Gooses and Ganders

JC's right about Digby being right (about Olson Johnson being right).

If government money shouldn't be used to fund abortions (which it wasn't anyway) then it shouldn't be used to give guys stiffies either. After all, what do you think causes abortions? Flaccid members?

It's just common sense.

Smilin' Lou Hits the Road

Smilin' Lou Dobbs gave his final CNN broadcast tonight.

What's next for Ole Pumpkinhead? Based on his farewell comments

Over the past six months, it has become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us, and some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem-solving as well as to contribute positively to a better understanding of the great issues of our day and to continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible


...you'd almost think he was going to run for office. He now lives in Sussex County, New Jersey though, and their current Representative Scott Garrett seems heterodox enough to be safe from any wingnut purge attempts. There's no Senate seat up for grabs in 2010 either.

That pretty much leaves Fox. Maybe CNN can trade him for Shep Smith, so Shep can finally come out of the closet.

Shocking Developments

Hey, know that whole "the Ft. Hood shooter guy was a jihadist who tried to contact al Qaeda before going on his killing spree" thing?

Yep. It's total crap.

(via TNC)

Freedom's Just Another Word For Nothing Left To Lose

Chris Dodd is apparently going to enjoy his final days as a Senator:

The bill would effect an overhaul of government far exceeding the reforms proposed by the Obama administration this summer or those under consideration by the House. It would bulldoze the existing regulatory establishment, stripping power from agencies including the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., and erect in its place a triumvirate of new regulators with sweeping, unprecedented powers.

Administration officials and House leaders have described some parts of the plan as untenable. Industry groups, Republicans and regulators have attacked much larger portions as unnecessary or irresponsible. Dodd said Tuesday that the bill is a draft, intended to start conversation, but that he believes the proposed reforms are necessary.

"I could have tried to draft something that was, sort of, already a compromise of ideas here," Dodd said. "But I think you make a huge mistake by doing that. You're given very few moments in history to make this kind of a difference, and we're trying to do that."


I'm quite sure, if Dodd thought he had a better chance of getting re-elected in 2010, he'd be pulling his punches. But if this is going to be his last hurrah as a legislator, he's apparently determined to go down swinging.

Which officially makes him my new favorite Senator.

Anything that prompts statements like this:

"To some degree, it looks like they're just blowing up everything for the sake of change," said Ed Yingling, president of the American Bankers Association. "If this were to happen, the regulatory system would be in chaos for years. You have to look at the real-world impact of this."


...can only be a good thing. Real-world impact, Ed? You really want to go down the path of looking at the real-world impact of the regulatory system? How's your 401K doing, you thundering jackass?

Ahem.

The potential irony, of course, is that if Dodd legislates like it's 1999 and manages to get a new regulatory system through Congress, one that might have a chance of reining in the greedy asswipes who got us into this financial mess in the first place, he'll probably stand a better chance of keeping his job.

More Sane Conservatives

A climate scientist and evangelical pastor wife-and-husband team have written a book making the case for climate change in a way other evangelicals might understand.

"To get information on climate change, you have to go to the people who know the information. That's why we wrote this together as a climate scientist and a pastor," [co-author] Hayhoe said. "He asked the tough questions. He said you've got to talk about this and this and this, and these answers have to satisfy me."

Many of the questions were from the arguments of conservative celebrities.

"Glenn Beck is saying this, Laura Ingraham is saying that, Rush Limbaugh is saying this, and these people are well-respected in conservative communities, so where are these talk show hosts wrong and how can you show that they're wrong with data, not slick talk?" [co-author Farley] said.


It's always nice to see that there are still a handful of relatively sane conservatives out there.

Getcher Popcorn Ready

2010 is shaping up to be the most entertaining midterm elections ever.

On the one hand, you've got the teabaggers howling for moderate Pub blood, and looking to repeat their stirring Pyrrhic defeat in NY-23 nationwide. The Club For Growth is already hunting bigger game, throwing their weight behind Marco Rubio in his Senate battle with Charlie Crist in Florida. Expect plenty more primary throwdowns, and third party candidacies when a heretical RINO survives their primary, to follow.

On the other hand, the left is having conniptions over the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to the House's health care reform bill, and there is a very strong likelihood that the Kossified grassroots will support some primary challengers of their own, or at the very least make life (and re-election) difficult for those that supported the amendment (or voted against health care reform, or both).

In other words, just the run-up to 2010 promises to see more than its share of electoral chaos.

Wheeeeee!

The Most Brilliant Idea Ever

From a comment to Boo's post slamming Dennis Kucinich for voting against the House's health care reform bill...

We must also find some way to get public financing of all campaigns to elected office. Perhaps, we could begin with a dress code for all our congresspeople. Like Nascar drivers, they would have to wear the logos and colors of their chief sponsors. Let the whole world see who owns these champions of capitalism and free enterprise.


That is pure genius.