A Valentine For Those Non-Voters

In his "new rules" segment last night, Bill Maher addressed the people who couldn't bother to vote in the mid-term elections.  After going through a list of how people's lives will be adversely affected by the Rethug sweep, and illustrating what it would have been like if McCain and Romney had won, he addresses the non-voter:

"You've kept yourself pure, because you haven't gotten your hands sullied by the gutter that is American politics.  Well, you can keep telling yourself that, but the truth is if your hands aren't dirty, it's not because you're pure.  It's because you're not helping."

House Approves Pipeline

To no one's surprise, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline by a vote of 252-161.  Every Rethug voted for the bill, which now goes to the Senate.  The pipeline has been hyped by the oil industry and some labor organizations as a boon to employment and energy supplies.  The pipeline would bring the dirtiest of tar sand and oil shale from Canada across the Great Plains of the U.S. in a 36-inch pipeline to the oil refineries in Texas and Louisiana, where it would be processed and shipped to the world market.

Just days after President Obama concluded a landmark agreement with China to restrict carbon emissions, the Rethuglican House has poked a finger in not only the President's eye, but also those of the (ironically) red states across which the pipeline would be constructed and who would be affected by a spill.  It's also a clear reminder that the Rethugs care nothing about the environment and clean energy, and everything about their patrons in the carbon industry.

Weekend Song

Today's song is by Vance Joy (nee James Keough), an Australian indie folk-rocker we first featured several months ago.  This is a song from his recent album "Dream Your Life Away," called "Mess Is Mine."  Enjoy the song and your weekend!



(video by Daniel Keen)

Scumbag Coal Executive Indicted

The former CEO of coal giant Massey Energy has been indicted on charges that he conspired to violate Federal mine safety regulations, which resulted in the deaths of 29 people in 2010 at the Upper Big Branch mine.  Don "Big Shit" Blankenship became a symbol of predatory corporate greed in the aftermath of the mining disaster, with his hand in tea party events and his role in undermining safety and health regulations to maximize profits.

Big Shit faces up to 31 years in prison if convicted on all four counts of conspiracy.  We sincerely hope that he receives the maximum, with no chance of parole.  As outgoing Sen. Jay Rockefeller said,

"As he goes to trial, he will be treated far fairer and with more dignity than he ever treated the miners he employed. And, frankly, it's more than he deserves."

(photo:   "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.")

Sink or Swim Cartoon of the Day

(click to enlarge)

The right wing will rev up the climate change denial bandwagon now that the U.S. and China have agreed on carbon emission limits.  One ominous consequence of the midterm elections is that uber climate change denier Sen. James "Inbred" Inhofe (R-Oil Patch) will chair the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee starting in January, a classic fox-guarding-the-chickencoop situation.

(cartoon:  Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, via Gocomics.com)

Cruz-ing for a Bruising

"The Republican Party will make no clean break from its recent ideological and procedural radicalism, despite whatever some of the more grizzled members of the party leadership may hope. The era of government by crisis — from debt ceiling to government shutdown and all the good stuff in-between — is not over. This will be Ted Cruz’s Senate." --  (emphasis added) Elias Isquith, writing in Salon.

If anyone thought that the midterms would bring about a Rethuglican Party eager "to govern" (excuse our snickering), conflict over issues from immigration reform, to the Keystone XL pipeline, to climate change will swiftly disabuse them.  The Party's radical right, led by wingnut Sen. Ted "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz (R-Calgary), is itching to roll President Obama even at the expense of a short-term government shutdown, and they have Senate "graybeards" like Mitch "Missy" McConnell over a barrel and they know it.

Nominal Democrats Manchin, McCaskill and Heitkamp -- "Let Them Lose"

Alex Ruthrauff at Wonkette must be reading our mind:

On Monday, beltway bullshit scorecard POLITICO reported that nominal Democratic senators like Joe Manchin, Claire McCaskill, and Heidi Heitkamp appear eager to help the new Republican majority advance legislation. Manchin even called the idea of not working with Republicans to promote their agenda “bullshit.” They probably think that burnishing their “moderate centrist” credentials in this way will help them keep their jobs when they face the voters in 2018. They are wrong. 

Assuming a Democrat is elected president in 2016, and middle class wages remain stagnant or continue to shrink, here is what will happen to Joe Manchin and Claire McCaskill and Heidi Heitkamp in 2018: They will lose.  [snip] 

Let them lose. Then start running Democrats who are recognizable as Democrats in a blind taste test. Even in places where the conventional wisdom says they won’t play well. These candidates will almost certainly lose too, at first. But at least the party’s resources will be spent on promoting candidates who support the core agenda that rank and file Democrats go out and vote for. 

It doesn't matter if these three turds have a "D" beside their name anymore (and we would add soon-to-lose Mary Landrieu).  They didn't stand behind Harry Reid for Minority Leader.  They don't support core Democratic principles.  Indeed, they're willing to hop in the sack with ethical black hole Sen. Mitch "Missy" McConnell (Money-KY) at the earliest craven opportunity.  God, we're tired of these spineless careerists taking resources away from progressive Democrats.  They're up for re-election in 2018, which is a long time away, but we'll be damned if one cent of ours goes to any of them (three more reasons, if more were needed, not to contribute to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee).  Until then, they should be marginalized by the leadership whenever necessary.

BONUS:  Charles P. Pierce adds his take on the turncoats, with special attention to Landrieu.

The Supreme Court's "Naked Power Grab"

We have two reads concerning the decision by at least four Supreme Court "Justices" to hear a patently malicious and absurd case (King v. Burwell) that could kill the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).  First, E.J. Dionne, Jr., examines "Justice" Scalia's situational principles, and concludes:

Here’s a hypothetical for you: First, the Supreme Court issues a ruling that installs a conservative president. Then, he appoints two conservative Supreme Court justices who then join with three of their colleagues to make mincemeat of the greatest achievement of a progressive president elected by a clear majority. If such a thing happened in any other country, would we still call it a democratic republic?

Please read the whole column.

Then, Linda Greenhouse writes the the Court may be preparing another un-democratic, right-wing coup reminiscent of another:

Nearly a week has gone by since the Supreme Court’s unexpected decision to enlist in the latest effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act, and the shock remains unabated. “This is Bush v. Gore all over again,” one friend said as we struggled to absorb the news last Friday afternoon. “No,” I replied. “It’s worse.” [snip]

So no, this isn’t Bush v. Gore. This is a naked power grab by conservative justices who two years ago just missed killing the Affordable Care Act in its cradle, before it fully took effect. 

With Republicans soon to have bulletproof control both houses of Congress and with its existing majority on the Supreme Court, this decision to hear King v. Burwell, coming so soon after the midterm Republican resurgence, looks evermore like the Court reactionaries are making a bold push to kill Obamacare on the most absurd and mendacious grounds.  Having already tilted the playing field toward Republicans (voter i.d. and voting rights, Citizens United, etc.), the Court now appears ready to take health insurance away from millions of Americans just so it can destroy arguably the signature progressive legislation of the past 50 years.

To echo Dionne, would we still call this a democratic republic?

Sen. Warren To Leadership Post

Senate Dem leadership will hear a strong progressive voice in the next Senate.  Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will be the Dem caucus' strategic policy advisor at all party leadership meetings.  As such, Sen. Warren is expected to be a force in molding the Dems' priorities and policies in the coming years and for the 2016 Presidential elections.

After a stinging defeat at the polls last week, Dems learned that running away from progressive achievements or trying to be Republican-lite doesn't motivate a disappointed base, which is looking for leadership to align party politicians with the majority of the American public which voted for progressive ballot issues in a Rethuglican victory.  If anyone can do the job, it's Sen. Warren.

Photo Of The Week

The Philae lander, a vehicle launched by the European Space Agency, successfully landed yesterday on the surface of Comet 67P streaking through space some 300 million miles from Earth.  With all of the recent political media nonsense about Ebola, etc., what a wonderful testament to what humans can achieve.  This photo is one of many taken by the spacecraft as it approached the comet's surface.

(photo: European Space Agency)

Landmark U.S. - China Climate Change Pact

After months of behind the scenes negotiation, the world's two leading economic powers came to an historic agreement that would reduce the carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change.  Presidents Obama and Xi Jinping announced the agreement, which does not require Congressional approval, which is expected to spur other carbon-polluting nations to adopt restrictions on their greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement would have the U.S. reducing its carbon emissions by up to 28 percent by 2025, while China agreed to a goal of renewable energy sources providing 20 percent of its energy in 2030, which would be the year of its peak carbon emission.

UPDATE:  Not surprisingly, coal dusty human/turtle hybrid Sen. Mitch "Missy" McConnell hates the agreement (perhaps he's invested in not only coal but respirators).  This type of continued obstruction is what low-information voters think they rejected when they voted more Rethuglicans into Congress.

Mid-Week Memorial Song

For two family members that passed last week, including a much-beloved aunt who loved Irish music, the lovely Irish-style song "The Drowning Plains," by Mychael and Jeff Danna.

"You Want Drink Vodka, Too?"

The darling of our right-wing, aggressive Russian autocrat Vladimir "Vlad the Invader" Putin, was seen at last night's fireworks at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit draping a shawl over and generally flirting with China's first lady, Peng Liyuan.  The move caused Chinese censors to cut the moment out, while Peng quickly removed the shawl and gave it to an assistant.  Meanwhile, President Obama was chatting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping a few feet away.

Vlad has been moving Russia closer to China through a multi-billion dollar energy deal in an attempt to counter sanctions placed against him for his illegal invasion of Crimea and aggressive actions taken against Ukraine.  His awkward attempt at gallantry (learned in the KGB, no doubt) struck a discordant note in China, which observes conservative norms between unrelated men and women.  Putin might want to stick with what he does best: invading weaker countries, rather than trying to charm the wife of a foreign leader.

Republicans Govern? "It's A Trap!"

Once again, thank you Stephen Colbert.

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Freudian Slip Of The Day - Fox "News" Edition

“Joining me now, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who’s the host of Fuckabee — Huckabee!” -  Cunning linguist Fox model Megyn Kelly, introducing the man who will henceforth have a new nickname on this blog, on her "The Kelly File" show last night.   Bwahahahaha.