U.S. Politics part X

[awesome possum]

I'd seen that already and I can't fucking believe O'Reily. Joan Walsch has blood on her hands Bill? She should have just started laughing at him. He disgusts me so much. Sometimes he tries to go to this friendly grizzly bear mold. I've been guilty of it making me not hate him in the past. Huge mistake. Don't ever let it fool you. This guy deserves to be hated, truly. Very few people deserve such a thing and he is one of them. The fact that he's not been killed is proof that Liberals are civil. If the left had an O'Reily equivalent (they don't) they may be dead by now.

The days of him seeming to be a bit of a gimmick are all over. The man really does come across as a horrid human being.

[DanteGabriel]

So earlier today, Republican Rep Peter Hoekstra compared Iranians using Twitter to fight their regime's news blackout to the GOP's heroic effort against oppression by cruel Democrats last year.

Iranian twitter activity similar to what we did in House last year when Republicans were shut down in the House.

http://twitter.com/petehoekstra/status/2208228550

The Twittersphere reacted, predictably, with mass mockery. TPM has put together some of the best:

chrisbaskind @petehoekstra My neighbor stopped me to talk today. Now I know what it is like to be questioned by the Basij!

luckbfern @petehoekstra I stand in solidarity with the oppressed rich white men of Repub Party in the House. #GOPfail Allah Akbar!

aciolino @petehoekstra Today I poked my finger on a hanger. Now I know what all those aborted babies go through.

ceedub7 @petehoekstra I got a splinter in my hand today. Felt just like Jesus getting nailed to the cross.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06...e.php?ref=fpblg

[Annelise]

Anyway, I don't really give a shit except that his party gave a shit when someone in ours did it.

Interestingly enough, that's exactly what this Las Vegas Sun article says is his real problem:

The Republican Party didn’t make a deal with the devil.

It made a deal with God, or at least people who said they were God’s representatives — a certain class of very political and ideological preachers.

The deal, engineered by Republican operatives such as Lee Atwater and Karl Rove, went like this: Be against gays and abortion and for prayer in the schools, and in return, those preachers would proclaim the GOP the party of God and deliver millions of suburban and rural voters — enough to win elections for three decades.

But the deal carried a risk: Any behavior by Republican officeholders or public figures that seemed at odds with a certain kind of Old Testament morality — a tryst in an airport bathroom, a painkiller addiction, a sexual harassment lawsuit — and voters might feel betrayed and manipulated.

And the deal would collapse.

The risk is surely now outweighing the reward, if the past few years are any indication. As Nevada’s rising star Republican Sen. John Ensign acknowledged an affair with the wife of a top aide who was also a friend, Republican Party fortunes in Nevada and nationwide — already at their lowest ebb in 45 years — fell still further.

Ensign has never been like other Nevada Republicans, who have tended to come from the libertarian wing of the party. Ensign is a proud social conservative.

“The problem is, he’s another one of these Bible-thumping Republicans,†said a Republican operative who asked to remain anonymous to speak candidly about the situation.

“When you take the social conservative banner, there’s a higher level of scrutiny on these kinds of things,†he said. “The public comes down a lot harder on people who carry that banner,†he added.

American social mores have become more tolerant in recent decades, and in the process, voters have become more accepting of different sexual orientations (see Rep. Barney Frank); drug use (see Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama); and extramarital affairs (see President Bill Clinton.)

But there’s still one unforgivable sin: Hypocrisy.

“People have survived extramarital affairs, but he’s got a hypocrisy problem to deal with,†said another Nevada Republican operative who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about a fellow Republican. “He’s got a serious hypocrisy problem.â€

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jun/1...rts-rebuild-pa/

More regarding Ensign:

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has resigned as the chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, quitting his leadership post the day after he announced he had an extramarital affair.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/...0IjRrmwLr&C

[Inigima]

The Twittersphere reacted, predictably, with mass mockery. TPM has put together some of the best:

Priceless, and retweeted. Thanks.

EDIT: Somewhat more nuanced than my contribution, which was "that's dumb you're dumb."

The GOP doesn't seem to understand that things that they put on the internet can be read and mocked by everyone. I don't get it. How can anyone be so myopic? I mean, I understand that this guy has constituents that are shit-stupid enough to like his little tweet but he needs an aid who can tell him that it's still a bad idea.

I think the main issue is that they don't understand that the Internet in general and Twitter in particular skews heavily left and is therefore hostile territory for them.

[Shryke]

Here's more:

dmanaster: RT @MattOrtega RT @petehoekstra Walked out onto Constitution Ave in D.C. and was almost hit by a taxi. Reminded me of Tienanmen Square.

leo_watkins: RT @BrianYoung @petehoekstra: Missed lunch today cuz I was late and walking to a mting. Reminded me of the Bataan Death March.

paganmist: @petehoekstra Had to move all my stuff to a new office w/o a corner view. Now i know what the Trail of Tears was like. #GOPfail

Also, it's already got a website:

http://petehisameme.wordpress.com/

God I love the internet. This meme is gonna be fun.

[Security Squish]

The GOP doesn't seem to understand that things that they put on the internet can be read and mocked by everyone. I don't get it. How can anyone be so myopic? I mean, I understand that this guy has constituents that are shit-stupid enough to like his little tweet but he needs an aid who can tell him that it's still a bad idea.

Hey! We aren't all morons. Luckily for you this guy won't be working as my Rep at the national level much longer, unluckily for me he will probably be my Governor soon.

[Inigima]

Here's more:

Also, it's already got a website:

http://petehisameme.wordpress.com/

God I love the internet. This meme is gonna be fun.

This is neat but what we really need is a consensus on a twitter hashtag. These don't really benefit from images anyway.

[Joanna vander Poele]

Here's more:

Also, it's already got a website:

http://petehisameme.wordpress.com/

God I love the internet. This meme is gonna be fun.

I am dying over here. Thank you for turning an otherwise glimpse of utter lunacy into pure unbridled hilarity.

[Annelise]

Hey! We aren't all morons. Luckily for you this guy won't be working as my Rep at the national level much longer, unluckily for me he will probably be my Governor soon.

:lol:

Er - wait a minute! NoOoOo!

Actually, I think one of the other Republicans will beat him in the primaries. Early still, but I'm betting on Cox.

[DanteGabriel]

Here's more:

Also, it's already got a website:

http://petehisameme.wordpress.com/

God I love the internet. This meme is gonna be fun.

Awesome. Let's hope this one sticks. Hoekstra's lucky his neologism is less... frothy than what Santorum got.

[DanteGabriel]

More on Ensign:

Not only did Ensign get jobs for his girlfriend and her husband after the husband knew about the affair and confronted Ensign about it, it turns out the husband, Doug Hampton, sent a letter to one of Fox News' blonde TV drones begging her help in exposing Ensign.

Five days earlier Hampton sent a letter to Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly asking her to help him expose Ensign's "heinous conduct and relentless pursuit" of his wife. "Please help me," he begged the comely Kelly.

He actually described one of the confrontations ...

In fact, one of the confrontations took place in February 2008 at his (Ensign's) home in Washington D.C. with a group of his peers. One of the attendees was Senator Tom Coburn from Oklahoma, as well as several other men who are close to the senator.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/...e.php?ref=fpblg

So we have a cuckolded husband confronting the Senator he used to work for, telling him to stay away from his wife... in front of other Republican Senators. And then writing to a Fox News anchor about it. Wowsers.

Oh, and it turns out Ensign and Hampton became friends through their involvement in... wait for it... wait for it...

The Promise Keepers.

[Shryke]

Cheney et all too scared of John Stewart to cooperate with investigations:

Justice Department lawyers told the judge that future presidents and vice presidents may not cooperate with criminal investigations if they know what they say could become available to their political opponents and late-night comics who would ridicule them.

"If we become a fact-finder for political enemies, they aren't going to cooperate," Justice Department attorney Jeffrey Smith said during a 90-minute hearing. "I don't want a future vice president to say, 'I'm not going to cooperate with you because I don't want to be fodder for 'The Daily Show.'"

[Annelise]

While Democrats struggle through the heavy lifting phase of their overloaded agenda, Republicans have gone guerilla.

They’ve been voting “no†en masse on virtually everything, but on Thursday the rebellious minority tactics were on full display, as the GOP used parliamentary tactics to grind the House to a halt, setting a record with 52 consecutive roll call votes – many of them duplicative -- in one tortuous eight hour floor session.

But off the chamber floors, real legislating is getting done, and it’s getting ugly on health care, where Senate Finance is dramatically scaling back its bill, while Ways and Means is set to roll out its version of health reform today and Sen. Chris Dodd struggles to complete his work as a pinch hitter for Ted Kennedy on the Health committee.

Not that the public appears to be rewarding them for their efforts. According to this poll from last week: "GOP overall is viewed very or somewhat positively by only 25%, down four points from April." http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republic...an-dick-cheney/

Closing Gitmo grows more difficult:

“A $105.9 billion wartime spending bill cleared Congress on Thursday, even as House Democrats only narrowly beat back new Republican attempts to block President Barack Obama from closing the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

“Obama’s authority to relocate Gitmo detainees is already severely limited under the war-funding measure now on its way to his desk. But House Republicans sought to push him a big step further Thursday by proposing a flat ban on the Justice Department using any of the funds in its 2010 budget to implement Obama’s January executive order. The amendment failed by just one vote, 213-212, with 39 Democrats deserting the administration. Going into the new 2010 appropriations season now, it was a stark reminder of how hard Republicans are willing to push on terrorism and security-related issues.â€

http://www.politico.com/huddle/

[The Space Pope]

GOP member endorses child starvation to encourage them to work: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/06/21/cynthia-davis-hunger/

In her June newsletter, State Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-MO) provided several “commentaries†to a press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on a summer food program. The program provides “food during the summer for thousands of low-income Missouri children who rely on the school cafeteria for free or reduced-price meals during the regular school year.†Davis, who serves as the chairwoman of the Missouri House Special Standing Committee on Children and Families, questioned whether the program is “warranted,†and extolled the hidden benefits of child hunger:

Who’s buying dinner? Who is getting paid to serve the meal? Churches and other non-profits can do this at no cost to the taxpayer if it is warranted. [...] Bigger governmental programs take away our connectedness to the human family, our brotherhood and our need for one another. [...] Anyone under 18 can be eligible? Can’t they get a job during the summer by the time they are 16? Hunger can be a positive motivator. What is wrong with the idea of getting a job so you can get better meals? Tip: If you work for McDonald’s, they will feed you for free during your break. [...] It really is all about increasing government spending, which means an increase in taxes for us to buy more free lunches and breakfasts.

[Joanna vander Poele]

GOP member endorses child starvation to encourage them to work: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/06/21/cynthia-davis-hunger/

Oooh, let's take away her job and see how she likes it.

[TrackerNeil]

Not that the public appears to be rewarding them for their efforts. According to this poll from last week: "GOP overall is viewed very or somewhat positively by only 25%, down four points from April." http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republic...an-dick-cheney/

Unfortunately, this does not give me much heart in terms of diminished GOP prospects. I notice that although the average American may give low marks to congressional performance, he tends to be much more supportive of his own representatives there.

[Zelgrath]

For a bit of levity I present John Hodgman Roasts Obama

[lokisnow]

For a bit of levity I present John Hodgman Roasts Obama

Shai Hulud, Thumper, Water of Life

I am extremely disappointed Obama didn't know these three. just who did we elect anyway?

[K26dp]

Shai Hulud, Thumper, Water of Life

I am extremely disappointed Obama didn't know these three. just who did we elect anyway?

And he didn't get "Crom" either.

I... I feel so disallusioned right now.

[Zap Rowsdower]

Missing Governor: Savior of us All?:

The whereabouts of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was unknown for nearly four days, and some state leaders question who was in charge of the executive office.

But Sanford’s office told the lieutenant governor’s office Monday afternoon that Sanford has been reached and he is fine, said Frank Adams, head of Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer’s office on aging.

Neither the governor’s office nor the State Law Enforcement Division, which provides security for governors, had been able to reach Sanford after he left the mansion Thursday in a black SLED Suburban SUV, said Sen. Jake Knotts and three others familiar with the situation but declined to be identified.

***

First lady Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press earlier Monday her husband has been gone for several days and she did not know where.

She said she was not concerned.

***

Jenny Sanford said the governor said he needed time away from their children to write something.

The governor’s office issued a statement Monday afternoon: "Gov. Sanford is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the legislative session, and to work on a couple of projects that have fallen by the wayside. We are not going to discuss the specifics of his travel arrangements or his security arrangements."

One official familiar with the situation said there was no indication that foul play might have been involved because Sanford occasionally makes trips without his security detail.

***

"I was recently made aware that Governor Sanford has frequently been eluding SLED agents and disappearing at odd times," Knotts said. Previously, Sanford has not been out of all contact - including with his own office - for this long before, a source, who insisted on anonymity, said.

***

The question of succession came just after Sanford became governor in 2003.

He joined the Air Force Reserve and was sent to Alabama for two week’s training with his unit, the 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron based in Charleston. Sanford did not transfer power to Bauer at the time, saying he would be in regular contact with his office.

Sanford said then he would transfer authority in writing to the lieutenant governor only if he were called to active duty.

Link

The first thing that flashed across my mind when I read this article: Gov. Sanford must be a superhero.

Think about it.

The clues are all there.

Sanford goes missing at odd time, under mysterious circumstances- no doubt he abandons his disguise as a mild mannered governor and dons the garb of his heroic alter ego in the cause of justice. He's able to give even his crack security team the slip and he glides off into the night in his black SUV, which is probably tripped out with all sorts of esoteric crime fighting gear. According to the article, he part of the air force reserve which I'm interpreting to mean that he can fly jets.

I'm betting that Sanford has a cave somewhere in South Carolina where's he's stashed a state of the art jet. Sanford's superhero jet, or "Sandpiper," which he no doubt calls it, is used to strike awe and fear into the hearts of evil doers.

And what of the enigmatic comment he made to his wife that "...he needed time away from their children to write something." I'm betting that this is a clue indicating his superpowers. I suspect it could involve something to do with pens, pencils or writing paper. The "Penman," would be an excellent superhero moniker. "The pen is mightier than the sword," the Penman would say, just as he pulled out a dozen sharp throwing pens from his sleeve and tossed them, like shurikans, at his enemies.

The only question I have is, what global crisis could have compelled Gov. Sanford, AKA, "The Penman," to so recklessly endanger his super-identity with such a prolonged leave of absence? The only thing I can think of is the turmoil in Iran. I'd bet hard money that for the past few days, Sanford has been kicking radical mullah ass in Persia.