19 Different Polls: Americans agree - higher taxes necessary

From Bruce Bartlett:

Contrary to Republican dogma, polls show that the American people strongly support higher taxes to reduce the deficit and improve income inequality. ... 19 different polls since the first of the year say yes- Americans think higher taxes are necessary - especially on the rich .

McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor voted EVERY TIME to increase the debt limit under Bush while Bush doubled the national debt. Now, suddenly the top 1% of Americans' tax breaks are more important to Republicans than America's credit and economic stability.

Conservative economic policies are killing the middle class. It is class warfare and the average American is clearly losing.

Republican economic policies are based on proven fallacies like 'trickle-down', and 'higher taxes kill jobs,' 'taxes hurt the economy,' ... etc. Bush cut taxes and had the worst job creation record of any modern president. The Bush tax cuts were not supposed to last forever. Alan Greenspan, whose endorsement was perhaps the single most decisive event in their passage, made it very clear that they were a temporary solution to a temporary surplus, a surplus thanks to the Clinton administration.

Bush Tax cuts will cost America $5 Trillion - CRS.

66% of all income growth during the Bush years has been enjoyed by the top 1%. That is who the GOP is fighting for, against every poll that shows Americans feel the rich are not taxed enough.

For 6 of his 8 years as president, Reagan taxed the top 1% far MORE than Obama has proposed. But Mr. Black President is a ‘socialist’. The effective tax rate vs GDP was 18% under Reagan compared to 14.8% today. The GOP has piled on to the crazy wagon. They are invested in the failure of America. Their only objective is to bring Obama down, even if it means crippling the American economy.

Conservative economic policies are killing the heart of America – the middle class. Yes, it is class warfare and the average American is clearly losing.

66% of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1% of all Americans.

Only the top 5 percent of U.S. households have earned enough additional income to match the rise in housing costs since 1975.

n 1950, the ratio of the average executive’s paycheck to the average worker’s paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300 to 500 to one.

The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation’s wealth.

The top 1% of U.S. households own nearly twice as much of America’s corporate wealth as they did just 15 years ago.

Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009.

83 percent of all U.S. stocks are in the hands of 1 percent of the people.

61 percent of Americans “always or usually” live paycheck to paycheck, up from 43 percent in 2007.

Approximately 21 percent of all children in the United States are living below the poverty line in 2010 – the highest rate in 20 years

43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved up for retirement

Bible: Jesus was clearly a liberal socialist

Since conservatives seem to have claimed 'ownership' of religion and 'moral values,' it is also notable that they are ignoring Biblical moral value principles - true to their consistent hypocrisy.

Why was Jesus crucified?

According to Biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan, Jesus was a philosopher who argued that true happiness could be found by charity and kindness, not by accumulation of wealth. Jesus argued that Roman commercialism had corrupted Jewish society. Jesus was a trouble maker to the Romans and made his feelings known. The only time Jesus was ever documented in the Gospls using physical force was when he expells the money changers from the temple. The small few elite Jews were getting very rich cooperating with the Romans while most were being dispossessed and taxed into oblivion. Under Roman rule, their society was becoming dominated by a wealthy arrogant elite grinding down on an increasingly desperate working class. This disparity was against the principles of Jesus, and the Bible is clear on these values:

But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. [Luke 14:13 &14.]

If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. [Matthew 19:21]

You cannot serve both God and Money. [Matthew 6:24.]

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

[1 Timothy 6:10,11]

Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

(Proverbs 23:4,5)

He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

(Proverbs 28:8)

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

(Psalm 37:21)

A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

(Proverbs 28:20)

What would Jesus think of Republicans targeting the poorest and weakest among us by cutting funding for community health centers, heating for the poor, foodstamps, and medicare while fighting tooth and nail to protect tax cuts for the most weathy?

During the election, Republicans lied through their teeth - accusing the Democrats of wanting to cut Medicare and SS. Now look at the hypocrites... planning to phase out Medicare for those under 55, cutting programs for the poor and elderly while fighting to preserve a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.

A little history: Note the titles given to these Bush tax cuts for corps and the rich:

Cut #1: Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001

Cut #2: Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003

Cut #3: Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005

Well guess what? There was no economic growth and the worst job creation of any modern presidency. The Republican fantasy of trickle down has a proven record of failure, yet they keep sticking to it because of their puppet masters and their innate mental predispostion of not being able to adapt.

This is not to say that Obama is a socialist. We all know where that lie comes from. Like previous presidents, Obama is well connected to the JPMorgan Chase money machine. It just goes to show how hypocrisy runs deep among religious conservatives who now use "socialism" as a dirty word and rallying cry against Democrats.

So, do these GOP generated lies about America becoming consumed by socialism have any bearing in reality? Quite the contrary! America is anything but socialistic. America ranks dead last in social spending among industrialized nations.*
(*OECD members)

Republicans love the Constitution so much they want to change it

The first day of the Republican controlled House, they intend on reading the Constitution.

Why is it that Tea Party Republicans that have wrapped themselves in the Constitution are so bent on changing it? They want to change the 14th amendment, the 17th amendment, they want to reject the supremacy clause Article VI, Clause 2, and federal taxation Article I, Section 8, ...clause 2.... and if it were up to them, they'd have a religious (Christian) test for political office which violates Article VI, paragraph 3.

Actually, Republicans want to change the Constitution in a dozen different ways.

Now that's respect for the Constitution!

To top it all off, they had Antonin Scalia school them on the Constitution - he's the guy who thinks that the 14th Amendment - "equal protection under the law" - does NOT apply to women, despite a 1971 unanimous SCOTUS ruled that the equal protection does apply to women.

Scalia also has no problem with promoting religion in government (which is unconstitutional), and is basically one of the most dangerous people of power in America. Let's hope for a retirement soon.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

UPDATE: Denialist blogger who can't handle debate - Patterico - stikes again. I commented on Scalia yesterday. My comment was of course deleted but wha-lah .... he has a post on Scalia today. heh...

Teabagger Christine O'Donnell caught stealing campaign money

Christine O'Donnell is in for a lesson. You can't make a career out of failed political campaigns and steal your contributor's campaign funds for your personal use.

O'Donnell is under criminal investigation. It seems not a matter if she stole campaign money, but how much. She could even do time if convicted. This is what passes for morality for the religious right wing teabaggers jumping to her defense.

It is shocking that anyone would have supported this candidate, who claimed American scientists had created mice with "fully functioning human brains." But, that's the level of intellect we're dealing with when it comes to the teabagger:



GAME OVER

Republican Tea Party Positions - In their own words. GO VOTE!!

1) Eliminate Federal funding for colleges and Universities – Dick Armey

2) Outsource American jobs oversees and prevent the Democrats from bringing jobs back to America by using foreign funding to attack their candidates. (GOP defeats Dem bill to prevent outsourcing)

3) Government should not prevent private businesses from discriminating on the basis of race. – Rand Paul

4) Gays and single sexually active women should not be legally allowed to teach. – Jim DeMint

5) Victims of incest rape should be forced by the federal government to bear their rapists child. – Angel, Palin, Paul, O’Donnell (official GOP platform calls for illegal abortion - no exception)

6) Evolution is a myth, intelligent design needs to be taught in schools. – Christine O’Donnell, Michele Bachmann, Palin

7) Eliminate the minimum wage. – Joe Miller, Michele Bachman

8) Raise the social security retirement age. – Rand Paul

9) Impose a $2000 Medicare deductible. – Rand Paul

10) “Second Amendment remedies” are needed against government – Sharron Angle

11) The separation of church and state is invalid – Ken Buck, Angle, O’Donnell

12) Abolish public schools and the Dept. of Education – David Harmer, Rand Paul
---------

The Tea Party supposedly touts the US Constitution, yet we have never seen a group more bent on CHANGING the the Constitution. They want to change the 14th amendment, the 17th amendment, they want to reject the supremacy clause Article VI, Clause 2, and federal taxation Article I, Section 8, clause 2.... and if it were up to them, they'd have a religious (Christian) test for political office which violates Article VI, paragraph 3.

Now that's respect for the Constitution. They raise their "Taxed Enough Already" signs in a year where the US saw the lowest taxes in 60 years. A real real bright group you have there!

---------
Republican Tea Party Positions - In their own words. GO VOTE!!

Protein Wisdom's Jeff Goldstein shows us how hate and demagoguery override Constitutional principles

Right wing blogger Jeff Goldstein of Protein Wisdom calls himself a "classical liberal," but what he has proven is that he is a "classical hypocrite" who not only deletes comments and bans commenters, but who demagogues people who stand up for Constitutional principles - principles that are a hallmark of his so-called "classical liberalism" - (one who is committed to the ideal of limited government and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, etc...). Freedom of speech?

Yet, like many right wing bloggers who delete comments, bans commenters, he has come out strongly in opposition of the Constitutional right of freedom of religion on the Park51 Islamic Center and makes the argument by logical fallacy, argumentum ad populum: since enough people are "uncomfortable" (read -buying right wing hatespeak) about the building of the Park51 Islamic Center, than they must be right. Goldstein's fellow libertarian Ron Paul destroys his argument by citing Goldstein's own libertarian principles:

It is repeatedly said that 64% of the people, after listening to the political demagogues, don’t want the mosque to be built. What would we do if 75% of the people insist that no more Catholic churches be built in New York City? The point being is that majorities can become oppressors of minority rights as well as individual dictators. Statistics of support (are) irrelevant when it comes to the purpose of government in a free society — protecting liberty.

This is all about hate and Islamaphobia. … Political demagoguery rules when truth and liberty are ignored.

Ron Paul isn't the only Libertarian who has come out FOR American Constitutional principles. Check out Phil Valentine's comment.


Goldstein is not uncommon. Show me one right-wing Tea Party blogger that doesn't moderate comments. Serr8d, from Smyrna TN, employee at Ingram Entertainment, is typical. Aside from his photoshops, tittie porn, and hate speak, he routinely deletes comments.

Unlike Goldstein, I have never deleted comments that show opposing views. Pretty easy to see who the coward here is. Even easier to see who stands with American Constitutional principles.

These cowards don't want discussion, they want ideological masturbation. They do not want to learn, they prefer to push hate, exclusion, insults, and peddle their bullshit to people who agree with them. Just keep it tuned to Hannity and Beck... everything will be ok.

This failed writer, Goldstein, begs for donations to keep himself and his blog alive. Pathetically, he does not even live up to his own "classical liberal" principles. Obviously has nothing better to than sit on his ass and insult people.

Yes, I also do my fair share of insulting, but when I use a term like "teabagger," I tell you exactly who I'm referring to and what I mean by that term. When Goldstein insults, he often does so with out knowledge or justification, as do his commenters. (UPDATE: for example, note the comments on this post. Real substantive).

I take his insults as an indication my criticisms have hit the mark. Thanks Jeff for letting me kick your ass one last time.

Advice: Get a life, Jeff.

UPDATE: “For the last time, sir, yes, we have an entire pot of clam chowder in the kitchen — and no, that doesn’t mean we ‘owe it to the people’ to give you a bowl for free.” - Jeff gives us the classic teabagger position, something like: Yes, I want good roads, good schools, police protection, infrastructure ... but no, I don't want to pay taxes, I expect the government to give me these things for free!! I don't want your black socialist president raising my taxes !! Taxed Enough Already !!

Olbermann call the 'baggers "the something for nothing crowd." Thanks Jeff for pointing that out for us.

UPDATE II:
Goldstein does not call for the violation of the First Amendment, he calls for violating the Constitution because it makes people uncomfortable - plain and simple. Goldstein - who rails against 'political correctness' feels it is politically incorrect to build an Islamic Center a few blocks from Ground Zero. How's that for hypocrisy? Sorry, as Phil Valentine said, "you are worried about the fascists telling us what we can and can not do and that is exactly what you're trying to do..."

Tell us Jeff, how far from Ground Zero should it be to satisfy you? 4 blocks, 5?

Tell us Jeff, how uncomfortable do you think it makes those teen girls feel who have to listen to all those anti-women's rights Christian zealots protesting at Planned Parenthood clinics? Should we violate their First Amendment rights because it makes someone uncomfortable? Should we outlaw teabagger protests because they're carrying Obama/Nazi signs and that makes me uncomfortable? Yes Jeff, you have every right to protest the so-called Mosque. I've never argued that is not your right.

What side of this argument do you want to be on when history looks back on this? Kind of like we look back at the KKK that marched in Murfreesboro, TN against the building of St. Rose's Catholic Church - because they hated Irish immigrants?

It's great to argue from a position of strength. I've got the constitution on my side. You've got political correctness.

Sorry Jeff, this is America and freedom is our gig. Checkmate.

UPDATE III: The "anonymous ankle-biting cowards from Protein Wisdom and their unemployable manbaby of a leader" can't give it up. Is it jealousy, or are they gay? Demagoging is a way of life for the "manbaby". (Kudos to Turkelson on that one).

Hey Dicentra, do you think maybe you and me, like Carville and Matalin? .... nah, never mind.

"Teabagger:" a working definition

I had been asked why I use the term 'teabagger.' It is obviously a slang term that has become part of the political vernacular, kind of like the verb, 'swiftboat' (which means: to smear). To some, it has some weird sexual connotation which is certainly unintended in my usage. So, for the record and for reference, I'd like to quote UrbanDictionary.com, which has provided some excellent definitions for the modern political animal I often refer to as a 'teabagger.'

Definition:

TEABAGGER (n.)

A misinformed, right-wing corporate media consumer who often fails to understand that Republicans represent a corrupt plutocracy that steals from the middle class by taxing labor and profiting from corporate tax subsidies.

A teabagger also often fails to acknowledge that George W. Bush and his neo-conservative minions perpetrated one of the boldest and most egregious executive power grabs in the history of the United States. Furthermore, teabaggers mistakenly continue to blame a newly elected President Obama for all that ails the United States of America, based on a grossly flawed perception of reality (including latent racial prejudice) and despite the fact the U.S. economy collapsed on the previous administration's watch.

Teabaggers are also known to base their misguided, right-wing-media-inspired beliefs about President Obama on stupid conspiracy theories about totalitarian takeovers, FEMA camps, etc., despite the fact these very same theories have been circulating around on the Internet for years, and were originally ascribed to neo-conservative cabalists at a time when Barack Obama had not even entered national politics. Teabaggers also are known to be particularly paranoid, xenophobic and intolerant, especially with regard to immigrants and anyone who isn't white.

Additionally, teabaggers generally echo stupid myths about entitlement spending (it actually only accounts for about 1% of federal budget spending), have no idea that most poor people in America are not lazy, actually do work and don't want to be on welfare, and have no idea what socialism actually means or that socialist reform in this country is actually what allowed a middle class to flourish and ultimately make the U.S. one of the most prosperous nations in human history.

Furthermore, teabaggers incorrectly equate socialism with Stalinism, think a system that rewards greed (capitalism) is the divine preference (despite Gospel evidence to the contrary), and are shameless champions of a misguided belief in American exceptionalism. Teabaggers also fail to recognize the inherently unpatriotic nature of their failed every-man-for-himself ideology that ultimately vilifies anyone who supports public policy aimed at reaching out to fellow Americans in need. They celebrate an exploitative corporatocracy (holy creator of jobs, blah blah blah) while denigrating the little guy for being "weak."

Interestingly, teabaggers uphold an immoral, morbidly obese, twice divorced, draft-dodging, college dropout and known drug addict as their de facto leader, and are even known to advocate burning books. Of course, teabaggers fail to recognize the blatant hypocrisy within the GOP and tend to oversimplify all political debate and social issues, much like their pseudo-intellectual, fat-ass leader.

Finally, incredibly, teabaggers fail to recognize the hysterical double entendre associated with their proudly adopted teabag moniker.

Every village has its idiots, of course, but it's sad when citizens of any nation allow themselves to be whipped into a frenzy en masse by a state-run propaganda machine masquerading as a legitimate, fair, balanced and independent news organization. Teabaggers are right to believe the future of the U.S.A. is in jeopardy, but sadly they have not yet correctly identified the real enemy. Perhaps when teabaggers finally grow up and mature into thinking adults, they will see the right-leaning power establishment for the oppressive and cunning beast that it is.

Teabagger: We don't care that George Bush tripled the deficit and lied us into a war. The new administration only cut taxes for 90% of the population... fascists. Let's go throw some Lipton tea bags into a fountain!

-------------------------------

some shorter defintions:

TEABAGGER (n.)

A whining fool shouting loudly for liberty but not willing to pay the bill.
After most American workers saw more money in their paycheck due to the lower tax rate, the teabaggers at Fox News railed against high taxes, but did not discuss how much Jesus hated hypocrisy.

TEABAGGER (n.)

A conservative activist who is so ignorant that they protest against tax cuts (that benefit them) by throwing tea into a river.

TEABAGGER (n.)

A republican who:

1. Protests taxation WITH representation (just because you disagree with it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist)

2. Thinks colonial Americans were prophetic, just because they lived during an earlier time period

3. Falsely claims that the 2009 Teabagging Festival was "bipartisan"

4. Agrees with Joe the Plumber on most major issues

5. Agrees with Glenn Beck, but can't explain exactly what he or they stand for

6. Doesn't understand Constitutional law

7. Doesn't understand what democracy is

8. Blindly uses the words "socialism" and "communism" without knowing what the fuck they mean

9. claims not to be a republican

10. Criticizes democrats, even though their own party has been in office for the past 8 years

11. Thinks the GOP needs to be "more conservative" to get more votes

12. Will listen to every high school dropout before hearing the opinion of ONE intellectual

13. Believes that Fox News is "fair and balanced"

14. Claims to be independent, but certainly doesn't have any liberal beliefs, and listens to guest speakers from the CPAC conference

15. Is a closet anarchist/Paultard

16. Thrives on a mob mentality

17. Prides himself/herself on doing everything he/she has made fun of when Bush was in office

18. Says things like "Where's MY bailout" without understanding how the economy works

19. Like Glenn Beck, has an extremely high word-to-meaning ratio

20. Uses TONS of words from the GOPAC memos of 1990

21. Thinks Russia is still a "threat" to the U.S.

22. Thinks China is still a "threat" to the U.S.

23. Thinks Cuba is still a "threat" to the U.S.

24. Thinks Europeans hate living in Europe

25. Doesn't believe Obama's actual birth certificate is real, but has no problems with McCain's ties to the Iran-Contra Affair or the Keating Five

26. Would rather have the GOP tell them what to think than raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans from 36% to 39%

27. Doesn't realize that they actually benefit from the stimulus package

28. Is only teabagging because Sean Hannity told them to

29. Says they like books by Ayn Rand, but cannot correctly pronounce her name

30. Gets their information from Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, Google searches, YouTube videos, partisan blogs, and Wikipedia

Two-faced hypocritical Republicans prove they have no consistent message

Once again, Dr. Maddow and her crack research staff shows the blatent hypocrisy of Republicans. Issues like: individual mandates for healthcare, campaign finance regulations, tax cuts and loans for small business, cap and trade ... all issues Republicans pushed vehemently, then soon as Obama becomes president, they are suddenly against all these things.

Watch Republicans "who were for it before they were against it"

Republican front-runner for Governor of CA oversaw growth of Ebay porn sales

The "family values party" strikes again.

Leading Republican candidate for Governor over saw the growth of Ebay's porn industry as CEO.

SF Weekly:

Whitman oversaw the creation of an eBay section, Adult Only, dedicated exclusively to the sale of pornography, rather than simply including porn items in auctions for more mainstream movies, magazines, or toys.

Whitman herself revealed in a February 2008 sworn declaration... that porn was indeed on her managerial radar. "Certain proposals concerning eBay's mature audiences policies were presented to me," she wrote.

Of course we know conservatives are biggest consumers of porn ... so Whitman does have business savvy. But,but, but... the party of family values!!!

Another "Family Values" Christian Conservative Republican resigns due to a sex scandal

Eight term Republican Congressman, Mark Souder (R-IN) -- just resigned after admitting to an extramarital affair with a staffer. Here's the kicker.... Souder recorded a video with the same woman praising abstinence education.

Priceless.


If I had a nickel for every Christian conservative family values Republican involved in a sex scandal.... here's a gallery of these hypocrites.

From HuffPost:

In stepping down, he asked God for forgiveness in a rambling, all-caps public statement. "I SINNED AGAINST GOD, MY WIFE AND MY FAMILY BY HAVING A MUTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A PART-TIME MEMBER OF MY STAFF," he wrote. "MY COMFORT IS THAT GOD IS A GRACIOUS AND FORGIVING GOD TO THOSE WHO SINCERELY SEEK HIS FORGIVENESS AS I DO."

Forgiveness, however, is not a quality that Souder shares with his Lord. No Republican has been more outspoken in Congress in his moral condemnation of Americans who use illicit drugs. In order to punish such sinning, Souder championed and vigorously defended perhaps the least forgiving law on the federal books: the denial of federal student aid for any student convicted of drug possession, no matter how minor.

Here's more on the Republican scandal du jour...

Republican candidate for FL Governor Bill McCollum paid $60,000 for anti-gay testimony by Christian leader who hired a male prostitute

If I had a nickel for every 'holier than thou' Republican hypocrite....

This guy, George Rekers, is a evangelical southern Baptist minister, a Christian leader, co-founder of the conservative rabid anti-gay group - "Family Research Council." He has a long history of anti-gay activism. Rekers is a 61 yr old married man with 3 kids, was found to have hired a 20 yr old male prostitute through a website called "rentboy.com." Rekers has testified in court that he believes the Bible is the infallible word of God, and that homosexuality is a sin. He is also a counselor involved in "gay conversion therapy."

Republican Attorney General and candidate for Florida Governor, Bill McCollum, paid Reker $60,900 for his anti-gay testimony in an adoption case.

Nice...

It appears that this was not Reker's first rodeo.

Now, the Christian conservative organizations that Rekers is involved with (like the Family Research Council, NARTH) are issuing disingenuous statements to the tune of, "George, we hardly knew thee."

Yea, right.

BTW...

Not one word of this story on the Fox News website.

Republicans block financial reform - like everything else

GOP SUCCESS DEPENDS ON THE FAILURE OF AMERICA

Republicans are scared. America is coming back. Jobless claims are down, GM has paid back the bailout 5 yrs ahead of time with interest and hired more workers, the banks are making money, housing market is up, and the economy is improving. The only thing the Teabaggers have to complain about is the blackness of the President.

Meanwhile the GOP has nothing to do but fuck things up, and make people pissed at government by obstructing - that IS their strategy. For example, Republicans have been blocking votes on nominees to federal posts, taking longer to confirm President Obama’s nominees to executive agencies than nominees submitted by the previous three administrations. Due to these blocks, there is a backlog of 101 executive branch nominees. THE GOP SUCCESS DEPENDS ON THE FAILURE OF AMERICA.

Goldman Sachs committed a billion dollar fraud and who comes to their defense? Republicans!

Republicans take on the SEC in defense of Goldman Sachs! Would you expect anything less?

Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the House Oversight committee, is demanding a slew of documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission, asserting that the timing of civil charges against Goldman Sachs raises “serious questions about the commission’s independence and impartiality.”

Issa’s letter, addressed to SEC Chairwoman Mary Schapiro was signed by eight other House Republicans.

These protectors and apologists of corporate fraud are the same Teabaggers that complained when they were bailed out.

Carl Levin nails it:

Blagojevich case reveals Republican hypocrisy - authoritarian loyalty and politics more important than the rule of law

Patrick Fitzgerald is now the hero of conservatives. The conservative Hot Air blog says the arrest is "staggering" and "Fitzmas arrives early this year." The conservative American Thinker had several articles of this triumph of justice on their website - the arrest of Blagojevich. The Democrats applaud the arrest and are united against Blagojevich. Liberal host Rachel Maddow suggests Blagojevich is mentally ill, a sociopath.

What?

Wait a second. Isn't that the same prosecutor that when indicting Republican Scooter Libby, the conservatives called Fitzgerald "beneath contempt"?

From the American Thinker - 3/08/07:

Patrick Fitzgerald is a disgrace both to the legal profession and to the human race. His partisan allies, such as Senator Chuck Schumer and certain nameless bureaucrats at the CIA, are beneath contempt.... Patrick Fitzgerald fulminated in court about a cloud over the Vice President in an effort to suggest that there was something dark and sinister about administration officials discussing Valerie Plame with reporters after her husband injected her into a national controversy. That suggestion is pure left-wing fantasy.

Conservatives went after Patrick Fitzgerald as the noose tightened around the office of the VP in Plame case. Conservative Tucker Carlson, who once had glowingly approved Ken Starr's inquisition of Bill Clinton, said of Libby's prosecutor:

"You shouldn't have these freelancers, like the lunatic Fitzgerald, running around destroying people's lives for no good reason. I hate this trial."

Weekly Standard editor and New York Times conservative columnist Bill Kristol went after Fitzgerald over his inquiry into the Plame affair:

"You know, the leak story is absurd, but I now think the whole prosecution is absurd. ... I now think it's a politically motivated attempt to wound the Bush administration."

What is truly beneath contempt are the wingnut Republican bloggers, like the pathetic Bill Hobbs, who breathlessly try to tie Obama to this corrupt governor.

Obama has called for Blagojevich to resign. It has been reported that the Obama camp tipped off authorities to the corruption. What does Bush do about Scooter Libby? He commutes his sentence.

What this shows is that conservatives are very happy to overlook corruption, abuse of power, ignoring subpoenas, etc... when it involves Republicans. This clearly shows that for conservatives, authoritarian loyalty trumps the rule of law nearly every time.

The difference here is when a Bushie get called on corruption, conservatives circle the wagons because of their authoritarian loyalty. We've seen it time after time. When a Democrat gets charged, Democrats unite against the criminal. We can see which party values the rule of law over politics and ass-kissing authoritarianism.

The Republican Culture of Corruption under Bush remains unprecedented.

H/T: C&L

What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president?

David Letterman on McCain's antics:

"You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves. I think someone's putting something in his Metamucil. He can't run the campaign because the economy is cratering? Fine, put in your second-string quarterback, Sarah Palin. Where is she? What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"

- David Letterman

Watch it tonight! (Wednesday Sept 24, 2008) Keith Olbermann stands in.

Palin and McCain carry on the Republican tradition of lying, obstruction, bad decisions, abuse of power, and hypocrisy

Thank you John McCain for your VP nomination. You couldn't have served up an easier more inept target than Sarah Palin. In just 20 months as Governor, Palin has shown she is truly in the Republican religious right wing conservative mode of hypocrisy, corruption, abuse of power, and cronyism.

Palin used a line item veto to slash funding for teen mothers - a state program benefiting teen mothers in need of a place to live.

Palin slashed $1.1 million in funding for a program that would provide "young mothers a place to live with their babies for up to eighteen months while they gain the necessary skills and resources to change their lives" and help teen moms "become productive, successful, independent adults who create and provide a stable environment for themselves and their families."

McCain and Palin opposed funding to prevent teen pregnancies.

McCain has opposed Senate proposals to spend federal money on teen-pregnancy prevention programs. In 2006, McCain voted against a proposal to send $100 million to communities for teen-pregnancy prevention programs that would have included sex education about contraceptives. In 2005, McCain opposed a proposal that would have spent tens of millions of dollars to pay for pregnancy prevention programs other than abstinence-only education, including education on emergency contraception such as the morning-after pill. The bill also would have required insurance companies that cover Viagra to also pay for prescription contraception.

Palin abused power by trying to have an ex-relative fired from his job for personal reasons. She then fired an official for his refusal to act inappropriately, LIED about it and continues to lie about it.

In summary, Palin 1) tried to have an ex-relative fired from his job for personal reasons, something that was clearly inappropriate, and perhaps illegal, 2) fired a state official for not himself acting inappropriately by firing the relative, 3) lied to the public about what happened and 4) continues to lie about what happened.

These are not the traits or temperament you want in someone who could hold the executive power of the federal government... that is unless you're an authoritarian and condone abuse of power, as so many Republicans do.

The McCain campaign is trying to use tactics to stall the release of a bi-partisan State Senate Legislative Counsel Committee investigation on Palin

... an investigation of claims that Palin abused her office to get the Alaska public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, fired.

Alabama Attorney General and McCain Campaign Manager: another anti-gay Christian conservative Republican caught having GAY SEX

Alabama Attorney General and McCain State Campaign Manager, Troy King, is married with 3 kids, and teaches Sunday school at Montgomery's First Baptist Church. He was reportedly caught by his wife in bed having homosexual intercourse with his partner and was subsequently banished from his home by his wife. BTW... Troy King helped prosecute Governor Don Seigalman, (that should give you an idea of the level of character of people involved in that case).

This rumor was of course denied by King's office. However, the details are being widely reported (here, here, here, here) and there is talk of an impending resignation. Most indicative of the veracity of the story is that the McCain campaign quickly scrubbed Troy King from their website.

King and his lover, reportedly a Troy State grad who was the 'Homecoming King,' have been seen at the YMCA reportedly engaging in "inappropriate activities." Hahaha ... Troy King with the homecoming King of Troy U. ... lol !!

What makes this so uniquely Republican is that Troy King is a big proponent of 'protecting the institution of marriage' and has made rabidly anti-gay statements. King also was opposed to the legalization of sex toys in AL where they remain illegal. Troy King turns out to be yet another Republican closet gay!! SO damn typical - another corrupt anti-gay Christian Conservative Republican caught having gay sex.

So everyone, had enough of these Republican moral values? Look at the Republicans who support the marriage amendment - David Vitter - a regular customer of whores in DC and LA, and Larry "Wide Stance" Craig.

Republican Congressmen who have gay sex and commit adultery co-sponsor the Marriage Protection Amendment

That's right, Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), who was arrested June 11, 2007 on charges of soliciting gay sex in a Minneapolis airport terminal, is co-sponsoring the amendment along with Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) who was implicated in an sex scandal involving his repeated use of prostitutes in DC and LA.

This is GOP hypocrisy at it's finest. These wingnuts who put their dicks where they don't belong sponsor a constitutional amendment to protect marriage - when they didn't obviously value their own. Classic Republican behavior.


H/T: Jesus General (graphic)

The McFlip-Flopper

John McCain is the king of inconsistency, changing his position and sucking up to whoever he thinks will get him a vote.

*McCain supported the drilling moratorium; now he’s against it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

* McCain strongly opposes a windfall-tax on oil company profits. Three weeks earlier, he was perfectly comfortable with the idea.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/18/mccains-offsho...

* McCain thought Bush’s warrantless-wiretap program circumvented the law; now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15781.htm...

* McCain defended “privatizing” Social Security. Now he says he’s against privatization (though he actually still supports it.)
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15863.htm...

* McCain wanted to change the Republican Party platform to protect abortion rights in cases of rape and incest. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/10/mccain-flips-o...

* McCain thought the estate tax was perfectly fair. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15825.htm...

* He opposed indefinite detention of terrorist suspects. When the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion,he called it “one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.”
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15864.htm...

* McCain said he would “not impose a litmus test on any nominee.” He used to promise the opposite.
http://www.americablog.com/2008/06/now-mccain-is-flip-f...

* McCain believes the telecoms should be forced to explain their role in the administration’s warrantless surveillance program as a condition for retroactive immunity. He used to believe the opposite.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

* McCain supported storing spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/28/mccains-abo... /

* McCain supported moving “towards normalization of relations” with Cuba. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15617.htm...

* McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Hamas. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15557.htm...

* McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Syria. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15564.htm...

* He argued the NRA should not have a role in the Republican Party’s policy making. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15573.htm...

* McCain supported his own lobbying-reform legislation from 1997. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/20/mccains-97-lob...

* He wanted political support from radical televangelists like John Hagee and Rod Parsley. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15633.htm...

* McCain supported the Lieberman/Warner legislation to combat global warming. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15699.htm...

*McCain pledged in February 2008 that he would not, under any circumstances, raise taxes. Specifically, McCain was asked if he is a“‘read my lips’ candidate, no new taxes, no matter what?” referring to George H.W. Bush’s 1988 pledge. “No new taxes,” McCain responded.Two weeks later, McCain said, “I’m not making a ‘read my lips’ statement, in that I will not raise taxes.”
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14761.htm...

* McCain is both for and against a “rogue state rollback” as a focus of his foreign policy vision.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/mccain-...

* McCain says he considered and did not consider joining John Kerry’s Democratic ticket in 2004.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14818.htm...

*In 1998, he championed raising cigarette taxes to fund programs to cut underage smoking, insisting that it would prevent illnesses and provide resources for public health programs. Now, McCain opposes a $0.61-per-pack tax increase, won’t commit to supporting a regulation bill he’s co-sponsoring, and has hired Philip Morris’ former lobbyist as his senior campaign adviser.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15033.htm...

* McCain has changed his economic worldview on multiple occasions.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15337.htm...

* McCain has changed his mind about a long-term U.S. military presence in Iraq on multiple occasions.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15370.htm...

* McCain is both for and against attacking Barack Obama over his former pastor at his former church.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15358.htm...

* McCain believes Americans are both better and worse off than they were before Bush took office.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/19/mccain-economy-bloo... /

* McCain is both for and against earmarks for Arizona.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/06/mccain-earmark /

* McCain believes his endorsement from radical televangelist John Hagee was both a good and bad idea.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/21/hagee-flip-flop /

*McCain’s first mortgage plan was premised on the notion that homeowners facing foreclosure shouldn’t be “rewarded” for acting“irresponsibly.”His second mortgage plan took largely the opposite position.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15176.htm...

* McCain vowed, if elected, to balance the federal budget by the end of his first term. Soon after, he decided he would no longer even try to reach that goal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/politics/16mccain....

* In February 2008, McCain reversed course on prohibiting waterboarding.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/10/emtimeem-has-m...

* McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty’s behalf before a Senate committee. Now he opposes it.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/oct/31/mccain-... /

* McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants’ kids who graduate from high school. Now he’s against it.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/oct/31/mccain-... /

* On immigration policy in general, McCain announced in February 2008 that he would vote against his own legislation.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14447.htm...

*In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving“feedback” on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he opposes his own measure.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/9658.html

* McCain said before the war in Iraq, “We will win this conflict. We will win it easily.” Four years later, McCain said he knew all along that the war in Iraq war was “probably going to be long and hard and tough.”
http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral...

*McCain said he was the “greatest critic” of Rumsfeld’s failed Iraq policy. In December 2003, McCain praised the same strategy as“a mission accomplished.” In March 2004, he said, “I’m confident we’re on the right course.”In December 2005, he said, “Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course.”
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/18/mccain-greatest-cri... /

* McCain went from saying he would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade http://mediamatters.org/items/200610310003 to saying the exact opposite.http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/19/mccain-abortion /

* McCain went from saying gay marriage should be allowed, to saying gay marriage shouldn’t be allowed.
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/02/mcc...

* McCain criticized TV preacher Jerry Falwell as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002, but then decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/6988.html

* McCain used to oppose Bush’s tax cuts for the very wealthy, but he reversed course in February.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/6731.html

* On a related note, he said 2005 that he opposed the tax cuts because they were “too tilted to the wealthy.” By 2007, he denied ever having said this, and insisted he opposed the cuts because of increased government spending.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/us/politics/03mccain....

*In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1880630&page=1

* McCain supported a major campaign-finance reform measure that bore his name. In June 2007, he abandoned his own legislation.
http://www.nysun.com/national/campaign-finance-effort-r... /

* McCain opposed a holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., before he supported it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20070115/pl_usnw/dnc__mcca...

* McCain was against presidential candidates campaigning at Bob Jones University before he was for it.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/8313.html

* McCain was anti-ethanol. Now he’s pro-ethanol.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15637887 /

* McCain was both for and against state promotion of the Confederate flag.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200610310003

* McCain decided in2000 that he didn’t want anything to do with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, believing he “would taint the image of the‘Straight Talk Express.’” Kissinger is now the Honorary Co-Chair for his presidential campaign in New York.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/12/19/mccain-kissinger /

* McCain used to think that Grover Norquist was a crook and a corrupt shill for dictators. Then McCain got serious about running for president and began to reconcile with Norquist.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/12/19/mccain-kissinger /

* McCain took a firm line in opposition to torture, and then caved to White House demands.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/20...

* McCain gave up on his signature policy issue, campaign-finance reform, and won’t back the same provision he sponsored just a couple of years ago.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/8066.html

* And now he’s both for and against overturning Roe v. Wade.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/19/mccain-abortion /

H/T: Doc Mercer

Republicans to soldiers: You can risk your life but you can't read Playboy

Can you image a bill like this coming from anywhere but Dumbfuckistan Republicans??

House Rep. Paul Broun [R-GA], with 15 Republican co-sponsors recently introduced a bill that would ban on sales of Playboy and Penthouse magazines on U.S. military installations.

Let me get this straight... US soldiers are involved in 2 hellish wars, both of which aren't going well, and these congressmens' biggest concern is to remove soldiers rights to read Playboy??

Rep. Broun explains:

"Allowing the sale of pornography on military bases has harmed military men and women by: escalating the number of violent, sexual crimes; feeding a base addiction; eroding the family as the primary building block of society; and denigrating the moral standing of our troops both here and abroad."

If this doesn't give you an idea of how fucked up and backward thinking these morons are, I don't know what could. I'm speechless.

Bill Hobbs - a denialist, slime shoveling COWARD who runs from the light like a cockroach

Cowardly Bill Hobbs called out on Obama smear, earns reprimand from RNC Chair. Nice spokesman you have there, TN GOP.

On this post - Barack Obama: Naive about al Qaeda in Iraq , Hobbs couldn't handle the truth so he deleted my comment (the post he linked to didn't accept comments - of course):

1) The Bush Administration has vastly overstated the number of foreign fighters in Iraq according to a report from the Washington-based Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS).

2) The Conservative CATO Inst reports:
"foreign fighters make up a relatively small component of the Sunni insurgency against the U.S. and British occupation forces. It strains credulity to imagine 1,300 fighters (and foreigners at that) dominating a country of 26 million people."

The article goes on to say how al Qaeda is nearly universally hated by Shiites, Kurds, and most Sunnis.

3) In speech after speech, Bush insists that "this is a war in which, if we were to leave before the job is done, the enemy would follow us here."

But is it true?

Military and diplomatic analysts say it isn't. They accuse Bush of exaggerating the threat that enemy forces in Iraq pose to the U.S. mainland.

"The president is using a primitive, inarticulate argument that leaves him open to criticism and caricature," said James Jay Carafano, a homeland security and counterterrorism expert for the Heritage Foundation

This is one of the stupidist lines ever fed by an Administration with a big shovel trying to save face for what the vast majority of Americans see as a total incompetent screw-up. Spending $333 million a day supposedly fighting al Qaeda - a rag tag group of shadowy bomb builders that offer no threat to the US - although the GOP would like you to think so, fear is their controlling mechanism.

Obama has mentioned many time about going after the real stronghold of al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, now that it is reported today by the AP that the Afghan government has no control over 70% of the nation.

So, I gave Bill Hobbs a second chance. That didn't work, he closed comments on that post after my submission. He complained that liberals were attacking him and using foul language. You see any foul language in my comment? None, no excuse Bill.

So, I gave Bill a third and final chance on a different post on the similar fear mongering topic: Hey Obama, al Qaeda is not just in Iraq, they're in America too.

Nope, he deleted for a third time, although he did allow a "yes man" comment 12 hrs after I submitted mine. This is how conservatives operate. Authoritarians don't know how to handle facts that refute their position of fear mongering and swiftboating. Amazing, this level of unprofessionalism since he represents the GOP in TN, you wingnuts sure have a problem. Let me add one more word to his description: hypocrite.... and after these deletions, Hobbs has the balls to say:

"The left always finds something to pick at other than to describe the issues; we're not surprised at all."

If you've ever visited this political blog - Loose TN Canon, you'll know that I encourage debate, NEVER delete comments - which is one of the main tenets of my site. I deal with facts. Anyone who has debated with me knows my regard for citing facts and making fact based arguments. But facts don't fit into the world of Bill Hobbs.

Speaking of Hobb's unprofessionalism, he was reprimanded by national GOP party chairman Mike Duncan in a statement sent unsolicited to Politico: “The RNC rejects these kinds of campaign tactics. We believe this election needs to be about the critical issues confronting our nation.”

Yet Hobbs proves he doesn't want debate about critical issues, he doesn't want to talk about facts, just a soapbox from which to shovel his slime about Barack Hussein Obama - including this vile statement:

"Obama has pledged to hold a Muslim Summit to determine Middle East policy with the very leaders that have as their goal to remove Israel from the map, referenced Jews to be “dogs” and “pigs,” among other vile references."

Hobbs has had his "reprimand story" on CNN, MSNBC, and some of the leading political blogs. This is not about Barack's middle name, this is about implying he is a Muslim who would make Israel unsafe, in league with anti-Semites.