Providing some needed comic relief, Hizzego Michael Bloomberg has actually attacked President Obama as "arrogant"? (Times of India 11/6/10)

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had once said that a conversation with Barack Obama was "like verbal ping pong" and that the US president was the "most arrogant man" he had ever met, according to a media report.

Bloomberg had called on Obama, during the latter's vacation at Martha's Vineyard in August. He played a round of golf at the Vineyard Golf Club, along with a few other officials.

Regardless of party or ideology, anyone who lives in NYC knows that Bloomberg shouldn't have gone there. Michael Bloomberg is the most arrogant person in the history of this city, and that would be quite the accomplishment, even if this wasn't such an old city and it didn't have such an enormous population.

Giggle.

What's Next?

Is Sarah Palin going to accuse someone else of being shallow?

Is Glenn Beck going to say someone else is crazy?

Is Martha Stewart going to attack someone else for being anal?

Is John Boehner going to slam a political opponent for being elitist?

Is Linda McMahon going to accuse the UFC of being too violent?

Is Ayn Rand Paul going to call someone else "selfish"?

Is Rush Limbaugh going to start making fun of other peoples' weight problems?

Am I going to start criticizing other bloggers for having too long of postings?

Photo: Edwin Martinez1

 

The Not-Even-Slightly-Fabulous Mitch McConnell sounds about as macho as Lada Gaga. Well, she's actually a lot tougher than he is.



That chest beating was weak, even for the Not-Even-Slightly-Fabulous Mitch McConnell. I think he is overcompensating.

Of course, the last time a Gopper tried too hard to sound tough, it had disastrous consequences. Remember when the elected Bush tried to get people to stop referring to him as a "wimp"? He started a bloody and senseless war in Iraq. (The son outdid even the father a few years later.)

 

This starts with a clear argument refuting the right's "big government" rhetoric. It then discusses the conflicts between efficiency and security. (Hat Tip: Media Crashers)



 

I'm so glad that some people are getting how preposterous Jon Stewart's rally and rightist rhetoric are.



 

President Obama was incredibly stupid to renominate Bernanke to be in charge of the Federal Reserve Board. Senate Democrats were even dumber when they didn't block the nomination.

Bernanke certainly didn't deserve to keep his job. His negligence and his lobbying against reregulation of financial markets were major factors in causing the financial crisis. His misuse of the bailouts to exclusively help the banksters instead of bailing out the people is one of the reasons why the economy is so execrable.

Yet, those are not the only reasons why Darth Bernanke should not have gotten the job. He is a partisan, Republican hack. Check out this from the 11/3/10 New York Times:

The Federal Reserve, getting ahead of the battles that will dominate national politics over the next two years, moved Wednesday to jolt the economy into recovery with a bold but risky plan to pump $600 billion into the banking system.

A day earlier, Republicans swept to a majority in the House on an antideficit platform, virtually guaranteeing that they would clash with the Obama administration over the best way to nurture a fragile recovery.

The plan wasn't particularly "risky," but that's the typical rightist bias of the Times. What is so interesting is that Bernanke deliberately timed the stimulus to be the day after the election, so it wouldn't have the slightest chance of helping the Democrats. Middle class and poor Americans were used as cannon fodder in Bernanke's battles for the GOP.

It is also useful to note that the Times censored the role of partisan politics in Bernanke's decision to delay this stimulus.

Image: makelessnoise

 

Here is typical corporate media coverage of MSNBC's suspension of centrist commentator, Keith Olbermann from ABC News (bolding mine).

MSNBC has suspended anchor Keith Olbermann, after it was revealed the "Countdown" host made political contributions to three Democratic candidates.

Politico reported Friday that Olbermann contributed to the candidates in the run-up to Tuesday's midterm elections, making a donation to Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva on the same day he appeared on the cable news show.

In a statement, MSNBC said its ethics policy bans journalists from making political contributions. Olbermann, perhaps the cable network's most famous face, is known as an outspoken liberal commenter. As one of the network's highest-paid personalities, he is central to the network's "Lean Forward" campaign, a rebranding effort promoting progressive points of view.

Of course, Olbermann is actually a centrist, not a liberal. Labeling centrists as liberals is common corporate media tactic to narrow the range of debate. Also, MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews is a conservative who did everything short of endorsing John "Keating Five" McCain on air in 2008, and he was part of the rebranding effort.

However, let's return to the text I bolded. The statement from GE owned NBC News was different in a very significant way. (Again, bolding mine - Hat Tip, indirectly: Mark Crispin Miller)

Like most news organizations, NBC News, parent of msnbc TV, prohibits political contributions by its journalists without prior approval of the president. (Msnbc.com, a joint venture of NBC Universal and Microsoft, also has a policy against its journalists contributing to political campaigns.)

"Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest,” the NBC News policy reads. “Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the president of NBC News or his designee."

Hrrrmmmmm..."without prior approval of the president." If NBC News is so concerned about "potential conflicts," then why is it OK to make those contributions with the permission of an executive beholden to General Electric, a rightist corporation that profits off of war? If the appearance of bias was the concern, the same rules would apply to all contributions, with permission or not. In fact, contributions with executive approval give an even greater appearance of bias.

Of course, the whole idea that NBC News is concerned with being "impartial" is laughable. If they were, NBC Nightly News wouldn't be so obnoxiously rightist and propagandistic that watching it is the metaphorical equivalent of being hit on the head with a 2x4. Also, why does Joe Scarborough, a former Republican member of Congress and someone on the extreme right fringe, have the morning slot on MSNBC? (By the way, when is there going to be a Special Prosecutor to investigate the murder of Lori Klausutis?)

Then, there's the Today Show. Not only is the "news coverage" slanted hugely to the extreme right, but so are the guest bookings. That program showed the extent of its right fringe bias when it hired the grotesquely unqualified daughter of George W. Bush.

When cable TV, as well as network TV, is such a cesspool of rightist propaganda, dishonesty, hypocrisy, racism, sexism, and heterosexism, why should I pay to get it back? Why would I want to pay for a network owned by the war profiteering GE? Why should I care if I miss a network who brass lies about the reason they fired a politically moderate host who offended the corporate aristocracy by not being a knucklewalking rightist?

It turns out I'm not the only person who thinks this is a crock. As of the moment I'm typing this, over 95,000 people have signed an online petition to get MSNBC to end its suspension.

Cable TV deserves to be killed by the Internet.

Bullshit like this is also one of the reasons I refuse to buy GE light bulbs and appliances.

 

Let's face it. Sarah Palin had a humiliating election defeat in her own home state, Alaska. Her teabagger acolyte, Joe Miller, lost badly to write ins for incumbent Senator Murkowski, who Miller defeated in the GOP primary. There still is some chance that Miller might sneak into office on technicalities like spelling errors on write in ballots, but those will be the tricks of lawyers, not the will of the people.



Even worse for Sarah Palin is the fact that Ms. Murkowski and the Senator's family have been political rivals of the Wasilla grifter. That must really sting for a egomaniac like Palin.

It also is pissing off her supporters.

The far right blog, Politico, had a posting on the election results in Alaska. There was nothing particularly interesting or distressing about the posting, but the comments were some of the most vicious things I've ever read about real people online. (People tend to be freer to say the most incredibly hateful things about fictional characters, especially the ones on soaps.) I ordinarily wouldn't run things like this, especially considering the misogyny of some of them, but I think it really is important to show the amazing degree of hatred and fanaticism that Sarah Palin and the teabagger scam have incited among the right fringe. (I should note that the worst comments that were there when I originally saw the article have been deleted by the administrators.)

Under normal circumstances in the real world this bitter, selfish entitled queen would be shunned. But we are talking Washington and to keep the GOP numbers up they will offer this lying nag some power position to keep her in the GOP fold. Poor Joe Miller won the primary but takes the bitter medicine in the end!
....
There is strong sense that Murkowski is a traitor, a turn coat, a bad sport. She asked for Republican support, didn't get it, and lost the primary and now she demands Republican leadership? Maybe she ought o switch party.
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She is so damn UGLY who cares. She wants the power for EARMARKS, well guess what they are going to be eliminated and she is going to be very upset. I cannot wait to see how congress votes on this matter, bet she votes YEA...
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AK just cant stop sucking the federal Murkowski t i t.They have billions saved in a PDF fund they get yearly dividens from.10 billion saved in a rainy day fund and they still get the most pork per capita than any other state.What a bunch of greedy losers they are sucking the taxpayers in the lower 48 dry while hoarding billions.Meanwhile the states are hemoriging and still giving Lisa her yearly pork.Screw you AK AND YOU MURKOWSKI ! Your nothing other than porky Teddy Stevens in a long skirt to hide you vericous viened legs.Palin said your state was full of strong independent people.I guess shes wrong on that one, your just a bunch of freeloaders.Hey why dont you spend your own cash.Murkowski AKs pork queen,well AK Americas had enough of your bloodsucking greed.
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Murkowski, (with the emphasis on the "kow") is the RINO Nancy Pelosi, a lying, cheating, back-stabbing ***** who will do anything underhanded to keep her seat in Congress because she feels entitled. Entitled to what Lisa Pelosi? Thwart the will of the people? Do what you want to do and the public be damned? You'd make one hell of a good dumbocrat. Get lost.

When I just checked a story on Yahoo News, Yahoo's administrators had not deleted this comment.

Muratski, I dont see anyone paying u 100K to give a speech, so shut your ugly trap up, u Rino. Eat crap and choke on it.

The weirdest thing is that the Palinbots agree with Murkowski on at least 99% of the issues. The only issue I'm aware of where Murkowski isn't an absolute wingnut is abortion, where she is pro choice. In fact, Murkowski is Big Oil's and Big Coal's point person in the Senate in efforts to sabotage Global Warming legislation.

On a lighter note, here's a parody video I did a while back on the Wasilla Grifter.



Photo: triciaward


 

Photo: Joe Futrelle

Congratulations to the Green Party of New York. Green Party candidate for Governor Howie Hawkins got more than the required 50,000 for a political party to get ballot status. For the next two elections, Green Party candidates will have the same reduced signature gathering requirements as Republicans and Democrats.

With over 97% of precincts reporting, Hawkins already had 56,868 votes. Hawkins ran an energetic campaign focused on blocking the toxic natural gas extraction technique known as fracking as well as on making Wall St pay its fair share in taxes. Hawkins was able to do this in spite of the low election turnout.

The Green Party's press release last night announced what did indeed turn out to be this victory.

With 32% of precincts counted and more to come in, the New York State Green Party declared victory at 11:30 PM on election night. The votes cast for Howie Hawkins and Gloria Mattera will secure the Green Party a ballot line for the next four years, and represent support for the "Green New Deal." Support for other candidates is also promising, with Comptroller candidate Julia Willebrand receiving 3% of the vote, and US Senate candidates Colia Clarke and Cecile Lawrence coming in third in their races respectively.

"This is the best showing ever for statewide Green Party candidates. It is the culmination of months of hard work on the part of many party members, and the candidates themselves. Voters are fed up with Democrats and Republicans taking their votes for granted, and are open to hearing ideas from a party not beholden to Wall St. and special interests. Howie Hawkins campaigned tirelessly to promote the idea of a Green New Deal, funded by progressive taxation on the wealthy, and using the stock transfer tax we already collect to fill the budget gap. Voters who heard the message understood that Howie's platform made sense, and that it's the austerity plans of Cuomo and Paladino that are nonsense," said Peter LaVenia, co-chair of the NY State Green Party.

"The strong showing by all of our candidates means voters have finally seen how little difference there is between the Democrats and Republicans. People support Green ideas when they hear them: ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, single-payer universal health care, living wage jobs, renewable energy - and in this election we see they are linking our candidates to the issues they care about most. This is a building block for the future. We are going to use this victory to elect Greens statewide, starting at the local level and moving on up to the state," stated Eric Jones, co-chair of the NYS Green Party.

"While this campaign is over, we're not waiting around for the next one to begin - there's too much work to be done. The Green Party intends to be an independent force in NY State politics for working New Yorkers. Andrew Cuomo and the State Legislature are on notice - this is one party that doesn't sell its ballot line for influence," said LaVenia.

Bill Clinton built up the Green Party in the US in the 1990s with his GOP style policies. Frustration with the GOP oriented policies of Obama, Cuomo, Schumer, and Gillibrand helped the third party get ballot status again.

It looks like the Libertarians will just miss getting ballot status this time. The Rent Is Too Damned High and Anti Prohibition Parties failed as well. I have yet to see the results for the fusion parties (Working Families, Conservative, and Independence). In New York state, parties can endorse candidates from other parties, and the three fusion parties are intended to pressure Republican and Democratic candidates. Corporate media reports of election returns don't break down votes for the same candidate on different party ballot lines.

 

Every poll I've read shows GOP incumbent David Vitter leading in Louisiana. This is the same guy who is known to have picked up prostitutes.

Many people from the rest of the country think of Louisiana only in terms of the wild and risque New Orleans. However, most people in that state don't live in "They Big Easy." There is a large segment of the population which is very rural and extreme in their religious conservatism.

The Christian Right, Protestant and Catholic, has used the term "family values" to attack queers, self respecting women, and even people of color. The attacks claim to be about the willingness of others to follow the set of social restrictions of extreme Christianity. Yet, whether you are talking about clerical sexcapades, misuse of funds, and the general wild behaviors of members of these congregations, it isn't hard to find plenty of examples of hypocrisy.

What is interesting about the Vitter campaign is that he is likely to win due to a massive degree of collective hypocrisy on the part of Christian extremists, who make up most of the GOP base in that state. If he pulls it off, he will prove that a heterosexual, white male can get away with breaking any of the supposed "family values" with impunity, especially of that guy is rich and a Republican.

The collective act of hypocrisy wouldn't be limited to Louisiana either. If the Christian Right really took what they stood for seriously and consistently, they would have lead a Crusade against Vitter once his frolicking as a John were revealed. They haven't bothered to do jack about him.

A Vitter victory would prove for once and for all that the Christian Right is completely full of shit.

Photo: Derek Bridges

 

The working conditions for the performers at Linda McMahon's WWE were terrible, and that has gotten so much attention that someone actually made a parody campaign video about it.



However, the consequences are not funny. There are a lot of tributes by WWE fans on YouTube for the performers who have died. They are grim reminders of Linda McMahon's management practices.



Linda McMahon's own daughter worked under terrible conditions.



We'll soon see if Ms. McMahon can use her dirty WWE millions to buy the Connecticut Senate seat. I hope the WWE performers finally get a union.

 

The issue of foreign interference with US elections has just gotten more disturbing, with the heinous British Petroleum meddling in our elections. The teabagger scam has been funded by a lot of wealthy and corporate interests, but this is particularly awful. From the Guardian 10/24/10:

BP and several other big European companies are funding the midterm election campaigns of Tea Party favourites who deny the existence of global warming or oppose Barack Obama's energy agenda, the Guardian has learned.

An analysis of campaign finance by Climate Action Network Europe (Cane) found nearly 80% of campaign donations from a number of major European firms were directed towards senators who blocked action on climate change. These included incumbents who have been embraced by the Tea Party such as Jim DeMint, a Republican from South Carolina, and the notorious climate change denier James Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma.

The report, released tomorrow, used information on the Open Secrets.org database to track what it called a co-ordinated attempt by some of Europe's biggest polluters to influence the US midterms. It said: "The European companies are funding almost exclusively Senate candidates who have been outspoken in their opposition to comprehensive climate policy in the US and candidates who actively deny the scientific consensus that climate change is happening and is caused by people."

After what British Petroleum did to the United States of America, it is completely unpatriotic to accept their dirty money. Besides, that money should be going to cleaning up the Gulf, which still isn't being done.

The right always natters on about how supposedly patriotic they are, but they have no loyalty to this country. The only things they value are their prejudices and the corporations they pander to.