Sarah Palin warned us about “Death Panels,” and HERE THEY ARE!!!

Hey, Peter.
I guess each state has it’s threats.
Did you read what [he] said about California? I think he’s just jealous of Jerry Brown. A successful person without having to lie, cheat, steal. Did I mention “Lie”?
PS – on edit, I love the Pup Tent image. Cut ‘em down to (moral) size.
What I really think of his pick for VP? I think we can stay busy following the agendas and issues and working at the grassroots level to have more and more better candidates in the future.
Thanks for your unique perspective.

What’s best about that pup tent metaphor is that it comes from a republican.

Charlie Pierce’s take
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/paul-ryan-romney-vp-pick-11562917#comments

and this pithy brilliance from the comment thread,

‘Vulture/Voucher 2012

“You people are on your own”‘

Most interesting article today and too true. Kansas has quietly supported the murder of Dr. Tiller who was doing legal work approved by the medical profession. Not only do they not follow the laws of the US, they are in-the-face while they get away with it. When they cut what is left of the “public” services like schools in WI, they give the money to corporations, privatizations in which they are invested, but they never lower taxes. Government is their mark for more money. That was not the Ayn Rand idea. It is fascism German-style. Some progressive voters in red states are not allowed to vote. Get it? It is not a false equivalency. Romney/Ryan will finish the Bush/Cheney agenda.

I think Ryan will be the death knell for Republicans! After all there are more liberals than them and of course all those millions of seniors and near seniors who are going to be scared shitless that they will fall into abject poverty under Romney/Ryan administration when all their hard earned benefits are cut to the bone…
Oh thanks for the insightful post Peterr!!

The three macacas …. George Allen, Willard Romney, and Paul Ryan. Most probably missed that George Allen began today’s event in VA.

i’ll probably say this a zillion times today because everybody is weighing in with their expert opinions on this-and good for everybody, by the way- but in my view VP picks matter very, very, very, very little; this one will probably be the same but to the extent it matters at all it will help Obama

hi demi— always good to see you!

However, I cannot fathom why he would toss out the most reliable demo at the polls — seniors.

the puppeteers made him do it and it is to help insure the marionette they have in office remains

It’s kind of fun when they hand it to ya. Most of the time, I choose to not take delight in others’ failings, but, I think I can make an exception here and there.

Mr. Pierce is, as usual, dead on. He saw Romney up close and personal, just as I’ve gotten a good view of Brownback.

This is a brilliant summary:

Make no mistake. In his decision to make Paul Ryan, the zombie-eyed granny-starver from Wisconsin, his running mate, Romney finally surrendered the tattered remnants of his soul not only to the extreme base of his party, but also to extremist economic policies, and to an extremist view of the country he seeks to lead. This is unimaginable to those of us who lived here under Romney’s barely perceptible stewardship of the Commonwealth (God save it!). If he’d even hinted that he agreed with a fraction of a smidgen of a portion of the policies on which Ryan has built his career, Romney would have been hanging from the Sacred Cod by the middle of 2005. And it’s hard not to notice that the way the decision got leaked — in the dead of a Friday night, with the Olympics still going on, after two weeks in which Romney and his campaign had demonstrated all the political skills of a handball — fairly dripped with flopsweat.

No mistakes there that I can see.

Back attcha, and I agree, first glance makes me think we can go back to worrying about helping those who need it.

Ryan once said that Ayn Rand was “the reason” why he went into public service. By “public service,” he meant politics on behalf of the upper class he was born into.

Rand was a sophist whose philosophy can be summed up in three words: greed is good.

I recall that someone once explained that evil people don’t see themselves as evil. They are motivated by character flaws, but rationalize that what they are doing actually serves an honorable purpose. Thus, I reject the notion that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Instead, the road to hell is paved with bad rationalizations.

Peterr, you get the sitch in kansas exactly right.
What I wanna know are the numbers of voters in last week’s primaries: how many R’s came to vote and how many usually do. It would be great if folks could see how few actually support the radicals that are desperate here to take over. They know their world view is dying out on the limb but have more money than ever thought imaginable before. The bircher KOCH’s will do everything possible to make the great state of ks into Brownbackistan and Sammy’s lackeys are happy to bow and scrape to that end and their perceived percs. I know people who are in the church’s in Wichita, KC, Topeka and they are up in arms over the radical right agenda. The R’s getting thrown to the curb are beginning to wake up and see… let’s make the most of the time we have left…

Obama is now in the position where he HAS to campaign for saving SS and Medicare, no other choice. He has been given a gift because the YouTubes are already there of Ryan putting forth his “vision” for the future. Ryan will make one speech and you’ll hear the sound of Florida tilting.

So he picks a male Sara Palin to attract the flying monkeys and wicked witch of Kansas.

Willard and his campaign have gambled that the Ryan pick will motivate his base more than it will turn off more moderate Republicans and “centrist” independents. All Obama has to do is point out some of Ryan’s more batshit pronouncements and cruise to victory. Ryan style economics have consistently polled two to one against.
EDIT: People like Rubio, Manatee Christi and Pawlenty are either too shrewd or too cowardly to take that risk with their careers.

Can’t find a link to what I’m looking for, but recently I’ve been thinking about the Isaiah scripture…
To preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind.
To set at libery, those are oppressed.
You know what I’m talking about.

Obama is now in the position where he HAS to campaign for saving SS and Medicare, no other choice.

and who is better at campaigning to do one thing while plotting the antithesis?

nobody in my memory

Isaiah 61:1

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;

This was also quoted by Jesus in Luke 4.

Better check your ginka biloba (helps with memory) because they All do that, Perris. You realize that, right? You can’t possibly believe that President Obama is the only who did that. I don’t know.

they all do it, some are better then others

Yeppers. If the people who say the Old Testament is only full of rage, grief and hate should look at Jesus’s words, ’cause he quoted his scriptures, didn’t he? But, I understand the outrage that is inspired by some of the old testament.
Remember, I am Deborah….
Thanks.

Sorry as a Calli native jerry is not main streets friend, he lieing about the budget problems of the state.

Meanwhile, up on this very page is an ad proclaiming that Billy Graham has “more hope for America because of Jesus Christ”. This presumably is the gay hating, gun toting, brown loathing Jesus found in the more conservative churches and finer KKK rallies all across this country.

Indeed.

I asked an LDS member just the other day why the Mormon church wasn’t calling for the shutting down of Joe’s Crab Shacks and the executing of people who eat bacon sandwiches on Sunday. The resulting sputtering was a sight to behold. Until they make those efforts, they aren’t following the “word of god”, they are just being a bunch of bigoted assholes.

Looks like your mileage varies.
I try to keep things in perspective.
Rick Perry? Rick Scott? Scott Walker? It’s a long list.

But, but, but, but.
I was once at a worship commitee meeting, back when I was attending, and I pointed out a particular scripture, and you know what? They told me I was cherry picking.
I had pointed out the the welcome mat at the front door that said Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.
You’ll love this. They looked at me aghast, and said that maybe they should take that welcome mat and throw it away.
Sillies.

I agree his not even close to those crinimals but here’s some info about the budget here.

http://www.examiner.com/article/la-times-reports-ca-parks-54-million-cafr-surplus-director-resigns-2-fired

http://www.mercurynews.com/california-budget/ci_21168552/up-2-3-billion-california-public-funds-hiding

http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD/CAFR/cafr11web.pdf
This report shows the state to have money it needs for a rainy day. I’m not sure what the Governor is talking about other than hurting the poor and state employees. Austerity hasn’t worked in one country in the world and won’t work in Calif.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/07/ca-cafr-parks-dept-found-54-million-2-3-billion-more-now-found-full-600-billion-next.html

A valuable quote from Thucydides in reference to the civil war in Corcyra, circa 435 BCE, and apropos to today.

“To fit in with the change of events, words, too had to change their usual meanings. What used to be described as a thoughtless act of aggression was now regarded as the courage one would expect to find in a party member; to think of the future and wait was merely another way of saying one was a coward; any idea of moderation was just an attempt to disguise one’s unmanly character; ability to understand a question from all sides meant that one was totally unfitted for action. fanatical enthusiasm was the mark of a real man, and to plot against an enemy behind his back was perfectly legitimate self-defense. Anyone who held violent opinions could always be trusted and anyone who objected to them became suspect.”

Thucycides History of the Peloponnesian Wars (III, verse 82)

Same as it ever was.

I’d like to agree with you, but if the uberconservative Kansas republicans in Johnson Country [the wealthy suburban part of metro Kansas City] can throw out their moderate state senator, that does not bode well for people “waking up”.

It’s going to take living under a Brownback/Ryan budget for a year or two to do that, and the price that will be paid by the poor and needy will be very, very steep.

A liar and a thief. Well at least they don’t try to hide it – Galt Government.

We are led by idiots. And we, the people, put them there.

Spin me back down the years and the days of my youth.
Draw the lace and black curtains and shut out the whole truth.
Spin me down the long ages: let them sing the song.

Of course
So you ride yourselves over the fields and
You make all your animal deals and
Your wise men don’t know how it feels to be thick as a brick.
Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick

Sillies.

LMAO! You were always more polite than me!

Thanks for the links. I looked at them, and I don’t see how that information is supposed to change my attitude about my governor.

Oh, no, not always. I’ve gotten into trouble here, and recently I might add.
There have been Demi Dogpiles because I made the wrong face.
I’m not perfect all the time, but, hey, I try sometimes.

Now, if the LDS person had been as well-versed in the New Testament as in the Book of Mormon, he or she would have known that the snappy comeback to that is that Jesus essentially proclaimed Jewish dietary law null and void: “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

he wants to ship most of the Sacramento River’s water(with two 32 foot diameter pipes that you could drive an Abraham’s Tank thru)) south to Big Ag (who will resell at handsome profits) and to La La land and destroy the Delta and the Salmon fishery!! Fuck him!

I looked up Isaiah in The Message, and found this line:
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
A way to live in this world. We’re all different, I know, but I like praising heart.

I’m soon to be leaving Kansas. I got a good paying job in a different state, thankfully. The Republican party has become so crazy here. I was helping out one of the moderate Republican state senator’s campaigns. I remember going to one of the debates put on by the chamber of commerce. The audience was mainly over 6o years old and white. I was probably the youngest person there. The candidate I was helping said something to the affect that we should fully fund education and that will help ensure our economic future. I was setting next to some old white reactionaries who hissed, “That’s socialism!” I was sickened by the rudeness of the audience. Unfortunately, my guy lost the election as did most of the moderates last week. The Republican party has become dangerous and will destroy the middle class. I am voting straight Democrat for the first time this election. The Democrats should not underestimate these people. They are backed by billions of dollars and will pull any sort of dirty trick to win. We have got to get on the ground and talking to people. Obama 2012!

Johnson County is very wealthy, (at least used to be) one of the wealthiest in the whole country. But it also tends to go moderate/left in voting, esp in social issues. This is what I’m trying to say, that the radical right is loud and wealthy and desperate and everybody knows it now. Voter suppression may lead to lower turnout numbers overall but all the far right’s money won’t ipso facto grow the size of the radicals. I have to believe this/

thx to demi and you for the Isaiah quote and kuvasz for the Thucydides, et al. Good word…

Sounds like you’re one of the people that gives kspopulist hope. Except for the fact that you’re leaving the state, that is.

I’ve overheard similar comments from some of the Kansans whose paths I cross, and it is truly stunning how far to the right the state has gone.

Meanwhile, as the drought gets worse, I’m waiting to hear these very same folks shout for help from Washington.

You are welcome. I’m going to put a link here, if I might, to a site called http://www.religioustolerance.org/ that I had posted at last week’s PUAC.
Many of the critical tenets of how we should treat each other are reflected in the various and diverse religions. Maybe not so diverse after all.

At this town hall in Wisconsin, a man identifying himself as a retired marine makes a speech making bizarre and racist claims about Latino immigrants. Ryan responds to this rambling set of conspiracy theories with agreement. Ryan then deploys the most racist term used by anti-immigrant radicals. He refers to United States citizens born to Latino parents as “anchor babies” even though the 14th Amendment to the Constitution calls them “citizens”. Watch the video here:

http://nysiaf.org/2012/08/11/why-did-vice-pres-pick-paul-ryan-use-racist-term/

Mitt is not expecting ANY Hispanic votes I agree Kansas has scared Mitt but lets also look at what Mitt is not scared of. Hispanic, Women, Poor African American, Gay etc voters.
Mitt fears those who make loud noises and public displays of power. To control Mitt make a loud noise and a few violent gestures.

Is he handing out buttons that say We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Beans?
Another out of touch telling.

I’m not trying to change your mind just to provide some info that he does lie that’s all. I voted for him.

Unfortunately, I think things in Kansas are going to have to get a lot worse before they get better. When Brownback’s tax plan goes into affect in 2014 education is going to be gutted. Both of my parents are very good teachers and left the state a few years back when education was first cut by the Republicans. The cuts that will happen because of Brownback’s tax policy will make the ones that happened a few years back look like child’s play. Most of my friends who have kids are planning on or have already left the state. Rural school districts and poor schools in Wichita and Kansas City will be hit the hardest. Maybe that will wake people up.

Well, yeah. (And, we’re cool, by the way.) Who wanted to look at Meg Whitman for the next 4 years? Not meaning to sound like a bad person, but, yikes!

The water really is going to the Tulare Basin for the billionaires that plantes orchard in a waste land that they have already sucked dry of the under ground lake. LA-La land will get very little of this but will be made to think they are.
Sorry I don’r have any links and I have to run but just try a few google searchs look for di-fi and water.

I agree read the links when you have time and you can follow this story over at Washington blog, Carl an interesting person. I sent this to my state reps a few weeks ago and will follow up with a few phone calls next week.
Have a Great HOT Weekend you to nahant.

Nahant –
I bet you have better weather than those of us in La La Land.
I’m going out now, before it gets any worse, on a B double E double R UN.
:) Good to see you, as always, and everything single time.

OH I knew that bitch was also behind it! I am sure she will benefit handsomely from it also….

I’ve got links. My friend Dan is the man when it comes to water and outdoor issues

The way that the Brownbackians did it in Kansas is how you make national parties pay attention to you. Do progressives have the strength and unity to do that in any Congressional district? How about legislative district? Even in San Francisco? Well how about a county government? City council? Township commission?

If you can’t deliver the votes, you really don’t have a claim to being a base.

You too demi, enjoy your B double R un ☺ ☺ ☺
Hope your weekend goes great!!

It won’t be too hot here in Deadwood City just the 80′s.. We are having company and I am making a Chicken, Cajun Andouille Sausage & Seafood Gumbo!! Good company and good food what could be better??
Hope your weekend is great joe6pac!

Thanks John the more link more on this the better

I’m out the door for Pleasanton, Calif. for wine, conservation and dinner. It was to be outside but 100+ it’s been moved into AC world.

Sounds good nahant