CNN wishes to welcome the Republican overlords.

If you keep an eye on the media and/or the RNC you will have heard about the upheaval in the RNC. Particularly in their communications teams, where the Senior Communications Advisor has left. Well in the wake of this event they have called up one Alex Castellanos to take on the role. You may remember him as a regular mouthpiece on CNN throughout the day. He is a Republican mouthpiece, as well as he works with the Chamber of Commerce and the Health Insurance Plans. In all three roles he is called on or paid to attack the presidents agenda, particularly health care.

But now that he is with the RNC, he is leaving CNN. I mean, he is an active official higher up operative of the core of one of this nation's two main political parties. If anything that is a line that can't be crossed and still serve as a constant, and generally unquestioned, voice on CNN. Right? NO. So CNN wants the talk radio people off, except when they do, to get in some more thoughtful conversations, and independent analysis, like with communications advisor for the RNC, or Orly Tates. Great.

So, yes, CNN only wishes to welcome their new overlords.

On the treatment of women

FOX News and the rest of the conservative mouths have been trying, since the entrance of Palin on to the national stage, to sell the idea that liberals are mean to, and just don't care for, women.

Laughable, yes. But they have also been trying to claim they are the defender of current social programs, civil rights, and actually the one that passed the Civil Rights Act (arm in arm with Martin Luther King, Jr,).

So when they see Palin facing criticism they scream. It's unfair to say she is not qualified, not intellectually engaged, or or acts vapid. Why not? We mostly said the same of the last president as we saw he swagger around, make stupid comments, and just seem board with his job too often.

Now to be fair there is unfair treatment. Mocking her looks is cheap. And the way Ann Coulter is gone after for ridiculous allegations that she is not a women. It is stupid, insulting, and beneath anyone who wants to claim they are in the process of making serious arguments. The same with Limbaugh a cracks at his enormous gut. They all have so much wrong with their ideas, words, and actions. It would take lifetime to go through a critique of just their personal attitudes and claims. But it is easy to just make mockery of the other sort. And I see plenty of that online, and sometimes in the media. Olbermann had a bad habit of making comments about women's looks, but I think I have not heard him dip into that depth in awhile.

But as the link above points to, you can see all the nastiness FOX throws at women that are Dems.

And just recently Limbaugh and Beck have found a new one. Calling a female senator who deals to get support for her state a hooker. Classy Beck. Lieberman is blocking reform for all the money being passed straight to him, not his state. Yet he is not going to be tarred with this epitaph, is he? Certainly not in any media stop on any network where he makes his obstructionist arguments.

Palin is challenged over her seriousness, and she quits jobs, does some social networking, and tours with a book that's 90% vindictiveness. Her acts day after day speak volumes. Senator from LA does as legislators do (for good or ill) and get aid for her state's citizens, and that is a unique and shocking act of prostitution. Tell me what, Beck. How about the Reps that added money for their communities in the Stimulus Bill or in Health Care (Like Orrin Hatch and the money that is going to go to the Christian Scientist), and then vote against it. What's that make them?

What's that make them, Beck?

The Bachmann scrapbook

This week Michele Bachmann R-MN has been just crestfallen at the fact that us Dems just don't seem to love her. She doesn't get why. I mean, she was once a Dem to. She voted and worked on the first Carter campaign for president. And she hasn't change...

Anyone buying this crap from her? No?

Well, in case you do see her as a possible sympathetic figure who, gosh, is just trying to do her work, TPM has collage of imagery and events to remind us all just who the heck she actually is.

Enjoy.

What we can do to help, BEFORE Thanksgiving gets here.

A sobering, but a quite good idea for what we can do to help people in these very rough economical times. Be sure to find a way to help.

From Crooks and Liars:

...

My landlady told me a few days ago how surprised she was to hear an interview on the local NPR station with two families from our neighborhood, who were some of the 100 local families using a local church's food bank. When I saw her the next day, she said she'd mentioned the story to a friend who belongs to that church, and the friend told her the story was wrong: There are actually 200 families using the food bank.

I'm going to go through my cabinets and see what I can spare. In the meantime, I thought I'd remind readers how many of our neighbors are struggling through these desperate times. If you can still afford to give anything, please go through your cupboards and donate this week to your local food bank.

...

They has a list of links to get more information at the link. Check them out and find out places near you that need help, food, or other resources as Thanksgiving comes.

Born Again Fiscal Conservatives

I am conflicted. I am annoyed at all these conservatives that were happy to spend and spend on wars and give out all sorts of tax cuts to the wealthy for a decade. But now they decry costs and debt in a Democratic administration. Now it is bad. But on the other hand we have chances to call them on it and see them twist, or try to scurry for cover.

See the video on Crooks and Liars, as Joe Conason catches Joe Scarborough, over his support of the trillions spent on war in Iraq, accompanied by numerous tax cuts shrinking American coffers. He looses it.

Impact of reform

TPM has looked at ways to study the impact of the reform bills.

HHS has some reports ready on state-by-state analysis.


HEALTHREFORM.GOV

Are they thinking about electoral power?

TPM has noted that Lou Dobbs is actually thinking about standing for office. That sounds great...will he be on the Teabag ticket or the Fence Building one.


But is he alone? Look at Beck this weekend. At a rally he proclaimed that he had a 100 Year Plan, that he says is akin to the work of the modern Chinese government. (Which is weird on at least a few levels.) HE says it will be reveal next August. Now it is being read as a ploy to sell books.

But is that it? Or is he seeing this as a way to build up to a bigger run?

Dobbs is out and about, railing and musing a run for office. Palin has her book and tour, and looks to be revving for her run in 3 years. Is Beck next? Will the book express a lot of his trite thoughts and shallow ideas about how things should be? I mean, it comes out as the midterms rev up. Will he be coming out as the polls close to begin a march to try and lead a third party run for the presidency? What would he have to loose? His audience will love him all the more.

What will be happening?


UPDATE:

Here is the video of Beck at the rally off of Crooks and Liars.

Who's Birthday

I almost missed it.

This day in 1963, was the first appearance of the show, Doctor Who, on the BBC.

November 23rd, 1963.

What an adventure.

William Hartnell and Carole Ann Ford



Daleks


Patrick Troughton


Cybermen


Ice Warrior


Jon Pertwee, Roger Delgado, Katy Manning, and Nicholas Courtney


Tom Baker


Davros


Peter Davison


The Master - Anthony Ainely


Colin Baker


The Doctor and the Valeyard


Sylvester McCoy


Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred


Paul McGann


The Doctor and the the Master - Eric Roberts


Christopher Eccleston


Face of Boe


David Tennant and Catherine Tate


Ood


Now comes the end of time...


But even then...


To Be Continued

Always the liberal

I am glad to see this being pointed out more and more.

Ruth Marcus, of the Washington Post, suggested today it is time for all of those liberals to just shut up and pass a bill that conservatives want. I like the response in the post.

Crooks and Liars:

...

It's always the liberals who need to compromise their positions to the conventional wisdom of the Villagers. The Gang of Four are all righteous and virtuous while liberals are out-of-control hippies who act like barking dogs. How dare they want to produce a real reform measure that could eventually provide true competition for the health care industry and that will help lower overall health care costs? Outrageous!

...

Time and again, liberals need to back down.

Should we go to war? Shut up, liberals you don't have a clue.
Should we cut taxes, or raise expenditures? Liberal, quit it with your naive pie in the sky rants.
Should we reform health care? Liberals need to let a bill pass, so suck it up.

Anyone else sick of conventional wisdom?

Interesting poll on health care

TPM looked at a poll on health care that shows that if they pass reform they will drop down to a 5 point lead. If they pass nothing, it drops to be on par with Rep numbers.

Reading that I know that some Dems are thinking, we should never have started this talk of reform.

And if and when we hear that we can easily tell how faithless their support to the Dem platform is and will be. They really don't get the issues. They don't get what their job is supposed to be. And they don't get that WE are their base.

Antievolution claims

One of the favorite claims of those that don't want to accept the science behind evolutionary theory is about just how evil Darwin and those that accept evolution are.

Which means, bringing up Nazis. The claim is always that, first, Nazi's embraced Darwin and evolution, and then hated on all those lovely Christians. Amazing how a predominantly Christian nation like Germany can instantly be non Christian.

As they noted on the Atheist Experience blog, the list of books and works that the Nazis banned and burned would seem to suggest otherwise.

Apparently they just didn't like many works related to Darwin. But also they did not care for those that ridiculed or besmirched Christianity or the faith.

So they were burning works of Jews, ones about Darwin, and those that challenged Christianity...but they were really all about all things Darwinian and anti-Christian...really.

UPDATE: The Axp blog has been notified of a cute video on YouTube that takes that original post and puts it to music with an old news reel style imagery.

Health care...reform?

What are we looking at coming out of Congress for reform of the health care industry of this country?

Howard Dean isn't too thrilled anymore. As he sees it, it has been pretty watered down already. And there is still the final form in the Senate to get to, and the final joint bill from both houses. The main issue is the lack of insurance reform. Any form of public option sees to be about the bulk of what we can hope for. I do like the thinking we have to hope it passes quickly and gets to use so people can see its benefit. As it stands it will be years before it goes into motions after passing, leaving people alone with the unreformed insurance industry looking at masses open to be picked upon.

It is not thrilling.

Robert Reich also shares some thoughts on this. He can see how what public option there is still is being wheedled away. It is unclear what will be left. Reich wants Senators to stand up and fight and push for a real option for the U.S. public.

But I am concerned.

Josh Marshall gives a thoughtful and sobering view of just how things sit now. And what it may come down to is this. Who will be covered in the public option. Answer, a very small number of Americans. It could just be a dump for those insurers don't want to deal with. So everyone will be forced to buy insurance, and those that the industry don't want get shuffled to the government. It is all win for insurers. Now if the plan was truly universal, so we all could get in...it would be different. This is not talked about. And this also leaves the question of how robust the option would be, how much coverage would one get? Or what other aspects of health care will be rewritten (tort law, abortion access, women's health, etc.)?

What are we fighting for now? A plan that is meager? One that will hurt access for some? A plan that will be sub par? Why? This is a simple idea, how does congress on government in general hose it up like this?


Let's look at the big applause line for Dem leaders.
We have a bipartisan bill.

Yeah. And? Who care? As we have seen, from stimulus to health care reform. To meet the bipartisan goal (at least in the last few years) has meant liberal pistons being eroded, and conservative ones being supported.

Need stimulus? Want to get money into the public's hands? Let's give tax cuts, and cut spending and monetary support to the public. OKAY. Will Reps help now. "No, you commie!"

Want health care for everyone? Let's force people into the hands of insurers. Let's strip away the public option. Let's give the insurers more power. Reps on board. "Screw you!" How about at least the blue dogs? "Couldn't we do less?" "Hey, let's also cut access to abortions and pay for people to be prayed over." So you'll help us now? "Bite me, Stalin!"

Honestly, tell me, what has been gained in seeking bipartisanship over this year? Hell, blue dogs have been acting like a fifth column.


We will pass a bill.

A bill? A bill. The word a is being used there in place of another word...ANY. They will try and pass any bill. They wanted a non-public option bill. We pushed them to an trigger, then opt-in, then opt-out, and then a actual (small) option. Now in the Senate it is rolling back again. And Harry Reid is trying to compromise (concede) with blue dogs...he is trying to get them to buy a trigger option. This fight is among Dems. Too many of them lack the will to make the bog move to vote to offer major support to the public. And if Reid realty believed the bill as it is was the answer, he would actually be considering reconciliation. And he ain't doing that.


And so we have these two points, be partisan and get a bill. Why? As the link above notes, it is about face. It is about being able to say that it is a bill that all sides support. Plus, we passed the bill...we did something...Great.

Reform is about more than saying you want to do something, or you would like something to be. You actually need to create serious change.

Todd and Matthews

Crooks and Liars looks how annoying Chuck Todd is, and to an extent how that allows him to represent the nauseating way the village works.

(Though I have to admit I am not always clear on just what the Village is? I understand the Beltway, as being those living in Washington D.C. The MSM, main stream media, being those buried in the minutia and games of that industry. But the village...I like to assume that it is a reference to The Prisoner, and people like Todd and many in of the bearers of the conventional wisdom are trapped in the village, insulated and living a fantasy/illusion.)

Back to Todd. As he looked at the vote this weekend on health care he just didn't get it and was annoyed. Who cares if Dems when a vote? Big deal. But as noted, it is. It would be a death knell, as declared by the Villagers. The media wants the story, and the village needs its scandal. And likewise they looked at Bush. If Bush hadn't swayed some Dems over, would it be read as a dire loss? Hell no. That's not how it works. Conventional wisdom won't let it be.


Which is why I like added Chris Matthews in. Cause he has his good says, where he holds people to support there claims. But other times facts just don't matter. He sees studies and polls, and says well people were afraid to say what they really thought. Because that is what conventional wisdom dictates. Or when he looks a groups, like Hispanics, declares they are naturally Republicans...cause they open businesses and bodegas... Also throughout the summer, with Todd as his sidekick, they waved away any sort of public option as a real choice, a real chance, or worth serious talk. Conventional wisdom demands it shall not be...IT SHALL NOT BE!!! Now it is a bit embarrassing for him and others, it is still here (For how long, we will see.). And, I imagine, like many other conventional wisdom claims of the past, it will just be ignored...until things go the other way and then it will be back.

All of this bluster does no one any good. It doesn't clarify the debate, push through to deeper issues, or properly engage the audience.

Republicans and health care

They are smooth talkers.

Rep Blackburn, following the study suggesting women pushing back the time they start getting breast screenings:

GOP Rep Insists New Breast Screening Guidelines Will Be Government Mandate

Yup. The government wants to kill women. A bureaucratic assault.


Sen Lamar Alexander looks down on Medicaid

Sen. Lamar Alexander Calls Medicaid a "Medical Ghetto"

Looking down on those in Medicaid, and pretending to love Medicare, while still taking a shoot at it as being doomed.


BE AFRAID!

What? Catholic Bishops trying to dicatate public policy?

In the wake of the pressure, people, and money the CC brought into stripping away gay rights, or sending operatives to the House of Representatives to make demands on how the health are bill was drafted. you likely aren't surprised the interference continues on.

They seem to be trying some pressure on congress folk through denial of communion. Rep. Kennedy of RI has been banned by a bishop in his state. Granted others are saying when asked it is wrong, but this is not an original ploy. For years now Congress has been threatened in this way by Catholic leaders. Every big election or vote some of the more antediluvian of the lot dig themselves out of the ground and start uttering there threats. Abortion...blah blah blah. Never let's not continue this war, or else. No, end the death penalty, or else. And with health care they, like some of the blue dogs, feel they may have the sway to dictate terms to America. Why are they tax exempt. And what about the Mormons and evangelicals? How many of them are also giving parishioners sheets with email, addresses, and phone numbers to use? We are...a secular nation still, right?

Because as it is the Catholics are already bragging about the pressure they plan to bring on to the Senate, and how they will be sending folk in to "lobby." They are drunk on there smugness, power, and sense of entitlement to draft this countries laws. No unelected body should feel the right, no religious institution, no think tank, no corporation.

Science not backing assumptions

Atheist Experience points to a recent study that did not go the way the Catholic Church wished.

What they likely wanted to see was homosexuality was tied to the trend of pedophilia in its ranks. The study didn't show those results.

Shocking. It seems that not just gays, or gays predominantly, that are geared towards this crime. Does it mean that the assumption some hold is...prejudiced! Oh, mercy me.

Glenn Beck: Alex Jones done proud

Beck continues to play to the fear, the hate, and the paranoia.


Crooks and Liars has a nice video, at the bottom of this link (their are 2 vids the second one is a 10 minute one that is the compilation) that compiles a lot of the top notch crazy of Beck over the last year.


But the first vid looks at a clip from a business show where a guest lays out a scenario of collapse and new world order. Looking the guy up you can quickly find he has done the Alex Jones show, which just gives you such cred. But it also explains why his and Beck's views are so in sync. They are all of that Alex Jones mindset.

Now I think Beck is largely just bullshit and shtick. He is playing at it, I think. But while he role plays playing with gas and matches on his show. He is largely doing that with the thinking and impetus of his audience. Just like Jones. Liberal in power means commie dangers. Conservatives are in, do you hear the goosestepping?


Which leads to a quick criticism of some liberals. During the Bush years Jones went after Bush and Cheney in his paranoid, evidence free way. Like he did to Clinton before him. And a lot of Libs jumped on board. It feed into there worst fears and opinions of Bush and Reps. Now that Obama is in, the ire has shifted to attacking him and liberals. And some liberals that followed on Jones thoughts are shocked. But what do you expect? He fights for the sake of continuing the fight. As well there are those that embrace the thinking. If you are going to follow the ideas and thinking of people like Jones, or Beck, you are being pathetic.

They rail against power and wealth to fulfill an image of heroic valor. When they don't get an audience they are what they truly are. Nutters cursing at passersby on the street.

Inadvertent?...again?

Seems that FOX News has again spliced footage from one source in place of another source to puff up Palin crowd numbers as she promotes her book. Campaign '08. book tour '09, what's the diff? It is brief and could be a mistake...

TPM explains.

Stupak and Abortion coverage

TPM looks at a new study that suggests that, if passed, the amendment would lead to their being NO coverage for abortion.

Just enforcing, and not changing things my ass.

On the muslims

As we are seeing now, the "True Americans" are feeling the need to go after Muslims. It has been an undercurrent, but as teabagging tries and legitimize, it is more in vogue (along with supremacist and militias, ....).

Tom Coburn Joins Campaign Against Muslim Group

It seems more in Congress are comfortable going after Muslim groups as illegitimate. I notice there is not a similar call for the Catholic Church that had its people in the Speaker's office making demands on the health care bill, among other moves across the country. Doesn't count?

Palin On Muslim Profiling: 'I'm All For It'

Apparently Muslims, all of them, need to be profiled...like the blacks, etc.


In looking at this, it is why I am leery of skeptics and atheist allying themselves too quickly. There are issues in how some Muslims act, positions taken, and support given. But to try and isolate, physically, legally, socially is just dangerous. For some atheist and secular groups there has been a move to pointedly suggest the media can't shy away from the the Islamic aspect of the events at Fort Hood. And it is true. But the other risk is to let that just block the view of and discussion of the other aspects as well. There are those that want Islam to act out in the U.S. But we are also nearly ten years in to a state of war. We are stretching the armed forces to the breaking point. We are filling the gaps in the military with those that in the past we would have passed on. And holding on to those we would have dropped (While still getting rid of the icky gays still.). Criticism can't be allowed to blind us to the risk of what some of the people we might agree with on one issue to bigger problems.


Look at Charles Krauthammer. He is a psychiatrist, he opposes alt med and intelligent design. Sounds good. But if you listen to what he says all week long on Fox News you see something else. He is a constant siren of warning again Obama, Dems, liberals, and anything that isn't on the side he is cheer leading. He makes claims all the time that have no bearing in real data, actual events, or the opinions he is shoving into peoples mouths. Do we want to stand with him because we agree on ID and alt med? Or is 99.9999% of the rest that is way of kilter a concern? I think it is. And it calls into question how he reached the points we do agree on.


That is a question we should always ask.