Reviewing and presenting unflattering images of unflattering people who say unflattering things about the rest of us.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
How the GOP got Teabagged
How the GOP got Teabagged
Today’s tale is a classic Frankensteinian story of a mad scientist creating a monster, and in a moment of “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal”, that monster bagged, tagged and teabagged its creator. That’s right; this is the story of The Tea Party.
This monster was born on February 19, 2009 (making it an Aquarius, in case you were wondering), when CNBC news editor Rick Santelli ranted that a tea party should be held in protest of the government’s plan to refinance mortgages. Like most babies, this creation made itself known right away with screaming and malodorous content - The folks at Fox News started using the term Tea Party the next day, and took it in as their baby from then on.
Every child needs a Godparent, and this Satan-spawn won the lottery and got two: David H. and Charles G. Koch; billionaires extraordinaire. They looked upon this creation and saw power in its tiny, angry fists and created “Americans for Prosperity”, an organization designed to promote their vision of what America should be (in general terms: a Plutocracy run by the rich), but they had a problem with that message directly, so they shrouded it in a call for lowering taxes and regulations for the “Job Creators” so the wealth would somehow trickle down to improve the lives of the working poor (who’s options were too limited by having a minimum wage, healthcare, safe working conditions, etc). They tied this creation to the newborn babe, and promoted its quick growth as a grassroots movement that the people really, really wanted. “Grass roots” funded by billionaires and promoted by Fox News.
Now the poor villagers in this little hamlet weren’t particularly burdened with an overabundance of education, so they heard the message of “smaller government” and less restrictions and embraced it, even though it was really the worst thing for them. Throw in one part racism, two parts fear mongering (is he secretly a Muslim?), add just a dash of “he’s a comin’ to get yer’ guns!” and the villagers fell in love with the Tea Party. The real problem, they decided was that America was just too liberal, and the Tea Party’s message of “Don’t Tread on Me” was perfect for them.
The GOP, still reeling from getting its ass handed to it in the presidential election, saw the Tea Party as a ticket to the White House again. These villagers were loud and proud of their conservatism, and were the darling of Fox News, who fueled the fire by giving them ever expanding coverage. It was a perfect marriage – the conservative party was energized by an extremist group of ultra-conservatives (Ultra-Cons). People started to get excited about conservatism, and the more radically right wing a candidate was, the more the Tea Party was behind them. Suddenly, if you weren’t a bat-shit crazy conservative, you were a RINO – Republican In Name Only. Things were good in Tea Party-land and they saw a lot of their far-right candidates move on to election day, replacing the middle of the road RINOs.
Remember the Koch Brothers? Well, they just happened to be funding the Ultra-Cons through Citizens United (possibly a subject for a future blog), but for now, suffice it to say they were paying for a large portion of the campaign ads being run, and if you, as a Republican went against their will, they’d throw their money behind the Ultra-Con that was running against you. The message was “Do as we order, or get Primaried” – as in you won’t get any of our advertising funds and your opponent will get a lot.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the White House. These Ultra-Cons who had done so well when they were fighting other Republicans had to face Democrats who had moved more toward the middle over the years. In several cases, known solid RINOs who would have beaten a Democrat opponent lost in the primary, only for the Ultra-Con to then lose to the Democrat. Their Ultra-Con mission worked to get nominated, but not elected.
So of course, once this all blew up in their faces they learned their lesson, dumped the Tea Party and decided that a more middle of the road approach would be better, right? Of course not! They have allowed a civil war to brew in their own party, with the Tea Party “Patriots” demanding to shut down the government if the ACA isn’t repealed, while the RINOs know that this is killing them, but are afraid to say “Wait a minute, guys, this is really a bad idea.” This has gone so far as some Tea Partiers are calling to split from the GOP and start their own party. The monster has come back home and is splitting the party that created it.
Romney had to go so far right to get the nomination that the things he had to say to get past the first hurdle haunted him in the general election. He had gone on record as being too radical, and when he backtracked he was called out for being two-faced and saying just what his audience wanted to hear.
Now the GOP controlled Congress has a single digit approval rating. Half of the GOP thinks that the answer is to go more radically conservative, half think otherwise and are afraid to say it, and in all likelihood, George W. Bush – The Last Republican President, will keep that title for a very long time.
- Jim Peters
Today’s tale is a classic Frankensteinian story of a mad scientist creating a monster, and in a moment of “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal”, that monster bagged, tagged and teabagged its creator. That’s right; this is the story of The Tea Party.
This monster was born on February 19, 2009 (making it an Aquarius, in case you were wondering), when CNBC news editor Rick Santelli ranted that a tea party should be held in protest of the government’s plan to refinance mortgages. Like most babies, this creation made itself known right away with screaming and malodorous content - The folks at Fox News started using the term Tea Party the next day, and took it in as their baby from then on.
Every child needs a Godparent, and this Satan-spawn won the lottery and got two: David H. and Charles G. Koch; billionaires extraordinaire. They looked upon this creation and saw power in its tiny, angry fists and created “Americans for Prosperity”, an organization designed to promote their vision of what America should be (in general terms: a Plutocracy run by the rich), but they had a problem with that message directly, so they shrouded it in a call for lowering taxes and regulations for the “Job Creators” so the wealth would somehow trickle down to improve the lives of the working poor (who’s options were too limited by having a minimum wage, healthcare, safe working conditions, etc). They tied this creation to the newborn babe, and promoted its quick growth as a grassroots movement that the people really, really wanted. “Grass roots” funded by billionaires and promoted by Fox News.
Now the poor villagers in this little hamlet weren’t particularly burdened with an overabundance of education, so they heard the message of “smaller government” and less restrictions and embraced it, even though it was really the worst thing for them. Throw in one part racism, two parts fear mongering (is he secretly a Muslim?), add just a dash of “he’s a comin’ to get yer’ guns!” and the villagers fell in love with the Tea Party. The real problem, they decided was that America was just too liberal, and the Tea Party’s message of “Don’t Tread on Me” was perfect for them.
The GOP, still reeling from getting its ass handed to it in the presidential election, saw the Tea Party as a ticket to the White House again. These villagers were loud and proud of their conservatism, and were the darling of Fox News, who fueled the fire by giving them ever expanding coverage. It was a perfect marriage – the conservative party was energized by an extremist group of ultra-conservatives (Ultra-Cons). People started to get excited about conservatism, and the more radically right wing a candidate was, the more the Tea Party was behind them. Suddenly, if you weren’t a bat-shit crazy conservative, you were a RINO – Republican In Name Only. Things were good in Tea Party-land and they saw a lot of their far-right candidates move on to election day, replacing the middle of the road RINOs.
Remember the Koch Brothers? Well, they just happened to be funding the Ultra-Cons through Citizens United (possibly a subject for a future blog), but for now, suffice it to say they were paying for a large portion of the campaign ads being run, and if you, as a Republican went against their will, they’d throw their money behind the Ultra-Con that was running against you. The message was “Do as we order, or get Primaried” – as in you won’t get any of our advertising funds and your opponent will get a lot.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the White House. These Ultra-Cons who had done so well when they were fighting other Republicans had to face Democrats who had moved more toward the middle over the years. In several cases, known solid RINOs who would have beaten a Democrat opponent lost in the primary, only for the Ultra-Con to then lose to the Democrat. Their Ultra-Con mission worked to get nominated, but not elected.
So of course, once this all blew up in their faces they learned their lesson, dumped the Tea Party and decided that a more middle of the road approach would be better, right? Of course not! They have allowed a civil war to brew in their own party, with the Tea Party “Patriots” demanding to shut down the government if the ACA isn’t repealed, while the RINOs know that this is killing them, but are afraid to say “Wait a minute, guys, this is really a bad idea.” This has gone so far as some Tea Partiers are calling to split from the GOP and start their own party. The monster has come back home and is splitting the party that created it.
Romney had to go so far right to get the nomination that the things he had to say to get past the first hurdle haunted him in the general election. He had gone on record as being too radical, and when he backtracked he was called out for being two-faced and saying just what his audience wanted to hear.
Now the GOP controlled Congress has a single digit approval rating. Half of the GOP thinks that the answer is to go more radically conservative, half think otherwise and are afraid to say it, and in all likelihood, George W. Bush – The Last Republican President, will keep that title for a very long time.
- Jim Peters
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Obamacare
Today, my 21-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cervical cancer. This was out of the blue, symptomless, and shocking. I'm going back with her tomorrow to discuss a treatment plan and find out more information about the type/stage/etc. The reason I'm sharing this with all of you is because if there was no ObamaCare, she might not have been diagnosed. Many young women who do not have insurance do not get regular pap screenings. When I was divorced, and raising 3 kids with no child support, I did not have health insurance nor did I get any screenings. Getting a screening without a reason to be there would have been a luxury. Do I know that she wouldn't have gotten her pap without ObamaCare? No. But, I know she wouldn't pay for a visit if she didnt have to. Annual exams are free from co-pays, and this encouraged her to get hers in a timely fashion, which she has failed to do in the past. I'm confident that tomorrow, we will learn that they've caught this early (she had a normal pap last year), and that she will successfully be treated. This is not my first round with a child with cancer, and ObamaCare helped my other daughter as well who was diagnosed with kidney cancer at age 3. Our insurance kicked her off. ObamaCare made them put her back on. So, when I come across insane conservatives bitching about ObamaCare, I ask them "Did my little girl deserve to get treatment?" They always answer yes. The work we do here, the educating of America, it's important. It is beyond spouting our mouths, beyond shaming republicans, and well beyond a method of entertainment. We, all of us, educate America. It's important for Americans to see that ObamaCare is not a 'death squad', it's a lifesaver. It's saving a second child of mine right now.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Fox News. A Democrat’s Best Friend
I can’t tell you exactly when I, a “Confirmed Independent” became a Democrat, but I can tell you what lead me to that decision in two words: Fox News.
That’s right, the “Fair and Balanced” mouthpiece of the GOP, AKA Bullshit Mountain™, AKA Faux News, AKA “The Obama is a Tyrant Network”, is exactly what convinced me to register as a Democrat. The network designed, built and run to make me vote Republican did exactly the opposite of its goal. You wanna’ know what else? This is good for us, the informed voters.
Now you’re probably wondering what I’ve been drinking (just coffee, thanks for asking). Allow me explain…
Before I knew that Fox News was Biased with a capital “B”, I assumed that the “News” had an obligation to paint a fair picture of things (heck, they even tag themselves as Fair and Balanced). So I let a lot of questionable “news” stories pass without any credibility check, and started to notice a trend. That trend was promoting the “conservative agenda” and damning the “liberals”. This didn’t seem to register in my psyche until sometime during the first Obama campaign, and I can’t tell you exactly what story is was (possibly a birther piece), but at one point on one day about six years ago, my Bovine Excrement meter pegged out.
Something in my head questioned, “How could this POSSIBLY be true? If this is true, this would be the biggest story ever in the history of journalism!” So I started to do some searching, and found that with about ten seconds of research, I could debunk it all. “Curious”, I thought, “Surely they’ll publish a retraction.” Yet that retraction never came.
This became something of a game for me, and I still play it. Read a crazy report on the “Fear and Bullshit” network, spend a few minutes searching Snopes.com, Politifacts, or other sites and see how quickly I could prove it false. Obama has taken more vacations than any president ever? Click click click, Oh look, G. W. Bush took more days off than Obama. The IRS is targeting Teabaggers? Click click click, Oh look, to be a non-profit you are supposed to stay out of politics. Obamacare has death panels?...
Fox News is so focused on finding an impeachable scandal, they are willing to throw anything against the wall to see if it will stick. They know that our current congress (GOP controlled) has the votes to impeach our president; they just lack the offense. So what does the Fox say? “Benghazi!” Over and over again. Besides the Teabaggers, does anybody still take this seriously? And in the process, what did I find out about myself? I’m a Democrat.
While none of what I’ve said so far is likely news, the next part may surprise: This helps Democrats.
That’s right. The fact that Fox News repeats ad nauseam how terrible the current administration is, how he’s a tyrant, how anyone in their right mind would see through it all and vote straight ticket Republican is good for us. Why? Because somewhere in the repeated messaging, the Republicans forget that this is their message, and they actually start to believe it. They scream Benghazi, Fox screams Benghazi, and they think “Wow, just like we thought, the public is upset about Benghazi! We’ll ride this horse into the elections!”
The Republicans say “These poll results can’t be true! True Americans (i.e. straight, white males over 60) love us!” and Fox says, “Find someone to un-skew the polls!” They do so, and the Republicans say “Yay! We were right, Romney in a landslide!” Then when reality strikes, they have a few moments of clarity. “Maybe we need to adjust our message?” They think for a few days.
But then what? They listen to their own network, once again forgetting that it’s their message. So about a year later they shut down the government. “It’s what the people want – I heard it on Fox!” And as a result, GOP popularity drops to record low levels and they make the biggest strategic error I can recall – taking the focus off of the launch issues with the Affordable Care Act and putting in on how Congress is really a bunch of crying toddlers. This is the echo-chamber, and it helps us in the long run.
In conclusion, carry on, dear Fox. Your support is greatly appreciated!
-Jim Peters
I can’t tell you exactly when I, a “Confirmed Independent” became a Democrat, but I can tell you what lead me to that decision in two words: Fox News.
That’s right, the “Fair and Balanced” mouthpiece of the GOP, AKA Bullshit Mountain™, AKA Faux News, AKA “The Obama is a Tyrant Network”, is exactly what convinced me to register as a Democrat. The network designed, built and run to make me vote Republican did exactly the opposite of its goal. You wanna’ know what else? This is good for us, the informed voters.
Now you’re probably wondering what I’ve been drinking (just coffee, thanks for asking). Allow me explain…
Before I knew that Fox News was Biased with a capital “B”, I assumed that the “News” had an obligation to paint a fair picture of things (heck, they even tag themselves as Fair and Balanced). So I let a lot of questionable “news” stories pass without any credibility check, and started to notice a trend. That trend was promoting the “conservative agenda” and damning the “liberals”. This didn’t seem to register in my psyche until sometime during the first Obama campaign, and I can’t tell you exactly what story is was (possibly a birther piece), but at one point on one day about six years ago, my Bovine Excrement meter pegged out.
Something in my head questioned, “How could this POSSIBLY be true? If this is true, this would be the biggest story ever in the history of journalism!” So I started to do some searching, and found that with about ten seconds of research, I could debunk it all. “Curious”, I thought, “Surely they’ll publish a retraction.” Yet that retraction never came.
This became something of a game for me, and I still play it. Read a crazy report on the “Fear and Bullshit” network, spend a few minutes searching Snopes.com, Politifacts, or other sites and see how quickly I could prove it false. Obama has taken more vacations than any president ever? Click click click, Oh look, G. W. Bush took more days off than Obama. The IRS is targeting Teabaggers? Click click click, Oh look, to be a non-profit you are supposed to stay out of politics. Obamacare has death panels?...
Fox News is so focused on finding an impeachable scandal, they are willing to throw anything against the wall to see if it will stick. They know that our current congress (GOP controlled) has the votes to impeach our president; they just lack the offense. So what does the Fox say? “Benghazi!” Over and over again. Besides the Teabaggers, does anybody still take this seriously? And in the process, what did I find out about myself? I’m a Democrat.
While none of what I’ve said so far is likely news, the next part may surprise: This helps Democrats.
That’s right. The fact that Fox News repeats ad nauseam how terrible the current administration is, how he’s a tyrant, how anyone in their right mind would see through it all and vote straight ticket Republican is good for us. Why? Because somewhere in the repeated messaging, the Republicans forget that this is their message, and they actually start to believe it. They scream Benghazi, Fox screams Benghazi, and they think “Wow, just like we thought, the public is upset about Benghazi! We’ll ride this horse into the elections!”
The Republicans say “These poll results can’t be true! True Americans (i.e. straight, white males over 60) love us!” and Fox says, “Find someone to un-skew the polls!” They do so, and the Republicans say “Yay! We were right, Romney in a landslide!” Then when reality strikes, they have a few moments of clarity. “Maybe we need to adjust our message?” They think for a few days.
But then what? They listen to their own network, once again forgetting that it’s their message. So about a year later they shut down the government. “It’s what the people want – I heard it on Fox!” And as a result, GOP popularity drops to record low levels and they make the biggest strategic error I can recall – taking the focus off of the launch issues with the Affordable Care Act and putting in on how Congress is really a bunch of crying toddlers. This is the echo-chamber, and it helps us in the long run.
In conclusion, carry on, dear Fox. Your support is greatly appreciated!
-Jim Peters
Thursday, November 1, 2012
When We Don’t LikeThe Facts: We Supress Them.
Leadership during the best of times
can be challenging. In more trying
situations individuals that aspire to
leadership positions can face
great difficulties.
The key for any individual in tough times
is “honesty”. The ability to look beyond
personal opinion and ideology is a
requirement. Real problems are never
solved by refusing to examine “cause
and effect.” In the real world it’s called
critical thinking. No individual can be a
“real leader” when they deny and refuse
their own responsibility.
“Inconvenient Truths” surface. Truths
which cause individuals to reassess their
positions. Republicans in our current
Congress are failing a test. Speaker
Boehner got it right when he said there
are “real knuckle draggers” in his caucus.
He must have looked at himself in the
mirror the morning he said it. In a system
of government like ours we need to accept
hard truth to flourish.
What are they hiding?
A study by the independent “CRS” (The
Congressional Research Service). It is an
examination on the impact of Tax Cuts on
the economy. The CRS created to eliminate
partisan gaming in our government. A
common source for all to trust regardless
of party. A group that facilitates honesty.
Why are they hiding it?
It undermines Mitt Romney’s Tax
position. It reveals that the Republican
stance in Congress is not based in
reality. It reveals their policies are based
in the imagination. And it clearly points
out that the policies redistribute income
from most Americans to those at the very
top of the ladder. They wanted to avoid
reality. They didn’t like the answers.
VOTE November 6th. We have an opportunity to demand
integrity. We have an opportunity to deny radical ideology
that causes our elected officials to lie and mislead us.
can be challenging. In more trying
situations individuals that aspire to
leadership positions can face
great difficulties.
The key for any individual in tough times
is “honesty”. The ability to look beyond
personal opinion and ideology is a
requirement. Real problems are never
solved by refusing to examine “cause
and effect.” In the real world it’s called
critical thinking. No individual can be a
“real leader” when they deny and refuse
their own responsibility.
“Inconvenient Truths” surface. Truths
which cause individuals to reassess their
positions. Republicans in our current
Congress are failing a test. Speaker
Boehner got it right when he said there
are “real knuckle draggers” in his caucus.
He must have looked at himself in the
mirror the morning he said it. In a system
of government like ours we need to accept
hard truth to flourish.
What are they hiding?
A study by the independent “CRS” (The
Congressional Research Service). It is an
examination on the impact of Tax Cuts on
the economy. The CRS created to eliminate
partisan gaming in our government. A
common source for all to trust regardless
of party. A group that facilitates honesty.
Why are they hiding it?
It undermines Mitt Romney’s Tax
position. It reveals that the Republican
stance in Congress is not based in
reality. It reveals their policies are based
in the imagination. And it clearly points
out that the policies redistribute income
from most Americans to those at the very
top of the ladder. They wanted to avoid
reality. They didn’t like the answers.
VOTE November 6th. We have an opportunity to demand
integrity. We have an opportunity to deny radical ideology
that causes our elected officials to lie and mislead us.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Mitt's Job Always Costs Others' Their Jobs
Over the last month, we've seen three presidential debates. The decline in the unemployment rate is dropping, a sure sign of the Apocalypse of the GOP, their nominee seems to be willing to strut his stuff in saying he can do better. He's even gone so far as to claim that "his plan" will create 12 million new jobs.
I do not doubt that his plan can create 12 million new jobs over the 8-to-10 years he says he needs to fix the economy, despite expecting President Obama to do it in less than four years. But, Mitt Romney's track record shows that the jobs he creates are more likely than not in third world and communist countries, and probably part-time, temporary jobs with no benefits. He's been called a vulture capitalist but I find him more a viper capitalist: A snake in the grass that pounces and kills its prey. Too many businesses have been closed due to this form of enterprise while these capitalists walk away with millions in "consulting fees" after gutting the company that hired them.
Mitt has a very big problem with being taken seriously. One has to ask how he plans to create jobs, or what type of jobs, if he can't even perpetuate the jobs currently here. A case in point is the Sensata plant in Fairport, Illinois.
Sensata, if you've followed the news, was acquired by Bain Capital, a company founded by Romney and is still a major part of his income portfolio. With three facilities in the US, two have already closed as their jobs were shipped over to China. The third, in Fairport, is in the process of being closed. The workers there have asked this man with such close ties to their now parent company, Bain, to intercede on the plant closing. Mitt will not even offer a response. Is it that he really doesn't care about the American worker? Surely a man of his stature, with such close ties to the company he founded, could try to intercede. Or is it that he has no say in the matter. If he is unable to convince the Bain board to reverse their decision with the amount of pull he has there, how can we expect him to convince Corporate America to bring jobs, good paying jobs, back to America. 
He claims he will get tough on China, but not a word was said when Sensata removed the American flag from their Fairport facility, instead running a Chinese flag.
It appears that Mitt does not care for the American worker, the very people that helped him make and accumulate his wealth. It's been a long standing habit of his. Still, the people of Sensata are fighting trying to keep their jobs. What happened? A group of Koch Funded Tea Party Traitors showed up with a counter-demonstration, calling American workers Communists. What a great leap of logic when the American worker is called a communist because they protest their jobs being sent to a communist country.
For decades, conservatives have shouted that unions are communistic, so how do they try and break the unions? They send their jobs over to communist countries.
Thank you, Mitt and company for showing your true colors. You and your cohorts are the real communists.
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