...What it looks like to me is some kind of amorphous, generalized rage on the part of those who were used to running the country and now don't feel part of the culture at all. But the only word for that is: tantrum.
These are not tea-parties. They are tea-tantrums. And the adolescent, unserious hysteria is a function not of a movement regrouping and refinding itself. It's a function of a movement's intellectual collapse and a party's fast-accelerating nervous breakdown.
4.10.2009
Sullivan: Tea tantrums, not tea parties
Conservative Andrew Sullivan writes on his Atlantic Monthly blog of the utter ridiculousness of the Wingnut Tea Party:
McCarthy-ite douchebaggery
Rep. Spencer Bachus, the top Republican on the Financial Services Committee, told a hometown crowd in Alabama today he believes there are several socialists in the House. Actually, he says there are exactly 17 socialists in the House of Representatives.
- Politico
This shouldn't require much commentary.
Ol' Spece Bachus is an asshole. Perhaps next he'd like to lynch himself some ni**ers and put some Ch*nks in internment camps.
2000 - zero - zero - (Republican) Party's over, out of time.
So tonight let's party like it's 1699.
- Politico
This shouldn't require much commentary.
Ol' Spece Bachus is an asshole. Perhaps next he'd like to lynch himself some ni**ers and put some Ch*nks in internment camps.
2000 - zero - zero - (Republican) Party's over, out of time.
So tonight let's party like it's 1699.
Teleprompter douchebaggery
Glenn Beck on March 25th:
So I mean, it really bothers me, this teleprompter. … It bothers me that this man doesn’t — this man is always on prompter. You want to talk about a Manchurian candidate — that’s it! Who’s writing every word for this man? […] Is it bothering anyone else but me? We have a fraud in office, at least that’s the way it feels to me.Glenn Beck on April 9th:
4.08.2009
Christopher Hitchens debates religious influence in America
Christopher Hitchens was a guest on Hardball tonight along with Kenneth Blackwell, from the Family Research Council, to discuss Newsweek's recent cover story titled "The End of Christian America."
As usual with Hitchens, the debate was heated and interesting. Perhaps the most interesting part was the debate over our founding documents. Blackwell posited that the Founding Fathers were Judeo-Christians (and then confused them with the Pilgrims - blending together 150 years of history).
Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great, points out that our founding documents are secular, that Ben Franklin, an athiest, inserted "self-evident" into the Declaration. That Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the document, created his own Bible which eliminated any references to Christ's divinity and that George Washington refused to take Communion.
Blackwell smiled a lot, like he had gastrointestinal discomfort.
As usual with Hitchens, the debate was heated and interesting. Perhaps the most interesting part was the debate over our founding documents. Blackwell posited that the Founding Fathers were Judeo-Christians (and then confused them with the Pilgrims - blending together 150 years of history).
Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great, points out that our founding documents are secular, that Ben Franklin, an athiest, inserted "self-evident" into the Declaration. That Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the document, created his own Bible which eliminated any references to Christ's divinity and that George Washington refused to take Communion.
Blackwell smiled a lot, like he had gastrointestinal discomfort.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Baracknophobia: wingnuts terrified of Obama
(Huff Post)
Jon Stewart took on people "speaking crazy to power last night." Rep. Michele Bachmann recently said that President Obama is going to put our children in reeducation camps, and Sean Hannity congratulated her for her crusade against tyranny. Stewart followed this clip up with a litany of moves the Bush administration made to reduce American freedom, transparency, and state's rights, and said the pair were confusing "tyranny" and "losing."
Jon Stewart took on people "speaking crazy to power last night." Rep. Michele Bachmann recently said that President Obama is going to put our children in reeducation camps, and Sean Hannity congratulated her for her crusade against tyranny. Stewart followed this clip up with a litany of moves the Bush administration made to reduce American freedom, transparency, and state's rights, and said the pair were confusing "tyranny" and "losing."
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M - Th 11p / 10c | |||
| Baracknophobia - Obey | ||||
| ||||
4.07.2009
Music under the radar
My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed
Coheed and Cambria - Welcome Home
(this is the album version of the song. Their record label has disabled embedding. To see the real video, click here)
TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
Coheed and Cambria - Welcome Home
(this is the album version of the song. Their record label has disabled embedding. To see the real video, click here)
TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
More on Pittsburgh shooters and wingnut irresponsibility
Oliver Willis reports:
As Bob Cesca points out:
Now, let's go back to Obama's "biggest gaffe" and see if it's not really true.
We have a gun problem.
Poplawski bought into the ["shit hits the fan" and "the end of the world as we know it"] conspiracy theories hook, line and sinker, even posting a link to Stormfront of a YouTube video featuring talk show host Glenn Beck talking about FEMA camps with Congressman Ron Paul.Now, that doesn't mean Beck pulled the trigger and it doesn't mean Beck was the tipping point. What it does mean is that when one steps in front of a TV camera, one has a responsibility not to appeal to low, base instincts. One has a responsibility not to appeal to the marginal elements of our society. One has a responsibility not to discuss outrageous conspiracy theories as if they're legitimate news.
As Bob Cesca points out:
Put another way, imagine if CNN aired a serious discussion about how the moon landing was faked, without any caveats that the topic is largely seen as preposterous. A lot of people will believe it. Likewise, the establishment press was responsible for helping to spread the Muslim rumors about then-Senator Obama during the campaign -- not to mention legitimizing the Swift Boat veterans during the 2004 campaign.
Or, last month, George Will published a totally erroneous "debunking" of the climate crisis in the Washington Post. The Post had a responsibility to police the accuracy of Will's claims -- or to account for his inaccuracies after the fact. They did neither. Who knows how much damage that column has done in terms of impacting the public legitimacy of the climate crisis. The larger the audience, the more influential the voice -- thus, the more accountable the source has to be.
You don't just step in front of one of the largest news cameras in the world and blurt out any pile of bullshit. Especially tearful motivational speeches about stockpiling guns or ginning up militaristic tendencies. Opinion show or not. Again, if O'Reilly is calling bullshit then perhaps Beck has blown the crazy curve.
Now, let's go back to Obama's "biggest gaffe" and see if it's not really true.
"So it’s not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns" - Barack Obama 4/6/08Was he really wrong? Read up on Poplawski. Look at what the Binghamton killer wrote. Read this.
We have a gun problem.
The "Daily Show"'s Guide To Fixing The Auto Industry
The Daily Show's John Hodgman knows exactly what to do to save the American auto industry and kindly laid out his five-step plan last night for the world to see. The highlights include rekindling the American love affair with the car by capturing the tender beauty of autoerotic asphyxiation. (We're pretty sure that doesn't mean what he thinks it means.)
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M - Th 11p / 10c |
| You're Welcome - Auto Industry | |
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