Smelly Business

Alabama Rethuglican Sen. Richard "Smelly" Shelby has blocked the nomination of M.I.T. professor and Nobel laureate in economics Peter Diamond for a seat on the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors. Sen. Smelly's reason? He insisted that Dr. Diamond lacked the qualifications for the job. That's what he said. Seriously.

We suppose Sen. Smelly's career as a political hack, lawyer, and small-bore magistrate qualifies him to pass judgement on an economist that could run circles around the Senator when it comes to understanding the Fed and monetary policy. But we're certain this wasn't about "qualifications" at all, just another cynical monkey-wrench thrown into the gears of Government by Rethuglican dead-enders.

Frothy Mix Is In!

Former Rethug Sen. Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum is announcing he's running for the Rethuglican nomination for President. There. That's the last you'll ever hear about him.

(Photo: "Waah! I don't want to be a frothy mix!")

Take The Money And Run (From Your Past Position)

Highly unpopular Rethuglican Florida Gov. Rick "Slimeball" Scott liked to denounce Federal stimulus money at every turn during his campaign for Governor last year. Now, with a 29% approval rating (the lowest in the nation), Slimeball has decided to accept $370 million in Federal stimulus funds to keep the state budget solvent:

"Florida Gov. Rick Scott campaigned against President Obama’s “failed stimulus” program — yet the freshman politician kept nearly $370 million of the federal cash in the Florida budget he signed last week. […] The stimulus money Scott and Republican legislators approved touch every corner of the state: $290 million to improve electronic medical records, $4.2 million to aid disadvantaged children, $3.2 million for fighting wildfires, $12.5 million for drug courts, $8.6 million for county health departments, $1 million to fight infectious diseases, and $4.4 million to help public defenders and prosecutors."

Slimeball was once the head of Columbia/HCA, a hospital company, and had to pay $1.7 billion in fines for defrauding customers. Not surprisingly, Slimeball now stands to profit from a newly-signed Florida law which would throw more Medicaid business to his chain of "clinics". This guy makes Rod Blagojevich look like an altar boy.

Wanker of the Month

In case you missed it, Rethug House Majority Leader Eric "Twister" Cantor (Shyster-VA) recently stated that relief funds for tornado victims in Joplin and elsewhere wouldn't be made available unless spending could be cut elsewhere. Really. Even Donald "Rump" Trump, a man not known for his sensitivity or understanding of the world beyond his estates, understood what a vile position that is and fired a salvo at Cantor, as did "Boss Hogg" Barbour. When even Rethug humps like that are criticizing you, you've done something truly despicable, and you've more than earned your "Wanker of the Week." You've earned a free ticket back to the private sector.

Quote of the Day

"[The poor] don’t bear the brunt of our fiscal irresponsibility because they didn’t cause it. We did not get into fiscal trouble because of poor people. … The poor didn’t cause this. Let’s not make them pay for it. What we’re saying in the faith community, across the spectrum, is that a nation is judged — our Bible says — by how we treat the poorest and most vulnerable. Period. That’s what God says to us. That’s God’s instruction to us. To be faithful to God, we have to protect poor people." -- clergy at the Faith in Public Life press conference, which was held across the street from the right-wing Faith and Freedom Conference in DC. In denouncing Rethug budget priorities, the clergy reminded the press that right-wing (and Paul "Lyin'" Ryan) icon Ayn Rand said "choose me or Jesus" concerning her Social Darwinist / nihilist philosophy, so much in vogue among the radical right today.

Clip of the Week

Wherein half-term half-wit Mama Fizzly gives her version of Paul Revere's ride (in her usual word salad). And the media treats her like a credible political figure. Enjoy the dimbulbery!

Weekend Energy Song

We seem to be in a bit of an Irish rut, musically speaking. We'll try to expand our horizons in the future, but today's offering is the great Anglo-Irish band, The Pogues. Get your jig on!

Failing to Learn From the Past

With the dismal jobs report from May, Rethugs demand more spending cuts. Whether their motivation is strictly partisan sabotage or a basic lack of understanding economics, Rethugs and the cowardly Dems who allow the far-right to set the terms of debate would have us do precisely the opposite of what is needed to promote a healthy economy. Nobel winner Paul Krugman tells us why 2011 is looking like a repeat of 1937, despite ample warnings.

Edwards Indicted

A Federal grand jury today indicted former Dem Sen. John "Johnnie Be Bad" Edwards on six counts of violating Federal campaign finance laws during his run for President in 2008. Johnnie Be Bad is accused of using campaign funds to cover up his affair with his campaign's videographer, while his wife Elizabeth's cancer was in temporary remission. His mistress later bore a baby girl.

We doubt that there is anyone who feels sorry for a wealthy, political star who betrayed and humiliated his cancer-stricken wife, who is now getting his day in court. May it serve as a lesson for those in public life who think they above scrutiny and the standards they expect of others.

This Cloud Doesn't Have a Silver Lining for Rethugs

Here are the results of a Washington Post/ Pew Reseach Center poll, where people were asked to provide one single word that described their impression of the field of Rethuglican presidential candidates. The results were then put into this word cloud (the larger the word, the more frequent the mentions):


Our own response would have been and is: "Bwahahaha!"

Mittens Announces Candidacy

Rethuglican chameleon Willard "Mittens" Romney today announced his candidacy for President. With his moussed hair remaining in place in a breeze, Mittens spoke to an all-white crowd on the New Hampshire farm of a contributor, and stayed on the Rethug message: Obama's to blame for our economic problems. This is the "business genius" who said two years ago that we shouldn't offer loans to GM and Chrysler to save them from bankruptcy, who now says loans were his idea. He's written a book, "No Apologies," but spends his days apologizing to his right wing base about Romneycare. He apparently has no shame, and hopes you have no memory.

We think plastic Mittens will continue having trouble connecting with people with bullshit detectors.

(photo: Mittens getting ready to "connect" with you)

Quote of the Day

“The full consequences of a default — or even the serious prospect of default — by the United States are impossible to predict and awesome to contemplate. Denigration of the full faith and credit of the United States would have substantial effects on the domestic financial markets and the value of the dollar.” -- President St. Ronnie of Hollywood in 1983, on the raising of the debt ceiling. Goes to show how very far to the right the modern Rethuglican / New Confederate Party has drifted. Washington Monthly has a good article on the latest Rethuglican hostage taking.

Mr. Small Gummint

New Jersey Rethug Gov. Chris "Slim" Christie likes to play the tough, bullying conservative who wants to put government on a diet, something he might consider someday. Now, there are reports that Slim took a NJ State Police helicopter to see his son's baseball game. When he landed, he hopped in a car to take him the remaining 100 yards to the game, which he left in the 5th inning.

This large pile of hypocrisy is slipping in New Jersey polls, despite the Beltway media's infatuation with him. It seems his zeal to cut state education and infrastructure budgets doesn't carry over to his personal perks as Governor.

(photo: My 'copter awaits me.)

Mid-Week Song

Dublin, Ireland's indie rock band The Script had a platinum-certified hit "Breakeven (Falling to Pieces)" last year, and it's still in constant rotation on radio playlists. Enjoy.

Cartoon of the Day

Mama Fizzley says her current bus tour "is not about me." C'mon, everything she does is about her and her bank account. And the dopes in the media are her willing accomplices. Happily, though, the greater her exposure, the lower her poll numbers seem to go.