Edward Snowden’s New Home Plans to Monitor ‘All Communications’ at the Winter Olympics

Surveillance state
World • Views: 23,457

In case you were wondering what a real surveillance state might look like: Russia to Monitor ‘All Communications’ at Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Athletes and spectators attending the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February will face some of the most invasive and systematic spying and surveillance in the history of the Games, documents shared with the Guardian show.

Russia’s powerful FSB security service plans to ensure that no communication by competitors or spectators goes unmonitored during the event, according to a dossier compiled by a team of Russian investigative journalists looking into preparations for the 2014 Games.

In a ceremony on Red Square on Sunday afternoon, the president, Vladimir Putin, held the Olympic flame aloft and sent it on its epic journey around the country, saying Russia and its people had always been imbued with the qualities of “openness and friendship”, making Sochi the perfect destination for the Olympics.

But government procurement documents and tenders from Russian communication companies indicate that newly installed telephone and internet spying capabilities will give the FSB free rein to intercept any telephony or data traffic and even track the use of sensitive words or phrases mentioned in emails, webchats and on social media.

[…]

Ron Deibert, a professor at the University of Toronto and director of Citizen Lab, which co-operated with the Sochi research, describes the Sorm amendments as “Prism on steroids”, referring to the program used by the NSA in the US and revealed to the Guardian by the whistleblower Edward Snowden. “The scope and scale of Russian surveillance are similar to the disclosures about the US programme but there are subtle differences to the regulations,” says Deibert. “We know from Snowden’s disclosures that many of the checks were weak or sidestepped in the US, but in the Russian system permanent access for Sorm is a requirement of building the infrastructure.”

Jump to bottom

460 comments
1 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:21:36pm

No doubt the NSA is forcing them to do this!

////(we really need a moonbat font)

2 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:25:02pm

Cue Greenwald and Wikileaks explaining how this is totally OK, unlike the NSA’s tyranny in 3…2…1…

3 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:25:43pm

Snowden’s communications are being monitored so hard they’re all going into a black hole.

4 lawhawk  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:30:02pm

And Greenwald is MIA on this? This is my shocked face. /

5 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:31:50pm

Because Russia is the last bastion of freedom.
/

6 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:32:18pm

That’s not really a ‘subtle’ difference.

7 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:33:51pm


I wonder if Todd shits himself when he hears “The Battle hymn of the Republic.”

8 Mattand  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:35:29pm

re: #4 lawhawk

And Greenwald is MIA on this? This is my shocked face. /

SEE WHAT OBAMA MADE PUTIN DO??!!??

9 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:36:16pm

Well, if nothing else, maybe the US government can make some money outsourcing the NSA for this. :)

10 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:36:38pm

You know, its one thing to realize racist assholes exist, its quite another to see one in action in real time.

11 klys  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:36:56pm

re: #10 Kragar

You know, its one thing to realize racist assholes exist, its quite another to see one in action in real time.

Twitter is incredibly depressing in that regard.

12 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:37:59pm

Evening Lizards. So is GG going to defend these measures as necessary to defend against terrorism, or denounce them? I bet on the former.

13 freetoken  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:38:13pm

But… NSA!!!!!

14 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:39:15pm

re: #12 Bubblehead II

Evening Lizards. So is GG going to defend these measures as necessary to defend against terrorism, or denounce them? I bet on the former.

My prediction? “This is the monitoring of foreign nationals! Ones that might be terrorists, intending to attack the games! The FSB is right to be monitoring these communications!”

15 Amory Blaine  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:40:06pm

How can an elected official hurl invectives like this all the time and not have consequences. JFC man.

16 ProTARDISLiberal  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:40:38pm

re: #7 Kragar

Wow, that is at least 5 different forms of offensive.

17 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:40:56pm
18 Charles Johnson  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:41:13pm

re: #10 Kragar

You know, its one thing to realize racist assholes exist, its quite another to see one in action in real time.

Kincannon is one of the worst, and he was highly placed in the S. Carolina GOP until recently. These are the kind of people who control Southern politics.

19 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:41:37pm

re: #16 ProTARDISLiberal

Wow, that is at least 5 different forms of offensive.

His whole feed is rampant racism, misogyny and ignorance.

20 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:41:54pm

re: #12 Bubblehead II

Evening Lizards. So is GG going to defend these measures as necessary to defend against terrorism, or denounce them? I bet on the former.

He’s going to make like our former troll Destro did and claim that Holy Mother Russia must defend herself from America’s running dogs.

21 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:42:15pm

re: #10 Kragar

You know, its one thing to realize racist assholes exist, its quite another to see one in action in real time.

You should meet my father. And Mom ain’t much better, but at least she tries to sugger coat it.

And they wonder why we don’t come over to visit.

22 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:42:58pm

re: #19 Kragar

His whole feed is rampant racism, misogyny and ignorance.

Making him a perfect embodiment of the Tea Party.

23 Amory Blaine  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:45:17pm

Crowley should quit her job.

24 Single-handed sailor  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:45:21pm
25 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:45:42pm

re: #20 Dark_Falcon

He’s going to make like our former troll Destro did and claim that Holy Mother Russia must defend herself from America’s running dogs.

You have some questions to answer in the previous thread. Perhaps you should be there. The Lizard Nation is waiting.

26 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:47:49pm

re: #24 Single-handed sailor

GOP In Grave Danger Of Losing House In 2014, PPP Polls Show

How’s that outreach going guys?

As long as the GOP keep gerrymandering every district possible to their advantage I don’t think they’re going to see any real consequences for their actions in this shutdown.

27 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:48:19pm

re: #24 Single-handed sailor

GOP In Grave Danger Of Losing House In 2014, PPP Polls Show

How’s that outreach going guys?

Can you imagine waking up the morning after Election Night ‘14 to read “Democrats Win House”? I’d laugh myself silly.

28 The Mountain That Blogs  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:48:40pm

re: #24 Single-handed sailor

2014 is a long, long, long way off.

29 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:49:03pm

Unlike the bigotry of assholes like Kincannon, this is a great antidote to that kind of ignorance:

facebook.com

30 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:51:43pm

re: #25 Bubblehead II

You have some questions to answer in the previous thread. Perhaps you should be there. The Lizard Nation is waiting.

I’m not going back there.

31 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:53:19pm

re: #28 The Mountain That Blogs

2014 is a long, long, long way off.

And the voters have a (usually short term memory. Lets hope PBO doesn’t cave and makes it clear to one and all that the TP/GOP was/is the cause of all their misery.

32 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:54:39pm

re: #7 Kragar

[Embedded content]


I wonder if Todd shits himself when he hears “The Battle hymn of the Republic.”

Perhaps Marching Through Georgia could be sung for him?

33 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:54:41pm

re: #30 Dark_Falcon

I’m not going back there.

Why am I not surprised

//// dripping

34 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:55:33pm

re: #28 The Mountain That Blogs

2014 is a long, long, long way off.

True, but one thing to keep in mind is that this shutdown is going to end up having economic consequences, ones which will not easily be forgotten. And that this is a poll taken A) only a week into the shutdown and B) with the threat of a default still on the horizon. A default will have catastrophic consequences, ones that will not go away in less than 12 months time.

35 The Mountain That Blogs  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 6:59:50pm

re: #34 Targetpractice

Call me crazy, but I think Boehner will do the right thing on the debt ceiling, which is chuck the Hastert Rule and allow a vote on it, which will easily pass. Of course, these are the lowest of low expectations, and there’s a decent chance he won’t do it. Sigh.

36 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:00:01pm

re: #32 William Barnett-Lewis

Perhaps Marching Through Georgia could be sung for him?

I think a large amount of the current Southern GOP hatred of government is them living out their Confederate revenge fantasies.

37 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:01:56pm

re: #35 The Mountain That Blogs

Call me crazy, but I think Boehner will do the right thing on the debt ceiling, which is chuck the Hastert Rule and allow a vote on it, which will easily pass. Of course, these are the lowest of low expectations, and there’s a decent chance he won’t do it. Sigh.

I’d like to say it’s a safe bet he will, but then again I didn’t think he seriously had it in him to push us into a shutdown just to appease the TPers. My hope is that, in a week’s time, he’ll put forth a combo clean CR and debt limit increase and whip up enough “moderate” Republican votes to pass the bill with Democrats.

38 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:02:16pm

re: #36 Kragar

I think a large amount of the current Southern GOP hatred of government is them living out their Confederate revenge fantasies.

Of course it is.

I think we need to take Texas and turn it into Heinlein’s Coventry. Then the teahadi can all move there and live out their glorious radical anarchist fantasies.

39 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:02:44pm

re: #36 Kragar

I think a large amount of the current Southern GOP hatred of government is them living out their Confederate revenge fantasies.

It’s even more obvious considering the current POTUS. The fact that Barack Obama got elected twice over their objections has driven a substantial percentage of this country around the bend. They simply cannot accept that the rest of the country didn’t buy into their siege mentality, so they’re going to burn the country to the ground to prove themselves right.

40 Gus  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:03:46pm
41 lawhawk  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:03:54pm

re: #24 Single-handed sailor

GOP In Grave Danger Of Losing House In 2014, PPP Polls Show

How’s that outreach going guys?

They probably think that they’re winning by consolidating their vote.

That and showing their mad math skilz.

42 Interesting Times  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:03:56pm

re: #35 The Mountain That Blogs

Call me crazy, but I think Boehner will do the right thing on the debt ceiling, which is chuck the Hastert Rule and allow a vote on it, which will easily pass. Of course, these are the lowest of low expectations, and there’s a decent chance he won’t do it. Sigh.

Boehner loves his precious, precious speakership more than he loves America. He never has, and never will, have the courage to sacrifice and do the right thing.

43 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:04:01pm

re: #38 William Barnett-Lewis

Of course it is.

I think we need to take Texas and turn it into Heinlein’s Coventry. Then the teahadi can all move there and live out their glorious radical anarchist fantasies.

Only if those of us here in Texas that aren’t complete lunatics are allowed to leave and get asylum in the US first.

44 AlexRogan  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:04:38pm

re: #25 Bubblehead II

You have some questions to answer in the previous thread. Perhaps you should be there. The Lizard Nation is waiting.

re: #30 Dark_Falcon

I’m not going back there.

Youtube Video

45 Internet Tough Guy  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:05:10pm

I’m sure that Snowden or his USB keys will not help the Russians achieve this goal in any way.

After all, they are encrypted with 4000 character passwords!

46 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:06:31pm

re: #41 lawhawk

They probably think that they’re winning by consolidating their vote.

That and showing their mad math skilz.

I first read that as “mad Meth skilz”… O_o

Then again, all things considered…

47 lawhawk  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:07:00pm

re: #40 Gus

Well, there’s that.

Saw Don Jon with the Mrs. last night. Funny flick that actually raises some interesting questions about relationships, porn (JGL), and manipulation (by ScarJo). There were a few areas where the script could have used some work, or something was left on the cutting room floor, but it was a pretty well acted movie - shot on location in Hackensack NJ - not far from where we saw the movie. So, there were a whole lot of people in the movie trying to figure out all the locations shown too.

48 jhrhv  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:07:09pm

re: #31 Bubblehead II

I think you’re right that giving into them isn’t the best thing politically for the democrats and this should be fully hung around the neck of the TP/GOP to wear for a good long time, the only way to get out of this mess quickly should be for the POTUS to throw them a bone.

In sane world they would take anything they get claim a victory and move on. Unfortunately the TP isn’t showing many signs of sanity and even if the POTUS throws them a bone so they can come out of this with a little less feces on their faces they’ll probably throw it back in his face.

Yep a pretty closed circle really hence the shutdown.

49 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:07:52pm

re: #44 AlexRogan

[Embedded content]

Fine. But I don’t feel like getting smacked around tonight, and all answering a group of hostile questions gets me is another series of hostile questions. It’s a no-win situation.

50 jhrhv  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:11:03pm

re: #45 Internet Tough Guy

I’m sure that Snowden or his USB keys will not help the Russians achieve this goal in any way.

After all, they are encrypted with 4000 character passwords!

He can type with his fingers and toes so it only takes him 10 minutes to type in his password.

51 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:12:11pm
52 Carlos Danger  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:12:28pm

re: #49 Dark_Falcon

Fine. But I don’t feel like getting smacked around tonight, and all answering a group of hostile questions gets me is another series of hostile questions. It’s a no-win situation.

Perhaps looking at it as a “no-win” situation is the problem with your politics.

53 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:13:52pm

re: #51 Vicious Babushka

#DefineGOPin3words

Ignorant. Unreasonable. Fanatical.

54 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:14:07pm

re: #51 Vicious Babushka

#DefineGOPin3words

Shit Outta Luck

55 klys  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:14:24pm

re: #49 Dark_Falcon

Dark, I can’t say I blame you for your response.

I do hope that at some point, you think about the contradictions the questions are pointing out and reflect on them. I don’t think any of us need to agree on anything, but I think a lot of folks here try for positions that are derived from consistent principles and some of your positions seem to be in conflict with that, which prompts the questions.

Anyway, that’s just my two cents.

56 Amory Blaine  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:14:39pm

re: #40 Gus

Youtube Video

57 Gus  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:15:49pm

re: #51 Vicious Babushka

#DefineGOPin3words

Moe, Larry, Curly.

58 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:16:07pm

re: #49 Dark_Falcon

Fine. But I don’t feel like getting smacked around tonight, and all answering a group of hostile questions gets me is another series of hostile questions. It’s a no-win situation.

A position that, you and only you, have put yourself in.

Must suck to be you.

At least when I fuck up, I admitt it.

59 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:16:15pm

re: #33 Bubblehead II

Why am I not surprised

//// dripping

Other Republicans were there asking questions…

60 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:17:08pm

Now if I could define the GOP in four words, it would be

Grand Old Tea Party

61 Patricia Kayden  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:17:46pm

re: #35 The Mountain That Blogs

If Wall Street puts pressure on him, I think he’ll do the right thing. I can’t see Wall Street being okay with him destroying the economy by defaulting on the debt ceiling. Doesn’t make sense.

62 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:20:46pm

re: #60 Targetpractice

Now if I could define the GOP in four words, it would be

Grand Old Tea Party

Unfortunately, I think we need to call them zombies.

We needs brains.

No Sarc

63 Gus  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:21:15pm
64 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:21:41pm

And this Republican RINO is heading off to sleep.
I gotz stormz.
Roof is leaking in the kitchen.
Kittehs are totally fascinated that water is coming out of the ceiling and making wonderful sounds in a pot catching the drips.
And for added entertainment, there’s a miller moth to chase, catch, release, repeat!

laterz lizardz!

65 jhrhv  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:21:42pm

I would be all for not going to the winter Olympics this time around if it wasn’t for all the hard work the athletes put into what might be a once in a lifetime chance to win a metal.

I was in China in 2008. Even though the Mrs. runs her own business and email is a critical part of that to her. While we were there she stayed off her work account because you know you’re chances of being monitored are suspect. Her clients were respectful of that while we were away.

How is it that Snowden, GG and wiki leaks the great protectors of freedom never consider this when stealing information from the evil dictators in Washington?
///

66 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:23:50pm


Youtube Video

67 Varek Raith  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:24:30pm

re: #60 Targetpractice

Now if I could define the GOP in four words, it would be

Grand Old Tea Party

Shit.

;)

68 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:24:51pm

re: #66 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]


[Embedded content]

Which is why I want to basically shit all over the idea of constitutional government and the budgetary process in order to install the idea that funding only those portions of government I like should be the law go forward.

69 Stanley Sea  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:26:20pm

re: #51 Vicious Babushka

#DefineGOPin3words

70 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:26:47pm

re: #66 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]


[Embedded content]

Should have used some of that public money to fix his hair.

ok…I’m outta here now…

71 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:28:47pm

I really wish the press would, one day, just ask Republicans out loud “What happens if America pays off its debt?” Because we already know the answer, have known it for decades, and it is not one that favors Republicans.

72 Bubblehead II  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:31:53pm

Night Lizards. The Iron Fist rule is now in effect, Slep well,

73 Carlos Danger  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:33:58pm

An evening with Antonin Scalia:

“And you can’t have a movie or a television show without a nude sex scene, very often having no relation to the plot. I don’t mind it when it is essential to the plot, as it sometimes is. But, my goodness! The society that watches that becomes a coarse society.”

MY GOODNESS

nymag.com

74 jhrhv  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:34:21pm

re: #66 Vicious Babushka

I watched Rand and Boehner this morning. My question is who the hell was stupid enough to vote for these people?

Your first impression is how they look. Well you have one guy that is orange and I don’t even know how to describe Rand. What is he a mid 80’s throw back. What’s worse is the 2nd impression when they open their mouths and confirm what you first thought when you looked at them. That being these guys are not normal.

75 Feline Fearless Leader  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:34:39pm

Good evening Lizards!

Back from the game*, had a Primanti’s sandwich, and things are sort of good with the world. Watching some football, talking with my brother, and just resting. Back to Philly tomorrow.

* - Raise the Jolly Roger! Bucs win 5-3 and take 2-1 lead in the series.

76 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:35:33pm

re: #66 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]


[Embedded content]

Sure. Then, if you will Senator, explain to me why - if that’s really the case - you’re obstructing the president as he significantly shrinks the deficit?

77 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:37:55pm

re: #76 William Barnett-Lewis

Sure. Then, if you will Senator, explain to me why - if that’s really the case - you’re obstructing the president as he significantly shrinks the deficit?

Real answer? Because he’s doing so without engaging in the Paulian favored “Slash and Burn” strategy. Remember that his daddy proposed that, if he were elected president, he’d balance the budget by sending one to the Congress that called for $1 trillion in cuts and would refuse to sign any budget that deviated from that.

78 Carlos Danger  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:42:02pm

Andrew Jackson balanced the budget, mindlessly, and the United States went into a decade long deflationary spiral.

But GOLD

79 Charles Johnson  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:45:27pm
80 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:46:53pm
81 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:48:48pm

re: #78 Carlos Danger

Andrew Jackson balanced the budget, mindlessly, and the United States went into a decade long deflationary spiral.

But GOLD

Yeah, Jackson’s handling of the national debt should be required reading for any Paulian.

82 jaunte  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:49:57pm

re: #79 Charles Johnson

He looks sane.

83 BeenHereAwhile  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:50:38pm

re: #3 Vicious Babushka

Snowden’s communications are being monitored so hard they’re all going into a black hole.

Where are all the Snowdens of yesteryear?

84 jaunte  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:51:15pm
85 Romantic Heretic  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:51:35pm

re: #66 Vicious Babushka

No Rand, you’re not.

For people like you the debt is merely a weapon to bash the other side with. After all, Reagan proved debts don’t matter.

87 darthstar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 7:58:03pm

Just saw a link to Townhall.com on Facebook from a wingnut I used to work with. Says Pelosi is to blame for the shutdown…I wrote back a mocking post saying that Pelosi is a terrible Speaker of the House who can’t control her Republican Majority and it’s too bad someone like John Boehner wasn’t Speaker as he could tell the Tea Party what was what.

Seriously…fuck me.

88 Stanley Sea  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:18:36pm

re: #87 darthstar

Just saw a link to Townhall.com on Facebook from a wingnut I used to work with. Says Pelosi is to blame for the shutdown…I wrote back a mocking post saying that Pelosi is a terrible Speaker of the House who can’t control her Republican Majority and it’s too bad someone like John Boehner wasn’t Speaker as he could tell the Tea Party what was what.

Seriously…fuck me.

Are they that gullible to propaganda or are they just lying to themselves?

whoo whee.

89 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:19:16pm

re: #88 Stanley Sea

Are they that gullible to propaganda or are they just lying to themselves?

whoo whee.

Yes.

90 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:22:13pm

I find myself in a position I didn’t think I’d reach, so many hours ago: Feeling as though I’m close to the end of Skyrim. Though that’s probably because the main quest itself, once you’ve spent the rest of the game power leveling yourself, just goes by so quick.

91 ProTARDISLiberal  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:25:58pm

re: #90 Targetpractice

I am still working to finish the skills.

I am at Level 72-73.

92 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:30:40pm

How can one read this and conclude that we’re in no danger of a default?

94 Jocko's Rocket Ship  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:32:44pm

Rand Paul as legitimate presidential candidate is laughable. First, the theocons will destroy him if he gets a sniff. But mostly it’s because he’s goober snot that nobody would rally around when it counts. He’s the right’s version of Kucinich without the grit and experience. I mean, if you’re looking for independents, imagine Christie up there with Paul in a debate.

Paul reminds me so much of a hapless Econ TA trying to lead a class where half don’t get it because he’s a horrible teacher and the other half are in revolt because he’s not very smart.

95 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:33:01pm

re: #90 Targetpractice

I find myself in a position I didn’t think I’d reach, so many hours ago: Feeling as though I’m close to the end of Skyrim. Though that’s probably because the main quest itself, once you’ve spent the rest of the game power leveling yourself, just goes by so quick.

Haven’t tried that game but I’ve been spending _way_ too much time on Torchlight for Linux. Just beat the main quest this evening by leveling up as much as possible on side quests so that the big bad wasn’t so big or bad. I’m starting on the second dungeon now.

Not too bad; a nice game from the folks who gave us Diablo.

Got a copy of Legend of Grimrock for that old school “Eye of the Beholder” feel lined up after this.

96 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:36:43pm

re: #94 Jocko’s Rocket Ship

He’s the right’s version of Kucinich

Hahaahahah….

That is such a perfect summation of him. I’m hard left and I never understood why anyone could take that twit seriously. I’m even more at a loss to understand how even a right winger could take Paulbot Jr. seriously.

97 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:36:45pm

re: #95 William Barnett-Lewis

Haven’t tried that game but I’ve been spending _way_ too much time on Torchlight for Linux. Just beat the main quest this evening by leveling up as much as possible on side quests so that the big bad wasn’t so big or bad. I’m starting on the second dungeon now.

Not too bad; a nice game from the folks who gave us Diablo.

Got a copy of Legend of Grimrock for that old school “Eye of the Beholder” feel lined up after this.

It’s an awesome game, but also monstrously absorbing. I’d say I’ve poured in something around 30-40 hours in the past two weeks and I’ve still got so much more to do. Whole other quest lines, sidequests, fetch quests, and so much more. And that’s just the main game, I haven’t really started picking away at the DLC quest lines.

98 Varek Raith  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:41:45pm

Party of Economic Illiteracy.

99 Amory Blaine  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:41:51pm

Kucinich had his own government default.

100 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:43:28pm

re: #94 Jocko’s Rocket Ship

Rand Paul as legitimate presidential candidate is laughable. First, the theocons will destroy him if he gets a sniff. But mostly it’s because he’s goober snot that nobody would rally around when it counts. He’s the right’s version of Kucinich without the grit and experience. I mean, if you’re looking for independents, imagine Christie up there with Paul in a debate.

Paul reminds me so much of a hapless Econ TA trying to lead a class where half don’t get it because he’s a horrible teacher and the other half are in revolt because he’s not very smart.

Son of Paul’s appeal to voters is that he’s more charismatic than his daddy, but no less crazy. Assuming he does choose to run in ‘16, he’s gonna be in the same sport as daddy too: Relegated to the “also-ran” bench. Why? Because if he did succeed in becoming the party’s nominee, his campaign would collapse when people began asking for specifics about his plans.

101 Carlos Danger  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:44:50pm

re: #94 Jocko’s Rocket Ship

Kurbstomp Kucinich?

102 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:48:15pm

re: #100 Targetpractice

Son of Paul’s appeal to voters is that he’s more charismatic than his daddy, but no less crazy. Assuming he does choose to run in ‘16, he’s gonna be in the same sport as daddy too: Relegated to the “also-ran” bench. Why? Because if he did succeed in becoming the party’s nominee, his campaign would collapse when people began asking for specifics about his plans.

Fun part about Rand? He may be more charismatic than daddy but he’s a whole lot dumber. He’d be stupid enough to try and give details that would torpedo him faster than any democratic swift boat could imagine doing… ;) It could be funny to watch a Rand Paul campaign not only destroy itself at the presidential level but even, with luck, ruin his chances for re-election at the senate level LOL!

And just imagine the “aqua-Buddha” ads if the Democrats find their balls…

103 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:48:17pm

re: #98 Varek Raith

Party of Economic Illiteracy.

No shit. Why didn’t I ever think of that? If I called up the creditor who I’m paying off medical debt to and said “I refuse to pay anymore because I’m getting my finances in order to avoid any more debt,” I doubt the response would be to applaud me for my move.

104 Varek Raith  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:49:47pm
105 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:54:11pm

re: #104 Varek Raith

store.steampowered.com
Shiny

Not sure what this says about me, but even though I love the X-men (hey, I read the dark phoenix saga the first time it was in the comics. kay?) the first thing I thought when I saw the link was “X-Plane from Steam? Kewl!”

106 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:55:16pm

re: #105 William Barnett-Lewis

Not sure what this says about me, but even though I love the X-men (hey, I read the dark phoenix saga the first time it was in the comics. kay?) the first thing I thought when I saw the link was “X-Plane from Steam? Kewl!”

Urk, not even X-men. I am so busted. At least it’s good quality pale ale I can blame!

107 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:55:38pm

re: #92 Targetpractice

Party of fiscal responsibility!

///////////////

108 ProTARDISLiberal  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:56:09pm

I’ll need to get a Blu-Ray player.

With the HD remaster of KH, I know what I will do.

109 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 8:56:16pm

re: #104 Varek Raith

store.steampowered.com
Shiny

Honestly? Sounds too much like first-person EVE Online.

110 Varek Raith  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:05:37pm

re: #109 Targetpractice

Honestly? Sounds too much like first-person EVE Online.

The X-series is older.
;)

111 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:07:18pm

Well that’s not freaky at all is it.

112 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:09:56pm

re: #103 Targetpractice

No shit. Why didn’t I ever think of that? If I called up the creditor who I’m paying off medical debt to and said “I refuse to pay anymore because I’m getting my finances in order to avoid any more debt,” I doubt the response would be to applaud me for my move.

Governments can sometimes do things that would land you or me in the slammer.

/No partisanship, just a fact.

113 Varek Raith  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:15:36pm
Canadian Villain, Garth Vader

Lol.

114 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:15:52pm

re: #87 darthstar

Just saw a link to Townhall.com on Facebook from a wingnut I used to work with. Says Pelosi is to blame for the shutdown…I wrote back a mocking post saying that Pelosi is a terrible Speaker of the House who can’t control her Republican Majority and it’s too bad someone like John Boehner wasn’t Speaker as he could tell the Tea Party what was what.

Seriously…fuck me.

What I want to get a straight answer is from Republicans/conservatives who expect the Democratic majority senate and or president who passed and signed ACA to seriously defund or repeal ACA. I mean it’s just not rational. I mean I understand maybe trying a repeal once for symbolic reasons but 42 times now? The Tea Baggers in the House need to get that this president and senate isn’t going to give into them on that. It’s insanity to shut down the government like this. Hopefully the shutdown ends soon. I’m looking forward to starting my job. Oh and let’s not forget that ACA had its legality affirmed by the USSC.

115 RinaX  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:17:18pm

This tidbit from Louie Gohmert was highlighted in a comment from elftx over at Balloon-Juice:

Louie Gohmert on Fox: “I think it’s tragic you have a United States president who says when a bill is voted by both houses and I sign it and it bears my name, and the Supreme Court doesn’t overturn it, then it’s the law and we’re not changing it,” Gohmert said. “I’ve never heard a president say that before.”

116 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:20:14pm

re: #115 RinaX

This tidbit from Louie Gohmert was highlighted in a comment from elftx over at Balloon-Juice:

You fucking make my head hurt with that level of ignorance, Louie. I mean, jesus, that’s a new low even for fake news.

117 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:21:07pm

re: #112 Dark_Falcon

Governments can sometimes do things that would land you or me in the slammer.

/No partisanship, just a fact.

Government or private citizen, defaulting on your debts does not endear you to the people who hold those debts or to people who might loan you money. The USD and treasury securities are the foundation of the international financial market, as the US has been seen as a safe bet for investment for decades. We have never failed to make an interest payment on our debts and doing so would send shockwaves across the globe that probably would make the Great Recession look mild.

118 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:21:24pm

re: #115 RinaX

This tidbit from Louie Gohmert was highlighted in a comment from elftx over at Balloon-Juice:

I’ll have what Louie Gohmert is smoking. Firstly, he seems to think that ACA actually bears the name Obamacare. Uh Louie, it’s called ACA. You should know that you fucking dumb nut. Secondly, open to changing it? You guys don’t want to change it. You want to repeal it or defund it. This isn’t President Eisenhower making the New Deal more efficient. This is you and your party trying to repeal something which you even acknowledge passed both Houses, signed by POTUS, and affirmed by USSC. So, Louie please return to 8th grade civics class and receive your F and a trip to summer school.

119 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:23:10pm

re: #117 Targetpractice

Government or private citizen, defaulting on your debts does not endear you to the people who hold those debts or to people who might loan you money. The USD and treasury securities are the foundation of the international financial market, as the US has been seen as a safe bet for investment for decades. We have never failed to make an interest payment on our debts and doing so would send shockwaves across the globe that probably would make the Great Recession look mild.

I know that. Heck, even Rand Paul knows that! It’s Ted Cruz who doesn’t seem to understand that.

120 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:23:14pm

re: #115 RinaX

Quick! Someone send this to Louie Gohmert:

Youtube Video

121 Varek Raith  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:23:58pm
122 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:25:22pm

re: #118 HappyWarrior

You don’t want what Louie Gohmert is smoking. It contains tar, like tobacco cigarettes. You don’t want tar in your lungs, do you?

/Nothing but a good time.

123 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:25:55pm

re: #115 RinaX

You know, I just realized that ol’ Louie is a living breathing argument for atheists. If there is a real living good God in the universe, then why is that evil SOB still turning oxygen into carbon dioxide?

That’s a hard question for me… :(

124 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:28:31pm

re: #122 Dark_Falcon

You don’t want what Louie Gohmert is smoking. It contains tar, like tobacco cigarettes. You don’t want tar in your lungs, do you?

/Nothing but a good time.

Hey, I want to be able to say far outlandish shit too like Louie does all the time. I just love how awesomely delusional the guy is. That he first thinks ACA actually bears President Obama’s name or that we’re to believe that he merely wants to change ACA or that the president is being unreasonable for refusing to budge in on what he even acknowledges is settled law.

125 sagehen  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:29:10pm

We had an election less than a year ago.

Senate candidates who ran on retaining/implementing ACA won more votes, and more seats, than those who ran on repealing it.

House candidates who ran on retaining/implementing ACA won 1.7 million more votes than those who ran on repealing it.

The Presidential candidate who ran on retaining/implementing it got 5 million more votes than the presidential candidate who ran on repealing it.

But somehow… the people who want to repeal it are convinced that they’re representing the will of the American people. Although their 10% approval rating would suggest otherwise.

126 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:29:45pm

re: #115 RinaX

This tidbit from Louie Gohmert was highlighted by commentator elftx over at Balloon-Juice:

Ow, good God, I actually felt neurons dying as I read that.

127 Gus  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:31:39pm

‘Night.

128 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:31:44pm

re: #125 sagehen

We had an election less than a year ago.

Senate candidates who ran on retaining/implementing ACA won more votes, and more seats, than those who ran on repealing it.

House candidates who ran on retaining/implementing ACA won 1.7 million more votes than those who ran on repealing it.

The Presidential candidate who ran on retaining/implementing it got 5 million more votes than the presidential candidate who ran on repealing it.

But somehow… the people who want to repeal it are convinced that they’re representing the will of the American people. Although their 10% approval rating would suggest otherwise.

Yes, this. I really think the reason they want to repeal so bad is because they’re petrified of this program actually working. I mean if it was just an efficiency worry, you wouldn’t have seen the trolling about the exchange website that you saw or the claims that most of the people looking at the website were just politicians or journalists rather than actually interested peole.

129 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:32:35pm

re: #113 Varek Raith

Lol.

Garth Vader, from MST3k “The Final Sacrifice”

130 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:33:50pm

Good Night, All.

131 Lidane  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:36:51pm

re: #128 HappyWarrior

Yes, this. I really think the reason they want to repeal so bad is because they’re petrified of this program actually working. I mean if it was just an efficiency worry, you wouldn’t have seen the trolling about the exchange website that you saw or the claims that most of the people looking at the website were just politicians or journalists rather than actually interested peole.

They’re afraid of it working and becoming popular because they know they won’t get any credit for it despite the fact that the ACA is a Republican idea at heart. It kills them that a Democratic president took what was essentially the Heritage Foundation alternative to Hillarycare and made it law.

132 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:38:48pm

re: #125 sagehen

We had an election less than a year ago.

Senate candidates who ran on retaining/implementing ACA won more votes, and more seats, than those who ran on repealing it.

House candidates who ran on retaining/implementing ACA won 1.7 million more votes than those who ran on repealing it.

The Presidential candidate who ran on retaining/implementing it got 5 million more votes than the presidential candidate who ran on repealing it.

But somehow… the people who want to repeal it are convinced that they’re representing the will of the American people. Although their 10% approval rating would suggest otherwise.

We were told that the last election was a referendum, that everything that had happened during Obama’s first term would be weighed and measured by the voters and found wanting. We were told that Democrats who had supported him, who’d voted for the ACA, and who had stood in the way of “patient-based reforms” would also draw the ire of voters. We even had the GOP nominee snark behind closed doors that the only reason anybody supported the ACA was because they wanted “hand outs.”

And now, here we are, almost a year later and the GOP still seems to want to live in this fantasy world where they didn’t just get their asses whipped.

133 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:39:06pm

re: #131 Lidane

They’re afraid of it working and becoming popular because they know they won’t get any credit for it despite the fact that the ACA is a Republican idea at heart. It kills them that a Democratic president took what was essentially the Heritage Foundation alternative to Hillarycare and made it law.

Yep. You know, if they had just gotten over their shallow hatred of Obama and worked together with him on it knowing that this was yeah the Heritage Foundation alternative to Hillarycare but no hating Obama means more to the base and the leadership. It’d actually be sad if they weren’t a collective bag of dicks.

134 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:41:02pm

re: #132 Targetpractice

We were told that the last election was a referendum, that everything that had happened during Obama’s first term would be weighed and measured by the voters and found wanting. We were told that Democrats who had supported him, who’d voted for the ACA, and who had stood in the way of “patient-based reforms” would also draw the ire of voters. We even had the GOP nominee snark behind closed doors that the only reason anybody supported the ACA was because they wanted “hand outs.”

And now, here we are, almost a year later and the GOP still seems to want to live in this fantasy world where they didn’t just get their asses whipped.

they’ve deluded themselves into this thought that the problem wasn’t the message, it was the message and way of messaging. In some ways, they’re right but I guarantee that if they had ran their beloved “true conservative”, Obama would have crushed that person even more than Obama did Romney. Obama only lost two states that he won in the previous election and the Republican Party only has gained voters in declining demographcis.

135 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:41:06pm

re: #130 Dark_Falcon

G’night DF. When you’re in a good spot to do so, engage your various critics. It’ll be good for all of us to have a proper argument. By the same token I don’t want you worrying about being beat up on - been there, done that, etc. and I’d prefer never to do that again & I’m sure you think likewise…

That said, there are the bits that may well really be our various mistakes that need to be discussed. I don’t want you beaten up upon but I’m not going to give you - or myself - a free pass either.

When you’re ready, let me know & we’ll find a way to make it work.

136 Single-handed sailor  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:43:09pm

3.1 earthquake nearby, in Berkeley, wife felt it. I thought I was just having a headrush.

137 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:43:10pm

You realize, no matter what happens, Ted Cruz is going to come out as the dahling of the Tea Party. No matter how much the establishment Republican groups will hate him for pushing them into traffic, Ted Cruz will come out all right.

And that’s all that Ted Cruz really cares about.

138 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:44:21pm

re: #137 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All

You realize, no matter what happens, Ted Cruz is going to come out as the dahling of the Tea Party. No matter how much the establishment Republican groups will hate him for pushing them into traffic, Ted Cruz will come out all right.

And that’s all that Ted Cruz really cares about.

So he’ll be the captain of the sinking ship. Good for him.

139 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:44:59pm

Night all, need to do some final reviewing of my Oceanography and Physics of the Weather before the tests. Last week was not the week to get sick. but it’ll work out fine. :)

140 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:46:48pm

re: #137 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All

You realize, no matter what happens, Ted Cruz is going to come out as the dahling of the Tea Party. No matter how much the establishment Republican groups will hate him for pushing them into traffic, Ted Cruz will come out all right.

And that’s all that Ted Cruz really cares about.

Yes.

So?

We will, as occasions permit (like the sinking of HMS Titanic) tell the world what we can, The rest will come as soon as it is able to.

141 HappyWarrior  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:46:57pm

re: #137 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All

You realize, no matter what happens, Ted Cruz is going to come out as the dahling of the Tea Party. No matter how much the establishment Republican groups will hate him for pushing them into traffic, Ted Cruz will come out all right.

And that’s all that Ted Cruz really cares about.

Right, the base is going to love him more than ever. And this speaks to the program ultimately being the GOP base. Ken frigging Cuccinnelli is denouncing himself from Cruz. I mean yes it’s all about self-preservation for Cooch but still Coochie has painted himself as a true believer.

142 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:48:33pm

re: #138 Targetpractice

So he’ll be the captain of the sinking ship. Good for him.

Remember, the Republican tea Party doesn’t care if America is a ruin, so long as they’re the one’s ruling it. And they’re betting that if America collapses, they’ll be able to get enough people to blame democrats and they’ll be back in power.

And they justify it by saying that any pain is a temporary necessary end for the glorious New America that will arise out of the ashes of the decrepit and immoral and corrupted old state.

And there’s way too many people who believe it for me to be confident their plan won’t work.

143 Targetpractice  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 9:51:19pm

re: #142 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All

Remember, the Republican tea Party doesn’t care if America is a ruin, so long as they’re the one’s ruling it. And they’re betting that if America collapses, they’ll be able to get enough people to blame democrats and they’ll be back in power.

And they justify it by saying that any pain is a temporary necessary end for the glorious New America that will arise out of the ashes of the decrepit and immoral and corrupted old state.

And there’s way too many people who believe it for me to be confident their plan won’t work.

I was speaking more to the Tea Party, which is at its lowest support level in years. The optimistic part of me, the one that’s taken a sound thrashing in recent months, likes to believe that this may signal the public having a serious case of buyer’s remorse.

144 Carlos Danger  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 10:50:59pm

I’m not going to make any vast predictions or anything, but the tea party movement managed to hoover up so many strains of radical conservative thought and populist religiosity that we’re probably going to see a big sea change once it’s gone.

It says something that formerly mainstream figures like Billy Graham now live in the same ideological ghetto as WMD and Newsmax.

145 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 11:17:20pm
146 Kragar  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 11:28:30pm

Schumer:

“Speaker Boehner comes in and he says, basically, it’s sort of like this,” Schumer said. “Someone goes into your house, takes your wife and children hostage and then, says, let’s negotiate over the price of your house.”

147 dog philosopher  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 11:30:40pm

“I think, personally, it would bring stability to the world markets.”

in the same sense, i guess, that i put delicate groceries on the floor of the car

because once you are flat on the floor there ain’t noplace left to fall

148 piratedan  Sun, Oct 6, 2013 11:39:23pm

re: #147 dog philosopher

“I think, personally, it would bring stability to the world markets.”

in the same sense, i guess, that i put delicate groceries on the floor of the car

because once you are flat on the floor there ain’t noplace left to fall

yeah, crashed equals stable…. at times I wonder if there are enough pitchforks and pike heads to go around…. yeah, I’ll roll the dice with worldwide economic disaster for everyone on the planet to ensure that the working poor don’t have the chance to pay for their own healthcare so they can stop being a burden on local taxpayers who have to support the costs incurred by their ER visits because as a Veterinarian in a Florida suburb, I’m the first guy you should consult when it comes to global finance.

149 freetoken  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 12:29:01am

Inspired by one of our favorite nursery rhymes:

Glenn and Ed went up the hill
To fetch a stick of secrets.
Ed fell down and broke his clearance,
And Glenn tweeted forever after.

Up Ed got and to Russia did trot,
As fast as he could caper;
And went to the airport and slept in the corner
With his notebook and every newspaper.

Then Glenn chimed in, and he did grin,
To see Ed’s diplomatic immunity;
Charles whipt him, across his knee,
For exploiting Ed’s duplicity.

150 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 2:45:17am
151 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 2:53:25am
152 Tigger2  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 2:57:13am

re: #28 The Mountain That Blogs

2014 is a long, long, long way off.

So that means the Republicans have a lot more time to dig themselves deeper into a hole because I don’t see them backing off at all of the way they are doing things.

153 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:01:08am

Must see:
Youtube Video

154 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:05:01am

re: #112 Dark_Falcon

Governments can sometimes do things that would land you or me in the slammer.

/No partisanship, just a fact.

This is just so dumb on so many levels. First off, there are no debtors prisons, so the analogy fails right off the bat. Second, the prospect of a government defaulting, especially the US government, carries consequences for everyone, the American people, the citizens of the world, literally everyone that are massively worse than individual bankruptcy.

Normally your know nothing, dumbshit “observations” of “fact” are fine. Simplistic and completely devoid of any real illustrative or educational value, but fine. However now you’re on the verge of presenting default as if it might actually be an option. This is just fucking insane.

Maybe I’ve got it all wrong, and your post was just intended to be semi-random non-responsive gibberish, that I’d believe. You’d do anything at this point to pretend you’re actually contributing something valuable to the group discussion and avoid the number of legitimate questions you’ve been dodging for days.

155 Tigger2  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:13:55am

re: #153 FemNaziBitch

Must see:
[Embedded content]

She’s awesome.

156 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:22:25am

Syria’s chemical munitions are being destroyed. In any other administration, this would be Very Big News.

reuters.com

157 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:24:42am

re: #156 Decatur Deb

Syria’s chemical munitions are being destroyed. In any other administration, this would be Very Big News.

reuters.com

I saw that on NYT. Yeah, you are correct. With any other administration it would be done by US Marines after a bloody altercation that cost us billions.

158 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:24:52am

re: #156 Decatur Deb

Syria’s chemical munitions are being destroyed. In any other administration, this would be Very Big News.

reuters.com

WEAKNESS!!1111ty!11

159 A Mom Anon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:27:15am

re: #155 Tigger2

I love the sunglasses and bandana ala Axel too. I love to see young people break the mold a little. She’s cool.

160 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:30:23am
161 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:37:24am

going to try to go back-to-bed.

Have a great morning all.

162 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:53:51am

re: #112 Dark_Falcon

Governments can sometimes do things that would land you or me in the slammer.

/No partisanship, just a fact.

Because people are allowed and even expected to act in their own self-interest, Governments are supposed to act for the Common Good. That is a whole other set of criteria and priorities when it comes to applying things like the use of force, search and seizure, creation and payment of debt, etc.

163 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:54:08am

Comet ISON is showing that it might come in on the low side of predictions. That hasn’t stopped it from attracting its own conspiracy theory. This is the kind of crap that gets people into sweat suits and sneakers for a long trip into the unknown.

cometisonnews.com

164 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 3:59:32am

re: #163 Decatur Deb

Comet ISON is showing that it might come in on the low side of predictions. That hasn’t stopped it from attracting its own conspiracy theory. This is the kind of crap that gets people into sweat suits and sneakers for a long trip into the unknown.

cometisonnews.com

I got it covered.
Image: Xfiles-FoxMulder-small.jpg

165 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:25:39am

Wow, if this doesn’t describe the attitude of the anarchist dudebros, I don’t know what does.

Deep Web Users Are Ready To Launch Silk Road 2.0

techcrunch.com

“What’s striking to me as an outside observer is there seems to be no shortage of well educated American [white] males in their late 20′s (Manning/Snowden and now Ulbricht) willing to sacrifice bright futures and their own personal liberty to highlight the draconian laws and downright totalitarianism being inflicted by their government on the populous,” writes the Atlantis representative. “History will show it’s the will of the people that’ll win in the end and not that of the dictators in power and I thanks to the actions of DPR and others like him I believe I am now witnessing a full revolution in progress and I for one will be sticking around to document it.”

And this part of a comment is so ill-informed as to be laughable, even while it’s dangerous: “The only person you hurt when you use heroin, meth, and cocaine is yourself. ” Ask any person who has loved, or loves, and had to deal with a person who does what they think. You will get an entirely different perspective, whether it’s from a partner, a parent, a child or any other friend or relative who doesn’t share the proclivity of drug use with an addict.

166 freetoken  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:30:58am

re: #165 Justanotherhuman

Narcissism is a national trait now, it would appear.

167 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:37:35am

re: #165 Justanotherhuman

Can I write for Atlantis if I forget how to spell ‘populace’? Seeing that a lot lately.

168 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:38:57am

re: #167 Decatur Deb

Can I write for Atlantis if I forget how to spell ‘populace’? Seeing that a lot lately.

You can get a job writing PR for the Lollapopoulousa Festival…

169 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:42:14am

re: #168 Sol Berdinowitz

You can get a job writing PR for the Lollapopoulousa Festival…

Lolla Popoulousa? Loved her version of Omorfi Poli.

Youtube Video

170 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:45:49am

re: #167 Decatur Deb

Can I write for Atlantis if I forget how to spell ‘populace’? Seeing that a lot lately.

Why not? Attitude, obviously, is all that counts.
.

171 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:56:12am

re: #170 Justanotherhuman

Why not? Attitude, obviously, is all that counts.
.

Love those libertarian junkies—ought to have more of them on our block.

172 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 4:59:36am

re: #165 Justanotherhuman

Wow, if this doesn’t describe the attitude of the anarchist dudebros, I don’t know what does.

Deep Web Users Are Ready To Launch Silk Road 2.0

techcrunch.com

“What’s striking to me as an outside observer is there seems to be no shortage of well educated American [white] males in their late 20′s (Manning/Snowden and now Ulbricht) willing to sacrifice bright futures and their own personal liberty to highlight the draconian laws and downright totalitarianism being inflicted by their government on the populous,” writes the Atlantis representative. “History will show it’s the will of the people that’ll win in the end and not that of the dictators in power and I thanks to the actions of DPR and others like him I believe I am now witnessing a full revolution in progress and I for one will be sticking around to document it.”

And this part of a comment is so ill-informed as to be laughable, even while it’s dangerous: “The only person you hurt when you use heroin, meth, and cocaine is yourself. ” Ask any person who has loved, or loves, and had to deal with a person who does what they think. You will get an entirely different perspective, whether it’s from a partner, a parent, a child or any other friend or relative who doesn’t share the proclivity of drug use with an addict.

So the president is a “dictator” now because the FBI shut down a drug and gun smuggling site. Christ Almighty, do those idiots not understand that their beloved BitCoin ‘currency’ site was being used by drug cartels to move their product and buy weapons that the cartels’ enforcers used to women and children?!!

I did NOT need that first thing in the morning.

173 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:04:07am

LOL
Bryan get his nooz from Fox, WhirledNutsDaily, Washtimes, Jay Leno and JihadWatch.

174 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:08:00am
175 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:09:50am

Anti-vaxers wage terror.

Pakistan deadly bomb targets Peshawar polio campaign

bbc.co.uk

“Pakistan is one of only three countries where polio remains endemic, due in part to militant resistance to polio mass vaccination campaigns.

“Militants have attacked and killed health workers and banned immunisation teams from some areas, forcing hundreds of thousands of children to miss vaccinations.”

Only Nigeria had more cases in 2012 (97) than Pakistan (47); Afghanistan is third (26).

176 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:15:04am

re: #175 Justanotherhuman

Anti-vaxers wage terror.

Pakistan deadly bomb targets Peshawar polio campaign

bbc.co.uk

“Pakistan is one of only three countries where polio remains endemic, due in part to militant resistance to polio mass vaccination campaigns.

“Militants have attacked and killed health workers and banned immunisation teams from some areas, forcing hundreds of thousands of children to miss vaccinations.”

Only Nigeria had more cases in 2012 (97) than Pakistan (47); Afghanistan is third (26).

The anti-vaxxers (i.e., the Taliban and assorted hardline fundies) view vaccination programs as some kind of Western conspiracy.

They have a lot in common with hardline fundies here, though I’m sure either side would be loath to admit it.

177 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:15:26am
178 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:17:19am
179 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:19:08am

re: #175 Justanotherhuman

Anti-vaxers wage terror.

Pakistan deadly bomb targets Peshawar polio campaign

bbc.co.uk

“Pakistan is one of only three countries where polio remains endemic, due in part to militant resistance to polio mass vaccination campaigns.

“Militants have attacked and killed health workers and banned immunisation teams from some areas, forcing hundreds of thousands of children to miss vaccinations.”

Only Nigeria had more cases in 2012 (97) than Pakistan (47); Afghanistan is third (26).

Taliban scum don’t care if children die in agony or are paralyzed for life, not when there is an opportunity to do some demonization of the infidels. George Orwell described this kind of behavior very well. For my own part, I think the people involved with carrying out this attack have just bought their tickets for Hell.

Oh yes, Jesus has words for those who blow up children in order to make a political point and those words are “Depart, ye cursed, to eternal fire!”

180 A Mom Anon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:23:50am

re: #175 Justanotherhuman

Perhaps someone should start a tourist agency for our antivaxxers so they can visit and see what a paradise it is to live in places where vaccines are banned.

181 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:29:38am

re: #180 A Mom Anon

Perhaps someone should start a tourist agency for our antivaxxers so they can visit and see what a paradise it is to live in places where vaccines are banned.

The only way to treat to get someone here in the US to stop being an anti-vaxxer is to get them past whatever it is that is causing their mind to flee reality.

Taliban members, however, are to be cured of their anti-vaxx tendencies through the use of Hellfire missiles and smart bombs

182 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:30:18am

re: #172 Dark_Falcon

So the president is a “dictator” now because the FBI shut down a drug and gun smuggling site. Christ Almighty, do those idiots not understand that their beloved BitCoin ‘currency’ site was being used by drug cartels to move their product and buy weapons that the cartels’ enforcers used to women and children?!!

Speaking of things that are idiotic and being said about the president, Mark Kirk said that Obama was ‘shaking in his boots’ at the idea of people experiencing Obamacare. This is a really, really idiotic lie on his part, since he and his party are currently damaging the US’s security, economy, and government in a (totally futile) attempt to block Obamacare from being enacted.

For days now, I’ve been trying to get you to honestly respond to this, but, much like the GOP in general, you seem to not be able to handle any sort of difficult or direct question, especially when it comes to honesty. Do you have any sort of answer for how Mark Kirk could have possibly thought saying what he did was anything less than a really stupid lie, a ridiculously obvious attempt to deceive the American public in order to promote his party, even at the expense of damaging the country?

183 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:33:59am

re: #182 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Speaking of things that are idiotic and being said about the president, Mark Kirk said that Obama was ‘shaking in his boots’ at the idea of people experiencing Obamacare. This is a really, really idiotic lie on his part, since he and his party are currently damaging the US’s security, economy, and government in a (totally futile) attempt to block Obamacare from being enacted.

For days now, I’ve been trying to get you to honestly respond to this, but, much like the GOP in general, you seem to not be able to handle any sort of difficult or direct question, especially when it comes to honesty. Do you have any sort of answer for how Mark Kirk could have possibly thought saying what he did was anything less than a really stupid lie, a ridiculously obvious attempt to deceive the American public in order to promote his party, even at the expense of damaging the country?

He was standing with his party and trying to rally support behind it. As for why, I simply do not know.

184 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:36:35am

re: #183 Dark_Falcon

He was standing with his party and trying to rally support behind it. As for why, I simply do not know.

Lying for Priebus is no better than lying for Jeebus.

185 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:41:52am

re: #184 Decatur Deb

Lying for Priebus is no better than lying for Jeebus.

When you’ve got the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head and you know that telling the truth will only bring it down on you, you shove your convictions aside and find a way to say what you need to say to survive.

186 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:44:25am
187 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:44:43am

re: #183 Dark_Falcon

He was standing with his party and trying to rally support behind it. As for why, I simply do not know.

Thank you for admitting that the reason he did it was for his party. Now, do you think that intentionally lying to the American public about the president is good for the country, or bad for it?

188 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:45:31am

I’d note that was simply one of three lies that Kirk told. In fact, he didn’t say anything in what he said that wasn’t a lie. His entire, short speech was solely composed of lies.

189 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:48:16am

re: #185 Dark_Falcon

When you’ve got the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head and you know that telling the truth will only bring it down on you, you shove your convictions aside and find a way to say what you need to say to survive.

What does it profit a man to gain the Senate but lose his soul?

190 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:48:19am

re: #186 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

That guy is from South Carolina, of course. I swear, Gen. Sherman did not ravage that state enough.

191 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:49:36am

This is what Kirk said:

It’s the president’s [fault]” the memorial is closed, Kirk said. “He’s having a long temper tantrum. He thinks he can instruct the country that we should all spend money and raise taxes just like he thinks and I think he’s absolutely incorrect. He’s shaking in his boots that people actually experience Obamacare and they will never vote Democrat again.”

1. It is not the president’s fault the memorial is closed. The memorial is closed because the GOP refuses to pass the compromise CR which sets funding at sequester levels.

2. Obama is not having a temper tantrum, a stupid and childish insult.

3. Obama does not think he can just instruct the country that we should all raise money, if ‘instruct’ has the meaning of ‘command’. If instead Kirk is just saying Obama thinks he can ‘ask’ the country, then Kirk is lying when he says he’s absolutely incorrect to think that.

4. Obama is not, of course, ‘shaking in his boots’ that people experience Obamacare. It is very obviously the GOP who are scared of Obamacare, and they’re scared of it precisely because they’re worried it will work and be of benefit to Americans.

That’s a hell of a lot of lying for a short speech.

192 Feline Fearless Leader  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:56:10am

re: #185 Dark_Falcon

When you’ve got the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head and you know that telling the truth will only bring it down on you, you shove your convictions aside and find a way to say what you need to say to survive.

Even when it involves tossing lots of innocents under the bus. That’s leadership for you. And, of course, GOP Jesus approves since it’s not Republicans getting hurt.
/////

193 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:57:46am


All this can be avoided with a clean continuing resolution and debt ceiling hikes. But for the GOP insert ACA poison pills into every step of the process, and then trying to diffuse criticism by suggesting mini-CRs for the short term that ignores that the entire budget deadlock is due to the GOP pushing for ACA defund, delay, and destroy at every step, we’d have both the budget in place (with the NPS reopening the parks and monuments, WIC, SNAP, and TANF funded, etc.) and the GOP threat to the US economy would be averted.

194 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:58:38am

re: #179 Dark_Falcon

Taliban scum don’t care if children die in agony or are paralyzed for life, not when there is an opportunity to do some demonization of the infidels. George Orwell described this kind of behavior very well. For my own part, I think the people involved with carrying out this attack have just bought their tickets for Hell.

Oh yes, Jesus has words for those who blow up children in order to make a political point and those words are “Depart, ye cursed, to eternal fire!”

Let’s leave religion out of this because it’s used to justify much that is wrong. Religion is used to justify many criminal acts, acts of neglect and abuse, etc. This applies whether your “prophet” is Jesus or Mohammed or whoever the hell you want to name, and it applies to those who came before them as well who thought or acted criminally because their “god” or “gods” told them to. It really is an easy way to avoid responsibility for your own thinking and actions.

Ask me how those devout fundies who ran the Eliada orphanage in Asheville, NC treated the children under their care when my sister and were there in the late 40s. eliada.org

195 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:00:30am

I used to play Minecraft, then….
Image: Arrow.jpg

196 Flounder  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:02:28am

re: #195 Varek Raith

My son plays that all the time, I just don’t get it.

197 Rev_Arthur_Belling  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:02:44am

re: #191 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

That’s a hell of a lot of lying for a short speech.

It’s what they do, which is why it pisses me off that Kirk is painted as a “moderate” Republican.

The irony is, he can’t go full-on TP wingnut in Illinois, because he’d get tossed on his ass by a more moderate GOP or blue dog. He walks a very fine line.

198 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:03:17am

re: #185 Dark_Falcon

Sword of Damocles? Really, you think that if he allowed a clean CR, he’d be shoved aside? The GOP caucus is fractured and no one could garner enough support to even challenge Boehner at the beginning of the year.

Nothing’s changed. The divisions within the GOP are still there. Cantor doesn’t have enough support to challenge, and the wingnut-TP brigade is big enough to shut down the government, but not big enough to take on the Speaker.

Boehner would remain speaker.

As for a threat to be primaried, incumbents hold tremendous advantages against insurgents, so unless all these Rep challengers come up with serious funding, we’re going to see the numbers shift at the margins, but the Speaker would survive.

In toto - the shutdown is on the Speaker, and he’s holding the nation hostage to his TP/GOP extortionist wing - a clean CR would pass with flying colors if opened to a floor vote - no Hastert rule in play.

He’s using the Hastert rule as an excuse, and hoping to find some kind of concession from Democrats when the Democrats have no reason to offer them up. They’re not the ones holding the economy hostage to the GOP demands to overturn elections, the legitimacy of federal law, and providing access to health insurance to millions. That’s on the GOP.

199 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:03:23am

re: #191 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

This is what Kirk said:

1. It is not the president’s fault the memorial is closed. The memorial is closed because the GOP refuses to pass the compromise CR which sets funding at sequester levels.

2. Obama is not having a temper tantrum, a stupid and childish insult.

3. Obama does not think he can just instruct the country that we should all raise money, if ‘instruct’ has the meaning of ‘command’. If instead Kirk is just saying Obama thinks he can ‘ask’ the country, then Kirk is lying when he says he’s absolutely incorrect to think that.

4. Obama is not, of course, ‘shaking in his boots’ that people experience Obamacare. It is very obviously the GOP who are scared of Obamacare, and they’re scared of it precisely because they’re worried it will work and be of benefit to Americans.

That’s a hell of a lot of lying for a short speech.

Number 2 is standard political rhetoric. it’s the same thing as the Democrats calling John Boehner a “crybaby”.

Number 3 is not a lie. Many Republicans think Barack Obama really does think like that. This belief is based both on their understanding of the natural of liberalism as well as Obama leadership style.

Number 4 is a standard propaganda spew. I’ve spewed propaganda at work too, so I’m not going to condemn Sen. Kirk for doing something that I myself have done.

200 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:03:39am

re: #196 Flounder

My son plays that all the time, I just don’t get it.

Last week’s South Park was all about how parents just don’t get Minecraft, they would rather watch TV crime shows.

201 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:04:15am
202 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:04:16am

re: #196 Flounder

My son plays that all the time, I just don’t get it.

re: #200 Vicious Babushka

Last week’s South Park was all about how parents just don’t get Minecraft, they would rather watch TV crime shows.

:D

203 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:04:35am

re: #198 lawhawk

I was speaking about Mark Kirk in that post, not John Boehner.

204 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:09:54am

re: #203 Dark_Falcon

Kirk is in a similar position. Incumbent with deep pockets. Why would he be threatened by a primary, which could result in the seat going to a Democrat in a general election?

205 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:11:16am

re: #197 Rev_Arthur_Belling

It’s what they do, which is why it pisses me off that Kirk is painted as a “moderate” Republican.

The irony is, he can’t go full-on TP wingnut in Illinois, because he’d get tossed on his ass by a more moderate GOP or blue dog. He walks a very fine line.

Mark Kirk isn’t a wingnut. He’s pro-access to abortion and he put his full support behind the gay marriage bill in Illinois this year.

But that gay marriage bill failed to pass, in large part because it ran into serious opposition within the Illinois Democratic party. Its failure left Sen. Kirk having supported a failed social policy change that was to the left of most of the state and national Republican party.

Thus Mark Kirk likely feels he cannot oppose Ted Cruz regarding the budget. A Senator can only stray so far from his party before the DINO/RINO label gets applied.

206 Mattand  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:13:28am

re: #199 Dark_Falcon

Number 4 is a standard propaganda spew. I’ve spewed propaganda at work too, so I’m not going to condemn Sen. Kirk for doing something that I myself have done.

How about condemning him (and the rest of the party) for engaging in economic terrorism by shutting down the government because the GOP got its ass handed to them over the ACA?

207 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:13:49am

re: #199 Dark_Falcon

Number 2 is standard political rhetoric. it’s the same thing as the Democrats calling John Boehner a “crybaby”.

It’s not the same thing, no. Obama is not throwing a temper tantrum. There is nothing about that statement that is in any way true, even rhetorically.

Number 3 is not a lie. Many Republicans think Barack Obama really does think like that. This belief is based both on their understanding of the natural of liberalism as well as Obama leadership style.

Number three is a lie, Dark. I don’t get know whether you’re just lying about it, or you’re asserting that Mark Kirk is actually a very stupid person. Barack Obama obviously knows he can’t just instruct the country to do things and have them get done. This is not an arguable point. If by ‘instruct’ Kirk just means “ask”, then again, Kirk doesn’t think Obama is wrong to assert he can do that.

If you want to respond to that, please respond to the actual point I made instead of ignoring it and pretending I didn’t say it. Describe how it’s not a lie: what is it that Kirk believes about Obama? That Obama thinks he has dictatorial powers?

Number 4 is a standard propaganda spew. I’ve spewed propaganda at work too, so I’m not going to condemn Sen. Kirk for doing something that I myself have done.

No, it’s not, Dark. You may comfort yourself by calling blatant lies ‘standard’, but it’s really not. Mark Kirk is lying to his constituents, lying to the American people, lying to you about the president of the United States, and about critically important public policy. It’s not ‘standard’ to claim that your opponent is actually scared of his own flagship policy. It is an obvious, contemptible, and stupid lie. That you’ve lied in similar ways is really not a comfort.

I know you’re not a very stupid person, and you know I’m not, so why the hell would you serve up this bunch of bullshit and except me to accept it?

208 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:16:06am

re: #204 lawhawk

Kirk is in a similar position. Incumbent with deep pockets. Why would he be threatened by a primary, which could result in the seat going to a Democrat in a general election?

Because he’s up for reelection in 2016, and no Illinois Republican has been able to win a US Senate election during a presidential election year in my lifetime. Kirk won in a mid-term as did Charles Percy (1978) and Peter Fitzgerald (1998). If Kirk wants a second term in the Senate, he needs to keep the state party base reasonably content while not alienating moderates. He can’t afford to get pushed too far in either direction, and even if he does everything right his fate is not wholly in his hands.

209 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:17:08am

re: #206 Mattand

Asked and answered yesterday.

210 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:20:02am

Mornin’ everyone.

211 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:21:14am

Thanks, DF! I was wondering what the answer was to the question, “Are today’s Republicans capable of learning from their mistakes?” Appreciate the clarification.

212 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:22:27am

re: #208 Dark_Falcon

Accepting all that doesn’t make his position any better. An incumbent holds advantages that a primary GOP challenger wont. So, even if the GOP attempts to primary him because he’s not sufficiently full metal wingnut, it would help hand the seat to the Democrats.

If Kirk wants a second term in the Senate, he needs to keep the state party base reasonably content while not alienating moderates. He can’t afford to get pushed too far in either direction, and even if he does everything right his fate is not wholly in his hands.

He is alienating the moderates and independents in IL by taking a position that is all but certain to lead to economic harm the likes of which have never been contemplated before because the GOP is pushing the nation over the debt ceiling cliff. Standing up against this would insure that he’d likely win reelection in the generals, and the GOP wingnuts might try to primary him, but he’d still hold the advantages.

What advantage is there to taking a position that puts the nation in economic peril as the GOP has done? You’re essentially conceding that he’s putting his petty political fortunes ahead of those of the nation, and that’s a recipe for ruin in his reelection since his opponent on the Democrat side will run with that all the way to reclaiming the seat. A TP extortionist primary challenger versus a Democrat under those same circumstances would likely lose to the Democrat as well.

The only way the GOP is likely to keep the seat is if Kirk does the right thing and help quash the wingnut brigade. He’s failing on that account and his party loyalty is going to be a huge liability.

213 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:25:06am

re: #212 lawhawk

That’s what’s so maddening about this shit. The GOP is doing immense damage to the US’s security, economy, and political structures in order to gain a brief tiny bulwark against getting primaried, at the cost of long-term disgracing the GOP as a mendaciously corrupt group that were willing to damage the US for short-term gain. The GOP doesn’t win in this scenario. The GOP loses. It’s all so fucking pointless.

214 makeitstop  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:25:39am

re: #185 Dark_Falcon

When you’ve got the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head and you know that telling the truth will only bring it down on you, you shove your convictions aside and find a way to say what you need to say to survive.

What the hell ever happened to doing the right thing?

Is the entire GOP, and everyone in it, now run according to an extremely narrow definition of self-preservation?

How the fuck do any of you justify that?

215 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:29:46am

re: #214 makeitstop

The same way that the GOP dissembles when all polling shows that the GOP is losing on the shutdown. They just think that they’re strengthening their core constituencies, and that they win if they hold out for defunding, delaying, or destroying the ACA.

These people are standing in the way of expanding access to health insurance. That’s what they’re fearing.

216 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:37:04am

re: #214 makeitstop

What the hell ever happened to doing the right thing?

Is the entire GOP, and everyone in it, now run according to an extremely narrow definition of self-preservation?

How the fuck do any of you justify that?

Living in fear. Bush preached it for eight years. It’s only reasonable that some people are still so traumatized by that that they’ve internalized it as a party. Only now instead of fearing religious radicals abroad, they fear religious radicals from within.

I love the smell of irony in the morning.

217 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:39:11am

The GOP is still complaining about the problems with the ACA website rollout. A few are even trying to compare the rollout to Apple’s rollout of the iPhone.

Why not the Newton? Or Lisa? NeXT? The Cube?

Oh wait.

Want to go with cars?
Ford has produced some of the greatest cars in history, including the Model T and the Mustang, but how about the Edsel?

How about retail businesses? JCP is over 100 years old, but the past year has almost killed the company and they’ve changed directions more times than a cow in a tornado.

That doesn’t minimize the problems with the website rollout, but it does put it into perspective. Launching a complicated product isn’t going to be without problems. No website launch is perfect either - and companies constantly update and upgrade items. Every bank does it. So the fact that parts of the site were taken down to be fixed shouldn’t surprise or be cause for worry.

Heck, I’d be more worried if they weren’t shutting down parts for fixes on a regular basis. That would indicate that they’re not addressing problems.

But all this goes to how much they really fear that the ACA will be successful and that it will be a lasting achievement for the President.

And there’s a few people who are realizing that the GOP will not win a national election anytime soon for the positions they’re currently taking.

218 GOPHostage#25698724  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:39:19am

Good Morning.

I just noticed it’s been 5 years since I registered today. Still the only blog I spend any time in aside from my own, be that photography or Precious Metal West stuff. Might change my alter-nic during this foolish and dangerous shutdown.

GOPHostage#25698724?

219 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:41:45am

re: #217 lawhawk

The GOP is still complaining about the problems with the ACA website rollout.

Rolling out a major production public-facing website and then furloughing all the IT tech support as “non-essential” is like #1 on the list of MOST STUPID THINGS TO DO DURING A MAJOR PRODUCTION ROLLOUT.

220 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:43:20am

What an asshat. This is the same guy who caused the 1995 shutdown because he didn’t like the seating arrangements on AF1.

221 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:43:43am

Something else to bear in mind.

Swap positions between the GOP and the Democrats. Would the GOP ever tolerate Democrats holding the nation hostage to defund/delay/destroy a GOP president’s signature achievement that was duly elected as law and upheld in the courts?

Of course not. They’d be saying everything that Democrats are currently saying about the GOP. The Democrats have never done anything even remotely like what this batch of GOPers are doing. It’s a level of extremism and extortionism that the nation has never seen before in the budget and debt ceiling talks. And that’s all on the GOP, not the Democrats or President Obama.

This GOP wants to erase the President’s signature achievements by means other than the legislative process by shutting down government, throwing a tamper tantrum and putting the nation’s credit at risk over a refusal to raise the debt ceiling, even though the debt ceiling does not increase or decrease spending one iota. However, blocking the debt ceiling will absolutely increase costs to all levels of government through higher borrowing costs as interest rates on debt instruments will soar since it would then be known that the government would go back on its obligations.

222 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:44:53am

re: #220 Vicious Babushka

What an asshat.

[Embedded content]

What’s the word for rule by military? Militarism?

223 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:46:19am
224 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:46:50am

re: #222 Gus

I believe the word you’re looking for is junta….

225 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:47:26am

Like anyone should give a shit what New Gingrich thinks right now.

226 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:49:26am


50-70 GOPers voting for a clean CR. That plus the Democrats is enough to end this nonsense and get everyone back working. If only Boehner let a clean CR come up for a vote.

Instead, he’s pushing the same extremist agenda as the TP. He owns this.

Entirely.

227 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:49:46am

Libya Wants ‘Clarification’ in Al-Qaida Leader Nab

Uh—we’ve clearly got his ass on a boat. Clear enough?

abcnews.go.com

228 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:50:32am

re: #224 piratedan

I believe the word you’re looking for is junta….

Bob Cesca was being trolled the other day by a bunch of Breitbots that were saying you can’t say “OUR military” unless you’re a veteran… Derp. Dick Cheney used to frequently say “our military.”

229 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:52:18am

Hey, everyone! Greetings again from China. Charles helped me escape from the gulag. (LGF was blocking all China IPs, if you missed that part of the story.)

My students are completely confounded by the American system of government. For that matter, so am I.

230 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:52:57am

Militocracy

231 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:53:04am

re: #226 lawhawk

Time for Pelosi to end this for them. Get the signatures, and force the vote.

You know what looks worse to voters than your shutting down the government in order to kill health care? The minority party coming to the rescue and forcing you to reopen it.

232 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:53:20am

re: #228 Gus

Bob Cesca was being trolled the other day by a bunch of Breitbots that were saying you can’t say “OUR military” unless you’re a veteran… Derp. Dick Cheney used to frequently say “our military.”

So I can’t say “our government” unless I served in it?

233 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:54:45am

re: #222 Gus

What’s the word for rule by military? Militarism?

Don’t ask questions. Show me your papers. … OK. come with us.

234 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:55:10am
235 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:55:27am
236 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:59:39am
237 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:01:53am

re: #229 wheat-dogghazi

Hey, everyone! Greetings again from China. Charles helped me escape from the gulag. (LGF was blocking all China IPs, if you missed that part of the story.)

My students are completely confounded by the American system of government. For that matter, so am I.

They’re not the only ones. Some of my Czech students are equally flummoxed.

238 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:04:08am

re: #231 darthstar

Time for Pelosi to end this for them. Get the signatures, and force the vote.

You know what looks worse to voters than your shutting down the government in order to kill health care? The minority party coming to the rescue and forcing you to reopen it.

Heh. The GOP would be humiliated beyond words. And spitting nails at the same time.

I wonder if there’s a word that describes being simultaneously humiliated to the point of tears and being frothing-at-the-mouth infuriated about it?

I’ll bet the Germans have a word for it. They have a word for pretty much everything.

239 Interesting Times  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:05:33am

re: #226 lawhawk

[Embedded content]


50-70 GOPers voting for a clean CR. That plus the Democrats is enough to end this nonsense and get everyone back working. If only Boehner let a clean CR come up for a vote.

Instead, he’s pushing the same extremist agenda as the TP. He owns this.

He couldn’t be a more sniveling, pathetic, beneath-contempt coward if he tried. I can’t wait until he loses his job and goes sobbing off into the sunset. If we never have to see that orange blob of gutlessness again, it’ll be too soon.

240 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:05:37am

re: #236 darthstar


The GOP may claim that they want negotiations, but they’ve larded even negotiations with preconditions of every variety - namely ACA poison pill provisions that undermine the President’s signature law.

He’s not going to do that. Being a legislator is different than being president. If he caves here - even slightly backtracking on the debt ceiling and conceding on any aspects of Obamacare, future presidents will be forced to do that and more (slippery slope governance). But more to the point, it would reward extortion and depending on the duration of the CR and debt ceiling level, we’d be right back at this anywhere from a few months to a year before we’re right back at this - with the rabid TP thinking that they’ve got Obama where they want him. It will reinforce the TP notion that if only you’ve got pure-thinking conservatives, they can succeed and further reinforces the extremists in the GOP.

241 danarchy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:06:25am

re: #231 darthstar

Time for Pelosi to end this for them. Get the signatures, and force the vote.

You know what looks worse to voters than your shutting down the government in order to kill health care? The minority party coming to the rescue and forcing you to reopen it.

Don’t think she’ll get the signatures she needs. she was only able to get 195 of the 200 democrats to sign and she would need to get 22 republicans to jump ship and sign. Even if 22 have signaled they would vote for a clean CR, getting those folks to sign the discharge petition is a whole different matter. I just don’t see it happening.

242 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:07:00am
243 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:07:12am

re: #237 Dr Lizardo

They’re not the only ones. Some of my Czech students are equally flummoxed.

Hard to explain to anyone why, after passing both houses of Congress and being signed into law, a less-than-radical national health-care system should a year later be scrapped and replaced with absolutely nothing. Even harder to explain how a noisy minority can hold the entire fookin’ nation hostage over something THAT IS ALREADY LAW.

Like 2-year-olds

244 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:08:37am

re: #238 Dr Lizardo

Heh. The GOP would be humiliated beyond words. And spitting nails at the same time.

I wonder if there’s a word that describes being simultaneously humiliated to the point of tears and being frothing-at-the-mouth infuriated about it?

I’ll bet the Germans have a word for it. They have a word for pretty much everything.

Compiegne.

245 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:09:15am

Weirdos being weird. :D

246 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:12:54am

re: #244 Decatur Deb

Compiegne.

I wish I could upding you more than once for that zinger.

Bravo…..well played.

247 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:13:32am
248 Internet Tough Guy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:14:53am

re: #220 Vicious Babushka

What an asshat. This is the same guy who caused the 1995 shutdown because he didn’t like the seating arrangements on AF1.

[Embedded content]

So he’s calling for mob rule.

Be careful what you wish for motherfucker you just may get it.

249 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:16:39am

re: #243 wheat-dogghazi

Hard to explain to anyone why, after passing both houses of Congress and being signed into law, a less-than-radical national health-care system should a year later be scrapped and replaced with absolutely nothing. Even harder to explain how a noisy minority can hold the entire fookin’ nation hostage over something THAT IS ALREADY LAW.

Like 2-year-olds

As one of my students pointed out, a segment of the GOP is acting like children who can’t get their way. As she also pointed out, what’s even scarier is that many of these folks are heavily armed and itching for an armed confrontation.

Another student piped up, “They’d never get away with here - they police would simply round them up and hold them under anti-terrorism laws for encouraging rebellion against the state.”

250 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:16:43am

The GOP is like something out of South Park.

251 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:17:59am
252 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:18:43am

Quiz Time: South Park or GOP?
Who said what.

//

253 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:18:43am

re: #250 Gus

The GOP is like something out of South Park.

The underpants gnomes?

254 Internet Tough Guy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:19:21am

Josh Marshall has pressed the panic button, btw, for good reason:

The Post has a profile in motion of freshman House Republican Ted Yoho (FL). The focus is how he’s part of the faction who forced John Boehner to trigger the government shutdown and now wants to move along to default on the national debt. How bad will default be? “I think, personally, it would bring stability to the world markets,” Yoho told the Post.

We are so, so screwed.

255 makeitstop  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:20:17am

re: #247 Vicious Babushka

Although the government is officially “#shutdown,” my office is open, receiving calls, emails & other correspondence

I’ve been seeing this meme taking root over the last 24 hours - someone posted a tweet last night claiming that ‘government was 85% open.’

Are they really going to try going with the position that the government isn’t actually shut down now? Seriously?

256 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:21:03am

Seems to me there would be grounds for taxpayers and govt workers to sue Boehner and his gang of do-nothings to do their jobs—i.e., legislate a CR, raise the debt ceiling and leave ACA, which is law, alone in this process. We don’t need anarchists in our govt or anyone who tries to hold govt hostage while they try to “get their way”.

If they aren’t up to the task, they should resign. Seems as though people of all political stripes of just tired of their bullshit, and only the most extreme elements would want to see this country go down in flaming rhetoric and inaction.

257 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:23:22am

re: #254 Internet Tough Guy

Josh Marshall has pressed the panic button, btw, for good reason:

Ladies and gentlemen, the incarnation of the Teahadis’ economic illiteracy: Ted Yoho (R-FL)

258 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:24:10am

re: #255 makeitstop

I’ve been seeing this meme taking root over the last 24 hours - someone posted a tweet last night claiming that ‘government was 85% open.’

Are they really going to try going with the position that the government isn’t actually shut down now? Seriously?

They’re getting that from Drudge. That’s been up for at least three or four days now.

259 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:24:34am

re: #255 makeitstop

I’ve been seeing this meme taking root over the last 24 hours - someone posted a tweet last night claiming that ‘government was 85% open.’

Are they really going to try going with the position that the government isn’t actually shut down now? Seriously?

It’s part of their “small government” shtick. “Non-essential personnel” = dead wood and goldbrickers

260 Interesting Times  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:25:38am

re: #257 Dr Lizardo

Ladies and gentlemen, the incarnation of the Teahadis’ economic illiteracy: Ted Yoho (R-FL)

I keep reading his last name as “YoYo.” Makes sense.

261 Mattand  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:25:53am

re: #254 Internet Tough Guy

Josh Marshall has pressed the panic button, btw, for good reason:

Yeah, I read that yesterday as well. I tend to agree, although I will happily admit to being wrong.

I’m also getting sick of hearing about this “Well, there’s enough GOP that would sign on to a clean CR.” Horseshit. That requires:

1) A willingness to put country before party
2) A spine
3) A tiny modicum of self-awareness

That’s something that’s been sorely lacking with these jerks.

What’s really depressing is even ‘rational’ conservatives like DF seem to be in denial about how messed up this situation is.

I’m absolutely with Obama on this. The GOP is trying to set a precedent of governing through threat. For all of the belly aching about Obama being a dictator, the GOP’s actions seem to closer to that model.

262 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:26:11am

re: #249 Dr Lizardo

As one of my students pointed out, a segment of the GOP is acting like children who can’t get their way. As she also pointed out, what’s even scarier is that many of these folks are heavily armed and itching for an armed confrontation.

Another student piped up, “They’d never get away with here - they police would simply round them up and hold them under anti-terrorism laws for encouraging rebellion against the state.”

FEMA camps! Black helicopters! 11ty!!

263 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:26:17am

re: #260 Interesting Times

I keep reading his last name as “YoYo.” Makes sense.

Or “Yayhoo”. Either one is appropriate.

264 Mattand  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:26:23am

re: #260 Interesting Times

I keep reading his last name as “YoYo.” Makes sense.

I see it as “Yahoo”.

265 erik_t  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:26:50am

I cannot, for the life of me, read that as anything other than Ted Yoo-hoo, the Congressman with the cranium full of chocolate milk.

266 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:26:53am

re: #257 Dr Lizardo

Ladies and gentlemen, the incarnation of the Teahadis’ economic illiteracy: Ted Yoho (R-FL)

Yoho ho and a bottle of dumb.

267 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:27:33am

re: #266 Vicious Babushka

Yoho ho and a bottle of dumb.

And a jar of dirt.

268 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:27:44am

re: #255 makeitstop

Yes, that’s exactly it. They don’t think that the shutdown is bad. They think that they’re winning this, and they’re spinning furiously to try and shape the media coverage of this all the while.

So, despite the fact that agencies like NASA, NOAA, EPA, NPS (Dept of Interior) are all shuttered, it’s just 15% of the government.

They’re hoping people ignore reality.

They’re hoping to get people accustomed to less government - making people think that since everything is kinda-functioning that we can do without all the parts of government that isn’t shut. Then make those parts that are shut down permanent.

Just as they did with the sequester, the TP/GOP is making something that should be a catastrophic economic hardship into a goal. Pay lip service to that they should be trying to avoid the shutdown/fiscal cliff/sequester, but then cheer when it happens since it slashes government in a way that conservatives could only have hoped for in a fever dream.

Watch for them to point out that since there aren’t any food poisoning outbreaks that we can do without the FDA, CDC, etc.

Same with DOE, DOI, HHS etc.

The long term goal is slashing the size of government. They’ve manufactured a crisis to achieve that very goal by thwarting any action to avoid it.

269 William Barnett-Lewis  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:29:21am

re: #218 GOPHostage#25698724

Happy Lizard Day! I hit 4 years last Wednesday. Been a lot of changes around here in these few years…

270 Stanley Sea  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:30:13am

So I heard entitlements mentioned this morning.

Moving the goalposts anyone?

What a shitshow.

271 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:30:22am

Checks…

Registered since: Oct 11, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Hmmm.

272 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:31:23am

re: #271 Gus

Checks…

Registered since: Oct 11, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Hmmm.

Registered since: Oct 8, 2009 at 1:22 pm


CONSPIRACY!

273 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:33:53am

re: #272 Varek Raith

Registered since: Oct 8, 2009 at 1:22 pm

CONSPIRACY!

The season of the witch!

274 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:34:43am

re: #272 Varek Raith

Pikers…

Jun 15, 2004 at 10:36 am Opening day of registration; LGF, first class.

And been posting since late September/October 2001. That makes 12+ years since joining the community here.

275 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:37:04am


Chumming.

276 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:37:39am

re: #275 Gus

[Embedded content]


Chumming.

You’re gonna need a bigger boat.

277 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:39:37am


Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) read that tweet on the House floor.

And because it’s true and bears repeating.

The GOP is threatening to destroy the economy if it doesn’t get its way. And its concessions amount to burning down parts of the government it doesn’t like in exchange for a temporary reprieve before it gets back to trying to destroy the economy again…

278 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:40:27am

Yo ho ho and a bottle of derp!

279 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:41:44am

Apparently Twitchy has taken over the GOP leadership. //

280 Interesting Times  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:42:20am

Somewhere in Ted Cruz’s bedroom is a jar containing two shriveled orange balls.

281 Ian G.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:42:31am

Mornin’ Lizards!

So the unseasonably warm, steamy weather in the NYC area should come to an end today with the possibility of tornadoes (we’re under a watch until 5pm). Whatever. Tornadoes scare me less than Republicans. After all, tornadoes behave in predictable manners.

Then there’s this idiocy. Representative democracy was good until the other side started winning. Now it needs to be destroyed. That’s pretty much the tea party in a nutshell. Of course, these clowns live on semi-arid high plain where their high standard of living only exists because of zillions in farm subsidies. Instead of whining that it’s just not fair that Denver has a lot of people and they’re not right-wing nutjobs, they should be mailing thank-you cards to every taxpayer in metro Denver whose hard work in driving the economic engine of this country allows these assholes to live a lot better than Afghan shepherds.

282 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:42:35am

I first posted here in November 2003.

283 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:43:22am

re: #261 Mattand

Yeah, I read that yesterday as well. I tend to agree, although I will happily admit to being wrong.

I’m also getting sick of hearing about this “Well, there’s enough GOP that would sign on to a clean CR.” Horseshit. That requires:

1) A willingness to put country before party
2) A spine
3) A tiny modicum of self-awareness

That’s something that’s been sorely lacking with these jerks.

What’s really depressing is even ‘rational’ conservatives like DF seem to be in denial about how messed up this situation is.

I’m absolutely with Obama on this. The GOP is trying to set a precedent of governing through threat. For all of the belly aching about Obama being a dictator, the GOP’s actions seem to closer to that model.

All this talk about Repubs who’d vote for a clean CR assumes one thing, namely that Boehner would ever put such on the floor and thus agree to take the bullet for the team. None have stepped forward to sign the discharge petition, not even Peter King, despite all the criticism he’s giving of the shutdown and the Tea Party. It’s why I’m getting nervous as fuck, because right now, I just don’t trust Boehner to go along with the rest of the class. I fully expect him to push the country into a default just to avoid the Tea Party’s wrath.

284 makeitstop  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:47:01am

Tom Coburn: US Won’t Default If Congress Fails To Raise Debt Ceiling

What the ever-lovin’ fuck?

Who is telling these guys this shit?

285 Ian G.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:48:07am

Anyone have any idea what the White House is thinking? We all know that the adult in the room in the President, so he must have contingency plans in place for a default. He’s just been too good at getting his opponents to Wile E. Coyote themselves every time.

286 Ian G.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:49:59am

re: #284 makeitstop

Tom Coburn: US Won’t Default If Congress Fails To Raise Debt Ceiling

What the ever-lovin’ fuck?

Who is telling these guys this shit?

OK, Tom, let’s assume that we’ll continue to pay our debts. That means that we cut social security and medicare (among other things). What do you think will happen when your elderly voting base suddenly doesn’t have the goodies they’ve come to expect from the government?

This isn’t going to come down on Obama’s head, dumbass.

287 Internet Tough Guy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:50:03am

re: #284 makeitstop

Tom Coburn: US Won’t Default If Congress Fails To Raise Debt Ceiling

What the ever-lovin’ fuck?

Who is telling these guys this shit?

It’s really going to take a Hiroshima-level event to get them to surrender.

288 makeitstop  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:50:26am

re: #285 Ian G.

Anyone have any idea what the White House is thinking? We all know that the adult in the room in the President, so he must have contingency plans in place for a default. He’s just been too good at getting his opponents to Wile E. Coyote themselves every time.

I’m hoping for something that will open up the government, raise the debt ceiling, and humiliate every ‘bagger in every state of this country.

Tall order, I know.

289 Internet Tough Guy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:52:04am

re: #286 Ian G.

That means that we cut social security and medicare (among other things).

Why would you assume that he thinks that’s bad?

290 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:53:20am

re: #231 darthstar

Time for Pelosi to end this for them. Get the signatures, and force the vote.

You know what looks worse to voters than your shutting down the government in order to kill health care? The minority party coming to the rescue and forcing you to reopen it.

I don’t think she will do that. She might, but doing so would require a good many Democrats to vote in favor of the sequester’s level of funding and they many not want to do that. Further, the news that a discharge petition was circulating would reach the political section of the internet long before it got the needed signatures and it might provoke a nasty reaction from more than one place.

/The foregoing is intended as analysis and should not be read as criticism of Nancy Pelosi.

291 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:54:01am
292 erik_t  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:55:13am

The only way Greenbeck’s story-hypocrisy could be a bigger joke is if he did his tweeting while wearing one of those awesome Russian fur hats.

293 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:55:18am

re: #287 Internet Tough Guy

It’s really going to take a Hiroshima-level event to get them to surrender.

Remember, even Hiroshima was not enough, it took Nagasaki and the threat of a Russian invasion in the north to bring them to reason…

294 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:55:54am

re: #291 Gus

Surely you can ‘shop a red nose on GG’s mug, Gus

295 Internet Tough Guy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:58:18am

re: #291 Gus

it can’t be a bigger joke than his tax accounting.

296 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:58:37am
297 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:58:54am

re: #290 Dark_Falcon

I don’t think she will do that. She might, but doing so would require a good many Democrats to vote in favor of the sequester’s level of funding and they many not want to do that. Further, the news that a discharge petition was circulating would reach the political section of the internet long before it got the needed signatures and it might provoke a nasty reaction from more than one place.

/The foregoing is intended as analysis and should not be read as criticism of Nancy Pelosi.

Are you reading off Boehner’s notes?

298 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:59:15am

If you love it so much Pam don’t fucking bitch about national parks being closed. Kthnxbai

299 Ian G.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:59:51am

re: #289 Internet Tough Guy

That means that we cut social security and medicare (among other things).

Why would you assume that he thinks that’s bad?

He won’t, but his constituents will, and we theoretically live in a representative democracy where he will be accountable to his constituents.

Hell, even those who think that the country would be better off if it were run by a white, rural, Christian oligarchy understand that you don’t cut off government spending on said white rural Christians. Only Those People deserve to have funding cut.

300 Ian G.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:00:53am

re: #296 Gus

Today’s Republican Party in one image.

Is that a Star of David she’s got on the necklace?

Care to comment on that Vicious Babuskha?

301 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:02:09am

re: #293 Sol Berdinowitz

Remember, even Hiroshima was not enough, it took Nagasaki and the threat of a Russian invasion in the north to bring them to reason…

The threat of invasion of Hokkaido from Russia was lesser than the near-certain loss of Japan’s mainland conquests. Had Japan not surrendered, Soviet forces would have simply swept south into Korea and China. The loss of raw materials would have been severe and the loss of the production japan had started getting in China and Manchuria would have been equally bad.

302 Internet Tough Guy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:04:50am

re: #299 Ian G.

He won’t, but his constituents will,

I wouldn’t make that assumption either.

They may be pissy at cuts to their own bennies, but if teh negroz and teh illegalz (TM GOP) are hurt then they’ll focus on that.

303 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:05:04am

re: #297 Targetpractice

Are you reading off Boehner’s notes?

No, that’s my own read of the situation and I deliberately left some wiggle room. But it would not be a good thing for the Democratic House leadership to push a discharge petition that failed, and that fact has got to weigh on Nancy Pelosi.

304 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:05:07am

re: #300 Ian G.

Is that a Star of David she’s got on the necklace?

Care to comment on that Vicious Babuskha?

There’s probably one Jew in the audience. Maybe.

305 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:06:34am

re: #303 Dark_Falcon

No, that’s my own read of the situation and I deliberately left some wiggle room. But it would not be a good thing for the Democratic House leadership to push a discharge petition that failed, and that fact has got to weigh on Nancy Pelosi.

Dark, Pelosi just presented a letter to Boehner the other day with all but five of the House Democratic caucus as signatories. So you’ve stumbled at the first hurdle by saying that some House Democrats wouldn’t support voting on a bill with sequester-level funding. Past that, the suggestion that Democrats would look bad for trying a discharge petition and failing assumes one thing based upon that letter: That they couldn’t entice any Republicans to support said petition. That would not be a negative reflection upon her or the DNC.

306 Internet Tough Guy  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:06:47am

re: #300 Ian G.

Is that a Star of David she’s got on the necklace?

Evangelicals are the Jews’ best friends, until Jesus comes down to exterminate judge them for killing Him.

307 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:06:57am

On that note, I need to get to work. BBL

308 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:07:50am

re: #306 Internet Tough Guy

Evangelicals are the Jews’ best friends, until Jesus comes down to exterminate judge them for killing Him.

They need the assistance of the Jews to help precipitate the End Times, which they just can’t wait for…

309 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:08:01am

re: #306 Internet Tough Guy

Evangelicals are the Jews’ best friends, until Jesus comes down to exterminate judge them for killing Him.

Rapture ready.

310 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:08:12am

re: #298 Vicious Babushka

That dumb bitch can’t even stay on topic. She claims to be writing about the budget fight, but she quickly veers back to her favorite activity: Spewing rabid hatred of Islam. Her hate makes her incompetent.

311 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:08:17am

re: #300 Ian G.

Is that a Star of David she’s got on the necklace?

Care to comment on that Vicious Babuskha?

Hard to tell because it’s partially blocked. My guess is that it’s one of those “Christian Zionist” things with the cross inside.

312 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:12:45am

Hee Haw has taken over the GOP.

313 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:13:58am

re: #293 Sol Berdinowitz

Remember, even Hiroshima was not enough, it took Nagasaki and the threat of a Russian invasion in the north to bring them to reason…

August 9th, 1945 was a very bad day for the Japanese Empire.

Nagasaki and the USSR formally declaring war on them within a matter of hours. Ultimately, it was enough to convince Hirohito to throw in the towel.

Quite a few members of the war cabinet still wanted to fight on, but the Showa Emperor had the final say.

314 Interesting Times  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:15:43am

re: #312 Gus

Hee Haw has taken over the GOP.

I remember reading freerepublic comments back in the day and thinking, good grief, can you imagine if these people ever came to power?

Well… o_O

315 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:16:33am

re: #314 Interesting Times

I remember reading freerepublic comments back in the day and thinking, good grief, can you imagine if these people ever came to power?

Well… o_O

Gohmert 2016!

316 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:17:38am

re: #314 Interesting Times

I remember reading freerepublic comments back in the day and thinking, good grief, can you imagine if these people ever came to power?

Well… o_O

They have.

317 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:20:22am
318 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:23:18am

Conservatives should not approve a CR unless it defunds Obamacare. This includes Obamacare’s unworkable exchanges, unsustainable Medicaid expansion, and attack on life and religious liberty.
Matt Kibbe — Freedomworks

319 GoatLord  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:24:05am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon
As much as she maybe so, please refrain from calling her a “dumb bitch”.

320 GOPHostage#25698724  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:24:51am

re: #227 Decatur Deb

Libya Wants ‘Clarification’ in Al-Qaida Leader Nab

Uh—we’ve clearly got his ass on a boat. Clear enough?

abcnews.go.com

I can clear that right up.

Our reluctance to go in and grab a killer without prior permission from the local government is proportionate to the help we got after Benghazi for the investigation.

321 Eventual Carrion  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:24:56am

re: #228 Gus

Bob Cesca was being trolled the other day by a bunch of Breitbots that were saying you can’t say “OUR military” unless you’re a veteran… Derp. Dick Cheney used to frequently say “our military.”

Wonder if I can say it since I was medically rejected when I enlisted in ‘81?

322 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:26:07am

Wingnuts still in a Tweeting frenzy of:

OBAMA MADE TEH SHUTDOWN JUST TO MAKE U SUFFER!!11!!
and
800,000 NON ESSENTIALS? SO Y DID WE EVEN HAVE THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!11

323 Stoatly  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:30:03am

re: #194 Justanotherhuman

….Religion is used to justify many criminal acts, acts of neglect and abuse, etc. This applies whether your “prophet” is Jesus or Mohammed or whoever the hell you want to name, and it applies to those who came before them as well who thought or acted criminally because their “god” or “gods” told them to. It really is an easy way to avoid responsibility for your own thinking and actions…..

Youtube Video

324 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:32:48am
325 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:33:34am


Calling the bluff. The Democrats hold a Royal Flush, while the GOP has nothing but Jokers wild. And we’re not playing with wilds.

326 sagehen  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:34:21am

re: #176 Dr Lizardo

The anti-vaxxers (i.e., the Taliban and assorted hardline fundies) view vaccination programs as some kind of Western conspiracy.

They have a lot in common with hardline fundies here, though I’m sure either side would be loath to admit it.

actually… the taliban sort of has a point, in that the CIA was using vaccination programs as a cover to collect DNA in their search for Bin Laden. The public health NGO’s (Gates Foundation in particular) have been very public about much this undermines their efforts.

327 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:34:30am

re: #291 Gus

The only way the NSA Review Panel could be a bigger joke is if they all were forced to wear Bozo the Clown red noses at the meetings
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 7, 2013

Image: GlennGreenwald_bio-nose.jpg

I suck at Photoshop. Hope this will inspire others more expert at such matters.

328 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:36:03am

re: #284 makeitstop

Tom Coburn: US Won’t Default If Congress Fails To Raise Debt Ceiling

What the ever-lovin’ fuck?

Who is telling these guys this shit?

:0

It’s so harmless that we’re threatening Obama with it! ‘Tis only a pillow! A spiky horrible pillow!

329 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:36:24am

re: #319 GoatLord

As much as she maybe so, please refrain from calling her a “dumb bitch”.

I apologize if I offended, but Pam Geller just plain ticks me off and some rare times my anger gets the better of me.

330 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:38:39am

re: #268 lawhawk

Watch for them to point out that since there aren’t any food poisoning outbreaks that we can do without the FDA, CDC, etc.

Same with DOE, DOI, HHS etc.

Mid-air collisions are extremely rare. Why, then, are we still paying for all these air traffic controllers?

331 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:39:30am

re: #312 Gus

Hee Haw has taken over the GOP.

Not an apt comparison: Hee Haw understood itself to be a joke.

332 Slap  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:39:47am

re: #238 Dr Lizardo

I’ll bet the Germans have a word for it. They have a word for pretty much everything.

LOL!!!! And if they don’t, they can just add five or six words together to create the glorious compound words that Mark Twain so amusingly described in “The Awful German Language”….

Sicherheisendienst!

333 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:41:16am

re: #326 sagehen

actually… the taliban sort of has a point, in that the CIA was using vaccination programs as a cover to collect DNA in their search for Bin Laden. The public health NGO’s (Gates Foundation in particular) have been very public about much this undermines their efforts.

No, they have no point, since they aren’t alleging espionage. What they say is that the polio vaccine is intended to poison or sterilize Muslims.

As for the distrust caused by the CIA using a polio vaccine program to help verify that they’d found Osama bin Laden, I simply reply “Had to be done.” Bin Laden was such a severe threat to America’s national security that the blowback caused by the CIA’s actions is a tolerable price for having rid the world of one of its worst terror masters.

334 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:41:32am
335 GOPHostage#25698724  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:42:26am

The one mistake the admin may have made-Excluding the possibility of a 14th amendment solution. Taking options off the table when you are against these kinds of enemies might not work out.

336 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:43:30am
337 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:43:43am

re: #335 GOPHostage#25698724

The one mistake the admin may have made-Excluding the possibility of a 14th amendment solution. Taking options off the table when you are against these kinds of enemies might not work out.

They’ll cross that bridge when they get to it, I think.

338 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:44:41am
339 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:45:22am

The State of Georgia, and any other state which practices this barbarism, should be shunned, boycotted, whatever.

Statement from GFADP on today’s actions from the US Supreme Court denying relief for Warren Hill

gfadp.org

340 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:45:28am

re: #336 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

Republican compares shutdown to the civil war and they’re the confederacy

So, he’s saying the Republicans are going to end up getting their asses handed them to?

Not the most……..encouraging message.

341 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:46:17am

re: #336 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

well that’s apt considering how much these guys like to rewrite history in their missives to the media, where Slave Owners were the last bastions of Freedom and that the North shot first et al…

342 sagehen  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:46:22am

theatlantic.com

From a member of the U.S. Foreign Service:

Many of us diplomats have been recruiting foreign companies from around the world to attend the first big invest-in-the-USA conference being organized by the US Dept of Commerce on October 31 in Washington DC.

In 2011 President Obama launched the SelectUSA initiative to bring the federal government into promoting foreign investment in the USA and tasked Commerce’s diplomats and the State Dept. to recruit investment. It’s been pretty successful and one of our primary selling points has been the stability of the United States as compared to some of our competitors (e.g. China). Hundreds of potential investors from 34 countries have registered to attend.

In the midst of recruitment and preparation for this high-profile investment event the SelectUSA office at Commerce has been furloughed. The event is threatened and if it has to be cancelled because of the shutdown it will be major egg on our face around the world. It will pretty much undermine our pitch based on stability. The Tea Party might not welcome job-creating investments from foreigners but the millions of Americans working for foreign investors probably feel differently.

not enough facepalms in the world….

343 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:46:50am

re: #335 GOPHostage#25698724

The one mistake the admin may have made-Excluding the possibility of a 14th amendment solution. Taking options off the table when you are against these kinds of enemies might not work out.

Two problems with that idea:

1. It would take pressure off of Congress, since Congress might well accept the president imposing a solution, thereby allowing members of Congress to rail against an imperfect solution and thereby protect their purity.

2. It is no sure thing that the president would prevail before the Supreme Court, and because of that the yields on the Treasury Bonds issued without Congressional approval would have to be higher that such yields are currently.

344 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:47:42am

re: #338 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

345 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:48:02am

Oh just super. We’ve got a tornado watch and severe weather alerts in effect through this evening, and there’s now word of a crane malfunction in Midtown while a load was being lifted. 57th Street is closed from 5th to 7th Aves while FDNY/NYPD assess and attempt to secure the crane/load.

It’s at One57, the same location where a crane partially collapsed during Hurricane Sandy and threatened nearby residences and businesses as it dangled precariously overhead.

346 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:48:34am

FUCKING IDIOT HERE:

347 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:49:10am

re: #345 lawhawk

You have a tornado watch in Manhattan?

Damn.

348 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:49:35am

Yeah, Hee Haw of course is a silly comparison. But it sure beats the over the top comparison to terrorists.

349 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:49:40am

Hey guys, let’s cut debt that totally doesn’t matter! Ceiling Schmeiling!

350 Gus  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:50:01am

On that note. I have an errand or two to run. Later.

351 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:50:10am

Teabagging fuckwit wants to bring down the entire global economy just in order to get a dig at Obama? That is totally fucking insane.

352 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:50:35am

Also that idiot was following me. Well he is blocked now.

353 Ian G.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:52:04am

re: #345 lawhawk

Oh just super. We’ve got a tornado watch and severe weather alerts in effect through this evening, and there’s now word of a crane malfunction in Midtown while a load was being lifted. 57th Street is closed from 5th to 7th Aves while FDNY/NYPD assess and attempt to secure the crane/load.

It’s at One57, the same location where a crane partially collapsed during Hurricane Sandy and threatened nearby residences and businesses as it dangled precariously overhead.

That’s wonderful news. Even if the likelihood of a tornado hitting that exact spot is vanishingly small, we’re likely to see widespread straight-line winds as the storms move into the area. Any chance they’ll have the thing secure before the first 60 mph wind gust hits midtown?

Also, calling the Hurricane Sandy crane collapse “partial” doesn’t convey just how precarious the situation was. This photo does.

354 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:54:06am

re: #347 Dr Lizardo

forecast.weather.gov

All of NJ, NYC, LI, Central and Southern NY, and parts of PA.

Slight chance of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes. Also damaging winds from front moving through.

355 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:55:53am

re: #354 lawhawk

forecast.weather.gov

All of NJ, NYC, LI, Central and Southern NY, and parts of PA.

Slight chance of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes. Also damaging winds from front moving through.

Wow. Well stay safe and keep the fingers crossed. I certainly don’t want to hear on the news of a quarter mile-wide funnel cloud on the ground in downtown NYC. Yikes!

356 Ian G.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:57:14am

re: #351 Vicious Babushka

Teabagging fucktard wants to bring down the entire global economy just in order to get a dig at Obama? That is totally fucking insane.

This is where all the nonsense that the teabaggers believe about them being God’s new chosen people and America the new promised land comes into play. If white, conservative Christian, rural Americans are supposed to rule by divine right, then any other government is a Satanic abomination, especially one which has at its head a mixed-race, urban, liberal Christian.

So the country deserves a Sodom and Gomorrah-style cleansing for defying God’s will, according to these loons (never mind the rest of the world).

I wish I could see things in another way, but this has become a religious war to those waging it, and if suicide bombers in Pakistan or Kamikaze pilots in Japan are any indication, the threat of self-destruction is not enough to dissuade the truest of true believers.

357 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:57:47am

re: #353 Ian G.

I’m figuring that they’ll do what they can to secure it as quickly and safely as possible.

This is the crane that replaced the one that had failed during Sandy.

Crane operators are required to set the cranes in such a way that they weathervane in the winds to minimize chances of damage or failure. They’ll have to work to get that done by this afternoon.

One57 is set to get company in the next couple of years as three other skyscrapers at least as tall as that one set to rise within a few blocks on 57th Street. One will be as tall as 1WTC without the spire. A couple others will be as tall or taller than the Empire State Building.

358 makeitstop  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:58:28am

re: #354 lawhawk

forecast.weather.gov

All of NJ, NYC, LI, Central and Southern NY, and parts of PA.

Slight chance of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes. Also damaging winds from front moving through.

This shit never fails to make me extremely nervous.

359 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:58:34am

re: #336 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

Republican compares shutdown to the civil war and they’re the confederacy

Interesting Gettysburg analogy. It works in ways the fellow delivering did not intend, though, since the commander of the division that sent the foraging detachment towards Gettysburg, Maj. Gen. Henry Heath, had disobeyed Gen. Lee’s orders by committing his division to battle when his men ran into Gen. Buford’s cavalry.

Interesting Fact: MG Heath was distantly related to Gen Lee and because of that was the only one of his division commanders whom Lee would address by his first name.

360 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:00:36am

re: #358 makeitstop

Well, lucky for us, the front is set to come through just at or around rush hour. That’s going to be fun.

I take these storm warnings in stride. Not much I can do otherwise. Be prepared to act if needed, and just take cover if the watch turns into a warning with tornadoes on the ground.

361 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:02:32am

re: #356 Ian G.

This is where all the nonsense that the teabaggers believe about them being God’s new chosen people and America the new promised land comes into play. If white, conservative Christian, rural Americans are supposed to rule by divine right, then any other government is a Satanic abomination, especially one which has at its head a mixed-race, urban, liberal Christian.

So the country deserves a Sodom and Gomorrah-style cleansing for defying God’s will, according to these loons (never mind the rest of the world).

I wish I could see things in another way, but this has become a religious war to those waging it, and if suicide bombers in Pakistan or Kamikaze pilots in Japan are any indication, the threat of self-destruction is not enough to dissuade the truest of true believers.

This could be what the fundies are thinking:

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;
I will never mourn.’
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

9 “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’

11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.

14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’

20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”

-Revelation 18: 1-20

362 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:02:43am

re: #351 Vicious Babushka

Just as you asked me to remove a tweet last week, I’m going to ask you now to refrain from using the word “fucktard”. Insults based of “retard” insult those with mental or developmental disabilities and a consensus had been reached here at LGF not to use such phrases. I know emotions are running high, but I still as that the convention of not using such words be upheld.

363 GOPHostage#25698724  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:03:13am

re: #343 Dark_Falcon

Two problems with that idea:

1. It would take pressure off of Congress, since Congress might well accept the president imposing a solution, thereby allowing members of Congress to rail against an imperfect solution and thereby protect their purity.

2. It is no sure thing that the president would prevail before the Supreme Court, and because of that the yields on the Treasury Bonds issued without Congressional approval would have to be higher that such yields are currently.

Well the threat on the table is one thing, execution another. I happen to think SCOTUS would uphold the 14th, but anything is possible in court.

364 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:07:07am

re: #362 Dark_Falcon

Just as you asked me to remove a tweet last week, I’m going to ask you now to refrain from using the word “fucktard”. Insults based of “retard” insult those with mental or developmental disabilities and a consensus had been reached here at LGF not to use such phrases. I know emotions are running high, but I still as that the convention of not using such words be upheld.

If I changed it to “fuckbag” would that be OK with you?

365 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:09:48am

re: #364 Vicious Babushka

Also acceptable:

Fucknuts
Fucktons
Fuckbags

366 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:11:16am

And while we are on the topic of the US Civil War. here are some better-known Civil War photos that have been colorized by Mads Dahl Madsen and Jordan J. Lloyd of Dynachrome:

LTG Ulysses Simpson “Unconditional Surrender” Grant with two of his aides in 1865:

Image: ullysesgrant-1024x861.jpg

The staff of Brig Gen Andrew Porter. The young officer lying next to the dog is George Custer:

Image: custer-1-1024x942.jpg

Those photos, plus 6 more, can be found here.

367 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:11:48am

re: #364 Vicious Babushka

If I changed it to “fuckbag” would that be OK with you?

Yes, that would remove my objection.

368 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:11:56am

re: #363 GOPHostage#25698724

The concern isn’t that the courts rule on the constitutionality, but that it would be pretext for the GOP preparing articles of impeachment, even though it’s the GOP itself that created the very crisis that they’re trying to exploit to eliminate the President’s signature achievement.

They’re hoping to completely gum up the works with the Administration leading into 2016, claiming it is a failed administration, even though the GOP has thrown up roadblocks at every turn, including actual roadblocks at National Parks due to their shutdown.

369 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:13:42am
370 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:15:07am

Gawker’s posted what appears to be a photo of Ed Snowden going food shopping. No disguises. No security visible.

Oh, and he’s mulling the idea of being a journalist.

371 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:15:13am

re: #369 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Ha, take that Attorney General I want to criminalize head.

372 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:16:08am

This asshole thinks it’s a freaking joke.

373 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:17:17am

Changed “fucktard” to “fuckwit”

374 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:18:52am

re: #370 lawhawk

Gawker’s posted what appears to be a photo of Ed Snowden going food shopping. No disguises. No security visible.

Oh, and he’s mulling the idea of being a journalist.

Snowden looks like a normal person, except for the fact that he’s a douchecanoe.

375 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:20:58am

re: #373 Vicious Babushka

Changed “fucktard” to “fuckwit”

Thank you.

376 Teukka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:21:48am

re: #287 Internet Tough Guy

It’s really going to take a Hiroshima-level event to get them to surrender.

Be careful what you wish for. Sometimes fate overcompensates (see Tsar Bomba).

I would personally hope for things like unexpected hot mics or them going “bingo lies” (telling a big one none or extremely few fall for).

I mean, most of you lizards would shudder at what I think the GOP is capable of.

377 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:24:48am
378 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:26:51am

re: #377 Lidane

[Embedded content]

It’s quite sad when you’re left with Peter King as a voice of reason in your party.

379 Mike Lamb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:27:26am

re: #373 Vicious Babushka

Changed “fucktard” to “fuckwit”

Fuckstick always had a nice ring.

380 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:28:16am

re: #379 Mike Lamb

Fuckstick always had a nice ring.

I’ve always liked fuckface.

381 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:28:34am

A nice Jewish grandmother of 34 (soon to be 35 anytime now) should not be saying “fuck” on Little Green Footballs.

382 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:28:46am

re: #378 HappyWarrior

It’s quite sad when you’re left with Peter King as a voice of reason in your party.

The mind truly boggles…

383 GOPHostage#25698724  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:29:26am

re: #380 HappyWarrior

I’ve always liked fuckface.

I would much prefer fucking ex congressman for the way to refer to them.

384 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:30:50am

re: #382 DisturbedEma

The mind truly boggles…

Yep. I imagine that deep down King is feeling pretty disgusted with his party. IIRC he was furious about how his TP colleagues handled Sandy emergency relief. Can’t stand the guy but I do think he at least wants to govern and the fact that’s what I’m reduced to giving as a compliment shows you how pathetic that party has gotten.

385 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:31:23am
386 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:31:34am

re: #383 GOPHostage#25698724

I would much prefer fucking ex congressman for the way to refer to them.

We can only hope but what sucks is the ones who championed the shutdown the most are also the ones who are most politically safe.

387 erik_t  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:31:34am

re: #378 HappyWarrior

It’s quite sad when you’re left with Peter King as a voice of reason in your party.

Peter King, PETER FUCKING KING!!!

/is not a nice old jewish grandmother of 34/35

388 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:32:01am

re: #381 Vicious Babushka

A nice Jewish grandmother of 34 (soon to be 35 anytime now) should not be saying “fuck” on Little Green Footballs.

Where else CAN we say it???? ;)

389 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:34:00am

re: #384 HappyWarrior

Yep. I imagine that deep down King is feeling pretty disgusted with his party. IIRC he was furious about how his TP colleagues handled Sandy emergency relief. Can’t stand the guy but I do think he at least wants to govern and the fact that’s what I’m reduced to giving as a compliment shows you how pathetic that party has gotten.

I agree completely- the Emergency relief issue should have been a HUGE clue to the GOP about the lengths TP would go to further their “agenda”…have to use quotes, because agenda to me implies something OTHER than what the TP has been going for…

390 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:34:03am

re: #387 erik_t

Peter King, PETER FUCKING KING!!!

/is not a nice old jewish grandmother of 34/35

Well as also not being a Jewish grandmother of 34/35. I say Peter motherfucking holy shit King.

391 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:34:08am
392 brennant  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:35:49am

re: #391 lawhawk

Red October?

393 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:36:03am

re: #391 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

I was looking for the cure to insomnia. Seriously Fred blame your own party for these problems rather than trolling the president. Is Fred slamming his fellow Republicans who think they still deserve to get paid or praising the Democrats who have supported denyign pay to Congress? So otherwise shut the fuck up Fred.

394 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:36:24am

re: #391 lawhawk

doesn’t Fred have some reverse mortgages to shill for? Like that asshat has given anything other than a “performance” where vets are truly concerned.

395 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:36:50am

re: #389 DisturbedEma

I agree completely- the Emergency relief issue should have been a HUGE clue to the GOP about the lengths TP would go to further their “agenda”…have to use quotes, because agenda to me implies something OTHER than what the TP has been going for…

I think it really infuriated King and Christie. God only knows what they said in private but I think it showed them how craven the TP is.

396 BongCrodny  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:37:03am

re: #391 lawhawk

Fred Thompson

Doesn’t that nitwit pitchman have some reverse mortgages to sell?

397 BongCrodny  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:37:38am

re: #394 piratedan

doesn’t Fred have some reverse mortgages to shill for? Like that asshat has given anything other than a “performance” where vets are truly concerned.

re: #396 BongCrodny

Doesn’t that nitwit pitchman have some reverse mortgages to sell?

Sigh. Late to the party again.

398 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:37:57am

You know what, I do feel bad for the vets but unlike Thompson and the others, I don’t blame President Obama for it. President Obama didn’t shut down the government over a legally passed and legally accepted law. The House Republicans did and trying to pin that on POTUS is dishonest at best.

399 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:39:01am

re: #392 brennant

I figured it was time to use that line against Fred. It’s a great line from the Red October… and wholly appropriate to the GOP, which got itself (and the nation and rest of the world) into this crisis of its own making, and refuses to take the one action that would prevent economic calamity. A Clean CR.

400 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:39:55am

re: #397 BongCrodny

great minds…..

still, he’s just a pandering old nobody now with a sad face….

401 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:40:02am

re: #395 HappyWarrior

I think it really infuriated King and Christie. God only knows what they said in private but I think it showed them how craven the TP is.

I loved Christie’s FU attitude when all was said and done…photo op with Obama and all of the deeeelicious frothing of the mouth it caused…

402 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:40:30am

DERP

403 Mattand  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:41:29am

re: #381 Vicious Babushka

A nice Jewish grandmother of 34 (soon to be 35 anytime now) should not be saying “fuck” on Little Green Footballs.

To get to the point where you have 35 grandkids, I would imagine one would be saying “fuck” every 4.38 seconds.

404 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:41:32am

re: #401 DisturbedEma

I loved Christie’s FU attitude when all was said and done…photo op with Obama and all of the deeeelicious frothing of the mouth it caused…

Yeah, bear in mind, I still think Christie is an ass but I’d rather Obama’s opposition be like that than some nihilistic dicks who only support having government to enforce their religious agenda and oppose it everywhere else including disaster relief.

405 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:42:43am

re: #402 Vicious Babushka

DERP

[Embedded content]

So Steve where’s your anger Rand and Mitch who were actually heard saying this on camera rather than some anonymous quote. Oh wait you’re a selective douche who wants to try to top GOHMERT! for Congress’s most willingly obtuse member.

406 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:42:44am

re: #398 HappyWarrior

You know what, I do feel bad for the vets but unlike Thompson and the others, I don’t blame President Obama for it. President Obama didn’t shut down the government over a legally passed and legally accepted law. The House Republicans did and trying to pin that on POTUS is dishonest at best.

Totally! The Jimmy Kimble spot with the ACA vs. Obamacare kind of shows just how unclear this situation is to many- I just saw an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that focused on Oklahoma and just how little the residents of that state have been told about ACA…calling it Obamacare can end the discussion before a word is exchanged in some red states…

407 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:43:24am
408 BongCrodny  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:43:36am

re: #312 Gus

Hee Haw has taken over the GOP.

You went to DC with the help of the TP
It didn’t matter that your ideas were insane
I’d like to propose my own modest solution
Let’s just hand Texas back over to Spain.

Where, oh where, are you tonight
Why did you leave me here all alone
I searched the world over and thought I found true love
You met another, and DERP! you were gone.

409 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:43:38am

re: #403 Mattand

To get to the point where you have 35 grandkids, I would imagine one would be saying “fuck” every 4.38 seconds.

Naaaah, now if I had 35 KIDS then there would precious few words OTHER than F to use…;)

Grandchildren are PERFECT:)

410 EPR-radar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:44:14am

re: #405 HappyWarrior

So Steve where’s your anger Rand and Mitch who were actually heard saying this on camera rather than some anonymous quote. Oh wait you’re a selective douche who wants to try to top GOHMERT! for Congress’s most willingly obtuse member.

Anonymous and probably faked quote, that is. AFAIK, the only source for this is some WSJ columnist.

411 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:44:14am

The monument closing derp is really starting to piss me off. I’m seeing memes of a photo of two guards with a dog being used as proof that Obama is “intimidating” people who just want to go to a war memorial.

Seriously, right wingers — who gives a shit that the WW2 memorial is closed when the CDC can’t monitor disease outbreaks?

412 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:44:37am

re: #406 DisturbedEma

Totally! The Jimmy Kimble spot with the ACA vs. Obamacare kind of shows just how unclear this situation is to many- I just saw an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that focused on Oklahoma and just how little the residents of that state have been told about ACA…calling it Obamacare can end the discussion before a word is exchanged in some red states…

I heard about that spot. It shows you the power of lies and more damned lies. They’ve called it Obamacare from the start that you even see people who convince themselves that Obama named the legislation after himself. Even though Obamacare was the slur directed at it, I prefer calling it ACA since that’s the actual title.

413 Mattand  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:45:02am

re: #409 DisturbedEma

Naaaah, now if I had 35 KIDS then there would precious few words OTHER than F to use…;)

Grandchildren are PERFECT:)

The old “Hand ‘em back to the parents at the end of the day” trick, huh?

We’re on to your tricks, lady…

414 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:45:06am

re: #404 HappyWarrior

BTW, Christie’s twitter feed is full-on “compromise” mode

415 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:45:59am

re: #410 EPR-radar

Anonymous and probably faked quote, that is. AFAIK, the only source for this is some WSJ columnist.

I’m saying it was an anonymous quote not that Anonymous the hackers were involved. Even if not, Stockman’s phony outrage is hilarious given his own party’s senate leader is on tape saying the exact same thing with his party’s presidential front runner.

416 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:46:25am

re: #408 BongCrodny

You went to DC with the help of the TP
It didn’t matter that your ideas were insane
I’d like to propose my own modest solution
Let’s just hand Texas back over to Spain.

Where, oh where, are you tonight
Why did you leave me here all alone
I searched the world over and thought I found true love
You met another, and DERP! you were gone.

Glooom, despair and agony on me
GOP hoping for a new Depression, excessive misogyny
If it weren’t for racism, they’d have no luck at all
Glooom despair and agony on me

417 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:46:38am

re: #413 Mattand

The old “Hand ‘em back to the parents at the end of the day” trick, huh?

We’re on to your tricks, lady…

My parents are looking forward to that one with my niece/nephew.

418 Mattand  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:46:44am

re: #411 Lidane

The monument closing derp is really starting to piss me off. I’m seeing memes of a photo of two guards with a dog being used as proof that Obama is “intimidating” people who just want to go to a war memorial.

Seriously, right wingers — who gives a shit that the WW2 memorial is closed when the CDC can’t monitor disease outbreaks?

Simple: they just need enough of the Fox News audience or the oh-so-pwecious “independents” to either blame Obama or go Magic Balance Fairy.

Quite frankly, it seems to be working.

419 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:46:54am

re: #412 HappyWarrior

I heard about that spot. It shows you the power of lies and more damned lies. They’ve called it Obamacare from the start that you even see people who convince themselves that Obama named the legislation after himself. Even though Obamacare was the slur directed at it, I prefer calling it ACA since that’s the actual title.

Or we COULD call it Romney care…;)

420 William of Orange  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:47:37am

Must read.

I created a page about an article I read this morning and any opponent of euthanasia should read it!


A man is about to die next Wednesday and this Sunday he was given his last wish. You can read it all here.

421 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:47:42am

re: #413 Mattand

The old “Hand ‘em back to the parents at the end of the day” trick, huh?

We’re on to your tricks, lady…

Damn you SNOWDEN…why’s you go release that???? ;)

422 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:47:58am

re: #419 DisturbedEma

Or we COULD call it Romney care…;)

HeritageBobDoleRomneyObamaCare to be truly accurate. Hell there were even quotes of Santorum in the past supporting the controversial mandate. Sanfuckingtorum.

423 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:48:23am

re: #418 Mattand

Simple: they just need enough of the Fox News audience or the oh-so-pwecious “independents” to either blame Obama or go Magic Balance Fairy.

Quite frankly, it seems to be working.

Which proves we have a lot of low info, easily led people in this country. The parks and monuments being closed are at the bottom of the list of important things in this shutdown.

424 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:48:43am

re: #422 HappyWarrior

Sanfuckingtorum.

Please no. I just took a shower.

425 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:49:29am

re: #422 HappyWarrior

HeritageBobDoleRomneyObamaCare to be truly accurate. Hell there were even quotes of Santorum in the past supporting the controversial mandate. Sanfuckingtorum.

Yup- totally blows the mind…I was for it until I was against it rears it’s butt ugly head…

426 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:49:58am

re: #422 HappyWarrior

HeritageBobDoleRomneyObamaCare to be truly accurate. Hell there were even quotes of Santorum in the past supporting the controversial mandate. Sanfuckingtorum.

I paged a short thing last night about how Heritage Foundation was for it in 1989

427 EPR-radar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:50:07am

re: #415 HappyWarrior

I’m saying it was an anonymous quote not that Anonymous the hackers were involved. Even if not, Stockman’s phony outrage is hilarious given his own party’s senate leader is on tape saying the exact same thing with his party’s presidential front runner.

I wasn’t referring to the group “Anonymous”. My point was that there is no reason to believe the WH “quote” about winning even occurred, if the only source is a WSJ columnist.

428 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:50:39am

re: #413 Mattand

The old “Hand ‘em back to the parents at the end of the day” trick, huh?

We’re on to your tricks, lady…

None of my kids live here, so using me for “emergency babysitter” is right out.

429 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:51:14am

re: #427 EPR-radar

I wasn’t referring to the group “Anonymous”. My point was that there is no reason to believe the WH “quote” about winning even occurred, if the only source is a WSJ columnist.

Yeah I got you.

430 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:51:36am

Now he’s just making shit up for teh lulz.

431 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:51:39am

Obama personally shut down the CDC so he could surreptitiously sterilize every REAL American

432 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:51:58am
433 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:52:30am

re: #430 Vicious Babushka

Nice to see we’re still paying someone to make stupid tweets.

434 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:52:34am

re: #430 Vicious Babushka

Now he’s just making shit up for teh lulz.

[Embedded content]

Okay Representative Stockman’s nephew, time to get off Uncle Steve’s twitter. Oh wait.

435 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:53:24am

re: #433 jaunte

Nice to see we’re still paying someone to make stupid tweets.

We’re paying someone to sound dumber than Steve King, Michelle Bachmann, and Louie Gohmert. Let that one sink in. THis is also the guy who had Nugent as his guest at the SOTU address. The fucker would probably celebrate if Obama ever got killed.

436 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:54:14am

Yoho, Yoho, the Teapirate’s life for me!

437 DisturbedEma  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:55:14am

re: #428 Vicious Babushka

None of my kids live here, so using me for “emergency babysitter” is right out.

I’m still in new Bubbe mode…I drive by and ask if the baby can come to my house…:) I expect a restraining order in my future…

438 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:56:21am

re: #426 Backwoods_Sleuth

I paged a short thing last night about how Heritage Foundation was for it in 1989

Cool find. And the HF was in ‘89 the rightest of the right wing in the Beltway. It’s down right hysterical to me how this has become from being their idea to something they’ll compare to the worst excesses of the USSR and Nazi Germany all because they don’t like who proposed it. I think if a lot of people knew what a load of shit the right pulled on ACA, they’d turn against them even more than tehy have over the shutdown.

439 lawhawk  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:59:37am

re: #438 HappyWarrior

Those are the people who know, but don’t care.

It’s all about the politics. Because Obama proposed it (their idea), they oppose it reflexively.

They really do hate him, and the ACA so thoroughly that they’re willing to trash the economy to get their way. It’s extortion, and Speaker Boehner is aiding and abetting with his refusal to allow a clean CR come to the floor.

440 EPR-radar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:02:30am

re: #438 HappyWarrior

Cool find. And the HF was in ‘89 the rightest of the right wing in the Beltway. It’s down right hysterical to me how this has become from being their idea to something they’ll compare to the worst excesses of the USSR and Nazi Germany all because they don’t like who proposed it. I think if a lot of people knew what a load of shit the right pulled on ACA, they’d turn against them even more than tehy have over the shutdown.

Too many people are still in denial over what the GOP has become. Its only core principle now is enriching the already wealthy at everyone else’s expense.

The GOP establishment fostered and nurtured the cancer that has become the Tea Party for 40 years, because they chose the path of seeking votes via hateful demagoguery rather than winning on policy ideas.

441 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:03:04am
442 BongCrodny  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:05:41am

I’ve always believed in the social safety net, but up until a few years ago I had no reason to think I’d need it (until it was time to go on Social Security). While none of my family or friends were exactly wealthy, most had reasonably good jobs and lived comfortable lives.

Over the past three years, my “circle of friends” has changed significantly and now includes a lot of people that have been negatively impacted by the “keep up or DIE” mentality espoused by today’s Republican Party.

My mom is on Social Security. It’s her sole income, and if she didn’t have subsidized housing she’d need to live with one of my sisters. I suppose that’s not a problem, but she really likes being independent. She’s 83 years old, and still works three mornings a week as a “granny lady” at a local kindergarten. What happens to her if the country defaults?

A friend of mind the next town over is on disability. He’s been diagnosed with encephalitis. What happens to him?

The guy I’m renting a room from has severe gout; it almost hurts just to watch him try to walk up a flight of stairs. He hasn’t been able to afford insurance, and his father recently paid off a $27,000 hospital bill that he couldn’t afford to pay. He works six nights a week and has to go in at 2:00 in the morning. It used to be seven nights a week, no sick time and no vacation. For this he gets the princely sum of $11.00 per hour.

A friend of mine who used to live in this house is also on disability. She had a bad marriage; her husband put her in the hospital a couple of times. She was in a serious car accident a few years ago, and had to have a couple organs removed as a result. What happens to her if we default?

The woman who took over her room after she moved out has her own mental issues. Her mom remarried, and her second husband killed her. She moved here from the west coast, and so far has had some difficulties getting the medication she needs to lead a productive life. What happens to her if the social services agencies are forced to close?

A former employer I recently emailed admitted in her reply “it’s a dark world out there right now.”

It sure is.

443 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:06:14am
444 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:09:11am

Ted Cruz: ‘I Didn’t Say Republicans Will Win’ Shutdown Fight

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) denied Sunday that he ever predicted that the budget dispute currently embroiling Washington will result in a Republican victory.

During an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” host Candy Crowley asked Cruz about remarks he made at an event on Saturday night in Virginia.

“You talked last night — you were at a Virginia Republican event in Richmond and said Republicans will win this,” Crowley said. “And by that, I believe you meant what you wanted in exchange for a spending bill. What does win this mean to you? What does that have to look like for a Republican victory?”

But the junior senator from Texas denied the premise of Crowley’s question.

“Let me be clear, I didn’t say Republicans will win this,” he said. “Listen, I think career politicians in both parties have been part of the problem. What I said is the American people are going to win.”

Douchebag says what?

445 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:09:21am

re: #438 HappyWarrior

well it’s an example of a time when the GOP had ideas, was interested in actually governing the country. Here we have a plan that Obama isn’t even fond of, but as a means of bringing health costs under control, this idea is better than nothing. Obama’s on the record as preferring single payer and knowing that he couldn’t get it, went with something that will help people instead of being the enemy of the good in lieu of the perfect in hopes of actually helping to repair the damage that the financial meltdown of 2008 incurred, here he is extending his hand across the aisle to Republicans to endorse their former plan to help the country. He even made sure that he credited where the plan came from and how it could be applied to help folks.

In return?

Wall Street shivs him, the GOP calls him everything from being illegitimate to being a commie and a witch doctor and a nazi, sometimes all at once and performs zero restraint on their more lunatic outliers. Scorched earth tactics while governing, unprecedented obstruction with no regards to the needs of the nation. These fuckers are making Dem senators show up in wheelchairs out of the hospital in order to make cloture votes while certain GOP members pray for their deaths.

Does the GOP even remember the panic of 2008? Do they know that millions of people lost “real wealth” during that financial “adjustment”? Cripes I lost like 40% of my 401K, house dropped in value by 28% and these fuckers are busy getting pissed about identity politics….

446 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:10:15am
447 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:10:52am

re: #444 Kragar

Ted Cruz: ‘I Didn’t Say Republicans Will Win’ Shutdown Fight

Douchebag says what?

I think he’s feeling the heat.

448 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:12:30am

Party of Fiscal Responsibility:

449 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:17:28am

re: #370 lawhawk

Gawker’s posted what appears to be a photo of Ed Snowden going food shopping. No disguises. No security visible.

Oh, and he’s mulling the idea of being a journalist.

If that’s recent, he’s under-dressed for temps in the 50s.

450 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:17:53am

re: #448 Lidane

Party of Fiscal Responsibility:

[Embedded content]

well if Tom says that we can just keep on paying interest and meet our financial obligations, then why is there even a vote?

451 Decatur Deb  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:26:25am

re: #442 BongCrodny

I’ve always believed in the social safety net, but up until a few years ago I had no reason to think I’d need it (until it was time to go on Social Security). While none of my family or friends were exactly wealthy, most had reasonably good jobs and lived comfortable lives.

Over the past three years, my “circle of friends” has changed significantly and now includes a lot of people that have been negatively impacted by the “keep up or DIE” mentality espoused by today’s Republican Party.

My mom is on Social Security. It’s her sole income, and if she didn’t have subsidized housing she’d need to live with one of my sisters. I suppose that’s not a problem, but she really likes being independent. She’s 83 years old, and still works three mornings a week as a “granny lady” at a local kindergarten. What happens to her if the country defaults?

A friend of mind the next town over is on disability. He’s been diagnosed with encephalitis. What happens to him?

The guy I’m renting a room from has severe gout; it almost hurts just to watch him try to walk up a flight of stairs. He hasn’t been able to afford insurance, and his father recently paid off a $27,000 hospital bill that he couldn’t afford to pay. He works six nights a week and has to go in at 2:00 in the morning. It used to be seven nights a week, no sick time and no vacation. For this he gets the princely sum of $11.00 per hour.

A friend of mine who used to live in this house is also on disability. She had a bad marriage; her husband put her in the hospital a couple of times. She was in a serious car accident a few years ago, and had to have a couple organs removed as a result. What happens to her if we default?

The woman who took over her room after she moved out has her own mental issues. Her mom remarried, and her second husband killed her. She moved here from the west coast, and so far has had some difficulties getting the medication she needs to lead a productive life. What happens to her if the social services agencies are forced to close?

A former employer I recently emailed admitted in her reply “it’s a dark world out there right now.”

It sure is.

TPGOP Answers:
1. God hates them.
2. They made bad life choices.
3. For every winner there must be losers.
4. Creative destruction is essential for the economy.
5. The churches can handle that.

Progressive Answers:
1. We’re all in this together.

452 blueraven  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:32:07am

re: #451 Decatur Deb

TPGOP Answers:
1. God hates them.
2. They made bad life choices.
3. For every winner there must be losers.
4. Creative destruction is essential for the economy.
5. The churches can handle that.

Progressive Answers:
1. We’re all in this together.

6. Ayn Rand
7. Bootstraps

453 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:41:14am

re: #441 Kragar

Klayman warns followers that violent revolution is coming soon

The totally-not-delusional Larry Klayman has finally set a date for his proposed uprising to remove President Obama from office: November 19. The Judicial Watch founder writes today that protesters will “descend on Washington, D.C., en masse, and demand that he leave town and resign from office if he does not want to face prison time” for pushing “his Muslim, socialist, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, anti-white, pro-illegal immigrant, pro-radical gay and lesbian agenda.”

Klayman, who has repeatedly called for a revolution, claims that demonstrations will use the same tactics as Mahatma Gandhi and Egyptian protesters to “shut the city down, by blocking roads and massing in front of the White House” and “bringing the victims of his reign of terror” to Lafayette Park.

i’ll be watching

454 dell*nix  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:41:58am

Sisters of Mercy Dominion

Youtube Video

Just seemed to fit somehow.

455 BongCrodny  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:45:20am

re: #453 dog philosopher

The totally-not-delusional Larry Klayman has finally set a date for his proposed uprising to remove President Obama from office: November 19. The Judicial Watch founder writes today that protesters will “descend on Washington, D.C., en masse, and demand that he leave town and resign from office if he does not want to face prison time” for pushing “his Muslim, socialist, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, anti-white, pro-illegal immigrant, pro-radical gay and lesbian agenda.”

Klayman, who has repeatedly called for a revolution, claims that demonstrations will use the same tactics as Mahatma Gandhi and Egyptian protesters to “shut the city down, by blocking roads and massing in front of the White House” and “bringing the victims of his reign of terror” to Lafayette Park.

i’ll be watching

Don’t blink; you might miss it.

456 Eventual Carrion  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:07:04am

re: #450 piratedan

well if Tom says that we can just keep on paying interest and meet our financial obligations, then why is there even a vote?

My question is “Why the fuck is there this debt ceiling shit anyway?”. The Constitution says that we pay our debts. It says nothing about “At the whim of Congress”. We pay it, period. If congress isn’t going to pay it, then don’t vote the charge onto our expenses.

457 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:08:02am

re: #442 BongCrodny

The GOP will say all these people just need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, work hard, have a “can do attitude” and a lot of “gumption” and find a better job.

Or else die.

458 jonhendry  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 1:52:32am

re: #176 Dr Lizardo

“The anti-vaxxers (i.e., the Taliban and assorted hardline fundies) view vaccination programs as some kind of Western conspiracy.”

Well, we *did* stage a fake vaccination campaign in order to get Osama bin Laden DNA (or some such thing). It was real vaccine, but without followup doses needed for it to be effective.

So in a way there was sort of a conspiracy. Added on top of Pakistan’s pre-existing tendency toward conspiracy theories.

459 jonhendry  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 1:54:13am

re: #185 Dark_Falcon

When you’ve got the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head and you know that telling the truth will only bring it down on you, you shove your convictions aside and find a way to say what you need to say to survive.

Um, getting voted out is hardly the worst thing that can happen. It usually results in a huge pay increase.

460 jonhendry  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:43:00am

re: #284 makeitstop

Tom Coburn: US Won’t Default If Congress Fails To Raise Debt Ceiling

What the ever-lovin’ fuck?

Who is telling these guys this shit?

At the moment, they’re making a big play of saying it’s no big deal, we can avoid default even if we go over the debt limit. If reality doesn’t live up to their claims, they’ll blame it on Obama, and probably try to impeach him.

That’s the only thing that makes any sense. Their threat is that we’ll default, so as far as their bargaining position goes, it hardly makes any sense for them to now be saying that their threat is empty because default won’t be a problem.


This article has been archived.
Comments are closed.

Jump to top

Create a PageThis is the LGF Pages posting bookmarklet. To use it, drag this button to your browser's bookmark bar, and title it 'LGF Pages' (or whatever you like). Then browse to a site you want to post, select some text on the page to use for a quote, click the bookmarklet, and the Pages posting window will appear with the title, text, and any embedded video or audio files already filled in, ready to go.
Or... you can just click this button to open the Pages posting window right away.
Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT
LGF User's Guide RSS Feeds

Help support Little Green Footballs!

Subscribe now for ad-free access!Register and sign in to a free LGF account before subscribing, and your ad-free access will be automatically enabled.

Donate with
PayPal
Cash.app
Recent PagesClick to refresh
Once Praised, the Settlement to Help Sickened BP Oil Spill Workers Leaves Most With Nearly Nothing When a deadly explosion destroyed BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, 134 million gallons of crude erupted into the sea over the next three months — and tens of thousands of ordinary people were hired ...
Cheechako
Yesterday
Views: 69 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 0
Texas County at Center of Border Fight Is Overwhelmed by Migrant Deaths EAGLE PASS, Tex. - The undertaker lighted a cigarette and held it between his latex-gloved fingers as he stood over the bloated body bag lying in the bed of his battered pickup truck. The woman had been fished out ...
Cheechako
4 days ago
Views: 169 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 1