Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

It’s a good piece. click on over. but then come back!!

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

“Why isn’t this Snickers bar only a nickel?”

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

People are complicated. Love is not.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

This country desperately needs a functioning Fourth Estate.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

There is one struggling party in US right now, and it’s not the Democrats.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

If West Virginia and San Francisco had a love child.

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45Comments

  5. 5.

    Perry Como

    I just lugged ten cases of beer and a dozen bottles of liquor up the stairs. It’s going to be a long, long night.

  8. 8.

    ThymeZone

    It’s worth the price of subscription to read Frank Rich’s devastating blast at the Iraq war and the Bush administration today.

    Surely if the Democrats do not win back at least one house of Congress, it is time for the people to march on Washington and bring the city to a stop until this madness is brought to an end.

    At this point, as Rich says and has been said on these pages before, people are dying in Iraq now just so that this ridiculous government of ours can try to hold onto its majority in Congress.

    Read it, and weep, literally.

  9. 9.

    Mutaman

    Considering the crap he wrote about Al Gore 6 years ago, if Frank Rich wants to blame someone for the mess we’re in, all he has to do is look in the mirror.

  10. 10.

    srv

    Not out getting smashed and wrecking your good name?

    Alas, I never had a good name. But then I didn’t do Disco or have a mullet, so who’s more respectable?

    Surely if the Democrats do not win back at least one house of Congress, it is time for the people to march on Washington and bring the city to a stop until this madness is brought to an end.

    Funny that, my concert tonight is with Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid. Honestly, I think the public deservers two more years of Bush-Unimpeachable – and Peggy Noonan screeching at him.

  13. 13.

    Pooh

    Well, since he helped put the lunatics in charge…

    In other news, you know what’s awesome? Being sick on Halloween party night. If I can’t go out and get drunk with lustily attired wen…er, ladies, how am I ever going to meet the first ex-Mrs. Pooh?

    Mmm, NyQuil….

  14. 14.

    Zifnab

    Considering the crap he wrote about Al Gore 6 years ago, if Frank Rich wants to blame someone for the mess we’re in, all he has to do is look in the mirror.

    Al Gore won that election. I think if we really want to blame someone we need to look at Sandra Day O’Conner. And, frankly, I’d be surprised if she’s slept well in the past 4-6 years.

  16. 16.

    jcricket

    A couple of my friends who were all “There’s no difference between Al Gore and George Bush” have been eating a lot of crow lately.

  17. 17.

    demimondian

    And, frankly, I’d be surprised if she’s slept well in the past 4-6 years.

    I’m sure that her husband’s deteriorating mental condition (due to Alzheimer’s) has made that quite likely.

  19. 19.

    demimondian

    I’d say that those were true family values, srv: if Corker’s daughter is a lesbian, then it really isn’t any of our business. For all that, I’m not very comfortable with the current trolling through Allen’s court records.

  20. 20.

    Andrew

    Jesus, Democrats are stupid. That’s situational, hot-hot-hot drunken lesbianism between blonde coeds, and every NASCAR dad, Southern male approves.

  22. 22.

    Pb

    A couple of my friends who were all “There’s no difference between Al Gore and George Bush” have been eating a lot of crow lately.

    Lately? I sucked it up on that point years ago–like, at least four years ago.

  24. 24.

    The Asshole Formerly Known as GOP4Me

    Jesus, Democrats are stupid. That’s situational, hot-hot-hot drunken lesbianism between blonde coeds, and every NASCAR dad, Southern male approves.

    Why do the hot, drunken, sexy lesbian coed daughters of Republican Senate candidates hate America? And why do they make “treason” sound so much more erotic and alluring than Ann Coulter did?

  25. 25.

    The Other Steve

    I’d say that those were true family values, srv: if Corker’s daughter is a lesbian, then it really isn’t any of our business.

    Agreed. If Republicans weren’t so much into gay bashing.

  26. 26.

    Zifnab

    Yeah. It’s perfectly ok to stoke mass hysteria about “the end of marriage in America” and start whisper campaigns about people like Ann Richards and Hillary Clinton being lesbians to GOTV.

    But mentioning a gay relative of a Republican candidate? And tying it to the Republican’s voting record? Why, that’s really is just gay bashing and it has no place in civil discourse. Democrats really are the party of bigotry and intolerance. Just look at all the horrible things they’ve done to black people. I mean, between the way Democrats treat blacks and gays, I just can’t sleep at night. It’s horrible. Sometimes… sometimes I wake up crying. Just thinking, why can’t blacks and gays vote Republican? And then the world would be a better place.

  27. 27.

    demimondian

    No, Zif, that’s not what I said. I said that it isn’t any of our business if she’s a lesbian. It’s certainly our business if Larry Craig is an adulterer, and it’s certainly our business if Jim McGreevey is an adulterer. That both of these men are accused of having affairs with other men is not our business at all. That is to say: Newt Gingrich’s adultery is every bit as important as that which Larry Craig is alleged to have pursued, and the hypocrisy there is quite sufficient to take the wind out of a “moral values” campaign.

    But, even ignoring that, what earthly relevance does the sexuality of a candidate’s child have to the candidate himself? She’s not him, and, for all we know, he won’t let her lovers (if, indeed, she has female lovers) in the house at all. He’d be a bigot, in that case, but not a hypocrite — and you want to stick him with the hypocrite label. Instead, all you’re doing is filthying your own nest, and leaving it to me to get out the power washer.

  28. 28.

    Punchy

    Thank the lord, and my bank account, that Texas pulled off that victory last nite. Almost threw up when I saw the 21-0 hole they put themselves in.

    Now with USC gone, they can beat ND, watch WV take out Louisville, and get UM to hammer OSU, and we’ll have Big Blue against WV in the Champ game.

    At which time, ppGaz and Sir Cole-a-lot will have a trash-talking flame war to end all flame wars, until ppGaz bans John and maybe Darrell, too.

  30. 30.

    ThymeZone

    Big Blue against WV in the Champ game.

    Uh, that would be a little anticlimactic. No offense, but I don’t consider WV to be in the same weight class as OSU and UM.

    Of course, who understands the BCS rankings? Not me. So I suppose anything is possible if WV goes unbeaten.

  31. 31.

    capelza

    OSU? Which OSU? I’m a Beaver, husband went to the oh so fucking fantastic game yesterday where they beat USC…he called me while watching the game…so I watched it.

    But beyond that I have no clue..Ohio State? Oklahoma State?

  32. 32.

    ThymeZone

    Capelza, when a Michigan fan talks about football, there are only two teams that matter: Michigan, and Ohio State.

    Good, evil. In that order.

  33. 33.

    capelza

    Okay, got ya….

    I remember sitting in the office I was working in then overhearing someone saying the words top ten and OSU (Oregon) in the same sentence…words I had never heard in my adult life…shocked the hell out of me. That was 2000 I think. We went on to beat ND in the Fiesta Bowl…That was an unbelievable year.

    Before that, a win (any win) would cause the OSU fans to tear down the goalpost. Once, in the 90’s OSU managed to beat the Dawgs. There was T-shirt going around that just had the score, nothing else. It was a moment to treasure.

    Up till 2000, the running joke in Oregon was..”How do you keep a beaver out of your yard?…You put up a goalpost.”

    Oh and this one…”What do you get if you cross a beaver with a groundhog?..Six more weeks of bad football…”

    Evil out here is UW and UO (evil Ducks)…and the University of Spoiled Children..who we miraculously beat yesterday!!!

  34. 34.

    Krista

    In other news, you know what’s awesome? Being sick on Halloween party night. If I can’t go out and get drunk with lustily attired wen…er, ladies, how am I ever going to meet the first ex-Mrs. Pooh?

    Mmm, NyQuil….

    Well, you know Pooh, there’s this new-fangled thing called online personals…

  35. 35.

    srv

    But, even ignoring that, what earthly relevance does the sexuality of a candidate’s child have to the candidate himself? She’s not him, and, for all we know, he won’t let her lovers (if, indeed, she has female lovers) in the house at all.

    Well, Cheney isn’t a hypocrite wrt the gay question. But if Corker is one who believes homosexuality is a choice, then his response to this picture means everything.

    Anyway, statistically, she’s probably not – all the girls dabble today. They’ve finally learned just how bad guys are at making out and sex. More power to them.

    Instead, all you’re doing is filthying your own nest

    Well, I’m always happy to soil the Rep and Dem nests when it comes to hypocrisy. Or do you just mean Balloon-Juice? Like I said above, I never had a good name.

  37. 37.

    demimondian

    [I]f Corker is one who believes homosexuality is a choice, then his response to this picture means everything.

    I would guess that you don’t have any kids, or, if you do, they aren’t teenagers, because that statement is utterly moronic. Even if Corker thinks sexuality is a choice, all one could conclude is that he should think that she made the wrong choice. You know something? Parents think that about their kids all the time — children make mistakes on all sorts of important issues, and, hard as it is, parents need to keep out of the kids way unless those mistakes are life threatening.

    Now, let’s look at the subtext of your posting. Why, exactly, should I care if Corker’s daughter is lesbian? There’s the hot blondes making out lesbian porn angle, I suppose, which might help the story have legs, but which seems kind of hypocritical. Or maybe there’s the “OMG, Corker’s DAUGHTER caught the ghey” angle, which seems beyond just hypocritical, and well out into the Hastert-Foley kind of thing.

    So, maybe you could explain why you posting isn’t a particularly repulsive piece of gay-baiting?

  38. 38.

    jcricket

    Since this is an open thread, I thought I’d throw this in. Next time you hear a wing-nut spouting off on how adult stem cells are super great and embryonic stem cells suck-ass, here’s what to say in response. Hint: They’re lyyyyiinnnngg again!

    Notwithstanding the relative age of ESC research (adult stem cells = isolated in the late 1960s, ESC = 1998), adult stem cells have not proven to be some boon for therapies, despite the claims to the contrary.

    Remember, Republicans hate science, so if you find them quoting a scientist, question it.

  39. 39.

    srv

    Even if Corker thinks sexuality is a choice, all one could conclude is that he should think that she made the wrong choice. You know something? Parents think that about their kids all the time

    But. This. Is. About. Sex. Man, it’s why the Dems will always lose. A party that just waits until the opposition fucks up completely and then imagines that the country is coming around to thinking like they do.

    These people don’t think at all like you do. A guy with a Fucking Navy Cross just lost any chance to beat a total jackass because of one sentence.

    I’m convinced more than ever, I’ll make my prediction now: the Dems will not take the House or Senate.

    So, maybe you could explain why you posting isn’t a particularly repulsive piece of gay-baiting?

    It’s not like I posted it at Red State or PW. I’m sure Mac and Darrell are just on the border of switching, and I thought I could push them over… Like the General, it’s somewhat hot, but it is hysterical.

    It aint private if it’s on Facebook or The Google.

  40. 40.

    demimondian

    Y’know, srv, I think you’ve kind of missed a theme in this election.

    Winning isn’t everything. Fuck, it’s not even the most important thing. Governing well is the most important thing; winning is only the vehicle by which one gets a chance to govern. The mistake the Republican party has made — repeatedly — is to think that winning elections is the only goal. It isn’t.

    It’s not all about sex, except in your mind. In face, it’s not at all about sex, or even about winning an election. It’s about setting the Democrats up to run a successful government, whenever that happens, and about reigning in the Republicans between now and then.

  41. 41.

    demimondian

    It aint private if it’s on Facebook or The Google.

    Oh, and this — it’s totally misguided.

    I didn’t mention privacy. There’s no privacy involved here at all. I didn’t like the outing of Larry Craig, because the unspoken thesis behind outing really is “OMG he’s teh GHEY”, NOT, “OMG he’s teh whited sepulchre”. Why would I want to pursue a strategy which depends on gays and lesbians being dirty queers, when I believe in equal rights? That’s not just slimy, it’s stupid. I like this story even less, because there’s not even a solid hypocrite angle; it’s all about lesbian sex, and not at all about whether Corker is good, bad, indifferent — or chartreuse.

    Be real. Bob Corker is slime. Fine — there’s lots of ethical ways to say that. But his daughter’s choice to get caught on film in a lip lock with another girl, or his response thereto? Those say nothing about his suitability for public office.

  42. 42.

    srv

    Y’know, srv, I think you’ve kind of missed a theme in this election.

    Winning isn’t everything. Fuck, it’s not even the most important thing.

    …

    It’s about setting the Democrats up to run a successful government, whenever that happens

    I missed the theme party. Did Howard actually announce “Campaign 2006 – Winning isn’t Everything”? Me thinks you don’t think the Dems have a chance either, so you’re claiming the high ground. Bully for you. We might as well start calling them the good loser party. But they couldn’t even manage that in Florida or Ohio.

    I’m stunned that non-Republicans could have watched the last 5 years and still be saying to themselves on Nov. 8th “Well, at least we stuck with our values and didn’t get in the mud with the Republicans”.

    It’s not all about sex, except in your mind.

    Yeah, right. The ‘values’ voters don’t matter. They didn’t matter in Ohio, and they won’t matter in Virginia or Tennessee.

  43. 43.

    demimondian

    I’m stunned that non-Republicans could have watched the last 5 years and still be saying to themselves on Nov. 8th “Well, at least we stuck with our values and didn’t get in the mud with the Republicans”.

    I’m stunned by your stunning combination of cynicism and naivety, so we’re even.

    Here’s a harsh fact: there are bad people in all parties, and they *will* eventually be found out. To plan against that date, you need to not lie, cheat, or steal, because you’ll be able to say “Oh, dear. I’m disappointed.” and HAVE IT STICK. If you want to avoid a well-founded charge of hypocrisy, then…hey, don’t be a hypocrite.

  44. 44.

    srv

    Here’s a harsh fact: there are bad people in all parties, and they will eventually be found out. To plan against that date, you need to not lie, cheat, or steal, because you’ll be able to say “Oh, dear. I’m disappointed.” and HAVE IT STICK. If you want to avoid a well-founded charge of hypocrisy, then…hey, don’t be a hypocrite.

    These people lie and cheat every day, and they usually only get tripped up by their own hubris or someone more ambitious. And it doesn’t matter if they’re hypocritical or not. It only matters what Fox News reports.

    While you and the ‘ethical’ dems fiddle about rearranging the deck chairs, we’ll see what two more years of a Republican Congress can achieve. Here’s reality: Corker could be a deciding vote on the next Supreme Court appointment. You worry about Corkers kid, and I’ll worry about the government your kids are going to grow up under.

  45. 45.

    demimondian

    You worry about Corkers kid, and I’ll worry about the government your kids are going to grow up under.

    Yes, sir, General Rove, sir! I’ll hop right to it, sir.

    Just don’t expect my vote to cover your ass when you go too far — you won’t get it. You won’t have earned it.

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