Tea Party: It's Our Time Now

I just read a great article over at Mark America -- Bi-Partisan War on the Tea Party and Sarah Palin.  As I tried to decide which paragraph to excerpt, my first choice was to highlight the whole damn thing.  Instead, I ask you to go over there and check it out for yourself.

Here's the first paragraph to get you started.

There has been a sudden wave of attacks by the DC establishment against Sarah Palin and the Tea Party.  You know something is afoot when forces of the elites of left and right begin to unite, with Bill O’Reilly, and his recent mini-me, Laura Ingraham, along with all the other usual suspects, aligning with such leftist jackals as Maureen Dowd, who today compares the Tea Party members of Congress to suicide bombers. Foxnews is busily hustling Tea Party critics into their studio and via live feed, to claim that the Tea Party is to blame for our current crisis.  With Foxnews having secured a lock on many Republican minds, they’re now free to push stories fitting the corporate messaging in service to the DC establishment.

Read more here. 

Cairo substitutes "Muslim" for "Egyptian"

If you didn't know this was coming, you are an idiot.  If you are surprised by this, you need to wake up.  If you have no idea what to do with this knowledge, feel free to climb in my boat.
---------
Crowds played on slogans made popular during the epic protests that culminated in February. Heard often back then was a cry that soon became famous: “Hold your head up high, you’re Egyptian.” On Friday, “Muslim” was substituted for “Egyptian.” The chant that became the revolution’s anthem, “The people want to topple the regime,” changed on Friday to “The people want to apply God’s law.”


“If democracy is the voice of the majority and we as Islamists are the majority, why do they want to impose on us the views of minorities — the liberals and the secularists?” asked Mahmoud Nadi, 26, a student. “That’s all I want to know.”

NYT: 

Tens of thousands of Egyptian Islamists poured into Tahrir Square on Friday....  

NO WH PLAN

h/t The Blaze

"if we elect a fucking moron..."

h/t @survivalstation

Where did the Tea Party come from? MSNBC answers

I'm listening to MSNBC.  The vote in the House just passed Boehner's plan (+BBA amendment), putting the ball in the Senate's court.  There is so much to talk about that's coming up, but what are they talking about?  That damn Tea Party.  If it weren't for those meddling kids...

Al Sharpton (I think that's Sharpton... he's looks different to me right now) is saying, regarding the Tea Party: "Here we are.  The monster is alive.  The Squeaker, I mean Speaker Boehner has no way to control it."

Joining him is an investigative reporter from -- get this -- Think Progress.  Yep.  (And they dare call out Fox's credibility?)

Can you hear the sound of one party negotiating?

"As of this writing, the president has pulled off a great political trick, with the help of some kamikaze Republicans. He has refused to offer a deficit-reduction plan, or submit a budget, or allow the Senate Democrats to do either—and has the public persuaded that he is the man who is seeking a bipartisan solution to the deficit problem."

Yes, We Spam!

While Congress debates the bill, Obama fearmongers and spams Twitter.  Isn't he dreamy?

image via Michelle Malkin

Note: to report the Prez for spam, go to his Twitter page.  Click on the drop down menu, and the option to report him should be listed. 

Debt Speech Bingo

THIS is amazing.

"Arrest the Tea Party for treason"

I'm seeing that phrase all over twitter.  To borrow a phrase from Wisconsin... THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE....  Elected representatives sworn to defend the Constitution while acting on behalf of their constituents.

I'm not currently going to comment on what may or may not happen on August 2nd.  I am commenting on the absolutely tyrannical meme that the Tea Party is tanking America.  The TP representatives were elected just like the Rs and Ds.  Why are their election promises politics any less legitimate than anyone elses?  Why is it okay for the majority party to trash a group of idealistic freshman?  Either side bullying this group should be viewed as unacceptable, regardless of party.

The Tea Party prevented a vote from passing in the House yesterday -- on a bill that the Democrats did not like. An amended bill is being put before the House today, thus the Tea Party should be arrested for treason?  I could only understand that leap in logic if I dropped acid.

The meme is ridiculous.  The only sense I can make of it is the Dems are freaking out about how to handle the bill when it goes to the Senate.  Not to mention Obama's approval dropping to 40%.  I guess if my "chosen one" was sinking, I'd feel like kicking the under dog, too.

That's what the Tea Party is: the under dog.  They have the lowest numbers in Congress.  That they stand firm in their principles and have managed to find a way to use their minority-minority status to wield some power is not treason.  It's called politics.

Obama approval drops to 41%

...according to Gallup.  But how does Gallup frame these stunningly low presidential approval numbers?  Obama Rates Higher Than Boehner, Reid on Debt Situation.


To be fair, their headline is true.  Boehner's approval is at 31; however, Harry "The ONLY compromise that there is is MINE" Reid's approval is at a whopping 23.

The Gallup headline makes it look like people support the Dems' plan more than the Republicans' plan.  With Reid's support at 23, that seems highly unlikely.  In fact, if you combine Obama and Reid's numbers, it comes at pretty damn close to Boehner.

Conclusions:
1. The only way to discern public support for different plans is to ask about those actual plans.
2. Gallup wants to contrast public opinion of Boehner vs. Obama, as if the power and perception of the president and the speaker of the house were comparably important.
3. The most important contrast here is Boehner vs. Reid, but Gallup chose not to highlight that in their headline.  Hmm.  I wonder why.
4.  The second most important contrast here is Obama's current approval rating compared to his previous (higher) approval rating, but Gallup chose not to highlight that in their headline.  Hmm.  I wonder why.

ADDED: Obama Approval Drops to New Low of 40%

Obama on the Debt, circa 2006

The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies.

Over the past 5 years, our federal debt has increased by $3.5 trillion to $8.6 trillion.That is “trillion” with a “T.” That is money that we have borrowed from the Social Security trust fund, borrowed from China and Japan, borrowed from American taxpayers. And over the next 5 years, between now and 2011, the President’s budget will increase the debt by almost another $3.5 trillion.

Numbers that large are sometimes hard to understand. Some people may wonder why they matter. Here is why: This year, the Federal Government will spend $220 billion on interest. That is more money to pay interest on our national debt than we’ll spend on Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. That is more money to pay interest on our debt this year than we will spend on education, homeland security, transportation, and veterans benefits combined. It is more money in one year than we are likely to spend to rebuild the devastated gulf coast in a way that honors the best of America.

And the cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the Federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and States of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on.

Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America’s priorities.

Senator Barack Obama
Senate Floor Speech on Public Debt
March 16, 2006

while we await the House vote: Gutfeld on the TEA Party

Greg Gutfeld, The Five, 28 July 2011:

The TEA party is actually a threat to this duopoly.  This is what's so interesting about it.  It is the most encouraging political movement I've ever seen....  This is a group of people based on a principle.  They are metaphorically a brick wall.  It's why the people like Wasserman are going crazy, because they've never seen anything like it.  

I love this.  It also makes me wonder about the uber lefties I know...  Perhaps some of their TEA Party hate is misguided jealousy.  I mean, both groups hate what the establishment has done to our country.  Both groups want a revolution.  Hell, exchange "Taxed Enough Already" for "Tax the Rich", and voila!  The uber left IS the Tea Party.

Tea Party to Protest NAACP

Oh, and btw, this Tea Party group is not lily white.

The NAACP is holding its 102nd annual conference on 24 July, and the South Central LA Tea Party intends to "rally to expose the failed big government agenda and lies of the NAACP."

Founding member and president Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson said

"The NAACP is a tool of the Obama administration....  For decades, this group [NAACP] has supported left-wing policies which have created dependency, destroyed black families, and hurt race relations."

Debt Ceiling? Pfft. Credit Cards for All!

Former federal employees still receiving taxpayer credit cards

Where's my pony, Obama?  Don't the top 1% owe me a goddamn pony?

"Spending on tax breaks"

Obama just said that in his speech about the deficit.

Dear Mr. President,

"I guess I have to respect this verdict. I think it's a travesty."

That's a quote from a talking head that I heard on the news just now.  It makes me sick.

It seemed obvious to me that there was not enough evidence to convict Casey of anything (besides lying, to which she admitted), and I am delighted that the jury was not contaminated by the state's emotional appeals and faulty logic.  I am disgusted that TV's talking heads (which nearly unanimously were sharpening their guillotines) are now back pedaling, but instead of saying that they were wrong or pretending that they predicted this, they are angry that Caylee will not get justice.

The media was, for the most part, a mob that riled up the viewers to gnash their teeth, awaiting a guilty verdict.  I have been loosely following the trial (catching some but not all live coverage everyday, the summation on the nightly news, and talking heads discussing the case) and watched the closing statements.  Some of the things covered in the defense's closing statements were not even mentioned in the state's closing statements, nor were they mentioned in the news.

The rabid talking heads are recognizing that Casey is guilty but not convicted, and they see that Casey received justice, but the dead child did not -- because her not-guilty mother will not be penalized.  These talking heads are completely neglecting that only a mob mentality can consider penalty for unproven guilt to be "justice" for the injured party.   It's like they're saying that justice is more important for one person than another, which is so anti-American that I am nauseated.

Casey Anthony trial verdict

First degree murder -- not guilty

Aggravated child abuse -- not guilty

Aggravated manslaughter -- not guilty

Providing false information to a law enforcement officer -- guilty (x4)

(source: it's live on TV right now.)

While I played home-juror, this was how I felt, too.  

WaPo: Happy Fourth of July. And fuck you.

Article here.

I'm too pissy to comment about it now. 

Weekend Update from Galt's Gulch: Raccoon War

All other residents and annual visitors have left the mostly-summer getaway I like to refer to as Galt's Gulch.  (Actually, I'd prefer calling it the less aurally offensive Mulligan's Valley, but that would be like calling myself Jesus.)  I've not spent much time here alone.  Only two other times that I can recall, but to be fair, one of those times a scab was on the premises.

This time I was left with a list of chores.  Minimal stuff, but enough to set up a routine.  I'm thinking I'd like to maintain this routine when the others return -- unless, of course, those already holding the positions enjoy them and would object.

Ducks: fed.  Mail: tended.  Hummingbird feeder: full.  Plants: watered.  Flying squirrels: fed, watched, enjoyed.

The unlisted chore = protecting flying squirrels and flying squirrel feeder from Raccoon Invasion.

Colbert's Super PAC: breaking the fourth wall

I don't watch The Colbert Report on a regular basis, but I did catch the May episode earlier this year, in which Colbert asked guest (and former chair of the FEC) Trever Potter about PACs while filling out an actual, legal form for creating a PAC.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Colbert is a man who follows through.  He has pushed the boundaries of both comedy and PACs; the FEC approved his PAC earlier this week.

If A exists under B, then B created A?

"Why shouldn't profitable corporations and finance-savvy individuals pay back to the system that made them rich?"argues social justice activist Paul Buchheit at Buzzfeed.


I take issue with the premise that "the system" makes anyone rich.  

Who said it?

It [the U.S.] can lose its dominance only as a result of its own mistakes. At present the country is in the process of committing such mistakes because it is in the hands of a group of extremists whose strong sense of mission is matched only by their false sense of certitude.

Click here for answer.

Birthday books -- suggestions?

My family is full of summer birthdays (except for me).  I've decided that this year, I'm giving books.  My dad's birthday is up next.  For him, it's mostly a matter of narrowing the list.  My sister is the next month, and that one is gonna be tough.  I have to walk a fine line with that one.  ANY suggestions are more than welcome!