Well, good morning, Kansas! It’s a little wet out there, so watch it if you’re out on the roads. It’s never too late to be careful.
We started out this fine morning with a little dust up from last night. Let’s move on and remember why we are here. I am not the best at doing that – sometimes I need to be reminded that politics wasn’t meant to be a full contact sport.
Cheers. Have a cup of coffee and enjoy the rain. We need both.
I was disappointed too! I wanted all of the Republicans up for recall to lose their bids to keep their seats. But, that wasn’t the way it happened.
This morning there are stories swirling about Waukesha County tampering, the district where ‘irregularities’ from the last two elections should be under a microscope.
Two entrenched Republicans lost, and four held onto their seats. The people of Wisconsin are either celebrating or sorely disappointed in the results. And the Citizens United case gave the state a bunch of money!
Does anyone else feel sad about all that money that was spent on an election when you look around at the suffering going on in the world? It really is a world turned upside down.
I have been reading a bit about debt/deficits and default, lately – you can’t seem to miss it. I have to wonder if our ‘friends’ the Tea Cons have a clue regarding the finances of the country.
For example, many were calling to deny an increase in the debt ceiling, effectively cutting 40-45 percent of the Federal government. The impact of that would be staggering, cataclysmic in scope.
Just for starters, a huge number of people that currently pay taxes and contribute to society would be thrown into the unemployment pool. With joblessness running at nine percent, the effect on government spending would be devastating.
To me, it is a simple equation, it may not be what we want to do, but it is what we have to do.
When the transmission falls out of the car, you have no choice but to replace it. The cost is secondary.
They were willing to see whether our country would go over that cliff. They didn’t have anyone holding a rope to pull her back up if she did go down. That didn’t concern them. I don’t feel confident having people who are willing to do such harm in roles of leadership.
Maybe, maybe not. I have had my suspicions since Friday – was this a S & P shot across the bow at Obama? Look at the situation carefully and consider that no one truly believes that America is anything less than a solid investment. Notice when the Dow tanked, investors put their money in T-Bills.
Personally, I think the downgrade is a manufactured crisis.
There is more to this story that what has been revealed thus far.
Since phone hacking seems to the ‘chic’ thing to do on the CONS side, maybe one should look into hiring a good hacker on the left side of the aisle and give the CONS a run for their money?
Whether there is more to the story (I agree there probably is), will anything change? Were there any lessons learned? It doesn’t seem so. It seems those we’ve elected are entrenched in ideology and WE THE PEOPLE will pay the price for their [mis]deeds. I saw poll results yesterday that showed the huge percentage of people who think congress critters shouldn’t be reelected. The very next question asked about the Rep or Senator from their district/state and a waaaay smaller number of people said they should go. Seems even the voters are stuck! Fire everyone’s congress critter but your own leaves us in pretty much the same place.
Here’s a snip from a blog entry that agrees with me that we didn’t learn any lessons that may have been there to learn (read more at the link) —
You would think that abysmal growth and jobs data, the first-ever downgrade of U.S. debt and heart- stopping gyrations in the financial markets would impel political leaders to at least take a second look at some of their assumptions about restoring confidence in the U.S. economy.
Sadly, you would be mistaken.
President Barack Obama called again this week for a deficit-reduction plan that includes both new revenue and spending cuts, a solution that he said would require “common sense and compromise.” Alas, we have seen little of either quality from Speaker John Boehner and the House majority leader, Eric Cantor. The Republican leaders reiterated their determination to oppose any solution to the U.S. fiscal mess that involves revenue increases.
Whatever one thinks of the validity of Standard & Poor’s decision to downgrade U.S. debt, it contained an admonition that we should take seriously: Spending cuts alone won’t be sufficient to place the debt, and by extension, the economy, on a sustainable path. In a memo to his Republican colleagues, Cantor warned that S&P’s analysis put the party under “pressure to compromise on tax increases” on the ground that there is “no other way forward.” His response: “I respectfully disagree.”
As always, the Republican leaders justified their intransigence by invoking the demons of job-killing taxes that would suppress the dynamism of overtaxed Americans, hampering growth.
Here’s a short article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram. WE THE PEOPLE and those we’ve elected are so divided in our ideas of what will help, how will we make progress? Honestly, I can’t find the way forward. At this town-hall meeting the Texas Rep and the people talk about impeachment and seem to think it’s the way forward.
Let them go ahead and impeach Obama. This may be the tipping point for the tide to turn against these CONS.
I remember Bill Clinton’s impeachment . Alot of people were more mad at the Republicans for wasting millions of dollars on a case that was nothing more than partisan hack politics.
I remember alot of moderate Republicans were horrified at Newt and the rest of his Far-right fringies were frowned on and, as it turned out, Newt and his lemmings were the ones shown to be the lousy Congress Critters.
Personally, I would like to see Obama come out now and tell everyone ‘take this job and shove it’ and say he is not running for re-election. Then we’ll get a far-left Democrat with street-fight credentials to run. – Al Franken, maybe?
Republicans love to demonize Obama for redistributing the wealth. But these same folks have no problem with working class taxpayer money being taken to give to the top 2% wealthiest and their corporations.
I guess that redistributing the wealth is only evil if the rich are being asked to pay any taxes.
But what will these morons do when there are no more working class taxpayers?
The Right has been drooling over the idea of impeaching Obama since before he was even sworn in!
Who cares what the reason is? I’m sure if the GOP looks hard enough they’ll find something that qualifies. Maybe Obama broke one of the dishes in the China Room. Maybe he didn’t finish all of his tax-payer funded vegetables. Perhaps the Right will just wait until James O’Keefe gets around to making up a fake controversy about the President and Fox blares it 24/7. It won’t matter. The whole point will be to distract the country with a scandal and tarnish the reputation of Obama. Just like they did with Clinton.
After all, prosecuting George Bush for war crimes he’s admitted to would be bad for the country but impeaching for a blow job? Vitally important to National Security!
I’m beginning to lose my Pollyanna attitude on that subject. We’re so far apart and no one seems willing to budge. We’re all positive we’re correct and anything different than ‘the correct position’ is totally wrong. No one even seems willing to remember that communication is a good thing and includes both speaking and listening. Instead of communicating we are stuck on arguing and some of what we argue about is really not important enough to waste energy on.
I think about the lessons we’ve all learned from our personal relationships with spouses and relatives, neighbors and friends. We look for the good and try really hard to move beyond what makes us angry or disappointed. My hubby calls this knowing which hill he wants to die on. He picks battles carefully and tries hard for compromise most of the time. I do the same and we’ve been happily married for a long time. It’s difficult for me to believe adults don’t use these relationship skills in all interactions. We have to care about people and then we have to be polite and considerate or haven’t we become something less than human?
I know attitudes are contagious! I refuse to be drug down! I think I can… I know I can! 😉
I love your positive atttiude. But when two sides are so far apart and one side has reinvented their own version of God to justify their agenda, there is no compromise.
The Tea Party/ Far Right Radical Republicans have stated time and time again – they will NEVER compromise.
It’s not even possible to attempt compromise when one refuses to even yield one inch.
I am serious when I have said numerous times – there is too much religion in our current politics.
Religion is the most divisive man-made thing on Earth.
Reagan started the decimation of the working class but he also invited the Far Right Religious into the inner circle of the GOP.
Reagan did alot of damage to our country but giving power to this fake-God bunch was the worst thing he ever did.
“For three years, the Republican Party has coalesced around the single goal of making President Obama’s every waking moment sheer and utter torture,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters. “But we can’t continue to do that if he’s not in office.”
“If we are going to make the president a haggard shell of a human being by the time he leaves the White House, we need four more years of never compromising, four more years of miring every piece of legislation in unnecessary procedural muck, four more years of pretending we want to work with the president and then walking away from the table at the last second,” McConnell added. “Four more years! Four more years! Obama 2012!”
According to GOP sources, the decision to cede the 2012 election to Obama came after rank-and-file Republicans agreed that grinding the president down to nothing and pushing him to the brink of insanity was far more in line with the Republican Party’s core principles than actually controlling the White House, making laws, or governing the country.
There’s a reason George W. Bush bailed out his Wall Street buddies – and they did not even have to come to Washington in person (like the automakers had to do) to ask for money. These Wall Street buddies got to call in their request for bailout money (taxpayer-funded) over the phone – and on the weekend, no less.
Wow – what great customer service Republicans gave to their ‘right’ buddies.
What part of appointing six Republicans who signed Grover Norquist’s pledge to never raise taxes to this Super Committee does not bode well?
Then to add salt to the wound, Republicans do not like the fact that Sen. Murray is chosen as one of the Democratic members on this Super Committee because Sen. Murray is on the Democratic Senatorial ElectionCommittee and is raising funds to elect fellow Democrats.
Tell me again how Republicans are only concerned about resolving our nation’s debt problem and NOT concerned only about their own partisan politiical hacking?
I heard the Republicans thought Senator Reid should have appointed Republicans for his three choices. I truly believe that’s the only way they would have been pleased. Personally, I still think a ‘Super Congress’ is a problem, not a solution.
Grover Norquist. Unelected yet completely in control. What do they call that system of government? I know it’s not a Constitution-based federal republic.
I have to laugh when these same Republicans who kiss the ring of Grover Norquist accuse Obama of being the Gangster/Mob kingpin.
I agree about this Super Congress (I know it is a committee, but is being called a Congress in the media). I also think it is set up to fail – and it will fail.
So here we go again with all the incessant fighting like a big school yard being harassed a gang of bullies.
I think the repukes will not be happy with defense budget cuts if the triggers are triggered by not coming to agreement in the Super Duper group of buttwipes. They loves them some defense contractors, and the troops, well not so much.
So….
I think they really believe they are going to take the House, the Senate, and the Presidency in 2012. And judging from what happened yesterday in Wisconsin, and other polls that have a decided “throw the bums out” taint ( yes, I said taint) to them, they may have early polling data that says Mittens could lead them to the trifecta.
Otherwise, they would NEVER risk the cuts to defense contractors.
It’s a gamble. And a long time to November, 2012. As we used to say in pool games, “there’s a lot of green on the table between you and that pocket.”
But I think that’s why they are appointing people sure not to agree. They think they can make it work to win.
God help us if they do. The SCOTUS will be gone, the war on women and gays will continue with renewed vigor. More wars of choice will be started to completely wreck the economy and the nation.
2012 is shaping up to be a turning point for the US. Too bad the choices are repuke and repuke lite with Obama on one ticket, and repuke on the other.
Maybe Obama just needs to come out and resign right now and let Joe Biden become president.
Follow me – I think we all know Joe Biden knows how to fight and he can get down and dirty with these so-called godly and morally superior Christian Republicans.
Obama is too nice- we need someone like Joe will tell them to F___ off and will then show them how to do it.
If you watch the Dylan Ratigan show on MSNBC, did you happen to catch Dylan’s infamous rant? He does make some very excellent points. Both parties have contributed to this economic mess and we need to come togegther to face this mess with some common sense.
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Dang Badger Cons.
Well, good morning, Kansas! It’s a little wet out there, so watch it if you’re out on the roads. It’s never too late to be careful.
We started out this fine morning with a little dust up from last night. Let’s move on and remember why we are here. I am not the best at doing that – sometimes I need to be reminded that politics wasn’t meant to be a full contact sport.
Cheers. Have a cup of coffee and enjoy the rain. We need both.
I was disappointed too! I wanted all of the Republicans up for recall to lose their bids to keep their seats. But, that wasn’t the way it happened.
This morning there are stories swirling about Waukesha County tampering, the district where ‘irregularities’ from the last two elections should be under a microscope.
Two entrenched Republicans lost, and four held onto their seats. The people of Wisconsin are either celebrating or sorely disappointed in the results. And the Citizens United case gave the state a bunch of money!
Does anyone else feel sad about all that money that was spent on an election when you look around at the suffering going on in the world? It really is a world turned upside down.
I heard there was $30 million spent on these recall elections?
Just think how far $30 million could have gone to start up businessess and put some people back to work.
And to make matters worse – most of that money came from out of state.
I have been reading a bit about debt/deficits and default, lately – you can’t seem to miss it. I have to wonder if our ‘friends’ the Tea Cons have a clue regarding the finances of the country.
For example, many were calling to deny an increase in the debt ceiling, effectively cutting 40-45 percent of the Federal government. The impact of that would be staggering, cataclysmic in scope.
Just for starters, a huge number of people that currently pay taxes and contribute to society would be thrown into the unemployment pool. With joblessness running at nine percent, the effect on government spending would be devastating.
To me, it is a simple equation, it may not be what we want to do, but it is what we have to do.
When the transmission falls out of the car, you have no choice but to replace it. The cost is secondary.
“Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society. That is well worth the price.” — Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
They were willing to see whether our country would go over that cliff. They didn’t have anyone holding a rope to pull her back up if she did go down. That didn’t concern them. I don’t feel confident having people who are willing to do such harm in roles of leadership.
Does this make sense?
Was S&P downgrade an act of revenge?
http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/09/7321296-was-sp-downgrade-an-act-of-revenge
Maybe, maybe not. I have had my suspicions since Friday – was this a S & P shot across the bow at Obama? Look at the situation carefully and consider that no one truly believes that America is anything less than a solid investment. Notice when the Dow tanked, investors put their money in T-Bills.
Personally, I think the downgrade is a manufactured crisis.
There is more to this story that what has been revealed thus far.
I have to wonder – we have not heard or seen Rupert Murdoch lately? Could there be a reason why?
Since phone hacking seems to the ‘chic’ thing to do on the CONS side, maybe one should look into hiring a good hacker on the left side of the aisle and give the CONS a run for their money?
Whether there is more to the story (I agree there probably is), will anything change? Were there any lessons learned? It doesn’t seem so. It seems those we’ve elected are entrenched in ideology and WE THE PEOPLE will pay the price for their [mis]deeds. I saw poll results yesterday that showed the huge percentage of people who think congress critters shouldn’t be reelected. The very next question asked about the Rep or Senator from their district/state and a waaaay smaller number of people said they should go. Seems even the voters are stuck! Fire everyone’s congress critter but your own leaves us in pretty much the same place.
Here’s a snip from a blog entry that agrees with me that we didn’t learn any lessons that may have been there to learn (read more at the link) —
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-10/republicans-no-tax-stand-unsupported-by-history-or-facts-view.html
Read the comments too.
File under: WTF?
Jeb Bush Jr. Endorses Jon Huntsman For President In 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/10/jeb-bush-jr-jon-huntsman-endorsement_n_922610.html
Jeb Bush, Jr.? What has he done that would cause people to listen to his recommendations? Is being born rich enough?
Here’s a short article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram. WE THE PEOPLE and those we’ve elected are so divided in our ideas of what will help, how will we make progress? Honestly, I can’t find the way forward. At this town-hall meeting the Texas Rep and the people talk about impeachment and seem to think it’s the way forward.
http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/08/08/3277547/burgess-meets-with-unhappy-tea.html
Let them go ahead and impeach Obama. This may be the tipping point for the tide to turn against these CONS.
I remember Bill Clinton’s impeachment . Alot of people were more mad at the Republicans for wasting millions of dollars on a case that was nothing more than partisan hack politics.
I remember alot of moderate Republicans were horrified at Newt and the rest of his Far-right fringies were frowned on and, as it turned out, Newt and his lemmings were the ones shown to be the lousy Congress Critters.
Personally, I would like to see Obama come out now and tell everyone ‘take this job and shove it’ and say he is not running for re-election. Then we’ll get a far-left Democrat with street-fight credentials to run. – Al Franken, maybe?
Now that would be fighting fire with fire.
BTW – we are talking about Texas here, aren’t we?
Isn’t their govenor threatening to secede but NEVER leaves???
PLEASE, Ricky, follow through on your threat and secede. But maybe Mexico does not want you either?
That leaves Ricky on his own – well, he will have to take his hair management entourage with him – so he will not be alone.
Once Ricky secedes – can we put a very high and very thick wall to keep these critters out?
Republicans love to demonize Obama for redistributing the wealth. But these same folks have no problem with working class taxpayer money being taken to give to the top 2% wealthiest and their corporations.
I guess that redistributing the wealth is only evil if the rich are being asked to pay any taxes.
But what will these morons do when there are no more working class taxpayers?
Right Wing: Impeach Obama! Why? Because It Worked On Clinton!
And let’s not forget – these folks profess to be the godly and morally superior Christians.
God – please deliver us from your fake followers.
BTW – George W. Bush made alot of money (taxpayer-funded) for his buddies through his two wars.
And Republicans worship money – and only money – so to them it does not matter if a crime was committed.
After all, when it comes to money – these folks would step over their mother to get that extra penny.
On a serious note – who really believes the country will ever be united again?
Maybe if Fox News gets its FCC license yanked – but don’t count on that.
Money talks and bullshit walks…
I’m beginning to lose my Pollyanna attitude on that subject. We’re so far apart and no one seems willing to budge. We’re all positive we’re correct and anything different than ‘the correct position’ is totally wrong. No one even seems willing to remember that communication is a good thing and includes both speaking and listening. Instead of communicating we are stuck on arguing and some of what we argue about is really not important enough to waste energy on.
I think about the lessons we’ve all learned from our personal relationships with spouses and relatives, neighbors and friends. We look for the good and try really hard to move beyond what makes us angry or disappointed. My hubby calls this knowing which hill he wants to die on. He picks battles carefully and tries hard for compromise most of the time. I do the same and we’ve been happily married for a long time. It’s difficult for me to believe adults don’t use these relationship skills in all interactions. We have to care about people and then we have to be polite and considerate or haven’t we become something less than human?
I know attitudes are contagious! I refuse to be drug down! I think I can… I know I can! 😉
I love your positive atttiude. But when two sides are so far apart and one side has reinvented their own version of God to justify their agenda, there is no compromise.
The Tea Party/ Far Right Radical Republicans have stated time and time again – they will NEVER compromise.
It’s not even possible to attempt compromise when one refuses to even yield one inch.
I am serious when I have said numerous times – there is too much religion in our current politics.
Religion is the most divisive man-made thing on Earth.
Reagan started the decimation of the working class but he also invited the Far Right Religious into the inner circle of the GOP.
Reagan did alot of damage to our country but giving power to this fake-God bunch was the worst thing he ever did.
I just emptied my rain gauge — 1.6 Great soaking rain!
Sen Olympia Snow (R) has it correct…….Congress is an embarrassment.
And for her efforts to govern rather than to toe the TP line – she is being targeted by the Tea Party.
For anything positive to happen from now on – one of two things are going to have to happen.
Moderate Republicans join Democrats and reelect Obama
Third Party is formed and puts in someone with enough cajones to kick butt when needed
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/10/olympia-snowe-debt-ceiling-deal_n_923348.html
Psssttt. [whispers] it’s THE Onion. 🙂
I copied just a portion, it’s all funny tho. I’ve always liked humor based on fact.
Should I just repost what I stated yesterday about Wall Street?
There’s a reason George W. Bush bailed out his Wall Street buddies – and they did not even have to come to Washington in person (like the automakers had to do) to ask for money. These Wall Street buddies got to call in their request for bailout money (taxpayer-funded) over the phone – and on the weekend, no less.
Wow – what great customer service Republicans gave to their ‘right’ buddies.
What part of appointing six Republicans who signed Grover Norquist’s pledge to never raise taxes to this Super Committee does not bode well?
Then to add salt to the wound, Republicans do not like the fact that Sen. Murray is chosen as one of the Democratic members on this Super Committee because Sen. Murray is on the Democratic Senatorial ElectionCommittee and is raising funds to elect fellow Democrats.
Tell me again how Republicans are only concerned about resolving our nation’s debt problem and NOT concerned only about their own partisan politiical hacking?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/10/mcconnell-boehner-deficit-committee-appointments_n_923312.html
I heard the Republicans thought Senator Reid should have appointed Republicans for his three choices. I truly believe that’s the only way they would have been pleased. Personally, I still think a ‘Super Congress’ is a problem, not a solution.
Grover Norquist. Unelected yet completely in control. What do they call that system of government? I know it’s not a Constitution-based federal republic.
I have to laugh when these same Republicans who kiss the ring of Grover Norquist accuse Obama of being the Gangster/Mob kingpin.
I agree about this Super Congress (I know it is a committee, but is being called a Congress in the media). I also think it is set up to fail – and it will fail.
So here we go again with all the incessant fighting like a big school yard being harassed a gang of bullies.
I think the repukes will not be happy with defense budget cuts if the triggers are triggered by not coming to agreement in the Super Duper group of buttwipes. They loves them some defense contractors, and the troops, well not so much.
So….
I think they really believe they are going to take the House, the Senate, and the Presidency in 2012. And judging from what happened yesterday in Wisconsin, and other polls that have a decided “throw the bums out” taint ( yes, I said taint) to them, they may have early polling data that says Mittens could lead them to the trifecta.
Otherwise, they would NEVER risk the cuts to defense contractors.
It’s a gamble. And a long time to November, 2012. As we used to say in pool games, “there’s a lot of green on the table between you and that pocket.”
But I think that’s why they are appointing people sure not to agree. They think they can make it work to win.
God help us if they do. The SCOTUS will be gone, the war on women and gays will continue with renewed vigor. More wars of choice will be started to completely wreck the economy and the nation.
2012 is shaping up to be a turning point for the US. Too bad the choices are repuke and repuke lite with Obama on one ticket, and repuke on the other.
I’m thinking Spain….
I’m thinking secession -if Ricky ‘Hair’ Perry can threaten secession, so can I.
I wonder if these Repukes know how much taxes I pay and how much of that money goes into all the ‘right’ pockets here in Kansas?
Maybe Obama just needs to come out and resign right now and let Joe Biden become president.
Follow me – I think we all know Joe Biden knows how to fight and he can get down and dirty with these so-called godly and morally superior Christian Republicans.
Obama is too nice- we need someone like Joe will tell them to F___ off and will then show them how to do it.
Being a cancer survivor myself, this is exciting news. But read the entire article and see how this research finding was almost not found.
These are the things our tax dollars should be paying for – we really don’t need another war plane, tank or more bombs – do we?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44090512/ns/health-cancer/?GT1=43001
wow – I had just commented we have not heard from Rupert lately. What is that old saying about – speaking of the devil…..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/10/rupert-murdoch-earnings-call-news-corp-wall-street-hacking_n_923717.html
If you watch the Dylan Ratigan show on MSNBC, did you happen to catch Dylan’s infamous rant? He does make some very excellent points. Both parties have contributed to this economic mess and we need to come togegther to face this mess with some common sense.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/09/dylan-ratigan-rant-debt-negotiations_n_922855.html
Speaker Johnny B’s approval rating is absymal. I loved reading this article – especially that last sentence.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/10/john-boehners-popularity-_n_923743.html