Stories to Watch: 6/12/12

You know how after a long, hard-fought primary campaign, the candidates always come together to show a united front? Yeah, about that...


As always, Republican lies contradict each other.


George Zimmerman's wife is no more trustworthy than he is.


Dem analysts tell the Obama campaign that he needs to take off the kid gloves. It's a story that Buzzfeed gets 180 degrees wrong.


Rep. Louis Gohmert said something stupid again.


David Brooks wrote something stupid again.


The circus chimps on Fox and Friends broadcast something stupid again.


ALEC loses another corporate sponsor.


Finally, a reminder: Jonah Goldberg is a hack.

Related articles

• Rep. Louis Gohmert on Romney: 'I'm Not as Excited as I am Desperate'

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• Blunder Watch

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• GOP Harming America for Political Gain

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Stories to Watch: 5/29/12

I'll be skipping the roundup this week. Between recall work and other projects, it'll have to go to the back burner. Also, tomorrow I'm heading up to help my mom at Tornado Central, so probably not much of anything for the day. Thursday, I'm heading out to canvass in the afternoon, so probably not much then, either. Now here's the news...


David Brooks wrote something stupid again.


Mitt tries to mitigate the damage a Washington scandal can do to his campaign. After a Republican member of the National Labor Relations Board resigned after leaking info to anti-labor folks, Romney scrubs all mention of adviser Peter Schaumber from his website. Why? Because Pete was one of those anti-labor folks being leaked to. It's not like he should fire the crook or anything, right?


Also in Mittens news; pretty much nothing he says is actually true.


The John Doe investigation of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Blagojevich... I mean Rod Walker... I mean Rodscott Blagojewalker turns to possible bid-rigging. Walker clams up about the whole thing, saying, "I can't talk about the particulars because I'm following those rules" -- meaning the "rules" of a John Doe investigation.


About those rules; ex-prosecutors say Blagojewalker's shoveling bullshit when he claims he can't talk about the investigation. "You certainly have a right to go out and defend your own reputation..." says one, "it's unlikely to me that the district attorney is advising Scott Walker not to say anything."


Finally, the rightwing blogosphere spent the day working themselves up into a lather over something everyone knows is baloney. Just like every day.

Related articles

• Romney's First Scandal?

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• Ethically-Challenged NLRB Member Terence Flynn Resigns

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• Walker, Barrett continue to blast one another on campaign trail

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Stories to Watch: 4/17/12

Burgers. Burgers. Burgers. Now here's the news...


Ted Nugent's inability to shut the hell up gets him into hot water. Romney sought out Nugent's endorsement -- full-knowing the man is a bona fide lunatic -- so Mittens might wind up in the hot bath too.


The media continues to ignore the ongoing story of Republican filibuster abuse. Hell, they're even failing to mention filibusters at all.


Religious right crazy Tony Perkins says the repeal of DADT and "open homosexuality" caused the Secret Service hooker scandal. Except the Secret Service isn't military and the scandal's not a gay hooker scandal, so whatever the fuck Perkins is trying to say makes no damned sense at all.


Obama 2012 is attacking Romney as an out-of-touch bazillionaire.


A favorite Republican argument -- that government should be run like your family's expenses -- is just as dumb as you think it is.


One very stupid Taliban officer.


One very fed-up token lefty on Fox.


The federal minimum wage is embarrassingly low.


Finally, David Brooks wrote something stupid again.

Related articles

• Ted Nugent Gets Noticed by the Secret Service (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• Family Research Council's Tony Perkins Links Secret Service Prostitution Scandal with Repeal of 'DADT' (towleroad.com)
• Threatening Obama Is Only The 10th Craziest Thing Ted Nugent Has Done (buzzfeed.com)
• Senate Republicans Filibuster Buffett Rule (thinkprogress.org)

Stories to Watch: 3/17/12

Happy St. Pat's! May the wind always be at your back, may your ears only hear kind words, may eyes see only beauty... may we finally get past all this sentimental horsecrap and drink some damned beer? Now here's the news...


Imagine if phone companies suddenly took it upon themselves (under pressure from the White House) to listen in on phone calls and make sure you're not selling drugs. Would you be cool with that? If not, you probably won't be cool with this. The march toward a surveillance society goes on.


A redditor consumes only rightwing news sources for a week. Read the depressing, but unsurprising, conclusions drawn from that experience. Long story short, avoid conservative news like the plague, because it will make you stupid.


Is the weather unseasonably nice where you are? Yeah, there's a reason for that.


Trayvon Martin died begging for his life.


David Brooks wrote something stupid again.


How many listeners does Rush Limbaugh actually have? It's hard to say with any certainty, but it may be fewer than you're told.


Finally, Wisconsin's voter ID law takes a major blow as a judge refuses to stay an injunction. We're going to kill this thing yet.

Related articles

• Vigilantes and guns in Florida (brobrubel.wordpress.com)
• Holder calls voter ID laws a 'solution in search of a problem' (twitchy.com)
• 911 Tapes Released in Trayvon Martin Killing (theroot.com)
• Racist Imagery Used to Push for Minn. Voter-ID Law (theroot.com)

Stories to Watch: 1/31/12

Freakin' hell it was warm here today. It got up to near 50. In Wisconsin. In January. This is wrong, wrong, wrong. Now here's the news...


Tonight's the big night in Florida and things do not look good for Noodles.


Speaking of Newt, he has some seriously goonish security agents.


David Brooks wrote something stupid again.


Rep. Allen West, carpetbagger.


Related: Rep. Allen West, boob.


Sen. Chuck Grassley is an ass.


Polling shows that House Republicans' hostage-taking/obstructionist strategy to win the hearts and minds of the American voter hasn't worked out too awfully well.


Finally, Remember how Romney won the Iowa caucuses -- except later it turned out that Santorum did? Heads roll.

Related articles

• Allen West Denies He Said What He Said (alan.com)
• Allen West Says to President Obama, 'Get the Hell Out of the US,' Then Denies He Said It (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• Florida Primary Preview (crooksandliars.com)
• Live blog of the Florida primary (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)

Stories to Watch: 11/22/11

I'm not posting to Griper Blade this week, to give me more time to do that whole Thanksgiving thing. I'm raising some sourdough right now and I should be able to bake it later tonight. Then I'll freeze it until the big day. My bread has been turning out well lately, so it should be a nice addition to the feast. Now here's the news...


When it comes to climate, the media really are chumps.


Another GOP debate to skip.


Dems are standing by Occupy Wall Street -- even as OWS isn't necessarily standing with them.


David Brooks wrote something stupid again.


A pregnant Seattle protester miscarries after being subjected to police abuse at an Occupy protest. Time for all the "pro-life" types to start freaking out of police brutality -- but we all know they won't. I'm guessing "abortion-by-cop" is going to be A-OK with them.


Finally, Republicans say that businesses are overtaxed and over-regulated. Business owners disagree.

Related articles

• Occupy Seattle protester claims police caused her miscarriage (guardian.co.uk)
• Fox News calls pepper spray a food product (rt.com)
• OWS protesters interrupt Obama's speech (VIDEO) (rt.com)
• Pregnant Woman Blasted with Pepper Spray by SPD Reportedly Miscarries (slog.thestranger.com)

Stories to Watch: 11/15/11

Did a little tweaking of the blogspot blogs last night. I think it looks good. Now here's the news...


A judge declares Zuccotti Park a free-speech-free zone.


Are mayors coordinating the crackdown on the Occupy movement? Sure sounds like it.


During a presidential debate, Newt Gingrich said he was paid by Freddie Mac to be "a historian." If that sounded insane to you at the time (why does a lender need a freakin' historian?), that's because it was bullshit. Newt was hired as a lobbyist to "to build bridges to Capitol Hill Republicans and develop an argument on behalf of the company’s public-private structure that would resonate with conservatives seeking to dismantle it." In short, Newton is a liar. Pure and simple.


David Brooks wrote something stupid again.


Two people who worked for him are now confirming the obvious; "investigative journalist" James O'Keefe has zero interest in journalism and only wants to push propaganda.


Both Google and Facebook oppose an anti-piracy bill. Why? Because it's so stupidly written that both services could be held responsible for the way other people use them. Imagine Ford having to answer for every hit-and-run or drunk driver in a Mustang and you get an idea of what the problem is here.


Texas executes mostly black people.


John Boehner is a prick.


Finally, remember how ketchup became a vegetable under Reagan? Now pizza's a vegetable, according to House Republicans. I know it's a crazy idea, but how about we stop declaring things to be other things? Because that's stupid.

Related articles

• Newt Gingrich Lied about That $300,000 He Took from Freddie & Fannie (firedoglake.com)
• Newt Gingrich Paid $300,000 By Freddie And Fannie To Court Republicans (alan.com)
• New York Times Total Fail: Yes, Another David Brooks Edition (delong.typepad.com)

News Roundup for 9/20/11

America's Second Least Useful Pundit, After Bill Kristol

-Headline of the Day-
"Yup, moderates and independents support taxing the rich."

If there's one hobby you might consider taking up, it's David Brooks avoidance. The New York Times columnist and TV talking head suffers from a really bad case of High Broderism that dictates that the only wise course for a politician -- especially a Democratic politician -- is straight down the center line of the interstate.

In his latest reality-challenged column, Brooks becomes very sad that President Obama has chosen a lane with his deficit reduction and job creation plans. "In his remarks Monday the president didn't try to win Republicans to even some parts of his measures," Brooks complains. "He repeated the populist cries that fire up liberals but are designed to enrage moderates and conservatives."

See, when the chips are down, moderates always side with conservatives. Is there any evidence of this? Not especially, but don't try to tell David Brooks that. It's heresy in his Church of the Almighty Middle.

And don't try to point out reality either. It's not going to sink in. If Brooks hasn't wised up by now, he's never going to. But that doesn't stop Greg Sargent from giving it the old college try.

"[A]s it happens, strong majorities of moderates and independents support tax hikes on the wealthy as the best way to close the deficit," he points out and provides big poll numbers to prove it. Will taxing the wealthy "enrage" moderates? No. How do we know that? Because someone asked them!

Note to Dave: mindreading acts are unnecessary in a world where polling exists.

Seriously, the best first step you can take in understanding American politics well would be to swear to remain forever in ignorance of what David Brooks thinks. (Plum Line)


-Economics 101-
When you really think about Republican economic talking points, they don't make a whole lot of sense.


Click to embiggen

Which would explain why a lot of people don't really think about them. (McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"American Family Association Freaks Out Over Ice Cream Named After Testicles."

This is a real thing. (Wonkette)

Stories to Watch: 9/16/11

It's been freakin' cold around here. Well, cool anyway. By spring, I'm sure I'll consider the low 60s to be just like summer. Now here's the news...


Texas schools are quietly abandoning abstinence-only sex ed. Mostly because it's been such a failure. Not good news for Rick Perry, who's currently playing the super-Christian for the fact-free base.


Matt Yglesias points out that the math in Social Security privatization schemes doesn't work.


Krugman weighs in on the "cheers for dead patients" moment at the CNN GOP debate.


The US Supreme Court halts the Texas execution of Duane Buck, who was put on death row after "jurors were told he posed a greater danger to public safety because he is black." Rick Perry refused to intervene, because it's hard to set records for executions when you're all worried about justice and racism.


David Brooks wrote something stupid again. John Boehner was a liar again. Liz Cheney made a ridiculous claim again.


Congressional approvals hit an all time low in a NYT/CBS poll. A Bloomberg poll finds that people blame Republicans.


Finally, a measure of how credible people think Republicans are; the more GOP candidates talk about how much they disbelieve in anthropogenic global warming, the more the public believes in it.

Related articles

• Poll Shows How Republicans View Controversial Perry Criticism (huffingtonpost.com)
• Rick Perry's 'Ponzi scheme' problem: new evidence it's real - Christian Science Monitor (news.google.com)
• Rick Perry's Views Supported By Republicans, Not So Much By Independents (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Rick Perry Hung Out With Trump, Pageant Queens At NYC Fashion Show (businessinsider.com)

Stories to Watch: 9/6/11

Hey, how was your Labor Day? Mine involved bratwurst, so it was perfect. Now here's the news...


Boehner and Cantor want a pre-jobs-speech meeting with the president to "discuss potential areas of bipartisan agreement," according to Politico. To translate that from Republican into English, they want to make threats, whine, and throw tantrums.


Is Rick Perry using wildfires in Texas to dodge debates? It sure seems that way. I mean, there's no logistical reason that he has to be in the state, just as there's no reason he has to be at the sites of the fires themselves. It's not like he's out there on the line, pitching in. Although, after what he's done to the fire departments in Texas, they could probably use the help.


One reason Perry might not be eager to debate; he might be forced to answer questions about why his state has the worst numbers for health insurance coverage in the nation.


This is what happens when you give Republicans everything they demand. Knock it off, Mr. President.


David Brooks continues to suck, be ridiculous.


Ezra Klein talks economy, history, Republicans, stimulus, and "motivated skepticism." Long story short, Republicans are freakin' nuts.


Mittens Romney rolls out his own big jobs plan, ahead of President Obama's speech on the same subject. You already know what's in it; it's got "GOP economic mumbo-jumbo" written all over it.


Finally, Dick Cheney is a man who is absolutely flawless in his own mind. In an interview with Wolf Blitzer, Cheney refused to admit to any mistakes at all in his eight years as VP. You know what this means, right? Getting hammered and shooting Harry Whittington in the face? Dick meant to do that.

Related articles

• Romney Just Totally Melted Down During His Jobs Speech (businessinsider.com)
• Romney unveils 59-point jobs plan (politico.com)
• GOP JOBS WARS: Huntsman Op-Ed Puts The Heat On Romney's Jobs Plan (businessinsider.com)
• GOP presidential race heats up (ksl.com)

Stories to Watch: 8/26/11

Short one today. I've got stuff I need to finish up. Now here's the news...


David Brooks is no fan of Rick Perry. Not surprisingly, the 'baggers are. Michele Bachmann continues to be yesterday's news. In fact, her diva act is starting to get people's nerves.


Hurricane Irene could be a "multi-billion dollar catastrophe," according to Nate Silver. It probably won't be, but it could be. You know that old saying about hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst? Yeah, maybe we should start applying that to something other than military spending.


Details of the Wisconsin Supreme Court dust up are out and the story's still as clear as mud.


More on just how wrong Obama is about the value of phony centrism; polling shows independents -- i.e., the center -- wants him to fight the GOP more.


Remember how it was such an awful idea to bail out American automakers? Yeah, about that; it wasn't.


Finally, Ron Paul pines for the good old days of federal disaster response. You know, back when there was no federal disaster response.

Related articles

• The Republican Presidential Candidates' Assault on Science (Video) (treehugger.com)
• Ron Paul: The Face of Tomorrow's Republican Party? (themoderatevoice.com)
• As Hurricane Irene Approaches, FTC Offers Financial Preparedness Tips, Advises Consumers to Watch Out for Scams (ftc.gov)
• Homeland Security Secretary Urges People To Heed Evacuation Orders (huffingtonpost.com)

Stories to Watch: 7/29/11

One good thing about a heat wave; the grass doesn't grow. But now it's over and it's back to the absurdity of harvesting a crop once a week and throwing it away. Somebody please come up with something better. This is stupid. Now here's the news...


Sen. Chuck Schumer says, "It's hard to imagine the Senate Republicans would actually filibuster the nation into default." I hope I'm not writing later about Schumer's lack of imagination.


David Kurtz offers a much more detailed and much less optimistic assessment of the debt ceiling situation; "[E]ven though my gut says there's no way the U.S. is stupid enough to default, I still can't see a clear, viable way out of this."


Dana Millbank sees Boehner's failure to push through his bill last night as a vote of no confidence for the Speaker.


Let me give you an idea of how insane the debt debate in Washington has become; Reuters reports that growth is "anemic" and that the debt standoff risks recession. So, of course, everyone agrees that this is the perfect time to reduce demand and increase unemployment by drastically cutting spending. DC is officially an irresponsible bubble of crazy completely insulated from reality. "I realize it's fallen out of fashion to talk about things such as economic growth and job creation, and it's apparently far too late for a conversational detour," writes Steve Benen, "but it's worth appreciating the jaw-dropping disconnect between what's needed and what's being discussed by policymakers."

Jon Stewart has been on fire lately.


Krugman once again takes on the brainless, kneejerk, lazy evil of centrism. Irony alert: he does so while filling in for David Brooks.


Finally, The New Republic points out that the GOP no longer has a coherent foreign policy -- in fact, it looks like they don't have a foreign policy at all. Noeconservatism has failed and now they have no idea what to believe.

Related articles

• Senate Debt Bill Poised To Take U.S. To Edge Of Default (huffingtonpost.com)
• Jon Stewart Impersonates Chuck Schumer to Review 'Star Wars' (VIDEO) (aoltv.com)
• Griper Blade: Giving the Center Finger to Centrism (gripernews.blogspot.com)
• Sen. Schumer: Boehner Is Not Showing 'Real Leadership' And Just Following The Tea Party (mediaite.com)

Stories to Watch: 7/5/11

Hope everyone had a good Fourth. I know I enjoyed it. Now here's the news...


I mentioned earlier today that Richard Cohen compared the GOP to a cult and now it turns out that Republicans have gotten too crazy for David Brooks as well. All of which causes Steve Benen to wonder if the party has lost the punditry. Man, you sure hope so.


Of course, Brooks' column was the worst thing ever.


As Republicans bash Democrats as being weak in defense of Israel, it pays to point out that this strategy isn't working.


Rep. Tammy Baldwin still has eyes for Herb Kohl's senate seat. Hope for this one to pan out, because it'd be like having a second Bernie Sanders in the Senate -- only younger.


The crazy people's candidate of choice; Rick Perry.


Newt's campaign is pretty much flat busted broke.


Bristol Palin says her mom isn't dumb. I've got to say, her mom hides that fact well.


Finally, Michele Bachmann wants to smite the wicked... Or something.

Related articles

• Tammy Baldwin "Very Likely" Running For Senate (lezgetreal.com)
• Quote of the Day: If the GOP Was a Normal Party It'd Accept Victories In Economic Debate (But Noooooo) UPDATED (themoderatevoice.com)
• Bristol Palin: Michele Bachmann Totally Stole My Mom's Look! (mediaite.com)
• One of the best speeches EVER!!: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont) (madonna-and-child.com)

Stories to Watch: 6/14/11

Tonight, I dine on bratwurst! Huzzah! Now here's the news...


There's a surprising amount of consensus regarding last night's GOP debate, but the most widely agreed upon opinion seems to be that Tim Pawlenty choked.


John Boehner discovers a dusty old bit of trivia called the "War Powers Act." You've got to wonder where it was hiding when Bush was going all Yosemite Sam.


Meanwhile, the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sics the law on Boehner, filing papers for violating the law in his attempt to defend the Defense of Marriage Act.


David Brooks was dumb again.


Shelly Bachmann is all in for this presidential thing; she won't run for reelection to congress. Let the rejoicing begin. Then again, I wouldn't expect great things from the district that keeps voting for her. We're probably just changing tires on the goofball-mobile here.


Brian Beutler fact-checks the fact-checkers on Medicare and finds them off-base.


Finally, here's your non-surprise of the day: CEOs are four times more likely to be psychopaths than the general population.

Related articles

• DOMA Declared Unconstitutional by Bankruptcy Court (towleroad.com)
• Boehner Gives Obama Until Friday To Justify Libya Mission (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Obama's Relationship With Gay Rights Advocates Thaws In Time For 2012 (huffingtonpost.com)
• Does David Brooks Know Better? I Suspect Not (Ezra Klein Reads David Brooks so We Don't Have to Edition) (delong.typepad.com)

Stories to Watch: 4/19/11

Weather is insane here. It's been switching all day between rain, sleet, and snow. There's thunder and lightning to boot. But the worst is that the snow has accumulated. It's out there right now. Covering the lawn. Out in the open. In broad daylight. Seemingly unashamed. Now here's the news...


New York Times columnist David Brooks has an especially dumb one out today. Turns out that Donald Trump is doing well among GOP voters because Americans really like assholes. No seriously. If you don't believe me, check it out. That's his argument in a nutshell.

In the same piece, Brooks transforms soft-spoken George Soros into "an abrasive rich man" and "a straight-talking, obnoxious blowhard," simply because he couldn't think of a lefty counterweight to "George Steinbrenner, Ross Perot, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Bobby Knight, [and] Howard Stern." The whole thing is Broderism run amok.


***
Crazyassed bullshit Republicans believe, item #5,347,291: Half of Iowa Republicans are birthers.


Latest "Donald Trump is a commie" news: Trump's book The Art of the Deal called Reagan a "con man." He also refuses to release his tax returns -- which is going to be kind of illegal if his hoax goes into the filing-to-run stage.


Stuff everyone knows, confirmed. Iraq was just a war for oil.


Wisconsin Republicans facing recalls now number four, Democrats number zero. A fifth may be in the works.


Finally, a McClatchy-Marist poll finds that Republican plans to gut Medicare are really unpopular -- even among teabaggers. Teagan Goddard wonders, "Did Republicans just walk off a cliff?"