News Item

"Palin Visits Trump in New York"

Bumpit and Rump. Reality stars collide and a black hole of stupidity and arrogance is formed.

"Weinergate" Exposed

It seems crackpot film editor, James O'Keefe mentor, and Muslin scourge Andrew "Not So" Breitbart spent his Memorial Day weekend trying to gin up another faux scandal, this time involving Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY). There's a good summary of the events wherein Breitbart inevitably gets his man-tits in a wringer, over here. In addition to Shirley Sherrod's pending suit over the edited tape Breitbart peddled in an attempt to make her look racist, we hope Rep. Weiner goes forward with a suit that will put Breitbart out of bidness for good.

(Photo: perpetually mad - and we mean that in both senses of the word - Andrew "Not So" Breitbart)

Rethug Governors Sinking In The Polls

As we note below, some of Wisconsin's Rethuglican State Senators are on the receiving end of buyers remorse from Wisconsin's voters. But they're not the only Rethug pols floundering: Rethug Governors in several important swing states have become very unpopular only a few months after being elected.

Among the sorry crew seeing their polls plummet are rotund bully NJ Gov. Chris Christie (45 percent approval), crooked wingnut FL Gov. Rick Scott (32 percent approval), and union-busting OH Gov. John Kasich (33 percent approval). None would survive a do-over if their elections were held today. What's particularly ominous for the Rethugs is that their unpopularity could help deliver their states to the Dems and Obama in 2012. Unfortunately, the damage they are doing to their states is ongoing.

Wisconsin Recalls Move Forward

Recall elections for 6 Wisconsin Rethuglican State senators could be held as early as July 12, following the State accountability board's finding that the recall petitions submitted were sufficient. The board has delayed ruling on recall petitions against three Democratic State senators. The Rethugs were targeted because of their votes on stripping Wisconsin state employees of their collective bargaining rights, rights teachers, police, firefighters and state workers had enjoyed for over 50 years. The 6 represent swing or lean-Democratic districts in Wisconsin and, assuming the recall efforts against the Democrats fail, it would take only 3 of the Rethugs to be recalled to switch control of the State Senate to the Democrats and stop the reactionary tide in Wisconsin dead in its tracks. Here's where to contribute to this effort (Act Blue).

(Photo: Wisconsin teatard Gov. Scott "Too Much Johnnie" Walker - Mama gonna knock you out!)

Who Says Vaudeville Is Dead?

When the "Tea Party" movement appeared a few weeks after President Obama was sworn in, it was clear that this phony astroturf operation was being supported and funded behind the scenes by corporate front groups such as FreedomWorks. FreedomWorks is headed by far right former Rethug Rep. "Major" Dick Armey, and derives much of its funding from big corporations, including health insurance companies. In today's Think Progress, we learn that this front group has been preparing talking points for freshmen Rethuglican Congressmen when trying to defend Rep. Paul "Lyin'" Ryan's plan to kill Medicare. The "talking points" avoid the point that Medicare will no longer exist for people 55 and under, despite having paid into the successful program all of their working lives. They'll get vouchers that would go part of the way to paying private health insurers for insurance. One can imagine how successful people 65 and up will be in dealing one-on-one with private health insurance companies who see them as a liability.

There you have it: the best Rethug Congressmen money can buy!

(photo: A FreedomWorks official, right, giving a Rethug freshman his instructions)

Monday Reading

As a service to our readers on this Memorial Day, we have culled through thousands of news and opinion articles to find the pithiest political punditry.

-- Michael Hirsh writes about a party that's lost it's way, and one particular dimbulb who loves playing a role more than anything else.

-- Do the powerful here and and around the world care about joblessness? Or are they determined to convince themselves that nothing can be done, and it's okay? Paul Krugman answers.

-- If you're looking for a perfect example of the Rethuglican-wired media inside the Beltway, look no further than yesterday's "Press the Meat" with Dancin' David Gregory (a.k.a., the "establishmentarian testicle cozy" -- check out this amplifying piece by Driftglass).

Keep saying to yourselves, "All is not lost, all is not lost..."

Quote of the Day

"If Perry were elected president, perhaps he would do for the entire United States what he’s done for Texas, which ranks first in the nation in the percentage of the population without health insurance, and 45th in high school completion. We could return to grass-roots, state-driven environmental regulations, the kind that have made Texas the nation’s leader in clean-water permit violations, hazardous waste spills and toxic emissions from manufacturing facilities." -- Gail Collins, writing in today's New York Times about Texas Rethuglican Gov. Rick "Hair" Perry. Perry's not that popular in his State (Texas Rethugs favor Palin and Gingrich over him), and he's notorious for his suggestion that if Texas doesn't like Federal policies, they might consider secession from the Union, an act of treason.

This is today's New Confederate/Rethuglican Party in all of its lunacy.

Memorial Day Weekend Song

We honor the memory of American servicemen and servicewomen who died in all wars this weekend, especially on Memorial Day Monday. One of the best documentaries of World War II was the pioneering "Victory at Sea," which first aired in the early 1950's, with music by composer Richard Rodgers. Here's perhaps the best known piece from that program, "Beneath the Southern Cross" (when you add lyrics, it's "No Other Love Have I"). Enjoy a safe and happy weekend.

Weak Tea

Kaplan Daily columnist E.J. Dionne takes a look at the upset victory by Democrat Kathy Hochul in the deeply Rethuglican NY 26th Congressional District today. He also smacks those that wanted to believe the Tea Party was the wave of the future:

"From the beginning, too many Republicans (and too many in the media) saw the Tea Party as a broadly based movement whose extreme anti-government views reflected the popular will. This was never true. The Tea Party consisted of citizens on the right end of politics who were always there but got angrier and better organized after Obama was elected. They crowded the polling places on Nov. 2 while progressives found other things to do."

We can recall the crowing by Rethug leaders after the 2010 elections, claiming to have "heard the voice of the people." (Odd they didn't hear it in 2008, isn't it?) No, they are only listening to their hard core right wing activists who stormed the polls. Now, as the teahadist agenda is biting them in the buttocks, Rethugs are looking at the broader electorate and beginning to realize the public's not drinking the tea.

Behind the Public Mask

A former aide to half-term Alaskan Gov. Sarah "Mama Fizzly" Palin has a book out that demolishes Fizzly's carefully managed image. Frank Bailey's "Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin: A Memoir of Our Tumultuous Years," is based on thousands of e-mails and personal knowledge of Snowbilly Snooki and is scathing in its portrayal of her as a shallow, vindictive, thin-skinned climber with little interest in public service. One of the typical quotes:

"Getting Sarah to meetings and events was like nailing Jell-O to a tree. On the campaign trail and as governor, Sarah went through at least ten schedulers, with few lasting more than months. Nobody wanted the job because Sarah might fail to honor, at the last minute, the smallest commitments, and making excuses for her became a painful burden."

She had her staff go after people that had given her just the slightest criticism, used her power as Governor to punish personal enemies, and ignored Alaska state business after the national political spotlight was turned on her.

Now, there's speculation that Fizzly will announce she's running for the Presidency. With 58% of Americans saying they would never vote for her, we fervently hope she does, and that the Rethugs continue their run off the cliff with her.

Run, Russ, Run!

One of the most respected progressive Dems in the Senate was former Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold. Feingold lost his bid for a fourth term last November when the teatard tide swept off-year elections for the Rethuglicans. Now, according to a Public Policy Polling poll, Feingold has a great shot at returning to the Senate, to fill the seat of Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl, who is retiring in 2012. He beats all likely Rethuglican contenders -- including former Gov. Tommy "Gun" Thompson -- by margins of at least 10%.

Wisconsin voters have considerable buyers remorse after electing the far-right slate of candidates in November, most prominent of which was reactionary union-buster Gov. Scott "Too Much Johnnie" Walker. Poll after poll show Rethuglican attempts to turn back the clock to the 1920s wasn't what the voters thought they were sold, and now they're getting ready to send a different message in November 2012. We need to get Russ back in the Senate.

Rethug Suicide Pact Claims First Victim

Democrat Kathy Hochul won the special election in the heavily Rethuglican 26th Congressional District of New York. The voters gave Hochul 47% of the vote, while her Rethug opponent, Jane Corwin, got 43%, and a teatard candidate picked up the remaining votes. What's significant about the election, of course, is that Hochul sucessfully hung the albatross of supporting Rep. Paul "Lyin'" Ryan's plan to end Medicare around the Rethug candidate's neck. To provide cover for their plan, Rethugs are saying it's about "saving Medicare." It's actually about turning health care for seniors over to private insurers. Some Rethugs are now trying to distance themselves from the suicidal plan.

Today, Rethugs are furiously spinning that the election wasn't about their plans to kill Medicare, it was about the teatard candidate taking votes from Corwin. Not surprisingly, they're lying. Polls taken over the last 3 weeks show the teatard candidate steadily losing ground, but Corwin's numbers barely moving up. Dem candidate Hochul's poll numbers steadily climbed during that period.

Dems need to pick up 24 seats to win control of the House in 2012. They've found an issue they can run on and contrast their vision with that of the Rethugs. One down, 24 to go.

Two Happy Birthdays!

Most know that legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan turns 70 today (!). His collection of ballads, folk tunes and rock songs are almost too voluminous to list; after all, he's been recording since 1960. "Blowing in the Wind," "The Times They Are A Changin'","Mr. Tambourine Man," "Lay,Lady Lay," and on and on. His impact on music in the 20th century is profound. Happy birthday to the great Bob Dylan. Here are two of his most popular songs.





Now for the true star of the day: Hackwhackers' beloved Shih Tzu, Bump, who turns an amazing 18 today. He's the best companion ever, and even in his twilight years he's given us much joy.

(photo: The star)

Missouri and Minnesota Tornado Aftermath

It's almost beyond belief, the destruction in Joplin, Missouri, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. That building in the first 30 seconds is St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin; the Joplin death toll is up to 116. The last portion (sound) is from the Minneapolis area (1 death).

(via Russia TV (!) and The Weather Channel)

Your "Liberal" Media

Who's been rewarded with a "news analyst" gig at MSNBC? A great progressive like Ezra Klein? No. Harold Meyerson? No. Russ Feingold? No.

Yay, "liberal media!" It's The Shizzle himself!

(Image: "I'm ready for my close-up!")