Thursday, March 31, 2005
Who's Tom DeLay Threatening Today?
Democrats? Liberals? Activist judges? Inactivist judges? Doctors? Hospice workers? Michael Schiavo?
You figure it out...
Terri Schiavo's been dead for less than half a day, and Tom DeLay (R-TX) is already vowing retribution for her passing:
Mrs. Schiavo’s death is a moral poverty and a legal tragedy. This loss happened because our legal system did not protect the people who need protection most, and that will change. The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior, but not today. Today we grieve, we pray, and we hope to God this fate never befalls another. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Schindlers and with Terri Schiavo’s friends in this time of deep sorrow.
It's interesting that DeLay claims that he hopes "this fate never befalls another" since the same fate "befell" his own father, and his family made the same decision that Michael Schiavo did...
UPDATE: The guys on Morning Sedition brought up an excellent point this morning:
What do Tom DeLay, Brian Nichols, and Bart Ross have in common?
They all believe that judges should be made to pay for rulings that they don't agree with...
Nice Talk, Sugarmouth...
You gotta love Sean Hannity.
Not only is he Fox News clone #2 (behind only Bill "Big Tits" O'Reilly), but he is also a moral paragon of all that is good and Christian in America, thus he has the power to rank out against what he sees as "indecency" while holding himself to absolutely no standards.
Here's a piece from Oliver Willis of Sean Hannity calling Congressman Jim Moran (D-Va.) an "asshole" and saying he "hates these people". Presumably, he means Democrats.
What a dick...
What will we tell the children?
Friday, March 25, 2005
I'll Be The One To Say It: Candy Sucks...
I'm not just saying that because I'm in the midst of assembling my wife's Easter basket and the scent of Marshamllow Peeps and Hershey's Kisses is making me want to wretch, I just hate candy...
Am I the only one?
I've actually reached a point where the smell of milk chocolate makes me sick to my stomach.
Cookies? Love 'em...
Pastries? Bring 'em on...
Cakes and Pies? Yes twice...
But for as long as I can remember, I have never had this candy obsession that so many people yak about. Even when i would go trick-or-treating as a kid, I ended giving my candy away.
What do you guys like?
Remember Osama bin Laden?
You'll recall he's the guy that planned the 9/11 attacks...
Still doesn't ring a bell?
President Bush said he wanted him "dead or alive" then 6 months later said he wasn't a priority.
Nothing?
Well anyway, three and half years later, he's still alive and as it turns out, we did miss a chance to catch him in December of 2001 despite what the Pentagon and President Bush have insisted.
John Kerry was right again...
It's just too bad that so many of the 59% of Americans that don't like the way this country is headed didn't bother to vote for him...
Conservative Fundraisers Cash In On Terri Schiavo...
How can people that tout their "values" actually see this situation as an opportunity to make money?
Videotape of Terri Schiavo blinking at her parents has inspired donations from people around the country to the foundation set up to help pay for the family's legal battle. But many other groups are soliciting donations in her name as well, some for a much broader agenda.
"Help Save Terri Schiavo's Life!" says the Web site of the Traditional Values Coalition, a Christian conservative group best known for its campaigns against gay rights. Next to a link to the Web site of her parents' foundation is a pitch to "become an active supporter of the Traditional Values Coalition by pledging a monthly gift."
"What this issue has done is it has galvanized people the way nothing could have done in an off-election year," said Rev. Lou Sheldon, the founder of the group, acknowledging that the case of Ms. Schiavo, a severely brain-damaged Florida woman, had moved many to open up their checkbooks. "That is what I see as the blessing that dear Terri's life is offering to the conservative Christian movement in America."
Scumbags...
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Flip-Flop Fristy...
Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), was once a watchdog on the hunt for "false hope" when John Edwards dared state his hope that new advances in medicine would eventually help people like the late Christopher Reeve:
"It is cruel to people who have disabilities and chronic diseases, and, on top of that, it's dishonest. It's giving false hope to people, and I can tell you as a physician who's treated scores of thousands of patients that you don't give them false hope."
Now, with the 2008 presidential primary season on his mind, he's overflowing with false hope and making a strong case that he probably should lose his medical license by diagnosing Terri Schiavo via videotape:
Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), a renowned heart surgeon before becoming Senate majority leader, went to the floor late Thursday night for the second time in 12 hours to argue that Florida doctors had erred in saying Terri Schiavo is in a "persistent vegetative state."
"I question it based on a review of the video footage which I spent an hour or so looking at last night in my office," he said in a lengthy speech in which he quoted medical texts and standards. "She certainly seems to respond to visual stimuli."
This guy was way better off when he was killing cats...
UPDATE: If you'd like Sen. Frist to diagnose you, look no further than DriveDemocracy!
You're About To Be Infected With A Horrible Virus...
No, not a computer virus. And certainly not a "28 Days Later" kind of virus either. I'd never do that to you. Not today, anyway...
Clink on this link and find out what I'm talking about. Make sure your volume isn't too high, especially if you're at work.
P.S. I do feel guilty about ruining the rest of your day, but if I have to suffer, so should you!
The American People Can Agree On One Thing: The GOP Overreached...
The public is really not happy about the GOP Congress and President Bush's meddling in Terri Schiavo's situation...
Via Kos:
Congress Job Approval
Approve 34 (41)
Disapprove 49 (44)
Bush Approval Ratings
Approve 43 (49)
Should Congress and the President be involved in the Schiavo matter?
Yes 13
No 82
Why do you think Congress got involved?
They care about Terri Schiavo 13%
Trying to advance political agenda 74%
And before the "skewed sample" birds start singing their tune, take a look at this...
The party breakdown for this poll is:
Republican 44
Democrat 29
Independent 28
Whether it's Schiavo, Iraq, or Social Security, Bush and the GOP are floundering mightily...
If 51% can be considered a "mandate" in a nation as divided as this, what exactly do you call 74%? 82%?
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
What Is The Quintessential 80's Tune?
The Sports Guy touched on this subject a few weeks ago, but as I recall, his choices left much to be desired...
I'm looking for a song that just screams "80's" once you hear 3 notes...
My choices would be as follows:
"Your Love" by The Outfield
"Africa" by Toto
"99 Luftballoons" by Nena
P.S. While at lunch, I just saw the funniest license plate in the history of license plates. Picture, if you will, a red Chrysler Sebring with this vanity plate:
OLFLATUS
Geez, seeing it in print actually makes it funnier...
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
USA Today Editorial Hits All The Right Notes...
...with regard to the Schiavo case:
Those most active in politicizing the case are Republicans who typically proclaim their devotion to reducing the interference of the federal government in people's lives. These include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, both potential candidates for a future Republican presidential nomination.
Frist, a heart surgeon and one of the few physicians in Congress, even presumed to offer his own optimistic diagnosis of Schiavo's prospects based on viewing a few clips from a family-provided videotape. That's a dubious method for practicing medicine. Medical specialists say the occasional eye movements and reflex actions that Schiavo's parents and their supporters see as encouraging are common signs of false hope.
For House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, whose professional expertise is in pest control, not terminal-care decisions, the issue is a convenient distraction from allegations about ties to unsavory lobbyists and a Texas fundraising scandal.
UPDATE: Do yourself a favor and get educated on the hypocrisy of Dubya...
2nd UPDATE: Check out CNN's creative graph intended to make Democrats look like the bad guys...
Monday, March 21, 2005
It's Official: They Can Fuck With You Whenever They Please...
In an effort to benefit themselves politically, the GOP House and President Bush stuck their noses in a private matter and moved the Terri Schiavo case to federal court.
The lesson here? Doctors and judges assigned specifically to this case mean nothing.
President Bush and the ethics-starved GOP House know better than the rest of us, so go back to bed, America...
On a side note, Sen. John McCain thoroughly disgusted me by blathering on and on about "siding with life" on This Week yesterday.
I thought true conservatives like McCain wanted the government out of their lives...
UPDATE: From Digby: Betcha didn't know that during his time as Governor of Texas, Mr. "Culture of Life" signed a bill into law that allowed hospitals in Texas the right to remove life support if the patient couldn't pay for their treatment and there was no hope for revival...
Betcha also didn't know that a baby born 6 months ago in Houston was taken off of life support last Tuesday and allowed to die as a result of the aforementioned law...
The stunning consistency we've come to expect from the Bush administration...
But hey, at least they didn't lie to our allies about North Korea sending nuclear materials to Libya. Oh wait, they did that too...
2nd UPDATE: I found a nugget of hope in all the wrangling of this situation:
President Bush cut short a visit to his Texas ranch to return to the White House.
I've often wondered if anything could make Bush end a vacation before scheduled.
The August 6th, 2001 PDB didn't cut it, but this situation really got him moving...
3rd UPDATE: 70% of Americans think it is wrong for Congress to stick its nose in the Schiavo case. 67% suspect the GOP House has political motives for doing so. Where did they get that idea?
"Time is not on Terri Schiavo's side...The few remaining objecting House Democrats have so far cost Mrs.Schiavo two meals already today."
--GOP Jizzbag Tom DeLay (R-TX)
Friday, March 18, 2005
Top 5 Movies Of The 90's?
An interesting topic that I don't mind shamelessly stealing from my buddy PSoTD...
I'll go with these 5, in no particular order:
Swingers
Rounders
GoodFellas
The Shawshank Redemption
Grosse Pointe Blank
Let's hear 'em!
Fox News' John Gibson Is A Dick...
While arguing that the sole reason people get married is not for love, but rather to have kids, Fox's John Gibson lets loose with some really pathetic tripe about why gay people shouldn't be allowed to marry:
Gays can't have kids — other than going to the abandoned kids store and getting one or two, or borrowing sperm from someone with more sperm than brains — so by definition they're out of the marriage game.
In theory, so would couples who get married in their eighties. Chances are good that no kids come out of that holy union. But it is at least theoretically possible. Not so with gays.
Two quick questions for Fox News talking head #6:
1.) What about heterosexual couples that, God forbid, don't want to have kids? Should they be turned away from the entire institution of marriage en masse?
2.) Should sterile men and women be barred from marrying as well?
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!
Here's a little taste of my favorite Irish folk song. It's about a hot Irish chick (I think there's about 7 of them in the whole country) that totally screws over an unsuspecting loser...
Black Velvet Band
In a neat little town they call Belfast,
An apprentice to trade I was bound,
And manys the hour of sweet happiness
I spent in that neat little town.
Til a sad misfortune came over me,
and forced me to stray from the land,
far away from my friends and relations
Betrayed by the black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like the diamonds
You'd swear she was queen of the land,
and her hair hung over her shoulder,
tied up with a black velvet band.
As I went out strolling one evening,
not intending to stray very far
I met with a frolicsome damsel
Plying her trade in the bar.
A gold watch she clipped from a customer
and placed it right into my hand
On the very first day that I met her
Bad luck to the black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like the diamonds
You'd swear she was queen of the land,
and her hair hung over her shoulder,
tied up with a black velvet band.
To judge and jury next morning
for trial I had to appear
and the judge he said my young fellow
the case against you is quite clear.
I give you seven years penal servitude
To be spent far away from the land
Far away from your friends and relations
your going to VanDamiens land.
So come all you jolly young fellows
A warning take by me
When ever you're out on the liquor
Beware of the pretty colleens.
For they will fill you with strong drink
until your not able to stand
and the very next thing that you know, me lads
you've landed in VanDamiens land.
Her eyes they shone like the diamonds
You'd swear she was queen of the land,
and her hair hung over her shoulder,
tied up with a black velvet band.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Let Them Wear The Green Berets!!!
This is total B.S...
If they can't march in their green, they won't march at all.
In response to a Fire Department order prohibiting its members from wearing their customary green berets during the St. Patrick's Day Parade, hundreds of firefighters will watch from the sidelines Thursday -- clad in their traditional holiday headgear and civilian clothes, several firefighters said Wednesday.
The group will gather along the parade route at the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to "support our brothers and sisters as they march," said Lt. Eddie Boles of the 14th Battalion in the Bronx. But they will not defy orders prohibiting the berets, and they won't march without them.
"We understand the need for discipline," Boles said Wednesday during a press conference. "However this tradition, the tradition of the green berets, has deep significance for us and we wanted to express our disappointment."
Two Interesting Developments In The U.S. Senate...
The first was brought to my attention by Atrios.
It seems that Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced an amendment in the Senate stating the following purpose:
To express the sense of the Senate that Congress should reject any Social Security plan that requires deep benefit cuts or a massive increase in debt.
This amendment is essentially an opportunity to separate the Republicans that are pro-phaseout and those who are not, since Bush's plan to privatize part of Social Security would require both deep benefit cuts and a massive increase in debt.
5 Republicans (Collins, DeWine, Graham, Snowe, Specter) crossed the aisle to vote with the Democrats, but the amendment was rejected in a 50-50 vote with Vice President Sunshine casting the tiebreaking vote...
As Atrios points out, the following GOP Senators that voted against preventing benefit cuts incurring massive debt are up for re-election next year:
Allen, George VA
Burns, Conrad MT
Chafee, Lincoln RI
Ensign, John NV
Hatch, Orrin UT
Hutchison, Kay Bailey TX
Kyl, Jon AZ
Lott, Trent MS
Lugar, Richard IN
Santorum, Rick PA
Talent, Jim MO
Thomas, Craig WY
The second vote that caught my eye was an amendment brought to the floor by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). The stated purpose of this amendment was as follows:
To protect the American people from terrorist attacks by providing the necessary resources to our firefighters, police, EMS workers and other first-responders by restoring $1,626 billion in cuts to first-responder programs.
Given all the talk about the GOP supposedly being better equipped to protect the American people, you would think they would have been falling all over themselves to vote for this amendment.
You'd be wrong.
The amendment failed by a 54-46 margin with only Sen. Lincoln Chafee crossing the aisle to support fully funding first responders.
Business as usual in the GOP congress.
It's no wonder they're languishing with a 37% approval rating...
UPDATE: DailyKos comes to a conclusion I hadn't thought of. With 5 Republicans opposed to deep cuts in Social Security benefits and new debt to finance private accounts, Bush's plan is officially DEAD...
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
It's Time To Stand Up Against A Bad Bill Here In NC...
Last night, I was at the monthly meeting of the Wake Democratic Men's Club (of which, I'm the treasurer). Secretary of State Elaine Marshall was the speaker.
The Secretary is a terrific speaker who works hard to protect the people of North Carolina from any number of scams which are carried out by some of the more unscrupulous among us.
Currently, a bill that has been introduced in the NC Senate to eliminate the position of Secretary of State as an elected position and roll the department into the office of the Lieutenant Governor. As a result, the position that Secretary Marshall currently holds would become an appointed position rather than an elected one.
As an elected official, the Secretary of State answers to all the people of North Carolina, Democrats and Republicans alike. If this bill passes, the Secretary would answer only to whoever appointed him or her.
Put simply, removing any of the Council of State positions as an elected position diminishes the power of the people of this state to decide how things should be run.
And just so you know, I'm very annoyed that this bill is sponsored by Democrats.
What can I say? We do stupid things, too.
If this concerns you, look up your state representatives and let them know what you think...
P.S. Just between us, while Elaine did categorically state that she would not run for Governor in 2008, she did mention to me that she "hasn't ruled out" a run against US Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2008. We can only hope...
Monday, March 14, 2005
How's Your Bracket Shaping Up???
Who do you like? Who do you hate? Who scares you?
Upsets? Cinderellas? Chokers?
Let's hear 'em!
For my part, I like Villanova to make the Elite Eight. I'll have more later...
Friday, March 11, 2005
How Quickly We Forget...
He said he could not think of a single positive thing to say about AARP's goals and that “they don't really know the facts about an issue like Social Security.”
--Charlie Jarvis, the head of USANext, the conservative front group for Bush's attack on Social Security. (March 11, 2005)
"AARP gives you the 'Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval' when it comes to seniors' issues..."
--House Speaker Dennis Hastert, (R-IL) commenting on the AARP's endorsement of Bush's Medicare drug bill. (November 23, 2003)
My Two Favorite Targets For 2006...
With no changes likely in the North Carolina congressional delegation next year, and no Senate races to follow, I'm forced to look elsewhere for fresh GOP meat...
#1 Rick Santorum (R-VA): The sex-obsessed Santorum, whose ideology lines up more with red states like Utah and Oklahoma than a blue state like Pennsylvania (even though he technically lives in Virginia), is the Democrats' main target next year.
He's the 3rd highest ranking GOP'er in the Senate and an outside pick at making a run at the White House in 2008.
Too bad for him, by January of 2007, he'll be out of a job altogether.
Enter Bob Casey, Jr., who is already out-polling Santorum in every head-to-head poll that's come out.
Casey's a great Democrat with the kind of name recognition that most politicians would kill for. Yes, he's anti-choice, but so is Santorum, and in politics you can't let the perfect get in the way of the great...
#2 Tom DeLay (R-$$$): Whereas Santorum is obsessed with the high hard one, DeLay (that's a French name, by the way) is obsessed with cold hard cash. So obsessed, in fact, that he's been smacked by the House Ethics committee numerous times for fund-raising violations in his home state of Texas.
Most recently, DeLay is in deep shit for accepting an all-expense paid trip to South Korea from a registered lobbyist. DeLay, not surprisingly is pleading ignorance...
For all his ethical boo-boos, DeLay is still very powerful and popular within the GOP. However, that popularity is beginning to wane in his home district. So much so, that his margin of victory in last year's House race was the lowest it's ever been.
Richard Morrison is the man charged with taking down the Bugman.
I spoke with Richard last year after I made a contribution to his campaign. He called me personally to thank me for my donation.
Morrison is already revving up the grassroots for next year's assault on DeLay. In a fantastic diary entry at DailyKos, he lays out why people thought he was crazy to make a run at DeLay last year, and why he can succeed next year:
DeLay received his lowest percentage win ever with 55%. He had won his previous elections with 63%, 60%, 65%, 68%, 74%, 69%, 71%, 67%, 72%, and 65% of the vote.
He had to campaign in the district for the first time since 1986.
The "Club for Growth" spent almost $1 million on commercials to protect him.
DeLay spent $3 million. After the election he had less than $100,000 in the bank.
Fort Bend County only gave him 52% of the vote and increased its Democratic turnout by a net 19,000 votes.
We forced DeLay to capitulate on Teacher's social security benefits.
We forced him to stand up for the citizens of Clear Lake and oppose a hazardous rail line that would have endangered their children's lives.
We forced him to debate me in Clear Lake.
Bob and Richard, see you in 2006!!!
Thursday, March 10, 2005
What Do You Guys Want To Talk About?
I'm feeling criminally un-creative today, so I'll leave the heavy lifting to the literally tens of people that regularly read this site...(That's a lot of adverbs!)
What's interesting?
What's news?
Sports? Music? Sex? Food?
Whatever it is, for God's sake make it interesting...
UPDATE: Clemson beat Maryland 84-72. That's something. Boston College took it in the shooter, too. Who else saw that coming?
2nd UPDATE: It seems Ahnuld has caught the propaganda bug from his pal Dubya...
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
ESPN Boycott Proposal...
Does anyone else think ESPN has been on a steady decline for a few years now?
First, they start making horrendous movies based on events that took place all of 5 years ago...
Then, they start making dramatic TV shows like "Playmakers" and "Tilt"...Both crap...
Now, they do the unthinkable...
They axed the amazing Thea Andrews (and Kit "The Human Bobblehead" Hoover, if you care) from "Cold Pizza" and replaced them with a chick that looks like Pete Sampras...
For this reason, I'm behind Joe Greenlight's proposal to boycott all things ESPN.
Who's with us???
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Reintroducing YocoHoops.com...
YocoHoops is an awesome resource for all things dealing with NCAA hoops.
I've had the link on my roll for awhile, but the site's author, Yoni Cohen has upgraded his page signifigantly in anticipation of the NCAA postseason...
March Madness looms...
The Internet Finally Reaches It's Maximum Potential...
Ladies and gentlemen (who are we kidding, it's just gentlemen)...I give you the reason the Internet (or "Internets" if you're an idiot) was created...
The NFL Cheerleader Blog
While you're there, be sure to pay your respects to the greatest cheerleaders on the planet...
Cheers To The Senate Dems For Fighting For Working Families...
Unfortunately, they came up short by a margin of 49-46 in spite of the support of 4 Republicans (Lincoln Chafee, Mike DeWine, Norm Coleman, Pete Domenici) who did the right thing and crossed the aisle to vote in support of Sen. Ted Kennedy's amendment to the horrendous bankruptcy reform bill...
The Kennedy amendment included a provision to raise the minimum wage to $7.25.
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa/Va)'s competing amendment, which was essentially a blatant attack on workers disguised as a minimum wage increase failed by an even wider margin of 61-38.
Kudos to the Democrats and Republicans who were interested in giving working families a better shot at making a decent wage...
Monday, March 7, 2005
Bush's New UN Ambassador Hates The UN...
From where I sit, making John Bolton a UN Ambassador is roughly akin to making O.J. Simpson the spokesman for the Promise Keepers...
ThinkProgress has compiled some of Bolton's greatest hits (pun intended) on the United Nations. The following is #1 with a bullet:
At a 1994 panel discussion sponsored by the World Federalist Association Bolton claimed "there's no such thing as the United Nations," and stated ''if the UN secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference.''
Mr. Bolton must be a having a real existential crisis now that he's going to work at an organization he doesn't believe is real. There's a Dilbert strip in there somewhere...
Conservatives can rant and rave about the UN being "irrelevant" all day long, but the reality is that a move like this only makes it more apparent that Bush has no desire to change that perception (misguided as it may be).
An appointment like this won't get the UN on the track toward being relevant in anyone's mind...
If Bush really wanted to improve the way the UN worked rather than simply make it look bad, wouldn't it make more sense to nominate someone that, at the very least acknowledges the value an organization like the UN can bring to the world?
Do Yourself A Favor And Check Out This Band...
The Killers' debut album, Hot Fuss is probably the best album I've bought in the last 3 years...
Their sound is very reminiscent of 80's new-wave pop with a slightly harder edge.
Hot Fuss is an absolutely essential infusion of life into today's pre-fab-teen-crap-infested pop scene...
If you regularly find yourself putting an 80's compilation CD in your stereo and saying "Man, they don't write tunes like this anymore" (and let's face it, we all do), be sure to check out The Killers...
P.S. You purists out there can even buy the album on vinyl...
Friday, March 4, 2005
I Got A Mention In The Charlotte Observer...
That's a surprise. What's more surprising is that it came from a cat at the John Locke Foundation.
The author, Jeff Taylor, wrote a very good piece about why blogs are a vital part of the new political landscape. Populism at it's essense, really...
The sheer variety of this rapid-fire debate also is at odds with Parker's portrayal of bloggers marching in lock-step, chasing after CNN's Jordan or CBS's Dan Rather. Just one compendium of North Carolina blogs, the Old North State blogroll, spans the ideological spectrum. From Brian's Political Donnybrook and Collective Sigh on the left to the Charlotte Capitalist and the Locke Foundation's own Locker Room on the right, if you can't a find blog to suit your own outlook then, well, you should start your own blog! Yes, there's plenty of room in the cyber-mob for new recruits.
That does not sound like the death of free speech, more like a glorious re-birth.
P.S. Big thanks to DrFrankLives for bringing this to my attention.
GOP Congressman From Nevada Plagiarized His Hatespew...
What kind of a GOP Congresscritter can't even come up with his own political hatespeech?
The speech delivered by U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., during Friday night's Lincoln Day Dinner in Elko was largely plagiarized from a copyrighted speech by Alabama State Auditor Beth Chapman.
Chapman told the Elko Daily Free Press this morning Gibbons had not requested permission to use her speech, which she said she delivered Feb. 2, 2003, at a Stand Up for America rally in Alabama.
She said Gibbons apologized today for using large portions of her speech."I spoke with him this morning and he has apologized," she said.
Chapman, a Republican, said Gibbons told her he did not realize the speech was copyrighted.
During his speech at Friday night's Lincoln Day Dinner, Gibbons did not mention that the speech had been written and previously delivered by Chapman.
"I don't remember where I got it," Gibbons said this morning. "I had no idea it was copyrighted."
He said he believed the speech had been e-mailed to him."I have no idea," Gibbons said. "I think it was sent to me, cut-and-paste."
Chapman's speech is 21 paragraphs in length, of which Gibbons used 15 paragraphs word-for-word in his Lincoln Day address.
"It was just some wording that was sent to me," he said. "It reflected my thoughts."
Apparently, the speech so closely reflected Gibbons' thoughts, he went ahead and dispensed with his own thoughts. Very bright...
Then again, if he can't remember where he got the info in the first place, maybe he's incapable of writing an entire speech on his own. I guess we'll never know...
Thursday, March 3, 2005
Wanna Hear An Amazing Cover Band?
I just caught some samples of these guys on the Opie & Anthony show.
They're called Evolution, and they're a Journey tribute band. Take a listen to the sound of these guys!!!
Not only do they sound exactly like Journey, but look at the freaking lead singer!
Man, am I jealous of these guys...
As a guitar player, "Stone In Love" would probably be the coolest tune to play live ever...
Bob Casey, Jr. Planning To Run Against Rick Santorum...
This is very good news for the Dems, and very bad news for Senator "Man-On-Dog"...
On a personal note, my family, which is comprised of all staunch Republicans and one liberal Democrat (that being me) loved Casey's father when he was governor of Pennsylvania. I'm guessing that they're not alone in this sentiment.
Name recognition is everything in politics, especially in PA politics. A name like "Casey" in Pennsylvania is on the same level as the name "Hunt" is here in North Carolina.
P.S. There could be a couple of oddball races for Senate seats next year. First, in PA where a Casey win would give the state an anti-choice Democrat and a pro-choice Republican in the Senate.
In Rhode Island, Jim Langevin, a popular anti-choice Democrat has a good chance of unseating incumbent pro-choice Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee.
Strange days, indeed...
UPDATE: PoliticsPA is saying that Casey's announcement is imminent...
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
Alan Colmes Steps Up And Shuts Dan Coulter's Mouth...
It's about time somebody did...
The good stuff starts at about 1:30 into the clip...
Kudos to Colmes for standing up to the human Adam's Apple. I have to say, I didn't care much for him before, but I've caught his radio show on XM a few times, and he does a good job...
Social Security Privatization Dead In The Water...
Bad polling data across the board for the "Social Security's Got To Go" crowd...
A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll conducted Friday to Sunday said 38 percent of Americans feel major changes must be made in Social Security within the next two years. In January, that number was 49 percent.
As I've said before, the more people hear about Bush's scheme, the less they like it.
Here comes the kicker that will have conservatives far-and-wide ripping their hair out:
Other numbers in the poll don't play out so well for the president, either. Forty-seven percent of those polled trusted the Democratic Party to deal with the issue of Social Security benefits, while 37 percent trusted Republicans.
And 75 percent held a favorable opinion of the AARP, the retirement association that has taken a lead role in opposing the president's plan.
UPDATE: In spite of the obvious popularity of AARP, Tom "Bugman" DeLay has come out swinging against them. Check out this brilliant deduction:
The AARP, which claims 35 million members age 50 and over, is "against a solution that hasn't been written yet," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay after a closed-door meeting with the GOP rank and file.
The Bugman raises an interesting point. Why hasn't this "solution" been written yet?
Could it be because President Bush and the GOP Congresscritters are pussies and they know that once the specifics of their plan come out, what little support they've got will probably disappear?
DeLay goes after the AARP for "opposing a solution that hasn't been written yet" by supporting a solution that hasn't been written yet.
Mindless...
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
Take A Look At The "Boondocks" Strip That The Chicago Tribune Couldn't Handle...
We know that Dubya smoked weed...We know he did coke...
Where's the problem???
GOP Senator: Social Security Privatization Scheme Is In Trouble...
I could've told him this awhile ago. The more people know about Bush's scheme, the less they like it...
Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the chairman of the Finance Committee, said Monday that if public opinion did not soon begin to swing in favor of President Bush's Social Security plan, it would be an indication that the plan was in trouble.
After a meeting with the other Republicans on his committee, Mr. Grassley repeated to reporters what he has been saying for weeks - that the success or failure of the plan depended on whether the president could persuade voters at the grass roots that the Social Security system was in jeopardy and that his approach was the right way to fix the problem.
Another interesting tidbit:
No Social Security legislation can get through the Senate without bipartisan support, Mr. Grassley said, and he acknowledged that Democrats were now united against the Republican proposal.
Without naming names, he said he knew of "four or five Democrats that feel they ought to be sitting down with Republicans and working with Republicans" on the issue. "Right now," he conceded, "none of them are hot on private accounts."
Ooooooh! He said the P-word!!! I'm telling!!!
