American Exceptionalism That Wasn't

The Washington Post demands the US should hold Iran accountable for torturing prisoners.

"The cases of torture and rape of prisoners courageously documented by opposition presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi should be as worthy of discussion as the non-nuclear subjects that Iran wants to bring up."

Thanks to "Torture Twins" George Bush and Dick Cheney, we have no leg to stand on. The days in which America could lecture any other country on torture of prisoners are over.

The American Exceptionalism touted by Republicans and Conservatives was a farce. Crudely patched together, full of double standards and inconsistencies, used to justify wars and foreign occupations.

Source: WaPo

SNL Sketch Actually Funny

Surprisingly funny SNL sketches last night. First part is behind-the-scenes how the Joe Wilson "You Lie" outburst came about, second part is Weekend Update with a pretty good James Carville segment.

Reform Opponents Hitting New Lows

Great video on Rachel Maddow regarding GOP politicians trying to scare a new group about health care reform: the young and disabled and their families. The tactic is to plant the GOP talking point that they will be victims of reform and die under Government run health care.

Seeing that that most disabled kids already have Government run insurance through S-CHIP or Medicaid, the Republicans are trying to scare these people with health care they are already on. Great message.



Source: http://www.realitychex.com/

Teabagger FAIL

Teabagger FAIL is reduntant, I know, but here is the picture from 1997 being passed around to hype their latest weekend freak-out.

"It appears that the photo was actually taken in 1997 at a rally for Promise Keepers, a group for Christian men. According to the group’s Web site, nearly 1 million people attended the event."

Nice that the current estimates of the crowd as reported by right wing blogs using the same exact picture are claiming 2 million jihadis teabaggers. Pete Piringer, public affairs officer for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Department, said the crowd ranged from 60,000 to 75,000 but “it was in no way an official estimate”.

Only off by 1,925,000.

However, their message of "Fringe Right Wingers Have Fringe Right Wing Ideas" was a resounding success. All hail the Muslim, Kenyan Fascist!



Source: Politifact.com

Partick Swayze RIP

One of the best SNL skits of all time thanks to Chris Farley. Epic. Swayze also played a great motivational speaker/paedophile in Donnie Darko.

Patrick Swayze - Chippendale
Uploaded by tressage. -

Iraq Has Single-Payer Healthcare

Seems when you are starting a new country, you do things that are good for the country like provide guaranteed health care from day one.

The Iraqi Constitution, drafted in 2005 and ratified by the Iraqi people [and arguably filled with Bush puppets], includes state-guaranteed (single payer) healthcare for life for every Iraqi citizen. Bush's followers were very proud of the Iraqi Constitution, a model for the world, they told us.

Article 31 reads:
"First: Every citizen has the right to health care. The State shall maintain public health and provide the means of prevention and treatment by building different types of hospitals and health institutions.

Second: Individuals and entities have the right to build hospitals, clinics, or
private health care centers under the supervision of the State, and this shall be regulated by law."

Good thing our troops went over there and fought for Iraqi rights. Maybe they can come back home and fight for ours.

And as far as costs go, according to the Congressional Research Service, as of May 15, 2009 (Report 7-5700/RL33110) we have spent and/or authorized $864 Billion in military operations on Operation Enduring Freedom. Thank you Bush and Republicans for not really caring about spending all that money. It makes your current "responsibility" look so credible.

Source: current.com

Why The Conservatives Will Never Be Happy

Sums up the inconsistencies of life:

“Personal responsibility has always been a cornerstone of Conservative philosophy. But then a Communist Arab Muslim terrorist became President and started preaching it. Then it became invasive and condescending.”

Got this from a friend's Facebook status update, thanks Elijah.

Red State Patriotism: "Hate The President, Son"

The same people that pushed Unitary Executive Theory and gave the President Bush over-reaching, law-crushing abusive power, the same people who believe America is the sole Super Power and should be a template for the rest of the world, the same people who live a democratically elected country all of a sudden don't want the current President anywhere near them.

The Conservatives' new fake outrage is Obama's speech to school children. As Steve Benen points out, partisanship has been brought to young children through their parent's inane fears and latent racism.

"But that's not what this is about. The administration not only edited the supplementary materials, but has offered to make the text of the address available in advance, just so everyone can see how innocuous it is. It's made no difference. Conservatives don't want school kids to hear a message from their president. Those who claim superiority on American patriotism have decided to throw yet another tantrum over the idea that the president of the United States might encourage young people to do well in schools.

This is what American politics has come to in 2009."

The Conservatives are so afraid of Obama they think one speech to their kids will wipe out a generation of Republicans-to-be. Ooooooh. Rational thoughts. So scary. Sadly, they have to use the classroom to make a political statement about an apolitical speech.

You may not have voted for him, but he is our President. You had no problem saying that under Bush's tenure. Funny how your consistency and fake Patriotism comes and goes, as per each talking point.

Source: Washington Monthly

There's No Business Like Snow Business

Don't send a Wall St hack, a symbol of failed free markets, into to do a real person's job of objectively debating reform.

"CNBC's Maria Bartiromo needs to stick do doing what she does best: standing around on the floor of the Stock Exchange looking like a cross between Sophia Loren and that thing that co-piloted the Millennium Falcon with Lando Calrissian in 'Return of the Jedi'." — Chez Pazienza

Another great quote from that piece:

"...being someone with an all-access pass to every corridor of Wall Street, she hasn't just drank the Kool-Aid -- she's let herself be bukkaked with it."

Her journalistic credibility is zero. Her position in the debate is to have no debate.

Source: http://www.bobcesca.com/

SEC Inspector: Madoff Scam Easily Uncovered

A lifetime of lies by a confidence-man unravels in hours. Toothless oversight cost people their lives and dreams.

"...it took only 'a few days' and 'a phone call...' to confirm that Madoff had not placed any trades with his investors' funds." -- SEC Inspector General's Report

Source: http://www.realitychex.com/

Stupid. Crazy. Dangerous. That Is The Opposition

The stupid people, the crazy people, the dangerous people, and the stupid, crazy, dangerous people who oppose health care reform.

"No Public Option" means No Presidential Signature. Obama, it's that easy.



Source: Lee Stranahan

The Money Honey Needs A Can Of STFU

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) dismantles CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo.

Steve Benen at The Washington Monthly points out:

"I've tried to count of all the ways in which Bartiromo's remarks were foolish, and it's quite a list. She thinks a public option would undermine quality care, but she doesn't know why. She thinks Medicare somehow offers sub-standard care, but she doesn't know why. She thinks 44 year olds who like Medicare should sign up for it, unaware of eligibility restrictions. She thinks Weiner should choose to opt into Medicare, while simultaneously arguing argument against giving American consumers the choice of a public option."

The other tired point it when someone uses the UK or Canadian Health Care system to prove how flawed it is assuming that we would make the same mistakes or not account for the problems when reforming our system. Stop assuming the negative.

We have the best technology, but not the best system. We need to improve what we have using quality arguments for policy and not lame, half-informed talking heads like Bartiromo. You would think she would have learned something from what the "free markets" did to her Wall St.



Source:

Imagine Asking 300 Million People For Permission?

Irish ad for marriage equality. Reminds you that the Government did not invent marriage, the church did, so why does the Government get to define it?

To which, why do the conservative people in politics who favor States' Rights want to change the Constitution regarding marriage?



Source: Andrew Sullivan

26 False, 18 Misleading, 4 True

Factcheck.org examines chain e-mails regarding health care reform and H.R. 3200, the House Health Care Bill. Of the 48 claims "highlighted": 26 are false, 18 are misleading and 4 are true.

Where is the debate or actual opposition when you just make things up?

Source: Factcheck.org

Biden Launches Site Debunking Health Insurance Myths

Vice President Joe Biden launches whitehouse.gov/realitycheck to help bust some of the bogus myths out there regarding health care insurance and what reform will do for you.



Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

For those who have lost touch with reality.

"To paraphrase Mark Twain, right-wing health care talking points can travel the nation, while the truth is still getting its pants on. If the most frustrating aspect of the policy debate is the willingness of reform opponents to make stuff up, the most dejecting is the willingness of gullible people to believe nonsense."

Ignorance is not bliss. It's the GOP and their delusions. Conservatives have managed to create a debate out of nothing but partisanship, paranoia, and greed.

Source: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

Funny Condom Ad

Source: Andrew Sullivan