July 28, 2010

Glenn Beck's Goldline scam

Infographic by The Big Picture

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July 23, 2010

Whiney McWhinerson

Looks like the information we got last week about Sleazy Staples trying to recast for the role of a lifetime, that of Whiney McWhinerson, was spot on.

The DMN did this piece about how nasty the race for Ag Commissioner has become. Staples, through his minions since he's too much of a chickenshit to talk to a reporter, apparently thinks this is all just really too mean...

"I've been dong this for almost 30 years, and I've never seen a campaign as libelous and slanderous," said Bryan Eppstein, Staples' campaign consultant.

Really, Bryan? You sure you want to go there? After all, Staples, BEFORE THE PRIMARY ELECTION (it was in February in Tyler, wasn't it Bryan?), was shoveling dirt on Hank. What Staples didn't anticipate was that Hank's a man and owns his past, mistakes and all. Including one bad check from 10 years ago. BTW, Bryan, HALF THE STATE HAS A BOUNCED CHECK AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST YEARS. Mistakes like that are THE reason banks offer overdraft protection. So, not for nothing, but are you sure you want to piss up the leg of half the electorate?

Staples has also been upset about Hank's pointing out that he spent campaign funds on a personal vehicle, which all available evidence points to. Staples says there was a campaign car and the one he bought for himself which he currently drives. So far, we only have proof of the campaign car. If there isn't documentation on a second car, why is Staples lying about it? And why spend so much time talking about how you've been personally maligned when, so far, no one has mentioned your giant freak head, effeminate manner or, in general, goofiness? The public isn't going to feel sorry for Staples, he's just not a sympathetic character.

If anything, I'm kinda disappointed Hank isn't getting personal with Staples.

Hank, instead, has yet to say anything about Staples personal life or even his past business dealings. Yet Staples is squealing about every traffic ticket Hank's received. Hank is sticking, perfectly, to limiting his criticism to Staples professionally, all of which is valid even if Sleazy Staples might be a little peeved about being taken to task for his failure. All Staples has done is run from his responsibilities as Commissioner, and throw others under the bus. Like an inspector (and TDH) in the case of the Plainview peanut disaster.

So that was early in the week... then there was ANOTHER very well researched piece on Connected Nation, Sleazy Staples effort to give the telecom industry a handjob with taxpayer money. Here's the money shot...

"It's a scandal, a total scandal," said Art Brodsky, communications director of Public Knowledge, a public interest group that follows digital culture. A longtime critic of Connected Nation, Brodsky has tracked the nonprofit since Kentucky officials accused it of overestimating broadband availability several years ago. The agency that grew into Connection Nation started there in 2001.

Brodsky said nondisclosure agreements make it difficult to see who really benefits from the mapping process.

PD has more here.

The truly ironic thing about Staples and his blistering incompetence is that he's, accidentally, stumbled upon the plan of national Republicans to make it appear that government simply can't function. The only problem, for Staples, is that government can't really function because he's too much of a mook to make it work. There are some amazing people at TDA who are competent and capable. Staples, clearly, is the one holding them back and making us less safe on a daily basis.

Think about that the next time you bite into a burger.

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July 21, 2010

Judd Gregg and the triumpth of the stupid

Yes, there's hope for stupid people... they can rise up to run for and win election to the US Senate. Just look at Judd Gregg. As proof of his stupidity, I'd like to offer his 'rhetorical' question to Fed Chair Bernanke regarding why businesses aren't hiring. He thinks it's all because of some vague uncertainty out of DC coupled with a lack of tax incentives.

Why's that stupid? BECAUSE NO BUSINESS IS GOING TO HIRE PEOPLE UNLESS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CREATE ADDITIONAL PROFIT BY SELLING MORE. No mystery... Look at it this way...

I run a company that makes plastic bears. I sell 100 of them per year at $1 per piece. I have four employees who cost me (remember, these aren't real numbers, this is a simplified example to illustrate the point) $10 per year, each. My other overhead is about $40 which gives me a gross profit of $20 per year. My company, because of the ridiculous US corporate tax laws, pays only 25% on that which means I pay $5 per year in taxes making my net profit $15 (nevermind that most corporations pay way less than that, on a percentage basis, in taxes than individuals). I'm happy even though the economy is in the toilet.

Now, along comes Judd Gregg who says if I hire one more worker, he'll cut my taxes by 50%. Woo Hoo, right? If you think so, let me know where you are so I can beat you in the head, moron. Here's the math...

My cost went up by $10 per year (a new employee) which knocked by gross profit down to $10 because the economy still sucks and I can't sell an additional plastic bear because there's only demand for 100. I'm now taxed at only 12.5% (yay, me!) so I only pay $1.25 in taxes. However, my net profit is only $8.75, damn near half of what it was previously before Judd Gregg cut me that amazing deal.

Get it now? No one is going to hire people because of a damn tax credit. The only way they'll hire is if there is demand for their products. And the Government is all that's left to stimulate demand in this economic environment. We need it to build roads, jails, schools, courthouses, etc. We need infrastructure improvements. That'll create enough jobs to stimulate aggregate demand.

If only the Republicans would get the ideology out of their brains and start acknowledging economic reality.

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July 20, 2010

Now that's pretty offensive!

A group of prominent Hispanic Republicans (yes, Virginia, they do exist!) is starting a PAC not to try to change the GOP's stance on hatin' tha messikins (and blaming them for every one of society's ills, even though we all know all bad stuff in the world was caused by the homos. And all those drunken micks in Boston), but instead just to fund more Hispanic candidates who'll lose in their party's primary. Like this guy.

Of course, it's not at all offensive to start a PAC. What IS offensive is that George P. Bush (think Jeb, not W) is taking a leadership role and it's this piece that will doom it completely. History is done with the Bush family and so is the United States. From questionable Prescott to W, we don't need any more Bush's in public service. Yes, that includes fat Jebbie, the 'smart one'.

Sorry, George P., but you'd be better off using your mother's maiden name. And running as a Democrat.

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July 13, 2010

Oh, quit whining, Sleazy Staples

Given the number of quite legitimate complaints and negative observations Hank Gilbert has made on Sleazy Staples' performance as Agriculture Commissioner, it was only a matter of time before Sleazy Staples would start whining about them and calling them 'negative and personal'. Apparently, time was up today. Word on the street is that Sleazy Staples is now trying to turn any negative comment on his terrible job performance as a personal attack. What's really funny about this is that Hank has yet to personally attack Sleazy Staples.

Sleazy Staples, on the other hand, started making personal attacks on Hank Gilbert during the primary, before Hank was even the nominee. All Hank has done is point out that Sleazy Staples' record ain't something to be proud of. In fact, the only thing about Sleazy Staples that Hank's mentioned is that he converted campaign contributions to personal use.

Let's be real here for a second... Sleazy Staples leadership at TDA has been a disaster. We've had food safety disasters, overwhelmed inspectors and a plethora of other problems. And it's going to be an issue in this race and no amount of whining is going to stop that.

What would be nice is for Sleazy Staples to follow Hank's example and actually release his tax returns. Sleazy Staples has been hiding them for some reason and we know it's not because Hank is still making payments to the IRS resulting from his fight more than a decade ago. At the end of the day, the IRS is fine with it so why exactly should Sleazy Staples think he can use Hank as an excuse to hide his true income from Texans? Don't Texans have a right to know how are elected officials are really making their money.

Or is there something in there so sleazy that it finally embarrass one of the sleaziest politicians in Texas history?

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July 08, 2010

Sleazy Staples gets busted!

Hank Gilbert's campaign recently launched SleazySleazyStaples.com, a website dedicated to show the world the truth about Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, with one hell of a bang...

Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples bought a suburban with campaign funds, registered it in his own name, and is still driving it around—with State Official license plates.

Go read the whole thing and remember that it's a very illegal to convert campaign funds or assets to personal use without paying for it. Keep in mind, as well, if he never paid for it, then it's essentially a gift from the campaign to himself. If unreported, that's tax fraud. Needless to say, it's a mess for the guy who, like Kinky, has tried to make such a big deal out of Hank's tax issue from 10 years ago.

Then there was a memo out from the Gilbert campaign in response to a piece in the DMN in which Staples CM Cody McGregor said...

Gilbert's latest press release is 100 percent wrong," he said. "These were two separate vehicles. This is an example of libel and slander, and another example of him trying to cover up his criminal conviction for theft, current tax liens and allegations from Kinky that he took a $150,000 bribe."

Much like the Staples campaign's libelous repetition of Kinky's bribe claims, Hank's claims about the suburban are IN writing, making them at best libel not slander. Of course, to prosecute a libel claim, Staples would have to prove that he paid the campaign for the suburban, and it's clear he didn't. But that's really neither here nor there because the campaign itself goes right off the rails just trying to explain things... Keep in mind, Staples doesn't deny that there WAS a campaign vehicle. Staples further, through McGregor, states that there were two separate vehicles purchase, presumably, in 2005.

Here's where it gets tricky... back to the DMN...

Staples still drives the SUV he purchased five years ago, which has state office holder plates. These plates are also on his pick-up and a four door sedan registered to his wife. The campaign reimburses Staples for his campaign-related travel with these vehicles. A campaign vehicle no longer exists.

And there it is... there was a campaign vehicle and there was a personal vehicle, while proof of only one actually exists. Now there is only a personal vehicle and no campaign vehicle, but proof of only the campaign vehicle exists. And Staples has it tagged with an SO plate. See how that works? Like magic, the campaign vehicle ceased to exist! Which led the Gilbert campaign to issue a tongue in cheek memo to the press which offered some suggestions for questions to the Staples campaign...

1. Was the Suburban raptured?
2. If no one is looking at the Suburban, does it exist?
3. If the door on the Suburban is opened in Arizona does that cause a typhoon in the Pacific?
4. Could the quantum nature of Todd Staples' Suburban be the key to the Grand Unified Theory?
5. Has Texas A&M University expressed an interest in studying the Suburban-if, in fact, it is presently occupying the same dimension as College Station at this moment in time?
6. Was Todd's Suburban a mysterious byproduct of the now-defunct Superconducting Super Collider-sent from an alternate dimension in which the collider was completed?
7. If Todd Staples sells the rights to the story of his esoteric Suburban to MGM Studios, does Todd or the campaign get the royalties?
8. Could Todd Staples' Suburban be the long-sought proof of the existence of the Higgs Boson?

Y'all please keep in mind that that the TEC fines on this could be run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention the fines and penalties from the IRS.

Gilbert's campaign also offered the following statement in response to a press release sent out Friday afternoon by Staples which was, literally, chockablock with ad hominem attacks which were discredited during the primary. More on that in the supersize

On Friday, the Todd Staples campaign released a series of personal attacks against Hank Gilbert that were almost a point by point rehash of attacks made by Kink Friedman during the primary.

Our campaign offers the following statements attributable to Campaign Director Vince Leibowitz:

"Hank has never made any attempt to hide the single bounced check from more than 10 years ago or the settlement with the IRS, both of which were interrelated (see this Austin American-Statesman piece). Unlike Todd Staples, who expends a great deal of private and public resources to hide his sleazy behavior, Hank has been honest and upfront about everything and it's all been public record for more than 10 years. It's obvious that Staples, given that he didn't make a big deal of any of this in 2006, has discovered some disquieting polling that clearly shows the race far closer than any of the published polls."

"We'd like to invite members of the press to visit SleazySleazyStaples.com for information on one of the dirtiest politicians in Texas history. Even now, Hank's campaign staff is working diligently to bring the public the truth about Staples self serving public service. And, of course, some of his sleazier business dealings from the 90s since, apparently, things that are 10 years old are new again."

Additionally, the following statement may be attributable to Peyton Gilbert, 17, eldest son of Hank Gilbert, Democratic Party Nominee for Agriculture Commissioner:

"Over the past two years, I've learned from and listened to teachers and students in my classes who say that politics is all about party, not issues. This is why elected officials can't get anything done, on both sides. Mr. Staples' attacks on my dad's character, and my parent's businesses are just another example of an elected official that would rather try to demean his opponent than engage in a debate about the issues.

My dad has put his personal life and career out there for everyone to see, yet Mr. Staples refuses to be as transparent with his or that of the TDA. This is why most voters, and most Texans, can't stand career politicians. My dad's environmental remediation and carpet cleaning business, in addition to our cattle operation, is no different from the millions of other small businesses operated by hardworking Texans all across this state. Many people don't know this, but my dad's business was one of many that worked in Lake Charles, Louisiana following Hurricane Rita, and that he also worked hauling feed and fencing supplies to ranchers in Mississippi immediately after Hurricane Katrina. My parents taught me that every vocation involves public service, from the lowest to the highest-including politician-are noble."

Honestly, I've never seen a campaign disintegrate so rapidly. It's clear that despite the quality of the people working on Staples campaign (Eppstein and McGregor are both pros), there's little that can be done with a man (and barely that) who is functionally a stuffed shirt. Note that Staples says nothing, day after day, about Hank's ides on reshaping the TDA. He also ignores ANY attack on the terrible job he's doing at TDA by pointing back at Hank.

Voters are tired of the lies and personal attacks, especially when food safety is at stake. People are making the move to Hank.

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July 06, 2010

Is Niall Ferguson the idiot of the universe?

Eighteen months ago, many were begging for a larger stimulus package. I know because I was one of them. I came to that conclusion not because I'm the single most brilliant mind in the universe but because I make a habit out of doing the kind of a research that would make a PhD candidate collapse and I listen, intently, to people far smarter than myself (and there are tons of them). I also listen to the opposition, at least until I realize that what they say doesn't jive with reality.

That was the case with the stimulus spending in the winter of 2009. I thought it was WAY too small and didn't fully recognize the magnitude of the collapse in the economy. Further, I thought that package was far too heavy on tax cuts which have a marginal impact in times of economic stress (like a recession or depression). My idea was to spend an assload of money on transportation infrastructure because it provides millions of quick jobs and leaves us with an asset we desperately need for the next leg of economic growth.

Certain people, like Kevin Hassett and Niall Ferguson took the opposite view. Niall even went so far as to deride the ideas of his intellectual superiors like Paul Krugman and Brad Delong, both of whom advocated for larger stimulus packages in 2009, something he's still doing today. DeLong wrote this piece today which should be required reading for everyone in the US since it's time to get everyone on the same page...

The reassuring thought was that the ARRA was just one -- and not necessarily the biggest -- of stimulative measures available beyond the standard Federal Reserve framework of using open market operations to reduce short-term Treasury rates. In fact, a Rooseveltian amplitude of acronyms -- TARP, PPIP, MMIFL, TALF, CPLF, TAC, HAMP – are at policy makers’ disposal.

But Congress is balking. Republican legislators from states with double-digit unemployment have put party above country. Blue Dog Democrats, who think that they can marginally improve their chance of gaining more terms in office if they publicly worry about the deficit to the exclusion of all else, have put self above country and party. And, significantly, the Obama Administration has never offered a grand bargain for tax increases and entitlement caps in the future in return for more spending now to restore full employment.

Professor DeLong is absolutely right about the Republicans and blue dogs playing politics with the economic well being of this country. All you need to do is look at one thing to realize these people are either criminally stupid, on a political bender, insane or some combo of all three : HOOVER DID EVERYTHING YOU SUGGEST AND IT MADE THE DEPRESSION WORSE. Until old Niall and Kevin can explain to me why they are advocating the same positions taken on by the worst President in the history of this country, I really wish they'd just shut up. If not, I wish anyone near them would actively heckle them.

Krugman says we're heading for a third depression... Personally, I think he's right. He also thinks that business investment isn't being held up because of the government, it's being held up because of the lack of demand. Krugman, just FYI, is right and it's super, super simple... BUSINESSES DON'T HIRE UNLESS THERE IS A DEMAND FOR THE GOOD AND/OR SERVICE IT PRODUCES. Taxes are irrelevant. Deficits are irrelevant. A black man in the White House is irrelevant. A bunch of white boomers marching in the street are irrelevant.

Here again, it's all about demand and that's something a historian like Ferguson is never going to understand.

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June 17, 2010

Smoky Joe Barton attempts to go down on Tony Hayward

During a hearing Thursday regarding BP's disaster in the Gulf, Representative Joe Barton (R - TXI) said that 'he was embarrassed that a private company was subjected to a shakedown' in reference to the deal cut on Wednesday between BP and the Obama Administration which will see the company put $20 billion into a fund to be managed by a third party to alleviate the costs associated with the disaster. The move was meant to assure those effected by the spill that BP would make good on it's promise to pay for their disaster.

This is really quite funny because even in the Greatest Group of Whores Ever Assembled (also known as the House Republican Caucus), Barton is a standout. He's long been on his knees for Texas Industries and willing to do anything for anyone who needs to dump their waste into the air, water or soil on which his constituents depend. Just ask anyone in management at XTO.

Yeah, Joe Barton is sleazy and borderline corrupt. The most shocking thing about Barton is that he makes Tom Daschle look like a decent public servant in comparison. It might help to think me less mean in my criticism if you knew that Barton's largest corporate donor base was Anadarko Petroleum which was a 25% partner in Deepwater Horizon, the rig drilling the gusher now flowing as much as 120k barrels of oil a day into the Gulf. Since 1989, more than $146,000 has come from Anadarko personnel and PACs.

Just so we're crystal, let's all take a moment and realize that BP went out of it's way to cut corners on this well. The decision to only partially line the well with concrete is just one of many that led not only to the disaster but to it's severity. Add in that BP has consistently lied about the size of the field (it's MASSIVE) and about the flow rate (it's ALWAYS been higher... Matt Simmons and other we're putting it in the 100k bbl/day range more than a month ago) and then combine all that with BP's abysmal safety record and you have a pretty clear indication of just how much BP cares about doing business the right way.

That $20 bn was letting them off cheap, despite the President's bullshit about an operational BP being better than a dead BP. Frankly, I think the government should nationalize all of BP's assets in the US and in accessible areas of the world and liquidate over time. This was absolutely willful negligence and Rep. Barton would like us to pay for it.

Fuck you, Joe. Right to hell.

PDiddy has more including a link to Barton's opponent.

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June 15, 2010

39% and his minions...

There is nothing more desperate than 39%'s campaign this year. Even the actions of Todd Staples, who is busily hiding everything he's been doing (or not doing), pale in comparison to the actions of Team 39% who have been breathlessly pimping a non-story for days. The latest comedy has been the attack on Bill White regarding an investment in a company that helped out during Hurricane Rita by supplying generators as a backup power source to a treatment plant that processed water for more than 600,000 people. 39%'s flacks breathlessly got on the phones and pimped the story like Heidi Fleiss trying to fill out a Saturday night.

The only problem with the story is that White made the investment AFTER the decision had been made to use the company. The media, to their credit, picked up on that rather quickly and realized that Team 39%'s efforts were the equivalent of shouting fire because they see an ashtray. That did not, however, stop them from properly pointing out just how disastrous the response was from a clearly unprepared White campaign.

White's folks haven't been real vocal, in contrast, regarding the actually smelly deals 39% made using Enterprise funds with campaign contributors, not to mention the pressure he's exerted directly and indirectly on certain processes at the state level to the benefit (again) of campaign contributors. They did have a nice little hit on 39%'s refusal to take the unemployment stimulus funds, supposedly because it would lead to higher taxes on business. Turns out, that was a lie, taxes went up and we were without the money the Feds would have returned to us (since it IS our tax dollars, after all). 39%, as it turns out, shoulda taken a page from Todd Staples re-election book and spread around some federal money or at least used to it do something other than balance the massive hole in the budget 39%'s incompetence put there. And pay for his nice rental mansion.

Then today, Team 39% came right off the rails when his staff thought it would be a good idea to have a press conf so they can, yet again, beat the dead horse regarding Bill White's investing prowess (which, as a side note, it's pretty clear that White's a hell of a lot better at managing money than 39%). The only problem is the morons had their little shindig at the Travis County Democratic Party's Coordinated Campaign where Bill White's campaign has space. Surely there would be no Democrats there.

While Jesus may love 39%, everyone else thinks he's an asshole, including Democrats in Travis County and they showed that today. Enjoy.

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June 13, 2010

Is That A Dildo On Your Head Or Are You Just Happy To See Rick Perry?

Chances are pretty good that you've already seen this Texas Tribune image from the Texas GOP Confab, but we at Rancho McBlogger know our readers always appreciate a good dick joke...

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June 09, 2010

Palin endorses Fiorina

Quitter Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Carly Fiorina in the CA Senate race. Here's my favorite part...

Carly is the Commonsense Conservative that California needs and our country could sure use in these trying times. Most importantly, she’s running for the right reasons. She has an understanding that is sorely lacking in D.C. She’s not a career politician. She’s a businesswoman who has run a major corporation. She knows how to really incentivize job creation. Her fiscal conservatism is rooted in real life experience. She knows that when government grows, the private sector shrinks under the burden of debt and deficits. We can trust Carly to do the right thing for America’s economy and to make the principled decisions she has throughout her professional career.

Oh, sure... she's BRILLIANT at business. At her last real big job, as CEO of Hewlett Packard, she was best known for almost collapsing the company and, of course, making HWP shareholders poorer. Given that, is it any surprise that a failed Governor would endorse a failed CEO?

Fiorina is the penultimate symbol of what's wrong with American Capitalism... the celebrity CEO and the mostly worthless managerial class which has, since the 80's, been focused almost exclusively on making themselves rich at the expense of shareholders. Fiorina and her ilk are parasites on an economy they have been sucking dry for almost 40 years.

Help out Senator Boxer. She needs to crush Fiorina so, hopefully, she'll finally go away. Or write another book filled with her dumb ideas that lead, inevitably, to disaster.

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June 03, 2010

Something just stinks...

With a monomaniacal drive to draw attention to himself that would make even Eve Harrington blush, Todd Staples is all about Todd Staples. Recently, he's been out pimping a program at TDA (paid for by the Federal Government... I guess Todd's federalism alarm only goes off when it's a program he can't use to glorify himself) to feed underprivileged kids over the summer.

Of course, no one has a problem feeding needy kids during the summer. In fact, it's something that absolutely should be done and a program that Hank Gilbert heavily supports. What he's not in favor of is Todd's use of the program to promote himself. Ladies and gentleman, I give you The Texas Watchdog which landed on this story back in February...

"He is taking advantage of federal tax dollars that would be better spent feeding kids in the summertime," Hank Gilbert, (pictured at left) one of the Democrats running in the March primary and a staunch supporter of the federal school nutrition program in Texas. "We certainly will be talking about this as a campaign issue. I wish we could get legislation passed to prevent agency heads from doing this altogether during the election cycle."

No, no... you didn't misread. Todd Staples, in one of his more craven self-promotion schemes, is actually using federal money intended to feed needy kids to promote the program with television ads featuring (you had to see this coming) Todd Staples. Sure the program needs to be promoted, but did they really need to take money from it to shoot commercials featuring Staples? As it turns out, no...

Rodriguez said he had almost never seen a high-ranking agency head to do the ads himself. State Comptroller Susan Combs, who preceded Staples as agriculture commissioner, said she never served as a spokesperson for one of her programs, nor could she remember a previous commissioner doing it. The heads of the state food programs in Oklahoma and Arkansas said they have not done ads for their programs.

Andy Wilson, a researcher specializing in campaign finance issues for the liberal advocacy group Public Citizen, said the appearance of Staples himself in the ads raises ethical questions that get sharper at a time when Staples is trying to be re-elected. While the ads have no blatant political message, they offer considerable name recognition in places where voters don't even know the name of their own state representative, Wilson said.

"If we're feeding poor kids I want the state of Texas to get every federal tax dollar they can for it," Wilson said. "But Todd Staples doesn't need to be in those ads. I have real ethical issues with it."

Yeah, that's Todd Staples... taking $80,000 earmarked to feed kids so that he can shoot an ad for himself. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy election.

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Is 39% embarrassed about his failure?

Sharon over at BlueDaze has a nice post up with a timeline that neatly shows just how long (and how badly) TCEQ has failed to protect the citizens of this state. It's so bad that even Republican Congressman Burgess is spending some time pandering about the failure of the agency 39% has staffed with crazies so he can pay back campaign contributors (I'm looking at you, Harold
Simmons).

So far, 39% has been pretty silent on TCEQ's absolute failure (let's not kid ourselves, this whole agency is an unmitigated clusterfuck that should be in a textbook for anyone who studies government entitled MASSIVE REPUBLICAN FAILURES CAUSED BY A FAULTY AND FRAUDULENT IDEOLOGY) and is, instead, enjoying his taxpayer funded rental manse out in Westlake where he's probably now having drinks on the back patio and getting ready to shoot at Helen Monroe, 47, who is out for a walk on the trails behind the house. 39% thinks she is a bear.

In his defense, Helen does have the brown hair.

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May 18, 2010

Oh, fuck... ANOTHER deficit hawk on the right

At WILLisms, there's a massive amount of concern about the deficit because of some IMF report.

While I'm not entirely sure what part of Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid or DoD Will would like to cut, I am certain the mook (I mean come on, he works for 39% and was crowing about that stupid Rasmussen poll that listed Latinos as 'other'*) probably thinks that cutting jobless benefits and food assistance for the poor will solve the problem entirely.

Of course, it won't. Will also apparently doesn't get that with an estimated 16% of the working age population either unemployed or underemployed, there's a whole lotta money going out and not a lot coming in to government (it's also worth noting that government's take of the national income is actually pretty low right now, thanks to the tax cuts the Democrats passed last year). It's during times like these you absolutely need government to do just that. The amazing thing is that as the economy strengthens, the money stops going out for assistance and starts getting paid in as taxes which automatically resolves the deficit, as long as we don't decide to cut taxes even further to the left on the Laffer Curve.

Will can't be expected to understand what the IMF was really saying since, according to Krugman, not many did. So, he took some time to explain it. Now by clicking here you can be smarter than Will.

Finally, as a variation on WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU WHEN... that I always like to ask know-it-all dbags, I'd like to ask Will, DUDE, where the FUCK were you when Shrub and The Republicans turned a massive surplus into a deficit?

Hypocrisy makes me goddamn sick.

*Don't get me wrong... White, for me, embodies all the enthusiasm and excitement of a box of hair. However, he's eminently more able than 39% who, after his coyote shootout in Westlake (REALLY, MoFo?), really defines 'pussy'. I know girls who used to go jogging in the fucking Bronx without a gun and Rick Perry seriously felt threatened by a coyote? IN WESTLAKE?!?!

Pansy ass motherfucker. Another Republican who is all hat and no damn cattle.

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May 10, 2010

Knowing me, knowing the Teabaggers, ah ha

Yeah, ABBA should really be stuck in your head right now.

The NYT did a piece about what some thoughtful, intelligent people (and Amity Shlaes) thought about a poll conducted on behalf of the Times and CBS. Since you're going to learn so much about all those white, older, middle class and middle intelligence people (seriously, they want to cut the size of government but they want to keep Social Security as it is and keep their Medicare) and what they think, I thought it's only fair for me to let you know what I think...

I think the Tea Partiers are a bunch of fat, white old boomers who can't stand the fact that they never did as well as their parents and blame it all on taxes when they've actually had LOWER taxes than their parents. I think they're all a bunch of a selfish, greedy pigs who've fucked themselves by continuing to vote against what was really best for this country and themselves. I think Tea Baggers, though they'll never say it, are THRILLED that in eight years the President they loved (after that horrible Bill Clinton, the man who was President during our last period of real economic growth, who got a BLOW JOB in the WHITE HOUSE! OMG! WTF!) managed to double the federal debt while giving them a tax cut that covered their trips to the salad bar at Sizzler.

I'M really tired of fat, stupid, smelly old white people with bad fucking teeth who are on Medicare telling me that a public option is socialism. I'M really tired of people who rely on government services and want more from their government, yet bitch about their taxes. I'M tired of people who want tax cuts, but never cut spending (goddamn! don't you even think of taking their COLAs or their 'scrip money!) and vote for Republicans who lie and say you can have tax cuts and no deficits.

Yeah, that ain't fucking true, is it?

So that's what I think and feel... and I didn't even need a pollster to share it with you. I know I'm not alone so I'd like to invite all the tea baggers to shut the fuck up before we do vote to take away their goddamn Medicare because we don't feel like being burdened with the debt they're leaving behind.

The Rude Pundit also shared his feelings on the Teabaggers.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 07, 2010

It's quite a lot for those narrow, feminine shoulders

39% has had a pretty rough time lately for a variety of reasons that all revolve around a central theme... for years he's not had to monitor what he says or does in any way. Now, everyone is so sick of his act they're observing everything he does and they find most (if not all) of it, well, lacking.

Take his comment that the spill in the Gulf was an act of God and that we shouldn't rush to judgment. So far, no one is panicking about offshore drilling, especially when you consider that the safety systems have worked pretty damn well so far, not to mention that there are more than 3800 platforms in the Gulf that don't leak (well, at least not like this one). The issue is, this time safety features didn't work and just this one, minor, 5,000 bbl/day leak is causing a massive disaster. Even that wouldn't be a huge deal except for one thing... it's really closer to 200,000 bbl/day and is under tremendous pressure. This is the thing that people like 39% will never get, that offshore drilling is incredibly dangerous not only to people but to the environment. Now we have an open hole in the floor of the Gulf, spewing out raw crude at pressures that we clearly have problems controlling. It's like trying to control the flow from a firehouse with a thimble.

The issue for those of us living in the real world is that this was always bound to happen and blaming God for it is just like a lifetime hard drinker finally developing cirrhosis at 86 and blaming it on God. Given that it's happened, we need to do everything we can to refine safety plans and contingency plans. Frankly, BP's response to this has been pretty weak. We also need to look at real alternatives because, ecological disaster aside, at some point there's just not going to be any more to pump up. Further, BP needs to pay for the lack of safety...nationalization of BP's American assets should not be taken off the table. We could liquidate those assets and use the proceeds for the remediation that will be required into the foreseeable future.

But back to 39%... he also shot a coyote last week near his rental manse in Westlake. This one really gets me because, well, you usually just scare off a coyote unless you're running cattle in which case you shoot the coyote lest it cause problems for the herd. 39% has no cows, at least not at his taxpayer funded rental mansion in Westlake. So, we have to ask, WTF... and who the hell goes jogging with a damn gun? OTHER THAN people who live in the Bronx? Is 39% just the ultimate chickenshit, scared of his own shadow?

Then there was Leo Berman's decision to announce he'll be filing a bill to double to food prices in Texas. He expected 39%'s support but, instead, 39% kinda crapped all over Leo.

More bad weeks like this and Bill White's star keeps getting brighter.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:08 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

May 04, 2010

Dewhurst, you ignorant slut

Unless you've been trapped under Bill Hammond's ample ass (IT JUST NEVER GETS OLD), you're aware that the state is facing a massive budgetary shortfall in the next biennium because of incompetence on the part of the Lt. Governor, Governor and Republican leadership.

Well, it's also due to a particularly nasty recession but they can't really use that as an excuse since 39% says we're doing just swell (which even R's don't believe any more but is still funny since it means we've finally reached the point where The Big Lie can't overcome Reality). We could use federal money to close the gap, but the Republicans have been bitching about bailouts and debt publicly (and privately, with Republican members of the Texas Congressional delegation, begging for as much federal money as they can get their hands on. Go on, say it ain't so, 39%). Needless to say, our options are either

1) Massive cuts to essential services
2) Raising revenue through (gasp!) taxes

Dumb David Dewhurst finally figured that out and said as much in this piece. But then he went on to say that doing away with Health Care Reform was a big priority because it was going to cost the state a bunch of money. Which it won't since the Feds are picking up most of the tab (that whole efficiency thing).

So, why did Dewhurst lie? It can't just be to throw reporters of this scent of his incompetence since their nostrils are lousy with that stench. So what is it? Did he just not understand the problem?

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April 28, 2010

Thank you, Rep. Berman!

Just in time for the November elections, Rep. Leo Berman (R-Shitbox) has announced that he'll be filing a bill in the next session similar to the retarded piece of garbage that Arizona passed last week.

All I have to say is FUCK YEAH! You go, Leo Berman you crazy old bastard... you'll finalize the split in the Republican Party and motivate our base to get out and vote.

And a special thanks to Voltaire (for the prayer) and the AWESOME Jesus Christ (for granting it)!

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April 23, 2010

Ask Toll Road Todd to stop with the gay bashing!

Some people just can't stop kicking folks when they're down. In this case, it's Toll Road Todd Staples who has made a career out of vilifying the LGBT community in Texas. From voting for DOMA to authoring the legislation that led to Prop 2, Toll Road Todd has created oppotunity after opportunity to make LGBT Texans and their families second class citizens in their own state.

Usually, you'd describe behavior like this as bullying (a powerful politician vs a powerless group of people who just want to be equal to their fellow citizens and taxpayers), but in the case of Toll Road Todd is more than that... it's a political calculation, to demonize a group of people and blame them for all the evils in the world. There's a rather obvious historical analogy that I'll not bother to spell out.

Bullies and panderers get to function as long as no one opens their mouth and calls bullshit. Toll Road Todd has had a pretty easy time of it, one of the reasons he felt emboldened to involve himself in a divorce case to which he wasn't even a party and over which his agency, the Texas Department of Agriculture, has no jurisdiction. He saw yet another opportunity to beat up some gays and figured no one would call bullshit.

And in stepped Hank Gilbert who called him out for being incompetent and a bully.

"I can't for the life of me figure out what this has to do with agriculture," said Staples' opponent, Hank Gilbert (D-Whitehouse). "The last time I checked, marriage and divorce played absolutely no role whatsoever in the price of cotton, sorghum, or corn," he continued. "One would think Todd Staples would focus his energies on actually improving agriculture in Texas, but instead, he's focused on yet again bashing the LGBT community and their families in an effort to shore up his erosion in his right wing base. I'm sick and tired of politicians masking their terrible job performance by using our citizens as a punching bag," he noted.

And that, boys and girls, is how you punch the fuck out of your opponent for being an asshole. The Dallas Voice has more. The overwhelming majority of Texans are sick of hypocritical politicians talking about the evil gays when elected officials all over this country who have been such ardent gay bashers end up coming out of the closet.

Maybe Hank's ability to speak up will prompt some of our other statewide candidates to find their voices.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:25 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 09, 2010

It's hard out there for a pimp

Wednesday, during a press conference at the Capitol, reporters got to see Texas Association of Business President Bill Hammond as more than just a bloviating fat ass, they got to see him in his true form... Republican Pimp.

For ages, it's been obvious to everyone that Bill's a typical political hack playing the part of the President of a pro-business group in Texas. The press though, got to see it full tilt on Wednesday...

Calling HCR "the corrupt product of a corrupt process", Texas Association of Business President Bill Hammond told the assembled press that Obamacare (as he insisted on calling it) will cause financial rack and ruin for small businesses. "Employers are going to be put in a position where they will simply give up and not give this benefit to their employees," he said. Employers with more than 50 employees will have to meet new standards ("established in Washington, D.C.," he rumbled) or face a $2,000 per employee tax.

Just so we're clear, we can now add 'liar' to the list of derogatory adjectives that describe Bill Hammond. The current list includes (but is not limited to) 'Republican shill', 'hyperbolic exaggerator' and 'fat'. The process was nothing but cooperative, it's just that Bills peeps chose not to, you know, COOPERATE. So the Democrats did what Democrats always do in the face of Republican failure and intransigence, they fixed the problem. As for that crap about employers dropping health insurance, I think that's about as stupid as Cynthia Dunbar's crazy from the 08 cycle. It ain't gonna happen and Bill knows it.

Fortunately, Bill wasn't the only shitbox at the presser, some idiot from the US Chamber of Commerce was also there representing the energy and health insurance industries. Funny how the CoC now has about as much cred as the AEI and the CEI.

The issue, he suggested, is people waiting to get sick before they buy insurance. He went on, "What I'm getting at is, in a market place, creating a situation where you may be creating disincentives to purchase insurance and can get care either way."

Hammond chimed in on the same meme, and added, "What you're doing is allowing someone to pay a small amount of money and in return receive tens of thousands of dollars in benefits that will being paid for by other policy holders."

So, having shown a poor grasp of both what pre-existing conditions really mean and the basic shared risk principles behind insurance, the event became a Q&A. Unfortunately for them, the questioning took a tougher turn, with the three spokespeople being pushed hard on questions of the mitigating effect of tax credits and basic issues of whether they had really consulted their membership.

Goddamn, if ever there was a stupid Bill Hammond Quote and if ever there were a time to nail it, this was it. Thank you, Richard Whittaker. The press, strangely, seems to be catching on and calling bullshit more often with these touts. Another example...

Hasn't Texas, the state with the weakest legal restraints on businesses and the smallest, ended up with amongst the nation's highest insurance premiums, lowest rates of coverage and worst stats for under-insurance? As Layelin Copelin from the Statesman (welcome back to the press corps, sir) so adroitly put it, "For ten years, we've been in a free market state, by and large, and y'all praise it as being low-regulatory and so on so forth. So why hasn't the free market solved the problems?"

Hammond's response to the general issue was that Texas is still over-regulated and that every decision should be be between "the employer, the employee and the health insurance company."

Jesus, Bill, about the only thing a corporation can't do in this state is buy a human being. They can pollute water if they want, but they just can't buy folks off the street or harvest organs from bums, though we're sure that's coming. Never mind the failure of deregulation in the energy markets, something even the Cato Institute now admits was a colossal mistake (on par with giving Jay Leno that show in prime time). Of course, what you really gotta love is Bill's response to all this... just like an old commie defending their beloved ideology by saying that what existed in the Soviet Union wasn't really communism, Bill's steadfast in believing that we just haven't freed up things enough for Adam Smith's Invisible Hand to step in and bitchslap all us socialists. Never mind the fact that Adam Smith (the same founder of modern capitalism) believed in government regulation as a necessary means of keeping private enterprise from growing too powerful and abusing consumers.

I'd also like to mention that Adam Smith believed in a progressive tax system in the hope that Bill, when he reads this, will explode and make a HOOOOOOGE mess (get it?) over a sizable (so phoning it in) portion of Austin. But enough with the BILL HAMMOND IS FAT jokes, back to the details of the amazingly awful press conference of derelicts (sorry, Laura, love you but WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WITHIN 50 YARDS OF THESE WALKING, TALKING COLOSTOMY BAGS?!?!?)...

But Hammond left his most remarkable statement for near the end.

If Ken Lay were alive today, he'd say, 'My god, what have they done?' Or maybe he's looking down from heaven saying, 'If I were alive today, they would have sent me to prison for what I did?'

Yes, according to Hammond, expanding health care is dreadful because it will increase the deficit (sorry, Bill, gonna weigh in on hyper-inflated military spending any time soon?) But bringing in the Enron fraudster as the voice of moral reason? Really?

Speaking of the deficit, Hammond probably doesn't realize that ex the stimulus, the deficit itself (even leaving in place the Bush tax cuts) will cure itself with increased tax receipts as employment ticks up. But explaining economic reality to someone like Bill Hammond is like explaining efficient market theory to a 6 year old. Well, that's not right... the 6 year old would probably have a more open mind. As for Ken Lay, I have a special place in my heart for Kenny Boy and the crooks at Enron. Because of them, American business has to deal with Sarbanes-Oxley which, for me, means dealing with 5 different logins for different protected systems. Every single motherfucking day and the passwords have to be changed every 10 days. How awesome is that?

Ken Lay defined an era in that he stood out as a crook and a fraud even in an age of IPOs for companies that had no revenue, let alone profits. And Bill Hammond still thinks he's someone to admire. I bet he also thinks Bernie Madoff got a raw deal and Alan Stanford is being persecuted.

Oh, and did I mention he was fat?

(For more, check out Kuff and BOR's piece on how good HCR is for small businesses in Texas)

Posted by mcblogger at 09:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 30, 2010

Shit! You mean 39% was WRONG?!?!

39% and douchebag luminaries like AG Abbott (who recently got spanked by BAR, nice work!) and Ag Commissioner Todd Staples (he of the GIANT FREAK HEAD), have been bitching and moaning about EPA's proposal to regulate carbon emissions, mostly based on their mistaken belief that climate change isn't real.

You may remember Hank rather neatly putting them in their place on that particular issue. Of course, it wasn't hard considering he's a pretty smart guy and they are, collectively, about as smart as a kitten that was starved of oxygen in the womb. To help with others afflicted with delusional thinking, there's now a convenient visual aid to show that climate change is real... it won't, of course, sway them because these men are hell bent on fighting common sense and empirical fact in the service of their true masters, their campaign contributors who mean (literally) the world to them.

For the rest of you, here's the map of the US showing temperature changes over the last 50 years. It helps to look at this when you start to think that maybe Myron Ebell is right and it's not getting warmer.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 25, 2010

No, dumbass, that's not the story

Apparently, some of the R bloggers have picked up on the RPT's ethics complaint against Bill White for, basically, nothing. Well, it's not nothing... it's based on Cathie's in depth review of Bill White's financial report and his tax returns, coupled with her inability to understand DEFERRED COMPENSATION. Needless to say, no one will be asking Cathie to underwrite income on a loan any time soon (trust me, it's harder than it looks even with that convenient SEIA) or audit tax returns or understand anything more complex than a bumper sticker or the menu at Krispy Kreme.

In short, the RPT flubbed and filed a complaint with the TEC that did nothing but point out they can't read.

However, that wasn't the story in the R blogosphere, such as it is, which ran with it as if it was something other than chilishit in a gas station bathroom toilet. Even Red State got in on the action. Rather than do a recap on Teh Stupid, I'll just take a moment to let them know what the story really is...

YOUR PARTY IS STUPID
YOUR LEADER, INEPT
TAKE A BOW FOR FUCKING UP
YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET SWEPT

CAMPAIGNS ARE ABOUT IDEAS
NOT MEANINGLESS PAP
NEXT TIME, TRY A HIT THAT LANDS
INSTEAD OF BRAINLESS CRAP

What now, Bitches?

Posted by mcblogger at 10:06 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

March 11, 2010

Tom Pauken's still a whiny bitch after all these years

I get that the Tribune is trying to fill some space and they're really trying to create discussion. But seriously, can we all agree that Tom Pauken is just too goddamn stupid to be given any opportunity to do anything other than go to my fucking cleaners and pick up my shirts?

This is the same fuckup who, as chair of the Texas Republican Party, got sidelined by that buttertroll Rove. Now, I know y'all think Rove is some sort of douche with a direct line to Satan, but in reality he can't do shit unless the other guy is crazy, stupid, completely incompetent or a combination of all of the above. Tom Pauken, just so you know, IS ALL OF THE FUCKING ABOVE.

Exhibit A

Fortunately, in my own state of Texas, Republican Gov. Rick Perry and the Republican-controlled Texas legislature have kept the growth of state spending at reasonable levels, tracking the rise of cost of living (the inflation index) and population growth. That was not the case, however, when George W. Bush was governor. Then, state spending grew far faster than inflation and population growth. Nor is that the case in many other states, which kept milking the cow of the productive private sector by imposing higher and higher taxes and spending more and more of the taxpayers’ money. Those high-tax states are feeling the pain, as companies and taxpayers, suffering from high taxes and the loss of good jobs, move elsewhere. Moreover, the drop in housing prices and the slowdown in the economy since 2007 means that many states are racking up even more debt to fund state government.

Tom, you can take your mouth off 39%'s dick now since he's already cashed his paycheck. This is bullshit chockablock with utter nonsense. How big a deficit are we going to run in the biennium? No one can say because our bright as a blacklight Comptroller keeps pushing out different numbers. However, we all know there will be one WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ECONOMY IS IN RECESSION, PEOPLE ARE LOSING JOBS AND THE GOVERNMENT LOSES REVENUE. The government can't just magically stop spending, mostly because it provides essential services to people who didn't fucking disappear just because there is a recession and they can't pay their taxes. THAT is why when you're running surpluses, you don't cut taxes. Instead, you store up that cash to meet the needs you have down the road. That's what true conservatives do. Of course, Republicans have already ground through the surplus (which was smoke and mirrors anyway) AND still needed, what, $13 bn from the Feds? Wasn't it Perry, not too long ago, begging for more federal money from the Congressional delegation (so Schwarzenegger-esque) ?

On to Exhibit B

Even in an ostensibly low-tax state like Texas, many local taxing bodies have shown little fiscal restraint in recent years. The housing boom allowed many of these local governments to raise property taxes in a seemingly painless fashion through the “stealth tax” of skyrocketing appraisal values. Property-tax revenues rose ten percent or more annually without local governments actually raising the tax rate. Local officials could tell voters that they had not raised taxes since the tax rate hadn’t gone up, yet property-tax revenue grew from $9 billion in 1985 to $30 billion in 2004. That was approximately three times faster than the rate of inflation during the same period. Texas had the ninth-highest property taxes in the country until Governor Perry and the Texas legislature cut school property taxes by one third in 2006. Unfortunately, that set off a feeding frenzy among local taxing bodies, and a major portion of the education property tax cut was negated over the next three years.

I LOVE conservatives who don't know what the hell they're talking about but seem to want to talk at length in an effort to prove their ignorance. What Tommy doesn't realize because he's too stupid to get is that "the “stealth tax” of skyrocketing appraisal values" is nothing more than APPRECIATION. Ideally, when you buy an asset like, for example, real fucking property (aka, a house, Tom), it will increase in value over time. If the value of that asset is taxed, ideally it will be linked with your income so that an increase in the asset will also increase your income, easily enabling you to pay the higher tax. Of course, in Texas, wages have been essentially flat for more than 30 years (roughly about the time we elected that idiot old man, Clements), after adjusting for inflation. Meanwhile, house prices have gone up considerably. SEE THE PROBLEM? While you're still making basically the same $65k per year, your house is now worth 4 or 5 times what you paid for it and your taxes are 4 to 5 times higher.

Morons like Pauken wanted a cap on appraised value increases, as if a government could dictate such a measure. They did that in California and it's pretty much THE reason they're bankrupt. Well, that and the fact that their economy collapsed spectacularly because they allowed the kind of lending you can't do in Texas thanks to Democrats. Without those caps, property prices wouldn't have spiraled out of control.

What we need is a system of taxation that tracks income and population growth so we can pay for services (PUBLIC SAFETY, ROADS, SEWERS, SCHOOLS... you know, THAT STUFF) as all these new people come here. As it stands now, most new Texans don't pay dick for their first few years, but they sure as hell don't mind dropping the kids into public schools and clogging up the 35. And no, Tom, it ain't the 'messicans'. They pay a disproportionally high percentage of their income in taxes, something you and your conservatives-in-name-only would do well to remember the next time you moan and whine about how immigration is killing Texas.

Now we come to Exhibit C...

Unfunded pension liabilities at the local and state levels present another huge problem that most Americans do not even know exists. Shad Rowe, the former chairman of the Texas Pension Review Board, calls it a “time bomb.” The people who should care are taxpayers, “but they don’t know anything about it,” Mr. Rowe said in an interview with the Dallas Morning News. A report released in March 2009 revealed that the Texas Teachers Retirement Fund had unfunded liabilities of more than $40 billion as a result of the stock-market and hedge-fund collapse of 2008.

To paraphrase the immortal words of Dan Ackroyd, Tom you ignorant slut. TRS has been underfunded since before the meltdown and credit crisis, mostly because the Republican lege hasn't paid it's share. Oh, and those cola's you're whining about also aren't the problem, at least in TRS where the beneficiaries haven't even received one since 1995, you scumbag. And keep in mind, MOST of the money in TRS came from educators. It's their money and your buddy 39%'s appointees went and lost a bunch of it, then blamed it first on 9/11 and now on the Bush Credit Crisis.

It's profoundly insulting, Tom, for you to blame the innocent retirees who have tried to block some of the more damaging decisions at TRS. Every teacher in this state deserves far more than we give them and all you stupid Republicans can do is think of how best to blame them for your screw ups and deny them the retirement benefits they've earned. Think I'm lying? Not so much, as it turns out.

I'll leave you with this bon mot

Our motto needs to be, “Let’s do more with less.”

No, our motto needs to be, "Let's stop listening to old, stupid asshats and put the economy back on a more traditional footing which allows everyone to prosper."

Go fuck yourself, Tom Pauken, you obnoxious, detestable piece of shit.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:28 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

March 10, 2010

Ain't this just some bullshit

Apparently, there is some asinine petition from people calling themselves 'Senate Conservatives'. The first thing that told me this was a group of crazies is that they have selected for their leader well known liar and crazy deficit spender Sen. Jim DeMint.

The second thing was that they decided to endorse Michael Williams for Senator. Which is funny since he has absolutely no shot in hell since there will be some white Republican who will probably be their standard bearer. But enough about Elizabeth Ames Jones.

So, yeah, they're crazy. And their leader is saying this...

“Michael Williams is the Democrat Party’s worst nightmare. He’s a principled, outspoken conservative who will fight to stop the massive spending, bailouts and takeovers that have destroyed millions of jobs and piled a mountain of debt on our children and grandchildren,” said Senator DeMint.

Wait, wait, wait Senator DeMint. The country was losing jobs BEFORE President Obama took office. In fact, the economy you, your fellow Republicans and President W gave us was nothing more than a shell game with little job and wage growth, massive wealth concentration and, of course, a doubling of the national debt. The recession that was the direct result of Conservative folly (spending while cutting taxes on the rich and fuck the middle class) would have been a depression were it not for the Democrats and few Republicans who voted to save this nation, not let it sink into the oblivion. AND NOW YOU WANT TO BLAME YOUR MISTAKES ON DEMOCRATS??!?! Not so much, dickhead, but it's a super try. Oh, and Jim, it was President W that gave us TARP, not President Obama. Of course, left out of all this is the very real fact that TARP actually did help save us all from ruin.

In other news, 39% gave Senator Hutchison (whose campaign made Tony Sanchez look like the best.candidate.evah!) all the political cover she needed to stay in the Senate. Which sucks because that means three more years until we can finally get John Sharp sworn in.

Hey, if we have to have a conservative, let's at least have one that actually knows how to balance the books. It's clear Jim DeMint doesn't.

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February 18, 2010

Ugh, the mail...

There is literally nothing I love about primary season. For one thing, it's a chance for some asshat wannabe to run for office and screw around with the candidate who can actually, you know, WIN IN NOVEMBER. But what I REALLY hate, with the heat and intensity of the accretion disk of a black hole, about primaries are the mailers. Seriously, I get it but could we please keep them to a postcard format? Do they really need to be the size of damn place setting? Case in point, the oversize piece of shit I got from Scott Field who is running for a seat on the Third Court of Appeals. When I first saw it, I glanced at the logo and the obligatory pic of him with the family in a field of bluebonnets (it do SCREAM Texas, don't it) and thought (no joke) 'Uh, moron... is anyone running against you? Why the hell are sending out mail in the primary?'

I then shoved it in my bag and pulled it out just now while searching for a credit card bill. This time I took a little more notice of it and realized two things.

1) Scott has a hella bad stupidcut. Scott, if you're listening, the lady who cuts my hair is Amy Tsai. You shoot me an email and I'll throw you her number.

2) SCOTT IS A REPUBLICAN. Running against Melissa Goodwin for the REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR THE SEAT. This jumped out at me because I'm not a Republican.

Seriously, Scott, whoever did your mail sucks ass. You spent money sending a campaign piece to a quad D. I would have crawled into Randalls yesterday on a leg that had just broken as the result of a tragic accident involving me, a dump truck and Charo to vote early in the Democratic Primary. Which brings me to the point of this little post... if you're a Republican within one of the counties that make up the Third Court of Appeals, VOTE FOR MELISSA GOODWIN. At least she wasn't dumb enough to send a damn mail piece to me.

Oh, and just FYI... Kurt Kuhn is going to win this seat. You may as well give up now.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 17, 2010

Hank's spot on... as usual!

In response to the sideshow from the Three Stooges of Texas yesterday, Hank released this...

The announcement yesterday that Governor Perry, AG Abbott and Commissioner Staples have decided to waste taxpayer funds on a futile fight that was settled more than a year ago by the Supreme Court is more than unfortunate, it’s an inexcusable waste of money we don’t have since we are facing a budget, largely the responsibility of these men, that will be in deficit in the next biennium to the tune of $15-20 billion.

More than a year ago the US Supreme Court ruled that the EPA needed to regulate CO2 which makes this legal action a waste of taxpayer money on an election year stunt. The idea that this will somehow hurt Texas agriculture is a laughable one that only someone like Todd Staples could dream up. In point of fact, Texas stands to gain substantially from bioenergy production and refining. What’s been missing is a Commissioner of Agriculture who has the vision to see the future and prepare for it. Finally, to say that the EPA made its decision based solely on information from the IPCC is an outright lie, even bigger than the one Governor Perry told about people getting property tax relief and the story about the death of the TTC.

Texas needs leadership on this issue and this troika is instead providing ideological arguments on a scientific issue already settled by the courts.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 10, 2010

I stand corrected

A couple of days ago I implied that a now-famous image from the Perry-Palin-Patrick Three Ring Cirque d'Insanity looked like a product of Photoshop.

Since then, other pictures showing the sign have emerged so it now seems that the photo is genuine.

Excellent!

This just leaves me with two lingering questions.

First, given that the teapartiers often make reference to Original Intent, what was the phrase on the sign actually meant to be? Homeschooler? Or Homescholar?

Second (and maybe most intriguing), does the person who made the sign know that they're responsible for creating an instantly classic image of wingnut stupidity?

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 08, 2010

Nugepocalypse: The Aftermath

Here's a short, somewhat snarky review of yesterday's Meeting of the Mindless in Houston town. The best part? That "Homescholers For Perry" sign doesn't look photoshopped at all.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 02:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 03, 2010

Rep. Brady with the stupid...

It's always good that the Republican caucus gives even their c-team the chance to go out on the field. It's super big of them and, well, reminds us all that there's someone standing up for stupid in Congress.

Today, it was Representative Kevin Brady who was interviewed by Bloomberg and decided to throw President Obama, Democrats and their mutual puppetmasters, the ever evil Unions, for not creating jobs by not passing weak trade deals negotiated by the weakest of all possible weak sisters, President George W. Bush. In point of fact, any time you hear Kevin say something is good, do some research. Today, he thinks we should pass a trade agreement with South Korea, despite the fact that it opens US markets to their companies far more than it opens their markets to our companies.

Kevin thinks we should pass it anyway since it would give us access to their markets (which people smarter than Kevin say won't happen) and made some demonstrably false claim about the Europeans selling stuff in S Korea like it was going out of style. Which they really aren't. He completely glossed over the fact that S Korea has a long, rich history of dumping products from cars to memory chips in the United States, bankrupting our manufacturers, and engaging in the kind of currency manipulation that would make a money launderer blush.

Of course I'm not the only one saying this is a piss poor deal...

A high-ranking Korean official recently admitted to me that the conclusion of the free trade deal between the U.S. and Korea would not result in any significant increase in U.S. exports to Korea.

Some are warning that the recent conclusion of a free-trade deal between the European Union and Korea will put the U.S. at a disadvantage in the Korean market. I'm not very worried about this. The Europeans are unlikely to gain much benefit from the deal and I'd be willing to bet that Korean exports to the EU will climb much more rapidly than EU exports to Korea.

Kevin, bubba, boneheaded decisions like this will put this entire country in the crapper. You're so willing to score cheap political points, you'll sell out your own constituents to do it. That's pretty fucking shameful.

Of course, if you really meant what you said then you need to resign from Congress. You're clearly too goddamn stupid to be there and Americans can't afford to have you running around fucking up the economy which is what your opinions and ideas will do.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 29, 2010

Three oh so very stupid people

I don't hate all Republicans. I don't even dislike all of them or think they're all stupid. But a very large number of R elected officials are, well, pretty fucking stupid. Recently I've started to actually think that Rep. Hensarling is coming out of his ideological shell and has finally realized that maybe a large part of what he's believed is, well, bullshit. It's always nice when people start acting like leaders instead of partisan hacks.

However, Jeb is kinda unique in the R caucus. There's still Rep. Gohmert from Tyler who, no shit, is worried that if DADT is repealed, he's going to be in a fox hole and some Teh Gay is going to try to make out with him. I think the motherfucker either doesn't own a mirror or, if he does, has somehow deluded himself into thinking he's irresistible to gay men. Here's what he looks like...

Louie, bubba, ain't nobody looking to hook up with you. I would be willing to bet even your wife makes you wear a paper bag to bed.

And of course, there are the three dipshits Belo decided to waste airtime on Friday night at 7 pm. I really don't have the mental energy to recap the whole stupid thing, especially since I've other things to do. However, here are a few of the things I noticed...

1) Hutchison finally was able to explain, if a little slowly, how that 2005 law Perry likes to tout actually makes it easier to force the conversion of free roads to toll roads. She did a clumsy job of explaining CDAs which isn't surprising because she supports them out of one side of her mouth, then criticizes Perry for them out of the other. Her answer on TXDOT funding was simply abysmal. No meat, no substance, no real solutions. She's old and tired.

2) Perry has officially lost the crazy crown. Well, kinda. His denial that his slush fund has been anything other than a failure actually prompted laughter from the people watching here. If this were a guy under psych eval, he'd be classified as massively delusional, probably as the result of a recent psychotic break. Someone get this mofo some thorazine, stat!

3) When you were in high school, you probably fell in love with Ayn Rand. You probably had friends that did the same. You also, by graduation, fell out of love with Ayn Rand and realized she was neither a brilliant philosopher nor a great writer. You figured out that she was over simplistic, sexually submissive, rather dull and unimaginative. Most of your friends did as well, except for one chick who was a lot like Rand. Debra Medina was that chick. She's a nurse turned small business woman who has made her living off medical billing which has absolutely nothing to do with the government. A government takeover of health care wouldn't be good for Debra Medina AT ALL. In fact, it would put her little parasitic business right out. Don't you love people who rail against the government yet are sucking off it's teat? Don't you also love people who've read just enough on a subject to make themselves look REALLY stupid when they discuss it with people who know far more? Like her AWESOME sales tax idea? Yeah. Fuckity nice that.

Frankly, the rest of the thing was pretty stupid. The Q&A was, well, like an episode of Jeopardy and largely useless in an age where the candidate, if they ever needed to know who the VERY FIRST GOVERNOR OF TEXAS WAS could look up J Pinckney Henderson (for whom Henderson County is named, just FYI) in less than 60 seconds. Even on a 2G mobile phone using T9. Kinda reminded me of this bit of ass at the Statesman that was really little more than Ken Herman playing LET'S BE A DICK TO THE LITTLE BROWN GUY WHO TALKS FUNNY BY ASKING QUESTIONS THE ANSWERS TO WHICH I WIKI'D 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE INTERVIEW. Dork.

The debate was a predictable waste of time. The panel did a great job for what it was... these were good, inquisitive, professional minds who were tasked with being panelists for a debate between liars and fools.

It's a lot like, I would assume, being a brilliant director forced by a studio to do a kids movie with dogs and cats.

Just FYI, I'm doing some policy work for Shami who is actually much smarter than Ken Herman. I feel pretty certain of that. It's also one of the reasons I've not been writing a lot about Shami on the blog. However, that little lynching on the Statesman's website deserved comment. I look forward to seeing Herman shoot similar gotcha footage with the other candidates.

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January 18, 2010

Defining irony...

In what is truly one of the more comical things to come out from the R side the primary, Sen. Hutchison has decided to come out in favor of term limits. This is, of course, funny because she made a promise to voters in 1994 to only serve two terms in the US Senate, a promise she broke in 2006.

39%'s campaign said something retarded about it and the comedy was lost. But still, for a briefly shining moment, something funny happened. And then a moron who works with other morons chimed in.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 14, 2010

A collection of incompetent retards

A few notes on the Republican Debate

1) KBH - No one aborts as child as it's being born. Just doesn't happen.
2) Perry - REALLY?!?!?! You love DoD? Come on, Governor... you also love Medicare and Medicaid or at least the part that comes from the Feds. Also, you were begging for TARP to pass. Quit lying you tan douchebag.
3) Medina - Your knowledge of the US Constitution is about as good as an aardvarks. Seriously, you don't know what you're talking about, especially when it comes to enumerated vs implied powers.

What's their answer to create jobs? CUT TAXES. Which is pretty stupid since the marginal utility of doing that would be bupkiss. REALLY. Not to mention that we couldn't fund schools or any public service (like DPS) or build roads. Debra goes one further into the crazy and wants to eliminate property taxes which, just FYI, has been the way primary way this state funded itself since it's inception. She wants to replace it with a sales tax. Dave Montgomery asked her how that would affect the poor (since, you know, a sales tax disproportionately effects the poor) and she said that it would create jobs and, I guess, magically eliminate the poor. Without educating them since there wouldn't be enough money for schools. Thanks a bunch for playing Debra Medina, RN (and also economist and Constitutional scholar).

And 39%... no one, not one of these assholes, called bullshit on the fact that we have the highest insurance rates int he country. And electricity rates. And teen pregnancy rates.

A collection of abject failures, incompetents and a fuckall crazy is what I watched Thursday night talking to one another. A complete goddamn waste of time.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

In anticipation of the R debate...

... Wayne Slater at the DMN put out this lovely column about some funny moments from debates past. I think he was especially nice about Kinkhole's performance in the 2006 Gubernatorial debate when he was basically a drooling slob (in other words, he was himself).

Make sure you check your local listings for the debate tonight. Here in Austin, it's on at 7 on KVUE and News8. And I've already put some money on Medina to thoroughly fuck things up for the other two clowns.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 11, 2010

Mary Peters takes a job in the private sector. Finally.

Apparently, TXDOT is hosting some sort of event that gives them time to jerk off their favorite toll companies and contractors. This time they even pulled in Bush Transportation Secretary Mary Peters...

Under Gov. Rick Perry, Texas emerged as the leader among states in pursuing private toll roads but that momentum was halted last year, when the Legislature allowed the legal authority for most private toll roads in Texas to lapse.

"That moratorium on public private partnerships should be removed," she said. "The state of Texas should put that in abeyance. Restoring (private toll roads) here in Texas could show the federal government that you are really serious about tackling your own transportation problems."

No one, including our intrepid reporter at the DMN (Michael, buddy, I'm not letting you turn into Ben Wear... you gotta man up and start REALLY blogging), even bother to call bullshit on this. PPP's are NOT a good solution for transportation funding for a couple of reasons

1) Private companies can not, ever, raise debt as cheaply as a state. Period. Which automatically means the cost of any project undertaken by a PPP will be more expensive than anything the state will do.

2) These projects are contracted under provisions designed to take most of the risk off the project (and put it on the taxpayer) through forbidding or penalizing improvements to alternate routes and off the private partner (and put it on the taxpayer) by limiting their losses, limiting their percentage of the capital structure (usually to less than that of the state) and guaranteeing a profit to the private partner.

3) In the end, indexing the fuels tax will take care of inflation in construction and maintenance costs and allow the costs to be spread more equitably. In contrast, tolls are not only regressive (harder on the poor than the rich) they are abusive.

Add it all up and 'innovative solutions' like public private partnerships are the most expensive funding solution available for transportation. So, it's curious why old Mary (despite the fact that she really doesn't have all that great a background in banking... she's never worked in finance, only as a bureaucrat in Arizona and Washington, DC). I guess it really shouldn't come as a surprise that SHE'S WORKING FOR A COMPANY THAT STANDS TO BENEFIT FROM PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (good catch, Michael)

Zachry American Infrastructure, in partnership with ACS, was chosen by TxDOT as the Master Developer for Interstate 69 in Texas. Zachry American Infrastructure partnered with Cintra to form SH 130 Concession Company, which is developing SH 130 segments 5 and 6.

Peters is now a paid consultant -- or "senior adviser" -- to Zachry American Infrastructure, a private toll road (and other infrastructure) developer affiliated with Zachry Construction, a Texas construction company founded in 1924. TxDOT tapped the infrasture development firm to provide a master plan for Interstate 69 in Texas, and the company joined with Cintra to develop SH 130 in Austin.

According to Peters, we need to repeal the moratorium to show DC we're interested in fixing our own problems and following the Federal lead to PPP's. Problem is, the tide is shifting in DC on PPP's. Everyone knows this could well be the next asset bubble to pop up and no one in anxious for that. Nevermind that how expensive these 'partnerships' are for taxpayers.

We're CERTAIN this is all Mary is concerned about. We're quite sure that there is no way her opinion is being influenced by the fact that she and her employer stand to take (not make) a bunch of money off taxpayers and the government officials (Hey TXDOT!) dumb enough to buy the snake oil they're selling.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 06, 2010

Fuck Kay, 39% and you, too.

Goddamn if the stupid doesn't just make me want to bury someone up to their neck in cement, cover their head in peanut butter and birdseed and let the birds have a snack. I get that there are stupid people in the world, but I hate opinionated ignorance more than anything else, except maybe American Idol and those ass orange sours that Judson Candies makes.

And here, friends, is some motherfucking opinionated ignorance.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not for Kay. I think she's losing it mentally, like borderline Alzheimers. Frankly, I don't care who wins the R primary because we can beat any of the candidates who've filed on that side. Even White can beat them. However, this bullshit excuse making about Perry just pisses me off.

First off, this bill that kept existing roads from being tolled was mostly bullshit... When Krusee and Staples shoved through 3588 (the bill that established the legal framework for the TTC and selling our roads) they fucked up on a few things. Much of that got 'fixed' in 05. The brilliant part about the 'local election' is that you're basically doing this with a gun to your head. TXDOT comes to you and says 'you either vote for this or you get no road or improvements'. When the mafia does something like that, it's illegal. What Staples, Krusee and 39% (as well as EVERY OTHER REPUBLICAN WHO VOTED FOR THIS) did is give TXDOT a gun and tell them to go use it on their constituents.

New lanes built within existing right of way could be tolled. Even more exciting, it could be wrapped into a CDA and effectively sold to a private company and you'd never know the details of that contract. Like the details that say the existing road has to be downgraded to a frontage road or the ones that say no road that runs even remotely parallel to the toll road can be upgraded or repaired.

Does Kay's ad suck? Oh, yeah. Unbelievable amounts of smelly ass. But it's not altogether wrong... our tax dollars paid for the ROW being used RIGHT NOW by SH 45, 1, 130 and roads in Harris County and North Texas. Future roads built within existing ROW can be tolled and even CDA'd through the newest bastard invention of the fucktard Houghton, pass through toll financing. Pay special attention to the fact that the 'private partner' assumes little to no risk and puts up very little of the capital raised by these 'innovative tools'. Remember, when you hear a Republican talk about Tolls, CDA's Public-Private Partnerships, Pass Through Financing or Innovative Financing Tools, it all means the exact same thing... CORPORATE WELFARE and a way to funnel your tax dollars to a private company.

One thing I'll say for progressive bloggers is that when our people fuck up, we call them on it. We don't get on our knees, unzip their pants and take their cocks into our mouths. Which is exactly what Republican bloggers, over and over again, keep fucking doing. What kind of a Texan makes excuses for people like Staples, Krusee, 39%?!?!?!?

Posted by mcblogger at 11:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 30, 2009

KBH's Transportation Plan FAIL

Anyone who expected guts or integrity from Senator Hutchison simply has to be disappointed by her Transportation Plan. In short, it's all a bunch of damn bullshit which comes as a huge surprise. Right up there with 39% going teabagging.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 29, 2009

Sen. KBH to unveil plan that sucks balls today

Sen. Hutchison will unveil her Transportation plan (with, hopefully, the funding piece) today in Dallas. The DMN had some good questions for her...

But the big questions in Texas are the ones that have dividing state leaders for years:

1) Are transportation planners and leaders like Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, right when they say Texas' fast-growing population requires enormous investments in new roads and bridges?

2) If so, how do we pay for those new projects, especially in our busiest cities, when the costs of simply maintaining the aging and growing system we already have continues to rise? New taxes? More toll roads by public entities willing to borrow billions? Capital from private firms willing to build them?

3) Is Texas wise in favoring roads over rail to such a large extent? And if something should change here, how quickly and with what money?

4) Finally, if the money is too tight at the state level, should local governments be allowed to ask their citizens to vote on new, local tax increases and fees to fund local roads?

We'll know soon enough tomorrow morning, given her other stops, and we'll report back here. Feel free to weigh in now with your thoughts and predictions, and with your feedback tomorrow.

OK, so you need to know that this is rolling at 3:25 this afternoon meaning that other than blogs, there won't be much coverage of this for a day or so. Which means she's not particularly comfortable with the plan and neither she nor her staff know the numbers well enough. To be honest, even if it's unalloyed anti-Perry goodness I'll still be asking why they didn't wait until they were a little more solid and could pull more coverage. Bad press hit planning, IMHO... but it really shouldn't surprise me since the MO of Hutchison's campaign has been incompetence wrapped in abject stupidity.

Meanwhile, nothing from Shami or Bill White yet on this. I know Shami is working on his because of friends working with the campaign and I'm sure White's folks are as well. Word of advice to the D's... just copy Hank's plan. There was a reason the press didn't rip it to shreds, it was solid as rock and I've seen the polling on increasing the gas tax. The privatization hit on Perry is BRUTALLY effective, by the way.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 10, 2009

Please, 39%, stop embarassing us!!

Granted, no one reads the Washington Times except Moonies and really, really stupid, but it's still a publication that gets cached on the web and simple searches reveal, once again, our Governor fully out of his depth...

Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday compared President Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, just months after being elected, to a freshman winning college football's Heisman Trophy.

"It raised a few eyebrows," said Mr. Perry, a Republican facing reelection. "And we'll just leave it at that."

Mr. Perry said Mr. Obama was elected in November amid great enthusiasm, but his efforts to reform U.S. health-care and limit carbon emissions have failed and are too costly.

"He is an amazingly popular president," he said onThe Washington Times' "America's Morning News" radio show."Most Americans, whether they agreed politically, were proud to elect an African American. But hope and change is all over with. Now we have to look at the policy."

Mr. Perrysaid passing the health-care reform legislation now on Capitol Hill "would bedevastating" in terms of consumer costs, limiting access to care and dissuading young people from becoming doctors.

"I think you're going to see a deterioration in medicine," he said.

Mr. Perry said U.S. cap-and-trade legislation on carbon emissions in based on "shoddy if not fraudulent evidence" that will cost the average Texas family $1,100 to $1,200 more a year.

"It means nothing more than higher costs for energy and losing jobs," he said.

Will these people never get over the 2008 election? I mean, even the most die-hard liberal is over Bush, but these people are going to be bitching about President Obama well into the 22nd century. You'll also notice that his typical bullshit negative arguments have changed recently... he's dropped the shit about the 'debt increases' and 'the failed stimulus'. Two reasons... 1) George Bush and Perry's fellow Republicans increased the debt far more than the Democrats and 2) The stimulus is finally arresting job losses and we're on a major upswing as confidence returns and the financial system returns to normal.

Now it's all about health care (he's lying here, by the way... a publicly run insurer will do nothing but hurt private insurance companies that are some of Perry's biggest contributors and whom have been squeezing Texans for decades) and Cap and Trade, about which he's also lying.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Talkin' some shit with Ted Delisi

As a Republican strategist, it's really gotta suck to live in Travis County. Maybe that explains Ted Delisi's oh-so-dour column about the prospects of Democrats next year. I mean, when you're living in an area that's thoroughly Democratic, economically vibrant and entrepreneurial, it's gotta be depressing. Austin is pretty far from anyone's idea of a Randian paradise but it IS pretty damn close (traffic aside) to most people's idea of an urban paradise.

It's also pretty close, economically, to what the rest of the state desperately wants... especially the rural areas and suburbs where people have been hit hard by a recession Republicans don't even think is really happening. Democrats have had neither the money or the message to carry to these areas a problem which is changing. This year.

The funniest thing about Ted's opinion is just how clueless it shows him to be about the state of affairs in his own party. If the Teabaggers were a party of their own, they'd outpoll Republicans. Which means that sterling Texas Republican brand is looking pretty tarnished right now. Couple that with a rapidly improving economy (thanks to a stimulus plan Republicans stupidly said wouldn't work... and have done everything in their power to make sure wouldn't) and more aggressive D strategy and you have the ingredients for a shift next year that'll put many Republicans on unemployment.

Sure, it'll take a lot of hard work, planning, some great candidates and a little luck. All of which seems to be falling into place for the Democrats this year. They already rid themselves of deadweight (so long, Chuckles) and now, not being in a position where they have to defend losers, they're positioned to mount a broad offensive.

Ted would realize all that if he wasn't doing his best imitation of a French general by solidly focusing on the past.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 09, 2009

Hopson (R - Traitor) files

Rep. Hopson filed for re-election as a Republican on the 7th which means there's now something else horrible that occurred on that day to distract us from the painful memory of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The write up in the Jacksonville Progress (attributed to Special, which usually means someone who loves the subject of the story wrote the story. So, yeah, it was probably Chuckles himself) was really funny but then it went right off the rails...

Also joining Cornyn at the mid-November press conference were new Republican Texas House Speaker Joe Straus and Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. Straus endorsed Hopson as “an outstanding public servant with integrity and commitment to conservative values.”

Staples said Hopson was following the path of other rural conservative Democrats who became Republicans, including Perry, former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, former Railroad Commissioner Kent Hance.

LOOKIT, this is important! Like when the crazy scientist finds the government official near the beginning of a Roland Emerich movie and explains that some disaster is rapidly approaching. YES, that kind of important.

One press conference in East Texas featured Sen. John Cornyn, Ag Commissioner Staples (who's going to get thoroughly pwn'd by Hank Gilbert) and Rep. Chuck Hopson! Don't you see? We narrowly escaped the formation of a black hole of suck which would have completely decimated the Piney Woods and, possibly, ALL LIFE ON EARTH. Only the lameness of Speaker Strauss, I'm speculating, averted disaster by providing a counterbalance to the malevolent stupidity of the other three.

In other news, Sen. Hutchison also filed to get stomped* by 39% and released a stupid statement about eminent domain restrictions that Farm Bureau wrote for her but which really won't do anything. I'm sure the D candidates in the Governor's race will take some time to beat her up about that.

*Just for little Matty and the fucktards over at the RPT (Hey Cathie, Bry-guy!), I'm using stomped figuratively. I do not actually think 39% will step on her. He'd probably like to, but I think she'd beat him up if he tried. And yeah, I totally think Hutchison could beat up 39%.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 08, 2009

What Republicans actually are good at...

Apparently, in an effort to show they're good at something other than fucking up the state and pissing off bloggers who really, really dislike them already and really, really LOVE making fun of how weak and stupid they are, they've now moved to pissing up the legs... drumroll, please... of Hispanics!

It's really very exciting to see Republicans embracing the 'open tent, open door' policy championed by Cathie Adams who knows all about that from the Eagle Forum where they simply love any diverse group of white people.

For all you budding Matt Lewis' and Bryan Preston's out there, I'm not saying the Republicans are literally pissing up the legs of people. It's Texan for angering people. I certainly hope your precious little virgin eyes haven't been strained by my horrible, obscene language and heartfelt desire to make fun of a bunch of racist crackers who are too stupid to realize that they're upsetting people THAT SUPPORT THEM.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 07, 2009

What a little candyass...

Well, Cathie and mooks over at the RPT tried to make hay on Friday. I wrote this in response and this little candyass referred to the post today with what I certainly hope is affected indignation...

The reference about "bloodying-up" Cathie is especially disturbing. Cathie Adams, of course, is the new Chairwoman of the Texas Republican Party.

Matt Lewis, for those of you who don't know, is some nancy halfwit from Virginia so you'll have to forgive him for not understanding Texan. Matty, 'bloodying up' is when you go on the attack in a political fight. It's a figure of speech like 'kick your ass'. So, don't worry... Cathie's in no physical danger. Her agenda to screw over Texans, however, is very much in danger.

Reached on the telephone, Republican Party of Texas Communications Director Bryan Preston had this to say: "The issue here is we have a blogger who repeatedly posts obscene material, and Bill White is advertising on their website. Is this the kind of political rhetoric that Bill White finds acceptable?

Brian, obscene? Like dumping a couple of hundred thousand kids off their insurance? Like underfunding schools? Like allowing insurance companies to rape the citizens of the state at will? Like allowing the electric companies to charge the most expensive rates in the country AND make it easy for them to pollute our air and water?

Shit, Brian... I could take a lesson from y'all. You guys have obscene down in a way that I can only hope to imitate one day. In comparison, the question of whether or not Rick Perry has a dildo that may (or may not) have been up his ass kinda looks sad. At least on the obscenity scale.

Oh, and y'all need to man up... this is Texas, not Virginia. Quit being a bunch twunts with all the whining about being mean. We haven't even really STARTED to be mean to y'all.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:47 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

December 06, 2009

Staples, you're such a douche

On Friday, within an hour of Hank Gilbert's announcement he was moving to the Ag Commissioner's race, Todd Staples tweeted this out...

After losing the ag race, losing in a local election & a deceptive run for gov, Hank Gilbert now says he is going to run for ag comm again

Team Gilbert, never missing a beat, was out with this shortly afterward...

@Todd_Staples One thing about losing a race, it makes you smarter the next time out. Welcome to the fight, Commissioner.

And now, because he's a chickenshit douchebag, Staples has banned a number of D's, including yours truly and Phillip Martin from @BOR. And it didn't go unnoticed.

Just so you know, Staples outspent Hank 22:1 in 2006. Pretty easy to win an election with those kinds of resources. The question now is how far the tables will turn... We already know Hank IS raising money and will continue to do so, straight through the primary and into the general. That, coupled with his high name ID due to his work opposing freeway privatization and championing private party right (two things Staples led on... in the opposite direction), means Staples has got a far more significant problem than many have realized.

I would wish the Commissioner good luck but we all know that would be disingenuous. It wouldn't matter anyway...

Posted by mcblogger at 04:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 04, 2009

Stay out of it, bitches...

The RPT, in response to this, tweeted this.

To Cathie and all our friends over at the RPT, you want to stay out of this. We'll bloody you up soon enough and you really don't want a premature boot (or Gucci slip on as the case is today) up your ass.

Don't think we can't do it, Cathie. You're playing in the big leagues now.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 03, 2009

I may not like Bernanke but I like the R's even less

I'm watching the super fun Senate confirmation hearing for Fed Chair Ben Bernanke. Aside from the par payouts on the CDS (Credit Default Swaps) written by AIG (many of which were lottery tickets), he's done a decent job or, at least, as decent a job as anyone could have done. The reality is that many of the problems we faced were created by Congress, not the Fed and certainly not Bernanke. That's not to say he didn't screw up or that mistakes weren't made. However, all things being equal, we aren't in the middle of a depression and that's what we were looking at a little over a year ago.

Watching Senators Bunning and Bennett (R-UT) pontificate makes me actually like Bernanke. First off, there's Bennett whining about inflation and 'Carter's inflation' in the 1970's that finally ended thanks to Paul Volcker and President Reagan. Of course, Sen. Bennett's kind of a moron. He didn't realize that it was actually President Nixon, through his control of then Fed Chair Arthur Burns who kept expansionary monetary policy in place despite pressures that were clearly building in the economy. And it was Carter's appointee to the Chair, Paul Volcker, who broke inflation, not President Reagan. Reagan's policies had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Then there's Senator Bunning. Bunning was pissed about the par payouts on the CDS contracts without even understand the terms of those contracts which really is the far bigger issue. As for the payout, Bernanke's hands actually were tied... the only way to renegotiate the payout on the contracts would have been for AIG to go into bankruptcy. Given the aftershocks of Lehman (a total freeze of the credit markets and the complete breakdown of structure finance, eliminating more than $5 trillion from the US banking system), that was wholly undesirable. If the contracts hadn't been paid at par, the creditors would have forced AIG into bankruptcy and the result would have been disaster.

That ain't the whole story, though. These contracts weren't just insurance policies (that's basically what CDS is... it's an insurance policy against risk of economic loss or to cover event risk), they were also lottery tickets. For example, with most types of insurance, the policy is for the full value of the property covered (either cash or replacement cost) or limited by a set coverage amount. That's the maximum the company will pay in the event of a full loss. However, insurers only actually pay (in property settlements) ACTUAL loss. With CDS, especially some of the crap contracts written by AIG, they were set to pay off the entire contract value, not just the actual loss. So, if Goldman Sachs had a swap contract in effect with AIG covering a Collateralized Debt Obligation (CDO) the payout trigger might be a default rate of 15% on the CDO. But, the swap didn't pay off to cover the 15% loss, it paid out the full PAR value of the CDO, even though it was worth significantly less than par.

It's equivalent to me insuring my house for $280,000. Then, if there's a minor fire in the kitchen, instead of paying to repair the damage, they just cut me a check for $280,000 and then they own the house which, watch out, was only worth $100k.

THAT'S what Bunning should have been pissed about, the fact that those contracts were honored at all even though they were clearly fraudulent since I'm sure the valuations were based on representations and warranties made by the insured. If they'd been attacked that way, the court could have issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the counterparties (Goldman Sachs, for example) from collecting or forcing any payment. Then we could have broken it all apart.

So, yeah, instead of focusing on bullshit, how about looking at the really bad stuff, Senators?

Posted by mcblogger at 01:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 20, 2009

The inestimably stupid Dick Armey

OMG. I wish it was OK to beat stupid people senseless... if it was, I'd LOVE to introduce that fucktard Dick Armey's face to a hardcover copy of the Community Reinvestment Act since he's decided it (and not poor decision making at the banks) was the reason the banking industry melted down last year.

I guess Dick doesn't understand how easy it is for $600bn in liabilities to crush a mere $20 bn in equity (in the case of Lehman).

And thank you, Dr. Krugman, for nailing his ass. Yet again.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 19, 2009

Are the Republicans afraid?

Are they afraid of actually allowing the Constitution to work or of the terrorists? Both, maybe?

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November 13, 2009

Kay Bailey concedes to 39%

Senator Support Hose decided today NOT to resign prior to the primary. Instead, she's decided to continue her project in the Senate which consists, primarily, of fucking things up for her constituents. And wasting her contributors money in a vain attempt to beat 39% who will, because of this, beat her like she owes him money.

I find it interesting that this comes not long after Hank Gilbert's campaign rolled Kay's Magic 8 Ball. I also loved Hank's comment...

Anyone who says they are shocked by her announcement hasn't followed the lengthy trail of broken promises she's left in her wake, starting with her promise to serve only two terms. She is an unreliable and undependable public servant who dodges and weaves as it suits her political ambitions. Senator Hutchison has left her supporters and contributors holding the bag.

Cause and effect? Certainly didn't hurt. I do think it's funny that, once again, Gilbert's campaign is the only one with a pulse, hitting Republicans hard. And Hank even had time today to go live in the comments on a post at Kos regarding his LGBT policy.

B team member Tom Schieffer was busy telling that retarded little story about his tux while Kinky was trying to con someone into buying one of his books by promising that it was really written by someone with talent. Farouk Shami was busy scribbling out checks to every Democratic club in the state of Texas in a sad attempt to make up for years of neglect. Just like my mother. Which reminds me, if you have a Democratic club (especially one that endorses) you need to hop on the gravy train soon. I just set up three new clubs last week and am looking forward to making enough to have a very merry Christmas (Thanks Farouk! I can even say it like Ms. Texas, it's really something in real life).

39%, meanwhile, celebrated his rapidly approaching victory in the R primary with a 'close friend' at Charlies.

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November 12, 2009

On defections...Rep. Hopson goes for a walk

Someone recently asked me how I am able to drink so much and not look a total wreck at the end of the night. That little story really has nothing to do with this post and the only reason I'm putting it in is that it makes me look good. Well, kinda...

So, Rep. Hopson decided to flip over to the Republicans because of President Obama in what is really one of the more craven political moves in a body known for craven political moves. Unlike the defection of Rep. England last year, this is all about Hopson wanting to save Hopson's ass and not realizing that he'd be better off staying on the D side... at least he can get through the D primary. The same can not be said of the R primary where he will face a reasonable, decent guy and (possibly) a nutter from the boob hatch who'll fling enough shit onto Chuck that he'll have no chance of survival.

The saddest thing is how hard this has been on some of our friends, like Harold Cook who is genuinely broken up about all this (see here and here). It's never easy to say good bye, especially to such a steadfast and loyal vote on things that would really help people in his district, like tort reform and electricity deregulation. However, say good bye we must as he's now on the other side suckling at the teat of Grover Norquist.

Have fun signing your pledge! Hope you too will enjoy being the political equivalent of a prison bitch!

(Sorry I'm late digging into this... I had better things to do than worry about What The Fuck Chuck was up to. I've never liked the fucker and have spent the last few years actively wishing he'd be killed in some tragic pharmacy accident.)

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November 10, 2009

So what ever happened to?

One of 39%'s appointees to a regulatory agency (TABC) thought it was OK to solicit donations for 39% from the people he regulates. The dumbass didn't think it was a problem. Folks in West Texas and Denton disagreed.

So, what's going on with that guy? Will the AG's office get involved?

Quit your snickering... sometimes Wheelie likes to do stuff about political corruption. Of course, that's rare but I think he wants to. I think so, at any rate. I like to think the best of people, even the ones who sue to build their wealth and then work ardently to restrict the rights of others to sue when injured. I think it was called tort reform?

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November 03, 2009

Sure. Right. Whatev.

So the Texas Tribune launched today with some interesting polling data... now, if someone can just explain to me how a man who won a contested primary in 2006 with almost 75% of the vote polls less than 1% in this poll AND it's not a colossal screw up, I'd love to hear it. And isn't it customary, in a real poll, to scrap the sample if a mistake is made and pull in a new one?

I wonder exactly how this polling of those who had already been polled was done? Did they send out an email? What was the time limit on that? How many people actually responded or were their previous responses locked in if they didn't respond in time?

And then there's the sample size of only 266 people which is about a third what you would expect. Sure, I get that you're pulling people out of a broader universe, but there's a reason why just about no one else does that... it doesn't produce valid results. Oh, and for those of you who still think this is reliable, keep in mind Zogby's internet poll had Barbara Ann within the MOE vs Sen. Hutchison in 2006. And look how that turned out. Speaking of Sen. Hutchison, she's now gone (in a little over a month) 12 points below Perry in this poll??!?

Seriously, Tribune, love you guys but this is just too jacked to be credible. But it's a nice try and the site looks pretty. I know things will get better!

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A subtle psychotic beauty...

This is amazing...go on, take a look.

See what I mean by subtle?

h/t to MG@BOR

Posted by mcblogger at 09:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 30, 2009

ANOTHER State Agency lobbying?

Once again, it's just awesome to see a taxpayer funded agency using our money to lobby against something most people support. Thanks, Texas Railroad Commission for wasting time and our money and for allowing polluters to poison the air in North Texas.

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October 28, 2009

Why does Dewhearse lie?

I never thought our Lt. Governor was one of the crazies. So, imagine my surprise when he claimed he'd balanced the budget without help from the Feds, the same lie that 39% has been pushing all over the state like a bad check.

Jason Embry wasn't amused and called bullshit which isn't really all that surprising when you consider that Jason spends much of his day buried in 39%'s colon (just slightly below Gardner Selby) and 39% doesn't like Dewhearse.

Still, whatever his motivation, he did nail The Dew rather effectively, even if it was with all the wit of a lobotomized pekingese. Rep. Dunnam did it better.

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October 27, 2009

Kickin' Kay in the kooter

So, the fucktards that comprise the State Republican Executive Committee (what passes for leadership in the other party) elected themselves a new chair, which they had to do when Tina Fish got pulled over to 39%'s campaign in what we can only assume is an act of self-mutilation. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the new first lady of Teh Crazy, Cathie Adams.

Cathie's been involved in the Eagle Forum for so long she's actually got a tattoo of Schlafly's face on her inner thigh (it's the left one). That would matter except for the fact that, even in most Republican primaries, no one really gives a shit about the Eagle Forum or what they think. That tends to happen when you lie a lot to people about a homosexual agenda that doesn't exist. Cathie's other claim to fame was convincing a bunch of nutters to make her chair of the RPT. Which brings us to Sen. Hutchison. You see, Cathie had already endorsed 39%, but that was only because Larry Kilgore wouldn't return her calls (one of the few non-crazy things he's done in his entire life).

One thing that's certain is that she's not retracting her endorsement of 39%. It's also pretty clear Cathie doesn't like Sen. Hutchison and has decided to ride her ass to resign like a stud top in a gay porno.

Cathie Adams of Dallas, who also said she won’t be withdrawing her earlier endorsement of GOP Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election, said her hope that Hutchison acts on the resignation issue reflects concern among party activists waiting for Hutchison’s decision before setting their own political plans or making political commitments.

Adams singled out the possibility of Hutchison putting off her resignation until after the 2010 candidate filing period ends in early January, a scenario potentially leaving party leaders with the job of choosing some nominees for major statewide positions. That could happen if incumbents react to a Hutchison resignation after the filing deadline by deciding to either pursue Hutchison’s vacated seat or to chase other offices opened up in the wake of her resignation.

“It would help the people of the state of Texas to know more clearly, especially by (the candidate filing deadline of) Jan. 4,” Adams said, “because if she resigns after that, we’re going to throw things into quite an unknown.”

Cathie then whipped out her strap on and started rubbing it suggestively. At that point, everyone just started to back away from her.

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October 26, 2009

US Chamber of Commerce losing members?

Apparently, when an organization swings to the far right, companies choose to leave it. What. A. Shock.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 21, 2009

Fuckin' around with the FEC

If your wondering just how solid our campaign finance laws are, go look at this piece on the swiftboat network. Doesn't it make you feel good to know that laws designed to keep campaign fundraising transparent really do anything but?

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October 16, 2009

Yet another sign of the apocalypse

Mark it down, girls and boys... I'm agreeing with ARNOLD GARCIA

Toward the tail end of last week, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who are competing for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, both signed pledges not to raise state taxes. They did so at the behest of Grover Norquist, the anti-tax crusader who famously said he wanted government made small enough so that he could drown it in a bathtub.

Perry has wrapped himself in so many layers of fiscal conservatism over his two decades of elected service (starting with his election to the Texas House as a Democrat in 1984) that he wouldn't need a windbreaker in the dead of an Iceland winter.

But wait, there's more.

Perry waved the anti-tax banner even higher last week when he declared that he would like to see a constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to raise taxes.

Wow. Let's see somebody get inside that, as they say on the golf course.

The two-thirds proposition is a real head scratcher because Perry is plagiarizing ideas on how to run a state from California, of all places.

Tax increases must pass by two-thirds vote of both houses of the California Legislature — a stipulation adopted by 12 other states.

So, how's that two-thirds deal working out in California?

Not so well. As you may recall, California legislators had a devil of a time passing a budget because Republicans and Democrats couldn't agree on taxes. The state government was issuing IOUs in the meantime, and the budget crisis was making for a national spectacle.

Perry was the leading voice in the choir of tut-tutters about how California politicos manage money.

In fairness to the Duke's adopted state, California legislators were also hamstrung by Proposition 13, which caps property taxes and was passed with great hoopla in the 1970s.

What Garcia didn't point out is that if CA had our property tax structure, they'd have been pretty close to surplus right now unlike Texas which needed more than $12 bn from PRESIDENT OBAMA to balance the budget. 39% failed to make apologies to the Tenth Amendment for that one.

So, once again we have two chickenshit Republicans who took time out of their lives to suck off Grover Norquist by pledging to throw us all under the bus if they're elected. This is 39%'s, what, 18th time doing this particular duty? I guess 39% really likes Grover's ball juice.

If you want to stop this bullshit, go here and volunteer. And drop a few bucks here if you can.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 14, 2009

Out of their element

If you thought the Bush folks, once the compliant media started getting a little more testy, seemed more incompetent, you were pretty much spot on...

after chris, Jonathan Horn, and I learned about the president’s $700-billion-bailout proposal and drafted the remarks announcing it to a stunned nation, Ed said the president wanted to see us in the Oval Office. The president looked relaxed and was sitting behind the Resolute desk. He felt he’d made the major decision that everyone had been asking for. That always seemed to relax him. He liked being decisive. Excuse me, boldly decisive. The president seemed to be thinking of his memoirs. “This might go in as a big decision,” he mused.

“Definitely, Mr. President,” someone else observed. “This is a large decision.”

The president asked his secretary, Karen, to bring him the Rose Garden remarks he’d just delivered that day, September 19, announcing his action plan. He got slightly exasperated when she was delayed in printing them out. When he finally got them, he put his half-glasses on and looked at them. “See, this was fine today,” he said. “But we got to make this understandable for the average cat.” He proposed an outline for another speech that talked about the situation our economy was in, how we’d gotten here, and how the administration’s plan was a solution.

“This is the last bullet we have,” the president said at one point, referring to the bailout. “If this doesn’t work…” He shook his head, and his voice trailed off. That wasn’t good enough for me. If this doesn’t work, then what? We’re done? America is over? I looked around at everyone else. What does that mean?

This is the problem when you have an incurious and frankly stupid President driven by ideology, not reality.

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October 09, 2009

GOP loves poor people. Who knew?

Every once in awhile, a local contributors’ letter to the AAS is so outlandish, that you are left speechless. Well, at least for a little while.

When Travis County Chairwoman Rosemary Edwards states in her diatribe against the city of Austin’s energy plan, that the GOP is concerned for poor people, even Jesus himself probably became faint. Her words might be encouraging if not for the fact that she has lead organized protests against Congressman Lloyd Doggett and the Democratic Party’s plan to provide affordable and accessible health care to the same poor people she professes her undying love.

Then she has the gall to involve the Austin Catholic Diocese in her partisan politics and take a Diocesan spokeswoman words out of context. While much of the church’s commitment to the poor and environment is found in the creed of St. Francis, the GOP’s new-found enlightenment comes from the screed of Karl Rove.

This is the GOP’s latest attempt to con us into believing they are compassionate conservatives, and gain inroads to the catholic community. Although local Republican operatives are pushing hard for the next bishop of Austin to be ultra conservative with a strong fondness for business, this movement is nationwide.

Some advice for Edwards – go back to just demanding President Obama’s birth certificate because your reputation is already one of a wacko, no reason to add liar.

Posted by Captain Kroc at 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 08, 2009

Wherever Sarah Palin goes...

...she's sure to make Americans in general and Alaskans in particular look like a bunch of low-brow, mouthbreathing hillbillies.

It was Sarah's trip to Asia and her first appearance since her resignation as Alaska's top Mum. In her state capital, she told us, you could see a moose in the middle of the city. It was not a common sight in Hong Kong. Why, in Alaska, where 20,000 square miles of the state was glacial and with only two humans per square mile, "it seems to me that God just chucked this bucketful of resources there". It was then we realised that whoever wrote the Palin sermon for her, they had – mercilessly – allowed some of the real Sarah to show through. Even husband Todd got a mention. He had flown with her into Hong Kong. And – here was a reference to the Alaska fish and caviar consumed in this "beautiful", "magnificent" and "libertarian" part of China – "some of the fruits of our labour, mine and Todd's, ended up on tables here". The caviar at the Hyatt, it should be added, comes from Iran.

Salmon caviar? Whoever heard of such a thing.

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October 07, 2009

Homeland Security and the 2016 Olympics

Did the current intrusive mess that is US Customs mean the loss of the 2016 Olympics? Very likely, according to the NYT

“Among the toughest questions posed to the Chicago bid team this week in Copenhagen was one that raised the issue of what kind of welcome foreigners would get from airport officials when they arrived in this country to attend the Games. Syed Shahid Ali, an I.O.C. member from Pakistan, in the question-and-answer session following Chicago’s official presentation, pointed out that entering the United States can be “a rather harrowing experience.”

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October 01, 2009

This makes me laugh...

A bill targeting ACORN may hit an unintended target, defense contractors. The bill is designed to cut off federal funds from contractors who commit fraud. Which would, coincidentally, effect many private companies from defense contractors like Lockheed Martin to small Katrina cleanup companies.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 29, 2009

I'll admit it... it was me...

Yes, it's true. It was me. I was the one who screwed up 39%'s little webcast event that Jason Embry was jerking off about this AM (by the way, that was some solid work, Jason... who did you have to give the hummer for that hard hitting piece).

I'm just kidding, I don't have the technical skill to screw up something like that. I wouldn't have bothered even if I did because it would have denied 39% a chance to spout stupid to the few true believers he still has under his spell. Plus, until we're done with the primary, I want him nice and plump.

Before I start to bust him up like a shit-filled pinata.

Phillip over at BOR has been doing an excellent job ripping into the epic failure that was Talkin' Texas. Basically, it all comes down to 39%'s lackluster team being thoroughly jacked up. Read more here, here and here. My favorite part is how 22,000 got to watch a speech before it was given. It's almost as funny as the obviousness of this as 39%'s fuckup, not some hacker being mean.

Pull up your big girl panties, 39% and quit whining.

As for Senator Senile, just keep your crazy old trap shut. No one gives a crap what you think about all this mostly because you keep talking about your cat. And your car keys.

And no, Senator, I don't want a quarter to rub your feet.

In other MASSIVE 39% CAMPAIGN FAILURES, a soon to be former staffer decided to bring Tina Fish on board.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 28, 2009

Moral relativism and the NYT

Shorter Ross Douthat : Sure Bush fucked up. But then he jumped on fixing shit and down the road that's all we'll remember. And then there's this...

This is not a blueprint that future presidents will want to follow. But the next time an Oval Office occupant sees his popularity dissolve and his ambitions turn to dust, he can take comfort from Bush’s example. It suggests that it’s possible to become a good president even — or especially — when you can no longer hope to be a great one.

This is, literally, like being terribly impressed with a dog for scratching back with it's hind legs to cover up the shit they've just laid in the yard. It doesn't get rid of the shit, it doesn't even cover it up, but at least the dog put some effort into helping.

And that would be cool if we didn't expect a little more from the men and women we elect to lead.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 21, 2009

Thank God For Oklahoma!

And thank God for OK Senator Tom Coburn, who makes our own John Cornyn look like Daniel Webster. And especially thank God for the insights of Coburn's aide Michael Schwartz, who told last week's Values Voter Conference that young people could be warned off pornography by telling them it could cause them to catch Teh Gay.

Schwartz told the crowd about Jim Johnson, a friend of his who turned an old hotel into a hospice for gay men dying of AIDS. “One of the things he said to me,” said Schwartz, “that I think is an astonishingly insightful remark… he said ‘All pornography is homosexual pornography, because all pornography turns your sexual drive inwards.”

There were murmurs and gasps from the crowd. “Now, think about that,” said Schwartz. “And if you tell an 11-year-old boy about that, do you think he’s going to want to get a copy of Playboy? I’m pretty sure he’ll lose interest. That’s the last thing he wants! You know, that’s a good comment, it’s a good point, and it’s a good thing to teach young people.”

Wait, Playboy turns you gay? Well, maybe if you read the articles...

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 05:28 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

September 15, 2009

Attention WillCo D's : Find a candidate

Toll road lovin' Rep. Dan Gattis has announced a run for the seat being vacated by Sen. Ogden (who has his own issues, if rumors are to be believed).

So, y'all have a mission... find someone to run against this freakshow. This isn't a partisan thing, Dan Gattis is a stuffed shirt with no business in the House, let alone the Senate.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 06, 2009

Save Them Skule Chillurnz!!

I realize my planned weekly post on lawyerin' is now so overdue that more than a fortnight o' lawyerin' has gone uncovered, but that's not where the action is right now.

Where the action is, is in pointing out and staring at the tsunami wave of Stupid that has washed over this nation since word got out about the President wanting to speak directly to small children about such controversial, highly-charged partisan issues as staying in school.

The Mayor has already addressed this issue and nailed down what has to be the most reasonable hypothesis for explaining the hysteria, the last time out having gone so poorly and all. Still, you have to figure that even if there is a solemn pledge to suspend all air traffic and not read any goat stories this time around, that won't get people to come down from off the ceiling.

Here's what I think the President should do. Let this controversy continue to fester and blow up waaaay out of proportion. Let the Crazies pull their kids out of school. Let them carry their collective cow to full term. Let them have a completely drug-free natural cow birth. Then, when the day of the speech comes, President Obama should simply lead the children in the Lord's Prayer and sign off.

Now, I know that would be inappropriate and not entirely consistent with the Establishment Clause, blablabla....But talk about some heads exploding! THAT would be fun to watch! It would be like when the immovable object meets the irresistible force - what would happen? Would the Crazies' sheer unalloyed hatred of Obama compel them to object to a good old-fashioned Christian prayer in school, or would their fanatical devotion to school- sanctioned Protestant religious rituals force them to have to choke down their open abhorrence of Obama? I don't know which would happen. But it would be a really neat science experiment either way. (Hey! that would be ANOTHER tie-in to stuff about education!)

In fairness, it makes internal sense from Teh Crazy viewpoint to worry about potential indoctrination of schoolchildren. Because that's what THEIR fave U.S. President did when he had the opportunity. So logically, they expect Obama to do the same. We can all see where that would lead, right? Reach today's impressionable grade-schoolers, and you've captured the minds of a whole generation of young voters, just in time for the election of 2016, when Obama is conveniently up for his third ter-........oh, wait, that doesn't......

Ah, I give up. They're just batshit crazy.

P.S. - Props to MSNBC's John Harwood for saying so, out loud, on the air.

Posted by hbalczak at 11:54 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 04, 2009

Sweet Jesus, Jared Woodfill is a fucking liar

Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill sent out an email earlier today telling subscribers that the President's speech to students will take hours and be political. It's not. It's about the importance of education and staying in school. But Jared, never one to waste an opportunity to act like a jackass, makes it out to be something sinister... "those horrible Democrats are at it again, this time they're going for your children!!" Nevermind that Reagan and Bush had similar events. Reagan even preached the gospel of supply side economics during his.

Now that was some indoctrination.

Please take a moment to call Harris County Schools and tell them to air the President's speech. Then take a moment to call 713-838-7900 and feel free to share your feelings about Jared Woodfill. My favorite word today is COCKSUCKER so maybe think about using that for Dear Old Jared.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 10, 2009

Health care reform : An update fit for a toilet!

I thought it might be time to give you folks a little update on the ongoing efforts of President Obama and some good people in Congress (mostly Democrats) to reform our health care system so that it serves us all a whole lot better. Now, you probably know I disagree with the President and the pro-reform members of Congress on the path they are taking toward a 'public option.

Yeah, I think we should nationalize all health insurance companies. Because they're wasteful, inefficient and only exist because of their lobbyists.

Still, I know they're as likely to pass nationalization as I am to put down this drink and swear off gin forever. So, let's just jump right in and see what's happening:

As it turns out, people are fucking stupid when it comes to this issue. Many older Americans who really LIKE the fact that they don't have to deal with private insurers seem to think that Medicare is (no shit) NOT A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.

You know all those bullshit teabaggers who've been all over the place harassing electeds about health care reform? Turns out, it's insurance industry and Republican party astroturfing.

Speaking of health insurance companies again, exactly WHY ARE THE REPUBLICANS SO EAGER TO SAVE THEM?!?!?! And why are so many idiots being turned out to this rallies to defend horribly wasteful companies?

On the subject of things fit for a toilet, let's take a look at what's really driving all this astroturf mobs (via the DNC)

1. These disruptions are being funded and organized by out-of-district special-interest groups and insurance companies who fear that health insurance reform could help Americans, but hurt their bottom line. A group run by the same folks who made the "Swiftboat" ads against John Kerry is compiling a list of congressional events in August to disrupt. An insurance company coalition has stationed employees in 30 states to track where local lawmakers hold town-hall meetings.

No, I'm not entirely satisfied with what is possible. Some Democrats and just about ALL Republicans seem hellbent on preserving a broken and ineffective system of private insurers that are some of the most inefficiently run companies in the world. Health insurers in the US, from an investment standpoint, make the old Soviet state-run companies look like models of efficiency and customer service. The ONLY reason these companies exist is because of government. There is no rational reason for them.

And if you're invested in them, you're in an idiot. Seriously, learn to read an operating income statement.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 05, 2009

Are birthers and anti-choicers one and the same?

Amanda Marcotte thinks so... you will too after you read this.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 04, 2009

The most recent Republican screwups

Coby has a terrific post up about yet another GOP family man who cheated on this wife. This time, it was with a real girl!

Republican's ability to hide from the health care reality of the uninsured in this country is really very stunning. And also really very stupid.

The Angelides Commission, set up to determine the causes of the bursting credit bubble (AKA the 2008 Financial Crises) is populated by Republicans and Democrats. It would appear that the Democrats are mooks and the Republicans are class A idiots. Especially one Peter Wallison. Petey's from the American Enterprise Institute which is populated almost exclusively with fools willing to say anything for a buck. Petey's one of those morons who thinks that restricting dangerous financial products to the financially savvy is just un-American. Isn't it great we have someone taking up for the shysters who want to rob the rubes? It's like denying someone apple pie to keep them from obtaining a mortgage that far exceeds their capacity to repay!

It's simple, yo! He's going to use his little platform as part of this Commission to blame everything on the government. A sawbuck says a ton of the responsibility will lie, in Petey's eyes, with the Community Reinvestment Act. We already know it's a lie, but that won't stop Petey from fibbing. Again.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of think tank integrity, the American Conservative Union offered it's full throated endorsement and support to FedEx for the bargain basement price of $2mn. We at McBlogger are formally announcing our intention to seek their endorsement in exchange for a membership (paid ahead one month) to Blockbuster Total Access, a lottery ticket for next Wednesday and a book of Camel Snus coupons that, inexplicably, keep getting sent to me. And half a dozen doughnut holes from Krispy Kreme.

No one ever accused Pete Sessions of being smart. And it appears they were wise. It's also good to know we can add hypocrite to the list of things Pete Sessions actually is.

Stupidity, it turns out, isn't limited to serving Congressmen like Pete Sessions. It also applies to former Congressman like Dick Armey. Mr. Dick seems to think there's absolutely no way we could affect God's creation.

DICK ARMEY: What I’m suggesting is we have a sort of an eco-evangelical hysteria going on and it leads me to almost wonder if we are becoming a nation of environmental hypochondriacs that are willing to use the power of the state to impose enormous restrictions on the rights and the comforts of, and incomes of individuals who serve essentially a paranoia, a phobia, that has very little fact evidence in fact. Now these are observations that are popular to make because right now its almost taken as an article of faith that this crisis is real. Let me say I take it as an article of faith if the lord God almighty made the heavens and the Earth, and he made them to his satisfaction and it is quite pretentious of we little weaklings here on earth to think that, that we are going to destroy God’s creation. [...]

I guess no one told him about all those pesky species mankind has hunted to extinction.

Sen. Hutchison's people have been having some with 39%'s alleged gayness. Jobsanger has the deets.

Why are the Republicans telling the elderly that they'll be 'euthanized'? THEY already have really good government funded health care.

Seriously, Republicans, why would you scare the fuck out of sweet old people by lying to them?

With regard to the health care debate, Rayburn's old quote “Any jackass can kick a barn down, but it took a carpenter to build it" has just as much meaning today as it did back when he was Speaker of the US House. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you THE Jackasses.

It's always nice to see a bunch of poor trash get all worked up by a horrible Democrat whose only crime is trying to help make their miserable, poor people lives a little better. These are the folks who are barely scraping by, working-class, paycheck to paycheck slobs who make up the grassroots that the Republicans use as their collective cockwipe. Don't worry about these folks too much... they're on their socioeconomic way back to their roots as subsistence farmers.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 30, 2009

TDP calls out Sen. Hutchison on Sotomayor

Sen. Hutchison Breaks Promise, Opposes Sotomayor

I'd just like to add my thanks to TDP for addressing this head on and my laughter at Sen. Hutchison for being played. Again.

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July 29, 2009

Stupid talking points

As part of the healthcare/surtax debate, a silly little theme has risen regarding who will be affected by this surtax. The Republicans say it'll be small business, which really shouldn't surprise anyone because they're kinda known for lying.

Since the overwhelming majority of small business owners earn far less than $280,000, few “entrepreneurs that run these small businesses” will be affected by the tax. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities pointed out, “only 1.9 percent of filers with any small-business income are projected to face either of the top two income tax rates in 2009.” In fact, of people who file most of their income from their own business, “more than half have income below $30,000 and 80 percent make less than $100,000.” The few business owners who do qualify for the new tax should be able to afford it. Pat Garofalo explains that “no one likes paying higher taxes” but a household earning more than $350,000 “is not a household that is barely scraping by.”

The other lie is that the rich will leave if they suddenly have to start paying taxes more in line with their income. The talking point uses Maryland which enacted a high-income tax and has seen high income earners dwindle from their tax rolls. Of course, the Republicans say, this is because those folks are moving. However, as this article in Newsweek points out, that's not really the case... those people simply aren't earning as much as they did.

We are not, under any scenario, talking about taxes exceeding those that existed under Clinton. When we had a booming economy, low energy prices and government surpluses. The fact of the matter is that Republican ideology and economic thinking (the so-called supply side) is all a sham. Theoretically and empirically, the ideas of Milton Friedman as applied to tax rates rates under 45% is worthless.

In point of fact, sometimes too low a tax rate can be a disaster for a country and it's economy. Most of us learned that over the last eight years. Rep. Polis notwithstanding.

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Salon wants you to know...

... what's happening to the losers who brought us Sarah Palin.

Disaster is often followed by recrimination, a bitter aspect of human nature that can be observed among the Republicans as the Sarah Palin fiasco continues to unfold. The Alaska governor's surprise resignation, amid negative press coverage in Vanity Fair and elsewhere, suddenly revived dormant feuding among campaign operatives and conservative media figures -- notably between Steve Schmidt, the former campaign manager, and Bill Kristol, the Weekly Standard editor and Fox News commentator.

In ordinary circumstances, all their bitchy backbiting, spinning and fabricating would be of little interest except as comic entertainment for political junkies. Who first called Palin a "diva"? Who insinuated that she might suffer from postpartum depression? Who searched computer files to find out which staffer was leaking these bilious tidbits to the press? And who cares now, eight months later, except for these losers?

Plainly there is no reason why anyone should care, except for one small nagging concern. It is worth remembering that these are the same people who chose Palin, a manifestly unqualified and incompetent politician unable to string together a series of coherent sentences, as the potential presidential successor to a 72-year-old cancer survivor. So it would be refreshing and salubrious to see the perpetrators of that contemptuous and cynical tactic held accountable for endangering the country.

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July 10, 2009

The RPT and their stupid emails

Not for nothing, but the Republicans in Texas have always had pretty shitty communication skills. From the appallingly retarded Tina Fish to the incoherent bullshit flowing forth from the gaping maw of 39%'s overscripted mouth like a river flush with water from the spring thaw, there just isn't anyone even worth beating up on.

Except for Hans Klinger who has now gone to live in Sen. Kay Bailey 'Shred those docs, bitch' Hutchison's colon. Hans, bubie, we miss you. At least you tempered your bullshit somewhat. Whoever is over their now, well, is just like the stuff clogging up a fat man's colon after a visit to Golden Corral.

The first thing up in their insipid little email is this Gallup poll which supposedly shows that the country is becoming more conservative. The reality is that it's the Republicans who are becoming more conservative. A majority of Americans either stayed the same or grew more liberal. Also of note is Gallup's use of the word 'liberal' which has, over the last few decades, taken on a decidedly pejorative connotation. If Gallup were after an accurate sample, why use it? The other poll is this one from Rasmussen which shows the President's astronomically high approval rating finally starting to drop a little. Which isn't really surprising considering his prevarication on health care reform, for example.

The Republicans also fail to mention 1) That Republicans in Congress still have approval ratings in the 20's. Even The Evil Demon Pelosi has a higher approval rating than the Congressional Republicans which has really got to be burning Tina Fish up and 2) That the average age of self identified Republicans is significantly higher than that of Democrats.

Then, there's this about the coup in Honduras which is based, in turn, on another blog which is based on a blog at the WSJ. All this in an effort to paint President Obama as clueless without even mentioning that the democratically elected president of Honduras was ousted by military forces. According to the WSJ, the Supreme Court of Honduras ordered all this which is interesting since President Zelaya wasn't impeached and there are serious questions as to the legality of any order given the military by the SC. Finally, the results of the election held to eliminate the one-term limit are still not known. In short, no one knows what the Honduran's want. A few wealthy members of the Honduran Congress, acting in concert with military leaders, effectively took control of a third world country.

And why would the WSJ be so eager to cast Zelaya as Chavez, part two? Let's just say he wasn't a big fan of allowing Bechtel to control water resources and then sell the water to the Honduran people. For example. He wasn't, in the parlance of the WSJ, pro-business.

But why should reality matter when it's soooo much more fun to live in this fantasy world where President Obama is the devil and all evil flows from him. Or a world in which he's woefully inadequate and extraordinarily ignorant. The story from the Republican's changes from situation to situation.

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July 06, 2009

What a statesman is The Dew

Actually, what a cocksucking piece of shit, but in this lovely article he's a real statesman in the mold of George Wallace.

“If the Senate job came open, I would probably give it a hard look,” he said. “I think that seat needs to stay in Republican hands.”

“I’m not trying to be partisan, but I think it’s probably in the Senate, in America’s best interest, if there’s a healthy balance of Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Republicans that are policy oriented and can stand up and say respectfully that they applaud the goal but there are perhaps better ways to get there that don’t do as much damage to the economy and cost as much in new taxes to the citizens of America.”

Oh, sure. Why would Texas want at least one Senator from the majority party? How foolish of Texans to actually want to have a voice with the majority!

As for not being partisan, Dewby, you kinda sealed the deal on that with the voter ID bullshit y'all pulled at the start of the session that caused it's ultimate demise. It was, in fact, the reason y'all had to come back for a special session.

Let's also remember that there was some HUGE losers from the special, not the least of which was Dewhurst himself, when privatization went down in flames and the asinine revolving fund died. Which means he doesn't have the juice he once did... and even if he DOES decide to run for re-elect, he faces an uphill battle in some of the areas where he's historically done well. It's fallout from not actually leading on transportation and it's going to hurt him, just like it'll hurt 39%.

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July 03, 2009

Palin Quits

Announces plan to hike Appalachian Trail.

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July 02, 2009

Fools and their money...

...never stay together for long. From QR:

U.S. Senate candidate Roger Williams reports that he raised more than $400,000 at a Saturday fundraiser in Weatherford. The former Secretary of State is exploring a run for the Senate seat when (or if) incumbent Kay Bailey Hutchison steps down to pursue the office of Governor.

Based on his campaign’s release, Williams now appears satisfied that he can mount a successful campaign. “This event was one of the final major events in the exploratory phase of my campaign. In this phase, I am testing the water,” said Williams. “Based on what I saw on Saturday, the water is just right for diving in.”

Among the luminaries at Williams’ event were: former Dallas Cowboys players Bob Lilly and Rayfield Wright, former football announcer Pat Summerall, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) and boxing promoter Don King.

Keep throwin' money down the rabbit hole, R's!

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June 29, 2009

Good idea, 39%

As it turns out, turning down the unemployment money from the Feds was one of the dumber decisions ever made by 39% since we'll now have to go begging DC for the money to cover the gap between demand by people out of work and available unemployment funds.

Is there ANYTHING 39% does that isn't a shell game?

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June 25, 2009

But, no, Senator Graham. They just want the coverage you get

Apparently, Sen. Lindsey Graham thinks a true universal coverage plan would be a disaster...

"The reason you are not going to have a government-run health care pass the Senate is because it will be devastating for this country," he said. "The last thing in the world I think that Democrats and Republicans will do at the end of the day is create a government-run health care system."

Now, this WAS on Stephanopolous so no one pressed Sweetness to back up his claim. Afterall, the government runs Medicare quite well with little waste and overhead. In fact, it runs far better than ANY private health insurance company. VA runs pretty well as well despite the fact that it's facilities need to be updated which was a funding failure on the part of the Republicans when they were in charge that the Democrats are now rectifying.

Graham himself also gets really extraordinary health insurance coverage as a member of Congress. Does he really view his coverage as a disaster? If so, would he be willing to forego it and pay for coverage through a private entity? I might have a little more respect for his position then. Right now he just looks like yet another hypocrite.

Why is it such a disaster to give all Americans access to the same health care that Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. John Cornyn enjoy? We WASTE enough in the private system to cover everyone. So why aren't we doing that? Why are the Republicans and a few Democrats playing with lives of Americans?

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June 23, 2009

39%'s been busy with the vetoes

First up was this piece in the Austin Chronicle regarding the partisan vintage of the bills 39% has been vetoing. I know it will come as a shock, but the overwhelming majority are Republican bills.

Just kidding! Nah, they're mostly Democratic and bi-partisan bills which, now that I think about it, is par for the course for a man who could only get 39% of Texans to vote for him. Some of these bills are pretty important. Some of them would have done a lot of good. None of it will receive a lot of attention. What will, however, really burn his ass is the veto of HB 2142 and the signature of SB 882.

2142 was the bill that put some taxpayer friendly restrictions on the pro-toll propaganda campaign being run b y TXDOT known as Keep Texas Moving. This one will be a huge favorite with the crowds in East Texas along the 69 corridor.

SB 882 was the bill by Spendthrift John Carona that actually PAID money to firms who bid on TXDOT projects but were not selected. Of course, the whiny refrain is that even bidding on these projects is expensive and without this there would have been fewer bids. Which is a load of crap because a company that can't afford the scratch to put together a proposal shouldn't even be in the damn running for a project. In point of fact, I could set up an engineering firm specifically to bid on TXDOT projects with the expectation that I'd lose every time... but I'd be richly paid for the loss. This process and this bill are an egregious waste of taxpayer funds.

And 39% took the additional step of signing it. Of course, I doubt the Hutchison crew is smart enough to pick up on this. Democrats, however, are so it'll come up in the general regardless of the R candidate.

I was ready for a real fight in 2010 but if you mooks are just going to make it easy, then go and keep (to use the words of a friend of mine) tripping over your own dicks.

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June 19, 2009

There's being the opposition...

... and then there's just being stupid.

Last week, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor said Obama’s handling of the faltering U.S. auto industry is “almost like looking at Putin's Russia.”

That came as Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) was drawing heat from Democrats for saying that he told Chinese leaders that “the budget numbers that the U.S. has put forward should not be believed” and that Congress would spend more than what is contained in the budget.

Just days before, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said at a fundraising dinner for House and Senate Republicans that Obama’s efforts to stimulate the economy and save automakers have “already failed.”

How the HELL is managing GM's bankruptcy like Putin's Russia, Rep. Cantor? What possible good can come from talking people out of buying US Treasuries, Rep. Kirk? Seriously, if you guys hadn't jacked the budget with ill-advised tax cuts that did nothing to stimulate the economy, we would easily be able to finance bringing the country out of the worst recession since the Depression.

As for you, Newt, you're just stupid. The stimulus is just now starting to work it's way into the economy. While unemployment is growing, it's not growing nearly as rapidly as it was. Jobs are being saved. Oh, and it's a hell of a lot better than Reagan's tax cut in '81.

What would be really nice is if Republicans with no real foundation in business or economics would shut up and quit sniping. And, yeah, that means you Pete Sessions...

And Sessions has drawn some heat for saying to the New York Times last month that the Obama administration deliberately sought to “diminish employment and diminish stock prices” in order to “divide and conquer” in Washington. Prior to that, Sessions suggested Republicans could take lessons about “insurgency” from the Taliban.

REALLY? The President is rooting for the failure of the nation he leads?

I can stand argument over policy, but blind stupidity and hatred are just ridiculous. PLEASE keep it up, Republican leadership!

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June 16, 2009

You have to be kidding me?

There's bad and then there's bad...

South Carolina GOP activist and former chairman of the state elections commission Rusty DePass has apologized for saying a gorilla that escaped from a zoo was an "ancestor" of Michelle Obama.

The controversy started when FITSNews, a local politics Website, obtained a screengrab of DePass's comment on Facebook.

After an aide to state Attorney General Henry McMaster detailed the escape of the gorilla from Columbia's Riverbanks Zoo, DePass responded with a comment: "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."

DePass later admitted to WIS News that he was referring to Michelle Obama and said, "I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest."

Well, as long as you were just joking you fat, pasty white, sack of shit...

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June 15, 2009

Medical tourism, part two

You know that stupid Republican talking point about how horrible socialized medicine is? The one about how the Canadians are coming over the border in droves to get treatment here in the US? Turns out, it's not really true which I'm sure will come as a HOOOOOOGE surprise to you because you know that Republican politicos are always honest, right?

The best part...

Driven by rising health care costs at home, nearly 1 million Californians cross the border each year to seek medical care in Mexico, according a new paper by UCLA researchers and colleagues published today in the journal Medical Care.

$20 says there are similar numbers in Texas.

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June 11, 2009

Remembering Dr. Tiller and some sad news

Abortion is a really ridiculous and polarizing issue about which every man should really stay quiet. Still, that doesn't stop a seemingly endless parade of fat, old, white men from pontificating endlessly about it. The result is that doctors who perform these operations and their staffs live in a constant state of fear.

It's so easy to paint one dimensional caricatures of people that will be believed, especially when you don't know the person. Thankfully, someone took the time to write this about Dr. Tiller so you can get an idea who he really was and what he really did.

The 9-year-old girl had been raped by her father. She was 18 weeks pregnant. Carrying the baby to term, going through labor and delivery, would have ripped her small body apart.

There was no doctor in her rural Southern town to provide her with an abortion. No area hospital would even consider taking her case.

Susan Hill, the president of the National Women’s Health Foundation, which operates reproductive health clinics in areas where abortion services are scarce or nonexisistent, called Dr. George Tiller, the Wichita, Kan., ob-gyn who last Sunday was shot to death by an abortion foe in the entry foyer of his church.

She begged.

“I only asked him for a favor when it was a really desperate story, not a semi-desperate story,” she told me this week. Tiller was known to abortion providers — and opponents — as the “doctor of last resort” — the one who took the patients no one else would touch.

“He took her for free,” she said. “He kept her three days. He checked her himself every few hours. She and her sister came back to me and said he couldn’t have been more wonderful. That’s just the way he was.”

No one likes abortion and anyone who thinks differently is either delusional or stupid. It's necessary, not a necessary evil but a necessary medical procedure best provided in safe, clean environments by professionals. And now that Dr. Tiller's office has closed because of his murder, anti-choice groups are freaking out about how it will make them look... and what they'll do to recruit to new members.

It's time to put an end to all this nonsense. A woman's right to choose her own course of treatment for a medical condition, like an out of control pregnancy, is unassailable. Any who attempt to interfere with it should be prosecuted under Federal, not state, law. And no protests should be allowed within a 2 mile radius of any facility that performs these procedures.

No need to moderate what you folks have to say... it's clear you'll say anything to keep money flowing into your groups. But we CAN dictate from where you get to speak. And you shouldn't be anywhere near women who are making a heartbreaking decision.

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June 09, 2009

Nothing like a little hyperbole...

Now, this is some funny...

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee urged Christians to get involved in politics to preserve the presence of religion in American life.

"I think this is one of the most critical moments in American history," Gingrich said. "We are living in a period where we are surrounded by paganism."

They and other speakers warned about the continuing availability of abortion, the spread of gay rights, and attempts to remove religion from American public life and school history books.

Disgraced former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich decides to pander to religious conservatives. About how the pagans are taking over. And the gays. And abortionists. And the book editors. I think we should be concerned about serial divorcees with a penchant for making wild accusations.

Never one to be upstaged, former Gov. Mike Huckabee had this to say...

Huckabee told the audience he was disturbed to hear President Barack Obama say during his speech in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday that one nation shouldn't be exalted over another.

"The notion that we are just one of many among equals is nonsense," Huckabee said. The United States is a "blessed" nation, he said, calling American revolutionaries' defeat of the British empire "a miracle from God's hand."

With a not-so-minor assist from the favorite European punching bag of the Republican Party, France. And the Spanish who went to war with the British opportunistically, but it did help us out here. But don't let facts get in the way of a lovely theocratic soundbite.

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May 30, 2009

How much would you pay...

... for the autobiography of the most hated Vice President since Spiro Agnew?

"A person familiar with discussions Mr. Cheney has had with publishers said he was seeking more than $2 million for his advance. That sum may prove hard to get in this economic climate, especially given his generally low approval ratings, which publishers view as a potential -- but not certain -- harbinger for sales."

We'd be THRILLED to offer Vice President Cheney $198.56 for this book. In coupons. Only as long as he can come up with a reasonable refutation of this.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 29, 2009

Watching Rep. Culberson self destruct...

... is almost as fun as watching the neighbor I hate run over his own garbage can and then be forced to pick up the contents from the street.

Go see it for yourself.

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May 28, 2009

Are they stupid at the RPT?

My God, would someone please buy the Republican Party of Texas a goddamn clue? I'll be happy to chip in $100 to the effort. I got an email from them this morning asking list recipients to kill HB 300, which is an awesome idea. In fact, I was so blown away I decided to read it thinking they couldn't possibly be agreeing with me.

They weren't. Their opposition to the bill is based on SB 855, not on privatization. Not on the Transportation Bank. Not on the MOUNTAIN of other bad crap in the stupid bill. They want everyone to call the House conferees and browbeat them into killing the gas tax but LEAVE THE REST OF THE BILL INTACT.

It surprises me that the RPT would be OK with allowing TXDOT to gamble with money from the pension funds and leaving taxpayers on the hook for corporate welfare. It's stunning to me that they would be so grandly dismissive of their base in East Texas who are adamantly opposed to TTC 69.

But, I guess I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Not only does this have the potentional to kill this bill, it also gives Democrats a ton of good hits for the general in 2010. For that, I guess I should say 'Thank You, RPT!'

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May 27, 2009

While the House burns...

... it's good to know Speaker Straus is worrying about his re-election to Speaker in 2011.

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May 26, 2009

Wasting away near Andrews

A little over a month ago, we pointed you to an article over at The Observer in which they complained about a douchebag who left TCEQ to become a lobbyist for Waste Control, not long after overriding the professionals at the agency (he was a mere political appointee, by 39% natch) and giving Waste Control a permit for a dump in West Texas.

As it turns out, there's a little more to the story. See, the whole reason the dump out near Andrews (which, just for kicks, was financed BY the voters there who recently and just barely passed a $75 million bond) exists is because of the hard work of Texas Legislators like Rep. Myra Crownover, Rep. Betty Brown and our favorite fatass (next to Sen. Carona), Rep. Linda Harper Brown. See, Harold Simmons, the investor who controls Waste Control, needed some legislation passed back in 2003 to be able to use the dump site to deposit rad waste. Seriously, RADIOACTIVE WASTE. The Representatives also got big, big checks for their campaign accounts from Mr. Simmons.

What the Legislature couldn't do for Simmons was get a permit from TCEQ which the staff at the agency, of course, recommended against because they didn't think it was a good idea for hazardous waste to be so close to the Ogallala Aquifer. Of course, the radwaste won't be the only thing dumped out at the site. It'll also be receiving dredged sediment from the Hudson River that is shot through and through with PCBs.

And that's where this douchebag, Glenn Shankle, comes in. Prior to overriding the TCEQ staff, he met with former Republican Congressman Kent Hance (who's an investor in WC) and other folks from WC about their application. And no one will ever know if any of them made him a promise of money or job after he left TCEQ. But, you have to admit, THIS DOESN'T PASS THE MOTHERFUCKING SMELL TEST.

And neither will the crap being dumped out new Andrews.

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May 10, 2009

No, no... it's not that. I really do think you're a retard.

I have a friend we'll call Dave but whose real name is Ken. Dave is kind of a pretentious jackass who talks about going to fabulous events like gallery openings and book readings and fundraisers that are very expensive (he gets to go to these because of his magical check writing ability... dumbass thinks it's all because they like him). Dave lives in OC but acts like he lives in LA. Honestly, once you're on the 405 there's really not much of a difference between the two... the southland all kind of blends together. However, while people in OC might say they live in LA, people in LA would beat you to death if you mistake them for someone from OC.

I've seen it happen. I have blood stained jeans to prove it.

Dave also, like oh so many in OC, is a Republican which is funny because he's also a sistah. A deeply closeted sistah, but a cocksucking, assmunching, buttfucking sistah nonetheless. When we both worked for the same bank, Dave liked to pretend he was straight which was funny as hell to me and a lot of others because, well, the boy had a vag. I can, if pressed, pass for straight. Dave couldn't. Ever. Needless to say, it was kind of comical when he tried to talk to the straight guys about chicks and stuff and sports.

Last year, Dave developed a crush on Republican heartthrob Mr. The Plumber. Unbeknown to Dave, Mr. The Plumber doesn't like the gays. At all.

"People don't understand the dictionary — it's called queer," Wurzelbacher told Christianity Today in an interview published this week. "Queer means strange and unusual. It's not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we're supposed to do — what man and woman are for."

He added, "I've had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they're people, and they're going to do their thing."

So. Much. Here... First, I'll be honest and admit I've never really understood the dictionary. People have forEVER been telling me that I'm simply too stupid to comprehend a reference guide that gives definitions for a vast number of words which are all, conveniently, arranged alphabetically.

As for queer being a slur, like so many things it depends on tone and inflection of the speaker. It's a lot like the word 'nigger'. When you say it with a smile in a friendly tone of voice to a black person, like "It's soooo good to see you! How are you doing, you old nigger!" Black people just, you know, fucking LOVE it. Same with The Gays and queer. Or faggot which is another word that is not, at all, offensive when someone who is not a faggot uses it to refer to someone who is The Gay. Really, people should completely feel comfortable using words that used to be considered extremely pejorative. As long as you say them nicely, it's all good. Score one, Mr. The Plumber.

Now as for not letting The Gays play with his kids, that's a tough one. On the one hand, The Gays usually love children. On the other hand, they just can't stop themselves from LOVING the children. It's a sickness which is why the overwhelming number of pedophiles (lovers of children) are The Gay. Mr. The Plumber, being extremely wise and knowledgeable, just wants to protect his little plumbers. Chalk another one up for Mr. The Plumber, 2-0.

Now, on the subject of what men and women are for, I think what Mr. The Plumber means is that God specifically says that women are for the pleasure of men. More to the point, you ladies are only here to satisfy the raw sexual urges of Mr. The Plumber. So, you all have that to look forward to. SCORE, Mr. The Plumber, 3-0.

Finally, it's great to know that Mr. The Plumber has some friends that are actually The Gay. It always makes me feel better if, when people say offensive things about different groups of people, they will just let us know that they have friends in that group. It also shows that Mr. The Plumber has a great depth of knowledge about The Gays.

I sent this to Dave and his response was that I needed to stop rubbing McCain's loss in his face. I told Dave that wouldn't happen because, much like a dog that shit in the house, he has to be trained. And he really needs to do a better job picking his objet de masturbation.

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May 05, 2009

Not a fucking chance, 41...

Apparently, Bush 41 (who I once supported.... what? I was a kid and didn't know better. PLUS, compared to his kid, he was a Democrat) thinks that there's some future, in politics, for members of the Bush family.

"Maybe Jeb someday. I want to see Jeb in there." George P. Bush, Jeb's son, "wants to do something. I think he might."

No. Not at all. We've had two of you assholes and that's more than enough.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:57 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

May 04, 2009

Oh. Michelle... bless your heart!

Recently, Michelle Bachmann has said some really stupid things. First, there was the hoot-smalley flap in which Michelle, who apparently slept through multiple history and economics classes, blamed FDR for the 'Hoot-Smalley' tariff which he supposedly signed into law. There is no such bill, but the crew at FDL thinks it has something to do with her white zin preference.

For those of you interested in the historical record, SMOOT-HAWLEY tariff was authored by two Republicans, passed into law by a Republican Congress and signed into law by Republican Herbert Hoover. But Michelle did get something right... it spurred the depression to go even deeper. It also played a small part in electing FDR since he campaigned for it's repeal.

Nevertheless, Michelle decided to press on and that SAME day she declared that it was surely more than coincidence that the last time swine flu popped up there was another Democrat in the White House, Jimmy Carter. Which may be true in an alternate reality but it's not in this one. In fact, the swine flu popped up in 1976 and Gerald Ford was President that whole year. And he had scads of people vaccinated which turned out to be a super bad idea that ended up paralyzing a bunch of them.

There was this letter in the Minneapolis StarTrib. It's pretty funny but the real hilarity is in the comments which are all anti-Michelle....

Crazy?
People thought Katherine Harris in FL was crazy. Compared to Michelle Bachman, she now appears to have been very sane. I hope the people in Bachman's district are happy to have added her to making MN a laughing stock. Between her & Norm I know when planes fly over MN the passengers & crew must errupt in laughter. Thanks a lot Dumb & Dumber

Yes, we do. Every single time we even think about MN, we laugh a little bit.

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May 02, 2009

Having some fun with Dr. McLeroy

The Texas Observer has some great stuff up about the comical buffoon many of us know as the Chairman of the State Board Of Education.

Sadly, Dr. McLeroy won't be chairing the SBOE any more.

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April 30, 2009

Quit whining. Do your job.

Hank Gilbert has a great post over at BOR regarding what's going on in the Lege on transportation.

HB 300 is out of committee and bound for calenders, then the floor. This is the TXDOT sunset bill which became an omnibus transportation bill with all the bells and whistles that everyone wanted. That's what Republicans do when they want a really nasty piece of constituent unfriendly legislation to pass... they give all the members a little something they want, then attach it to the bill. The members, when called on the carpet about it, then whine about how it had this one really good thing even though it had some really bad things in it. This is, of course, an admission of their wholesale failure to do their jobs to adequately fund transportation in this state. I'd rather they just get to work and fix the mess.

This, my friends, is some bullshit. NONE OF YOU LISTENED TO THE RECO'S OF THE DAMN SUNSET COMMITTEE. Gone is the statewide elected commissioner, replaced with yet another appointed commission. Even still, the really nasty stuff is coming out of the Senate, courtesy of the fatnesses, Sen. Carona and Sen. Nichols. Nichols, you may remember, was front and center with 39% during his rambling 10th Amendment speech. You can bet that's going to be a picture in some collateral sent out to his constituents that are supporting KBH.

On the Senate side, things have gone from bad to worse with transportation bill after bill being passed, none of them good and none of them get us any close to a rational solution. Many take us back. For instance, an amendment Sen. Nichols authored basically removes all oversight from the comprehensive development agreements that create the public private partnerships. See, right now CDA's are subject to oversight by the AG's office, Comptroller and an independent auditor. Nichols wants to remove all that bothersome crap and leave it all to TXDOT, the agency that made a ONE BILLION DOLLAR accounting error.

And then there's the transportation bank which will be used to credit enhance debt issued by the toll authorities. Read that last line one more time, then read this on AIG. Yeah, this motherfucker is going to leave our noses open for BILLIONS if not HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS. From Texas Monthly...

Subject to constitutional limitations, a transportation revolving fund can be used to provide loans or credit enhancement, or to serve as a reserve fund for debt financing or the cost of operation and maintenance. This would allow public and private entities, particularly local tolling authorities, to mitigate certain project financial risks which limit access to the capital markets, or to access additional financing for needed projects.

Just so you know, a 'credit enhancement' in the fixed income world is how you turn a really bad credit that's likely to default into a GORGEOUS prime credit that's likely to pay out perfectly. Sounds like magic, right? Nah, it's insurance. Let's say you have bad credit but your dad has great credit. He cosigns on a loan for you, thereby adding a credit enhancement to the note that insures payment of it... he's saying he'll pay if you don't. Voila! Instant credit enhancement for the creditor holding your loan.

This is, in effect, what this bank will be doing. The problem is, the enhancements won't be limited to true loss, nor will they be limited to face amount. To sell this junk without a tax backing it up, the bank will have to really juice the enhancement which will basically turn them into abnormal lottery tickets which will make the debt being issued to finance the toll roads VERY attractive.

Yeah, you read it right, abnormal lottery tickets. Unlike regular lottery tickets, these will pay, probably if the bonds don't even default... we'll have to see when the first tranche is sold. They'll pay using our tax dollars. Now, if you want a sweetheart deal like the bond investors and toll developers will be getting, just make your check payable to the Campaign to Re-elect Sen. Nichols and Sen. Carona.

Nichols, for his part, has received more money from toll road interests than any other Senator, just in case you thought I was being unnecessarily harsh. And, just FYI, NO SENATOR VOTED AGAINST THIS. Not a single Democrat.

But don't fear, boys and girls, the House D's may have some fun with all this.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 29, 2009

A cornucopia of funny

Or, if you're stupid, a horn of plenty filled with amusing things like...

39% has asked the Fed's for help with the drought. The RECORD drought. There are two funny things here, the most obvious being 39%'s having to ask Big Poppa O in DC for help. Like a tit baby. The second was this...

Texas' current prolonged dry spell is among many to hit the state since the 1950s, said Travis Miller, associate head of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University. The most severe drought recorded in Texas history stretched from 1950 to 1957 . That drought caused agricultural damage equaling more than $3 billion, according to a 1959 report by the Texas Board of Water Engineers, or roughly $24 billion in 2008 dollars .

Other serious droughts struck in 1996, 1998, 2000-02 and 2006, Miller said.

Nah, the planet's not getting warmer. And there's no way it's altering weather patterns at all. I'm sure it's just coincidence that, other than the 50's drought, are next most serious droughts have all occurred in the last 13 years.

And kudos to the Statesman for their artful subtlety.

39% also asked the Fed's for help on the swine flu thing.

Gov. Rick Perry has asked for 37,430 courses of anti-viral medicine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because of the swine flu outbreak.

Isn't it nice that we're actually part of a larger, more advanced country? That we can ask for money to help with disasters and disease?

Posted by mcblogger at 09:27 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

April 27, 2009

Gaffes? You sure you want to go there?

Hans whatever-the-hell-his-name-is and the Republican Party of Texas have a little contest they're running for people who receive their emails to vote on Vice President Biden's best gaffes.

In the spirit of stupid bullshit, we thought this was a great idea but that it would be infinitely funnier to pick out THE BEST REPUBLICAN GAFFES!

1) Condi Rice - The Mushroom Cloud warning about nukes in Iraq that was a lie!
2) VP Cheney - The lie that evidence exists linking Iraq and Al Qaida!
3) President GW Bush - Mission Accomplished!
4) President GW Bush - Is our children learning?
5) President GW Bush - Bin Laden... dead or alive!
6) Karl Rove - Permanent Republican Majority!
7) VP Cheney - Deficits don't matter!
8) ALL members of President Bush's admin - The Iraq invasion will pay for itself!
9) President GW Bush - Iraq's different religious sects won't attack each other!
10) 39% - Texas can secede.
11) AG Wheelie Abbott - I'LL SUE!
12) Comptroller Susan Combs - Let's change the computer system!
13) Ag Commission Staples - Inspect the peanut butter plant? But why?

Vote in the comments of email to mcblogger@mcblogger.com!

Posted by mcblogger at 03:07 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

You go, Sharon Killer! No, really, GO.

The House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence will be holding a hearing today on whether or not to begin impeachment proceedings against Judge Keller. Go tell them what you think.

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April 24, 2009

Michele Bachmann helps Democrats?

When it comes to fundraising, the answer is yes...

El Tinklenberg (D), who challenged Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) last year but lost, raised so much money in the final days of his election campaign that he couldn't spend it fast enough, according to CQ Politics.

As a result, Tinklenberg just transferred $250,000 in leftover campaign funds to the DCCC.

Thank YOU, Michele!

Posted by mcblogger at 11:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 23, 2009

Dumb. Hicks.

This was bound to happen. However, we're sooo damn lucky it didn't happen first in Texas.

Warren County, Ohio won't be getting new buses. The county commissioners rejected the over $350,000 from the federal stimulus package to upgrade their public transportation. Said commissioner Mike Kilburn, in a line straight out of an Onion article, "I’ll let Warren County go broke before taking any of Obama’s filthy money."

The money was "specifically for transit improvements in rural areas to improve transportation for disabled people, seniors and others needing access to health care and educational opportunities." Of course, in a sign of compassion, Kilburn said, "I'm tired of paying for people who don't have." And then he waved to everyone around him to come watch him skull fuck a live puppy.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 21, 2009

A ratfucker says what?

As if it wasn't bad enough that disgraced former Presidential adviser Karl Rove was relegated to commencement addresses in BFE, it's sad to say that the only place he can get published is the Wall Street Journal, the cornshit crusted asshole of American journalism.

But, hell, that's what happens when you spend the last eight years lying to people. And printing anything that Stephen Moore actually takes the time to vomit out. Wait... this isn't where I was going, is it? That's right, this is about Karl Rove, the worlds most famous ratfucker.

Now, you have to understand. Republicans have always been well served by their ratfuckers. Karl's just the latest in a long line that goes all the way back to the guys who helped out William McKinley. What made Karl so special was his aura of invincibility. See, people (and by people I mean the press) forgot that he used to make sloppy mistakes. That his instincts were wrong. They forgot that his rise to preeminence was more the result of the general trend toward conservatism in this country as the me-too boomers aged and accumulated political power.

In short, the press made the mistake of confusing chicken salad with chicken shit.

Unfortunately for Karl, Gen X and the millenials are rapidly moving the boomers aside. And despite the doe-eyed naïveté of the millenials, even they see through nasty partisan bullshit (my generation has always been cynical and nasty... we'd slash open Karl's fleshy throat just as soon as look at him, metaphorically speaking of course). So he's losing the base he could manipulate at the same time the population is shifting to people who are anything but respectful.

We at McBlogger seriously are sorry for poor Karl. It takes some real balls to think that last week's teabagging was something other than a glorified circle jerk with a bunch of people whose only unifying characteristic is that they hate the black guy in the Oval Office.

Build a movement on that shaky ground, Karl.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 16, 2009

They shoot traitors, don't they?

Imagine my pride and unsurpassed joy to see my Governor advocate, in a roundabout way, secession from the Union.

Let us all pray that 39% does continue to go off the rails and ends up being prosecuted for treason against the United States. Until then, I would like to know what the Lege plans to do about all this. I mean the Democrats, of course, since it's clear from Senator Nichols and Rep. Berman that the Republicans have no problems actively supporting traitorous seditionists. Having a seditious Governor just don't sit well with us ordinary Texans. Until then, TB has some nice bits contrasting Perry then and now. It would seem that in addition to being a traitor, he's also a hypocrite who has no problem asking for Federal aid when he needs it.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:42 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 15, 2009

Pathetic...

Karl-Thomas over at BOR has more details on the Austin Teabaggin' Event and I just have to say you guys are a bunch of morons.

REP. WAYNE CHRISTIAN? Seriously, that guy? Old boy is a dirt leg. And Peggy Venable has to be the biggest clown of them all representing a stupidly named group called Americans For Prosperity. REALLY, PEGGY? There are Americans who are AGAINST prosperity? I'm going to start a group called Americans For Ignoring Peggy Venable And Her Asshat Allies (AFIPVAHAA, for those of you who are fond of acronyms).

The funny thing about all this is that these people need the folks who will attend these rallies. They will need them if they have any hope of staying in power, a prospect that looks ever bleaker for 39%. What they also need to do is distract them from the fact that these speakers and the party they represent got us into this mess.

And the Democrats are fixing it. Republicans fuck it up, Democrats come in and fix it.

Finally, I hope the city and park cops will be on hand for the throwing of the teabags into Lake Lady Bird. Littering tickets seem more than appropriate and these people can certainly take the time to go fight the citation in municourt... after all, they have nothing better to do on a Wednesday than go to City Hall to listen to fucktards bleat on about the very people trying to save us from a Depression.

Of course, that's nothing new for Republicans. They're great at using national catastrophes as campaign props. You know, look and act tough to hide the fact that you're thoroughly incompetent. It's worked wonders for Buttertroll.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 14, 2009

Dick Armey likes a little teabagging

According to Krugman, our good buddy former Rep. Dick Armey is really behind all this teabagging fun. With some generous support from some winger nutjobs who, to look at them, are queerer than the child that would result from the union of Charles Nelson Riley and Paul Lynde (it's you, Scaife).

Matt found some cool stuff too regarding all the teabagging fun to be had tomorrow. Apparently, there is a website where you can see folks getting teabagged IN REAL TIME. Usually you have to go to a seedy bar in boys town for that kind of action (or subscribe to an expensive website, but I wouldn't know about such things). Needless to say, most fauxservatives are super pumped about all this man on man action. In fact, some of them are even creating partnerships so they can enjoy the teabagging with other like minded teabaggers.

We all know that we will be steamy, sweaty, and hot on April 15, tax day, and hard at work to complete our taxes and will look for much needed relief. The GOP can provide that relief with a group tea bagging. All individuals who are interested in tea bagging can be provided a partner. "Tea bagging is best performed with two consenting tax paying adults" says the organizer of the event, Richard Head.

Finally, Tom Tomorrow had this to offer (HT to PDiddie)
View image

The really ironic thing about all this is that these people who are sooo upset about the bailouts are mostly poor trash who don't pay a goddamn thing in taxes. So, tomorrow, while I'm working to pay for their Social Security benes and they're protesting the bailout which their failed ideology necessitated, I'll think about MY teabag. And how much I'd like to slap some of these tards in the face with it.

Fucking trash.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:20 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 13, 2009

Another take on Buttertroll as commencement speaker

Yeah, this made me laugh. A lot.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 09, 2009

SB 220 - Senate D's galatic fuck up.

To start with, I should be honest. SB 220, or as it's been more aptly named by a number of folks, THE TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED CONVERSION OF PUBLIC ROADS TO TOLL ROADS BILL, passed the Senate with a vote of all 31 Senators last Wednesday. Not a single Democrat or Republican stood in opposition. Which really makes them all 39%'s bitch. Or Cintra-Zachry/Bluebonnet's, depending on who exactly is lubing them up.

Our own Senator Watson, whom I've tried to give the benefit of the doubt, voted FOR this piece of legislation which allows TXDOT to very easily turn existing, taxpayer funded, public roads into a toll roads. It does nothing to fix the long term funding hole in Texas for infrastructure. It does make it infinitely easier to convert an existing highway into a toll road. Why would Senator Watson do such a thing? My guess would be it's because we need roads and rather than standing up for our long term interests, he's caving to the shallow desires of toll interests and the short sighted Greater Austin Chamber crowd dying to get the roads built as tollways now. Sounds great until you realize you can't just get out of this a few years later... this is one horrendous marriage we're going to be trapped in.

I've given Senator Watson almost two weeks to just TELL US WHY he voted for the bill. He failed to respond, probably because he was working on another craptastic edition of his hokey 'what's up' email, the Watson Wire. Either that or he was thinking of taking another gutsy stand on giving poor kids insurance, which is really gutsy here in Austin where we give the homeless health insurance. Or, maybe he was just grandstanding on the budget. Speaking of, here's my favorite part...

"It's just kicking the can down the road without making the structural changes we need to in the budget," said Watson.

Yeah, no foolin' you, is there Kirk? Shame you couldn't pick up on how much 220 was doing, functionally, the same goddamn thing and soaking Texas taxpayers in the process.

There's an old saying that Democrats are their own worst enemies. It's true as hell in this case as they are alienating the very voters they need to be swinging towards us. Good job, Senate D's! What, you really thought no one would notice? Or did you just buy Sen. Nichols sales pitch hook, line and sinker?

The worst part is that you denied us an issue with which to browbeat Republicans in 2010. Now, you'll try to cover your ass by whining about bipartisanship and getting something done to help alleviate infrastructure problems. But it's all bullshit and you're a bunch of weak goddamn sisters who've done far too little research.

Actually, that may be going a bit too far. We'll still beat the R's with it, but some of y'all are going to get hit as well. It's called collateral damage. And if you don't get hit with SB 220, you will sure as hell get hit with SB 17.

You folks are supposed to be SMARTER than the Republicans. ACT LIKE IT.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 08, 2009

REALLY, Betty Brown?

Oh. Dear. Betty Brown.

Voting against troops is sure to be hella popular in Henderson County. In the primary AND the general.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tea parties, Teabagging and a whole lotta funny

Apparently, the big new thing in the Republican party is teabagging at tea parties. They're having one in Austin on the 15th and 39% is going to be there. I wonder if Wayne Christian will be teabagging him. Or maybe Peggy Venable who, we hear, is hung like a cat. Shit you not, brother.

It really shouldn't surprise anyone that 39% is so eager to take a cock and balls in the face.

MEANWHILE, we'd like to urge you to print out this image and send to every Republican lawmaker who wants to grandstand about the economy during a crisis they helped, in large part, CREATE. We'd also like you to email the image to Glen Beck, Sean Hannity, That Obese Drug Addict, and Loofah Boy.

Actually, forget printing this out... just email it to people. And spread the word. They seem to think teabagging is soooo much fun, let's show them what teabag really looks like so that maybe next time they'll be more careful when choosing their protest imagery.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 06, 2009

What a bunch of damn bullshit...Part 2

"The American public understands something must be askew if every single Republican votes against something."

-- Minority Whip Eric Cantor, when asked by reporters why Republicans have said "no" to nearly everything the Democrats have proposed.

This is a post about the deficit and the irrational thinking of Senators Nelson and Bayh. I included this quote from that twerp Cantor because the Republicans aren't principled when they talk about deficits. To a man and woman, they helped Bush turn a surplus into ever expanding deficits. Their sudden conversion to fiscal responsibility is craven and opportunistic. It's also EXACTLY the wrong thing, and the American people know it. This isn't about them, though. The Republicans in Congress are a lost cause and our only way through as a nation will involve removing them from office, cycle by cycle.

This is about two Democrats who are thoroughly out of their minds if they think their path is the right one. We have seen, in stark relief, that we will be needing a lot more in terms of stimulus. And in terms of making desperately needed improvements and upgrades to our education, transportation and public safety infrastructure. Making these improvements gives us greater room for faster economic growth with low inflation which in turn helps cut the debt we build up now by running deficits.

Real unemployment in this country is 12.5%-19%, depending on whose estimate is used off the BLS numbers. That makes this the worst economic downturn since the Depression. In an environment like this, your focus should be on alleviating pain and suffering while pushing every lever possible to build into a recovery. Which you can do with debt. It's this that has Bayh so worried:

"[U]nder this budget, our national debt skyrockets from $11.1 trillion today to an estimated $17 trillion in 2014. As a percentage of our gross domestic product, it reaches a precarious 66.5 percent. The deficit remains larger than our projected economic growth, an unsustainable state of affairs. This budget will increase our borrowing from and dependence upon foreign nations. I cannot support such results. We can do better, and for the sake of our nation and our children’s future, we must."

What is so stunning about this statement from Senator Bayh is just how utterly clueless it shows him to be. Whether willful or genuine ignorance is the reason, it's shocking coming from someone in a position of power. The projections to which Bayh refers are based on low or no growth over the next few years. They do not take into account resurgent economic growth or the effects of improved infrastructure on economic efficiency (which, by the way, allows the economy to grow at a rapid click with real wage growth and low inflation, kind of a Goldilocks economy we should be so lucky to enjoy).

This is not the time to use scare tactics or play politics in a vain attempt to make yourself appear more important than your colleagues. It would be great if Bayh and Nelson would pick something else to stand out on.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

MOTO : Is Dave Carney really such a self important 'tard?

Let this be the last thing we ever say about the 2006 Governors Race.

At the Statesman, they are covering the Bell v. Perry suit regarding 39%'s efforts to hide the true identity of some of his donors. Embry has an article here about the suit, but the first link is to a blog entry that covers what Embry found in the depo. Here's the quote that caught my eye...

“Chris Bell was so inept and had not gotten any traction, our real concern was that Kinky Friedman, who basically got outed as a fraud and a racist, was going to — was going to collapse and that that vote would go to Carole Strayhorn. And — because they had already rejected — you know, theoretically Democrats aren’t with a Democrat. They’ve already rejected him.

So the theory would be that if Kinky collapsed, all that vote would go to Carole, and it’s very difficult to stop an independent candidate, you know, in that her resources to money was pretty significant as being the comptroller and some of her deep-pocket supporters. So we had a strategy to pump up Bell.

In fact, at our state convention, Governor Perry, you know, started to talk about Chris Bell exclusively because we wanted to make him the bogeyman so Democrats would rally around him and that he wouldn’t collapse too far. At some point he wasn’t even a 15 — you know, 15 percent of the polls. We had to make him credible, so we made him our bogeyman so that Strayhorn wouldn’t get any traction from what we assumed would be the collapse of Friedman.

Friedman did collapse, but not as much as, you know, we were worried if he ultimately, and so we’re, you know, in a five-way race. It was very difficult. But we had to prop up Bell as much as possible, and the thought was if Perry is worried about Bell, then the Democrats and independents, you know, that were left of center, would rally around Bell. It didn’t really work, but we did keep him up — prop him up so that, you know, Carole never got any traction.”

Dave, no lie amigo, you are the biggest MOTO of all time. Focusing on Bell as your only 'true' challenger was your only shot not only to keep focus on him; It also neatly kept you from getting into the mud with Carole where she would have whupped 39%'s ass.

It was your ONLY play and completely obvious. What makes this piece so unbelievable is that Carney seems quite proud of how clever he was when, in reality, he had no other option if he wanted to win. Even still and with the expenditure of more money than all the other candidates combined, Carney couldn't manage to get a sitting governor over 50%. Against a fuckwit 'humorist', a Congressman defeated in his own party's primary and a delusional Comptroller.

The mistake the Democrats made was in not taking out a contract on Carole and Kinky.

Oh... Dave, by the way, super nice work on the Speaker's race, pal.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 01, 2009

I'm with her...

Spot on, Bo.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 27, 2009

Chickenshit Keller

Sharon Keller, the judge who decided to close up shop at 5 because hearing a death sentence appeal would have kept her from seeing American Idol, has posted a response to the charges of misconduct she faces.

No joke, she blames everyone other than herself. Way to really own it, Sharon. Good to see your 'tough on crime' bullshit only extends to the stuff you don't get called on the carpet about. Kuffner has more.

Posted by hbalczak at 09:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 26, 2009

Crazy as a shithouse rat

Finally, someone has the footage of the financial services committee hearing in which Michelle Bachmann made an ass out of herself... by not understanding Constitutional authority.

Watching it again, I'm irritated with my own empathy for making me wince with embarrassment at her stupidity. THIS is the modern Republican party... too stupid to even realize how foolish they look. To wit...

Posted by mcblogger at 02:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

NYT calls bullshit on 39%

OK, so the NYT beat us to the punch by a few days.

Or if that’s not enough, they should look at what other sensible governors — both Democrat and Republican — are doing throughout the rest of the country: accepting the aid as a lifeline for pulling their states and the country out of desperation.

The unemployment portion of the federal stimulus package offers generous support to the states. To accept it, these states must make two reasonable changes in their unemployment insurance law. They must expand eligibility requirements that bar too many low-income workers from receiving compensation. And they must choose from a menu of options that include extending benefits to part-time workers and those who leave jobs because of family emergencies.

The claim by some governors that the unemployment aid would lead directly to tax increases has also been discredited. New taxes are triggered automatically when unemployment trust funds fall below specified levels. In many cases, filling their coffers with stimulus aid would actually postpone tax increases. When the stimulus money is spent, states would also be free to revert to the old unemployment insurance laws.

In Texas, Governor Perry’s decision to reject the money has sown considerable anger in the State Legislature. A House committee urged the full Legislature to overturn the governor’s decision. Lawmakers acted after seeing projections that the state unemployment fund was on track to run out of money in the fall, which would drive up taxes.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 24, 2009

So Dodd was telling the truth...

... and the Administration and Republicans have been lying?

EW's spot on... these contracts would have been busted by a BK judge had Treasury and the Fed not stepped in to pull AIG back from the brink. Abrogate the bonus contracts and let's move on.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sucking at math...

Not that I'm Carl Jacobi, but I'm least better at math than certain Republicans. First up, we have history professor and former ethically challenged Speaker of the US House Rep. Newt Gingrich. Apparently, Newtie thinks that cap and trade will be all expense, no benefit which is about like saying when I go to Neiman's and spend money I don't get anything in return. Maybe this one isn't so much a math error for Newt as it is an accounting error... You know, when you spend money on something and you receive an asset in return.

Nah, it's a math error because he can't even correctly determine the cost to the average family in the US.

While Newt's a dumbass, the real winner of this weeks STOOOPIDFUCK contest is Rick Perry who shunned more than $500mn in the stimulus plan (because it would cost Texas businesses $15mn a year in 10 years) and replaced it with a tax that will cost Texas businesses more than $800mn. This year.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 19, 2009

Preparing For A Second Career, or, What President Bush Is Doing Right Now

Seriously, jokes about the economy?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:51 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

March 17, 2009

Speaker Strauss faces problems (but not from D's)

Rumors have been floating around for days that there is a movement afoot to oust Speaker Strauss. The ringleaders were said to be Democrats which Rep. Martinez-Fisher and Rep. Dunnam put to bed this morning. Which leaves only the source (Texas Insider - a hard-right Republican blog) thinking there is a movement.

Speculation now turns to Republicans who may be plotting to unseat the Speaker now that the Democrats have been conclusively ruled out. Rep.'s Bohac, Berman and Brown are just a few of the names I've heard. Pink Dome is reporting that there is a list but that there are only 18 names on it.

If there IS a move to remove the Speaker, it ain't coming from the Democrats.

(About damn time you came back, PD)

Posted by mcblogger at 02:15 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

March 12, 2009

Probably the only time I will link to Andrew Sullivan...

Really, spot on...

Just to recap: the last president believed that he had the inherent power to suspend both the First and the Fourth amendments, he had the power to seize anyone in the US or world, disappear and torture them, and ordered his legal goons to come up with patently absurd legal rationales for all of it. And much of official Washington carried on as normal - and those of us who actually stood up and opposed this were regarded as "hysterics".

Something is rotten in a country where this can happen with such impunity - and when, even now, highly regarded and respected journalists and commentators simply move on or roll their eyes or sigh world-weary sighs.

One thing... read this and think about Tom Scheiffer's inability to acknowledge that voting for Bush was kind of a bad idea. I'm not saying it's a deal killer for me, just that it would be nice to find a mind at work that can actually see just how far down the rabbit hole we went.

Also, I'm big on admitting mistakes.

PDiddy has more on our recently ended Presidential Dictatorship.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 11, 2009

Teh Baby Jesus Weeps Because Of The Stupid

I'm used to Republicans being dumb. What I'm not used to are Democrats being dumb. But first, the Republicans...

Boehner said Americans want government to practice the same financial restraint they have been forced to exercise: “It’s time for government to tighten their belts and show the American people that we ‘get’ it.”(CBS)

Uhm, actually, Americans want an expansionist fiscal and monetary policy. What Boehner is saying is "Let's fill the whole in the economy, by creating an even bigger one by cutting government spending!" Honestly, this would make sense if there was too much demand and the government was soaking up capital that could be better used by private companies. But that's not the case right now and we need government spending MUCH, MUCH MORE. As we've noted before though, Boehner is a stupid, ignorant little man whose brain is calcified by the ideological equivalent of shit. I can excuse him (even if I do think CBS is retarded for airing anything the moron had to say) because he comes by his stupidity naturally.

Sen. Bayh, on the other hand, really should know better than to paraphrase the House minority leader...

“The American people and businesses are tightening their belts,” Bayh added. “I think we need to show that the government can economize as well.”

A couple of things...

1) The Democratic Party IS the goddamn moderate party. The damn thing is made up of centrists. The entire party. The Greens are to our left and the Republicans are too the far right. WE'RE THE MIDDLE. So we don't need Senators from flyover states (and VA... we noticed you,Horse Face) to act as if they are the center of the party. Collectively, you represent fewer people than Sen. Boxer.

2) 'Belt tightening' isn't going to get us out of the economic hole. The Depression finally evaporated when WWII came and kicked off the largest public spending project in history. The US debt went to 140% of GDP. Right now, we're at 65%. We have a long way to go if needed. It will be nice to know that we'll have you chickenshits wringing your hands all the way up.

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March 01, 2009

So much for Santelli's rant

As it turns out, it was nothing more than Republican astroturf. And you'll never believe who broke the story...

Is it any wonder newspaper's are dying?

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February 25, 2009

You know you've fucked up...

...when even Pat Robertson and Jeb Bush call you out.

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February 13, 2009

Junio John Speaks

The stimulus bill is not going to work, mostly because of the tax cuts/rebates, which Junior John now says don't work. Which is kinda funny since part of the reason he's voting against it is because it's not 100% tax cuts.

He also conveniently ignores the fact that the overweight toward tax cuts in the bill are the result of compromises to Republicans. Then he mentions a CBO study that says this bill will eventually crowd out private investment. Which is hilarious since this bill isn't even a tenth of the size of the US economy.

Finally, Sen. Cornyn flat out lies about the efficacy of tax cuts vs. spending saying that spending is about half as effective.

It's never been more clear than now that we need a real Democrat in the Senate representing Texas. I don't know that either Sharp or White are that guy. I have no idea what they think about fiscal stimulus in a deflationary environment. I can tell you this, listening to Cornyn makes it clear that we can not afford to elect another ideologue more committed to politics than actually governing.

Which means, Sharp and White camps, you better get some goddamn good people to tell you what to say or I'm going to rain shit all over you both.

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February 10, 2009

Note to Rep. Neugebauer

Dear Rep. Randy... you really shouldn't talk about the economy. Or how to pull us out of recession. Or how to keep us out of a depression. Or adding federal debt (which, by the way, there is a tremendous demand for) to finance stimulus.

Randy, buddy, I gotta tell you your ignorance of basic finance and market dynamics is pretty scary. You know the old saying about keeping ones mouth shut?

Quit using talking points and playing politics. There is more at stake here than playing asshole in a stupid attempt to rebuild your moribund party.

Hate you lots,

McB

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February 05, 2009

Circling the goddamn drain...

I read this yesterday...

I used to be optimistic about the capacity of our political leaders and central bankers to avoid the policy mistakes that could turn the current global recession into a deep and lasting global depression. Now I’m not so sure.

I'm not quite as worried about some of Buiter's concerns, least of all protectionism (mostly because there's going to be so much demand from China's infrastructure stimulus that basic materials are going to rebound sharply, even in the US). However, I AM concerned about the weakness in Washington. And the more I think about it, the more I'm ready to say, simply, FUCK IT. I can do that. I have money and I can survive a two year depression. Most of you can't.

In fact, a real depression would probably be good for me as it would allow me too pick up some great assets at 90% off their real value. Hell, I might just bail and leave you all here to rot. Maybe I'll be back when you fucks get your heads screwed on right.

Why am I saying all this? Because the public has turned against the stimulus bill. Democrats are actively working against their party and their President with the Republicans on more of this tax cut nonsense. The Republicans are easy... any failure of this bill will lead to a lot of economic pain and Democrats are going to get blamed. The Democrats working against this? They're harder to explain... I think it has something to do with a fundamental inability to understand economics and how to maintain a capitalist economy. I also think they're as goddamn stupid as this guy. Or this idiot who seems to think TARP was a bailout for the wealthy. Guess he wasn't paying attention nor does he seem to care that's it's left the Treasury with actual assets. Because he and those like him never understood TARP or TAF, they've been beating a political drum about it for a while. Now that beat has started to poison the Stimulus Bill.

It's kinda understandable, especially since the media is doing such a bang up job explaining all this to the American people. It almost makes me want to embrace what I see happening, the impoverishment of whole swaths of the country.

All the while our President sits on the sidelines, going on TV, seemingly content to let the whole thing go down the drain while the partisan bitterness he refuses to engage in consumes the Capital. Of course, he could step in and really decimate the Republicans. Maybe he will. But I certainly doubt it. My question, for now, is the same as this one... WHY ON EARTH WOULD OBAMA HAVE EMPOWERED THE GODDAMN STUPID REPUBLICANS??!?!?!?!?!?! Or, WHY THROW THEM ANY BONES IN THE FORM OF TAX CUTS THAT DON'T WORK? Has it occurred to anyone other than myself that President Obama and the Democrats are wasting our money on Republican ideas we know damn well won't work?!?!?!

Maybe, just maybe, the CHANGE we could believe in was nothing more than ineptitude. Not that asshat McCain would have been any better. I'm thinking more along the lines of Clinton or Edwards. God knows either of them would have already passed a much better bill and they would have browbeat the Republicans to do it.

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February 04, 2009

Ambition FAIL

Goddamnit, TinaFish. Could you suck MORE?

We were extremely excited about the prospect of TinaFish being in a position to fuck up the Republicans on a national level. Now we'll have to be content with her incompetence being limited to Texas. It's our mistake for getting our hopes up. The outcome, we should have realized, was entirely dependent on TinaFish actually appearing like she knew how to do anything more complicated than breathing.

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February 03, 2009

Stupid people saying stupid things

EOW pointed to an article at TPM regarding the lack of traction on the stimulus plan...

ThinkProgress has admirably demonstrated that the cable networks continue to tip the scales in favor of Republicans by booking like twice or even three times as many Republicans as Democrats to discuss the Stimulus Bill. But that only tells us what we already know, which is that the Washington press establishment is still wired for Republicans. But there is a Democratic president. And he does have the bully pulpit. And he needs to make this argument, which he's not. Absent that, we can't be surprised and the Democrats are not in much of a position to complain if the vacuum is filled by a bunch of Republicans making statements that are either demonstrable nonsense or just lies.

Look at what people are talking about and you wouldn't get the sense that we're actually in the midst of a major economic crisis that will likely send unemployment well into double digits if nothing is done quickly -- and a crisis that is in large measure the result of the economic policies that the Boehners and Cantors and McConnells are telling us, all the evidence to the contrary, will now save us. Everyone who's taking this situation seriously realizes that spending is the pivotal part of what the government needs to do to stabilize the economy in the face of this crisis. The multipliers for spending versus tax cuts simply leaves no question about that. Ask McCain economic advisor Mark Zandi. The solid critiques from the right aren't about whether spending is needed but which types are most efficient.

At the core, this is going to have to be us talking it up since President Obama and Co. can't manage to do a goddamn thing right since taking office. Oh, I'm sure some of you will point to Gitmo and say THERE but it's the big ticket stuff, like actually VETTING Cabinet noms that they seem to be fucking up nicely.

The economy needs this. I've worked in various parts of the banking industry for more than a decade and can tell you, this is BAD. The situation we're in is precisely the result of greed coupled with a lax regulatory structure and weak legal enforcement. In short, this is the ultimate economic paradise that the policies of Boehner and Cantor and McConnell (not to mention our own Junior John) have already led us to. Only in their idiotic world would more of the same be good. I don't know why I should be surprised since the only one out of the three that's ever held a real job (Boehner) was a salesman. For a packaging company that didn't actually make anything, they just sold what was made by others.

In other words, what these morons have to say about regulation and the efficacy of fiscal stimulus is questionable. At best. Especially in light of the fact that they've been saying the same thing for decades, they got what they wanted and we're all enjoying the ruin where it was destined to lead.

It is not enough any more to support our plan. That time has passed and the Republicans simply will NOT let it go. All that's left is for us to attack THEM. THEY caused this. WE'RE going to fix this.

And it's time the President get geared up and get into the fight. A CHANGE would be a President that actually did something right.

It's time to give old school, knock the other into the dirt and kick him when he's down, politics one last spin.

Say it with me, boys and girls, "TAX CUTS AS STIMULUS DON'T WORK". They didn't work last year, they won't work this year. TARP has started to work to stabilize the financial system. We need this to the economy itself working again and put people back to work. It would also be nice if Geithner would step on the banks to start lending again.

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February 01, 2009

In other news...

Conyers has issued another subpoena for Rove...

"Change has come to Washington, and I hope Karl Rove is ready for it," Conyers said. "After two years of stonewalling, it's time for him to talk."

Robert D. Luskin, an attorney for Rove, said his client will "abide by a final decision from the courts." Luskin noted that Bush, in a letter to Rove, recently reasserted executive privilege.

"It's generally agreed that former presidents retain executive privilege as to matters occurring during their term," Luskin said. "We'll solicit the views of the new White House counsel and, if there is a disagreement, assume that the matter will be resolved among the courts, the president and the former president."

For my money, I think Bush's biggest fuckup was not giving a full pardon to Karl Rove. Now, the son of a bitch is toast. Well, he is as long as the President decides to uphold the rule of law instead of executive privilege.

Via Stop The Death Penalty comes a link to an op/ed in the Statesman talking about how ridic it is that the Federal Courts have to step in to stop an execution our Governor (and the Criminal Court of Appeals) were too gutless to stop.

Ladies and Gentleman, the return of SCIENCE

Collin County now has a toll road authority! I can't WAIT to hear about all the fights between them and the NTTA!

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January 31, 2009

Transportation funding and the constrained budget

If the estimates from the Office of Fucked In The Head Tall Bitch are to be believed, Texas faces a strained budget that may have a negative impact on transportation funding. According to Ben Wear.

But for transportation advocates, having $9.1 billion less for the state's general fund carried extra sting: Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and then-House Speaker Tom Craddick (remember him?) had all but promised in a letter last summer to grab general fund dollars with both hands and use them on roads. Now, who knows?

See, considering that the Feds are about rain infrastructure money down all over the land, you'd think Texas would be OK. You'd be wrong. Texans bucked the national trend and STRENGTHENED the Republican Caucus in our House delegation and re-elected Junior John, The Huntress of the Skeet, who has spent the last couple of weeks pissing off Democrats in the Congress. And our new President.

Not to mention the fact that our stupid little Republican caucus from Texas voted against the stimulus. Even 'moderate' Michael McCaul voted along ideological lines against the best interests of his district. Cornyn's claim is that the plan won't work. He wants tax cuts but people WAY smarter than Cornyn say cuts won't work.

I'M ONE OF THEM.

Watch as Texas gets FUCKED on infrastructure stimulus thanks to a bunch of Republicans too stupid to understand that their ideology has failed, that tax cuts aren't a panacea and that sometimes the government has got to spend money.

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January 30, 2009

Fuck you very much, Lance Armstrong

Now, for the vast majority of you who don't live in Austin it'll probably come as a shock that we don't like Lance Armstrong. Seriously, many of us will actively try to run his scrawny ass off the road.

This won't help at all.

Cyclist Lance Armstrong this afternoon called on the Legislature to make Texas the 25th state to pass a statewide smoking ban.

“This is something that is very, very personal for me,” said the seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor.

Armstrong, just back from the Tour Down Under cycling race in Australia, stood outside the Capitol surrounded by lawmakers who support a proposal that would ban smoking in all indoor workplaces in Texas, including restaurants and bars.

Hey, Fuckhead, you had BALL CANCER. You don't get that from second hand smoke.

Of course, Lance The Douche wasn't alone in his fight to make bars less fun...

“If Texans want to smoke … despite all the reasons they shouldn’t, they can do so,” said state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. “But the rest of us should have the freedom to breathe in oxygen without inhaling secondhand smoke.”

A poll released today shows that 68 percent of Texans favor such a ban. Baselice & Associates was hired by Smoke-Free Texas, a group supporting the smoking ban, to conduct the survey of 601 registered voters.

Smokers were less likely to support the ban than non-smokers. Seventy-eight percent of non-smokers favored the ban, compared to 60 percent of former smokers and 46 percent of smokers.

Hey, Jane, I'm worried about hair bleaching chemicals destroying drinkable water. I shouldn't have to suffer with bad water because you can't stand being natural. As for the validity of this 'poll', we already know how Baseslice works. What we ALSO know is that the smoking ban in Austin BARELY passed. IN AUSTIN.

The bill’s authors, Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, and Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, tried unsuccessfully to pass a statewide ban in 2007. Ellis said it’ll be a tough fight against tobacco companies — even if they don’t publicly oppose the bill.

“Big Tobacco does not want this to pass, and they are a powerful force to go up against,” Ellis said.

Ok, Rodney, you just became my least favorite Democrat for being a fucktard and working with these intellectually inferior mommystaters.

Tell you assholes what... I'll quit smoking as soon as you DO YOUR GODDAMN JOBS TO FUND SCHOOLS AND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. Until then, if you don't like smokey bars, don't go to them and quit telling the rest of us what the hell to do. I pay my insurance, not the state, don't act like my choice is costing you money.

Finally, why not just put this on the ballot and let us, the stupid voters, decide?

Dicks.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:17 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 27, 2009

Eleven million?!?

Governor Palin reportedly wants $11 mn for her new book, 'Pick Me! Pick Me!'. Will anyone be dumb enough to pay the tab, hire her a ghostwriter and actually put the thing out to a Barnes and Noble near you?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:00 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

January 26, 2009

The man in black

What the hell is 39% trying to do? Is he trying to anger the ghosts of Johnny and June?

What an asshole.

(photo from AAS)

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39% and Grandmother Longlegs

Texas is abuzz about the latest in the R deathmatch which will be 39% vs. Sen. Hutchison. Kuff has his analysis here, David Mauro has some deets up on Hutchison's planning and supporter list and Gardner Selby has this up at the Statesman regarding the omnipresent abortion issue which will, of course, play a critical role in the R primary due to the fact that most R primary voters are more concerned about someone they don't know having an abortion than whether or not THEIR kids have good schools.

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January 06, 2009

Is Vicki Truitt lying?

It certainly looks that way, according to what John over at Bay Area Houston has uncovered. Apparently, Vicki is getting off with a slap on the wrist from the ethics commission for illegally using campaign funds for her personal benefit. What has me pretty skeptical of Vicki's honesty is the inability of her mortgage company to locate the documentation related to the financing of the condo her husband bought which she's been paying for with her campaign funds (in the past, you'd call this robbing Peter to pay Paul).

Here's the thing... it's REALLY easy to get a copy of a loan. My employer has everything on scanned in and we can pull it off a remote server. So, if one of my counterparties has a file that gets tagged for audit, I can print or email a copy of the complete loan to them. Even with the loans that closed long ago, it's pretty easy because the vast majority have a MERS number that will tell you where the original collateral package actually is as well as the loan details.

Perhaps if the Ethics Comm would ask Vicki for that they might be able to get an accurate picture. I certainly doubt Vicki's excuse that the documents were lost, especially on a loan of this type.

`

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December 18, 2008

CRA... the talking point that just won't die.

Seriously, R's, get a new talking point.

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December 16, 2008

Michael Williams run for Senate

Michael Williams, who was just re-elected to the Texas Railroad Commission, announced today that he would like to run for US Senate if Kay Bailey resigns.

In other news, similar announcements were made by

A sack of dirt
A potted plant
My mother
A bottle of Welch's concord grape juice
A book about the work of Salvador Dali
The clock on my desk at also tells the temperature immediately around my desk
An iPhone
A lit cigarette thrown out of a car moving at 70 on MoPac

... all of which stand more of a chance of getting elected to US Senate than the idiot Michael Williams. Mikey, let me clue you in, the racist crackers in East Texas who DIDN'T vote for Obama because he was black had no idea you were.

Get it, moron?

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December 14, 2008

Around Texas

Ron Kirk for Transportation Secretary? He wasn't a great Mayor of Dallas. He wasn't a good Senate candidate. Now the President-elect wants to put him in charge of the Transportation Department? Let's keep in mind this is the same Ron Kirk who thinks tolls are just nifty. His point is the same one most of the 'thinking liberals' make, namely that gas taxes disproportionately effect the poor. What these well intentioned people never pick up on is that when you're tolling damn near every road, you drive up the costs for all consumers creating the very problem your tolls were meant to avoid. Either in terms of paying the toll or sitting in traffic on a surface road or increased costs at stores that sell good transported by trucks that paid the tolls, the poor (even those who don't drive) end up getting soaked. As Democrats, we've always been pragmatic when looking at problems, costs associated with those problems and how best to fund them.

Unfortunately, it's become accepted as gospel that tolls are the best funding solution in Democratic circles, no matter how wrong that thesis is. Kirk is a part of that problem and that makes him a very unsuitable choice.

The reality is we need someone dedicated to transportation who can come at our infrastructure problems with innovative, multimodal solutions. We need someone who can recommend sensible, long term financial structures not someone who will simply kick the can down the road, soaking taxpayers in the process.

Elizabeth Ames Jones has decided to run for Senate. Lucky, aren't we?

Am I the only one who thinks this bitch is the candidate equivalent of fruitcake? Pretty but absolutely worthless? And trust me, this isn't a Democrat vs. Republican thing. This bitch is as dumb as a box of fucking rocks. Click the goddamn links.

For you Dallasites, there's a delay in the plans to reconstruct LBJ. Apparently, the firms need some more time to figure out how to dig out 6 additional toll lanes underneath the freeway. And rebuild the free part of the road. I feel for y'all... you're actually going to have to use surface roads for about five years.

Oh and the Trinity Toll Road is kinda moving forward. But not really.

Austin has low electric rates. Who knew?

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December 11, 2008

This week in Teh Gay

Wednesday was a Day Without Gays, where gays took the day off to protest Prop 8. Or the return of polyester, I wasn't really sure since I didn't get the memo. PDiddie has more which is funny since he's not Teh Gay and seems to know more about what's going on with my team than I.

On the subject of Prop 8, here are some good protest pics

Mike Huckabee was recently on The Daily Show where he got spanked by Jon Stewart. Huckabee wanted to, at one point, make it clear that he was not a homophobe which is exceedingly difficult when you're speaking out against equal rights for gays and lesbians. And, in the case of Prop 8, openly discriminating against them.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mike Huckabee Pt. 2

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

My favorite part is when Stewart asks Huckabee when HE decided not to be gay.

Apparently, Teh Gays all need to be in 'education's camps. So say a couple of amateur hour politicos up in Oklahoma. A word of advice for the peeps up in OK, people who scream the loudest about how horrible Teh Gays are usually...

1) Know only one gay person
2) Are gay themselves
3) Are still getting over being rejected by the person in point 1

Just in case you think I'm exaggerating this...

We have to get rid of that and start curing those sinners. It's past time that this nation stopped placating sin and start putting them in education programs. Courts can force drug offenders into treatment centers and violent people into anger management. There's no reason our courts can't do that with homos.

Sure thing... tell you what, you come on down to Texas and pick me up, K? I promise, I won't shoot you with my shotgun, I'll just beat the fucking hell out of you in my front lawn.

And yeah, you slimy hick, I can do it.

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December 08, 2008

Pret-a-porter with Cynthia Dunbar

Oh, my.

Yeah, I think I'll let the elegance of Cynthia herself carry this post.

Dunbar (on p. 100) calls public education a “subtly deceptive tool of perversion.” She charges that the establishment of public schools is unconstitutional and even “tyrannical” because it threatens the authority of families, granted by God through Scripture, to direct the instruction of their children (p. 103). Dunbar, who has home-schooled her children and sent them to private schools, bases that charge on her belief that “the underlying authority for our constitutional form of government stems directly from biblical precedents.” (p. xv)

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December 03, 2008

It's AWESOME when R's self destruct

Over at FDL, Blue Texan caught us up on Sen. Saxby Chambliss who is apparently trying to prove that he is absolutely clueless. Just FYI, a recession is two quarters of contraction in GDP.

In other news, Republican freakshow Sarah Palin spent the day in Georgia campaigning for Chambliss. Apparently, it did some good since the idiotic people of Georgia have re-elected Chambliss.

Mr. Chambliss, 65, a pro-business conservative, campaigned in the runoff on a platform of limiting Mr. Obama’s ability to pass legislation in a Democratic-controlled Congress, and many voters interviewed Tuesday said thebalance of power in the Senate had been an important factor in their choice of a candidate.

“If you can’t have a little back-and-forth arguing between the parties, then the party in power will make mistakes,” said Ron Zukowski, a computer expert in Atlanta who voted for Mr. Chambliss. “This was my chance to say no, and I said no. ”

First off, Chambliss is pro-business as long as they are massive multinationals. Second, Mr. Zukowski, it's great that you're a computer expert and really sad that you are so stupid as a voter. Just wait until Mr. Chambliss votes to make it easier for your employer to ship your job overseas.

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November 23, 2008

The SBOE : Still chock full of nuts

Like an Almond Joy, the State Board of Education is full of nuts. From McLeroy (who claims to be a dentist... I'm guessing from the Dr. Christian Szell School of Dentistry) to Dunbar, religious right Republicans have managed to stack up quite a majority on the SBOE. TFN, having recently released a survey of teachers and professors regarding evolution (the result? More than 90% support the teaching of it exclusively in schools), was liveblogging the SBOE meeting yesterday.

From what I can tell, it's pretty clear that Boardmembers were completely unconcerned with what those far better educated than themselves had to say. It was abundantly clear that these folks were mentally calcified into their own belief system and grasping at straws (the Discovery Institute? REALLY?!?!?) for any way to refute arguments made by speakers throughout the day who advocated the teaching of evolution as science, without prevarication.

My favorite line...

5:37 p.m. - The pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Shiner, TX just told the board to leave the religion to him and keep it out of the classroom. I think we can all raise a tall glass of Shiner Bock to that!

And that's the bottom line... this is about putting the religious beliefs of a few into schools and being taught to all our children. I certainly, were I a parent, would not want my children taught the lunatic belief system of Cynthia Dunbar. I would want my children to be taught real, unadulterated science.

And there are no doubts or weaknesses in evolution. Period. It's not that we don't want to see them, 'Dr.' McLeroy... it's that none of what you and your fellow creationists have to say makes any sense. There are gaps in the fossil record, but there are no gaps in the theory.

It's clear these sad, sad little people have pretty weak faith. Otherwise, they wouldn't spend so much time and energy trying to see something that clearly isn't there. Faith is about not having any proof. Which makes these folks pretty weak Christians.

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November 19, 2008

Speaker's Race : The bullshit be a-flyin'

Yet ANOTHER R has filed, Solomons, and Kuff has the deets. Which brings the total number of Republican speaker candidates to 1,908. Which means the R's are pretty well fractured.

The D's on the other hand, are hanging together according to Phillip at BOR. Considering that we're more than six weeks out from this thing, it's unlikely to get settled now and it's unlikely anyone will be able to announce they're the winner until sometime around Christmas.

All this comes down to a coalition to beat Craddick. Phillip puts his absolute top at 71 with Craddick D's. Which means one of the opposition candidates has to get to 72 and it'll be the Democrats (with a block of 64), if Fatass wins, who will decide which R gets the chair. If she doesn't then it will be a minority of R's who decide which D becomes speaker.

My money is still on Merritt. For one thing, he's well known and liked by the members from East Texas. He's a solid guy who can be trusted to run the House for the members rather than the lobby and he's already helped some fend off challenges from Craddick acolytes.

If anyone is hearing anything different, post it up in the comments.

One last thing, according to a comment Colin Struther left at BOR, Turner's candidacy is basically a pass through to Craddick.

turner candidacy isn't real

it is a placeholder for Democrats that want to vote for craddick.

by pledging their allegiance to sly, when forced to choose between 2 repubs they can say that the guy they pledged to asked them to follow him and as a result he is speaker pro tem.

any pledge to turner should be rightfully considered a commitment to craddick.

sly's candidacy just isn't real and i've found no evidence to the contrary.

This doesn't come as a big shock since Turner has basically taken up residence inside Craddick's colon since late 2002. Phillip doesn't think that's the case at all. He seems to think that Turner's candidacy is somehow real. You'll have to excuse Phillip. He's in Boston right now enjoying the era of good feelings and has forgotten what it's like to live in a state desperately in need of regime change.

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November 18, 2008

ImmiGRATING on my last nerve

Vince has an excellent recap up for all the shiteriffic legislation that Leo Berman has filed to usher in what promises to be a truly vile session of the Lege. The bills are mostly unconstitutional and will only end up, if they pass, costing the state money to defend until they are ultimately struck down. It's really little more than politics as usual from a douche you could best serve his constituents (and all Texans) by sticking a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger. My favorite...

Might As Well Call It A Tax On Businesses. HB 266 would require that no government agency, city, etc., enter into a contract with a private business unless that business participates in an electronic status verification system to verify the citizenship of all of its employees. Such programs can be very costly, and would prohibit a lot of small businesses from doing business with the government simply because they can’t afford the cost. An affidavit certifying that they’ve checked the papers/Social Security Cards of all their employees would be far more efficient, although is still unnecessary.

I'm certain this will go well with Chambers of Commerce across the state.

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November 17, 2008

One of these douchebags is pissed at Palin

Via CNN comes word that one of these people is mad at Sarah Palin because it appeared like she was assuming the mantle of leader in the Republican Party.

Am I the only one who thinks it was 39%? You know, the guy who wants national office so bad his little, incompetent, rat brain does cartwheels at the thought?

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November 15, 2008

This just in...

THIS GUY LIES.

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November 08, 2008

Why, yes. Losing IS for losers

Seriously, I'm not even trying to gloat but y'all make it easy. In 2010, we are going to mop the floor with you dipshits. Kay Bailey, if she actually steps up this time to run, will come through the general so bruised and damaged that she'll be worthless for her one term.

Doubt it? You had the best of all possible worlds for Republicans here in Texas in 2008. Even still, you bitches lost ground and came far closer than you should have.

Watch as we bring your irresponsible and questionable leadership to an end.

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November 05, 2008

Failure...

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November 02, 2008

Diana, you might want to change your church

Running right up to the line separating the public from the spiritual (AKA, the separation of church and state), Father McNeil at St. William Parish in RR has issued a letter to all parishioners reminding them of their obligation as good Catholics not to vote for those who support abortion. The letter is clearly targeted at Diana Maldonado.

Please note, this is NOT a letter coming from Joel McNeil, this is a letter coming from Father Joel McNeil of the St. William Parish.

The letter also makes mention of the 'redefinition of marriage', a homophobic rhetorical device designed to give otherwise nice people a reason to discriminate at the ballot box. Maldonado has, at no point, indicated her support for equality for gays and lesbians in unions under state law only. So, we have to ask, why DID Father McNeil choose to throw that in? No one is asking him to perform gay marriage ceremonies. The Catholic Church doesn't recognize them. That absolutely would not change, even if there were changes in Federal law. It's that whole 'separation of church and state' thing.

I'll withhold additional comment on this. I think something from Captain Kroc may be more appropriate since he is our resident Catholic.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:00 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

October 31, 2008

In which a crook speaks to tweety

I'm not posting the video here, you can see it by clicking here. I just can't put up an embedded video of Tom Delay, one of the nastiest, most ignorant people in the universe.

Far more disgusting is what Tweety says about him at the end. Chris Matthews, I thought your show was 'Hardball' not 'Hardballs (in my mouth)'. Seriously, yo, watching you fellate Tom Delay is sick. Like watching japscat. It's not that I want to censor Tom Delay... it would just be nice if one of our infotainment journalists were smart enough to call him on his shit. AND PRESS HIM DOWN WHEN HE'S WRONG.

Of course, that's not Matthew's style. He's only a tiger with State Senators.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 30, 2008

What gives AT&T nightsweats?

Apparently, AT&T is all hot and nervous about D's winning next week, mostly because they've had the R's in the bag for a decade. Still, they really needn't worry so much... after all, it was all but one of the Republicans and a few D's who voted for retroactive immunity for T and it's competitors.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

You SUCK : Governor Sanford (SC) Edition

South Carolina Governor Sanford spent Wednesday in Washington at hearings regarding another stimulus package. People on both sides agree one is needed to boost states and cities, mostly to rebuild crumbling infrastructure (which is, coincidentally, the single BEST thing you can do for commerce nationally) and to get consumer (and then business) confidence back up.

...House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee demonstrated bipartisan support for tens of billions of dollars for infrastructure projects such as highway construction, water and sewer projects and modernization of schools and public housing.

There, lawmakers and witnesses such as New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, a Democrat, touted public works projects for both creating jobs and making the economy more efficient.

"Every billion dollars in spending on infrastructure, on highway and transportation expenditures does result in 35,000 new jobs," said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla.

I did say people agree but that's not really true. It was MOST EVERYONE on one side and Governor Sanford stupidly on the other. Sanford, it appears, has not had that stunning Come-To-Jesus moment where we all realize that we're not islands unto ourselves, no matter how much we love Ayn Rand.

"I'm here to beg of you not to approve or advance the contemplated $150 billion stimulus package," Sanford said. "This $150 billion salve may in fact further infect our economy with unnecessary government influence and unintended fiscal consequences."

By Sanford's count, the federal government has already pumped $2 trillion into the economy this year through a previous stimulus package, the financial services bailout, and rescue actions for specific firms.

After Paterson and Sanford offered heady arguments featuring quotes from noted economists and novelist Ayn Rand, the committee heard from another witness, Mayor Douglas Palmer of Trenton, N.J.

He had a much simpler message, quoting "that great poet John Lennon of the Beatles."

"Help!" the mayor said.

Would someone, please, take aside our ertswhile Realtor turned politician and explain to him that little actual money has been spent... and it's entirely probable that little actually will be spent before the markets recover?

You might also want to clue him into the fact that Rand just doesn't, you know, jive well with the real world. Where we live. You know the type of people who are obsessed with the overly simplistic Rand? People like this guy...
o
Who is apparently the next Governor from South Carolina.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vouchers... again.

Like cockroaches, vouchers keep popping up despite the best efforts of EVERYONE to get rid of them. WHY? Because James Leininger wants MORE government money than he already gets. In late 2006, it was Sen. Shapiro who was talking about this. Now, it's Bill Keffer in his quixotic quest to retake the seat he lost to Rep. Allen Vaught.

Let's be clear... these vouchers will not be enough, on their own, for most families with ASD kids. Further, it's the responsibility of the district to provide for special needs kids, and children with ASD fall into that group. However, they often don't have the money to create the learning environment these parents demand. BECAUSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE UNDERFUNDED. THERE is one part of the reality these parents don't want to face. The other is that even with a voucher, they still wouldn't be able to afford the school.

This honestly pisses me off because we need to be doing better for ALL TEXAS CHILDREN, regardless of their abilities. Bill Keffer, time and again, has done everything he can to make that impossible. It's high time we stop worrying just about individual kids and start focusing on solutions that will help all kids.

Help out Rep. Vaught.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 29, 2008

And you thought Palin was the only one

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you Jeri Thompson. Fresh off forcing her geriatric husband to run for President, Jeri has decided to take on Sarah Palin as her cause du jour. As part of Team Palin, she'll remind Americans just why they hate bitchy, hungry, nasty women.

Jeri, have a jelly donut and STFU. 'Governer' Palin represents fewer people than the Mayor of Austin and her accomplishments include, well, nothing. Even the pipeline she's all about is a pipe dream.

And make sure that donut comes from Krispy Kreme, K?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Really? No, I mean REALLY?

Joe The (unlicensed) Plumber wants to run for Congress.

Today he was busy campaigning for McThuselah in his native OH (you know, where he owes back taxes) talking about how afraid he was of Obama tax plan (which is funny since he doesn't, you know, pay his taxes) and how Obama would destroy Israel, which is an obvious lie, kind of like Joe's plan to buy a business and make hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Seriously, Republicans, THIS SCHMUCK IS THE BEST YOU CAN DO?!?!?!?!

Posted by mcblogger at 03:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Hypocrisy is my FAVORITE

Why does ANYONE still listen to Rove?

Posted by mcblogger at 09:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 28, 2008

The market is ALWAYS right... even when it doesn't really exist

Isn't it great when we have the free market to help us realize savings in fantasy land? It'll come as no surprise that electricity dereg has failed if you've been, you know, READING this blog regularly (which reminds me, we need to talk... we need to see you more often. Think of McBlogger as something you do every morning. Like pooping). But in case you're one of the millions who haven't been reading us, the Texas Observer has this.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sarah Palin, 2008...

...meet Iranian show mom, 1988.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

In which Mike McCaul (and Mike Rosen)...

...get their dicks knocked in the dirt.

Vince over at Capital Annex (who is now an ardent supporter of Larry Joe Doherty) penned a piece in the primary that wasn't terribly flattering for LJD. One of the many mouthbreathers that do webwork for Republicans (the doucheriffic Colton Brugger) decided to post that particular piece on an anti-Larry Joe website.

They didn't bother to get Vince's permission.

Now, content can be used pretty freely from most bloggers. Sometimes people ask in advance and, as a general rule, I let people use stuff gratis as long as they blockquote and link back to me even if they don't ask. However, I reserve the right to pull back that implied permission. At any time. So do most bloggers. Once we send you a notice, you better pull the content down.

And that's just what Vince did. By sending a notice to the McCaul campaign, he expected them to comply and remove the post since they were, ostensibly, running the site. BUT, being the morons they are, they decided to issue a press release mocking the demand (we think that was the idea of legendary dipshit Mike Rosen formerly of Fox 7). So Vince, being the nice, patient person he is, decided to send a letter to their service provider.

And within hours, all of Brugger's sites were down. Not just the anti-LJD site, ALL OF THEM.

Just FYI, if you get a DMCA notice from someone, heed it. K, Mike? And for all you folks wondering about LJD's chances, McCaul is worried. And the 10th is in play.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 24, 2008

You SUCK : Michelle Bachmann Edition

We knew Michelle Bachmann was hella stupid but we had no idea she was aspiring to be the female version of Joe McCarthy.

BACHMANN: And they can’t take it because the point is what are Barack Obama’s policies? Are they for America or will they be against traditional American ideals and values? And I’ll tell you what. Punishing tax rates, redistribution of wealth, socialized medicine, inputing censorship in the form of the un-Fairness Doctrine and taking away the secret ballot from the worker has nothing to do with traditional American values. That’s why your listeners need to know. Otherwise the United States may be literally changed forever.

Given how stupid and wrong she was on the Economic Stabilization Act, I'd sooner listen to a drunk bum on the street than Michella. It's good to know that her challenger is doing well and it's heartening that her special brand of hate mixed with idiocy in a venti-size cup is winning friends and influencing people... to endorse Democrats.

Go support Michelle's opponent, Elwyn Tinklenberg.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 21, 2008

But, Senator McCain! She IS a liar!

Click here for Sen. McCain's latest race baiting piece of filthy advertising. It's what prompted me to wonder exactly HOW Senator McCain could claim Senator Obama was out of bounds for calling Governor Palin a liar. She DOES lie. It's been well documented and she continues to do it.

I think what's really eating McSame is that a black man is telling the truth about a white woman. The reality is that she's incompetent and a liar. Of course, lying and philandering is nothing new to John. Just ask his first wife.

Time to put the n*gger in his place, right Senator McCain? I know how you can pull yourself up! Talk some more about your imprisonment. We've not heard nearly enough about that and why you think it qualifies you to be President.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 17, 2008

Calling Bullshit : Uhm... but you're poor.

During the debate Wednesday night, you may have missed the mention of 'Joe The Plumber' by Sen. McCain. Since he mentioned it only ten thousand times. Basically, the story (and it IS a story) is that Joe Wurzelbacher came up to Sen. Obama during a campaign event and said he was planning on buying a business that earned between $250-280,000 per year and that he wouldn't be able to do that under Obama's tax plan.

I know it will come as a shock, but Sen. McCain tried to use that Wednesday night to prove Sen. Obama just hates small businesses.

Now, the truth is you pay taxes on income, not gross revenues. So, Joe's purchase would have to net him income of $250,000 and would probably cost him at least five times earnings which would put the purchase price at $1,250,000. Now, Joe is a pretty average, lower middle class guy. Here he is talking to Senator Obama...

I know looks can be deceiving, but this does not look like a guy who has $100 in checking, let alone $1.25 million. But maybe he could get a loan... except, he's probably pretty close on debt to income ratios given that he has an income tax lien against him, meaning he's actually spending way more than he makes. So much, in fact, that he can't even pay his taxes.

Wait... a guy who doesn't pay his taxes is bitching about paying taxes? Uh oh, Joe.

So basically, his planning to buy the business that earns more than $250,000 per year is dependent on the death of a rich relative. Or a lotto win. His fears about Obama taxing his newfound income? Completely unfounded and, frankly, more than a little stupid. However, one thing this has brought up is that Joe is not a licensed plumber and in his area of Ohio, they license plumbers. He also lied about his union membership (he was never a member of the local). And in the end all he's worried about, should his dream fantastically materialize and enable him to own a plumbing business earning more than $250,000 per year (most plumbers don't earn that, just FYI) he'd pay a grand total of $900 more PER YEAR. But, if he was confused and was confusing sales with income...

And his question to Mr. Obama about paying taxes? According to some tax analysts, if Mr. Wurzelbacher’s gross receipts from his business is $250,000 — and not his taxable income — then he would not have to pay higher taxes under Mr. Obama’s plan, and probably would be eligible for a tax cut.

At least Joe gets to feel like Britney Spears.

As a final note, I'm tired of poor people bitching all the time about taxes they don't pay. And voting based on pipe dreams that will never come true. And Joe, even if you do buy the two man business of your dreams, $63k is about your max. So you have nothing to worry about.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 16, 2008

Peering into the future

With all the hubbub and anxiety surrounding the election and the economy, some recent accomplishments in time-travel technology have been overlooked. It is now possible, through the magic of YouTube, to peer into the future, if only for brief moments.

For example, here's a snippet showing Senator McThuselah a few years after his embarrassing landslide loss in next month's election. Apparently, he gets out of politics altogether and becomes a film producer.

What's really impressive about this technology is that it even shows alternative future scenarios! Apparently, in a parallel future, McThuselah snaps in a major way and winds up in jail, where he is visited in jail by his friend, G. Gordon Liddy, who apparently decides to start wearing a toupee in the future

...or, maybe he has a total change of heart about the environment and becomes a leading advocate in the treehugging movement?

It works in reverse, too! Here he is telling his first wife he wants a divorce

Posted by hbalczak at 12:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 15, 2008

Tonight, I lost all respect for Sen. McCain

I've seen some really dumb people in my life. Many of them have been politicians. One of them, as of tonight, is John McCain.

I once had respect for him, until he became George W. Bush's bitch in 2000. I did still think he was fairly intelligent and honest. I now look at him as just another lying politician. What I really hate is someone who will try to play guilt by association. I'm disgusted by people who will lie about trade and the economy. I hate someone who will tell me he'll balance the budget by cutting less than 1/2 of 1%.

Senator McCain, how are we supposed to build nuclear power plants with a spending freeze? How am I supposed to RUN MY GODDAMN CAR OFF A FUCKING NUKE PLANT?

It's time to call a senile old bastard, a senile old bastard. And it's very obvious that John McCain left his integrity in his first term and was never the man I thought he was. See you later you miserable, old, lying fuckball.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 14, 2008

So... What Is The Market Value Of A Kidney These Days Anyway?

If there was a Nobel Prize for Crazy, Don Zimmerman would be a strong contender.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:08 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

October 07, 2008

Palin, McCain, Gramm and the Stupid House Republicans

The NYT ran a great piece last weekend taking Little Sister Sarah to task for her admiration of the job Dick (Just Call Me Dick) Cheney and his 'reimagining' of the Constitution to expand the role of the Vice President.

The Constitution does not state or imply any flexibility in the office of vice president. It gives the vice president no legislative responsibilities other than casting a tie-breaking vote in the Senate when needed and no executive powers at all. The vice president’s constitutional role is to be ready to serve if the president dies or becomes incapacitated.

Any president deserves a vice president who will be a sound adviser and trustworthy supporter. But the American people also deserve and need a vice president who understands and respects the balance of power — and the limits of his or her own power. That is fundamental to our democracy.

So far, Ms. Palin has it exactly, frighteningly wrong.

Little Sister Sarah has been talking about the specious link between Obama and some guy in Chicago (they once served on a board together. And they live in the same neighborhood so you can totally understand her assumption that they're the best of friends) which led someone at the WaPo to talk about McCain's friendship with the craziest A&M prof in recorded history, Phil Gramm. He's the good ole boy with the fish eyes who thinks it's just great (GREAT!) that we deregulated financial services so that they could run amok.

Take a bow, Jeb Hensarling. You've now separated yourself and your fellow Stupid House Republicans from even the Republican mainstream.

Conservatives? My ass. Combined, y'all don't have the intellectual capacity to handle a job as a cashier at Wal Mart.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 06, 2008

McCain (hearts) Deregulation

It's the part with Phil Gramm at the end that's the best. Never before has a dumber person spoken more authoritatively on subjects about which he knows absolutely nothing.

Seriously, Phil, you're a BIG reason why I'm not a shareholder in UBS. Any company dumb enough to have you on the Board of Directors is clearly not an organization that cares about it's owners.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:32 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Stupid, Sebastian. Very Stupid.

Those who comprise the pseudo-intellectual backbone of the right are mounting a stirring, if misguided and thoroughly wrong, defense of deregulation. First up today, Sebastian Mallaby in the WaPo which is apparently trying to compete more vigorously with the WaTimes.

If that doesn't convince you that deregulation is the wrong scapegoat, consider this: The appetite for toxic mortgages was fueled by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the super-regulated housing finance companies. Calomiris calculates that Fannie and Freddie bought more than a third of the $3 trillion in junk mortgages created during the bubble and that they did so because heavy government oversight obliged them to push money toward marginal home purchasers. There's a vigorous argument about whether Calomiris's number is too high. But everyone concedes that Fannie and Freddie poured fuel on the fire to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars.

OK, first off it's clear that Mallaby is completely ignorant of this. This WAS an absolute failure of deregulation at all levels. Mallaby wishes to cast the final blame on cheap money from the Chinese (their recycled trade profits) and the investors all over the world with an appetite (Mallaby stupidly assumes) for risky sub-prime credits. First off, money is money and whether it's cheap or expensive, prudent underwriting standards are a constant. The rules don't really change. You can't justify, ever, giving someone a loan with a balance more than 20 times their annual salary. Needless to say, you can blame China all you want but it's still a decision that someone IN THE UNITED STATES made to make these loans.

Second, Mallaby's ignorance of structured finance and the sales plans for these securities really should disqualify him from writing on this topic. Of course, the WaPo doesn't know any better so they'll let any idiot fill their pages with pap. As long as they work for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the AEI or (in Mallaby's case) the CFR. But I digress... Back to blaming the buyer. The reality is that these investors DO deserve some of the blame. These are folks who manage billions in assets and frankly should have been a little more concerned with the tranching, the credit classes (and homogeneity) in those tranches and the overall credit profile. They should have been concerned about the credit enhancements... why WERE they needed? Who was the counterparty on those insurance policies? What was their reserve? In their defense, some managers DID dig into these questions. They received assurances that the pools in the CDO were perfectly constructed, the enhancements (credit default swaps) were solid which brought the credit rating (according to the ratings agencies) up to A and the counterparties on the CDS were all well rated. None of that was a lie... well, not exactly, The consistency in the pool was at issue, as was the historic risk on low documentation loans (not to mention those which added to that layer of risk with a high loan to value ratio and relatively low FICO scores). However, even some of the issuers didn't understand the risks they had ultimate underwriting responsibility for at the pool level. That aside, these investors were paying A paper prices on C credits. When these credits began to perform like C credits, THEN they started asking questions which caused the systemic breakdown because the answers weren't what they were expecting.

Not to mention the fact that the enhancements became effectively worthless as issuers folded up shop.

As a side note, Mallaby should maybe take a look at this. While the NYT did a pretty piss poor job on the story, it's still pretty clear that the decisions made by FNMA and FHLMC weren't forced by regulation. They weren't even coerced, despite the tilt of the reporter. In reality, Fannie (in this case) was trying to compete with aggressive investment and commercial banks who were offering extremely risky loans. In other words, this was a failure of the leadership who made the decision to chase the market rather than stay the rational course.

The interesting thing is the argument that these 'toxic mortgages' , or at least the ones clogging balance sheets, are always made to poor and minority borrowers. Which isn't true... Alt A (which comprises the vast majority of these 'toxic mortgages') wasn't much for low income or risky credit profiles. And of course, Mallaby (much like the NYT) makes no mention of the fact that the majority of these loans, the overwhelming majority, are still performing. Which means this is all more a panic than an actual financial avalanche. It's obvious why Mallaby doesn't want to talk about the failure of the market because it acknowledges Mr. Market's #1 flaw... it's made up of PEOPLE. Irrational, sometimes stupid, people.

Finally, all this talk on both sides ignores one simple fact... if tax policy had been different, restructured to really promote wage growth and low inflation (you can have both), this probably wouldn't have happened. This was a case of the mortgage industry trying to find ways to make loans to a populace that really couldn't afford them anymore. Sure, eventually something would have stopped up the system and at some point we'd have had a day of reckoning. However, it would have been a lot easier. If you really want to tack this disaster on an economic theory or concept, supply-side economics is a pretty great scapegoat because of it's unerring ability to concentrate wealth at the top.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 03, 2008

33 Pastors Agree

To tell the IRS to piss off.

We told you this was going to happen. Apparently, these people just have to tell their congregants that Obama is the devil. And that the little Baby Jesus will cry if you vote for him.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:52 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

September 29, 2008

How To Lose Friends And Destroy Economies

What awful things could Nancy Pelosi have possibly said to make the Congressional repubs get all pouty and sink the bill today? Click the Supersize, and read the Speaker's remarks courtesy of The Page. Sounds like the GOP "leadership" is pissing up a tree when they claim their feelings were hurt.

“Madam Speaker, when was the last time someone asked you for $700 billion?

It is a number that is staggering, but tells us only the costs of the Bush Administration’s failed economic policies—policies built on budgetary recklessness, on an anything goes mentality, with no regulation, no supervision, and no discipline in the system.

Democrats believe in the free market, which can and does create jobs, wealth, and capital, but left to its own devices it has created chaos.

That chaos is the dismal picture painted by Treasury Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke a week and a half ago in the Capitol.

As they pointed out, we confront a crisis of historic magnitude that has the ability to do serious injury not simply to our economy, but to the American people: not just to Wall Street, but to everyday Americans on Main Street.

It is our responsibility today, to help avert that catastrophic outcome.

Let us be clear: This is a crisis caused on Wall Street. But it is a crisis that reaches to Main Street in every city and town of the United States.

It is a crisis that freezes credit, causes families to lose their homes, cripples small businesses, and makes it harder to find jobs.

It is a crisis that never had to happen. It is now the duty of every Member of this body to recognize that the failure to act responsibly, with full protections for the American taxpayer, would compound the damage already done to the financial security of millions of American families.

Over the past several days, we have worked with our Republican colleagues to fashion an alternative to the original plan of the Bush Administration.

I must recognize the outstanding leadership provided by Chairman Barney Frank, whose enormous intellectual and strategic abilities have never before been so urgently needed, or so widely admired.

I also want to recognize Rahm Emanuel, who combined his deep knowledge of financial institutions with his pragmatic policy experience, to resolve key disagreements.

Secretary Paulson deserves credit for working day and night to help reach an agreement and for his flexibility in negotiating changes to his original proposal.

Democrats insisted that legislation responding to this crisis must protect the American people and Main Street from the meltdown on Wall Street.

The American people did not decide to dangerously weaken our regulatory and oversight policies. They did not make unwise and risky financial deals. They did not jeopardize the economic security of the nation. And they must not pay the cost of this emergency recovery and stabilization bill.

So we insisted that this bill contain several key provisions:

This legislation must contain independent and ongoing oversight to ensure that the recovery program is managed with full transparency and strict accountability.

The legislation must do everything possible to allow as many people to stay in their homes rather than face foreclosure.

The corporate CEOs whose companies will benefit from the public’s participation in this recovery must not benefit by exorbitant salaries and golden parachute retirement bonuses.

Our message to Wall Street is this: the party is over. The era of golden parachutes for high-flying Wall Street operators is over. No longer will the U.S. taxpayer bailout the recklessness of Wall Street.

The taxpayers who bear the risk in this recovery must share in the upside as the economy recovers.

And should this program not pay for itself, the financial institutions that benefited, not the taxpayers, must bear responsibility for making up the difference.

These were the Democratic demands to safeguard the American taxpayer, to help the economy recover, and to impose tough accountability as a central component of this recovery effort.

This legislation is not the end of congressional activity on this crisis. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will continue to hold investigative and oversight hearings to find out how the crisis developed, where mistakes were made, and how the recovery must be managed to protect the middle class and the American taxpayer.

With passage of this legislation today, we can begin the difficult job of turning our economy around, of helping those who depend on a growing economy and stable financial institutions for a secure retirement, for the education of their children, for jobs and small business credit.

Today we must act for those Americans, for Main Street, and we must act now, with the bipartisan spirit of cooperation which allowed us to fashion this legislation.

This not enough. We are also working to restore our nation’s economic strength by passing a new economic recovery stimulus package—a robust, job creating bill—that will help Americans struggling with high prices, get our economy back on track, and renew the American Dream.

Today, we will act to avert this crisis, but informed by our experience of the past eight years with the failed economic leadership that has left us left capable of meeting the challenges of the future.

We choose a different path. In the new year, with a new Congress and a new president, we will break free with a failed past and take America in a New Direction to a better future.”

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 03:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 26, 2008

Gas pains

As part of the 'Ike Tours Texas' fallout, refiners on the Gulf are still shut down which is causing spot shortages in Atlanta (which sucks anyway) and in Tennessee. And, apparently, Dallas. Here's what caught my eye (and keep in mind the effected refiners account for 20% of US capacity)

U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 11.5 million barrels per day during the week ending September 19, down more than 1.7 million barrels per day from the previous week's average. Refineries operated at 66.7 percent of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production fell last week, averaging about 8.0 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production decreased last week, averaging nearly 3.3 million barrels per day. (EIA)

So, refineries effected by Ike account for 20% of US refining capacity and we're down to 66%??!?! That seems strange at a time where wholesale gasoline recently spiked to $5/gal.

Then I saw this and start to think maybe there is something going on.

SO, we have a massive crude and gasoline supply disruption as a result of a hurricane. Combine that with newfound regulatory zeal from governments around the world, all of whom are looking to strangle speculation and suddenly refiners have decided to artificially (for 'repairs') reduce the gasoline available in the market?

Methinks this is a pretty clear cut case of supply manipulation. They can't play with the price since the speculators (those still left in the business now that LEH is gone and MS and GS are under scrutiny) have had to cut back. So they energy companies themselves have decided to create an artificial supply constraint by shutting in capacity unaffected by Ike.

Ain't it nice that the oil companies care so much about their customers?

Posted by mcblogger at 04:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The House Republicans and their STUPID plan

You know, House Republicans are half-wits at the best of times. These AREN'T the best of times. Below is a summary of their principles and my comments. I can't tell you how mindnumbingly stupid this little plan is. This is so poorly thought out and it's so obvious that the players involved are completely out of their depth that here's no way to sufficiently ridicule this.

HR : Rather than providing taxpayer funded purchases of frozen mortgage assets, we should adopt a mortgage insurance approach to solve the problem.

McB : Well, that's a bit like fixing the barn door after the horses are already out. Further, all the private insurance has failed and now you want to activate a government insurance plan that doesn't give taxpayers an asset but instead an open ended liability? At least with Paulson's plan, we weren't on the hook for anything more than what we paid for the asset. And those assets are, at their base, mortgages and behind them is real property.

HR : Currently the federal government insures approximately half of all mortgage backed securities. (MBS) We can insure the rest of current outstanding MBS; however, rather than taxpayers funding insurance, the holders of these assets should pay for it. Treasury Department can design a system to charge premiums to the holders of MBS to fully finance this insurance.

McB : Only Freddie and Fannie insure MBS. So you want to now EXPAND the Agencies? As for the people in financial services paying for this, there isn't any equity left, you idiots. DO YOU GET THAT?! THIS IS A BREAK DOWN IN THE MARKET.

All this does is put us on the hook for another $5 TRILLION. As we step in to 'insure' loans that weren't written to the Agencies tough guidelines. It's a bit like insuring someone who drives a car. Without looking at their driving record or claim history. Which is a prescription for open ended risk.

HR : Have Private Capital Injection to the Financial Markets, Not Tax Dollars. Instead of injecting taxpayer capital into the market to produce liquidity, private capital can be drawn into the market by removing regulatory and tax barriers that are currently blocking private capital formation. Too much private capital is sitting on the sidelines during this crisis.

McB : Well, first off you have $2.5-3 trillion in private capital that has simply ceased to exist. There isn't enough out there. The market is functionally UNREGULATED as is and the tax barriers are, for the most part, non-existent. You guys took care of that in 2001 and 2003. There's nothing more you can do to juice and cutting the tax rates that remain won't do anything to achieve your goals in even a marginal way (the taxes are minimal now as is). Just look at a goddamn Laffer Curve, you morons, and plot it out. You're on the left hand side. You can't achieve marginal gains from here by cutting taxes. They're so low that it doesn't change the risk/reward ratio substantively.

HR : Temporary tax relief provisions can help companies free up capital to maintain operations, create jobs, and lend to one another. In addition, we should allow for a temporary suspension of dividend payments by financial institutions and other regulatory measures to address the problems surrounding private capital liquidity.

McB : Uhm. Most companies are running at a loss. We discussed this. As for the dividends, keep in mind that those dividends go mostly to people who are retired. Are you really so nasty, House Republicans, that you'd force a little old lady to eat cat food just to make a goddamn point?

Quit with the taxes. You've already functionally bankrupted us and we can't handle more of your fiscal irresponsibility. Which is why Republicans are now the MINORITY.

HR : Immediate Transparency, Oversight, and Market Reform. Require participating firms to disclose to Treasury the value of their mortgage assets on their books, the value of any private bids within the last year for such assets, and their last audit report.

McB : Smells like the beginning of REGULATION. Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day so it's no surprise you'd stumble across something. HOWEVER, there's not enough here to make a decision on the cost of insuring. Even here you folks are miserable failures. I'd love it if one of you could be given the reins of a public insurance company. So I could short the hell out of the stock. I LOVE profiting from other's stupidity.

HR : Wall Street Executives should not benefit from taxpayer funding. Call on the SEC to review the performance of the Credit Rating Agencies and their ability to accurately reflect the risks of these failed investment securities.

McB : Sounds like you too have a problem with CEO pay but the meat's not there. So this really IS nothing more than a political ploy?

HR : Create a blue ribbon panel with representatives of Treasury, SEC, and the Fed to make recommendations to Congress for reforms of the financial sector by January 1, 2009.

McB : Really? Hey, morons. The panel already exists. It's been meeting with Congress all week. And it thinks your plan sucks balls.

This 'PACKAGE' was put together by people who are intellectually inadequate. WOEFULLY inadequate.

(thanks to Politico)

Posted by mcblogger at 10:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Oh, Jeb. You moronic fool...

It'll come as little surprise to those of us in Texas that our own Rep. Jeb Hensarling is leading the little rebellion of House Republicans against what was, until they stepped into the fray and began playing politics, a bipartisan plan.

Hensarling has always been an advocate of ideology over reality. Now, he's taking that to it's ultimate extreme by supporting a market solution to the financial crisis we now face. What's terrifying is that even at this late date he has not realized that the crisis itself was brought on by a complete breakdown of the market. Which he now proposes to legislate back into operation. With loan guarantees and insurance.

Here's the problem... the market has consistently, by not working, activated every form of insurance placed on it to offset declines in value. That's what brought down AIG. Which means that should his plan go forward, it'll be taxpayers that take it on the chin because he proposes to have the government backstop LOSSES, not hold and service ASSETS for eventual sale.

The plan, which has not been transformed into legislation, seeks to insure mortgage-backed assets at prices and premiums set by the government, creating a virtual backstop for all the debt. This would not require an initial outlay of taxpayers’ funds in the neighborhood of Paulson's $700 billion.

But the Treasury Department has expressed concerns about whether an insurance model would provide the economy with the immediate stimulus it needs. And taxpayers would have to foot the cost for a major financial slide because the government would be required to make up those losses.

Jeb, just like Fannie and Freddie, how long do you think it will take the market to push through the stops and activate the insurance. What will you do then? Cry that you were wrong?

I don't know what more I should expect from someone who's business experience includes working for his Daddy's little company and some kind of insurance company that you can't find out anything about. Oh, and Green Mountain Energy which is anything but green.

Jeb, you're a tiny, underpowered mind operating among giants this week. Instead of trying to throw your stupid, irresponsible and irrational bull into the mix, why not let those smarter than you take the lead?

You know, Jeb, it's better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool than open it and remove all doubt.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:15 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 25, 2008

Doubling down (craving crow with seconds)

So this morning I wake up to this story.

Really? Why, I never. How dare the Bush administration demand concessions it can probably get from this Congress...for reasons COMPLETELY INEXFUCKINGPLICABLE considering the mood of the electorate.

Go ahead, bitches. I dare you. Sack up and take on the 19% bogeyman or else go suck on Karl Rove's subpoena and stop sending me fundraising letters.

Crow is best served as a two-course meal. Damn I'm craving some.

Posted by hbalczak at 01:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 24, 2008

May you live in interesting times...

This financial crisis is finally waning. They always end when buyers finally realize that the firesale won't last forever and they dip back into the market to buy deeply discounted assets. We got a big boost of this yesterday.

Until now, Mr. Buffett, who has navigated the stock market with legendary prowess, has largely refrained from investing in the stricken financial industry, saying repeatedly that things could get worse.

Thousands of people on and off Wall Street follow Mr. Buffett’s moves, so his decision to invest in Goldman immediately heartened investors. After falling nearly 1.5 percent during the day, the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index erased half its loss in after-hours trading Tuesday evening on news of the investment.

“Buffett is saying he’s confident,” said Brad Hintz, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Company.

Mr. Buffett’s conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, unveiled the move only days after Goldman, long the premier investment house on Wall Street, embarked on a radical plan to transform itself into a traditional bank to ensure its survival. Goldman, which examined various options over the last week as its shares tumbled and some clients abandoned the firm, also said Tuesday it would sell at least $2.5 billion of common stock to the public.

The difference between Buffett and others is that HE can afford to hold something for decades until BRK makes a profit on it. Even if he dies, there is management at BRK that thinks exactly like him. And his success has not been the result of luck, it's research and thorough analysis. It's making the right decision.

Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.

Last night and this morning I posted a couple of emails to Carl Whitmarsh in Houston regarding something he'd sent out on his massive email list. The first article was this from George Will. Now, George has never been a big fan of McCain. However, that's not the meat of the article. It's the craptastic analysis of the US falling into socialism. Here's what I sent to Carl:

It's funny to me that McCain would attack Cox for not regulating the very securities that McCain voted to keep unregulated.

I LOVE the way conservatives have decided that this is socialism, as if the entire
capital market is now under the absolute control of the Treasury and Fed. Their
plan, buying assets that the free market has assigned zero value to, is absolutely
sound. Why? Because occasionally the market goes crazy and won't buy something
that's worth a dollar even if it's discounted to 10 cents. The market, in short, is
not always right.

The Fed was CREATED to avoid panic and provide liquidity in times of market
dislocations. Which is exactly what we have now.

That being said, Paulson's plan, as presented on Sunday, is a thoroughgoing mess.
There will have to be oversight. There will have to be caps on CEO compensation.
However, the basic idea to add liquidity to our deflated economy is a good one.

The second comment was related to a piece Harvey Kronberg ran from Royal Masset

I love Royal but he's wrong on what's happening in the financial industry. This is a panic, pure and simple, and it should wake people up to the reality that markets are far from perfect.

Markets are nothing more than buyers and sellers. Period. They are dependent on
humans and their imperfect decision making. The idea that markets self regulate with
minimal impacts is ALWAYS wrong. They do self regulate and in the process create
what can charitably be called distress.

Regulation and enforcement, while imperfect and sometimes overreaching, is a hell of
a lot better than mass unemployment and starvation.

That's the lesson most of the 'free market' Republican's have never learned.

Of course, there are number of others who have problems with buying assets. They see another solution, lend directly to the banks.

Here's why you can't just lend money to banks, allow them to take the losses in selling these assets, and then repay the debt over time. For one thing, these losses are going to (in many cases) wipe out all the equity in banks, rendering many insolvent. You can't replace that equity with debt owed to the government. Debt is Debt. For another, the market is so freaked out and dislocated (not to mention fearful) that no one wants these securities at any price. It's not that these securities aren't worth something. After all, the vast majority are A paper mortgage credits. It's that investors can't see the value and won't take ANY risk.

What is needed is a prime mover to get these assets moving, worked out and restore the market. That prime mover is the only entity capable of operating for the long haul, the Federal Government.

The issue is that these assets, when marked to market, have no value because the market is buying and selling NOTHING. However, the loans underneath are STILL performing. On a cashflow basis, many are performing exactly as predicted. We may now need to look at discounted cash flow as a value model to fall back on when MtoM fails. Which it is prone to do when the market seizes up. Which it, of course, does from time to time despite what the Republicans say.

We have to stabilize home prices which means we need people with jobs who can buy homes with mortgages. Unfortunately, as this crisis deepens, it begins to effect employment AND the ability of people to secure financing for homes. Without a market, the value of homes continues to drop. In the end, we fall into a Depression. THAT'S the end result of doing nothing.

Finally, there are some lesson we all need to take from this experience...

1) Regulation and enforcement are not obstacles to the success of the market. They are ESSENTIAL to the success of the market.
2) Capitalism has not failed. What failed was our obligation to oversee it and make it work for the majority.
3) Just because something is valued at nothing right now, it doesn't mean it's worthless.

One last point... one that everyone needs to understand unequivocally, if we don't do this the whole damn country fails. THAT'S the reality and all the whining about taxpayers footing the bill (which is a load of crap) isn't going to change it.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Methinks they doth protest well enough (and that's what has me worried)

So if we're to believe our eyes and ears, the Administration's bailout proposal sure has everyone on the Hill all frothing at the mouth.

I don't know about you folks, but it makes me real nervous-like when the Democratic congressional leadership rails this loudly about a Bush proposal this feculent. Because all too often, the squallin' and wall-eyed fits give way to The Big Cave-In [see, e.g., FISA, reauthorization of Iraq War funding, domestic spending levels, etc.].

At times, it seems as if this sort of rending of garments and gnashing of teeth is almost a kind of obligatory theatrical foreshadowing of a preordained tragic climax wherein vile douchebaggery and bitchassedness prevail over courage and righteousness. For you English majors out there not yet done with the metaphor, I suppose the denoument would be the part where said players engage in post hoc bitching about how the executive branch has usurped all the power and singlehandedly ruined the country and that's why only our side can provide the bold, gallant leadership the nation needs, bleh bleh bleh.

(And I type this while aiming Ye Olde Stinkeye in your direction, Nancy, Steny and Harry.)

Hopefully, things will be different this time. Maybe Democrats on the Hill will say, in one, big, loud unified voice, "I'm Rick James, bitch!" and imprint the Will of the People upon the forehead of Connecticut-native George W. Bush with the almighty knucklebling of Article One power. Maybe instead of handing a blank government check to the Gamma Beta House and hoping they'll notice the phrase "public service project" written on the memo line, Congress will pass some completely pinstriped-ass-whuppin' legislation and rock the nation with a new number one hit single, "Smells Like CEO Comeuppance."

Lord, I hope that happens. But I know better than to emotionally invest in that prospect. Kind of like how I learned, as a kid, to tense up any time I saw Charlie Brown on television hauling ass toward Lucy holding a football.

You know, a big heaping plate of pungent raw crow sure would taste good right about now.

Posted by hbalczak at 01:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Now I know who my Grandfather would have voted for

My Grandfather, for those of you who were unaware, was a HOOGE fan of Barry Goldwater. So is this guy.

And he's voting for Obama. Just kinda made me feel, in a way, that I'm exactly where I belong.

Posted by hbalczak at 12:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 23, 2008

Rewriting history, with Kevin Hassett

Bloomberg is carrying some rather odious commentary from Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute, the right wing institute which provides little in the way of real information and research but is LONG on commentary.

According to Kevin, this is all the fault of the Democrats because they wouldn't reform Fannie and Freddie. What Kevin doesn't point out is that the bill in question would have so severely curtailed Fannie and Freddie that it would have eliminated them as real competitors and an effective counterbalance to the banks. Kevin claims, stupidly, that the failure of Bear Stearns was caused by... Fannie Mae.

30 to 1 leverage in a CDO of CDO's had NOTHING to do with it, right Kev? Neither did Bear's never ending hunger for riskier and riskier sub-prime garbage that was priced inadequately for the inherent risk, I'm sure. Of course, I understand how you can make mistakes, Kev. After all, it's easy when you ignore reality.

Kevin also points out that FNMA is holding $388 bn in sub-prime and Alt A credits. That's true. Considering that at the height Wall Street was issuing $600-700 bn PER YEAR in sub-prime issues, it kinda dwarfs Fannie Mae's holdings. I'd also like to know just who issued those sub-prime credits on Fannie's books. I'd be willing to bet some of them show Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns and Credit Suisse as the vintners.

Of course, Kevin leaves all that out and points out his own ignorance of structured finance and the house cards by alluding that AIG was also collapsed (as if by magic) by Fannie Mae. AIG is even easier than Bear... they wrote too much insurance, too cheaply and when the call came for more collateral from counterparties, they couldn't sell assets fast enough... because they were carrying some the same assets they were insuring against default.

Brill business strategy, especially for an insurer.

Of course, Kevin can be excused for not knowing any of this. He is, after all, a political moron and (again) completely ignorant of finance. His only real work experience in business is at the AEI and as a McSame campaign adviser. Which puts him right up there with other economic luminaries like Carly Fiorina and the crew of lobbyists that McSame calls his close friends and advisers.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 22, 2008

Everyone starts to get it...

It's becoming painfully obvious that even our friends on the right are beginning to realize that Sarah Palin's not ready for prime time. It's also becoming pretty clear that McCain's ads have been over the top which we've all been saying. But now, even Karl Rove is saying it which prompted this from the Obama campaign...

"In case anyone was still wondering whether John McCain is running the sleaziest, most dishonest campaign in history, today Karl Rove - the man who held the previous record - said McCain's ads have gone too far," said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor.

On the topic of what the Dems in Congress could be doing, it's also abundantly clear that THEY are getting it. First up is our old buddy Nancy P who finally decided to take the gloves off and hit the glib, ridiculous and more than little incompetent Palin in the mouth.

Pelosi compared Palin's resume to that of President Bush's before he assumed the mantle of commander in chief. "I have a very high standard for president of the United States," the Speaker said. "I guess George Bush has proven that anybody can do it, but can they do it well? I think he has not. I think he has done great harm and damage to our country. I don't think this is something that you'd take a chance on. I think I've yet to see the credentials and the depth that the most powerful position in the world, the president of the United States, that somebody with her resume is able to take over that job."

Yeah, I know it's not much but at least Pelosi is finally off dead center and saying SOMETHING. Honestly, her mealy mouthed bullshit irritates the hell out of me, too. However, this is at least a sign of life and a hit. Luckily, we're getting much better stuff out of the Senate.

"One Senator -- John McCain -- woke up yesterday morning, surveyed the state of the U.S. economy, summoned the ghost of his fellow Republican, Herbert Hoover, and declared, 'The fundamentals of our economy are strong,'" said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, before laying responsibility for the current woes in part on McCain's economic adviser Phil Gramm.

Goddamn, Harry! Where the fuck have you been??!?! Welcome to the party and keep on chatting up the band. We're sick of their usual tune and we want them singing yours.

Finally, I leave you with ... well... this.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 21, 2008

A special invitation to the Secretary of the Treasury

Go FUCK yourself, Hank.

Seriously, THIS is what you came up with? A massive expansion of the Executive Branch, no help for homeowners and absolute power with a blank check?

It's clear to me now that Paulson has got to go and we need Bob Rubin back at Treasury. Larry Summers is wrong for the job (honestly, he's a dumbass anyway) and Rubin is the only one with the kind influence in financial and political circles to get something done. He's also far smarter than Paulson which should help.

We need to re-regulate commodities and derivative trading (fuck you, Phil Gramm, you dirt leg moron) and begin requiring a lot more capital be held by companies wishing to operate in the securities industry. No more of this 30 to 1 leverage bullshit. But I don't see that it this little 'plan'. I also don't see anything to help expand efforts already proceeding to pull borrowers out of bad mortgages. No, I'm not talking about a cram down and share the wealth plan (seriously, why even bother, Ian? You gonna give everyone who's upside down on a car note a bail out, too? Just get them outta the bad loan and regular appreciation will work out the gap), just a reworking of underwriting guidelines and insuring to allow people to get into affordable mortgages.

We needed real solutions and an indication of some sort of contrition. Instead, we get a brazen attempt to steal still more power for an out of control President.

Congress should act. The Democrats should write one hell of a bill and tell the President to sign it or we'll let everything go down the tubes.

Enough bullshit and politics. And Chairman Frank should immediately demand Paulson's resignation.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

No, REALLY, Senator. We know where you REALLY stand

Y'all know I'd rather walk on my own tongue than say something nasty about someone...

BUT...

John McCain as REFORMER and REGULATOR?!?! Didn't we go over this already?

YEAH, we did. Which makes me wonder why this old, stupid bastard is trying to keep this shit up? It makes me so goddamn mad I just want to strike someone. How else can you DEAL with someone who lies just to lie, completely irrationally and has no sense of remorse about it. You don't reason with that person and debating with them is like arguing with a television.

Seriously am I the only one just sick of it? And the fact that media is covering it as if it were something other than categorical bullshit?

Posted by mcblogger at 01:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 20, 2008

Thanks, but I'm really busy that day...

Last night while having drinks with Barfly, she asked a very interesting question regarding AK First Dude Todd Palin's refusal to heed a subpoena.

Since when do you have the choice? I mean, Karl Rove was subpoenaed and he just said THA SHITS to all that. Now this Palin asshat has decided he'll not show up to answer TrooooooperGate (HATE THAT NAME) questions.

So can we all start ignoring subpoenas? Tell Congress to go fuck itself because it's just one giant bitch?

Posted by mcblogger at 01:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 19, 2008

Republican plot with a special twist

The Obama campaign has filed suit in federal court to keep Republicans in Michigan from using foreclosure lists to challenge voters at the polls. How's THAT for a Republican plan? You lose your house and we take away your right to vote.

Of course, that's nothing compared to what's allegedly being talked about here in Texas... using Ike to keep people who've lost homes from voting. No, no... you read correctly. Texas Republicans are looking for a way to keep people who lost their homes to a natural disaster from voting.

Posted by mcblogger at 07:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 18, 2008

Goodbye, Carly...

And with that, the McCain campaign does the same thing that Hewlett-Packard's board and shareholders did so many years ago.

You suck, Carly. No really, you do. No, YOU suck. K? Great.

Honestly, when will Republicans learn that modern managers are a mostly retarded bunch?

Posted by mcblogger at 01:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 16, 2008

What HAS Tricky Ricky screwed up now?

First up, Vince posts this at Capitol Annex (which is not, as you might think, a site about banking) regarding the confusions over the PODs. Apparently, the State had to back down it's participation in the recovery due to poor planning and really retarded logistics.

Seriously, go read the article. First off, they deploy resources without know where they were ultimately going to be needed. Second, they don't admit the mistake, they just drop others in the grease. Finally, the City of Houston and Harris County personnel jump in and fill the gaps. And where's FEMA during all this? Well, the skeletal frame of Mike Chertoff has been spotted wandering the streets.

Tricky Ricky, unwilling to admit how bad the State has botched relief and recovery, has instead decided to try to keep the media out. Which is, as you can tell, going splendidly.

Say goodbye to '10, Goodhair.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 15, 2008

But you voted for it, Senator...

Think Progress has a great hit up about Palin and McCain's support of the Agency bailout (I'll post my thoughts in the supersize).

In an op-ed in yesterday's Wall Street Journal, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) reluctantly endorsed the federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, arguing that the two institutions' lobbyists are the "primary contributors to this great debacle." McCain and Palin wrote that, should they be elected, their administration would "no longer use taxpayer backing to serve lobbyists, management, boards and shareholders."

Here's the thing, John. You VOTED, over and over again, to deregulate. Because you thought that would free up the Invisible Hand and we'd all be better off. Lo and behold, you and the other Republicans discovered that what the Democrats knew and were SCREAMING all along was right... business needs oversight because left to it's own devices, it'll foul it's own bed.

Now that it's all come crashing down, you can't admit your error and are, like a degenerate gambler, doubling down in an all-or-nothing effort to deflect blame and avoid the inevitable conclusion that your ideology is a bankrupt as the banking system.

But, I guess I'd do the same thing if so many of the staffers, senior advisers and FRIENDS were lobbyists at one point or another for the Agencies. You should be proud, John McCain. You've mastered the art of talking out of both sides of your mouth.

As for the bailout, I'm pretty disappointed but not really surprised. For one thing, there were easier ways to inject capital into Fannie and Freddie without taking on as much risk or wiping out the poor shareholders. I am THRILLED to see management turned out of both companies as I had absolutely no respect for either of them. All in all though, the Friedmanites engineered their chance and now Fannie and Freddie are on the chopping block.

What kills me about this is that it was purely and simply a crisis of confidence. People were afraid the government wouldn't backstop the Agencies which forced them to do just that. And then there is Lehman today which is reporting close to $640 bn in assets and a little over $600 bn in liabilities. Sounds good, right? We'll see how much of that is marketable and how much is pure level three and untradable at any price. I'd also like to know non-performance in the mortgage pools. But that's just my curiosity... I have a feeling that as bad as things are, they ain't that bad.

What brings down a bank like Lehman is the same thing that brought down Bear and would bring down any investment bank. Their funding, the money they need to revolve to float their balance sheet, evaporated. Without it, the bank couldn't survive. The fun part of all this is figuring out how much of this was Lehman... and how much was the result of it's financiers getting cold feet (not to mention it's counterparties).

This should SOLIDLY put the lie to all those morons on the right who think everything would be better... without as much regulation. As predicted, no regulation means common sense is replaced with raw greed and poor credit decisions. Discipline, when billions are involved, goes out the window when their is no examiner coming into your office a few times a year to make sure you haven't gone hog wild.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:57 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

PULL!

And here is Eileen's review of Governor Palin with Charlie Gibson. The verdict? Exceeded the already low expectations. On the downside.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 14, 2008

McLiar

It's a special kind of douchebag that gets called out by Joy Behar...

JOY BEHAR: "There are ads running from your campaign, one of them is saying that Obama, when he said you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig, was talking about Sarah. There's another ad that says that Obama was interested in teaching sex education to kindergarteners. Now, we know that those two ads are untrue, they're lies. And yet you at the end of it say I approve these messages. Do you really approve them?"

JOHN MCCAIN: "Actually, they are not lies." [ABC, "The View," 9/12/08]

Where once I had respect for Senator McCain, I have nothing left but cynicism and extreme distrust. Or, to put it in terms we'd use here in Texas, I wouldn't piss on that son of a bitch if he was on fire and I'd just drank a case of beer (set it to an East or West Texas accent to really get how perfect it is).

Fuck that old Bastard. Fuck him straight to hell.

And his staff...

Good Job, Ari Melber!

Posted by mcblogger at 03:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 10, 2008

Damn, Obama... that's not the phrase to use!

As reported earlier, the RETARDS (still looking at you former Governor Swift) at the McCain campaign are demanding an apology from Obama for his comment in reference to McCain's weak effort to label himself as a change agent (you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig) which they interpreted (they're dumb like that) as a slam on their pathetic Veep candidate. In short they thought Obama was calling Sarah Palin a

First off, I don't really want to get into a discussion on Governor Palin's sexual proclivities. I do know from experience that people who project a very dominant personality in public tend to be extremely submissive in the bedroom (not to mention being into some pretty gross stuff). AND YES, IT'S DISAPPOINTING.

Second, a quaint, parochial phrase might be a great idea, but you have to be careful which one you choose. I'd like to recommend

You can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit

to describe McCain and his worthless ideas.

What? I want to HEAR Jane Swift actually ask if Sen. Obama is calling Sen. McCain a chickenshit. Then I want her head to explode from the resulting apoplexy when the Obama campaign laughs at her.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:24 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

This just in : The Palin Truth Squad is...

FULL OF RETARDS

Just so there is absolutely no mistake, YES, JANE SWIFT, I'M CALLING YOU A RETARD. YOU AND THE OTHERS ON THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN TAKING PART IN YOUR SQUAD.

Sorry, just wanted to make sure, if by some miracle you saw this, that you understood my meaning completely.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 09, 2008

What a lovely per diem you have there, Sarah!

While everyone knew Palin's rep as a reformer was as undeserved as McCain's for being a maverick (what we would call just another angry old man), what we didn't know was exactly HOW ballsy she was about sucking off government's teat...

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official "duty station" is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by The Washington Post.

The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show.

Lemme get this straight... you have a job that pays you $125,000 per year. In Alaska. And comes with it's own house. Still, you choose to live more than 600 miles away from your job AND you use a state office building for your convenience.

Oh, and while you're 600 miles away from your responsibilities, you're billing the tax payers of the state to stay in your OWN HOUSE?

Posted by mcblogger at 09:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 07, 2008

THAT was offensive

I hadn't really wanted to delve back into the R convention, but this caught my eye. I didn't see the video that night, I tuned in only for McThuselah. If I had, I probably would have been livid.

While the Democratic candidates this cycle treated 9/11 and those who died that day with reverence and respect, the Republican candidates (Guiliani and McCain especially) have continuously used those people and their loved ones for political gain in the most shameful and offensive manner possible. This video should not have shocked me the way it did... I should be accustomed to offensive, unAmerican ploys from the Republicans. But it did.

To my core, as an American, this offended me deeply.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 06, 2008

THIS is our VP

I'll admit, I wasn't super enthusiastic about Sen. Biden. Until now.

Go get 'em, Joe!

Posted by mcblogger at 02:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 05, 2008

The Leo Berman Funny

I don't know if BurkaBuddy (that's our new name for him) was trying to be funny or was just reporting the funny...

Leo Berman, the strange old man from Tyler who decided last session that the Texas Constitution trumps the FEDERAL Constitution (and he wouldn't change his mind even when CradDICK explained to him that it wasn't the case. And that he was a fucktard), is seriously considering a run for Governor.

One of the first Texans I saw was Leo Berman. I asked him if he had heard any of the delegates express unhappiness that McCain had chosen Sarah Palin instead of Kay Bailey Hutchison. “Oh, no,” he said. “Kay is pro-choice. There isn’t a single person in this delegation who is pro-choice.” We also talked a little about immigration. “David Swinford [chairman of State Affairs] killed all the bills last time,” he said. “That isn’t going to happen this time. If it does, if we can’t get our immigration bills passed, there are going to be some more people in the governor’s race. I’m considering running for governor myself.”

But wait... it gets better!

Leo Berman also bravely stepped into the fray to defend the honor of none other than Phyllis Schlafly

Yesterday there was an altercation at the Phyllis Schlafly luncheon. Sarah Palin was supposed to attend, but she couldn’t make it. An uninvited guest showed up — a peace activist who ran up to the front of the room carrying a banner that said “PEACE!” Two intrepid Texans — state reps. Leo Berman and Jodie Laubenberg — wrestled her away.

What bitches y'all are! Two of you were necessary to 'wrestle' a peace protester? Are you kidding? Leo, you're really a giant worthless cuntrag.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

R Convention Wrapper

You may have noticed some missing R's at the convention. So did the crew at FDL

Sebelius nails Palin on her speech from Wednesday night calling her deceptive.

"I live in the American heartland, and have been a governor [here] for six years," she said. "I don't know any mayor in any small town in Kansas -- and we have a lot of mayors of small towns -- who hires a lobbyist and goes after earmarks the way Sarah Palin did." On Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that, as mayor of Wasilla, Palin secured more than $27 million in federal earmarks for a town with only 6,700 residents.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 04, 2008

That's awfully white of you

While watching McCain's speech (did YOU know he served in Vietnam? Did you know that he was captured by the Vietnamese and was a war prisoner? Why didn't the Republicans mention that sooner?!?) I was overcome with a sense of The Strange.

You know The Strange... that feeling like you're in an old b&w episode of the Twilight Zone and Rod Serling is somewhere, hovering above, telling an audience "Picture a man...". Yeah, that one. I got that tonight when the camera panned over the audience and I first thought "WOW! That's the whitest group I've seen since that time I went to that mayonnaise festival". At first, I didn't think there were any minorities in the audience. Then I saw them... one Hispanic, four Asians and three Blacks. It was as if you'd taken a cookie sheet, covered it in vanilla ice cream and then carefully placed a few chocolate sprinkles so as to break the monotony and create the illusion of diversity.

I did catch Meg Whitman of EBay fame. And her thinning hair. Girl could totally do something about that alopecia. It's not like she didn't rape EBay shareholders for enough during her 'service' at the company.

McCain also spoke and it was... well, it was meh. Seriously, it was like milquetoast with a side of lame. Except for the heavy-duty description of his time in a Vietnamese POW camp. But, we've kinda been overwhelmed with that this week so even that didn't have the emotional impact it could have. He tried to go non-partisan but the reality is that he's an unquestionable partisan and so is his running mate, a fact which she made abundantly clear during minute after endlessly shrill minute of her speech last night.

The sad part is that he and his party are devoid of ideas. Cutting corporate taxes (which the corporations mostly don't pay, anyway) is a non-starter when the rich (and corporations) already got 90% of the benefit of the original tax cuts. Which McCain supports. As for the drilling, oil is priced in dollars and as the dollar has weakened (due to Republican deficits and trade deficits due to a weak economy) more of them are required to buy oil. Which drives up the price for you and me. Sure, there are supply issues but you're not going to solve them with drilling. Period. Only biofuels and alternatives are going to pull us out of this (and no, I'm not talking about corn ethanol and soya diesel... you CAN make biofuels out of many things). McCain doesn't have the knowledge base or intelligence to see that and it's really sad.

I don't know if it's calcification of the brain due to age or just that Republican unwillingness to see reality (which is apparently what afflicts Palin). Shall we recap Republican failure? Do we really need to discuss tax cuts that didn't grow wages and real employment, not to mention creating the deficits that only Democrats said would happen? Should we go back over inflation and poor fiscal management? Should we discuss the disrespect for the Constitution and the rule of law? Maybe we should take a moment and remind you of the Veterans, returning from Iraq, who haven't been treated like Veterans SHOULD be treated. Democrats don't run VA or the DoD. That's Bush and Republican appointees.

The Democrats have been right all along. Every disaster. Every misstep. Every failure. They've nailed it. And this time, this election, the American people are ready for a change and they can't be fooled into thinking that Sen. McCain, with almost 30 years in Washington as part of the establishment, can bring anything other than more of the same.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 03, 2008

R's get their red meat moment

Tonight, Sarah Palin jumped her narrow, remarkably unqualified and corrupt ass into the ring and took swing after swing at her betters. Oh, and she took some time to defend the senile multi-millionaire (how many houses does he have?) with whom she shares the Republican ticket.

So much for a different kind of politics and a campaign about issues. Guess McCain lied about that just like he did about being a reformer. Don't get me wrong, I actually used to respect John McCain. At least I did until 2000 when he officially became George Bush's bitch, a point driven home tonight by the right wing nut job he picked to be his running mate. Denied his true choice, he was forced to select the shrill, nasty and exceedingly ambitious Palin by the very same right wing that treated him so shabbily in 2000.

But it was nice to see her with her baby prop. And to know the Republicans have decided to put themselves first and the country second. Of course, for Palin and McCain that's an easy choice... they've been selling out their families for years to further their own ambitions.

At the end, I'm left wondering... What else should I have expected from someone who squandered her state's resources, drove up taxes on the middle class and left her constituents in crushing debt?

Posted by mcblogger at 10:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

What a bunch of damn bullshit

You know, there a number of things I'd like to say about Palin and her 'reformer' image. But it's hard to call someone a reformer when their only true reform is to leave their constituents more in debt than they were prior to their 'service'. To the tune of $4,000 per resident in tiny Wasilla. See the extended for some good stuff on her tenure from someone who knows her. I think the phrase 'RANK INCOMPETENCE' pretty much sums it up.

Of course, there's the matter of the pregnant daughter. I knew girls that got pregnant in high school. Some of them graduated with me, some did not. Some of them had the kids and some did not for one reason or another. I never lost respect for them and I certainly won't say that this revelation has negatively effected my opinion of Palin. I had a negative opinion of her from HER actions, not those of her daughter. But, this pisses me off...

When Pam Younggren, 61, of Fargo, N.D., was told the news of the 17-year-old’s pregnancy, she shrugged. “Well, she wouldn’t be the first one,” she said.

“We can’t control what our daughters do,” she said. “I don’t see it as a problem. She will have appropriate care for her baby.”

And this one...

“People are looking for real,” he said in an interview. “Real means blemishes, real means warts, real means real. These family imperfections make people say, ‘That family isn’t so different from my family.’”

Uhm, they aren't like the rest of us. My parents kept rather strict controls over Barfly and I when we lived under their roof, so yeah... you can control your kids. It's called PARENTING. Palin did not. Period. My parents also made sure we KNEW the implications of intercourse and were prepared for it with appropriate protection. Palin did not. Now, even with these precautions, some kids end up being parents. My problem with this is that Palin willfully decided NOT to prepare her daughter with information and protection. That's not a knock on her daughter, that's her OWN very real character flaw. And it's one I would find unacceptable in any public official, Democratic or Republican. Especially one that's traveled far and wide preaching the wonders of abstinence only sex education, not to mention parental and personal responsibility.

What's most galling about this situation is that had this been the Democratic VP candidate, there would have been endless sermons and screeching rants from the far right (including some of the women quoted in the NYT piece) denouncing their family values and judgment, among other things. And calling them an unacceptable choice for America.

HOWEVER, I'm hearing quite the opposite from the folks in the bully pulpits of talk radio. And it's causing the words of Harry Truman, after reading McArthur's farewell address to Congress, to echo through my mind:

"It was nothing but a bunch of damn bullshit."

Beat up on Bristol? Not at all. But am I going to light into Palin EVERY TIME the phrase 'personal responsibility' leaves her lips? You betcha. Muse has a different take... she's a mother, she can go there. But her take on it dovetails nicely with the emails floating around from Wasilla residents. From them, it's pretty obvious that the only person who has benefited from Palin's service is Palin. It's certainly not her constituents, most of whom are decidedly worse off for her 'unbridled ambition'. Take a look in the supersize...

This email is floating around the 'sphere. I've received two other very similar accounts from different people.

ABOUT SARAH PALIN

I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child’s favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.

She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won’t vote for her can’t quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a “babe”.

It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.

She is “pro-life”. She recently gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.

She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.

She is savvy. She doesn’t take positions; she just “puts things out
there” and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.

Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.

Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.

She’s smart.

Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.

These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today’s
surplus, borrow for needs.

She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin’s
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of “old boys”. Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal–loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State’s top cop (see below).

As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla’s Police Chief because he “intimidated”
her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska’s top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it’s pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn’t
fire her sister’s ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.

She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.

When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the “old boys’ club” when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).

As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the “bridge to
nowhere” after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.

As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects–which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance–but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as “anti-pork”.

She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.

Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah’s
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as “AGIA” that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.

Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned “as a private citizen” against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior’s decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.

McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.

There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.

However, there’s a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.

CLAIM VS FACT
•”Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•”PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since
•”NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it.
•”Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation
•”Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

You're kidding, right?

The Republicans have been consistently wrong on health care and have paid a price for it at the polls. As premiums have dramatically increased, service and care has decreased. Tort reform has not made physician's lives easier, they've instead made insurance companies richer.

In short, everything that the Republicans told you about bringing affordable health care was... wait for it... a LIE. American's have, of course, figured this out. Now, comes this from the R's...

...John Goodman [is] president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a right-leaning Dallas-based think tank. Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain's health care policy, said anyone with access to an emergency room effectively has insurance, albeit the government acts as the payer of last resort.

"The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American – even illegal aliens – as uninsured. Instead, the bureau should categorize people according to the likely source of payment should they need care.

"So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved." (DMN)

Here's the problem with this... it's functionally taxpayer funded health care (which the R's claim is 'socialized medicine') which is way more expensive than other universal health care plans. Because you're employing the most expensive form of care, emergency. The second problem has two parts. With this, the bills are so expensive the counties will have to raise taxes to cover just PART of the cost. The rest of it falls to the patient who will, of course, usually be indigent. Which means they'll have collections and judgments on their credit reports which will keep them from, for example, buying a home.

If they happen to be unlucky enough to own a home... well, forced foreclosure is a horrible experience but I'm sure people will be OK with it when they realize that it helped the Republicans dodge a bullet.

The Republican Party, home to so many bad ideas you just can't believe it.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 02, 2008

Making History

Should the polar bear-hating extremist Sarah Palin actually become Vice President of the United States, she'll be joining a select group of holders of that office who supported the overthrow of the Federal Union.

No one is quite sure what Aaron Burr was up to when he headed into what Americans then knew as the Southwest in 1807, but is known that he was raising a private army and rumors swirled that he aimed at detaching part of the Louisiana Territory and establishing his own empire, perhaps with the aid of Spain. Arrested and tried, in the end there was not enough evidence to convict him of treason.

The case of Jackson's first veep, John C. Calhoun is much clearer. He developed the theory of "Nullification" which held that a state could decide which federal laws applied within its boundaries. He resigned the vice presidency and encouraged South Carolina to resist the federal tariff, resulting in the Nullification Crisis of the early 1830s... which was resolved peacefully when the Palmetto State backed down, the rest of the South unready to follow the path of secession and civil war.

When that war came three decades late, Buchanon's number two, John C. Breckinridge ignored the decision of his native Kentucky to remain loyal and joined the rebellion, raising troops and leading them in battle as a Confederate general. By 1865 he was serving in the rebel government as Secretary of War; with war's end he fled into exile, returning only after receiving a pardon in 1869.

And now we are learning, thanks to reseach on Daily Kos, now picked up at ABC News that Sarah Palin was a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a fringe political group whose founder planned to seek Soviet protection for an secessionist Alaska and whose grave is in Canada because he refused to be buried under the American flag. What are her views today? Could she honestly swear to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States"? Did she undertake her hazardous twelve-hour flight back from Texas a few months ago to avoid giving birth to her son on anything but Alaskan soil? Why the friendly greetings and hopes for a "successful convention" from the governor to her old comrades in the AIP in this video?

For too long Democrats and progressives have had their patriotism questioned by a gang that has destroyed our economy, shredded our Constitutional rights and lied us into an unnecessary war. Well, the mukluk's on the other foot now. Sarah Palin, why do you hate America?

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 01, 2008

More on Dick In A Box

A MAILBOX, that is. Apparently, there's more to this Frank Corte 'lives' on an empty lot, thing. From an anonymous source...

Thought you should know that he moved out in October 2006, before his previous election, when he and his wife had their house moved to a new lot outside the city limits. He then got a permit from the city to build a two-story house on the old lot. But that permit expired in January 2007, and there have been no new requests for any building permits since then. Meanwhile, his wife has renewed her driver’s license using her new address, the apartment outside the district. Hence, Corte is not only ineligible to serve now but has been ineligible to serve for at least the past two years. And though it’s too late to remove his name from this November’s ballot, it’s not too late to have him declared ineligible thus handing the election to his Democratic challenger, Fran Carnot. (There is also a Libertarian in the race, Sally Gayton.)

So what happens now? Will Frank do the right thing or will the courts have to step in?

Posted by mcblogger at 10:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 29, 2008

McCain gets frigid

Sen. McCain is rumored to have picked Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be the Republican nominee for Vice-President.

Palin, 44, is a reform-minded governor in Alaska who's challenged the party's old guard, attacked pork-barrel spending and taken a keen interest in energy and environmental issues. A former Miss Alaska runnerup, Palin hold a degree in journalism and has five children, including one with Down Syndrome. If Palin is selected, it could indicate a strategy on McCain's part to siphon off women voters disaffected by Sen. Hillary Clinton's loss in the Democratic primaries to Obama, D-Ill.

First, this ain't gonna peel off any of Hillary's diehards, nor is anyone going to be persuaded that her goodwill and character will rub off on McCain. At the end of the day, the veep is largely irrelevant and the only way Independents and Democrats will vote for a Republican is if the Republican nominee stopped being John McCain.

Update 11:45 - Watching the speech now and it's clear they are going to focus on reform. I guess no one told her that the man she's running with has been an integral part of what she'd like to reform for decades. Also, I don't think she realizes she's a Republican. Look for the Democrats to make the point that we can't really afford anymore Republican 'Reform' like ever expanding deficits, low job and wage growth and dramatically higher energy prices.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:08 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 27, 2008

Senator Carona and his 'business'

I think HOA's are really just a step above extortionists. But that's me. However, I'm sure anyone who has dealt with an HOA managed by Senator John Carona's company would probably agree. Apparently, the Senator from North Dallas has decided to run his company into the ground by taking in payments... and doing no work.

Principal Management Group wouldn't go on camera, but said the association has been without a board for five years. Now the 300 or so homes are predominately rentals and getting the landlords to pay has been impossible.(KTRK13)

Oh, that's not true... HOA's have the ability to foreclose. In fact, they can scare first lien holders (if the unit is financed) into paying the back HOA dues and setting up a mandatory escrow account as part of the note repayment to make sure there is never a time when HOA dues go into arrears again. I know because the servicing division at a bank I worked for did it. HOA dues are serious business. The problem is, there's no board and with no board, there's no oversight. Which means the residents have to go through an arduous process to rid themselves of the albatross. And the garbage it's left on their doorsteps.

Kudos to Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee for stepping up to the plate and helping these folks out. And shame on Senator Carona for NOT taking the time to make things right.

Please click through here and help Rain Minns, the Democrat running to unseat Carona, today.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 26, 2008

Blaming the Democrats...

I LOVE BLAME! I love it when one of my subordinates, whom I've asked to perform a task, blames someone else in the office (usually a peer) for failing to complete it. Nothing makes me happier than knowing that the job I expected to get done, wasn't done. Well, nothing except knowing who to blame for the failure.

Oh, I'm just kidding... I usually berate the dick who didn't perform the task. Over the phone since my office is far, far from me.

Bush, on the other hand, likes to berate his peers. For high gas prices...

"This Congress has been one of the most unproductive on record. They've failed to address the challenge of high gas prices," the president said. "They need to send me a bill next month that I can sign so we can bring relief to drivers, small business owners, farmers and ranchers and every American affected by high prices at the pump."

You should never believe a liar, which is what makes this AP story sooo intriguing. It's also interesting because there are no counterquotes from the Democrats. Nothing except some lame thing from Pelosi about allowing some limited offshore drilling. Which Bush says isn't enough. And we should take his word on that because he's been right all along. He was:

1) Right about deficits not mattering.
2) Right about WMD's
3) Right about that whole Axis of Evil thing
4) Right about Vladimir Putin's soul
5) Right about how tax cuts would trickle down
6) Right about how the economy wasn't having problems
7) Right about how energy price increases (which have gone on every day since he entered office) were temporary.

The funny thing is that Bush says all this without a hint of irony since HIS party was in charge during most of the run up in gas prices. In fact, when refiners continued to gouge retailers and consumers, Bush and the Republicans did nothing. As Exxon's profits soared and Americans started to buckle under the pressure, Bush and the Republicans did nothing. Except blame Democrats who weren't in power.

The funny thing about this is that none of it is the fault of the Democrats. However, because of how retarded their leadership is in the Congress, it'll come across that way and in the end they'll fall over themselves to give the Republicans what they want.

They'll whine about how the polling data was too strong and how the R's had talking points that were engineered to win over an audience. I know this because I've heard it for two years. The reality is that none of you are really smart enough to get how to control message and win a debate in real time.

So, just save us all the time and trouble... and give in. God knows none of you know how to browbeat and intimidate the other side into caving in to you. Democrats don't do that. Well, they don't anymore.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Frank Corte in a box?!

There IS a structure on the empty lot that Frank Corte calls home. It's a mailbox.

View image

Now, the question is, can he live in it? I guess I could have called this post 'DICK (in a box)'.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 25, 2008

Tom Delay COULD get off on a technicality

According to the Statesman, there is a very real possibility that Delay could walk on corruption and money laundering charges due to a technicality. Apparently, the law has been narrowly applied by an all Republican Appeals Court (no, I'm not making this up) to only cash transactions.

Delay and Co. used checks. So you can obviously see how that's different and all. I guess if they'd used wire transfers it would have added still another wrinkle to this convoluted bullshit. What's most irritating about this is DeGuerin.

Money-laundering charges against former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and two indicted co-conspirators may be dismissed because the 2002 campaign finance case involved checks and not cash, a lawyer for DeLay said Sunday night.

"We win," said Dick DeGuerin, DeLay's lawyer, "because there's nothing but checks in the case."

Yes. You win. Because of a technicality created by how an appeals court looked at the law. Much like... actually, exactly like a drug dealer whose conviction is overturned because there wasn't probably cause for the traffic stop that resulted in his original arrest (where they discovered his 'distribution business and inventory'). Should feel good, Dick. You've worked hard to make sure a demon remains free to roam the Earth.

DA Earle is not a happy monkey as one might expect...

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle said the check-versus-cash argument is absurd: "The court's reasoning is like saying that you can get away with murder if you pay the hit man with a check."

Prosecutors can file a motion for a rehearing before the appellate court.

But there's still more dick. Kind of like in a porno...

"If this is how it ends," DeGuerin said, "it means every crime Ronnie Earle indicted Tom DeLay for was not a crime."

No, it means you helped him dodge his criminality based on a technical issue. And a partisan court bought the argument.

Of course, all of this is largely irrelevant. Delay's seat is gone. He's gone as a political force. He's a washed up loser who will be stepped on every time he pops his crooked head up. So, if that's all... then no big deal.

And thank you, Ronnie Earle for having the stones to take this on.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Transportation Daisy Chain

A certain political consultant emailed the release of the Republican Leadership (now ain't that just one hell of an oxymoron?) regarding their willingness to work with one another. After reading it, I responded to him with

Craddick sucks off Dewhearst sucks off Perry eats out Delisi sucks off Craddick?

To which he responded

I'd rather not have that image in my mind, but, yes, I think you have it about right.

Here's the gist...

Highlights of the new plan:

Stop funding the Texas Department of Public Safety with gas tax funds, and divert those millions to road construction. DPS could instead be funded with general revenue tax funds.

What an AWESOME idea, y'all! We've only been asking for it for years but it's good to see that you're finally doing what we told you to do. Next, find the revenue to fund DPS without the gas tax. Good luck with that, R's. WITHOUT taking away CHIP.

Create a special Transportation Finance Corporation to allow Texas-based investment funds to directly invest in state transportation projects.

Rutro! This is the kind of place where you people normally take a nosedive. Here's the inside skinny... the folks at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs (whatup, peeps!) are having problems selling toll bonds. Which means that road privatization has pretty much ground to a halt along with everything else in the debt markets, at least everything risky (read: toll revenue bonds). If Texas had issued tax-backed revenue bonds and indexed the gas tax (AS ADVISED YEARS AGO) they wouldn't have had any problems selling off the debt. However, toll bonds (much like subprime and Alt A mortgage credits) are questionable at best, valueless at worst. Which means nothing is selling and there's no way for Perry and his cronies at Zachry (and THEIR friends, Cintra (Bluebonnet)) to get the money to buy the roads. Burka has some great stuff up on just how successful road privatization has been. For investors.

So, now that private money has evaporated to finance your questionable plans, you morons want to dip into the underfunded public pensions!??!?!?! Lemme guess, you'll be giving the investment banks a cut on that transaction to work as adviser, right? And, of course, Zachry will be brought in to manage everything and take a cut. Annually. So, what does that leave for the pension fund?

Great idea, you guys! Precisely what I'd expect from folks with the intellectual capacity of sparrows.

Authorize perhaps as much as $5 billion in bonds for additional highway construction projects. Voters approved a constitutional change in November 2007 to allow these bonds, but legislation is still needed to authorize them.

Oh, those tax backed bonds! Yeah, you should totally issue those. Here's the thing, though... at some point, you R's are going to have to finally admit to folks you've been lying to them about the possibility of having economic growth, good public infrastructure and excellent services (schools, fire and police) all while paying less in taxes. Simply put, you've been selling (but not delivering) a free lunch. It's worked so far because no one's been real hungry. Now they're starving and they want something to eat.

EOW nails it and picks up on what the Statesman (and other major media sources) have always missed. These aren't REAL solutions, it's a shell game designed to make it appear that something is happening... and to put off the day when the bill really comes due.

The really wonderful post on all this comes from Paul Burka at Texas Monthly who lays it out beautifully.

The reality that no one on the R side wants to admit is that their ideology is fundamentally flawed. In the real world, privatization does not always work to the benefit of consumers, especially in the absence of substantive GOVERNMENT oversight. An old school economic conservative can you tell you that. In fact, I've done it several times. We, unlike the ideologues running the government who've never really worked in business, know from first hand experience that private enterprise can be every bit as wasteful as big government.

And we hate waste, whether it's Democratic or Republican. And crony capitalism is definitely waste.

One last point, there appear to be those who still want to parrot the old estimate that our transportation funding shortfall is $80-100 bn. It's NOT. It's not even close especially when you aren't building TODAY for capacity you won't need until the late 2040's. As a side note, I'd also like to ask the Lege to set up an independent body, appointed by the LEADERSHIP from both parties in the Lege, to audit TXDOT and what they are paying suppliers. I find it UNBELIEVABLE that true road constructions costs have escalated more rapidly than anything other than gold bullion.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 21, 2008

Hey You Kids! Get The Hell Off My Lawns!

OMFG!

McCain unsure how many houses he owns

Is it cold in here? It feels cold. Cathy, where's my sweater? No, not that one. The one with the zipper.

Is it July yet? I thought it was July. Or Tuesday. I can never tell them apart.

It was the messboys, I tell you. I knew the messboys ate the strawberries. Durn their hides. Why isn't there any whipped cream?

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Krazy like a Keel

Donna Keel, whose only distinguishing feature seems to be her decision to marry a Keel, is running for State Representative against Valinda Bolton way down southwest... in southwest Travis County. Developers love her, mostly because she views the environmentally sensitive area as nothing more than empty land on which endless mini-malls filled with dry cleaning shops, frozen yogurt stores and nail salons may be built. All those low wage retail jobs also mean she's a brill promoter of economic growth.

No one ever said Donna was smart or a protector of the environment. On the smart thing, she did, after all, marry a Keel which is a small step above marrying a Manson. By virtue of the fact that the Keels haven't killed anyone. At least no one that we know of. What we do know is that her bother-in-law and winner of the 2008 LAMEST HAIRCUT IN THE WORLD is Terry Keel and he's the one forcing her to do this. Because, in his new role as parliamentarian, he wants a buddy since all CradDICK does is repeat him. One has to assume that Donna had met Terry prior to marrying the other Keel (the one who gave her the glam name). One has to wonder about the sanity of ANYONE willing to marry into that family with eyes wide open.

Can you tell we don't like Terry? Oh, there's a reason... Terry has all the integrity of a homeless drunk, he'll do anything for a dollar, much as a drunk will for a bottle of MD20/20. From scuttling real ethics reform to helping Tom CradDICK stay in power, Terry was a miserable failure as a State Representative. Now he's firmly supporting his sister-in-law. Just what we need... feathered hair, part 2.

On the environment, a massive concern for voters in the district, Donna Keel had this to say...

Business Friendly Environment - Many businesses that were overtaxed and over regulated in other states are relocating to Texas. Many of those same states have responded by increasing taxes on the remaining businesses and individuals, perpetuating a vicious cycle .

Oh, shit. I guess they forgot about being concerned about breathable air and drinkable water. My bad! Well, let's just address her economic stupidity for a moment, shall we? What she's saying here is that we need to keep business taxes low. I'm all for that. However, the Republicans she wants to join, the same ones who've been running Texas into the ground for more than 10 years, have made sure that business pays close to nothing in taxes to support the state that supports them. They use our roads, our schools, our police, fire and most definitely our courts. Yet they pay nothing to support the state. Oh, they provide some wonderful blue collar and minimum wage jobs (massive failure that IS Cabela's anyone?) but those jobs don't inject a massive amount of tax revenue either.

The reality is that Texas is one of the few states where our elected officials are dumb enough to give up everything for bargain basement prices. And Donna, you want to be one of those people? REALLY?!??! I find that just infuriatingly stupid. However, looking at your resume it's clear that while you've had a B school education, you've never worked in private industry. So you don't know what the real world is like where we actually look for places with economic stability where the taxes may be a little higher, but government is operating efficiently and investing for the future.

Republicans and Donna Keel are quite simply, bad salesman. They don't want partners that shoulder the burden of funding our state government and infrastructure and they don't understand that partnerships are built on shared sacrifice, trust and an understanding that long term profit is better than short term gain.

They are creating, though their policies, a business class who've grown fat and happy sucking off the government teat without paying so much as a dime in taxes. So, in a situation like that, you have to ask if the economic 'growth' these companies bring in is worth the cost to our environment, if the economic gain exceeds the cost. The answer, for many of these companies, is NO. They cost us far more in health care, education, transportation, public safety, etc. than they provide in taxes. Which means they are drains on our economy and we'd be better off without them.

Donna Keel doesn't know that. Which makes me wonder what, other than the way to the Comptroller's building, she does know.

Finally, her stand on toll roads...

Toll Roads – Austin absolutely needs to improve its infrastructure, particularly at the Y in Oak Hill. These improvements should be paid for with existing funds. I would only support tolls as an absolute last resort, never on existing roads or bridges( double taxation), and never as a source of revenue in perpetuity. Once a road is paid for, the toll should be removed.

Sounds great, doesn't it? Many Republicans said the same thing in 2003... right before they voted for the bill that gave TXDOT the ability to privatize new AND existing roads as well as toll in perpetuity. Donna, further proving she has a shallow-puddle deep understanding of the issues, doesn't get that tolling is more expensive for Texans than any other financing solution. Note here she makes no mention of the gas tax which we already know would be the cheapest way to fund infrastructure. Probably because she can't do the cost per mile break down in her head to determine that she'll pay more on a per gallon basis with tolls than with the gas tax.

As for 'removing the tolls', sure Donna. We've heard that from EVERY Republican at one time or another. We believed some of them. However, we're not going to blindly trust you since your brother-in-law helped put us in this mess to begin with. And he's one of your advisers and supporters, which to us means you have bad taste in both and even worse judgment.

We can't afford another Keel. We need to KEEP VALINDA BOLTON.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:28 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 20, 2008

A simple question...

Why is Karl Rove running fundraisers and not in jail?

On a lighter note, there's this from Dean Rindy...

Posted by mcblogger at 01:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

We (heart) Hector Nieto (and Jesmer's a tool)

No, Hector, not in THAT way. So you don't have to feel nervous around us...we love you for saying this...

"Instead of resurrecting a non-issue like Fred Baron, why doesn't John Cornyn explain to the people of Texas why he voted six times against bipartisan legislation to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program? Every time a child goes to the emergency room because a parent couldn't afford quality healthcare, that parent can thank John Cornyn."

Yesterday, dippy little Rob Jesmer of the Re-Elect A Worthless Douchebag campaign (AKA, Cornyn for Senate) sent out an email about Fred Baron (who?) giving money to Rick Noriega and the Texas Democratic Party and Girl and Boy Scouts of America. While he mostly left Noriega and the TDP alone, Rob went hog wild on the poor little scouts.

"No, we don't want any more of your Fred Barron cookies. We don't want anymore of your trial lawyer sing alongs or massive settlement knots. We certainly don't want to see any more of your tort pine car derby's..." Jesmer went on to discuss the Freemason's, threatening to teleport laughing reporters into the sun (with his MIND) and the Illuminati/Rothschild/Bilderberg grand unified conspiracy theory.

He did not comment on when Cornyn will be giving up the MILLIONS in oil and energy company money he's taken while those same companies have raped Texans on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, the Noriega campaign was taking a nap.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 19, 2008

The Future of the Republican Party

That's right, it's not up and comers like that fuckball Todd Staples who'll get his head handed to him in the R primary in 2010. It's Dan Patrick, radio personality (a contradiction in terms if ever there was one) and State Senator. If any of you 30 other men and women in the Texas Senate want to know why people look at y'all like listing agents at a funeral, he's the reason.

BOR has some information up on Dan's latest antics, trying to get on Finance where he will no doubt make such awesome reco's as:

1) Cutting taxes to zero
2) Cutting spending to zero

Which is his dream. Of course, for the rest of us who like police, state troopers, roads and schools it'll be a nightmare. But that's OK because Dan will manage to get a law passed to privatize the entire state... and we'll pay twice as much as we do now for half as much service.

Take a bow, assweevil. And do something about those fucking teeth. They look like jacked up chiclets.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Washington's Broken, And So Is This Record

"Washington's broken" proclaims a McThuselah campaign spot, conveniently overlooking the fact he's been there for a quarter century (that's twenty years longer than he spent as a POW) and might bear just a teeny bit of responsibility for the state of affairs he affects to deplore.

Remember when you had to actually not be part of Washington to run against Washington?

Also oddly missing is any notion that McCain's BFF, George Bush, might have had anything to do with things.

But what really chaps my ass is when he claims to be the "Original Maverick". Sorry, friend, the original Maverick was James Garner, and you're no James Garner. Hell, you're not even Jack Kelly.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 14, 2008

We're here to protect you!

(Ed. Note : YOU MISS MEETINGS, YOU MISS OUT. Got it, Harry? Besides, our meetings, as always, are in a BAR. You're an attorney... it should be as natural as a courtroom to you!)

So I'm completely sucked into "Fair Labor Standards Act Litigation for F@#$ing Idiots" when I decide to come up for air and see what's doing in the other cubicles. Thanks SO MUCH, McBlogger and Mayor, for copying me on the memo that we were all supposed to be on strike! Not to mention the memo announcing that those Amalgamated douchebags sold us back the blog....NOT!

Anyway, I start catching up on the latest postings and the one about the cheapass elephant bribe really struck a chord with me. Because I, too, have an aging grandparent highly susceptible to such chicanery. Grampa Milo has really gone around the bend lately with his 2nd Amendment enthusiasm, to the point that JUST THIS WEEK he got a handwritten letter from Charlton Heston and immediately sent the fucker a check!

So consider this a Public Service Announcement: Old Folks reading this at home, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE save your money and don't give into the chicanery and hucksterism out there. At this stage in life, you don't need to be worrying about all the political bogeymen out there and giving away your fixed income to anybody who sends you mail. No sir. What YOU need to be worrying about is ROBOTS! Big mean scary inhuman robots who want to take over your life and enslave you! Quick! Before it's too late! Buy Robot Insurance Today!

Just make out your check to the Balczac Insurance Agency, c/o Mother Egan's Pub, West 6th Street, Austin, TX ATTN: McBlogger Employee Morale Fund. Act Today - So You Can Sleep Well Tonight!

Posted by hbalczak at 09:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 13, 2008

Contribute to demons, receive...

... a retarded, cheaply made stuffed elephant. Named Victor.

Never, ever, in the history of crap has anything this inane been created as a 'thank you' gift for giving someone money. For me, I'd rather have a handwritten letter from my Republican candidate, much like the one I get from Nagoki Obuyon who sends me a letter every week thanking me for the nutritious food that I give her with my generous donation to whichever company it is that has access to my checking account and gives gruel to starving people around the world. Sally Struthers used to shill for them, but then she got fat and they didn't think it was appropriate.

Apparently people thought SHE was eating all the food meant for those starving people. Isn't that tacky? I'm wwwaaayyy off the point here, right?

So back to the Republicans. They will be giving Victor (or one of these other Made In China nightmares) if you'll just give them $35 which is a pretty good deal when you consider they have to hold these in inventory, package and ship them to you. Oh, and they have to pay whatever nasty factory in China poops these gross things out. Unless... Well, unless they're made from the same material as the carpet in my first apartment which was a petroleum based facsimile of burlap and felt twice as rough.

Which will make this perfect for the kids when they get these from their senile (and cheap) grandparents for birthdays or Christmas. I should know. I have a framed picture of George Bush and Dick Cheney on the nightstand next to my bed at my mother's house that my grandmother gave me when she was starting to run downhill. Toward the end she was giving money to all sorts of Republican organizations. Until my father took control of her accounts and cut the freeloaders off.

That's exactly what this kind of thing is aimed at... Frugal old people who can be easily manipulated by the GOP into being scared of the terrawrists (and terra itself) and think they are giving money so their grandchildren won't go to school with poor kids. Well, that and they think the kids will LOVE the stuffed animals. Even the grandchildren that are 16. Oh, they'll listen intently at Thanksgiving as their grandchildren tell them what they want (MP3 players, a new car, college, a gross of condoms). They'll nod and smile that rheumy smile. In the end they already have your present picked out.

And they got it by helping one of their fellow geriatrics.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 12, 2008

REALLY stupid people and their worthless ideas

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Of course, THEY never had their good ideas copied by the The House Stooges. Fattie, Hypocrite and Voter Fraud have decided they are going to roll out some lame imitation of Gingrich's (and Luntz's) Contract with America thus fulfilling the dire predictions of their elementary teachers who chastised them for copying off the smart kid AND STILL FAILING THE TEST.

Why? Well, take a look what they want to roll out:

Appraisal caps... because they worked sooo well in California. Yes, the massive budget deficits the Golden State has enjoyed were directly related to this brilliant idea to cap the value of real estate used for ad valorem taxation at the previous sales price which overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy since they tend to move less. So Fattie and the boys thought, why not bring that kind of fiscal irresponsibility here?

Of course, none of these folks are smart enough to realize that the problem with real estate taxes is that people no longer earn money from their land. Which means that values have become completely detached from productive capacity. Which means, and you had to see this coming, THAT WE NEED A NEW WAY TO TAX TO PAY FOR OUR GOVERNMENT. No new idea here, just an old bad one from folks who collectively have 20% of a retarded brain.

I know! Let's tax the stupid people like these retards!

Passing Voter ID - Come on, Linda Lardass. Call the bill what it IS, the Keep The Poor Minorities From Voting Act. We know you masterminded this one. After all, while Phil and Bill don't really like the blacks and messicans, they sure as hell aren't clever enough to figure out a way to keep them out of the polls. We tried explaining to them why this was a bad idea, but they can't read, either. Just what we need... more bad legislation from a bunch of racist crackers.

Fighting illegal immigration - Again with the beating up on the messicans, eh? This one is sure to piss off a lot of stalwart Republican business owners who, frankly, LOVE them some inexpensive labor. People like Zachry Construction and Dr. Leininger. Of course, none of the merry band of stupidiots cares about the effect this will have on our economy as illegals PAY far more in taxes than they consume in services. Of course, they also build our houses and roads.

Eliminate sales tax exemptions... ON FOOD. Jesus, Phil, even Reagan didn't want to tax the food the poor need to survive. Taxing formula for babies. What an AWESOME idea. Word is that The Gluttonous Pig is not so much for this part of the Contract because it would disproportionately impact her income since she buys and consumes a disproportionate amount of food.

Oh, there's more and Vince has the deets at Capitol Annex. I really can't discuss more without having a barely suppressible desire to insert my leg, up to the knee, into Phil King's ass.

And yes, I'm certain he'd enjoy every second of it.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 31, 2008

Thanks for nothing, Todd Staples

Well, we have yet another issue where Todd Staples, our ertswhile Agriculture Commissioner has dropped the ball. In the Statesman today, the 'tomato' salmonella outbreak has been traced back to growers in Mexico that supplied (you had to see it coming) Texas companies with peppers that carried the disease.

The CDC and USDA are catching hell for it, but so far nothing has penetrated through to the Texas Dept. Of Agriculture which must share some of the blame. It's not like they didn't know about questionable irrigation and growing practices in Mexico... in 2006, Hank Gilbert, then Democratic candidate for Ag Commissioner talked about JUST THIS THING.

Of course, Staples was distracted with finally doing the part of his job with regard to gas pumps. After being in the office for 18 months. Maybe he'll do something about tainted, diseased produce sometime in 2010.

Way to fail Texans, Todd.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:22 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

July 30, 2008

Tom Coburn in a box

Well, it would be a good start. Provided that you then buried the box and built a parking lot on top of it.

Coburn is being boxed in by Senator Reid... well, Harry and the D's and more than a few R's were trying to force him to actually vote FOR something instead of taking the cowards way out and putting a hold on it. Good luck there, Harry. Why not just go ahead and do what you did to Sen. Dodd when he put a hold on the Telecom Bill... just ignore it.

A product of Democratic frustration with the tactics of Senator Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican and physician who has become the Dr. No of the Senate, the Tomnibus is a $10 billion collection of Coburn-blocked measures assembled by the Senate leadership in an effort to break his solitary grip on the legislative process.

Engineered by Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, the bill includes 35 of the most irresistible-sounding measures stuck on the docket, including the Mothers Act and the Protect Our Children Act.

There are items to commemorate “The Star-Spangled Banner” and to try to curb pornography, cut drug use and help victims of Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Officially known as the Advancing America’s Priorities Act, the catchall legislation includes a measure to improve life for victims of paralysis, which Mr. Reid calls the Superman bill in tribute to the late Christopher Reeve.

The obvious intent is to apply a little legislative Kryptonite and embarrass Mr. Coburn into dropping his procedural objections to the measures while highlighting his willingness to put roadblocks in front of bills that have support from all corners — a textbook case of what Democrats view as extreme Republican obstructionism.

Well, as they say, good luck with that.

“I am not a go-along, get-along guy if I think it is the wrong way to go,” Mr. Coburn said, not stating anything his peers did not already know. “I am O.K. taking the consternation of my colleagues. I take my oath seriously.”

Yes, Tom Coburn (R - OK) is trying to cast himself as a defending of the budget. FDL has the details on what a laughable effort he has, so far, mounted. He's fine with deficit spending to pay for tax cuts for the rich and war spending, but spend $1bn on teaching kids? By God, you've just gone too far.

The Tomnibus Bill, of course, failed. Which means we've got a bunch more Republicans to get rid of. Including Junior John Cornyn who apparently thought protecting children was less important than standing with his simpleton friend who is similarly ideologically bankrupt.

Which makes me wonder about those of you, however few they may be, who are still thinking of voting or Republicans this year... I'd just like to ask, REALLY? You're living in their paradise with half TRILLION deficits, a collapsing dollar, double digit inflation and non-existent wage growth. In other words, Cornyn FAILED. Not a little, but a LOT. Quit embracing the Republican Culture of Failure.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 29, 2008

McCaul gets pwn'd

A couple of boys are attending a school that a US Congressman doesn't like and labels a 'jihadist seminary' without knowing anything about it. He then makes sure, through some hitherto unknown mechanism available to members of Congress, that they are removed from the school.

Who would dare to violate the religious and intellectual freedom of Americans? None other than our own Republican Congressman, Mikey McCaul (R - ClearChannel). Regardless of how pro- or anti-American this school is, their FATHER sent them there. Why did McCaul feel a need to violate the wishes of a parent? Will he be stepping in to assist other children who don't like the schools they are attending? Maybe even beat up on parents for sending their kids to bad summer camps?

Finally, these kids were from ATLANTA, GEORGIA. Not Texas. It's great that Mikey can spend so much time working on violating the wishes of a parent who isn't even his constituent, but we'd love it if he'd start doing what WE, his actual constituents, would like him to do.

Mean Rachel has more and some video.

Oh, and it would be nice if you'd help us get rid of Mikey by throwing some support to Larry Joe!

Posted by mcblogger at 10:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 26, 2008

Shelly was IN TOWN?!?!?!?!

As part of their continuing effort to remain relevant, conservabloggers had themselves a little convention, at the Renaissance in the Arboretum. Wonder if they had fun partying down at Friday's and Tangerine? No, wait... I really don't care.

Speakers included Bob Novak (when ARE they going to finally let him die?) and Grover Norquist, the guy who says government is the root of all evil and that unfettered, unregulated commerce is always perfect. Grover can say things like that because he's only worked in government and government related services. He's uniquely UNQUALIFIED to offer anything of substance, which is probably why the ConRoots were able to get him to come talk to them.

However, they also had... SHELLY! And what, you might be wondering, is Shelly on about today? Wachovia... apparently, their loss has nothing to do with poor underwriting. It has everything to do with management being concentrated currying favor with La Raza. No, I'm really not making this up.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 25, 2008

Really, Bill Poole?

Nothing would make me happier than never seeing another ideological simpleton from the Friedmanite school of disaster capitalists ever having another job in government or private industry. Why? Because they have ideological blinders on that keep them from accurately assessing a situation and determining a proper course of action.

Case in point, former St. Louis Fed President Bill Poole. Though he now likes to go by William, many of us know and remember him as Bill, Chairman Greeenspan's favorite echo chamber. Poole is all bullshit, all the time. His solution to this current crisis? Let's privatize Fannie and Freddie.

One shouldn't bother Bill with details and facts. For one thing, he doesn't want to hear that taxpayers aren't going to pay a dime for any of this. These companies will, as the government is only providing liquidity for currently illiquid securities, guaranteeing that the system will continue to function and loss mitigation procedures can run their course. But Poole's a Friedmanite and they love them some shock to get things moving. Unfortunately for him, the Democrats in Congress aren't prepared to hand over Fannie and Freddie to private interests (screwing existing shareholders) for pennies on the dollar.

What Bill doesn't want to acknowledge (here again, that pesky ideology) is that THE MARKET BROKE DOWN. The only thing anyone wants to own are credits backed by the government. And THAT'S the free market reality.

Absent the GSE's and their implicit government guarantee, the mortgage market would have ground to a halt, interest rates would be 3% higher (at a minimum) and home sales would have dropped to zilch. In turn, the loss mitigation and clearing of home inventory would have collapsed leading to a downward spiral that would have made the 30's look like the 50's.

Humans are imperfect. Humans in a market, whether for equities, commodities or debts, can act irrationally. They can bid up prices far beyond real value... and sell prices far below book value. That's why we need stop gaps. If you can't see that or think it would be just wonderful to return the pre-Fed, gold standard world, you're ignorant of the past and wholly unready to face the future.

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July 22, 2008

Staples discovers what Gilbert already knew

During the 2006 campaign for Ag Commissioner, Hank Gilbert talked about the need to immediately begin inspecting gasoline and diesel pumps at stations all over Texas since many hadn't been touched in more than 8 years. He was pointing out that then Ag Commissioner Susan Combs (R-Bitch) had failed miserably on the job. Hank assured folks if he was elected he'd start the process the day he took office.

Instead, Todd Staples won that election. And he's only now paying attention to the fact that some fuel retailers are cheating Texans. Way to be on the stick, Staples. You're a MOTO who distinguishes himself through irredeemable laziness. Take a bow.

(VIA STC)

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July 16, 2008

Dumb and dumberer

Attention Morons... know your limitations.

State Sen. Florence Shapiro of Plano on Tuesday unveiled a committee headed by Dallas Cowboys' great Roger Staubach to explore the possibility of seeking the U.S. Senate seat that Kay Bailey Hutchison might vacate to run for governor in 2010.

Meanwhile, another Republican hinted interest. Elizabeth Ames Jones, a member of the Texas Railroad Commission and former Texas House member from San Antonio, said there's no opening yet.

But Jones, who raised $1 million for her state campaign kitty in the past year, said: "I would certainly not want to be left out of anything that would benefit Texas. It's going to be a long campaign for ... that Senate seat."

While I LURVE the idea of these two idiot bitches beating the hell out of the one another, honestly I'd like a stronger Republican. It'll be more fun in the general. Campaigning against either of these halfwits would be like kicking a puppy.

Dumb bitch vs. REALLY dumb bitch who is a decorator. God, I can't wait. Hey, Liz... I'm still waiting on you to give me the geologicals for that massive oil field you're just certain is right.under.our.feet!

Posted by mcblogger at 07:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 13, 2008

Alabama AG has rear entry

Which R elected said this...

"I often hear the argument that homosexuals who live together create a loving, caring family environment, perhaps an environment which is even superior to that which can be provided by a heterosexual couple. In this day of rampant decadence, many homosexuals would mislead society into believing that three men, an armadillo and a house plant create a functional family."

None other than the Attorney General of Alabama who was allegedly caught screwing around with one of his male aides. By his wife who has thrown him out of the house. Didn't that happen here as well? Wasn't Perry caught giving someone head? Did I just dream that?

Here's what the AG, Troy King looks like...

He's the one with the tie on. Average, no? Kinda destroys that whole notion that gays are hot guys. Of course, I guess I do that as well.

Shut up, bitches.

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July 11, 2008

Cornyn the Coward

You know, I've never really been one to let things go. I get my way usually by being the more obstinate person. It's a trait I picked up from my parents, whose favorite word happens to be 'NO'.

I'm not letting Telecom Immunity and the cave in on FISA go. Especially not when Junior John, the Cowardly Senator from Texas, has sent out a fundraising email attacking a real patriot and defending his own inexcusable cowardice.

So, I'm going to make John a deal. Blogging about this isn't really enough, I'd like to see you to personally tell you what a cocksucker I think you are. Think I'm hiding behind the blog? Come see me and see just how nasty I can be to a public official who has failed his constituents and betrayed his oath of office. No threats of violence, I don't want to hit you. I just want to let you know how little I respect you and what I think of your appalling service to the people of Texas.

I go to Mother Egan's just about every Sunday night. I won't be there this week because I'll be away on business. However, next week and just about every week thereafter, I'll be there having drinks on the patio. Feel free to stop by because I'd love to call you a coward to your face.

What ever you do, don't EVER say anything nasty about a man who served in the armed forces. YOU didn't, so I'll be damned if I'll sit back while you impugn Lt. Col. Noriega's courage and commitment to defending this country.

He's actually served in a combat zone. All you've done is weaken the Constitution you swore to uphold. You'd be better served attacking me, douchebag. Rick's way the hell out of your league.

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July 10, 2008

FISA and the dumb things people do

Well, to start Digby has a good recap and some information on the folks who voted against cloture in the Senate. Obama's not one of them so don't freak out. He lost his balls in a tragic polling accident (well, tragic because he didn't have the huevos to stand up to a President with a 28% approval rating). The NYT ran a great op/ed about this but, sadly, the Republicans in the Senate decided to ignore it. As well as a minority of the Democrats.

A few thoughts...

We don't need this bill to modernize FISA. Forget the fact that we have a FOURTH AMENDMENT protection against unreasonable searches and seizures without warrants. The reality is that the terrorist threat we face NOW is not that much different than the threat we face from drug cartels. Or the threat we faced from organized crime. We can fight it with the same tools we've always used... signal and human intelligence.

This bill allows for a dragnet, broad access to telecom infrastructure in the US, in an effort to capture terrorists communicating. So, let me tell you how this'll go... One terrorist decides to have some fun. He makes calls to 200 people, at random, in the US, using IP phones. He uses a voice activated computer program and peppers the conversation with bits and pieces of code, code the government is looking for. The next thing you know, there are thousands of federal agents combing the US picking up these people and asking them questions. If you're one of them it's going to suck.

And it's going to waste resources we don't have, looking for a threat that's not there, and doing nothing to stop real threats. Sleep well, kids

The political implications are enormous... Congress just caved into a crazed, weak President. Including our nominee. How DO you handle something like this? Easy. You pass the bill without immunity and with restrictions on unconstitutional wiretapping. Bush, true to form, vetoes it. Congress overrides the veto by beating the hell out of Republicans in a PR war. Like they did on Medicare which Junior John just caved on after Rick Noriega beat the hell out of him. THAT'S how you do things.

Let's all take a moment to remember that this shields the illegal actions of Bush and the telecom companies. It does so by creating a precedent... Let's call it the Nuremberg Precedent. The Nazi's at Nuremberg claimed they were not responsible for their actions because they were just following orders. Though not as severe as killing 6 million people, the telecoms DID violate the constitutional rights of millions. And their excuse was that they were doing it under the orders of Bush which they, reasonably, should have known were illegal. So, ANYONE can claim an 'acting under orders' defense.

The ACLU has already pledged to take this to court. Throw them some money and support, the same money and support you were going to throw to Obama. He'll win anyway but we can't afford not to stand up for our rights. Since it's clear he won't.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 07, 2008

Really, Boone?, TOD problems, $1 Trillion Deficit and more

Boone Pickens, one of the financiers responsible for the Swift Boat attacks on John Kerry in 2004, is going back on his word to pay $1 mn to anyone who can refute the attacks. Boone, it's a $1mn and an "I'm Sorry". Just do it already

The Lakeline TOD, planned as part of the commuter rail line in Austin, has his a snag... one parcel of land developers were going to use may be foreclosed.

At least 141 acres of the planned 326-acre Lakeline Station project, near U.S. 183 and RM 620, have been posted for foreclosure after California-based developer Pacific Summit Partners failed to make at least one quarterly payment to William Savage, the previous owner of the property.

Savage, who sold the land in 2006, could not be reached for comment Thursday. Messages left for his attorney, Rick Hightower, were not returned.

Pacific Summit principal Steve Levenson said his partnership missed a payment because of problems arranging financing and asked for an extension; Levenson didn't say when the payment had been due.

Bill Gross, manager director of PIMCO, has a letter of advice for Obama that positively spot on and very surprising coming from a Republican. In it, he clearly delineates where we are heading fiscally and puts forth that President Obama may be the first to run a $1 Trillion Annual Deficit.

While the Republicans will blame you for years and label you “Trillion Dollar Obama” in future campaigns, there is in fact not much that you or any other President can do. You’ve inherited an asset-based economy whose well has been pumped nearly dry with lower and lower interest rates and lender of last resort liquidity provisions that have managed to support Ponzi-style prosperity in recent years. Foreign lenders have cooperated by purchasing Treasuries at yields which when combined with dollar depreciation have resulted in negative returns on their money. Even if these charades continue (and they may not), their stimulative effects – their magical powers to transform a 110-pound weakling into a Charles Atlas/Arnold Schwarzenegger mensch of an economy – are gone. What you need now is fiscal spending and lots of it. No ordinary Starbucks will do, Mr. President, you need to step up for a six-pack of Red Bull.

Gross is uncannily accurate and has been talking for years about the profligate spending (and lax taxation) of Bush and the Republicans. What he presents in his letter is real and not altogether unlikely. However, it'll also go a long way to insuring that the future is far brighter for all Americans.

It appears Obama got a discounted mortgage, much like many Republicans and Democrats in the Congress. And, possibly, then Governor George W. Bush. Here's a newsflash for all you people out there not in the mortgage business... Some banks will give you a discounted rate on your mortgage in exchange for other banking business. My own company has a friends and family loan that is discounted from our published rates. It's a perk for working here. Get over it.

Is Chris Bell going to run in SD 17? It appears so, though the announcement has, again, been put off. Come on, Chris. Just RUN.

Once more, Warren Chisum is speaking about his intention to file his insane, two years to get divorced, bill. The Statesman calls it a bad idea. I agree with them and will go one step further... Chisum, you're a dumbass.

The NYT has an awesome editorial up about banning nuclear weapons and the renewed effort to do just that. Apparently, the movement has some surprising bipartisan support. We couldn't agree more.

Two decades later, a who’s who of the national security establishment — George Shultz, Henry Kissinger, William Perry and Sam Nunn — is calling on the United States to lead a global campaign to devalue and eventually rid the world of nuclear weapons.

None of these men (two former secretaries of state, a former secretary of defense and a former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee) are given to casual utopianism — or anything casual. They are trying to shock sensibilities.

In two opinion articles in The Wall Street Journal, they described a frightening new world of ever-expanding nuclear appetites, in which traditional deterrence no longer works. They argued that the only way for the United States to rally the cooperation it needs to confront such dangers is with a clear commitment to the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

They called for backing that up with policies that have also long been anathema to hawks: including banning all nuclear testing, taking American and Russian missiles off of hair-trigger alert and agreement on “further substantial reductions” in both countries’ arsenals.

“I do not believe we can do this as a demand by countries that have nuclear weapons to countries that do not,” Mr. Kissinger says.

It is hard to see their proposals as anything but a rejection of President Bush’s failed nuclear weapons policy. Mr. Bush’s aides have spent eight years ridiculing arms control agreements as “old think” and denying any relationship between what America does with its own nuclear weapons and its obvious inability to constrain others’ behavior.

Jobsanger has some information up on Sen. Brimer's renewed effort to keep Wendy Davis off the ballot because it's, frankly, the only hope he has of holding that seat. Come on, Kim, why not let the voters decide?

On drilling OCS and ANWR, Hal at Half Empty, GETS it. Why doesn't Cornyn?

TX10 is definitely in play

Dobson v Obama... guess who wins? You know, Dobson is old as hell... when IS he going to die?

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July 05, 2008

Take action on FISA

Well, as individual citizens who are not members of the US Senate, there's very little we can do to stop the freight train of telecom immunity and the ultimate effect of it, to protect Bush from ever having to answer for his illegal actions.

However, sometimes 'very little' is enough. Sign the petition here, donate a few bucks here and, if you're on Sen. Obama's campaign site, click here to ask him to join the filibuster.

Posted by mcblogger at 05:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 03, 2008

The ongoing saga of the RepubliWhore

The most amusing thing about this whole episode is Cornyn actually being interviewed and NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION.

What are you afraid of, Children's Shotgun? Yeah, we've had to change to Children's Shotgun because some of you ladies wrote in to tell us that even y'all don't hunt with 28 gauge shotguns.

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July 01, 2008

Eye of Newt (and John Sharp, too)

This was forwarded to me Monday night...

Although my Winning the Future message has always been directed at all Americans, whether they consider themselves Republicans, Democrats, or independents, today I am directing my message specifically to Democrats. And my message is this:

The American people have spoken. Are your leaders listening?
Over 1.1 Million Americans Call on Congress to "Drill Here, Drill Now"

We really had no idea, just 35 days ago when we first posted the "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" petition here, that we would provide the spark that has ignited a fire among frustrated, struggling Americans.

So, Newt, what you're saying is that .03% of the American public is as dumb as you are when it comes to energy supply and energy security (two very separate issues)? I'll buy that. Hell, it appears you've even managed to suck that assweevil John Sharp into your stupidity...

Secondly, cut the capital gains tax from 15 percent to 7.5 percent for investments in new domestic energy. History has shown that capital gains cuts produce more revenue for government, not less. These two actions would unleash the economic power of America towards solving our energy crisis by allowing Americans to do what they do best ... produce. This country has never conserved its way to greatness, but many times we have produced our way to greatness.

A couple of things here, John. First, cuts in cap gains ALWAYS normalize. See, it's called 'tax planning' and people do it all the time. Fund managers, for example, will sell badly performing equities leading up to the end of the year, only to repurchase them in January. Why? Because they get to book a loss on the stock, which are then used to offset gains on other sales. Then they get to rebuy at, if they're lucky, a slightly lower price than they got on the sale, covering their frictional costs. THE SAME THING APPLIES TO CAPITAL GAINS. If I'm sitting on a massive capital gain, and legislation changes the rate at a known date in the future to a lower rate than current, I'm going to put off selling that investment until the rate goes down. Then, I'm going to sell. That's why it looks like tax cuts pay for themselves. As long as you don't think too much about it, which John has evidently not done. Next he'll be telling us that deficits don't matter.

Now, on to conservation... we actually did that. In the 1980's. Consumption went down dramatically as people started driving more energy efficient cars. That coupled with increased production led to oil at $10/bbl. However, the overwhelming factor was the drop in demand. That's in process right now.

Look, I'm going to let y'all in on a little secret. Newt's playing politics and quite stupidly as just about everyone knows that it's a lie that there is enough oil on the continental shelf and in ANWR to satiate our demand for oil.

The world’s energy needs are so great that it’s going to take an immediate production increase roughly equal to the output of Saudi Arabia, for there to be significant supply side downward pressure on oil prices. When thinking about U.S. based energy projects, the question offered is: “on aggregate are these projects capable of rivaling the present day output of the Saudis?” If the answer is no then we have to question those who claim that a particular energy project is going to make gas/oil cheaper. It’s probably better to view the projects as a possible way to reduce some of our energy dependence, as opposed to being a solution to the larger energy problem.

The Saudi's produce 12 million bbl/d. ANWR can't fill that. OCS can't fill that. Shale can't fill that. Neither can oil sands. Combined they STILL aren't close and the oil sands, well, they have their own unique problem of natural gas AND there's a possible political consideration. Remember, we've been through this already. One last point for the 'Drill Everywhere' crowd... the capacity TO DRILL is too low to do anything for five years. Which puts most of the OCS output MORE than a decade away.

So what about Sharp's brill idea about tax incentives for solar, wind, etc? Those are all great, but they can't run a car. Unless we have battery technology far in advance of what we have available now. It's coming, but it's a decade away barring some miracle. Plus, most of these renewables already get some pretty nice tax breaks. Tax breaks aren't the issue. Sharp's an idiot for thinking it is when gas fired power prices are approaching those of more advanced PV solar. Sharp's the perfect kind of old school Democrat, too stupid to know what the hell he's talking about and willing to give away the farm when it's completely unnecessary. I'd love to play no limit with you sometime, John. It'll be fun selling your house after I win it.

Some of you budding candidates out there may be thinking about joining with John on this. Don't. Just keep your mouths shut or we'll excoriate you in the same manner. Let the Republicans be the ones who open their mouths and let the stupid spill out.

Here's where all this is heading... within 5 years gasoline is going to be less than $1.50/ gal. It'll probably happen sooner, but I'll run it out 5 years because right now politics is overriding good decision making. I will throw John a bone by letting him know that the market WILL make the decision. See, I know something that John apparently doesn't : Humans don't like restrictions on their growth. When there is a restriction, we find a way around it. You could say we're large like that. We'll do it this time as well, because speculators have rather firmly planted the seeds for their own destruction.

At $140 a barrel, there’s as much incentive as anyone needs to find new sources of oil (such as the tar sands, and even oil shale), and more importantly, substitutes. At $10 a barrel, no one’s going to take the time and trouble to find a way to make an electric car viable. At over $100 a barrel, it’s a Nobel prize winner.

That's what'll create the solution. And no, it won't be shale oil. It'll probably be something like this. Or maybe something better. I know it'll happen because Malthus was wrong and his followers today are still wrong.

One thing's for sure... it won't be drilling, no matter how much Newt and John may wish for it. If it was, you'd already see some new supply starting to hit. It's not there. Speculation has driven prices and as a result, we're now destroying demand as people change their lifestyles. However, it's only part of the problem since the increased price has not sparked additional supply. Which means we're producing at marginal max capacity.

Of course,with Gwahar producing a 28% water cut, THAT data point should be obvious to anyone with a brain. And no, I don't include those 'Drill Everywhere' people in that group. They're hellbent on politics over substance. For them I have nothing but scorn.

It would be nice, John, if rather than parrot R bullshit, you'd start focusing on some real issues. Better yet, just keep your mouth shut. We'll call you when we need you.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 29, 2008

There's Reality... and then there's what Cornyn thinks

It's been an exciting week for Jr. John... let's just jump right in, shall we?

On Friday, Cornyn's brill campaign sent out an email mischaracterizing (or, if you'd rather, outright lying about) Rick Noriega's Energy Plan as continuing our dependency on foreign oil. We thought it was pretty clear Rick was about conservation and alternative fuels, but we have to make allowances for Cornyn and his staffers. After all, they have to be pretty dumb to work for him.

So, just out of curiosity, you may be wondering what Cornyn has planned. Well, it's basically allowing his friends in the oil and gas industry (to whom he's been VERY generous with our tax dollars) to drill. Which is interesting as hell since they are already can and are. Of course, it's understandable that a US Senator and his idiot staff wouldn't know this and bloggers would.

Of course, acknowledging that would require Jr. John to admit that there is not, in fact, enough traditional petroleum to get us off foreign sources. Not to mention there's not enough to drop prices. Which makes Cornyn a LIAR.

None of this is especially surprising when you consider the disorganization and chaos within The 28 Gauge Senator's campaign...

There's a rumor that Karen Hughes, just off her unmitigated failure to make us loved in Latin America, is taking an active role in the Cornyn campaign. By firing the dumbass responsible for the Big Bad John video.

Senator Cornyn joined with an adulterer and a guy with a wide stance to sponsor an amendment to the Federal Constitution to ban gay marriage. Really, Cornyn? This is the company you want to keep? The guy who got caught trying to hook up with some fattie in a public restroom at MSP?

On a sad note, Cornyn also lost the endorsement of Texas Medical Assoc. Which isn't surprising since he was one of the ones who enabled tort reform by promising the doctors they'd get cheaper malpractice insurance. As it turns out, not so much and they're hella pissed. Well, about that and some Medicare thing

What's going to be really funny is watching all the other R's get tagged on tort reform which was supposed to make health care cheaper, lower insurance costs and increase the number of doctors. It's failed on every count, except increasing the number of doctors, slightly, which was going to happen anyway. We keep churning them outta medical school.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 27, 2008

Michael Crofton : Ugh! The Democrats!

In an interview with Bloomberg TV this afternoon (yes, you guessed it, I'm stuck in my office), Michael Crofton the CEO of The Philadelphia Trust Company, said it would be a disaster if the Democrats controlled Congress and the Presidency.

A disaster for the economy, that is.

At this time, we at McBlogger HQ would like to take a moment to point out to Mr. Crofton that the following things have occurred since President Bush and a mostly Republican Congress (they controlled it completely from 2003-2007) took over:

1) Job growth has been non-existent. In fact, using real world statistics, instead of the BLS stats, a strong case can be made for negative real job growth.
2) Deficits are at historic levels. And have been for years.
3) The Dollar has devalued against the Euro by more than 50%.
4) Oil prices have increased close to five times
5) Wage growth has been nil
6) Inflation is once again a problem
7) Food prices are up dramatically
8) House prices have collapsed

And that's just a few of the Republicans greatest hits. Which makes me wonder, what IS Mr. Crofton fearful of? A vibrant economy? Low inflation? Paying off the national dent and running surpluses? Real wage growth and an increase in national savings?

Come on, Mr. Crofton. Tell us what is so scary about the Democrats...

(Am I going a little overboard on the lists today?)

Posted by mcblogger at 03:54 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

No, really. You really are the suck, John Davis

Just to let y'all know, this is cut and paste copy from Vince at Capital Annex. I didn't want y'all to think I was plagiarizing. Actually, that's not true. I really don't care what you think.

If you have been following the videos we released on Monday and Tuesday, no doubt your appetite has been sufficiently whetted and you are eager to know just exactly who the most endangered Republican in the Texas House that you don't know actually is. Wait no longer, as the answer is below:

What makes John Davis the most endangered Republican in the Texas House? It's a good question, and we've got the answer.

John Davis is out of touch with his district. HD 129 is a district that includes El Lago, Nassau Bay, Seabrook, Shoreacres, Taylor Lake Village, and Webster and parts of Friendswood, Houston, La Porte, League City, Pasadena, and Pearland--all in Harris County.

A common misconception is that HD 129 is a "silk stocking" House District full of wealthy folks. That's not true, however. While a majority of families do have an annual income of over $50,000 according to the 2000 Census (the most recent numbers broken out by House District), the population of HD 129 is more "middle class" than anything.

Davis' voting record, however, is pretty shoddy when it comes to the needs of middle class families.

Davis voted for tuition deregulation. It doesn't take a genius to tell you that middle class families have been impacted significantly by the Legislature's decision in 2003 to deregulate college tuition. It has become very difficult for middle class families to afford to send their kids to college because tuition costs are skyrocketing. Clearly, tuition deregulation is not a middle class value that the people of House District 129 support. Davis has even put the interests of one of his big supporters, Houston home builder Bob Perry, above middle class students who want a college education when it came time to cast votes on the Appropriations Bill on the House floor!

He's for dirty air. Once again, it doesn't take a genius to tell you that the air quality in Harris county is somewhat lacking. Heck, even the American Journal of Epidemiology has taken note of the fact that lung cancer mortality in Harris County is high--and that isn't because more people in Harris County enjoy the occasional Marlboro or Kool, either. Yet John Davis--time and time again--has voted against improving the air quality in his own district. Here is some of what Davis actually has to say about this topic:

"It's much cleaner than it was 20-30 years ago. I believe we are on the right track. I don't want to choke off industry.

You can also watch a YouTube of Davis actually making that statement here.

Davis also voted for raising taxes on small businesses. Even though Republicans are typically pro-business, Davis is surely no friend of small business. Even others in his own party call the tax John Davis supported an "abject failure." Taxing small businesses out of business isn't exactly a middle class value, either.

And, there is plenty more where that came from: Davis voted to disenfranchise minorities and the elderly (Voter ID), to waste taxpayer dollars on state-funded lobbyists (more than once), and even allowing the state to seize homes of Medicaid patients (HB 2922).

Does Davis share his district's values? We think not.

Davis' failure to reflect the values of his district alone, however, doesn't make him endangered. It is, rather, a variety of factors.

One of the key factors that makes Davis terribly endangered is the quality of his opponent, Democrat Sherrie Matula, and the campaign she is running down in HD 129.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 25, 2008

Oh. God. No.

Right up there with the news that Kinky wants to run as a Democrat in 2010 at the top of a list of 'Things That Will Make Me Vomit', is the news that Congressman Chet Edwards is being seriously considered as a VP nom. For Obama, not McCain.

Seriously, Pelosi is out of touch. This is the same guy who turned tail on his own Oath of Office, sided with the Republicans and PASSED A BILL TO LET THE GOVERNMENT INDISCRIMINATELY SPY ON ITS OWN CITIZENS. But, of course, so did Pelosi.

Lookit, boys and girls, this IS a big issue. This isn't gays and lesbians getting married and any one of a thousand other issues we give these assholes passes on because 'they're in a tough district full of mouth breathers'. In other words, This is the foundation of our country. The basis of our laws. The Republicans disregarded it and we've seen the results. Do you have any idea how crushing it is to watch DEMOCRATS now taking their turn shitting on the document that created the nation our ancestors fought desperately to establish?

Today is the vote in the Senate. Feingold is nervous.

Holding up his BlackBerry, Feingold warned, “Every time you e-mail my daughter or text message her in England, anybody contacts their son or daughter in Iraq, anybody has kids [spending] junior year abroad, anybody that has a business associate anywhere around the world, all of that is now sucked up into a database over which there is essentially no control for the first time in American history. All of this has happened to you, and your communications, in a way that you never would have thought was possible in this country.... We're going to fall over on this.”

There's more from PDiddie and FDL. If this thing passes, we will never get a determination from a court that the actions of the President were illegal. And make no mistake, they were...

SPECTER: OK. So what the administration, executive branch of the president, did was not illegal.

COMEY: I'm not saying -- again, that's why I kept avoiding using that term. I had not reached a conclusion that it was.

The only conclusion I reached is that I could not, after a whole lot of hard work, find an adequate legal basis for the program.

SPECTER: OK.

Well, now I understand why you didn't say it was illegal. What I don't understand is why you now won't say it was legal.

COMEY: Well, I suppose there's an argument -- as I said, I'm not a presidential scholar -- that because the head of the executive branch determined that it was appropriate to do, that that meant for purposes of those in the executive branch it was legal.

I disagreed with that conclusion. Our legal analysis was that we couldn't find an adequate legal basis for aspects of this matter. And for that reason, I couldn't certify it to its legality.

And don't kid yourself, this isn't about terrorists. It never has been. And it certainly doesn't give me a lot of faith in our nominee, who is apparently as big a booster for this bill as his opponent. And President Bush.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 24, 2008

Winning the stupid olympics, pt 3

REALLY. That's enough with the stupid, Republicans. I'm so sick of hearing all the lies coming from y'all. Well, it's either lying or just rank stupidity.

Maybe I should call John McCain's spokespuppy and find out which.

Bush, clearly drunk, proposes expanding offshore drilling. There are a couple points here including
1) There's not enough oil to really make a dent in demand.
2) You can't bring what's there up fast enough to have a real impact on prices without stomping on speculation.
3) Bush could end high oil prices in an afternoon by starving speculators.
4) Did I mention there's not enough oil down there?

But the biggest one is that there isn't enough equipment for offshore drilling available. Because it's already being used in the areas where you CAN drill offshore. Which also, it just so happen, is where 80% of the total oil available on the continental shelf (for those of you who've been voting R, 'right off the coast') is located. In other words, anyone that tells you we're missing out on some kind of oil panacea in the deep water is lying to you. But hey, it's not the first time Bush has lied.

This op/ed nails the delusional case for drilling offshore...

There is no doubt that a lot of people have been discomfited and genuinely hurt by $4-a-gallon gas. But their suffering will not be relieved by drilling in restricted areas off the coasts of New Jersey or Virginia or California. The Energy Information Administration says that even if both coasts were opened, prices would not begin to drop until 2030. The only real beneficiaries will be the oil companies that are trying to lock up every last acre of public land before their friends in power — Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney — exit the political stage.

To those who rise in support of expanded drilling I tell you earnestly that it is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Hava Goodun!

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The most endangered R you don't know

Oh, and there's more to come... just wait.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:27 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

June 23, 2008

Winning the stupid olympics, pt 2

Here's the WaPo. Click on it and scroll down the second story (the one under the thing about the douchebag lobbyist).

Congress has tied itself in knots over whether to permit more domestic drilling for oil and gas. But Gingrich, through his organization, American Solutions for Winning the Future, has come up with a phrase that has inspired a torrent of support via the Internet.

In just three weeks, more than 750,000 people have signed on to a cyber-petition that endorses the phrase "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less." In a single day last week, nearly 100,000 people endorsed the simple-to-understand concept.

"It's far exceeded all of our expectations," said Dan Kotman, spokesman for the group.

Really, Newt? I always thought of you as the smart Republican. Exactly where would you like to drill where you can bring up 2-3 mn bbl per day?

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June 20, 2008

I have but one question...

HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID, DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP??!?!?!

Here's how this going to go... You candidates all write constantly asking for support. For you, I have only one question: Will support our current corrupt leadership or will you support leadership changes that will return this country to the rule of law?

How about it, Larry Joe? What are YOU going to do Michael Skelly? Rick Noriega? If you're going to support the absurd leadership of Pelosi and Reid, then there is really no point in electing you.

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

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Carbon and Energy...There's dumb and then there's DUMB

Here's a nice op/ed piece on global efforts to reduce carbon and switch to green technologies. The bottom line is it's going to cost us about $1trillion/year over 40 years. GLOBALLY. In the US, it'll be around $7 trillion which is really nothing over 40 years. Especially when you consider this will create jobs. And save us money on OIL. In fact, if oil keeps increasing the way it already has, spending this money will actually be cheaper than maintaining the status quo. And I'm not even worrying about the other negative effects of global warming.

It is not, admittedly, a trifling sum. The International Energy Agency reckons it will cost US$45 trillion to develop and deploy the technologies needed to halve carbon emissions from the energy sector (including transport) by the middle of the century.

That is about what would be required to stabilize the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at 450 parts per million...

It ought to be enough to keep the rise in average global temperatures below 2.4C and is the target the leaders of the Group of Eight leading industrial powers agreed last year they would seriously consider.

While $45 trillion is a lot of money, it has to be put in perspective.

It would be spread over more than 40 years and across the whole world economy. It would equate to just over 1 per cent of global gross domestic product over that period, the IEA estimates.

And it would be offset by the cost of the fossil-fuel use avoided, which could be of a similar order, the IEA says. As it acknowledges, however, in a world where the oil price can jump $11 in a single day, any estimates of that are "debatable".

Obvs, Cornyn and the idiots who love him, don't get any of this. Of course, I wouldn't take any of them seriously, after all they think oil is completely fungible and that a barrel pumped out of VZ is the same as one pumped out of the North Sea. I guess no one ever explained assays and that some refineries can only take certain types of oil. It's certain no one ever explained to them that the cheap oil is gone.

Seriously, what is IT with you Republicans and thinking that we can drill our way out of high prices? Even 39% has jumped into the debate...

With Texas one of the few states that allows offshore pumping, Perry disagreed with Obama: "One of the fastest ways to bring down prices is good old supply and demand."

WOW. Just WOW. I couldn't agree more. However, where you've gone off the rails is in thinking that you can drill for the additional supply. All of you Republicans seem to think there's more than enough oil in the ground for infinity. There isn't. Sure, there's a lot of oil all over the place. The problem is, it's not economically recoverable. Which means it's SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ALTERNATIVES THAT THERE'S NO WAY ANYONE WILL EVER BOTHER WITH IT.

Two years ago, one of our long departed authors posted this...

America and the world face a real problem... the end of cheap, portable energy. Note I'm not writing about the end of oil because that's just stupid. We will NEVER pump the last bit of crude from the ground. For one, fossil fuels ARE a replenishing resource, they just happen to be created over thousands, sometimes millions of years. The second reason we'll never extract the last drop of oil is that it will simply be too expensive. By the time you get to that point, oil would be at $100,000/barrel in 2006 dollars. At that level, it's probably cheaper to power your car off some kind of nuclear power source.

Take off the ideological blinders for a second and realize that this is real and that failing to take action will result in TRILLIONS of dollars per year in losses just in our economy.

One last thing, there seems to be a central objection about 'freeloaders', namely India and China who'll not comply with the treaty. The objection goes that since they aren't going to do it, why should we.

The answer, for all you supposed conservatives, is that it will be cheaper. For one thing, biofuels are already cheaper than traditional petroleum based fuels. And they take carbon out of the air. Carbon put into the air by India and China. As we convert more and more to biofuels, we'll leave them behind... and get their carbon emissions for free.

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June 19, 2008

Winning the stupid olympics

Even though there's very little cheap oil left, that didn't stop the Republican Pander Express from making it's way to Dallas to talk about their brill plan to deal with energy costs... drill. Lookit, there isn't enough in the ground that you can bring up in any cost effective way to reduce oil prices. You've got to stop speculation, then you have to develop real alternatives.

There is NOT some giant, trillion barrel reserve under the Rockies. Or ANWR. Or the Gulf. Oh sure, there's a ton of oil down there but it's expensive to bring up. Too expensive by far to help us out. So quit lying to people, Joe Barton. And lose some weight because you're getting hella fat. Assweavil.

Hey MSM... ask Kay Granger what the per barrel cost will be to produce oil out of ANWR and how much it could realistically produce in a year. Watch the steam come out of her ears. Yes, Reporters, things really are that goddamn simple. Ask any analyst. Better yet, since you won't believe my blogging ass, ask Matt Simmons.

WP has more including information on Burgess' little Energy Expo which just sounds precious. If you like pandering bullshit and lies. Someone go and tell us if he actually says prices will fall immediately.

Apparently, the R's had themselves an interesting vendor at their little convention.

And finally, there's this from our moribund friends on the right. Love y'all, but y'all have to understand. People hate you. Seriously, I love my Republican friends, mostly because even they hate the R electeds. Especially 39%.

Hava Goodun!

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June 17, 2008

The Republican Convention

Well, I'm sad to report that no one from Team McBlogger made the trip to Houston for the Republican Convention. The excuse I heard most often (other than "Are you fucking kidding me?") is that we don't like funerals. Or the walking dead. Apparently, neither do Republicans since they had around half as many delegates as the Democrats did at their convention.

This post over at BOR tells the story...and leads me to a question. If the Republicans and the Democrats and the Libertarians are against the TTC, then WHY THE HELL DO WE STILL HAVE THE TTC? Is it just 39%'s massive ego?

Apparently, the R's also aired this video. It shows Sen. Cornyn play acting like a real Texan. Yeah, we know all about that. Now run on, Jr. John, and play with your little shotgun.

Finally, is Newt Gingrich going senile? I mean, senility is the only plausible explanation for thinking we can drill for oil to make ourselves energy independent. Then again, fantasy is the basis of Republican reality.

Come on... I can't be the only one who remembers such classics as "Deficits don't matter/pay for themselves" and "The Iraq invasion will pay for itself".

Y'all need a whole new set of bullshit free leaders. Check that, you just need to vote for Democrats.

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June 13, 2008

Transportation Funding : You're doing it wrong!

First off, the good news. Congress is looking at a 5 year, $1.5 trn transportation funding package. That should just about be enough to make the improvements we've needed for a long time. How much of that will come to Texas? That will depend on whether or not there is a change in our Congressional delegation. Specifically, the number of Republicans in it. More and we get less money. Fewer and we have Democrats there who, unlike the Republicans, will actually fight to bring more money back home. And then TXDOT will stop poor mouthing.

However, that may not be enough as it appears that Rep. Johnson has caught a bad case of the stupid.

Toll roads and privatization are at least part of the answer, said Johnson, who's been working with a handful of members of Congress from Texas since last year to come up with a bipartisan list of recommendations.

"We cannot see how it can be done with just tax dollars," she said.

Don't do that, EBJ. Don't think for a minute that this is a good idea. It's ALWAYS the most expensive and least financially efficient way to go (see here, here, here and here). Either way, we're going to be paying a higher cost per mile. ALL roads are going to have tolls if the privatizers have their way. And that will dramatically increase the costs to all of us, from less than 1 cent per mile to more than 15 cents per mile.

I had this conversation with Rain Minns, the very sharp woman running against Sen. Carona. Her problem was that she thought increasing the gas tax would disproportionately hurt the poor. What Rain didn't realize is that, on average, the poor drive more fuel efficient cars (or don't drive at all). Well, that and the simple fact that TOLLS ARE GOING TO EVERYWHERE AND WILL BE MOSTLY UNAVOIDABLE. In other words, poor and rich will get hit with them.

We've had this ongoing conversation with Mike Dahmus here in Austin. He's ALWAYS wrong, but it doesn't stop him from carrying on about how tolls are great because they make rich suburbanites pay for their transportation directly. Aside from the obvious seflishness, the reality is that rich people don't live out in the burbs. Sure, there are some nice homes out there but there is a reason the vast majority of the people in the burbs are there... it's all they could afford.

You could also forget the fact that expansions to existing roads are going to be tolled. We told you they would a long time ago. Now, they're actually building it. This would be a lot easier if y'all would just LISTEN to me... when I tell you this will effect everyone, I'm not making it up. Since that's the case, wouldn't be better off with a solution that increases costs less than 2 cents per mile than one that costs, on average about 44 cents per mile? And where does that extra money go? To a private company. Not to improve your roads.

Yes, TXDOT lied.

As for how to pay for this, it's simple. We've been running deficits annually of $300 bn or more. While our financing costs have recently increased (you may have noticed that interest rates are up) and we've been able to sell the paper despite the fact that this is all related to structural issues and a lack of desire on the part of Republicans to actually pay their own way. The first solution is to stop that by increasing taxes. You don't even have to do it to 2000 levels, just take up cap gains and the taxes on the top tax rate from 35-40%. You're still on the good side of the Laffer Curve and the government will finally have enough money to operate. Cut Iraq funding dramatically and all the sudden you're in surplus.

Then, you sell off transportation infrastructure bonds (call them Series Methuselah... sorry, inside finance nerd joke) with maturities of 50 years. If we're running surpluses, they'll sell out quickly. Then you use THAT money to finance infrastructure improvements and construction, including roads and mass transit. That does create a long term liability for the Federal Government, on which interest must be paid (usually every sixth months to the holders). Depending on how large the surpluses are, and they will grow, we can cover that cost easily just with the surpluses.

However, we won't need to. Why? Oh, read this. When the state governments pay for infrastructure, that money goes to materials and labor. Sales of materials generate a profit which means it will be taxed. Labor will be paid a wage, which like all wages, will be taxed. Therefore a large percentage of that money is going to find it's way back to the Federal Government, possibley enough to offset our liability on the bonds effectively making this is a self financing project. Of course, we'll have to pay to maintain all this (and the underlying debt) and that's where a gas tax, indexed to inflation, helps put us on the right track now and into the future. So we don't keep having to deal with this every 30 years.

The best part? We get the roads and transit facilities we need. Which decreases waste in our economy (gas and personal time) and increases productivity which acts as a drag on inflation. It'll also drive up employment, making the jobs market tighter and driving wages up for the average worker at the bottom of the totem pole.

If you couple this with an investment in true alternative energy, we get rid of the almost $1 trn we are sending out of the country every year for oil and natgas. That money stays in OUR economy which will, again, boost productivity, create employment, etc. And it's also pretty cheap... $100 bn annually vs almost a TRILLION. Get it? Here's one way to do it. Not the best, but it'll work.

Here's the bad thing... in my district, I've got (at the Federal level) Michael McCaul who is basically a pawn of big oil and the road privatization interests. He has never met a publicly financed transportation bill he likes. But he has met a lot of privatization and toll bills that send him into the kind of orgasmic bliss usually enjoyed by porn stars. And old men on Viagra.

Needless to say, job number one is getting rid of his stupid ass and putting Larry Joe Doherty in Congress. To do that, you need to give him some money. NOW.

The other obstacle is, much like McCaul, really in love with privatization at the expense of the taxpayer. It's Jr. John Cornyn, our favorite Senator who loves him some hunting with a ladies shotgun. However, we can easily replace him with Lt. Col. Noriega. All he needs is some of your hard earned money to beat that fossil and replace him in Washington.

This, my friends, is coming one way or another. Many of you reading this are fairly affluent so you will probably be able to afford the new roads. Some of you will not. At the end of the day, regardless of your financial situation, these roads are a good deal for NO ONE other than the companies who stand to gain from squeezing us for the next 50 years. That, truly, is why I am so adamantly opposed to privatization and tolls. It's not conservative and it's certainly not progressive. It's wasteful and is a diversion of public resources to private greed.

You have a chance to stop it, but you have to act.

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June 12, 2008

Thanks for nothing, Nichols

Ladies and Gentleman, the idiot Robert Nichols taking credit for TXDOT dropping a controversial part of TTC-69. The really stupid thing is that these folks still think they're going to get an old school interstate.

Seriously, y'all, you're going to get assraped with tolls.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Pathetic : Cornyn and McCain

Two emails showed up today, one from Cornyn and one from McCain. Both are clearly indicative of panic...While you're laughing open another tab and send some money to Rick.

In Cornyn's email, the assweavil has taken to using his daughters as a fundraising gimmick.

As most of you know, this Sunday is Father's Day. Like many others across Texas, we have been contemplating what we are going to give Dad this year, and we think we came up with a great idea that we need your help with. But before we get into that, let us tell you a little bit about our dad. From the time we were little girls, our dad has always been there for us. The older we have gotten, the more we realize how amazing that it is. For over a decade now, Dad has represented the entire state of Texas. As you may remember, he was elected Attorney General in 1998 and then was elected to the Senate in 2002. Both jobs demanded a lot of his time, yet from family vacations to holidays to our graduations, our dad was always there. As he enters another campaign and Father's Day nears, we want to be there for him…which brings us back to you and your help. We would like to show Dad all the supporters we gathered for him. All you need to do is click HERE and join the public supporters list. Will you do that for us…and for him?

Once at his site, you get to donate. Exciting, no? This is especially interesting since the right side of the blogosphere, really more of a minor adjunct than a side, is all a flutter about Rasmussen's new poll numbers that mirror Baselice's. The interesting thing? Both polls are DRAMATICALLY oversampling Republicans and represent a dramatic shift in Rasmussen's polling.

Hey, y'all go ahead and keep overestimating your turnout and underestimating Noriega's. It'll be fun watching y'all cry.

McCain's fundraising piece was even worse...

We have some catch-up work to do -- and we must to do it now.

I hope you will take a moment right now to make a special RNC Victory
2-MONTH EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN PLEDGE of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $100 or $50. Here's why I'm personally asking for your immediate help:

In the heat of their primary battle the Democrats launched a massive 50-state voter registration drive which will result directly in dramatically increasing Democrat voter turnout on November 4th.

We must respond by dramatically increasing our own Republican registration efforts, matching them voter-to-voter, district-by-district, state-by-state all across America. But we can only do that with an immediate, emergency injection of funds.

IT'S AN EMERGENCY! OMG!

Damn, it must suck to be a Republican today.

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June 05, 2008

Shhhh... don't anyone tell Sen. Cornyn how much Rob Jesmer sucks

Rob Jesmer works for Sen. Cornyn. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but then again neither is Sen. Cornyn (the man with a hardon for ladies' firearms) which may explain why Cornyn hired him to send out inane emails like this one. Even the old, standard "let's beat up on the Democrat by calling him a librul" is just so goddamn tired I want to fall down right now and sleep.

Really, Rob? This is the best you fucko's can come up with?

You know, it's pointless talking about how many jobs will be created by this bill. Or how well Texas will do because of it. It's not even worth discussing the benefits to us all of arresting, then reversing, the carbon load in the atmosphere. Why bother even considering that this will help free us from dependence on foreign energy sources, saving us close to $1 TRILLION PER YEAR (and, coincidentally, defunding terrorism).

Let's forget about all that because it's really a point by point refutation. Let's just look at one simple fact...

CORNYN IS A LIAR

This is, after all, one of the people who told us the Iraq Invasion would pay for itself. The same guy who has claimed that tax cuts pay for themselves. It's also the same idiot who has let the utility companies bleed Texans dry.

Needless to say, as a real Texan would put it, your credibility (and that of your boss) is shot all to shit. I'd sooner believe Ralph Nader than John Cornyn, any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

While you're good and irritated, go throw Rick a few bucks.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 04, 2008

TXDOT, Tolls and riding off into the Sunset

Some interesting things floating 'round the sphere...

Both Sal and EOW have the deets on the Sunset Commission's report. All in all, nothing terribly exciting and they're sticking with a Gubernatorial appointment to head the TXDOT, albeit shrinking the number to one person. We're continuing to think three elected officials would be better than any number of appointees, especially if elected to staggered terms.

3 TXDOT officials plead guilty to taking bribes and rumors continue to circulate that Amadeo Saenz is involved.

TXDOT, after YEARS of ignoring Texas Democrats in Congress and spending lavishly (and illegally) on some of Tom Delay's former staffers turned lobbyists, is going hat in hand to those very same Representatives. A word of advice to the D's who are about feel the love... disregard it. Stomp on these people and create a federal law banning that unique form of corporate welfare known as the public private partnership

Is Perry contemplating a special session to kill 391 commissions (the citizen planning commissions that are right now creating very real problems for infrastructure privatization and the TTC)? In an election year? Are you kidding me? If he does, I'll put my money on the Lege being pissed and not doing much of anything. Which would be absolutely perfect for the Democrats running

Finally... proof that toll roads really are made of inferior materials and construction standards. I'll never drive over another toll bridge without thinking about disintegrating, substandard concrete

Can Sen. Hinjosa make TXDOT his bitch? One things for sure, he's actually achieving something unlike a certain fatass blowhard we could mention. Good thing the people of North Dallas have a choice this year.

Speaking of the Lege, it's pretty clear that 39% and TXDOT really aren't in a moderating mood...

"While I am looking forward to addressing this issue [transportation] when the Legislature meets in 2009, " Perry said, "the state cannot afford to repeat 2007. Members of the Legislature must understand that 'no' is not a solution to this challenge. It is an abdication of responsibility." Perry made clear his determination to defend the renting of state right-of-way to private companies in exchange for a fee and building and operating a toll road.

Actually, you ridiculous twerp, selling off your roads IS AN ABDICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY. Not only that, but you and your appointees are so incompetent or corrupt that you didn't even get us a good price. Probably because you're, again, either too incompetent or corrupt to calculate the present value of a revenue stream over time.

This preceded their new Statement on Toll Projects which I'll take a moment to summarize and explain.

1) Not selling the tolls roads... This is pretty dumb since a 50 or more year lease is widely considered a functional sale. In my industry, we call it a leasehold.
2) No roads will be owned by foreign entities. No, but the leases will be held by them.
3) We'll have a way to buy back the roads. Sure, but at what price? I don't expect the crack team at TXDOT to do a good job negotiating this. They're completely out of their element, just as former Commissioner Williamson clearly was.
4) Tolls will be initially set by TXDOT, with formulas and government input for increases. Input isn't control. Nice try, Deidre, but only an idiot would fall for that turn of phrase.
5) No restrictions or non-competes? I'll believe it when I see it, Deidre.
6) Freeways not converted... but if we shrink down the freeway lanes to add a lane, we'll call that added capacity and we'll toll it

This, my friends, is the translation. If you're dumb enough to fall for ANYTHING from this Commission, then you really don't deserve any spot at the table.

All in all, this pretty solidly leaves corporate welfare proponents in the drivers seat and continues to ignore the most cost effective solution, which Burka NAILED.

At the end of the day, this is so transparently a 'Let's give a perpetual revenue stream to a campaign contributor (ZACHRY)' that it surprises me so many 'fiscal conservatives' are in favor of it. Wonder if they're getting paid by Zachry as well. I already know 39% is.

Hava goodun!

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June 03, 2008

All roads lead to Alaska

Spencer Abraham is our former Secretary of Energy. While at the Department, Spencer spent a lot of time thinking about energy alternatives. A LOT of time which frankly would have been better spent drinking in a bar. I mean, really, he was sober while working and this is what he came up with...

We should drill in Alaska

We should start a development program for hydrogen fuel cells (we get hydrogen from natural gas and oil, but no one told Spencer that... they told him they were cracking it out of water. AND HE BELIEVED THEM)

Corn based ethanol. The same corn based ethanol we've been subsidizing since Jimmy Carter. And biodiesel made from soya. Making gas out of food sure seemed like a good idea at the time

We should drill in Alaska

I heard all this yesterday when Abraham was inexplicably interviewed by Bloomberg TV about the rise in energy prices. It would seem that the corpulent rat (not unlike Templeton from Charlotte's Web) has started his own energy 'advisory' firm, The Abraham Group LLC. Please feel free to click the link and let me know if you notice what I noticed.

Yeah, it's surprising that he'd have so many pictures of himself with... President Bush. I think he may have a crush on him. It's certain he knows more about sucking up to our retarded Commander in Chief than he does about rational energy policy and investment. And his number one, super brilliant idea for curing our current high energy prices is...drilling in Alaska.

And you already know what we think about that brill idea. Of course, it may explain his lack of strategic partners and clients. See, in the real world, you actually have to COMPETENT at your job. Not just be loyal to an asshole from Texas.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 30, 2008

When will Rove do the right thing...

...and put a gun in his mouth?

Rove won't testify because of 'executive privilege'. But he'll go on TV and talk some smack.

Meanwhile, Rep. Conyer's is going to subpoena him. And, hopefully, put him in jail for contempt when he doesn't show up

Posted by mcblogger at 09:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 28, 2008

Really, FloShap? Really?

STATE Senator Florence Shapiro fancies herself US Senator Florence Shapiro.

Bryan Eppstein, a consultant to Shapiro, says, “At this time it’s just an interest in running and it’s a growing interest.” Eppstein also threw in the obligatory “she’s getting encouraged to run” bit.

Yes, I know this is almost a month old. Much like a nasty wine, I had to let it breathe for a while before I could stand to drink it. Honestly, I don't know if it's possible to heap the kind of derision on this that it deserves. But I'll try. Because Flo's just that big a loser.

On second thought, I'm just not up to the task. Of all the inane 'moves' I've heard politicians plan, this one is near the top of the list.

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May 25, 2008

Energy and Reality (Or, What to do about high gas prices)

With gas prices approaching or exceeding $4.00 all over the country, it's pretty obvious we're all in for some rough times. I know I've had to make sacrifices (moving from Grand Marnier to Cointreau) and I'm sure you've had to make adjustments as well. Like getting the kids to like cat food instead of Cheerios.

Politically, it's the Democrats year as long as gas stays above $3.00/gal. Actually, I think the pain threshold is probably around $2.50/gal. That being said, this isn't a post about high gas prices and hurray for Democrats in November. This is about what the hell we're going to do.

This is going to be a little different from my usual posts. This is policy and not terribly exciting. I'm going to break things down into two areas of focus... what to do in the short term and long term fixes. Obvs, this issue touches on a hundred issues and disciplines, so please bear with me. While it may not be readily apparent where I'm heading, I promise it'll all come together.


The Short Term Solution


People are hurting now and something has to be done. Sure, it's great to focus on CAFE standards and expanding public transportation. Both of those things have to be done, but before they'll start affecting things, gas will be $9.00/gal. Both of these take years to cycle through the economy.

What? You doubt me? Think about hybrids and diesels. Both are available now and have been for about 4-5 years. Still, they haven't made a dent in demand. Because people are pretty strapped right now and spending money on a car is, for many, impossible. That being said, what do we do?

Raise taxes on capital gains made on non-real estate investments with a holding time of less than 18 months to 75%.

Balance the federal budget and run surpluses, half to shore up social programs, half to start buying down federal debt

Remember that thing about disparate ideas coming together? Here it is. Basically, in the energy markets right now there is a tremendous amount of money sloshing around due to lax policy from the Fed. That's creating inflationary pressures in various classes of investments which is especially evident in commodities. Low capital gains taxes are making it extremely easy for people to trade the market and constantly make profits. Who wouldn't like to be able to invest $1 mn and come away in 6 months or less with $10 mn? Oh, and pay practically nothing in tax?

Low capital gains and lax monetary policy are driving speculation in the energy markets. The only way to stop it is to tax the hell out of it and starve out the short term traders. That will deflate the bubble and take us down to around $95/bbl.

The second part, balancing the federal budget, will help to stabilize the dollar and lead to it's reappreciation. That should strip about $20-35 out of the price of oil, taking us down to a far more manageable $60-75/bbl. YES, it will mean raising taxes. Get used to it. We've been paying in the minimum for years and as a result our infrastructure is crumbling, our schools are deteriorating and our currency is in functional freefall. It's about time liberals AND conservatives come together and realize we need to make some investments in the future.

The next part is a little more tricky...

The Long Term Solution

We've now got oil down to more affordable levels and we didn't even have to go begging the Saudi's. So why isn't it back down in the $20's? Simple. There's still instability in many areas of the world where we get oil and demand is still high. That's the dirty little secret... we've apparently reached global peak and new discoveries aren't offsetting declines in major fields. In other words, while we're not running out of oil, we're running out of cheap, plentiful easily marketed oil. Which means we have to do something now before we go through something analogous to the worst of the 70's dystopia movies.

We could start drilling in ANWR. It contains about as much oil as we use in 18 months and the costs to produce it full out could top $75/bbl. Not exactly a bargain and it's not a long term solution, despite what the R's may have told you. And everyone else.

What about shale oil in the Rockies? Sure. There's a ton of oil trapped in shales, but the cost to produce will easily top $90/bbl. Why do you think none of the major integrated oils are clamoring over the prospect? Oh, yeah, and it also tears up the mountains. And pollutes the hell out of the environment BEFORE you've even had a chance to refine the first gallon of gas.

Oh, but the Athabasca oil sands (not to mention those in Venezuela's Orinoco Belt) are our savior, right? Sure, the oil there's being produced for around $30-40/bbl. Which is fantastic until you realize the environmental damage that's done to get at that oil. That, and it's not exactly the yummy West Texas Intermediate Equivalent that we've all come to know and love. Nah, this a dead end with escalating costs and nasty environmental effects.

All of the 'solutions' mentioned above do nothing but exacerbate the increase in atmospheric carbon. Even in the case of Athabasca, where they are using nuclear power, just pulling the oil up releases carbon. Before you even refine a gallon of gas, you're already increasing the carbon load.

The only solid long term solution is biofuels. Forget soya diesel and corn ethanol, two biofuels that are about as useless as tits on a boar. The future is cellulosic ethanol made from miscanthus and biodiesel made from cassava. The best solution is algae and cyanobacteria. However, there's a lot of land that should be converted from corn and cotton production (hello West Texas) to biofuels. And you can do it in a way that will lessen water requirements and make farming more dependable and profitable. Still, the biofuel panacea is going to be either cyanobacteria or algae held in suspension and contained in mile after mile of snaking tubes.

The best part? While it's making the transportation fuel, it's also scrubbing the atmosphere of CO2. You could even sequester CO2 from utility plants to juice growth. All around, it's THE solution, at least until we have practical fusion, solar panels with 70% efficiency that are commercially produced and ultra high density capacitors and batteries. While this doesn't do a lot to get rid of the carbon already floating around, it does put a stop to emissions growth. At that point, the environment will take care of the rest.

Now that we have the blue sky solution, how the hell do we implement it. Therein lies the rub... it's not easy and it'll take the kind of political acumen that few in Washington have. On our side. The Republicans are absolutely hopeless, bleating on as they are about offshore drilling, ANWR and shale.

For one thing, increasing the capital gains rate is going to make the investment banks and hedge funds very angry. Short term gains are their bread and butter, they're rich and they love donating money. And spending some of it on lobbyists. Still, our long term prosperity depends on shifting from a focus on short term to long term gains. In all honesty, if we allow them to buy into what's going to be the next big growth industry, they'll fall into line. And that's the key... the horse trading on this is going to be an absolute nightmare and the reality is that it's going to require getting everyone to buy in. Most of the integrated oils will, but Exxon will be unhappy with any solution.

That's where the power of government comes into play. Until now, it's been used to hold back advances in public policy that will benefit the country. This time, we can use to play hardball with those companies that are uncooperative. Don't like our solution? Forget about patent protection, for example.

The market is eventually going to go with this solution. However, it'll take them 20-30 years. That's why we need the government to step in and force the market's hand. This is going to require some monstrously intelligent people. The good news is, we have them. The bad news is that most of them are narrowly focused on one solution, not to mention that the vast majority of them have extraordinarily shallow knowledge bases. They're going to have to stop listening exclusively to the echo chamber composed of their fellow classmates from grad school.

Finally, what's all this going to cost? My estimates are upwards of $2 trillion after you hand out all the lulu's and get everyone happy with the outcome. You can do it now, but that kind of borrowing in addition to current fiscal insanity would promptly drive interest rates up to 12% or more. That would put consumer rates in the 17-20% range which would effectively kill commerce in the US. And employment. That's where that whole fiscal responsibility thing comes from and the certain knowledge that this will have to gradual so as not to cause a sudden shock to an already shaky financial system.

Of course, there's something else that makes the cost palatable. Biofuels keep our existing infrastructure mostly in place which reduces the cost to build out the production facilities. It also creates jobs which we desperately need, it lowers the cost of transportation fuel AND strengthens the dollar just from the simple fact that we'll not have to send as many of them out of the country to buy energy.

There will be moaning and whining about this from all sides. We'll have to ignore it, especially when it comes from the National Review, The Washington Times and R candidates. Eventually though, it'll become evident that this is a good solution that will readily benefit everyone.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:40 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack

May 23, 2008

The Republicans beg for money

I'm on the RPT's email list (YAY ME!) and just got this today. It's inline with their other emails, which Coby over at BAH has been tracking (here and here). Today's missive is from TinaFish herself, Empress of all the Republicans. I decided to translate from Republicanese to English but if you want to see the raw text, it's in the supersize.

Dear Sucker,

You love you some Barack Obama, but we're still going to stick to the lame talking point that he insulted everyone in Texas when he told a group of San Francisco donors...

“People in small towns cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

We know, we're pulling things way the hell out of context, but there are still like 20 of you out there who will send us a few bucks every time we mail this shit out. Y'all are like little human ATM's and we love you for it. Especially because we're broke and could really use the money. As offensive as our pandering is, the mainstream media is totally passing it up and focusing on dumb shit Obama said. Kinda like us.

Michelle Obama’s out of context comments from earlier this year are still making headlines mostly because we keep screaming that they were 'un-American'. You know what else is un-American? Making us eat at motherfucking Taco Bell which is all we can afford right now.

“For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country, because it feels like hope is making a comeback.”

Yeah, we know we're stretching this like Linda Harper-Brown trying to wedge into a girdle, but damn! We gotta do something! Sure, we're embarrassed by her honesty (and even know how she feels ... we have been, after all, the ones dismissing 'hope' for almost 30 years and focusing on pandering and hatred), but Obama’s campaign kept explaining how we and the media were taking this out of context (which we really are all the time doing). AND YOU KEEP LISTENING TO HIM! DON'T YOU REALIZE HE'S BLACK?!?!?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!?!?!

And we’ve all heard the sickening comments of Obama’s minister, Reverend Jeremiah Wright (it's a strategy we call Fun With Partial Quotes). We know you've heard them because we've been like a goddamn broken record with that shit. Once again, we're hoping it'll shake the money tree so we can make rent this month. At first Obama dismissed Rev. Wright’s comments. That's when we smelled blood in the water. Then the Democrats did the unthinkable... they brought up McCain's support from that psycho Hagee. AND YOU LISTENED TO THEM? What do we have to do? Fake a terrorist incident to get you people to pay attention to us?!?!?!

Sucker, I refuse to sit back and watch you keep your money. I NEED a lot of it and frankly, it'll help me more than it will you. We keep trying to make you understand that Barack Obama and his allies are trying to tear down everything we hold so dear. You just refuse to believe us. That makes us mad. Especially because if you keep your money we'll be poor. And we CAN'T have that.

If you agree, then I urge you to make a special emergency contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more to our Republican Party of Texas today. Seriously, I had to eat chili out of a can today and it was hella gross. This is really an emergency.

www.texasgop.org/donate

Not only are you and I in a battle for control of the White House (with us on one side and the rest of the country on the other), the United States Senate and the House of Representatives…

We’re in a battle for the survival of that conservative bullshit you've been buying from us for 30 years, too. Don't make us retool our message and strategy... we REALLY don't want to. That takes work and we're nothing if not lazy.

Here in Texas we don’t “cling” to anything (except your money), but we are guided by faith (in your stupidity) and believe deeply in the time-honored values (like taking your donations) that have made this nation the greatest on the face of the Earth. Well, it was before we took over and let our friends come and rape everything. Thank you all so much for voting for Perry in 2006. Now we can give back to the Spanish some of what we took from them. Viva La Reconquista!

But the Democrats clearly have quite a different view of the world than you or I. They keep fighting diligently for your rights and freedoms, not to mention your economic security. And unless you give us money now, they're likely to win overwhelmingly in November. And then we'll have to find real jobs and our skills are kinda the suck.

Through literature drops, and calls and targeted mailings to undecided voters, your special emergency gift of money will help us expose just how nasty and stupid we can be. It'll also help pay our tab at Ruth's Chris.

And if you can help now, we’ll have the funds for that awesome vacay we've been planning to Bali. It'll also, if there's any left over, contrast our so-called conservative values with the strong, all-American ideals of the Obama Democrats.

www.texasgop.org/donate

Together, we’ll stop the Obama Democrats from disrupting our stranglehold on power and corruption. With your money, we'll also be able to pay off the bills the Speaker ran up redecorating his apartment. And pay off our Amex.

Sincerely,

Thanks and God Bless,
TinaFish, State Chairman

P.S. I’m sure you’re shocked and appalled by how craven we are. We know you're impressed by the ideas being put forth by Barack Obama and his campaign. I am, too. But really, we have do something about it as we can't allow you people to think for yourselves. Will you help me protect my privileged position by making a special gift to the Republican Party of Texas?

Dear Friend,

Support our conservative ideals - Support RPT Today!

Barack Obama insulted everyone in Texas when he told a group of left-wing San Francisco donors...

“People in small towns cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

As offensive as that shocking statement is, the mainstream media dismissed Obama’s ideas because they share his views.

Michelle Obama’s anti-American comments from earlier this year are still making headlines.

“For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country, because it feels like hope is making a comeback.”

Embarrassed by her candor, Obama’s campaign tried to divert attention by saying that her remarks were taken out of context.

And we’ve all heard the sickening comments of Obama’s minister, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. At first Obama dismissed Rev. Wright’s comments. But only recently, bowing to political pressure, has he criticized them.

Friend, I refuse to sit back and watch the unchallenged agenda and words of Barack Obama and his allies tear down everything we hold so dear.

If you agree, then I urge you to make a special emergency contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more to our Republican Party of Texas today.

www.texasgop.org/donate

Not only are you and I in a battle for control of the White House, the United States Senate and the House of Representatives…

We’re in a battle for the survival of our common-sense conservative ideals, too.

Here in Texas we don’t “cling” to anything, but we are guided by faith and believe deeply in the time-honored values that have made this nation the greatest on the face of the Earth.

But the Democrats clearly have quite a different view of the world than you or I. And unless you want to see them seize total control of our federal government, Texas Republicans must step up to the plate like never before.

Through literature drops, and calls and targeted mailings to undecided voters, your special emergency gift of will help us expose the liberal Obama agenda for all Texans to see.

And if you can help now, we’ll have the funds for media opportunities that contrast our timeless conservative values with the radical, anti-American bias of the Obama Democrats.

www.texasgop.org/donate

Together, we’ll stop the Obama Democrats from ruining everything that has made Texas and America great.

Sincerely,

Thanks and God Bless,
Tina J. Benkiser
Tina J. Benkiser, State Chairman

P.S. I’m sure you’re shocked and appalled by some of the ideas being put forth by Barack Obama and his campaign. I am, too. Let’s do something about it. Will you help me protect our conservative cause and make a special gift to the Republican Party of Texas?

Posted by mcblogger at 02:58 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

People die every single day...

Why aren't any of them that lying sack of shit Rick Santorum?

We get it, Rick. You don't like the homo's. Why not just say that rather than make up some ridiculous lie (that's easily discovered) about how gay marriage has 'destroyed' Norway? It'll stop me from claiming that 30% of the time your awful haircut turns 25% of the women who see it into lesbians.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 22, 2008

Dear Kevin McLaughlin

Hey Kev (or, is it is Kevster, Kevina or Kevaroonie?)!


We've never really talked and frankly, this is hella awkward. Obvs, no one is giving you the advice you need to be a good Republican spokespuppy in this day and age. You really need to sit down and have some drinks with Scotty McClellan... if he's not still curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth.

If I may be so bold, you might find more gainful employment in another area. You kinda suck at the whole 'defending your boss' thing. Now, of course, we're willing to acknowledge that your boss is a waste of skin. And hair. And teeth. And air. But honestly, you don't have to make it EASY for us to tear him down by calling Sen. Webb and Lt. Col. Noriega members of the 'Anti-War Crowd'. These two guys served in war. Your boss didn't. You've just allowed everyone and their dog to make that contrast over and over again in the context of rebutting your retarded remarks. The opponent of your boss actually SERVED in Afghanistan. Meanwhile your boss was out hunting with a ladies shotgun.

Then, of course, there is Cornyn's lack of support for the 21st Century GI Bill which would help our troops returning from war. Your boss is saying he doesn't like it because it spends too much money. Which is funny because he wasn't worried about that when we voted to cut the hell out of capital gains taxes which benefited the wealthy and turned the focus of our equity and commodity markets from investment to speculation. Guess which will cost taxpayers more?

On second thought, you REALLY shouldn't go there because I'll shred the amateurish talking points you've diligently memorized from Heritage and the AEI.

Here's the thing... Cornyn is going to lose and you'll be out of a job. If you go down with the ship (or, in this case, the walking dead) you could be out of work for a while. And welfare isn't what it used to be so you'll be pretty much broke (ask former AG Gonzales). Best idea is to get out while you can. Before you flub up even worse.

HAVA GOODUN!

McB

Posted by mcblogger at 12:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A fat douche says what?

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you a clearly delusional Rush Limbaugh

“I don't think my ‘profile’ needed elevation because it never waned with my audience and my audience is for whom I do my show,” Limbaugh wrote. “Not the MSM. So when the MSM decides to acknowledge my existence it doesn't mean anything to me.”

A couple of things... I'm thinking he's back on the drugs. I also think he's desperate to remain relevant to his dwindling audience (and it is dwindling, a fact which he refuses to acknowledge). All in all, it's funny as hell.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 21, 2008

Leo Berman : The Prince of Hypocrisy

Sal Costello has the story on Leo Berman's promise to kill the TTC next session...

Mr. Costello:

A number of legislators are committed to killing the TTC next session. Sen. Kevin Eltife and I have gone public with that commitment. Both of us will work hard toward that end.

Sincerely,
Leo Berman
State Rep. District 6

What little old Leo isn't saying is that he VOTED TO BUILD THE DAMN THING NOT ONCE BUT TWICE.


TWICE

We at McBlogger would like to welcome Berman to the fight against the TTC and toll roads. We'd like to start by asking him to commit to making the remaining sections of Loop 49 NON TOLL.

Yeah, we knew he'd balk on that. Idiot.

Berman, a word of advice. Don't grandstand on this. You vote and that's it. Hey, it's nice and all for you to finally be paying attention to your constituents, instead of CradDICK, but you need to know no one really likes you.

Beside, you'll have very little power in January. You'll be part of the minority. Better be wise and join in with the Democrats on this. If you don't, a replacement will be easy to find in 2010. And I've already seen the oppo book on you.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

We're done with you

Is 2008 a transformative year? It's hard to say but I'm thinking that in 20 years we'll look back and see that this was the year where things started to change. No, it's not about Obama or Clinton or the lackluster Democratic Congress constantly stymied by incompetent and petty Republicans and a childish President completely out of touch with the country he leads.

It's about people waking up and realizing that the 'conservative' agenda of the radical right over the last 28 years was a massive, unadulterated failure, as much if not more than the Great Society which did much but ultimately failed to achieve the goals set for it.

Reality is a bitch as many are learning on a daily basis when they go to fill up the gas tank or when they try desperately to figure out how they will be able to feed their family. In the harsh light of that reality, two men getting married thousands of miles away is pretty irrelevant. Worry about abortions, the number of which was always grossly exaggerated, is a distant second to how to buy the $7 box of Cheerios. The realization that constant tax cuts lead to deficits and higher interest rates, not to mention a massive failure to invest in our future through new infrastructure, has certainly hit many like a bag of hammers. Every month when the credit card bills come.

Burka on Sunday posted a memo from some R Congressman who understands just a small fraction of what's happening. Even Rove is apparently getting it. Their solution? Pound on the Democrats about gas prices by pointing out that they don't support drilling in ANWR (with a projected production cost of $50-60/bbl and not enough of it to affect prices) and destruction of the Rocky Mountains to get at oil shale (at a cost of more than $90/bbl and, even when combined with ANWR, not enough to affect prices).

See how I did that? I'm one blogger, I don't work in the energy sector and even I know how ridiculous the Republicans (especially Cornyn and Hutchison) are on energy policy and what needs to happen to fix the constantly accelerating consumer costs. This isn't hard to understand unless you're incapable of looking at things through anything other than a partisan, ideologically tinted, glass.

On the economy and tax cuts, the Republicans are decimated by Democrats. On National Security, they poll better but still heavily damaged. Just wait until Americans learn just how much of Afghanistan we really control. The R Congressman Burka posted about wants to talk about FISA, especially if there's another terrorist attack (a prospect he views with glee as he's of the opinion it will help Republican chances in November). For the FISA debate, feel free to bring it up. It's not like we aren't ready. By the time that debate is over, the American people will be looking for convictions of those in the Administration who aided and abetted the illegal wiretapping.

Again, I'm just one blogger. There are others, like Eye on Williamson, that are seeing the same damn thing.

There is a baseline from which things will stabilize for the Republicans. We've yet to reach it. You'll see the crescendo this year when angry people confront Republican candidates loudly and unyieldingly. Once one voice is heard, others will chime in and soon it will become a chorus. Many of you are incredibly weak people who have never faced a really angry crowd. You're going to get to this year and, frankly, you deserve every bit of the verbal and written abuse coming to you.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:53 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

May 20, 2008

Really, Michael? Really?

Texas Railroad Commission Chair Michael Williams isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, nor is he the dullest. In fact, he's not a knife at all. He's a rusty bottle opener in a world full of twist offs and every bit as worthless.

There's been a lot of action regarding the RRC in the last couple of weeks. As always, TXSharon over at BlueDaze is keeping a watch on coverage around the 'sphere.

For my part, Williams' defense of big oil's record profits betrays a stunning naivete at best, willful ignorance (or a willingness to lie) at worst.

Who’s getting fat from higher crude oil and gasoline prices?

The Saudi, Russian, Venezuelan, etc. nationalized oil companies. They own 75% of the world’s crude oil reserves. Exxon, the veritable villain for high gasoline prices, controls less than 3% of world reserves.

The pump price is comprised of four components. The main one is the cost of crude oil. As a share of the retail price we pay at the pump, the cost of crude oil has risen dramatically to historic levels since 2000.

Which means the Saudi royal family, Chavez and others are making money hand over fist as the recipients of the lion’s share of what we pay at the pump

For Mikey to be right, Exxon and the other integrated oils (that's the technically correct name for oil companies that control everything from production/sourcing all the way to consumer sales/marketing) would have to be buying oil at NYMEX spot prices. And we all know that's not happening. Why? BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL MAKING A PROFIT. You see, all these large oil companies have extensive long term contracts with suppliers like, for instance, Saudi Aramco. Not to mention the fields around the world they control where they pay royalties as low at 15% at a contracted price.

This brings their cost of crude to significantly less than $130/bbl. I'd put it closer to $58-65/bbl on average. There's probably a clause in the contract that puts it in a band based on spot, probably no more than 75% of spot and no less than 50% of spot.

You and I, however, don't get the benefit of this great deal. We get to pay spot prices because we're instant, on-demand (not contract) consumers. I'll even go Mikey one better and tell him that I don't expect Exxon to sell me gas based on their cost of crude. I know I'm a consumer and I have little or no bargaining power so I'm not gonna even whine about that.

I will scream at the top of my lungs about their tax breaks and credits. Oh yeah, that's pretty useless to us, especially since these companies are making billions PER QUARTER and can easily afford to prospect for more crude*. Mikey doesn't address that. He does go on to some really, really, funny stuff...

• Distribution and marketing costs and profits slid from a high of 13% in 2000 to about 8% today; and

• Refining costs and profits have remained at about 8% from 2000 through 2008.

He means as a percentage of the price at the pump. Refining costs have remained constant at about 8%. So, in 2000 it was roughly 9 cents/gallon and now it's more than 33 cents/ gallon. What changed? It's not like some super new and expensive refining process has been invented. It's not like they refiners are paying their employees much more.

It's profit. Pure and simple. Part of me wonders if even Mikey believes this crap. As for the distribution, lets keep in mind that the oils now own a much larger number of service stations than they did in 2000 and have shut down a large number as well. They control the retail channel and have squeezed margins to starve out independent convenience stores. Oh, and while the percentage may have changed, the dollar amount today is still higher... 13.9 cents in 2000 per gallon vs. 29.6 cents today. How's that for a nice inflation adjusted return?

Is this REALLY the best you Republicans can do? Really? Tina Fish, is this the man you want to be your standard bearer? Someone who's either too dumb to get how capitalism works or lies just for the hell of it?

My prediction? No one in the real world is dumb enough to believe Williams. And they're going to turn on him on November. And I'll laugh and laugh.

*On the subject of exploration, the integrated oils aren't doing a lot of prospecting because they know what Matt Simmons over in Houston has known for a while. We're running out of cheap, readily exploitable oil. These profits the oils are piling on are going to be used for something and I'm damn sure it won't be drilling a dry hole in West Texas. Which means their tax cuts need to be repealed. Bless Mikey's heart, I bet he hasn't even come to that conclusion. Poor dumb thing is probably waiting for the next strike near Humble.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:49 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

May 16, 2008

Barney Frank doesn't suck

Barney Frank has been earning some high praise from some of the asshats in the White House who call him (no joke) 'SCARY SMART'.

Uhm. Fellas. It's not that he's all THAT smart, it's that you're really ALL THAT DUMB.

A veteran of parliamentary battles, Mr. Frank is a master of procedural weaponry. When a tactic by Republicans backfired and stripped out provisions that they had wanted, Mr. Frank initially refused to let them fix it.

“If you want to look at this as one big circus, today is the day that the gentleman from Alabama gets to clean up after the elephants,” he said, referring to Representative Spencer Bachus, the ranking Republican on his committee. “And I mean elephants.”

During debate on the bill, a measure to provide debt relief to impoverished countries, he won praise from Republicans.

“Barney has been very fair,” said Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California and one of the most conservative members of the House. “I think that I have been treated more fairly, and a number of my Republican colleagues have been treated more fairly, since the Democrats have become the majority than I was treated by my own leadership.”

Mr. Frank politely interjected, “I know the gentleman joins me in looking forward to continued years of such treatment.”

Then there's this...

Other times, though, Mr. Frank’s impatience and sharp tongue take over.

When Representative Shelley Moore Capito, Republican of West Virginia, criticized a component of the housing bill that would give money to local governments to buy and repair foreclosed properties, saying it would not protect homeowners from foreclosure, Mr. Frank fired back that preventing foreclosures was the goal of a different bill.

“The notion that this bill doesn’t keep people out of foreclosure is true,” he said. “It doesn’t combat global warming. It doesn’t get troops out of Iraq. It won’t help me lose weight. There are a lot of things this bill won’t do that I very much want to do. None of them are a reason to vote against a bill that doesn’t do what it doesn’t say it’s going to do but does what it does. What it does is go to the aid of cities that have been victimized.”

While I'm still pissed about some of his dumbass attempts to drop mortgage brokers in the grease, I am impressed that he's at least trying to make something happen. It's a far cry from the underwhelming attempts by the White House to alleviate the problems we face as a nation.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Bless Junior John's Heart!

Poor, stupid, pathetic idiot...

Cornyn's staff has been busy. First, there was this email

Recent polls have claimed Senator Cornyn is in a much tighter race than many of you may have thought possible.

We don’t put much validity in either poll, but Democrats certainly are. Liberal bloggers and Democrat partisans alike have pounced on the results, claiming they spell doom for Senator Cornyn this fall.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, lead by liberal New York Senator Chuck Schumer, proclaimed in an email that the polls show “John Cornyn in serious trouble…”

Ultra-liberal blogger Daily Kos, who commissioned and paid for the second poll, called the results “nothing short of remarkable,” and claimed they “hint that this may be a top-tier race before long…”

No one can deny that our opponent and his allies are in desperate need of anything to help them raise resources and give national Democrats reason to invest untold millions into the race, and we must stop them.

Please contribute $10, $25 or $50 to help debunk the myths our opponent and his liberal allies are trying to tell about Senator Cornyn.

The facts are clear, the extreme left is energized and unscrupulous, and our opponent is shamelessly aligned with them and will say and do anything it takes to gain much needed relevance and resources.

Your contribution of $10, $25 or $50 will go a long way towards setting the record straight. It will also send a loud and clear message to national Democrats that Texans won’t fall for their dirty tricks, deceit and deviousness.

Please give what you can to make sure we re-elect John Cornyn and ensure our true Texas values are represented in Washington!

This is funny as hell since Junior John already has a significant funding advantage over Noriega. Even with that money, we have two solid polls that make it clear this election is about getting rid of old caca. And of course Junior John is scared. Just watch this video which makes it pretty clear they ARE taking the polls seriously.

Then there was CA's Supreme Court saying that bans on gay marriage are unconstitutional. Which prompted Cornyn to go into full tilt pander and start discussing (you knew it was coming) a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

Thursday's California court ruling striking down that state's ban on gay marriage will spark a fresh push to add a nationwide ban to the U.S. Constitution, Texas Sen. John Cornyn said shortly after the ruling was announced.

"It's certainly surprising. Many of us thought that the efforts to overturn the tradition marriage laws would be confined just to Massachusetts," said Mr. Cornyn, a chief backer of a push to enact a constitutional ban, which failed in 2004.

The California Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling Thursday that overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, finding that domestic partnerships laws are an inadequate substitute for allowing same-sex couples to enter into formal marriages.(DMN via Texas Blue)

Here's the thing... I don't think, if the election were held today, that an anti-gay marriage amendment would pass in Texas again. Oh sure, folks in East and West Texas are just as homophobic as they always were (don't get mad at them, they don't know gay people and it's all strange and foreign to them). The difference is, THEY'RE ALL SICK OF PANDERING AND NONSENSE ISSUES. With gas near $4.00 a gallon, people know there are more important things to worry about. They also know that they can't afford six more years of fancy John Cornyn taking care of himself while he lets important business slide by.

Hava Goodun! Junior John sure as hell won't!

Posted by mcblogger at 08:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

No, really, that'll be enough from the corpulent member from Houston

In a striking example of douchebagery, Rep. Culberson of Texas decided to speak out on all the horrible earmarks and pork barrel spending in the defense bill. He had his talking points down and was laying them out in his own irritating way. His plan was flawless, save for one critical problem.


THERE WASN'T ANY PORK IN THE BILL


Still, that alone would not have derailed him. What ended up causing his embarrassment was a Democrat who'd had enough. Take a bow, Rep. Obey! You've earned it. Kos has the transcript and the footage.

And make sure, if you have some time, to drop a few dollars to Michael Skelly who's running to rid the Texas delegation of this embarrassment.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 14, 2008

Things you may have missed...

You know all that 'news' in the 'media' about people starving in exotic vacay destinations like Honduras? Turns out, the World Bank was largely responsible. Well, the World Bank with a heaping helping of Friedmanite ideology. Please note, this story comes from Bloomberg... hardly a bastion of liberal thought.

Texas has a surplus! Yay! Can we now, you know, BUILD THE ROADS THAT TXDOT SAID WE CAN'T AFFORD? And maybe fund CHIP? And how about ending tuition deregulation? How about putting money into our underfunded pensions?

According to 39%'s spokespuppy, Leon, there's going to be more 'tax relief' which will end up like 39%'s last tax relief which netted me about 56 cents.

"With a surplus of this magnitude, I know the governor believes we need to look at some sort of tax relief, whether it be on property taxes, business taxes or some type of actual rebate, like the federal government can do but we haven't been able to," Black said.

ROCK! So, instead of making some good choices that will help us weather the next bad storm (or, in the case of infrastructure, actually help create economic activity and wealth), you're going to treat the surplus as a slush fund.

39%, if you're handing out lulu's, can you please send me a case of Beefeater. I'm trying to perfect the Chelsea Sidecar and need the materials.

The Republicans are trying to fix the NRCC. The good news, at least for us, is that it appears to be working. If you mean 'fix' in the sense of neutering a pet. This should bode well for Skelly, Doherty and even Lampson (can you tell I'm working on that whole 'being derisive toward our candidates' thing?).

Ladies and gentleman... Rick Cofer with a rant on plastic bags

Hava goodun!

Posted by mcblogger at 11:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Defending Obama... Again.

You know, some of you so busily tracking 'how Obama can definitely win the nomination' and projecting an easy win in November need to understand that victory is far from assured. In fact, if you're telling yourself that 'Hope Changes Everything', then come closer and let me hit you. In the head.

I do that from time to time with stupid people who refuse to realize there's nothing new under the sun.

Many of you are worried about quasi-racist attacks that imply Sen. Obama is some sort of ultra-black nationalist. Or a strident Muslim. Or the love child of Malcolm X and Mary Tyler Moore. Just to alleviate some of your worry and concern, these are stupid things you don't need to worry about. They'll persuade 5% of the electorate and those people weren't going to vote for him anyway.

What you need to watch out for are ginger columnists in swing states like Will Manly. Will got his panties in a twist over the small town comment but there's so much more there...

I couldn’t vote for you — but not because of your funny name or your lunatic pastor. I couldn’t vote for you because you say we should raise taxes (even on the rich, who I’m convinced already pay too much), and because you say we should abandon Iraq (which I’m convinced would be surrendering a war we must win), and because you don’t respect the Second Amendment (which I’m convinced should disqualify any politician from any office).

Still, I’ve liked your message of unity and your ability to inspire. And, since your rise I’ve hunted, quite frantically, for young conservative leaders with your talent. (To my relief, I found Bobby Jindal.)

Whoa. Where to begin... First off, Taxes. Will's obvs unaware that the rich pay less than him or me. Wait. What am I thinking? HE'S a newspaper columnist and they don't make shit. Let me rephrase...

THE RICH PAY LESS THAN ME.

On average, the rich pay around 18-20% of their income in taxes. On average, most of us pay 25-30%. Which makes our current tax system regressive, not progressive. However, let's forget all that for a second and just acknowledge one critical reality. We need a massive amount of investment in public infrastructure and services. From public schools to mass transit, we need to set ourselves up for the next 30-50 years of economic growth. That means higher taxes. Why would we want to pay higher taxes? Because that investment in our future makes sure that we're able to enjoy prosperity in 2025. That's what this debate is about... higher taxes and long term prosperity and growth or lower taxes and poverty well into the future.

And don't get me started on higher taxes being necessary just to balance the budget. But then, Will's a Republican so he's not real concerned with balancing the books... why should he be when he can keep running up Daddy's credit card? I love it when 'fiscal conservatives' are more worried about taxes than the deficit. I guess no one ever bothered to explain the linkage between interest rates, federal debt and real disposable income. I should throw the value of the dollar and oil prices in there as well but I don't want to fry little Will's rat brain.

As for abandoning Iraq, what's left to achieve? A military force is good at one thing... eliminating an enemy. Ours did that. Everything that has followed has been a waste of time. Still, none of us can turn our back on Bush's mistake. However, that doesn't mean we have to be trapped there for a generation. It's time for the Iraqi's to stand up and the only way that will happen is if we start to leave.

On the subject of the Second Amendment, why not use the Fourth Amendment as your yardstick for holding public office? Bush has trampled all over that one. Or the First which Bush has also used to neatly wipe his ass? Just curious, but what I really want to know is exactly WHERE Sen. Obama talked about not respecting the Second Amendment. Will would be the only one who has the story since I couldn't find anything except a speculative "what if..." work of fiction masquerading as news on NewsMax. So, Will's made the accusation, now we want to see his evidence. Cough it up, Manly.

As for finding Bobby Jindal, I wouldn't get too excited, Will. He's way more our style than yours. For one thing, he's not a nut.

Just in case you thought Will was done, he goes on to discuss some areas where he's been disappointed with Obama...

First came your wife’s comment about being proud of America for the first time — conveniently, right after you started winning primaries. Then came your own words about your grandmother, who is just a “typical white person” — a racist, or at least someone with racist tendencies. (I’m a “typical white person,” I suppose, and I’m no racist. In fact, little makes me angrier than when it’s insinuated I am.)

Don't you just know that Will's the kind of guy who has said "some of my best friends are black" in the past to deflect calls that he's a bit of a racist?

The rest of his piece is a rambling defense of small town America from someone who obviously views the world in start black and white. It's also clear he's completely unfamiliar with Peyton Place. Still, followers of the Obamessiah, this is the kind of attack you're going to have to learn to defend against.

That's why I'm supporting Clinton. There's a reason this little prick hates her and it's because she'd eat him alive.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:05 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

May 07, 2008

McCain and Cornyn stand up to put down Vets

WOW. And you only thought Hillary was going a little tone deaf. As many of you already know, the GI benefits to which veterans are entitled have been shrinking for a number of years, so Senator Webb decided to do something about it and even managed to line up bipartisan support.

Two Republicans noticeably absent? Why none other than John McCain and our own John 'I hunt with a 28 gauge' Cornyn. McCain put up his own, woefully inadequate bill that the President likes. Because it spends $4 billion less than Webb's bill. And doesn't provide nearly as much for the people who are actually, you know, fighting the war on terra. Cornyn just likes screwing over vets, we suppose. We can't think of any other rationale since he's been wholly unconcerned with fiscal responsibility. President Bush is using that excuse which is kind of like a serial killer claiming to be worried about abortion.

As for McCain, there's no excuse. These men and women are worth whatever money we have to spend. If y'all hadn't focused so much on handouts to the oil companies, we wouldn't have to worry about paying for it. If you'd get out of the way and return taxes to where they should be, we'd easily have the money.

Or if we just stopped wasting BILLIONS in Iraq.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 04, 2008

Rumor : Farm Bureau to support KBH?

There is a rumor circulating that Farm Bureau, after supporting 39% in 2006, intends to support KBH in the 2010 Republican Primary. This should surprise no one given FB's opposition to 39%'s TTC. What surprised all of us was that they supported him in the first place.

No, no... I won't tell you where I heard it. Don't even ask.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 01, 2008

Krusee arrested for DWI

Long time readers (yes, there ARE 5 or 6 of you) know that there's no love lost between Mike Krusee and myself. I'd just as soon piss on him as say hello to him. Apparently, last night he got busted for a DWI. And no, I'm not doing cartwheels... this could well be a case of there but for the grace of God go I.

While I don't know if he was drunk or not, I have some questions for the trooper... which came first? The 'erratic' driving OR the expired registration? I'm always suspicious when the reason for the stop is a registration sticker.

The thing I find most repulsive about DWI laws is that they don't do a thing to keep real drunks off the streets. These are people with a compulsive disorder. They don't respond to punishment. Meanwhile, you've got the rest of worried about having more than 1 drink in 6 hours.

And don't even get me started on the MADD mothers. I've lost friends in DWI accidents. They're dead. AND ALL YOUR STUPID LAWS HAVE DONE NOTHING TO BRING THEM BACK OR STOP MORE DEATHS FROM OCCURRING.

To our friends in the Lege... can we PLEASE be rational and make some changes that might actually fix the problem,, rather than make criminals out of people who have a drink at happy hour? I don't know if that group will end up including Krusee or not but it does include a lot of us.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

39% brings forth new sacrificial lambs

39% has appointed some new folks to the Texas Transportation Commission. Deirdre Delisi, the mastermind behind 39% plurality win in 2006, will be joining the commission as Chairman, replacing Hope Andrade who'd been filling the position since Dick Williamson passed away at the end of last year. During Hope's tenure, the Trans Dept. ran a series of public meetings regarding TTC-69 that actually drove down public acceptance of the TTC concept (I know, I didn't think it was possible, either).

Some guy named Bill Meadows will also be joining the Commission. He's a former city councilman from Fort Worth (so what), businessman (insurance salesman, natch) and member of the North Texas Tollway Authority (there's the money!).

So, 39% is really showing his willingness to work with the Lege... he's appointed one of his political advisers (who, it should be noted, just happens to be from TENNESSEE) and a toller to the Commission which oversees transportation in Texas. That should speak to the Lege and the words they hear should be "Fuck You". I mean, unless they hadn't already picked up on that with his headstrong commitment to road privatization.

In other transportation news, apparently high gas prices are causing problems for the tollways. The same tollways that haven't come close to meeting their expectations. Which is really sad considering that even the projections left TXDOT (and by default, Texas taxpayers) in the hole by almost $1 Billion.

Exactly what IS good about toll roads? They don't pay for themselves, they don't benefit consumers, they aren't providing a massive windfall. So, nothing.

Can we start talking now about real transportation funding solutions instead of the ones that help out campaign contributers to 39% and the Republicans? Can we then start using that money not just to build roads, but also to expand public transportation infrastructure? Can I PLEASE have a fucking flyway from Ben White to SB 35??!?!?!?!?!

Posted by mcblogger at 10:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

I've got gas (tax relief) like a mother!

So, Sen McThuselah proposes a gas tax holiday during the summer without proposing any way to pay for it. I know. It IS rather shocking that I've already given up on calling him Olden Times. I blame the media. And Hillary. Speaking of, she decided to AGREE with McThuselah about the gas tax holiday.

But wait... before you jump all over her for bad economic policy, at least she bothered to pay for it. That's a huge step up from McThuselah who apparently thinks his road to the White House should be paved with promises of FREE MONEY (cue Matthew Lesko). Of course, a gas tax holiday is just going to end up in Exxon's quarterly dividend (that's when GIANT oil companies send shareholders, the owners, some of the profit. It's one of only four times a year my father smiles) which kind of mitigates that whole 'we're helping people thing' since the savings won't, you know, be passed on to people.

Pandering? Yes. An empty gesture? Absolutely. Should they be focusing on this or this? Sure... well, that is, if you wanted to actually mitigate the economic costs of high fuel prices and stop using food to make fuel.

Meanwhile, Clinton and McCain criticized Obama for not going along with their little scheme.

Would someone please tell the Clinton folks that Obama is right? That'd be great! And then, could you fire the idiot on her policy team that keeps copying shit McCain does? It's embarrassing to those of us who, you know, SUPPORT HER.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 30, 2008

I listen to Rev. Wright as much as I listen to any preacher

Rev. Wright does his little song and dance, pisses up the media's leg and predictably they throw a fit about the whole thing. Why the hell does anyone care what this idiot preacher has to say? Is he the one running for President? No? Ok, then WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL KVETCHING ABOUT?!?!!

I'm also sick of hearing how Clinton is behind the whole thing. It occurs to me that if the Clinton's were really as evil as some of you morons would have us believe, Bill never would have left office. What you really don't like is that Obama's preacher is a racist weirdo with delusional fantasies. Big deal. That makes him not much different from that freak Hagee whose ass is covered in soft kisses from that sycophantic loser, McCain.

Not all clergy are stupid, but many of the loud obnoxious ones certainly are. I prefer my faith with VERY little religion. Mostly because I don't believe any man speaks for God. Certainly not Rev. Wright and definitely not that fatass Hagee.

Maybe, just maybe, instead of focusing on what some asshole who claims to speak for God (or claims to have THE only legitimate interpretation of the Bible/Koran/Torah) has to say and playing guilt by association, why not take a moment to listen to the candidate?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Really? You're going to stick with that?

Sen. McCain, leaving a Tempe area Cracker Barrell at 5:45 this morning, revealed his brill health care plan which, as it turns out, is little more than the same one President Bush tried to float. Last year.

Apparently, Sen. McCain forgot that people already said not so much to it, just like he forgot that a 5% tip is really not so much a 'tip' as it is a 'pittance'.

So, what IS wrong with his market based plan? For one thing, it's predicated on medical savings accounts (where you pull pretax income from your paycheck and put it into an account for health care costs... the money expires annually, by the way). That works well when people have extra income they can save. Unfortunately, right now more than half the country is literally living paycheck to paycheck. There's not anything to put in these accounts AND save for retirement.

Oh, and delinking health care from the employer and making individuals select (that's called a 'market based approach!'). Because that'll really ignite the market as insurers fight over the healthiest people and refuse to insure the other 200 million of us.

When HMO's first were floated, they were touted as a way of keeping health care affordable. What they really did was juice insurance company profits. This has never been about 'affordability' or the market...which has consistently driven up health care insurance costs...it's about profits to the exclusion of all else. And FAT. Lots and lots of fat in bloated management structures. Who get's screwed? Everyone NOT in administration.

You really want to cut costs? Make insurance cheaper? Help doctors concentrate on medicine and forget the bureaucratic crap? THEN ELIMINATE THE HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

President Petulant

Yesterday, our President had a little press conference which was dutifully transcribed by some little cub reporter at the NYT. During the conference, Bush castigated 'Congress' (read : Congressional Democrats) for not doing enough to alleviate the current economic downturn.

Not like he'd sign any of the legislation anyway... unless it's something that won't help Americans for 5-10 years, like drilling in Alaska. Alternative energy and biofuels? Perish the thought. While I'm not an oil conspiracy nut, you have to admit his fixation on drilling in AK is either enlightened self interest or extreme stupidity.

Anyway, what President Bush failed to mention (and what our intrepid reporter from the Times missed) is that the Republicans have largely been the road block on all the initiatives coming out of Congress. Like FHA Modernization, which is being held up by James Inhofe and Liddy Dole, both of whom are deeply in the pockets of the private mortgage insurance industry which stands to lose a lot should FHA Modernization pass.

The ironic thing? Today we found out just how worthless the one thing Bush did has turned out to be.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 28, 2008

Thanks, Justice Stevens. No. Really. Thanks a lot.

Well, our Supreme Court has decided that Jim Crow is A-OK...

The 6-3 vote allows Indiana to require the identification when it holds its statewide primary next week. It also will give most state legislatures time to revise their voter laws for the November elections.

This was perhaps the biggest voter rights case taken up by the justices since the 2000 dispute over Florida's ballots, in which George W. Bush prevailed to gain the presidency.

At issue was whether state laws designed to stem voter fraud end up disenfranchising large numbers of Americans who might lack proper documents to prove their voting eligibility. The case raised important constitutional questions, but also involved race and partisan politics.

Writing for the majority, Justice John Paul Stevens said any political issues considered by the state were mitigated by its desire to stop voter fraud.

"The state interests identified as justifications for [the law] are both neutral and sufficiently strong to require us to reject" the lawsuit, he wrote.

But in a toughly worded dissent, Justice David Souter said "Indiana has made no such justification" for the statute "and as to some aspects of its law, it hardly even tried."

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita has conceded the state has never presented a case of "voter impersonation," which the law was designed to safeguard against. The 2005 Indiana law requires that a valid photo identification be presented by a person casting a ballot at a polling stations. Previously, most citizens needed only to sign a poll book to vote.

So, though there is no need for it, and in spite of it's cost which makes it a de facto poll tax, voter ID is good idea?

So much for this idea that the Republicans don't like activist judges. All the R appointees were in the majority along with old Justice Stevens. Seriously, man, why couldn't you have retired when Clinton was in office?

At this point, I don't want to hear another goddamn word from anyone about NOT voting for the Democrat in November, regardless of who that person is. Seriously, I'm ready to lose friends over this, mostly because I'm sick of your shit. If I can suck it up, so can you.

It's time y'all realize there's more than some petty soundbite at stake and stop playing the 'I don't like Obama/Hillary' song.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:53 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Fun with the columnists

There have been some great columns out recently that you may have missed. You're so lucky I love each and every one of you for now, I will share them with you, my brilliant readers.

Oh, who the hell am I kidding... it's pearls before swine. Here's to hoping some of you learned how to read something more complex than my usual 'kindergarten words'.

First up, this piece in the NYT by David Leonhardt, a brill take down of Lou Dobbs. Make sure you also take a look at his analysis of the 'Bush economic boom' that's bypassed just about, well, everyone you and I know.

In part one of The Sun Rises In The West... Burka thinks it's a bad idea for Perry to run in 2010.

In part two, I agree with Gardner Selby. Well, at least on what a prolonged primary will do to the Democrats... absolutely nothing.

Finally, there's Frank Rich. Seriously, you need more than that to click the link?

Posted by mcblogger at 11:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 18, 2008

EXCLUSIVE : Dildo claims responsibility for 39%'s plans

Yesterday afternoon I, like everyone else in the state, was stunned to learn that 39% intends to run for re-election in 2010. Stunned because, frankly, it's solid gold comedy. I had to read the email a few times just to make sure it wasn't some kind of prank. Then I got a call from The Dildo.

McB : Hello?
Dildo : What's up, bitch?
McB : Oh Fuck...
Dildo : That's right...
McB : I thought you were melted in that fire.
Dildo : Not so much, as it turns out. It was a nice try, though.
McB : What the hell do you want?
Dildo : Oh, come on. I know you've seen the news...
McB : About Perry? I just assumed it was some kind of a joke.
Dildo : Well, it is. But not the kind you think. I made him do it.
McB : Forget the how. Why?
Dildo : Because he's a loser. And I thought it would be funny. You don't?
McB : Funny? How so?
Dildo : You have to ask? 61% of this state hates the man. He's a wholly ineffectual Governor whose balls rest in CradDICK's desk. Well, one of them anyway. The other is with the Dew. You Democrats could run Jennifer Gale against him in '10 and win. However, I don't think he'll get through the Republican primary. Even those mouthbreathers won't vote for him. It will be absolutely devastating to his ego. I'll laugh and laugh...
McB : I keep forgetting what a dick you are. So how?
Dildo : You always were kind of a dumbass. What do I have to do? Paint you a picture?
McB : No, I've seen you do more than enough.
Dildo : How's that quitting smoking thing going?
McB : Fuck you. (screaming) I FUCKING HATE YOU!
Dildo : Nice talking to you, cocksucker. Be seeing you soon! GO MOFO IN '10

It's always been assumed that evil stands behind the actions of malevolent people. Now we know for sure that isn't so much behind them as inside them.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:24 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

April 16, 2008

No, George, you can't invade Iran

BlueBloggin' has the down and dirty on Bush & Co. working their collective asses off to 'catapult the propaganda' to drive public opinion to support an invasion of Iran. He can try as hard as he likes, but there's no way we're going to believe Bush. We already know that the mullah's running Iran know damn well they can't use those nukes without us using ours. And they can't shut off the oil either because it'll collapse their economy.

No, a nuclear Iran does not scare me. And you're an idiot if it scares you. Well, either an idiot or a pussy.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 09, 2008

The runoff hath passed

Yes, in case you (like most Texans) slept through it, yesterday was the joint primary runoff election. 1.55% of you turned out statewide. The rest of you slobs couldn't be bothered though I'm sure even if you had bothered to back away from the buffet long enough to vote, the results would not have been measurably different.

In the RRC race, Thompson soundly beat Dale Henry. We did not endorse Thompson, so we are of course incredulous at his inexplicable win (you know, since our endorsed candidates in every other race won). We'd like to applaud Dale and Team Henry for running a good campaign and we'd like to extend our congratulations Thompson and urge him to use Dale, if he's willing, as a resource on the proper job of the RRC.

In the DA's race, Lehmberg won. That's all I'm writing about this stupid race.

On the R side, CradDICK had a good night with the defeat of Rep. West out in Odessa. He also earned some solid victories in other races around the state. Those seats will more than likely be won by Democrats in the fall but for now CradDICK appears to be a big winner. Phillip has an excellent analysis on these races.

Lastly, we at McBlogger would like to say goodbye to Dracula-Cunt. Laterz, freakshow.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Saying goodbye...to friends and assholes

Pink Dome has adjourned sine die...which makes me very unhappy. Alphonso Jackson resigned from HUD, which makes me extremely happy since I always thought he was a crony capitalist fucktard.

On a lighter note, I'm still watching Bad Girls and laughing my ass off since during a show featuring some really nasty bitches, Time Life is advertising Christian music.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 08, 2008

RPT : Come be our bitch!

The crew over at the Republican Party of Texas ('Sup, playas!?) are giving two very special students a chance to be pages at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota. What is a 'page', you ask? Well, a page is a digital or paper document on which words and pictures are placed. That's the nominal definition. 'Page' can also refer to young people who volunteer to give their time to a political party or organization where they will serve as a 'bitch' (i.e., copy bitch, coffee bitch, drycleaning bitch, phone bitch, bar bitch, gotothe711on15thandgetmecigarrettes bitch). In the business world, we call pages 'interns'. And yes, we're totally going to hire you at the end of this internship. Really. All this unpaid work you're doing will pay off big time when we give you a job. Which we're totally going to do. After you come clean and paint my house on the weekend. Now, I really need my dry cleaning and a pack of cigarettes from the 7-11 on 15th.

In Republican circles, 'page' also means 'jailbait'.

Young people can apply for the position by going here. They should understand that they will be required to pay their own airfare and hotel charges. If they happen to be cute young men, they might be able to get some help paying for all this by securing a spot in the Foley Page Program where they will be staying with a Congressman who will teach them about the political process. And rimming.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Yes, we agree with you

Kelso took a swipe at the TSA last week...

Mandi Hamlin, 37, was having a hard time removing a nipple ring as she was going through airport security up in Lubbock. So a TSA agent handed her a pair of pliers to help her get the job done.

If you had an uncle crazy enough to do something like that, would you let him in your house? I know I wouldn't. I'd try to have him committed.

While Hamlin was behind a screen removing the nipple ring, she says, she could hear the male agents tittering. Now there's a Beavis and Butt-Head moment for you. Can't you hear them back there going, "Heh heh. Heh heh heh."

Hamlin should have told the TSA to go suck an egg. Yes, I know she wouldn't be allowed on the plane unless she lost the nipple ring. And I can understand wanting to get out of Lubbock. Boy, can I. But not quite that badly. On the other hand, I could see somebody removing a nipple ring with a pair of pliers to get out of Midland.

When you've got federal officials handing garage tools to passengers to mutilate themselves to get on an airplane, it's pretty obvious that we've lost our minds in this country when it comes to safety. And a nipple ring, for gosh sakes. Did the agent think Hamlin's nipple ring would explode?

Did they think the nipple ring would explode? Probably. These are the same asshats who thought bottle water would explode.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 02, 2008

One thing all candidates have in common

Sister Ruth has a story she likes to tell about being on MoPac in traffic and seeing a bumper sticker that said "Dear Jesus : Please save me from your fan club". I feel the same about the candidates this cycle. It's not so much that y'all suck (some of you do, but only a few), it's your supporters that are, frankly, asshats.

Y'all take a Klonopin and relax.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 27, 2008

Gearing up for more voucher crap...

The reality is that vouchers are not a panacea. They aren't even working where they've been tried.

Voucher students' test scores in the year the study covered were roughly the same as public school students'; the study also found voucher students scored below the national average, between the 28th and 39th percentile, on national reading, math, and science tests.

A frequent argument made against them, that the vouchers won't provide enough money to the poor to put their kids in anything but a parochial school, is in fact true. Even the Catholics can't run schools as cheap as the public education system which is really the crux of the entire 'how to improve education' debate. There are two things you need. One, is a change in what teachers are teaching and a return to a more formalistic curriculum. The other is more money.

What? You too are tired of the kids getting a Wal Mart education? Well, here's what we need to do. Pump money into schools and restandardize the curriculum. The pennies we save by underfunding public education end up costing us billions in lost wages, productivity and taxes down the road. It's time for conservatives to realize that conservatism is about more than just cutting taxes and spending. It's about spending money on things that matter.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 19, 2008

Cornyn, dodges the draft and only now votes for vets

Apparently, Cornyn has decided to release his military records

1. Private 1st Class Cornyn showed exceptional leadership and courage when he was the first to attack the chow line on mystery meat day, putting himself and his stomach at risk.

2. Later in the day, Private 1st Class Cornyn again displayed exceptional leadership by single handedly clearing the way to the latrine after crapping his pants during live ammo training.

3. Cornyn was eventually given an honorable discharge after whining me and my staff to tears. His service to his country and his dry cleaners has been invaluable.

Cornyn also has finally decided to support a VA hospital. In the Valley. The same one that Sen. Hutchison swore to support. Maybe they should stop calling him Senator Junior John and instead Senator Johnny Come Lately. The funny thing? Somehow, Cornyn's support of this bill causes a problem for Noriega? Oh hell, R.G. What's wrong with pointing out that in SIX YEARS it was a Democrat that got things moving. For four of those six years, Junior John was a leader in the party that controlled Congress AND the White House and he couldn't get this done? Of course Noriega's going to point that out.

And Texans will be listening.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 18, 2008

Wishing Monica the best

Monica Goodling will be getting married and is planning to have more insipid little Republican offspring. That is, if her fiance isn't one of the many gay Republicans living in working in the DC area.

The couple are registered at Wal-Mart, Kohls and Pre-Paid Legal Services.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 17, 2008

THEY said it would pay for itself...

...and Tom Tomorrow has his take on the Iraq War.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 16, 2008

Condoleezza Rice Was "Bombarded" with Warnings Before 9/11,

Contrary to story we were told by the Administration and our ersatz Secretary of State, she was advised on numerous occasions by Richard Clarke that Bin Laden was ready to attack the US in the months leading up to 9/11. Condi ignored that information and Philip Zelikow (9/11 Commission staff director) helped cover up the discovery that Rice was MIA.

read more

Posted by mcblogger at 09:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 14, 2008

Thank you, House D's! Telecom Immunity goes down in the House like a dirty ho

The House version of the FISA bill passed without telecom immunity! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED FOR IT!

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March 13, 2008

Names for McCain

WOW! It's been a while since we've written about the irrelevant Republican candidate, Senator Olden Times. That's what I've decided to start calling him. The Mayor is going with McThuselah.

I really hate McSleaze and his clever little brain sometimes.

Anyhow, OLDEN TIMES is running ads about what he's done to stop pork barrel spending. Specifically on projects he thinks are of dubious value. Like a census of bears. What he didn't realize is that the project was essential to determining if grizzlies were still an endangered species or if their numbers were high enough to support hunting them. See, states like (and I'm just throwing this out here) MONTANA have a pretty good business going on with hunters that travel in. Plus, it would be nice to know if the Endangered Species Act actually worked. Olden Times thought all that was a bad idea. Like those kids playing on that bit of gravel in front of his Arizona home which he insists is a yard.

An article up on AlterNet also talks about how people 'trust' Olden Times on Iraq. And the War on Terror. Of course, it's all hypothetical and people are still more interested in other things but there you are. Just wait until Hillary spins up the campaign in the fall.

So which name do you like better? McThuselah or Olden Times? You get to vote in the comments or via email and we'll go with your decision. As long as it's OLDEN TIMES.

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Things aren't all that rosy in Iraq... nor are they completely dire

The NYT released their Iraq scorecard which can best be summarized with the following...

It is far too soon to predict that Iraq is headed for stability or sectarian reconciliation. But it is also clear that those who assert that its politics are totally broken have not kept up with the news.

This is all with a lot of stuff in the backdrop, namely the election season. Which is kind of interesting since the Republicans are solidly failing to land hits or adequately defend their position to keep troops in Iraq for the next 100 years. Here's the problem, which the Times glosses over... are our troops worsening or helping the political situation in Iraq? The Iraqi's seem to be pretty clear that it's the former.

Now the Senate wants to know what happened to all the money the Iraqi's have made on oil sales.

Despite the dire need for better health care, more electricity and clean water, a functioning sewage system and other services, the accountability office has previously estimated that Iraq spent only 22 percent of the oil money set aside for reconstruction in 2006. And in January, the office, which is charged with overseeing the Iraqi government’s finances, reported that Iraq had spent a meager 4.4 percent of its 2007 reconstruction budget by August of that year, the most recent figures available at the time.

As a result, the letter from the Armed Services Committee says, “we believe that it has been overwhelmingly U.S. taxpayer money that has funded Iraq reconstruction over the last five years, despite Iraq earning billions of dollars in oil revenue over that time period that have ended up in non-Iraqi banks.”

The Pentagon is releasing a detailed and thorough analysis of Iraq's connections to terrorism prior to the invasion. The conclusion? It's the same one you've heard before... there were no ties to terrorism. Period. Bush, Condi, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz made it all up. Which makes them liars.

Unfortunately, none of them can be prosecuted. Well, at least not the ones that didn't testify before Congress.

At the end, it's time to acknowledge we've done all we can do. We're more a crutch than a real help at this point and it's time for our men and women to come home from Bush's attempt to create a friedmanite paradise. We owe it to them.

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FISA Update - Conyers is kicking ass

In stark contrast to what happened in the Senate Intelligence Committee when the FISA modernization act was brought up, the House Judiciary Committee, in a VERY nasty way, shut the door on immunity for the telecos.

As a result of our review of classified as well as unclassified materials concerning the Administration’s Terrorist Surveillance Program, we have concluded that blanket retroactive immunity for phone companies is not justified.

And this is why we would gladly go down on Rep. Conyers. Well, we would if he wanted it.

In other FISA related news, Jane has (in the last day or so) raised more than $42k to take down Blue Dogs who want to vote for telecom immunity. Go tell her where she should spend it.

On another note, as it turns out that Total Information Awareness Program we all thought Congress killed in 2003 is not so much dead.

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March 12, 2008

FISA - We were right

Well, it appears more is happening in the House on the FISA front and it's not going the White House's way. I know, I'm really sad about that, too. It's always disheartening to me when I hear about something bad happening to someone I really don't like.

As it turns out, the victory of Bill Foster in Illinois was due, in part, to his stand for the rights of Americans against the telecom companies. Foster was against granting telecom companies immunity for their illegal actions in complying with President Bush's illegal wiretap order. So much for the scare tactics of the Republicans and beating the national security drum. If you people couldn't win on this in Hastert's district, you aren't going to win with it. Anywhere. In fact, people may actually boo your candidates. That, you definitely don't want. We did warn you about all this, Republicans. You really should have known better.

One side note, as DKOS points out, is that Mark Klein (the AT&T employee who blew the whistle on NSA eavesdropping) has not been called to testify. If anyone would know about this dragnet intelligence gathering technique, and the laws the telcos broke, it's him.

Meanwhile, back to the debate at hand... Leahy and Conyers are joining forces to take down Sen. Lawn Chair (he's always folding up) and the Administration. Help them push back on Bush by clicking here. The sad part is that it's not just the Republicans pushing to protect the telecoms and the President from well deserved prosecution, it's also a group of 21 blue dogs. Jane Hamsher is thinking it's time to take them down. In case you were wondering, none of them are from Texas. Which makes me hella proud.

Long story short, you need to get involved. This is real, this is totalitarian and we have to stop it. We've got some people in Washington who are refusing to compromise and we have to get their backs.

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CradDICK and Dewhearse SPRING into action

You know, it DOES make me laugh a little to think of tweedle dee and tweedle dum 'springing into action' on anything. Far more likely that they'd be moving with all deliberate sloth. However, this time they are actually being aggressive on transportation funding... and it has nothing to do with tolling.

The short letter — signed by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, House Speaker Tom Craddick, Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden and House Appropriations Chairman Warren Chisum — recommends that TxDOT borrow another $1.5 billion against future gas tax revenue to bridge a temporary financial tight spot. The Legislature, the letter promises, will make sure that some of the gas tax money now diverted to other, nonhighway-construction needs will be returned to the agency to back the bonds.

Left unsaid? An increase of (and indexing) the gas tax which is what the majority of Texans want and what will likely happen as tolling falls completely off the cliff.

TXDOT, predictably, shifted the response on the letter back to the Governor. Retard Rick's spokesman, Robert Black, said that 39% wasn't interested in any of this and that the Lege would have to reopen road privatization 'to the lowest bidder'.

"What this letter is asking TxDOT to do is a two-year stopgap, two years of going further into debt," Black said. "A long-term solution comes first. Last year the Legislature came in and all they did was say 'no.' With the rate this state is growing and the needs and challenges we have in transportation, we can't afford to say 'no' anymore."

Just as a side note, does Black rock or what? I mean, the guy goes to work for a terrible pig of a man who spends an inordinate amount of time pandering to every special interest that will listen and who may be one of the worst Governors in the history of the State of Texas. Seriously, when we look at his association with privatization interests and the political contributions from them coupled with his support for their cause... well, it looks an awful lot like corruption. And this is what Black has to work with. Robert, I know we used to make fun of you but I've developed a new kind of respect for you. What's your trick? Anti-anxiety meds with a vodka chaser?

But back to the issue at hand... TXDOT's 'financial crises'. TXDOT said it was cutting all constructions projects because of a lack in future years of money to pay for them. Money that the Lege has simply not appropriated. Which is a bit like me saying I won't do my job now because I may or may not get my expense reimbursement in June, 2010. I got news for the folks at TXDOT... you let the Lege worry about your funding. You build the damn roads.

I guess that's a big part of the problem with TXDOT right now. It's controlled by our idiot Governor, Retard Rick, and overly politicized. These folks don't really do their jobs, they don't know how. They're mostly political hacks. The other big problem is that THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO COUNT.

TxDOT had announced the construction slowdown in November, citing inflation in construction costs and cutbacks in federal grants. In early February, at a hearing called by two Senate committees, TxDOT revealed that it had double-counted $1.1 billion in scheduling construction projects. That mistake, officials said at the time, had a lot to do with the crunch.

The state auditor is now looking at TxDOT's finances.

There's your funding gap, morons. GET. TO. WORK.

And to our friends at the Lege who will no doubt read this, y'all need to go hyper aggressive against TXDOT. How about dismantling them next year and reconstituting the TTC to make it composed of statewide elected officials, like the RRC?

Seriously, we can't afford to wait out Retard Rick. Hope Andrade alone could do some serious damage and not even realize it.

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March 08, 2008

Straight talk my fat white ass

You may have missed that John McCain accepted the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee. This guy, in case you were wondering. Here's a picture of the fatass

What? You thought I was just being tacky? Hell no. This man LIVES for buffet's, especially the ones at 'steakhouses'. I don't eat at steakhouses that have buffets. For one thing, I detest polyester food. For another, I don't want to get as fat as Pastor Hagee.

Pastor Hagee is fond of calling himself a born-again Christian. I'm a Methodist, I worship as a Methodist and will until I die. I was taught to look down on freakish trash like Hagee. I used to think that was wrong. Now I know where my elders were coming from. Hagee is a freakshow. He's the last in a line of fat, white, men who've used God to enrich themselves. Hargis, Falwell and Hagee. Disgusting pigs who'll have to answer to God at some point for their abuse of the faithful.

I'm kinda off topic here, no?

McCain said he was 'thrilled, like a sixteen year old girl on her first date' to have Hagee's endorsement.

It's not often that you get to compromise your integrity so thoroughly. It's once in a lifetime, if you're lucky. For me, It's three times. Once when I gave in to President Bush. Again when I accepted the endorsement of Jerry Falwell and finally today now that I'm accepting the endorsement of Pastor Hagee.

In other news from the malevolent forces of evil, AG Mukasey (thanks Schumer and Feinstein!) has refused to investigate the firings of the US Attorneys. Wonder when our studly man in the Senate, the hottest piece of ass this side of a nursing home, Majority Leader Harry Reid, will get around to the impeachment proceedings.

CBS also claimed that a station in AL going black in the middle of a 60 Minutes expose on Karl Rove's vendetta against the former Governor of Alabama was all the result of an equipment failure. In NYC. That only affected the station in AL.

Vince over at Capital Annex has a great post up about the Republicans who will be beaten by Democrats in the fall here in Texas.

And finally, McCain accepted the endorsement of a man that made him eat shit in 2000 and beat up his family.

"I do not agree with your sentiment that there has been widespread corruption. I just don't accept that. And by the way my friends do you think it would be nice if the President of the United States got a little bit of credit for the fact that there has not been another attack on the United States of America since 9-11? I think he deserves some credit for that. I really do."

No, he wasn't kidding. Or being ironic. He's either senile or he just likes being a bitch. Which is it, Grandpa McCain? Obvs, I'm thinking senility. Only someone operating completely outside reality would think that the Bush Administration in particular, and modern Republicans in general, weren't completely corrupt.

As for giving Bush credit for anything, come on. We all know our borders are porous. We all know that our ports are not secure. We all know that the 9/11 Commission report's recommendations were 86'd. We all know (well, those of us who are rational) that eventually we'll be attacked again. We also know that the country will survive.

We're looking to the future, dipshit. You can either join us or keep beating the drums of past failure and fear. We're moving past your old ass, regardless.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:25 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

March 07, 2008

R in the D

Kuff has an article up about all that talk going on in R circles regarding Hillary's win in Texas. Apparently, some of these mooks think that people were

A) Listening to Rush Limbaugh, and
B) Doing what he says

Now, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Royal Masset. These other children I don't know and they seem to be a little stupid. However, I will take issue with Masset's estimate that 500k of the D voters were really Republicans. I'd place it at about 300k. And Masset should really be thinking of them as 'former Republicans'. That's the situation in Texas today. There's one other problem with his 500k number... that would mean that people in certain heavily R areas just decided not to have their votes counted since in many East Texas counties (for example) there are races decided in the R primary.

Not very likely.

The reality on the ground is that D turnout was, in fact, way up. It was more than double that of Republicans and was massive EVEN IF there were 300k Republicans in the D primary. The interesting thing? They were voting for Obama, not Hillary (which, coincidentally, Kuff points out it in his piece with the breakdown in some of the heavily Republicans counties).

Finally, Republican attempts to 'drive voters to Clinton', if reality, would have to be based on the idea that she can be beaten more easily that Obama. I'd have to disagree with that. After all, the Clintons have beaten Republicans four times since 1992. And she'll handily retire Grandpa McCain to make it five wins.

Lookit, if these theories were right, Clinton wouldn't be anywhere near McCain in Texas. Neither would Obama. And they both are.

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March 06, 2008

Good Riddance, William F. Buckley

With all the primary excitement going, we kinda skipped the death of con stalwart William F. Buckley. For those of you lamenting his passing, let us remember the man as he was (not as he appeared to be), a nasty, vicious, racist douche. With regard to the civil rights movement in the South, Buckley wrote this is 1957

“The central question that emerges—and it is not a parliamentary question or a question that is answered by merely consulting a catalog of the rights of American citizens, born Equal—is whether the White community in the South is entitled to take such measures as are necessary to prevail, politically and culturally, in areas in which it does not predominate numerically? The sobering answer is Yes—the White community is so entitled because, for the time being, it is the advanced race.”

Humanity has not advanced over millennia because of people like Buckley. We have advanced in spite of them.

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March 03, 2008

Grandpa McCain visits Dell

Elise Hu covered Grandpa McCain's well staged 'townhall' at Dell on Friday. Apparently, the press wasn't allowed to talk to anyone in the audience. Which makes me wonder if this was less a townhall and more a 'corporate party'. One also has to wonder if Dell as a corporation is throwing it's weight behind the Republican candidate. If so, that would indeed be unfortunate.

Well, not really. I hate their shitty computers and that butt ugly logo.

The comedy? McCain said (and I'm paraphrasing) that he would move heaven and earth to find Osama Bin Laden. Which is a really swift way of pointing out that the President he hopes to replace (the same one who leads his party) has failed to do just that. For more than 6 years.

Sure, Senator Dumbass. We totally believe YOU'LL hunt down OBL. Will you be doing that before or after your nap?

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March 02, 2008

The oil may get low sooner than we think

For all the talk about drilling our way to energy independence, which is little more than than rambling by ridiculous little people with ridiculous little ideas, there is one inescapable fact. The well will always peak and from there on out that oil is going to get more and more expensive to the point of production costs going asymptotic, mostly because the reservoir pressure drops to the point where you are spending more and more to lift the next barrel of oil. It's happening in Mexico in the Cantarell field and in the Ghawar in Saudi Arabia.

The other inescapable fact is that as oil increases in value, those states that produce it will find themselves more and more affluent. And affluent people tend to become rabid consumers, especially when gasoline in 7 cents a gallon.

The economies of many big oil-exporting countries are growing so fast that their need for energy within their borders is crimping how much they can sell abroad, adding new strains to the global oil market.

Experts say the sharp growth, if it continues, means several of the world’s most important suppliers may need to start importing oil within a decade to power all the new cars, houses and businesses they are buying and creating with their oil wealth.

Indonesia has already made this flip. By some projections, the same thing could happen within five years to Mexico, the No. 2 source of foreign oil for the United States, and soon after that to Iran, the world’s fourth-largest exporter. In some cases, the governments of these countries subsidize gasoline heavily for their citizens, selling it for as little as 7 cents a gallon, a practice that industry experts say fosters wasteful habits.

“It is a very serious threat that a lot of major exporters that we count on today for international oil supply are no longer going to be net exporters any more in 5 to 10 years,” said Amy Myers Jaffe, an oil analyst at Rice University.

The best part? Consumers in these countries care less about pollution than the rest of the world...

In Mexico City the other day, a bricklayer named Jaime Guerrero arrived at a local Chevrolet dealership. His extended family cried “bravo!” as he signed the papers for his first car.

“To have a new car in my name is a dream transformed into reality,” said Mr. Guerrero, 26. He and his family piled in and weaved through the chaotic traffic of the capital, hunting for a priest to douse the car with holy water.

“I don’t worry about the climate or shortages of oil in the world,” Mr. Guerrero said. “I just worry if gasoline prices go up.”

Frankly, it's a little hard for me to criticize Mr. Guerrero because he's representative not only of people in Mexico, but of people in the US and around the world. Given that, it's damn time we give him a cheaper, cleaner, long-term alternative.

And just FYI, no damn interior decorator is going to do that. It's going to take someone like Dale Henry.

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February 29, 2008

Tara Rios Ybarra and a rabbi walk into a bar

Stop me if you've heard this one before. Texas Republicans, specifically CradDICK, can't get rid of a State Rep (Juan Escobar), who is all the time actually representing his district and making his constituents happy, in a general election. So, they decide to run someone in the Democratic Primary. That person is Tara Rios Ybarra. Vince has more up on her fundraising (lots and lots of money from TLR) as well as some information on her primary consultant whose client lists reads like a biblical list of demons.

Don't look at me that way... How would YOU describe a list that includes 39%, Todd Baxter and Ben Bentzin?

Unfortunately, it doesn't end there. There is also Marisa Marquez in El Paso. She's running against Rep. Moreno. Here's what Moreno's campaign has to say about her...

“Marisa Marquez has shown time and again that when it’s time to live up to her campaign rhetoric, she falls short every time,” stated Roger Garza, spokesperson for the Paul Moreno campaign. “How can voters honestly expect to believe that she is not a Craddick Democrat when Marquez consistently takes money from Tom Craddick’s staunchest supporters?”

Given her funding, which clearly speaks for itself, I'm going to agree with Garza.

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Cornyn fights back (with a 28 gauge)

Sorry, just couldn't resist another dig at an adult who claims to be a MAN and a TEXAN who hunts with a goddamn 28 gauge shotgun. What's the problem, princess? You afraid your shoulder will get sore? Of course, he's worried about more than that. He has to fight someone for re-election. Someone who's already making him his bitch. Which is why his dippy little campaign manager sent out an email talking about Rick going 'over the line'. See, Rick criticized his lame attempt to swiftboat him. He also thought Cornyn was pretty weak for voting against armor for our troops. Cornyn's not happy with that... he doesn't refute the fact that he voted against the armor, he just thinks Rick's mean for bringing it up. He'll of course claim this is patently untrue. Media Matters looked into it and concluded it was true. So did Vote Vets. None of that matters to Cornyn's campaign manager who thinks it's all really mean.

Hon, this is Texas. EVERYTHING is over the line. Maybe you'd be more comfortable running a race in North Dakota.

Lookit, R's. With every email you piss us and EVERY TEXAN off. You wanna play this as politics as usual, go ahead. However you're just going to come away beaten down like a baby seal. We're meaner than you and we know damn well this country and this state can't afford more of your mistakes. Our troops can't afford another WMD goose chase. Our people can't afford higher interest rates because you refuse to tax your buddies. Our economy can't handle your singular focus on high oil prices to help your friends in the energy industry.

We're going to elect Rick. Period. We're going to bloody you while we do it. We're going to be ugly, nasty and downright mean. And the brill part is that all we have to do is tell the truth. We'll call out every lie and we'll make sure the rest of this state knows just what kind of a coward you are for voting to protect telcos and the President over the rights of your constituents.

We'll never let them forget about their fancy Senator who hunts with a 28 gauge shotgun.

While you're good and pissed off at Senator John Cornyn, go take his little poll.

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February 28, 2008

Roundin' up the TPA

This week's round-up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.

TXsharon has a broken modem so Bluedaze is suffering but she managed to post about The RRC's approval of Atmos Energy's extravagant spending--bendover Texans. Also read about howPhil King meets Karma in Wise County and hear the horrendous sounds of the Barnett Shale.

Off the Kuff offers his incomplete list of endorsements for the Democratic primaries, and for his birthday rounds up his complete list of candidate interviews.

Gary at Easter Lemming Liberal News has blogged an eventful week or two climaxing with Paul Burka becoming a believer in the Obama Borg - Democrats can take back Texas. Wow.

Over at McBlogger Mayor McSleaze commemorates Kirk Watson's Deer In The Headlights Moment while McBlogger, beverage in hand, watches the Debate and puts the smackdown on wingnuts still drinking the school voucher Kool-Aid

The Texas Cloverleaf makes it back safely from Oklahoma City and discusses the National Stonewall Democrats meeting there, as well as the upcoming LGBT Presidential Town Hall in Dallas on Monday night.

PDiddie at Brains and Eggs had a report on Obama's visit to Houston last Tuesday, and also noted the end of the Fidel Castro era in Cuba. Open Source Dem had part three of his "Texas in Play" series, entitled "Jim Crow Lives".

Hal, who writes Half Empty, went to early vote last Wednesday and has some poll observations and some Fort Bend County stats.

Bill Howell of StoutDemBlog reminds us of some Texas election history that is relevant for this year's Democratic Primary, in Don't Be Confused By Names.

Muse was at the Bill Clinton fundraiser in Houston this week where she fulfilled a lifelong dream to touch him – handshake! She notes that not all college students are for Obama – witness the Daily Texan endorsement for Hillary. And, she receives an email where Obama encourages Republicans to crash the Democratic primary, to vote against the bad, scary Hillary. More Hillary stuff coming this week on musings!

WhosPlayin tries to explain the "Obama Movement", and has a run-down of which Texas blogs are endorsing Clinton or Obama.

Vince at Capitol Annex notes that the Texas Democratic Party has instructed county and precinct officials not to interpret election results for the media or political campaigns, and asks if national Democrats will still respect us (or call or visit) after March 4.

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February 27, 2008

THIS makes me so mad!

As unbelievable as it sounds, there are some really stupid people working at the Dallas Fed, namely W. Michael Cox and Richard Alm. Well, maybe calling them stupid is too harsh. They are more like idiot savants, so narrowly focused on one piece of data that they ignore the fact that their research is largely pointless.

Cox and Alm hypothesized that the gap between rich and poor isn't that large in terms of of per person consumption. And they've proved it!

Richer households are larger – an average of 3.1 people in the top fifth, compared with 2.5 people in the middle fifth and 1.7 in the bottom fifth. If we look at consumption per person, the difference between the richest and poorest households falls to just 2.1 to 1. The average person in the middle fifth consumes just 29 percent more than someone living in a bottom-fifth household.

To understand why consumption is a better guideline of economic prosperity than income, it helps to consider how our lives have changed. Nearly all American families now have refrigerators, stoves, color TVs, telephones and radios. Air-conditioners, cars, VCRs or DVD players, microwave ovens, washing machines, clothes dryers and cellphones have reached more than 80 percent of households.

They do acknowledge that the gap in income is 15 to 1. They also acknowledge that people in the lowest fifth of wage earners (also known as more than 30% of this country) are basically living on double what they earn. They explain this a number of ways...the poor are selling assets (because everyone knows that the poor are very asset rich), cashing in insurance policies (because everyone knows the poor are loaded in terms of fully vested insurance policies) and living off their savings (because everyone... you get the gist, right? On this one though, I have to ask these two idiots, When, exactly, were the poor supposed to build up positive balances in their bank accounts while spending more than they make?).

Ok, so I lied. These are two of the DUMBEST economists on the face of the planet. Seriously, they lump in here the working poor, retirees and people who are taking time off from work (or are between jobs). Now those people do have disposable savings and non-taxable sources of income. However, even these folks aren't living on 9k per year. But, let's think in terms of averaging. What do you do about the massive number of people in this group who are making the average or less and have nothing to fall back on? Obviously, they aren't living beyond their means. What is THEIR level of consumption? These two brill economists make no attempt to even consider that. Nor do they even bother to analyze the fact that at a certain level of consumption, income becomes largely irrelevant. Which is the most interesting bit of data that can be used to refute the claims of certain 'conservatives' who think if you pay the poor an actual living wage all they'll do is spend every dime. This data supports the progressive idea... the poor would actually build savings just like those in the middle fifth and above income groups if they actually made enough TO SAVE.

This data could have been very useful in terms of talking about wage inequality and the need for living wages. Instead, the two economists from the Dallas Fed choose to make it all about buying stuff. Nice work, guys.

For another excellent counterpoint, click here.

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February 26, 2008

Texas House News O The Day - Thompson and Betty Brown

Dawnna Dukes is still, despite her protests to the contrary, taking money from forces aligned with Speaker CradDICK. Some of her contributors include Bob Perry And Harold Simmons (of Swiftboat fame) and Michael Stevens who is one of the largest Republican donors in Texas (in terms of dollars, not physical size)

Brian Thompson could seriously use some of your help... financial or volunteer. If you want better government, then you gotta work to make it happen, folks!

Just for fun, here's a great video from Thomspon and the endorsement from the Slag (hey! Everyone gets one right every now and then!)

Betty Brown up in HD 4 has a serious challenger named Wade Gent. Yeah, they're both Republicans. However, like with some Democrats, there are good and bad Republicans. Gent is a good one who genuinely cares about the people in the district and wants to serve them. Betty Brown would rather toll the whole district, which is exactly what the big business funded Empower Texans wants.

ET has sent out a mailer on Betty's behalf claiming that her opponent has taken money from 'librul casino interests'. It's all a lie since the family in question, The LaMantia's, have given a ton of money to mostly Republicans... like Speaker CradDICK and Lt. Gov. Dewhurst, both of whom are supported by none other than Betty Brown. Which makes Betty a pretty big hypocrite.

The letter claims that Betty is a leader in the Texas House but the reality is that she's, at best, a back bencher with no real power despite being an ardent supporter of Speaker CradDICK. Why else would it take so long for necessary transportation projects in her district to get done? The reality is that the projects now being built were shoved through by former State Rep. Clyde Alexander who was far and away more effective than the tired, old Brown.

They've even gone so far as to cast Betty Brown as a reformer. Which she most certainly is not. Of course, the M Q Sullivan of ET would never want anyone to know about how Betty Brown voted to raise taxes on the middle class and reduce them on the wealthy in some kind trickle down experiment that did exactly what Democrats said it would do... PROVIDE NO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. Further, her stupid experiments in reforming school funding have resulted in little additional money going to schools. Betty's answer? Throw up your hands, abandon responsibility and talk about how great vouchers would be.

That's pretty ballsy, Betty... to admit you're such a screw up that you can't fix the problem you were hired to solve but STILL want to keep your job? Wouldn't it be great if we could all abandon our responsibilities and give up, yet still get to keep our jobs like Betty Brown of Terrell?

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Heather Wilson (R-New Mexico) and magical wiretap (that's not illegal)

Last night, Rep. Heather Wilson was on CSPAN bleating on about how we're "less safe and less secure" because the D's in the House won't pass retroactive immunity. What she's leaving unsaid? That it was illegal. What Bush did and what the companies aided and abetted, was ILLEGAL.

So, who is Heather Wilson? A former topless dancer, Heather has fear-mongered her way into the US House despite her horrendous haircut and criminal sense of style. Mostly by making the people of Albuquerque so scared they've actually become incontinent.

Later, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Georgia) came on to lie about the telecom companies by saying that they were REQUIRED by the Patriot Act to comply with the wiretaps. Which is why they now need retroactive immunity for doing something illegal. Phil, seriously, does your brain actually control your speech or are you simply a robot controlled by the White House?

Finally, toward the end of the Republican's pantomime, was Michael McCaul, my Congressman, who's scared of them terrawrists. He called this all a 'dangerous game of politics'. He's right... the future of our country is at stake. Will we cave in to fear and allow Republicans like Michael McCaul to take our rights and make us slaves or will we turn them out and drive them from office?

The bottom line, Republicans, is that the American people will NEVER forgive immunity. NEVER. The only thing you can do is pass a liability cap. However, we're going to find out just how far up it went.

And people will be going to jail.

(Oh, and Mike... I feel shame when it says 10th Congressional District of Texas under your name. That was Jake Pickle's seat. Before that, it was Lyndon Johnson's. Those were real Texans, brave men who did what was best for their nation. You are a scared little politician. And Dan Grant is going to beat you like a drum.)

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February 25, 2008

DHS and the plan to gut civil service

Apparently, DHS has given up on that brill idea to gut civil service laws and hire non-union folks.

The Department of Homeland Security, in a court filing Friday, said it will not pursue rules to curb union rights and will abide by regular civil service labor-management procedures.

Shortly afterward, a federal court issued an order closing the case, and the union that fought the rules declared victory.

Colleen M. Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, yesterday called the result "a welcome end to a battle well worth fighting."

The battle began in the summer of 2002, when the Bush administration signaled that it wanted to create a separate personnel system for Homeland Security, changing how employees would be paid, promoted and disciplined.

Bush officials contended that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks required changes that would give more discretion to managers and permit quicker deployment of workers without notifying their union representatives.

The plan outraged federal union leaders and a number of Democrats in Congress. When the department and the Office of Personnel Management issued rules for a new personnel system in February 2005, the NTEU and other employee groups sued. The union also began lobbying campaigns to stop the rules on Capitol Hill.

The proposed rules would have allowed the Department of Homeland Security to override any provision in a union contract by issuing a department-wide directive. The rules also would have made it difficult, if not impossible, for unions to negotiate over arrangements for staffing, deployments, technology and other workplace matters.

In August 2005, U.S. District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer blocked the department's plan, saying it did not ensure collective-bargaining rights for Homeland Security employees. A year later, a federal appeals court ruled against the department.

Just curious, but how much taxpayer money was wasted on advancing a stupid idea dreamed up by retarded Republicans on a purely ideological crusade?

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Rich : Grand Old White Party

Oh, if you haven't read Frank Rich's column this week then go take a look here. Well worth the read.

I know, I know... short posts suck. Sorry. It's the end of the month (look at a calender!) and I'm terribly busy.

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February 22, 2008

Wilkes Sentenced and the Grand Old Docket

You too want to know what's happening with all those Republican corruption scandals? Cool how great minds think alike. TPM is doing the Grand Old Docket, a list of the players and linking them to the current disposition of their cases.

In related news, Brent Wilkes was sentenced to 12 years. In the federal pen. When he comes out he'll be far more buff. He'll also answer to the name 'Princess'.

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Muth's (half) Truths and outright lies

Vouchers are a great idea, according to some guy named Muth. So is a Contract with Conservatives. Welcome to the world of the nutter right blogosphere.

In Muth's world, public education is a bottomless money pit into which our tax dollars sink. Of course, he's right if only because we haven't been putting enough into them since the 1980's.

There is only one way to truly improve the public schools…and paying teachers more money ain’t it.

The only way to force the public schools to perform better is to force them to compete with other schools. And that means giving parents the power and the authority and the means to make a free choice in education.

If the neighborhood, government-run, union-controlled public school does an adequate job in a safe environment, parents will send their kids there. If not, they’ll send their kids elsewhere. It’s as American as apple pie.

This is the exact same concept as the Kenny Guinn Millennium Scholarships. Students who qualify can go to any approved public OR PRIVATE college or university in Nevada. Why shouldn’t the parents of elementary or secondary school kids have the same choice? Our priority should be on saving our students’ futures, not saving our schools.

Where to begin... first off, if you invest just enough money into a company to keep it going but not enough to really improve effiency and production, you have what's called a stripper company. For a while, things will be OK. However, as your capital investment continues at a super low rate, you'll lose your best staff and eventually you'll start losing money. That's basically what Republicans have done to public schools. By not making necessary investments in Teacher pay and pensions, not to mention our substandard facilities, we're seeing poor test scores and substandard educations.

The Republican answer? Rather than admitting the error and correcting it, they decide to throw up their hands and scrap the whole thing by giving folks vouchers. In Texas, your voucher would be around 6-7k per year. You'll need all that and more to send your kid to a private school. Think about paying 8-10k PER SEMESTER.

Of course, the point is ALWAYS lost on Republicans that if WE put 20k per year per student into public schools they'd be in pretty good shape, too.

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Tolls : Dunnam calls out TXDOT

Spot.On.

Jim Dunnam Waco Tribune-Herald Copyright 2008

Take the toll route?

Tolling Interstate 35 lanes through Waco is a terrible idea, and I’m committed to stopping it.

The Texas Transportation Department is claiming budget shortfalls over the next 25 years. Its claims are exaggerated.

One independent analysis says the agency is overestimating the shortfall by $30 billion. In addition, the 2007 state auditor’s report identified an $8.6 billion error in the shortfall and questioned another $37 billion because of improper documentation.

At a recent Senate committee hearing, TxDOT admitted to another billion-dollar “accounting error.”

At that Senate hearing, Sen. Steve Ogden expressed dismay at TxDOT’s financials, calling them “screwed up.”

More diplomatic, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst wrote that TxDOT “does not show the complete financial picture.”

Sen. Kirk Watson summed it up best, stating Texans “cannot trust the Texas Department of Transportation or the policies that are consigning Texas to inadequate roads and privatized tollways.”

Even a cursory look at the facts proves the senators right. The current state budget appropriates $16.9 billion to TxDOT — that’s a $1.8 billion (12 percent) increase over its previous budget. In fact, the 2007 Legislature gave TxDOT over $200 million more than TxDOT even requested.

In addition, TxDOT’s planning process doesn’t factor another $9 billion in revenue — $3 billion in State Highway Fund bonds, $5 billion in voter-approved general obligation bonds and the possibility of $1.3 billion in Mobility Fund bonds.

At the Senate hearing, Sen. Judith Zaffirini suggested the “funding crisis” and the “solution” of toll roads is simply TxDOT “scheming to promote its own political agenda.”

So what is that agenda?

Gov. Rick Perry and his appointees overseeing TxDOT make no secret they want to make Texas a toll road state.

Their ultimate goal is to create a new privatized source of money that will be free from public accountability.

Tolling Texas roads was an idea sold by Perry in 2003 as a limited tool for communities that wanted tolls. However, once voters said OK, Perry revealed his true plans — a Spanish-run Trans-Texas Corridor and a series of toll roads crisscrossing Texas.

The first phase would take 71,661 acres and 8,036 other parcels of private land to build a road that would cost Texans more than $20 to travel one-way from Dallas to Austin.

Once this real agenda came out, the Legislature promptly stopped it, overwhelmingly passing a moratorium on most toll road projects.

Threatening Waco

Perry’s reaction was to have TxDOT start threatening local cities. That’s exactly what just happened to Waco — either “agree” to toll I-35 lanes or TxDOT will cancel existing projects and delay all plans to expand I-35.

While threatening Waco with “toll lanes or no lanes,” TxDOT chose to award more than $84 million from “Strategic Priority Funds” to Grayson County for local projects — that’s most of the cost of putting eight full lanes on I-35 through Waco.

While undoubtedly important to Grayson County, these projects are not statewide “strategic priorities” like I-35.

This just shows that the tolls agenda is one of choice, not necessity.

Money from Perry’s toll lanes will go to issue bonds for other projects. The bond money will be separate from the main state budget, meaning there will be almost no legislative accountability.

And lack of legislative accountability is the exact reason TxDOT feels safe in threatening our communities and thumbing its nose at the Legislature. TxDOT’s main funding, the gas tax, is dedicated by the Texas Constitution.

That means TxDOT can ignore the Legislature and still know it will get its money.

Bonds from toll roads will be like another dedicated revenue source, making TxDOT autonomous and the situation worse.

TxDOT needs to be reined in and made accountable. TxDOT should provide the Legislature with accurate information; but how to pay for the roads should be decided by the Legislature.

The Legislature will work to address Texas transportation needs responsibly through cooperation at the federal, state and local levels. But in order to do that, TxDOT must be an honest and accountable partner.

Our forefathers gave us great free roads in Texas. Our legacy should not mean our children have to pay an extra $3 to drive from Lorena on I-35 to buy a Health Camp burger. Instead, Central Texans need to stand up and say “no” to toll lanes on I-35 — and I intend to do just that.

Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, is State Representative for District 57.

(Via TTC Archives)

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February 20, 2008

TLR no mas?

The morons who brought us 'lawsuit reform' have been dissolved, according to a press release from TXIR (via BOR).

Good riddance, douchies!

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February 18, 2008

FISA... where lies and exaggeration come to live

Unlike the rubber stamps in the Senate, the House Democrats handed a HUGE victory to citizens in this country when they decided to put off consideration of the Senate FISA bill until they were damn well ready. Which means the temporary law passed in August will expire this weekend.

Bush is already claiming that it leaves us open to terrorist attack. Which is bullshit because the taps already in place have a year to run and new ones can be obtained, instantly, with a 72 hour window in which the government can then seek a warrant from the FISA Court. That's the old law. It gives the government 72 hours to obtain a warrant AFTER a tap has been initiated. Needless to say, Bush's argument is pretty weak that this is about 'protecting 'merucans'. The reality is that this is all about protecting the corporations that cooperated illegally with the government on the illegal wiretaps Bush authorized between 2001 and 2005. See, without immunity, these companies are going to be sued. And during discovery, the people of the US will find out just how it goes up the executive branch. That could leave Bush himself open to prosecution AFTER leaving office.

The funny thing about this? These companies claim they were just doing their patriotic duty which is crap. They knew they were doing something illegal and, in the case of Qwest, some refused because the government wouldn't give the companies a letter from the AG saying this was all legal. THAT'S what they need to be immune from prosecution and lay this all off on the executive branch. They didn't get it because the program wasn't legal which means the boards of these companies should fire and sue the executives and legal advisers who allowed the taps to happen.

Yes, this is all about protecting the illegal actions of telecom companies and the President. Not protecting Americans. Even Cornyn got in on the action...

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told Cybercast News Service the expiration of the law does in fact present a clear and present danger. "It is a fact that 3,000 people died on September 11. It is a fact we have been able to use this [FISA] capability to stop further terrorist attacks. Now I know it's a little hard to prove something that didn't happen, but the testimony from highly placed officials within the intelligence community, the director of national intelligence, and others say this is an essential activity that will save lives."

Oh, but Senator Cornyn, DNI McConnell directly contradicts you on this. He says this will have no effect on intelligence gathering, other than making the Administration do things legally. Which means, Junior John, that your gutless defense of an illegal program is making you look weak as hell. What kind of a Texan are you, Senator? One of the cowardly ones?

For that matter, what kind of Texans is Hans Klinger of the Texas GOP? Friday afternoon he issued a press release going after Lampson, Rodriguez and Edwards for leaving along with the rest of Congress when it was clear there was an impasse. I guess no one told Hans that the nation IS still protected by wiretapping laws and that the real issue is an immunity deal for companies and President Bush. Wait... just reread the first part.

Hans, bubie, let me clue you in on something since you're evidently smart enough to write but not to keep your mouth closed when you breathe. Lampson is the only one you've got a prayer of beating and considering that only a nutter will get through the R primary in FBC, you're probably screwed there. Rodriguez is in a strong position and Chet Edwards... well, Chet's going to beat down whoever you run against him like Ali did Frazier in Manilla.

Texans know these Congressman did the right thing. It's the President and Congressional Republicans who are off the reservation. And we all know it.

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February 14, 2008

Just how BIG is DoD's Budget?

BIG. In point of fact, it is just a few billion shy of being more than what the rest of the ENTIRE PLANET spends on defense. And brings up a good point... Instead of raising taxes, the Republicans have just run massive deficits. Which drives up the cost of borrowing. Which in turn makes it more expensive for consumers to buy cars, houses, everything. Which acts as a drag on the economy, not just in higher borrowing costs but in terms of a weaker dollar. A weaker dollar means dramatically more expensive energy prices which leads to inflationary increases in the prices of EVERYTHING. The end result, if we're lucky, will be a mild recession.

If we're not lucky... well, read The Grapes of Wrath.

The reality is that our infrastructure and social safety net are crumbling. It's not just the roads and medicare/medicaid, it's schools, police, fire depts, community colleges and universities. By spending an inordinate amount on defense, we're sacrificing our economic prosperity now and in the future. Food for thought for all the 'strong on defense' hawks.

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February 13, 2008

Tolls : A week of fun

Carona comes out in favor of raising the gas tax. He still won't commit to ending toll deals which is a real concern. The reality is that tolling isn't a good way to raise money. Period. It's not good for taxpayers and it's certainly not good for invesotrs.

Speaking of investors, they're taking a bath on the Central Texas toll roads...

According to that statement, the three roads will make $8.7 billion in toll revenue through 2042. In that same time, there will be $7.2 billion in debt payments for that borrowed $2.2 billion, $1.1 billion in operations costs, $752 million in routine maintenance and $388 million for long-term maintenance. The net of all that? Almost $750 million in the hole over 35 years.

More like an economic jalopy.

Yeah, the traffic projections aren't panning out either. Traffic is about 73% of the projections. Didn't see that one coming

TURF's suit moves ahead with depositions due this week from TTC Commissioners Saenz and Houghton. Good luck, TURF!

In other privatization news, the Camino Columbia toll road (the first private 'superhighway' in Texas) was sold... to one of it's original investors. The road was built for $90million and sold for $12million. What a great investment! If you're looking for other great investments with a similar return, you might try Bear Stearns. I hear they are trying to unload some SIV's chock full of subprime paper.

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Oh, let's all freak out!

So, the Obama campaign opens an office in Houston and someone puts up a Che Guevara flag. Pandemonium ensues. Then there's this from Orland Sanchez...

Che was a terrorist who invaded my homeland and took away our freedom. My family and millions of other Cubans fled the communist state that he (Che) and Fidel Castro imposed on our homeland....

I am requesting on behalf of all Cuban-Americans that Senator Obama demand that the image of Che be removed from his campaign office and that the staffer that hung the flag is dismissed immediately from the campaign staff.

Which all has the Obama campaign scrambling. A bit.

Josh Earnest, an Obama spokesman, just called to say the campaign supports all volunteers, and appreciates their enthusiasm. But he said, "Clearly the display of that symbol doesn't reflect Sen. Obama's views or his policy toward Cuba."

Of all the stupid crap to focus on (instead of the erosion of our liberties, our economy in shambles, millions without health insurance, deteriorating infrastructure) this is probably the dumbest. Is there no limit to the triviality that will make it into the news? Of course, we do kind of live in a glass house on this one. But then again, we aren't exactly reporting the news all the time.

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Like hope, but different

Scared, stupid old man...

And here's why I really dislike Grandpa Pander... He's now FOR the tax cuts he was against in 2001 and 2003. Usually it's funny to watch someone compromise their last shred of integrity. However, this is just sad.

``We need to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. We need to abolish the alternative minimum tax,'' he said last week in Wichita, Kansas. ``We need to have a corporate tax cut from 35 to at least 25 percent.'' The cost of those proposals would exceed $5 trillion over 10 years, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington. ... On the stump, McCain seems uncomfortable with economic prescriptions, preferring to talk about the war on terror. In December, he told the Boston Globe that economics ``is not something I've understood as well as I should.''

The scariest thing? When they started talking about a stimulus package last month, his initial reaction was to propose a spending cut at the Federal level which would have actually SLOWED growth, further damaging the economy.

Whichever Democrat faces this douche needs to call his proposals what they are... bullshit. Supply side economics didn't work for Reagan and they certainly haven't worked for Bush. Not to mention that they are a massive failure for those of us in the bottom 90% of earners.

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February 12, 2008

FISA ... this is just sad

Final passage of the bill is still hours away, but all the amendments to the bill to strip away telecom immunity (basically, giving the telecom companies a pass for their past illegal actions) and restore the rule of law failed overwhelmingly. With help from the Democrats.

More here at FDL, KOS and from Greenwald. You can click here to sign a petition asking the House not to give in on telecom immunity.

In case you were wondering, our own Senator's John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison voted to keep OFF the amendments protecting the Constitution from the bill. None of this is particularly surprising since Cornyn and Hutchison are well known as nothing more than rubber stamps for President Bush. They've abdicated their responsibility to Texans (and violated their Oath of Office) by voting against these amendments. It's good to see that AT&T's money buys folks that stay bought. You're a real asset to the people of Texas, Senators. Way to sell out your constituents.

Oh, but it was about protecting 'Mericans, right? Not really. The only reason this bill was needed was to strip the requirement that you actually have to obtain a warrant to tap communications so that you can eavesdrop on a US citizen. Now the President can do that at will. The other reason was to protect telecom companies (like SATX based AT&T) from being sued by people whose rights were violated by the company.

Finally, at the end of the day, Cornyn may have actually believed that this was the right thing to do protect us from terrorists. Which makes him a coward. As Franklin said more than 200 years ago, he that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety deserves neither.

Just FYI... exclusivity, the provision within the bill establishing that this bill IS the law and that the Executive must obey it, was stripped. The original FISA had exclusivity which is why Bush and the telco's were afraid of prosecution for their illegal actions. The Senate has now given them a pass on prosecution AND the ability to ignore the provisions of the new law when they feel like it.

PLEASE take a 20 seconds out of your day and sign the petition. If you want to restore the rule of law in the United States, it's one thing you can. Aside from electing BETTER DEMOCRATS and, as it turns out, BETTER REPUBLICANS.

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February 11, 2008

Does Bob Perry own John Davis?

He does,according to John Davis.

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February 08, 2008

May I see your papers?

Customs and Border agents are being a little intrusive in their searches. Two issues here:

1) An electronic device should be as secure as a briefcase. You may be able to look inside the briefcase, but you can't look AT the contents. A computer is the same thing, but easier. You should only be able to xray the damn thing. It's not like anyone has managed to digitize a bomb and put it in a Word document. Unless you count a conference call agenda.

"It's one thing to say it's reasonable for government agents to open your luggage," said David D. Cole, a law professor at Georgetown University. "It's another thing to say it's reasonable for them to read your mind and everything you have thought over the last year. What a laptop records is as personal as a diary but much more extensive. It records every Web site you have searched. Every e-mail you have sent. It's as if you're crossing the border with your home in your suitcase."

2) WTF? Profiling?

Customs sometimes singles out passengers for extensive questioning and searches based on "information from various systems and specific techniques for selecting passengers," including the Interagency Border Inspection System, according to a statement on the CBP Web site. "CBP officers may, unfortunately, inconvenience law-abiding citizens in order to detect those involved in illicit activities," the statement said. But the factors agents use to single out passengers are not transparent, and travelers generally have little access to the data to see whether there are errors.

Although Customs said it does not profile by race or ethnicity, an officers' training guide states that "it is permissible and indeed advisable to consider an individual's connections to countries that are associated with significant terrorist activity."

"What's the difference between that and targeting people because they are Arab or Muslim?" Cole said, noting that the countries the government focuses on are generally predominantly Arab or Muslim.

What's next? Allowing the fuckers at TSA to do shit like this? Congress needs to act to restrict this kind 'security'.

(h/t to BlueBloggin')

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Thank you, Senate Democrats (and FU Sen. Gregg)

By a wide margin, the stimulus package has passed both the House and Senate. It's now on it's way to Bush who has been waiting for it, crayon in hand (make your mark here, Mr. President!).

Senate Republicans blocked a measure Wednesday that would have expanded aid to the elderly and disabled vets. It would have also given subsidies for heating oil and coal to people desperately pinched by the increase in oil prices and would have extended unemployment benefits to those whose benefits had already expired. Senate Republicans didn't like helping out the poor and elderly. Especially our own Senator John Cornyn who was congratulated on the vote by the tone deaf folks over at Lone Star Times (read the comments if you want to see some true 'compassionate' conservatism). Let's hope the senior citizens of Texas don't forget that while they've been going broke on a fixed income paying for gasoline, Sen. Cornyn's more concerned with keeping oil company tax cuts in place than helping them out 'the little people'.

What IS it with you Republicans? You're OK with corporate welfare but extend a helping hand to your fellow citizens and you throw a fit? Damn. And here I thought only Cheney was heartless. You people are so full of hate you'll drive the whole damn country into a depression just to make your damn point. To wit, this from Senator Gregg

"We have to remember that every dollar being spent on the stimulus package is being borrowed from our children. And our children's children," said Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who voted against the bill.

Gee, Senator, I don't remember you voting against any of those tax cuts that gave us massive deficits and dramatically increased federal debt. Methinks your 'conversion' to fiscal conservatism is a little late in coming.

The good news? Sen. Reid in his first decent act of the new year has decided to bring the extended benefits up over and over again. Good on you, Harry. Now drop this telecom immunity BS and let's get this country working again!

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Lamar Smith is Famous!

Have I mentioned lately how grateful I am that thanks to re-re-redistricting this asshole isn't my Congressman and Lloyd Doggett is?

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 06:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 07, 2008

The Republicans have the candidate...

...who will be beaten by either Clinton or Obama. It's John McCain. So long, Mittens!

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Oregon rolls out domestic partnerships

Good news from the pacific northwest...

A state law allowing Oregon's same-sex couples to register as domestic partners belatedly took effect after a federal judge ruled the state's process of disqualifying petition signatures was consistent enough to be valid.

The state quickly announced Friday that the domestic partnership applications were available online, and jubilant gay rights activists predicted hundreds of couples would line up on Monday morning at county offices to register.

"We're a family. We've been waiting for this for a long time," said a beaming Cathy Kravitz of Portland. She said she and her partner of 21 years will be among those registering Monday.

The law passed by the 2007 Legislature was to take effect when the new year started, but U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman suspended it to hear testimony about a petition drive that sought to put the law before voters.

The petitions fell 96 signatures short of the 55,179 needed to refer the law to the November 2008 ballot. The petitioners claim that county clerks rejected signatures improperly.

The Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based group that advocates for Christian legal issues, said it would appeal Mosman's ruling.

The fight, of course, continues. Texas will join the rest of the nation in offering this sometime in 2690.

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February 06, 2008

Voter ID and Voter Registration : The party never stops

OK, so first off we have Greg Abbott continuing to persecute minority Democrats for helping people vote.

Hebert complained to Berman's committee last week that Abbott has prosecuted Texans "who appear to have done little more than mistakenly help senior citizens by delivering already completed and sealed ballots to the post office or an elections administrative office."

Of 13 voter fraud-related indictments, virtually all are African Americans or Hispanic senior citizens, Hebert noted.

He told the committee: "What is especially troubling is that while Greg Abbott's office has prosecuted minority seniors for simply mailing ballots, he has not prosecuted anyone on the other side of the aisle for what appear to be open and shut cases of real voter fraud."

Hebert told the committee about alleged voter fraud in heavily Republican Highland Park involving the mishandling of over 100 ballots and a memo from local prosecutors calling on Abbott to investigate the 2005 complaint. He explained that the attorney general's office handed off the complaint to the Texas secretary of state "for evaluation of as potential criminal prosecution."

He called that "a stalling tactic" because it is the AG's office that evaluates criminal prosecution.

Nothing has happened, according to Hebert.(HouChron)

This came out during a recent hearing on, AGAIN, voter ID laws that we don't need. Harris County TAC Bettencourt was there. Noticeably absent was Travis County's TAC, Nelda Wells-Spears. She's busy trying to keep her elected office in the face of strong opposition from former Rep. Glen Maxey. Maxey recently released an ad regarding her offices purging of thousands of voters. She blames it on the state. Maxey calls bullshit. The Statesman doesn't really know what to make of all this...

Maxey is widely considered an expert on voter registration and has focused his campaign on that task, which is handled by the tax office. He has accused Spears of mishandling two separate issues.

One involves the possibility that hundreds or thousands of Travis County residents' registrations may have been canceled when a new statewide voter-registration database came online last year.

Spears sent letters to 8,500 county residents warning of a potential problem. She and the secretary of state's office blamed each other for the situation.

Meanwhile, Maxey sent out fliers accusing Spears of being more eager to point fingers than to solve the problem.

On Wednesday, Spears and Scott Haywood, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office, said that they had worked things out.

So there was a problem but it's been fixed? How did it become a problem in the first place? How did the SOS get pulled into what is a in fact a function of the county? The only thing that's clear is that Nelda ISN'T on top of this. While we understand that the TAC can't just register people out of thin air, if a mistake was made, why not send out letters to those who were purged along with a new registration card?

Apparently, no one thought that about. Spears thought the problem would be self evident.

Spears, quoting state law, said she is not allowed to restore those purged voters unless they re-register or the county clerk's office can produce paperwork it says it doesn't have.

She added that those voters had clues that they were not properly signed up, such as not getting a registration card in the mail.

No, ma'am. When something gets screwed up or when a mistake is made, you don't wait for someone to catch it. Unless you're either lazy, immature or stupid. These folks had no idea what was happening and your solution was to just sit back and let those who were purged catch the mistake? You never heard of being proactive when it comes to solving a problem?

It's never been more clear than now that we need a new TAC. Period.

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The TXDOT hearing... doodie aflyin'

Well, it's been interesting. First off was this article in the Star-T detailing out the problems with TXDOT's claims of poverty.

Poor planning inside the Texas Department of Transportation -- and not a shortage of state or federal funding -- is to blame for an ongoing cash crunch that led the agency to stop most road work in 2008, members of two state Senate committees said.

"I think we have an agency in turmoil. I think we have an agency in chaos," state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, said during a joint meeting of the Senate finance and transportation committees in Austin. "I think it's intellectually dishonest to blame Congress or the state Legislature for problems caused by poor planning."

Then we moved on to the Trans hearing yesterday during which TXDOT got bitchslapped. Or did they? Sources have told us that members of the Senate Trans Committee met with TXDOT officials the day before the hearing a closed door session. Additionally, other's have called the Republicans on the commission 'chummy' with TXDOT officials during the meeting yesterday with the exception of Sen. Ogden who is really feeling the heat from anti-privatization forces. Not from the Stahls, of course, because they have lost all influence as a result of their sellout during the session last year on a toll moratorium.

CapAnnex has their own take and a great quote from Zaffrini

“The impression out there is that, really, this is a ploy to put pressure on us to go back to the toll road plan,” said Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who said the Texas Department of Transportation is scheming to promote its own agenda.(DMN)

Then there was this one from Ogden...

“This is screwed up,” said Sen. Steve Ogden, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. “I understand how to do a cash flow statement. I understand how to do an income statement. This isn’t one of them. This is really bad.”

EOW brings the point home by pointing out (again) that the Republicans who've stood in the way of gas tax increases repeatedly since 1993 are the ones who should bear the blame. These same folks then pushed through the privatization legislation in this first place.

Finally, in what I'd like to call "To MOTO, with love", I'd like to take a moment to say THANK YOU to Sen.'s Watson and Zaffirini. Glad to know you guys are finally seeing through the bullshit and the lies. Welcome back to the light, kids!

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February 05, 2008

Tolls : This week in BS

Today is the Joint Committee hearing on TXDOT. Sal is liveblogging it and so far we have Tran Commissioner Saenz admitting to Senator Watson that he's incompetent. That's right, a Transportation Commissioner of the State of Texas admitted he was incompetent and that the poor mouthing TXDOT has been doing is based on nothing.

Keep going, Kirk. Do what Carona was too fat and lazy to do.

Dewhurst is apparently not buying TXDOTs protestations of poverty...

“I’m at a loss to see why they’re saying (that) now when we’ve given them additional tools they’ve chosen not to take advantage of,” Dewhurst said in an interview late Friday afternoon. “It appears they haven’t used them. Maybe we’re wrong.” TxDOT officials were not available early Monday for comment. But I’ll be hearing from them later in the day and will post what they have to say.

TXDOT is looking for people to serve on Corridor 'Advisory Committees'. This gives ordinary citizens (you and me) a chance to feel like we're 'part of the process' and 'being listened to' without actually, you know, listening us or giving us any real power. Cool, no?

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February 04, 2008

Mehlman hopes for a miracle

The WaPo has a great article up about the Republicans casting about for a message that will unify them. Mehlman has the best quote:

Former Republican Party chairman Ken Mehlman said the party's past successes came when candidates found ways to apply a "core set of principles" to the changing problems of a new generation. "Ronald Reagan and others thought about things like . . . how to apply conservative principles to solve gas lines, Soviet advancement, stagflation," Mehlman said in an interview Wednesday.

He expressed confidence that the wide-open Republican primary is prompting discussion about how conservative ideas can be adapted to solve access to health care, dependence on foreign oil and terrorism concerns. But he acknowledged that, for now, all the thinking appears to be tactical.

"The candidates in both parties have to be concerned about making sure they have a message and a rationale that is broad-based," he said. "The effect of the political process, I hope, will be to encourage that kind of thinking."

See, here's the problem and Krugman NAILS it in his criticism of Obama... Reaganomics were a FAILURE. The only thing keeping it from being worse was a Democratic Congress through most of his term. Bush hasn't had that which is why so many things have gone south, so fast.

But why would a self-proclaimed progressive say anything that lends credibility to this rewriting of history — particularly right now, when Reaganomics has just failed all over again?

Like Ronald Reagan, President Bush began his term in office with big tax cuts for the rich and promises that the benefits would trickle down to the middle class. Like Reagan, he also began his term with an economic slump, then claimed that the recovery from that slump proved the success of his policies.

And like Reaganomics — but more quickly — Bushonomics has ended in grief. The public mood today is as grim as it was in 1992. Wages are lagging behind inflation. Employment growth in the Bush years has been pathetic compared with job creation in the Clinton era. Even if we don’t have a formal recession — and the odds now are that we will — the optimism of the 1990s has evaporated.

This is, in short, a time when progressives ought to be driving home the idea that the right’s ideas don’t work, and never have.

Go ahead, Ken. Get your candidate to talk like Reagan. It'll be fun to see 400 Democrats in Congress... and one in the White House.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:57 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Earmarks in perspective

Recently, we made reference to Bush's complaints about 'earmarks'. We stated that he was complaining about 1% of the Federal Budget.

We were wrong. It's actually less than that. It's .55% of the Federal Budget that Bush wants Congress to pass. $3.1 trillion and they are complaining about not having enough money to public education and infrastructure projects?

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Granger has an opponent

Kay Granger (R - Really Bad Margaritas) has a challenger according to Vince over at Cap Annex.

Tracey Smith (D-Fort Worth), a former TV and newspaper report in the DF/W Metroplex has stepped up to challenge former Fort Worth Mayor Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) in her bid for another term as the district’s Congresswoman.

Mr. Smith, we hope the people of Fort Worth send you Congress. It'll be a huge improvement over Kay and her hair.

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February 03, 2008

Take a new TX GOP poll!

Hans Klinger, Tina Fish and Co. have sent out another email. About another poll they are doing to try to help the R Presidential candidates bone up on issues that are important to Texans. Go let them know what you think is important.

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February 02, 2008

What About Pat Buchanan? Will No One Think About Pat Buchanan?

Not that I'd want to influence anybody's vote, but...

"If you've got a Hillary and McCain race, you've got a third option: That's the pistol on the bed table."

-- Pat Buchanan on MSNBC

Chances are, of course, that the old kultur kampfer is just venting some steam out his ass. But hope does spring eternal.

It's what keeps us buying lottery tickets, after all.

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February 01, 2008

New Republican group to dump money into negative ads

Looks like there are some really rich fat, white people looking to become VERY public. And very unpopular. That's typically what happens when you start playing in politics with heavily negative groups. Like Freedom's Watch. Fresh off their unsuccessful campaign to 'catapult the propaganda' on the surge, they're now trying to scare people about illegal aliens.

Because that's worked so well for the Republicans. Their only success so far was the election of Robert Latta. In a 64% Republican OH district. Against a D who has run three times and was significantly underfunded. And may, in fact, have been mostly dead.

At this point I have to wonder, why would these people still be in business? 9/11 helped Ari's career because Bush was popular afterward. Now, Ari's real lack of talent is showing as is his rank incompetence. So who the hell would continue funding this ridiculously bad PR firm? Why none other than gambling-meister Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire chair of the Las Vegas Sands Corp. which owns the Venetian Hotel. Guess I'll be staying at the Bellagio next time I go to Vegas.

More on the group...

Freedom's Watch, with its close White House connections and network of Bob Perrys, is a whole new breed.

The group aims to raise and spend approximately $250 million for the 2008 cycle, a vast amount of money they apparently plan to use not only on the presidential election, but to greater effect in numerous House and Senate races throughout the country, where six figures can go a long way.

To review the White House connections: the group is headed by Bradley Blakeman, a former Bush White House official, Mel Sembler, a millionaire former Bush admbassador to Italy, and Ari Fleischer, who serves as the group's spokesman. Much of its support so far has come from Sembler and casino magnate and billionaire Sheldon Adelson, the sixth richest person in the world. (The group intends to "broaden its base" as time goes on, Fleischer says.) The group got off the ground with a $15 million effort to support the president's surge strategy in August, but it's sticking around for the long haul.

And more, via Carpetbagger...

Adelson personally wrote an $80,000 check to Freedom’s Watch on Dec. 7, according to Federal Election Commission documents, just four days before the election that gave Republican Robert Latta the House seat representing the district around Bowling Green. Behind a blood-red foreground, the group’s ad showed Latinos hurrying under fences and being frisked by police as a narrator accused Democratic candidate Robin Weirauch and “liberals in Congress” of supporting free health care for illegal immigrants.

Fleischer said the turn toward the immigration issue should not have been a surprise.

“To us it wasn’t a broadening” of the mission, he said. “We said prosperity through free enterprise and domestic issues were going to be on the agenda. But something had to come first, and what came first was the ’surge’ and the president’s policies in Iraq.”

Fleischer cautioned that the scope of the group’s involvement in the 2008 elections has not been decided. But the roughly $100,000 ad campaign in Ohio is a good indication.

So, lemme get this straight, Ari... you're going to use an issue that's so divisive it's tearing your own party apart and driving one of the largest voting blocs in the US to your opposition? That's sooper smart, Ari.

More on Ari and BS is over at FDL.

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Tolls : Polls are fun!

As part of TURF's successful lawsuit against TXDOT, a number of embarrassing documents have been recovered. Among them is a poll conducted last year regarding the TTC. It's a push poll, meant to 'educate' respondents about all the amazing benefits of the TTC and then ask them how they fell about it.

It's a bit like calling someone, saying that President Bush is going to give them $1,000 and asking how they feel about President Bush. I'd bet $100 that his approval would be in the mid to high 50s, instead of the 20's where he currently sits.

The best part about it... TXDOT PAID FOR IT WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS! The second best part, the poll is tainted and couldn't be used anyway.

1) The sample is HEAVILY Anglo
2) The sample was obviously concentrated into three geographic areas, Dallas Metro, Houston Metro and possibly Austin Metro.
3) Privatization is not mentioned. Not one single time.
4) Tolling is mentioned only in the abstract.
5) There's no mention of the fact that TXDOT will NOT be able to make major improvements to 35 due to the special provisions of the TTC privatization agreement.
6) There's nothing in the poll regarding TXDOT being forced by CintraZachry/Bluebonnet to drop speed limits on 35 to make the TTC more attractive.
7) There's no mention of the fact that should the traffic figures fail to materialize, the taxpayers will be responsible for paying off the bonds... and the profits of CintraZachry/Bluebonnet
8) The sample was not representative of average Texans in terms of party ID, income or education

Of those that actually knew something about TTC35 or TTC69, 18% were likely to support which contrasts nicely to the 28% that were less likely. The remaining people wanted to know what was going on with Britney and K-Fed who were in a custody battle at the time.

One thing is for sure, the more Texans find out about the TTC and the alternatives to it, the less they like the TTC. This was the Governors best shot to put perfume on this pig and it failed.

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January 31, 2008

Thank you, Free Market Foundation!

The Free Market Foundation, a group financed almost entirely by the same big businesses that have been bleeding Texans dry for years, has decided to take on the bipartisan Parent PAC. By talking about the TPA naming it's head, Carolyn Boyle, Texan Of The Year in 2006.

First, a word about the the FMF... some of their past hits include:

Tuition Deregulation - Parents! Students! Are you pissed about your ever escalating tuition bills? Upset that college is too expensive for you or your child? Well, now you have someone to BLAME! The FMF supported tuition deregulation that has driven up costs at public universities all over the state. Because of their hard work, UT Law is now more expensive than Harvard.

Utility Deregulation - Are you, like the rest of Texans who don't live in Austin or San Antonio, angry about your electric bills since 'deregulation'? Well, you can thank the FMF for that as well since they were one of many fighting to let the utility companies screw Texans in Houston and Dallas to the proverbial wall.

Private School Vouchers - One of the big contributors to the 'fight' to kill public schools and bankrupt Texas families as they try to afford private schools is none other than Dr. Hospital Bed Leininger. Yes, he's made millions off Medicare/Medicaid and selling milk from his Promised Land Dairy to public schools. Leininger couldn't have gotten rich without taxpayers. Which makes it curious that he's so eager to dismantle the public school system... one has to wonder if maybe he has plans for a bunch of Leininger schools. Leininger is a major contributor to the FMF which supports vouchers. The Parent PAC opposes them. Which is one BIG reason they want to hurt Parent PAC... well, that and Parent PAC keeps winning.

Of course, the TPA endorsed her because of her hard work not only to maintain the tradition of public education in Texas, but also because of her success in beating back the candidates the FMF loved. Our support for anything else is irrelevant to our endorsement of Boyles. So, we have to wonder if maybe the FMF is mad because we don't share their goal to kill public education in Texas. Oh well, sucks to be them.

One last thing... in FMF circles we are relatively unknown. The FMF has just pointed out all the member blogs of the TPA. We're not particularly fond of the FMF or their ilk and talk about their failures daily. And the FMF just pointed us out. Thanks, guys!

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Dr. Patrick Johnson isn't so much for Democracy...

Apparently, he also thinks the country was founded a Christian Republic. Click here to see more of his delusional rant if you want some laughs.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 30, 2008

A final punch at Thompson

Just like Fred, this video is tired, old and LAME especially when you consider that the majority of it was ripped from one of those retarded Chuck Norris emails.

Good riddance, hillbilly dipshit. You're a lousy actor, a failure of a Senator and I'm sure a bad lay.

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Frivolous Justice

First, let's just point out that every member of the Texas Supreme Court is a Republican. Second, lets remember that 'tort reform' was going to free up the courts and speed up decisions on cases. So, why is it taking so long (in some cases, YEARS) to get decisions out of the Court? Well, they're busy doing things... other than their jobs.

At a time when the Texas Supreme Court's backlog has reached record levels, Justice Paul Green spent a recent workday driving to Corpus Christi to speak to a group of appeals lawyers.

"It's 40 (degrees) and raining," Green said Friday from his cell phone. "Yes, I've got stuff to do at the office, but some of us like to do this."

Green, who wrote the fewest opinions — four — of the nine justices on the high court during the 2007 fiscal year, said it's important to get out of the office and talk about the court's work.

"If all of a sudden I said, I'll just stay in my chambers and work on opinions, I don't think people would like that," said Green, adding that he has a "bunch of cases" that are ready to be issued.

Uhm... I bet the people waiting on decisions WOULD LIKE IT VERY MUCH. You might remember, Green is one of the Justices facing ethics issues. Why not deal with the backlog, Paul. Then fix your ethics reports and pay your fines if there are any assessed. THEN you can go on your little speaking engagements.

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January 29, 2008

HD48 Republicans... in love with CradDICK?

Rep. Donna Howard is facing two Republicans who are vying to get beaten by her in November. One has out and out said he'd support CradDICK for Speaker, the other won't say one way or the other. More than likely, either will be taking money from CradDICK in the general.

Folks in HD 48 have a real choice...A Representative who actually, you know, represents them or one who more than likely will represent CradDICK. And Alan Sager who is supporting Pam Waggoner in the race. Remember Alan?

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January 28, 2008

FISA SHOWDOWN ALERT

The FISA bill is headed for a cloture vote in about 40 minutes in the Senate. Greenwald has a story up about it and FDL is going to be liveblogging it. We won't because we have day jobs. However, we will be making calls to Senators about it from our personal phones. You should as well!

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January 27, 2008

More on Escobar's opponent

There's been a pretty lively discussion overt at BOR regarding Republicans running in the Democratic Primary. We talked about a specific race earlier today, that of Rep. Juan Escobar who's fighting off a challenge from Tara Rios Ybarra. Not only did she find the time in 2006 to donate $1,000 to the campaign of the douche who ran against Judge Hinojosa, she also had a spare moment to pose for a pic with him... and 39%.

Know your primary candidates, folks!

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January 25, 2008

Telecom immunity again?

That's right, kids! Much like that horrible casserole your mother LOVED making as a child, telecom immunity is back. This time, the shriveled little troll Harry Reid has joined with Cracker McConnell to shove this through...Greenwald has the text of their convo on the floor yesterday...

We have to finish FISA this week. Everyone should be aware of that point. We have to finish it this week. I know there are important trips people want to take. We have the very important economic conference in Davos that Democrats and Republicans alike would like to go to.

I say, unless we finish the bill Thursday -- and we will not be able to get to it until tomorrow night-- unless we finish the bill on Thursday, then we are going to have to continue working this week until we finish this bill. We have to finish this bill. It is not fair to the House to jam them so that they have 1 day to act on this legislation.

If we finish it this week, I have spoken to the Speaker today and they will work to complete this matter next week. It would be to everyone's advantage if we had more time to do this.

I respect what the Republican leader has said, but everyone here should understand all weekend activities have to be put on hold until we finish this bill. Now, it is possible we could finish it fairly quickly. We are going to work from the Intelligence bill, and if amendments are offered that people don't like, I would suggest they move to table those amendments. Because if people think they are going to talk this to death, we are going to be in here all night. This is not something we are going to have a silent filibuster on. If someone wants to filibuster this bill, they are going to do it in the openness of the Senate.

No, no... that wasn't McConnell. That was OUR Majority Leader, Harry Reid. Makes you feel good to have a Democrat in the Senate who's working so hard to make the President's life easy. Who else but Harry Reid would take

Absolving telecom companies for their illegal actions

Extending Presidential power to dramatic new highs

Creating, down the road, one hell of a Constitutional quagmire

so seriously?

We at McBlogger would like to take a moment to thank Senators Dodd, Feingold and Kennedy for standing up to the little old man from Nevada.

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Have some fun... take a survey!

Tinafish and the TX GOP have decided to do a survey to find out what's really important to voters...

We are pleased to share with you today our next set of questions related to foreign policy. I'm certain that you are frightened like me at the thought of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama making these important decisions.

Remember that the results of these surveys will be provided directly to each presidential candidate. We want your voice to be heard right now even as the candidates are in other states.

Click here to take their little survey.

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TOLLS : BUSTED!

Here's a bit of fun... at the TTC-69 Townhall in Hempstead, Hank Gilbert filmed Texas Transportation Commissioner Houghton ADMITTING to using taxpayer funds to lobby for the TTC in violation of state law. In this clip, Houghton admits to hiring a lobbyist in DC to lobby for more highway money for Texas.

He's right about that number. The problem is, we've been sending majority R delegations to Washington for years and getting nothing in return. See, that's what members of Congress from this state are supposed to do... get transportation dollars flowing in.

Way to go TURF and fantastic job to Hank Gilbert for leading this fight. For those of you who don't know, one of Hank's promises during the election was to stay on top of the TTC and tolling whether he won the election or not.

Good to see at least one guy who ran for office is keeping his promises. God knows Staples isn't.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Senator Watson talks to YOU

Note from McBlogger: State Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) was kind enough to write a guest blog for the Texas Progressive Alliance as we continue to push our TexRoots 2008 Slate of Candidates. Texas Progressive Alliance Blogs are publishing this guest blog today. We have a special place in our heart for this piece... click here to find out why. While we do get irritated with our Senator from Travis County from time to time, we do love him to death.

A few months back, a certain progressive blogger took note of a piece I had published. This writer responded with an entry that was mostly complementary – I'd guess we agree about 90 percent of the time. But then, after hitting a point I thought was pretty inarguable, the writer called me a "MOTO."

Most of you who read Texas' great progressive blogs probably know what a "MOTO" is. I, on the other hand, had to turn to my 18-year-old son (and pop culture crutch) Preston, who steered me to something called urbandictionary.com. There, I finally learned the truth:

I am, it seems, a "Master Of The Obvious".

It was kind of a frustrating revelation, partly because it's true. But if I've learned anything at all in my year as a State Senator, it's that what's so obvious to me (and to acronym-wielding bloggers) seems downright foreign to so many others – particularly the Republican leadership in the Texas Capitol.

Here are just a few MOTO moments from the past few months:

•It's wrong for a governor to use a 39 percent mandate to rig state agencies in ways that benefit corporate contributors, privatize public roads, and ignore the real health and educational needs of this state.

•It's wrong for a lieutenant governor to wage a partisan campaign to ram through a voter screening bill that targets Hispanics and the elderly. It's worse to force a very ill senator set up a sick bed outside the Senate Chamber simply to block such a terrible, discriminatory proposal.

•It's wrong for a speaker of the House to stand before a body of democratically elected officials who gave him his office, and then declare he has absolute power to ignore them.

•It's wrong for Supreme Court justices to stretch campaign finance laws, or to ignore law and precedent in rulings that protect political contributors, or to take advantage of a politicized criminal justice process.

•And it's very wrong for a high court judge to slam shut the doors of justice as early as possible, even when it means sending a man to his death.

All pretty obvious, right? Well, not to the people who've run this state for all these years. And that's where we all have work to do.

We are right. We are anxious to do great things for Texas, to restore opportunity, and to create reasons to hope for a better future.

But we can't just know that. We can't just talk to ourselves.

We can't assume it's obvious.

We must make it apparent to anyone who cares about this state and where it's headed, and we must remind them of the most obvious statement of all: Texans cannot trust the Republican leadership.

I'm talking about the political bosses, bullies, ideologues and figure heads that control the agenda, bury the opposition, and block any bill that runs counter to their dogma.

I'm talking about the folks who are more interested in taking irresponsible pledges than in solving Texas' challenges, who will deny the most verifiable fact if it doesn't conform to their ideology, and who will embrace every budget trick before they level with Texans about what people are worth to them.

I'm talking about the select group that's denied children health care at any cost, that's allowed our colleges and universities to become overcrowded, underfunded and inadequate, that's watched our highways deteriorate while forcing Texans to choose between crushing traffic and private toll roads, and that's denied and deferred environmental problems, leaving our children to fix them.

Here's what's most obvious: only the Democratic Party will bring about the positive changes that Texans need and demand.

That means we have to do all we can this year -- we must make it obvious -- that the people of Texas must challenge the so-called absolute power of the Republican leadership. Once we make MOTOs out of everyone, Texas will elect strong Democrats in 2008.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Perry's staff is in some hot water

Remember that guy who filed all those requests for emails from the Governor's office? Well, the first batch is in and they are a hoot.

One e-mail from former Secretary of State Jack Rains sparked a heated discussion about the possibility that former state Rep. Ron Wilson, D-Houston, could be appointed by Perry to a high-level state post, such as the Texas Department of Public Safety oversight commission or the University of Texas Board of Regents.

"I cannot imagine a worse Republican appointment," Rains wrote Perry's office Nov. 2. "I would hope every Republican will urge the governor to never consider this racist for any office."

Wilson is black. Last May, he briefly served as House deputy parliamentarian under Republican Speaker Tom Craddick.

After receiving a copy of the e-mail, Perry's appointments secretary, Ken Anderson, wrote back that Rains, a veteran power broker in Texas Republican circles, had been drinking when he wrote the message.

"Ron might be called many things, but racist is NOT one of them," Anderson wrote. "Jack must have written that late in the afternoon after coming back from one of his long liquid lunches."

Rains told the Star-Telegram he wanted an apology from Anderson.

"I don't know Mr. Anderson. I don't drink at lunch, and he doesn't know me very well or he wouldn't say something stupid like that. You may quote me on that," Rains said.

In one series of e-mail exchanges, aides passed around a news article about state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo.

In the Texas Weekly article, one of Zaffirini's opponents, former Webb County Judge Louis Bruni, calls the longtime senator an "evil, vindictive, mean woman."

"Can you believe this quote?" Kathy Walt, Perry's deputy chief of staff, wrote in an e-mail to fellow top aides.

"Truth can be mean," Black responded.

Zaffirini called Black's comments "outrageous" and suggested he was angry that she helped lead a successful drive to restore millions of dollars in community college funding that Perry had vetoed last year.

Black declined to discuss the specifics of the exchanges or to say whether apologies would be forthcoming.

Let's see... you managed to call a member of your own party who was appointed by 39% to be Secretary of State no less, a drunk. Then you try to float the idea of appointing Ron Wilson to something which is, in and of itself, the sign of a VERY disturbed intellect. Then you call a State Senator an "evil, vindictive, mean woman".

Nice work, y'all!

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January 24, 2008

Juan Escobar has an opponent with CradDICK connections

Well, it would appear that Juan Escobar's opponent is being helped by none other than Joe Garcia, the Republican Leininger lobbyist who is actively supporting Mindy Montford in the Democratic Primary. I met Mindy last night (Burberry shirt, Mindy) at UDems and honestly found her to be an intelligent person who would make a great DA. Anywhere BUT Travis County.

The unique nature of the Travis County DA's office makes this an important post in statewide politics. I'm sure there's no quid pro quo between her and her R supporters. However, politics is all about perception and the perception is damn hard to shake. Especially when you have a major supporter and contributor pushing hard to take out a good member of the Democratic Caucus in the House.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

New sense of bipartisanship in DC dies

The WaPo has an article up about the rush to get a stimulus package through and the partisan 'cease-fire' that is even now beginning to break. The money quote on the economy comes from some minor R douche...

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) fired back, blaming the nation's economic ills on the Democratic-controlled Congress. "One year into a liberal Democrat majority in Congress, surprise, surprise, the economy is struggling," he said. "You don't need to apply liberal principles and policies on an economic slowdown that is being driven by liberal policies on Capitol Hill."

Uhm, Mike... the D's haven't been able to pass large parts of the economic plan that might have saved the citizens of this country because Bush keeps vetoing the legislation they've worked so hard on and you keep voting to sustain those vetoes. The economy HAS been struggling for years because the foolish ideologically driven policies of you and your party. If I were you, Mike, I would remember a piece of sage advice we've all heard from time to time : Better to be silent and thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

According to several sources, the 'stimulus' package has the support it needs to go to the President. However, it's all smoke and mirrors. It'll be June before a taxpayer sees a check and those business tax cuts will be used for dividends, not job creation. The only difference between now and what the Republicans did in 2001 and 2003 is that the Democrats were intimately involved this time. Nice work, boys and girls. You all fail Econ101.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

In other news...

Wendy Davis and her crack legal team have thwarted the best efforts of Senator Brimer to keep her off the ballot. Which clears the way for an aggressive campaign by Davis to unseat the ineffectual Republican Brimer

Looking for change at the Transportation Commission? You're SOL...

Commission member Ted Houghton of El Paso was blunt about Perry’s influence.

“This is the governor’s program. If we go in and try to scrap some piece of his program, I think we’re going to have hell to pay with our boss, and that’s the governor,” Houghton said. “He was elected by the citizens, not us. We are an extension of what he believes.” (SAEN)

And here I was stupidly thinking y'all were serving the citizens of Texas, not the narrow interests of 39% and his campaign contributors. So much for the whole 'being a good public servant' thing. Now there are rumors about a replacement for Williamson being shoved down 39%'s throat that will make a lot of Democrats VERY happy.

Once again, Huckabee uses the gay=bestiality talking point to garner support. You're quite the man of God, Mikey!

It's been more than almost six weeks since Dawnna Dukes said she'd come clean on her ethics report. To date, nothing has been rec'd by the TEC. So when will you be done, Dawnna? Matt over at BOR has an interesting article up about a piece in the AusChron talking about the race between Dawnna and Brian Thompson. Apparently, calling someone a 'CradDICK D' is akin to a racial slur.

But due to the support several of its members showed for Craddick during the unsuccessful challenge by Jim Pitts and later in the session, they have been tagged as Craddick Ds. Strother, who is also Dukes' campaign spokesman, called it "comparable to using a slur, whether it be a racial or sexual. It's a lowbrow way." Since no Democrat was running for speaker, he said, "The difference between Pitts and Craddick is different right-wingers blocking legislation." Still, several other members of the group have since distanced themselves; District 45's Patrick Rose went from seconding Craddick's speaker nomination at the opening of the last session to disavowing him on the floor by sine die.

So, now we're racists for not liking Dawnna. Oh hell, Colin. Why not make something else up about the differences between Pitts and CradDICK? The reality is, Pitt's would have been a much weaker Speaker than CradDICK and would have been forced by the Democrats to, for instance, fully fund CHIP. Thanks to Dawnna and the other members of the Iscariot Caucus, we got CradDICK again.

It's also worth noting that she affirmed she may still support CradDICK...

Even now, she says, she would not rule out backing Craddick as speaker again next session.

That should come as no surprise... after all, you never know when a client might need some help in the way of state taxpayer largess.

What IS it with the Republicans on the Supreme Court? First, it was that Medina guy in Houston(even more on this at OTK). Now it's Nathan Hecht who apparently loves him some Southwest Airlines and Justice Green? When will it end with the corrupt Republicans? Apparently, not anytime soon since even Debbie Riddle now has an ethics complaint filed against her.

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January 23, 2008

Big news on the the TURF front

This isn't good...as part of the discovery process in TURF's lawsuit against TXDOT, they've uncovered massive payments and retainers to lobbyists who were used to 'sell' toll roads to elected officials. Just to clarify, taxpayer dollars are being used to lobby elected officials to support something that taxpayers don't want. Check out the link for the names and amounts.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

HD 52 Candidates in Review

EOW has a great piece up with help from the AAS beaking down the R candidates in HD 52. The one that will probably oppose Maldonado is Daniel, the Krusee clone. He loves him some tolls which will go over big with the toll loving people in HD 52.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 22, 2008

Giuliani the vengeful dick

Bet you money someone in the Giuliani campaign gets fired for not killing this story in the NYT about Giuliani's tenure as Mayor of NYC. Let's just say he left a lot of bodies in his wake...

In August 1997, James Schillaci, a rough-hewn chauffeur from the Bronx, dialed Mayor Giuliani’s radio program on WABC-AM to complain about a red-light sting run by the police near the Bronx Zoo. When the call yielded no results, Mr. Schillaci turned to The Daily News, which then ran a photo of the red light and this front page headline: “GOTCHA!”

That morning, police officers appeared on Mr. Schillaci’s doorstep. What are you going to do, Mr. Schillaci asked, arrest me? He was joking, but the officers were not.

They slapped on handcuffs and took him to court on a 13-year-old traffic warrant. A judge threw out the charge. A police spokeswoman later read Mr. Schillaci’s decades-old criminal rap sheet to a reporter for The Daily News, a move of questionable legality because the state restricts how such information is released. She said, falsely, that he had been convicted of sodomy.

Then Mr. Giuliani took up the cudgel.

“Mr. Schillaci was posing as an altruistic whistle-blower,” the mayor told reporters at the time. “Maybe he’s dishonest enough to lie about police officers.”

Mr. Schillaci suffered an emotional breakdown, was briefly hospitalized and later received a $290,000 legal settlement from the city. “It really damaged me,” said Mr. Schillaci, now 60, massaging his face with thick hands. “I thought I was doing something good for once, my civic duty and all. Then he steps on me.”

Mr. Giuliani was a pugilist in a city of political brawlers. But far more than his predecessors, historians and politicians say, his toughness edged toward ruthlessnessand became a defining aspect of his mayoralty. One result: New York City spent at least $7 million in settling civil rights lawsuits and paying retaliatory damages during the Giuliani years.

After AIDS activists with Housing Works loudly challenged the mayor, city officials sabotaged the group’s application for a federal housing grant. A caseworker who spoke of missteps in the death of a child was fired. After unidentified city workers complained of pressure to hand contracts to Giuliani-favored organizations, investigators examined not the charges but the identity of the leakers.

“There were constant loyalty tests: ‘Will you shoot your brother?’ ” said Marilyn Gelber, who served as environmental commissioner under Mr. Giuliani. “People were marked for destruction for disloyal jokes.”

Mr. Giuliani paid careful attention to the art of political payback. When former Mayors Edward I. Koch and David N. Dinkins spoke publicly of Mr. Giuliani’s foibles, mayoral aides removed their official portraits from the ceremonial Blue Room at City Hall. Mr. Koch, who wrote a book titled “Giuliani: Nasty Man,” shrugs.

“David Dinkins and I are lucky that Rudy didn’t cast our portraits onto a bonfire along with the First Amendment, which he enjoyed violating daily,” Mr. Koch said in a recent interview.

Oh, yes... it gets better. Apparently, when Mayor 9/11 was contemplating a run against Hillary for Senate, Giuliani couldn't stand the thought of his successor being a political enemy. So, he spent millions on a campaign to alter the city charter that voters soundly rejected, 3-1. Read the whole article to find out just a few of the many things Mayor 9/11 did to enemies, real and perceived. The man made Nixon look perfectly forgiving and magnanimous.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Oh Really, TinaFish? You're this dumb?

The TXGOP sent out an email yesterday asserting that Rick Noriega 'accused Teachers of being in the cheap seats'. Seriously. What TinaFish didn't pick up on is that Lt. Col. Noriega was talking specifically about Ray McMurrey who has spent an inordinate amount of time in his campaign, and in his speech to the AFL-CIO convo on Saturday, basically trying (unsuccessfully) to tear down Noriega. Here's the quote which TinaFish included in VERY small print:

"It's easy to talk from the cheap seats when you haven't been in the trenches for a long time fighting for Texas families," Noriega said. (Kelly Shannon, “Noriega, McMurrey make cases to labor activists,” AP, January 19, 2008)

Go read the article and Vince's summary on Noriega's speech (which received a standing ovation, natch). The reality is that while Ray's been doing an admirable job teaching kids in his school, he hasn't been fighting some of the battles that Noriega's fought in the Texas House against Republicans like TinaFish. Battles to increase Teacher pay, for example.

All this brings to mind, though, just how bad Republicans like Noriega's eventual opponent Senator John Cornyn have been for Texas teachers. Here's one and here's another. Then there was this about Republicans trying to destroy the pensions that Teachers have been promised. Here's something about keeping Teachers from Social Security income they deserve. If memory serves, Senator John Cornyn actually voted for this along with the other Republicans in Congress from Texas.

I'd link more (there are eight pages of them over the last two years) but I think you understand as well as I do that the real people who want to keep Texas Teacher's in the 'cheap seats' are the Republicans. They've certainly been doing a good job of it so far.

Sorry to break this to you, TinaFish, but Cornyn's going to be running against Lt. Col. Noriega. And he's going to kick Senator John Cornyn's ass.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:02 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

January 21, 2008

Abbott continues the Republican tradition...

...of floating really bad ideas. Via EOW and Todd Hill at Burnt Orange comes some information you may have missed about Wheelie's proposal to privatize CHIP. With the help of the courts, which he expects to order parents to buy insurance.

Yep. If the parents can't afford to buy insurance, the state courts will order them to buy it, 'based on their ability to pay'. Which is funny since people who can afford insurance overwhelming HAVE insurance while those that can't, don't. Wheelie didn't say how he'd bridge the gap between an empty wallet and a court order. What's next, Wheelie? Debtors prisons?

Wheelie doesn't seem to get that CHIP works great when the money is available. However, it hasn't been because the Republican leadership in the Lege didn't want to appear soft on kids. So the federal funds they could have used to fully fund CHIP didn't get used. We lost that money thanks to inept ideologues and the people that keep in them in power.

Good job there, Abbott. Way to really get to the heart of the matter! With public servants like you, it'll be no time until we have a system that closely resembles a banana republic... completely private and far more expensive health insurance than ever before.

Tell you what, Wheelie. You find a private insurer that is as efficient as a government program and I'll be all for it. You can't, though, because one doesn't exist. They might, but only if those $1.2 bn executives were cut off. Until there are some financial controls put on out of control management teams, shareholders AND consumers will continue to take it on the chin. And privatization will continue to make as much sense as sticking your hand in a running garbage disposal.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 19, 2008

Weight Loss The Republican Way

Extra poundage competing for too much space on your pushcards? You could call Jenny... or you could just fire up Photoshop

HOUSTON - A mailer from a congressional candidate's campaign contains a photo of his head attached to an image of a different body that makes him look thinner.

The photo is presented as a true image of Dean Hrbacek, a Republican former mayor of Sugar Land. In reality, it is a computerized composite of Hrbacek's face and someone else's slimmer figure, in suit and tie, from neck to knee.

Hrbacek, a tax lawyer and accountant, did not immediately return a call to his campaign headquarters Friday by The Associated Press. He is seeking the nomination to run against Democratic U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson.

Hrbacek's campaign manager said the candidate had been too busy to have his photo taken. Chances are he'll have a lot more free time after the primary.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 11:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 18, 2008

Transportation funding in the spotlight...

Raising the gax tax is the answer to the transportation funding crisis? Color me surprised...From the DMN

A federal commission created by Congress called for big increases to the federal gas tax on Tuesday as part of a sweeping overhaul of how America builds and pays for its highways, bridges and transit systems.

The proposal for a 40-cent increase over five years touched off a stormy debate in Washington that is expected to last until at least 2009, when legislation governing scores of transportation programs expires and must be rewritten.

Gee whiz! Who would have thought that increasing the gas tax was a better idea than tolling? Oh, that's right. We've been through this, haven't we?

39% is VERY upset about all this, as is Empower Texas, which is little more than a poor man's Cato Institute. Here's 39%'s take...

“Raising taxes is seldom the right answer and sending more of Texans’ money to Washington, D.C. only to have it earmarked, redistributed to other states or locked into outmoded bureaucratic programs will do very little if anything to relieve congestion on Texas roads,” said Gov. Perry.

Uhm... Governor... for YEARS the Republicans from Texas in Congress let Texas get shortchanged on federal funding for roads. This is what is particularly sad about 39%. He's so stuck on his ideological bent and his need to funnel taxpayer money to his campaign contributors that even when a MOSTLY REPUBLICAN body thinks raising the gas tax is a good idea, he just can't accept it. Yeah, the group that issued the report was appointed by the Republican Congress in 2005 and was heavy with them...

Congress in 2005 created the — deep breath — National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission to help it understand what to do about the increasing financial starvation of the nation’s transportation system.

Congress in 2005, you’ll remember, was still controlled by Republicans, so the commission was hardly a nest of fuzzy-headed Demotaxers, right? Well, the commission put out its long-awaited study Tuesday. Its solution for the money shortage: raise more money. The board recommended basically a tripling of the 18.4 cents-a-gallon federal gas tax over the next five years, and suggested that states consider raising their gas taxes as well

One of the members of the commission, one of the ones who agreed that raising the gas tax was the best idea, was Paul Weyrich. He's one of the founders of the Heritage Foundation and has much better conservative credentials than 39%. At least Weyrich doesn't believe in crony capitalism.

Let's not forget that Perry's brill idea was to build massive tollways in the middle of nowhere, spending hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, rather that using our existing right of way. Nice work, 39%. Just a like a good Republican, you've managed to find the most expensive, least effective solution and you've done it in such a way that your cronies can benefit. Marvelous.

We've been a little behind on this for the last couple of days, but we're catching up. Eye on Williamson, Sal Costello, TTC and Dig Deeper Texas all have great articles up about this.

So now we have a Federal commission, chock full of conservative Republicans AND a bunch of Aggies at the TTI telling us raising the gas tax is the best way to fund transportation? What more do you want, 39%? For Jesus himself to come tell you that raising the damn tax is the right thing to do?

Posted by mcblogger at 11:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 17, 2008

Limbaugh doing some gardening?

Rush Limbaugh has found a way to combine two of his favorite topics, Sen Obama and gardening!

What's next, Rush? A minstrel show?

Posted by mcblogger at 11:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Bernanke and the magic stimulus package

You know, from the Democrats AND the Republicans there is nothing but bullshit flowing regarding economic stimulus and that what needs to happen. $10 bn for unemployment benefits. $30 bn for mortgages. $5 bn for lollipops and puppies. Everyone likes puppies.

It's all too little too late and it's mostly a band-aid, even if the Fed Chair is loving all over the plan right now. This money coming down the pipe for homeowners who were taken advantage of? That's only going to delay the inevitable... they need to refi and the only way they are going to be able to do that is substantive changes to FHA to allow these people to convert their subprime loan into a government insured loan at a lower interest rate. The problem isn't that these people can't pay a mortgage, it's that the 2/28 ARM they thought was such a good idea is turning into a nightmare and they have to get out it.

All this is really a sidenote to the real issue which is a complete lack of growth in real wages at a time when the cost of everything continues to escalate. For that, there is tax policy but the R's, regardless of common sense, will not let that through because it violates that supply side ideology of which they're so fond.

Here are some other things we need to think about doing... all this is spending, even if deficit financing is needed, that'll create jobs here boosting our economy and tax receipts.

Infrastructure investment - We need at some massive investment in our transportation infrastructure from Washington to keep privatization off the table and spread the burden of improvements evenly. The great part about this is that this is money spent to improve the growth capacity of our economy. It also dumps money into the people who will work on the project, tightening the labor market, improving consumer spending and increasing wage growth.

Alternative fuels crash program - We really needed this to start in October, 2001 but with el Presidente was too focused on not capturing Osama bin Laden. We need to dump money into R&D on alternative fuels and begin a crash program to get us off as much petroleum as possible through the Brazilian model (sugarcane ethanol). This will alleviate our short term problem (too much money being sent overseas) and the R&D will help us take the next step to energy independence, probably with algae.

Now, how to pay for it? Easy. Bring the marginal tax rate up on the upper bracket to 42% from 35% today and eliminate the capital gains tax cut which is really a boon for speculators that have been running wild in the commodities markets.

Do all this and you'll stabilize and begin to rebuild the middle class.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 16, 2008

Oh, Hans... you're the little 'tard who could!

You gotta love the Republicans for their ability to stand up and keep flinging shit even when it's clear their own party is falling apart faster than Mayor 9/11's campaign. Via Capital Annex comes word that Hans Klinger (the R spokesperson) is putting out emails trashing Lt. Col. Noriega. Because that's what Republican's do... they shit all over vets.

Per Hans Klinger

Times are tough at “Camp Noriega,” as Noriega learns that being the Burnt Orange Report’s ‘chosen one’ ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. The passion and fervor of the netroots community hasn’t translated into fundraising success (according to his press release, Noriega’s fourth quarter 2007 contributions were a shocking 40% lower than the third quarter 2007), and the stress has lead to staff turnover and other miscues.

Staff turnover? Not really. The fundraising hit is bs, as Vince points out, but not just because of the Pres race. What Hans Klinger fails to mention, because he's either trying to hide it or is just being a douche, is that the fundraising totals were down a little because the campaign wasn't able to raise as much in Q4 as they did in Q3 when self-funded candidate Watts was in the race. See, the FEC gives candidates some slack when they are running against well-off candidates by increasing the amount of money they can take in from individual donors.

But I guess no one told Hans Klinger that. One has to wonder if anyone told him that the moribund party he was hired to work for is rapidly circling the drain.

Posted by mcblogger at 05:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vicki stands by her man

You gotta love it when people have the integrity to stand up and boldy declare they are FOR pay to play politics, greed and yes, a smattering of corruption. It shows gumption if nothing else, which is what Rep. Vicki Truitt is really all about. Well, that and rank stupidity...

"I have not seen or experienced the injustice that you write about," Truitt said, referring to journalists who she said have unfairly portrayed Craddick as a tyrant.

Rep. Truitt... a word of advice. You RUN from things that can hurt you. In case you didn't realize it, just the mere mention of CradDICK in a race has become enough to swing voters over to a Democrat. In a heavily Republican area. In fact, here in Texas he's become the equivalent of calling your opponent a librul. Texans hate CradDICK more than they hate libruls. Even the man's chief of staff is jumping ship.

Granted, you may well be safe. But then again, Moffat may make this an issue and pull that seat right out from under you. Just sayin' is all.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 15, 2008

A note about races in Travis County...

For those of you who were unaware, the R's have decided to run people against Representatives Bolton and Howard. Here's Burka's CW take on things...

Valinda Bolton (D) -- She won a Republican district in 06 but has serious opposition from Donna Keel, Terry's sister-in-law. A huge race.

Donna Howard (D) -- Like Bolton, Howard wrested her district from Rs in 06. She faces Leander school board member Pam Waggoner. Also huge.

Let's go with Bolton first. I know the Mayor and Captain Kroc will have more on this race. In the meantime, please keep in mind that Rep. Bolton beat a VERY well funded R in 2006 and the last name Keel means, after Terry's performance as Parliamentarian last May, corruption and part of the pay to play system. Everyone knows Keel will be supported by the Speaker and will no doubt follow his agenda which will make her about as popular in the district as someone trying to sell Amway in Lakeway. Let's also not forget that the massively unpopular Commissioner Daugherty is up for reelect this year and has a good D opponent. It'll be easier than ever for people in SW Travis County to vote for a solid D ticket.

As for Howard, actually, Todd Baxter did a fabulous job turning this district into a Democratic one. Not to mention that Donna's done a great job for her constituents given her options. I frankly can't believe there is a Republican dumb enough to take this on but I'm obvs wrong. Look for Pam to get spanked just like Ben Bentzin.

Posted by mcblogger at 07:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Just like Bush...

...not worth a damn...

via Lubbock Left

Posted by mcblogger at 02:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 14, 2008

Brit's have some fun with Tom Delay

Tom Delay is pretty dumb. He tried telling a British audience that health care in America was great! Delay, specifically, said...

“By the way, there’s no one denied health care in America. There are 47 million people who don’t have health insurance, but no American is denied health care in America.”

The crowd, erupted in laughter. Because they're all smarter and more knowledgeable than Tom Delay. Oh, but there's more...

He began his speech by predicted that if a Democrat is elected president in 2008, he or she would seek to install a universal health care, similar to the system in Britain. The crown applauded thunderously!

The British have fabulous universal coverage that's so well liked even Thatcher, at the peak of her power, wouldn't dare dismantle it. And yes, you can still buy private coverage in the UK, just as you'd be able to do under a universal system here in the US.

Tom, it's bad enough that you embarrassed Texans when you were in Congress. Do you have to go overseas and make Americans as a whole look stupid? For some added fun, it looks like Former Representative DeLay has moved back to Texas. And here I thought that cold chill in the air was just a front.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 11, 2008

Cornyn debases himself for the telecoms

SCS has the video up for Cornyn's performance during the FISA debate last year.Go check it out and see why many Texans are calling him the biggest coward ever elected.

Go support Rick and let's put a real Texans in the Senate. God knows, Cornyn's just embarrassing.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 10, 2008

Another Damn Debate

Pull my finger... and get the hell off my lawn!

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 10:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Jay Coxlie is yo mama

(Word to the wise... be careful with the Cornyn links... not all of them go where you think they go)

Apparently, someone tried to social engineer a schedule out of Sen. Cornyn's office and told them they were with McBlogger. Not so much, but to be honest I would have called to get a copy of it if someone had just asked. I'm as curious as the next guy about who Cornyn is sucking off up to for political donations.

Yes, Senator Cornyn, we know fundraising has been tough. CradDICK is having the same problem. Really sorry about all that. It kills us. Really. Now, about that schedule, you can email that bad boy to mcblogger@mcblogger.com.

All this makes me wonder if Selby's out of the loop on the R side or just not interested in doing stories that aren't fed to him. On a plate with a side of pork fat. The really interesting thing is that Sen. Cornyn's fundraising has been pretty lousy. We'll see it on paper soon enough. Maybe Gardner's waiting for that. He sure isn't interested in getting a URL right.

It's WWW.MCBLOGGER.COM

Lucky for Gardner that my server autocreates subdomains on the fly. Like this...

www.senatorjohncornyn.mcblogger.com

www.wgardnerselby.mcblogger.com

www.tomcraddick.mcblogger.com

Cool, no? Personally. I thought the whole thing was kind of a joke, much like Junior John's tenure in office. The sad thing is how the Cornyn people handled it... the boring nerds called Gardner. Had it been me, I would have sent a fake schedule. That would have been funny. Instead, the not-so-clever folks at Senator Cornyn's office decided to report it to Selby. Morons.

ANYWAY, in other Cornyn related news, our Senator has agreed to debate that whacko Kilgore. Of course, they've yet to set a date and I'd be willing to bet $100 that one just won't come up prior to the primary. Because he'll have to be in Washington or something. Though, I have to admit... I'd love to see them out pander each other on their 'Christian' values. Especially since both of them are about as Christian as the Romans who crucified Jesus.

Finally, we're going to have another episode of Cornyn The Author. In this edition, our very earnest but truly unfortunate Senator is talking about pecans which we're thinking he pronounces Pea-CANS. Because he's damn near a yankee (you did catch that he uses a 28 gauge shotgun, right?) and can't pronounce the word correctly anymore.

Declared “the only tree nuts native to North America,” pecans appear early in the recorded history of Texas. Soon after landing on the Texas coast in 1528, explorer Cabeza de Vaca met the Mariame Indians—Native Americans who came to the lower Guadalupe River each fall “when the ripe nuts began to drop like manna,” according to historian Paul Schneider.

Newly arriving Texas pioneers would later discover pecans to be a steadfast friend, creating enjoyment when other food was scarce.

Early Texas publisher William A. Trenckmann remembered a childhood holiday season during the Civil War when the family Christmas tree was a “young wild peach tree.” Its ornaments included nuts and Christmas cookies created despite wartime shortages of wheat flour. “The baking was accomplished with corn meal and honey,” and “scalded peach kernels and shelled pecans were used for decorations.”

The rest of the thing rambles on for a while about pecans in Texas history. Something about Governor Hogg wanting one at the head of his grave. Texas grows a lot of pecans (along with Georgia). Pecans are good for you (master of the obvious, this guy). Pecans are an important part of our history.

See, I got that out in one paragraph. It took Senator John Cornyn paragraph after mind numbingly bad paragraph. My condensed version is way better. You'll die of boredom before you finish reading his tome.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 07, 2008

FISA coming back...

The Republicans and the Administration (along with, unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid) are still pushing for FISA reform to take away your rights and gut the Constitution they've all sworn to uphold.

With a lot of help, Senator Dodd beat them back late last year. Now they're coming back. Just for shits and grins, I thought we'd recap something I found while doing some research last week. What the government wants to do is wiretap at least tens of millions of Americans. What they are doing, because they have credible intelligence, is wiretapping about 100.

What, of course, has never been explained is why they want to violate the privacy of millions. At the end of the day, they are hoping all of us will be more skeered of the terrarists than our government in the hands of the same people who brought you Gitmo! The Holiday Hotspot!. Actually, we're not scared of terrorists or the government.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 02, 2008

Shit tells vomit IT stinks

Via STC comes word that Perry is calling Bush out on fiscal conservatism while Governor...

Texans expressed surprise Friday at Rick Perry's public suggestion that his Republican predecessor as governor, George W. Bush, was never a fiscal conservative.

Perry stuck by his assessment as aides said he has been more of a fiscal watchdog than Bush. Figures kept by the Legislative Budget Board show spending increasing at about the same pace under each governor.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Just how good has the economy been?

We've known for a while that the economy hasn't been on all that great for the vast majority of Americans. The reality is that supply-side economics does exactly what it was always supposed to do... concentrate income and, as a consequence, wealth at the top. Here's a breakdown of the economic gains made from 2003-2005...

Bottom quintile: 2%
Next quintile: 2.4%
Middle quintile: 3.9%
Fourth quintile: 3.7%
Top quintile: 16%
Top 10%: 20.9%
Top 5%: 27.7%
Top 1%: 43.5%

71.2% of the income available in the United States went to 5% of the population. While no one ever said capitalism was fair, it has historically been a good way to create and distribute wealth across a large population. However, what we functionally have now isn't really capitalism, it's a form of pseudo-fascism with incredible amounts of government cooperation with industry, especially in terms of military spending. Whether the Republicans realize it or not, they've engaged in economic manipulation and a redistribution of wealth that is functionally impoverishing the vast majority of the people in this country.

The total income of the top 1.1 million households was $1.8 trillion, or 18.1 percent of the total income of all Americans, up from 14.3 percent of all income in 2003. The total 2005 income of the three million individual Americans at the top was roughly equal to that of the bottom 166 million Americans, analysis of the report showed.

The report is the latest to document the growing concentration of income at the top, a trend that President Bush said last January had been under way for more than 25 years.

Earlier reports, based on tax returns, showed that in 2005 the top 10 percent, top 1 percent and fractions of the top 1 percent enjoyed their greatest share of income since 1928 and 1929.

I suppose it's purely coincidental that the 'trend' toward a concentration of wealth at the top has run along with the rise of 'conservatism' and supply-side economics. And now, it's time to put the brakes on in a big way. This isn't about socialism, this is about re-regulating the 'free' market to stop the abuses, not impose restrictions on profits or make it difficult for people to make a living. It's about recreating the progressive tax system that helped make this country an economic powerhouse and created the middle class.

Now's the time for aggressive moves from the Democrats.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rich on Huckabee

No, not sexually...

The rabid hunger for change, it turns out, has made the very idea of experience as toxic as every other attribute of the Bush White House. The once-heralded notion of a C.E.O. presidency, overstocked with “tested” Washington and Fortune 500 executives like Cheney and Rumsfeld, is now in the toilet with Larry Craig. You couldn’t push the pendulum further in the other direction than by supporting a candidate like Mr. Huckabee, who is blatantly unprepared to be president and whose most impressive battle has been with his weight.

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December 31, 2007

Yes, Debbie, you're stupid

You folks in Tomball are seriously going to have to get rid of Debbie Riddle. She's embarrassing the hell out of y'all...

One defender of ghost voting is Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, who was shown on the KVUE video voting for fellow members and justified it on grounds that the pace of House business is so demanding.

That might be a little easier to swallow if Riddle were not such an enthusiastic supporter of a Voter ID law, which would require ordinary voters to prove their identity before casting ballots. Political hypocrisy is nothing new, but seldom is it this raw: Riddle thinks it’s OK for her to cast votes for colleagues as they make laws the rest of us have to obey.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:18 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Exxon drops itself in the grease

Stop me if you've heard this one before... large oil company opens and exploits a producing field over a period of decades. When the economics no longer work, they shut in production and give up the lease. A new company comes in, negotiates a new lease and attempts to reopen the wells that should be profitable for them since they don't have the large company's overhead and can take advantage of a new tax break.

Only problem is, the large oil company, in violation of state law, dumped trash and other materials down the well to make it very difficult or impossible to reopen. Further, in one case, they killed a producing formation.

The large company? Exxon who has been sued by both the land owner (Exxon lost) and the new company (Emerald... Exxon lost against them as well). All this went to trial years ago. Now, it's with the TX SC which should rule in the next few months. However, while this little legal drama plays out, what the hell has the RRC done? Specifically, what has Republican Michael Williams of the RRC, who's up for re-elect next year, done?

Absolutely nothing. Basically, what Exxon wanted him to do. He should have known for years that Exxon violated their lease AND state law, yet he's done NOTHING. Which is business as usual for the lazy and incompetent Williams who revels in triviality and fails, time and again, to protect Texans. If he didn't know, then he's negligent and should be removed from office.

Damn good thing we have a choice this cycle... Dale Henry.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 30, 2007

Saving al-Maliki

You remember that military funding bill that all the Kucinichites were all pissed as hell about? Bush vetoed it on Friday. As it turns out, there was a provision within the bill that would have allowed American military personnel held and tortured by the Hussein government in Gulf War I to sue the current Iraqi government.

Yeah, I don't see anything wrong with it either. But apparently, it would have resulted in close to $1bn being paid to veterans and their families. The Iraqi's for their part, threatened to pull $28bn from US banks if the bill passed. Uhm, wait a sec... WE ARE THE FINANCIAL BACKING FOR IRAQ. US taxpayers have been happily subsidizing the puppet government in Iraq and now it wants to threaten us? Apparently, it worked with Bush the Weak who caved in like a horny teenage girl after sucking three Zima's through a straw. Screw the troops who fought in Daddy's war! We gotta help our Iraqi friends.

The Democrats, for their part, have been on heavy offense...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, criticized the president's decision.

"The defense bill passed both houses of Congress by overwhelming bipartisan margins and addresses urgent national security priorities," including the pay raise and money for veterans' health care, Pelosi and Reid said in a written statement. "It is unfortunate that the president will not sign this critical legislation."

The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, also expressed dismay at the president's decision.

"This bill is important to our men and women in uniform," Levin said. "It is unfortunate that the administration failed to identify the concerns upon which this veto is based until after the bill had passed both houses of Congress and was sent to the president for signature.

"I am deeply disappointed that our troops and veterans may have to pay for their mistake and for the confusion and uncertainty caused by their snafu."

The disputed legal claims provision in the defense bill prompted the Iraqi government to threaten to withdraw $25 billion in Iraqi assets from U.S. banks, White House officials told CNN.

You mean the Iraqi's have been storing OUR money in our banks? Well, that's awfully big of them. As for threatening a withdrawal, that's some bullshit. We're still holding frozen Iranian assets. We could easily add Iraqi assets as well.

It should be clear, even to the most ardent Republican voter, that Bush is a useless piece of shit who is thoroughly incompetent. It should also be clear that he is the archetype of a Republican elected official. Which means, if y'all want this country to endure, you better start voting Democratic. Republicans certainly can't do the job.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 28, 2007

Kill Them All

The asassination of Benazir Bhutto neatly points out just how miserably Connecticut native and President George W. Bush has failed in the war on terror. Word has just now crossed Bloomberg that a Taliban leader with links to al Qaida is responsible for the death of Bhutto yesterday.

Now, my question is, why are these people still alive? Because, Bush got focused on invadin' Iraq and got distracted from his real job, killing extremists. Which brings up an important side note, one we'll address later... the US never formally declared war because there is no state we're fighting. It's a collection of individuals. One has to wonder about the Administration's claims invoking the Constitutional war powers of the Presidency. We'll come back to that another time. Now, I just want to know why these people aren't dead.

We've asked that question every time Bin Laden pops up with another of his dumbass videos or tapes. We've asked it when there is news out about how swimmingly everything is going in Afghanistan. Now, we're asking it again.

WHY HAS BUSH NOT KILLED ALL THESE PEOPLE??!?!? The only way you can deal with an extremist is to kill him. So where are the roving teams of assassins? Why are we hellbent on invading countries?

There are two ways to win the hearts and minds of people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kill all the troublemakers they can't bring themselves to kill (because of fear or religious beliefs) and dump money into rebuilding the countries.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 27, 2007

Obstructionists!

Here's something interesting that shows exactly who the obstructionists in the Senate really are...

Posted by mcblogger at 03:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Oh, TinaFish

This is pretty cheesy. TinaFish, the ridiculous leader of the Republican Party, is calling on Texas Monthly Editor Evan Smith to resign. Because some paper in Midland erroneously reported that Smith has been encouraging Midland City Councilman Bill Dingus to run against CradDICK.

Now, it's true I've never been a big fan of Evan's (it's the hair) but this is just stupid. Even for TinaFish who prides herself on saying retarded things while watching over the dramatic decline of her moribund party.

You're pathetic, Tina.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 26, 2007

Lemme get this straight...

First, Sharon Keller violated an unwritten policy that one judge can't act on a case assigned to another judge, in effect ruling on a case that was out of her domain. Now she expects a Federal judge to let her out of a wrongful death suit filed by the family of the guy she, in effect, killed.

That's some fucking balls, Sharon. And I totally hope the Federal judge votes against you and you end up losing that shitty strip club on Northwest Highway.

Gee, Sharon, why not countersue them? You know for causing you all this pain and suffering by actually taking you task for killing their relative and all.

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December 24, 2007

Profiles in Dumb : Cornyn The Author (part 1 in a series)

It's no secret that we at McBlogger don't have a lot of love for Junior John Cornyn. However, what may surprise you are the reasons we don't love him. Frankly, we think he's pretty lame. Sure, we could spend hours writing about how he hates the kids by voting against SCHIP, refuses to acknowledge the reality of illegal immigration and has basically spent his entire term in Congress not fighting FOR the people of Texas but instead actively working against them by being little more than a rubber stamp for President Bush.

We could do that but we're not. In point of fact, we've already gone through most of that (just google 'Cornyn' on the sidebar). What really gets us is just how embarrassingly lame he is. Like that time we took him to a drinks party being thrown by some great friends of mine. He spent the entire party drinking Natty Light (he brought his own) and asking people to pull his finger. Frankly, I'm surprised my friends even talk to me.

Let's not even get into that time I fixed him up with his scorching hot chick I knew from work. She still won't return my calls.

Of course, this is all just a bunch of buffoonish behavior from someone who is seriously socially retarded. It's kind of excusable. However, his lame ass, feel good editorials are another matter entirely. The first one I noticed was this one about Blue Bell Ice Cream. Like all Texans, I love me some ice cream. I also have a lot of respect for the folks in Brenham who have turned what was a small, regional brand into a nationally known and respected ice cream. My only bone of contention with them is that they never make enough lemon. Seriously, it would kill you to make some more for the Randall's on Mesa here in Austin?

Cornyn doesn't have a problem with having enough ice cream because he likes the omnipresent Pecan Pralines and Cream. At this point you're probably wondering, "Who gives a fuck what kind of ice cream Junior John likes?". If so, you're not alone. Basically, our esteemed Senator, who some of you elected to work for us in Washington on serious issues, is taking time to write about Blue Bell Ice Cream. If that doesn't piss you off, maybe this will. Texas, even though we've had a Congressional delegation in the majority for most of the last 10+ years, is always getting shortchanged on federal highway funds. We send more to Washington than we get back.

Things are so bad that TXDOT is even reneging on their bloody agreement with CAMPO (Congrats, Kirk!) because they may not even have the funds to build toll roads. So, in short, we'll have no roads built and the bottlenecks we have now all over the state won't be fixed. Because federal highway dollars are drying up. And we have Junior John to thank for that.

While Cornyn writes about how great Blue Bell is, our infrastructure is getting older and far less capable of accommodating the ever growing numbers of Texans that he supposedly serves. But that doesn't bother Cornyn.

Maybe the next time you're stuck in traffic getting more annoyed with each passing minute at the endless field of lit brake lights in front you, you can think about how much Cornyn likes Blue Bell. In fact, think also about replacing him next November with Rick Noriega. He's the kind of Texan that actually gets things done.

Cornyn's too busy eating yet another bowl of Pralines and Cream to get anything accomplished. Other than writing about how much loves the little creamery in Brenham.

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December 21, 2007

What about 39%'s property tax cut?

Yeah, I didn't get mine, either much like Coby over at BAH. Of course, unlike the assholes who voted for 39%, I knew I'd never get it.

It's because I'm smarter than y'all.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 20, 2007

Sign Wexler's impeachment petition

Rep. Wexler has been working hard to give some traction to the move to impeach Cheney. As of last night, his petition was over 100k signatures. Go here to add your name to it. Let the Speaker know unequivocally that it's time to hold the hearings and see where things take us.

Ed. Note - I originally posted that there were 100m signatures which means ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND. The Mayor informed me that some of you were, in fact, too dumb to understand that. So, in the best traditions of the broadcast media, I'm dumbing things down to the lowest common denominator by changing it to K. To me, that means 'kilometer' but he informs that most stupid people read that as thousand. Retards.

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And the Tina Fish speaketh

Via Political Junkie comes TXGOP Chair Benkiser's comments on the Barrett win in HD 97

This is a temporary victory for the most liberal wing of the Texas Democratic Party as the victor will never get to cast a single vote. It will also serve as a rallying cry for the entire Texas Republican community to work together in November to fight these liberal incursions with one positive, conservative voice and vision.

Come on, Tina. A 'rallying cry'? No one gives a fuck about you, your party or your tired old rhetoric, useless ideas and manifold failures. Working together? You're assuming any Republican in this state wants to work with you or CradDICK. The ones I know are sick to death of you.

Conservative voice? Go sell that to the people who are about to lose their home to the TTC or some other toll road that 39% wants to sell off to a European company. Or go sell it to the kids who can't afford college. Actually, they're already focusing their hatred on Bush and all things R. But that really shouldn't keep you from opening your gimp mouth as often as possible. It always helps.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 18, 2007

Dodd wins but we need to get him some help!

Reid pulled Telecom Immunity off the floor by removing the retard SIC version of the FISA Bill, finally caving into the demands of the majority of Americans and Sen. Dodd. Dodd, along with Sen. Kennedy and others, managed to stare this thing down and helped turn the tide to restore the rule of law to the United States of America.

Honestly, watching Dodd yesterday made me proud to be an American and a member of the Democratic Party. The only black mark on the day was the fact that Reid even attempted this garbage. That and of course, Junior John embarassing himself and all Texans by whining about being 'afraid of the terrarists'. Cornyn is a coward, afraid of terrorists when he should be standing tall like a real Texan and defending the Constitution.

Which is what impressed me most about Rick Noriega's statement on the bill.

"On Christmas morning 2004, outside of Kabul, Afghanistan, my buddies and I drove to our base camp to use the computers. We wanted to be with our kids when they woke up that Christmas. To get there we drove through a near ambush--anytime we drove on the Jalalabad Road, it was risky, and we had an incident on our way.

That Christmas morning, I suspect the government listened to our conversations. They occurred between two countries; Afghanistan and the US. They probably didn't realize the difference in tone in my voice as I spoke to my wife and children that morning as my heart raced still from our encounter on the road. My wife did.

I fought to defend our country and our constitution in Afghanistan. I fought for the right to privacy for every Texan. Mr. Cornyn must now stand up for the privacy of every Texan and American too. We as a nation cannot grant anyone sweeping amnesty if they violated the law.

Americans understand the need for safety and the need for intelligence gathering. What they will not accept is an abuse of power, of crossing the line on American's privacy.

I would join Sen. Dodd in opposition to any retroactive provisions that allow a "get out of jail card" for violating the Constitution. If Mr. Cornyn had ever had the opportunity to have his Christmas conversation listened to by the government, on a day that he feared for his life in a convoy on Jalalabad Road, he would do the same."

Go help Rick!

Posted by mcblogger at 09:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 17, 2007

Cornyn the Coward is live on CSPAN

Go watch it now... he's defending the illegal actions of the telecoms and desperately saying that we have to do something now to protect us from the terrorists.

Goddamn, would one of you Republicans please let Junior John know that no Texan in their right mind is going to give up liberty and privacy for security. We're tougher than that and a hell of lot meaner. Tell that sumbitch to man up and vote against this shitty bill.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 15, 2007

Uhm, yeah... we're going to need you to pay attention here

The RRL (viaEOW )has a choice quote from one of the R's vying to run against Maldanado in HD52. If this is the caliber of person they are going to run against the popular Maldanado, you guys are sooo up shit creek.

When asked why he is a Republican, Gordon replied: “I’m a very strong believer in individuals. Government is a necessary component, but should be looked [to] very seldomly. The more we can enhance individuals and their responsibilities, the better our society will be.”

Gordon described himself as being pro-military and a Second Amendment supporter, stating: “The more armed our society is, the safer and more secure our society is.”

“I’m a strong Christian,” Gordon continued. “I believe a nation must be founded on those morals, to remain strong.”

Not to be rude, but an original thought never crossed that little rat brain of yours? My God, Maldanado is going to kcik the shit out of someone like you. Mr. Gordon, you're running for a state office, not a federal office. You don't get to override or extend the Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights. Hell, I don't you even think you know what the hell it says. So let me get your clichés straight...

1) You're for individual people doing individual things
2) Government is a necessary component of our society (this is the most sensible thing I've heard a Republican say... normally all y'all can do is fall over yourselves bashing the government that provides roads, good schools and public safety)
3) You support the troops - Who the fuck doesn't, asshole? Seriously, are you a fucking retard or something? Do you honestly think there is some large segment of the population that doesn't support the troops? Fukctard.
4) You believe in the individual right to keep and bear arms (Damn! I gave away the Second Amendment)
5) You're a strong Christian. So am I. That doesn't mean I want my kids being taught your fucked up, ass backwards beliefs or some kind of creationist bullshit. No one gives a shit if you're religious, douchebag. STFU.

Seriously, is this the cream of the crop for y'all? At least Krusee was kinda smart when he really got going and, I'm told occasionally, even had flashes of brilliance. At least on things unrelated to school finance and transportation. Which just happen to be the most important issues in the district and on which Maldanado is in an unassailable position.

Gordon, don't waste time and money embarrassing yourself. Baselice's polling model doesn't work in 52. You"re going to lose if you run.

Posted by mcblogger at 06:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Uhm, yeah... we're going to need you to pay attention here

The RRL (viaEOW )has a choice quote from one of the R's vying to run against Maldanado in HD52. If this is the caliber of person they are going to run against the popular Maldanado, you guys are sooo up shit creek.

When asked why he is a Republican, Gordon replied: “I’m a very strong believer in individuals. Government is a necessary component, but should be looked [to] very seldomly. The more we can enhance individuals and their responsibilities, the better our society will be.”

Gordon described himself as being pro-military and a Second Amendment supporter, stating: “The more armed our society is, the safer and more secure our society is.”

“I’m a strong Christian,” Gordon continued. “I believe a nation must be founded on those morals, to remain strong.”

Not to be rude, but an original thought never crossed that little rat brain of yours? My God, Maldanado is going to kcik the shit out of someone like you. Mr. Gordon, you're running for a state office, not a federal office. You don't get to override or extend the Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights. Hell, I don't you even think you know what the hell it says. So let me get your clichés straight...

1) You're for individual people doing individual things
2) Government is a necessary component of our society (this is the most sensible thing I've heard a Republican say... normally all y'all can do is fall over yourselves bashing the government that provides roads, good schools and public safety)
3) You support the troops - Who the fuck doesn't, asshole? Seriously, are you a fucking retard or something? Do you honestly think there is some large segment of the population that doesn't support the troops? Fukctard.
4) You believe in the individual right to keep and bear arms (Damn! I gave away the Second Amendment)
5) You're a strong Christian. So am I. That doesn't mean I want my kids being taught your fucked up, ass backwards beliefs or some kind of creationist bullshit. No one gives a shit if you're religious, douchebag. STFU.

Seriously, is this the cream of the crop for y'all? At least Krusee was kinda smart when he really got going and, I'm told occasionally, even had flashes of brilliance. At least on things unrelated to school finance and transportation. Which just happen to be the most important issues in the district and on which Maldanado is in an unassailable position.

Gordon, don't waste time and money embarrassing yourself. Baselice's polling model doesn't work in 52. You"re going to lose if you run.

Posted by mcblogger at 06:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 14, 2007

Texans of the Year - House Democratic Leadership

Today, the Texas Progressive Alliance honors its 2007 Texan of the Year. This year, the Alliance elected to recognize a number of other Texans who have contributed to Texas politics and the Progressive cause during 2007. This week, leading up to the TOY announcement, we brought you our Texas Progressive Alliance Gold Stars. Thursday, we recognized State Sen. Mario Gallegos.

The Texas Progressive Alliance is proud to announce the House Leadership team of State Rep. Jim Dunnam, State Rep. Garnet Coleman, and State Rep. Pete Gallego as our 2007 recipients of the Texan of the Year award.

There may not be another three individuals who have done more for the citizens of the state of Texas over the past four years than Rep. Jim Dunnam, Rep. Pete Gallego. Together, they have led the fight for the resurgence of the Texas Democratic Party. Every day is another story. They fought through the 2006 elections and then they fought for the months leading up to the first day of session. They led the fight against Speaker Craddick in the final days of the session, and are now poised to add to the Democratic gains in the House as they continue their roles as Co-Chairs of the House Democratic Campaign Committee.

Their work together is imperative to the continued progress of Democrats in Texas, but it's their individual efforts that really demonstrate how this leadership team makes the best of one another for the good of all Texans. Here is a brief highlight of what each of these leaders did over the past year:

State Rep. Jim Dunnam

When we had a mere 62 members in the House in 2003. Today, there are 70, including State Rep. Kirk England who announced his intentions to switch parties and run as a Democrat next cycle. In only 5 years, there was full frontal attack on Speaker Craddick's ability to lead, launched by one question by the Waco Democrat: "Mr. Speaker, what is the process of removing the Speaker of the Texas House?" His mastery of the House rules is incredible to watch.

During the 80th Regular Session, Rep. Jim Dunnam led efforts to clean up the mess Governor Perry and the Republican leadership made at the Texas Youth Commission. He worked with Rep. Coleman and Rep. Gallego to lead the fight against expanding new tax cuts for the richest 10% of Texans at the expense of health care and education opportunities for Texas families. He passed numerous bills for his district, but he will forever be remembered for the efforts he made on the House floor, challenging the absolute power of Speaker Craddick.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman

Rep. Garnet Coleman is one of the most progressive members of the Texas House. Rep. Coleman filed over sixty piece of legislation, including (1) legislation end tuition deregulation, (2) legislation to overturn the ban on gay marriage, (3) legislation to prevent the construction of any new toll roads anywhere in the state of Texas. But beyond these strong policy positions, he successfully passed legislation to expand health care opportunities for former foster children and double the funding for cancer research. He continued his fight to fully restore CHIP -- an effort he's worked for ever since Speaker Craddick and his allies cut hundreds of thousands of kids off of health care since 2003.

Beyond his legislative work, Rep. Coleman is the top fundraiser for Texas Democrats, and is well-known for his non-stop efforts in supporting House Democrats across the state. He chairs the Legislative Study Group, which received a Silver Star award from the TPA for its incredible policy work.

State Rep. Pete Gallego

Rep. Pete Gallego is the chair of of the largest bipartisan legislative caucus in the Texas House-- the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. He also sits on the national board of NALEO. He was a top lieutenant for Speaker Pete Laney, and his trust from that better time in the Texas House allows him to remain as one of the most trusted members in the Texas House.

His policy issues are far-reaching, and can range from helping protect our state's natural resources to preventing those horrid voter ID bills behind the scenes. Rep. Gallego also helped temper some of the more controversial issues of the session, including immigration and security.

Rep. Gallego often makes waves quietly inside the Capitol, but his efforts help thousands of Texans from all walks of life. Together, Rep. Gallego, Rep. Dunnam, and Rep. Coleman are extremely deserving for our 2007 Texan of the Year award.

Posted by mcblogger at 05:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

McCaul gets an R opponent

Charles James. The man, the legend, has decided to run against Congressman Mike McCaul in the Republican primary. We at McBlogger just wanted to let you know that we wish you well. Hey, it really doesn't matter to us which Republican gets stomped by a Democrat in November. You're just as good as McCaul.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Telecom Immunity again?!

I know, it's a bit like having the same meal over and over again. Senate Majority Leader Reid is once again bringing the FISA bill up with telecom immunity. Come on, Harry... give it a rest. No one wants it. Except Republicans and what they want has never really been best for the country.

Maybe our problem isn't so much our party as it is our weak, incompetent leadership. For those of you out there with the cocktail flu, this is what I'm talking about.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 12, 2007

GOP, taxes and the plan to save Phil King's ass

EOW has a great post up about Rep. Phil King (R - Fucktard) and his brill idea to run the entire state on a sales tax. My take on it is a little simpler and I don't think it's a massive plan to create a tax revolt, mostly because I know that the end result won't be a tax revolt, it'll be a massive Democratic sweep on a simple campaign slogan : We'll get rid of the sales tax and tax the income of the rich. Wanna see some PWT in East Texas jump to straight ticket D? Pass a statewide sales tax.

Not to mention the fact that it'll crush the economy. That's where this gets interesting.

The law of unintended consequences is a real son of a bitch. There's no way around it, especially not for stupid people like Phil King who, if I had to guess, has an IQ in the lower 50's. A massive sales tax will simply collapse the economy as more and more people contract for goods and services out of state via the internet. This will, of course, cause retailers and the service industry to suffer and lay off people which will create an economic depression in the State. So many people out of work will create a slump in the housing market, which will deflate home values and cripple homeowners.

Regressive? Oh, it's that, too. However, pass this thing and watch how busy UPS gets. Thank God Phil has a challenger who will hopefully kick his pathetic ass.

What we need is for Democrats to start talking about taxes in terms of schools, roads, police, medical care and firefighters. Then Phil King's little brain would go into overload.

Posted by mcblogger at 06:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 10, 2007

Huckabee : Put 'em on uh eyelund

"My administration will be the first to have an overarching strategy for dealing with HIV and AIDS here in the United States, with a partnership between the public and private sectors that will provide necessary financing and a realistic path toward our goals," Huckabee said in a statement posted on his campaign Web site last month.

And now we have an idea what that strategy is...

In 1992, Mike Huckabee, while running for US Senate, said that all AIDS patients should be quarantined and that further federal funding should be frozen because it was already too large compared to federal funding for research on other diseases. He went on to suggest that if celebrities like Madonna and Liz Taylor wanted more research, they should dip into their own wealth to pay for it.

Now, let's dissect... AIDS research funding has absolutely never come close to what is spent on cancer research annually. That's true today and it was true in 1992. So, why did Mike Huckabee choose to lie about how much we were spending? Could it be he was hoping to make political hay off people who were sick and dying? He certainly wouldn't be the first Republican to do that.

As for the quarantine... Mike had this to say:

Huckabee said Saturday that his comments came at a time when "the AIDS crisis was just that — a crisis. We didn't know exactly all the details of how extensive it was going to be. There was just a real panic in this country. If I were making those same comments today, I might make them a little differently."

Bullshit, Mike. Mike recommended quarantine because doctors were, according to him, uncertain about methods of transmission. In 1992. When it was already common knowledge that it was a fluid borne disease and could only be spread through sexual contact or transfusion. About the only thing we were uncertain about in 1992 was the longevity of grunge. How to control AIDS was already well known.

You can choose to excuse Huckabee as just another dumb hick from Arkansas but it's not the case. He's not stupid and you shouldn't fault him for being stupid. If anything, he's willfully ignorant, which makes him the perfect representative of the Republican party. You could also say he's bigoted. That would be entirely accurate.

It's telling that only with a Republican presidential field this weak would this cracker still be on anyones radar.

(H/T to PinkDome)

Posted by mcblogger at 01:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Hey Big Spender

Coby over at Bay Area Houston has expanded on his Spending Campaign Cash series and is now working on County Commissioners, specifically, Republican Harris County Commissioner Eversole who likes to spend his campaign cash on fancy leather outfits. So far, Coby hasn't found a sling purchased during his fetish shopping spree.

Now it appears that the Harris County DA is looking into Mr. Eversole!

Hey Coby! Take a look at Gerry Daugherty's campaign finance reports! I wonder if you'll find something interesting other than trips to that shitty Mulligan's place in Lakeway.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 07, 2007

Economy : No! Don't.Say.The.R.Word!

'Advanced Manufacturing' is something that Labor Sec'y. Elaine Chao is really excited about. We used to call it final assembly, but Frank Luntz has been hard at work helping the Bush Admin to spin this pig of an economy. Elaine thinks this will save the US economy. Of course, by the time it's clear it won't, Elaine will be off on to a consulting gig. And trust me, no one on Wall St. will miss her or her pollyanna economic analysis.

Here's what's out today

Non farm payrolls are in for November at 94k, full 60k less than the US needs to maintain static employment levels. Which means that over the past 6 months, we haven't hit static levels in any month. Unemployment held steady, mostly because the government is running those #'s in a really funky way. For one, after about 12 weeks you fall off the count whether or not you have a job. Which makes the Admin look good but hides how bad things really are

University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment falls from 76.1 in November to 74.5 in December. The dollar falls still further

Household income was marginally higher than expected, but still anemic and running behind inflation when you count food and energy prices. Which the Government doesn't.

But what about the subprime fix-it from Treasury Sec'y Paulson? Too little, too late. To paraphrase Senator Durbin, you have people drowning 20 feet offshore and the Bush Admin just tossed them a 10 foot rope. Not to mention the onerous guidelines for the freeze that are even tougher than those for an FHA loan. Then you throw in what this will do to the debt maket...

``If the government goes in and changes contracts it will definitely have a chilling effect on the securitization of mortgages,'' said Milton Ezrati, senior economist and market strategist at Lord Abbett & Co. in Jersey City, New Jersey, which oversees $120 billion in assets. ``When the government comes in and says you have contracted to have this arrangement and you can no longer have it, I think it opens the door for lawsuits.''

Don't get it? Let me put it this way... you pay a premium for a bond that will deliver dependable principle and interest payments over time. Then the government steps in and renegotiates the contract, giving you less income. Sound fair, right?

The bottom line is that a freeze isn't going to work, especially not with the economy spiralling the drain. What's needed to actually help people is to refinance them out of these mortgages. FHA Secure was a good first step, but what we need is FHA Modernization which is trapped in the Senate by some Republicans. Because of the perception that it will hurt the private mortgage insurance companies.

Thanks, Sen. Dole! Way to put your own narrow interests ahead of the rest of the country.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Karl comes to make everyone feel better

Karl Rove was at the Renaissance last night giving a speech at a fundraiser for the R's. The minimum buy in was $150. What's next, y'all? Democratic-style taco bar fundraisers at Panchos? Y'all are seriously becoming the K-Mart of political parties, always marking shit down.

Anyway, the article in the Schlockman doesn't say much about what he said, other than that

Republicans have to reconnect with the grassroots

Hillary is a tax and spend librul

Hillary won't win anyway

The money quote comes from an interior decorator doing a turn as a Railroad Commissioner, Elizabeth Ames Jones

"If there's a protester in this room, it's going to be because we don't want Karl to stop talking," said Elizabeth Jones, Texas Railroad Commissioner.

Seriously, is Lizzy as stupid as she appears? First we have her writing op/ed pieces talking about new Spindletop equivalent oil fields all over the US. Now she's wanting to tear up some crappy hotel in NW over Karl Rove? Lizzy, he's the same Rove that has damn near destroyed your party and is one of the most hated people in America.

Any of you readers who happen to know her feel free to comment. I honestly want to know if she's a mongo.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 06, 2007

No, not this guy either.

According a number of sources, former car salesman turned Republican politician Roger Williams is the guy many in the Republican party are thinking about running for Governor in 2008.

Just one question for the Republicans in the audience who think this craptacular douche would be a good candidate... have y'all lost your damn minds or are you just trying to make it easy for us??!?! Who's next? That nebbish Staples or the irredeemably stupid Combs?

Roger, right now(this VERY minute!), is working hard on the laughably named Victory 2008 Republican coordinated campaign. Though his fundraising has been lackluster, he's still pressuring donors just like he would a single mom about clear coat. And credit life.

What pisses me off most is that if he IS the candidate in 2010 Bill White is going to WALK into the mansion. I did at least want him to work for it. Maybe break a sweat every now and then.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The sweet smell of success

It's always good to see someone finally change bad policy. Congratulations, Sharon!

Posted by mcblogger at 12:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 05, 2007

Card calls out Rove

Remember last week when we told you about Rove's accusation that Democrats in Congress drove the President to war in Iraq? Yeah, I know... we thought he was drunk, too. Either that or he was trying to be funny which is sad because Karl's got the same sense of humor of the opening act at the Shecky Green show in the Catskills ca. 1955.

Apparently, former White House CoS Andrew Card just thought Karl was lying.

Former White House chief of staff Andrew H. Card Jr. was asked on MSNBC yesterday about Rove's comments but told only that Rove asserted Democrats pushed Bush into war. Card laughed and said that "sometimes his mouth gets ahead of his brain."

So did former Press Secretary Ari Fleischer

Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary at the time, said Daschle had pressed Bush over the summer to bring the matter to Congress but for consultation, not necessarily a vote. Bush decided to seek a vote authorizing force, Fleischer said. "It was definitely the Bush administration that set it in motion and determined the timing, not the Congress," he said. "I think Karl in this instance just has his facts wrong."

That whistling sound you hear are the last shreds of Krazee Karl's credibility falling out of the sky.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Seriously, you've nothing better to do, CradDICK?

I've spent some time over the last few days reading about CradDICK's interim charges and among them is a voter ID bill. Goddamn if you Republicans aren't going to waste more of my tax dollars on this issue.

All of you Republicans voters out there need to be aware of what that fucked-in-the-head old man is wasting your time on. There isn't a damn problem with voter fraud anywhere in Texas, other than in the mind of that nutjob Tax Assessor Collector in Harris County (anyone remember douchie's name?).

Of course, the interim charges aren't all bad... CradDICK's other hot issue, which he stole from Hank Gilbert, is eminent domain and the TTC. This is the same CradDICK that in 2003 helped push through the legislation that enabled the TTC. It's always good to see he's now coming around to thinking like a Democrat on this but it's a little late in the game. The fact that he worked so hard to push this in 2003, 2005 and then to stand in the way of fixing it in 2007 make his recent conversion more than little suspect. I would call it pandering, but that's kind of insulting to panderers the world over. This is just him trying to salvage his Speakership and his moribund party.

Speaking of the Republican Party of Texas, what are they concerned about? Making that idiot Railroad Commissioner Mike Williams look good and doing a puff piece on Debbie Riddle. They're trying to rehab Williams by making sure he says nothing about a subject he knows less than nothing about, namely the Railroad Commission on which he sits. In Debbie's case, they are trying to make her sound competent even though everyone knows that Jessica's Law, which the RPT credits to her, was really the work of Hartnett and Gattis who had to jump in and fix the bill that Debbie thoroughly screwed up.

Seriously, y'all, the Lege is considered by many to be a joke because of people like CradDICK and Debbie Riddle. Now we know the Mongos of Midland aren't going to vote against him. Which means that people of Texas have to. The next step is for the House, during the next session, to shun him. It's up to the members of the Lege to restore the integrity of the body.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

December 04, 2007

Vets being shoved aside

This is some bullshit...Apparently, the numbers of Veterans arrested for drug and alcohol abuse in Travis Count have jumped dramatically. That's the obvious issue but the underlying cause is far more disturbing.

Because of the symptoms with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other psychiatric problems developed while in combat, veterans have succumbed to alcohol or drug abuse. This is frequently an attempt to self medicate the pain. This typically results in a dishonorable discharge, which denies any veteran VA benefits. As such veterans are thrown into the civilian population, their drug and alcohol abuse continues, yet they have no way to seek treatment for the abuse and/or their severe psychiatric problems. Furthermore, it is very difficult for veterans with dishonorable discharges to gain employment. Thus the downward spiral continues with no apparent way out.

The second problem is equally bad, but much more despicable. What is happening is that veterans returning from combat deployments take the right steps to receive treatment for PTSD and other lingering mental issues. In some of these instances, the military has pressured (coerced) the service members to sign a document stating that their mental condition was pre-existing. Such veterans are then discharged, and again denied access to VA benefits (because their disability is classified as existing prior to the military). The two primary ways these service members have been so coerced are:

1) Military members are threatened with disciplinary action. Their fragile psychiatric condition makes it very difficult for them to challenge this threat. In addition, they are pressured into signing such papers, with the "promise" that once signed, they will be discharged, and not be in further trouble. (They of course cannot get in legal trouble for having a psychiatric disorder, though when so pressured, they do not realize that this is the case).

2) The second form of coercion involves a horrible play on the condition of the service member. They are told that if they do not sign the document, their discharge will take longer. The nature of their illness is often such that they see the military as a cause of their pain, and are willing to sign away their benefits so that they can be immediately discharged.

This is a real problem nationally that's leading to extremely high suicide rates among our returning troops. The sad part is that it seems to be directed from the Administration down through DoD to classify as many Vets as possible this way to cut down on benefit payments over the next 50-60 years.

This is an absolutely inexcusable situation and one which people in liberal Austin seem to be taking seriously and working to address. The only question is why Republicans think their support of the troops begins and ends with the magnetic ribbon on their car? Is it any wonder that recruitment is going so badly?

Posted by mcblogger at 10:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Incompetent Leadership

First, the Republicans screwed up the Ag Commission. Then they moved their people into TXDOT and the appointees only brill idea was to throw up their hands, say 'We can't do the job' and abdicate responsibility for our roads by seeking to privatize public roads, selling them off in most cases to the lowest bidder (or at least trying to...). Let's not even get started about the disastrous effort to privatize HHS and what Susan Combs is doing at the Comptroller's office.

Now we've found out about all kinds of problems at the TEA, specifically the idiotic political appointees making irrational decisions to fire a long time and highly talented permanent employee. For doing her job. Oh, I'm sorry... she was given the choice to resign or be fired. My bad.

The state's director of science curriculum has resigned after being accused of creating the appearance of bias against teaching intelligent design.

Chris Comer, who has been the Texas Education Agency's director of science curriculum for more than nine years, offered her resignation this month.

In documents obtained Wednesday through the Texas Public Information Act, agency officials said they recommended firing Comer for repeated acts of misconduct and insubordination. But Comer said she thinks political concerns about the teaching of creationism in schools were behind what she describes as a forced resignation.

Agency officials declined to comment, saying it was a personnel issue.

Comer was put on 30 days paid administrative leave shortly after she forwarded an e-mail in late October announcing a presentation being given by Barbara Forrest, author of "Inside Creationism's Trojan Horse," a book that says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Forrest was also a key witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case concerning the introduction of intelligent design in a Pennsylvania school district. Comer sent the e-mail to several individuals and a few online communities, saying, "FYI."

Agency officials cited the e-mail in a memo recommending her termination. They said forwarding the e-mail not only violated a directive for her not to communicate in writing or otherwise with anyone outside the agency regarding an upcoming science curriculum review, "it directly conflicts with her responsibilities as the Director of Science."

The memo adds, "Ms. Comer's e-mail implies endorsement of the speaker and implies that TEA endorses the speaker's position on a subject on which the agency must remain neutral."

Must remain neutral? Why? We already have a federal court on record saying that intelligent design is not science and that evolution is. What's there to be neutral about?

Yeah, this is all a bunch of crap and this person should be reinstated post haste. And get rid of the idiot that forced her out. Let her go to work with Arlene Wohlgemuth figuring out a way to screw up something else.

See Kuff, Pink Dome, Capital Annex, Hal at Half Empty and Wired for their takes.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 03, 2007

John Davis may be able to explain why D's are voting with the R's

Apparently, there is footage of Rep. John Davis voting for other members of the Texas House. Even the Democrats. Coby over at BAH has the video up.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tolls : Farm Bureau in a snit with 39%

Let me preface this with a gentle reminder...

Farm Bureau endorsed 39% over Bell despite the fact that 39% was a huge proponent of both the TTC and NAIS, two hot button issues for the FB membership.

Farm Bureau is all upset because 39% is being a dick. Which is kind of funny to me since everyone already knew he was a dick and yet the FB endorsed him anyway last cycle. At issue now is 39%'s continued support for the TTC which FB continues to oppose. Why not endorse Bell last cycle?

No, before you go into a ton of laughter, actually ask that question while reflecting on the fact that 39% has NEVER waivered in his support for the Great Texas Land Grab and Rick's-Cronies-Loot-The-State project that IS the TTC. FB and it's membership, though not the political action committee, have always been opposed to the TTC. So, why endorse him? And why continue to bitch and moan about it?

Make no mistake, I don't have a lot of respect at this point for the political power of the Farm Bureau. They've sold out their own membership and the only way they'll get some respect is if they clean house at the PAC. Even then it's only 50/50 that they'll make the right moves to restore some respect.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 30, 2007

Cheap bastards

A new group, made up of a bunch of total assholes who claim to speak for Texas businesses, has started up a campaign to overturn the new business tax which replaced the useless franchise tax. The same business tax that the state hasn't even started to collect.

Radio ads in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston draw on tidal waves and scary movies to make a point about something they paint as just as frightening: Texas' new business tax.

"It's the difference between a tiny drop and a tidal wave. Because of the new Texas Margins Tax, small-business owners may see a slight drop in property taxes, but their business tax will increase up to 1,000 percent," says the script for one of the ads by the National Federation of Independent Business.

Well, holy fucking shit! Consider this... most companies get abatements and don't own property. They lease it. Most of those don't even pay franchise tax. Which means they functionally pay DICKALL to help support the state. Oh, they'll use the free roads and hire people educated in our schools and demand the police and fire dept. protect them. But pay for those services? Fuck no. That's for us regular schmucks.

Architects of the new tax, which won't be collected until May, say they need to see how it works before making more changes. Lawmakers aren't due back in regular session until January 2009, so Gov. Rick Perry — a champion of the tax package — would have to call a special session for them to consider changing the law before then.

The new business tax, which replaced the franchise tax, is based on gross receipts — either 1 percent or half a percent, depending on the type of business — with deductions for cost of goods sold or employee benefits.

Backers say the new tax is fairer, bringing businesses into the system that weren't paying. They say companies that will owe higher business taxes must also look at whether that's offset by lower local school tax rates. They cite adjustments made this year meant to benefit smaller businesses.

"The goal ... is to keep Texas business-friendly," said Rep. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. "We certainly in the Legislature strove to protect small business."

Keffer bristles at the ads, contending that NFIB/Texas "did not come and really try to work with us on any of this. Pretty much they were against the whole process."

You fucking people have no political power and all you're doing is whining about paying ANY taxes. Fuck y'all. Be happy no one's asking you to pay what you SHOULD be paying. Just wait until citizens start boycotting ANY business that participates in this retarded campaign.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Draining the life out of us

Two posts caught my eye and both are interrelated. One was from BlueBloggin' detailing the rise in oil prices as a function of commodities traders. Most of you know already that there is a substantial amount of the price of oil that has been increased by speculation. The author is right in that there there is no theoretical limit to how high oil can go with speculators in control.

There's only one problem... speculators NEVER remain permanently in control. They will always lose eventually and the trade will go in the opposite direction. The only question is whether or not the economy and the middle class can endure until that breakdown occurs. Which is where this post from Eye on Williamson comes in. The middle class in the US has been under attack for 30 years, coincidental with the rise of the Republican 'conservative' movement that is anything but. Though the author of the piece doesn't talk about it, the middle class is itself in part to blame. They've kept electing these people cycle after cycle even though the economics work better for the rich than they do for the middle class.

The sad reality is that the Democratic party and it's image consultants over the last 30 years are also to blame because for a time they abdicated the mantle of protectors of the middle class to the Republicans by allowing them to paint themselves as better on economic issues. That's starting to change which is why the polls look sooo bad for Republicans.

It's about time people finally realized their economic well being and security is more important than whether or not the gays and lesbians can marry. And the price of oil is the most obvious indicator.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 29, 2007

Striving for relevance, or, What Karl's Doing These Days

It's just sad as hell when you see a puppy run over on the side of the road. It's almost as heartbreaking as seeing a buttertroll working so hard to get the attention and admiration of others. Tuesday, Karl was in Tyler talking to some folks about issues like immigration, immigration and immigration. Specifically, he talked about the OTM's. What are they? Why they are the people crossing the border OTHER THAN MEXICANS. Get it? Karl's a master at creating stupid acronyms. He's also a master at calling everyone from a country south of the US border a Mexican. I wonder what Guatemalans think about all that?

No, y'all, I wasn't in the room. But I had a bunch of friends there. That's how I know y'all on the other side are having some fundraising problems.

Karl's also busy with his new gig at Newsweek where he took time to talk about how to beat Hillary. In it, he tells a story about some mirror in his office that he 'inherited' from Hillary Clinton. I wonder if the shine off his forehead ever blinded him when he looked into it to see his ever expanding gut. The story's mundane as hell and nothing more than him blaming Hillary for his own vanity (dude... we remember the way Hillary looked in the 90's. It was DAMN obvious she didn't have access to a mirror). His advice for beating Hillary is call her brittle. I think that will only make her hit back harder. Karl's got a pudgy belly which makes me think it will hurt. Of course, I'll laugh (so will you) when he's doubled over in pain.

Finally, there was his recent appearance on Charlie Rose during which he blamed Congress for Iraq. No, it wasn't part of some elaborate joke. Just more creative story telling from a master. The folks at HuffPo, via PRoS, have more on the bald lie that Karl told.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 28, 2007

Frustrated douche to leave Bush Administration

Al Hubbard, director of President George W. Bush's National Economic Council for almost three years, will step down by the end of the year and be replaced with Hubbard's top aide, Keith Hennessey.

``Al came to the White House after spending nearly 30 years as a successful entrepreneur and business leader,'' Bush said in a statement. ``He brought to the White House his capacity for hard work and creative thinking, and fostered an open, cooperative working environment.''

Wait. This guy has been present for the creation of the problems currently leading us into recession? WOW. Sounds like getting rid of him isn't such a bad thing. 30 years as a successful entrepreneur? The guy ran a chemical company in Indiana. Other than that, it appears that damn near every one of his jobs has been related to politics. Which gives him a similar career track to the massively incompetent Dick Cheney. He also went to Harvard with W. What the hell? Was it just an extraordinarily bad year?

Hubbard informed Bush of his plans this morning, press secretary Dana Perino told reporters at the White House. Hennessey, the current deputy director of the National Economic Council, is ``as prepared for the challenge of this job as anyone could possibly be,'' Perino said.

'... As prepared for the challenge...' Well, that inspires a great deal of confidence. I'm sure Mr. Hennessey will be as much of a loser as Mr. Hubbard. He'll likely spend hours staring at charts trying to figure out how their brill economic strategies forced the country off the rails. They'll blame the Democratic controlled Congress who, though in power for less than a year, have clearly 'fucked everything up'. Except for the economy and, well, everything else.

So why is Hubbard leaving? Apparently, he doesn't like not be able to get his way anymore...

Hubbard expressed ``huge frustration'' with the Democrat- controlled Congress last month, saying lawmakers were resisting Bush initiatives that would help the economy. `I came out of the private sector, I'll go back to the private sector, and my orientation is getting things done and Washington is really gridlocked,'' he said in a Nov. 13 interview.

Hubbard also said ``there would be a lot more cooperation with the Democratic Congress and unfortunately, the Democrats -- who control Congress -- have not been oriented towards getting things done.''

Democrats were resisting Bush's stupid plans? Holy shit! You mean they are DOING WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HIRED THEM TO DO??!?!?? Why, that's unheard of! During Hubbard's time in government, the American economy saw massive stratification and little real growth. Wages stagnated and inflation is once again a top concern of Americans. Great job there, pal.

On last thing caught my eye...

Before coming to the White House in 2002, Hennessey was a top budget aide to Senator Trent Lott, Republican of Mississippi and also was an aide on the Senate Budget Committee, Perino said.

He worked for Lott? And Lott is also retiring? Interesting... maybe they were both involved in the same scandal. Or maybe they were LOVERS?!?!?!?!

I know, sometimes I gross even myself out.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 27, 2007

How do you file a complaint against the ethics commission?

That dipshit John Davis, who was all the time using campaign contributions for personal expenses, was fined by the ethics commission. The fine amounts to a slap on the wrist.

State Representative John Davis (HD 129) was slapped on the wrist again for spending approximately $13,000 of his donors money for personal use. In a sworn complaint posted on the Texas Ethics Commission website, Davis was fined only $500.

After KHOU highlighted $100,000 in expenditures paid simply to American Express, and his reimbursement to himself from his campaign funds, he had to itemize every purchase exposing his gasoline purchases, eating habits, and his use of his donors money for personal use.

Mad props to Bay Area Houston

Posted by mcblogger at 03:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Changes at the TTC and in WillCo

I've long thought that anyone who'd commit the State of Texas by signing one of those awful toll privatization agreements, selling out our infrastructure, was either stupid or criminal. And that, plus Mike Krusee's poor chances at re-election, are driving his decision to retire while fueling speculation about a possible move to a State transportation post once the shit hits the fan for one or more members of the TTC. At least, that's the rumor floating around... no one's making specific accusations, only repeating 'what they've been told' about wrongdoing involving certain interested parties who are all about tolling our roads. Don't read too much into it as it may just be the typical Austin bullshit that floats into Lake Lady Bird every now and then.

Of course, it may not.

It's no secret these toll roads deals aren't a good deal for the citizens of Texas. The people of Texas have realized it, which is why the word TOLL was not used once to sell those bonds to the voters of Texas at beginning of November. What people didn't know, because the DMN, Star T and Houston Chronicle didn't tell them, is that those bonds can be paid back in a number of ways. One of those ways is with tolls on public, taxpayer funded roads.

The cool thing about all this is that the R's will try to replace Krusee with Round Rock Mayor Nyle Maxwell, who is about as popular in the district as a child molester at one of John Walsh's parties. So who does that leave? Well, frankly, no one. Which makes things really nice for a certain Democrat named Maldonado who is running to represent the people of southern WillCo.

Whatever happens, two things are sure... tolling as the SOLE way of financing infrastructure in Texas is dead as Britney's career and Mikey won't be in the House. We at McBlogger would like to wish him only the best. As long as his next job has nothing to do with public service or lobbying.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 26, 2007

BP broke law at Texas City plant, lawyers say

Remember that Texas City refinery that BP owns and operates? You know, the one that blew up in March, 2005 killing 15 workers and injuring hundreds? Apparently, it shouldn't have even been operating...

BP Plc violated Texas's ``revolving door'' law in 2003 by hiring a state environmental engineer to work on the same air pollution permit he'd supervised as a regulator, lawyers suing the company claim.

The permit, which governs BP's Texas City, Texas, refinery, allowed the company to operate its largest refinery without replacing outdated emissions controls, such as the one that exploded in March 2005, killing 15 workers. Texas law requires applications be rejected when the people involved worked on both sides of the permitting process.

The engineer ``changed sides and worked on the other side of this same thing for BP, representing BP against the state?'' a lawyer for some of the injured workers asked Watson Dupont, a safety manager at the Texas City plant in a Nov. 15 deposition, portions of which were made public in court filings Nov. 23.

``He worked for BP in 2003 on the third draft of the flex permit, yeah,'' Dupont replied, referring to BP Senior Air Engineer Rueben Herrera, a former permitting engineer at Texas Council for Environmental Quality. The group regulates industrial emissions.

Here's the best part...

Mark Lanier, in a Nov. 23 filing in Houston federal court, singles out Herrera's involvement on both sides of BP's air- quality permit for the Texas City refinery as proof that BP ``flagrantly violated a variety of regulatory and ethical guidelines to ensure its criminal acts could proceed apace.''

``Herrera did secure the necessary permits despite the fact that such action was itself a crime,'' Lanier said in his objections to BP's plea. Lanier said the plea doesn't punish BP's ``breathtaking acts of criminality.''
...
In hearings since September 2006, BP's lawyers have repeatedly told State District Judge Susan Criss, who is overseeing the civil case, that the company didn't break any laws regarding its Texas air-quality permits. Last year, Criss ruled she would allow jurors to consider evidence that BP may have falsified documents to fraudulently obtain its permits against the company for punitive damages purposes.

``Herrera testified many months ago, and it was incredible what we heard,'' Criss told civil lawyers during a Nov. 12 pretrial hearing, referencing Herrera's prior testimony on the permits. ``He indicated it was a criminal act for him to have left that agency and gone to work for BP,'' Criss said.

Gotta love that this is before Judge Criss instead of one of those Republican gas bags who'll vote with industry 84% of the time...

Posted by mcblogger at 01:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Lott to retire

Now, both of Mississippi's Senate seats are in play...

Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi plans to resign from Congress by the end of the year, a person close to Lott said.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Lott, 66, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, had stayed in office to help his state recover from Hurricane Katrina and now believes the work has progressed enough that he can leave office. Lott won a fourth term last year with 64 percent of the vote.

Lott scheduled two news conferences in his home state today to discuss his plans.

``This is no time for me or any of us to think about quitting,'' Lott said in January 2006. ``I want you to know that as long as Mississippi is hurting and needs help, I'll be there for this state.''

The lawmaker had fed speculation that he might retire by telling a local newspaper in 2005 that he needed ``a little more income'' after the hurricane destroyed his home in Pascagoula.

Lott sued his insurer, State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., to force it to pay for rebuilding after the company said Lott's policy didn't cover the damages. Lott in 2005 told the Biloxi, Mississippi, Sun Herald that the waterfront home was his ``nest egg.''

Yes, yes... I know this is Mississippi and the likelihood of those morons electing a Democrat is pretty low. Still, it would be nice if these dumb hicks would pull head out of ass and realize that they're getting screwed by the people they are electing.

Oh, and that last bit about Lott suing State Farm is quite the funny, no? After voting to cut insurance companies slack, you get caught in their trap. Nice.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

R's already push polling in Iowa

Oh, I'm sure this won't backfire at all...

Posted by mcblogger at 09:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 25, 2007

Republicans are dropping themselves in the grease?

Larson expressed a concern that the Republican Party in Texas will become known as 'the tolling party,' and that image will damage the party's ability to win future elections. He says the vast majority of Texans disapprove of the aggressive toll road building policy promoted by Governor Perry and Texas Department of Transportation Chairman Ric Williamson.

Too late, Commissioner. Y'all are already the Tolling Party of Texas.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 24, 2007

Way to miss the point, Cal...

Cal Thomas seems to think that the President has pulled off some kind of miracle in Iraq. At least, he seems to in his column this week talking about how good the news is from Iraq and how it's all great for the GOP.

What Cal doesn't remember is that the Democrats and the American people FORCED the President to change strategy to something that might finally make things better. They also forced the Iraqi government to finally step up to the plate and get in gear. If Democrats hadn't started holding their ground on troop withdrawal in the face of patriotism-baiting attacks from the White House and Republicans, the Iraqi's would have no need to do anything other than occasionally telling Bush not to worry and asking for still more money.

Of course, the reality of the situation in Iraq is far easier to understand when you actually look at Iraq for what it's been, not what Cal and Bush want it to be. We won the initial invasion, then screwed up the pacification (we're still screwing that up). In the meantime, a civil war started which our President refused to acknowledge and decided to keep our troops in the middle of. That war is beginning to wind down since in many cases, one side or another has been victorious. Just look at Anbar... fighting has stopped there because one side killed the other. That's the kind of success Cal calls a homerun. Only problem is, we didn't need to be there for it.

Let's not even talk about the re-Baathification of the government in which we effectively bought off the remaining members of Saddam's regime with posts in the new government. Let's never forget that it was Bush's appointee Bremer who famously de-Baathified the Iraqi government and created the initial insurgency, which would later become what Bush and others have called al Qaida in Iraq. Bush, time and time again, creates his own problems while folks like Cal Thomas cheer lead from the pages of papers across the country.

Nah, the reality here at home is that people like Cal have been so wrong, so many times, that they just can't sit still when it appears that things are going their way, even though their designs had absolutely nothing to do with it. In all honesty, we could have had this result in late 2004. Instead we had 3 wasted years of our soldier's lives and our country's treasure.

As for the notion that the Democrats are all about defeat, WE HAVEN'T BEEN DEFEATED. We never were. Our troops toppled the dictator we were told was soon to have WMD's capable of reaching the US. Every thing since has been a waste of our time.

That's what Democrats are sick of, Cal. Wasting lives, money and time on a situation which the locals have to make better for themselves. They appear to finally be doing that, if for no other reason than that the majority of people in this country finally demanded a clock be put on this thing.

And we'll not forget your part in all this, Cal. Don't ask us to take you seriously since it's frankly just not possible for us to suffer fools gladly. Especially not those dumb enough to fooled by a charlatan of a leader who happens to be our President.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 23, 2007

There aren't enough doctors? Whatdya mean?

Kuff, channeling the Observer, has more on the continued shortage of doctors in rural areas. Supposedly, that was to be cured by tort reform. The story was that rural doctors were being sued out of existence by the evil trial lawyers. As the author of the article astutely notes, that wasn't exactly true... and tort reform hasn't done a thing to bring doctors to under served rural communities.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 20, 2007

Having some fun with Brownback

Greg caught a little something interesting from Sen. Brownback regarding his belief that 'conservatives' just need better messaging. No shit, he honestly thinks voters will once again be deluded into thinking they are

1) Conservative
2) Christian
3) Compassionate

Yeah, that mask has already been torn from your face, Sam. But thanks so much for trying!

Posted by mcblogger at 11:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 18, 2007

Wingnut emails and the lies they tell...

I got this from my father who just loves to antagonize Barfly and I...

Just when you thought you might have some money in your 401(k)- Read the last paragraph even if you skip the rest ~ this woman is a nut case! You aren't going to believe this. Madam speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to put a Windfall Tax on all stock market profits (including Retirement fund, 401Ks and Mutual Funds! Alas, it is true - all to help the 12 Million Illegal Immigrants and other unemployed Minorities! Boy, are we in trouble... This woman is frightening. Take special note of the last paragraph. Is she really this whacked out? Nancy Pelosi condemned the new record highs of the stock market as "just another example of Bush policies helping the rich get richer". "First Bush cut taxes for the rich and the economy has rebounded with new record low unemployment rates, which only means wealthy employers are getting even wealthier at the expense of the underpaid working class". She went on to say "Despite the billions of dollars being spent in Iraq our economy is still strong and government tax revenues are at all time highs. What this really means is that business is exploiting the war effort and working Americans, just to put money in their own pockets". When questioned about recent stock market highs she responded "Only the rich benefit from these record highs. Working Americans, welfare recipients, the unemployed and minorities are not sharing in these obscene record highs". There is no question these windfall profits and income created by the Bush administration need to be taxed at 100% rate and those dollars redistributed to the poor and working class". Profits from the stock market do not reward the hard work of our working class who, by their hard work, are responsible for generating these corporate profits that create stock market profits for the rich. We in congress will need to address this issue to either tax these profits or to control the stock market to prevent this unearned income to flow to the rich." When asked about the fact that over 80% of all Americans have investments in mutual funds, retirement funds, 401Ks, and the stock market she replied "That may be true, but probably only 5% account for 90% of all these investment dollars. That's just more "trickle down" economics claiming that if a corporation is successful that everyone from the CEO to the floor sweeper benefit from higher wages and job security which is ridiculous". "How much of this 'trickle down' ever gets to the unemployed and minorities in our county? None, and that's the tragedy of these stock market highs." "We democrats are going to address this issue after the election when we take control of the congress. We will return to the 60% to 80% tax rates on the rich and we will be able to take at least 30% of all current lower income tax payers off the rolls and increase government income substantially." We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest." When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied : "We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities. For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profits taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as 'Americans'." Send it on to your friends. I just did!!

Ah, yes... please send it on. It's all a lie and when the people you send it to discover that, you lose credibility with them on political issues.

Actually, for those of us who value stability and steady growth in the public markets, a massive tax on short term capital gains would be a good thing. It would certainly deflate $100/bbl oil and who out there will tell me that's a bad thing?

Posted by mcblogger at 01:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 16, 2007

I can totally see how you'd make that mistake

Apparently, Sen. John Cornyn is mistaking a levee for a wall. Or is it a wall for a levee? I'm not really clear. Go read Hal at Half Empty and find out.

While we're on the subject of Junior John, Phillip over at BOR found a piece on him written for Texas Monthly by Paul Burka. It's a well done puff piece and not all that revealing save one tidbit I found interesting...

Cornyn had brought a 28-gauge shotgun, which is the kind Dick Cheney uses, and the joshing started.

What many of you don't know is that I hunt. I don't care much for deer hunting because it's boring as hell and I was never that good with a bow. I do love duck hunting and occassionally, dove hunting. I've never, even as a child, hunted with anything less than a 20 gauge (ask me sometime about the time I shot Daddy's 10 gauge when I was six). Today, I hunt with a 12 gauge. Just about everyone I know does.

My father likes to take people hunting on our ranch in East Texas. He sometimes takes friends of friends or business associates hunting with him. I can remember when I was young, Daddy let some people come with us who were dressed in neatly pressed fatigues and had 28 gauge shotguns. My father, never one to criticize, called them 'fancy'.

I talked to him today and told him about Junior John's shotgun of choice. He grunted on the other end of the line, sighed and said, "Tell me about the other guy again."

Oh, and while you're at it, go give Rick some money!

Posted by mcblogger at 11:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

FISA and Telecom Immunity update

Feinstein's still being a mad old cow about telecom immunity but the bill was reported out of the Judiciary Committee today, without telecom immunity.

Now the bill goes to the floor where amendments will be added, including one from Sen. Specter

When the full Senate takes up the bill, Specter is likely to offer a compromise that would shield the companies from financial ruin but allow lawsuits to go forward by having the federal government stand in for the companies at trial.

I appreciate what Sen. Specter is doing and it will help us finally find out just how far the Administration went, but these companies have to be held accountable. The only way it'll happen is if they bear the brunt of all this.

The really great news is that the Democrats in the House passed their version of the bill tonight, without telecom immunity. And our own Lamar Smith, ever the douchebag, is still cheerleading to let them off the hook. Just so you know, one of his constituents is AT&T.

"These companies deserve our thanks, not a flurry of harassing litigation," said Texas Rep. Lamar Smith, the Judiciary Committee's top Republican.

The bill, though not perfect, is still better than what we had which was that horrible bill that allowed the President to do whatever he wanted. It didn't stop the White House from saying something stupid...

In a statement after the vote, the White House said, "This evening House Democrats passed legislation that would dangerously weaken our ability to protect the nation from foreign threats." It reiterated Bush's intention to veto the legislation in its current form.

Oh, hell. Show me an instance where you've been able to do something with this intelligence, something good enough to over ride the impact on our Constitution, then maybe we can talk. Otherwise, shut up you ineffectual douche. In case you hadn't realized it, the Democrats in Congress are finally showing some spine... and they're working hard to protect us from you and your insane desires.

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November 15, 2007

Republicans want to hide the cost of THEIR war

The Republicans in Congress are bleating on about how 'inappropriate' it is to disclose the cost of the war or terra.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Rep. H. James Saxton (R-N.J.) attacked the report on "hidden costs" of the wars, calling its methodology flawed and asserting factual errors. The report, issued yesterday, said the war has cost nearly double the $804 billion in appropriations and requests for war funding thus far.

Brownback, who is developmentally retarded, can be excused for not, you know, getting it. Saxton on the other hand is being deliberately obtuse. Even he knows that just adding up the supplemental appropriations will not give you the accurate number. You have to count health care costs for the soldiers over the next 70 years. YES 70.

Quit being dumbasses. This thing is going to cost taxpayers more than $1.5 TRILLION and that's if we stop and cut all funding today. We could rebuilt our educational system, our infrastructure and expanded health insurance to every American for that money. Well, we COULD have. Instead, we wasted it on Cheney's effort to compensate for his inability to maintain an erection.

Which makes Republicans the biggest wasteful spenders in the history of the United States of America.

Shut up, Sam. I'll be paying off your this debt you rang up LONG after you're dead and buried. I'd appreciate it if you'd shut the fuck up and retire from the Senate. You've done enough damage to this country.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 14, 2007

Scum vs. Scum

I honestly don't know who I want to win this... the only thing that makes me happy is that maybe they'll devastate one another. And Rudy in the process.

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Ari's been busy...

Ari Fleischer, the PR shill who used to work for the Bush Administration, is now running a group called Freedom's Watch which is made up of talentless Republicans sycophants who can't make a living doing ad work in the real world and instead chose to live off the donor's teat. We did a thing about this back in August when the scummy Fleischer decided to use wounded vets and the families of the fallen as props to browbeat Democrats in television ads. The ploy didn't work.

So, they started running ads in newspapers.

After two relatively quiet months, Freedom's Watch is back. The ads running today target Speaker Nancy Pelosi and seven freshman House Democrats, and mirror a $15 million television ad campaign launched this past summer.

They are timed, a Freedom's Watch spokesman said, to pressure the House members to vote against upcoming legislation that would set a goal for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

"Freedom's Watch believes members in these districts need to be held accountable for their upcoming vote on funding our troops," said spokesman Matt David in an e-mail to the Huffington Post. "Constituents in these districts deserve more than partisan politics when it comes to funding our troops. It is time for Congress to show resolve, to put aside politics and to unite behind victory."

Like earlier Freedom's Watch TV commercials, the print ads feature a dour Marine Sgt. Andrew Robinson, who is a paraplegic after falling victim to a June 2006 improvised explosive device attack in Iraq.

Wow. It takes some kind of guts to stand up for what you believe and I salute you for it, Freedom's Watch. It takes balls to hide behind a wounded vet and use him to make a political point.

Unite behind victory? WE WON IN 2003. What we fucked up is the peace and there is no solid evidence that things are now suddenly going well. Things are QUIET and most of the ethnic cleansing is over because one side killed the other. And our troops are still in the middle of a civil war, no matter how quiet it's become.

Sgt. Robinson, I appreciate your service. However, I disagree with you absolutely on this and think it's reprehensible you'd allow yourself to be used by a guy like Ari Fleischer. He was one of the people who LIED about WMD's. Don't forget, for a second, that the people you are now helping are the same ones who like to make fun of wounded vets.

And yes, when it's politically expedient, they'll turn on you too.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 13, 2007

Dregs : Some things you missed

Bush refused to allow a Marine Corps lawyer to testify on waterboarding.

Speaking of waterboarding, the Senate voted to confirm 'Let's-Take-A-Bath' Mukasey as our new Attorney General! Frank Rich wrote a brill piece on why this was not such a good idea for our esteemed sellouts, Senators Schumer and Feinstein. Just as a reminder, give money to Senate candidates. Don't bother giving to the DSCC because Schumer will waste it on losers. Like himself and Feinstein.

Ahead of still more protests in Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto is once again under arrest. By order of our good friend and ally in the war on terror, General Musharraf (the same one Frank Rich also said some things about in the piece I linked above),

The really big winner from last Tuesday's election? No, it's not our good friends at Zachry Construction, it's none other than T. Boone Picken's who created his own water district so he could use tax payer subsidized funding to transfer water from the depleted panhandle wells to Dallas/Fort Worth. You're the suck, Boone.No, really, you are. I know suck and you, my friend, are defintely the SUCK.

ELLN has a good post up about the IEA's conversion to environmental concerns, not to mention their questions about the feasibility of making the investments necessary to continue running the world off fossil fuels. Their estimate? It'll cost $22 trillion, or far more than it'll cost to convert the planet to biofuels.

Texas Monthly calls for the impeachment of Sharon Keller

Oh, there's more...

Dungeon Diary has a post up about a whistleblower at AT&T who's coming clean about the Administration's illegal wiretapping.

Jenny Hoff over at KXAN is doing an interesting series on her trip to Afghanistan

Once again, Texas ranks #1 in the nation for the most expensive home owner's insurance. And that's after all the tort reform 'savings'. You can thank the Republicans for that. I suggest you do it when you go to vote next year.

Congrats to the D's in Congress who voted for the Tax Relief Act... to those who voted along with the Republicans, we're hating on y'all.

Have a goodun!

Posted by mcblogger at 11:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 11, 2007

You're running for Governor? Seriously?

OK, other than KBH, let me take a moment to rain down shit all over the little parade the Republicans have going as to who will be their candidate in 2010...

Dan Bartlett - BARRING an incident in which he saves a school bus full of elementary kids from a fiery death, no chance. ZILCH. He has as much chance of being Governor has he does being named Man of the Year by the Gitmo Prisoners Association.

Karen Hughes - Oh. Come. On. Even her suburban soccer mom 'constituency' would just as soon run her down with their minivans as vote for her.

Don Evans - Who? The guy who announces things on SNL? Or is he the dead guy who played opposite Tim Conway and Andy Griffith in some lame thing?

Margaret Spellings - Sure. Right. Only if she starts doing her hair like PinkLady's boss who we aren't allowed to mention because we'll make fun of his hair.

KBH is the only one in the bunch who won't get slapped around by the Democrat. Or Kinky.

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November 09, 2007

Surrender monkeys!

The leadership of the Fort Bend County GOP, in an effort to emulate their fearless leader (Tom DeLay), has all quit. Coby has the details and some great quotes!

Posted by mcblogger at 08:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

It's OK, Hans. We know you're a tard.

No one's ever accused Hans Klinger of being smart. Except maybe TinaFish who is, herself, quite the mongo.

Hans, the spokeskitten for the Texas Republican Party, yesterday dropped what he thought would be THA BOMB on the Noriega Campaign. Unfortunately for dear, sweet, dumb as a post Hans, he hit only one of the fundraising links. You'll have to excuse Hans because in addition to having an IQ of 71, he really doesn't understand this 'online fundraising through the tubes' thing. Like many Republicans, he doesn't know that fundraising links usually aggregate as part of a coordinated effort (we did the same thing during the Q3 fundraiser) to one page. It's why Republicans suck at it, much like they do at governing and balancing budgets.

Before Hans was set straight, he did get picked up by R. G. Ratcliffe over at the Chron blog. R. G. bought it hook, line and sinker and even kept defending the piece all afternoon. A word of advice... make sure you're right before you post something. You could have picked up that link at anytime. We all knew about it.

Oh, and Hans, instead of trying to play GOTCHA! with people who are smarter than you, why not try defending your party's lame ass candidate?

Posted by mcblogger at 01:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 07, 2007

Hanging kids on a compromise

The Chron (via Kuffner) had an article up recently (last week... I got busy and ignored it) regarding Kay Bailey Hutchison's flip-flop on S-CHIP.

Hutchison, a longtime defender of the SCHIP program, said Wednesday that she cast her vote in protest of the Democrats' refusal to hash out a deal with the White House. She made it clear, though, that she will support the legislation when it comes to a final vote.

"Regrettably, today's procedural vote in the Senate was on SCHIP legislation that was passed by the House without any collaboration with the president," she said. "Some in Congress have chosen to play politics with this issue, rather than sit down and negotiate a bipartisan compromise."

Hutchison urged Democratic leaders to "abandon this political gamesmanship and work toward a bill the president will sign."

But it was a Senate Republican leader, Trent Lott of Mississippi, who forced the bill to the floor even as Democrats were willing to allow more time for the bill's Democratic and Republican supporters to negotiate.

Kay, doll, the President and every other Republican should be on their knees supporting this version of the bill. More than 70% of the country does. Sticking with the President on this issue is a bad move, especially since he's the one hell bent on playing games with the health of children.

Yeah, this isn't an issue you want to oppose D's on, especially in light of the fact that R's don't have a very good record on voting to help the middle class.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

You're a imPeach, Congressman!

You know, I wasn't all that thrilled with Steny Hoyer as Majority Leader in the House but I gotta tell you, after yesterday's performance he's earned some major respect. Blue Bloggin has the deets on Kucinich bringing his inane Cheney impeachment bill to the floor. There were enough votes to table, until the rat brain R's (led by the colossally inept Boehner) flipped and decided it was time for a debate on the issue. Johnny on the spot Hoyer immediately made a motion to send the bill to Conyer's Judiciary Committee and the House promptly voted to do so. Where there will be hearings. Endless hearings that will embarrass the Vice President.

Here's the thing... Boehner wanted the debate.

Republicans gleefully said they wanted the debate to show the public how many Democrats would actually support impeaching Cheney, which they consider a move supported only by a fringe element of anti-war activists.

Uhm... 54% of this country is not an 'anti-war' fringe. It's the majority. The fringe are the people who don't want Cheney impeached. That being said, Hoyer, Pelosi and Conyers are right. There are better things for Congress to do. But once those things are done, they should move forward with impeachment.

Not to be cynical, but politically it's a great move. We all intensely dislike Cheney. Even Gerald Ford thought he was a douche. People in Vermont would like to set him on fire. Needless to say, this isn't an issue a Republican looking to get re-elected should be looking to take on. Got that, Boehner?

Posted by mcblogger at 09:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 05, 2007

Channeling Mark Twain...

Suppose you were an idiot. Suppose you were a Senator from Texas. But I repeat myself.

Our two retard Senators have been busy talking to folks and the press. Senator Cornyn the Undead was in the Statesman, making about as much sense as two year old.

Q. Update us on your thinking on the war in Iraq.
A. I think he’s (President Bush) got it about right on the war, as painful as that is. The threat that we are experiencing today is complicated and I think people are confused. But, to me, the core of it is an ideology that justifies the killing of civilians to pursue its goals and it’s manifested in a number of places in a number of ways. … But whether it’s Hamas, al Qaeda, or Hezbollah or the Iranian state sponsors of terrorism, I think it’s a common threat.

People are confused? The only one who doesn't get it is you, Senator. You're clearly living in the same fantasy land that your boyfriend is living in. Quit making it easy for Democrats... we WANT a challenge, you asshat. That way when we beat the shit out of you, you won't be able to say you pulled your punches.

Then there was the irredeemably stupid Kay Bailey who has apparently been sniffing glue in Washington.

“I am most troubled by the people in Washington ... who think it’s [the war] over there and not going to affect us here. These terrorists want to tear down our way of life. [If the soldiers left the Middle East], the consequences are a serious threat to America.”

Yeah, Kay, we fucking get it. Unlike you, we're Texans. We don't scare like a bunch of little old ladies. Wait. Even little old ladies don't scare like our wimp of a Senator. Damn, Kay, sac the fuck up.

Then she decided to move on to a topic she knows even less about than being courageous and brave, energy...

Energy was another topic she expounded upon, noting that the country relies heavily on foreign sources.

“Sixty percent of our foreign sources are not necessarily friends,” she said. “We cannot rely on others. We’ve got to explore and drill in our country.”

She explained that America is in a better position to do that now because of the ability to drill deeper and more economically as well as alternative sources such as the procurement of ethanol from corn, grass and mesquite trees. She also touched on the possibility of utilizing wind power.

Fuckall, Kay. What are you running for? Master Of The Obvious? Of course we can't rely on them... that's why we've been trying to get renewables up and running which you and your Republican friends have done dick about. Why? Because you're dumb enough to think you can drill the US out of energy dependency? THE OIL ISN'T THERE YOU STUPID OLD WOMAN.

FUCK!

What's the deal? Can you only hold office as a Republican if your IQ is less than 80?!?! You morons keep talking about drilling our way out of peak oil as if you've got a set of really phat geologicals showing a 2 trillion bbl pool someone in the continental US. AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THAT!

Posted by mcblogger at 11:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

They're coming to America

I don't think I've ever mentioned this before, but I really dislike Neil Diamond. However, I don't dislike him as much as I hate the people demagoguing the immigration issue. To luminaries like Tom Tancredo and John Cornyn, I'd only direct one question... is YOUR fat ass going to get out in a field and harvest food? More than your ridiculous chest thumping about all these illegals and Rudy 9/11's bullshit about abortion and immigration, that's the goddamn question I want answered. The reality is few if any Americans want to work seasonal ag jobs because it's seasonal which means that while it pays well, it's not consistent and you end up living a nomadic lifestyle. I'm certain that these three Republican douchebags are like the rest of us, not too keen on picking strawberries. Or lettuce.

People that don't understand agriculture are the ones I hear first and foremost bitch about illegal immigrants who are nothing more, on balance, than folks looking for a better life. These people pay taxes, even federal taxes, despite the fact that they are not citizens of this country. They do not 'drain' our resources, nor do they depress wages...

But Torrey says she offers good working conditions, and provides housing and a 401(k) plan for her workers. Workers start at $7.15 an hour, and the average wage on the farm is $10.95 to $11.95 per hour. "It doesn't matter if I raise wages," says Torrey. "We just don't have the population base. There's no one out there."

But McBlogger... how COULD that pay federal taxes if they're illegal? Well, dumbass, it's because employers require an SSN. For illegals, it's usually fake. However, that doesn't stop withholding for FICA, Medicare and SS. This completely ignores the fact that local and state sale taxes are paid by everyone, including illegals.

The real issue is whether you want to import food or labor. I'd rather import the labor.

The only debate on immigration is the one being driven by really stupid people who don't get reality and have no sense of history (the rest of us 'get it'). This country has always grown and prospered on the work of immigrants who eventually become a part of us. With that said, if all you have is the same old bullshit we've been hearing, do us all a favor and STFU.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 02, 2007

Melissa Francis (hearts) Buttertroll

Yeah, I'm pretty much done with CNBC. Why? UT Permian Basin had Rove as a speaker last night and guess who flew all the way from New Jersey to interview him? None other than CNBC bobblehead Melissa Francis. Given that Francis redefines weak as a reporter, the 'interview' was really nothing more than an open ended dissertation from Rove that...

1) Democrats will raise your taxes
2) Raising taxes on the rich will be a disaster (they said the same thing in 86 and 93... wasn't right either time. Of course, Rove lies so openly and earnestly that it's not really surprising)
3) Hillary will cost you an additional $2300 per year

And Francis, being the weak school girl reporter she's always been (why do they employ her? No brains and only mediocre looks... she must be very cost efficient. Or maybe she's blowing someone in management at CNBC), doesn't call him on any of it or offer counterpoints. Rove could not have produced a better propaganda piece.

Melissa, sweets, let me clue you in on something... Rove is so thoroughly discredited that it's even offensive for you to interview him.

Oh, and CNBC. Your loss is Bloomberg's gain. Have a goodun!

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November 01, 2007

Predictions : You'll lose every challenge, CradDICK

Some people never cease to amaze me... via EOW comes information about CradDICK's plan to challenge those who challenged him. The Statesman, being The Statesman, thinks it's serious. Mostly because here in Austin CradDICK is feared much like the now inane Karl Rove. People in the rest of the state would just as soon throw a punch into his face as shake his hand and say Hi.

Think I'm lying? Check out the polling on this douchebag. He's the political equivalent of telling people you'll be storing radioactive waste in their backyards... while you're fucking their pets. All anyone has to do is get the word out that CradDICK is trying to beat them up and any challenger dumb enough to file will be crushed. Probably under one of those road repair rollers.

Paper tigers are a pain in the ass, but not much more. Just ask Tommy Merritt who is about to OWN his 2006 CradDICK sponsored challenger.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 31, 2007

It's OK to be gay and Republican now...

Coby has a post up discussing the reaction of one right wing talk show host in Houston regarding Senator Craig's attempt at finding love in all the wrong places.

The Republican party is making conservatives look bad. Hell, even Chris Baker, the right wing Republican idiot of KTRH was defending Senator Craig's behavior claiming it was OK to be a gay Congressman or Senator as long as you voted like a conservative.

Well, if you say so, Chris. Still, I'd like to see someone gay run and win against Speaker CradDICK before I believe that the Republican party has changed. Until then, you're all the same group of racist homophobes you've always been.

(As a personal note.. I've been through MSP many times and can tell you it was a RARE event for me to see someone I'd even remotely consider fucking. People in the midwest, while extremely nice and pleasant, are kinda gross)

Posted by mcblogger at 07:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

HouChron : You SUCK, Cornyn

Well, maybe they do write it a bit more eloquently. However, I'm sure that's what they were thinking when they wrote this piece beating up Senator Loser McLamerson for voting to kill the DREAM Act.

No, John. No one is buying your lame excuses anymore.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Case of Mike McCaul and the fake Panel

Vince is, to say the least, spot on...

Number one, McCaul is wrong. The public and private sector have focused a lot of energy on protecting tech infrastructure from e-terrorists.

Number two, McCaul has to realize he’s in trouble next fall if he is going out and creating Blue Ribbon Panels for himself to be involved in so that he can look important.

Let me go one further. Even if this little 'blue-ribbon panel' was real, the people on those are usually, you know, smart. McCaul is the last person I'd want on it, given that he's functionally a 'tard. How else can you explain his lock step voting record with our failure of a President. He'd probably spend all the panel's time working on a firewall to protect a Trash 80.

What a douche.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Senator Pickles?

The lovely folks over at Belo's Trailblazer blog have a bit of comedy up on the site...

CNN just ran a piece speculating that First Lady Laura Bush, fresh from forays into foreign affairs -- a Wall St. Journal op-ed denouncing the anti-democracy crackdown in Burma, a Middle East trip to promote breast cancer awareness and rebuild America’s image – might foreshadow an interest in elective office.

CNN noted that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison plans to give up her seat by 2012. Texas Republican National Committeeman Bill Crocker was on camera saying that Mrs. Bush is so popular, she’d be a strong contender for the Senate if she wants it.

The CNN headline on the story: “Signs Laura Bush may run”

Rock! Running against her will be a blast! I can see the campaign slogan now... Laura Bush : The Bush who still drinks!

Yeah, even in Texas the last name Bush is going to be a non-starter for a long time.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 30, 2007

CradDICK whines about the trials

The big, bad, mean 'ol trial lawyers are out to get CradDICK. According to CradDICK, who has decided to implement a strategy of calling himself a martyr. And everyone is laughing at the goofy old man whose paranoid ravings are about as crazy as Kucinich's visits with aliens.

Tom, that breath you feel on the back of your neck isn't from some trial lawyer trying to stop corporate abuse. It's the breath of Texas voters, the vast majority of whom (regardless of party) ARE out to make sure you NEVER sit on the dais again.

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October 29, 2007

Tolls : TURF wins!; TXDoT to slow down 35 and more

TURF won, obtaining a continuance in the suit to force TXDoT to back off their TTC propaganda campaign...

Judge Orlinda Naranjo granted Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) a continuance allowing TURF to move to the discovery phase and depose top Transportation Department (TxDOT) officials, including Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson himself. Allowing discovery is vital for TURF to force TxDOT to hand over key documents that they’ve been withholding via Open Records requests. TURF is seeking to immediately halt the illegal advertising campaign and lobbying by TxDOT.

Of course, they've also been busy down in SA

With a U.S. 281 tollway plan racing toward the finish line, critics Monday filed yet another lawsuit they hope will slam on the brakes.

This time, they went to a federal court in San Antonio and reached back to the First and 14th amendments of the Constitution, which protect freedom of speech and provide equal protection under the law.

The lawsuit seeks to remove non-elected officials from the Metropolitan Planning Organization board and to ban Sheila McNeil, a city councilwoman who serves as chairwoman, from squelching some discussions on toll issues.

"The people of Texas are fed up with out-of-control, abusive government," said Terri Hall of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom. "This is taxation without representation."

Congratulations to Terri and Hank!

Sal Costello has come across some interesting information regarding a plan to make the 130 Tollway more competitive with the 35 Freeway, by dropping the speed on 35.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has agreed to consider lowering the maximum speed limit on a stretch of interstate highway that competes with a planned toll road. Cintra-Zachary, a joint Spanish-US venture, paid TxDOT $1.3 billion for the right to collect tolls on 40-miles of State Highway 130 set for construction beginning in 2009. Although TxDOT suggested that free market competition was part of the goal of using a public-private partnerships to construct and operate roads, the contract it signed on March 22 to construct this portion of SH130 was specifically designed to limit the desirability of alternate, free routes.

"The compensation amount owing from TxDOT to Developer on account of the competing facility shall be equal to the loss of toll revenues, if any, attributable to the competing facility," the contract states. (11.3.2.1)

Yeah, we knew this was going to happen. Granted we didn't see them dragging down speeds, we just thought they'd stop the state from making improvements to 35 which the poorly written and negotiated contract obviously allows. Of course, we have our BRILLIANT Texas Transportation Commission to blame for that. Which is why you never let a Republican negotiate... they'll give concessions that aren't even necessary.

There a couple of great articles on privatization over at the TTC Blog...this one from Newsweek and this one from Time. The gist? Privatization is still rolling along and it's not all it's cracked up to be. Of course, people have to learn one way or another that the taxes they currently pay aren't keeping up with the paying for the services they demand. Which is exactly what people in 1980 predicted Reagan would start.

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October 26, 2007

Democrats roll out S-CHIP, Part 2

With some slight modifications to make Connecticut native George W. Bush and his Republican killjoy's happy, the Democrats are advancing S-CHIP v. 2.1

Just one week after failing to override President Bush's veto, House Democrats will put a new version of their $35 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program to a vote today, hoping that minor changes will win enough Republicans to beat Bush this round.

The new version will underscore that illegal immigrants will not have access to the expanded program. It will ease adults off the program in one year, rather than the two in the vetoed version. And it establishes a firmer eligibility cap at 300 percent of the federal poverty line, just more than $60,000 for a family of four.

The move took Republican leaders by surprise. Bush administration officials yesterday voiced conciliation, suggesting the president could accept legislation that would expand the program by about $20 billion over five years, far bigger than the $5 billion expansion that Bush initially proposed. At the same time, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has been meeting with House and Senate Republicans, urging them to hold the line against an even larger bill. And Bush continues to oppose the tobacco tax increase that Democrats want to fund the measure.

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) has been meeting all week with some of the 45 House Republicans who voted for the first bill, looking for ways to win the dozen or so votes that supporters needed to override another veto. But Democratic leaders have yet to reach out to the Republicans who voted against the measure.

"When they need my vote, they don't even have the courage to ask me for it," complained Rep. Ric Keller (R-Fla.), who has suffered through a barrage of advertisements from Democratic allies accusing him of forsaking children.

Oh, Congressman Keller... you have no idea how bad it can get. Think those ads are bad? Just wait for the ones that'll roll next summer. Real tear jerkers.

EOW wants to know how fatass John Carter is going to vote (oh, don't look at me that way... bitchboy is starting to look like a bleached out version of Rerun from What's Happening!) and I want to know how Mike McCaul (R-ClearChannel Communications) will be voting. Will Mike vote for the health of children AND lower property tax bills for his constituents, or will he vote to make some idiot from Connecticut happy?

People are watching...

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October 25, 2007

Irrelevant Republicans?

Michael Crawford over at Bilerico Project has a great post up about whether or not the Republicans will learn their lesson before they become completely irrelevant.

The Value Voters Summit showed just how out of the mainstream the Republican Party has become after decades of pandering to the increasingly extreme views of white conservative evangelicals who place a greater value on tax cuts for the wealthy, bashing gays, vilifying anyone with skin darker than former KKK member David Duke and cheerleading the Iraq war than on solving issues around poverty, joblessness, HIV/AIDS and global climate change. Meanwhile, President Bush has vetoed a bill that would have increased the number of poor kids who have access to medical care while asking for $46 billions more for his failed war.

The conference attendees also spent an inordinate amount of time deifying former president Ronald Reagan in clear violation of the first commandant which states: I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me.
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More important is the refusal of the GOP to evolve as our nation becomes increasingly diverse and as the global economy increases the need for diplomacy and international cooperation over America's big stick. The GOP continues it blind obsession with the straight male voters at its own peril.

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October 23, 2007

Yes, Kay Granger SHOULD know better...

...than to vote to sustain Bush's veto on S-CHIP.

Of course, she should also know better than to give people a recipe for liquid ass.

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October 22, 2007

Strange Days

The so-called values voters had a little convo in DC sponsored by Focus on the Family to discuss the 2008 election and who they wanted to support for President.

Indeed, one finds a devoted group looking for someone to devote themselves to. For the most part they are without a candidate, despite the controversial results of a straw poll in which Mitt Romney narrowly defeated Mike Huckabee.

"I've just turned 18 and this is the first election I can vote in," said Kelly Roggensack, a political science and business marketing major. "I don't want to vote for Rudy Giuliani, whom I don't fully support. It's going to be really upsetting."

"People are less trusting. They want to drill down to see if this is really a conservative candidate," said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.

Perhaps most prominent of these drillers is James C. Dobson, the conservative stalwart and founder and chairman of Focus on the Family. Recently he suggested he'd side with a smaller party if not satisfied with the nominee's commitment to ending abortion and stemming gay marriage.

So that will be the excuse in 2008 when they lose... the R's didn't nominate someone these particular Christians could support. Right.

The rest of the article of course includes the prerequisite persecution discussion...

Indeed, for three days, it was a huddle of people with "shared values." The 2,000-plus participants banded together, bracing themselves for the constant attacks they expect on their beliefs as Christians. They are fighting on multiple fronts -- fighting the government, fighting pop culture and fighting universities.

And

Standing by the Abstinence Clearinghouse Booth, which offered a plethora of items including "Pet your dog, not your date" T-shirts, Kurt Gernaat and his wife, Mary Beth, explained their own sense of struggle.

They live in Holland, Mich. Kurt is the fire chief in Blendon Township. Mary Beth works for a nonprofit. They're youth leaders at their church. They eat dinner with their 14-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son every night. And they feel outgunned.

"We're being bombarded with music and advertising," Mary Beth said.

"Television is a huge battle," Kurt added. "Even if the show's okay, the commercials are terrible."

Yet this impulse, the desire for a mother to keep her kids away from "Sex in the City" and Sarah Jessica Parker, is not unique to Christians. Right?

No joke, my parents would have laughed at these two lightweights for whining. Don't want your kids watching something? Tell them to turn off the TV. Want to know what they think? Talk to them and explain things the way you want it seen. In short, ACT LIKE A PARENT. Part of that, Kurt and Mary Beth, is trusting your kids to make the right choices. In the end, you've either done your job or you haven't.

Then there is the stock College Republican know-it-all just out of her freshman philosophy class...

Mary Novick said the revulsion at such things comes from natural law. Sitting at a table with fellow College Republicans from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, she explained: "Natural law comes from God and ["Sex in the City" shows a] disregard for the sanctity of love and marriage and human dignity. It's within our nature to be repulsed from that."

Novick is a smartly dressed woman with a pink sweater, pearls and impeccable posture. She is president of the campus chapter of the College Republicans. The six who've traveled with her are friendly, outspoken and polite. They are not the foot soldiers of the Reagan Revolution, but the children of those foot soldiers. And they're troubled by the leaders in the Republican field for president.

Natural law? You mean the law of the bible, right Mary? I certainly don't think you're talking about this natural law.

But what about health care and Hillary? Well, if you really must know...

Having come of age during the Clinton years, the group was asked: What's so wrong with Hillary?

"Ooooh," 20-year-old journalism major Emily Espinola groaned. "What do you want? She wants to be a dictator. I really think she wants to be a dictator, because she's a socialist. She wants to socialize medicine and she presents it in this beautiful wonderful way but she doesn't talk about the consequences, which are more taxes, bigger government."

"What will end up happening with her health plan is making rationing by wait lists," Novick said. "The elderly or anybody who has any kind of really kind of life-threatening illness will end up being euthanized by wait lists."

"It happens in Canada all the time," Espinola said. "I have friends in Canada who can vouch for it."

Mary and Emily have never had the pleasure of having to deal with the PPO or HMO to get something done. Please pardon their ignorance. Oh, and as for Emily's 'friend' in Canada, let's just say it's her 'boyfriend'. They met in Niagra Falls when she was there on vacay with her parents (who were stressing out about what young Emily was listening to on her iPod). You wouldn't know him. I don't care if you have family and friends in Ontario, there's no way you or they would know him. Because you're all heathens.

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October 19, 2007

Elizabeth Ames Jones should stick to chintz

Elizabeth Ames Jones is a member of the Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the oil and gas industry here in Texas. Her qualifications to be on the RRC? None. She's a former interior decorator. I can totally see how picking out the perfect vase would qualify you to oversee drilling and production in Texas.

Sharon over at Bluedaze has a great post up about her ridiculous little op/ed in the Washington Post. In it, Jones talks about out how great the RRC is and how well they've done monitoring private companies. You can see more about how excellent they are at stopping polluting companies from dirtying the environmenthere, here, here and here. Phillip has more on her great op/ed piece in the Chronicle (we need to use more oil and gas). Needless to say, Lizzy just doesn't live in reality...

The gist of Jones' stupid commentary is that we can drill our way to energy independence. She writes as if there is some magic pool of oil in the US that we've somehow overlooked for the last 100 years. This argument rather neatly makes my point that perhaps she should stick to fabric choices and abandon the oil and gas gig. She obviously doesn't know a thing about the O&G industry.

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Now they're concerned about bin Laden?

Well, the Republican shenanigans on the FISA reform bill were nothing more than a straw man (NYT)...

But after an afternoon of partisan sniping, Democratic leaders put off that vote because of a competing measure from Republicans that . . . declared that nothing in the broader bill should be construed as prohibiting intelligence officials from conducting the surveillance needed to prevent Mr. bin Laden or Al Qaeda “from attacking the United States.” Had it passed, it threatened to derail the Democratic measure altogether.

Democrats denounced the Republicans’ poison pill on Mr. bin Laden as a cynical political ploy and “a cheap shot.” But Democratic leaders realized that they were at risk of losing the votes of a contingent of more moderate Democrats who did not want to be left vulnerable for voting against a resolution to stop Al Qaeda, officials said. So the leaders pulled the measure, promising to take it up again next week once they could solidify support.

Let's see... the Republicans had year after interminable year to find bin Laden and they failed. Bush even joked about it. FAILED. Even still, some of the D's in the House got all flustered like a bunch of kids...instead of beating the Republicans down. Girls and boys, let me tell you a little secret : Bullies will keep needling you until you throw a punch. They are losing the PR debate. No one listens to or believes them any more. They have to do this. You have to fight back. It's that simple.

In the Senate, Leahy sniped at the W. Va. Lawnchair and Dumbass Feinstein bleated on about how wonderful bipartisanship is, even when it tramples over the Fourth Amendment rights of Americans...

At the second day of confirmation hearings for President Bush’s Attorney General-nominee Michael Mukasey, Leahy warned that “the Intelligence Committee is about to cave on this,” citing pressure from the White House and press reports suggesting the administration had gotten its way.

“[Administration officials] know that it was illegal conduct and that there is no saving grace for the president to say, ‘Well, I was acting with authority,’ ” said Leahy. “Otherwise there wouldn't be so much pressure on us to immunize illegal conduct by either people acting within our government or within the private industry.”

Leahy’s remarks signal that a bipartisan accord to overhaul the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), reached Wednesday by the Intelligence panel’s leaders and the White House, could divide Democrats and hit a roadblock on his panel as well. The Intelligence Committee marks up the bill Thursday afternoon, after which it will be referred to Judiciary, where more Democrats have openly opposed retroactive immunity language.

His comments also come as House Democratic efforts to overhaul the law are falling into disarray, after House Republicans used parliamentary maneuvers to force leaders to pull the Democrats’ FISA rewrite from the floor late Wednesday.

Attempting to resolve a central point of contention, Senate Intelligence panel Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) reportedly reached a deal Wednesday with Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell to give full retroactive immunity to telephone companies if they can demonstrate they were cooperating lawfully with the secret wiretapping program when suits were levied against them.

Not all Democrats on the Judiciary Committee appeared to share Leahy’s concerns. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who sits on both the Judiciary and Intelligence panels, signaled she was likely to support the bipartisan approach.

“At this stage, it is a bipartisan bill,” Feinstein said. “I’m absolutely convinced that the only way we can legislate on this is on a bipartisan basis. This bill so far is bipartisan — that’s good news.”

So, bipartisanship for the sake of being bipartisan? Yeah, just because you guys caved into the demands of the Republicans doesn't mean it's 'bipartisan'. You might want to check with your constituents in CA, Diane.

The bottom line on this is that even AG Ashcroft wouldn't sign a letter releasing the telco's from liability. They had no 'get out of jail free' card. FISA even gave the Administration 48 hours to obtain a warrant, AFTER the tap had been initiated. Under current law, there is no reason for the Administration to have done anything illegal. Further, there is no reason for a private company to have cooperated with the illegal activity.

Sen. Dodd's hold may not be enough if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has his way(CQ)...

Tim Starks of Congressional Quarterly reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) plans to bring the Senate’s surveillance bill up for floor debate in mid-November. That’s despite the hold that Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) plans to place on the measure — something first reported by Election Central’s Greg Sargent.

The Senate intelligence committee is still marking up the bill behind closed doors, according to staffers. A joint statement from committee leaders Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Kit Bond (R-MO) will follow when the mark-up concludes, but that may not occur today.

Click here to support Senator Dodd. This bill needs to die and the Democrats in Congress need to run the debate.

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October 18, 2007

Why is DPS protecting Dr. Hospital Bed?

There is video in the possession of DPS that shows The Darkness possibly lobbying for a voucher bill, live and in person. Courts have ordered DPS to turn over the video. Citing security concerns they've refused and have, to date, spent more than $165,000 in taxpayer funds to keep the tape.

Now the case is going to the Third Court of Appeals. How much more of our money will they spend to keep something which belongs to the people of this state hidden? When will they stop using our money to protect Dr. Leininger?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Why is DPS protecting Dr. Hospital Bed?

There is video in the possession of DPS that shows The Darkness possibly lobbying for a voucher bill, live and in person. Courts have ordered DPS to turn over the video. Citing security concerns they've refused and have, to date, spent more than $165,000 in taxpayer funds to keep the tape.

Now the case is going to the Third Court of Appeals. How much more of our money will they spend to keep something which belongs to the people of this state hidden? When will they stop using our money to protect Dr. Leininger?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Expansion of FISA...

I'm pretty pissed after reading this so let me summarize what's going on with FISA expansion.

Rockefeller, Chair of the Senate Intel Committee, supports a compromise version that includes immunity for companies that cooperated with Bush's illegal wiretapping. The bill still has to get through Senate Judiciary and Leahy and Specter have both said they want more information. We can only hope they don't fold up like the West Virginia Lawnchair. The House version of the bill isn't that bad and does provide some protections. It was pulled from the floor yesterday because of Republican shenanigans. The Senate compromise version hasn't been seen yet. However, we do not it includes immunity for telcos that cooperated with Bush's illegal wiretaps.

I'm as pragmatic as the next guy but Constitutional protections are something you don't play politics with, especially when you have such broad support on the issue. So why would the D's cave? Fear...

But conservative Democrats worried about Republicans' charges that the Democratic bill extended too many rights to suspected terrorists. "There is absolutely no reason our intelligence officials should have to consult government lawyers before listening in to terrorist communications with the likes of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and other foreign terror groups," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio).

The measure "extends our Constitution beyond American soil to our enemies who want to cut the heads off Americans," said Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.).

If you people are going to be intimidated by Gohmert then what kind of Democrats are you? This is a guy who speaks in nothing but hyperbole. It's so bad that his own constituents laugh at him. In East Texas. You wanna get him to shut up? Shout. His. Ass. Down.

As for Boehner, why is it so important for Republicans to protect companies that engaged in illegal activity and didn't obey the law? What do YOU get out of it, John? Campaign contributions? What IS your payoff, Rep. Boehner? We already know that there are Republicans who can be bought. The only question is if you're one of them. If you're not then why the hell support giving these folks immunity?

Why is it so important for you to not protect the citizens of this country, John? Wiretap restrictions aren't hurting our troops. Why is it necessary for you to hamper the Fourth Amendment Rights of the citizens of this nation?

These companies broke the law. I don't care what they thought they had by way of protection from the Federal Government. Don't give them immunity under any circumstances. Unless they produce, as law proscribes, a neat letter from AG Ashcroft.

What? They didn't get that? Then they don't get immunity.

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Oh, yes. Let's waste money on a Constitutional Convention

A South Carolina Republican wants a Constitutional Convention to keep the brown people at bay...

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell is calling for a national constitutional convention that would give states the right to deny benefits to illegal immigrants and have them forced out of the country.

It is an unprecedented move that would first require approval by the S.C. Legislature, then 33 other states would have to sign on, and 38 would be needed to approve a constitutional amendment.

"I don't know where else to go," McConnell, R-Charleston, said Thursday. "It's really an act of frustration. The state is bearing the burden because of the power

OK, this immigration crap has got to stop. Pink Lady has a post up about nutters in VA who want to deny the immigrants, well, everything. Has it not occurred to these folks that illegals PAY TAXES and support our economy?

I guess this will be Leo Berman's next dumbass idea.

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October 17, 2007

Spellings for Governor?

This cinches it... the bitch is dumb as a box of rocks.

You'll remember Spellings from her pathetic performance on Texas Monthly Talks.

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Rudy 9-11/39% in 2008?

Yep. According to Matt Lewis at Townhall...

Giuliani has also developed a bond with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, whom he helped win re-election last year. That groundwork could make Perry a high-profile ally in Texas, although the governor hasn't yet endorsed a presidential candidate.

Bracewell & Giuliani's political action committee gave $10,000 to Perry a year ago, just a few weeks before his re-election. Perry and Giuliani have talked in person and by telephone several times and have a good relationship, Black said...

...Bracewell & Giuliani represents a business consortium involved in the Trans-Texas Corridor, a costly, high-profile toll road pushed by Perry and opposed by farmers and ranchers.

And Texas Conservatives. And Democrats. And, well, 70% of the STATE OF TEXAS.

Matt seems to think that Texans won't vote for Hillary or Obama. StreetLevel disagrees.

Sen. Cornyn will lose his Senate seat. While he has come out in "mild" disagreement w/the President on the illegal immigration issue it has not been nearly enough. This huge block of Texas GOP voters are not in the forgiving mood and their numbers are significant enough to sway the vote against the GOP by simply bowing out of the process. Texas, as I understand it, has 34 electoral votes 2nd only to California. All 34 electoral votes will go to the Democratic candidate in Nov 08. This is my prediction and my opinion. Unless the President and the GOP hierarchy make some kind of miraculous turn around.

One thing is certain. Texans will not vote a ticket with Rick Perry on it. This state ain't red anymore.

Bonus Comedy! Pink Dome has more on the coming endorsement of Rudy 9/11 by 39% and Mike Williams of the RRC (I know, who the fuck is he, anyway?)

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October 16, 2007

Deal Keller

If ever there was a damn good reason to replace every single Republican on the Texas Supreme Court with Democrats, Sharon Keller's irresponsible action would have to be it. Here's what's been said over the last few days...

The former Chair of the Texas Bar, Mary Alice Roberts, filed a judicial complaint against Keller

PDiddie has more from former AG Mattox on what should be done to Keller

Kuff has more on the complaint filed against Keller by the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Assoc

Dig Deeper Texas has the details on another complaint filed by lawyers against Keller

TMN has the details on the complaint filed against Keller by Judge Susan Criss who is running for the Supreme Court in 2008

Kuff has more on the call from the Houston Chronicle for Keller's resignation

Burnt Orange Report has the details on Lon Burnam's complaint against Keller

Sharon, don't go away mad... just go away.

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Auto-Fellatio

It appears, according to EOW, that Mikee Krusee, TTC Chair Dick Williamson and a jelly doughnut who goes by the name John Carona had a lovefest where they talked about their plans for transportation infrastructure and pledged to work together.

The gist? Williamson's not completely giving up on the corporate welfare scheme known as public/private partnerships and corporate tolling. Carona is saying he'll work to get the gas tax up. Krusee is saying the public doesn't want it. In other words, screw the taxpayer, lie about what you're planning and lie about what can be done.

As EOW astutely points out, the fear of raising the gas tax is not that of public ire. It's simply a lack of political will on the part of the Republicans. That'll change early in 2009 when a new Democratic legislature convenes. But let's go back to the three dicks pleasuring one another...

Indeed, this morning’s talk on the future of transportation funding in Texas found the men sharing much more common ground than bones of contention, leading Carona at one point to describe the talk as “a love fest.”

Yes, yes. We get it, John. You love Dick. And Mikee. Neat.

Krusee, though, pointed out that his amendment last session to index the gas tax went down in flames. The problem is that the public just doesn’t want to pay for roads, he said. They shot down reform of the gas tax as well as public-private toll partnerships. That leaves bonding as the only way to finance roads, but that method also has problems as it pushes the costs to future generations, he said.

Oh, no, the public does want to pay for roads. The public wasn't asked to vote on this, the Lege was.

Carona said that he agreed with the over the horizon ideas presented by his counterparts but that to convince lawmakers to change course on transportation should be done in baby steps – and on a biennial basis. He added that the Big Three – Perry, Dewhurst and Craddick– must push transportation funding in a more prominent manner. Big changes in public policy only happen when the state’s leadership support them, Carona said. “It’s important for them to make public statements on this,” he said. “We need their help.”

OK, John, reality check. CradDICK isn't going to be speaker in January, 2009. The Senate can work without Dewhearse. Which leaves only 39% as a roadblock. In other words, half the job is going to be done for you by the Democrats just taking back the House. So what the hell are you whining about? You need whose help?

Three Republicans. Three excuses. No solutions. Time to make some big changes in 2008. Starting with Krusee.

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October 15, 2007

Where do young men go to get off?

Apparently, the local Republican county chair

The chairman of the Republican Party in Brown County faces criminal charges for allegedly fondling a 16-year-old Ethan House runaway and providing the boy with beer and marijuana late last year.

Donald Fleischman, 37, of Allouez, was charged last month with two counts of child enticement, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child and a single charge of exposing himself to a child.

Don, just a bit of advice. Blame it on movies or 'gay culture' or something. Just don't chalk it up to alcohol and illegal drug use. That's pretty tired.

via Somervell County Salon

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October 13, 2007

It's not 1985. And I don't feel like Sally Field.

Evan Smith recently interviewed KBH for 50 minutes over the phone. They would have done a face to face, but Kay was recuperating from an unfortunate face lift accident which left one ear clearly higher than the other.

I kid, I kid...It's because she was busy in Washington trying to figure out a way to get back in the good graces of Connecticut native George W. Bush after voting, surprisingly, with the majority to expand the SCHIP program (credit where it's due... and just a reminder, JOHN CORNYN VOTED AGAINST INSURING POOR KIDS). Needless to say, when Kay went to have to dinner with the President and Pickles last week it was, well, awkward. She was also busy trying to come up with a way to take away more of your rights to fight the war on terra.

Evan was asking about Kay's run for Governor in 2010. She wimped out in 2006 because she's was afraid of the masculinity of 39% and something to do with Miracle Grow and some kind of 'tomato' plant scandal. Does that sound right? Regardless, she evidently thinks she's going to run in 2010 which isn't really all that curious since she's the only popular elected Republican in Texas and she's their only hope of holding an executive office in 2010 when she'll be what, 90? She also said she hates blogs. I can't deny the fact that she doesn't like blogs, right now, she doesn't like blogs.

The mood of the country right now is pretty frustrated. People don't like the partisanship -- there's kind of a toxic atmosphere about politics -- I think the blogs, interestingly, feed on that. The intemperate nature of blogs, and the lack of accountability, have had an overall toxic influence on our elections. These blogs are cynical and mean -- on all sides. I don't think that's good. Even if you disagree with the mainstream media, there's a sense of integrity and honesty and standards. There are journalistic standards, which blogs don't have.

Oh, Kay, people don't like being lied to, manipulated and sold down the river. They just haven't realized that's what you've been doing all this time in Washington. As for being 'intemperate' and having a 'toxic influence on our elections', just think of us as some much needed chemotherapy for the cancer republican (and, less frequently, Democratic) corruption. If you don't like what we write about what you're doing, did it ever occur to you to start doing the right thing for the people of Texas? Granted, voting for SCHIP was a good start, but come on... you've voted to basically gut our rights under the Constitution. When are you going to walk that one back?

Kay, you really shouldn't waste Evan's hair-oiling time talking about integrity and honesty, two things you've really never understood, especially in relation to blogs. Blogs are nothing if not brutally honest. It's a shame that even we at McBlogger have more integrity than you. Yes, we may be needlessly crude at times and more than little drunk but we are at least honest about what we write. It's a shame we can't say the same for someone serving in the US Senate.

Oh, and start wearing pantsuits... your legs aren't what they once were.

(H/T to PinkLady)

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October 12, 2007

Jews just need to be 'perfected'

So sayeth the always sensitive and emaciated Ann Coulter

In a recent interview on CNBC's The Big Idea with Donny Deustch she said that Jews need to be “perfected.” By that she means that they should be Christians. Coulter then went on to say that we should all be Christians and that all would be well (guess she's never seen a bar fight between boys from one baptist church vs. boys from ANOTHER baptist church in the same community). She also invited Deustch (who is Jewish) to go to church with her.

After the commercial break, she came back for a game of CYA...

COULTER: No. I'm sorry. It is not intended to be. I don't think you should take it that way, but that is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews. We believe the Old Testament. As you know from the Old Testament, God was constantly getting fed up with humans for not being able to, you know, live up to all the laws. What Christians believe -- this is just a statement of what the New Testament is -- is that that's why Christ came and died for our sins. Christians believe the Old Testament. You don't believe our testament.

But Ann, that wasn't what you SAID...

Just FYI, CNBC is reairing the interview tonight (it's The Big Idea with Donny Deustch).

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Friedmanite utility dereg fails. Officially.

Again, we're talking about utility deregulation. This time, from an analysis in the late to the party Chron (via Kuff)

[T]he very structure of Texas' deregulated market exposes customers to the full impact of rising natural gas prices more than in other states, or even in parts of Texas still served by regulated electric companies, municipally owned utilities or electric cooperatives.

The 25 percent of Texans living in those regulated markets generally pay less than rates available in markets that have been opened to competition.

Houston residential consumers use an average of 1,130 kilowatt hours a month. Bills for that much power would range from $125.43 to $163.85 based on rates available in Houston at the end of September for a one-year, fixed-rate plan. The average rate available in Houston would produce a monthly bill of $142.95.

The same amount of electricity would cost $97.41 in San Antonio and $105.32 in Austin, both served by municipally owned utilities.

Deregulation supporters say its success should not be judged just on price, and point to the variety of electricity service options available to customers. But they have been slow to take advantage of the choices.

The variety of service options? Like what? 12/12 plan that keeps my power on only for 12 hours a day and pulls me off the grid for the 12 that I'm at work/stuck in traffic? What difference does it make if the kWh is still more expensive than the pinko's in Austin are paying?

Pretty sad when the widely derided most liberal city in Texas has better and cheaper utility service than the capitalist powerhouses of Dallas and Houston. But at least Dallas and Houston people have their choice from a 'variety of service options'.

Variety of service options... You can stick that up a variety of assholes.

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October 11, 2007

Draw your own conclusions...

Naomi Klein has written a thoroughgoing indictment of Milton Friedman and his Chicago School of economic theory which is functionally supply-side with a penchant for what Friedman called 'economic shock treatment'. Basically, you create the conditions that allow the economy to get sooo bad that the people will accept a change, any change, that promises to fix the problems. In theory, it should expand services and create wealth across every economic level. In practice, it creates massive stratification and does little to fix or create critical services. It also makes everyone not already wealthy destitute...

Klein argues that Friedmanian free market rules do exactly what they were designed to do: they don’t create a perfectly harmonious economy, complete with the much-lauded “trickle-down” effect, but rather, turn the already wealthy into the super-rich and the organized working class into the disposable poor. Further, she describes these orchestrated raids on the public sphere in the wake of catastrophic events, like war, as exciting marketing opportunities or “disaster capitalism.”

So, why even mention this? Simple. This is about to happen to us and you might as well be prepared for it. Since the supply-side revolution Reagan ushered in more than 26 years ago, we've seen economic stratification climb to alarming levels not seen since the Gilded Age. Despite the fact that it doesn't really help anyone other than those already rich.

Which brings us to the tax issue we mentioned yesterday. The supply siders will tell you that cutting taxes will increase economic growth and create surplus revenues. That's actually not true since it's dependent on the Laffer Curve and even it is subject to the law of diminishing returns. What's needed is a balance in marginal tax rates and efficient use of the money by the government, not endless deficits, mounting debt and low taxes for the already rich. That and the fact that tax policy has less of an impact on business conditions than interest rates.

Think, for a second, about our crumbling infrastructure, our rising deficit, underfunded entitlement programs... it's all leading up to a situation in which things will spin violently out of the control. Of course, when that happens, then we'll be ready for shock treatment.

Think it can't happen here? Cause a massive economic disruption in the US and people will accept anything that will fix it.

They elected Reagan, didn't they? Think of that as a dry run.

One other note about investments and taxes... I'm a HUGE fan of massive capital gains taxes, especially on gains realized in less than two years. Why? Because I hate traders and speculators. I'm a long term investor...THAT more than anything done by private equity companies actually provides long term stability and growth in businesses. It also stabilizes the retirements of hundreds of millions of people.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:15 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Betrayus the Sycophant...

Oh, I can't want to see the Congressional Resolution condemning the American Conservative...

In common parlance, the phrase "political general" is an epithet, the inverse of the warrior or frontline soldier. In any serious war, with big issues at stake, to assign command to a political general is to court disaster--so at least most Americans believe. [...]

David Petraeus is a political general. Yet in presenting his recent assessment of the Iraq War and in describing the "way forward," Petraeus demonstrated that he is a political general of the worst kind -- one who indulges in the politics of accommodation that is Washington's bread and butter but has thereby deferred a far more urgent political imperative, namely, bringing our military policies into harmony with our political purposes.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 09, 2007

Abstaining from funding...

Kuff has more on the decision to cut funding for abstinence only sex ed. Since it's been such a stunning success, at least in terms of creating higher teen pregnancies and higher teen STD rates! Good job, radical right! You're focus on ideology vs. reality has served your kids well.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Someone tell Harry Reid to get the dick out of his ass

According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, making private equity managers pay the same taxes the rest of us pay isn't even going to come up this year.

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) has told private-equity firms in recent weeks that a tax-hike proposal they have spent millions of dollars to defeat will not get through the Senate this year, according to executives and lobbyists.

Reid's assurance all but ends the year's highest-profile battle over a major tax increase. Democratic lawmakers, including some presidential candidates, had been pushing to more than double the tax rate on the massive earnings of private-equity managers, who the Democrats say have been chronically undertaxed.

Harry, a word of advice... GET A BILL ON THE FLOOR. RECORD THE VOTES. MAKE THE REPUBLICANS TAKE A STAND AGAINST ORDINARY AMERICANS. I know you're kind of sloppy at PR, but not even bringing the thing to battle is just stupid. This could be a wonderful campaign issue, but if you don't let it come up then we can't use it as effectively. Damn, I know you're smart as a whip so why the fuck can't you see this?

This is a debate we're ready for. This is one we can win and crush the Republicans on economic issues. Get something, ANYTHING, moving and let's take the fuckers head on.

On the lighter side, Senator Obama has come out, chiding the lobbyists who kept this legislation down and trumpeted his intention (if elected) to close the loopholes that let private equity managers get away with this. My question? Why not do something now since you are, you know, IN THE FUCKING SENATE.

Idiots.

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October 08, 2007

Geopolitics and the stupid, irrational candidates

I have to tell you, when it comes to policy in the middle east, the Democratic candidates are about as dumb as the Republican candidates.

None of the top three can say they'll have the troops out by January, 2013, a little more than five years from now. Does that mean we should support Gravel? It just might because crazy old man bullshit aside, he's the only one who seems to get it. Kucinich is just pretending and those of you who think differently are a bunch of tools. Kucinich is an even bigger egomaniac than Bush.

The political reality in the region is that the Saudis don't want the Iranians in control of Iraq. Neither do the Syrians. Neither do the Turks. The Syrians don't want the Turks in control of Iraq. Neither do the Saudis and Iranians. Get the picture? It's a complex balance of multiple forces and we could pull out tomorrow and no faction would be able to move in. Should the Iranians start pumping up the Shia, the other powers will aid the Sunnis. There is no risk, despite what our idiot President says, of an Iranian or 'al Qaida' takeover of Iraq.

The Democrats need to get that through their obstinate heads and realize they CAN pull troops out of Iraq, certainly before 2013. There is a civil war going on in Iraq. One power or another will eventually be victorious. None of the players in the region will allow anything other than a fully independent Iraqi state to be created, probably around a strongman. Let's hope he's more like Putin and less like Hussein.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 07, 2007

Deadlines are a Keller

Much has been made out of Justice Sharon Keller's decision not to wait for the appeal of Michael Richards (not THAT Michael Richards) because she wanted to close the court at 5:00 sharp (here, here, here and here). Which is apparently the usual time they close, even when a man is set to be executed. I sometimes have to work until 10 or 11 at night and I keep my staff at the office until everything is wrapped up, especially at the end of the month. So, while I don't have a lot of sympathy for a judge who is soooo anal about closing shop on time, the whole this has started me thinking about two things

1) I shouldn't worry too much about my job and staying late. I mean, come on... if a Judge thinks a person's life is less important than getting out of work on time, then maybe I'm taking the whole 'underwriting and closing loans so people can buy houses on time' thing too seriously.

2) Maybe Sharon had something important she needed to get to.

It's the second one that really brought it home for me. Maybe there WAS an important reason Sharon had to leave on time. Maybe we've all been a little too critical and we should look at what could have been going on with Sharon. Which leaves me wondering, what could Sharon have been running off to?

She needed to get home to cook dinner for the family - This one sounds terribly realistic. How many times have YOU disappointed your family by not being home to cook a healthy and wholesome meal for dinner? I know it happens to many of us, so I could see how this might be the case for Sharon. That is, I could see it until I remembered that awful eponymous drive-up her family runs on Northwest Highway in Dallas. If her cooking is anything like that, I'm sure her family stopped asking her to cook in 1982. Not so much with the home for dinner thing

She had an appointment for a haircut - I know what this is like. My time with Stylist is always precious and I hate being late for it. That's because Stylist has a wicked good sense of humor and gives me candy as well as a massage. I doubt Sharron's guy/gal is funny. Or has good candy. Or gives her a massage. However, I can understand her wanting to look good. But if that's the case, why does her hair look like ass? Even in her horrible campaign pics? Nah, I don't think Sharron really cares about looking good.

Sharron had a very important happy hour - Actually, this one would pull me out of work as well so calling this out would be a bit like poop telling vomit it stinks.

2 for 1 burgers at Huts?

Oh, hell, there are any number of excuses we can think up to cover for Sharon. However, none of them are as good as the one reason she should have kept the court open... it was the right thing to do. Regardless of guilt or innocence, you don't refuse to hear an appeal in a death penalty case. EVER.

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October 05, 2007

Blackwater : Another case of corporate welfare

Texas Kaos has a great piece up on Blackwater and it's operations in Iraq. Forget for a moment that the company's employees have acted poorly and with malice in Iraq, damaging the reputation of the United States. Forget that many of their employees are little more than murderers. Focus on one thing and one thing only... Corporate Welfare. This is a company that wouldn't exist if they weren't part of the government food chain. This is a company that survives not by the managerial panache of it's leadership, but only through the largesse of the Republican Administration that pumps our tax dollars into it.

Don't shut it down... nationalize it. The grounds are war profiteering. Screw the investors.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:24 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

It's about time...

Rep. Dunnam has a great post up over at BOR regarding the friendliness in the Lege between members of different parties and the consideration that Democrats have had for their Republican colleagues. It appears that's finally breaking down...

Recently, Rep. Allen Vaught politely declined to meet with a potential opponent of Dan Branch. Allen explained that, in the greater interest of Dallas County, he did not think he should be personally involved in county House races. This is Allen's choice, and certainly understandable.

Imagine Allen's surprise when he received a copy of the invitation to former Rep. Bill Keffer's fundraiser this month. Of course, you can guess correctly that Linda Harper-Brown's name is on it; heck, she did the same against Republican incumbents during the 2006 primaries. But you might be surprised by some of the other host names: Joe Driver, Ken Paxton, Jim Jackson, and Jodie Laubenberg. Oh, and Rep. Dan Branch. But wait, you say, Joe Driver isn't like Harper-Brown? And Paxton has always treated other members with respect, hasn't he? And this is how Mr. Branch says thank you to Allen Vaught?

This is being duplicated across the state. These incidents are neither isolated nor uncalculated. We must recognize the great effort our Republican colleagues are making, as incumbent elected officials, to actively campaign against Democratic House members. We must understand that when our Republican colleagues go after one of us, they are going after all of us. You might be in a safe district and say to yourself, "Well, they are not coming after me," but the truth is that when they attack one of us, they attack all of us. Their goal is to weaken our collective voice by defeating us one by one.

And who is leading the attack against Democratic members of the Lege? None other than that old crone Arlene Wohlgemuth (the dumbass who tried to beat Chet Edwards in 2004), Linda Harper-Brown (who is interrupting her busy Crisco and bacon sandwich eating schedule) and our old friend CradDICK the Best Mud Salesman in Midland.

The reality is that the Democrat's goodwill has never been reciprocated. Further, the idea that 'you don't campaign against other members' is just patently absurd and Vaught's an idiot for thinking it. Those seats belong to the people of the State of Texas, not to some member. Regardless, the Democrats are going to have to realize, especially the new guys, that Texas politics ain't pretty and it ain't nice. If you need friends while in the Lege, may I suggest a nice bartender?

This is a knife fight and my daddy always told me the one who wins a knife fight is the guy who brings the gun. We, the thousands of activists around the state, are your gun. Don't be in the way and quit trying to protect, via action or inaction, your 'friends'.

And someone needs to be helping the guy running against Branch. Y'all up in Dallas Co... there is no goddamn reason why a Republican should be representing the gayborhood. HP and UP aren't that damn red. No more excuses... we got rid of Stick and Baxter. Y'all get on the stick and retire that dipshit Branch.

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October 04, 2007

Housing : Democrats go after Bush

Yesterday, the Democrats went on the offensive regarding the foreclosure increase in the housing industry...

The effort by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others is an attempt by Democrats to step up pressure on the White House to respond to the troubles in the housing market.

Democrats have been critical of the Bush administration's response to the mortgage market problems, which started among loans made to borrowers with weak credit and has spread to other loans.

At an 11:30 a.m. press conference, the lawmakers are expected to reiterate calls for more funding to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. To alleviate strain in the mortgage market, they will also ask the Bush administration to further increase the investment portfolio caps for home-loan finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Bush Admin said that HUD Secretary Jackson was on top of it but we all know that's not true. To date, all the Administration has done is block Congressional initiatives, even those with bipartisan support. They've also rolled out FHA Secured. Which is a great program. Problem is, no one is offering it.

No, I'm completely serious. My company is one of many that has survived this mess and will NOT be purchasing these mortgages via our TPO relationships. Why? Because we can't find anyone to take them from us. Bush was hoping that the market would react well to FHA Secured. Instead, the market has said, 'No Thanks'. Connecticut native Bush needs to realize that sometimes there are problems created BY a free market that simply can't be fixed by the free market. Government must create additional incentive if they ask private business to take on astronomically more risk.

It would also be nice if he'd stop being such and asshole about Agency expansion and let Congress get to work...

Posted by mcblogger at 09:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 03, 2007

McCain replaced by PanderBot 9000

It was only a matter of time before Ronco started making robots to replace humans in an effort to expand the market for the pocket fisherman, that crappy rotisserie and of course, knives. Lots and lots of knives. Their first replacement was of Senator John McCain sometime around 2002. That model was recently replaced by a PanderBot 9000. According to the company, the PanderBot is a fully functional AI with limited personality imprints from the original human (in McCain's case, the imprint was classed as SENILE OLD MAN) and a fully functional bio-mechanical chassis. It's the perfect politician, able to form opinions and beliefs on a variety of subjects given nothing more than an audience. Case in point, when asked the question "A recent poll found that 55 percent of Americans believe the U.S. Constitution establishes a Christian nation. What do you think?" McCain recently said...

I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation. But I say that in the broadest sense. The lady that holds her lamp beside the golden door doesn’t say, “I only welcome Christians.” We welcome the poor, the tired, the huddled masses. But when they come here they know that they are in a nation founded on Christian principles.

The robot, even if reality conflicts with what it is saying, will pander relentlessly. In this case, the unit has ignored the fact that there is:
1) A prohibition against religious tests in the Constitution
2) No mention of God in the Constitution
3) A First Amendment to the Constitution
4) A treaty negotiated by our first President, ratified by Congress and signed by our second President that clearly says the United States is NOT a Christian nation (it's Article 11).

Amazing, right? No one ever said Ronco's shit was any good.

Posted by mcblogger at 07:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 30, 2007

Love me some War on Drugs...

Grits has the lowdown on the massive failure that is the War on Drugs. Despite the failure, the recommendation from the GAO is to keep doing the same thing. Over and over again. This is one of the best examples of politics trumping good decision making I've ever seen.

Haven't these people seen Groundhog Day?

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September 29, 2007

I love that Mitt Romney! He's the man for me!

Kay 'Margarita Madness' Granger has decided to support Mitt Romney. Which will go over well in North Texas which is majority Mormon.

Wait. No, it's not...

But after seeing Mr. Romney speak with business leaders a few weeks ago in Fort Worth, she realized he was the man for her, and she signed on as National Co-Chair of the Women for Mitt coalition.

Kay's a woman? No, she's a LADY. She should be National Co-Chair of the LADIES for Mitt coalition. Which makes me wonder, who is the other chair? Lindsay Lohan? Brittney (she does love our President)?

"I agreed with everything he said, in the order he said it," she said Tuesday morning at the Capitol -- first and foremost, fight the jihadists, and then focus on education and the economy.

Y'all will have to pardon Kay. For the last 6 years she's been under a rock or something while in Congress. Or maybe just on a really long bender. She doesn't realize that we've been 'fighting the jihadists' and ignoring everything else for the last 6 years. Well, at least up until January, 2007 when the Democrats finally took over and started getting as much done as they could with a bunch of obstinate Republicans in the way. Oh, and Kay... Where's Osama?

What Kay doesn't realize is that she's too stupid to actually fight the jihadists. They didn't read her book so they have no idea how fabulous America is. They did see her Killer Margarita recipe and used it. That's why, among all Americans, they hate Kay the most.

"When you put all the attributes together, Mitt Romney is the one I really think can serve us well, and really has a global perspective," Ms. Granger said, adding that she didn't want to merely add her name to an endorsement list. She wanted someone she wants to actively work hard to elect.

So watch for her in Iowa, New Hampshire and wherever else there are women voters in need of wooing. Which Kay will be doing in a smart looking skirt/blazer combo from some place sensible like Dillards. or Stein Mart. Let's just hope she doesn't try to woo them with those 'Killer Margaritas'.

It's pretty clear that Kay is angling for some kind of a post in what she (and she alone) thinks will be a Romney Administration. Here are some ideas:

Secretary of Noxious Cocktails

Commissioner on River Bottom Redevelopment

Deputy Secretary for Ritin' Buks

Presidential Fluffer

Seriously, Kay, Margaritas are tequila, lime and triple sec. It's really not hard to screw up. Which is what makes your ability to do so very perplexing. Either you have no taste receptors in your mouth or you're just really, really dumb.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 28, 2007

Tolls : Leadership and money... two things lacking

The Republicans on the Texas Transportation Commission (the folks who run TXDoT) are running around scaring the hell out of everyone by

1) Claiming that TXDoT is broke
2) Pushing to remove the moratorium on privatization which will allow them to sell our roads

You can read the entire piece at the DMN or at the SAEN. It's basically the same article. Though the DMN does decide to use TXDoT's now defunct $86 Bn transportation shortfall estimate. I guess no one told the reporter about the TTI report from last fall. It's the one Ric Williamson is terrified of because it neatly points out his lies.

Let's address point one, TXDoT is broke. Actually., at the moment TXDoT is funded adequately. It could, of course, do more with more money but at this moment in time things are still getting done. The reality is that as one moves forward in time, less and less of TXDoT's budget is going to go to actually building roads. We knew that already. Why the reporters for the DMN and the SAEN chose to report this as if it were a NEW story is beyond me.

What to do about this issue? How do we keep, or even expand, TXDoT's available funding? Well, there are a couple of ways... taxes and taxes. One is the indexed gas tax you already know and love. The other is privatizing our roads, selling them off to the highest bidder, and allowing them to toll them, another form of taxation. Traditionally, toll roads have been few and far between. However, in Ric Williamson's best case scenario, the entire state would be covered with them, not to mention existing freeways that would be converted to tolling. That means it's going to be broad based and will likely catch everyone. That means it's a tax, pure and simple. Only in this case, it's a tax paid to Ric Williamson's buddies, the private toll road companies like Cintra.

Think I'm lying? Central Texas is the blueprint for what TXDoT and the Republicans want to do statewide. Oh, there will be a free road you can take, but it won't be like 610 in Houston or Central in Dallas. It'll be a frontage road. With lights set to cause the greatest amount of impeded traffic flow and frustration. Seriously, folks are already doing reports on them.

The other alternative, indexing the gas tax, takes care of our maintenance woes as well as building new projects, without the adding cost of toll infrastructure. It also allows us to not worry about a private toll road operator's profits over the next 75 years. Ric Williamson, for his part, is worried about how regressive the gas tax is which is funny because it's THE ONLY TIME I'VE HEARD A REPUBLICAN WORRIED ABOUT THE REGRESSIVENESS OF A TAX. That aside, yes the gas tax is regressive. So is the sales tax. So are tolls. Whether you like it or not, without a real freeway alternative, a toll road will be the only limited access roadway that can be used by rich and poor alike. It should be obvious that since what Williamson has envisioned will cover the entire state and effect everyone, it too is a regressive tax on people.

Given that, would you rather them pay less that one cent per mile or 12 cents per mile? Seriously, Ric, I'd LOVE to hear your answer to that.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:01 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Another R for CD 22?

Muse and Pink Dome have more on the man who would be Congressman. He's got some pretty impressive achievements under his belt like working on all kinds of crackpot bullshit. Like the weaponization of space. Which is a great idea... right up there with the War on Drugs. Here's my favorite pic...

The Candidate and Corpsyn. Seriously, you might want to pull this down.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

S-CHIP passes, Bush to veto

The House and Senate have both passed S-CHIP, though not by a veto-proof majority in the House. Of course, Bush has already said he'd veto the legislation. Which is great. It made me think, what WOULD get the President to sign the bill?

How about we hand the program off to private insurers. We then double the premiums and instead of spending the extra $35 Bn the Democrats in Congress want to spend over the next 5 years, we spend $70 Bn and let the private insurers take the difference.

Would that work? Will insuring poor and middle class kids finally makes sense to Republicans if we provide some corporate welfare to private insurers who are so operationally inefficient that they can't turn a profit without help from Republicans in Government?

A notable no vote was from our own Senator Cornyn who is still voting in lock step with the President. Even Hairdo voted FOR affordable children's healthcare. We really want to know why the hell Cornytn would want to continue representing a deranged lunatic and NOT the people of Texas?

I want to get rid of this guy so bad... if you do to, help me. Send a buck or two to Rick and let's retire Junior John from the Senate.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 27, 2007

Guiliani's Homeland Security Advisor wants to 'monitor' mosques

Great idea, Rep. King...

"Unfortunately we have too many mosques in this country. There's too many people who are sympathetic to radical Islam," King told Politico.com, urging greater scrutiny.

That's right, a member of Congress thinks we should start 'monitoring' places of worship in the US. Guiliani, for his part, threw gasoline onto the fire...

Giuliani backed King, saying, "What he means was that there are mosques in which violence is preached.

Yeah. We could think of some other places of worship where violence is preached. Will Rep. King and Rudy 911 next want to monitor them? Oh, of course not. That's just violence against The Gays.

What IS it with Rudy? First he's calling out MoveOn by saying 'they've gone too far', now he's talking about monitoring places of worship? Rudy, have you decided to just arbitrarily ignore the First Amendment?

This isn't a slippery slope, it's a fully greased metal slide. Way to be a real American, Rudy!

Posted by mcblogger at 08:16 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 26, 2007

SCHIP, or Why I'm proud to be a Democrat

More than month ago, we talked about changes to S-CHIP. The bill has continued to move forward and Bush has threatened to veto it. To veto health care for kids. You might be asking why he'd do such a thing. Simple:

1) He doesn't care about the health of kids. He cares about the profits of private insurers who stand to lose if people finally discover that a government run health care system is a hell of a lot cheaper and more effective than that of the private sector due to one simple thing... less managerial overhead.

2) He's always gone with the most expensive option, the one that soaks taxpayers the most. Vetoing S-CHIP just creates another hole that taxpayers will have to fill.

In 2000, I left the Republican Party. I was never going to vote for Bush who I thought was an idiot and only looked good because of the hard work of Democrats in the Lege. It took me 2 more years and the invasion of Iraq to finally switch parties completely. The ridiculous tax cuts in 2001 actually did the trick on economic policy, but the rest of it came over the next couple of years.

I'd love to say that the Republican Party left me... it did in some ways, especially when it comes to the religiosity that's come to define modern Republicanism. The reality though is that the crazies didn't take over, they were always there and I refused to see them. As for the stance on economic policy, I finally realized that the Friedmanite bullshit being spouted by Ranroids was deeply flawed. That awakening began in 1996. It did take a while to finally settle in. Sometimes it takes people a while to realize that what they bought into was a load of crap. It always helps when it's the partner at the fund where your working who clues you in.

It's really the economics... only true believers would think that it's cheaper to spend money on emergency care than preventative care. True believers who are as dumb as a box of rocks, but true believers none the less.

Don't get me wrong, the Democrats frustrate the hell out of me at times with their weak messaging and occasionally self-aggrandizing behavior. However, I'm proud to be a member of a party that actually, on balance, tries to do the right thing.

I'm also proud so many others see this as a fight that needs to be won. This is where the Democrats need to take a stand and force this down Bush's throat. Check out BOR, EOW and BlueBloggin for more.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:05 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 25, 2007

Brownback and Ahmadinejad : A match made in heaven?

Sen. Brownback (R-Asshat) tried to pimp an Anti-Gay 'Marriage Amendment' while speaking to New Hampshire voters. Apparently, those in the Granite State didn't like his gay bashing rhetoric, so they booed him. Think Progress has the transcript and the video...

In related news, the Iranian President yesterday said that there were no gay people in Iran. Dungeon Diary points out that it's probably because the Iranian religious police have killed a bunch and the ones that remain are obviously in hiding. Given this bit of news, it makes me wonder if maybe the gay-free paradise Brownback and his cohorts have been trying to create already exists... in Iran.

Maybe they should go there for a bit and see a country where gays are so scared that they stay in the closet. They can enjoy the basketcase economy, the drab fashion and the lack of intellectual freedom. Maybe then they'll realize that The Gays aren't really that big a threat.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

What a Jerk!

Hey Ghouliani! Don't ya no it's simple common courtesy to silence your frikkin' cellphone when you're in a public meeting? (Especially when in a room full of gun nuts?)

I'll bet this dope wipes his nose on his sleeve.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:45 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 19, 2007

Right Wing Hypocritical Horseshit

You may have noticed that rightwingers in general are a bunch of angry mofos. The latest thing that's given them the vapors is an ad run by the liberal political group MoveOn.org.

How awful of those nasty liberals to pun on their cuddly general's name! Democrats simply must damn MoveOn to hell or be exposed as the troop-hating terrorist sympathisers all good viewers of Fox News already know they are!

Frankly, I thought MoveOn's name calling was pretty childish, something I'd expect from a sixth grader. MoveOn would have been better advised to tag Petraous with what his boss, CENTCOM Commander Admiral William Fallon, calls him: an ass-kissing little chickenshit.

There was a time when generalship involved waging and winning wars. Petraous, on the other hand, is on a marketing tour touting an extremely defective product, George W Bush's War, a war where that virtually everyone recognizes is an unwinnable disaster, and a strategy that consists of leaving the mess as a housewarming gift for Hillary Clinton when she arrives in January, 2009.

Succesful generals get to run for President. Ass-kissing chickenshits get to pretend that things are getting better in Iraq at the same time that American civilians in Iraq are being restricted to the Green Zone in Baghdad.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 09:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Call Cornyn NOW

I'm all the time saying we should stop bitching about the Democrats not doing their jobs and instead beat up the Republicans so they'll have to shift their votes.

This is one of those times. The Habeas Corpus Restoration Act was up for a cloture vote. Cornyn voted against. Time to get on the phones and tell him to back down...(202) 224-2934. Reid may bring this back to the floor today.

Texas Kaos and FDL have more... You can also call hairdo's office at (202) 224-5922.

All you have to do is browbeat the poor kid into getting a message to the Senators. RESTORE THE BILL OF RIGHTS. Vote for cloture.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 18, 2007

Gay Republican # 1,906,489 - Rep. Patrick McHenry

Yes, there is another one. This time he's involved in some kind of weirdo murder/escort service thing. Either that or his ex-lover is, we're not entirely sure.

Sources tell The North Carolina Conservative that Drake volunteered on several Republican campaigns in western North Carolina, and was an associate of Congressman Patrick McHenry. Gonzalez is also believed to have been associated with McHenry in the past. Since being elected, McHenry has attempted to insure that all elected officials in his district are his supporters and cronies. This has caused a very nasty political war of attrition in the 10th District. Sources say that Drake worked on these campaigns as a surrogate of McHenry.

We're only posting this because it's become kind of a running joke...

Posted by mcblogger at 10:19 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 14, 2007

Republicans in Harris County hate on Englehart

Mike Englehart is running for 151st District Court in Harris County. Apparently, some Republicans don't like that so much and have decided to go out and spraypaint his signs.

Nice work, y'all! Good to see you have such faith in the electoral process!

Posted by mcblogger at 04:46 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

We left too many in place in 2006

Democrats in Congress are being forced to move toward the center to get any traction on a policy shift in Iraq war policy because of Republican intransigence and a Presidential Veto from Mr. Temper-Tantrum at 1600 Penn. Ave. The White House is, of course, counting on continued support from Congressional Republicans to sustain the veto...

House and Senate Democratic leaders are now working in tandem on legislative efforts, knowing that if Iraq legislation can make it through the Senate, GOP moderates in the House will be more likely to change sides, Van Hollen said.

"If the Senate starts actually passing legislation, that could really change things," agreed Rep. Michael N. Castle (Del.), a GOP moderate who has been working with Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) on a more bipartisan approach to Iraq.

Administration officials are equally aware that congressional Republicans will be the key to the legislative fight, said former White House policy aide Peter Wehner. But White House officials believe the president's hand was strengthened by two days of testimony by Petraeus and Crocker.

"What this is really about at its core is congressional votes about a war policy," Wehner said. "And that policy will go forward as long as Republicans hold -- and that was the first order of business. And they achieved it very well."

'Go forward'. Stay the same. Continue the disaster.

We are moving toward a time when people ARE marching in the streets. Not students, HOUSEWIVES and BANKERS, REALTORS and TRUCK DRIVERS. Do you get this, Republicans? Ordinary people who don't think a lot about this stuff are becoming angrier and angrier while you people play politics.

We left too many of them in place in 2006. It should be obvious by now that we have to take as many of them out as possible. This just goes to show you that there is no such thing as a moderate Republican and the only good Republican is one you don't elect.

Donate to a Democrat today.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 13, 2007

Emailing for dollars! The AG Greg Abbott edition

PinkDome has a true copy of the letter Attorney General Greg Abbott sent out soliciting for Fred Thompson. I'm editing it to appear as I think it should:

Dear (Redacted):
It’s all official like. Fred Thompson is finally running for President of the United States (you have no idea how relieved Patterson and I are!). And his campaign is really moving, like soup through an old man, which is why USAToday recently ran the headline: “Thompson Climbs in GOP 'over-90' Poll.”

I'm strongly supporting former Senator Thompson and I hope you will consider supporting him too. He needs us, much like he needs a hernia truss.

Next week Senator Thompson will be in Texas grubbing for money. Here is a quick summary of his schedule:

Austin Luncheon - Wednesday, September 19th (soup)
Houston Evening Reception - Wednesday, September 19th (liver and onions)
San Antonio Breakfast - Thursday, September 20th (soup)
Dallas Luncheon - Thursday, September 20th (soup)
Fort Worth Evening Reception - Wednesday, October 10th (chicken and rice)

Damn y'all, but don't the elderly eat a lot of soup?

If you are interested in joining me at one of these events, and making me look like THE fundraising BSD, please send an email to [redacted.com], or call 512-4[redacted]. Tell them that Greg Abbott sent you because if I get 20 people to call or email I'll win a free set of them ginsu steak knives!

Even if your schedule won't permit you to join us, Senator Thompson would still like, and frankly EXPECTS, your money. You can click on the following link to contribute online:

Click Here to Contribute to Fred Thompson

Let me know if you’d like more details or are interested in attending. Feel free to respond to this email if you have any questions. I can't guarantee that anyone will contact you but we might at least try.

TTFN,

Greg Abbott
Paid for by Texans for Greg Abbott
P.O. Box 308, Austin, Texas 78767
Authorized by Friends of Fred Thompson, Inc.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 12, 2007

CradDICK's having problems recruiting candidates

Via Hal at Half Empty comes word of one of CradDICK's recruitment failures in the Houston area...anyone want to bet this is playing out around the state?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cornyn still pimping for Bush...

Cornyn had a busy day with General Betrayus, the man who went to Congress to lie about the success of the surge yesterday. Click the Betrayus link if you think I'm being a little mean. The man has lied time and time again to further the political agenda of the White House.

Oh, yeah... I'm totally going to trust him over Shinseki or any of the other Generals who have talked about what a disaster this invasion has been.

This has been an exciting time for everyone who thinks 9/11 changed everything. Brit Hume has been saying that al Qaida was in Iraq before our invasion (an outright lie) and in general conflating the war with 9/11. For those I offer only this... two posts about 9/11.

Throughout the entire nightmare, Cornyn has been talking about success in Iraq and how well the Administration has done. He's been little more than a sock puppet with Bush's hand up his ass. Texans deserve better... they deserve Rick Noriega's leadership in the US Senate. Here's what HE had to say about Cornyn's performance and the Petraeus Report.

It's time for a change and you can help make that happen by clicking here. Maybe then we'll be able to elect a leader who will actually help us bring the mastermind of 9/11 to justice.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 10, 2007

Sure. Leave it up to the father

Pink Dome has the story of a proposal in Ohio to ban abortions unless the father signs off on the mother's decision. I think this is a great idea and will fully support it, just as soon as the fetus can be transferred to the father should he decide it's a good idea to bring it to term.

Why should the woman bear the burden?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:06 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 09, 2007

Yes, Dear

Watching Fred Thompson's pitiful performance since he entered the GOP presidential race, has anyone else gotten the impression that Fred's trophy wife wants to be First Lady a lot more than Scrotum Face wants to be President? Maybe she gave him the choice of running or adding on a deck to the house.

Good luck with the deck, Fred.

Posted by sister ruth at 11:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sucking it up

About two months ago we found out about a Florida Republican state legislator who was up for a little action... in a public restroom in a park. Shades of Shannon Bailey, no? That guy is now claiming it was all because the cop was black and he was afraid of his blackness. Or something. I totally buy this excuse because when I'm scared the first thing that always pops to mind is the sucking cock of the person who scares me.

Wait. I'm getting myself confused with Steven Cojocaru again. Damn. Sorry about that.

ANYWAY, that's the story that old boy is going to stick with 'cause it's terribly believable.

About a month ago came (laugh it up) the heartwarming story of the National Chairman of the Young Republicans helping out a fellow YR. Via Queerty

Those Republicans just can’t stay out of gay sex scandals - or in the closet!

First Representative Mark Foley, then Evangelical Ted Haggard and the most recent (and racist!) fallen Floridian politico Ted Allen. Now Glenn Murphy joins the Grand Old Hall of Hypocrisy.

The former chairman of the Young Republicans National Federation (talk about a mouthful), resigned yesterday under some pretty dubious, debaucherous circumstances. Though the rising Republican star alleges he resigned to take a “non-partisan” job position, there may be a more logical, illegal explanation.

And it’s not for the faint of heart.

Advance in Indiana offers the gist.

"In a shocking police report filed by the Clark Co. Sheriff’s office, Murphy is accused of sexually assaulting another man on Saturday, July 28, 2007, while he lay sleeping in his bed. The alleged assault of the 22-year-old man took place in the Jeffersonville, Indiana home of his sister following a Young Republican party in which both Murphy and the 22-year-old man had been in attendance. The victim’s sister had urged both men to spend the night at her home because of the amount of alcohol the two had consumed during the party. The victim awoke in the morning to find Murphy performing oral sex on him according to the report. When [cops asked] Murphy what [Murphy] was doing, [the victim] responded: “He was holding his dick with one hand and sucking my dick with his mouth.”"

The blow job receiver then passed the news along to his sister, who confronted Murphy, who then allegedly confessed to the faux pas. (Even Republicans know you don’t suck a man’s dick while he sleeps. Then you don’t get the full moan.)

According to the same police report, Murphy had another nocturnal transgression back in 1998. As the lies began to unravel, Murphy and his self-declared non-Republican lawyer released a statement “pointing out,” “Mr. Murphy contends that the events that took place that evening were as between two consenting adults.” Sucking off two men in their sleep? That doesn’t sound too consensual. In fact, one may say - and we do - that Murphy’s actions weren’t consensual.

I seriously can't wait to hear the excuse for this...

He fell outta the top bunk during the night and he accidentally grabbed onto and attempted to swallow the other guys cock while trying to get back into the bunk

He was sleep walking while having a dream that he was swallowing a sausage. Whole.

Aliens infected him with a virus that could only be cured with cum from the young man he was fellating.

MySpace made him do it

I should sooo be in PR!

Now we have Senator Craig...the ongoing saga. When will it all end?

Posted by mcblogger at 05:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 07, 2007

Quick question...

Exactly how does someone who looks and talks like an Appalachian hillbilly get cast as the Manhattan District Attorney? Yeah, I'm talking about Fred Thompson, Male Prostitute. I mean really, he was very believable as a NASCAR guy. He was less believable as an Admiral. He is totally unbelievable as the DA for NY County.

TV casting people need to learn that the part of DA on Law and Order (unless it's Law and Order : Albany) can only be played by someone who looks vaguely like Ed Koch. Or this guy

Posted by mcblogger at 12:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 05, 2007

Calling Bullshit : Tucker Carlson gets hit on?

While talking on MSNBC Live, Tucker Carlson admitted to assaulting a gay man who allegedly attempted to hook up with him in a public restroom.

ABRAMS: Tucker, what did you do, by the way? What did you do when he did that? We got to know.

CARLSON: I went back with someone I knew and grabbed the guy by the -- you know, and grabbed him, and -- and --

ABRAMS: And did what?

CARLSON: Hit him against the stall with his head, actually!

[laughter]

CARLSON: And then the cops came and arrested him. But let me say that I'm the least anti-gay right-winger you'll ever meet --

OK, first off, I don't for a second believe that anyone hit on Carlson who is, in fact, a fucking creepy little twerp. I also think he's making up the assault. Let's be honest... my grandmother, who is 84, could beat the crap outta Tucker Carlson. I don't doubt for a minute that he would have needed a friend to help him because he is a rather large cunt. However, any gay man I know would have been able to roll Tucker and his friend like a wheel.

Oh yeah, Tucker. I totally believe you're all big and bad. Creampuff.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:10 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 04, 2007

2008 is looking bad for the R's

Looking at GOP prospects in the senate next year is pretty scary... if you're a Republican. If you're a Democrat, you should be smiling like a proud mother.

Republicans need a net gain of just one seat to take back control of the Senate, but they have 22 seats to defend, and campaign cash is conspicuously lacking. Warner's retirement raised to two the number of open Republican seats, and both of them -- in Virginia and Colorado -- are prime targets for Democrats.

And then, there is the money...

The Cook Report considers those three seats and the Idaho seat "likely Republican," but if the GOP is forced to spend any money defending them, it would be siphoning funds from races where the money would be badly needed. As of June 30, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had $20.4 million on hand, while the National Republican Senatorial Committee had $5.8 million in its bank account.

"If Republicans are investing significant money in Idaho, that means they are losing at least five seats in 2008," said Nathan L. Gonzales, political editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report. "If Idaho ends up the fire wall, they are in deep trouble."

Here's my favorite quote...

"About the only safe Republican Senate seats in '08 are the ones that aren't on the ballot," a GOP operative with extensive experience in Senate races said. "I don't see even the rosiest scenario where we don't end up losing more seats."

Uhm... duh! While voters may be dissatisfied with Congress, they are pissed as hell at the President and every member of his party for holding up the agenda the people demanded last year. I mention all this with Congressional races here in Texas in mind. McCaul is more than likely toast as is our favorite Zombie Senator, John Cornyn.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 31, 2007

And... He's Off!

Ending months of fevered indifference, the laziest man alive Fred "Scrotum Face" Thompson has officially entered the contest to see who gets to be beaten to a pulp by Hillary Clinton in 2008. Republicans rejoice! At last an unpleasant cranky old white man is running!

Okay, maybe "running" is too active a verb. (Did I mention that Fred is the Laziest Man Alive?} So... walking. No, sauntering. Actually, the most appropriate metaphor is to say he's being transported in one of those sedan chairs once favored by oriental despots. If the bearers were stuffed.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 30, 2007

So what IS Brownie up to?

Unbelievable.

"I cannot believe it's been two years when I see how bad things are down there," Brown said in an interview yesterday. He said that he has not been back to New Orleans since Katrina -- "I haven't been invited" -- but he gets updates from people doing work there. Also, he's busy.

He has fashioned a career for himself as a disaster management consultant and public speaker. The image of him that remains -- the Brownie who did a heck of a job, who needed extra time for a meal at a crowded Baton Rouge restaurant while the situation at the Louisiana Superdome became more and more desperate -- is one he says he carries with him these days on the public speaking circuit.

Today, Brown splits his time between Washington, D.C., and Colorado, working as a disaster preparedness consultant for a number of corporations, including Cotton Cos., which works to restore wireless communications.

The man who was a miserable failure at managing the response to a disaster is now consulting with companies on how manage a disaster? What is this, a lost episode of Seinfeld?

Posted by mcblogger at 05:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

So what IS Brownie up to?

Unbelievable.

"I cannot believe it's been two years when I see how bad things are down there," Brown said in an interview yesterday. He said that he has not been back to New Orleans since Katrina -- "I haven't been invited" -- but he gets updates from people doing work there. Also, he's busy.

He has fashioned a career for himself as a disaster management consultant and public speaker. The image of him that remains -- the Brownie who did a heck of a job, who needed extra time for a meal at a crowded Baton Rouge restaurant while the situation at the Louisiana Superdome became more and more desperate -- is one he says he carries with him these days on the public speaking circuit.

Today, Brown splits his time between Washington, D.C., and Colorado, working as a disaster preparedness consultant for a number of corporations, including Cotton Cos., which works to restore wireless communications.

The man who was a miserable failure at managing the response to a disaster is now consulting with companies on how manage a disaster? What is this, a lost episode of Seinfeld?

Posted by mcblogger at 05:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Forbes and Giuliani

Please excuse me... I'm just finding out about this, mostly because I pay as much attention to Rudy Giuliani as I do to Sister Ruth when she whines about how much I drink. Apparently, Steve Forbes, who (like Paris Hilton) is a recipient of the ovarian lottery, endorsed Rudy and joined his campaign as an economic adviser. Here's what happened back in March the endorsement came to life and Rudy was forced to embrace one of Steve's signature issues, the flat tax.

In 1996, when Mr. Forbes first ran for president, Mr. Giuliani, then the mayor of New York City, disparaged a flat tax in general and Mr. Forbes’s plan in particular. The Forbes plan called for a single tax rate above a certain income, instead of several rates based on income. Mr. Giuliani said that a central part of the proposal, eliminating deductions, would hurt taxpayers in urban areas and reduce tax revenues for populous cities and states.

“You’re giving them more authority, more autonomy, and you’re giving them less resources to deal with the problems,” he said then in an interview with CBS, calling the proposal “a mistake.”

He used stronger language on CNN a few days later, saying the Forbes plan “would really be a disaster.”

Eleven years later, Mr. Giuliani is the one running for president, and with a record on social issues to the left of most Republicans, he has been trying to appeal to fiscal conservatives. In those circles, the word of Mr. Forbes, the magazine executive who also ran for president in 2000, carries considerable weight.

These days, Mr. Giuliani calls himself an advocate of supply-side economics and tells audiences that he cut taxes and restrained spending as mayor. He said several times yesterday that the federal tax code should be vastly simpler.

We already knew Rudy was a giant whore (and no, I'm not talking about just his drag performances) but this is something entirely new. This is out and out pandering from the 'hero of 9/11'. Yeah, Rudy, I totally think you're brave. Fucko.

What disturbs me most about him is that there is a possibility he might win. And that has the potential to put Forbes, who is well known for his diminutive intellect and horribly written magazine, in a policy making position where he can help push through some of his other stupid ideas... like a return to the gold standard. Like most 'gold bugs' (so-called because they love gold and are as smart as insects), Forbes believes this is the only way to run a monetary system.

Seriously, it's a bad idea. I could spend a few paragraphs on why, like the fact that while fiat currency (like those in use EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD TODAY) can be inflationary at times, it can also just as easily be deflationary when needed. It's also far more responsive to demands for credit. The gold standard is based on a metal dug up out of the ground and removes the ability of a central bank to effectively act as a lender of last resort. Which means that when you have a credit crunch (which we have now) the Fed can't respond effectively to it. Currently, I think the situation we are in will lead to a shallow recession. Under the gold standard, it would have already started a deflationary death spiral into a depression.

How do I know? Because it's happened before. Throughout the 19th century. Which is why we dropped the gold standard in the 20th.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 27, 2007

So long, asshole

el Presidente continues to clean house during August, when he thinks no one will see. Honestly, I'm just glad the brain dead, politically inept and ethically challenged son of a bitch is gone.

Seriously, never in this country's history has one man been so dedicated to destroying the rule of law and riding rough shod over the Constitution. His term of office has been a black mark on our history and embarrassed every Texan. Try going back to law school, Albert, and concentrate on Constitutional law...

Posted by mcblogger at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 26, 2007

For Shame, Ari...

The Republicans are hell bent on pressing ahead with this 'stay the course/let the surge work' bullshit. So much so that they have created some of the most obscene commercials ever produced using wounded vets and the families of those we've lost.

The common thread? We invaded Iraq because of terrorism. If we don't fight them there they will follow us here. We have to go on with the mission for the fallen. In one of the videos, a mother of a soldier killed in Iraq is used for propaganda purposes, ostensibly with her agreement.

Mrs. Strong, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you actually believe what you're saying. Let me clue you in on something you're obviously not ready to face... Your son, like many others, died for a lie. Yes, he did free Iraq from Saddam Hussein. However, it wasn't to keep WMD's from being used against the US. It wasn't to take out those who perpetrated 9/11. It was the work of people, drunk on their ideology, who sought to remake the world as they saw fit using your son and many other brave American soldiers. That's what really happened. Our President lied to us. His advisors deliberately engineered evidence and outright lied about the threat posed by Iraq. The invasion was unnecessary. And the man responsible for 9/11 is still at large.

Finally, Mrs. Strong, how many more have to die before you'll let your son go? How many more mothers have to bury their sons before you'll say enough is enough? Before you and others will admit that we don't belong in the middle of a civil war? You son and millions of men and women he served with have done their duty to their country. It's our duty to them, as civilians, to elect men and women who will put an end to this and bring them home.

And for you, the shameless Mr. Fleischer, may you be reviled the world over as a shill par excellence. As someone who'd sell his own mother to make a buck. Enjoy your irrelevance.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 24, 2007

Cocaine use falls in FL, symptom of the bad economy

Ah, Florida... home of humidity, massive mosquitoes, the Shuttle and Disneyworld. Also home to sky-high cocaine use. At least, it used to be...

Cocaine use in South Florida's workforce has experienced a sharp decline this year compared to 2006, mirroring a national trend that shows the drug's use at a 10-year low, a leading U.S. testing firm reports.

''The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area saw a dramatic decline of approximately 18.1 percent in cocaine positivity rates among workers,'' said Barry Sample, the director of science and technology for employee testing at Quest Diagnostics. ``This drop may suggest that employees in the area either are choosing not to use cocaine or lack access to the drug.''

Nationwide, there was a 16 percent drop in positive workplace drug tests for cocaine in the first six months of the year, Quest announced Thursday.

The Lyndhurst, N.J.,-based company compiled its report on 4.4 million drug tests conducted from January through June. The nationwide rate -- about one test in every 172 was positive for cocaine -- is the lowest in the 10 years since Quest began reporting cocaine in its testing index, a widely used benchmark.

Yeah, had to see this coming... people spend less on drugs when they can't make their house payments and their income has failed to go up. Year after year. Finally, it's success in the war on drugs! Make people poor and they can't afford them!

Posted by mcblogger at 03:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 22, 2007

Attorney General Greg Abbott loses Iraqi munitions

Not really... the munitions are lost but we don't really know who lost them. So naturally we assumed it was Attorney General Greg Abbott who's all the time losing things. However, we think it might just be the Pentagon. From Reuters (via Somervell County Salon)

The Pentagon cannot account for 190,000 AK-47 rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, or about half the weapons earmarked for soldiers and police, according to a government report.

The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress, said in a July 31 report to lawmakers that the Defense Department also cannot account for 135,000 items of body armor and 115,000 helmets reported to be issued to Iraqi forces as of September 22, 2005.

The GAO said the Pentagon concurred with its findings and has begun a review to ensure full accountability for the program to train and equip Iraqi forces.

"However, our review of the 2007 property books found continuing problems with missing and incomplete records," the GAO report said.

No joke, I just want to know how y'all can be such colossal FUCKUPS?!?!?! FedEx and UPS manage to keep track of and move tons of shit all over the world daily, yet you people can't keep up with guns and body armor?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 21, 2007

Tina Fish with the stupid...

Tina Fish, the Chairwoman of the Texas Republican Party, decided to attack Democratic Senatorial Candidate Mikal Watts. Now, you all know I'm for Noriega, mostly because he's a real man and I think he'll contrast nicely to Cornyn who is a little undead girl.

Seriously, wouldn't you LOVE to see Cornyn in a cage match? With Zombie George Burns who would totally kick his ass? Ahhh, good times.

But back to Tina Fish. She decided to waste her time playing in the Democratic Primary instead of worrying about her very real and pressing fundraising problems (that's the rumor making the rounds here in Austin) by attacking Watts for being a trial lawyer. As if that was a big secret.

Now, I'm a banker. You wouldn't think I'd like trial lawyers, but I do (except when they get involved in politics beyond fundraising... they're bad at everything but). They serve an essential function in a capitalist economy with a absentee government... putting the brakes on some of the more outrageous abuses of consumers by corporations. Tina Fish of course, thinks corporations can do no wrong. Tell that to the people who lost pets because of tainted dog food, Tina. Food that the corporation that made it KNEW was bad.

Do trial lawyers go too far? Sure, some... but on balance they, like most corporations, actually do a good job for their clients and customers. Of course, Tina Fish would rather focus on the negatives...

Watts sued one of the world's largest automakers for millions of dollars, claiming that its product had caused serious injuries to occupants of the vehicle.

Of course, what Tina Fish doesn't mention is that the folks in question were driving on some of those Firestone tires that had a nasty habit of disintegrating that Ford was all the time putting on Explorers. She did take the time to mention that the folks had ingested 'drugs' of some sort, as if that has anything to do with a badly manufactured tire or an automaker's decision to use those defective tires.

What is it about Republicans that makes them hate trial lawyers until a tree falls on them and an insurance company won't give them the compensation they feel they deserve?

Tell you what, Tina Fish...You worry about fixing your house (seriously, you've presided over the rapid decline of the Republican Party in Texas. You should worry about how YOU look as an ineffectual leader) and leave the Democratic Primary to Democrats. That way you'll at least have a fighting chance when next April rolls around and we're on your sorry ass.

Oh, and do something about those horse teeth, you pedestrian slob.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:12 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 14, 2007

¿Quien Es Mas Reaganismo?

So everyone on the dark side has been following the Ames spectacle from this past weekend. But now that the straws have all been polled, the bouncy castles have all been deflated, and the funnel-cake sugar-dust has cleared, GOP voters are right back to the same reality they've been facing the whole campaign season: a lack of inspiring candidates. Of course, everyone WANTS another Gipper, but who in this crowd measures up? Which of the candidates' qualities will GOP voters find most reminiscent of their beloved Saint Ronald? You decide:

A. Rudy Giuliani's resentful children

B. Mitt Romney's experiments with the "trickle-down" phenomenon

C. John McCain's endearing dementia

D. Fred Thompson's B-grade actor credentials

Voting is open in the comments!

Posted by hbalczak at 09:38 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 13, 2007

Welcome to the new chair of the SBOE

The new chair of the SBOE loves him some creationism and abstinence only sex ed. Which is PERFECT for a state that has one of the lowest levels of science literacy in the country and one of the highest levels of teenage STD's and pregnancy.

Welcome, Mr. McLeroy. We're SOOO happy you're here. His appointment brings only one question to mind... what the hell did the children of Texas DO to piss off 39% so much that he appointed this asshat to such an important body?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 11, 2007

TRS using crooks as consultants

Managed by Republican appointees, the Teachers Retirement System is the state-run pension plan that supports the retirements of hundreds of thousands and men and women who made teaching our children their lives. From the Star-Telegram (via Somervell County Salon) comes word that some of the consultants hired by the morons 39% put in charge at TRS are in trouble with Federal regulators...

Texas pension funds rely increasingly on outside consultants to handle complex investments, and one plan used advisers who faced accusations of misconduct by federal regulators and officials in other states.

The Employees Retirement System of Texas, a $24 billion pension fund for state workers, uses two consultants who have run into trouble with regulators, including one that paid a $2.2 million fine, the Austin American-Statesman reported in Sunday's editions.

The Securities and Exchange Commission had begun an informal inquiry into consultant Joseph Frohna when the Texas employee fund hired him and his firm, Cortina Asset Management in 2005. Frohna managed a portfolio of stocks for the fund until recently.

On Friday, the SEC said it had sued Frohna for insider trading in 2002 and that he had agreed to pay a $2.2 million fine.

Kathy Reissman, chief investment officer of the pension fund, said officials didn't know Frohna was under SEC scrutiny, although the probe was reported in the media.

Good job there, 39%! What, you couldn't get some of the Enron accountants to take the job?

Posted by mcblogger at 11:20 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 10, 2007

Sometimes markets break

The madness known as a credit crunch has set in. This is a fun time when private markets essentially break down and everyone is too scared to do anything. We talked about this last week in relation to the collapse of one lender in particular. What I didn't say was that the private secondary market was illiquid. By 'illiquid' I mean there was no money in it, even for A credits. In short, private investors were too scared to buy anything.

The only investors still reliably buying loans were the GSE's, known popularly as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which IS, in fact the reason they exist. President Bankruptcy (so known because of his business prowess) said yesterday that he saw no need for an expansion at Fannie and Freddie to buy mortgage backed securities (MBS) and credit default swaps (CDS) outside of their charter (like jumbos and some Alt-A, as well as expanding the amounts that could take in and hold). So, with them under the control of the infinitely stupid, the Fed was left with little choice but to step in and establish a floor to the market. Normally, Fannie and Freddie would be the lenders of last resort. Because of the President's stupidity, the Fed had to step in and buy $35 Billion just this morning in MBS.

And that, my friends, is why you have government getting involved in private business. Occasionally, the markets collapse. That's a FACT that often is left out of the supply-side, get rich quick fantasies of the Republicans. When it happens, someone has to step in and make things work again. The reason organizations like the Federal Reserve and GSE's were created is to do just this... keep the market from getting too irrational.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 09, 2007

Tolls : Well, first you have to stop being a whiney bitch

Senator Carona had a little 'transportation summit' during which he asked

"What does it take to get TxDOT to listen to the will of the legislators?" he said. "It is a core attitude of arrogance that I believe still exists."

Remind me who caved on tolling last session, Senator? Who was out beating everyone up to pass 792? Who was that?

That's right, it was YOU!

I thought, for a second, it was some other fat senator from Dallas but then I realized, there aren't any, other than your corpulent little self. What? You thought we'd forgotten about you? Not a chance Lard-o.

Here's some advice if you'd like to be taken seriously (which is already hard enough given your status as a member of the Texas Legislature which is just a small step above Sonic car hop)... When you say you are going to do something, do it. Don't come back and say it was too hard or that you didn't have the power, you intimidate those that do until they cave in. Why? BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT. Had you been serious about shifting the gas tax, the House could have easily gone over Krusee and CradDICK's head to put that bill on the floor. You could have DECAPITATED TXDoT but you whimped out. Like the tame little fat man you are. So quit whining, Senator, and understand one fucking thing: NO ONE takes you seriously on this, least of all your constituents. It's little wonder Dick Williamson won't acknowledge you. I sure as fuck wouldn't.

Of course, Carona wasn't the only one whining about all this...

State senators Robert Nichols, R- Jacksonville, and Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, the only other committee members there, also fired shots.

Nichols, who has served on the Texas Transportation Commission, which oversees TxDOT, said using availability payments would be like the state co-signing private loans.

"I'm not so sure you have the ability to do that," he said.

After Carona noted that he couldn't make TxDOT play nice but he sure could turn up the heat, Shapiro flashed a friendly smile and chimed in: "I think he speaks for most of us."

Oh, Bob, we could never forget that you were a member of the Texas Transportation Commission when the decisions were made on the TTC and Toll taxes. We know you voted for it and you have all the credibility on this issue that Krusee and Carona have, probably less. You and Carona make quite a pair, the biggest bitches in the state, bent over without vasoline or a kiss by 39% and Dick Williamson.

Flo, you'll want to stay out of this altogether. You've already earned a rough re-election thanks to vouchers.

Speaking for TxDOT, Assistant Director Amadeo Saenz and Transportation Commissioner Fred Underwood emphasized there's a severe shortage of funds, which means toll roads are needed.

"Texas is facing enormous and rapidly increasing transportation needs," Underwood said. "Achieving our goals will require a long-term program of investment in our transportation system by state, local governments and, we believe, by private participants."

Carona said he wasn't directing his attacks at Underwood, saying he's too new on the commission to have caused problems, or Saenz, saying he thinks the world of him.

Oh, Senator. Do you ever stop kissing ass? Can you honestly not separate a man from the post he occupies? Saenz may be a sweetheart, but he's he's also a large part of your problem in this capacity as a director at TXDoT. Nothing personal, but if you want to save your ample ass you're going to have to take down his.

The one thing that has consistently shocked me with the Texas Lege is the assumption that the members deserve respect. Understand something... respect is EARNED. Quit acting like 'tards and maybe you'll get some. Y'all cut through the bullshit and get us moving the right way. The first step for all of you out there looking for action? Join TURF.

(via EOW who rocks!)

Posted by mcblogger at 09:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 06, 2007

Another endless war... this time, the one on drugs

The US and Mexico are close to inking another deal that will give Mexico US aid to continue fighting the money-wasting war on drugs. Mexico has been beset with violence, in the far north and south, caused by drug cartels clashing with the few law enforcement officials who aren't on the take.

Think Chicago, 1930.

Mexican President Felipe Calderón, locked in a bloody confrontation with drug cartels, is negotiating a counter-drug aid package with the Bush administration worth hundreds of millions of dollars, say several U.S. officials familiar with the discussions.

Officials on both sides are working out the details of a package that resembles a similar plan for Colombia. The talks have been taking place quietly for several months and will be a central item on the agenda Aug. 20-21 when President Bush and Calderón are expected to meet in Québec.

Mexican officials have been reluctant to go public with the discussions, mindful of the anti-U.S. sentiments harbored by many Mexicans. The conservative Calderón believes he has little choice but to enlist U.S. help given the cross-border nature of drug trafficking and the ruthlessness of Mexico's drug gangs, officials and observers told The Miami Herald.

Most of the American officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic and because the details of the plan could change in coming weeks. In public, U.S. officials say little other than to acknowledge the discussions.

''We're working very closely with the Mexicans on counternarcotics on a variety of fronts and at all levels of government,'' said National Security Council spokeswoman Katherine Starr. ``Presidents Bush and Calderón look forward to discussing this and other issues when they meet in Canada in August.''

But officials view the talks as a bold initiative by Calderón that underscores his resolve to tame drug-related violence -- most of it between rival cartels -- that has cost the lives of 3,000 Mexicans in the past year alone and forced the intervention of 20,000 federal troops.

Of course, the plan still has to get through Congress, which will more than likely capitulate because of a few wayward dems (anyone seen Chettie? Nick?). And drop still more money into another financial black hole.

End prohibition and fix your country, President Calderón.

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Stop an execution on August 30th

Sean-Paul Kelley has a great piece up about stopping the execution of a man who helped someone murder his friend. See how I wrote that? It's gotta make you wonder why he'd be trying to stop that execution. Truth is, I wondered that myself until I read his article. You'll understand, too.

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August 03, 2007

CradDICK, the biggest DICK in Austin

Let's say you take over the job of someone who ostensibly like and respect. Let's say the company you work for wishes to honor your predecessor. Let's say you have control over that and decide to SHIT ALL OVER THE EVENT.

What would that make you? To me, that would make you a giant dick. And that's exactly what (soon to be ex-)Speaker CradDICK is for 86ing former Speaker Laney's bust revealing ceremony. Via Vince at Capitol Annex...

We all know that Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) is less than ethical. Now, it seems he can’t even be polite.

Sources tell Capitol Annex that House Speaker Tom Craddick has refused to allow any ceremony for the unveiling of the bust of former House Speaker Pete Laney in the annex of the Texas Capitol.

Former Texas House Speakers including Gib Lewis and Billy Clayton have been honored by having their likenesses sculpted as bronze busts and placed in the capitol annex near the Capitol Cafeteria.

And, each of the past several speakers was invited to small unveiling ceremonies when their busts were dedicated.

Craddick has, however, refused to allow any honor for his predecessor.

According to Capitol Annex’s sources, Rep. Toby Goolsby (R-Dallas) approached Speaker Craddick about a ceremony for Laney. Craddick reportedly replied with only the word, “no.” Goolsby reportedly persisted and Craddick consented that the bust could be placed by the others but forbid any ceremony and allegedly forbid anyone who knew about the placement of the bust from letting anyone know about its arrival or inciting anything to be done to mark the occasion.

This is one of Craddick’s worst actions. It’s pure partisanship at its worst.

Regardless of party or personal differences, a former speaker of the Texas House should be given his due just like other speakers were. There is a precedent and it should be followed. Craddick, will no doubt expect the same when his bust is dedicated in a couple of years—after he is voted out of the Speaker’s chair in 2009

What IS it with the Republicans and their desire to shit all over the fine men and women who've served before them? I can't wait until CradDICK is a former Speaker. When his bust is revealed, I'm bringing a bag of dogshit to smear all over it.

What? You weren't thinking of doing the same thing?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 02, 2007

Romney on the rampage

So the former Massachusettes Governor spent time recently attacking his betters, also known as the Democratic candidates for President. Disregarding the fact that people, on balance, like Mike Gravel more than him, he launched into a diatribe against the three leading Democratic candidates who (wisely) farmed the comebacks to staff. Here's the Clinton bit...

"Hillary Clinton just gave a speech the other day about her view on the economy. She said we have been an on-your-own society. She said it's time to get rid of that and replace that with shared responsibility and we're-in-it-together society," Romney told the crowd. "That's out with Adam Smith and in with Karl Marx."

A Clinton spokeswoman shot back, challenging Romney's record.

"Given how often Romney flip-flops, tomorrow he will be touting his membership in the Communist Party," Kathleen Strand said.

Nicely done, Kathleen. Mitt, we ARE in it together. Adam Smith was never about EVERYTHING for me and NOTHING for you. Capitalism is about balance and the goals (an equitable distribution of wealth) are not that different than those of Marxism. It's the mechanism of the distribution (the market vs. the state) that's different. Only stupid private equity people would be unable to get that. What WAS it you did before you went into politics, Mitt?

Then he went after Edwards...

"To have someone like Senator Edwards stand up and say there's not a war on terror, that it's a Bush bumper sticker" is unacceptable, he said. "There is a war being waged by the terrorists. If I or any other Republican president is running this country, there will be a war waged on the terrorists."

An Edwards spokeswoman said Romney's own vacillations should give voters pause.

"It seems the only thing that Governor Romney has chosen to stand firm on is the misguided, out-of-touch belief that we should continue with George Bush's failed foreign policy in Iraq," Kate Bedingfield said.

Gee... sure looks like the Democrats learned something from 2004. Mitt, you better hope you don't get the nomination. Even Dennis Kucinich would make you his bitch.

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July 31, 2007

EXCLUSIVE! Pictures of Fred Thompson and his child bride

(h/t to Harry Balczak who astutely pointed out how much the Creature and Fred Thompson look alike)

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Don't you just hate it....

When bad things happen to someone you just don't like?

Somervell County Salon is reporting that Senator Ted Stevens' house has been raided by the FBI

BlueBloggin' has more on the unfortunate seizure that hit Chief Justice Roberts while on vacay at his home in Maine. Don't worry... he's fine. In other SC news, Feet to Fire has a great article up about the public perception that the courts have shifted too far right. Good to see the public finally keeping up with reality.

Dungeon Diary has the deets on the impeachment bill that will hit the House soon to remove Gonzo from office. We'll be crying big tears if that happens. Totally.

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July 25, 2007

It's not under oath...

...but they are lies, nonetheless.

Of course, it ain't gonna happen until Republicans in the Senate are so afraid of losing their seats that they cave in. I certainly hope THAT doesn't happen. I'd much rather see Bush convicted after he leaves office and I really don't want Cornyn to do a thing to save his decaying ass.

There is a ton of interesting stuff that's come out over the last couple of days...apparently, Bush signed what is more than likey an illegal Executive Order condemning those who oppose his wildly misguided policies in Iraq.

"I don't actually think they're very strong," said Roberts of his words. "I get a lot of flak that they're understated and the situation is worse than I say. ... When Bush exercises this authority [under the new Executive Order] ... there's no check to it. It doesn't have to be ratified by Congress. The people who bear the brunt of these dictatorial police state actions have no recourse to the judiciary. So it really is a form of total, absolute, one-man rule. ... The American people don't really understand the danger that they face."

The piece goes on to speculate (keep in mind, this is a CONSERVATIVE speculating) that Bush, et al., may well have other plans in store for 2008 and 2009, namely not leaving office. Uhm... if that happens, you WILL see people in the streets.

However, Roberts emphasized, "the problem with this reasoning is that it assumes that Cheney and Rove and the Republicans are ignorant of these facts, or it assumes that they are content for the Republican Party to be destroyed after Bush has his fling." Roberts believes instead that Cheney and Rove intend to use a renewal of the War on Terror to rally the American people around the Republican Party. "Something's in the works," he said, adding that the Executive Orders need to create a police state are already in place.

"The administration figures themselves and prominent Republican propagandists ... are preparing us for another 9/11 event or series of events," Roberts continued. "Chertoff has predicted them. ... The National Intelligence Estimate is saying that al Qaeda has regrouped. ... You have to count on the fact that if al Qaeda's not going to do it, it's going to be orchestrated. ... The Republicans are praying for another 9/11."

Hartmann asked what we as the people can do if impeachment isn't about to happen. "If enough people were suspicious and alert, it would be harder for the administration to get away with it," Roberts replied. However, he added, "I don't think these wake-up calls are likely to be effective," pointing out the dominance of the mainstream media.

"Americans think their danger is terrorists," said Roberts. "They don't understand the terrorists cannot take away habeas corpus, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution. ... The terrorists are not anything like the threat that we face to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution from our own government in the name of fighting terrorism. Americans just aren't able to perceive that."

More on the EO is at BOR and Blue Bloggin' has a great post up about the Administrations plans not to prosecute any official cited by Congress for contempt. Exactly who does the DoJ work for, Mr. President?

(video via PinkDome)

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July 23, 2007

Iraq, Terror and why are people so fucking dumb??!?!

Have you seen Orson Scott Card's jeremiad on why the War on Terror is important? Take a look here. Seriously, it's always nice to see someone who was once rational completely lose his mind. He spends paragraph after paragraph comparing the WOT to WW2 and insinuating that Bush is the American version of Churchill. Funny me, I always thought that was FDR, especially when it came to drinking.

The whole thing is such a rambling mess that I honestly wouldn't know where to begin with excepts. It's very obvious he's extremely scared of Islam (why?) and has cooked up one hell of a fantasy scenario...

But if we do insane things like withdrawing from Iraq (which would be seen by everyone as a massive victory for Al-Qaeda and Iran and a proof that America cannot be relied on as an ally) or allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons, then several things will certainly happen:

A. All the Muslim nations that have trusted us will immediately make friends with Iran or be toppled by Islamicist coups and revolutions.

B. Israel will be destroyed and its population slaughtered in a new holocaust. We might be able to bring out a few survivors.

C. Europe will be neutralized. Radical Islam will completely dominate the Muslim populations in European nations, and the governments will almost certainly bend their foreign policy to accommodate their demands. America will have no allies.

D. The world economic order, from which America skims its prosperity, probably would not endure. Oil still calls the shots, and Russia and China will join with Islam to marginalize or shatter the American economy. Never mind that the resulting worldwide depression would ruin their own economies. If America is brought down, they will feel like relative winners. And without America as a beacon of hope, what internal opposition would they have to worry about? None.

Peppered throughout the piece are historical anecdotes (like where Hitler went wrong) and Lincoln's true goal during the Civil War (he wanted to hold on to the Presidency long enough to win the fight). The Hitler related stuff is really the best as far as comedy (seriously, read it and tell me you don't think of long supply chains). The biggest issue is that Card, like so many of the cowards on the right, see a massive enemy when in fact there are only a handful of fanatics with whom we really have to contend. They can't visualize how to fight that enemy, so instead they blunder about trying to remake countries and failing miserably at it.

In the same vein of We Have To Win In Iraq (whatever THAT means... I thought we achieved the goal of knocking out Saddam) Or They'll Come Here And Kill Us, Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman sent a nasty little note to Senator Clinton basically accusing her of treason...

Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia. … [S]uch talk understandably unnerves the very same Iraqi allies we are asking to assume enormous personal risks.

Left out of his oh-so-kind note is the fact that his boss (Secy of Defense Gates) actually thinks talking about departure is exactly what the Iraqi's need to get their asses in gear.

Finally, EOW has nice piece up on Glenn Greenwald's take down of Ted Sorenson who, while a great speechwriter 50 years ago, is clearly slipping a little...

The United States is not a “nation under siege.” That is a ludicrously melodramatic description of the terrorist threat and it is precisely the failure to challenge such fear-mongering sloganeering that has enabled so many of the destructive policies of the last six years. Any political figure who is authentically interested in the type of real debate which Sorensen touts will challenge, not bolster, this misleading premise. More importantly, a genuine debate regarding how to recover from the last six years (soon to be “last eight years”) will require a fundamental re-examination of America’s role in the world and, most of all, whether we want to continue to maintain imperial dominance. Contrary to conventional Beltway fears, this is plainly a debate which the American public is not only willing, but eager, to engage.

Uhm... yeah. What he said. We shouldn't be afraid, they should be afraid. However, as long as the R's can sell fear, that's just what they'll do. That and the need for invasions and bombs when in reality all you need is a unit made up of really mean Americans who will hunt down and kill, anywhere in the world, terrorists.

Sounds mean, right? Oh pish. You don't stop a fanatic by bombing his/her hometown... s/he's not there and s/he doesn't care about those left behind anyway. You also don't stop them by negotiating. You kill them until their numbers dwindle to zero. You need assassins, not an Army battalion. That, my friends, is the number one reason why none of you should even think of voting for a Republican. They just don't get it.

Maybe they aren't mean enough.

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July 20, 2007

Webb puts the smack down on Lindsay Graham

Hal at Half Empty has the transcript of Senator Webb bitch slapping Senator Graham on MTP...

SEN. WEBB: You know, this is one thing I really—this is one thing I really take objection to...

SEN. GRAHAM: ...the soldiers are speaking, my friend. Let them win.

SEN. WEBB: ...is politicians who—at the...

SEN. GRAHAM: Let them win.

SEN. WEBB: Politicians who—may I speak?

SEN. GRAHAM: They want to win, let them win.

SEN. WEBB: Is politicians who try to put their political views into the mouths of soldiers. You can look at poll after poll, and the political views of the United States military are no different than the country at large. Go take a look at The New York Times today.

That's right, Lindsay... quit putting words into the troops mouths.

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July 19, 2007

From the Dept. of Shocking Developments

Apparently, Republicans LOVE sucking them some cock...

(h/t to Sister Ruth for calling tonight to tell me about this and ask if this was normal. Dumbass)

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July 17, 2007

Cornyn snubs the First Lady??!?!

Oh, come on! It's the former First Lady of the United States. The wife of a President from your home state, Senator. What the hell were you thinking?

Give to Rick Noriega now and let's say goodbye to Junior John.

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July 16, 2007

Editorial Wrap Up : Get us OUT of Iraq, fuckers!

Two editorials stood out to me today, both had the same point: Congress needs to get us out of Iraq now since the President has continued to follow is own insane advice and refuses to acknowledge reality.

This is NOT a 'let's beat up on the Congressional Democrats' post. They've done all they can to date. It's been up to the President to change and adapt. That hasn't happened. So, the only choice we have left is to put a terrific amount of pressure on Republican Senators and Representatives to flip and override a Bush veto on a withdrawal. In short, it's time for Congress to fully emasculate the crazy man in the White House.

To that end, the Star-Trib in Minneapolis-St. Paul is calling on Senator Norm Coleman to flip and join Senate Democrats in this effort.

President Bush, having dispatched top officials to Capitol Hill to shore up support on Iraq, saw defections occurring instead and ended up in a high-stakes power showdown on Thursday. After lecturing Congress on its role (consultation, by his lights), he emphasized his power as chief decider. But it's way past time for all that. Members of Congress must counter his stance with a strong new, and newly bipartisan, effort to responsibly end this war. ... Since Bush is having his logic all ways and clearly is in denial about the state of affairs in Iraq, senior members of Congress -- despite Bush's implication that they are overstepping their authority -- must get beyond their party interests and/or 2008 campaign maneuvering and craft a firm, joint message to Bush. Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, who has shown at least a limited willingness to differ with the president on Iraq policy, is in the right position to be a player in such an effort. But it can't be Sen. Levin this and Sen. Warner that. Just as it took truly bipartisan cohesion to get out of Vietnam, it will take more than a determined majority and a few straggling Republicans to turn Bush around.

Then this from the Sac Bee, for those Democrats out there who still want to beat up on the Speaker...

Three significant events happened last week regarding U.S. policy in Iraq.

First, the president issued a preliminary report required by Congress on progress in Iraq. It offers unwarranted optimism and no adjustments to Bush's current strategy. It states that the "overall trajectory" has "begun to stabilize" compared to the "deteriorating trajectory" in 2006. But, the administration notes, none of 18 benchmarks has been reached. In eight, "satisfactory" progress has been made; in 10, only "unsatisfactory" or "mixed" progress.

Second was the 223-201 vote in the House in favor of a bill (HR 2956) to require U.S. combat forces to start leaving Iraq within 120 days. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she will bring back similar bills "as often as necessary, hopefully with an increasing level of support from our Republican colleagues, until pressure from the American people causes the president to change his mind and change his policy."

Third, Sens. John Warner, R-Va., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., have drafted legislation that admits reality: A "unified, pluralist, democratic government" is "not likely to be achieved in the near future" in Iraq, and the U.S. military cannot "interpose itself indefinitely between sectarian factions." It rejects a "poorly planned or precipitous" pullout, but requires Bush to come up with a plan by Oct. 16 to keep U.S. troops from "policing the civil strife or sectarian violence in Iraq" and focus instead on protecting Iraq's borders, targeting terrorists and defending U.S. assets. Implementation would begin by Dec. 31.

The President has already shut the door on the Republican proposal, proving once more than he has no intention of working with Congress or acknowledging reality. Now you can be mad the Speaker for not bringing up impeachment (personally, I'd love nothing more but the investigations have not yet uncovered enough evidence to prosecute, nor are there the essential Republican votes to impeach... we don't have THAT large a majority) but don't jump up her ass over this. Call Republican members of Congress. ANY Republican member of Congress. Bitch them out.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tancredo and that's it?!?!?

This is the NAACP debate for the Republicans...

Kudos to the NAACP for not canceling this. Someone smart must have known this would be a great photo.

(via BlueBloggin')

Posted by mcblogger at 05:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 15, 2007

What? You mean firefighters don't like Rudy?

A group of firefighters have decided to tell the truth and shame the devil by calling Rudy 'I'm all about 9/11' Guiliani 'full of shit'. The videos are very enlightening.

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July 13, 2007

Speaking of people we don't like...

It would appear that Austin's own former Rep. Terry Keel will stay on as House Parliamentarian in an effort to 'stand by his man'.

Former Austin Rep. Terry Keel, a Republican who only thought he was leaving the House when his last term ran out in January, plans to stick around as the House parliamentarian, a post he suddenly filled after the previous parliamentarian, Denise Davis, resigned late in the regular legislative session.

Davis and her assistant, Chris Griesel, quit the night House Speaker Tom Craddick told the House he didn’t have to recognize any motions for him to relinquish the speaker’s job.

Yeah, I don't think anyone will soon forget Terry's role in keeping the dictatorial CradDICK on the dais.

In other Keel related news (yes, I'll be taking a shower after writing this post. In bleach), Terry's been working double time to find a challenger for Travis County Constable Richard McCain who beat Keel's inept brother in 2004. Word on the street is that Keel has recruited three Republicans... two to run in the R primary and one to flip and run against McCain in the D primary. Will it work? Sure. About as well as Keel's buttcut hair.

Give it up, loser. And rethink your hair.

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July 11, 2007

Ernie Fletcher's got nothing better to do?

Oh, come on... do you really want to keep your universities from being able to compete for some of the best people in the country?

Posted by mcblogger at 11:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Ernie Fletcher's got nothing better to do?

Oh, come on... do you really want to keep your universities from being able to compete for some of the best people in the country?

Posted by mcblogger at 11:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 09, 2007

Cornyn has a bad day in Harris County

Apparently, the zombie-like John Cornyn came to Pasadena to talk to his constituents. However, though you might expect hundreds to turn out to see one of our Senators (I mean, the novelty of it alone! Now that Strom Thurmond is finally at rest, he's the only member of Congress that subsists entirely off the flesh of humans), not many people actually came. Of those that did come, they were overwhelmingly elderly and kinda upset since they'd been lured into the event when the sign at the street was changed to 'CRACKER BARREL' and a banner declaring 1/2 PRICE BUFFET was put up over the door.

Instead, they had to sit in a room and listen to stupid. But they weren't upset... they got coupons to IHOP for listening to him for 30 minutes.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cornyn has a bad day in Harris County

Apparently, the zombie-like John Cornyn came to Pasadena to talk to his constituents. However, though you might expect hundreds to turn out to see one of our Senators (I mean, the novelty of it alone! Now that Strom Thurmond is finally at rest, he's the only member of Congress that subsists entirely off the flesh of humans), not many people actually came. Of those that did come, they were overwhelmingly elderly and kinda upset since they'd been lured into the event when the sign at the street was changed to 'CRACKER BARREL' and a banner declaring 1/2 PRICE BUFFET was put up over the door.

Instead, they had to sit in a room and listen to stupid. But they weren't upset... they got coupons to IHOP for listening to him for 30 minutes.

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July 06, 2007

Ann Coulter, a great American

Uhm... sure, Duncan Hunter. Whatev.

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July 04, 2007

Senate : Baseslice talks some shit

Wayne Slater at the DMN has a good piece up about the D side of the Senate race. He's concentrating in this article about Watts and raises one of my own concerns... from what I've heard Watts gets bogged down easily in Q&A and overly nuances his positions. Which is the kiss of death in Texas politics. Still, the most interesting thing is what Mikey Baseslice had to say...

Still, Mr. Cornyn has the advantage of incumbency in a state that trends Republican. And Mr. Baselice, the GOP pollster, said that despite Mr. Watts' considerable wealth, the fact that he is a trial lawyer will make him "an easy target" in a general election.

Mike, we've seen the real world effects of tort reform... it's called gut the consumer and people are all too familiar with it. You really don't want to open this debate, Mike. You aren't the only one who can run a statewide pushpoll and whichever Democrat gets through the primary is going to have money to run one after the other.

I almost feel sorry for the Republicans in this state, especially their consultants. They think they actually won in 2006 without ever once realizing that it was the lack of resources for the Democrats that actually caused the defeat. In areas where Democrats did receive funding, Lege races for example, Democrats won seat after seat. Defeat is going to be a bitch for y'all.

The reality is that Noriega is going to win the primary. For one thing, Watts, while a good guy, isn't going to sell well around the state with the D primary voters. Sure, he'll have money to do mail and TV, but so will Noriega. In that kind of race, it's experience over novelty and Noriega takes it. As for the general... please. With money, either of these guys will be able to make Cornyn one of the most hated men in the state.

After all, he's the dickhead who thinks it was a great idea to commute the sentence of a known perjurer who compromised national security.

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July 03, 2007

Nutty bitch says what?

Apparently, someone thought Hill's Soprano's-like turn was full of messages and symbolism. Evil messages. That someone was Ann Althouse and TRex over at FDG has a hilarious take down on her post in which she says

4. Bill says “No onion rings?” and Hillary responds “I’m looking out for ya.” Now, the script says onion rings, because that’s what the Sopranos were eating in that final scene, but I doubt if any blogger will disagree with my assertion that, coming from Bill Clinton, the “O” of an onion ring is a vagina symbol.Hillary says no to that, driving the symbolism home. She’s “looking out” all right, vigilant over her husband, denying him the sustenance he craves. What does she have for him? Carrot sticks! The one closest to the camera has a rather disgusting greasy sheen to it. Here, Bill, in retaliation for all of your excessive “O” consumption, you may have a large bowl of phallic symbols! When we hear him say “No onion rings?,” the camera is on her, and Bill is off-screen, but at the bottom of the screen we see the carrot/phallus he’s holding toward her. Oh, yes, I know that Hillary supplying carrots is supposed to remind that Hillary will provide us with health care, that she’s “looking out for” us, but come on, they’re carrots! Everyone knows carrots are phallic symbols. But they’re cut up into little carrot sticks, you say? Just listen to yourself! I’m not going to point out everything.

Seeing symbolism in everything is just plain crazy. Sometimes, Ann, an onion ring is just and onion ring. Carrot sticks, especially raw ones, are never phallic (and if you really think so, Ann, you need to broaden your dating horizons) but are instead just gross.

The important thing that Ann misses is that Hillary ordered crudités WITHOUT RANCH. Which makes me wonder exactly what Hillary has against one of the few truly American foods. What's next? Burgers without bacon and cheese?! PEANUTS WITHOUT SALT?

It's true I'm not a huge fan of Hillary's, but reading this much into what amounts to a craptastic campaign video is really a bit deranged.

Finally, while Hillary is far and away better than any of the Republican candidates, I'd much rather have Gore with a side of Robert Rubin, if I'm forced to pick from 90's politicos. Since I don't, I'm gonna stick with Edwards.

How can I not? Hillary is sticking with that terrible Celine Dion song. Sure, Celine has a great voice and her creepy husband may, in fact, NOT be a svengali, but I just can't like her. Ever. It's totally because of Titanic.

I wonder why Ann's not ripping on that? Maybe she likes Celine Dion?

Posted by mcblogger at 12:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Asswipe Cornyn first to applaud Bush's latest crime

Via Texas Kaos, Senator Boxturtle couldn't even wait for Bush to stop pissing on the concept of justice to lap it up and pronounce it an excellent vintage. Noriega or Watts or Whomever, will someone please kick this moron's balls into another dimension?

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 02, 2007

Ann, you ignorant slut

The voice of the conservative movement, Ann Coulter, is once again trying to dig herself out of the hole in which she finds herself. This time, she's using Bill Maher as her excuse.

Here is my full sentence on "Good Morning America," which the media deceptively truncated, referring to a joke I told about Edwards six months ago that made liberals cry: "But about the same time, you know, Bill Maher was not joking and saying he wished Dick Cheney had been killed in a terrorist attack -- so I've learned my lesson: If I'm going to say anything about John Edwards in the future, I'll just wish he had been killed in a terrorist assassination plot."

Oh, yes, Ann. The context makes all the difference. Just as it did when you called Edwards a faggot. Actually, what irritates me most about it is that you try to excuse your behavior... by using the immature logic of a child. "Well, Bill Maher did it first, so myahhh".

At least when we say something nasty, we own it. Pathetic, Ann. So much for your 'mean girl' bullshit. You're about as tough as tissue paper.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 21, 2007

Antonin Scalia and his imaginary friends

The Gonzomuckracker (via Who's Playin') has a rather interesting story up about SC Justice Antonin 'Crazier than Dan Branch and Leo Berman Combined' Scalia's defense of torture. While at a jurists conference in Canada, Justice Scalia, in response to a statement by a Canadian judge to the effect that most of the countries represented DID NOT subscribe to the Jack Bauer method of interrogation, spewed crazy like a sewage sprinkler...

"Jack Bauer saved Los Angeles. ... He saved hundreds of thousands of lives," Judge Scalia said. Then, recalling Season 2, where the agent's rough interrogation tactics saved California from a terrorist nuke, the Supreme Court judge etched a line in the sand.

"Are you going to convict Jack Bauer?" Judge Scalia challenged his fellow judges. "Say that criminal law is against him? 'You have the right to a jury trial?' Is any jury going to convict Jack Bauer? I don't think so.

"So the question is really whether we believe in these absolutes. And ought we believe in these absolutes."

OK, Antonin, Jack's not so much real. He's a character. On a TV show. Played (apparently very) convincingly by Keifer Sutherland. It's not real life and the reason you know that, is that terrorists on the show blew up Santa Clarita, CA. In the real world, where we live, no one would waste a nuke on Santa Clarita.

Yeah, It's time to retire, Antonin. Seriously, batshit crazy only qualifies you for executive office. We need smart, 'all here' people to sit on the bench.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 20, 2007

Speaking of Cornyn...

Turns out the junior Senator from Texas is kinda, you know, disliked. At least he is according to the people at Survey USA who supposedly know about such things

A new Survey USA poll released today shows that more Texans now disapprove of the way Senator John Cornyn is handling his job than approve. Only 42% of Texans approve of the way Cornyn is handling his job, with 43% disapproving.

Cornyn’s approval rating hasn’t cracked 50% since 2005 and has slipped four points since last month. Cornyn continues to have the lowest job approval rating of any incumbent running for re-election in the country.

“John Cornyn is about as popular in Texas as three-dollar gas and wool sweaters in June,” DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said. “Texans have gone from quietly tolerating Cornyn’s poor record and partisan antics to actively demanding a change, and next year they’re going to have an opportunity to vote for one.”

For more information and links to the actual data jump over to StopCornyn.

(Thanks to SS for the pic!)

Posted by mcblogger at 10:08 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

June 14, 2007

Wilson, Phillips the one

No, not THAT one (didn't you SEE the comma?), THIS one...

But state Sen. Kirk Watson aired no objections. Watson, D-Austin, reviewed the choice at Perry's request because Wilson lives in Watson's Travis County district.

Watson said he worked closely with Wilson when Watson chaired the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

The senator called Wilson "extremely competent. He works hard; he knows his business; he's a real straight shooter. As far as I am concerned, the governor can go forward."

Watson said Wilson assured him Wednesday that as secretary, he won't take a position on the Republican-favored idea of asking voters to present photo identification or other proof of identity before voting; Wilson believes that it would not be his role as secretary to take a position on identification proposals.

I trust Senator Watson, even if I don't particularly trust 39%. I do hope 39% doesn't try to screw Watson because paybacks are a bitch and Watson will still be in the Senate during the 2009 Session.

Sorry about the title, yo! It's a slow day for my brain.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 13, 2007

When Bob falls down

You know, if I slipped and fell at Randall's (which I'm forced to visit AT LEAST three times a week due to my inability to formulate complete lists) I'd be lucky if I got $10 off my bill on my NEXT visit. That's because I live in Texas where tort reform (AKA Screw The Consumer) has taken hold thanks to the Republicans in the Lege in 2003 (Hey there, Arlene!). Good thing Robert Bork wasn't in Texas when he slipped and fell. If he had been, he probably wouldn't have been able to file his lawsuit against a venue for $1,000,000 in damages.

Judge Robert Bork, one of the fathers of the modern judicial conservative movement whose nomination to the Supreme Court was rejected by the Senate, is seeking $1,000,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, after he slipped and fell at the Yale Club of New York City. Judge Bork was scheduled to give a speech at the club, but he fell when mounting the dais, and injured his head and left leg. He alleges that the Yale Club is liable for the $1m plus punitive damages because they "wantonly, willfully, and recklessly" failed to provide staging which he could climb safely.

What makes this really funny, aside from the failed Supreme Court bid? Judge Bork has been one of the leading proponents of 'tort reform'. For this our resident attorney, Harry Balczak, has nominated him for the Attorney General Greg Abbott Golden Wheelie Award. Which I KNOW Harry will be writing about shortly.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

When Bob falls down

You know, if I slipped and fell at Randall's (which I'm forced to visit AT LEAST three times a week due to my inability to formulate complete lists) I'd be lucky if I got $10 off my bill on my NEXT visit. That's because I live in Texas where tort reform (AKA Screw The Consumer) has taken hold thanks to the Republicans in the Lege in 2003 (Hey there, Arlene!). Good thing Robert Bork wasn't in Texas when he slipped and fell. If he had been, he probably wouldn't have been able to file his lawsuit against a venue for $1,000,000 in damages.

Judge Robert Bork, one of the fathers of the modern judicial conservative movement whose nomination to the Supreme Court was rejected by the Senate, is seeking $1,000,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, after he slipped and fell at the Yale Club of New York City. Judge Bork was scheduled to give a speech at the club, but he fell when mounting the dais, and injured his head and left leg. He alleges that the Yale Club is liable for the $1m plus punitive damages because they "wantonly, willfully, and recklessly" failed to provide staging which he could climb safely.

What makes this really funny, aside from the failed Supreme Court bid? Judge Bork has been one of the leading proponents of 'tort reform'. For this our resident attorney, Harry Balczak, has nominated him for the Attorney General Greg Abbott Golden Wheelie Award. Which I KNOW Harry will be writing about shortly.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 12, 2007

Dallas Mayor : In which Leppertsy outs himself...

... as just another Republican cocksucker.

The Dallas mayoral run-off between Ed Oakley and Tom Leppert is next Saturday, June 16. Early voting started June 4th.

Over the past week, and in Leppert's television ads, his campaign has been complaining about the Oakley campaign's "negative" ads, the recent endorsement of Oakley by the Dallas County Democrats (making the race appear to be overly-partisan according to some) and the stories about Oakley's sexual orientation seem to be getting a fair share of the attention in the press. Here and here. And now this. The robocalls. If you're not sure what that is, this overview from Alternet should help.

Yes, anti-fag robocalls will certainly do the trick! Way to go there, Leppertsy!

Posted by mcblogger at 09:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 06, 2007

Anouncing the McBlogger Marriage Institute

It's been a while since Chisum passed his little marriage bill and frankly we're excited as hell because The Mayor and I are opening up the McBlogger Marriage Institute.

Yeah, neither of us have been married (it's illegal for me and The Mayor likes to 'own' not 'rent'). However, we'll have staff who will teach the classes (that will free you from the onerous $60 marriage license fee) who have been married/divorced/restraining ordered or some combo thereof and know all about the State requirements. Plus! We'll charge only $40 for the class, quite the bargain versus that far-too-high $60 fee the state requires. Not only will you get a FABULOUS education, you'll also save $20 on the cost of gettin' hitched.

Hell, we'll even throw in a free beer*! Email us now at mcblogger@mcblogger.com and put in the subject line MARRIAGE SCAM.

For all the divorce attorneys out there... contact either The Mayor or myself and we'll get you an all access pass for a small fee. Might as well get your name out there early!

*Domestic draft only. Oh, hell... we might as well tell you. It's Natty Light.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 05, 2007

Periodic table of criminal elements...

Loving it...

Posted by mcblogger at 07:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

It's easy to agitate for war...

... when you don't have to fight which is, apparently, what makes Bill Kristol such an aggressive chickenhawk. Keep in mind that he's been wrong about EVERYTHING from the initial invasion of Iraq to the current 'surge' strategy which is, apparently, going nowhere. Now he and Frederick Kagan are agitating for an attack on Iran.

Calling the State Department’s recent talks with Iran and Syria “fantasy diplomatic solutions,” Kristol and Kagan instead advocate that “[d]iplomatic engagement by itself is a trap,” suggesting, as they both have before, that America should only deal militarily with Iraq’s neighbors. Such a policy would likely accelerate nuclear development in Iran and has been swiftly rejected by top U.S. military commanders.

Kristol and Kagan aim for a single objective: more war. As Glenn Greenwald noted, “What they [Kristol and Kagan] seek — by their own acknowledgment — is a conflict with Iran and Syria, and they want to stay in Iraq because that is how that goal can be achieved.”

Bill, the ship has sailed. You and your fellow neocons shot your wad with Iraq, fucked it all up and now want a do-over? Not so much, dipshit.

At some point you have to wonder when folks will put this idiot out to pasture?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

It's easy to agitate for war...

... when you don't have to fight which is, apparently, what makes Bill Kristol such an aggressive chickenhawk. Keep in mind that he's been wrong about EVERYTHING from the initial invasion of Iraq to the current 'surge' strategy which is, apparently, going nowhere. Now he and Frederick Kagan are agitating for an attack on Iran.

Calling the State Department’s recent talks with Iran and Syria “fantasy diplomatic solutions,” Kristol and Kagan instead advocate that “[d]iplomatic engagement by itself is a trap,” suggesting, as they both have before, that America should only deal militarily with Iraq’s neighbors. Such a policy would likely accelerate nuclear development in Iran and has been swiftly rejected by top U.S. military commanders.

Kristol and Kagan aim for a single objective: more war. As Glenn Greenwald noted, “What they [Kristol and Kagan] seek — by their own acknowledgment — is a conflict with Iran and Syria, and they want to stay in Iraq because that is how that goal can be achieved.”

Bill, the ship has sailed. You and your fellow neocons shot your wad with Iraq, fucked it all up and now want a do-over? Not so much, dipshit.

At some point you have to wonder when folks will put this idiot out to pasture?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 04, 2007

How did comsumers fare in the 80th Lege?

Pretty damn badly according to Coby over at Bay Area Houston who has done an amazing job of keeping track of just what Republicans have enabled insurers to do to Texas homeowners.

Insurance. No bills were passed to address the failure of insurance deregulation. Rates should continue to rise especially during the hurricane season. Currently Texas has the highest rates in the nation.

Get ready for your renewal and the (more than likely) premium increase.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 01, 2007

Night Flight to Mordor

Grab your tinfoil stetsons! Rick Perry, his taste for human flesh piqued by last week's bloodbath at the Capitol, is on his way to the super-secret Bilderberg Conference.

The invitation-only conference was started in 1954 and named for the Dutch hotel where the conference was first held. Those who attend promise not to reveal what was discussed, security is tight, and the press and public are barred.

The conference has been the subject of conspiracy theorists and even Christian groups who wonder about its influence.

Robert Black, the governor's press secretary, said the governor was invited to attend and speak about state-federal relations. Mr. Black dismissed the conspiracy theories.

Of course. He would, wouldn't he?

Bwa ha hah haa!

Of course, like most super-secret meetings, we naturally know quite a bit about it, including many of the attendees. Goodhair will be talking about federalism, while most of the discussion will focus on world domination and the story arc for the next three seasons of The View. The conference will end Sunday with the traditional blueberry muffin bakeoff.

Oh, and one more thing. As the new guy, Rick has to bring the beer. That's why in the new budget the Lege gives him a raise of $32,000 while figuring that teachers should be happy with $430.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Republican tax cuts...

...really do benefit the wealthy.

From an article in Conde Nast Portfolio, Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens made $1.504 billion in 2005. He paid $279 million in taxes, making his effective tax rate 18.55% or less than half the 39% rate that was in place prior to Connecticut native George W. Bush's presidency.

Is there anyone left who doesn't think the tax cuts at the beginning of the decade disproportionately benefited the wealthy? Is it any wonder that Boone Pickens spends so much money on contributions to Republican candidates (not to mention his role in financing Swift Boat Veterans for Truth).

Posted by mcblogger at 09:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 29, 2007

God Says the Strangest Things

Now that Jerry Falwell's telephone has been disconnected, who is God supposed to call to chat when He's up late at night and there's nothing on TV but reruns of Law And Order? Why, none other than self-proclaimed Christian Tom DeLay, who tells all to The New Yorker

God has spoken to me. I listen to God, and what I’ve heard is that I’m supposed to devote myself to rebuilding the conservative base of the Republican Party, and I think we shouldn’t be underestimated.

Some theologians suggest that God was more likely suggesting the Hammer do something about that awful haircut.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 04:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

I was really thinking of being nice to Ann Coulter...

... but then I read this. My favorite part of her loving Farewell to Falwell...

He was such a good Christian that back when we used to be on TV together during Clinton's impeachment, I sometimes wanted to say to him, "Step aside, reverend -- let the mean girl handle this one."

Yes, Ann, he was such a good Christian that almost completely ignored the teachings of Christ. As for you being the mean girl, you're really little more than a trifling caricature of a real person. We know mean because we see it everyday in the mirror when we shave. You're little more than a pathetic, pitiable poseur. With ass hair and horrendous skin.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 26, 2007

Remembering Terry Keel

It's been so long since we've seen Terry Keel's butt ugly face that we have to admit it induced some laughter when Barfly and I got back from 28 Weeks Later (which ROCKS, by the way!) and I turned on the feed from the House.

Barfly had never seen him before. Her comment was the funniest..."Cool timewarp hair. Very 80's nerd. He only gets laid by lake trash". As always, Barfly NAILS.IT.

Terry Keel fooled everyone in Travis County into thinking he was a moderate for a long time. Then, when he realized the gig was up and that people had figured out his scam, he suddenly announced he wasn't running or re-election. I thought he was on some kind of a multi-year drunk until he popped up on my LCD last last night. Feeding CradDICK his lines, just like an understudy in the wings of a bad high school production of "Fiddler on the roof" (May God bless the Tsar and keep him far from us!). Honestly, at times we seriously wondered why he didn't just go on and shove his hand straight up CradDICK's ass. I guess we weren't the only ones.

If something funny happens, we may blog it or we may not. Barfly and I are going 'shopping' for 'something'. The Mayor is keeping up with duckmouth's vain attempt to hold on to power. If he pulls this shit today, y'all should break quorum and fold into an automatic special. After last night, don't give in until he's off that dais.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Gospel according to Terry Keel

DMN photo
1. Speaker Craddick is always right.
2. In case Speaker Craddick is wrong, refer to Rule Number One.
3. You're out of order! I'm out of order! This whole freakin' House is out of order!

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 25, 2007

It's the song that got me...

The Republicans in the Lege have been all about promoting religion this session. Muse thought, why stop there... why not go ahead and take things to their logical conclusion...

New state song (courtesy of Craddick D's):

Craddick loves me, this I know
For Speaker Craddick tells me so
Legislators to him belong
We are weak, but he is strong.

Yes, Craddick loves me,
Yes, Craddick loves me,
Yes, Craddick loves me,
Tom Craddick told me so.

Check out the link for more of the funny!

Posted by mcblogger at 02:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Oppel's totally hard for Mike McCaul

Admit it, Rich. Your dick gets hard every time you think of CD 10's Congressman Mike McCaul. I understand. Not what it's like to get hard over The Congressman From Clear Channel, that frankly grosses me out. I understand what it's like to have the hots for someone. I think even Sister Ruth has gotten moist over a guy before. But even she's never been all worked up about a guy who, during his commercials in 2004, did nothing but say 'Conservative'. Her crushes normally know more than one word and can, on occasion, string them together into real sentences.

Yeah, I guess you kinda forgot about how dumb Mike was when you were writing your Commentary in the April 29th issue of the AAS. Love makes you do all kinds of weird things like forget that the object of your affection has been little more than a rubber stamp for President Bush since he was elected in 2004. Like that he's been an enthusiastic supporter of tax cuts for the rich that have taken this country to the brink of bankruptcy. Like ignore that he's as much an ideologue as Tom DeLay ever was. In fact, given their voting records, it's pretty damn tough to tell them apart.

Rich, you obviously weren't impressed with Ted Ankrum in 2006 which is understandable given that you generally ignore Democrats out of some kind of misplaced hatred for them. However, in a solidly Republican district, with very little money against what should have been the safest incumbent in Congress, Ted got around 42% of the vote. No name ID. No incumbency. 45% (when you add in the idiot Libertarians number) of the people in the district voted for someone other than Mike McCaul even though, odds are, they didn't know who the hell they were voting for.

Do you think his numbers have gone up or down since then, Rich? I know the answer and I'll give you a clue... I think, in about 20 months, you're going to get to spend a lot of time here in Austin with the man who would be your boyfriend.

Last point about the moderate who thinks Bush needs to get us out of Iraq... he voted to sustain Bush's veto of the bill that finally put a timeline on our departure from Iraq. Sounds like quite the moderate to me.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tolls : You shouldn't be afraid of 39%, Senator Carona

Compromise on 792? Yep. And trust us, it won't be forgotten.

What about an override of the veto on 1892? There are still a few days left, plenty of time to tell 39% to piss off. I think the will exists in the House, but the Senate is weak. They've been intimidated by political has-beens in DFW (like that ridiculous Tarrant County Commissioner who's going to realize very soon that his political career is, in fact, over).

For those of you who just want to understand WHY 792 is so bad, take a look at this piece on just one bad aspect of the bill, market valuation for infrastructure assets. Sounds dry as hell, right? Just take a read... it'll take you all of five minutes to see that the only possible reason for 39% to demand this be in the bill is that he's looking to enrich his friends at Cintra-Zachry (who have contributed HEAVILY to him... at least the Zachry friends) at the expense of Texas taxpayers. If you think that's not going to get much wider public knowledge in 2008, you better think again. I wasn't kidding Wednesday.

Before I publish this, just a little funny blurb from Senator Carona in the Statesman post

“We have far more to lose on this than the governor,” Carona said. “And he’s given in to the will of the Legislature on a great many points.”

Actually, Senator, he's given in on little, if anything, of substance. As for having more to lose, you're right. You have your job to lose. Don't look at the Stalls. They can't help you. And neither can the walking dead politicos in North Texas you're so scared of.

The sad thing about weak politicians is that they are NEVER scared of the folks who end up being able to do the most damage. The saddest thing is that these folks are thinking of trusting Ric Williamson and 39%. You won't be forgiven for that in 2008 and 2010, folks. If you guys think Sal Costello is bad (or are threatened by millions in oppo hits from Zachry funded PACs), you ain't seen nothing yet.

Override the veto on 1892. Call 39%'s bluff.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 24, 2007

CradDICK, why the hell do you and Bill think you're special?

Bill Messer and CradDICK like to take trips to together. 'Fishing trips'. I wonder if the 'fishing trips' are anything like the 'fishing trips' that J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson used to take.

Wait. That's beside the point. Sorry about that...

Anyway, CradDICK signed up for a non-refundable trip and it got rescheduled and he couldn't make it on the new date. Like most people he asked for a refund and was told by the travel agent that the terms and conditions clearly specified 'no refunds'. Most reasonable people would have looked at their paper work, done a Homer Simpson 'D'oh' and moved on.

Most people aren't Speaker CradDICK who just can't, it seems, stop walking all over his own dick this session. He and Bill decided to send a nasty letter to the travel agent (on Messer's stationary, natch) threatening them in a variety of ways. A guy who is one of the richest members of the Texas House in history.

What? Y'all thought this wouldn't come out? Not only are you vindictive, your cheap. I would say shame on you, Speaker CradDICK, but there's already been more than enough heaped on your narrow shoulders this session.

Oh, and you have duck face, too. It's your far too wide mouth and preternaturally thin lips, in case you were wondering.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 22, 2007

In which even Newt becomes a fuckup

I've long said that New Gingrich is the most dangerous Republican politico right now. I'm often laughed at for saying that. Everyone thinks that because of his hospital bedside divorce Evangelicals will shun him. Yeah, the same group who thought Bush was such a good man. Needless to say, I'm the only one who takes him seriously.

I guess now I don't so much need to any more. If he keeps up with this lame ass talking point he'll never even get the support he wants to have behind him prior to his announcement.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 21, 2007

Remember Ray Perryman?

We do since he was one of the shills hired to pimp the TTC. Apparently now, according to the Somervell County Salon, he's pimping for oil and gas interests. His MO is to talk about all the great things that are going on as a result of his client. Sometimes it's roads, sometimes it's the oil and gas industry. Never does he point out that sometimes the environmental damage OUTWEIGHS the economic benefit. Never does he point out that, in the case of the TTC, free roads would create the same benefits.

Yeah, Ray, we're attacking your (lack of) integrity. If you want to be a paid shill, be a paid shill. Don't act as if you're an impartial observer. And for those of you in the media, don't just publish his crap. Ask some questions.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 20, 2007

Oh, THAT leak thing... that was just a policy dispute!

Rove, Libby and Cheney (AKA, Tres Pequeñas Conchas) are now claiming, in their bid to dismiss the civil suit brought against them by Valarie Plame and Joe Wilson, that any convo's they may have had regarding Plame's identity and employment were all part of work.

Don't look at me that way... I couldn't even think of an excuse this ridiculous.

The lawyers said any conversations Cheney and the officials had about Plame with one another or with reporters were part of their normal duties because they were discussing foreign policy and engaging in an appropriate "policy dispute." Cheney's attorney went further, arguing that Cheney is legally akin to the president because of his unique government role and has absolute immunity from any lawsuit.

The lawyer for Wilson and Plame is having none of it, of course.

"This isn't a case where the government said mean things about Mr. Wilson. This is about revealing the secret status of his wife to punish Mr. Wilson," Chemerinsky said. "In the end, this is egregious conduct that ruined a woman's career and put a family in danger."

So, does this mean that these asshats could have revealed the recipe for Coke and gotten away with it?

Posted by mcblogger at 12:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 19, 2007

Crazy old coot tells Boxturtle to to get off the lawn

Via Rawstory

At a bipartisan gathering in an ornate meeting room just off the Senate floor, McCain complained that Cornyn was raising petty objections to a compromise plan being worked out between Senate Republicans and Democrats and the White House. He used a curse word associated with chickens and accused Cornyn of raising the issue just to torpedo a deal.

Things got really heated when Cornyn accused McCain of being too busy campaigning for president to take part in the negotiations, which have gone on for months behind closed doors. "Wait a second here," Cornyn said to McCain. "I've been sitting in here for all of these negotiations and you just parachute in here on the last day. You're out of line."

"Fuck you! I know more about this than anyone else in the room," shouted McCain at Cornyn. McCain helped craft a bill in 2006 that passed the Senate but couldn't be compromised with a House bill that was much tougher on illegal immigrants.

McCain then wandered off, muttering something about strawberries.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 09:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

May 18, 2007

What is this, some kind of joke?

One of the many things BoBo is fighting with Congress about these days is a proposed pay increase for the armed forces. The Decider Guy thinks the proposed legislation is too generous. Apparently the White House has adopted the stance of the late comedian Bill Hicks, who announced during Gulf War I that he was for the war, but against the troops.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 06:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 17, 2007

Different takes on Voter Suppression

Glen Maxey has a great write up on the 2/3's rule in the Senate and how Dewhearse is trying to manipulate the Senate to get this POS pushed through. EOW has more about the fallout from Tuesday's action and how it's rapidly causing people to re-evaluate Dewhearse, especially in light of his decision to bend to the will of TinaFish the Spastic. Kuff thinks the bill may well be dead and points out that because of Dewhearse's bullshit, Sen. Shapleigh may have to miss his son's graduation until it's certain to be dead. Which sucks worse than my first boyfriend.

Finally, The Lone Star Times is giving some mad props to their boy Sen. Dan Patrick (R - Crazytown) for trying to get the voter suppression bill passed. They also make the claim that 91% of Texans support voter suppression, a claim which I find highly suspect. I'd love to see that data and find out just what questions they asked. From reading the comments, it would appear that this idea about illegals voting has really twisted them around. Y'all, all jokes aside, you show me solid proof of massive illegal voting then maybe I'll listen. So far, I've not seen anything other than legislation which will effectively disenfranchise MILLIONS of Texans.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 15, 2007

Boxing Lindsey

Damn, I love me some Barbara Boxer...on CNN's Late Edition Sunday, Barbara Boxer thoroughly bitchslapped Sen. Lindsey Graham who wins the dumbass of the year award for still not getting that his talking points and bullshit are going to be met with force.

BOXER: I don't know anyone who opposes this war that ever said our troops are losers. Our troopers are winners.

GRAHAM: Harry Reid did.

BOXER: Excuse me. He never said our troops are losers. Now, Lindsey, just be careful what you say. The bottom line here is, the losers are the ones who have, you know, engineered this war, made a huge mistake, Dick Cheney, we're in the last throes, the war will last six months, and all of you who have supported this escalation and have turned us away from fighting al Qaida into putting us in the middle of a civil war.

Now, the fact is I want to be very clear on this, Wolf. I've lost in California 21 percent of the dead troops. You understand that? Twenty-one percent either were born in California or were stationed in California.

I have their names listed in the front of my office. If you come and see my office, they are all on these charts. And you know what, Lindsey? I have to keep making the print on the charts smaller and smaller to fit all the names on four full charts.

BLITZER: Senator?

BOXER: So don't say anyone calls them losers. They're winners. The loser is the commander in chief who has not led our country well

Crooks and Liars has the video up... it's worth a watch.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Mikey wants you... to save his ass!

Team Krusee, which right now includes 5 people and 2 maybes (out of a possible 40), will be having their first Meetup tonight. It's all part of what the email calls 'the largest Republican election effort in Williamson County (TX) history!'

I can totally see why given that it's 5 people and all. Mike's running for re-election on a hope, a prayer and 5 dimwits who still haven't figured out that WillCo is trending D because of demographics and the fact that everything they've been sold by Republicans has turned to shit. Seriously, Mike, did you really think there wouldn't be repercussions for the toll roads? For the school finance fix that wasn't so much a fix?

Used to be you couldn't find enough Democrats in WillCo to fill a VW Beetle. Now, you can't find enough Republicans to fill some crappy venue to talk about the re-election of a sitting State Rep. Oh, Krusee... how far you've fallen... maybe now you'll think twice before being such a douche.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:39 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

May 14, 2007

The Lege... still working on nonsense

Here are just a few of the things the Lege should be doing...

1) Figuring out a long term, equitable solution to transportation funding (THE GAS TAX)
2) Figuring out a long term, equitable solution to finance education from K-12 and college
3) Fixing the MASSIVE funding gap between future pension liabilities and current assets
4) Creating a more dependable and less stressful tax system that reduces dependence on ad valorem taxation

Instead, CradDICK and the rest of the dummies have been working on Voter ID bills... and stopping the evil of secondhand smoke.

Rep. Terri Hodge, D-Dallas, said she was offended by yet another proposal to crack down on cigarette smokers like herself.

"This is a personalized attack ... All my life I've been discriminated against," Hodge said.

So she proposed criminalizing both the sale of tobacco and the act of smoking in Texas, a radical notion that would've killed Crownover's bill. Her colleagues killed the amendment.

Crownover's bill is expected to face a final vote in the House today. If successful, it will go to the Senate.

A companion bill in the Senate would exclude only cigar bars from the statewide ban.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, said he and Crownover were united on a fundamental premise: "We'd rather have no bill than a bill that does nothing," he said.

Terri Hodge, you are my HERO! Thank you for standing up and trying to tear down this stupid bill. As for you, Ellis and Crownover, lets talk about this when you have a chance... how about LaLa's on Justin tomorrow? Say 6:30? I'll buy and we;ll have a nice long talk about this. While I chain smoke. It's one of the few bars in Austin that still lets me, AND NO ONE BITCHES ABOUT IT.

Bottom line : Let the property owners decide. And if you don't want to smell my smoke, don't sit next to me at the bar. Go to one of those lame non-smoking bars.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 11, 2007

In which Rudy Giuliani tries prostitution

In an effort to win over the nutter-christianista-republican primary vote, Rudy Giuliani has reversed himself on civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. He now says all gays are going to burn in hell and blames them for everything that's wrong with the country, up to and including why we're losing Iraq.

He then corrected himself and said "We're not losing Iraq. I misspoke. What I meant to say is that IF we were to lose Iraq, it would be because of the homos."

Keep in mind this is the same Rudy who has appeared in drag more often than myself. By virtue of the fact that I've never appeared in drag and Rudy, the supposedly straight guy, has. Which makes me wonder... he's had three wives and just can't seem to make it work with the woman.

Maybe Rudy's a big old queen like the rest of us? I certainly hope not... if that's how I'm going to end up looking in 30 years I may just end it all now.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 09, 2007

Lottery sale is dead...

Finally, the Lege does something right by letting 39%'s stupid lottery sale plan die the death it so richly deserves.

Posted by mcblogger at 12:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tolls : Commissioner Whitley the witless; Austin CoC still bringing the stupid

It's been a while since the FWST has run a pro-toll opinion piece, so I guess it was time they ran another one. With the same tired and stupid talking points but this time with a new semi-celebrity author. This time, it's B. Glen Whitley, one of the Republican Tarrant County Commissioners. I should say one of the soon to be politically dead because, much like Krusee, he's sticking to this toll road pap. The sad thing is that reading his retarded op/ed, I'm unsure if he's just naive, horrendously stupid or outright lying by omission.

A transportation disaster is impending in Texas. Current funding sources will not allow us to maintain state highways, roads and bridges, let alone build needed infrastructure to serve our growing population.

WOW. Glen's quite the master of the obvious, isn't he? You folks up in Tarrant County must have really been snowed to have elected Mr. Smartness here.

Proposals to increase the gasoline tax to help pay for roads have come before the Legislature this year, but neither state nor federal officials have been inclined to raise the tax in the past. It would take a hefty boost of the current 20-cent-per-gallon state tax to put Texas transportation back on track.

Lawmakers appear unlikely to raise the gas tax sufficiently to fund all of the needed transportation projects. The additional revenue for road construction must come from somewhere, or traffic congestion will continue to worsen.

Actually, GoodBuddyGlen, it's your party that's holding up the bills down here in Austin. CradDICK won't let the one Krusee wrote (only to say he wrote one) out of committee. Why? Because the people who stand to make the most off tolls roads are also HUGE contributors to Republicans (I'd be willing to bet some even gave to you, right Glen?) and no one wants to upset that honey pot. Just think about Zachry... they stand to make billions over decades doing nothing but collecting tolls. That's quite the deal for a construction company.

In the short term, building highway toll lanes might be the best option available to get North Texas traffic moving and keep it that way. Even then, there are no guarantees.

Nobody likes toll roads, and nobody likes to sit in traffic.

We now might have an opportunity to build additional lanes and roads more quickly, using public-private toll road partnership projects such as that planned for Texas 121.

And there it is, boys and girls. Glenda makes his case for the wonderful public-private partnerships that are designed to rape the public. He even mentions the 121 in Dallas. Which is cool because that's an interesting case of just how bad the state is at selling off assets.

One company has agreed to spend $5 billion for the right to build and lease the Texas 121 project, with the road reverting to the region when the lease expires in several decades. This agreement provides $2.1 billion in upfront money to the Metroplex for some of its current and future transportation needs.

Some of these improvements in Tarrant County include Interstate 35, Loop 820, Airport Freeway and the anticipated freeway interchange that includes Interstate 635, Texas 114 and Texas 121 in Grapevine.

Local transportation officials agreed to tolls, but only if the revenue generated stays in the region -- and only if other transportation dollars continue to flow to the region as before. We must oppose any attempt to use toll dollars outside of the region in which they are collected.

That one company was the worst of the bids, yet the state accepted it, right? Sure gives me faith in their future. Next question, Glen... why do you like deferring taxes to our children? That's what that $2 bn up front payment amounts to since tolls are a tax. You don't think the tolls on 121 are going to be huge? Just wait. No private company does something for nothing.

Lastly, ALL the money isn't staying in North Texas which is pretty easy to understand. It's going to a private company. If you wanted all the revenue to stay in North Texas, then you should not be for public-private partnerships because part of the revenue generated for the PRIVATE company by the PUBLIC infrastructure goes to their PROFIT, never to be seen by you again.

Seriously, it's hard to tell if you're just stupid or really sociopathic. Given that you're a county commissioner, I'm betting it's the former.

Seriously, Glen... come down here and have a drink with me so I can buy you a clue. Tolls are ALWAYS more expensive for consumers and the only people for whom tolls are a good idea are the corporations that stand to benefit from running them. We can slice and dice the math any way you'd like and I'll still win. Because I'm right.

Yet AGAIN the Austin Chamber of Commerce sent out a pro-toll road piece, designed (I've heard) by Karl Rove's old company. Just like the first one, it's deceptive as hell and completely worthless. Why? Because they present tolls as an option to drivers. What they don't tell you is that they are pretty much the only new roads going up AND the only expansion option on existing roads. So you'll be feeling the pinch, regardless. Nice work, y'all. If the truth isn't working for you, just lie, exaggerate and omit all the details.

How much money have y'all wasted on this so far? Remind me never to go into business with y'all... I don't like going broke.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 08, 2007

HB 13 and Chickenshit Politics

You gotta admire Robert Black. Sure, he's a douche... no one is MAKING him work for 39%, yet day after day he goes in and tries to cover over the incompetence of a man that's more hated than a child molester. You have to admire someone who puts himself through that every day. It's like self-flagellation. Whether the person doing it is stupid or retarded is completely irrelevant. The only relevant fact is that they are DEDICATED.

Apparently, some Rent-a-Rambo on 39%'s staff sent a bitchy letter that he scented with gun oil to Rep. Rick Noriega (D- Real Man) whining about Noriega's stance on HB 13. The cocksucker had the nerve to insinuate that Rick was trying to compromise homeland security... which is funny because that's exactly what leaving it in the hands of someone as incompetent as 39% will do. Rick, like Rep. Farrar and LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ON THE BORDER, wanted homeland security to be non-political and in the hands of DPS. 39% just wanted another slush fund. Noriega, being a tough sone of bitch, fired back a letter to R-a-R and that pulled Black into the mix...

"It's important for Representative Noriega to have a full understanding of what the Governor's Office of Homeland Security entails," Black said. "It's not just about border security, but emergency management in the event of a disaster, drug interdiction and coordinating efforts to keep our citizens safe."

He does understand homeland security. Which is why he wanted it in the hands of DPS, not 39%. Nevermind the fact that Noriega's the only person who has actually been involved in border security... AS A SOLDIER. The only time 39% is anywhere near the border is when he's shooting a commercial for his re-election.

Of course, the House being what it is (and Swinford being the whiny baby that he is) passed HB 13 last night. Kuff has more on Rep. Farrar's press release regarding the passage and the creation of yet another politicized slush fund for 39%.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Would you listen to this potzer about ANYTHING?

This nebbish is Rob Bluey. He's a member of the gutless "I love the war... but not enough to enlist" crowd of chickenhawks and I'm sure we'll be seeing lots more of him over the years. These people, though consistently huge fuckups at everything they do, are amazing bullshit artists. Thus, even though he can be wrong about EVERYTHING, NBC will still pay to have his narrow ass on the show and call him something like 'New Media Expert' or 'Anti-Terrorism Specialist' when, in reality, he's even more of a loser than myself. True, we both blog. However, I have a real job. With a real company that, you know, makes real money.

I will never free myself of the label 'blogger' and all it's negative connotations. However, I can (at least) survive in the real world. Rob would just write up some kind of lame website about supporting the war and get none other than the horrendously unpopular former Senator Bill Frist to sign on as well. And be proud of that fact. Dumbass. How do I know? Because, in the face of massive public opposition to his worldview, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DONE.

Since the Victory Caucus died an ignoble death (in a record breaking two months, natch), the douches behind it have been hard at work on another concept... simplistically, WeWin,TheyLose, which is about as clear as a glass pitcher of mud. Just who 'they' are, what we'll 'win' and what their loss will mean for us, is never really delineated. I'm guessing because that would take 'work' and 'critical thinking' which has never been a strong point of these guys.

At the top of the site, you'll notice they're blathering on about how Reagan defeated the Soviets. Yeah, I know... for supposedly smart folks, these people are really dumb. I also heard this talking point from each and every one of the Republican Presidential candidates the other night, used in an effort to distance themselves from Bush and the current crop of Republicans. Let's not forget, Reagan didn't do a damn thing that any other President hadn't done. In fact, had the CIA not miscalculated the resilience of Soviet economy, they would have known by 1973 that the Soviets would collapse within 15 years. Anyone who's ever seen epidemic corruption can read the signs. As for outspending them, even Carter did that. Where do you think the mobile MX missile system came from?

These people do love their convenient fantasies, don't they?

Glenn Greenwald has a great question... what's the difference between these folks and a high school cheerleader?

I'm earnestly asking the question as to what the difference is between the policy statement of Bill Frist and his blogger friends with regard to Iraq and the favorite cheers submitted by junior high school students to Ms. Ninemire's site.

The answer, of course, is that there is no difference.

On the same subject, but with some different idiots from the right, Crooked Timber has some HILARIOUS interviews up with Christopher Hitchens, Glenn Reynolds and Louis Rossetto, formerly of Wired Magazine...

1. Did you support the invasion of Iraq?

Yes.

2. Have you changed your position?

No. Sanctions were failing and Saddam was a threat, making any other action in the region impossible.

3. What should the U.S. do in Iraq now?

Win.

Even at this late date, these people STILL don't get that it was a mistake in the first place. They'll never acknowledge that their perceived need for invasion was all smoke and mirrors.

(via ELLN)

Posted by mcblogger at 09:43 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

May 07, 2007

Oh fuck, Warren. Don't you have anything better to do?

In the wake of Dumbass Debbie Riddle's stupid pledge bill, Warren Chisum (R - Country Club Christian) has decided that he needs to put out a floor substitute to his bill that would allow the Bible to be taught in public schools. Apparently, Warren's got his panties in a bunch over the fact that the Public Education Committee modified his badly written (seriously, Warren... crayon? Aren't you a little old for that?) bill and added some common sense to it.

Already this bill was known as The Soon-to-be-the-subject-of-many-lawsuits Bible Education Class. Warren's working to ensure that it's the dead as soon as Perry signs it. All so Warren can look like he loves him some Jesus.

Jesus didn't care much for hypocrites, Warren. Just ask Debbie. Do you think she looks that way on accident?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Didja miss the R debate?

Check out Feet to Fire which has a brilliant synopsis posted on the miasma that was the Republican Presidential Debate. Seriously, if you ever wondered what 10 guys who are all like Mike Gravel would look like, then satisfy your curiosity by clicking the link.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Horse Woman and her bill

Debbie Riddle's desire to prove her piety has finally passed the House. And we're, of course, all happy about it because we love us some hypocrisy! That, and we were wondering if Debbie The Horse Woman worshiped Satan. Or the golden cow. Or Charleton Heston. Or George Burns. Seriously, if she hadn't filed this bill we'd have no idea that she was, like us, Christian. Of course, unlike us, she's the kind of Christian who hasn't read the New Testament, specifically The Sermon on the Mount.

And, according to the vote totals on her ridiculous bill, she's got quite a lot of company in the House (Strama?!?! WTF, hermano?). Vince over at Capitol Annex has some great dialog from the debate on the bill between Debbie Dumbass and Hochberg and Burnam. They ask Debbie what this is all about and she says it's about conforming the State pledge to the National pledge. I guess no one told Debbie that the time to do that was REALLY in the 50's when the National pledge was amended to include 'under God'. Of course, had that happened, no one would have been able to see what a great Christian Debbie is, which is what this was all really about anyway.

There's really no gentle way to put this...if you voted for this bill, you didn't do it for any other reason than to be seen doing it. It's pretty shameful, IMHO. Those who voted nay did the right thing... I especially liked Valinda Bolton's statement on her vote

I am and have been a Baptist all my life, and the concepts of religious liberty and separation of church and state are firmly ingrained in me. Roger Williams who lived in the 1600s is widely viewed as the father of Baptist life in America. He gave up a very powerful position in England and came to the colonies, fleeing religious persecution. However, even in the colonies he faced persecution because he wouldn’t worship as the leaders prescribed. In fact, late in his life he was banished to an uninhabited island and expected to die there. When, by God’s grace, he prospered there, the leader of the colony sent him a scathing letter demanding to know why he hadn’t just gone ahead and died as expected. Roger Willliams risked everything for what he believed. I have not been asked to risk as much, but my belief in religious liberty is that it is worth fighting for. It would be very easy to vote yes on this bill to avoid being seen as voting against God but I am very confident in my Christian faith and my relationship with God. I will be voting no and voting for religious liberty.

So, there were TWO good reasons to vote against this stupid bill. Which makes me really wonder about the 124 people who voted for it. What surprises me most about this are the number of Republican votes. Why? Well, for folks that are supposedly Christian, they seem to know more about certain passages of the Old Testament than the New. Are their professions of faith merely pandering?

Posted by mcblogger at 12:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tolls : Bring on the Endless Summer

Kuff and Burka both think we're destined for an endless legislative summer. The story goes that since the Lege will likely override the veto, 39% will call Special after Special until the Lege finally works out a solution for transportation funding. For what it's worth (likely not much since the only people who pay attention to us are those who drink a lot. Or are at bars while reading this... love y'all), the interesting part is not whether or not the veto is overridden, it's who will vote to override 39%.

After talking to a certain candidate earlier tonight, I'm betting Carona, Ogden and Nichols all bail on the veto override vote.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Speaking of whores...

Here's some fun stuff about Rove's involvement with coaching the Justice Dept. folks prior to their testimony before Congress. What's left out? His involvement in the US Attorney firings, natch.

Then. have some fun with the DC madam. Apparently, her hookers (and trust me, we have NOTHING against hookers) were the kind with the heart of gold. The same can not be said for some of her clients.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 03, 2007

When Republicans debate

Pretty ho hum, I thought. Okay, Rudy Guiliani bit the head off a bat---that's so Eighties.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 09:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 02, 2007

I'll take Incompetent Texas Officials for a $1000

And the answer is "The gangly Comptroller who, just a few short months into her term, has managed to completely disregard common sense and sound planning."

If you answered 'Who is Susan Combs' then you got it right. Strayhorn may have been a blowhard, but hey... at least she wasn't this bad.

Kuffner has more on fuckup number one, Combs' decision to rescind the request filed by C4N asking for the AG's opinion on whether the new business tax passed by the Lege last year constitutes an unconstitutional income tax. One of Attorney General Greg Abbott's minions responded to the original request from Governor Perry and Strayhorn didn't think that was sufficient. With this letter, Combs lets him off the hook. So, we'll have to wait for the inevitable lawsuits next year to find out what Attorney General Greg Abbott really thinks. About this issue, not the 2 or 3 other things that are currently bewildering his little rat brain.

News on fuckup number two comes from Bloomberg.

Texas owes state workers $50 billion in future retirement benefits and refuses to acknowledge the obligation.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs says she won't follow a new national accounting standard that requires states and cities to disclose the estimated costs of benefits promised to retired workers, such as health care and life insurance. The government would need to set aside $4 billion a year over the next decade to keep from falling short on what it owes, according to a report by the state's Legislative Budget Board.

Disclosing its future costs may force Texas to raise taxes, increase borrowing, sell assets or cut programs to come up with the money. Refusing to recognize them may jeopardize the ratings on $22 billion of outstanding bonds and prompt investors to demand higher yields when they lend to the state.

``If they don't report it, they don't have to do anything about it,'' said Michael H. Granof, Ernst & Young professor of accounting at the University of Texas in Austin. ``It's much easier to just push it off to the next generation.''

We've talked about under-reserved and unreported pension obligations before. It's the reason the auto industry in this country is having such a horrible time competing against the Japanese. It's also purely because of POOR FUCKING MANAGEMENT. In politics, as in business, poor management will lead to collapse. Offsetting a liability to a future date doesn't eliminate the liability. In fact, it exacerbates the problem.

Granted, Combs isn't the first to let politics trump common sense. She probably won't be the last. However, she's the one who ran for this office and it's her responsibility to deal with it. SO DEAL WITH IT, SUSAN.

Thanks to RK for the Bloomberg piece

Posted by mcblogger at 09:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 01, 2007

First, there was a compromise... and it too was found to be shit

Looks like the compromise on HB 626 may be dead. Why?

BECAUSE IT'S FUCKALL EXPENSIVE AND WILL REQUIRE A MASSIVE EXPANSION AT THE SOS.

Y'all, I have to go to Louisiana today. Do me a favor while I'm gone, 'K? Kill this piece of shit.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

When bad people say bad things

I must admit I'm always a little perplexed when the regime sends Darth Cheney to attack its critics. Conventional wisdom holds that, if you are as well liked as a shitburger, you find someone less hated to speak for you. So, for example, we see Laura Bush making the rounds since the Stepford First Lady has better numbers than Dopasaurus Rex (at least if you're not an ex-boyfriend). But Cheney? WTF? Seriously, his approval rating is nine percent! To put that in perspective, in a recent Rasmussen survey, Colonel Sanders polled 23 % among chickens.

Posted by mayor mcsleaze at 07:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 30, 2007

FloShap bitchslaps teachers

Oh, Florence... WTF are you thinking? Hal at Half Empty has the story on FloShap's bill to hold teachers accountable in a way that will guarantee

1) That teachers will be hard to come by
2) Teachers will refuse to take on difficult tasks
3) Kids will be the ones who get hurt

That last point is the most interesting...

No teacher will want to teach low ability students. Teaching low ability students will spell a death sentence for a teacher. I personally know teachers who request nothing but students with low learning ability because they feel they are most effective with these kids. Effective enough to get them to pass TAKS? Not always. There are other things to teach these kids – things that they can use.

Imagine teaching a class full of students with sub-100 IQs, dyslexia, Turret’s, Limited English Proficiency, and out and out sociopaths, all of this mixed in with “G/T Gangstas” who are too busy writing computer programs to do their chemistry homework. It’s a zoo.

And it’s a zoo that no one will want to teach anymore if it means that they will be fired in 3 years.

Damn, Flo. You just can't stop hating on public schools, can you? What are you, challenging Parent PAC to take your ass out?

Posted by mcblogger at 03:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

MORE VOTER ID CRAP IN THE HOUSE

The House is set to debate HB 626 which will severely restrict voter registration in an effort to limit the number of people who exercise their right to vote. Matt at BOR has additional details as well as background on the origins of this bill and the fact that it's completely unnecessary. Kuffner has contact information for the folks who are generally considered swing voters in the House on this issue. Please call them today and ask them to take a stand against legislation that will negatively impact the lives of millions of Texans.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tolls : You're not going to lose federal funding, 39%

Well, Mikey asked one of his pals at the Federal Highway Admin to write a letter that would scare the shit out of the Lege and TXDoT. Basically, it said that the moratorium bills, as structured, might cause Texas to lose federal highway funds because they devolve project control to local and regional governments/agencies. The letter also congratulated Texas for leading the nation in public private partnerships, the euphemism most used by Republicans for 'selling off assets for pennies on the dollar'. The other, less popular phrase is 'corporate welfare'.

The really sad part? The braintrust at TXDoT is selling off the assets on the cheap. Oh sure, they talk about the billions they are getting up front. However, compared to the tens of billions to be made, even a first year B school student can tell you that our state officials are being very stupid about their decision making. So much for the business acumen of the current crop of Republican appointees.

The Republicans crow endlessly about how tolls are less regressive than a gas tax. However, what they don't tell you is that that's only true if there are real free alternatives. Since these deals restrict improvements (either to existing roads or building new freeways) and are going to be done all over the state, they'll catch everyone. Just like a gas tax. Shall we dive back into the math again? Oh, yes... lets...

Let's say you drive on a toll road 10 miles per day, pretty reasonable for a large percentage of the population in Texas, and the tolls are set at 12 cents/mile (which is super low... they are actually far higher in Austin). Let's also stipulate that to do away with tolls altogether we'd need to raise the gas tax to 80 cents/gallon. Your commute with tolls will cost you $1.20 per day. With the gas tax, assuming you get 20 miles per gallon, you'd pay 40 cents per day. Even if you went to A&M, 40 cents is cheaper than $1.20.

You'll also hear the Republicans go on and on about 'not raising taxes'. Go reread the last two paragraphs. If it's going to apply to everyone, it's a tax... even if it is paid to a private company with the blessing of Ric Williamson.

Now, back to the letter from the Feds... in it, the functionary that Krusee got to write the letter says that Texas might lose funds since the projects are controlled at the local level and they may not comply with federal enviro standards. Which is crap because EVERYTHING that uses federal money has to comply with federal standards, environmental and otherwise. Trust me, this guy at the Transportation Dept. won't be around after January, 2009. Seriously, pal, you cut your own throat trying to help Krusee.

The letter also blathers on about delays causing Texas to fall into air quality noncompliance which would jeopardize federal highway money. And 39% is all concerned about that. Which is funny because he sure as shit wasn't when TXU was trying to push through those ridiculous coal fired power plants. In truth, the environment isn't really 39%'s concern, it's HUGE Republican contributors like Zachry Construction that stand to make BILLIONS off the privatization of Texas roads. With each step the Lege takes, they see that money circling the drain and they need their bitch (39%, in case you weren't paying attention) to step up and save the day. Thus, the scary bullshit about losing money and polluting the air, all of which is utter nonsense...

“I will review this bill carefully because we cannot have public policy in this state that shuts down road construction, kills jobs, harms air quality, prevents access to federal highway dollars, and creates an environment within local government that is ripe for political corruption.”

Veto it, 39%. They'll override and in two years we'll back here again fixing the mess the Republicans made this time by keeping PPP's and tolling in place. The good thing is that this debate is showing those opposed to tolls who their real friends are. And they aren't fucking Republican.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 29, 2007

Fun with quotes

Via Kuffner (who's all about the funny today, apparently)

"The information that we have is that there have been individuals who have crossed, and some that have been apprehended, that have ties back to the al-Qaida network," Perry told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on a trip to the city to speak at a Boy Scouts dinner.

"I don't get confused that with the lack of manpower and the lack of resources that the federal government has made available that you can cross the border, and you can cross the border with enough frequency and with enough items to create a lot of havoc," he said.

BULLSHIT, 39%. You're completely full of shit. This would have been your first campaign ad if last year if it was true. What's next, 39%? You gonna tell an audience in Cleveland that you personally foiled an al qaida plan to nuke Dallas, a la Jack Bauer?

Pathetic slob...

Bill Miller's a smart guy...

"You're kidding," Bill Miller, an Austin political consultant who works with Democrats and Republicans, said when told of a possible Lampson bid. "If Lampson is known by 5 percent of the people in the state, I'd be shocked." (which is my problem with this whole concept - TX-22 goes back to red, we do not knock off Cornyn)

I'm still hearing bullshit about Lampson and staff trying to 'muscle people out of the primary'. Fuck that. I'll file to run for the damn office even knowing that being a blogger will hurt me. However, I'll make it up for it by not being Nick Lampson. Which is my funny way of saying I'M not lame.

Don't kid yourself boys and girls. Lampson as the candidate for Senate is going to suck ass. Sorry, but this is too important to let anyone fuck up. We need to get rid of Cornyn and Lampson can't do it.

Posted by mcblogger at 09:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 28, 2007

Dregs : NAIS-lite; Burka's advice; King loves some TXU and more

Somervell County Salon has a great post up about the Lege passing the 'NAIS-lite' (now with VOLUNTARY compliance!) as well as news from Hank that the fight continues for full repeal. How did this happen? How was strong, popular support for full repeal hampered? Let's just say all boats weren't sailing in the same direction. And it's the absolute LAST TIME I WILL EVER take FARFA seriously. You guys shot yourselves in the foot on this and caved to Patty Rose when there was no need.

What is it about Paul Burka that compels him to give advice to people? The wrong advice? Paul, hermano, we love you here. Seriously, you're a top notch reporter and one of the few who's really digging into the bullshit. However, your advice to Democrats is WAY WRONG.

hope that cooler heads prevail. The anti-Craddicks have had their fun with Craddick's bill. It's time to grow up now. Do I have to bring up the name "Arlene Wohlgemuth?" Has everybody forgotten the Memorial Day massacre when she killed the calendar in the waning days of the session? Nobody thought that was OK. It was irresponsible then and it's irresponsible now. Dunnam and the rest of the Democrat leadership have been an effective opposition this session, but they will marginalize themselves if they become total obstructionists. This has been a session when Democrats have been able to participate as equals in committee and to influence bills, even pass them. Don't throw a hissy fit over not being allowed to kill the calendar.

The 'obstructionist' label only works if there is a silence from the accused. In case you haven't noticed, the D's are running circles, when it comes to message, around the Republicans to whom no one is listening anyway. It's funny, but of all people I would have expected Burka to realize that the world is changing. Rapidly.

Rep. Phil 'Burger' King is all about hugs and kisses for TXU... so much so that he's making it easy for them to continue their price gouging in North Texas by watering down the House version of SB 483. Nice work, douchie!

Tenet's book comes out on Monday and it should be loads of fun watching him pound away, mostly on Rice and Cheney. Rice, for her part, is declining the subpoena issued by the House. I guess no one told her she can't quite do that. Dem's in Congress: Would y'all hurry up with the subpoena, cite her for contempt and impeach her worthless ass?

John McClelland is running for Dallas City Council. The DMN decided not to endorse him because he thinks the Trinity Toll Road is a wasteful project that's doomed to failure. He happens to be right and the DMN happens to be wrong (seriously, anyone keeping a running list on how often the DMN fucks up on policy?). Here's his response...

As part of the investigation into the firing of US Attorneys around the country, Congress is asking for emails sent by Karl Rove through an RNC server. What else might have been transmitted by Rove during this time? Possibly details on election fraud in Ohio

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April 26, 2007

Covenant Marriage moves forward

Everyone's favorite troll legislator, Bill Zedler is rolling out his dumbass covenant marriage bill. Seriously, this retard bill and it's author deserve to be ridiculed on a massive scale which we simply don't have the space for here.

However, we'll give it a shot because I hate it when some puss filled anal sac wants to spend my tax dollars on marriage counseling for some weirdos who shouldn't have gotten married in the first place. Great idea, Bill, you jackass twerp.

This ridiculous attempt to more thoroughly give the state of Texas control over people's lives will be going to the floor on Friday. Where it will waste time that would be better spent making s'mores. Seriously, at least they are tasty. Bill Zedler's bills aren't tasty. They aren't even well written. In fact, he's like the little retarded kid who tries sooo hard you want to give him a big gold star even though he never manages to really do much of anything but make himself look dumb.

Contact your Rep and ask them to vote against this POS.

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April 25, 2007

Ice skating in hell...

I can't believe I'm writing this, but Gardner Selby actually impressed me with this piece up on the Statesman site.

The pretext for this legislation, which the Republican National Committee and Karl Rove have championed, is that voter impersonation is a significant problem. That assertion is without proof.

During a six-hour debate that cut off the rest of the day’s long calendar, Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston, pointed up that the Republican assertion that dead people are voting is based on “research” done using an on-line genealogical web site.

Brown allowed the “poll tax” pig to be dressed up. She accepted an amendment exempting anyone 80 or over from the voter ID requirement, which is an exception that proves the rule. The 80-and-over amendment sounds awfully unconstitutional in that it attaches a greater significance to some voters than others and therefore violates the equal protection clause with regard to voters under age 80.

She took an amendment that would give victims of natural disasters a chance to vote without having to produce picture ID for a year and another amendment that would exempt disabled veterans.

The Republicans also acceded to an amendment making photo ID cards available without a fee if a prospective voter cannot pay.

But Republicans voted down a variety of other amendments, including a substitute proposal by Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, which would have substituted an upgraded enforcement mechanism in cases of voter fraud for the ID requirement that would inconvenience millions of law-abiding Texans.

The real intent behind this bill showed up in this space a couple of weeks ago in a New York Times story on a report demonstrating that states that have adopted so-called “voter ID” rules have seen a two or three percentage point drop in voting, mainly among minorities and the elderly.

Those voters tend to be Democratic. It’s that simple.

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April 24, 2007

MySpace gets even more lame

You all know my feelings on MySpace. Some of you have disagreed. Because you're retarded. You've not been persuaded by me yet, so I will offer one final piece of evidence.

Congressman Ron Paul (AKA, Dr. No) is all about MySpace.

And yes, Facebook is dumb, too.

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39% wants you to believe, brother!

39% is pimping for 'religious freedom' by claiming that Freedom of Religion DOESN'T mean Freedom FROM Religion. Which is OK by me, as long as it's my religion being taught and not some kind of freak-o tent-revival bullshit that 39% loves. Which is kinda funny because I have a feeling that 39% doesn't care anymore about my faith than I do about his. Maybe we should fight about it? That's what they used to do in Europe, right?

Here's an idea... why don't we worship in our own way on Sundays and in public life we keep our faith to ourselves. I think that's what the Founders were shooting for.

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April 23, 2007

Where's YOUR Representative?

We've heard the Poll Tax is going to floor of the House today. We've also heard that it's going to pass because certain members will not be present. Some of them aren't even in Austin. Any wonder that some of them happen to be members of the Iscariot Caucus?

Democrats who enable these bills are no better than the Republicans who vote for them. I can't believe some of these people want to play on the same team as the ridiculous and old (and ridiculously old) Betty Brown.

Again, this is a stupid solution to a non-existent problem. Even Royal Masset thinks so. Why? Because he's thinking the same thing I am... it's going to affect both parties in horrible ways and reduce turnout and interest in government.

While Democrats will lose poor voters under this pitiful legislation, the Republicans will lose the elderly, a solid Republican camp. Honestly, I think this will end up causing more problems for them in the short term than Democrats. From that prospective, I'm all about letting the R's cut their throats. HOWEVER, at the end of the day, PARTICIPATION trumps all concerns. We should be making it easier for people to vote.

Instead, Republicans with the help of a few Democrats are making it harder. Nice work, y'all. Oh, and Betty... you aren't too popular these days. You're really going to hate 2008 because the same thing that's happening to Leo Berman is about to happen to you. It really sucks when people back home start planning to challenge you. In your own primary.

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April 22, 2007

So that's where it went...

We've been wondering what happened to the Giant Wax Cock that endorsed CradDICK. We thought it had been destroyed by some girlblogger in a tragic purse accident. HOWEVER, we think we may know where it is. Who'sPlayin' suggested that it may be up the ass of none other than Rep. Dennis Bonnen. From The Texas League of Conservation Voters

Check out the above clip of House Environmental Regulation Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen "questioning" Jim Marston, Texas Director for Environmental Defense, on Rep. Mark Strama's "Clean Car" bill. This sort of bullying-from-the-Chair tactics are already legendary to environmental advocates. He's even done it to constituents and citizens who've driven to Austin, waited all day to testify, and then had the nerve ... the nerve! ... to disagree with industry's perspective. It appears others have also noticed the Chairman's less than friendly attitude. Check out these two recent stories on the matter from the Austin American Statesman and Texas Observer.

No one expects a Craddick-appointed Chair of Environmental Regulations to be a huge friend to the conservation community's agenda. That's not why he got the job. It's no surprise to anyone that he carries water for the Chemical Council, let's good environmental bills die a lonely death in his committee, and fights any amendments on the floor that might ...gasp ... further regulate our already "overly-regulated" industries. But what is surprising, shocking, and disturbing, is the hostility and venom he spews.

O.K., Chairman, we get it. You disagree. But let's at least have an exchange of ideas, a civil disagreement, a healthy debate even. That's what it was like with the former Chairman, Warren Chisum. You didn't expect much more out of Chisum in the form of good bills from his committee, but you were treated with respect, he listened to testimony, and on rare occasions, he changed his mind. Instead, we've got Dennis the Menace. As one anonymous House Member said after witnessing a Bonnen committee tirade, "Geez, what is wrong with that guy? He must have gotten his *ss-kicked a lot on the playground, or something."

And that pretty much sums it up. A playground bully masqeurading as Committee Chair.

I think he's bitchy because he has a Giant Wax Cock up his ass. I know that would make me kinda cranky (seriously, the damn thing was HUGE).

(hat tip to BOR)

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April 18, 2007

Appraisal 'relief' passes...

You dumb assholes.

Normally I'm not stunned by the Lege (I think most of y'all are irredeemably stupid... even a few of the D's) or any of the really dumb shit that gets passed session to session. Why? Because you're really all mostly ego and little intellect. Take MOST of the Republicans who'd be drooling on themselves if not for CradDICK closing their mouths for them. This is not to say I'm brilliant... I'm not. In fact, I'm not even particularly clever. However, I'M SMARTER THAN 87 OF YOU.

87 of you are knuckle dragging mouthbreathers. Take HB 216 which just tonight passed the House with the ayes numbering (I kinda phoned it in, right?) 87. You nays were smart and we'll help you spin the vote politically... in fact, by the time we're done, appraisal caps are going to look as foolish to ordinary Texans as they do those who actually know something about them.

OK, dumbfucks (and yes, on this one I'm talking to three of my favorite Reps... Strama, Howard and Bolton) what now? How are you going to replace the revenue? You gonna finally grow a pair and pass an income tax? It won't be as hard as you think but the problem is that y'all lack the political courage to do it.

The big problem with all this is that we've neglected infrastructure in this state for decades now. Schools, roads, hospitals, you name it we've cut taxes, shifted revenue and not paid nearly enough to even keep up with additional services demanded just because of population growth. That has to change NOW and this is NOT AN AUSPICIOUS FIRST STEP. People want services but they don't realize taxes pay for those services. You have to explain it to them. Republicans just want to corrupt the budget and borrow their way into oblivion. Democrats want to freeze spending and occasionally raise taxes without ever making the necessary investments that'll keep the economy growing. At least Democrats pay off debt. What happened to the Democrats of old who passed laws to build out our infrastructure? We could really use folks like them again.

The ayes have done their constituents a disservice. What's more, they failed to even look at how badly appraisal caps worked in California. I expect this kind of poor decision making from Republicans... they are largely to blame for most of the problems we have today. I did not expect this from Democrats I respect.

(hat tip to Vince at Capitol Annex)

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April 17, 2007

The right wing spin machine still grinding out shit

Man, oh man... the Nancy Pelosi is a socialist? Don't tell that to her husband who has millions in such capitalist companies as Microsoft and AT&T. Quite the socialist, no?

Distinguished Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.

This is what happens when your only higher education is in Liberal Arts and you've never opened a book on business or economics. Even though it's California, HOW do these people get elected? Here's an individual who clearly doesn't understand what makes our present system work and wants to replace capitalism with socialism.

Ms. Pelosi is a new leader in Congress. As such, we should be very concerned and hope everyone reads this. It's hard to believe there are American citizens who support her theories on social revolution and can make any sense of what she spins. Take a good hard look at what she wants. Take special note of the last paragraph. *

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi on the US economy and taxes:

Nancy Pelosi condemned the new record highs of the stock market as "just another example of Bush policies helping the rich get richer". "First Bush cut taxes for the rich and the economy has rebounded with new record low unemployment rates, which only means wealthy employers are getting even wealthier at the expense of the underpaid working class".

She went on to say, "Despite the billions of dollars being spent in Iraq our economy is still strong and government tax revenues are at all time highs. What this really means is that business is exploiting the war effort and working Americans just to put money in their own pockets".

When questioned about recent stock market highs she responded, "Only the rich benefit from these record highs. Working Americans, welfare recipients, the unemployed and minorities are not sharing in these obscene record highs". "There is no question these windfall profits and income created by the Bush administration need to be taxed at 100% rate and those dollars redistributed to the poor and working class". "Profits from the stock market do not reward the hard work of our working class who, by their hard work, are responsible for generating these corporate profits that creates stock market profits for the rich. We in congress will need to address this issue to either tax these profits or to control the stock market to prevent this unearned income to flow to the rich."

When asked about the fact that over 80% of all Americans have investments in mutual funds, retirement funds, 401K's and the stock market she replied, "That may be true, but probably only 5% account for 90% of all these investment dollars. That's just more "trickle down" economics claiming that if a corporation is successful that everyone from the CEO to the floor sweeper benefit from higher wages and job security which is ridiculous". "How much of this 'trickle down' ever gets to the unemployed (Nancy, if a person is unemployed, how could they expect to benefit from “trickle down economics?) and minorities in our country? None, and that's the tragedy of these stock market highs."

"We democrats are going to address this issue after the election when we take control of the congress. We will return to the 60% to 80% tax rates on the rich and we will be able to take at least 30% of all current, lower Federal Income Tax taxpayers off the roles and increase government income substantially. We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest."

When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied, "We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities. For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profits taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as "Americans"."

Oh course, it's all bullshit. But what the hell... when your losing the argument lie through your teeth. Problem is, you gotta make sure the other side stays quiet. Sorry... when you take a moment, reflect on that fact that if not for the public service of his father and himself, George W. Bush would be poorer than dirt. He's driven HOW MANY companies into the ground? 3 or was it 4?

Yeah, I'm sooo going to listen to a Republican when it comes to business and economics.

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I can't wait to see what he'll tell the Log Cabin Republicans

Tommy Thompson (R) told a group of Jewish activists that making money is "part of the Jewish tradition," and something that he applauded, Haaretz reports.

Said Thompson: "I'm in the private sector and for the first time in my life I'm earning money. You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that."

After causing "a stir in the audience," Thompson only made matters worse by trying to apologize.

"I just want to clarify something because I didn't [by] any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things. What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You've been outstanding business people and I compliment you for that."

Wait. Wasn't this guy a cabinet secretary?

(source)

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April 16, 2007

Voter ID...a shitty solution in search of a non-existent problem

As Vince over at Capitol Annex points out, there is a rumor floating around that the votes exist to bring down both of the Voter ID bills that are scheduled to hit the floor of the House Tuesday. However, the fact remains that the people who wrote these ridiculous bills should be shamed and ridiculed. In the case of the author of one of the bills, Rep. Betty Brown, Kelso's already taken a great first step, by pointing out some of the more absurd items one can use to prove your citizenship under Rep. Brown's bill...

Besides, who has most of this other stuff on hand anyway? What kind of a witch would you have had to be married to, to carry around your divorce decree in your pants? Also, what kind of nut brings both his divorce papers and his hunter's license to the polls? Do you really want to be standing near this walking barrel of chuckles when he lights the place up?

And how come some of these ID cards are judged to be twice as valuable as others? You can vote by showing your handgun permit. But if you show your fishing license, you have to show additional proof, like your sex change dossier.

Does this mean the bill considers packing heat twice as valuable as limiting out on bass?

The bottom line, as Kelso points out, is that the damn registration card should be all the proof you need. That's why we have the things.

It would be nice if the only retarded effort on the part of the Republicans was Betty's little bill (way to waste your constituents tax dollars, Betty. I'm thinking the folks in Kaufman and Henderson Counties have more important things for you to do, like increasing funding to education). However, it's not. Never one to be left out of a concerted effort to 'do little and look busy', Rep. Phil 'Burger' King has filed his own