Thursday Mashup (8/13/09)

(And also posted over here.)

Remember back when Commander Codpiece was taking up space in An Oval Office and our corporate media was bending over backwards to propagate RNC-approved narratives and talking points to make him look more “presidential” than he ever was or would be? And remember how one of those talking points had to do with how Dubya was such a good reader (as noted here), even though Timothy Noah of Slate (via Kitty Kelley) recalled a famous story here of how New Yorker writer Brendan Gill once stayed over at the Bush manse in Kennebunkport and searched for something to read one night, but all he could locate was a book of fart jokes?

Well, with that in mind, I now present the reading list from President Barack Obama (here), which includes “Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age,” by Larry Bartels; “Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope,” by Jonathan Alter; “Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001,” by Steve Coll; and two books about another former member of Congress from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln (hat tips to Kevin Drum and Mother Jones for this information).

And somehow, I think that if our current president were called upon to give a report on any of the entries on his list, he would have no problem whatsoever.

I haven’t had much to say about PA’s 8th District U.S. congressional representative lately aside from the wingnut ambush he dealt with at the two “Congressman In Your Corner” sessions a couple of Saturdays ago, but this tells us that Patrick Murphy…

…was part of a congressional delegation that traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq last week.

The Congressman for the 8th District made the trip at a difficult time in the Afghan war. At least 41 U.S. troops were killed in July, easily surpassing the previous highest monthly toll of 26 in September last year. At least 71 foreign troops were killed in July.

The Courier Times story also tells us that violence has increased in Afghanistan timed for the elections in that country on August 20th.

Also, the following letter recently appeared in the Bucks County Courier Times…

Commendations to Congressman Patrick Murphy for his continued efforts on behalf of our employees and our organizations.

Beginning with our initial meeting in June, Murphy has shown a commitment to making the process GM is using to eliminate dealers more fair for all parties involved. The immediacy with he cosponsored HR 2743, the Automobile Dealers Economic Rights Restoration Act, was impressive, and the loyalty he has shown to protecting the jobs of our 1,500 employees and the 10,563 dealership employees located around Pennsylvania is admirable. In total, the personal attention he has given our cause has renewed our faith in the political process.

We also appreciate the time and attention the congressman's staff has given us. Beginning with our first appointment, which Larry Glick helped expedite, the guidance offered by Murphy's office has been invaluable. His district director, Nat Binns, spent a great deal of time taking our calls and shepherding us in the right direction. In addition, Chief of Staff Scott Fairchild and Legislative Assistant Marc Boom provided important counsel during our two visits to Washington and helped us to be more efficient in our lobbying efforts.

As everybody knows, the problems with GM's plans to close dealerships relate to jobs and fairness. The jobs at stake are important to many families and the local economy in Southeastern Pennsylvania, especially in these tough economic times. And the lack of fairness and transparency in GM's process of eliminating dealerships is unacceptable, especially in light of the taxpayers now owning 60 percent of the company. These issues need to be addressed, and we are grateful that our congressman is on our side as the legislative process surrounding them continues to unfold.

Fred Beans
Beth Beans Gilbert
Fred Beans Dealerships

For more information, click here.

This post from Repug U.S. House Rep Mary Fallin of Oklahoma tells us the following (God, I feel like I'll be posting about health care forever)…

Mandating abortion coverage and forcing taxpayers to foot the bill of this procedure in a public plan option is an affront to millions of pro-life Americans. If the Obama Administration was serious about passing health care reform that is focused on improving the health of Americans, abortion coverage mandates would not be included in their proposal.

Uh, no – as noted on Item #2 from this list…

… only the most extreme antiabortion reading of the legislation would say it does that. The words "Planned Parenthood" and "abortion" don't appear anywhere in the text, despite conservative buzz that it would funnel millions of dollars to killing babies. (A proposal in the Senate version of the reform legislation would require insurance plans to cover preventive care and screening visits to community health providers, which could include Planned Parenthood.) Even an AP story that Matt Drudge was hyping on Wednesday as proof that the government would be funding abortions didn't go quite that far -- instead, the story detailed a fight over whether women who buy government-subsidized private insurance through a proposed exchange system should be able to have abortions covered by their plans. Pro-choice lawmakers are trying to craft a compromise that would require insurance companies to pay for abortions out of premiums paid by patients, not out of tax dollars. Pro-choice Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif., amended the House version of the legislation to state that abortion is not part of an "essential benefits package" that all insurance plans must provide -- meaning someone could offer a special "pro-life health insurance" plan that doesn't cover abortions, even under the reforms.

And this prior post on Fallin tells us that she aided and abetted the “teabaggers,” who went nuts over a report on extremist groups from DHS, even though left-wing extremists were also noted; helped propagate the rumor that Obama supports a global currency; and, to top it off, she “kissed and had inappropriate conduct” with an Oklahoma state trooper who later resigned, though Fallin was “punished” by winning a seat in Congress (and by the way, many women in this country are covered for abortion through their own insurance, though not if Fallin had her way I’m sure).

So given this, Rep. Fallin, I believe President Obama is quite serious about passing health care reform.

You, on the other hand…

And finally, in today’s example of false equivalency, I give you the following from Bill Sammon of Fix Noise…

News outlets that are focusing on the incendiary rhetoric of conservatives outside President Obama's town hall meeting Tuesday ignored the incendiary rhetoric -- and even violence -- of liberals outside an appearance by former President George W. Bush in 2002.

When Bush visited Portland, Ore., for a fundraiser, protesters stalked his motorcade, assailed his limousine and stoned a car containing his advisers. Chanting "Bush is a terrorist!", the demonstrators bullied passers-by, including gay softball players and a wheelchair-bound grandfather with multiple sclerosis.

One protester even brandished a sign that seemed to advocate Bush's assassination. The man held a large photo of Bush that had been doctored to show a gun barrel pressed against his temple.

"BUSH: WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE," read the placard, which had an X over the word "ALIVE."

Another poster showed Bush's face with the words: "F--- YOU, MOTHERF---ER!"

A third sign urged motorists to "HONK IF YOU HATE BUSH." A fourth declared: "CHRISTIAN FASCISM," with a swastika in place of the letter S in each word.

…

All the while, angry demonstrators brandished signs with incendiary rhetoric, such as "9/11 - YOU LET IT HAPPEN, SHRUB," and "BUSH: BASTARD CHILD OF THE SUPREME COURT." One sign read: "IMPEACH THE COURT-APPOINTED JUNTA AND THE FASCIST, EGOMANIACAL, BLOOD-SWILLING BEAST!"

Yet none of these signs were cited in the national media's coverage of the event. By contrast, the press focused extensively on over-the-top signs held by Obama critics at the president's town hall event held Tuesday in New Hampshire.

I have a feeling what Sammon is referring to was covered in this Common Dreams article, which states as follows…

PORTLAND, Oregon - Riot police used pepper spray and struck some demonstrators with batons after ordering hundreds of people to leave a protest near a hotel where President George W. Bush attended a fund-raiser.

Protesters hammered on the hoods of police cars as pepper spray wafted through the air. Protesting Bush's foreign policy, they chanted "Drop Bush, Not Bombs."

Bush supporters in formal attire were jostled and taunted by protesters as they arrived for a fund-raiser for the re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith. After elbowing through the demonstrators, they were checked by Secret Service agents before they were allowed inside the hotel.

…

Riot police wearing helmets…walked into the area, pushing activists with their batons. Some activists fell. Police then fired aerosol canisters of pepper spray at the protesters.

Also, given the thuggery of the St. Paul, Minnesota police force at the Republican National Hate Fest last year (here), aimed at people like Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! (whose only “crime” was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time), the best thing Sammon can do if he wants to be treated like a grownup is to shut his proverbial pie hole.

When the “teabaggers” are gassed, beaten with batons or summarily arrested at any of these town hall gatherings, then Sammon will have something legitimate to complain about, instead of perceived faults against a bunch of WATBs.