"Friends of Fraud"

On Friday, forty-three Senate Rethuglicans sent the White House a letter threatening to filibuster the appointment of the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in the wake of the three Rethuglican hacks' DC Circuit's ruling that President Obama's recess appointments violated the Constitution (and since they've been newly empowered by Sen. Harry "Bending" Reid's craven capitulation on filibuster reform -- thank you again, asswhistle!). Paul Krugman takes a look at what the Rethugs are up to:

"What Republicans are demanding, basically, is that the protection bureau lose its independence. They want its actions subjected to a veto by other, bank-centered financial regulators, ensuring that consumers will once again be neglected, and they also want to take away its guaranteed funding, opening it to interest-group pressure. These changes would make the agency more or less worthless — but that, of course, is the point.

"How can the G.O.P. be so determined to make America safe for financial fraud, with the 2008 crisis still so fresh in our memory?"

What we're seeing is par-for-the-course behavior by the extortionists and crooks running the New Confederate/ Rethuglican party. After all, the bankers are the makers (you know, of wealth, campaign contributions), while the low-and-middle income folks are the takers. It's just another variation of the "I've got mine, you're on your own" philosophy that fuels the cynical Randian social Darwinist ideology of the right. And the Rethugs in the halls of power don't really give a damn who gets cheated as long as they're serving one of their primary interest groups.

Today's Dispatches From The Stupid Party

They'll never run out of The Stupid.

New Mexico Rethuglican State Rep. Cathrynn Brown has a neat idea:

"If you’re looking for evidence that the differences between men and women are greatly exaggerated, the fact that women are equally capable as men of mind-blowing misogyny should erase all doubt. New Mexico state Rep. Cathrynn Brown proved that this week by introducing a bill aimed at throwing rape victims in jail if they refuse to honor their rapist’s right to control their body by carrying his child." (our emphasis)

Pennsyltucky Pennsylvania:

"... Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) was outraged that lawmakers reacted to the mass murder of school children by an armed gunman by trying to prevent similarly disturbed individuals from obtaining guns. The Congressman claimed that limiting firearms will have as much impact on reducing gun violence as banning spoons will on preventing obesity..."

At least, that's what the NRA told him to say.

Sunday Cartoon

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What are the Rethuglicans so afraid of?

(Steve Benson, Arizona Republic, via gocomics.com)

Skeet Tweet of the Day

As we noted yesterday, the right wing's most recent faux outrage de jour was President Obama's claim that he went skeet shooting at Camp David. When the White House released a photo of him last August doing just that, Obama insider David Plouffe jabbed the "skeet birthers" with this tweet:

Attn skeet birthers. Make our day - let the photoshop conspiracies begin! m.flickr.com/photos/whiteho…

— David Plouffe (@davidplouffe) February 2, 2013

Rodeo Clown Quote of the Day

"The enemy's not going to cower in defeat because we have a female Eskimo Hispanic dwarf cross-dresser and some handicapable [sic], transgendered breast cancer survivor as a soldier on the front line, ready to unleash an attack of unparalleled diversity." -- self-described "rodeo clown" and mentally disturbed wing nut Glenn "Dreck" Beck, on his internet poo-fling, referring to the recently-announced policy of allowing women in combat roles.

When you're unrestrained as Dreck is here, his fundamental hatred for a wide range of people gushes forth. Interestingly, he left out the mentally disturbed, perhaps because of time limitations on his list of hated people, but also perhaps because Dreck was once a suicidal borderline schizophrenic with a substance abuse problem. One would think that his experiences would have taught him some compassion and understanding, but one would be wrong. That's because Dreck still loathes who he is, and needs to take his self-hatred out on those to whom he feels superior.

The NRA Enemies List

To fully appreciate what a bunch of absolute loons comprise the National Rifle Rampage Association leadership, you simply have to check out their enemies list. Not to spoil the shock surprise, but there's just about every mainstream organization on there (including the PTA, AMA, and ... Sara Lee! -- we thought "nobody doesn't like Sara Lee!"). See it before someone who's not insane over there takes off their web page.

These are the same NRA loons leading half of Congress (and most of the New Confederate/ Rethuglican Party) around by the nose. Unbelievable.

The Conservative Con Men

Welcome back, Bill Maher!

Skeetgate

The right-wing faux outrage du jour:

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Skeet Fighter
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

Well, after all that, here's the =ahem= smoking gun:

(Photo: The President at Camp David, August 2012; White House)

Austerity: "Wrong On All Fronts"

Paul Krugman on the failure of austerity:

"So what do we learn from the rather pathetic search for austerity success stories? We learn that the doctrine that has dominated elite economic discourse for the past three years is wrong on all fronts. Not only have we been ruled by fear of nonexistent threats, we’ve been promised rewards that haven’t arrived and never will. It’s time to put the deficit obsession aside and get back to dealing with the real problem — namely, unacceptably high unemployment."

Yet, as you will most likely see if you turn on this Sunday's talk shows, the media austerity scolds =cough=Dancin' David Gregory=cough= will still be "searching for Mr. Goodpain." Krugman lays out the case (again) for why the austerity/ deficit scolds have been wrong on just about everything.

Saturday Cartoon - Devolution Edition

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(Mike Luckovich, via gocomics.com)

Have It Your Neigh

There are reports that Burger King outlets in the U.K. and Ireland may have served burgers tainted with horse meat and other non-beef fillers. Burger King has dropped the supplier suspected of providing the tainted product. DNA tests confirm that traces of "equine DNA" were found, along with traces of pork, in some hamburger samples.

(Borscht Belt humor alert) It's been a long time since we've hoofed it to a fast food establishment, what with the pink slime, e-coli and other issues in the past. It shows how important it is for the U.S. not to horse around with food and drug safety enforcement. Sadly, for some in the U.K. and Ireland, the horse is already out of the barn.

Today's Dispatches From The Stupid Party

Another day, another dose of Rethuglican stupid.

Re a nullification bill proposed by Alabama Rethuglican State Sen. Shadrack "Where Did Meshach and Abedne Go?" McGill:

"The Alabama legislature is considering an unconstitutional bill that would make it a felony for federal law officers to enforce any bans on semi-automatic weapons or high-capacity magazines in the state — a measure that, its author insists, would be good for the state’s economy, or at least its gun manufacturers." (our emphasis)

Arkansas Rethuglican State Sen. Jason "I Is Illiterate" Rapert:

"I hear you loud and clear, Barack Obama. You don't represent the country that I grew up with. And your values is not going to save us. We're going to take this country back to the Lord. We're going to try to take this country back for conservatism. And we're not going to allow minorities to run roughshod over what you people believe in!" (our emphasis)

You can see Sen. Dimbulb's rant here.

"Cosmo" Brown Not Running In Massachusetts

Whew! Well, the news that former Cosmo centerfold Sen. Scott "Cosmo" Brown (Rethug-MA) will not be running in the special election to fill John Kerry's seat means the White House has probably avoided harming the Democratic agenda with its mindless, self-inflicted decision to pull Kerry from the Senate and essentially give the seat to Brown. It will be tough to beat progressive Democrat Rep. Ed Markey now in the special election.

(Photo: Not much to cover there, "Cosmo!")

Weekend Song from the North Country

Silver Linings Playbook is up for 8 Academy Awards, including odds-on favorite for Best Actress, the incandescent Jennifer Lawrence, and Best Actor nominee Bradley Cooper. One of the songs featured in the movie is this wistful ballad by Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Enjoy your weekend.

Move Along Cartoon of the Day

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The National Rampage Association's survival plan depends on diversion. Change the subject. Shift the blame. Look over there.

After NRA Chief Loon Wayne "Bullets for Babies" LaPierre's sick rant last month in response to the Newtown massacre, and Wednesday's statements before the Senate Judiciary Committee, it's clear that they will pull out all stops to kill any gun control legislation, no matter how popular with the public.

(cartoon: Tom Toles, Kaplan Daily)