Good Riddance to Liz Cheney

Liz Cheney    Billings Gazette

Liz Cheney, under the pretext of  "serious health issues" having arisen in her family, is dropping her Senate bid in Wyoming.  Her bid prompted her to denounce same sex marriage thereby her lesbian sister Mary's marriage to her long time partner last year.   Her sister and partner retaliated with a very public dissing of Liz, one that just wouldn't go away.

It was the beginning of the end of a manipulative campaign, Cheney style:  nothing is sacred.  People woke up to that fact and that is probably her undoing.

Whatever the reason, I am glad she's gone.

Ruthless People: The Cheneys

Last week I earmarked  the Nov 14th Salon article on the biggest Dick of all, Dick Cheney, whose heart-less remarks about his heart donor underscored the ongoing belief of us Munchkins that, he's never had a heart to begin with and the transplant didn't work the way it was supposed to.  Quoth Dick:

"When I came out from under the anesthetic after the transplant, I was euphoric.  I’d had–I’d been given the gift of additional lives, additional years of life.  For the family of the donor, they’d just been [through] some terrible tragedy, they’d lost a family member.  Can’t tell why, obviously, when you don’t know the details, but the way I think of it from a psychological standpoint is that it’s my new heart, not someone else’s old heart. And I always thank the donor, generically thank donors for the gift that I’ve been given, but I don’t spend time wondering who had it, what they’d done, what kind of person."

This week we have another Cheney blunder in the works.  Liz Cheney, daughter of cold hearted Dick and his chilly wife Lynne, has expressed her disdain for same sex a.k.a. gay marriage, dissing her lesbian sister and spouse in her political bid for the Republican Senate race in Wyoming.   Rather than sit on the sidelines, Mary Cheney's spouse took to Facebook: 

I was watching my sister-in-law on Fox News Sunday (yes Liz, in fifteen states and the District of Columbia you are my sister-in-law) and was very disappointed to hear her say “I do believe in the traditional definition of marriage.” 

Liz has been a guest in our home, has spent time and shared holidays with our children, and when Mary and I got married in 2012 – she didn’t hesitate to tell us how happy she was for us.  

To have her now say she doesn’t support our right to marry is offensive to say the leas

I can’t help but wonder how Liz would feel if as she moved from state to state, she discovered that her family was protected in one but not the other. 

I always thought freedom meant freedom for EVERYONE.

 

 

 

 The compassion in this family is epic.  Machiavelli ain't got nothin' on them Cheneys.

Can you imagine throwing your sister and her family under the bus in a quest for a Senate seat? 

Can you imagine being the person whose heart ended up in Dick Cheney?  Were it me, if I weren't already dead, I'd kill myself.

Can you say "ruthless"?   



John Boehner: Naked and Gelded

Bob Schieffer is the most astute interviewer in television news today. He's been around a long time. His show, "Face the Nation" is punctuated by his wisdom, experience and keen observations gleaned during fifty years in the business of reporting. This is our Speaker of the House, John Boehner. He's being interviewed by Bob Schieffer and he doesn't want to commit to any plans or ideas that involve immigration, the economy etc. He claims not to know of the President's agenda. He just wants to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act aka "Obamacare". Who's in charge here? Certainly not John Boehner. Boehner's pedantic and dismissive remarks, unwillingness to answer specific questions, annoyance with Schieffer's dogged persistence, are the stuff of an eye opening interview. The interview lasts 16 minutes, the first 7 are must see tee vee.




Aside from Boehner's insufferable attitude, what is most obvious here is his reluctance to commit to any plan of action resulting from his fear of retaining the position of Speaker of the House. He kowtows to the extreme elements in the GOP. He is a man being pulled in many directions by many demanding factions, including the President. He is resentful, he is ineffective, he is, in effect, a gelding.



As always, Schieffer puts things in perspective by reminding us, once upon a time, the country was working to accomplish great things. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162-57594758/face-the-nation-transcripts-july-21-2013-boehner-and-snyder/

Sex Lies & Audio Tape

You've probably heard about this by now:   

The tape of the Feb. 2 strategy session -- released by Mother Jones magazine -- recorded McConnell and his aides devising tactics for discrediting actress Ashley Judd who at the time was widely expected to enter the U.S. Senate race to take on McConnell. She has since decided not to run for office.

But while Judd was mulling the race, McConnell's staff was strategizing that the best way to hurt her candidacy would be to highlight her past struggles with depression and her religious views, according to the tapes.

In the meeting, according to the tape, McConnell is heard saying, "I assume most of you have played the game Whac-A-Mole? This is the Whac-A-Mole period of the campaign…when anybody sticks their head up, do them out."   abcnews.com

The McConnell campaign immediately cried "Foul!" claiming a Watergate style break-in to bug headquarters, calling on the FBI and U.S. Attorney's office in Louisville to investigate.  Here is the Mother Jones accounting of Who What When Where Why.

Leaders of a "liberal super PAC" Progress Kentucky, are claiming responsibility for the taping.  According to today's news release from NPR station WFPL Louisville, the Democratic party is distancing itself from these two activists.

"The War That Did Not Happen"

If anyone thinks we can or should ignore the invasion of Iraq, think again. The Bush Administration perpetrated the jingoistic reaction to 9/11 with a false tie to WMD in Iraq and a bulls eye on Saddam Hussein. Tonight, Rachel Maddow hosts "Hubris: The Selling of the Iraq War" at 9PM EST. Taken from the book by Michael Isikoff and David Corn, the documentary follows every false step lie and propoganda strategy by the Bush Administration in what Maddow calls "the war that did not happen."

 

President Bush demanded it.

 

Dick Cheney promoted it.

 

 Congress went along with it.  And we let them.

 

MSNBC explores this now ten year old declaration of war with the lies and fabrications by notables such as V.P. Dick Cheney, Secy of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condi Rice, Deputy Secy of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and more! Tune in tonight to see the heroes and villains (mostly the latter) speak out. Too bad they wouldn't do so at the time. We might have 4,000+ more soldiers and hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens still with us.


 Petition to bring these people up on war crimes, anyone?

What If You Gave A Party and Nobody Came and Other Interesting Tidbits

 

Some Republicans have repeatedly declined to spend time with Obama.  Boehner chose not to be photographed with the president at last year’s White House Christmas party and has refused invitations to five state dinners in a row. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has also turned down multiple state dinners. Many new Republican House members chose not to come to a reception Obama held for the incoming freshmen in 2011. . .Boehner and McConnell also both turned down an invitation to watch “Lincoln” at the White House, along with three Republican senators — Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Olympia Snowe of Maine.   Washington Post 

I cannot imagine turning down an invitation from a sitting or retired President.  It's inconceivable.  In my work in broadcast sales, I've spent plenty of time with people I didn't like or agree with.  It's my job.  I've worked for people I didn't like.  It wasn't easy but it was my job.  John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander, Tom Coburn missed the memo.  IT'S THEIR JOB.  No wonder nothing ever gets done.

Olympia?  She doesn't count.  Her term is up.

                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New York lawmakers agreed to pass the toughest gun control law in the nation and the first since the Newtown, Conn., school shooting, calling for a stricter assault weapons ban and provisions to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill who make threats. . .The measure also calls for restrictions on ammunition and the sale of guns. It is expected to pass Tuesday.     Huffington Post

It's a start.  Kudos to Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg for spearheading the passage of strict new gun laws in New York state.  Now, if our other 49 states will belly up to the bar...

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And then there's THIS guy:

Recently reelected Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) has barely had a chance to get his feet wet in Congress again, after serving one term from 1995-1997. But already he's making bold threats to file articles of impeachment against President Barack Obama over gun control measures being sought in the wake of December's mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.   Huffington Post

                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Dept "Oh How the Mighty Have Fallen and Can't Get Up"

While he can’t save his career or his fortune, an admission of doping might rehabilitate Lance Armstrong’s charity and, ultimately, his legacy. . .The disgraced cyclist, who denied doping for more than a decade, admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. . . “Lance knows he’s poison as is, and my guess is he believes if he apologizes... and cries big crocodile tears it won’t solve his problems immediately, but it will at least start the process,” said Richard Burton, David Falk professor of sports management at Syracuse University. . .“His brand value during his yellow jersey days was almost immeasurable,” said Mark Serrano, CEO of ProActive Communications. “I think there were probably few brands in the world that were worth in excess of $20 million a year, and he was one of them.”...

“Today we’re looking at a brand value of near zero,” Serrano said.

                                                      

Paul Ryan Has A Bridge to Sell You

Norah O'Donnell parses the voting and verbal record of Rep. Paul Ryan.. . to his face.

Notice how he pauses and emphasizes her name, "Norah", over and over. She smiles when he tells her she's wrong. He tells her

"Norah, you're mistaken."

I actually saw a "The Good Wife" re-run last night that covered EXACTLY this political tactic!

FOX NEWS Analyst Rejects Ryan Talking Points

What is going on here?  Twice in one week during the same event, Fox News person is openly criticizing a spokesperson at the RNC.

In a surprising move, Fox News joined CNN, The Huffington Post, the Washington Post's Wonkblog, and ThinkProgress in publishing a fact-check of the Republican vice presidential nominee's speech, finding that the speech was full of lies and misleading assertions.  Huffington Post 8/30/2012 

Pretty interesting stuff:  "Paul Ryan's speech in 3 words"

FOX NEWS Rejects Christie Speech

This is interesting. FOX NEWS commentator Chris Wallace criticizes RNC keynote speaker, NJ Gov. Chris Christie's self -involved address to the RNC.   Having watched it, I agree.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/29/chris-christie-fox-news_n_1839972.html

Hurt Rush Where It Counts...His Bank Account

Those of you outraged by the latest Rush Limbaugh stunt, excoriating a Georgetown law student as a "slut" and a "prostitute" for supporting health insurance coverage of contraception, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE.   Email, telephone, Tweet, Facebook your displeasure with the advertisers continuing to support his radio show.  

As of this moment, 12:36PM EST 3/5/2012, he has six advertisers left. AOL just dropped out.  They are:  Allstate, American Forces Network, Lear Capital, Tax Resolution Services, Hillsdale College (a right wing college my father wanted me to attend), Health Heart & Body.  

Help clear the decks and give the syndicators a reason to dump Rush. In the radio business, we call it  "No Pay, No Play".  And no, I'm not talking payola.  I'm talking advertising revenue.

Check Your Brains At the Door

CBS Sunday Mornings'Nancy Giles voices her opinion of the SC debate Thu night and what the moderator should have said.

8 Years 4500 Casualties Later

I know I should be happy the war in Iraq is ended and the last troops officially left yesterday.  I am.  But I'm angry.  I'm angry it  in the first place. I'm angry it was sold to us with a lie.  I'm angry we  bought into the lie and I'm angry we didn't call out the perpetrators of this lie once the lie was exposed. 

I'm not the parent of someone in the military.  I am the daughter of a WWII vet and cousin of a lifer in the USAF.  I don't hate the military.  I respect the people who fight for us.  What I don't respect are the men who make these decisions, the so-called "leaders", the Masters of War:  Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush II, Tony Blair, majorities in U.S. Houses of Congress as well as Members of Parliament.

British weekly newsmagazine New Statesman, contains a well written op-ed on the legacy of the Iraq War.  Always interesting to hear how other countries view the U.S., even when they're our bed mates.

"Faces of the Dead" is a NY Times interactive visual of every soldier killed in Iraq & Afghanistan. This is what you call a reality check.

Was it worth it?   We'll be arguing this as long as we live without as much conviction as we argued about Viet Nam.  This perspective was written in 2007 but it's still relevant today; perhaps more so.

As a final note, here's the Iraqi Body Count and their latest estimates on civilian Iraqi deaths.

Dylan's Masters of War music video

Any Candidacy But Romney's Candidacy

With Newt Gingrich's resurgent candidacy for the GOP nomination in 2012, many thoughts assault me.

"I've got all this stuff twirling round in my head."

Nope.  Not it.  Wrong candidate; that's Herman Cain. 

 "Oops!"

Wrong candidate again; Rick Perry.

I keep hearing the mantra, "Any candidate but the Romney candidate" which puts me in mind of a favorite scene from a favorite movie, The Way We Were.  Barbra Streisand, as Katie Morosky, student president of the Young Communist Leage on her 1930s' college campus, is trying to motivate the student body to strike for peace in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.   She is repeatedly rebuffed by the other students until she gives a stirring speech.

For one shining moment, she has them.

 And then the signs go up.

"The Way We Were"  1973

Romney keeps thinkin' he has 'em.

And then the signs go up.  

Who's Sorry Now?

What can you say about these idiots that hasn't been printed or is about to be?  Let's begin with the absolutely hilarious headline by Andy Borowitz,

Schwarznegger:

'I am the Sperminator'

Short article follows. 

Then there's this rich fascisti who happens to own the majority of the Italian television :

Inside Berlusconi's 

'Bunga Bunga' parties: 

Explosive Details of Italian PM's Sex Scandal

Whatever a "bunga bunga" party may be, the UK's Guardian has it covered and so does Huff Post.  Of course, this is a drop in the bucket of accusations against this Italian PM.  He is a dear friend of Muammar Gadaffi; his media empire influences approximately 90% of the Italian population, according to some.  He is 79 years old, likes big breasted, underage women whom he "allegedly" pays to have sex. 

A more disturbing accusation in which details are so graphic and terrible one reporter on MSNBC this morning said they could not be revealed, IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been arrested for sexually assaulting a maid in his New York hotel.  His attempt to flee the country before apprehension resulted in a multitude of headlines and angled stories.  HuffPost  focused on the limited facts:   

  

IMF Chief Held Without Bail in Hotel Sex Case



The Washington Post took an interesting approach focusing on "messy marital histories" of politicians and the NYTimes explore the "code of silence" in France about the secret lives of politicians.

The material is endless:  Newt, Edwards, Ensign, Clinton...and these are just the offending heterosexuals who come to mind. 

Sex and politics.  It never gets old. 

Tom DeLay Guilty

mug shot

A few days ago, Tom Delay was convicted of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering to illegally funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in the 2002 campaigns.    

The heavy-handed style that made Tom DeLay one of the nation's most powerful and feared members of Congress also proved to be his downfall Wednesday when a jury determined he went too far in trying to influence elections, convicting the former House majority leader on two felonies that could send him to prison for decades.  Huffington Post  11/24/10

I guess "DWTS" wasn't enough to turn this puppy around.          

That's one for our side. 

 

Random Political Tidbits

Mitch McConnell's GOP Agenda?  Take Down Obama

"The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one term president."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
National Journal 10/25/10


Meg Whitman Endorses Opponent Jerry Brown






 President Clinton Hammers Michelle Bachmann
But Not in a Biblical Way

"She 'makes Richard Nixon look like a member of Students for a Democratic Society.  They make Newt Gingrich and George Bush look like garden variety liberals'..."
twincities.com 10/25/10


Unendorsed R.I. Gubernatorial Candidate Says
Obama Can "Shove it"

Oh Brother...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Gay Old Party
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Why Am I Not Surprised?

artwork from LAist

Newt Gingrich's second wife, Marianne, has some provacative insights into a man I can only describe as "icky".

Her broadsides on their marriage land in the pages of the August issue of  Esquire and  confirm his extra-marital relationship with this now third wife was going on while he denounced Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinsky affair.  At the same time he was giving speeches extolling the virtues of "family values" and the like, he was wooing his third wife, a woman he asked to marry him before he'd  asked his second wife for a divorce.

She says she should have seen the red flags. "He asked me to marry him way too early. And he wasn't divorced yet. I should have known there was a problem."...

"I know. I asked him. He'd already asked her to marry him before he asked me for a divorce. Before he even asked."

What a guy.  When asked if he'll ever be president, she says "There's no way."  She goes on to say

"He believes that what he says in public and how he lives don't have to be connected," she says. "If you believe that, then yeah, you can run for president."

She wanted to save the marriage. 

She called a minister they both trusted. He came over to the house the next day and worked with them the whole weekend, but Gingrich just kept saying she was a Jaguar and all he wanted was a Chevrolet. "'I can't handle a Jaguar right now.' He said that many times. 'All I want is a Chevrolet.'"

(Please God, make me a Jaguar)

The next night, they sat talking out on their back patio in Georgia. She said, "How do you give that speech and do what you're doing?"


"It doesn't matter what I do," he answered. "People need to hear what I have to say. There's no one else who can say what I can say. It doesn't matter what I live."

Did I say "icky"?  I think "HYPOCRITE", "NARCISSISTIC" AND "LYING SACK OF *!#!" are more appropos.

Reverse Racism?

Shirley Sherrod with the "Family Farm Champion Award" from aglawllm.blogspot.com   2009

By now, you are probably familiar with the Shirley Sherrod situation.  If  not, go here.   Up until yesterday, Ms. Sherrod served as USDA director of agriculture in the state of Georgia.  She is African American.  She was asked to resign by Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsak.  She was also condemned by the NAACP.
The reason?  A  tape surfaced on the conservative web site BigGovernment.com showing Ms. Sherrod supposedly telling a story of how race played a part in her work with a white farmer 24 years ago who came to her seeking a loan.  The tape is edited.  It is only a segment of an entire speech she was giving at an NAACP dinner in which the point of the story was reconciliation through race.  The web site's edit makes the speech look as though she was influenced by her feelings towards whites to not help the farmer.  Interestingly enough, said farmer says he wouldn't have his farm today without her help back in the day.

This is all over the news.  It's a big story about racism on both sides of our government.  It's also about viral information, sound bytes, editing, spin. The mainstream media have expressed shock and surprise that the government and NAACP would punish her without vetting the tape, watching it in its entirety.  The conservative media are using this as an example of the NAACP, who last week accused the tea party of being "rascist", as now on the receiving end of the same thing.  One blogger whose writings incense alot of his readers feels she's been thrown under the "O Bus".

This is a fascinating debate and really points up the complex fast paced nature of news today.  While I abhor the tactics used by conservative media, they are on the right side this time (no pun intended) by calling for Ms. Sherrods "re-instatement" and apologies from the Administration.  The NAACP already issued their apology last night.

Michael Steele, RNC, WTF?!!!!!!

For links to above stories from The Huffington Post:
1) Voyeur
2) RNC Hypocrisy
3) Tone Deaf