Our current 'debt crisis' is wholly manufactured by some quick-thinking Republican who figured out that he/she could use the raising of the debt ceiling (always pro forma in our history and unnoticed by the electorate) as a means to get the party's radical fiscal agenda in place.  As we look at the 48-hour cliff hanger, we know that this extreme wing of the GOP, though small in actual participants, will get every demand fulfilled in order for our economy to survive the peril they're creating.  As the president, Reid and Boehner huddle in secret, we know that
this insidious group will prevail and their benefactors, the multinationals, the oil companies and the very wealthy will be spared the indignity of having to forgo any further taxation.  

I think many of us on the left are totally disillusioned by the illusions Obama presented in order to get elected.  We know now that he is not bold and easily manipulated by any pressure from what we would consider the opposition.  His bi-partisanship song has gotten old.  Although it's time for leadership, we know from experience that he will cave to the Tea Party's extortionary measures. It will be such a relief to the ultra rich!  In gratitude they might even contribute to his re-election...  

With my neck out of whack all weekend, I was fairly confined to my bed. With the horrific murders in Tucson on Saturday, I (predictably, yes) obsessively read the rainbow of perspectives as to how/why this tragedy occurred. For kicks, I went over to Sarah Palin's Facebook page to peruse her fans' comments. My husband turns green when I tell him that I do this. He literally cannot stomach the thought.

One meme turned up over & over & over again w/Palin's supporters - that President Obama unwisely (and, to be fair, uncharacteristically) once said something about "if they bring a knife, we bring a gun." The Left illustrated dozens of examples of evocative violent language & imagery from conservatives, in the form of quotes, speeches, videos, screen grabs (that have mysteriously disappeared since the shooting), protest signs, death threats against Democrats, & vandalism against Democratic offices. On the Right, that single quote of Obama's was churned up over & over, some going so far as to blame the Tucson shootings on that single statement. But that's it. They couldn't seem to find any more instances of prominent Democratic candidates or officials who encouraged violence as a means of getting their way in Washington.

Deja vu....this feeling of "That's it? That's all they've got?"

All we have heard in the last several months from the Tea Baggers (snort) is about the need to return this country to what the Founders wanted.  So the incoming Republican majority decided to waste time and tax dollars (all those House employees get paid to be there) reading the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Constitution as the Founders wrote it and ratified it, right, since they're the ones we're all supposed to admire?

Pundit and perpetually dour Travelocity Gnome Charles Krauthammer informed the world today that Barack Obama really hornswoggled Republicans with his compromise on the Bush tax cuts. A plan so clever that Obama, Democrats, and apparently judging by their reactions, Republicans too, are just too dim to see. Yup Chuck, that wiley old Kenyan socialist has 'em right where he wants 'em now!

(Great Diary Mark! If what they are predicting in the voting happens, and the Conservarepublibaggers are in charge, I'm not sure this Country of ours will survive the Ignorance, Intolerance, and the growing hatred that is brewing in the so called Fiscal Conservative Tea Party. Forget the moderate Republicans, they don't exist anymore.   - promoted by lamb12)

Why bother? Everyone's saying that the Republicans are just going to win everything anyway. Why even bother driving to the polling station. I could remind you that a Republican controlled Washington doesn't exactly put this nation in the mode for change.  

(I think you are correct,The Constitutional purists will pick and choose from it what they like, and rewrite and removwe what they don't. Great diary!   - promoted by lamb12)

I am not a fan of long headlines, but given the recent controversy surrounding the Cordoba House building a Muslim cultural center and Mosque near the World Trade Center site I consider the responsible thing in this situation to completely and accurately frame the issue in the headline before the article begins.

Headlines from esteemed journalistic institutions, including CNN, The Washington Post, New York Daily News, and, of course, Fox News, use the phrase "Ground Zero Mosque." That terminology is misleading, as the facility is neither just a mosque nor is it right at "Ground Zero."

( - promoted by SuzeB1964)

The sky is not falling. America is not becoming anything close to a socialist nation. Our guns and ammo are still safe and secure. Our children haven't turned into little commie munchkins. Obama hasn't killed your grandparents. The government hasn't started rounding up all the white folk for slave labor.    

Yet you think that things are so bad that you are preparing for an armed response to the perceived threats that liberals pose to "your" great nation. You are stock piling firearms, ammunition, food, water, and ignorance in the hopes that it will save you from impending liberal doom.    

(I like your style Mr.Fay--great diary--and something the WHOLE country should think about, or are we doomed to never learn anything from history, except to repeat it?? - promoted by lamb12)

  It was a troubling time for the nation. Their armies were scattered throughout the world, placing a great drain on the financial resources of the government. Bad economic conditions were fostering discontent among the working classes. Equitable wealth distribution was unheard of, as the patricians exploited the working plebians with the blessing of the government. Political discontent brewed, and it even looked as if the nation would split apart. As if these conditions weren't enough, the powerless Senate took no action to alleviate the problems, and watched as all chances for progress turned into unfathomable regression.

Earlier today, I was thinking, and I came up with this specific thing to gripe about today. I have been recently dealing with quite a few people who, had they not previously known me, would likely cast me off as a "left wing nut" and (though not all of them inspired me to this thought) I came up with this: We have been told all of our lives "to stand up for what we believe in" but has anyone ever told you to know what the hell you are even believing in?  

This is a great rant about the short memory the Wingnuts have for recent events- especially the ones that occurred during the last administration that are directly responsible for the shit economy we now face. They had 8 years to screw the country and increase the deficit, and they complain and get violent because the president has tried to help the poor get relief from the predatory insurance thieves.  

Found on the Daily Kos from Nica24:

We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, Now you get mad!?
Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 06:20:55 PM PDT

I visit Rosie O'Donnell's blog almost every day, I enjoy her. I am always amazed at the nasty, sometimes violent reaction she brings out in some people. But I want to pass this on, Rosie printed it on the home page of her blog, it was sent to her. I'm sending it as a reply to every anti-Obama email I get. It's civil and just a little frightening to see in print. Most of the comments are amazing! I am adding a few to the diary, but read the comments, well worth the time!

   * Nica24's diary :: ::

You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.

You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate
energy policy.

You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.

You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.

You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.

You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in  Iraq.

You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.

You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.

You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.

You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.

You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.

You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.

You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.

You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick.  Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans...oh hell no.

Update: Thank you, I've never been on the rec. list. Not sure if I deserve it, but I really respect Rosie O'Donnell, and she said "pass it on". If anything it gives you a response to all those insane armeggedon emails or those crazy relatives you just can't ignore.

Update II: Rosie's Blog link  http://www.rosie.com/
She is also on Sirius now.

Update III: Another thing I like to ask when they are spouting Fascism, Communism, Socialism...Explain those three tenets. I haven't found anyone on the crazy right that even understands what these words represent.

Update IV: I just had to add these, from a comment of Rezkalla's

You didn't get mad when the president ignored the clear and timely warning that terrorists were going to hijack planes and fly them into the WTCs.

You didn't get mad when the weapons inspectors, who said there were no WMDs, were ignored.

You didn't get mad when hundreds of thousands of people died in Iraq.

The GOP says: “Pornography makes you gay.” Thanks to Leftake.com for posting the video from a GOP conference that exposes this horrible epidemic of gay contamination. Here is the full video from the Rachel Maddow Show with an introductory (and possibly racist) joke from Republican Roy Blunt from Missouri.  The segment concerning porn begins at about the 2:15 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AaJY4YPC50

Of course, this completely logical and scientific claim by the GOP (about pornography turning straight men into homosexuals) made us wonder about the sexual orientation of Republicans past and present. As a result of exhaustive research, this entry is the first of a series of investigative, historical reporting of great men who may have been hiding in great big closets. We report, you decide.

 

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, presided over the Union’s Civil War victory and loosed the shackles from the slaves. He was a Republican and undisputedly a great man and commander in chief. However, what you don’t know about Lincoln may shock you; in fact, it may transform you into a believer that pornography metamorphoses a God-fearing, red-blooded American hero into a foppish and unnatural gay who lets his own wife beat him.

MORE AT http://thepantaloon.com/

 

Leftake:

1.  Isn't there supposed to be an auto function where a troll is silenced if they receive a certain number of 0/troll votes?

2.  Moderators need to be appointed.  Can there be reasonable moderators who can determine whether spam is being posted and remove it?

3.  Do you really want self-promoting afterbirth humanoids clogging up the site with their rightwing racism, fear, and hatred?  It would be very easy to trace IP addresses and block abusers.

I am all for a free marketplace of ideas and opinion, but you have to decide whether this is a progressive forum or an advertising generator where anyone can cop a squat and evacuate their bowels...

One year ago, while (some, about 52.5% of) Americans were deep into Obama-mania, democrats were favored on all ten issues the country faced. Now, just a year later and only nine months (!!) into the Obama administration, sickened Americans have shifted decidedly to the right.

Rasmussen Reports, the country's most accurate pollster, shows that on some issues Americans have shifted as much as 27 points to the right. In all ten issues Americans have moved to the right, including democrat stronghold issues such as Abortion, Health Care and Govt Ethics.

On Health Care for example, a year ago democrats had a twenty point advantage, 54% to 34%.  Now, just 9 months into the Obama agenda, Americans have shifted TWENTY SIX POINTS, giving the Republicans a 6% point advantage, 46% to 40%.

On the Economy, a year ago Americans preferred democrats, 51% to 38%, a 13% point advantage. Now, after dealing with Obama for only 9 months, Americans have shifted TWENTY SEVEN percent, giving the republicans a 49% to 35% advantage.

It's like this all throughout the survey. For a detailed analysis and commentary on what all of this means, listen to the second hour of The Jimmy Z Monday Show™ from October 26th.  The truth, as ever, shall set you free.

http://thejimmyzshow.blogspot....

New column appearing in today's Collegian. By the time the Joe Lie-berman (hyphen intentional) made his 180 on a public option, it was too late to edit my piece. Believe me, I'll have something to say about him soon..

Follow the link:
http://media.www.collegian.com...

or read on...

There are a number of posts/diaries lately that are obviously originated by trolls.  I really don't waste my time with them.

And frankly, I'm becoming confused about who's who.  So I would like to suggest to the regular, intelligent, Dem members of Leftake that you NOT engage these people/fictional characters.

Here's the thing:  if a raving lunatic homeless guy sat down next to you on the subway and started talking about how his testicles housed the colonies of an alien race, would you argue with him?  NO.  You would get up and move to another seat.

PLEASE GET UP AND MOVE TO ANOTHER SEAT ON HERE AND DON'T FEED THE CRAZIES.

Respectfully submitted.  Thank you.  

( - promoted by leftake)

Republicans are becoming a rare breed, these days. Since the right wing has been completely hijacked by extremist thugs from the fringes of sanity, otherwise reasonable people have been fleeing the Party in droves. So as a service to you, we here at RememberancientWeb.com have compiled a compilation of common misrepresentations representative of your average Republican asshole.

Not satisfied with mere douchebaggery, today's Republican has taken rage-induced paranoia and intolerance to unprecedented levels of scary and insane. The trouble in picking-out the Republicans from a crowd of your average mouth-breathing morons lies in the fact that these people now seem to be speaking in code - effectively lying their way through various talking points in an effort to obfuscate their own foolishness.

So, in order to avoid shooting our wad too early (a typical Republican habit) and blow the whole joke, without further ado we give you:

Six Concrete Examples of how Republicans
Routinely Lie Through Their Fucking Teeth:

Stated Belief: The U.S. Constitution is as Sacred as Scripture and is to be interpreted in an equally fundamental, literal fashion.
Standard Party Line: "These liberals won't rest until they take away our Constitutional rights!"
Hypocricy Involved: This line of bullshit immediately goes out the window as soon as some cop pulls-over a hippie for driving 40 miles an hour in a 65 MPH zone. Unreasonable search and seizure is just fine for potheads, evidently. Also, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." only applies to non-Southern Baptists, as far as Republicans are concerned.
Historic Relevance: Since the First Continental Congress, conservatives have routinely mistaken the concept of "freedom" with the concept of "ruling-class privilege."
This All Speaks To: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

 

 

Stated Belief: So-called "States' Rights" supersede Federal authority.
Standard Party Line: "I believe in states' rights ... I believe we have distorted the balance of our government today by giving powers that were never intended to be given in the Constitution to that federal establishment." [Ronald Reagan, August 3, 1980]
Hypocricy Involved: If we're talking about enforcing the ridiculous classification of marijuana as a schedule-one narcotic or the Federal drinking age requirement, then fuck States' Rights. But when we start talking about  the EPA or about restricting access to abortion, then Rush Limbaugh is all about a weak central government.
Historic Relevance: The obvious answer is that these people still believe that the Southern Succession was not a treasonous, illegal act.
This All Speaks To: In the South, they don't call it the "Civil War," they call it "The Occupation." Just another example of how Republicans tend to pick and choose their philosophy to fit the moment.

 

 

 

 

Stated Belief: Unwavering belief in "Free Market Capitalism."
Standard Party Line: "The Bible mandates free market capitalism. It is anti-socialist." We don't know, we just found this on the internet somewhere. It doesn't matter who or when, it pretty much sums everything up.
Hypocricy Involved: Billions of dollars worth of unbidded contracts awarded to Halliburton in Iraq shortly after the (then) Vice President served as the CEO of said Halliburton Energy Services. You'll never hear Bill O'Reilly complain about this corrupt bullshit. But food stamps for starving babies? Pure evil.
Historic Relevance: Actually, the United States has been a blend of private and public enterprise since its' inception. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your ass.
This All Speaks To: A bunch of rich fuckers using semantic gymnastics (READ: Lying through their fucking teeth) in order to distract you from the fact that they are robbing you blind.

 

Stated Belief: Unwavering fear of "Socialism."
Standard Party Line: "We are a country that is headed towards socialism, totalitarianism, beyond your wildest imagination." Just guess which rocket scientist said that.
Hypocricy Involved: Until these fucktards start applying their wafer-thin "socialism" argument to entities like General Dynamics, Chrysler (the first bailout, the one REAGAN did), and the U.S. Army, they can all just shut the fuck up.
Historic Relevance: We are pretty sure what these idiots are so afraid of is actually "Communism." See what happens when the Reagan administration forces drastic cuts in education spending?
This All Speaks To: A total lack of critical thinking. Speaking of which...

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stated Belief: Near religious support for Religion itself.
Standard Party Line: "One Nation, under GOD..."
Hypocricy Involved: We get our "God" from this wonderful little green plant that we like to smoke. Guess who would object, in the violentest possible way, if we were to put a statue of a pot plant on government property.
Historic Relevance: Actually, "Prayer is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Ever since Jesus Christ achieved (mortal) transcendence, assholes like Pat Robertson have been raping his name to further their own quest for power and influence.
This All Speaks To: Again, that whole "critical thinking" thing. Also, this is a harsh, uncaring universe, and bad things happen to good people. Republicans are notoriously terrified of this undeniable fact and tend to use this God character as a crutch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stated Belief: We are a Nation of Laws.
Standard Party Line: "We've taken a side and that's for the rule of law, for the republic, for the Constitution." Again, guess which non-lunatic is lying. Again.
Hypocricy Involved: Oh, the name Oliver North comes to mind. Then there's the issue of torturing people in violation of both the Geneva Conventions and Federal Law. The whole Iraq War II deal was pretty much illegal. We could go on...
Historic Relevance: Anyone remember Nixon? Ted Stevens?
This All Speaks To: None of this has anything whatsoever to do with the Kennedy assassinations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, basically, everything every Republican says is a fucking lie. Either it's Sarah Palin completely making shit up about "death panels," or it's Glenn Beck insinuating that the TARP bailout was instigated by the Obama administration. Fiscal conservatism and smaller government? Under Bush we went from a $128 billion dollar budget surplus to a $1.4 billion dollar deficit, and we got the DHS out of the deal, the largest government expansion in 50 years.

Remember, Climate Change is a totalitarian conspiracy and Obama is a Nazi, racist, Socialist, Czar-lover. Liberals are all tax-n-spenders and want to take your guns, the health care reform effort is an attempt to take over the private lives of citizens, and greed is good.

Don't ask us how we did it, but we did:  we got MICHAEL STEELE to guest blog on our site.  That's right, the RNC Chairman a/k/a Huggie Bear Steele straight from his new hip hop hyprocrisy website:  GOP.com.

See a screenshot of his first blog entry, read his beautiful prose, check out the pics, and then answer HIS FIRST QUESTION TO REPUBLICANS.  Please use the comment button on thepantaloon.com to answer him:

Go here:  http://www.thepantaloon.com/

So I was reading this article http://www.politico.com/news/s...
when it occurred to me just how inherently racist the folks running the Republican party (Limbaugh, Beck, et al) really are.

We all know Limbaugh is a racist as proven on Monday Night Football, where he lasted all of one show maybe two?, commenting on Donovan McNabb "[he] was overrated because the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well".  Limbaugh and Beck's assertion that anything President Obama is trying to do is reparations, never mind that a) not all unemployed folks are black and b) not all folks without medical coverage are black, is just further proof.

So what happens when a black guy gets elected and he's a Democrat?  Little wheels with hampsters spin in top Republican minds. Guess we need a black guy too!

Sounds like after giving Steele the job they forgot to tell him a) not speak unless directly told to speak by Limbaugh/Beck/Boehner/etc. and b) make sure you follow party line to the letter and not actually, you know, think about things and say them on your own.  So they send in John "holy fuck my skin is orange" Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Jon Kyl, Lamar Alexander, and John Thune because "the congressional leaders were particularly miffed that Steele had in late August unveiled a seniors' "health care bill of rights" without consulting with them."  The nerve of that uppity Steele!!  Who does he think he is?  

le sigh

Many people recall that on July 8, 1947, official witnesses claim that an unidentified flying object with five aliens aboard crashed onto the wilderness of a sheep and cattle ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico.

This is a well-known incident that has long been covered up by the U.S. Air Force and the federal government.

However, what you may NOT know that in the month of April 1948, exactly nine months after that historic day, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Condoleezza Rice, George W. Bush, and Dick Cheney's mother were born!

Their strange, counter-productive, and inhuman ways certainly suggest that they are something other than normal.  But: Perhaps that is what happens when aliens mate with range hares, rattle snakes, coyotes, cows, and sheep!

This is confirmed by the Urban Folklore Site at ULSaliensrepublicans.com!  And verified by Dan Quayle Associates.

I just finished reading a very well stated, albeit short article on CNN where Jimmy Carter addresses what we all know, that racism is playing a huge role in the anti-Obama sentiment.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITI...

It is a scary time in America. And not because we have a black president, but because former President Carter is right.