Nikki Haley Can Teabag Like a Man

I don't know why I always expect women to be less evil and stupid than their male counterparts.

 

And I'm almost always disappointed.

 

You were expecting, maybe, Mother Theresa?

Aaaaanyway. . .  Somehow South Carolina ended up with a budget surplus of around $210 million dollars. Now you'd think that South Carolina could figure out a lot of things it needs to spend money on, 

 

 

  

Like a less embarrassing school mascot?

But, this being South Carolina in the teabagger era, they could only agree to spend half of that money on schools, while the other half would go to lowering business taxes in the state.

 

Mah Distillin' bizness needs a tax break more'n them kids need that fancy book-lernin'!

( I kid South Carolina, I've been there, it's a fine state. )

But even that was too much for Governor Nikki Haley.

Gov. Haley Would Veto Spending Surplus on Schools

Gov. Nikki Haley says she would veto a Senate plan 
to spend $105 million in surplus funds on schools.

"If you're not giving it in tax relief, if you're not giving it to pay down debt, you send it back to the taxpayers. That's where it belongs," she says.

Okay, South Carolina has a population of about 4.5 million people. So if Haley sends that $105 million back to the taxpayers, that comes out to about Twenty-Three Dollars and Thirty-Three Cents per South Carolinian. I'm sure that will be a real life-changer for them.  Or you could hire 2,100 teachers at $50k per year. But yeah, it's generally accepted teabagger wisom that the people know better how to spend their money than guv'mint does! So, I'm sure each set of parents will take their $46.66 and use that to make a much smarter investment in their kids' futures. What ever they spend their $46.66 on will obviously have a much more positive impact on their children's lives than some dumb old teacher would have.

 

Forty six dollars? Here's to you, South Carolinians!

Heck, I'm sure the schools probably don't even need the money anyway! You know how well-funded these darn socialist schools are what with their commie teachers' unions, and their PTA bakesales and whatnot!

"It's a bad situation out there as far as education is concerned and good teachers are being laid off because the school districts just simply don't have the money," says Sen. John Land, D-Manning, Senate Minority Leader.

"You've got to remember that we are way behind in education," he says. "Three years ago, we were giving $2,500 per student going back to the local districts to educate our children across this state. We are down now to about $1,700 per student."

Oh. Well still, though. Forty six bucks per family! Thank you Governor Haley!
Screw giving money to schools, right governor?

"We could give double this budget to education and there would be people saying it's not enough," Haley said, without specifying how much money public education should get. "It needs to go to students in the classroom."

Yeah, double the amount is still not enough, so it only makes sense to give nothing. It's like one meal a day isn't really enough food for a growing boy such as myself, heck even two meals might not be sufficient, so why eat at all? And the money needs to go to the students in the classroom. God knows you can't accomplish that goal by givng money to the schools!

Horrible Supreme Court Continues to be Horrible.

(Via NY Times)

WASHINGTON - In its first campaign-finance decision since its 5-to-4 ruling in the Citizens United case last year, the Supreme Court on Monday struck down an Arizona law that provided escalating matching funds to candidates who accept public financing.

Wow! So the same judges who just ruled that money = speech are against a law that would provide more speech because um, I don't get it. What exactly is the problem with having more speech. I thought speech was good?

The vote was again 5 to 4, with the same five justices in the majority as in the Citizens United decision. The majority said the law violated the First Amendment rights of candidates who raise private money. Such candidates, the majority said, may be reluctant to spend money to speak if they know that it will give rise to counterspeech paid for by the government.

 Jeezus! So it's not enough that one candidate has more money, he also gets to prevent his opponent from getting more? And since when is making someone "reluctant" to "speak" the same thing as infringing on his right to speak? The Scalia wing of the court will do all manner of impressive mental gymnastics to make the law fit the decision they want to make. Rather than looking at the law, weighing the arguments pro and con and then arriving at a decision, they seem to begin with a decision, then try to figure out how to make the law agree with that decision.

Okay, we all agree that we hate public financing of elections, right?

Oh, sure, yeah! Really inhibits the corrupting influence of zillionaires!

 

So, we're agreed that we'll strike down this law, 

now what principle can we twist to justify this decision?

 

I dunno, freedom of speech? We could say that giving one candidate the ability to have more speech is actually taking free speech away from the other candidate?

 

Bra - Vo! 

Well done, Mr. Scalia. Make it so. 

And set a course for happy hour.

I'm pretty sure it goes something like that.

Also, Carol Channing, because why the hell not?

It's Open Season On Minors

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Governments cannot ban the sale or rental of violent video games to minors because it would violate free-speech rights, the U.S. Supreme Court said on Monday in its first ruling in a video game case.
By a 7-2 vote, the high court struck down a California law, which also imposed strict video game labeling requirements, as unconstitutional. It said video games, like books, plays and movies, deserve free-speech protection.

So, if you can't restrict the sale of violence to minors, I have to assume that the same principle applies to sex + nudity, right? Now you no longer can put an "Adults Only" sign on the door of the strip club or say that you have to be 18 to purchase Huslter Magazine, I guess. Because either the Supreme Court is saying that exposing children to graphic violence is less harmful than exposing them to a naked lady, or they're saying that they don't care if repeated exposure to super-violent imagery is harmful to minors.

That's how I'm reading this, anyway.

I thought that we had a long tradition in this country of saying that, say, X-rated books or gory movies are afforded the protection of the First Amendment, but that doesn't mean that you can sell them to kids. You can ban the sale of porn to children without infringing on the First Amendment rights of the pornographer. This decision seems like a pretty radical departure from that principle. I'm getting used to radical decisions from this court, but I really don't get this. Why would they want children to be able to buy a "Grand Theft Auto," or whatever other ultra-violent mayhem-based games there are. What would be the motivation for this decision?

The ruling was a victory for video game publishers, distributors and sellers, including the Entertainment Software Association. Its members include Disney Interactive Studios, Electronic Arts, Microsoft Corp and Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Ah.

Let's see if Larry Flynt and Al Goldstein get the same treatment from the Supremes.

Is Al Goldstein still alive?


It doesn't matter.

Here's the main takeaway:

This:






Is horribly harmful to children.




This, on the other hand,

Is apparently fine.

Flashback Friday - American Music Club

One of the few bands I've seen live multiple times, American Music Club used to play all the clubs in San Francisco before Lead singer Mark Eitzel relocated to New York or some other such gawd-awful place. California is one of my all-time favorite albums, most of these songs are from that album.

Disturbing Showtune Lyrics

I remember seeing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra on TV years ago. And I remember being horrified to the lyrics from one of the songs, whose name I could never remember. So finally I looked it up, and it's called "Yes, Indeedy."


It tells the story of the love 'em & leave 'em antics of the two main characters as they leave a trail of broken hearts across the USA, which is really kind of  dickish behavior to be celebrating in song, but that's not even the half of it.

The first verse is just about the type of jerk behavior one might expect from a baseball star cum vaudeville song and dance man:

I kissed a gal in old Wyoming,

She rode a horse in a wild west show

When I said, baby, I'm bent on roaming

She cried we just got started

And she thought we can't be parted,

When I left her broken hearted at the rodeo.,

Oh yes indeed, yes indeedy. . .

But the song quickly takes a rather dark turn:

I kissed a gal in old Poughkeepsie

That `s where the college of Vassar's found,

She couldn't study, love made her tipsy

Her teachers wouldn't pass 'er,

And so she just turned on the gas

And now the sweetest gal at Vassar's in the cold cold ground.

Yes indeed, yes indeedy,

Yes indeed, the boy's unbound,

Yes Indeed, yes indeedy,

The sweetest gal at Vassar's in the cold cold ground.

Holy shit! They're singing - quite merrily, I might add - about a girl committing suicide!

They're very jovially singing about her being "in the cold, cold ground!"


And they seem to view this as some sort of triumph.


But the next verse might be even worse:

I kissed a gal down in Mississippi,

A Southern belle named Emmy Jo

I thought for once love has got me tippy

She called me Lucky Seven,

Said my kisses were from heaven,

But I learned she was eleven, and I had to go.

ELEVEN! A grown man was making out with an ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL! And this is, what, just one of the hazards of the swingin' bachelor lifestyle? Sometimes, the girl you're putting the moves on turns out to be pre-pubescent? Haha, hey, who hasn't had that happen, amirite? Just one of those pitfalls of modern life!


Maybe, MAYBE, you could get away with the light-hearted approach to statutory rape if the girl was 17, maybe even 16. Then maybe you could go with the old "how was I to know? She looked 18 to me!" But Eleven? Eleven? There is no way in Hell anyone could mistake an eleven-year-old girl for a grown woman. That's just disgusting.


I'm totally not making this up. See for yourself:


Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly - Yes Indeedy 1949 by kamatrikero

Are We Supposed to be Impressed?

Obama address: Surge troops home by summer 2012

WASHINGTON – Pulling home the Americans he sent to war, President Barack Obama plans to announce Wednesday night the withdrawal of more than 30,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer

Yeah, that'd be great if there weren't around a Hundred Thousand troops there.
So the plan is basically to spend the next year getting the number of troops in Afghanistan back to the Bush-era levels. And we're supposed to, what, applaud? We're supposed to be encouraged by this?

This fucking war is never going to be over. There is never ever ever going to be a time when Afghanistan is such a pro-western, freedom-loving democracy that the troops can be allowed to finally come home. This war is permanent. Too many companies are making too much money for their minions in DC to ever allow this racket to end. When withdrawing 30,000 troops out of a pointless, immoral war is considered controversial, it seems like war in Afghanistan is just the new normal.

Hey, Wait a Minute! Maybe our Healthcare System Isn't the Best In the World, After All!

File this under things that would never happen in Canada.

Man robs bank to get medical care in jail

Tue Jun 21, 10:36 am ET

Earlier this month, Verone, a 59-year-old convenience store clerk, walked into a Gaston, N.C., bank and handed the cashier a note demanding $1 and medical attention. Then he waited calmly for police to show up.
He's now in jail and has an appointment with a doctor this week.




Because he only asked for $1, Verone was charged with larceny, not bank robbery. But he said that if his punishment isn't severe enough, he plans to tell the judge that he'll do it again. His $100,000 bond has been reduced to $2,000, but he says he doesn't plan to pay it.

Florida's Rick Scott is our Nation's Most Pathetic Governor.

Rick Scott, governor of Florida, frightener of small children, and Medicare defrauder, has a website.
Not that there's anything unusual about that, I'm sure most governors have websites.

And maybe a lot of them have a "Take Action" widget

• 

I don't know, and I'm not about to do the research. But I'm guessing that no other governor has anything this sad on his or her website:

Email a Newspaper Editor

Name
Your Email
City (optional)

There's a drop-down menu with the names of major Florida newspapers, and then the pathetic icing on the pitiful cake: The letter is already written for you!

Dear Editor,

When Rick Scott ran for Governor he promised to create jobs and turn our economy around. I voted for Rick because he’s always been a businessman, not a politician. While politicians usually disappoint us and rarely keep their promises, Rick is refreshing because he’s keeping his word.

Refreshing! That's what I look for in a candidate. Oh, wait. No, I mean a breath mint.

His policies are helping to attract businesses to our state and get people back to work.

That would be pretty impressive if he hadn't also included this handy chart on his site showing that Florida's unemployment is still considerably worse than the national average.


 

 Some of the special interests are attacking the Governor for making tough decisions, showing leadership, and doing what he told us he would do. 

Yes, that's exactly what's happening. The "special interests" Are upset about Scott making tough decisions. "Dammit!" they exclaim. "He's showing leadership again! And now he's doing exactly what he promised to do? well, that's the last straw!"

 I'm sure that's what they are upset about. I'm sure it has nothing to do with insignificant trifles like:

Florida Gov. Rick Scott rejects funding for high-speed rail

Gov. Rick Scott, citing concerns over potential cost overruns, rejected $2.4 billion in federal dollars to pay for construction of a high-speed rail line connecting Tampa and Orlando.

Or. . .

Education cuts show up in Rick Scott's budget

Says he never said he would keep education funding the same.

 

Or. . .

Health care services for women and children among Scott vetoes, crisis pregnancy centers untouched

Gov. Rick Scott yesterday vetoed almost $1.5 million for a handful of community health care clinics in Florida that provide adult and pediatric primary health care services, family planning, immunizations and  STD and HIV screening, among other services, to low-income and minority patients.

Yeah, I'm sure it's that darn showing leadership thing that has folks upset.

 And it goes on. . .

 Rick Scott deserves our unwavering and enthusiastic support.
How can we expect to elect leaders who will keep their word and do what’s right for our state if we don’t stand up for those with the courage to set priorities, make difficult choices, and actually deliver on their promises made? 

We must stand with leaders who will bravely cut education while courageously phasing out all corporate income taxes. Oh, if only more politicians had the courage to stand up for the poor, put-upon corporations!

But that's not even the most pathetic item on Governor Scott's website. He also includes a video praising his "accomplishments." A video featuring His Mom!




Support Rick Scott. His mommy thinks he's a good boy!
Holy cow!

I suddenly have the urge to take his lunch money.


Of course, if you want to see an actually relevant Rick Scott video, there's this:

Flashback Friday - Screaming Blue Messiahs

Gun Shy was another album I totally wore out in the '80's. (literally, unfortunately, since I bought it on cassette)

Then their next album came out with the single "I wanna be a Flintstone," and that was pretty much that. But still, Gun shy by the Screaming Blue Messiahs was one of the greatest rock and roll albums I have ever heard.
















I didn't find out 'til years later that that one was a Hank Williams cover.














All those songs were on the same album! And I'm sure I've forgotten at least one or two.


For more music, be sure to drop by Cafe' Chaos! Open 24 hours. BYOB.

How to Launch a Campaign

Human haircut and sedition enthusiast Rick Perry has yet to declare himself an official candidate for the presidency of the nation from which he would like to secede, but he's already off to a whiz-bang start!

 

First, he managed to snag the coveted endorsement of Bill "wrong with a smirk" Kristol.

Then he got a lot of publicity for sponsoring an event based around the idea that hey, there's nothing I can do to fix this nation's problems, we'd better all get together and pray real hard. Now that just inspires confidence.

Governor, this nation has big problems. You're in charge here, what are we gonna do?

Dang, I dunno. If I were you, I'd probably start prayin'!

 

It's called leadership, jerks. Look it up! 

Of course, who would you call in to run a Prayer*Con but the horrible awful American Family Association?

According to the Houston Chronicle, AFA leader Tim Wildmon  "acknowledged that a stated purpose of the August prayer event initiated by Perry - to pray for an end to the 'debasement of our culture' - refers to the increasing acceptance of homosexuality by American society."

Nice.

Anyway, the thing is being held in a football stadium, because what location could be more solemn or reverent?

Just like the Vatican, only not so foreigny.

Historic Crisis.
Historic Response.
Historic Breakthrough.

On August 6, the nation will come together at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas for a solemn gathering of prayer and fasting for our country.

 Fasting, because if God won't listen to your prayers, a hunger strike will sure get his attention!

Also," Historic Response?" I guess that's true. Normally our political leaders' response to crises has been to try and do something about them, not to try and twist God's arm into doing it for us.

But really, why the fasting? Why would you think that God wouldn't want you to eat? God went to all the trouble to make apples and oranges and corn and cheeseburgers, I'm pretty sure he'd want you to eat. Imagine if you came home from work and your spouse had been slaving over a hot stove for the last couple of hours and you said, "no, I'm not going to eat anything. Sure, I'm hungry - I'm starving, but I'm not going to eat anything in the hopes that you will do me a big favor."  I can tell you that wouldn't go over too well in the Chaos Compound.
(for the record, I would have been the one slaving over the hot stove in that hypothetical)

Anyway, you can imagine how much favor this is currying Governor Perry with the faith community.

Houston Clergy Council Opposes Rick Perry's 'Response' Prayer Rally 

 Um. . .

faith-based groups coordinate protest against prayer/fast by Perry, AFA

 

Oh. Uh-oh.

Well, in general, Rick Perry is not at all popular in his home state of Texas, where people are living with the consequences of electing a nutbag on the basis of hair quality and overall handsomeness.

 

The Next Mayor of Houston.

But Perry understands why he's not appreciated at home:

It's because he's too much like Jesus? Or something?
Really, if you're having trouble winning over the Christian vote, start by comparing yourself to Christ. That should do it.
Really, the "a prophet is not loved in his hometown" line, That's a paraphrase of one of Jesus's lines.

 

Quit Stealing my Material!

That's the kind of delusions of grandeur that would make Sarah Palin blush. No wonder Bill Kristol is sold on him!

 

And I'm never wrong! 

No, wait. I mean always! Dammit!

So, I think it's safe to go ahead and call it right now, Ladies and gentlemen, the next president of the United States!

Neil Boortz Is a Bag of Scum

Neil Boortz has always been an asshole. He's the main rpromoter of the "Fair Tax" scam, for instance. But this is just beyond the pale.

 "And you do in fact need to carry that gun and we need to see some dead thugs littering the landscape in Atlanta."

He's encouraging his listeners to go Chuck Bronson on any "thugs" they see around Atlanta.

Really.

Here's the context, via C&L:

BOORTZ: You know what? I, for one, am tired of putting up with this crap. And you want to know why I moved out of Atlanta and only spend a couple of weeks a year in this town? That's one of the reasons. Carjackings, violence, people getting shot. It's ridiculous. This city harbors an urban culture of violence. And I want you to look around. You drive into the city. The railroad overpass is on the downtown connector covered with graffiti. And that-- That is just an advertisement for everybody coming into this town that we really don't give a damn about those who would screw up our quality of life around here. We really just don't care. We don't care enough to paint over graffiti on the overpasses that come into our city, advertising welcome to Atlanta, here's some of our finest graffiti, from some of our finest urban thugs and their little gang signs. And pick up the paper tomorrow morning. Read about all the carjackings. Read about the innocent people shot for the pure de-hell of it.







This town is starting to look like a garbage heap. And we got too damn many urban thugs, yo, ruining the quality of life for everybody. And I'll tell you what it's gonna take. You people, you are - you need to have a gun. You need to have training. You need to know how to use that gun. You need to get a permit to carry that gun. And you do in fact need to carry that gun and we need to see some dead thugs littering the landscape in Atlanta. We need to see the next guy that tries to carjack you shot dead right where he stands. We need more dead thugs in this city. And let their -- let their mommas -- let their mommas say, "He was a good boy. He just fell in with the good crowd." And then lock her ass up.

Now, I've lived in Atlanta for almost 6 years, and I have yet to be robbed, mugged, carjacked or murdered. But that may be because my muscular physique is so intimidating to the criminals. Maybe it's different for other residents.
Or maybe not. Because C&L links to this chart from the FBI:

 

Which would seem to indicate that violent crime is on the decline in the ATL. Not that a rise in crime would justify the sort of vigilante shooting spree Boortz is calling for. And in case anyone is unsure of who the targets are, Boortz even drops this lovely hint.
 

And we got too damn many urban thugs, yo,

 
"Urban Thugs, YO"
 
Urban thugs wasn't enough? You had to add "Yo?"
 
The next time some ass guns down a random black guy in Atlanta, that blood will be on Neil Boortz' hands.

I'm Not Proud of This

But I came up with an Anthony Weiner joke.

I hear Anthony Weiner is probably going to quit soon. I hope he decides to stick it out a little longer.


Sorry.

Imagine Being a Republican Today.

Imagine being a Republican these days. Not a teabagger-nutjob Republican, but a good old-fashioned Eisenhower Republican. Who would you vote for? Could you even find a candidate you could take seriously?


 
 
Michele Bachmann? Batshit crazy.
 
 
 
 
Santorum? Assuming you're not a psychotic hatebag, and you have at least one friend or relative who is gay, you can't possibly consider voting for a man who compares gay marriage to dog-fucking.
 
 
 
Newt? Corrupt, lazy, and sooooo 1990's.
 

 
Mitt Romney? Actually looks presidential. Has a legitimate resume. Unfortunately, required to run away from his top accomplishment.
 
 
 
 
Tim Pawlenty? First of all, Zzzzzzzzzz! Secondly, he wants to get rid of Social Security and Medicare. And worst of all, he has started to refer to himself as "T=Paw." Unsupportable!
 
 
 
Sarah Palin? A walking punchline who will never run any kind of legitimate campaign and will quit halfway through whatever quasi-campaign she does run.
 
 
 
Ron Paul? Almost as crazy as he looks. Glorified anarchist. Republicans can't support anyone who would legalize drugs.
 
 
 
 
John Huntsman? Considered a reasonable moderate. This combined with the fact that he served in the Obama administration means he has zero chance of getting throught the primaries.
Also, if you do a google search for "Huntsman" you get nothing but spiders. (check it out)
 

Worst. Camp. Ever.

Tea party group offers summer camp

 By Marlene Sokol, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 

 Sign-making counts as arts & crafts!

TAMPA — Here's another option now that the kids are out of school: a weeklong seminar about our nation's founding principles, courtesy of the Tampa 912 Project.
The organization, which falls under the tea party umbrella, hopes to introduce kids ages 8 to 12 to principles that include "America is good," "I believe in God," and "I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable." 

.
Because it's never too soon to learn to be a self-centered prick!

Although I don't really get how you're going to teach children the principle of "I believe in God," seeing as how that's not actually a principle, but a declaratory statement.

Today, kids we're going to learn that you believe in God.

I do?

I just said so, didn't I?

You know, I learned something today. I learned that I believe in God. Thank you, camp counselor, for teaching me what I believe, because before I came here, I thought I was an agnostic. 

Organized by conservative writer Jeff Lukens and staffed by volunteers from the 912 Project, Tampa Liberty School will meet every morning July 11-15 in borrowed space at the Paideia Christian school in Temple Terrace.

"We want to impart to our children what our nation is about, and what they may or may not be told," Lukens said. 

What they may or may not be told? How are you going to enforce that?
"Dammit kids, you better not be getting told what I think you're being told!"

He said he was not familiar with public school curriculum, but, "I do know they have a lot of political correctness. 

Um, I'm not familiar with your writings, Mr. Lukens, but I know they have a lot of bullshit.

One example at Liberty: Children will win hard, wrapped candies to use as currency for a store, symbolizing the gold standard. On the second day, the "banker" will issue paper money instead. Over time, students will realize their paper money buys less and less, while the candies retain their value. 

 Really? 8-year-old kids are going to learn principles of macro-economics from your silly little candy game? And the paper money is only going to buy less and less because you're going to make it worth less and less. What sort of lesson are the kids supposed to learn from that? That you're a dick?

Another example: Starting in an austere room where they are made to sit quietly, symbolizing Europe, the children will pass through an obstacle course to arrive at a brightly decorated party room (the New World).

Jeezus Christ! Have you ever been to Europe? Austere and quiet does not sound like any European country I've been to! You're going to teach kids how awesome America is by pretending that Europe is a bare, silent room? What's going to happen when these kids someday see a picture of anywhere in Europe? They're going to realize that you're full of shit, that's what.

 

So austere and quiet!

Red-white-and-blue confetti will be thrown. But afterward the kids will have to clean up the confetti, learning that with freedom comes responsibility.

Or they might learn that confetti isn't actually fun at all, and certainly not fun enough to be worth having to sweep it up afterwards.

Still another example: Children will blow bubbles from a single container of soapy solution, and then pop each other's bubbles with squirt guns in an arrangement that mimics socialism. They are to count how many bubbles they pop. Then they will work with individual bottles of solution and pop their own bubbles.
"What they will find out is that you can do a lot more with individual freedom," Lukens said.

 

All we do all day is pop each others' bubbles.

('Cuz we're Sweden. And Sweden is kinda socialist)

I'm not sure how popping bubbles symbolizes socialism or why popping your own bubbles is supposed to be better. That actually seems kind of sad, blowing bubbles then popping them. How is that supposed to teach kids to hate socialism?

"We've had classes for adults," said Karen Jaroch, who chairs the Tampa 912 Project. "Now we want to introduce a younger generation to economics and history, but in a fun way." 

Then someone showed her the definition of the word "fun," and she said "oh, no. No, that's not what I meant."

"We definitely teach the Constitution, especially during Constitution Week," said Linda Cobbe, a school district spokeswoman. She said the district would need to make sure the organization does not have a political agenda, and that they would need to be approved by SERVE, a nonprofit agency that clears volunteers in the schools.

Doesn't have a political agenda? Doesn't have a political agenda? Are you kidding? You might as well say you're going to make sure that the New York Yankees don't have a baseball-playing agenda.
I don't know why the school district would have to approve this since it is being held
at the Paideia Christian school in Temple Terrace, but if the school district is involved, I don't think you're really the one to be teaching the Constitution, since you clearly don't have a firm grasp of the separation of Church and State.

How the Hell Is This Not A Bigger Story?

(via Democracy Now!)

Mexico: Majority of Guns Come from U.S., Hearing Begins on U.S. Efforts to Sell Weapons to Cartels

A new report released by three U.S. senators finds some 70 percent of guns seized in Mexico from 2009 to 2010 came from the United States. Of the nearly 30,000 guns seized in Mexico during the period, more than 20,000 came from the United States. Meanwhile, Congress held its first hearing Monday on a once-secret U.S. government plan to
encourage U.S. gun shops to sell thousands of guns to middlemen for Mexican drug cartels. 
The United States was hoping to use the middlemen to gain access to senior-level figures within Mexico’s criminal organizations. The so-called gun walker scandal was orchestrated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Hundreds of the guns that were sold to the cartels were later found at crime scenes in both countries, including two at the murder scene of a U.S. border patrol agent.

 What the what? The ATF encouraging gun sales to Mexican Drug Cartels? That sounds like some Bircher fever dream, but there is no more reliable source than the legendary Amy Goodman and Democracy Now!
 How is this not on the front page of every newspaper?

Do a Google News search for "gun walker" and see how many news articles you get.

1. Mexico: Majority of Guns Come From U.S., Hearing Begins on U.S. ... ‎ Democracy Now - 8 hours ago The so-called gun walker scandal was orchestrated by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Hundreds of the guns that were sold to the cartels were ...

2. Fast, Furious, and Useless ‎ Human Events - John Hayward - 5 days ago Another Gun Walker weapon was allegedly used to kill US Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. ... If the darkest fears of “Gun Walker” critics are confirmed, ...

3. Final arguments heard at Walker trial ‎ CTV Saskatoon - May 20, 2011 The defence also argued that the gun Walker brought to the home was for protection, and that the shooting was not a calculated action. ...

Not much.

The only traction this story seems to be getting is on right-wing crap sites like RedState and BigGovernment, because it reflects badly on the Obama Administration. But seriously, how is this not a bigger story than Anthony Weiner's peepee?

Baldfaced Racism on FOX? The deuce you say!

This si disgusting even for FOX. Referring to the White House as the "White Hizzy?"  Really? That's acceptable now?





And of course, there's the usual bullshit of "no president has ever before been chummy with a dictator, blah blah blah. . ." Although it takes a special level of chutzpah to keep up that line after two of your guests have already shown it to be the utter bullshit that it is.


For the record:



George W. Bush getting "chummy" with a dictator.





Ronald reagan getting chummy with Mobutu Sese Seko



Reagan with the Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos

 

Kissinger with Pinochet



Donald Rumsfeld with Sadam Hussein. (Sent by Ronald Reagan)





Gerald Ford with Brezhnev




Gerald Ford with Suharto.



Nixon with Brezhnev



Eisenhower with Kruschev



Eisenhower and Nixon with Kruschev



Harry S. Truman with Josef Stalin.

 So, yeah. Totally unprecedented.