Craigorian Chant

Sure we got bills to pass and a Country to make better, but there's always time for a reporter getting hit in the junk:



One eye on the speaker, one eye on the road ahead buddy.

Labels: Funny Ha Ha

Some folks just crave a witch hunt.

Labels: Fear Itself, War of Terror

Right now in a parallel universe in which Nazi Germany won World War II, alternative me (who I hope is secretly working to overthrow the regime) is really looking forward to a new Sci-Fi channel series about an alternative universe where Nazi Germany lost the war. I know this, because whatever versions of me exist out there in the metaverse, I know they are all nerds.

Who wonder about alternative versions of themselves.

Labels: Alterative History, Nerd

So today is day that the wall came down, plus twenty. I remember at the time thinking I had just started to learn how the world was set up and then they went and changed it on me. Change for the better, but still.

Labels: History

Today's recommended reading is Krugman on the takeover of the GOP by the crazy right. Used to be, the crazies were kept locked up, voting and sometimes yelling at you at the bar, but never actually running things. But when the Republicans got decimated in 2006 and 2008, the non-crazies were the one who got beat. Beck, Limbaugh and Palin now that she quit as Governor never stand for election and thus never get canned by voters. Which means they are the only ones left to run the party.

Labels: Crazytown

Health care reform passes the House with 220 votes, a whole two more than it needed. Like I said, easy. Plus, one whole Republican voted for it, so it's bipartisan. Woo! Go team.

Now for the Senate. Senate is the hard part.

Labels: Congress in Action, Healthy

Oh, there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Money don't grow on trees,
I got bills to pay,
I got mouths to feed,
There ain't nothing in this world for free.

Labels: Music

This could be the definitive mocking of Glenn Beck we've all been looking for:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The 11/3 Project
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

At this point, I would say we can stop making fun of Beck, it's now been done to perfection. But this guy runs the GOP now. We can't stop.

Labels: Crazytown, Funny Ha Ha

AARP just came out big for health care reform. The AARP is pretty pure in its purpose: more benefits for seniors! The pursue this agenda pretty relentlessly, disregarding all other things, like the budget deficit, the next generation, and the rest of the Federal budget. So if the AARP says that health care reform is cool for seniors, you can take that recommendation to the bank. Something to keep in mind the next time the GOP bleats about "unplugging grandma."

Labels: Healthy

Tragedy of the day. I know the NRA, after a school shooting, always says we should arm teachers. So what do we do about a shooting on an army base?

Labels: Gunplay

Remember, the Republican's main idea on health care is that we have too much health care and you should get less of it.

And despite the fact they have no chance of passing it and thus don't have to be realistic in the least, the GOP health care reform plan covers less people and costs more than the Democratic version.

Labels: Healthy

Ten jokes about Joe Lieberman & his threat to filibuster any health care bill which includes a public option.

Labels: Funny Sad or Funny HA HA, Oh Lieberman

Big Republican wins in the two Governor races last night, but let's be honest, is losing New Jersey really a loss? Gay marriage lost in Main, close. The electorate just isn't there yet. Closer every day, but not yet. Bloomberg stayed mayor of New York.

In a local note, the good people of Davis just will not allow any development. Ever.

The drama in upstate New York played out to the end, with the Democrats picking up a seat that they haven't held since the Civil War. Together with John Garamendi winning his special election, there are two more vote for health care reform today then there were yesterday. Keep that in mind when watching the GOP victory dance.

Actually, best possible outcome of these odd odd-year elections would be for conservatives to take the NY-23 "model" nationwide. Nutty Glenn Beck/Sarah Palin conservative knock off electable moderate Republicans in party destroying fights, then lose to Democrats in the general. That's something I could get used to.

Labels: Election 2009

If they are led by Morena Baccarin then I really do welcome our new alien overlords.



Take me! Take Me!

Labels: Mmmmmmmmm, Nerd

Well, kind of. For a lucky few. If you live in New Jersey or Virginia. New York Mayor. Upstate New York has a little soap going. John Garamendi is going to get himself a seat in Congress today. Just a little action to get the political junkies their fix. While I am grateful that fix, I have to say that odd-year governor and mayoral races are a bad idea. They kill turnout and cut a huge part of the electorate out of local government. The Presidency being what it is, you are just always going to get the best turnout for that election. But governor and mayor are really important jobs! Everybody should put their 2 cents on smaller races. I say put as many gigs on the ballot as possible and then get everyone out.

Labels: Better Government Please, Election 2009, Get Your Ass to the Polls

Ok, not so much getting smarter, but the more we learn about them, the smarter they turn out to be. They use tools, they adopt to new situations, they learn. They are excited when they learn something. You know where this leads, right?

Labels: Dolphins

Meet Riese:



Steampunk!

Labels: TV

Sometimes its just more fun to be a conservative. They are going to get to have themselves a nationwide purge, while we can't even throw out one little heretic.

Labels: Crazytown, Oh Lieberman

So I did not get into the finals of WashPost's pundit contest. Here are the top ten. The list includes a Noble Prize winner, a fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, and an assistant secretary of commerce with the Bush Administration. So apparently, they were checking resumes. Until someone tells me different, I'm just going to assume that I placed 11th out of the 5,000 or so entries.

UPDATE: Fistfights in the Post's newsroom! I'm so sad I'm not going to part of this.

Labels: Craigorian Chant OmniMedia

Two very notable exits, with San Fransisco Mayor Gavin Newson dropping out of the California Governor's race, and the moderate GOP candidate in the NY-23 also giving up the ghost.

Newson I'm pretty disappointed in. The other leading Democratic governor candidate is Jerry Brown, and I was looking forward to a good old verses new, great hair verses no hair primary match-up. I've got real doubts about Brown, and now it looks like we are stuck with him.

Republican Dede Scozzafava's exit is the latest chapter in the GOP morality play I've been keeping an eye on lately.

The lesson of this play is pretty simple: Do not be even the slightest bit moderate in today's GOP. Scozzafava was mostly conservative with just a few heresies, like gay rights and card check, but that was enough for a full blown right-wing mobilization. And in a conservative district, the right can win. But the Country is not a conservative district in up-state New York. The tea party wackos will not beat Obama and will not stop health care reform, but they may just succeed in driving the few remaining moderates from the GOP. Which makes for a very united party. The GOP doesn't have to worry about moderates going rogue and fouling up legislation. But it also makes for a very small party.

UPDATE: Wow. Scozzafava just endorsed the Democrat in the race. To be clear, the official GOP nominee just endorsed the official Democratic nominee in a House special election three day before election day. That's insane.

Labels: Election 2009, Election 2010, More Time with Your Family