Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

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

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

In short, I come down firmly on all sides of the issue.

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

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

Accountability, motherfuckers.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

DeSantis transforms Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

Thanks for reminding me that Van Jones needs to be slapped.

American History and Black History Cannot Be Separated

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Ah, the different things are different argument.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

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Reader Interactions

105Comments

  1. 1.

    Krista

    Have a good weekend there, sparky! Are you spending the weekend doing your last minute xmas shopping, like me?

  4. 4.

    ThymeZone

    Relax, everybody. Your government has it all under control.

    “By helping Iraq’s elected leaders get the Iraqi forces they need, we will help Iraq’s democratic government become more effective in fighting the terrorists and other violent extremists, and in providing security and stability, particularly in Baghdad.”

    This should prove to even the most committed skeptics that their lying eyes are no damned good for anything.

  5. 5.

    ThymeZone

    OMFG — the University of Spoiled Children (thanks, Capelza) gets handed its ass by the Bruins!

    GO BIG BLUE!!

    Wolverine – Buckeye rematch — gotta be, right?

    And the game is FIVE MILES FROM MY HOUSE.

    If I could just get tickets …….

  7. 7.

    Pb

    Rumsfeld had a plan

    Hey, some of the items on that checklist don’t sound half-bad–no wonder they canned him now!

  10. 10.

    jake

    Am I the only one who thinks Bush’s speech writers created one meta-speech for the war and they just shuffle the sentences?

    I swear it’s like listening to a stunned parrot. “Iraqi! Democracy! Terrorists! Stability! Wraaaawk!”

    And has anyone heard about the dramatic capture of Osama bin Laden? Neither have I. I just thought I might’ve missed something.

  11. 11.

    ThymeZone

    Am I the only one who thinks Bush’s speech writers created one meta-speech for the war

    No. The talking points are basically the same since 911.

    And has anyone heard about the dramatic capture of Osama bin Laden?

    I’ve often wondered what things would be like now if they had captured him. In the real world, I think it would have been largely irrelevant. Muslim radicalism isn’t driven by one tall weird dude who makes a funny character on David Letterman and the Daily Show. But in Bushworld, they’d have tried to leverage it into repeal of the 22nd Amendment.

  12. 12.

    Jess

    Too funny!

    Lohse, a social work master’s student at Southern Connecticut State University, says he has proven what many progressives have probably suspected for years: a direct link between mental illness and support for President Bush.

    Lohse says his study is no joke. The thesis draws on a survey of 69 psychiatric outpatients in three Connecticut locations during the 2004 presidential election. Lohse’s study, backed by SCSU Psychology professor Jaak Rakfeldt and statistician Misty Ginacola, found a correlation between the severity of a person’s psychosis and their preferences for president: The more psychotic the voter, the more likely they were to vote for Bush.

    http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/12/01/bush-supporters-psychotic/#more-12463

  13. 13.

    Ryan S.

    I was watching MSNBC yesterday, what do y’all think of a Clinton, Obama for 08?

    I think it could be good.

  14. 14.

    Eric

    Please, no more Clinton. I still can’t understand why Democrats love her and Republicans hate her, since she’s such a moderate. But, of well. As a 2000 Nader voter it shocks me to hear myself say this, but, Al Gore in ’08! He’s the Dems best chance, and [probably just do the job best. A few years out of office has done great things for him.

    Hey Cole, since you aren’t gonna be around, going to the Steelers game by any chance? See ya there if you are. I can’t believe your Mounties squeaked that out last night.

  15. 15.

    Salty Party Snax

    Saudis and Iran prepare to do battle over corpse of Iraq (Sunday Telegraph – UK)

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/03/wirq03.xml&site=5&page=0

    Pretty cool. In order to prevent the total Iranian domination of post-US Iraq that the bizarre efforts of Georgie Bush have apparently made very likely, the Saudis are now starting to work with anti-US Sunni forces there. You know, funding, arms, the kinds of things Tehran gives to their Shi’ite allies.

    So I guess this means Riyadh’ll be joining those other Saudis (al-Qaeda) in that effort?

    And you thought things would end with our departure … Bye bye oil! Bye bye!

  16. 16.

    jake

    The military helps cut down on auto emissions.

    All part of the US Military’s Get out and Walk Mutha Fucka, program.

    Saudis and Iran prepare to do battle over corpse of Iraq (Sunday Telegraph – UK)

    A hint about those long links (that distort the page):
    Copy the url of whatever story you want to link to without the http://.
    Come back to BJ and type whatever you want.
    Highlight a few words in your post that are relevant to the story. (Or not.)
    Click on the Link button atop the comments box.
    (If necessary, click on the little box with the >> to get it to appear)
    Paste the url into the box after the http://.
    Voila! An in-text link that does not distort the page:

    Saudis and Iran prepare to do battle over corpse of Iraq

    This message has been brought to you by Geeks for Tidy Web Pages.

  17. 17.

    ThymeZone

    In Teheran, Iranian leaders have made clear that they believe they are the big winners from America’s involvement in Iraq. “The kind of service that the Americans, with all their hatred, have done us — no superpower has ever done anything similar,” Mohsen Rezai, secretary-general of the powerful Expediency Council that advises the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei, boasted on state television recently.

    “America destroyed all our enemies in the region. It destroyed the Taliban. It destroyed Saddam Hussein… The Americans got so stuck in the soil of Iraq and Afghanistan that if they manage to drag themselves back to Washington in one piece, they should thank God.

    I thought Salty’s link deserved a little illummination; this blurb is the money quote, for me.

    What insures the Bush mis-administrations’s place in the history of ignominy is that WE TOLD THEM SO. We warned them. Shit, their own Secretary of State even warned them.

    They didn’t listen.

    A large pile of shit and death has resulted, and still to this day they do not listen. As of two hours ago on Meet the Press, they refused to listen. They will never listen. They cannot listen. They are deaf.

  19. 19.

    jake

    Re: Morin.
    Oh look, another Pro-Bush poseur. I will give him the fact that he reported for duty, but beyond that…shaddup.

    If someone says: “I’m a Vietnam War Vet,” I assume that person was actually in (or at least near) Vietnam during the War. I doubt I’m alone in making this assumption and I’m willing to bet Morin is aware of this so his attempt to get coy with the English language just makes him a whiner and a poseur.

    However, the solution is simple. Stake him out by the Vietnam Memorial with a sign around his neck explaining what he thinks he is. Let the vets who come to visit decide. The Potomac is maybe a mile away there, I’m sure they’ll do the right thing.

    Paul A. Morin – MIA.

    Now, anyone want to bet Bush starts saying he’s a Vietnam Vet? That will sound good with his “War President” moniker.

  22. 22.

    jake

    Leaky v. The Fundies

    Next up: The Flat Earthers demand classrooms toss those fallacious globes.

    Famed paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey is giving no quarter to powerful evangelical church leaders who are pressing Kenya’s national museum to relegate to a back room its world-famous collection of hominid fossils showing the evolution of humans’ early ancestors.

    I’d prefer “Famed paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey kicks some fundy backside until the evolve brains,” but you can’t have everything.

  24. 24.

    scs

    As usual the loonie left is moaning about Kerry and evolution in museums and being mean to terrorists, and “I told you so’s” when the world is deteriorating in front of their eyes and they are too dumb to see it. It seems the fascist left is now making up an alliance all over the world – that includes Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, many other countries in Latin America. The fascists are now fighting for Mexico and Lebanon as well.

    This leftist march also includes some of the left in America, often unwittingly. Ajad’s letter from Iran basically again sounded like DNC talking points. The left in this country is colluding in this march. Probably because the Left are still brainwashed without knowing it from the ideas of communism and socialism from several generations ago, that were so popular in France and Russia and much of Europe, due to the Soviet influence and financing. The media and the networks and ideas from those times still exist in the elite academic clubs of Europe, and have gone on over the years by their literature to influence the American left today, who seek to emulate their “sophistication”. Thus the West’s hard left’s love of France and Europe in general – it stems from Soviet communism and they don’t even get that.

    What is emerging now is basically a club of global losers, with their helpers from the West, who long for the idea of a paternalistically structured soceity where leaders tell them what to think, and hype up their own “glory”, so they don’t have to think about the poverty and lack of freedom they exist in. They know deep-down they can never catch up to the West, and seek a way to feel better about their relative poverty. This is basically the low-IQ world and the leaders who take advantage of them, by promising the poor a few economic crumbs while the upper classes make a pact to stick together to steal the poor blind behind their backs.

    Honestly, I don’t think Western civilization can survive. I believe eventually the fascists will win all over the world as the population of the west further declines from low birthrates because the freedom we have has ironically provided men too many opportunties elsewhere to stay in committed relationships, instead engaging in serial monogamy. Eventually the West will decline as the cost of energy and resources climb, and the low IQ world will take over, with their higher birthrate and agitation. After this happens, I believe eventually the pursuit of science and engineering will be lost, and technical and medical knowledge will eventually deteriorate, as the education systems from this world remains second rate, and less young people learn the skills of math and science, making them increasingly less able to pass on the knowledge to the next generation.

    I think humans will eventually “evolve” back to their hunter- gatherer, tribal stage, and village life, which had been the natural state of humanity for most of its existence, and still does exist in much of the world today. The only thing left to hope for is the emergence of China and India. They are the bearers of the future. The only good news is that the pollution of the world will go down as we reach a more tribalistic state, and that all of here will all be long dead before this all happens. I guess the West should party while it can, because I don’t think the good times will last that long.

    Just a little philosophy for a Sunday afternoon. Maybe controversial- but I don’t shrink from controversy.

  27. 27.

    Perry Como

    the freedom we have has ironically provided men too many opportunties elsewhere to stay in committed relationships, instead engaging in serial monogamy

    Sounds like someone is bitter.

  28. 28.

    t. jasper parnell

    What is emerging now is basically a club of global losers, with their helpers from the West

    SCS, it is totally unamerican to accuse the President of being a loser and, given Blair’s steadfastness, to lump him in with Bush. It might be true, as you point out, that Bush’s IQ is low and he might be, as you argue, a fascist and a loser; but really on a Sunday? The Lord’s Day, do you really think such intemperate language is, well, Christian. You ought to put hate from your heart and pray to the lovely and all powerful Baby Jesus that your hatred of our President is transformed into love.

    The Dixie Chicks did, after all.

  29. 29.

    t. jasper parnell

    I believe eventually the fascists will win all over the world as the population of the west further declines from low birthrates

    Again the President and the First Lady chose to have only two children; this doesn’t make them fascists and besides which lots of well off folks limit the number of their progeny in the interest of conserving scarce resources. I really cannot understand this BDS from which you suffer.

    Sure he screwed the pooch relative to to, well everything he has ever tried, but as Darrel the Barrel points out he means well and he truely believes in what he does and says; cannot you liberal critics cut the poor man some slack? I mean attacking his and his little woman’s use of birth control. At long last have you no shame?

  31. 31.

    t. jasper parnell

    think humans will eventually “evolve” back

    Devolve? Devo? Are you not men? You are Devo. Goodness, not only baseless attacks on the Presidents fertility and commitment to the American way but now looking to New Wave muscians turned advertising execs for you take on the future. And you call this philosophy.

  32. 32.

    t. jasper parnell

    This is basically the low-IQ world and the leaders who take advantage of them, by promising the poor a few economic crumbs while the upper classes make a pact to stick together to steal the poor blind behind their backs.

    This is again unfair; the President threw the poor no financial bones; it is values that matter. You gosh-darned liberal egg heads with your philosophy and such may find values inmatterial to human happiness; but golly gee so some respect for the Lord on his (or her if gender neutrality is a sop to your liberal contempt for faith)day.

  33. 33.

    t. jasper parnell

    with their higher birthrate and agitation.

    Okay Miss Smartypants, how to you increase the birth rate without agitation? I mean sure it is the woman’s duty to submit but a little pleasure whilst she thinks of England.

    After this happens, I believe eventually the pursuit of science and engineering will be lost, and technical and medical knowledge will eventually deteriorate

    It is true that the President and his ID fellow travelors take a deal of stick from “scientists,” to say nothing of the whole “hot air” climate change loud mouths, but still I think faith based education could go a long way. I mean, Christ turned water into wine; who is to deny that right now at Liberty University a promising young born-gain is not already stricking Rocks and turning them to stone?

  34. 34.

    ThymeZone

    This is basically the low-IQ world

    And we enjoy your postcards from there.

    Speaking of PVS, have you ever had your brainwaves compared to those of a manatee?

  35. 35.

    t. jasper parnell

    I guess the West should party while it can, because I don’t think the good times will last that long.

    You defeatocrat. As that Great American, and serial monogamist, RWR said: It’s morning in America.

  37. 37.

    t. jasper parnell

    The only thing left to hope for is the emergence of China and India.

    Pinko commie China? Heathens in India? Why oh why do you hate American and the Baby Jesus?

  38. 38.

    Oregon-o

    I believe eventually the fascists will win all over the world as the population of the west further declines from low birthrates

    Here, here!

    For the sake of mankind, I call on the BJ crew to protect civilization and the march of progress.

    Yes, join me now!! Rise up from your computers, ungird your loins, go boldly into the streets, and hump anything that moves!

  39. 39.

    ThymeZone

    RWR said: It’s morning in America

    Now we have GWB, and it’s the morning of February 2 every fucking day in America.

    { sound of I Got You Babe on radio }

  40. 40.

    t. jasper parnell

    Maybe controversial- but I don’t shrink from controversy.

    Leke most defeatocratic hate America firsters, you talk tough but challenged on your fundamental hate America firstness, to say nothing of your adoration for Pinko Commies and Heathans, you retreat to your lair to sip chilled white wine and whine about this great land of our, well mine not yours.

    If you really believe that the President’s low iq, refusal to be fruitful and multiply, rejection of science, and the Christian faith are responsible for the world you and your vaguely ironic 80s music icons embrace, back up your harsh rejection of RWR with the sun gleaming on the spires of this city on a hill. Metaphorically a city, really more of a democratic republic with unresolved issues concerning racism and class, but still you get the idea. Or are you and some large band of barely washed Darrel commie pinko China symps engaged in “agitation” without the intention of procreation?

  45. 45.

    t. jasper parnell

    On an upbeat note, scs, your boy Bush had a good day today … four touchdowns

    So are the twins getting siblings? Isn’t homeruns the usual metaphor?

  46. 46.

    Perry Como

    Not nearly enough, yet.

    Maybe you can mix in some salty tears from Freepers that were railing against Gates and Buffet for shorting the dollar a year ago. Who could have imagined that foreign policy via crotch stuffing and domestic policy via drunk hooker spending could cause people to lose confidence in the dollar?

  47. 47.

    t. jasper parnell

    Don’t forget Darrel and the claim that the Chinese holding significant American debt posed no problem to the ever robust and never give an inch American ecnomomy.

  48. 48.

    Perry Como

    Don’t forget Darrel and the claim that the Chinese holding significant American debt posed no problem to the ever robust and never give an inch American ecnomomy.

    That’s because China is going to attack Taiwan, so we can then make all that debt disappear.

    I wonder if certain blog commenters have signed up with The 910 Group?

  49. 49.

    demimondian

    So are the twins getting siblings?

    Well, you know the old saying in Hollywood: if your comedy is going down the tubes, stage a wedding if you can, or a baby if you can’t.

    Comedy gold!

  50. 50.

    t. jasper parnell

    I wonder if certain blog commenters have signed up with The 910 Group?

    Now there’s a rational bunch. Europe Islamic in a generation, Russia already so, none can deny and etc. Why, when you put it like that, I’ll join.

    And to think, those folks are citizens.

  51. 51.

    ThymeZone

    Darrel and the claim that the Chinese holding significant American debt posed no problem

    Hey, don’t sell Darrell short, to coin a phrase. He’s right.

    As long as they hold the debt, no problemo. The bubble is safe.

    The day they decide to pull the plug, though …. oooh.

  52. 52.

    Perry Como

    if your comedy is going down the tubes, stage a wedding if you can, or a baby if you can’t.

    That’s pre-11/7 thinking. The updated version is:

    If your comedy is going down the tubes, stage a forced gay wedding to a dog if you can, or a forced abortion if you can’t.

    Why do the Democrats hate America? And the falling dollar is Clinton’s fault.

  54. 54.

    Perry Como

    Wow…did scs just save up all her deep thoughts for one big post?

    That, or a cat walked across her keyboard. I’m going to assume it’s the latter. The former is serious crazytown.

  55. 55.

    t. jasper parnell

    Gosh golly goodness me let’s hope so. Although if so, I urge her not to drive.

    Wow…did scs just save up all her deep thoughts for one big post?

    And the falling dollar is Clinton’s fault.

    Nice try, but it is history’s greatest monster Carter who is to blame.

  56. 56.

    ThymeZone

    did scs just save up all her deep thoughts for one big post

    Or, “I’ll be back Monday” John Cole is having a little fun at our expense.

  57. 57.

    t. jasper parnell

    This is immaterial and all, but the first post right now on Malkin touts a new program that subverts government restrictions on internet usage (i.e., supports free speech and transparency) the second lambast the “blabbermouths” at the Times for, well, exercising free speech and increasing transparency. The mind boggles.

  58. 58.

    TenguPhule

    Scs Says: This is basically the low-IQ Republican world-view and the leaders who take advantage of them

    Fixed.

    Scs says: I believe eventually the pursuit of science and engineering will be lost, and technical and medical knowledge will eventually deteriorate, as the education systems from this world remains second rate, and less young people learn the skills of math and science, making them increasingly less able to pass on the knowledge to the next generation.

    And naturally Scs works hard to accomplish this goal.

  59. 59.

    t. jasper parnell

    I can pull it out when you aren’t posting, and remember the good times.

    I just noticed this; pull what out and remember what good times?

    It is, after all, Sunday. Must perversity rule the internets’ tubes and such?

  62. 62.

    t. jasper parnell

    President Bush plans “significant changes” in his approach to Iraq after he reviews options drafted by an outside panel of experts and suggestions from others in the administration and Congress, Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, said today.

    Like admiting he screwed the pooch in a non-procreative way, perhaps?

  63. 63.

    Jess

    Thank you, SCS, for confirming the theory that I linked to upthread:

    The more psychotic the voter, the more likely they were to vote for Bush.

  64. 64.

    ThymeZone

    Okay, I finally figured out what scs really is.

    John Cole teaches communication. Some of his students write really awful papers and give really stupid answers to test questions.

    John culls these and assembles them into posts here under the scs — “Stupid College Student” — handle.

    Brilliant. All props to John, the true King of Spoof.

  65. 65.

    t. jasper parnell

    give really stupid answers to test questions.

    So what would the question be in this case? Update Oswald Spengler with extra-points for reproducing his content free bombast?

  66. 66.

    ThymeZone

    So what would the question be in this case

    “Write some crap that proves that the bigger the lie, the more likely that somebody will believe it.”

    I’m just saying.

  67. 67.

    t. jasper parnell

    Okay, I finally figured out what scs really is.

    Deeply unserious? filled with Hate? An example of the failure of America’s educational system? Distaff Darrel? The spoof of a he man woman hater who wants to lay the grouhd work for the repeal of women’s suffrage?

  68. 68.

    jake

    President Bush plans “significant changes” in his approach to Iraq after he reviews options drafted by an outside panel of experts and suggestions from others in the administration and Congress

    This will take two years, at which point he will announce his new approach to Iraq: “Who cares? I’m goin’ to Diznee Land! Heh, heh.”

    The Bush League Cheerleaders will promptly hold this up as proof that he is a man of his word.

    Hail to the dry drunk!

  69. 69.

    t. jasper parnell

    The Bush League Cheerleaders will promptly hold this up as proof that he is a man of his word.

    The President could divorce Laura marry Ms. Spears and join her flashing of her pirge with a simlar undergarmentless exposure of his schlong and his cheerleaders would describe it as proof of his committment to marriage and America

  71. 71.

    SeesThroughIt

    the President threw the poor no financial bones; it is values that matter.

    Well, duh. Everybody knows the poor just need Bibles. Hopefully enough to build some sort of crude shelter. And if the Bibles can be made out of some sort of edible material, that would be great.

  72. 72.

    jake

    And if the Bibles can be made out of some sort of edible material, that would be great.

    Thus adding new meaning to the phrase Holy crap!

  73. 73.

    scs

    No need to speculate about my motives, I just wanted to provoke a little controversy and try a little wild thinking. Things were getting a little dull around here. I see that my thinkings did not inspire deep panic but instead much humor. Well that’s fine. Like I said, we should party like it’s 1999, because you never know how long it can last. I do think though one thing many can agree upon is that we take our present way of life for granted and picture it always being the same or better infinitely into the future. But empires come and go, as we see from our relatively brief history of civilization of about 6,000 years, but one thing we know for sure is that humans have, and still are, surviving in tribal/village life, and who’s to say we may not all go back to that again one day. After all, it happened after the Roman Empire, what’s to prevent that from happening again?

  74. 74.

    t. jasper parnell

    I see that my thinkings did not inspire deep panic but instead much humor.

    If by “thinkings” you mean mindless drivel or brain dead blather and by “humor” you mean disgust and contempt, then yes your mindless drivel and brain dead blather inspired much contempt and disgust.

  76. 76.

    TenguPhule

    Scs says: I see that my thinkings did not inspire deep panic

    One of these words does not belong here.

  77. 77.

    Punchy

    Democrats should dye their fingers blue for the 2007 SOTU address.

    Genius. And they should rename it the “STFU address”, too.

  78. 78.

    Jess

    I do think though one thing many can agree upon is that we take our present way of life for granted and picture it always being the same or better infinitely into the future.

    Okay, SCS–I’ll respond seriously for a moment. If you read more history (written by serious historians, not by hacks on the lunatic fringe trying to make a quick buck), you see some consistent patterns begin to emerge. One of these is that the greatest harm and destruction is usually caused by those who are in a panic about the end of the world, or the collapse of civilization, or some such horror that can only be fixed by targeting an enemy and attempting to purge society of their evil influence.

    On the other hand, healthy, dynamic societies that manage to triumph in the face of challenges are usually led by moderate, pragmatic thinkers who are not easily overwhelmed by all the scary differences between themselves and others. They tend to look for symbiotic relationships rather than epic battles between good and evil, and their tolerance towards other viewpoints usually leads to an adaptable, innovative community based on mutual benefit rather than moral purity. The Netherlands in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries are a good example of this; compare their trajectory to that of Spain during the same period.

    Anyway, those are my “thinkings,” and the basis for why I tend to vote for moderate Dems despite my libertarian leanings.

  79. 79.

    scs

    Jess, I’m betting you are TimF. Only TimF obliquely refers to some fact that he feels somehow supports his argument and then purposely doesn’t connect it to his argument. I’m not sure if he does this because he doesn’t really know how the heck his facts relate, like how Spain and Holland supports his thesis, and he just throws in it there to sound like he knows some history, or he feels that his thoughts are so superior that he doesn’t have to actually bother to make a coherent argument like the rest of the mortals – we should just assume that if he mentions something, he knows what he is talking about and it defienitly wins the argument for him.

    In terms of Spain and Holland during those time periods, what we can learn is that Holland had a very vibrant and free CAPITALISTIC soceity which led to their growth. We also learn that Spain had a very successful empire due to the exploration of the Americas and had the richest economy in Europe. But because of their wealth, they inspired jealousy in other European countries who tried to engage them in warfare. In addition they had feckless leadership and complaints against their “Moorish” leaders. All of these factors among several led to their stagnation.

    So is your point that Spain was not flexible and socialistic and Holland was? Is your point that we should not have Moorish leaders? What? Sorry dude, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

  80. 80.

    ThymeZone

    Sorry dude, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

    In keeping with the tradition established by TP ….

    scs’ (first) Irony Of The Day.

  81. 81.

    Salty Party Snax

    Looks like our fearless US ambassador John Bolton has just resigned.

    Hope to be able to post some footage of President Georgie combing Yosemite Bolton’s mustache soon.

  82. 82.

    Pb

    Jess, I’m betting you are TimF

    What, Jess isn’t supposed to be DougJ? What is this place coming to…

  84. 84.

    Pb

    Looks like our fearless US ambassador John Bolton has just resigned.

    Or rather, he won’t seek another term, as the Senate was unlikely to approve, and double recess appointments apparently get tricky. Sweet! I wonder what Pam Atlas thinks about this? I’ll make the popcorn!

    A very bad day for America. The Bush Doctrine RIP.

    We’re screwed.

    Wait… is scs really Pam Atlas, or vice versa? Or did they both get the ‘world is coming to an end’ talking point at the same time? What a bunch of wussy Resignicans!

  86. 86.

    Salty Party Snax

    Uh oh. Here comes the buzz kill. Rumor has it that Bush will nominate Rick Santorum to fill the cloven shoes of John Bolton.

  88. 88.

    demimondian

    Actually, Santorum would be a great choice. Not only would he make The Man with the Bolt-On Mustache seem like a real crowd -pleaser, he’ll fit in *fabulously* among the rest of the world’s theocrats.

  89. 89.

    Jake

    But at least Bush isn’t holding any grudges about it or anything:

    “I am deeply disappointed that a handful of United States Senators prevented Ambassador Bolton from receiving the up or down vote he deserved in the Senate,” Bush added. “They chose to obstruct his confirmation, even though he enjoys majority support in the Senate, and even though their tactics will disrupt our diplomatic work at a sensitive and important time. This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country, and discourages men and women of talent from serving their nation.”

    Translation: The Constitution is bad! People who defy me are bad! Waaaaah!

  90. 90.

    ThymeZone

    This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country, and discourages men and women of talent from serving their nation

    So that’s why we have a no-talent government for the last six years.

    Okay, well now we know. The Defeatocrats, even in defeat, have defeated America.

  91. 91.

    Pb

    This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country

    Heh. That deserves some kind of ‘irony of the year’ award or something. Hilarious, Mr. Bush, you should take that show on the road. Really. Resign, Sir, for the good of the country.

    Also: thank you, Lincoln Chafee, honorary Defeatocrat! May he switch parties and run again, or be appointed to some appropriate position in a Democratic administration!

  93. 93.

    Punchy

    Here comes the buzz kill. Rumor has it that Bush will nominate Rick Santorum to fill the cloven shoes of John Bolton.

    If you’re being serious, I may have to just start laughing. Why not nominate George Allen instead? He knows some French (slurs), his middle name is “Felix” (sounds European), he’s part Jewish (AIPAC would o-face themselves), and he’s too fucking clueless to cause much damage….

  94. 94.

    John D.

    Only TimF obliquely refers to some fact that he feels somehow supports his argument and then purposely doesn’t connect it to his argument.

    Scs, you have a *severe* reading comprehension problem.

    Thesis: “Moderation leads to good governance”

    Jess drew parallels between the Netherlands and Spain as evidence. Now, you can argue that there were other factors involved (though your attempt was awfully weak — the major factor for the Netherlands of the time was not capitalism, but geography), but Jess’ post in no way “didn’t connect it to his argument”.

    If you have to flat-out lie about another’s argument to make a point, perhaps your point is itself false?

  95. 95.

    Jess

    SCS,

    You misunderstand my intentions. I’m not going to get into a discussion of Spain vs. the Netherlands here–having recently filed a dissertation that deals in part with their relationship and sociopolitical philosophies, I’m thoroughly sick of the topic at this point; I mentioned it as just one of many examples of the dynamic I was discussing in case you were interested in exploring the question further. You might want to look at the role Philip II’s religious attitudes played in his policies, and the consequences those policies had on the rest of Europe. I recommend reading a broad range of arguments with an open mind, without spoiling for a fight.

  96. 96.

    Jess

    Thanks, John D–I just couldn’t get inspired to explain the point of my example to someone who is obviously deeply committed to not getting it.

  97. 97.

    ThymeZone

    I’m not going to get into a discussion of Spain vs. the Netherlands

    Spain has the better food, wine, and scenery.

    The Netherlands certainly has its beautiful women. But then so does Spain ….. it’s a tie.

    Spain has the better music and the far more beautiful language.

    It’s Spain, on points. Clear winner.

  98. 98.

    Jake

    Why not nominate George Allen instead?

    Yeah, and if anyone annoyed him he could spit ‘baccy in their eye. Take that foreigners!

  99. 99.

    Pb

    You might want to look at the role Philip II’s religious attitudes played in his policies, and the consequences those policies had on the rest of Europe.

    Sweet. That’s almost like having Al Maviva back, except without the verbosity and the inevitable focus on millenia-old war campaigns.

  100. 100.

    ThymeZone

    Sweet. That’s almost like having Al Maviva back, except without the verbosity and the inevitable focus on millenia-old war campaigns.

    Guffaw!

  101. 101.

    Face

    The Netherlands

    It’s Holland, bitches, and they’re called “Hollies” or “Ho-lizzies”. Some call them “Dutch”, and point to the doors and dating they invented.

  102. 102.

    Tim F.

    Only TimF obliquely refers to some fact that he feels somehow supports his argument and then purposely doesn’t connect it to his argument.

    lol. I had a dream last night that I was DougJ. But then after I awoke it occurred to me, how do I know that I am not now DougJ dreaming that I am me?

  103. 103.

    Jess

    It’s Spain, on points. Clear winner

    Ah, but you’re forgetting to factor legalized pot into the equation!

  104. 104.

    scs

    Okay I’m torn. This phrase by Jess

    not going to get into a discussion of Spain vs. the Netherlands here

    The old “I’m not going to discuss it with you” routine when called out is vintage DougJ. The old “look it up for yourself and figure out my argument for me” is vintage TimF. But they came from the same poster – Jess. Hmmm. I have noticed similarities between TimF and DougJ before, but not, so far, a total match. However that would explain a lot. After all, Tom in TExas is def DougJ – so why not TimF? It would explain why DougJ bothers to spend all his days, every day here. The only question left is – is John Cole in on it or not?

  105. 105.

    Jake

    I get it! BJ is like The Matrix. We’re all Fig Newtons of our imagination produced by the jiggling and wiggling of a thousand million electrons dancing in our brains.

    Damn, I wish I’d taken the blue pill. (Unless I mean the red one.)

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