Friday Talking Points [291] -- Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
John Boehner has a song in his heart. That song is "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah," which he was heard quoting from as he was busy passing a clean debt ceiling bill in his House. He followed up with another lyric from the tune: "Plenty of sunshine coming my way." Mr. Boehner is, of course, being amusingly ironic. He does not, in fact, have a song in his heart, and he is not looking for beams of sunshine heading his way from his fellow Republicans.
Boehner passed the clean debt ceiling bill with 193 Democratic votes and only 28 Republican votes, after all. He ignored the self-imposed "Hastert Rule," surprisingly early in the legislative fight -- two whole weeks before the crisis was scheduled to hit. He did so because the Tea Party faction in his party informed him that he didn't even have the votes for the usual round of hostage-taking -- Republicans, on their own, couldn't pass any bill. Boehner, realizing the futility of his position, then gave President Obama exactly what he asked for by going ahead and passing a clean bill with mostly Democratic support. Beams of sunshine did not follow, from his fellow Republicans.
The most amusing response was the circulation of bizarre threats via email to House Republicans. The email (with an anonymous sender) told Republicans who voted for the bill to expect outside groups to mobilize against them. One anonymous Republican in the House pointed out that the email addresses it was sent to were closely-guarded official emails of the representatives, and concluded that the sender "[has] got to be another member. Probably one of the crazy ones." That characterization comes from a fellow Republican, mind you.
In the weekly roundup of marijuana news, the farm bill that Obama has now signed did indeed legalize industrial hemp-growing experiments in states that have approved the idea. Eighteen members of Congress signed a letter asking Obama to reschedule marijuana to reflect the reality that it is not, in fact, more dangerous than cocaine or methamphetamine. Rescheduling truly is an idea whose time has come, but it's not going to happen without some political pressure, so it was good to see these Congressmen stepping up to the plate. Check out the letter, and check out the list of who signed it (and then, if your representative isn't on the list, call them up and ask them why not) over at the Huffington Post.
Meanwhile, Representative Steve Cohen has introduced the "Unmuzzle the Drug Czar Act" which would remove the restrictions Congress put on the Office of National Drug Control Policy which, in essence, add up to "the O.N.D.C.P. can never never never never say one tiny good thing about marijuana, the end, forever." During last week's epic testimony by the assistant drug czar (see last week's column for a rundown), Cohen asked about this restriction, only to get the answer from the poor sap testifying that he didn't "know the background" of such muzzling. He also was unfamiliar with the name Harry Anslinger, the report Nixon commissioned (and then buried) on marijuana law, how many people had died through marijuana overdoses, and even whether marijuana was more dangerous than heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine. Or maybe not -- his entire testimony may have been muzzled by precisely the clause in the O.N.D.C.P.'s budget that Cohen is now trying to remove. Anyone who believes in free speech and who is against tax dollars going to censor scientific facts from being uttered by high government officials should heartily cheer Cohen's legislation.
Marco Rubio, however, is being coy on the subject without the benefit of a legal reason to do so. When asked at an education forum this week whether he had ever smoked the evil weed, he responded: "If I tell you that I haven't, you won't believe me. And if I tell you that I did, then kids will look up to me and say, 'Well, I can smoke marijuana because look how he made it.' " Not exactly the best non-denial denial ever uttered, but it's definitely better than "I didn't inhale," so you've got to give Rubio at least that, we suppose.
On another subject, a while back the New Yorker pointed out how low the Public Broadcasting System had sunk in terms of sucking up to fatcat donors at the expense of the truth, and this week brings more confirmation that, as Salon put it, the network should now be called the Plutocratic Broadcasting System. From the Pando story which originally broke the news:
On December 18th, the Public Broadcasting Service's flagship station WNET issued a press release announcing the launch of a new two-year news series entitled "The Pension Peril." The series, promoting cuts to public employee pensions, is airing on hundreds of PBS outlets all over the nation. It has been presented as objective news on major PBS programs including the PBS News Hour.
However, neither the WNET press release nor the broadcasted segments explicitly disclosed who is financing the series. Pando has exclusively confirmed that "The Pension Peril" is secretly funded by former Enron trader John Arnold, a billionaire political powerbroker who is actively trying to shape the very pension policy that the series claims to be dispassionately covering.
So you might think about that the next time pledge drive season comes around (which seems to be roughly every three weeks, these days). Maybe just pick up the phone to your local PBS station and tell them why you won't be donating any money to them, since their editorial policies seem so far from what they should be.
Which brings us to our final item. Plutocrat Tom Perkins, who a few weeks ago compared Americans even suggesting that the wealthiest of the wealthy might pay a wee bit more in taxes to Nazi Germany (Kristallnacht in particular), now believes that money should directly buy government (instead of indirectly, by buying politicians). Here's his new scheme for America: "You don't get to vote unless you pay a dollar of taxes. But what I really think is, it should be like a corporation. You pay a million dollars in taxes, you get a million votes. How's that?"
Um... sounds great... if you want a plutocracy, that is.
First of all, a very happy 94th birthday to the League of Women Voters! Here's the basic story:
Ninety-four years ago, on February 14, 1920, pioneering suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt founded the League of Women Voters to help ensure that all Americans were given equal access to the ballot box. Within just a few months, Congress would ratify the 19th Amendment, at last granting American women the vote after decades of advocacy.
Our only wish is that the League of Women Voters would reconsider an old decision, and take back control of the presidential debates -- because they were a lot better before the network news folks got involved.
The big marijuana news today is that Attorney General Eric Holder has issued new rules which allow marijuana-based businesses (which are legal in the states they reside in) to freely use banks, just like every other business in America. Up until now, they've been forced to be "cash-only," which causes all sorts of problems. Next up should be allowing these businesses not to have to pay outrageous tax penalties just because Nancy Reagan once got a bee in her bonnet, but one step at a time, folks. Holder deserves at least an Honorable Mention for finally allowing modern banking for these legal businesses.
But our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week award goes to President Barack Obama. He almost got it by default, really, because it wasn't any overt act Obama took this week which won him the coveted "Golden Backbone."
Obama got precisely the clean debt limit bill he asked for this week, as a direct result of his refusal to deal with hostage-takers in the past. Obama laid down his red line a few years back: Congress could attach no conditions on the full faith and credit of the United States of America. Period. Big budget battles were fine, as long as the American (and world) economy wasn't taken hostage. America would not default on her obligations.
Since then, Obama has held firm. He has not budged one inch from this position. And now Republicans have gotten the message, loud and clear. Instead of dragging the economy through weeks of brinksmanship, John Boehner decided instead to bow to the inevitable and perform the minimum of his duties.
But he did so because Obama didn't blink last time, and wasn't going to blink this time. Boehner knew full well that the public would have blamed Republicans for any showdown, and so he wisely decided to avoid all of that, heading into an election season.
For causing this brief moment of sanity in Congress, President Barack Obama is our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week. What was really impressive is that he didn't even have to lift a finger to earn it -- because his history and reputation is ultimately what scared the responsible Republicans into acting as they did. Obama was serious, the Republicans knew he was serious, and that's all it took. Impressive indeed.
[Congratulate President Barack Obama via the White House contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
The former mayor of New Orleans was convicted on 20 out of 21 corruption charges this week, but this disappointment is already pretty far in the past, so we'll just hand Ray Nagin another (Dis-)Honorable Mention and move on.
But our Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week was Texas gubernatorial candidate (and darling of women's groups everywhere) Wendy Davis, who significantly waffled on her signature issue this week. Offsetting this disappointment was the news that she supports medical marijuana in Texas, but this wasn't enough to avoid the MDDOTW award.
In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Davis backed off on the very issue which she rose to prominence -- a 20-week ban on abortion. Here's the story:
Davis said that she could support a 20-week ban if it deferred more to the woman and her doctor, and if it had exceptions for fetal anomalies and the health of the mother. The anti-abortion bill she filibustered last summer included a 20-week ban without those two exceptions and a number of other provisions that threatened to shut down a majority of the abortion clinics in Texas.
The 20-week ban was the "least objectionable" part of that bill, Davis said.
"I would have and could have voted to allow that to go through, if I felt like we had tightly defined the ability for a woman and a doctor to be making this decision together and not have the Legislature get too deep in the weeds of how we would describe when that was appropriate," she said.
This is even though a 20-week ban has already been deemed unconstitutional, the article goes on to point out.
Now, we realize that not everyone is so disappointed. "It's what she has to say to get elected in Texas," is the reasoning. "It is, after all, Texas." This is probably true, but politicians who say things purely for political gain when they may believe the opposite has a name, and that name is "hypocrisy." Another name for it is "lying to the voters," which isn't any better, really.
Either Davis fully believes that a 20-week abortion ban isn't that big a deal, or she is trying to have it both ways so the voters will be muddled enough to elect her. Either one is pretty disappointing, which earns Davis this week's Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week. After all, this is her signature issue. It's why most Americans even know her name. And it was supposed to be a key reason for her to run for governor. Making it a pretty big deal for her.
[Contact Texas state senator Wendy Davis on her official contact page, to let her know what you think of her actions (we do not, as a rule, give out contact information to candidate websites).]
Volume 291 (2/14/14)
As usual, we offer up these weekly talking points to Democrats everywhere. We're almost into the midterm campaign season, and Democrats are all back in their districts because all of Congress always agrees to take multi-week vacations for such holidays as Presidents Day.
So, for any Democrat facing a Sunday morning talk show, a town hall meeting, or just shooting the breeze around the water cooler, here's this week's talking points. Enjoy.
Zip-a-dee-ay
Of course, it's a little hard not to spike the football a little bit on this one.
"I see that John Boehner was singing 'Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah' after passing the clean debt ceiling bill President Obama requested, with the help of most Democrats in the House. Since he seemed to be enjoying himself so much -- he was also quoted saying 'Happy, happy, happy' while addressing the press this week, after all -- we Democrats would like to encourage such happiness in the Speaker in the future. We could start by doing exactly the same thing he just did on the debt ceiling to the Senate immigration reform bill, and then we could move on to raising the minimum wage. C'mon, Speaker Boehner, we can put a song in your heart more than once! Whaddya say?"
Obamacare growing stronger by the month
Democrats need to point out the good news, because Republicans certainly aren't.
"The January numbers are out for Obamacare, and they show that 3.3 million people have signed up for health insurance. In fact, the original C.B.O. monthly projection for January was beaten by the number of people who signed up. This is good news, and shows the continuing demand for affordable health care among the American people. The other good news is that Gallup showed how the rate of uninsured Americans has been dropping since the Obamacare open enrollment period started -- which was exactly the point of the law in the first place. Fewer Americans are now uninsured, and we can look forward to that number getting better and better in the future."
Sheer Republican hypocrisy
One of those things that the mainstream media is never going to notice, meaning Democrats have to point it out.
"A few weeks back, Senate Democrats tried to get an extension of unemployment benefits. The bill couldn't increase the deficit, Republicans said, so Democrats found a way to pay for it. Republicans howled that the method used to pay for it was a horrible one, and set a horrible precedent, so they successfully filibustered the bill. This week, these same Republicans voted for a bill to restore some military pay which they had earlier cut, and the bill was paid for in exactly the same way the unemployment extension was paid for. They didn't utter a peep about how evil the method of paying for the bill was, this time around. This is nothing short of sheer hypocrisy -- and shows that Republicans have no problem with such accounting, unless it is used to help out-of-work Americans. Then, it's not acceptable. I think voters are smart enough to see how Republicans set their priorities, don't you?"
Sending the message clearly: you should die
Nothing like sending the wrong message...
"Maine's governor is apparently against saving people's lives. Rather than make a drug overdose antidote widely available to people like first responders, Paul LePage thinks doing so will send the wrong message to the public. This goes back to the fight over needle exchange, really. The message LePage is in favor of sending is: drug addicts deserve to die, and we're going to make sure that happens. Got that? We could save some lives, but we're not going to. In fact, we're going to prevent people from saving lives. Because saving lives sends the wrong message to the public."
Another one bites the dust
This one is related to the next two, but in this case the Republican actually saw the light.
"I see that Gary Miller has announced that he won't be running to get re-elected to his House seat from California. It seems his district is heavily Latino, and he must have realized that the Republican outreach effort to Latino voters has been a dismal failure. Rather than face his own dismal failure at the polls, Miller has wisely decided to just retire and make way for a Democrat to better represent the people of his district. We applaud Miller for bowing to the inevitable. We also wonder how many more of these we will see in the coming years, if Republicans don't change their policies and rhetoric."
Fleeing the GOP
GOP Latino outreach, take one.
"Did you hear that a former state representative in Florida has not just left the Republican Party, but actually posed for a photo ripping up her Republican voter registration? Ana Rivas Logan is going to become a Democrat because, in her words: The GOP of today is not the party I joined; it's not the party of my parents. It's a party that has been radicalized and held hostage by a group of extremists. It's a party that attacks women and minorities -- and one that asked me, and my former Hispanic Republican colleagues in the Florida legislature, to turn on their own people by supporting extreme anti-immigrant policies. It's a party I was no longer proud to be a part of. Unquote. Guess that Republican Latino outreach isn't going so well, eh? We Democrats welcome all Florida Republicans, from Charlie Crist on down, into a party that truly does have a big tent. We can soon turn Florida solid blue if this keeps up...."
Hey, third-worlders, vote for us!
GOP Latino outreach, take two.
"Over in Texas, a Republican gubernatorial candidate just equated Texas' entire Rio Grande Valley region to the third world. That's a direct quote from Greg Abbott. Way to reach out to Latinos, Republicans! I mean, why wouldn't anyone respond to the message 'hey, all you third-worlders, vote for me'? This shows just how far Republicans have to travel before they even realize how degrading and insulting their rhetoric sounds to others. Keep trying to do that Latino outreach Republicans, because you've obviously still got a lot to learn."
-- Chris Weigant
All-time award winners leaderboard, by rank
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground
Cross-posted at: The Huffington Post
Update:
PBS backed down, and returned the $3.5 million. Don't have a link, but it's up on HuffPost's main page...
-CW
Freaking Rohrabacher signed the letter? Which family member is involved, I wonder.
OK, here's the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/business/media/wnet-to-return-3-5-million-grant-for-pension-series.html
-CW
strangelet -
Much like the gay activists saw Mary Cheney, we'll take anyone personally affected if it moves things forwards.
:-)
It's amazing what changes minds, at times...
-CW
Marco Rubio, however, is being coy on the subject without the benefit of a legal reason to do so. When asked at an education forum this week whether he had ever smoked the evil weed, he responded: "If I tell you that I haven't, you won't believe me. And if I tell you that I did, then kids will look up to me and say, 'Well, I can smoke marijuana because look how he made it.' " Not exactly the best non-denial denial ever uttered, but it's definitely better than "I didn't inhale," so you've got to give Rubio at least that, we suppose.
OR, you could give a Republican the benefit of the doubt and say Rubio was being, above all else, a good parent..
I'm just sayin.. :D
That's all I have time for right now..
Michale
But our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week award goes to President Barack Obama. He almost got it by default, really, because it wasn't any overt act Obama took this week which won him the coveted "Golden Backbone."
So, I guess you would agree that Obama and ALL Democrats in Congress owe President Bush an apology for acting like complete jackasses over the debt ceiling when BUSH was POTUS.....
Hmmmmmmm???? :D
Michale
OR, you could give a Republican the benefit of the doubt and say Rubio was being, above all else, a good parent..
I don't mean to destroy anyone's illusions, but isn't it POSSIBLE that Republicans actually CARE about their children and love them and want to do right by them??
I realize that Republicans are just terrorists and arsonists and hostage-takers and would rather eat their young rather than actually CARE for them..
But it's POSSIBLE ya'all are wrong....
Isn't it??
Michale
Lol So, Michale,
Deceiving your constituents, being a hypocrite, and covering-up past behavior is doing right by your children? Because what self-respecting Republican would want to risk their children growing up to NOT be hypocrites, dishonest, deceitful, unethical, and untrustworthy!?--Instead of good Republicans, as God so self-evidently intended, simply for lack of proper parental role-models?
Deceiving your constituents, being a hypocrite, and covering-up past behavior is doing right by your children?
As a representative of the Democratic Party, do you REALLY want to discuss hypocrisy???
Obama, Democrats, Counter Terrorism policies.
'nuff said...
:D
But thank you for proving my point. :D
Michale
I bet you believed Clinton when he said he didn't inhale, eh LD?? :D
Michale
Michale,
As a Democrat I'm ALWAYS willing to discuss hypocrisy. If I wasn't I couldn't even BEGIN to discuss American politics or the GOP! I know the difference between legal and illegal actions, wars of choice and wars if conscience, preemptive and defensive, aggression and support, targeted and indiscriminate, are all too "nuanced" for you, but--trust me! There's nothing particularly hypocritical about "Obama, Democrats, Counter Terrorism." Republicans, now, have virtually become synonymous with hypocrisy. They could probably trade mark it!
Not that you'll ever admit it, of course. Determined willfull ignorance is the ONLY way ANYONE, even slightly informed, could defend GOP talking-points and still claim to be an independent.
There's nothing particularly hypocritical about "Obama, Democrats, Counter Terrorism."
If that is truly what you believe then there is absolutely NO HOPE for any common ground..
I would say you stand alone in your belief but... Well, if people can believe that Obama didn't lie, then they will believe ANYTHING... :D
Michale
There's nothing particularly hypocritical about "Obama, Democrats, Counter Terrorism."
"BlackWhite is a word that has two mutually contradictory meanings. Applied to an opponent, it means the habit of impudently claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts. Applied to a Party member, it means a loyal willingness to say that black is white when Party discipline demands this. But it means also the ability to believe that black is white, and more, to know that black is white, and to forget that one has ever believed the contrary. This demands a continuous alteration of the past, made possible by the system of thought which really embraces all the rest, and which is known in Newspeak as doublethink."
-George Orwell, 1984
..... in spades.....
Michale
When Democrats spend 7 year vilifying and demonizing the President for actions and policies and then, upon assuming the reins of power, EXPAND those same actions and policies to unheard of heights, all the while saying, "It's necessary"....
Well, here on Planet Earth, we call that "hypocrisy"...
Not sure what it's called on your planet...
Michale
Seriously, LD..
Nancy Pelosi **SAVED** the NSA..
It doesn't get much more hypocritical than that..
Michale
Michale,
You're certainly right about their being no common ground when you consider the difference between black and white to be a "nuance." Democrats objected to Bush's ILLEGAL massive NSA spying on American citizens. That it WAS illegal is evidenced by the Republicans, and Bush himself, authoring and signing into law, legislation to legalize it RETROACTIVELY, and granting immunity from prosecution to Bush's civilian collaborating ISPs and telecommunications executives RETROACTIVELY. Democrats have never objected to the NSA, or to NSA spying, except in accordance with constitutional oversight-- as long as its done LEGALLY. That's the "nuance" you, and the GOP, insist on ignoring. While you fail to see any difference between the unsubstantiated allegations of illegality constantly trumped up by the GOP and the documented confessed illegal acts committed by the GOP under Bush, the "nuance" is recognized and understood by the rest of us. And its that "nuance", and YOUR, and the GOP's, "claiming that black is white" that makes the difference between Republican hypocritical representations of conflicting positions on the same issues and Democrats' factual representations of different positions on DIFFERENT issues. Your failure to appreciate such "nuances", your insistence on conflating opposing positions on different issues as if the issues were the same, to "prove" Democrat "hypocrisy" and "lying" is what makes you, and the GOP, such hypocrites to begin with.
Michale,
The right to enter into contracts is attained with adulthood. It entails the OBLIGATION to understand and HONOR the contracts you enter into. Entering into a contract is, in fact, AGREEING to the terms set forth within the contract. And SIGNING a contract is written CERTIFICATION of both your agreement with, and obligation to honor, the terms set forth within the contract.
For you, and the GOP, (the party of "personal responsibility" and "free market capitalism",) to bemoan millions being "forced" to endure the consequences of their own actions in having insurers exercise their right to terminate or modify insurance contracts upon expiration, AS WAS AGREED TO, because Obama DIDN'T radically nationalize private insurers and IMPOSE new terms on existing contracts without the consent of the parties to such contracts, (because Obama "promised" he WOULDN'T change existing contracts!?) isn't just a lie and hypocritical, its a total inversion of the truth, and WORLD-CLASS HYPOCRISY! Now THAT'S "impudently claiming that black is white"!
"If you like your plan you can keep your plan. PERIOD." - President Obama.
Does NOT mean Tehran can keep trying to obtain nuclear weapons.
Does NOT mean Republicans can keep filibustering judicial nominees to maintain conservative court majorities.
Does NOT mean that you are no longer subject to terms in your insurance contracts you wish you didn't have to honor.
And does NOT mean Obama lied because you've taken his statement out of context and just made up your own fantasy about what he actually said.
What it DOES mean is that Obamacare doesn't modify existing insurance contracts or prevent their renewal. Obama was specific about what Obamacare would and wouldn't do. Claiming Obama lied because Obamacare didn't do things Obama never said it would do is what's lying. Not Obama's stating what Obamacare would, and would not do, without explicitly stating that it would not do whatever things you decide to just make up after the fact.
I'll give you credit, LD..
You tap dance better than anyone here..
But it's ALL just spin..
The facts are..
Obama lied..
Obama and the Democrats are hypocrites and put this country IN DANGER by opposing needed, necessary and WORKABLE counter terrorist ops and policies..
Obama and the Democrats were AGAINST raising the debt ceiling before they were for it.
Obama and the Democrats were AGAINST Executive Orders before they were for them.
These are the facts.
And no amount of spin, nuance or equivocation will erase these facts..
You are free to wallow in what the definition of "is" is...
But the facts are known..
Michale
As if we need FURTHER evidence of the moronic-ness of the Left..
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-16/kerry-burnishes-his-green-badge-in-asia-ahead-of-keystone-call.html
Who knew that volcanoes are caused by Climate Change!!!???
You see the problem I have with taking the Human Caused Global Warming Yet There Ain't Hardly Any Warming theory seriously??
How seriously can ANYONE take it when morons are constantly spouting that EVERYTHING that happens is caused by Global Warming???
I mean, honestly???
Michale
Mchale,
As is typical of right-wingers you simply refuse to accept facts that challenge your prejudices. FACT: Every insured knee their insurers have the option to discontinue or modify policies upon expiration. FACT: Obama NEVER promised to change existing policy terms, NEVER promised to give existing policyholders NEW rights they never had before. FACT: What Obama promised was to NOT change existing policies. So NO ONE could have reasonably believed that Obama wad promising their insurers wouldn't drop plans or their doctors wouldn't change affiliations.
You can continue to pretend Republicans believed Obama was promising to trample existing private contracts, hundreds of years of contract law, and the rights of insurers and doctors by forcing them into new contracts against their will at the descretion of policyholders. You can pretend that not ONE Republican ever objected, because they're all such staunch advocates of expanding federal power, fascism, President Obama wielding dictatorial powers, federal control of private individuals and corporations, and the use of federal power to redistribute wealth. You can pretend that Republicans only complained when Obama betrayed the American people by compelling them to actually live up to their contractual obligations, because its just so unfair for people to be held to the contracts they sign. But to anyone who ISN'T willfully self-deluded it's painfully obvious that Obama didn't lie, but YOU are lying.
Clearly no lie is too blatant, or ridiculous, for you to subscribe to if it validates your irrational prejudices. I can only assume your ignorance regarding climate change is just more of the same.
Global warming refers to this planets weather SYSTEM producing higher temperatures. Weather SYSTEMS produce "climates" that are BOTH hot and cold. Changes to the SYSTEM caused by global warming also causes both warmer AND colder temperatures locally which generally rise over time, because local temperature is a result of dozens of factors interacting. Which is why weather is the result of the weather SYSTEM and global warming is a change to that system fueled by greater warmth IN the weather system. It is NOT defined by higher temperatures in Florida.
But I'm sure that too is too "nuanced" for you as well. (AKA an inconvenient truth to be ignored.) Your faulty logic in assuming, with no factual or scientific basis whatsoever, that global warming must always mean higher temperatures is yet another example of you just making things up to suit your prejudices.
Michale,
BTW, volcanoes ARE influenced by climate. So are earthquakes. The melting polar ice, for example, raises sea levels. That puts more pressure on, and changes the pressure points of, sea beds and sea coasts. Those changes in pressure cause land masses to shift in order to maintain equilibrium. Those shifts are called earthquakes. Earthquakes can cause volcanic eruptions. The same can occur because of excessive, or even insufficient, vegetation or runoff, changes in the course or intensity of river flows.
Both of which are influenced by, among other things, climate. This planet, its life forms, and its atmosphere, including its climates, interact, almost like the functioning of a single living organism,
its called the Gaia Theory. And like living organisms there are immune system analogies.
In other words, if humans become a cancer poisoning the planet with pollution and defoliation, the climate, available food and fresh water will change, killing off the offending organisms, humans, eliminating the source of the toxins, much like an immune system response to disease.
I learned that in high-school--over fifty years ago.
"Of course, you can PROVE that, right?? Oh yea, that's right. I forgot. You were absent the day the taught LAW at Law School"
-Tom Cruise, A FEW GOOD MEN
You spin a good yarn, LD.. :D
But it's all just spin, completely unsupported by facts..
Whereas, it's well documented what EXACTLY Obama said.
"If you like your plan, you can keep your plan. PERIOD."
No amount of spin or BS can change the fact that THAT was a lie.
Further, it is well documented that Obama KNEW it was a lie when he uttered it..
No one with more than two brain cells to rub together could POSSIBLY believe that Obama did not lie..
LIE OF THE YEAR???
PINOCCHIO OF THE YEAR??
Any of these ringing any bells?? Hell even CW knows that Obama lied. Why do you think Obama's lie got an Honorable Mention for LIE OF THE YEAR in his END OF THE YEAR awards???
You got spin. I got facts..
It's THAT simple..
As far as Global Warming? Newsflash for ya sunshine..
Climate change doesn't cause volcanoes...
Volcanoes cause climate change..
This is fact..
All you got is political ideological enslavement..
Blackwhite, thru and thru...
The mere fact that you keep at it with the spin and the BS shows me you know you are wrong. :D
Michale
Did you honestly quote GAIA???
Are we going to hold hands and sing "Koom bye yaaa" next??? :D
"We're all interconnected in a big circle of life"
-Lion King
:D
Michale
Hell even CW knows that Obama lied. Why do you think Obama's lie got an Honorable Mention for LIE OF THE YEAR in his END OF THE YEAR awards???
Just sose there's no doubt I have my facts right...
WORST LIE
Of course, everyone else in the political universe is handing this award out to President Obama, for his "if you like your insurance, you can keep it -- period" statements. Getting trapped in a talking point like that is tough for any politician to recover from, and (to date) Obama hasn't really bounced back -- likely meaning that twenty or thirty years from now, people will still remember it.
But we've got a different Obama lie for Worst Lie, as a surprise.
There it is in black and white, straight from the Grand Poobah's er... fingers...
Sorry to disappoint ya, LD..
But Obama lied.. Everyone knows it.. The facts show it..
You can equivocate it and nuance it to death..
But the facts stubbornly remain the facts...
It's that simple..
Michale
LD,
Let's approach this from a different angle..
Has Obama EVER lied as POTUS??
If the answer is "yes", please give an example of an Obama lie...
Michale
"Signing up for Obamacare is just part of growing up"
"Buying a gun and signing up for the NRA is just part of growing up"
Yup... Identical sentiments...
One from the Left, one from the Right.
Totally bogus and nothing but ideological propaganda...
Michale
There were no beams of sunshine on the Senate side either.
Ted Cruz forced a cloture vote.
On the Senate side, the debt ceiling hike could have been passed by Democrats. Instead, by forcing a cloture vote, Cruz forced some Republicans to vote on the issue as well just to hurt them politically.
Mitch McConnell was one of those forced to vote on the issue.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/12/1277076/-Cruz-gambit-forces-McConnell-to-vote-for-clean-debt-limit-hike-as-Senate-advances-House-bill
Going to be interesting to see how this infighting plays out. It looks like Republicans are tiring of the nut jobs. But they've been riding them for so long that it's hard to turn the ship.
“In the 13 months I’ve been in the Senate it has become apparent to me the single thing that Republican politicians hate and fear the most, and that is when they’re forced to tell the truth. It makes their heads explode. [...] A lot of the Republicans wanted exactly what Barack Obama wanted, exactly what Nancy Pelosi wanted, exactly what Harry Reid wanted, which is to raise the debt ceiling, but they wanted to be able to tell what they view as their foolish, gullible constituents back home they didn’t do it.” - Ted Cruz on Mark Levin's show
So according to Cruz ...
1. Republicans were bluffing all along on raising the debt limit
2. Republicans are a bunch of liars
3. They think their constituents are gullible
Hmmmm ...
-David
PBS backed down, and returned the $3.5 million. Don't have a link, but it's up on HuffPost's main page...
BTW, this is really good news CW.
Thanks for posting the initial info and subsequent update!
Michale,
Typical winger response, denial, misrepresentation, straw-men, false equivalence, attempts to demean, dismiss, and intimidate, but not ONE rebuttal of my FACTUAL argument. Just the big lie ad nauseam.
Obama did not admit to lying. He did not lie. He took responsibility for the anxiety the Republican lies created and attempted to diffuse them. Because that's his job. It wasn't that he lied, its that he didn't see this coming. That's where he disappointed.
As I said, no one, could have reasonably believed Obama was promising their doctor couldn't retire if he wanted--because Obama said you could keep your doctor. No one DID think that. If Republicans had thought Obama was promising anything like what they now claim he was promising they'd have been marching on the Whitehouse in protest! Their silence, and the flaming hypocrisy of their pretending outrage that Obama DIDN'T interfere in millions of existing private business contracts, is further PROOF that their lying.
Republicans LOVE to claim both victimhood and entitlement. By by no stretch of the imagination was ANYONE entitled to new insurance policies at the old rates with their old insurers and doctors, without having contractual guarantees even if the insurer or doctor was unwilling. People claiming Obama lied aren't victims they are victimizers, once again libeling and slandering President Obama, for, supposedly, failing to deliver their free lunch, in yet another "big lie" propaganda campaign. THAT'S what the facts prove. And neither the facts nor reality are changed by your crowd-sourced right-wing propaganda. No matter how widespread or how often repeated, it doesn't prove ANYTHING. Your little winger echo chamber does not define reality. I would have thought that the LAST presidential election would have proved that--even to you! Still, I understand--its all you've got--so that's your story and you're sticking to it!
Obama did not admit to lying. He did not lie.
That's what YOU say...
On the OTHER side, we have me, CW, EVERY MEDIA NEWS OUTLET IN THE WORLD and even hundreds of Democrats...
So, what you are saying is that YOU are right and ALL OF US are wrong, the ENTIRE world is wrong. :D
Gotcha.. (wink wink) :D
Michale
1. Republicans were bluffing all along on raising the debt limit
2. Republicans are a bunch of liars
3. They think their constituents are gullible
Let's tweak that a little and see if it REALLY is true..
1. DEMOCRATS were bluffing all along on raising the debt limit in 2008
2. DEMOCRATS are a bunch of liars
3. They think their constituents are gullible
Well, I'll be damned!!
It STILL works.. :D
Which proves what I have always said..
You can't level an accusation against Republicans that is NOT also true of Democrats..
Gods, I love being an NPA :D
Michale
Michale,
What the media ACTUALLY reported was that Republicans CLAIMED that the President lied. Your logic is circular. EVERYONE reporting Republican propaganda doesn't prove the propaganda is true.--And, once again, your hypocrisy is showing. NOW, all of a sudden, the media determines what's true and what isn't?! A few weeks ago you were telling me how the media is supposed to just report factoids and let the consumer decide what's true and what isn't.--Amazing how flexible your view of reality becomes when you're vainly trying to "prove" a point while refusing to let mere facts influence your opinions!
What the media ACTUALLY reported was that Republicans CLAIMED that the President lied.
Jeezus, LD You are REALLY reaching..
Are you saying that ABC, NBC and CBS reported REPUBLICAN talking points???
Are you saying that CW is now posting REPUBLICAN talking points??
Why can't you just admit that Obama lied??
It's plainly obvious that he did..
If you were right, you would have ALL of Weigantia rallying to your side to prove mean old Michale is wrong...
The fact that you are arguing the point alone should tell you something..
Obama lied...
No amount of spin, delusion, equivocation, idolization or hero-worship will change that one simple fact.
Obama lied... PERIOD...
Michale
But you didn't answer my question from above.
Do you believe that Obama has ever lied as POTUS..
If so, please cite...
Michale
Obama lied... PERIOD...
He lied when he said TrainWreckCare would not mean people would lose their insurance plans.
He lied when he said he would respond if Syria used CWMDs...
He lied when he said he "welcomed debate" on the domestic spying..
He lied over and over and over again...
And yet.. YOU claim Obama hasn't lied...
Seriously, dood... Lose the binders.... :D
Michale
Michale,
You're right. I'm not biting on your irrelevant red-herring subject change. I'm having WAY too much fun watching you try to defend the indefensible and justify the unjustifiable! When you're finished losing this debate we can have another one.
I never said the media only reported Republican claims. I said the media DIDN'T report whether those claims were true. It only reported claims. Left and right. And when a few weeks ago I stated that media SHOULD be reporting whether claims are true or not YOU were the one arguing the media shouldn't be deciding what's true, that that's for consumers to decide. Does that ring any bells?
I appreciate that you're basically stuck with faulty logic and misrepresentation, since you're insisting on arguing a lie and have no facts to support you, but you haven't come up with an even REMOTELY defensible argument--and you're starting to bore me.
LewDan-
BTW, volcanoes ARE influenced by climate.
There was an easier way. I don't know if Michale was trolling you or just incredibly lazy but the linked story has absolutely nothing to do with any causal link between volcanoes and climate change. Kerry went to Indonesia to talk about climate change. A volcano going off there disrupts various aspects of the visit. And that's it as far as the volcano is concerned. The truly sad part is this is apparent from the headline...
As if we need FURTHER evidence of the moronic-ness of the Left..
Heh... I'm going with the moronic-ness of the hysterical anti-left on this one...
Michale,
When has Obama not lied?
When has Obama not lied?
I am hard pressed to come up with a single time...
He has been one big lie, ever since the day I voted for him...
There was an easier way. I don't know if Michale was trolling you or just incredibly lazy but the linked story has absolutely nothing to do with any causal link between volcanoes and climate change. Kerry went to Indonesia to talk about climate change. A volcano going off there disrupts various aspects of the visit. And that's it as far as the volcano is concerned. The truly sad part is this is apparent from the headline...
My point was how this emphasizes my OTHER point that "everything" that happens is caused by Human Caused Global Warming Yet We Have Our Third Coldest Winter Ever...
It simply re-enforces the religious nature of the theory...
But.. Thanx for playing... :D
Michale
You're right. I'm not biting on your irrelevant red-herring subject change.
In other words, you are ashamed to admit that you honestly believe that Obama has NEVER lied... :D
Hokay.. I could see why that would be hard to admit.. :D
Michale
I never said the media only reported Republican claims. I said the media DIDN'T report whether those claims were true. It only reported claims. Left and right. And when a few weeks ago I stated that media SHOULD be reporting whether claims are true or not YOU were the one arguing the media shouldn't be deciding what's true, that that's for consumers to decide. Does that ring any bells?
"If it's truth you're after, Professor Tyree's philosophy class is right down the hall"
-Indiana Jones
I am talking about FACTS, not truth...
And the FACT is, Obama lied..
You know it. I know it.. Everyone here knows it..
You're just the only one who refuses to admit it..
Michale
Kerry went to Indonesia to talk about climate change.
http://www.climatedepot.com/2014/02/16/nye-goofs-holds-up-pic-of-arctic-while-talking-about-antarctic-watch-bill-nye-debate-gop-rep-marsha-blackburn-nye-hold-up-pic-of-arctic-and-then-asks-if-antarctic-has-less-ice-climate-depot-answ/
That's why it's so hard to take Human Caused Global Warming Yet The Temps Don't Correlate To The CO2 religious fanatics seriously..
The priests/scientists of the religion don't even know North from South!!! :D
Michale
My point was how this emphasizes my OTHER point that "everything" that happens is caused by Human Caused Global Warming Yet We Have Our Third Coldest Winter Ever...
It simply re-enforces the religious nature of the theory...
Bullshit. You specifically posted:
Who knew that volcanoes are caused by Climate Change!!!???
Then used that to prove that the left would blame anything on climate change. Except that was not in the article. Are you lying or incompetent? Is that not exactly what you have been going on about Obama? And how does that not make you a bigger hypocrite than those you accuse?
But.. Thanx for playing... :D
Still a legend in your own mind, eh?
You can't level an accusation against Republicans that is NOT also true of Democrats.
Ted Cruz can. He's a "true" Republican.
-David
BTW Michale,
I certainly don't believe President Obama has never lied. In fact, aside from his being a politician, its his JOB to lie. There are people in the world who don't like us very much. And knowledge is power. Its the President's job to prevent empowering our enemies, concealing information from those who would do us harm--to lie, whenever necessary. So, unlike you, "nuances" mean something to me. When the President lies its why and how that matter to me.
And, unlike you, I recognize the difference, the "nuance," between a lie, a misstatement, and a change in position because of changing circumstances or evolving understanding. Lies are intentional attempts to deceive. Misstatements are simply inaccurate, unintentionally inaccurate. We all make mistakes. Including the President.
But his assurance that people could keep their insurance if they wanted was neither a lie nor a misstatement. It was a truthful accurate statement that's being deliberately misinterpreted and misrepresented. The English language is famous for its lack of precision. Its not President Obama's fault that his opponents maliciously misrepresent his statements to slander him.
THAT'S what I believe. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop asserting your unsubstantiated delusions as being my beliefs. Though given your track record with regard to Obama's stated positions I'm not holding my breath.
LD,
Fine.
Then give me an example of an, in YOUR mind, an Obama lie..
Show me an instance when, in your opinion, Obama lied..
Betcha 1000 quatloos you can't do it.. :D
Michale
But his assurance that people could keep their insurance if they wanted was neither a lie nor a misstatement.
You would be RIGHT, if it were in the context of talking with friends at a Sunday picnic or bullshitting with friends over beers..
"Ya know, Fred. It's fun playing darts over beers and did you know that if you like your insurance plan you can KEEP your insurance plan"..
If it was like that, you would be right.
But it WASN'T like that so you are as wrong as wrong can be.
Obama's statements were in the context of assuring people that, when obamacare became law, they would be able to keep their health insurance plans if they like them.
And THAT was a bald-faced lie..
And it's well documented that Obama KNEW it was a bald-faced lie each and every time that he said it..
Also, remember.. Obama didn't say:
"If you like your insurance plan you can keep your insurance plan, unless your insurance plan has to be changed to be in compliance with obamacare"
Obama didn't say:
"If you like your insurance plan you can keep your insurance plan unless *I* decide that *I* don't like your insurance plan then *I* will make sure that the insurance companies are forced to cancel them"
Obama didn't say ANY of those, as you seem to want to rewrite history..
Obama said.. AND I quote..
"If you like your insurance plan, you can keep your insurance plan... **PERIOD**"
And he said that IN THE CONTEXT of assuring people who were fearful that they would lose their plans because of TrainWreckCare...
Obama lied.. PERIOD...
You can equivocate, rewrite recent history, wallow in all the illogical hero-worship you want..
But you simply cannot change the facts.
And the facts are. Obama lied..
Thanx for playing. :D
Michale
Bashi,
Then used that to prove that the left would blame anything on climate change. Except that was not in the article.
It wasn't??
The speech came against the backdrop of the eruption of the Mount Kelud volcano that disrupted air travel in the region and forced the cancellation of Kerry’s planned meeting today with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
“We’ve seen here in Asia how extreme weather events can disrupt world trade,” Kerry said to an audience of Indonesian students and business leaders. “In today’s globalized economy, the entire world feels it.”
Hmmmmmmm Seems to me that Kerry is calling the volcanic eruption an "extreme weather event"...
Once again...
Who knew that a volcano erupting was a "weather event"...
Simply proves AGAIN that the Looney Left will blame ANYTHING on Human Caused Global Warming Yet The Planet Isn't Warming All That Much...
It's not science, it's a religion... A political religion..
But, again. Thanx for playing :D
Michale
But, again. Thanx for playing :D
Yea, I know. I am an arrogant prick.. :D
"Of course, I'm arrogant! I've EARNED it!!!"
-Q
Michale
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/24746649/nj-salt-shortage-continues
It's a shame that NJ didn't have a DEM for a governor or a governor who bundled millions in donations to Obama.
Homeland Security would have bent over backwards to get NJ anything it wanted...
So it is with this banana-republic of an Administration...
It's all politics and all cronyism...
Michale
Michale,
Yea, I know. I am an arrogant prick.. :D
No, I wouldn't describe you that way, at all.
Your predictable comments, however, have become extremely tedious. I hate to be the one to say it but somebody had to do it.
What passes for discussion around here has gone completely down the hill and pales in comparison to the enlightened articles they are posted beneath.
CW.com deserves much better.
Your predictable comments, however, have become extremely tedious. I hate to be the one to say it but somebody had to do it.
There's a simple solution for that.
LD simply has to concede the point..
I comment. He responds with total off the wall felgercarb and then I have no choice but to correct him..
And so it goes and so it goes...
Put another way.. If anyone here were to post that black is white and up is down and water is dry and women don't have secrets, I will continue to point out how wrong they are (*AND* provide the facts to back it up) as long as they continue to spew such nonsense.
It takes two to tango... I know Obama lied. You (obviously) know Obama lied..
Why not talk to the guy who's wrong?? Instead of the guy who is correct?? :D
I'm just sayin'... :D
Michale
No, I wouldn't describe you that way, at all.
You are a sweet person.. :D But I know it's true... I don't have a problem with it unless it's proven that I am wrong..
Then I am embarrassed and go away and sulk for a few days.. :D
Michale
WOW!!!
The poll asked those who voted for Obama's reelection a simple question: “Do you regret voting for Barack Obama?”
— Overall, 71 percent said yes, 26 percent no.
— 80 percent of whites said yes, 61 percent of blacks said no and 100 percent of Hispanics said yes.
— 84 percent of women said yes, and just 61 percent of men agreed.
— 55 percent of Democrats said yes, as did 71 percent of independents.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/poll-71-of-obama-supporters-regret-voting-for-his-reelection/article/2544165
About the only silver lining for Obama is that people STILL prefer him over Romney..
Not sure if that is much of a comfort or not.. :D
Michale
Michale,
Your Obama lied kick has become more than tedious.
Your Obama lied kick has become more than tedious.
No more tedious than the "Obama DIDN'T lie" kick that LD is on..
I simply cannot, in good conscience, stand by and let recent history be rewritten...
If LD wants to concede that it is his OPINION that Obama didn't lie, then fine. Let him do so and that will be the end it..
This is a REALITY-BASED forum..
And it's not fair to CW and to all other Weigantians to let reality be twisted and torn to the point to where up is down and black is white..
It's that simple...
The facts are clear..
Up IS up, not down.
Black IS black, not white..
Obama DID lie.
These are the facts
And they are indisputable..
Michale
This is a Michale's reality-based forum with little room left for the real world or for issues of interest and concern to the vast majority of us here.
This is a Michale's reality-based forum with little room left for the real world or for issues of interest and concern to the vast majority of us here.
No one (least of all me) is stopping ANYONE from chiming in on the issues that interests them..
If no one has the passion (or the spare time) that I do, that is not *MY* fault, eh??
Michale
Comments for this thread are now closed.
:-)
Lemme ask ya something..
Why is it you are only sick of MY comments and are not sick of the comments that PROMPT my comments??
Doesn't that indicate to you that there is more ideological preference at work here rather than just being sick and tired of comments in general??
I mean, if I was commenting time and time again at how wonderful Obama was and how great Obama was and it was LD who was saying how bad Obama is and how much of a liar Obama is, wouldn't you be having this issue with LD's comments and you would leave me out of it??
Think about it... :D
Michale
Michale,
Here's how I see it ...
Ideological preferences have nothing to do with the problem that has manifested itself here. I wish there were some interesting debate and discussion based on ideological preferences as this would be a far better place for it.
I'm sick of comments that don't make any sense and that flip reality on its head, regardless of who posts them. That's what has become infinitely tiresome for me about this place.
There's something for you to think about. At the very least, try focusing on a brand new issue for a change and I don't care whether it points up another fault of Obama or not, just so long as its not the same old song being played like an annoying broken record. You know what I mean?
Michale,
No one (least of all me) is stopping ANYONE from chiming in on the issues that interests them..
If no one has the passion (or the spare time) that I do, that is not *MY* fault, eh??
Oh, I didn't mean that you were stopping others from participating. I would just like to see more variety from YOU in your comments. After all, I do still read ALL of them, you know. :)
Elizabeth,
I didn't know you were such a masochist...You read ALL of them? I gave up a while back: after several years of arguing the same point as you, I've just given up...the repetition just got too tiring, so his tactics of overwhelming you with volume rather than logic can let him have his so called "wins".
Hey Kevin! Don't be such a stranger! :)
I enjoy reading your comments, too ... so, you know, there's some balance in my life ... heh ...
I'm sick of comments that don't make any sense and that flip reality on its head, regardless of who posts them. That's what has become infinitely tiresome for me about this place.
I completely agree...
Yet, by and large, who is the one singled out for that particular accusation??
I mean, seriously... The idea that Obama didn't lie is right up there with "I didn't inhale" and "I didn't have sex with that woman"...
Yet, is that nonsensical comment called out by Weigantians??
Of course not..
Now, to be fair, you attempted to bring a little reality to the discussion back up in comment #39.
Did LD argue with YOU about it??
Nope.. I was singled out..
Which doesn't bother me really. Well, not much anyways...
All I am saying is that who's at fault here?? The guy who is posting the nonsensical stuff??
Or me??? :D
There's something for you to think about. At the very least, try focusing on a brand new issue for a change and I don't care whether it points up another fault of Obama or not, just so long as its not the same old song being played like an annoying broken record. You know what I mean?
Sure, let's talk about something else..
http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/bret-easton-ellis-interview
Ya wanna talk about Generation WUSS??? :D
Oh, I didn't mean that you were stopping others from participating. I would just like to see more variety from YOU in your comments. After all, I do still read ALL of them, you know. :)
"Stop yer grinnin' and drop yer linen"
-Cpl Hudson, ALIENS
I got a ton of interests.. I try to get ST:CONTINUES discussions going, I try to talk about the NSA and the Drone Program, I try to steer things towards a multitude of subjects..
Pick yer poison... :D
Kevin,
Actually the facts be told, I overwhelm people with a VOLUME of logic... :D
Michale
Also keep in mind that Fridays are kinda Wild Wild West days around here.. :D
Maybe that's my doing, maybe not..
But it appears to be the case, wouldn't you agree??
Michale
Michale,
Now, to be fair, you attempted to bring a little reality to the discussion back up in comment #39.
But, alas, your answer had nothing to do with the reality of the situation. Your answer only exposed an extreme view, the likes of which I have not seen anywhere else.
Michale,
All I am saying is that who's at fault here?? The guy who is posting the nonsensical stuff??
Yes. Absolutely, positively, unequivocally.
But, alas, your answer had nothing to do with the reality of the situation. Your answer only exposed an extreme view, the likes of which I have not seen anywhere else.
Yea, I am one guy with an "extreme" view..
Against dozens of Weigantians with an "extreme" view from the OTHER side of the spectrum.. :D
All I am saying is that who's at fault here?? The guy who is posting the nonsensical stuff??
Yes. Absolutely, positively, unequivocally.
Then have a talk with LD and get him to see reality...
Then everyone will be happy.. :D
Because when it comes down to it, the idea that Obama DIDN'T lie is as nonsensical and as extreme as it gets..
Michale
On another note.. Since this thread is winding down..
If any of ya'all honestly and truly believe that there is a "war on women" (either from the Right OR the Left) then you simply HAVE to watch Episode 2 of STAR TREK:CONTINUES..
I watched it yesterday and, once again, I was very impressed with the episode from a technical point of view and from a story point of view. The acting wasn't as good as episode #1, but these aren't professional actors, so....
Although there WAS a familiar face in there.. :D I'll make a $100 donation to Weigantia if anyone can pick it out. No fair GOOGLEing it!! :D
Spock is growing on me, but he is just too damned pink to be a Vulcan.
McCoy is also growing on me as well.. Overall, this had an even more "Trek" feel to it than the first one..
Anywho, just some thoughts...
Michale
Although there WAS a familiar face in there.. :D I'll make a $100 donation to Weigantia if anyone can pick it out. No fair GOOGLEing it!! :D
Actually, I stand corrected..
There are TWO familiar faces in the episode.. Both from the 80s...
Bonus donation if anyone can pick out both... Again, no fair Googling.. :D
Michale
There are TWO familiar faces in the episode.. Both from the 80s...
Grrrrrrrrrr... That would be the 70s, not the 80s.. The '7' key and the '8' key are just too close together.. :D
Michale