Now seriously, if this were 3 progressives, wouldn't the 3 idiots shown in the picture label them elites for sitting in thousand dollar seats at Yankee Stadium?
7.21.2010
The Unholy Alliance
O'Reilly, Beck and Rivera. At a Yankees game. How did the ground not open up and spew out the anti-Christ?
Now seriously, if this were 3 progressives, wouldn't the 3 idiots shown in the picture label them elites for sitting in thousand dollar seats at Yankee Stadium?
Now seriously, if this were 3 progressives, wouldn't the 3 idiots shown in the picture label them elites for sitting in thousand dollar seats at Yankee Stadium?
Shirley Sherrod, the NAACP, Fox News and the media's buying of right-wing lies
The USDA/Andrew Breitbart/Fox News race-baiting story has so many angles.
The basics: Shirley Sherrod, a USDA employee, told a story at an NAACP gathering in March about an incident 24 years ago in a previous job where she had to help a white farmer stave off foreclosure. She describes how the incident helped to to overcome her own biases and help the white family to save their farm. Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posted an edited version of the speech that made it seem as Ms. Sherrod was a racist who wouldn't help whites.
You should be familiar with Breitbart, the guy who hired two people to pose as a pimp and a prostitute to frame community organization ACORN. As a result of Breitbart's actions, Congress defunded ACORN and forced it out of business. It was later revealed (though scantly reported, especially by the New York Times - presumably out of embarrassment) that the videos were a heavily-edited scam seeking to make ACORN look bad.
After Breitbart posted the video, Fox News predictably jumped on it. Fox has been pushing a racial agenda in the last few weeks, between the fear-mongering over the New Black Panther Party and the NAACP's resolution condemning racism in some elements of the Tea Party.
Following the Fox News leap, someone in government - and who that "someone" is is in doubt - almost immediately forced Ms. Sherrod to resign.
This issue hopefully brings to a head several disturbing trends in American politics. Let's examine:
1) The rise of 'gotcha' politics based on edited materials or outright set-ups. The most obvious of these is the Breitbart ACORN hoax where a motivated political blogger was able to set up and bring down an organization not for criminal activity, but simply because he disagreed with their agenda.
Breitbart posted this heavily-edited video in response to the NAACP finally going after the racist elements in the Tea Party movement. He's part of a disturbing trend to try to paint blacks as oppressors holding white America down. In a real way, the Tea Party and Fox News are mainstreaming the agenda of the white supremacists.
2) The media's insistance on playing every issue as if there are two legitimate sides. Make no mistake, these movements have always existed. It's the national exposure that is different. The rise of the Internet and Internet-based media has given these people exposure. Couple that with the media's insistence on treating every issue as having two equal sides, like SportsCenter for politics, has given these hate-filled people a platform.
There are not always two equal sides. There certainly are not here. There is the truth and there is a lie and there is a woman whose life has been thrown into chaos because Breitbart lied and the media didn't do their job.
3) The media abdicating their traditional role as a watchdog. In many ways, this is the most troubling. Breitbart is a known and proven liar and Fox News is an obvious Republican shill. Yet the rest of the mainstream media runs with his claims with no checks, no investigation, no vetting. In pursuit of being the first, they neglect their basic duties. When investigative journalism is no longer the role of the mainstream media and in a world where Rolling Stone is now breaking major stories (and doing excellent analysis - this means you, Matt Taibbi), there is an obvious problem.
Murrow is spinning like a dynamo right now.
4) The media's lack of acceptance of their role once the lie is uncovered (by someone else) and their insistance on playing every issue as if there are two legitimate sides. Watching MSNBC's Tamryn Hall in the 11 o'clock hour today, she embarrassed herself. Even at this late hour, when the scope of the lie and the duping of the media is exposed, she still pretends that there are two sides. In introducing an "interview" with Breitbart, she mentions the ACORN tapes but fails to mention that Breitbart has been proven a liar and that the ACORN tapes are a hoax.
Even when pressed on the media's role, she constantly shifts blame to the administration. While the administration - if it did get involved (which is not proven yet) - is wrong, the administration was pushed by the huge media coverage of what turned out to be a non-issue. the media sreadfastly refuses to accept their roles as investigator and gate-keeper. They'll rightly take praise when they get it right, but they will not accept blame when their Pavlovian reactions are at the center of the problem.
Of course, in order for the situation to improve, the media as a whole will have to take a look at itself and it's practices, accept blame and responsibility for their failings and, most importantly, make the hard steps necessary to change. This includes risking the wrath of Fox News and the hard right.
Which means the situation isn't going to improve.
*******UPDATE********
Andrew Breitbart responds:
In his own way, however, Breitbart is telling the truth. It IS about the NAACP, and his desire to do to them what he did to ACORN. It's about removing obstacles to power. It's about removing those voices that tell us what we ought to be doing. It's about removing anything that might inspire guilt in the American psyche. It's about accumulating as much wealth and power in as few hands (as long as two of those hands are yours) as possible.
The basics: Shirley Sherrod, a USDA employee, told a story at an NAACP gathering in March about an incident 24 years ago in a previous job where she had to help a white farmer stave off foreclosure. She describes how the incident helped to to overcome her own biases and help the white family to save their farm. Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posted an edited version of the speech that made it seem as Ms. Sherrod was a racist who wouldn't help whites.
You should be familiar with Breitbart, the guy who hired two people to pose as a pimp and a prostitute to frame community organization ACORN. As a result of Breitbart's actions, Congress defunded ACORN and forced it out of business. It was later revealed (though scantly reported, especially by the New York Times - presumably out of embarrassment) that the videos were a heavily-edited scam seeking to make ACORN look bad.
After Breitbart posted the video, Fox News predictably jumped on it. Fox has been pushing a racial agenda in the last few weeks, between the fear-mongering over the New Black Panther Party and the NAACP's resolution condemning racism in some elements of the Tea Party.
Following the Fox News leap, someone in government - and who that "someone" is is in doubt - almost immediately forced Ms. Sherrod to resign.
This issue hopefully brings to a head several disturbing trends in American politics. Let's examine:
1) The rise of 'gotcha' politics based on edited materials or outright set-ups. The most obvious of these is the Breitbart ACORN hoax where a motivated political blogger was able to set up and bring down an organization not for criminal activity, but simply because he disagreed with their agenda.
Breitbart posted this heavily-edited video in response to the NAACP finally going after the racist elements in the Tea Party movement. He's part of a disturbing trend to try to paint blacks as oppressors holding white America down. In a real way, the Tea Party and Fox News are mainstreaming the agenda of the white supremacists.
2) The media's insistance on playing every issue as if there are two legitimate sides. Make no mistake, these movements have always existed. It's the national exposure that is different. The rise of the Internet and Internet-based media has given these people exposure. Couple that with the media's insistence on treating every issue as having two equal sides, like SportsCenter for politics, has given these hate-filled people a platform.
There are not always two equal sides. There certainly are not here. There is the truth and there is a lie and there is a woman whose life has been thrown into chaos because Breitbart lied and the media didn't do their job.
3) The media abdicating their traditional role as a watchdog. In many ways, this is the most troubling. Breitbart is a known and proven liar and Fox News is an obvious Republican shill. Yet the rest of the mainstream media runs with his claims with no checks, no investigation, no vetting. In pursuit of being the first, they neglect their basic duties. When investigative journalism is no longer the role of the mainstream media and in a world where Rolling Stone is now breaking major stories (and doing excellent analysis - this means you, Matt Taibbi), there is an obvious problem.
Murrow is spinning like a dynamo right now.
4) The media's lack of acceptance of their role once the lie is uncovered (by someone else) and their insistance on playing every issue as if there are two legitimate sides. Watching MSNBC's Tamryn Hall in the 11 o'clock hour today, she embarrassed herself. Even at this late hour, when the scope of the lie and the duping of the media is exposed, she still pretends that there are two sides. In introducing an "interview" with Breitbart, she mentions the ACORN tapes but fails to mention that Breitbart has been proven a liar and that the ACORN tapes are a hoax.
Even when pressed on the media's role, she constantly shifts blame to the administration. While the administration - if it did get involved (which is not proven yet) - is wrong, the administration was pushed by the huge media coverage of what turned out to be a non-issue. the media sreadfastly refuses to accept their roles as investigator and gate-keeper. They'll rightly take praise when they get it right, but they will not accept blame when their Pavlovian reactions are at the center of the problem.
Of course, in order for the situation to improve, the media as a whole will have to take a look at itself and it's practices, accept blame and responsibility for their failings and, most importantly, make the hard steps necessary to change. This includes risking the wrath of Fox News and the hard right.
Which means the situation isn't going to improve.
*******UPDATE********
Andrew Breitbart responds:
"I’m sympathetic that they went after her and not the NAACP. ... For the NAACP to conspicuously play the race card for political purposes is wrong, and the goal was to show that here’s evidence of racist behavior"Right. It's about the NAACP. It's about a 12% minority holding back a 75% majority. Sure it is.
In his own way, however, Breitbart is telling the truth. It IS about the NAACP, and his desire to do to them what he did to ACORN. It's about removing obstacles to power. It's about removing those voices that tell us what we ought to be doing. It's about removing anything that might inspire guilt in the American psyche. It's about accumulating as much wealth and power in as few hands (as long as two of those hands are yours) as possible.
7.19.2010
Sarah Shakespeare insults Muslims, New York and English
Governor Quitter was at it early this morning, Tweeting the following:
Never mind the religious bigotry inherent in telling "peace loving Muslims" what they should think....REFUDIATE???!! Oh dear. How did Wasilla not beat out Scranton? And since when is Alaska American's "heartland"? The woman loves word props.
Not enough to let it go, she doubles down:
On the facts of the issue, it's not a "Ground Zero" mosque. Quoting LGF: "It should be pointed out (again) that the “Ground Zero mosque” these idiots are ranting about is actually a proposed community center with an auditorium, swimming pool, and restaurants, in addition to a mosque. It would be housed in an existing 13-story building that’s two blocks away from Ground Zero and has no view of the area; there are two very big buildings in between the proposed community center and Ground Zero."
The facts be damned in ZombieLand, the head zombie goes right at it again:
It's becoming a firestorm of controversy. She apparently refudiates her original Tweet and deletes it. Apparently pride in one's own stupidity has its limits. At this point, the refudiations are all over Twitter.
Now she's getting doubly-dumped on. Not just for her religious ignorance but for her Bushian abuse of the language:
Does she take the criticism humbly? Does she deflect it with an "I'm not perfect"? A "sorry"? I'd say not:
SHAKESPEARE! SHAKESPEARE! She just compared herself and her (losing) wrestling match with the English language to Shakespeare.
Cue Olbermann and Ebert:
This woman wants to be a serious candidate for the Presidency? Do we really want to go back to Stupidville so soon?
In a positive development, CBS and NBC have refused to air this bigoted, vulgar, racist, fear-mongering video.
screencaps from PalinGates
Never mind the religious bigotry inherent in telling "peace loving Muslims" what they should think....REFUDIATE???!! Oh dear. How did Wasilla not beat out Scranton? And since when is Alaska American's "heartland"? The woman loves word props.
Not enough to let it go, she doubles down:
On the facts of the issue, it's not a "Ground Zero" mosque. Quoting LGF: "It should be pointed out (again) that the “Ground Zero mosque” these idiots are ranting about is actually a proposed community center with an auditorium, swimming pool, and restaurants, in addition to a mosque. It would be housed in an existing 13-story building that’s two blocks away from Ground Zero and has no view of the area; there are two very big buildings in between the proposed community center and Ground Zero."
The facts be damned in ZombieLand, the head zombie goes right at it again:
It's becoming a firestorm of controversy. She apparently refudiates her original Tweet and deletes it. Apparently pride in one's own stupidity has its limits. At this point, the refudiations are all over Twitter.
Now she's getting doubly-dumped on. Not just for her religious ignorance but for her Bushian abuse of the language:
Does she take the criticism humbly? Does she deflect it with an "I'm not perfect"? A "sorry"? I'd say not:
SHAKESPEARE! SHAKESPEARE! She just compared herself and her (losing) wrestling match with the English language to Shakespeare.
Cue Olbermann and Ebert:
This woman wants to be a serious candidate for the Presidency? Do we really want to go back to Stupidville so soon?
In a positive development, CBS and NBC have refused to air this bigoted, vulgar, racist, fear-mongering video.
screencaps from PalinGates
Employment down, corporate profits up; more GOP memes fall apart
Ezra Klein
Employment? Down 5.9% since late-2007. Corporate profits? Up 5.7% since late-2007 -- and driven by Wall Street.
The GOP likes to claim that the private sector is the only thing that can save the economy. While I don't disagree that a strong private sector is vital, if the theory were true, we'd be in better shape right now. the private sector has been growing for 6 straight quarters now.
Speaking of exploding memes, let's debunk the "Obama is against corporate America" myth. Look at the rise in corporate profits since the first quarter of 2009. That doesn't look like the gateway to a socialist worker's paradise.
*facepalm*, I'm soooo proud
7.16.2010
The REAL causes of the deficit
With Republicans claiming to be deficit hawks and frugality champions, it seems to be time to take a look at this chart from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities showing the true causes of the deficit.Background: Remember, the Republicans oppose the extension of unemployment ($34 billion) because it's bad for the deficit. But they support an extension of the Bush tax cuts ($678 billion), even though they're worse for the deficit. they also support an extension of subsidies to the billion-dollar-profit-making oil industry, to the tune of $4 billion a year.
But the deficit is all Obama's fault because of the stimulus and TARP. Just ask any Republican, they'll tell you. Never mind that TARP was started under President Bush and TARP saved the whole blanking economy.
The lower black line is where the deficit would be today without the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Bush-era tax cuts, TARP, and the Fannie and Freddie bailouts, the stimulus and the economic downturn.
Notice the culprits. In order, the Bush tax cuts are the biggest deficit problem we have. Second is the Bush economic downturn. Third are the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. TARP and stimulus - which have been credited with saving the economy - are far down the list.
But the GOP are concerned about the deficit. Right.
If we're truly going to talk defiict, let's look at the U.S. military budget. In 2009, military spending was $782 billion, 23% of our deficit-riddled budget. click the link and look at the projects we're funding. We're still building a Cold War military to fight 21st century battles. It's wasteful. And why? Because Congress's power is unchecked and connected politicians are able to strike deals saving outmoded bases and projects in their districts.
If we're serious about cutting the deficit, we have to look at military spending. Actually, first we have to get serious and stop any talk of the Bush tax cuts, which go to the wealthiest Americans who need it least. Cutting the funds that go directly to boost our moribund economy, unemployment and stimulus, is stupid, short-sighted and will have almost no impact on our deficit.
Chart: Hullabaloo via Cesca
O'Reilly defends Michelle Obama from Glenn Beck
With Glenn Beck complaining that Michelle Obama's outfit on the day she toured the oil spill was "an outrage", Bill O'Reilly stepped to her defense. O'Reilly chided Beck that he's worried about a dress and Laura Ingraham was claiming that the White House vegetable garden was a Communist plot.
However, the REALLY interesting thing was Beck's reaction. Laughing almost uncontrollably, he noted "Look at how many things in that garden are red." I can't help but think - as I have for a while - that Beck knows he's a button-pushing charlatan who just throws everything he can against the wall to see what sticks. He seems to be laughing when pushed about his own schtick.
Haven't you ever noticed that Beck almost NEVER has someone in studio with him, and never someone who isn't well-vetted to ensure that the narrative will never be questioned or broken?
Glenn Beck is a dangerous man.
However, the REALLY interesting thing was Beck's reaction. Laughing almost uncontrollably, he noted "Look at how many things in that garden are red." I can't help but think - as I have for a while - that Beck knows he's a button-pushing charlatan who just throws everything he can against the wall to see what sticks. He seems to be laughing when pushed about his own schtick.
Haven't you ever noticed that Beck almost NEVER has someone in studio with him, and never someone who isn't well-vetted to ensure that the narrative will never be questioned or broken?
Glenn Beck is a dangerous man.
7.15.2010
FDR's Second Bill of Rights
via Hammerito ....click through for more
How can ANYONE argue these as fundamental basic principles of a strong nation? I dare you.
How can ANYONE argue these as fundamental basic principles of a strong nation? I dare you.
Tea Party spokesman on CNN:"Racists have their own movement. It's called the NAACP":
Riiiiight. An organization that has protected people from discrimination since 1909 is racist.
I love it when rich white people try to portray themselves as victims. How sad.
I love it when rich white people try to portray themselves as victims. How sad.
7.14.2010
Real deficit numbers and the (huge) difference between tax cuts and unemployment
Reflecting on today's earlier post, what's more harmful to the deficit, unemployment or the Bush tax cuts?
Ezra
By the way, note how much cheaper it is to do tax cuts for those under $200,000. Look at how much more it costs to subsidize tax cuts for the wealthy - which is the difference between the yellow and red lines.
Ezra
By the way, note how much cheaper it is to do tax cuts for those under $200,000. Look at how much more it costs to subsidize tax cuts for the wealthy - which is the difference between the yellow and red lines.
Racism? What racism? No racism in Sarah Palin's tea party world.
On tuesday, the NAACP passed a resolution condemning the racism it sees as coming from certain elements of the Tea Party.
Of course, Mrs. tea Party Mama Grizzly Sarah Palin has derided the resolution and denied any hint of racism coming from the movement she's trying to turn into her own campaign committee. "I am saddened by the NAACP's claim that patriotic Americans who stand up for the United States of America's Constitutional rights are somehow 'racists,'" Palin wrote in a Facebook note.
To Palin, Teabaggers aren't racist because they don't shout "Nigger!". Most of them don't, anyway. But don't forget this guy at a Palin rally in PA in 2008. (h/t Cesca)
But it's not about screaming the N-word anymore. Flashback to Lee Atwater's comments about race. About how it's not necessary, or wise,to shout that anymore. Now they use code words. They all know what it means.
So Palin sees no racism. Then how about Erick Erickson, founder of RedState.com, CNN contributor and known race-baiter? today, Erickson suggested a return to the Nixon/Atwater Southern strategy of using code words to appeal to Southern whites, and their like-minded brethern by bringing back the Willie Horton ads.
The conservative Smear Machine has picked up on this, accusing the DOJ of not doing enough and blowing the racial dog whistle.
Here's Fox News' Megyn Kelly working herself into a lather because one of her guests was not vetted well enough and had the temerity to suggest that Kelly was perhaps overeacting.
Olbermann deconstructs.
Of course, Mrs. tea Party Mama Grizzly Sarah Palin has derided the resolution and denied any hint of racism coming from the movement she's trying to turn into her own campaign committee. "I am saddened by the NAACP's claim that patriotic Americans who stand up for the United States of America's Constitutional rights are somehow 'racists,'" Palin wrote in a Facebook note.
To Palin, Teabaggers aren't racist because they don't shout "Nigger!". Most of them don't, anyway. But don't forget this guy at a Palin rally in PA in 2008. (h/t Cesca)
But it's not about screaming the N-word anymore. Flashback to Lee Atwater's comments about race. About how it's not necessary, or wise,to shout that anymore. Now they use code words. They all know what it means.
You start out in 1954 by saying, "Nigger, nigger, nigger." By 1968 you can't say "nigger"—that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states' rights and all that stuff. You're getting so abstract now [that] you're talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you're talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is [that] blacks get hurt worse than whites.And the Tea Party uses code words. We want to "take our country back". From whom? Who has the country now, and why aren't they American?
And subconsciously maybe that is part of it. I'm not saying that. But I'm saying that if it is getting that abstract, and that coded, that we are doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me—because obviously sitting around saying, "We want to cut this," is much more abstract than even the busing thing, and a hell of a lot more abstract than "Nigger, nigger"
So Palin sees no racism. Then how about Erick Erickson, founder of RedState.com, CNN contributor and known race-baiter? today, Erickson suggested a return to the Nixon/Atwater Southern strategy of using code words to appeal to Southern whites, and their like-minded brethern by bringing back the Willie Horton ads.
Media MattersWho is King Samir Shabazz? He's the Black Panther who showed up at a Philadelphia polling place in 2008 and launched cries of voter intimidation. The Department of Justice investigated, found he was engaged in improper intimidation activities and acted. They placed an injunction banning him from any Philadelphia polling place for the 2012 elections.
"King Samir Shabazz Should Be 2010's Willie Horton," CNN contributor and RedState.com editor-in-chief Erick Erickson wrote of the manufactured scandal over the Justice Department's handling of the New Black Panther Party case: "Republican candidates nationwide should seize on this issue. The Democrats are giving a pass to radicals who advocate killing white kids in the name of racial justice and who try to block voters from the polls."
Erickson added: "The Democrats will scream racism. Let them. Republicans are not going to pick up significant black support anyway."
The conservative Smear Machine has picked up on this, accusing the DOJ of not doing enough and blowing the racial dog whistle.
Here's Fox News' Megyn Kelly working herself into a lather because one of her guests was not vetted well enough and had the temerity to suggest that Kelly was perhaps overeacting.
ThinkProgressWhat racism? What code words? What dog whistles?
This afternoon, Kelly invited New York Post columnist — and regular Fox contributor — Kirsten Powers to debate the importance of this story. Kelly bemoaned that “no one seems to give a darn” about the allegations promulgated by former Bush DoJ lawyer J. Christian Adams. The conservative activist claims that the Obama Justice Department dropped voter intimidation charges against the New Black Panther Party due to racial considerations. Contrary to the claims, the Obama DoJ has issued an injunction against the member of the NBPP who was seen engaging in voter intimidation tactics, prohibiting him “from displaying a weapon within 100 feet of any Philadelphia polling place through 2012.”
Powers effectively dismantled the faux scandal for what it is, telling Kelly, “You can put me in the same category of people who don’t really give a darn.” “You don’t seem to know what you’re talking about,” Kelly immediately responded, growing more enraged as the two wrestled, jabbed, and bickered over the facts:
POWERS: The minute I challenge you, you tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about?
KELLY: Because you don’t.
POWERS: You just want people to come on and just agree with you –
KELLY: No, I want informed people.
POWERS: — that what you’ve been doing and the way you’ve been completely doing the “scary black man thing.”
Powers told Kelly, “I don’t remember people screaming” about the Bush administration’s miscarriages of justice in the Civil Rights Division. “Don’t make me cut your mic,” Kelly threatened at one point. Watch the showdown:
Olbermann deconstructs.
Wingnut Rick "gather your armies" Barber gets steamrolled in AL runoff
I feel a little better about Alabama today. Between Barber and Ag Commissioner reject Dale Peterson, there is hope.
MONTGOMERY, Alabama AP — A mainstream Republican rolled past a conservative tea party activist in the primary runoff for a southeast Alabama congressional seat that Republicans hope to reclaim.
Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby was drawing 60 percent in the unofficial count in the 2nd Congressional District Republican runoff Tuesday against Rick Barber, a former Marine who operates a Montgomery pool hall that hosts tea party meetings.
Here's a Rick refresher:
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