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October 10, 2007

The Tattlesnake — Nobody Makes a Monkey Out of Lou Dobbs Edition

Filed under: Commentary,Opinion — RS Janes @ 6:41 am

Once in a while I like to catch CNN’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight”; sometimes I even agree with him. While Lou used to have a guest panel of news analysts that occasionally included luminaries like Randi Rhodes, Bob Herbert or that Lionel guy from Air America Radio, lately he’s been picking his guests from the wrong end of the horse. The Usual Suspects for some time now have been Diana West of the Moonie-owned Washington Times; Michael Goodwin of the bottom-feeding rightie-rag the New York Daily News; and Democratic ‘strategist’ Robert Zimmerman. Below, I’ve transcribed from (faulty) memory what the group babbled about on Monday’s show.

Since I frequently don’t keep good notes and this is no exception, this is a rush transcript of what I thought they said:

DOBBS: “What the hell is it with these news people not wearing the flag lapel pin like me? It’s bad enough Barack Obama has kicked our soldiers squarely in the groin by not wearing his pin, but now Katie Couric refuses to call them ‘our troops’ in a news broadcast — says it’s about some foreign concept of objective journalism. What — does she think she works for al-Jazeera? And that damn Bill Moyers — don’t get me started! Diana, you work for a far-right fishwrapper owned by a man who thinks he’s the second coming of Jesus — this must rumple your panties as well.”

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October 8, 2007

The Tattlesnake — Larry Tarries and Freddy’s Dead Edition

Filed under: Commentary,Opinion — RS Janes @ 10:25 am

Larry Craig’s GOP ‘Wait’ Watchers Wonder: Jiminy God! When’s He Finally Gonna Resign For Good?”

“Marge, I like my beer cold, my TV loud, and my homosexuals flaming.”
– Homer J. Simpson

– The Dems should really thank Sen. Larry Craig, now stalling again following his original promise he’d quit Sept. 30th, and then altering that vow to after he got the verdict from the appeals judge on whether he could withdraw his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge involving sexual solicitation in a Minneapolis airport men’s room. The verdict’s in and, after the judge was done laughing himself to tears, he told Lar no, you can’t change your guilty plea just to keep your soft Senate gig. (Hint: If you moan “Noooooooo!” when a cop shows his badge, it’s a pretty good indication of guilt. Innocent people don’t say things like that to the police.) But the Toe-Tapping Idaho Potatohead is made of sterner stuff and has now refused to resign despite the judge’s decision. While Craig’s family may need some rehab at the Helen Keller Institute, the rest of us, and even many Idahoans, have most of our faculties working and can easily size-up this puff-adder hypocrite: “I have gay sex in public restrooms” might as well be indelibly tattooed on his forehead. Seems Craig’s decided to take a page from the Modern Neocon Republican Handbook (BushCo-Rove Illustrated Pamphlets, 2000) and is willing to selfishly watch his party go down the drain to preserve his job and possibly revamp his future reputation. So, here’s a tip o’ the tarboosh to Larry — with your help, maybe a Dem will even win your seat from Idaho next election. Well, maybe not your seat but…uh, you know what I mean…

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October 2, 2007

The Tattlesnake — Panning Greenspan’s Pandering, Bush’s Creeping Hand, Rush’s Creepy Glands, and GOP Prez Test Edition

Filed under: Commentary,Opinion — RS Janes @ 9:04 am

Plus: The Hell with Mattel’s New and Improved (Klaus) Barbie Doll — “Now with Lead Paint!”

“Greenspan’s ‘I was against it, even when I acted like I was for it’ attempt at the irrational exhumation of his reputation is laughable but hasn’t stopped the book from getting massive attention.” [...]
“It was in his narrow self-interest to cheerlead for Bush in 2001, so he did it. Now the country — and most of the world — has turned on Bush, and Greenspan sees it is in his self-interest to distance himself from Bush.”
– Arianna Huffington, “New Books By Alan Greenspan and Naomi Klein: One is Prophetic, One is Pathetic,” The Huffington Post, Sept. 26, 2007.

– Instead of “The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World,” why didn’t ex-Fed head Alan Greenspan just title his new book, “It Ain’t My Fault!”? I haven’t read the pack of lies yet but, judging from excerpts and witnessing his performances on talk shows — including a remarkable bit of fatuous and bewildering free trade babbling on Democracy Now recently that left host Amy Goodman and guest Naomi Klein grinning in disbelief – most of it is simply a lengthy series of excuses to exculpate him from responsibility for an ongoing market collapse that his policies helped shape. “It Ain’t My Fault!” would have been a more honest and straightforward title, although I realize that approach would be a drastic departure for the former Fed chief and current Mr. Andrea Mitchell.

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John Bolton

Filed under: Commentary — alex @ 9:04 am

We’re Going to Have a War Because This Clown Says So?


“Because life is about choices, I think we have to consider the use of military force.” – John Bolton
Life is about choices? Why should we choose to listen to this bloodthirsty warmonger? Bolton and his friends
will make a lot of money if the US starts murdering Iranian children. Is that a good reason to choose to start
a war? Hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians may die because we let people like Bolton direct policy.

Attention : US Congress

John Bolton and his neo-conservative friends have shown themselves to be dangerous radicals.
They must not be appeased. Please stand up! Your country is already in plenty of trouble because you chose
to listen to people like Bolton the last time that war drums were beating. Please show some wisdom.
I pray that you have learned from your past mistakes. Don’t start the war that will end your nation.

September 30, 2007

Ye Olde Scribe Presents: Woodstock, 2007

Filed under: Commentary — Ye Olde Scribe @ 1:48 pm

Ye Olde Scribe’s Links to Oblivion
“Finding truth while surfing digital seawaves.”

Present a reasoned argument to a conservative — and, all at once, completely ignoring the tenet, tone and thrust of the point, they begin hallucinating a creature, only known to exist in the right-wing bestiary, known as a “moonbat” — a mythological beast that, ironically, seems to appear when a conservative is confronted with reality.

Analyzing Using Analogy for Fun
“Because just saying it plain would forego the red rubber nose.”

The little bitty car labeled, “We Still Fund the War,” drove into one of the three rings and out piled Democrats. The audience roared in laughter and each one tried to explain why they didn’t support the war. Then, once again they squeezed in.

Then a herd of clowns insulted the Ringmaster, Junior, while they kicked each other because “Please kick me” signs, also translated as “impeachment is off the table” were on their backs.

Slapstick never seemed less funny to Scribe, and more democratically terrifying as 08 approached… but the crowd loved it.

But then again, that’s why American Idol gets such high ratings.

Ye Olde Scribe’s Simple Solutions for Idiotic Problems
“So, why the *^%$# didn’t YOU think of this?”

Global warming? Pollution? Too many cow farts? Well if Junior, Dimbulb, O’Lielly, Handjob Hannity, the Savage Weiner and the rest of this polluted pond scum would SHUT UP… less methane: less of a problem! The world would surely be a ^%$# of a lot safer without them passing gas out of the wrong portal.

Finally… THE TRUTH!
Rewarding truthtellers with more digital hits than before.


“…unitary executive” is how you say “fuhrer” in modern American English.

And, from the same source…

A Brief Guide to the Aesthetics of Fascism:

–Hypnotized by symbols: Whether it be the swastika of the Nazis, the rising sun of imperial Japan or the fasces of the Italian National Fascist Party, simple, visually striking and endlessly repeated symbols are the “look” of a fascist government. Check out any Bush speaking engagement, from his “mission accomplished” speech on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln to the Republican National Convention, and you will see him surrounded by the Stars and Stripes. And where Nazi leaders wore swastika armbands, American fascists wear American flag pins on their lapels. Sinclair Lewis observed that, “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” The symbols may be different, but if it looks like fascism, it’s probably fascism.

Damn, That’s Good
“Scribe: servicing his readers far better than Jeff Gannon, and with less hypocrisy: more morality.”

Insomuch as I suspect, that if, during a rare press conference, George W. Bush’s face were to suddenly shed its skin right on camera, live on national television, on all channels, broadcast and cable, to reveal the countenance of a Gila Monster — the elitist beltway punditry would begin to catalog the merits of his reptilian single-mindedness. Then they would proceed to an interview with an “expert” from a right-wing funded zoological think tank, “The American Institute for the Advancement of Predatory Policy,” which would assure us that: “…in an era when evil is as proliferate as flies around the stinking dumpster of the world, Americans will be kept safe by a lizard-faced leader who eats flies for breakfast.” And the general public would only be concerned because the broadcast happened to preempt the finals of American Idol.

Source

And from the same column: same verbally well-endowed author, and the inspiration for this week’s Scribe…

The media is rife with right-wing fantasist nonsense about the “feminized” American male, when, in fact, the country has grown outright psychotic from testosterone-induced toxicity (TIT). In the 1960s, hippies were ridiculed for their naive assumptions that life on earth could be magically transformed into an egalitarian paradise of free love, good dope, waterbeds and Lava Lamps for all, if “the straights” could simply be induced to “raise their consciousness” by the engagement in and the utilization of the erotic acts, illicit substances and goofy counterculture accoutrements mentioned above. Accordingly, the current fantasy — that all US soldiers are good, righteous and brave, standing ever vigilant against all threats to the Homeland — could be regarded as a kind of Woodstock Militarism.

Woodstock, 2007

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September 26, 2007

Ahmadinejad Speaks at Columbia University

Filed under: Commentary — alex @ 10:25 am

September 25th, 2007

Can’t They Find a Better Spokesman?

I watched Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech at Columbia University yesterday and I was less than impressed. With the whole world watching, Ahmadinejad had an opportunity to undo the media’s de-humanization of himself and his people. He could have made a convincing case for peace and understanding. Instead, Ahmadinejad evaded questions and engaged in ridiculous rhetoric that only further undermined his credibility. (“Iran does not have homosexuals”) That said, just because he is an idiot doesn’t mean that he deserves to have his country bombed. His denial of the holocaust was particularly disturbing, however, that does not mean that Iranian civilians deserve to be murdered by the US Air Force. Despite the rhetoric, Iran is no threat to Israel. We must remember that Israel is armed with hundreds of nuclear warheads: many of them are pointed squarely at Tehran. Those who want war with Iran are bloodthirsty savages. It doesn’t matter what they say to package or justify their position, Pro-war means pro-murder, pro-dead children. May all those who argue for war take up arms and do the butchering themselves.

Misplaced Outrage

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September 24, 2007

Cheney, Neocon Fanatics Trying to Provoke War With Iran

Filed under: Commentary — Joseph52 @ 7:08 pm

The criminally insane Dick Cheney (who is still convinced of a link between Saddam and 9/11) evidently has been thinking about ways to get the new war he so desperately wants with Iran. Newsweek (via Reuters) has the terrifying details here. Excerpt:

Vice President Dick Cheney had at one point considered asking Israel to launch limited missile strikes at an Iranian nuclear site to provoke a retaliation, Newsweek magazine reported on Sunday.

The news comes amid reports that Israel launched an air strike against Syria this month over a suspected nuclear site.

Citing two unidentified sources, Newsweek said former Cheney Middle East adviser David Wurmser told a small group several months ago that Cheney was considering asking Israel to strike the Iranian nuclear site at Natanz.

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September 17, 2007

American History in Latin America

Filed under: Commentary,Opinion — Steve @ 6:21 am

Writer Gore Vidal called the USA the “United States of Amnesia”. I think you’ll have to admit that there’s some truth in it.

The “War on Terror” is, needless to say, also a “War for Democracy”. The Australian journalist John Pilger has visited a lot of countries, and in his latest documentary, he shows us the influence of US foreign politics on Democracy in Latin America. He especially features Venezuela, but also Guatemala, Chile (they had their 9/11, too) and Bolivia. If you have some time (about 90 minutes), go and watch the movie War on Democracy to see the consequences of US interventions and learn a bit about your history.

Even A Broken Clock…

Filed under: Commentary — macrobank @ 6:20 am

I read Bart’s “beatdown” of Medved regarding gays serving openly in the military. I move to strike as non-responsive.

Let me start by saying I have nothing against anybody in the LGBT community. I believe that in the wide spectrum of human sexual response, homosexuality is most properly viewed as just another normal part of the continuum. I believe same-sex couples should be allowed to marry or divorce or anything else their heterosexual counterparts are allowed to do. My response to the “man-marries-sheep” obfuscation is: “Yes, they SHOULD be allowed to marry…just as soon as the sheep can give recognizable consent and sign the marriage license.”

In short, I don’t care who’s sleeping with whom, so long as someone’s sleeping with me…

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September 14, 2007

Three Reasons Why It’s Time for the Democrats to Woo the Religious Right

Filed under: Commentary — idealistferret @ 4:59 pm

Although the religious right has long been the most reliable block of votes for the Republican party, I think that it is time for the Democrats to take another look at this group of potential supporters. Here’s why:

1. Republican gay sex scandals are now a common occurance. One of the tenets most sacred to the religious right is that of homosexuality being wrong. Since the very people that these voters have elected (believing that the politicians agreed on this sacred docrine) are the ones who are now attempting gay sex with underage pages and random men in public restrooms, they may begin to realize that these men will say ANYTHING to get elected and begin to doubt the wisdom of supporting a party of these liars.

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The American Economy is Sick

Filed under: Commentary,Opinion — Steve @ 4:55 pm

The most obvious sign is the trade deficit. The latest figures are, of course, for 2006, and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, the trade deficit is about ¾ trillion dollars. Let me explain this: in the year 2006, the USA has spent 758,522,000,000 dollars more than it earned. This means, not only the citizens live on credit, but the country, too. Many house owners have learned in the last moths how risky credits can be. This also means that every day, more than $2bn in credit have to be given to th US.

But who is paying for it ? Partly countries like Japan and China, who have more than 1 trillion dollars in their reserve. But there are other reasons why the US is running out of money: Since taking office in 2000, the Bush Administration has the super-rich tax cuts worth $555bn, and the Pentagon is a great spender. The budget for this year is over $500bn, and the occupation of Iraq alone has cost about $500bn. And the dollar is losing value against other important currencies like the Euro, which will make imports even more expensive.

The US exported goods for $1,445bn, but imported goods for $2,204bn – the greatest part of the balance. The US trade deficit stayed at a “tolerable” height of about $100bn – until 1997. From 1998, it began to grow, as you can see in this graph from wikipedia

Bush: War without End

Filed under: Commentary,News,Opinion — Steve @ 4:54 pm

This article is from a German newspaper. I only translated it. It was written by Harald Neuber.

When president George W Bush appeared before the cameras to dutifully inform the nation about the situation of his occupying regime in Iraq, you hadn’t have to listen closely to hear his admittance of failure. The partly withdrawal, which was mentioned in pre-published parts of his speech, is so minuscule that it hardly counts. Only 5700 troops shall return from the front line until Christmas – a rather symbolic decision in the family-oriented USA. 5700 troops – that are barely 3.5% of the 168,000 occupation force.

In the year 2003, at the beginning of the invasion, Bush had sounded differently. According to the 2003-plans of the president, Iraq should “become a dramatic and inspiring example of Freedom” for other states in the region. In the fourth year of war, disillusionment has come to Washington. Iraq is a country that’s “fighting for its survival”, Bush admitted in yesterday’s speech, which was aired from the Oval Office.

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September 13, 2007

4th Amendment

Filed under: Commentary — Chris Weagel @ 1:40 pm

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Here’s a video from February 2006 in response to Bush’s illegal wiretapping.
Originally posted at the Human Dog Laboratory.

August 23, 2007

The DLC: I’m Yo Boogie Man… That’s What I am…

Filed under: Commentary — Centristdem @ 9:27 pm

Political motivation requires an enemy. Republicans are the enemy to Democrats. Democrats are the enemy to Republicans – unless it’s the far left or far right, of course. The fringes are more concerned with the “heretics” in their party, those they believe are not pure enough to be called “Republican” or “Democrat.”

No organization or “wing” of the Democratic party is as detested by the “progressive” purists as the Democratic Leadership Council, the organization that recruited Bill Clinton and propelled him to the presidency – making him the only twice elected Democrat since Franklin Roosevelt. The “enlightened” ones in the party (the bunch that have never won a national election) often ask the rhetorical question, “what is the difference between the DLC and Republicans?” This question is a silly one. They surely know the answer to it. But the attacks on the organization have reached a fever pitch as Hillary Clinton, a DLC member, pulls further away from the pack in national and state polls.

The question, though, deserves exploring. If so many people in the “netroots” are convinced the DLC is “Republican-lite,” they’re either seriously misinformed or are using the label to further their ideology among the rank and file of the party. (more…)

July 17, 2007

Butler Shaffer: Why They Won’t Impeach

Filed under: Commentary,Uncategorized — Volt @ 10:40 am

Butler Shaffer, Lew Rockwell.com, July 17, 2007

Why do the Democrats, with control of both the House and Senate since last year’s elections, continue to twiddle their thumbs over the policies and practices of a corrupt president. Yes, they did spearhead a bill through the House that requires a withdrawal of troops from Iraq by April, 2008, a measure that media propagandists dutifully offered as having some significance. But those who take the time to carefully read legislation realize that this was but another empty, cynical gesture; the latest expression of “bipartisan” meaninglessness designed solely to placate an increasingly disgruntled booboisie. Even in the unlikelihood of the bill being signed by the president – assuming a similar proposal passes the Senate – there does not appear to be sufficient Congressional support for it to override his veto.

But Mr. Bush’s signing or non-signing of such legislation would not restrain his continuing the mayhem and slaughter visited upon Iraqis who do not fully appreciate their “liberation.” The bill contains a number of provisos, such as the keeping of a sufficient number of soldiers to help train Iraqi troops, to protect U.S. government properties, and to fight terrorists. The judgment as to when such conditions exist, and what numbers of troops would be necessary to deal with such problems, would, of course, remain in the hands of Mr. Bush. In other words, this bill would leave the president in precisely the same position he now enjoys, with this added benefit: he could rationalize his policies in terms of carrying out the express will of Congress!

Serious critics of both Mr. Bush and the Democrats ask why the latter do not undertake the impeachment of the former. Nancy Pelosi, whose every word and gesture belie the allegedly oppositional role of the Democrats, announced, immediately after the 2006 election results, that the impeachment of Mr. Bush was not a matter the Democrats would pursue with their newly-gained power. “Why not?”, many asked, particularly since Congress had been eager to impeach Bill Clinton for his far-lesser offenses. Should a man who lied America into an unprovoked, criminal attack that has thus far produced a million deaths, be more favorably treated than a man who lied about his sexual behavior in the White House? The few intelligent minds remaining in this intellectually benumbed society continue to ask this question.

If one takes the trouble to examine the matter from the perspective of the machinations that dominate all political behavior, the answer becomes apparent. Though Republicans and Democrats have their personal and minor policy differences, they are in agreement on one basic point: their “bipartisan” support for the preservation and aggrandizement of the power of the state. They understand – as do members of the mainstream media – that their principal obligation is to serve the well-being of the political power structure that long ago laid uncontested claim to the ownership of modern society.

Read More Here

July 12, 2007

Ye Olde Scribe Presents: Junior’s Dreams

Filed under: Commentary — Ye Olde Scribe @ 5:28 pm

Humor Plucked from Scribe’s Inbox
“You decide ‘feather’ or not it’s fowl or funny.”

A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation were chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner.

However, the politician was delayed, so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited. “I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place.

The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to lie his way out of it. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his boss’s wife, taken illegal drugs, and gave VD to his sister.

I was appalled. But as the days went on I learned that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people.”…

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and gave his talk. “I’ll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived,” said the politician. “In fact, I had the honor of being the first person to go to him for confession.”

Moral: Never, Never, Never Be Late!

Must have been a Republican. Wait, maybe not. Joe NO-momentum… was that you? Scribe always knew you were too much of a hypocrite to be a Jew.

CANNIBAL RESTAURANT

A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came upon
a restaurant operated by a fellow cannibal. Feeling
somewhat hungry, he sat down and looked over the menu…

Broiled Missionary: $10.00
Fried Explorer: $15.00
Baked Democrat: $20.00
Grilled Republican: $100.00

The cannibal called the waiter over and asked,
‘Why such a price difference for the Republican?’

The cook replied, “Have you ever tried to clean one?
They’re so full of crap, it takes all morning.

Scribe’s Somewhat Little Known Facts
“Because the media refuses to do it’s goddamn job, Scribe has to.”

Did you know Rummy’s get away place, that he bought for a song, is on top of “Mt. Misery?” It’s twue! It’s twue! Mt. Misery used to be the place where they broke slaves who dared to escape from their masters.

How appropriate is THAT?

Yesterday the slaves… today the country, tomorrow… THE WORLD!

Junior’s Dreams

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