Archive for November 5, 2009
The Image Fascist Radicals Michele Bachmann, John Boehner and Steve King Hoped You Would See
From the 11-5-09 “Tea Party” on Capitol Hill, sponsored by the Republic party:
Lt. Gen. Bob Cone: Chaos From the Commanders at Fort Hood
I’m watching a presser featuring Lt. Gen. Bob Cone at Fort Hood.
Earlier today Cone said the shooter was dead; a civilian policeman was killed and two suspects were being held in custody.
Just now he said that the “single” shooter is alive and in “stable condition.” The two suspects have been cleared and released and the civilian policeman is actually a policewoman and she isn’t dead either.
Oh, and he also said, “We wanted to make sure what we had was right.”
Undoubtedly the scene at Fort Hood is chaotic and my heart goes out to everyone there, including, of course, Lt. Gen. Cone, but we the people pour billions of dollars into the military; I think we have a right to expect a higher level of professionalism than this.
Are the Tea Partiers Ashamed of What Happened Today?
Just askin’. Take a look at their site. There’s no news about today’s protest on Capitol Hill.
Oh, and this is curious:
They advertise a “Tea party Patriots LIVE call in Talk Show Today from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m. ET,” but the date of the post is tomorrow – November 6.
And here’s the dead-looking site of the Tea Party Express — Joe the Plumber’s place.
What other conclusion can one draw other than — hello — chaos — especially in light of this.
Calling All Veterans
Republican Senator Tom Coburn (OK) has placed a hold on a major veterans’ benefits bill.
Time to make some noise.
Crazy Weather in Denver
One week ago it was 31ºand we had 2′ of snow on the ground.
Today it was 76ºand the snow is completely gone.
Tomorrow’s forecast? 81º.
Crazy.
Memo to Democrats re the “Democrat” Party
Hey, let’s get join the game folks. If the Republicans can’t remember (yeah, right) that the name of our party is the Democratic party, let’s forget the name of theirs too. Let’s call it the Republic party.
Show some pride and confidence already. This has been going on for years. How long are you going to take it?
Rush Limbaugh Owns the Once-Proud Newt Gingrich
Watch Newt Gingrich, a guy who a mere 15 years ago owned, and I mean owned, the GOP, grovel to Rush Limbaugh for endorsing Dede Scozzafavva (NY-23).
And we’re still supposed to believe that Limbaugh isn’t the titular head of the Republican party? Now that’s funny.
Lack of Paid Sick Leave Could Exacerbate H1N1 Flu Pandemic
From the New York Times:
Public health experts worried about the spread of the H1N1 flu are raising concerns that workers who deal with the public, like waiters and child care employees, are jeopardizing others by reporting to work sick because they do not get paid for days they miss for illness.
[...]
Public health experts say policies like these encourage many people with H1N1, commonly called swine flu, to report to work despite official warnings from the government and most companies that they should stay home.
“For people who are really caught on a weekly income, if they can’t make a go of it, they might say, ‘I’m desperate. I’m going to do what I have to do, and I’m going into work even though I’m sick,’” said Robert Blendon, a professor of health policy at Harvard.
He warned that this might spread disease, and that these financially squeezed workers might send their flu-stricken children to school, infecting others.
I can so imagine that this is happening right now. How sad and frankly, pitiful. I’m embarrassed for our country. This is third world stuff, not the stuff of the “greatest nation on Earth,” for God’s sake. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
(H/t to my good friend LH.)
Fort Hood Shooter Named Hassan Malik
UPDATE I and UPDATE II below.
That per this Tweet I just received:
Oh God. Here we go. Bets on how long will it take the wingers to float the notion that he’s somehow related to Obama?
UPDATE I: They got the name backward. It is Army Major Malik Nadal Hasan:
UPDATE II:
Remind me to drop BNO News from my Tweets. Turns out (this is humiliating) that the real name of the shooter is Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.
Meet Andy Cobb – He Made a Blue Cross/Blue Shield TV Commercial and Lied Through his Teeth
Here’s Andy Cobb, a “spokesjerk” for Blue Cross/Blue Shield-Florida. He says he knowingly lied in a Blue Cross/Blue Shield commercial which was designed to sell “the worst product in American history — private health insurance.”
Love it.
A U.S. Soldier Was the Shooter at Fort Hood
Just saw a live briefing from the base. A U.S. soldier, who has been killed, was the “primary” shooter. Two suspects are in custody. There are 12 dead including a civilian policeman and 31 injured.
So sad.
(So much for MSNBC’s rash and, in my opinion, irresponsible terrorism theory.)
MSNBC Speculating that Fort Hood Shooting Could be Terrorism
UPDATED @ 7:49 PM ET.
Roughly 28 minutes ago news broke that there has been a shooting at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas. The facts are still sketchy but there are either two or three gunmen, one is supposedly in custody, six to seven people have been killed and 12 injured.
Less than 30-minutes in, Clint Van Zant is on MSNBC speculating that this might be terrorism.
Do we REALLY know enough to jump to that conclusion?
UPDATE:
My friend JGilliam is so right:
The RNC Can’t Even Compose a Headline
Earlier today I got this Tweet about what Rep. Steve King said at the Tea Party rally at the Capitol:
And then I saw this above the fold on the home page of the RNC’s website — “Rep. Mike Pence Invites You to Pelosi Plan Exposed.”
No wonder they’re worried about having to read the health care bill. Maybe they can’t read.
If You Support Health Care Reform, Get Out of the Republican Party
That would be what Michael Steele, the head of the Republican party, said today.
Guess it’s time to officially bury that “compassionate conservative” crap once for all.
Tea Party Protest and Focus Groups
Remember the 2003 antiwar protests when millions of people around the world marched against the invasion of Iraq? The “liberal” U.S. media didn’t really cover any of it until Bush dismissed it as a “focus group.”
The Tea Partiers have no idea how good they have it insofar as they’re getting a lot of “liberal” media attention and they’ve even got their very own network — Fox, of course — to help champion their cause.
The difference is like night and day.
Bernie Kerik – NYC’s First Felonious Police Commissioner
Former NYC Police Commissioner, favorite guest on Fox News, and an all around slime ball, Bernie Kerik plead guilty today to lying to the Bush administration after George Bush nominated him to head the Department of Homeland Security. (Great judgment on Bush’s part, huh?)
Tea Party Crowd Estimated at 3,000 – 3,500
As of 12:47 p.m. ET, Capitol police estimate the Tea Party health care protest crowd to be at between 3,000 and 3,500. (Wanna bet that by tonight the wingers will claim there were “tens of thousands” there?)
Storming the Capitol?
I’m watching Michele Bachmann being interviewed on MSNBC. The chyron reads: “Storming the Capitol.” Meanwhile, the long hallway behind her is deserted.
GOP Wars: The Club for Growth Releases Ad Attacking Charlie Crist
The conservative Club for Growth has just released an ad attacking Florida Governor Charlie Crist who is running for the U.S. senate on the GOP ticket.
It opens with Crist standing on stage with President Obama and Crist says: “We know it’s important that we pass the stimulus package.”
An announcer breaks in: “Since Charlie Crist helped pass Barack Obama’s spending program, nearly two hundred thousand Floridians have lost their jobs.”
Back to Crist: “We know it’s important that we pass the stimulus package.”
Announcer: “Since Charlie Crist helped pass Barack Obama’s spending program, nearly two hundred thousand Floridians have lost their jobs. Unemployment is the highest in decades. Personal income’s down. And the deficit in Washington is three times larger.”
Crist: “We know it’s important that we pass the stimulus package.”
Announcer: “Tell Governor Crist to work on fixing Florida’s economy, not passing more debt to our children.”
