BBC News reported this week that the Treasury Department has eased sanctions against Iran, Cuba, and Sudan with the hope of “[helping] further the use of web services and [supporting] opposition groups.” While I generally disagree with sanctions on principle, and so certainly welcome any removal of them by our gov’t, I can’t help but make a few quick points regarding the general narrative that this move fits into. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government, technology
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I am so sick and tired of hearing Republican hack after Republican hack telling those of us who are conservative, and yet not also Republican, that we are the ones screwing everything up.  From Limbaugh and Rove on the squawking boxes to actual Republican leaders like Romney, it’s a virtual litany these days…

It pisses me off.

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Tags: politics & government
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The new Iron Man 2 trailer has appeared to much fanfare, as the sheeple begin to salivate over the return of their military-industrial complex savior. Well, you’ll excuse me if I’m not excited about the so-called “super” hero known as “Iron Man.” I know he is not all the media would have you believe. I know that Iron Man, AKA Tony Stark, is a heartless businessman who cares for nothing more than the padding of his own massive bank account.

Tony Stark is more than just an opportunist and war profiteer. He’s also got a shameful secret he’d like to keep hidden. A shameful union-busting past, as stated in the explosive headline of this post.

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Tags: art & entertainment, politics & government
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I got this letter today from the U.S. Census Bureau. Does every residential mailing address in the country get one of these?

My first thought was about the first bolded sentence that informed me that “About one week from now, you will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail.”

Holy crap, are they really spending the money to print and mail these letters to everyone in the country? [Read more →]

Tags: money, politics & government
7 Comments »

Bon Jovi is using the occasion of his latest tour to promote volunteerism, and is apparently playing this video at each of his concerts:

I think it’s obvious that anyone who would willingly attend a Bon Jovi concert is in desperate need of direction as to how to spend his free time, but that video is liable to confuse Mr. Jovi’s fans. [Read more →]

Tags: music, politics & government
9 Comments »

I spent much of my childhood in the Silver State and love it still, which is why I’m proud it can offer a pair of leaders to rival New York’s dynamically dysfunctional duo of Spitzer and Paterson. The more famous is Senator John Ensign, whose prospects of becoming the Republican party’s next Palin dimmed significantly when it was revealed he’d been boinking an aide’s wife. This was bad, not because it showed Ensign’s spouse couldn’t trust him — that’s to be expected in politics — but his own staff couldn’t either…and if they can’t, good luck to folk not on his payroll. It soon got worse, with the FBI investigating how Ensign used his power to help the career of the angry spouse of his former bed mate…and then got kind of goofy, with Ensign admitting he had his parents pay the woman nearly $100,000, because even an elected official in his 50s sometimes needs a hand from Mom and Dad. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government
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Guess who’s back? That’s right! The western hemisphere’s favorite oppressor and comandante — el Comandante, Fidel Castro. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water (off the shores of Havana that is). [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government
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The president’s health care initiative has been stalled by politics as usual and partisan rancor. This is a great tragedy, not only because people are literally dying in the streets from lack of access to government-run health care, but because it also gives the impression that Americans are “ungovernable.” Despite what you might have read in Newsweek, it’s only some Americans that are “ungovernable.” I, for one, want to be governed in the worst way; which is why I have so much faith in our current leaders. To that end, I’ve come up with a plan to help the president jump-start what is becoming a stalled presidency: appointing a bunch of new czars. Czars are great, since they don’t require congressional approval and can therefore get started doing the people’s work right away. They can also do pretty much whatever they want, because they don’t have to worry about being accountable to those “ungovernable” American citizens, like my neighbor who shall remain nameless. The president hasn’t yet taken full advantage of his power to appoint czars, so below is just a small sample of the czars I’d like to see him appoint, to bypass all the partisan gamesmanship and really get to work helping us:

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Tags: diatribes, politics & government
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Plenty of people have been whining publicly that they can’t afford health care insurance, some of whom I know. I’m talking about fairly young, reasonably healthy men and women with decent jobs who think the government should step in. Consequently, I sought out a solution at the grassroots level to see if I could help, and in the process, avoid a costly federal mandate.

Turns out it was easier to get health insurance than one might think. That’s right, an American who wants health insurance has a sure fire way to get it. Here’s how. [Read more →]

Tags: health & medical, politics & government
2 Comments »

President John F. Kennedy, a naval officer in World War II, once told a friend how a Navy chief would describe a broken down jeep: “This fucking fucker is all fucked up!”

The phrase “curse like a sailor” has a basis in fact. Sailors do curse.

But it appears that Navy Captain Holly Graf took the tradition a bit too far. As TIME reports, Captain Graf cursed and abused her officers and crew, which led to her being relieved of the command of her ship.       

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Tags: politics & government
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One of the most important political developments of the last century happened when the US Government decided to take your income taxes directly out of your paycheck, before you get it.  This has had the effect of hiding from the citizens just how much they’re really paying, and has helped keep the sheeple quiet about the massive levels of government spending.  Instead of April 15th being a dreadful day when you have to cut Uncle Sam a huge check, now many Americans look at the tax deadline as a payday!

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Tags: money, politics & government
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At what point does respect become subservience? This is a serious question because much has been made about respect for our leaders, especially at the federal level. Certainly, it is productive to treat elected officeholders with a measure of decorum. Politeness goes a long way toward getting heard. Nonetheless, it may be time for some tough talk and bold action. Of late, certain officials have told some whoppers: absolute, far-out, nowhere near the truth tales. The press somehow manages to let these pass with nary a challenge. The opposition party members seem to get a case of Timid Timmy, too. They let the bald faced balderdash fly into the ether with a look of consternation if they manage that much. [Read more →]

Tags: health & medical, politics & government
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The USA PATRIOT Act was, in my mind, one of the worst pieces of legislation ever passed, and its abuses are one of the two methods in which I think George W. Bush’s Administration blatantly violated the US Constitution.

But the Wall Street Journal is telling us that the government is now serving up something even worse.  Project Einstein:

The current version of the program is widely seen as providing meager protection against attack, but a new version being built will be more robust-largely because it’s rooted in NSA technology. The program is designed to look for indicators of cyber attacks by digging into all Internet communications, including the contents of emails, according to the declassified summary.

Homeland Security will then strip out identifying information and pass along data on new threats to NSA. It will also use threat information from NSA to better identify emerging cyber attacks.

Tags: politics & government
2 Comments »

Maybe you’ve heard about that scandalous Republican PowerPoint presentation delivered by Finance Director Rob Bickhart. According to Politico, the presentation breaks donors into two categories:

The small donors who are the targets of direct marketing are described under the heading “Visceral Giving.” Their motivations are listed as “fear;” “Extreme negative feelings toward existing Administration;” and “Reactionary.”

Major donors, by contrast, are treated in a column headed “Calculated Giving.” Their motivations include: “Peer to Peer Pressure”; “access”; and “Ego-Driven.”

The PowerPoint includes caricatures of Democratic leaders as the Joker and Scoobie-Doo. Of course, cable news has gone bananas, and Republican Chairman Michael Steele has repudiated the material.

But should he? I rise in Bickhart’s defense.

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Tags: diatribes, politics & government
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Three months ago, I wrote about some of the problems with the global warming debate, not the least of which is that we were only being exposed to one side of the debate, namely, the doom-and-gloom types of arguments. I questioned a couple of assertions being made by the anthropogenic global warming crowd, and concluded the piece with the observation that we never hear about any of the possible benefits of the Earth heating up.

Thanks to the implosion of the Green-as-the-new-Red movement, due to the Climategate scandal, my point is finally being considered by the mainstream!

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Tags: environment & nature, politics & government
2 Comments »

Dramatis Personae
Barack Obama, President of the United States
Joe Biden, Vice-President of the United States

OBAMA: I have one small concern about our health care proposal.

BIDEN: What’s that, boss?

OBAMA: Don’t call me “boss.”

BIDEN: I’m sorry — I thought that was the lingo. You know, jive talk. [Read more →]

Tags: health & medical, politics & government
3 Comments »

One look at the House and Senate health care bills shows who Congress’ favorite constituencies are. It must be sheer joy to be on that list. If you or your group are there, it means Big Brother loves you and will address your every whim. Of course this largesse comes at the expense of others, but you’re not worried about that. You’re more important, more deserving, a little more equal than the rest.

What’s more interesting than who is on the dole, is who isn’t. For example, there’s not much in there for doctors. The bills are loaded with rules and regulations, those type of sentences that contain the words “shall” and “must.” Somehow, Congress left the goodies out. No scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours, no guaranteed minimums, no cushy boards to create steady streams of government cash into the pool of physician pockets. [Read more →]

Tags: health & medical, politics & government
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With President Palin and the Republican Congress stubbornly insisting on invading Iran, it has been the proud and seemingly quixotic task of the 44 Democratic senators to prevent cloture on the war resolution. But now Majority Leader McConnell is threatening to use the reconciliation process to pass the bill over the objections of not only Democrats but of the majority of the American public. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government
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In a Christmas-time post here at WFTC, I alluded to hyper-partisan people not having much tolerance for ambiguity. My theory is that these dullards can’t entertain — even in a brief, hypothetical sense — thoughts that stray from their specific cluster of swarm “intelligence.”
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Tags: art & entertainment, politics & government
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So, James Cameron went on The View and finally revealed that Avatar was intended as a thinly-veiled vehicle for anti-corporate and environmentalist propaganda, confirming the suspicions of Republicans, mercenaries, and unobtainium miners everywhere. The funny thing is, even though he obviously wanted to send a very specific message, what the movie ends up meaning depends on one’s point of view. You might call it a reflecting pool, or a Rorschach inkblot test, in which everyone sees the confirmation of his or her political ideology in the story. Environmentalists might see it as glorifying the beauty and sanctity of nature and condemning man’s destructive and myopic exploitation of it. Socialists might revel in its message that living without money or trade is a more fulfilling and humane existence and that profit breeds violence and coercion. Doves might see it as challenging the military mindset and imperialist impulses of American culture. [Read more →]

Tags: movies, politics & government
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On the surface, the debate is about economics. Deficit spending, health care entitlements, and taxes all get top billing in newspapers and on television. However, many Americans understand there is more at stake than policy tweaks and social initiatives. They know the real issue is power.

The debate is not unlike the one that took place in the decade or so before 1776. As happened then, two camps are coalescing around broad concepts. On one side are the Royalists, those who believe government has the answers and therefore deserves the authority necessary to implement them. On the other side are the Rebels, who prefer to work out their own solutions and live with the consequences. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government
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Sex is essential. People who have regular sex live longer than those who do not. These people also tend to be healthier and happier. Given the importance of sex in the lives of Americans, you would think that our government would do all it could to ensure that everyone had equal access to sexual services. Tragically, this is not the case.

In fact, our government has stood by while sexual services have been controlled by sex industry workers who seem far more interested in turning profits than turning tricks.

[Read more →]

Tags: health & medical, politics & government
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U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra is in trouble for not engaging in a socialist activity: saying the Pledge of Allegiance.  It’s a case of “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

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Tags: politics & government
1 Comment »

By now, you know that Indiana Senator Evan Bayh is retiring because of excess partisanship, or legislative gridlock, or because he’s “an executive at heart,” or something.

Less noted, but of infinitely greater importance, is the retirement of juvenile uses of Evan Bayh’s surname by poor journalists, tacky aggregators, nattering twits, and everyone else who doesn’t know how to resist an impulse.

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Tags: language & grammar, politics & government
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That wacky Gallic advocate of total war, Georges Clemenceau, is reputed to have said something like (in French, I suppose), “Not to be a socialist at twenty is proof of want of heart; to be one at thirty is proof of want of head.” Fair enough. But what does it mean when, as the years pass, a man finds himself becoming more of an anarchist? [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government
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Although Philip K. Dick passed away in 1982, his novels and stories still have a feel of immediacy. These works of speculative fiction dealt with themes that still preoccupy our minds — the overreach of governments that lie to their subjects in order to increase their power, corrupt corporations that attempt to control every aspect of peoples’ lives, and the nature of identity in an increasingly confusing world. Hollywood studios love him, because his personal stories of alienation in modern society appeal to modern filmmakers, who have turned his fiction into classic films such as Blade Runner, Minority Report, Total Recall, and at least three other films that I have seen, but whose titles escape me at the moment.

For me, one of his best works is the novel The Penultimate Inconvenient Truth, which is the story of a conspiracy among scientists and various world governments to convince people that the planet’s temperature (”planetemp”) is rising. In fact, there is little evidence of this — the scientists and governments are just using it as an excuse to consolidate power. The first chapter, reprinted below, is so prescient that it almost feels like it could have been written today, just now, by me, as a satire. Except for all those classic Phildickian terms, of course:

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Tags: books & writing, politics & government
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I have documented proof that the first partisan attacks began at no later than 11:51 AM, slightly less than two hours after the crash, and that they were aimed at Obama.  The rhetoric is now mostly unintelligible, Democrats bashing Republicans, and vice versa.  It makes me want to vomit.

Why can’t people get it through their heads that a certain segment of the population is just going to be crazy, and that any group with a large enough population size will have the same ratio of sane to insane people as the population at large?  I’m all for the constant mud slinging over things like health care, the lack of global warming, etc.  But at some point we need to acknowledge that sometimes a tragedy isn’t partisan, that it’s just the act of some person who has gone absolutely bat shit insane, that there is no way to make sense of the insane, and that the best we can do is extend our sympathy and condolences to the families of those whose lives were lost.

Tags: politics & government
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When I originally saw the headline in Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper that President Asif Ali Zardari sacrificed a black goat a day in his presidential compound I was quite excited- could this be another entry for Lucifer Watch? After all the goat, especially a black one, is a beast often associated with the Lord of the Flies. But then again, Pakistan is a country which is 98% Muslim or thereabouts, and I just couldn’t see the people (or military) of that nation feeling all that comfortable with a leader paying tribute to the one they call Iblis; indeed I can’t see the people of any country feeling all that relaxed with a head of state openly in cahoots with Satan. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government, trusted media & news
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Bodies are hitting the floor with an alarming tempo but are they smote and dead or are they on the deck playing possum? It’s a mixed bag. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government, terror & war
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There’s a two-word answer for everything wrong with politics today: Richard Shelby. The Senator from Alabama placed a hold on dozens of Obama nominees… not because he opposes them, but because he wanted to “get the White House’s attention on two issues that are critical to our national security — the Air Force’s aerial refueling tanker acquisition and the F.B.I.’s Terrorist Device Analytical Center (TEDAC).” Coincidentally, both these “critical” matters will result in large amounts of federal dollars being dumped into Alabama. So what seems like pointlessly dragging the government to a standstill — and it’s not like the government moves at breakneck speeds in the best of times — in a desperate attempt to score two extra helpings of pork is in fact his personal quest to keep the rest of us safe. On behalf of the rest of America: thanks, Richard. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government
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