Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Greatest Political Document in History, Cut by the Texan Fascists

That’s right, the author of the Declaration of Independence, Virginia’s Constitution, and America’s transcendent Renaissance man was simply too un-Christian for the dentist McLeroy and the religious extremists on the Texas Board of Re-Education. The violence committed against our nation’s glorious history and some of our enduring historical icons by these Nazi bastards is so immense that one doesn’t even know where to begin. This must NOT be allowed to stand. Educated people throughout this land must rise up against the Medievalist Religious Right and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Quotable: Adolf Hitler’s Ghost Gives Texas Board of Education the Nazi Salute

"Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way round."

Mein Kampf, by Adolf Hitler-- p. 376

What Makes America Any Better Than a Totalitarian State

. . . when this is allowed to happen:

AUSTIN, Texas — A far-right faction of the Texas State Board of Education succeeded Friday in injecting conservative ideals into social studies, history and economics lessons that will be taught to millions of students for the next decade.

These right wing bastards do not know the FIRST or LAST thing about their nation’s history, run their mouths about the “tyranny” of the state, and then use the FASCIST STATE OF TEXAS to ram this religious fundamentalist garbage masquerading as history and social studies down the throats of our kids, parents, and teachers for decades to come. And then we ask ourselves why OLDER generations of Americans are generally better educated than YOUNGER generations.

This should NOT EVER be about left or right, or any political agendas. It should be about HISTORY and FACTS and WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. What can be more utterly despicable and undemocratic than that a right wing dentist, who is not a teacher or historian or academic, and who was defeated for reelection because he is an ignorant extremist, should DECIDE a FANTASTICAL social studies CURRICULUM FILLED WITH LIES for the rest of the country.

Exposing Teabagger Racism

Teabaggers are playing a shell game in their recruitment efforts by sidestepping social issues such as abortion and gay marriage because, as one Teabagger leader said, “focusing on economic issues lures Democrats.” First, it isn’t working. Second, it’s like being “a little pregnant” or Hitler trading his Nazi Party swastika for a coat and tie while embracing Hindenburg to appear mainstream to the German people. (Hitler made it happen.)

There’s no “Tea Party” here, as these low-information rank-and-file voters prefer to be called. They’re Teabaggers today, tomorrow, and forever. There’s nothing more vile, obscene, and pornographic than unvarnished racism. Whether it’s manifested by the corporate tools of Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks or xenophobic “Tea Party Patriots,” racism is on full display at Teabagger rallies and demonstrations. (And for those who say the RNC’s use of the Teabagger poster of President Obama isn’t racist, consider this: What would you call portraying our African American president with a painted WHITE face? If you can’t see the connection, then you need to revisit your own attitudes about race.)

This is the face of Teabagger racism, as documented by a Latino watchdog group, Cuéntame, which literally means “Tell me.” Click at the top of video 2 to see part 3 and so on:

Setting the Record Straight: Sean Penn on the U.S. Military's Role in Haiti

“I believe this was a strictly HUMANITARIAN action on the part of the United States military, and an incredible one.”

Actor Sean Penn on the U.S. military’s role in Haiti, giving credit where credit is due while discussing Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez on the Bill Maher show. (Neither Penn nor Maher could pronounce the man’s name properly, as would be expected.)

While in Haiti, Penn gave an interview to Geraldo Rivera of Fox “News” in which he said: “People are suffering and a lot of people are doing their best –- the U.S. military and human aid groups –- to help them.” Penn continued, “the military is doing the most extraordinary job” and the “positive reporting, reporting of positive actions by the United States ... I can say has been unbelievable, unbelievable -- and meant and felt.”

I only post this because you wouldn’t know it from reading the far left blogs; it would clash with the narrative promoted by Chávez and Fidel (not all Cuban media) of the U.S. military as an “invasion” force, setting President Obama up as some sort of de facto ruler of Haiti backed by U.S. military might.

This particular fantasy has roots in the checkered history of the U.S. relationship with Latin America, but it’s simply not true, except to those who believe every anti-American declaration coming from the usual suspects.

Sean Penn has been generous with his time and consistent in the interviews he grants, whether he is speaking to Cuban or Venezuelan media or to Fox News. He has recognized the “incredible” humanitarian role played by the U.S. military. But he cannot control how his interviews are edited by Fox or Venezuelan and Cuban media. Nor can he control the selective way the far left uses his words to attack the United States. At least Bill Maher’s interview was LIVE.

If anything, as Haiti president René Préval came to Washington seeking a renewal of direct U.S. aid to Haiti, the relief efforts have been decentralized. Of the $2 billion in assistance, mostly to aid groups, the UN and development agencies, fully half of it has come from Americans. Ironically, Penn opposes the U.S. scaling back its military presence in Haiti from a peak of 20,000 on February 1 to about 8,000 in the coming days, which puts him at odds with the purveyors of the military “invasion” fantasy.

Quotable: Eric Massa on Rham Emanuel

“I went into the showers...I'm sitting there showering, naked as a jaybird and here comes Rahm Emanuel not even with a towel wrapped around his tush, poking his finger in my chest, yelling at me because I wasn't going to vote for the president's budget. Do you know how awkward it is to have a political argument with a naked man?”

Resigning ex-Congressman Eric Massa, slamming Rham Emanuel, as “an individual who would sell his mother to get a vote. He would strap his children to the front end of a steam locomotive.”

I don’t know about you, but the image of Rhambo getting naked with Eric Massa, trying to browbeat him into voting with the President seems admirable in a strange and funny kind of way . . . well beyond the call of duty. I’m warming to Rham already. And I can’t wait to see what SNL does with this material!

As for Eric Massa’s long goodbye: It’s sad and pathetic. Even Glenn Beck apologized to his audience for giving Massa the entire hour of his show. Beck got nothing except Massa’s admission of inappropriate behavior, and a lot of irrelevant weirdness inbetween.

Updating the New Political Lexicon

This was posted by Steve Benen as part of an ongoing update of our current political dictionaries. Fell free to add your own entries:

Obstructionism, for example, only refers to Democratic minorities opposing Republican proposals.

Tyranny is found when an elected Democratic majority passes legislation that Republicans don't like.

Reconciliation describes a Senate process that Republicans are allowed to use to overcome Democratic “obstructionism.”

Terrorism refers to acts of political violence committed by people who aren't white guys.

Bipartisanship is found when Democrats agree to pass Republican legislation.

Big government describes a dangerous phenomenon to be avoided, except in cases relating to reproductive rights or gays.

Treason refers to Democrats criticizing a Republican administration during a war.

Patriotism refers to Republicans criticizing a Democratic administration during a war.

Fiscal responsibility is a national priority related to keeping our deficit in check, which only applies when Republicans are in the minority.

Parliamentarian is a seemingly independent official on the Hill who Senate Republicans are allowed to fire when the GOP disapproves of his/her rulings.

Government-run healthcare doesn't refer to popular government-run health care programs like Medicare.

The heartland is the most wonderful place in America, even if no conservative pundit would be caught dead living there.

Serving your country is honorable if you're a Republican, but a subject of derision when Democrats do it.

My contributions:

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a seemingly independent agency that is called "god" by Republicans when it scores their bills favorably and "partisan" when it says Democratic bills will reduce the deficit.

Start over means scrapping the healthcare bills passed by the House and Senate, including Republican obstruction of any efforts to restart healthcare reform before, and after, the 2010 elections.

Medicare is government-run healthcare for angry white seniors at town hall meetings and Tea Party rallies, and no one else.

Socialist is any Democrat who supports healthcare reform and regulation of the worst abuses of insurance companies, including a ban on preexisting conditions and lifetime benefit caps, requiring insurers to spend at least 80 cents on the dollar delivering healthcare, and covering 31 million instead of 3 million uninsured Americans.

Al Quaeda terrorist is any one of seven Justice Department attorneys who have in the past provided legal representation for individuals accused of terrorism.

Fear is what Republicans sow when they want to kill bills or raise money.

Reactionary is what the RNC calls a member of its donor base who contributes less than $30,000.

The Evil Empire is a term Republicans use for President Obama’s Democratic Party, a.k.a “democrat party” within GOP leadership circles.

Nuclear option is what a Republican minority calls democratic majority rule.

Limited government means exploding the debt with tax cuts for the super-rich, privatizing Social Security to the devices of Wall Street, killing Medicare and throwing seniors under the bus with a token voucher, and doubling the Pentagon budget while waging perpetual wars (three) that are unpaid for.

George Orwell is author of the Republican political manifesto, "1984."

Now you!

Sarah Palin Compares Self to G-O-D

Writing notes on palm . . . GoddoneIt TOO! says Sister Sarah:

“But then somebody sent me the other day, Isaiah 49:16, and you need to go home and look it up. Before you look it up, I'll tell you what it says though. It says, hey, if it was good enough for God, scribbling on the palm of his hand, it's good enough for me, for us. He says, in that passage, ‘I wrote your name on the palm of my hand to remember you,’ and I'm like, ‘Okay, I’m in good company.’”

Clinically termed the “narcissistic personality,” in non-psychiatric language this is called the “God Complex.”

“A god complex is a colloquial term used to portray a perceived character flaw as if it were a ‘psychological complex.’ The person who is said to have a ‘God complex’ can act so arrogantly that she might as well believe she is a god or appointed to act by a god. It is also often called the Messianic complex.”

Source: Wikipedia

Quotable: Sarah Palin on Canadian Healthcare

“ We used to hustle over the border for health care we received in Canada. And I think now, isn't that ironic? ”

Sarah Palin, viralizer of the “Death Panels” myth, confessing her staggering, unashamed hypocrisy during her first Canadian appearance.

Unlike the Palins, who are despicable freeloaders, the reality of it is that Americans desperate for healthcare who do not have the millions the Palins do, “hustle” across both borders to get critical healthcare. Americans make frequent trips to Canada to purchase the same maintenance medications (hypertension, cholesterol, you name it), and go to Mexico for high quality surgeries such as hip replacement, at a fraction of their U.S. cost.

Sarah Palin is such an evil woman (in the Biblical sense), that if she truly believes in God she’s got an express ticket punched straight to Hell.

Quotable: Dan Rather

“This will be the history of the Bush-Cheney Administration as told to Hans Christian Andersen”

Dan Rather, on the yet to be released George W. Bush and Dick Cheney memoirs

Quotable: Senator Robert Byrd on his OWN Byrd Rule for Reconciliation

Responding to an editorial by the Charleston Daily Mail, Senator Robert C. Byrd, author of the so-called “Byrd rule” for reconciliation that has been used by opponents of healthcare reform to excoriate the reconciliation process, gave his blessing to the use of reconciliation for merging the House and Senate healthcare bills and passing reform. In so doing, Senator Byrd killed another Republicant talking point. This is what he said, in a letter to editor of the Daily Mail:

“[A] bill structured to reduce deficits by, for example, finding savings in Medicare or lowering health care costs, may be consistent with the Budget Act, and appropriately considered under reconciliation.

With all due respect, the Daily Mail’s hyperbole about “imposing government control,” acts of “disrespect to the American people” and “corruption” of Senate procedures resembles more the barkings from the nether regions of Glennbeckistan than the “sober and second thought” of one of West Virginia’s oldest and most respected daily newspapers.”

What’s that popping sound I hear . . . Could it be the air released from exploding Teabagger, Republicant, and Beckista heads?

Hmm . . . would citizens of the virtual paranoididiotautocracy of “Glennbeckistan” be considered “Beckistas” or Beckistanis?

Scholarly Tweet From Right Wing Think Tank Cato Institute Director of Health Policy Studies

“From a March 4 post on Twitter by Michael F. Cannon, Director of Health Care Policy Studies at the Cato Institute”

Source: Media Matters (Thank you, thank you, thank you. You guys are good!)

The Cato Institute is a “libertarian” think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Institute’s stated mission is “to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets, and peace” by striving “to achieve greater involvement of the intelligent, lay public in questions of (public) policy and the proper role of government.”

Source: Wikipedia

The President’s Call to Arms: Make Your Voices Heard

For those of you who missed it, this is President Obama’s clearest statement of intent and determination about finally getting healthcare reform done, and the first time since this long, arduous process began, when Mr. Obama first voiced three broad requirements for reform, that he drew an unmistakable line in the sand. Healthcare reform is going forward, with or without Republican support.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A relieved Congressman Anthony Weiner echoed what progressives felt saying he wished President Obama had made this statement six or eight months ago: “Everything there is to say about healthcare has been said,” acknowledged the President. Finally.

Zeigeist or not, President Obama –- yes, finally -- affirmed what we’ve been urging him to for months:

It’s about what kind of country we want to be.

Let’s get it done.

Under the Belly of the Beast, Would You Believe . . . Scooby Doo?

The top-secret RNC (Republican National Committee) fundraising strategy targeting the Democratic Party came to light in a 72-page PowerPoint presentation document obtained by POLITICO from an enterprising Democrat who snatched an extra copy left behind at the luxury $2,500-a-head GOP donor retreat after the presentation had concluded.

Among the highlights, if you can believe it, are:

• The Democratic Party as Ronnie Reagan’s recycled “Evil Empire” moniker for the Communist Soviet Union, in turn borrowed by Reagan from the movies (Star Wars);

• The RNC’s bizarre co-opting of the stupid, racist, and offensive Teabagger graphic depicting the President of the United States as the “Joker” from Batman;

• Silly, infantile cartoons of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as animated children’s characters “Cruella De Ville” and “Scooby Doo” (?!); and
  

• Lookalike Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged front cover graphic of a wannabe John Galt (Paul Ryan?) holding up the globe weighed down by socialists everywhere, under your bed, in Hollywood, NYC, SF, rising from Joe McCarthy’s grave, hiding in the Cheneys’ basement, etc., with the ominous warning: “Save the country from trending toward Socialism!”

But that’s not the worst of it. Wait until you read what the RNC thinks OF ITS OWN VOTER BASE! Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean was rendered “speechless” by how “contemptuous” this Republican Party is toward the very people they work for –- “you can’t talk about your own team like this” -- and “astonished” by how they “turned the firehose on their own people,” their “Direct Marketing” donors, a.k.a. the Tea Party people:

• First, push those “Visceral Giving” buttons! Appeal to FEAR and “Extreme negative feelings toward existing Administration” –- YESYESYES! FEAR! FEAR!! FEAR!!! The GOP’s tried-and-true political strategy to drive our country into the GUTTER from Lee Atwater to Karl Rove: push that FEAR button in those REACTIONARY morons driven by “issue/circumstantially oriented” attitudes, meaning they’re REBELS WITHOUT A CLUE who REACT to fearful circumstances in their lives rather than objective facts and reasoned arguments!

(I couldn’t have said it better myself . . . ) That’s right, Teabaggers: Be afraid, be very afraid of President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, because the RNC is targeting your wallets with FEAR, FEAR, FEAR, FEAR!!!!

• Second, schmooze the “Major Donors” ($30,000 and up) with lots of “Personal” attention and “EGO DRIVEN” appeals!

Yikes . . . Talk about a party self-destructing using obsolete PowerPoint technology. The presentation, delivered by RNC Finance Director Rob Bickhart, was prepared by the party’s finance staff. POLITICO reports that “the RNC reacted with alarm to a question about it Wednesday, emailing major donors to warn them of a reporter’s question, and distancing Steele from its contents.” Incidentally, there was not a single idea in any part of that 72-page document.

Here are some of those HILARIOUS RNC OFFICIAL documents, boys and girls:



Even Republican Lite “Morning Joe” calls this “shameful” and says whoever is responsible “should be fired.”

Palin Posse “Like Locusts” Goes Hollywood Hillbillies

Following her Tonight Show appearance, Sarah Palin and her posse descended on Silver Spoon’s Oscar gifting Suite, benefiting the Red Cross. Despite reports that Palin planned to donate $1,750 to the Red Cross, E! Online says, “too fab she gave money, but we can assure you she did not give up any of her swag” as the Palin posse swarmed the freebies “like locusts.”

Ouch.

According to E! Online: “We're told Palin was quite the prima donna and that she insisted the suite be opened two hours early so she could come when no looky-loos would be around.” One “annoyed source” said they were told to get there “super-early” for the Palins, “then, she wouldn't let anyone take her picture or do any interviews.”

Ouch.

Explains E! Online: “For those of you who think that's a standard request—uh, it's not, especially when you're getting thousands of dollars worth of free goods. Some of the products Palin picked up included Bloom facial products, which she told the vendor she needed for her under-eye area.”

The free loot valued in the thousands included United Hair Care products, jewelry from Pascal Mouawad, watches from Skagen and product from Lash Food. They also received a “blow-out” by colorist Erick Orellana from the Chris McMillan Salon.

One vendor at the suite described the Palins and the “large group of hangers-on” in Sarah’s posse: “They were like locusts. She showed up with like 20 people, and they immediately swarmed the place taking everything!”

Ouch.

Sister Sarah might have to buy a bigger trailer to fit all her free loot from the lower 48.

SNL Presidents Reunion Appear to Obama in a Dream

The SNL actors who played every president since Jerry Ford -- Will Ferrell, Fred Armisen, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Dana Carvey and Darrell Hammond -- plus Jim Carrey doing Reagan team up to urge passage of a consumer financial protection agency. Funny stuff:

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

Plus a hilarious Dana Carvey "Bush 41" outtake:

Dana Carvey Dream Sequence: A Presidential Reunion Extended Scene from Dana Carvey

Healthcare Toon Time

Clueless teabaggers cannot decide what they’re for:

. . . while timorous Senate Dems run from the mousy elephant in the room.

Putting Reconciliation in Context

Ezra Klein, the wiz wonk from the Washington Post/Newsweek, made an important point about the process being contemplated through reconciliation for the House and Senate healthcare bills, which he termed “micro-reconciliation.” That is, essentially reconciling both bills by making minor tweaks, as suggested by the President, contained in the 11 pages posted by the White House.

That is exactly what the reconciliation process is intended to in this instance: to reconcile the two bills passed in the House and Senate without drafting an entire new bill. The Senate bill has already passed with a 60-vote supermajority, and the House needs to pass it with 216 votes. According to Sara Rosenbaum, chair of the Department of Health Policy at George Washington University, “the way in which virtually all of health reform, with very, very limited exceptions, has happened over the past 30 years has been the reconciliation process.”

A History Of Reconciliation -- from an NPR (National Public Radio) report:

For 30 years, major changes to health care laws have passed via the budget reconciliation process. Here are a few examples:

1982 — TEFRA: The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act first opened Medicare to HMOs

1986 — COBRA: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act allowed people who were laid off to keep their health coverage, and stopped hospitals from dumping ER patients unable to pay for their care

1987 — OBRA '87: Added nursing home protection rules to Medicare and Medicaid, created no-fault vaccine injury compensation program

1989 — OBRA '89: Overhauled doctor payment system for Medicare, created new federal agency on research and quality of care

1990 — OBRA '90: Added cancer screenings to Medicare, required providers to notify patients about advance directives and living wills, expanded Medicaid to all kids living below poverty level, required drug companies to provide discounts to Medicaid

1993 — OBRA '93: created federal vaccine funding for all children

1996 — Welfare Reform: Separated Medicaid from welfare

1997 — BBA: The Balanced Budget Act created the state-federal childrens' health program called CHIP

2005 — DRA: The Deficit Reduction Act reduced Medicaid spending, allowed parents of disabled children to buy into Medicaid

Of course, Fox viewers wouldn’t have an earthly clue about this. After all, NPR is to Fox “News” what the New York Times is to National Enquirer. Which is why Fox viewers are generally referred to in polling parlance as “low-information voters.”

So when Senator Lamar Alexander stated that reconciliation would be a “political Kamikaze mission” for the Democrats, his rapturous apocalyptic warning rings hollow indeed. Particularly, considering that Senator Lamar “the hypocrite” Alexander has himself voted for reconciliation four times on Republican agenda items. Next, the Republicans mischaracterize reconciliation (see above) as a “nuclear option” (yeah, right) to “ram/or jam through” healthcare reform that has been debated for the past 13 months and passed with a supermajority in the Senate and a sizable majority in the House.

Enough is enough. It is time for Republicans to step aside, stop obstructing the will of the majority, and allow an up-or-down vote on healthcare reform. As for Senator Alexander, he doth protest too much. If the Republicans really believe passing this bill is the equivalent of a “political Kamikaze mission” for Democrats, why are they being so nice as to counsel their opponents against it? Knowing the Republican MO, if they really really believe this “political Kamikaze” crap, they would be encouraging the Democrats.

Here’s a shovel, Lamar, and it’s not to shovel snow.

Quotable: Jim Bunning

Republican Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky, flips the bird to a Democratic colleague, and throws 400,000 unemployed Americans and seniors dependent on Medicare under the bus:

“TOUGH SHIT!”

Senator Bunning is filibustering a bill extending unemployment and COBRA benefits as well as Medicare payments for doctors, which the AMA said would result in a “meltdown” for seniors in urgent need of medical care, as well as furloughs for highway workers with a halt in funding. Just so that he can make a point about deficit spending on the backs of the most needy. This hypocrite did not block any of the deficit-exploding measures passed by the Bush regime, such as tax cuts for the rich, Medicare prescription drugs sweetheart deals for corporations, and off-budget war funding. In fact, Bunning voted for all of them.

As the great Brazilian band, Legião Urbana (Urban Legion) defiantly asked: What country is this!?


TOUGH SHIT.

Memo to the White House: Dump the DINOs or Pay the Price in November

Progressives are pushing back against the DINOs (Democrats in name only) in the Democratic Party along with the White house’s stubborn support for them. Yes, it’s a good thing that the White House is finally getting off the dime and moving toward passage of desperately needed healthcare reforms without the obstructionist Republicans.

But President Obama’s posture continues to baffle. His Republican healthcare chum, Olympia Snowe, told him to take a hike, refusing to attend the White House healthcare summit. During all this time wasted courting Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Chuck Grassley, Mike Enzi and the DINOs, the President could have used his clout to twist some Democratic arms into accepting the public option, or at least negotiate better concessions. Instead, the President came away with precisely the wrong message, that the public option is some sort of ideological cause célebre for progressives rather than good public policy that stands to reduce the deficit even further.

Water under the bridge. The time for reckoning has come.

Among the DINOs, Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas was boldly intransigent in blocking the public option despite repeated polls in her state that gave the public option solid majorities. Now progressives, the netroots -- derided by Chris Matthews who used his program Hardball as a platform to bash the public option -- have launched a dump Lincoln/draft Arkansas Lt. Governor Bill Halter drive, raising substatial funds for Halter's campaign even before he made his challenge. The netroots message to candidates contemplating a challenge to DINOs was support healthcare reform and the public option and the netroots will have your back. Lt. Governor Halter has officially tossed his hat into the ring. Did the netroots have a role in nudging Halter? Hard to say, but the money’s real. Certainly Matthews’s obstreperous outbursts and techy asides are fundraising boosters.

Matthews’s delusional argument is that the netroots are now trying to defeat “centrist” Democrats like Lincoln. Wrong, Chris! First, corporatist is not centrist. Second, the public option is good public policy; it is neither left nor right. His interrogation of Dr. Dean was not only transparent but utterly ridiculous. The so-called “weakness” in Dr. Dean’s position is not yet apparent, yet Chris continues to go over that waterfall and keeps coming back for more. Realistically, Matthews should do that promo drenched to the bone. It’s his show. So far the netroots have raised $400,000 for Halter’s campaign out of a 500K goal for the week. Thanks for your support, Chris; keep saying stupid things!

Here’s a new anti-Lincoln pro-Halter ad: