Last Call

I seem to recall Republicans spending the last two years saying Obamacare meant rationing of health care, and death panels, and the government deciding who lives and who dies, and other "fascist" nonsense.  So of course when Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels suggests that "we can't always pay for the most expensive technology" in our "aging society" to extend lifespans to "the very very last day", Republicans are going to disown him and shriek DEATH PANELS as loudly as possible, yes?

Democrats continue to be pilloried by the right for even suggesting anything in the ballpark of what Daniels is saying here, attacked by hacks like the WSJ's James Taranto.

"Government takeover," like "death panel," is a true description of ObamaCare's essence. These phrases are "inaccurate" only in that they cut through formal distinctions designed to deceive the public. (We wish we could use a barnyard vulgarity in place of the unwieldy clause "formal distinctions designed to deceive the public," but The Wall Street Journal is a family newspaper.)

"Death panel" was especially effective at cutting through the hockey. Lots of people warned about rationing, but, as PolitiFact grudgingly acknowledged, it was Palin's vivid language that "launched the health care debate into overdrive. The term was mentioned in news reports approximately 6,000 times in August and September, according to the Nexis database. By October, it was still being mentioned 150 to 300 times a week."

Many of these media mentions were disparaging, "raising issues," as PolitiFact prissily puts it, about "the bounds of acceptable political discussion." In other words, Palin's statement was widely propagated by journalists who thought it "unacceptable." Americans recognized the essential truth of Palin's words and strongly opposed ObamaCare.

Palin got the truth out with the help of journalists determined to bolster the deceptions at the heart of ObamaCare. She was instrumental in winning the political argument that looks increasingly likely to render ObamaCare's legislative victory a Pyrrhic one. Sarah Palin outsmarted the formerly mainstream media simply by being blunt and honest. That is why they burn with a mindless rage against her.

Palin's "blunt honesty" of course meant calling what Daniels here calls for -- families to have the option of end-of-life planning -- as "government death panels."

So will Daniels now be attacked by Taranto for agreeing with what President Obama was saying we need to do about health care costs?  Considering half of America thinks the PPACA has been repealed already, of course the Republicans will get away with it.  And they'll get the credit when they suggest "common sense health care solutions"  -- which will of course consist of what's still actually in the bill -- that will go into effect between now and 2014.

And hey, Republicans will have "fixed" Obamacare just like they ended slavery, passed civil rights legislation,

Pay attention to the plan, please.

The Ghost Of Moosemas Past

How bad is it for the GOP right now in finding somebody who can win in 2012?

This bad.

As Sarah Palin wonders whether to run for president, she might want to talk to people in places such as South Carolina.


She'd find her star fading, and her prospects daunting.

Republicans still like her, but now they openly question whether she could or should be nominated for president, let alone elected.

At a recent gathering in South Carolina, the site of a crucial early presidential primary next year, party activists said the former Alaska governor didn't have the experience, the knowledge of issues or the ability to get beyond folksy slang and bumper-sticker generalities that they think is needed to win and govern.

Many are shopping for someone else. They're looking at Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., for example, and seeing what they call a smarter, more experienced candidate who's equally as conservative.

"Sarah Palin with a brain," said Gail Moore, a Republican from Columbia.

Remember when openly questioning Palin's qualifications made you a misogynist because if she wasn't qualified, she never would have been picked as McCain's running mate so the only possible reason to think she couldn't handle the job was because you hate women?

You know, couldn't possibly be she wasn't actually qualified or anything.

So now, Michele Bachmann is.  Scary.

Somebody FOXed Up

So, late last week David Corn reported on the story that publisher Judy Regan was told to lie to the Feds about her affair with Bernie Kerik, the police chief Dubya originally tapped for Homeland Security Director.  The motive:  to protect Rudy Giuliani.  The party who supposedly convinced Regan to lie?

Fox News boss Roger Ailes.

Yeah, I know it's like All-Star Bush's first term mania, right?  So I didn't think anything of this story other than the trashy factor...until this morning.

Big Barry Ritholtz is reporting that Ailes may be getting a visit from the Legal Fairy very soon.  Well, here's your news item for the rest of forever. 

Here’s what I learned recently: Someone I spoke with claimed that Ailes was scheduled to speak at their event in March, but canceled. It appears that Roger’s people, ostensibly using a clause in his contract, said he “cannot appear for legal reasons.”

I asked “What, precisely, does that mean?”

The response: “Roger Ailes will be indicted — probably this week, maybe even Monday.”

Now keep in mind Roger Ailes has an entire news network to go to bat for him, so if you think this story is going to turn into how the evil Obama administration is holding a witch hunt like I do, batten down the hatches.

This is going to get insane.  Ahead Obama Derangement Syndrome Factor Infinity.

Trouble On The Verizon

(CNN) -- The iPhone 4 is now 0-for-2 with Consumer Reports.
After declining to recommend the popular smartphone after its original release last June, the influential product review publication is now giving a thumbs-down to the new model for Verizon's network.  According to Consumer Reports, the phone has the potential for problems with dropped calls and poor reception, just like its predecessor.

Verizon is banking on this to solidify their place in the mobile provider rankings.  However, it looks like this new product is going to cause them more problems than bring in customers.  It's not too late to turn it around, but with the failure to earn consumer trust and correct known issues, this isn't looking good for Verizon.  Customers aren't wanting to switch for the same thing, but for something better.  I'm not impressed with the quality or procedures they have shown, and the phone still doesn't work on their 4G network.

Thanks for playing, guys.  Sprint is making a real run for growth, as is T-Mobile. This might be the beginning of the end for yet another communications giant that failed to expand and roll with the changes, and lost the race.

Gay Old Time At Church

COLORADO SPRINGS — The guard hailed as a hero after the December 2007 shooting at New Life Church says the church indicated she was not welcome there after she informed church officials that she is gay.

The Denver Post goes on to explain that Jeanne Assam, a guard who stopped a gunman firing at the congregation, is no longer welcome at the church after coming out as a lesbian. The church denies this, but their denial doesn't ring true to me.  It's a little ironic, but I'm just watching and thinking about this. I can see many sides here, but in the end it doesn't feel like the church took the high road in how they handled it, regardless of what one feels about their position on the subject of her lifestyle. 


I admit, I get touchy on the subject of religion.  A lifetime in the Bible Belt has taught me a healthy fear faith and what people do in its name.  Still, how is that any different than the sinner right next to her, on either side?  What merit is it for a church only to save people that already follow their ways?

What do you guys think?

Mad Time In Mad Town

Estimates of a 100,000 plus in protests yesterday in Madison, as well as much smaller numbers in state capitals around the country.



People are beginning to notice that they made a mistake last November.  Maine's Tea Party GOP Gov. Paul LePage says he wants to take the Imperial Walker approach in Maine to eliminate unions and make the Pine Tree State "right-to-work".

Maine Gov. Paul LePage said Saturday he would push forcefully ahead with right-to-work legislation in his state, even if it means a Wisconsin-style fight with unions.

In an interview at the National Governors Association, the Republican praised Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and couched his own proposal in the language of liberty loved by tea partiers.

"He's got a big challenge, and quite frankly, once they start reading our budget they're going to leave Wisconsin and come to Maine because we're going after 'right to work,'" LePage told POLITICO.

They're not just going after public unions folks, they are going after all unions, all collective bargaining, all worker's rights to serve their corporate masters.  Whatever you personally think about unions, keep in mind what they have accomplished in this country over the decades.  The GOP wants to get rid of labor laws, period.

Why should workers have any rights, they figure.  If you're a good worker, you can go where you want to and people will fight over hiring you.  If that's not the case, then why haven't you started your own small business yet?

You're next.  Remember that.

Last Call

The UN Security Council has made a unanimous 15-0 vote to slap heavy sanctions on Libyan strongman Qaddafi.

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose sanctions on Libya amid Moammar Gadhafi's escalating attacks on anti-government protesters.


The approved resolution includes an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel bans for Gadhafi and several of his key associates. It also refers the violent crackdown to the International Criminal Court.

"The text send a strong message that gross violations of basic human rights will not be tolerated and that those responsible for grave crimes will be held accountable. I hope the message is heard, and heeded, by the regime in Libya," said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Ibrahim Dabbashi, Libya's deputy ambassador to the United Nations who earlier voiced opposition to Gadhafi's government, said after the vote the resolution would provide moral support to the people resisting in Libya. He urged officers in the armed forces to renounce Gadhafi.

One point of contention revolved around language in the resolution that referred to adopting "all necessary measures to enable the return to Libya of humanitarian agencies and to secure the prompt and safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need."

There was concern that the language could be interpreted as including military intervention.

That section of the resolution was softened in the approved version to call on member states to work together to "facilitate and support" the return of humanitarian agencies.

With President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton now calling for Qaddafi to go, it's looking like the guy doesn't have a friend in the world.

Well, except for Hosni Mubarak.

Those Who Can't Do, Teach

Col. Mustard figures the Buffalo Beast editor who tricked Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker into believing Walker was addressing billionaire conservative Scott Koch should be prosecuted for...wait for it...identity theft.

There does not seem to be any doubt that the blogger used Koch's name without authority or consent.  The blogger thereby used Koch's "personal identifying information."

The purpose of the use of Koch's name also was to obtain a "benefit" for the blogger, namely access to Gov. Walker, and to obtain something "of value," namely a recording to be used by the blogger. 

Additionally, it appears that there also was the purpose of harming the reputation of Koch, both through the inflammatory statements by the blogger acting as Koch and by creating the appearance of some improper influence by Koch on the political process. 

In sum, there certainly seems to be enough evidence already known at least to justify an investigation by the Madison police as to the possible theft of David Koch's identity, a felony under state law.

Probably enough here to justify an investigation into Col. Mustard here as a practicing law professor, too.   Best part?

Instead, the Madison Police Chief wants an investigation of Gov. Walker, even though there were no statements made by Walker which could constitute a crime.  If the Madison Police Chief wants someone and something to investigate, it is not Gov. Walker.

Yeah, how dare we apply the first amendment selectively while a state governor is openly talking about the fact "we thought about" planting agents provocateur in the anti-Walker demonstator crowds or about soliciting and coordination of campaign money while on state property.

Identity theft is the crime here that Wisconsin voters and citizens should be worried about?  That's like going after Luke Skywaker for trespassing on the Death Star.

StupdiNews! The Good, The Bad, The Stupid

From recent news, we have the good, the bad and the stupid:


The good:

NEW YORK — A homeless man who hadn't seen his daughter in 11 years was reunited with her this week, thanks to a tweet.

Three weeks ago, Daniel Morales was given a prepaid cell phone as part of a project documenting the lives of homeless people. He and three other men were asked to share their experiences on the street through 140-character updates.
Morales, 58, quickly amassed more than 3,000 followers. On Wednesday, he tweeted, “Hi thi is to let yo people know that in lookin eoq my daughter her name is sarah m rivera.” He posted his phone number and a picture of his daughter, Sarah Rivera, who was 16 when he last saw her.

The Bad:

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida authorities say a 26-year-old man raped a 2-year-old girl at SeaWorld Orlando and saved pictures of the crime on his cell phone, local media reported Friday.

The Stupid:

A 14-month-old girl spent hours trapped inside a Conyers bank vault Friday evening after wandering off from her mother and grandmother, an employee at the Wells Fargo branch.

Police and firefighters were helpless, unable to reach the toddler who had walked into the open vault as the bank was closing for the day. Before the girl, whose name was not made available, could be found, an employee of the branch closed the vault.

O. Henry wrote an awesome short story based on this. It's just surprising to me that this could happen, with the precautions one imagines is in place.

Peekaboo! I Stall You!

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Assembly early Friday passed a bill that would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights — the first significant action on the new Republican governor's plan.

The vote put an end to three straight days of punishing debate, but the political standoff over the bill is far from over.

The measure now goes to the Senate, where minority Democrats have been missing for a week, preventing a vote in that chamber.

Crazy times call for crazy measures.  I'll be following this and posting updates as they come.

Two And A Half Stupidity

I'm a fan of the show, I admit. It took a while to grow on me, but it's amazing that all those years of work can be derailed by one crazy drunk guy.

After a day of unhinged and unsolicited comments ripping his show's executive producer Chuck Lorre and assorted enemies -- Alcoholics Anonymous and Thomas Jefferson, among others -- the star finally went further than CBS and Warner Brothers Television could take.

The network and TV production company announced Thursday that they had pulled the plug on television's top-rated comedy, "Two and a Half Men," which was scheduled to restart production on Monday.

"Based on the totality of Charlie Sheen's statements, conduct and condition, CBS and Warner Bros. Television have decided to discontinue production of "Two and a Half Men" for the remainder of the season," the companies said in a joint statement.

Maybe next year, sorry Charlie.

Oh, Why Hello There Other Shoe, Glad You Could Drop In

GOP Rep. Chris "Check my abs on Craigslist" Lee resigned immediately in the wake of his shirtless ad soliciting fooling around on his wife.  Politicians *never* resign that fast without a reason.  I've been wondering what it was, and now it looks like we know.

"In the past 10 days, two D.C.-area transgender women contacted us, each with a separate story about exchanging emails with the ex-congressman. One sent us an ad that Lee allegedly posted on Craigslist in search of trans women; the other sent us a never-before-seen photo that she says Lee sent her after they started chatting by email. Taken together, they present a possible explanation to those who have wondered why such a tame 'sex scandal' forced Lee's hand so quickly." 

Just....wow.  You really can find anything on Craigslist, can't you.

EPIC FAIL.

Not Quite As Stupid As Once Thought

Dubya may be a dimwit, but he's smart enough not to be in the same town at the same time as Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange.

George W. Bush said Friday he will not visit Denver this weekend as planned because WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was invited to attend one of the same events as the former president.

Bush planned to be at a Young Presidents' Organization "Global Leadership Summit" Saturday but backed out when he learned Assange was invited, Bush spokesman David Sherzer said.

It was unlikely that Assange would have attended in person. The Denver Post reported he appeared at the conference Friday by video link.

Assange has been in Britain fighting extradition to Sweden in a sex crimes inquiry, and his lawyers have raised fears that he could be arrested by U.S. authorities investigating whether Assange and WikiLeaks illegally distributed secret government documents.

WikiLeaks has released tens of thousands of U.S. military documents on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and on U.S. diplomatic efforts worldwide, deeply angering U.S. officials.

Sherzer said Bush doesn't want to be part of a forum that invited someone who has "willfully and repeatedly done great harm to the interests of the United States."

And as awesome as this would have been to see for us, Bush is smart enough to know that nothing possibly good for him would have come from this.  At all.  Give your handlers a raise, Dubya.  They're smarter than Palin's crew, at any rate.

StupidiNews, Weekend Edition!

• As the US withdraws its ambassadors from increasingly isolated Libya, the UN Security Council meets to consider sanctions and possibly other action against Qaddafi.
• A GOP-requested Commerce Department investigation of NOAA clears the weather service of the "climategate" controversy, finding no evidence of wrongdoing.
• State Republicans in both Kansas and Missouri advanced tough new voter identification laws despite calls by critics that there's no evidence suggesting voter fraud.
• New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie wants state employees to pay a much higher part of their insurance premiums, arguing they need to pay the same as private sector workers do, 30%.
• Internet provider Level 3 and cable company Comcast continue to fight it out, taking their battle to the FCC.

Last Call

Just...really, Newt?

Newt Gingrich knows a thing or two about presidential impeachments. And after the Obama's administration's decision on the Defense of Marriage Act, Gingrich says the smell impeachment is in the air once again.

Speaking with Newsmax, the former House Speaker and oft-rumored 2012 presidential contender said that the Obama administration's decision to no longer defend DOMA in federal court is a "a violation" of President Obama's "Constitutional oath and clearly it is something which cannot be allowed to stand."

The host asked Gingrich "is what Obama's doing impeachable in your view?"

Gingrich: "I think that's something you get to much later."

Something about all this government shutdown and impeachment crap seems awfully familiar.

Zandar's Thought Of The Day

Wondering what $100 plus per barrel oil means to you?  Here's your chart of the day from Zero Hedge.




Bottom line, on average every $10 rise in the price of oil costs Americans $185 per year, per car.

The price of oil has jumped $15 a barrel since the unrest in Libya started late last week. For the average two-car family, that's about $50 in disposable income per month that will vanish starting now. If oil goes back up to the record nominal price of $135 a barrel where it was in July 2008, that $50 a month becomes $163 a month in additional gas expenses for a two car family (which would quickly make it a one-car family again.)

This is just the gasoline impact. This chart doesn't even begin to factor in the additional cost of items trucked into stores and food grown with petroleum-based pesticides. The total additional cost to the average family would be even higher.

If we saw $150 a barrel oil and $5 a gallon gas, you would see a massive social change in the country. If truckers went on strike to protest $5+ per gallon diesel, all bets would be off where you live.

A $10 to $15 per barrel spike in oil is not a good thing for our economy. Any higher than $100 and we're looking at a trip back into Recessionville. At $150 that becomes Depression City.

Food for thought.

All Oiled Up, Bend Over

As oil prices continue to rise and the Obama administration considers dropping subsidies to an industry that made tens of billions in profits in 2010, Big Oil would like to remind you just who the hell is in charge here:  the American Petroleum Institute.

API President and CEO Jack Gerard sharply criticized President Obama proposal to cut billions in subsidies to energy companies, saying it would eliminate thousands of new jobs.

"It’s no surprise the administration is proposing yet again to raise taxes on the U.S. oil and natural gas industry," he said. "But it’s still a bad idea and comes at one of the worst times in our economic history."

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for investments into clean energy, declaring they should be paid for in part by cutting federal subsidies and tax breaks for the oil industry.

Obama said the United States should get 80 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2035, though he included nuclear power, "clean coal," and natural gas as part of that standard, in addition to wind and solar.

On Thursday, Richard Ranger, a senior policy adviser at API, called on President Obama to lift drilling restrictions on Alaska's outer continental shelf.

In July 2010, Greenpeace obtained an internal memo from the API that showed the institute funded and developed a fake grassroots campaign to attack environmental legislation.

"API will provide the up-front resources," the email said. "This includes contracting with a highly experienced events management company that has produced successful rallies for presidential campaigns."

Remember, Big Oil gets tax breaks of $4 billion plus a year. Exxon Mobil, by itself, made $30 billion in profit last year.

But ending these subsidies will cost "thousands of jobs".  Meanwhile, we have to cut teachers and firefighters and bridges and cops and public safety because "we can't afford it."

Insert StupidiFilter(tm)

(CNN) -- An Indiana deputy attorney general lost his job Wednesday after commenting online that authorities should use "live ammunition" to run off the throngs of protesters railing over union collective bargaining rights two states away in Wisconsin.

This isn't the worst thing I've heard all year.  But it's among the dumbest.  In the age of the Internet, where our stupidity can be captured and stored for eternity, don't Tweet or Facebook without thinking it over.  Seriously.

Iowa Wonder What The Hell Is In That Corn, Anyway

It so happens that in Northwood, Iowa, there is a major porn distributor hidden quietly above a flower shop.  What was thought to be an unused office is a mailing and storage house for adult films.  Considering Iowa is miles from tolerant, this is amusing.  But the best thing of all is the article itself.  And one hilarious quote.  Oh yes, I have to share this with you in full:

"Oh, Lordy," Hickle [the flower shop owner] said. "I had no idea. I am not OK with this. I don't believe in pornography, and, oh, my, I just don't see Northwood as the sex capital of the world. We have all these Norwegians here. Can you imagine that?"

You can't make up stuff like this. Coming soon: Iowa believe I'll stay the hell away from those crazy corn-loving folks.

The Real Deal On Repeal

We now see the fallout of the Village's coverage of the GOP efforts to repeal the bill and all the attention given to Florida federal judge Roger Vinson's decision.

In a new Kaiser Health poll, just 52% of Americans knew that the health care reform bill signed into law by President Obama is still in place. Meanwhile, one fifth -- 22% -- of all Americans believe that the law has been overturned, while another 26% aren't sure what's up with the law.

Barely half of Americans believe the PPACA is still in effect.  The other half thinks it's gone or aren't sure if it's still in effect.  The Village has made no effort to correct this misconception, either.

Boy, that liberal media sure does lean left.