The dumbest Democratic debate happened last night in New Hampshire...

Homelessness on today's Monday Morning Show...

Stop Electing Lawyers - the short form...

Is ISIS really a threat to the United States?...

The final, bloody episode...

Jackemoff Forest returns for some Christmas magic...

The Monday Morning Show for September 22, 2014!...

The Islamic State invades Jackemoff Forest!...

Jackemoff Forest returns...

Official Democratic Party Commercial???...

Radio de'Olde returns!...

Releasing the hounds…

I’m sure there are those out there who think corporations are only looking out for your best interests. I’m sure there are those who believe corporations never hurt anyone and do a fine job regulating themselves. I’m sure there’s a person right now who is certain that any reasonable person who tells them otherwise is lying.

That person is insane.

Today, the Supreme Court with a short-sightedness not seen since perhaps Dred Scot let corporate influence in government go completely unfettered. Corporations can now buy whatever candidate they want and buy the votes as well. The depths to which this extends is unfathomable. It began with a case in Santa Clara and today found its most expensive conclusion.

Of course, huge corporations have already done untold damage. Look at health care. Look at Wall Street. Look at the banks that are “too big to fail”. With unfettered access to any politician, that is just the tip of the ice berg.

You’ll hear people say that it’s a case of civil rights, freedom of speech. But you won’t hear them admit what a lie that is. Corporations are not citizens and do not need to employ citizens. As a result of this ruling, our politics are now endangered by foreign interests as well as the evil bastards we grow at home. In that face of unlimited money and power, what can we do?

Well, there is one thing. I’m not saying it’s much – at this point, I don’t know what would be enough – but Alan Grayson has created a petition (at www.savedemocracy.net) to get some basic legislation passed through Congress to put some small regulations in place. You can find that here.

It won’t make things right but it may make things slightly less nightmarish. In the meantime, keep active and educated and we’ll do what we can.

Dems in ’10… no, not really...

It seems like every day, the Democrats do something else to shoot their chances in 2010 in the foot.

They’ve fucked up health care reform. They’ve fucked up financial reform. They’ve vacated the moral high ground, leaving Gitmo and the black sites and illegal surveillance intact. They still haven’t ended the wars. And, oh yes, they are a bunch of pussies.

When people ask me why I’m not a Democrat, these are just a few of the reasons…

I understand how hard it is to find work, folks, but a public servant's first job should not be preserving their job...

Now Obama's using signing statements...

I seem to remember us rejecting the Repugs because their guy did the same thing... and Obama promised a break from those shady practices.

If Obama refuses to stand by his word, I see no reason to support him in the future.

This is what it's come to...

A paper in Warren, PA. ran an ad calling for the assassination of President Obama. Now, I'm not Obama's biggest fan right now, considering how he's wussed out on so many things he promised he'd get done (ending the war, closing Gitmo, reeling in the top 1%) and things he was just supposed to get done (prosecuting those who tortured in our names), but last I heard insighting violence against the President and calling for his out and out murder... is a felony, at least. I mean, it's up there with driving under the influence, right? Maybe instead of a DUI, it's an MUI/AUI?

Mind you, the paper apologized, which I suppose to them means something. But I'm wondering when we lost our will to stop those breaking the law here in the US (torturers, bankers, brokers, lobbyists, and - right - those who call for political assassination). We are sure as hell looking to kick butt outside of this country but what about the folks right here?

Why don't we put our house in order, is all I'm saying.

So, after voting in all those Dems...

Here's a reminder of why I'm not a Dem.

Looks like they're so beholden to the banks they keep bailing out they can't even pass a regulation on credit card interest, something the banks injudiciously escalate endlessly.

Way to go, Dems. Keep in mind what happened to the Repugs...

Slow torture...

So, let me see if I have this straight.

We now have proof that the US violated international law. We know who did it and how often it was done. We know, in one case, that the US tortured one individual 183 times in one month.

... But holding anyone accountable would just be "looking back".

You have to admire bullshit of such magnitude.

Fessin' up...

Obama's being inaugurated tomorrow. Vicky's very excited. For my own part, I thought I'd look back to see what I said about him on this blog back when the election season first began, what my first impression was... and it's kinda sad. But I've decided to practice a little bit of intellectual honesty and own it, anyway.

Here's what I said after the first debate:

Obama. Where to start? I can’t begin to guess why he is so loathed by Republicans – you know, aside from being a wise black man, something can no more understand than a moral gay man. Yes, they exist, too. I wish he’d done better last night but he’s too easy put on defense and doesn’t have his talking points down. Does he have time for that? Ordinarily, sure. But not when the primary season begins this early. He needs to get strong NOW. He could be a great president… but, again, nobody’s going to vote for him. Why? Because America does not elect a black man. Call me cynical but it’s true and the Repugs are going to get repugnant and we know that.

Okay, let's see... Typos? Check. Repugnicans? Check.

Aside from the obvious gaffe - America does not elect a black man as President (MY BAD!) - two things stood out to show how much Obama grew during the election season. Early on, he was quick to play defense and he didn't really have his story, or talking points, down. Now, you can see how he really grew to control the narrative and got his message out. As a political junkie, these things are really interesting to me.

I'm glad I had faith in him even back then. (This was August of '07!) And I'm glad so many of us had faith (and, if you'll pardon me, hope) that a black man could be President. It's obvious Obama was elected for more reasons that just his race but it's good to see we didn't let that stop us.

Now, it's time to make predictions about his term in office... which I'll leave up to someone else, thank you very much!

Oba... ie the way...

Tomorrow is the big day. Vicky is taking the day off work to see the historic event. Two thirds of the country is going to pack itself into Washington, DC. And the oceans will part.

I swear. It's like the third coming of Jesus or something.

So, I figured I should comment... after all, that's what I do.

Here's the thing. Obama is just a guy. People seem to forget this. He's just a guy. A smart guy? Sure. An able guy? Of course. A perceptive guy? Honest? Hard working? You bet. You'll hear no argument from me.

But he's just a guy.

I keep hearing people talk about Obama and all the HOPE he's bringing, as if he's bringing Utopia - and I don't mean the band! Hell, even Mannie has caught Obama fever! And I'm afraid of what's going to happen the minute he fails at something. Or when he makes a mistake. Or when these hyperbolic expectations fail to get met.

People. Listen. He's just a guy. He'll do some good. He may do a lot of good. But he'll also screw up on occasion. Okay? Can you deal with that?

Because I'm afraid you can't. I'm afraid of what the Republicans are going to do the minute they see a chink in the armor. Oh, they're all bi-partisan now - they have to be - but the minute the see an opening, you and I know they'll go for blood. That's how it works.

So, do me a favor, stop putting him on a pedastal. He didn't ask to be there. All he wanted was to be President... not God.

Come the Revolution...

You know what you don't hear about any more? Revolution.

Used to be that you'd hear people talk about it all the time. There were black revolutionaries, hippie revolutionaries, radical revolutionaries - plenty of people wanted to change the world in a revolution. Then, sometime during 1980's I think, it just went away... during the Republican Revolution, I think.

I was thinking about revolution the other day and how that's the one thing folks in power want to avoid. They want to keep their jobs, you know? The Romans had a great way of supressing revolution: shows and 'ho's. They gave their citizens the finest competitive sports of the day, gladiators, along with plenty of booze and fun. The Nazi's gave people bread; that's all it took.

And now, I think we've been silenced by iPods and cell phones and pcs and satellite radio, technology has lulled us to sleep. The poor can be ignored, the hungry silenced, the homeless unseen, and the disenfranchised tuned out like magic.

Now, of course, the Republican Revolution is over and they're left with the doomed figureheads of Palin and Jeb Bush, Mitch McConnel and Limbaugh. And I wonder... It was never the Republicans who shut us up even though they benefitted from our greed. I wonder if now in a time when people are losing their jobs and their homes and their savings, when digital media is less of a priority and food to eat more of a necessity, I wonder if we'll hear that word again.

Revolution.

I pity Obama if that comes to pass. It won't be his fault.

It's all about timing.