Rep. Louie 'Terror Babies' Gohmert: The Obama Administration is Full of Muslim Brotherhood Members

Rep. Louie ‘Terror Babies’ Gohmert: The Obama Administration is Full of Muslim Brotherhood Members

Dumbest man in Congress

WingnutsApril 2013 • Views: 37,629

Texas Representative Louie Gohmert, in an interview with the crackpot conspiracy site World Net Daily:

“This administration has so many Muslim brotherhood members that have influence that they just are making wrong decisions for America.”

— Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), in an interview with WND Radio, explaining what he sees as President Obama’s downplaying of the threat of radical Islam.

UPDATE at 4/26/13 12:26:12 pm

Rep. Gohmert continued in this vein today in Congress:

Gohmert takes the House floor to say that Obama is pandering “to peple who want to destroy our way of life.”

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) April 26, 2013

Gohmert on the floor is arguing that the FBI didn’t stop Tsarnaev Boston bombing plot b/c of Obama’s political correctness on Islam

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) April 26, 2013

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141 comments

Charles Johnson Fri, Apr 26, 2013 11:31:31am

Just testing…

jaunte Fri, Apr 26, 2013 11:38:38am

I don’t suppose he’s named any?

Ogami Itto Fri, Apr 26, 2013 11:59:12am

So it’s official: Muslims are the new Communists. Ooga Booga!

Walking Spanish Down the Hall Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:08:44pm

Is there some alternative universe I’m not part of?

simoom Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:12:07pm

So are we heading toward a rehash of the Right’s strategy in the early parts of the Obama presidency? I’m thinking back when there was some weekly outrage on Fox about their finding crescents in some government logo, and when Liz Cheney was making the rounds smearing the DoJ as infiltrated by Al Qaeda sympathizers:

politico.com

Liz Cheney’s group Keep America Safe, which has led the resurgent Republican attacks on President Obama’s national security policies, is releasing a video this morning that questions the loyalties of Justice Department lawyers who advocated for detained terror suspects during the Bush Administration.

…

“Holder will only name two. Why the secrecy behind the other seven? Whose values do they share?” asks the video, suggesting that the lawyers support terrorism. “Americans have a right to know the identity of the Al Qaeda Seven.”

Battling Guantanamo had, by the end of the Bush years, become a common cause for many lawyers who objected to detention policies on Constitutional grounds, and Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich wrote Grassley that 34 of America’s 50 largest law firms represented detainees or filed amicus briefs on their behalf.

erik_t Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:25:48pm

At long last, Louie, have you no sense of decency? Or, failing that, maybe a two brain cells to rub together?

Bulworth Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:28:03pm

re: #2 jaunte

It’s the Administration’s burden to prove its members are not Muslim Brotherhoods or Friends of Hamas!

Varek Raith Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:29:52pm

This is really infuriating me.
GOP, you all fucking suck for encouraging this bullshit. This is dangerous.
Fucktards.
/Rage

Kragar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:30:11pm

Gohmert, Perry, Paul, Barton

Apparently Texas is full of dim witted, bigoted assholes.

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:30:28pm

“This administration has so many Muslim brotherhood members that have influence that they just are making wrong decisions for America.”
— Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), in an interview with WND Radio, explaining what he sees as President Obama’s downplaying of the threat of radical Islam.

Yep. That’s why Osama bin Laden is still alive and all the drone strikes that the moonbats are whinging about are aimed at white people.

Oh. Wait.

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:30:56pm

re: #9 Kragar

Apparently Texas is full of dim witted, bigoted assholes.

That’s a feature, not a bug.

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:32:13pm

re: #4 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Is there some alternative universe I’m not part of?

Better question: Would you really want to live in that alternate universe?

Seems like a really dreary place filled with ignorant nutters and paranoia.

freetoken Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:34:01pm

re: #5 simoom

So are we heading toward a rehash of the Right’s strategy in the early parts of the Obama presidency?

The Christmas tree ornaments will be back… just wait for it.

Political Atheist Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:36:50pm

This is sedition. Which of course was decriminalized long ago, end of WW1 IIRC. But it is surely still the act of sedition. It’s just not prosecutable because we are a far better country than that. Nevertheless, he should be called out on it as such. During WW1 people were jailed for less.

Mattand Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:37:05pm

Here’s the difference between Bush Derangement Syndrome and Obama Derangement Syndrome: The BDS folk never, at any time, had control of the Democratic Party the way ODS folk do with the GOP.

I’ve taken to calling the GOP the American Taliban as of late. I’m beginning to rethink that, though, as it’s possible the Taliban have a better grip on reality.

Interesting Times Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:37:40pm

I hereby request that henceforth, all posts about Louie Gohmert must be illustrated with this pic:

Image: anderson-cooper-gohmert.jpg

…and captioned appropriately.

The Ghost of a Flea Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:38:58pm

Yikes, Louie’s about three Godwin units away from November criminals and The Stab In The Back.

jaunte Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:39:18pm

re: #4 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Is there some alternative universe I’m not part of?

Rick Perry and Louie Gohmert were both big men on campus in Texas Aggie land.

Stanley Sea Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:39:30pm

POTUS middle name is still Hussain.

Varek Raith Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:40:37pm

_{_Barrack}HUSSAIN_{_Obama}

lawhawk Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:43:35pm

How dare GOPers question the loyalty of the President of the US, let alone Democrats.

Terrorists attacked the US, and the GOP’s first inclination is to engage in attacks on the President, questioning his loyalty and pushing conspiracy theories to 11ty? That after chastising Democrats that they weren’t patriotic by questioning GOP decisions and those of the President following 9/11?

Being in the loyal opposition means nothing to the GOP. They’re just flat out obstructionists whose only interest is reclaiming power for their own. What’s good for the nation as a whole doesn’t matter.

Meanwhile, NBC News reports that the bombs used in the Boston bombing “closely follow AQ designs” from the AQ online sources:

A detailed analysis of the bombs used at the Boston Marathon and during a firefight between the suspects and law enforcement shows how closely the bombmakers followed instructions from the digital al Qaeda magazine “Inspire,” according to a government document obtained by NBC News.

The unclassified report from the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center found that the pipe bombs allegedly thrown from a car by Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev during last Friday’s chase through Watertown, Mass., resembled the design described in “How to Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom,” an article in the first issue of the English-language magazine. At least one of the Watertown bombs used an elbow pipe wrapped in black tape, as discussed in “Inspire.”

“The use of elbow pipes specifically is unique,” states the report, “and rare in other extremist and anarchist literature.”

So, what we’ve got at the moment appears to be lone wolf terrorists who held grievances against the US using AQ materials to aid them in developing the explosives to attack targets in the US. It’s a scenario that is exceedingly hard to uncover because the fewer people involved in a planned attack, the less likely it is someone will spill the beans and law enforcement will pick up.

leftynyc Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:43:44pm

Here’s a very cool story. Mickey Mantle’s contract is being auctioned off and the proceeds are going to a NJ relief fund for Hurricane Sandy:

usatoday.com

Kragar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:47:03pm

About that whole military blocking the SBC website thing:

Conspiracy fail: Baptist website was blocked for Malware, not anti-Christian agenda at DoD

The Ghost of a Flea Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:48:16pm

re: #23 Kragar

About that whole military blocking the SBC website thing:

Conspiracy fail: Baptist website was blocked for Malware, not anti-Christian agenda at DoD

Accept Christ’s love. _{And his botnet.}

Bulworth Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:48:16pm

re: #23 Kragar

My surprise, let me show you it.

Shiplord Kirel Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:48:40pm

re: #18 jaunte

Rick Perry and Louie Gohmert were both big men on campus in Texas Aggie land.

Indeed. Perry was a Redpot, sort of an exalted high shaman in the Bonfire Cult. Gomer, for his part, was class president and a brigade commander in the Corps of Cadets

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:52:34pm

re: #21 lawhawk

Being in the loyal opposition means nothing to the GOP. They’re just flat out obstructionists whose only interest is reclaiming power for their own. What’s good for the nation as a whole doesn’t matter.

That’s been true since Clinton took office. My entire voting life, the GOP have been like this. It just got ramped up to ZOMG ELEVENTY OOGA BOOGA when a black man got elected President.

Charles Johnson Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:53:15pm

I started watching Alex Jones’s response to Rachel Maddow’s criticisms (posted yesterday), but I had to stop. What a revolting slug of a man. Disturbing that so many people are attracted to this kind of sheer ugliness.

Alex Jones Calls Rachel Maddow a ‘Janet Reno Look-Alike’

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:53:26pm

re: #3 Ogami Itto

So it’s official: Muslims are the new Communists. Ooga Booga!

When I was a kid, the total paranoia about communists was freighteningly insane. One difference, then to now is that it wasn’t just the politicians, the whole of the media was infused with it and cooperated in absolute submission to the government.

I guess we’re on a road back to that level of paranoia.

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:54:40pm

re: #28 Charles Johnson

My condolences. Listening to Alex Jones is painful.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:56:37pm

re: #29 stabby

When I was a kid, the total paranoia about communists was freighteningly insane. One difference, then to now is that it wasn’t just the politicians, the whole of the media was infused with it and cooperated in absolute submission to the government.

I guess we’re on a road back to that level of paranoia.

Yeah, there are even some morons running around saying that Islam is worse that Christianity and Judaism, that people who follow it have to take it all literally, etc. Robert Spencer, for one. And you.

Dr Lizardo Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:56:38pm

re: #29 stabby

When I was a kid, the total paranoia about communists was freighteningly insane. One difference, then to now is that it wasn’t just the politicians, the whole of the media was infused with it and cooperated in absolute submission to the government.

I guess we’re on a road back to that level of paranoia.

There needs to be a pushback against that kind of nonsense and it can be done.

Call the GOP what they are; fanatical bigots, racists and xenophobes. Compare them constantly, at every opportunity, to the KKK. Never, ever let up.

Bulworth Fri, Apr 26, 2013 12:57:55pm

re: #26 Shiplord Kirel

This is indeed some discouraging information about Texas A&M. That Gohmert could have been a class president and any sort of commander is rather distressing.

GunstarGreen Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:01:35pm

The State Department is infested with muslims. I have here in my hand a list of 57—a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Muslim Brotherhood and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department.

Somebody please summon the meteors. This nation deserves nothing less.

Decatur Deb Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:03:38pm

re: #34 GunstarGreen

Somebody please summon the meteors. This nation deserves nothing less.

Always stick with the classics.

Dr Lizardo Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:03:49pm

re: #34 GunstarGreen

Somebody please summon the meteors. This nation deserves nothing less.

Maybe, like McCarthy, it’s just a laundry or grocery list.

Gohmert is full of shit, and he knows it. He sees this as his “McCarthy Moment”. Maybe he can even hold hearings.

efuseakay Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:05:22pm

So Osama Bin Laden was really a Christian? I KNEW IT!

kirkspencer Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:05:29pm

re: #33 Bulworth

This is indeed some discouraging information about Texas A&M. That Gohmert could have been a class president and any sort of commander is rather distressing.

The frightening thing about him is that he’s smart. He was also class president at Baylor where he got his JD. He did very well his four years of JAG service (mostly Ft. Benning, mostly defense attorney).

Decatur Deb Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:06:45pm

re: #38 kirkspencer

The frightening thing about him is that he’s smart. He was also class president at Baylor where he got his JD. He did very well his four years of JAG service (mostly Ft. Benning, mostly defense attorney).

So he’s a common son of a bitch pretending to be stupid.

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:07:09pm

re: #36 Dr Lizardo

Maybe, like McCarthy, it’s just a laundry or grocery list.

Gohmert is full of shit, and he knows it. He sees this as his “McCarthy Moment”. Maybe he can even hold hearings.

It is telling that one of the RW nutjob history revision projects these days is rehabilitating Joe McCarthy.

klys Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:07:12pm

re: #38 kirkspencer

The frightening thing about him is that he’s smart. He was also class president at Baylor where he got his JD. He did very well his four years of JAG service (mostly Ft. Benning, mostly defense attorney).

Well, I’m not sure that the evidence before us would indicate any talent at critical thinking. But he’s at least capable of reguritating what he’s taught.

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:08:14pm

re: #18 jaunte

Rick Perry and Louie Gohmert were both big men on campus in Texas Aggie land.

As someone with a lot of relatives who went to A&M, including a few who in the Corps and one who was in the Marching Band, I am far too familiar with the Cult of Aggieland.

No offense to anyone here who went there, but the only thing that would have ever made me an Aggie would have been a full scholarship, and even then it would have been a struggle.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:08:31pm

re: #31 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

exaggerating that they’re all the same just loses you credibility. Beware manipulative overkill.

Dr Lizardo Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:08:40pm

re: #40 EPR-radar

It is telling that one of the RW nutjob history revision projects these days is rehabilitating Joe McCarthy.

No surprise to me. Historical revisionism is big with the RWNJ’s.

They can’t make objective historical reality fit their narrative, so they’ll simply rewrite it. That’s some major chutzpah, I gotta admit.

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:11:05pm

re: #44 Dr Lizardo

No surprise to me. Historical revisionism is big with the RWNJ’s.

They can’t make objective historical reality fit their narrative, so they’ll simply rewrite it. That’s some major chutzpah, I gotta admit.

The rehabilitation of McCarthy isn’t just to fix the historical narrative. They want to legitimize that approach to politics because McCarthyism is the only thing the GOP has left in its playbook.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:11:16pm

re: #43 stabby

exaggerating that they’re all the same just loses you credibility. Beware manipulative overkill.

No clue what you’re talking about, dude. The paranoia about Muslims is something you help to propagate by continuing your dumbass statements that Islam is inherently worse than Christianity and Judaism. Islam varies between the guy who only does it on the holidays and the fervent zealot, just like every other religion. And just like Christianity and Judaism, there is no “Islam”, there’s a ton of different variations.

I don’t know why this is something you refuse to take another look at. It’s sad.

And hypocritical, when you then seem aghast at this demonization of Muslims.

GunstarGreen Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:13:19pm

I think the thing that pisses me off the most is that it’s so obvious. It’s so easy to see and verify. And I’m not even a particularly attentive student of history. It’s entirely trivial to do a cursory search and realize that it is exactly McCarthy’s speeches, just with Communist replaced with Muslim. And yet there’s no outrage. There’s no widespread denunciation of it. People just repeat the same bullshit history over and over again.

First As Tragedy, Then As Farce Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:14:09pm

re: #2 jaunte

I don’t suppose he’s named any?

He’s got binders full of them.

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:14:42pm

re: #47 GunstarGreen

It’s entirely trivial to do a cursory search and realize that it is exactly McCarthy’s speeches, just with Communist replaced with Muslim. And yet there’s no outrage. There’s no widespread denunciation of it. People just repeat the same bullshit history over and over again.

That’s because the nutters on the right now see Joe McCarthy as a hero, not a pariah. Why would they denounce anyone who sounds like McCarthy?

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:14:59pm

re: #46 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

The needs of manipulating people toward having no hatred are that you have a simple narrative where there is no evil in the world.

I’d rather keep my words truthful rather than manipulatively useful.

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:15:32pm

re: #49 Lidane

That’s because the nutters on the right now see Joe McCarthy as a hero, not a pariah. Why would they denounce anyone who sounds like McCarthy?

Especially when they want to implement McCarthyism v 2.0.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:15:32pm

re: #47 GunstarGreen

I think the thing that pisses me off the most is that it’s so obvious. It’s so easy to see and verify. And I’m not even a particularly attentive student of history. It’s entirely trivial to do a cursory search and realize that it is exactly McCarthy’s speeches, just with Communist replaced with Muslim. And yet there’s no outrage. There’s no widespread denunciation of it. People just repeat the same bullshit history over and over again.

And the denunciation of it is often “No, there aren’t any Muslims in his cabinet!” as though being Muslims is bad. It’s the “No no, he’s a decent man” thing that McCain did.

Dr Lizardo Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:17:51pm

re: #52 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

And the denunciation of it is often “No, there aren’t any Muslims in his cabinet!” as though being Muslims is bad. It’s the “No no, he’s a decent man” thing that McCain did.

Gohmert is not a decent man.

He’s stands in direct opposition to everything the United States stands for.

Simply put, he’s a traitor.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:19:46pm

re: #50 stabby

The needs of manipulating people toward having no hatred are that you have a simple narrative where there is no evil in the world.

I’d rather keep my words truthful rather than manipulatively useful.

I don’t think there’s no evil in the world. You really overthink shit.

Why can’t you just accept that Islam and Christianity, despite both having some advocates who say that it has to be taken literally, clearly have a majority of adherents not taking it literally, and even those who do take it literally disagree on what it ‘literally’ means?

It’s perfectly possible to be a barely-religious Muslim just like it’s possible to be a barely-religious Christian. And it’s just as possible to be fanatics about either. And both texts have plenty to back up whatever the hell their ‘literal’ interpreters mean.

I am really serious when I say it’s hypocritical of you to decry the GOP for demonizing Muslims while you hold this belief that Islam is worse than Christianity and Judaism.

Eclectic Cyborg Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:20:50pm

re: #51 EPR-radar

Especially when they want to implement McCarthyism v 2.0.

More like McCarthyism v 9.11.

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:21:46pm

re: #46 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

No clue what you’re talking about, dude. The paranoia about Muslims is something you help to propagate by continuing your dumbass statements that Islam is inherently worse than Christianity and Judaism. Islam varies between the guy who only does it on the holidays and the fervent zealot, just like every other religion. And just like Christianity and Judaism, there is no “Islam”, there’s a ton of different variations.

I don’t know why this is something you refuse to take another look at. It’s sad.

And hypocritical, when you then seem aghast at this demonization of Muslims.

He also thinks gun control is a stupid, meaningless issue that is a waste of time for Democrats.

littlegreenfootballs.com

Shiplord Kirel Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:21:54pm

For decades the media and pop culture demonized McCarthy but, in their usual brainless fashion, they conflated him with HUAC and the Hollywood black list. I meet people all the time who think McCarthy created the black list and that this was his primary, or only, offense. They therefore fail to recognize the very real parallels between his campaign, which primarily targeted government employees, and the anti-Muslim demagoguery of people like Gohmert.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:22:13pm

re: #53 Dr Lizardo

Gohmert is not a decent man.

He’s stands in direct opposition to everything the United States stands for.

Simply put, he’s a traitor.

I think he probably believes his own bullshit. He probably thinks he’s patriotic as fuck.

Traitor has a pretty narrow definition, and he wouldn’t fit it unless he’s a completely self-serving dude and has no principles. I think he just has massively wrong, awful, shitty principles. I don’t think he’s a traitor. He’s not an Aaron Burr type. Most of them really believe their own bullshit, at least on some level. It’s part of what makes them so hard to deal with.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:22:42pm

re: #54 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I spent years studying the middle east. I’ve also wasted time reading the Koran and Hadith. The examples are endless, Islam is worse. When you understand what people say and think you find that bad behavior is not surprising. You also find that you have very little hope that things will improve. In this lack of hope, I have the same feeling as people who live there.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:23:15pm

re: #56 blueraven

I think that’s a defensible opinion, though wrong. But that’s nowhere near the level of believing Islam is the specially bad religion, worse than Christianity.

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:23:32pm

re: #53 Dr Lizardo

Gohmert is not a decent man.

He’s stands in direct opposition to everything the United States stands for.

Simply put, he’s a traitor.

I prefer to have ‘traitor’ kept strictly to its constitutional definition. IMO, it is not helpful for both left and right to be screaming ‘traitor’ at each other. Lets have that nonsense just come from the right.

Gohmert can be criticized for what he is (e.g., drooling wing nut, or person pandering to drooling wing nuts) just fine without invoking ‘treason’.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:24:10pm

I also wasted my time arguing with radical muslims.. and a few less radical ones who none-the-less hate Jews or Israelis or at least want to be seen as hating them (so as not to lose face)…

erik_t Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:24:50pm

My sea-of-downdings finger is getting all itchy.

Shiplord Kirel Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:24:50pm

Gohmert is engaged in an exact, and quite possibly conscious, analog of McCarthy’s efforts to target civil servants and government employees.

Varek Raith Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:25:00pm

re: #59 stabby

Congrats, you espouse the view of Geller and Spencer.

Decatur Deb Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:25:50pm

re: #57 Shiplord Kirel

For decades the media and pop culture demonized McCarthy but, in their usual brainless fashion, they conflated him with HUAC and the Hollywood black list. I meet people all the time who think McCarthy created the black list and that this was his primary, or only, offense. They therefore fail to recognize the very real parallels between his campaign, which primarily targeted government employees, and the anti-Muslim demagoguery of people like Gohmert.

We’ll know he’s a clone when he attacks the US Army. Funny if something like the SBC website blockage brought him out.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:26:06pm

re: #59 stabby

Holy shit, you really do believe that you’re some sort of expert on this. That’s fucking amazing.

Speaking of buying your own bullshit.

Sorry, Stabby, I’m not going to validate your stupid bigotry just because you’re assuring me that, no really, you’ve taken a good objective look at the Koran and the Tanakh and performed the immense, immense moral and ethical calculus it would take to compare the two. In general, the way you approach topics is goddamn sophomoric.

Why on earth would you think you’d convince me, or anyone, just by saying, “No really, guys, I read the Koran and it’s terrible and I’ve studied the middle east and Islam is especially evil guys”?

Eclectic Cyborg Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:26:38pm

80 million people put off medical care last year because they couldn’t afford it

A growing number of Americans are skipping needed medical care because they can’t afford it.

Some 80 million people, around 43% of America’s working-age adults, didn’t go to the doctor or access other medical services last year because of the cost, according to the Commonwealth Fund’s Biennial Health Insurance Survey, released Friday. That’s up from 75 million people two years ago and 63 million in 2003.

Not surprisingly, those who were uninsured or had inadequate health insurance were most likely to have trouble affording care. But 28% of working-age adults with good insurance also had to forgo treatment because of the price.

Nearly three in 10 adults said they did not visit a doctor or clinic when they had a medical problem, while more than a quarter did not fill a prescription or skipped recommended tests, treatment or follow-up visits. One in five said they did not get needed specialist care.

And 28% of those with a chronic condition like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and asthma who needed medication for it reported they did not fill prescriptions or skipped doses because they couldn’t afford to pay for the drugs.

Even those with coverage find themselves shelling out more for deductibles and co-payments. The share of Americans with deductibles greater than $1,000 more than tripled between 2003 and 2012, reaching 25%.

“Costs of health care have gone up faster than wages,” said David Blumenthal, president of the Commonwealth Fund.

lawhawk Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:26:53pm

11+ years after 9/11, and they’re still finding body parts.

11+ years after 9/11, and they’re still finding parts from the planes that struck the WTC. Today, they found part of the landing gear wedged between two buildings not far from my office. In fact, it’s wedged between 51 Park Place and the building at 50 Murray Street.

11 1/2 years later, look what someone discovered tween 2 buildings in lower manhattan: landing gear from a 9-11 plane twitter.com/billritter7/st…
— Bill Ritter (@billritter7) April 26, 2013

If 51 Park sounds familiar, it’s because that was one of the buildings that its developers wanted to turn into a mosque and community center. And in an odd turn of events, reports this morning had indicated that the developer had bought another adjacent building on Park with the intention to turn the group of Park Place buildings into condos.

thedopefishlives Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:26:54pm

re: #67 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

To inject a bit of levity into this discussion, click here.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:27:47pm

re: #65 Varek Raith

Reality doesn’t care whether it’s convenient, truth doesn’t care whether it’s socially acceptable, nor whether human beings can handle it well.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:28:16pm

re: #65 Varek Raith

Congrats, you espouse the view of Geller and Spencer.

What is especially bizarre is that he’s capable of bemoaning the ‘paranoia’ of the GOP on one hand and then ranting about how Islam is the worst religion on the other.

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:28:36pm

re: #61 EPR-radar

I prefer to have ‘traitor’ kept strictly to its constitutional definition. IMO, it is not helpful for both left and right to be screaming ‘traitor’ at each other. Lets have that nonsense just come from the right.

Gohmert can be criticized for what he is (e.g., drooling wing nut, or person pandering to drooling wing nuts) just fine without invoking ‘treason’.

THIS. Treason has a very specific definition. I don’t like throwing it around lightly.

Gohmert is stupid, offensive, bigoted, and quite possibly seditious. Calling him a traitor is straight out of the WingNut Drooly book, though.

Varek Raith Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:29:09pm

Yep, another case of completely buying your own BS.
Sad.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:29:27pm

Someone here linked to a Michael Totten piece the other day, he said just what I just did, that people in, say Lebanon, and the rest of the middle east generally have no hope that things will improve.

Dr Lizardo Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:30:58pm

re: #58 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I think he probably believes his own bullshit. He probably thinks he’s patriotic as fuck.

Traitor has a pretty narrow definition, and he wouldn’t fit it unless he’s a completely self-serving dude and has no principles. I think he just has massively wrong, awful, shitty principles. I don’t think he’s a traitor. He’s not an Aaron Burr type. Most of them really believe their own bullshit, at least on some level. It’s part of what makes them so hard to deal with.

You’re right. ‘Traitor’ is too strong a word.

Ignoramus might be, perhaps, more appropriate.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:31:12pm

The Middle East taught me pessimism. Much of the region goes in circles instead of progressing, and I’ve seen one country after another circle the drain.
Optimism is very American. It’s not exclusively American, and of course we have our own setbacks and failures, but things have generally trended toward the better in American life since the nation was founded.

The Middle East, though, teaches another way of looking at history’s trajectory. My own naïve optimism was dashed on the rocks in Lebanon and Iraq and hasn’t recovered. I never even bothered with optimism in Egypt. There’s nothing there to be optimistic about.

And I rarely meet anybody who actually lives over there who isn’t a pessimist. Expecting the best while everyone around you is expecting the worst is a difficult thing to pull off. It probably isn’t advisable even to try.

I have to go to work now, bye

iossarian Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:31:16pm

re: #71 stabby

Reality doesn’t care whether it’s convenient, truth doesn’t care whether it’s socially acceptable, nor whether human beings can handle it well.

What are you actually claiming here - that there happen to be a greater number of radical Muslims who espouse violence in the world today than their Christian counterparts, or that the foundational texts of Islam are more apt to provoke violence than those of Christianity?

If it’s the latter, I think you’ll need to come up with a bit more detail than “I’ve read them - they’re bad” if you want to convince people of your point of view.

GunstarGreen Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:31:36pm

re: #59 stabby

Leviticus would like to have a word with you.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:32:19pm

srry, fixed the bold to blockquote if you reload

The Ghost of a Flea Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:32:33pm

re: #71 stabby

Reality doesn’t care whether it’s convenient, truth doesn’t care whether it’s socially acceptable, nor whether human beings can handle it well.

Wrestle your way of a that paper bag of “I’m an expert who won’t actually articulate my expertise but instead make bald assertions.”

You’re dumb. You’re the type of dumb that imagines there’s some kind of threshold where your opinion becomes objective, just because of your confidence.

Back to ignoring you, because you’re the kind of dumb that imagines there’s some kind of threshold where your opinion becomes objective, just because of your confidence.

(I felt that needed repeating because, as I said, dumb)

Now I’m going to drop the mike and walk away, before I say something genuinely rude.

wrenchwench Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:33:05pm

re: #77 stabby

I have to go to work now. Bye

Define ‘now’.

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:33:14pm

re: #73 Lidane

THIS. Treason has a very specific definition. I don’t like throwing it around lightly.

Gohmert is stupid, offensive, bigoted, and quite possibly seditious. Calling him a traitor is straight out of the WingNut Drooly book, though.

As another example, I am no fan of GW Bush. IMO, he is easily the worst president we’ve had in at least the last 100 years.

But a traitor? Not even close. Lying the US into a war of choice is simply not treason. Other real or credibly alleged crimes of GW Bush are also not even close to be being treason.

stabby Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:33:39pm

re: #79 GunstarGreen

Leviticus would like to have a word with you.

True, there are worse things in Leviticus than in the Koran, but there’s a preponderance of hostility in the Koran and other Islamic writing.

engineer cat Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:33:53pm

Rep. Louie ‘Terror Babies’ Gohmert: The Obama Administration is Full of

it’s one thing when bryan fischer or glen beck sprouts this kind of crap, and another thing when a sitting member of congress does it

Varek Raith Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:33:53pm

re: #82 wrenchwench

Define ‘now’.

Soon.

Youtube Video

gwangung Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:34:17pm

re: #71 stabby

Reality doesn’t care whether it’s convenient, truth doesn’t care whether it’s socially acceptable, nor whether human beings can handle it well.

Reality also doesn’t care what YOU think, and thinks you’re entirely out of touch.

iossarian Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:35:01pm

re: #77 stabby

Optimism is very American. It’s not exclusively American, and of course we have our own setbacks and failures, but things have generally trended toward the better in American life since the nation was founded.

This is such bullshit. America happens to have been the dominant political and cultural force for the past 100 years, give or take a few. So things are going great (for some people - they’re crap for a depressingly large segment of the population).

Give it another century, laddie. Empires don’t last too long nowadays. The idea that people in the Middle East are somehow responsible for their misfortunes because they’re not optimistic like Americans is just really, really trite.

Walking Spanish Down the Hall Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:35:08pm

re: #85 engineer cat

Rep. Louie ‘Terror Babies’ Gohmert: The Obama Administration is Full of

it’s one thing when bryan fischer or glen beck sprout this kind of crap, and another thing when a sitting member of congress does it

Your typo brought some pretty weird images to my brain. Can you please make it stop now?

thedopefishlives Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:35:40pm

Wow, the herp derp is an insidious plague. It’s spreading like wildfire even here among the Lizardim. Someone call the pharmacy, we need a mass dosage of the anti-derp vaccine, stat.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:36:12pm

re: #84 stabby

True, there are worse things in Leviticus than in the Koran, but there’s a preponderance of hostility in the Koran and other Islamic writing.

Can you link to where you published this amazing scholarly work of comparing two such dense texts? And the subsidiary bit where you connected the material in the texts to the actual religion— given that, bizarrely, the religion with the New Testament, the softest and fluffiest texts often had gigantic genocidal wars in the name of their religion?

Walking Spanish Down the Hall Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:36:21pm

re: #87 gwangung

Reality also doesn’t care what YOU think, and thinks you’re entirely out of touch.

Reality is in the eye of the beholder.

Or is that a mote?

lawhawk Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:37:43pm

re: #59 stabby

I spent years studying the middle east. I’ve also wasted time reading the Koran and Hadith. The examples are endless, Islam is worse. When you understand what people say and think you find that bad behavior is not surprising. You also find that you have very little hope that things will improve. In this lack of hope, I have the same feeling as people who live there.

As someone who has also spent years (10+ in college/grad school w specialization in ME politics) and writing about ME politics for going on 20 years, I can come to a completely different conclusion.

The similarities between Islam and Judaism and between Islam and Christianity are there and that reading the NT, Koran, Hadith and OT are anything but wasting time if you want to gain insight into the minds of those who espouse those beliefs and want to apply them to the political world. Cherry picking how some have come to interpret the law does no one any favors, but that’s what has been done through history.

Vicious Babushka Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:38:36pm

MOAR DERP

RT ?@gary68046 TRAITOR…#tcot #TGDN[ twitter.com/Gary68046/stat… - Cicero 106-43 BC ]@david_cameron @premiertusk @sikorskiradek #EUVote @ukip
— It’sAllAboutLiberty! (@Little_Cossack) April 26, 2013

engineer cat Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:40:09pm

re: #84 stabby

True, there are worse things in Leviticus than in the Koran, but there’s a preponderance of hostility in the Koran and other Islamic writing.

i feel plenty of preponderance of hostility coming out of wingnuttia, a lot of it directed at people like me, among others, using both religious and secular rhetoric

all religions have plenty of both can’t-we-all-love-one-another as well as why-are-unbelievers-allowed-to-live preachers

iossarian Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:41:02pm

re: #94 Vicious Babushka

Right-wingers love them some WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS.

Must be something to do with that oh-so-attractive social system, with the slaves and the women and poors knowing their place and all that.

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:41:46pm

re: #94 Vicious Babushka

For most of recorded history, ‘traitor’ has been largely synonymous with ‘political opponent’.

The explicit definition of treason in the US constitution is an early and admirable counter-example.

Vicious Babushka Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:44:20pm

re: #96 iossarian

Right-wingers love them some WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS.

Must be something to do with that oh-so-attractive social system, with the slaves and the women and poors knowing their place and all that.

It’s a TREASON quote, who care who said it.

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:44:26pm

re: #60 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I think that’s a defensible opinion, though wrong. But that’s nowhere near the level of believing Islam is the specially bad religion, worse than Christianity.

I agree that it is nowhere near the level of his position on Islam, but do not think being against a watered down background check bill is defensible.

100

Big Steve Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:46:02pm

re: #93 lawhawk

As someone who has also spent years (10+ in college/grad school w specialization in ME politics) and writing about ME politics for going on 20 years, I can come to a completely different conclusion.

The similarities between Islam and Judaism and between Islam and Christianity are there and that reading the NT, Koran, Hadith and OT are anything but wasting time if you want to gain insight into the minds of those who espouse those beliefs and want to apply them to the political world. Cherry picking how some have come to interpret the law does no one any favors, but that’s what has been done through history.

I agree. I did spend time reading the Koran. My biggest impression is that while the bible, old and new testament use a variety of literary techniques….stories, histories, genealogy, poems, sex, essays, lectures to make the point, the Koran is essentially all lecture. It makes for boring reading but it doesn’t lessen the message. It is really very similar to reading Paul’s letters in the New testament or listening to an endless sermon. While reading it probably 75% went over my head, some of it seemed sane, and some of it was really WTF stuff.

101

Romantic Heretic Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:46:10pm

re: #15 Mattand

Here’s the difference between Bush Derangement Syndrome and Obama Derangement Syndrome: The BDS folk never, at any time, had control of the Democratic Party the way ODS folk do with the GOP.

I’ve taken to calling the GOP the American Taliban as of late. I’m beginning to rethink that, though, as it’s possible the Taliban have a better grip on reality.

I call them Bolsheviks myself. They are revolutionaries motivated by a lust for power and with an agenda driven by economic determinism.

102

Stephen T. Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:48:42pm

re: #68 Eclectic Cyborg

80 million people put off medical care last year because they couldn’t afford it

I’m one of the people that should have put off medical care last year because I have now learned that I’ll never pay it off. I have insurance, but the insurance doesn’t pay out until the deductible is met. The deductible resets every January 2, so I must pay up to the deductible in one year for the insurance to kick in and pay off the surgery. The max I’m able to pay a year is less than the interest rate on the bill. I will be paying for this surgery for the rest of my life, and my wife will be expected to continue paying it even after I’m gone.

103

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:49:51pm

re: #99 blueraven

I agree that it is nowhere near the level on his position on Islam, but do not think being against a watered down background check bill is defensible.

I didn’t read that as him being against the bill, just against fighting this fight now.

104

engineer cat Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:50:57pm

re: #89 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Your typo brought some pretty weird images to my brain. Can you please make it stop now?

what, you never heard of crap flowers?

105

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:52:34pm

re: #103 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I didn’t read that as him being against the bill, just against fighting this fight now.

Same thing in my eyes. If not now, when?

106

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:52:49pm

re: #103 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I didn’t read that as him being against the bill, just against fighting this fight now.

That was my take as well. I’m in favor of significant gun control, but the political realities are such that attempts to actually do anything at all often backfire on the Democrats.

107

Kragar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:55:00pm

Fischer: ‘Eventually All of America Is Going to Agree With Me’ to Ban Muslims and Mosques

On his radio program today, Bryan Fischer dedicated a segment to reiterating, for what seems like the hundredth time, his call for bans on Muslim immigration, Muslims serving in the military, and the building of mosques in America.

Following that segment, Fischer admitted that his proposals are considered radical but predicted that eventually “all of America is going to agree with me” and the only question is how many more people will have to die before they see the light.

“It may take ten years,” Fischer said, “It make take a lot more jihadist attacks, a lot more innocent Americans dead, that may be what it takes to bring America to its senses but I believe that’s where we’re going to wind up. I believe eventually all of America is going to agree with me on this and the only question is whether America will agree with me before it is too late or after it is too late”:

108

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:55:52pm

re: #106 EPR-radar

That was my take as well. I’m in favor of significant gun control, but the political realities are such that attempts to actually do anything at all often backfire on the Democrats.

If always being successful is the motivation for fighting for something, then we should just give up now. And I dont think it backfired on anyone but the people who voted against it.

109

erik_t Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:56:30pm

re: #107 Kragar

Fischer: ‘Eventually All of America Is Going to Agree With Me’ to Ban Muslims and Mosques

“It may take ten years,” Fischer said, “It make take a lot more jihadist attacks, a lot more innocent Americans dead, that may be what it takes to bring America to its senses”

Number of Americans killed in “jihadist attacks” in the last ten years, by my count: four.

Might take a little longer than that, Bryan.

110

Varek Raith Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:58:53pm

re: #107 Kragar

Fischer: ‘Eventually All of America Is Going to Agree With Me’ to Ban Muslims and Mosques

Fixed.

“It may take ten years,” Fischer said, “It make take a lot more gun attacks, a lot more innocent Americans dead, that may be what it takes to bring America to its senses but I believe that’s where we’re going to wind up. I believe eventually all of America is going to agree with me on this and the only question is whether America will agree with me before it is too late or after it is too late”:

111

Lidane Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:59:04pm

re: #107 Kragar

Fischer: ‘Eventually All of America Is Going to Agree With Me’ to Ban Muslims and Mosques

Image: PANTS-ON-HEAD-RETARDED-500x400.jpg

112

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 1:59:51pm

re: #105 blueraven

Same thing in my eyes. If not now, when?

When there isn’t an unprecedented obstructionist opposition the government torpedoing everything anyway. I mean, it gets a little weird. We can fight it all we want but it won’t actually go anywhere because of them. The fight has necessarily got to be a cultural one, as long as they’re in power. There is no actual chance of getting it through right now, this is a totally easy issue for them to stonewall on. Most people disagree with them but they don’t care, enough of their fervent base does to justify their stand in their own minds.

So, it depends what you mean. It’s always a morally good thing to fight but right now I don’t think there’s any political leverage to push the GOP with on this.

113

Eclectic Cyborg Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:00:28pm

OT, but I had a rather odd experience today.

I suddenly found that shopping for Mother’s day cards is not as easy as it used to be because my mom and I have not been on the best of terms since she and my dad divorced in 2004. We still love each other and care for one another, but she’s just the same mom she used to be so traditional card sayings like “thank you for the example you set” or “your heart is always full of warmth and love” or “There’s nothing I enjoy more than spending time with you” , etc. don’t really “Fit” anymore.

I did eventually find a card that seemed appropriate but it took awhile.

114

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:03:20pm

re: #112 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

When there isn’t an unprecedented obstructionist opposition the government torpedoing everything anyway. I mean, it gets a little weird. We can fight it all we want but it won’t actually go anywhere because of them. The fight has necessarily got to be a cultural one, as long as they’re in power. There is no actual chance of getting it through right now, this is a totally easy issue for them to stonewall on. Most people disagree with them but they don’t care, enough of their fervent base does to justify their stand in their own minds.

So, it depends what you mean. It’s always a morally good thing to fight but right now I don’t think there’s any political leverage to push the GOP with on this.

Maybe if Ayotte is targeted over her vote and loses her next Senate bid, that will change.

Nevertheless, we lost on healthcare for years, but we kept at it. We always have to keep at it, if it is important.

115

William Barnett-Lewis Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:03:27pm

re: #50 stabby

The needs of manipulating people toward having no hatred are that you have a simple narrative where there is no evil in the world.

I’d rather keep my words truthful rather than manipulatively useful.

Stabby, just step back from the bottle. Your liver will thank you later and you’ll stop making even less sense than Drunken Pam.

116

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:04:21pm

re: #114 blueraven

Maybe if Ayotte is targeted over her vote and loses her next Senate bid, that will change.

Nevertheless, we lost on healthcare for years, but we kept at it. We always have to keep at it, if it is important.

Well yeah, but keeping at it also means accepting some years you’re not going to win the political battle on it, so ‘fighting’ it becomes a little ceremonial. I do think that gun culture has to change, that people have to stop pretending that guns are appropriate for nearly everyone to own.

117

Vicious Babushka Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:04:40pm

Just People #UniteBlue twitter.com/Tomthunkit/sta…
— Tomthunkit (@Tomthunkit) April 26, 2013

118

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:04:55pm

re: #108 blueraven

If always being successful is the motivation for fighting for something, then we should just give up now. And I dont think it backfired on anyone but the people who voted against it.

The pattern I’ve seen for some time now is that after a gun tragedy, there is a brief push to ‘get something done’. It’s essentially a transient, and all the opposition has to do is wait it out. If bad legislation gets proposed in the heat of the moment, new RW talking points are born.

IMO, gun control in the US isn’t going to happen unless there is a decades-long advocacy campaign for it, where an anti-NRA is always there scoring votes just like the NRA does. That kind of sustained pressure is likely to be the only way to get something through Congress.

Absent that kind of public push for gun control, it is very risky for Democratic elected officials to take a stand on this.

119

Kragar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:05:19pm

Numbers based on 2010 data:

People killed worldwide by terrorist attacks (Islamic or otherwise): 13,186

Americans killed by gun violence: 31,672

120

William Barnett-Lewis Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:07:43pm

re: #69 lawhawk

They still find WWI & WWII munitions all over Europe too. Not really a big surprise that digging a crash site turns up stuff a very small number of years later.

121

Shiplord Kirel Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:08:22pm

Conspiracy update:

Thanks to the generosity of Lord Soros and the efforts of our agents in the DHS, our ammunition reserves are now at the desired levels and we can start releasing small amounts to the RWNJ market before it grows too suspicious.
I am glad the Committee rejected the notion of leaving out the primers on the latter shipments, since the RWNJs would no doubt notice this at once and become even more suspicious of the real nature of the “shortage.” We did accept the idea of planting a miniature audio and tracking device into every 50th round. This has already yielded valuable intelligence but our monitors are demanding a pay raise because of the dreadful and disgusting noise to which they are forced to listen during the course of their duties. After listening to some samples, I decided they have a point and I told them I would take it up with the Committee.
Btw, I have finally discovered where the RWNJs get their public obsession with bestiality.

122

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:08:42pm

re: #116 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Well yeah, but keeping at it also means accepting some years you’re not going to win the political battle on it, so ‘fighting’ it becomes a little ceremonial. I do think that gun culture has to change, that people have to stop pretending that guns are appropriate for nearly everyone to own.

I think it was very possible to have this very lightweight expanded BG check law passed. Right up until the last minute it looked like it would. People lost their nerve and could not muster the courage. The public was with the bill. It wasn’t the “culture” that did this bill in, it was the gun lobby.

123

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:09:13pm

re: #121 Shiplord Kirel

Btw, I have finally discovered where the RWNJs get their public obsession with bestiality.

Image: 34629659.jpg

124

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:10:17pm

re: #122 blueraven

I think it was very possible to have this very lightweight expanded BG check law passed. Right up until the last minute it looked like it would. People lost their nerve and could not muster the courage. The public was with the bill. It wasn’t the “culture” that did this bill in, it was the gun lobby.

You don’t think we have a problem with gun culture in the US? It’s all the fault of the lobbyists that ordinary people at no real risk of violence think it’s appropriate to buy a gun?

125

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:11:32pm

re: #122 blueraven

I think it was very possible to have this very lightweight expanded BG check law passed. Right up until the last minute it looked like it would. People lost their nerve and could not muster the courage. The public was with the bill. It wasn’t the “culture” that did this bill in, it was the gun lobby.

To put it simply, a lobby is likely to beat no lobby. Public opinion isn’t going to count for much unless and until it leads to the formation of an anti-gun lobby (or some mass movement equivalent) with some real clout in terms of affecting elections.

126

erik_t Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:13:04pm

re: #124 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

You don’t think we have a problem with gun culture in the US? It’s all the fault of the lobbyists that ordinary people at no real risk of violence think it’s appropriate to buy a gun?

I think it’s fair to say that we have a cultural problem, but that it is dramatically exacerbated by the gun lobby.

127

iossarian Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:14:20pm

re: #123 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Image: 34629659.jpg

I was going to head out for the weekend but now I’m tempted to stay…

Screw it - I’m heading out. RWNJ bestiality WOW MOMENTS will have to wait.

Great weekends all round!

128

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:14:36pm

re: #126 erik_t

I think it’s fair to say that we have a cultural problem, but that it is dramatically exacerbated by the gun lobby.

I don’t think that the gun lobby isn’t a problem. They’re also a problem in that they spend a lot of money to influence the gun culture, as well as their direct political support.

It’s all a nice filthy tangle.

129

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:14:38pm

re: #124 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

You don’t think we have a problem with gun culture in the US? It’s all the fault of the lobbyists that ordinary people at no real risk of violence think it’s appropriate to buy a gun?

I didn’t say that at all.

I said this particular bill had the support of even a majority of gun owners and NRA members, republicans and democrats alike. I am talking only about the expanded background check bill. Manchin/Toomey

130

blueraven Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:16:40pm

re: #129 blueraven

I didn’t say that at all.

I said this particular bill had the support of even a majority of gun owners and NRA members, republicans and democrats alike. I am talking only about the expanded background check bill. Manchin/Toomey

BTW…Toomey’s approval/disapproval is higher/lower than ever.

131

goddamnedfrank Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:17:09pm

re: #108 blueraven

If always being successful is the motivation for fighting for something, then we should just give up now. And I dont think it backfired on anyone but the people who voted against it.

Unfortunately the background checks bill didn’t exist in a vacuum. NY’s SAFE Act law pretty blatantly violates both the Fifth Amendment’s provision against unlawful taking without compensation and the Ex Post Facto clause of the Constitution. Feinstein’s AWB alienated tons of responsible gun owners and offended anybody with an honest understanding of statistics by focusing on less than 5 percent of the problem.

The fact is that gun control supporting legislators blew the finite amount of political capital they had passing and attempting to pass deeply flawed legislation. In the NY case it was pushed through rushed and deliberately without any debate, so much so that they were surprised to find out they forgot to exempt police officers.

If the NRA blew it by failing to support background checks then the gun control advocates blew it by failing to lead off with them. The other failure came in not even trying to educate the public about the real statistical problem, handguns.

132

Stanley Sea Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:17:12pm

re: #113 Eclectic Cyborg

OT, but I had a rather odd experience today.

I suddenly found that shopping for Mother’s day cards is not as easy as it used to be because my mom and I have not been on the best of terms since she and my dad divorced in 2004. We still love each other and care for one another, but she’s just the same mom she used to be so traditional card sayings like “thank you for the example you set” or “your heart is always full of warmth and love” or “There’s nothing I enjoy more than spending time with you” , etc. don’t really “Fit” anymore.

I did eventually find a card that seemed appropriate but it took awhile.

I’ve always had that problem. Thanks for the reminder!!

133

HoosierHoops Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:20:01pm

re: #110 Varek Raith

Fixed.

Fisher is a disgusting human. As a minister of God his job is to preach the words of Jesus and stay the hell out of politics and hate.
He has lost his way.

134

Walking Spanish Down the Hall Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:20:16pm

re: #132 Stanley Sea

I’ve always had that problem. Thanks for the reminder!!

I send my mom a “wish you were here” card every year.

135

Shiplord Kirel Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:20:51pm

re: #123 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Image: 34629659.jpg

You’ll have to come to the Denver headquarters, display your digital lizardoid identification tattoo, and listen to the intercepts yourself.

136

kirkspencer Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:21:17pm

Another one I wish would be run again is taggants in explosives to include gunpowders.

We know where the brothers got maybe one bomb’s worth of gunpowder - a fireworks store. We don’t know any of the other sources. If they were part of a group we’d be unable to find the group’s supply source. And we got lucky because they were idiots about cameras, but a little bit of work (mainly like the second bomber who kept sunglasses on and head down) would probably have left us unable to find them as easily — and the taggants would have been a major aid.

meh. Turner wants his secret arsenal and that’s going to trump everything till it gets so bad “all or nothing” goes “nothing.”

137

Varek Raith Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:24:01pm

re: #131 goddamnedfrank

Unfortunately the background checks bill didn’t exist in a vacuum. NY’s SAFE Act law pretty blatantly violates both the Fifth Amendment’s provision against unlawful taking without compensation and the Ex Post Facto clause of the Constitution. Feinstein’s AWB alienated tons of responsible gun owners and offended anybody with an honest understanding of statistics by focusing on less than 5 percent of the problem.

The fact is that gun control supporting legislators blew the finite amount of political capital they passing and attempting to pass deeply flawed legislation. In the NY case it was pushed through rushed and deliberately without any debate, so much so that they were surprised to find out they forgot to exempt police officers.

If the NRA blew it by failing to support background checks then the gun control advocates blew it by failing to lead off with them. The other failure came in not even trying to educate the public about the real statistical problem, handguns.

There wasn’t a damn thing that would’ve passed the filibuster happy GOP and you know it.
Nothing was ever going to really happen.
Thanks, Gun nuts.

138

goddamnedfrank Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:28:40pm

re: #137 Varek Raith

There wasn’t a damn thing that would’ve passed the filibuster happy GOP and you know it.
Nothing was ever going to really happen.
Thanks, Gun nuts.

In reality there were enough Republican votes to override the filibuster. Unfortunately they were offset by as many Democratic Senators going the other way. This is where focusing on the background check bill first could easily have resulted in a different outcome.

The House still would have been a tough sell though.

139

EPR-radar Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:31:48pm

re: #59 stabby

I spent years studying the middle east. I’ve also wasted time reading the Koran and Hadith. The examples are endless, Islam is worse. When you understand what people say and think you find that bad behavior is not surprising. You also find that you have very little hope that things will improve. In this lack of hope, I have the same feeling as people who live there.

What is so hard about this?

Lets assume the following numbers (pulled from thin air to make an example):

1% of Muslims in 2013 are violent extremists.
0.01% of Christians in 2013 are violent extremists.

1) Is violent extremism representative of Islam as a whole? No. (math 101)

2) Is violent extremism representative of Christianity as a whole? No. (math 101)

3) Does Islam ca 2013 has a worse problem with violent extremism than Christianity ca 2013? Yes. Is this problem much worse? Again, yes. (reality 101)

4) Does the answer to #3 reveal any immutable features of Christianity or Islam? No. (history 101)

5) Does it follow from #3 that ‘Islam is worse than Christianity’? No. (logic 101)

6) Does a hostile reading of the texts of Islam or Christianity have any relevance to how these religions are practiced? No. (common sense 101)

140

calochortus Fri, Apr 26, 2013 2:34:39pm

re: #113 Eclectic Cyborg

OT, but I had a rather odd experience today.

I suddenly found that shopping for Mother’s day cards is not as easy as it used to be because my mom and I have not been on the best of terms since she and my dad divorced in 2004. We still love each other and care for one another, but she’s just the same mom she used to be so traditional card sayings like “thank you for the example you set” or “your heart is always full of warmth and love” or “There’s nothing I enjoy more than spending time with you” , etc. don’t really “Fit” anymore.

I did eventually find a card that seemed appropriate but it took awhile.

Actually, this is where you can benefit by being old-school. Buy a pretty, but blank card and write something appropriate. “Mom, I love you very much. Happy Mothers’ Day” works. If you want to melt her heart totally, include an anecdote about an occasion where she was a wonderful mother and made a difference in your life.

141

Jimmah Fri, Apr 26, 2013 5:19:33pm

re: #59 stabby

I spent years studying the middle east. I’ve also wasted time reading the Koran and Hadith. The examples are endless, Islam is worse. When you understand what people say and think you find that bad behavior is not surprising. You also find that you have very little hope that things will improve. In this lack of hope, I have the same feeling as people who live there.

There’s a lot I find objectionable in both the Bible and the Koran, but the objectionable matter in the Koran appears to have it’s source in, or is distilled from the Bible.

There’s just no point trying to tot up all that is bad in scriptures and trumpeting your opinions on which is the worst religion etc. It’s just shit stirring, serves the cause of bigots, and it’s costing lives, not saving them.

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