Reince Priebus, Traumatized At Childhood By Scary Caterpillar Story ...

HAS BEEN AFRAID of women (the giant caterpillar) in his scary all-male childhood nightmare (below) ever since, equating the GOP War on Women to a huge caterpillar infestation. Reince's scary childhood trauma begins here:

Giant Caterpillar by nalts

Manual For Reading Daily Bawler, Big Gubmint, Commie Red States, S. E. Cupp Etc.

FROM THE ALEX WAGS show, interview with Reality Horror writer Chris Mooney, author of The Republican Brain — "infuriating" the adorable S. E. Cupp. See typical Republican brain being recharged below:

Incidentally, so-called "Homeopathy" is basically a subset of "Eastern medicine," aka Chinese (nontraditional) medicine — acupuncture, yin-yang, herbal therapies, etc. For example, the Wall Street Journal reports that "Scientists studying a four-herb combination discovered some 1,800 years ago by Chinese herbalists have found that the substance enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer." To date, however, no remedy has been found to cure the diseased "conservative brain" whose somewhat milder (but worsening, with drinking of tainted tea) symptoms manifest within the "Republican" brain.

Alex Wags's Wingnut BFF, Hogan Gidley, Invokes Incisive "Dimples" Witticism

FOR ME, THIS STRANGE but very simpatico dude is the most compelling reason to keep Rick Santorum buoyed in this race. I mean, Hogan looks like someone rubbed a raw egg on his head, or maybe it was Crisco, and those hand-me-down retro clothes (maybe they just don't match), man, you know they're enough to make the Steelenator cringe ... Hogan would be a perfect character to cast in Depression Era movies, just as he is, back when hair styling for men was Brylcreem, all the way to Civil War movies, were authentic "period look" at a premium. Hogan is an original. And when her adoptive boy friend forever is on with Alex, the sparks fly. Watch them flirt. "Dimples, don't fool me, Alex, I'm waitin' for the attack"... ?! My Lord, Hogan:

Thomas Roberts, Mesmerized By S.E. Cupp, Turns Into An IDIOT Wingnut!

THE ONCE RELIABLY OBJECTIVE PROGRESSIVE Thomas Roberts, seemingly spellbound by wingnut enchantress S. E. Cupp, became, alarmingly, a blabbering wingnut for a day! After playing this segment of the President's speech making the point that today's Republican Party is to the right of Ronald Reagan, Thomas made the jawdropping remark, below:

Here's Thomas Roberts under S. E. Cupp's spell:

"He could not get through a Republican primary today. Alicia, is this really a hollow argument? This is completely a different time, we all get that, the president closing the door on the new talks for a grand bargain where revenues, they were on the table, so can he make the case to Americans that he really can deliver on fixing the GRAND DEBT problem?"

WOW. First of all, Thomas, despite this lapse you're a good reporter, a good professional (at least as of yesterday), so what gives? Did y'all receive another Steve Capus memo to cut Willard some slack, to be 'fair and balanced' to the Republican ratbastards and LIARS? Now that Capus's pal, according to the Beltway narrative, has wrapped up the GOP nomination, you must report his LIES and DISTORTIONS as if they're just another version of the truth. After all, that's a longstanding corporate MSM tradition.

But here's the thing, Thomas. There are only two ways to look at the President's specific assertions of fact. Either they're true or they're not. The President invited you, the media, to check it out for yourselves. Whether you accept his political rhetoric (I do) that the Ryan budget is "thinly veiled (one of my favorite lines, you're welcome Mr. President) Social Darwinism" (it is) either you accept the "math" or you don't. There's no middle weasel room. As for the destructive, draconian effect on people's lives, what's your term for it? S. E. mocked it as "apocalyptic." She said it was government "paternalism" — I thought we were supposed to be the "mommy party." But then S. E. can't fantasize about being Patricia Neal to the 'paternalistic' Gary Cooper (how Ayn Rand lived and wrote male-female relationships, as a battle of wills):

This PSA message for objectivists, S. E., is that as you reach retirement age, you're going to need Social Security and Medicare, just as freeloader Ayn Rand did, whether you like it or not. In fact, the only "tweak" to these programs I would support is an opt-out provision that might be called the "objectivist clause." But I kind of doubt there would be takers, beyond non-Randian billionaires with a conscience such as Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

Okay, that's S. E., who will be spouting her endearingly stupid Randian bromides mañana on the Alex Wags show, which should be fun on some level. Snap out of your stupor, Thomas, and listen up. Shakespeare's famous phrase from The Tempest (Act 2, Scene I) comes to mind — "... what's past is prologue" — in light of your mindlessly stupefying assertion: "[I]s (the President's) really a hollow argument? This is completely a different time, we all get that ..." Thomas, you may be a good reporter, but you're a lousy historian. Seriously. And this isn't only a disappointment, coming from you, but truly alarming, too. Seriously.

"What's past is prologue" means, essentially that what happened during a time in the past, not a "different time" in any significant way (politically and economically), sets the historical context for the present. We are at a historical crossroads. This is the crucible of the Age of Reagan, which, without the luminosity of its leading light, has become a dark, pessimistic, and dangerous manifestation of the extremist right. The decline of America, the death of the middle class, skyrocketing deficits, the "greed-is-good" venality of Wall Street, the rise of the Religious Right, yawning income inequality, the gutting of our manufacturing base, and the politics of personal destruction, ALL trace their beginnings to the election of Ronald Reagan.

So please, Thomas, don't insult our intelligence (the few of us who know the history) with the mindblowing ignorance of your statement that "this is completely a different time, we all get that ..." No, Thomas. It.is.not. And we should not "all get that." President Obama is right. The survival of the middle class is at stake. What kind of nation we will become is at stake. We have arrived at the very crucible of Reaganism as a governing philosophy. So Thomas, here's my advice for you:

Get your head out of your ass, and stop ogling S. E. Cupp. 'Kay?

PS — Your history is WRONG, Thomas, in other significant ways: (1) The President is not "closing the door" on new talks; he's asking Republicans to be reasonable, and you know it. (2) It's about jobs and growth, NOT the debt. "Fixing the GRAND DEBT problem" as you put it, is a manufactured Republican talking point, considering the political document known as the 'Ryan budget' EXPLODES THE DEBT. Shame on you, Thomas, for repeating GOP talking points.

Steve Schmidt Knows On Which Side His Bread Is Buttered ...

LOOK OVER STEVE's right shoulder; what do you see? It's Drift — The Unmooring of American Military Power, Rachel's FIRST book! Steve ... what a suckup. Nah, he's a good guy, for a Republican. Funny, I don't see Game Change with its splashy title in that prominent bookshelf behind him. I guess Steve's strictly a nonfiction reader.

Has Psycho Ricky Dropped Out Yet?

OH, LOOKEE ... He's giving his VICTORY SPEECH before going 0-for-3. Meanwhile, Newt is nowhere to be seen; either that, or he's communing with an elephant at the nearest zoo. But we don't want Ricky and Newt to drop out no matter how much "GOP primary fatigue" the Beltway Media is experiencing. That's it, Ricky. Keep goin'; make them suffer through another couple months!

Fake Progressive Channel Watch: Erin McPike From RealUnclear Politics

ON WITH TAMRON 'BURGERS' HALL, commenting on President Obama's blockbuster speech slamming the Ryan Budget as "thinly veiled Social Darwinism" and the predicted Ryan comebacker: "[President Obama] has chosen to distort the truth and divide America." Erin The Erinhead: "You know, look, the Republicans distort his record all the time, TOO."

They distort his record, "TOO." Really?! Why don't you take the President's advice and "go check it out for yourself ... this is no exaggeration," Erin, YOU LAZY EXCUSE FOR A BELTWAY MEDIA 'REPORTER'. In the meantime:

Oh yeah, before I forget, this priceless exchange between the blind-leading-the-blind, Chuckles Toddy and Chris Matthews:

CHUCKLES: "If Romney is the 'Godfather' of Obamacare, then Hillary is the 'Godmother'." [yuck-yuck]

MATTHEWS (all googlie-eyed): "YOU'RE SO SMART!"

Presumably, Chuckles was referring to the fact Hillary's campaign health care plan included a mandate. Except that Hillary lost to Obama; so in the first instance it's entirely hypothetical what, if anything, her health care legislation would look like. What we do know, is that when Hillary spearheaded the Clinton health plan in 1993 — so-called 'Hillarycare' — it didn't include an individual mandate, but an employer mandate. Universal coverage would be reached through "state-based boards which would establish standards and requirements for a set of non-profit Associations (or "Alliances") which would implement those standards, as well as aggregate and negotiate with those private insurers."

The individual mandate was a Republican think tank, et al, alternative to 'Hillarycare' or, as Rachel put it, "a Republican idea turned Republican scorn." (As was also pointed out on PBS by Mark Shields, who has more political smarts in his pinkie than Chuckles will have in an entire career.)

MEMO To Chris & Chuckles: Try catching up with Rachel's show more often. You might learn something. IDIOTS.

Ratigan's House of Horrors: Say It Ain't So, Sam

Sam Seder is the latest profile in cowardly “progressives” to be neutered in the Ratigan House of Horrors. Here he is in a space and science segment with Doctor Neil DeGrasse Tyson:

“There’s been a very concerted effort … now I’m not going to say … I don’t want to get too political here … but there is a cohort, a cohort of a political party, even amongst the most educated whose faith in science has dropped over the past 10-20 years. What has accounted for that?

Frankly, there’s a specific political party that is out to demonize science in some ways, to undercut the faith in it as just (unintelligible) …”

COHORT?! At this point, Ratigan-the-blowhard quickly interjects to cut Sam off at the pass before he actually musters the political courage TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! …:

“But don’t you think, Sam … [BLAH-BLAH-BLAH … mealy-mouthed GARBAGE]”: “The vacuum of the conspicuous science in our culture …?!” Even Dr. Tyson — the polite guest — thought this was over the top … Obviously, this “libertarian” jerk mostly speaks from another orifice than do NORMAL people.

MEMO To Sam Seder: CAN YOU SAY IT, IDIOT?! SAY IT! “THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!” And you call yourself a PROGRESSIVE?! WTF’s wrong with YOU?! Don’t want to “get too political, here”?! PLEASE. In case you hadn’t noticed, Sam, it’s a POLITICAL SHOW! Do you actually think the LIZARD KING knows anything about economics?! His agenda is clear: Trash government, trash the Democratic Party — the government party — trash President Obama, whom he LOATHES, deflect ANY criticism of the Republican Party — because it’s the party that will become the vehicle for destroying government his black “libertarian” heart craves — and keep ALL of you so-called “power” panelists under his thumb.

Interesting how the Lizard King throws in a couple of neutered “progressives,” a fake Democrat (Jimmy, the lobbyist with a cabin in the woods), Imogen the Brit airhead who knows NOTHING but is a pretty face with a famous surname (Ratigan likes to collect attractive women), and the rest of his libertarian/wingnut guests. Yeah, as if it’s an open exchange of ideas when the panelists are evidently under strict orders NOT TO MENTION THE REPUBLICAN PARTY in a negative light, unless the Democrats are presented in an equivalent negative way, WHICH IS A TOTAL BASTARDIZATION OF THE TRUTH. C’mon Sam. Say it ain’t so. Say you have free rein to speak the TRUTH about politics, only you won’t get invited back so often, like Karen Finney — the only progressive in your little cohort with some BALLS. (Ari, he’s had his moments elsewhere, but is noted for tossing snarky asides on the Alex Wags show.)

Go ask the American women, Dylan, not the ones on your “panel,” what they think of your hated President Obama and the Republican Party v. the Democratic Party, despite your incessant anti-Democratic crapaganda. Watch Rachel and maybe you’ll learn something about this country, pompous “libertarian” bubble boy. (And Dylan, show me one example where “libertarian” government has worked anywhere on this planet. Spitballing court jesters and frauds.)

The Ratigan images that stick in my mind are of him lazing around the pool barefoot in Florida, checking out the babes during his grandiose “50 million jobs” tour, and hosting the racist pseudo-academic Charles Murray, whose claims in his controversial tome, The Bell Curve, of a connection between genetics and intelligence were debunked by the American Psychological Association:

“There is certainly no such support for a genetic interpretation... . It is sometimes suggested that the Black/ White differential in psychometric intelligence is partly due to genetic differences (Jensen, 1972). There is not much direct evidence on this point, but what little there is fails to support the genetic hypothesis.”

Now he’s back with another ethnocentric right wing screed with the self-explanatory title: Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010. Delivering cloyingly condescending “advice” to those in the lower economic strata that they should emulate the rich, keepers of the values which made this country great, his “critique” of the upper class is that it “has lost self-confidence in the rightness” of the value system that brought it wealth and, instead of trumpeting the importance of hard work, religious faith, and family commitment, abides by “a set of mushy injunctions to be nice.”

Nice. Right. Apparently Murray bypassed the Wall Street “value system” that brought our economy to its knees and threw millions of hard-working lower and middle class Americans out of their homes. And apparently he hasn’t met the Koch brothers and the rest of those ratbastards who are buying REPUBLICAN sock puppet government through their SuperPac candy stores. It’s working, too. (See the Dr. Tyson segment.) Kids today aspire to be hedge funds managers rather than teachers and scientists.

Dylan has had another notable racist on his show — blowing kisses to Ron Paul, along with Stephen Colbert. I don’t object to nazified proponents of genetic racial superiority as “guests” so long as they’re asked the tough questions, rather than fielding nothing but softballs tossed by Ratigan and his “power” panel. It’s totally reprehensible. (Speaking of Social Darwinism. Keep up the good work, Alex!)

Dylan Ratigan Playing Vincent Price In Ratigan’s House of Horrors

Michael Steele Debuts On Martin Bashir — CRAPS All Over The Joint ...

SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

MEMO To Martin: I hope you were prepared for this; certainly I warned all of you, with mixed results. Yes, he's my "favorite" Republican insofar as his short-lived-one-election-cycle rules have done TBD DAMAGE to the Republican Party, no matter how much he spins it; and Michael is a good spinner. Martin, you got a taste of MSNBC's premier crapper in action: (a) Message discipline with the Big Lie; (b) filibustering everyone, even the host, so you can't contest what he's saying; until (c) the segment's time runs out — Michael's excellent internal clock, getting better with his sense of timing; and (d) sarcastic slo-mo laughter — ha ... ha ... ha ... ha — over the guest's response, so the viewers can hardly hear Krystal Ball's late seconds response to Michael's Big Lie, that President Obama never responded to the SERIAL/VIRAL drumbeat from the right of Reverend Wright's controversial sermonizing. EXCUSE ME?! Yo, Michael Man of Steele: What do you call a MAJOR SPEECH on the topic by the President — then candidate Obama?!

So Martin, consider yourself duly warned. You didn't salvage the segment, but at least it wasn't as bad as Chris's flameouts with The Steelenator. Still, we may need yet another Krystal Ball intervention:

Quotable: Ann Romney; GAFFES Really DO Run In The Family!

Answering a radio interview criticism that her husband is "TOO STIFF," Ann Romney said:

"I guess we better unzip him and let the real Mitt Romney out because he is not!"

Uh, Ann ... what do you call the "real Mitt" ... LITTLE MITT?! But props to you for never TMI!

Quotable: Sweet Melissa on Hubris ... And The Perils of Being Too Sweet

"¡In hip hop we call it gettin' high on your own supply!"

WHAT BETTER REASON for watching Melissa Harris-Perry, aka Sweet Melissa or Melissa's Hour of Power, in the weekend a.m. broadcasting hours on MSNBC? It has the cadence of the morning shows with the substance and intellectual stimulation that is lacking from the usual parade of a.m. fluff and personalities of those shows.

But Melissa is much too sweet sometimes in accommodating liars from the right in her midst and seeking absurd, strained areas of commonality. The lie that Scott Walker campaigned on his union-busting strategy was so egregious it should have been more vigorously contested by the host. (See Rachel, and Walker's Super Bowl party when he revealed his secret union-busting policy intentions to his brain trust.) And what is it about the pathological propensity of the right to lie? The difference between so-called "centrists" and liberals or progressives is that "centrists" cannot tell the difference between "compromise" and "caving."

This is a historical axiom, e.g. the Russian Revolution and the rise of Nazism in Germany between the wars, when a political "center" which caved to ideological extremists in the service of some ephemeral "good faith" compromise accelerated the rise of totalitarianism. Progressives were once again vindicated, after so-called "centrists" scoffed at our pleas for the President to take a harder, more principled negotiating posture on health care and the budget rather than the virtually complete "Grand Bargain" cave-in to John Boehner revealed, with minimal historical hindsight, last week. Arianna Huffington wrote:

[I]t's never questioned why this courageously-doing-the-right-thing-bipartisan-Grand-Bargain somehow always means screwing the middle class and working people. It's just assumed, as it is in the Post story, that there's no other way to do business in DC. At least not any way that is considered Very Serious. Getting out of wars not in our national security interest? Not Serious. And a sign of being the party of wimps. Asking the wealthy to pay more? Not Serious. And class warfare to boot!

It's further assumed that the Grand Bargain, almost regardless of the policy details, is in-and-of-itself a good thing. Reaching a Grand Bargain deal is itself the win — because it means Washington's actually doing something. Unasked is whether that something is actually good for the country. It's just assumed that it is. So, according to the piece, while the Grand Bargain on the debt was on the table, the White House saw Obama as "a politically selfless president willing to rise above the partisan fray and make difficult choices for the good of the country."

What is alarming is that President Obama himself bought into these establishment assumptions. Of course, it was known at the time that the president was seeking the Grand Bargain, and was in on-again, off-again negotiations with John Boehner. But what wasn't known was how committed he was to making it happen. As Jonathan Chait put it in his excellent post on the piece, "Obama was even more desperate to cut a deal than previously believed — dangerously desperate, in fact."

If you're a progressive, the reaction was a yawning 'so what'? Why anyone should be surprised by what Arianna Huffington called "Obama's Devolution" is a mystery to us. Nonetheless, Arianna and Paul Krugman set the right tone of alarm and outrage. Some of us believe, now more than ever, in confronting so-called wedge issues of class and race with a ruthlessness that the Kiki McLeans of this world call 'hyperpartisanship'. (When the other side is ruthlessly seeking to destroy its political opposition, it would be foolish not to fight fire with fire.) I call it the ugly, unvarnished truth glimpsed by holding up a mirror to this society and the "laws" which codify union-busting, voter suppression, curtailing women's health and reproductive choices, and one that most people can easily understand on a gut level — allowing Treyvon Martin's killer to remain at large and possibly walk free.

The Obama Rap: He's SEXY And They're Not ...

Whitebread paleface Republicanos/wingnuts simply can't match the President's moves, not to mention his charismatic sex appeal. It drives them redundantly nuts.

Speaking of wingnuts, the Treyvon Martin murder has them riffing that bottled-up racism now that they have a pretext for it. Anne Coulter joined the right's collective meltdown by comparing George Zimmerman's critics to the KKK. Gee, I wonder where Anne's latest hysterical line of attack originated:

"It's a lynch mob. This isn't how we try cases in this country and the last time you saw this sort of thing on a regular basis was of course again from the Democratic Party and the Democratic Party's outgrowth—the KKK."

Wrong, Coultergeist! The last time we saw this kind of thing, i.e. a hate crime, was (a) in the killing of Treyvon Martin, followed by (b) the arrest of a Klansman in a small Ohio town for pulling a gun on a black man and threatening to kill him, during a KKK "march." Gee, what a coincidence (now we know where Anne Coulter gets her "material"); and this happened only four days ago. No doubt, the weird bulimic giraffe-neck woman next will claim the Klan march was sponsored by Democrats seeking justice for Treyvon.