Today is Veterans Day, so tonight's diary will be a mix of silly & serious that I hope is deemed appropriate by all. On this date in 1918 at the 11th hour in the 11th month, "the war to end all wars" ended. Yea, that didn't quite work out like we all hoped. Here's to all who served, who are still serving, who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to their families.
On specific veteran was born on this date in 1922 - Kurt Vonnegut. I think of him every day because I drive by the school he graduated from on my way to work {sigh}. He turned his horrible experiences in WWII into one of the greatest books of all time - Slaughterhouse Five.
And, now, because Kurt Vonnegut just as much as anyone loved his dark humor & "What the spark?!" moments, we move to SPARK for November 11, 2010. The BRILLIANT & CLASSY criminals of the day truly deserve their "BRILLIANT" & "CLASSY" designations. A condo board in Queens, NY put in a lot of time & effort for an eviction to only end up with dog logs on their faces! And, someone way more brave than I am can let me know if this new delicacy tastes like chicken 'cause I ain't touchin' it with a 10 - foot pole.
Let's Countdown...
Check out the purple paisley – esque tie on the Keithster! Kewl! :D
#5 "Negotiating for Demmies" AKA "Chump Change" - Tax cuts for the super – rich may or may not stick around; this White House can’t seem to make up its mind on its message. Now, at least according to David Axelrod, tax cuts for the super – rich must be extended at least temporarily so as to not hold hostage making permanent the cuts for the rest of the 90+% of us. And, even though then – Senator Obama said the GWB tax cuts were irresponsible or whatever else he said, the point of comparing what he said while campaigning to what he does actually being POTUS & governering is LONG past {sigh}. Whoever came up with that first segment caption deserves a bonus for the week – very good!
Another White House communications peep had this to say:
The President has been clear that extending tax cuts for middle – class families is his top priority and he is open to compromise to get that done.
Uh, that sort of sounds like what David Axelrod said. And, there’s that darn "c word" again that the GOBP has vowed time & time again to NEVER resort to! $40 billion in aid directly to states would do WAY MORE toward job creation than the continuation of the tax cuts. $40 billion in unemployment benefits & in other areas other than the continuation of the super – rich cuts would also be WAY MORE effective in job creation. Stan Greenberg has been briefing Dem Congress critters about this exact issue for months. The public perception of this issue is at least even or slightly ahead of the GOBP shtick – even after just under 2 weeks ago! Chris Hayes is going to throw in his 2 cents’ worth, too! Poor Chris looks a little gob smacked. And, Chris is pi$$ed.
Keith wants Dems to introduce a middle – class only tax cut extension or some sort of job creation – specific program funding introduced in the lame duck session. Don’t hold your breath on that possibility, dear. The House that impeached President Clinton was a lame duck House?! $HIT! I did not know that! Well hell, let’s see some damn Dem energy for once in their damn lives! Both Keith & Chris are expecting way too much chutzpah from Dems in Congress; it ain’t gonna happen.
#4 "Weak Tea" And, the earmark discussion keeps going and going and going and... Energizer Bunny’s got NOTHING on this subject. Of course, the whole "vote" will be smoke & mirrors and not mean a sparkin’ thing to begin with. Small Price to Pay Goldilocks & Rep. Cantor want to look like they’re making nice with the tea baggers by creating a new position or committee or whatever for a GOBP freshy – person Congress critter. We’re gonna have a committee on tea bagging?!
Does Dan Savage know about this??!! ;D Rep – elect {insert retching noise here} Alan West won’t be having a "lady" who wants to hang undocumented workers as his COS – damn! Eugene Robinson gets GOBP circular firing squad & bat$hit duty tonight. Earmarks are the "...spawn of Satan"?! Eugene, dear, I love you more than my luggage, but I have made clear in this form that MATH is Satan’s spawn; please make a note of it. :D Keith suddenly expects the GOBP to have a problem with inconsistency??!! Honey, ya’ think you’re still on suspension? YIKES! They’ve got their own street by now! See?
Well, I can understand why Small Price to Pay Goldilocks would be afraid of tea baggers and want to placate them; angry tea baggers bite.
** There are real gold temporary tattoos in Dubai. Will Erik Prince be getting one? Some poor little squirrel tried to jump on a roof from the top of a fence; poor little squirrel came just a bit short. A city hall in the "Show Me Your Papers" state has to have a sign to remind people to NOT drink from urinals or terlets. Has the building been lousy with dogs? And, ya’ know WHY the sign was necessary; someone actually DID IT! **
#3 "Veterans Day" AKA "Fighting the Iraq War" - Jon Soltz has had to resign his leadership position in a well – know veterans’ organization because he’s being deployed back to Iraq for a year. I thought we were all done there; it was in all the papers & on the television machine! The Louisville Courier – Journal wrote some SCATHING words about Mitchie McConnell’s attempt to get GWB to reduce troops in Iraq to better GOBP midterm results in 2006. Yea, that was a damn classy move in Mitchie’s part, yes? Mr. Soltz is awfully damn calm; I’d be going ape - $hit myself. He could end up being one of the last troops out of Iraq; that, boys & girls, is called irony!
#2 "Out of Order" - SCOTUS "Justice" Samuel Alito, he of the SCOTUS should no longer attend State of the Union addresses because it looks political shtick, HIMSELF headlined some "conservative fundraiser" with Michael Steele in tow. Well, here’s that street sign again!
And, no, he won’t be impeached for this dog – and – pony show, and Chief "Justice" Roberts won’t be impeached for Citizens United, either. "Justice" Alito shared the stage also with Fred Barnes & Bat$hit Bachmann. Damn fine company he keeps, yes? AND, his appearance this time around is a repeat performance. Well hell, he ABSOLUTELY won’t be impeached for it, then, because he’s gotten away with it up to this point! Keith is expecting the crop of "Justices" Alito, Thomas, Scalia, and Roberts to adhere to a "code of conduct"?! Uh...yea...right. Again, read Jeffrey Toobin’s The Nine.Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was and is absolutely SICK about the fact that Samuel Alito succeeded her at SCOTUS.
When someone at ThinkProgress tried to ask "Justice" Alito a follow – up question, he was threatened with arrest. And, David Brock is trying to form a "progressive" alternative to the Anti – US Chamber of Commerce as fair as political donations, lobbying, etc. Well, good luck with that, dear! If you succeed, Mr. Brock, I’m sure one of the talented F.O.O. artists would design the "progressive" alternative to THIS monstrosity. ;D
Kenneth Vogel confirms Mr. Brock’s activities. So, will Lonesome Rhodes leave George Soros alone & begin attacking Mr. Brock? This organization, should it actually come to light, will be – hopefully – much more transparent as far as who’s giving money for what.
[There’s a poll on Countdown’s website concerning the return of WPITW in some format; vote early & often! And, how ‘bout "pie" being one of the options??!! HA!]
#1 - Tina Fey won the Mark Twain Prize & offered some thoughts on the half – term Governor who probably helped her win the thing. She posed for a Life cover photo with Senator McCentury? I wonder how many times he called her...well, you know who. THAT’S how he got the idea for $aint $arah from Wasilla; that photo’s from 2004!