FRC, Ann Coulter, James Dobson and Friends: Lining Up For The Obama Gangbang!

O.K., if the title of this post didn't peak readers' interest, nothing will.

But seriously, the way Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Ann Coulter(geist) and other neocons on the Far Right fringe are lining up to attack President-elect Barack Obama is criminal. They're not going to wait for January 21st. To mix metaphors, they're ready to kill the wabbit. They truly are Elmer Fudds going after Bugs Bunny. Too bad for them that Bugs is the smart one who gets away. But, like Elmer Fudds, they'll be too stupid to admit defeat:

Today, the President-elect is hoping to attract Republican support by sweetening the deal with $300 billion in tax cuts. At this point, we don't know how the tax cuts will be presented--whether in a separate House bill or as a portion of the stimulus package. The details have not been released, and the lack of transparency speaks volumes.

In other words, Tony Perkins didn't see FRC's name on the bill.

To call for such colossal spending without detailing what our tax dollars are funding is completely irresponsible. FRC will forcefully advocate that families are represented in the proposed tax cuts. President Bush did an admirable job promoting pro-family tax policies through his per child tax credit and marriage penalty relief. Easing Americans out of this crisis should include making the Bush tax cuts permanent.

Tony' Perkin's pissed because his "families" payed less under B**h (still a four-letter word) than they might pay under Obama. The fact that FRC thinks B**h did an "admirable job" "speaks volumes": instead of screwing the singles as he should, Obama is out to screw families!

In line for the Obama gangbang is also James Dobson, who accused Barack Obama of distorting the Bible and calling Obama's take on the Constitution a "fruitcake interpretation." This, from a man who favors the beating of unruly sons and daughters, talking about a man who taught Constitutional law! (But, of course, not at the RIGHT university: not Pat Robertson's 4th grade Regent University but - gasp! - ultra commie-pinko University of Chicago!).

Next, but not last, is Ann Coulter(geist) in her new book, Guilty: Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America, Coulter has the audacity to knock Michelle Obama's fasion sense:

Her obvious imitation of Jackie O's style - the flipped-under hair, the sleeveless A-line dresses, the short strands of fake pearls - would have been laughable if done by anyone other than a media-designated saint."

Unfortunately for Coulter, that's about all she can muster. But to her, it's enough. Now, if Coulter should wear a tight skirt (along with a tighter face) on the talk shows today, let's all tell the Amazon for Adolph that we don't exactly think she's fashion Kosher. Alright, sorry, that's a cheap smear. Sorry, Ann. It's just that with your long legs, looong blond hair, and deep tan you look more like a Palomino than a pinup girl for neocons. Please don't go to England - Princess Anne would try to ride you!

So these are the kind of people lining up to do "the dirty deed" to Barack Obama along with Michelle Obama (and probably Sasha and Malia - somehow FRC will paint them as anti-family). These people are scrounging, culling the bottom of the political ocean for anything they can get. Well, fasten your dildo, Dobson et al, it's going to a very bumpy four years!

Just a thought!

Bush Can Read. Not! Who's Funded Ben Feller's AP Article?

(Note: Below are public displays of opinion.
They were not noticed by the Bush administration, but should have been)

Or Is This Just A Low Point for Associated Press?

Truly intelligent people are comfortable with their intelligence. The Presidency, however, does not allow for that luxury. Any hint of a President's lack of intelligence must be countered or answered immediately. Was there any time when Bush and his administration attempted to counter his image as a simpleton? For almost eight years he gave people the idea that he was really Dan Quayle in disguise.

Then the country finally realized that his image was an insult to Dan Quayle.

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush will be judged on what he did. He will also be remembered for what he's like: a fast-moving, phrase-mangling Texan who stays upbeat even though his country is not.

He stays upbeat because he doesn't consider himself accountable. This article by AP journalist Ben Feller is almost disgustingly cloying and patronizing. Read it here.

There are some points to this schmaltz-fest that should be addressed:

He stays optimistic in even the most dire circumstances, but readily tears up in public. He has little use for looking within himself, and only lately has done much looking back.

He tears up in public only because someone told him to do it (probably Karl Rove). His tears have always been staged. He probably wants to laugh at very inappropriate times. And he's finally looking back on policies that have all but ruined the country and destabilized the world's economy. His last-minute "legacy building" has been a joke. This article is proof of that.

In sessions with policy experts, Bush tends to ask questions that get right to the nub of a sticky issue.

That's assuming that he knows what the issue is, sticky or not. And if he got answers from experts, he paid no attention to them.

You can tell the issues that really get Bush going, because he talks about them differently, more passionately: education, AIDS relief, freedom. They happen to be ones that can be viewed more clearly through a moral lens. That's how he sees the world.

No Child Left Behind, according to the NEA, is not exactly something to be proud of. AIDS relief? For Africa, yes, but only if faith based programs are involved and those programs better preach the highly ineffective "abstinence only" doctrine. And, like Janis Joplin sang, "freedom's just another word..." a buzz word that he thought would get him through every speech, especially when he was on foreign soil.

The man from a land of cowboy boots orders proper dress in the White House. No jeans allowed in the West Wing. Coat and tie in the Oval Office.

What about flip flops? He didn't upbraid tourist groups before photo-ops. And he only hosted ONE state dinner in eight years. He probably misheard: he thought it was a STEAK dinner.

Invariably, though, people who talk to him privately — historians, journalists, dissidents — come away with a very different impression of a meticulous thinker.

Meticulous thinker? One who couldn't spell meticulous. Or know what it means. Feller is really laying it on thick. This is where one becomes very suspicious of the journalist and his motives for writing the piece.

Bush is insistently — some say unforgivably — optimistic, no matter how low his poll numbers get.

Primarily because he never paid attention to the polls, or the public's opinion about anything. He was in his own fantasyland thinking everyone in the world loved him because he performed backslapping familiarities with heads of state. And some of those heads of state were not amused (think Angela Merkle).

[At the Crawford ranch] Bush chops cedar, clears brush and builds mountain bike trails there. The summer heat doesn't bother him so much as enthrall him. He even set up a little competition, true Bush: People who work for him get a coveted T-shirt and bragging rights if they run for three straight miles on days hitting 100 degrees.

He probably hopes they'll drop dead before pay raises. "Coveted T-shirt" is really another euphemism for poor people who will take just about anything. Or idiots who think the T-shirt really has some worth. Or both.

For eight years, Bush has been trying desperately to channel Will Rogers. It didn't work. Will got upset because he finally met a man he didn't like.

Now THIS is the part that really delves into the realm of patronizing fantasy:

He relaxes by reading quite a bit, mostly U.S. and world history.

Hey, Feller - give us a break! Most of the country didn't think Bush could read at all - at least not important PDBs. And if he did read U.S. and world history IT WOULD SHOW! He knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about any country outside the U.S. That much was evident every time he set foot on foreign soil. He knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Iraq before the invasion. He knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Sunni and Shiite differences. He knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Israel, the Palestinians, Iran or about dissidents such as Hamas or the Shin Bet! NOTHING! NOTHING! NOTHING!

O.K. I'll calm down. But this article is a mockery, a shortchanging of the American public's intelligence.

Fuller ends with a "noble quote" from Bush:

"I will leave the presidency with my head held high," Bush says.

Considering the countries and world organizations that want him tried as a war criminal, the last posture would be difficult: or is it possible to hold your head high while at the same time watching your back and covering your ass?

Just a thought.

Pat Robertson's Acolytes To Roberto Gonzales: Where Are They Now?

Roberto Gonzales Needs A Job
...And A Publisher
...And A Life!

(Psst: Maybe Some of Pat Robertson's Minions Can Give Him All Three!)

It's no secret that former Attorney General Roberto Gonzales doesn't seem to have a clue why nobody likes him. He feels that he is a "Casualty of the War on Terror." He told that to the Wall Street Journal. They had some space to fill.

The following is a small list of the things that the country is taking him to task for. (To read a great report by Steve Benen of Washington Monthly, click here)

• U.S. Attorney purge scandal
• Signing torture memos
• Gutting the DoJ's Civil Rights Division
• Investigation by the DoJ's Inspector General (perjury and obstruction)
• warrantless searches
• Harsh, un-American policies on detainees at Guantanamo Bay
• Scoffing at the Geneva Conventions
• Filling his staff with Pat Robertson acolytes
• Tolerance for corruption and politicization of the DOJ
  

Of this list, the one item that worries me most: where are those Pat Robertson acolytes? For your information, Pat Robertson acolytes refers to graduates of Robertson's Regent University. In Roman Catholicism, acolytes are high-ranking helpers - altar boys. But what kind of "acolyte" is one born of Pat Robertson? A fairly Christofascist, intellectually challenged one. Let's look at the rating and reviews of this institution of higher learning, shall we?

According to wikipedia.org:

U.S. News & World Report ranks Regent University School of Law as a Tier 4 school, the lowest ranking within the law school category. The Princeton Review ranked Regent University seventh in the country for quality of life and the most conservative school. The Sustainable Endowments Institute in Cambridge, Mass., gave Regent a grade of D in its 2009 College Sustainability Report Card an improvement from the previous year's F grade.

In other words, Regent University School of Law is not made up of America's "Best and Brightest."

Remember Monica Goodling in the U.S. Attorney firings? Yep. And her aide. And her predecessor.

(wikipedia.org)

According to Regent University, more than 150 of its graduates have been hired by the federal government since George W. Bush came to office in 2001 including dozens in Bush's administration.

The above number was mysteriously withdrawn from the Regent School of Law website the day after it was noticed by the press in April of 2007. Read Steve Benen's article here.

So, again, the question is: WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE? Were they part of the many people Bush "buried" in the government rolls, to stay put and do damage from the inside without the possibility of getting fired for conservative leanings?

Another question: do we want them working in the government at all? I promise I will do some due diligence and report back.

Billy Graham Sheds His Mormon-aphobia (and probably his homophobia as well)

Goodbye Dallas Mormonaphobe - Hello Spartanburg!

Associated Press noted ever-so-in-passing that Billy Graham has switched his church membership from First Baptist Church of Dallas to First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, S.C. The reason given was that He wanted his affiliated church to be nearer his retreat in South Carolina.

Problem: Billy Graham's retreat is in North Carolina.

"Let God Bless Your Mess"??

Speculation is now running rampant that the move was more theological than geographical: the new pastor of the Dallas church, Rev. Robert Jeffress stirred up almost as much presidential campaign controversies as John Hagee, Rod Parsley or Jeremiah Wright:

(From Biblebeltblogger.com)

Jeffress denounced then-GOP front-runner Mitt Romney in the fall of 2007, telling his congregation: “Even though he talks about Jesus as his Lord and savior, he is not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity. Mormonism is a cult.”

Jeffress evidently has a very low opinion of humanity: his newest CD is titled "Let God Bless Your Mess." Jeffress recently stirred up Dallas with his extreme homophobia:

About 100 people stood in front of First Baptist Church of Dallas on Sunday morning to protest Dr. Robert Jeffress' sermon, "Why Gay Is Not O.K."

Graham's son, Franklin (so far to the right he's a closet Reconstructionist) must be incredibly pissed that his father switched. He was certainly irate when good ole dad said that you didn't have to be Christian to go to heaven. I think his answer to Billy's actions is: senility.

Just a thought.

Take The Bush Destruction Quiz: Think You Know How Much Damage Was Done? Guess Again!

322	151	1.9	206	275
-18	75	17	-35	29
916	567	250	20	778
-8.4	4	2.2	47.5	5

Presidential Message, New Year's Day:

As my time in office comes to a close, I thank the American people for trusting me with the honor of serving our great country. It has been a tremendous privilege, and together we have accomplished a great deal.

Laying the blame on George W. Bush is almost too easy these days. Even his "Legacy Campaign" isn't getting the coverage it wants because Barack Obama's team is already making CHANGE before he's even sworn in! So, just how much has the country gained/lost/changed in 2008 - and up to 2008? See if you can match the numbers above with the statements below (answers at the bottom and...No peeking (like some Presidents we know)

1. Number of days during his presidency that Bush spent on vacation:_____
2. Number Of U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq during 2008____.
3. Number Of U.S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan in 2008 ____
4. Number Of Uninsured Americans (in millions):______
5. Change In Housing Prices (in percentage points):______ .
6. Number Of Jobs Lost in 2008 (in millions):_____
7. Change In Health Insurance Premiums (in percentage points):_____
8. Change In Number Of Delinquent Mortgages (in percentage points):_____
9. Number Of Banks Federal Government Now Owns Stock In: _____
10. Change In Dow Jones Industrial Average (in percentage points):_____
11. George Bush Bush Approval Rating in 2008 (in percentage points):_____
12. Cost of the Iraq War through 2008 (in billions - of course): _____
13. Approximate cost of the privately funded George W. Bush Presidential Library (in millions):_____
14. Change In Use Of Food Stamps (in percentage points):_____
15. Percentage of President Bush’s total vetoes that blocked expansion of children’s health insurance:_____
16. Number of points the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped on September 29, 2008: _____
17. Overall change in stock market wealth between Oct. 2007 and Oct. 2008 (in trillions): _____
18. Estimated home equity lost by American families with the bursting of the housing bubble (in trillions):_____
19. Number of home foreclosure filings in the first three quarters of 2008 (in millions): _____

What Would Jesus Do? Pray To Himself?

He'd Certainly Pray BY Himself!

Rick Warren is now again in a conundrum - created by his own self. He'll be damned if he does it, or damned if he doesn't: say the name of Jesus Christ. I just LOVE these kind of quandaries presented to hypocritical "men of God." Of course, being a hypocrite, he won't feel a thing either way. He'll perform the invocation in a smug, satisfied sort of way, kind of self-righteous, but not nearly as much as a Franklin Graham or a James Dobson.

"Prayers are not to be sermons, speeches, ion statements nor political posturing. They are humble, personal appeals to God," Warren wrote. His spokesman would not elaborate.

If Warren truly believes what Jesus preached about prayer (to go to a dark spot in your house and talk to God alone), why doesn't he just use that as an excuse not to deliver the invocation? Why should there be, in fact, an invocation at all? Probably because the inauguration is, like everything else the country adores, is high entertainment. The solemnity, the reverence, the sheer awesomeness of the installation of the powerful, the wonderful, the wise President of the United States of America is purely entertainment. Ask yourself this: what is the difference between a U.S. presidential inauguration and a coronation? Look at the two, pare them down to basics: not much difference.

Evangelicals generally expect their clergymen to use Jesus' name whenever and wherever they lead prayer. Many conservative Christians say cultural sensitivity goes way too far if it requires religious leaders to hide their beliefs.

"If Rick Warren does not pray in Jesus' name, some folks are going to be very disappointed," Caldwell said in a recent phone interview. "Since he's evangelical, his own tribe, if you will, will have some angst if he does not do that."

To have angst over ritual is rather insipid, isn't it? Ritual is man-made, regardless of all the particulars of the Bible, the Qur'an and Confucian texts. Ritual is for the entertainment of man because God couldn't care less about the way a ritual is carried out. Honoring God with ritual - any ritual - is the only thing that matters. Whether you handle snakes or fart and put a lampshade on your head is of no consequence. If the intent is to honor God, then the ritual is good.

Just a thought.

The Virginity Pledge Springs A Leak

A study just published by PEDIATRICS puts the screw to virginity pledges and abstinence only programs. The article, BTW, is titled aptly: Patient Teenagers?

Confirming what many have been saying for years, a new survey finds that teenagers who pledge to forgo sexual activity until marriage were just as likely to engage in premarital sex as those who do not. Adolescents who take the pledge are also less likely than their peers to use birth control or condoms when they do have sex, according to the survey results. The study was published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The US government spends more than $200 million annually on abstinence-promotion programs, including virginity pledges.

Remember what happened to the Volstead Act? It proved that when people really really want something, not even an Act of Congress will stand in their way of getting it. And "getting it" is just what every teenager in the world dreams about.

Any color, any gender, any time. Just the thought of being a virgin for any length of time is enough to annihilate puberty. A virginity pledge might as well be: "I pledge not to breath until I find the one person insane enough not to breath as well and until we can both breath with the Blessings of God."

Virginity pledges don't work. Abstinence only education doesn't work. Voids don't work. Pimples rule. The Bush administration has always spent money on things that don't work: Bush racked up the most vacation time of any President in history including vacations during disasters.