Digby's Hullabaloo Posts

Oliver Willis is a genius.

This is what I’m talking about. And here’s why.

I don’t know how many of you elitist limousine liberals listen to country music, but if you do, you know that all this disgust with blue state morality is something of a crock. Popular culture is much more indicative of what people do than what they say they do.

Check out this ditty by the king of country music, Bush supporter extraordinaire, Toby Keith:

His name was Steve, her name was Gina (You’ve never been here before have you?)

They met at a bar called the Cabo Wabo Cantina

He was an insurance salesman, from South Dakota

She was a 1st grade school teacher, Phoenix, Arizona

(No, my first time here)

They started dancin’ and it got real hot, then it spilled over to the parkin’ lot

One more tequilla, they were fallin’ in love

One more’s never enough

Don’t bite off, more than you can chew

There’s things down here the Devil himself wouldn’t do

Just remember when you let it all go

What happens down in Mexico, stays in Mexico

He woke up in the mornin’ and he made a little telephone call

To check on his wife and his kids back at home in Souix Falls (Hey babe, everything ok?)

She hopped right in the shower with a heavy, heavy mind (What am i doing?)

He knew it was the first time Gina’d ever crossed that line

They walked down to the beach and started drinkin’ again

Jumped into the ocean for a dirty swim

One more margarita, they were fallin’ in love

One more’s never enough

Don’t bite off, more than you can chew

There’s things down here the Devil himself wouldn’t do

Just remember when you let it all go

What happens down in Mexico, stays in Mexico

Oh, Mexico

Waitin’ at the bar at the terminal gate

She said Steve i gotta go, i’m gonna miss my plane

He said one more tequilla ‘fore you climb on up

She said one more’s never enough

Don’t bite off, more than you can chew

There’s things down here the Devil himself wouldn’t do

Just remember when you let it all go

What happens down in Mexico, stays in Mexico

Stays in Mexico, Stays in Mexico

Oh, Mexico

Whatever will we tell the children?

That song has been in the top five of the Country Billboard charts for 12 weeks. It’s at number 5 right now.

Or how about this one:

Well I’m an eight ball shooting double fisted drinking son of a gun

I wear My jeans a little tight

Just to watch the little boys come undone

Im here for the beer and the ball busting band

Gonna get a little crazy just because I can

You know im here for the party

And I aint leavin til they throw me out

Gonna have a little fun

gonna get me some

I may not be a ten but the boys say I clean up good

And if I gave em half a chance for some rowdy romance you know they would

I’ve been waiting all week just to have a good time

So bring on them cowboys and their pick up lines

Dont want no purple hooter shooter just some jack on the rocks

Dont mind me if i start that trashy talk

You know im here for the party

And I aint leavin til they throw me out

Gonna have a little fun

gonna get me some

You know I’m here, I’m here for the party

That song by Gretchen Wilson’s been on the top 100 country radio playlist for 17 weeks. It’s been in the top 10 Billboard country charts for the same amount of time, spending several weeks at number 1. It’s at number 5 this week.

The last I heard, the country music capital of the United States isn’t Hollywierd or New York City. It’s Nashville, Tennessee. And a vast number of country radio stations that play this stuff are owned by Clear Channel. Are they getting complaints from the same distraught parents whose children saw the opening credits of Monday Night Football? I don’t think so.

Country music dominates rural America. This stuff is everywhere and everybody is listening and singing along. You cannot tell me that Americans, both Real and Unreal don’t share modern sexual attitudes because it’s obvious that they do. (Gay rights is another thing and it’s going to take some time. But, we’re getting there too. Garth Brooks stood up for his gay sister and it didn’t cost him any record sales.)

What we are dealing with is hypocrisy on the one hand and deft exploitation on the part of the Republicans to cast differences in style as differences of “values.” It’s not true and we should try to make that argument.

Democrats are known as the party of tolerance. And that has become a pejorative term. But, it’s just a small step from tolerance to freedom. We are tolerant because we believe in freedom.

Let them have their crusade against freedom. They are swimming against the tide even amongst their own. Maybe we should suggest that they begin their crusade a little closer to home, though. Maybe they need to start by telling Toby Keith and Gretchen Wilson and Clear Channel that they don’t want any more of their music on the public airwaves. Let’s see how that works out in Real America, shall we?

Falwell’s Chattel

Negotiators Add Abortion Clause to Spending Bill

“It’s something we’ve had a longstanding interest in,” said Douglas Johnson, a spokesman for the National Right to Life Committee. He added, “This is in response to an orchestrated campaign by pro-abortion groups across the country to use government agencies to coerce health care providers to participate in abortions.”

This clause sounds like something the GOP would tell us Real Americans would all be thrilled with. So, why are negotiators tucking it in a spending bill in the dead of night? Why not pass it separately and bask in the glow of Real American approval?

This bill, of course, is going to pass. But, an opposition party might vote against it en masse in order to bring the issue to the attention of the American people. “They are hiding anti-choice legislation in spending bills at the last minute in order to secretly enact their radical agenda.”

I’m sure Joe Lieberman will use this as an excuse to show that he is bi-partisan. Reid should corral everyone else to hang tough. Every other word coming out of Democrats’ mouths should be “extremist”, “radical”, “secretive” and the like as Kerry did yesterday in his video.

Regardless of the merits of “moving to the middle” on abortion, this particular action should be opposed by Democrats because of the way in which it was done. They should raise holy hell that these contentious issues are being slipped in under the radar without debate. You want to frame these things in the public’s mind as something the Republicans are ashamed of or afraid of and force them to explain why they are not.

This should be done over and over again so that Americans get the message that these guys are trying to hide their radical agenda. This serves to wake up the somnambulent middle who didn’t vote for extremism and piss off the social conservatives who are itching to take credit.

And speaking of this, I want to take a moment to commend Josh Marshall for his “Shays handful” work. It’s very important that Republicans be forced to account for their cowardice. If Josh hadn’t done this, I’m not sure that we would have these wimps on record. As it is, challengers throughout the country now have a potent weapon if the Democrats can get it up to make use of it.

Correction

Remember the post I wrote a month or so ago about the romance novelist who was rousted by the Patriot Act police? It turns out that it was A Convenient Smoke Screen.

She was actually busted for collecting disability while making money writing, using her husbands social security number. Or at least that’s what the government says.

Kerry Speaks

John Kerry is asking for our help to Protect Every Child in America. Sign the petition.

People have been talking a great deal about behaving as a real opposition party, presenting alternate plans, boldly defining ourselves as a government in exile. This is a smart politics. There is a leadership vacuum in the Party and if John Kerry wants to step in, I say more power to him. But for a few thousand votes in Ohio, we’d be calling him President-elect Kerry today.

This is a classy move from a classy guy. Perhaps that’s not in fashion at the moment but it means a lot to me.

I’m Officially Depressed

I hate puritanism, authoritarianism, totalitarianism. I can’t stand the idea that free adults aren’t allowed to make their own choices about what to read, watch and think.

A while back, I wrote about Academy Award-winning writer and director Bill Condon who has produced a brilliant film on the life and work of sex-researcher Alfred Kinsey. Here are the first and second links to my posts about this important film and director.

I saw this film as one that depicted the ongoing battle in our society between rationality and science on one hand versus dogma and a strain of empirically-hostile religious extremism on the other.

Well, a cold current of censorship has now just hit even New York’s flagship PBS station, WNET Channel 13.

I expect this crap from corporate media outlets who don’t want to offend their advertisers and so try to play both sides as much as possible. But, PBS was begun for the very reason that they would be above such parochial concerns. Now, even in New York, the home of blue state elitism, they are opting for pedestrian conformism. If I were a New Yorker I might just have to decline to support them during the next pledge drive.

I do have a couple of questions for Real America on this. If vast numbers of middle Americans are upset about the loose morals on television, how can we explain this:

Parents who own a TV set manufactured after January 1, 2000 have a blocking technology called a V-chip that can be programmed to screen out shows with TV ratings they deem inappropriate.

By 2001, 2 out of 5 parents (40%) owned a V-Chip TV set and 7% had used it to monitor their children’s TV viewing. Of all parents who have a V-Chip TV set, more than half (53%) don’t know it. Of all parents who know they have a V-Chip TV set, two-thirds know(64%) have chosen not to use it and one-third (36%) have used it.

The two most common reasons parents give for not using the V-Chip are that an adult is usually nearby when their children watch TV, and that they trust their children to make their own decisions.

Approximately one-third of parents with home Internet connections have installed blocking technology such as filtering software or Internet Service Provider (ISP) controls to prevent children from accessing objectionable material.

It sure sounds to me as if somebody’s not taking personal responsibility for what their children are watching.

Unless, of course, this isn’t about children at all. In which case this is really about a bunch of tightassed, busybodies sticking their noses where they don’t belong because they want to control everybody’s lives.

Welcome to Massachusetts, Red States. Massachusetts circa 1692, that is.

MYOB

Atrios and Yglesias make an argument for the Democratic Party to position itself on the side of personal freedom. Those who read this blog know I believe that this is a fertile field for us in this political environment.

Individual freedom is as All-American as apple pie and Let The Eagle Soar. The corporate police state theocracy is hostile to that All-American “value” and it is going to begin to encroach on people in ways that they will feel in their personal lives. There are at least three million votes there. Possibly many millions more. Plenty of Americans don’t like being told how to live their lives by a bunch of priests, politicians or bureaucrats. And it ain’t all about taxes.

The Stupidest People On The Planet:

France

Favorable 25%

Unfavorable 57%

United Nations

Favorable 44%

Unfavorable 42%

France

Ally 22%

Enemy 31%

In Between 43%

United Nations

Ally 33%

Enemy 17%

In Between 47%

Golly Monsieur DeLay, you sure do have a purdy name. I hope one of your dipshit constituents doesn’t get it in his head that you are the enemy.

I Know You Are But What Am I

Kevin Drum discusses the new wingnut political correctness about calling people who support right wing Israeli policy, “Likudniks” — which is like calling people who believe in affirmative action “Democrats.” It may be slightly imprecise, but it’s not racist.

But this is becoming common on the right and you can tell even they know it’s a stupid bully taunt. When wingnut freaks like Ann Coulter pull this stuff out of her strappy little thong, she can hardly keep a straight face.

From the November 17 edition of FOX News Channel’s Hannity & Colmes:

COULTER: I don’t know why you [Beckel] keep talking about [the unfair treatment received by] Bill Clinton when your party — I mean, I understand why you’d like to change the subject, but your party is being biased and condescending about a black woman.

[…]

COULTER: I understand why you are so terrified of letting us point out what racists the Democrats are and how they have a big problem with black women.

BECKEL: You better be damn careful about using that word. I’ll tell you something, I worked in the civil rights movement.

COULTER: Sean, stop him!

SEAN HANNITY (co-host): Bob — Bob —

BECKEL: When you were sitting in your little schools up in New England.

HANNITY: Bob —

COULTER: I keep trying to get to this.

BECKEL: Don’t start with me about that. Ann, you just crossed the line.

HANNITY: Bob — Bob —

COULTER: Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[…]

COULTER: It goes beyond the cartoons. It goes to the fact that…

ALAN COLMES (co-host): Bob Beckel.

COULTER: … it is Condoleezza Rice who keeps being attacked for not being the most qualified person for the job, as I know Clarence Thomas was. No one ever said that about Warren Christopher. What were his qualifications for the job?

[…]

COULTER: You’re [Beckel] racist. You do the same thing with Clarence Thomas.

[…]

COULTER: You keep talking about these cartoons. I’d only seen one of them before this program tonight. And I said I think liberals have a problem with blacks. They have a little race issue going on here.

You know, it’s often said that blacks feel like they have to be twice as good as whites for the same position. Well, when it comes to blacks working for a Republican administration, that’s true. They have to be 10 times as good or they have their credentials questioned [by liberals]. That really is…

COLMES: You think liberals have a problem with blacks?

COULTER: … the puppet Bush.

COLMES: Do you think liberals have a problem with blacks? You want to make that statement in a vacuum?

COULTER: Yes. No, I think I’ve given a few examples, and I’ll give more. There’s Clarence Thomas, who was constantly made fun of, is he the most qualified one of the job. I don’t remember anybody ever asking that of Justice William Brennan or [David] Souter.

[…]

COULTER: Dick Clarke, the flamboyant opponent of the Bush administration, came out with a book earlier this year, claiming that Condoleezza Rice, when he talked to her about Al Qaeda, her face showed that she was perplexed, that she had never heard of Al Qaeda before.

Can you imagine somebody saying that about, you know, Wolfowitz? No. That’s my fourth example now of liberals having a problem with blacks.

[…]

BECKEL: I have no problem with her [Rice] because she’s black. I have a problem with her because I don’t think she’s up to the job [of secretary of state]. Do not begin to say that people like me are racist when I spent a lot of time out in the vineyards on the civil rights movement.

I don’t think you can type one credential where you’ve had — You’ve got to be careful here, Ann.

COULTER: And you listen to jazz

She is amazing. Notice how she characterized “Dick” Clarke as “flamboyant” while she’s admonishing Beckel for being a bigot. People should not argue with her, they should laugh at her. She’s a clown.

This notion that if you criticize minority Republicans, you are a racist is not confined to the lunatic fringe, however. It is one of their talking points and we are going to be hearing a lot more of it. They are using the language of liberalism to beat liberals over the head. But two can play at that game.

In our new Dadaesque politics we should expect this absurd stuff and be prepared to counter. Beckel should have immediately accused Coulter of being unpatriotic for criticizing President Clinton.

PoMo Puffery

In his post Rodeo Bloodbath, James Wolcott brings up something that’s been making my gorge rise for the last few days — this fetishization of the “Marlboro Man” GI photo. Apparently it’s making bunches of Real Americans all moist and quivery.

It is, however, nothing more than warmed over WWII movie iconography which even news editors are eager to admit:

One cited the “strong emotional pull, close and intimate.” Another noted the intensity in his eyes, calling the Marine “a modern-day Robert Mitchum.” Another said, “You can almost feel what he feels. This is war. This is real life.”

What exactly are they teaching in J-School these days? “He’s a modern-day Robert Mitchum.” “It’s real.”

As a reader reminded me the other day, it isn’t reality, it’s hyperreality. Robert Mitchum played the role of GI Joe in the movies. Now we have real GI’s being iconized for looking like Robert Mitchum.

What a sad confused culture we have become.

The Ownership Society

Atrios notes the happy news that the AEI administration is thinking of dropping the business tax deduction for empoyer-provided health insurance in order to pay for making interest, dividends and capitals gains tax free.

I don’t know what he’s so unhappy about, though. George W. Bush is just trying to empower the working man here. With those fancy new medical savings accounts, the guy who works at Pep Boys and his wife who works in the hospital gift shop will be able to save the 10k a year (tax free!) to pay for his wife and 2 kids’ health insurance. Then he’ll be a member of the ownership society because he’ll own his own health insurance policy. Isn’t that great?

I’m assuming, of course, that if employers drop health insurance they will then be required to give their employees a raise in the amount of what they were paying for their health care, less the tax break. They will do that, won’t they? Of course they will. Otherwise, these working people will be forced to “save” money that they don’t have. That wouldn’t be right.

But if that happens let’s face it, if you can’t afford to make ends meet that’s what churches are for. Be good and maybe you’ll be allowed some charity. (Or you’ll be allowed to pray for some, anyway.) Meanwhile, just work harder. Like our good ole boy, Real American president who knows the meaning of hard earned dollar. He’s tough, tough, tough and we have to be tough just like him. Why, a real man would rather gnaw off his leg or put his wife out of her misery than have his boss pay for his health insurance. This whole issue is an excuse for lazy Democrat losers looking for a handout.