Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said in an interview with Fox News Wednesday that arming “100 percent” of American pilots is the most “cost-effective” way of preventing terrorist attacks similar to those that occurred on 9/11.

“I’m concerned about what is the most cost-effective way of preventing another 9/11: I want all pilots to be armed,” Paul said on the Fox News program “Hannity,” while discussing a bill to streamline pilots’ carry permit process. “The president has zeroed this out of his budget. He’s advocated for getting rid of the program. And when I talk to pilots, I’m at airports all the time, pilots come up to me all the time and say it’s too hard to get a permit and to keep up the permit.”

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the Transportation Security Administration, under the directive of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, developed the Federal Flight Deck Officer program (FFDO), permitting pilots of commercial airline flights to carry firearms.

Now, I could be wrong, but I don’t believe there’s been another 9/11 since, say, 9/11.

More: Rand Paul: ‘I Want All Pilots to Be Armed’

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A while back, after a particularly egregious mistake arose on the Fox News morning program “Fox & Friends,” this blog called for the network to pull the plug on the show, which consistently produces the most embarrassing content in the embarrassing category of cable news. Today, a morning show on Fox News added another really dumb mistake to the pile. This show is not “Fox & Friends” it’s “Fox & Friends First,” which airs really early (5 a.m. EST). Slightly different name, same stupid result: “Fox & Friends First” host Heather Childers today said that the Connecticut Huskies had become “NAACP national champs,”

More: Fox News Host Confuses NAACP, NCAA

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Before the news that over 7 million people had signed up for Obamacare, Fox News pundits seemed to be in agreement about one thing: the program was definitely not going to hit that target.

In the wake of the news that over 7 million people have signed up for Obamacare, Fox News pundits Bill O’Reilly and Charles Krauthammer were in complete agreement about one thing: there’s no way those numbers were real.

“These numbers that they are touting are phony numbers,” Krauthammer told O’Reilly on Tuesday. “That’s like saying anybody who goes on Amazon, orders a nifty stereo set, and puts it in the shopping cart, has purchased the stereo set. I can assure you it’s not going to show up at your house until you paid for it.”

The two men were also sure that the whole thing was a conspiracy to move towards a single-payer system, which, since single-payer advocates think Obamacare is a mess that only further entrenches a corrupt private insurance oligarchy, would be news to them.

More: Fox News: Obamacare Numbers Are ‘Phony’

The only thing about this Imagine 2050 report that surprises me is that it barely mentions our old “friends” Robert Spencer, and Pamela Geller. Those two are normally at the forefront of spreading baseless conspiracy theories that demonize Muslims. Are they not at the top of their game or something right now?

The anti-Muslim movement recently capitalized on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 to showcase their obsessive tendencies to connect any tragedy back to Muslims and Islam.

Now that the aircraft’s whereabouts have been determined, an ongoing investigation continues to understand what led to its fate. Experts say they are not ruling out an intentional diversion of the plane and that they are investigating all possible scenarios. However, this has not deterred the anti-Muslim cohort from taking to their respective platforms to stir up fear that Muslims played a role in the plane’s disappearance.

Once again, these writers, pundits and activists have “spirited away” the human pain and suffering in this tragedy in order to advance a collective anti-Muslim agenda and raise their own individual profiles.

Fox News continues to be a major culprit in this effort and has featured noted anti-Muslim activists — with no notable expertise on plane crash investigations — to comment on the disappearance. The most frequent guest is “national security analyst” Ryan Mauro, who works for Clarion Project, an organization known for its production of Islamophobic films.

Read more at Imagine2050

Since the beginning of the Crimean crisis the right has been unabashedly fawning over Russian President Vladimir Putin and the end of the admiration seems to be nowhere in sight. The latest example came Friday on Fox News’ Happening Now from host Jenna Lee who gushed about how Putin is able to make his people “openly weep” while noting that President Obama has never moved anyone to tears.

More: Fox Host Suggests Putin Better Leader Than Obama Because He Makes Masses ‘Openly Weep’ (Video)

Fox News bashing Mario Batali: good morning, and you’re welcome. The folks at Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld addressed Mario’s recent week-long foray into food stamp living, more specifically, his blurb about how he hopes he’s not coming off like a yuppie. Greg and Co. argue that’s exactly it looks like.

Some suggestions from the Red Eye crew about how Mario can actually raise awareness about the impending food stamp cuts? Open a successful restaurant that employs all the people on food stamps. Donate some food from one of his posh restaurants. Accept food stamps at one of his posh restaurants. Hmmm, seems like they’re missing the point here about raising awareness. People on food stamps know how much being on food stamps sucks. The point is for everyone else to know how much it sucks.

More: Mario Batali: Fox News Slams Chef for Food Stamp Challenge

Fox News’ The Five took on the issue Friday, with Eric Bolling slamming “Muslims who seem to have intolerance for everything except their way of thinking.” Bob Beckel referenced his own issues with the Islamic faith when he said, “Have I gotten myself my fatwa yet? Fatwa this!”

Greg Gutfeld mockingly suggested Muslims release a book telling everyone exactly what is offensive to the Islamic faith, since it feels like everything is, while Andrea Tantaros called Islam “the most intolerant religion in the world.”

More: New Noah Film Banned in Several Middle Eastern Nations, Conservatives React

Sandra Fluke, infamous victim of Rush’s self destructive “slut shaming”, is considering running for the House in California.

Of course, the mainstream right’s base reacted exactly how you would expect them too - they lost their goddamned minds and spouted hate filled, bigoted memes, most of which have no basis in reality and are disgustingly offensive to everyone not themselves. Of course:

(EDIT: I’ve tried to pick out some of the least offensive and insane quotes from the article, which already picked out some of the least insane and over the top, misogynistic comments from the cesspool that are the mainstream right’s comments pages. However, I’ll use a phrase I absolutely hate and give a Trigger Warning for the below and linked articles.)

Fox:

amerisad: Another sl u tty politician is just what California needs.

imspartacus: They have Abortion Barbie in Texas, now Condom Barbie in Kaliforinia. The dumocrap party is doing so well. LMAO

Breibart:

Tommie: When will she have time? She will be exhausted. The Navy’s 7th fleet can keep her occupied.

SKinGN: She will be running as the standard bearer for the Slut Party

National Review:

joeblow: It’s a fluke anybody cares about this dopey broad. Also, why do lesbos need birth control?

SandyH20: This slut and Abortion Barbie in Texas think women are nothing more than vagina’s that others are responsible for caring for!

The GOP’s base wants a war on women, so much that some of them are actively talking about repealing the 19th Amendment. They are trapped in this spiral of stupidity, ignorance, and hate, conditioned to respond to anything with rage and disgust, no matter how trivial… and how made up the trigger.

And worse, the saner heads can’t steer the ship — Fox News, NewsMax, and a host of other professional grifters make so much money off this manufactured outrage that they simply cannot abide anything but the most extreme personalities in the party. We’re literally 2 or 3 election cycles from seeing the GOP become a minor, regional party in America at this point — if Texas flips blue or even heavy purple, it’s game over.

In other words… how’s that rebranding working out for you, GOP?

Commentator Oliver North, a former Lieutenant Colonel who hosts a War Stories segment on Fox News, made the comments at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Referring to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell two years ago,he said: “The members of our armed forces and their families deserve better than being treated like laboratory rats in some radical social experiment.”

“The people of Ukraine are this very minute paying the terrible price for America’s leadership deficit disorder.”

“Our leader should be admired and trusted by our allies, and if not feared, at least respected by our adversaries.”

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More: Fox Host: ‘Allowing Gays Makes the Military Like Lab Rats, Which Is Why Putin Invaded Ukraine’ - PinkNews.co.uk * PinkNews.co.uk

Methinks Russia might just be more his speed…..

Bill O’Reilly opened his show Thursday night warning of “America in decline” because of a variety of factors ranging from the bad economy to a “corrupt” education system to rowdy fighting at sporting events, saying that “American leadership [is] sadly lacking in almost every area.”

He opened by asking, “Is the USA now incapable of confronting dangerous behavior?” And while the answer is technically “no,” O’Reilly warned that “America is getting weaker on almost every front,” and not just militarily. He argued the economy is faltering because “we have elected politicians who favor social justice over a robust marketplace,” blaming Democrats for imposing big tax burdens on the wealthy and private businesses.

cur*mudg*eon
noun
1.
a bad-tempered or surly person.
2.
Bill O’Reilly

More: O’Reilly Bemoans ‘America in Decline,’ Rails Against Dems, Drugs, and Corrupt Media