Disordered Communication

Kill Me Now

2009-02-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

David Broder is a fucking idiot. There is not much else to say beyond that.

One Matter Settled

2009-02-03T18:07:00.001-08:00

Jack Bauer has said that we shouldn't torture.

Can we all go back to acting sanely now?

Patience is no longer a virtue

2009-02-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

This is just a great post at Kos. We had to sit through years of Bush's crap regarding Iraq and we were constantly told to have patience. But now that Obama is in office, the right can't go two weeks without throwing a tantrum about the pace of things.

The endless asshattery of the modern GOP

2009-02-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

The GOP, in an effort to offer a useful counterbalance to the crazy left-wing stimulus plan, has brought forth one of the most keen minds in economics.

Joe the Plumber

I would like to believe that this will represent the high-water mark for Republican stupidity. Yet, I am certain that this is merely the beginning.

Obama's cabinet

2008-12-01T23:33:00.001-08:00

So far I'm as annoyed as anyone at the media hand-wringing surrounding Obama's picks for his cabinet - "But he promised chaaaaange." Yes, he did. Call me a hopeless pragmatist, but I think change comes from intelligent, capable people and doesn't come from a bunch of know-nothing boobs running around like Keystone Cops throwing gasoline on every fire. Couldn't the bobbleheads just as easily focus on the contrast between Bush's appointment of clueless cronies and cynical partisan idealogues to Obama's appointment of apparently capable people? I know, stupid question.

Now, I don't love many of Obama's picks, but I won't profess to be an expert on any of them either. As for the Clinton appointment...I'm not sure about that one. My stance on that is officially wait-and-see. I suggest the pundits just simmer down and do the same. I know, stupid suggestion.

Sinking in

2008-11-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

Being abroad during this election has been an eye opening experience. From the election party last night to the spontaneous hugs of congratulations I received from my Norwegian friends and colleagues today, I am faced with the plain truth that what America did yesterday was momentous. Obama, like no other candidate could, showed the world that the dark years of Bush's America are finally coming to a close. That Americans decided to choose hope over fear and change over the status quo did more to improve our standing in the world than anything we've done since perhaps WWII. The joy of Norwegians today was palpable. The headline on the cover of one of Norway's major papers read "The New America."

I think that Americans, not just Democrats, have a lot to be proud of with this decision. It's something that really can't be overstated. I think we really are looking at a new America today.

No real Americans in Alaska either

2008-10-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Palin's hometown paper, The Anchorage Daily News, endorses Obama. Mostly the reasoning behind the decision is that McCain sucks and Obama is awesome, not in so many words of course.

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand. The same cannot be said of Sen. McCain.

But they don't let Palin completely off the hook for the decision either.

Yet despite her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the governor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth. To step in and juggle the demands of an economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deteriorating climate crisis would stretch the governor beyond her range. Like picking Sen. McCain for president, putting her one 72-year-old heartbeat from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time.

They also left out that she is a sociopath who has shown know demonstrable signs of intelligence. Maybe they'll get that in a follow-up.

Republican preoccupation with SNL

2008-10-24T00:27:00.001-07:00

Newt Gingrich getting his stupid on. I guess Republicans don't really get satire. They don't get irony either. How else could he make that statement while on Fox News of all places. With a straight face!

To be fair, I would be pretty defensive too if I was always on the wrong side of every single issue. I'd like to think I'd be smart enough to change my mind however.

And speaking of changing minds, I enjoyed this analogy from David Sedaris' piece in The New Yorker about undecided voters:

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?”
To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.

Someone call a wahmbulance

2008-10-23T03:43:00.000-07:00

On Republican overspending to outfit Palin, Rich Galen comes to the "rescue":

If they hadn’t done this, ‘Saturday Night Live’ would be doing jokes where Governor Palin would be dressed in elk skin...

WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

Let's not belabor the issue. $150,000 is simply crazy.

A note to the RNC: If you’re gonna run your campaign on an anti-elite, average everyday hockey mom, maverick, cut the wasteful spending platform you should have been a little more skillful at hiding the wasteful spending. If Republicans don’t like that this is an issue, well, that’s just too bad. Live by the balderdash, die by the balderdash, or something like that. We all know the hockey mom thing is just BS rhetoric, but now we have a nice tangible figure to confirm it: Republican=Hypocrite. Sucks to be them.

See what I'm saying

2008-10-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

Nature is dangerous. Respecting it isn't enough. I think it's just best to stay away from it.

Life imitates art imitating life

2008-10-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

I guess I should learn how to laugh at this stuff, but sometimes stupid is just so stupid.

UPDATE: My take on Palin's appearance is that the first sketch was funny, which had nothing to do with Palin. The rap sketch was hysterical (I love Amy Poehler!), but again, nothing to do with Palin's presence. Overall I think the appearance didn't make her look good. Basically she just sat there, smiling like an idiot, while Poehler tore into her family, her love of hunting, and her general arrogance. I think that there's a qualitative difference between being able to laugh at yourself (like any of a number of real life people do on their guest appearances) and just sitting passively while people openly mock you. Just my opinion. You gotta hand it to SNL for not pulling punches just because she was there.

John McCain, the stupid burns

2008-10-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

So, Johnny boy is feeling rather confident. This begs a question. If he could have whipped Obama's ass, why didn't he in the last two debates? Oooooh, because he didn't say he would ahead of time. Politics is a complicated game.

And let's not overlook the fact that it's rife with racist overtones as well. Way to go John! Multi-layered stupid.

Vote already

2008-10-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

I think we should all vote now. Not because I think McCain and his idiot protege have a snowball's chance in hell of overcoming the spread, but because their vitriol is reaching dangerous levels and the sooner we can put this election behind us the safer we'll all feel.

24 days of hate and counting...

Disco's Playlists: Hartmann & Sanders on Bailout

2008-10-04T18:32:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be fun to share podcasts that got my attention each week.

Anyway, this week's featured podcast from Thom Hartmann's hour one from this Friday. Every Friday he has "Brunch with Bernie," what Thom calls a national town hall. Anyway, Senator Bernie Sanders [I-VT] and Hartmann dig into the bailout, challenging some of the basic ideas. The most disturbing point made? For 1/6 of the money, we could have rebuilt our infrastructure, created 6 million jobs, and in the end have valuable repairs would be made. Instead? We bought a bunch of bankrupt companies.

I've been unsure about how I feel about the bailout, but hearing conversations like this make me worried.

Tinfoil-hat time again

2008-10-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

I don't want to overreact or anything, but this just creeps me out. I was reading a smashing interview with my man Dean over at 538. He was getting some much-deserved credit for the success of the 50-state strategy. So there I was, innocently reading along, basking in Howie's genius, when I came across something rather peculiar.

I asked about Democratic use of Catalist, and how it compared with the RNC-owned VoterVault. Both of these are highly advanced datamining tools that campaigns use to target their voter universes for ground game.

That's not the peculiar part. That's actually pretty cool in a data nerd kinda way. The peculiar part was a bit further down the article.

Dean cited the Catalist's capacity for prediction with 85% accuracy using credit card data whether a voter falls into a particular targeted universe.

Uh, what? Unfortunately there was no elaboration on exactly what kind of credit card data they have access to, but given its 85% accuracy, I'm guessing they're getting pretty much everything. Every pint of micro brew, every toe waxing, every single iTunes purchase (even the time you purchased Love Hurts as a joke. It was a joke!). It may sound incredibly naive that this should even come as a surprise to me. Still, I'm not comfortable with this. At all. And I'd really like to know more. And so, dear reader, I shall make it a point to actually research this and report back to you, because I care. More to come...

Stupid things I've read today

2008-10-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

I was researching a bit of Wal-Mart history for some reason which escapes me at the moment, when I came along this little nugget of info: Sam Walton was awarded the freaking Medal of Freedom by the first Bush in 1992. Sort of makes my dreams of receiving the most prestigious civilian award seem kind of hollow. Damn you Bushes! Do you have to defile everything within reach?

Liberal Plan-B...er...C...er...

2008-10-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Crap! My Canada safety net's gone. Now what the hell am I supposed to do if the unthinkable happens? Stay in freaking Norway? Damnit!

The Financial Crisis in Layperson's Terms

2008-09-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

The title for this post pretty much says it.

Thanks to my friend, Alicia, for pointing this one out to me.

Get your vote on

2008-09-30T22:51:00.001-07:00

Voting today. It feels pretty good. Wish I could vote on more than the top of the ticket, but since I checked the "living abroad indefinitely" box on my voter reg, I was disqualified from voting on ballot measures. The price you pay for honesty.

Special Irish Edition

2008-09-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the emerald isl. Brilliant stuff.

Five easy steps to bailout

2008-09-24T12:31:00.001-07:00

Here's an excellent plan to improve the bailout for American taxpayers

Ryan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday sing-a-long

2008-09-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

I know you know this one.

Palin the inscrupulous

2008-09-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty much done giving too much thought to this woman, unless she actually does become VP, at which time I'll be desperately trying to resist the urge to throw my passport into the nearest incinerator. In the meantime, I just thought I'd say, "Wow, I can't believe she's juicing the system," in my snarky voice.

I'd also like to know what's up with Capt. Jaundice, but not enough to actually, you know, research it.

Small victories

2008-09-22T15:14:00.001-07:00

Well, it's nice to know there's still some common sense out there.

I guess it's a response

2008-09-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Oooh! Pelosi threatens to open a can of "oversight" on Dubya's ass.

Democrats believe a responsible solution should include independent oversight, protections for homeowners and constraints on excessive executive compensation.
...
As we proceed to deal with this crisis, this is clear recognition that the party is over for the Bush Administration's anything goes, failed economic policies that have damaged our economy, undermined the middle class and further pointed out the need for a New Direction.

I guess it's better than instantaneous deference to my least favorite chimpanzee impersonator, but I'd rather a response more like this:

After considering the proposal put forth by President Bush and Mr. Paulson, it is clear that something must be done, but not before an immediate drug test of the aforementioned parties to determine their brand of choice. My money is on Skunk Red Hair 19.

George full of appreciation

2008-09-22T09:07:00.001-07:00

George gets a woody when congress doesn't ask for stuff and they just capitulate like good boys and girls:

It would not be understandable if members of Congress sought to use this emergency legislation to pass unrelated provisions, or to insist on provisions that would undermine the effectiveness of the plan. I appreciate members of Congress in both parties resisting the urge to do so.

Yeah, well I insist on congress doing its job and I appreciate when it questions the boy king and his cronies. Hm, seems George and I are at a bit of an impasse.

Tinfoil-hat Theater Presents:

2008-09-22T00:11:00.001-07:00

The $700 Billion Dollar Baby: A Neo-Capitalist's Tale

(In a private meeting in an undisclosed location, which coincidentally is right next door to Cheney's undisclosed location, Secretary Paulson meets with congressional leadership of both parties to share his $700 billion plan.)

Paulson: ...a potential financial meltdown.

Pelosi: So is this a for sure thing?

Paulson: Well nothing is for sure-

Boehner: Will this fix the problem?

Paulson: Weeelll...

Reid: I think we're going to need something better than this. Who is responsible?

Boehner: Got a mirror?

Reid: I nev-

Paulson: Look. We're all in on this. We've all taken contributions and we've all looked the other way. Both parties. The blame game isn't going to get us anywhere. We're in too deep. The most important thing right now is to act quickly. Very, very quickly.

Pelosi: Well I can't back this proposal the way it now stands. My party is never going to go for this.

Boehner: You can't play politics with crisis, Nancy!

Paulson: That's a good line Jack. You should use that.

Boehner: Thanks man! I just came up with it. Right off the top of my head. Pretty good, huh?

Pelosi: Yeah. Great. Anyway, what do you suggest then? I have to go back with something. Can we take away the CEO bonuses?

Paulson: Fine, whatever. You all work out the details of the concessions, but the core deal must stand. No oversight, no lawyers, no consequences. It's in everyone's best interests.

Reid: Everyone's?

Paulson: You know what I mean.

(Much laughter and backslapping)

Paulson: (dabbing eyes) Hooboy! OK, so we have a plan then. The Dems get a few "provisions" and the Repubs act all indignant about the whole thing. We make a show of fighting about this a bit, but the deal goes through?

All: Yea.

Paulson: OK. Done! Quickly everyone! Quick like bunnies! To the chambers! Hurry goddamnit! Huuuuuurrry!

(Some years later on a morning talk show.)

Michael Moore: So that's why I decided I needed to make this documentary: Sickos Bowling Over Roger and Me. The American people deserve to know the truth about their leaders.

(American liberals are outraged.)

Let's panic, quickly!

2008-09-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hurry up and give me unfettered power! HURRY!!!

Americans as debtors

2008-09-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

Others have already commented on this, but I'll throw in my 2 cents. The plan that the Bush administration has presented to congress to bail out the financial industry is fucked. First of all I'm not a lawyer nor am I a financial guru. In fact, I consider it a moral victory when I am able to commit just a single coherent thought to print, but even I can see that this proposal must be some particularly cruel satire. It's the only explanation.

(a) Authority to Purchase.--The Secretary is authorized to purchase, and to make and fund commitments to purchase, on such terms and conditions as determined by the Secretary, mortgage-related assets from any financial institution having its headquarters in the United States.

All hail the all-mighty and all-powerful Secretary of the Treasury!

Sec. 8. Review.
Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.

This is crazy-making time now. Basically the Secretary will, by law, be allowed to do whatever he or she wants to do with zero oversight and zero penalty if those actions are later discovered questionable. Of course, how anyone would know that those actions were questionable is beyond me, since those actions are "non-reviewable."

Meanwhile, the Dems want to fight for the protection of the little guy in all of this, and all well and good. While they're at it though, perhaps they should fight more for some fucking congressional oversight. And burn section 8. And take a leak on the ashes. And artfully mix the ashes into a hand-blown glass middle finger that can be given to Bush as a going away present. Nothing should occur which would reasonably warrant such a provision, unless there is a willful intention to subvert the law and/or be downright negligent with taxpayer money.

Sec. 6. Maximum Amount of Authorized Purchases.
The Secretary's authority to purchase mortgage-related assets under this Act shall be limited to $700,000,000,000 outstanding at any one time

So, in summary: We're being asked to grant $700 billion worth of revolving credit to whomever the Secretary deems worthy, again, with no oversight or consequence for unscrupulous behavior? Nice. You gotta hand it to Bush & Co. They sure no how to finish with a flourish.

BTW - if you haven't seen it yet, watch Bill Moyer's interview with Kevin Phillips. It's certainly eye-opening. Sweet dreams.

On Americans

2008-09-21T02:32:00.000-07:00

I think that Americans are the most forgiving of all the world's people. Who else would be able to look at George Bush and without any trace of irony say, "Y'know, rather than start impeachment proceedings, I have a better idea. Let's give him a check for $700,000,000,000 to use at his discretion! I'm sure he'll do the right thing."

*sigh*

There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee...

Crackers!

2008-09-20T04:34:00.001-07:00

I've complained about the food situation in Norway before, but yesterday I was chowing down on Triscuits left here by my girlfriend's sister and brother in law after a visit. I never thought I would enjoy those pathetic excuse for crackers so much. They're delicious! Yeah, they still stick in the back of my throat and trigger my gag reflex if I eat them too fast. But now I find the Triscuit gag a welcome change from the gag associated with say, old cheese, or sausage made from horse meat.

This is all a part of my newly realized campaign to shame the Norwegians into changing their eating habits. I know, I know, not very culturally sensitive, but food should never be this gross. Besides, what good is being able to walk to the grocery store when all you're inspired to do when you get there is cry?

Question:

2008-09-18T01:48:00.001-07:00

How does being from a tiny town in Alaska make you an everyman? Don't most Americans live in middle to large cities in the lower 48 where they don't get sizable oil dividends every year? I'm just curious.

McCain sets up the perfect Obama rebuttal?

2008-09-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Greenspan was talking about how this economy is 'in a "once-in-a-century" crisis'. I confess that I don't know what Alan's street cred is like these days, but I think it's still pretty bona fide, especially when compared to some...

Only one day after Greenspan makes his statement, Johnny boy is still saying that the economy is fundamentally sound.

The (original) Mav: still outta touch.

The power of the lie

2008-09-14T04:23:00.000-07:00

Although I agree with Chris at Kos that the liar meme is powerful and that it's about time the mainstream press start calling it what it is - it looks like they're getting there. I still think that the misleads have taken hold. I keep hearing anecdotal evidence (mostly on NPR) that people won't vote for Obama because they're afraid he's just going to raise taxes (and a he's a Muslim), while the truth of the matter as we all know, is just the opposite.

Calling McCain and Palin out for being a liars is all well and good, and it's a welcome change, but how do you get through to people that it's not just a lie, it's the opposite of the truth?

My not so walkable neighborhood

2008-09-11T11:59:00.001-07:00

This is a picture facing my apartment (yellow building on the right). ICA is a grocery store. It's about 50 paces from my front door.

This is a picture from the same spot as the first but facing the other way. Past the crowd of people is a green awning, which is another grocery store.

A picture facing out from in front of my apartment. But ho! What's this?! Apartments above retail space? Crazy!

Walkability score 46? Pbtbtbpth!

Addition:
And furthermore: There's a post office down the street. My Dr. is about .5 mile, the best park in Oslo (Vigelands park) is .5 mile. Work is about 1.4 miles. I believe my point is made.

The GOP - Party of sociopaths

2008-09-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

Obama may have his 50-state ground game, but the GOP has now expanded its intent to cheat on election day to Michigan.

There's also a possible push-poll going on in Ohio.

Accusations Of Sex, Drugs, Graft At Interior Dept. : NPR

2008-09-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

We are literally getting fucked by the oil companies

Huff TV: Arianna Spars With Chuck Norris On "Larry King" (VIDEO)

2008-09-11T07:49:00.001-07:00

Chuck Norris gets Karate chopped. You can gauge how close it is to
GOP talking points by watching Ari's goofy smile.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-tv/arianna-spars-with-chuck_b_125549.html

What did I say?

2008-09-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

See. Even Bill O'Reilly is smart enough to see the "lipstick in a pig" faux-troversy for what it is. I feel really dirty saying that. Damn you McCain! You stupid, stupid, stupid man!

Does the Truth Matter Anymore? - PostPartisan - Quick takes by The Post's opinion writers

2008-09-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

G'damn, I'm sick of this a'hole McCain

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/does_the_truth_matter_anymore.html

Ryan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We ain't goin to the town - people!

2008-09-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

I don't actually "get" this video. It's a favorite song though.

Suck on that, townies!

Barack on the defensive

2008-09-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

Barack getting played. I think this is one of those times when the intelligence of the voter (or, god forbid, the media) should be allowed to factor into the equation. Responding to Republican stupidity isn't always such a good idea.

This reminds me of my favorite analysis of Palin's role in the campaign from fivethirtyeight. Obama's people would do well to read it and take it to heart.

For the record

2008-09-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

While Atrios isn't saying it, I am - my neighborhood rulezz and and the suburbs suxxorz. This position comes from personal experience spending a great deal of time living in both environments. My lack of tact on the matter is probably due to my poor upbringing.

Walkability

2008-09-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Atrios points out the problem with the burbs, but this nifty compare and contrast is a nice illustration of the pitfalls of cul-de-sacs and the benefits of the grid. Unfortunately, I have plenty of personal experience living the cul-de-sac life.

Not-so-interesting note: I lived about 1-mile from Phinney Ridge in Seattle. It was a wonderful place to live.

Not-so-interesting note part 2: I would never, ever live in Bellevue. It sucks.

Not-so-interesting note part 3: Here's my hood now. It's a lot more walkable than a 46 though. That's freaking crazy talk. Off the top of my head there are 7 grocery stores, a movie theater, 3 pharmacies, at least a dozen bars and restaurants, and a US embassy that should be on that map.

Out of the mouths of Norwegians

2008-09-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

It's a surreal time to be living abroad - you know, right before the homeland elects its commander-in-chief. I keep inadvertently finding myself in the position of trying to explain all of the inanities of the American political process and I got nothin.' Why just today I was asked by a Norwegian friend why the Republican convention was almost devoid of anything substantive when it actually comes to the topic of politics. "Well," I say flipantly, "because Republicans suck." "No seriously," my friend persists, "how can anyone vote when they don't know what they're voting about?" "I know, huh?" says I - uh - knowingly. "And if Republicans suck so much," my friend asks, "why do they keep getting elected? Doesn't it seem like Obama should just be way out in the lead?"

That's the question isn't it. I keep finding myself trying to explain away the situation as one or a combination of a shoddy media, a lazy electorate, a flaccid Democratic message machine, and an epically cynical Republican least-common-denominator hate machine. And all of those things are true.

And then, from my friend at work, comes this observation: it seems like the Democratic process is broken in the US.

Ouch!

Impeach!

2008-09-08T00:40:00.000-07:00

Respect and deference

Just wondering

2008-09-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Can the media be impeached?

Incompetency? Can't believe it!

2008-09-02T10:54:00.001-07:00

Gonzo is such a dumb ass. Not only can he not remember that Top Secret information is supposed to be top secret, but he also can't even remember the damn combination to his safe!

stop looking!

2008-09-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

It is official, I have found the stupidest f-ing person on the planet. I will provide the link here- but be very, very careful. The damage from encountering this much stupidity may be permanent.

The reason why this pregnancy means something is that it is the daughter of someone who is running for the second highest office in the land. That person also happens to be someone who is very much against teaching sexual education in public schools and only supports abstinence only education. When her underage daughter ends of pregnant, it is incumbent upon us to ask how this private behavior matches up with their public rhetoric. It is a very real example of how this person's judgment is deeply flawed.

Now this doesn't mean that we should all go through their private lives, but we should seriously discuss how this pregnancy reflects on their political agenda.

Gustav and oil production

2008-09-01T00:44:00.000-07:00

With Gustav looming and oil companies shutting down refineries and production in the Gulf, the US is certain to see a rise in gas prices. Actually, oil is already up. It might be a good idea for team Obama to get in front of this story before the GOP's predictable and incessant, "See, this is why we need to drill for more oil" rhetoric really takes off. Just a thought.

Four years of this?

2008-08-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

Icky!

other thought on Palin

2008-08-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

She has an awesome blog.

You really need to check it out.

Seriously.

Like now.

quick thought on Sarah Palin

2008-08-30T23:07:00.000-07:00

I can't even really process this decision. At first I was confused about the choice but now I am just angry, extremely angry. At no time in modern American history has a person been selected for office who is so under qualified. There is no need to judge the political merits of this decision. It is dangerous, cynical and disgusting.

Nothing is set in stone

2008-08-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Until the convention and Palin's nomination is official, I still have a chance to sway McCain. As of today I'm going to start a campaign to be McCheeks' VP.

McCain
Pork Rinds
Not as elitist as it sounds

On the bright side

2008-08-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

The selection of Palin should be an inspiration for all little kids, because she proves that literally anyone can reasonably dream of being vice president some day.

Comisery loves company

2008-08-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna call Mittens and Joey and Tim-bo and those other guys - and that woman. I want to start a club for the passed over VP hopefuls. I think we should call it Bent Over and McCained (BOM).

Actually, that sucks. Well, the name isn't important. I'll take suggestions for the name. I gotta make some phone calls...

Holy moly!

2008-08-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

I just realized that because I actually live in a foreign country and not just near one, I have more foreign policy cred than Palin. Also, we share a border with Russia that touches. And I'm a lot closer to the Kremlin. Plus, I've met some Russians. Egads! My resume kicks ass!

For the record, I didn't get a call from John saying I was being passed over either; that self-centered prick!

Obama convention speech

2008-08-30T05:48:00.000-07:00

I loved Obama's speech. The speech framed the progressive agenda as more mainstream thinking, which some may say waters down the message, but I think it more closely approximates the reality of America. Americans are more progressive than they seem - progressive issues consistently poll well. Unfortunately we've been plagued by a combination of fear-mongering assholes on the right and an inability or unwillingness to articulate these issues on the left in a way that people can relate to.

It was intelligent and clear without getting bogged down in either lofty rhetoric or boring factoids.

Obama also has the gift of inspiration, and I did feel inspired. There is just no reason to deny that he is able to make an emotional connection, which is why he's likely to win the presidency despite his unlikely profile.

My only gripe is that I wish we didn't have to play the God card all the time, but most Americans are full-on Christians, so what can you do?

Party on America!

Oops! Nevermind.

2008-08-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

Norway disowns the Bin Laden comment.

Palin by comparison - 2

2008-08-30T01:28:00.001-07:00

Here's my attempt to be a little more insightful and little less insulting about the Palin pick. I think she's a substantively bad choice. There's plenty of talk about troopergate, inexperience, and the Hillary voters, so I won't repeat that.

The reason I think this is a tactical blunder is that it casts more doubt on certain (big) states that were barely in play. The best example is Florida. McCain has been consistently performing well there, and barring some big blunder, was pretty set to win there come November. Well, I think this was the blunder. My understanding of Florida is limited, but it strikes me as a state with a relatively high population of right-leaning moderates, which is what McCain used to be labeled. With his selection of someone so ideologically inline with the extreme right I think he officially put to bed any speculation about the McCain of 2000 - he's gone. As a result of this move I think that he's essentially energized his base (maybe), but he's also done a lot to solidify his new place on the Bush end of the political spectrum.

Or maybe I'm reading too much into this. Perhaps after the convention this is simply an attempt to put up some kind of fight. Perhaps this is just the desperate act of a campaign which sees the writing on the wall and is going to go down swinging wildly, consequences to the free world be damned.

Palin by comparison

2008-08-29T15:31:00.001-07:00

McCain goes full-tilt senile right before our eyes. Scary! It's just a good reminder how tenuous anyone's grip on reality really is.

Quick thoughts on the speech

2008-08-28T21:32:00.001-07:00

I thought this was a great speech by Obama. It was focused and smart and thoughtful.

However, I have to say that the speech didn't do as much for me as Biden's. I know that I am in the minority on this, but I honestly choked up a couple of times when I saw it. I didn't get the same feeling from Obama's speech, although I have felt that way with other speeches.

Tomorrow's conservative news today

2008-08-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

They are going to scream and shout the following:

"Barack Obama is ANGRY"

Tax cut calculator

2008-08-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

Check it.

The unexpected

2008-08-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd take a break from the convention coverage and see what was going on a little closer to home. Here's a headline that isn't for the faint of heart.

Norway willing to talk with Osama bin Laden

About...what? Well, I guess they'd just chat.

I honestly admire the sentiment.

The city of light

2008-08-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

I was in Paris last week. I love that place.

What? That's it.

My "duh" moment

2008-08-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

I should stop reading the news, both traditional and non, at least until the convention is over. The stupid is really starting to burn.

Denver as I understand it

2008-08-27T08:13:00.001-07:00

So here's what I gather from Denver so far with help from the tubes and the MSM:

McCain wins points because Hillary delivered her speech so well that Barrack will have a hard time looking more presidential. It's an uphill battle for Barrack to get his message across. No one knows this guy. Biden is going to be good, but maybe he'll be too good too...and he's a gaff machine. This is a circus without substance. Not aggressive enough. Too divided. Too slow. Change is an empty promise. Bill is bitter.

Did I miss anything?

Vacuous

2008-08-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Who actually pays these people for this? "Out of the park." "Into the parking lot." Yikes.

History Lesson

2008-08-26T17:52:00.001-07:00

For all of this talk about conflict between Hillary and Obama, Eric Boehlert offers a refreshing history lesson. Consider this:

The Democratic convention in Atlanta witnessed even more tumult from the second-place finisher when Jesse Jackson, furious at being passed over for the vice-presidential slot by the party's nominee, Michael Dukakis (who failed to call Jackson and tell him the VP news), threatened to withhold his delegates' support from the party's nominee. In fact, just hours before the convention began, Jackson's supporters threatened to place the candidate's name into nomination for the vice presidency, which would have created a massive floor fight between Jackson and Dukakis' pick, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas.
Pre-convention tension grew so heated that the mild-mannered Dukakis was quoted as saying, "I don't care what Jesse Jackson does. I'm going to this convention and I'm going to win." During his convention keynote address, which lasted nearly an hour -- much longer than expected, Jackson did not specifically endorse Dukakis.

Good time for a rollout

2008-08-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

I was wondering if the Democrats were going to hit McCain on his well known temper.

Looks like they have.

This is the line that needs to get burned into the minds of voters:

“He has a huge anger problem,” Boxer said. “And he never hid that. ... I have seen it happen on the Senate floor many, many times. … He has exploded at me a couple times.”

Boxer said McCain has always apologized after the dust-ups. Nonetheless, she insinuated that McCain’s temperament makes him unfit for the White House.

“It’s all well and good to apologize,” Boxer added, “but if you are in charge of that black box, I worry about that.”

Help me

2008-08-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

My daughter just learned how to scream. It is loud, it is repetitive and it pierces my spine.

On the bright side though, she laughs her ass off when she is finished.

Obama v. Clinton

2008-08-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

I was listening to coverage of the convention last night, and all I really got from the commentators was that there was a huge rift between Clinton and Obama. However, whenever one of the reporters would interview a convention goer, it was the same refrain 'We are here to elect Obama'. I am kind of wondering then, just what would have to occur so that the media reporting on the convention would have to admit -"This is a united party".

Like most media narratives, I fear that they have latched onto an idea and will never give it up. Hillary and Bill Clinton will heap praise upon Obama. 99% of her supporters at the convention will support Obama. Each of the speakers will talk about how united the party is. Yet the only thing that will come of this is that this is a party in crisis. The media will find support for this narrative by finding one or two camera hungry Clintion delegates and trot them out for a zillion interviews. Thus proving that the party is irrevocably harmed.

awesome

Jon Stewart Lays in to Traditional Media

2008-08-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

Very inneresting.

Kind of hope there is a recording of this.

My take on Michele Obama's speech

2008-08-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

It was a lovely speech and went a long way to accomplish something that has gotten away from the Obama campaign- showing that they are uniquely American and normal. I laughed at the end when Barack Obama showed up and his kids said 'hi' to their dad. That was great.

I think the speech will touch a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the real story of this family and it's interesting because the pundits commenting on this speech don't get that. If Michele had driven on to the stage with in a red pickup truck, that would have signaled 'Real American' to them. Unfortunately, she sort of walked up on stage which means that, of course, she is an elitist.

Observation

2008-08-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

Michele Obama is kind of hot. But I am told that she is angry.

Cindy McCain looks like a withered old beauty queen. But I am told that she is down to earth.

Poverty and the tax plans

2008-08-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

Citing research published in the British Medical Journal, an article at Center for American Progress points out that it's not so just poverty which creates problems for children, but inequality.

...it’s not the richest countries that are best for children to grow up in, but those that share their riches more evenly

And in the US.

Income inequality at the state level was significantly correlated with rates of teenage births, juvenile homicides, infant mortality, low birth weight, child overweight, mental health problems, and high school dropouts as well as with worse educational scores.

This is pretty logical, and borders on being a "duh" issue. Still, I see the potential for a direct contrast between Obama's tax plan and McCain's. Obama's plan seeks to progressively tax the rich, who can afford it, while making larger cuts for lower and middle income families. Of course, in a country where the inequality is truly staggering, tax restructuring should be but the tip of the iceberg for sweeping social changes.

Elections are one thing, but an important measure of president Obama's success is whether or not he is going to decisively address these issues and won't back down when Republicans pull out the tired-as-hell class warfare ruse. I think that he will or I wouldn't be so stoked about him.

My vote for Kerry in '04 was a lot more like a vote for harm reduction. This time around I think it's about making real progress on so many of the vital progressive issues. Here's to hoping I'm right.

BTW - Anecdotally, it's common thought in Norway that the reason people here are so content, and that there are much lower rates of crime, drug abuse, adolescent behavior problems, etc. than in the US, is because there is so much oil money to spread around. That has always just seemed like too convenient an answer to me. It's not too difficult to imagine what things would be like here in Norway if all of that oil money was in the hands of a wealthy few. Americans live that reality everyday. Where I think that the real difference lies is that everyone in Norway is covered by insurance, everyone receives paid time off for illness, vacation, and the birth of a child, and everyone earns a livable wage (e.g., 7-eleven employees make a minimum of $15/hr). And yes, there are rich people in Norway too, they're just not stupid-as-hell, McCain-definition-of-rich, rich.

Too stoopid, even for the bobbleheads

2008-08-24T10:19:00.001-07:00

Mark Halperin on George Stephanopolis tries to call the Obama ad on McCain's houses gaff the worst moment for one campaign - the Obama campaign. You know you're in a world of stupid everytime he opens his mouth, but still.

Watch the vid.

My favorite moment: Mark is trying to defend McCain's statements about Obama losing the war to win the election.

That...that....that was about a policy debate - to some extent.

I like that he tacked on the "to some extent." Yes, Obama's official "policy" is going to be lost wars = won elections - er, or something along those lines. Good call buddy.

A better idea for the tax debate

2008-08-24T02:27:00.000-07:00

TPM points out a reader suggestion which expands on what I posted earlier about contrasting tax cuts, but cleverly ties it to the out-of-touch branding.

This is an argument which needs to be handled in pictures. Talking points and one liners aren't going to do it and I think it would resonate with people.

It's the tax plan stupid

2008-08-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

McThey're-her-houses' tax plan has got to be on the Obama team's target list. It should anyway. The graphic speaks for itself. Out of touch and hates poor people, as well as middle income people, and pretty much anyone who doesn't make lettuce-picker wages.

Teh out of touch

2008-08-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

I think the Obama camp's out of touch narrative may stick to Huggy McI-was-a-POW. It is too bad that this comes right before the convention diverts attention, but we'll just have to see.

Then there's also delicious audio - to offer someone a job making $104,000/year to pick lettuce as if it were a negative. Sure it was a fake job, like all the fake jobs Bush created with his tax cuts, but still. Maybe he's just thinking that no one could possibly afford to hire help for all their houses on a measly lettuce-picker's salary. It's compassion. Hehe.

Yeah, I know the audio is old, but it really fits with the narrative doesn't it?

And sometimes you really can't script it better.

While we wait for THE text

2008-08-22T11:58:00.001-07:00

Saw this on Kos. If you haven't seen it yet, too funny not to share.

That's more like it

2008-08-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Awesome.

NOT fighting back

2008-08-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

The latest LA Times poll shows that McCain's attacks on Obama's patriotism and perceived celebrity status are working:

Barack Obama's public image has eroded this summer amid a daily onslaught of attacks from Republican rival John McCain, leaving the race for the White House statistically tied, according to a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll released today.
Far more voters say McCain has the right experience to be president, the poll found. More than a third have questions about Obama's patriotism.

I think a lot of Obama supporters (myself included) have been worried about Obama's lack of a counter attack in this campaign. Much like Kerry and the Swift Boat attacks in 2004, Obama has been absolutely silent this August and really needs to hit back. Unfortunately, it seems that he has taken the 'please stop kicking sand in my face' approach (from earlier today):

Barack Obama is giving his speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars right now. With some Dems questioning whether he's hitting back hard enough against John McCain's attacks, Obama went out of his way to directly confront McCain's claim that he would rather lose a war than lose an election.

The problem with this strategy is that it still plays into McCain's frame. It is still allowing for the discussion of whether Obama is patriotic. Instead of this feeble response, Obama needs to hit back hard. He needs to equate McCain with Bush, he needs to show the country that McCain is a pampered rich guy, he needs to openly question McCain's mental status. This is how you fight against these people.

Straight Talk!

2008-08-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

At the Saddleback Forum, John McCain stated that he would heavily rely upon Congressman and civil rights hero John Lewis of Georgia for advice if he were to become president.

Which is funny, because after 22 years of serving together in Washington- McCain has NEVER reached out to him before.

Odd.

2002 all over again?

2008-08-18T08:26:00.001-07:00

Watching the current presidential campaign makes me feel like I have traveled back in time as I have the sinking feeling that we are headed to same type of disaster which led us to war in Iraq. However, this time we run the risk of electing John McCain. Back then, every time I watched, listened to or read the news it seemed that we could never have an honest discussion of the issues because certain rhetorical tricks were being employed by those who wanted us to march to war. Unfortunately, a lot of those same tricks are being used right now to push for McCain's candidacy. Here is what I see so far:

Back in 2002, the rationale for going to war was incredibly flimsy. If you looked at the case that was presented by the Bush administration and weighed the evidence thoughtfully, there was very little reason to support the war. There was no terrorist connection, there was no link to 9-11 and the existence of stockpiles of WMDs was doubtful. Similarly, McCain is an exceptionally weak candidate. If you look at what he offers, it becomes abundantly clear that he is simply not a good fit for this country. Many of the policies that he embraces are ill conceived (e.g. gas tax moratorium), downright destructive (e.g. harsh stance towards Russia) or unpopular (e.g. support for Bush Tax cut).

However, just like in 2002, it is nearly impossible to get at the meat of the issue. One thing that the McCain campaign does is exploit personal tragedy to avoid criticism. Case in point, when asked whether McCain was in the 'cone of silence' during the forum at Saddleback, the campaign response was:

“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,”

This is not the first time that the McCain has used this tactic during the campaign (see here), and it brings to mind the tragedy of 9-11 to thwart criticism of the war. We were constantly reminded of the 3,000 deaths suffered on that day, especially when anyone would point out that the rationale for the war was not as strong as it should have been.

Another tactic is the impugning of motives for those that oppose McCain's candidacy. As noted by Josh Marshall, McCain has repeatedly stated that Obama is committing treason so that he can win an election- which is eerily similar to the tactic commonly used by war supporters in 2002. While now it has become a joke (i.e. "Why do you hate America?"), many commentators would ask why 'opponents would want to undermine the troops' or 'let the terrorists win'.

Lastly, there is the suggestion that questioning McCain's credentials means that you are unpatriotic. As we all learned from the Wes Clark dust-up, asking whether McCain's military background matters is strictly forbidden. We have also had no mainstream coverage of the Solzhenitsyn issue which, as I noted yesterday, is to be expected since asking about it would mean that you are unpatriotic. This matches perfectly with what happened to many critics of the war in 2002 (e.g. Phil Donahue, Dixie Chicks), as they were vilified for opposing the war and speaking their mind.

My hope is that this trend can be reversed, but in all likelihood, public discourse will remain unchanged. I see no evidence that the traditional media will change their ways and fight through the BS. I only hope that voters are wise enough to see the difference.

McCain as plagiarist

2008-08-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

I think the evidence for McCain stealing another's story for his own personal gain is solid, but as Michael from Balloon Juice rightly notes- no one will call him on it for fear that it will seem like we are questioning his patriotism.

On and on it goes...

Mediocre men needing to believe they are great

2008-08-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

I touched on this the other day- but Josh Marshall does a really nice job of expanding on the point:

One of the great threats we face is the personal sense of grandiosity of the lead foreign hands who shape the course of our role in the world. Not national grandiosity, but personal grandiosity. Because if you're a foreign policy hand or political leader your own quest for greatness is constrained by whether or not you live in times of grand historical events.

There's a lot of this nonsense floating around today by pampered commentators who want to find a new world historical conflict to write bracing commentary about before we're done with the one from last week. But John McCain might be president in six months. And whether it's his own shaky judgment, temperament or just the desire to find a campaign issue, this loose cannon is a real threat to this country.

As I have been watching this all unfold, I have gotten increasingly worried that the press will fall into the McCain as leader meme that he is just itching to play. They so much want to believe that they are all living in a grand historical moment, and all they need to complete this is a grand historical figure that can lead us through it.

American Untouchables

2008-08-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

Digby touches on something that has bothered me for a while:

This is really starting to annoy me. Saying "San Francisco mentality" and derisively calling someone "a French-speaking socialist from Boston, Massaschusetts," and refering to Hawaii as "foreign" is considered completely appropriate for public discourse in this country. They issue these little bon mots in a derisive tone, suggesting that anyplace that votes in a somewhat liberal fashion (even though they often vote Republican too) is somehow unAmerican. And yes, I realize that there are liberals who are rude and dismissive of Southerners, but you don't hear it coming from politicians or media figures. They wouldn't dare say anything like this about Mississippi or South Carolina in public.

She is absolutely right about this, for quite some time it has been absolutely unthinkable in popular discourse to cast the same sort of derision on these areas of the country or cultural type. I am not saying that it should be welcome on either side, but what is good for the goose is certainly good for the gander. For every pundit that calls liberals unAmerican, there should be some mention made of the large group of Americans that believe in the Rapture or deny global warming.

I know that makes me an elitist, but for those people who purposefully shut themselves off from reason I think it is deserved.

Thoughts regarding warmongers...

2008-08-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

When I read this stuff, the first thing that comes to mind is: Do they realize that when wars are fought, people die?

I know that sounds rather stupid, but it really seems like they believe that war exists purely to give their lives meaning.

More on McCain's (dis)honesty

2008-08-09T00:15:00.000-07:00

Ah, John McCain. What a straight talker.

Farewell to these fair shores

2008-08-08T10:33:00.001-07:00

Well, It's been a great summer at home, but now it's time for me to dust off my skinny jeans, apply pomade liberally, wipe the inane smile off my face, and say farewell to the desire to eat anything - I'm going back to Norway tomorrow.

Why we fight

2008-08-08T00:51:00.000-07:00

It's things like this that remind me what November '08 is really about.

Poverty imposes enormous costs on society. The lost potential of children raised in poor households, the lower productivity and earnings of poor adults, the poor health, increased crime, and broken neighborhoods all hurt our nation.
...
Our nation has seen periods of dramatic poverty reduction at times when near-full employment was combined with sound federal and state policies, motivated individual initiative, supportive civic involvement, and sustained national commitment.

Plus, McCain is a lying jerk and Obama kicks ass.

Time to impeach

2008-08-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

In the past, I have been a tepid opponent of impeachment for a number of different reasons. However, after listening to Ron Suskind's interview on Fresh Air- I think there is compelling evidence that the president committed some egregious acts in getting us into war with Iraq and keeping us there. I am not sure if Suskind's case is iron clad, but there is certainly enough there to at least start impeachment hearings.

Bob Casey Sr. was apparently the American pope

2008-08-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

This is just layers upon layers of ridiculousness:

Sixteen years ago, the Democratic Party refused to allow Robert P. Casey Sr., then the governor of Pennsylvania, to speak at its national convention because his anti-abortion views, stemming from his Roman Catholic faith, clashed with the party’s platform and powerful constituencies. Many Catholics, once a reliable Democratic voting bloc, never forgot what they considered a slight.

I mean really, I would challenge the Times to present 50 Catholics who won't vote for Obama because Bob Casey Sr. didn't speak at the Democratic convention in 1992.

Analogy

2008-08-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

John McCain is to politics what Brett Favre is to sports.

Here is why: they are both seen as straight shooting mavericks, the press LOVES them and neither of them have done a damn thing this century.

Follow the money

2008-08-07T00:02:00.001-07:00

Zoiks!

Strange things are afoot in Cali

2008-08-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

This is a story worth watching. If this were another world McCain might consider distancing himself from Sargeant (something equating to "I don't even know that f'ing f!"). Since this is this world however, I'm sure that McCain needn't worry much whether something illegal or unethical has actually happened or not. Thou shall not doubt the Mav and his Mavosity.

I know this sounds a bit bitter, so I'll just wait for cable news to prove me wrong. I'm waaaaiting...

Tuesday sing-a-long

2008-08-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

OMFG!

2008-08-05T00:54:00.000-07:00

Not only is John McCain not responsible for his own campaign, it's partly the fault of the blogosphere. I mean, who can possibly keep up with all the facts! Certainly not someone campaigning for president!