill and a ban on assault rifles.

New Mitt: Is an NRA member who may or may not actually own a gun.

Repeat after me...

He is a Borrow and Spend Republican...Borrow and Spend Republican...Borrow and Spend Republican...

T-Pawl!

Pawlenty is in.

The score is now:

Victims of slings and arrows  - 4 (Haley, Huckabee, Trump, Daniels)
Current Candidates - 7 (Cain, Davis, Gingrich, Johnson, Karger, Pawlenty & Paul)

Fence straddlers - 4 (Moore,  Roemer, Romney, Santorum)

Republicans still in the closet - 5 (Bachmann, Bolton, Guiliani, Huntsman, McCotter)

Palin - 1 (Palin)

Heresy

Ultimately, every moderate Republican will be burned at the stake for political heresy.

We few, we happy few, we band of birthers...

In light of the publishing of long-form birth certificate by the President last month, I would like each Republican candidate to answer the following question with a simple "yes" or "no":

Will you now admit that the President is as American as you are and renounce the "birther" movement and all their works? 

The Duality of Mitt, Book II: Balancing the Budget

Old Mitt:  Was a moderate who balanced the state budget in Massachusetts by enacting a combination of spending cuts, closing corporate tax loopholes, and raising fees on marriage licenses, driving licenses, gun licenses, and taxes on gasoline at the state level.

New Mitt: Is another Borrow and Spend Republican who has pledged to not allow new taxes or increases in existing taxes at the federal level.

Right-Wing Social Engineering III: Seizing Power from Local Government

Seizing power from elected local governments to hand it over to unelected bureaucrats is Right-Wing Social Engineering.  


And probably unconstitutional.  So much for the Founding Fathers.

Right-Wing Social Engineering II: Cutting Funding to Public Education

Cutting funding to public schools and state universities is Right-Wing Social Engineering.

Daniel's out.

And Mitch Daniels is not entering the race.

For those keeping track, that leaves us with a score of:

Victims of slings and arrows  - 4 (Haley, Huckabee, Trump, Daniels)
Current Candidates - 6 (Cain, Davis, Gingrich, Johnson, Karger & Paul)

Fence straddlers - 5 (Moore, Pawlenty, Roemer, Romney, Santorum)

Republicans still in the closet - 5 (Bachmann, Bolton, Guiliani, Huntsman, McCotter)

Palin - 1 (Palin)

Pizza Dude's here...

Herman Cain is now in.

For those keeping track, that leaves us with a score of:

Victims of slings and arrows  - 3 (Haley, Huckabee, Trump)
Current Candidates - 6 (Cain, Davis, Gingrich, Johnson, Karger & Paul)

Fence straddlers - 5 (Moore, Pawlenty, Roemer, Romney, Santorum)

Republicans still in the closet - 6 (Bachmann, Bolton, Daniels, Guiliani, Huntsman, McCotter)

Palin - 1 (Palin)

Tomorrow's Forecast: The Rapture

Tomorrow is apparently supposed to be the End of Times.  Of course, Fox News has been saying that every day since November 4, 2008.

Romneycare Rocks! Part II

If Mitt really believes that health care reform should not be handled by the federal government, then I would prefer him to be a candidate for governor of my state and not President of the United States.

Gun Control and Marksmanship

If you need an AK-47 to get your deer, then you're a lousy shot who shouldn't be in the woods in the first place.

The Duality of Mitt, Book I: Romneycare

Old Mitt:  Was the key figure in bringing near universal health care to the state of Massachusetts, using an individual mandate.

New Mitt: Wants to make sure that the same thing never, ever happens in the rest of the Union.

The Wisdom of Perry: Noodling Education

Only the Texas legislature would pass a bill removing a $500 fine for illegally "noodling" catfish while simultaneously cutting billions from higher education in the state.  Let's see how Guv'nuh Perry responds.

The Failure of Bipartisanship: Unintentional Truths

"How can one negotiate with a party that has shown itself unwilling to recognise your right to exist?" 


 --President Obama, discussing the Middle East and not the Republican Party

Right-Wing Social Engineering I: Preventing Same Sex Marriage

Preventing the recognition of same sex marriage is Right-Wing Social Engineering.

The Apple and the Tree

Mitt Romney's dad, George, was born in Mexico, became the CEO of an American car company producing fuel efficient cars in the 50s and 60s, ran against both Nixon and Barry Goldwater, was known as a strong supporter of the American civil rights movement, headed the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and was considered a moderate Republican.  In other words, he was an Obama Democrat before it was cool.

Join our farm, Comrade!

If universal health care is a form of socialism, then so are farm subsidies.

Warren Buffet and Bill Gates on a progressive tax system

You Ain't My Constit'ency?-Newt and RWSE

"I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering."--The Newt

The Arrogance of Santorum

Despite not having spent five and a half years in the Hanoi Hilton, Rick Santorum believes he understands torture better than Sen. McCain.  He also firmly believes that he understands your life better than you, and would be happy to explain how you are getting it all wrong.

Even Fuzzier Math

Sen. Kyl said today that agreement was reached to cut $150 billion from the budget as part of the debt ceiling talks.  Of course, it wasn't clear whether this was intended to be a factual statement.

The Morality of Newt: the Seventh and Tenth Commandments

Mr. Gingrich says he is a Christian.  I take him at his word.

Leaving office...

At a certain point, you begin to wonder whether every single Republican politician will eventually leave office under a cloud of scandal related to:

(A)    sexual improprieties;

(B)    campaign finance violations; or

(C)    covering up either (A) or (B)?

Speaking of other things...

If you aren't talking about the Department of Defence, you aren't talking about balancing the budget.

Outrageous Fortune

Trump is out, leaving us with one less (possible) candidate for the role of Hamlet.


For those keeping track, that leaves us with a score of:


Victims of slings and arrows  - 3 (Haley, Huckabee, Trump)
Current Candidates - 5 (Davis, Gingrich, Johnson, Karger & Paul)
Fence straddlers - 6 (Cain, Moore, Pawlenty, Roemer, Romney, Santorum)
Republicans still in the closet - 6 (Bachmann, Bolton, Daniels, Guiliani, Huntsman, McCotter)
Palin - 1 (Palin)

Compassionate Conservatives

Compassionate Conservatives would be more appealing if they weren't so conservative with their compassion.

What Health Care Reform is, and is not, about.

Health care reform isn't about taking coverage away from those who have it.

Health care reform is about giving coverage to those who don't.

A response to Rep. Ryan's proposals on Medicare

I will give you my Medicare when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Threats to Freedom

Big Business is at least as much a threat to your freedom as Big Government.

To Huckabee or not to Huckabee

Huckabee is out (after playing back-up to the 'Nuge), leaving us with one less (possible) candidate for the role of Hamlet.

For those keeping track, that leaves us with a score of:

Victims of slings and arrows  - 3 (Haley, Huckabee)
Current Candidates - 5 (Davis, Gingrich, Johnson, Karger & Paul)

Fence straddlers - 6 (Cain, Moore, Pawlenty, Roemer, Romney, Santorum)

Republicans still in the closet - 6 (Bachmann, Bolton, Daniels, Guiliani, Huntsman, McCotter, Trump)

Palin - 1 (Palin)

Romneycare Rocks!

I love Romneycare.  In fact, I think we should make it the law of the land.

Labels: the "Borrow and Spend Republican"

I'd rather be a "tax and spend Democrat" than a "borrow and spend Republican".

Parallelism

Newt just announced his run for the presidency, during which he claimed credit for reducing unemployment from 5% to 4% and balancing the budget.

These wonderful achievements are apparently the result of Newt's leadership of the House and had nothing to do with President Clinton.

Yet somehow, I think Newt will soon ask us to believe that our current economic woes are apparently not the fault of Boehner's leadership of the House and have everything to do with President Obama.

Yellow Dogs

I'd vote for a yellow dog if he ran on the Democratic ticket.

Yeah, maybe, but on the other hand...

"We all know that going after oil companies is easy politics, but we also know that if this bill [eliminating tax breaks for the oil industry] were to pass it wouldn't lower gas prices one penny," Boehner said.


Yeah, but it would lower the government's deficit by a fair few--around 200,000,000,000 pennies, give or take.

Trickle-Down Economics

The basic idea behind trickle-down economics--that giving tax breaks to those who are already wealthy will cause them to spend more, and that that increase in spending will eventually trickle down to the middle class--ignores one basic fact about the rich...

The rich get rich, and stay rich, by hoarding money and not by spending it.

Prolonging Debate

If you say that an issue is settled in your mind but keeping demanding additional "proof" week after week, YOU are the one who is unnecessarily prolonging the debate.

Fear

Republicans don't really fear "Big Guv'ment".

Republicans fear an effective government.

The first Republican Debate...

A doctor, a zombie, a rooster, a handyman, a pizza guy and a couple of no-shows walk into a Republican Debate...

A generic answer to almost any question....

Yeah, but President Obama ACTUALLY got bin Laden.

The first step is admitting you have a problem.

My name is "Frank", and I am a recovering Republican.