England Has Red States, Too

Apparently:

The number of people who receive more in benefits and public services than they pay in tax is at record levels, official figures show.

More than half of households now take more from the public purse than they contribute, thanks to a generation of surging Government expenditure. 

Which raises (not begs) the question, are these people who are getting more than they are giving going around in 18th century garb pissing and moaning about the government? Probably not. They have more experience than we do with Socialism or Communism or Muslimism or whateverism Obama is now.

Hat tip to you, Sweetie Pie.

And Now For Something Completely Different: Why don't we get pols like this in New York?

KFOR in Oklahoma reports that Timothy Ray Murray believes Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), his opponent in the congressional Republican primary, was executed three years ago and is being represented by a look-alike. Because he believes Lucas is really dead, Murray said he will challenge the results of Tuesday's Republican primary, in which Murray received 5.2 percent of the vote. Lucas won the primary with 82.8 percent of the vote.

I guess if your primary opponent gets 83% of the vote you have to take desperate measures. I wish Murray all the luck in this.

Out Of Context

He could have said it was Hannitized.

Hillary Clinton would "probably get shot" if she entered the state as a presidential candidate.

Not really sure how you put something like that into a context where it would not come off as assholish. 

"It certainly was not meant in a threatening or hostile way at all. It was just a comment. Perhaps I used the wrong word."

Oh, that explains it. It's lucky Johnny (?) Rhoda isn't a district party chair or anything. He is? Please keep these crazies below the Mason-Dixon. He could always join Blackwater to get his fill of killing innocent people. Allegedly.

One of the guards is accused of first-degree murder, while the others face charges of voluntary manslaughter. They deny all charges.

Prosecutors say the Blackwater guards harboured deep hostility toward Iraqis and boasted of indiscriminate firing of their weapons.

I Get Published (Twice)

Yeah, it's just letters to the editor.

Congrats to candidates Matt Doheny and Elise Stefanik on the AQ ratings from the NRA. Highest rating! The NRA recently affirmed support for a group called Open Carry Texas. OCT was in the news for showing up at restaurants with assault rifles slung across their backs. It would be interesting to know if there are any questions on the test pertaining to open carry laws.

All the candidates running for representative have expressed support for the rights of hunters. I don’t believe that is where the argument is joined, though. Anyone short of a PETA member is good with that. Me? I like living in a state where I can stop for a burger and not have to worry about the posse walking in. Gives me indigestion. Paradoxically, six with guns is better than one, though.

The NRA has become nothing more than a mouthpiece for the gun industry. I can’t see why anyone running for office still seeks their approval.

Pretty sure more people see it in the Post Star than do here, though. And that's OK because influencing the opinions of people who live in my area are is more important to me than those who stumble across my bon mots here. A little further back:

No yellow ribbons round the oak tree for Bowe Bergdahl in Monday’s “Street-Wise.” Four out of five have him convicted of desertion and are willing to outsource the punishment to the Taliban. Bergdahl may be guilty of desertion, but if he is, he should be convicted in a court martial and serve his time in Leavenworth. I’d like to speculate if you asked these five people to name the greatest president of the past 100 years, at least three of them would say Ronald Reagan.

Here’s a history lesson for the young folks: Reagan traded arms for hostages numerous times with the Iranians. And while that was going on, Donald Rumsfeld was palling around in Iraq with Saddam Hussein.
And did I mention his administration was also supplying weapons to a group in Afghanistan led by Osama bin Laden? And for good measure, in violation of Congress, they were funding a group of “freedom fighters” in Nicaragua called the Contras. The scare quotes are there because most sentient beings would consider the Contras to have been terrorists. The hypocrisy of Oliver North to criticize the Bergdahl deal is off the charts.

Do yourself a favor and read up on the Iran-Contra affair. Fascinating stuff. Better than le Carre.
After that, you can look at the events in Beirut during those years and contrast it with Benghazi.
You’ll see why the Republican-led Congress is more interested in ginning up scandals concerning President Barack Obama and the Clintons.

By the way, Israel, not exactly a wuss in dealing with violent adversaries, trades hostages on a fairly regular basis.



Zephyr Teachout News: I had written Teachout off perhaps prematurely. The dream is still alive.

Zephyr Teachout, the Fordham law professor considering a Democratic primary challenge to Governor Andrew Cuomo, said she still hasn't made a final decision about running but is preparing to circulate petitions just in case.

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Art Galleries

This polling was really interesting, but my favorite part:

(C)onservatives are 50 points less likely than liberals to want to live in communities with cultural institutions such as art museums and theaters.

The moral of this story is that if you don't want a raving conservative living near you, find a house near a museum or art gallery. I repeat:

I'd like to start by asking all those who are currently living in right-wing hell-holes in this country to consider moving to the Northeast Kingdom of our once-great country. This began as an invite to the folks  in Nevada who are burdened with sharing their state with Cliven Bundy and his gang of over-armed and under-educated militia members. I'm also asking all those who are unhappy living under the rule of King Andrew to consider moving to one of these right-wing hell-holes where you undoubtedly be happier.

Because It May Interest Some

And because these guys did the Lord's work in putting it together.

Here’s the short version: The United States invaded Iraq in 2003, claiming that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had both weapons of mass destruction and connections to Al Qaeda. He had neither. Today, both Saddam Hussein and the United States are gone from Iraq. In their place? Al Qaeda.

I have a feeling that unfortunately this is going to come in handy in the near future for knocking down wingnut bullshit about how Obama "lost" Iraq.

Monday Extra: This is something I've been thinking about the last few days. Maybe I have a future in the State Department. At least if my garden didn't need some much work.

Secretary of State John Kerry cautiously signaled on Monday that the United States would be open to cooperating with Iran militarily in Iraq to beat back al Qaida-inspired fighters who pose an "existential" danger to that war-torn country and may look to target Europe and the United States. 

In the interest of making lemonades out of the lemons that George Bush turned Iraq into maybe we can at least gain some rapprochement out of the situation. We've left big, stinking piles of shit on Iran's Eastern and Western borders. Both of our countries have a vested interest in seeing them cleaned up. 

UPDATED: Fred Kagan and Wm. Kristol disagree with me, I'm feeling much better about the idea that we should work with Iran. What's President Obama got to lose? The RightWing Media Congressional Complex is going complain about whatever he does anyway. He doesn't have to run for re-election. Israel can have a non-obstructionist role if they like. Time to earn that Nobel, Barack!   

Because I Like Johnny Cash

Does there need to be another reason? OK. Don't take them to Chipotle's or Cheesecake Factory or Applebee's or your other dining establishment of choice. Don't take them into schools, churches, synagogues, mosques, etc. Add Walmart to that list cuz you could end up like Billy Joe.

Fox Has Done Its Job

Their work is complete. The nation now has become majority wingnut.

Just over a week after U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was freed by the Taliban, a CBS News Poll shows 45 percent of Americans disapprove of the deal that saw him released in exchange for five Taliban militants, while 37 percent approve of it. 

The good news, if you can call it that:

(J)ust over half of Democrats approve.

Great.



My dream is that Obama went on TV and said, American People, I've decided, since this Bergdahl guy is a deserter and all, to leave his ass in Afghanistan. Let the Taliban punish him. That is what the Right in this country want now. Right? So, do you suppose Right Wing Media would be praising him up and down for that decision? Noooo. But, meanwhile he has already obtained Bergdahl's release. He waits for the outrage over that and walks out with his arm around Bergdahl and says, "pwned." Yes, it is nice in my dream-world.

Bergdahl had some shitty luck there. Besides being a POW for 5 years, I mean. If he'd been released with Bush as prez, he'd be getting ticker-tape parades, at least in his hometown, right now. As it is, I guess they've canceled any celebrations there because of right-wing nuts.

There are people in this country who live to be outraged. That's what the guy and woman in the Las Vegas shooting were. The most recent one that is. I hope. I gotta go back to my dreamworld now because I'm channeling Jim now.

Thank you Tbogg for this link and hallowed be your name.

On Thursday, a man at the store in Brighton, Mich., reached for his wallet and accidentally grabbed his gun, according to the Daily Press and Argus. The .40-caliber Glock went off, and the 32-year-old ended up shooting himself in the rear end. 

And there are two more cases at the link because who hasn't shot himself in the ass a time or two?

New York Dodged a Bullet

What a nasty person my home state could have had for a senator. If you can't get through all of it don't feel bad. I made it about two thirds and ripped the ear buds out. Christ! There's someone more shrill than Malkin.

In all fairness, we did dodge that bullet with the same space separating the average neocon chickenhawk from actual combat danger.

(A) Quinnipiac University poll found Pirro would lose to Clinton 62 percent to 30 percent.

You Said It All, Phil

I read this quote before I saw who introduced him.

“I guess the GOP may be more desperate than I thought to call somebody like me," he said.

He looks top shelf compared to the master of ceremonies.

Robertson, who was introduced by Sarah Palin, closed the speech with a minutes-long prayer, said "Amen, I'm done," and walked off. 

Are there any Republicans who aren't pretending to be something they're not? I still refuse to believe Trump is a billionaire until I see a financial statement. 

"Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson on Thursday urged his fellow Republicans to bring their party back to God as it seeks its way forward.  

I'm confused since I thought many of the followers of that religion were convinced that God or Jesus or the Holy Ghost was on his way back soon. I know they are all the same somehow, but I'm never going to understand that. I don't believe he gave many specifics on how the GOP should move back toward God other than the command to "get Godly."