Author: Trish

With Christians Like These, Who Needs Satanists?

Trish

The demented vicious weirdos of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka were a big no-show at the funeral of a Florida vet killed in Afghanistan, after authorities made it clear that they would be pleased to make an example of them.

If they are not being monitored like their fundamentalist brethren in better-known terrorist groups, there’s something really wrong with national security

Florida’s two-week old law, similar to a national one, bars protests at military funerals. It was enacted just for the sick puppies at Westboro and any other freaks of nature of who might get a similar idea to proclaim that God kills soldiers to exact revenge on gays. Because you know, God can’t just take the direct route and kill gays. Or something.

The Patriot Guard Riders, a group of mostly former veterans on motorcycles, did attend the service. The group formed to protect the families targeted by Westboro and its ilk and its captain, Clayton Murphy, correctly predicted the so-called church members would chicken out.

Murphy praised the new laws but said Westboro members probably won’t show. The group often sends announcements of protests that never happen, he said.

If the protesters come to town, Murphy suggests people ignore them.

“They feed off people who show up to counterprotest,” Murphy said. “When they break the law, let the local law enforcement officers in the area arrest them.”

I’m not exaggerating how bizarre these folks are. Among their teachings are that the idea that God loves everyone is “the greatest lie ever told,” and that God in fact hates America. If they are not being monitored like their fundamentalist brethren in better-known terrorist groups, there’s something really wrong with national security. Check them out yourself at godhatesfags.com, but be warned: you will want to take a hot shower after you visit their site.

Not Too Late to Wish Pres. Blowhard a Big Birthday

Trish

One Tampa-area T.V. station is still collecting birthday greetings for little Georgie. A few like-minded souls have made it there ahead of you.

Trust me on this one, Dubya’s birthday will never be a national holiday….. But I am sure there will be a lot of clowns at this Bozo’s birthday party. There is such a long list of them right there on his staff…

Happy Birthday Bush. I bet the troops in Irac (sic) would like to celebrate their birthday without having to be worried that their going to get shot at or bombed…

There are a bunch of dumbasses too. My favorite, because it really illustrates the thinking of the Others:

He ain’t perfect (there’s no such thing) but I can bet he’d do a better job than any of you and since I didn’t see any of your names on the ballot – guess that says it all!! Happy Birthday Mr. President! I’m glad to have a president with some balls, BRAINS, ethics and morals!

So there. I didn’t see your unknown, not part of a political dynasty name on the ballot.

Come on, PR readers, surely we can do better than these folks, and maybe even spell “Iraq” correctly. Give the president your regards on this happy occasion.

Update: Love this post from Greg Wilcox in Des Moines, Iowa:

Twenty-five other Americans born July 6, 1946 served and died in the Vietnam War.

Justin Marshall Lynch, Hezekiah George
Guadalupe B L Garibay, Brian Francis Gibbons
Lawrence Raymond Hagedorn, John Michael Henderson
Donald James Sheehy, Vins Ronald Hooper
John Patrick Collopy, Henry Robert Hocknell, Jr
Norman Ellsworth Fine, Jr, Robert Lee Stanek
Ronald Michael Obenour, Terry Lee Baxter
John Arleigh Nixon, William Henry Boswell
Samuel Reyna, John Joseph Cimorelli, Jr
William Henry White, William Joseph Oskilanec
Thomas Michael Casey, Jr, Lawrence Raspberry
George Joseph Fuerst, Nicholas Allen Berger
Raymon Horace James, Jr

John and Jeb in 2008: Dismally Possible

Trish

Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas makes a depressing case for a McCain/Jeb ticket in 2008.

Given his brother’s lagging popularity, the name that got Jeb where he is could stop him from going any further. Diluting that name with McCain’s makes it more palatable…

If he had any other last name, [Jeb] Bush would be a front-runner for the 2008 Republican nomination. But given his brother’s lagging popularity, the name that got Jeb where he is could stop him from going any further.

Diluting that name with McCain’s makes it more palatable for a Bush-weary nation. It gives Jeb a chance to get people to look beyond the name.

If they lose, that sets him up for 2012. If they win, Jeb would fit the new VP mold of an Al Gore or Dick Cheney, an active participant in the White House…

Playing second fiddle allows Jeb to stay engaged while we recover from the George hangover…

As for McCain, his problem isn’t beating Hillary Clinton as much as it is getting to that point. Jeb gets him there. Jeb’s presence eliminates any serious opposition within the Republican Party.

For McCain, the only drawback from Jeb would be if the Bush name penalizes him in a general election.

But come on. Jeb’s dad won with Dan Quayle.

Bushworld Roundup

Trish

Oil, Gas Prices Rising But U.S. Keeps Pedal to Metal

Oil closed at a record high above $75 a barrel Wednesday on strong U.S. demand and ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear program…

Gasoline futures rose on forecasts that U.S. demand increased last week ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend…

European motorists have adjusted their habits as prices soar, however…”The large European countries, for the first half of this year, the consumption of motor fuels has declined,” [one expert said].

Oil also rose as geopolitical tension heightened after North Korea, labeled by President George W. Bush as part of an “axis of evil,” launched a series of missiles into the Japan Sea.

Law Does Not Apply to Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh will not face charges in Palm Beach County for the bottle of Viagra found in his luggage that appeared to have been prescribed to someone else, prosecutors said Wednesday…

Charges in the Viagra case could have nullified a deal Limbaugh reached with prosecutors last month in which a single “doctor shopping” charge was deferred for 18 months, so long as Limbaugh does not get arrested for any reason.

Black Republicans Could Find Recruiting Tougher

African-Americans’ share of U.S. national income has narrowed in recent years as a weak job market helped unwind earlier strides, according to a report published on Wednesday.

A black family’s median income was 62 percent of the earnings of their white counterparts, down from 63.5 percent in 2000, the Economic Policy Institute said.

“The racial gap widened by 2004 as a result of the recession and the jobless recovery that followed,” said Jared Bernstein, economist at the Washington think-tank.

Bushworld Roundup

Trish

Hunt for Bin Laden Officially Abandoned

The CIA has closed down a secret unit that for a decade had the mission of hunting Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants, intelligence officials said Monday…

The realignment reflects a view that al-Qaida is no longer as hierarchical as it once was, intelligence officials said, as well as growing concern about al-Qaida-inspired groups that have begun carrying out attacks independent of bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

CIA officials said that tracking bin Laden and his deputies remains a high priority, and that the decision to disband the unit is not a sign that the effort has slackened.

What Global Warming?

Caribbean sea temperatures have reached their annual high two months ahead of schedule — a sign that coral reefs, including those in the Florida Keys, may suffer the same widespread damage as last year, scientists said Monday.

Sea temperatures around Puerto Rico and the Florida Keys reached 83.48 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday — a high not normally expected until September…

Bush Inflicts Himself on Ft. Bragg Soldiers Yet Again for Annual 4th of July Lie Fest

Bush [told an estimated 3,500 U.S. troops at an outdoor speech at Fort Bragg] that since the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida’s leader in Iraq, coalition and U.S. Iraqi forces have launched more than 190 raids on targets throughout the country, captured more than 700 enemy operatives and killed some 60 more…”

The outlook was less optimistic in Baghdad.

Gunmen in camouflaged uniforms kidnapped Iraq’s deputy electricity minister, Raed al-Hares, and 11 of his bodyguards in eastern Baghdad. The kidnapping occurred three days after gunmen seized a Sunni female legislator in east Baghdad; she and seven bodyguards are still missing.

Bill Nelson: Victim of Not-Perfect-Enough Syndrome

Trish

Poor Bill Nelson. The Democratic U.S. Senator from Florida is either being damned with faint praise, or jinxed by favorable early polls.

Over and over, good Democrats lose because they are not perfect enough for other Democrats to support.

As PR Editor in Chief Jon noted recently, a new poll gives Nelson a 35 percent lead over U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris (R) in his race for re-election. In the post’s comments, PR Editor Buck agreed with the rosy assessment, predicting, “It basically does not matter who ends up with the Republican nomination, Nelson’s gonna win unless he sleeps with [fellow U.S. Senator] Mel Martinez.”

But other comments revealed a much larger problem for Nelson.

shellynm: “Who cares! Nelson votes with the Republicans a great deal of the time on VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES.”

spencer1: “shellynm is absolutely right! I can’t vote for Nelson, I guess I’ll write in, NONE OF THE ABOVE”

Stephen Kriz: “If Nelson is the best that the Dems can do, I’m goin’ Green!”

That’s what I’m talkin’ about.

Here’s what Democrats do: They look at all the candidates, assess their positions, and pick the one who most closely agrees with their most strongly held views. Factors like electability, party affiliation, and the big picture are tossed aside. They are perfectly willing to vote for Ralph Nader, Ross Perot, John McCain, or any other kook out there, particularly if they feel it will send a message to Democratic candidates that they should think more like them in the future if they want their vote.

Here’s what Republicans do: They look at all the candidates, locate the one with an “R” after his or her name, and send that person a check. When time comes to vote, that’s who they cast their ballot for. They are not distracted by third-party candidates like Libertarians who favor ending government (and especially taxation) as we know it — even if they agree with that idea — because they realize this will only split their voting power and a Democrat will end up with the office.

Over and over, good Democrats lose because they are not perfect enough for other Democrats to support.

The most significant part of the poll Jon cited was the answer to this question.

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Bill Nelson?
Favorable: 48 percent
Unfavorable: 14 percent
Undecided: 38 percent

That’s 38 percent who haven’t decided if Nelson is perfect enough, and 14 percent who say he’s not. On the other hand, Harris — or Orlando personal injury lawyer and Karl Rove special friend Will McBride — has what 100 percent of Republicans want, an “R” after the name.

Nelson is perfect enough for me. I hope my fellow Dems agree by election time.

Quote du Jour

Trish

Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one-half the world fools and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.

— Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 1781-82

Katherine Harris is Off Her Meds Again

Trish

Support for Katherine Harris is so universal — according to Katherine Harris — that even Democratic lawmakers from Florida have told her they hope she beats Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

…According to the Palatka Daily News, Harris said, “I’ve had Democrats in the House of Representatives come to me and say, ‘You know, we’d really like to take the majority in the U.S. Senate’ — these are Florida Democrats in the U.S. Congress — ‘but you’ll do so much more for us if you’re there.’ ”

Somebody call Rush Limbaugh and have him bring her over some of the good stuff

Harris said one Democrat — “one of the most liberal House members from Florida” — even offered her a slogan to use in her race against Nelson: “All about nothing for far too long.”

The problem is, none of the allegedly plural Democratic congresspeople in Washington are backing up Harris.

…all seven House Democrats from Florida told the Orlando Sentinel they never expressed any support for Harris. Responses from two — Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Alcee Hastings — were typical.

“That would be a big ‘No,’ ” Wasserman Schultz said.

“Under no circumstances, in any way, shape or form am I supporting Katherine Harris, nor do I know anybody in the delegation who is.”

“I can assure you, Congressman Hastings is 110 percent committed to the re-election of Bill Nelson,” Hastings’ spokesman said.

“He wishes Katherine Harris well in her life as a private citizen next year.”

Harris’ current beleaguered spokesperson (she goes through them like water) says his boss is too principled to expose her supporters.

Her former campaign manager says she’s just wacked.

[Spokesman Chris] Ingram said Harris was “taking the high road” by protecting their identity. He did not respond to an e-mail asking for the names of others who might corroborate Harris’ account.

The episode creates for voters a rare moment of political clarity: Either some Florida Democrats are hiding something and actually told Harris they want her to win, or Harris is making up the whole thing.

Former Harris campaign manager Jim Dornan is convinced Harris invented the story.

Dornan said she told her senior staff the same thing last year. But she would not name names.

“I just figured it had never happened,” said Dornan, who has become a critic of Harris since leaving the campaign late last year.

“It was all too weird.”

Katherine has obviously forgotten to refill her prescription. Somebody call Rush Limbaugh and have him bring her over some of the good stuff.

Why Won’t These Black Kids Just Drink More?

Trish

A new study shows that African-American young people are under tremendous pressure from advertisers to drink, drink, drink. According to the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY), during 2003 and 2004:

  • African-Americans aged 12 to 20 were consistently exposed to substantially more magazine advertising for distilled spirits and beer than were youth in general
  • African-Americans were exposed to from 17% to 21% more beer and ale magazine advertising, and 42% to 43% more distilled spirits magazine advertising per capita
  • African-Americans heard more radio alcohol advertising per capita than youth in general in nine of the 10 largest radio markets during the summer of 2003, and in six of the top 10 markets — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston-Galveston and Detroit — during the summer of 2004
  • Alcohol ads ran on all 15 of the most-watched television programs among African-American youth in 2004, with three brands — Bud Light, Heineken Beer and Miller Genuine Draft — contributing more than half of the nearly $4.8 million

Despite the concerted effort of alcohol producers to get their products into the hands of black youths, the American Advertising Federation (full disclosure: I am a member) says alcohol use is less in this demographic.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has noted that a government survey on alcohol use found that in the same time period, African-Americans aged 12 to 20 used alcohol at a rate of 19.1 percent, compared to 26.6 percent of Hispanic youths and 32.6 percent of Caucasians.

The problem, says CAMY, is that the effects of using alcohol are worse among black kids.

There is substantial evidence that, although African-Americans may drink less than the general population, they suffer higher rates of alcohol-related problems. Alcohol is the drug most commonly used by African-American youth. While African-American youth consume less alcohol than their White and other ethnic minority peers, more than a third (37%) of African- American high school students are regular drinkers (i.e. at least once in the past 30 days). Alcohol use contributes to the three leading causes of death among African-American youth between ages 12 and 20: homicide, unintentional injury (including motor vehicle crashes) and suicide. In the African-American population in general, abstention rates are higher than in the general population, but so are prevalence of heavier drinking and levels of alcohol-related health consequences.

Gee, do you think it’s time to stop pushing 12-year-olds to pop open a cold one?

Katherine Harris Aims for Democrat Nelson, Hits Republican Martinez

Trish

The best campaign strategy for Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson to use against Katherine Harris might be to just give her the floor. She makes an effective case all by herself that she’s too mentally impaired to hold office. Her hometown paper, the Lakeland Ledger:

“She’s trashing the senator of her own party,” Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin told The Tampa Tribune.

It turns out that when it comes to political potshots, Harris is no more cautious than Dick Cheney on a hunting trip…

Nelson, said Harris, is “weak on immigration” because he favors a bill that would provide “amnesty to illegal immigrants.”

That’s because Nelson supports a bill drafted and sponsored by — oops — his Republican counterpart from Florida, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez.

“She’s trashing the senator of her own party,” Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin told The Tampa Tribune.

Hello? Katherine? Katherine’s handlers? Anybody? Somebody get research on the phone!

Nelson said last month that he favors [the Martinez] approach, “To get these people out of the shadows, working and paying taxes — which they are not — is what we need to do.”

Nelson has also proposed two amendments to the bill. One would add more beds in detention centers for illegal immigrants who will be deported. Another would increase the use of technology along the border for better patrolling.

Martinez told the Tribune that he thought the bill was “tough enough” before Nelson’s amendments, and that Nelson’s position on immigration may be tougher than his…

Harris has made it clear that Nelson is her main target. But with him standing so close to Martinez — one of the few Republicans who haven’t openly questioned her ability to win the election — Harris might want to use something other than a shotgun on the next attempt.