Friday Talking Points [335] -- Live, From The Moon
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams (or, as we affectionately refer to him, "BriWi") was ruthlessly mocked online this week, after a war story he told turned out to be a complete fabrication. Our headline today refers to the funniest mockery we've yet seen on the subject, titled "That one live shot I did from the moon," for no other reason than it makes a funny headline. We really have no news to report from the moon, although (as usual) there are quite a few bits of lunacy to report from the political world. As for BriWi, well, we'll see what happens next. Perhaps it's time to give Lester Holt a shot at the big chair? It's a little hard to feel too sorry for BriWi, since he reportedly rakes in $10 million a year to read the news to America every night. Nice work if you can get it, eh? Or hold onto it, for that matter.
Speaking of jobs, there's a new jobs report out and it has some pretty amazing good news. But we'll have much more on that a bit later, down in the talking points.
Let's get back to the lunacy, instead. Mitch McConnell is apparently unsatisfied with the concept of throwing fellow Republicans under a bus, as evidenced by a joke he just cracked (to be fair, Ted Cruz set himself up for this one):
McConnell noted that Cruz -- the anti-Obamacare crusader who spearheaded the 2013 government shutdown, thereby earning the enmity of many fellow Republicans -- had once proclaimed that he would throw himself in front of a moving train, if that's what killing health reform would take.
"That idea has some merit to it," a wry McConnell jabbed.
Heh. In other news from congressional Republicans, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina thinks there are too many onerous federal regulations, which deny him the freedom to eat food prepared by people who don't wash their hands in the bathroom. Or something. It's hard to tell, especially considering that he was complaining about a regulation which mandates restaurants put up a sign, which he would fix by creating a regulation to put up a different sign. No, really. Here's the story:
Tillis said he was at a Starbucks in 2010 talking to a woman about regulations and where businesses should be allowed to opt out. His coffee companion challenged him, asking whether employees there should be required to wash their hands.
"As a matter of fact I think this is one where I think I can illustrate the point," he recalled telling her. "I don't have any problem with Starbucks if they choose to opt out of this policy as long as they post a sign that says we don't require our employees to wash their hands after leaving the restroom. The market will take care of that. It's one example."
Um, OK. If I ever meet Tillis, I don't think I'll be shaking his hand, that's all I can say.
The media became obsessed with their new realization that there are a whole bunch of parents in this country who don't want to vaccinate their kids (even though this has been going on for quite some time now). This exposed all sorts of looney-tunes behavior, but several were swift to point out that "anti-vaxxers" have been around since at least Thomas Jefferson's time, so it's really nothing new, just a continuation of prior lunacy. Several Republican presidential candidates added to the debate with their own special brand of moonbattery. Should be a fun primary season, if this is where we're going to start!
Paul Ryan began constructing the 2016 Republican budget by immediately blowing a $100 billion hole in the deficit. Other Republicans went along for the ride, ignoring Republicans' traditional anti-deficit stance. Must have been a full moon, or something.
Republicans in Congress celebrated Groundhog Day by imitating the movie of the same name. The House was busy repealing Obamacare, for the 56th time (no, that's not an exaggeration), although it seems they were pretty lackluster in doing so. Perhaps after another 50 or so votes, they'll have realized the pointlessness of their actions? Nancy Pelosi, in a great speech this week, memorably pointed out that Republicans are doing nothing short of baying at the moon with all these votes.
Over in the Senate, the bill to fund the Homeland Security Department (that the House had loaded up with all their "we're angry with Obama over immigration" extremism) failed to pass (one Republican even crossed the aisle and voted with the Democrats, against the bill). And then it failed to pass again. And then it failed to pass a third time. Happy Groundhog week, everyone!
Susan Collins of Maine offered to strip out some of the extremist language from the bill (but leave the rest untouched), but Democrats quickly shot down that idea. Sooner or later, a "clean" bill will pass both houses, but we've got a lot more meaningless and futile votes to get through before we get to that point of sanity. John Boehner seems a bit delighted at the fact that Mitch McConnell is the one now taking the heat for congressional Republicans' failure to put any sort of bill on Obama's desk. Here he is, answering the question of whether he knew what McConnell's endgame for the bill would be:
No. Listen, he's got a tough job. He's got a tough job over there, and I've got a tough job over here. God bless him and good luck. What can you say?
Empathy's not Boehner's strong suit, it seems, after being the number one Tea Party scapegoat for years. Now he'll be able to offload some of that Tea Party angst onto McConnell, and he certainly doesn't sound too unhappy at that prospect.
Let's see, what else falls into the lunatic category this week? Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is once again contemplating nullification of federal law, this time not over the Ten Commandments (which got him removed from office previously), but over same-sex marriage. He's leading the charge to just flat-out ignore federal rulings he doesn't like (which he calls "judicial tyranny") and have the Alabama judiciary chart their own course. You'd think knowing what was in the U.S. Constitution would be a requirement for such a position in any state, but apparently you'd be wrong.
House Republican Aaron Schock has been having a pretty miserable week. First, the Washington Post poked some fun at his office-decorating style (reminiscent of Downton Abbey), then ethical issues were raised over how the decorations were paid for, and finally one of his senior advisors was forced to resign. For being a racist. Think that's too harsh a description? Well, you decide: it seems Benjamin Cole spent his spare time filming black people walking in front of his house in DC, and then commenting on Facebook that what he had witnessed were the "mating rituals" of animals who had escaped from the National Zoo. By week's end, he was gone from that lovely Downton Abbey office.
Fox News, meanwhile, made an editorial decision to show the whole video of a Jordanian pilot being burned alive by the Islamic State. Does anyone really think they would have made the same decision if that had been an American military pilot?
That's probably enough lunacy for one week's time. Instead, we'll end on a happy note here, with an update on marijuana reform news. Over 100 Native American tribes are now expressing interest in entering the marijuana business, now that the Justice Department has given them the legal green light to do so. Also, Ted Cruz, Republican presidential wannabe, admitted to smoking pot as a student. This news made barely a ripple politically, which just goes to show you how far we've come from Bill Clinton trying to have it both ways with his laughable "I didn't inhale" stance, two decades ago. Now the public's response is: "He smoked pot as a kid? Well, who didn't?" Progress indeed.
And we end with the most positive of vibrations, as we wish Bob Marley what would have been his 70th birthday today. Happy birthday, mon!
The person most deserving of an award this week was, unfortunately, publicly non-partisan. The Federal Communications Commission announced this week that they'll be reclassifying broadband internet service as a "telecommunications service," or as a "common carrier." This represents a total victory for net neutrality, which is why chairman Tom Wheeler would have gotten an award if he were officially a Democrat.
We do have two preliminary Honorable Mention awards to hand out before we get to this week's main prize. The first goes to House member Jim Himes, who (together with 11 Democratic co-sponsors) introduced a measure to proclaim the 12th of February "Darwin Day." This idea's been around for awhile, but this is the first time Himes has introduced the resolution, so he deserves a hat tip along with his Honorable Mention.
Barack Obama is the second Honorable Mention recipient this week, for his impressive public opinion polling on job approval in January. He had his best month (measured by month-to-month improvement) of his entire second term, and the fourth-best month he's ever had as president. Obama always seems to do better in the polling during the winter than in the summer, but by any measure he had a good last month.
But our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week is America's brand-new Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who was confirmed less than two months ago by the outgoing Senate. Appearing on the CBS This Morning news show, Murthy took the strongest pro-science stand anyone in his position has taken in decades on the subject of marijuana. When asked about the medical possibilities of marijuana, Murthy answered that he thought it "can be helpful" for some conditions, and went on to say he wanted science to dictate policy on the subject.
This shouldn't really be all that revolutionary, seeing as how roughly half the states have legalized some form of medical marijuana or another, but it was indeed a groundbreaking statement from the nation's top public health officer. Dr. Murthy stated: "We have some preliminary data that for certain medical conditions and symptoms, that marijuana can be helpful," and further said when asked about the science, "I think we're going to get a lot more data about that. I'm very interested to see where that takes us."
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy may actually fulfill a campaign promise made by Barack Obama long ago -- that federal policy should consider science much more than political fallout when making contentious decisions. Obama has a mixed record on this front (remember the gigantic, wasteful, and anti-science fight Kathleen Sebelius waged on the "Plan B" morning-after pill?), but he has been getting better and better over the past few years. Murthy has, by his statements, indicated that the Obama administration may be ready to go a lot further towards fulfilling this promise, at least on the subject of marijuana.
For bravely staking out the position that science is worth paying attention to, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is unquestionably our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week.
[Congratulate Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on his official contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
I'm not sure what problem Representative Alcee Hastings has with the state of Texas, but he's certainly not mincing any of his words. On Monday, Hastings called Texas a "crazy state" during an Obamacare hearing. This prompted a Texas congressman to demand an apology.
Hastings then proceeded to double down on his assertion, responding to a question about his remark in a CNN interview with: "One of their cities has a law that says that women can only have six dildos, and the certain size of things, and if that ain't crazy I don't know what is."
Um, OK. All of that, however, might not have earned Hastings the Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week award, but the most bizarre thing was what he also said in the CNN interview:
Consider the fact that I am a native Floridian and that I dislike it. I have cautioned about living in Florida and when I retire I'm not so sure I'm going to stay there.
That's a pretty jaw-dropping admission from a politician about his home state. All we know is that if Hastings represented us in Congress, we'd be pretty disappointed in him right about now -- not for his trash-talk on Texas, but for slamming the folks back home in such a manner.
[Contact Representative Alcee Hastings on his House contact page, to let him know what you think of his actions.]
Volume 335 (2/6/15)
The Republican Party's emerging strategy for the 2016 election campaign seems to be one of talking down the economy as much as possible, blaming President Obama and Democrats for every shortcoming they can identify, and then offering up absolutely nothing in the way of policy ideas to fix any of these problems (other than their old favorite "cut taxes on rich folks").
But this effort might not be as doomed as it seems, because Republicans are usually very, very good at creating bumpersticker slogans to convince people to vote against their own economic interests. Paul Ryan trotted out an opening salvo in this fight, on last Sunday morning's political shows. You see, what the Democrats want to stoke is now to be called "envy economics." You've got to hand it to him, that's a snappy slogan and much better than their tired old "class warfare" soundbite.
E. J. Dionne, of the Washington Post, took a crack at shooting down this new catchphrase, and tried to compare it to the "greed economics" of Republicans. He makes several good points, but it's pretty easy to see that this is going to be a continuing theme from Republicans for months to come.
Our own take on things is to counter Republican doom-and-gloom with some positivity on the economy. This is quite easy to do today, because the economy is now in a better place than it has been for all of the new millennium. The jobs report that was just released has so much good news in it that it's hard to limit ourselves to only seven talking points, in fact.
So, this week, here are our suggestions for Democrats to talk the economy up, not down. All of these statistics were taken from a Huffington Post article and a Washington Post article on the good news in today's new jobs report.
Wages rose
This is probably the most optimism contained within the report.
"The new jobs numbers are out for January, and they prove Obama was right in the State Of The Union speech when he said America has now turned the page on the economy. In particular, the best number I saw was the fact that wages jumped upwards last month, at a rate we haven't seen since just before the Great Recession hit. Hopefully this trend will continue, and as unemployment stays low more and more people will be able to get a raise or feel confident enough of the job market to change jobs to get better pay."
More moving back into the job market
This also represents a major turnaround.
"The official unemployment rate ticked upwards by one-tenth of a percent, but this is actually good news because what it means is that more Americans are returning to the job market. For a long time, we've had workers just giving up on looking for work, but with the improvements in the economy, more of them are now flocking back to the job market. After taking into account annual population adjustments, the labor force actually grew by 703,000 last month -- which is fantastic news."
More housing construction
Another good trend to tout.
"For quite a while now, we've seen young people having to move back in with their parents to make ends meet. That trend also seems to be reversing. The construction industry has added an average of 38,000 jobs for each of the past three months -- which translates into more housing being built, and more young workers being able to move into their own place."
Consumer confidence way up
Yet another way to measure the good news.
"Consumer confidence spiked upwards in January to the highest level America has seen in an entire decade. American consumers are increasing their spending at a rate not seen in nine years. As more workers get jobs, they have more money to spend, and with gas prices low they're able to have more money for other purchases. As this trend continues, it will drive employers to create even more jobs, since consumer demand drives so much of the American economy. It's what economists like to call a 'virtuous cycle,' and consumer confidence is at the heart of this trend."
Crunching the numbers (part one)
These numbers are good, pretty much any way you look at them.
"The growing economy created 257,000 jobs in January, which is a very impressive number on its own. But what is downright stunning are the revised numbers for the past two months. December's numbers were adjusted upwards from 252,000 jobs to a whopping 329,000 jobs. That right there would be impressive news, but the truly astounding number came from November's revision, which was adjusted all the way up to 414,000 new jobs. That's the biggest job gain in one month in seventeen years -- the best month the economy's had since Bill Clinton was president, in other words."
Crunching the numbers (part two)
The averages tell the same story.
"One month's numbers can be misleading, so most economists track multi-month averages instead. The three-month average just hit 336,000 jobs per month for the past three months, which is also the highest number seen in the past 17 years. One year ago, to show how impressive the news is, the three-month average was at 197,000 jobs added per month. Looking at the longer averages also shows the upward trend. The average monthly gain for the past 12 months has been 268,000, and the six-month average now stands at 291,000 jobs added per month. These numbers are the highest we've seen since the year 2000."
3,200,000 new paychecks
This is the best number, which is why I saved it for last.
"As America's economic recovery continues, more and more Americans are entering the workforce once again. The labor participation rate can be expected to grow throughout 2015 and beyond. In the last twelve months alone, 3.2 million more Americans are now working and earning a paycheck. Three million new paychecks is good news for the economy, good news politically, and most especially, great news for the over three million American families who are now regularly cashing a paycheck. Obama's right -- we have indeed turned the page."
-- 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
8 When the Republicans repeal Obamacare, they will once again be inflicting the "doughnut hole" on America's senior citizens with fixed incomes.
CW,
About your MDDOTW?! Hastings was referring to the governing of Florida. Which has been conservative, and Republican, for awhile, and has been progressively becoming more so, for a while.
So Democrats now rate MDDOTW for slamming Republicans? Because I happen to agree with Hastings. And there are quite a few other states I'd avoid due to their winger governance. I also seriously doubt the Democrats who elected Hastings to represent them were offended, or even much in disagreement, with his remarks.
Hastings isn't a Senator. He doesn't represent the state of Florida. And, since you haven't noticed, Congress, and state legislatures and Governors have gotten just a bit partisan of late.--Say for the last half-century or so. With some, like Florida, becoming rather extremist.
Having won office as a Democrat some might even argue Hastings has a "mandate" to slam Republican governance. Republicans sure believe that they've a "mandate" to slam all things Democrat when they win office! So your concern for their insulted outrage would appear misplaced.
Perhaps after another 50 or so votes, they'll have realized the pointlessness of their actions?
I agree...
Doesn't make much sense to waste time with TrainWreckCare..
The SCOTUS is going to gut it and give it a mortal blow...
Over in the Senate, the bill to fund the Homeland Security Department (that the House had loaded up with all their "we're angry with Obama over immigration" extremism) failed to pass (one Republican even crossed the aisle and voted with the Democrats, against the bill). And then it failed to pass again. And then it failed to pass a third time.
Those gosh-darned obstructionist Democrats!!! ROFL :D
Barack Obama is the second Honorable Mention recipient this week, for his impressive public opinion polling on job approval in January. He had his best month (measured by month-to-month improvement) of his entire second term, and the fourth-best month he's ever had as president. Obama always seems to do better in the polling during the winter than in the summer, but by any measure he had a good last month.
Except for the fact that his approval rating has dropped more than a point and a half in the last week.. :D
As to all your Talking Points??
So, unemployment rising is GOOD news??
I gotta hand it to ya, CW.. That is first rate spin!! :D
Which is what Talking Points are all about after all, eh? :D
Michale
That's a pretty jaw-dropping admission from a politician about his home state. All we know is that if Hastings represented us in Congress, we'd be pretty disappointed in him right about now -- not for his trash-talk on Texas, but for slamming the folks back home in such a manner.
This is why the US will never be a "post racial" nation..
Because too many people on the Left profit from playing the victim and propagating the "institutionalized racism" myth..
It's funny.. With a (possible) couple exceptions, EVERY nation on the planet has had slaves at one point or another in their history. Yet, it's only the US that has packaged marketed GUILT whose sole goal is to unfairly and undeservedly benefit one group of Americans at the expense of another group of Americans..
No one today is owed ANYTHING based on the sins of our ancestors...
Until the Left realizes that, black Americans will always be slaves to history...
And white liberals who propagate the myth will always be the plantation owners..
Michale
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams (or, as we affectionately refer to him, "BriWi") was ruthlessly mocked online this week, after a war story he told turned out to be a complete fabrication. Our headline today refers to the funniest mockery we've yet seen on the subject, titled "That one live shot I did from the moon," for no other reason than it makes a funny headline. We really have no news to report from the moon, although (as usual) there are quite a few bits of lunacy to report from the political world. As for BriWi, well, we'll see what happens next. Perhaps it's time to give Lester Holt a shot at the big chair? It's a little hard to feel too sorry for BriWi, since he reportedly rakes in $10 million a year to read the news to America every night. Nice work if you can get it, eh? Or hold onto it, for that matter.
Lying is the American way...
"I know that there are millions of Americans who are content with their health care coverage — they like their plan and, most importantly, they value their relationship with their doctor. They trust you. And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what."
-Barack Obama, 15 Jun 2009
Michale
Of course, it's expected when a politician lies..
A news anchor? Not so much... :D
Michale
"This is why the US will never be a "post racial" nation..
Because too many people on the Left profit from playing the victim and propagating the "institutionalized racism" myth.."
Once again, Michale's racism makes an appearance. Because in his view white people are entitled to privilege. Black people having poorer schools, poorer pay, poorer chances in court, poorer chances of landing job and poorer housing are all just the natural order, not institutionalized racism.
All the real life experiences, backed by hard cold facts and statistics, are black people "playing the victim." Their striving for equality of opportunity is trying to "unfairly and undeservedly benefit one group of Americans at the expense of another group of Americans.."
In Michale's view white people are entitled to their advantages. Hundreds of years of brutal oppression don't entitle black people to anything today, according to Michale. But hundreds of years of white privilege entitle white people to be privileged, they've "earned" it.
Whites living today didn't create racism in America so its "unfair" to them to have to suffer losing the advantages it gives them because they are not the ones who caused racism in America.--That they are the ones causing it to exist and persist today they deny by simply refusing to admit racism exists.
It isn't institutional racism that allows whites to get mortgages denied equally qualified blacks. It isn't institutional racism that allows whites to get second job interviews denied equally qualified blacks. It isn't institutional racism that allows whites to earn more than blacks doing the same work. It isn't institutional racism that allows whites to remain in school while blacks are suspended for the same offenses. It isn't institutional racism that allows whites to avoid prison while blacks are imprisoned for the same offenses. It isn't institutional racism that allows whites to receive shorter prison sentences while blacks receive longer ones for the same offenses.
All that is just blacks "playing the victim." We certainly aren't entitled to equality. Its just soooo "unfair" to deprive whites because blacks don't "deserve" equal opportunities. Blacks demanding equality are "unfairly and undeservedly benefit one group of Americans at the expense of another group of Americans.." Michale is all for equality, as long as white privileges are unaffected.
And while whites are entitled to their privileges because they "earned" them, they bear no responsibility for them because they never did anything to get them?! No reason why they should bear any guilt?!
Obviously, to Michale, there is nothing at all "racist" about a worldview based entirely upon race.--As long as that worldview protects white privilege. In Michale's view it isn't racist to say whites are entitled, they've "earned" it. Without, of course, having actually DONE anything. Which is why its "undeserved and unfair" to hold them "guilty" of the past wrongdoing that actually got them their privileges.
And Michale is positive that he is not racist. His views are simply based on race. He simply believes whites inherited the privileges they earned, without inheriting any responsibility for earning them. He simply believes its unfair to penalize whites and not his problem if blacks are treated unfairly as a result.
Michale thinks "racism" means you "hate" black people. Not that you are an irrational, lying, hypocritical, apologist, promoting discrimination based on which race benefits. To Michale that's not "racism" that's just "politics." It's not that whites "profit from playing the victim and propagating the "institutionalized racism" myth.."
In reality, Michale is simply racist.
"I know that there are millions of Americans who are content with their health care coverage — they like their plan and, most importantly, they value their relationship with their doctor. They trust you. And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what."
-Barack Obama, 15 Jun 2009
Which is exactly what the law says and does. Which just happens to be what Obama's entire speech was about.
Claiming the President promised that nothing in the universe can take away your health care plan is "Lying is the American way..."
"I know that there are millions of Americans who are content with their health care coverage — they like their plan and, most importantly, they value their relationship with their doctor. They trust you. And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what."
-Barack Obama, 15 Jun 2009
Michale, likes to lie about the President's remarks, calling them "lying" by taking them out of context and interpreting that one quote literally.
The problem is that even taken literally:
"If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what."
-Barack Obama, 15 Jun 2009
the President's remarks were 100% true. Not ONE person lost their health care plan. Not one person!
Some people were unable to obtain NEW health care plans when their old ones expired. But no one lost their health care plan. No one took anyone's health care plan away. You can't lose something you don't have. You'd have to obtain a new plan to "lose" it. A health care plan expiring is one that's completed, not "lost." It's you getting all you asked for and paid for. Wanting more of something, by definition, means it isn't something you already have.
"ly-Ing
[lahy-ing]
noun
1. the telling of lies, or false statements; untruthfulness:"
That would be Michale calling the President a liar. Not the President's address on the ACA.
[lahy-ing]
noun
Actually, lying is a verb...
But why interrupt your very nice rant with facts.. :D
Michale
And yes..
That was a Grammar Lame :D
Michale
Grammar lame asside, you prove exactly why the US will never be a "post racial" nation..
Because when anyone brings up the idea of personal responsibility and the fact that no one is owed ANYTHING based on the actions of ancestors, they are bombarded with false accusations of racism from the REAL racists...
That's why it's been documented that the Left conspired to falsely accuse people who didn't toe the racist line of racism..
You prove my point perfectly...
Michale
"[lahy-ing]
noun
Actually, lying is a verb..."
And the quotation marks mean that the definition was presented exactly as I received it.
And the quotation marks mean that the definition was presented exactly as I received it.
I don't give a rat's ass if you received it dressed in a tutu dancing the Makarena...
It's still wrong...
Michale
"Because when anyone brings up the idea of personal responsibility and the fact that no one is owed ANYTHING based on the actions of ancestors, they are bombarded with false accusations of racism from the REAL racists...
That's why it's been documented that the Left conspired to falsely accuse people who didn't toe the racist line of racism..
You prove my point perfectly..."
And you can provide this documented proof of the Left's conspiracy?! Because unless, and until you do I call "bullshit!"
Your own words prove your racism. It isn't a matter of "personal responsibility" that blacks don't get called back for second job interviews, (or even called in for the first one if their name "sounds black?!") they aren't the ones making that decision. The same is true for every other instance of racism in America that I mentioned. Housing. Education. Employment. Criminal justice.
Demanding a level playing-field and equal opportunity IS taking personal responsibility. Its exercising control over the things that you can control in your personal life.
You don't want blacks taking "personal responsibility." You want blacks to stay in their place. To be subservient. To abdicate personal responsibility. To enable whites to maintain their privilege unopposed and indefinitely.
How do blacks unfairly and undeservedly benefit from practices that benefit them while whites fairly deserve to benefit from the status quo which penalizes blacks? It's "unfair" if blacks take from whites but "fair" when whites take from blacks?! YOUR comments reek of "entitlement," not blacks complaining of systemic and pervasive racism.
Black people have the evidence to prove racism which also proves that they "deserve" relief and that providing them relief is "fair." Historical evidence. Scientific statistical evidence. Eyewitness evidence. Anecdotal evidence. Any, and every, kind of evidence anyone could want. Unless you're racist.
All you've got is denial, excuses, hypocrisy, circular logic, your sense of entitlement, and your racism. There's not a single rational fact involved. Certainly not blacks failing to take "personal responsibility."
Now whites claiming they are entitled to things earned without bearing any responsibility or guilt because they haven't done anything, is failure to take "personal responsibility." (As well as contradictory, mutually exclusive nonsense!) If you haven't done anything then you haven't earned anything and are not entitled to anything. Now that would be "taking personal responsibility." But, to you, blacks haven't done anything to earn any entitlements. While whites haven't done anything, but have earned their entitlements. Neither is true.
You wingers just claim your irrational nonsensical selfserving counter-factual double-talk is reality, when its actually hypocritical lying on its face and self-evident proof of your racism.
And you can provide this documented proof of the Left's conspiracy?! Because unless, and until you do I call "bullshit!"
You call "bullshit" no matter what.. No matter who tells you that you are wrong, you ALWAYS call bullshit...
Whether it's me or Liz or dsws or any one of a number of Weigantians who have told you you are wrong, you ALWAYS call "bullshit"...
So, there really is no point in bringing the facts to your attention because you never accept ANYTHING but your own deluded reality...
Michale
And the quotation marks mean that the definition was presented exactly as I received it.
"I don't give a rat's ass if you received it dressed in a tutu dancing the Makarena...
It's still wrong..."
Fine. I'm perfectly willing to concede that your lying is an action on your part, a verb. Not an object, a noun.
"So, there really is no point in bringing the facts to your attention because you never accept ANYTHING but your own deluded reality...
Michale"
So, yet again, as always, you make excuses instead of providing any proof of your assertions.
And, yet again, as always, I will accept that as tacit proof of your lying.
"So, there really is no point in bringing the facts to your attention because you never accept ANYTHING but your own deluded reality...
Michale"
I've also just proven, yet again, that you're lying, as I've just accepted, after you brought it to my attention, that your lying is an action on your part. A noun instead of a verb.
...Still waiting for your proof of how the "Left conspired to falsely accuse people who didn't toe the racist line of racism.."
Or, you can keep making lame excuses, and even lamer personal attacks, while I keep proving that you are lying.
Lol,
"A noun instead of a verb." I meant a verb instead of a noun.
I apologize to all for my sloppiness. It's just hard to take Michale's arguments seriously.
And, yet again, as always, I will accept that as tacit proof of your lying.
Or, you can accept the reality that no one can tell you anything because you assume that everyone but you is lying and that you are the only one who is ever right..
But, then again, asking you accepting reality is like asking the earth to quit rotating..
Ain't never gonna happen.. :D
Michale
http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/06/republican-fcc-commissioner-slams-obamas-332-page-plan-to-regulate-the-internet/
Government taking control of the Internet..
What could POSSIBLY go wrong!? :^/
Obama's new lie for 2015:
"If you like your Internet Provider, you can keep your Internet Provider. PERIOD!"
Michale
Michale,
Or you can keep on spewing unsubstantiated allegations and opinions in an attempt to divert everyone from the obvious fact that "you got nothing." No proof. No justification. Just lies. Just stuff that you, or your fellow travelers, made up.
So, please, keep it up. The longer you continue to refuse to provide proof, because I supposedly won't believe it, the more obvious you make it that you are lying. That you have no proof. No justification. And that you're not about to offer anything because of how easily I demonstrate that you are lying when you trot out your winger talking-points.
"FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s aggressive net neutrality plan distributed to commissioners Thursday, which Pai described as “President Obama’s 332-page plan to regulate the Internet.”"
http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/06/republican-fcc-commissioner-slams-obamas-332-page-plan-to-regulate-the-internet/
Do you even read the bullshit that you cite, Michale?
The plan was FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's. Calling it Obama's was Republican Commissioner Pai lying.
Michale's new lie for 2015: Lying about Obama having lied. Same as Michale's lie for 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010.
As for government control of the Internet?! Just how do you think that we got the Internet?! The government invented it, the DARPAnet, completely controlled and developed it, and then developed a version for everyone else's use.
I'll grant that you boring me with lies this stupid will make me go away. I just have wonder why you even bother with lies this transparent. Or are wingers truly this desperately credulous?
John From Censornati [1] -
Yeah, I kind of held off on the GOP "cut and paste from last year, when we never put a bill together... just like we're not planning on doing this year" Obamacare "replacement" bill, but there are all kinds of things to make into talking points, that's for sure...
LewDan [2] -
OK, I'm open to the idea this was undeserved. My main point is that it's never a good idea for a politician to badmouth his own state, but the distinction of the state's government is a worthy one. Got a link with some details? Like I said, I'm open to rescinding the MDDOTW, especially since I thought it was kind of weak when I wrote it.
Michale [3] -
The SCOTUS is going to gut it and give it a mortal blow...
Have conservatives really thought this one through? I mean, they made such a honking big deal of the tragedy of "people losing their insurance"... so how are they going to explain being gleeful over 10s of millions of people losing their insurance?
As for O's daily approval rating, how is a drop from 46.2 to 45.4 "more than a point and a half"? Sounds like 0.8 points, to me. Just a normal fluctuation...
As for the jobs report, yeah, 700K+ re-entering the workforce because things are looking up is indeed good news. Remember when you poo-poohed falling unemployment rates as "it's all because people are leaving the workforce"? Well, they're starting to come back because there are more jobs now. That's good news. So is 400K+ jobs in one month. "Best economy in the entire new millenium" in fact -- better numbers than Bush ever saw, that's for sure.
Michale [5] -
See? There you go -- pushing the whole "tragedy of people losing their insurance"... so what will the GOP have on tap if SCOTUS rules the way you want? Millions will lose their health insurance, and from what I've seen, the GOP has got nothing...
GRAMMAR INTERLUDE
=================
"Lying" can be either a: (1) noun {"he has never been good at lying"}; (2) adjective {"a lying SOB"); or a (3) verb [present participle] {"he was used to lying his way out of trouble"}.
So chill out on the Grammar Police brutality. Heh.
Michale [22] -
I have to toss the "paranoia" flag, here. The Internet was INVENTED by the government. DARPA, in particular. The FCC is moving to make it equal to all, not unlike how they did with AT&T in the 1980s, which opened up the marketplace for telephones. The whole "Obamacare for the Internet" is just ridiculous nonsense, sorry...
OK, gotta run, more later...
-CW
Michale -
Almost forgot, bookmarked this because I knew you'd bring it up one way or another...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/prosperity-spoiling-republican-campaigns-political-strategy/2015/02/06/7688ca62-ae2b-11e4-abe8-e1ef60ca26de_story.html
GOP rethinking its 2016 strategy, because they know the economy is getting better...
:-)
You're welcome.
-CW
GOP rethinking its 2016 strategy, because they know the economy is getting better...
Democrats have been saying "the economy is getting better" for four years now...
But Joe & Jane Sixpack STILL ain't buying it...
Besides, the argument COULD be made that the economy is getting better because the GOP is now in charge of Congress.. :D
You KNOW that would be the Democrat's argument if THEY were handed such a large mandate by the American people. :D
Michale
Have conservatives really thought this one through? I mean, they made such a honking big deal of the tragedy of "people losing their insurance"... so how are they going to explain being gleeful over 10s of millions of people losing their insurance?
Everyone is happy when they are proven right.
I'm a living example.. :D
But let's put the responsibility where it belongs.
The Democrats passed a crappy law. THEY didn't "think it thru"...
Why should the Republican Party save the Democrats from their own bonehead mistake??
The American people overwhelmingly DO NOT WANT TrainWreckCare...
The GOP will get some deserved blame if they don't have a plan in place to replace TWC...
But make no mistake, it's going to be the SCOTUS who will kill TrainWreckCare...
And the SCOTUS will kill TWC because the Democrats frak'ed up..
And Democrats only have themselves to blame..
As for the jobs report, yeah, 700K+ re-entering the workforce because things are looking up is indeed good news. Remember when you poo-poohed falling unemployment rates as "it's all because people are leaving the workforce"? Well, they're starting to come back because there are more jobs now. That's good news. So is 400K+ jobs in one month. "Best economy in the entire new millenium" in fact -- better numbers than Bush ever saw, that's for sure.
I wouldn't nitpick if ALL the news was reported.. But to cherry pick the good news and ignore the bad news...?? Don't get me wrong. Republicans are just as guilty of that as Democrats...
"Lying" can be either a: (1) noun {"he has never been good at lying"}; (2) adjective {"a lying SOB"); or a (3) verb [present participle] {"he was used to lying his way out of trouble"}.
So chill out on the Grammar Police brutality. Heh.
In the context that LD used it, it was a verb...
That's our LD..
A noun (that is actually a verb) and Xxxx> is lying..
Heh :D
have to toss the "paranoia" flag, here. The Internet was INVENTED by the government. DARPA, in particular.
Na uhh!! Al Gore invented the Internet!!! He said so!! :D
So, you have absolutely NO PROBLEM with the Government having the final say on the American people's use of the Net???
Will you have the same "no problem" when we have a GOP POTUS and a GOP Congress??
That's the problem with the Left. They give themselves all this power, not realizing that a future GOP Administration will ALSO have that power..
Congress is a perfect example...
Michale
See? There you go -- pushing the whole "tragedy of people losing their insurance"... so what will the GOP have on tap if SCOTUS rules the way you want? Millions will lose their health insurance, and from what I've seen, the GOP has got nothing...
Then you haven't been looking..
The GOP has PLENTY.. I have posted dozens of links to the GOP HealthCare plans...
But none of it is accepted because it goes against the Messiah...
As for O's daily approval rating, how is a drop from 46.2 to 45.4 "more than a point and a half"? Sounds like 0.8 points, to me. Just a normal fluctuation...
Actually when I posted it, it was at 44.6...
A normal fluctuation is a couple .x points. Not a whole point and a half..
I have to toss the "paranoia" flag, here. The Internet was INVENTED by the government. DARPA, in particular. The FCC is moving to make it equal to all, not unlike how they did with AT&T in the 1980s, which opened up the marketplace for telephones. The whole "Obamacare for the Internet" is just ridiculous nonsense, sorry...
Yea and people losing their health care plans that they like and their doctors they like was ALSO "ridiculous nonsense"...
Until it wasn't...
But I am shocked that ya'all have NO PROBLEM with government deciding what net content we should have access to and what content we shouldn't..
Aren't liberals supposed to be AGAINST government regulation???
I would love to teleport a liberal from the 60s and show them what liberals are like today..
They would have a coronary! :D
Michale
So chill out on the Grammar Police brutality. Heh.
hehehehehehe Good one..
But in my defense, it's pointless to argue with LD on anything. He is always right and everyone else is always wrong..
So I go for the laugh.. :D
Michale
Why is there such a shitstorm about Brian Williams? They lie constantly on Fox Propaganda. Is it just that everybody expects that from Fox? It's bizarre that people are objecting to lies about things that BW did or did not do. Apparently, it's OK when he's reading corporate lies about subjects that actually matter.
Why is there such a shitstorm about Brian Williams? They lie constantly on Fox Propaganda.
What IS it about the Hysterical Left that thinks everything they don't like to hear is a lie..
And yet, when confronted by REAL lies...
"If you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan"
"I welcome the debate on domestic surveillance"
"My position hasn’t changed on using executive authority to address immigration issues."
"My comment about extremists being a JV team wasn’t specifically referring to Islamic State"
.... the Hysterical Left is silent...
There's a word for that..
HYPOCRISY
Michale
.... the Hysterical Left is silent...
There's a word for that..
HYPOCRISY
I won't even begin to touch on the fact that Obama has killed more innocent people with drones and has launched more cruise missile strikes and has initiated more domestic surveillance programs than all other Nobel Peace Prize winners COMBINED...
And the Left is,amazingly.... silent...
Once again...
Pure, unadulterated hypocrisy...
Michale
Hmmm. I wonder what crazy thing they'll run on in 2016 with an improving economy.
Time to bring Benghazi back?
I don't know as gutting health care is going to be terribly popular.
Maybe a war with Iran?
Maybe restoke the war against the lazy?
Or maybe they could just keep raging about Obama. Oddly enough, Jeb Bush is already talking about economic inequality.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/02/jeb_bush_discusses_poverty_in_detroit_republicans_are_making_inequality.html
Probably so he can tell us once again tax cuts for the rich are needed.
-David
Hmmm. I wonder what crazy thing they'll run on in 2016 with an improving economy.
Jobs?? I know... Craazy
What's crazy is that Democrats have ignored jobs the entire time they were in power..
Time to bring Benghazi back?
Benghazi never left.. But yes, it will be really big in 2016.. Especially if Clinton is the Dem nominee...
Considering the heretofore secret Libya tapes, if Clinton is the nominee, a GOP victory is assured..
I mean, honestly. How can Democrats talk about a bright future with such an old political hack as a candidate?? Serious question there...
I don't know as gutting health care is going to be terribly popular.
The GOP isn't doing that. Democrats are doing it to themselves by writing such a crappy law and passing it by hook and by crook and by parliamentary tricks..
Or maybe they could just keep raging about Obama.
Raging against Bush for the last 6 years didn't help Democrats even though they tried so hard.. :^/
Probably so he can tell us once again tax cuts for the rich are needed.
Slamming GOP'ers for being the party of the rich seems nonsensical, seeing how the rich have done soo much better than the middle class under Obama and the Democrats..
The facts clearly show that it's the Democrat Party that is the party of the rich...
All in all, the GOP is going to be in pretty good shape for 2016 if Hillary is ya'all's chosen one.. :D
Michale
Switching gears to Obama's prayer breakfast speech..
My gods, the utter tone-deaf and stoopidity of that speech..
ISIS (oh mighty) burns a prisoner of war alive and Obama's response??
"We have to remember that 2 thousand years ago, our own religion wasn't the nicest"
W.T.F.!???
Basically, Obama is saying:
"It's OK that Islamic Terrorists burn people alive in the name of Islam because 2 thousand years ago, Christians did similar."
I mean, is Obama really this dumb??
Or is he just so infused with Leftist ideology that he simply cannot accept the reality of the here and now??
I mean, he can't even SAY "Islamic Terrorists" or "Islamic Extremists"..
This guy needs to get himself a clue before more people are slaughtered...
Michale
I mean, honestly. How can Democrats talk about a bright future with such an old political hack as a candidate?? Serious question there.
Probably the same way Republicans are going to talk about Bush.
I do feel sorry a bit sorry for them if Jeb is the candidate. Because y'all gonna have to spin Bush as something other than the worst President ever.
I don't even think the billion dollars promised by the Kochs can do that.
-David
p.s. For the record, I would prefer someone other than Clinton and will fight for someone other than Clinton in a primary.
David,
I hear that Biden may be thinking of running ...
Probably the same way Republicans are going to talk about Bush.
Yea, probably. But who cares what Republicans say..
I am talking about the American people...
Outside of FL, Bush is not nearly as well known as Hillary..
Put another way, there is massive evidence of Hillary fatigue nationwide..
Jeb?? Not many Americans even know him...
He's a newcomer to national politics. Hillary is an old hag.... Ooops.. I meant 'hand'.. Old hand.. :D
I do feel sorry a bit sorry for them if Jeb is the candidate. Because y'all gonna have to spin Bush as something other than the worst President ever.
That honor belonged to Carter.. And now it's Obama's mantra :D
For the record, I would prefer someone other than Clinton and will fight for someone other than Clinton in a primary.
And yet, if she wins the primary, you will support her like she's the second-coming, eh? :D
I have never understood that about Party loyalty. Probably because I have none.. :D
If a person is flawed BEFORE the primary, they are the same flawed person AFTER the primary, no??
So, how can one NOT support someone the day BEFORE the primary, but be totally in their corner the day AFTER the primary??
It makes no sense..
But then again, much of partisan politics make no sense. :D
But thanx for responding.. After the recent slugfests, I miss intellectual discussions even more... :D
Michale
Hmmm. I wonder what crazy thing they'll run on in 2016 with an improving economy.
Improving economy???
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/02/gallup-ceo-number-of-full-time-jobs-as-percent-of-population-is-lowest-its-ever-been-video/
WHAT "improving" economy??
Tell ya what.. when Joe and Jane Sixpack state that their lives are better than they were before the crash, THEN we can agree that the economy is improving..
But Democrats have been saying the economy is improving for the last 5 years...
Each time, it was proven that they are in la-la land...
Michale
Has it already been suggested that at this point Brian Williams might make a good guest host for SNL? I can just picture him doing the intro with a moon backdrop, "reporting" from the lunar surface, ending with "Live, from the moon, it's Saturday night!"
I hear that Biden may be thinking of running ...
I hope he does. At least to provide some competition.
I saw him speak at Netroots this summer, Liz. He was great. I think his reputation as a wildcard is largely a media construct. He speaks plainly and directly and has a way of connecting with people.
I'd prefer Elizabeth Warren as a candidate but I don't think she'll run. I would take someone who like Bernie Sanders as Sanders would take stands Clinton won't.
-David
David,
I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised by the stands that Biden would take.
Certainly, the media storyline, by and large, on Biden has been nothing short of asinine over the years.
Actually, I'll be very pleasantly surprised if he mounts another presidential campaign but, I think a lot will depend on how the next two years play out. I think he's going to have most of his ducks in a row just in case he ends up feeling compelled to enter the race, based on the circumstances and what he believes he can bring to the table.
Although, I guess that decision will have to be made sooner rather than later ...
I'd prefer Elizabeth Warren as a candidate but I don't think she'll run.
The manager who would have run Warren's campaign has already signed up with Clinton...
So, I think Warren as a candidate is definitely a no..
Which is a shame.. While it would have energized the Left Wing of the Democrat Party, it would have guaranteed a GOP victory, even MORE so than Clinton would..
As far as Biden goes.. The biggest albatross around Biden's neck is Obama..
Michale
As far as Biden goes.. The biggest albatross around Biden's neck is Obama..
Hardly! He'll simply, how shall I put it ... Shake It Off!!! :)
Hardly! He'll simply, how shall I put it ... Shake It Off!!! :)
It would be hard, if not impossible, to shake off 6 years of Barack Carter-On-Steroids Obama.. :D
Michale
You underestimate Biden's capacity for the impossible, Michale. :)
You underestimate Biden's capacity for the impossible, Michale. :)
Touche' :D
I would love to find out.. Biden would be a MUCH better candidate than Hillary...
Michale
I don't think Obama would be an "albatross" at all.
Here's a guy who inherited 2 wars and an economy that had just collapsed. He's ended both of them and the economy is back on its feet. Do we want to turn around or do we want to keep improving?
Easy.
-David
I agree, David, that Obama will not be an "albatross", and indeed, if Biden does run, I fully expect that he will be running on much of the record of the Obama/Biden administration.
I also suspect that he would be very open on the campaign trail to discussing lessons learned over the past eight years.
Here's a guy who inherited 2 wars and an economy that had just collapsed. He's ended both of them
He's ended ONE of them.
And the one he ended, we are back fighting over there..
You really want to brag about that?? :D
and the economy is back on its feet.
Really!?? We gained back the 13 million jobs lost??
Joe & Jane SixPack are happy with their wages??
Com'on, David.. The economy ain't "back" by ANY stretch of the spin possible..
But let's go with your story for a moment..
I guess that means that the GOP obstructionism wasn't the big deal ya'all made it out to be, eh??
Ya can't have it both ways.. :D
The simple fact is that things are improving IN SPITE of Obama and the Democrats. Not because of them..
Do we want to turn around or do we want to keep improving?
Yea.. We can have a "Recovery Summer" *every* year!!! heh :D
Michale
I agree, David, that Obama will not be an "albatross", and indeed, if Biden does run, I fully expect that he will be running on much of the record of the Obama/Biden administration.
Yea, cuz the record helped SO much in the last midterms, eh? :D
Michale
The simple fact is that things are improving IN SPITE of Obama and the Democrats. Not because of them..
Low gas prices is a PERFECT example of this..
Michale
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/david-brock-resigns-priorities-usa-action-115028.html
And so it begins.. :D
Michale
CW,
I have to toss the "paranoia" flag, here. The Internet was INVENTED by the government. DARPA, in particular. The FCC is moving to make it equal to all, not unlike how they did with AT&T in the 1980s, which opened up the marketplace for telephones. The whole "Obamacare for the Internet" is just ridiculous nonsense, sorry...
If you are still around this commentary, I would love your thoughts on this..
http://www.fcc.gov/document/comm-pais-stmt-president-obamas-plan-regulate-internet
Seems like the "paranoia" is not so paranoid after all..
"This is what we know. The threat is real, I repeat, the threat is real"
-National Security Advisor Trenton, UNDER SIEGE
Michale
CW,
I have to toss the "paranoia" flag, here. The Internet was INVENTED by the government. DARPA, in particular. The FCC is moving to make it equal to all, not unlike how they did with AT&T in the 1980s, which opened up the marketplace for telephones. The whole "Obamacare for the Internet" is just ridiculous nonsense, sorry...
If you are still around this commentary, I would love your thoughts on this..
http://www.fcc.gov/document/comm-pais-stmt-president-obamas-plan-regulate-internet
Seems like the "paranoia" is not so paranoid after all..
"This is what we know. The threat is real, I repeat, the threat is real"
-National Security Advisor Trenton, UNDER SIEGE
The biggest indication that there IS a threat is that the FCC refuses to release the plan to the public..
Why??
If it's such a good thing for the American people, they should have the right to read it in it's entirety, right??
So, why all the secrecy???
Aren't ya'all for transparency or not??
Michale
Claiming that thousands of public comments condemning “dark money” in politics can’t be ignored, the Democrat-chaired Federal Election Commission on Wednesday appeared ready to open the door to new regulations on donors, bloggers and others who use the Internet to influence policy and campaigns.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dems-on-fec-open-to-new-regs-on-donors-internet/article/2560099
Still think I am being paranoid???
How would it feel to have CW.com have to be "approved" by government regulators???
Michale
Liz,
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/benjamin-netanyahu-congressional-black-caucus-115103.html
Looks like a LOT of Democrats are going to throwing Israel to the Iranian wolves....
It's just like I said before. Democrats are Democrats first and foremost... The country and her allies come a very distant place behind their political Party...
Michale
"The timing of this invitation and lack of coordination with the White House indicate that this is not an ordinary diplomatic visit. When the Israeli prime minister visits us outside the specter of partisan politics, we will be delighted and honored to greet him or her on the floor of the House."
-C.B.C.
TRANSLATION:
"When we can use the Israeli Prime Minister to OUR political advantage, to serve OUR agenda, we will be delighted and honored to greet him on the floor of the House."
Democrats have made their choice..
Obama's ego is more important to them than the survival of Israel....
That will play well in 2016.
Michale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnY3roP-oJI&feature=youtu.be
Yep, this is what's in store for us under Obama-Internet-Care
Michale