A Different Theory

Something I just learned; in states where voter suppression is being supported (by corrupt politicians) the legal structure of what does and does not count for identification has a surprise built in.  Veterans cannot use their ID cards because it does not have their address on it.  Students cannot use their ID cards for the same reason.  Others have similar problems simply because they do not drive and do not need a drivers license.  Here's the surprise: a gun owner can use a concealed weapon permit for ID to vote.  I don't think the legislators really thought this through but I may feel so very safe when 21 million people figure this out and go get a concealed weapons permit.

Do NOT Watch without headphones (crass language)

Here's the thing... there is no excuse for this Voter Fraud protection law.  The problem is that there is a nearly zero incidence of voter fraud taking place.  For example, in Florida, after much hoopla the state found a grand total of one case of voter fraud.  A Canadian had voted in the last election.  Wow, a single case of voter fraud after spending lots of money looking for the tons of cases. 

The case can be made that there has been election fraud, however.  When we look at the Bush election (when the state was going to recount the full state vote) the Supreme Court stepped in and limited the recount to Broward county it turns out that was a form of ELECTION fraud fomented by the court.  Later several news organizations got together and reviewed the count.  What they found was that if the entire state had been recounted Gore would have won but that by limiting the recount to a single county Bush won.

Useful Definitions

Note that one of the forms of election fraud is the spreading of misinformation.  " The Democratic Party of Wisconsin alleged that Americans for Prosperity engaged in this when a flier printed in August 2011 gave an incorrect return date for absentee ballots - Americans for Prosperity alleged it was a misprint."

There are reasons to be concerned about other forms of this type of fraud.  there have been several studies showing that pervasive Diebold voting machines are vulnerable to tampering.  Just one link to a story... look up others, it will surprise you.

A more recent case: Scott Walker recall. 

Long story short, there is reason to distrust the Diebold voting machines AND the election committees in some states.  There are too many concerns to just gloss over these concerns.

This is Really, Really Simple

So, there are those who say what we think ahead of when we get there.

Just in case the above doesn't load properly:

Jon Stewart on Bullshit Mountain

This is a climb of reasonable proportions.  The Romney campaign tried to counter the release of the idiotic tape with a 1998 tape of Obama saying that he does believe in some redistribution of wealth.  Hmmm, let's see, the redistribution has, for thirty years, been a redistribution to the top of the economic scale.  That's what Romney believes in... the theft of the money that WAS stored in the middle class.  Steal the pensions, take the jobs and send them elsewhere, foment the fall of the whole economy so that it can be bought back for pennies on the dollar so they (the richest among us) can own more of the economy and value of the country.  Greed is horrible rebuttal to the shared responsibility we should have for each other.  This Ayn Randian view that we are independent of each other is just plain idiotic.

Ask the human beings of every age when things were best for our species?  Try to imagine the response.  A tribe of folks trying live in harsh conditions were concerned for the safety of everyone in the tribe.  The periods of moving backwards, away from protections for each other, are the worst in our shared history.  Ponder that.  Squish that around in the gray matter for awhile.  It may just come to you that evil of sin, greed, has become imbedded in the Republican party.  I, for one, cannot worship that greed.  It is not anti-capitalist to say this.  You can have a capitalist society AND protect the least among us.  It is not a position of black or white.

The Rats Leave the Ship

This is straight from Upworthy:

1.

"The overall impression of Romney at this event is of someone who overheard some conservative cocktail chatter and maybe read a conservative blog or two, and is thoughtlessly repeating back what he heard and read." — Rich Lowry, National Review (conservative magazine)

2.

"Who are these freeloaders? Is it the Iraq war veteran who goes to the V.A.? Is it the student getting a loan to go to college? Is it the retiree on Social Security or Medicare? ... The people who receive the disproportionate share of government spending are not big-government lovers. They are Republicans. They are senior citizens. They are white men with high school degrees. " — David Brooks (conservative columnist), New York Times

3.

"It remains important for the country that Romney wins in November (unless he chooses to step down and we get the Ryan-Rubio ticket we deserve!). But that shouldn't blind us to the fact that Romney's comments ... are stupid and arrogant." — Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard (conservative magazine)

4.

"I found the presser not horrible, which is about as much praise as I can muster right now." — Daniel Foster, National Review

5.

“I disagree with Gov. Romney’s insinuation that 47 percent of Americans believe they are victims who must depend on the government for their care. ... I know that the vast majority of those who rely on government are not in that situation because they want to be.” — Linda McMahon, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Connecticut

6.

"He said he has a terrific campaign. Actually he doesn't. He says that the campaign workers are working well together, well, actually, no, they're not working well together, and that his campaign's going in the right direction. No, it's not. And this is not being said by liberals ... these are conservatives. ... Savannah, I'm going to go put a bag over my head now, so I will talk to you soon." — Joe Scarborough, conservative pundit and former Republican congressman

It all kind of makes you think there may be a soul in the GOP somewhere if they are willing to see the forest for the trees like this.  Next time around (2016) there will be a generational struggle for the White House and it will be very different than this tired old Romney ticket.  Paul Ryan may well emerge from the heap with a shade more credibility than a Sara Palin but he won't be spouting the same old party line.  It will be no mare palitable to me than the current nonsense but at least it will be a change from tired ideas that lack truth even at their center.

It's Not Just Mitt or Paul

A perfect storm has brewed to take away all power from the Republican party and they just don't "get it" any more.  A clear, concise article that lays out the case.

It's the end for Mitt & Paul... Why?

While I have felt that the Republican arguments have been specious for the last few years they are now working hard to prove it.  They have become bankrupt of real ideas.  In fact, there is no real thought put into what positions are real world or aren't, laced with how not to pay for anything that government necessarily does much less the unspecified changes that they want to make.  That is part of the problem too... the unspecified nature of the changes.  If you are so embarrassed by what you propose that you can't articulate it there is a problem.  If the ways you choose to articulate your plan are based on lying you are out of touch.  Twisting the facts to fit your model is the way they have gotten to these bizarre positions and that comes out clearly when you try to follow the logic used.  Maybe that explains the dissing of the scientific method by the neo-conservatives.

Obstruction is key to the reason that Congress has such a low rating with the public.  That much is clear as well.  If your whole tactic to carry out your agenda is to bring government to a halt why should anyone think you are earning your pay?  What positive thing(s) have you accomplished with that tactic?  The answer is: you have done nothing on behalf of the people you are supposed to serve.  You have earned none of the compensation you are paid for your time.  The definition of serving has been warped to equal serving being that of an inmate.

Mitt Gets Scarier By the Minute

China says what it thinks of Mitt.

My own comment after reading this article was:  " Mitt, himself, is becoming America's number one enemy!!  Not only does he tick off our allies but also he deeply irritates those less than friendly.  Do we next expect him to start a war single-handedly BEFORE the election?  Don't laugh, with this guy it could happen.  He is scary with his,"Trust me to do the right stuff when elected."  There is no way he should be trusted with the reins of government."

When he loses the Republican party may be down for the count.  With his liar, liar, pants on fire talking points he has continued down the road of destroying the party he says he represents.  It is not a discussion point to say, "Well, all politicians lie repeatedly."  Romney has taken this to a new low and has zero credibility while President Obama has rarely shown up in that category on the PolitiFact web site.  The President is smarter and more knowledgeable than Mitt on all fronts but especially on the economy.

Speaking to Us By Way of Fairy Dust

Mitt Romney has decided we don't need to know about his taxes and continues to "double down" on his misleading slight of hand to get us to forget about asking for more disclosure.  The real effect, of course, is to make it most suspicious that he hasn't released more than one year (even though he originally said he would release two years).

tnemegduJ rooP swohS ttiM

After the attack on the U. S. Libyan embassy Romney tried to score political points by criticizing the Obama administration.  He was positing the idea that the administration was somehow apologizing for the conduct of a U. S. citizen for making an insulting movie about Muhammad.  The idea was based on a release from our Egyptian embassy that said nothing apologetic.  The statement from the President actually said:

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Right now, the American people have the families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers. They exemplified America’s commitment to freedom, justice, and partnership with nations and people around the globe, and stand in stark contrast to those who callously took their lives.

I have directed my Administration to provide all necessary resources to support the security of our personnel in Libya, and to increase security at our diplomatic posts around the globe. While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants.

On a personal note, Chris was a courageous and exemplary representative of the United States. Throughout the Libyan revolution, he selflessly served our country and the Libyan people at our mission in Benghazi. As Ambassador in Tripoli, he has supported Libya’s transition to democracy. His legacy will endure wherever human beings reach for liberty and justice. I am profoundly grateful for his service to my Administration, and deeply saddened by this loss.
The brave Americans we lost represent the extraordinary service and sacrifices that our civilians make every day around the globe. As we stand united with their families, let us now redouble our own efforts to carry their work forward."

Hmm, did you see an apology in that?  Thought so, neither did I.