"A black sheriff?!": The Official Topic of Obama and New Era American Politics

[Ichirou]

Yeah, I'm pretty awesome.

[Cheebs]

I still want to know why its morally a bad thing to help out old people. 

[Human Snorenado]

That's right, guys.  Taxing people with the goal of helping old people not die homeless is morally reprehensible.  And this is why libertarians will never win anything.  Good stuff, good stuff.

[The Dark Shake 3000]

I've known a handful of decent libertarians in my time, but why are the vast majority so fucking stupid?

[Brehvolution]

Hitokage posted this the other day at gaf. It's long and i haven't finished it all yet but it is an amazing read.

http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/Rush%20Newspeak%20%20Fascism.pdf

When the right accuses liberals of “fascism,” it almost always does so in an effort to obscure its own fascist
proclivities — and it reminds the rest of us just whose footsoldiers are in reality merrily goosestepping
down the national garden path.

Eco identifies a series of traits that sum up the essence of what he calls “Ur-Fascism,” that is, the beast
that has always been with us and will always be. Now, although this piece was written in 1995, let’s see
how many we can recognize today:
The cult of tradition.
[Who are the folks who beat their breasts (and ours) incessantly over the primacy of
‘traditional Judaeo-Christian culture’?]
The rejection of modernism.
[Think ‘feminazis.’ Think attacks on the NEA. Think attacks on multiculturalism.]
Irrationalism.
[G.W. Bush’s anti-intellectualism and illogical, skewed speech are positively celebrated
by the right.]
Action for action’s sake.
[Exactly why are we making war on Iraq, anyway?]
Disagreement is treason.
[“Liberals are anti-American.”]
Fear of difference.
[Again, think of the attacks on multiculturalism, as well as the attacks on Muslims and
Islam generically.]
Appeal to a frustrated middle class.
[See the Red states — you know, the ones who voted for Bush. The ones where
Limbaugh is on the air incessantly.]
Obsession with a plot.
[limbaugh and conservatives have been obsessed with various “plots” by liberals for the
past decade — see, e.g., the Clinton impeachment, and current claims of a “fifth column”
among liberals.]
5

[The Dark Shake 3000]

Real talk: What's worse, a hardcore republitard or a "loose change" conspiracy theory nut?

[Brehvolution]

Both live in the world of their own made up fantasies.

[Cheebs]

what ever happened to the 9/11 nuts? they seemed to have disappeared

[The Dark Shake 3000]

Both live in the world of their own made up fantasies.

Yeah, but which actually has the power and influence to change things in this country?

I am literally disgusted that Fox News exists and is broadcast as some sort of news outlet. And it consistently gets the highest ratings of the lot. And I know people who seem to believe that it is truly "fair and balanced" and "reports the news the mainstream liberal media doesn't want you to hear". It's disgusting to think people who buy into that shit are turning around and helping to pass any sort of legislation in this country.

[The Dark Shake 3000]

what ever happened to the 9/11 nuts? they seemed to have disappeared

I guess now they've taken on a new cause: Trying to convince people Obama is really the antichrist and/or a secret Muslim

[Brehvolution]

Both live in the world of their own made up fantasies.

Yeah, but which actually has the power and influence to change things in this country?

I am literally disgusted that Fox News exists and is broadcast as some sort of news outlet. And it consistently gets the highest ratings of the lot. And I know people who seem to believe that it is truly "fair and balanced" and "reports the news the mainstream liberal media doesn't want you to hear". It's disgusting to think people who buy into that shit are turning around and helping to pass any sort of legislation in this country.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/category/ratings/cable-news

If by pulling less than 3M people in is supposed to be awesome ratings, I'm not seeing it. The popularity of fox is extremely overblown.
Also, there are a lot of libruls who watch fox just to get a gauge on the propaganda that the right is leveling on the dumber sect of the American population. I'd be more concerned if fox wasn't being called out on their horseshit every day.

[The Dark Shake 3000]

I meant in comparison to other news outlets. This:

FNC – 1,229,000 viewers
CNN – 385,000 viewers
MSNBC – 407,000 viewers
CNBC – 187,000 viewers
HLN – 393,000 viewers

is troubling :'(

[Brehvolution]

I would smugly argue that(since you copied daytime stats) that fox's viewers are largely made up of retired and out of work white people while the libruls are at work.

[The Dark Shake 3000]

It's also the retired crazies that are first in line to go vote against gay marriage and what have you

[Green Shinobi]

My grandpa still forwards me some of the religio-conservatard mass emails. He was an M.D. You'd think that someone with his intellectual capabilities would be able to see through some of the obvious bullshit, but you'd be mistaken. It really is all about what you want to believe in many cases.

[Cheebs]

I meant in comparison to other news outlets. This:

FNC – 1,229,000 viewers
CNN – 385,000 viewers
MSNBC – 407,000 viewers
CNBC – 187,000 viewers
HLN – 393,000 viewers

is troubling :'(

NBC Nightly News - 8,050,000
ABC World News - 7,270,000
CBS Evening News - 5,160,000

And in terms of pure political shows
"Meet the Press" - 2.99M
"This Week" - 2.50M
"Face The Nation" - 2.33M

In the grand scheme of things of television news sources Fox News is a minor blip.

[Stoney Mason]

Normal people meaning 95% of people who follow politics don't follow it on some factual or intellectual basis. Politics is about group dynamics. Your group versus the other group whichever side you identify with for whatever various reasons.

Fox draws big relative numbers for news because it is the channel that is most openly a rooting network not that every other network is perfect balanced but Fox is essentially "conservative news" aka news for Republicans.

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if it was openly identified as a conservative news network but since it isn't you have a news network in the eco-system that openly has an agenda that can influence other news networks.

They wield more influence than a normal network of that size would due to this.

[The Dark Shake 3000]

A minor blip that can rally people to do shit like the Tea Party protests? It may not be the biggest, but I think it's certainly has the most influence on its audience.

[Cheebs]

I don't think anyone confuses it as a unbiased news source by 2010 though. It is such a huge aspect of pop culture that it hard to avoid. Movies, late night shows, sitcoms....etc have all made reference to Fox News's bias. No one can be unaware by this point and be confused. Even the most politically unaware have probably been exposed to multiple fox news jokes.

A minor blip that can rally people to do shit like the Tea Party protests? It may not be the biggest, but I think it's certainly has the most influence on its audience.

Of course it has way more of a influence but you were posting ratings. 

[The Dark Shake 3000]

I don't think having like five times the audience of the other channels during the day is such a small thing. Like I said, a lot of the people who are the first in line to vote are also home watching Fox News while you dirty commies are at work or school. :'(

[Phoenix Dark]

That's right, guys.  Taxing people with the goal of helping old people not die homeless is morally reprehensible.  And this is why libertarians will never win anything.  Good stuff, good stuff.

Dunno dude, a young messican dude is beating the shit out of a nice older white gentlemen on a platform that calls for cutting social security and medicare in fucking Florida

[Van Cruncheon]

a nice GAY older white gentleman

[Cheebs]

That's right, guys.  Taxing people with the goal of helping old people not die homeless is morally reprehensible.  And this is why libertarians will never win anything.  Good stuff, good stuff.

Dunno dude, a young messican dude is beating the shit out of a nice older white gentlemen on a platform that calls for cutting social security and medicare in fucking Florida

In a republican primary. A closed republican primary.

If it was a general election of just crist vs rubio crist would win easily.

[Phoenix Dark]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100418/D9F58FG01.html

[Dickie Dee]

WALLACE: You said, I never considered myself a maverick.

MCCAIN: Well, all I — what I was saying was that I have considered myself a person who’s a fighter. I wouldn’t be around today if I wasn’t a fighter. I fight for the things that I believe in, and sometimes that’s called a maverick. Sometimes that’s called a partisan. And people can draw their own conclusions. I prefer great American myself, but…

WALLACE: So are you running away from the maverick title…

MCCAIN: No, of course not.

WALLACE: … because somehow it indicates that maybe you’re not a true blue conservative?

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

:usa prefers to be descrbed as Great American :usa

[Stoney Mason]

Straight Talk Express!

[Barry Egan]

[Brehvolution]

[Phoenix Dark]

http://twitter.com/CharlesMBlow/status/12419104794

[Phoenix Dark]

The 50b was there to help ensure tax payer money doesn't go towards bailing out corporations, for instance by paying to keep the lights on as stuff is dismantled/SEC does its thing. Eliminating the fund ensures tax payer money will go towards bailout processes. Which is probably what McConnel wants (get cash for the finance industry, complain about Obama giving said cash to the finance industry), and what the corporations probably want to.

He's really exposed himself as someone who doesn't know anything about anything, and isn't interested in legislating or doing anything but play politics.

edit:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=20833277&postcount=19752

Ah ok, so getting rid of it isn't a bad idea, and the compromise also ensures Americans don't foot the bill. Although given the fact that the government provides the money first, it would be even easier for conservatives to complain about this while leaving out the part about the money being payed back.

[Cheebs]

Not American politics but holy shit the liberal third party most wrote off in England has been surging like crazy and is now leading the polls for the first time in history. Absolutely crazy.


http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/18/liberal_democrats_take_lead_in_britain.html

[The Dark Shake 3000]

(Image removed from quote.)

Perfect.

[Brehvolution]

This is too funny.

A day in the life of Obama(as envisioned by a typical republican)

6:30 AM: Obama awakened by clock radio tuned to NPR’s popular morning drive-time show, Kronsky the Bomb Thrower and His Anarcho-Syndicalist Zoo. “You know what would be fun?” Kronsky quips. “Getting the workers to seize the means of production and execute the blood-sucking capitalist bosses!” “If only,” mutters Obama.

7:30 AM: on way to Oval Office, Obama ducks into private chapel, slipping off shoes and prostrating self while facing Mecca. He chants high-pitched, ululating prayer to Allah in foreign tongue then before leaving, bows before busts of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Hitler and Saul Alinsky.

7:40 AM: Rahm Emanuel enters Oval Office, gives Obama secret Illuminati handshake, says, “Good morning, Comrade President. The Iranian ambassador is here to discuss his scheme to undermine America’s security.” Obama says, “Show him right in.”

9:05 AM: Snack of sweetened camel milk served with dates, figs, pita and hummus. Then Iranian ambassador exits White House through secret tunnel so Fox News won’t see him.

9:30 AM: House Speaker Pelosi arrives to plot strategy for government takeover of lucrative garbage-collection industry. Obama gives her large suitcase full of cash for bribing Congressmen.

10 AM: Editors of New York Times, Washington Post, New Yorker arrive to receive weekly instructions.

11 AM: Daily intelligence briefing by CIA and Pentagon officials on activities of America’s enemies. Bored, Obama does crossword puzzle, then dozes off.

Noon: Lunch with leaders of world gay conspiracy, who lobby Obama to appoint a transsexual to Supreme Court.

2 PM: Quiet ceremony in Rose Garden, where elders of Kikuyu tribe give Obama plaque honoring him as first Kenyan to become President of U.S.

3 PM: Latte with key advisers Al Gore, Michael Moore, Rev. Wright, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Al Sharpton, Bill Ayers.

4 PM: Basketball with White House staffers. Obama’s side allowed to win, as usual.

7 PM: Dinner with family, leaders of Acorn.

9 PM: Obama reads a chapter from Das Kapital for Kids to Sasha, Malia.

10 PM: In private quarters, Obama, Michelle are so moved watching PBS documentary on suffering of poor widows and children of al Qaeda suicide bombers,  they decide to make contribution.

11 PM: Bong hits, anal sex, then sleep.

2:25 AM: Succubus enters bedroom, mounts sleeping President and has her way with him while whispering demonic instructions for next day.

[Phoenix Dark]

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201004180001
lol

[Oblivion]

[Boogie]

He's also stunningly ignorant of history.  Like crazy uninformed.  I think Boogie can vouch for this.

Unfortunately, your memory is better than mine, Mandark.  I vaguely know about what you're referring to, but I can't for the life of me remember what the actual topic of discussion was.  And with GAF's search function nuked, I doubt I could find the thread.  This is one of those memory gaps that's going to bug the hell out of me for the next couple of hours.

[Phoenix Dark]

just tell yourself it was about Japan/atomic bomb and smile knowing you owned him good

[Mandark]

The gist was "Woodrow Wilson helped cause post-WWI instability by taking a hardline stance at Versailles".  Practically verbatim.

Gaborn's had a few other stupid-bombs like that, including "the US didn't borrow money to fight WW2" and "racists didn't vote in US elections in the early/mid-20th century".

It's the overconfidence in his judgments combined with the sub-HS textbook level of familiarity with history.  I'm probably as guilty as anyone for pontificating on subjects where I've actually got pretty thin knowledge, but goddam.

[Dickie Dee]

The gist was "Woodrow Wilson helped cause post-WWI instability by taking a hardline stance at Versailles".  Practically verbatim.

lolz

[Boogie]

The gist was "Woodrow Wilson helped cause post-WWI instability by taking a hardline stance at Versailles".  Practically verbatim.

ah, thank you!  Yes, I remember that one now.  That was definitely a head-spinning one.

[Phoenix Dark]

Amazing

Republicans Mitt Romney and Michael Steele headlined a Republican National Committee fundraiser six days ago at the home of the hedge fund titan at the center of the Security and Exchange Committee's fraud charges against Goldman Sachs.

A spokesman for the RNC confirmed the Tuesday evening event at the Manhattan home of John Paulson, who made a fortune betting against the housing market, and whom Goldman is accused of working to structure products sold to unwitting investors.

Paulson appears not to be facing charges. The RNC spokesman declined to comment on the gathering and a Romney spokesman didn't respond to an email on the topic.

Republicans have by and large fought regulations on derivative trading that would dramatically impact the businesses of hedge fund managers like Paulson.

The Goldman charges have sprayed a toxic political cloud out from one of Wall Street's wealthiest corners, raising questions for politicians of both parties, like New York's Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, who raised heavily from Goldman Sachs, and for the recipients  of contributions from the politically-active Paulson.

Though many hedge fund managers lean Democratic, Paulson has split his giving, offering maximum six-figure contributions both the the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and to the Republican National Committee. Paulson, ranked 45 on Forbes' list of America's richest individuals, made maximum contributions to the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Rudy Giuliani in 2008, but has also given to key Democratic senators for the finance industry, including Chris Dodd and Max Baucus.

Paulson hasn't given directly to Schumer, though he maxed out to Schumer's committee. But he did host a fundraiser for the senior New York senator earlier this month, describing him in the invitation as "one of the few members of Congress that has consistently supported the hedge fund industry."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0410/Goldman_figure_Paulson_hosted_Romney_Steele_last_week.html

[Human Snorenado]

These fucking guys!

[Stoney Mason]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Charlie Crist said Monday he may quit his GOP primary race and run for the Senate as an independent, his once-promising career threatened by fast-rising conservative opposition.

After weeks of insisting he would stay in the Aug. 24 primary, Crist told The Associated Press in a phone interview he intends to be "very, very thoughtful and deliberate" as he makes up his mind. The governor trails conservative rival Marco Rubio by double-digit margins in public polls after holding a huge lead at the outset.

The race is being closely watched nationally as a test of the strength of the tea party movement vs. more moderate Republicans. Rubio rose from obscurity to a favorite among conservatives with strong support from tea party activists. Crist, a moderate leader in one of the nation's largest states, had been considered a potential GOP presidential or vice presidential nominee.

Crist said he intends to listen to Florida residents as he decides his political future. He must make up his mind by the April 30 deadline to get on the ballot, and he cannot run as an independent if he gambles on the primary and loses.

Rep. Kendrick Meek is the likely Democratic nominee.

Just two years ago, Crist was riding high within the Republican Party, a popular governor on the short list for vice president on the GOP ticket. When Republican Sen. Mel Martinez announced his retirement, Crist was seen as a shoo-in for the job, a possible stepping stone to a presidential run.

But Crist's fortunes were upended by his embrace – literally and figuratively – of President Barack Obama and his $787 billion stimulus package along with the state's economic woes and the strong challenge from the right.

Now top Republicans are pressuring him to quit rather than run as an independent.

"If Governor Crist believes he cannot win a primary then the proper course of action is he drop out of the race and wait for another day," Rob Jesmer of the National Republican Senatorial Committee wrote in an e-mail to consultants.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/19/crist-independent-run_n_543818.html

[Cheebs]

It's his only choice. Polling shows him slightly above Rubio in a 3 way race, 20-30% behind in the GOP primary.

Who would he caucus with though? It is conceivable that who controls the senate will come down to who Lieberman and a potential independent Florida Sen. Crist would decide to caucus with in the next congress.

If I was in Florida and it looked very close with Crist and Rubio with Meek in the back I would  probably hold my nose and vote Crist just to stop the super right-wing Rubio and I bet a lot of Democrats will do that in that state assuming that is how it plays out like current 3 way polling suggests.

[AdmiralViscen]

I hope this keeps happening.

[Cheebs]

If the tea party didn't mess with this then none of this would have happened. And now we have Crist acting less Republican like vetoing the Republican education bill to show how independent he is of the GOP.

Now the RNC is going to have to waste tons of resources on this race that could have gone elsewhere since it will be competitive assuming Crist does leave the party when before it never would have been. Thank you tea party .

[Van Cruncheon]

VOTE FOR THIS DUDE, IDAHOBORE: http://www.harleydbrownforcongress.org/index.html

[Stoney Mason]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

 

[Phoenix Dark]

VOTE FOR THIS DUDE, IDAHOBORE: http://www.harleydbrownforcongress.org/index.html

[Fresh Prince]

Speak English. Speak American! Speak American!

[Stoney Mason]

Speak English. Speak American! Speak American!

 

[Phoenix Dark]

she's not backing down
[youtube=560,345]a9o8lVWWDac[/youtube]

This person is going to become a United States senator in January.

[Mandark]

she's not backing down


This person is going to become a United States senator in January.

as;dfglihsgdahkl;

I give up.  She's leaving me no room for satire.


Green Shinobi:  I don't think either of those things are necessarily true.

[Phoenix Dark]

It could happen in January when the senate rules are set up, assuming democrats still have control of the senate (they should). It'll only take 51 votes to make changes at that time. There would be an incentive since the next election would be a presidential one, and if the WH is left with say 52 senators they might want to do something about it.

I don't see it happening though. If dems get beat down in November, or if it's perceived they do, it would be rather ballsy bust up the filibuster in response. I'd love to see something done though, like Harkin's idea

Harkin appeared with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) to introduce a resolution that would set shrinking vote benchmarks to end filibusters: the first vote on a cloture motion — which ends a filibuster — would require 60 votes to proceed, the next would be two days later and require 57. This process would repeat itself until the number fell to 51, or a simple majority.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32853.html#ixzz0liQWj8Sf

but I doubt it

[Eric P]

sweet baby jesus

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-april-20-2010/bernie-goldberg-fires-back

[Brehvolution]

Fantastic. Can't wait for the rebuttal.

[Cheebs]

she's not backing down
[youtube=560,345]a9o8lVWWDac[/youtube]

This person is going to become a United States senator in January.

I can't imagine Harry Reid smacking her down in a debate either. He is just too meekish in his character. 

I knew Harry Reid would lose when I saw a clip of his "big" bus tour of his state from a few weeks ago and one of his big stops had 2 old ladies with signs there clapping for him. Two. And when he got off and started speaking to them with a mic I could barely here him because he was mumbling like a whispery voice. Ugh.


Also Obama is going to push forward with immigration reform despite it being an election year it seems like:
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/21/democrats_go_big.html

[Fresh Prince]

Doctors are caring people

[Van Cruncheon]

sucks to be you guys. my doctor will trade a year's worth of blowjobs in return for regular bloodwork. however, he's said that if i want my CKD looked at, i'm gonna need to reconsider my stance on anal sex :'(

[Phoenix Dark]

With enough nitrous oxide it'll feel like a Christian side hug, no worries