Criminals, Crooks, Immoral Scum & Liars (And Those Who Fight Them)

[BlogBox]

Republicans love their crooks, immoral scum, and liars. In fact, they defend these sleaze buckets with zeal. In fact, a one-week span of Republican swiftboating of anyone who dares challenge their lies seems like a month, at least. Has it only been a week since Rick Santorum declared that WMDs exist? To quote Al Gore, after George W. stupidly claimed that Gore acted like Social Security was "some kind of government program": "Uh... Yeah." While Republicans defend their useful idiots, life in America continues on the path to disaster. Fortunately, there are those among us who refuse to give an inch to the right.

Republican Finds WMDs In Iraq! Not

According to Unconfirmed Sources, Rick Santorum now has proof of mustard-related weapons of mass distraction. Rest assured, there's more on Santorum's latest shenanigans later on in this week's column, including a possible explanation for Little Ricky's outlandish WMD claim.

From The Dept. Of Things That Make You Go Hmmm

Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY) has been blocking blogs from his state workers' computers. Funny thing, though. The Kentucky Democrat notes that the hasn't blocked these sites yet:

Drudge Report
The Republican National Committee's blog
Rush Limbaugh
Hugh Hewitt
Hot Air
Captains Quarters
Outside the Beltway

Typical. Cowardly. Republican. Behavior.

Terrorists! Birds! Shadows! Oh, My!

No booze, no drugs, no meat, and they exercise all of the time. If it's Jeb's Florida, they must be terrorists. Hot Air (no, I won't link to this Ernie Fletcher-approved blog) has the (cough) interesting (cough) wingnut version of details on the "Seas of David" group arrested by the FBI in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood. Wow! That must be some effed-up neighborhood! The FBI had to wear jungle camo gear to blend in?


Hmm. Looks like typical American Bart Simpson prêt-à-porter would've helped the FBI blend in better. Be warned: if you seek out the Hot Air post I cited above, remember that HA's readers are Malkin-loving, Hugh Hewitt-spewing, bigoted boys and girls. The comments on the Seas of David members are proof positive.

Scared of Bird-brained Bush's Bird Flu Strategy? If not, you should be. Kathy Stone Of Twin Cities Daily Planet thinks journalists should tell the whole story, even if it exposes those who benefit financially and politically from a scathingly brilliant propaganda plan Bird Flu Strategy. Thanks, Kathy!

Interested In Interest Rates?

Skeptical of Ben Bernanke's ability to chair the Fed? So is Ezra Klein, who links to a music video update of "I'll Be Watching You." Click on over for the video, but stay for the comments and links. Lately, a bevy of Housing Bubble blogs has gained the attention of anxious Americans, including Bubble Meter, The Housing Bubble, Housing Panic, and The Boy In The Big Housing Bubble. Anyone even thinking about buying a home with one of those new 106% mortgage deals should take a look at what's being said on the blogs about the real estate market before signing next to the red X.

Rove ("The Sick SOB"), A Kansas Republican's Ethics Violations, And Notable DU Quotes

Kentuck asks:

What type of person would sit around and conspire and think up plots and manipulate information to deceive people for the simple pleasure of maintaining power? What type of person would even think of taking the strongest points of their political enemies and turning them into "negatives", by propaganda and repetition? What type of person would make plans 6 months down the road to use certain stories to promote their own agenda or to tear down their enemies? What type of person would "save" stories for a rainy day, to change the discussion from one topic to another? Is this a trustworthy individual? Would you call him a "genius" or a sick son of a bitch?

BOSSHOG says it best: "Republicans in this country apparently don't give a damn if their candidates are criminals, crooks, immoral scum and liars." Actually, BOSSHOGG was commenting on Kansas state senator Kay O'Connor's second campaign ethics violation, but the description fits the entire GOP like a glass slipper on a wicked step-sister's bloody lopped off foot.

The FOX Fool And The Dem Who Said, "Bite Me!"

Actually, Senator Carl Levin didn't really tell Brian Kilmeade to bite him, but he might as well have. Think Progress has the video and the details.

Wait! There's more! News Hounds has caught Neil Cavuto touting FAUX News' jihad against The Dixie Chicks:

Neil Cavuto hosted a segment today (June 19, 2006) titled, "Dixie Chicks Mock Americans Who are 'Patriotic'." Cavuto's guests were two California radio talk show hosts, progressive Bernie Ward and radical right wing sentry Paul McGuire. Early on, McGuire said:

I think the Dixie Chicks are expanding to new country markets. You know, Osama bin Laden lives up in the mountains in the country. I hear he's a big fan of the Dixie Chicks, so they've got the Al Qaeda market cornered.

McGuire knows no such thing and of course Cavuto didn't laugh him off the air or ask for details. (But hey, just in case, the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, and the Department of Homeland Security should interview McGuire ASAP. Based on what he said this afternoon alone they're probably tapping his phone and reading his email. After all, whoever whispered in his ear that bin Laden is a "big fan" of the Dixie Chicks just might know where he's hiding too!) Oh how far we've come under the "leadership" of the "compassionate conservatives." The liars are the new "patriots."

Cat Meatballs, Beauty Queens, and UFOs/WMDs

We all know that 'world peace' is the gold standard of beauty queen wannabe answers, but protesting the consumption of cat meatballs could give future lovelies that extra edge. This is a good example of what happens when I follow the links from one blog to another. Of course, I absolutely, positively had to follow a link from DCist to an entry at Shanghaiist when the click promised a protest against cat meatballs. Who wouldn't?

Click throughs (following links from one blog to another) reveal the most interesting results sometimes. For example, also click worthy this week is The Satirical Report's burning question: Are WMDs The New UFOs?

In a development eerily reminiscent of the UFO-crazy '50s, there has recently been an explosion of claimed WMD sightings by some of the more fringe elements of society.

Led by Senator Rick 'Sanitarium' Santorum, the 'WMD cultists' claim that the State Department is covering up evidence of WMDs that have been spotted in Iraq, as well as in neighboring Syria.

I can just imagine Rove saying, "Let's make Santorum go on TV and claim we've found WMDs in Iraq. Ricky will say anything if we help him cheat another election," can't you? After all, Karl is in charge of the 2006 election... and most likely the RNC checking account.

Viagra Falls

This was also the week of Rush Limbaugh's trip to the Dominican Republic (notorious sex tourism destination hot spot) with his doctors' (yes, plural) Viagra prescription in his bag. His attorney, right on cue, called Rush's three and a half hour interrogation "a brief delay." How precious! Anyway, the blogosphere went crazy over this new Rush drug story, but I didn't have to sift through any blog search engine results to find the best blog posts on the subject. DUer Open Edit did it for me. Thanks, OE! You Rock! As for the doctor who wrote the Viagra prescription for either him/herself (or another as yet unnamed physician) and gave the pills to El Rushbo, John at Crooks and Liars writes:

I spoke with the Florida Medical Board and they told me that it is unethical and illegal for a doctor to write a prescription for him/her and then give it to another patient. They told me I could file a complaint and it would be investigated.

(snip)

I just talked to Paul Miller, spokesman for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and he said that there is no official comment at this time about the doctor who wrote the script or if Limbaugh has violated his deal, but the matter has been raised. I called the State Attorney's office next and they are waiting to receive a "packet" about the case before they will respond. I'll keep you posted.

Florida statute 499.03
Possession of certain drugs without prescriptions unlawful; exemptions and exceptions.
(2) The possession of a drug under subsection (1) by any person not exempted under this section, which drug is not properly labeled to indicate that possession is by a valid prescription of a practitioner licensed by law to prescribe such drug, is prima facie evidence that such possession is unlawful.

Remember when the first lady got caught writing prescriptions illegally to treat the president's MS on West Wing? Same deal with Rush's doctors. Will they forfeit their medical licenses for a year and accept a censure like she did? I'm not holding my breath. Being Republican-connected means never having to say you're guilty.

Finally, John at AMERICAblog asks: "When is Viagra not Viagra? When it's the same color pill as OxyContin." Yes, Virginia, there really is a blue Oxy pill, and it's the highest dosage of them all.

My Hero, Ava Lowery

DUer Ava Lowery has been singled out as Buzzflash's coveted Wings Of Justice award winner this week. Buzz writes:

Although many Democratic leaders back down when confronted with hostile questions from the press, Ava has held her own and shown that a backbone comes with character, not age.

Ava is a national treasure. Send her your kudos at Peace Takes Courage by clicking on the site's Contact Us link. Ava is our future. We need millions more just like her.

One has to wonder how supposedly intelligent people could continue to support and defend criminals, crooks, immoral scum, and liars. Is it greed? Is it single-issue voters? Is it something in the water? I don't know, but thank goodness we have some fighters left on our side who know how to stand up to school yard bullies and whoop ass like Ralphie on Scott Farkus’ face. Desperate times call for desperate measures... Not bending over and saying, "Please don't hurt me." Keep fighting the right-wing, patriots!

-- Delilah Boyd

[snowbear]

1. Great job!!

Almost looks like a "DU Newsletter"... AWESOME job!

[katinmn]

2. Bwaaa! Thank's for pointing us to Open Edit's "Erection Fraud!"

:rofl:

Thanks, Delilah, for this week's BlogBox!:)

[lonestarnot]

3. Excellent! Thanks Blogbox!

[autorank]

4. Excellent summary & it looks great! in journal format. K&R n/t

[Reckon]

5. Thanks for exposing the Kentucky turd in

Dem clothing!