House Republican Compares Debt Default to the American Revolution

Completely insane
Wingnuts • Views: 20,183

How crazy are House Republicans? This crazy:

[Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.)] suggested the House should reject an unfavorable agreement from the Senate, even if it resulted in a debt default that severely damaged the economy.

“We have to make a decision that’s right long-term for the United States, and what may be distasteful, unpleasant and not appropriate in the short run may be something that has to be done,” he said.

Griffith, a former majority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates, cited as an example the American Revolution.

“I will remind you that this group of renegades that decided that they wanted to break from the crown in 1776 did great damage to the economy of the colonies,” Griffith said. “They created the greatest nation and the best form of government, but they did damage to the economy in the short run.”

Jump to bottom

168 comments
1 Kragar  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:31:02pm

Well America, its been nice knowing you.
/

WTF is wrong with these fucking idiots?

2 Charles Johnson  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:31:21pm
3 ProTARDISLiberal  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:31:39pm

It’s quite clear now that the Tea Party aims to overthrow the US Government.

4 Lidane  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:32:58pm
5 Lidane  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:34:21pm

re: #1 Kragar

WTF is wrong with these fucking idiots?

The sun will explode before we can finish answering that question.

6 GeneJockey  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:35:38pm

re: #1 Kragar

Well America, its been nice knowing you.
/

WTF is wrong with these fucking idiots?

“Give me liberty, or give me a worldwide economic catastrophe!”

7 Targetpractice  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:39:47pm

These nimrods do realize that the reason has been in debt for most of its history is because it fought the sort of wars that they lose and adore, right? The United States started out with something on the order of $75 million in debt shortly after adopting the Constitution.

8 Lidane  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:40:12pm


We’re doomed. Thanks GOP!

9 kirkspencer  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:41:25pm

re: #7 Targetpractice

These nimrods do realize that the reason has been in debt for most of its history is because it fought the sort of wars that they lose and adore, right? The United States started out with something on the order of $75 million in debt shortly after adopting the Constitution.

No, they don’t.

What they believe is that if we’d only unleash our full might we could turn our hegemony into true empire, and the tribute from the conquered world would pay for it all.

In other words the Iraq argument writ large.

10 Whack-A-Mole  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:43:06pm

I think they sincerely believe that history will cast them as legendary heroes and saviors of the country. They view this as their chance to join the pantheon of revered patriots like Jefferson and Washington. They haven’t just drank the Kool-Aid, they did a half-gainer and are swimming in it.

11 wrenchwench  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:47:19pm
12 Zamb  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:47:20pm

We really need this kind of hyperbole to stop, not everything in life is a matter of life and death or good and evil. Conservative pundits have been framing every single debate as a last stand against the devil it’s no wonder that they would breed a type of congressman that would want to overthrow the government over something as simple as taking out a loan.

13 nines09  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:49:00pm

If these jackals were around at the American Revolution, we would not have a Nation. We’d have Duchy’s and Dukedoms and small Monarchists and Queens of The Moss on Yonder Tree.

14 Charles Johnson  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:49:11pm

By the way, folks - the outage yesterday was definitely a DOS attack directed at our web server’s IP address, and it was not an amateur job. The inbound traffic was so gigantic it had to have been a botnet. We went down because the surge was so huge it triggered the NOC’s automatic network protection, and dropped all traffic to our IP.

Unfortunately none of this crazy traffic was captured (it shut everything down too fast), so we have no way of knowing what was behind it. We do have some new protections in place, though, and so far there’s no sign of anything similar.

15 Stanley Sea  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:51:32pm

freaks freaks freaks freaks ignorant freaks freaks freaks

16 GeneJockey  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:51:48pm

re: #14 Charles Johnson

By the way, folks - the outage yesterday was definitely a DOS attack directed at our web server’s IP address, and it was not an amateur job. The inbound traffic was so gigantic it had to have been a botnet. We went down because the surge was so huge it triggered their automatic network protection, and dropped all traffic to our IP.

Unfortunately none of this crazy traffic was captured (it shut everything down too fast), so we have no way of knowing what was behind it. We do have some new protections in place, though, and so far there’s no sign of anything similar.

So, Dudebros, Teabaggers, or Gellerites? Who’s more likely to be able to mount this kind of attack. I’m thinking the first.

17 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:56:31pm

re: #14 Charles Johnson

By the way, folks - the outage yesterday was definitely a DOS attack directed at our web server’s IP address, and it was not an amateur job. The inbound traffic was so gigantic it had to have been a botnet. We went down because the surge was so huge it triggered their automatic network protection, and dropped all traffic to our IP.

Unfortunately none of this crazy traffic was captured (it shut everything down too fast), so we have no way of knowing what was behind it. We do have some new protections in place, though, and so far there’s no sign of anything similar.

Five will get you ten that it was likely an Anon attack; considering that Barrett Brown, Snowden, Manning, and the rest of their fellow travelers and enablers aren’t exactly revered here (and are usually roundly criticized, along with their anarchist “information wants to be free, except ours” agenda), it wouldn’t surprise me one damn bit, especially since they have the tools and the motives.

18 Romantic Heretic  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:57:24pm

re: #1 Kragar

Well America, its been nice knowing you.
/

WTF is wrong with these fucking idiots?

‘Meanest Son of A Bitch in The Valley’ Syndrome.

They know things will fall apart if the debt ceiling is breeched. They believe such a thing will make them more powerful as they also believe they have the firepower to force their views on the chaos.

Yea, though I walk through The Valley of The Shadow of Death I will fear no evil. For I am The Meanest Son of A Bitch in The Valley.

Actually they’ll be among the first to go because they really don’t know anything about surviving the chaos they hope for, but they’re too delusional to believe that.

19 Charles Johnson  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:57:45pm

re: #16 GeneJockey

Sometimes these things are totally random. I definitely haven’t made any friends in the anarchist hacker crowd lately, but there’s just no way to know.

20 GeneJockey  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:58:19pm

Okay, now I’m just delaying the inevitable. I have to finish up a watch for a fellow collector who’s been trading me watchmaking tools in exchange for my meager abilities to repair watches. I’m really getting the better part of the deal, but I discovered I really, really don’t like fixing watches for other people.

Why? Well, if I fuck up my own watch, I say, “Shit.” and toss it in a drawer. If I fuck up somebody else’s watch, it’s a whole ‘nother thing.

Once more unto the breach bench.

21 Charles Johnson  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 12:58:43pm

re: #17 AlexRogan

It does seem like one of the more likely possibilities.

22 Zamb  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:00:32pm

re: #18 Romantic Heretic

There is probably a lot of truth to this, they might be thinking that if things get really bad the voters will punish Obama and his party giving power to them.

23 William Barnett-Lewis  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:00:51pm

OT but not, wasn’t the Trucker revolt supposed to be a three day gig? Any traffic jams in DC today?


LOL!

24 BongCrodny  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:01:27pm

Collapsing the world economy is just the first step towards building the Republic of Gilead.

25 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:02:51pm

once the deth ceiling is taken care of, i don’t where the leverage comes from to get the bagger caucus in the house to budge

they don’t give a shit about the polls, they’re in pig heaven - their popularity in their teabag-ass districts is soaring, and the federal government is paralyzed

from their point of view, what’s not to like?

26 Balfour Rage  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:02:52pm

re: #23 William Barnett-Lewis

OT but not, wasn’t the Trucker revolt supposed to be a three day gig? Any traffic jams in DC today?

LOL!

No, but there is still plenty of fail to go around:
washingtonpost.com

27 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:03:10pm

re: #16 GeneJockey

So, Dudebros, Teabaggers, or Gellerites? Who’s more likely to be able to mount this kind of attack. I’m thinking the first.

Out of those three choices, most definitely Dudebros; most TPers and Gellerites wouldn’t know a botnet if one had control of their computer and stole all of their financial data, passwords, and cute cat photos.

28 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:03:21pm

re: #24 BongCrodny

Collapsing the world economy is just the first step towards building the Republic of Gilead.

Heh.

I’m pretty sure one of the reasons the RWNJ’s want to ban “The Handmaid’s Tale” isn’t because of the sex.

It’s because they worry people will read it and figure out what the RWNJ’s are up to.

29 GeneJockey  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:04:30pm

re: #23 William Barnett-Lewis

OT but not, wasn’t the Trucker revolt supposed to be a three day gig? Any traffic jams in DC today?

LOL!

That’s right! They were excusing the total failure of the ‘protest’ yesterday by saying it’s a 3-day thing.

And as far as I can tell from 2800 miles away, it looks like Day 2 of Truckers Shut Down is a bust, too.

30 LGF Subscription: Breathes Like Egyptian Cotton  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:04:41pm

re: #23 William Barnett-Lewis

Well, it was suppose to be the “bIgGeSt tRaFfIc jAm iN tHe hIsToRy oF tHe wOrLd”. Maybe those trucks yesterday were just the scouts?

/

31 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:05:13pm

what has happened in the past couple of weeks has been an intensification of radical right wing attacks such as movements in state legislatures to create 2nd class voter status

and now we hear that mysteriously the food stamp cards won’t work… how convenient

32 Stanley Sea  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:05:44pm

re: #26 Balfour Rage

No, but there is still plenty of fail to go around:
washingtonpost.com

VB was epic yesterday shutting the fake pix down.

33 GeneJockey  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:08:02pm

re: #32 Stanley Sea

VB was epic yesterday shutting the fake pix down.

You had to love the repsonses when the retweeters had their pics debunked - “I didn’t check it for veracity. I just retweeted it to show support!” was about the most reasonable.

34 Stanley Sea  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:11:22pm

re: #33 GeneJockey

You had to love the repsonses when the retweeters had their pics debunked - “I didn’t check it for veracity. I just retweeted it to show support!” was about the most reasonable.

hahaha. I think the RWNJ’s that tweet are paid by someone. Otherwise I’d have to admit that there are ridiculously idiotic people who are so obsessed that they do nothing else all day.

my bad

35 LGF Subscription: Breathes Like Egyptian Cotton  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:11:52pm

re: #33 GeneJockey

Wow. Can’t believe a winger used the word “veracity”.

36 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:11:59pm

fox news is saving money on copywriters

The plan by Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins to fund the government for six months and increase the federal debt limit through January was rejected by leaders of the Democrat-led Senate, who purportedly though they were not getting enough in exchange.

The upper chamber also failed the get the necessary 60 vote on a bill to increase the debt through 2014 that was “clean” of Republican demands to spending cuts or changes to ObamaCare.

what was that last sentence again?

37 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:18:33pm

washington times headline

‘Reaganesque’ Cruz embraced at Values Voters Summit for Obamacare defiance

38 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:21:45pm

re: #37 dog philosopher

washington times headline

‘Reaganesque’ Cruz embraced at Values Voters Summit for Obamacare defiance

“Reaganesque”? That’s rich, considering that the Reagan that the RWNJs hold up as their standard bearer didn’t exactly exist as they make him out to have been.

As a matter of fact, there’s more than a few issues that would have had these RWNJs calling Reagan a dirty RINO, unworthy of their support and grounds for being purged from the party.

39 sattv4u2  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:22:01pm

re: #31 dog philosopher

what has happened in the past couple of weeks has been an intensification of radical right wing attacks such as movements in state legislatures to create 2nd class voter status

and now we hear that mysteriously the food stamp cards won’t work… how convenient

not so much

boston.cbslocal.com

40 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:24:02pm

re: #39 sattv4u2

not so much

boston.cbslocal.com

And now it’s being reported that it’s because of a power outage in Texas.

nbcphiladelphia.com

41 sattv4u2  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:25:39pm

re: #40 Backwoods_Sleuth

And now it’s being reported that it’s because of a power outage in Texas.

nbcphiladelphia.com

ITZ A KONSPEERACEE!!!!

42 Iwouldprefernotto  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:30:20pm

re: #38 AlexRogan

“Reaganesque”? That’s rich, considering that the Reagan that the RWNJs hold up as their standard bearer didn’t exactly exist as they make him out to have been.

As a matter of fact, there’s more than a few issues that would have had these RWNJs calling Reagan a dirty RINO, unworthy of their support and grounds for being purged from the party.

I’m looking forward to Cruz’s “tear down this healthcare speech.”

43 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:30:24pm

on a happier note, the crisis is proving very effective in noticeably advancing the tea party’s historic role of fatally splitting the republican party

wash times bagger columnist

It would be unfair to say that the leaders of today’s Republican Party lack the courage of their convictions; they have no convictions from which to draw courage.

For the leadership of the Republican Party — the Establishment, as conservatives like to call it — the signs should be obvious. The GOP has lost the popular vote in five of the last six elections. The base complained loudly about most of the nominees, yet the Establishment insisted that President Dole, President McCain and President Romney would be loved by the people.

They weren’t.

The Establishment has been openly disdainful of the base that puts Republicans in power. Some of that base, such as Tea Party members, aren’t even members of a country club. Many of them are blue-collar workers, they have convictions, and they want to see the party act on them. Perhaps most shocking of all, many of them are outspoken Christians!

This must be horrifying to Northeastern, liberal, Establishment Republicans. How can they possibly face their Democrat friends, knowing that most of their base believes in Jesus Christ as something more than a swear word.

vs conservative republican

Peter King: It’s Ted Cruz and Rand Paul who are the real RINOs

44 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:33:17pm

re: #43 dog philosopher

on a happier note, the crisis is proving very effective in noticeably advancing the tea party’s historic role of fatally splitting the republican party

wash times bagger columnist

It would be unfair to say that the leaders of today’s Republican Party lack the courage of their convictions; they have no convictions from which to draw courage.

For the leadership of the Republican Party — the Establishment, as conservatives like to call it — the signs should be obvious. The GOP has lost the popular vote in five of the last six elections. The base complained loudly about most of the nominees, yet the Establishment insisted that President Dole, President McCain and President Romney would be loved by the people.

They weren’t.

The Establishment has been openly disdainful of the base that puts Republicans in power. Some of that base, such as Tea Party members, aren’t even members of a country club. Many of them are blue-collar workers, they have convictions, and they want to see the party act on them. Perhaps most shocking of all, many of them are outspoken Christians!

This must be horrifying to Northeastern, liberal, Establishment Republicans. How can they possibly face their Democrat friends, knowing that most of their base believes in Jesus Christ as something more than a swear word.

vs conservative republican

Peter King: It’s Ted Cruz and Rand Paul who are the real RINOs

The TP’ers aren’t “conservatives” by any stretch of the imagination.

They are reactionaries of the worst kind.

45 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:37:16pm

re: #44 Dr Lizardo

I’m not sure how well it’s actually splitting it when supposed Senate “moderates” filibuster a clean CR.

46 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:37:37pm

re: #44 Dr Lizardo

The TP’ers aren’t “conservatives” by any stretch of the imagination.

They are reactionaries of the worst kind.

Jacobins. Bolsheviks.

47 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:38:59pm

re: #46 AlexRogan

Jacobins. Bolsheviks.

Pretty much.

Robespierre and Lenin would certainly feel right at home, at least from a tactical point of view.

48 bratwurst  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:39:07pm
49 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:39:29pm

re: #45 Carlos Danger

I’m not sure how well it’s actually splitting it when supposed Senate “moderates” filibuster a clean CR.

I’ve been puzzling on that one as well.

50 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:40:53pm

I really wish Reid wouldn’t have wimped out on filibuster reform a few months ago. Everybody know this would happen again.

51 wrenchwench  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:41:24pm
52 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:43:35pm

re: #50 Carlos Danger

I really wish Reid wouldn’t have wimped out on filibuster reform a few months ago. Everybody know this would happen again.

Heh. And now at the worst possible moment.

53 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:44:03pm

Rocket J Squirrel

i noe u like cool pixures

54 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:44:10pm

Boy, McCain was good at picking them out in 2008:

Joe Wurzelbacher, the everyman used by John McCain in the 2008 presidential campaign, writes, “America needs a white Republican president.”

“Admit it. You want a white Republican president again. Now before you start feeling like you’re a racist, understand you are not. Wanting a white Republican president doesn’t make you racist, it just makes you American.”

55 psddluva4evah  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:45:53pm

Whoa! Yeah, sure the opposition to Obamacare “isn’t” about race! I refuse to link to Joe The Plumber’s website. I’d rather give Politicalwire the traffic..

Remember Joe the Plumber?

Joe Wurzelbacher, the everyman used by John McCain in the 2008 presidential campaign, writes, “America needs a white Republican president.”

“Admit it. You want a white Republican president again. Now before you start feeling like you’re a racist, understand you are not. Wanting a white Republican president doesn’t make you racist, it just makes you American.”

56 psddluva4evah  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:46:18pm

re: #54 Carlos Danger

Great minds think alike right :)

57 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:46:59pm

re: #51 wrenchwench

Scientific American ought not be called a “Scientific Journal”.

Other than that, I’m not really surprised. These outfits exist to make money, and the method of operation of any corporation is strongly tilted towards being as vanilla (ahem) and non-objectionable as possible.

58 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:47:30pm

re: #45 Carlos Danger

I’m not sure how well it’s actually splitting it when supposed Senate “moderates” filibuster a clean CR.

as long as they continue to ramp up the ‘i hate you fucking rino’ rhetoric at each other, i’m happy :-)

they are getting closer and closer to the issue on which the two sides of the party absolutely can’t swallow the position of the other side, and at that point the republican party will have to split and two and end its effectiveness in american politics

the current crisis is the closest we’ve come to that point so far, and it may be the thing that does it

59 goddamnedfrank  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:48:19pm

re: #54 Carlos Danger

Boy, McCain was good at picking them out in 2008:

It’s not clear from Joe’s blog, but that article was written by Kevin Jackson at theblacksphere.net

Wurzelbacher felt it was safe to post because it was originally written by a black conservative.

None of which has any real bearing on the piece’s innate racism and general godawfulness. It really is one of the worst things I’ve ever read.

60 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:51:27pm

re: #55 psddluva4evah

Whoa! Yeah, sure the opposition to Obamacare “isn’t” about race! I refuse to link to Joe The Plumber’s website. I’d rather give Politicalwire the traffic..

Remember Joe the Plumber?

re: #59 goddamnedfrank

It’s not clear from Joe’s blog, but that article was written by Kevin Jackson at theblacksphere.net

Wurzelbacher felt it was safe to post because it was originally written by a black conservative.

None of which has any real bearing on the piece’s innate racism and general godawfulness. It really is one of the worst things I’ve ever read.

“[Mr. Jackson (and Mr. Wurzelbacher)], what you’ve just said… is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul…”

61 Charles Johnson  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:51:42pm

re: #59 goddamnedfrank

Yeah, the fact that it was written by a black right winger is supposed to inoculate all wingnuts against even the remotest suspicion that they might have tendencies toward racism.

This tactic is so freaking tedious and predictable. It’s why right wing groups actively seek out token representatives of minorities, to give them this magical immunity that exists only in their own imaginations.

62 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:51:50pm

re: #59 goddamnedfrank

And like nearly the entire contingent of “black conservatives”, Kevin Jackson is a religious activist first, which is why he is associated with Salem Communications.

63 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:51:59pm

re: #59 goddamnedfrank

It’s not clear from Joe’s blog, but that article was written by Kevin Jackson at theblacksphere.net

Wurzelbacher felt it was safe to post because it was originally written by a black conservative.

None of which has any real bearing on the piece’s innate racism and general godawfulness. It really is one of the worst things I’ve ever read.

it’s truly one of the most toxic rants on the internets

64 kirkspencer  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:52:02pm

Let’s face it. The reason we saw Romney and McCain as candidates was because the Republican party changed the rules just like the Democrats did after their 1968 debacle. The rule give the establishment a strong say in who wins. If the popular candidate is overwhelmingly popular he wins, but less than 60% means the establishment candidate wins instead. In the last couple of runs the bonus was that while the Tea Party had the majority of votes they split their strength between various choices, while the establishment remained fairly constant behind their only real choice. (Huntsman wasn’t a choice for them, sorry.)

I’d like to say I expect the same of 2016, but I haven’t seen an establishment option stand out. Romney may run again but I doubt it, and even if he does he’ll get nothing like the attention he did before. Huntsman still carries the Obama taint and the ‘we have to raise taxes’ taint that caused most of the establishment to recoil. We still have time, of course, but at this time I think 2016 will be the year the TP selects the nominee.

It’s going to be amusing, in a macabre sort of way.

65 Interesting Times  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:52:28pm

re: #59 goddamnedfrank

None of which has any real bearing on the piece’s innate racism and general godawfulness. It really is one of the worst things I’ve ever read.

durr hurr, a black guy wrote it, so if you call it racist, it means your the real racist herp derp

/canned rwnj excuse

(on another note, have you done any research into what Obama could do to avoid default despite of gop fucknuttery? The only potential outs I’m aware of are 14 amendment and trillion-dollar coin…)

66 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:52:41pm

re: #62 freetoken

And like nearly the entire contingent of “black conservatives”, Kevin Jackson is a religious activist first, which is why he is associated with Salem Communications.

Salem Communications…the same company that currently owns Hot Air, right?

67 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:53:53pm

re: #66 AlexRogan

Among many other things.

68 Interesting Times  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:54:38pm

re: #64 kirkspencer

I’d like to say I expect the same of 2016, but I haven’t seen an establishment option stand out.

Wouldn’t chris christie be the obvious establishment choice?

69 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:59:07pm

Classic Kevin Jackson:

Proof of God?

What I find about debating religion with so-called intellectuals, otherwise known the faithless is they will attempt to dazzle you with their subject-matter expertise. If they are evolutionists, they tend to be very well-versed in evolution, and can play the “you’re an idiot” game better than we.

I am an engineer, with my private education coming from Southern Methodist University. So my subject-matter expertise doesn’t necessarily apply when it comes to discussing religion or evolution. Thus, I might potentially lose the intellectual battle on evolution, if I leave the discussion in such a small field of view when debating an expert in just [original emphasis] evolution, for example. However, with an expanded discussion, I believe I have a very good chance of making my point on belief in God. So let’s approach our discussion on God from a different perspective.

[…]

It says very little, other to establish to the God crowd that Jackson is one of them.

70 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 1:59:50pm

re: #64 kirkspencer

Let’s face it. The reason we saw Romney and McCain as candidates was because the Republican party changed the rules just like the Democrats did after their 1968 debacle. The rule give the establishment a strong say in who wins. If the popular candidate is overwhelmingly popular he wins, but less than 60% means the establishment candidate wins instead. In the last couple of runs the bonus was that while the Tea Party had the majority of votes they split their strength between various choices, while the establishment remained fairly constant behind their only real choice. (Huntsman wasn’t a choice for them, sorry.)

I’d like to say I expect the same of 2016, but I haven’t seen an establishment option stand out. Romney may run again but I doubt it, and even if he does he’ll get nothing like the attention he did before. Huntsman still carries the Obama taint and the ‘we have to raise taxes’ taint that caused most of the establishment to recoil. We still have time, of course, but at this time I think 2016 will be the year the TP selects the nominee.

It’s going to be amusing, in a macabre sort of way.

christie vs rand and cruz

no way rand or cruz is nominated

71 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:00:03pm

re: #67 freetoken

Among many other things.

I knew they sounded familiar; they also own Townhall.com, a Christian radio syndication network, and more than a few Christian radio stations. One of those stations operates on two frequencies here in Nashville under the tagline “The Fish”.

72 goddamnedfrank  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:01:29pm

re: #65 Interesting Times

(on another note, have you done any research into what Obama could do to avoid default despite of gop fucknuttery? The only potential outs I’m aware of are 14 amendment and trillion-dollar coin…)

No, those are the only two options I’m aware of, and Obama’s ruled out using the 14th. Beyond not thinking he actually has the authority, his reasoning is that could do a lot of damage through market uncertainty, as a legal challenge winds its way through the courts.

73 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:02:12pm

re: #58 dog philosopher

How craven do you have to be to hold out for maximum leverage while skirting a cliff? They’re doing a good job acting functionally identical.

74 kirkspencer  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:05:02pm

re: #68 Interesting Times

Wouldn’t chris christie be the obvious establishment choice?

I don’t think so.

For the corporatists looking at him, they’re going to see how he bowed in critical issues to the TP. See the tunnel for the example here - he stopped a LOT of money and momentum for what amount to TP reasons.

For the general non-TP Republican if the elections were right now he’d be fine. The problem he’s been spending the last few months banging the hard right drum, and every indication is it’s going to get worse. (And he can defend not accomplishing TP goals by pointing to the Democratically controlled legislature.)

Add to it all his personal behavior. He’s a jerk to all with whom he disagrees. That plays well in New Jersey but not across the rest of the nation, not if your pet is the one under his sneer.

No, by 2015 Christie will be neither fish nor fowl, and won’t be popular enough to continue. It won’t stop pundits from extolling his campaign, but in reality he’ll be…

Giuliani 2.0.

75 goddamnedfrank  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:07:01pm

All this talk of who the nominee (singular) is going to be. The Republican Party has to survive intact for two more years before the primaries even get started. That’s a big hurdle for them to clear. Right now I’d give even odds that 2016 is a three way race with a Tea Party candidate splitting the conservative vote.

76 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:09:17pm

hahahaaaaa…
“literally THOUSANDS!!!”
Did they arrive in trucks?

77 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:09:40pm

re: #75 goddamnedfrank

The demise of the GOP is over stated.

It will roll on, and right now I have no reason to believe they can’t field a candidate who could win in 2016.

78 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:09:44pm

re: #75 goddamnedfrank

All this talk of who the nominee (singular) is going to be. The Republican Party has to survive intact for two more years before the primaries even get started. That’s a big hurdle for them to clear. Right now I’d give even odds that 2016 is a three way race with a Tea Party candidate splitting the conservative vote.

that’s what i’m hoping for, and it looks more likely every week

but first, how do we get the government functioning again before the first tuesday in november 2014?

79 Interesting Times  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:11:13pm

re: #72 goddamnedfrank

No, those are the only two options I’m aware of, and Obama’s ruled out using the 14th. Beyond not thinking he actually has the authority, his reasoning is that could do a lot of damage through market uncertainty, as a legal challenge winds its way through the courts.

More damage than a default itself? And if the US defaults, is a backfire effect possible, e.g. this is so awful you should have just given the GOPers what they wanted!

80 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:11:46pm

re: #75 goddamnedfrank

All this talk of who the nominee (singular) is going to be. The Republican Party has to survive intact for two more years before the primaries even get started. That’s a big hurdle for them to clear. Right now I’d give even odds that 2016 is a three way race with a Tea Party candidate splitting the conservative vote.

I tend to agree. There’s a bit of a civil war going on among the Freepers right now - a low-intensity one - as to whether the better choice is continuing with the GOP or going the third-party route.

It hasn’t devolved into an outright purge of either side by JimRob yet, but I figure the argument will heat up over the next week or so.

81 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:11:46pm

re: #74 kirkspencer

I don’t think so.

For the corporatists looking at him, they’re going to see how he bowed in critical issues to the TP. See the tunnel for the example here - he stopped a LOT of money and momentum for what amount to TP reasons.

For the general non-TP Republican if the elections were right now he’d be fine. The problem he’s been spending the last few months banging the hard right drum, and every indication is it’s going to get worse. (And he can defend not accomplishing TP goals by pointing to the Democratically controlled legislature.)

Add to it all his personal behavior. He’s a jerk to all with whom he disagrees. That plays well in New Jersey but not across the rest of the nation, not if your pet is the one under his sneer.

No, by 2015 Christie will be neither fish nor fowl, and won’t be popular enough to continue. It won’t stop pundits from extolling his campaign, but in reality he’ll be…

Giuliani 2.0.

from the perspective of three years out, i disagree

my take is that if hillary doesn’t run in 2016, i don’t see who will beat christie

unless the baggers have split off by then and run their own asshole…

82 Charles Johnson  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:12:20pm
83 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:13:01pm

re: #72 goddamnedfrank

No, those are the only two options I’m aware of, and Obama’s ruled out using the 14th. Beyond not thinking he actually has the authority, his reasoning is that could do a lot of damage through market uncertainty, as a legal challenge winds its way through the courts.

it could be that the teagbags want to force obama to take this action so that they would have a solid basis for impeaching him

84 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:14:26pm

re: #82 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Huzzah!!

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Thanks for posting that.

85 blueraven  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:14:44pm

re: #15 Stanley Sea

freaks freaks freaks freaks ignorant freaks freaks freaks

Super Freaks, Super Freaks
They’re Super Freaky

86 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:14:58pm

re: #82 Charles Johnson

Need to let VB know about this picture tomorrow, since I believe that’s on her itinerary.

87 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:16:02pm

re: #86 Backwoods_Sleuth

Need to let VB know about this picture tomorrow, since I believe that’s on her itinerary.

I do believe it is.

The photo looks like it was taken from the area of Petřin Hill.

88 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:16:04pm

re: #80 Dr Lizardo

I tend to agree. There’s a bit of a civil war going on among the Freepers right now - a low-intensity one - as to whether the better choice is continuing with the GOP or going the third-party route.

It hasn’t devolved into an outright purge of either side by JimRob yet, but I figure the argument will heat up over the next week or so.

Well, to be fair, JimRob’s probably not exactly been in a position to do much of anything lately, with his major health issues as of late.

89 bratwurst  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:16:04pm

re: #84 Dr Lizardo

Huzzah!!

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Thanks for posting that.

Was a privilege to call it home for 3 years!

90 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:16:17pm

I think people were proclaiming the GOP to be in terminal decline when Obama was elected. Balloon Juice threads were full of it back then.

91 Interesting Times  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:16:51pm

re: #83 dog philosopher

it could be that the teagbags want to force obama to take this action so that they would have a solid basis for impeaching him

Then I vote trillion-dollar coin imprinted with this picture of boehner

92 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:17:00pm

re: #89 bratwurst

Was a privilege to call it home for 3 years!

I lived there for quite awhile as well. In Holešovice, District 7. Nice place.

Now I’m in Ostrava.

93 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:17:25pm

re: #88 AlexRogan

Well, to be fair, JimRob’s not exactly been in a position to do much of anything lately, with his major health issues as of late.

That’s true. I’d forgotten about that.

94 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:19:11pm

If the GOP did split, I don’t think the “moderate” side would last very long. You’d probably see a repeat of what happened in Canada as Reform took over.

95 AlexRogan  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:19:25pm

re: #90 Carlos Danger

I think people were proclaiming the GOP to be in terminal decline when Obama was elected. Balloon Juice threads were full of it back then.

Depends on exactly what was said at BJ (and other places) back then, but the GOP is unarguably in much worse shape now than in 2008, even with the 2010 TPer ascendance.

96 bratwurst  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:21:16pm

re: #92 Dr Lizardo

I lived there for quite awhile as well. In Holešovice, District 7. Nice place.

Now I’m in Ostrava.

Right, we have discussed this before. I first lived in Petrovice, beyond Haje Metro station (end of the red line!), then graduated to Vršovice, close to Slavia.

97 b_sharp  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:21:28pm

re: #94 Carlos Danger

If the GOP did split, I don’t think the “moderate” side would last very long. You’d probably see a repeat of what happened in Canada as Reform took over.

And look what that has done for us.

98 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:22:21pm

The Kevin Jackson thing brings up again my contention that the real battle going on in our society is between an old, and outdated, worldview and the modern view of life and the universe.

Our society’s conflicts can be about many things - race, money, water rights, etc. However, today we see the circling of the wagons of the pre-Enlightenment gang regardless of other issues.

This explains why Kevin Jackson can be associated with the blatantly racist TakiMag. To Jackson, God is the only important thing.

Now whether Jackson truly believes what he writes, or if it is all a work to bilk his delusional followers out of money - I do not know.

But I know this - Jackson is a classic candidate for the God-defines-all collective.

99 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:22:59pm

re: #97 b_sharp

And look what that has done for us.

i’m afraid i’m ignorant of political developments in canuckistan - what happened?

100 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:23:31pm

re: #96 bratwurst

Right, we have discussed this before. I first lived in Petrovice, beyond Haje Metro station (end of the red line!), then graduated to Vršovice, close to Slavia.

how well did you manage to speak czech?

101 CuriousLurker  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:24:46pm

OT - The new leader of the EDL says:

Uh-huh, just like you accept that Islam is about peace, regardless of what any of its individual members do, right? “No!—that’s different,” you say? ROFL

Of course, the tone changes shortly. As with most extremists, they’re utterly lacking in self-awareness as they seem to want Britain to be more like the harshest Muslim countries. Hip, hip, hooray!—three cheers for Western culture & Age of Enlightenment values! //

102 ProTARDISLiberal  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:25:00pm

re: #99 dog philosopher

Stephen Harper happened.

103 ProTARDISLiberal  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:25:53pm

re: #101 CuriousLurker

Doesn’t help that he looks like a troll.

104 aagcobb  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:26:11pm

re: #83 dog philosopher

it could be that the teagbags want to force obama to take this action so that they would have a solid basis for impeaching him

The President should tell them to bring it on. There is zero chance the Senate will convict, and an impeachment would further damage the GOP. But its beginning to look like the President will have no choice except to mint the coin or order the Treasury to continue to sell Bonds. I didn’t think Boehner would allow a debt limit breach, but even I’m beginning to wonder now.

105 b_sharp  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:26:12pm

re: #99 dog philosopher

i’m afraid i’m ignorant of political developments in canuckistan - what happened?

The Reform party became the Canadian Progress Conservatives which put Harper, the anti-science, anti-transparency, pro-corruption Prime Minister in power.

106 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:26:43pm

re: #96 bratwurst

Right, we have discussed this before. I first lived in Petrovice, beyond Haje Metro station (end of the red line!), then graduated to Vršovice, close to Slavia.

Heh. I once took the red line all the way to the end. Housing estates (sidlíště) as far as the eye could say. Panelák heaven.

I live at the edge of the city limits of Ostrava now……in panelák heaven. LOLOL.

107 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:28:14pm

re: #102 ProTARDISLiberal

Stephen Harper happened.

Harper is an evangelical Christian with a power base in Alberta, home of Canada’s oil boom. Known as an ally of Canadian fossil fuels, he has promoted their export to the U.S. and China. He has helped the federal government to dismantle some environmental restrictions on economic growth. Harper increased federal defense spending by nearly $1 billion annually in his first four years in office, with more projected. Canada has amassed a federal debt over $600 billion by mid-2013

urk

i’m am ashamed to say i had no idea

here i was blissfully going alone believing that canada was getting along ok…

108 bratwurst  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:28:33pm

re: #100 dog philosopher

how well did you manage to speak czech?

In three years, I only ever got to about an intermediate level, not SO bad considering I started from zero and spent all day every day trying to teach English. I left 16 years ago, but my modest slavic knowledge has helped me at least a bit since, as life and work have taken me to Poland, the former Yugoslavia and Ukraine.

109 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:30:02pm

Cruz the overwhelming favorite in conservative straw poll

110 aagcobb  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:30:19pm

re: #101 CuriousLurker

OT - The new leader of the EDL says:

[Embedded content]

Newt Gingrich made similar statements about blocking the “ground zero” mosque until Saudi Arabia allows the building of churches.

111 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:30:36pm

re: #94 Carlos Danger

If the GOP did split, I don’t think the “moderate” side would last very long. You’d probably see a repeat of what happened in Canada as Reform took over.

i tend to believe that a bagger only party would be a party that never broke 30% in national or state elections

but i should be careful what i wish for

112 aagcobb  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:31:52pm

re: #109 Carlos Danger

Cruz the overwhelming favorite in conservative straw poll

Shockingly, Ron Paul didn’t win. And Rand didn’t fare too well either.

113 bratwurst  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:33:08pm

re: #106 Dr Lizardo

Heh. I once took the red line all the way to the end. Housing estates (sidlíště) as far as the eye could say. Panelák heaven.

I live at the edge of the city limits of Ostrava now……in panelák heaven. LOLOL.

I was there for about 18 months. It looks like a city skyline, but it’s nothing but paneláky (aka pre-fab highrise workers abodes). One can find such scenes in almost any city of size in the former communist Europe, but Prague’s Jižní Město (home to a good 80,000 people at least) is the biggest example of this I have ever seen in my travels.

Here is a Wikipedia pic of the kind of buildings we are talking about for the curious.

114 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:33:20pm

re: #112 aagcobb

Dark hair is preferred over curly, graying dishwater hair.

115 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:34:23pm

The fact that McCain didn’t call Gohmert a malignant assmunch after he alleged he was an al-Qaeda supporter really says a lot about the Republican party…

116 CuriousLurker  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:36:02pm

re: #110 aagcobb

Newt Gingrich made similar statements about blocking the “ground zero” mosque until Saudi Arabia allows the building of churches.

Yeah, I remember that well. It’s even worse when he does it because he’s well educated and knows better—he even praised the Islamic Caliphate in the past—something that would surely get him chased out of the party with torches & pitchforks if he were to repeat it today.

117 CuriousLurker  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:37:11pm

re: #103 ProTARDISLiberal

Doesn’t help that he looks like a troll.

His ugliness has nothing to do with his physical appearance.

118 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:37:49pm

re: #113 bratwurst

They look pretty gnarly from the outside but I was in one of those prefab buildings when I was in Europe and it was surprisingly pleasant to hang out in.

Then again I was at ground floor so maybe it’s a different story higher up.

119 EPR-radar  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:37:59pm

re: #115 Carlos Danger

The fact that McCain didn’t call Gohmert a malignant assmunch after he alleged he was an al-Qaeda supporter really says a lot about the Republican party…

Zero republican votes in the Senate for sanity also does not bode well.

Non-teabagger Republicans in DC might as well be unicorns, based on voting records.

120 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:39:39pm

NO NEW CHURCHES IN AMERICA UNTIL VATICAN CITY GETS A MOSQUE

121 kirkspencer  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:41:31pm

re: #90 Carlos Danger

I think people were proclaiming the GOP to be in terminal decline when Obama was elected. Balloon Juice threads were full of it back then.

Terminal decline isn’t quite right.

fwiw, I’ve been predicting a major structural event in the GOP for about fifteen years. On the other hand I’ve been saying we wouldn’t see the explosion till 2016-2020.

Some points I’ve made that still stand:

The biggest thing that keeps the party together is the fact that only one gets the assets. It’s not just money, it’s the automatic ballot placement and state-supported primaries that third parties don’t get.

What I’ve been expecting is a crisis point in the zealotry cycle. It’s a decision point as to whether the cycle breaks or gets locked into place. Basically, it’s the point where the non-zealots can no longer control the party. If the party can break the cycle at or before this point then the party continues. If the zealots win then any non-zealots face one of three futures: ejection, cooptation, or assimilation.

We’re there, really. It could take as long as 2016 but I don’t think so. I think that historically this year will be for the GOP as 1968 was for the Democrats. And the signs right now are that while the D’s walked away from the brink the R’s won’t. I hope not, but that’s how things look right now.

IF the zealots take over then we’ve got a new cycle to watch. We get to watch the party’s decline to third party status. It will have occasional sparks but for the most part it’ll be a slow descent. Each period within the cycle the party will experience losses and setbacks, and barring an extraordinary leader the claim will be they’re being held back by the impure - the RINOs. The numbers will shrink as those members are cut, and they’ll be a more intense but smaller group. Since we’re a democracy at base the size will serve to neuter the intensity. In a decade or two the remainder will have bled away the assets that currently prevent a split and they’ll be a minor third party along the lines of the Constitution party.

Repeating myself, this is one to two decades after the zealotry inflection point, which will probably be sometime between now and 2016.

The R party as we knew it is almost dead. The name isn’t going away for a while.

122 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:41:52pm

re: #113 bratwurst

I was there for about 18 months. It looks like a city skyline, but it’s nothing but paneláky (aka pre-fab highrise workers abodes). One can find such scenes in almost any city of size in the former communist Europe, but Prague’s Jižní Město (home to a good 80,000 people at least) is the biggest example of this I have ever seen in my travels.

Here is a Wikipedia pic of the kind of buildings we are talking about here.

Heh. Glorious Jizní Město; I’d get confused living there. Endless paneláky. Here in Ostrava, it tends to be broken up a bit, but there are some of those types here.

im.foto.mapy.cz

Dubina district, Ostrava

123 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:43:53pm

re: #121 kirkspencer

It’s still the same old problem in American polity:

Regional atavists - the South and their nostalgia for the Confederacy, and

Cultural atavists - fundamentalist religious people who are at war with the more naturalistic view of the universe than modernity brings.

Political parties shop these groups as the power brokers ($$$) see fit. The “Southern Strategy” is the classic example.

124 Killgore Trout  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:44:49pm

re: #101 CuriousLurker

I was reading about this earlier. It seems since Robinson resigned only a few days ago a lot of people had already purchased train/bus tickets to the rally. We’ll see what happens next time but unless there’s another major terrorist attack soon I think these rallies are going to start getting really small.

125 EPR-radar  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:45:13pm

re: #121 kirkspencer

Good points. I’d add that if the zealots take over the GOP, thereby putting it into a slow decline, there will still be a 20-30 year period where there is a significant danger of the zealot-GOP getting enough political power to do serious damage. The state and federal levels are both important.

126 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:47:02pm

re: #125 EPR-radar

About 1.3% of the population die every year.

And that is about what the attrition will be for the GOP.

127 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:47:56pm

That might have been in error… the die-off is a bit bigger, I think, but it’s somewhere down there.

128 Cheechako  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:49:20pm
Zero republican votes in the Senate for sanity also does not bode well.

Non-teabagger Republicans in DC might as well be unicorns, based on voting records.

Here’s an example of what “Non-teabagger Republicans” face:

After meeting for over an hour with Senator Lisa Murkowski, it is hard not to feel sorry for the contemporary Republican realist, caught at every turn between rocks of varying sizes and hard places. Senator Murkowski, by implication if not always specific statements, agrees with what is surely the Alaskan common opinion: the shutdown of the government was a very bad idea. Not raising the debt ceiling is even worse.

Yet, somewhere around a quarter of Alaskans think shutting down the federal government is appropriate payback for grievances, real or imagined, and with less certainty, most of them think that not raising the debt ceiling works to cut the national debt. Since expert elitists are suspect, unanimous professional opinion that not paying our bills, by increasing interest rates, will increase debt and could bring on a global depression, can be dismissed.

Sen. Murkowski cannot ignore tea party opinion since she famously lost her primary to a tea party radical. Yes, she came back in a write-in to win the general election with massive help from independents (a majority of registered voters) and Democrats acting outside party guidelines. While one might think that this feat would leave her now above the fray, that doesn’t quite work. The primary lesson is not drawn from her win, a fluke from a national perspective, but from her loss of the primary, an example noted by her colleagues in both chambers.

Read more here: adn.com

129 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:49:50pm

Oh freddled gruntbuggly,
Thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee.
Groop, I implore thee, my foonting turlingdromes,
And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly bindlewurdles,
Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts
With my blurglecruncheon, see if I don’t!

130 EPR-radar  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:50:29pm

re: #126 freetoken

About 1.3% of the population die every year.

And that is about what the attrition will be for the GOP.

The attrition rate probably won’t be this large, because they can and do make converts.

131 bratwurst  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:50:36pm

re: #122 Dr Lizardo

Heh. Glorious Jizní Město; I’d get confused living there. Endless paneláky. Here in Ostrava, it tends to be broken up a bit, but there are some of those types here.

im.foto.mapy.cz

Dubina district, Ostrava

I’d feel right at home!

132 ProTARDISLiberal  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:50:40pm

This hostage taking is really pissing me off. I wish RICO charges were viable against the Republican Party.

133 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:51:26pm

If a third party does manage to get a foothold in the states, it’s going to be a “what comes around, goes around” situation in a lot of districts. But our system is designed to coalesce against a Common Enemy which makes these things hard to sustain.

134 Stanley Sea  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:51:56pm

re: #128 Cheechako

Here’s an example of what “Non-teabagger Republicans” face:

After meeting for over an hour with Senator Lisa Murkowski, it is hard not to feel sorry for the contemporary Republican realist, caught at every turn between rocks of varying sizes and hard places. Senator Murkowski, by implication if not always specific statements, agrees with what is surely the Alaskan common opinion: the shutdown of the government was a very bad idea. Not raising the debt ceiling is even worse.

Yet, somewhere around a quarter of Alaskans think shutting down the federal government is appropriate payback for grievances, real or imagined, and with less certainty, most of them think that not raising the debt ceiling works to cut the national debt. Since expert elitists are suspect, unanimous professional opinion that not paying our bills, by increasing interest rates, will increase debt and could bring on a global depression, can be dismissed.

Sen. Murkowski cannot ignore tea party opinion since she famously lost her primary to a tea party radical. Yes, she came back in a write-in to win the general election with massive help from independents (a majority of registered voters) and Democrats acting outside party guidelines. While one might think that this feat would leave her now above the fray, that doesn’t quite work. The primary lesson is not drawn from her win, a fluke from a national perspective, but from her loss of the primary, an example noted by her colleagues in both chambers.

Read more here: adn.com

Yep. It’s tough out there for sanity.

135 freetoken  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:52:04pm

re: #128 Cheechako

Murkowski is a very good example of what is wrong with our current form of government.

She has to represent an entire state, yet is beholden to a group of fanatics, because of the small population making fringe groups have outsized power.

It’s a strong case for why we need to abolish the Senate and move to a more representative system.

136 CuriousLurker  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:52:10pm

re: #124 Killgore Trout

I hope you’re right. Robinson didn’t strike me as a great orator or particularly charismatic leader, but reading thru this guy’s timeline just about put me to sleep—nothing original or even remotely exciting/interesting.

137 Interesting Times  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:52:17pm

re: #128 Cheechako

Here’s an example of what “Non-teabagger Republicans” face:

In other words, the teabaggers have them by the proverbial short hairs. Which in turn makes these so-called “moderates” just as dangerous and destructive.

138 EPR-radar  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:53:44pm

re: #128 Cheechako

No real sympathy fror me on this. At this point, every elected GOP official that wants to make a public stand for sanity seriously needs to consider switching their party affiliation immediately.

139 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:54:28pm

Oh wow. I heard this weird thunking on my balcony door, so I go to look out the blinds, and there’s one of those giant European hornets, about an inch and half long, walking on the glass. I just closed the window as well. Don’t want it getting in.

Gadzooks!

140 Lidane  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:55:14pm

re: #80 Dr Lizardo

I tend to agree. There’s a bit of a civil war going on among the Freepers right now - a low-intensity one - as to whether the better choice is continuing with the GOP or going the third-party route.

It hasn’t devolved into an outright purge of either side by JimRob yet, but I figure the argument will heat up over the next week or so.

That’s only because JimRob is out of pocket. He had some kind of surgery recently and is offline for a while.

141 brennant  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:55:23pm

re: #139 Dr Lizardo

Oh wow. I heard this weird thunking on my balcony door, so I go to look out the blinds, and there’s one of those giant European hornets, about an inch and half long, walking on the glass. I just closed the window as well. Don’t want it getting in.

Gadzooks!

Kill it with fire.

142 Aqua Obama  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:56:59pm

re: #137 Interesting Times

Maybe that explains how it’s sometimes easier for two opposing radicals to occasionally make a deal.

143 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:57:39pm

re: #141 brennant

Kill it with fire.

LOLOL.

They’re not terribly aggressive, from what I’ve read, but I’d rather not get stung by one.

I got stung by a mud dauber one time, and that felt like getting a electric shock. That was enough for me, thanks.

144 sattv4u2  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:58:12pm

re: #139 Dr Lizardo

Oh wow. I heard this weird thunking on my balcony door, so I go to look out the blinds, and there’s one of those giant European hornets, about an inch and half long, walking on the glass. I just closed the window as well. Don’t want it getting in.

Gadzooks!

It’s a scout for the swarm of locusts coming!!

Hide the wheat!

145 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 2:59:42pm

re: #144 sattv4u2

It’s a scout for the swarm of locusts coming!!

Hide the wheat!

I don’t mind bees, or even bumblebees, to be honest - they’re harmless enough. I’m leery around yellowjackets, but these big-ass hornets are a different story.

146 dog philosopher  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:01:17pm

re: #139 Dr Lizardo

Oh wow. I heard this weird thunking on my balcony door, so I go to look out the blinds, and there’s one of those giant European hornets, about an inch and half long, walking on the glass. I just closed the window as well. Don’t want it getting in.

Gadzooks!

definitely a sign of the recopalypse

personally, i would sacrifice a goat to ba’al right away!

147 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:02:56pm

re: #146 dog philosopher

definitely a sign of the recopalypse

personally, i would sacrifice a goat to ba’al right away!

LOLOL

I was just reading up on them; in Germany, it’s actually illegal to kill one - you can face a €50,000 fine!

148 CuriousLurker  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:03:24pm

re: #142 Carlos Danger

Maybe that explains how it’s sometimes easier for two opposing radicals to occasionally make a deal.

Heh, this.

A couple of years ago there was a special on cable news (CNN?) where Pamela Geller, Anjem Choudary, etc. were having a discussion…I think some progressive types like Irshad Manji were there also. Anyway, the funny, irony-meter-busting part was someone pointing out that Geller & Choudary seemed to be the only ones in agreement WRT what Islam is all about

149 wrenchwench  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:03:45pm

re: #143 Dr Lizardo

LOLOL.

They’re not terribly aggressive, from what I’ve read, but I’d rather not get stung by one.

I got stung by a mud dauber one time, and that felt like getting a electric shock. That was enough for me, thanks.

I hate to laugh at the misfortunes of others, but one childhood memory that still makes me laugh was when my sister got stung by a yellowjacket. She was 10, and tried hard not to swear in front of my dad. He had taken us camping, and when she got stung, her invective flowed freely though ‘SHIT! FUCK! GODDAMN! SHOOT! DARN!’ all the way down to ‘ow!ow!ow!’

I’m laughing again just typing it.

150 Killgore Trout  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:05:28pm

re: #136 CuriousLurker

I hope you’re right. Robinson didn’t strike me as a great orator or particularly charismatic leader, but reading thru this guy’s timeline just about put me to sleep—nothing original or even remotely exciting/interesting.

Yeah, he always struck me as a bit of a dullard but he seems to have been the most dynamic figure within the EDL. I doubt the new leaders are going to be more successful than he was.

151 HoosierHoops  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:06:19pm

What the Fuck is the matter with the Obamacare website? After days of trying to get in..I got in only to find out my login name and password aren’t correct. WTF? It’s the same login I use over the net..Fuck!
Who is running the show? Lame times 10x.
I’m not sure how many millions were spent to create the web site.
Fire them and hire Pro’s Mr. Government. Freaking freak and frick!
Charles please call the HHS department. They need you.

152 Romantic Heretic  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:06:49pm

re: #97 b_sharp

And look what that has done for us.

Yeah, we now have Our Dear Leader, a former Reformer and a leading Canadian priest of the American religion in charge. Who, like the Tea Party, has misused the tools given him to shut down the government, twice. He also changed the rules around unemployment insurance to make it much more ‘business friendly.’

I loathe Our Dear Leader.

153 sattv4u2  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:08:08pm

re: #151 HoosierHoops

They’re not bugs

They’re features

Somewhere in Washington someone is watching you chasing your tail through the maze,, LAUGHING their asses off!!!
//

154 Dr Lizardo  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:08:25pm

re: #149 wrenchwench

I hate to laugh at the misfortunes of others, but one childhood memory that still makes me laugh was when my sister got stung by a yellowjacket. She was 10, and tried hard not to swear in front of my dad. He had taken us camping, and when she got stung, her invective flowed freely though ‘SHIT! FUCK! GODDAMN! SHOOT! DARN!’ all the way down to ‘ow!ow!ow!’

I’m laughing again just typing it.

That is actually funny.

I remember once eating ice cream cones with a friend outside when I was kid - a yellowjacket landed on his ice cream. He was about to take a lick of it when he noticed it. I’ve never seen an ice cream cone fly so far in my life.

155 CuriousLurker  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:09:47pm

re: #150 Killgore Trout

Yeah, he always struck me as a bit of a dullard but he seems to have been the most dynamic figure within the EDL. I doubt the new leaders are going to be more successful than he was.

Heh, reminds me of an old Indian proverb:

Do not blame God for having created the tiger, but thank Him for not having given it wings.

156 sattv4u2  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:10:06pm

re: #151 HoosierHoops

No joy in SoonerVille today, huh!

157 CuriousLurker  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:10:14pm

re: #149 wrenchwench

I hate to laugh at the misfortunes of others, but one childhood memory that still makes me laugh was when my sister got stung by a yellowjacket. She was 10, and tried hard not to swear in front of my dad. He had taken us camping, and when she got stung, her invective flowed freely though ‘SHIT! FUCK! GODDAMN! SHOOT! DARN!’ all the way down to ‘ow!ow!ow!’

I’m laughing again just typing it.

Made me LOL.

158 kirkspencer  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:16:07pm

re: #123 freetoken

It’s still the same old problem in American polity:

Regional atavists - the South and their nostalgia for the Confederacy, and

Cultural atavists - fundamentalist religious people who are at war with the more naturalistic view of the universe than modernity brings.

Political parties shop these groups as the power brokers ($$$) see fit. The “Southern Strategy” is the classic example.

Which brings in the second issue, demographics. The regional atavists are raising their children to their beliefs. Dig up crosstabs for the 2012 election and look at young white males in the south. sigh. BUT those same regions are seeing huge increases in non-white voters - and the white female voter isn’t following the male kin into the pit. This is going to add to the marginalization of the atavists.

The demographic pain for the cultural atavists - the proto-theocrats - is age. Again it’s less so in the south but the trend still exists there, that age and strong fundamentalist religious beliefs go hand in hand.

These last two points are the keys to Teixeira’s ‘emerging democratic majority’ articles. The mistake a lot of democratic fans made was thinking it would be a FAST change. No, it’s a generational change; a gradual change that occurs over 20 or 30 years.

Coincidentally (I think) in line with the zealotry cycle.

159 HoosierHoops  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:18:57pm

re: #156 sattv4u2

No joy in SoonerVille today, huh!

No..We lost to Texas and Obamacare website sucks big time.
I’m so pissed I can’t see straight..
Whatever..I’ll check back in a few weeks to compare costs.

160 aagcobb  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:19:36pm

re: #151 HoosierHoops

What the Fuck is the matter with the Obamacare website? After days of trying to get in..I got in only to find out my login name and password aren’t correct. WTF? It’s the same login I use over the net..Fuck!
Who is running the show? Lame times 10x.
I’m not sure how many millions were spent to create the web site.
Fire them and hire Pro’s Mr. Government. Freaking freak and frick!
Charles please call the HHS department. They need you.

Here is an explanation.

161 HoosierHoops  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:28:52pm

re: #160 aagcobb

Here is an explanation.

But then UnitedHealth Group purchased QSSI in September 2012, raising eyebrows about conflicts of interest.

Oh Great..My healthcare provider is Unitedhealth group. I’m not expecting a cost savings now…And they know I’m shopping now.. Great.. just freaking great..

162 Skip Intro  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 3:53:28pm

re: #80 Dr Lizardo

I tend to agree. There’s a bit of a civil war going on among the Freepers right now - a low-intensity one - as to whether the better choice is continuing with the GOP or going the third-party route.

It hasn’t devolved into an outright purge of either side by JimRob yet, but I figure the argument will heat up over the next week or so.

Once Rimmy figures out what his position is, they’ll all shift to it. It won’t matter though, because later on he’ll change his mind and the ones who can’t roll with Rimmy will get the ZOT!

163 missliberties  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 4:07:59pm

re: #37 dog philosopher

washington times headline

‘Reaganesque’ Cruz embraced at Values Voters Summit for Obamacare defiance

Gross and creepy. But you know they are trying to overthrow our traditional government, because moochers suck profits and when will the lazy disabled people ever learn how to fish?

164 Ming  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 7:02:14pm

It makes no sense to compromise with the Republican threat to harm the economy (which they’re already doing), just like it would make no sense to compromise with a political party that threatened to assassinate its opponents.

From CNBC, October 7:

“China and Japan ratcheted up pressure on the US to avoid an unprecedented US default on its debt as Democrats and Republicans continued their stand-off over the budget in the second week of a US government shutdown.”

Much as foreign governments are speaking up, we desperately need more influential voices here at home to speak up about the Republican threat to the world economy. We urgently need anyone who can influence Congressional Republicans to speak up, now: Governors, U.S. Senators, other members of the House of Representatives, Wall Street leaders.

The time to speak up is now.

165 subterraneanhomesickalien  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 7:09:02pm

...

166 Ming  Sat, Oct 12, 2013 7:11:26pm

About my previous comment, which quotes CNBC: “Democrats and Republicans continued their stand-off over the budget…”, in this crisis, the misleading reporting in this country isn’t helping. No, this is not a stand-off over the budget. To characterize this as an “ideological dispute” is being way too generous. Actually, the deficit has fallen steadily since 2009.

Sure, it would be nice if Congress could work on the budget, but this has NOTHING to do with the current stand-off. The current stand-off is not a matter of ideology, not a matter of capitalism versus socialism. It’s much more on the level of “I know you are, but what am I?” It’s a temper tantrum.

167 chadu  Sun, Oct 13, 2013 7:21:15am

re: #16 GeneJockey

So, Dudebros, Teabaggers, or Gellerites? Who’s more likely to be able to mount this kind of attack. I’m thinking the first.

I’m thinking “target of opportunity” (being a site with a lot of traffic).

168 chadu  Sun, Oct 13, 2013 7:30:42am

re: #69 freetoken

Classic Kevin Jackson:

Proof of God?

It says very little, other to establish to the God crowd that Jackson is one of them.

I’m agnostic, tending towards Theist/Deist.

I find the idea of a God who could set the rules for the universe, and then step back and watch it play out, much more palatable than a bearded old man sitting on a cloud.


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