Skip to content

Month: January 2006

Lefties Rule

by digby

How great is it that every blog nominated for best Political Blog in the Bloggies is a member of the left blogosphere?

Wonkette, Kos, Talking Points Memo and Crooks & Liars, Firedoglake

Great blogs, all of them.

That would not have happened just a year or so ago. When I first started lurking around the blogosphere it was pretty slim pickings for libs. I had to pretend that Instapundit was a real libertarian and actually read him because there just wasn’t much else. Liberals were way in the wilderness then.

Now a thousand bloggy liberal voices have bloomed. Congratulations to all the nominees.

And pay a little visit to our very own friendly folks at Wampum, too, who are hosting the Koufaxes — Left Blogistans community awards. And toss them a couple of bucks if you can. They are wonderful people who devote a ridiculous amount of time to doing this every year for us.

.

Tweety’s Oeuvre

by digby

If you haven’t paid a visit to An Open Letter To Chris Matthews today, check it out. They have gathered quite a list of Tweety’s biased (and bizarre) comments.

But come on folks, how could you leave this one out?

I want to see him debate somebody like John Kerry or Lieberman or somebody wearing that jumpsuit … it was like throwing that strike in Yankee Stadium a while back after 9/11. It’s not a stunt if it works and it’s real. And I felt the faces of those guys–I thought most of our guys were looking up like they were looking at Bob Hope and John Wayne combined on that ship.

.

Shameless

by digby

I don’t know what class in Wingnut U teaches phony sanctimony, but it’s clearly a requirement for graduation. Even the father of convicted felon Jack Abramoff has the unmitigated gall to pull a “this is not a goood man” on George Clooney:

He said the lobbyist’s daughter, who was watching the show, was in “a fit of tears” after hearing Clooney’s remarks.

“Are you proud of that?” Abramoff wrote. “Shame on you.”

Huckleberry Graham would be proud. The man whose son, the orthodox Jew, just pled guilty to several felonies and is about to implicate his friends and colleagues in any number of crimes says, “shame on you” to someone who derides him publicly. It clearly didn’t even occur to him that he had no legitimate claim to the moral high ground; it didn’t occur to him that he should be hanging his head in shame himself. Indeed, he apparently felt entirely justified in publicly protesting that his son’s immoral and criminal behavior was the subject of public derision.

No matter how nasty, how ruthless, how cruel or how unjust Republicans are (and they are) they never fail to shamelessly turn on the crocodile tears and blubber into their lace hankies like Miss Manners when Democrats say “enough.” They have taken manipulative behavior to its most exalted level. Dems need to jettison the political strategists and start consulting psychologists.

.

Killing Me Softly

by digby

I’m feeling down right now. I know I shouldn’t. The fact that Tom DeLay has stepped down is such a huge victory for humanity all by itself that I should be dancing a jig for the next six months. But, I’m down in the dumps, mostly because I am watching George W. Bush repeat his patented mantra for the 514,346th time. It’s filled with lies, mischaracterizations and simple-minded gibberish, as always, and I’m watching it go out unfiltered, in its entirety, unchallenged by the media, no Democrats in sight, on every cable channel. I think they are personally trying to drive me crazy.

There is one new wrinkle. Regarding the illegal wiretapping, he just said, “it’s amazing to me when people say I just wanted to break the law. If I wanted to break the law why would I brief congress?”

His masterful sound guy is there, compressing the sound, building the audience response to statements like that from a distant chuckle to a soft moan of appreciation, slowly ratcheting it up to a low roar until it reaches a crescendo of ecstatic, sustained hysteria. I think I even saw some rending of garments in the fourth row.

They are going to the 9/11 well again. They say that Democrats are sending talking points to Osama and giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Rove says we don’t believe that the government should monitor al Qaeda’s telephone calls. The next several months will be spent fending off accusations that if we don’t let the president do anything he damned well pleases we are all going to die.

I don’t know if it will work again. But I also don’t know if I can take this campaign one more time. Five years of hearing the same thing over and over again and watching American sheeple fall for it over and over again is just too depressing. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to January 20, 2009 (and I’m of an age where rushing the future is no longer wise.) The day I no longer have to listen to one more word from this immoral, dishonest, incompetent, delusional prick will be the best day of my life.

.

They Sound Just Like Osama!

by digby

Bill Sherr reminds me of certain “similarities” between the views of the Republican party and Osama bin Laden:

“Who can forget your President Clinton’s immoral acts committed in the official Oval office? After that you did not even bring him to account, other than that he ‘made a mistake’, after which everything passed with no punishment. Is there a worse kind of event for which your name will go down in history and remembered by nations?”

Absolutely not and I imagine that Osama and his good friends on the right are in complete agreement on this. He’s much happier to be fighting Jihad against a man of great personal moral rectitude like George W. Bush.

But then, our president has often called forth language that is similar to that used by bin Laden. Indeed, when you read their words together you would think that we are engaged in a religious war. I noticed this back in 2003 when I wrote a post called Brothers In Weltanschauung:

“We do not claim to know all the ways of Providence yet we can trust in them, placing our confidence in the loving God behind all of life, and all of history. May he guide us now.”

In the end, I advise myself and you to fear God covertly and openly and to be patient in the jihad. Victory will be achieved with patience.

I also advise myself and you to say more prayers.

“Our prayer tonight is that God will see us through and keep us worthy,” “Hope still lights our way, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.”

God Almighty says: “Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject faith fight in the cause of evil.”

“There is power — wonder-working power — in the goodness and idealism and faith of the American people.”

Verily, Allah guideth not a people unjust.

“The American people have deep and diverse religious beliefs, truly one of the great strengths of our country. And the faith of our citizens is seeing us through some demanding times. We’re being challenged. We’re meeting those challenges because of our faith.”

God Almighty says: “Oh ye who believe! If ye will help the cause of Allah, He will help you and plant your feet firmly.”

“After we were attacked on September the 11th, we carried our grief to the Lord Almighty in prayer.”

Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always, and die not except in a state of Islam with complete submission to Allah.

“The role of government is limited, because government cannot put hope in people’s hearts, or a sense of purpose in people’s lives. That happens when someone puts an arm around a neighbor and says, God loves you, I love you, and you can count on us both.”

The jurisdiction of the socialists and those rulers has fallen a long time ago. Socialists are infidels wherever they are, whether they are in Baghdad or Aden

“I ask you to challenge your listeners to encourage your congregations to work together for the good of this nation, to work hard to break down the barriers that have divided the children of God for too long. There is no question that we can rid this nation of hopelessness and despair, because the greatest of America is the character of the American people.”

Before concluding, we reiterate the importance of high morale and caution against false rumors, defeatism, uncertainty, and discouragement.

“What I’m saying is, the days of discriminating against religious groups just because they’re religious are coming to an end. I have issued an executive order banning discrimination against faith-based charities and social service grants by federal agencies.”

Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best disposer of affairs.

“And we are a courageous country, ready when necessary to defend the peace. And today, the peace is threatened. We face a continuing threat of terrorist networks that hate the very thought of people being able to live in freedom.”

We also stress to honest Muslims that they should move, incite, and mobilize the [Islamic] nation, amid such grave events and hot atmosphere so as to liberate themselves from those unjust and renegade ruling regimes, which are enslaved by the United States.

“They hate the thought of the fact that in this great country, we can worship the Almighty God the way we see fit. And what probably makes him even angrier is we’re not going to change.”

Muslims’ doctrine and banner should be clear in fighting for the sake of God. He who fights to raise the word of God will fight for God’s sake. So fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan

“We face an outlaw regime in Iraq that hates our country.”

Needless to say, this crusade war is primarily targeted against the people of Islam.

“A regime that aids and harbors terrorists and is armed with weapons of mass murder. Chemical agents, lethal viruses, and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained. Secretly, without fingerprints, Saddam Hussein could provide one of his hidden weapons to terrorists, or help them develop their own. Saddam Hussein is a threat. He’s a threat to the United States of America. He’s a threat to some of our closest friends and allies. We don’t accept this threat.”

We are following up with great interest and extreme concern the crusaders’ preparations for war to occupy a former capital of Islam, loot Muslims’ wealth, and install an agent government, which would be a satellite for its masters in Washington and Tel Aviv, just like all the other treasonous and agent Arab governments.
This would be in preparation for establishing the Greater Israel.

“My attitude is that we owe it to future generations of Americans and citizens in freedom-loving countries to see to it that Mr. Saddam Hussein is disarmed.”

This is a prescribed duty. God says: “[And let them pray with thee] taking all precautions and bearing arms: the unbelievers wish if ye were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush.”

“It’s his choice to make as to how he will be disarmed. He can either do so — which it doesn’t look like he’s going to — for the sake of peace, we will lead a coalition of willing countries and disarm Saddam Hussein.”

Regardless of the removal or the survival of the socialist party or Saddam, Muslims in general and the Iraqis in particular must brace themselves for jihad against this unjust campaign and acquire ammunition and weapons.

“But should we need to use troops, for the sake of future generations of Americans, American troops will act in the honorable traditions of our military and in the highest moral traditions of our country.”

Amid this unjust war, the war of infidels and debauchees led by America along with its allies and agents, we would like to stress a number of important values

“In violation of the Geneva Conventions, Saddam Hussein is positioning his military forces within civilian populations in order to shield his military and blame coalition forces for civilian casualties that he has caused. Saddam Hussein regards the Iraqi people as human shields, entirely expendable when their suffering serves his purposes.”

“…we realized from our defense and fighting against the American enemy that, in combat, they mainly depend on psychological warfare. This is in light of the huge media machine they have. They also depend on massive air strikes so as to conceal their most prominent point of weakness, which is the fear, cowardliness, and the absence of combat spirit among US soldiers.

“America views the Iraqi people as human beings who have suffered long enough under this tyrant. And the Iraqi people can be certain of this: the United States is committed to helping them build a better future. If conflict occurs, we’ll bring Iraq food and medicine and supplies and, most importantly, freedom.”

In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. A message to our Muslim brothers in Iraq, may God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.

“We’re called to defend our nation and to lead the world to peace, and we will meet both challenges with courage and with confidence.”


If all the world forces of evil could not achieve their goals on a one square mile of area against a small number of mujahideen with very limited capabilities, how can these evil forces triumph over the Muslim world?

“Liberty is not America’s gift to the world. Liberty is God’s gift to every human being in the world.”

God, who sent the book unto the prophet, who drives the clouds, and who defeated the enemy parties, defeat them and make us victorious over them.

“There’s an old saying, ‘Let us not pray for tasks equal to our strength. Let us pray for strength equal to our tasks.’ And that is our prayer today, for the strength in every task we face.”

…we remind that victory comes only from God and all we have to do is prepare and motivate for jihad.

“I want to thank each of you for your prayers. I want to thank you for your faithfulness. I want to thank you for your good work. And I want to thank you for loving your country. May God bless you all, and may God bless America.”

O ye who believe. When ye meet a force, be firm, and call Allah in remembrance much (and often); That ye may prosper. Our Lord. Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire. May God’s peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad and his household.

Us, them

.

Unbelievable.

by tristero

Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe used to boast that within one year of his coming out and entering the heavy leather gay scene, he had seen every kind of deviance, fetish, and perversion there was to see. Nothing could shock him.

Then again, Mapplethorpe never lived to see the Bush administration. Read it all. And if you don’t get it, then read it again.

Got it now? That’s right, the Bush administration, in cahoots with the gas and oil industries, has systematically defrauded the US government. To the tune of $700 million for gas royalties alone.

Can’t get your head around the leaders of a US administration conspiring to bilk the US government of more than 2/3 of a billion bucks? Neither can I. But that’s exactly what’s going on.

What Bush’s henchmen are doing makes jamming a finger inside another man’s penis look like a gentle caress.

(Revised shortly after posting to correct a bad typo on the amount defrauded ($700 million not billion), which required editing out some inappropriate examples. An apology: I read the article in the print edition of the Times and misread the amount. An inexcusable error of fact which I will make every effort not to repeat. During my career as a blogger, I haven’t made too many of these careless mistakes -literally around a handful, but if someone has kept track, and I’ve made more, I’ll issue another correction. Nevertheless each one I’ve learned about has been quickly corrected and a straightforward apology has been offered. Thanks much to the readers who found this one.)

What Molly Says

by tristero

Like Howard Dean, Ivins is saying things that need to be said and saying them the way they need to be::

There are times when regular politics will not do, and this is one of those times.

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy’s sake? The majority of the American people think the war in Iraq is a mistake and we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) favor raising the minimum wage. The majority (60 percent) favor repealing Bush’s tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) want to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

The majority (77 percent) think we should do “whatever it takes” to protect the environment. The majority (87 percent) think big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools. Whom are you afraid of?

I listen to people like Rahm Emanuel superciliously explaining elementary politics to us clueless naifs outside the Beltway (“First, you have to win elections”). Can’t you even read the damn polls?

Here’s a prize example by someone named Barry Casselman, who writes, “There is an invisible civil war in the Democratic Party, and it is between those who are attempting to satisfy the defeatist and pacifist left base of the party and those who are attempting to prepare the party for successful elections in 2006 and 2008.”

Oh come on, people — get a grip on the concept of leadership. Look at this war — from the lies that led us into it, to the lies they continue to dump on us daily…

Bush, Cheney and Co. will continue to play the patriotic bully card just as long as you let them. War brings out the patriotic bullies. In World War I, they went around kicking dachshunds because they were “German dogs.” They did not, however, go around kicking German shepherds. The minute someone impugns your patriotism for opposing this war, turn on them like a snarling dog and explain what loving your country really means. Or eviscerate them with wit (look up Mark Twain on the war in the Philippines). Or point out the latest in the endless “string of bad news.”

Do not sit there cowering and pretending the only way to win is as Republican-lite. If the Washington-based party can’t get up and fight, we’ll find someone who can.

This Is How Dems Should Talk When They’re Being Charitable To Republicans

by tristero

Governor Dean:

“Karl Rove only has a White House job and a security clearance because President Bush has refused to keep his promise to fire anyone involved in revealing the identity of an undercover CIA operative,” said Dean. “Rove’s political standing gets him an invitation to address Republicans in Washington, DC today, but it doesn’t give him the credibility to question Democrats’ commitment to national security. The truth is, Karl Rove breached our national security for partisan gain and that is both unpatriotic and wrong.”

When Will The Times Stop Kowtowing To Creationists?

by tristero

Judith Shulevitz in tomorrow’s Times Book Review continues the utterly disgraceful NY Times coverage of evolution and “intelligent design” creationism. Shulevitz lets some creationist from Discovery rail against Judge Jones’ brilliant decision in Kitzmiller v. Dover for somehow imposing his religious opinions on others. You’d never guess that during the trial, this very same judge listened patiently for hours while creationist “experts” demonstrated from their own words that “intelligent design” was just a new phrase for the same old creationism and that in fact these same “experts” had repeatedly stated that “intelligent design” was invented to bring religious ideas back into public schools. She neglected to mention that one of these brilliant “scholars” was so ignorant of what science is, he asserted that by his definition, astrology would be considered a science. And you’d never guess that some of the instigators of the “intelligent design” creationism initiative in Dover were so deceitful in their answers and behavior that the judge made a point of declaring calling them out and out liars.

And then there are Shulevitz’s mistakes. She writes:

Darwin…realized that if he were to turn his theories into a credible science, he’d have to avoid ascribing a higher merit to those who won out in the battle for life.

But earlier Shulevitz (mis-)described Darwin’s theory of natural selection as “the continual culling of less fit forms of life that drives evolution forward,” ie, precisely the kind of oversimplified, easily mistaken, Spencerian formulation of evolution Darwin was trying to avoid.

Shulevitz then discusses Michael Ruse’s contention that there’s a quasi-religious movement among scientists called “evolutionism,” which apparently is a “partly secularized postmillennialist” movement. The problem with this is that as far as I know of no scientist when discussing either evolution or their thoughts about how evolution might – repeat might – impact ethics, politics, and culture has ever tried to bring discussions of when the Son of God will return (and what we need to do to hasten that happy day) into the discussion. It doesn’t work, even as metaphor, as Shulevitz suggests.

No matter. Shulevitz nevertheless accepts the existence of an evolutionism religious cult:

[T]he notion that evolution equals progress still runs through many evolutionary theorists’ works and public statements, giving them, at times, a curiously spiritual feel.

But she fails to provide a single example. I’ve read Ruse’s The Evolution-Creation Struggle, the book she discusses, and I can’t remember detecting a “spiritual feel” behind any of the remarks Ruse describes as “evolutionistic.” And I recall being quite unimpressed with the notion that there was any coherent religious or philosophical system in the extra-scientific musings he quoted, even from such known firebrands as Dawkins. It all seemed more ad hoc than “spriitual.”

Finally, Shulevitz winds up saying, sure, teach science in science class – good for her! But were it not for the IDiots and their tomfoolery, that would go without saying. And then:

Teach evolution in biology class and evolutionism in religion class, along with creationism, deism and all the other cosmologies that float unexamined through our lives.

But Judith, how can you teach “evolutionism” as a religion if there is no such thing, outside of Ruse’s dubious ruminations?!?

In short, Shulevitz, and the Times in general, continue to mis-cast the battle over teaching “intelligent design” creationism as one between two sides, religion or science. This mischaracterization persists despite considerable evidence that it is simply not the case that this is a religion/science clash of civilizations. Rather, it really is a fight between a handful of well-funded lunatics clamoring to make their particular religion – and no one else’s – a State religion and the rest of us, who know that that is one of the stupidest fucking ideas ever.

(I’ll leave the interesting subject of whether creationism is a fit subject even for a religion class to another post. For now, I’ll just say that in some overlooked testimony during Kitzmiller, a Christian theologian and scholar cast considerable doubt on creationism’s viability as an intelligible theology. In short, creationism is to theology as astrology is to astronomy: not worth the time and effort to study. )

Hotshots

by digby

So Tweety introduced a new feature today called the “Hardball Hotshots” with Joe Scarborough, Tucker Carlson and Rita Cosby — two wingnuts and a babbling tabloid airhead. They all agreed that bin Laden was parroting Michael Moore, John Kerry and Ted Kennedy in his tape yesterday.

No apologies. In fact, quite the opposite. Chris did say that he’d been misunderstood, but he didn’t elaborate. They all agreed that it was going to help the president.

(Remind me. Whose side is bin Laden supposed to be on again?)

They also agreed that Hillary was incredibly offensive with her plantation statement. Rita was particularly shocked because she’s from the south. No comment yet from anyone in the media about all the prominent Republican references to the “Democratic Plantation.” Perhaps those comments aren’t offensive because it only refers to African Americans who are supposed to be too stupid to know which party better serves their interests. Hillary was beyond the pale. She accused white southern males of running a plantation. In Limbaugh Nation, that’s racist you see.

Hardball:

(202) 824-6707

Tell Chris Matthews
what you think.

.