The "War" At Home

As the New York Times points out, the Obama budget for fiscal 2010 is a stark departure from the right wing philosophy of government begun by St. Ronnie of Hollywood starting in 1981. That philosophy emphasized tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, slashing Federal regulations and oversight, breaking the power of unions, and leaving such things as health care and education up to the market.

The Times article also points to the tremendous transfer of wealth from middle class families to the top 1 percent of income over the past few years. Income inequality grew under Rethuglican governments. The example used by Obama economics advisor, and former Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers is this:

"The increase in inequality. . . meant that each family in the bottom 80 percent of the income distribution was effectively sending a $10,000 check, every year, to the top 1 percent of earners."

So, when you hear Rethuglicans talking about Obama waging "class warfare", remember that they represent the interests of those top 1 percent who have been waging economic class warfare against the middle class for decades, and who have been winning until now.

(h/t, Rising Hegemon)

. . . .Pants On Fire

We hate to beat a dead horse -- the "horse" being Bobby "Bo Jingles" Jindal -- but there are now reports that the story that he told about being present when Sheriff Harry Lee objected to Federal red-tape in his awful response to President Obama was false; he wasn't even there. Bo Jingles continues in the grand Rethuglican tradition of making things up.

A spokesman for Bo Jingles now says that Bo Jingles heard about the story days after it happened and wasn't present when Lee ordered boats into the water to save New Orleans residents from Bushit Assministration incompetence.

Quote of the Day

"You be da man. You be da man!" -- wingnut extraordinaire Rep. Michelle "I See Commies Everywhere" Bachmann, referencing Rethuglican National Committee chairman Michael "Tin Man" Steele at the CPAC wing ding yesterday. We haven't determined whether the wingnut Representative proceeded to offer Tin Man some watermelon and fried chicken in exchange for doing a tap dance.

Down To The Last Few Minutes Of Fame

As we noted below, Joe (not his real name) the (not really a) Plumber is in Washington for the annual plague of wingnuts known as CPAC. As reported in today's WaPo, Joe was having trouble drawing a crowd at a downtown Borders, where he "spoke" and attempted to sell his "book." The WaPo reports that 11 people showed up to hear his wisdom, and he was only able to sell 5 of his books. At this rate, Joe might have to go back to work, rather than living off of wingnut welfare.

Quote Of The Day

"Taxpayers in New York send way more to Washington than they get back so more can go to places like Alaska and Louisiana. Which is fine, as long as we don't have to hear their governors bragging about how the folks who elected them want to keep their tax money to themselves. Of course they do! That's becuase they're living off ours." -- Gail Collins in the New York Times. A perfect summation of the right-wing "I got mine, now you get yours" philosophy that forgets that "mine" was given to them by "you."

Wingnut Weenies in Washington

Today marks the start of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, DC. Notable guests began to arrive yesterday (photo) with the prospect of hearing conservative intellectuals such as Joe (not his real name) the (not really a) Plumber give his thoughts on the economic recession and "socialism." That should be a hoot.

Certainly, many wingnuts will be crying in their milkshakes over the disastrous performance Tuesday night of their one-time hero, Gov. Bobby "Bo Jingles" Jindal. Bo Jingles is reportedly vacationing in Disney World and will be lucky if Mickey Mouse wants to be photographed with him. On a brighter note, the wingnuts are looking forward to their leader, Rush "Pills" Limpballs, to share his wisdom during the conference. Limpballs is planning his own conference to explore why only 37 percent of women view him favorably, far less than men (suggestion: Limpballs should have asked his 3 former wives first).

These aren't happy times for these earnest wingnuts. Their one-time leaders are either disgraced, defeated, or forced to make a living on the small town lecture circuit. But for the rest of us, their difficulties provide endless amusement and gratification. Carry on, boys and girls!

"The Jindal Adulation Watch" Begins

Borrowing a term from Howie "Get That Job? Kurtz, we're going to start what we think may be a short-lived adulation boomlet for Gov. Jingles. Entry number 1: Michael "Mushroom Cloud" Gerson's thrill up the leg paean in today's WaPo. In it, please note MC has the howler "Some have compared Jindal to Obama, but the new president has always been more attracted to platitudes than to policy." Yeah, you nailed it, MC!! I would never think of Obama as a policy wonk in the same league as your boys Ronnie "3x5 Card" Reagan, George "Dumbya" Bush, and now Bobby "Don't Show Me the Money." What planet is this guy living on? To have seen Jindal last night (see below) is to have seen all the shop-worn, failed policies and platitudes the Rethugs have been living on for more than 30 years*. If Jingles is Gerson's and Pills' Great Brown Hope, then you know he's really bad news.

Once again, the WaPo is allowing itself to be the platform for the worst elements of the Republican "Party" and its water carriers.

*Update: On the other hand, the usually reliably Rethuglican David Brooks thought what Jingles said was insane. Well, shut my mouf!

(Photo: Mushroom Cloud getting a bit of fresh air)

A Nice Moment

President Obama and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg embrace at last night's Presidential address. Ginsberg just recently underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer, and is back on the job at the Supreme Court.

(photo: Stephen Crowley, New York Times)

"We're Not Quitters"

Last night's Presidential address to a joint session of Congress is being widely praised for its blunt assessment of our problems and for its confident proposals that will bring us out of the economic slide. Speaking for nearly an hour, President Obama's address combined progressive proposals on health care, energy and education with a populist message that the days of corporate executive excessess were over. He rightly pointed out that he inherited an economic mess, after an era of greed and short-term profit seeking. The overall impression the President left: confidence, competence, and leadership. The public agreed, according to polls.

In perhaps the most memorable line of his address, the President said,

"While our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken, though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: we will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before."

The Rethuglicans had a hard act to follow, and the response by Louisiana Gov. Bobby "Bo Jingles" Jindal was an uninspired, pathetic rehash of every Rethug bromide over the last 30 years: cut taxes on the wealthy, reduce Government regulation, and every man for himself. Most Americans will recognize those "solutions" as the reason we're in this mess. This is the guy that Rush Limpballs called "the next Ronald Reagan." Maybe Bo Jingles (who looked a bit like Gilligan with heavy dark makeup) can get a role in a sequel to Slumdog Millionaire, because if last night was his moment in the national spotlight, he blew it.

(photo: Doug Mills, New York Times)

Quote of the Day

"I have not met them. I don't listen or read whatever it is they say because it is inconsequential -- completely." -- Rethug Utah Gov. John "Tally Ho" Huntsman, about the Rethuglican House and Senate leadership, reflecting growing American opinion (but not that of the Beltway media Village).

Shot Down Again

There was an interesting exchange between President Obama and his 2008 rival, Sen. John McBitter, at yesterday's question and answer session following the White House's fiscal responsibility summit. Obama graciously allowed McBitter to pose the first question, and he proceeded to needle Obama on the cost of new helicopters for the White House (ordered, incidentally, by Dumbya). Obama neatly parried by saying that he had already asked his Defense Secretary to look into it, and, to the laughter of the assembled legislators, business and labor leaders, joked that the current helicopters "seem perfectly adequate" since he had never had a helicopter before. "Maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it," Obama teased as everyone laughed.

An outflanked McBitter could only manage a sheepish look, knowing that, as on November 4 of last year, Obama had his number.

Putting Dick Cheney to Good Use

The Onion has a story on how Deadeye Dick Cheney has helped with the economic recovery. (h/t to Tokyo bureau chief Brian)

That Darn Liberal Media!

Comes word that CBS News has a new Senior Vice President of Communications: Jeff Ballabon, a "New York Republican activist." Hmmm. CBS? Are you sure you didn't mean Fux News? CBS?! I thought they were the Liberal Media. Wow. This changes my whole view of the world and my place in it. Imagine a corporation like CBS hiring a Republican! Who'd-a-thunk-it?!

PS - we're crushed and disillusioned.

(Photo: New member of the liberal media elite, Rethug water carrier Jeff Ballabon - full size.)

I Have Found The Enemy, And It Was Me!

In another segment just released from wingnut John Zeigler's schlock-u-mentary about how "the media" targeted Gov. Winky You Betcha, the Gov. claims the media was on a "search and destroy mission" to sink her candidacy. Well, that would explain Winky's failure to know what newspapers she reads, that trotting around with a $180,000 wardrobe wasn't cool, that she lied about saying "thanks, but no thanks" to the Bridge to Nowhere, and that she had no clue what the Bush Doctrine was, after being secluded from the press and briefed on issues for two weeks after the Rethug convention. Of course, during that time, the media gushed about her convention speech and her "personal story."

In truth, Winky wasn't so much the victim of a "search and destroy mission" against her as she was the leader of it.

An Ad Waiting to Happen

We hope the DNC is going to be putting ads up in States whose Rethug governors are posturing about declining their States' stimulus money. You know, the "true believers" like Bobby "Jingle" Jindal (LA), Haley "No Bail-y" Barbour (MS), and Mark "It's the Big One Lamont" Sanford (SC), all jockeying for the furthest right position for 2012.

Here's what we would say:

"Gov. [insert wingnut's name here] is declining recovery money meant for the people of [insert wingnut's State here]. This is federal money - your tax dollars - meant to help the people of [wingnut's State]. So what happens to your money? [Insert clips of Govs. Schwarzenegger, Crist, Granholm, et al, saying "I'll take their money!"].

"Gov. [insert wingnut's name here]: not doing what's right for the people of [wingnut's State]!"

Please note all come from Deep South, deep red states, many of whose population thinks the Civil War is still on. Even so, maybe a message like this might register.

(Photo: Gov. [insert Rethug governor's name here])