A Republican member of Congress for South Carolina made the news last night for yelling “You lie” during President Obama’s speech. Apologizing by saying he got emotional -- emotionalizing politics is one of the hallmarks of fascism, which stresses irrationality and rage as organizing tools -- Addison Graves “Joe” Wilson showed once again how utterly mired in the lunatic fringe the Republicans have become. For what was he enraged about? I mean, besides the obvious reason that a black man is President, something this neo-con(federate) member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans must find one hell of an insult to his “heritage,” as they like to call it? That’s right, he was enraged that health-care might be provided to illegal migrants. The people who clean his toilets and mow his lawn. Another stalwart self-styled Christian shows his real colors.
Of course, there could be other reasons for his freak-out. Yesterday, a Republican California State Representative renowned for his homophobic “family values” resigned after boasting on live mic about fucking two different lobbyists, neither of whom was his wife. Michael Duvall goes into the history books for introducing the phrase “little eye-patch underwear” into the American political lexicon. Maybe Addy Joe’s got more than a hood in the closet and was sweating it out last night? God gravy, could he be stumping his maid?
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
McNamara
Robert McNamara’s dying in the midst of the gnashing and moaning of the international mourning and grieving for the pedophilic, self-hating, drug-addled popstar was instructive. Hardly anybody was paying attention, and I'd guess that the MJ-zombies would have said, huh, who?
McNamara knew that Vietnam was a murderous folly, but sucked in by the domestic politics, he carried on, his mouth a fount of lies. More than three million Vietnamese died as a result of the American war. 59,000 Americans were killed, and years later some of the ones who made it back are still deeply wounded. These numbers doesn’t include the nearly two million Cambodians slaughtered by the Khmer Rouge, who would have never come to power if not for the US bombing of that nation. True, that bombing was under Nixon’s watch -- the war blossomed under Kennedy and erupted under Johnson after starting under Eisenhower -- but the national security state has always been bipartisan. McNamara was a mass murderer, soaked in blood. That he got away with it, other then some late apologies and second-thoughts, and died at the age of 93 surely means he’s a model for others to come.
McNamara knew that Vietnam was a murderous folly, but sucked in by the domestic politics, he carried on, his mouth a fount of lies. More than three million Vietnamese died as a result of the American war. 59,000 Americans were killed, and years later some of the ones who made it back are still deeply wounded. These numbers doesn’t include the nearly two million Cambodians slaughtered by the Khmer Rouge, who would have never come to power if not for the US bombing of that nation. True, that bombing was under Nixon’s watch -- the war blossomed under Kennedy and erupted under Johnson after starting under Eisenhower -- but the national security state has always been bipartisan. McNamara was a mass murderer, soaked in blood. That he got away with it, other then some late apologies and second-thoughts, and died at the age of 93 surely means he’s a model for others to come.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Will no one rid us of this Palin?
Is Sarah Palin’s quitting her job a good career move? There’s a book to be ghostwritten, a television/radio gig to be gotten, and fund-raising to do, so I very much think so. Now, this creature unleashed by the incontinent John McCain can reach for her apotheosis in the party of resentment and reaction, with its ugly streaks of nativism and racism. Like the big fascisms of the past, Palinismo talks class, but her populism very much serves the big boys in power. Never mind the incompetence, the ethical rot, the incoherence, the bizarre, the contradictions, Sarah P. is for the people at the dark heart of the GOP’s freakshow tent.
William Kristol called Palin’s bail-out from the governor’s office a “genius move,” but then this Murdoch hireling of the Weakest Standards magazine has long been supremely cynical. He, after all, cut his teeth as a daddy’s boy by acting as “Dan Quayle’s brain.” Kristol’s a fan of Palin, but thinks she needs to take some lessons in policy. In other words, he realizes that image in politics trumps experience, skill, knowledge, and temperament. It’s been ever such since Reagan. Puppets, performers, actors, great communicators using other people’s words, that’s what fuckers like Kristol want to protect the master class. No matter that their choices are ethically rotten, vindictive, ignorant, and ultimately disastrous.
For in many ways, the disaster plays into their hands too. As the New York Senate shows, when you hijack the process, hamstring it, and otherwise alienate the polity, you (In NY it’s the the lobbyists, millionaires, real estate interests, etc) keep things the way you like them.
William Kristol called Palin’s bail-out from the governor’s office a “genius move,” but then this Murdoch hireling of the Weakest Standards magazine has long been supremely cynical. He, after all, cut his teeth as a daddy’s boy by acting as “Dan Quayle’s brain.” Kristol’s a fan of Palin, but thinks she needs to take some lessons in policy. In other words, he realizes that image in politics trumps experience, skill, knowledge, and temperament. It’s been ever such since Reagan. Puppets, performers, actors, great communicators using other people’s words, that’s what fuckers like Kristol want to protect the master class. No matter that their choices are ethically rotten, vindictive, ignorant, and ultimately disastrous.
For in many ways, the disaster plays into their hands too. As the New York Senate shows, when you hijack the process, hamstring it, and otherwise alienate the polity, you (In NY it’s the the lobbyists, millionaires, real estate interests, etc) keep things the way you like them.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
South Carolina Law
Anybody ask the Governor if he knows his state's own laws?
SECTION 16-15-60. Adultery or fornication.
Any man or woman who shall be guilty of the crime of adultery or fornication shall be liable to indictment and, on conviction, shall be severally punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than one year or by both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.
SECTION 16-15-70. "Adultery" defined.
"Adultery" is the living together and carnal intercourse with each other or habitual carnal intercourse with each other without living together of a man and woman when either is lawfully married to some other person.
SECTION 16-15-80. "Fornication" defined.
"Fornication" is the living together and carnal intercourse with each other or habitual carnal intercourse with each other without living together of a man and woman, both being unmarried.
SECTION 16-15-60. Adultery or fornication.
Any man or woman who shall be guilty of the crime of adultery or fornication shall be liable to indictment and, on conviction, shall be severally punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than one year or by both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.
SECTION 16-15-70. "Adultery" defined.
"Adultery" is the living together and carnal intercourse with each other or habitual carnal intercourse with each other without living together of a man and woman when either is lawfully married to some other person.
SECTION 16-15-80. "Fornication" defined.
"Fornication" is the living together and carnal intercourse with each other or habitual carnal intercourse with each other without living together of a man and woman, both being unmarried.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Party of God, con't
My, my, the family values crowd sure is adding some fine euphemisms to the language these days, aren't they?
"Hiking the Appalachian Trail" means fucking your mistress while leaving the wife and kids at home.
Pulling an "Ensign" means fucking your employee while leaving the wife and kids and home.
"Hiking the Appalachian Trail" means fucking your mistress while leaving the wife and kids at home.
Pulling an "Ensign" means fucking your employee while leaving the wife and kids and home.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Iran
In Iran, it’s an old story, the people against the thugs, the goons, the fascists. Of course, the thugs have some people behind them too… I am constantly struck by the similarities of the American right -- a nativist, reactionary populist, fundamentalist peasantry combined with insecure shopkeepers who both act as the myrmidons of their own oppressors and masters in the corporate elite -- and the Iranian right. Bush and Ahmadinejad, now weren’t they twins? Both stubborn little men of surpassing ignorance claiming a hotline to god, Manichean in their malignant simplicity, and driving their nation off a cliff.
One difference of note, when Bush stole an election, Americans rolled over and turned the channel.
P.S. This article about Iran, written before the election, is excellent.
One difference of note, when Bush stole an election, Americans rolled over and turned the channel.
P.S. This article about Iran, written before the election, is excellent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
