Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

It is not hopeless, and we are not helpless.

Is trump is trying to break black America over his knee? signs point to ‘yes’.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

You’re just a puppy masquerading as an old coot.

Stamping your little feets and demanding that they see how important you are? Not working anymore.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

Dear legacy media: you are not here to influence outcomes and policies you find desirable.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

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

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

Also, are you sure you want people to rate your comments?

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Archives for 2009

I Have A Confession To Make

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Way back in 2007, as a nice gesture, I wrote a conciliatory post towards RedState after they came in second (to us) in a top category at the Weblog Awards.

I don’t have any particular beef with Erick and RedState, and even if I disagree with practically every post I respect what they’re trying to do. It seems to me that they’re up against an institutional disadvantage that runs deeper than just having to defend government rather than criticize it. With luck some years in the wilderness will improve Republican leadership the way it (sort of) did for the Democrats. It will only be good when when the party treats well-intentioned members trying to effect change from the inside like a squeaky wheel rather than like an unhammered nail.

My friends, this small dishonesty has weighed on my conscience long enough. It’s time to come clean. Even by 2007 everyone knew that RedState was a fruitcake factory. They drove John off in, what, 2005? I knew perfectly well how badly the GOP needs to keep stupid, angry people like Erick Erickson on the DL. If Schiavo taught us anything, it’s that Malkin’s wing will steer the party into a traffic barrier and laugh while it burns down with them inside.

So, um, yeah.

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Oh, the Palinites

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I am down near the Borders where the Palin book signing takes place later today. Quite a crowd, the line is close to a quarter mile long. This is to get wristbands that entitle you to get a book signed. There is one news crew there following it too.

The crowd is in good spirits and they aren’t really teabaggers per se by and large. I saw one Don’t Tread On Me flag and a couple weird bumperstickers, but other than that, not much. I wouldn’t have known it was political. It could easily have been a Kenny Chesney concert crowd or something like that. Except that the crowd is a little old for that. There are lots of families but it is probably a quarter retirees.

Everbody looks like someone you would meet at the Appleby’s salad bar so don’t be surprised if Bobo changes his tune about Palin at some point.

Update A couple thoughts: (a) a lot of people (EDIT: at the coffee shop where I’ve taken refuge) really hate Palin — lots of whispering about that here (b) I cannot believe how inconsiderate the whole thing is for Palinites — most will probably be in line at least three hours today.

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Paid In Full

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Mary Landrieu, on the big advantages of bribery “leverage”:

In recent days, Landrieu has sounded more and more open to voting for Reid’s measure. She told reporters earlier in the week that she was leaning against the vote, but shifted to neutral on Thursday and earlier Friday. By Friday night, with a stack of health care briefing papers under her arm, Landrieu said was leaning in favor of supporting the procedural motion.

She acknowledged that she had fought for changes to the bill to help people in her state. Reid included an extra $100 million in Medicaid funding for states hit by Hurricane Katrina, which includes Louisiana.

“I’m using as much leverage as I have for the issues that I think are important not just to Louisiana but to broad constituencies throughout this country… In some ways, you can’t fix anything unless you keep the debate moving forward but in the other ways, you’ve got to use the leverage when you’ve got it to get some things that are important,” Landrieu said.

At what point does this shit become indictable under RICO statutes?

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Just Crazy When You Think About It

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I’m sitting here watching Rachel Ray make a quick Thanksgiving dinner that working moms and dads can easily whip up in no time, with gravy, and apple pie, and all sorts of things, and all I can think is “I can’t believe they tried to turn her into a symbol of pro-Jihadi anti-Americanism.”

It really was just crazy, and after reading @tcot on twitter today, and reading my usual wingnut blogs while also stopping on the Bill O’Reilly show while channel surfing and watching him interview Glenn Beck about buying gold, and I realize they have just gotten worse since the United Pastry Jihad.

John +1 (Black Box Shiraz FTW. What’s another torpedo in a sinking ship, I say…)

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Waste Not, Want Not

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Read this:

In its largest reconstruction effort since the Marshall Plan, the United States government has spent $53 billion for relief and reconstruction in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, building tens of thousands of hospitals, water treatment plants, electricity substations, schools and bridges.

But there are growing concerns among American officials that Iraq will not be able to adequately maintain the facilities once the Americans have left, potentially wasting hundreds of millions of dollars and jeopardizing Iraq’s ability to provide basic services to its people.

The projects run the gamut — from a cutting-edge, $270 million water treatment plant in Nasiriya that works at a fraction of its intended capacity because it is too sophisticated for Iraqi workers to operate, to a farmers’ market that farmers have not been able to decide how to divide up space for, to a large American hospital closed immediately after it was handed over to Iraq because the government was unable to supply it with equipment, a medical staff or electricity.

I sure could go for another lecture about fiscal conservatism from Republicans right about now.

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Stumped

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I honestly have no idea what I want to do tonight. Read? Watch the boob tube? Game? Go out? Feh.

*** Update ***

Just heard Chris Matthews refer to this administration as the “egghead” administration because they are too smart and aren’t in touch with the common person’s emotions. I wonder what Luke Russert thinks?

Just found my evening plans- I’ll be drinking.

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