#43, Mark Meadows (NC - 11)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law…

As far as I’m concerned, Meadows is infamous for only one act, but it was a real doozy, and that would be last year’s government shut down; as noted here, he was more responsible for it than any other person in the U.S. Congress.

And just to refresh our memories, these in part were the results:

Disadvantaged women and infants relying on nutrition programs, as well as anyone relying on Head Start, individuals with disabilities and people needing heating assistance were all hurt (here).

Processing of veterans’ compensation, pension and education benefits was delayed; the shutdown was projected to drain about $10 billion out of our economy (here).

Passport applications were delayed as well, and shutting down sites in the U.S. Parks service hurt tourism as well as related businesses relying on tourist dollars, OSHA halted inspections, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission halted investigations of fraudulent trading practices – processing of Pell Grants and student loan assistance was also slowed (here).

FEMA ended up furloughing 86 percent of their employees during the height of the hurricane season (here).

So yeah, if Mark Meadows does absolutely nothing else of consequence one way or the other for the remainder of his public life, he will always be remembered for the utterly ruinous 2013 government shutdown, as well he should.

Update 6/20/14: I guess Meadows never had a mother - that would explain a thing or two (here).

Update 10/23/14: Not sure how I missed this earlier, but Meadows said he wanted to send Obama back to Kenya, or something, here.

Tuesday Stuff

The former secretary of defense compared our incumbent president today to a “trained ape” here – here is one response…



…and here is another (what a pathetic old man).

Monday Stuff

As Heather of C&L says here, Rachel is a little late to the party when it comes to calling out “Kristol Mess” the way he deserves it, but at least Rachel showed up (don’t forget also that, more than anyone else, “Irving’s Boy” led the charge against health care reform in the ‘90s)…



…and here is another lesson in income inequality from Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich…



…and this issue hits home for us, as it should for any parent…



…and here is another tune to recognize another anniversary we wish we didn’t have to remember (yeah, mostly slumming from C&L here for the moment, I guess).

Friday Stuff

Gosh, I guess I'm not as cool and hip and "with it," as I thought, dawg - kudos to John Oliver for this...



…and I don’t know what happened to that damn plane either – what a tragedy (and CNN is merely idiotic, while Fix Noise is being dangerously stupid as usual)…



…and I’m sure Rachel will hear from Chuck and Dave’s lawyers again over this – kudos to her (yes, it’s depressing, but in response, we need to steel our resolve even more…no excuse for a crappy turnout, ever…)…



…and I think this is a song and a video with a lesson for all of us.

Thursday Stuff

I know we’re not officially done with that four-letter-word for the white stuff that starts with “S,” but according to my calendar, today is the first day of spring, so…



...and as people smarter than I have pointed out, we live in the era of angry billionaires, and they are raging yet again (and kudos to Anna Galland - and by the way, paging "Space Cadet" Corbett and "Governor Bully" too)...



…and as a follow-up, I give you this atrocity from the “Peach State”…



…and I thought this was an interesting story – here is a tune for the occasion.

Wednesday Stuff

And I know Ken Langone apologized, as well he should, but I’m sure it was only because he was busted for his BS (and once again, I don't know of any comparably extreme rhetoric on our side)…



…and far from the Beltway bloviators, this tells us what real people think of that fine "Christian" man, Mr.-Puppy-Dog-Eyes-With-The-Shiv…



…and file this under “proverbial blind squirrel finds the nut” – “Goodhair,” as The Eternal Molly Ivins called him, will still never be president, though…



…and here is a tune to commemorate a truly infamous anniversary.

#41, Markwayne Mullin (OK - 02)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law...

Mullin confessed to being a “birther” here (that pretty much seems to be required for admission into the Teahadist “club”).

He said here that he personally witnessed food stamp “fraud” in Washington, D.C. because someone who was poor was also apparently able-bodied too, which was too much for his tiny mind to process I suppose (of course, he said this when he was safely back in his home district).

Oh, and did you know that Mullin took about $370,000 in stimulus funds (here – so much for that baaad “big gumint”).

Here, he claimed that the price of a McDonald’s hamburger would rise to $20 if the minimum wage was raised to $10 an hour (hat tip to Blue Oklahoma for the above two links).

And of course he denies that climate change is happening, even though he’s from a state that has been buffeted severely by its effects (here).

And for the record, let it be known that Mullin took over the seat once held by "Democrat" Dan Boren, so the voters of his district apparently didn't have to worry about any actual performance on their behalf from one bad choice to another.

Update 12/14/20: I didn't know the Trail of Tears was a "volunteer walk" - at least that's what Mullin thought of it (to the extent that Mullin thinks at all, of course - here).

#42, Raul Labrador (ID - 01)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law…I give you Labrador on immigration (here)…

“The people that came here illegally knowingly — I don’t think they should have a path to citizenship,” he said on NPR, according to Talking Points Memo. “If you knowingly violated our law, you violated our sovereignty, I think we should normalize your status but we should not give you a pathway to citizenship.”

“Normalize your status”? What does that even mean? And as the story tells us, only about 10 percent of this country actually sides with Labrador.

Labrador, though, is quick to blame Obama on immigration, as noted here – “A speech is not a bill?” Bills are supposed to come from Congress, not the White House, you moron.

And as noted from here, Labrador says that the Dems want to cover undocumented workers in health care reform, which is patently untrue…

This month, Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) blamed a standoff over health-care benefits for his decision to drop out of bipartisan talks with seven colleagues who were negotiating a House alternative to the Senate immigration proposal. That has forced House leaders to proceed with a series of smaller-scale proposals next week in lieu of a sweeping agreement.“

When I joined the group, I was told that the aliens would have to pay for their own health care,” Labrador told Fox News. “Now that has changed. And I can’t agree to all of the exceptions.”

Frustrated Democrats argue that Republicans are picking a fight where one does not exist. In both chambers, Democrats say, they have agreed that illegal immigrants would not be eligible for public benefits - including health-care subsidies and Medicaid - as they embark on a path to permanent legal status, which would take at least 10 years under the Senate plan.“

We have said since day one that undocumented people will not have access to subsidies in the Affordable Care Act,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said last month. “Any thought that we want to do something different than that is simply not true. It is a bottom line. No need to even discuss it.”

But of course, according to Labrador, the failure to pass immigration reform is the fault of the Dems – uh huh.

Update 8/26/13: Yeah, how dare those pesky civil rights workers get all “negative” (here)! Gosh, why can’t they sing and dance while facing voter ID obstruction and disenfranchisement?

#40, Ted Yoho (FL - 03)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law...

Like every other Repug (I believe) in the House, Yoho (a darling of the Teahadists) voted to cut SNAP benefits while maintaining farm subsidies (here).

Yoho also praised an alleged “birther” conspiracy and called “Obamacare” racist against white people (here).

In addition to food stamps, he also railed against gay marriage and “terrorist immigrants” here.

And speaking of SNAP, it looks like Yoho and his wife applied during the Carter Administration – but of course, he opposes it now because he wants to “wean” people off it, or something (here).

There’s lots of stuff on Yoho here, including his “don’t tax our tanning beds” idiocy.

Update 10/7/13: OWWWWWW!! THE STUPID!!! IT BURNS US!!!!!

Update 10/11/13: Actually, I’m not sure who’s more of an idiot here – Yoho, or the caller presumably from his district who thinks that furloughed federal workers automatically “are home watching Netflix and whatever…”

Update 4/15/14: What a dope (but we already knew that, right?).

#39, Stephen Fincher (TN - 08)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law...

Here, Fincher basically says that if you don’t work, you shouldn’t eat (Welcome to Gulag USA, despite the fact that Fincher gets huge farm subsidies, as noted here).

This tells us that, like many others in his party, he voted against relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Here, he introduced a bill requiring drug testing of 20 percent of welfare recipients and applicants (of course, if Fincher were interested in doing anything besides trying to score cheap political points, he might look a little further south to see if it actually does any good, as noted here).

Also, based on this, it looks like he doesn’t know how to file a campaign disclosure statement properly (i.e., he “claimed to have almost no assets at the start of his campaign, and has since filed multiple inconsistent financial disclosure forms, revealing significantly greater assets.”).

He probably should also get a new press secretary too while he’s at it (here – some truly obnoxious “tweets” from someone named Elizabeth Lauten…nothing wrong with her having an opinion even though I most certainly don’t agree, but…and call me old fashioned, I know…aren’t government employees supposed to be non-political?).

As stated already, Fincher gained particularly odious notoriety over the farm bill. And noted here from January, that wretched subsidy from which he benefitted along with too many other Washington politicians still remains, while SNAP assistance was ultimately cut – pathetic.

#38, Ted Poe (TX - 02)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law...

Here, Poe quoted the KKK Grand Wizard on the U.S. House floor (lovely).

Here, he held a health care “town hall” in a funeral home (interesting messaging...oh, riiight - "death panels"; I get it now).

Poe said here that the U.S. gave aid to Cuba and Venezuela (uh, no).

Here, he tried to rally the nation against the supposedly grave danger faced by incandescent light bulbs (pretty sad when you’re a “sock puppet” for Erick “Son of Eric” Erickson).

And speaking of Poe, the video from here with him along with Steve King and Louie Gohmert is kind of silly, but fun (and it speaks truth to stoo-pid).

#37, Scott DesJarlais (TN - 04)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law...

I wish it could be said that all U.S. House Repugs opposing health care reform are truly facing electoral problems for 2014, but except for DesJarlais, I don’t think that’s apparent at the moment (love to be wrong). I guess the “line in the sand” for the Teahadists is when you betray them on “values” issues, as opposed to issues that actually impact their lives such as the sequester, jobs, health care, the environment, etc. (what a joke).

With that in mind, I give you this…

He was fined $500 for having affairs with patients here (he’s an OB-GYN, I believe).

Here, he apparently pressured one patient who was his mistress into getting an abortion (nice guy).

Here, he supported his ex-wife’s decision to have two abortions prior to their marriage (as far as I’m concerned, that should be kept in the family, but don’t parade yourself as a “family values” Republican if you have these skeletons in your proverbial closet, OK?).

Also according to Politico (above link), DesJarlais “lavished gifts” on one patient he had an affair with, including an expensive watch and plane tickets.

When even the chairman of the state’s Republican Party says that he doesn’t expect DesJarlais to be re-elected next year…well, I guess the “fat lady,” as they say, is getting ready.

Update 1/31/14: Gee, aren't those pesky unintended consequences a real bitch, as noted here? Ha and ha...

Update 8/26/14: I think the gene pool for some of the voters in Tennessee's 4th needs a lifeguard (here - grrrr...)

#36, Jim Bridenstine (OK - 01)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law...

Bridenstine said here that the Supreme Court doesn’t get to decide which laws are constitutional, or something, in response to a question about the Affordable Care Act (Marbury v. Madison, jackass).

He called President Obama “an incompetent, vengeful liar with no moral compass” on the floor of the U.S. House (here – yeah, just keep blaming us libs for how uncivil we were to Dubya; as usual, conservatives look in the mirror and see everyone’s reflection but their own).

He demanded that Obama apologize to Oklahoma here for allocating funding for climate change research here (um, aren’t you just the slightest bit curious about what caused the Moore tornado, congressman?).

And of course, being a typical Teahadist, Bridenstine is afraid “Man Tan” Boehner will “cave on taxes” because of the sequester, as noted here (maybe, instead of “taxes,” Bridenstine should worry about this instead; fat chance, I know).

#35, Tim Huelskamp (KS - 01)

What a prize this guy is, if I do say so…

As far as Huelskamp is concerned, you’re not allowed to discuss gun control (particularly in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook carnage) because you would be advocating a “political agenda” (here).

He also said here that he would file a constitutional amendment to try and restore DOMA, despite the fact that it was overruled by John Roberts and The Supremes (but just remember, it’s “jobs, jobs, jobs” as far as Huelskamp, Cantor and Boehner are concerned). And in keeping with that, he spread more BS here about how kids supposedly do better in dysfunctional hetero families than functional same-sex ones (to the point where even Fluffyhead called him on it).

Basically, Huelskamp is such a Teahadist not job unwilling to compromise that he’s been removed by fellow Republicans from committee assignments (voted against the Violence Against Women Act, also voted against Sandy relief – of course…here).

But how do his constituents feel, I wonder…

“We hear criticisms that [Huelskamp] won’t get along, but that’s not what we elected him for. We elected him to vote for principle,” said Paula Carr, a 64-year-old who sells and repairs lawn and garden equipment. “Compromise is why we’re in the condition we’re in now — too much compromise over the last 30 years.’’

With all due respect to Ms. Carr, the main reason for the “too much comprise” over the last 30 years is because you’ve had the proverbial rug pulled out from under you by Republican politicians selling you “values voter” snake oil while income inequality has gotten worse and worse and worse. And at the risk of sounding like a snotty liberal, I should point out that it was up to you to overcome what I’m sure is your longstanding dislike of people with my political opinion and study the issues that truly matter with an open mind. And apparently, you failed to do so, to the point where you have sent a numbskull like Huelskamp to Washington, where he can do damage not just to your district but the whole country (and that quote means that you’re just as oblivious to that now as before).

Oh, and don’t count on Huelskamp to help with immigration reform either, since he thinks that appealing to Hispanics is “very discouraging” (here).

Take a bow, you voters in KS – 01…heckuva job!

Update 10/09/13: What a pathetic little slug (here).

Update 1/29/14: Yep, Huelskamp is just another “one trick pony” – when all else fails, just attack that gol-danged “li-bu-ruul media” (here - and as far as BENGHAZI! is concerned, as I’ve said at least half a dozen times, I don’t recall any outcry at all when our ambassador David Foy was murdered in Pakistan in 2006).

#34, Tom Cotton (AR - 04)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law

Here, he said that he didn’t think women were qualified to serve in the military (nice - it should be pointed out, though, that Cotton actually did serve, unlike most other Repugs).

Here, he said that Iraq was involved in 9/11 (ah, a golden oldie…oh, and when it comes to evaluating Number 43 and “Deadeye Dick,” Cotton believes 9/11 shouldn’t be included, as noted here).

The Arkansas Times link also tells us that he, like many others in his party, voted against relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, and he’s a darling of the Club for Growth, no matter how that affects his congressional district…figures. Cotton is a bit of a rising GOP star, though – he’s being prompted to challenge conservadem Mark Pryor for Pryor’s U.S. Senate seat (and apparently, based on this, he’s in…yep, no problem with ambition here, having not even finished his first term in the House after winning the seat vacated by Mike Ross). And like a whole bunch of House Repugs (including Mikey the Beloved), Cotton voted to separate SNAP funding from the farm bill (here). Oh, and Cotton wants to punish not only those who violate economic sanctions against Iran (OK), but their family members too, as noted here (um, and why?).

Update 8/1/13: And I'm sure the Pryor campaign will have fun with this also.

Update 8/9/13: Why do I have a feeling that the fun is just beginning with this guy (here)?

Update 3/19/14: And Cotton keeps such cowardly company too, doesn’t he (and on this wretched anniversary, of all days)?

Update 1/30/17: And let's never forget this also, by the way.

#33, Diane Black (TN - 06)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law…

Here, she introduced legislation that basically bars federal government funding on Planned Parenthood (oh brother – yeah, like that would stand up to a court challenge).

Here, she introduced legislation barring gays from adopting children (“Let’s see now, ‘Christian compassion,’ ‘Christian compassion’…I know they talk about it in the Bible somewhere, but I can’t find it!”).

Here, she said that she “children with pre-existing conditions and chronic illnesses should not have to be covered under their parent’s plan by insurance companies. Her reasoning is that insurance companies would lose too much money” (wonder if she owns any stock?).

Oh, and remember the supposedly humorous Email sent from Black’s aide Sherri Goforth (as in “Go forth and be stupid,” I guess) depicting President Obama as two eyes appearing against a black background (here)? And Goforth was merely “reprimanded” by Black in response, apparently.

#32, Blake Farenthold (TX - 27)

As part of my “tribute” to the U.S. House Repugs and their 50 51 52 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Law…

Here, he compared the unemployed to drug addicts (nice).

Here, he opposed funding food stamps (as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) even though he received millions in farm subsidies (and he definitely had company on this one).

And of course, as noted here, he wouldn’t be a good little Repug unless he was a member of the anti-science climate denier caucus.

He was also a little too slow, to say the least, about realizing that budget cuts hurt the economy here.

As noted here, his sister harbored a murder suspect (usually I leave civilians out of this stuff, but this is beyond the pale).

Update 12/18/14: If Farenthold had any decency, he would resign right now (here).

Monday Stuff

I watch this clip, and I almost feel sorry for Bill Maher (here, though I’m sure I know what he would tell me to do with my pity if I ever told him that).

Yes, critical commentary like this on religious zealotry is fair game, I realize, particularly with so much intolerance on this subject that currently exists in this country (and probably always will). However, I don’t know if he’s ever featured someone like, say, Sister Simone Campbell on “Real Time” to discuss how meaningful Christian activism can be on behalf of those who are underprivileged in this country. The bureaucracy and hard-headedness by “the faithful” will be forever with us, but so will the power of good works…and as always with "Real Time," NSFW...



…and Jonathan Capehart gives Mr.-Puppy-Dog-Eyes-With-The-Shiv the treatment he deserves here (and this is well done also for this day in particular)…



…and this is a special St. Patrick’s Day request from The Teenaged One from the movie “Gods and Generals”; this is the theme in the film for the Irish Brigade that fought so courageously at the Battle of Fredericksburg, which turned out to be a particularly horrific loss for the Union due to incredibly poor planning, among other reasons…



…and here is a request from yours truly for personal reasons – posting may be sporadic for a little while…I’ll let you know.

Friday Stuff

Well well, it looks like “Wall Street Scott” Brown is taking his carpetbagging act on the road, as noted here; I think K.O. gave him the treatment he deserves in the following clip…



…and here is some spot-on commentary from Krystal Ball (#realname?) also; the first two minutes take the Repugs to task, but the “corpora-Dems” get it too, as they should…



…and it looks like “Bullsh*t Mountain” just had another eruption here – but not to worry; Jon Stewart is ON IT, PEOPLE!...



…and given tomorrow’s date, I should probably include “Vehicle” here, but I think I’ll choose what should be Scott Brown’s theme song instead.

Thursday Stuff

Yeah, Repugs, how’s that whole “women’s outreach” thing going?...



…and let’s not forget about trying to make inroads with “the blahs” too…



…and more like this – A LOT more…



…and happy 75th birthday to Neil Sedaka, and yes, I’m serious (the following is a favorite of Mrs. Doomsy).

Wednesday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

Yes, Mr.-Puppy-Dog-Eyes-With-The-Shiv provided yet another sickening example today of conservative self-entitlement, but he’s only spouting right-wing dogma that has been enshrined for decades, and made acceptable by The Sainted Ronnie R, among others – the hard work of actual governance to try and actually solve problems instead of demonizing people he doesn’t understand is something Ryan and his pals continue to avoid…



…and you know it, you love it, you can’t get enough of it…so of course, Billo the Clown hates it, among others (and yes, it’s really funny)…



…and oh yeah, about that CPAC thing (here)…



…and dag, he’s still too young to be this talented (lucky for us, though).

)

Tuesday Stuff

This report on FLA’s “Stand Your Ground” law from our supposedly august corporate media really doesn’t tell us how horrific it truly is (to say nothing of discriminatory), but even though it barely touches on the suffering of the victims, the report at least does some good (and let me see now, Matt Gaetz…why does that name ring a bell…try the fourth bullet from here)…



...…and along with the apparently sad re-electoral fortunes of "Gramps" McCain (heh), here are more wingnut lies about the health care law – some of this is a bit old I know, but it bears repeating (and my God, Democrats – SUPPORT OBAMA ON THIS!!!!)…



…and hey, foreign policy intrigues? It’s “Deadeye Dick” to the rescue, along with Rand “Drill Everywhere!” Paul (seeing as how their ideas have worked out so well already, haven’t they?)…



...and best wishes to Slick Aguilar of Jefferson Starship (here).

)

Monday Stuff

I’ll be honest – I haven’t been too happy with some of the votes by Dem Mark Begich in the U.S. Senate, but this ad ABSOLUTELY ROCKS! (here)...



…and when it comes to issue advocacy, I think this is spot-on also (hopefully an ad like this will be forthcoming about our own PA guv Tom “Space Cadet” Corbett)…



…and let’s not get too goo-goo over “Frankie Goes to the Vatican,” but still, let’s also give the man his props – yep, he’s a doctrinaire guy of course, but I honestly think he’s a breath of fresh air too…



...and I have to admit that I liked "Holding On For Life" by this group, so here's another catchy tune, IMHO.

Friday Stuff

I give you another Brave New Films production from Robert Greenwald (no less vital of an issue even though it involves Number 44 as opposed to Number 43)…



…and if you want great health care, just stop being poor – GENIUS! (kidding – here)…



…and speaking of income “Inequality for All,” it looks like that supposedly fine upstanding Christian man, Mr. Puppy-Dog-Eyes-With-The-Shiv, is at it again with more lies (more here and here – “22 percent of children below the poverty line” in the supposedly greatest country in the world)…



…and I think this tune has a really good Friday vibe, so here it is.

Wednesday Stuff

Try imagining the outcry if a Democratic chairman of the House Oversight Committee tried to pull this crap – just try (great point by Dem House Member Eleanor Holmes Norton, and just remember that the only group that had their preferred IRS tax status denied was a progressive one)…



…and believe it or not, that wasn’t even the worst thing that happened on Capitol Hill today (more here...hey, MSNBC, what the hell is up with Chris Hayes and the "face freeze"? Never mind - they fixed it)…



…and if it seems like I beat up Fix Noise on an almost daily basis, it’s because they deserve it (here...I guess that whole network is one big “fish story,” as it were – ba-dump!)…



…and I guess the title of this song is a question that Repugs like Issa wonder about every day.

Tuesday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

It looks like bin Laden's chief spokesman and son-in-law will go to court via a military commission apparently - of course, the "Blade Runner" trial is getting all the press instead (oh, great...more related legal stuff to come, apparently, with Alex Wagner interviewing Amy Davidson of The New Yorker)...



...and Cenk tells us about Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin (speaking of terrorism - let us pray)...



Update 3/13/14: Once again, ugh...

…and when it comes to wingnuts, I suppose Former President Highest Disapproval Rating In Gallup Poll History is the proverbial alpha and omega – Rachel asks some great questions at the end that will only be answered with the passage of time; and gosh, if Number 43 were still taking up space in An Oval Office, would opposition uttered by lefties such as your humble narrator be considered “treasonous”?...



…and happy 70th birthday to Bobby Womack.

Monday Stuff

What a great idea from Bill Maher (here – the “maximum” wage I mean, not necessarily the “Sham Wow” thing – and yes, believe it or not, that was William Kristol on the panel, the recipient of this from Maher – well done…and yes, NSFW)…



…and Ed Schultz and Col. Jack Jacobs discuss the proposed cuts in our bloated defense budget, with Col. Jacobs not necessarily going along with it, though his point about “Rummy’s stepchildren,” as it were, is well taken – sure, go after people instead of bloated programs that may never work (and interesting analysis on the whole Ukraine business, I think)…



…and speaking of people in our military… I don’t usually go for the heart strings like I guess I’m doing here, but I absolutely couldn’t ignore this story (I’d give Myles Eckert a great big hug if I could)…



…and after watching that, I’m in the mood for an anti-war song (probably the only tune ever inspired from a play by George Bernard Shaw...and I guess this goes out to "Irving's boy" too).

Saturday Stuff

Tee, hee, and hee (NSFW – here…and SO TRUE, though their competition is pretty bad also, as noted here)…



Update 3/4/14: And I think this is a good response.

…and I guess the best approach is often the most direct one…



…and here’s another example of the Repugs "supporting the troops," as it were - disgusting…



…and happy 70th birthday to Roger Daltrey, singing the lead on perhaps the most ironic song ever written.

Friday Stuff

Happy fifth birthday, Teahadists (here, with accompaniment from the funniest math professor of all time)...



...and this is probably the most interesting, ahem, tribute to Black History Month (which is about to end) that you're likely to find (here)...



Update: This clip plays starting at about 2:00 on my PC, but for some reason, it plays with no problem on my "smart" phone...another unreliable video from Hulu, apparently :-(...

...and here is a clip about something that took place that was medically constructive under The Sainted Ronnie R, believe it or not (and what the state of Georgia is proposing is stupid, of course, but we don't have anything to brag about in PA on this either, as noted here)...

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

...and I started this week complaining about the white stuff, so as long as we’re due to get more (ugh), I might as well end it the same way (God, it's hard to imagine that Robert Downey, Jr. was ever that young).

Thursday Stuff

I really apologize for wasting anyone’s time with this nonsense from Bill Orally, but I guess it’s too tempting to ignore; “low-hanging fruit,” as it were – wonder if he’d vote for Andrea Mackris (ha and ha…and gee, wonder how long it took to figure out that this was just a bogus premise anyway to attack Hillary Clinton? Ya’ think??!!)…



…and this is really wonky, but important, stuff from Rachel Maddow…



…and once more, leave it to Jon Stewart to make sense of the latest right-wing insanity (here)…



…and here’s some down home, pre-Friday funk fo’ y’all.

Wednesday Stuff

Good for Rep. Luis Gutierrez for this (hat tip to Crooks and Liars)…



...and does anyone besides me remember the Afghan War?...



...and here's more good news for the Foxies (a little late here I'll admit)...



…and leave it to Jon Stewart to draw the line from the mujahedeen in the ‘80s to the Taliban today, which came about partly under The Sainted Ronnie R, among other foreign policy stupidity (here)…

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…and Lawrence O’Donnell points out how the Teahadists try to abuse the legend of our third president to fit their own nefarious ends…



…all of which makes me recall this tune.

Tuesday Stuff

Here goes that silly Bill Nye again, looking at issues with dumb stuff like “facts” and “data” (removing my tongue from my cheek – here)…



...also, Chris Hayes talks with Jon Frankel of “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” about the NRA’s marketing to kids (bastards - and our beloved commonwealth is mentioned, though not in a good way on this subject of course)......



...and I’m a little late with Fix Noise’s version of Abraham Lincoln 101, and it’s probably a good thing – truly people, you’d be better off watching paint dry than subjecting yourself to a single minute of their programming...

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...and “the quiet Beatle” would have been 71 today.

Monday Stuff

RIP Harold Ramis…



…and Rev. Al tells about the debunking of the latest lies from Chuck and Dave (The Kochs, that is) on the Affordable Care Law…



…and I have to admit that I’m a little puzzled by some of the anti-Piers Morgan sentiment I’m finding out there from our side, or maybe just ambivalence anyway, in light of the cancellation of his program (here)…yes, it was stupid to goad Fix Noise humanoid Megyn Kelly since that’s food and drink pretty much to people like her, but Morgan really “walked the walk” on the gun issue in this country, as he did here, earning the predictable emnity from the usual suspects…



…and it looks like there are traces of snow in this video – I sincerely hope that’s the last I see of the white stuff for a little while.

Friday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

I tried this last night, but ran into technical difficulties, so I’ll try it again – while it’s great that the whole “Chained CPI” and Social Security thing is apparently off the table (here), what does it tell you that it ever was “on the table” to begin with (former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich explains – again, Google Chrome has been acting up on YouTube vids for yours truly…may have to try some techie stuff to fix – oh joy)…



…and Jon Stewart tells us about the latest in wingnuttia from the “What’s The Matter With...” state (here – and nice one to include Mika and The Loudmouth)…



…and gosh, isn’t Vladimir Putin such a big, strong man, making sure that four women “armed” only with guitars and ski masks, to say nothing of journalists trying to do their jobs, are beaten repeatedly by uniformed thugs (a regime also responsible for this, let’s not forget…I think Lawrence O’Donnell is a bit too sympathetic to Edward Snowden, but I also think he’s fundamentally right)…



...and here's a danceable little number that the kids seem to like - a nice Friday choice I believe.

Thursday Stuff

Update 2/21/14: Something is up with Google Chrome and YouTube videos - haven't gotten the lowdown on it yet...

Weren’t we actually praising the CBO and Doug Elmendorf a few days ago on health care reform and its projected impact on jobs (here)?...



...and Rev. Al gives us a rather sickening primer on how we ended up with “Stand Your Ground” so-called laws, starting in the land of Lex Luthor Scott (I have to admit that I’m a bit confused by that bar graph – I assume it applies only to Florida, though I would guess that the trends are nationwide)…



...and yes, I thought he was gone from my electronic world, as it were, for good - ugh...



…and as far as I’m concerned, the title of this song is completely apropos for the foul, fetid Bushco reign.

Wednesday Stuff

Nice lungs you got there - I'd be a real shame if anything happened to them...



…and good for Lawrence O’Donnell for giving Priorities USA the treatment they deserve (here)…



…and another day, another white person who apparently felt threatened by the “thug” behavior of a person of another skin color which, of course, led to the shooting of said “thug” by that white person (here)…



…and I guess you can chalk this up to “Doomsy, heal thyself” from this wretched winter and various other circumstances.

Tuesday Stuff

Ed Schultz tells us what happened with the UAW vote at the Chattanooga, TN VW plant...



Update 2/19/14: This is interesting and a bit hopeful, though (Update 2/21/14: As is this).

…and here is more on the Repugs and their immigration “outreach” with Cenk and The Young Turks (captions are a little better this time)…



…and I should let you know that, besides Allyson Schwartz, there’s another Dem running to be the party’s gubernatorial nominee against (presumably) Tom Corbett in the fall; I don’t know much about this guy except what you see here, but he interests me (what matters is that the best Dem wins the primary, whoever that may be)…



…and RIP Bob Casale of Devo.

Monday Stuff

Happy Fifth Anniversary to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (with the predictable nonsense in response here)...



…and God, Marsha Blackburn is such a dunce (here) – I don’t want to imagine the stupidity of the people who actually vote for her…



…and here is more important stuff from Robert Reich about who is keeping their thumbs on the metaphorical scales, as it were, when it comes to the economy…



…and Chris Hayes and his guests name two of the worst presidents of all time…



…but don’t worry, Dubya is on the list here, along with Andrew Jackson…



…and I’m sorry, but this story must be a goof; has anyone checked the Republican Congressional Caucus?

Friday Stuff

Well said by Tweety – obvious stuff I know, but it needs to be repeated over and over…



…and I give you the epitome of our spoiled plutocracy (I noted this asshat over here too)…



…and it is beyond awesome to me that Scalia ended up giving a shot in the arm, as it were, to marriage equality…



…and in a related story as they say, I know absolutely nothing about this guy Dale Hansen, but I do know that this is one of the finest opinion commentaries that I have ever heard (here)…



…and here’s a song for this special day…



…and for the opposing point of view, I give you this :-).

Wednesday Stuff

RIP Sid Caesar – I know there’s YouTube video out there of the “From Here to Eternity” parody; always good for a few laughs – what a great legacy…



…and speaking of humor, it looks like French President Hollande has landed on our shores, and Jon Stewart gives our corporate media the appropriate treatment for their farcical attempt at coverage (here)…



…and I think it’s hilarious that Governor Bully has now gone “full wingnut” and embraced his party’s “ownership society” as shown here, including Former President Nutball…



...and I often think of conservatives as cartoonish anyway, and they pretty much cemented that “rep,” if you will, here, as Rev. Al tells us…



…and I know Lawrence O’Donnell has been beating the proverbial dead horse about the wording on the 501(c)(4) law, but he happens to be right (and Billo the Clown continues to be nothing but a rude, interrupting idiot – wonky stuff, I know)…



…and this distinctly American piece of classical music debuted 90 years ago on this day in NYC, which is completely appropriate (something to listen to while we watch yet another snowfall unfold).

Tuesday Stuff

RIP Shirley Temple Black, cute as a button on celluloid now for all eternity...



...and Ed Schultz gives a report here on increasing the working wage for women (and a pox on Priorities USA for thinking that the 2014 midterms supposedly aren't important, or something)...



…oh, and in case you were wondering where the Teahadists of today sprang from, I give you this interview by Mike Wallace of acclaimed screenwriter Rod Serling, subject to hack impersonations by many, where he tells us the story of Lassie on TV giving birth, as well as the kitchen appliance sponsor who wanted the screenplay for “Judgment at Nuremberg” edited – talk about past is prologue (credit to YouTuber Anthony Cumia for the clip)…



…and happy 75th birthday to songwriter Gerry Goffin, who collaborated with Carole King both in music and in life…here is a legendary King/Goffin tune performed by JT.

Monday Stuff

Gee, I wonder if David Wildstein dunked little girls’ curls in ink wells too – un-freaking-believable…



...and I give you Ed Schultz and David Cay Johnston on fighting for an increase in the minimum wage (here)...



…and as noted here, tomorrow is a day of protest over NSA spying (Stephen Colbert has a bit of fun with this I know, but I think he makes the serious points that need to be made)…

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…and with all of the Beatle-ish celebrations going on over the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four’s appearance on Ed Sullivan, there have been quite a few covers being played also, though I haven’t heard this tune – this was always a personal favorite of yours truly (apropos too).

Friday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

Happy belated 75th birthday to actor and peace activist (and former Marine) Mike Farrell; I part company with him on Mumia, but I applaud him on everything else; the stuff with the late Gore Vidal at the end is good also…



…and I thought this was a well-done video on how the USDA plans to try and manage climate change (kind of humdrum stuff in a way I’ll admit, not helped by some of the speakers, but still important)…



…and leave it to the wretched Kochs with their stinking blood money to outspend the universe in pursuit of a completely red U.S. government, not just the Senate (and somehow, Hangin’ Judge JR and the rest of the The Supremes who voted in favor of Citizens United manage to sleep at night - good point by Karen Finney about how the Dems stupidly turned away from Dr. Dean and the 50-state strategy)…



…and once more, it needs to be pointed out that, when it’s time for serious commentary on the Affordable Care Law, then it’s time for Jon Stewart (yep, Bulls#@t Mountain just had another eruption, for sure...more here)…

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…and speaking of comedy, we know that Dana Milbank is a well-kept member of the Beltway media-political-industrial complex, but he noted in a column from here recently that Falafel Man interrupted President Obama 42 times during the recent Super Bowl interview; if Keith Olbermann ever gets the opportunity to interview George W. Bush one day, I guarantee you that that will not happen – I offer the following in response (NSFW - love the stuff with the jacket)…



…and I know, 50 years ago, those lovable mop-tops from Liverpool staged a musical invasion of our country, noted here (as is often the case, the real story is much more complex and interesting)…yeah yeah yeah :-).

Wednesday Stuff

I think this provides some badly needed context on the whole “ZOMG OBAMACARE IS GOING TO KILL 2 MILLION JOBS!!!” wingnut idiocy, with more typical lies from that supposedly fine Christian Republican from Wisconsin in charge of the House Budget Committee…



…and I have to admit a bit of “Christie and the GWB” fatigue, but fortunately Rachel Maddow, along with Steve Kornacki and others, find ways to keep breathing life into it (glad the Feds are now looking at potential, and quite probably actual, patronage in the way funds for Hurricane Sandy were doled out too – the revelations about David Wildstein’s “make work” job along with the stuff about Christie supposedly telling O’Dowd and McKenna to take a look at the Port Authority on this are also newsworthy)…



…and gee, it looks like the cat was let out of the proverbial bag here on those who attended the recent Koch Brothers soiree…

…including the son and daughter of this guy (remember this the next time you pay your Comcast bill or decide to give a second thought to the orange-and-black, to say nothing of forking over any dough – as a reminder, this tells what the pals of Ed and his family are all about…I think this starts a play list)…



…and RIP William “Bunny Rugs” Clarke of Third World.

Tuesday Stuff

I don’t know if this ad aired during the Super Bowl or not, but it’s still pretty good (yep, I’ve been on the proverbial fence on this one, but maybe it’s time to do the right thing – and by the way, after reading this, I’m glad Seattle won)…



...and speaking of ads, poor Stephen Colbert - too funny (here)...

…and Repug U.S. House Rep Pete Sessions (pictured with Mikey the Beloved during the fake “swearing in” three years ago) thinks it’s “immoral” to extend benefits for unemployed people here – let’s allow him to find out what it’s like to be out of work after election day in November (makes me recall this clip)…



Update 2/5/14: And by the way, here is a question for Sessions and the rest of his foul ilk.

…and today is the 40th anniversary of the kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patty Hearst by the Symbionese Liberation Army, which yielded the iconic photo from here – tried to think of a song making reference to her for the occasion, and this is the best I could do (an evergreen great tune, IMHO).

Monday Stuff

(By the way, here are my responses to some news stories that other people seem to care about: 1) I have zero interest in President Obama’s interview with Billo the Clown – I have no idea if there were any “gotchas,” and I don’t care; 2) I don’t know if Woody Allen is guilty of the allegations made by Dylan Farrow or not – the statute of limitations has apparently expired…I’m just sorry for all concerned – I think Woody Allen, like many great artists, is extremely talented at what he does, though he may be at heart a true mess of a human being; 3) Apparently Governor Bully went on radio station 101.5 in New Jersey, which is favorable ground for conservatives anyway, and pled innocence again on the GW bridge thing…Christie deserves the benefit of the doubt until he’s proven to be wrong, which I’m convinced we’ll see eventually – and then, at that point, it will be up to him to retire from public life once and for all – however, assuming he’s telling the truth, what does that tell us of his competence as an administrator and manager of his own inner circle, which is a requirement that’s really high on the list of job duties for someone aspiring to be the President of the United States? Oh, and by the way...)…

OK, now that that’s out of the way…

…to anyone who doesn’t like this ad from the Super Bowl, I’d like to offer the following quote from Richard Pryor; have a Coke and a smile and STFU (here)…



…and in response, I give you the following from Elon James White…



Update 2/4/14: Stay classy, Foxies (here).

…and I know some of the language about addiction here from Chris Hayes is a bit unsettling given the awful Philip Seymour Hoffman story, but I think it’s spot-on (and as far as a response goes, I give you this)…



…and here’s an upbeat number that the kids seem to like to help us slog through yet more snow.

Sunday Stuff

Let’s not forget that, later this week, we’ll observe what would have been the 103rd birthday of The Sainted Ronnie R – he started out as something pretty close to a progressive Dem right after WWII believe it or not, but we know how he ended up of course (here)…



…and speaking of actors, RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman – just so sad; condolences to family and friends…an incredible talent gone to waste…



…also Maximilian Schell, who was also a noted filmmaker, among his other accomplishments…



…and I think this tune fits this sort-of theme, mining truth from illusion and all that.