Violence Against Women Act Clears Senate

It's good news that the Senate has voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, with new protections for undocumented immigrant women, Native American women and same sex relationships. The measure now goes to the House, where teatard Rethuglicans are expected to put up a fight against reauthorization.

The Senate vote was a bipartisan 78-22, but all 22 no votes were cast by Rethuglican men. You know, members of The Stupid Party.

UPDATE: One of the 22 Stupid Party Senators who voted against the Violence Against Women Act? Media-anointed Rethuglican savior and Rethuglican SOTU responder Marco Rubio.

Your State of the Union Drinking Game

Brought to you by Atrios:

you take a sip words:

balanced
bi-partisan
reform(ing)
responsible
serious
challenges
entitlements
modest

if you hear "chained CPI" you can guzzle a bottle of vodka and go punch a hippie.

Party on, dudes!

Cartoon of the Day

(click to enlarge)

(Jen Sorensen, via gocomics.com)

Crap Pants Fever

In the audience at tonight's State of the Union address will be far-right sociopath Ted "I Pooped And Peed My Pants" Nugent, courtesy of fellow sociopath Rep. Steve "My Gun Is My Manhhod" Stockman (NRA Crackpot-Tex-ass). Stockman had this to say of his invite to Nugent:

“I am excited to have a patriot like Ted Nugent joining me in the House Chamber to hear from President Obama."

"Patriot" Nugent has a long history of violent anti-government, pro-gun, anti-Obama, actions and pronouncements (causing at least one sit-down with the Secret Service), and is often seen on GOP-TV Fox "News" and at NRA conventions spouting his hate speech. (Infamously, though, this Rethuglican chickenhawk "patriot" went to disgusting lengths to avoid the draft during the Vietnam War era.) Nugent has promised both pre- and post-SOTU commentary, which should serve to provide a stark contrast between his gun-crazy Rethuglican / New Confederate/ Stupid Party and sensible gun-control Democrats, especially since several families of the Newtown massacre victims will also be present as guests for the SOTU. This is precisely the problem establishment Rethugs are going to have going forward in trying to re-brand their party: there are just way too many of their lunatics to hide from public view.

Quote of the Day

In non-Pope, non-SOTU news, Fox "News" CEO Roger "Jabba the Nut" Ailes makes it clear who he really is working for (no surprise here):

“The fact is, we have a lot — Republicans have a lot more opportunity for them [Hispanics]... If I’m going to risk my life to run over the fence to get into America, I want to win. I think Fox News will articulate that.”

Let's review. "We" equals "Republicans" who have "a lot more opportunity" for Hispanics, and Fox "News" will be sure to flog "articulate that." No, no se puede.

(Image: We can't confirm those images aren't switched.)

Benedict XVI: I'm Too Pooped To Pope

Today's announcement that fatigue and failing health has caused Pope Benedict XVI to abdicate his position effective February 28 caught everyone by surprise. Given the decline in Church attendance, the continual pedophile scandals, conflict with social activist nuns, and questions about Vatican financial dealings, it's not hard to imagine the Pope, age 85, decided it was time to hang up the miter. Now, the question will be whether the Church will continue in its very conservative direction begun by John Paul II, or whether the College of Cardinals will select a younger, more moderate Pontiff as the successor.

Whatever the case, after 7 years of rigid conservative orthodoxy, we say to Benedict XVI, auf wiedersehen, Popenfuhrer!

BONUS: Not to pile on, but Mr. Pierce has a strong view of the Benedict Papacy:

"There is nothing in the institutional church now but this [pedophile] scandal. That has been the case since it first broke worldwide almost 20 years ago. It has demolished the moral credibility of the hierarchy, most of whom, it should be pointed out, were appointed by either John Paul II or Benedict. It was that hierarchy that sustained to cover-up. It was that hierarchy that attacked the victims, and the journalists, and the many brave priests who stood up against an institution that had moved so far from the message of the gospels that it might as well have been worshipping Ba'al. And it was that hierarchy that did all those things because it was a perfect instrument of John Paul II's reactionary, top-down theology, a return to the authoritatian model of the Church, which was exactly what Benedict XVI was elected to maintain. The conclave that elected him was the conclave of the cover-up. That law enforcement agencies around the world are still trying to pry documents out of the Vatican archives on behalf of the victims is the best measure of the purpose of the papacy that Benedict XVI laid aside today."

Krispycreme Blows Another Gasket

Loudmouth New Jersey Gov. Chris "Krispycreme" Christie's weight issues are well known, and he's made no secret of his desire to lose weight. But when former White House Physician Rear Admiral Dr. Connie Mariano (USN-Ret.) said that his obesity called into question his health fitness for the Presidency, Krispycreme showed another thing that he's famous for: anger.

Krispycreme referred to Dr. Mariano as a "hack who wants five minutes on TV" in a blustering press conference last week, and then took it upon himself to phone her and berate her for her observation. As Dr. Mariano described the angry call:

"It was essentially the tone of the press conference only louder. It was hard to get anything across. I don’t think he realized who he was talking to. I think I'm qualified to make a comment...He wasn't very nice to me. Politically if this is the way [he handles] stress… is this presidential? I'll have to think about that. Is this a presidential way to behave? C'mon.”

Does anyone doubt that, should Krispycreme ever make it to the White House, whomever the White House physician is, he would get the same diagnosis and recommendations? Even more than Krispycreme's obesity, his quick temper and propensity to lash out angrily poses a problem: would we want this guy in charge of our armed forces in time of crisis, or negotiating with adversaries?

Sunday Reading: Rethug "Facelift Follies," Cont.

Here's Leonard Pitts, Jr., in the Miami Herald:

"Then there is Bobby Jindal. The Louisiana governor, widely considered a rising star of the GOP has, since the election, been preaching with evangelistic zeal that Republicans must 'stop being the stupid party.' [Ed. Note: thank you for the gift that keeps on giving, Gov. "Kenneth" Jindal!] Which could be a reference to Herman Cain, presumably still poring over a map looking for 'U-beki-beki-beki-becki-stan-stan.' Or to Michele Bachmann, perhaps still searching out terrorists in the office of the secretary of state. Or to any of a series of GOP candidates who made statements on rape so spectacularly ignorant they would stun even the men in those dusty places where wives are bought like cattle.

"So yes, signs are plentiful that something is afoot among the Republicans. But what does it mean?

"One might hope it signifies the party’s decision to abandon its alternate universe, offer reasonable alternatives to those voters not convinced that any one party or ideology has all the answers. One might hope it means an orderly retreat from the hard edge of coded racism, gay bashing, Mexican electrocuting, anti-intellectualism and fact avoidance that have been passed off as wisdom in recent years. One might hope it means a return of grown-ups, pragmatism, reason — and reasonableness.

"One might hope."

Steve M. over at No More Mister Nice Blog thinks he's seen this movie before, and that we shouldn't expect the Rethugs to be less radical -- only that they'll choose their targets for obstruction carefully:

"I think 2013 and 2014 are going to be a semi-rerun of 2009 and 2010. Reporters are being distracted by the shiny object of moderate-sounding pronouncements from presidential wannabes, and by Fox News dumping Sarah Palin and Dick Morris (never mind the fact that Fox is still welcoming the likes of Ann Coulter and Donald Trump, and offering a platform for the tirades of Ted Nugent).

"The biggest differences between 2013 and 2009 seem to be that the right isn't sending an angry army out into the streets, and that the GOP feels it can't be quite so blatant about its efforts to render Obama incapable of governing."

That sounds about right to us.

Rump's Litigious Life

If orange-faced vulgarian and birther extraordinaire Donald "Rump" Trump can't keep his name in the news through increasingly nutty claims about the President, he's in court suing someone. In the past several months alone, Rump has filed suits against a Miss USA beauty contestant for alleging that the pageant was rigged (he won), and a pending one against comedian / satirist Bill Maher for jokingly asking Rump to prove he wasn't the "spawn" of an orangutan, indirectly mocking his birther claims about the President.

Rump also tried to steamroll some residents of Aberdeenshire, Scotland who were objecting to his golf resort there, and after the BBC was offered "You've Been Trumped," an award-winning documentary on the issue, Rump unsuccessfully sought to block the BBC from airing it. When Michael Forbes, the Scots farmer leading the fight against Rump's golf resort, was given an award by the makers of Glenfiddich Scotch, Rump pledged not to do business with the whiskey maker.

To all those who would stand up to Rump's intimidation and threats, we raise a glass...of Glenfiddich.

UPDATE: Bill Maher responds to Rump's ridiculous lawsuit in his priceless way. Must see:

Bill Clinton: Austerity Would Drag Country Back Into Recession

Snippet from former President Bill Clinton's remarks to the Democratic congressional retreat in Leesburg, Virginia, this week:



Maybe now that the Big Dog has endorsed the reality that Paul Krugman has been espousing for years, more Democrats will have the courage/ sense to stand up against destructive austerity measures that would "solve" a problem that doesn't exist.

Winter Storm Blast

States from New York to Maine were hit in the past 12 hours with a powerful winter storm, "Nemo," that dumped up to two-and-a-half feet of snow on Long Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with hurricane force winds near the coastal areas. It may be the most powerful storm to hit the area since the blizzard of 1978, which set records for snowfall. Hundreds of thousands are without power, and airports and major roads remain closed this morning. Wisely, Governors Deval Patrick (MA) and Dannel Malloy (CT) ordered non-emergency vehicles off the roads yesterday afternoon as the blizzard grew, making the road-clearing effort much simpler today.

(photo: Commonwealth Ave. in Boston last night. Brian Snyder, Reuters)

Here's how it looks from space (NASA photo):

Weekend Song

R.I.P Reg Presley (nee Ball), lead singer and songwriter for The Troggs, an influential '60s British band who were forerunners in the garage- and punk-rock genres. Presley, who was 71, died on February 4. This is one of Presley's compositions, "With A Girl Like You," featuring a thumping bass line by Pete Staples and Presley's trademark adenoidal voice. Enjoy the weekend.

Church Ladies

One of the issues faced by the Obama Administration in passing and implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) was the opposition by the Catholic Church hierarchy over the inclusion of birth control insurance coverage for employees of Catholic institutions. In an attempt to accommodate the Church, the Obama Administration came up with a proposal that would drop birth control coverage from the insurance plans purchased by Catholic institutions, but require the insurance company to separately provide that coverage if desired by the employee. Since the Church's institutions would have no role in paying for the coverage, the thinking went, they should have no problem with the new proposal, right? Wrong.

The Church hierarchy is rejecting the compromise, claiming that it still intrudes on their religious prerogatives. It's also a reflection on the Church hierarchy's clear preference for Rethuglicans. They don't want the ACA to succeed any more than most Rethug Governors do.

So, it's either back to the drawing board, or telling the robed crusaders who want to keep women barefoot and pregnant to "take it or leave it." Hopefully, it's the latter. Female Catholics have been ignoring the Church on birth control for decades. Maybe the Obama Administration should follow their lead.

More on Rethuglican "Facelift Follies"

We have two more takes on the recent effort to re-brand the New Confederate/ Rethuglican/ Stupid Party, and on the growing civil war between the refined "establishment" Rethugs (eg., Karl "Turdblossom" Rove) and the raw teatard base. First Mr. Pierce:

"If the Republicans are allowed to pull off this bit of trompe d'oeil, nothing about American politics will improve. They will be encouraged, as they have been for 40 years, to surround their retrograde policy ideas with misdirection and distraction, as they profit from nativism and xenophobia and paranoid fantasies while pretending they are not."

Now, Michael Tomasky:

"The Rove–Tea Party feud is a joyous thing to watch. Rove, after an utterly disastrous run around the track in 2012, is now suckering people into writing him checks for a new outfit that will allegedly hold the zanies at bay, filter out the Sharron Angles and Richard Mourdocks of the world, and promote electable conservatives. [snip]

"This is the Republican problem. The basic organizing principle of Republican campaigns for 40 years now has been: they are coming. They’ve mixed in a little positive stuff. Ronald Reagan did that well, Bush Sr. had his thousand points of light, Bush Jr. his ownership society. But fundamentally Republicans have won elections by telling the white majority that 'they' are coming after your money and status and privilege."

The phrase "hoisted on your own petard" occurs to us in observing the Stupid Party's travails. It has carefully nurtured the basest emotions in people, fostered ignorance and bigotry, and set Americans against Americans -- all for the sole purpose of winning elections, or more brutally, power. That ignoble history is now coming back to bite these charlatans with a vengeance. Good, let's have more of it.

NRA's Influence Waning With Public

The National Rifle Rampage Association's mythical power over politicians may not be a lasting one, as a new poll out by PPP indicates. When asked if NRA support of a politician would make them more likely, less likely, or no difference to support the politician, 39% said that an NRA endorsement would make them less likely to support the candidate, versus 26% that would make them more likely. The key "independent" voter demographic said by 41% that they would look less favorably on a candidate receiving an NRA endorsement.

The pressure needs to be relentless to enact meaningful gun safety legislation, including reinstating the ban on military-style assault weapons, restricting magazines to 10 rounds, and universal background checks (including gun shows). The NRA will be pushing hard in the other direction.