Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

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

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

“But what about the lurkers?”

People are complicated. Love is not.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

We’ll be taking my thoughts and prayers to the ballot box.

Bogus polls are all they’ve got left. Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls a year from now.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

If you are in line to indict donald trump, stay in line.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

I’m more Christian than these people and I’m an atheist.

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

Ah, the different things are different argument.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

The gop couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

You are here: Home / 2011 / Archives for December 2011

Archives for December 2011

Shame on a blogger

by | 210 Comments

This post is in: 

Kudos to mistermix and Stephen L. Taylor for their coverage of Ron Paul’s crazy-ass racist, anti-Semitic newsletter. And shame on on Sully, EDK, and Young Conor for pulling their ridiculous Paul-endorsement stunt.

I understand supporting Ron Paul’s non-interventionist foreign policy ideas. That’s fine. But it’s pathetic when bloggers with reasonably large traffic (with the possible exception of EDK) decide to dick their readers around with some poorly thought-out “endorsement” of an unhinged fringe candidate just because that seems like the cool, attention-getting contrarian thing to do.

They can call it “thinking out loud” or whatever they want. I call it narcissistic and self-indulgent. This represents everything I despise about “serious” conservatism: splashy-but-mindless position-taking, faux courage, a childish infatuation with “great men”.

Shame on a bloggerPost + Comments (210)

You may not wish to read this if you have just eaten

by | 84 Comments

This post is in: , ,

Warning: Adult (and extremely immature) Content.

I’m somewhere in the mountains in the west of Portugal at a health spa. There are extended families everywhere looking virtuous after their appointment with the hotel nutritionist and a cleansing dip in the healing waters.

I am celebrating by sneaking outside for a smoke and drinking as much red wine as I can.

Given my drunken state, I don’t remember who to blame for referring me to the torrent of pompous guff that is Bill Fucking Kristol’s most recent article in the Weekly Standard.

To the Republicans of the states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida:

show full post on front page

You may not wish to read this if you have just eatenPost + Comments (84)

Vote for Dan

by | 98 Comments

This post is in: 

Dan Savage is up for a Moore Award because he wrote a something scathing and true about Michele Bachmann, and that hurt poor Andrew Sullivan’s delicate fee-fees. He wants your vote, so vote for him to send a tiny little fuck you to Sully and his pompous, stupid awards.

For some reason, this image seems relevant:

It’s somewhat sarcastic, doesn’t involve gay rights, and comments on a social issue where Sully believes he knows better than everyone else. In other words, it’s perfect for a Moore award.

Vote for DanPost + Comments (98)

Ben Nelson to retire

by | 125 Comments

This post is in: , ,

Hard to get too upset over this, honestly:

Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska will announce his retirement, according to Politico. Nelson will hold a press conference as early as today to announce his decision according to “several Democratic insiders close to the leadership,” Politico reports.
Nelson, first elected in 2000, was facing a tough fight for third term. His retirement will likely make Democrats’ chances of holding onto the seat more difficult.
Former senator Bob Kerry has talked to “top Democrats” about another run, according to Politico

I guess you could say Democrats won’t have to spend any money to defend him, but you could also say Republicans won’t have to spend any (more) money to attack him.

There were 8 toss-up Senate races prior to today’s news, 6 of which are held by Democrats: MA, MO, MT, NM, NV, NE, VA, WI

So, take Nebraska off that list

Ben Nelson to retirePost + Comments (125)

Carry that weight

by | 115 Comments

This post is in: ,

I think that Romney’s Hayekian modesty probably makes him immune to attacks on his vulture capital ways, but in a normal world, it would be striking that a man is running for president in part so that he can continue to give him and his company a big tax break:

We talked last week about Mitt Romney’s decision to keep his tax returns hidden, despite the fact that every major-party nominee in the post-Watergate era has released their tax records. Romney’s position has already generated some pushback from Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry, and if Romney wins the GOP nod, Democrats will likely keep this going.

It’s worth noting, however, that Romney isn’t just being secretive for the sake of secrecy — there’s a good reason he’s rejecting transparency. Alec MacGillis flagged this Boston Globe piece, which suggests Romney is, in fact, paying a lower tax rate than nearly everyone else, which probably has a lot to do with his campaign’s decision.

In case anyone needs a refresher, there’s a tax loophole on “carried interest” — sometimes called “the carry” — that taxes private equity and venture capital income at a lower, 15% rate, as compared to 35% on ordinary income. Hedge-fund managers and the Wall Street have fought tooth and nail to protect this loophole — even after the Obama White House tried to eliminate it — and so far, they’ve been successful.

Carry that weightPost + Comments (115)

On Kwanzaa

by | 115 Comments

This post is in: 

It occurred to me we have not been very inclusive here, wishing merely a Merry Christmas and not really recognizing Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. I had a conversation with a friend a while back about Kwanzaa (which I knew literally nothing about), and he remarked it was a made up holiday and therefore not “real.” Looking back on that now, it is kind of funny to me that he was able to separate “real” holidays from “made-up” holidays.

I mean, any culture that is able to co-mingle the dueling mythologies of the virgin birth of a deity’s son in a barn with an old fat bearded guy in a red jumpsuit who really loves kids and spends his winters breaking into people’s houses to judge whether they have been naughty or nice really shouldn’t have the last word on whether something is “real” or “made-up.” And don’t get me started on the pagan stuff.

Kwanzaa stands for unity, self-determination, and a couple other noble goals like creativity and purpose. Whether Kwanzaa is made-up or real, those seem like valuable things for everyone to embrace, not just African-Americans.

And mind you, this is not an attack on Christmas, because I love Christmas. I’m all in favor of vacation and eating and drinking too much, giving gifts, and making my relatives miserable. At any rate, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and have a good Kwanzaa. Whatever blows your trumpet.

On KwanzaaPost + Comments (115)

Open Thread

by | 28 Comments

This post is in: 

The guy who sent me this video said he’d be so happy that he’d “start running topless in circles” if I posted it. Start running, brother.

I bought my Balloon-Juice calendar on Christmas Day, and if you haven’t had a chance, you can get the best calendar of 2012 here. Every penny of profit from the calendar goes to a worthy cause.

Open ThreadPost + Comments (28)