Topics: Did Barack Obama Get Back on the Right Track This Week? Top Ten Political Gaffes of the Year.

Presumes facts not in evidence. On Inauguration Day, Candidate Obama abandoned the populist ideals that got him elected. President Obama, right-wing tool, never looked back.

Thanks, Elliott. I don’t blame Geithner for getting stoned.

Good morning, pups. It’s Friedman, Kristof and Rich today. Happy Holidays! We’re spared MoDo this week. The Moustache of Wisdom offers a “Reality Check” in which he says America must get out of the way so Israelis and Palestinians can see clearly, without any obstructions, what reckless choices their leaders are making. Mr. Kristof, in “Now Grandma Can ‘Win A Trip’ Too,” is announcing his latest contest to join a reporting trip abroad. This time, a senior citizen will be going along too. Mr. Rich, in “Gay Bashing at the Smithsonian,” says it still seems an unwritten rule in establishment Washington that homophobia is at most a misdemeanor.

Here they are.

The coffee, tea and hot chocolate are ready, and I’ve got French toast made with challah today. It looks like we’re in for more rain today, so the outside decorating will have to be put on hold again. That means that I’ll just have to fill the house with the smell of cookies baking… Have a great day.

from Marion’s blog;
Smithsonian homophobic; “…“Fire in My Belly” was removed from the exhibit by the National Portrait Gallery some 10 days ago with the full approval, if not instigation, of its parent institution, the Smithsonian. (The censored version of “Hide/Seek” is still scheduled to run through Feb. 13.) The incident is chilling because it suggests that even in a time of huge progress in gay civil rights, homophobia remains among the last permissible bigotries in America. “Think anti-gay bullying is just for kids? Ask the Smithsonian,” wrote The Los Angeles Times’s art critic, Christopher Knight, last week. One might add: Think anti-gay bullying is just for small-town America? Look at the nation’s capital.”

Sad.

Where’s Michelle Obama been? I wonder if she can’t take it anymore and is on strike or something. Supposedly she told Carla Bruni she despises the whole gig.

Help save America, Michelle! File for divorce! Tomorrow!

A hopeful interpretation would be that Michelle O despises seeing her sell-out husband knuckle under to the will of the Military Industrial Crime Syndicate at the expense of the citizenry. Hopeful.

Less hopeful: Michelle despises having to wear makeup all the time and being under the scrutiny of The Nat’l Enquirer, et al.

Don’t you think Michelle obama is so proud of the USA now that her children father is bent on makeing the USA and World a less safer place.By his increase of poverty in the USA.

The Xmas episode of Glee (thanks, Hulu) was pretty good. I’ve always had a bit of a problem with “Baby It’s Cold Outside” but it’s so damn cleverly written, I suppose I forgive it, period piece and all that. The best version is still Carmen McRae and Sammy Davis Jr – Sammy hams it up like crazy, even throws in Jerry Lewis.

Charming to see a same-sex version, and Kurt’s still the most groundbreaking character on tv at the moment.

I guess I wonder about Michelle cuz I’m so sick of giving a shit about her evil husband and his despicable machinations. If she has a shred of integrity, her existence must be a living hell these days.

yeah, its gotta be tough knowing that no matter what happens, the oligarchy will reward you and your family with a nice comfortable life for your service to the motu.

Good morning, all.

Let me tell you, Jesus, I just don’t know how much more can be rendered unto the seizers … without all the rest of Gawd’s chillun being placed in a hellish situation, but then, I quess that’s why this is a “Christian” nation.

What is the false economy of starving the poor compared to the difficulty of getting all that money through the eye of an needle? How does the unseen hand do it?

Greed is NOT good, greed is not merely “bad” … it is totally evil

My country, right or wrong, drunk or sober, stupid or insane …

Rapture me up, Scotty, the “Homeland” has gone bonkers, it wishes to drive society to its knees and then kick its teeth out.

I know, it’s not nice to say things like that.

It’s not polite.

Thank you, all … curmudgeonly rant … over.

DW

10 years ago today….Bush v. Gore….Im going back to bed. I may weep

That was the day the US Constitutiion died.

The day the rule of law was replaced by rule of “men”.

DW

It was part 1.
Citizens United was part 2.

Soooo true…

Coffin nails, Allan.

DW

The FL ballot count brought some major hoodlums onto the scene, masquerading as voters. They’re still around, still committing crimes.

So sad … and most Americans still don’t know …

(Which might be sadder still … however, the truly GREAT SADNESS is yet to come, RevBev)

DW

Good morning, Ellie, DW, Bev and All
Coffin nails. Ya know, just when you start making lists, that’s when some other shoe drops, another nail and hammer show up. You don’t really want to invite that now, do ya? I’m only kind of kidding. Have you ever noticed that? We were going to the hardware store to get some fix it stuff and right as we were leaving, one of the toilets sprung a leak.

I shouldn’t ask, but which Great Sadness?
Peeking through fingers over my face.

Who says that universe doesn’t have a sense of humor?

‘Morning, demi.

DW

Homeland sounds, well homey, where I think da Fatherland is a more correct description of where we are now. I grew up in a Fatherland and believe me if he would have eaten his children, if he didn’t drink the blood of their labors, for his little stinking empire. Republican baffoon .

I don’t want to finish my life bowing to ignorant assholes again.

Michell and the kids seem like photo op extras at this point.

NPR continuing with good coverage with Jeffrey Toobin….Cynicism about the decision…”not to be cited in the future…”

“The FL ballot count brought some major hoodlums onto the scene, masquerading as voters lawyers. They’re still around, still committing crimes.”

Edit: Link fixed.

The realization, which will come, that the people of this nation lost their ostensible democracy AND their children’s future because they were selfishly (and comfortably) only concerned with themselves.

Before we lost everything else … we gave up community and shared values, simply to pursue money, and our generation, the baby-boomers, is the one that happily did so.

Circuses anyone?

There is no bread, now, for many.

What do you suppose tomorrow will bring … or take?

DW

The “precedent” that wasn”t …

Right …

DW

A couple of those “lawyers” pretended to be Supreme Court Justices as well, Allan.

And, it was so … easy.

DW

It freaking stinks. My children will never own their own homes. Do you remember when 10 grand was a decent down payment on a house? I don’t want my legacy to be that I taught my kids to buy clothes and the thrift store or food at the 99 cents only store. Sad indeed. I’ve got tears. But, I still keep stuffing a dollar into the outstretched hand of the homeless or the can of a xmas charity worker.
Which reminds me, I got to set some food cans on the counter to take to church this morning. BRB.

True.

Exactly…under the fig leaf of equal protection….I will never forget those terrible days, then watching all the reporters at the Court waiting for the decision. Fury…..

Individuals are trying to teach their children …with liberty and justice for all, but the kids aren’t stupid, they watch the news and they know what’s really going on. Are we hypocrites?

Some are…My daughter was born during the last days of JFK….my grandson in the early days of W….makes me sick.

two against the president’s compromise. Followed by Sen Dick Durbin (D-IL) who will vote for it.

I hope somebody asks him how he could vote against the Schumer bill ostensibly because he wouldn’t support extending cuts above $250000, and now he supports the “compromise”.

This should be Durbin’s last term also.

Good morning all.

Have they rescinded the tax cuts on those earning less than $250,000 per year yet?

The murder of Reason was pulled off, without a hitch, in broad daylight, in front of hundreds of millions of human beings … and hardly anyone said anything …

And then, we went to War, based on “sexed-up” lies … and hardly anyone said anything (well, we know that is not true … but that is what most people “believe” …)

And then we gave everything to those who, over forty and more years, had destroyed the nation’s economy … and hardly anyone said anything …

What’s next?

Hardly anyone can imagine … everybody just knows it will be worse … except for those who “believe” for their own purposes, that everything is fine … now that “we” have a Democrat in the White House …

Oh dear, we seem to have come full circle.

How do you think Michelle, who was supposed to be the new Eleanor, remember, is dealing with all this?

I’d go with Hackworth’s #2.

DW

Durbin is a scumbag. A poseur. At least with Republicans, you know they’re going to fuck you for sure every time. Durbin gets to play pretend he’s not going to shiv you.

I notice Axelrod’s making the rounds, trying to sell this pig in a poke. Judging by how long I’ve been out of work and the state of the economy, maybe he should start looking for a new job now.

Durbin voted for the catfood commission’s plan too. Just another fatcat who will never need social security preening about self sacrifice. As long as the self isn’t himself.

Incoming.

Not being a lawyer, but still knowing something about the law, I just knew SCOTUS wouldn’t and couldn’t hear Bush v. Gore. It was utterly not in their purview, any idiot knew that. Legally and constitutionally it made as much sense as having the Pittsburgh Symphony decide the case.

When my stupefied eyes saw that they had actually taken it up, I knew that the fix was in, the game was up, and so was our country.

I’m still not done reeling at those five people, how they found it in themselves to so eternally soil their own souls and the sacred trust of their office. Just for political hackery. I will never, ever get over the shock of it. Our country was well and truly over on that day.

Wait a minute, I think you’re on to something. Breaking News: Pittsburgh Symphony to hear future SCOTUS cases! It could work.

“Our country was well and truly over that day.”

That was the easy part, Sharkbabe.

“The people” have not yet, well and truly, felt the pain.

(One wonders just how much of THAT particular pain ole Bubba intends to “feel”?)

DW

Durbin, Obama, Boehner, Geithner – why are we employing and paying any of these useless fucks? Talk about cutting the fat out of useless middle management – we should just end the bullshit charade, make Jamie Dimon king of everything forever, and be done with it.

This is sad. But it also illustrates how stupid, inefective and misguided the TSA policies are.

The mangled body of a 16-year-old boy from North Carolina mysteriously dropped from the sky down to a Boston suburb last month. Authorities now believe the teen breached airport security, and managed to hide himself inside the wheel well of a US Airways Boeing 737. He is believed to have then fallen to his death as the plane lowered its landing gear on approach to Boston’s Logan Airport.

I would bet that Michelle is in lock step with her husbands policies, the first ladies usually are. When she said she was sick of it, she was probably referring to the negativity toward her husband, and may want out because of that.

When the Gore V. Bush case died, there were many folks where I worked who said they were tired of hearing about it. They just wanted to move on. Made me want to scream at the top of my lungs, but that wasn’t acceptable behavior in the work place. Total lunacy was acceptable. One of the blessings of not being employed these days is that I don’t have to have a face to face with total idiots anymore. I love humanity, it’s people I can’t stand.

According to her wiki, she worked on marketing and intellectual property, a branch of corp law. Doesn’t sound like a do-gooder area of law to me. And there’s this

She once requested that her then-fiancé meet her prospective boss, Valerie Jarrett, when considering her first career move.

We know how Valerie Jarrett turned out.

That’s because she doesn’t have to worry about Sasha and Malia being locked in cages for the rest of their lives without charges, or a drone blowing them up on their way to school, or more locally, about finding a job to keep them fed. Instead, she has her super-duper garden and anti-obesity program to keep her mind off of what an asshole her husband is.

Those folks will “get it”, eventually, demi, just like H.L. Mencken used to say, ” …good and hard.”

It’s the time lapse between “event” and “recognition” that the ruling classes depend on – that, and severe shocks to the “system”.

DW

Oh, and the alleged Michelle quote came in the context of Bruni saying her husband, Sarkozy, is thinking of quitting after one term so he could make a lot of money like Bill Clinton. So it could be that Michelle is just eager to get to the next phase of her life.

The workplace refrain I miss the least is the old “So much for global warming” that I used to hear every day the temperature fell below 40 degrees.

Ah …. “Move-on Michelle”?

I’m certain that both Obamas feel that they are making massive contributions to the little people, but I do wonder why Michelle is not touring Black communities to see how their gardens grow.

But then, one imagines that even a President’s spouse can only do just so much.

DW

Ack! The stupid is so nauseating. The ironic thing is that the same gals who complained that they were tired of hearing about the case, could talk about their shoes and their nails every single day forever. And, why, oh why couldn’t I just fit in?

Playing her garden close to her vest.

No Dem is good enough. That’s for sure.

How many are prepared to vote for Sarah Palin in 2012? How many are prepared to change their registration and vote for Sarah Palin in the Repub presidential primary in 2012?

The ironic thing is that the same gals who complained that they were tired of hearing about the case, could talk about their shoes and their nails every single day forever.

Right? I think fully two thirds of people never grow up. Most of these conversations didn’t differ materially from what I used to hear in high school. These people are as shallow and ignorant as they were in high school but they are allowed to vote. Can anybody wonder why we wind up with the “leadership” we have?

I’d vote Sarah Palin off the planet. Other than that…..hell no.

From Krugman’s blog:

Heads up: My head will be talking on ABC tomorrow morning. The round table will probably focus on Christmas recipes, or something. Oh, and wasn’t there something about taxes?

I have no sympathy for the first lady. None. Now that the fancy balls are over, she still has to wear make up? And, I for one, do not envy her arms.
Also, may I say that in as much as I try to leave the room when her husband gets on the tube, I have noticed he’s losing his strut a bit. W never lost his swagger or his heh heh heh. If he’s looking a little beat up on tv, imagine how he looks at the end of the day in the bedroom. Okay, maybe that’s not a good visual for a Sunday morning. Sorry.

You “nailed it”. Again.

My great insight into people never growing up emotionally came when my mother went to live in (very nice) senior housing. The ratio of women to men was about 99:1, and one of my mom’s new friends took up with the only guy (or maybe there were 2). It was all my mom could talk about on the phone, what all the faults of the guy were and how foolish her friend was. She might have been a teen ragging on one of her friend’s boyfriend.

Ah yes, her “vested” interests.

Well, it has been asserted that Michelle is smarter than Barack, and, afterall, HER name isn’t on any of the garbage.

Lots of very intelligent and clever people in DC, these days, one imagines, eCAHN.

DW

Also from Krugman, posted this morning.

Orwellian Centrism

I would vote for anyone down at the local homeless shelter before I would vote for her.

Good one! How you bee?

My favorite Krugman appearance was one on WashJournal, when a caller told him that he hadn’t anticipated the economic meltdown, and he bristled, told the caller that actually he had. Often.

What colors are you wearing this winter?

Ah yes, her “vested” interests.

Heh.

Don’t know about intelligent peeps in DeeCee. Rich ones, yes. Lots of yachts on the Potomac.

Yep. Not surprising at all. At least the women have just a bit of variety in the conversations. They’ll stop talking about other peoples’ relationships long enough to mention shoes or clothes or nails or make-up. Guys on the other hand almost never vary from who (they want you to believe) they had sex with. Sure there are other topics of conversation but it always comes back to that. Having experience from both worlds, I have to say that both sexes are in a dead heat for most puerile conversation.

The same ones I wore in the summer. Mostly blue, black and white. Why?

Doing well. Bees are hibernating for the winter. Bear attacks, according to my bee keeper, were less this year than the average, for whatever reason.

Driveway project seems to be turning out better than anticipated. Kinda the history of house projects. Lot’s of begging, pleading, waiting for contractor to show up. Unanticipated problems & expense in the process. But a better-than-expected final outcome. I guess it’s the latter that keeps me at it.

Got holiday party to attend this afternoon. Having fun cooking for it, trying few new things.

How’s by you? Did I hear you were getting a car in the last few days?

Ha! You’ve looked at clouds from both sides now.

They look the same.

Lots of yachts on the Potomac.

And more coming thanks to Mr. Obama

I concluded that the only way that humans can overcome their puerile obsession with sex is lots of good introspective talk therapy. My personal experience with therapists suggests that is nearly impossible.

Yachta, yachta

and

Nada, nada

DW

I’m not sure anything will do it other than frontal lobotomies. That won’t stop them wanting sex but it will stop them telling ME about it.

Bought, paid for – in cash. It’s a beater on the outside but has a rebuilt engine and trans. It’s registered, transferred and gets twice the gas mileage of our other car. And, I’ve finally solved an ongoing problem with the DMV regarding my license. Was a paperwork snafu regarding insurance. Took my agent calling Sacramento to clear up. The old not what you know, but who you know. So, after the holidays, I’ll be looking for work. Again.

You’re in punny phorm this fine morning.

How about Gingrich?

Who’s prepared to vote for Gingrich in 2012? Who’s prepared to change registrations and vote for Gingrich in the Repub presidential primary in 2012?

No Dem is good enough. So who’s your favorite Repub?

It’s all illusions, huh?

Sounds good, no matter how accomplished. And good luck on the job search.

Morning pups,

Climbed out a window to go shovel the four foot snow drifts off of the two doors to the house. The populace will be crying for infrastructure investment to fix the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Ah a nice sip of hot coffee is always great.

So is a bit of exercise,

Thank you. We’ll see what the new year brings. I’m half tempted to just work at Del Taco. Here’s your freaking burrito. Now, get outta heah. :)

So who’s your favorite Repub?

Abraham Lincoln. You’re offering a false dichotomy. I’m not voting for either and there are other options.

Wow. 4′ snow drifts. Hope it doesn’t come my way.

Guess you didn’t get the memo. Infrastructure spending these days consists of buying a new gate for the ‘community.’

Would you hafta say: “Would you like to supersize that?”

Mornin’, Elliott, pups

I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy. Sex? What’s that?

Hah! I can’t even do that. I have never, ever, in my 33 plus years of full time employment worked in any service industry or retail. I was always rather proud of that but now it’s biting me in the butt.

Oh, my goodness. It’s been very warm here. I was outside at 7:00 last night stringing lights on the house and trees. Whenever I see the news of snow storms on the news, I always think of my friends here who live in the areas being hit. It amazes me.

Morning SD! Might not be around for much of caturday, depending on when it’s posted but I have an observation and a question.

Wonder if suspicions of that happening led to calling off the game?

Probably. Or something like that. Would you like to clog your arteries a little quicker? Would you like to gain a few more extra pounds with that?

I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy

Wasn’t that “Wet Dream”?

Don’t keep me in suspense. What to you plan to do in 2012? Assuming Obama will be renominated, even if primaried.

Lay it on me. Hope to post about noon. Got some new pix of Kike from stitchinfool too.

It’s a kitten’s name, mods, pronounced Kee-kay.

I worked at Bullocks while I was going to college, but never worked in the food biz. Oh, please don’t tell me that they are going to ask me if I have experience. PLEASE.

This one? Have to listen to it again I ‘spose.

Just the way the 50 mph winds are blowing. Open spots on the driveway have no snow. This thing is heading east and the below zero weather is following fast.

Well you know that the profits made by the football team investors won’t be used to repair the dome. Probably slap a temporary sales tax on the poor to do it or jack homeowner insurance premiums to make up the losses.

I would go for Donald Trump.Newt Gingrich He was on Bill clinton’s NAFTA deal an attack on the working class of the USA.

Elections are conducted in the United States via secret ballot. My choices are my own business. If I choose to share them, it will most likely be here.

Okay. I won’t tell you that. They may not.

Lay it on me. Mods have my other comment secluded cuz I didn’t phoneticize Kee-kay’s name.

Yep, that’s the one I was thinking of.

Probably just automatic. Computers are great at screening words and horrible at context.

What’s your observation and question? We can do it again at Caturday for the tiger crew.

Okay, here goes: I noticed 40 years ago that if I whistled starting at a higher pitch and gradually going to down to lower pitch, (sorta like a bomb screamer in a WW II movie), our family cat would immediately come to me and meow and want me to pay attention to her. I hadn’t thought of that in a very long time until yesterday and I tried it with Kuroneko. Sure enough, a few seconds later, here she comes, jumping into my lap and rubbing her face against mine. I wonder if that’s a common thing among cats and if anybody but I have noticed it?

Wow, never heard of that. I can’t whistle so can’t try it out. I’ll add this to the post and see what kind of response we get.

Thanks. I’ve never tried a controlled experiment or anything. Like I said, I was watching something on television or maybe reading yesterday when I suddenly remembered how my cat reacted in the 1960s and I tried it again. Kuroneko was all over it. If you use my original comment, please edit my grammar. My edit time was up when I tried to do so. Don’t mind if you don’t use it but paraphrase instead btw.

That’s so cool. I’ve got enough that it would almost qualify as a controlled experiment but gotta get some dentures first.

Yeah, teeth are necessary for that stupid human trick.

Yeah, noon is about the time I’m getting out the door. Noon my time that is. :)

By 2012 many people may well be homeless and not allowed to vote, so it’ll ALL be up to you and the rich folks, gvandergrift.

What YOU gonna do?

It is no longer “who” you vote for, it’s “what” ya vote for … and guess what? … it does not appear to matter, for, as was mentioned upstream, we is now “downstream” of Bush v. Gore – and ALL which that implies.

Ya think that “they” won’t do it again … whenever it suits ‘em?

Have a good day … and a good life … if ya can.

DW

I’ll be there all day, except for a trip to the store, so pop in whenever you get back.

I plan to vote Repub for Prez and Senate. My incumbent Representative will be a Repub. I will pay close attention to the Dems running for the House to see if they are an improvement over the Blue Dog who was just voted out in November.

Oh, you’re one of those This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you kind of people?

I’m not sure I follow you. Elaborate.

What’s your plan? Keep doing the same thing you’ve been doing?