What she said. And before Larry Kudlow starts whining about stifling creativity and what not, let us remember this is only for people receiving TARP money. By definition, they gave already failed.
Archives for January 2009
Get ready for World War V
When I joined the Red State Strike Force, I began receiving emails from Newsmax as well. And I have to say that Newsmax emails make Erick Erickson sound like Thomas Jefferson. Here’s a taste of one of the articles they were pushing:
The Coming War with Iran: 6 Days in Hell!
Newsmax Magazine’s blockbuster issue has major cover stories, including an exclusive special report by Newsmax contributing editor and Iran expert Kenneth R. Timmerman, “Six Days to War,” which lays out the scenario likely to unfold if the U.S. and Iran go to war.
[….]As the Bush administration ratchets up the pressure, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs says the military option is still on the table and warns Iran that the U.S. can launch massive strikes using Navy and Air power.
There’s a lot of problems with this article, but let’s just pick on this one: the article is dated January 31, 2009 and writes “As the Bush administration ratchets up the pressure”. Mostly, though, I just like the picture.
Here’s some of the other important issues we’ll see in the next issue of Newsmax:
* Michael Savage mulls candidacy.
* Michael Jackson may convert to Islam.
* Reverse mortgages are often a smart choice.
* China bans adoptions to the obese.
* Rich Little: Don’t knock Bush.
* Dr. Laura: A great marriage isn’t hard work.
All of this makes me ponder Don DeLillo’s classic question: were people this dumb before television?
News Radio
Someone mentioned News Radio the other day in the comments, and I decided to borrow the first two seasons from a friend and re-watch it (plus there are some I missed, I am sure). At any rate, I have always loved the show, but I had forgotten just how funny and how good the show was. I just finished episode three, Smoking, and the scene where they snap on Andy Dick’s character Matthew is so funny i watched it four times and have tears streaming down my face.
Such a good show. And Jimmy James has my nod as one of the greatest all-time sitcom characters.
Sharptonmania!
Dear Republicans,
Obama is not kicking your ass because he is black.
best,
TF
ps. I assume that you hope to keep a tight leash on the new antic-prone chairman (e.g., see below) and not look like patronizing racists. Good luck with that.
It’s hard indoors for a pimp
This cracks me up:
Under current (Rhode Island) state law, prostitution is legal in Rhode Island as long as it takes place indoors. Only streetwalkers, their pimps and the customers flagging them down can be charged.
[….]University of Rhode Island women’s studies Prof. Donna M. Hughes said that if prostitution remains legal indoors, “Rhode Island will soon be the sex industry capital of the United States.”
[….]“It’s really a travesty it’s allowed indoors,” state police Lt. Col. Steven G. O’Donnell said. “Make no mistake about it, people take advantage of that, including the strip clubs.” And some spas and massage parlors are brothels, he said. The “loophole” in state law “puts a stamp of legitimacy” on groups of people we don’t want joining our economy, he said.
If you’re at all familiar with Rhode Island government, this doesn’t surprise you at all. One mayor of Providence was put back into office by the voters after pleading no contest to having tortured a man he thought was his wife’s lover (yes, he was a Republican).
Update: I don’t know whether this is a good thing or not, but I bet that it’s a result of strip club owners having paid somebody off. That’s all I mean about Rhode Island government.
Thank Goodness the Adults Are In Charge
And this time I really mean it:
GOP leaders — led by John Boehner and Eric Cantor — have spent days bashing the economic stimulus package being touted by President Obama and Democrats because it doesn’t sufficiently cut taxes.
But is it possible that the alternative plan House Republicans unveiled as a more responsible approach earlier this week would have actually raised taxes for untold numbers of Americans?
That’s the surprising claim that House Democratic staffers who have taken a look at the GOP plan are now making. They insist to me that the Republicans did some almost comic number shuffling in drawing up their proposal, the upshot of which would be that the actual tax bill would go up for many.
I understand the psychological need for the Republicans to feel relevant, and I understand their opposition to spending, but really, we would be so much better off if the Republicans just took a little breather, got themselves pulled together and composed, and stopped being the crazy uncle at the holiday dinner ranting insanely about everything. These guys need to get their act together and figure out that the “loyal” in loyal opposition is fealty to the country first, and not the party.
Will he change his name to Ravene? “Thick in the air like locusts”
Maryland’s Michael Steele was just elected chair of the RNC as many of you have heard. You may remember Steele’s “Scarlet R” imbroglio and the delightful ad he ran about puppies when he ran for Senator, but what I remember best is his campaign’s “recruitment of out-of-state homeless men to hand out misleading campaign literature in African-American neighborhoods” (from TPM):
On the eve of this month’s election, the mailers began landing in Prince George’s mailboxes. One was a glossy red, black and green flier — the colors that represent African American power — sporting pictures of County Executive Jack B. Johnson, his predecessor, Wayne K. Curry and past NAACP president and former U.S. Senate candidate Kweisi Mfume.
Above the pictures of the three Democrats the flier read, “Ehrlich-Steele Democrats,” and underneath it announced: “These are OUR Choices.”
None of the three candidates had endorsed the governor, and only Curry had declared his support for Steele.
There were other fliers, too. A similar “Democratic” guide with Ehrlich’s and Steele’s photo on the front appeared in Baltimore. Another distributed in Baltimore County identified the Republican candidate for county executive as a Democrat.
Of course, these stunts didn’t work so well: Steele was crushed by Ben Cardin and Ehrlich lost badly to Tommy Carcetti even after the whole serial killer hoax debacle in Baltimore.
Update: I forgot about the whole oreos story too:
According to numerous reports in the Washington Times, Steele was “pelted” with Oreo cookies, which signifies a racial slur for being black on the outside and white on the inside.
Times reporter S.A. Miller is one of the writers who referenced the incident in news articles on more than one occasion. Miller told WTOP he attended the event in 2002 and saw Steele get hit with cookies.
When pressed, Miller said he couldn’t swear in court that Steele did get hit with cookies because he didn’t actually see it happen.
On Tuesday, Steele told WTOP that he was never hit with Oreos and said the incident has been exaggerated.
I like this part especially from an Ehrlich spokesman:
“It was raining Oreos. They were thick in the air like locusts. I was there.”