Batman or Bush?
Monday, July 28th, 2008A series of quotes – Batman or Bush?
Quite amusing.
Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
The News-Press: Legislature
Thursday, March 15th, 2007Quote: Several students who came to Tallahassee this week on behalf of the “Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up For All Students Act,” were told by one lawmaker that they needed psychological treatment because they’re gay.
What the hell? I mean really – what the hell?
I don’t understand people like that.
Well… that’s not quite true. I grew up, brainwashed into Christianity. And there are a lot of Christians out there who aren’t idiots like that—but there surely are a lot of them that are.
I hate stupidity. And that’s just stupid.
ABC News: Gingrich Tells Christian Group of Affair
Friday, March 9th, 2007ABC News: Gingrich Tells Christian Group of Affair
Quote: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.
“The honest answer is yes,” Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate,
So all you Republican holier-than-thou morons, you can STFU.
Oh, and I’m not a Democrat. I hate both parties with a strong passion. I am a liberal, although self-proclaimed conservatives may well get the wrong idea about me. But hey, I’ll give you credit for not being a moron if you’ll give me that same credit…
Disclaimer: I’m not “attacking” all Republicans, just those who think that Republicans are better than anyone else. Again: Both parties suck.
The Blog | Andrei Cherny: A New American Democracy | The Huffington Post
Wednesday, January 11th, 2006The Blog | Andrei Cherny: A New American Democracy | The Huffington Post
Quote: But now we all know that America is changing yet again. We’re moving from cities to suburbs and exurbs, from a national economy to a global economy, from the top-down hierarchies of the industrial age to the bottom-up workplaces of the information age, from assembly lines to iPods.
Not everyone is part of that shift, but with each passing day more and more are. And again, American democracy is at risk.
We once again have a corrupt bargain between powerful interests and pliant politicians. Energy policy is set not by citizens or their elected representatives, but behind closed doors by lobbyists and industry. Congress prohibits Medicare from negotiating for lower drug prices. The number of registered lobbyists in Washington has doubled since 2000 and the amount these lobbyists charge their clients has increased 100 percent – and those clients are getting every cent of their money’s worth. You don’t have to look much further than this week’s headlines to see that the voice of everyday people in our government is getting drowned out by the desires of a few.
Social equality is disappearing once again, in ways unseen since the last time our economy changed, back in the Gilded Age. Thirty years ago the top 100 CEOs made 39 times the wage of the average worker. Now it is more than 1,000 times higher. And the top 1% holds a third of the country’s net worth. The days of “the President is Mister and I am Mister, too” are disappearing. And yet, Congress is clamoring to eliminate the estate tax with what might as well be called “the American Aristocrats Protection Act of 2006.” Right now the fight is whether or not to cut off the estate tax at seven million dollars or higher.
Opportunity – the idea that in a democracy each person should have an equal chance at success – is also at risk. A 1978 study showed that 23% of the adult men born in the bottom fifth made it to the top fifth. When they did the study over again a few years ago, that number had dropped to 10%.
Class lines are becoming hardened and the avenues of democracy are being closed off. At the country’s top 146 colleges, 75% of the students come from the top 1/4th and only 3% from the bottom 1/4th. You are 25 times as likely to sit next to a rich student as you are a poor one. The days of Bob Crachit and Ebenezer Scrooge sitting down together are vanishing before our eyes.
And where the richest in our country can choose their children’s schools and their family doctor and how to save for their retirement, most middle class and poor Americans have little to no say on most aspects of their lives, little ability to make decisions for themselves.
Those of us who believe in American democracy now have a choice to make – and it is just like the choice a hundred years ago. We can try to hold back change: say no to globalization or no to technology replacing manufacturing jobs and bank tellers being replaced by ATMs.
A good read. It doesn’t address detailed solutions, but please check it out.
I think things in this country are coming to a head. Something is going to have to change.
Politicians are out of touch, and extremists from all sides are polarizing the country—which is stupid. The vast majority of Americans can work out our differences. I’m sure we could come up with some compromises on all these issues that are being blown out of proportion…
We need to reboot democracy in this country—excellent way to put it. That’s now my new motto. It expresses exactly what I feel.
So-called democracy here is dead—but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
t r u t h o u t - Michael Schwartz | The Top Ten Reasons for Staying in (Leaving) Iraq
Tuesday, December 6th, 2005t r u t h o u t – Michael Schwartz | The Top Ten Reasons for Staying in (Leaving) Iraq
Quote: When the war comes up in the media or in casual conversation, these are the issues that are raised by those who think we have to “stay the course” – and among those who oppose the war, these are the lurking, unspoken questions that haunt our discussions. So here are my best brief answers to these key issues in the crucial, ongoing debate over Iraq.
Excellent read.
The Blog | Aaron Freeman: Violence & Attacks | The Huffington Post
Sunday, December 4th, 2005The Blog | Aaron Freeman: Violence & Attacks | The Huffington Post
Quote: I expect insurgent violence in Iraq to increase during the run-up to my mother’s birthday in January. I’m certain of this because resistance attacks also increased right before my daughter’s second-quarter report cards this month. I had anticipated that violent uptick since attacks also increased in the period leading up to my renting a Charlie Chaplin video in the second week of October.
Very droll. (I’d quote the whole thing, but Fair Use and all…)
Urban Legends Reference Pages: Photo Gallery (Book Drop)
Sunday, December 4th, 2005Urban Legends Reference Pages: Photo Gallery (Book Drop)
Quote: Claim: Photographs show anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan sitting in an empty tent at a book signing.
Status: True.
However, the implication is false—even though there was bad weather, she sold all 100 copies she had…
Phony Theory, False Conflict
Friday, November 18th, 2005Quote: Which brings us to Dover, Pa., Pat Robertson, the Kansas State Board of Education, and a fight over evolution that is so anachronistic and retrograde as to be a national embarrassment.
Rather eloquently spoken, I’d say.
I have long argued that if the Big Bang theory hold true—the concept of creating some complex bit of matter into being and have it spring into the entire universe is MUCH more dramatic, “awesome” (original sense), amazing, and wonderful than the concept of G-d picking up some dirt and shaping it…
I’d tag this “obvious”, but… I want to pretend I have an open mind… 
(But seriously, I have a hard time respecting Intelligent Design, because I see it as a much lesser concept of G-d than if he caused the Big Bang or something similar… Why limit G-d?)
The Blog | Carl Pope: What’s Really Going On Here, Anyway? | The Huffington Post
Sunday, November 13th, 2005The Blog | Carl Pope: What’s Really Going On Here, Anyway? | The Huffington Post
Quote: That episode makes me wonder, since the Democrats are so bad at being in the opposition, and since the Republicans are showing signs that they really can’t stand the compromises that come with governing, whether perhaps the American people wouldn’t be happier if each party were returned to the role that it’s comfortable with and understands—Democrats govern and compromise, Republicans oppose and obstruct, and the public’s business gets done, even if imperfectly. Right now, the voters don’t really trust anyone to govern—perhaps because both parties are playing roles they aren’t very good at.
That gets my vote…
The Blog | Bob Cesca: GOP Memo Wishes for Another Terror Attack | The Huffington Post
Sunday, November 13th, 2005The Blog | Bob Cesca: GOP Memo Wishes for Another Terror Attack | The Huffington Post
Quote: I have this crazy theory that warnings of the 9/11 attacks were ignored because elements of the administration and the PNAC neocons, who had previously mused about a “Pearl Harbor event”, needed to secure popular support for war in the Middle East. The “Greater Good” theory.
This, btw, was what pointed me to my previous blog entry…
I’ve wondered the same thing—could Bush or his subordinates have allowed it to happen?
The scary thing, with the track record he’s had… I’m beginning to suspect it’s possible.
Capitol Hill Blue: GOP memo touts new terror attack as way to reverse party’s decline
Sunday, November 13th, 2005Capitol Hill Blue: GOP memo touts new terror attack as way to reverse party’s decline
Quote: GOP insiders who have seen the memo admit it’s a risky strategy[...]
Really?
Ya freakin’ think?
Okay, I grant you, the Democratic party, for the most part nationally, has sat on their thumbs while they could have done SO many things to provide good, solid leadership that our nation is dying for (literally, if you count our innocent soldiers being slain in Iraq).....
I’m not so much Democrat as I am Anti-Republican…
And things like this scare me. These are the people in power—who have the power to allow another 9/11 to happen.
Think Progress » O’Reilly Responds: “What I Said Isn’t Controversial. What I Said Needed to Be Said.â€
Sunday, November 13th, 2005Quote: They feel that we’re the problem, we’re the evildoers, that al Qaeda is created because of us. That’s the hallmark of the radical left. It’s always America’s fault.
I was almost agreeing with him until the last bit…
No, Bill, it’s not America’s fault, it’s radicals like you.
I don’t like the radical left, but when I see idiots like you, I keep getting pushed farther and farther that way. It’s easy to forget that most people in this country are mostly reasonable. But people like you keep pushing people towards the fringes—towards radicalism, which only serves to reinforce the push towards radicalism…
Bush is seeing a lot of political fallout for the crap he’s pulled while in office. Do I see a nation going against conservative values? Not so much, when his much-spouted “mandate” was barely more than half the population—you can’t just look and say “barely more than half voted for me!”—to declared a ‘mandate’ should require taking away one person who voted for you for each person who voted against. Then you can truly see how divided this nation is.
But it’s not “red states” and “blue states”—if you look at how people voted on a county level, assigning shades of red/purple/blue to match the percentage that voted for each candidate, you’d see bluish metro areas and reddish rural areas—and a lot of purple a lot of places.
But these idiots don’t feel they’re being served by looking at it reasonably- they like extremists. Extremists on their own side, of course; but extremists on the opposite side because that pushes more people to extremism on their own side.
Carter Rails Against Bush During Book Tour - Yahoo! News
Sunday, November 13th, 2005Carter Rails Against Bush During Book Tour – Yahoo! News
Quote: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Former President Jimmy Carter questioned the direction of the country and sharply criticized the Bush administration in a book tour stop here.
Word.
After admitting cocaine usage, popularity jumps up 11 points - Houston Voice Online
Friday, November 11th, 2005Quote: The fact that Boisclair is gay has not been an issue in the campaign. Canadians have elected an openly gay men to Parliament and mayor of Winnipeg.
My friends, we are years behind Canada. I respect our friends to the north, and this is one reason why.
Meanwhile, using drugs in office is stupid—but this gentleman knows that. Assuming he’s not making those mistakes any longer, I wish him the best.
Top News Article | Reuters.com
Friday, November 11th, 2005Top News Article | Reuters.com
Quote: “That’s something you that have to do when you are in the movie business, you have to listen carefully to the people. If one of the movies goes into the toilet, you know that was the wrong story, that’s not the kind of movie you want to do, you know, so then you change, you learn from that.”
Democratic leaders appeared upbeat and satisfied after meeting Schwarzenegger.
Well, I certainly hope it works out. We need more situations like this to work out in this nation…
BBC NEWS | Africa | ‘Iron lady’ set for Liberia win
Thursday, November 10th, 2005BBC NEWS | Africa | ‘Iron lady’ set for Liberia win
Quote: Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf is set to be Africa’s first elected female leader.
Sweet.
And it’s a shame (hint, hint) when we haven’t had one yet (hint, hint)—so all you qualified ladies, come on, let’s go—surely we can find SOME sort of decent candidate.
Well, okay, hell, I’d take a decent candidate no matter what the gender; but we are long overdue for women and minority presidents.
Kansas education board downplays evolution - Science - MSNBC.com
Thursday, November 10th, 2005Kansas education board downplays evolution – Science – MSNBC.com
Quote: “This is a sad day. We’re becoming a laughingstock of not only the nation, but of the world, and I hate that,†said board member Janet Waugh, a Kansas City Democrat.
I feel your pain.
CBS News | Schwarzenegger Has Trouble Voting | November 8, 2005 22:30:07
Wednesday, November 9th, 2005CBS News | Schwarzenegger Has Trouble Voting | November 8, 2005 22:30:07
Quote: The problem originated last month when officials at early voting sites across the county were asked to enter sample names into voting computers to make sure they were connected to the main election office in Norwalk. Officials say someone entered Schwarzenegger’s name and did not cancel the transaction, making it appear initially that he had voted.
Thus implying that unless they took specific action to cancel the individual test votes, it’s likely that there are some false votes in the machine… Yet more example of mangling by electronic voting devices, which is about the LAST thing needed…
It’s got to be the way of the future—but so many of the current vendors are providing products with so many bugs, shoddy design, and flat-out problems, it’s going to set us back by years...
These idiots are making things much worse...
Newark Paying Newspaper to Print Only Good News About City
Tuesday, October 25th, 2005Newark Paying Newspaper to Print Only Good News About City
Quote: The Newark City Council has awarded the Newark Weekly News a $100,000 no-bid contract to publish positive news about the city.
jawdrop
This has GOT to break some laws somewhere… Like.. a BUNCH of laws…
Surely…
Protecting the Presidential Seal. No Joke. - New York Times
Tuesday, October 25th, 2005Protecting the Presidential Seal. No Joke. – New York Times
Quote: Citing the United States Code, Mr. Dixton wrote that the seal “is not to be used in connection with commercial ventures or products in any way that suggests presidential support or endorsement.”
Don’t we have laws in this country covering parodies???
Of course, what amuses me is that the statement above indicates the White House thinks that Onion article was using the seal to indicate presidential approval… Really? That explains a lot about why our country is as far down in the hellhole we’re in…
The Blog | Alec Baldwin: What Happened to the Party of Lincoln? | The Huffington Post
Tuesday, October 25th, 2005The Blog | Alec Baldwin: What Happened to the Party of Lincoln? | The Huffington Post
Quote: My question for today is: Why are contemporary Republicans so full of shit?
My personal answer: Hey, who cares? They’re the only thing making the Democrats look like the better of the two parties… bah-dum-ching.
My question is: How did our two-party system get this deeply [profanity]ed?
And by “two party system” I mean “a system made up of two parties that are very different in rhetoric, but virtually alike when you get down to it – made up of moronic self-serving asshats”...
(Oh, I’m sure there are plenty of exceptional politicians out there, but they sure are rare, aren’t they?)
(Hey, three rants in a row! Do I win a prize? )
New York Daily News - Home - Daily News Exclusive: Bushies feeling the boss’ wrath
Tuesday, October 25th, 2005New York Daily News – Home – Daily News Exclusive: Bushies feeling the boss’ wrath
Quote: Facing the darkest days of his presidency, President Bush is frustrated, sometimes angry and even bitter, his associates say.
I realize that some of my distaste for this buffoon is probably the result of misinformation and misunderstanding, and that there is a hell of a lot that has to be done that makes our leaders look bad…
But this dude has singlehandedly put us into Vietman II: Hurt The Man That Made My Daddy Look Bad (not really, btw – no need to mess with Hussein on Bush I’s account – I mean, there were no WMDs, so one must assume it was a family affair), screwed our foreign policy around the world, built a coalition of the willing, consisting of ourselves, and oh, we conned the UK (Don’t forget Poland!)............................
At least Clinton’s failings were things that didn’t screw up the nation nearly so badly…
Letters Show Frist Notified Of Stocks in ‘Blind’ Trusts
Tuesday, October 25th, 2005Letters Show Frist Notified Of Stocks in ‘Blind’ Trusts
Quote: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) was given considerable information about his stake in his family’s hospital company, according to records that are at odds with his past statements that he did not know what was in his stock holdings.
Ugh…
Am I surprised by this? No. Not really.
Am I excited by the fact that he’s a Repulican? No—although I am always glad when it’s not a Democrat, there are plenty of asshats on both sides of that picture… Although I admit to taking a small joy that so MANY Republicans are in trouble at the moment… Although I don’t believe the Democrats are good enough to be conspiring to make it happen, so…... I have very mixed feelings on it all, as you can see…
Do I believe the trust was truly blind? I tend not to…
Do I believe this report that the trust wasn’t blind? Well, I am cynical about politicians, so I tend to believe it more than not, but I’m well aware that there’s always more to the story than we plebes get…
Still, all in all, the scale of my emotion tips ever so slightly towards a minor cheer that maybe another asshat will get their comeuppance… even as I sympathize with the hell he’ll be going through over this until everyone forgets…
Not that any of my reaction is unusual… I just decided to write it all out for you… Sort of an anti-rant, since it’s lack of emotion that characterizes this… 
Legal Problems Dog Bush’s Inner Circle - Yahoo! News
Saturday, October 22nd, 2005Legal Problems Dog Bush’s Inner Circle – Yahoo! News
Quote: But one White House official, noting that Bush’s senior staff is tired of the long hours and increasing pressure, has told colleagues it might be best if everyone closest to the president resign and clear the way for new blood and fresh perspectives.
I think the high and mighty Bush White House is about to come crumbling down… And I can’t say I’m not ready to see it happen, either…