Day: November 4, 2010

How Alan West Won

Buck Banks

Surely one of the scariest characters to emerge from the primordial ooze of the Tea Party in the midterms was Alan West. You remember him — the Army colonel who exited the service not long after discharging his pistol near the head of an Iraqi detainee and the guy who thought the Outlaws motorcycle gang would make a great security detail and the guy who dismissively referred to his opponent for Congress as a “cretin.”

In case you were wondering how this whack-job got elected, here’s an ad I clipped from the Monday edition of the Miami Herald that explains everything:
AlanWestAD

There you have it — West simply appealed to “good black people.”

If you have a few minutes and want to take a gander at some really crazy stuff, visit GODS2.COM.

Verbatim

Buck Banks

I think the most interesting thing to watch in the next Congress is how many Democrats start voting with us. Every one of the 23 Democrats up in the next cycle has a clear understanding of what happened Tuesday. I think we have major opportunities for bipartisan coalitions to support what we want to do.

— Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by NBC News, on why he’s not in the mood to compromise with Democrats.

Impeachment Advocates Call for Investigation into White House Visit by Beyonce, Jay-Z

Jon Ponder
Beyonce, in yellow, Jay-Z to her left at head of table, during White House visit in March 2010
Beyonce, in yellow, Jay-Z to her left at head of table, during White House visit in March 2010

In “The Case for Impeachment: Why Barack Hussein Obama Should Be Impeached to Save America,” the Republicans’ roadmap for investigating the president next year, author Steven Baldwin lists as one of Obama’s potential high crimes and misdemeanors an incident that occurred during a visit to the White House last spring by two world-famous entertainers:

[…]

Sen.-Elect Paul, GOPT-Ky: You Are All Corporate Serfs – Bow Down

Jon Ponder

We all either work for rich people or we sell stuff to rich people. So just punishing rich people is as bad for the economy as punishing anyone. Let’s not punish anyone.

– Sen.-elect Rand Paul, GOPT-Ky, who received millions in anonymous donations, possibly from foreign corporations, funneled to him by the U.S. Chamber, introducing the new paradigm of the tea bagger era: “You are all corporate serfs. Bow down.”

Most Gays Elected Ever

Buck Banks

106

Number of openly gay candidates who won election to public office in 2010 — more than in any year in America’s history. That represents 65 percent of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund’s record-breaking 164 endorsed candidates, including Providence Mayor David Cicilline (D), who will become the fourth openly gay member of Congress when the House convenes in January.