KO's first SC as a normal type blogger.

I have missed you Keith!

No, I don't back Obama on Libya.

I don't give a rat's ass if over half the population backs Obama's move into Libya. It's wrong,  and it's not going to friggin work. Here is why:

The so-called revolutionaries are nothing more than a rag-tag bunch of men that have no clear goal, and no clear leader. 

That is all you need to know. If those folks can't agree on what they want, and they can't...then nothing we do there is going to help them overthrow batshit crazy Col.Qaddafi. Now, we have one of our pilots shot down.

Obama picked the wrong fucking fight to back. He is blowing millions of bucks, we don't have, on a losing team.

It's just more bullshit and bravado coming out of the Oval office. It's also a great way to take pressure off this administration's shortcomings with regard to jobs and bringing down the deficit.

Personally, the deficit is not something I give a rats ass about right now. I don't want unions busted, public workers fried and/or laid off, and I don't fucking want another war on foreign soil.

Let the Arab Nations fight this one, it's not our war, it's not our fight, and it's fucking not worth the millions we are spending. We have outfitted all our cough...friendly Arab Nations with the best military's money can buy...so where in the blue fucking hell are they in this nightmare?

On the sidelines as usual, changing their mind's like most people change their friggin underwear. Fuckers..

Obama wants to cut LIHEAP, energy assistance to the poor

Isn't that a quaint idea? From the NationalJournal:

President Obama’s proposed 2012 budget will cut several billion dollars from the government’s energy assistance fund for poor people, officials briefed on the subject told National Journal. 

It's the biggest domestic spending cut disclosed so far, and one that will likely generate the most heat from the president's traditional political allies. Such complaints might satisfy the White House, which has a vested interest in convincing Americans that it is serious about budget discipline.   

One White House friend, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said earlier today that a Republican proposal to cut home heating oil counted as an "extreme idea" that would "set the country backwards." Schumer has not yet reacted to Obama's proposed cut. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., declared: “The President’s reported proposal to drastically slash LIHEAP funds by more than half would have a severe impact on many of New Hampshire’s most vulnerable citizens and I strongly oppose it." A spokesman for Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., declared similarly: “If these cuts are real, it would be a very disappointing development for millions of families still struggling through a harsh winter.” 

In a letter to Obama, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., wrote, "We simply cannot afford to cut LIHEAP funding during one of the most brutal winters in history. Families across Massachusetts, and the country, depend on these monies to heat their homes and survive the season." 

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, would see funding drop by about $2.5 billion from an authorized 2009 total of $5.1 billion. The proposed cut will not touch the program's emergency reserve fund, about $590 million, which can be used during particularly harsh cold snaps or extended heat spells, three officials told National Journal.

This doesn't sit well with me. Hitting those that can least afford it is bullshit on a stick. WTF is wrong with cutting the Pentagon's damn budget? He gave the rich an incredible tax cut and everyone knows they didn't fucking need it. This really is wrong on every level. 

Bill-O the clown-Worst interviewer on the planet.

Yesterday, whilst I was awaiting the start of the Super Bowl and of course the commercials, my telly scared the shit out of me when it filled with the vision of Bill O'Reilly. I thought I was having flashbacks from some bad acid I took back in the 70's for a brief second, then I saw President Obama and heaved a sigh of relief.  Now, I won't call Bill-O the clown a journalist because that jackass is as far from that word as you can get. Hell, my cat Scooter Lee is closer to a journalist than Bill-O, but I digress.

So, Bill-O was an interviewer Sunday and that jackass couldn't of done a worse job. No one on the face of the friggin planet could of, even Tweety, aka Chris Matthews, who sucks daily when it comes to interrupting the people he is interviewing couldn't of done a worse job. My mother couldn't of done a worse job and she is the queen of interrupting.

Forty-three-fucking-times O'Reilly interrupted Obama. 43! I mean, seriously...wtf asshole? And the questions were stupid in the way he asked them for christs sake, because he didn't really ask Obama questions... as he made them statements of fact. Sweet Jaysus Bill-O are you stupid or just acting the part you mental midget? Anyway, enjoy Lawrence and Howie ripping into BillO.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

Rick Santorum - Biggest Idiot this side of the Milky Way.

Ricky wants to be President. That will never happen of course, but to that end he continues to open his piehole and this week was no exception. Playing the race card, Santorum waxed ignorant as is his usual. The following pov is from a rightwing site, the NationalJournal, from their Hotline on Call section:

Referring to Obama's comment during the 2008 campaign that determining when human life begins is "above my pay grade," Santorum tees off on Obama, saying: "Just about everything else in the world, he's willing to have the government do, but he can't answer that basic question, which is not a debatable issue at all. ... The question is -- and this is what Barack Obama didn't want to answer -- 'Is that human life a person under the Constitution?' And Barack Obama says no."

Then, Santorum ices the cake: "Well, if that human life is not a person, then -- I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say, 'No, we're going to decide who are people and who are not people.'"

This over-the-top statement is only the most recent from Santorum, whose 18-point drubbing in his 2006 re-election bid was attributed in part to a string of controversial remarks about gender roles and hot-button social issues like gay marriage and abortion.

Political observers following Santorum's all-but-official campaign have witnessed in recent months a more subdued and calculated Santorum, leading many to wonder if the once-fiery socially conservative senator has turned a corner and learned from the plethora of self-inflicted mistakes caused by his seemingly careless tongue. It appears their question has been answered.

If you like Sarah Palin, you will adore Rick Santorum. We on the left, will have hours of yucks and laughter, not to mention plenty to write that shows how ridiculous the religious right is and how little they have in common with the moderates and the independent voters in our nation. There is a video on NJ's site but really, do we need to watch it here? Do you seriously want to ruin your lunch?

Welcome back Ricky you sick fuck!

Current 99r's won't be covered under Obama/GOP agreement.

Filched from http://editorialcartoonists.com/

From Campaign for Amerika's Future: Nothing for the 99ers (And Not Much For Anyone Else).

The deal is done - regarding tax cuts and unemployment benefits extensions — and while we all have a stake in it, most of us won't get anything of long-term value out of it. Least of all the 99ers — the people who have received benefits for 99 weeks, or more.  I've read at least one bit of analysis that the 99ers are basically hung out to dry because there is no extension beyond 99 weeks.

Just to outline this framework: under the deal, the Bush tax cuts for all rate levels would be extended for two years. The estate tax, in a monstrous deal, will be lowered from 2009 levels, with a $5 million dollar exemption and a 35% rate, for two years as well. And, the deal adds what is now an annual patch to the alternative minimum class so it doesn't hit people in the middle class. In exchange, extended unemployment benefits between 26 and 99 weeks will be continued for 13 months, to the end of December 2011 (costing around $65 billion). ...

Given the rate of job creation, it looks like a significant number of Americans will be in the same boat as the 6 million current 99ers. 

So who exactly did Obama stand 'up for' with this ridiculous cave-in to the Corporate bootlickers known as the GOP? 

As I watched the presser, the one time Obama got really animated (read as pissed off) was when he went after the left.

Did Obama just commit political-suicide with this pact he made with the devil..aka..the GOP? Voters are known for having short memories, but if the unemployment rate is still above 9% come 2012, I see no way for Obama to make this go-away.

Bernie Sanders is standing firm in opposing this pact. Buddha Bless that man. I hope other Congress Critters have a set of balls like Bernie. Bernie is on Dylan Ratigans show now and says he will do whatever it takes to keep this agreement from going up for a vote. 

Oh, and fuck Mitch OConnell and his gloating. The GOP just became domestic terrorists to me.

Obama's NAFTA-style Korea deal...what's in it for us?

Obama just finished speechifying on my boobtube, defending his 'trade deal' known as KORUS with South Korea. He is claiming it will save thousands of American jobs and boost our exports by $11 Billion.

Any time someone calls a trade deal a 'win-win' for both countries, my bullshit meter goes off big time.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) doesn't feel warm and fuzzy about it either. His statement is up over at FDL today about this cough...great deal for Amerika. From his statement:

“I continue to believe it is a dangerous mistake to pursue the same kind of trade deals that ballooned our deficit and led to massive job loss. We simply cannot keep barking up this tree as American companies fold and American workers face prolonged unemployment. Until we address China’s manipulation and make decisions to reduce our trade deficit, I see no reason to pursue more NAFTA-style free trade agreements.

Anyone that has paid attention since Clinton signed off on the original NAFTA deal has a reason to doubt Obama's 'numbers' on how great this deal is for the U.S. Dave Dayden gives us his take:

So, South Korea would have to wait a bit to flood the US market with cars, but there’s no word on whether they would have to allow in more than a trickle of US-made cars into their market (the numbers from last year: 6,000 US vehicles to South Korea, 500,000 South Korean-made vehicles to the US). And what about beef producers, who also balked at blocked Korean markets?

Keep in mind that this pact has to be approved by the Congress Critters. During the presser Obama just held, he had lots of smiling faces behind him. The UAW also gave their blessing to this trade pact, which is interesting if Jane Hamsher's piece over at HuffPo (its's a must read) is correct:

UAW Gets 800 Jobs for Endorsing Obama's NAFTA-Style Korea Trade Deal, Which Will Cost 159,000 US Jobs.

*snip*

UAW President Bob King decided to endorse trade pact despite strong opposition from his staff.

The UAW then joined with Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan, Vikram Pandit of Citigroup, Tom Donahue of the US Chamber of Commerce and John Engler of the National Association of Manufacturer in congratulating Obama on reaching the deal with South Korea.

Earlier in the day, the White House invited interested parties to a briefing where they announced the NAFTA-style trade pact. They embargoed the story until 7pm, however, so that it could be released in the dark of night.

*snip*

What does the UAW get for selling out American workers? A total of 55,000 additional cars, or about 800 jobs.

The Economic Policy Institute estimates that the Korea Free Trade deal (KORUS) will cost 159,000 American jobs over the next five years.

Sounds like more Corporate fuckery to me, with the help of President Obama...how 'bout you? If the Chamber of Commerce supports this...then my ass is against it...and yes, they are happy as hell about this deal.

Public Citizen's Lori Wallach released a statement on KORUS today:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and GOP congressional leaders must be gleeful that they are getting the Obama administration to take ownership of another Bush NAFTA-style trade deal that would simultaneously favor their job offshoring agenda and put Obama’s re-election in peril.

Why the administration would consider moving another NAFTA-style trade deal is inexplicable, especially given that export growth under past U.S. free trade agreements was less than half of that to the rest of U.S. trade partners. Bush-era International Trade Commission studies show the Korea deal will increase America’s trade deficit, and Americans across diverse demographics are united in opposition to more-of-the-same trade policy.

Choosing to advance Bush’s NAFTA-style Korea free trade agreement rather than the new trade policy President Obama promised during his campaign will mean more American job loss and puts the White House at odds with the majority of Americans who, polling shows, oppose more-of-the-same job-offshoring agreements.

Merely tweaking the “cars and cows” market access provisions of Bush’s NAFTA-style Korea trade pact but leaving in place the offshoring-promoting foreign investor protections is a slap in the face to the majority of Americans who, according to repeated polls, oppose the same old trade policy that has cost millions of American jobs.

Sounds like more of the same old boss (Bush) bullshit to me..

Obama is anti-business? Give me an effin break!

Obama tells us that the greedy Corporatists at the US Chamber of Commerce are 'possibly' being funded by foreign interests and all the business journals go batshit crazy. Personally, I feel there is more of a chance that the CoC is funding their ads with foreign money than there is me buying a pair of shoes this week or me waking up tomorrow morning with an aching back since I have three blown discs. From Bloomberg's Business Week:

The latest rhetoric may complicate an already tense relationship between the White House and the business community. The Bloomberg Global Poll last month found 77 percent of U.S.-based Bloomberg subscribers say Obama is too anti-business, and his favorability among the 1,408 investors worldwide is down to 49 percent from 73 percent in July 2009.

What a friggin load of horseshit. Obama has kissed the asses of the health insurance industry, auto industry (which I didn't mind btw), banks, hedge funds, Wall Streeters and a whole friggin list of businesses and corporations with various bills he has signed into law and fucking plenty of what his administration has said and done since he took office.

Are those assholes in the 'business community' just as fucking stupid as the teabaggers? Or are they just the usual greedy bastards who put profit over people..and over everything else?

Obama said what??? You are kidding right?

Thanks to my blogging bud rj, I perused Greenwald's friday piece over at Salon.

I really didn't want to mess up my quiet, calm, sunday morning...but hell...here goes.

Friday, our President attended a $30 grand per plate dinner. Bet ya five bucks that I probably wouldn't of known a soul there if I had the 30 g's to pony up. But that isn't the point of my post...the following quote from his speechifying is what boosted my blood pressure:

Democrats, just congenitally, tend to get -- to see the glass as half empty. (Laughter.) If we get an historic health care bill passed -- oh, well, the public option wasn't there.  If you get the financial reform bill passed -- then, well, I don't know about this particular derivatives rule, I'm not sure that I'm satisfied with that. And gosh, we haven't yet brought about world peace and -- (laughter.) I thought that was going to happen quicker. (Laughter.) You know who you are. (Laughter.) We have had the most productive, progressive legislative session in at least a generation.

First, to say the Healthcare Reform Bill was historic is true...most of it was written by the healthcare industry and to assuage those fucking Rethugs that didn't vote for it anyway you dipshit. Most of the 'good things' in the bill don't begin to happen for another four years or so, therefore my 30 year old son, who has never had health insurance as an adult, still can not get any you fucking asshole. And....23 million people will still not have healthcare insurance. Finally, Big Pharma will still get rich off this fucking bill. I could continue, but why bother? Most of you know where the potholes in this horseshit 'reform bill' are.

Second...the Financial Reform Bill. Give me an effin break...there was so little financial reform it's pathetic. You threw a few bones to the masses when you created a few 'rules of the road' for credit card companies and that wonderful department that Elizabeth Warren won't be in charge of... but your friends on Wall Street still, for the most part...get a free-fucking-pass to make millions and millions whilst fucking us all, and with very little, if any, regulations.

Finally, the crack about 'the most productive, progressive legislative session in at least a generation'... Who the hell are you shitting there big guy? It sure as fuck isn't me. You and your stoolie's in Congress got very little done..unless you count the public whining and bitching you guys did about the Rethugs aka the Party of No, while totally ignoring, publically, the assholes known as Blue Dogs that populate the House and Senate. You look more and more like Bush43 every-fucking-day...whether it's your lie about the Iraq war ending, your lie about transparency in the federal government, your lie about closing Gitmo, giving civil rights to the LGBT community or my personal favorite... still spying on American's without a friggin warrant...none of those things you did are progressive values you sumbitch. None, zero, sip, nada.  We kinda fall 180 degrees the other way you fucknut.

Once again, You sir, are so full of shit your eyes are brown. Glad those rich folks enjoyed your visit...enjoy it whilst you can dude because way too many of us progressives are tired as hell of your fuckery, and I for one will probably be voting once again for my cat, good ole Scooter Lee, for President in 2012.

Obama goes on Faux Noise..

Lawrence O'Donnell opens Countdown talking to Chris Hayes about it. The interviewer was a interrupting fool..which is putting it mildly.

Video when the Countdown piece becomes available. My ramblings will also be included at that time.

To watch Faux's own video of the interview...go here.

It's up!



Personally, I think badgering someone who is trying to answer a question is really friggin bad form. Everyone should refrain from cutting in on someone's response..regardless of which side of that fucking aisle they sit on.

I think The Big O did an decent job, but I wonder what his blood pressure was when he left the room. The man has some big brass ones....once in awhile anyway.  I have to have a drink or two before I actually watch the entire interview on Faux's website.

Obama backs BushCo on warrantless wiretapping?

First video is Professor Turley's take on this new development and the legal ramifications. The second is KO and Howie Fineman discussing this newest fresh hell.

Let me see if I have this correct. President Obama's administration is supporting BushCo's wiretapping program and their defense of said program by invoking 'government secrecy' aka the almighty States Secret Privilege fuckery.

Thats a whole lotta bullshit folks..It gives one pause..to wonder wtf is up and why in the blue hell the DOJ would pursue this line of defense when all Obama has talked about is transparency..transparency and yep..transparency. Not to mention ‘the rule of law’.

Obama-Blagojevich report is out-oh goody!

The pdf is available here. Obama's report reads as a memo from his new attorney Greg Craig. It's only five pages long. WaPo has a writeup on it here. From the WaPo writeup:

The 5-page memorandum, which was released to reporters by e-mail two days before Christmas, says that the contact between the scandal-plagued governor and the president-elect's staff was proper and limited in scope.

"The accounts contain no indication of inappropriate discussions with the Governor or anyone from his office about a 'deal' or a quid pro quo arrangement in which he would receive a personal benefit in return for any specific appointment to fill the vacancy," the report, authored by White House Counsel-designate Gregory Craig, said.

The report also revealed for the first time that officials with the U.S. Attorney's office investigating the Blagojevich case interviewed Obama on Dec. 18. Emanuel was interviewed on Dec. 20 and Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett was interviewed on Dec. 19.

The report did not disclose what information any of them provided to the prosecutors.

The bottom line is, no harm, no foul...no hanky-panky by Obama's staff...so can we all move on now??

First wingnut arrested for threatening Obama

From MSNBC:

A man who authorities said was keeping weapons and military-style gear in his hotel room and car appeared in court Thursday on charges he threatened to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Raymond Hunter Geisel, 22, was arrested by the Secret Service on Saturday in Miami and was ordered held at Miami's downtown detention center without bail Thursday by a federal magistrate.

A Secret Service affidavit charges that Geisel made the threat during a training class for bail bondsmen in Miami in late July. According to someone else in the 48-member class, Geisel allegedly referred to Obama with a racial epithet and continued, "If he gets elected, I'll assassinate him myself."

Wow wee, Only 22 years old. Somehow I thought it would be an older guy. One thing to keep in mind..this wingnut also hated George Bush: "he hated George W. Bush and that he wanted to put a bullet in the president's head,"- Secret Service said. Of course that could be horseshit..we dunno.

Is Obama a conservative or a progressive realist?

Craig and I go around about this occasionally over at Bring it On!. Craig is a rightwinger and I of course am a leftwing nutjob. I say Obama is centrist, Craig says he is a liberal. Lately three issues have shown that Obama does tend to be more centrist in my humble yet very vocal opinion; The death penalty stand he has taken, the FISA position and his new pronouncement on faith-based funding. Below is a short discussion by Eric Alterman and Pepe Escobar on this exact same issue. The transcript is available here at Real News

Tell me again how awesome Obama is people..

Thanks to Tengrain I have seen how the bullshittery will be passed around once again. This is complete and utter horse piss people. Religious groups have one thing on their minds..getting more chumps as cough..believers. From the fucking link:

Reaching out to religious voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans to expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support some ability to hire and fire based on faith.

Obama was unveiling his approach to getting religious charities more involved in government anti-poverty programs during a tour and remarks Tuesday in Zanesville, Ohio, at Eastside Community Ministry, which provides food, clothes, youth ministry and other services.

Organized religion is bullshit. Its fucked up, its disgusting and its single purpose is to clean out your wallet while telling you that you will be going to hell soon if you don't buy into their bullshit.

Pander away you sumbitch. Faith-based funding is pure crap. Religious groups should not be government funded Gawd Damn it. The NYT tries to paint a rosy picture of this nonsense..I still ain't buying it. The federal government can't even keep track of the money it gives to contractors..how in the blue hell will it know if a religious group is adhering to the rules? They won't...

Jim Webb on Obama

Sam Stein is a seasoned reporter that now works for HuffPo. His latest interview is with Jim Webb. He calls it an 'audition' for Webb, since many think he is on Obama's short list for VP.

I like Webb, some of his stands on issues are polar opposite of mine, but hey...you can never find a perfect candidate that agrees completely with your pov. Some interesting quotes from the article:

"John McCain's comment about Barack not having sat down recently with General Petreaus means nothing," Webb said. "If you know who to listen to, if you know how to make judgments, if you know how evaluate information, you can do that. I don't think Franklin Roosevelt was ever at the front in France during WWII in order to help end the war."

"Under the right circumstances, you have to [talk to your enemies]," he said. "My model for Iran is China in 1971. China was a nuclear power, it was a rogue state, it had American war on its border with Vietnam, it was spouting the same kind of hostile rhetoric. We took none of our military options off the table, we abandoned none of our alliances, but we reached out in a aggressive way diplomatically to bring China into the world community."

And this final one about Obama's so-called Appalachia problem:

"It is pretty obvious that there are a lot of people, a preponderance of people, who were comfortable with the notion of affirmative action for African Americans," Webb elaborated. "Then affirmative action kind of grew into a diversity program for basically all ethnic minorities. I think that's when you started seeing a reaction among people who were less advantaged among white voters..."

75,000 people can't be all wrong.

No presidential candidate has ever drawn this many people in one place and on one day.

Huckabee jokes about assassinating Obama

Assassinating anyone isn't funny. Ever. From AP, these words came out of his mouth:

"That was Barack Obama. He just tripped off a chair. He's getting ready to speak and somebody aimed a gun at him and he — he dove for the floor."

Even the NRA crowd, where he delivered the line, didn't laugh. Sick Fuck.

Graphic by Dark Wraith

Edwards endorses Obama

The Empire Strikes Barack

Crossposted at Bring It On! and Sirens Chronicles