10 Dec 08 What Kind of Idiot
Most politicians are smart enough to use euphemisms and buffers when they hold their hand out for a contribution or favor. While I’m shocked at the Governor of Illinois for being stupid, I’m not at all surprised that he wanted something tangible in return for appointing a US Senator. It’s the arrogance more than the action that’s really over the top.
14 Nov 08 Joe The Leech
The infamous “Joe the Plumber”, whose name isn’t Joe and who isn’t a plumber, now has his very own website. Yes boyz and girlz, “Joe” is now Sam the Republican blogger. He hasn’t said much so far, just some tripe about taking back our country from the elites in Washington. His theme is Secure Our Dream, and by that he means secure his dream by sending him money.
A “Freedom Membership” in his “We Are Joe” organization costs $14.95. And just look at what you get for your money: a free copy of the book he hasn’t written yet, and your email address goes on his “newsletter” spam list. Oh, and you also “Become an integral part of an American movement to restore our government to the people.” Sounds like a great deal for Joe!
10 Nov 08 Greedy Republican Billionaires
It’s obvious to everyone that the Republican Party is in disarray and beginning to splinter. There are three distinct ideological factions that came together during the Nixon and Reagan years: the greedy billionaires, the Christian warriors, and the libertarian outsiders. These groups are moving in opposing directions, and may no longer be able to stifle their differences in the interest of exercising political power. We’ll take a look at all three of these factions beginning with the greedy Republican billionaires (GRB), or as I prefer to think of them sometimes, the greedy Republican bastards.
Though not all GRB members are billionaires, they hope to be someday. They are the primary source of funds for Republican candidates, and thus are the lifeblood of the party. Their primary motivation is the pursuit of money. Their focus is directed towards paying as little taxes as possible and exercising maximum control over the marketplace. For the most part they work from the shadows, occasionally popping up with self-serving propaganda such as “What’s good for the country is good for General Motors, and vice versa.” They profit from war, as long as it doesn’t get too out of control. Anyone or anything that might come between them and money is a potential target.
You don’t have to look far to see the GRB in action. GRB icon Rupert Murdoch owns FUX News and the Wall Street Journal, which promote the GRB agenda with every word and image. Walmart is the prime example of the GRB business plan. They would prefer to have no workplace rules, and no responsibility for pension funds or health care plans. The GRB hate unions with a passion that runs much deeper than in the other two party factions. Another hallmark is their authoritarian nature: George W. Bush “The Decider” personifies this inclination.
Next we’ll begin to explore the Christian Republican Warrior (CRW) wing of the party. Can they continue to co-exist with the GRB faction? If so, it’s going to be a bumpy ride at the very least.
28 Sep 08 Country Last
John McCain staged a hypocritical and purely political power play last week. It was one of the lowest displays of selfishness and greed I’ve ever seen by a politician, and that includes Georgie Porgie and Tricky Dick. McCain earned a really good spanking, and got one from Frank Rich.
New York Times link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/opinion/28rich.html
WHAT we learned last week is that the man who always puts his “country first” will take the country down with him if that’s what it takes to get to the White House.
For all the focus on Friday night’s deadlocked debate, it still can’t obscure what preceded it: When John McCain gratuitously parachuted into Washington on Thursday, he didn’t care if his grandstanding might precipitate an even deeper economic collapse. All he cared about was whether he might save his campaign. George Bush put more deliberation into invading Iraq than McCain did into his own reckless invasion of the delicate Congressional negotiations on the bailout plan.
